Despite the Bethel Lyceum being as crowded as it was, Caesar knew that more than half the ambassadors never attended the Meet directly. Many territories always claimed that they needed to oversee the growing number of troops in their cities, coordinating an effective defense against the hostile movements of the Alliance or the Primeval Orcs, which were absurd claims. Save for the perpetual battleground of Dimu Skanda, none of the nations had done more than saber rattling, even the Empire.

It was obvious that the threat of demons filled these people with more fear than Caesar could understand. Even with the Sluice Gates upgraded stabilization frames, there were always new gullies and geysers that seemed to manifest every few months within a hundred miles of them. The demons that came out of those were nothing to the troops already on patrol.

Between the enchanted armament, constant communication, and stable schedules, the geysers and gullies were no credible threat to the Empire. Caesar wouldn’t be surprised to hear yet more senators trying to move troops around in an effort to cover every inch of the Empire with a scheduled patrol route.

“That concludes our morning proposals,” Minister Kali stated. “Are there any other announcements or concerns that must be made before we move onto the open forum?”

Normally, important announcements would have been known to the consulars who would then have informed the ministers. However, today was a very unique kind of announcement, and so Caesar had wanted it to be a surprise. After all, it wasn't every day that someone destined to change the world was discovered.

There were, of course, a few senators and ambassadors already walking out of their assigned rows and stepping down onto the open floor — the 'bloodless arena,' as mom liked to say — in a hurry to bring up their grievances with others, no doubt.

Before too many people left their seats, Caesar looked toward Dinah, up in the Champions’ Den. Her wavy black hair was braided now, exposing the golden studs and hoop earrings she always wore. Her full lips spread into an open smile and she gave him a nod. He gave her a wink, and turned his attention back to the assembly.

“There is one announcement,” Caesar's voice echoed throughout the entirety of the Lyceum, amplified by not just his mana but also the acoustics of the room. “It is one of monumental importance, and not something I alone can make.”

Looking about nervously, the few politicians that were standing began to slowly shuffle back to their seats. The consulars and ministers looked somewhat surprised, their trust in Caesar leading to their looks of curiosity rather than the fearful, furtive glances the senators and ambassadors kept throwing towards him and the Champions above. Caesar simply stood and watched, eager to witness whatever performance his friends had planned.

The light of a new dawn covered the room in a soft orange glow, confusing the assembly momentarily, before Azazel appeared at the balcony of the Champions’ Den with a tiny, blazing sun behind him. He raised a glass of water before him, as crystalline light seemed to gather in front of the railing, “Some of you have met us Champions before, as we’ve worked together to build cities…”

The glittering light melted together and formed a crystal staircase so pristinely clear that you had to shift your stance just to notice it was even there.

A twisting tetrahedron, with a clarity as clear as clean water, appeared next to the blazing sun, and the railing in front of Azazel seemed to split apart into segmented chunks, reforming itself into an archway before the staircase.

Ciarlare stood next to the towering Azazel, smiling at the congregation below them, “We have terraformed the wilderness — transforming inhospitable lands into bountiful landscapes…”

The two men smirked at one another before they began to slowly descend the staircase together with their respective Orange and Blue Prisms glowing softly at their sides.

As they approached the throne, an unlikely pair appeared at the top of the steps — flanked by a rotating, red diamond and a gurgling, green sphere were the smiling Lady Sita and the ever grim-faced Sermon.

“We’ve healed the sick,” Lady Sita’s voice echoed harmoniously throughout the Lyceum, “and cured plagues that once kept us apart. We’ve saved the lives of those who fight to keep us safe…”

“We’ve rooted out corruption,” Sermon’s voice was a crisp staccato, “and helped former rivals become fast friends. We’ve negotiated peace with the islands of the Commonwealth, and the myriad of hybrid nation states.”

As Lady Sita and Sermon began their trek down the staircase, Azazel and Ciarlare had just reached the platform with the throne, and Caesar immediately clasped forearms with each of his friends. They shared smiles of pride with one another before excitedly turning their heads back up to the scene unfolding before them.

A golden, twelve-sided beacon of light appeared, followed by a spiky, pink star that looked to be changing the direction it spun so quickly you could see afterimages. A moment later, Dinah and ka’Kia appeared at the top of the stairs, hand in hand.

“We…” ka’Kia took a breath, “We’ve helped make your dreams into reality!”

“We’ve protected those dreams,” Dinah called out, “from a flood of monsters that exist in a reality not our own. And now, we will finally have someone who can take that fight to them.”

As Dinah looked over at Caesar, he knew it was his cue, but still couldn’t help but wink at her again. She’d gotten them all to do something like this? Normally she was much more quiet and reserved around others. The only people she would act so boisterously around would be her own family — and himself, of course. He would have to do everything in his power to encourage this kind of behavior. For now, though…

“Ladies and Gentlemen of the assembly,” Caesar called out excitedly, “people of the Empire! For decades we have fought and died to keep the waves of demons from crashing into our cities.”

Overhead, a translucent display of long, limbed shoggotthi amidst a swarm of raging heldyn collided with a force of Prismatic Knights. Enchanted spears clashed against the demons’ claws sending sparks flying out over the assembly that dissipated before reaching the ground.

Caesar looked back to the base of the stairs to see the Pink Prism steadily spinning above ka’Kia’s outstretched hand — no longer a spiky star — now a flat, twenty faced polygon. Dinah, standing right beside the normally nervous woman, gave him a wink and mouthed, Keep going!

“I was there,” Caesar roared, “with our brave knights that followed me into that deep, dark abyss! Day after day, we struggled… Year after year, we fought… The demons fought with a tenacity that seemed to match our own. Even so, we persisted..!”

The battle overhead faded to mist before dispersing into a crowd of screeching banshees and wailing wraiths. They darted about, their ghostly bodies leaving behind dead black smoke that began to accumulate a growing shadow over the room. Many in the assembly appeared aghast and anxious at the advent of the awful apparitions.

Framed by a golden sun and clad in glowing armor, a translucent Dinah broke through the darkness. Following behind her was a similarly translucent Azazel, confident as ever, and Lady Sita, with a brash smile on her face. Together, they blew apart the ghosts with a radiant array of light.

Caesar continued, “Together, we’ve been able to drive the demons back. Our sacrifices, though numerous and great, have finally paid off. There are still some demons that wander too close to our paths in the Hollow Expanse, but we’ve secured all the routes that flow from the Imperial Estuary. The Prismatic Knights will be patrolling these routes so that we may once more secure provisions and troops, foodstuffs and medicine for people all across the Empire.”

The illusory display faded away into nothingness, and all eyes turned to Caesar.

“This, however, is not the end. With the border of our world secured, someone will have to go into the lair of the beasts,” Caesar strode down the main aisle of the Lyceum, as all the members of the assembly watched him warily. “At the Hadal Level, there is a dead zone where no magic can function — save for a Prism wielded by a Champion.”

“As the Chosen of the Colorless Prism of Life itself,” the glowing cube shined above Caesar’s head, “I’ve been able to fight these demons in their own cold, lifeless world. They fear me. They hate me. They’ve killed me and watched me come back. Again and again. They taunt and berate me, claiming that I will one day die alone and there will be no one to bring me back.”

As he reached the back of the Lyceum, Caesar turned just his head, and said, “But I won’t be alone.”

At his glance, the enormous double doors, that could fit five people abreast, slowly opened outward. Brilliant light cut through before a small figure was revealed.

Clad in a simple, brown tunic, the girl stood out amongst all the marble, the armored knights, and the colorful congregation. Even after eating and a night’s rest, she still had somewhat sunken cheeks. Her mop of dirty blonde hair was parted behind pointed ears, revealing a face of pure impassivity. But her hazel eyes seemed to take in every detail of the Bethel Lyceum.

“Allow me to introduce,” Caesar stepped aside, and swept a hand forward, “the Chosen of the Brown Prism — Silva Shyanna.”

Whispers immediately broke out with the words Chosen, demons, and child most often repeated. Caesar didn’t pay them any mind, though. He looked down at his student, and she met his gaze. She always met his gaze. He didn’t know what kind of troubles she’d been through, or the kind of people that she’d met, but there was a terrible serenity in her eyes.

Regardless of the years she’d lived, as she was elven and liable to be up to a century old already, this child seemed to have a cold, dissonant aura to her. Her experiences so far seemed to have inured her to take on suffering like it was a trivial burden. But Caesar wouldn’t let her bear that alone.

He looked back toward the throne, locking eyes with Dinah, his beautiful wife. She gave him a curious look before Lady Sita whispered something in her ear.

“What’s wrong?” Dinah’s concern flowed into him.

“I’m just grateful,” he thought back, “that I have the perfect wife to help me raise this child.”

He saw her laugh as embarrassment and warmth flooded his heart, “We’re not married yet!”

“We can be,” Caesar thought. “We already have a ring bearer.”

Dinah crossed her arms, “Maybe you should introduce us, first.”

With a wide grin, Caesar held his hand out to Silva, “Would you like to meet my friends and family?”

As usual, Silva immediately met his gaze, carefully measuring his expression, before she placed her small hand in his. As they walked back up the main aisle, Silva’s face remained impassive even as her eyes darted from senator to senator with that same intense scrutiny. To Caesar’s amusement, some of them even shrank back from her gaze.

Most, however, regarded her with looks of curiosity. Being an elf was certain to inspire misgivings among the more xenophobic senators — particularly those on the war front — but she wouldn’t be working with any of them anyway. For the next few years she’d be working exclusively with the Champions. Caesar knew he had some blind spots that they would be able to help her iron out before she went with him into the abyss, and killed the Doom Lords that lurked in its depths.

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Dinah, ka’Kia, and Lady Sita were excitedly discussing something; Azazel and Ciarlare were talking to mom.

But Sermon had a look of disbelief and wariness. Once he noticed that Caesar was regarding him, he sighed and then schooled his features back into that signature frown.

Caesar was tempted to telepathically ask what the man was thinking, but figured they could have a discussion during the open forum.

As they walked up the steps leading to the throne, Dinah and Lady Sita immediately came forward, beckoning Silva to stand with them. As always, she carefully looked them over, weighing their expressions as a merchant weighs gold. However, Sermon stepped between them.

Hazel eyes met hazel eyes as the two elves peered into one another’s soul. Sermon suddenly sang softly in a language Caesar didn’t recognize. It was too brief to be a song, but whatever meaning it conveyed caused Silva to regard Sermon with a look of curiosity. She sang something back. Sermon remained looking dour while Silva appeared as stoic as ever while the two seemed to exchange bars of different songs in rapid succession.

“What is it?” Lady Sita impatiently said in a hushed voice so that the assembly couldn’t overhear. “What are you two doing, Sermon?”

“She is definitely fey borne,” Sermon answered just as quietly, “but is far from impulsive. Even more unbelievably, she claims she was raised by one of the fey aspects — an entity of deific proportions.”

“Really?” Lady Sita wasn’t the only one whose interest was thoroughly piqued at the news. Caesar could see mom watching them from the corner of her eyes, probably wishing they would finish their announcement so they could begin the open forum.

“She can’t name him,” Sermon continued, “as fey are loathe to lend their true names, or even pseudonyms, to anyone. Even so, she could be lying.”

At that accusation, Silva became visibly annoyed, and proclaimed in an echoing voice, “For my mouth will speak truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.”

The room quieted substantially at the words of the new Chosen. The Champions were all taken aback, and it was up to him to smooth things over again.

“As you all can see,” Caesar called out, “we Chosen hold a strong sense of morality. It is our duty to uphold the truth and peace in this world, and we uphold these values with every fiber of our being.”

Surprisingly, Silva spoke up again, her voice carrying throughout the Lyceum, “Anyone who leads an honorable life walks in safety, but whoever pursues wicked ways will be found out.”

Once more, a tension fell over the room at the young girl’s proclamations. Azazel had a wide grin on his face, while the rest of the Champions had pensive looks. Caesar could see that some of the senators and ambassadors glanced about each other nervously. Shaking his head, Caesar wondered how many people watching through the scrying stones became fans of Silva in that moment. He knew that some of the people in this room were undoubtedly pocketing money or engaging in blatant nepotism, but Silva wasn’t going to serve as some sort of secret police.

They already had the Edicts for that.

“It is comforting,” Caesar spoke clearly, “to know that the one who will be facing down those terrible demons has so strong a heart. Those evil creatures will come to fear her just as they fear me.

“However, we will not rush into battle with only strong hearts. We must train in mind and body, as well. Silva still has to learn the tactics of our armies, the limits of our Prismatic Knights, and the craven strategies of the demons themselves. This will, of course, take time. It is time that we Champions will be spending with her until she is ready to act on her own.

“Silva, as you have shown the world your undeniable countenance, please show them the artifact you were fated to wield,” Caesar stated.

Once more, Silva gazed directly into his eyes. He gave her an encouraging smile. They would have to work a bit on her public persona lest she end up with a reputation like Dinah or ka’Kia.

Above the blonde girl’s head, a blood-brown nothingness began to spin, rapidly coagulating into the bare bones of a hollow pyramid before a growing web of lines began to fill in the faces.

Electricity arced from one tip of the pyramid to another, giving the diminutive figure of Silva a foreboding presence, magnified by her unreadable face of impassivity.

Everyone could feel mana surging throughout the room, as eight Prisms bore their strength for everyone to witness. To Caesar, it was a nostalgic feeling. He hadn’t seen the Brown Prism since Gevurah had passed. A twinge of sadness plucked his heart strings as he remembered a friend he’d known in another lifetime. He wouldn’t let that fate befall anyone else. He would be more careful, more prepared to combat the demons.

“Something feels off,” Dinah suddenly said.

“You feel it, too,” mom stated as she got up from the throne.

Caesar spoke quickly, “Dinah, put up a wall to protect the assembly. Azi, get ready to begin an evacuation immediately.”

The Golden Prism shined, and a transparent wall of light now separated the assembly from the throne. No magic or sound could pass through — only light. It was only then that Caesar noticed the tense feeling of mana was getting stronger, as though several mages were slinging spells at one another.

“I knew she was too calm,” Sermon seethed. “We have to bring her to heel. The fey are just too chaotic to be given free reign like this.”

Dinah said, “It’s not the Brown Prism, though.”

Indeed, the Brown Prism didn’t show any signs of acting strangely. Even Silva just stood there watching, without a trace of worry on her face.

The Green Prism began to glow brighter, “We can’t take that chance. I’ll just put her to sleep for now. We can sort this out afterward. Security is of the utmost importance here.”

“It’s not her!” Dinah shouted.

A bolt of green energy shot toward Silva, but was intercepted by a ray of golden light. Magic met magic. A shower of white sparks exploded in the air before dissipating into unseen mana.

“What the hell are you doing, Dinah??” Sermon snarled. “She obviously can’t control it!”

“She’s not even doing anything, you fucking idiot!” Dinah shouted back, “Are you seriously going to attack a child doing literally nothing?”

“You don’t know the fey like I do,” Sermon spoke calmly. “Whether it’s a facade or a geas or self-discipline, she’s obviously channeling too much mana. She’s going to lose control.”

A new flood of mana surged throughout the room, and everyone turned toward the source — mom.

“Something’s coming,” she was looking at the base of the steps.

“Right there…” Dinah pointed to the empty space where mom was looking.

Every Champion’s Prism began to spin faster and faster, shining their signature colors in a brilliant rainbow across the entirety of the Lyceum.

Caesar concentrated his will. He knew everyone here would be kept safe. No one was going to die here.

Color began to bleed as everything gradually became gray scale. Mana flooded the room to near bursting as everyone was shielded from harm by the Colorless Prism of Life.

Something slammed into Caesar. He physically recoiled as the feeling of nausea and dread and giddiness hit him all at once. As he gathered his bearings, he noticed that nearly all of the members of the assembly were unconscious. The scrying stones were no longer hovering overhead — their fragments were strewn all over the ground. And each of the Champions were either on their knees, struggling to catch their breath, or on the ground and retching.

Except Dinah.

With a roar, he watched her arms shoot forward, and suddenly the feeling was gone. Golden light encompassed the surge of mana that had taken everyone else out and confined it to a sphere in front of Dinah. Caesar ran forward and put a hand on her shoulder, giving her as much strength as he could channel through his Prism.

He could feel her tremble under his grip, but she held her ground and gritted her teeth. The sphere kept slowly expanding, stopping, then contracting before it began the cycle anew. Tears were in her eyes as she panted with effort and the Golden Prism shined like the sun.

Mom was at her other side, mana pouring from her body into Dinah.

The sphere of confined mana in front of them began to glow white, and he could feel the cracks form as it leaked mana into the room before they were quickly resealed by Dinah’s might.

Caesar had no idea what the hell was happening, but he continued to pour all of his will, all of his mana, into keeping Dinah safe. She absolutely would not be hurt.

A silhouette appeared in that white sphere. Someone suspended on their side, like they were just sleeping in an ocean of mana.

The white light disappeared as all the mana suddenly surged into this figure.

The Golden Prism winked out.

----------------------------------------

_.-*-._.-*-._.-*-._.-*-._.-*-._.-*-._

“What did you call me?” Caesar asked in disbelief.

“Hosanna,” an unfamiliar voice said.

Dinah strained to open her eyes as the light seemed too bright. As she stirred, she could feel Caesar’s arms holding her close to his chest.

“Dinah,” his voice was a gentle whisper, and she felt as he turned his body.

A soft hand touched her shoulder, and warmth surged throughout her body, rejuvenating her.

She opened her eyes to see Miriam’s face full of concern. As she slowly rose to stand on her own feet, she saw that each of the other Champions were already standing, and on their guard.

“You’re every bit the hero I knew you’d be, Caesar,” the man standing in front of them said. And he was a strange looking man.

His hair was disheveled and greasy, as though he hadn’t washed it in weeks. His cheeks were rounded with fat, and his skin looked untouched by the sun. A gray sweater that had orange smudges at the hems was matched by a gray set of loose trousers, with a variety of colorful stains strewn about like patches. Strangest of all, his stockings had cartoonish caricatures of women making lewd faces. Was this schlubby guy the cause of the anomaly?

“Ebony and ivory,” the stranger wolf-whistled. “No wonder you wanted to marry her, man. Perfect waifu material, seriously.”

The man’s eyes crept along her body like worms engorging on dirt. Dinah hated him instantly.

“You stand before the collective might of the Holy Prismatic Empire, stranger,” Azazel stepped forward. “State your purpose, or you will be treated as a hostile invader.”

The schlubby man gaped at the towering Azazel, “Dang, Azzy, you’re huge! You really are a Chad Asian dude!”

As the stranger laughed, the Orange Prism apparently unfolded into multiple tetrahedra that then folded back into themselves, which resulted in the Prism suddenly shining dramatically brighter.

“Hold,” Caesar raised his hand toward Azazel. “I believe he’s a friend.”

Looking around the room as though he had not a care in the world, the stranger remarked, “Really nice palace thing you got here, Caesar. I thought there’d be a bit more to it, to be honest, but I think the whole simplicity thing is kinda nice. I can see some similarities to the Temple of The One.”

“This is the Bethel Lyceum within the House of Vrata,” Caesar stated. “It belongs to the Emperor. If you consider me a friend, then please show me the same amount of respect as I’ve shown you.”

“Ah!” With a smirk, the man suddenly changed his accent and affected a stoop, “Of course, hosanna! I apologize most profusely, good sir! This lowly worm prostrates himself before hosanna!”

Before he’d even finished speaking, the man dropped to his knees and bowed before Caesar. Just as each of the Champions began looking at one another in confusion, he looked back up at them and winked.

“I’ve seen enough,” Sermon’s Green Prism began glowing. “He’s obviously a fool or a saboteur. Let’s have the truth from you, lowly worm.”

“We need him, Sermon,” Caesar growled. “It irks me, too, because I don’t yet understand how or why, but I know that we need him.”

Frowning at the stranger, Sermon clicked his tongue, and the glow faded from the Green Prism.

“Dang, Sermon,” the stranger said, “you still have that chip on your shoulder? What year is it anyway? I mean, you guys are around for quite—”

The man suddenly stopped short as his eyes landed on the young Silva Shyanna. It was then that Dinah noticed a majority of the assembly were also beginning to stand up.

“Silva is still just a child…?” the man muttered to himself as he slowly got back to his feet. “That means the civil war hasn’t even started yet.”

Ice ran through Dinah’s veins. She immediately summoned another wall of light to separate themselves from the civilians.

“What did you say?” Caesar demanded, now on edge.

“Uh,” the man looked at each of the Champions, “I mean, it’s not like we can’t stop it, you know. And-and I know exactly who the leaders are anyway! I mean, I don’t know, like, the big one behind the thing, but I know almost all of the senators by name who were part of the rebellion. I can tell you everything I know, no sweat, and then we can stop the whole demon invasion from happening, too!”

Everyone looked around in alarm. There’s no way what he was saying was true, was there? A civil war? Why? But demons invading… They’d just finished clearing them out, hadn’t they?

“Look,” he sighed, “I know this is a lot to take it. But you guys have to trust me, cause, like, there’s no way you’re going to sur—”

“Trust you??” Sermon scoffed. “We don’t even know your name!”

Once again, the man smirked, as though there was some sort of inside joke he alone was privy to. He spun on his heels before settling into a pose with his right hand stretched over his face, his eyes peeking between his fingers.

“I had a name in my previous life,” his voice was now an octave lower than before, “but that was the name of a weak man born to weak parents.”

He spun once more, gyrating his hips back and forth before he began walking backwards, dragging his heels along the ground, “As I have seen this world’s future…”

He ululated two high pitched cries and then threw his hands out to his sides, “I am Kronus! El Shaddai! Yahweh! Mohammed and Vishnu! I am Kami! I am savior and destroyer! Alpha and Omega!”

Green light began to cover the room.

“Sermon, don’t,” Caesar warned.

“This imbecile is making a mockery of us, Caesar,” Sermon’s voice was devoid of emotion. “If half what he says holds any truth, then we should find out immediately.”

“I agree,” Caesar said, “which is why you’re not going to use your magic on him. We’ll need to alter the memories of the assembly — wipe out any mention of a civil war. If that is what’s being plotted, then we can’t have our enemies finding out.”

The man — Kronus? Kami? — nodded his head, “Very wise, hosanna, very wise. There’s a reason you were consistently voted the best character, you know.”

“Lady Sita, Azazel,” Caesar commanded, “help heal and evacuate everyone. ka’Kia, Ciarlare, I want you to go with Dinah and escort this man to our most secure prison, if any of the enchantments outside this room are even still working. Otherwise, Dinah, you can restrain him.”

“Wait, Caesar, c’mon,” Kronus cut in, “You can’t seriou—”

His voice was abruptly cut off as his mouth closed. It wasn’t clamped shut. Extra skin was now covering where his open mouth used to be. As Kronus worked his jaw, the extra skin dangled loosely where he once had lips.

“Everyone,” Caesar’s voice echoed in the tense silence, “do as you’re told. We’re going to figure this out soon.”