章節 77: Guiding Lights, Steadfast Dreams

**Three weeks later**

Raijah sat at the edge of his treatment table, burying his face in his hand. He was in a room in the Shi's newly built infirmary—a plain wooden room with multi-drawer cupboards for herb storage and other medicinal supplies. The room had many open windows, providing the herbalists with plenty of working light.

The last few days were a fever dream. Raijah almost didn't believe it was real. Earlier, the medics cleared him to leave the infirmary, but today was the day he had been dreading most—the day of the funeral.

He wore an all-black, loose-fitting kimono tailored to account for his bodily wounds. His previous battles left him with several injuries, including a broken back, a fractured shoulder, several broken ribs and lacerations across his torso, and a multitude of minor bone fractures.

An arm sling cradled his arm to provide support. Meanwhile, under his kimono, a thick layer of bandages swaddled his torso, and an X-shaped scar was branded across his shoulder. During the recovery process, he remembered being dosed with herbal concoctions. Cora sat by his side through it all, updating him on everyone else's well-being since they were being cared for in separate rooms.

Teo and Aziel were cleared first. They visited Raijah regularly, bouncing between the infirmary and helping with the village reconstruction. Thanks to the herbalists, both recovered quickly and were back in action within days.

Val, on the other hand, remained in critical condition until recently. While she was never fully cleared, she had to leave early to help with the rebuilding process. Cora informed him that Val was growing accustomed to her bodily wounds and had already resumed training in small increments.

He had also heard that his body was not healing in a typical fashion because of Ame-no-Ohabari's latent power. It also explained why Val's Elite cells couldn't heal wounds inflicted by the blade.

Luckily for Raijah, his Divine Prana had capabilities far beyond any Elite, allowing him to recover from the damage inflicted on his very soul.

Raijah gazed out of a nearby window, his weary eyes catching the dimly lit surroundings. It was time for the memorial service. He rose from the treatment table and carefully readjusted his kimono and sling, making his way out of the building.

***

In typical Shi tradition, burials are done via the Takoizu River. Men and women are dressed in black kimono while the main mourners scatter the deceased's ashes into the river. This is followed by a memorial service which is concluded with a water lantern being dropped into the river to float across the water.

This custom acts as a gesture of respect for those who have lost their lives and gives mourners a moment to pay tribute to the deceased. It also serves as a symbolic farewell, as the Shi believe these lanterns guide the deceased's soul on their journey, providing them with light and assistance as they transition into the afterlife.

Unfortunately, this was not your typical funeral. Hundreds of people lost their lives, leading to the event being labeled a civil war. Corpses with remaining human tissue were cremated and had their ashes dispersed into the river a day before the memorial service.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a gentle glow over the river as it meandered through the tranquil valley. They had halted the rebuilding effort for the funeral. Wooden scaffolding stretched across the skeletal frames of newly constructed buildings. The village was far from its former glory, but the progress was there.

There was a long line of people waiting on the shore. In groups of two, they stood at the water's edge, waiting for the queue to release a lantern in memory of someone they had lost.

Silent anticipation filled the air, broken only by the soft murmur of whispered conversations and the occasional sniffle.

Raijah stood amidst the crowd with Cora standing by his side. She was holding Gado's lantern on her own, as Raijah couldn't risk provoking his wounds.

Down the shoreline, Raijah saw some familiar faces. Val and Teo held Nezumi's lantern at the forefront of the crowd, with Aziel and Ujinari standing behind them with Hashira's lantern.

As the night wore on, the crowd grew larger, and the area brightened as more lanterns entered the vicinity. Some time later, a voice resonated through the crowd. As he helped Val lower Nezumi's lantern into the water, Teo made an unplanned address to the crowd:

"A while ago, a man asked me to define humanity's purpose. It was a question he'd been trying to answer all his life, but at the time, I did not think much of it. However, during the past few weeks, and since all the conflict calmed down, I had plenty of time to formulate an answer. Yet, nothing came to mind.

"Then I started questioning whether it is necessary to have a purpose. For years, I had none. I roamed around with a woman who was a devil like me but told me nothing of my background. Our only objective was to survive. Then somehow, I met someone who cleared my vision.

"I was so infatuated with survival and my hatred for humans that I had never really thought to define myself as a person. Right now, my goal is to find out more about my past and devils. After that, I would like to settle and live a leisurely life. But that's just me. Purpose varies from person to person.

"I'm just a spectator, so some may think I am not qualified to speak on this from a human's perspective. But the way I say it, the meaning of life is not something humanity can stumble upon—it is something they create, nurture, and live out each and every day.

"I'm telling you all this because I have great respect for the Shi family and everyone standing here. People cope with pain differently. Some take that pain and turn it into violence and hatred, while others use it as fuel to create masterpieces like this village being rebuilt."

Teo cupped his hands and manipulated his Dark Prana to form a black rose, which he promptly placed in Nezumi's lantern.

He continued. "I used to look down on most humans because they never took the time to understand me, but now I realize I did not try to understand them either. Now that I've begun to do so, I'm beginning to grow more fond of humanity."

With great reverence, Val and Teo released the lantern, and one by one, the others followed suit. Cora gently changed her hold on the lantern, her fingers interlaced with Raijah's as the lantern shimmered between them. As they approached the water, Raijah felt a tender warmth surge within him.

Together, they released Gado's lantern, their intertwined hands guiding it toward the open arms of the river. The flame flickered, casting a soft radiance upon their faces as they watched, spellbound by the dance of a hundred lanterns upon the water's surface.

Cora leaned against Raijah, her embrace enveloping his uninjured arm. As they watched the lanterns, Raijah's gaze involuntarily traced the contours of Cora's face.

Time seemed to stand still as their eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between them in a fleeting moment.

Raijah knew Cora blamed herself for the back injury he had sustained while protecting her from Warui, and although he'd tried to convince her otherwise, it was clear that her line of thinking hadn't changed.

He simply accepted her gentle embrace, and as they stood, Gado's lantern blended with myriad others. Raijah caught a glimpse of Hashira's lantern before it quickly went out of sight. The river of gentle flames illuminated the darkness, casting ethereal reflections upon the water's surface.

Each lantern carried a name, a memory, and a love that would forever endure. The river became a canvas painted with collective grief as the souls of the fallen threaded across its waters, free from the shackles of warfare.

Tears mingled with smiles as hearts began to heal, finding comfort in the company of others. Stories were shared under the tender night sky, and a tighter bond formed among mourners.

***

Later that night, Cora found herself hiking up the winding trail toward a nearby mountain. It was among the few mountains that survived the battles. The night sky was beginning to unfold its velvety blanket adorned with twinkling stars. Val had asked her to meet here after the memorial service, and while Cora wasn't entirely sure why, she made it her priority to make it on time.

As Cora reached the summit, a lump of breath caught in her throat at the breathtaking sight before her. The village nestled in the valley below while the lanterns in the river flickered like fireflies, glistening in the moonlight.

Turning away from the surreal view, Cora spotted Val, whose silhouette outlined against the night sky.

"Cora!" Val called out, her voice carried by the gentle breeze. An encompassing dark cloak covered the arm she lost, and she wore a sleeveless shirt that exposed her midriff with black short-shorts and dark-colored tights.

Cora rushed toward her, and together, they settled on a grassy patch near the edge of the mountain, leaving their legs to dangle freely over the precipice.

Val took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "You're probably wondering why I asked you to meet me here."

Cora nodded. She had no idea.

"Well," Val continued, "I got here early so I'd have some time to collect my thoughts and come up with a better way to say this, but I couldn't think of anything worthwhile. I'd rather just get straight to the point. Cora, will you come with me to the dragons' homeland?"

Cora was shocked. It all came so suddenly. "But," she faltered. "Why me?"

Val cleared her throat again. "I had a feeling you'd ask that," she said slowly. "Well, both my father and Aziel have too much responsibility here to leave. And I'm sure if I asked Raijah or Teo, they wouldn't hesitate to say yes, but they both have defined goals and aspirations, and I don't want to get in the way of that."

She continued, "I think it's time we pave our way. Once Helios steps down as king of Avalon, his successor will be decided with a fight between the strongest member of the Fang and Kaijo families respectively. That's your goal, right? You want to assume the throne and completely reform Avalon's social structure."

Cora bit her lip and hesitated for a moment. She turned to face Val. "Yes, that's my plan. At first, I didn't know how to go about changing a societal norm, but Teo's words earlier opened my eyes. Unless we try to understand each other, history will always repeat itself. My first action as queen will be to place everyone on an equal footing where they can gain a genuine understanding of one another. But first, I have to be powerful enough to get the throne.

"I can feel myself getting stronger, but I have a ways to go before I catch up with my brothers, especially Sergio. You know how good he is. He was a child prodigy and unlocked his first Ririsu ability at only thirteen. I'd leave everything to him, but he has no interest in fighting the Fang family. In fact, he's quite fond of their current strongest."

"Then come with me," Val remarked as she summoned Ame-no-Ohabari into her hand. "I may have lost my arm, but I am the strongest I've ever been. In the future, I may ask Raijah to create a replacement, but for now, I'll keep moving forward. I can't guarantee it will be easy, but going to the homeland is an opportunity for us to get even stronger. They say my destiny lies within that world. Please, Cora, help me fulfill it."

Cora began laughing, drowning herself with her own mirth. "You could've just asked," she said with a chuckle. "Of course I'll go with you!"

Val looked at her with a faint, beatific smile. "We'll depart one month from today—"

Raijah and Teo emerged from the distance, approaching Val and Cora.

"Depart?" Raijah said. "Does that mean you two are going to that world Tensai spoke of?"

"Yeah, we are. . .by the way, I've been meaning to ask you both something," Val replied.

"Go ahead."

"Well, since I'll be leaving soon, my father is going to have to rule the village on his own. Aziel is Avalon's signed Elite, so I wouldn't be surprised if they called him in for various meetings and other arrangements.

"I doubt there'll be any trouble, but as a precaution, I'm asking that one of you be here at all times, at least until the village is fully rebuilt."

Teo and Raijah nodded in agreement. "That's no problem," Raijah responded. "How long will you be gone?"

Val shrugged. "No idea."

The four of them watched the lights, not knowing what to say to each other. They'd spent the last two years together, and the thought of long-term separation was strange.

Val broke the silence. "You know it's nice being able to live for myself for once. For years, I felt obligated to become a replica of Saku because I wanted to live up to her name, and when I realized I couldn't do so, I thought I was a failure. But things have changed."

She continued. "I don't want to be a victim of my mind anymore. I've come to the conclusion that things in life happen for a reason. You can't beat life with your fist or mind. All you can do is move forward with some sort of hope that you'll push through. After all, I've witnessed firsthand that fear kills more dreams than failure ever will."

Val smiled, her eye reflecting the starlight. "We all have our own dreams, and life may take us on different paths, but I have a feeling that our bond will always guide us back to one another. . ."

Teo saw something zip past in the distance. The others were too focused to notice, but it was a lantern—stolen from its fellow lanterns in the gentle waters by a fierce gust of wind.

When he turned back to the others, they were watching Val with eyes of agreement.

". . .Yeah," she said as the air around her body rippled like a living mirage, making the strands of her jet-black hair flow freely in the wind.

". . .I believe."