// Chapter 38 \\

Yeosang had gotten Theron to go and find the other Rose Sanction members to notify them on securing Mingi if they hadn't. Anyone as the Crescent Wielder was obviously good news, but, with how obvious of a showing Mingi had made with his powers, Yeosang was put on edge. If he was right about Taker spies being within the crowds, the Mingi definitely wasn't safe. Everyone had seen that fight and saw what he'd done. The Takers would be onto him if they really sought the power of the Crescent. We had to get to him first.

"While Theron is getting the others to secure Mingi, I'll inform him of what is so dire." Yeosang spoke before glancing to me, "You stay with the other High Monarchs, it will be less suspicious if less of us are missing."

I gave a nod, "Yeah. I'll keep an eye out for suspicious activity. Act on it if I have to."

Yeosang simply gave a curt nod in response.

We ran up the steps to the main palace grounds, passing lava fountains and the strange purple and green fungus that surrounded it. The palace grounds were where Mingi was going to give a quick speech after his triumphant win. He was now the High Monarch of Dusk Court. Raidier, the Timber Wolf. A Crescent Wielder: the Jumper. Night, I hoped he didn't, but it seemed like he'd painted a target on his back.

We'd climbed the stairs to an overlooking of rails where a crowd was down below, looking off to a large white pedestal, no doubt where Mingi would speak. Yeosang broke off then, making his own way for the pedestal to talk to Mingi. I was left with Elara then, securing an individual room at the railing for the ceremony.

"I heard you look beautiful in your dress today," Elara complimented as a way to start a conversation.

I looked over to her with a grin and nodded my head, "Thank you. You look good in your armor... I— well, I guess I wish you could be wearing a dress with me."

The side of Elara's lip quirked as she laughed, "I don't wear dresses."

We left it at that as we secured the small luxurious private room. I'd wondered why our rooms were private and scattered amongst the Court yard, but I enjoyed the privacy and I was close to the center of being in line with the pedestal where Mingi would speak. I looked over the railing to the crowd down below. It was three times the size it had been when I had gotten up here.

There was a creak of the door then. Only Elara and I were supposed to be the ones in this room. I turned around, and was surprised with who stood before me.

Leeyon was there, red ringing around her eyes from tears and, for once, there was a glare towards me in those green serpentine eyes. They seemed calm.

Elara drew her sword and thrusted a hand out to block Leeyon's entry, "You're not allowed in here."

"It's fine, Elara," I spoke, surprised at how soft I'd said the words, "It's Ray of Eastern Court."

Elara immediately sheathed her sword and went back into position by the door, leaving Leeyon to glance her way before stepping into the room, "You call your Captain by her first name?"

I hummed, narrowing my eyes slightly, "I do with all my Captains."

"All Captains," Leeyon hummed as she joined me at the edge of the railing, looking out to the podium far overhead, "Yes, I do seem to remember you having many."

I nodded as I allowed my gaze to wander to the podium, "I tried to treat them like family."

Leeyon snorted, she was amused. High Monarchs weren't supposed to make their Captains family. She wouldn't understand. Fuzz whirled inside my head: I wasn't even sure if I understood.

Leeyon then let a frustrated puff of air through her nostrils as she spoke, "I'm still executing him."

I knew she meant Como. Apparently, he wasn't already executed. I gave a nod of my head once more, "I can't blame you." I looked to her then to find she was looking at me.

She hesitated, a tear slipping down her face. She pressed her lips together in grimace, "Perhaps, nothing at all bad has happened today." Leeyon spoke with a nod, "I'd like to apologize for my rather sour demeanor towards you."

I hesitated as I watched the Serpent cry before I nodded my head, "It's alright. You were worried about him." I nodded my head towards the pedestal where Mingi would appear. I looked back at her with a bit of a comforting smile, "And he's won. Your almost-vows are now sealed as vows."

I couldn't believe Leeyon was smiling at me. "I-" Her smile quivered and she gave an awkward shrug before she sucked in her pride and mouthed a 'thank you,' closing her eyes and letting some tears spill down her cheeks. She raised a hand to wipe them away when she suddenly yelped, lowering her hand down with furrowed brows. There was a small glass shard that had cut into the indent between her knuckles. Leeyon sniffled, carefully picking up the tiny shard with a bubble of water and observing it as she mumbled, "That's weird."

I looked suspiciously at the glass shard, the slight glimmer of perfection within it. How had glass gotten anywhere near Leeyon's eye? Something deep within me riled and the pulse thrummed but the fuzz just kept it away all the same.

A cheer erupted from beyond the railing and I turned my attention to the podium to find Mingi emerging. He smiled broadly, waving both of his hands out to the crowd. Mingi stepped up onto the podium, placing either hands along the side of it as he gazed out at the crowd.

"My Court, Southern Court, Eastern Court, Northern Court, Spring Court, Dawn Court, Night Court," Mingi started, voice bellowing through the palace grounds. He waved a hand out to the outcropping where we were, "High Monarchs that represent them," he lowered his hand, "And all the classes between. I would first like to start off with thanking you for your appearance to these Trials. It's no trivial matter, the heir of becoming a High Monarch. You can be faced with the uncertainty of survival before and in that arena.

"Today, we lost two noble Monarchs. They aspired to be great rulers, but they didn't have the same vision as me. They, like many in this Court, looked down upon me for my inefficient shift in Court selection," he gestured towards his hair that was now completely black, "Only now is it fully complete. And I now stand before you as Raidier, High Monarch of Dusk Court. The Timber Wolf." He paused before adding, "The Jumper."

My eyes widened as he announced the title to the crowd before him. Night, what was he doing? Had Yeosang gotten a chance to talk to him? I quickly looked at the crowd before frantically looking back at Mingi. The pulse at my back lurched.

"I wouldn't have gotten here in such honor without the support I've received. One I would like to personally mention is our previous High Monarch, Rione Hala— Nightmare. He took me under his wing and taught me what I needed to know, despite my Court Selection's flaw and uncertainty of where I belonged. He gave me a place to belong. I owe him. I have to continue his legacy."

There was a rustle in the crowds as murmurs went around. There had always been two opposing sides of how people of the Courts felt about Rione's change to Dusk Court.

"He ignited a change." Mingi spoke, interrupting the crowd's murmurs, "And I plan to continue that, more than he did. No more pretense of colors. No more disrespect or judgment of classes. No more limits on what our people can and can't do." Mingi shook his head, "This is where we strip our Courts to dust. This is a new era, built from the ancient and old."

"What have I done?" Leeyon's voice was more alert beside me, shaking.

I turned to her to see multiple shards of glass in a bubble of water in her hands. Tiny specks and shards of glass were encased in that bubble. Where did it all come from? The pulse in my shoulder thrummed and I looked up to meet Leeyon's eyes. She wasn't crying anymore and she wasn't looking at me. I followed her gaze to the pedestal where Mingi spoke.

"This," Mingi raised his arms into the air, "Is the continuation," and despite the millions of people around him— despite the distance that was so far— his eyes met mine, "Of the Chroniki."

That was when the barriers of worlds tore on either side of him and the black shadows of Takers poured through.

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\