"Ehem…."

  Long ago the shadows grew and fought the light.

  Its brilliance faded until it could no longer fight.

  The sun and moon could not shine.

  Darkness engulfed the world.

  Yet despite everything, a light remained

  In the hearts of every person,

  In the spirits that filled the world.

  Together they united to push back the dark.

  And so we celebrate. Lights of the sky take a rest,

  And the lights of the earth shine to remind even the sun

  Its never alone.

  Together we celebrate "All Night Long."

  "How was that?" asked Coro?en to his admin, ExpertBunny.

  "You made that up," she accused him.

  "Of course I did. I had to do something with the name the players voted on."

  "Fair. So we're going to have a long party?"

  "Thirty-six hours of darkness, then the sun rises. I've programmed floating glow moss in the forest, iridescent snowfall, and the town lights glow brighter. Candles also burn thirty percent brighter."

  "That should be enough. My girl's been cooking up a storm, so has Grizzlebeard. It's actually cute they are trying to outdo each other."

  "I'll temporarily bump their production rate just in case, and the wine and drink containers will just… stay full."

  "That'll work. And are we keeping the giant tree?"

  "Yes, it's my favorite part."

  "That's good, make sure to make it bright," said the admin.

  "Actually, can we have players put candles and moss and stuff on it?" asked Coro?en.

  "Brilliant. They have to gift light to the tree to get their gifts," said ExpertBunny.

  "I'm going to re-use my decoration assets from previous years," said Coro?en. "I have a lot since there used to be sixty places I decorated."

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "Cover the place, do it up, make it gaudy," said ExpertBunny.

  "Will do. Most players are getting skill unlocks and upgrades, but I don't know what to get you."

  "Hmmm… how about something to help with my secret plan," she said with a wink.

  "Yes… I have an idea then. Thank you."

  "Be sure to record, there'll be plenty of cozy content."

  "Should I set up a boss battle?"

  "Do you want to make my cat cry?"

  "No… not this time."

  "Then no boss fights. Now let's decorate the town," said Admin ExpertBunny.

  She pulled up a map of Starter and smiled. Smoke was billowing from the chimneys of "NoobNoms" and "Gristle and Beers." The worlds most loyal players were doing their part.

  ---

  "Damn it, how am I already out of chocolate?" Noobkitty demanded of the universe.

  Noobkitty: Grimmblade are you sure you sent me all the chocolate you have?

  Grimmblade: For the fourth time yes, there's no more chocolate until next spring.

  Noobkitty: Darn it… send me all your seaweed!

  Grimmblade: Seaweed?

  Noobkitty: It's for marshmallows.

  Grimmblade: I'm not even going to ask.

  She had a team working with her. SisterQuery, Skidmark, and Nibs (her rat assistant) were doing prep, and she was cooking everything.

  Gingerbread, fruitcakes, mint candies, pudding with treacle, not chocolates because they didn't have any she grumbled. She had enough for hot chocolate and that was it. Pies, applesauce, cranberry sauce, rolls, bread, and so many latkes and potato dishes.

  The enchantments on them were basic. She wasn't trying for magic, just food and plenty of it. "No one's going to min-max food enchantments during a holiday dinner."

  She then reconsidered and smiled, looking at her supply of [Extra Cold Winter Mint].

  "Team," she said with a smile. "I have an idea."

  She focused all her attention on her new treat. She had to make hundreds of them, enough for every player and enough to send to her sisters. Sugar boiling, sticky, mint pulverized, its essence extracted, coloring, she chose blue instead of traditional red because it was winter mint. She rolled and shaped.

  She cursed that her cooking skill had been nerfed so hard, but she still got the result she was hoping for.

  Curiously Cold Cane

  A very cold-tasting candy cane. It freshens breath, and makes you feel like the world around you is not as cold as what you just ate.

  +50% cold resistance for 6 hrs

  +50% charisma for 6 hrs

  ExpertBunny messaged from the creative space having approved her fiancée’s enchanted candy canes.

  ExpertBunny: Nice candy canes. Just to let you know the festival lasts for 36 hours.

  Noobkitty: So each player needs 3–6 canes? I'll have to make more.

  ExpertBunny: Nibs go get help.

  Nibs: ??

  Noobkitty: Wait since when was Nibs added to messages?

  ExpertBunny: You do remember I'm an admin right?

  The cooking continued, with the added assistance of forest animals.

  ---

  Grizzlebeard would not be outdone by the cat. What kind of holiday party didn't have roasted goose? Didn't have a roast? Was it even a holiday without a honey ham?

  He was the lord of fire. A room set for smoking dozens of birds and hams, a fire pit of beef. He even had three whole pigs cooking. The cat was going to have nightmares after losing this challenge to him. Dwarven pride was on the line.

  His problem was he was alone with just hollow NPCs that he had to directly order around. It was a hassle.

  "Oy! World! Give me help, the cat has help," said Grizzlebeard.

  "Forest animals don't want to cook meat," said Coro?en plainly.

  "Send me wolves, foxes, wild cats then," said Grizzlebeard.

  "Seriously?"

  "Give me forest animals too, it's only fair."

  "If you insist…"

  Grizzlebeard marinated his meats while he waited.

  Then there was a chorus of growls behind him. He turned and saw the pack of carnivores behind him, stalking and surrounding him. He grabbed his kitchen knife and grumbled, "You bastard. Come on then!"

  Congratulations you reached lv. 25.

  He was covered in blood, and corpses were scattered about his kitchen. He gathered his breath, his hit points flagging but slowly recovering.

  "Fucking hell, wolves make awful sous chefs," said Grizzlebeard. He uprighted his sauce pots and looked at the mess of his kitchen. "New tradition, wolf meat and wild cat is on the holiday menu. I'm just lucky a bear didn't show up."

  And so the cooking continued. The town was being decorated, snow started to fall, and the giant gift tree began to grow in the center of town. The All Night Long festival would soon begin.