“Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is.”

― Albert Camus

The sun stood tall above the burial grounds, morning had come and gone. In the face of Kalina's merciless demands for yet more festivities, the people eventually collapsed. Heaps of them still snored on the wide lawns around the tombs. Only a small number stood, immune to the exhaustion.

A dozen men and women, all-powerful warriors of the guild, gathered around Kalina. Her eyes closed as she rested upon little Ooulin's back, small snores and mumbled words replaced her commands for one more dance.

Vendak stood beside the others, his face masked once more. Mara leaned against his side, eyes closed despite her efforts. The long day's march, and the night of bizarre celebration, left her with deep hollows on her cheeks. She'd danced herself into oblivion. Ven held her upright, arm wrapped around her waist.

A very strange funeral, Kalina really drove these Semi-Divines up the wall.

Eventually, even the grumpy horse-kin allowed himself to be drawn into a dance or two. The tiny goddess was very convincing. In the end, the solemn atmosphere had been tempered by a surreal levity.

Kalina had partied herself to sleep, and those that remained were locked in a heavy silence. Ven glanced around at the mismatched figures that composed this unusual circle. Each one was lost in thought as they looked down on the sleeping imp.

Most were beastfolk, a pair of bear-kin, the tiger-kin monk with their eyes covered in cloth, even a rabbit-kin, her slender form made angular by the heavy armor that graced it. Aangor took the lead in size, his mountain of a body still a wellspring of tears.

A squat reptilian man attempted to comfort him, his hand pressed to the great ape's knee. But even this thoughtful fellow had a film over his eyes and seemed distracted by whatever passed through his mind.

Two of the Semi-divines were human. A portly, mustached man, wrapped in a worn heavy plate. The sword on his hip was rusted to black. His clothes were caked in mud and grime, a blue and gold striped pattern nearly hidden beneath. In contrast, both his exposed face and hands were spotless, and the badge of his order seemed freshly washed.

By his side was a woman who towered above the others. Her short grey hair was a foot beyond even the tall bear-kin's reach. She also wore a full set of armor, polished silver plate mail that shone in the midday sun. A long hammer rested against her shoulder, and several smaller morning stars hung at her hip.

Beside her was a short, wide man. He also wore armor, of a much better design. Thick interwoven scales of metal, fitted perfectly together without exposing an inch of flesh. His head was a beard wrapped in iron, two long horns spread outwards from the helm that capped his impenetrable suit.

Two women, sisters in bearing if not blood, were the next in line. One had long raven hair, a contrast to the other's golden mane, and both wore dresses of the deepest green. Their faces were stained with the remnants of tears, and beyond the deep holds that covered their heads, pointed ears were just visible.

The last member was the only one who stood shorter than Ven. The man's disheveled brown hair barely came to Mara's navel, and he dressed as a simple traveler. Vendak watched this fellow with more suspicion than the others. His movements were silent, beyond even the pair of elves. He carried a small bow across his shoulders, no quiver in sight, and a sword, smaller than Ven's forearm, strapped to his waist.

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No matter how he tried, Vendak couldn't recall the man's face. If he looked straight at him, he seemed average in every way, but when he turned, all he recalled was the color of the halfling's hair.

He smells of blood and fear. Like Calum after a battle, this little man put an instinctive frown on Ven's face.

"Well Joan, I think it's time we left."

The pudgy knight turned to his tall companion. She nodded, polished armor a prism as it sent light across the group.

"Very well," Joan's grey eyes hardened, and she poked the man's oversized belly. "But remember your promise Arthur, we need you to keep hold of the north."

"Yes, yes I know!" Arthur waved her words away as the pair turned and strode down the marble path. "Without Master, it falls to us now."

Their actions created a domino of movement, as the rest also dispersed. Only Aangor and the halfling remained, alongside Mara and Ven, to guard the sleep of the exhausted turtle and his captor.

"So... what now monkey-man?" The halfling asked, his tone flippant and childish as he reached out to poke the sleeping Kalina.

"Now we continue on," Aangor replied, his huge palm a solid wall that blocked the man's finger. "Especially you, Rafe. You have to keep up your efforts."

"Haa!" Rafe barked, his head tilted back as he gazed at the sky. "Sure, I'll keep gathering all the information I can, but I can tell you right now, it's all bad news." He placed his hands behind his head, threaded together to support his neck. "Without an Earth Deity to fend them off, all our enemies will be coming out of the woodwork."

"Hey," Ven interjected, his tone loud enough that Mara roused from her slumber with a jolt. "I know it's a bad time and all that, but can someone please tell me what is going on?"

These past few days had been a rush of activity as everyone around him prepared for the funeral, Kalina included. He managed to pull some info from her, but it was scarce. Ven was pushed around like furniture as she finalized her plans.

"Hmmf," Aangor gave him a disdainful glance, and Ven frowned behind his mask. "You don't need to do anything but exist." The ape leaned down and scooped up the sleeping pair. "Kalina has taken a liking to you, and you're Mara's friend. Help them, or find something to do on your own."

Aangor walked away, Ooulin and Kalina in hand. His long strides soon took him out of sight, and Ven rubbed the back of his head. He's kind of an ass, but he's right. Ven needed to focus on his own goals, the rest didn't matter.

"Don't worry about Aangor Ven, he's just upset." Mara's tired voice came from beside him. "His master died to keep Verander from you, and so did Kalina."

Her face had a sad smile, and her eyes were dull. The day's events had worn her down.

"He won't even tell ME why, and I'm supposed to be his master."

"You're not his master, yet," Ven smiled and ruffled her head. "You can't take the title until you're at least a Semi-Divne."

He held her hand and pulled her towards the cemetery's exit. Whatever the reason, they saved me from something I couldn't face myself... Vendak owed them, and the friends they left behind, a debt.

"Come on Mara, let's go home," Ven's hand was all that kept the tired cat-kin on her feet. "You can get back to worrying about the rest of us tomorrow."

"Alright," She gave him a more truthful smile, before she let herself lean back against his shoulder as they walked. "But don't take his words to heart. You'll find what you want to do eventually."

"Maybe, but I think he's right," Ven shook his head. "I need to focus on getting stronger, not on forcing these tight-lipped idiots to talk."

"That's the way!" Rafe's voice sounded out from beside him. "Might makes right in this world!"

His sudden appearance almost caused Ven to drop Mara's sleepwalking form, and he glared down at the halfling as the small man continued.

"When you can squeeze the answers out of our lips, you'll be ready to hear them!"

Under Ven's watchful stare, Rafe vanished from sight, as if he'd never been there in the first place. I hate assassins. They always left a bad taste in his mouth, and reminded him of the worst in both himself and his brother.

The little shit is right though.

Ven needed to be strong enough that the Semi-Divines would have a reason to answer him. Right now, he was good for little more than swatting flies. He would need to advance his growth speed, and learn how to use his power.

Ven supported Mara as they walked toward their temporary home. The streets were empty of life as the population had partied themselves into oblivion, and the quiet gave him time to think. His heart tumbled as he considered his debt, the steps he would take to repay Kalina's and Ooulin's sacrifice.

I refuse to ask for forgiveness just because I was born. The gift was given and Ven wouldn't turn his back on what he owed. Let's hope they're satisfied with vengeance.

His skill set wasn't built for times of peace. Ven could only carve a promise in his heart, an oath to stand by his new friends and grow his own power. By the time Verander returned in a thousand years, he would grind the god to dust and place his ashes at the foot of Kalina's grave.