Nightmare of the Lost: Epilogue

Final Resting Place

Sukra picked up the remains of her daughter from the previous room after the battle with Vestra. The evil was vanquished but she only felt hollow in her heart. Missy and Ramiel helped her bring BaRuhk’s body with them back down the mountain. They carried the dead with them all the way back to Crystal Falls. Once there, they made sure to report Brick’s deeds to his former commanders. They were relieved to hear that he had survived and devastated when they heard he had not survived. They planned to give him a posthumous award for bravery and thanked the adventurers for bringing back news of him. 

Crystal Falls was where they parted ways with Ramiel. He had to report back to his church and move onto the next threat. His work would never be done and he left them without so much as a goodbye. He simply said he was leaving and walked out of the tavern they were resting at. Missy offered to help Sukra take her husband and daughter back to their village and she agreed, grateful for the help. As they set out the next day she recalled their youth and how simple everything had seemed back then. 

Missy had been in their battle group, she had been at their wedding, she had been Senari’s favorite aunt. She remembered all the little gifts she had always brought Senari. It had delighted her little girl to no end to receive those gifts. Even if they were ephemeral, she had always cherished them and her aunt. In fact, Missy was one of a very select group of outsiders that knew where their hidden village was located. She would come every now and again, bringing her gifts and news from  the world. 

Sukra relived her life with BaRuhk and Senari. When they had found out she was pregnant with Senari, they had dropped everything to prepare their home and raise her. Their short years with her had been wonderful. She had been so full of life and joy, it was a shame her life had been taken so soon. Still tears didn’t fall. She would have time for that later. First, she needed to get her loved ones home. Their final resting place would be among their family and friends. Her child would always be close to those who loved her most, where her happiest memories had taken place.

Tears never fell on the journey home. Through glen and valley they walked, floating BaRuhk and Senari behind them with magic. When they entered the forests around her home, they made sure to mask their path through them with magic. They also knew where to step to create the illusion that no one had used the path before. Knowing home was so close to them, Sukra nearly broke down in grief, but she steeled her will and kept going. There were rituals to oversee and funerals to be arranged. 

Emerging from the forest, they walked into the quiet village around mid-morning. The populace was awake and going about their business but all noise stopped when they saw Sukra. She was alone and, when they saw the floating bodies behind her, they knew success had been achieved at a great cost. The citizens silently took the two bodies into their arms and carried them over to their town hall with great care. The funerals could not be done until night time when the Dream Realm came closest to the Material Plane. A few of the other villagers led Missy to the guest quarters to rest and Sukra to her home. For the first time in weeks she was alone with her sorrow. 

Tears came slowly. Forming then falling gently then turning into full blown sobs. She lay down on their bed and their home and realized it was just her home now. There could be no one else. She could love no other and the thought of having another only to lose them like Senari made her want to vomit. She would be alone for the rest of her days. She let herself tumble into the real world where her twin soul was trembling with sadness. Little ripples of grief emanated from her and washed over the surrounding landscape. She was in so much pain but Senari showed up with her twin soul and BaRuhk with his. 

They led Sukra’s twin soul away to give her comfort and reassure her that they were with her. Since twin soul’s were more sensitive, they were more affected by their counterpart’s feelings and could be overwhelmed easily. Seeing that she had lost some but not all, Sukra fell quiet. After spending some time with her family in the Dream Realm she got up and prepared for the funeral. The sun was about to go down on their hidden valley. She walked out into the dying sun and over to the town hall where the bodies of her loved ones lay in preparation. Two large pyres were sitting at the center of town. 

Inside the town hall, the two bodies had been prepared with sweet smelling flowers, vibrant plants and entwined with vines. They looked peaceful, as if they were merely dreaming. The bodies were taken out and set on the pyres. Sukra took a torch from one of the villagers and, as the moon rose to its full zenith she lit the pyres. They waited the entire night for the fires to die down. Sukra gathered the ashes of her family and walked the surrounding woods, spreading the ashes as the morning sun began blanketing the land.