Evermore

Nostalgia

While Florian had left, she approached a pot full of water. It had just been drinking water boiled for later use, so it was clean. She climbed over the side and into the lukewarm water. It was deep enough that she couldn't touch it and would have to dive down to touch the bottom.  Lucky for her, this pot was conveniently made of material other than iron. She sank to the bottom like a stone and let the water do its job.
Nymphs had a strong connection with water. It provided life and special abilities when they entered. She closed her eyes, and intricate marks along her body began to glow a golden shine. Her burn marks slowly began to heal, and she began having pleasant childhood visions. It was a warm summer day, and she sprinted through the tall rye with her other friends.  They swung starch to starch like lemurs in a tropical forest. Their bright skin tones mimic flowers of purple, yellow, and pink. Later in the day, they swam in a pond under the lilypads, able to hold their breath for hours at a time. They wrapped up their day by enjoying the starry summer sky and eating their unique cuisine.
Aconite missed those days. She missed when the world was fresh, and humanoids were scary bedtime stories that her childhood friends would tell her. Now it all felt so dull because the world- to her- was all that evil. Her parents were both victims of hunters, leaving her alone. That is when she became the town scout and vowed that nothing like that ever happen again. But, despite all this bad, she still held onto the tiny glimpse of hope that humanoids still had some good in them. She couldn't hate them because, despite what happened, her people had committed terrible sins prior. Granted, these sins took place thousands of years ago.
A ripple hit the water, causing her to exit her sweet nostalgia and enter some dark memory. She was a teenager and had heard of a God roaming the border. She was warned to stray far away, but her curiosity caught up. She left her abode near midnight to see. She arrived at a meadow, and that's where she saw him.
He was abnormally tall, like all gods, but he was closer to a humanoid size, which was rare. Usually they were towering figures, hitting the sixty to eighty feet range, but here he was only around eight feet tall. He had pitch-black skin and a polished geode for a head. The stars reflected against his head, and Aconite looked in awe. She had to get a closer look. She crept to the edge of the tall grass and admired him. She knew him from legends. This was Apophis. Unlike most gods, Apophis didn't have a title like 'God of Rain.' It was a complete mystery. He was described as an unpredictable monster who stole souls from the innocent.
He collapsed onto his knees, holding his hand out to reveal he was bleeding. A crying nose escaped him, and he rocked back and forth.
"Why?! Why?! I ask you!" He looked up. "Please tell me!" Aconite tilted her head. Something struck her like how an animal mother cannot ignore the cries of an infant. She approached him from the tall grass, but of course, he didn't see her. His head was buried in his hands, and his tears leaked. Her body screamed for her to turn around, this went against everything she had been taught, but she had to keep going. She walked around the front of him and touched his finger. He raised his head and looked at her in shock.
"A nymph?! Oh dear, it's not safe for you. For us, I-" Apophis began to move back.
"A-Are you okay? You're bleeding. I want to make sure." Aconite interrupted.
"Yes, I- I just had some trouble. You wouldn't understand. I don't mean to be rude, of course. Thank you." While he had no facial expressions, his words carried great emotion. "Now, please, you have to leave here. It's not safe." He moved his hand back.
"C-Can you tell me why? You just look really, really hurt." She frowned.
"Your blood. It will hurt me. And I will hurt you just- just because of your species. I don't want to. I can't control it. It's a curse. From a really, really long time ago." He stood up. "I do appreciate your concern. I don't think I have had any mortal be so pleasant to me."
She strained her neck, looking up at him, anxiously watching his steps. He bowed and walked towards the woods.
"Wait! Please! I have to ask you something!" She yelled out. He didn't hear her and kept walking. She ran to catch up with him, sprinting next to his footfalls. "My parents! I want-" Crunch. Her leg had been caught under his shoe. She yelped out, and he immediately turned towards her, scooping her up in his hands.
Apophis panicked. "Oh, my heavens! Are you okay? I am so, so sorry. I am such an idiot. I didn't think you would follow me-" Tears streamed from his cheeks, although he had no tear ducts. Aconite was panicking and regretting every decision she had made to help him. She knew it was an accident, but she could have died. It would have been her fault, too, so out of fear, she took it out on him. "Don't worry. Please. You're going to be okay. I can help you." He brought her up to his face to see better. She looked into the geode and saw the outlines of galaxies in his complexity of a face.
But then, something odd happened. Ravens began to speak her name.
"Aconite. Aconite." They called out. Apophis looked around frantically and suddenly went quiet. He formed a grip around her, squeezing her.
"Stop, stop!" She yelled at him, but something had changed in him. Legends said once a god knew a nymph's name, they would have an uncontrollable hunger, but no one ever believed them because no one ever gave out their given name. That was something scary for a good reason. For regular mortals, it would provide them with the power to control them, and there were countless examples of a nymph being forced to give their name.
Apophis' face split, revealing a large circle of thousands of teeth. She was being brought closer and closer.
"Please! Please! No! I am sorry! Please!" She sobbed violently, praying that he would stop. And suddenly, he did.
He threw her into the grass and stepped back. He didn't say anything and ran off. The sounds of his thundering steps echoed in the distance.
Something pulled her out of her nostalgia, a splashing noise. She resurfaced to find Florian leaning against the counter, watching her in awe. The previously empty pot was now filled with tiny lily pads and vines. Little flowers dotted the top and onto the vines that climbed out of the pot.
"How did you..." Florian spoke, looking over the pot.
"I-Oh, I am so sorry. I made a mess." Her face flushed, embarrassed.
"No, no- don't apologize. It's beautiful." He smiled.