The sky above Ochisuita was gray.
A cold wind moved slowly across the small cemetery on the hill. People from the town had gathered quietly, standing in silence around a freshly dug grave.
At the center rested a simple wooden coffin.
Watashi's coffin.
Koi Ren stood closest to it. His face looked pale and tired, his eyes hollow from a night without sleep. His hands trembled slightly, but he kept them clenched at his sides.
Behind him stood the other students.
Aqua Mizuno lowered her head respectfully.
Rin Ketsuki stood quietly, unusually calm.
Raide Shinkai crossed his arms, staring at the ground.
Moricha, Hikari, Sseira, and the others remained silent.
Even Daichi Iwamoto stood there, though he avoided looking at Koi.
A few steps away stood Aeris Vallen.
The legendary warrior watched the coffin silently. In his hand was a small folded letter that had been found inside Watashi's home.
No one else knew about it.
Watashi had written one sentence on the outside.
"For Aeris only."
Aeris slowly opened the letter while the others were focused on the ceremony.
His eyes moved across the paper.
"Aeris… if you are reading this, then it means I am already gone."
Aeris' expression hardened slightly.
"You always told me I worried too much… but I know what I saw that night."
"They are real."
"Creatures… monsters that should not exist in this world."
"They attacked me in the forest. Fast, strong, and vicious."
"I managed to kill one… but the others escaped."
Aeris' grip on the letter tightened.
"If they return, Himmel Island will not remain peaceful."
He continued reading.
"There is something else you must know."
"I gave the boy… Koi Ren… a gift."
"He will need it."
"But do not tell him yet."
"Let him grow first."
Aeris' eyes moved slowly toward Koi, who still stood silently in front of the coffin.
Then he read the final lines.
"And if you are reading this letter…"
"It means I am dead."
"They came for me."
"To take revenge."
The wind blew stronger across the hill.
Aeris slowly folded the letter again.
His face showed nothing, but inside his mind many questions had already begun forming.
He placed the letter inside his coat.
This secret would stay with him.
For now.
The ceremony continued.
One by one, people placed flowers near the grave.
When it was Koi's turn, he stepped forward slowly.
For a moment he simply stood there.
Watashi had been the one who trained him.
Protected him.
Raised him.
And now he was gone.
Aeris walked over quietly and stopped beside him.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Aeris said softly,
"Watashi and I trained together when we were young."
Koi looked up slightly.
"He was my closest friend."
Aeris' eyes moved toward the horizon.
"We fought in the same battles. Survived the same wars."
His voice lowered.
"There was a battle… many years ago. One I will never forget."
Koi listened.
"We were surrounded by monsters. I made a mistake."
Aeris clenched his hand slightly.
"One of them almost killed me."
He looked back at the coffin.
"Watashi stepped in front of me."
Koi's chest tightened.
"He took the attack meant for me… and killed the creature himself."
A long silence followed.
Aeris looked at Koi again.
"That man… raised you."
Koi nodded slowly.
Aeris placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"He believed in you."
Koi lowered his head.
The wind moved through the trees as the last shovel of dirt fell over the coffin.
Watashi's grave was sealed.
But something had already begun to change.
Something none of them could see yet.