Wake of Darkness [1]

Chapter Thirteen

 ♕ Afterglow ♕

It was early. So fucking early. But that did not matter. He could barely even feel the lack of sleep in his body. The blue from the sky seemed darker than usual, although everything seemed darker than usual lately. Asher made his way down the streets of Goldcrest trying his best to not get in the way of The Aureums as they carried the small boat containing their friend's remains on it.

His fingers played with the small ruby ring in his finger, trying to remember the last time he'd gone to a parting ceremony. The memory was so far off his mind that he could no longer see it clearly, but still he could feel the things he'd felt fifteen years ago as they walked down the same path onto Silent Grave. Back then all his eyes were able to concentrate on, was the shape of the rocks beneath his feet, he'd wondered how they'd fit so perfectly together that they'd made a street guiding directly to Prayers Shore.

Asher did not understand what walking down willow street meant then. When they'd arrived at the beach that night, he had felt scared. All of Goldcrest had gathered in the street to wait for them, all waited to sit in the sand, and none parted their eyes from him or his father as they settled at the midst of it all. He had seen the face of her mother then. Her eyes closed. All of her visible skin covered in golden markings.

It had felt like a lie. Realizing what they were doing. What he was about to see. Now all he had left from that day were scraps and pieces. The memories that he had of the event were merely knowledge he'd obtain over the years. As he heard the stories of his mother life over and over again. All ending on the parting ceremony.

How the sun had turned her into ashes at first light, and her remains had floated across the sea to meet with the sun, and forever be under its reign.

Now everything was quiet. There was no one coming to see Layla go. No one to see her turn into ashes. To see her float towards the sun.

When they arrived at the sea, Asher and Taj waited for them to place her on the ground. Careful to not let the waves touch her yet. Izabella sat beside her, her white hair braided over her shoulder, in a way that remained Asher of Layla's hair. Iz kept her hands inside of the boat. And Asher knew she would not part from her side until the last second.

Vereena and Raven stepped back, holding each other's hand. Vereena's head resting on her shoulder.

"We just saw her" whispered Taj.

Asher nodded. Remembering how she'd been at the north gate as they'd arrived from Blackstone. She had been smiling at them the whole time, even though Asher knew both of them had been standing under the sun for more than six hours. Her smile had never faded away.

"She seemed happy" he said. Taj nodded.

Vereena let go of Raven, who went and sat beside Izabella. Asher smiled at her as Vereena came and stood in between them, holding both of their hands, without saying anything. All of them staring at the horizon waiting.

Asher swallowed back the knot that had formed in his throat as he felt her crying beside him. Vee had always been like a sister to him, the closest thing he'd ever had to family, along with Taj. Not once in all of his years of knowing her had Asher seen her so vulnerable in front of the both of them. Asher squeezed her hand as Vereena silently sobbed.

"Thank you for coming" she whispered, her words slow.

"It's the least we could've done" Said Taj.

Asher felt the creeping guilt that had settle into his mind growing. There would never be anything in the world to make this feel right. To make her death make sense.

"I should've been there" He said.

If he had not been so obsessed with finding more about what they'd seen in Wood Sorrow, he would have made sure all of the guards were on patrol that night. Mistakes cost lives. And he'd carry the weight of Layla's loss in his heart forever.

The worst of all was that he could not say he knew her well, that he'd honor her memory by speaking of her life to others. Asher had known her the same way he knew most of the guards in Goldcrest, on a name basis. He should have been better.

"All of her fingernails are broken" Whispered Vereena. "I know she was in disadvantage. But she tried. She died fighting." She said.

"Fuck" Said Taj, stepping out from the sand and walking away from them.

"It's time" Vereena said and let go of Asher's hand.

As she made her way back to the boat, Raven immediately wrapped her hands around her. Her hands brushing her skin, as they knelt beside Layla. Asher did not know what being in love felt like, but he was sure he was looking at it. The two of them understood each other in a way he'd never been able to with anyone.

Asher smiled, watching Raven kiss Vereena's temple before making his way to sit next to Taj a couple of steps back. This was not for them. The parting ceremony was for The Aureums. For them to say goodbye in their own terms.

"Bree said they did this to others Ash." Taj shook his head. "They were at Blackstone and did this to someone else. And now they came here" He shook his head. "We were at both cities and did not see or hear anything"

"We did see something" Asher said, remembering the girl with long black hair that had stood in the middle of the lake and froze it. "It can't be a coincidence. We'll find a way"

Asher could not help but think of Bree. He had not been sure if he had made the right call by bringing her here, had thought of taking her back to Blackstone. But seeing Layla's body... If taking her here had prevent her from ending up with the same faith, having her think of him as an idiot was not something he would dwell on.

For a second, he'd thought she might have had something to do with it. Even if deep inside he'd known that was not a possibility. But seeing the look of her face as he'd screamed at him for even suggesting it earlier had confirmed it. Although blaming it on her would've saved them of the heartache, he knew she was perhaps more upset than him about the situation. Not that it was an easy thing to admit to himself.

"It's too late for them" Taj said.

"Layla would not want us to just sit and wait for them to do this to someone else" said Asher. Watching as Nova and Hazel placed the candles around Layla's body.

"What if she is right?" Taj asked. "What if it wasn't the girl we saw in the woods? If it was one of ours?"

Asher felt his blood boiling at the thought.

"I'll make sure whoever did this never gets to see the light of the sun again Taj"

Neither of them spoke again as they saw the first glimpse of sunlight peak from the horizon. All of The Aureums taking their place beside Layla. Both him and Taj stood from the ground but did not make any attempts to step forward, it was not their place to do so.

The Aureums placed their hands over Layla's body. The faint glow of their tattoos intensifying as the first rays of morning started to make their way into the night sky. The glow passing from their tattoos to Layla's, her tattoos shining brighter than they'd ever had, for a mere second, before they faded back into empty scars. He watched as they let the candle fire burn Layla's clothes first. And then stood.

The five of them took Layla in their hands, and slowly carried her towards the sea. All stepped into the water with her, walking until it reached their necks and then let go. They remained standing in the sea until the boat faded into nothing, and the night had turned into pure daylight around them. The sky turning various shades of red pink and orange. Asher couldn't help but smile as he noticed the similarities of the color with Layla's hair. As if the sun itself were saying welcome.

The Aureums made their way back into the sand hand in hand. Neither of them stopping to acknowledge him or Taj as they walked back into the city.

Asher took a deep breath. Watching the small dot of firelight in the horizon.

"They will be okay" Whispered Taj, placing his hand on his shoulder. Asher nodded, and both of them walked back into Goldcrest.