All-Fright’s End is an October holiday that fills the streets with haunting decorations and festive sweets. This holiday began when a maiden was mistaken for the devil known as the Rift Forger and wrongfully executed. The maiden’s ghost, enraged and saddened by the injustice, rose with an army of spirits like her. With it came a war between the living and the dead. Still sealed in a world beyond, the actual Rift Forger fed upon the livid emotions of the people and spirits, growing more and more powerful with each drop of blood. Eventually, the Forger grew strong enough to break through the shackles and seals made by the wartorn’s ancestors.
Finally free, the Rift Forger shot through the earth, spewing fires and shadows with his every strike. The soldiers of both mortal bone and spiritual weave watched in a shrill terror as Aysu’s very heart began to bleed. Casting their grievances aside, the armies united to fight against the Forger. The fight was long and hard, and at the end of it all, the two army leaders sacrificed their lives to seal the remains of the Forger in the Manacanth Stone.
In their leaders’ deaths, the once opposing armies forged a treaty. The living would forever remember and honor the memories of the dead, while the dead would never cast harm upon the people of the island. Of course, not all Safirans adhered to this treaty, but the agreement nevertheless holds strong to this very day. Around this time every year, Safirans visit the Manacanth Stone to place seals and talismans upon it, keeping the Rift Forger imprisoned within until his body finally erodes with the remnants of the stone.
But the Manacanth Stone isn’t the only tradition of this holiday. The leaders of communities coordinate a celebration in their town’s square, packing it full of stalls and food carts. Visitors are able to peruse the collection of stalls to gather candy and sweets (for a small entrance fee, of course)! Smattered between the stalls are tidbits of information pertaining to the holiday, although they are oftentimes overlooked in favour of games. Games at the event began unintentionally, as they were initially started by bored children betting their candy earnings, but the games have since become a staple to the town square celebrations. Popular games include “Messenger, Messenger” (played similar to “Simon Says” and “Red Rover”), “Statues”, and “Blind Man’s Bluff”. All-Fright’s parties stretch far into the night, aglow with the lights of jack-o-lanterns, bonfires, and ghast kelp. When the festivities end, the towns with the largest turnouts claim bragging rights and jokingly flaunt their event’s success.
Around the Northern Island and its associated mainland port towns, there is also the Spirits Stay observed alongside the town square celebrations. In the past, only one tavern would be selected to host the Spirits Stay. Residents of the town, and one representative from every other, would gather together in the tavern with its tables and chairs rearranged in a circle at the center of the room. After everyone had gathered and been accounted for, a goblet filled with strong liquor would be passed around the people until the glass poured dry. At this point, the tavern would hold an hour of silence, a time when spirits would supposedly gather around the living who were gathered, where they all would reflect upon their lives and communities.
As of the modern day, Spirits Stay has become more indulgent. Instead of a single goblet and tavern, nearly every tavern participates, using multiple smaller, replica goblets to serve drinks to their customers. Even the children join in, with sparkling cider or juice to replace the alcohol. The moment of silence has long since been replaced with tales in memory of deceased family and friends, all with joyous or victorious endings. It is considered bad luck to conclude a story with a grim ending during All-Fright’s.