After a while, Ash agreed to the match though she warned him that she wasn't sure when she'd be able to given that she already had someone wanting to duel her and was restricted from such activities currently.
Surprising her slightly, he nodded, "Your magic has taken much damage due to the events within the dungeon, my father informed me. That aside, he seemed to be under the impression that you would be able to fight again very soon. As for the duel young Ryn has requested of you," he revealed that he already knew about it, "I doubt it will take up much of your time. He is very much the kind of fighter that relies on burdening his opponents with status effects, in other words the least threatening match-up possible for you."
Ash was less surprised about his knowledge of her condition in the end than she was hearing him call Lord Virtus his father. She'd thought about doing so many times with Lord Sidus but it had always felt very disrespectful to her.
"How did you come to call him father?" She asked curiously.
"Ah, that," he said with a low chuckle at her concern being less with him knowing details of her private life and more with what he called the god that had created him, "Several hundred years ago, he came to speak to me. He was," Ailan hesitated for a little bit, as if trying to place the word he needed, "Distraught. It felt as if he'd just seen something very terrible and did not know how to react to it save to hold that which was important to him much closer. It took some time to grow used to," he admitted softly, "But he was my father even before that point though I had not addressed him as such. I have gathered since the worlds of Terra and Fantastoria were linked that the event that triggered it was your world being torn away from them."
They talked a fair bit more over the course of the afternoon, pausing regularly to snack and get drinks as well as to simply sit in small restaurants near the city center that felt no need to open stalls and enjoy the atmosphere. The slow approach of dusk came with a sort of excitement building in the air and even Ash's eyes seemed to sparkle with it.
He escorted her to the edge of the square where the Star Ash of Redwood Stars grew even as magic began to suffuse the city and bring all of the decorations to life. Her foci responded as well, taking on a slow and gentle glow that brightened with the leaves of the Star Ash as Lord Sidus' magic spread from the tree where it had gathered.
That hers was not the only such foci that took on a glow was the only reason he did not panic. The highest authorities within the temple of Sidus had also joined the Starlight Unicorns under the tree and each of them wore items that glowed with such power. Ailanthus even sensed that several of them were not wearing Star Ash, but items crafted from Ashterra's own horns.
Soft footsteps drew his sharp gaze as one of the higher authorities within the temple approached near soundlessly. He nodded a greeting to the Starstriker, Fel, even as she moved to stand beside Ash for a moment.
"Are you enjoying your day?" She asked with a mischievous grin.
"Immensely," Ash responded swiftly enough that Ailanthus had to look away for a moment to hide his blush that she enjoyed his company so thoroughly.
Mist filled with stars began to spread across the city center, a spell that the Starlight Unicorns all seemed to be joining in on. Ash watched as it spread to conceal everyone near the grand tree, knowing already that the unicorns were using it as a cover under which to change forms.
While their form changing revealed nothing, most had an aversion towards letting others see them change because they were vulnerable at that time. Ash had allowed Fel and the others to see her do so because she trusted them and trusted Lord Sidus' judgement that they were worthy of serving in his temple.
By the time the mist allowed the unicorns to be seen again, Fel had disappeared and stood next to several other people that looked like warriors that served under the temple. All of the Starlight Unicorns in their elven forms were dressed in robes of the temple of Sidus, though in a gentle charcoal color rather than the pearly white the normal worshipers wore. It was not nearly so dark as the robe that had been handed to her, making her wonder if it was perhaps forgotten about in its dye vat for too long.
As they began the procession towards the temple, Ailanthus held out his own arm to her, "It would be my honor to escort you for this," he said as robed figures from the temple, lower level acolytes, positioned themselves at the exit that headed for the temple with boxes at their feet.
Ash gratefully took the offered escort and walked alongside him as the star-filled mist spread sparsely along the walkway as if to draw people towards the temple. He paused by one of the acolytes and released Ash for a brief moment as he gathered a lantern from the box. Straightening, he took Ash's arm back and walked forward a few steps, pausing slightly as he slowly waved the lantern through the mist bank filled with stars at their feet.
When it lit with stars shining in multiple colors, casting a beautiful rainbow of light at their feet, he offered it to Ash. She smiled and took the lantern, noting that its glow strengthened ever so slightly in her hand.
The walk to the temple was a quiet event filled with wonder at the power that flowed through the city and all of the beautiful decorations that had served to draw interest in the stalls during they day seemed to transform into lighting for the path. Ash tried to think back to the last time she had participated in the Starlight Festival in such a way but could only ever remember sitting on the island in the middle of the temple, bored out of her mind until people started to flood in.
Glad that the Starlight Unicorn actively participated in the event instead of sitting around as centerpieces, she almost missed that the temple was already alight with power when she walked into it. She wondered if it was related to the festival but had no way to know as her own temple had always been alight due to her presence.
She felt someone draw close to the side where she held the lantern and glanced towards them curiously. He looked just like a Starlight Elf and the woman whose arm threaded through his was definitely a Shadow Elf. She might have mistaken them for regular worshipers but neither carried a lantern and both smelled very familiar to her.
Not wanting to reveal his presence when he was clearly not wanting to be noted as a god, Ash addressed him in the only way she could, "Father. It is good to see you this starlit eve."