by John Migacz
CHAPTER 66
Dieya supervised the building of the funeral pyre. He wanted Ta’Lon’s body near the bottom, where the intense heat would melt any of the Kraken agent’s enhancements.
Bo worked hard with his tree-cutting crew to gather enough wood to insure complete cremation of the bodies. He labored silently, working harder than any other man in his team. It was shortly after sundown when the job was finished and the pyre ready.
Bo had placed Rory’s body in an empty stone house near the south gate and he rode back to get it. He wanted Rory placed at the top of the pyre – he had certainly earned that honor. Alone with his thoughts, Bo carried Rory’s body to a wagon and drove it slowly to the gate. He had forced himself to focus on the cleanup job as a way to deal with the loss that dragged heavily on his heart.
After passing through the gate, he halted the wagon team and gaped at the rows of archers lining each side of the road from the gate to the pyre. Each stood quietly, holding their bow with a nocked flaming arrow pointed at the ground. With eyes misting, he slapped the luses’ reins and rolled between the honor brigade. As he passed, each trooper fell into formation behind the wagon. Balthus, Adrianna and Dieya were waiting for him at the end of the road.
“We’ll help you get him up to the top, Lad,” said Balthus. “He deserves no less.”
They carried Rory’s body up the pyre and gently laid him down. Bo placed Rory’s axe on top of the body. “He really liked that axe.” Tears ran down Bo’s face and Balthus patted him on the back. They climbed down.
Dieya turned to the archers formed in ranks facing the pyre. “Ready!” he shouted. Each archer drew back on his bow. “Loose!” cried Dieya.
As one, flaming arrows streaked across the night sky to land on the pyre. Flames quickly ran along the oil-drenched trees and the entire mound was ablaze in seconds.
“The Sevoal believe that the brighter the spark that ascends skyward, the braver the warrior,” said Balthus as the fire lit up the night. “Tonight, the brightest spark would have to be Rory’s.” He looked up at the flames climbing into the sky. “Aye, it would have to be.”
They stood together, watching until the flames burned low.