Fire of Youth

**Fire of Youth**, also called the **Flame of Youth**, is a magical fire that can rejuvenate whoever step inside it.

## Overview

Back since the time when Jesus still walked the earth, he and Peter stopped one evening at a smith's and received free shelter. Night came and a poor beggar pressed hard by the passage of time came to the smith's house and begged for alms. Feeling sorry for the old man, Peter convinced the smith to let the old man in and together, the beggar, the apostle, and the messiah sat by the forge to warm their bones while the smith's family ate their dinner.

As the night became colder, the beggar told Jesus and Peter about his life, about how he had wasted his youth chasing revenge in vain, only to grow old and sick without any health to win his own bread. When Jesus asked if the man wanted to have another chance at life, the man said yes, but only God is capable of such power. Hearing that, Jesus let out a small grin and told Peter to put more coals into the fire, if the smith allowed them to. While the smith agreed, his mother-in-law spat in dismay. Peter added coal to the fire and blew the bellows vigorously, and when the fire sparked up large and high, Jesus pushed the old beggar in, much to the horrors of others.

However, the beggar didn't burn but glowed like a rose-bush. Jesus then put his bare hands into the fire and gently moved the glowing man into the quenching tub so that the water closed over him, and after he had carefully cooled him, gave him his blessing. The old mother-in-law screamed, shouting that he was a madman and a murderer, and he planned to kill them all, with her as her next victim.

However, from the tub, a naked man walked out, looking handsome, youthful, healthy, and looked no older than 20 years of age. Only then did they realize this was a miracle and the smith asked all three of them to join his family for dinner. During dinner, the old mother-in-law asked the young man if the fire had burnt him much, and he earnestly told her he had never felt more comfortable, and that he had sat in the red heat as if he had been in cool dew. The man's words echoed in the ears of the old woman all night long, and early next morning, when all three of them had gone on their way, she had her son-in-law put her into the fire just like how Jesus did so she could be a girl of eighteen once more.

Eventually, the smith complied and pushed the old woman into the fire, only for her to scream terrible cries of murder, which the smith - in a fit of panic, threw her into the quenching tub. The old woman let out a final howl and died. Upstairs, hearing their mother's screams, the smith's wife and her sister came down, only to see the smith and the shriveled and burnt corpse of their mother. Thereupon the two, who were both pregnant, came into labor due to shock and delivered apes instead of babies and ran immediately into the woods after their birth.

Seeing what he had done in his ignorance, the smith and his remaining family all converted into Christians. The fire that was once blessed by the Son of God was kept burning by the smith and his later sons, and their sons after them, and their descendants for hundreds of years. Since then, the "Fire of Youth" legend has been passed down over the centuries and claims that the fire can restore youth to anyone, and it still burns brightly to this day.

## Appearance

Despite its reputation, the Fire of Youth itself is not so different from an ordinary fire, and is kept inside a bronze brazier engraved with its legends. However, according to those sensitive to magic, the fire reportedly has a similar aura to phoenixes, but purer and more "human-like".

## Abilities

The Fire of Youth can restore anyone into the prime of their life and bless them with eternal youth. No spells, curses, or potions can cause their body to grow older. The effects of time bend around them and their senses and mind is always at its peak, never weakened even by stress or tiredness. Any injury or malady on their body will automatically heal itself in a matter of seconds.

In addition, whoever is rejuvenated by the fire also gains an immunity toward all kinds of fire that aren't demonic or divine in nature.

These powers don't come without a cost, however, as in spite of their power, the person is still mortal and can still be killed if every single one of their cells is absolutely destroyed. Not to mention, the chances of someone successfully getting blessed by the fire are so small that it might as well be none, as in order to be blessed, Jesus himself has to see them worthy of a new life.

## Myths and Legends

The Fire of Youth is a fictional item created by Terrible Scribe of Eternity for the *Gods and Demons wiki*.

## Trivia

* According to Hunt, excluding him who was the first to be blessed, there were a total of 23 people successfully getting blessed by the fire, out of which only 3 are still alive in the modern time.
	+ In Hunt's notes, the three are referred to as Rose Cross, Ger-MAIN, and Mrs. Mandragora.
* The legend of the fire is published by the Brothers Grimm to the mundanes as the fairy tale "The Old Man Made Young Again".