The night had finally come to Tartu, that all the good and bad little kids waited for every year! Even the adults loved the great Dragon days! But tonight was a different night all together. It was Halloween, the day when the veil between the land of the living, and dead is the thinnest in the year. Every practicing Necromancers wait on this day to create their mighty skeletars. Ani Dahlia personally hosts a party for the necro community, complete with fire dancing, and the great hour of Midnight competition. Needless to say, not many necromancers ever miss this party, but this year, during a full moon, no one showed up in the Graveyard. This confused Ani, as she had always been the one who taught most. Almost everyone had RSVP'd, and yet no one showed up!

Candol Gran had already had one incident today with wayward Trick or Treaters, so he just went to clan hall to find some drink and conversation with his mates! It was a good night, all his friends were in good cheer and happy for the Great Dragon days. Everyone had fought their hardest in war, got drunk after war, and kinda drifted away one at a time. As Candol got ready to leave around dark, he got an idea to walk through the graveyard. He liked nights where a clear sky, and a full moon, felt right to him. As he turned off Eldirens towards the graveyard he felt a queasiness in his belly, even though he hadn't drunk a lot. It felt strange but he continued on into the dark graveyard. Up ahead he saw the lights around Ani Dahlia's place all lit up, almost a party atmosphere, it was really all the dead crows and other birds that were hanging off the trees that put him off a bit. He cheered up when he saw Ani standing at her door, and he waved to her. She hurried over to him and politely bowed. "Hi lady Ani, how is your day today" Candol said as she bowed. "Confusing Sir Candol, I was supposed to be having a party tonight with all the lands necromancers, but no one came". The look of sadness on Ani's face was enough for Candol to ask "why wouldn't they come to a party in the graveyard"? "That's exactly my point Candol, we've been doing this party for a very long time, and it is one of the biggest events for our community"! "I'm worried something has happened I have no idea what". "Ok, I'm not doing anything right now, why don't I look into it for you" Candol replied to the worried Ani. Beaming, Ani smiled at Candol and said "oh would you please"? "Where do I need to go"? Candol smiling back asked her. "The first place is near the Strekade Nests, my friends live on the outskirt of the forest". "Ok said Candol, off I go"!

As Candol walked towards the farms, he noticed he felt really strange. Like he was walking at a slower speed than the world was turning, very disconcerting. The closer he walked towards the farms he noticed a crowd of people standing on the great road. He picked up his pace to hurry where everyone was gathered. As he strode up towards the crowd he noticed a lot of them were well dressed as if they were heading to a party. A group of them were off to the side of the road discussing something in a very urgent fashion, while the main group were fighting with Meldina the Witch!. "Hey now, Candol spoke loudy, what is going on here"? Oh Sir Candol it's about time someone showed up to investigate, Meldina said, scowling at the well dressed people". "What am I investigating" Candol asked confused, yet again? "Why the disappearance of the Graveyard of course, silly man". "But Meldina, I just came from Ani Dahlia's place and she said she was supposed to have a party but no one showed up". "We have all been trying to go towards the graveyard but were sickened as we got closer to the graveyard lane". "Sickened huh, quesy stomach, feel like your walking underwater, but you're not"? "Well yeah, kinda like that Candol" Meldina replied, but that's the way I feel right now, I can't go another foot near the graveyard without wretching". "Wow, Candol exclaimed, that is weird as I just literally walked through the graveyard with only a weird stomach, it didn't get worse until I got on the path to Landor's". Realizing that no one could approach the graveyard without becoming sick, this must be why no one showed up at Ani's party! "Candol bowed to Meldina, and said "I'm heading back to Ani's to see if she might have any idea what's going on, can you check your books to see if you can find something that looks like magic interferrence"? Meldina bowed back and turned towards her home, Candol turned and prepared to enter the graveyard again, knowing the symptoms would get worse as he approached the graveyard. Out of the night came the roar of a dragon, as if it was attacking Candol. His axe pulled out of it's belt, Candol awaited the attack, that never came. Further away he heard a louder roar, answering the first, and realized it might be a fight, or mating flight. He looked into the night, towards the graveyard, and saw a very disconcerting sight, it looked like every dragon in the land was standing guard at the edge of the Graveyard. As he got closer, he saw that they were standing guard, but not peacefully. One of the group he passed on his way to talk with Meldina had tried to run through the group of dragons, this is why he heard the roar so close, they roar, then they fire, and as if he was never there, the little necromancer disappeared in ashes as he was hit by powerful blast of fire. Wow, thought Candol, how do I face all these dragons, but he continued on towards a group of dragons standing guard. "Ho you scaly beast, why did you do that"? "He was warned human and you are warned now, none shall pass until midnight, on pain of death, we are protecting all of Tartu now, and you have nothing to do with this go" growled the dragon. "Wait, what do you mean none shall pass, I just came through there and talked with Ani Dahlia, how dare you keep me from my quest "? "It is too late for anyone inside the Graveyard, the dead have all risen and are moving on the towns now of Tartu, they appear to be in some zombie state, they can't be killed except by taking off their heads" "Hey Phil, that's not true growled another I ate ones legs and he just layed there". So eating their head or the legs work, but hardly anything else" replied the dragon, with a smile on his face. "Ok, technically you have to cut them into tiny pieces to survive, but like with what happened at the pond half an hour ago, over 200 crashed through and destroyed everything and everyone near the pond". We are guarding to keep them in, and you out now it would appear stated the leader. "Just let me through, "I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself" I said and tried to walk past. "NO" roared the leader, you can't pass now, the spell has been cast, and anyone who goes in will die". "So Ani Dahlia is gone" you're saying, I asked more worried than I thought. Probably died very quickly, the spell starts on the outer edges and quickly moves towards the center of the affected area, killing everything, bugs, birds, everything". I searched the dragons face as he said this and understood, something horrible was coming into the land again, they just did what we do every day, try to keep the land of Tartu safe and free. Then it happened, through the group of dragons around me, they started laughing, at first just a giggle, then it became full belly roars and guffaws around me, they laughed. "Ha Ha Sir Candol, we were playing a joke on you, and Ani...she never invites us to her parties and the next best thing to piles of gold, dragons love parties" "What" I asked perplexed, why would you play a joke on me, and what about that poor necromancer that got toasted"? Still laughing the dragon said "it was just an illusion to try and keep you from goin in". "You can pass and tell Ani that we'd like to crash her party", the dragon said to me, off you go, and just like that I was given passage through the group into the Graveyard. That's when 100 zombies grabbed me from the darkness and ate my brains...THE END!

Judges have picked winners 10 frist place, 21 2nd place and 20 3 rd place.

thanks all for Participating in contest alot of great stories.