Flicker of the Salamander

Where forest met prairie stood a rocky opening that spat forth blue fire. The hunters of the forest and farmers of the prairie joined in union when the lead huntress and chief husbandman met at this opening to the underworld and decided to unify their peoples. Their deity would be Kindle, the fire personified, a protector and guiding light.

In the first generations great bounties of meat and harvest were thrown into the pit. Positions among the cult became the highest honor to the prosperous people, and the largest celebration of the year was the Renewal of Flame, a new years celebration and coming of age for the youths who had to jump across the fire.

The settlement eventually grew from a village to a town and from a town to a city. It came into conflict and the power of fire had the people conquer their enemies. And like those first hunters and farmers, they added to their union with ceremony and treaty before the pit of Kindle.

Those seeking knowledge came to the cult for education, and a holy school was built up adjoining the great Fane of Flame. Prosperity lasted long but bright hope eventually soured and the people were proud. Like wheat in haysel, pride is cut down.

While women and men had fallen as warriors in war, the people had largely seen success in expansion. That was until the cities of Kindle faced the Sea Peoples and their pride was extinguished at the death of their legions and even their queen.

In response and mourning a great sacrifice was made to Kindle but it proved impotent. The peoples could not throw down their enemies, and eventually they could not even keep them away. They were conquered, but the Flame is hard to extinguish, for embers will long endure. Ceremonies and worship continued in the rising popularity of foreign cults but people changed with outside influence and time, as all do.

After a tragedy of one youth falling into the flames during the coming of age rite, the state banned the ritual. The already waning cult was castrated. The School became secular, the Fane fell to the state and eventually into an office that would be torn down for a newer structure in later centuries.

The flame ebbed, fading from blue to orange-red. It was considered a hazard and some regulation attempted to fill it in or close it up. The conservative type resisted but after another century the times had changed and it was filled in. The Cult passed to history and was largely forgotten.

-

“Have you seen the fire, Enat?” rosy cheeked Inga asked, leaning across the table at the quaint boulangerie downtown.

“Um, no.” Enat said as she took a sip of her tea.

Wide eyed and dim Inga leaned back, genuine shock in her eyes. “Are you daydreaming again? Everyone has seen it! A pillar of fire at night, the old park circle. They say it’s a salamander haunting the park.” She slumped in exasperation, her mouth slightly open. “Do you ever get out, Enat?”

Enat took another sip just to watch Inga squirm in her seat. Inga looked all pretty with her new outfit and done up hair, putting Enat in her casual and comfy clothes to shame. Finally she responded, right as a vein showed itself on Inga’s forehead. “I do, but not very often. My place is nice, I don’t need to do what everyone else does.”

Inga pouted for a moment before shrugging. “Well, whatever, have you seen the Commissar? He looks absolutely dashing!” Enat toned out the exaggerated gossip, instead she thought of her grandpa who had been considered highly traditional in her veneration of Kindle, the old matron of the city. Enat remembered sitting on her knee as a child while she was told of spirits and omens of the goddess. She particularly tempered salamanders were the holy messengers of the goddess and vaguely fit the description Inga had given. Enat wondered what mawmaw would say about the rumors.

Eventually Inga quit her jabbering and they both went about their days with work and class. Clouds blew in from the sea in the evening and by time the sun fell the wind had worsened and it had started to rain heavily. As night grew deeper Enat sat at home, tea in hand. She attempted to keep herself entertained but the rain called to her like shelter to an urchin, so she went out for a promenade.

The sidewalks were empty, the streets nearly so. She huddled in her jacket and wandered through from street lamp to street lamp in the peaceful pattering gloaming.

Eventually she found herself in the old park. It was also empty, since no one would look for fire in water. She stood under the single lamp in the stone circle which acted as an altar to Kindle. She pulled back her hood and let the rain soak her. She smiled at the peace and cleansing of it. She smiled for maybe the first time that day.

A sparkle caught her eye and looking in the center of the circle she saw a light. She blinked away the rain and saw it surely, dim and flickering. It was tall and slim and regal in a way. It was enchanting and Enat dared not move. She held her breath as rain hit the stone around her. The pillar of fire sizzled and flickered.

After a minute it seemed the fire took the shape of a figure. Enat thought she must be hallucinating, seeing visions of her grandmother’s salamander come to haunt her.

But suddenly the rain stopped and Enat gasped at the figure standing above the covered pit of Kindle. A frisson fulgurously struck her. She knew not whether it was the goddess herself or some messenger, but she felt warm despite her dripping form. Before her was a tall and slim woman of flame, bathed in the flickering tongues of orange. Her eyes were lightened Amber and her stare was one of recognition towards a worshiper. It seemed Enat’s tender faith had allowed this being to take shape in an echo of the manifestations of old.

Enat knew not how long she stared in rapture. Eventually the light dimmed before her eyes and she was no longer sure they were seeing an image or some imprint stuck upon them. She vaguely noticed the rain start back again and she wandered for some time in spiritual peace before she made it home when the dawning sun peaked from the offing. She took off her coat and removed her shoes and it was then that she realized she was completely dry.