Deep within the Vale of Tempe, located within Thessaly Greece, grew a single flower enriched with millenniums of growing untouched by humans hands. This single flower held the former life of a young, handsome Spartan Prince, Ὑακινθος (Hyakinthos).
How the Larkspur was Born
In Greek mythology, Hyakinthos was a very beautiful Spartan prince and lover of the god Apollo. Hyakinthos was also admired by Zephyrus, Boreas and also by a mortal man named Thamyris. But Hyakinthos chose Apollo over the others. The couple indulged themselves in hunting and climbing steep, rough mountains around Sparta. With Apollo, Hyakinthos visited all of Apollo's sacred lands in the chariot drawn by swans. Apollo taught to his lover the use of bow, of music and the lyre, the art of prophecy and exercises in the gymnasium.
One day, Apollo was teaching him the game of quoit. They decided to have a friendly competition by taking turns to throw the discus. Apollo threw first, with such a strength that the discus slit the clouds in the sky. Hyakinthos ran behind it to catch it and impress Apollo. Many say, Zephyrus is held responsible for the death of Hyakinthos. Jealous that Hyakinthos preferred the radiant Apollo, Zephyrus blew Apollo's quoit boisterously off course, striking Hyakinthos in the head and ultimately killing him.
Apollo's face turned as pale as his dying lover as he held him in his arms. He used all his medicinal skills, and even tried giving ambrosia to heal Hyakinthos’ wound, but in vain, for he couldn't cure the wound done by the Fates. When Hyakinthos died, Apollo wept, blaming himself. He wished to become a mortal and join his lover in his death. However, as that was not possible, Apollo promised that he would always remember Hyakinthos in his songs and the music of his lyre. From Hyakinthos’ blood that was spilled, Apollo created a flower, the larkspur or hyacinth.
" He was learning to throw the quoit, and I was throwing with him. I had just sent my quoit up into the air as usual, when jealous Zephyros came blustering down from Taygetos, and dashed the quoit upon the child's head; blood flowed from the wound in streams, and in one moment all was over. My first thought was of revenge; I lodged an arrow in Zephyros, and pursued his flight to the mountain. As for the child, I buried him at Amyklai, on the fatal spot; and from his blood I have caused a flower to spring up, sweetest, fairest of flowers, inscribed with letters of woe."
-- Apollon
Early 15th Century
Seeking out the treasures of the Greek Gods had become an all-time favorite hobby of a French Scholar of science and alchemy. This scholar was far advanced for his place in time, often assumed to be some sort of Demi-God himself, Child of Hades, or even some Ancient Sorcerer. No matter the case, this scholar traveled into the untouched Vale of Tempe.
A single Crimson Larkspur grew in the midst of a sea of white hyacinth. Tales of the flower born from the dying blood of a Spartan Prince intrigued the scholar. Ever so gently he unearthed the infamous flower from its resting place to take back to his lab in France to become one of the ultimate creations of the century.
For months he prepared the correct concoction to be transmuted with the flower. In a small pot, upon the windowsill, grew the beautiful and delicate Crimson Larkspur flower. With great hesitation, the scholar finally concluded that efforts were without failure as the gentle flower was plucked from its temporary resting place and submerged within a bubbling, electric pink liquid substance. An explosion consummated the transfer, blowing back the scholar and leaving him blinded in one eye. As the smoke billowed and cleared the room, there was a single glowing orb left behind within the container now void of liquid.
Any recollection after the transfiguration had either gone undocumented or the documentations had been lost. It could be quite possible that all information of the 'human born of plant' could have been seized and stored away in some unknown chamber for the protection of anyone attempting the same feat in the future.
Lark Hyakinthos
Early years were much like any other childhood except that Lark was not like any other child. From the moment he was able to walk and speak, the young boy was taught skills unlike any other. To him, all sorcery was natural and he thrived to learn as much as he could. However, the scholar who created him died in a plague that ravished their city, leaving the young boy orphaned.
With years transforming him into a teen, Lark soon found out that he was able to maintain his youthful appearance by stealing youthful-life from other humans. Upon taking youthful-life from others he was thus able to slow the progression of his age. Lark stores the stolen life-force into a jeweled keepsake until he uses an incantation, to regain his youthful appearance.
As modern technologies advanced, so did Lark and his necessity to collect the youthful-life of others. The most common entrapment is to arrange a meeting to deliver a desired potion, spell, or even a curse to anyone seeking assistance. A formal, written contract was derived for 'customers' to sign before giving them any sort of magical assistance.
This contract states that Lark is not responsible for the outcome of the transaction if the outcome should be other than what the customer expected as well as a very fine clause stating that Lark has the approval from said signed party to take a small portion of the client's youthful-life as additional payment; usually no more than 25% of current living energy. Extraction of said life payment can be easily achieved by mere touching of flesh to flesh, most commonly issued through the contact of hands.
Lark pretends to be a novice in spell casting, potion making, and curses. This means that each and every spell, potion, or curse is able backfire, fail, or do things not related to the original purpose intended.
