114 Wiccans. Paladins. Travelers.

AUTHOR'S POV

The choir chanted a melancholic song of praise that echoed in all corners of the abbey church. Then, two priests in a gold vestment over a white cassock purified the bodies of Lord Harlan and General Rowan using the apotropaic vapors in a gold thurible. The coffin where General Rowan rest shook a little, yet, no one minded its sudden movements.

Afterwards, Lord Callaghan rang a silver hand bell. Six scholars of Brandenburg then carried the coffin of Lord Harlan, taking it out of the abbey church. Then, some more scholars wearing black cassock appeared one by one from behind the side curtains of the altar. They followed the casket out where a hearse is waiting.

The bell continued to ring until the lord's casket boarded on a white hearse full of white roses, pulled by white horses. As soon as the ringing of bells stopped, the procession of Lord Harlan's hearse followed by Lord Callaghan, the scholars, and the people of Brandenburg on foot made their way to the academy.

The rain suddenly stopped, but the cottony clouds still rolled over the skies. The gloomy day was made even more gloomy with cries of the people for the death of the kingdom's feudal superiors.

Outside the abbey church, twenty warriors in their respective armors were formed to perform the customary tribute in honoring the death of a general. This number symbolizes the twenty sublime years of Rowan's service as the general of the warriors. Alesso and Vesta stood by their six archers in black cloak and black leather body armor and six crusaders in black surcoat under a black pauldron and gorget respectively. The eight knights in silver armors were led by Lord Nero, representing Stellan. A few members of the council and some nobles also arrived, as they stood alongside the paladins under the dark sky. They all watched Lord Harlan's carriage leave followed by Brandenburg's people on foot. No civilian stayed behind for General Rowan cremation in the pyre.

As soon as the people emptied the abbey, the general's casket was immediately carried by two archers, two knights and two crusaders out of the church. Rubella followed the coffin of her husband out. With three of her noble friends aside, Rubella glared at each warrior, paladin and noble who stood behind the pyre to pay tribute for the death of Rowan before she stood with them.

It took no time until the general was removed from his coffin and was properly mounted on the stack of sandalwood which was about four feet high.Yellow daffodils, the knight's flower, spread at the bottom of the pyre. Some fuel was poured all over, where its scent scattered in the dampen air. Black candles were passed on to Rubella and her friends, where they stood unfazed as the ceremony starts.

The soulful wails of the general's widow were like thunder at the tiny drops of the rain that began to pour once again. She never stopped crying anguished tears as she continously blamed certain people responsible for the death of her dearest husband.

Wiccans. Paladins. Travelers.

It was on repeat as Rubella mourn for Rowan. Moments later, Alesso and Vesta stepped forward as they make an energy orb of flame. In a matter of seconds, they both lighted the pyre with their paladin orb making the body of the General Rowan immediately burst in flames. Succeedingly, Vesta lighted the candles in the hands of Rubella and her friends, who were adamant to be approached by a paladin.

As the flames consume the body of the general, the knights lunged their blades upright on the ground with powerful thrusts. The archers marched at a distance to the left, and launched arrows towards the burning pyre. Simultaneously, the crusaders tread to the right and stood with their axes on their chests.

As they watch the body of the general burn in the pyre, the fire started to blaze with black flickers and electric glimmers. Flying sparks set off with fuming black smoke reeking of a stench that made Rubella and the nobles puke. As they look closely, everyone gasped in complete shock as they watch the face of the general morph into someone they do not know. Dropping on her knees with her mouth open, Rubella could hardly believe what she sees before her eyes. She held her breath as the moments she spent with Rowan flashed in her mind. "Tha.. that's not Rowan", she whimpered without taking her eyes off the pyre.

It was a silent moment. The traveler inside Rowan's body revealed himself at the presence of the flames.

Alesso tried to recognize the burning face of the traveler in the pyre, yet, it never occured in his mind who that person was. When he shifted his gaze towards Rubella and the rest of the astonished audience, Alesso looked fixedly at Lord Nero who seemed unvexed with the truth unwrapping before them. He detected a faint note of clarity and awareness on the Lord's face, as if he already knew that the general is a traveler.

With creased brows, Vesta then realized why the general have always abandoned them during their battles. Not even worth remembering when's the first time Rowan stopped being the bloodthirsty combatant as she thought, Vesta pulled out her crusaders and left the cremation at once.

The nobles gasped both in fear and disgust. At some point, they doubted the persons beside them whether they are travelers or not. Rubella couldn't find to words to say. Her friends left her thinking that she's acquainted with a traveler. She sat frozen on the puddles as the cold rain bedew her black veil.

While the body of the traveler burn into ashes, Lord Nero took the chance to face the nobles and priests. "Rowan isn't exactly the General we once knew. We do not know when this have happened. But what I am sure of, travelers are around us. Everyone shall be checked for seula. Every person with such mark on their skin shall be captured and imprisoned.", he said as the crowd clamoured casting doubts on each other. Bewildered, Alesso then decided to leave for Beorg Mountains, where he knew that most of his speculations could be confirmed.