***
The weight of Speed's death hung heavy in the air, mingling with Soul's tears and muffled sobs. The others who mourned gathered behind Raiden as he stood before Speed's grave, carved into the earth of the mountain island's forest.
Raiden had anticipated Soul's rage, her curses hurled at the one whose hands bore the stain of responsibility. But silence. Only her muffled sobs gave voice to the grief.
Whether he wanted Soul to rage because he couldn't understand his own lack of guilt over Speed's death, or whether he truly cared for her in this moment, was unclear even to him.
Nearly an hour had passed at the graveside. Raiden would have gladly let them grieve all day if they could, but time wasn't on their side.
He tilted toward Soul and pulled off the black skeletal mask Speed had given him. Studying her with calm detachment, his pulse unchanged, he realized it would be best to let Soul go.
