It was late morning. Everyone was sitting on the grass for a while, too exhausted physically and emotionally to do anything. No one said a word, too afraid that the grief and despair might bubble over the surface if anyone broke the silence. Finally, Myrica got back on her feet and ordered them all to march towards their camp. Her voice was unrelenting, but it was easy to hear the strain and deep sadness in her tone, especially when she asked Arlo to carry Marcus' body.
The way back took them almost three hours. Iris was numb. Her mind was blank, and she purposefully banished all thoughts, focusing only on her steps.
Left, right.
Left, right.
Left, right.
If she let herself think about what happened, she knew it would crush her. For now, the fact she was able to breathe, to feel the rays of Lord Sun on her skin, no matter how faint they were, had to be enough.
Once they got back to the camp, Myrica kept her role as a taskmaster and ordered them to prepare some food and then get ready to give Marcus a proper burial. No one questioned her. They went through the motions, just like so many times before, letting the routine of mundane tasks take over. But there was one person that tried hard to hide his enthusiasm.
'Oh, Lord! I forgot how amazing real food tastes!' Sam exclaimed while they were eating. Everyone looked at him with a start, surprised by his cheery voice. 'What? It's true. Try living for years on inhaling shadows. Then you can judge .'
Jayden scoffed, his dark eyes throwing daggers at the Mage, but he said nothing.
Kara wrapped her arm around her husband's waist and rested her head on his shoulder. At least there was one good thing that came out from their trip to the Shadow Realm, thought Iris, looking at the couple.
She could finally take a better look at Sam in daylight. It was even more evident now how bad he looked, with his ashen skin stretched thin on a gaunt, starved body. The ragged robe was dirty and hung loose as if meant for someone twice as big. But the most disturbing of all were his eyes, completely black.
But despite his gloomy appearance, he was the most cheerful of them all.
After the meal, they moved again, following Myrica, who said there was a good place for a burial nearby. The area was beautiful. It would be hard to find by any regular person, as no paths were leading there. The huntress guided them through the bushes and thicket as if she could see the trails invisible for anyone else.
The clearing had an enormous ancient tree in its centre. Its trunk was so thick that it would take at least six grown men to embrace it, and it was so high that Iris couldn't see where its branches ended. Its crown covered the whole clearing, letting only the tiniest rays of Lord Sun through, engulfing the entire place with an otherworldly atmosphere of mystical secrets.
Myrica stopped in front of the tree and rested the shovel on the ground. 'We'll make the grave here. It is an ancient and holy place. The forest Spirits will take good care of him.'
Arlo and Jayden started digging while the rest dispersed, looking for other things, like little stones to put over the grave to prevent the wild animals from ploughing through it or the flowers. Iris would do anything so that she doesn't have to stand there and look at the empty husk, which used to be Marcus.
The place Myrica chose was beautiful. There was an abundance of colourful flowers around the clearing. A little stream ran nearby, filling the air with a cheerful whisper of water playing on the pebbles. It seemed almost unreal that they were preparing for the funeral. Iris let her mind go numb again before the overwhelming wave of emotions could surface again. She focused on her fingers, working on the flower rings, plaiting the long stems together. Iris used to do that all the time in her youth. She always made flower crowns and put them on Cody's little head. He hated it.
Iris sighed. It seemed like it was in another life, another world, far away from here.
'Iris?'
She looked up, seeing Kara waving at her.
'We are ready,' she said. 'Come.'
***
They stood around the freshly dug hole, Marcus' body already lying there, his grey face oddly peaceful. If not for the sickening tone of his skin, one might think the old man was sleeping. Bile rose in Iris' throat, and she looked down at her feet, fighting the tears. It was not the time for letting the grief take over.
Finally, Myrica started talking. 'Marcus was one of the best men I have ever known. He was the first one that I trusted. He was wise, gentle, and kind - always thought about others before himself. He inspired others to do better and to fight for what they believed. Marcus took the responsibility even when he did not ask for it, and he sacrificed himself so that we could fight for another day. You can finally rest, my friend. May the Spirits of the Forest keep you company. Requisante an tranqalite. Vale ama mico.'
'It was a mighty fight you put up there,' Arlo said, his voice unusually quiet. 'We'll finish this for you.'
'You old fool! You just have to go and die on me, didn't you?' Kara sobbed, tears freely flowing from her eyes. Sam wrapped his arms around her holding her tight. 'I... I'll never forget what you did for me. For us.'
'We won't let your sacrifice be in vain. That I can promise,' Sam murmured, stroking Kara's hair.
They turned to Jayden next, but his mouth formed a thin line, his jaw tight. He only shook his head, tears glistening in his dark eyes, and he looked away. Iris couldn't blame him. She also wasn't sure if her voice would obey her.
But she took a deep breath and spoke anyway. 'I... I never properly thanked you for all you did for me. I never said how grateful I was or how much it meant for me. I...' her voice broke with a sob. She felt Myrica's arm around her shoulder. 'There were so many things I should have said, and now I never will.'
'He knows it, child,' Myr said gently. 'He always knew.'
Iris just gave up and let all the grief flood her. Her body trembled with sobs, but Myr was holding her tight, stroking her back gentle in circles.
There was nothing more to say. Nothing more for anyone to do. When Iris managed to calm herself again, Myrica asked them if they had finished their farewells. When everyone nodded solemnly, she kneeled on the ground and put her hands on the grass. She started singing in her language. Iris didn't recognise any of the words, but the song was beautiful. It was overflowing with sadness and longing, grief, and regret. But at the same time, it was also bringing hope. The tears ran down her cheeks again.
While the huntress sang, the ground itself began to move. The thick vines appeared in the hole they dug, and they winded around Marcus' body, forming a dense green cocoon. Next, the soil moved to cover the spot, and then, with even more tremors, the thick roots of the great tree shot out from the ground and formed a small dome over the grave. The dark branches sprouted green leaves and small white flowers, covering the whole surface.
Myrica slowly stood up when it was done, shaking her hands gently.
'Oh, Lord Sun! Myr, it's so beautiful!' Kara gasped, looking at the newly formed grave with wide eyes.
'He deserved so much more,' the huntress replied. Her big golden eyes were dim and sad. 'It is the least I could do. We should get back and rest. It has been a long day. I will wait for you all nearby, come when you are ready,' she said and left the clearing. Arlo soon followed her.
They stood there in silence for a while, and then Kara and Sam left too, leaving two young Mages alone. Iris looked at Jayden. His hands were clenched in fists, his knuckles white. His body was trembling from the sobs he was trying to conceal.
'Jayden,' Iris said and gently put a hand on his arm, but he shoved it away instantly.
'Leave me alone!' he growled. 'I don't want you here!'
'I'm sorry,' she whispered and slowly backed away, leaving him with his grief, even if seeing him like this was breaking her heart. She looked over her shoulder one last time. Jayden was on his knees, one hand resting on the grave, his head bowed, and his shoulders shaking. Iris swallowed her tears and left the clearing to join the others.
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