Return of the Fallen Volume 4 Chapter 102
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Author: Blue_Rat
ch102
A simple tombstone sat on top of a grave, the casket already lowered into the ground. The lid closed well before Kazuki and the others arrived. The wounds Triska caused Danny left him torn apart with a large gaping hole in his chest. This was not a sight any wished to see or be reminded of, so it was a closed casket. Everyone agreed it would be better this way but still all of this was so hard to accept.
On his tombstone was his name, followed by a simple message.
[Dan Xiao]
[A True Hero. Died Protecting His Friends.]
Kazuki and the others wanted to put his date of birth and the date he died on as well but due to him being born on Earth and dying in Gordonia, the different times wouldn’t make much sense so they simply left…
[Age, 17]
An old woman garbed in a long grey robe stood at a small podium with an aged opened book in front of her.
“The young man who lay before you I am told was brave to the very end. He saved many and fought heroically on the field of battle. May the gods up above welcome him into their divine kingdom and allow him to receive the full glory and blessing in the afterlife he desires. This passing is a sad one, especially for one so young but this young man, Dan Xiao will go to the heavens above with a pure soul. He will look down on those he left behind in the land of the living and will smile as we live fully and we to will look up to the heavens and know he is watching over us. We shall miss him and he the same but this is not the end. Not for us and certainly not for him. We will cry for as long as we need to cry and hurt for as long as we need to hurt. Grieving in the way that we need to. The pain that squeezes our hearts is not temporary and will last a lifetime but do not slip into the darkness because of this. The pain will go on but as we live to our fullest it will ease with time. It will ease and fade and one day you will wake up and the hurt will be lessened greatly. You will find that you can breathe far easier and a heavyweight has been lifted. This sadness will be outweighed by all the joyful memories you have of Dan Xiao and you will go on. You go on to live, go on to love, go on to laugh, and cry. You will see more sadness but you will see even more joy. This is what Dan Xiao would have wanted and we have to continue on so that those who have passed can rest easy. Let us now offer Dan XIao a prayer so that he can rest in peace and so that we can keep moving forward for both him and for ourselves.”
The old woman clasped her hands together and lowered her head before silently praying.
Kazuki wasn’t one to pray. In the first place, he wasn’t a man of religion. He knew for sure that there were in fact creatures that claimed to be gods but when it came to some magical kingdom or heavenly holy land, he only had doubts. He did not lower his head nor did he pray but he did think about Danny.
(Don’t worry Danny, I’ll find a way. I’ll find a way to repay you.)
Kazuki looked around discreetly and to his surprise, everyone had bowed their heads in prayer. Kazuki found it odd. They were from a completely different world yet they would lower their head for a different god.
(No, it’s not that they lower their head for some random god, instead, is this not for Danny.)
Kazuki saw both Tsura and Mei crying quietly while they prayed. Kazuki wanted to comfort them but before he could Nunully was already at their sides, holding them together in a deep embrace.
Everyone continued to pray and Kazuki saw Shin out of the corner of his eye crying while silently trying to hold in his voice. Kazuki didn’t think Shin was that close to Danny but maybe he was wrong. Shin continued to wipe tears away from his face but there were little signs of it slowing. Sam noticed this and came over, placing a hand on Shin’s shoulder to comfort him. Shin didn’t say anything but his cries s began to soften and he gave Sam a nod.
Out of everyone here, besides Kazuki, Asuna and Kimi were doing the best or maybe it was all appearance and they were still processing.
(Thinking back n it, it really was too sudden. One minute he’s right there and the very next…)
The old priestess woman opened her eyes and raised her head up as well.
“Everyone, please raise your heads.”
Everyone did so and the priestess began chanting something incomprehensible. At first, it just sounded like jibberish but as she continued, Kazuki picked up certain words.
(This is! The ancient language!)
Kazuki found this hard to believe. His knowledge was vast but it seemed even now it was still lacking. He didn’t know it was possible to speak the ancient language but hearing it now, why would it not be possible. After all, it is a language. Kazuki didn’t know what to do with this information or if it was even useful. In the end, he decided to file it away for maybe later.
As the old priestess continued. Kazuki and the others could feel power gathering around them, all the way up until the priestess finished. As the final word was spoken, a halo of golden light wrapped around the entire coffin and shined brightly.
“As the soul leaves the body, so shall it find its way to the heavens above. May the gods bless you, go in peace my son.”
*PSHHHUOOP*
The halo condensed into a ball of light before shooting up into the sky like a golden pillar. Kazuki could see the woman wasn’t very good with the ancient language because right after the light shot into the air, it barely made it 20 feet up before it completely dissipated. The old woman looked quite satisfied with herself but Kazuki knew better. Others would find this almost mystical. A spell without a magic tool at her side but in the end, it was half-assed in Kazuki’s eyes.
(This woman has knowledge of the ancient language but it’s this weak and unstable.)
Kazuki sent out a bit of ki and inspected her.
(Her main element is light and it’s that weak.)
Kazuki could do the exact same thing the priestess had done with his ancient hand symbols and he could increase the power nearly 20 times and light wasn’t even one of his elements.
(She may have some knowledge of the ancient language but it shouldn’t be very deep. Just how did she learn.)
The priestess smiled at Kazuki.
(This young man must be shocked to see such abilities. Everyone is when they learn us, followers of the light, use the true source of power. Sorry to disappoint you young fella but only the chosen can use this power.)
Kazuki eventually looked away and looked at the coffin as it was being lowered, his thoughts his own.
In this world similar to some religions back on Earth, it was customary to lower a handful of dirt into the grave. One by one, everyone did so. Shin grabbed some dirt and sprinkled it into Danny’s grave. His tears finally stopped falling, he smiled and began to laugh.
*Hehahaha*
“Danny, I’ll continue to laugh and smile. I know I teased you a lot and I know you got pissed at me a lot in return but I only did it because you seemed lonely. I guess I also did it because I was lonely as well. We weren’t super close but I still thought of you as a friend. I’ll always think of you as such.”
Shin became quiet for a moment before he added.
“Hey, you wanna hear a joke? Do you know why people laugh at funerals…So they won’t have to cry. Sorry…It’s not funny, hell I guess it’s not a joke either. I thought I could handle these types of things but it looks like I still can’t. I can’t really come up with anything funny, what’s wrong with me? Danny, I’m sorry you died but at least you won’t have to travel around facing life and death anymore. You can rest for a little while at least. I’m not on my A-game right now but I’ll come back. I’ll come back to visit you and I’ll have a joke so funny that you’ll roll over in your grave and point your ass at the sky…something like that. I’ll see ya.”
Kazuki almost slapped his own forehead hearing all of this.
(Danny did you think Shin would be so sentimental, neither did I.)
Tsura was the last to drop a bit of dirt into the grave. She stared off into the distance. Her lip quivered as she tried to speak but words would not come out.
(Danny, you were the second man I’ve ever had such feelings for. You are the last.)
Tears streamed down Tsura’s face and she slowly turned and walked away. She couldn’t look at anyone or anything and even as she walked past Mei, she said nothing to her. Tsura continued on and out of the cemetery, wandering around. Nunully and Mei caught up to her and found her left in a complete daze. They led her to the carriage and they all got on. The priestess said a few more words before quietly leaving and the entire cemetery filled with silence.
Eventually, everyone turned around and headed for the carriage. As Kazuki watched them leave he stared at their backs and he wondered.
(Should I tell them?)
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