Crystal Shade Episodes 01

his hand while he danced, and then once again breathed a stream of fire into the sky. Everyone clapped enthusiastically as the man finished his performance. The fire breather searched the crowd before he looked at Grace.
    “What is your name, little lady?” the fire breather asked.
    “Grace Sessa Aredia of the outskirts of Odess’iana, land of myth and forgotten knowledge,” she respectfully nodded to him.
    “My name is Ashan Al-Karim of Jizan, outskirts of Hijaz, the land of spirits and dreams,” he bowed with equal respect. “Do you wish to learn this trick, Lady Grace of Odess’iana?” Ashan asked while he began to spin the fire stick in his hand.
    “Is, is it safe?” Grace asked shyly.
    “If you know how to master the fire, yes, it is safe,” he smiled as he stopped the stick. He lifted the stick and the small bottle to his mouth, looked up, and breathed a large flame into the air. After the flame burned out, he looked back at the little girl. “But if you do not respect its mighty power, can’t accept its existence, it can hurt you; it can rule you and it can defeat you. The fire has its own wild life. You must tame it to be your friend. The question is, are you brave enough to be his friend?”
    Grace hesitated, and then excitement was replaced by a cool calmness that fell upon her. A guardian never fears and she was the Guardian of Odess’iana. She also knew that her own guardian was watching over her, even in this very moment. Maybe she was in the crowd, disguised as a human.
    “Yes. I’d like to tame the fire,” she answered with determination and put the necklace and the pot of ice fruit on his table.
    “You’re a very, very brave little girl,” Ashan crouched down in front of her.
    “What should I do?” she asked, studying the fire stick.
    “First, you must watch the wind,” Ashan began. “Wind is the enemy of fire. You must embrace it and protect the flame from it. Remember. The wind must blow from behind you.”
    Grace nodded. She watched the flame on the fire breather’s flaming stick and saw which way the wind blew.
    “It’s coming from that direction,” she said and turned her back to the wind.
    “Good.” Ashan picked up a small vial of water from the table and gave it to her. “Put a small quantity of water in the bottom of your mouth. You must watch that the fluid is not on your face, nor your chest. When you are ready, blow the water out of a small opening in your lips, do it as fast as possible.”
    She sipped a bit from the vial and spit the water out, just as Ashan told her.
    “Excellent. Now comes the fun part,” Ashan continued while he took the water vial, put it on the table, and gave a vial that contained flammable fluid to Grace. “You must do the same, but now, you must move the fire stick close to your mouth when you spit.”
    The little girl nodded as Ashan gave her the fire stick.
    You can do it. Don’t fear. I’m watching over you, she heard a very soft voice in her mind, but she couldn’t decide if her soul meant to calm her excitement or if her guardian reassured her.
    Grace concentrated, put a small measure of fluid into her mouth, immediately looked up, and held the stick in front of her mouth. After a quick breath, a plume of fire rocketed into the sky. The flame quickly spread, and then suddenly died out. The crowd clapped boisterously. Pleased, Grace bowed to them, and then looked at Ashan to see how she had done.
    “You’re learning pretty well, fire breather Grace of Odess’iana,” Ashan smiled.
    “Thank you,” she gave the stick back and Ashan put it into a water bucket.
    “Wait, my little apprentice,” Ashan picked up a new fire stick. “A fire breather is not a fire breather without a fire stick. This is yours, fire breather Grace of Odess’iana. You have earned it,” he said and gave the stick to her.
    “Thank you, Ashan,” Grace nodded respectfully to him while she tucked the fire stick onto her saree belt.
    “The honor is mine little fire apprentice. Never forget what you learned from Ashan,” he solemnly responded.
    “I won’t. I promise,” Grace grinned. Ashan stood, picked up her jewellery and fruit pot from the table, and gave them to her.
    “The time is so young. Just look around. There are many skills that a young, strong willed girl may learn from others.”
    Grace nodded to him. Ashan smiled mischievously before he turned to the waiting audience. “This brave little girl has tamed the wild fires of