Embracing Oddities in the Brazilian Rainforest

The question appeared on my screen.

"Epal, how is the mission going?"

I was sitting in a dark room lit up only by a small lamp with a green light shining from it. The soft humming of an air conditioner and the dripping from the ceiling were all I could hear. I looked at the man on my screen and smiled. I could see him smiling back at me, his eyes glowing softly through his mask.

"Going great," I replied, "I've got some good information about the rebels' movements, so we should be able to capture them soon."

"That's great news," my client said, "But right now, I have another question for you."

"What is it?"

He raised his hands and suddenly they burst into flames. It was a bright blue flame that illuminated his face in its brilliance.

"Do you know what this is?"

I blinked several times before answering, "Fire?"

My client laughed. "Yes, that's right. Now do you know why it's blue?"

"No," I answered.

"It's because it has been mixed with something called ultramarine," he said as he waved his flaming hand over his head and the fire followed his hand like a dog following its master. "It's one of the rarest pigments in the world and no one knows where it comes from anymore, although there are many theories about it." He looked down at the fire for a moment before looking back up at me. "But that is beside the point." He brought his burning hand down to his side again and said: "The point is that this blue fire represents my heart and soul."