Venster continued with his thought, "I know it was short notice, but from what I understand it was decided just this morning. When Fort couldn't get a hold of you, he realized you were in the Dream Realm, and I was sent to deliver the news. I hope it doesn't come as too much of a shock."
"It's no shock at all, just sudden." Noble had known that it would eventually be claimed.
The recent transcendence of three government Saints had made her wonder if one would be assigned to Crestfall. It seemed her hunch was correct.
'Saint Jet, hm? Interesting.'
"Well, we better not keep our Saint waiting." Noble turned her attention to the third member of the group. "You may join us if you like Awakened Hamish."
The redheaded young man seemed to lose the ability to speak momentarily, but he managed a nod.
'He must really appreciate her a lot.'
It made sense. Saint Soul Reaper was one of the government's biggest heroes alongside Saint Raised by Wolves and Saint Nightingale.
There had been other notable warriors as well, but none of them immediately came to mind.
'Jet was even declared dead only to come back stronger than ever!'
Soul Reaper had already garnered a lot of respect from Noble from the first time they met, and her recent exploits had only heightened that esteem.
"I am looking forward to seeing her again," the professor spoke her thought aloud.
"You've met her before?" Hamish found his voice as they made their way toward the palace.
"I saw her briefly before she left on the Southern Campaign. If she remembers me, it would be due to my husband, Fort." Noble recalled how the woman had once saved her husband's life.
How many more had she saved by going to Antarctica and facing off against untold horrors?
The men fell into a steady jog while Noble floated along beside them. They fell into a comfortable silence as they drew closer to the stained glass window.
Thankfully, Noble had found someone to complete the artwork with the piece of glass from her former room.
Now the waving flowers looked alive once again, resembling the world that the plain once was.
'It would be nice if they looked like that again.'
It was one of the few things Noble liked about the Nightmare. She had found nowhere in either the Dream Realm or the Waking World that had beautiful endless fields like that anymore. The few places of green that did exist were usually perilous or closely guarded.
With a soft sigh, Noble pressed forward until they had reached the doors to the palace. They were open, allowing in the late morning air and sunshine.
Inside, a woman with raven black hair was standing and studying a strange sculpture by the gateway. Her icy blue eyes contemplated the belated addition to the front hall.
Beside the gateway, an ancient sword had been thrust into the marble floor and was standing proudly with a silver radiance. The stone had not only split but formed around the tip of the sword to hold it in place forever, or at least until the palace fell a second time.
Seeing the trio heading towards her, Jet gave a half smile. "It looks like the welcome party has arrived."
"Saint Jet," Venster dipped his head. "I am Chancellor Gui's assistant, Awakened Venster." He motioned to the floating woman beside him. "You remember Master Noble."
"Indeed, I do. Quite a name you have been making for yourself lately." Jet raised one eyebrow at the other lady.
'Is she talking about my ascension, being Queen Bee, or something else entirely?' Noble wondered.
Unlike most people, Jet's emotions were very hard to read. They were both there and not there, giving Noble an incomplete picture.
"Quite a compliment from one of the world's newest Saints! It is good to see you." The professor accepted Jet's handshake gladly. "This is one of my former students, Awakened Hamish."
Noble wondered if the young man would be able to speak after his previous vocal paralysis.
To her surprise, Hamish bowed elegantly. "It is my honor, Saint Jet."
Jet's smile grew a little wider. "Are you sure you aren't a knight of Valor?" Chuckling softly, her head tilted toward the sword by the gateway. "Speaking of knights, if I pull it out does that make me the ruler of England?"
"Only if your name is Arthur, if my memory serves me correctly," Noble remembered the king of the ancient legend. "You know your history."
Jet's smile faded as her clear blue eyes clouded for a moment. "I didn't used to care about the past, but…someone along the way gave me an appreciation for it."
"Ah, well, the history behind that sword is very tragic but no less noble. It belonged to the real-life version of someone I knew in the Nightmare. My cohort members and I found the sword and placed it there as a memorial."
Jet looked at the weapon with new respect. "It's nice that you found a way to honor him."
Noble wondered how long it would be before a memorial to those who died in the Southern Campaign would be built. With the way things were moving, it would be quite some time.
"Feel free to use it as your own place of remembrance as well." Noble offered.
"Thanks, but I like learning about the past, not reliving it." Jet's smile became strained.
Noble had no response to that. People each had their own way of coping.
"Either way, welcome to Crestfall. I assume I was called to tell you more about the citadel? I can do that now or after you claim it if you prefer."
Jet could have already put her mark and taken possession of the Gateway, but Noble sensed that it had not yet been done. She must have been waiting for them to make the transfer official.
"I will learn as I go for however long I'm here. The old man will tell you that I prefer on-the-job training."
'For as long as she is here? Does she not plan on staying?' Noble's face betrayed her thoughts, because Jet nodded slowly.
"The landscape of the Dream Realm is changing quickly and the government is going to need to keep up. I will go wherever I am needed to help humanity's cause, so my stay may not be permanent."
It made sense, and Noble could not fault her logic. In the Dream Realm, it was important to be flexible. For Jet, that flexibility included her home citadel.
"We are glad to have you for however long you are here." The professor floated backwards to give her space and the two men followed suit.
Jet cracked her knuckles, and for a moment, Noble thought she might destroy the gateway instead of tether herself to it.
But then Jet laid her hand on the Gateway. Seconds passed, and nothing seemed to happen.
But then, Noble felt a subtle pull within herself as the air around her shifted. Before, she and Sarai were the closest thing the Gateway had to a champion.
But not anymore.
Now, Saint Jet was the master of Crestfall.
Noble exhaled.
It felt like a burden was lifted from her. Jet hadn't asked for anything, merely offered to take the mantle of responsibility with no questions asked.
Yet Noble couldn't shake the feeling that all the change meant was that she would find another mantle to take on.
And that thought worried her.
While Jet finished binding herself to the citadel, Venster interrupted Noble's silent musings.
"Master Noble? There was something else I needed to tell you."