Who: Sascha and Irei (and others? TBD)
When: TBD
Where: TBD
What: Tragedy is afoot (or a hand!)

Who: Theora (Narrative)
When: Early morning
Where: Town Square
What: Putting together search parties.

The haven was in an uproar following the discovery of Dante’s escape from the dungeons. It was still a mystery to those investigating the scene, but the most pressing matter of the moment was the apprehension of the sociopath. And if that wasn’t enough for the council, and the authorities to deal with they also had to factor in the presence of possibly two hostages – Adrienne Conté and Dione Castel.

A town meeting was called in the early morning hours. The citizens had a right to know what was happening, but to also gather volunteers for the upcoming search parties. While the guards in Elysium were very capable there was a higher chance of success when more people were incorporated. The powers of the citizens could not be overlooked, and if they worked together Dante would have very little chance of escaping.

Theora stood behind the podium in front of the gathering crowd. Once the din of whispers died down she began to speak. “People of Elysium we have called you forth in order to ask for your assistance concerning the situation with Dante Donovan. I will not lie to you; he is a very dangerous man, and he has taken two young women captive in his escape. We ask for your assistance in this matter. There is much land to cover, and we simply do not have enough guards to traverse the land efficiently. This is a volunteer mission, and please do not feel obligated to extend your services. We also ask that everyone lock your doors tightly tonight. We are still unsure of Dante’s whereabouts, but we will do everything in our power to keep all of you safe.”

Theora stepped down from the podium, and opened herself for questions from the citizens.

OOC: If your character is interested in being part of a search party please comment here. Put "Note to the Council" in the subject, and write a little something that expresses your character's desire to volunteer.

Who: Irei and Ralph
When: Midday
Where: near the Mausoleum
What: Two necromancers meet

Irei needed to get out of his bungalow. He was starting to feel the effects of cabin fever, but it was still pretty cold outside. Winter was one of the rare times that he missed his tropical island home. He bundled up in a thick coat and let his hair remain around his face in an effort to keep the warmth from leaving his body to quickly. He also had a scarf wrapped around his neck. Winter was always a long season to Irei, but this winter seemed especially long.

At least it wasn't snowing anymore, he thought as he picked his way through the forest away from the bungalows, and away from the town. He had no desire to have go through the hustle around town or in the marketplace today. An unlit cigarette dangled from his lips, as he walked toward the mausoleum.

Normally he avoided places where the dead lay, just because the rip he had created between his world and spirit's world tended to attract them, and it would basically just cause him to have a big headache. But today it seemed like a good place to get away from most of the living for a while.

He looked up at the three statues that surrounded the domed building in a triangle as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat searching for his lighter. He wondered what they were praying for exactly. Irei choose not to wonder about the life after death and where the soul goes, he just called them back or sent them there.

He pulled the lighter out and lit the tip of the cigarette.

Who: Mitsuko and Irei
When: Morning
Where: Irei and Sascha's bungalow
What: Mitsuko and Irei discuss some things that have been on Mitsuko's mind

Her bare feet still slightly damp, Mitsuko padded out of the shower and into the bedroom that had become almost as familiar as her own over the past two months. Two months... Had it really been that long already? Funny to think that. Mitsuko's relationship with Sascha and Irei-- and, no matter how free and unrestrained they were, it was some form of 'relationship'-- had lasted longer than all of her previous ones, save for Sho.

She had grown comfortable with the arrangement, even occasionally sleeping over and-- as was the case today-- borrowing clothes from Sascha. She was wearing one of his shirts, which looked more like a dress on her small frame, going down to mid-thigh and covering up her hands.

Sascha was already gone when Mitsuko had woken up, but Irei was still there in bed. Sweeping her still wet hair up in a messy ponytail, she gave his ear a quick nibble to alert him to her presence. "Every time I come over, I get distracted." She let out a gentle sigh against his skin. There had been something on her mind since she'd come over a few days ago and caught a very familiar scent. She just hadn't found the time to bring it up. Until now. "My mother was here. I know she and Sascha are on the Vice Council together, but I seriously doubt it was business considering what happened the last time they ran into each other." Mitsuko was still quite angry at her mother for the harsh words towards Sascha.

Trailing her fingers up and down Irei's arm, she gave him a small, wry smile. "So what happened? Anything I should worry about?"

Who: Dione and Irei
When: Afternoon Saturday Feb 9
Where: The Wine Bar
What: Dione goes back to her life and part of that life is giving lessons.

Dione had retreated mentally if not physically. There was nothing she could do or hope to do about what was going on. Not when her own brother sought to betray her and the person she loved was kept untouchable behind bars. She needed to go see him, but the idea of others watching them made her nervous. Would they continue to twist her meeting with him into something more sinister than it was? Already they wanted to accuse him of some crime against her as if he had done her any harm. He had never been less than a gentleman to her, even when he bite her, which her mind had labelled as necessary now that she understood what he was to some extent, he was no more forceful than necessary.

( There was still the small matter of the other woman )

Who: Midori and Irei
When: Afternoon
Where: Irei and Sascha's bungalow
What: Midori goes looking for Sascha, but finds Irei instead

It was time for Midori to take care of some business.

Oh, it had nothing to do with her position on the Vice Council. She had no doubt she would be called into duty soon. News of the showdown had reached her. But she was certain the High Council would be handling the situation themselves. She would come when she was called, but not before. She had some... More personal issues to attend to.

She knew of Mitsuko's affection for Zechariah Kitano and Adrienne Conte. No doubt she was preoccupied with what had happened to them. Too preoccupied to spend time with her lover. That gave Midori a rare opportunity.

It had been well over a month since she'd discovered Mitsuko's involvement with Sascha Connolly. As with Loki before him, she found the idea... Troubling, to say the least.

There were so few of their kind left. Much of their own clan had disappeared before arriving in Elysium. The idea of Mitsuko breeding with a human, diluding their bloodline...

Even with her flaws, the daughter of Kamiyama Midori was far too good for a perverse, smartaleck, human Gaijin. She needed to let the man know that.

There was also her want to have her command respected by someone. While she was part of the Vice Council, she could not say she felt entirely useful. In fact, she felt rather impotent on most things. But Mitsuko... Mitsuko was something she might be able to exact some control. Mitsuko was her daughter after all. She was perfectly within her right to control what Mitsuko did.

She opened the door and allowed herself in. Like her daughter, she had little use for knocking. The home was not large and it wasn't long before she found someone. It was not, however, whom she'd come her to see. Rather, it was the other. "Arakaki Irei," Midori said impassively. "You were not the resident I expected to see."

Who: Irei and Dorian
When: Afternoon
Where: Starting at his bungalow, then continuing in the marketplace: the gift shop and the tailor's
What: Time for a haircut.

Irei stared at himself in the mirror. He turned his head and looked at the heavy braid he had pulled his hair into. First it was pulled into a ponytail, and then he had braided the hair down the length. It had been this way since Halloween when he had used a potion to make it grow for the costume he wore. He hadn't done much to it aside from trim it during the winter months, but now he was getting sick of it. There was too much work to be done to keep it up.

He picked up the knife he had received as a gift from one of the first friends he had made in Elysium. He pulled it open and looked at the shining silver of the blade. He had used it once before when killing a few of the harpies that had attacked the town. It had been cleaned since then and looked new again, like it hadn't seen a drop of blood at all.

"Time for a change."

Reaching behind his back and grabbing the middle of the braid, Irei used the knife to saw off the majority of his hair. He held what now looked like a tail in his hand and looked down at it. The edges of his hair looked ragged and unkempt. He took a pair of scissors and evened out the edges of his hair. He would have to wait to get a proper haircut.

( Irei left the bungalow and headed out toward town. )

Who: Mitsuko and Irei
When: Evening
Where: Irei and Sascha's place
What: Post-coital discussion of recent events

Italics=Japanese dialogue

Mitsuko was still panting as she pulled herself off of Irei and laid down alongside him on the bed. Her flesh was slicked with sweat and her long hair clung to her skin. She reached to the bedside table and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and lighter with slightly trembling hand.

They hadn't spoken when she'd come in. She'd simply strolled into the bungalow and when she found Irei, she kissed him furiously and they'd tumbled into his bedroom. She didn't want talk, she didn't want to discuss her feelings. She wanted to forget, to lose herself in the pleasure of another body. Irei seemed to have no objections and things had progressed.

Her mind had been plagued by the events of late. Hayate's imprisonment. Adrienne's attack. Adrienne...

Mitsuko's mother had told her not to become attached to people. That they would always let you down. Adrienne had not let her down... It was even worse. Adrienne had almost died. It was a hurt Mitsuko had never really experienced before. No one she'd cared about had ever died, as she'd never opened up enough to care about anyone. Now that she had, it frightened her. Even worse, it couldn't have been Hayate who had done it. Mitsuko was certain it had been him who had hurt so many people in Elysium. But now, there seemed to be someone else...

When Mitsuko was troubled like this, she turned to the one thing she knew could take her mind off of it.

It had worked, for a moment. Irei was skilled and the pleasure had clouded her mind while they writhed together in his bed. But with passions now cooled, the dark thoughts began to creep back into her mind.

Mitsuko lit both cigarettes and held one out to Irei. She ran her foot up and down his calf idly, her expression one of pensive uncertainty.

"Irei-kun...." Mitsuko started, worrying her lower lip slightly. But as soon as his name left her mouth, her query seemed ridiculous. She averted her gaze, a curtain of dark hair obscuring her face. "Nevermind. It's hardly good pillow talk."

Who: Irei and Luella
When: Afternoon
Where: The Arts and Trade Enclave
What: Irei is actually interested in the far away structure and it's purpose and decides to make an appearance at the dedication.

Irei looked around the buildings before making his way up the many platforms. He was wearing his own coat now. He didn't think he would have to lift one of Sascha's for today seeing as it finally seemed to be warming up a little. He still wore a scarf and gloves over his hands though. He was still prone to getting a chill.

He head up the stairs and to each platform, not wanting to get in the way of people who were planning for the party that was apparently going to happen that night. Irei was obviously a tad early, but the ride there was such a long trip. It took him a few hours even by horse. He wondered why they had planned all of this so far from where most people seemed to live. He thought it was a little odd.

He stopped on a platform and walked over to the edge and leaned over to rest on a railing. The view was magnificent from up upon the huge hillside. He took a deep breath. Irei was in a very mellow mood. A fleeting thought of what it would be like to jump from this height and to feels his body crash into the ground.

How come you aren't getting drunk somewhere already? You know you don't want to listen to me. Come on it's five o'clock somewhere, right?

Irei shut his eyes, rubbed his temple, and growled slightly. "Just shut the hell up and leave me alone already." The voice or ghost never encouraged the random suicidal thoughts that sometimes occurred in Irei's head. Of course not, he thought, because then the torment would be over.


italics = ghost speaking

Who: Zach & Irei
When: Evening
Where: The Wine Bar
What: Zach is looking for a necromancer, and someone told him he'd find one here.

Despite all of the other issues going on in his life, an idea struck Zach a couple of days ago out of the blue. He always thought about his brother, even if he didn’t talk about him out loud anymore. Zach talked to people about him in the beginning, but eventually the conversations with others stopped serving a purpose and only caused him to dwell in ‘what ifs’ and ‘could have beens.’ It was then that Zach tried to let the memories go, burying them under the surface where no one else but him could see them. Still, they persisted on and on.

The unanswered questions in Zach’s mind were too much to bear sometimes, and he wanted to find closure for himself — and for his family. There were people who could talk to the dead, to spirits, and Zach could ask one of them to find his brother. They could speak with him again and find out the truth; they could finally rest at night knowing Jared knew what they knew, and even Jared could find peace in whatever place his spirit laid beyond the grave.

Zach pushed past the doors of the wine bar, glancing around slowly at the unfamiliar landscape inside. He was told he could find the necromancer here, someone who could call his brother forward again. He didn’t have a name. He only had the occupation, assuming ‘necromancer’ was an occupation. Not knowing where else to go, Zach approached the bar and sat down at one of the stools until someone came to serve him.

“Hey,” Zach said to the bartender. “I’m not looking for a drink. I’m just looking for a necromancer. Do you know where I can find one?”

Who: Logan and Irei
When: Late Night
Where: Dreamscape
What: The Nightmare Before on Christmas


Christmas was a rather subdue event between the Nagamori siblings. Mitsuko had found a fake plant in the storage unit. It didn't in any way resemble a Christmas tree... More like it belonged in an office. But Logan had made ornaments and Mitsuko had hung some of her jewelry to give a Christmas look. It had been the nice start to what Logan hoped would become a tradition-- Decorating the tree with his sister.

They'd exchanged gifts. Logan had made Mitsuko a carved box to hold her various accessories. Mitsuko had given Logan a new set of brushes, some clothes which were much nicer than he was used to and (what made him blush profusely) several men's magazines, with women in various states of undress. He couldn't say he wasn't grateful for the present, but he would die rather than admit it out loud.

While they had stopped by their various friend's homes to wish them Merry Christmas, most of the day was spent together in their cottage. Mitsuko had taught Logan a number of card games, regaling him of her time in Las Vegas, which it sounded like she'd enjoyed a great deal. Logan was never quite sure how to respond to his sister's crazy stories, but he was just happy to have family to be around on the holiday.

But Christmas was nearly over now. Mitsuko had gone to bed and Logan was lying back in his bed, willing to sleep to come to him. It was still difficult to fall asleep sometimes, knowing he would end up not in his own dreamworld but someone else's. Not only did he feel like he was invading someone's privacy, but he felt deprived of his own nocturnal thoughts, trapped in someone else's.

But sleep eventually came. Logan closed his eyes and drifted into slumber. When his unconscious dreamself regained focus, he felt surrounded by uneasiness. But there was something familiar about it.

"Do I know you?" Logan found himself asking to the conscious he was now in. He didn't expect an answer, but he felt the need to ask it all the same. He already didn't like it here.

Who: Irei and Kayo
When: mid afternoon
Where: wine bar
What: Irei is very cold, bored, and looking for some company

Irei hated snow.

That last fucking snow drift had nearly tripped him and had threatened to sink him thigh deep into the deceptive looking hill. The slush had already slipped into his boots because of the way he was walking which ironically made the going much worse. He probably would have fared better had he known what a snowshoe was, not that he would have used them. Tennis rackets for the feet were not the kind of statement he wanted to make.

He really hated snow.

Irei had grown up on a tropical island most of his life. The weather there had never gotten this cold. It wasn’t until Irei had moved to New York that he had even first seen snow, and then he kept himself inside as much as possible then. But that was back in the days of multiple forms of distractions like tv, computers, and the internet, and he had none of those. He had been able to charge his MP3 player, but had gotten quite tired of listening to the same music over and over again over a period of days.

He needed a drink and some company desperately. Sascha was at work and had left the dogs at the bungalow. The new one, Brasco, Sascha had found sometime in November. Irei couldn’t recall exactly when and wondered if he should be worried about that. Anyway, the new dog hadn’t yet taken a shine to him as of yet, so Irei left the animals behind in the bungalow. There was food out and Sascha would be home soon, so they would be fine.

After opening the door to the wine bar, Irei made a quick entrance shutting the door behind him. He shook off the snow and slush off his coat and unwound the scarf he had wrapped around his neck. There was a fire going in the fireplace and made the wooden interior warm and inviting, and he was already beginning to warm up.

Who: Irei, Sascha, Mitsuko, Logan, and Sheldon(?)
When: Evening, when the moon has appeared in the sky
Where: site of Kaiya and Faye's murder
What: Calling Kaiya's spirit back from the dead, bwahahahaha!

Irei scratched the back of his neck as he checked once again that he had everything ready for the seance. As this one was planned unlike the time those stupid harpies had attacked, he had thought to bring a bigger, and better supplies to work the magic that would be going down that evening. He had scratched a magic circle into the earth with a sturdy stick he had found near the murder site and was now busy etching pictographic ruins from within the circle. Multiple fat, white candles set on low round bases were set in strategic spots. He had also taken it upon himself to find something that had personally belonged to Kaiya, incase either Logan or Sheldon didn’t show up. It wasn’t much, but he would help him focus in on Kaiya’s energy.

He sat back on his haunches and looked over at his friend. Irei had asked Sascha to come with him this time. These kind of events tended to be very trying on even Irei’s ability to make it home on his own two feet. His normal practice of drinking to deaden the pain was effective, but he had to be sure not to drink too much, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to focus. He was grateful for that possessive streak that ran through Sascha on occasion that seemed to make him more than willing to accompany Irei and make sure the necromancer made it home safely.

Irei put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it on one of the already burning candles. “Oi!” He called out to Sascha and tossed his pack over to him, nearly wordlessly offering him a cigarette as well as asking him to hold onto it for him. Stuffed inside the pack of thin white sticks was Irei silver Zippo lighter. Considering Sascha had known very little of Kaiya while she was alive aside from Irei had told him, his presence was not required so much for that, as it was for moral support.

There had been no form of RSVP from the two he had invited out tonight. Irei hadn’t really expected much in that form, but he still wasn’t sure who would come. Logan had been really upset when Irei had mentioned calling his father’s spirit. He hadn’t seen Logan again until the Halloween festival, when they both had interest in the vampire/human odd couple. Although Logan had been interested in the teenaged girl, and Irei was far more drawn to Hayate himself. Unlike with Logan Irei had little knowledge of Sheldon, let alone his exact relation to the deceased fae.

He sucked the nicotine laced smoke deep into his lungs, causing him to cough. It was just a bit too much all at once. He buried his mouth into his elbow as he continued to cough.

Was there anything else he needed to do? The candles were set up, ruins sketched, and the incense was laid out ready to be burnt as an offering to the departed.. He stood back up and carefully made his way to where he had set down his grimoire, his book of necromancy spells and supernatural information. He picked it up and ran his hand over the repaired spine. It was a very old and very rare book. There were very few in existence that he knew off. It was Sato-sensei’s legacy that he had passed down to Irei. He opened the book and raised his eyes to glance over it at Sascha before returning to his mental check list.

All he really needed were the invited guests to attend.

Who: Hayate and Irei
When: Afternoon
Where: The pond in the middle of the town cottages.
What: Irei has a threat to deliver to Hayate.

Hayate had been in an agreeable mood as of late, and there were few things that could break the peaceful state of his mind. Despite the recent murders in the haven, it seemed Hayate walked with a light step and smiled kindly to those he did not know in passing. A biting chill still covered the land, and though it did not bother him much, Hayate dressed warm all the same. As of now, he was walking by the pond amidst the town cottages, surveying the calm scenery of the residential area. People were happy here, and most of them minded their own business, but he noticed the tension rising in the air due to the death of the two fae women. Of course, the tension did not affect him negatively; it put a spring in his step, if anything.

Shadows fell along the ground where he walked, and he paused as he glanced up at the sky above. He noticed clouds forming in the sky and knew it would soon be overcast because of them. The wind appeared to be changing directions as well, and Hayate wondered if a storm was on the way. It was quite possible a storm would be coming to create a blanket over the land, and if that were the case then he would need to find shelter soon.

Of course, others might think of the clouds in another way. There were those who were superstitious and believed in old things, though Hayate did not believe in anything but himself. He decided he would return home rather than be caught in a downpour during the cold weather, but the sight of familiar face nearby quenched the idea as soon as it came.

“You,” Hayate simply said, referring to the other man in a scornful tone. Perhaps the clouds were something to be superstitious about, if this encounter coincided with them.

Who: Everyone (who isn’t already in a thread during this time)
When: 2 to 5 PM
Where: All over Helicharis
What: The harpy attack!


The harpies had been planning.

By most standards and definitions those particular praeternatural creatures were not intelligent. They had no real form of speech or civilization to speak of; however, they were capable of plotting vengeance. They wanted revenge against the interloper that had stolen into their nesting area in the middle of the night, the one who had burned some of their children and killed a few of their females. They knew not who the attacker was exactly, only that they had seen him retreating toward the village. That was enough for them.

A small fraction of the flock had gathered to attack the humans and other praeternaturals in Helicharis. They had no ‘real’ plan other than to wreak havoc, but at least it was something they were skilled in. Their shrill, ear-piercing cries, sharp claws, and razor sharp teeth were enough to cause a few injuries, and to scare the citizens into a frenzy.

The grotesque creatures set out from their nest, flying rapidly toward Helicharis and the unsuspecting citizens. Their numbers created a veritable black cloud in the sky, the flapping of their wings brought forth an ominous sound that seemed to resonate throughout the valley. Once they neared Helicharis the lead harpy let out a high-pitched shriek that could be likened to a banshee. It was the only warning the people would get before the swarm descended upon them.

Unnatural as they were, the harpies were masterful fliers; their maneuverability in the air unmatched by even the most graceful birds of prey. Ungainly and sometimes clumsy on the ground, the harpies preferred to stay in the air as they attacked the people with careful swoops and well-placed claws. Their attack was only made worse by the rain that refused to stop falling.


( OOC notes )

Who: Mitsuko and Irei
When: Night
Where: The Wine Bar
What: Discussions of dark, depressing things

Mitsuko sat at the bar, glass sitting in front of her. She slipped a slender finger around the rim idly. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing here. It just seemed like the thing to do. Yes, her breakup with Loki had been amicable, but she couldn't say she was at all happy with the outcome of their relationship. She supposed it was better than the end of her last serious relationship. At least this time she hadn't ended up with a knife buried in her.

She didn't want to be at home tonight. She couldn't stand Logan ignoring her any longer. Ignoring everyone. He just stayed in his room, painting. There was nothing she could say to him to make him feel better. He was just... Lost. She couldn't stand to look at him and not be able to do anything. It was as if the last few months of progress hadn't happened. That he was again the mute boy who had just lost his parents.

And there were poor Kaiya and Faye. Mitsuko had seen death before. She'd known people who'd been killed. That happened in her line of work. But it was nothing like this. She'd not seen the bodies herself, but she'd heard what her brother had seen. It was not just a killing. It was a butchering.

She hissed in a breath, flashing back to the memory of a man trying to stab a jagged pool cue through her. The bloodlust in his eyes. Were those eyes the last thing Kaiya and Faye saw?

Picking up her glass, Mitsuko drained it quickly. She had the fleeting idea of picking up some guy and using him shamelessly for the night. It might have made her feel better to indulge in carnal pleasures, to forget about everything, if only for a fleeting moment.

But she doubted she would be able to pick anyone up in her mood. While she had a lot of faith in her good looks, it did take some finesse to pick up a guy. With such dark thoughts in her head, she would no doubt scare any sane man away.

She gestured to her glass, wordlessly asking the barkeep for a refill. She was certain they would go through this routine many times tonight.

Who: Loki, Dominic, and Guests
When: 12:00 PM
Where: The Tiki Hut
What: Loki announces the news of his departure to his friends.

With the winter weather setting in, it was less and less likely people were going to use The Tiki Hut very much. However, there were two events booked for today and one of them was Loki's very own get-together with a group of friends he had made while here in Elysium. It wasn't meant to be a big party, just a small cookout of sorts with a handful of people. Dominic helped with the barbecue, and Loki set up the drinks for the event on the bar for people to easily grab whenever they got thirsty.

There were no big decorations up yet, and The Tiki Hut looked like it usually did under the simple lights of the establishment. They weren't using the dance floor, and there wasn't any music playing. Loki and his friends secured a little corner of the bar and some of the restaurants' tables beside the beach with the barbecue set-up.

Everyone was here already, mixing and mingling amongst each other, while Loki walked off for a moment to talk with Mitsuko in private before they returned to everyone else. He was going to break the news of his departure to her first before he told the rest of them. Hopefully, she wouldn't storm off from him during the party. Loki wasn't sure how his announcement was going to go once he let it out of the bag.


OOC: Post any sort of threads you want below! Dominic wants to meet some of his friends, and group subthreads are a-okay. Loki is going to have a scene with Mitsuko first, but then others later!

WHO: Open to anyone who wants to attend.
WHEN: Just after sunset.
WHERE: Northern Forest, near Van'taurë Lake.
WHAT: Faye and Kaiya's funeral.

Funerals in the most common fae tradition involved simple pyres to burn the bodies of the dead. It was an old tradition used to hide the bodies of the deceased, even in death, from the eyes of prying outsiders. Humans became known for ruining sacred ground by building their cities upon them or digging up the dead and, especially as time worn on, cremation became commonplace for most fae communities in the last few centuries. At Faye and Kaiya’s funeral, two elaborate pyres had been constructed in their honor near Van'taurë Lake.

The funeral began as a march. All those who attended walked a path from the edge of the forest to the location of the pyres by the lake. The journey to death had to be taken by all, and the crowd walked together with the people carrying the bodies of the deceased upon wooden carriers.

The colors of death were draped over their bodies. White was the color of death. Each woman wore a white dress, a white sheet draped over the lower half of their bodies, and white veils placed over their faces. Each of them held a bouquet of white sweet pea flowers in their hands. White poppy petals littered their dresses and the sheets over them.

When the march finally ended, they arrived at the pyres and stood at attention close to the lake. There were no seats. Faye and Kaiya were taken to their respective pyres and carried up to the top of the complicated structures. There, they were placed, and those who took them up the pyres returned to the ground. A song was sung by a choir of faes as the pyres were lit. All that could be done was to watch the fires rise up the pyres as attendees paid their respects by aiding the deceased into the afterlife with their presence.