B5 Chapter 6 – Upon A Golden Throne

There was a certain… thrum in the air around the Palace of Ascension. The air, the earth, everything seemed to pulse at an incredibly high frequency, a vibration so slight as to be almost undetectable. A remarkable achievement, really, to experience so slight an effect while in the presence of such an unimaginable outpouring of power.

Selene’s Chosen raised his staff, a blazing stave formed of pure light, and proclaimed: “All kneel!”

In one smooth motion, along with the other thousand attendants, ministers, Nobles and officials, Administrator Merigold Kent knelt, then pressed her forehead to the hallowed ground. Behind her, the other members of her office were arrayed, while in front, the Grand Duchess Tiranda also knelt, but was permitted to keep her head up.

In that position, the gathering froze, waiting for permission to rise to be given.

The thrum grew stronger, to the point Merigold could feel it, deep in her chest. The palace was coming closer. She wished she could see it descend, but such a thing was forbidden by the Gods themselves. Even throughout the capital, all would be averting their eyes from the spectacle, for it was something they were not worthy to see. If even a child turned their gaze upon the palace, even for a moment, they would be blinded, according to Imperial law.

It was tempting to look, but not that tempting. The Gods did not permit any who were not of the purest blood to see their power made manifest. As a minor noble, Merigold knew she would never be afforded that privilege.

When the vibration had reached her teeth, she knew the palace was close. It was eerie to think that something so large could rise and fall in the sky without making so much as a sound. The wind moving around the palace was the only indication it was there at all, if not for the thrum.

Then came the deep C-kroom that seemed to reverberate up from deep beneath the ground. The Palace of Ascension had connected to the cradle which would hold it in place for its time upon the ground. She had seen the cradle with her own eyes, a tiny thing, no larger than her fist, held in place by four beams that cut through the centre of the depression holding the Ascension Array. The very bottom tip of the palace would sit, nestled in that cradle, until the palace rose to the sky once more.

Here it comes.

The next moment was always a little disconcerting. There was a long, pregnant pause, then a slight lurch as the bridge latched onto the palace and began to rotate. She’d never been told why the palace needed to be in constant motion, but there had to be a reason, and a very good one. The Cloud Bridge, despite its name, had to weigh thousands of tons, and keeping the mechanism greased to let it rotate with the palace was an unthinkable undertaking.

“Rise!” Selene’s Chosen declared, and Merigold rose to sit on her heels, then stood in one smooth motion.

For fear of making an error and receiving punishment, she had practiced that movement thousands of times after receiving her appointment. Even now, the thought of stumbling made her stomach clench in terror.

Where before there had been a vast empty space, now the Palace of Ascension sat, in all its glory.

A perfect diamond shape, pointed at the very tip and very bottom, its flawless symmetrical lines were enough to take her breath away, but everything else about it was just as spectacular.

For hundreds of years the Empire had poured everything it had into the construction of this palace, and it showed. Millions of the highest grade cores were used to fuel the giant array that held the palace aloft, and the structure itself was formed of the most precious materials known. The side facing her, with the grand entrance formed at the edge of the bridge, featured a grand mural that covered the entire surface, depicting the Five Divines in all of their splendour.

Orthriss. Warrior and defender. Shieldwarden of the Empire and God to all those with unwavering hearts and solid wills. He was shown on the palace as the unyielding and implacable fighter he was. Armoured, his mighty shield, Riyan, upon his left arm, the blade, Petrik, gripped in his right hand.

The Fallen One, Tel’anan. Lost god of magick. He was shown, robed and crowned, with his eyes closed, his noble face set in an expression of deep sadness.

Hamar. Lighthearted adventurer. God of travel, bards, music and invention. Smiling, as always, his divine crossbow, Caelun, cradled in one arm, his lute, Stringfellow, in the other. With light and laughter in his eyes, he was always the friendliest-looking of the Gods, and one Merigold was particularly devoted to.

He was, after all, her own ancestor. Barely.

Lofis. Mother of the Empire. Goddess of the seasons, of harvest, growth, life and death. From the side of the palace, she looked down on the gathered throng with a mother’s love. The Staff of Summer was held lightly in her hands, and her Crow, Trittan, rested on her shoulder.

Finally, in the centre of the mural and directly over the grand entrance, was Selene.

Goddess of Healing and light, divine matriarch of the Empire and Mother of the Emperor, for it was from her the ruling lineage sprang. Depicted with flawless beauty and a gentle visage, Selene appeared with the glow of divine healing in one hand, and the light of civilisation in the other.

Made of gold, platinum, diamond and other precious materials, the mural was one of the most astounding things a citizen of the Empire could ever hope to see. Largely because they would never be allowed within the palace itself.

“Attend me!” the Chosen of Selene declared. “You are under the eyes of The Five Divines!”

So saying, the imposing woman, dressed in her full regalia, turned and began to lead the procession over the bridge and toward the grand entrance of the palace.

Despite serving for years, Merigold still felt shivers run down her spine at the sheer, awe-inspiring magnificence of the occasion. It was difficult to hold one’s nerve in the presence of such august figures and the gaze of the Gods themselves. In her opinion, anyone who wasn’t affected was simply not normal.

The procession advanced along the Cloud Bridge, all moving at a slow, ceremonial pace. Step, pause. Step, pause. Step, pause. When the Chosen reached the threshold of the palace, the thousand-strong procession halted once more as she raised her hands high and uttered a prayer to The Five. Only then were they allowed to step inside.

As one not of the High Blood, Merigold kept her eyes down once they crossed the threshold. Even the floor they walked on was a dazzling sight, each tile an artwork in and of itself, displaying an engraving that spoke of the legends from the dawning of the Empire.

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

Her favourite, one that showed Hamar bewitching an army of rift-kin with his song, would be a few metres to her left this time, due to a shift in the lines. She smothered the disappointment lest it show in her face. One did not appear dissatisfied with the interior of the Palace of Ascension.

With the palace, there was always light, and music, the flawless acoustics of the structure carrying the heart-piercing voices of the Emperor’s choir throughout the space.

Finally, the entire procession had entered the palace and now fully occupied the grand chamber. The Chosen of Selene raised her hands, and the procession came to a halt, every member of the court standing in their appointed place, not a centimetre out of position.

Ahead, upon the Grand Dais, Marigold knew there would be where the highest Nobles, Arch-Priests and Ministers sat around the marble table said to be hewn by Orthriss himself. Above them would be the Cloud Circle, in which the most pure-blooded nobility in all of the Empire sat. Above them, the Seat of Divinity, upon which the Emperor himself was seated.

Above him, of course, were five empty thrones, each more elaborate than even the Emperor’s seat, to ensure that all remembered who truly ruled in this place.