Before learning

Three days later.

"I don't want to go." Alain fearfully said

"Don't make a fuss!" A woman in her later thirties wearing a veil, said - his mother.

"Nah, but I don't want to -"

A slap sounded. Alain's head went down as pain traversed his now red cheek. "You're coming." She said in a high-pitched, piercing voice, "This is a last goodbye, or maybe you think we bury them, so they get fooded by worms?! Have some respect!"

She handed him a pair of shoes that he put on only after a glare from her.

"Come on," she dragged him by the arm.

He walked through the church attached to his mother. Looking behind, he saw the awakening's structure where three lots of six beds stood around a stone pillar, all linking to the awakener's bed.

They entered a small courtyard, then the wooden prayer area, and exited.

The blazing sun tried to dry his body, whose stretched and dirty clothes allowed it to breathe.

After a few dozen steps, Alain crossed a few houses with pale brown walls and straw tops. They headed into the largest one, surrounded by a moat and wooden spade walls.

The house spanned a few rooms and could house about 15 people.

"Wait there." His mother came out of the house.

"Gorbiel!" He heard her shouting fr om behind the door before returningwith a child his age - a servant whose poor family found to be a mouthful.

The child was paler than he was - a humania, the locals. He was a demonia, a descendant of the warriors who once made this country's conquest.

Alain and Gorbiel went to the lake, where Gorbiel helped him to wash. He stayed there for about thirty minutes before he was dried and dressed in his Sunday best before being taken to a cart where his father and a driver were. The driver would one day be under his command - transporting goods and people were his chores as a person under his father's rule.

---

The monastery of Cleppé was the most popular at the moment.

Everyone was gathered in a circle in front of the square where the necromancer in his characteristic black robe and a religious in a white robe stood, along with the two coffins.

First, the burial of Eloise took place.

The priest said a few words, and the necromancer followed, saying a few incantations before the body was buried.

Then it was Jean's turn. When the necromancer had finished his incantations, a half-visible, half-naked Jean materialized a few dozen centimeters above his body.<

"He had gotten lost during the Gods' test." Announced the necromancer. "Let us all pray he may find his way back to the Gods. Oooooooh"

The circle followed, "Oooooh."

Jean's face regained clarity. His eyes darted back and forth over the crowd. Then he opened his mouth.

"..." His mouth opened and closed without anything being heard.

"You can rest in peace," said the necromancer.

Jean's body began to become more and more illusory. His face turns to reveal a fearful expression. Then, he madly pointed his near-invisible arm toward François, Alain, Emilie, and Lena. He pointed it to his head and made a round with his hand while painting and curbing his back.

A few seconds later, he was gone.

The banquet followed in a ruckus. People ate and drank as much as possible, not caring about the noise.

Alain overheard a conversation between strangers. It seemed even a funeral could be used to socialize and increase networks. Practice and religion made it evident that marrying in the same village might bring ill to children.

"I'm sorry for your desolation," a humanian told Eloise's father. "You who were so caring about managing your house, now only the dowry remains."

Alain's father had explained to him. The city needed financing, so it took forced loans in exchange for interest-bearing bonds that they could trade with each other. It was a form of social recognition, and the interest was good. Once their daughter hit 7 or 8, they would invest money and increase that amount every year. An awakened girl with a good dowry could have created many bonds.

"Thank you," answered Eloise's father, a demon. "At least her spirit has long rested where it should."

As the ceremony ended, he returned to the carriage with his father. His father's face was red and gave off an odor of strong liquor as he was staggering.

"Ehh," he nearly stumbled as he sat in the carriage. Burping, he said: "Now that you're a man, you... you'll learn energy and fighting from me and Ludovic. Okay?"

The following day, he was back at the monastery.

...

-I can't help but think I might not have cried had I not seen her body. I guess I wished to cry.