Chapter 33
Title: The Ceremony
As he finished speaking, our attention shifted to the back line troops approaching the gates, Gyra at their lead.
They were all wearing the same expression the others had when they arrived: wide-eyed awe, heads swiveling to take in the scope of our new camp. A mixture of disbelief and wonder painted across every face.
"Find a bed in the barracks and meet at the stadium by 6 p.m.," I called out as I approached them. "I don't care what you do until then, just don't be late."
"Yes, Commander!" they sang, snapping to attention the instant they recognized me.
Lace stepped up beside me just as Gyra came forward.
"Gyra, how'd it go on your end?" he asked.
She beamed. "Extremely well. They all have a natural affinity for magic and picked up everything I taught them faster than expected. Honestly, I was shocked, they finished a week early, so I spent the last few days introducing advanced spells."
"That's great to hear. And thanks again, Gyra," I added, giving her a nod. "We couldn't have done this without you."
She smiled, genuine, warm. "Of course. If it's you asking, I'd never say no."
Then, she hesitated. Her expression softened, and her tone dipped into something more serious. "Basil… these past three months made me realize something. I want to join the Legion. Not just help, I want to be a part of this. So if it's okay with you… I'd like to stay. Permanently."
Lace tensed beside me.
I looked at her, the weight of her words sinking in. She wasn't just offering help, she was offering herself to this life. To our life. She was the first friend I made after escaping the cube, a constant when I had nothing. And Lace… I knew what she meant to him, too.
"I'll think about it," I said. "I just got back and I'm dead on my feet. I'll give you an answer tomorrow."
"Oh… okay." Her head dipped slightly, disappointment flashing in her eyes.
"There's a room already set up for you in the main building," I added. "Rest there tonight."
I turned to Lace. "You too. That building will be our main residence from now on."
He nodded, and we both watched Gyra walk off, shoulders low, a small storm cloud hanging above her spirit.
Once she was out of earshot, I asked quietly, "What do you think?"
Lace exhaled through his nose. "Unbiasedly, sir? She'd make an excellent backline captain. Maybe even a sentinel. But personally… I care for her too much to consider it. I know she's strong. I know she can protect herself. But if something ever happened to her out there…"
"I understand," I said. "We'll talk more tomorrow. Now's not the time."
The next few hours passed in planning. Lace and I discussed how to handle troop training while I was away instructing the Empress. It was another reason Gyra's offer tempted me, she'd be an invaluable addition during my absence. Not just as a magic instructor, but as someone the troops trusted. Someone I trusted.
By the time 6 p.m. rolled around, the entire Legion was assembled in perfect formation at the center of the camp. With the new arrivals, our numbers had swelled to around 7,000. Some would return to Baris's legion after the war, but we had more than enough "backups" now to keep our strength.
The stadium stood tall around us, our flags rippling in the evening breeze, one bearing the imperial crest, the other: the unassuming white banner of the Black Legion.
I stood on the stage. Gyra, Lace, and Thomas joined me.
I looked out over the crowd. Hardened soldiers. Fresh recruits. Survivors. My army.
"Good evening," I began, my voice amplified by mana. "Let me start by saying, I'm proud of every single one of you. In just three months, you've become something more than soldiers. You've become Black Legion."
A murmur of pride rippled through the crowd.
"You've endured hell, death, pain, and loss, and still, you stood. I'm not sure what the Empress expected of us, but I do know this, she'll be very surprised by what we've become and how much of a… Problem we will be on the battlefield."
A few quiet chuckles passed through the front ranks.
"We'll be holding an official ceremony tomorrow," I continued. "We'll honor our new captains. Assign you to your permanent battalions. And most importantly, we'll select our final Sentinels."
Silence followed. Anticipation thickened the air like fog.
"I want everyone at their best. The Empress herself will be in attendance. Along with a handful of nobles. I expect order. Discipline. Pride. Tomorrow, we show the world what the Black Legion really is."
A pause.
"Until then… rest. Congratulate your comrades. Explore the camp. Settle in."
I stepped back.
"Dismissed."
The crowd saluted as one, the echo of their boots hitting the earth like a heartbeat. The heartbeat of one unit.
I stepped down from the podium, boots echoing against the stone, and walked off the stage. One by one, Lace, Thomas, and Gyra fell in behind me. As I made my way through the lines of soldiers, they snapped to attention, then dispersed from formation dissolving with precision and discipline.
By the time I reached my quarters in the main building, the weight of command was starting to sink into my shoulders. I shut the door behind me and went straight for the private bath I'd had built into my room. The water was hot, almost scalding, but I welcomed the sting, the way it soothed my tired bones.
"I needed that," I murmured to no one, sinking into the steam. "Can't even remember the last time I could just… relax."
When the heat finally softened the tension from my muscles, I leaned back and pulled up my stat screens, scrolling through them lazily.
"Damn… I've been so focused on everyone else, I've completely neglected my own growth," I muttered. "Hopefully after I finish training the Empress, I can finally focus on leveling up again, and explore this skill creation power I have."
I barely remembered climbing into bed before I let the sweat whisper of sleep take me.
The next day
One hour before the ceremony.
"No, let's move all the chairs over there, facing away from the sun," I said, pointing to a shaded area in front of the stage. "I don't want our guests blinded before they've even sat down."
"Understood, Commander," one of the new recruits replied with a sharp salute before jogging off to relay the orders.
I watched him direct his team efficiently, their movements coordinated, fast. Everything was falling into place.
"Things are going smoothly for once," I muttered, just loud enough to jinx it.
Right on cue, a rumble of hooves and wheels echoed from the tree-lined road leading into camp. A caravan of gilded carriages rolled toward the base. My jaw tightened.
"Perhaps I spoke too soon," I sighed.
One of my men quickly stepped up to guide the procession, leading the carriages into a neat line along the path. Each one bore the sigil of a noble house etched proudly into the doors, golden crests, silver beasts, jeweled swords. All except one.
One carriage stood out, sleek and majestic, adorned in crimson, gold, and ivory. It bore no family seal, only a single flag: the banner of the Empire itself.
"That must be her…" I murmured, already moving toward it.
The carriage came to a stop just in front of me. The driver, a short, grizzled dwarf with a thick white beard and sharp eyes, hopped down with surprising grace and swung open the door.
And then—
She launched out of the carriage like a cannonball.
She wasn't dressed like royalty. She wore a guardian's field gear: scuffed black boots, reinforced trousers threatening to split at the seams from her proportions, and a weather-worn tunic half-hidden beneath a gleaming breastplate made of iridescent draconic steel. The polished metal caught the sunlight and shimmered in hues of gold, green, and violet. Her fiery red hair was tied in her usual messy ponytail, with two delicate braids tucked behind her ears, framing her face like flickering flames.
Time slowed as she leapt, no, flew, toward me.
Loose strands of hair whipped across her cheeks, catching the wind like fire in motion. Her ruby-red eyes locked onto mine, already smiling before her lips caught up. The moment our gazes met, it was like the whole world paused for her arrival.
And then she hit me like a meteor.
I caught her while almost falling over myself, and she hugged me so tight I could feel the blood circulation in my chest being cut off.
"I've missed you so much, Basil! I've been so bored without you!" she exclaimed.
"Haha, it's only been three months, your majesty. But it's good to see you too," I said back.
Right after, a woman dressed in a formal gown stepped down from the carriage, careful to use each step to make sure she didn't fall. The driver grabbed her hand and helped her down the steps.
"This place reeks of sweaty men and mud," she said in a disgusted voice as her heel touched the stone ground. She gave a slight nod to the driver as thanks, then picked up the base of her dress slightly and walked toward me, who was still being hugged by the Empress. She rolled her eyes in disappointment.
"Your Majesty, do you really think now is the time or place to be doing that?" she asked in a worried voice. Her eyes then met mine. "Basileus," she said with slight annoyance in her tone.
"Julie, so very nice to see you again," I said with a smile.
Right after, a familiar voice from within the carriage began speaking.
"Ahhh, this smell. How I've missed it so much!" he said as he poked his head out, smiling wide.
"Adian! They didn't send word that you would be coming! It's great to see you!" I said, pleasantly surprised.
"Ha, Master Basil, you certainly look different," he said, stepping down from the carriage. "But yes, Lace asked me to come and officially join the ranks, said it would be a waste to leave me in the capital to watch over Vex now that she's almost done with her research."
"I see! That's great news. I've missed my drinking partner!" We both laughed.
As the rest of the nobles got off their carriages, each one had something different to say as they looked at me and the way the Empress was stuck on me like paint. Most whispered just loud enough for only me to hear, but others voiced their opinions openly, not bothering to hide their disapproval. It was enough to make Julie visibly more uncomfortable the longer we stood there.
I peeled the Empress off of me. "Your Majesty, allow me to show you to your seats. Once everyone is seated, we can start the ceremony."
"Tch," she clicked her tongue. "What happened to calling me Ria?" she muttered under her breath.
My smile twitched slightly.
'You can't be serious… in a situation like this, that's what you're concerned about?' I thought to myself.
"So what's with the get-up?" I asked as we walked toward the stage.
"Oh, I don't find dresses very comfortable. And since I'll be staying here from today onward, I figured I'd just wear my training gear. Besides, it's not like anyone will care, we're on a base, after all," she responded as she and I walked side by side, with Adian and Julie following behind, having their own conversation.
"Yeah, that's probably true. I doubt anyone would say what you're wearing is inappropriate. Although… it would've been nice to see you in a dres—" I stopped walking. "WAIT, WHAT?" I blinked, trying to process what I'd just heard. "What do you mean you're staying here?" I asked.
She giggled evilly. "Well, you promised to train me for three months, and according to our deal, that started yesterday. But considering you were still out doing who knows what until yesterday, I figured why wait for you to come to me when I could just come to you! Since I had to be here for the ceremony anyway, might as well stay afterward. Besides, the Elders and the Council already approved it. No one would be dumb enough to try and assassinate me on a military base, and if they did, they'd have to get through you first!"
Disbelief spread across my face. "And where do you plan on staying exactly?" I asked.
"Hmmm… I guess I'll take your room," she said, tapping her lips with a finger.
"Ha… haha, I see. Help yourself to whatever, then. I'll just go sleep with the horses." I started walking forward again, my dreams of hot, relaxing baths slowly fading out of existence. "I wonder what's on the menu tonight at the stables. Haha… probably carrots and mush," I muttered in a disassociated voice.
"I wouldn't mind sharing the room, dumbass," Ria said under her breath as I walked past her. She began walking beside me as we continued toward the stage.
"Did she just—?" Adian said.
"Yep," Julie replied, rolling her eyes.
Ria had forgotten that Julie and Adian were right behind her, so when she spoke under her breath, they both heard her.
I showed them to their seats and took my place on the stage, joined by Lace. The rest of the nobles were shown to their seats by some of the men who'd been put on event duty. Once everyone was seated, I gave Lace a nod.