Several Zegi carried the dead body of an alpha, the way it lifelessly moved made them feel powerful. As if the invasion was their full display of force.
Just like Yazzo mentioned earlier, the warriors inside the city were growing overconfident. It was not smart to let them walk that path, something had to change soon.
On Valiant's command, they lowered the body to the ground. Letting the blackened soil taint more of his mangled body. It was sad, seeing a young alpha dead.
What they did not know, was how much this alpha endured. The attack, the escape, the return to his loyal pack, and the day of the rude return to the region.
"I do remember fighting this one," Valiant got on his knees over the body. "He fought like a true Feral, attacking in their blind spots, taking advantage of my struggles."
"Yet he failed to kill you, he deserved to die," one of the Zegi commented. "Ferals are supposed to strike with confidence and force, taking victims and killing them instantly."
Valiant looked up at the Zegus. "Since when did you become one?" he pointed down at the body. "I could tell he did not follow a Code, but I did. That was my advantage over him."
The Zegus closed his fists. "That shouldn't have been enough to kill him."
"But it was enough for me to turn the tide," Valiant growled. "Instead of talking so much, go and fetch me any usable cloth or flammable wood."
Like an obedient warrior, the Zegus went off to find some. Now, only the other Zegi and the two Ferals remained around the body. All of which didn't understand who he was.
Yazzo silently growled overhead, trying to understand what her leader was planning on doing. She did not question it, only accepted Valiant was going to follow Niro's orders.
When joining the Trilogy as a leader, she urged Valiant to respectfully dispose of bodies. Both of enemies and allies alike. Now was the time to prove he followed her orders, even when she was not around.
Minutes later, the same Zegus came back with several baked pieces of wood. Each one held tight beneath his armpit.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"Put them neatly close to each other, like a bed. Then prepare to help me carry the body onto it," Valiant ordered.
The Zegus did not waste time, he instantly got to work. He dropped them all before picking them up two at a time and placing them nearby. After the first row was down, he went onto a second row.
By the end, several organized pieces of wood made the final resting place perfect for the status of the Feral. Valiant stared down at the body, several broken sections and burnt pieces remained.
Even the scar that gave Kellenas his fearsome appearance was washed clean off by the goo. What remained of his face made him seem different. As if this was a mockery of a Feral.
It clicked in Yazzo's mind what was happening. She automatically took off to find something that burned bright, a candle or a torch. Something that could give off fire.
Valiant noticed her disappearance, leading him to believe something else caught her eye. Which made him feel weird, he wanted her to be by his side.
Regardless, he continued. The boards groaned under the added weight, trying to convince them there was another way of doing it.
The Zegus sighed, taking a step back to stand by his ally while the leader kept looking down at the body. Now, it appeared like it was ready to be set adrift into the ocean.
Moving through storms and waves out at sea, forever looking for what made it alive in the first place. Valiant did not like that idea, so he pointed at the other Zegus and began to speak.
"Bring me Thawed, I want a ritual to be performed right now," he ordered.
Like the other Zegus before him, he took off to find some Thawed who were willing to participate in the ritual. Brisk winds took off after him, almost telling the Zegus to go faster before the climate turns against them.
By then, Yazzo came back. One hand holding up a candle with the other keeping guard in front of the candlewick so it did not get blown out by the wind. She held it gingerly in her grasp.
"I knew what you were going to do, Valiant. The candle is ready," Yazzo notified.
"Thank you. Do you want to set the body on fire?" Valiant turned to face her. "You brought me to him, anyway."
She shook her head. "You're the leader and the one that kept this Feral from being thrown into the dens. It's yours to throw, I'll standby and watch with you."
Valiant nodded, reaching out to hold the candle in his hands. The flame danced elegantly, somehow it understood what it would be used for.
Multiple Thawed stepped closer, clasping their hands together as if they were going to pray. Which was why they were there. Long white robes extended down to their knees, making them seem even more spiritual than normal.
No one wanted to waste any time, it was getting late and snow would quickly began drifting through in only a few hours. So the ritual began right away.
Thawed began praying out loud, wishing the Nine to receive the body in one piece and at rest. As they prayed, the candle dropped onto the wood, slowly setting fire to the whole thing.
In minutes, the flames were spreading across the deathbed. Even reaching the hair and clothing of the dead Feral.
While they waved goodbye to a powerful force, one even greater loomed not too far from them. An entity and his mistress watched from far away. Smiling at their efforts paying off.
For almost every event since Infinus' arrival in Yarno, they had a hand to play in it. No one except for the Seeker knew about this, a creation sent to be tormented forever in the Distorted Mind.