Everyone quiets as Soot's and Nordrem walk to the closest stack of wood. No one makes a sound, just gives them both their respectful silence and attention.
Soot's starts out, voice high and loud enough to carry across the large crowd of over one hundred and fifty people gathered.
"Abigale. My beautiful daughter was born on the fourth day of the second month of the year 8827 on Jakesha. My wife Veirda had been in labor for eight long hours, before we heard Abigale start to cry out as the midwife cut and cleaned her up. Veirda took her from the midwife, looked down at our gorgeous girl, head already full of tight dark curls, eyes not yet open, and a mouth that produced the shrillest wail I never knew a newborn could produce." He chuckled, caught in the memory.
This is where Nordrem repeated word for word what Soot's had said to his people. Once Nordrem was done, Soot's continued.
"When Veirda put her in my arms, I knew then, I was done for. Veirda had my soul, Abigale had my heart." Soot's took in a deep breath, raising his closed eyes to the sky. "She also stole every bit of patience I have ever had and then some."
Nordrem repeated his statement, causing the crowd from Dragosvellier to break out in laughter, apparently agreeing with Soot's.
"However, my sweet girl also could make my heart swell with pride and love too. She loved playing with her friends over in the settlement from Zohka, always having to prove she was the bravest, strongest, best human out of them all. Heh he, of course she was the only human, so she always won that."
More laughter followed that statement, making me long to know more about my mother.
"I watched her grow from an infant to the curious, headstrong little girl, then into a spitfire of a teenager who was all her own person and filled with her own ideals of how one should spend their lives. Then she grew into a slightly more level headed young woman, who's sense of wanderlust had her discovering every forest, cave, lake, ocean, and island here in the Nether space."
Soot's let's Nordrem speak, letting himself take some deep breaths while he waited.
"However, that was not enough for my Abigale. All the knowledge of the outside world had fueled her desire to venture out and have her own life. Then her mother became sick. No matter what we did, she kept wasting away slowly. Abigale, myself, and many of you, helped take care of Veirda. We knew it was just a matter of time before she passed. Yet, Abigale could not handle the actual loss of her mother the day it happened. I lost my wife and my daughter on the same day." Soot's doesn't meet anyone with his eyes. He only stands there, staring at the ground, but his eyes visualize the past. Nordrem finishes speaking, waiting for Soot's to continue.
Soot's focus comes back and he continues, "Her stubborn attitude I had handled all her life, her passion for adventure another. Her grief though, I was not a strong enough man to handle hers and my own. I could not even handle my own." Soot's eyes finally raise to the crowds, locking his gaze with mine.
"My daughter in all her grief, crumbling inside, as we buried her mother, still found enough strength to pick me up and slap me. I remember her words clearly as if she just said them yesterday. She said, 'You will not let mother down, do you hear me? You will keep the Nether space up and functioning as you promised. I have nothing to keep me here, as long as you remain a fragment of the man who I called father. My mother died. My father should still be here!' I couldn't respond to her, all I yearned for was my wife, my soul, to come back to me."
Soot's wiped his eyes, letting Nordrem finish repeating his words.
"My favorite memory, although steeped in sadness, was seeing how strong and fearless my daughter was the day her mother passed and she left to discover what real life was life out there. Hundreds of years passed for me, until I received a letter from her."
Soot's pulls an envelope from his coat pocket, unfolding it, revealing a letter.
"Father,
I hope this letter finds you better than we last spoke. I am writing to inform you that I am now a resident of Lagford, holding a job as a waitress in a restaurant. I've met someone though, father. His name is Arthur Langridge, he is an officer in the military. We were wed about three months ago, and I am pregnant. I wish you could come visit me, as we do not make enough to pay rent and travel so far away. I miss you. I dream about you playing with our child in the same orchards we did when I was young.
Love your daughter,
Abigale"
Soot's hands the letter for Nordrem to read.
"In my stupidity, I sent a letter back with money for them to travel to come see me. I then went to the machine in my tower, and sped it up. What happened was time advanced and by the time I slowed it back down, we had a new Catalyst to train, with several letters addressed to me. That's when I found out, she had birthed a girl, Rakara Langridge. I also found out about the abuse, the pleading to help her come back home, and then the notice of her death sent by the Elemental priest in the city. I had done what I was not supposed to do for personal gain, and sped up time. I will live with the fact that I missed my chance to help out my daughter and granddaughter because of my lack of self control."
Soot's take a few deep breath's, still not dropping his gaze from mine. "I loved my daughter, she was my heart. No memory I have could express the beauty and person that she was."
Soot's breaks his gaze and sends a flame into the stack of wood, setting it ablaze. Knowing what I have to do now, I walk with Bav next to me, across the circle to the waiting stack. Nordrem follows us, taking his place near me. I don't know what I can say. I look to Bav for strength, but he merely lefts his hand and strokes the tears off my cheeks and smiles, sadly.
I clear my throat, close my eyes and raise my voice, " I am Rakara, daughter of Abigale. My favorite memory of her, was the day she brought me home a teddy bear. It was the first toy that I had ever received and it quickly became my best friend. I would take it with me everywhere, but I always took excellent care of it, for a five year old. One day, I was helping my momma do the laundry, when we heard an instrument being played. My momma laughed and said some one was getting married and asked if we should take Teddy and dance so the new couple would have good luck."
I let Nordrem repeat my story, sighing once he was done. "I danced with Teddy and my momma, all for the happy couple we didn't even know. My momma was beautiful and we had so much fun. My mother was a strong woman, who shielded me from my father's drunken fits of rage when she was home or could move to do so. She always stood up for me, reminding me to be strong, that I deserved more than she gave me. Momma always made me feel like I was the luckiest girl in the world though because she was my momma." Tears flow freely down my face, Bav squeezes my hand, reassuring me he's here for me.
When Nordrem finishes, I clear my throat and begin to sing the song she used to sing to me as a child.
"Wind blows steady, water still flows, flowers will seed and grow.... The sun still shines warm and bright, casting me in it's elemental light.... With all of life and its wonders to behold, you are my greatest gift, my love, and my home..."
I turn to the stack, and pull from inside me, sending a flame into the stack. Synthea follows Nordrem and translates for those here unable to understand him and his people. Each stack is lit after a memory is shared, some make me cry harder and others make me smile and laugh.
When every stack is lit, the sun begins to peak over the horizon, brightening the area. Every one gathers in the center of the ring, and all together we roar and fade to a whine. Once, twice, three times.
Then Nordrem shouts a phrase I was not expecting.