After hearing this, most of the bandits moved aside for four of them to come through, carrying a casket on their shoulders. The casket looked well made and carved with much expertise, probably achieved through many years of burying the dead. Once the bandits were right in front of the town elders, they lowered the casket, rotating it so that the hinges faced away from those who had asked to see the body. “This was the man that requested we provide you with ample protection from all who would seek your destruction,” Valmor said, opening the casket so that the elders may see the young man’s face. Even from Plageiorath’s viewpoint from behind the gateway to Florhaust the face of the man in the casket was unmistakable, there was no doubt that the body lying within the oiled oak was Mallorkan’s. 

Mallorkan’s mother gasped in horror at what had happened to her son and although he could not see them, Plageiorath knew that tears were streaming down her cheeks. What else was said, Plageiorath could not hear, but after a few moments of discussion the four bandits that had presented Mallorkan’s body to the elders closed the casket and lifted it back up onto their shoulders. They then proceeded to walk towards the town gates, talking softly to one another. As they passed, Plageiorath could hear what they were saying. “It’s such a shame that the boy died so young,” one of the bandits said.

“Yeah,” another replied, “he could have been very useful when he had reached adulthood”

“Especially after landing so many blows on Valmor,” yet another stated, “Usually nobody can lay so much as a finger upon him.”

“He does have a law that we are to never harm any children though,” the last one said, “Maybe he went a little soft on him.” All four of them nodded in agreement with this. After reaching the gates, they made their way to the town crypt where the priestess would prepare Mallorkan’s body and then take him to be placed inside of a barrow. They had a funeral procession the next day, wishing Mallorkan’s soul good luck in the next life and leaving small offerings in his tomb for his soul to receive in the afterlife. 

When it was Plageiorath’s turn to wish his friend good luck in the afterlife and leave an offering in the tomb, he left a small golden pin shaped like a crow with emeralds for its eyes and said, “Goodnight, my brother, I wish you much prosperity in the next life.” Soon after he payed his respects, the tomb was sealed and nobody else could enter.