As Anemone and Astrape finished their desserts, they remembered to return the wooden boxes to the vendor, and they did so just in time. Right as the man was getting ready to leave the stall, Anemone returned, while Astrape watched from just a few meters away. After, they made their way back down the stone brick road. The moonlight was shining off the grooves embedded between the worn bricks. Their feet clacked against the ground, the wind making their hair blow along with it. After a while, they made their way back to where Father once was. Father was sitting down beside the entrance to where they were sitting, sitting in a small wooden bench with only enough room for two.
Father glanced up at them, seemingly forcing a smile which Anemone noticed, but didn't bring up. Father then stood, his demeanor swapping to his usual self.
"Hey, young one. Are you ready for the main event?"
"Yes, Father. We heard about some of the things going on."
Astrape then cut in.
"I heard there will be a large bonfire. Will there be marshmallows? I haven't had enough sweets for today."
"Yes, you have," Anemone responded jokingly, laughing quietly.
Father watched the two converse, feeling his heart lighten at how happy Anemone seemed, knowing she would be in good hands.
"Well, anyway, Father, are we going now?"
"Yes, we are. It is in the middle of the city after all."
The small group then made their way onto a main road, where a small march seemed to be happening as hundreds of people made their way to the center of town.
The center of town seemed to be a lot different compared to the rest of the area, whether it be architecture-wise, or just feeling, Anemone and Father couldn't tell. In the center of the area was a large teepee made of sticks, logs, branches, and many other parts of the tree which created this massive cone shape that seemed to be many times taller than a human. Looking over the fire was a large building which looked similar to a town hall, with a balcony sitting at the same height as the teepee. And there was a singular stall to the left of the building, and it just so happened to be a marshmallow stand, causing Astrape to rush over there alone, leaving Anemone and Father alone. Anemone and Father blended in with the crowd, pushing their way forward.
As the pair made it closer to the center, now just about ten meters away, built into the teepee was a small hole, maybe able to fit a fist inside.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. I am Earl Shev." A large man said, leaning over the balcony with two knights to his side, his blonde and black hair flowing down, clinging to his arms that held a sword pointed at the ground. "The annual Fire Festival will commence shortly. Please feel free to converse with others, eat, or just relax." The man then turned around, walking back into the building as the crowd erupted into applause.
'This festival must be a big deal for everyone to react that way.' Anemone thought.
"Father, what do you know about the Fire Festival?"
"It is in commemoration of the first Fire Savant for helping the town."
"Do you know any more than that? Like what the Fire Savant did to earn such fame and renown?"
"No, I do not, young one. I heard rumors that he created an eternal flame, and that flame is what kept this town alive during one particularly harsh winter."
"Thank you, Father."
'If that were true, the Fire Savant seems to be a kind soul.' She thought.
Time passed, and Astrape somehow found the pair through the crowd, whether it be an acute sense of hers or luck; Anemone didn't really care or think about it too much. The Fire Festival was going to truly commence soon.
The next half hour rushed by incredibly fast, people chatting. Anemone met some random people by accident, some nice, some harsh; she didn't do much, eventually just decided to sit still with Father Hatheway and Astrape.
"Would you like a marshmallow, Astrape?"
"Oh, thank you."
"Of course, and you, Father?"
Father looked down at Astrape with a kind smile.
"I'm good, thank you. You have helped me plenty enough. Keep the marshmallows and enjoy them." He said, hinting at how she helped him earlier with the medicines.
"Well, if you want one, they were only a copper for two."
"Thank you, I will let you know if I would like one."
Astrape continued eating marshmallows, her lips and fingers slightly becoming white, while Anemone seemed to stay clean.
"Are you ready, ladies and gentlemen?" A loud voice pierced through the crowd, causing everyone to look up at the same man standing on the balcony. "This here is a torch lit by the eternal flame that was created by the first Fire Savant. He is a man who has saved this town plenty of times. When it was just a village, he helped it prosper; he helped us thrive, he helped us grow, he helped us become whatever we wanted to be! This town only stands because of him. And this festival, the Fire Festival, is in commemoration of that man. So please, face the fire, look towards the heavens, and thank that man."
The man then launched a flaming torch towards the teepee, causing it to erupt in flames. The crowd remained silent, listening to him. Their bodies faced the fire as everyone looked to the sky, silently praying to whatever deities reigned supreme.
The flames burned bright, cackling filled the air, and the stone became a light shade of orange. The cold which once filled the area was forced out by the heat of the flame. Anemone stared into it, her soul seemingly becoming lost, the flames reflected in her eyes, along with everyone else's. Father, standing beside her, also seemed to become entranced as the flame grew. When he turned, he saw Anemone's eyes had become lusterless as if light dared not seep through the cornea. Anemone's mind was drifting, drifting to somewhere else; eventually, a single tear flowed down from the corner of her eye. A cold air seemed to be emanating from Anemone as she became lost.
Meanwhile, Astrape was the only one whose mind stayed in this realm; she didn't become entranced by the beauty of the flame. Instead, she thought about-
'Marshmellows. I want more…'
As the fire stopped growing, slowly coming to a steady, but undeniably beautiful flame, Anemone came back, her thoughts still lingering on the flame and her history with it.
"Anemone, what's wrong?"
Anemone's eyes turned red as she was forced to stop thinking about the flame. Now, she looked towards Father, who asked her a question.
"Nothing, Father." She said, wiping away a tear that began to bud at the corner of her eye.
"Well, young one, if you'd like to leave, then we will."
Astrape watched the interaction, but was more invested in her own thoughts, so she decided not to butt in.
The people around the fire eventually began to hum a simple melody, a low, simple melody. It began to calm everyone as their minds came back to earth. Now, they just relaxed, gazing into the fire, along with some staring up into the stars.
"Thank you, oh great Thaysus, for the gift of the flame. Thank you for warmth, thank you for light, thank you, oh great god Thaysus." A man mumbled beneath his breath, barely audible.
"Thank you, Bameyr, for the eternal flame you have gifted us. It has brought its people great luck, warmth, food, and has blessed us with life. Thank you."
People began to pray, the young, the elderly, women, men, the sick, the healthy, everyone began to thank someone. A god, a savant, or even an unknown entity. And as the hymn the crowd was humming began to die down, a small gust of wind blew from behind Anemone, causing the fire to swirl, creating a silhouette of a large, menacing eye that seemed to stare directly into the eyes of Anemone, causing a sudden chill to run down her spine despite the heat emanating from the fire.
In the distance, a sudden storm began to brew, with bright flashes of lightning and the thunderous sound to ring in everyone's ears after a few short moments. Along with the thunder, the sound of collapsing wood began to develop as the teepee began to cave in on itself, but continuing to burn.
"Everyone, please stand, and go retrieve your sky lantern, or get it from inside this building." The man said, standing atop the balcony now with a small paper lantern.
Everyone seemed to flood into the building, with only a few just turning around and retrieving their own. Father stood, entering the building and grabbing one for Anemone along with Astrape. The lanterns had yet to be constructed, currently consisting of one piece of paper that could be unfolded to reveal its unique designs, some using dragons, some lions, some using mythical creatures. The paper was in the shape of a rectangular prism with the bottom side cut open. There were also four strings attached to each corner. Then, separate from it was a light rope wick doused in oil; each person was also given a small stick to use to ignite the wick, and they were meant to light their sticks by the already burning fire.
Father gave Anemone the paper lantern with a dragon on it, Astrape with a serpent on it, and kept the one with a lion. As per the instructions that the group seemed to overhear from the nearby adults teaching their kids, Anemone, Astrape, and Father Hatheway all unfolded the paper and then constructed their lanterns, the lantern seemed to want to collapse in on itself, but as soon as each person lit their sticks, then ignited their wicks, the paper unfolded, showing off the patern engraved into the paper.
As the man known as Earl Shev called out, everyone quieted down and faced him again.
"Please, make a wish and release the lanterns, and watch the mesmerizing sight unfold in front of your very eyes."
Everyone then seemed to cheer, causing Anemone to feel confused as they cheered over a simple sentence.
The crowd then stood. Anemone and the group followed suit. Their lantern's flame was burning, only being held down by their hands holding onto the outer part of the hot paper. Anemone and the crowd seemed to slightly split, giving room for everyone to release it at once, some people began to wish aloud, some murmured under their breath, while some kept it to themselves.
"I wish to see mommy again." A young girl said.
"I wish to be wealthy."
"I wish to be able to walk."
"I wish to have vision again…"
"I wish to…"
"I wish…"
"I…"
Everyone seemed to wish for something completely different, with the only wish being common between the crowd, being wealthy or seeing a family member.
Anemone overheard some of the crowd's wishes, feeling similar to them, she missed her mother more than anything.
"I wish to know what happened 'that' night," Anemone said beneath her breath, releasing her lantern into the mass of lanterns floating above her.
"I wish to know where James is located," Father muttered.
'I wish to be free.' Astrape said internally.
As everyone finally released their lanterns, above them were all the lanterns, forming a swarm that looked similar to a group of fireflies. It was a sight to behold, mesmerizing everyone again. The lanterns followed the soft breeze off into the distance, slowly disappearing and twinkling like stars.
Beyond the horizon, but ever approaching, was the storm, still casting lightning strikes, but the group seemed to pay no attention. And eventually, the fire died down too, completely turning to twinkling embers. The crowd left, leaving just a few random strangers alone, with each one huddled up in different areas. Only a handful of people were near the embers that still longed for life. Towards the end of the time spent here, Anemone saw what seemed to be a face with two horns flash inside the embers, then quickly go away, ceasing to exist before her very eyes.