Solar tradition required that the ceremony be held outdoors, in the open sky light, where Riteun's gaze could witness the birth of a god. Therefore, the facade of the temple was adorned with solar flags and ancestral tapestries, just as the devotees made a point of decorating the facade of their houses to create a festive atmosphere.
To Cale's surprise, ceremonial soldiers formed a wide circle around the high altar mounted on the staircase of the Temple of Solar Zenith. All security was reinforced, but by humans who dedicated their lives and honors to the god of life and the sun.
"The ceremony will begin" Yvaine muttered.
Cale felt his own body weigh. The heart beat fast and the sudden malaise made him sway and lean on the wall. Out of the strong arm of Aries, who quickly descended from the roof to hold him, which prevented his fall.
"Beware, the emissaries of the higher gods are here."
The amethysts ran through the sea of humans gathered in the central square. It was impossible to see where the higher gods were, or their representatives, only that their damned presences were suffocating.
"Damn... Looks like I'll have to deal with this stupid feeling for the whole ceremony."
"Aries, stay close to the master" Yvaine looked at him for a moment "Despite Riteun's barrier preventing my stars from seeing so clearly, I can still feel the presence of the son of chaos in the vicinity."
It was all Cale needed. A ceremony with stifling presences activating one of his curses, and the imminent danger of a terrorist attack. Cale really could only regret having come.
The eyes turned to the entrance of the temple, where a woman with robes flowing linen and golden threads, had walked until kneeling before the altar and bowing her head. Priests and priestesses encircled it in a spiral formation, and behind them, thirteen singers with translucent veils sang verses of an ancient language, which resounded in the bones of those who heard.
One of the priests took a stick of solar wood, carved from a legendary tree that only bloomed on the edge of the world, was given to the high priest. He raised it to the heavens, and the wood shone as if recognizing the moment.
"Grace of life, oh father. From the branch of your gift, you have blessed the sacred way of your golden blood. Prove the story contained in her veins, hear the echo of yours and grant your judgment before their journey."
Then the silver and bronze athame, a short blade with runes snaking through the blade, was passed from hand to hand until it reached Jandiana. She took it easy, making a single cut in the palm of her hand, and letting the blood drip on the altar — her last offering as a local deity who walked the divine path.
The blood shone on the altar.
Finally, a branch of living leaves, harvested by devout virgins at sunrise, was placed on the sacred stone by the priestesses. The leaves trembled despite the absence of wind, as if they felt the transition.
"Glory to the sun that lights our ways. Glory to the day that drives out any enemy that hides in the night. Before your blood, your honorable and sacred history will be marked by future odes."
When the three items joined at the altar, a column of golden light burst forth from the heavens, spiraling down over Jandiana. The crowd fell in absolute silence. The light did not burn, but was unbearably pure. Even those far away from the square — in the alleys, on the roofs, on the farthest balconies — felt the weight of the energy.
The aura of Jandiana expanded like a warm tide, and at that instant she was no longer just local goddess
She was red light.
And her ascension had begun.
Few demigods could ascend to the divine kingdom. Yvaine was one of the few goddesses, who stood below the higher gods. Therefore, that ceremony held a great significance for the whole world.
Still, it was a huge pomp for a local goddess who could barely protect her own people. The disaster of Solastera did not receive any support from Jandiana. Cale would not forget it so easily.
At his side, Linus peeked between the cracks of the balcony, his eyes wide. For him, it was just a vibrant crowd with music and light spreading joy. Even other children were playing and having fun before the ceremony so cheerful.
"Yvaine!" Aries looked at her suddenly.
"Guyel seems to have met with Alinys. I can feel his energy" she replied immediately, moving her fingers making little stars float towards the temple "I will warn Jandiana's theiodesmos to be watchful."
The song reached its highest point, the thirteen female voices chanting in unison the dead language of the ancients, while the solar staff of Jandiana rose to heaven. The branch of leaves trembled in her hand, and the athame shone with a golden flame.
A spiral of light formed around the rising goddess, and the whole temple seemed to respond with a pulse of living energy. Columns vibrated, the ground trembled softly, as if Riteun, the sun god, was breathing through the stone.
Then, at the height of splendor, a loud roar followed by an explosion interrupted the ceremony. One of the columns imploded, spreading golden debris and sparks down the main staircase. Fragments of stone and dust filled the air, and the song ceased abruptly. The sacred light trembled and Jandiana was thrown to the ground without finalizing her ascension, but already containing a part of her new power.
The temple really shook.
"The not-so-esteemed guest arrived" muttered Cale, among ofego.
Aries was still holding his master when he raised his head feeling something strange. A familiar smell that made him growl when he saw what it was. Uniformed humans came out of the temple, holding something wrapped in a white blanket. The human figure looked around, completely ignoring the local goddess fallen trembling on the ground.
"Attack."
The order has been given. From the rubble of the explosion emerged men and women with burned robes on the edges, glazed eyes and mouths whispering disjointed prayers. A circle with crossed lines in the shape of a web could be seen tattooed on their left hands or necks. Some wore cracked white masks, symbol of those who had already "rid themselves of the false face".
The crowd broke out in panic and shouting, the devotees ran disorderly. Even if the priests tried to keep order, the chaos seemed to be more agile. The sacred curtains that delimited the altar were torn in seconds.
They did not roar. They prayed.
"Lying light that hides chaos, life be purified and the shadow reborn. May the flesh of the sun break!"
One of them carried a burning torch. Another, a black dagger. They spread fast — they were not soldiers, they were believers in mortal ecstasy.
"Very well, this I did not expect" Cale muttered to feel a little better, although he refuses to release the support of Aries. Linus shrunk behind Cale too "What the hell are these humans?"
"Devotees of Guyel" Aries replied low "After all, he has the title of hero for a reason."
It made sense, thought Cale. By raising his head, he could feel the divine presence still around the city, protecting the humans. No monsters were seen in that invasion, only humans were there. When Cale looked around, he saw no divine energy or presence going against the humans.
"How pathetic."
Slowly Jandiana stood up. The power enveloped her body running like a rough sea in a storm. Stepping forward, eyes in fury, hand still clutching the sacred staff.
"GUARDS!" her voice echoed with divine authority "Protect the humans! Do not let them take the artifact!"
But it was too late for many. Terror had already taken hold.
Those uniformed humans attacked the whole city of Bortoise, the central square had been just the climax of a dramatic spectacle.
The smoke was still rising from the destroyed staircases when Jandiana advanced, her feet touching the golden marble already stained with blood. The light around him was dense, without any brightness. The air where she passed trembled as in a scorching day, and the eyes of many were closed only by looking directly at her.
Around him, the disciplined army of Bortoise tried to maintain order. Shields raised, spears in formation, the light knights held the line, but the fanatics of Guyel attacked like waves on a rough sea.
"In the name of the dawn, back off!" cried one of the captains of the guard.
But the heretics laughed, even when they burned.
Jandiana raised the solar staff. A single gesture, and from it came an explosion of liquid light, a burst of incandescent that swept the front of the temple like a sickle made of sun. Shouts echoed throughout the region, displaying the incineration of invaders and allied soldiers.
The beautiful shayras flowers and sacred stones were also victims of the power of a rising local goddess. It's ashes adorned the interrupted ceremony.
The staff shook in her hand. Small cracks opened in the ancient wood, as if the energy was too much to contain it. Jandiana gasped feeling the control escape. Her eyes shone intensely, almost wild.
Another blast came out involuntarily. The side of the temple, intact until then, was hit in full, collapsing part of the roof.
"Goddess!" cried a priest, protecting himself behind a shield.
She did not answer. Her expression was contorted between effort and pain. The ascension process had expanded her power, but the bond was not yet complete. Without the completion of the rite she was a star with no orbit.
Amid the chaos, people began to hesitate.
"She's... she's losing control."
"The goddess herself is hurting the temple!"
The whisper spread like poison among the survivors. Faith in the divine order, which was sustained by both rituals and appearances, trembled visibly.
Jandiana stood, sweaty, the hair of fire shagged glued to the forehead, the staff still in hand, but cracked. Her eyes roamed the square, looking for traces of hope.
Faced with the disaster that the fanatics caused, Cale continued watching from the balcony. The smoke rose in slow columns, and his purple eyes could only reflect his scorn. Higher gods were there, hidden among humans. But they were doing nothing?
"Pathetic as always" growled Cale.
"Sir..." Linus pulled out Cale's robe, round eyes filled with fear and uncertainty. "Shouldn't we run?"
"It's a very tempting idea."
"My Lord, I will assist Jandiana. Please don't get away from Aries."
Yvaine did not wait for an answer, and then jumped from the balcony. Cale sighed angrily for receiving such pathetic orders, but still remained in place. It was more difficult to control his curses, making him look like a useless coward than to get angry with a goddess.
Then, three figures broke the security perimeter. Robes with burnt edges, symbols of the web tattooed on dirty skin, and silent steps like trained shadows. Aries recognized immediately, promptly drawing his sword and taking the front when the eyes of the fanatics fell on the boy.
"These damned again..." without turning, Aries had been categorical to his master "Are you with your dagger?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah, sure. But I don't think I'll need to, considering you're capable of dealing with mere humans, right?"
A smile sprang from the lips of Aries, although he still seems to avoid his master.
The first attacker advanced with speed, using a far and curved sword, with a dark color in contrast. It took only a minimal movement for Aries to stop the blade between two fingers. The glove corroded when he touched the dark part of the blade.
"Poison...?"
Brandishing his sword to force the retreat of the enemy, Aries analyzed his corroded glove. A wrinkle appeared on his forehead, not very pleased.
Aries' pulse was pulled sharply. Cale held firmly and analyzed Aries' fingers, the coldness appearing in his countenance. The purple eyes only rose to the enemies, and his hand was extended.
A purple aura rose around Cale, not like fire or explosion, but emptiness. The human vitality was easier to absorb, and the attackers fell on their knees, screaming in dread for their lives if they vanish before a cursed one.
Now, who would not recognize a curse?
But it was too late.
The purple aura receded as if it was never there.
Linus trembled. His wide eyes looked for meaning in what he had witnessed. There was no screaming. There was no blood. But something terrible had happened.
And Cale just bent down and wiped his hand.
"I don't like that you touch my dragon" he murmured, as if talking to himself.
Linus didn't say anything. He just kept looking fascinated and scared at the demigod in front of him.
Perhaps the only one who could be the new tomorrow.