OOC: This will be the funeral thread for my longest running Character, Nicolas Villa. Former President and the first character used to introduce Mokastana to International Incidents back in '07 on the old Jolt Forums. He had lived a long and hard life, but he was always the face of Mokastana to the world.
After the family funeral, we will be hosting a formal Ceremony for visitors of all nationalities to come and visit. It will hosted on the outskirts the Federal Capital, Mokastana City. If you wish to send a delegate please post as such on the OOC thread.
IC:
Five miles in the St. Alvido Safety Exclusion Zone, Southern Tip of the Main Island
It had rained the night before, bringing forth a light mists that now glowed in the morning sunlight, dancing across the small backwoods graveyard. The scene almost promised a blissful morning despite the worn out look of the fences and fading headstones scattered about. The grass had been allowed to grow to high, while the pathways were consumed by the ever pressing nature of vegetation. Had it been another day, someone might have joked about using a machete to traverse the terrain here.
Along the narrow dirt road leading up to the cemetery Federal and SWA military vehicles had parked, blocking traffic from ever making it this far and bringing enough troops to secure the areas around from pesky intruders. Soldiers in well worn camouflage outfits carrying Geiger Counters and assault rifles stood post both close and far from the site. Only a few would be visible from the event. This event was to be quiet, respectful, and despite the fame of the recently deceased; a small funeral, family and close friends only. His final wish. Even if some of those friends and family happen to be the key leaders in Mokan Politics and Military.
“Attention!”
Eight soldiers stood at attention, each with a hand on the casket. A Black and Red Star Flag draped over.
“Platoon! March!”
The soldiers stepped into the mess of high grass in unison, trying to follow the old path that had once been there. They would go slow, moving ever forward under the eyes of family and friends. Until one of the family finally moved from his place by the open gravesite, navigating the twisted mess with ease and raising his hand to the platoon.
“Sergeant, I cannot thank you enough for your efforts, but it is the duty of family to take him from here on.”
The family member moved into position behind the sergeant, and adjusted his coat to prepare to take the weight of the casket. He was older and taking such weight would require effort, but his brother would have done the same for him.
On the opposite side his son, a Duke of AHSCA, took the other lead position on the casket. Behind them fell the Generalissimo Major of the Mokan Army Ivan Canarias, the Air Marshall Jesus Manual, Generalissimo Yuri Gorbechov, and Generalissimo Juan Dugal. The last of the old guard. The remaining two spots were left to the soldiers who had originally carried the casket. The normal custom for Mokan Military Funerals was for close male family and friends to assume control of the casket from the honor guard and walk it the final steps, but sadly most had already made this trip.
Together they marched on bring the casket to its final spot before resting it on the wooden cranes to lower it.
Most of these men were old, needing a minute to recover from carrying the weight of another fallen comrade. After a minute the first to stand at attention was Charles Villa. Who despite the throb in his joints turned to the few family members and friends he had left and spoke first.
“My dearest…you, all of your are…”
And for the first time in his life, words failed him, his normal calm demeanor was failing him. Always capable of being detached enough to think clearly but emphatic enough to be human. He fought for control, even as the weight of what he was doing barred down on him.
“We would be nothing without you. Me and my brother built this nation from nothing into a superpower, only at the costs of what makes us human, but with your help, we soldiered on, we kept our eyes and hearts focused, for if we could not bring you a home worth sharing, what good would have our efforts been.”
Leaning on the casket Charles tried to find the words to continue, but the reality was beginning to throb louder. He had promised to remain strong for them. He had to, but what now? How could he?
“What my father is saying is that we lost everything.”
Charles looked across the casket to his son, George had taken the torch so effortlessly and with a look he knew, his son would be strong for him.
“Growing up I do not know how many loved ones we buried, how many more we wish we could have. Very few families had been as hunted as ours, but today here we are. Today we honor our eldest, a humble man who gave his life, not his death, but every year he could spare to making not only our lives, but this nation, great. None of us thought we would see the day we could return here and bury a Villa again, much less one that lived as long as he. We have stared death in the face, and now death has agreed to wait for us on our terms. And now, as true as my daughters live and breathe, the Villa name will live on. We will not be forgotten.”
