Bishop Calls

The journey started with a carriage, some luggage, and three people right after midnight.

"What time is it?" Kuon asked Nakia

"Last I saw, it was almost 1."

They all hurried up to the carriage, with the coachman already sitting on the carriage, hanging out with the horse.

Kuon chucked the luggage inside, followed by Lily and herself, meanwhile Nakia sat in front with the coachman. They then proceeded to officially start the journey.

"How far is the Axion?" Nakia asked the coachman

"About a day if we are going at the normal pace."

"Any way we can go faster?"

"I know some shortcuts, but the ride won't be smooth."

"Beggars can't be choosers, right?"

The coachman snickered, "Aren't you all some kind of nobles." He then proceeded to flick the reins to speed up.

After every couple of hours of driving, the coachmen switched with Nakia to keep the carriage going without stopping.

The usual route would be on the main roads that most merchants and travelers use, where safety and comfort is rather guaranteed. But the catch is, it is quite a long and winding way.

And with that, the four of them right now are driving into a slope trying to speed through a downhill.

"This is safe, right?" Lily asked from inside the carriage.

"I thought you asked for speed?" The coachman answered, while holding the reins.

They continued to slide down the mountain, trying to cut through the main road. The carriage sometimes swings from side-to-side, and there were more than a couple of bumps.

Kuon and Lily, that was inside the carriage, had already lost consciousness an hour back. They are strapped with a rope inside to keep them from moving too roughly, meanwhile Nakia was holding for dear life.

"June! Kuon and the Lady passed out, slow down already!" Nakia said while his hand gripping the carriage lip.

"If we slow down now, we won't make it to the Axion in time." He snapped the reigns.

"But, Lady Lily–"

"Shush! Here's the last step and after we can rest."

Nakia looked at the June, the coachman, as they were heading straight for a canyon.

"June, you have to slow down."

He ignored Nakia's plea, and continued sliding with maximum speed.

"JUNE! WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" Nakia closed his eyes.

June still ignored Nakia, and they were inching closer to the canyon's edge. June did not hesitate even one bit, and drove the carriage straight to the canyon.

The last thing Nakia saw was the edge ever so close, but he didn't feel any sensation of falling, nor slowing down. The carriage was still at full speed, going through the canyon.

"Sir, you can open your eyes and let go of my hand now." June said while swinging his arm around.

Nakia opened his eyes, only to see they are floating above the canyon.

"Woah." He was dumbfounded.

"Hands, sir." June still swinging his arms.

"Oh yeah, sorry." He collects his hand to himself.

The canyon they are going through has quite the width, and the 'normal' way is going around to the start of the canyon, where people have built a bridge.

As the ride smoothens, Kuon wakes up first and untied their safety ropes. She sighed in relief and opened the carriage curtain, just to pass out again.

Kuon fell forward to Lily's lap, which woke her up.

"Huh? Are we there?" She wiped her eyes and saw Kuon. "Kuon? What happened?"

Kuon just stayed there, not moving an inch. Lily shakes her body until Kuon woke up.

"Hmm-wha? Miss!" Kuon held Lily's hands.

"Kuon!"

"Don't look outside." 

"Why?"

"Just don't."

But since the curtain she opened was not closed, the both of them got a little peek outside.

"We're flying?!" Lily screamed.

Hearing the scream, Nakia looked inside the carriage and chimed in.

"Oh hi, Miss. Hi, Kuon." He waved to both of them.

"Are we flying?" Lily asked them.

"No. We are riding on an invisible bridge, though."

"How is the coachman steering it?!" Kuon sounded worried.

"With these glasses of mine, it can see magic forms."

They continued talking about the bridge, and how he knew that there was a bridge in the first place.

June is a traveling coachman, which usually took the long route for as long as he remembered. Then one day, he saw a caravan with robed people that went a separate way.

He asked if he could join in the caravan for exchange in helping them carry their stuffs, they said yes and June's carriage filled with box after boxes.

After some time walking, they reached the place. The edge of the canyon, and the robed people are actually mages on a pilgrimage. 

There they asked June to go first, and they will follow. Of course, June denied, as he was being told to basically kill himself. The mages were adamant, and promised they would give June something later.

They argued back and forth for a while, then June finally cave in after the mages started to conjure some magic to threaten him.

He drove his carriage slowly, and when the lead horse stepped– it was solid. He didn't feel like he was going to fall, they soon reached the other side and the mages took their boxes and gave June a pair of glasses.

"This will help you see, what we see."

June accepted the glasses, and when he wants to say thanks they were nowhere to be seen.

"Interesting story!" Lily exclaimed.

"Didn't expect to meet mages in my life, but that was memorable." June sips his tea.

"Miss Lily, June. The food's ready!" Kuon called them to eat.

After they finished eating and cleaned up, they continue their journey as the sun has started to rise.

The rest of the ride was silent, as the best way was going back to the main road. Lily and Kuon were sleeping soundly, meanwhile Nakia and June were exchanging stories.

When the sound was a quarter left from the top of their heads, they arrived at the Axion. A big blue building with white details, and a lot of people wearing a white hooded robe.

At the main gate, June was asked to find an inn and stay there first to rest, meanwhile the rest of them are going to the Axion to find the Bishop.

No one seemed to mind nor notice them there, so they just tried to go inside.

"Halt!" Said the guard on the gate. "What is your purpose of coming here today, outsiders?" He lowered his pike to block the way.

Nakia stepped forward. "We were told by Priest Quill, that we are summoned by the Bishop." He tried to pull out the invitation letter.

"Ha! An adventurer with two maids is getting an audience with the bishop? What a joke!" He laughed, as he glanced at their clothes.

Nakia smiled, reluctantly holding his emotion. On the other side, Kuon was regretful she didn't bring a more haughty dress for Lily and followed how the Turin house had always dressed– quality over visual, a style to keep it discreet whenever they are.

"Your two maids, are somet–"

Kuon snapped, as she called the young miss a maid again. She screamed at the thick guard, when the three priest were passing.

Quill looked at the incident, and walked there immediately. He did not realize it was them too, but as he walks closer he could see that it was Lily.

"Oh, Lady Lilian!" Quill looks both surprised and confused.

"You know this adventurer, head priest?" The guard asked Quill.

"Why yes. She is Lady Lilian Turin, the one that the bishop summoned for the failed awakening ceremony?" His brow raised ever so slightly.

"Uhm. Uh…" The guard started to sweat, and his face turned pale.

Lily's group was then escorted by the Quill and was sat down inside a room, meanwhile the other two headed for the main chamber first.

"I did not expect following Madam's rule would turn out like this."

"Yeah, I thought dressing modestly would be best too."

Nakia and Kuon both disappointed with themselves, they were lowering their head.

Lily and Quill just laughed it off, since Lily doesn't really mind that kind of treatment, and for Quill seeing the aide of Turin so defeated was kind of funny.

"Though, I must ask. Why are you guys here today?" Quill asked as he sipped his tea.

"Isn't the summon today?" Lily asked.

Quill coughed a little. "Oh. It was supposed to be tomorrow." He then munched on a snack.

"But the letter clearly said it was today." Kuon added.

The priest furrowed his eyebrow, trying to recall what had happened.

"Ah, my bad." He gulps down the snack. "I sent it at midnight here. You see, time is a bit skewed here, and I forgot that there are quite some time difference there and here."

The three of them let out a sigh, both feeling relieved and confused.

"What do we do now?" Kuon asked Quill.

"We are still preparing the ceremony, and the arrival of the bishop, as you can see from the number of people wearing white robes."

"So, I take it we can just take a stroll on the town, and relax until tomorrow?" Nakia finally back to his stoic form.

"Yes, that would be best. I did not prepare any accommodation, and I am sorry for that."

"It is fine, our coachman should have gotten an inn for us." Lily answered.

Then Quill asked to be excused first, as he needed to help the other devotee prepare this ceremony to their best ability.

The three of them then just waltz out of the Axion, and looked for the June. Soon they saw their carriage parked near an inn, with June sleeping inside the carriage.

Nakia woke him up, and told him to join them in the inn as they are planning to rent two rooms.

They were all tired, and as soon as they are done moving the luggage, they all went to sleep. They were dead tired, and did not realize something brewing just a couple of buildings away.