Ramon wakes up in the infirmary, this time face first into a bouquet of fresh flowers and a small note written.
Ramon confusedly reaches for the note and opens it, to reveal a "get well soon" message from Zayn, with a weird-looking smile face signed by Chase, and a short, "feel better" message with Amur signed at the bottom.
Ramon snorts, but she lets herself smile at the message.
"Your friends seem awfully sweet." It is a voice on the opposite side of her curtain that chirps. "A tall knight came in to deliver the flowers. It was very weird seeing a being covered in full metal carrying such small flowers."
"That's Zayn for you." Ramon said. "Guess she came while I was asleep."
"Our patient must get her rest." The sweet voice said. "And I'm not done preparing yet. Sleep."
"Preparing...?" Ramon asked, but her eyes slowly drooped close, and the flowers in her hands hit the ground.
...
Zayn's eyes widen, looking at the tall cathedral building in awe.
"Holy Gods!" Zayn said, staring at the crystal building. "This is the temple?"
"That's right." Miuoi said, smiling as he signaled Zayn, Jeremiah, and Tex to follow him. "It was rumored to be built with the Goddess of Rain's tears."
"Her tears are quite beautiful..." Zayn said, clearing her throat. "And quite big."
Jeremiah snorts, causing Miuoi to quickly turn his head and for Jeremiah to blankly walk forward.
The four persons walk straight ahead, directed towards a pair of blue doors near the temple's entrance. Jeremiah steps forward and opens the doors, revealing a large room filled with blue walls and matching rows of chairs.
Crystals decorate the ceiling like a chandelier and paint the walls with gems, leading to a blue and white altar covered in blue and white clothes with a single blue glass cup on its surface. There stands two men and a blonde woman, one man much younger with dark hair and pale skin, an older man wearing white, gold, and red bishop clothing, and the woman wearing very revealing priestess garments, her large breast and hourglass shape carved perfectly with her tight black gown, covering one of her pale legs and leaving the other to touch the coolness of the temple.
"Ah, you've made it." It's the young man with black hair and eyes that speaks, his voice kind and chirpy. "Duke Jeremiah and Your Highness, Tex, and this must be the hero, correct?"
"D-Duke?!" Zayn exclaims, eyeing Jeremiah in the corner of her eyes. "I didn't know you were a Duke..."
"By default, yes." Jeremiah said, his voice is disinterested. "And yes, Priest Null, this is Knight Zayn. Zayn, please meet Priest Null."
"G-greetings!" Zayn said, quickly bowing her head, causing Null to laugh in response.
"She's adorable!" Null said, smiling gently at Zayn, who rubbed the back of her helmet in embarrassment. "Please meet Bishop and Priestess Livia. They will be a part of the ceremony, so please rest assured."
"Yeah-fuck-hey kid," Livia said, disinterestedly waving to Zayn and rummaging through her pockets to take out a cigar. "Nice meeting you. Hope you will have a longer life than most heroes-."
"Okay! Haha, how about we go over a few maintenance procedures and the overall ceremony?" Null exclaims, motioning for Livia to put her cigar away, "it'll probably ease your heart if you're a bit prepared."
"Extremely." Zayn mutters. "Will you be leading the ceremony, Priest Null?"
"Oh heavens no, I only open the ceremony!" Null said. "The Bishop will be blessing the medal, and Your Highness and the princess will be the ones to present the medal to you. It will be fairly quick, except for the fact that the citizens of Avia will be present outside to watch. It gives everyone a chance to see you, hm?"
"R-right," Zayn said. "W-well, shall we start?"
...
Since Zayn's days are busy practicing for the coronation, it isn't until mid-week--three days until the ceremony, that Jeremiah calls Zayn again back to his office, Prince Miuoi leaning against his large desk and Clarke standing beside Jeremiah with her arms behind her back.
"Well hello, everyone!" Zayn chirps, bowing her head. "It's nice seeing everyone's face!"
"Well hello, Knight Zayn!" Clarke greets, a soft smile on her face.
"Greetings, Ms. Excalibur!" Miuoi said, causing a sudden groan to infiltrate the air.
"Call her that again," a soft voice said. Zayn looks to her hands, the familiar golden chain from before circulating her wrist before Excalibur--his humanoid form--appears. "And I'll beat you to a pulp, prince."
"W-Who is that?" Clarke exclaimed, pointing to the young man. Jeremiah sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"That is Excalibur." Jeremiah said. "Apparently he can shift to a human form."
"Gods, I'm a pretty big fan...and even I didn't know that!" Clarke exclaims. "Even his human form is stunning!"
"I like this human." Excalibur said, nudging Zayn's shoulder. "We'll make sure if all fails to keep her alive."
"We will keep everyone alive." Jeremiah said, reaching over his desk to unravel a letter and point to its contents. "But it seems the treaty date has been picked. It will be three days after the ceremony."
"Three days?!" Clarke exclaims. "Is that enough time to prepare any negations? Changes on the treaty? How many knights are we bringing? Are we-?"
"The Gods have explained that they will only meet that day." Miuoi said, his face hardened. "And they have limited the amount of patronage we may bring to council."
"Which means squad I and II will be the only knight tables going." Jeremiah said. "And this means while Zayn readies herself for the ceremony, me, Miuoi, and the jury will go over the treaty tomorrow to prepare any revisions or demands we need."
"This seems pretty purposeful..." Miuoi said, lost in thought. "As though they are angry and want to sabotage us."
"I wouldn't be surprised." Excalibur said. "The gods are never known to play fair, and they'd hardly be interested in making your life easier. Maybe the gods Creation and Judgment, Divinity could also arguably care, but I doubt anybody else truly does."
"The Gods seem...lovely..." Zayn said, awkwardly laughing. "I mean, isn't the point of the treaty to keep the peace?"
"God's choose their successors anytime, so a new group of Gods can be chosen at anytime." Excalibur said. "Gods are a bit like a card deck; When the deadline for the treaty comes, the card shuffle changes, so does the care for peace."
"We can only do what we can." Jeremiah curtly said. "So I will have you start to pack and ready yourself after ceremonial practice tomorrow, and I will grant Amur and Chase early leave to prepare their things for the expedition."
"Okay-! Wait!" Zayn said, raising an eyebrow. "Amur? Chase?"
"I did say I am limited to bringing Squadron I and II." Jeremiah said. "Plus they are now a part of my squadron."
Zayn gasped, almost falling from her sofa.