The setting sun breaking through the stained glass in the sanctuary gave the whole room a really ethereal vibe. The candelabrum was lit, too, and the whole room just seemed to glow. There was a platform in front of the fort that Virgil and Remus were standing on and overlooking the room. Well, Remus was. Virgil was looking down. He might have a panic attack if he looked up. There was more people here then Remus had ever seen together at one time in the whole compound. The room was nearly full, and it was a massive room.

Remus kind of wished he could reach out and take Virgil's hand, but they were positioned very specifically. Remus knew he was feeling stressed since it looked like there were spiders all over the ceiling. He was excited about the whole thing, but the excitement doesn't mean there weren't things he was afraid of. Just like Virgil had massive abandonment issues, Remus was afraid of being given up on. Remus was afraid of not meeting their expectations. And some part of him was afraid that none of this was even real. That it was a conspiracy. That it wouldn't last. That he was having a very lengthy and vivid dream. That he died, and this was some kind of death hallucination. Virgil was here to ground him, but if Virgil was out of the loop or not real himself, he had no way of knowing. Remus just had to trust this was real, despite his fears.

Remus stared ahead solemnly as Damien spoke on in Draconic. There was also some muted chanting from the acolytes that just made him even closer to slipping up and disassociating. But there was a strong spiced smell he could focus on and he carefully felt the inside of his sleeve. It was otherworldly, but this was his otherworld. He took a deep breath of the smell of spices and fire and the cool breeze from the wide-open doors. Virgil was probably doing the same.

He idly wondered if they could whittle a fidget cube. He could probably find a schematic online and give it to one of the master whittlers. They'd be so excited to make something for Virgil. They could stain the wood with blackberries and put a hook on it for Virgil's belt. But for now, they both just had to try their best to be regal and look calm.

There was a long pause and Damien began the part of the ceremony for people to listen to. He looked very tired and winded already from talking at the dragons. Having to do this ceremony on the same day as the new moon was bullshit. Damien was probably going to blackout. New moon, changes, renewal, new seers. Remus got why they did it. Virgil explained it this morning. But he could tell this was going to kick Damien's ass. If non-seer acolytes had to do this, they'd probably have to take out the whole group of them. Damien's ceremony and new moon ritual must have been an event.

"The dragons have chosen two more worthy souls. Two more worthy souls have chosen the dragons in return. The stoles to be bequeathed upon them are a sign of their devotion and connection to the dragons, but also a sign that the dragons have chosen them. They were chosen to see, hear, feel, and listen so that we may better serve the dragons and the world itself. The sun sets on their lives they have lost and the new moon rises to bring them to their new lives among the dragons. We thank their past lives for bringing them here and respect them for who they are and who they will be.

"In a year's time, they will join me as lords and will lead us in rites and commune with the spirits and dragons themselves to bring us into a new age of understanding and community with the world we were disconnected from so long ago. In a year's time, we will reward them with the vestments to represent this connection. These stoles are a reminder of that commitment as well as a symbol of deep respect.

"Remus of the Spirit. Please step forward," Damien said very formally. Remus stepped one step forward and bowed as instructed. Damien draped an absthine green silk stole with a black embroidered edge across Remus's shoulders. "The dragons have chosen the green of the ever-changing spirit for you. This color represents your indomitable will and reckless zeal. You are the pinnacle of spirit may find divine inspiration in anything spirited. And you push the boundaries of what that means into a new realm of understanding for us," Damien said, beaming with pride. Remus stepped back but kept his bow. He opted to go first so Virgil wouldn't have to bow as long. Honestly, Remus was afraid Virgil might throw up if he did.

"Virgil of the stars. Please step forward," Damien stated. Remus glanced over to watch Virgil step forward and bow. He was a little shaky, but Remus was proud of him nonetheless. Damien draped a dark purple silk stole over his shoulders. "The dragons have chosen the deep violet of the night sky for you. The color represents your careful consideration and wide-open eyes. You are the pinnacle of the stars and may find divine inspiration under their light. You shine in the dark night like the stars you represent. We can all find new meaning in the small shimmering lights you reveal with trust and time," Virgil shook as he stepped back, but he successfully maintained the bow. Damien turned back towards the crowd.

"Please treat our new seers with the respect and heedence their position entails as we continue to guide them in our way of life and they begin to guide us in return," Damien bowed as well and the acolyte's chanting got louder. Honestly, all this bowing and the chanting and the heat was making Remus dizzy. The spiders must have been mad at being ignored on the ceiling and he watched a few unreal arachnids with weird tails shift around his feet. When the chanting abruptly stopped, all three raised from their bow.

"We will reconvene for moon high for the celebration of the new moon," Damien nodded to the crowd, and everyone who attended started to move around and talk. The crowd cleared a path for the three as they headed back to D's quarters.

Damien flopped on to the bed with a heavy sigh and closed his eyes and Virgil joined him. Remus sat on the bottom of the bed and leaned back.

"You made it, Virge, just one more standing still until drinking and you don't have to bow as long next time," Remus offered as Virgil buried his head under Damien's pillow. Virgil cheered, though dispiritedly, and spun his finger lazily in the air. "How ya holdin' up, D," Remus asked after Virgil's arm dropped like a rock back down to the bed.

"Fantastically," Damien drawled sardonically. Virgil chuckled, probably from the irony of Damien always calling him out for doing the same thing. But they both knew obvious sarcasm differed from straight-up lying.

"Either of you need me to bug someone for something while you both suffer slash recover?" Remus asked.

"It's in here. Will you pour me a glass of the Rosemary mead? The ashwagandha for Virgil. Cabinet next to the bookshelf," Damien grumbled. "You'll just have to deal with the flavor, Virgil, I can see you shaking. I'm very proud of you,"

"What's the mead code for you're not sure if the world is real and there're spiders everywhere," Remus asked, getting up from the bed. He saw Virgil quickly shift. "No, Virge, I'm okay, I think," Remus clarified.

"I'm very sorry to say this but it's the black licorice blend," Damien mumbled.

"He likes black licorice," Virgil grumbled back, still getting up to go stand next to Remus, putting a hand on his back and dropping his head against it. Virgil's sweet. It did already help Remus, honestly. Maybe he should have asked earlier.

"Ugh, I can't even stand the smell," Damien hissed. Remus laughed. Remus poured two shot's worth from the appropriate little bottles for each of them. Virgil threw back his right away and made a face. Remus handed Virgil the glass to bring over to Damien while Remus kept his distance to drink the weird dark mead. Virgil passed it off and came back dutifully, tucking himself under Remus's arm as Remus leaned back on the cabinet. The black licorice flavour was really at the forefront, but there was another weird herbal back end before the sweet smooth honey. Virgil leaned forward to sniff it and made another grimace and stuck out his tongue.

"That's really… medicinal smelling," Virgil grumbled and tapped gently on Remus's back. Remus took another drink and smiled at Virgil. He was tapping out the intro 'Crazy Train' by Ozzy Osbourne. Virgil chuckled slightly at his smile. Virgil's face dropped quickly, though, and he leaned against Remus. Remus wrapped his arm around Virgil's shoulders affectionately. Virgil needed the hug just as much as Remus needed grounding right now.

Damien very carefully sat up against his four-poster frame and started nursing his drink.

"Well, the bright side is we can help with any other back-to-back rituals after we learn them. You won't have to do all of it for much longer," Remus offered in solace. Damien nodded and exhaled slowly.

"Yes, that is wonderful. But I will likely blackout tonight nonetheless, and I do not look forward to it," Damien hissed.

"Virge 'n I got 'cha," Remus said cheerily.

"I didn't expect dragon conduit to be such a physically demanding position," Virgil laughed nervously.

"We should try linking up sometime. There's never been three, right? We could serious communion action," Remus suggested and took another drink. It wasn't the best, but he could get used to it. It assuredly won't be the last time he needs it.

"Yes… you're correct that it has never been attempted," Damien said, sitting up quickly, grabbing his head from the sudden motion, and heading over to his bookshelf. Remus covered his drink with his other hand quickly, accidentally wrapping Virgil's head up in the crook of his elbow. Virgil laughed and pulled his head out. Damien scanned his shelf, going for a dark brown one with near the bottom with a circular symbol embossed into the spine. He flipped it open, and walked back over to the bed, taking another drink of mead as he sat down.

Remus dropped his arm from covering his drink and Virgil came back to where he was before. Remus wasn't sure, but he thought Virgil was tapping out 'I'm not okay (I promise)' by My Chemical Romance. It was a very Virgil song to pick. Remus finished his drink and placed the glass next to Virgil's, sweeping him off his feet with a sudden protesting yelp and plopped him down on the bed next to Damien, sandwiching him between the two. Remus couldn't read this one if he tried, so he just laid back and closed his eyes on the other side of the bed, laying on his side and keeping an arm on Virgil.

"Um, what suddenly had your attention?" Virgil asked Damien.

"Remus's linking idea. It hasn't been attempted in quite some time. This journal discusses how it's done. It's slightly unclear, but instead of focusing on a question and opening yourself up, it seems to be something about combining energies. I wanted to re-read it. You're still very early in training, so it would likely take some time. But we all have many years ahead of us to try," Damien said and finished the rest of his drink and slid the empty glass on to the nightstand.

"Shouldn't you… I dunno… rest before the next ceremony?" Virgil asked, softly putting a hand on Damien.

"I… yes. I suppose. Being inquisitive and looking into curiosities is an important trait for a seer. But I shouldn't get carried away. I wouldn't let you get away with it, at least," Damien conceded and closed his book and put it down. "It's getting too dark in here to read, either way," Damien said, sounding very disappointed. Virgil smiled weakly at him and pulled his arm so Damien would shift to lie down with him. "This bed isn't exactly designed for three people," Damien chuckled.

"I can pull V on my lap if you need more room," Remus smirked. Virgil rolled his eyes and shifted to lay more comfortably down in between them.

"No, it's fine. It was more a statement," Damien said dismissively and closed his eyes. Ah, D wasn't completely innocent about not voicing his wants, either.

"Damien says to cuddle him, V," Remus laughed and pushed Virgil against Damien. Virgil looked shock, and Damien flushed slightly.

"I-he-" Virgil stammered.

"Um-uh-" Damien mumbled.

"Shh. It's nap time. Take the damn nap," Remus said and looked at them expectantly. There was a pregnant pause. "Quit being weirdos. They'll knock before entering, they always do. There's nobody to be embarrassed to. We're all tired, let's a fucking nap," There was a pause again, but Virgil eventually shrugged and cuddled against Damien, who shifted his arm to let Virgil in. Remus moved a little closer to Virgil to close the gap. Damien had a very satisfied smile. He'd been young when he had started seer training and probably hadn't had contact in a while. Others weren't allowed to touch the seers since it could mess with the sight.

Remus got a vibe from Damien, a not into relationships at all kind of vibe, but every human needs contact, and nobody was going to hug their sacred seer. Virgil was an easy first hug in a while. Gentle, careful, and very sensitive to your mood if you get uncomfortable. Remus was more of a bear-hugger. Remy described it as being mauled before. Damien should probably work up to Remus. Remus chuckled and closed his eyes again. He was also a kicker in his sleep sometimes, so Virgil could probably protect him from that. Virgil had been drunk-sharing a bed with Remus for years and knew how to get him to stop in his sleep.

The smell of the wood and the books and the dragon's blood incense lingering had become pretty calming to Remus. Virgil was safe and comfortable in here. It was probably the only room he was really comfortable in. And when Virgil was comfortable, Remus felt like he could relax. Virgil was on edge near anything that could hurt either of them by any stretch of the definition, like some kind of precognitive magic horse. So if Virgil was safe, so was Remus. Remus put a hand on Virgil's shoulder and he mumbled, sounding like he was already drifting. He took a deep breath and let the mead do its job and drifted off.