The Lunar Light Ritual
By: Simon G

Will the shadows devour me tonight? Or will fate hang another grain of fear upon my brow?
The thoughts engrossed in my mind as I swam my way through the endless sea of night.

A calm breeze circulated about the Gods Wood, bringing with it the serenity of mid-autumn night. It stirred up the fallen ashen leaves, and they performed their nightly ritual – a dainty waltz of shadows, oscillating to the rhythmic chants of the wind, who recited indiscernibly archaic spells from the deep. The ancient Heart Trees sang along in the wind with speech too ancient to be fathomed, empowered by the primal force entombed within the Earth. Shadows in the shapes of man and demon don in robes of night danced to the rhythm. More leaves, thousands of them, began to assemble from all over, forming a storm of greens that swirled about a single point in the clearing where I stood, watching the spectacle, like a prophecy sent as a forewarning of an ill omen that came too late. Just then, I felt a sharp swing in the temperature of the air. The incantation starts to upsurge and intensify. The melody accompanying the faint recitation began to transpose upwards, higher and higher, with no sign of stopping. The tension and urgency of the mantra increased dramatically. What astonishing feat of necromancy are they performing that they should require so much dark magical power to ensure its success? I wondered. One of the ancient Heart Trees paused in the midst of his chanting and gave me an answer, but his archaic language was alien to my ears – the syllables of his speech sounded just as contorted as the misshapen structure of those trees. Instead, I sat back and continue watching their ritual, knowing that in time the answer will reveal itself. The incantation climaxed – in volume, scope, and tempo, and then ended with an abrupt tonic chord. However, this was not the conclusion of this nocturnal symphony yet. In fact, it has only just begun. I looked up to the heavens and saw two great facade of shadow being drawn back. Behind the curtain stood a choir of glistering stars, singing in a glorious unison that soared above a relentless sea stirred by the raging tempest. The chorus thundered throughout the horizon, but not a soul heard it, except mine. And what harmonious music it was! Somewhere deep inside me, a thousand locks and a hundred seals clicked open. Finally broken free of the mortal coil of my husk, with the sweetness of freedom once again on my lips, I flew towards the sky to join the celestial choir. But I was suddenly stopped; the gold chain connecting to my body jerked me back. I struggled with all my might to break free from the coil, but I could not. Then, without the slightest warning, the chain began to retract, pulling me with it, and, before I could blink, I heard the locks and seals inside of me click shut. The soul was once again trapped in its lightless prison – and the knowledge to break free eludes me still. From the furthest corners of the aethers, a horn sounded prominently through the sky. I looked up. At last, the melody and the enchanting have ceased; as silence befall on to the night, the wave calms and the tempest placid. Suddenly with a bright flash of silver, a lady appeared in utter glory and splendour that cannot be compose in words, her entrance heralded by the dance of ashen leaves and the multitude of stars bowing before her majesty. The lady was donned in a garment of pure white, and on her head she wore an elegant and graceful crown of the most delicate craftsmanship. She is the Lady of the Night – the night was her domain, and all things nocturnal were her subjects. The first movement of the nocturnal symphony had long ended, and the night was now awash in silence. Not the smallest leaf was stirring – all was quiet. I kneel there, gazing at the heavenly incarnation above me, in awe at the beauty and eminence of the Lady of the Night. She had the pulchritude and exquisiteness of a young maiden on her wedding day; her visage was without the slightest blemish. Around her neck she wore a necklace of the shiniest stars that shames even the most excellent of craftsmen. In her hand she held a gold grail full of mead with heavenly scent. “Rise.” It was the first time that I've heard a voice this soft and velvet. Then, averting my eyes to cast aside all illusions, I saw her rise from her throne in the heaven and descend to the earth where I kneeled. Her light becomes arms of an embrace, and her eyes lids of a kiss. I reached out to touch her soft, smooth hands and arms and her velvet hair of light. Her radiating essences showers over and rejuvenate me like the promise of land for traveller lost at the sea. All my fears – the things that disturbed and devouring my heart – seemed to dissolve from me and vanished like sand carried away by wind to distance places. I savoured the calmness within me, even if it would be temporary, it was something that I have lost the power to do for years - hunted by the shadow of the void and trapped inside this decaying husk. I caressed Lady Moon's flowing hair of light traced with elegant fragrances of heavenly delight – vehicles to a realm of eternal paradise. I reached out to her soft, smooth arms and grab hold of the grail, mead as sweet and fresh as the morning dew, caressed the panging dryness of my throat and soul. “Save me, save me, my lady.” I plead with all my strength, “Do not forsake me, My Lady.”

Lady Night withdrew her arms. I listened to my fingers, my body, my heart and my soul cry out with the last desperate attempt for the salvation of my soul. She slowly ascended to her heavenly throne. The great curtains of black began to draw shut.

"No!!!" I screamed with every fibre of my being, “Why have you forsaken me to this fate” but only a whimper escape my throat.

I saw the light dissipate; night is returning. It crashed like waves onto me, and I was awash in an endless black torrent. The suffocating shadows engulf me like an insect, I was powerless compared to the void devouring me, but I resisted all the same towards the sea of darkness as it began to slowly entomb me. I thrashed about the waters, struggling, sinking slowly down its bottomless depths. The darkness overpowered me.

I gave in.