Fading Dirge

the Rising Dirge

An old Red mourning rite becomes a planetwide war ritual at Lykos, where the destruction of the gallows and red mud on Gold sigils bind Mars against invasion.

Story so far

The Fading Dirge is the old Red miners' rite of mourning, marked by fists beating on chests in the slow rhythm of a heartbeat. With Lysander's enemy fleet approaching Mars, Deanna summons it at the Lykos gallows after naming members of her family hanged by the Society, including Eo and Darrow. Her call makes the rite a public response to both the dead of the mines and the lost soldiers of Mercury.

Fifty Lambda Reds smash the gallows, and thousands of citizens and Pegasus Legion answer Deanna's words with the Dirge. She then muddies the Gold sigils of Virginia au Augustus and Victra, commissioning them as daughters of Mars. The ceremony turns the crowd's dangerous faith in Darrow into a shared commitment to defend the freedom he fought for, regardless of Color.

Appearance

A vast, chest-beating gathering beneath the shattered Lykos gallows, with faces painted red, battlefield armor, and red Martian mud covering the sigils of commanders.

Role

The Fading Dirge is the emotional and political mobilization of Mars, uniting private mourning with the planet's resolve to resist a new Society invasion.

Relationships

Deanna — Deanna leads the Dirge at Lykos and gives its mourning ritual the shape of a call to war.

Virginia au Augustus — Virginia accepts the red mud over her sigils as the Dirge names her a daughter of Mars.

Victra — Victra receives the same commission and carries its wrath into command.

Earlier in this series

Also appears in books you've already read — spoiler-safe to their endings:

Red RisingBook 1

Sources — 1 recorded facts, by chapter

Chapter 20

An old Red mourning rite becomes a planetwide war ritual at Lykos, where the destruction of the gallows and red mud on Gold sigils bind Mars against invasion.