Chapter 92: The Funeral
The funeral site had been established in a wide, open valley just outside the city in a place once known for quiet weekend retreats and hiking trails. However, it was currently closed off under heavy A2P2 jurisdiction.
The air smelled faintly of pine and rain-soaked stone, but beneath that lingered the scent of sterilized ash— the remnants of the bodies recovered from the Tower’s second floor, many of which had been beyond recognition after being influenced by the corrupt energy.
Surrounding the valley was a temporary perimeter of magical barriers and tactical barricades— flickering lines of violet light and armored personnel guarded every entry point. Camouflaged drones hovered silently in the air, their presence a reminder that even here, peace was enforced, not given.
The ceremony was held at the center of a natural amphitheater formed by sloping rock formations and dense trees.
The A2P2 had erected a circular platform of white alloy and dark stone, with a low altar at its heart where names and symbols of the fallen were displayed.
Badges, broken weapons, personal items retrieved from the Tower floor, and their belongings, now purified and sealed off, were also presented here.
Above it all hung a suspended holographic display, rotating slowly, showing the names and faces of each casualty in silence. The association did not glorify their deaths, they presented it just the way they were— cold, meaningless, and unfair.
Rows of chairs had been arranged in perfect arcs around the altar, filled with families, friends, and fellow players dressed in mourning attire or their guild uniforms.
Members of the press were kept at a distance, behind a second ring of mobile barricades, their access to the event limited by the association. Their lenses tried to capture grief, but their audio feeds were unable to capture the sounds from their distance.
At the front on the stage stood the ceremonial speaker, flanked by association officials and emissaries from the other important guilds of their city.
{ "Hello, everyone." }