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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item.php/item_id/2026104-The-Longest-Night
by Rayyna
Rated: 18+ · Short Story · Horror/Scary · #2026104
A vampiric ritual for the Longest Night
Vampires must protect their monstrous natures from mortal knowledge at all times, always hiding, always pretending. But on the Longest Night of the year, the Kindred claim full dominion over their cities; it is a night to remind the mortals that the darkened hours belong to the creatures of the night. Mortals play at All Hallow's Eve, pretending that they understand the dark and have conquered it by degrading it to candy and costumes. But when night's sway is at its zenith, they are reminded that there are things in the night still worthy of fear.

As Night swallows the day in its earliest hour, Kindred awaken and begin to gather. Any mortals still roaming the city once darkness falls on this night are free reign, and likely to be snatched up as sacrifice to begin the night.

A ritual is prepared - mortals acquired in the night's first hour are strung up to hang and bleed dry over a giant bowl. Herbs and oils are added to the blood, and words spoken over it to bless the blood with mystical properties, giving those who imbibe of it greater awareness and presence in their monstrosity.

The ceremony follows. Kindred enter the gathering, all dressed in masquerade finery. This symbolizes the nature of hiding throughout the year. One mortal (well-dominated) is dressed as a "Sun King" with golden clothes and a golden halo. He is brought into the center of the room. A Winter Queen (most often portrayed by Morena (Robin's PC), but some other powerful Kindred can play this in other cities), dressed all in white, will enter and begin to circle the Sun King. She will dance around him, teasing him, nicking at his skin with her claws to slowly draw blood from him and let it seep down his skin. She will continue this dance, slowly at first then speeding up, until the Sun King is completely dazed and disoriented. The Sun King will then fall into the Winter Queen's arms, his blood staining her clothes, at which point the Darkness, a Kindred dressed all in black, will enter and approach. (This second Kindred will be hand picked previously by the Winter Queen for this role.) The Winter Queen will offer the dazed Sun King as a gift to the Darkness and he will drain the Sun King dry.

The following will then be recited by someone (either the Winter Queen, or another):

"Winter and Darkness have conquered the Sun,
and earned us the Longest Night,
that we may celebrate in Light's Defeat,
as Monsters and Rulers of the Night."

"Drink now, Night's Kindred, of this day's spoils;
Prepare yourselves for celebration.
Revel in this Night, unafraid and unmasked;
Exult in the Dark Goddess' creation."

The revelers are then prompted to remove their masks, and the bowl of blood is brought around with cups for them to partake of. The doors to the hall are opened, and with the ceremony over, the attendees are free to do as they wish for the night. The mortal populace has previously been "closeted", knowledge spread around that "You do not go out on Longest Night." And generally the rules of masquerade are lightened slightly for the evening - kindred are encouraged to destroy any mortals they witness on that night, as any fool enough to be out on that night will not be missed the next day.
© Copyright 2015 Rayyna (rayyna at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item.php/item_id/2026104-The-Longest-Night