AN: I'm disappointed in the quality of this chapter. My vocabulary isn't the best. I could do better. This chapter is, in my opinion, a bit boring.

?

All I could do was run.

To feel worthless is to despair.

My feet thump against the concrete. Large puddles flooded the alleyways and streets. The murky water reached up to my ankles. Pitter-Patter. The sound of my footsteps was the only thing I could hear within the rainfall. Anything outside a one-meter vicinity became impossible to recognize or hear. I kept on running.

Honk

I glance to my left. Two bright lights were staring right at me. A car. I dart back ahead and lunge forward. Shielding my head with two arms as I come crashing onto a sidewalk. Narrowly escaping with my life. I was not sure how long I was on the ground. I hardly can make out anything except the hundreds of raindrops hitting my body. My clothes clung to my skin. The icy-cold temperature causes my skin to feel prickly. I was uncertain what was causing me to shiver. The freezing cold, or that I could have died.

I was tired, but I knew I couldn't lay here forever.

An unreasonable amount of responsibilities and burdens weigh heavily over me. I never asked for it. Even if I ask for help. I can't hand it to anyone else. They were my responsibilities to bear alone. It's why I have to make it out of here. I lift myself off the murky water that flooded the sidewalk.

To be set free from this life is to leave this unfortunate life behind. I burst forward. It wasn't the smartest of ideas in heavy rainfall. A slip of a foot almost made me slip into a puddle, but luckily I caught my balance. I move around it, continuing my trek outside the city of Mistral.

"Wait! Saffron!" The man following behind calls out. He is my mentor. Regardless, he knows nothing of my powers to efficiently teach me. I don't have the talent to use my powers efficiently or learn how to use them. I could only use the basics. Anything advanced would always result in failure. No matter how much or how hard I tried, nothing bore progress. It made me question the significance of continuing to practice my powers even when I had no talent for it. I will never master it to its full potential like he wants me to. It was an expectation I needed to live up to but couldn't. And it hurt knowing that fact.

I abruptly stop to turn toward him, "Leave me alone!" I shout. I raise and extend my arms out, my palms facing him. A warm aura climbs down my arms. I felt it once again. A roar of violent winds came rushing from my palms directly towards my mentor. Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven Academy. The person who I couldn't live up to their expectations. They never forced it onto me, but I knew deep down, that he understood there was no point in teaching someone who has no talent. It was like trying to teach a worm how to play pat-a-cake.

I watch him stand his ground, using both his arms to fend off the oncoming hurricane. I won't go back. No, I can't go back. I just want to live a peaceful life. I don't want to spend the rest of my life having to look over my shoulder expecting to be killed or kidnapped. I strain myself. Urging more of that warm aura down my arms. It proves successful. The hurricane grew more violent. It became strong enough to send Lionheart hurdling into a building. Causing him to grunt in pain as he crashed into a brick wall with a couple of screams being heard from behind. A family hugged the back walls, surprised and shocked to see one of their walls get demolished. Seeing that brought a sense of dread and guilt.

I didn't mean to-

My arms sag. I'm sorry, Lionheart. I'm so, so sorry. I can't bear it anymore. Training day and night, sleeping knowing I'm not making any progress, knowing I'm useless and can't protect anyone with these incredible powers bestowed upon me.

These powers went to waste on someone like me.

I turn my back on Lionheart. Running into the forest and mountains that surround the city of Mistral. It wasn't that I hated Lionheart. It's the opposite. I'm grateful he spent time tutoring me. Even when he had other things to do as headmaster of Haven Academy. I'm so grateful that he spent his time cheering me up, giving me a place to stay, and giving me friends. But the look on his face at the end of every training session. He knew at the rate I was going that I wouldn't be able to stand up against him, even in ten or twenty years.

After thirty of those sessions. I came to the conclusion that I don't have the talent to be a proper and powerful maiden. I don't have what it takes to be a maiden. I'm not cut out for it. And knowing that brought a deep pain.

I don't want to waste any more of his time. I don't want to bear any more responsibilities knowing I'm too weak to hold them above my head. So. I kept on running. Not heading anywhere in particular. And before long, I found a cave. Cold and tired, I decide to enter. It's not like I have anywhere else to go. If I head back inside the city there's a good chance Lionheart will be able to come in contact with me again. I can't go back. I remind myself.

Drip, drip, drop.

The cave was desolate. There's nothing that notable about it except for the jagged and uneven ground but that's a given with all caves. The sounds of rainfall echoing within the cave dampen the farther I venture in. It was dark, cold, and scary. A chill travels up my spine as I steady my pace following the cave walls deeper in. It was huge inside and it seemed to go far down into the mountains. I wasn't sure how far, but I decided to settle near the entrance. Not too close that the moment you walk in you'd be able to spot me. I'm farther inside. If you were to continue walking down from the entrance, for at least a minute, you'd be able to spot me.

I examine the cave for any flat ground. Thankfully, I found the closest thing to flat ground near the cave walls. It was still jagged. And I doubt I won't wake up with any achy bones. But it's better than sleeping out in the rain.

I lay on my stomach while I used my arms as a pillow. Ten minutes. Thirty Minutes. One hour. Three hours. I can't fall asleep. Not like I don't want to sleep, but my mind refuses to. I can't fall asleep in a place I'm not familiar with or comfortable, sleeping in. I can't imagine anyone sleeping in caves peacefully.

And it's difficult to ignore the jagged hard stone ground. The cold gusts of wind that tickle my skin every few seconds. Then the memories of my time at Haven Academy continue to invade my mind. My friends who I've laughed with. The giggles and stories every night at our dorm. Gossip that I never liked talking about but miss on this lonely night. The sense of loneliness seeps into my core. My friends and family must be worried about me. Everything is starting to catch up to me. And it hit hard.

I decided to focus my attention on the rain. The hundreds to thousands of drops hitting the ground creating a pattern. It helps take my thoughts off of everything. It's just me and the rain. My eyes began to flutter.

This time, I'll be running off to the realm of dreams…

Saffron

A warm orange-yellow hue bled through my eyelids. My eyes flutter once more. I move to stretch but my body has different plans for me. My bones ache all over causing me to groan in pain and refrain from moving. I forgot that my aura isn't always perpetually active like most people. I'm still working on that. I focus on my aura. A bright warm orange glow coated my entire body.

After a few minutes, the pain faded.

Day one of surviving out in the wilderness, I guess. I began my day exiting the cave. Obviously. Which was a mistake because the sheer light coming from outside nearly blinded me for a minute. Thankfully, my eyes started to adjust to the sunlight. Then after the whole, being blind thing, I took mental notes of my surroundings. There were lots of trees, like, a lot. Well, it is a forest. What did I expect?

And a lot of foliage. Berries, plants, and uh- berries… I don't know much about plants, okay? I never got around to learning about plants, well, more like I never could find the time to. I searched the area before encountering my first wild animal. It was a cute little chipmunk. It stood still like it was paralyzed. I got closer and closer to it, taking small steps not to scare it. It was as stiff as a tree, which was worrying now.

I stop to see an acorn lying on the ground, yet to be eaten. I pick up the acorn between my index finger and thumb. I handed it to the chipmunk, who happily accepted the gift by grabbing the acorn with two tiny hands. Then it stuffs the acorn into its cheeks. It was amusing to watch.

Its beady little eyes and its cute rounded nose made it look adorable. So much so that I tried to poke its chubby cheeks. But, as expected, it only scared off the chipmunk.

I didn't mean to scare it off. It just looked so adorable. I was really hoping to pet it. Maybe… I look to the entrance of the cave. I shook my head. There was no point in leaving the area to chase after a chipmunk. Not like it would fill my stomach.

I continued to survey the area. There was not much of anything. As I said before, bushes with berries, also flowers and mushrooms. But for all I know, they could be poisonous. Honestly, I'm better off not eating anything than eating something poisonous. And I don't like the idea of slowly dying from poisoning.

I glance to my left. There was a decent-sized clearing that opened up into a field with grass tall enough to reach your waist. Dozens of flowers of different species are sprinkled throughout. I went to check it out. I'm glad I did. It was beautiful, majestic even. I never thought I would get a chance to see something so precious.

I climb up the only hill in the field. The grass that reached up to my waist dwindled in height. At the peak proudly stood a giant apple tree that grew past a hundred feet. It was a sight to behold. Normally, healthy apple trees can only reach thirty feet in height. Finding an apple tree this huge made me question how it managed to achieve this height. The leaves are a lush green that speaks volumes of its health. A gust of wind came in at the right time to make the crown of the apple tree sway beautifully. The leaves hitting each other produced a calming rattling sound. This will be a memory I won't ever forget.

Crunch

I cock my head. What was that? I peered over the side of the trunk, slowly rounding the trunk till I saw a blonde man sitting against the giant apple tree. Facing away from me.

"Sour… like always…" The man says before spitting out a piece of an apple he bit into. My eyes followed down his body. Oh… oh my. The man had nothing to cover himself with except a leaf hiding his private part.

Seeing this made it feel like the ambient air temperature increased by ten degrees. I probably should tell him that he's not alone. "E-excuse me-" I stutter out. Gosh, I was prepared to say that too and I still manage to stutter.

"Hm..?" The man hummed, acknowledging my presence, "What's the matter?" He turns his head to me, looking at me with soft eyes. What's the matter? Is he not embarrassed that I caught him during his free time… Doing whatever he was doing? Also, what's with your reaction? Aren't you at least a little surprised to see someone here?

I scratch my cheek. "Oh- uh… nothing. I'm just letting you know that I'm here." I say. Chuckling nervously. I would also like to mention a girl, me, is standing in front of you. And you're wearing nothing but a leaf covering your crotch, but for all I know this could be your private property and I'm probably intruding, sorry! That's what I want to say, but I couldn't bring myself to. It's just too embarrassing. Probably not as embarrassing as right now, but still.

"I've known since the night before." He says. Then I went quiet. Wait. Does that mean he already knew I was here the moment I entered the forest? He knew I was sleeping in that cave- Though I'm not mad that he knew. It's just surprising that I didn't see him. As much as I want to think it's something to do with my not-so-keen eyes, It was raining hard at the time, so you can't really blame me for that. Wait a minute, wouldn't that mean it would just as equally be hard to see for him as well? So how did he see me and I didn't see him?

I find it, out of the ordinary. He saw me, a lone girl running, and did nothing about it. Not like I was in danger, but what if I was? It's just a thought, I'm not really bothered by it. "Oh… sorry. Is this private property? I didn't know, sorry." I say. Unsure if to feel guilty or not.

"Don't be sorry. I don't own this forest." He tossed the apple in my direction. It was so sudden that It forced me to flail my arms around. And, miraculously, Catching it within my hands.

"You look hungry, go ahead." He says.

To give me, or anyone, an apple out of the blue can be a cause for questions. That is what I would say if I didn't see him take a bite of it a minute ago. I rub my thumb on the apple's surface. Smooth as butter. It was like I was touching a marble ball. I inspect the juicy insides of the apple. It looks as healthy as the tree it came from. Not even have any deformities. It's hard to describe how red the outer layer is except that it looks like an apple that was photoshopped to be perfect.

"Thank you," I say.

I rotated it opposite of the bite mark and bit into the fresh apple. It tastes sou..- sweet? I swore I heard the man say it was sour. I chew the piece of apple into small chunks before swallowing. My stomach growls wanting more. I continued to scarf most of the apple till all that was left was its core and stem.

I laugh nervously, "Do you mind if I could have another?" I say. He nods before knocking on the tree trunk once. A singular apple falls perfectly into the palm of his hand.

I wasn't entirely sure if he wanted to impress me by doing that, if so, then he definitely did. That was astonishing. I notice my jaw hanging open making me snap out of my stupor and quickly shut it. No need to start salivating like crazy. I remind myself.

"Th-thank you, again," I say. I proceeded to wildly scarf down the flesh of the apple. Leaving nothing but the core and stem. Burp. I rub my stomach. That was a nice snack. Me and the man made eye contact for a brief moment. His eyes widen slightly. Was it because of how fast I ate that apple? I turn as red as the apple I ate.

"S-sorry, that was unbecoming of me," I say. My parents ingrained the term 'manners' into my being. It would have been great to use at prestigious schools or anything similar but my family weren't the richest of people. A lot of my classmates were either making fun of my mannerisms or amazed by it.

"It's alright, you're welcome to gorge yourself." He says before pointing up at the crown of the tree where dozens of apples hang. Ripe for the picking.

"T-thank you once again," I say. How many times will I have to say thank you? It's starting to get repetitive.

I subconsciously use wind magic to get the apples off the tree. Slowly levitating them down and into my arms.

"How peculiar." The man says, making me go stiff. I forgot normal people have no idea of the existence of magic. Something that Lionheart made sure I remembered. Lionheart tried telling me not to create a situation like the one I'm in now. A situation where I have to convince the person it's a semblance, not anything else. My eyes gazed anywhere but where the man sat. I shouldn't have used my magic. It was so convenient to do so that I forgot.

"What you performed…" He says. Oh no, here it comes. "Brought a scent with it… like the sweet smell of a tulip. It reminds me of my wife." He says. That's a… twist? Something unexpected? How do you even smell magic? My eyes wandered back in his general direction. He wasn't looking at me anymore but at the crown of the tree. His eyes made it clear. He looks to be reminiscence of his past. Was his wife one of the maidens?

I hesitate to speak but somehow push the words out my throat, "You… you know one of the four maidens?" I ask him.

"No, I do not," he answers.

The hope rising within me died down. There goes my chance of getting a maiden to help me control my powers.

"That seems to bother you." He says. There was silence between us. I was hoping that maybe if I came in contact with another person like me, a maiden, they'd be able to teach me how to use my powers. And after I do. I would be able to come back to the city of Mistral and show Lionheart how powerful I had become. I'd be able to go back to my family. I'd be able to show them that during my time at Haven Academy, I had actually learned something useful. Something I would be able to utilize outside of the city.

"I'm all ears." Adam offers.

I look down at the ground. Blades of grass from the thousands crush beneath my shoes. I shuffle in place. But to explain all that to a stranger. A stranger that I can oddly trust. I'm not entirely sure why I'm tempted to accept the offer. It could be because this man has an aura that makes you feel safe and wanted.

I can't explain it with words. He reminds me of people precious to me, almost like my parents. My parents… they were strict. I could never play video games or anything related to online. But at least they listened to my worries and knew whenever I felt under the weather when nobody else did. I bet they're worried about me right now. Maybe I shouldn't have run off.

But how would I ever face my parents knowing that all the months I've been at Haven Academy were for nothing? I couldn't explain to them that I have no knack for combat or learning anything combat-related in general.

I sat next to the man, "Your name, please?" I say, out of the blue, "Of course I want to know your name because it'll make it easier for me to open up. I don't want to spill my worries to someone who I don't know the name of."

"Adam," He says, "What is yours?"

"I'm Saffron," I say. Adam hummed. "Saffron… If I remember correctly, that's a flower that blooms in summer, right?"

I sent him a blank stare before chuckling, "Yeah, I guess it is. But it's a color too."

"It's a lovely name," Adam says with a sweet voice. It made my heart skip a beat. "My wife has a garden. She loved taking care of her flowers, it's what she does in her free time. She would be fond of your name since it's the name of a flower." Adam says.

Adam smiles to himself, "Don't be mistaken though. She loves her family more than her garden. Family always comes first. It's what she believes in. And It's one of the many reasons why I love her."

His eyes lit up, "Ah, I'm supposed to be the listener of your worries, not the opposite." He says.

"No, no, It's fine." I assure him while waving my hands, "I can tell you love your wife dearly."

"Yeah," He says with a smile.

"What about you? Who do you love more than anything?" He asks me. It's not a hard question to answer. It's obviously my parents. They gave me everything I have now. My mom and dad.

"My parents…" I dragged out. I brought my knees close to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, "My dream was to become a florist. It still is, of course. So, I told my parents. I thought they would have said no, a stupid thought, especially since they're so caring and loving, but It was a worry I had, nonetheless. And, to nobody's surprise, they happily supported me when I told them I wanted to become a florist. Signed me up for classes. Gave me my own small little garden in the back. They even bought everything in flower themes. Backpacks, pens, clothes. It was so embarrassing that I tried to cover the flowers with tape when I went to school. Clear tape. The kind you can see through." I laugh at my stupidity, "I wasn't the brightest kid back then."

"But I was the happiest kid. My dream to become a florist was beginning to blossom. Yeah, it sounds stupid, I know. But I loved the idea of caring for flowers. They have this charm and appeal. It was also a dream of mine to be welcomed with a wave of pleasant fragrances from my very own garden. Profiting from it is a side benefit."

A sigh escaped my mouth, "But when Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven Academy, heard of my 'multi-elemental' semblance. I thought that my dream of becoming a florist came crashing down. He had given me an invitation to Haven Academy. A prestigious academy where only a small majority of students enter each year. I couldn't say no. Even my parents urged me to go. So I did."

"My dream wasn't to become a huntress. It was to become a florist. So…. I decided to try my best to graduate while learning more about plants through the library." I say with a barely visible smile.

But everything seems so small now. Even becoming a florist, "But I never was given a chance to sneak off. Unbeknownst to me, Lionheart had already created a schedule for me that barely had time for breaks. Going to the cafeteria wasn't even an option anymore. I had to eat during class in the morning or before bed. But the school provided the food, thankfully. I can't imagine waking up every morning having to prepare myself breakfast, lunch, and dinner."

"Then... someday, the other students began to notice I wasn't in any team or classes. Rumors started spreading. Yada-yada. Students were mad about me getting the special treatment. But they'll never know how hellish it is getting the 'special treatment.'" I say with disdain.

"I hated it." I blurt out, "I only went through it because of Lionheart. He was the only one who could talk me out of leaving Haven Academy." I went silent, "Yet, here I am." I mutter. I began to study the vast field of grass. The swaying. Rabbits, mice, lizards. The critters hurry across the field, pushing the grass aside. The birds flew above in the sky, looking for insects and worms to feast on. Their life seems so simple. But they have to watch their backs. Predators lurk. I look up to see a hawk swoop down on one of the birds that flew high in the sky. The hawk's talons pierce the bird's skin. A loud squawk indicated that the hawk had caught the poor bird. The bird hadn't seen it coming till the last second.

Like the bird, I too am prey to a larger predator. I will not see or hear them till it is too late. It was something Lionheart told me. If I'm unable to become stronger, I'll eventually fall into the hands of Salem. To be manipulated, tortured, and then finally killed when I prove useless.

SWOOSH.

I duck and cover my head. It was like everything had occurred in slow motion. The branches rattled violently as an explosive surge of wind threw me downhill from the apple tree. I dug my fingers into the soil before I could go any farther down. What the hell was that? I thought. I spring into action, running uphill. As I made it back to the top, my body froze. I didn't know what caused the strong wind, but I was not expecting it to be someone I heard of.

A man who looks like a giant towered over Adam. I squint my eyes to get a clearer image of the man. He's the man Lionheart had warned me about. A man who stood eight feet tall with a broad and burly body. Hazel eyes and short dark brown hair. The man's name. Hazel Rainart. I wasn't sure how Lionheart knew of the man, but I had a feeling it was from a specific group Lionheart had been meaning for me to join.

"Move aside, I'm only after the girl," Hazel says with an apathetic voice. Adam's hand was gripping around Hazel's fist. It was like watching a stand-off. And it was transpiring in the spot where I had been sitting. My eyes widened as my heart began to pound rapidly. That's when it hit. That man, Hazel, tried killing me while I was talking to Adam.

"Take a deep breath, there's no need for violence," Adam says, calmly. Adam had been able to block Hazel's attack, so how come Adam isn't fighting back? It almost looked like Adam was hesitant at the thought of fighting.

"I couldn't agree more, but that girl needs to come with me," Hazel says. Me? As if. I wouldn't ever tag along with someone who tried to kill me just a few seconds ago. And even if I did. I would be killed when they figured out I could barely use magic proficiently.

"For what purpose?" Adam asks.

"None of your business," Hazel says. Hazels pulls back his free hand and strikes Adam in the gut. Doing so allowed his hand to be free from Adam's grip. Hazel jumps back, distancing himself from Adam. The strike produced a sound loud enough that I heard it from almost a hundred feet away. Even if I, myself, expected a strike like that. I don't think I would have been able to endure it. I would be dead on the spot the moment it made contact with me.

But Adam looks hardly affected by the blow. Or maybe not. It's hard to tell from where I'm standing. I'm only able to see the back of Adam's head. For all I know he could be cringing in pain right now. But Judging by how he didn't get sent flying or flinch at all, he probably didn't feel it. That or he endured through it, which would be stupid to do.

Adam sighs. "I cannot overlook your actions. You could have hurt Saffron, or worse, kill her."

Hazel cracks his knuckles, "She would have been fine. I only put enough strength to knock her out, nothing more." Hazel says with the same apathetic tone. Yeah, yeah, sure. I thought sarcastically. I doubt I would have survived a hit like that, no, I would've probably been mistaken for ground meat if I was hit by a blow like that.

Adam stood in silence. I'm not sure what he's thinking, maybe he's thinking of a way to kill Hazel? Or is he thinking of ways to prevent a fight he probably can't win? Perhaps he just doesn't want to get hurt in a situation that has nothing to do with him…

"I do not wish to fight…" Adam asks.

Hazel slowly approaches Adam, "Just hand over the girl and there won't be a need to." Hazel towered over Adam once more. Standing ten feet apart. Adam had to lift his head to meet eyes with Hazel. And the opposite for Hazel.

Neither of them plans on backing down.

"I hate needless bloodshed, but if it has to be done, then so be it," Hazel says. Hazel's hands went down towards his waist, grabbing something within the two pouches he had latched to his belt. Hazel pulls out two lightning dust crystals. It was abnormal for dust crystals to be bigger than seven inches, but the ones he had in his hands were the size of balling balls.

Hazel stabs the dust crystals into his arms and his muscles start to bulge, producing a disgusting sound in the process. His eyes widened and his pupils dilated replacing his once relaxed demeanor with a wild one. Hazel's clothing tore apart, unable to contain his rapidly growing muscles. His ear-piercing roar made the transformation even more terrifying. The veins in Hazel's arms start to glow yellow as streaks of lightning immediately climb up his shoulder, chest, then neck. Lastly, his eyes. Hazel's eyes weren't the same hazel brown color they were before. Instead, it was a hue of yellow coated in a bright yellow glow.

What... The... Frick?

AN: Tell me what you think about this chapter. Anything that I could have done better like different adjectives or nouns, etc.