Mistic Pets

Welcome to Issue 48
Created by The Mistic Pets Team

Character Spotlight: Kalla Lily
Written By gemajgall

Spring sunlight filtered through the windows of Kalla Lilly's shop as she used both her arms and ears to carry flats of flowers for her outside display. Hanging baskets decorated the awning, and garden tools lined the walls.

“Welcome!” she said brightly, greeting a couple of sprites who were her first customers for the day. “Is there anything in particular I can help you find?”

“Do you have roses? The same type Joel grows in the royal gardens?” asked one. “Nowhere in Mistica has flowers that beautiful!” The others nodded in agreement.

Kalla smiled and tipped her hat slightly with her ears. “I have roses—but you are the ones who determine how beautifully they grow.”

“We are?”

Seeing how it was still early and these were her only customers, Kalla leaned against her counter. “Shall I tell you a tale?” The sprites nodded. “It took place years ago—before the coup forced the royal family into exile...

“Then, the same as now, the gardens of Mistic Kingdom were the pride of the land. Humans and sprites, even kelpies and fae, traveled from far and wide to view them. The castle's staff tended them with care—pulling weeds, pruning hedges, and planting the perfect mix of flowers for every season.

“However, one legendary could not stand the gardens: the beautiful petals, the fragrant aromas, and the vivid displays. The imps. And so, the imp king at the time devised a plan to undermine the gardens' beauty.

“He approached the gardeners in the evening after their work was done, laying false flattery in their ears. He complimented them, saying how lovely their flower beds were and how each gardener surely must be the best in the land. He sowed seeds of pride and cultivated them carefully with his words. Soon, a bitter rivalry developed in the hearts of all the royal gardeners.

“The rivalry turned into a jealous feud. Instead of helping each other with their work, the gardeners tended to their own beds, determined to outshine the others. This was exactly what the imp king had been waiting for. In turn, he gave each gardener a small, dark packet of seeds and the promise that the plants to bloom from them would be the most beautiful ever in all of Mistica.

“The gardeners went to work, planting the seeds given to them without question—just as the imp king wanted. But these were no ordinary seeds. They were from the depths of Darkwood Hollow, and they grew based on the soil of the heart of the gardener.

“Thus, fueled by jealousy and ego, razor thorns began to sprout and blossom with sickening red-violet flowers. They choked the life out of the lilies, irises, and orchids; they took over the shrubbery; they destroyed the foliage and overran the fountains. The birds and butterflies ceased coming to the royal garden, which became a twisted mess of nightmarish vines.

“Of course, the gardeners immediately realized their folly. They hacked at the vines with shearers and pruners and saws—but it was useless. The thorns had grown too tough from their vanity. And yet, despite it all, the gardeners never asked each other for help—bitterness and envy put their roots deep in their hearts.

“A young sprite watched all of this from a distance. She knew it was all a plot from the imp king. And so, she gathered her courage and wit to undo it. All alone she traveled to the depths of Darkwood Hollow and found one more seed—the same that had been planted before. Then she snuck into the castle, passed the guards, seeking a person with a pure heart—which she found in the young princess.

“The young princess looked down from her balcony at the overgrown garden with a sigh with the sprite child approached her. With a smile, the sprite handed her a seed and told her that because of her pure heart, they could save the garden and the castle.

“Hand in hand, the sprite led the young girl into the garden. The purple thorns tore at their clothing and the deep red flowers filled the air with foul smells. They could hear the rustle of vines growing around them, threatening to blot out the sunlight. But boldly they continued on to the heart of the garden where they found a bare, fertile patch of soil surrounded by a wall of thistles.

“Together, they dug a hole and planted the seed. Becoming fast friends, they shared secrets and giggled, filling the hole with their dreams and hopes. And as their hands covered it, they felt the warmth of light sprouting between their fingers.

“With the speed that only hope can travel, lush green vines with tiny buds whipped out of the ground, racing across the ground. They covered the thorny vines, wrapping the darkness in warm light. The buds opened within minutes, turning into roses of all colors: sky blue, baby pink, lemon yellow, pastel purple, summer green, light orange...

“The princess laughed in delight, and the sprite gasped in amazement—their joy cultivated the flowers even more, creating more leaves and blooms. The gardeners, who were still futilely fighting the thorns, dropped their tools in amazement. Their eyes were open—they saw how the ugliness in their own hearts had taken over what they loved most.

“And so, the royal garden went back to being the jewel of Mistic Kingdom—all because of the hope of two young legendaries.”

Kalla Lilly smiled at the sprites listening to her story, “Do you see? It's not the seed that determines beauty.” With her ears, she selected three seeds from a nearby bucket and placed them in the sprites' palms, curling their fingers around them when she was done. “It is what you give the seed to grow that will determine the fruits of your garden.”

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