Crystal Shade Episodes 01

false crystal chime that she had almost completely forgotten; yet, it still echoed in the back of her mind.
    Where is she?
    The vast darkness was slowly replaced by sapphire sunlight, little yellow and white jasnaia flowers in a huge beautiful garden. A little apoidea flew from flower to flower; the wind softly blew the petals in the cold air. The sniffling of her little sister found Grace’s ears. For a moment, Grace had seen Aurora’s terrified tearful green eyes. They reflected a large oak, the flowers, and a tiny green kimama, which circled around her. Grace felt the fear; her sister believed no one would find her and she would be lost forever. She wanted her mother and father and she wanted her big sister who always protected her.
    The jasnaia garden, the answer struck into Grace’s mind as she recognized the place. Her eyes snapped open to face the stranger, but he was nowhere, was gone. Surprised, she looked around, but she was alone in the dark alley.
    Grace was running before she gave it thought, her steps echoed on the cobblestones. The garden wasn’t far. Last Deciduous when they were in Odess’iana, her mother told her if she was separated, they would all meet in the jasnaia garden, which grew at the very top of the inner wall; the wall that always watches Sachylia when it goes down. She was amazed that Aurora still remembered this at all. But for a moment, Grace wasn’t sure her guardian showed her the way. The inner voice, which guided her, now told her the answer was so different.
    Maybe this is the instinct of a guardian. The magic of eleven-eleven, she wondered as she ran fast. But who was this mysterious stranger? And who is Angeni? Is that the name of my mysterious guardian angel?
    After a short time, she arrived at the smooth foot warn stone steps that inclined up to the garden and raced up. At the top step, Grace looked around.
    Aurora sat alone among the yellow and white jasnaia flowers in the small garden under the shadow of a large oak. A very small green-winged kimama flew around her. The scared little girl wept to herself while she hugged her legs close. It seemed to Grace that the small kimama was guarding Aurora.
    “Thank you, Sacred Mother. Thank you, my guardian,” Grace whispered as she strolled closer to Aurora, who noticed her immediately.
    “Gracie!” Aurora got up in a rush. “I just wanted to hug the beautiful white tasunke,” she sniffed. “He went away and I tried to find him. I got lost and I…” the heartbroken little girl wept. Grace held her close. Even without wings, she was her little sister’s guardian angel.
    “I’m here with you, my sister,” she kissed Aurora’s forehead. “You’re not alone. I’ll never let you go.”
    Aurora slowly calmed down, but still cried softly. Grace quietly began to sing.

    Oh, my sister, don’t be blue,
    Your sister is right here beside you.
    I’m protecting you; I’m with you forever,
    I’m with you my kind, my beauty little sister.
    Don’t cry please, don’t fear my dear,
    You have a guide and are safe; Our Guardians are near.

    Aurora wiped the teardrops from her eyes while she smiled up at her big sister. But Grace already gazed at something, seemingly amazed.
    “Look at that, Aurora,” she whispered in awe. “The sun goes down.”
    Sachylia majestically approached the horizon. Bathed in the last light of the setting sun, the sisters felt its mighty power. In this shared touching moment, their flesh rippled to goose bumps. The cold sapphire beams painted the small white clouds shades of orange and the blue streaks darkened like stained glass as the rays tinted their eyes blue. It felt like on all Eecrys Aredia, Sachylia watched just the two of them. As if Sachylia wanted to say farewell with its magnificent existence before she disappeared.
    “Crystal nightfall, sister,” Grace whispered to Aurora. “A perfect nightfall in light,” she stroked her little sister’s hair, and Aurora returned Grace’s love with a hug. This was their perfect moment.
    The last brightness of cold sapphire beams waved to the sisters and slowly disappeared behind the tall mountains.
    Peace and silence fell on the garden. Only that strange false chime echoed once again in Grace’s mind.

    * * *

    “They never forgot that perfect twilight they saw together,” continued the misty-eyed old man while the children listened. He saw everything crystal-clear in his mind as if it happened just yesterday.
    A story is not equal to