Sacred Moon: Book 2

by Alejandro Marrero

  “Now you have something borrowed, something new and something blue,” she said to both our delight.

  “Thank you, everyone. You’ve all made this an incredibly special day for Azrael and me. I am so grateful to each and every one of you. My heart has never been so full and happy,” I confessed genuinely.

  Everyone expressed their gratitude at my words. The preparations continued for the next hour, and before we knew it, the bells of the Emeraldien towers rang just as the finishing touches were applied to my ensemble. I wasn’t nervous at all. I felt beautiful with all these precious adornments. Surrounded by those friends for whom I genuinely loved and have been at my side since we began our quest months ago. Empowered and ready to see my forever star-coursed one at the end of the aisle. Now with my friends also dressed in their finery, we were finally ready. We flashed together to the private pavilion at the end of the central Gardens. This was the moment! In front of all of the Emeraldians and, more importantly, my friends, I was about to see and wed my star-coursed one, Azrael. Dear Illuminated Ones, for once, let everything go perfectly on my special evening.

  Chapter 26

  Donovan

  “Holy nucking futs, you’re eyes! You, sir, have leveled up. Congratulations my friend! This can only mean one thing. Actually, thinking about the happenings between you and my best friend Leilah is gross. So, eew. Spare me the details. If it’s any consolation Az, I’m glad you and her found your way to each other. Today will also be a wedding to beat all weddings. These clothes make you look dashing, daring, courageous, and caring, just like the gummy bears. Not that you’re a bear. More of a muscle-twink if I was to get technical. Whatever, in fact, you probably don’t even get that joke. So I’ll add that you are also very handsome and sexy in case my ‘glory to the eighties’ moment or references were not understood. Don’t get me wrong, you look smoking! Just not as sexy as my star-coursed one, but well, I’m biased. Still, you’re getting married to Leilah! You’re already a beautiful pairing. Oh, how the stars choose so well for us! You must be as excited as we are,” I word puked all over him with glee.

  To the outside observer, you’d think that all my friends present, including myself, were getting married ourselves. That is how excited we all were. Even if some of my friends were much more stoic and reserved outwardly. I knew they were stoked! We put a lot of work into making this hasty wedding perfect for the groom and bride. Oh, my Buddha-full epic dreams. The food at the reception was going to be divine too! Definitely, one of the best parts of weddings is the food! Every one of us, including Az, was so excited it was palpable, and it was felt in the very air. Can you feel the love tonight? I certainly can, and this is totally the shiznit. With the powers of our merry tribe, we’ve made the central gardens perfect for Leilah and Azrael. They’re going to love it. I thought Kendra and Quicksie went slightly nuts on decorating, but now that the sunset is giving birth to the night, it looks perfect. The ambiance is beautiful.

  “Thank you, everyone, for all the help you’ve all provided in making this an amazing night for Leilah and I. I am forever in your debt. Liberating our friends and Angelic brethren. Helping defeat the invaders in the beautiful Emerald lands. Allowing us Angelus to have the potential to find our star-coursed mates. Even to all the good, we still have planned for the future for Lunaria and Terra. I look around me seeing genuine friends, and that fills me with a humbling sense of gratitude,” Azrael confessed. His voice was thick with emotions as I saw him fight back the tears of happiness.

  Happy tears, everyone deserves happy tears! Except when there is makeup applied. Which he had none but a bit of sparkle. Cover-girl doesn’t cover boy! Mac does, though. Apparently, so does unicorn glittery magic dust. Either way, we only had a touch of smoky-dark eyeshadow, and black eyeliner added to the groomsmen’s eyes. I totally will not be shedding tears. Nope, I won’t. At least I hope not. Blah, who cares! If I need to have a waterworks moment, I’d own that! Our cosmetics were conjured with magick. Probably water or tear-proof anyways. This is the wedding of a lifetime!

  “Hey, Az-man, this is what friends do! Also, no shedding tears. This is a festive occasion celebrating you and Leilah. We’re here for you every step of the way. We’re honored to be part of your special day here. It is literally in a realm where together we saved lives and lost none. The whole realm is grateful! This wedding is going to be das-uber-cool! Plus, the venue kind of rocks and wait till you see all the food at the reception!” I said with unveiled excitement. Well, what can I say? I’m tickled pink. This is happening. A union, honored and celebrated like this is epic! We’re so leet! Pew, Pew, Pew! Gods, I’m such a nerd.

  “The joy from my beloved Lielah in the veiled pavilion across from us is wonderful. I know it’s been only a long day being separated from her as tradition requires, but how I miss her. I can share, though, that my beloved Leilah is also feeling gratitude, happiness, and excitement. Maybe even a little bit of nervousness, too, I’m feeling through the bond. The good kind, though. This is indeed a special day. An occasion with a beautifully celebrated declaration in front of everyone. One that shows we are indeed committed to each other for all to witness. Proving definitively that all beings were worthy and deserving of love. I cannot thank you enough,” Azrael let us know with words of joy and appreciation. It’s okay to have the wedding jitters anyways. Comes with the excitement that’s felt in the air.

  “You’re welcome, Azrael. You are going to stun Leilah with your finery brother. I also hear she will be looking quite beautiful and is dressed divinely for this historic occasion. We’ve all added our magicks and our personal touches to your special evening. Everything will be perfect for both of you,” Abbadon replied. Abaddon set Azrael’s mind at ease with his words. My super sexy star-coursed one to me looked even more handsome in his formal iridescent black with platinum-piping tunics and attire. Which mirrored what all of us groomsmen were wearing. We didn’t want to outshine the bride and groom, but we did all look amaze-balls. All of our friends indeed were always devoted to the happiness of others, and it was humbling. I have been fortunate to have such a sacred group of friends.

  I’ve been told that I’d be walking to the top of the stage paired with Kendra. Then Leona with Abaddon would follow behind us. Behind them, Jetsumna was walking down the aisle with Jeremiah. Onyxia was paired with Jeremiah’s mate, Pahaliah. Spirit would walk arm in arm with Quicksie. Yomiel, who I had been formally introduced to earlier, was paired with Bezaliel. Beza, as I like to call him, was Quicksie’s star-coursed one. We’d progress to a stage with silver accented elegant and beautifully blooming arbor that would await us.

  We groomsmen would be standing to the left of where Azrael, the groom, would come stand. While the bridesmaids would be standing to the right of where Leilah, the bride would be. Then we’d witness the Queen Esmarelda walk Azrael down the aisle to us. Then King Emeris would walk Leilah to her bridesmaids. Both of them being led by royalty to behold for the first time the ethereal beauty of the central garden's wedding preparations. Hard work that we all gleefully engaged in just for them. Of course, with the help of a little bit of magick. Wow, I hope this is being recorded on a Fae quartz tablet for everyone to see later and enjoy!

  “Staring down the aisle to marry my beloved will be my favorite part. I’ve not been allowed to see the central gardens or my star-coursed mate all day. I looked forward to seeing my beautiful Leilah. I have been tempted to go sneak a peek at her. I know she’s in the tent beside ours. However, I’ll honor the traditions and all you’ve all planned for us,” Azrael confessed to our amusement. Oh, Az, totally smitten and already wanting to be glued to Leilah’s hip! It’s so cute! Their wedding is going to be beautiful, and it takes place at night under the luminous and full sacred moon.

  I’m glad our friends are finding love. Makes it a lot easier when everyone is in sync. Happy friends can accomplish anything together. Plus, we all know this was simply one of many or not magical evenings. After the wedding, there was no
time for a honeymoon. We had to return to our real mission. That’s right, tomorrow we’d be blowing this popsicle stand and high-tailing it out of here to head to the other realms.

  I was eager to meet the Wood Elves in Madera. The Snowlion Shifters and Illuminated ones in Shangrila. The Light Elves of Shunyata. The Dragonkin in Draconious and the Dwarves of the Iron Sky realm. Together we’d save, purify, and secure all their realms. Then we’d hopefully have the allies of the seven realms to defeat Lilith, thereby restoring Lunaria. Lunaria needed to be restored before the merging of the realms. This was critical. We couldn’t leave it in its tainted state. We owed this to not only our unicorn brethren but to all the beings enslaved by Lillith. Sorry folks, but there will not be any slavery of any kind in the new world. Together maybe we’d even find a way to heal the polluted planet too. Captain Planet style! Share our technologies and find some peaceful way to all get along.

  Of course, after that, there was plenty more to accomplish. We needed to find a way to use the Key of Fates to dissolve the veils that shroud each realm from the Earth. We’d have to discover the means of making sure all the realms when they merged with Terra didn’t cause too much destruction. Every one of this planet’s inhabitants was going to suddenly realize that the beings of myth and magick were very much alive and indeed real. I’m hoping for an easy coexistence that is peaceful. With the help of my young godling friends and freed Angels, I think humankind would adapt well. Or maybe they wouldn’t. Who the heck knows? They could nuke us for all we know with their crazy, ignorant weapons of mass destruction. Back in Tampa, politics was driving us all mad. I don’t know. Going to have to talk to the Dwarves and see if they’ve cooked up anything that can stop bullets and bombs. It’s a legit threat. Honestly, humans, like all of us, are all resistant to change. It will probably be chaotic as heck. We’d be benevolently present for everyone, though. I’ll, as Abaddon stated once, hope for the best while preparing for the worst.

  Anyways the music just started. Ending my mental torrent of thoughts. Time for all of us to make our way to the front! Let the wedding commence, I thought, as the sounds of a magickal assortment of lovely ethereal tunes filled the air from what sounded like wind and string instruments. That was our cue, so I stepped out of the groom’s tent and met Kendra.

  She looked beautiful in a dress made entirely of flowing greens with tiny emerald gems and the silver piping that accenting it. She locked her arms in the crook of my offered elbow, clearly excited. “You look beautiful, Kendra,” I told her genuinely. This earned me a radiant smile.

  “Of course, I do! You look quite handsome yourself! Oh, my gods, you’re totally going to love Leilah’s dress, she looks like a dream,” she said for my ears alone.

  “Sass Queen, I love you, Kendra-cakes, let us get this show on the road.”

  “Let’s,” she replied with uncontained excitement. Then the front of the adjoining area between the Bride and Grooms tents opened, and we beheld together the most beautiful wedding area we’d ever seen. Straight out of a fairytale. There’d be time aplenty to describe the view. Though for now, I just wanted to focus my clumsy arse on not tripping over my feet or on Kendra’s flowing dress in front of the endless attendees. Wowzers! Did everyone in all the peaceful realms show up? Sure looked like it. Wait a second. Who or rather what were those two radiant beings in the wedding officiant’s position at the center-back of the arbor? I don’t know them. They looked familiar, but I was sure I had never met them. Then when we made it to the front and took our positions, I noticed the front rows were filled with beings wearing crowns I didn’t recognize. Did we have some wedding crashers already? Or were they invited, I wondered internally.

  Chapter 27

  Kendra

  Well, it looks like the wedding preparations were a complete success. Not only did we prepare the central palace to its current splendor, but we also have some of the invited guests from the other realms. All of the guests were sitting in the beautiful and intricately designed silver benches with filigrees of lotuses in the front row. I’ve got to tell you, Queen Esmeralda is witty and strategic. I sensed that the wedding invitations would reach the realms they were assigned to. I knew most would not miss an opportunity to come to witness such a historical event or meet the god-ascendant friend of mine, Donovan. My intuition told me as much. I simply did not expect the officiators to be Leilah’s parents. Yeah, I recognized them. Tibetan Buddhist classes have been held at Sacred Sun for decades. They are also depicted in paintings and the higher philosophies of Buddhism. They were not on the guest-list for this historic ceremony yet, here they were!

  There stood Leilah’s father, the Illuminated One popularly known as Buddha Amagosiddhi. Then Leilah’s mother, Arya Tara. Both of them Buddhas, fully enlightened beings, gone beyond the mental states of Arhats. To make this evening even better, Leilah’s parents had traveled from the northern paradise of a Prakuta to the Emerald City. Prakuta, a vast abstract realm, several world systems away. Leilah’s going to be floored to see her parents! At least I hope she will be. I certainly am in awe of their presence.

  I’ve only met one Buddha in my lifetime, and His Eminence was in his corporeal form perceived by those without sight as a simple monk. Buddha simply means awake. The historical and most popular Buddha was Buddha Shakyamuni. He was adamant about teaching a path to peace and not being considered or remembered for being a god or angel but a human being. The Buddha I met still lives today in a Buddhist Monastery built in the center of Arizona. I’ve gone to his summer retreats and never have I felt such peace. I was even blessed by seeing supramundane miracles right before my eyes during the three-week retreat. As a Florida gal, I am used to the heat and humidity dialed up to an oppressive and insane level. During the summer, it gets so hot it’s considered the slow season in retail. No one wants to face the heat. That is usually when I’d go on my vacations, leaving a part-time associate in charge.

  One summer to Arizona, I traveled for the teachings on the secret mantra deity yoga of longevity. It was a slow day in the shop when I read an email about it. I had been struggling with some self-esteem issues, among other health-related things. I believed the email found its way to me somehow, and its particular event stirred something in me. I had decided then and there not to hesitate or ignore my intuition. I registered for the event that very same day I got the notice. You see, we all have intuition. It’s subtle but found when you pause or hesitate before a word, deed, or thought. Listen to it.

  When it was finally time for the longevity and vitality event, I knew it was time to take a plane flight there to Arizona. A place I have never been too but longed to see just the same. The retreat ran from mid-July into August, and the temperatures reached well over one hundred on the mountainous desert. A lot of retreatants had traveled far to receive teachings from His Eminence but were suffering immensely from the heat. I, on the other hand, didn’t even break a sweat. I was used to similar temperatures, but so humid it felt oppressive. However, with the dry air of Arizona, I just felt comfortable. I felt awful for those who had traveled from colder and northern climates, for they looked about ready to pass out. Some even spoke of the time allotted for the meditation retreat is too long for them to complete.

  Those that suffered from the heat spoke of leaving early during our meals at the end of the first week. Simply because of a fear they had for their bodies. That day when we returned from the lunch break and filed into the main meditation hall, there was a sheet of paper on all our meditation benches. It was translated from Tibetan into English, and it was called ‘The Mist of Blessings.’ Now, I kid you not. There was not a cloud in the Arizona desert. It was a dry, bright, cloudless, and boundless sunny sky. It is essential to note this.

  His Eminence the Venerable Monk, then had us recite the ‘Mist of Blessings,’ an ancient prayer said during droughts, famine, sufferings for blessings and rain. I did not see how this was possible. Still, after a week of chanting mantras and being at peace, I recited it in
unison with every attendee. A third of the way into the prayer, the monastery hall was suddenly in the shade of a growing cloud over the monastery. Then it amassed even larger, darkening the skies as we read on. When we finished reading the incantation, the clouds broke, and deluges of cold rain fell down upon the entire Buddhist Temple. The temperature dropped by several dozen degrees, and the wind was sweet and gloriously refreshing. Then there was a break in the clouds as we finished the prayer, and a rainbow came through the window. It was covering the fully enlightened Buddhist monk, His Eminence. He was bathed in prismatic light and smiling. It was miraculous to behold, and it kept raining heavily. Some gasped at the sight, others smiled, and some just sighed in relief from the change in temperature. When we finished the prayer, we resumed our previous practices chanting the mantras of longevity till late in the afternoon, where we took a break for dinner. The mantra ever etched through the combined millions of melodic recitations of ‘OM TARÉ TUTARE TURE MAMA AYUR JYANA PUNYIM PUSH TIM KURU SOHA.’ This mantra said over and over, cleared our minds, dispersing the constant flows of thoughts in our minds and settling it with peaceful bliss.

  At that point, the temperature had cooled, and the rain had stopped. It had rained so much in fact that the entire mountain was surrounded by water. Almost in a sense to discourage those who would seek to leave the meditation retreat early. That afternoon meal, everyone could not stop describing what had occurred and what retreatants had witnessed. Everyone witnessed different things. Some saw the monk take a godly radiant form. Others spoke of him floating above his seat. Others noticed the rainbow that bathed him during the peak of the cooling storm. The one positive thought was that it was now colder. There was no natural excuse to end their retreat for reasons of heat, and all had seen things they couldn’t explain. A cloudless desert sky suddenly brought rain to cool the temple, its guests, and provide the relief necessary for everyone to continue their meditations in comfort.