✔ Far Cry | JJK x OC

Chapter 56 // Highway to hell

It was weird seeing everyone always with a gun on their hand or belt, but Ethan was allowing it, considering the threat level at the moment. Leah looked around and noticed that a lot of Omani people were gathered there besides Amanaki's folk. They would probably leave after the rites were done, although most warriors were gone already.

There were ten funerary piles on the edge of the city where the parade had stopped. Everyone was standing in a circle waiting for someone, despite the priests and warriors standing by, ready. Those warriors were different, their whole bodies were marked by tataus and they seemed fierce and unrelenting. One in particular with black eyes and hair had a daunting expression as if he was holding all his aggression in.

She felt her hand being grabbed and squeezed, so she turned to give Aaden attention. He guided her in between the crowd to get to the furthest corner. She immediately saw Jungkook staring at the pile in front of him and guessed that it had to be Namjoon's. Her lips quivered and she repressed the urge to go to him.

Her other hand was squeezed and she widened her eyes at the sight of someone so dear.

"Ella!" She hugged her closely, happy to feel Ella's caresses on her head.

"I made it in time," she answered quietly with a small smile.

She nodded at Aaden, who then moved away to stand by Ethan at the end of the path. Whoever they were waiting for was taking their sweet time.

"Why don't you go to him?" Ella asked, furrowing her brow. Leah shook her head, not really in the mood to explain it right now, and Ella squeezed her hand. "Come on."

She dragged Leah to the front and let go of her to stand beside Jungkook's left side. Ella then squeezed his hand in comfort before staring ahead. Jungkook then turned to his right, meeting Leah's green watery eyes. His expression revealed pain before he could hide it and Leah forgot everything. In a second she had her arms tight around his neck and was pulling him as closely as possible. He shut his eyes, the smell of flowers invading him and turning his gut. Before he could hug her back, though, drums started playing and the priests started singing.

Leah stepped back and glanced forward, staying by his side. Powders were being burned that smelled funny and released a lot of fumes, and she couldn't follow what was going on. Finally, she realized what they'd all been waiting for — a woman.

She was tall, maybe a few centimeters taller than Leah was. She was dark-skinned, tanned by the sun and her hair was dark brown and braided in dreadlocks that ran almost until they reached her waist. She wore dark brown leather adorned excessively with jewelry such as stones and bones. Her wrists were filled with bracelets of many kinds and colors, and through her belly showing or her raised short skirt, it was plain to see her tatau extended from her chest to her knee on her left side. Additionally, she had a circular tatau on her shoulder down her left arm that was riddled with symbols. She must have been the woman they all talked about, Citra.

As the priests sang or cited their rites, this woman stopped by each pile touching the people's wrapped heads as if blessing them. The last was Namjoon and Leah felt uncomfortable when the woman reached for his head. The woman turned and instantly stared at Jungkook with her dark intense eyes. They descended over his arms quickly and her expression showed many emotions, from irritation to intrigue.

Finally, she turned away to speak to the crowd while walking away, but Leah wasn't listening. She turned to look at Jungkook, who was again staring ahead. She felt unsettled by the whole thing and seeing him lost was pulling at her nerves.

The piles were set ablaze and the drums stopped. Everyone stood silent for a couple of minutes while the flames built.

When the flames seemingly reached the sky, and the goddess, the mob started dispersing. Jungkook walked forward to reach Namjoon and Ella was quick to hold him back, fearful of what he might do.