“Pfft!” Alkao sprayed water everywhere as the others laughed at his actions.
“It came out of my nose,” Alkao complained. As he wiped his face, a necklace fell out from his shirt, a spiral that sparkled in the light.
Anna’s eyes stuck to the spiral as she moved forward.
“Thought you were just admiring? It’s more to touch,” Alkao joked.
Seeing there was no reaction, he frowned. A hint of pain flashed through his eyes, as if remembering that the woman he loved had been lost.
It quickly disappeared as he smiled to Anna. Even if she didn’t have the same feelings, his heart was full seeing her alive once again.
Her hand reached out to the necklace on Alkao’s chest.
Alkao and those working froze. All of them knew of the relationship between the two and how Anna had lost her memories. Many people in Devil’s Crater could only look to their king with sad smiles, wishing for him to find happiness once again. But none of them pressed him. There were many women who were interested in him but they rightfully left him time to recover.
Now, a bit of hope showed in those around their king. He had become the pillar of their crater and they only hoped for him to find happiness.
Alkao looked at Anna. Her eyes focused on the necklace, a confused look on her face as if hints of memories were peeking through. However, there was a wall blocking them.
Her hand touched the spiral.
It shone with brilliant light. Runes and spell formations appeared around the necklace, appearing in front of Anna.
Anna’s face appeared in front of her, projected by the spell matrix within the spiral necklace. It was Anna but it wasn’t. There was a difference to them—they looked identical but their experiences had created two different women.
“Remember,” the projected Anna said, fading into magical runes that drifted forward.
Anna took a deep breath as the runes passed through her eyes, absorbed through her mouth and lips.
The light on the necklace started to dim, the last of the power transferring to Anna. She slumped forward.
Alkao caught her and looked at her with worry and concern, pushing her hair out of her eyes as he looked to those around him. “Get a healer!” Alkao yelled, using spells to increase his senses, searching through Anna’s body to check her condition.
Anna, meanwhile, was lost in her own world. It was as if her mind had been opened up and memories were unlocked. What had been broken was now reformed and absorbed. A rush of memories filled Anna.
She opened her eyes, looking at the frantic Alkao, who paused, his eyes captured by hers.
His heart lurched as she smiled up at him. This smile was completely different from the smiles she had given him since she had awoken to her new body.
“Silly man. Didn’t I say that I wanted to stay with you forever?” Anna’s hand touched his face.
Tears fell down Alkao’s cheeks, as a dam seemed to break. He pulled her into an embrace.
“Anna, my Anna.” Alkao’s voice filled with incredible joy and released the pain of before.
“You dolt.” Anna hit him lightly on his shoulder, her smile enough to brighten the heavens. Tears appeared in her eyes as she pressed her face into Alkao’s shoulder, smelling his familiar scent. Her tail moved in happiness, wrapping around him, and her ears twitched.
His wings wrapped around her, unwilling to let her go.
Chapter 20: A Promise Realized
Sato stepped through the portal. With him, there were Admiral Adams, Edwards, Councillor Wong, and a heavy security detail.
He exited the asteroid base where he had arrived, touring the facility before he and his party met up and traveled via portal to Terra and then through an ono and teleport pad to Cliff-Hill.
There was a festive feeling in the air. Cliff-Hill had expanded in just a few months. There were soul gem-created inns; the roads to Cliff-Hill were packed and people were swarming in through the onos and teleport pads.
There were two dozen flying citadels arranged around Cliff-Hill. Their weapons were secured, as banners covered them.
All of Emerilia seemed to have come to Cliff-Hill.
It was now six months since they had killed the Jukal emperor. The combined fleets had returned to what was left of the Jukal home system. People were evacuated and relocated from the terrible conditions in the system. Those who had crimes were taken by the overseers, who now had multiple races within their ranks, turning them into a police force of all the various races, backed up by the combined fleets of the Deq’ual and Emerilian people.
The Deq’ual system had built their own portal, connecting to the Nal planet’s hub. They were still hesitant but it seemed that they had finally broken through a barrier. People were interacting with the other races, and the Deq’ual system, although not accepting general visitors, were in talks with different ambassadors and creating ties with the people who had been part of the Jukal Empire.
The system was changing as they no longer needed to hide anything. The stations grew at an explosive rate; ships were being created constantly and now they had one of the larger fleets to move goods from system to system. Even with the portal network, there was a need for freighter ships to move between ship portals and systems.
Sato’s face broke into a smile as he looked over Cliff-Hill. This was where Dave had first contacted him through the Mirror of Communication.
They quickly joined with the people moving through the city.
They reached a blocked-off area in the middle of the city. It was a decent-sized compound with large soul gem buildings. The signage said that this was the Stone Raiders’ first guild headquarters that they had formed after defeating Boran-al’s citadel.
“Sato!” Josh said, appearing in a swirl of darkness. He held onto Cassie’s hand as he looked to Sato and the others, greeting them with a smile. “Admiral Adams, good to see you again. I’m guessing you must be Edwards and Councillor Wong.”
The others nodded back as Sato felt the pressure that seemed to roll off Josh. Unless someone was looking for it, they wouldn’t sense it. Sato’s eyebrows pinched together slightly. The power coming from Josh surprised him. He’d seen many battles and although they had looked grand, he hadn’t been there in the flesh to feel those shock waves, to sense the overwhelming power of spells and explosive power of Mana.
Sato met with a number of others and was introduced to even more. Josh and Cassie were well versed in being hosts and creating ties. The group from Deq’ual were quickly left in the capable hands of others who would be beneficial for them to talk to.
Sato found himself looking up as a half-dozen dragons flew through the sky. The largest of them turned toward the gathering. The dragon’s body distorted and changed, turning into their human form. The two people on her back floated down with her, landing on top of one of the soul gem buildings.
“That’s Fire, Mal, and Denur,” Cassie said, seeing where his gaze landed. A large smile broke out on her face, as if remembering something. “They should have Desmond with them too.”
“You just want to spoil the boy, and Koi as well,” Josh teased.
“So?” Cassie said, not denying it as she looked at Josh with a mischievous smile that seemed to ask “whatcha gonna do about it, lover boy?”
Josh could only laugh, his body shaking as he smiled and pulled her closer.
Sato’s heart was warmed seeing the scene.
A spell formation appeared in the sky, projected through the soul gem buildings of the Stone Raiders’ compound.
Soul gem seeds reached into the sky in the center of their own spell formations.
The flying citadels around Cliff-Hill shone with resplendent light, looking like the war palaces of gods as threads of power entered the spell formations around the soul gem seeds, making them expand faster.
The dragons in the sky let out their roars; others shot up into the sky, changing into their dragon forms as they poured power into the construct.
Stone Raiders stepped into the air, power gushing out of them. Dwarven master smiths poured out their power, the council leaders of the Aleph and other Aleph people, Alkao, his brothers and leaders of Devil’s Crater, leaders of nations and their aides: all of them added in their power.
Bob, Air, Water, and Fire ascended into the sky, releasing their power as well. The sky shook and power built. Sato poured out his meager power, guiding it upward as threads of power from all those in attendance reached up to the spell formations, creating gentle swirls and a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors that weaved together. The seeds reached out to one another, creating a floor. Once they were connected, the floor became stronger and more real. An island appeared underneath it, formed of soul gem that swirled with power and beauty.
Walls rose up into the sky, covered in murals of the six Affinities. Instead of being in opposition, these artworks weaved together. Six pillars reached up from the floor, three on either side as they depicted one of the Affinities each. Balconies were formed at different levels, floating through the massive temple. The walls and pillars stopped growing upward and instead started to form into a roof that dominated the sky.
Balconies were formed from the ceiling, dropping down to float around the hall, their movements gentle, as if they were truly the clouds above.
The members of Party Zero walked into the clouds, unleashing the full might of their auras that contested with the surviving members of the Pantheon. Power rolled off them. Stairs appeared in the temple, rising up until they formed a platform within the temple.
A multicolored mist appeared, shrouding the temple as people stopped pouring their energy into the floating temple that hovered there. Its sight made people let out sighs of happiness looking upon such beauty.
A man appeared in the sky ahead of the temple. Sato’s smile grew wider as he looked to Dave.
“All right, I know most of you came for the open bar but I guess we best get this started!” Dave laughed. “Thank you for coming and witnessing Deia and my wedding. I hope you have a great time.”
Dave’s words were heartfelt and everyone there smiled at the kindness he shared with them.
“Go, get dressed,” Suzy chided and waved him away. Dave teleported away as Suzy and the Dracul family organized everyone as they poured into the temple. The temple expanded to try to fit all, but there were still screens on the outside to share with those who couldn’t make it inside.
Sato took his seat in one of the floating balconies that moved through the air in a soft dance. He was at ease as he waited.
***
Dave took a deep breath and checked over his suit one more time. His nerves made it feel as if his body was hot and cold at the same time, while his stomach was churning.
Bob and Kol looked to each other, fatherly love in their eyes as they looked back to Dave.
Bob clapped Dave on one shoulder. Kol did the same to the other shoulder as they both looked in the mirror.
There was no need for words as Dave felt his emotions welling up. He had been raised by an AI within Earth’s simulation, formed to play Emerilia. He’d come to escape the world, to escape the fake people who surrounded him. He’d met so many great people—those who cared about him, those who had become a family to him.
He let out a laugh as his eyes teared up.
“What’s wrong, lad?” Kol asked.
“I don’t think I could ask for two better dads.” Dave looked to them both, moving his lips and sniffing to try to keep the tears at bay.
“Oh, you bugger,” Bob said, his eyes making it hard to see as he clasped Dave into a hug and pat him on the back.
They separated as Kol took his turn clapping Dave on the back.
“We couldn’t be prouder of our boy,” Kol said, his voice filled with emotions.
Bob nodded in complete agreement. “Now, let’s get you married before that lass wises up, huh!” Bob laughed and clapped Dave on the back.
Dave let out a short laugh before he let out a deep breath. He straightened his tie and nodded to himself.
A spell formation appeared around them as they teleported from the fitting room into the temple.
Standing there on the platform was Party Zero. They were split into two groups on either side of the platform. Induca was on the other side with a giggling Koi.
Bob and Kol moved to join the others on Dave’s side.
“Don’t mess it up,” Dave warned Steve with a mock serious expression, pointing to him.
“Me mess it up?” Steve had a shocked expression on his face. “I’ll let you know I am one of the best rated officiants!”
“You haven’t married anything in your life,” Jung Lee stated.
“I have in spirit!” Steve said.
“Yeah, see, just nothing in there,” Gurren said.
Dave grinned and moved to Induca, playing with little Koi. She seemed happy to see her dad and hugged him. He laughed and pat her back.
“She’s on her way.” Fire appeared in a wreath of flames before she took her seat in a nearby balcony, with Desmond in her arms.
“Very well, Mrs. Oson.” Dave smiled.
Fire blushed, playing with the ring on her hand. She and Mal had married just a few weeks ago in a quiet ceremony.
Dave made to pass Koi back, only to have her start complaining. They tried a few more times before Dave gave up.
“I’ll hold her,” Dave said just as music started to flow through the room. Bards raised their voices together as the room became quiet.
Deia floated up, with her arm in the crook of her father’s. Blue flames disappeared from under their feet as they stepped into the temple.
Deia and Dave looked to each other, their faces filled with smiles as Mal guided her down the aisle. She wore a dress with a slit that reached up to above her knee. The bottom of her dress looked alive as it was weaved with soul gem threads that depicted scenes of all six Affinities weaved together. They came together at her abdomen, forming together into a gray scene. The depictions from below had now been combined together into a great scene as gray smoke gently framed her dress and her face. Her hair was pulled up into a bun to reveal the curve of her neck and the outline of her jaw.
Dave’s suit was a subdued gray with faint runic lines trailing through it, showing off his powerful body underneath.
Mal and Deia approached. Mal smiled to the two of them and his granddaughter Koi. “Keep her happy,” Mal said.
“I’ll do my best.” Dave turned and hugged him, while also looking out for Koi.
The two of them separated. Mal spared a glance for Deia once more as he stepped off the platform. Flames appeared under his feet as he joined Fire. The two of them held hands and looked at Dave and Deia.
Dave held Deia’s hand as she opened a private chat with him.
“She’s her daddy’s girl.” Deia looked to Koi, who was playing with her lips and looking around wildly at everything, wearing a dress similar to her mother’s.
“You bet.” Dave squeezed Deia’s hand. They cut the private chat and looked to Steve.
Steve looked at them with a smile plastered over his face. There was no joke hiding in his eyes, only pure happiness. He looked to everyone in the hall, his happiness clear to all.
“Thank you all for coming today. We’re here to watch David Grahslagg and Oson’Deia to be joined in marriage. I know we all want to drain the open bar, so we’ll get to it.” Steve looked back to Deia and Dave.
“Oson’Deia, do you take David Grahslagg to be your husband, to be attached to him through everything? No matter if he’s sick as hell, or hasn’t taken a shower in a few days, or he’s gone out with the boys, adventuring without telling you?”
“Seems a bit specific,” Dave muttered.
“I’m looking out for you, bro,” Steve said behind his hand, winking at Dave.
Dave couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head.
Deia rolled her eyes, a smile on her lips. “Sure, I might as well.”
“Thanks—feel like a nice sack of potatoes,” Dave said.
“A handsome sack of potatoes.” Deia winked.
Steve let out a giggle before he cleared his throat. The other members of Party Zero on the platform were unable to hide their joy, their eyes shining.
“Do you, David Grahslagg, take Oson’Deia to be your wife? She’s way better than you anyway, so I’d say it’s a good deal.” Steve pursed his lips and nodded, looking like a wise elder giving him some sage advice.
“I’ll take her.” Dave let go of her hand and pulled her to him.
Deia pressed her lips together, giving Dave a mock glower. Their wedding was about as far from official as it could get.
Steve smiled to them both and pinched Koi’s cheek. Koi giggled, trying to capture his fingers. Steve pulled his hand back in time to escape her as he drew himself up to his full height.
“Then today, I present you with a wedding contract.” Runes appeared in the air, forming a contract with Deia and Dave’s names on it. “Could those who have witnessed the contract please pour forth your power into the contract?”
Party Zero let out threads of power, the contract becoming more solid.
Across Emerilia, from the asteroid base to Terra, people who had been watching the scene let out a thread of power. It gathered together, passing through portals, teleport pads, and onos. It flowed over the lands, fell from the flying citadels, and gushed forth from the teleport pads and onos of Cliff-Hill. The temple was filled with glowing lights of millions as they seeped into the contract.
The contract glowed with great power, turning from a shadow into an object that radiated power. Its strength was enough to shock those in the temple.
“Dave, Deia,” Steve said softly. With a movement of his hand, the contract floated in front of them.
Dave and Deia both reached out their hands. Threads of power, gray and red, appeared from their fingers. The contract underwent a change as Deia and Dave’s names on the contract solidified.
“The wedding contract is complete! You may kiss the bride!” Steve said.
Dave pulled Deia to him, stealing a kiss.
Their lips parted, Dave’s face filled with smiles, as Deia looked like a bashful girl. She blushed, pulling a piece of hair behind her ear.
Empire Burning (Emerilia Book 11) Page 30