Ballads and Dance Steps by the Fire

As Sylutia and her companions approached the plaza, the massive bonfire stretched their shadows long across the ground. Even from over ten meters away, the surging heat was palpable.

Around the plaza, several elderly drummers beat upon animal-hide drums. Their deep eye sockets and wrinkled skin were bathed in the firelight, lending them an inexplicable, solemn aura.

Ancient ballads rose beside the flames. With every beat of the drums, the people encircling the fire would lift and stomp their feet, shifting between clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations, their linked arms expanding and contracting in rhythm.

The songs, the dance steps, the drumbeats, and the fire achieved a wondrous, harmonious resonance, carrying the infectious power of distant eras. It was as if their ancestors—the people from several epochs ago—had gathered around bonfires just like this to hum, celebrate the harvest and peace, and banish the cold and fear of the dark.

Caught in the moment, Sylutia and her two companions unconsciously set down their fish, stood outside the circle, and became immersed in the scene.

Before long, someone walked over and took their hands, pulling them into the dance. Only then did the three realize that many other students had already joined in. Across the fire, Scholar Heide waved and nodded at them, signaling that they had nothing to worry about.

The firelight swelled with the drumbeats, and stray sparks drifted into the night sky. The surging heat expanded, bathing everyone around the bonfire in its warmth.

The chill within their bodies was dispelled, and their weary frames were revitalized. Old, lingering injuries began to feel warm, as if healing slowly and invisibly.

Without any instruction, they simply relaxed their bodies, following the rhythm of the arms they held, their steps gradually falling into perfect unison.

Another chorus of humming rose, the melody simple and instinctive, like the pulsing of one's own heartbeat.

Grains from the harvest were cast into the fire, sending sparks scattering to join the towering flames, bringing forth a new wave of heat.

Guided by the bonfire and the dance, Sylutia gradually lost herself, joining the others in composing this ancient, enduring movement. It was not until their legs grew weak that the dance finally came to an end.

[Ancient Ritual: Bonfire and Dance] (Beast Fang · Blood Law · Blazing Sun)

"During the Seventh Epoch, the Barbarian King Mureto led his people across the Star-Bound Wilderness. After nearly twelve years of trekking through countless hardships, they reached the Midsummer Land and established the first home of humanity. To commemorate that long expedition and the peace of the harvest, people dance around bonfires and listen to the elders hum the ancient songs of the forefathers."

- Conditions: While this ritual has loose requirements, it still demands three basic elements: rhythmic animal-hide drumbeats (Beast Fang), a crowd moving in a circle (Blood Law), and a grand, burning bonfire (Blazing Sun). If you are well-versed in the legendary twelve-year trek of the Barbarian King Mureto, the more your setup aligns with the legends of that time, the more potent the ritual's effect.

- Notes: Once performed, this ritual spontaneously synchronizes the heartbeats of those circling the fire. When the drums, dance, and flames achieve a harmonious rhythm, the ritual's effects manifest. Because this legend originates from the Barbarian King Mureto, non-human races cannot participate, or the ritual will be ruined. The drums must be made of animal hide, or the ritual will likewise be ruined. During the Rising Wind Season, the bonfire naturally carries a faint "Blazing Sun" Aspect Power, requiring no additional setup; in other seasons, an object with the "Blazing Sun" Aspect Power is needed to adjust it.

- Effects: Banishes the cold and fear of the night, synchronizes heartbeats, and eases old injuries. (Can suppress the erosion of "Winter Slumber" and "Nightmare" Aspect Powers, calm the spirit, and soothe old wounds.)

That night, after the dance ended, the students shared a meal with the local villagers, consisting of roasted meat, freshly baked pies, and a small amount of ale.

Even Iona, usually the most aloof of them all, sat with the others to eat. When the evening concluded, everyone returned to their lodgings, feeling drowsy and physically refreshed.

After a night of high-quality sleep, they awoke the next day feeling invigorated, as if they had never felt better in their lives.

Is this the power of a ritual? It was so miraculous that words could hardly explain it.

Upon waking, Sylutia recalled the events of the previous night, still finding it all quite incredible.

In the early morning, after a simple meal of barley porridge, Scholar Heide led the students to a grove of linden trees not far from the village.

Walking beneath the trees, which were blooming with delicate, pale yellow flowers, they caught the faint scent of wood and blossoms. The forest floor was scattered with sparse fallen leaves and shrubs.

Passing through the woods, they reached a clearing, where Scholar Heide gestured for everyone to sit on the ground and began the day's lesson.

"Listen to the birds, and feel the stillness of nature." He raised a hand, allowing everyone a moment to quiet their minds.

Only then did the learned scholar begin to speak of the previous night.

"Last night, you all experienced a rare bonfire gathering. I believe many of you sensed that this event was more than just overflowing passion and delicious food." He spoke slowly.

"Perhaps you have heard of legends from ancient times or stories passed down through the world in various ways."

"Many of these legends are not fiction, but history that truly occurred. Indeed, the legend itself is a form of power, and this power grows more significant as more people become aware of it and as its profound influence spreads."

"A 'ritual' is the reenactment of a legend."

"When you understand this, you have taken the first step toward mastering various 'rituals.' How to reenact a legend, however, is a far more profound and complex art."

"Unlike the abilities cultivated by Transcendents, the effects of a 'ritual' do not depend on one's own 'Aspect Power Rank,' but rather on the completion of the ritual and its alignment with the legend."

"This means that even a mortal, if they perfectly reenact a legend and complete the 'ritual,' can harness its power to achieve great effects and change the course of events."

"What you experienced last night was the ancient ritual 'Bonfire and Dance' from the Seventh Epoch, a summary of the deeds of the Barbarian King Mureto. Similar rituals include 'Red Pear Melody,' 'Fish Rainbow Fossil,' and 'End of Scars'."

"These rituals are still too profound for you at this stage, as they involve vast amounts of legendary history. For today, you need only learn the ancient ritual of 'Bonfire and Dance'."

"If any of you, like me, yearn for the truths and legends of history and pursue the study of these arts and the dissemination of knowledge as your life's goal, you may one day travel to 'Candle Keep' to seek the path of the 'Secret Speech' Aspect Power."

Never before had Scholar Heide's lectures been met with such rapt attention. The legends he recounted left the students lost in thought, their hearts filled with longing.

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Aspect Power [Secret Speech]: (History is hidden within proverbs; the past forges the future.)