Chapter 5
The day of the funeral was rainy; the Warlords, who were dressed in their bicolor sub-armor, lead the procession. Then came the wooden, unpainted coffin that was being carried by four soldiers. Behind the coffin, the Ronins walked in their white and color sub-armor. After them came all the other mourners. The Warlords had spent time before the service making an altar so that they could offer incense and other offerings to Anubis' soul. The gravesite was very simple; Anubis would be buried in a grove of Cherry Blossom trees. He had an obelisk headstone made of black marble. Written on the four sides of the stone was the inscription:
Anubis Koma
May 5, 1551-April 7, 1995
"There is no greater love, than to lay down one's life for one's friend."
As the proper words and rituals were being spoken, Ryo and Rowen blanked out, Sage kept his head in a proper and respectful manner, Kento tuned out to the whole service, and Cye was trying to comfort Ryo. The Warlords didn't shed one tear, but they just stared at the coffin. If you looked in the eyes of the three ex-Warlords, they would have appeared flat, lifeless, blank, dazed, and beaten. It would have looked like they had lost the will to do anything.
When asked to speak on the accomplishments of the deceased, Rowen, Dais, Cale, Sekhmet, and Ryo gave their thoughts and remarks on Anubis, his life, his accomplishments, and what he meant to them. The Warlords told stories, but every story and every memory was slowly killing the remaining eight armor bearers inside.
After Anubis had been placed in the ground and the other mourners left, all eight of the armor bearers were supposed to go to the altar the Warlords had set up, but Cale, Dais, and Sekhmet started to fill the grave with a layer of Cherry Blossoms. After they filled up the grave with the Cheery Blossom petals, the three Seasons placed the dirt over the coffin. For the first time in Cye's life, he saw Sekhmet cry. 'They shouldn't do this,' he thought, 'It will just kill them more inside.'
"Hey guys," Cye said, "I think we should help the Warlords cover the grave. They look like they're going to have an emotional breakdown."
The Warlords didn't notice anything, until Sage walked over to Cale and helped him cover the grave. Soon all eight armor bearers were covering the grave, and when that was done, everyone smoothed out the top layer of earth and placed another layer of Cherry Blossom petals.
For what felt like eternity, the five Elements and three Seasons just stood there. The silence was shattered when Cale started to sob.
Sage comforted his opposite as best he could, 'for so long they thought nothing can hurt them, when deep down inside, they're very vulnerable human beings. They needed each other, and Anubis was the stability in this group. Now that he's gone, their whole world is falling apart, and they can't deal with it.'
"Hey," Kento said, looking at the ex-Warlords, "You can stay with us for a few days, if you want to talk it out."
"Thank you Hardrock," Dais said, "but we must finish the funeral ceremony. Then we can talk about it."
With that said, everyone left the grave site and went back to the castle.
The altar was the most beautiful one Rowen had ever seen. In the center was a picture of Anubis in a gold and silver frame. The altar was made of white marble and had a pale blue cloth cover the top. Surrounding the altar were various spring plants. Rowen could pick out Cherry Blossoms, Lilies, and other spring flowers. He noticed that there were more Cherry Blossoms and Lilies than any other types of flowers. "We chose Cherry Blossoms," Dais smiled, "because it was Anubis' favorite flower."
"In the Western world," Sekhmet replied, "Lilies are considered a symbol of hope and resurrection."
"It's appropriate," Ryo nodded, "Symbols of life in a time of grief."
Dais lit his incense sticks first and prayed. He prayed for forgiveness, he prayed for Anubis' soul to be well in the land of dead, and he thanked the Kami for giving Anubis to them. Even if was for a short amount time.
Cale made his incense offering. He prayed that Anubis was well in the land of the dead, he prayed that Anubis forgive him for all the times they fought. He prayed to thank the Kami for giving Anubis to them, and he prayed that Anubis be released from all his suffering and pain.
Sekhmet then offered his incense and prayers. He prayed that Anubis forgive him for all the times he cursed him, he prayed in thanksgiving for Anubis' ability to look past the serpent eyes and see a human being, and he prayed in thanksgiving to the Kami for giving them Anubis.
After everyone made their offering and prayers, the eight armor bearers went into the dinning hall for the funeral feast. The other mourners, who were already there stood up respectfully as the eight armor bearers took their seats. The feast was wonderful, but everyone wasn't really hungry. It didn't really shock Cye that Kento wasn't pigging out, but then again he didn't feel like eating either.
Ryo noticed that while the guests ate away, the eight of them weren't even seriously eating. Few bites here and there, but nothing to fill them. Ryo excused himself; he couldn't keep up with these rituals, and he just wanted to be alone. He wanted to cry until he could cry no more, and he did.
It wasn't until several minutes later, that Sekhmet came in and saw Ryo crying. Sekhmet couldn't keep up with the feast and excused himself. "Wildfire," he began, "people are wondering where we are."
"I don't care," Ryo sobbed, "I need to be alone."
"We all need to be alone," Sekhmet agreed, "But we're trying to conform to the customs to help us move on."
"Each of us grieve in our own way," Ryo said, "One tradition doesn't always fit everyone."
"I know," Sekhmet replied, "but these customs have helped me realize all the things that I've done."
"We aren't perfect," Ryo said.
"Neither was Anubis," Sekhmet agreed, "He had his faults too."
"Do you think we'll see him again?" Ryo asked.
"Maybe in the next world," Sekhmet replied.
"I hope he's in a better place," Ryo sighed.
"I know." Sekhmet said quietly, "we would have only put him in more danger if he were alive."
Ryo smiled, "I guess he was never really safe with anyone."
Sekhmet just looked at Ryo.
Ryo looked back at Sekhmet, "Maybe we can start to come together," he said, "now that all eight of us have admitted that we're not all powerful."
"Maybe we are getting somewhere Wildfire," Sekhmet laughed.
Ryo laughed as well.
"Then let's go back to the feast, everyone will start to wonder." Sekhmet said.
As Ryo and Sekhmet left the isolated room, the ghostly image of a red-haired man watched. This was what he meant by the armors united as one. The man knew it would take some work, but what was meant to be would happen. The man smiled, what he had done, his final act, was not in vain.
The day of the funeral was rainy; the Warlords, who were dressed in their bicolor sub-armor, lead the procession. Then came the wooden, unpainted coffin that was being carried by four soldiers. Behind the coffin, the Ronins walked in their white and color sub-armor. After them came all the other mourners. The Warlords had spent time before the service making an altar so that they could offer incense and other offerings to Anubis' soul. The gravesite was very simple; Anubis would be buried in a grove of Cherry Blossom trees. He had an obelisk headstone made of black marble. Written on the four sides of the stone was the inscription:
Anubis Koma
May 5, 1551-April 7, 1995
"There is no greater love, than to lay down one's life for one's friend."
As the proper words and rituals were being spoken, Ryo and Rowen blanked out, Sage kept his head in a proper and respectful manner, Kento tuned out to the whole service, and Cye was trying to comfort Ryo. The Warlords didn't shed one tear, but they just stared at the coffin. If you looked in the eyes of the three ex-Warlords, they would have appeared flat, lifeless, blank, dazed, and beaten. It would have looked like they had lost the will to do anything.
When asked to speak on the accomplishments of the deceased, Rowen, Dais, Cale, Sekhmet, and Ryo gave their thoughts and remarks on Anubis, his life, his accomplishments, and what he meant to them. The Warlords told stories, but every story and every memory was slowly killing the remaining eight armor bearers inside.
After Anubis had been placed in the ground and the other mourners left, all eight of the armor bearers were supposed to go to the altar the Warlords had set up, but Cale, Dais, and Sekhmet started to fill the grave with a layer of Cherry Blossoms. After they filled up the grave with the Cheery Blossom petals, the three Seasons placed the dirt over the coffin. For the first time in Cye's life, he saw Sekhmet cry. 'They shouldn't do this,' he thought, 'It will just kill them more inside.'
"Hey guys," Cye said, "I think we should help the Warlords cover the grave. They look like they're going to have an emotional breakdown."
The Warlords didn't notice anything, until Sage walked over to Cale and helped him cover the grave. Soon all eight armor bearers were covering the grave, and when that was done, everyone smoothed out the top layer of earth and placed another layer of Cherry Blossom petals.
For what felt like eternity, the five Elements and three Seasons just stood there. The silence was shattered when Cale started to sob.
Sage comforted his opposite as best he could, 'for so long they thought nothing can hurt them, when deep down inside, they're very vulnerable human beings. They needed each other, and Anubis was the stability in this group. Now that he's gone, their whole world is falling apart, and they can't deal with it.'
"Hey," Kento said, looking at the ex-Warlords, "You can stay with us for a few days, if you want to talk it out."
"Thank you Hardrock," Dais said, "but we must finish the funeral ceremony. Then we can talk about it."
With that said, everyone left the grave site and went back to the castle.
The altar was the most beautiful one Rowen had ever seen. In the center was a picture of Anubis in a gold and silver frame. The altar was made of white marble and had a pale blue cloth cover the top. Surrounding the altar were various spring plants. Rowen could pick out Cherry Blossoms, Lilies, and other spring flowers. He noticed that there were more Cherry Blossoms and Lilies than any other types of flowers. "We chose Cherry Blossoms," Dais smiled, "because it was Anubis' favorite flower."
"In the Western world," Sekhmet replied, "Lilies are considered a symbol of hope and resurrection."
"It's appropriate," Ryo nodded, "Symbols of life in a time of grief."
Dais lit his incense sticks first and prayed. He prayed for forgiveness, he prayed for Anubis' soul to be well in the land of dead, and he thanked the Kami for giving Anubis to them. Even if was for a short amount time.
Cale made his incense offering. He prayed that Anubis was well in the land of the dead, he prayed that Anubis forgive him for all the times they fought. He prayed to thank the Kami for giving Anubis to them, and he prayed that Anubis be released from all his suffering and pain.
Sekhmet then offered his incense and prayers. He prayed that Anubis forgive him for all the times he cursed him, he prayed in thanksgiving for Anubis' ability to look past the serpent eyes and see a human being, and he prayed in thanksgiving to the Kami for giving them Anubis.
After everyone made their offering and prayers, the eight armor bearers went into the dinning hall for the funeral feast. The other mourners, who were already there stood up respectfully as the eight armor bearers took their seats. The feast was wonderful, but everyone wasn't really hungry. It didn't really shock Cye that Kento wasn't pigging out, but then again he didn't feel like eating either.
Ryo noticed that while the guests ate away, the eight of them weren't even seriously eating. Few bites here and there, but nothing to fill them. Ryo excused himself; he couldn't keep up with these rituals, and he just wanted to be alone. He wanted to cry until he could cry no more, and he did.
It wasn't until several minutes later, that Sekhmet came in and saw Ryo crying. Sekhmet couldn't keep up with the feast and excused himself. "Wildfire," he began, "people are wondering where we are."
"I don't care," Ryo sobbed, "I need to be alone."
"We all need to be alone," Sekhmet agreed, "But we're trying to conform to the customs to help us move on."
"Each of us grieve in our own way," Ryo said, "One tradition doesn't always fit everyone."
"I know," Sekhmet replied, "but these customs have helped me realize all the things that I've done."
"We aren't perfect," Ryo said.
"Neither was Anubis," Sekhmet agreed, "He had his faults too."
"Do you think we'll see him again?" Ryo asked.
"Maybe in the next world," Sekhmet replied.
"I hope he's in a better place," Ryo sighed.
"I know." Sekhmet said quietly, "we would have only put him in more danger if he were alive."
Ryo smiled, "I guess he was never really safe with anyone."
Sekhmet just looked at Ryo.
Ryo looked back at Sekhmet, "Maybe we can start to come together," he said, "now that all eight of us have admitted that we're not all powerful."
"Maybe we are getting somewhere Wildfire," Sekhmet laughed.
Ryo laughed as well.
"Then let's go back to the feast, everyone will start to wonder." Sekhmet said.
As Ryo and Sekhmet left the isolated room, the ghostly image of a red-haired man watched. This was what he meant by the armors united as one. The man knew it would take some work, but what was meant to be would happen. The man smiled, what he had done, his final act, was not in vain.
