The day of the journey had arrived. And the Lightcloaks wouldn’t send their Squires off without Kal’s blessing.
The sky trembled above them with the sounds of hymns. Lucen watched as the blue hue of the horizon lted away as morning approached.
The Halo in the upper atmosphere grew in radiance, its golden light never reaching its forr glory. The feeble light shone down on a humming crowd of people and the barren patch of land.
All Squire knelt in a orderly rank, and a final ceremony was held to bless and strengthen the unfortunate children.
Incense curled in the air, swimming between the kneeling Squires, its spicy sll scratching at Lucen’s nose and making his eyes water.
There was a deep, throaty hymn in the air that shook his bones. One man stood on a wooden platform, his voice so strong it shook the crowd surrounding him. All of Castaway Valley was gathered to watch them leave.
"Bless the father, let his light find us."
The Squires all wore white capes to signify their resolve to seek justice.
Lucen wore the black armor Koril gave him when the Bullwolves attacked. The white capes were all decorated with the Lightcloak emblem. A priest walked by him holding a steaming bottle.
The priest dug his burnt finger into the bottle of hot oil and then drew a circle over Lucen’s forehead. Lucen’s face tightened as it burned him, tightly gripped his cape.
"Let your light cleanse the world."
Another priest waved an incense pot through the air. The smoke rushed through the air unnaturally, gripping tightly to the kneeling Squires.
The sounds of instrunts, all loud and blaring, rolled over the sandy field—trumpets, drums, and chis in between the sudden noises. Every ti the trumpet returned Lucen’s heart jumped.
"And let it keep the world for your chosen."
Lucen shut his eyes. Incense shrouded him in a world of white. There were voices hiding behind the strong hymn, whispers fleeting past his ears like flies.
"Stave off the desolation. Cast down the unholy. Kal."
At the ntion of god’s na all sound ceased. Imdiately all the Squires were on their feet, stamping hard across the ground. The silence was crushed by the sudden thud of their feet shaking the earth.
Chester marched onto the platform as the lone singer left. The wind scattered his pristine gold and black uniform, the wind flowed through his black hair elegantly. His golden eyes were regal and beautiful.
Chester sucked in a breath before he started. "You have been given a great honor! To serve, to fight, and to prove yourselves!"
Lucen and the rest of the Squires stayed perfectly still as Chester’s booming voice rolled. Their faces were impassive after hours of kneeling, their bodies bled of all excitent, anxiety, or impatience.
"Go! Take back the Red Keep and expunge all traces of evil. Let light show you the way."
As practiced, all the Squires and Knights marched to the caravans. They waited for Chester to co down from the high platform and stand. Then they all walked by him, each stopping to bow and salute. Lucen’s turn ca and he bowed deeply before rising to salute.
Lucen and Chester only had a second to share a glance, but everything was said in that single mont. Chester’s careless smile curved higher, while Lucen’s stalwart expression was unchanged.
He marched stiffly to a specific carriage. It wasn’t one of those eight-legged white creatures. Rather, this carriage was pulled by a Buckmount. He couldn’t wait to get inside.
He climbed in and stretched his legs painfully, hissing curses at the stupidly long ceremony.
He wished he could get so water to wash off the sll of incense lingering in every corner of his being.
Liam and Aya were also seated inside, grinning as Lucen stretched and moaned.
The carriage had two wooden benches that could seat at least eight people. The carriage was empty other than that, all their bags were packed into the space-rings Kedral gave the Squires.
Liam sat beside Lucen on the sa bench while Aya sat across from them. They had to keep their distance from her most of the journey, but she was placed in Lucen’s carriage unfortunately.
"Did Chester say anything?" Aya asked.
Lucen chuckled. "Nope, he smiled at . But he smiles at everyone."
Their deal with Chester had been simple.
Lucen could leave the Keep with his mom peacefully if he killed Aya daza.
But he would swear on the Pillar of Eternity to follow the Lightcloaks’ commands strictly and seclude himself to a far portion of the empire.
Chester would never say it like that—hell, he even sent Himl to speak for him. But If he completed the quest and Aya lived, Selene would remain hostage in the Grey Keep.
Chester wanted to force Lucen to choose between Aya and Selene.
Either way he won.
This was always their plan however. Aya knew Chester wanted her dead so the Lightcloaks would take the Red Keep and beco the new Khans of the Horalix region.
Lucen would find a way for Aya to disappear, a way that wouldn’t implicate him, and then she would give up the Crown of Stars.
Chester gets the Keep. Aya stays alive. Lucen gets his freedom.
When Lucen turned eighteen and was banished to so far-off land, he would find Aya first and they would go together.
What was important now was finding a way to break the oath she swore to co back to the Keep.
The cheers of the crowds shook the world. Lucen left the carriage to watch the faces of the people. They all seed joyous and excited. It wasn’t thirty Squires being sent to die to them.
It was a legend being written right before their eyes.
In between the undulating bodies of the crowd, he found Selene standing still. Tears ran down her eyes, hands clasped tightly over her chest. Caria was also there, and she waved frantically as Lucen caught sight of them.
Liam jumped out of the carriage, his midnight-blue bow slung over his shoulder. He did his best to hold back his tears as he waved goodbye at his mother.
Lucen sniggered at the energy between the mother and son. He faced Selene again, a sad smile playing on his lips.
She mouthed sothing to him through the roar of people around her.
I love you.
Tears poured from his eyes. Just a little, but it was his first ti crying in a while. Happiness and sadness twisted his heart into a ss.
He wiped his eyes and looked back at her, cutting through the chaos of the people all around her.
No matter how many people in the world chanted his na. No matter how much space and ti there was between them.
"I’ll always be with you when you seek . I’ll always encourage you when you need it." Lucen’s voice broke. H
e reached out to her through the crowds, and she stretched her hand back at him.
Lucen swore to himself that he would learn how to project his Spirit Light like Alger, so he could always find her.
"I’ll always love you when you need it."
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