-17-

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The frigid air cut straight through the dual-layers of my uniform coat.

Along the northwest corner of Tolin, in a section of the Residential District that bordered the Citadel, a large cemetery was hidden away behind an expansive garden park. Both the gardens and cemetery were in a poor state, long past their prime when the city was inhabited.

A committee of volunteers had been hard at work the last two days cleaning both sites of debris and wild overgrowth.

In the center of the park stood a large memorial dedicated to imperial heroes of the past. It was a statue with a featureless face, with its right hand resting over the hilt of a down-turned sword. It marked the entrance to the cemetery proper, atop a large hill—a hill that I was currently on, my arms locked with Hailey’s.

We both stood there shivering in the cold.

Snowfall from last night covered our surroundings, dampening the sounds of idle chatter.

“A-Airis, c-can we find somew-where warmer to wait?”

“I don’t t-think my legs can m-move”

“I’ll c-carry you a-anywhere. Just t-tell me where!”

“There you two are!”

A woman’s voice called out cheerfully behind us.

Hailey and I shuffled ourselves around to find out who in their right mind could be so happy in this dreary cold.

“Mei?”

“H-How are you wearing s-shorts!?”

“Aren’t y-you f-freezing?”

“Freezing? No way, this weather is so nice!”

She’s lost her mind. The cold has made her go insane.

The crazed elf spun around on the ball of her left foot, her arms extended out wide.

“Freshly fallen snow is just the best to track game in. And the nice breeze helps cool your body down when running through the woods!”

“E-Elves are w-weird.”

Hailey was absolutely right. Elves were weird.

Mei grabbed both of our free hands and started to pull us away.

“Careful! You m-might shatter our arms!”

“Ha ha. Very funny! It’s not even that bad. Winters back home would be twice as cold!”

Hailey and I both exchanged looks of concern.

“Come on! They set up some tents further in, I heard they have a bonfire going.”

“M-Mei, y-you’re our s-savior!”

Hailey and I were still huddled together for warmth, but inside the tent it was like a different world.

Feeling started to return to my fingers.

Since arriving, we added one more to our group-warmth huddle. Next to us was Tatsuko, still shaking as she warmed up.

Maybe not all elves are weird… Just Mei.

The large military-style tent we’d taken shelter in belonged to the Church of the Consecrated Light.

Members of the faith that had fled Axio with the divisional army claimed Tolin’s old basilica church, and were in the process of cleaning and restoring it to a usable status.

From earlier debriefings with Julius and Hailey, it was estimated there were only a dozen members of the Church who had made it out of Axio.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

One of which turned out to be quite prominent.

A young woman, who I guessed to be only a year or two my senior, was passing out blankets to other poor souls stricken by the cold.

Beautiful golden curls fell down to her shoulders. Her clothes were flashy, in a style that was unique to the Church itself. A long bright white tunic, which tapered at the edges like a pleated skirt, was covered by a soft-red robe. Shiny brass buttons, buckles, and other accents adorned the entire outfit.

Her name was Karina Ives.

And she was a Primarch of the Church.

The Church was led by three Primarchs. Each of whom were elected by the ruling body, members known as Grand Magisters.

Primarchs were the embodiment of the Church’s policies. Whatever they said, and did, was considered to be the rule of the Church.

And one of those rulers had given Hailey and I a soft cotton blanket just moments ago.

Once I’d warmed up to a point where I was able to function as a person again, I waved her down to thank her.

Karina was the definition of good-natured.

“It was no problem at all, My Lady. To see yourself and the lady commander in such a state had me worried.”

“We’ll certainly be more careful the next time we’re venturing through the city.”

“I am glad to hear it. You are both here for the memorial services this evening, yes?”

“We are. I’ve been briefed that the Church will be overseeing the majority of the ceremony. I take it that you’ll be speaking?”

“Indeed. I believe it should fall to me and mine to guide those grieving the recently departed. Though our facilities leave more to be desired, our hearts are full and our shoulders ready and strong.”

“I’m glad to see you’ve not been shaken too badly with all that’s happened, Primarch.”

“The same can be said of you, My Lady. Should you ever need a shoulder to lean on I’m at your service.” Karina quickly turned to Hailey and smiled, “Not that you are without your own close support.”

“Thank you again for the blanket, and the warm refuge.”

I stood to take my leave, but Karina held me back a moment.

“Should you find some time, I would like to speak with you… about your encounter with the Holy One.”

“The Holy… Ah, the Goddess Virgo. I can make some time. What interests do you have? I could have something prepared in writing beforehand for you—”

“Oh no, that is not necessary! I simply wish to ensure that the Church properly serves the wills of Divinity.”

Hesitating on what to say, I decided a nod and a wave was the way to go.

Hailey and I made our way through the remainder of the cemetery to where the grounds had been prepared for the ceremony.

A robed Magister led us to a row of seats arranged in a semi-circle around a lit brazier. Shortly afterwards we were joined by the remainder of our party members.

----------------------------------------

The service had gone smoothly thus far. Primarch Karina acted as the primary speaker and delivered a short sermon-like opening but kept the focus on those whose lives had been lost in the battles to take the city.

A few soldiers gave impassioned speeches about their fallen comrades.

Now, nearing the end of the ceremony, Hailey was wrapping up her own speech. Her delicate words had sent the gathering into a moment of stillness.

“—and it is with the brilliant hopes of those before us, that we light our path anew. Our hearts are steeled by their resolve, that we will know peace once more.”

“…”

How am I supposed to follow up that!?

Hailey returned to her seat next to mine and whispered in my ear.

“Your turn. Just be yourself.”

I don’t think you really mean that. Being myself would be to freeze up and slink away without talking.

Tightly gripping my hands together I took a deep breath and took my place at the head of the gathering. Looking out over the crowd, I was overcome with a sudden flood of emotions, pain and grief mixing together in a messy whirlpool.

Locked away in the depths of my mind were the stresses of this ill-begotten flight to Tolin. The murder of my father, my missing mother, and the intimate relation with death that my close friends and myself have endured.

We’d faced down an impending doom and came out on the other side. But we didn’t make it unscathed.

Many of us were wounded.

And most of those wounds were etched deeper into our souls than physical injuries.

One glance at Hailey, and the last vestiges of the wall I’d put up came crumbling down. I barely managed to keep myself from a complete breakdown.

I wiped the cold sting from my tear streaked cheeks.

“Time alone may not heal us. Our grief will stay with us. Entrenched deep into our hearts. This pain, our sorrow, is not a weakness. It is our strength. It is the price of our love. If you feel broken…”

Trailing off listlessly, my voice was carried off with the wind.

The bitter cold nipped at the streak lines on my face as my pain continued to stream down. I let myself be vulnerable for a moment, before tightening my resolve.

“I-If you feel broken, like I do. Know you are not alone. I am hurting with you. But I will be strong alongside you. We cannot let our grief restrain us.”

I walked back to my seat, keeping my posture as refined as I could in the freezing weather. I didn’t know if I sounded like an idiot up there, but I did know I meant every word.

Once I’d taken my seat Primarch Karina began the Church’s burial rites, wrapping up the evening’s ceremony.