Twenty Six
The Tabernacle, Myst City
The ceremonial preparations were made. Golden Sun colors and banners hung on the walls of the First Cleric's audience chambers.
The First Cleric's personal guards parted the auditorium doors to usher in the modest audience.
Marin paraded in wearing one of her finest sapphire formal gowns. The garment was enchanted to sparkle as if surrounded by a thousand suspended diamond droplets. An oversized gold medallion with the Golden Sun insignia hung around her neck. Her blonde hair was tied up in braids and the volume of her dress enveloped her feet. Marin had truly gone all out for Umbra's knighthood ceremony.
Umbra clanked in lagging behind her, donned uncomfortably in the gold and pearly armored ceremonial regalia of the Golden Sun Knights.
So eager was Umbra to get past the pomposity of a ceremony, he had departed Astralode's Tower before the Chronicler could tailor his garments to the correct size.
Gladius, a man of practicality had shortened the ceremony to a vow and the accolade.
He stood next to the First Cleric donned in identical armor to Umbra, but his were perfectly tailored to his proportions. His white tabard was immaculately ironed, his armor polished to a mirror shine and his salt-and-pepper hair was tied back.
Marin knew Gladius was showing his approval in the way he dressed, and greatly appreciated the gesture.
Fletcher, however wore his own attire, barely washed leathers and a simple tunic likewise uncared for.
The king's advisors were present as expected, the king busy elsewhere, not willing to go along with the farce of a ceremony.
First Cleric Maria herself was present with the ceremonial sword of knighthood. She wore the silver-threaded white papal regalia, her tall mitre hat & pearly white cassock. The clothes truly made her seem larger-than-life.
Perhaps she does have dominion over the afterlife Umbra considered.
A few curious priests & nobles sat in the pews nearby.
Umbra's eyes widened when he met the sinister stare of Inquisitor Benedictus among them.
Guards were stationed at the entrance for security and deliberately distant from the First Cleric.
Marin shuffled over to her fellow knight's sides as Umbra was brought before the First Cleric.
Umbra knelt awkwardly, playing along out of respect for his friends' wishes. But his pulse was racing, he could feel the holy aura surrounding the First Cleric.
Umbra could feel Benedictus's prying eyes locked on him. He could feel the anticipation of the murder plot in the wicked inquisitor's heart.
His thoughts raced as he replayed Benedictus' plot in his mind.
Absolution from a fiery fate...
A golden opportunity...
If he could just strike down the First Cleric and flee to the Medici manor for protection.
"Approach aspirant," First Cleric Maria instructed, her aged face solemn with purpose.
Umbra approached nervously, sweat clung to his face. Am I really going to do this?
"Kneel," Maria urged, Umbra complied.
Marin could feel something was wrong.
She could see the sweat on Umbra's brow beading, his pupils dilated.
Gladius and Fletcher were noticing now.
The First Cleric drew a silver-steel sword, fresh and untarnished.
Umbra's coat-of-arms (as described by Astralode) a Phoenix rising from a withered mangrove, was inscribed on the gleaming sword's hilt.
The First Cleric lowered the blade onto each of Umbra's shoulders gently. "Now rise, Knight of the Golden Sun."
Umbra did as he was instructed though his heart was racing, it was approaching the point of no return.
The First Cleric held the sword in its sheaf expectantly for the newest knight to draw.
Umbra caught a glimpse of Benedictus' intense glare, as the inquisitor mentally urged him to strike down the leader of The Tabernacle.
The thought of burning in hellfire dominated Umbra's mind as he reached for the hilt of his new sword.
He slowly wrapped his grip around the inscribed hilt, his fingers brushing over the insignia Astralode had commissioned.
But then his mind cleared.
He knew his higher purpose now. Marin had placed her faith in him, Astralode too, and all of the Golden Sun Knights.
He would strive to be a better man, a man deserving of Marin's love.
Umbra smiled at Marin and turned to smirk at the diabolical inquisitor, Benedictus, now on his feet. "I accept this honor, your holiness..." he raised the sword into the air to the sunlight that filtered through the stained-glass windows.
He re-sleaved it, accepting his new purpose. "I believe there will be an attempt on your life, your holiness," Umbra whispered.
"I am aware of Benedictus' schemes," The First Cleric assured him, returning with a wry smile. She was no fool to treachery, she could tell a person's deepest desires just by looking at them.
Benedictus' plot wasn't as secretive as the self-assured Medici noble believed.
Umbra's relief was short lived. He had taken the high road, but the end destination remained all the same.
The ceremony concluded and the four knights departed to gather supplies, they could sense a long journey was ahead for them.
At the first opportunity Umbra shed the garish armor and dressed himself in his old familiar clothes, discovering them cleaned and pressed on his bed by a pair of helper gloves. The two white familiars applauded for him, he was a knight now after all.
Marin had insisted he pack the sword for the journey but Umbra had no intention of using such a cumbersome weapon. He was fine with a staff or halberd.