I AM.... [Second Book of Loyal. The Past.]

Chapter 274. Himitsu's Funeral.

A Day Later.

One freezing, cold night.

Loyal walked gently gripping a heavy, black candle with Death at his side holding Himitsu's robes. His Black Book Of Secrets was on the robes. The older and younger Deities walked behind Loyal singing softly; Loyal heard the occasional sniffs from Death who was hiding his face in the hood of his robe.

Rayon held Faisceau's hand tightly trying so hard not to cry.

Not because of Loyal and Death.

Himitsu was a terrible father alright.

Hard-headed and foolish.

Downright mean and hateful.

But, yet.

They were friends.

Rayon couldn't believe Himitsu was gone. They were not related, but Rayon called Himitsu family.

Isn't that what friends do?

Rayon wiped his eyes remembering what Himitsu told him.

"My friend today. My brother forever."

Faisceau squeezed Rayon's hand listening to him cry sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry, my brother."

Sand and Water rang the bells slowly to keep in time with the slow singing Deities. The biting wind blew at the Deities making a few of them jump and lose their place, a few of them kept singing.

In The Temples.

Rayon stood stiffly at the podium talking about Himitsu and his life. Loyal and Death stood in front of a large crystal table where they would leave their father to rest.

Death hugged his father's robes praying so hard that his father would return.

"Papa, where are you?"

Death only heard the deep voices of the Gods.

"I need you."

The bells kept ringing echoing in the dark temple.

"I miss you."

Loyal sighed sadly.

"Papa, your son needs you back... Come back, please."

Himitsu never came or answered. Death feared that his father was not talking because he was mad at him.

"I didn't mean to slap you..."

Loyal patted his brother on the shoulders.

"It's time to let go, Death."

"But-"

"Death, father is gone."

"No, I can't let go."

"Death, you're only making this harder for yourself."

"Loyal-"

"He's still with you, Death. He left his bodily shell. Father lives forever in you."

"This is all my fault."

"Death."

Moving from his spot, Loyal hugged his crying brother, whispering to him that it will be alright. Fire wiped his eyes seeing his friends, Sun placed his hand on Fire's back.

Moon started to weep thinking of how Death's father would sometimes stay awake all night when Death couldn't visit her. Death heard each of his friends crying because Himitsu was gone. The older Deities started to cry as well for their fallen brother.

Lakas pressed his head painfully on his staff thinking of how Himitsu and he were once good friends.

After Loyal's birth... they drifted apart.

Crying softly, Story held onto Lakas's arm. Lakas started crying for the destroyed wasted years that he and Himitsu destroyed because of the hate that they created.

Death could hear the crying from behind him as Loyal hugged him. Death tried to block out the sound of Loyal's weeping.

"I'm sorry, Loyal"

"It's alright, Death... father is at peace now. He's with mama."

"It's all my fault... now we have no one."

"That's not true! We have each other and our friends..."

Pulling Death back, Loyal rubbed Death's thin cheek with his soft warm hand and looking deeply into his eyes.

"And that... that's all that matters."

Death and Loyal embraced each other.

No one saw the dark-winged God walking away into the dark night holding hands with a white and gold Goddess.

The dark God looked back to see the temple.

"One day... one day we will see each other again."