NEVANTHI

Nevanthi wandered the length and breadth of Hathor before she came to the Island of the Banished. As the Wood Guardian of Esperia, when she finally emerged from her forest into the wider world, she was insatiably curious about human society.

Dressed as a traveler, she had entered a city and, by virtue of her botanical knowledge, happened to fall in with a noblewoman who had a passion for flora. It wasn't long before the noblewoman invited Nevanthi to come to visit her garden.

Greenery of all descriptions filled the garden. It also boasted perfectly-trimmed topiary, the plants of which looked a far cry from their natural appearance in the wild. Glass enclosed the whole garden which, according to the noblewoman, could maintain a constant temperature; more importantly, it also kept the lowly weeds from gaining a foothold.

However, no matter the number of rare or valuable plants, Nevanthi could not muster any enthusiasm for the garden. These plants were perfectly adapted to their natural homes high up on cliffs, or deep in wooded valleys. But now here they were, having been forcefully dug up and transplanted into this crowded garden.

When Nevanthi admitted how she felt, the noblewoman's reaction was beyond anything she could have foreseen. The noblewoman had hoped that Nevanthi would stay with her forever, living in her mansion and taking care of the garden. When she realized that Nevanthi was not to be persuaded, she summoned the guards to forcibly detain her.

Nevanthi thus called to the plants in the garden, summoning vines and tendrils to erupt from the earth. She turned to leave, abandoning the noblewoman and her guards as they were immobilized by the hostile flora.

The more Nevanthi experienced human settlements and cities, the more her dislike of humans grew. They always tried to take the things they liked for themselves, yet were never satisfied, as if there was a hole in their soul that could never be filled. Moreover, the human heart was akin to a dense forest, impossible to know whether verdant springs or foul sludge lay concealed within. This realization drove her to steer clear of humans, and she took to wandering from place to place, admiring the intrinsic, simple beauty of flowers and trees in nature.

As she crisscrossed the whole continent, Nevanthi decided to aim for the ocean. Thus did she turn her meandering steps towards the remote Island of the Banished, a desolate, barren place.

This island is home to a group known as the Tainted. Former innocent citizens of Bantus, they were slaughtered and forcibly transformed into Graveborn under the Thoran, the Fallen King. After escaping the tyranny of Bantus, they fled to the remote Island of the Banished, there to take refuge in rejection of the rest of the world.

The world, for its part, views them as a group of unfortunate from whom fate has taken almost everything. And yet, they don't just survive, but live. They are not just putting on a brave smile in the face of adversity, but have genuinely found contentment in living in the moment. They are grateful for their small island, far removed from the strife and conflict of the world. If you haven't seen it for yourself, it's hard to even imagine so much laughter and life in a place populated by the dead.

Nevanthi saw life at its most beautiful in these "unfortunate" people, tough but exquisite flowers blooming among the rubble.

Nevanthi gradually grew to know them well. She would occasionally help with things like house repairs, for when a creeper climbs an old wall, the whole structure becomes more stable. One among the Tainted caught Nevanthi's eye in particular: the youth Kerr. A Graveborn child, an almost cruel concept which indicates a life lost far too soon. Kerr was the only child on the island, whither he had fled with his parents after being forced to become Graveborn at the tender age of eight.

Nevanthi noticed that Kerr would also furtively look at her, as if he wished to say something. After some gentle questioning, Kerr shyly began to speak, revealing that he wished Nevanthi to teach him how to look after a young tree. As Graveborn, Kerr would never grow up, so he planted a sapling to grow bigger and taller in his place. Every time he saw that it had grown a little, it was almost as if he had too. Recently, however, his sapling seemed to be sick, as it was growing no longer.

Under Nevanthi's guidance and Kerr's diligent care, the sapling gradually recovered. Then they made a promise: to watch the sapling grow into the tallest tree on the entire island. Kerr beamed with confidence and delight, but then his expression became pained and he suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Nevanthi hurriedly took Kerr back to his parents, who told her that this was a Graveborn curse, and the price all Tainted paid for their escape from Bantus. For every now and then, the Tainted would be wracked by searing, soul-deep agony. Adults could will themselves through the pain, but Kerr was just a child.

Seeing Kerr's features, distorted in suffering, Nevanthi stretched out her hands. The very breath of life flowed from her and enveloped Kerr, who gradually became calm.

Nevanthi was filled with misgiving as she left Kerr's house. She wondered if the Tainted would turn out like humans after all, and want her to stay on the Island of the Banished to ease the suffering of all. This was not something she wished to see, and knew that if the time came, she would have to leave the island.

But when she opened her door the following day, all her worries vanished like smoke in the wind. Kerr stood just outside, tightly clutching a small bag. Inside were all the seeds of the island that the Tainted had managed to gather. Although Nevanthi could ease their pain, the Tainted did not take her help for granted, as they knew all too well what it was like to be bound. They harbored no demands, and merely offered their heartfelt gratitude for her help.

"Are you going to leave, Nevanthi?" "How could I leave? The sapling isn't yet fully grown, silly."

"Trimming is unnecessary––plants will grow on their own."