Chapter 424: Midnight Mirror
The waning crescent moon reflected off the pristine water of the Midnight Mirror. The large oval-shaped terrace served as a ceremonial arena and gave a clear view to those watching from the Silver Keep’s tribunal chamber.
The short walk down the marble steps of the chamber to the terrace was filled with the voices of the chieftains and shamans. Some were filled with excitement, a few were words of encouragement, but most were taunts and ridicule. Stryg tried to ignore their words but every time he heard them call him ‘outsider’ it chipped at his own security deep within.
Stryg walked around the Midnight Mirror’s pool, careful not to step inside the shallow water. A priestess from the Celestial Shrine was waiting on one end of the terrace for him. In her hands, she held a pair of white garbs.
While keeping his eyes on the ground, Stryg stripped down to his undergarments. The priestess handed him the garbs and whispered a silent prayer for his victory as per tradition. He quietly thanked her and slipped into the white pair of pants tunic. Both were short-sleeved, with the shirt ending at his elbows and the pants at his knees. Still, neither was particularly tight.
Odd.
He didn’t think they would have any clothes of his size prepared beforehand. Unless… Someone was already planning on this outcome.
Stryg glanced up at the chamber’s balcony where the Shaman-Elect Lumi was looking down at him with a satisfied smile.
~~~
“I failed,” Aurelia muttered in frustration. “I should have expected Lumi would do something like this.”