Story cover:

This is based on the prompt: Family Fun of the Halloween Vault 2 contest on WattpadDarkFantasy profile.

Children's giggles filled the hectic space, a total contrast to the ceremony being prepared for Hallows eve. Grunts and encouragements emitted to prompt the small remaining members to push harder so the preparations could end on time.

The bashful sun sank down slowly, indicating the beginning of the dreadfully awaited celebrations. The villagers gathered around the bonfire, watchful eyes admiring their rulers advancing, their aura oozing elegance and authority.

Boisterous cheers quietened down when the king's hand rose in the air. "Duska Eeli shall commence," the queen started slowly, gaze settling on the peeking sun until it finally disappeared, "now!"

On cue, drums erupted in a building rhythm, heartbeats matching it in anticipation. The king dropped his cloak, clad in nothing but black trousers, his wife joining covered in a white dress that pooled around her feet.

Barefoot, they trudged around the crackling fire, eyes closed, arms spread and hums growing louder with each beat. Blood pooled from their pores, body quivering trying to deal with the strains of the act.

The queen dropped to her feet, a loud scream following before her husband joined her, each on opposite sides of the burning flames. Heavy breathing filled the air, the drums silent as the couple's eyes roamed the crowd. "Aradia," the queen called gently. "Come."

The little girl waddled carefully to her parents, her father lifting her up in air and the looming darkness in the atmosphere infiltrated her bones, preventing usual high-pitched giggles. "Meet your future queen, Evanorians." His voice boomed around the small survivors. "Your acceptance is required for the rituals to be complete."

A couple of heartbeats passed before the drums came back louder than before, feet hitting the grounds so hard it shook under them. "Aradia," they cheered, hums slipping past their lips in hushed whispers as energy floated around, tickling dormant powers in her.

Each parents held a hand as they invited their daughter into the ceremony of sacrifice and protection. Portals between the realms of the dead and the living were weak around Hallows eve and only the Evanora clan had the gift to seal them back shut before evil spirits slipped to feast on anything alive and moving, by offering blood and casting spells to enforce the gates.

The strain of the rituals was life-threatening that half of the Evanorians passed away, for their bloods were diluted after mating with humans. Their gift brought unwanted attention, as well, that others started hunting them seeking their knowledge and powers.

The Royals were the only pure-blood left, the only Evanorian family able to perform and ward off the Keres. They were, after all, the rulers, the protectors and the caretakers of their clan.

Breathy words were mumbled into the night as the couple wheezed, the fluid movements of the dance igniting the healing process so their bodies can last until midnight. When the ceremony ended, the family sat in a mess of blood, ash and mud coating their bodies, their foreheads connecting and chests heaving.

Word count: 500.

MEANING OF THE NAMES USED:

Duska is a Czech name that means "Twilight", "soul".

Eeli is derived from Hebrew and means "High", "Ascent".

Evanoraian means those of the Evanora clan. 

Evanora (light), Aradia (protector) and Keres (evil spirits) were all explained in The Death Whisperer.

This is related to 'The Death Whisperer', 'Haunted or Hunted' and 'The Fulfilled Prophecy' but all can be read as stand-alones. My mind just keeps on connecting the prompts I can't help it 😭, lol.

Thanks for reading. Hope y'all enjoyed it. 💜

Dreams. Xx