• Scarlet opened the pages to the Book of Knowledge, the spine creaking in protest after many years of being unopened. She flipped through the blank pages, wondering what to do. “Voltairan Myths.” She said in the wolves ancient tongue. The pages flipped as if an invisible wind had blown through and turned them. They stopped near the back of the large book, again the pages were blank, suddenly words began to appear. In an elegant font they read:

    What are you looking for?

    Scarlet stared in disbelief, had the page just asked her a question? She looked at the book once more and spoke “I’m looking for a myth about some sort of gift-giving holiday…I once read that these creatures called humans have a holiday called Christmas, where everyone gets each other a gift…”

    That’s enough child, I understand what you seek, you want to know of the Angel of Mercy, I will show you.

    The pages flipped again, taking her even further into the back; Scarlet didn’t quite understand way they needed to flip, every page was blank, but maybe there was a reason behind this waste of paper. One the top of the page, in elegant script, appeared the words “Angel of Mercy.”

    “Who is that?” Scarlet asked the book.

    Be patient child, I will tell you soon enough, just let me gather my wits, for it has been many centuries sense anyone has even glanced in my direction.

    She waited for the book to come up with the story, wondering how long it would take such a thing to find its wits. Suddenly writing appeared in a different script than when the book “spoke.”

    Angel of Mercy

    In the land of Voltaira there are many myths, some of great courage, some of great sorrow, and some of great compassion, as there are in all lands, but some surpass others in greatness. The Angel of Mercy is one such myth that cannot be said to have just “great” compassion, or sorrow, but rather, it is the epitome of both.

    One cold winter day, not long after the rebirth of the world, a great angel descended upon these lands, beautiful in every way, she came from the untamed northern lands where the gods resided. She walked for days, looking for any sign of life. After many days of looking she came upon an unnamed town. You could tell from just her looks that she was of great power. She wore a floor-length, fur coat, with a hood that covered her gorgeous crimson red hair, her eyes glowed a silver blue, like that of the moons reflection when it hits the water. She stood in front of the town for a long while, not knowing whether to enter it or wait until someone asked her to come in. As she waited the guards of the town came to their posts, they were filled with great fear upon seeing this grand creature. The guards ran to the city leader and told him of this beautiful woman with crimson hair and silver-blue eyes, the leader’s face was stricken with horror at the thought of this creature.

    The Angel finally decided to go into the city without any invite, she was far to tired of being out in the wild. She entered the town, and as she set her first foot in everyone stopped. Their bodies ran numb with fear; they thought that she was an angry god coming to wreak havoc all over again. The leader came to the city gates and saw her standing there, from where he was, he yelled. “Woman, leave our city be, have the gods not destroyed enough of our lives already?”

    The Angel said nothing, only stared, wondering what made them think she was a god, she decided then, not to give her gift to all, but rather, come again, later, and whoever took her in would receive her thanks. All watched as she left the city, heading for the forest from which she had emerged. But, as she walked away from the town, she whispered a promise, so soft that only an open heart could here.

    “In three weeks time, I will return again, but not to all as I have today. On that day I will choose one, and that one will have a chance at a great gift. If that one chooses to except me in, then I will thank them greatly, but, if they give up their only chance, then I will leave, only to return again the next year.”

    And so she kept her promise, in three weeks time she returned, but this time it was far into the night, and she came only to one chosen person. Her first was a boy, neither young nor old, but in his prime. She approached him slowly, so as not to scare him, knowing that at this time of night not much was out but the truly desperate and the truly monstrous. The boy stood still, wondering who this woman was, and if she sought to kill, or to beg, or, by some small chance, to help.

    “Boy, could you give me a place to stay, I don’t need much, I am just so very tired. Please, only for the night.” The Angel asked as she walked slowly closer, still.

    “I don’t have much, madam, but I hope it will do, I’d rather not leave a woman out in the cold.” He smiled as he felt safer now.

    “Oh thank you so much, dear boy, anything will do, just a roof over my head for this cold winter night.” The Angel smiled, and followed the boy to his home. There the Angel stayed for the night, and when dawn came, she left with him, a great gift, greater than even a god could give, and went on her way. Traveling until the next year came, when she would visit again.

    Scarlet finished ready the passage, but this did not satisfy her. “Hey book, did she ever visit other towns, and did anyone ever not except her?”

    There are stories that say she helped all of the towns, some say that every year she when to every town and helped one chosen one. And, as for not excepting, there were plenty who didn’t, and never got another chance at her great gift.

    “What were the gifts, so great that even a god could not give them.”

    There are many different gifts, but most received creatures, like dragons, or foxes, or wolves, and they became what we call guardians. But, it is said that her guardians are more powerful than the ones you find today.

    The book knew one thing Scarlet didn’t, though this story was called a myth, it was the only thing that was most true, and pure, so long after the world had been tainted. And, as for the Angel, she still came, bearing great gifts, and all hoped to be that one lucky person to receive her kindness…will it be you?