"Turn Stone to Mud" dissolved a hollow into the mountainside, large enough for Shade to stand in. Holding Flora in his arms, he stood within it. The dense night concealed them both; waiting here for the battle's outcome was the best option.
"I've seen that Sun Crest before."
Curled up in Shade's arms, the witch whispered to him:
"That was in the spring of 1853. Charlotte and I arrived in a city at the southern foot of the Rommel Mountain Range to attend a gathering held by Kasonlik painters. Sun Crest was carrying out a mission nearby at the time, and I saw her from afar."
Shade asked curiously:
"Do you know that Lady?"
"A little. She can manifest the Sun's power as abstract symbols, creating crests through writing, carving, or projections of light and shadow, then granting them different rule-based effects. More specifically, your Black Moon Rune is actually a type of crest-system power."
Shade understood after hearing that, while Flora continued in a low voice from his embrace:
"And I once heard my teacher say that Sun Crest has Angel Bloodline."
"An Angel of the God of Sun and Earth—the Old Man with the Lantern?"
"No, an Angel of that Ancient Sun God."
Ancient God Angel Bloodlines were rare, but not unheard of. During the Trial of the Wise in the winter of 1853, Shade had heard rumors of mortal families inheriting the Angel of Wisdom's bloodline. Even Priest Augustus himself wielded the power of an Angel of the Ancient God of Death.
"Did that Lady become famous very early?"
"Not especially early. It was roughly when I was still a young girl and had just become my Teacher's apprentice that she officially advanced to the Thirteenth Ring. Teacher said that Sun Crest was an extremely gifted Ring