475 Ode to the dead

Having spent a few days in preparation for the ceremony. Par'Talucca and its people were all dressed in traditional yukatas, as both the old and the young held and carried little candlelit lanterns. 

From his penthouse vantage point, Asai and his party members were equally dressed in yukatas and kimonos of their own liking. As Asai wasn't one to dabble much thought towards logos, icons and fancy insignias, he had chosen for himself a comfortable black and royal-blue attire. Copying the man's taste and favouring towards simplicity, as she believed that a person's aesthetics should highlight their eyes and hair more than outshining them via the uses of dozens of diamonds, pearls and accessories that would only make them appear messy. Robin Sol equally wore a kimono that was mostly orientated towards red and pink in colours, colours she knew would tickle her man's heart-strings.

Bethel also wore pink, as she decided to simply follow her hair colour in aesthetics. However, her kimono was scattered with flowers, sakura-blossoms and lilies. Mel, being smart enough to not match her own hazel-brown features went for black scented with gold accessories and floral patterns. Her belt especially tight, as they emphasized and gave her breasts oomph.

Olivia, opted for a men's fit, wearing solely black and grey as she decided against dressing for the occasion, and instead chose to prioritize defending her lord and grand-duke.

Sora and her retinue of warriors, were dressed in more skimpier versions of yukata. Something Asai had seen Kozumi and Mizumi wear back before the elven-war. With a great deal of exposure in their legs, up to their thighs, and sleeveless tops that snugly hugged their mid-section. Her chosen worries were optimized for battle and mobility, whilst still dressing barely in accordance to the regulations of the ceremony.

Sora Kaka, being the only member to expose her face in its entirety, as the dhans under her were all wearing either black mouth-masks or fox-masks that covered their faces entirely. Something that would easily be recognizable to the citizens, to designate them as members of the royal-guard. Not to be someone misidentified and mistreated.

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Satisfied that everyone was dressed and ready for the occasion. Asai and Robin leapt out of the penthouse balcony and flew north, towards the thin-river the cut through the heart of the kingdom. Whilst his party members were bestowed with [Glide] his escorts had to rely on their agility and ability to stride over the rooftops to follow in the shadow of their lord and king.

As the culture of Par'Talucca believed in the importance of water, being a crucial source of life. The ceremony was to be held all across the southern side of the river. Even if one wasn't aware of the directions and location of the river, a stream of flickering lanterns easily led the people north. 

This night, blessed by the heavens and deities of Eastern Bahran Island and Par'Talucca. The children and vulnerable were safeguarded by veils of divine-intervention, as all forms of hostile creatures entered deeply into the northern mountains to slumber. And equally blessed by the deities, little wind-chimes, flowers and radiantly-glowing particles of [Divinity] lingered throughout the atmosphere. Ensuring the people were warm, and the winds gentle.

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kophzi

Or, if you're more traditional and okay with south-eastern instruments: https://youtu.be/h0AAFhx3RmA

Right click on the video, and select the Loop option to repeat it.

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Reaching the riverside, Asai and Robin made quite the entry as they literally flew in from the sky above. Seemingly swimming through the gentle radiance that made way for the monarch, and whilst the people were observing the two that hovered above within the ocean of stars, with Robin Sol's golden brilliance fluttering behind her back as angelic-wings. Asai de Trichia equally observed the people he was now lord over, as their gently-glowing and flickering lanterns also presented the two with a picturesque view of a sea of lights. Something that tickled his nostalgia as he thought back to the city-lights at night, from Earth.

Lowering the man upon a pre-built podium. He patiently greeted the surviving noble clans who were all racing to meet their king, hoping to form a good relation with the man, and possibly favours that biasedly favoured their clans over others. However, seeing as they were all level ones, and weren't militaristic in character at all, Asai didn't invest any braincells in remembering their faces. Leaving the politics to people who were better suited for it, as he knew very well that he was already scheduled to leave.

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With all said and done, and the rest of his company arriving as well as the evening-night entering its peak. The moon turned celestial as its brilliance illuminated everyone below. Akira and his retinue of noblemen begun the ceremony by having their clan's musicians perform a slow and heart-warming piece upon their string-instruments. As the quiet orchestra played and the people's thoughts and prayers went towards the loss and death of their friends and neighbours.

Akira knelt before Asai, as so did the noble clans, presenting him with a single lantern that was three times the size of all others. With the kingdom's insignia drawn upon the paper-craft, Asai lit it as his eyes went over his party members who were equally lighting theirs, before releasing them up into the air and towards the heavens.

The king's majestic lantern guided the way as the smaller-variants were soon following along as thousands upon thousands of lanterns were released all across the riverbed. Forming a star-galaxy of their own as they strayed away from the world and entered the world of the heavens.

As everyone watched on, prayed and remembered the kingdom's loss. Hoping that they would pass on into the eternal life without lingering regrets, to peacefully reincarnate to fill the world with life once more. Robin Sol attached herself to Asai's arm as her eyes were unique, within them she saw a world like no other.

To Asai and all others, the lanterns were gently floating away, but to Robin Sol, she saw souls, spirits and even animals cling upon the lanterns and enter the skies above.

And whilst Asai wasn't able to see them, Robin's golden crystals laid upon the old nobles, warriors who didn't desire war, but ultimately decided to honour their new king Xian Par'Talucca's desire for it, all in the name of honour and loyalty to the royal family. The warriors and assassins that Asai had personally slain, they knelt before the new king and vowed to serve the man or his bloodline within their next lives. All before turning to follow the lights from the lanterns away.

Their armour, swords, daggers and blood-stained katars fading, before turning into simple yukatas that kept their souls warm.

...

"Tachi bro! I hope you get to reincarnate as a dragon in the next life!"

"Father! Uncle! Cousins! Please be well and be at ease! I'll look after mother and Kohana, don't worry! I'm old enough to be the man of the clan now!"

"Dearest husband! I hope that in our next cycle, I'll be lucky enough to meet you again!"

"Goodbye and farewell!"

"Have a safe passing everyone!"

"Stay strong everyone!"

The people of Par'Talucca, the dhans shouted their individual farewells. Crying as tears mumbled their voices, and yet, they shouted and screamed their emotions out. Hoping that they would be loud enough for their lost-ones to hear.

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Whilst the nobles waited behind with their king, the children were the first to run into the river. Whilst this surprised the humans from Del Lagos at first, the children were quickly seen jumping and skipping across the water service, as a layer of divine-intervention prevented them from sinking. Just enough that their feet would flick and kick the small surface of water available to them around as they crossed over towards the other side.

Signifying the crossing of life and death, as the ceremony continued and the adults soon crossed on over. Leaving behind their regrets, sadness and woes as they traversed through the now shallow water.

"My king, please lead us." Akira and the other nobles shifted aside, forming a straight path for their monarch who swiftly left his podium and led his people and kingdom to a future anew.

All the while, Robin Sol remained attached to his side, through thick and thin, hell and heaven, the girl remained by his side.