Chapter 1: The Wraith
"Have you seen the stars tonight?"
…
"They look rather grim, don't they?"
The bonfire had become but a gentle light against the cold, dark, night sky. Its crackling was light, barely audible, and the creatures sitting around it were just as quiet.
The moon was nowhere to be found.
City of Sol had hosted— like usual— a round of bonfires to celebrate the Great Harvest, and the arrival of Autumn. This year, however, there had been no party to accompany it, what with how the last year's seasonal festivities had developed, the omens Beacon had given, and the terrible news about the until now only-legendary Wraith. To make up for the lack of partying, some of the bonfire attendees had resorted to storytelling; some were light and silly, but others took darker turns.
Mocha had just finished telling the story about his journey to the Haunted Woods a year ago, and it was now Hecate's turn to narrate. Hecate was usually quiet and reserved, and the scary appearance her horns and black feathers gave her didn't help much when it came to breaking the ice, but they seemed to come in handy quite nicely when it came to setting a mood fitting for a horror story.
No one had truly noticed when the Tyto started telling her story.
Her voice was low and deep, almost lost in the nightly Autumnal breezes, but still unsettling enough to catch one's attention.
"They change with the turning of the seasons. In spring, the stars are bright and cheerful, blooming at par with the flowers below. During summer, they're light and gentle, making sure you get respite from the harsh seasonal sun." Hecate took a moment to bask in the calm faces lighted up by the bonfire.
"Have you noticed the stars during winter?"
She took a moment to bask in the confused faces of her audience.
"They're rather cold. Almost dead. Sad, and mourning."
She basked in the fearful faces.
"There's a reason for them to mourn."
Hecate blinked softly.
"The harsh, summer sun brings too much light. The stars usually try to make up by becoming dimmer. Not because they want you to rest. They do it because they want her to rest."
Suddenly, Hecate seemed much larger than before.
"They usually succeed. They do. Their low, summer light lets her rest, undisturbed. But every so often, it's not enough, and the harsh, summer sun wakes her."
Hecate's eyes were far away now, trapped in a memory. They looked almost sad.
"Have you seen the stars tonight?" Her voice was far away as well. "Have you looked closely?"
"Among the clouds, where the moon should be. Have you looked closely?"”
As you look up, among the clouds,
Where the moon should be,
You look up, closely,
And you see
There, right between two large, wispy clouds,
Right there,
Two stars seem to twinkle,
Almost blink
"Every so often, the summer stars fail to dim, and she wakes."
"And she gives the winter stars occasion to mourn."
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