Chapter 3 – Anne’s Story (2)

Anne’s Story (2)

The northern lands were barren places.

They were not suitable for farming. There was not much to eat. People could not live completely without means, but it was that much harder.

The northern lands were dangerous places.

There were few residents living there, but many monsters nearby. Since there was nothing to protect, neither knights nor mages were permanently stationed there.

Even so, many residents still lived in this place. Each for their own reasons. Because they could not leave. Until their lives ended.

It was precisely for this reason that bandits also existed in the north.

If there were people, there were goods, and goods could be sold. Even if there were no goods, it was fine. People could also become goods.

“UWAAAAK!”

“KYAAAK!”

That day, a certain village was becoming their target.

It wasn’t that there was no resistance. The village men fought with all their might. But they were outnumbered. In numbers, in weapons. Everything was insufficient.

Some were killed and the rest were captured by the bandits. The remaining village residents also had to gather in the square and tremble.

“Strip everything!”

Now that the brief battle was over, it was time for plunder. Without anyone taking the lead, their own festival began. Food. Tools. Furniture. And everything else that could be worth money!

“Tell the truth honestly, little girl.”

It seemed the bandits had a separate reason for their visit. And the one captured in front was none other than Anne.

“I heard there are very good medicinal herbs. If you have them, hand them over, and also tell me where they came from.”

A fierce blade touched her neck. Anne trembled with fear.

The past events she had barely forgotten came flooding back. Her own father who lost his life at the hands of bandits. The bandits, as frightening as monsters, had appeared again.

“Is this one perhaps mute? Shall we check?”

One bandit grabbed someone’s hand. Then Rone, who had been captured, was dragged along helplessly.

“Sister!”

“Rone!”

“What. She’s not mute. Then why won’t she speak!”

THUD! 

With the sound, Anne rolled on the ground. She let out a pained groan while clutching her stomach.

“Sister! Sister!!”

“What deep sisterly love. How touching.”

Rough hands grabbed Rone’s neck. When her younger sibling struggled, Anne clung to the leader.

“Please, please let my younger sibling go. Please. Please….” 

“If you speak, I’ll do so. Those rumored medicinal herbs. There are more, right? Where did they come from?” 

“That, that is….”

Anne fell into anguish. How should she say it? From a monster. That she received it from a Red Bird she saw for the first time?

They would absolutely never believe it. No one would believe it. Even if they did believe it. Would it be right to say this?

What if the Red Bird was caught by these bandits? Those who were cruel even to people would be even more so to beasts.

She said it was payment, but that bird bestowed grace. Her younger sibling’s illness was cured. He no longer lay in bed.

To cause the death of the Red Bird that gave such a great gift? No matter how much it wasn’t human, to abandon such grace?

“This girl still won’t! Hey! Bring a bow!”

Eventually, the leader holding a bow nocked an arrow, pulled the string taut, and aimed the arrowhead at his mark.

“I’ll give you 5 seconds. If you still don’t speak, your younger sibling dies.” 

“Ah, aah! Wa, wait just a moment!”

The one remaining family member. My younger sibling. Rone. Anne didn’t know what to do. She felt like she would go crazy. Abandon the grace or save her family.

“One. Five.”

The bandit was cruel to the end. The arrow left the string.

At that moment, Anne made the best decision. A way to save her younger sibling without abandoning the grace.

――THUD!

“Sister!!” 

“Ah, damn!”

The arrow pierced through Anne’s back. The arrowhead protruded all the way to her chest. Red blood stained her clothes.

“Ro, ne….”

Her body leaned to the side. Words wouldn’t come out. She couldn’t breathe. It hurt. It hurt so much.

“This damn….”

“Boss. What do we do if you really shot?”

“Did you think this crazy girl would jump in?”

The approaching leader irritably kicked Anne. Each time, blood flowed from between the girl’s lips. Life was fading away. The flame gradually grew thinner.

Her vision became blurry. Anne looked ahead. Her younger sibling trying to escape from the bandits. The burning village. The world turning red. A Red Bird visible in the distance….

‘Ah.’

Could she have seen wrong? There was a Red Bird beyond the sky. Looking at this place. Looking down at everything.

――WHOOOOSH!!

“Uh, uhuh?!”

“What! UWAAAAK!”

Heavy eyelids. The last scene Anne saw beyond them.

The flames that had been devouring the village were dancing gracefully. The flames gathered together began to sweep away the bandits.

‘Red Bird-nim.’

Up to there. Anne slowly closed both eyes.

*

“KRAAAAK!”

“Save me! Save meeee!!”

The bandits burned alive in the flames.

They rolled on the ground to put out the fire. They poured water and even went into it completely.

But the flames did not go out. Rather, they blazed even larger.

As if purifying dirty things. As if burning disgusting filth.

Down to every strand of hair. Down to every tiny piece of flesh. Burning everything completely.

“Sister.”

Rone approached the fallen Anne.

“Sister. Please.”

“….”

“I’m all better now. I can go fishing with sister too. I can run. Right? There are many things I want to do with sister. So. Don’t leave me behind and go.”

No answer came back. Because humans could not rekindle a life that had been extinguished.

“Uh, aah. Aaaaah….”

His chest hurt so much. He wanted to cry but tears wouldn’t come. Rone could only embrace his sister.

――THUD

So he didn’t notice that something had come beside him. Only when something soft touched his arm did he turn his head.

A bird. A very large bird. A Red Bird. A bird could not be this large. Could it be a monster?

But Rone didn’t care. Now everything was fine. It didn’t matter. When his last remaining family member had died. To go together like this….

――THUD THUD

The Red Bird gently pushed Rone away with its wing. He could feel the strength. But it was absolutely not forceful.

As if asking him to step aside for a moment. Rone stared blankly at the bird and then put Anne down.

“….”

The bird silently looked at Anne. Holding that child in its unfathomable multicolored eyes.

It slowly lowered its head. It brought its forehead to Anne’s forehead.

All the flames that had been surging from all directions gathered. To the Red Bird. From the bird again to the girl.

“…GASP!”

The breath that had disappeared came back to life. The life that had been extinguished blazed again.

“Sister!”

“Ro, Rone…?”

Rone in her arms, pouring out tears. Anne, who had been comforting her younger sibling, checked her chest area.

‘It’s gone.’

She was definitely hit by an arrow. The arrowhead had pierced through. It was gone. Nowhere to be found. Neither the arrow nor the wound.

‘What is this.’

Then she turned her head at the gaze she felt. The Red Bird was looking at her.

“Did you, save me?”

No answer came back. Her head was also quiet. But that alone was already a sufficient answer.

“Thank you.”

Anne knelt and bowed her head. Just like when she first encountered that being.

But not with the fear she had the first time. Only with awe and gratitude toward that great being.

The Red Bird looking at Anne flapped its wings powerfully. Eventually becoming a single shining star, it soared into the night sky.

――WHIIIIIIII!

A long cry remained at the end before disappearing. Anne, who had been watching the direction it disappeared, slowly put her hands together. Rone beside her also followed his sister.

“Thank you. Red Bird-nim.”

“Thank you. Red Bird-nim.”

The new life you have given us. We will live gratefully for it our entire lives.

*

The damage from the bandits was considerable. Village people who died and were injured. Houses that were damaged and collapsed.

But hope could be seen on the villagers’ faces. Though they would grieve for those who had left, they did not despair.

The bandits who attacked the village had set fires. Originally, everything should have been reduced to ashes. Those flames disappeared as if it were a lie.

“Ma’am. I’ll help you.”

“Thank you, Anne.”

“I’ll help too!”

“Don’t overdo it. Rone.”

The north was always like this. It was a barren place. But people lived on. Each harboring their own hope.

Anne looked at the village being gradually rebuilt. She heard there was a big fire, but hardly anything was burned.

‘Probably. That person must have done this.’

She quietly touched her chest area. The arrow that pierced her back. The vision that was growing dim.

She who should have naturally died came back to life. The being who bestowed grace disappeared with the flames.

Was it really an angel sent by God? Or another great being?

With a hopeful heart, Anne moved her steps. The place she headed to was none other than the lake. The place where she and the Red Bird first met.

“….”

She looked around searching for that being. But nothing could be seen.

Why did you bestow such great grace? Who exactly are you? I want to know. She asked with earnestness, but no answer came back.

Anne slowly looked up at the sky. Colorless. Fierce, cold, and desolate.

This time she thought of the Red Bird. She felt warmth. Warmth was conveyed.

‘…Yes. Like that person. Like Red Bird-nim.’

Just as I received. Someday to others too. May I be able to share warmth in this colorless space.

So that when I encounter that person again in the distant future. I can say that I did not waste the life you gave me. That I raised someone with this flame.

The distant future. The first saint of the Sacred Fire Church. Anne. Her flame began to blaze from this very day.