They had all gathered around the lake’s edge, not for cheer, for celebration, the atmosphere was not right, nothing was really right about what was being done there today. The fog had rolled in and the sun was still barely creeping up over the horizon. The crowd had gathered around a small stand that Aeolus Zian had built for the occasion, and he now stood guard over it as he waited for the last few people to arrive. Among the crowd were Ashuri, Alanza, Alyss, and Trexly, just to name a few.
The cold winter air nipped at everyone’s bodies as they stood there, waiting, and watching, mourning. Atop the stand which the gargoyle guarded with not so much as a wise-cracking comment or a joke of any type sat a small wooden box, crafted from fine oak wood. It has been sealed using a pair of solid gold brackets, holding the top of the container on, keeping its contents safely within. The seriousness and morbidity of the area made the gargoyle’s stone skin crawl. He was about to break into tears over having to do this. The fact that Aeolus was being so serious was a testament to how serious a matter this was. “Aeganwulf, Ashuri, please come up here.” He spoke to the crowd, it was time for this ordeal to begin.
Trexly watched everyone’s auras through the fog, easily seeing the sadness that weighed on everyone’s hearts as the two made their way up to the stand, Aeganwulf taking his place, standing in the center of the stand, looking over the crowd as Aeolus met Ashuri off to try and comfort her, as she was the one being hit hardest by this event.
“May the Gods grant you safe passage friend,” Aegan whispered, placing his hand upon the wooded box as he began the ceremony. “We gather here today as the friends and family of the recently departed,” He looked out at the sad faces of the small crowd, not many had shown, but everyone who mattered to him had gathered to pay their respects. “As I’m sure you all know, Axel was defeated in combat with an enemy that all of us dread. He was ravaged by cancer, and I know he fought bravely until the very end. Everyone here has a deep emotional tie to the departed, he was like family to each and every person in this crowd. Now I know he wasn’t religious, but I will give him the last gift that all great warriors on my home planet receive.”
Aeganwulf pulled a small red gem, its color crimson like blood and its luster almost perfectly reflective, even in the dim lighting of the foggy morning. He placed this gem atop the small box, sliding it into place in the small slot carved into the top. The oak wood of the box responded brilliantly to the gem’s touch, crimson streaks spreading across the box’s surface quickly and elegantly. The gem began then to cycle through the colors of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, each change in the gem’s color sending a pulse through the box’s exterior.
“When Axel asked me to cremate his body, he told me he wasn’t religious, and that he was atheist, not believing in any deities at all, but that won’t stop me from giving him a burial modeled after the religion of those of us from Eletohm Paaz.” Aeo spoke up, stepping forward. “Axel was a great man and deserves the best which we can offer unto him.”
“Aeolus made that box with wood from the Great Oak, and the gem, a specially carved chunk of volside. Together these two, when used in unison to encapsulate the dead, grant their ever living souls the ability to always rest in peace,” Trexly barked, “This is an honor granted to only Eletohm warriors of the highest respect, it is the highest honor able to be bestowed on an individual by Eletohm Company and Eletohm Brigade.” The young king stepped forward, pulling his sniper rifle from his back. He was one of the gunners here for this little event, as they were planning a three-volley salute closer to the end of the service.
The fog was growing thicker as the Eletohmite God of Weather and Sharks, Artar, began to try and disrupt the service. Artar was not a fan of vampires, as they constantly tried to overrun his shrines back on Eletohm Paaz. The fog was too thick to see much through, and it made it especially hard to carry on a service through it. “I am sorry my friend. I had hoped you funeral would go uninterrupted, it was the least that could have happened after all you’ve been through, but it seems that our gods do not take kindly to our work here. No matter, we have planned for such an occasion as this.” As he finished this last statement he pulled a different gem, this one a light blue, from the pouch at his waist. He whispered into it, “A-ko, I need you to cause some trouble to gain Artar’s attention.”
There was no response, but after a few moments, the fog receded to its original level, A-ko being one of Artar’s kin, it was easy to draw the god’s attention away from the funeral. Those who had planned the funeral knew that the death of such a powerful and well—respected vampire would draw attention quickly, and that’s why they were trying to keep themselves hidden as much as possible.
“Aeo, you’re up.” Trexly whispered into a crystal much like Aeganwulf’s, though Rexylt had his strapped to his wrist.
Aeolus moved back up to the pedestal, Aeganwulf stepping back slightly to give Aeolus some space. The gargoyle crouched down and grabbed a long box from a secret compartment of the pedestal. “Axel gave me three requests that I was to attempt to fill after he died, I will uphold all three with a fiery passion.” He said as he motioned Ashuri up to the pedestal, facing her, “The first was cremation; the second…was this…” As he spoke that final word, he opened the box, revealing red velvet interior on which laid a bone short sword, a strange glow about it. “This is Axel’s second wish, to have a weapon specially fashioned for you. This weapon is no ordinary weapon, I have named it VenomSoul.”He pointed to the small protrusions that came out along on of the sword’s two edges, forming a serrated edge.
“Not only did Aeolus make this blade using Axel’s bones, Aeolus had the idea to have me bind a portion of your lover’s soul to the blade, giving it almost a mind of its own,” Aeganwulf explained as a fellow soulmaster by the name of Thraznum made his way through the crowd, his battle rifle in hand. There was the second ‘gunner’. The mechaniloid T5-839-J arrived with him, holding his crossbow in hand. Three. “This also gives the blade the ability to move on its own and use some of Axel’s abilities, such as the venom bite.” Aeganwulf had finished what he had to say for now, and began carving a rune into his palm, drawing a rune on the other palm, calling upon the power of his white magic dragon, Lyra, as he made his way down to where the other three gunners were. He was number four. Only one more before they’d be ready to carry on with the final part of the funeral.
Aeolus continued where Aeganwulf left off, setting the box onto the pedestal and slowly lifting the blade from within it, handing it to Ashuri, having to use every ounce of willpower to keep from breaking out crying as he spoke, his voice shaken and distressed, “He wished for you to have this blade, so that he may forever remain by your side and help keep you safe.”
The fifth gunner finally arrived, Tlaloc the archer. Aeo was relieved to see the fifth gunner arrive when he did, just in the nick of time. “He probably would have thought that what we’ve arranged to happen now, and everything else that’s happened thus far, would be some pretty extreme measures to take and some unnecessary overkill, but Trexly, Thraznum, Aeganwulf, Tlaloc, T5-839-J, and myself are all members of Eletohm Company, and the six of us agree that we can’t hold Axel’s funeral without giving him the full honor that family deserves, just like the rest of our brothers-in-arms.”
With that notion Aeolus raised a hand to the five gunners, who immediately fell into rank, each with their respective weapon in hand. Aeolus led Ashuri down from the pedestal, standing in front of it now. “Please feel free to approach the pedestal to pay your final respects as we honor our fallen.” He said, a few of the spectators taking up his offer as he began to shout off commands one by one for a three-volley salute, the roar of Thraznum’s battle cannon, the whoosh of Aeganwulf’s white magic, the loud bang of trexly’s sniper rifle, the twang of Tlaloc’s bow, and the chink of T5’s crossbow filled the air until all those who wished to pay their respects had come up and made their way back to their place.
“Ashuri, I’d like to ask your help in fulfilling Axel’s final wish,” He whispered to her as he led her backup to the pedestal. He unhooked the large gold brackets that held Axel’s box of ashes locked in place. “Axel’s final wish was to have his ashes scattered into the water, so that he may die a true vampire’s death and never have to walk the planet again.” He explained as he opened the box, looking over his shoulder to the lake behind them.
There was one more aspect of an Eletohm funeral that he felt was missing, and had to hope that it wouldn’t be considered disrespectful as he reached his hand into the ashes, coating the tip of his index finger in Axel’s ashes before using the grey remains to draw two symbols on Ashuri’s head, “The crescent moon encircling an orb of light, ancient symbol for ‘Soul’, and the howling wolf-pup surrounded by a heart shape, ancient symbol for ‘Mate,’ together, these form the rune for the soulmate, the very bond which you and your lover shared.” He spoke tenderly, lifting the box now with Ashuri’s aid, the two tilting the box over the lake’s edge and slowly letting its contents flow into the lake, fulfilling Axel’s final wish.
