Zenith Castle of the Sun

The Zenith Castle of the Sun is a building located in the Realm of the Sun. It dates from the Golden Age of Aether World's civilization before it's fall.

## History

Before the Devourer of Worlds' destruction of the Aether civilization, this castle was inhabited by perhaps, a lord serving the kings of Aether World. It was destroyed in the battle between King Athos, his father and the Devourer, and left in ruins until the students of Aether World Cosmic University visited it to find some artifacts. Ranald discovered a stele which gave him visions of possibly the future 108 Stars of Destiny.

As part of their final-year project, the students have to rebuild Aether World's ruins, the castle included. Eventually, Zenith Castle, rebuilt, has some upgrades, such as its observatory having an open-air area for viewers to see the stars. It was where the 108 Star Orbs used to be kept until they flew away to Earth in A New Generation of Protectors (Part 2).

Since then, the soul of a person who has fused with a Star Orb would go to Dreamland when he or she sleeps. If a person's an adult, they would go to Dreamland like when they used to as children. There, they meet Ranald as Ra the Golden Griffin Warrior who takes them to the Aether World's Realm of the Sun, where the Zenith Castle is. The Paladin then places their hands on the Stele of 108 Stars, causing their name to appear on it. He or she gains powers and a Heroic Form relating to the Star Orb's host's hopes, dreams and the fears they overcame in question and based on the star that merged with them.

## Description

It is a castle built of gold and marble. It has many rooms like the castles and palaces of other Realms, and three towers named Amanecer (Dawn), Mañana (Morning), and Oscuridad (Dusk). It contains an observatory where the planets can be observed from, a garden full of sunflowers, a library that some scholarly Stars of Destiny go to study, a dining hall, bunkers for the Stars of Destiny, a hospital for injured warriors, a training hall, and a Room of the Grand Assembly, where the Stele of 108 Stars is found. Tapestries, murals, stained glass, and colonnades are common decorations in this castle, with the tops of column capitals and interior stuccos decorated with egg-and-dart motifs. A common motif for the sculptures, murals, tapestries and stained glass windows in the castle are lions, eagles and griffins. Sometimes, crows and swans are also motifs for statues and other decorations.

### Interior

Grand Foyer: The first room you step into. A door on the first floor is framed by marble stairs that lead to the second door at the top. The second door leads to the Museum. Representations of lions decorate the foyer's vaults.

Golden Crystal Hallway: Behind the door of the first floor is an entry hall with doors leading to the other rooms, with paintings of its former inhabitants between them. The door ahead, made of iron and gold, lead to the Hall of the Grand Assembly.

Hall of the Grand Assembly: The throne room of the Castle. Where the 108 Stars of Destiny meet to socialize. It can be converted into a ballroom. Ranald visits this room rarely, but when he does, it is to address all of them. It's where you can find the Zenith Throne on a blue star-studded dais and under a white silk baldachin with griffin motifs. It's also where a new Star of Destiny is introduced to the others, with them putting their hands on the Stele of 108 Stars.

Lord's Chambers: The lord of the Zenith Castle's private quarters. Formerly belonging to the previous lord of Zenith Castle, it has become Ranald's summer home aside from the church he and his parents live in. It has a bedroom, a bathroom, a personal bookshelf, a balcony overlooking the castle garden, and a holographic projector for when Ranald needs to talk with someone. Even so, he rarely visits this place except to take a well-deserved rest from going on missions with the Crusaders of the Constellations, and helping his Earth parents out at the school and orphanage. After all, St Griffward's Parish is his first home. At some nights, when he sleeps there, he and his Dimensional Mate fuse together, becoming Ra the Golden Griffin Warrior and energized by solar energy, flies to Dreamland to join their Dreamland parents in protecting the children there. By invitation only.

Liangshan Barracks: Named for a mountain from a Chinese novel, it consists of an apartment (not the modern one) that's three stories high, and a basement with bunkers to shelter the Stars of Destiny. It has a Place of Arms on the ground floor where the Stars of Destiny assemble before going to the Hall of the Grand Assembly. Each of the 108 suites for the Stars of Destiny consists of a:

* Living room. Some have balconies, fireplaces, and at least an aquarium.
* Bedroom customized with the Star of Destiny's motifs and themes. Some have added plants, their own drawings, and trophies in them. The wardrobes spray perfume on whatever dresses the user puts inside them.
* Bathroom and restroom.

Ballroom: While the Grand Assembly Hall can be converted into a ballroom, this ballroom is used for many activities involving more people and has a ceiling that is golden by day, and black with stars on it by night. The stars on the ceiling serve as light. If anyone wants to reserve it, speak to Toco. It can host parties and balls where Crusaders of the Constellations and Lunar Mansion Knights are invited. And yes, it can be converted into a movie theatre ever since Ranald thought of installing a projector here.

Banquet Hall: Where the Stars of Destiny have their meals. In parties, the guests eat here before going to the ballrooms. It has crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a dining table covered by a pleasant-smelling tablecloth. The Hall interior has wallpaper decorated with solar motifs on the walls. Connected to it is the kitchen and pantry, which has the usual stoves, ovens, refrigerators, and more.

Hospital: While some Stars of Destiny, Crusaders, and Lunar Mansion Knights have healing powers, seriously injured warriors go there. It has healing pods and medical technologies such as diagnostics tools that are far more advanced than those of Earth. The healing pods are in the infirmary that is accessed from the jade door in the hospital office's right. It's where healing potions and medicines are stored. It has a herb garden next to it.

Library: Where scholarly-inclined people go to study. It has a glass dome to let the sunlight in at the day. At night, it turns dark, with the floating orbs in the library serve as reading lights. The golden library chairs have soft cushions and can float and fly anywhere the visitor wants. It contains everything from books, scrolls, tomes, magazines, comics and more. Topics cover mundane subjects to the arcane. Some Stars of Destiny work there as translators and librarians, and books from Earth and other dimensions are donated there to be recorded and copied, and then returned to where they came from.

Museum: Where some Stars of Destiny make their own art. It has statues and paintings displayed, of the ancient warriors of Aether World who used to live in Zenith Castle. There are holograms of the warriors of old, and there are artworks and personal trinkets from the current Stars of Destiny of display.

Trophy Room: Where keepsakes from a successful mission are kept. Some rare weapons and items can be found here, waiting to be given to the next Star of Destiny...

Training Hall: Located near Liangshan Barracks and found in a wing in the palace, it's like an indoor gym with punching bags that can self-repair, weights, and exercise equipment. It's connected to another room with ballet bars, suited for dancing...or combat dancing. The walls are made of adamant, and helper robots can be found repairing damage or cleaning the area.

Arena: An open air-area near the hospital. It can be accessed from the hospital and back by covered walkways and is where larger-scale training, such as multiple team battles and archery take place.

Solar Armoury: Where weapons and armour are stored. Golden-veined marble walls are decorated with Solar Pearl-torches and weapons such as sunbeam swords and polearms dating from pre-fall Aether World mounted on the walls. There is a section where energy guns are stored, and where armour can be fitted on. Most of the weapons in there are crafted by Ranald in his AWCU years, modelled on his Crystallized Right Arm's forms, and most of them have been given to certain Crusaders and Stars of Destiny. They come in the form of Golden Crystallized Bows, Axes, Spears, Claws, Hammers, Daggers, Flails, Scythes and even Powerfists, Glaives, Beamblades and Whip-Swords.

Garden of Serendipity: Behind the Main Hall, this castle garden is where you can find the many sunflowers that grow in it. Maple and cedar grow there, and it can be accessed from the ballroom, library, the dining hall, and the private chambers. It was restored by Ranald and his classmates when they were in their senior years. There is a sunflower path that links it to the hospital's herb garden.

Observatory: Behind the Garden of Serendipity, you can see the front of the observatory. The only building left standing ever since the Devourer of World's attack, it has since been upgraded with modern technology. It has a telescope with which you can observe the stars, and books about dimensions, some of which have been found in the castle library. There is an open-air area on the observatory ground floor where you still can stargaze, but while taking in the beauty of nature at the same time.

Garden of the Hopeful Morning: Planted by Ranald and his class in their senior years behind the observatory, it leads to the Plain of Dreams. It has many plants with reds, oranges, yellows, and whites. Roses, lilies and tulips are common in this garden, with a hedge surrounding it. Trees such as banyan and flame-of-the-forest dot the garden, and it has a section dedicated to palms and desert plants there. The garden has a lawn on the ground floor.

#### The Towers

* Amanecer Tower: Representing the dawn, it's one of the castle watchtowers. It has a rose-gold roof and silver stairs leading to the lookout room and to its top floor. The top floor has a portal leading to Empyrean Castle that is rarely used.
* Manana Tower: Representing morning, this is one of the castle watchtowers. It has a golden roof and golden stairs leading to the lookout room and to its top floor. The top floor has an entrance to the air tunnel leading to Fort Corona.
* Oscuridad Tower: Representing the dusk, it is one of the castle watchtowers. It has a dark-blue roof and yellow jade stairs leading to the lookout room and to its top floor. It has an antechamber at its ground floor with the lookout room as the middle floor and a portal room on its top floor leading to Argent Castle.

### Exterior

Gates of First Sun-Ray: This gatehouse stands in front of the Zenith Castle. It's made of stone with two towers with laser turrets and its entrance has a drawbridge and iron portcullis and flanked by lion statues. Leo and Leo Minor guard the gates, so you can't enter unless you have permission from them or even Ranald. Beyond the entrance is the Zenith Castle itself.

Moat: A branch from Claritas River circles Zenith Castle before flowing from the Realm of the Sun's edge as a waterfall. It has fish swimming in it.

Corona Fort: It is connected to Zenith Castle via an air tunnel. The tunnel is taken by Ranald to meet the Ecliptic Zodiac Generals there.

## Defenses

* Consecrated Ground of the Sun: *Creatures of darkness – such as nightmare monsters and vampires – could not recover motes or will within the castle, and would take one level of aggravated damage and lose one will per minute they spent there.*
* Celestial Confluence: *Amplifies (double effect or half cost) all holy powers and life-affirming powers (such as healing), and diminishes (double cost or half effect) all powers of the shadow element, the underworld, the Nightmare Realm and the Dark Side of the Universe.*
* Boundary Between Life and Death: *Warps the interior of the castle into a pocket dimension of its own, isolating it from the power of the underworld and entraps – at least for a day or so – the undead.*
* Fire’s Will: *Allows the castle to manipulate fire within itself – and to assault its unholy intruders with celestial fires.*
* Clear Skies: *The castle is protected against fierce storms, and diminishes (double cost or half effect) all weather manipulation powers. Those with weather manipulation powers can find it difficult to use them, though hostile ones will still be hit with celestial fires of the sun.*
* Blinding Lights: *At its owner's command, the castle can flare up and shine bright enough to sear the eyes of onlookers.*

## Trivia

**See Also**

* Argent Castle
* Empyrean Castle