Liora and the Living Ember

Once upon a time, in a lantern‑lit village at the edge of a whispering forest,

lived a fire‑eater named Liora. Every evening she stepped into the town square with

a quiet confidence, carrying only a brass torch and a small pouch of spices that made

her flames shimmer like northern lights. People gathered from far and near to watch her perform.

When Liora breathed in, the world seemed to hold its breath with her.

When she exhaled, a ribbon of fire unfurled into the night sky—twisting, blooming,

and dancing as if it had a will of its own. Children swore they saw shapes in the

flames: a fox, a dragon, a soaring swan. But Liora’s gift wasn’t just spectacle.