Crystal Shade Episodes 01

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    Darkness and cruelty whispered from a yawning void. She was alone in the hall, yet she wasn’t and it terrified her. Someone patiently watched her from down below, from the other side of the pulsating seal . But not just one, thousands dwelled on the other side and only the crystal surface prevented them from reaching and touching her. These souls were not human and they were not Aserian. They were something else. They hated her. They wanted to hurt her. They wanted to kill her. Her own desperate scream echoed as a strong dark hand reached through the crystal surface and grabbed her ankle to pull her down.
    Darkness crashed in on Grace as she bolted awake from the nightmare, but her eyes remained closed. Her mind grappled with the suddenness of the change.
    What did I dream? she wondered. I can’t remember. I saw that beautiful Aserian woman in my reflection and then… she paused her thoughts, but she couldn’t remember the rest of her dream.
    Maybe I should tell mother and father what I saw in the fountain. Did they see what I saw? Who was that woman? She was beautiful. Yes. I should tell them. But not today, she decided, smiling to herself. She wanted to fall asleep again, to dream something better than the nightmare she had forgotten.
    Her body was tired, yet her soul wandered while angelic music and a choir echoed in her mind. Someone sang from afar.
    “In my sleep your voice sang to me!” echoed the male’s beautiful baritone.
    “Please my love, fight bravely!” a young female responded lovingly.
    Am I already dreaming again? Grace wondered. The music brought peace to her restless soul. The song reverberated in the darkness. But not from outside, someone sang within her mind.
    “In my dreams you come to me!” called the male’s baritone, her love.
    “Defeat darkness, please protect me!” the woman pleaded, full of sadness.
    In front of her closed eyes, she saw the two lovers, the singers, winged Aserian Viridanas, Sentinels as they sang to each other. Their angelic voices gave word to their feelings.
    “Your voice calls me and you say my name!” the winged male took a step closer.
    “You must embrace your destiny!” the woman held her ground. The musicians behind them melded their music to their words. Everything was so familiar to Grace. She knew the singers, she had seen them before; but in her blurry mind, she couldn’t remember their names.
    Don’t let him go, Vessa. Grace realized that was the name of the graceful Aserian woman. Azen loves you, she continued her thought. The sad Aserian woman slowly pushed Azen away. A great sorrow enfolded him as his wings slumped against his back and he bowed his head.
    “Your battle is waiting, my love!” still aloof, Vessa sang, but Azen stepped close, caught her hand, and kneeled in front of her.
    “I will never let you go! I will never let you go, my Vessa!” the young male Aserian’s angelic voice sang with fervor before he enfolded her in his arms. His wings limp down his back trembled with his warring emotions. The woman looked at him with pure love in her beautiful blue eyes. Watching in rapture, Grace saw tears in the woman’s eyes; she knew why. The difference between a human and Aserian performance is; the Aserians never pretend. Their pieces were never dramatized. All of their actions, all their emotions were real.
    You’ll let him go, she realized as she had seen the eyes of the woman. But why?
    “You must go,” the female Sentinel sang a softer tone while the music slowly faded away. “But my soul will never let you go.”
    Then deep silence had fallen onto the hall for a long moment. Grace noticed a tear in Vessa’s eyes.
    Why do you want him to leave you behind? Grace asked herself in disappointment. The ending of the piece didn’t make sense to her. She knew Azen and Vessa sang to the audience about their love, about their real feelings. She knew the two lovers would never let each other go, even if the Crystal Shade arrived. Whatever happened, their souls were connected for eternity.
    Everyone clapped as the performers and musicians stood up in the Long Hall of Odess’iana to show their respect. Loud applause echoed around the beautiful, decorated hall. Azen, Vessa, and the Aserian musicians stood away from their instruments and bowed to their beloved public from the stone stage. Grace clapped quickly while she grinned at her mother, who dabbed tears from her eyes. She knew her mother was touched, as always.
    Grace