Some gloomy-looking rangers were posting notices in all the popular places:
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Apocamus Dradius welcomes the arrivals: Nilstilar Thorec, Eolinius, Azazor Eridlo Merihus, Craftjenn, Do'Ro Thee, Moyaku, Rizyinshi, Daniellea
Wixarika and Sof greet Apocamus.
Eleanide, Zo'Ro Argh, Elke, Moniq arrive and then the entire Silan contingent...
Krill doesn't intend to be too close when it burns...
Melga Folgore says: “Dear Apocamus, I leave the floor to you...”, then bows to Apocamus Dradius.
Apocamus Dradius walks towards the stake, his face expressionless.
“Melga Folgore asked me to speak on behalf of the Ranger cadre, but the first image that came to mind was that empty seat on my tenth birthday and my resentment of those Rangers who were distracting my grandmother from her own and absorbing her entirely.
I almost said no and then I thought about it. I remembered that it was her very involvement that made her so alive and that I am here with you today.
She was very young when she took over from Svaldi Bucci, but her dedication to the Ranger cause was already evident. An only child, her parents both in the Fyros contingent of the PMA's intended armed force, she had been bathed in the Ranger spirit since birth.
She had no illusions about what had led to her being chosen. Her appointment came from the top brass's desire to keep a low profile in these troubled times and continue to exist as an organization, but that didn't stop her from giving it her all. She was always committed to the precepts, but the ones she held most dear were service and diligence.
She found it difficult to resign herself to growing old, even though her fatigue was becoming more and more evident. Yet diligence always came back into her mouth when I asked her to rest, and it was still in the name of that diligence that she went off alone into the Kitin's Lair.”
Apocamus pauses for a few minutes then dries his eyes with the back of his sleeve: “Please excuse me. Emotion!”
He resumes in a clearer voice: “Orphie, you were an example to us all.”
“We will find the cause of your death and keep the homins out of this danger, for that is our duty to protect.
Your body is dead but your spirit will live on forever among us.”
Apocamus bows deeply to the pyre, then returns to his seat.
Melga Folgore is grateful to Apocamus.
“Oren pyr malos.
It is on behalf of the Fyros people, whom I represent here tonight, that I express to all rangers our most sincere condolences.
Orphie Dradius was a Fyros by sap, but above all she was a homin who knew how to see, behind our differences in sap, culture and political ideals, everything that unites us.
She knew, more than anyone else, that a single homin goes less far than a group that is united.
Yes, we are still a long way from that, and the memory of the time spent in the early roots after the first swarm, the time when we joined forces to survive, is fading in our memories.
But Orphie Dradius has never stopped trying to bring us together.
And sometimes she succeeded, as in the signing of the TENANT treaty, where Mabreka, Dexton, Yrkanis and Denen Toen recognised that all homins, regardless of their race or religious beliefs, are free individuals.
Orphie Dradius, that fyrette of character, never deviated from this path, because she knew that unity is necessary to fight against one of the greatest dangers: the kitins!
She proved what dedication to a cause meant by giving her life!
She was a brave among the brave, a gey-zas, and this the Fyros will not forget.
Fellow Rangers, tonight, in keeping with fyros tradition, we honour her memory by burning her body.
Every Fyros, in the course of his life, struggles against the smoke that lifts him.
Egotism, spiritual elevation, vanity, all those false qualities that go against our destiny: to descend, ever deeper.
Fyros, we must fight the smoke. If we burn our braves when they die, it is so that they return to the sawdust immediately, so that the dead Fyros guide the brave into the bowels of Atys to fight the dragon.
So when you see the pyre burning Orphie's body, do not look at the smoke rising to the sky, but keep your eyes on the charred body, which will return to ash and go down into the earth to join the warriors for the ultimate battle, the one against fyrak.
This day is not sad, for it is the beginning of a new battle for Orphie. So let us celebrate it as it should be.
Neya fyren orèch, neya Fyros gladùch.
Orum gesun, fyrak a oren depyr.
As long as the Sacred Fire binds us, we Fyros fight.
The Desert we travel to slay the Dragon some day.Tribute speech performed by the akenak Azazor at the cremation ceremony of Orphie Dradius on Prima, Fallenor 7th, 1st AC 2613 [1].
“Honoured Orphie,
You have been a beacon to look up to, and I will miss you.
The newbie I am among the rangers, we only met a few times, and that even only briefly.
Yet I learnt a lot from you.We had our difference in the how-to, but the aim is important:
In you I marvel at your compassion,
your compassion to the homins,
and your dedication to science,
also to serve all homins.
Atys has lost in loosing you.
These, your values will always be with me on all my paths -
and may they continue to find much appreciation on Atys.
May the gods have merci on your soul, and may we always remember you with joy.
Farewell, great ranger,
Yours, Elke