The funeral was held in Velmora Kingdom, where all the hunters of Elyria had gathered, dressed in solemn black. The King of Velmora himself was present, offering his final farewell to the fallen warriors with a flower before silently returning to his carriage.
Zaren stood before Corvin's grave, his heart heavy with grief. Silent tears rolled down his face as memories flooded his mind. A voice echoed in his head, Corvin's voice—"Hey dude, I'm also becoming a hunter, so be careful." The pain of loss clenched his chest.
Maria observed Zaren, noticing his silent sorrow. Her gaze then shifted to the grave of Mario, the former guild master of the Arcanum Guild. She recalled his words vividly: "Oh! You are the king's daughter. That means you must be very powerful, huh! Want to have a one-on-one duel?"
Noric stood in front of his vice guild master's grave, lost in thought. "He healed us… but no one could heal him in his final moments." Silent tears welled up in his eyes.
One by one, Zaren and the others placed red, vibrant flowers on the graves. A wave of silence washed over them before they finally departed. Varric and his vice guild master followed suit, and soon, the hunters began their journey back to the Kingdom of Elyria.
The walk back was quiet, filled with the weight of remembrance. Each hunter was lost in thoughts of their fallen comrades. As they arrived at the kingdom, the hunters of their respective guilds greeted them with congratulatory cheers, but the atmosphere remained somber.
Soldiers approached, addressing the citizens and fellow hunters. "Please keep your distance from the high-ranking hunters. They have been through a rough time and need space."
A soldier then stepped forward. "Sir Varric, please come with us."
The hunters followed the soldier into the grand halls of the king's palace. Upon reaching the throne room, they all knelt before King Alaric.
"Your Majesty," they spoke in unison.
The king nodded. "You may rise."
As they stood, King Alaric addressed them. "I understand that you have all lost something invaluable. But we must now look ahead and make decisions. Our kingdom has gained an SSS-rank hunter, strengthening us, but at great cost. We lost two S-rank hunters and an SS-rank. Moreover, the Arcanum Guild is now without a guild master. This position must be filled."
His gaze fell upon Zaren. "Zaren, do you wish to take up this role? You would be the ideal candidate."
Zaren hesitated before bowing slightly. "Your Majesty, I am honored, but I am not suited for this position. Instead, I would like to recommend Maria for the role."
The king was momentarily taken aback but then smiled, his thoughts aligning with those of the Velmora King. "You are indeed loyal to your kingdom, as I have heard." Turning to Maria, he announced, "I hereby declare Maria as the new guild master of Arcanum Guild."
Zaren smiled. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Maria glanced at him, her mind filled with questions. Is this what you truly want, Zaren? Who are you, really?
The king continued, "The Aetheris Guild has also lost a vice guild master. However, since he was a healer, it will not be as great a problem. Noric, do you have an A-rank hunter in mind to take his place?"
Noric hesitated, memories of his fallen comrade flashing through his mind. "Your Majesty, I will find someone suitable."
King Alaric nodded. "Then, today's meeting is concluded. You may all rest."
The hunters bowed and took their leave.
---
That night, Zaren stood outside Brannor's shop, his heart heavy. How should I tell him? Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
Brannor was at the doorway, his face lighting up upon seeing Zaren. "Oh, Zaren! You're back! Where is Corvin? He wasn't with you?" He grabbed Zaren's shoulders, excitement in his eyes.
Zaren looked down. "Sir, actually…"
Brannor's smile faltered. "Why do you look like that, Zaren? Where is Corvin?"
Zaren clenched his fists. "He's dead!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he wept.
Brannor took a step back, the words sinking in like a blade to the heart. Tears welled in his eyes as a memory surfaced—Corvin's voice, young and full of hope: "Papa, I will become a hunter who protects everyone from evil."
His legs trembled, but he steadied himself. "It's… okay," he whispered through tears. "It's not your fault, Zaren. Corvin dreamed of becoming a hunter. His goal was to protect humanity. You didn't kill him."
Zaren's voice shook. "No… It's all my fault. If I hadn't trained him, if I hadn't encouraged him, he wouldn't have—"
"Zaren," Brannor interrupted, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He is in heaven now. Do you think he would want to see you like this?"
Zaren stilled, his sobs quieting. Without another word, he turned and rushed out the door.
Brannor made a move to stop him but paused, sighing deeply. He has to face this himself, he thought. This is his burden to carry.
Wiping his tears, he sat down, staring into the dim light of his shop. My son… is gone.
And with that, he closed his eyes, letting exhaustion and sorrow take him into uneasy sleep.
(Chapter 16 Fin)