It was a few days after the boat ride back to Homstala, and Hugo, Altara, and Konstantine were finally home at the Tower of Magik. The building with black bricks lined with gold was a sight Altara found comfort in...and grief. The group stood outside in a graveyard which was tucked neatly inside of the woods near the tower. The graveyard was filled with members of the Oligarchy who had fallen in their various tasks.
A white coffin was being lowered into the ground, the grave surrounded by various magikans of the Oligarchy of Magik including Hugo, Altara, and Konstantine. Jolene was stood there too, the saint who scarcely talked to Altara in his first days at the tower. Next to her was a young Alter-Elf woman with blue hair, a new student of hers.
It was the late hours of the afternoon and the sun shined across the funeral. It was silent, everyone wearing black clothing.
Altara looked as the grave was lowered, his face blank. He closed his eyes, remembering the power Kry had gifted him in his last moments. Altara knew that Kry would have wanted him to use his power for himself and for the betterment of everyone. He remembered when he first met him on the top floor of the tower...
"You are you, Altara."
Altara remembered, opening his eyes. A large patch of dirt was soon emptied onto the grave and Altara stared at the white coffin being covered, soon vanishing. Altara closed his eyes...
"Goodbye, Kry."
...
Soon enough everyone had left, except Altara who was sitting at the grave. He heard a set of footsteps coming up behind him before a figure slumped down next to him. It was Jolene.
"Hey, kiddo." Her white hair was tied in a ponytail.
"Oh, hey Jolene." Altara smiled briefly and weakly at her, before looking back at the grave.
"I must say, like everyone, I am shocked at this. He was a tough bastard. Simply looking at him and his soft demeanor wasn't enough to prove that but...he was one of the most powerful people in the Oligarchy, that, and one of the sweetest." Jolene sighed, looking up at the sky. "You know, I dated him for a bit. Wasn't anything too serious...we just went to the same university but studied in different fields. We remained as friends after that though." She looked at Altara and smiled at him. "Sorry, didn't mean to give you my life story or anythin'" She chuckled slightly.
"It's fine, and I understand. Kry was a great man..and I did look up to him." Altara mumbled.
"Yeah, you and him both studied astrology as well. Hm...hey, Altara..." She looked at him. "Hugo and Konstantine were wondering if you were okay, Hugo almost came out here to check on you but I decided to instead. I made him rest..him and Kry were very close n' all."
Altara nodded, Jolene stood up and pulled him up with her. Jolene brushed herself down of the mud from the floor, she then did the same to Altara. "Go on mate." She looked at him with her white eyes, smiling.
Altara soon ran inside, running into the elevator in the reception and pressing the button to the 12th floor; the floor that leads to Hugo's dojo. Soon enough the doors opened and Altara made his way through a group of talking magikans, walking into Hugo's dojo. Hugo was on the platform inside of the dojo, turning to Altara and smiling.
"Jolene sent you here?"
"Yeah, she did." Altara nodded and looked at him.
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"Heheh, don't worry. I'm not dragging you here for a practice..its actually the opposite. Come here, Alt."
Altara walked to Hugo, looking up at him. Hugo gave him a key.
"That leads to something inside of the top floor, Kry's old floor."
Hugo planted a hand on Altara's shoulder.
"From this day forwards...you are a fully graduated Spellsword. I am no longer your teacher."
Altara looked up at Hugo, then down at the key which was silver.
"Hugo..."
Altara hugged Hugo.
"Thank you for everything...It might have been through unheard methods but I have found my way and have become stronger...so thank you."
Hugo hugged Altara back.
"It's my job, and Alt.."
Altara looked at Hugo.
"..remember that you are my favorite student..and my best friend."
Altara paused for a moment, before smiling.
"You too, Hugo."
Hugo extended his hand to Altara for a handshake, which Altara gladly accepted. "Now go, seek out what is in Kry's quarters."
...
Altara soon jogged out the dojo, going to the top floor from the elevator. He walked out of it and inside Kry's former office..it was just as clean as he remembered. The huge skylight having warm sunlight strike through it. Altara looked around, trailing his fingers across the bookshelves before going to Kry's desk. He noticed a small box on it with a note next to it. He picked it up and read it.
> "Dear Hugo,
>
> If tragedy falls upon me in our mission to Wrathak, please give Altara my key to this box."
Altara quickly opened the box with the key and found yet another note inside. He sat down at the desk, reading.
> "Dear Altara,
>
> If you are reading this, I am no longer in this world. I leave everything that was in my belonging to you, including my office on the top floor of the Tower of Magik. For I have no need for it no longer. Hugo by now would have made you a spellsword, now it is your turn to use the magik I left to you to become something more. You are gravity, my friend. Use the information I gave you in my last moments to train. But remember, you are you. Reach for the stars and beyond as that is where freedom and infinity truly lies.
>
> For now, this is a goodbye, Altara. I will see you soon, beyond the walls of this reality.
>
> - Kry Kenlok
Altara slowly put the note down. He looked around slowly, still sitting in the chair. He slowly put the notes in the box, locked it, and put it inside one of the drawers in the desk.
He then walked slowly to a closet nearby, where he spotted a black cashmere coat with red metal buttons. He took off the suit he wore for Kry's funeral and instead put the cashmere on. He looked at himself in a full-body mirror next to the closet, before glancing next to it at some glasses on a shelf. He closed the closet and soon started to walk out of the office, giving it one last look before walking out fully, going to the bottom floor of the tower.
Altara walked out of the reception and soon started to walk out of the tower.
"Alt!"
A female voice shouted as he left the tower, he slowly looked back. It was Konstantine.
"Oh, hey."
"Where are you going?" Konstantine asked, slowly walking to him.
Altara looked at the dirt path ahead of him before looking back at her.
"For a walk, I'll be back."
"Wait.."
...
Konstantine dragged him in for a hug, the two embraced for a long while.
"Don't...Don't be too long, please."
Konstantine sounded worried, for once. Instead of commanding him...she was pleading.
Altara's blue eyes widened and fell upon her red ones as the two stopped hugging.
"I won't. I promise."
Altara smiled at her, before turning and continuing his walk.
As Altara started to go into the forest, Hugo walked behind Konstantine.
"Wherever he is going I am sure he needs it. He has been through more than all of us have."
Konstantine kept her eyes on Altara leaving. "Yeah..."
The sun shined on Altara as he walked into the forest, on the exact same path he took to get to the tower all those weeks ago. Hugo spoke once more.
"One thing I am certain of...he will Shine On Forever."
Altara Dogma's eyes had a faint red glow from them, as he entered the forest...away from the Tower of Magik.
[ORIGINS OF ALTARA - END]