They arrived at the clearing, a little girl handing out a flower to each new arrival. Rune reached out to grab a yellow flower when Elsie batted his arm and grabbed a bright pink instead of the drab yellow he was about to pick. Nodding his thanks to the girl, he sped up to catch up to the Madam, who had chosen a spot at the front to stand.
Many of Frendil's men stood quietly at the sides, their black bands all made of fine silk. Unlike Rune's group and the few other merchants in attendance who chose to wear simple everyday garments ranging from various dull shades of grey and beige, they wore all black from head to toe, unmoving as they stood as if awaiting orders.
Some of the merchants had chosen to wear a simple piece of black cotton fabric around their heads, no doubt hearing of the custom from their East Nythian business partners.
Looking around those assembled, Rune noted that the Reapers had yet to arrive.
Fashionably late, as always.
They were likely waiting for the Madam to appear first, probably because they wanted to announce their arrival publicly to the gathered. Everything they did was for a reason, their reputation being the basis for most of the actions they took.
Rune observed Frendil's casket, recognizing the craftsmanship of the well-known artisan from Upper Alta, Arwen. The rich red oak of the coffin had intricately crafted runes that signified eternal rest. The carvings were extraordinary, and he could only imagine just how much it cost to have Arwen carve such beauty. To finish off the look, black painting covered the crafted oak, a symbol of death.
It didn't take long before the Reapers filed in. One by one, the young group of troublemakers arrived, their lean leader, Tor, walking ahead of them with a cane in his right hand and hair slicked back neatly against his scalp. Tor wore a black suit—fitting seamlessly with Frendil's men. A permanent frown plastered his face, and Rune felt a crushing weight fill the surrounding atmosphere with his appearance.
Silus followed right at his heels, his hand tucked in the side of his waistcoat. Other Reapers streamed in after the two leaders, placing a flower on the casket before taking their place.
Right before taking his place, Tor dipped his head toward the Madam as she did the same.
Runed was standing near the edge where the Reapers would stand. He watched in disappointment as Bane and another Reaper named Caster neared where he stood.
Please, Terra, don't let them stand next to me.
Bane limped, wincing with each step he took. The boy glared at Rune, showing his displeasure at seeing him.
Right back at you. I'm not happy seeing your face.
The other boy, Caster, gave him a curious look before taking a spot by his right, Bane following suit.
Rune didn't know much about Caster before the Madam had sent him to retrieve the boy to discuss something about Rye crystal quality.
Caster was responsible for selecting the best Rye crystals for trading with Western Nythian royalty. Silus favored the boy due to his keen eye. Rune didn't know much about the boy, except he was of a similar age and still had his parents around.
Rune found it confusing how Caster's parents were okay with his dealings with the Reapers. Many times, he had seen the boy in passing, often while he was on his regular runs with Elsie on his back. In almost every instance he had seen him, merchants and vendors would have him occupied.
Unlike most orphans and children working for the Reapers, Caster was well-fed. He and Bane resembled twigs compared to the good-looking boy. The boy was also a full head taller than Rune, looming over him, which didn't sit well with him.
While observing Caster, Rune hadn't noticed Elsie's interest in the boy until she reached out to pat his shoulder. Rune then shifted his body away from the tall boy so she wouldn't reach for him again—a futile attempt, as she already captured Caster's attention.
"I'm Elsie, what's your name?"
Caster's eyes shone with amusement. "Caster."
"I like your hair, Caster."
For the love of Terra.
"Elsie!" Rune snapped, not liking the easy compliment she handed, having just introduced herself to the boy.
Bane looked to his left to see the commotion.
"I like your hair too. Elsie, was it?"
He felt her nod and watched as Caster flashed her a boyish smile Rune knew would have Nilu swooning non-stop.
You've got to be kidding me; she's only five years old!
Bane smirked at the interaction, causing Rune's hackles to rise.
Completely forgetting about the funeral ceremony, he straightened and gave the boy, who was a thorn in his side, a level glare.
"What are you looking at?"
"Your sister."
"Keep your eyes to yourself."
Bane sneered. "Too bad there isn't a street law that says you can't look at people."
"You started it. It was your fault."
"Oh, so it's my fault, huh? It's my fault that I may forever walk with a limp because you refused to stop Silus when he crushed my leg."
"You almost tried to kill me?! It's all because you decided to open your mouth and become a rat."
"You say this but remain unharmed, so why should I have to be the one to suffer when nothing even happened to you?!"
Caster interjected the two, placing his hands on their chests.
"Quit it. We're at a funeral; show some respect."
Rune pushed the hand, glowering at the healthy-looking boy.
"Stay out of it."
Bane cut in. "Oh, so now you tell someone to stay out of it? You should've done the same in front of Silus."
Rune wanted to strangle the gremlin. "I wanted to punch that face of yours, but it wasn't me who led us into the den of Reapers. You purposefully lured me there. Silus was bound to be there, so stop trying to blame me! You're reaping the consequences. We're even."
Bane sneered at him, his gold eyes narrowing. "We're far from even, Rune."
The tension between the two was at its tipping point. Right then, Elsie spoke out. "So you're Bane. Mavrik said to stay away from you."
"That old man should have died with the rest of those Seers."
"Bane!" Caster shouted, signalling Bane to drop it.
At that exact moment, Rune also felt a cold gaze fall upon him as it drilled into the side of his left temple. Turning around, he looked back to see the Madam's firm glare making holes in his face.
Mumbling an apology, lowering his head, but not before giving Bane one last venomous look before sending his attention to the front towards the ceremony.
The little girl who had handed out the flowers stood with her head bowed in front of the casket, holding a drum and an ivory stick instead of a basket.
She began to chant a soft melody of the poetic-sounding old tongue reserved only for funerals.
Incense burned by the side of the casket, its sweet scent hitting Rune's nose as a sense of familiarity crept within him.
The girl began to chant louder, hitting the drum in faster intervals, although her recitation pace remained the same.
No one made a sound as her sorrowful voice filled the clearing.
Rune wondered what she must have gone through to project such genuine sorrow within her recital and felt a tight pain in his chest as he thought of the horrors she must have faced.
The chant ended, and the girl bowed her head three times in the coffin's direction before stepping back. She placed the drum and ivory stick on the ground and slowly moved backward, careful of her steps, all while keeping her head inclined.
A moment of silence ensued as everyone followed suit, their heads bowed as the last part of the funeral unfolded.
To complete the ceremony, each attendee made their way to the casket, resting their hand on the dead's coffin as a sign of farewell.
The Madam and the Reapers seemed to wait until everyone filed out. So Rune watched the merchants and guests pay their respects before leaving.
As a woman with loose, long black hair and a black linen dress came up, Rune froze as he recognized her face. Ghoul's eyes peered at the casket, her hand hovering hesitantly on the red oak. It was their mother. For some reason, unbeknownst to him, she was here at the funeral.
Their mother seemed to be emitting a deep sadness. Chosen not to wear the shades, her tear-streaked face was a surprise. There was nothing good to Frendil, so Rune failed to understand how the two were connected.
Right before she touched the casket, her head tilted in their direction as if she were searching for someone. Placing her hand lightly on the casket, she stilled.
Everyone who had been watching went on the alert, sensing something ominous was about to happen.
Dread. Impending dread caused Rune to undo the sling holding Elsie and bring his sister to cradle him in his arms. He didn't want her back exposed if an attack occurred.
Withheld breaths and rapidly beating hearts, they watched, waiting for her to leave, but his mother did not do such a thing.
One of Frendil's men went to move her away but stopped in his tracks. No, it was more like he couldn't move forward. Something blocked him from advancing.
The Madam spoke to Scar. "Take Elsie from his arms."
It seemed both of them had the same idea of securing Elsie in case a fight broke out.
Scar took his sister gently from his arms. Elsie turned to look at Rune with worry, not liking their separation, but Rune nodded her head to have her willingly stay in Scar's arms.
Just then, nothing he'd ever seen before began to occur in front of his eyes. His mother began to chant. It wasn't like the chant the little girl had spoken out in her old tongue. This chant sounded as if a bunch of bones were rattling against each other. She spoke in an unknown tongue, and the Madam put her hands in front of Rune, Caster, and Bane from making any sudden movements.
His mother then stilled once more, and a swift, forceful impact hit him hard as he tried not to stumble. It wasn't only him who'd felt it; he watched as Bane clung to Caster, fighting to remain standing while the other boy tried to do the same.
His mother began to chant, a sound utterly unlike the soft incantations the little girl had spoken in the old tongue. This chant felt ritualistic as if a pile of bones from the dead were rattling together, stemming from an unknown tongue. The Madam immediately extended her hands, preventing Rune, Caster, and Bane from making any sudden movements.
"Stay put."
Rune watched as his mother's head sharply snapped back as her face angled toward the darkened sky, and she opened her mouth, letting out an ear-piercing shriek, before she dropped to the ground.
An ancient voice sounded in his head at the same time. "The first has awoken."
His head felt as if it were splitting in two as Rune held his head in his hands, his knees buckling while the prickling feeling on his back he was familiar with multiplied tenfold. It felt as if thousands of needles were grazing his back.
He cried out in agony as an overbearing pain like never before surged through him.
Countless images flashed in his head, all too fast for him to grasp as the pain was too blinding to focus. Emotions he'd never encountered flared to life as everything blurred.
Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, all of it vanished. As suddenly as it had arrived, the pain departed, leaving Rune to wonder if everything he'd felt was a trick. But the throbbing ache in his back and his splitting headache told him otherwise.
Elsie seemed to have been screaming while he was under as he heard her shouting at Scar to put her down, his sense coming back to him slowly. Everything was murky. He could see the Madam crouched by his side, her hand resting on his hand. She was muttering a bunch of phrases in rapid succession in the old tongue.
"Let me go! He's dying! Let me go, you big oaf!"
"He'll be fine, stop struggling." Elsie continued pounding her fists into the man's relentlessly as she protested her release.
Rune's eyes came into focus, his tongue finally in his control as he opened his mouth to speak.
"What happened?" He croaked.
"You collapsed the moment the woman did."
His curly hair clung to his forehead, sweat coating his entire body. He felt as if all the water had escaped from his body, his throat parched with thirst.
With the Madam's help, he struggled to get back on his feet as he turned his head to look around. The Reapers had drawn out their knives, looking at him warily. Hector was frowning, and a deep worry had settled in his face.
Elsie quieted down, seeing him back on his feet, but the horror on her face from his collapse was still vividly evident, her face smeared in tears.
He turned to look at the casket where his mother had been. There, he saw her lying still on the ground, unmoving. He knew she was dead.
"Scar, take Elsie to the carriage. You, Hector, follow suit. We'll be leaving now."
Without completing the funeral ceremony by placing their hands on the casket in farewell, they left. The Reapers continued to stare at Rune as he sluggishly dragged his body with the Madam's help.
Amidst them, Silus looked at Tor in uncertainty as his leader's face remained blank. His shades held in hand, Tor stared at the ground where Rune had just stood.
Blocking out everything, Rune focused on Elsie's face, peering at him from Scar's hold as Scar walked in front of them, Rune himself trying to think of nothing.
Indeed, all hell did break loose.