Everyone stood in silence in front of the messenger, waiting for another to break the silence.

“Sir, I’m going to need you to not make comments like this.” Freyja finally said through an obviously panicked veneer. “We know that Marcel is running late, but this is no excuse to-”

“Shut it, Freyja.” Zach interrupted. One quick glare, and Freyja was hiding behind Mia. He approached the messenger, who was trying their best not to erupt into panic.

“Listen.” He asked as his hulking figure approached the messenger. “You know if Luminita’s okay?”

“To my knowledge, she’s fine.”

“Okay, good to know.” Zach said with a slight sigh of relief. “She in a position for a call?”

“Well, I’m not too sure.”

“Worst she can do its leave me hanging.” Zach whispered to himself, already getting his phone out and dialling the number. He gave one quick nod to the others, and left into the hallways to talk.

The line was silent for a while. Zach kept it up just in case, and just as the phone was about to close automatically, something picked up.

“Who is this?” A voice asked. It’s been a while since they talked, but it was clearly her.

“Luminita, correct?” Zach asked.

“Who is this?” She asked, her voice wavering at just what could be at the other end.

“Zach”

“Zach? Like, uncle Zach?”

“That one.”

Zach listened to the following torrent of tears and incoherent wailing coming from the other end.

“Listen, Lumie.” Zach said. “You can cry all you need once we meet up in person. But I’m just calling to let you know that we’re gonna need to interrogate you for a little bit, got it?”

“Yeah, I got it.”

“Awesome. Actually, I need to know. You hurt anywhere?”

“A little scratched up, but that’s not important.”

“Excellent, excellent.”

“Sorry, Zach?” Nuria asked from the hallway. “We need to discuss our next move.”

“Right now? I’ll be with you in a second.” He went back to Luminita. “Gotta go real quick. But if anything is worrying you, give me a call.”

He walked calmly into the room where all the other nova leaders were sitting, with Mia naturally sitting at the top with Freyja at the first table nearby. Zach sat at the back next to Rory, and all partners, servants, children, and heroes left the room.

“Okay, first order of business.” Mia said. “Sangaria is no longer an official member until their weapon is returned.”

“Fuck off.”

Mia looked at Rory, who was glaring back.

“Excuse me, Rory?” Mia asked, keeping her composure while Freyja looked mortified. “May I remind you that you even being here is an act of charity?”

“Well, I need to fucking say something. Saoloro lost the bow, that much is true. But the people still remain with no deaths at the moment. I might not get re-elected next year, but I can live with that. But Sangaria lost their main ruler and have a scared child in their place, and everything will go tits up if she gets abandoned!”

“Pretty much what I was gonna say.” Zach said with a nod.

“I am not repeating myself.” Mia said calmly. “If you are of significance, you have a relic weapon to look after. It’s as simple as that.”

“With all due respect, miss Mia.” Sylvestro said from across Freyja. “The Legion has three weapons now, so by your own logic they should be ruling the entire Skyspace.”

“They were stolen from their rightful place, it’s entirely different!” Freyja piped in, already looking frazzled.

“So weapons don’t have any bearing on ability to lead.” Ola added slowly. “You agree to that?”

Freyja’s lips tried their best to make a rebuttal towards Ola, but nothing could come out.

“I’m not leaving Marcel’s daughter behind, anyway.” Fen Hou said after a brief silence. “If I can have her number, Zach, I’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll leave it with you.” Zach replied with a satified nod.

“Okay, okay. We can keep Luminita in the congregation until she gets a better handle on ruling.” Mia said calmly as she bit her bottom lip.

“Hold on.” Zach interjected. “We’re letting Rory and Gurpreet back in. Otherwise we’ll set a bad example and not have a reason not to include the Legion should they want to.”

Mia looked at Zach for what seemed like an eternity, and nobody said a word.

“Fine.” She said. “Once the Legion is dealt with, relic ownership will not play a role in whether or not someone is eligible for joining the congregation.”

“Agreed there.” Rory said with a slight smile and approving nod.

“But.” Mia said, causing Rory to roll his eyes and go back to his grouchy disposition. “Zachary’s plan better have some kind of payoff at the end of all this.”

“It’s all going according to plan.” Zach nodded.

“And do you mind sharing what that plan is?”

“I can’t share the plan itself, but I can tell you that it’s coming to fruition in a couple days.”

“A few days?” Mia asked, squinting her eyes at Zach, who remained unfazed. “Does the plan coincide with the Fightston games?”

“Now that I think about it, they do line up.” Zach said, blowing a stray hair out of his eye.

“But the citizens of Fightston will be safe?”

“Nothing will happen to them, I assure you.”

“Well, if have nothing more to discuss, we can declare the discussion over. Zachary, please get Luminita to Lux itself for her coronation, I’d like it done in two days.”

Mia stood up and put her white coat on. “I’ll make preparations for Luminita, see you all there. Freyja, thank you for letting us use your dining room as a meeting grounds.”

“Oh, not an issue at all!” Freyja said merrily, causing Rory and Sylvestro to roll their eyes. Mia left the room, with the rest left to their own devices.

“Well, two days isn’t exactly a lot of time.” Sylvestro said after the brief silence. “So I’ll be taking my leave. Give your staff my regards, Freyja.” He left several bags out of his cape’s insides and left them on the table.

“Should be a hundred Luxa for everyone who works here, let me know if I need to send more.”

He left alongside Fen Hou, with Ola and Rory following soon after. Zach left to make his call to Luminita.

“Hey, just got out of a meeting. You’re gonna be coronated as the next ruler of Sangaria in two days.”

“Wait, two days?”

“Yeah, It’s not a lot of time, sorry about that. It’ll be two days in Lux, and I should be able to just go over and take you.”

“Yeah. Yeah, sounds good.”

Zach hung up the phone and went towards the others, looking for the Miracle group and the kids. He found Willow’s room and gave a quick knock, which Willow answered.

“You doing good?” She asked, looking around for her mother.

“Yeah, just wanna ask if everyone’s here.”

“Just me, Javier, and the Miracle guys.”

“Cool.” Zach replied, inviting himself in. “So, we have news. Luminita’s coronation is in two days, and you two will probably have to go to that. Would be best seeing as you’re the gang.”

“The gang?” Javier asked.

"You know, the gang. You, Willow, Luminita, and-"

"Yes, yes, the gang. I remember." Javier nodded. "I'll be there, anyway."

“And as for the miracle squad, I got an offer for you guys.”

“Hit us.” Cassandra replied.

“How would you guys like to compete in the Fightston games?”

“I’m sorry, the Fightston games?” Julian asked.

“You don’t need to, but it’d be nice if you at least showed up. It’s gonna be a big deal this year, mostly based around the fighting, and all the top hero groups are gonna be there.”

“Well, I’m in.” Cassandra said.

Same here!” Roxanne said

“Fine.” Julian grumbled.

“Excellent!” Zach yelled, before checking the hallways to ensure nobody heard that.

“One more thing. Willow, if you wanna enter, I’m totally down to sneak you onto the ship once the coronation’s over.”

“Wait, for real?” Willow asked, her eyes lighting up towards Cassandra and Roxanne.

Zach leaned in to Willow and whispered to her.

“And if you can help me sneak the spear onto my ship, I’ll let you fight with it.”

“Got it.” Willow whispered back.

“And if you three wanna grab a ship with my wife back to Fightston, that’d be easy on me.”

“Already on it.” Julian said, getting up and leaving the room with the other two in tow.