Before the Master Ravenwood Tree.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira stepped into the centre of the clearing, turning her gaze to Golgothura and beckoning her near.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness bowed her head and walked to stand beside Rancoura.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira closeed her eyes and inhaled deeply, absorbing the scent of the surroundings.

Dipping her hand into a shadow cauldron, Rancoura pulled out a long shadow and released it into the air. The room darkened with the churning darkness.

~The Rite commenced.~

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness stood garbed in white, stepping with a flaunted grace, beautiful but banal in Her bright presentation.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira bowed her head for a moment, her feathers covering her face as she raised an item held in her hand to it. Lifting her head again, she gazed out through a stark mask.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira, as Mother Night, stood garbed in stark black, her garment flowing, akin to her shadows. She wore a black mask to conceal her features, the glittering black eyes of the mask the only relief to the stark blankness of it. Regardless, she bore an unmatchable beauty in form and a subtle grace in movement.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira moved to one side of the clearing, opposite of Golgothura and gazed at her counterpart.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira whispered, "Silence, now, you who witness. The ritual begins."

Urazial Inseira, Shaper of Rhythms began tapping the wand against his opposing palm, the rattles of the wand starting a slow, steady rhythm.

With a flourish of her white gown, Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness said, "Twilight has come and gone. Darkness falls, and Mother Night embraces the land."

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira advanced into the circle, slowly, her steps following the beat of the drums. Her arms flowed around her, graceful, hypnotic movements to embellish her steps. She stopped in the centre of the circle with her eyes set on Moon, her form swaying subtly to the beat of the drum.

Her voice low, Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira whispered, "Mother Night has fallen. Mother Moon's pale form rises to meet Her shadowy mistress."

Urazial Inseira, Shaper of Rhythms quickened his cadence, the rattles shaking with an almost frenetic energy.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness rushed toward the centre of the circle, advancing upon Night. Where Night's movements were subtle, Moon whirled with an unrestrained energy, twirling and leaping to the quickened beat of the drum.

Urazial Inseira, Shaper of Rhythms grew still, grasping the wand to silence the rattles.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira tilted her head as Moon reached her and the drum abruptly ceased. Night and Moon suddenly froze, Moon in mid-pose with arms outstretched, Night with her arms in a position curled a distance away from her body. The two stared at each other for a moment.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira continued to stare at Moon as slowly, the drum began to beat again - first one beat, then another, and another until it adopted a steady rhythm once more.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness began to gyrate her hips, mirroring Night's own graceful movements as the two extended their arms toward each other. Both stomped their left foot gently on the grass on the beat of the drum, then their right, then their left again, and so on until each foot had stomped thrice. Moving closer to each other, the two grew nearer until their fingertips almost touched.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira bent her elbows just before their fingertips touched, Moon doing the same. The two Spirits drew their arms in with their hands still reaching towards the other as they swayed to the drums. As they drew ever nearer (the beating of the drum quickening with each moment), they crossed their arms at the wrist, forming a butterfly-like form with their hands. Finally, they faced each other, but a couple of feet's breadth apart. Uncrossing their arms as the beating of the drum escalates, they slowly entwined their arms with their counterpart, the darkness of Night's form mingling with the shining of Moon's
light.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness's fingertips slowly inched toward the other Spirit's hands atop the tower of twisted arms. Night's darkness seemed to stiffen as Moon's velvet glow flickered through. The Sprits' digits met with a harsh beat of the drum and they began swirling to the right around the circle, their dance growing in energy and in passion. Moon quickened her pace, gaining on Night and reaching out to her as she grew brighter, nearly beginning to radiate as her luminescence escalated.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira quickly flit away from Moon, moving back towards the centre of the circle as she gracefully eluded Moon's reach. As Night swirled around the interior of the circle, her arms spread wide as she reached occasionally out to the audience in alluring, beckoning motions, Moon was forced to travel around the outside ring, her path not allowing her to touch Night.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness glowed brighter, as if in indignation, trying to bleed her light onto Night's darkness, but failing - her feeble light could not reach her counterpart.

Her voice harsh and contemptuous, Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira whispered, "Mother Moon glows brighter in Her attempts to brighten Mother Night's shadows, but in this She fails - for the darkness reigns supreme."

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira continued dancing through the middle of the circle, on occasion raising her arms to the sky and throwing her head back, the shadows around her form dancing gracefully with her every movement, at times beckoning to the audience, luring them to her beauty.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness circled around her, watching with longing, envious eyes as Night displayed her dark beauty and Moon was left to watch. Gradually, her light weakened, drawing back from her efforts, and her movements slowed, her energy declining as her light grew dimmer.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira still whirled with a steady grace, her glittering eyes now fixed on Moon. She drew nearer to her luminous counterpart, a cold gleam to her gaze as she looked upon the fading Spirit. As she approached, the beating of the drum rises.

Breaking through the ground, a glittering black rose unfurled.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness looked unto Night with dismay, watching as the shadowy Spirit drew nearer. Moon was unaware of the shadows that crept steadily behind her, tendrils reaching out towards the white Spirit's form.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira raised her head sharply as the drum suddenly clashed in a resounding climax, and the shadows darted forward to entwine around Moon as Night grabbed Moon's arm with a swift movement, pulling her towards the centre of the circle.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness made no sound as she was wrenched forward, but bore a sorrowful expression, consigned to her fate.

Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira spun Moon into the centre of the circle, and threw her shadows over the bright Spirit's form. The beating of the drum began to slow, gradually, the thumping growing deeper and lethargic, resounding within the chests of the audience as a thick veil of shadows crept over Moon's pale form.

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness bowed her head, submitting to the shadows that gradually flowed over her, concealing her form in darkness. As the last, viscous layer of blackness began to cover her head, she raised her face to the heavens, a single tear falling from her eye before her visage, too, was swallowed in darkness and she fell to the ground, with the terribly dark form of Night looming over her.

Quietly, raising her hands slightly in final gesture, Lady-Queen Rancoura Inseira whispered, "And so comes the New Moon. It is done."

Seer Golgothura, Danseuse of Darkness rose with a shudder, taking her place before Night as the two curtseyed before those gathered.