Olympia. Getting started

It was Walpurgis Night in the European Province. The streets of Olympia were peaceful, with shadows dancing a silent dance under the soft light of the moon.

But the bonfire is burning. And different animals are dancing around the campfire. And they are all dressed as witches. Maybe they are?

They yell, "Walpurgis! Walpurgis!" as the flames lick at the sky, turning it red and orange. Burning herbs fill the air. It's an unusual sight, but it's not surprising on this night when the curtain between worlds is the thinnest.

All these animals have come from every corner of Olympia, each with their secrets and reasons. Suddenly, a lynx appears. A lynx in a black cape.

"O mighty gods and spirits," the lynx sang, "We have been faithful to you, and now we seek your wisdom." The animals went quiet, their eyes fixed on the mysterious figure.

"You have done a lot of good things for us," Lynx in the black cape continued, "And now, accept our sacrifice to you... Yes, not just a sacrifice. A double sacrifice!"

The wolves brought deer-like figures. They were motionless, but the flickering flames cast a semblance of life upon their forms. The tension in the clearing thickened as the lynx in the black cape stepped closer to the bonfire.

"O mighty gods and spirits," the lynx sang yet again, "Accept our offering!" She threw the deer forms into the fire with a dramatic flourish. The flames greedily leapt up, hissing as they consumed the offering.

The animals began to dance in a round dance. They danced and sang.

O mighty gods and goddesses,
Accept our sacrifice!
Walpurgis Night shall be their fate,
Their souls will be the price!

The words echoed around the clearing as the fire ate up the deer-like figures. The animals stopped dancing, watching the flames with a mix of wonder and excitement.

— — — —

So, what's Walpurgis Night? Let's talk about it.

You know, Walpurgis Night is a pagan thing. It's on the night between April 30 and May 1. In a lot of Western European countries, they celebrate this spring festival, which goes back to pre-Christian times. They think that witches and many supernatural creatures gather on the Brocken Mountain in the Harz and have a big party with the devil.

It's named after the Christian saint, Walburga. Her day is on May 1.

There are stories about Walpurgisnacht in books, especially in fantasy stuff like "Faust" by Goethe and "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov.

Anyway, in Olympia, it's not just a party. Religious things are going on there, so beasts aren't just dancing around the fire for fun. They're calling on their gods. And when the gods show up, things get real.

To be honest, though, I'm just having a good time. And they promise lots of goodies... Okay, I'm gonna keep dancing!

- - - -

The next morning, the sun rose over Olympia, casting its golden rays over the quiet city-state. But the peace was shattered by the frantic calls of Chief Ritesh Gandhi.

"Good morning, colleagues," Chief Ritesh Gandhi's deep voice boomed through the quiet halls of the Asian OPD headquarters. "If you still don't understand, let me clarify: The Satsuma twins, Hana and Ichiro, have gone missing." The room fell silent as the gravity of his words settled over them. "Their mother found their beds empty this morning, with no signs of struggle. It's as if they vanished into thin air."

"Sounds interesting..." Miraitowa mused, his blue eyes scanning the room as the officers gathered around Chief Gandhi. His mind raced with the implications of the case. Missing persons in Olympia were rare, especially during the celebrations.