Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided-Chapter 277. Knighted and Celebration

7 September 2539 CE, The Backroom of the Hall of Heroes.

In a spacious dressing room large enough to accommodate an entire family unit, two canine Wildren maids in light blue uniforms shifted around Zetius, helping him into a new, silvery-white arc coat.

"Spin slightly this way, Lord Zetius," one maid said, her tone polite and soft to the ears.

He did so willingly, his eyes still fixated on his reflection in the four-metre-tall mirror. Everything about this place screamed of Celestius Virtius Nyra's ostentatious approach.

"Are we done soon?" Zetius groaned at the maids.

They shook their heads apologetically. Another girl fidgeted with silver chains attaching the shoulder armour, while another worked her way up his legs with his arc boots.

Clearly, this wasn't meant to be practical; he couldn't shed this entire ensemble in anything less than a few minutes. This had already taken half an hour and counting. He couldn't figure out which hole was for an arm and which was for ventilation or a stylish choice.

The outfit was a messy pile of fabrics layered with ornate, intricate details. Small armour plates, cliplinks, and jewellery decorated even the smallest surface, leaving nothing dull. However, the theme and colour palette toned down the vibrant, loud aesthetic usually associated with House Nyra.

"Quit whining, Zeta," Astrid retorted from the reflection behind him. "It's a big day, and you need to dress the part."

She pointed at him with a teaspoon. The Lunarius was already donned in her new, darker crimson armour, though without the unusual cape this time. She and Cubie sat at the tea table in comfy, velvety, cushioned chairs.

"Yeah!" Cubie chirped as she chewed on a pastry. "Unless you come with the dress like me, you got no complaint!"

They threw their heads back and laughed maniacally. Cubie mimicked Astrid's laughter with almost chilling perfection.

Zetius sighed. The two seemed to be teaming up on him lately. He couldn't help but make a face as the maid asked him to extend his arms to the sides. Another maid came in from behind to clip on the long half-cape, which contained a subtle iridescent sheen that caught the light at certain angles.

It felt too feminine for his liking, but he suppressed his complaint.

The entire dress-up went on for another ten minutes. As uncomfortable as he felt, it was eventually finished.

"How do you like it, my lord?" the maid asked, resting her clasped hands on her thighs.

"It's okay… And I'm not a lord, sorry." Zetius took a long, narcissistic look at the mirror. He looked grand, powerful, and beautiful. A combination of descriptors that shouldn't go together, at least in his mind.

"You look dandy," Astrid appeared behind him, wearing a wry smile with too many teeth showing. "Like a princess!"

"And you, my friend, look like a very strong prince," Zetius countered.

"Do I?" she raised her brows, stunned for a second before the joke sank in. She slapped her thigh and laughed wildly.

Zetius rolled his eyes, taking no offence, and turned to show himself to Cubie.

"Good!" The blue girl gestured with a thumbs-up before returning to her confectionery tower.

"Any discomfort, my lord?" another maid with short hair probed demurely.

"None," Zetius said firmly. He adjusted the collar slightly; it wasn't as heavy as it looked. "Appreciate your help, ladies."

He nodded and smiled at the maids, who started to retreat to their carts and performed a curtsy in perfect synchrony.

The double Phantomwood doors groaned with a soft creak as the maids' footsteps waned into the distance. Simultaneously, bustling footsteps echoed from the hallway.

"Zetius!"

It was an excited voice he hadn't expected to hear again since the battle of the Alps two weeks ago.

Red locks caught the corner of his eye. Big red eyes stared at him with the sparkling intensity of a million stars. Marionette, in a lavish off-white dress, led the party. Ryusei, Friederich, and Aurelia marched close behind.

"Mother…?" Zetius's jaw dropped, dazed. He had no recollection of information regarding her whereabouts, but now she was here, right in front of him.

"Mother?" Cubie raised her face in perplexity.

With frantic steps, Zetius's mother beelined toward him with open arms. Her eyes glinted on the verge of tears.

"Oh, my little boy!" Marionette brought him into a tight hug and kissed his cheeks, left and right. She smelled nice, lush, and sweet, just like he remembered her. Though he'd swear her skin tone was more tanned than when he last saw her.

"Mother." Zetius tightened his jaw, feeling the warmth radiating from her body. He gently brushed her back as she brushed his.

Still in the tight embrace, Zetius squinted his eyes at Friederich, looking for a culprit. The elven friend shrugged, pointing toward Aurelia.

"Surprise!" Aurelia exclaimed lightheartedly as she waved her palms in the air.

"When I heard of your rebirth, I couldn't believe it!" Marionette said as she parted from him, her fingers tracing his jawline and cheeks delicately, as if she were afraid to hurt him.

"I'm here, alive and well," Zetius reassured with a smile.

"It's a miracle. A true miracle, even the gods couldn't separate us," Marionette repeated, squeezing his hand to feel his existence.

"Mother, there are so, so many tales and stories I'd love to tell you, but for now..." Zetius took her hand and led her toward Astrid and Cubie, who stood awkwardly nearby. Barefoot.

"Astrid, my dear!" Marionette exclaimed and hurled herself into the tall lady's arms. They locked into a tight hug for a warm moment.

"Marie, you've been gone for so long. Knowing that free spirit of yours, I still started to worry," Astrid whispered, burying her face into her shoulder.

"Still can't call me Mom for once, can you?" Marionette quipped, keeping her voice low for only the two of them.

"I'd rather not call you mother if Zeta does," Astrid dismissed her, a weird smile on her face.

"Why?" Marionette leaned closer to Astrid's ear. "Have you forgotten that I breastfed you when you were little?"

"Okay… Mom, stop it! It's embarrassing!" she hissed back, hiding her easily reddened face as they parted.

As Marionette spun back, she found Zetius clasping her shoulder, his other hand pulling the glowing girl into the scene. Marionette was so completely overwhelmed and overstimulated that the human lightbulb hadn't been the first thing she noticed in the room.

"Mother, this is Cubellina, but everyone calls her Cubie," Zetius introduced with a charming smile.

Nervously, Cubie extended her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Queen Marionette."

Marionette reluctantly hovered her hand, her brows knitted.

Before the silent awkwardness could torment them any longer, Zetius chimed in. "She's my daughter."

The magic words seemed to take effect. Marionette inflated with joy as she clasped Cubie's hands. "You're the granddaughter, then!"

"That would have made sense biologically, but…" Cubie let out a dry smile.

"Awww, you're so adorable and gorgeous!" Marionette brought her into an embrace, bouncing on her feet with energy.

A collective chuckle escaped the group's lips at the sight.

"This is the long-overdue family reunion, I wager." Ryusei joined the group, performing a polite nod at his queen and then at Zetius.

"Right? Right?" Aurelia came later with Friederich as her shadow.

They exchanged a few pleasantries, but before things could spiral out of control, Astrid cleared her throat.

"Everyone, the sun isn't up forever. Shall we head out now—please?" Astrid urged, tapping her gauntlet.

Zetius and the Solis Aeternum entourage shuffled casually through the carpeted floor that stretched far and wide. The rows of doors and windows might have felt like a maze at first, but they did not find it difficult to navigate at all. They just followed where the people flowed.

The nobles and high officials in their ornate ceremonial uniforms wore Osten's emblem on their chests. Their civilised conversation and laughter echoed through the patterned walls.

Eventually, Zetius's party arrived at the circular landing where a few groups of people queued to be admitted onto the mezzanine floor that hosted the massive, lavish function.

"You must be Solis Aeternum's esteemed guests," a receptionist said with a curtsy before ticking a notepad in her hands.

"Thank you, dear." Ryusei's hand crossed his chest with gratitude, beckoning the rest to pass through the flower-decorated entrance.

As Zetius suspected, it was a bustling restaurant featuring the finest imported delicacies and beverages from the seven continents. A celebration and feast for the entire day. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

However, this wasn't a conventional restaurant. Floating constructs, shaped like metallic discs, fluttered about and served the customers with whirring precision.

As expected, the air was sucked out of the room. The cacophony of sound waned into a low murmur as they spotted Zetius. Some watched him with admiration, some with intimidation, some with amazement. As they made their way past the central walkway, the joyous sound slowly returned.

This chamber was much, much grander than any place he had been in. Osten flags in royal blue peeked out from the pillars at regular intervals. Between each pillar stood meticulous marble statues of heroes from the past, surrounding the main auditorium below. That was where the general public was seated for the occasion; there were already hundreds of people down there.

The furthest wall seemed to draw curious gazes from the audience due to its grand brass organ, with curved pipes arranged like a massive waterfall. The organ roofed over a raised circular platform, which had ten-metre staircases rising up and around, connecting to the platform from the sides.

"This is the Hall of Heroes?" Cubie chirped, overwhelmed by the stimulus. Aurelia nodded kindly.

There were minor details of sculptural architecture, tapestries, and scripture everywhere, as though the entire history of the world was engraved into its walls.

"It's really incredible," Astrid murmured, sweeping her eyes around. "Look, that's Celestius Nyrethein!" she pointed out a distinguished group of dark elven mages. The silver-haired siblings were undoubtedly Nyrethein and Magnus Primarch Stephen.

"Ah." Zetius's gaze met Nyrethein's, recalling that Nyrethein made her Lunarius to trap him inside the Dreamless realm for months. Still, the striking woman made a small gesture of a toast to him before returning to her group.

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Next to her was the burly tiger Animori, who was lost in liquor and discussion. Lunarius Luger was his name. The head staff, Stefanie Pavo, and some of their slave maids, including Alice Warren, were there catering to their entourage as well.

Perhaps they aren't fans of the catering constructs provided here, Zetius thought to himself. Who knows.

After drifting through the crowd, their table displaying their flag was easy enough to spot at the very protruding edge, the area with the best view of the auditorium below.

There was a recurring theme here: Friederich ushered Aurelia to her seat, Zetius ushered Cubie, and Ryusei escorted Marionette. Soon, they settled into their seats effortlessly; the chairs were cushioned adequately and felt very soft and comfortable even for long seating.

"How tall is this chamber?" Zetius's voice echoed as he tilted his head skyward, breathtaking at the scene.

The arched ceiling soared fifty metres overhead, dominated by a circular masterpiece: the Divine Finale. It immortalised the sealing of the Titan Cronos, trapping him within a spherical barrier amidst a siege of deities — Zeus with his lightning, Apollo with his bow, Thanatos with his blades, Ares with his spear, and so on.

"If only we knew what the sphere represented from the start, we could've prepared better for the Sixth Apocalypse," proclaimed Maldiv, the Master Scribe of Noctua, who appeared next to the table and wore a stern look on his face.

"Ah, right. Master Scribe." Zetius stood up and extended his arm as politely as he could. To his surprise, the elven Master Scribe returned the gesture with a forearm clasp.

Maldiv was followed by a cat Wildren scribe, Cartier Di Joy, who gave him a reserved wave.

"Unfortunately, our timeline is like a flowing stream from the mountain; once it flows, it cannot reverse," Maldiv continued, his words rolling effortlessly. "It's a bad analogy, if you happen to consider the rain cycle."

Zetius frowned, confused about where he was going with this. He felt a little more defensive than he cared to admit.

Maldiv smiled genuinely. "I'd like to thank you personally for your contribution, Champion of Gaia." He bowed his head slightly. "And also, I'd like to introduce myself to the Solis Aeternum's royals and my newly appointed valedictorian."

Maldiv gestured to Cartier, showing her off like a proud sponsor. A crystal crest of a Noctua owl was pinned prominently on her scholarly mantle.

"It's our greatest pleasure, Master Scribe." Ryusei rose to bow at Maldiv and exchanged a gentle smile with Cartier. "We have indeed met before, Cartier, when you were a ward of the Astral Empress. Time may erode me, but it does elevate you to new heights. Congratulations."

"Your kind words, Ryusei-sama. I recall we discussed Byakko's origin and your renowned band of samurai," Cartier replied promptly, acting awfully more reserved than she usually was.

Cubie couldn't hold back a mischievous chuckle. In a sense, it was like an act or a mask they had to put on. It seemed Cartier had out-matured Cubie this time.

Gratified, Maldiv's smile never faltered. "Perhaps we should re-establish the lost connection we had in the past, Prime Minister Ryusei."

And there, they went straight to business, causing Zetius's smile to dim.

Once the food started to roll out and was served to their long tables, Zetius eventually found a quiet window of time to study the people in the function hall.

On the right, he spotted Celestius Vivian and her Virgo mages in their veiled black uniforms, smiling and gossiping in a demure manner. Triss Mercy was also sitting with them, looking brighter and happier, her appearance the picture of health.

The adjacent table was also occupied by Stellius mages of Virgo, with Lunarius Willhelm in the middle. Unsurprisingly, the charming elf was practically weaponising his experience with demonic possession to draw their intrigue and attention. The ladies chuckled at his jokes, swarming the man with unusual lack of reserve.

As if he knew that Zetius was looking, the elf made a finger gun at him and winked before cracking a couple more jokes for the ladies. Zetius shook his head, amused.

In the centre, Zetius found the group of tall white rabbit ears — the Hoffmann family as the Germund representatives. Magistrate Ludwig, Petra, and all the arcanist siblings were there. Frain and Lupus sat next to one another, engaged in another food competition with the young twins.

His lost love, Lupus, smiled ear-to-ear as she wiped the tomato sauce off the twins' faces. Zetius smiled dumbly. He genuinely felt happy for her. Although it would be a lie if he said he didn't feel the heaviness in his chest. It would be a lie if he said he didn't want to be at that table with her, hearing her laughter.

Before the feeling became too heavy, Zetius forced a smile and was readied to move on. A hand brushed his white knuckles. Marionette looked at him with motherly worry.

"You look pale. You don't like the scallops?" his mother asked, wrinkling her forehead.

"No, I'm waiting for the roasted wagyu," he committed a white lie, lifting his wine to his lips and letting the aroma wash away his sorrow.

"Astrid, is your father really courting that snake?" Aurelia whispered, though Zetius could hear every word.

A vein of disapproval bulged in Astrid's forehead. "That old boy! Damn it!" she growled and curled her fists, but somehow, she seemed to accept it as a hard fact.

Zetius followed their gaze, which led to a table of Solis Aeternum's officials and generals. Sandria Meinhardt, Lume Ember Lorne, Rye Au Norm, and others were situated there. The atmosphere of affection between them was palpable.

He spotted Virtius Nyra striding toward Vivian's table, where she offered him a seat.

At another table sat the stone-like knight, the disciple of Capricorn — Celestius Whisper. It appeared to him that Vivian, Virtius, and Whisper were the closest group among the Celestius. At the same table, Lunarius Canis Wolfgang and his prime disciple, Lampi, were talking, diving deep into a rabbit hole of conversation. The sweet, pink-haired Wildren was discussing something about the design of the venue. Canis was even more expressive, weaving his hands around as he shared his opinion with her. If Zetius could believe his eyes, Canis had even managed to sneak Steve into his table somehow.

If anyone can, it's Canis, who can pull that off. Zetius chuckled.

In the far corner, at the table where the light was dimmest, sat the League of Shadowbringers in their noir cloaks; the darkness and gloom filled the void around them.

"Hmm…" Zetius had to squint to single out the faces, as they were all wearing similar Shadowbringer attire with raven-black hair.

Celestius Jovian was there with his back turned; the man seemed able to walk again with a cane. However, Zetius couldn't find Ziyue in the pile somehow, now that she had dyed her hair black. She wouldn't stand out like she did with the two-tone bob.

She would have hated to be in this Hall of Heroes, Zetius thought. It is too loud and vulnerable.

He chuckled to himself, though he had no way of knowing if she was actually attending, as the fierce lady often left him on read.

By another far wall was a strangely empty table occupied by just two bewitching ladies. But Zetius already recognised them: Celestius Elenore, his made-up wife, and Celestius Serene, the assumed succubus he had met in the cave. They wore ornate arcanist dresses, dark purple for Elenore and riven black for Serene. Their untamable beauty radiated even from this distance.

"Hello, there. You must be Zetius Zel Celerius." A voice called to him from behind, startling him. Zetius spun to see an unfamiliar face, a brown-skinned lady with dreamy dark eyes. The aura exuding from her was powerful; without a doubt, he reckoned she must be a Celestius mage.

"Caelia!" Marionette exclaimed exuberantly. Her chair creaked against the carpet as she rose sharply to hug the newcomer.

"This is Caelia Adreas, Celestius of Taurus," Marionette introduced her to the party.

"I believe my prototype Artimas gauntlet has served you well, darling." Caelia was a stern woman on the surface, but her words were genuinely kind.

"It did, Celestius," Zetius replied promptly, yet there was a pang of regret in his voice. He remembered totalling that prized possession, the invaluable gift that Aurora had given him.

"Perfect then." Caelia nodded with her eyes closed.

Marionette pulled her arm away. "Please excuse us." She and his mother took off to catch up at Caelia's table.

Now that he thought about it, it was probably the first time he had seen this many members of the Zodiac Council in one place. It was akin to the stars finally aligning.

Just when Zetius thought he had recognised everyone in the room, his gaze fell upon a broad back and short dark hair. The man wore a civilian tuxedo suit, looking as sharp as ever. Despite the cacophony of sounds, Zetius singled out that boisterous, tipsy laughter without fail.

"Is that truly David?" Zetius gasped, rising slowly.

He walked toward the guests and service constructs with ease, twisting his torso to squeeze through the crowd. Amongst the Thylin officials, his old gentleman was there, beers in both hands.

"David?" Zetius called out, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

"Huh?" David spun, looking at him funnily. He didn't seem to understand who the young man in front of him was, perhaps partially due to the alcohol.

"Don't you remember me? It's Zetius!" Zetius said, pointing at himself. Too late, he was supposed to introduce himself as Jack Squire.

"Um, who? I'm just here for the free drinks, mate," David said, his smile fading.

Suddenly, the man's face split into a wide grin, and he spread his arms.

"Aha! Gotcha, Jackie!" he laughed boisterously.

"You knew?" Zetius mumbled, squeezing his friend's shoulder as they parted.

"Oh, my good man," David said, studying him top to bottom, "How could I forget my best friend?"

A low chuckle escaped his lips. Zetius studied his friend's eyes.

"How have you been?"

"Well, nothing too crazy like yours, it seems. I couldn't retire for long, so work with this crew now," David gestured to the Thylin people, the nation that had shredded its ties with Dunkelheit completely and allied with Solis Aeternum.

David looked at him, understanding in his eyes, "You've been living through hell and high water, haven't you? From mech pilot to saviour arcanist. I wouldn't believe it if it weren't for the Jack Squire!"

A faint smile touched his big face.

Zetius nodded slowly. The old times in the Lunar Base, where they shared drinks and laughter, washed onto the shore of his memory.

"I knew you were set for greatness, Zetius—is it? That's your real name?" he smiled from ear to ear.

"Right… And—" Zetius glanced across the room, finding Lupus at the Hoffmann table. A part of him died a little.

A hand squeezed his slumped shoulder reassuringly. "I understand. Not every battle is a win, not everything is salvageable. DebrisX had taught us that, right?"

"My friend, you seem to read my mind like an open book," Zetius chuckled, though he didn't find it amusing.

"Because we're like peas in the same pod. Come! One more drink with me!"

Two beers arrived in David's hands out of the blue. He handed one to Zetius. The peer pressure was immense, but Zetius's mentality was to never back down from a battle.

"Cheers!"

Zetius and David downed the pints amidst cheers from the surrounding guests.

"Another! Another!" someone yelled with enthusiasm.

"That's alright for now," David raised his hands to stop the rousing crowd. "Go get it, Zetius!"

They clasped arms for a long moment before Zetius spun and strode away, his steps confident.

The evening came at last. Virtius Nyra stood at the podium, giving the speech. He started with a confident tone that commanded the entire auditorium; the people, public and nobles alike kept quiet to hear his words.

The eldest Celestius spent the first few sentences welcoming the notable parties from Solis Aeternum, Vinveil, Poranthis, Germund, and many others. He then talked about the perseverance of people and arcanists, noting that there wasn't much difference in mentality between them.

"The Alps, the prideful peak of Montelia, might be destroyed, but we know that the lives of the Montelia people were not shredded. Remember, we could always recreate the mountain, but the souls of the fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, could never be restored."

His voice echoed with grace. "We might lose the pride of the mountain, but the world is saved."

That earned him collective nods and polite cheers from the crowd.

Low organ music played in the background, filling the air with grandeur and awe as he proceeded with the ceremonial investiture. The group of heroes and heroines lined up: Willhelm and the disciples of Aries, Lupus, Frain, Cubie, Triss, and Cartier.

One by one, Virtius personally pinned the gold medal on their fabrics and thanked them for their courage with a light smile. The atmosphere brimmed with glory; the golden radiance from the chandelier reflected off the golden organ. It was mythical and surreal.

Lastly, the silver-haired man in ornate white walked up the platform, climbing the long stairs. Zetius could already hear the crowds go wild with their applause and cheers, leaving no room for doubt.

Straightening himself with grace, Zetius rose to the top platform beside Virtius. From this high vantage point, he could see the gleaming eyes of the people filling the auditorium and the mezzanine. All of them were directed toward him.

He scanned the sea of faces, locking onto those he held dear. He saw his mother, Ryusei, and Celestius Caelia.

Then, his gaze snagged on an anomaly.

Standing amidst the crowd was a radiant blonde man. Standing dignifyingly, he seemed to glow, emitting a vibrant, almost divine light that set him apart from the mortals around him.

Zetius frowned internally. He didn't know this man. He had no recollection of their introduction, yet the stranger stood there with the presence of a sun, watching him intently from the balcony.

In that same sweep, he noticed her.

The lady with the two-toned hair was leaning over the balustrade, her cheek perched comfortably on her palm as she smiled sweetly at him.

Zetius offered a subtle nod, closing his eyes briefly to signal that he saw her. She waved him off dismissively — exactly as he expected Ziyue would do.

"Lastly, I'd like to commend the Prime Disciple of Astral Empress Aurora Vere Borealis. Her seed and the legacy she sowed have flourished into the divine might that protected us in her absence," Virtius proclaimed.

A tray floated toward him, containing a golden jewellery box. Red velvet lined the inside, cushioning a metallic ring with small gemstones positioned around the circumference like a constellation.

Virtius presented the ring to Zetius. "This is the title for those who achieve the greatest feats, feats that far exceed the benchmark even of this Hall of Heroes. Witness now, Warmongering arcanists that transcended time and history: this is your champion. You are now titled the legendary Luminary."

Zetius knelt to the elven Celestius in reverence, slipping the ring onto his index finger. As he rose back up with regality and augustness, Virtius stepped aside and beckoned him to the crowds.

"Thank you kindly." He lowered his head to the Celestius before confronting the crowd.

To be honest, Zetius felt the weight of it all. Public speaking wasn't something he had done often. He banished the crowd's gaze, focusing on the content of his heart.

With a quiet exhalation, Zetius saw the accumulation of the past and the story of the people he shared it with. In the tragedy and sorrow, he found a smile. A hope. A reason.

Words began to flow from his lips, smooth and crystal.

"I stand as the conclusion. I stand like the eternal sun, like the sky. In a world filled with darkness and sorrow, I stand with my friends to protect those I hold dear, the least fortunate, the weak against evil. Against the corrosive suffering, I stand in the face of annihilation. And even with the seething pain in every step I take... This is my declaration to you, as the Champion of Gaia, the Conspirer of Fates, the Darkless Knight, and the Lightning Luminary with the immortal Heartfire burning brilliant in my chest."

He looked out with his sharp, indomitable gaze.

"I. Shall. Stand."