Like the rolling pages of a book, the days flowed and it was another day.
Today, the sun was not bright in the skies illuminating the world with it's radiance. Rather, the skies were gloomy with a lot of clouds, it seemed that rain would soon start drizzling, the atmosphere seemed cold and stale.
Unlike previous days, to those at the top, today was a solemn day.
>ROYAL CEMETERY<
On top one of Akela's subordinate wolves, Legolas looked up at the signpost close to the ruin of the royal palace that was destroyed by Abaddon.
Behind him, his 2 students also rode on wolves from Akela's pack.
They stopped at the entrance to the cemetery then they came down from the wolves and went through the rest journey on foot.
As they walked through the large cemetery, the skies released its downpour.
Thud!
Legolas could hear it as his boots hit the wet ground with a sticky texture to it. At this moment, like his 2 students, he was also on a black attire.
It was not a suit, tailors in Planet Darvis were not skilled enough to make such stuff yet. Newton and Norman dealing with biotechnology and chemicals was simply an anomaly, these 2 geniuses were far ahead of their era.
The others in the planet, mostly the normal humans could only settle for mediocrity and pursue normal boring occupations.
With their limited and neglected knowledge, the tailors were able to make fairly sophisticated leather clothes of any colors, Legolas got one of them.
Alongside his black leather attire, Legolas also wore black shades.
As he walked inside the cemetery, he gave off a mysterious vibe.
In no time, they arrived to meet a scanty graveyard. Originally, only the royal family had the opportunity of being buried in this cemetery but after everything that he experienced 2 days ago, Core Protector Shanks no longer cared.
After the war, literally every survivor experienced a change, both physically and mentally, they were no longer the same warriors that they were before.
To the current Core Protector Shanks, all those who died in the war were royalty, they all deserved to be buried here.
As soon as Legolas arrived with his students, it didn't take long for all the others to arrive. After the crazy battle against Norman and Alexander, 24 Grade C Superhumans died, leaving only 11 behind.
Legolas, Blade, Christensen, Core Protector Shanks, White Flame Eleanor, Daemon, Newton, Hunter Master Lydia, Geralt, Heimdall, and Emak.
After going on their missions and fulfilling it to the best of their abilities, Emak, the Blood Hunter, and Grog returned to the battlefield to fight for their planet. Like expected, their chances of dying were higher than others.
Emak survived due to luck, Grog and the Blood Hunter were not as lucky.
As soon as they all arrived, Core Protector Shanks stood forward.
Most if not all the Grade C survivors were not used to mass burials like this but to honor the souls of their dead comrades, they voluntarily came for this.
Core Protector Shanks turned to face them. "2 days ago, we fought a brave war".
"A war to determine the survival of our planet".
"A war to determine the survival of our race".
"We temporarily won the battle, but it was not without sacrifice".
He looked at all the wooden coffins, they numbered 25. "We sacrificed a lot to secure this hard-earned victory". His voice was laced with emotion.
"We lost brothers".
"We lost family".
"We lost humans".
He closed his eyes. "I lost a friend".
As he said this part, Core Protector Shanks looked at the wooden coffin carrying Core Protector Levi. "A loss that I'll forever live with".
As he said this, everyone of these Grade C Superhumans experienced different emotions. Even if none of the dead was related to them, after the emotions of the previous battle, they all felt something.
Blade's eyes remained focused and tight as he looked at his mentor's coffin.
Instantly, he saw flashbacks.
A day ago…
Blade sat alongside his Nine Lives Cat as he curiously looked at the cat. "After being revived by you, I was directly exposed to the nature of your existence and your powers but I'm curious, I want to hear from you, what are you?"
"Meow!"
Blade understood. "Your special state is simply a manifestation of Super Energy. I see, it's just like the way we can harness super power through class knowledges, but yours is ingrained in you naturally".
"How many lives do you have left?"
"Meow!" "Meow!"
"You have only 5 lives left huh?"
"Since you sacrificed 2 to save me, that means you've died twice before".
Blade rubbed his chin. "If your only use is to revive by sacrificing your life, can you perhaps revive someone that is not your host?"
"Can you revive my mentor?"
"…"
"Meow!"
Blade looked at his master's coffin with a stone-cold look still on his face. Since he became a Grade C Pugilist, and even more prominent after he inherited Jon Stones' will, his control over his emotions seemed tighter than ever before.
Inside his mind though was a different spectacle from his face.
'Mentor, I can't save you…, but I will carry on your will'.
'I won't let your death be in vain'.
'Norman has been revenged already, only Alexander is remaining'.
'One way or another, I will kill him!'
'Also, I will carry on your will and recreate the Pugilist Academy. I will singlehandedly prop it up to heights far exceeding its previous peak'.
'This, I promise!'
Even as he made his last promise to his mentor, Blade's emotions finally fluctuated as he remembered something. 'Mom…'
'I've finally avenged you and our tribe'.
'The Clown Society's core is no more'.
'I hope you can finally rest at peace in heaven'.
With that, he went forward without paying attention to the others. Even as the coffin was slowly laid down on the grave, Blade brought his parting gift, a meticulously crafted sword, his old sword.
"Poseidon's Fury, accompany my master through his journey in the afterlife".
He threw it inside.
Thud!
With that, Blade turned around and stood with the others.
Newton didn't make his emotions as obvious but his face showed that this powerful Elementalist was in pains. 'I'm sorry Norman'.
'I never deserved to be your teacher'.
'I am too flawed…, inadequate…'
He gently clenched his fists. 'Perhaps, in your next life, you'll have the opportunity to have a teacher that is far better than me'.
'I pray you get such a teacher'.
Newton clasped his hands together and paid his last respects to his student.
While all the others used their own different eccentric ways to pay their last respects, Core Protector Shanks continued speaking.
"Norman was a creation of our inadequacies as humans".
"We are too self-centered; we have to be more open and united. This war exposed our flaws glaringly, we allowed the aliens to toy with us".
"Next time, I say we should not be so divided".
"Next time, let's show them a different facet of humanity".
"Next time, let's be united".
His face turned serious. "It's the only way we can resist and survive the coming Cataclysm".