Chapter Fifteen
Burial of Fire
KNEELING STILL UPON THE FLOOR was Drewth, Arigwhen’s body still held within his protective arms, her head resting against his chest, face pale in her demise, eyes and mouth shut, sealed that way forever. Her body was still warm, but the warmth was dissipating. Was this how he was to remember Arigwhen? Was this his final memory: her cooling corpse? No, Drewth decided. Her body will not be claimed by decay. In her name, in holding to the memories of her life and youthful beauty, she would not be let go in her current state and degraded further in her image. Drewth would love her enough to let go now, at this instant. He rose to his feet, and Arigwhen’s body, resting in his grasp, he rose with him. He made way to another room: Drewth and Arigwhen’s bedroom. This is where they rested together. So this shall be her final place of rest. He laid her body caringly upon the bed, the bedding depressing slightly as it received her weight from Drewth’s arms transferring her upon it. He bent down and kissed her shut eyes and quiet mouth lightly, stroking gently her face with his hand as he contemplated it in their final moment. Then took one step away from the bed.
He pulled from his belt a small Fire Spell Stone, and activating it in his fist, the magic flames enveloped his hands, but not causing any pain to him, being the generator of the spell. With that hand he clutched the surface of the bed, and the flames brilliantly took to the bedding. He watched as the flames crawled upon the entire bed, enveloping Arigwhen’s body, at which point he turned away to let the flames do their bidding in this funeral, a burial of fire.
With his back to, the final images of Arigwhen were only past memories of her laugh, her smile, her eyes, loving words and her kiss. In one way, Arigwhen died today. In another way, she lived on with Drewth: a transforming of wicked passion. His senses were aligned now with that only emotion left living in him - vengeance.
Haunted with hatred, Drewth clutched his Dragon’s Fire sword, the Fire Elemental crystal emblem in its hilt glowed an angry fiery red from its owner’s intensifying magic.
And out he left his burning home in search of his enemy.
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