Chapter 71
The air was thick with grief. Sobs echoed through the burial grounds as mourners, dressed in black, gathered beneath the grey sky. Faces were etched with sorrow, their eyes heavy with loss. Han stood among them, silent, his expression unreadable as the weight of the moment pressed down on him.
They were all here to mourn those who had fallen in the Red Vanguard attack. It had only been two days, yet the pain still felt raw—like a fresh wound that refused to close.
A solemn prophet stood at the head of the field, speaking sacred words that offered peace to the fallen:
"They fought with courage and held their ground when darkness tried to claim this land. Let their bravery echo for all eternity."
Han closed his eyes. Over a hundred lives had been lost. To some, that number might not seem so great—but to Han, each one was a failure. Each one was a burden he bore alone. Serenya was his responsibility. And he had failed.
