Chosen by the Sky

Chapter 4 - A Messenger is Chosen

A rush of warmth slowly swept over me as I teleported back to my house.  I sank down to the floor, staring at the wooden ceiling above.  Had that really just happened?

My eyes fell to my cloak.  The firelight was making rainbow reflections dance off of it, the colors contrasting with the monochromatic room.

Yep.  Definitely real.

I sat there for a few minutes, processing.  My house was a small, quiet space on the outskirts of the Red Kingdom, perfect for reflecting in peace.  As the fireplace crackled merrily, my mind flashed back to the voices- the figures in the sky.  The Sky People.

After 200 years, they had finally broken their silence.

Taking a deep breath, I got up from the floor, holding my head a little higher. I had to tell the Red Leader. I quickly stepped out of the door and into the tangerine light of the sunset, walking confidently toward the leader's house.

Of course there was a problem. Despite the late hour, several Red Steves were still milling about. When they saw me, they stopped in their tracks, staring openly at my colorful new attire.

Suddenly, the distance to the Red Leader's house seemed to stretch on for miles.

"Woah Red Apprentice!"

"Your cloak!"

I was quickly surrounded by Red Steves, all of them jostling for my attention as I tried to maneuver through the crowd.

"Awe, guys, it's late!" I tried, my voice squeaking as I caught several pairs of bright, curious eyes.

"How did you do that?"

"What happened to it?"

"Is that something the Professor did?"

"Yep, definitely the Professor." I mumbled, moving away as quickly as possible.

After braving the onslaught of questions, I finally managed to slip inside the Red Leader's house, snapping the door shut with a sigh of relief. I sunk against the wall, ignoring the polite knocking outside.

"Who is it at this hour?" The Red Leader's voice came from another room, growing closer along with his footsteps. "Yes, yes, I'm com- Apprentice?"

The expression on my leader's face was nearly comical. His mouth dropped open, eyes wide. With his formal clothes ditched for the night, replaced by a simple set of pajamas, he looked like any average Red Steve.

"Red Leader!" I jumped to my feet, straightening out my cloak on instinct, and inadvertently setting the rainbow light shifting through it again. "I've got some news!" I bounced a little on my feet, feeling like a little kid.

"Clearly." he choked in response. Carefully, he stepped forward, taking a handful of fabric in his hand and examining it.

"Well, as you know, I went to give the Red Kingdom's offering to the Sky People to-"

I cut off as a ripping noise filled the air. The much-too-familiar sound of carpet and floorboards being destroyed. As I peeked into the next room, a head popped up from the floor, topped with frizzy bright red hair and huge orange goggles.

"Sweet salmo salar!" He exclaimed in his typical, nonsensical greeting. "That's a lot of Red Steves outside!"

The Red Leader proceeded to make a weird choking noise as he took in his living room floor.

"Professor, how many times does the leader have to tell you not to do that!?"  I huffed, exasperated.  "This is a leaders' meeting.  Shoo!"

The crazy Red Steve just smiled, propping his chin up on his elbows and waiting patiently.  I groaned.