The Ether Hunt is primarily observed by those closest to the Sweetheart Summit, although some may travel to visit the fairgrounds.
The Ether Hunt finds its roots in a story of ancient Safira, when communities were small and rules were strict, to honor the tale of an aqualox named Ether. In an act of defiance, Ether went to the Sweetheart Summit to hunt down beasts to prove her worth. By conquering the mountain's trials, Ether won the heart of her lover and the reluctant blessing of her guardians and began a new age of liberation for all the youth of Safira.
From this, a tradition emerged, where Safirans of all shapes and sizes would raid the mountainside, from its caves to its rugged peaks, in the name of Love and Glory. Monsters were slain, and their eggs were claimed, being brought down as a tribute to a young couple's love. The victor who brought back the greatest of the beasts would be crowned King (or Queen!) of the Dragon Spine, where their partnership was said to prosper until death did the pair apart.
But what started off as a small hunting event eventually grew far too large to sustain. Many of the beasts of Sweetheart Summit disappeared from the region or went extinct entirely. A great deal of political debate occurred between the Summit's locals and the outsiders as to whether or not the holiday should be disbanded.
The debate never fully settled, and eventually slipped out of the people's minds as more pressing matters befell the islands, although as more time passed, the options began to change.
As of the modern day, most Safirans agree that the holiday can be observed, just not in the traditional manner. Instead, carvings of all shapes and sizes are exchanged, memorabilia in the shapes of hearts and monster eggs are gifted to friends and partners, and pathways have been set to create beautiful hiking trails. And yet, there are still a handful of Safirans dappling the carnival stalls that still yearning for the holiday to return to its roots and begin the hunts once more.