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Gyro, Vincent, Dante, Am'ar & Lizzie Kaardos ~ The Funeral2
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Vincent drove Wayfarer in moderate tempo, through the road south-west from Thylleon's tall hill. He made sure not to move the huge, slightly rusty orange-colored van too fast on the bumpy road, because of their precious load in the mushroom-filled wooden wagon, which was attached to the van's rear end. Gyro sat among the giant mushroom caps and watched over the corpse of the driver's old friend and colleague, the famous and infamous Ryan McDonald. The body of the deceased cook was covered in bruises and ugly, fatal wounds, due to Chenralston's betrayal. For that reason, they had put a white blanket over him - small dots of blood had spread around the blanket at the places where Ryan's wounds were the worst.
Suddenly, they all felt the ground shaking for a short moment. The old Grepett almost fell down the wooden wagon, but managed to stay. Vincent slowed down, and finally stopped the vehicle, then opened the door.
"What was that?" he mumbled, while pushing his own chubby figure out the side of the car. Then he started look beneath the Wayfarer's wheels.
"Did we hit a stray mushroom boxer, or something?"
One of the two camera-men on his crew, the one who had occupied the passenger front seat next to Vincent, had walked out the other side on the van, and started looking below it, just like Vincent. However, it appeared nothing was below the van. No stray mushroom boxer, no bump on the road, nothing. Am'ar who sat in Vincent's side of the back seat row, with Leila next to him, rolled down the window in the side.
"I don't think we drove over anything Vincent... that felt like an earthquake. They are quite common in the Southern Continent." Am'ar explained, only to have Vincent look up from his search below the wheels.
"I have traveled through the Southern Continent for longer than you can imagine, pal, and I know about the many earthquakes. However, the earthquakes are only hitting the southern and western part of the Southern Continent. We are at its northern border, remember?" Vincent replied. Am'ar's angel wife was skeptical too and joined in on the discussion.
"Besides, honey, I could sense that this was no ordinary earthquake. It was somehow powered by magic!" she explained. Vincent and the cameraman stepped back inside the orange vehicle simultaneously.
"Whatever it was, it's over now. Let's move on" Vincent exclaimed, and closed the door at his side, then started back up the engine.
They soon arrived at Ryan's big green villa with thatched roof. Vincent drove through the single, narrow entrance into the garden, and impressively
almost made it through without wrecking any of Ryan's weak garden fencing. He parked the Wayfarer at the side of the garden, and everyone quickly got out.
"Take care of the half-demon friend of yours - we shouldn't make this a double funeral" Vincent said, and continued "Me and the cameramen will prepare the ceremony in the meantime"
Am'ar, Leila and Gyro did as Vincent had suggested so together the three carried the unconscious Dante from the huge luggage compartment in the Wayfarer's back to the living room in Ryan's villa, and then up the stairs, to the familiar guest room with hole in the roof, which both Yarrick and Lizzie had previously slept and been treated in, when they needed care. They placed Dante on the soft mattress and started out by observing how critical his wounds were. They quickly concluded his condition was quite severe. Among the many small scratches and bruises and lines of coagulated blood from everywhere on his body, there were some deep wounds that needed more attention than the rest. Like the huge and deep black burned wound on his chest, and the severe fire wounds he had gotten from his own spells. Additionally, his broken rib-case bones had still not been treated since he had been hit in the side by the McPatrickus brothers' plane. Gyro hurried down-stairs, looking for some herbs and tools to operate on the body. Leila just stroked the half-demon's hair, while Am'ar sat by her side, not knowing what to do.
"Demon regeneration is impressive" she said, "but there are limits to how far they can push their bodies..."
"He didn't hold back at any time, that's for sure. Dante obviously got Paillan's rash and stupid personality traits... Anyway, I'm not the healer here - is there any hope left for him?" Am'ar asked. His wife didn't answer, and still didn't move her sight from the unconscious half-demon. After having waited for a reply a couple of seconds, Am'ar looked at Dante too. The half-demon looked a lot like Paillan - like a younger version, with shorter hair, and less wrinkles and stubble. Am'ar had never noticed the tattoo on his body before - it was beautifully illustrated with lots of images with demons and angels and other creatures. Some looked familiar - then Am'ar noticed a small green figure that represented himself, and realized that the tattoo depicted the most important events that had happened in Paillan's life, as well as Dante's. The art was made on some sort of a timeline, that spun around his body.
One place, Paillan, with angel wings, stood with a shining golden artifact in his hands, holding it upwards toward the sky. Santa Claus and Am'ar stood by his side. Am'ar remembered that Christmas - when he first saw the half demon's angel side, and Paillan helped them win the war, aided by the angel squad. Am'ar also noticed the scene with the death of Paillan - Cupid's arrow sticking through his heart, and again the orc figure by his side, but... Kari was in this one too. He sat behind Cupid, with what looked like a drawing block and a crazy grin on his face. Odd. Right next to the image depicting Paillan's death, Am'ar saw a new mysterious one. Vengeancekael was in this one, shaking hands with a ghost-Paillan, but the ghost was slowly turning into three different bits... one was shiny and one was infused with flames. It seemed strange that Vengeancekael had anything to do with Paillan's soul splitting up - in fact Vengeancekael had little to do with anything, but the Easter Games, Am'ar thought, but he decided not to think too much about it, and walked towards the door. He wasn't able to help with the healing anyway...
On his way out of the guest room's door, he was passed by Gyro, who hurried to the wounded half-demon with an armful of stuff that could help them treat his normal wounds. Am'ar looked at the two striving to keep Dante alive for a while, feeling numb. Paillan had over and over again disappointed the orc, and he was undoubtedly the most unfair, dishonorable person he knew, yet the half-demon had also proven to contain a completely opposite side several times. His constant change of sides made him hard to trust. One never knew what to expect from him...
Am'ar left the room without a word, and walked downstairs.
"These wings might be permanently broken" Gyro mumbled with a sad voice.
"And some of these wounds are not treatable by any method I know."
Leila just kept stroking Dante's hairs with an expression that was hard to tell what she felt.
"Just treat the wounds you can, Gyro, and he will have a chance." Leila sad calmly. Gyro of course started working on it, while she didn't move from her position. In fact, she was transferring some of her own soul power to his - a spell only the two could do, to each other.
"However, if he makes it, he will be weak, much more than he would be happy about. If he doesn't, I won't make it either" she said, strangely still with a calm voice. Gyro looked shocked up from his work, at the angel who sat staring down on the half-demon's face.
"What do you mean, Lizzie? Of course you are going to make it" Gyro ensured, but with a doubt in his voice. Lizzie just looked back at him, and smiled at his naivety. Gyro was a kind soul, one of the kindest she had ever met, and smart too, but not this time. He knew little about the story of Paillan's soul, although it was all written on the unconscious half-demon's body. She looked back at Dante's head, and started explaining.
"The history of Paillan's soul is old, but it is not going to last for all eternity. You see, Paillan was the rare product of two deities. The first God was the father of angels, commonly known as the God of Light, and the second God was the father of demons, commonly known as the God of Fire, suddenly had a common mortal son. A bastard son to both of them, yet still their son, like any other angel or demon. Paillan's soul was a perfect balance between Light and Fire, Angel and Demon, which made him an extremely powerful being. However, no mortal being can defeat a God, and Paillan experienced that too, when he was killed by the God of Love." Lizzie spoke, and paused for a while. Gyro had listened carefully throughout her entire speech, but did not feel that his question was answered at all, so without commenting, he returned his concentration to his work operating the severe wounds of the half-demon. Then Leila opened her mouth again, a single tear streaming down her chin this time.
"Most people are buried one way or another by their friends or family when they die - that way the family can be sure their beloved one's soul are led to a home with a specific God or Goddess to their liking. Paillan had no family. He had no friends. Nobody held a funeral for him when he died, so his soul was left to wander the planet alone for all eternity..." she paused again. This tale was clearly bringing inner feelings of hers to the surface.
"But then, the Storyteller came. He was unhappy that such a rare being had died just like that. He wanted Paillan to influence the story of the world much longer, believing it would lead to grand plots, so he made a unique deal with the ghost. Paillan could live on, but never again could his Angel-side meet his Demon-side. If that would ever happen, Paillan's soul would forever vanish. So it was decided that his soul had to be split into three even parts. One for Paillan's angelic side, me, and one for Paillan's demonic side, Kyrkow, and finally one for Paillan's human side, Dante... but with the death of Kyrkow, Dante automatically took over the demonic side, while I got a bit of the human side." she paused again, and looked at the Grepett.
"Why do you think he helped you save me?" she asked. Gyro looked up with an enlightened, yet sad look in his tired old eyes.
"Because... he would die too, if you died. Kyrkow's death put you one step closer to break the Storyteller's deal" Gyro spoke worried.
"Exactly. And now, if he die, it's the exact same situation. His soul would leave his body and be fused with mine. That means that the Fire and Light will be together, and that means that we have broken the Storyteller's deal already, and because of that, all that have come from Paillan's soul will vanish... including me" Lizzie explained, continuing to transfer parts of her own soul into the half-demon's head. Gyro started working much faster, with the new knowledge he knew what was at stake.
...
Meanwhile outside of the building, Vincent and the small filming crew was preparing the funeral of their old comrade, Ryan McDonald in the center of his own garden. One cameraman had been digging a relatively deep hole in the ground, shaped to match a coffin. The other cameraman had been collecting sticks, and was now helping Vincent with piecing together the wooden coffin.
Am'ar Kardos approached them from the villa, eventually helping Vincent out with the coffin, which still had a long way to go, for they had all been smoking thannalis in the meantime, slowing down and relaxing their minds to enjoy the moment more thoroughly.
"So how're things upstairs?" the film-producer with curly beard asked, and looked at the Orc.
"Silent." Am'ar replied, but soon he realized that his answer was unintentionally closing the conversation, so he decided to ask a question himself.
"What were your relationship with McDonald anyway? And how come he lives down here?"
Ryan looked up, interested. A question that could get him talk for hours, when in a good mood, but now everybody seemed sad.
"I'll try make it short, pal. You know, back in the days, I used to be a council member of the human capital city in Easterland, with the title as the land's Culture Minister. My job was simple, when not at council meetings - to spend time and money from the government on cultural projects. I quickly noticed Ryan McDonald's strange taste and talents in a kitchen, so I invited him for a dinner to discuss business. To be honest, while we were eating, I was beginning to regret inviting him, but then, when we were finished, he introduced me to the thannalis herb" Vincent took two puffs on the joint, and then put it in front of him, before Am'ar, who stood on the other side of the coffin, looking directly into the Orc's brown eyes. Am'ar had still not gotten any sunglasses, since he had lost them in Loch Kael, along with his weapons. Luckily, it was starting to get late, so his sensitive eyes could rest.
"Have you ever smoked this? Tastes like vanilla, and makes everything better, I swear!" Vincent spoke, while keeping the joint between them. It was obviously an offer. Am'ar grabbed the filter.
"I used to smoke it, rarely for the pleasure though - it helped me in hard times, but I thank you" Am'ar replied, and took a few puffs as well, then passed it on to one of the cameramen. Vincent bowed down to continue his work, while continuing his explanation of his meeting with Ryan McDonald.
"Anyway, I had a wonderful night that night - the first time I experienced it, the rush! We quickly grew close friends, me and Ryan, and I got him into show business, but not only that - I decided to take care of filming all the episodes of his cooking series myself, which resulted in many years of ever-growing friendship and lots of smoke. As you might know, the show we made together, grew quite popular in Easterland... - Thank you" he interrupted himself, when receiving back a joint from the second cameraman. Once again, he puffed a couple of times, and passing it on to Am'ar. He noticed it was the same circle the joint moved around in every time. While Am'ar started puffing, Vincent continued.
"It is almost 2 years ago now, when everything gone wrong. It was November, and thus it was the infamous month of Halloween, and the Mad King arrived like any other year, and brought a demon horde with him. As I told you before I was a member of the Easterland council - well, if you think I was stupid, you should have met our Defense Minister, what a fool! Kari was his name..." Vincent revealed, and Am'ar looked at the chubby film producer in shock. He had never known Kari was once a Council Member. Vincent didn't seem to notice Am'ar's confusion, however, and continued his story.
"Anyway, this Kari foolishly insisted that we should defend ourselves, for the first time in human history... but you know the drill of Halloween, it's either trick or treat. Even though many of us objected that day, Kari seemed to have a perfect plan how to keep the demons away from our cities and villages, and the King was manipulated into liking the idea. First fell the Paladin Chapel, then Loch Kael Harbor surrendered, and finally the Capital City had to bend to the Mad King's will as well. Kari had made the punishment worse for all of us, because of him we didn't just give the Mad King his treat, so everything we had was almost destroyed after that Halloween. It's no wonder Kari journeyed north and never returned..." Vincent spoke. Am'ar was stunned by hearing about Kari's background. Knowing Kari, he was sure that Kari only intended the best for all of them, but had been terribly wrong in his assumptions that they could defeat the Mad King, and ashamed by his vital mistake, he had left the land and never returned. He had probably entered Santa Claus' army the following month because he thought it would cleanse his honor.
"Anyway, even though he was the sole reason for the disaster, some in the Easterland Council insisted that we should use the blueprints he had left behind. The blueprints to the damned robo-cops. I believe it was an elf who came to us without notice, and offered to produce the cops for his own money, if he only he could get permission to build atop the ruined Paladin Chapel. Anyway, the elf kept his word and produced thousands of robo-cops without any of the governments having to pay a coin, and today the cops are wandering every street in Easterland. The following year at Halloween, almost one year ago now, the demons didn't even show up, so the King was sure that the cops were the reason. I don't know, but I think something got wrong in his head after that month... he made rules. Strict rules and strict laws that all in Easterland had to follow. That includes the no drug-policy, and McDonald was not willing to let go of his thannalis, and neither could he hide his heavy usage, as he was a popular celebrity at the time. That's why he moved down here, where the laws of Easterland can not hit him..." Vincent explained, and ended in a short laugh.
"He was a smart lad, you must say!" he said with his firm, but friendly voice. Although he seemed happy, his eyes were wet from the sorrow. Then they noticed that the hole in the ground was finally finished, and so was the coffin. Vincent looked back at the Orc, with a tired smile and red eyes.
"Well, we're done here. Can you go get the others? Then we'll get Ryan in the coffin and prepare for the big finish." Vincent suggested. Am'ar agreed, and left them.
...
The Orc entered the guest room upstairs, and noticed that Dante sat up in the bed, resting his head on his hand. The half-demons' stomach, wings and one arm were all covered in bandage. The huge black wound on his chest had been sewn together by Gyro, but it would obviously leave a permanent scar, much like the one Am'ar had at the same spot. The half-demon looked up at the newly arrived Orc, awaiting a comment. So did Lizzie and Gyro, all with a serious look.
"Good to see that you're okay, Paillan" Am'ar broke the silence, without really meaning it. The Orc was a terrible liar, and the lack of sunglasses made it even harder to hide the truth. Dante's bad mood didn't seem to change.
"You know, Am, I have noticed how you continue to call me Paillan... If you haven't realized the truth by now, let me explain it to you. Leila is as much Paillan as I am, whether you like it or not. Please call me Dante from now on, okay?" the half-demon said, irritated. Am'ar sighed discretely, feeling embarrassed, he was never good at handling conversations like these.
"Can you walk?" the Orc asked, changing the topic. Dante got up from the mattress, supported by Lizzie and Gyro.
"Yeah..." he replied.
"Well, then come out to the garden. We're about to hold the funeral for Ryan McDonald." Am'ar said and left the room. The others helped Paillan downstairs, and up in the wooden wagon, where he could rest comfortably on top of all the giant mushroom caps.
Ryan McDonald's corpse, wrapped inside the white blanket had been put into the coffin, and could still be seen, as the lid had still not been put on yet. His coffin was placed on top of the hole that they had previously dug in the center of his own garden, held up by the many collected sticks. Vincent and the two cameramen had placed the long, strong sticks horizontally above the hole, so that they rested different places on the hole's edges, while the coffin could lie on top of them without touching the ground. Around the coffin were cameras. Vincent stood near the coffin, with a torch in one hand, and a new, recently lit thannalis joint in the other hand.
"This is going to be Ryan McDonald's last show" Vincent said with wet sorrowful eyes once everyone had arrived to witness the ceremony, "Action!"
The Cameramen turned on both of the cameras. Vincent knew just what to say.
"So there we were, ladies and gentlemen, on a very sad day in Ryan McDonald's own garden. The cook that we have all been following for years, have met his end. McDonald was one of a kind, and even though the government tried to change that, he stayed strong. He was an inspiration for us all! He supported the legalization of the magical thannalis herb - I understand him, so today in McDonald's honor, I have decided to puff the joint that our common friend is not able to anymore..." Vincent took a last puff on the joint, and then placed it atop Ryan's corpse in the coffin.
"Like I just said, Ryan stood up for his political opinions, and helped others who suffered from Easterland's strict laws. The very second he died, he was actually helping a friend who have been wrongfully convicted by the current system. Am'ar Kardos, Captain of Team T.H.U.M.P.E.R., please come over here" Vincent spoke. Am'ar had no intentions of being seen on TV, but he realized Vincent only wanted to help him. His situation as a wanted criminal in Easterland couldn't get any worse anyway, so he stepped forth, into the camera angle, standing next to Vincent.
"He tried help you, Am'ar, after you had smoked thannalis on live television.. do you have any final words to him before we send him to his eternal home?" Vincent asked, and looked at Am'ar.
"Yeah... Ryan McDonald was a good man with a good heart. He fought for good things. He knew that there is nothing wrong with consuming thannalis - that it is only a cure to those whose souls have been damaged, by magic or whatnot. Thannalis helped me survive in the Easter Games, but because of it I am now a wanted criminal the rest of my life" Am'ar explained, grabbing the chance to spread a political message to whomever was going to view the show later on.
Lizzie and Dante watched silently on as the ceremony continued. After Am'ar left the scene, Vincent set the coffin ablaze with his torch and watched as the flames grew bigger around it. Lizzie knew as the only one that Ryan was the original thief of her halo, and that Chenralston had actually stolen it from the cook. Ryan had tried kill her, but she didn't want to share this secret. Especially not on the day of the man's own funeral. Dante, who sat in the wooden wagon, didn't care much neither - he was still in a bad mood after having had his powers decrease so much. Lizzie looked at him.
"I know what you are thinking about" she said, without opening her mouth. She had sent him a telepathic message that only he could hear - another useful advantage of their soul link. She had figured out that Dante did not want to continue his life in this state, and that he wanted back his powers. Something only the God of Fire could help him with.
"Then you know too that this will probably be the last time we can ever talk together as friends." he replied telepathically. If he grew more attached to the Fire God, she would automatically also grow more attached to the Light in order to preserve the balance.
"I know that... but I also know that it is necessary. You need your powers back, or I will constantly have to be worried about people killing you, if I don't want to die myself." she replied, and added "But how are you gonna find him, the God of Fire, I mean. For all I know, he's been gone for centuries."
"Perhaps, but he left something behind in Earth's Core. He cut off his own humongous hand, before he left, and placed it at its center. The enormous hand is what powers all of Hell, and all the demons, and more importantly, the Idol of Halloween. I simply need to get close to the Fire God's hand, and my powers will stream back into me." Dante explained, and moved his sight to the burning Ryan McDonald. The sticks below the coffin had finally gotten weak from the flames, and had collapsed, so that the coffin fell down into the hole. It continued to burn, however. Lizzie looked at it too, and noticed Am'ar, which made her think about a small barrier in Dante's plan.
"But have you forgotten your condition? The demons of Hell are ruthless, and wouldn't let you get close to their sacred artifact if they can't recognize you.. Paillan would have been allowed through, but I don't think you have much authority down there. If you plan to fight your way through, you definitely need help, but none of us can go with you. They will kill me, because of my angel heritage, and they certainly haven't forgotten Am'ar - he led an attack force through their home, after giving their Idol an embarrassing defeat in the Christmas Conflict. Gyro and the humans here are not of much help" Lizzie explained to him through their telepathic link.
"I'm not stupid. I know this is going to be difficult, but I rarely fail my missions. I will succeed one way or another... besides, there might be one person who can help me."
"Who?" Leila asked curiosuly.
"None of your concern Leila, we're enemies now remember?" he replied teasingly. His mood had already gotten better, after realizing there was actually a chance he could get back his powers. Lizzie looked back at the half-demon, with a smile.
"Not yet, Dante, not until this mission of yours is over" she spoke. Dante got down the side of the wooden wagon with some difficulty. Then he stepped over to the Wayfarer - the luggage compartment, where he had been resting on the way from Brightwing Hill, was still opened up. Inside it lie a bunch of weapons. Dante's own sword was among them - he pulled it out, and walked back to Leila.
"Right... can you then do me one last favor? Create me a portal to the shore of Loch Kael.." he asked, and she nodded and told her to follow him around the corner of the building, so the others wouldn't notice.
"Goodbye brother" she said as he stepped into the portal. He turned around and winked one time before the portal disappeared with him. She walked back around the corner to the others, thinking about the next time she saw Dante, they would be enemies...
