Next up, we have the wonderful caladrius. There is a discussion concerning the relation between this creature and the phoenix. I won't delve into the fact that, even if both are similar in the healing bits (their tears, feathers, etc.), each one has unique attributes and stories related to them. Hence, differentiating them and giving each one their own place is necessary. Might I add, that I really prefer the caladrius over the phoenix: the first are more humble and have a more benign nature towards man than the fire bird.
I also want to mention that I didn't add a bit of text because I felt it was just too much already. But allow me to share it here:
All of the caladrius’ parts or fluids were used as remedies to the most varied of illnesses: in one of Anselm Lafitte’s short stories, we read of a poet whose heart is broken and eats one of a caladrius to restore his. He then notices that a desire to help others and cure them has taken over him. Somehow, he has become part caladrius, as he can now tell, just by looking at the people around him, who will live or die. Those who receive his treatments recover in days, but he cannot see those he knows are in their deathbeds. He feels ill and terrible when doing so. After months of curing and assisting the sick, he falls in love with one of his patients, whom she sees in a mirror everyday as he passes by her window. One day he decides to visit her, but when both finally meet, he knows she will die soon. And so, his heart, broken once again (was it ever truly cured?), the poet looks at her directly and dies, absorbing the illness-poison that was to be her death. His last words were: “Only the ailments of the soul escape the caladrius gaze”.
Do you think it's worth adding to the text?
Now, let me talk about this creature's illustrator: Jade is a good and old friend of mine whom I had the pleasure of working with on this. You might know her for her "Strangers in the Dark" manga, or for his work on the "Oswald Chronicles", if you don't, I suggest you visit the links I provide... pronto!
http://www.theoswaldchronicles.com/
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