40: Burial
Mathilda frowned, her eyebrows were almost touching each other. "You are not going to kill him, right?"
Darius halted his step, turning to Mathilda briefly. "I will not. But, I will make him pay for what he did to my people."
Everybody around him felt the immense Mana Field pressure after Darius said that. Mathilda immediately trotted in front of Darius before his mind fell into insanity.
"Don't tell me that you're going to torture him. Though this tub of lard doesn't look like much, he's still a Baron regardless. Things won't go as simple as today's battle if something happened to him. You know what I am saying, right?"
"I know. I am not going to do anything to him. Well, at least not physically, that is. I need to learn how to wield Vox Elemental Magic in order to manipulate his mind. Can you help me with it, please?"
Seeing how serious Darius' face was, Mathilda couldn't say no to her beloved little brother. Though he's not related by blood, her feelings were sincere and pure.
"Sure. But first thing first, let us wrap up this mess. Three of your warriors are also in need for a proper burial." Said the black witch, pointing at the three dead bodies behind her.
"Right." Darius sent his gaze towards the bloody beach that was littered with severed limbs and heads. "Old Fang." Darius called the alpha snow wolf and he said, "Can you order your pack to help us collect the logs to burn the fallen warriors? They were our enemies, but still humans nonetheless. I don't want their souls to haunt the village and the people if we don't give them a proper burial."
Old Fang nodded his snout. "Consider it's done."
For the next few hours, the snow wolves helped the villagers to clear up the battlefield by dragging the dead bodies, joining the severed limbs and heading to their respective owner.
Darius pondered a bit as the Magical AI Woman, Alexa, mentioned about the prospect of procuring their Arcane Cells by dissecting their brains and refining their Magic Core.
'Tempting, but no thank you.' Darius remarked, speaking through their mental link. 'Serving that fattard is disgraceful enough. Adding grievances to their soul is needless.'
[Very well.] Replied Alexa.
Once the battlefield was cleared and the bodies were wrapped in whatever clothes that they could find, Darius let the elderly, women and children know that the battle was over and the village was safe once again.
By sunset, the logs were neatly arranged around the pyramid of dead bodies. Darius decided to burn them so the sea could claim their ashes.
No prayer or recitation, Darius just simply incinerated the dead bodies by casting his maxed out [Infernio] and the pyramid was set ablaze in a massive, voracious blue flame.
On the other hand, Fredrik and his apprentice, Anderson, along with the other carpenters, prepared the trio Einherjars' dead bodies in one of the Baron's battleships. Once the whole battleship was smeared with whale's fat, Fredrick's crews jumped out of the ship, handing a torch onto Darius' hand.
"Are you okay with this, Chief?" Fredrik asked him, looking at the stern of the ship. "St. Sally's Grace" was carved on her stern.
Darius nodded. "I understand your feeling, Fredrik. She's such a fine ship, I know. But, do you have the heart to send our heroes in our fishing boat?"
Fredrik signed under his nose. "Fine. Carry on then."
No more words escaped from his mouth. Darius strode closer toward the ship with a torch in his right hand. When the ship was set ablaze ceremonially, the villagers lowered their heads to mourn the deceased.
Darius also did the same to pay his respect towards the Einherjars trio. After a moment of solemnity, Darius brought the torch closer.
However, the awaited chime from the system after he saved the village was replaced by a sudden, loud warning from Alexa.
[Get away from the ship! The Valkyries are coming from Valhalla!] Alexa exclaimed in Darius' head.
By the time Darius looks at the sky, a massive vortex of dark clouds swirling above the ship. One second later, a colorful pillar of light fell from the heavens, obstructing the weather and mana flow in the entire region, tearing the very fabric of reality.
From that pillar of light, four winged figures donned in a golden armor gracefully descended down with otherworldly speed. Three of them landed on the ship, while the woman who apparently was their leader strode leisurely toward Darius after her feet touched the sandy beach.
Mathilda was shocked to the core, her mouth was agape wide. A literal legendary Goddess, Freya, who hailed from Valhalla."
Darius was utterly unfazed before the presence of a Goddess. It's only natural for Darius since he's a Lunarian, Godly Race in their own rights.
Nevertheless, Darius wasn't an arrogant young man who would withstand such haughtiness. He's but still a weakling before the Goddess who could traverse between realms and beyond.
Darius knelt on his right knee, his sword was pointed downward in his left sand. Although he bowed down before a woman, there's no trace of inferiority on his face.
"Your Grace…" Darius addressed the Goddess in a very courteous tone.
"Name's Freya."
The Goddess revealed her face that was covered by the helmet with one press of a small button around her ear. She's truly an embodiment of beauty and viciousness at the same time.
"Speak thine name, young Lunarian." Said the Goddess.
*Darius, Darius Whitemoon. Son of the Last King of the Lunarian Kingdom, Arthur Whitemoon."
"Thine soul is a peculiar one, little moon. Art thou perhaps hath experienced death before?"
Darius raised his gaze, looking at her in the eyes, deeply. The atmosphere between them intensified from a brief moment. As Goddess who governs war, death and reincarnation, she couldn't possibly let an undead soul roaming free in the realm of the living.
However, her gaze softened by the time she noticed the Arcane Crystal that's embedded in Darius' chest.
"I see…" the Goddess put her hand into her leather satchel on her waist, and she produced a miniature boat. "Take this... Visit my realm once thine soul is strong enough. The Trial of Valhalla awaits."