Crystal Shade Episodes 01

Margey gestured kindly with her hands. “So, did you finish Aurora’s gift last night?”
    Proud of herself, Grace nodded while she picked up her blue cotton slippers from the floor beside the bed, and then she pulled her mother to a large closed oak chest at the far end of the room excitedly. “I hope she likes it,” she whispered. With a slipper hanging from one small hand, she opened the chest.
    “She surely will,” confirmed Lady Margey while Grace carefully took out two small, intricately carved wooden winged dolls beside a large old children’s book, Spirit Guardians Eriana and Iria.
    With eyes that glistened like pearls, her mother looked at both dolls. Their bodies and faces exquisitely carved, they represented young female Aserians. The elder was wrapped in a sapphire silk saree, while the younger woman was similarly adorned in amber orange. Their hair was made of straw, but the young woman’s hair was stained dark red. Their large fluffy angel wings were made of white cotton.
    “You, you’ve made the Spirit Guardians!” Lady Margey exclaimed.
    “Yes. But I changed some details,” Grace hesitated just a little while she watched her mother. “Artist’s freedom,” she added proudly. “But I couldn’t figure out how to make their mighty crystal blades,” she continued with some guilt and disappointment. “I never saw one.”
    In her eyes, the dolls seemed incomplete and so empty without their mighty weapon; the weapon that was capable of maintaining eleven shapes as needed to protect the innocents from the evil that the legendary dreaded era, the Crystal Shade carried within.
    “Very few have laid eyes on an Eecrys Suria. If they ever saw it at all,” her mother encouraged her. “Maybe the crystal blades are just a tale, a legend of the Aserians.”
    Her mother smiled as Grace nodded and offered her master works. “The blue one is me, the great princess, Eriana, and Aurora as the youngest princess, Iria.”
    “They are beautiful. Aurora is surely going to like your gift. Even without the crystal blades,” amazed, she turned the dolls in her hands.
    “Thank you, mother,” Grace said softly while she added this deep in her proud heart. “I really hope so.”
    Margey kissed Grace’s cheek. “You’re the best sister that anyone could have,” and she meant it.
    Grace nodded thanks and took the angel dolls back from her mother. She carefully laid them in the box right beside the book of their story. Then she stopped and watched them for a moment.
    “Always remember. Their soul is the mirror of your soul, my little girl,” whispered her mother into her tiny ear.
    None of you will ever be alone. I promise, thought Grace while she studied the illusionary happiness in the eyes of the dolls, the same happiness within her own soul. Here the Ice Born Soul can’t hurt any of you.
    For a moment, she felt chilled by the name of the mysterious and legendary cursed being that she had always feared. It was the only one capable of destroying the soul of her invincible legends. But she never understood how and why. Her brave Spirit Guardians always defeated evil so easily; at least as she always imagined their story. But the Ice Born Soul was so different and untouchable.
    As the top of the box hid the dolls and the little lock clicked, Grace knew she did this to keep her legends safe from the dreaded soulless soul; whatever it truly was.
    “So, where is my breakfast?” Grace’s brown eyes glimmered happily as she turned to her mother with a grin.

    * * *

    Sweet cold wind hit Grace’s face as she stepped out into the large hanging garden. Calm tinkling of a wind crystal chime greeted her. Beautiful vines twisted around the tall columns and flowers that were her mother’s pride, hung like bright colourful ribbons from the walls. The old green oaks and the multitude of other trees throughout their large land slowly dressed in brown, yellow and orange while they dropped their leaves. Luscious aroma of flowers and crops tickled her nose; flowers that hung along the walls already prepared for the long cold nights of the approaching snowy first season, Slumberous. The second trimester, Prosperous was long gone along with the colourful life outside the garden, but Grace didn’t miss the warmest season at all as it was also the rainiest trimester; the time when her home world shared the life giving water with the plants. As she looked at the distant golden grass field as she did every morning, she