The courtyard outside the dormitory was already crowded when Lior and Celis stepped through the arched doorway. The other acolytes were filing toward the main square in neat rows, their gray cloaks fluttering in the crisp morning breeze. The quiet shuffle of feet against cobblestones mixed with the distant murmur of the waking city.


    Lior ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed. "You’re actually excited about this?"


    Celis shot him a sideways glance as they slipped into line behind a pair of older acolytes. "The procession only happens once a year."


    "And the High Cardinal’s speech only changes once a decade," Lior muttered, adjusting the hem of his tunic.


    "That’s not the point." Celis’s tone was sharp, but her expression remained calm.


    Lior rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. His gaze wandered upward toward the towering spires of the Grand Cathedral, where the pale light of morning brushed the white stone walls with gold. Banners bearing the sigil of Elos  a sunburst surrounded by a silver halo  fluttered along the parapets. The sun’s reflection caught the silver threadwork, making them shimmer faintly against the stone.


    They passed beneath the arch of the outer gate, their footsteps swallowed by the widening noise of the city beyond. The main square was already filling with people  citizens, merchants, and pilgrims alike pressing toward the cathedral steps. Priests in flowing white robes stood at the edges of the crowd, whispering prayers beneath their breath.


    Lior’s gaze lingered on the Knights of the Sun standing in perfect formation along the perimeter of the square. Their heavy greatswords rested against their shoulders, and their mirrored helms reflected the early light. Their golden armor gleamed beneath the sun’s rays, each knight standing so still they could have been statues.


    "Perfect formation, as always," Celis murmured.


    "They’re knights," Lior replied. "Perfect formation is their entire personality."


    Celis shot him a sharp look. "If Sir Malrik heard you say that"


    "Then he’d make me run the battlements again." Lior sighed. "I’m very aware."


    The two of them took their place near the back of the square, where the crowd thinned slightly. Lior crossed his arms, leaning slightly toward Celis. "So what’s so special about today?"


    "The High Cardinal is addressing the people directly," Celis said, her gaze fixed toward the top of the cathedral steps.


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    "He addresses the people every year."


    "But not after the Dawn Bell."


    Lior frowned slightly, but before he could ask what she meant, the Dawn Bell tolled again deep and resonant. A ripple of silence passed through the crowd.


    The Knights of the Sun lowered their swords in unison. The sound of metal striking stone echoed through the square, sharp and absolute.


    A tall figure emerged from the arch of the cathedral his white and gold robes trailing behind him. His steps were slow but deliberate, the hem of his cloak brushing the polished stone. High Cardinal Veyrn ascended the steps with quiet authority, the golden crown resting lightly on his brow. He raised a hand, and the murmurs of the crowd fell into absolute silence.


    "My children," Veyrn’s voice carried easily through the square low, measured, and unwavering. "Today, we gather to honor the light of Elos  the eternal protector of humanity. Through his sacrifice, we are made whole. Through his light, we are given strength."


    Celis bowed her head immediately. Lior hesitated for a moment before following suit. His gaze, however, remained slightly raised.


    The High Cardinal stood beneath the arch of the cathedral, flanked by two senior priests in gold-threaded robes. His expression was calm, his pale gray eyes sharp beneath the weight of the crown. He held a crystal orb in his hands the Sacred Relic of Light  its surface pulsing faintly with soft, golden light.


    "And so," Veyrn continued, his voice smooth as polished glass, "we walk beneath his light, so that we may never again fall into darkness."


    The Templars knelt in unison, the heavy sound of metal striking stone echoing across the square.


    Celis knelt as well, her hands folded neatly over her chest. Lior followed her lead, lowering himself slowly. His gaze remained fixed on the crystal orb in Veyrn’s hands. The soft pulse of light beneath its surface quickened slightly — steady, but not calm.


    "Rise, my children," Veyrn said. "And let the light of Elos guide you forward."


    The crowd rose. The Knights of the Sun stood with perfect discipline as the Templars began their march down the main street. Their white capes fluttered beneath the early breeze, and the sharp sound of synchronized footsteps followed them.


    Celis smiled faintly as she watched the procession. "See? Not so bad."


    Lior exhaled through his nose. "I guess."


    Celis’s smile widened slightly. "Come on. We have the rest of the day off."


    Lior followed her through the crowd, weaving between the groups of dispersing citizens. His gaze drifted back toward the cathedral steps, where High Cardinal Veyrn was descending slowly beneath the shadow of the arch.


    The light from the Sacred Relic still lingered in his mind — not soft and steady as it should have been, but restless. For a moment, Lior swore it pulsed in time with the beat of his own heart.


    They crossed the square together, passing beneath the shadow of the outer gate. Lior caught Celis’s hand briefly as the crowd thickened around them. Her fingers curled lightly against his, warm despite the chill.


    "You know," he said, "you still didn’t tell me why this procession matters so much."


    Celis glanced at him. Her amber eyes were steady. "Because it’s tradition."


    Lior frowned. "Tradition isn’t the same as truth."


    "Maybe not," Celis replied quietly. "But it’s all people have."


    Lior hesitated, his gaze flicking toward the Sacred Relic still glowing faintly beneath the shadows of the cathedral.


    "Come on," Celis said, tugging his hand. "We’re going to lose our spot at the bakery if you keep standing there."


    Lior smiled faintly and followed her.


    But beneath the calm hum of the waking city, the sound of the Dawn Bell still echoed in his chest  hollow and cold