Civilization Chronicles: Rise of the Divine Creator

The moment the trio walked through the massive doors, some 3,000 pairs of eyes focused on them.

Were they ordinary children, they would surely have felt intimidated being stared at so fixedly by so many people, but Lucas, Eris, and Christina had all experienced far worse than this, so they didn’t even flinch.

Despite the hall being packed, it was utterly silent as the children made their way forward, no one daring to disturb the somber atmosphere.

After what seemed like ages, Lucas arrived at the head of the hall and stood firmly in place, his eyes fixed on the tall, crimson-red-haired woman standing a few steps ahead of him before an ornate throne.

Eris assumed a position to Lucas’ right, while Christina stood to his left, both of them also directing their eyes forward with solemn purpose.

Tension filled the air as the most powerful woman in the Rockwell Kingdom’s stoic gaze landed on the three children, remaining there for just a moment before she lifted her eyes and addressed the room, "Today is a momentous day. The day I, Celestina Balfour, take my first True Disciples."

Even though all the gathered members of the Balfour Family, dignitaries from other noble houses, representatives from various guilds and chambers of commerce, and even some envoys from foreign nations were well aware of what today’s ceremony was about, that didn’t stop many of them from drawing a sharp breath when Celestina made it official.

Among the 5 Small and Mid-Sized Nations that made up the South-Central Region of the Blue Sky Continent, there were few people alive today more famous than Celestina Balfour.

She was an iconic figure, and had been one for nearly 200 years. Her deeds were the stuff of song, and with her strength, skill, and reputation on the battlefield, no one dared to despise her.

Yet, in her almost 300 years of life, she had never once taken a True Disciple, despite geniuses from all 5 of the local nations and even some from beyond the South-Central Region having sought that honour.

That was about to change.

Today, Celestina Balfour would take not just 1, but 3 True Disciples

Some in the crowd were already quite familiar with this trio of youngsters while others were seeing them for the first time, but while there were more than a few who believed some, if not all of these children were unworthy, no one was going to raise their objections here.

No one had the guts, nor the right.

The taking of a Disciple for any Cultivator was both a sacred and intimate ritual, one that was deeply personal and meaningful to the Master and their charge. Any kind of interference in an official Discipleship Ceremony was considered an intolerable insult to all those involved, one that could only be settled with blood.

None of the guests here today was foolish enough to forge a blood feud for a petty reason like jealousy.

As such, the ceremony continued uninterrupted.

Most of the details of such an occasion weren’t fixed and instead varied greatly from person to person and region to region.

Sometimes long-winded speeches were made, sometimes no words were spoken at all. An exchange of gifts, sharing of a cup of wine, or the bestowal of names weren’t uncommon to see, and these were just a few examples.

A Master taking a Disciple was akin to accepting a new family member so how one decided to go about formalizing that was entirely up to the involved parties; however, there was one custom that was universal, one that all Masters and Disciples followed, the swearing of the oath.

The words of said oath might be different, but the meaning was always the same.

Upon finishing a brief statement of her intent, and receiving the ’blessings’ of the crowd and her family, Celestina turned her attention back to the 3 children standing before her and ordered, "Kneel."

Receiving this command, without any hesitation or delay, Lucas, Eris, and Christina placed their right fists over their hearts, dropped to one knee, and bowed their heads.

Stepping down from the dais she almost never stood on, away from the throne she almost never sat in, Celestina arrived directly in front of the boy she intended to take as her First Disciple, drew her trademark obsidian spear from its sheath on her back, and with a smooth flourish rested its blade gently on his shoulder, "Do you, Lucas, son of Drake and Anna of Redwood Town, swear to take I, Celestina Balfour, as your Master?"

Lifting his head, Lucas met eyes with the heroic figure before him and declared firmly, "I swear."

"Do you swear to be loyal, diligent, and dutiful from this day, until your final day?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to uphold my honour as though it were your own, and to fight for justice in my name?"

"I swear!"

"Then I accept your oath, and swear in return to nurture, guide, and defend you as my Disciple!"

With a single tap on the boy’s shoulder, the blade was withdrawn and a resonant shout decreed, "Rise, Lucas! First Disciple of Celestina Balfour!"

Responding to the first command from his Master, Lucas rose to his feet, but knowing that the ceremony had not yet ended, he kept his eyes fixed forward and his fist in place.

Similarly, the audience remained silent as Celestina stepped to her left, arriving before her young descendant, "Eris Newton, daughter of Charles and Sasha..."

.....

"Rise, Eris Newton! Second Disciple of Celestina Balfour!"

"Rise, Christina Rockwell! Third Disciple of Celestina Balfour!"

The moment Tina stood, the silence in the hall broke as thunderous cheers went up all around, the voices of over 3,000 people roaring in approval.

Whether they actually approved or not was irrelevant; in this situation, applauding was the only correct course of action.

After saluting their now formal Master once more, Lucas, Eris, and Christina finally lowered their fists and turned on their heels to face the crowd, standing proudly before the sea of eyes, small smiles adorning their faces.

Before today, while all of them would refer to themselves as ’Disciples’ of Celestina when asked, it was only now, after the official ceremony was completed, that it became a true fact.

Even Celestina herself, who readily admitted she wasn’t one for formalities and archaic protocol, had made sure that this ceremony was conducted in the most traditional and extravagant manner possible, with all the pomp and circumstance such an occasion demanded.

Several minutes later, just as the crowd in the grand hall was beginning to calm, the bells of the city serendipitously tolled, signaling the arrival of midnight and the beginning of the new year.

With the formal part of the Discipleship Ceremony completed, Celestina’s usual, confident smirk returned to her face as she raised her voice once more, "Let the celebrations begin!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!