The clouds hung low in the sky, dark and ominous, while icy wind stung Ryan's face. Yet here he was standing at the edge of Mare's northern face, only inches from a dizzying plunge to the sea below.
Not that he was going to complain. After all, he'd come out here to say goodbye to everyone who had lost their lives in the battle. Over a dozen innocent townspeople – and Avia.
Following Mare tradition, their bodies had been wrapped in blankets before being carefully lowered down the cliffside on ropes. The ropes were tied to stakes set up along the cliff's edge, but those weren't strong enough to suspend the bodies on their own. So one person stood in front of every stake, holding up the rope.
Avia was so heavy she needed an extra rope, and even then her body dangled much lower than everyone else's. Though his arms ached all the way to his shoulders and the rough rope bit into his palms, Ryan didn't slacken his grip an inch.
After all, he had chosen to do this. It was the least he could do for Avia, even if it didn't feel like half enough. But from here on out, he'd have no more chances.
The thought tightened his throat, made his eyes sting. Cursing himself, he clenched his teeth. Dammit, he couldn't break down here and now. He'd already cried enough tears for Avia. Right now, he had to be strong enough to give her a proper sendoff.
Especially with all these people watching him. The townspeople and Blue Sky crew gathered behind him and the other rope-bearers, crowded into the narrow space where the extraction machine had once stood. Though it was long gone, Ryan could still sense a faint bitter trace of corrupted Levia in the air.
He clenched his teeth harder, forcing himself to ignore it. Anyway, it was nothing compared to another, much stronger Levia pulsing through his bones, calm and soothing like cool water.
Even without turning around, he knew Fia was looking right at him. That was right, both his new and old familiars were here with him. No way was he going to let them down.
The ropes creaked and strained in his grip; he clamped down tighter, trying not to wince when his palms stung. This was nothing, nothing at all compared to how Avia had suffered.
This close to the cliff's edge, the crashing waves drowned out almost all other sounds. He had the dim sense the townspeople might be weeping, and Chief Lahu was delivering a speech, but Ryan only managed to catch occasional snatches of his high, reedy voice.
" – to honor those who gave their lives for us, so their sacrifice will not be in vain – "
Try as he might, Ryan couldn't make himself focus on the words. Maybe it was rude of him, but right now, all he wanted to think about was Avia down below.
They'd won the battle. He and Fia had defeated Hellebore, avenging Avia. And yeah, it did make him feel better – at least the guy wouldn't be around to cause more trouble – but it couldn't possibly fill the hole in his heart.
So much he wanted to say, so much he'd never be able to. What would Avia think about his new contract? About how he and Fia fought together?
Somehow, he could picture it so easily. She would nod slowly, solemn as always, and she'd say something short and simple. Maybe, "Good work, Ryan."
His shoulders trembled. The rope slipped through his hands and Avia dropped a couple of feet, making Ryan's heart jump into his throat. Quick as he could, he dug in his heels and squeezed the rope tight, struggling to keep Avia from falling further.
He didn't know if anybody had seen, but he didn't give a damn. He was past caring what anybody else thought of him, as long as he knew Fia – and Avia – were proud of him. From now on, he'd never forget what was most important.
And though thinking about Avia hurt, it made him feel strangely warm too.
" – and return you to the sea's embrace." With that, Lahu fell silent. For a moment, the sound of the waves filled Ryan's ears, then a deep thud echoed through the air.
Ryan's first panicked instinct was to dive for cover – it might be another Infernal Legion attack – but when it sounded again, he realized it was a drumbeat. Another one came, trembling deep in his bones.
Glancing wildly around, he saw the other rope-bearers drawing the knives at their belts. Ryan scrambled to follow suit, though it meant he had to hold Avia up one-handed. The extra weight dragged him a few steps forward, but he managed to draw the knife he'd been given at the start of the funeral.
One by one the others severed their ropes, sending the bodies plummeting to their final resting place. The splashes echoed through the air as they hit the sea below. Hand shaking, Ryan brought the knife to the ropes.
But he couldn't help hesitating. Once he did this, he would never see Avia again. She would sink into the depths of the sea, leaving behind no trace of her existence.
Just then, Fia's Levia stirred inside Ryan. It was faint and gentle, but it calmed his racing heartbeat just a fraction. Right. It wasn't like he'd get to see Avia again even if he did keep her body. He had already lost her forever the moment Hellebore had crushed her core.
And she wouldn't be alone at the bottom of the ocean, either. According to Fia, the dead would rest for eternity under Samakah's guard.
Avia would like that, he was sure of it. All she'd wanted was a place to belong, a place where she was needed. If it couldn't be by his side, then it could be here at the island she had given her life to protect.
By now, Ryan's arm ached so much it had gone numb. No more hesitating. So he drew back the knife and sliced through the ropes with all his strength.
The sudden loss of weight made him stagger. Losing his balance, he fell onto his rear. But as fast as he could, Ryan scrambled back to his feet and peered over the cliffside.
Just in time – Avia was still falling, the ends of the ropes whipping through the air. It didn't take long before she hit the sea with an impact that thudded through Ryan's entire body, even drowning out the insistent beat of the drums.
A plume of water, a ring of bubbles, and Avia disappeared from view. Ryan stared at the frothing waves until his eyes almost crossed, but he had already lost track of where Avia had fallen.
A lump swelled in his throat, but that was when Fia's Levia surged inside him. The next thing he knew, slender arms wrapped around his waist and soft wavy hair brushed against his back.
"Ryan, you did amazing!" With their face pressed to his back, their voice came out muffled, but he understood every word anyway. "Thank you so much!"
"Uh, um, you don't have to thank me," Ryan found himself babbling, his face strangely hot. "I didn't really do anything…."
"That's not true!" Before he could figure out what was happening, Fia grabbed his wrist and tugged it up. His heart jolted when he saw the bloody abrasions on his palm.
"You worked so hard," Fia said, turning to him with glittering eyes. The skin around them was puffy and dark blue, making him realize they must have been crying. His heart twisted painfully.
"I really, I - " he began, though he had no idea what he wanted to say.
And it didn't matter, because Fia kept talking. "I think Avia would be happy, wouldn't she?"
The lump in Ryan's throat grew bigger. It took a few hard gulps before he forced it down enough to speak. "Yeah...I hope so."
The smile that spread across Fia's face made him feel like the sun had come out, even if the clouds remained gray as ever. He could've stood here watching that smile forever.
But just as the stupid thought came to him, Fia's Levia gave a sudden shudder. Gasping, they stumbled back, before whipping around to face the sea.
"Samakah," they said, "is calling me."
"Huh? What?" Ryan blurted.
Fia blinked, then nodded. "I can hear her voice. She wants to speak."
"Wait, Fia!" Huffing and puffing, Chief Lahu stumbled toward them. "Are you certain? We thought Samakah would need longer to recover from the corruption."
"I thought so too, but it feels like she really wants to tell us something." When they turned back toward Ryan, the breath caught in his throat. No matter how much he'd seen them like this, he couldn't get used to it – shining with absolute trust in him. "Will you help me, Ryan?"
In spite of everything, a grin tugged at Ryan's mouth. "Who do you think you're talking to? Any time!"
Fia smiled too, brighter than ever. Their Levia spread toward him like ocean waves, and Ryan summoned an elemental diagram of his own. His Levia had never come so easily before, and it was all thanks to Fia.
No, not just them, but Avia's blessing too. He couldn't be more certain of that.