Tara, Erin, and Gwen made their way through the lower gate of the fortress. Exhaustion weighed heavy on them, making the walk through the dense ground beneath them terribly uncomfortable. The satchels they all hung over their shoulders didn't help either; stuffed to the brim with heavy valuables. James and Twill leaned against the outer wall sipping on an almost drained flagon.

    "Everyone cleared out yet?" Twill asked.

    "Almost," Tara replied, "the last of them are just grabbing a few things."

    "We wanna show ya girls somethin," Twill said, standing up and brushing the dirt of the back of his pants. He bent over and grabbed James's hand. He rose with a low moan.

    "What do you have to show us?" Gwen asked.

    "Just c'mon and follow."

    The five of them walked slowly around the fortress. Late afternoon breezes had grown chillier, but that was to be expected during this time of the year. The girls wrapped their cloaks tightly around themselves and continued to follow behind the brothers. Fighting against the blurring vision caused by fatigue grew worse, but they continued on until the boneyard was in sight.

    "The boneyard?" Erin asked.

    James smiled at Erin and grabbed on to her hand, "Come," he pulled her along. The others kept a short distance behind. 

    Two pieces of stone sat only a small distance apart from one another: one old and coated with years of life and the other freshly done, barely holding a sprinkle of dirt.

    "I don't understand," Erin looked up at James in confusion and expectancy. A smile in reply crossed his lips. He brought her hand up and squeezed it softly within his own. She felt the calloused wrinkles rub against the palm of her hand.

    "Was hoping you wouldn't mind, but I thought Damien deserved something better than the pit," he pointed to his right at the hole bursting at the seams with freshly bloated flesh, "I put him next to my wife," he lowered his head at her stone, "he was a good fella so I thought he could keep her company so I can finally leave this place."

    Tears welled up and poured down her face; this time not in sadness but in appreciation for the thoughtfulness of the old man next to her. Before she could think, her arms wrapped around him and she smiled against his dirt covered shoulders. Twill and the rest took a knee beside the earth that Damien resided beneath and bowed their heads at the poor kid who was taken from them too soon. Erin didn't cry alone.

~*~

    "That's all we had left to do?" Gwen brought a hand to her nose and squeezed hard. Burning flesh filled the air, popping and crackling, spitting up paper thin char that floated through the air. The rest of the company followed suit and Tara simply nodded to Gwen while pinching her nostrils together.

    "Can't stand the smell anymore," James waved a hand in front his face as fast as he could.

    "We don't need to stand here anymore anyway," Tara said. She turned around and led the rest of them back out towards the front gate where Sylvie stood, kicking up her legs. Heat from the bonfire subsided the further they walked, but the smell still lingered in the air, along with the pitch black cloud that accompanied it.

    "Where do we go now?" Gwen walked over the edge of the mountain next to the gate and sat down.

    "Wherever we want I suppose," Tara walked up behind her, plopped down, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

    Twill, James, and Erin each took a seat on the edge of the mountain, beside the pair, and looked out to world in front of them. The sun had come and gone quickly that day, but it was still early enough to take in the pinks and purples that swirled together across the sky. Below them, a parade of white shirts and black capes mingled as far down the mountain as they could see. All of them carried heavy bags of Dia's treasures to get them started in their lives; dividing themselves throughout Maber.

    "Ya'll are more than welcome to stay at my house," Twill chimed in, "as long as you don't try to run me through in my sleep."

    Tara burst out laughing, cackling hard enough to make the travelers below them turn around and peer up to the fortress, "No promises, old man."

    Gwen noticed Erin's solemn face. She had begun kicking her legs back and forth, while staring straight ahead at nothing in particular. Blonde hair blew with the breeze.

    "What's wrong, Erin?"

    "I can't join you just yet."

    "Why not?" Gwen asked. Delicate fingers brushed back the blonde hair that hid beautiful blue eyes.

    "I need to go to Dockside," Erin started, "I have to tell his parents what happened to him."

    "Well I got nowhere important to be," Twill stood up with difficulty and made his way over to Sylvie who nagged at him, "I know girl, I know," he said patting her gently.

    "Who knows? Maybe we can find something there for us," Tara looked towards the bright side of the situation and made her way over to the cart. She walked around Sylvie and almost hopped up on the bench before--

    "What do you think you're doing?" James yelled over.

    "Getting on the cart?" A raised eyebrow popped up on Tara's face.

    "Get in the back. I'm an old man, girl! I can't be taking rough bumps to my rear!"

    After an extensive eye roll, Tara hopped into the old hay. Strands of the straw fell through the cracks in the wood as the cart bounced from her weight. She pouted and crossed her arms. Gwen and Erin laughed at her discomfort before hopping in behind her.

    The cart creaked down the long mountain, sending the girls up and down against the warped boards that comprised the structure. Tara continued her sulking all the way to Lyra Pass, glaring at the snickering Gwen and Erin.

    Looking behind him, Twill noticed the look on Tara's face and smirked, "Ya know, when ya look like that it sorta makes me wanna call ya a she b—"

    "Twill! Don't make me cut you!"