Ranpa looked at his friend, who slowly nodded, beaming. "Back when the guards managed to rip through and into my house, I saw your glance near Bancho's body on the other side. The one that landed in my house was the other Paladian."

"Elton's." Atomu finished his sentence again, although still without saying a word.

"People don't get burials like this in Prope Portam," Sam spoke. "...and I don't think even the highest of ceremonies could honour his life." Sam gulped. "It's childish, I know, but-"

"No." Atomu stopped his words, putting a hand on their chin. "D-Downright genius. The body that laid on the Royal Square wasn't Bancho."

"Etlan," Chyuuichi muttered, very quietly. His eyes sparkled.

He recalled the times in the caves when Elton's simple words managed to turn all the skeletons against the three. A simple shout broke through the thick shield that was Chui and Yanma's never-ending argument. The two were quiet ever since, and someone like this deserved to get buried with honour in mind.

"Guess we're lucky that the mayor didn't want to see it," Ranpa uttered.

"There's no such thing as luck, Ranpa." Rowan shook his head. "Only something that was meant to happen,"

Atomu trod towards the body, staring at it for seconds. Even though it was the Wise that lay there, Atomu's thoughts travelled to Elton.

Stories passed through that love create places for those tales to harness and grow like flowers in Herbes. He smiled, gently, and then looked up at Ranpa, who breathed in. Elton's death was going to be honoured.

"It's your decision," Sam spoke up. "You found the body, and you decide what happens to it,"

"I-" Atomu breathed in. "I'm no leader," he uttered.

"Yes, ya are!" Chyuuichi snickered, punching him lightly in the back and Rowan raised both brows.

Atomu blinked twice. "What other choice do we have?" he glanced around, and Rowan's expression suggested that the words he picked were the right choice. "Then," he announced, breathing in. "We'll leave after the burial. They won't know it's him but... like Sam said." he pointed to Sam with his thumb. He stammered. "If we don't bury him ourselves, no one will."

"Adam, You know what Orawood means?" Ranpa took a few steps forward. "A season's worth of travels, no humans, harsh environments, neverending forests and whatever hiding in the shadows." he breathed out. "Only Paladian tales warn us of its dangers."

"I'm ready," Rowan uttered, standing up, and putting a hand on their hidden quiver.

"I'm ready too!" Chyuuichi raised his hand. "If my bestie Rowan's going then count me in as well!"

"Who?" the Tributal turned around.

Atomu breathed out. "I already decided." he glanced at Ranpa, who nodded, albeit with a heavy head.

"Long travels means big equipment," Sam said. "I used to be quite the traveller myself, although mostly through the town, I knew how to get my stuff ready for the day!"

"Woohoo! We don't have to do as much work!" Chyuuichi raised both hands.

Atomu, the older brother, habitually stuffed everything into his small bag, even when going out for breakfast in Magna. It seemed that what Sam took from Ranpa's shelves (much to his dismay) was similar in taste.

He smiled. "It's settled."

***

When it came to events in Prope Portam, most started or entirely took place on the Royal Square, and then everyone usually moved to the big bar for the afterparties. At the beginning of Yule, there was a big party with free food, all sweet specialities imported from Shimori, with a favourite being the snow sugar cubes. The mayor was the one who began the night, and then the Paladians indulged in pure enjoyment.

Although, joy wasn't quite the word to use when it comes to burials. They didn't necessarily happen often, maybe thrice per season, but when they did, the atmosphere was grim, with only a few stories about honouring the life of the passed.

Despite the usual upbeat emotions and a smirk directed at the future, burials were silent.

They took place in the Groves district, as, adjacent to the llove trees, there was a cemetery stretching above the hill perpendicular to a river, decorated with lush, orange bushes. It extended towards the wall of trees separating the town from open landscapes. During such events, the closest gathered around the coffin, and the strongest present was tasked with assailing the casket. Then, in silence, they all went home, and the dead's family rested for the day, given hours off work.

Following those notions, the Klakunhoi headed through the Medulla streets and through the clearest path in Groves. Although Atomu didn't know the district by hand, most were built similarly. A few streets always crossed through each other, leading towards paths that made way for houses.

The Groves district was home to toolmakers and woodworkers, but it also served a stomach-filling purpose. There were a few llove trees that weren't full of poisonous sap, contrasting that with these massive fruits hanging from the leaves. Food fell and bounced off the linen clothes laid around, and the bravest would climb to get their share.

Except for that, naturally, there were animals and insects scattered around the bushes and smaller barks. Chyuuichi realised that Lignorian squirrels were jumping all around the big twigs or into tropical leaves swaying in the wind. When the two advanced forwards, he climbed up the ladders, finding a new friend, and then running off. Atomu sighed, and Rowan patted his shoulder before screaming and chasing Chyuuichi elsewhere.

The Paladian wandered forward, thinking back to none other than Elton once again.

How do people move on?

Atomu stared blankly, his hand trembling near the sign with the words 'Kasper' engraved in a thick black font. He recognized the writing, recalling how Elton wrote a few things down about the materials found in caves with a very specific grip on the charcoal.

He opened his mouth slightly, seeing as shadows around moved, one perhaps placing something on the table, a meal to enjoy for the family. He turned to the still-smouldering fenced campfire, with the stepped-out grass leading to the backdoor.

Someone laughed inside, maybe three, or four people. Then, some muffled words sounded. They all chuckled again. The leaves offered protection from the sun, but all the walls were good enough if the roof above their heads didn't fall. Walls that shielded them from the truth.

"There you are!" Rowan uttered, punching Atomu in the shoulder.

Chyuuichi cried out. "Norman! Norman ran away!"

"Why on Errarion did you chase that stupid squirrel again?!" Rowan asked.

Atomu softly turned to the two with a distant expression. He opened his mouth for a moment, before turning around. Putting one hand on the ropes serving as the bag's handle, the Paladian started walking toward the cemetery. He trod past a few big, orange bushes, some erecting a road up the hill and a tight squeeze between the trees

There were a ton of people gathered around the open grave, and it was only the mayor who stood the closest to the casket, with the clothed body resting inside. He peered down into the hole, breathed out and then scanned almost every citizen waiting by the sides. Eager, and curious, yet, with a frown being a testimony to how most felt.

A moment of peace and tribute to the fallen, the last hasty breath before their soul reaches the most desired places. While Paladians didn't necessarily believe in any Gods waiting for them at the end, all speculated that life continued, somewhere else.

The Klakunhoi stood in the back. Chyuuichi tried to sneak through, while Rowan stood still with furrowed brows. Atomu was, obviously, still a little unsure about this entire ceremony.

After a while though, he found himself almost involuntarily squeezing through the other Paladians, distancing himself from his friends. It was nice having someone of the same blood as the company.

Those were the same thoughts that circled back and forth in the Mirillis caves, but it turns out that it couldn't have been any Paladian.

It had to be Elton.

A few clouds covered the sun, leaving a rather dim light shining above the cemetery. It illuminated the orange-tinted simple llove-wooden signs resting upon squares of grass. Some believed the flowers that grew from underneath the grave spelt out the name of the fallen.

Linno glanced up, before clearing his throat, putting his sceptre in both hands and opening his mouth. "As it turns out." he began, and everyone who chatted earlier went abruptly silent. "Bancho Vitaglia's influence greatly extended to us, Paladians."

"Rolpheskis, I see you over there in between crowds." Palski pointed. "You weren't that busy with your flowers today?" he huffed. "I could've bought a bouquet before the burial."

The two Paladians nodded, with a light smile.

"Daners, Tompers, you rarely ever step out of the nearby forests."

Atomu looked left and right. Sam and Ranpa weren't present, although he spotted a few other familiar faces in the crowds. Linno's words were true.

"Everyone." the mayor shook his head. "No matter who you are, we all deserve to honour his passing. Death of man, as we know it. Another Wise has fallen under the pitiful grasps of this world, and perhaps a hope stops gleaming as bright as it once did." the mayor uttered. "But it's fine."

Atomu closed one eye. Even if he wanted to indulge in weakness, there was no better time for him to do so. He wanted to cry, he wanted to shout and mourn the death of Elton, but couldn't. So, his prayers were silent.

"Memories live forever." the mayor halted his words, turning to everyone around and analysing their glimpses and unsure expressions. Only a few stood out that seemed to follow in his words. "Even if he isn't there with us, he's still here." Linno pointed to his heart, and everyone turned to their chests.

Atomu looked at his own body. He was a demon, after all, but his heart was beating as well. Fast, and it wasn't to stop. If it still pumped blood, then Elton was present. Memory, love, something to think about.

Rowan couldn't help but feel the same, especially concerning the loss of their Tributal comrades. An image flashed in their head for a moment, and instead of a soft frown, they furrowed their brows. Chyuuichi stared forward, hands slumped down. He opened his mouth lightly, trying to stop a sob with a gasp.

Much like the memory in their hearts, the events that occurred only a few days ago hung onto the Klakunhoi. As if they never left Morta, to begin with. Even if they smiled, something kept striking.

The mayor didn't say anything for a moment, and his lips formed into a different shape only when he closed his eyes. Atomu strutted forward, finally taking a glimpse at the coffin, now shut with a name that wasn't his written atop. He moved back a little, as a different sound came out of Linno's lips.

It was a song, and even though all burials were silent, it seemed this one sparked a tide of change. Much like any other Paladian, he was quick to recognize the chants of nonsensical words turning into this vast harmony. Voices themselves seemed to create instruments, and while at first, a few hesitated, Paladian by Paladian, most joined the choir.

The song itself was taught to the race at a younger age, and its gibberish mumble of words stems from the fact that the track itself is supposed to represent birth. When you come to this world, your mouth only forms jumbles.

Atomu closed his eyes, his voice abruptly changing from his usual lower and snarky vowels to higher and softer, as the echoes moving up from his throat eventually matched the people around him.

In unison, it sounded beautiful. No matter the voice, no matter the memories, it was every Paladian forming these lights floating out from their throats, up into their hearts and towards the sky, piercing the atmosphere as if denying death.

It was a sad and a happy moment. Who would've known that something so simple could turn into something so meaningful?

Rowan furrowed their eyebrows, folding their hands, Chyuuichi looked around, a bit confused. Both thought about different things, notions at the same level of importance. None of them exchanged a single glance.

"Nothing in life is permanent. People, trees, the world itself. It comes, it goes. Memory though... memory lives forever."

***

"Sam prepared all your stuff," Ranpa informed, scouring around his house with the three standing awkwardly in the middle. Chyuuichi held his new bag and tied it with his rope, Rowan looked around, and Atomu dug through his stuff.

"Please, extend my deepest thanks to your Paladian friend." Rowan put a hand on their heart.

"You've still got some time left, although if I were you I'd focus on the goal at hand," Ranpa replied.

With their equipment packed and Bancho's body shielded with new and warmer clothes, the Mirillian, and the Tributal, waited outside Ranpa's tent, sitting around on the various stumps in the garden.

"I'm almost ready!" Atomu announced, stuffing something down the red pockets and groaning. Ranpa raised a brow, peeking in, before looking left and right.

"There's something I wanted to make sure of," Ranpa added, scratching the back of his head.

Atomu quickly looked up with widened eyes. "Huh? Well." he glanced to the side. "I'm curious about something as well. I noticed that you and Sam weren't at the funeral."

Ranpa put a hand near his eyebrow. "I don't think I'd necessarily be welcome there. Sam was getting everything else ready in the meantime."

"O-Okay." Atomu exhaled through his nose. "I also get it. You wouldn't want to constantly face d-death. No one would."

"I can handle seeing a body now. But death? Yeah, I guess so." Ranpa took a few steps back, looking out to the garden and quickly pulling the curtains together. Atomu put the bag over his shoulder, and Ranpa's head turned to him. "You three don't seem to mind it, though."

"What?" Atomu mouthed, shaking his head.

"With everything you said, and even about things that I realised without you adding anything." Ranpa put his hands on the armchair, sighing, and Atomu seemed a little stressed.

"What do you mean? We only found those bodies, it's-"

"I know your secret, Demonears," he added.