Three days later a plain under the Royal Kurgan was flooded with Helvettians. Citizens from almost the whole planet arrived there to pay a last tribute to their beloved king. Only those who lived in the attacked regions stayed home to repair the infrastructure and take care of the wounded. They could still watch the live transmission from the drones, which flew above the hill.

Ivendir and three other individuals stood on a stone platform, and an obsidian ossuary rested on wooden brackets behind them.

"I don't know if we ever recover from this loss," said Ivendir in a soft voice, "but I promise to do my best." He, just like all significant figures that gathered here, wore long, grey robes. The bronze clips on his belt depicted the deepest roots of the Evergreen Tree. This traditional decoration symbolised a renewed connection with the earth of Helvetto.

"Brymir was always my greatest inspiration," continued Ivendir, his shoulder-length, crimson hair swaying in the wind, "a guide and a teacher..."

Heavy banners waved gently, each of them symbolised a different group of officials. The aquamarine one with a diamond represented Vardir, but Erilaz, Andvari and Hefri didn't even raise their eyes to admire their insignia. With grey hoods covering their faces, they stood behind Ivendir, gazing at the ground. Andvari, the tallest and strongest of them, held his head so low that Hefri almost matched his height.

Ivendir's sea-green eyes swept the gathered Celestians. "...so I will do everything to make him proud." He raised his fist. The falling sleeve uncovered his tattoo of a green snake coiled around his arm. He inhaled the cold, fresh air and called, "Helvetto will prevail!"

"Helvetto will prevail!" responded the crowd, raising their fists and waving their flags.

Ivendir turned towards the obsidian ossuary, his hair danced around him in the wind. The two Celestians standing behind him lifted the ossuary. Their exoskeletons hidden under their robes buzzed quietly. The third man carried a bowl with incandescent herbs. Ivendir took a place in front of them, and they headed towards the entrance to the kurgan.

Erilaz spent this whole time at a standstill. The three days between the battle and the funeral seemed to him like an eternity. He couldn't remember simple things and it took him a few moments to understand who says what. His only food was cream soups and shakes because his stomach tightened itself as if an iron vise squashed it. Sleepless nights left dark circles under his eyes, and his hair resembled a sheaf of hay. Thick veins appeared on his hands, deforming his tattoo with a triskelion symbol. He could easily get some strong sleeping pills but after taking one dose his nightmares escalated. His visions didn't remind him of anything particular. He only experienced overwhelming helplessness that turned into fright and ended with the feeling of his own death.

He suddenly took a few steps forward and stood in the Ivendir's way.

"Ivendir... wait," he breathed.

Ivendir stopped, and the expression of confusion flickered on his face. Erilaz was much taller and more muscular than him but now the Vardir Commander lost all his grace and proud posture.

Ivendir raised his eyebrow. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, can I just..." responded Erilaz, trying to find the right words, "spend some time here before you, you know..." He exhaled nervously and looked into Ivendir's eyes. "Let me spend these final moments with my father."

Ivendir tightened his lips, glancing at the Celestians behind him. Unlike Erilaz, he just wanted to finish this ceremony and hide in his chamber to distract his overburdened mind. Every minute of thinking about his cousin consumed a fair bit of his energy.

"Fine," he responded listlessly, shrugging as if he was talking to himself. Motioning to the Celestians, he commanded, "Stub the fire out."

Ivendir and the hooded individuals walked inside and left the ossuary on the ground. The man with a bowl put it next to the obsidian chest to burn out. Only a thin wisp soared over the charred herbs, leaving a subtle scent in its wake.

Ivendir marched out of the crypt first. He managed to maintain the appearance of a serious, impassive official all along but when he walked away from the kurgan, he released his true emotions.

It had to happen, he thought, sniffing. He lowered his sight, his eyes shining like perfectly polished crystals. Sorry Brymir, it was unavoidable.

As he trotted down the stairs, a thick lump swelled in this throat. Damn it, Brymir, I'm so sorry...

Erilaz waited until they leave and the crowd below thins out. Then he entered the crypt. His slow steps echoed inside and his robe shuffled quietly. As he approached the ossuary, his heart pounded louder and louder. Nothing seemed real to him and the echo of every sound compounded this feeling. He fought the dizziness, but his shallow breath only exacerbated it. The interior of the kurgan was colder than the air outside, and yet his hands felt clammy.

When he stopped next to the ossuary, he sniffed deeply, unable to restrain himself any more. The psychological pain transformed into choking in his throat, a numbness of his legs and squeezing in his stomach.

The first tear streamed down his cheek. He slumped down, leaning on the cover of the ossuary. He hid his face behind the loose sleeves when the next tears appeared. Panting, like after exerting a huge effort, he gripped his sleeves to at least soothe the inner tension but it left no effect except even stronger stinging in his muscles.

Forgetting about eating, sleeping and other necessities, he spent the next three days inside the crypt.

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Helvetto slowly began to deal with this tragedy. Life returned on the streets and everyone had to take care of their own business but the gloomy atmosphere loomed over this world like a vulture.

Andvari and Hefri spent these days on more or less important activities. They were doing everything to keep their minds occupied. Andvari sat in his chamber, tinkering with his unfinished tiny robots while Hefri gazed through the window. Her dark blue shirt dress matched her eye colour, and her black ponytail shone like an onyx carving.

Everything suggested that life returned to the castle roofs. Green leaves and buds began to enliven the brownish grey roof gardens. Birds returned to the dwarf trees, nesting between their naked branches.

"He's still there," said Hefri and crossed her arms, her sight boring into one distant hill.

"Hefri, I understand he's completely shocked," responded Andvari, soldering little wires and cables, "but I think it's a little bit too much."

Whenever he touched the wires, the pen he held cracked, scattering sparks. A wide grey box stood on the table and it was filled with a fair number of cords, cogs, jars of paint and other tools for precise jobs. A few sparks reached his loose shirt, leaving tiny dark dots. Two silver beads on his dreadlocks flickered when the sparks jumped around. His spiky piercings in his ear and eyebrow contrasted with his oval face and a triskelion engraved on his bead symbolised his friendship with Hefri and Erilaz. Hefri always wore the same symbol too–it decorated her silver necklace.

Andvari emerged from behind the box. "He almost got killed there." He spread his arms. "And if they didn't retreat, we would need to carry on the battle without him." Scratching the machine with a soldering pen again, he added, "And you had to risk your life to save him."

Hefri glanced at him. "There were enough deaths for those two days."

Andvari looked at her with gentleness. "Not that I was angry at him, I just think it was a bit..." he raised his eyebrow, "...incompetent? Unprofessional?"

Turning towards him, Hefri put her hands on her hips and snarled, "I wonder what would you say if your father got..." She covered her face. "Oh wait..."

"Don't judge me for that," snapped Andvari, wrinkling his forehead, "we all knew my father was a traitor. He had to die." He put his fist on the table. "By my hand." He buried the soldering pen so deeply in a metal plate that a wisp of black smoke swirled over it. Sighing deeply, he propped his head with his hand, and his sight become vacant. "And overall, he was a trash parent."

Hefri looked out of the window again.

Ironic, she thought, watching the nature waking up from its winter slumber. The spring was supposed to be a happy time on Helvetto, but this year everyone seemed grief-stricken. A large, blue bird with four legs landed next to its partner. They greeted each other by a cheerful chirp while a group of royal officials walked the pavement below with gloomy expressions on their faces.

"Anyways, maybe we should go and check on him?" she proposed.

"Fine," said Andvari and stood up, "just hold your breath before you enter." He put a lid on the box. "You know, the ossuary. It's not sealed yet."

Hefri only rolled her eyes, even though she knew how her companion deals with difficult situations. Andvari used pointless jokes to dissociate himself from the pain. Every banter was for him like a brick necessary to build a wall around him, something that could isolate him from the harsh reality.

Andvari tucked the box under his bed. He approached Hefri and together they left his chamber.

They got off their quads and began to climb a steep, rocky footpath. The ground dried a bit after the recent rains, and the hillsides bloomed with all shades of green. More and more colourful flowers grew between bushes and grass. Most insects still hibernated but those that woke up didn't waste their short life and flew around the flowers, seeking the tasty nectar. Trees released their leaves from buds and the bald hills turned lush again. The last remains of snow marked the higher slopes with dirty white smudges.

Hefri and Andvari reached the kurgan. A little stab of uncertainty stopped her for a moment, so Andvari approached the entrance first.

"Erilaz? Hi," he said, peeking inside. "Are you ok?"

Erilaz still leant on the ossuary, hiding his face behind his sleeves. Hearing the voice of his friend, he turned around. Andvari stepped back, hiding the concern on his face. Erilaz's appearance unnerved him. Greasy, tousled hair uncovered Erilaz's face and the dark purple circles made his weary, red eyes look even smaller. Smudges of dust stuck to his grey rumpled robe and his sleeves shone with his dried up tears and nasal discharge.

"What happened?" he mumbled with a hoarse voice.

So it went that far, thought Andvari, looking at his friend with compassion. He was still angry at Erilaz's reaction to this tragedy but this sight clutched his heart. He just wanted to hug Erilaz with all his might, but he knew it may be too sudden of a move.

Hefri stood next to him, trying to phrase the least hurtful response. All words seemed to be too harsh. She sympathised with him, but time didn't stand still.

Scratching her head, she began hesitantly, "We see how much you are suffering but...hmmm, this crypt can't stay open forever."

"I know," muttered Erilaz. He curled up his legs and leant his head on his knees.

Hefri continued in a gentle voice, "Let him rest. He deserved it. And..." she spread her arms, "...it’s hard for us all, but there's going to be a lot of changes." Counting on her fingers, she began to list, "Ivendir's enthronement, the whole mess with pen-pushers, maybe some local riots and so many other things."

"That's fine, I get it," said Erilaz without any emotions. He propped himself on his hands and stood up. Faltering on his trembling legs, he leant against the ossuary. He sighed deeply as if this action cost him too much energy.

And that's all? wondered Andvari. Erilaz's resignation surprised him a bit. He expected his friend to argue and stand his ground. He was sure Erilaz would want to stay here even longer.

Trying to relieve the tension, Andvari swung his hand, saying, "Would be nice if you could join us for the big show Ivendir is planning." He shrugged with a bleak expression. "Sad Vardir's duty."

Gazing vacantly at the floor, Erilaz brushed his sticky hair aside and straightened his earring. He acquired this ornament when he was a teenager. He was hunting with his friends and was the first one to catch an aggressive aquatic reptile.

"It's tomorrow so we came earlier, we think you need some time to pull yourself together," added Andvari.

"You're right, " responded Erilaz, mindlessly spreading his arms.

"Come on." Andvari folded his fingers in an encouraging gesture. He waited until Erilaz left the cave and together with Hefri, they headed towards the trail.

They walked down the hill in silence. All they heard were the swoosh of the wind and sparse squeaks of birds. Andvari felt a slight discomfort. He could have said something more, comfort his friend or thrown in a few nice words.

Well, he wondered, maybe keeping my mouth shut was a better choice than saying something close to the bone.

He glanced behind. Erilaz tagged along beside Hefri and him, his expression remained lifeless and fatigued.

"That was pretty easy," he murmured to Hefri, making sure once again that Erilaz wouldn’t notice it.

"Maybe he's just sick of it all, and dealing with us is the last thing he needs?" she said, looking around at the distant snowy mountains.

Andvari shivered and clenched his teeth. "It's still better than letting him sleep in that crypt..."

"Yeah," she muttered. "Let the funeral guys just burn the body and seal the crypt. It will be better for Erilaz. And maybe for us too."