Laughing Skull.

Shura was relaxing on my chest while I was gently rubbing the small of her back as we enjoyed the sunrise after the fifteenth time we made love. It was a wild and amazing experience, even the dragons who caused the Red Party of the Otihame Kingdom seemed to agree as many of them released a loud and prideful roar as they soared off into the dawn of the morning.

"I didn't think that I would experience something of that magnitude for the first time, my dear husband. Even when my other sister in arms told stories of their first time they never talked about anything that you did. But if I had to say they definitely missed out on an amazing experience." Shura said with a soft smile on her face as she looked at me with her beautiful ruby red eyes.

"Well then their partners didn't know how to properly take care of their woman, if anything I would feel sorry for your sister in arms." I spoke gently as I continued to rub the small of Shura's back. "If anything I'm just curious as to the marking on my neck what was that for?"

I asked as the smile on Shura's face turned to one, of embarrassment.

"It's an old ritual practice that I promised myself that I would do when I found the one I was supposed to be with. It means that you are mine, while telling other vampires to stay away."

I could only smile as I embraced Shura in a loving hug. "Then it seems that I also need to as well so that I can ward off others as well."

Shura seemed confused until I told her of an ancient practice that my Otherworld used to practice, which made her face turn red with happiness.

We both just continued to tell each other of certain practices of our worlds as we continued to watch the rising sun of the morning. We could even hear the sound of the soldiers shouting out orders as they went through the destruction of the Red Party of the Otihame Kingdom.

Siegbald only seemed to arrive when the sun finally started to be fully shown in the sky with the most knowing look and smile on his face as he brought us both back to his place of residence to have a talk.

"So, did you two have a fulfilling conversation last night? I know I did, my wife didn't seem to want to stop." Siegbald asked, as Shura smiled with a gentle smile on her face.

"Yes, we had an amazing conversation last night. Even talked about working together to make our plans come to fruition." Shura nodded her head as she gave me a side glance. "Besides, how was the rest of your Red Party?"

Siegbald just laughed as he explained how the rest of the Red Party of the Otihame Kingdom played out. Nondor even brought us drinks and some snacks which were really amazing.

…

…

It has been two days since the end of the Red Party of the Otihame Kingdom as I have been digging mass grave after mass grave for the more than 50,000 plus corpses that came from that fateful day.

Shura was even staying in the Grave Digging Manor the entire time which had made Ulrich more than furious as he still thought that she was trying to sell him something which she was not.

He was even still harassing her while I dug a hole in the ground as Shura seemed to be interested in how I dug the grave as she played with Sivath.

"Ulrich, how many times do I have to say that Shura isn't trying to sell you shit. And before you say anything else she's staying and there is nothing you can say to change that. Also, when in the Gods name are you going to teach me that special technique of yours?" I spoke to Ulrich with a strained tone as he looked towards Shura then back to me with the most confused look on his face.

"And I'm telling you Bastion she is trying to sell me something I just know! I mean look at her face. That's the face of a salesman through and through." Ulrich said with wild arms. "And what do you mean she's staying? Did she sell something to you with the agreement that she gets to stay here with you?"

Shura just laughed as Sivath even started to hiss in an angry tone towards Ulrich. Which seemed to make him take a couple steps back and almost fall into one of the many mass graves that I dug.

"Oh, Ulrich, you're so sweet. You are kinda right about me selling something to Bastion, but it was an equal transaction between the both of us. And besides, even Sivath here seems to be ok with me being here." Shura laughed as she sent me a knowing smile. "Besides I'm pretty sure you've been trying to sneak a peek at the both of us the past two days."

Ulrich was about to say something until he stopped as a shovel went right by his head just missing it by a couple inches.

"Damn, it seems that I missed that mosquito that was flying next to your head Ulrich." I spoke with narrowed eyes as sweat started to flow down Ulrich's face like a waterfall. "I probably would have been able to get it if you would have just started to teach me that damn technique."

Ulrich could only nod his head as he told me that he would be able to start to teach me his special technique after I was done with the burial of all of the corpses that would be coming today from the Crown Prince.

He started to leave with an imaginary tail between his legs in defeat, saying that he heard knocking on the gate as a small trail of dust and grass followed behind him.

Shura, Sivath, and I just started to laugh as Ulrich ran away as I went to go and look for my shovel that I just threw. I also gave Shura a quick kiss as she laughed which seemed to surprise her while making Sivath hiss a little.

I could only shake my head as I started to scratch her antennae which seemed to make her happy as she let out a satisfying hiss.

'Hopefully I'll be able to at least bury a couple of these Red Boar Riders tonight as the burial for the Nobles and death row inmates will be rather simple as the only thing that differs from the other past burials.' I internalized as I searched for my shovel. 'Plus I'm starting to wonder just what Ulrich meant when he said that my job as Keeper of the Grave truly starts when I bury those at the Rank: Soldier.'

My mind started to wonder about all of the possibilities that could potentially happen when I did.

I was easily able to find where I threw my shovel as it didn't really go that far, but when I arrived back at the mass grave Ulrich seemed to return as well with an odd look on his face as he handed me a very dark and creepy looking ring with a laughing skull.

"Yeah, apparently there was someone at the gate when I arrived. They just handed me this, said it was from the Crown Prince, and then dipped. So yeah here you go." Ulrich said as he tossed the creepy looking ring as I caught it.

I just titled my head as I looked through the ring as my eyes went wide as the entire ring was filled with all of the bodies as well as all of the material that I would need to properly finish the burials.

"Well, it looks like I should be able to properly finish this sooner than I thought." I smiled as I put the ring on my finger as the skull on the ring started to laugh in a creepy yet evil manner. "Huh, well that I probably shouldn't think too much about that."

I just smiled as I continued to dig the second to last mass grave.