There was a tense moment were Mirage's optics widened fractionally at Cliffjumper's shock, though his fixed smile never wavered. After a lingering, outwardly calm moment, Mirage gently plucked the chalice from Cliffjumper's fingers.

Natural confidence returning, Mirage turned to face the crowd. Claiming the head of the podium, he launched into a brief chanting prayer of welcome and thanks, before drinking from the chalice.

Or at least, making it really, really look like he somehow managed to drink flame.

The runes still carved into his frame even seemed to effect a mild glow, dramatizing the event to new heights. The moment Mirage placed the chalice down on the podium, the crowd burst into highly-ritualized applause.