Stonegate Cemetery was a low-key graveyard in suburban Springfield where the middle-class and lower families buried their dead. It was characterized by small gravestones, tall grass, and overgrown hedges. The place was also where the Damone ancestors lay.
A crowd gathered around a freshly prepared grave. The morning had seen a light drizzle, and moisture still clung to the soil and the mourners' umbrellas.
The coffin was slowly lowered into the grave, and the attending priest said his prayers. He ended the session on a high note, urging Victor's loved ones to move on.
It was a peaceful, closed-casket funeral. Therefore, the mourners could not see Victor's face. However, the priest urged them to say their final words to him.
Haley B was the first to step forward. Her face was covered in a netted veil to prevent ordinary people from recognizing her. The last thing they needed was a crowd of fans disrupting the funeral.
"Victor… I never imagined I'd outlive someone like you…" Haley said, tears rolling down her flawless cheeks.
"I thought you were immortal or something… I believed I'd grow old and die in your arms someday… Speaking of immortality, I half expect you to spring to life and jump out of the coffin… But your order members tell me… That is no longer possible… I don't understand the science of it… But they say you are really gone this time… I don't believe them… You will live on in my heart and my dreams… As my lover and protector… Bye…”
Haley burst into tears and ran back into the crowd. She had acted strong and composed all along, but on seeing Victor's casket lowered into the grave, she lost it.
The next person to step forward was Rose Atelier. She had been encamped in the safety of Edgar Tower throughout the battle and had missed most of the action. When she was told of Victor's passing, she was devastated.
"Victor… You were a perfect man… A treasure for the world… And yet you died so young… It's so unfair… But I heard you took down an invincible enemy that threatened humankind… You did what you do best till your last breath… Protect those who can't defend themselves… Thank you."
Rose sniffled and returned to the crowd of mourners. She looked like she had more to say, but her emotions overcame her.
A young, handsome man in a sharp suit approached the grave. He looked like he was just out of his teenage years. He was Kai Bolton, son of Michael Bolton and a protégé of Victor.
"Sir, I represent the NWO while I say the following words. You were an outstanding leader and the strongest warrior. Despite your nature-defying powers, you were humble and austere. In your absence, thousands in the NWO will try to emulate your life."
"Now, I don't represent the NWO while I say the following… Sir, you can never be replaced, but I, personally, as a four-star member, swear to carry on your torch and contribute what I can to achieve your life goals. Thank you for the light!"
Kai's speech was so touching that it made even some of the hardened NWO members emotional. They dipped their hats down to hide their pained faces.
Several others said their farewell notes as well. It included Valeria Armstrong, Drew Archibald, Maverick, Clive Baron, and Michael Bolton, among others. Dave, Victor's best friend from school, also spoke a few words.
The last person to say goodbye was Edgar Damone, Victor's grandfather. He didn't utter any words but stood by the grave for a few minutes, staring at the casket blankly.
The grave was covered up once the ceremony was over, and the gravestone was installed. The crowd dispersed shortly after.
A slender woman stood behind a distant tree, watching the funeral silently. She was dressed in black, in a widow's dress. She was none other than Carol.
Even though the young woman was invited to Victor's funeral, most of the mourners protested against it. Ultimately, it was decided that she wouldn't be allowed to attend.
As Edgar Damone trudged up the cemetery stairs to get to his car, Carol approached him.
"Grandpa… How are you holding up?"
The last time she had met Edgar, he looked well ahead on the path to full recovery. In fact, he had started going on long walks and spent hours in the local park painting and feeding birds.
However, the present Edgar looked as if he had aged twenty years. His wrinkles were more prominent, and his cheeks and eyes were sunken.
The old man regarded Carol for a moment, trying to recognize her.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in a voice full of tremor.
"I… I came to see Victor."
Edgar didn't pause in his stride and instead quickened his pace. "That wasn't necessary. You have nothing to do with my grandson anymore."
Carol fought back tears and caught up to the old man. "Still… Victor used to be my husband… He protected me from the shadows even after our divorce… I owed him…"
"And look at how you repaid him…" Edgar said bitterly, finally halting at the top of the stairs. "Do you know why your grandfather and I decided to marry the two of you?"
Carol shook her head, her lips quivering expectantly. Theirs was an arranged marriage, although she had an inkling that Victor liked her before their engagement.
Edgar's face turned into a scowl. "It's because we were deluded old men! It was a mistake to wed the two of you! If we hadn't intervened and let him marry someone else, perhaps he'd still be alive!"
Edgar's stern words and hateful glare made Carol's heart tremble. The old man looked convinced that she was the root cause of his grandson's death.
Carol hugged herself to prevent herself from shaking from intermittent sobs. "Grandpa… You know me very well…. Do you really think I would want to hurt Victor? I won't justify what I did by saying it was to save my family. But I would never want him gone… Not like this… I'd rather give my life-"
Edgar scoffed. "It doesn't matter what you think, little girl. Victor is gone, and you are responsible for it. I don't have many years left, but I am glad you'll bear this burden throughout your life."
Carol joined her hands earnestly. "Grandpa… Let me come to the Damone house and take care of you… As Victor's widow.."
"How dare you!" Edgar barked. "You're not his widow!"
"I…" Carol winced and lowered her eyes in shame. She wanted to shout out to the world that Victor consummated their relationship before his death. Their encounter at the cottage in Tuscan Hill was nothing short of a marriage of souls.
But would Edgar or anybody else believe her? And what was even the point of making such a declaration at this point? They would think she was trying to get a share of his inheritance.
"Don't come near me anymore or even utter the Damone surname! Victor was the last of my family, and you took him from me! I will never forgive you! Get lost!"
Edgar turned sharply, stormed off the cemetery, and drove off in his car.
Carol fell to her knees, weeping her heart out. Her widow's dress was stained in mud and ruined instantly. Several minutes passed, but she didn't feel like getting up. She wished the ground would open up and consume her. Overhead, the clouds rumbled, threatening to rain again.
Just then, Carol heard footsteps. Someone was approaching from behind. A hand touched her shoulder lightly, and Carol turned to see who it was.
"Hey, it's going to rain again soon…" Rose's familiar voice greeted her kindly. "Let's get you out of here. I have something important to talk about."