Post #2770833 in Assassin's Pledge: Devastation, a roleplay on RPG

Marcel looked up to Miriam from "discreetly" leaning over the top of Kade to peer at the preparation of Xia's body.

"Well, it's an open casket," he said, jogging up to meet with her, "That crosses at least one culprit off the list, right?" His eyes narrowed and face soured as he glanced around the trees, his hands on his hips. "... And Quinn, I don't know. And those guys don't know," he grunted, gesturing with his head over at Kyero and his posse, "Nobody knows, and hell, I don't think it's safe to not know with what just happened."

At that, Kade rose from Xia's body, his eyes solemn and free from tears. He gazed down at his work and took off his sunhat to hold over his chest in respect. Xia looked nothing like how she did at the time of her departure. Her horrified eyes were shut, and the blood and drool from her mouth was wiped away. Her wounds were a flowerbed. Every drop of blood on her royal blue dress was tucked away behind an array of rainbow colored petals. She looked at peace... which was a dirty lie.

"She's taken too long, I'll do it without her," he said in a low voice towards Feline and Taira, deliberately looking away from Kyero. He took his place before the grave and looked up at the serious and impatient faces staring back at him. Behind him, Taira sobbed and the Demon stood. The sun shone directly into his eyes without the hat, but he placed it aside and took in a breath.

...

"Today we are gathered here to mourn the loss of the Lady Xia Jua' Crescalla, and celebrate the life she had," he spoke at last. There was a long pause, almost spared completely of mourning and celebration apart from Taira letting out a wail, before he murmured hastily, "I am not too familiar with Triveilan funeral customs, but -"

From his pocket, he produced a small pouch of water. He looked to the skies, made a gesture asking for Velran's forgiveness for what he was about to say, and poured the water into the open grave.

"The lifeblood of the Goddess Auxerellia takes many forms," he declared, "Falling from the sky, sitting stagnant in lakes, and rushing in the rivers like veins to her heart. Her heart, the ocean, where all water inevitably returns. Our souls are no different." There was something strikingly mature about Kade as he gave this service, shutting his eyes and clasping his hands in prayer. "Xia, I am not a priest of yours, but I pray that my offering carries your soul to Auxerellia's domain. May the Gods and your ancestors welcome you. ... And may you find all you have lost."

He reopened his eyes with a shaky breath to look back at the gathering, their expressions unchanged. "... Would anyone like to say a few words?"

Silence. Even Taira's constant weeping had come to a halt. The birds chirped, enjoying the sunlight on this fine day. Kade glanced over his shoulder to Kyero and Feline, silent and stoic. If Kyero had any sadness in his eyes as he gazed at Xia's body, Kade didn't let himself look long enough to see it. Taira began to say something about Xia being her friend when she broke down, and for a while, her agonized cries were the backdrop for the group's held voices.

"Go with the Goddess." Miriam broke the silence with a solemn blessing. Kade sent a weak, grateful smile her way before looking over everyone once more.

"... I'm not going to stand here pretending that any of you knew this woman," he said, voice cracking. "It's not... my place to, but I would like to say some words." He composed himself for a moment. "When I met Xia, she was... in the garden my sister once cared for, admiring the flower... Mable once cared for the most. I... wanted to know her." A little smile played on his lips at the memory, but it quickly fell flat. "And... And it feels like... I was the only one."

He paused, trying to gather his thoughts into something cohesive. He looked over the crowd, lingering on Marcus a few seconds longer.

"We made a promise to each other," he said, "To be noticed, but it was more than that. It wasn't just to be noticed, it was... to be braver, to belong, and... and I can say, that, I feel... I'm... apart of something, with all of you. And I - I took it. I took it from her." He swallowed, his eyes becoming wetter by the second. "When the demoness, she... Xia and I stuck together with our, pfft, our mutual insignificance, and when that godless woman demanded it... I rose, and she fell, and she must have felt so small until the end and I - I didn't notice, and I should have been by her."

His shining eyes dimmed, like clouds covering the moon.

"We should have been."

Kade turned from the group to Taira, Feline and Kyero. A storm brewed in his gaze, hidden from the rest.

"You were her friends?" he asked in a low, seething voice, his eyes fixed on Taira and her tears. "She was both too desperate to be and scared to let herself be noticed by someone who had 'good friends'. You forgot her."

The wind held still at Kade's boldness, as if the world had sucked in its breath.

"... I'm not telling you, that you didn't love her," he continued, his tone no less forceful. "I have forgotten and been forgotten and ..." he gazed back to Xia's body, his eyes softened. He looked back over to the gathering, and a blush began to spread over his cheeks like he was embarrassed to have been seen and heard like this. The belated tears were finally spilling.

"Never forget to show others what they mean to you," he said in a tiny voice, sniffling and wiping at his eyes. "Because sometimes... they go away. That's all."

Snippet #2770833

located in Cre' Est, a part of Assassin's Pledge: Devastation, one of the many universes on RPG.

Setting

Characters Present

Footnotes