All deal with death in their own ways, and this simple fact was exemplified upon your return to Avalon. Dennan dutifully took Constancy’s lifeless body within his arms, and with eyes downcast and heart heavy, he moved through the portal. One by one, the rest of you followed suit. On the other side of the portal, a stricken Dethys, his face pale and his lips taut, says nothing. He merely puts his outstretched fingers over Constancy’s eyes, frozen in a permanent state of terror, and he gently closes them. Cleo, her hand over her mouth to stifle her cries, fights back tears. No matter how many friends and allies she witnesses in death, she can never seem to get over the initial shock that they would truly be gone forever.
You all follow behind Dennan. You do not know where you are going, but he seems to walk with sense of purpose, and as you look behind you, you realize that every Ageless within the city joins in the silent caravan of heavy steps and heavier hearts that will bear Brogan Constancy to his final resting place.
As you pass the Bulwark, Corvus and Bran move to joing you. Corvus’s shaggy blonde hair falls over his moistened eyes. Bran, his face pale and his lip quivering, runs up to join his brother Dennan. Dennan had not once taken his eyes off the road ahead of him, completely engrossed in the importance of his task. Yet, once his young brother places his trembling hand upon Dennan’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him, the mountainous man looks down upon him and forces a half-hearted, yet grim, smile.
Dennan’s rumbling voice, low and steady as always, speaks only a few words. “He died honorably.”
Bran nods in reply, as if taking in the meaning. To die with honor was the only way to die in Ageless society (unless you are Cardack, in which case dying with cowardice is expected.)
In the center of town, near the elaborate fountain, General Fury awaits the procession. Beside her is an unfamiliar face. A young man, likely one of the Childer Immortalis Cleo had mentioned she was waiting for, falls into line beside the General. He had very recently arrived in Avalon, in fact, only shortly after the departure of the party to find Aras. He is adorned in a mortal set of plate armor, as real knights only wear plate armor, and upon his left hip is fastened a well-made flanged mace. Upon his back hangs a two-handed sword, and a shield that befits a true warrior in training.
Hestia, Muse, and Calming follow suit as you continue past the tavern. Muses’s hands move to her lute, and she begin to strum upon the instrument, and soon, her voice adds to the melody. Another song in a long-forgotten language meant to ease the pain of sorrow. It is not until the procession moves past the home of Dethys Night that shrill, heartbreaking, gut-wrenching cries fill the air. Kneeling upon the ground, her hands clasped around her head in anguish, is Callidora Serenity, beloved sister of Brogan Constancy. Dethys’s wife, Caerina, places her hand upon Serenity’s shaking shoulders.
Dennan freezes in his tracks, as does the procession behind him. “I’m sorry. Truly… I am.” He looks to Bran. “Help her, brother.”
Bran moves forward and takes Serenity’s hand in his, but she is immobilized by grief. “Come, Serenity,” says Bran gently. “He would not want you to weep for him. He loved you more than anything. He would want you to be strong.”
Serenity fights to collect her composure and Bran helps her to her feet. She stands beside Dennan and gently strokes the hair from her brother’s brow, before giving a silent nod and allowing the procession to continue. Forward, down the gilded roads of Avalon, and to east, past the homes of Dennan and Archer. Eventually, the procession moves past the waterfall and stream where Sembas and Archer had spent nights gazing upon the stars. Further down the path, farther than Sembas and Archer had ventured, the procession stops at the base of a glistening pool of crystal water. All around are weeping willows, and droplets of water trickle down the trees and into this crystal pool. The procession surrounds the pool and Dennan, still bearing Constancy in his arms, steps into the water until it is up to his waist. Serenity and Hestia join him, and they cleanse the wound upon Constancy’s throat.
There is a flutter of wings, perhaps some large bird, but it must be the largest in existence because as it flaps above the treeline, the trees themselves bow out of the way. However, the creatures that appear are unlike any you have ever seen. There are five of them, winged maidens dressed in shining, golden plate armor. Each of them carries a spear in their hands and a shield upon their backs. One by one, they descend, until all of them hover just above the crystal pool. One of them stands in front of the rest. She is obviously their leader, and her stormy, grey eyes peer down at Dennan. Her long, light brown hair is tucked into her helm and she watches as Hestia and Serenity finish cleansing the body. You can all see that Constancy’s wound has disappeared, and his garments, once stained crimson with blood, are clean, as if new. In fact, despite being in the pool, his body is quite dry.
Archer leans close to Sembas’s ear, speaking her first words since moving through the portal. “Valkyries… They take the Ageless to the realm of the Divine. It is there we will one day meet all those we have lost, both immortal and mortal. There is a great hall that would shame the beauty of Avalon. That is where Constancy’s road leads.”
Dennan fixes his gaze upon the Valkyrie in front of him, but the Valkyrie is looking elsewhere. Her eyes are locked on those of General Fury. The Valkyrie gives a nod in acknowledgment and the General returns the motion.
Wordlessly, Dennan holds Constancy’s body upward, eliciting another outburst of cries of distress from Serenity. The Valkyrie reaches out to accept Constancy’s body into her arms, but Serenity’s hand clasps the war-maiden’s wrist.
“Please!” begs Serenity. “Please! Don’t take him from me! He’s my brother! He’s all I have! There is not a moment of my life that he has not been a part of! He has not left my side since his birth!” Please! Don’t take him! Please!” Her urgent pleas are met with silence from the Valkyrie.
Hestia puts her arms around Serenity’s shoulders. “Child, there is nothing we can do. He belongs with the Divine now.”
“No!” Serenity shouts. “It does not have to be like that.” She crosses to General Fury and looks up at her expectantly. “Do something! Intervene! You fought the Valkyries to have them spare the Archon, and you won! Don’t let them take my brother, please!”
The head of the Valkyries frowns and gives Fury a meaningful look as if to say “you what you started?”
Fury shakes her head sadly. “I can’t Serenity, by the Divine, I wish I could.”
“But the Archon-” begins Serenity.
“Was a different situation,” speaks Fury gently.
“But he’s my brother! He can’t go! He can’t!” Again, Serenity falls upon her knees in grief, the shallow part of the pool lapping her white mourning gown.
“It is time, Fury, I can tarry no longer,” speaks the Valkyrie.
The entire crowd begins to murmur and all of you can hear mutterings of “She spoke! Valkyries do not speak! Unless! Could she be the same? The same that the General defeated in battle?”
Fury nods in understanding. “Go then, Archiaste, Servant of the Divine.”
The leader of the Valkyrie, Archiaste, and her companions alight and begin to ascend into the air. Again, the Valkyrie speaks, “Go now, you, the Children of the Divine. Do not long mourn the passing of Brogan Constancy, for he is now with the Divine. Celebrate his life, and bring glory to his memory.” Within moments, borne upon the swift wings of the Valkyrie, Brogan Constancy is gone.
The wake is held in tavern and the surrounding town square. It is there you join with your brethren in honoring the death of Brogan Constancy, but time stops for no man, not even the Ageless, and while Constancy is a constant topic of conversation, perhaps you feel the need to discuss other matters: to raise important questions, to seek answers, to make a new acquaintance, or to seek counsel or comfort with those you esteem.