"Thank you, Sandra."
Just as June was about to turn around and exit the store, Sandra spoke out in a concerned voice.
"Hey, I know that today's the day that your grampa died... But don't beat yourself up that much, okay?"
June stared back at the store owner Infront of him and replied in a calm and collected tone:
"As I've said, I'm doing fine Sandra."
Though it seems that June words didn't have much of an effect on the brunette woman in front of him, as she continued to stare at him with concerns in her eyes.
"Well, whatever you do, just letting you know that you're not alone. Take care June."
"You too Sandra, take care."
With that, June turned around and walked to the exit door of the liquor store. It been a while since he had met with the shopkeeper, so was quite nostalgic for him to speak to Sandra again.
They've met during their time at the Awakened academy and shortly after Winter Solstice, they woke up at around the same region of the Dream Realm as each other. Like him, Sandra family worked for the government, it was her grandmother, who was a close friend and an ally of Randall, who started the liquor store.
June takes a sigh as he looked around, the street was getting more packed now that more people are going outside to go to their jobs.
With a bag of two vodka in his hand, he continued to walk down the wet pavements. His next destination is a government owned site, which relatively speaking, Isn't that far away from the Liquor store.
Beside the fact that the store was run by a family with close relation to the government, there was another reason why it was popular among government grunts. It was because of how close it is to the vicinity of several government owned sites.
After a few more minutes, June had finally reached his destination. In front of him stood a grandiose stone gate and beyond it was a vast green grassland, filled with memorial stones of all shapes and sizes.
The name of the site was carved out on top of the stone gate:
'Memento Casorum.'
This site was built around a 2 and a half years ago. A memorial site, dedicated to the soldiers who had died during the Antarctic campaign. It isn't the only one of its kind, in NQSC alone there's 7 different memorial sites, and even more if you're counting the ones in other Quadrants. However, the one where he's at, is the biggest, around 3.5 kilometre squared wide in size.
For a while, June stood outside looking at the carved-out words written on the stone gate. It was quite an odd choice for the government to use such an ancient language to name their memorial sites. What was it again? Latin, was it?
Regardless of the odd decision, it strangely makes sense.... Somehow.
'Ah, it has been another year.'
After a while of standing around and staring at those words, he sighed and walked through the stone gates. It been a year since the last time he had visited this site.
'Memento Casorum' was the largest memorial site in the Northen Quadrant, due to the memorial stones dedicated to the Irregulars of the first army, who had fallen to the chains of nightmares in battle, are located here. Many of whose bodies was never recovered.
On top of the largest hill, stood 5 tall memorial stones, dedicated to the fallen masters of the First Irregular company. Each individual stone was decorated in unique way that matches the Ascended personalities; Queen or Ascended Winter memorial stone, for example, resembles a polarize sunglass, while Ascended Dale, was a Shield.
Due to how it was still early in the morning, he didn't expect to see anyone in the memorial site at this time. However, in the corner of his eyes, June could see a tall and slender figure not too far away from him. The man had pale skin, and his hair was dark with a tint of Navy blue, he was also wearing a brown long coat as well.
'Someone's already here? That's a first.'
Regardless, he was not in the mood for conversations currently. Instead, he looked away and continued to walk towards the largest hill silently, not making a sound. But as he was walking, a voice coming from behind caught June by surprised:
"Hey tall guy over there! What's up?"
Part of him wanted to just ignore the man and walk away, but after a few seconds of debating to himself, June slowly turned around to face the awakened with Navy blue tinted hair.
"What is it?"
The man in front of him laughed a bit.
"Oh nothing, it's just that I didn't expect someone to be here at this time of the day."
"Like wise."
Subsequently, the Awakened in front of June raised a hand to gesture for a handshake.
"The name is Blake, what about you?"
June was... Put off by Blake blithe demeanour to say the least. If it wasn't for the fact that Blake had noticed June present, he would have assumed that he was an inexperienced Awakened.
Though the Corsair didn't let these thoughts of annoyance appeared on his face, as he forced out a small smile on his face and shook Blake hand.
"My name's June."
June then went silent for a few seconds before continuing.
"You're not an ex or current government grunt, are you?"
This statement apparently took Blake by surprised as his eyes widen.
"Was it that obvious? But yeah, you're right. I'm from the House of Night."
A member of the great clan that resides in the Storm Sea? That's surprising, normally legacy like them won't even bother going to any government owned site like the one that they're in currently.
"What are you doing here so early then?"
The Awakened— Blake, chuckled and turned away walking to face the direction of one of the memorial stone that is scattered all over the site.
"Same thing as you, just visiting a loved one."
June stared back at the legacy and then hesitantly, he followed Blake to a small memorial stone over at the bottom left side of the tallest hill. Blake was just standing there silently, looking down at the memorial stone in silent. And eventually he pulled out a small rose from his long coat and placed in on top of the memorial stone.
The stone read:
'In loving memory of Josephine.'
Eventually June spoke up which caught Blake attention.
"I'm sorry for your lost, Blake. She was a brave and strong awakened, probably fought until her last breath. I'll assumed you were her fiancé?"
The last line caught Blake attention as he sprung around to stare at June.
"You know her? And yes, I am."
"We've spoke a few times in the past; she and I were both part of the second company of Irregulars during the Antarctica campaign. I remembered back in one of the banters at dinner during our voyage to the southern continent, she talked about how she had a fiancé who was part of the House of Night."
Blake stared at June for a while, then eventually replied in a lower tone.
"I see. Yeah, she was always someone who was head strong in what she believed in. When the government started looking for people to recruits for the First Evacuation Army, she was among the first to registered."
Blake went silent for a moment as he turned back to stare at the memorial site of his lost fiancé. Though after a moment, he stood up and asked June in a carefree demeanour.
"So, what about you? Who are you visiting today?"
"My grandfather I guess, Master Vandal."
This also caught the legacy by surprise.
"One of the captains of the First Irregular Company?"
June nod his head and walked up the hill, towards the five large memorial stones while Blake followed him from behind.
"So how was he? Your grandfather I mean."
June sighed.
"Vandal... Was a head strong individual. Yet despite his grizzled appearance, he was unexpectedly gentle towards those who was close to him. A legend among government soldiers."
The two of them were on top of the hill now. With heavy breath June approached Randall memorial stone, which was shaped as a Battle axe. The Axe has written carvings on it, which says:
[In loving memory of Randall.
Soldier. War hero. Grandfather
"He fought with valiancy, lived with honour, and loved without limits."
A hero to his country. A pillar for the newer generation.
Forever missed, eternally remembered.]
June was silent for a moment as he stood in front of the memorial stone. Eventually he looked back at Blake.
"You know— As a child, I thought he was someone who was larger than life, you know? I thought he'd lived forever. And now that he's gone, it just... feels wrong."
June then paused for a moment.
"We all lost something in Antarctica, Blake. Some of us, lost someone close to them, while others... Lost themselves."
Blake stared at June for a while, then asked in a somber tone:
"Will it ever get better?"
June went silent for a while after hearing the legacy question. He was pondering to himself as he wasn't sure how to answer it. Though eventually he opened his mouth and began to speak once again.
"I'm not sure."
Blake sighed and tapped June shoulder once again.
"Well then, it seems that I'll have to take my leave now...June, was it? See you around!"
June turned around to glanced at Blake who was starting to depart from the memorial site.
"Yeah, see you around too, Blake."
After a while, June started to approach the memorial stone of Randall yet again. With heavy hands, the Irregular sat down and took out the two bottles of the Vodka that he had just bought from the store and placed one of them in front of the stone.
"How's it going gramps? Has it really been 3 years since you've died?"
June stared at the stone for a moment as he began to lean back and take a sip from his bottle of liquor.
"Ah, time sure flow fast isn't it."
He then went silent for a while as he began to recall a distant memory from the past.
************************************************************
"You missed grandma, don't you gramps?"
The voice from his young grandson took Randall by surprised as he was snapped back to reality.
"Really? How could you tell?"
June then laughed.
"You've been sitting there in silence for quite some time, gramps."
Randall sighed and stood up from his chair.
"You're quite observant for someone so young, that's good."
Randall went silent for a few seconds before continuing to speak again.
"It just that, days like these... It felt like I have a hole in my chest. I keep on wondering, if I had done something different that day, would she still be alive?"
June tilted his head as he glanced over to his grandfather direction.
"Will it ever heal, gramps?"
The Ascended was silent for a while, as he contemplated on his grandson question.
"I'm not sure, June. I'm not sure. I don't think you can ever truly escape your past."
"Uh, what does that mean, grandpa?"
Randall sighed and then turned around to face his grandson.
"Listen kid, you'll understand what I mean when I eventually pass away."
"Shut up gramps, knowing you, you'd probably live forever."
************************************************************
After spending some time of sitting and drinking in front of the memorial stone of his grandfather, June stood up and walked away from the stones, down the hillside.
It seems that he had spent some time reminiscing about the past, as now the site is filled with people who came to pay respect for the members of the Irregular company.
Though just as he was about to walked out from the stone gate, June heard a small chirping sound. In front of him, was a small cricket who was crawling on the ground. He stared at the insect for a while, and then he stepped on it, as he exited the gate.