24. Arresting Ceremony[Arc 3. Gate of nightmare]

"Uggghhh!" I shouted, my voice was in deep pain.

As I opened my eyes I saw Lhara's eyes full with concern, "What happened?" She muttered, slowly patting my head.

"Ack!,..it was just a nightmare!" I explained raising from her nap.

"Really?" She placed her gentle hand on my forehead. "Do you have a fever?" She gently pressed her forehead against mine to feel my temperature.

"Lhara!, your to close!"

"Yik!" Sorry," she whispered concealing her scarlet cheeks.

I gazed out the windows as I recalled the taste of better and terrifying death that I've experienced inside my dream. 'Prohibition of dreams?' I muttered inside the plate of my thoughts.

I tried to dig into the memories of the people and elves that I've killed, but none of them held any recollection. I gazed at Lhara's crimson eyes grabbing her attention, "Do you know anything about the Angel of Nightmare? I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Angel of Nightmare? " She muttered, her eyes were narrowed. "I don't, but why?" She muttered, fixing her bandana.

"Nevermind!" I muttered, erasing her confusion.

As the carriage passed in the street crowded by smile, a loud echo of cheering voice sang as they saw our presence. "Peacekeeper! Peacekeeper! Peacekee..." They shouted.

Lhara grinned waving her hands, I silently gazed at painted crowds. The the echo of blood lust surge into my body and urge me to wash my self in the cherry liquid.

Suddenly my sight become blurry and the whole crowd become pack of demoniod, their eyes were gleaming with hunger as they tried to the carriage. The sweet scent of smile shifted into putrid stench of decayed bodies, the loud cheers changed into murmur of undead.

My sweat cascaded on my face as I saw the rotten image of my sister and my late girlfriend who were gripping my feet out of the carriage.

"Are okay?" Lhara muttered, bring me into reality as she wrapped her body against mine.

"Yeah, for somewhat!" I mumbled gazing to the towering smile around.

"But!..."

"I'm just tired!" I explained.

"You just dozed off on my lap!"

"Ack!, I think I'm just hungry!" I muttered glazing at the food stalls.

"Hmm!, what do you want?" She said.

My eyes narrowed as I heard her questions, "did she bite my hook" I mumbled in my head.

She reached into her pouch, and pulled out a soft and creamy biscuits. Its allure was irresistible, my stomach growled, betraying my body.

She offered the alluring biscuits and I was aroused to eat them. The dark feeling inside me fade away as the taste flew inside my veins, drowning my body into sweetness.

As I devoured last of the sweet and crunchy snacks, the carriage finally stop infront of the Elven Cathedral, the grandeur left me awestruck. The soft echo of cripping birds and the gentle rub of rustling of leaves accompanied the warm light as I walked towards the cheering gate.

"Hmp!, looks like your not late this time!" Kimberly greeted and opened the wooden gate.

"Are you looking for fight?" Muttered gazing at her with razor eyes.

Lhara breath a heavy sigh as she held my hands, "This is a very important ceremony for us, don't play here, you two are not child anymore!" She muttered dragging me inside.

It was just an act of greetings but its look like Lhara misunderstood this gesture again. Before we enter the cathedral we first visit the garden where the huge statue of the great hero of the kingdom, King Hiryot IV.

"Onee-chan!" Princess Mia muttered, while waving her tiny hands, the king and queen was sitting on her side.

"Hello, little Mia!" Lhara greeted as the Princess ran towards me.

I hugged her back and gazed back to the gentle statue, "What a great man!" The queen remark.

"Are you interested at him?" The king asked placing his gazed into the water around.

"Yes!" I briefly mentioned.

"He was the greatest hero in the entire kingdom, the true symbol of kindness." The king explained.

"He made a remarkable contribution by changing the kingdom's policies and practices, he integrated the first elven policy and won against numerous battle against other creatures. He also represented the kingdom's vote against the Rules of the land but failed to win against the Demon, Human, and Titan's votes." He explained further as he take a sip in the water in the fountain.

I silently gazed around as I remember the memories of Marquez The Wise, he had a grudge probabily because of his influence.

A servant wearing a blue rose dress emerge,.she gently bowed and hand over a piece of paper to the king.

"It looks like we need to start the ceremony!" He mumbled grinning as they enter the cathedral.

Lhara and I sat in the bench, the whistle of silence wave around, "Are you nervous?" I asked, leaving a smirk.

"Well, yeah!" She muttered and paused. "After this ceremony we will become a knight under the Princess." She added, while drowning her gazed in the far away sky.

"No way!" I whispered underneath my thoughts.

Minutes had passed and we finally ended our leisure, we both entered the cathedral along with Kimberly who was our fellow knight marking the start of the ritual. The bishop revealed the prayer and we proceed in oath-taking.

As I muttered the oath, I quietly gazed around and scanned the area. Everyone's eyes were sparkling with joy, the wind seems too calm as my hair dance with their cheering. There are few nobles were present, they were probably a newly appointed because of the slaughter that almost put the kingdom into extinction.

As the fabric of the Princess's robe rustle, I knelt in homage, my head followed in reverence. She smiled and the scent of floral, yet subtitle rose allured my body.

The bishop brought the kingdom treasure, the sacred sword of the late king Haryot IV, the sword was painted with unknown materials, the tip of the sword was clear and sharp.

"By the authority and the voice of the kingdom, I, the first Princess of the Mihian Kingdom, Mia De Grandi Von Hayrot, make thee knight." Her voice were soft yet firm as she slowly raised the sword, the light shimmered around swallowing the all corners of the cathedral.

She gently lowered the sword attempting to tap my shoulder but a loud wind blew in the silent crowds. Nine knights emerge and incircled me, the other knights quickly pulled away the Princess and pointed their swords at me.

"What the hell is this?, your destroying the ceremony!" The king shouted, his eyes narrowed as he frowned.

They ignored the king and the other wizards emerge holding their wand. The sudden shift of the situation made my head spin around, a triangular flower shape slowly painted on my forehead, the warmth engulfed my body.

The mark slowly fade away as I glanced at Lhara who was holding my back, she unleashed her sword trying to defend against the prevailing magnet of danger.

A girl emerge, her crimson slicky hair was waving around, she was wearing a full knight armor with a high circle mark on her shoulder. She was the knight commander, Kiyara Pon Cross, she was holding a golden paper on his right hand with a seal marking like a bird in the grass.

"Kimberly, what is the meaning of this?" The queen pressed, gazing at the clueless girl.

Her mouth was sealed by her shock as she glared at her sister, she only muttered the word "sister" in silence.

Kimberly slowly walked towards our position and she unsealed the paper around revealing the contents of the seal.

"I, Kiyara Pon Cross, the commander of the Supreme Knight of the Mihian Kingdom, was here by the authority of justice visited upon the Supreme Court of the Mihian to arrest Miku Salvador for the demonic conduct that lead to the massacre of the thousand lives of the civilian elves."

The words are solid to ingest, the chilling sensation ran down inside my veins completely swallowing beliefs.

"What?" The Princess Mia muttered with narrowed eyes. "My Onee-chan would never do that!, did you not see him fought against Marquez The Wise and that terrifying elf, you was present there aren't you?" The Princess exclaimed.

"Forgive me my dear Princess, but It doesn't matter if I was there or not, this is the call of justice, the call of fallen elves. The court had their evidence at their hands to pursue the case and I was here to do my duty in loyalty to the kingdom and the elves." Kiyara explained, calming the gripping tension.

The other knights quickly put a shackle in my hands and a movement seal, Lhara insisted to the unfair treatment gritted her teeth and attempted to swung her sword but I gazed at her with sorrow eyes stopping her action.

"Don't worry!" My eyes said to her, once again my hands were wrapped by the chains of fate. The scents of the rusty bars entered my head as I remember my past life being imprisoned for five years, the sensation that was urging me to escape came back again from the graveyard of my memories.

"Do you really love me, Suffering?" I muttered gazing at the door.