Graveyard of the Lost
Ironhand 8100, Ruins of Isca
It had been nearly 600 years now, but Sirene continued to keep her promise she made over the graves of her parents all those years ago. The ruins of the villages were starting to collapse, as the plague that swept through Isca also ravaged the rest of the kingdom it was part of, depopulating the entire region. Farming land was returning to forest, and soon, Isca would be completely forgotten.
"Apprentice, just because you do not die it does not mean you will not have gotten sick. At least you will have stayed in one of the ruins." Eigengrau stated, watching her apprentice sit at the headstones as usual.
"I've been working on a small house, with some of the stones left." Sirene answered quietly, staring at the graves. "Do I ever stop missing them?"
"No."
"Good."
Eigengrau looked puzzled, but then understood why Sirene was glad about that. She sat on the ground with Sirene, entering time with a soft touch. "There is something I would like to do, with your permission."
"Why do you need me?"
"I want to create a Graveyard here. For all the lost souls of this region. Even without the Kingdom you once called home, many people travel through here. Not all of them make it." Eigengrau explained, her voice flat.
"So?"
"All dead deserve to be buried, Apprentice. I will provide the circumstances for everything else, but this is still your village, and you are its last resident."
"Okay." Sirene said after a short silence. "A Graveyard of the Lost seems appropriate for my doomed home."
Eigengrau nodded. "Thank you, Sirene."
Ironhand 9132, Ruins of Isca
In the thousand years since Eigengrau started the graveyard, it grew at a steady rate. Sirene made no effort to tend it, except for her parents headstones, but it seemed more appropriate that way. Sometimes she would arrive in the winter, and there were people at the graveyard, silently walking through the rows. This year was slightly different. There was what was quite clearly an Inn about a kilometre from the graveyard. Who in the world would build an Inn out here? Going up to it and opening the front door, she found herself in an Inn that was definitely bigger on the inside than the outside, and a rather familiar face behind the counter, who smiled at her. Walking right up to the counter, the Innkeeper winked and leaned in.
"Fancy meeting you here, Sirene."
"Why here?" Sirene asked. "We're in the middle of nowhere."
This much was true, with the fall of the Kingdom, this entire area had returned to wilderness, and was now considered part of the Dragontail Mountains. The Innkeeper laughed.
"Your 'Master' suggested this spot, said it gets lots of travellers. She's been right so far." He answered.
"Of course she did. I don't mind, but you might when you find out I'm your new semi-permanent guest." Sirene answered, shaking her head.
"Oh?"
"I'm going to be here every winter all winter, until the day you close this Inn." Sirene answered, smiling again.
His face fell when he realized what he got himself into. Sirene laughed in response.
---
Later, when the Inn closed, Eigengrau arrived to a slightly annoyed Vaust.
"You set me up didn't you?" Vaust asked her.
"Of course I did. But it will work out wonderfully. You will see."