The Burning of the Raven Feathers
The town gathers in the clearing by Everstill Antique Shop, where the very first raven feather was said to have landed. Dr. Septimus Fiddleman directs the ritual based on his medieval manuscript, insisting every feather must be present. The recipients stand apart, cloaked in silence, unable to meet each other’s gaze, each holding their feather as if it were both treasure and toxin. The feathers are laid in an iron brazier. At the stroke of midnight, Fiddleman recites the incantation from the manuscript. The townspeople chant in unison, a sound that seems to stitch the air together. When the flames consume the feathers, they do not burn as wood does — instead they erupt into black smoke that takes the shape of raven wings beating against the night sky. The loud screech of raven suddenly pierces the air. The smoke disperses, and with it, the simplification halts. The fading buildings solidify again. The streets regain their form. The windows return to frames of glass and wood rather than hanging panes of light. Somewhereville is saved.
Image imagined In MidJourney AI and finished with Topaz Studio and Lightroom Classic.
The Burning of the Raven Feathers
The town gathers in the clearing by Everstill Antique Shop, where the very first raven feather was said to have landed. Dr. Septimus Fiddleman directs the ritual based on his medieval manuscript, insisting every feather must be present. The recipients stand apart, cloaked in silence, unable to meet each other’s gaze, each holding their feather as if it were both treasure and toxin. The feathers are laid in an iron brazier. At the stroke of midnight, Fiddleman recites the incantation from the manuscript. The townspeople chant in unison, a sound that seems to stitch the air together. When the flames consume the feathers, they do not burn as wood does — instead they erupt into black smoke that takes the shape of raven wings beating against the night sky. The loud screech of raven suddenly pierces the air. The smoke disperses, and with it, the simplification halts. The fading buildings solidify again. The streets regain their form. The windows return to frames of glass and wood rather than hanging panes of light. Somewhereville is saved.
Image imagined In MidJourney AI and finished with Topaz Studio and Lightroom Classic.