Hasta Manana, Eternal Life: Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE
Rebecca

“Tomorrow it’s going to be my day! It’s going to be Saturday! I’m going to play, play, play!” Shouted a childish teenager.

“Oh, grow up, Becky. We have tones of homework to do tomorrow, and we’ve must start early if we’re going to enjoy the holiday to it’s fullest!” said her friend, a blonde elf.

Rebecca was childish when not serious, and nothing but serious when she was. It was her split personality thing. She was both carefree and careworn when the time is right, and wrong sometimes. She had her hair down all the time. She was a brunette in curls, and her crimson eyes matched her hair perfectly. She often wore red, orange or yellow. Warm colours, all the time. Her hair reached her chest, and it was long and flew everywhere when wind came, but it returned to normal when the wind dies down.

She was very fond of animals, especially wolves. She had the innate power of transfiguration; she could turn herself into a wolf in no time. She often went running to nearby towns and once she got herself in a whole other continent.

“Oh, alright. Come one, let’s get this homework thing over with, Helena. I wasn’t going to do it anyway, but if you insist…” she said in a sigh of regret, and walked home with her friend.

“Oh, and I got a letter mistakenly delivered to my house. It’s for you. It’s understandable since we live right next door,” said Helena, handing a pink envelope to Becky.

“Hey, you didn’t read it, did you?” She asked in suspicion.

“I’m insulted! I do too respect your privacy! Just be thankful it’s in your hands in one piece. No, be thankful it was delivered to me, instead of some snoopy stranger,” snapped Helena.

“Okay, I was just kidding! Let’s see…” she said, and ripped open the envelope. There was a red letter written in gold ink, and a small marble sized ruby. It read:

Dear Miss Rebecca Redwood,
It is with great pleasure that we inform you that the Holy Council has chosen you to be one third of our elite squad. We have been told that the South Continent has declared wars upon our nation for it’s wrong beliefs. We would like you, if you find it convenient, to be at the Rose Fields at 12:30 a.m. to await our arrival.

Sign with authority,
Ultin, Xviii
Grand Priest,
Ultin Grand Cathedral,
Ultin North Regency

“Oh! It’s an absolute honour to serve the Holy Council! Forget the holiday, Becky! Go for it!” Helena was encouraging her despite her fate of spending the holidays alone.

“I guess, so… what’s this ruby for?” She gazed into the red pearl-like gem. It was cut perfectly into a smooth stone. It emitted a red glow in the sun. She put it in her empty socket ring (She had a whole drawer of it) and continued home.

When she broke the news to her parents, they jumped to the roof for joy, and packed dozens of lingerie. Her father even tried to sneak in a bronze katana, after her mother gave him a scolding, saying ‘she was just a child’.

Then, she ate an early dinner and set her alarm clock for 12 a.m. The moment she dozed of, she heard some chanting in her ear, like a dozen elves rhyming…


Red are roses, blood and wine,
It is now the perfect time;
Spheres of crimson give a shine,
Red, emblazing in a sign;

“Hm? Who’s that?” Becky woke up in the middle of the night. It was half-past eleven, and the moon shone into her wooden window. She peaked out of the door, and could see a man in purple talking to her parents. He was dressed like a priest, with long silver hair and wrinkled face.

“We want to speak to your daughter,” said the priest. He was calm and patient, with a hint of mystique.

“I am sorry, she is asleep, Father,” Becky’s mother answered in a friendly voice. That gave the priest a menacing look. He waved his hand, and without touching her, Becky’s mother was flung back by a form of telekinesis.

Becky gasped, and went to take something. It was weapon, of some sort. A club if you may. Then her ring glowed a scarlet. It turned warm, and Becky could feel a surge of energy flowing through her body, from head to toe.

“He is here for you, my child. He is here for your Light of Red. Do not let him touch you, and do not be afraid. I am here by your side, always,” said a voice in her head. It comforted her and gave her everlasting confidence. She could manipulate the flames and pyres of the world. She was the Light of Red, and she was a flaming warrior.

Her eyes turned a crimson glow and her hair was flying everywhere. There was no wind. Only warmth. She began to hover and the door opened by itself, giving her a way path to the evil figure, the one who she must destroy.

The figure looked up the stairs, and he could see her, menacingly looking at him. Her stare pierced his mind like a dart of flames, and her aura lit the room in a crimson radiance.

“Recite your rights, my child,” said the voice.

“Red are roses, blood and wine,
It is now the perfect time;
Spheres of crimson give a shine,
Red, emblazing in a sign,”
She recited the poem and a ring of flame engulfed around her. It shot out sparks and fiery embers. The figure stepped back, and he shivered viciously. He gave a scowl full of revenge and hatred.

“You will not get away with this, Firebird!” The figure shouted, and he ran out of the door and faded into the night.

The legend of the Firebird was told many years ago, the one that the Mother had sent to cause the Apocalypse. It engulfed the world and died into a mound of ash. The Three Lights were then sent to resurrect the world, and they joined to form the Tree Spirit, aided by a single reindeer.

The lights faded and the fire was extinguished. The battle was over, and the Light of Red had won. Becky quickly took her big bag, and sprinted to the Rose Fields for her ride to Ultin.

The Fields were two miles away, and it was already a quarter to twelve. She had to run. It was her only choice. She passed forest areas, marshes and finally came to a wide-open field. There was a platform in the middle of the Fields, hovering above the ground. It was red, and it had the symbol of the Firebird in a luminescent orange that radiated in the night. She boarded it, and it flew towards the grand Cathedral.