[i]"What is the funerary customs for the honored in your people?" she asked quietly, "My people feast for eight days when a highly honored one exchanges this life for the next.... Your Grandfather was a brave man. He deserves an honorable rite of funerary passage."[/i]

"I...don't know." Viran said quietly as his fists clenched. "I never grew up around my people. I was not raised on the home-world." Viran said quietly as he thought of the various ways he was going to physically beat Genocide to an inch of his life.

"What happened?!" Came a voice from outside the room as Tyran and Steel ran into the room. They stopped and Steel bowed her head sadly as she saw the body of Hisel on the ground as Tyran shook his head. "We were too late." Steel said quietly. "Tyran picked up the break in on his sensors and we tried to get back here, but we were too late."

Viran's eyes looked dull and sad. "They took my Grandfather from me. Possibly my only remaining family." He said quietly. Tyran shook his head. "According to recent records, they have renamed themselves. They go by Death and War now. Scans show that they are much stronger now. I managed to upload the data that was recorded in the mansion's security files, They appear to be wearing Valkorian combat armor that has also added to their already increased strength."

Steel turned to look at Tyran. "How do you know what it was they were wearing?"

"My databanks currently have vast amounts of data on the Valkorian race. Weapons, dietary intake, history and other data. In the time that we're from, we had many encounters with them including the survivors."

Viran looked over at the android. "What about funeral customs? Do you have those?"

"Yes. Funeral customs among the Valkorians are oddly non-military oriented for they're race. The deceased family and friends gather together and celebrate the life of the deceased. They feast for at least three days and celebrate the life of the deceased on the first day. On the second day they remember the personal struggles and triumphs of the individual and on the third day, they say their final goodbyes and the body is usually buried with the honors that the family feels the deceased has earned."

Steel bowed her head. "We could take him back to the Valkorian community near the city. I'm sure many of them knew Hisel."

Viran looked up. "There are others? There are more Valkorians?" He asked quietly.

Death simply laughed as he began to step through the portal. He casually waved his hand and dozens of the shadow creatures appeared as the ones attacking Eden suddenly stopped and began to dissipate. The air began to grow dark as more and more of the essence of what the creatures had been soared up through the air and were absorbed by Death. But the shadow creatures surrounding Death began to shift and change form. The claws that were already dangerous began to lengthen and the teeth few sharper as they began to take on more solid forms until they were totally solid. A pulsing black aura appeared in the chest's of the shadow creatures.

"It's funny how fast one can adapt to use Mana isn't it?" Death laughed. "I managed to adapt simply by having your sword strike my claws. There was enough residual mana left on the sword. I'm already beginning to produce Mana." He said with a chuckle. "I wonder how your mate will be able to fight me now." He said as he stepped further through the portal.