In the solemn gathering honoring the dead, rays of sunlight embraced all in its soothing warmth.
A few hours ago, the four Heroes had dumped the two corpses in front of the sea of people before hastily leaving the city, as though in a rush.
Now, two wooden caskets rested atop an elevated stone platform, surrounded by a pile of dry sticks and hay grass. The huge crowd below gazed at the coffins in somber silence.
As a Noble in ceremonial attire took the stage and prayed to the Three Great Gods, a set of flaming arrows landed around the pile of wood, setting it on fire.
Kaden watched as wisps of fire slowly transformed into huge pyres, the giant flames dancing in the wind.
One rarely sees such a huge fire.
It was a beautiful sight.
Why they were burning an already charred corpse was beyond him, however.
It seemed cruel to throw someone who had died in agony into a fire.
But then again, the two had already died in flames. Perhaps this was just another morbid way for the dead to relive their demise.
'That sounds worse.'
As he thought all this, the person beside him suddenly sneezed, then repeatedly sneezed, and then violently sneezed.
"...."
The eight newly Awakened youths stood beside the platform in close proximity, with everyone except him grimacing in barely veiled disgust.
Kaden avoided their gazes, well aware that he was the cause of their suffering.
The essence of the slums that clung to his body permeated the air, its toxic qualities for everyone to inhale. Some already have tears running down their cheeks, the odor irritating their pupils.
Needless to say, the slummy smell was very unpleasant.
Kaden stared at the bright pyres.
Those who died in flames were set aflame.
The city mourned their passing.
His fellow Awakened cried pitifully.
All in all, he felt great.
Every fiber of his being brimmed with energy, and despite his malnourished appearance, inhuman strength dwelled within his scrawny frame.
Moreover, his newly elevated status kept him daydreaming about the bright future ahead, filling his mind with boundless optimism.
Elites live a life of luxury, and Kaden felt excited by the prospect even though he did not know what that luxury truly entailed.
As he stood there, lost in thought, an old Knight in a crested red cloak approached their small group. By then, the raging flames of the two pyres had dwindled to half its original size.
The glorified funeral was nearing its end.
"Follow me." The old Knight uttered in an authoritative tone as he showed them his token before heading towards one of the barracks near the Sanctum.
Kaden stared at the iron clad warrior in silence and bewilderment.
He is not too keen on the idea of following a random Knight into their own turf.
However, seeing everyone else complying without question, Kaden hesitated, then sighed and did the same.
Of course, he wasn't just following along with the rest of the group out of a pure sense of belonging. Kaden had noticed the Noble glancing in their direction, not showing any reaction about this sudden relocation. So, he simply assumed that this change had been authorized by that exalted figure.
Naturally, he was not without doubts or suspicions. But it was never wise to dig too deeply into matters concerning a Noble. Even if the Knight was willing to entertain his questions, he would rather not risk it.
Before long, the group entered the barracks where the old Knight then introduced them to a handful of maids, who were then tasked with ensuring that the eight young Awakened look presentable enough to stand before an audience within the next couple of minutes.
One of the newly Awakened youths, a young woman in an elegant purple dress huffed, clearly offended by the statement.
The old Knight ignored her antics and quickly left the room.
"I will be back in ten minutes. They should be ready by then." The old Knight told the maids as his shadow disappeared behind the closing door.
The maids bowed in response.
The eight new Awakened glanced at each other briefly as the maids dragged them into different directions.
Some time later, Kaden found himself naked and soaking in a large wooden tub filled with hot water.
A couple of maids were circling around the tub, holding him in place as they brushed his skin like some dirty dishes.
Kaden had initially hoped to bathe alone, feeling embarrassed at the notion of being seen naked by total strangers, but eventually conceded.
Clean water is a precious resource in the slums, and there was never enough of it for everyone to drink, much less for anything else. Therefore, he wasn't all too familiar with how to take a bath. All these fancy soaps and scrubbers were very alien to him.
The cleaning session concluded with a thorough rinse. Wiping himself dry was something he could easily do by himself; so, for a moment, Kaden was freed from all the uncomfortable touches.
They were still watching him, however, standing in ceremony by the walls. In response to that unwanted attention, Kaden covered himself with the towel and waited.
As he stood there, putting up a semblance of privacy, the door opened without warning.
Shortly after, a tall woman in a maid outfit entered the room with a set of fancy-looking garments, which he failed to recognize.
Watching the maid undo several buttons and strings, Kaden couldn't help but grimace.
That looks so needlessly complicated.
'Are all expensive clothes that difficult to wear?'
In that sense, his ragged clothes seemed much better.
Not that it mattered anymore.
After donning the new attire, Kaden was led back to the previous room by one of the maids while the rest left to tend to other duties.
There, inside the spacious room, he saw everyone present and already seated on different couches.
Well, perhaps not everyone.
The old knight has yet to return.