//------------------------------// // Ch 12 - The Ascension - Into the House of the Goddess // Story: Phoenix-born Rising - The Ascension of Sunset Shimmer // by The Voice in the Water //------------------------------// The soft, persistent rattle of the sky-car gliding along its track filled Sunset’s ears. Normally she might have found the sound distracting, yet at the moment she barely registered it. She was too enraptured with the scenery outside the vehicle to notice. In fact, she found herself reluctant to blink as she stared out the window of the sky-car. Not for fear of being attacked or because she’d drunk too much tsujara.  No, she didn’t want to close her eyes because she was afraid of missing a moment of the wonder that was the enchanted landscape they were riding through. Beside her, Daisy and Lily were similarly glued to the window, each staring out of the transparent crystal with unrestrained awe, their faces all but pressed up against its surface. They weren’t the only ones; every window in the sky-rail’s car was occupied by their fellow students, each one mesmerized by the sights they were seeing. And they were still only an hour into the four hour journey to the base of Mt. Liakeed and the Cathedral of the Sun. They’d boarded the sky-rail that would take them into the Core before sunrise. Even Sunset, as accustomed as she was to getting up early for work, had trouble getting up at such an early hour. A problem exacerbated by just how exhausting the previous day had been. What really chafed was that when Sparkler had arived to wake them up, she'd told them the only things they were allowed to bring were their uniforms. Everything else was to be left in their rooms in the academy. Sunset had protested, but her arguments were shut down by Sparkler, leaving her with no choice but to lock her precious books in her trunk, and hope that Lady Inkwell’s runecraft would keep it safe while she was away.  “Sunset, Daisy, look there!” Lily cried as she pointed her finger to the right of the window. Looking at the spot she was pointing to, the two other girls gasped in awe. Running across the crystal spire dotted grassland was a herd of white antelope with forked, transparent, crystalline horns and coats that shimmered like powdered diamond. Even from as high up as they were above the grassy plain, the graceful bounding of the creatures coupled with the glittering trail in their wake left the girls speechless. “I’ve read about those,” Sunset said, her voice hitching at the sight below her. “They’re called diamond gabelbock. Supposedly, the last herds are only found here in the Core. The rest were hunted down and killed by the raptorians.” “What? But why? How could anyone want to hunt down something so beautiful?” Daisy said as she wiped a tear from below her eye. “I… don’t know,” Sunset said as she watched the graceful ungulates sprint away from the sky-rail line, before spotting another awe inspiring sight. Pointing, she said, “Hey, look at that! Over by that river.” Following Sunset’s direictions, the other girls spotted a herd of dozens of large, horse-like creatures standing at the water’s edge, cautiously drinking from the clear liquid. Unlike normal horses, these animals had a high, mohawk like mane, and were patterned with dozens of stripes over a white base. The stripes themselves constantly shifted through an iridescent display of bright, hypnotic display of kaleidoscopic colors. Standing in the water were a pair of enormous, stilt-legged birds taller than the horses, which resembled platinum colored cranes with blue-silver necks, and black heads, one of which had a set of long, red, spike-like feathers forming a crown. Both birds were wading in the water, periodically dipping their heads down to pluck at something near the surface. “That’s a herd of hippiris and those are ruby-crowned cranes,” Sunset said in nearly speechless awe. “They’re only supposed to be found in the north near the old capital of Harmonia. I’ve seen drawings in history books, but I never thought I’d get a chance to see them in real life.” “I know. Me either,” Lily said. Sunset, Lily and Daisy watched the mystical wilderness of the Core pass by as the sky-car traveled along the rail, pointing out dozens of mythical creatures in the divine oasis they were riding through.  Soon, the landscape began to transition from pure grasslands into scattered woodland. At one point, as they passed through a copse of trees, hundreds of brightly colored dragonflies the size of doves erupted from the foliage, their shimmering, gem-like wings creating a scintillating cloud as they flew alongside the vehicle, a few of them peering inside and staring at the passengers with their large, aquamarine eyes, before veering away and settling back down in the trees. Onward and onward the sky-car flew, the trees growing thicker, until they transitioned into true forest. Many of the trees were covered in red, blue, yellow, white and pink blossoms of all sorts of shapes. Brightly colored birds flew among the trees, some visiting the flowers, others plucking off fruits. Occasionally, someone would spot a troupe of stritlers leaping from tree to tree, their eight long, furry arms and legs letting them brachiate through the branches with nearly supernatural ease. “How cute,” Daisy cooed as a troupe of them started to swing alongside the car as it passed over the treetops. Suddenly, as one of the stritlers was leaping across a gap in the canopy, another form shot out from the trees, this one long and covered in obsidian black fur. The other animal slammed into the stritler like an arrow, before wrapping its long body around the octoped and clamping a pair of massive, fanged jaws around its neck. Before any of the others in the troupe could react, the predator and its prey fell back below the canopy and out of sight, only the faint russell of leaves marking their passage. “What was that thing?” Lily said, her voice on the verge of tears. “That poor stritler.” “That was a wolensyx,” a familiar voice said from behind. Turning, they saw Sparkler staring out the window as the spot where the stritler had vanished was soon left behind. “But why’s it here?” Daisy asked, her voice quavering. “Why would the Queen want it in here eating the other animals?” “It's all about keeping this place healthy,” Sparkler said as she walked up to the window. “If there were no predators, the stritlers and the other animals would grow out of control. But, by having those wolensyx and other predators, they keep them in check.” “Couldn’t she just… I don’t know… make it so they wouldn’t?” Daisy asked. “That way, none of them would have to get eaten.” “She could. But she wouldn’t, because it would be tampering with her Mother’s designs,” Sparkler said. “And while Queen Celestia may rule Solaria, nature is Emperess Harmony’s domain, and one that the Queen will not intrude on without very good reason.” “I guess that makes sense,” Sunset said as she turned back to the window, trying to get the terrified look on the stritler’s face out of her mind’s eye. “Still, I feel bad for the stritler.” “And that’s fine. But, what about the wolensyx? If it didn’t eat that stritler, it’d starve,” Sparkler said as she placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. “To us, it may seem cruel, but to the wolensyx, it’s just trying to stay alive and get a meal. There’s no more cruelty there than when you eat mutton or duck.” “I guess that makes sense,” Lily said. “Yea,” Sunset and Daisy agreed as they turned their attention back to the windows. As the sky-rail exited the forest, they regained sight of Celestia’s castle, the mountain it rested upon now much closer as they returned to an open grassy plain. Unlike the grasslands near the edge of the corona, this one was more hilly and rugged. Tall, rocky, tree-capped hills and meandering creeks broke up the swaths of the grass and wildflowers covering the flats below. It was Lily that spotted the next wonder: Walking on four, long, stilt-like legs were small herds of tan and green spotted raechatal, their long proboscises in constant motion as they reached down to the ground to pluck grass and leaves from the low growing brush, or snatching fruits and flowers from the trees to bring back to their mouth.  But, almost more fascinating than the raechata were the regal, flame colored birds perched on the large herbivore’s backs and in the surrounding trees. “Those are wild phoenixes,” Sunset said with wonder. “Wild phoenixes?” Daisy asked in an awed tone of voice. “Yea, unlike the phoenixes that bond with a phoenix-born, those are phoenixes that came from the children that Lumina had before she began to bond them with sun-gazers,” Sunset continued. “Now, they serve as Lumina’s court.” “Whoa,” Lily said, watching as one of the fire birds lept from a raechata’s back and swooped into one of the trees, snatching off a piece of bright red fruit and working it with its beak. “So they don’t ever form a bond?” “No. Only chicks that hatch from Lumina’s eggs can create a new phoenix-born,” Sunset said, watching the wild phoenixes with wide eyes. “I guess it makes sense that if a new royal phoenix is going to hatch, then her court would have gathered. Just seeing all of them. I just… can’t believe how beautiful they are.” “So, they’re going to be at the rite too?” Daisy asked, a giant smile on her face. “That’s going to be amazing!” “I know!” Lily said with an equally bright smile as the sky-rail car continued onward towards Mt. Liakeed. ***** The sky-car slowed and came to a smooth stop. Unlike the station platforms out in the rays or ring of Heliopolis, Sunset saw that this one was composed of gold gilded white marble. And, unlike the other stations she’d seen, there was no station building, only a large landing platform stretched out before them. But both of those details barely registered as Sunset beheld the Cathedral of the Sun, its almost blindingly white surface glinting with gold engravings and precious gems. And standing in neat, orderly rows before the grand building were hundreds of white statues of knights in ornate plate armor armed with halberds and what appeared to be firearms of some sort. Staring back up at the Cathedral, Sunset was struck by just how massive the structure was. If she were to guess, the building could fit the land occupied by Golden Tree inside itself easily. Yet, as her eyes traced along the upper spires of the Cathedral, she could see that it paled in size when compared to the Queen’s palace further up the mountain. The sheer magnitude and scale of all of it was almost too much to comprehend. “Sunset. C’mon. Time to go.” Snapping out of her trance and looking to the source of the voice, Sunset saw both Lily and Daisy had already risen and were ready to head out. Blushing a little with embarrassment, she rose and followed the rest of the students off the sky-car. Stepping out onto the platform with the others, Sunset took a moment to try and take in everything around her. A quick look back at the sky-car confirmed that the rail ended at the Cathedral, so that meant they’d probably be staying in the building itself, or in another attached to it at least. “Welcome, to the Cathedral of the Sun, honored guests!” A chorus of voices said from behind, causing nearly every student to jump with fright. “For your service to the Queen and the birth of a new phoenix-born, you are under our care!” Whipping around, Sunset saw what she thought were statues… begin to move. With razor-sharp precision, they began to march forward, and then, row by row, they fanned out, forming a corridor to the entrance of the cathedral. As the armored figures began to spread out, something almost as astonishing happened. From the summit of the cathedral, hundreds of long, brightly colored, winged forms appeared and began to fly downward towards the assembled armored figures and servers. Soon, the winged figures were close enough to make out the details of their shapes, and a chorus of gasps escaped from the students. Each was easily 5 meters long, and resembled enormous rattlesnakes. Yet, unlike regular snakes, they had bright, multicolored plumage on the upper side of their bodies, including a large mane of fluffy feathers behind their heads, while their rattle was similarly brightly colored, and looked to be made of crystal. The winged snakes flew down in a dazzling display of color and motion, before each one came to rest on the ground behind one of the white-armored knights. Folding their wings and curling up behind the armored form, their rattles came to life as they sent the sound of synchronized crystalline windchimes into the air. “On behalf of the Queen, we welcome you,” The knights, snakes, and a third, unknown buzzing chorus of voices said in perfect unison, “to the Cathedral of the Sun!” As Sunset watched the grand display unfold, a sudden realization passed through her as she put two and two together.  The white-armored knights.  The plumed serpents. These were the prominence knights; the sworn protectors of Queen Celestia’s home.  Legends told that the prominence knights were drawn from the most devoted members of the sun-gazers, plumed serpents, and a third race known as the colaurata, which resembled half-meter long beetles with golden shells. Each “knight” was actually a unit composed of a sun-gazer, a plumed serpent and a colaurata that trained together to the point of effectively becoming a single being. “Alright everyone, enough gawking,” Lady Inkwell’s voice cut through Sunset’s stunned awe like an obsidian blade. “We have work to do, so follow me.” Shaking off her shock, Sunset fell into line behind the others as they made their way through the corridor formed by the prominence knights. As she followed Lady Inkwell into the Cathedral, she’d steal glances at the cordon of prominence knights all around the line of students. And every time she did, she got the impression that both the sun-gazer and plumed serpent were watching the students. ‘Why’re they watching us? If they’re here to protect us, shouldn’t they be…’ Sunset thought, seconds before her mind made the connection. ‘The knights aren’t here to protect us! They’re here to keep us from trying to sneak off into the Core!’ The knights’ presence suddenly felt a thousand times more intimidating. Glancing at them again, she shuddered at the thought of what they would do to anyone who tried to sneak off. She and all of the others were guests in the domain of their goddess. Chances were that if they tried to go where they weren’t supposed to, they’d be dead before they knew it. Quickening her pace to avoid lagging behind, Sunset caught up with Lily and Daisy as they entered through the grand, rosewood double-doors of the Cathedral.  Following the others through the entrance, Sunset found herself in a large foyer with a great domed ceiling lit by sconces filled with glowing white lights. The walls were covered in intricate engravings gilded with gold leaf along side murals of seminal moments in the history of Solaria and Impracordia as a whole: from the Birth of Harmony, the creation of her children, the Chaos War, the ascension of Mage Meadowbrook, the fall of prince Umbra, the Splintering and the founding of Solaria itself, along with others that Sunset couldn’t recognize, even with her extensive knowledge of Solarian legends. Tearing her eyes away from the murals, Sunset looked towards Lady Inkwell to see where they were going next. She spotted her standing off to the side of the main room near another set of doors, this time with dozens of what Sunset could only guess were male and female figures, each wearing long, flowing white robes that reached the floor embroidered with solar motifs and sacred runes, a white hood and smooth, featureless mask of reflective, golden metal that hid all of their facial features from view.  “Alright,” Lady Inkwell said. “First, each of you will be taken to the room by one of the sun-touched behind me, and given two hours to relax and prepare. At the end of that time, they will come and bring you to your assigned location, where you will begin practicing for the rite. Understood?” Nods and vocal affirmations followed. “Good,” Lady Inkwell said as she wove her hands through the air as she wove her flame, culminating the spell-dance with a sharp clap. As the sound echoed through the hall, thin beams of light connected each of the children to one of the sun-touched. “Please follow the sun-touched you are connected to to your room. Dismissed.” ***** With one final tug, Sunset tightened the sash around her waist and looked at herself in the mirror. “How’s it look?” She asked Lily and Daisy, who were also getting their own robes tied. “Good. I think? I’m not used to this type of knot,” Daisy said as she fiddled with her own robes. Sunset looked down at the sash again as she thought about the last couple hours.  After Lady Inkwell had dismissed them, Sunset had fallen in behind her sun-touched guide. Much to her delight, she saw that both of her friends were with her as well, which probably meant that they were going to be rooming together. A fact that Sunset was all too grateful for. After traveling for what felt like an eternity through the twisting service corridors of the Cathedral, they’d arrived at a hall with dozens of simple wooden doors on either side. Every so often, a masked and robed figure would emerge or enter one of the rooms. Eerily, none of them said a word. Instead, they merely came and went in total silence, with only the soft rustle of their robes and muted footfalls to mark their passage. Eventually, they reached one of the rooms, and were ushered in by their silent guide. Thanking their guide, who simply nodded at them, they entered the room. Unlike their old room back at the Academy, this one was sparsely decorated almost to the point of being spartan, the only furniture being four simple beds, a bookshelf, a small dresser with three drawers, and a small table with a sheet of white parchment laying on its top. Off to one side, they could see a small bathroom, while on the other was a small dining area with a short table and what looked like a small, vertically opening door in the wall with a large red button and black, glossy square next to it. Approaching the table, Sunset snatched up the sheet. Upon identifying that the sheet was actually a letter to them, she began to read it aloud to her friends. “To Sunset Shimmer, Flower Wishes and Lily Valley In honor of your devotion to Queen Celestia, and on behalf of the sun-touched and Solaria, we welcome the three of you to the Cathedral of the Sun. In the dressers are the robes you will be wearing as part of your duties to Lady Inkwell and Archduchess Roseluck. Your robes will be in your assigned drawers, as well as instructions for how to properly put them on.  As honorary members of the sun-touched, you are not to leave your rooms unless you have properly donned your robes and masks, nor are you permitted to remove them until you return, and that once you don your mask, you are forbidden to speak. These rules can only be ignored if you are given explicit orders by the phoenix-born you are serving. Your room is equipped with a full bathroom and shower system. Please be sure to wash yourselves properly before and after returning from your duties.  In addition, all food will be provided to you via the delivery system embedded in the wall opposite the bathroom. To request food or drink, simply press the button adjacent to the door, whereupon a list of available foods and beverages will be displayed on the slate panel. Simply speak your selection, and it will be delivered. You are permitted three orders apiece per day, and are expected to consume the entirety of whatever you order. Once finished, simply place the used dishes in the delivery shaft, and they will be dealt with. Solaria thanks you for your service to her and her chosen. May your devotion be blessed by the Queen’s light. The Sun-Touched” Setting the letter back down, Sunset turned to her friends. Both of them had a strange, haunted look in their eyes, one that Sunset was sure she also had. This was it. It was really happening. They were actually at the Cathedral of the Sun, preparing to take part in the ascension of a new phoenix-born.  “So… who wants the shower first?” Sunset said with a shaky smile.  As it turned out, they wanted Sunset to take the first shower so that they could get a snack from the food delivery system. One quick shower and an application of sandalwood oil later, Sunset wrapped a towel around her chest and hair, and headed out to the main room. “You’re up Lily,” she said as she made her way to the dresser and pulled out the crisp, white set of robes, along with a small pamphlet with a series of diagrams showing the proper way to put on her robes, hood and mask. Taking a seat on her bed, she repeatedly read the instructions, before removing her towels and slipping the robe’s undergarments on. Now, nearly two hours later, the three friends had more or less figured out the complicated set of knots and wraps that went with wearing the robes properly. Looking at Lily and Daisy, Sunset couldn’t help but ponder their robes. While Sunset’s were identical to the other sun-touched that she’d seen, her friends’ robes were deep, rose pink with flower motifs, and masks that less resembled mirrors, and more resembled the flowers that were their namesakes. Sunset almost felt a twinge of jealousy, but forced it away. They were assigned to Archduchess Roseluck. Their unique uniforms probably had something to do with that. As they were making the finishing touches to their robes, there was a knock at the door, followed by a familiar voice. “Girls, I hope you’re getting ready, because I’m coming in,” Lady Inkwell’s voice said loud enough to be heard through the door. Without waiting for a response, the door opened, revealing both Lady Inkwell and Dylis, followed by a second pair of visitors: Archduchess Roseluck and her bond partner Amara. Unlike the sharply and professionally dressed Lady Inkwell, the Archduchess’s clothing was far more extravagant. Her dress was a single piece v-neck, floor length, rose red, sheath-style garment, the lower half of the skirt made of a series of flounces tiered to resemble a pendant rose blossom. The dress only had one full sleeve on the right side, which included a light brown leather covered pauldron shaped to resemble a bark covered branch, upon which rested the Archduchess’s bondmate Amara. Around her waist was a silk scarf-belt, covered in embroidered flowers. Her wrists were adorned with dozens of thin, gold bracelets, while around her neck was a simple red choker with a rose shaped buckle holding it in place, all topped off with a large, carved ruby and emerald rose, held in the living flame that was made up the hair above her left ear. What struck Sunset more than just the Archduchess’s clothing was the Archduchess herself. Where Lady Inkwell was a handsome woman, Archduchess Roseluck was almost ethereally beautiful. The rose and pink striped flame that made up her hair wavering hypnotically around her light yellow skinned face and vibrant green eyes, the latter highlighted by a subtle application of eyeshadow. Her red stained lips were curled up slightly in a gentle smile that filled all three girls with a sense of maternal warmth and safety. The moment the awe of seeing the Archduchess of their home territory wore off, both Lily and Daisy immediately dropped to a knee and bowed their heads. Sunset quickly followed suit, so as not to offend the Archduchess. “My my, aren’t they the most respectful little things ever,” The Archduchess said, presumably to Lady Inkwell. “I wouldn’t have given them to you for the rite if they weren’t, dear friend,” Lady Inkwell responded. “Girls, please rise. I wish for you to meet Archduchess Roseluck and Amara.” Slowly, all three girls got to their feet and looked up at the Archduchess. “So, I take it you two are the ones who’ll be helping me out, yes?” The Archduchess said as she folded her hands together and let them hang down in front of her as she looked Lily and Daisy up and down. Both girls nodded in affirmation. “It’s okay, little ones. Please speak,” The Archduchess said with a smile. “Thank you, your grace,” Both Lily and Daisy said. “So polite,” The Archduchess said with a titter. “Hmm, from your accents, you’re from my domain, aren’t you? Tell me, what are your names and clans?” Both Daisy and Lily fidgeted for a moment, before Lily stepped forward. “My name is Lily Valley, of the Lemon Blossom Valley branch of House Fritillaria in Clan Lilieae, your grace,” Lily began, keeping her head respectfully bowed. “And my name is Flower Wishes, of the Larkspur Cove branch of House Leucanthemum in Clan Astereae, your grace,” Daisy said, also keeping her head bowed as she spoke. “My, those are both quite respectable houses,” The Archduchess said, her brow furrowing slightly and her expression turning serious. “Tell me, are either of you familiar with the art of laulataes floral arrangements?” “Yes, your grace,” Daisy piped in. “I am, your grace,” Lily said. “Hmm. Alright. Lily Valley, please tell me: if you were to make an arrangement with taleris and parru, what is the most common occasion for such an arrangement, and what types of accenting flowers and greenery would you use if you were to make any changes to the basic composition of the arrangement?” The Archduchess said. “Um…” Lily began, before swallowing hard, taking a deep breath, and looking up at the Archduchess. “If we’re talking about the most common arrangement with those two flowers, and we’re using taleris as the main flower, it’s for the celebration of the birth of a family’s first child, but only if it's a boy.  “You add parru if the child is a fire-caller to bless the birth with fortune in scholarly activities and learning. Most often, this also means adding dleimei leaves to signify a clear mind and development of a strong flame, and sanacas buds to signify self-control and a strong will.  “However, I think that the base arrangement is augmented with a few buiir pods to enhance the look of the parru and draw the eyes to the blooms, while the dleimei can be replaced by leehass fern fronds to bless the birth with both a free spirit and a kind heart. Such arrangements are best displayed in an empty unicorn chiton shell to show resilience and inner strength.” Taking a deep breath, Lily looked at the Archduchess, who simply closed her eyes and nodded a couple of times. “I see,” she said slowly before turning to Daisy. “Now, Flower Wishes, how would you make an arrangement to give to someone who is about to embark on a long journey to wish them safe passage and good fortune?” Closing her eyes and crossing her arms across her chest, Daisy lowered her head and scrunched her brows in thought. After a few moments of contemplation, she lifted her head and opened her eyes. “While the common practice would be to use hulveyab blossoms as the center of the arrangement, with citwee vines and uilia berries as the accents,” Daisy began, “I’d probably make a dual arrangement with jeila and wirriatis blooms arranged in interlocking spirals, with laitten mint foliage as the backdrop and orriale berries as the accent.  “While the standard arrangement offers wishes of a safe journey and a swift return, the blossoms I’d use would signify a pleasurable trip mixed with a slight bit of adventure, but with a subtext of a successful venture and many lessons learned along the way.” “Hmm. Interesting,” the Archduchess said as she regarded the two girls. Taking a deep breath, she turned to Lady Inkwell. The moment she did, both Dylis and Amara simultaneously lept from their perches on their partner’s shoulders. Then, the Archduchess lunged forward and wrapped Lady Inkwell in an enthusiastic hug, lifting the other phoenix-born off the ground. “Eeeeeee!” The Archduchess squealed as she hugged Lady Inkwell, the latter of whom looked slightly irritated by the sudden invasion of her personal space. “Oh, thank you Raven! Do you know how hard it is to find sun-gazers that can actually innovate on flower arrangements on the spot, especially when it's me who’s asking them to do it?” “I have some idea,” Lady Inkwell said as she glared down at Archduchess Roseluck, who gently set her down a few seconds later. Turning back to Lily and Daisy, the Archduchess clapped her hands just below her chin and tilted both her head and her hands to the left, a giant grin on her face as Amara landed on her right shoulder. “Oh, you two girls are just perfect! Absolutely perfect! This is going to be so much fun!” The Archduchess said with a glitter in her eyes. “Come come! Let's get going. We have so much to do. Ah, I can’t wait to come up with new and innovative arrangements for the ceremony. I thought this would be boring, but oh no. With the three of us working together, I’m sure we can make it so much more interesting.” Both Lily and Daisy shared a quick, slightly uneasy look with one another, before their attention was drawn back to the Archduchess by a pair of soft claps of her hands. “Please, masks. Masks. Now. Right now. Put them on so we can get going,” The Archduchess said, her voice overflowing with enthusiasm. “Oh, I can tell we’re just going to have a grand old time. C’mon, c’mon. Let’s go, let’s go.” Lily and Daisy barely managed to get their masks and hoods on before the Archduchess all but herded them out of the room, her excited chatter filling the air until she closed the door behind her. Sunset just stared at the now closed exit silently for a minute, before recovering her voice and thoughts. “Um, your grace?” Sunset slowly asked as she turned to Lady Inkwell. “Yes Sunset?” Lady Inkwell replied, the barest hint of a smile on her face. “Permission to speak freely?” Sunset asked. “Granted.” “Are my friends going to be… okay?” Sunset asked as she looked at the door, her voice and expression laced with concern. Lady Inkwell let out a light chuckle. “They’ll be fine. Archduchess Roseluck’s a little eccentric and more than a little over-enthusiastic about her love of flowers and flower-arranging, but that’s all,” Lady Inkwell said with a slight smile as she also looked to the door, before looking back to Sunset, her expression returning to its stern neutral. “Besides, we need to be going as well. There’s much to do before tomorrow, and we can’t fall behind schedule. So, don your mask so we can get started.” “Yes, your grace,” Sunset said as she began to buckle on her mask. ***** “…and, unfortunately, the gatherers were only able to acquire six-hundred pounds of vesiat berries for the dessert course. It seems that there was a late frost that had damaged many of the plants on Mt. Nerreca,” A gruff, travel-worn sky-runner said as he read from an inventory list on a clipboard. “That is regrettable,” Lady Inkwell said. At her side, Sunset was taking notes in a ledger, keeping track of all the information conveyed by the lead gatherer. “Were you able to get any of the secondary substitutes?”  “Yes. The serric plum trees were fruiting, so we made up the difference with them,” He said, before flipping looking up from his inventory list, his brow furrowing. “However…” “However?” Lady Inkwell echoed. “… a colony of spiderflies moved into the valley where the trees grow. Four of my gatherers were almost killed due to bites. We got them out, but they’re are still recovering from the venom,” He said solemnly. “Unless the colony is removed, we’ll lose access to that area for years.” “I’ll pass word on to Duchess Redheart that they’re to receive treatment at Lioht’s central hospital. If we need access to the site, I’ll be sure to send a team of earth-weavers in to relocate the spiderflies,” Lady Inkwell said as Sunset furiously recorded the pertinent information. “What of the rainbow-shelled conches for the main dinner?” “Fortunately, the selkies were able to provide us with ten large ones,” the head gatherer said, before his frown returned. “But, because there were longs hunting in the area where they’re found, the price was double what we usually pay.” Lady Inkwell sighed at that, with Sunset making a note to double the cost for the final budget calculations. “I see,” Lady Inkwell said. “Were you able to make any trades to offset the cost?” “Yes. We brought a few extra bottles of lulli wine, so we were able to save about twenty percent on the total cost on the conches and the blue-stripe kelp,” He said with a nod. “It was still more expensive than usual, but thankfully it didn’t take us over budget by too much.” “Good,” Lady Inkwell said as Sunset took down the last of her notes. “Have the supplies delivered to the appropriate kitchens and send your inventory and cost lists to the clerks. With how close we’re cutting it, we need to be sure everything’s in order.” “As you wish, your grace,” He said as he bowed and took his leave. Without another word, Lady Inkwell turned and began to walk away, Sunset turning to follow as she stowed her pencil and ledger into the folds of her robe. The afternoon had almost entirely revolved around this sort of thing. She’d follow Lady Inkwell from one section of the Cathedral to another. They’d meet with the various staff members overseeing the different parts of the rite. Lady Inkwell would check in to make sure that everything was preceding according to plan, and if not, determine how to compensate. And Sunset would take notes and transcribe any important information conveyed by the staff. Sunset could hardly believe everything that was going into the execution of the rite. So far, they’d interviewed or checked in with over twenty different staff leads, gatherers, and other sun-gazers. How Lady Inkwell kept all of this straight in her head was almost beyond comprehension, even with a written schedule. “What’s next on our itinerary?” Lady Inkwell asked as they exited the loading bay and re-entered the Cathedral proper. Retrieving her ledger, Sunset flipped it open to the destination schedule, and traced her finger along it, finding that there was only one item left. Yet, seeing what it was almost caused Sunset to stumble. She was beyond grateful for the month of training at the academy that kept her from showing any outward signs of her shock as she processed what she was reading. “Meeting with Lumina,” Sunset said quickly and succinctly, being implicitly granted permission by Lady Inkwell to speak when she’d been asked a question. Her only response was a small nod, before they began to make their way towards one of the transport cars. Sunset had quickly learned that with the size of the Cathedral, making their way around on foot would have been impossible, especially since, unlike Lady Inkwell and Dylis, she couldn’t fly. Thankfully for her feet and their time table, she’d learned that the cathedral had been outfitted with miniature sky-rails that they could use to get around in a timely fashion. A few minutes of walking later, they’d arrived at one of the transit ports. Approaching one of the pods, Lady Inkwell pulled out a small, golden key from her vest pocket, which she used to unlock the door of the pod. Getting in after Lady Inkwell, Sunset took her seat in the row behind the phoenix-born. As soon as they were both seated, Lady Inkwell pressed her hand to a small crystal sphere, causing the doors to slide shut and the car lurch into motion, the sudden acceleration pressing Sunset lightly into the seat. As they rode, Sunset began to wonder why they were going to visit the phoenix-queen. Dozens of possibilities swirled through her head, from simply checking in to make sure her egg was healthy, to informing her of some sort of complication, to any number of things. Sunset desperately wanted to ask Lady Inkwell, but she couldn’t.  Not so long as she was masked and forbidden to speak. Instead, she simply sat and tried to enjoy the novelty of the ride as they sped towards the mountain-side of the Cathedral where Lumina was resting with her newest egg. ***** As the transport car came to a stop, Sunset took a deep breath to steel herself. Even with her mask hiding her features and with Lady Inkwell’s presence, the thought of meeting Lumina was daunting. Add to it that she had no idea why they were visiting with the phoenix’s matriarch, and it was a recipe for a serious case of nerves. Truth be told, Lady Inkwell still intimidated her, and Sunset was used to her. Being in the same space as a being that was so old that it made Lady Inkwell look like an infant, and was close, personal friends with Queen Celestia for both of their collective lives? Terrifying. Sunset unbuckled herself and rose from her seat before she following Lady Inkwell out of the car. As they exited the car, Sunset saw that the terminal station was guarded by a full platoon of prominence knights. Spotting Lady Inkwell, they kneeled and bowed their heads towards the phoenix-born. As they did, Sunset spotted a glint of gold on the back of the armored sun-gazers’ torsos. Briefly turning her attention to one of the knights, she saw that there was a large, golden beetle clinging to the armor on their upper back. ‘So, that’s where the colauratas are,’ She thought to herself as she followed Lady Inkwell out of the landing area and into a long corridor. “Now, Sunset,” Lady Inkwell said, snapping her attention back to reality, “when we meet with Queen Lumina, she will expect you to unmask yourself when you enter the room. However, you are still expected to uphold your temporary vow of silence, so do not speak unless she or I give you permission. Understood?” Sunset nodded once. “Good girl,” Lady Inkwell said as she patted Sunset’s shoulder. Sunset smiled at the affectionate gesture from the royal seneschal. Though she could just be reading into things, she hoped that it meant that Lady Inkwell was actually warming up to her. It almost felt like it at times. But she wasn’t going to presume. No matter how much she wished it was true. They walked in silence after that, with only the sharp click of Lady Inkwell’s heels and the soft padding of Sunset’s slippers echoing through the passage. The corridors themselves were bare of decoration, the only thing to break the monotony of the labyrinth was the occasional pair of prominence knights guarding doors or walking along on patrol. With the scale of the Cathedral, and how disorienting traveling by the rail car had been to her sense of space, Sunset wasn’t sure exactly where they were in the grand building, or even if they were still in it in the first place. All she knew was that Lady Inkwell was leading them towards Lumina’s chambers. As they approached a bend in the corridor, Lady Inkwell slowed to a stop. Sunset stopped as well, looking at the royal seneschal with confusion, only to nearly step back at what she saw; Lady Inkwell’s brows were slightly furrowed, while Dylis let out a low hiss and narrowed his eyes. “Sunset,” Lady Inkwell whispered, her voice carrying the slightest of edges, “remember your training. Whatever happens in the next few minutes, do not react. Keep calm and poised, and do not react. And, regardless of what is said to or about you, do not speak. Am I clear? I do not care if you are told by anyone else. Unless I give you express and explicit permission, you are to stay silent. Am I understood?” Sunset was too stunned by Lady Inkwell’s sudden shift in mood to respond, leaving her only able to mutely stare from behind her mask. “Am. I. Understood?” Lady Inkwell repeated with more force. Pulling herself together, Sunset managed the slightest of nods. A low grunt was all she got as affirmation as Lady Inkwell resumed walking down the corridor, with Sunset scampering to catch up. As she did, she began to hear the faintest sound of footsteps from around the bend. As they turned the corner, they came into view of whoever it was that was approaching. “Raven Inkwell,” A calm, refined and professional male voice said. “What an unexpected pleasure to run into you today.” Without missing a beat, Lady Inkwell slowed to a stop, Sunset quickly moving into place behind and to the right of the sceneshal, as was her proper position. Then she saw who had addressed Lady Inkwell.  Only her training prevented her from taking a step back with shock. Striding confidently down the corridor were General Steel Sentry and Commander Spitfire, their bond partners Vestian and Akari perched on their shoulders. Steel stood head held high, looking Lady Inkwell directly in the eyes, his hands clasped behind his back and his expression one of schooled and casual disinterest, while Spitfire stood behind and to his right, her expression of mild disdain far less controlled, and her arms crossed over her chest. Both phoenixes openly glared at her and Lady Inkwell, Akari openly agitated while Vestian’s glare was filled with barely contained condescension and subdued contempt.   Unlike the dolls that she’d encountered in her exam, the presence of the two true phoenix-born was almost suffocating. Steel’s face was sharp, angular and hawkish, yet almost impossibly handsome, his gunmetal grey skin and magenta eyes highlighted by the small hints of light blue flame that made up his short cropped hair poking out from under his black, blue and gold peaked cap. By contrast, Spitfire’s face was stern and intense, her golden skin and deep orange eyes accentuated the orange and amber flames that made up her hair, which resembled an actual open fire more than any of the other phoenix-born. Steel was in full dress uniform, his ash black long shirt adorned with various medals and badges of rank, which was held closed by ten long golden straps that were fastened with large ruby-topped buttons, as well as a blue and gold belt. His simple black slacks were tucked into calf-high black leather boots with brassy buttons up the outside edge, and had been polished to a glossy finish. On his right shoulder was a simple leather pauldron for Vestian to rest, while his left was adorned with a simple, elbow-length blue cloak attached to the pauldron by a simple golden chain. And on his left hip was a simple, black leather holster that undoubtedly held one of his personal amps: the magnum revolver known as Bloodhound. Like her commanding officer, Spitfire was in her own dress uniform, her deep navy blue jacket held closed over a white under blouse with four large brass buttons, her rank pins adorning her lapel and right breast. Her skirt was a loose fitting, navy blue fishtail, and her shoes were black, medium-heeled and worn over short white socks. She had a simple leather pauldron on her right shoulder for Akari to perch, and a short, bicept length light-blue cape on her left, while her right hip bore a holster for a medium-caliber semi-automatic pistol: the amp known as Storm’s Testament. “General Sentry. Commander Spitfire,” Lady Inkwell said in a pleasant and warm tone of voice as she crossed her arms across her chest. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” General Sentry’s mouth curled up into an easy half-smile as he regarded Lady Inkwell. “We were just coming from a visit with Queen Lumina,” General Sentry replied easily. “I decided that it might be worth while to come and inspect her accommodations and the room’s security.” “I see,” Lady Inkwell replied evenly. “Well, that is quite compassionate of you General Sentry. I trust that everything has met your standards?” “They are… almost adequate,” General Sentry replied. “I would have preferred that my sun-blades be the ones to perform such a duty, but I’m sure the prominence knights can manage, despite their… unfortunate composition. One can’t ever truly trust non-sun-gazers with sun-gazer responsibilities.” “I disagree General Sentry, but now is not the time or place to debate how the Queen choses to garrison her personal guardians,” Lady Inkwell said. “If you wish to discuss the matter with Queen Celestia after the ascension has been completed, I can make the arangements. I’m sure you could convince her to forego millenia old alliances and peace treaties in favor of a purely sun-gazer based garrison if you try hard enough.” “Perhaps,” General Sentry said as he reached up and stroked Vestian’s head. “And what brings you this far from the main preparations, Lady Inkwell? I figured you’d be ensuring that all of the non sun-touched brought in to help weren’t somehow botching their efforts. Those from outside the city really need extra guidance, do they not?” “Actually, preparations are going quite well. Yes, there have been issues, but they’ve been addressed. As for what brings me here, I’m coming to visit Queen Lumina and ensure that she has everything she needs,” Lady Inkwell replied. “Hmph,” General Sentry harumphed. “Her Majesty had no such complaints of inadequate accommodations when we visited her just now, so I see no need for you to bother her again. I’m sure you have more important duties to see to.” “With all due respect, Queen Lumina is well aware of the limitations of what you can provide her, so she wouldn’t waste her breath making requests outside your capacity,” Lady Inkwell said pleasantly. “I doubt she would bother you with any requests outside your… limited range of offerings.” If Lady Inkwell’s barb struck, Sunset saw no indication of it on General Sentry’s face. She did see that Spitfire was not nearly so composed, and glared angrily at Lady Inkwell. “Indeed, Lady Inkwell. Indeed,” he said nonchalantly. “Regardless, I look forward to witnessing the ascension in two days' time. It's quite fortunate that only one of the potentials was from outside the city, isn’t it? It would be such a shame if another unworthy outsider were to bond with one of Lumina’s blessed children.” “I’ll admit, it’s unprecedented that so many strong, pure flames were found exclusively in Heliopolis, but Harmony works in strange ways, does she not?” Lady Inkwell said levely. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have business with Queen Lumina. Good day to you General. Commander.” And with that, Lady Inkwell began to walk past the General and Commander. Sunset fell in behind her at the proper distance, only looking at the two phoenix-born with her peripheral vision. “Lady Inkwell, one last thing…” General Sentry said. “Yes?” Lady Inkwell said, slowing to a stop, but not turning around to face the General. Sunset kept her head facing in the direction she’d been walking, desperately fighting the desire to look back. “A friend of mine mentioned that his daughter was among your students at the academy training to serve at the rite,” General Sentry said casually. “Her name’s Sapphire Prism. Does that ring any bells?” “It does indeed,” Lady Inkwell replied easily. “What of her?” “Well, Amethyst Mirage mentioned that she was having trouble with another student. Something about a commoner from the Western Territory showing her disrespect,” General Sentry said. “You must be losing your touch if you were having problems keeping things in order, or allowing dirt-eating mongrels into the academy in the first place.” Sunset closed her eyes and focused on her mental meditations, forcing herself to not react. She had to ignore it. If she reacted, she’d just get in trouble with both Steel Sentry, and Lady Inkwell. “I assure you General, the account that Sapphire Prism provided was very unlikely to represent the actual events that occured,” Raven said levely. “I dealt with the issues as I saw fit, as is my right as the head of the academy. I do not need advice on the proper method of disciplining my students from someone who wishes to bring back public flogging as the penalty for being convicted of a crime.” “And yet, it works marvelously as a deterrent against further criminal acts on the part of the perpetrator,” General Sentry responded. “Your soft-hearted methods aside, I trust that Sapphire Prism was given a spot near the front of the ampitheatre, as is fitting for someone of her status.” “Had she performed well enough to earn such a spot, then yes, she would have,” Lady Inkwell said. “But, she not only failed at her performance exams, her behavior was completely unacceptable, both towards her fellow students, and towards me. Her placement as part of the janitorial staff reflects these failings.” “That is… very unfortunate to hear,” General Sentry said with only the barest hint of an edge in his voice. “And the mongrel girl?” Sunset could feel her shoulders tightening and her blood boiling at General Sentry’s words. She scrunched her eyes closed again and focused on keeping herself under control. It was becoming an increasingly monumental task, even with her meditations. Thankfully, Lady Inkwell came to her rescue moments later. “There were no mongrels at my academy. And as far as the fate of any of my students, it does not concern you, General,” Lady Inkwell said with calm, even finality. “Now, if you have nothing of consequence to add, I have more important things to deal with than you. Good day.” And with that, she resumed her walk, Sunset falling in behind her at the appropriate distance. As they walked, Sunset sent a silent prayer of thanks to Queen Celestia and Lady Inkwell that she’d gotten away from General Sentry before she lost her temper. ***** Sunset’s pulse was still racing with anger as she and Lady Inkwell approached a large antechamber. On the opposite side from the passage they’d entered through were a massive pair of double doors decorated with phoenix motifs. Like the transit terminal, the room was guarded by two full squads of prominence knights. Yet, unlike those at the terminal, they did not bow, merely snapped to attention as Lady Inkwell approached. When they reached the door, Lady Inkwell stopped and regarded Sunset with a side-long glance. Unsure why Lady Inkwell was looking directly at her, Sunset stood there for a few seconds, until the royal seneschal mimed lifting something from her chin off her head. ‘Oh, right, my mask,’ Sunset thought as she quickly reached under her hood and released the buckles holding the mirrored faceplate in place. Once unbuckled, she gently pulled the mask off her face, savoring the sensation of being able to breathe more freely. ‘So, do I carry it with me?’ Sunset thought as she looked at the mirrored object in her hands. Her internal question was answered when the prominence knight next to the door held out their gauntleted hand, palm up. ‘Guess they’re going to hold onto it,’ She thought as she approached the knight and handed the mask over. Hurrying back to Lady Inkwell, Sunset had butterflies in her stomach as the royal seneschal pushed the door open, and the three of them entered Queen Lumina’s chamber. Upon entering, Sunset realized that the word chamber wasn’t appropriate. Giant aviary would have been better. The room was enormous, the floor easily 500 meters square and with a 30 meter tall ceiling. The floor of the room itself resembled the rocky, forested grassland she’d seen Lumina’s court occupying earlier that day from the sky-car, as if somehow a piece of the environment had been sliced free from the ground and brought into the room. And, much like the woodland within Heliopolis’s Core, Sunset could see wild phoenixes scattered through the landscape, both in the trees and in the air.  But what surprised Sunset more than the vibrant slice of nature was that the walls and ceiling were covered from top to bottom in an elaborate, moving fresco that created the illusion that the landscape continued out in all directions, including an artificial sun that cast light down onto the room’s occupants and what felt like a gentle breeze wafting through the air. ‘Wait, if this room’s as big as it is, would it fit into the Cathedral?’ Sunset thought as she took everything in. ‘Wait, I bet that we’ve traveled into Mt. Liakeed.’ As they stepped fully into the room, Sunset saw that they were standing on a smooth, stone path that led further back into the aviary, presumably to allow non-flighted individuals to traverse the landscape.  No sooner did they step inside and the doors close behind them, Dylis spread his wings and launched himself into the air, taking off towards the center of the room. In moments, Sunset lost sight of him among the trees. “He’s going to announce us to Queen Lumina,” Lady Inkwell said before Sunset could formulate a way to ask where he was going without breaking protocol or speaking. ‘Of course she’d figure out what I want to ask,’ Sunset thought as she looked at Lady Inkwell out of the corner of her eyes. ‘And… because of their bond, I’m willing to bet that once he reaches Queen Lumina…’ Sunset’s train of thought was interrupted when Lady Inkwell began to walk down the path without a word. ‘Guess we’re good to go,’ Sunset thought as she rushed to catch up. Thankfully, Lady Inkwell didn’t admonish her for briefly falling behind, and she soon was keeping pace with the royal seneschal as they made their way through the aviary’s landscape. Unlike traveling along the sky-rail, walking gave Sunset a chance to really admire the landscape they were passing through; the kaleidoscope of colors and scents of the wildflowers tickling her nose with their delightful perfume; the sound of the brooks and springs babbling over the rocky outcrops; the graceful splendor of the wild phoenixes that flitted through the trees, many of them following the two sun-gazers as they made their way along the stone path towards wherever they were going. As much as she would have loved to ask Lady Inkwell about all the things she was seeing, she reminded herself that she had to stay quiet. It was frustrating beyond belief. But, she’d rather not risk Lady Inkwell’s ire by breaking the vow of silence she’d been put under. She’d just have to satisfy herself with reveling in the splendor she was experiencing. Soon, the landscape shifted, and Sunset found they were starting to climb one of the many rocky, boulder strewn, wooded hills, the trail gradually taking them up towards the summit.  After several minutes of climbing the hill, they reached the summit. Stretching out before her was a large glade among the trees. Unlike the lower grassland, this one was dominated by a large, crystal clear pond surrounded by a multitude of wildflowers and blossoming shrubs. The trees themselves were covered in carpets of moss and lichen, the latter of which glowed with pale, fiery light. In the bows of the trees, there were dozens of wild phoenixes, all watching Sunset and Lady Inkwell as they entered the glade. But, the sight that took Sunset’s breath away was on the far end of the glade. For there was a tree that stood out from all the others. Unlike its neighbors, the tree’s bark was smooth like polished stone, and was a deep, warm red. The trunk was quite short, but formed a massive crown of branches that wove together into a complex network, some joining and others splitting as they reached for the sky. The leaves were large, oval, glossy, and deep emerald green, while long stalks of beautiful, lantern-like white flowers adorned the branches, and glowed with inner light, as though small flames burned within them. Near the top, the branches formed into a solid sphere with a large opening facing towards the grotto. And resting on the branch before the opening to the sphere were Dylis, and quite possibly one of the most beautiful beings Sunset had ever laid eyes on. From first glance, she was obviously a phoenix, but unlike the others, she was larger, towering a full phoenix’s head over Dylis. Unlike the others, her plumage was not the color of flame, but rather gold, white, black and ruby red. Long, golden, black tipped feathers formed a sort of crown on her head, while her flight feathers were similarly colored. On the wrist of her wings were a pair of concentric patches of ruby and gold, and a large ruff of downy white feathers formed a collar under her head and down her chest. And her tail, in addition to the regular long, golden feather of the other phoenixes, bore three long, chain-like feathers of overlapping, alternating black and white diamond patches that ended in golden crescents. Dropping to a knee, Lady Inkwell lowered her head as she bowed to the regal phoenix. Sunset immediately followed, bowing her head. “Sheere aetrata netelofalta, Ruilii Vechaetle,” Lady Inkwell said. It took all of Sunset’s willpower not to look at the phoenix-born as she spoke. Whatever language she’d just spoken in, she’d never heard anything like it before. “Eiliiarae, Baecaleita Seestraecha. Naetala vethama chalta uthelia,” Replied a voice that somehow reminded Sunset of a mix of the crackling of a fire, and the soft tinkle of a crystal wind chime. ‘Is that… Queen Lumina?’ Sunset thought. “Ralla, Ruilii Vechaetle,” Lady Inkwell said. Sensing movement from the corner of her eye, Sunset saw Lady Inkwell begin to rise. Following suit, she also rose from her bow. “Stay close Sunset,” Lady Inkwell whispered as she began to walk the trail towards Lumina’s tree. “When we reach the end of the trail, kneel and do not rise until I tell you too.” Sunset nodded in response. In an all too short eternity of minutes, they arrived at the end of the trail, which was facing a large, elegantly carved marble perch before the tree. Upon reaching the end of the trail, Sunset dropped to a knee and bowed her head. She could hear the flapping of two sets of wings descend from above, one landing where she knew Lady Inkwell was, and one further ahead near the perch. If she had to guess, the former was probably Dylis, and the latter most likely Queen Lumina. “Vemeles uitolosan caishainta palasata?” Sunset heard Lumina say. “Cathiata neriata vuliitas oloranta,” Lady Inkwell replied. “Saleus malaca paetean tae ahla.” “Er’rielei barantols chuchita Baecaleita Seestraecha,” Queen Lumina said. “Paerahasha itian latheca.” “Sunset, rise and look at Queen Lumina. She wishes to see your eyes,” Lady Inkwell said warmly yet firmly. Doing as she was told, Sunset rose to her feet, before taking a deep breath, and looked directly at Queen Lumina.  Then her eyes met Quee Lumina’s, and she froze in place. Staring into those shimmering, pearly eyes was like staring into an ageless abyss, one filled with long lost secrets, long forgotten truths, and a mind almost as old as Nitor itself. Against the weight of the phoenix Queen’s stare, Sunset felt like nothing more than a tiny mote of dust floating before a mountain. Yet, under the gaze of the ancient Queen, there was a sense of peace, as though Queen Lumina’s very presence radiated hope and life giving warmth and light.  “Your fire burns bright, child,” Lumina said in flawless Solarian. “You may yet do great things, given time.” Sunset wanted to beam at the compliment. She wanted to weep with joy at the Queen’s approval. To offer a thousand words of gratitude. But, she schooled herself. She was still forbidden to speak. Instead, she briefly bowed her head and clasped her hands together over her chest respectfully, hoping to convey her gratitude to the phoenix Queen. “Chaecalt veretitha mach paelathas vae?” Lady Inkwell asked. “Cametaetha,” Queen Lumina replied as she turned her attention back to Lady Inkwell. “Shuga naereta lauretos venan palas falatan theiah.” Sunset forced herself not to fidget as she bore witness to Queen Lumina and Lady Inkwell’s conversation in what she assumed was the phoenix’s language. “Verec lialtiana tesaresan cleiampa,” Lady Inkwell said with a nod. “Anaras nethlichantal meirlae pasha pataea?” “Charaltac tertama suichepas eisaital nalecas,” Queen Lumina said, before sparing one last look at Sunset, turning away from the two sun-gazers, spreading her wings, then taking to the air and heading back to her tree. “Let’s go Sunset,” Lady Inkwell said, snapping Sunset out of her trance. As Lady Inkwell turned to leave, Sunset fell in line behind her, her head spinning as she wondered what she’d just witnessed.