Elegy from Another World

In the latter half of the night, the camp fell into a deep, slumbering silence, broken only by the occasional crackling of the campfire and the even breathing of the survivors. The few people who had been snuggling up to me, sucking nectar, had finally calmed down and fallen into a deep sleep. Still wide awake, I began to examine these unexpected "ornaments" on my body by the firelight.

These small white flowers are graceful in shape, typically with five to nine pure, flawless petals, about three centimeters in diameter, and a tiny, shimmering stamen at the center. Up close, you can smell a light and refreshing fragrance, not overpowering, yet calming to the mind. I carefully tasted the nectar of a flower near my armpit; it was sweet and refreshing, like a blend of honey and some unknown wild fruit—quite delicious.

Out of curiosity, I tried gently plucking one of the flowers. To my surprise, the flower didn't wither immediately; it remained vibrant and glowed faintly, only no longer drawing energy from my body. This property was truly amazing.

"What's the trigger condition?" I wondered. I licked the area on my arm that didn't have the flower before, but there was no reaction. But when I licked the area around my other armpit, a familiar tingling sensation came from under my skin, and another small white flower slowly bloomed.

"Water?" I immediately realized the key. I stretched out my other hand, condensed a small ball of pure water, and gently poured it onto the inside of my arm. Sure enough, the skin that came into contact with the water reacted quickly, and three small white flowers bloomed in succession!

This discovery intrigued me. I simply walked to the edge of the campsite, cast a water spell, and created a small "shower," soaking myself completely. As the water flowed over my skin, something magical happened: on my neck, around my armpits, my waist, my inner thighs… these specific areas, like stars lit up, sprouted one white flower after another. In the end, I counted twenty-one small white flowers blooming all over my body.

Amidst the dappled light and the rich fragrance of flowers, I felt as if I had become a walking flowering tree. Even from afar, the increasingly pronounced and pleasant scent emanating from me could be smelled. This feeling was peculiar, even… somewhat amusing. I looked down at my inhuman form, my heart filled with mixed emotions, but mostly with a sense of wonder, like discovering a new continent.

As dawn broke, the survivors awoke one by one. When they saw me covered in white flowers and emitting a strange fragrance, they were all astonished. But what surprised me even more was that those who had previously had empty eyes and only reacted to pain now had clear eyes again! They stared at me blankly, then looked around at their surroundings. Their memories seemed to gradually return, and a huge wave of fear and lingering dread washed over them. They rushed over, hugged me tightly, and burst into loud sobs.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's all over..." I gently patted their backs, softly comforting them. It seems that these strange flowers not only provide nectar, but their fragrance or some kind of life energy has an incredible healing effect on severe psychological trauma.

As everyone's emotions gradually calmed down, a new "problem" arose. More flowers adorned my body, and their fragrance became even more alluring. Those who had regained their senses, along with the other survivors, looked at the white flowers on my body with a mixture of longing and embarrassment. I smiled, indicating it was alright. So, everyone gathered around, carefully sucking the nectar from the flowers. Being surrounded by so many people, feeling their warmth and dependence, was indeed a strange feeling, but deep within me surged an indescribable sense of security and the satisfaction of being needed.

About fifteen minutes later, I asked them if they needed some dry food. They all shook their heads, saying that after sucking on the nectar, not only did their thirst quench, but their hunger disappeared, and their bodies felt warm and full of energy.

"So this nectar can actually satisfy hunger?" I was surprised again. This solved the biggest logistical problem.

Now that everyone had regained their mobility, we abandoned the cumbersome trailer. The group set off along the trade route towards Valencia. Despite the hardships they had endured, the atmosphere within the group was much more relaxed, and we could even occasionally hear the hushed conversations of survivors. The fragrance of flowers surrounded us, as if forming an invisible shield.

After another full day of trekking, as night fell on the second day, we finally saw the familiar lights on the walls of Valencia.