A few days passed since Jael's arrival and we had all gotten used to his presence in the house.
I gently massaged my breasts which had been aching quite a bit before buttoning my dress up.
"Are you alright?" The man laying next to me asked.
"I'm fine. Don't worry."
"Oh. Good. Thanks for last night. I really needed that. Anyway, farewell for now." The man said before standing up to leave.
I nodded to myself before standing as well.
I left the room to find Adia teasing one of the many sheep.
"Stop that, please."
"Don't worry. I'm not pulling too hard." The boy said and I brushed his hair in response.
"Alright, but if it runs off, you have to catch it."
"Don't worry. It's just a sheep."
Adia confidently said as I made my way into the house where Ueel exchanged his goodbyes with a certain man who eventually left.
Jael clicked his tongue while sitting cross armed in the corner.
"Here we go again." Ueel commented.
"What? Is it so wrong of me to want better for Zuri? She wouldn't have to this if you were a better farmer."
"Jael, choose carefully the next words you say." Ueel said while glaring at the young man.
Ueel then sighed before sitting by the table.
"It's not like I haven't tried." Ueel as he glanced at his cracked hands.
Luna and I eventually served everyone some porridge and we joined them in eating the sweet breakfast while Ueel and Jael sat in silence.
Everyone eventually finished eating, but just as Luna and I began collecting everyone's bowls, a loud knock came from the door.
We could hear all manner of clanks and other metallic noises.
Ueel and Jael glanced at each other with bright expressions.
"Do you think it's the soldiers we called for?" Ueel asked as he stood.
"Could be the bandits."
"Since when did bandits politely knock before robbing their victims ?"
"Still…"
Ueel took a deep breath and cautiously opened the door, but just as he peered outside, he dropped his arms before falling to his knees revealing two knights. Both clad in black armour which was barely hidden by their equally black cloaks.
"Greetings, citizens. We have come to conscript the magician who lives in this humble home by order of the Sun and Moon." One of the knights said causing all of us to freeze in place.
We all stared at the knights as the stood by the doorway.
They were so tall that the only way the knight who spoke could see us was if he couched slightly.
"He is the one you seek." Luna said rather loudly while pointing at Aida.
The knight looked at him from behind his helmet covered head and its here that I noticed that Adia was shaking.
I ran to his side before shielding him from the knight's gaze.
"Fear not, maiden. We are here to take the child to a place bathed in golden light. Trust me…"
The knight said as he removed his helmet, revealing his pale skin and even paler hair.
Fitted at the centre of his eyes were dark pupils that seemingly ate any light that dared approach them.
"He will be safe and spend the rest of his days fulfilling the most divine of duties."
"W-what duty is that?" I asked.
"That, I cannot say. Unless…" The knight while narrowing his eyes.
"Are you the boy's mother?"
I glanced at Adia, who's face was covered in tears.
He clung to me so tightly, his little fingers painfully pinched my thighs as he trembled.
"Yes!"
"Good. Then come with us. We want to ensure that boy is as calm as possible and if he is happiest with you, then you will have to come as well."
I looked at Ueel, who still knelt before the knights.
Jael stared at me with a concerned expression while Luna cautiously looked at the knights.
"Umm… is it possible for us to refuse?"
"No. If you choose not to come with us then we will take the boy and leave." The knight said with a gentle smile.
I nodded before walking up to the knight with a mortified Adia in tow.
Ueel noticed us and quickly clung to my dress, nearly tearing it as he looked at me with tear filled eyes.
"Zuri… I- I'm sorry I wasn't able to provide you a good home and… I'm sorry you had to work so hard… I'm so sorry." Ueel said.
I placed my hand on his cheek and watched a he crawled away allowing Adia and I the space to leave, but just as I stepped forward Luna spoke.
"Umm… sir knight… those two aren't from here."
"Mmm? Are they from Aurenia?" The knight asked.
"No… they're from another world."
I closed my eyes as my heart painfully knocked on my chest.
"Is that so? Did you hear that?"
"Yes, I did." The other knight said.
"Open your eyes, you needn't feel any fear."
I opened my eyes to find that the knight was still gently smiling.
"All this revelation changes is that you will have to learn quite a lot before… we will handle that another time. For now, all I ask is that you take my hand."
I looked at Ueel once more before taking the knight's hand.
He gently nudged me toward his comrade who gently took my hand.
The first knight then took Adia's hand and picked him up.
Adia loudly cried as his body trembled, but he quickly stopped moving before falling unconscious.
"Goodbye, fair citizens." The knight said before walking away from the house with his comrade in tow.
"W- where…" I struggled to say.
"Shh. Do not worry. We are taking you to a special place. I know you will miss those you are leaving behind, but the duty you have to fulfil is of the highest importance. I am sure they would understand." The knight said.
I nodded before giving in to the drowsiness I felt just by being close to the knight and his companion.
These knights, these… dark knights were surrounded by a heavy air that made it hard for me to even breath.
The knight's comrade noticed that I was dozing off and so he gently picked me up but this only made me sleepier.
I closed my eyes and wished that even if they ended up having no need for me, they'd take care of Adia.
.
..
"Fair maiden, please join us in the waking world."
An old raspy voice said prompting me to open my eyes.
I winced at my eyes were bombarded by a bright light from above.
My vision quickly adjusted allowing me to see that I was in a dark, circular chamber. It's walls were tall, dark and unmarked.
I was laying on a golden platform and surrounding the platform were several hooded figures. Covering almost their entire bodies were dark, matte hoods and only one of them had their head uncovered.
He was an old man with a cleanly shaved head. Across the man's face were faint golden lines that seemingly glowed.
"Good morning." The old man said. His face expressionless.
"Good morning." I sleepily said while sitting up.
I realized that I was naked, but I was more concerned about where Adia was.
"Where-"
"There, there, child. The boy is in good hands. For now I would like us to focus on you. Firstly, my name is Lham and I am a member of the Hands of the Sun. We are the servants who tend to the Temple in the Sky where the prince rests. Aiding the prince in his recovery from old scars is the Golden Choir and your child has been selected to join the choir. He will spend the rest of his life in the palace and if you answer my questions to my liking, you may stay here as well." Lahm said and I simply nodded.
"Good. What is your name?"
"Zuri Huzuni."
"The Knight that brought you here said that you were from another world, is that true?"
"Yes."
"I see. What were you in that world?"
"A maid."
"And what did you one day hope to become?"
"I… I don't know."
"Mmm… Are you aware that you are pregnant?"
"Y-yes."
"Who is the child's father?"
"I… don't know."
"I see. On to questions about the boy before we conclude. What is his name?"
"Adia Quinn."
"Are you his mother?"
"Yes."
"Who is his father?"
"George Quinn."
"Is he the father of the child residing in your womb?"
"I don't… no."
"Did he come to this world with you?"
"I don't think so."
"How old is Adia?"
"Ten."
"When did he start using magic?"
"About a month or so ago."
The chamber was filled with mummers as the cloaked figures spoke among themselves, but their murmurs were short lived.
"Alright, before we continue further I must ask: are you willing to spend the rest of your life here?" Lham asked.
"As long as I can be with Adia, yes."
"Are you willing to join our order to achieve that goal?"
"Yes."
"And are you willing to subject your body to changes that will help you serve our order efficiently even if those changes come with the risk of death?"
"Yes."
"Good. But before fully accept you into our hold, we must rid your body of that thing."
I looked down at my bare tummy before looking into Lham's unshaking golden eyes.
"Alright."
"Lie down please."
I did as Lham instructed and slept on the cold golden platform.
One of the hooded figures then walked up to me before raising his hands.
A handful of small green lights rose from my tummy and in that moment, tears fell from my eyes as my vision darkened.
I bit my teeth as the last of the green lights disappeared into the air.
"Good. Now we shall anoint you with divine waters and while you join me in reciting the Oath of Hands." Lham said as two of the hooded figures approached me with bowls in their hands.
They then poured what looked like water onto my body as Lham raised his hands.
"I am the hand that holds up the cradle atop which the sun sits" Lham said and I repeated after.
The light above intensified as the other hooded figures all raised their hands.
"I am a vessel for his light and by the will of Summus, I will serve him for as long as my body moves "
I repeated what Lham said as tears fell from my eyes.
"Alongside his lances I shall protect the these halls and with these hands shall they remain cleansed!"
Lham yelled and I cried out the words in response.
"Good. Unfortunately, this marks only the beginning of your initiation which will conclude after you have undergone intense testing and modification. Are you still sure you want to join our order? I ask so repeatedly because the penalty for even the slightest betrayal is death."
"I'm sure." I said weakly.
This was it!
If I survived the initiation, I'd be armed with the means to better protect Adia and Lham looked like he definitely knew a lot about the Great Collision.
With his help, I could get Adia back home.