Upon reaching their destination, a gathering formed at the base of the stairs that led to the Valkyrie domain. The place had been meticulously arranged to suit the grandeur of the occasion, an event that, with its multitude of attendees, rightfully deserved to be hailed as a pilgrimage by many Odoe.

Constructed with great care and artistry, an estrade stood prominently at the base of the stairs. It served as the elevated platform for the leader of the ceremony to stand on. Made from polished moon-like stone, the estrade glistened with a radiant sheen, reflecting the hues of the surrounding environment.

Positioned around the estrade were seven magnificent pillars, crafted entirely from Odo. Rising tall and proud, each pillar was an obvious reverence to the staves surrounding the capital. The pillars, aligned in a circular formation, encircled the empty space at the center of the gathering. Their smooth surfaces emitted a warm, golden glow, casting soft rays of light upon the surrounding area. The pillars acted as guardians, symbolically delineating the sacred space and providing a sense of sanctity and sanctuary.

The Odoe, along with all the other attendees, gathered outside the perimeter of the pillars, forming their own circular arrangement. The Rustler, while outside the circular perimeter, found himself positioned with Men'ma's family in a privileged spot near the set of stairs and the elevated estrade. He could tell that it would be the center of the ceremony, along with several other families whom Men'ma's family seemed very familiar with from the way they greeted each other warmly.

Naturally, being an Arbian and not even attempting to hide it amidst so many Odoe, who seemed to have never seen an Arbian in their lives judging by their stares, the Rustler drew considerable attention to himself. However, with the support of Men'ma's family, who were aware of the attention they attracted and didn't care about it, and with the arrival of those who were to lead the ceremony, his presence was soon forgotten or at least set aside to begin the ceremony.

Walking to the estrade, the figure who clearly would be the one leading the ceremony stood, her gaze concealed by a golden visor, capturing the attention of all those present. It was the Eldest, the leader of the Valkyries. Standing beside the Eldest were the eight maiden Valkyries, their gazes also hidden behind golden visors while dressed in ceremonial robes.

Their presence emanated an aura of reverence and mystique, captivating the awe of everyone in attendance. The ceremony commenced with the resonant voice of the Eldest, delivering a speech about the significance of Lunar harmony for the Odoe race. She also offered words of praise for everyone present—or at least for all the Odoe present. The Rustler could sense that the Eldest's gaze occasionally fell upon him behind her concealing visor.

The Eldest's oration focused on unity, remembrance, and the eternal cycle of life, proclaiming their lands to be the realm of rebirth.

The ceremony progressed to its next phase as the resonant voice of the Eldest led the way. While it failed to stir the Rustler, it stirred the hearts of the Odoe. As the speech concluded, to his surprise, the atmosphere shifted dramatically, and a vibrant procession of Odoe emerged, their steps accompanied by resounding chants that resonated through the air.

The Rustler felt a familiar tune within the chants, reminiscent of the melodic songs sung by the Odoe of the Southern Continent. A procession began amidst an aura of spirited energy and deep reverence, as groups of Odoe entered the large circle formed by the crowd and the four pillars, carrying a weight upon their shoulders: coffins.

They entered the circular perimeter in pairs, quartets, or occasionally in groups of six, determined by the weight of the burdens they bore upon their shoulders. The coffins varied in size, ranging from grand to petite, while their decorations spanned from opulent to modest, adorned with either lavish embellishments or simple arrangements of real flowers.

Men and women, sometimes in pairs and other times in larger groups, carefully placed the coffins within the circle. With the coffin lids not closed, what the Rustler saw from his vantage point revealed to him that they were not empty and that there was in fact a lifeless being laying inside each one of them, and by the end of the procession, several thousand coffins had been brought to the middle of the circular surface by people who could be imagined as members of the deceased's family which made a crowd of tens of thousands of people. Yet out of them all, spare for a few, if any, were displaying somber expressions one would expect from a grieving family. In fact, they appeared strangely at peace, if not outright joyous, actively participating in the ongoing singing.

Looking around, the Rustler saw no one, feeling somewhat intrigued by the sight. Most of them, including Men'ma's parents and even her little cousins standing beside him, were casually swaying to the ongoing melody.

Perhaps sensing the Rustler’s puzzlement at the ongoing ceremony he was more less clueless about, Men’ma’s mother put a hand on his shoulder and explained as she leaned in on him, "You must wonder why even the members of the family are all so joyous, right?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Having no reason to possibly deny it, but also genuinely curious about the answer, the Rustler nodded.

"It’s because they’ve all already finished mourning, or at least most of them have," she explained.

"… finished mourning?" the Rustler mumbled taking in the sight.

It sure looks that part.

"Yes, they understand that it's time to let go, which is why they are doing so amidst our cheers and singing," she explained, swaying to the rhythm of the singing. With a tap on his back, she also invited him to join in. "And even if some of them aren’t done with their mourning yet, they know that holding on will not only cause more harm than good for themselves but also delay their loved-one’s return to the next Lunar Harmony. Since they must let go, they might as well do it with joy and laughter." Awkward as it felt, the Rustler, with the encouragement of Men’ma’s mother joined in by Men’ma’s father, followed. As he did, he sensed Men'ma's gaze penetrating through her visor, seemingly fixated on him. Simultaneously, the Eldest's gaze bore down on him with intensity. Despite their piercing and opposite stares, he did his best to ignore both of their gazes.

Soon to proceed with the ceremony, the Eldest walked forward, accompanied by the Valkyries. With the exception of Men'ma, who remained by the Eldest's side, the seven maiden valkyrie entered the perimeter and positioned themselves at each of the pillars, which as the Rustler assumed, represented the seven staves surrounding the capital. Each of the Maiden Valkyrie headed to her respective pillar.

"The circle of life encompasses both beginnings and endings, as the dance of existence is guided by the harmonious embrace of the Odo tree," began the Eldest, her voice resonating with wisdom and serenity.

"As we gather here today, surrounded by the sacred presence of the Odoe, let us remember that life and death are intertwined, flowing together in a graceful rhythm. Just as the Odo tree nourishes the earth and grants us vitality, it also teaches us the beauty and acceptance of the cycle of life.

"Life is a gift bestowed upon us, and it is our duty to embrace it fully, cherishing each moment and nurturing the bonds that bind us. We are blessed with the ability to love, create, and find joy in the simplest of things. The Odo flowing in your veins exemplifies this, its hues forever golden, radiant, and resilient."

"Yet, when the time comes for our journey to reach its culmination, let not fear overshadow our hearts. For here, under the shades of the Odo tree, the sacred gift of our beloved Matriarch, mother of all Odoes, we find solace and transcendence. Death is but a transformation, a transition from one state of being to another, where the essence—Our Odo—will return to the eternal embrace of the Odo tree for new life to then sprout forth.

"Let us honor the memory of those who have departed, their spirits forever entwined with ours. In their absence, we find strength in the remembrance of their love, their wisdom, or simply what used to be their presence." The Eldest took a moment of silence, allowing her words to fully sink into the hearts of all present. Then, she motioned to the maiden Valkyries, who immediately extended their arms wide in a grand welcoming gesture, as if summoning something—and indeed, something answered the call.

It all began with the Odo tree glowing even more radiant and golden than before, capturing the Rustler's attention. However, his focus was quickly drawn back to the center of the circular perimeter. Golden droplets started seeping from the ground, gradually forming a gigantic golden pool at the feet of the Valkyries. From the pool, several root-like tendrils of Odo emerged, delicately sinking the coffins, one by one, into the shimmering, almost living pool.

As each coffin was enveloped by the golden pool, occasional wood-crackling sounds could be heard along with another noise that the Rustler, familiar with the sound of bones being shattered, couldn't help but recognize amidst the other noises. He glanced around, only to find that the faces surrounding him were filled with awe and fascination, mesmerized by the phenomenon unfolding before them more than anything else.

One by one the coffins and their contents were gradually submerged, leaving nothing behind.

"The first valkyries, with their wisdom and grace, taught us that to us, death is not an end but a new beginning, a passage into the eternal embrace of the Odo tree."

As the Odo withdrew, having engulfed the last few coffins, the golden pool sank into the ground, disappearing as smoothly as it had appeared. Contrary to what the Rustler had feared from the sounds he heard, there was nothing macabre left behind. The coffins, the corpses, and even the flowers used to decorate the former were gone, as if they had never been there.

"May we all find comfort in this truth, that our farewell is nothing but a temporary one, that the Odo of our loved one will return to the embrace of the Odo tree, only to be reborn in a new form, in new life, carried by the gentle whispers of the Odo tree’s leaves," the Eldest concluded.

Following that, a long moment of silence filled the air, accompanied by a palpable sense of anticipation. All eyes were fixed upon the Odoe tree, which had returned to its usual state. Seconds turned into minutes, heightening the suspense in the atmosphere. The silence of anticipation eventually gave way to a wave of whispers that spread through the crowd.

Curiosity getting the better of him, the Rustler gently reached out and touched Men'ma's mother's dress to get her attention. He leaned closer and softly asked, "what’s the matter?"

"Nothing," Men'ma's mother reassured, though her expression revealed surprise and concern, much like that of the other Odoe around them. "It's just that part of the ceremony, the Odo tree should be shedding its leaves, but it appears that it won't."