Celebrating Goodbye

Returning to the lobby several hours later, Tom felt refreshed from the shower and as though part of the weight on his shoulders had been lifted through the outpouring of his emotions. He had been worried about getting through the ceremony before with all of his feelings about losing members of the guild and the way he had almost lost control when dealing with The Master. Now, he felt more in control and ready to tackle the upcoming celebration and memorial.

Guild members were busy running from place to place as they worked hard to make sure the party would be special as well as getting the final touches ready. It was agreed that the event would take place in the courtyard to allow for more space. The only other option at this point was the gym and it would be like packing sardines in a ring box to get everyone to fit.

Walking outside, Tom ran into Brian who was standing just outside the doors overseeing the preparations as he ordered people about.

"Yes, the food tables will be over there. No, further! There are going to be a thousand people here trying to get food, we can't have people crowding the doors. Julias! Why are you arranging flowers? Yes, I know it's a memorial, but really man? This is the apocalypse! Let it go! No, I don't care what you did before this all happened, don't be fucking daft!" Brian continued to call out to people as they rushed around setting up tables and arranging chairs for the elderly or handicapped to sit in.

As the preparations continued, the setup began to come together to look more like a proper gathering. Seeing Tom come out the doors, Brian rushed over to him.

"Tom! Are you ready for your speech?" Brian asked as he walked over to him, holding his clipboard up to his chest in hope.

"Sure. Still not sure how good I'll be at it, but I'm ready." Tom replied.

"Good! It's important you speak to them as the leader. You got this. They already look up to you and you've become immensely popular since the dispatching of The Master." Brian informed him in an attempt to put his nerves at ease.

"Really? Well, I'm glad they supported that decision. I was worried that they might mistake my decision for a personal vendetta." Tom admitted looking down at his shoes.

"Not at all. They respect your sense of right and wrong and fully support your call to free those enslaved. No one wants to see others suffer like that." Brian added.

"Thanks for the encouragement. I needed that." Tom said.

"Don't mention it. Now just be ready, I'll call you up when it's time for the speech. For now, why don't you rest and get some food before everyone else comes so that you can mingle." Brian said to him, ushering him to the table where food was being laid out by the kitchen staff.

Moving over to the food, Tom saw that they had a spread of Goatamus meat prepared several ways with fruit and vegetable dishes for sides and some special desserts being laid out. It reminded him of the award banquets he would attend in high school. Though this time he was in charge not just someone going for a perfect attendance or honor roll award. That made him feel more nervous still, but he let the excitement fuel him instead of bringing him down.

Making himself a plate, Tom moved to sit at a table that had been prepared for those who wouldn't be able to stand for the entire event and began eating his food. The meat was perfectly tender and had a light glaze on it that gave a hint of sweetness that reminded him of barbecue sauce. The Goatamus meat had plenty of fat in it to give it bursts of flavor and he savored every bite as he ate. Fried potatoes and a sauteed vegetable medley paired perfectly with the meat to make a well-balanced meal.

Tom had been beyond impressed by Charlene's drive to ensure that every meal was not only delicious but nutritious as well. Her desire to ensure everyone was taken care of when it came to meals in the guild and he needed to find a way to express his gratitude for all her hard work.

Finished with his meal, someone swept by and picked up his plate before he could even think about what to do with it. calling out thanks to the boy who took his plate, Tom moved back to the entrance of the guild building to begin greeting people. They began arriving shortly after and they shook his hand or offered their thanks to him with smiles on their faces. Everyone seemed positive about the evening, except those who lost a loved one in the battle. Which was to be expected.

Forming a line at the tables, the people of Vanguard began to get their food while the kitchen staff stood behind the tables serving them. They chatted amongst themselves and Tom greeted each one as they exited the building. The personal touch seemed to bolster their spirits as he saw several who would turn their heads to look back at him, smiling or whispering to a friend.

Tom hadn't met everyone in the guild personally, so some were pointing at him and seemed to either be explaining who he was or just realizing they had met the guild leader personally for the first time. He vowed to make more of an effort to get to know people but knew that might be a pipe dream given how many people there were now and the situations that continued to arise that needed his personal attention.

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As the members of the guild continued to arrive, Tom noticed that the people who had been held captive by The Master were all brought out at the same time. They were clean and had been given new clothing, though many of them still looked underfed and appeared skittish in the way they looked around as though they were waiting for the other shoe to drop and something horrible happen.

Tom couldn't blame them. The horrors they had endured would be enough to make anyone paranoid. They were exceptionally grateful when greeting Tom, all of them recognizing him immediately from their rescue. Rebecca was with them and escorted them past Tom when they began to hold up the line behind them with their excitement at seeing him again.

"I know it weighs on you, but we did a good thing in rescuing them, despite the cost," Derek said walking up behind Tom and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I know. And that is likely the only reason I'm able to do this." Tom replied as he continued to greet people as they exited the building.

"Good. Because I can't get you out of this one. I'm glad you seem to be handling this better. If you need to talk, we are all here for you." Derek said as he pulled on Tom's shoulder to make him face him.

Tom paused as his eyes met Derek's and he saw the sincerity in them as well as the hurt he was masking.

"Thanks, Derek," Tom said as he pulled his friend into a hug.

Once everyone was present and had food, Tom looked out over the sea of faces and realized just how many people had come to join them. It filled his heart with pride that so many were willing to work for their betterment. They all had similar experiences with the horrors that had occurred when the System was brought to Earth and had opportunities to choose what kind of people they would be now. He was happy to see so many had chosen to work to make life easier rather than become selfish.

Brian moved to a microphone that had been set up near the entrance to the building and began to speak into it.

"Thank you all for coming today. We wanted to make sure that we showed our appreciation for everything you have done to make Vanguard what it is today. We achieved a great victory today, but it came with a cost. One we will have to ask ourselves if we are willing to make far more often than we would have in the before. I asked Tom, our guild leader, if he would be willing to say a few words to you all. Tom, if you would." Brian said as he stepped back and motioned him over.

Tom walked over and nervously cleared his throat as he stepped up to the microphone.

"Hello. As Brian said, I'm Tom for anyone I haven't had the pleasure to get to know better. And I'm sorry for that. But I want to do better at that. In the meantime, I can't say how proud of everyone I am. We have all come together from different places, different lifestyles, and different backgrounds to make something special where we can begin to feel safe again. To set up a new sense of normal in this world. You all show me that we can be better if we work together." Tom began.

"When someone threatened the peace we strive for, we banded together and rose to meet the challenge. It filled me with pride to see zero hesitation to fight for what we are working to build here. But my heart is heavy with the price that was paid to achieve our victory. Those who gave their lives so that others might be free will never be forgotten. Their legacy will live on in our memories as well as in the lives of those who were spared and set free." Tom paused as he scanned the faces of the crowd, all eyes watching him.

"We have a choice in every action we take. Some believe that the timelines of the universe split with each of these decisions and can diverge into alternate existences where the consequences are played out of not making the same decisions. While I don't know if this is the case or if there is a universe where we all came back safe and freed those who were enslaved, I do know that every one of the members who fought for the ability to give those under The Master's control the right to live free did so knowing that the price they might pay would be high." Taking a deep breath before continuing, Tom saw Derek giving him an approving nod.

"A cliche we can never seem to get away from is that freedom is never free. It is paid for in the blood of those willing to stand against tyranny and those who wish to force their ideals on others. I know it sounds stupid to just repeat this, but I never felt its true meaning until recently. I never served in the military, so I didn't see my friends die in combat before the world changed. I've now felt that pain. I bear a burden that each of us share now of the loss of good people. The loss of friends and allies. The loss of family. But I urge each of you to remember them and their sacrifices. That their sacrifices were not in vain, but rather they were for our betterment and our dream of a life of normalcy and safety where we each stick up for one another and become strong." Tom stepped back from the mic and he was greeted with an applause that started small and swelled until people were cheering.

Some shed tears, others seemed to be so inspired by the speech that they were ready to head back out into battle. Tom couldn't blame them. Sometimes his anger at the situation almost drove him back to violence as well to avenge those they had lost. He knew there was no comfort in that option though and instead worked to find a healthier way of dealing with his pain.

"Thanks for speaking, Tom. Now, a few housekeeping items..." Brian began as he went through a list of things that needed to be addressed.

Tom moved away from the focus of the crowd and grabbed a piece of meat from the serving table. He began to walk away, then paused, turned back, and grabbed an additional piece for Jerky. His familiar appeared on his shoulder and eagerly took the meat, wolfing it down with vigor. Chuckling at the now-armored Quasit, Tom went to the memorial pillar that had been created for the occasion and read each of the names on it to himself.

After a little more time had passed, a funeral pyre was made in the middle of the courtyard, and the bodies of the fallen were carried out of the building and laid respectfully on the logs. Tom used his Eldritch Blast spell to light the pyre, and the entire guild shared a long moment of silence in memory of those they lost.