CHAPTER 141: THE SOJOURN BEGINS!

"N—No reason," Zephyr stuttered out guiltily, causing Komi to squint her eyes into a thin line in suspicion. She could see the danger such a spell would pose for someone who was caught unaware just like her, but Zephyr’s expression made it seem like there was more to it than that.

She huffed, turning serious as she dove right into the matter she had specifically come here for. "Isn’t it time for us to make a jump to change our spatial position yet?"

"They can’t find us in this position at all. Even if we stay here for a whole year without moving, they still will not find us here," Zephyr shook his head lightly. "The real hide and seek will start in a few weeks after we make our first jump back to a space somewhere on the planet."

Komi scrunched her face in confusion, "But you just said we can stay here for a year without anyone ever finding us..."

"Yeah. But we’d be dead long before then," Zephyr snorted.

"This pocket space cannot handle this... ’environment’ for long, so we’d have to move it anyway." Zephyr explained... but Komi was still confused.

He debated explaining what space was to her just as Aegis had also recently explained to him, but he decided against it in the end.

It would only lead to more questions as to how he got his knowledge in the first place, so he only just skimmed over the surface lightly before moving on.

"Basically, all you need to know is that our pocket space can’t stay here for more than a few weeks at most..." he re-emphasized. "By the time we jump back, they’d have scoured a lot of spatial coordinates on the planet, making it easier for us to hide."

Komi nodded, though still not fully satisfied with his answer. For now, they were safe. So they needed to make use of this time to the fullest. She didn’t know why, but for some reason, she felt they wouldn’t have as much time as they thought they would...

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Back On Planet Apraxis... Conflux– The Capital City...

The streets were brimming fully with hundreds of thousands of people, packed densely together with their bodies touching side to side. Men, women, old and young, were all screaming at the top of their lungs, praising the Exalted One as he revealed himself for the second time ever.

He took to the towering podium right outside the castle walls. It had been erected overnight. A clear display of magical might and versatility.

It towered nearly as high as the castle itself, which was already high enough to be seen from every corner of the city. It was prepared specially for the Exalted One to give his address to the pious. No previous Sojourn had ever had such a podium, so this was a first.

It was unnecessarily flamboyant and even a bit tacky, as the other Exalted, Half-Exalted, and the Saintess to be revealed were all seated on a different podium way below the Exalted One’s.

It made for a very funny sight where everyone had to strain their necks to look at the Exalted One, but not so much for the other Exalted and Half-Exalted.

Perhaps it was to show their difference in status, or perhaps it was to make sure every citizen—every pious, could see the Exalted One from whichever part of the city they might be... or perhaps it was purely superficial. It might’ve even been a mix of all...

Either way, the pious couldn’t care much. To them, it was anything but superficial. They praised the Exalted One to the high heavens, screaming as he floated from one of the balconies of the castle behind, to the top of the podium.

He stood there in silence for a good minute savoring the thunderous roars of praise that echoed from every corner of the city.

The whole atmosphere was charged.

For the Exalted and Half-Exalted seated on the podium below, the ear numbing chants, the screams, the cries of the Exalted One’s name, shook even them.

One couldn’t help but be influenced by such a bone shaking atmosphere.

Arcadius, Yeneffer, and every member of the younger generation of Exalted, had gleams of ambition in their eyes as they watched the frenzied crowd, dreaming of one day being the focus of such adulation.

The Exalted One raised a hand, and immediately, the chanting stopped. And a pin drop silence reigned.

It was sudden, drawing a sharp contrast that made one’s hair tingle and drew goosebumps from some of the Exalted below. The Exalted One’s influence was beyond human standards. He was a God to these people.

"Pious of Apraxis! I, the Exalted One, proclaim the start of the 2222nd Sojourn. One ordained to outshine all before it! For this year, I stand as its divine arbiter, to guide its course with my own will." The Exalted One’s voice boomed throughout the whole city without any enhancement whatsoever.

His voice could be heard clearly by everyone, as if he was right at the front of each one of them, talking to them personally. Another show of his power.

He didn’t look strained at all, spreading his arms wide as he spoke with ease.

"This year, a new Saintess shall be chosen! By the Sojourn’s end, she shall be anointed, a beacon to guide the faithful through the trials ahead!" The crowd below erupted, with chants of Saintess! Saintess! shaking the whole city.

Arcadius, seated among the Exalted, hissed slightly in distaste, turning his head to glance at Yennefer, who had a playful smile on her lips, with an unreadable look on her face.

"Second," the Exalted One continued, cutting their chants short, "Know that Freehold, that den of heretics, one that has been a plague to generations of Exalted past, now lies in ruins! I. The Exalted One crushed its defiance, scattering its people to dust!" he announced with a fierce tone.

"Let this be a warning to all hidden defiant and heretic... None can stand against the will of Apraxis!" he roared, "None can stand against my will!"

The Pious below cheered in a mad frenzy. They had heard the news before, but hearing it from the mouth of the Exalted One himself made it even more impactful. Giving it a sense of finality.

"And third..." the Exalted One said with a solemn tone that chilled the charged atmosphere into seriousness, "The Convergence comes! The trial of worlds. Known but only twice in our history! You know its call, pious! Its glory and its terror!" Shocked gasps could be heard from the crowd below at the Exalted One’s words, and a palpable trepidation began to spread. This was the first they were hearing of it.

The Convergence. Something they’d only read about in their history books. The ecstasy of emerging victorious among thousands of other worlds, and the terror and finality of losing and forfeiting their access to magic... forever. And it seemed it was going to happen within their current lifetimes.

"Apraxis has won before! Our champions of ages past emerged as victors among hundreds of thousands of worlds, and raised us to this universe! So fear not, my pious! For our chosen—my chosen—" he cast a small glance at Arcadius’ figure below, drawing sharp gasps and murmurs of disbelief from those who followed his gaze, "—will triumph! claiming victory for Apraxis yet again!"

The crowd erupted into a cheer with renewed vigor, shaking the foundations of Conflux again. Those who had caught the Exalted One’s glance toward Arcadius whispered urgently to those beside them, "Arcadius! The Exalted One’s son! He will be a champion!" The murmurs spread swiftly like wildfire through the crowd, causing so many gazes to be turned towards the lower podium where Arcadius sat.

He tried to play it off, but his eyes shone with pride, and he sat up a bit more confidently in his seat.

The Exalted One waved a hand, giving the verdict for the rest of the Sojourn activities to begin as the cheers reached a peak.

The rest of the activities began. All the formalities, religious and sacred rituals, were carried out to the letter.

The Saintess was unveiled, and contrary to the belief of most of the Exalted and Half-Exalted seated, it wasn’t actually Yeneffer who was chosen. Instead, it was the Exalted One’s youngest child. A girl no more than fifteen. Seffirah was her name.

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Astrl