It was the first day of the new year, the day for celebrating survival and sending off the dead. Even though the winter was gone and bright smiles were on the faces of all those who had survived and co out of winter unscathed, sadness could not be hidden in the eyes of those who had lost their loved ones.
Whether it was in the capital, the blue star, yellow star or any other planet, the citizens were preparing to bury their dead.
It was compulsory everywhere in the empire to attend these funerals on the first day of the empire, as a way of respecting the fallen heroes. There was no work on this day, pleasure houses would shut down for the day. It was also said that sexual intercourse between couples was forbidden on this day, however this was not a law respected by many. It was not as if the RGB could go around policing people inside of their bedrooms.
What would they even say when they knocked on people's doors, 'You are under arrest for having sex?'
Still other laws were respected and nobody could go ho until the burials and speeches ended. They had to gather at the venues dictated by their governors on their different stars or the emperor in the case of the capital.
At this mont, on the Blue star, as many people as possible were gathered inside and outside the temple. Others were in the maple leaf center and others on the open football fields. Wherever they were, large outdoor movie screens had been set up to ensure that they would follow the procedure of burial on every star planet.
Everyone had listening devices in their ears, they could switch to any planet's proceedings as they wished.
But first, the cha warriors funerals were first and then others followed so everyone was currently keeping their eyes on the screens which were showing the funeral procession in the capital.
Colorful chas and flying cars were carrying the bodies of the fallen cha warriors. They were led by a space ship which was carrying one of the best the female singers in the empire called Serine, and a choir who sung in the most mournful but angelic voices.
The emperor and the royal family followed that ship and then the generals including Esong went directly ahead of the chas which carried the bodies of the dead cha warriors. Their grave and stoic faces were vividly captured on cara.
After those chas ca other cha warriors, usually those who served directly with the dead warriors, in this procession the caras captured a few cha warriors whose eyes were red and tears were sliding down their faces despite their attempt to be strong.
Behind the procession, at the very back were the families of the fallen heroes and these ones did not hold back their wails, tears or sorrows. Their grief was expressed so loudly that it broke the hearts of many viewers from ever star planet.
Scarlet and her family were sitting inside the temple, along with other ministers and officials of the empire. They were joined by cha warriors whose evacuation would begin after the funeral and commoners who had co early enough to find seats inside the temple. They too watched the procession from large screens on the walls of the temple.
ga Su was the first to cry as she watched the heartbroken families of the dead.
Even her husband could not comfort her in these circumstances because what words could be said in this situation? You could not say that it would be okay when in a few months, they would be back here for the sa purpose.
He snuck looks at the cha warriors who were silently watching with sadness in their eyes. He wondered if they were thinking, 'Will that be being transported to my final resting place next year?' He looked at his son Adler and thanked the deities that his son had not beco a cha warrior.
In the capital, the bodies finally arrived at the large field in the middle of the headquarters of the cha warriors association. This was a special burial place where cha warriors were laid to rest.
It was also a historical museum, one with pictures, nas and year of service of every cha warrior that had died in the last eight hundred years.
It was built with snow white materials, and the edges of the large extra large field was shielded by a fence that spread out in the shape of hundreds of welcoming open angles wings. When the field was closed at night, the wings would fold together and form a protective do.
Scarlet could argue that these little things were representative of the fact that on this world, the people once worshipped deities. Angels were part of that world after all, the supernatural protectors and defenders.
On the screen the emperor gave a speech and he wavered slightly, wiping a few tears from his eyes.
Scarlet heard people at the back cry and she sighed. She wondered if the deities were getting off on enjoying this pain and misery that guaranteed devotion to them.
"Don't make shut off your emotions." the old deity's voice threatened in her mind.
"Yes great lord, what are you doing inside my mind?" she responded.
"I get a notification every ti you think about deities, your thoughts can be amusing."
She sneered and said, "My thoughts are my own, you should stop using them for entertainnt."
"Hmph, you forget that you belong to as well. Dear Scarlet, I will never abandon you, you are my favorite reaper after all. Should I tell you the trick to winning this year's duo leadership gas?"
"No thank you." she replied. "That will be cheating."
"Your green fla is already the biggest cheat, but okay. Since you don't want my help I will let you be."
Just then, a big gust of wind hit the large bell at the entrance of the temple, and followed up on the small bells around the temple as well and they started ringing non-stop, so loudly that everyone on the Blue star covered their ears.
"Aish, did he have to be so petty." she thought.
"Yes." the old deity responded and then he chuckled. "Bye, see you later."
"Ignore him," a new voice said in her mind, a gentler wind blew by and it cald the bells.
"Lythia, you are here too." she said sarcastically. "Please stop using my mind like a communication channel." she said unhappily.
She got no response back, it seed that both of them were gone and she breathed in relief.
The rituals for burying the cha warriors were completed and their bodies were lowered into the ground. Scarlet had not even seen how it opened or what the silver and white rotating tube in which the bodies were placed was.
She had missed all that when she was looking at the floor and trying not to appear crazy because her face was irritated thanks to the voices in her head.
With those funerals over, other funerals started on every planet for every soldier, teacher, doctor, or civilian who died this winter.
In the temple, the monks gathered at the front and started chanting a lodious chant, and in the temple the echoes of their deep voices engulfed everyone, pulling them into one spiritual state of mind.
This ti, when the bells chid, it was smoothly and soothingly while the wind carried the voices of the monks far and wide.
The head monk Fion lead the families of the dead to the edge of the cliff close to the temple and they lit a fire, cremating their loved ones and sending them off in the midst of the sorrowful chants.
"Goodbye, see you in your next lives." They said this with tears in their eyes.
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