Chapter 78

Cid's eyes were sunken, dark rings rimmed them within their sockets, his skin an ashen grey, as he stood before a hastily dug hole that went deep.

He stared down into the inky blackness as if yearning for it to consume him. Tobias set his hand on his shoulder in support. His eyes never wavered from the space, not even flitting to the bundle wrapped in fabric to his left.

It had been an arduous trek through the tunnels of Ranger Central, then down towards the tree line, but Cid had insisted, both on the spot, and carrying the burden of her body.

"She'll be able to rest here," His voice cracked within the quiet grove of evergreen trees. They were standing before a towering spruce. The first lights broke the horizon, prompting the sounds of just waking birds, singing in greeting to the day.

"Well, old girl, I know how much you hated it when I hesitated," Cid chuckled sadly to himself before sliding into the hole, his head barely peeking out over the top of it, taking the bundle and laying it down reverently, hauling himself out.

He sniffled as he stood, "You were a good companion and a better friend, and all of the family I had left from the tribe. Give Elendril my best and let her know it won't be much longer if there's any justice, but I'll hold here till the work is done. It's what you both would have wanted," Turning, taking in air with a severe gasp, he rapidly walked away, leaning against a tree for support.

"Should we try to talk to him?" Riley whispered. She was no stranger to funerals; memories of her parents and grandmother percolated in her brain. Closed caskets and bright flowers, the smells of food and death mixing oddly in the halls of the mortuary.

It was far more natural here, with cold, clean air and misty frosts sparkling in the first lights of the coming day. She had watched the sky brighten as Tobias and Cid had dug, only for the sky to give way to its blazing display of color, oranges and reds burned in beautiful testimony to life in the face of death's night.

Yes, this was better. There were no hovering pastors eager to make a sale or tinny, oft repeated statements. There was just life and death at its most real, the beginning of a day, at the ceremonial ending of a life.

It would be a reminder, a lesson, someday, but today... it just sucked. It sucked that there wasn't more time, it sucked that it had come to this, it just plain sucked in general, Riley concluded.

She had long ago learned, when her parents had left, that she hated endings and not knowing what was next for them or if they would truly continue.

Her eyes went wide as she realized that she knew now they had gone on. That the spirit was as real as magic, which was as real as anything.

She had seen the light go out in her eyes before waking up anew. There was another life waiting at the end of her old one, and if it was true of her, a tiny speck within a vast infinity, then how could it not be true of everyone?

Zorna would continue beyond the now, just as she had.

"But what of the Hawk? The ritual?" She said to herself, the words soft and fearful within her mind.

It couldn't stand; there had to be a way to undo it and set things back to right. Zorna deserved her afterlife, her next chance. It was a sin, more than anything she had ever known, that something eternal could be sacrificed for the mortal, for something so base as power.

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She didn't need to understand any more than that. Mavora needed to go down and hard, right along with Chadrick, maybe... depending on his involvement.

An icy resolve gripped her as she stared down into the hole.

"I'm going to stop this."

The sound of shoveling snapped her out of her reflection, of dirt hitting cloth, as Riley realized her whole body was tense.

Taking a deep breath, she let the tension go.

She wished it was that easy for Cid, who was still braced up against the tree, watching Tobias fill in the hole with dirt.

"Should I tell him about our choice? Or should we let him grieve and tell him later?" Riley prompted Tobias.

"I honestly don't know," He whispered under his breath, stopping to get a glance at Cid.

"I'll talk to him," Riley decided.

"Gently this time," He replied. She flattened her ears in a scold.

"Ass..." She cursed as she hopped.

"Leave me, beast. I need some time," Cid demanded as she approached.

"Do you really mean that?" Riley paused to reach out and touch his leg, making contact, "It would help me to talk."

Cid sighed, "What is there to say? You were right, I need to move on, but I don't know if I can, really. There's a hole inside, and I know grief is the process of learning to live with it, but it's been a long, hard life, and I'm full of holes. My spirit practically whistles when the wind blows."

"It's a cliché, but it's a day at a time thing. You think about the good you did, the good moments you had, the people you inspired with your brutality. You beat up Tobias and me real good," Riley joked.

Cid chuckled, "You two have something special. Hold on to that."

"We plan to. We were wondering if you'd join us after you've had some time to mourn. We plan to bond our magic here in her honor, but we understand if you don't want to stay. It's already been a hard day," Riley spoke gently, careful of every syllable, prompted by a strange feeling of mournful love percolating inside.

She had found a family, and a purpose, something she had longed for...but only realized it as she had to say goodbye.

It was like her own genesis; that day, too, was one of revelation, ending, and beginning, of final acts of courage and hopeful, fateful decisions.

Cid smiled for the first time in what seemed like forever, wiping at his eyes again. "I'm happy for you two and honored you want to make that commitment here and include her."

"Zorna is family too. Today is where we start to make it right," Riley cocked her head to look directly at Cid, reaching out with her paw to make contact yet again.

His voice quavered as Riley pressed up to his legs, "Let's keep talking. Tobias is almost done filling in the hole."

Cid laughed suddenly, his voice breaking the peace of the morning and the soft sounds of shoveling, causing Tobias to look towards them both.

Surreptitiously, he nodded to Riley in support.

"Come on, beast," Cid prompted, moving back towards the grave, standing straighter than he had before.

"Goodbye my dear," He said with mournful longing before helping Tobias cover her until a raised mound stood before the tree.

"No marker?" Riley asked.

"We've a good one. I know this place, and it's not too far a walk," Cid patted the spruce in emphasis.

"It does kind of stick out," Riley agreed, as they each regarded the other awkwardly, sitting in silence, serenaded by bird song.

The sun finally crested the ridge of the mountains, bathing them in light.

"So Riley here told me you were to bond your magics to each other?" Cid asked, rocking on his heels.

Tobias nodded, resting his hands on the shovel handle, "We have, but we wanted to ask you about it and how it worked with Zorna."

"Oh, it took some effort, you'll probably find it easier, you see, she didn't have words like your Riley, couldn't afterward with anything but intent and heart, but afterwards, when I knew she saw me as pack, I swore to her, for life and beyond," Cid mused, walking in the memory, "When it's sharing and not taking, both sides benefit, but it takes more work and care than most sorcerers have patience for."

"But how did she swear?" Riley asked, curious.

"With intent and will. She got the funniest look after I said my words, looked at me as if she could understand everything I had just said and done, and then, there was this sudden surge of connection. It was as if... I dunno; my soul had another side to it. We were inseparable from that moment forward. There's more, but the words to describe are as slippery as an eel."

Tobias and Riley looked at each other awkwardly.

"So what are you two waiting for? Get on with it!" Cid demanded, crossing his arms.