Heart of Fire ~ prologue 2 ~ 'Ain't no rest for the Wicked...'

[Wee Yong]

The Konoha graveyard never truly slept.

Even in the fading light, tombstones stood in quiet rows, shadows stretching long across the cold earth. The scent of soil and incense lingered faintly, carried on a whispering wind. Lanterns swayed on hooks, untouched by human hands, and the occasional mourner passed between graves, silent and respectful. Life here moved slowly, measured, and still.

Then the procession began.

Amphibians and reptiles moved among the graves with cheerful, almost mischievous expressions. Frogs in brightly colored robes, lizards with scales glinting in lantern light, salamanders hopping with glee, each carrying an instrument. Trumpets gleamed in their hands, flutes glimmered in the fading sun, and reed instruments buzzed with unseen breath. A single drum sounded, steady and deliberate, yet their movements were light, joyful, and purposeful.

They threaded carefully between stones, over mounds, around flowers left for the dead. Not one mourner noticed them, yet their presence filled the air with invisible music, weaving warmth and energy through the graveyard.

At the end of the line came the snake.

It was dismembered, cut into many pieces, its body held together only by spirit and will. Segments floated in alignment, twisting and curling with effortless grace, eyes glowing faintly, fangs bared in what could only be described as a serene smile. With every inch it moved, it completed the rhythm of the procession, pulling the drumbeat into the center of the graveyard.

As it reached the middle, the ground beneath shifted. A vast alchemical circle unfurled across the graves, glowing faintly in the twilight. Its geometry threaded through stone and soil alike, encompassing every tomb and instrument alike in precise alignment.

And then the living changed.

Laughter burst forth softly, then louder. Mourners began to hum and sing. Lovers twirled between tombstones. Children skipped across graves, twirling and spinning. People embraced, kissed, and danced, their joy unchecked, sudden, and overwhelming. Even those who had come to grieve could not help but smile, their hearts lifted by some unseen rhythm.

The amphibians and reptiles played with delight, their trumpets, flutes, and reeds filling the graveyard with exuberant music. Frogs pirouetted, lizards somersaulted, salamanders leapt high, all smiling with uncanny glee. Their happiness was infectious, spreading silently into the humans around them, binding them to a strange, euphoric energy.

The snake rested at the center, its body segments coiled and flowing, fangs bared in quiet amusement. It pulsed with power, holding the circle together, guiding the living into their bizarre merriment.

The graveyard, normally solemn and still, had become a place of strange celebration, a surreal carnival of sound, joy, and song among the stones.

And still, the spirits watched and waited. Patient and unseen.


[Ooc: This is for a mini event being run by Nao and I, please feel free to join and interact. Do whatever you like in the scene, feel free to discover the animals however you please, jutsu, magic, past trauma opening a third eye to the spirit realm, whatever! (Tip From Nao if you don't know anything like that: NE Jutsu Crystal eye)

Please do not hurt the spirit animals or have them say anything. If you wish to fight them (which you definitely can) end your rp at the moment before conflict.

Most of all... Have Fun!!!

The people are happy!

And remember this truth, every action has an equal and opposite reaction...

There is definitely more to come!!!]

 

[Wee Yong]

The snake lay coiled at the center of the circle, it's broken segments shifting with subtle grace. Its fanged mouth curved in a faint, knowing smile, eyes tracking the humans without haste. Every pulse of its body sent faint vibrations through the alchemical circle, steadying it, guiding it, keeping it alive.

The villagers sank slowly onto the grass and stone, as if exhausted, but their exhaustion was light, playful, and alive. Heads tipped back, shoulders relaxed, giggles escaped softly. Children rolled onto the ground, spinning and laughing. Adults leaned against one another, warm smiles lingering, whispers and quiet chuckles threading through the night. Their joy was direct, radiant, palpable.

With each person who settled, the circle responded. First, a faint shimmer traced the edges of its geometry, the pattern deepening in color. As more humans lay down, the glow spread outward in soft waves, pulsing with their laughter, their whispered words, the delighted warmth in their movements. Each heartbeat made the circle hum, each exhale made it shimmer brighter.

Frogs leapt from stone to stone, landing beside a rolling child or hopping onto the lap of a laughing adult. With careful, precise motions, they tapped instruments in rhythm with the laughter, plucking strings, striking drums, amplifying the human joy into the alchemical lattice.

Lizards darted among lanterns, nudging hands, tilting heads, coaxing gentle rolls or stretches that let the humans settle more comfortably into the earth. Their scales caught the glow of the circle, reflecting and scattering it, feeding the energy back into the lattice.

Snakes twirled across pathways, brushing tails along wrists, ankles, and shoulders, guiding each person into gentle, playful positions. A laugh here, a tumble there, they orchestrated the humans’ delight like dancers shaping a pattern in space.

The smiling snake remained calm at the center, eyes observing, body coiling in quiet motion. Every subtle pulse of its segments directed the flow of energy. The circle brightened steadily, glowing warmer and fuller with each moment, each laugh, each satisfied flick of its tongue

The villagers settled fully, scattered like petals, rolling onto their backs to stare at lanterns and the stars beyond them, reaching hands to friends, laughter drifting into the night. The light from the circle spread further, bathing every stone and patch of grass, radiating the energy that the animals had so carefully guided.

The smiling snake waited, patient and poised, orchestrating the quiet rhythm of the circle, letting it grow stronger with every heartbeat of joy.

Time was on their side, and the night was only young.



[Ooc: Time is marching on! Where is this going!?!]