The Halo Of Vakh (BOOK 1)

LEGENDS ARE TOLD

The breeze blew lightly, swirling around the villagers as they congregated in the snow covered meadow. The crowd of men, women and children washed in black walked with heavy footsteps towards the ground. The sun set behind the mountains. A constant cover of gold clouds spread over the mauve and orange sky. The sunlight laced the clouds with threads of orange and red.

Sapphire looked up at the sky, her heart heavy. The wagon trundled forward, pulled by Aurora and Arzon. Cygnus sat beside Cepheus. The boy's face was solemn and dark, his eyes unseeing. He had barely spoken ever since he had woken up that morning. His chest pained him every time he opened his mouth. Cepheus had an arm around the young boy. Cygnus winced when the wagon rolled over an uneven patch of ground. A wail of sorrow swept the onlookers as four caskets were carried out onto the open field.

Their family stopped just behind a neat line of white roses that encircled a small wooden platform. Droplets of water shone on the roses' delicate petals and their thick saccharine perfume rose in waves and wafted into their noses. Except, the sweetness was the bitter smell of death.

Joseryn came to stand beside Sapphire, a hand on Lyra's shoulder. The little girl looked around, her eyes quizzical, an expression of confusion clothing her gentle features; she was unable to grasp the significance of the events, an innocence yet to be tainted. The caskets were placed on the platform, tilted high so that the faces of the dead were visible. The deceased had been wrapped in cloth as white as the snow in which they were going to descend, a wreath of camellias and jasmines placed on their chests.

A bell rang and the families of the victims walked out. Hamirden's wife, Mav Tarla, came first, her head bowed and her wrinkled hands clenched together, a black linen veil covering her face. Her daughter had an arm around her. Silent tears dripped down the young woman's face. Next came Stai's brother, his only living relative. The man had his head high, his dark eyes glinting with steely emotion. Ta Dorden's wife followed, her face veiled like Tarla's; it was custom for widows to cover their faces for three months after the deaths of their husbands.

Last of all came Cane's parents, Ta Garne and Mav Stela, and his younger brother. The parents wore their faces blank, their eyes gleaming with their loss. Tears ran down the boy's face and occasional sobs escaped him. As the families lined up at the side, Leif walked up the platform and stood to one side.

"We are gathered here to mourn the loss of four beautiful souls," he started in a deep voice. "Dorden Hartmuk, Stai Shothmuk, Cane Garnemuk and Hamirden Dralmuk of the House of VannØrn. These men were snatched from us when we needed them the most. They were snatched away when their families needed them the most. Their bravery shall be engraved in stone, in our hearts and in the deepest parts of our souls. We shall ensure their lives were not lost in vain, that these men are avenged by every man and woman who stands here before me. So, let this day remind you."

A sob rose from somewhere in the crowd, a symphony of pain and remorse swept over the villagers as one, tears springing in everyone's eyes. Leif continued.

"Let this day remind us of the villainy that hovers above us like a blackened cloud. Let this day remind you what we are fighting against. Let this day remind you why we pick up our weapons and face the darkness that surrounds us. Let this day remind you that Harfen Parr is a catastrophic devil who preys on us merely because of his own greed. Let this day remind you once again that we are the Men of the Phoenix. That we shall rise from the ashes once struck down. Let this day remind you. Let this day remind you..."

He trailed off as a light melody of prayers mingled into his voice. A hush fell over the crowd as they bowed their heads, listening to the words that chanted for the mercy of the deceased, for the wellbeing of their families and above all for the well being of Kapok. Sapphire felt tears cloud her vision and she wiped them with one gloved hand.