Glad to Still Exist

The weather was kind on the day of Uuse’s passing, kinder it was in his wake. The Great Yellow Forests of East Hali provided great secrecy and prevented disturbance and sabotage from those who deemed him unhuman and irrational.

“...I am not to call many to my entombment, but those who have helped me in my goals and visions of a better future for my people…Detest me, scorn and belittle me, for that is what I have granted you with my succession.” said Undertaker Hathen, reading the last few sentences of Uuse’s Notes he had left behind.

Hathen released his clenched grip on said letters and notes, he indeed detested Uuse, for always being chosen as the Undertaker for various folk, including his own kin. Still under watchful eyes, Hathen refused to speak ill will, even after his Headhunter’s death. His wished his crude thoughts lingered elsewhere, had the letter kept on, these words would have jumbled over, crossing paths with his inner monologue. That would not result in immediate punishment, for it was a day of celebration for others and sadness for the rest, instead he would be escorted out afterwards and beheaded or worse, experimented on, this time of course by some professionals unlike the one in the stone casket.

“And with that, let us grieve yet celebrate the life of Uuse, among light, we transverse the darkness…” Hathen said, bowing in front of the casket for prayer.

The audiences and attendees followed the same. Some cries broke through the silence; in anger and in sorrow. Others of foreign religion bowed on all fours, some did a silent chant, kissing their pendants, writing runes and symbols of health and well being in the air and very few did nothing. No one forced them, so they didn’t.

“Now then, we will allow anyone to take the stand, to share some…comforting words of stories of the g-great Uuse.” Hathen said, looking elsewhere.

“...”

The warm breeze carried the flowing locks of many in the audience, the tall, the average…and the very small, including Lieutenant Latimer Rex, second in command, who took the stand all the while his Orstesh plated armor clinked and slid.

His steps heavy, armor heavier but nothing could remove such an expression that had the audience silently gasped.

“Hello, my name is Lieutenant Latimer Rex, a close…acquaintance of this ‘man’ Uuse. You may have seen me around the perimeter or in close proximity to his chambers or on the battlefield itself. I’m not going to stay for long because I-I…I cannot…” Latimer stuttered. Hesitation took hold as his words that he so deeply wanted to say could not show.

“Excuse me,” Latimer said, adjusting his wears, “Before my leave like a said, I need to say a few words.”

The audience's eyes closed in on Latimer who’s sweaty palms seemed to almost bleed through his gauntlets at such anticipation, he felt himself tense and confused. About his title, his loyalty and the few specks of humanity that still clung on to him even after so much.

“Uuse…he was not the man some of you say he is.”

Some from the audience gasped in shock and confusion, while others held a stern look, a look of opposition to the statement, especially a little orange bearded sprite- a small person with wings, almost like a fairy. His name was Chilgro, a name given to him from his father who had died in a battle years prior on behalf of Uuse. They thought he was quite the opposite of what some people thought, including Latimer. He saw Uuse as nothing more than a savior to his people and his own, despite many, many casualties.

Latimer continued, “As you know, the use of Sprites or any living being, organisms or the sort used as volatile compounds or munitions in battle is against The Jigin Drax Enactment across the eastern and western Hemisphere and yet this man you call a savior, had ignored the rules of war, diminishing the existence of these Sprite folk species you see before you and saving his own in a selfish act. They mourn for the wrong person.”

His grip on the stand dug in deeper; his gauntlets splintering the wood. What he said needed to be heard, it was on the minds of many of those who partook in Uuse’s cause, shaming themselves, ignoring the guilt, or just being able to use such an illegal tactic in battle were on the faces of the many who showed it. Unlike Hathen, being close to the top, Latimer still felt the stares from the fanatical who adored Uuse. He could cut them down with ease but regardless, the daggers they stared would haunt him; “Why must you adore this monster,” he would think as he would slay them.

“We don’t need your pity!” Chilgro yelled from the crowd of people, his wings fluttering up slowly above, catching the attention, turning heads his way.

“We live because of him!” Chilgro continued, “We don’t need others telling us how we should feel!”

Latimer was appalled; taken aback by the species that was now able to be counted on on a dozen pairs of hands.

“You barely do! If not for the treasures he bestowed upon you, an excuse to defile your kind mind you, your sub species would be gone, taken from this place by such a monster.” Latimer responded.

“It was a desperate exchange and you know it! You’ve seen those beast men warriors that came for him, they don't even think! Uuse did and thought of how we all could survive their scourge that had on us.” Chilgro said.

“There were other ways to prevent their advancement but he purposely disregarded any ideas that I brought forth. He wanted an excuse to pursue the idea that your kind,” Latimer aggressively pointed to Chilgro, “was suitable as weapons! I am not the bad person here!”

Hathen looked up from his seat, the sky was grey to the east-a storm was brewing, the wind slowly began to pick up. He did not concern himself with what was wrong nor right in the argument, he just hated Uuse for the fact that of all the embalmers and directors, his family had to be the one to witness the horrors of war, something he thought they would miss; never get caught up in, to instead focus on the aftermath instead of the frontlines.

Latimer took a deep breathe, trying to calm himself, “Please enough nonsense, Uuse, sure he was a great help in deterring the wild threat that proved dangerous to most but he did not have to involve so much, but he did for his own personal perverted mindset that I have yet to understand.”

“...”

“There could have been more of you, you know? Instead you are but a few instead of a less. Do you know why?”

“He helped us at the cost of our lives, to dispel a common enemy, we don’t care about the in-betweens, it was all death anyways, what’s so hard to understand about that!?” Chilgro said, agitated.

A lie told to the many who asked, Chilgro and the rest of his kind did care about the little things that went on, they were just tired of having to explain their own feelings toward it, instead they accepted what had happened, even if they didn’t know the true extent of what Uuse did behind closed doors.

“He tortured many unnecessary sprites, all the while we had already completed your roles and purpose…but no he’s still a hero, according to the rest of your kind.” Latimer sounded more annoyed than mad at the blindness they held, unbeknownst to his own.

“...What he gave us in return…to live rich and together even if it meant in few numbers, was still life.” A tired Chilgro said.

“He could have prevented so many deaths had he listened to–”

“Yes…I know but just please, we don't want your pity. We’re exhausted…why can’t you just be as glad as we are…that we still exist?” Chilgro said.

Latimer paused…with no answer to give.

The wind blew the chimes and flowers that had been placed atop Uuse’s casket and from the sky did a light shine through the ever-growing clouds onto the empath, the stoic and the resentful…nothing was forgotten that day; the words spoken, those who spoke them and those who were present in the wake of such a ‘Hero’...except for the yellow forests. They never were quite the same color afterwards…