Alpy376

  As I stared into the rge fire in front of me, I strengthened my grip on the sheathed katana in my p. A sigh escaped my tear-stained face as the floodgates opened for probably the thousandth time in these past few days.

  "Setsuna..."

  Shimo, my good friend and party member for the past year's journey, rubbed my back, doing her best to comfort me.

  "It's okay to cry, I- We all miss him. Just- Please. After tonight, you're going to be the chief of the United Tribes. I won't tell you to forget about him, but we need you to lead us... so, please. Promise us you can do it."

  She pulled me into a hug, and moments ter Inazuma, the final member of our four person party, joined in the group hug from my other side before adding her own input.

  "After all, everything he did was for you to be safe and happy. I know he wouldn't want to see you like this."

  "I-I-"

  "It's okay, you have us. We'll always be there for you, so everything will be okay. I promise."

  I know Ina was only trying to help, but... the tears only flowed harder now.

  "He- he said the same thing... and now... h- he's gone. Because of me..."

  Shimo tightened her hug.

  "It's not your fault, Setsuna. You know he would've done anything for you to be safe, and he-

  "I KILLED HIM! I- if I wasn't so stupid I could've dodged it and... and... and he would still be alive! Please... let me be alone."

  The other two looked at each other, and after a moment released me and stood up.

  "Okay... J-just promise you'll be okay."

  "I- won't make any more promises."

  The two left without another word for the chief's house - my house - that they're sharing with me, and now I was alone in the square.

  I looked down at the katana in my hands through blurry eyes for a moment, then I sighed and looked back up at the fme where he was being cremated. Why, why! WHY! Why did the prophecy say nothing of this!? Damn those ancient fortune tellers! If only they had been more specific. Then I wouldn't have confessed to him and he wouldn't have saved me in the end. Damn it... his quest was to save my people, not me. Everyone else can live without me, but... I don't think I'll st long without him...

  I stared at the fire for a while, until I had no tears left to cry. It eventually died out, and I stood up to collect the ashes. I set down the legendary katana he wielded, and took out a small wooden box. I knelt down and scooped up all of the ash I could. Once all of it was in the box I grabbed the sword and stood up. A short distance from where we burned him there was a shrine. It was built right in the middle of the vilge that he gave his life to protect.

  I pced the box of his ashes in the designated spot on the Japanese style shrine, and after I looked at the pque above for a moment, I turned and left to my house.

  I entered and wasted no time returning to my room. I'm tired and I'm supposed to be the Chief now, I'll have to wake up early so I need as much sleep as I can get. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like Ina and Shimo had the mindset. Their room was right next to mine so I could hear the light squeaking of their bed. Through soundproof walls... Hearing them so happy right now though did cheer me up a little bit. I probably needed that and knowing them, they pnned it. I really couldn't ask for better friends.

  As I drifted off to sleep, my thoughts lied on the text written on the pque above his ashes.

  "Goodbye, Ren..."

  --- Here Rests Kenshi Ryuto,                    Prophesied Hero of the Kitsune ---