The Bonfire: Official Event Thread

Felix burned the incense at the large bonfire and lit it up, adding the faint scent of lavender vanilla in the air. Felix usually didn't attend Carpe Noctum, finding the idea of it repulsive and, for the longest time, thought the same of people that would even dare to go there. Although his faith believed in reincarnation and the indestructibility of the soul, Felix still couldn't stomach that their lives in this cycle would've been torn so violently from their grasp.

This time was different. Felix was dolled up in his brand new Diwali wear and placed an offering of leftovers in front of the incense, pollution to some, but sacred in Matangi's eyes. He prostrated himself in front of the flame until his forehead touched the dirt and the pebbles dug uncomfortably into his knees. A flame was a divine entity, the wrath of the gods given form.

In a small voice, drowned out by the festivities and spoken in his native tongue, he said, "All these years, I thought I had died along with you. I thought you were brutally stripped of your form, and at times, I envied your condition and wondered when I can follow. Wherever you are, whatever you are, you are no longer my mother, but your soul lives on. I hope to all the gods watching that this cycle is one that would be kinder to you. I hope that, when I follow, I will have the privilege of making your acquaintance again. I hope I could be the child you wanted. I am not good, but I aspire to be righteous in every aspect of my life. I am the person I am now because of you." He took a deep breath. "I understand reincarnation. Though I did not die like you, I rose from the cold watery depths reborn."

For a few long moments, Felix continued his prayers to all of the gods. When he rose, he saw the outline of his mother in the flame. The figure was gone when he next blinked. He covered his mouth and cried, then felt frustration for crying. He made a promise to himself before: He would not break where people could see. He wiped his tears away and stood with wobbly knees.

Catharsis. He could feel every nerve in his body vibrating, but it was a nervousness that pored out of his skin. He watched a nearby group with a guitar, singing and dancing. Well, that just looked appealing, didn't it? He fastened his sari more securely to his clothes and joined them. He moved like waves, arms and hips in rhythm to the erratic beat.

When Storm had heard of Carpe Noctum, she knew she would inevitably be in attendance.

Clarisse would have appreciated this event. A roaring bonfire in the woods, the music and dancing—a celebration. Life was meant to be celebrated. A reminder to recollect the love, the warmth, the happiness when thinking of her lost love.

…It didn’t make things easier, though.

Storm raised the ring on her right ring finger and kissed it, shutting her eyes as the flame warmed her. She had knelt at a more secluded area of the bonfire—away from the crowd enjoying the dancing and festivities. She was not ready for them. Would she be ready for them at all?

“You would want me dancing among them, wouldn’t you?” Storm whispered, clasping her hands as she kept her ring near. “But I don’t know if I am ready, Clarisse. You were my world. The only light in my life after nothing but pure darkness. You kept me alive.”

She took a long, deep breath. “I still live because of you…sometimes I still fall into some bad habits, but. I still live for you, even if I can no longer have you at my side. As you wanted for me. I’m trying, Clarisse. I’m trying to learn to be happy again. Without your warmth, without your smile…it’s incredibly hard. But did you see? I was in a difficult situation, I had to fight, and I did not lose control…”

A small smile tugged at her lips in that moment. “I have grown. That is what you gave me that I will never lose. Darkness will never consume me again, because I knew you. Because you loved me.”

Storm pressed the cold metal of the ring against her cheek. “I love you with everything I am. I miss you with everything I am.”

Storm opened her eyes, and she swore for a moment she had seen Clarisse’s face in the flame.

“Clarisse!!” Storm cried out, nearly shooting her hand into the fire. But she stopped herself, and pulled back. The image of her wife was gone. Just an illusion, right…?

Even if that was all it was, Storm began to feel the tears in her eyes. She had not actually cried, really legitimately cried, since the day Clarisse had passed. After that, she had internalized these feelings. She needed to remain strong on the outside. It was how she had chosen to live after she had left the clan. Strong on the outside, regardless of what she was experiencing within her.

But perhaps it had finally been a few months too long. Storm’s forehead fell to the dirt as she sobbed.

Elizabeth and Rowan walked, side by side as they approached the bonfire. Elizabeth had heard about this, and wanted to come. Sure, she was able to move on, but it never hurts to remember those who passed on. And while Rowan hasn't specifically lost anyone close, there were still a lot of dead family members, and he wanted to help pay his respects. Elizabeth set down a flower, kneeling down and saying a small prayer for her mother.

Rowan was here for Hazel. She's always trying to be so serious and without a lot of emotion, but it never really works out for her. Though, someone needed to remember Hazel's parents here, and Rowan was willing to set down a few incenses for them.

However, Hazel was there, deep in the forest. There were rumors that the dead could be seen. She wanted, needed to see her parents. They would be so proud of her, right? She was a capable witch, a good person with friends and boyfriend, and was at a fantastic school. She should be a daughter that most parents would be proud of. Of course she was, but.... Her parents were right there. She was certain they were there, looking at her. The faces looked so familiar, but their faces were angry..... No, disappointed... Agatha took a step, holding a hand out. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, but all she got from the figures was a disappointed head shake. They disappeared, leaving the owl alone...

Lila Montgomery

Lila arrived at The Bonfire alone. Despite her party-loving nature, she was reluctant to join the festivities. This was partially due to her perception of death being sad, lonely and full of grief. She came from a human world, a world full of mortals unable to avoid it. No, she was only here to say goodbye.

Standing against a tall, thick tree on the edge of the forest clearing, the girl was no more than a silhouette to the other partygoers. She had dressed for cold weather in her thigh-length khaki coat, skinny jeans and knee-high black leather boots. Her hair was left down, its thick brown waves falling to her waist. She had put considerably less effort into her outfit than usual, wanting to keep a relatively low profile so she could say a prayer and return to her dormitory.

Lila closed her eyes, inhaling the scent of lavender vanilla and fire in the air. Fire... It reminded her of her camping trips with her grandparents. She listened to the sounds of the party. Music... Her grandmother loved that. Laughing... Her grandfather was always doing that. Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself to remember them, just for a moment. Their sicknesses, one cancer and the other a heart attack, their death when their time came. They were human, they weren't immortal, like she would be. A single tear rolled down her cheek, dripping to the ground. Crying was not something she did often, but she had to take this one night to mourn them, to mourn her old life. She whispered a quick prayer, her voice weak and cracking.

"Whoever is up in heaven, God, Gods, spirits, whoever. Please take care of my grandparents. I loved them so much, and I will continue to love them for all of eternity. I will never forget the way they were so excited to see me, I'll never forget the last time I saw them. Please, make sure they are okay, and let them know that I love them so, so much..." She drifted off, more tears falling out of her eyes. She knew it wasn't the most well-spoken prayer ever, but she was satisfied. She ended it, "And tell them I said goodbye. Amen... Or, whatever I should say." With that, she covered her face, though she doubted anyone could see it, and squeezed her eyes shut. She had finally let go of them. After months of them being gone, her grief had just set in. They were truly dead.

But just as Lila turned to go, she looked back into the fire. She saw them, she was sure of it, smiling at her. Her jaw dropped. She must be hallucinating. She shook her head, blinked and looked back at the bonfire. Nothing. Just orange flames licking the night sky. But it was enough to make her stay. If she had learnt anything from Manta Carlos, it was to believe the unbelievable. She had to find out if that was truly her grandparents in the flames.

Aisling had waited for Carpe Noctem since she'd arrived in the island. It reminded her of home which is why she was sitting there, in a corner of the clearing, under the comfort of the trees, a blanket laid out under them, with a perfectly wonderful view of the bonfire and the merry-making around it. Aisling had no one dear to her to celebrate past memories prior to their death--for the most part, anyone she holds any interest to wouldn't be dying anytime soon. She stared lazily at the flames, and it stared back at her, giving her nothing but a flicker that it gave to everyone else.

She only watched the people, some of them grieving, relieving their loss--some of them called out for their dearly departed. Death is a ruthless thing to tear apart family, friends, and lovers, she would think but she would say nothing of it. Death was part of a cycle; it was nothing to be sad about, the afterlife in the Otherworld was kinder to spirits after all. At least for most people. There were some others who chose to live amongst the living again but that was not much of her concern.

She considered her company for a moment. Scaith would have something else in mind, she thought when she looked down at her companion, lying on her lap. His gaze was steady on the fire, lost in thought. "Is there something on your mind, Scaith?" she asked, combing his hair.

"It's nothing important," he replied to her distantly. Aisling knew otherwise; he must be reminiscing as well.

The journey to the bonfire had proven to be a long one. It hadn't needed to be. It never needed to be. But it was. It always was. It was how it would always be. At least it was for Pandora. She made this trek every year, circling the forest, making sure to take her time and carefully walk the pre determined path until she eventually reached the place where the fire burned. It was her pilgrimage.

The entire trip had taken several hours, but she eventually reached her destination. At the edge of the woods, a large space had been cleared of debris, and set up in an organised way. A large fire burned in its center, casting flames 10 to 15 feet in the air. Under normal circumstances she would have relished in the fire but in this case there was something else more important to be done.

She approached the flame slowly, her head low as she did. Some people pulled away as she got near, but that was of little concern to her. Pandora knelt down next to the flame and stared into it for a moment before lowering her head solemnly and closing her eyes. To those nearby a faint and haunting lullaby could be heard from the spider.

As her song ended she opened her eyes and stood up again with a small smile.

Pandora's Lullaby

Raheal was indirectly forced to go to the bonfire. This was too celebrate the departed and Raheal was a reaper. He needed to go. But he wasn't going to be there long. He would just go to the bonfire, say a prayer, and then leave. At least that was the plan. He looked at the bonfire and smiled, his vessel had made things much more interesting. "May your souls be guided to their respective realms, may you be free of pain and sorrow, and may you eventually reunite with your loved ones when it is time." Raheal tossed a small amount of powder into the bonfire, it was crushed bone. To seal the prayer properly of course.

As Raheal turned to leave he had heard the most lovely voice. It was the voice of his lover Pandora. She had left for some time....why come back now? He followed he lullaby and found her with her head down. "A beautiful song Pandora. Where did you learn it?" He tried to walk closer to her and give her a kiss. "Where have you been, my dear spider queen?" Raheal laughed a little bit, but it was more out of awkwardness.

This was exciting for the young spider. It was one of her first real adventures outside of her home. She had been up all the night before with excitement to the point of driving her mother crazy. But that was ok, this was the outside, what was not to be excited about?

Her mother had said they could run about, but had told them not to wander off too far. So now her and her sisters were free to explore the treeline as their mother walked along her chosen path. It seemed odd to Phaedra, as she occasionally looked back to see her mother, that they would go this way when as far as she knew there was a quicker way. When she asked about it her mother had said that it was the right thing to do, out of respect.

naturally she had walked along side her mother for part of the trek, and even climbed atop her mothers back for other parts. Most of it however was spent exploring the woods and keeping track of her three sisters.

As they neared the clearing Phaedra felt a sudden burst of shyness. There were already so many people here, some of them looked much older than her. After checking where her sisters had run off to she decided to hang back at the tree line watching her mother as she approached the fire. it was a brilliant fire, one that could easily consume anyone here, but somehow it remained in control, and her mother was not afraid of it.

A few moments later she could see her mother singing and slowly began to approach so as to hear her better.She stopped on her mothers far side and settled down on the grass in much the same manner as her mother had been. this effectively hid her from sight when the reaper approached and kissed her mother.

"Mommy... Who's that?"

Before Pandora could do much else she was approached and a familiar voice spoke to her. it belonged to the reaper known as Raheal. The pair had recently become lovers after the reaper had received his own vessel. Of course in the last week or so she had become almost non existent in the public eye, which had left many to wonder what she had been up to. In truth she had pulled away to rear her young, which now pattered about nearby, getting into trouble or something of that sort. To this point all but a select few had been left unaware, and those that had found out were in most cases by accident.

"That's the lullaby that the little girl sang to me when I was in the box. I never forgot it." As she spoke she grasped the empty necklace around her neck. it had once contained a soul, one that had now passed on to its rest.

Pandora had meant to return the kiss to Raheal, a gesture she was not used to yet. Kissing for romance was tricky for her, and in truth one of the hardest things she was having trouble with was n fact displays of romantic affection. Simple lust based affection was easy enough, but she had made strides and was getting more comfortable with small gestures. Her attempt however had been interrupted by the voice of a small child beside her. Phaedra.

Fora moment Pandora could say nothing as she tried to think of the best words to use. She had not told Raheal about her...About them. She had told them about him, but they had never met.

"Go find your sisters for me and bring them here... Be quick child..." Was all she could manage to say to the girl, before looking up at Raheal again.[/COLOR]