Chapter 4 / The Red Moon reminds us

March 16th, 15.001.  

Verellen, Elaris [Elf Continent]

Verellen lay between rolling green hills and the long stretch of plains that bled into the human continent. A medium-sized city, it bore little of Eloria’s high elven grandeur; instead, its charm came from its practicality. Fields surrounded it in every direction — wheat, barley, orchards of pale blossoms, vineyards already waking to spring. Food was Verellen’s lifeblood, and its markets were rich with produce, honey, cheeses, and light wines.

The city itself was a blend of cultures. Elven stonework arches met human timbered houses, streets wide enough for cars yet still winding, alive with chatter. The people were mostly elf-humans, and their mixed heritage was reflected in their features and mannerisms. Trade wagons lined the gates, and the air smelled of bread fresh from the ovens, earthy herbs, and smoke from open-air cookfires. Verellen was not grand, but it was warm, a place that thrived not on politics or magic, but on feeding the elf continent.

They threaded through Verellen’s main square, the marketplace humming around vividly. They decided to make a quick stop to gather some provisions. 

Dominique had already darted toward a vendor selling candied fruits, tugging Eloise by the wrist. Sukira lingered behind, walking next to Elon, in silence. 

“Look at this,” Dominique said, popping a sugar-glazed berry into her mouth and handing another to Eloise. “Vampires never make sweets like this.”

Eloise accepted it, laughing softly. “True. Elves pride in their sweets. Our food is often simple and fresh; everything is tends to be hand-made and produced locally.” She glanced at Dominique, curiosity sparking. “Do vampires eat like us? Or is it really only blood?”.

Dominique nearly choked on her berry, laughing. “Blood’s not food, it’s… well, complicated. But no, we eat plenty! Heavy flavors, rich meats, spiced stews… It's cold over there, way colder than here, so we eat a lot of calorific meals. Also, we like food that lingers on the tongue. And wine. Always red wine. Umbra feasts last all night if you let them.”

Eloise’s eyes widened with interest. “That sounds… wonderful, actually. I suppose I’ve only ever read about vampire banquets as dark ceremonies.”

“Ah, you must have read about the Red Moon ceremony”. Dominique interrupted with a grin. “That one is a bit intense. But I promise you, our regular feasts are fun! Loud and messy, too. But fun. You’ll see.”

Eloise smiled, a little shy, but her voice carried quiet determination. “The Red Moon ceremony… It’s when you all drink each other’s blood, right?”

Dominique snorted, almost choking (again) on her candied berry. “Oh, stars above, no! The way your books make it sound. It isn’t some endless orgy of necks and fangs.” She leaned in, voice low and conspiratorial. “Yes, some people celebrate it carnally. But that’s not the rule. That’s just the kinky people, you know. But I guess other races think of it that way because there’s our natural instinct we can’t suppress on that night, no matter how much we want to. That’s maybe why outsiders think it’s all about hunger and sex. Easier to demonize us that way.” 

In some places, communities stored or traded blood beforehand, turning the ritual into a cultural and even economic occurrence. As long as the blood was well preserved, it could be celebrated as a social event without the need to bite someone in real time.  

Her eyes softened, for once not teasing. “But the real ceremony isn’t a party at all. It’s survival. We only need blood once every fourteen months, exactly on the night of the Red Moon. That single ritual feeds us until the next cycle.” She tilted her head, thoughtful. 

Vampires could drink from anyone — elf, human, vampire, or mixed-blood — and the act itself carried layers of meaning.

There was the ordinary feeding, where the bite was shallow, leaving the victim weakened only for a few minutes, their body recovering with a sweet or a short rest. Those bitten in this way carried traces of vampire blood only for a few weeks.

And then there was the bite mark. A deeper bite pierced several layers of skin, leaving a mark, a tattoo unique like a fingerprint from the biter. To share a bloodmark was to forge a bond more binding than any oath. The marked lived with heightened senses, strength, and near-immortality but were also tethered to the vampire who marked them, as they would only be able to drink that person’s blood as long as they were alive. 

Among vampires, bite-marking someone on the night of the Red Moon was considered the most profound, purest declaration of love. Romantic vampires, the dreamers, called it the closest thing their kind had to raw love.

“It’s strange when you think about it. We are the strongest among all races, but if we don’t drink that night, we die. Simple as that. The Red Moon reminds us… You take someone’s blood, and for the next year, their life is inside you. You carry it with you. Maybe that’s not just survival. It feels kind of romantic, no? knowing that even the strongest of us can’t live without someone else.”

Eloise’s mind felt messy, caught between the old fear that whispered danger and a strange, growing admiration. Maybe I don’t understand vampires at all. Perhaps I don’t understand her either. But I want to.

Before Eloise could settle the thought, Dominique’s attention darted to another merchant’s stall glimmering with antiques. With a bright laugh, she looped her arm through Eloise’s and tugged her away, sweeping her along with all the energy of a spring storm, leaving Eloise’s tangled reflections scrambling to keep up.

Sukira watched them go, a girl’s pink hair vanishing into the crowd. “That was beautiful. Dominique surprised me,” she admitted, almost shocked at her words. Then her gaze flicked toward Elon. 

Elon didn’t meet her eyes, though he felt their weight on him. His mind was having a trip to the past. So, she sees the bite mark as a romantic thing. That’s why she asked me if I was planning on falling in love with her. Makes sense now. 

She laughed out loud as she realized he was lost in his thoughts, probably thinking about the blood pact they made not so long ago. She picked up the pace to catch the girls. 

♥︎