"I can carry you on my back—"
"No. I can make it on my own... rather, I'd like some answers."
We were walking along the path that would lead us to the port city of Destria. The woods would provide cover from the sight of the angels of death, should they venture into these parts. Saphyr seemed less tense, but she was still vigilant.
"I will answer every question you have."
"Let's start from the beginning... why did you come?"
"By order of Zestia. To purge the unfaithful people, consumed by evil..."
"Who is Zestia?"
"My people are guided by seven representatives. Calling us angels is not entirely accurate, but considering your religious icons and the information I've gathered, we could fit the description. Zestia leads the legion of the knights of the law, and I am part of it. She ordered us to descend to Earth and fulfill our mission."
"Where do you come from?"
"We live in a different dimension than yours, but our planes can intersect on rare occasions."
"Dimension? What do you mean?"
"Consider it a separate world, something you cannot see, but where my people live."
"I've never heard anything like this... it's strange, terrifying. You can reach us and slaughter us, and we can do nothing to defend ourselves."
"That made sense to me... but that was before I met you. Every representative of my people possesses unquestioned authority, bestowed by divine will, and for this reason, no one doubts their words or their orders. They bear the truth."
"Zestia ordered you to kill us?"
"Yes. She ordered the legion to rid the Earth of evil."
"By what right do you judge? How can you even think of doing such a thing?"
I stopped, breathing heavily. I couldn't accept those truths: there was no real reason for having attacked us, that much seemed clear. War never made any sense.
"You said I'm special..."
"Yes. You are not like the others. Your spirit is alive, it is full of strength, it is... beautiful."
I turned to her and found her just inches away from me. She was slightly taller than I was, but her figure seemed imposing in my eyes. She was so similar to human beings, but every detail reminded me that she came from another dimension and could not possibly comprehend my existence. The way she looked at me had changed since the moment she had decided to kill me: her eyes were investigating mine; I was a riddle to be solved.
"I don't want to frighten you, but... I have a theory."
Saphyr motioned for me to continue, and as we walked, she told me about this "theory" of hers. She said she didn't know what was discussed among the seven sacred representatives of her people, but she suspected they somehow had an ulterior motive for reaching the human realm and starting a conflict. She spoke of an ancient legend, passed down for centuries:
"The deities who gave origin to our people chose to grant us many gifts. Beauty, order, vitality, strength... These gifts are the foundation of my people's prosperity, but we also bear a great responsibility. The deities issued only one commandment: to always maintain the balance between good and evil. If this were to change... it would be the end for my people. Legend has it that one day something will arrive that will test our faith and threaten to destroy the balance, bringing chaos, bringing destruction..."
"And how is this tied to the extermination of human beings?"
"It is possible the representatives believe this threat resides within your people. I don't know exactly what it is... but your spirit is unparalleled. A flame ready to turn into a blazing fire. Fire always has two faces: it saves and it kills, it protects and it destroys..."
I looked at her, weighing her words. She didn't seem scared; for some reason, I thought she looked almost serene. If my existence was truly a threat to her people, shouldn't she fear me? Why had she saved me, then? Saphyr quickly answered my doubts:
"The very first thing I thought of when I felt your spirit prevented me from considering you a threat. How could something so wondrous bring chaos and destruction? Your flames touched me, but I never felt any pain. I wonder if the legend told the truth... after all, even Zestia lied. What I used to believe in, and what I believe in now... are no longer a certainty to me."
She seemed sincere.
"I'm in grave danger, apparently..."
"No one knows you bear the fire. I haven't revealed anything."
"Maybe I'm not the only one with this fire... have you thought of that?"
Saphyr parted her lips to answer, but then her eyes widened. She probably had never considered it.
"That complicates things."
"My existence is a threat to anyone around me."
I had many things to think about, but the road was still long, and I was starting to get cold. I wrapped my arms around my shoulders, rubbing them for warmth. Fortunately, I had accepted the clothes from the couple who took me in, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to press on in this chill. It wasn't the dead of night, but the wind was biting, and I could see clouds in the sky. It might rain in the coming hours.
"Stop."
I froze, thinking of the dangers waiting for us in the shadows, but when I felt Saphyr's warm breath on my face, my heart began to beat rapidly for another reason.
"W-what is it?" I whispered, avoiding her gaze.
"You're cold, aren't you? I know a way to warm you up."
I stepped back, surprised by her demeanor. "I already told you that I don't—"
"I don't need to worry about you, I know. Just let me remedy this."
"What do you want to do?" I was hesitant: should I listen to her? Her proximity was lowering all the defenses I had built around my heart. I had never been so distrustful of anyone as I was with her, but I had to be in order to survive.
"Do you know the celestial symbols? I saw they were engraved on your dagger. Speaking of which, how do you possess a celestial weapon?"
"The dagger belongs to my father. He never told me anything about its origin... I just know it's special, magical. What are you talking about?"
"Celestial symbols are the letters of our alphabet. Within their meanings lies the power to alter reality. The symbols engraved on that dagger are capable of enchanting the blade."
Saphyr was opening my eyes to many things, but this led me to wonder just how many secrets my father had been hiding. How could he possess such a weapon? Was it true that he had simply found it on one of his travels?
"I would like to write a celestial symbol on your skin to warm you. I will use my blood."
"Your blood?" I looked at her in horror, but she smiled.
"We do it often. Our blood is an excellent catalyst for the power of the celestial symbols. If you are afraid, I can show you that nothing bad will happen."
Saphyr approached a nearby tree, touching the bark with one hand. I saw her prick her finger against her blade and write on the bark. The symbol was peculiar, looking like an enveloping circle holding a solitary figure. As soon as she finished drawing it, it lit up like the spark of a newly lit flame. Saphyr held her hand out to me, gesturing for me to come closer:
"Feel its warmth."
She guided my palm to rest against the bark, and I was fascinated by the sensation it brought me. The trunk was warm, but it didn't burn. It was comforting.
"Would you like to try it on your skin?"
"Are you certain it won't hurt me?"
"You know your wounds are mine."
At that, I decided to trust her. Saphyr took my hand again and stroked the back of it: that gesture left me speechless. Was she trying to comfort me? As I watched her closely, she drew the symbol on my skin with her blood, moving with great delicacy. When she finished, it lit up, and then the drawing vanished. In that moment, I started to feel better: my body warmed up quickly; it was a nice feeling.
"I can't figure you out. I'm afraid of you, but your gestures confuse me..."
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No... it's best if we keep moving."
We didn't speak much during the rest of the journey. Saphyr offered multiple times to carry me so I could rest, but I refused every time. I didn't want to depend on her: after all, we had a very fragile pact binding us together, and sooner or later, we would part ways again. She remained the enemy of my people, and I... Her prey.
"We're close." I smiled when the picturesque landscape of Destria finally came into view. The port city seemed intact, at least for the moment. Saphyr also confirmed the absence of her kind.
"Flying might arouse suspicion, but if we land along the coast, no one should see us." she pointed to a spot concealed by a rocky outcropping along the sea.
"You have no wings, how can you fly?"
Saphyr smiled: "Wings are not needed to fly."
She turned around and moved her hair aside to let me see her back covered by that strange black fabric: I saw, for the first time, that her clothes were also engraved with celestial symbols.
"I can make you fly, make you stronger, faster... but nothing compares to what you hold inside you. Your fire is unique, it is something exponential. It knows no bounds... Yet it is calm, turbulent like the sea, but silent... dormant, perhaps."
Saphyr admired the wave-tossed sea and lost herself in her thoughts. I admitted that she truly looked like an angel descended from the sky in that moment: the dawn light made her pale skin gleam like a precious pearl, and her eyes sparkled, transparent as crystal-clear water.
"Selyn, shall we go?" Saphyr held a hand out to me, and I accepted it cautiously. When I stepped closer, she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me tight against her, catching me by surprise. I brought my hands to her shoulders, bracing myself, as Saphyr began to lift us off the ground. It was incredible: we sailed through the air like birds, fast but steady. Saphyr's grip was firm and gave me the certainty that nothing bad would happen. Indeed, we reached the beach in no time, and she let me go.
I looked up in awe: dawn was magnificent by the sea, with the sun slowly rising and its reflections dancing along with the waves.
"The Earth hides unpredictable treasures."
"And your people want to destroy them."
Saphyr stepped closer and gently cupped my face: "I will prevent it. My mission now is to protect, not to destroy."
"And how will you do that? We human beings are weak; we cannot rebel, defend ourselves..."
"You can. It appears you have the weapons to do so." Her eyes fell to the dagger resting at my hip.
"Destria could be the beginning. We will go to those in charge, seek their support, and I will share what they must know about my people in order to defend themselves." Her voice was different, and her eyes betrayed the pain she was feeling in that moment.
"This would be a grave betrayal, Saphyr. Your people—"
"I know."
It seemed impossible: the person who had killed my hope was the same one currently rebuilding it. She had gathered the shattered pieces and put them back in place. She had extinguished a fire, only to reignite and stoke it back to life.
Saphyr. Who are you really?
It was decided: we would enter Destria, look for my parents, and then go to the Grand Duke, the man who commanded the city's forces and possessed the power and influence we needed to build a resistance.