Scion of Light Chpt. 7

(Chapter 7 – Fateful Night)

After school, Anise came to Liana, “Liana! I’m so sorry! I can’t walk home with you today again! I really am sorry! Something came up and they want me home as soon as possible! Sorry!! I’ll make it up to you next time! I really am in a hurry..!”

Liana smiled softly, “It’s okay, Anise... Don’t worry about it! You can go anytime you want, I don’t mind.” Anise then thanked Liana and then ran out of the room while waving good bye to Liana. “I guess I have to go home alone today”

Liana looks at Rhea’s unoccupied chair, “Rhea... What did you mean by those phantoms after me? Are you really gone..?”

Liana was about to leave the school when she stumbled with Jihl and her friends. “Hmm... well, if it isn’t the stupid push-over Liana of our class. Where do you think you’re going? You think we’ll allow you to leave that easily? Where were you yesterday? Hiding? Did you know that we ended up having to submit no projects because you weren’t here? Did you know that we had to endure the teacher’s senseless blabbers because of you?” Jihl pushed Liana and Liana fell to the ground.

“You’re so stupid! You really don’t know who you’re dealing with here..!” Jihl slapped Liana, “Well!? Say something!”

Liana started crying silently out of anger and disappointment, she was panting and was forcing back her tears, but she couldn’t take it anymore, her powers suddenly reacted to her feelings, then everything that was made of glass broke, all at the same time, Liana started screaming out of pain, Jihl and her friends ran out of fear.

Liana was left alone in the school again, still crying and screaming for someone to help her ease the pain. Luckily, Jed was on watch there, he helped her by making her drink a Celestian potion, calming Liana and her powers down. Liana passed out and Jed hid himself again, but was still on watch.

It was almost night time again when she woke up, so she panicked, knowing that her brother must’ve been waiting for her again. She stood up and ran out of the school as fast as she can, but when she reached the school gates, she saw the same phantoms from her dream in a not too distant side of the street, fighting with some people who are dressed in white. Liana remembered what Rhea said in her dream, and became stunned of what she’s seeing.

There she saw the same leader she saw in her dream, she was shocked and scared. The feeling was intensified when the leader looked at her, smiled maliciously and started running fast towards her together with some of her companions.

Liana ran away as fast as she can, she ran anywhere, without knowing where she’s going, as long as there is a way to run through, she’d run as fast as she can, but still couldn’t outrun the phantoms. She was running out of energy, she tried to fight back by throwing everything she can throw that she finds on her way, but these things didn’t stop the phantoms.

Same time as Liana was being chased, Aria and Rhea just arrived, from celestia, at the same street where Liana was running. “Huh!? What the!? Liana’s in trouble! What’s Jed doing!? He’s supposed to protect her!” Rhea then jumped down and attacked some of the enemies from behind while Aria calls for few back-up.

Liana was crying and screaming for help while she was running when Aria appeared and grabbed her arm and hugged her, “Shh... You’re safe now... We’ll protect you...” Liana suddenly felt very light, she’s finally able to calm down.

The leader caught up with Liana, but stops when she saw Aria there, “Aria... You’re here too, huh..? I guess your amateur queen still thinks this useless scion can save your world from destruction, eh..? You’re all stupid!”

Aria, still hugging Liana, then replies with confidence and a cold tone in her voice, “I’m in no position to give any information concerning our queen’s way of thinking... Nor am I in position to be provoked by a nonsense word such as “stupid”... Such a childish way of thinking you have... What a downfall, someone who thinks as childish as you can cause your master his defeat, you know...”

The leader was easily provoked by this statement so she took out her scythe, “You! You’re going to pay for that! I’m going to tear you down the way I tore down your pet rat...”

Aria looked at the leader, “Hmm..? You’re challenging me, huh..? What a shame, I really want to fight you right now, but...” Aria held Liana tightly, “I’m kinda busy comforting this little girl that you threatened, so... I’m going to pass it out...”

Aria looked at someone behind the leader, and the leader looked too and saw Rhea on her way to attack her, so she defended herself using her scythe.

“Hey..! I’m back~...!” Rhea grinned and then pushed the leader away.

“Tsk! You again, you rat! Grr... I really hate seeing your face!” The leader attacked Rhea again, they were exchanging blows, and Rhea found a way to make an opening, so she drew the first strike. Liana looked at the two who were fighting, and became enlightened when she saw Rhea there.

The leader flew to the sky, trying to escape, Rhea tried to chase her, but she couldn’t catch up. Rhea went back down to where Aria and Liana is and found Liana shivering, while looking at her, “Huh? What’s wrong Liana..?”

Rhea knelt down and tried to touch her, but then Liana suddenly screamed, “Ahhhh!!! Ghost!! Ghost! GHOST!!! OH MY GOSH!!” Liana stood up and started running again, leaving the street and going on her way home.

“O~kay... Now, just what was that!? After all I’ve been through in saving her, she calls me a ghost!? How could she!? I’m a celestian, an angel, not a GHOST! Come on!” Rhea irritably complained to Aria.

“Stop complaining to me, you go and tell that to her... Yes, that’s right... You’re mission officially starts tonight... Go to her house now, and introduce yourself fully.” Aria tapped Rhea’s shoulder. Rhea nods and went on her way.

Meanwhile, Liana reached her house, she went inside and sees her brother looking at her with anger, worry and disappointment, “Where have you been..? Do you have any idea how worried I was..? do you even know how many times I tried to call you..?”

Liana bows down to her big brother, “Oh, Alex, I’m so sorry! I didn’t do it on purpose... Something came up and I... uh...”

Alex gave a signal to her sister to sit at the sofa, “You what..? Made yourself be pushed around by your classmates again..? What is it that you’re not telling me, Lili..? It’s time to be honest, right now...”

Liana avoided looking at her brother’s eyes, “I.... I’m sorry....”

Alex got more furious, “What!? What is it!? You’re not even giving any reason here! Tell me!” Alex said with angry voice, but hesitantly asked, “Did something out of the ordinary happened..? Don’t lie...”

Liana couldn’t look straight at her brother, “It was.... n-nothing, big brother... it’s nothing!”

Then Alex kicked the chair, “I said don’t lie to me..... I said don’t lie to me..! Why can’t you just tell me!? Something or Someone attacked you, am I right!?”

Though Liana found it weird that her brother guessed that correctly, with zero knowledge of her brother’s powers and abilities, Liana didn’t want her brother to be involved with what happened to her that night, thinking that it might affect even her brother’s security, she kept on lying, which kept on making Alex very furious. Alex left the house for a while, to cool himself up. Liana went up to her room slowly.

Liana checked her phone and saw there were more than 20 missed calls. She sat on her desk and looked at herself in front of the mirror, “What have I done..? My brother is the only family I currently have left with me, and now I made him mad...”

She sighed and looked down, then laid her hands hardly on her head, “I’m such a bad sister... Even the simplest thing as to make my brother happy, I can’t do... I’m so useless...”

She looked at the mirror again and then saw a lady dressed in white sitting at her bed behind her, looking at her with an indifferent facial expression, as reflected by the mirror. Liana immediately stood up in panic and looked behind her, but no one was there. She slowly walked about three steps forward, towards the bed, but didn’t continue out of fear, while convincing herself it was just her imagination. But then as she turned around, she saw the same lady dressed in white sitting at her desk, at that moment, just right in front of her face. Immediately, Liana gave off a loud shriek, and fell to the floor out of fear, then started running to her bed.

The lady was looking at her with irritation, looking closely, the lady was Rhea, Liana noticed this, but because of what happened earlier that night, she believed that Rhea was really a ghost who is hunting her, “Ahhh! Ahhh!! Alex!!” She kept on screaming, calling her brother’s name, but her brother couldn’t come to her, for he is away that night.

Rhea became so much irritated that she couldn’t suppress her violent feelings anymore, “BE QUIET, YOU! How dare you insult me by calling me a ghost!? I’m not a ghost, you idiot! I’m a celestian!”

Even with this said, Liana seemed to not hear a thing, she kept on screaming and hiding under her pillows and blankets, while saying, “Don’t hurt me please! I’m so sorry!! Please just leave me alone! I’m innocent!”

Rhea then left the desk, and Liana looked towards that desk, and didn’t find the lady there. Still shivering, with blankets over her head, she slowly looked around her, she saw no sign of the lady. She felt a little relieved, thinking that the Rhea ghost left her already.

She slightly raised her body, trying to stand slowly, when she suddenly saw Rhea right beside her, she became so pale and stunned, she couldn’t even move at that time.

“Hey... Have you calmed down now..? Uhh... Liana..? You look pale... Are you okay..?” Rhea placed her hand against Liana’s forehead, Liana suddenly started breathing deeply and slowly, her breaths are shaking, she was in a state of shock, and few seconds later... She fainted...

Rhea gasped, “Ahh! Liana! Wake up!! Are you alright!? Oh my gosh!” Rhea started shaking Liana, but she wouldn’t budge, so she ran to the window and started blowing her whistle.

Immediately, Aria was there, “What is it Rhea..? You look troubled...”

Rhea pulled Aria’s hand and brought her inside the room, “Help me, Aria! Something happened to Liana! She was looking at me, then she passed out!”

Aria silently laughed, “Then that only means one thing... You have the face of a monster...” Rhea looked at Aria with slight anger and with the expression as if asking what Aria said, but she let that go.

Aria went towards Liana and touched her face; she smiled softly, as if the girl had been very close to her. “She’ll be fine... Start fanning her so she won’t find it hard to breathe... I can’t believe you scared her so much... You must’ve done that on purpose...”

Rhea took Aria’s fan in Aria’s pocket, “I did not do that in purpose!! I simply showed myself to her so that I can introduce myself..! She’s the one who started screaming as if I was going to eat her! Hmph...” Rhea started fanning Liana with a stubborn expression on her face.

“Try to smile to her when she wakes up, it works...” Aria walks towards the window, “Alright, then... I’m off... Take care of her and my fan... and take care of yourself too...” Aria jumped out the window and immediately disappeared in the wind.

Rhea looked at Liana and then looks closer and closer, “Such a charming little girl... I’ve never seen such angelic face before... She’s so... Cute... so innocent-looking... and what fluffy cheeks she has!”

Rhea’s eyes are sparkling as she looks at Liana. She started pressing Liana’s cheek while saying the word “soft” over and over again... Liana wakes up and immediately sees Rhea smiling softly towards her, “Are you okay..? Are you tired..? Why did you passed out..?” Rhea tried asking softly, gently and carefully, trying not to scare her more.

“A dream... This must be just another dream... Rhea... You... you’re dead... you died... I saw that phantom stabbed you to death... Then why are you here..? It must be just an illusion...” Liana, still with fear, said it weakly, still with shaking voice.

“Hey... I told you, didn’t I..? I’m a celestian...” Rhea took Liana’s hand, “I took the body of a human, to watch over you... But at that night of your awakening, I lost against those phantoms, while trying to lure them away from you... I’m sorry that you had to watch my brutal human death...”

Liana stood up and looked at Rhea closer, with awe, “You... a celestian..!? Wow... but... Why would you waste your effort trying to protect someone as useless as me..?”

Rhea started laughing, “Why would you let those other people make you feel inferior when you are considered the most valuable being of this whole world..? You’re very important and special, you know...”

Liana looked at Rhea with confusion, “You’re the Fifth being in this world who said that, what is really so special about me..? I don’t understand... What is going on..? Can you please explain it to me, Miss Celestian..? Why are these things happening to me..?”

Rhea noticed that Liana’s becoming more and more worried, she thought that it’s about time to fully explain what was happening, “Hmm... Okay... You do know the divisions of kingdoms already, right..?”

Liana nods and said, “That would be Celestia, for the rulers of the world, and Terra, for humankind, right..?”

“Yes... That’s right... But other than those two, there exists the World tree... Some humans considered that kingdom as legend, but they’re wrong... Of all the kingdoms, the world tree is most isolated, exclusive, and prominent. No one can easily enter that holy place, not even Celestians... And most celestians think no one can easily leave there as well...” As Rhea continues to explain, Liana was wondering how she easily entered the world tree while she was dreaming the time when the little girl awakened her powers.

“And in the world tree, in that kingdom, lives the Queen of Light, the great Alristhea..! Everyone knows her, but not all knows that she had foreseen everything that were to happen in this world and that she wrote scores that would warn us about the worst cases. And through those scores, she also wrote preventions for those said worst cases.” Rhea looks at Liana who was looking at her so intently, she smiled at her and continued.

“Now I’ll tell you my point... In the score, something about the coming of a fearsome enemy from another world is written, about the destruction of our kingdoms, and the fall of our very own people. The score was called, “Scion of Light”. He, the enemy, comes with his dark forces, and will come to take our World’s power and turn it over to their own. And on the same chapter of the score, it was written, “But, fear not, my people, for my scion will come to protect you in the dark hours... The scion of light that shines even brighter than the sun will rise up and bring light to the whole universe as she end the Destroyer's long-lived tyrrany...”... And that scion... is you, Liana...”

Liana got surprised, “ME!? What!? How can you be so sure!?”

Rhea scratched her head, “Didn’t you awaken just the other day..? And as a child few years ago, you’ve been unconsciously emitting super strong light energy, I think those are enough proofs... The queen of Celestia, Queen Sharmaine, sent me to guide you, protect you, and ask you to help us save our world... I’ll help you enhance your skills, I’ll make you stronger, I’ll help you master your powers, I’ll train you, I’ll be here for you all the time... Up to the time when you will no longer need me... So, please, Liana... Help us save both Celestia and Terra...” Rhea stood up with determination, looking at Liana intently, waiting for her answer.

Liana, somehow convinced by what Rhea said, thought of the possible outcome of her accepting the offer. She knew it would be dangerous, that it would change her life forever, but she’s getting second thoughts of good things that might happen, that it would probably a new beginning for her. She was confused what to do, or what to say, she nods half-heartedly, “Okay.... If you really need me then, I have no other choice, even if I say no, you’d still pursue me...” The world needs her, and she thinks that accepting the offer might be her only purpose in of existing, but what about her brother and her best friend..? She never wants them to get involved with her.

“But... What should I do..? I don’t want my love ones to get involved... This mission is far too dangerous...” Liana asked, with her soft worried childish voice.

Rhea turned around and walked towards the window, “It will be very hard for you... I know... But you just have to keep a slight distance... It’s the most effective way...”

Liana was unsatisfied with the answer, but she knew that there is nothing she can do about it now that she already accepted, there was no turning back, so she just kept quiet and imagined herself carrying more problems in the near future, the problem of losing both her one and only best friend and her beloved brother, and the problem of trying to protect the world with not enough knowledge of what she can do.

Rhea walked towards her and taps her shoulder, “At this fateful night, your life as an average girl officially ends, you are now the defender of Vespertine, the scion of light... I feel guilty of making you have more problems, so, in return... I’ll make one of them go away, and I promise to help you carry all of your burden from this day on, to the point when there is nothing left for you to carry... Just you watch, I’ll prove to you that I’m no liar... Now go to sleep and go to school early tomorrow... I’ll be inside your closet, good night.”

Rhea then slowly disappeared, Liana was a bit confused of what she said of taking away her problem, but she just neglected that one, and still continued thinking about her brother and best friend that whole night, and also thought of what awaits her as the so-called “Scion of Light”. She closed her eyes, and immediately fell asleep.

At that same night, the same guy who was watching her the other night was there again, together with his female companion.

“Hmm... Tonight, it became official, huh..? The scion of light... Surely, she’d be in grave danger once those phantoms find out...” the lady, who was sitting on a crate, said softly.

She looked at the Man she was with, “I guess she’d be safe with the Celestians...”

The guy turned around and walked away, while saying, “I wouldn’t be so sure... Just this night, Liana was almost killed by those phantoms... I will not allow them to keep on failing like this... This is their first failure, they must not make the same mistake for the third time, or else...”

The lady stood up and followed the guy, “What will you do if they fail the third time..?”

The guy stopped and smiled maliciously, “I’m going to take her away... I don’t care what the Destroyer would do to this place, as long as she’s safe, I couldn’t care any less...”

The lady hit him in the shoulder, “But I care! You promised me you’d help me, right!?” The guy smiled again and walked away, while waving his hand towards the lady.

“That kid... He’s so stubborn...”