It had been a few hours since the last battle.
The group, once four but now three, had returned to Skarka City. They were met with a group of rebels at the side of their car which was parked in front of the hall they came from. Hugo slowly opened his door, his face emotionless. There were whispers amongst the rebels as they saw Hugo slowly walk to the back of the car, opening the boot, and carrying the dead Kry out.
Konstantine and Altara followed shortly after, Hugo walking through the crowd of rebels to the top of the stairs in front of the town hall. Altara sat a few stairs below him, as did Konstantine. Hugo faced the large group of rebels.
"Emperor Nero is dead."
Hugo spoke out loud, his face still deadpan. Radius and Verse were amongst the rebels, looking at the fallen astrologist in Hugo's arms.
"But what came with it was the life of a great warrior, a great mind..and a great friend. I ask...for all of you...to remember the life he lived..." Hugo looked down at the lifeless Kry in his arms. "And thank him for his efforts in this civil war..."
The rebels one by one got on one knee, some speaking out.
"...Mister Hugo, we would like to thank you for your efforts."
"You and your fellow Oligarchists gave us the push we need, not just in the act of killing Nero but with helping us awaken from the prison we once lived in. The prison of being afraid!"
"Yeah!"
"May Kry Kenlok be remembered as a hero amongst us!"
Hugo nodded to himself. "And with Nero's death we have saved Homstala from eradication, but please...keep fighting. We will be praying for you...always. You must keep fighting...the Kalamitus has been destroyed alongside Trench just like Nero has. The government is at its weakest point. Win your freedom."
Hugo looked at Kry once more, then at Altara and Konstantine below him.
"As for us, we shall return home. Our mission here is spent, yet yours is only just starting."
Hugo looked at Radius and Verse in the group of rebels.
"Trust in these two."
The rebels looked at Radius and Verse, making a gap in the group with them in the center.
"Strong fellows who have lost a friend just like we have. Radius and Verse, they will lead you to victory."
Radius smiled up at Hugo, his black raincoat blowing in the wind. Verse did the same, although the smile itself was unseen thanks to her respirator.
Hugo smiled back at them...a single tear running down his cheek as he slowly looked back down at Kry.
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...
One day later, on the eastern coast of Wrathak.
Kry's yacht was floating on the shallow water in front of the black beach they had once arrived on. Hugo, Altara and Konstantine all stood upon it. Radius and Verse standing on the beach facing them.
"I'll be sure to give you a call when we finish sorting a whole country out!" Radius asked, the ex imperial sniper looking at his oligarchist friends.
"I-I hope we see you all again!" Verse smiled through her respirator, the hacker waved at them. "And thank you!"
Hugo smiled slightly, his ponytail and parka blowing in the wind. "Heh, please do! Come visit us! And remember..keep fighting!"
The yacht slowly started up, Konstantine at the helm as she slowly started to move away from the shoreline. Altara stood beside Hugo as the two waved to their friends on the beach.
"BYEEEEEE!" Verse waved with both hands, Radius waving with one whilst smiling down at Verse.
Soon enough the yacht went out of sight, and Radius looked down at Verse. "Come on, Verse. We still have a war to fight!"
Verse looked up at Radius, before looking back out to the ocean.
"I'll miss them. But you're right..."
The two started to walk, Radius talking to Verse with a smile. "We will see them again soon, Verse..."
The two soon made it back to the city, and the fight for the freedom of Wrathak's people carried on. The end of it was near..but not now.
Altara sat on the deck, leaning on the edge of the boat and looking up at the sky. He thought of his final battle with Nero, and the truth he had learned. The truth he was keeping from everyone. He closed his eyes and let the ocean breeze tend to his face.
Step..step..
"Yo."
Hugo sat next to Altara, passing him a soda can.
"Hey, Hugo."
The two sat silent, the breeze of the ocean blowing both of their hairs to the side.
"Are you okay?"
They both asked at the same time.
"O-Oh, yeah..I'm fine." Altara itched the back of his neck, looking up at Hugo.
"Heh, I'm alright." Hugo looked down at the deck as Altara opened his can of soda, taking a swig of it.
"I'm just glad he's in a better place now. In the stars; his home." Altara mumbled to Hugo, who looked at him and nodded. "Yeah, it's nice to think of it like that."
Hugo on the inside was screaming with sadness. But was keeping it in as he knew that Altara saw him as a father of sorts and him showing his sadness will only upset Altara. In time he knew he would get over it, but Kry was one of his dearest friends.
Altara was soon heard snoring quietly, Hugo looked over at him and saw him asleep against the edge of the yacht. Hugo smiled and took the soda out of Altara's hand, placing it away from him. He then stood up and walked over to the head of the ship next to Konstantine.
"You alright up here, kaptain?" Hugo asked, folding his arms and looking ahead at the ocean.
Konstantine was steering the yacht, nodding as she did. "Yeah. I've missed it, the ocean."
"Aye, much better than the ugly landscape of Wrathak..." Hugo smiled slightly and looked at Konstantine. "You sure you're okay?"
"Me?...Yeah. Let's just get home, Hugo." Konstantine looked up at him, giving him a nod. "Go rest. You deserve it. I'm fine up here."
Hugo looked at her for a few seconds, before nodding. "Right, will do."
Hugo made his way to the lower decks, looking in a room that had a double bed inside it. Inside of the bed was a covered-up body. Hugo closed his eyes for a second, before walking into a small room with a single bed. He took off his parka and collapsed into the bed.
He couldn't cry. Only mourn. It was weird to him, maybe he was so sad that his body couldn't process it. Hugo promised himself one thing; he would bury Kry and make sure he would be remembered.
But for now, he rested. The group of magikans soon made their way back towards their home country of Homstala.