A DRAGON'S JEWEL: the Ancient Mage and the dark arts

Chapter 17: Forgotten Memories

A faint humming sound could be heard in the distance. 

The blond-haired boy scrunched up his face – eventually opening his eyes, albeit rather unwillingly.

He was enveloped in soft pink strands, with piercing blue eyes staring down at him.

"Time to get up now Damien" he heard her say.

The 10-year-old boy, currently laying under a big willow tree in the middle of spring, then slowly realized that the soft cushion he felt underneath turned out to be the lap of the one urging him to wake. As he pushed himself up and caught sight of her, he was momentarily stunned by her beauty.

There she sat; knees bent with legs folded underneath. Plain white dress covering her pale bare skin, with long pink hair gently being blown around and about by the wind. Her blue eyes narrowed as she stared at him, and then slightly softened as a smile broke out and stretched across her cheeks.

"Silly boy, why sit so far off? Come closer sweetheart" the voice beckoned him.

The boy nudged himself towards her, until he was almost sitting on her lap.

He reached out, grasping some of her hair in his tiny fists. "Just like candy floss" he said, while carefully examining it.

The woman chuckled, but it quickly erupted into a full-blown coughing fit.

Damien stared at her with a deep concern hidden between his furrowed brows.

"Why are you always sick mother?" he asked faintly.

After she regained control of her cough, she straightened and looked at him. "Because my dear one, nothing in this world is for free, not even healing". She turned her head sideways and caught sight of a small patch of dandelions growing next to the tree. Their beauty mesmerized her for a time, and she smiled.

"Suffering can't be eliminated, my love, it can only be passed on for someone else to bear. Healers are the ones who choose to bear it".

Damien stared at her, tracing her outline with his eyes.

"Well teach me, then I can bear yours" he said, desperation evident in his tone.

The woman smiled more brightly "You cannot handle that my sweet, not even I can bear it alone"

"Then who else can you share it with?" the little boy questioned, feeling rather irritated.

"There is another" the woman responded, voice calm and soothing. "You'll meet him soon. He carries all of it, only entrusting me with a small part – just enough to carry without breaking"

"Why can't he just keep it all" the boy scoffed, clearly unimpressed by this newly mentioned stranger.

"Oh, I'm sure he can, if he so chooses" the woman said, the smile on her face slightly fading. "But then I could no longer partake with him in the joys of alleviating other's suffering – that would indeed be too much for me to bear"