Chapter 218: Flickering Morning Star (Thanks to the Alliance Hierarch of Distant Stars)
Specks of golden starlight fell from the night sky, adorning the entire venue, vast and magnificent, as if descending into a dream.
Although the deeds of that Highness are widely known to this day, recorded in countless accounts, out of respect for the venerable, their name is generally not spoken directly unless in a formal and solemn occasion. Mention of the name is usually reserved for the swearing-in ceremony of the successive leaders of the Federal Congress.
Of course, aside from such grand and official events, ordinary people also have occasions when they can utter her name, which are the prayers found within the sacred scriptures of the world.
The format of the prayers was stipulated by sages of old; although it is permissible to call upon that Highness's name, one cannot detach it from the context or extract it to use independently. In other words, if you want to say this name, you must recite the entire prayer without selective quoting, modifying, or altering its meaning.
This is to prevent people from misusing her name to promote all kinds of cults mixed with personal ideas, and all countries have relevant laws against such behavior.
After Lelysia Academy took the stage, the pale golden radiance slowly dissipated, and once again the venue dimmed. Then, specks of bluish luminescence appeared on the ground, rippling like raindrops on the surface of water.
The bluish luminescence rose up, resembling fluorescent jellyfish of varying sizes illuminating the venue; the people within felt as if they were submerged in the depths of the sea. The light from these jellyfish then dispersed, revealing transparently cloaked students holding blue glowing umbrellas, descending leisurely from the sky. Eventually, they turned into pale blue dots gliding through the venue and finally converging together, creating an intricate, circuit-like pattern of light beneath their feet that spread across the venue.
Six individuals took the center stage, forming a hexagon. The patterns in the middle shimmered, and from them, a phased shadow emerged, then condensed into solid form.
"With a heart toward the truth, dazzling Crystal Lattice."
In comparison to other academies' oaths, Crystal Lattice Academy's seemed a bit colder, as if stripping away the fervor and superfluous emotions, akin to an eternally calm and rational AI. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire
Following the end of Crystal Lattice Academy's entrance, the blue patterns covering the ground dissipated, and the venue quieted down again.
The tranquility that lasted for more than ten seconds surprised and puzzled the audience, but as someone shouted out loud, their attention turned to the sky.
In the far distant sky, thousands of meters high, trembling golden points of light descended, as if crossing innumerable spans of time and barriers, swaying and trembling; then they plunged through the clouds, breaking through the space above the venue.
At that moment, time seemed to slow down. Those trembling dots of light revealed the figures within; the girls with transparent golden wings fluttering behind them seemed like Fairies from the Golden Lands, beautiful and astonishing, with each strand of hair, each eyelash under the eye blinking, crystal clear and stunning.
Thus, until three seconds later, the flow of time returned to normal. The dots of light converged upon the golden stage, where they kneeled upon landing and rose to their feet, stepping over the hexagonal cells reminiscent of honeycombs. Xia Kui then waved her baton, with golden threads of Light Sand drifting by, as rows of fan-shaped steps lit up behind her. Students of Swarm's Reign holding violins drew their Violin Bows, and a grand musical score began to play.
After that, Xia Kui stepped aside, along with a few other girls with bee-like transparent wings, making way for the girl standing in the center, dressed in a distinctly fiery red gown.
The girl ablaze like a fire opened her eyes, her fingertips grazing the seven-stringed instrument cradled in her arms. The stage glittered splendidly, resonating throughout the venue with countless blossoms of Hong Lian, setting the whole venue aboil.
"Prin Coco!"
"Prin Coco!"
"Prin Coco!"
The enthusiastic screams and cheers ignited the night sky, the surging popularity spreading far and wide, the resounding voices heard even from kilometers away.
The lights flickered, accompanied by the soaring music, lingering for a long while before dissipating.
Once again, most lights at the venue went out, dimming the space. Just when the audience expected what scene might come next, the soft and incredibly sorrowful sound of a violin began to play, solitary and melancholic, telling a story that crossed the ages.
In it lay sincere emotions, the innocence of youth, the regret of the past, the memories of the lost, and those no longer seen.
Under the sole and pale light of the spotlight, on a high platform haphazardly stacked with wooden boxes, stood a lonely girl with her eyes slightly closed and eyelashes trembling, evoking pity.
As the audience gradually quieted down, listening intently to every detail and note of the music, the sound of the violin changed from its initial fragility and sadness to a gradually firmer resolve, as if decisively determined.
Subsequently, pale blue dots of light emerged throughout the venue, harmonizing in unison with the evolving, surging music, growing ever brighter. The choral voices shifted from soft to grand, until pillars of light shone down, and the students within them grew pitch-black wings, slowly rising in the cool moonlight.
These 'Angels' with black wings circled in the night sky, forming flawless concentric Circles, as if heaven were inverted.
The white-gowned girl playing the violin at the center, at the climax of the music, suddenly ceased; the violin in her hands dissipated into nothingness, and then the circling Black Angels plummeted, converging towards the venue's sole purity on the ground.
The black wings swept across, shattering the stacked wooden boxes instantly, and then they gathered around the central girl who gradually ascended. Their wings became her wings, with shining members standing aside, wielding Swords entwined with thorns, forming a massive U-shape that enveloped the girl in layers.