Phoenix Rising

When I stepped outside, the entire town smelled of fire. I realized that the war between the two towns had caused this. Everything we loved was turned into nothing but ashes. In this type of world, it was hard to be the hero. I am a survivor of this catastrophe and I rose from the ground. I looked at the buildings which once stood majestically with a heavy heart. The only thing that was visible to my open eyes was destruction and chaos. 

I felt the need to cry, but the sight that was in my vision was too painful. The tragic sensation I faced was greater than the sadness I would ever experience. I was hurt so badly but tears wouldn’t just come out. The rain started to pour down and I understood the cloud’s pain as its tears washed away my pain and embraced me with solace. The tears of the clouds swept over the destructed place. 

The place where I grew up to be the monstrous person I’ve become now. The place where I experienced my first smiles and shed my first tears, anger and agony, magic and mayhem, happiness and hopelessness. The place that was once my home. 

Looking at that place made me wonder if I was really that bad. Should I apologize for the monster I’ve become? No one apologized for making me a demon. At that moment, I had a sudden outburst of unexpected emotions. I felt pride for the things I have done but also some regret in doing them. Was it wrong to feel this way?

I looked over and I saw the other survivors of this catastrophe. I spotted five members who belonged to my town and five others from the rival town. Only, I don’t consider them rivals anymore. Right then, I found a friendly face walking towards me. That belonged to my best friend, Derek. 

“Hey, Lilith! Glad to see you’ve woken up,” called out Derek. “Woken up? What do you mean?” I asked in shock. “Well, you were unconscious for two days. I mean, it’s not a wonder since you were knocked out with a club,” replied Derek, as he was scratching his head nervously. “Oh well, where are the others?” I asked. “Er. I don’t know how to say this, Lilith,” he replied. “Try using your mouth. It’s a good option,” I replied, sarcastically. “If you say so. I really don’t want to tell you, but, most of us are dead. Adira, Adrian, and Dominic are alive. Except for ourselves, of course,” he replied. “What about my sister, Bellona?”I asked, very nervous about his upcoming answer. “Lilith, I really hate to tell you this. Bellona.. She died. She fought bravely but she died,” Derek said, his voice cracking. 

My face turned pale and I just stared wide at the ground below, unable to close my eyes, and I felt frozen. I felt goosebumps. I didn’t feel the time pass by, and I felt the whole world crumble apart around me and I didn’t even shake. I was paralyzed. It was a stunned silence. 

The one person I loved the most, the one I vowed to protect, the one who was the reason for my solace, the one who was my light. She was gone. I felt the world disappearing into the depths of oblivion. The only thing I felt were my stinging tears. 

“Hey. I am there for you. You know that. Adira, Dominic, and Adrian are here for you as well. Never forget that,” said Derek. “Thank you so much, Derek,” I replied, as I wiped my tears. “But why her? Why innocent Bellona? She was a kid,” I thought to myself. 

Thinking of that brought back another memory. One that I had buried deep inside. I was reminded of the moment my mom died. I must have been six years old then. “Why do so many people die young, Papa?” I had asked my father. “In a garden, which flower do you pick, dear Lilith?” he had asked me. “The most beautiful ones, Papa. I miss Mama so much,” I had told him.  

My father left to battle on that fateful day and he never came back. Bellona and I had been living with Derek’s family since then. 

I got back to my senses. I looked over at Bellona’s body. Her clothes were covered with blood and with wounds and yet, her face shone and she looked as peaceful as ever. “ You know, Bellona. When we lost Mama, you were there for me. When we lost Papa, you were there for me. I didn’t expect to lose you too. I’m really sorry, little sister,” I whispered to her, as I parted her with a silent goodbye. 

I realized that nothing had come out of this war. Nothing good, at least. They said that wars meant power, success, and competition. No. Wars mean death, destruction, and chaos. I realized that the other town must have also suffered just as we did. They are, after all, also humans. Like us. 

Derek and I went to the other side to see how the rest of the survivors were doing. We spotted Adira, Adrian, and Dominic helping the rival town’s soldiers. Derek and I joined them. We all chattered happily, as we helped the injured warriors. We all had fun as we ate together. 

We learnt about their town and they learnt about ours. They also had a lot of suffering from this war. One of them had lost his little brother and Derek and I managed to cheer him up. We lost as individuals but, we won together with humanity. 

The losses that we went through that day were many. Each of us had our suffering. The twins, Adira and Adrian had lost their parents. Dominic lost his sister. Derek and I lost Bellona. The others lost their families. We all lost something that day. But, we also gained something that day. Humanity and Hope. 

Those tears we cried, those regrets we have, the ones we lost, the secrets untold, our emotions hidden, our feelings unexplained don’t make us weak. They make us human. We feel a lot, meaning that we have to hurt a lot. But, that also means that we are going to live a life that is emotionally rich. 

Though the other town may have killed our members, they were also humans. We have to forgive and forget. That’s when we truly win. When we accept the others for who they are. 

I felt that the only way to bring back the town it once was can only be done through humanity and by showing kindness. My name, Lilith, refers to a monster. I had actually believed that I was one when I found out that Bellona had died. But, I was far from it. 

I decided that we were going to build this town. We will fight together, love each other, protect one another, care for others, and wipe their tears. We will build us up. A phoenix burns to its death and turns into ashes. It rises back from the ashes, stronger than before. We are the phoenix. We have burned to ashes before. We will rise up from the fire. We will, and we did.