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Immoderate Jocundity to Earnest Dolor

When those who had marched to Sengann Fortress returned Balor was filled with immoderate jocundity. Upon learning that Kernunnos was dead the immoderate jocundity had turned into earnest dolor. Others had died and many others were soon filled with the same earnest dolor.

The dignity at having become Piyamaradu's student and the jocundity at seeing Brigid once more had been washed away by the cold water of dolor. In confusion, Balor wondered how Brigid could have been brought back into his life only for Kernunnos to be removed from it.

Walking along the walls of Wilusa, Balor spoke to Procyon. Surely, Kernunnos was on the floating mountain across the rainbow bridge now.

"He is not here, nor does my sight see him in the pit." Was all that Procyon said.

"Then he is sent down the path of reincarnation?" asked Balor.

"No."

"Then where is he?"

"Somewhere." And with that Balor no longer heard Procyon's voice in his head. He asked again and again and never did Procyon answer him.

This sepulture day was one no different than any other. The funeral games, the singing, the feasting the pyres and yet there were those who were not brought back. There were those who could not be brought back. There were those whose bodies that had been hacked beyond recognition.

And so Balor wondered what Thunderan funerals were like. He only knew of the funeral pyre that the Evabon had in common with them. That much was what Lion-O, Tygra and Cheetara had told him but nothing else. What else were Thunderan funerals like? Were there any more similarities?

I vowed my a vow,

And I vowed it to thee,

Far will I travel,

Until thou art free

Those lyrics, there were from a very old song. Dating back to Wilusa's second chieftain, to the time of his ransom. That much of Wilusa's history Balor knew. What he knew not was who the first Chieftain of Evabon was. All anyone knew was that he had abdicated to go in search of something. Who was he? Thundera knew who their first king was but Thundera was a young nation in comparison to Wilusa and while there were nations older than Wilusa those nations had an even better memory of the identities of their first leaders than Wilusa did.

"Balor!" That voice. It was not Brigid's. It was not Kernunnos' either… There was a great doubt he would ever hear Kernunnos' voice again. It was one of his friends though. It was Kashta, with Chinggis not far behind him.

"What is it, Kashta?"

"Why so crestfallen?" Kastha's black skin was painted with blue paint this day. He put a different war paint on each day, war paint that belonged to his father. The next day it would be yellow, the day after that green… He of course would never use black war paint it would never be seeable.

"Why still playing warrior?" asked Balor.

"Because it gives me an excuse to wear my father's war paint! Now answer my question!"

"I shall mourn Kernunnos in my own way." Balor only turned away from Kastha and Chinggis. Yet they followed him. Listening to him talk. "Try as I wish I have no tears for Kernunnos who was ever my friend and brother even if he was of the same blood as I."

"They will come." Said Chinggis.

"And what if they never do?" asked Balor.

"It takes more than tears to mourn a passing." Replied Chinggis.

"That's enough! I'm tired of this talk!" exclaimed Kashta. "This is a day of funerals! On these days we go to the treasure cave! Are we children or not?"

It was the talk of this treasure cave that caused Balor to turn and face both Chinggis and Kashta. "What treasure cave?"

"A cave with treasure." Was Kashta's reply… It was a simple reply, an obvious reply. It was Kashta's reply.

"Tis merely a place we children of Wilusa go to on days like this." Stated Chinggis. "It is a tradition. A very old one! You are new to Wilusa, same as Brigid and thus you don't know a lot about what goes on here."

"What do we do at the treasure cave?" asked Balor.

"We do not know." Was all Kashta could say.

"The original reason for going there on sepulture days is lost..." stated Chinggis.

"I'm starting to think many things are lost here in Wilusa." And with that Balor continued walking. He did not listen to Kashta or Chinggis. He merely thought about what he did not know.