There was hardly time during The Purge for a funeral, even if Eclipse had given any of us one. I arrived back at one of the middle ring headquarters carrying the body of Number 26 after he had been killed by our target. Hardly anyone noticed me despite the corpse in my arms. Everyone else was too busy running back and forth with large stacks of paper in theirs. It was only when one crashed into and subsequently started to yell at me that anyone even noticed my presence.

  The realization of the body of my arms came shortly after she started yelling. Her anger turned into panic as her screams filled the hub that we stood in. Within moments, she was carried away by two more paper pushers as she became more hysterical. Lieutenant Ryder seemed to appear out of nowhere beside me and put her hand on my shoulder.

  "Number 19," she spoke softly. "This way."

  She led me to the medical and lab area in the building where two people in hazmat suits met us and retrieved Number 26's body. The lieutenant assured me that she would watch over him during the upcoming process and handed me a packet containing my next target. Without being able to say a final goodbye, the three of them took him further into the hub, and I was left alone in the hall.

  Throughout The Purge, I had a number of partners for various missions. Some were assigned for a singular mission before being reassigned following its completion. Some died the same as Number 26 during the execution of the mission. None of the assignees ever had a relationship with me like he did, however. The closest thing I had to a friend since junior high school died on the first night of the years-long underground war, and at the end, only twelve of us survived.

  Months after the official end of The Purge — the operation was declared concluded after its success despite a number of metas still walking around — I was called to the Aureum District in the Upper Circle. The mayor's office had unveiled a monument to the front-line fighters that had quelled the meta terrorists during The Purge.

  The monument itself boasted three grunts making a charge up a hill. The bronze and copper glimmered in the light, and every intricate detail of their armor and weapons seemed to pop. What was missing, however, was any reference to the Numbers that had actually done the fighting, save one. There was an oblong plaque at the base of the monument next to its description; on it was inscribed the names of every Eclipse member who had died during the operation. In death, he was finally given a shred of humanity in the form of his name poorly engraved in the metal plate: Adrian Noir.

  *  *  *  *  *

  There were just over two dozen people huddled around the Toshinori family grave on that cold spring morning. Our grey and black attire almost made us blend in with the dark skies around us as heavy clouds forbid the sun from shining. The only resemblance of color in the ocean of sorrow was the plethora of flowers that he had received.

  The ceremony was brief: everyone who spoke on Hiro's behalf would choke on their tears if they tried to speak for more than a couple of minutes, myself included. Even as I hung my head low over the stone pillar marking the family's plot, I felt my eyes continue to water.

  I hope that wherever you are, you're happy, buddy. You deserved that much.

  Something about funerals always seemed to force everything else to the side. Hiro described his parents as a couple that should have gone their separate ways long ago but never did for whatever reason. Even with all those pent up issues, the two of them said nothing as they mourned the loss of their only child. Every so often, one would try to speak but would break down and continue crying instead. It was definitely better that way.

  There was a restaurant not far from the cemetery that Hiro had often talked about. He loved the atmosphere of the small, family-run business and took me, Denki, Natsu, and Rito there towards the end of the previous autumn just after I was forgiven following the Kawasaki Incident. It was only fitting that our group would eat there to remember him and honor that memory. One by one, everyone left until it was only Nina and I at his grave.

  "He shouldn't have gone out this way," she finally spoke after a painfully long silence. "I shouldn't have —"

  "Don't," I interrupted her. "If you try to blame yourself for this, I swear... You didn't know. None of us did. There's so much we don't know about our abilities, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. Do I hate that it happened to him? Absolutely. Do I wish I could have done something to save him? Without a shadow of a doubt, but we can't. We aren't omnipotent, and we sure as hell aren't omniscient."

  The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "What the hell is your—" she stopped as she turned to me, no doubt seeing my head again hung low in a desperate attempt to hide my tears. "I hate funerals," she tried to change the subject.

  "This is the first one I've been to that I can remember." I was technically telling the truth.

  "They don't get easier the more you go to..."

  "How many have you gone to?"

  She went silent and turned to rejoin the group. I stared at the engraving of his name on the stone pillar for a while before taking a knee. A few deep chips in the rock would be all that some would know of him, and that thought weighed heavily on my mind. Damien's words about losing him after saving him when I came back resurfaced, and I started to tremble. Before another tear could escape my eyes, I forced myself to my feet and turned away from the grave.

  You deserved the world, partner, and I won't forget my promise. You know how I can be, though. Watch over me, okay?

  *  *  *  *  *

  "Kazuma, come on, sweetie," mother called from downstairs. "You don't want to be late for your sister's graduation; do you?"

  A month and a half had passed since Hiro's funeral. In that time, finals had barreled through the school like a stampede of bulls. Even without my co-tutor, the study sessions continued, and the two of them passed their finals in the upper fifty percentile. Denki had remained in place while Natsu dropped slightly.

  In the end, I stood alone at the top of the class with Nina in second again. It held no meaning to me, however. I knew that I would lose people as I had lost them before, but something about his loss burned. It was only comparable to Number 26's death. I felt stuck in that hospital room, trapped worse than in a time loop.

  "Kazuma?" Mother knocked on my door.

  "I’m coming," I droned as I walked out.

  My hair was tied back in a small ponytail since cutting it seemed more of a hassle than just putting it away most days. It still gave me the option to style it which I had intended to do that day. I barely even thought to use my ability until the three of us — Father had flown in for graduation — were driving down the road. The thought also made me shiver a bit given what happened during the culture festival.

  I can't start to be afraid of my ability... I'll train like hell when we get home.

  Several seemingly endless rows of seats filled the gymnasium. I remembered our first day at the school when we stood exactly where the seats rested now. It seemed so long ago. As I was lost in thought, the ceremony began with Principal Kushida taking the podium.

  "Honored guests, students, faculty, family, welcome to the 77th graduation ceremony of Toriyama High School," her powerful voice filled the room and pulled me from my trance. "Over the last three years, these students have overcome their own trials and tribulations in order to sit here before you today.

  "This is, however, only their first step, as I'm sure they would agree. What comes next for each of our soon-to-be alumni is the greatest adventure. My heart is filled with wonder and anticipation for what they will find as they venture out walking forward with determination. Now, for a final parting word from the valedictorian, Ishigami Yui."

  The former student council president stood up from her chair on stage and gracefully floated to the podium before touching down and gently smiling at the crowd.

  "Good afternoon, honored guests, distinguished faculty, my fellow students, friends, and family. A journey across the world must begin with a single step. Our journey began over a decade ago when we first walked into our elementary schools. We held our guardians' hands, terrified to take that single step. Through that fear, something pushed us forward. Years later, we sit on the brink of the next big step.

  "This step is different for each of us, but the choice exists for all of us. In the face of such a change, the same fear that struck us that morning could be rearing its head again. My hope is that we will find that something again," her gaze pierced my eyes, and her fake smile became genuine. "...and continue the journey across the world. I will always cherish the time we have shared, and I thank you for the opportunity to serve as your student council president. Let us always remember our school's motto: Achieving Excellence and Overcoming All Obstacles." As quickly as she had taken the stand, Yui vacated it and returned to her seat.

  The applause was what one would expect at a somewhat formal event as the graduation was set up to be. One by one, the students would be called, walk the stage, receive their diplomas, have their picture taken, bow, and exit promptly. Again, I found myself lost in thought since the ceremony seemed to drag on forever.

  What comes next for us? How much has my meddling changed the past and future? I still haven't seen anything good come from my being here. I'm still no closer to finding this danger. I'm running out of time, and I've already seen what happens when it runs out completely...

  After everything was finally over, my parents had Yui and I pose together one last time at the entrance of the school. She was back to her usual clingy self and practically climbed on me before I could manage to make her take up a normal pose.

  In one hand, she held her diploma, and with the other, she made a peace sign. I simply gave her a hug from the side which seemed to make her happier than anything else that had happened that day. We squeezed in together and gave a big smile.

  As the camera flashed, the summer of my first year in high school began, and it was already set to be one filled with memories to last a lifetime.