Crimson Rebirth ( GL)

The flames were everywhere, towering and relentless, burning through everything in sight. The red glow illuminated the garden, casting eerie shadows against the walls of the mansion.

I stood frozen in the middle of it all, my heart pounding in my chest as I tried desperately to figure out how to make it stop. My magic had gone completely out of control. 

I could hear the crackling of the fire as it devoured the grass beneath my feet, the edges of the wooden training dummies now completely engulfed.

Galen, was running. He had been so smug just a moment ago, but now he was terrified. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable as he bolted across the field, yelling for the knights to help. 

They came, of course, with buckets of water, but it didn't matter. The flames didn't even react. The water splashed onto the red fire, hissing slightly before evaporating into steam. Nothing worked. How could fire be this powerful?

It was like nothing I had ever seen before, a deep crimson color that pulsed with a life of its own. 

"Stop, stop, stop!" I muttered under my breath, staring at my hands as if willing them to obey. But they didn't.

The fire continued to rage, spreading faster and faster. I could feel the heat licking at my skin, but it didn't burn me. It was my magic, after all. It only destroyed everything around me. 

I clenched my fists, trying to focus, trying to push the flames back. I had no idea what I was doing, but I had to try. People were getting hurt.

The knights, the servants, they were all running, trying to dodge the flames, trying to put out the fires with no success. I saw a few of them stumble, some falling to the ground, coughing and shielding their faces from the heat. 

What have I done?

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not here, not now. I had to fix this. Somehow, I had to fix this.

"Ren!" a voice shouted, cutting through the chaos. I looked up, and there she was my mother. She burst into the garden with her usual elegance, but there was a sharpness in her eyes, a cold determination.

With one swift movement, she raised her hand, and just like that, the flames vanished. Completely. One moment, the garden was an inferno, and the next, there was nothing but smoke rising from the charred earth. 

I collapsed to my knees, the sudden absence of heat leaving me cold and trembling. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. They streamed down my face as I stared at the scorched ground, the aftermath of my magic. 

"Ren," my mother whispered, rushing over to me. Her arms wrapped around me tightly, pulling me against her chest. I could feel the warmth of her body, but it didn't comfort me. Nothing could. Not after what I had just done. "It's okay. It's over now."

"It's not okay," I sobbed, burying my face in her dress. "People got hurt… because of me. I… I didn't mean to…"

Her hand stroked my hair gently, but I could still feel the tension in her body. She was trying to be calm for my sake, but I knew she was just as shaken as I was. "Accidents happen, Ren. You're still learning to control your magic."

"But… ," I choked out. "I couldn't stop it…"

"I know," she said softly, her voice calm yet firm. "And that's why we're here. To help you. You're not alone in this."

I looked up at her, my vision blurry from the tears. She didn't look angry— just worried. Her usually perfect hair was slightly disheveled, her brow furrowed with concern. But there was something else, too. Something she wasn't saying. 

From the corner of my eye, I saw my father cradling Galen in his arms. My brother, usually so confident and unshakable, looked pale and shaken. His wide eyes were locked on the spot where the flames had been just moments before. 

"I was so scared," Galen whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear. "It was… everywhere…"

My father held him close, whispering soothing words I couldn't make out. Seeing Galen like that so vulnerable, so scared it only made me feel worse. He'd been terrified of me. My own brother had been running from me like I was a monster.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking down at my trembling hands. "I didn't mean to… I didn't want this to happen."

My mother gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. "It's not your fault, Ren. Magic can be unpredictable when you don't know how to control it. This isn't the first time something like this has happened."

I blinked at her in surprise. "It's not?"

She shook her head, giving me a small, reassuring smile. "No. It happens more often than you think, especially with powerful magic like yours. Today… it was just a bit stronger than usual."

A bit stronger. That was an understatement. Today had been a disaster. But before I could dwell on it any further, my mother stood up, pulling me to my feet as well. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up."

I let her guide me back toward the house, my legs feeling like jelly beneath me. My father stayed behind with Galen, but I could still feel his eyes on me as I walked away. I didn't dare look back.

Once we were inside, my mother led me to my room and helped me into a bath. The water was warm and soothing, but it didn't do much to ease the guilt gnawing at my insides. I sat there in silence, letting her wash away the soot and dirt from the fire. 

When I was clean, she helped me into a set of soft pajamas, the fabric cool against my heated skin.

My head felt heavy, like I could fall asleep at any moment, but something was keeping me awake. A nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I couldn't shake.

My mother tucked me into bed, sitting on the edge of the mattress as she placed a hand on my forehead. "You've got a bit of a fever," she said, frowning slightly. "Probably from all the excitement."

I didn't respond. My mind was still racing, going over everything that had happened in the garden. The fire, the fear, the way my magic had spiraled out of control. I couldn't stop thinking about it. 

After a while, I heard my mother whispering to my father outside the door. I wasn't asleep, but I kept my eyes closed, listening to their hushed voices.

"Her magic is becoming more and more uncontrollable," my mother said softly. "It's getting stronger, and we can't let her go outside for the moment. It's too dangerous."

"She's still just a child," my father replied, his voice tinged with worry. "We can't keep her locked away forever."

"I know," my mother sighed. "But until she learns to control it… we have no choice."

Their voices faded as they walked down the hallway, leaving me alone in the quiet of my room. My chest tightened with a mix of fear and frustration. 

I didn't want to be dangerous. I didn't want to hurt people. But if I couldn't even control my own magic… what was I supposed to do?

I lay there in the darkness, the weight of their words heavy on my mind. I had so many questions, but no answers. All I knew was that my life had just become a lot more complicated.