Rise of the Devourer
Book 4: Chapter 27 — Sacred Guardian Ceremony

Noah's eyes snapped open, blazing with silver light. The room around him looked different now—he could see the magical wards in the walls, the flow of mana through the air, even the faint spiritual imprint left by previous occupants. Everything was laid bare before his enhanced perception.

But the most dramatic change was internal. With each heartbeat, lightning and shadow pulsed through his veins, ready to be channeled at will. His chains writhed around him, longer and more powerful than ever, eager to bind and drain. And through it all, Tony's presence hummed, ready to assist with capabilities Noah was only beginning to understand.

He stood slowly, testing his transformed body. The raw power contained within him was staggering—easily triple what he'd possessed before. But unlike his previous breakthrough, this felt controlled, integrated. The artifacts had become part of him, and he part of them.

A knock at the door interrupted his examination. "Noah?" Aurelia's voice carried a note of concern. "Are you alright? Did you manage to…”

Noah smiled, his new eyes catching details in the door's grain that he'd never noticed before. "I'm fine, Aurelia. Better than fine, actually. I’m a C Ranker now." He paused, feeling the weight of unspoken words between them. "We need to talk."

Aurelia only sighed. “Yeah.”

Noah opened the door, stepping into the hallway where Aurelia waited. She looked up at him, her eyes widening slightly as she took him in before she turned away.

“Congrats for hitting C Rank," she said quietly, falling into step beside him as they walked toward the large window at the end of the corridor.

"Thanks," Noah replied.

They reached the window, and Noah's enhanced vision immediately picked out details in the courtyard below that would have been invisible to him before—down to the particles of dust. Servants hustled about in elaborate preparations, hanging banners of deep red and gold from the palace walls. A raised platform was being constructed in the center of the courtyard, draped with silks that caught the afternoon light.

"The coronation ceremony," Aurelia observed, watching the organized chaos below. "They're really going all out for her."

Noah nodded, his fingers absently tracing the lines of rune chains that had creeped up to his arms. "It is a coronation ceremony for the crown princess." The title felt strange on his tongue. "Though it is interesting to see the girl who could barely control her dragon form a few months ago about to be crowned heir to the throne. How time flies."

"Says ‘Mr-I-hit-C-Rank-within-a-year’.” Aurelia quipped, making him grin, before she looked back down. “She's grown a lot. We all have."

Noah could feel Aurelia's tension, the way she held herself slightly apart from him despite standing close enough that he could smell the faint scent of ash and ember that clung to her hair.

"She told me something," Noah said finally, his voice low. "During the final match. About... how she felt."

Aurelia's jaw tightened slightly. "I figured as much." She shook her head. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing," Noah admitted, watching a group of musicians practice their instruments in the courtyard. "I didn't know what to say. She said she didn't expect an answer, but..." He trailed off, running a hand through his white hair.

"But you're thinking about it," Aurelia finished.

Noah turned to look at her, studying her profile as she gazed down at the preparations. "I care about her. She's... she's been through so much, and she's stronger than she knows, and I do like her. Maybe not romantically, but… When she said those words, I felt—" He paused, struggling to find the right words. "Confused. Uncertain. Like I was standing at the edge of a cliff and couldn't tell if the ground was solid or if I was about to fall."

Aurelia was quiet for a long moment, her fingers drumming against the stone windowsill. Below them, workers were unfurling a massive banner bearing the royal dragon crest.

"I think..." she began, then stopped, pressing her lips together. “You should figure out what you want to do. And, I also need to figure out what I want as well. "I've spent so long focused on getting stronger, on proving myself, on surviving. I feel like I’ve lost my way in some ways."

Noah nodded slowly, understanding flooding through him. "I get it. I do."

"Do you?" she asked, and there was something almost challenging in her tone. “Because I don’t think I get it myself.”

"You don't have to figure it out all at once," he said gently. "None of us do."

Aurelia smiled then, a small, genuine expression that transformed her face. "When did you get so wise?"

"Probably when I hit C rank," Noah said with a slight grin. "I think it comes with the territory."

Aurelia’s grin widened, but her expression was still clouded, so Noah didn’t press, letting comfortable silence settle in. They stood there for a few seconds, watching the preparations below. The afternoon sun was beginning to slant through the windows, casting long shadows across the polished floors.

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"She's going to be a good princess," Aurelia said eventually.

"Yeah," Noah agreed. "She is."

***

The grand courtyard of the palace gleamed under the afternoon sun, its polished marble floors reflecting the towering spires that reached toward the azure sky. Ancient draconic banners fluttered in the gentle breeze, their golden threads catching the light like scales on a wyvern—reminding him of Nightshade, oddly enough. The air thrummed with anticipation as nobles, guild representatives, and distinguished guests gathered in carefully arranged formations around the ceremonial dais.

At the center of it all stood Vion, resplendent in armor, the sunlight making her crimson hair look like it was on fire. Despite the grandeur surrounding her, she seemed perfectly at ease, her confident smile radiating the quiet strength that she’d gained.

Noah approached first Aurelia, their footsteps echoing softly on the marble. Erwest offered a simple nod of acknowledgment, whereas Seraphina, as soon as she saw him, beckoned for Kalaen and Valeria to follow her.

“C Rank now, hm?” Kalaen asked, grinning wide.

“Already got us beat there,” Valeria added, smiling.

Seraphina stopped just an inch away from his face, examining him, “Your magical signature has changed quite a bit. Ah, is it because of your mana heart? Congratulations!”

“Yeah,” he replied, even as Vion's eyes met his, and he felt the familiar flutter of nervousness in his chest—the same feeling that had plagued him since her confession in the arena. “Thanks, guys.”

Clearly seeing his pre-occupied state, all three of them moved aside, letting both him and Aurelia pass through to Vion. Vion smiled at both of them brightly when he approached her, stepping into the dias—like countless other people had to congratulate and greet her.

"Vion, I..." he started, then stopped, unsure how to navigate the delicate waters of their relationship.

She smiled, a gentle expression that somehow managed to be both understanding and slightly amused. "Not now, Noah," she said softly, her voice carrying just enough weight to remind him of her earlier words. "After the ceremony. After I've taken the Dragon Heart. Then we'll talk. Properly."

The relief in his shoulders was probably visible, but Vion didn't seem to mind. Instead, she turned to Aurelia, her smile turning mischievous. “So, did you finally do it, Aurelia?”

Aurelia side stepped the topic entirely. “Congratulations, Vion.” And then, with genuine concern, she asked, “Will you be able to bring the Dragon Heart?”

Vion rolled her eyes at the change in topic, but whispered nonetheless, “Zax said it’s a mere formality. I don’t have to worry even if I don’t manage to do it.”

Noah found his voice again, pushing past the awkwardness. "Makes sense. Either way, you're going to do incredible things when you do become queen—hell, even from now, as a crown princess," he said, and meant it. "The kingdom is lucky to have you."

Vion's confident smile softened into something more personal, more real. "Thank you, Noah. That... that actually means a lot, coming from you." She paused, studying his face. "You know, you're not nearly as thick skinned as you try to pretend you are."

Before he could respond to that observation, the deep, resonant sound of dragon horns echoed across the courtyard.

The crowd fell silent. Taking the cue, Noah nodded at Vion once before both he and Aurelia stepped down the dias. A second later, King Draxius emerged from the palace, his presence commanding immediate attention. He wore ceremonial robes of deep blue and gold, but it was the ancient dragon crown upon his brow that truly marked his station—a circlet of black dragonscale that seemed to absorb the very light around it.

Behind him came a procession of palace guards carrying a magnificent robe. Even from a distance, Noah could see that it was unlike anything he'd ever witnessed. The garment appeared to be crafted from living scales, each one shifting and shimmering with an inner light that spoke of ancient magic. The deep crimson scales seemed to pulse with their own heartbeat, while threads of gold and silver wove between them in patterns that hurt to look at directly.

"Behold," King Draxius's voice carried across the courtyard without need for amplification, "the Robe of the Sacred Dragon, woven from the scales of our Progenitor himself, blessed by the first champions who walked these lands."

Vion moved to the center of the dais with fluid grace, her movements carrying the unconscious confidence of a true dragon. She knelt, not in submission, but in the same way a knight might kneel before receiving a sacred charge.

The king lifted the robe, and Noah felt the air itself seem to thicken with power. Ancient magic radiated from the garment, making his skin tingle and his instincts scream warnings about the raw force contained within those scales. As King Draxius draped the robe across Vion's shoulders, the scales seemed to recognize her draconic nature, melding seamlessly with her form as if they had always belonged there.

"Do you accept the mantle of Sacred Champion, become the Crown Princess, and eventually, the Queen herself?" the king asked, his voice carrying the weight of ritual that stretched back centuries.

"I do," Vion replied, her voice clear and strong.

The king then lifted an ancient scepter, its surface carved from what looked like crystallized dragonfire. The weapon hummed with contained power as he rested it gently on her shoulder. "Do you swear to protect this realm and its people, to stand as guardian between the light and the darkness that would consume it?"

"I do."

"Then rise, Champion Vionette, and take your place among the sacred guardians of Drakonias."

Vion stood, the dragon robe flowing around her like liquid fire. The transformation was remarkable—she… looked like a true queen. Power radiated around her in a way that only a true ruler could manage.

King Draxius's expression grew solemn as he gestured toward the sky. "Now comes the final test, the Dragon Heart ritual. Journey to the dungeon of the Dragon Heart, where his corpse is said to lie and his eternal flame still burns, and claim the blessing that will complete your transformation into a true champion."

Vion nodded, her eyes already turning toward the sky. "I understand."

"The path is treacherous," the king continued. "The heart of a dragon is not easily claimed, even by one of draconic blood. The trials within will test not just your strength, but your very soul. Are you prepared?"

For a moment, Vion's gaze found Noah's in the crowd. Noah smiled at her, and then she looked back at the king, her expression resolute.

"I am ready."

The king stepped back, and Vion's form began to shift. Her human appearance melted away as she entered a half state, still humanoid yet scales rippling across her skin as she grew and expanded. She truly looked like the king’s progeny now—her scales complemented by the deep crimson of the ceremonial robe, which had somehow grown to accommodate the wings that had popped out of her back.

She spread her wings, and launched herself into the sky with a grace that took Noah's breath away. The crowd watched in awed silence as she soared higher and higher, her form growing smaller until she was just a glinting speck against the blue expanse of sky.