The Fire of Redemption

The redemption of a troubled creature.

This was the battle she had lost. She was finally giving up. It seemed she had been at war forever, constantly struggling, resisting. She had spent so much of her time and effort attempting to keep the control she felt she had, giving every ounce of her strength and will each time it was threatened. She protected that sense of dominance with everything she had. That sense was the only thing keeping her grounded. No matter who questioned it, she would not be forced to compromise; she was a headstrong soul. She was her own authority. As the battles raged on, her sense of power grew. The more she opposed Him, she gained a greater sense of supremacy. The fire inside her burned ravenously for more and more control. Her body and mind craved it. It wasn’t before long that she realized the power wasn’t fulfilling. As much as she had fought for it and had yearned for it, it couldn’t give a sense of peace. Through it all, peace was what she had truly wanted.

The comprehension of this fact inevitably lead to her downfall. When everything you’ve believed comes in question, you feel you have nothing to live for. The control and power she had been fighting for her whole life, turned out to be nothing but an illusion. Like a clever piece of Fool’s Gold, she had snatched up the fantasy and devoted her life to it. When the trick had been unveiled, she was left with nothing. What, then? What could she do?

She couldn’t help but reflect on this question, as she lay. She had crashed and burned in her attempts at gratification, and was now letting it take its toll. Although she had lived a seemingly long life, it was only natural for the bird to resist the push of death. She curled up in the comfort of her nest, awaiting the painstakingly long process of her bodily systems shutting down. Her head rested on the edge of the twisted branches, silently waiting. She found it ironic the control she felt she needed to survive was now the thing killing her. The One she was fighting the most, was the one thing trying to keep her alive. Her bright, tapered feathers faded from a vibrant red to a dull, dead brown. Her breathing slowed, her eyes quietly narrowed. The Light was coming, and she gave welcome to it. It quickly consumed her body in a flash of brilliance. All that was left was a pile of ashes.

 It seemed as if all was done. The scene was still and calm. The wind whispered through the spaces in the branches of the nest, agitating what was left of her. Suddenly, a flash of gold appeared in the clouds, and a bright spark exploded and the ashes turned to embers. A soft red glow flickered in the black dust. A blinding light erupted from the pile, and a whirlwind of flame burst upward.

As quickly as she had been destroyed, she had been brought to life again. Her body glowed a blinding yellow and orange. Her talons and beak grew stronger and sharper. Her wings were double the breadth from before. Her eyes glimmered a stunning, intense red. She had been made new. She had risen from the ashes. A whole new creature, she felt much stronger than she ever had before. She felt more protected, supported, even more invincible. He had only wanted this for her. He had only wanted to bring her up, stronger, better than before. She no longer had to fight for empty desire. She didn’t have to chase after that long-lost control. At last, she finally felt at peace.