Blue Flames in this Land of Snow and Ash

“She used to love that colour, didn’t she brother? “, the small child asked, his short blond bangs partially covering his eyes. His emerald stare looked into the distance, looking upon the vast ice fields ahead.
“Yes..... She did”, the older boy blankly responded, his mind wondering else where, lost into the maze of thoughts surrounding his soul. The breeze softly pushed his flaxen hair out of his prussian blue eyes, the skin around them being slightly red, his stare seemed glacial, his face completely emotionless.
“Joah...could you tell me her story again? “, he asked, hesitating as he turned towards his sibling. He examined his brother, Joah was not moving, he was a marble statue proudly staring into the distance, leaving all beside him in awe, pondering on the reason of his stillness.
“Yes...it is her anniversary anyways...we should honour her memory... “, he replied in a monotone voice, “Let us start then, please put your self at ease Nahaèl, this will take quite a long time...”, he sighed, exhaustion was apparent for a moment and was then scooped away by the emotionless mask of his countenance.
Nahaèl, sat down in front of his older brother. Joah seemed so tall from down there, so courageous, so...unreal. His brother moved, at last, his shadow covering his brother’s. His ice cold stare meeting the younger boy’s emerald orbs.
“What was she like?”, he hurried Joah on, great anticipation could be seen upon his features. Joah sat down in the glacial valley. He sighed once more and brushed the dust off the shoulder of his fur coat.
“She was everything. Her stare, like yours, always looked forward as if seeing something in the distance no one else could. Her hair was unlike anyone else’s; like an everlasting flame, a rarity in this land of snow and ash...”, he slowly explained, his words sinking into the soul. There had been no snow for years though, ever since the villages had been burned down and disappeared. The natural snow had remained, but nothing more. The gods that left their previous haven to the madness of men. Nothing had been left behind for them, only the destruction and fury of the gods were to be found...in this land of snow and ash.
“...she was not very tall.”, he went on, “ She had often mentioned that she had been teased about her height for, in our village, most were very tall and strong. She, however, was frail and fragile. ‘Pale as snow’ our father used to say, can you remember now Nahaèl?” he asked, absent minded.
“Yes. I remember. Her smell, her aura, her very essence...now tell me brother...what had happen three years ago...?’, he barely mouthed, sorrow climbing inside his throat. Joah stood up, his movements soundless. A heavy breeze flew upon the valley. Soft snow flakes were raised from the ground, creating silver powder, blurring the view for a moment. The older boy walked to his brother. He stood abreast of him, looking in the distance, remaining silent, pondering. Quite some time passed by as the siblings remained unspoken.
“It was exactly three years ago”, Joah started, never looking down to his brother,” the sun was bright in the sky. I remember as we strolled along the frozen river, the sky was the purest of whites. It had surprised me for I had never seen such spotless sky in all my short existence. I had been fifteen at the time, my head always wondered somewhere else than its obligated task-“
“You mind still does so brother!”, Nahaèl interrupted, giggling to himself.
Joah sighed, he disliked to be interrupted, he soon resumed his pause,” You ,my dear little brother, were merely nine,” he mentioned, heavy sarcasm perceptible in his voice,” It was the first time we had all together walked the river path. You had at last been old enough to follow like them; mother, father, me and...” he hesitated, grief building in his heart.
“Please brother, I beg of you, say her name...?”, he whispered, warm tears silently sliding down his pale cheek.
Joah did not move or give any sign of his understanding of the request that had been asked of him. He closed his eyes and deeply inhaled.
“...Cathlen...” he whispered, eyes remaining close.
Both boys froze for what seemed to be eternity. Joah opened his eyes, motioned to his brother the time had come to walk farther. As they walked, Nahaèl tried to dry his eyes, sign of his weakness.
“...She had been but only thirteen when her day had come..”, Joah continued as they walked the ancient frozen lake, the same they had taken three years before, “ After we had rode the path for several hours, we had come to the cave. The cave the gods had chosen for their precious temple,” anger stroke his voice as he mentioned the greater powers ruling this world. “She had been quite pleased by the great reunion at the temple, she enjoyed being together with all the family, that is why mother had helped dressed her in her favourite dress. It was blue; the color she loved... remember how she had danced around in her dress? Spreading the elation wherever she stepped? Father had even brought her a blue ribbon to place upon her hair. How Cathlen smiled as mother tied it into her hair, like a blue flame fallen from heaven...”, his voice fell to silence.
His brother looked up to him, they had come to a stop; they had arrived. The glaciers blocked the path to the cave; a crystal all. Nahaèl put his gloved hand upon the cold element.
“Excitement filled the crystal caves. We all stood inside, awaiting for the beginning of the ceremony...” he continued, his voice emotionless, his stare blank with indescribable grief. “At the moment we were to pray to our great gods, the caves started to shatter, the crystal walls fell upon the population of our village; it had been a trap. Our village was still at war it seemed. Unknown to the villagers, enemies had planned to rid their territory of any resistance. Father leaded us towards an entrance to the caves, our last hope of exit. Mother was a fast runner, she had no need to worry for her life. She pulled you into her arms and ran to salvation. Meanwhile, father, Cathlen and I ran amongst the thick crowd. Bodies already covered part of the ground, as chaos spread amongst men...” He took a deep breath and went on.
“ We had almost reached the exit, salvation from this chaos was close. Another shatter was heard, the screams intensified. Cathlen remained calm, she had been much more mature than what one may expect of a child her age.
As the exit was about to be crossed, she tripped. Father did not notice and ran for his life. I turned to her and at that moment, all fell down into the cave. When I approached her, she pushed me away; she had heard the ice begin to fall upon the exit...she saved me. Cathlen barely had time to whisper her last words as the snow engulfed her completely...” Joah’s eyes broke into silent tears, rolling off his face onto the ground.
“What... had she said... brother?...”, Nahaèl whispered, his voice shaking with sobs.
“She...She had said..”, he closed his eyes and murmured his sister’s words” ‘Never forget...but always go on’ she gave up her life to save me...”, Joah fell to his knees, unable to hold his grief inside. He placed his hand into his hands and screamed. All the sorrow he had been keeping inside slowly melted way, but part still remained.
“We have come here today to honour her death” Joah murmured to his brother as he calmed down.
“Yes...to our dear sister Cathlen...may she have found peace upon the haven of the gods...” Nahaèl stated, looking into the glacier in front of him; her sister’s grave.
“To our dear blue flame, may she never be forced to live upon a land of snow and ash ever again in the eternity of the afterlife...”
*~*~*~*~*
As the sun set, the brothers had long left, the glaciers shone. Flowers had been put upon it; they were many taints of blue, no other hue. A small sign had also been place upon the tall ice wall. Inscribe in black ink, a memorial had been created...
“Never forget the blue flame of this land of snow and ash”