BXBX NOVEL Chapter 96: Raining Weapons
Ty interjected, stating, "That works for me. I wanted to see the goddess in action anyway."
Lady Amaris gave a slight laugh as she explained, "She is more of an energy than an actual person. Once the ceremony starts, the priest offers a prayer, and she begins to bestow weapons upon the new generations."
Ty, with a bit of a smirk, stated, "Is that so?"
Lady Amaris turned her attention to Todd, who was lost in his own thoughts. "So just to confirm, you aren\'t going to randomly try and kill anyone, right?"
Todd, a bit perplexed, responded, "I\'m the nicest person in this room!"
Nana gave a chuckle and added, "Yeah, I\'ve known him for at least 12ish years, and he\'s always been nice to a fault. Sort of an idiot sometimes."
Lady Amaris, with a bit of sweat, said, "If you say so, it\'s just rare to see an Ogre or Orc being so friendly and well-mannered.
"Well, I come from another place where we are just people with green skin."
"I see," Lady Amaris replied. "Well, let\'s go ahead and get going. I don\'t mind escorting you to the waiting area if you all want.
Ty looked over both Nana and Todd before stating, "yea that should be fine, it will probably be for the best also to attract as little attention as possible."
Todd grabbed his sack, stating, "It\'s always good to have extra gear in case we need it," before following the group out the door.
Heading out towards the town, they found it sprawled with people wearing an array of costumes and other aesthetics. Todd wondered aloud, "What\'s with all the get-ups? A lot of these adults are wearing monster-like costumes, and others are wearing garbs and robes."
Lady Amaris gave a slight chuckle. "It\'s sort of the kingdom\'s tradition to dress up as your first kill in honor of good luck for your family."
Todd raised an eyebrow. "Huh, a very violent tradition, but I guess being basked in a weapon culture that\'s bound to happen."
"As they walked for about a mile, Ty asked, \'How do you all have so many weapons, but the world isn\'t basked in people fighting or trying to kill each other?\' He furrowed his brows, genuinely curious."
"You\'d think crime and other issues would come up often," he continued.
Lady Amaris responded, "I suppose someone from the outside looking in would assume so, but we have an iron fist on crime rate, as almost anyone can defend themselves. Though outside the castle walls, bandits and other issues do run amuck."
"We try to handle that as best we can," she explained. "But within the direct walls and inside, you see little crime because if someone is caught stealing or worse, they lose access to their weapon. In worse situations, the weapon itself is destroyed and used to power our kingdom\'s electric system."
Ty nodded slowly, absorbing the information. Then, he balled his fist up before slapping it down on his open hand, stating, "Is that how the train works, running on that blue stream of energy?" Ty asked.
Lady Amaris responded, "Sort of, it\'s mixed in with one of the King\'s guard power and is enhanced by weapons that are broken. Its energy is fueled for it to keep everything going without him having to strain himself."
"In case of emergencies, though," she added, "he\'s able to keep it up for days or just land it somewhere safe."
"Wow, he must be pretty strong then, I suppose. But what would happen if something happened to him?"
Her face was a bit perplexed as she put a finger over her lip, stating, "I, uh, I don\'t know, to be honest. But I\'m sure they would have something in order."
A moment passes as a loud bell is heard, and she says, "Looks like it\'s going to be starting soon," as they approach a large cathedral-like building with hundreds of kids gathered around, some with parents and others by themselves.
There are kids dressed in fancy clothes and skinny kids dressed in rags. "Wow, there sure are a lot of kids here. This really is a big deal, though that\'s not too surprising, I guess," Ty continued.
The air was thick with anticipation as Lady Amaris led Ty and his companions toward the cathedral. She whispered, "Please follow me and stay close," as the massive doors to the grand building creaked open, revealing a shimmering light that spilled out into the courtyard.
Without a word, Ty and his group followed her inside. The sight that greeted them was nothing short of breathtaking.
The cathedral\'s interior was vast and awe-inspiring. Hundreds of swords were plunged into the walls, creating a mesmerizing pattern that encircled the central area.
In the heart of the cathedral, a raised platform stood, adorned with a small podium at its center.
It was here that the ceremony would take place.
Lady Amaris led the group around to the back, where they found a comfortable ledge that provided a perfect vantage point to oversee the event.
As they settled in, their eyes were drawn to an elderly man with thinning hair, dressed in attire reminiscent of a priest from Ty\'s memories of Earth.
His presence added an air of solemnity to the occasion, and the atmosphere in the cathedral grew even more charged with anticipation.
The group watched in silence, fully immersed in the grandeur of the moment, as the ceremony was beginning, and a hushed anticipation fell over the crowd.
The old man at the podium cleared his throat before making a small, deliberate gesture with his hand.
In an instant, a giant axe materialized out of thin air and appeared in his hands, a colossal weapon that looked twice his size.
With a commanding presence, he addressed the gathered crowd, his voice resonating throughout the cathedral.
"Hello, new generation," he began, his words carrying a weight of significance. "It is a pleasure to welcome you all into the new phases of your lives. Today will mark, for many of you, the first step in discovering your purpose and the destination your life will take."
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the eager faces before him. "It is with the greatest of blessings, on this new year, that I request upon the Goddess herself.
"I ask that she bestow upon each of you a weapon worthy of your innate potential."
"These weapons shall guide you down a path of righteousness and form a close The old man continued, his words resonating with purpose. "These weapons shall guide you down a path of righteousness and form a close connection between you and your kingdom."
As he gestured towards the cathedral\'s ceiling, a hushed silence fell over the room. From the top of the cathedral, a radiant light began to form, captivating the onlookers.
Ty\'s eyes widened as he saw the outline of a small face winking at him from within the light.
It was a moment of wonder and magic that left him momentarily speechless. Nana, too, looked at him, her expression a mixture of curiosity and amazement.
Then, without warning, an array of brilliant lights bathed the entire cathedral, casting a kaleidoscope of colors across the room.
From the ceiling, two luminous hands emerged, their radiance casting an ethereal glow.
Weapons of all kinds, from swords to lances to maces, and everything in between, began to descend from the celestial hands, landing gracefully into the waiting hands of the young boys and girls.
Amidst the spectacle, Ty couldn\'t help but voice his thoughts. "I can\'t be the only one finding it weird that they\'re giving literal kids, who are just 11-12 years old, weapons. That\'s kind of unusual, right?" He glanced over at Nana, seeking her perspective.
Nana responded with a touch of humor, "Well, back on Alexeria, young children were often thrown into war early all the time, so it\'s not the weirdest thing ever. But let a little kid try to swing a mace at me, and he\'ll find out," she stated with a wry smile, her tone light-hearted.