Looking at our chosen mountain from the air, I felt even better than before. Lenore was carrying me in my Hallow, as the sun was still shining and thus there were no shadows for me to step into at altitude so I couldn’t glide. We approached from the North and it felt like that slope was the most suitable. The foot of the mountain was covered in low brush, with some tall grass and ferns growing further up until only a bit of moss and lichen grew on the sparse rock. Finally, the peak of the mountain was fully covered in Ice, with a few clouds drifting around it. Parts of the slope were cragged, with massive cliffs and jagged cracks running up the mountain, making me wonder what brutal force had carved them, but I just couldn’t tell. Maybe some ancient beast, maybe just random acts of nature or magic.
Either way, the environment felt right to me.
With Lenore soaring through the sky, I could focus on studying the terrain, looking for a spot that Sigmir would like. It took a bit of time until I found an area I liked, high up, just below the glacier, was a small terrace in a high cliff, just a few metres of roughly even ground running along the mountain. Amusingly, the glacier had grown across the cliff above, acting somewhat like a roof, only twenty or thirty metres above that terrace. Just due to that, I decided I wanted Sigmir to rest there.
Getting there was nearly impossible for anything unable to fly or be a goat but with Lenore’s wings, it was trivial.
She easily landed and I pushed out of my Hallow, standing on the rocky ledge and looking down, across the slopes, as I studied the terrain.
The verdant ocean in the distance, looking almost like waves crashing against the unforgiving Mountains of Ice, with that bit of greenery playing the part of seafoam that clung to the rocks. It was a beautiful picture, one that I thought Sigmir would enjoy.
“You’ll like it here, Love,” I quietly told her, closing my eyes as I listened to the whistling wind.
“It’s a nice spot,” she replied and I felt a faint smile play across my lips. Yes, this was a good spot, one where she would be able to watch the elven forest as it burned in the Black Flames of Nidhögg and the Frozen Fire of Morgana. A funeral pyre worthy to send her off.
Unwilling to just dump her gear, what I wanted to enshrine in the memorial, on the ground, I pulled hard on my magic, immersing myself in the Astral River to drain more power into me. The environment was quite good, massive amounts of Ice Astral Power were streaming down from the glacier above, ready for me to use and yet, even with that near-endless source, I had to work hard on what I had in mind.
The first step was, amusingly enough, to set up my throne, the ritual seat giving me that bit of mental help and calmness to work my magic. It was merely a crutch but when you had difficulty walking, a crutch was quite useful. You just had to try weaning yourself off, if that was even possible.
Sitting down, i began channelling magic through the Crown of the Northern Wind on my brow and drew a runic formation, nothing complicated, just to conjure up some Hard Ice. Letting my magic flow through that formation, I applied my will, trying to compress and strengthen the Ice, turning it Eternal even as I conjured it. It was incredibly difficult, slowing my speed down by orders of magnitude, but I didn’t want the memorial to be simple, to melt in the sun, I wanted it to be Eternal.
Layer after layer of Ice was laid down, a torrent of Astral Power flowing through my body, the mental and physical effort of channelling such an amount of power slowly draining my stamina but I held on. I had to get this right and making mistakes was not allowed.
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The sun set as I was working and the moon began rising, countless stars sitting in the sky above. The cool light of the moon lifted my spirit, bringing a faint smile to my face as I worked. Around me was a faint, swirling wind and I almost thought Sigmir was gently stroking my hair, making sure that it wasn’t sticking to my face and distracting me as I worked.
The moon was high in the sky when I let out a cold breath, the Ice Astral Power flowing through me enough to chill my body to the core. Without my naturally high affinity, further strengthened by the Ice Touched Title, the strain wouldn’t have been possible and trying would likely have just killed me.
But I wasn’t so weak and now, after hours of effort, there was a large, quite ornate, box sitting in front of me, not quite a coffin but almost. Given that it wouldn’t hold a body, I didn’t need to make it that big. It would only hold my beloved’s gear, the items she had used in life, as her body had already returned to the land. A memorial.
Standing up, I began to gently place each item into the coffin, humming a sad dirge as I did. Lenore moved out of her Hallow and Ylva, who had enjoyed sleeping on solid ground for once, woke up. Both of them joined into my song, both letting their own grief flow out.
I could feel the wind move, almost as if even nature itself was grieving with us, as I gave each item a final caress, a gentle touch that couldn't reach Sigmir any longer. With each item placed in the tomb, more tears started to fall from my eyes, turning to Ice before they could hit the ground.
Finally, I put down her Lok’nar, giving the blade she had used so often the protect me a gentle kiss on the handle, where her hands had gripped it before stepping back and sitting back down on my throne. Tears continued to stream down my face, as memories overwhelmed me, wretched sobs leaving me breathless.
It took a while for my emotions to calm down to the point that I could tear myself out of my memories, away from Sigmir’s gentle caress, and focus on the present. There was still work to be done, even if a part of me wanted to do nothing but curl into a ball and let the world around me end. But if not for me, how could it end? No, I had to do that myself.
Channelling my magic once more, I closed the tomb, sealing it into a singular piece of Eternal Ice, impossible to open, unless it was actively destroyed. Once it was sealed, I kept going, crystalline statues forming on the four corners of the tomb and one in the centre, a little larger than the other four.
The statues were familiar, the same four deities that were enshrined in the Temple of my capsule space were now enshrined on Sigmir’s tomb, guarding it forever. I had no idea if their presence would accomplish anything, but they were there.
The central statue was of Sigmir, standing there calmly, one arm stretched forward, as if reaching for the land below, the other resting on her hips. On her face, I carved a calm, gentle smile, the look she had when embracing and holding me, without lust, only tender and loving. Protective.
Finally, I inscribed a memorial for her, so she would never be forgotten. There was no talk of peace in my words, only a reminder for the world who rested here, waiting for the day of her return. Sigmir, Beloved of Morgana, Protector of the Pack. These were the name and titles I gave her, the ones that felt important. No mention of her tribe, there was simply no need for that. She would be remembered for who she was, not whom she had been born to.
Looking at the four guardians, I closed my eyes, imagining what beings they would be. What a deity might be. I had never truly prayed, had never felt the need to, but maybe, they would shield my beloved, to prevent some hateful elf from disturbing her rest. There were few words, only a simple request to guard my beloved’s rest, but maybe it would help.
“Goodbye, my love. Rest here for a bit and watch the world below. You will be remembered, forever,” I quietly promised, meaning every word. Turning, I dispersed my throne, letting the frozen dust get carried away by the wind, and stepped off the cliff, into the darkness below.
For a moment, I wondered if I even wanted to conjure my wings, if not simply letting myself fall and vanish from this world would be easier and less painful.
But no. There was still something to be accomplished if Sigmir was to be remembered forever. Vengeance would be mine.