19 「Just Another Memory」 (1/2)

Three times he recited,「Create Greater Item」. Three times, three caskets, three to-be-graves.

They were made of the most expensive wood a commoner, no, a noble could ever have for a burial. Made of dark wood and polished to shine. The insides were padded with silver stained sheets and pillows, representing their rank, were sown inside. On the lid was a symbol identical to the Sword of Darkness replicas they all carried on their person.

Each one fit their friends to the letter.

Ninya stood behind Jack and to his right side. She was busy trying to keep her knees from giving out.

Her mouth hung open as she had this erratic breathing. The sensation in her eyes went from dry to wet and back. She didn't know what she wanted to do anymore.

She wanted to find her sister so badly. Other than Jack, Momon and Nabe... She had no one else left. If she only had her sister than she would be able to find peace again.

Yet what if she wasn't strong enough? What if she found herself in a casket? A casket like one of these? The craftsmanship was immeasurable. It would be hard for any coroner to compete.

She watched as the corpse of Peter Mauk began to levitate. His hands remained resting upon his chest and his legs aligned with one another, held straight out and together. The body followed the movement of Jack's eyes, as if he had picked them up with just his sight alone.

As if being tucked into bed, Peter was slipped into the casket with his head resting solemn upon the head pillow. He hardly looked like he was dead, just sleeping. The blood was absorbed by the coffin and his name inscribed itself upon the hilt of the Swords of Darkness symbol.

Twice more, she watched as the man who had unknowingly kept her out of harms way, put her friends into caskets designed for the wealthy and the renown.

Their names shined brightly, almost unnaturally, so that anyone who'd lay their eyes on these caskets would know who they were.

Sir Gallifrey and Momon returned to see the sight.

The Watchman was amazed by the use of magic to create not just salt and pepper, but an entire complex piece of art. Yet he said nothing, as he saw the mourning in their eyes.

They had lost friends today, ones even though short lived for Jack, had given him another hope that he would get another chance to have friends. In a way though, his mind still partially saw this as a game.

Even though he prayed to a god, or gods, that he didn't know. He was in a game world only ten days ago. Now, now he wasn't anymore. He wanted them to respawn, he wanted to revive them, but the cost was probably not worth it.

The idea of bringing them back would give him the false idea that they'd never leave. That they'd never die. While the truth was, he would out live them. He'd outlive everyone. The only people who would remain alive alongside him were the ones who were functionally immortal or heteromorphic.

He took in a deep breath and looked to Momon who shuffled on up beside him.

Nabe and the Wise King stood behind the trio, while Gallifrey and Min eliminated any undead which had escaped the cemetery as well as those which wondered to the front gates. Though admittedly after Momon's visit, there were very few to terrorize the City.

”This is... Much unpleasant.” Momon clenched his hand slightly, the visible one, while the other remained beneath his red cloak.

Nabe remained indifferent though, staring at the coffin which had the name of Lukrut glowing upon it. The last time he had said anything to her, he had wanted to party. She wasn't the type and she had a distaste for humans, even though she didn't like outright killing them. At the same time, she didn't mind killing them if she didn't have a reason to keep them living either.

That was just the kind of person she was as her Karma was so low.

The Wise King, even though he had only known the crew for a short period of time, wore his brows down. Even though it might not be clear with those big brown eyes, those big buck teeth, he was frowning. ”Very sorry, I am.”

In a way it was the Wise King's fault by being present, but it was at the same time Momon's ambition, that they hadn't been protected.

Right now, it was pretty easy to point fingers, establish blame after blame.

They didn't do that. The Swords of Darkness trusted one another and this just meant their trust would be the last thing they had together. Their last connection in the end.

Stepping forward, Jack proceeded to stand over Peter's closed casket and pressed his hands together, his fingers perfectly aligned with one another.

「True Death」These words echoed in his mind and the minds of those present.

True death put them down permanently. No one could resurrect them, revive them. They were dead and couldn't be brought back in anyway shape or form. In a way, he saw this as a true end.

No one would be able to use their bodies, their faces nor their trust, against them.

He then went to stand over Lukrut's casket and closed his eyes partially. All the senseless things the guy had said over the past two weeks came flooding into mind.

Taking in a shaky breath, he once again recited 「True Death」.

As he approached the last casket, he placed his hands down on the door. His advise, his interjections. He remembered the times where he would place a hand on anyone of their shoulders. A little nudge of encouragement went a long way, as was comfort.

In that moment he looked weak, everyone present and watching could see it.