Ceremony

"Now entering, His Highness, Prince Alexander of house Zuriel."

Alexander waited for his cue and walked through the archway into the cathedral's main hall.

It was filled with people from all walks of life. Nobles, commoners, merchants, peasants, and adventurers gathered to witness this day. He did, however, notice that there were far fewer high-level nobles here than during his both of his brothers' ceremony. Most of the ones present were second or third sons willing to bet on Alexander.

It hadn't been that long since the last ceremony, but so much had happened so quickly that people were hungry for any kind of good news. Would he be the next Sword Saint like his grandfather? Or would he attain an entirely new ability?

In a time when the people needed someone to idolize, they all hoped that the goddess would bless their prince with a powerful ability that would help him to lead the kingdom to prosperity.

Only those with the blood of the twelve archangels could be granted an audience with the goddess, with the exception of a chosen few heroes whom she deemed exceptional enough to earn her favor.

The goddess sent twelve of her children to guide humanity, and thus, twelve kingdoms were created that formed the ancient empire. The royal family of each domain is the direct descendants of the archangels.

With nine kingdoms now lost, only three greater bloodlines remain. Gabriel, the angel of faith and diligence. Zadkiel, angel of benevolence and loyalty. And finally, the archangel from which Alexander descended, Jophiel, the physical manifestation of love and beauty.

This was a significant reason his entire family was renowned for their good looks. The more pronounced the bloodline, the more handsome or beautiful the children of his house tended to become.

He walked down the center aisle with a dignified gait. All eyes were upon him as he walked up to the front of the hall, where Grace stood before a giant statue of Jophiel with an intricate magic circle before it.

The statue depicted a gorgeous woman wearing a simple white dress seated on a marble throne with a crown of stars atop her head. Her face was the very picture of beauty; her hair was long and flowing down her shoulders, and her eyes evoked a feeling of compassion.

Alexander climbed the last few steps to the statue and turned to face the crowd. He could see his family in the front row, or rather what little bothered to attend.

His father was absent as he was currently dealing with a crisis, although he would later attend the banquet. That left only his sister-in-law Clara and his half-sisters Sharon and Lily.

The latter had her attention stolen by a pair of fluffy ears seated on the opposite side of the aisle.

In the direction of her gaze sat friends and acquaintances that he had personally invited. Among them was Victoria, who was practically glowing, and next to her was an older man who was the definition of gentlemanly. He had a complicated expression after seeing the change in his daughter.

A little further down was a silver-haired wolf-girl who was having trouble sitting still. Bouncing in her seat and unknowingly stealing his spotlight. Next, a pair of mismatched siblings looked at him with pride. And lastly, someone he was dreading to meet again, his fiancee.

Grace cleared her throat to draw his attention, and when she saw that he was ready, she began the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the coming of age of Prince Alexander, the third in line to inherit the Kingdom of Regnum."

A series of claps and cheers rose from the crowd, and Grace paused as she waited for them to quiet down.

"This day is also a celebration of a new beginning, a time of change, for all of us. The third prince is now of age to participate in the awakening ritual! At this time, he will have the opportunity to convene with the goddess and receive her blessing. Let us all pray that he will be granted a blessing befitting his status as the grandson of the Sword Saint, and may his family and people continue to flourish."

'I'll never get used to her abrupt change in demeanor.' Alexander thought to himself as Grace bowed her head and began the prayer.

'Not too long ago, she was cursing like a sailor, and now she's leading the prayer with a saintly smile.' He always found her ability to change personalities confusing, slightly disturbing, and maybe even a little arousing.

She could go from being a sweet and innocent girl to a sultry temptress and a foul-mouthed minx in the blink of an eye. Although he was absorbed in his thoughts for Grace, he didn't fail to notice that she seemed to hype up his awakening more than she did for his other siblings. She certainly did not hide her bias.

After Grace finished the prayer and recited a small speech, she turned to Alexander and handed him a small ornate dagger. The silver blade was engraved with a delicate filigree design resembling the holy script.

He took the knife from her and sliced it across his palm, letting the blood drip down and fall to the floor, where the magic circle hungrily absorbed it.

The room was quiet now; everyone held their breath as they watched with anticipation. After a few seconds, a pillar of light rose from the circle. It was soft and warm, gently embracing Alexander in its radiance. The crowd was now silent, and Alexander closed his eyes as he let the light wash over him.

He felt a sensation like he was falling, and a moment later, he was standing on nothingness. It was a space entirely devoid of all substance. There were no walls, ceiling, or ground, just a blank white void.

He looked forward, and before him was a woman, a goddess. Although he was staring right at her, he could not identify any of her features. The longer he looked, the more painful his splitting headache became.

She was like a burning star in the sky, beautiful but too bright to look at for long. He could only get the vague impression that she was a mature woman; it was almost as if she was made from light itself, and there was no true shape to her.

Her voice echoed through the space, gentle, soothing, powerful, and resounding.

"Greetings, child. Welcome to my home. It has been too long since I last gazed upon you."