Chapter 174: Uninvited Guest.
The great circular portal widened, and from the middle of it a Pegasus flew downwards, swooping across the heads of the crowds and leaving mana particles flying to and fro.
Atop the Pegasus was Kris doing his best to compose himself as the heavenly beast had already warned him about treating her like just another beast of Arkadia.
She flew in circles around the small island and then very daintily landed, lowering her head to Dr'ul and then walked to the side standing out of everyone's way as another Pegasus carrying Adonai ventured through the golden portal, doing the same as the first and then landing as well, pqying his respects to Dr'ul and joining his partner out of sight.
[Ladies and Gentlemen, deities and mortals, beasts of all shapes and kind; the groom, Godslayer, Sol Vestic.]
A loud roar sounded through the air and a great clawed hand came through, then emerged a silver swallow-tailed dragon of old that had avoided the war and demonic corruption; and atop the head of this great beast standing without the use of any aid was Sol causing the crowds all around to erupt in cheer and applaud as the systems revealed his image in their minds descending atop the magnificent beast with a smile and waving as he did so.
The dragon though many times greater than anything the guests had ever seen was elegant as he cruised in the skies, releasing small puffs of white fire before lowering his massive head above the island and allowing Sol to step off, landing with a descent befitting a deity, greeting Kris and Adonai, and then looking at Dr'ul, the goddess lowered her head before him and then raised her smile and gestured to him and then nodding at Adonai for doing a great job.
"Nervous?" Dr'ul asked him, and Sol chuckled at her.
"Have you ever seen me nervous?" He responded, and she chuckled as well.
"Then that is a very obvious yes." Dr'ul looked ahead as the portal above them closed and then another great portal of White mana opened.
Just like before Pegasus appeared from the portal, but unlike Kris and Adonai who had been less extravagant in their display, Renia, Ana'el, Ashera and Sorath emerged in tandem flying about the air in synchrony and then landing one after the other changing the very nature of the atmospgere as the once warm embrace of the sunset now pressed a cool kiss to everyone's skin the groom and his best men took Dr'ul's left, and the bridesmaids her right.
"They're all so beautiful..." Eris smiled, taking a seat next to Lyra the only remaining lieutenant after Kris's retirement following the end of the war. "Hi, Lyra."
"Eris?" Lyra looked at her surprised. "I imagined you would be there with them, considering you were a part of the heroes party."
"I was offered, but I didn't feel like I deserved to be up there with them." She replied honestly. "I gave that privilege away five years ago."
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"Hm, if it was your decision then... I will ask no further." Lyra smiled at her, reaching down and allowing the baby to grab hold of her finger.
"Arla is also a main part of today, and I was once her very close friend, so I understand." She commented, and Eris was left with a nervous chuckle when she realised that Lyra had missed her point completely, but she decided to let it be, aside from the gods, and very few mortals, everyone believed that they had been gone for the same five years, she had no place revealing what they didn't.
The white portal above them shrunk to the size of a large door, and turned vertical as it descended, resting atop the undisturbed waters as a unique ethereal tune began playing, the sunset that had never changed in all its existence dipped below the horizon, leaving the atmosphere a tad darker and with a brilliant crimson, pink and purple atmosphere.
[All stand in reverence of the Queen of all deities; the bride, Ikaris] the systems announced again, and a few seconds after the crowds had obediently risen from their seats in anticipation, Sara stepped through with a large bouquet of glowing white flowers in her grasp, then Dina and Arla emerged behind her with their hands still inside of the portal, and very slowly, Ikaris was ushered through, slightly leaning her head downward and then raising her gaze to the small island where Sol stood with his mouth half agape and his eyes wide in wonder.
"Pfffff* look at his face!" Dina scoffed causing Arla to chuckle, which in turn put a wide smile on Ikaris's face as she stared at Sol almost at a loss of words, with his Godslayer powers on full display he glowed the same as her divinity made her glow.
The observers broke into mumbles and gasps as Ikaris stepped through completely, revealing her large wings spread wide behind her while her shoulder veils dragged along the waters not soaking or sinking just as her and the others didn't sink.
"I am going to cry." Ikaris almost stumbled causing the crowds and multitudes to gasp when Arla and Dina raised her again. "M-my legs..."
"Breathe, Ikaris." Sol whispered from the other side. "Like always, one foot before the other." He smiled at her. "You got this."
"Even now when you are so nervous, you comfort her." Dr'ul commented watching Ikaris's slow and graceful approach down the aisle.
"What kind of man would I be if I couldn't overcome my own insecurities for the woman I love?" Sol replied without breaking eye contact with Ikaris.
"Of course." Dr'ul smiled clearing her throat as Sara arrived and curtseyed and then stepped to the side, leaving way for Dina and Arla to do the same as they presented Ikaris directly to Sol who stood at the edge and received her after blessing them both.
"It's been forever." Sol carefully took her hands into his own and pulled her onto the island.
"Just ten days... Love." Ikaris replied, already on the brink of tears as she smiled back at him, fanning her face.
"Ten days too long." He mumbled.
"By the light." Ikaris stood facing him and holding her mouth as she stared. "Stop with that stupid smile you are going to make me ugly-cry on such an auspicious day." She made a face almost similar to his.
"You're so adorable right now, so beautiful." Sol shook his head while Dr'ul gave them the moment.
The music softened again, and all the hosts and guests of the heavens went silent as the goddess of war cleared her throat and the bride and groom stood before her, joined by hand.
"Blessings and greetings to all, gentle lords and ladies we are here on this most auspicious day in the ever-setting Eden to join the Pre-eminent Goddess of Balance and Order, the first of our noble ancestry, Ikaris, and the breaker of fates and catalyst within the grey, the vessel of The Beginning, the Godslayer, Sol Vestic together in divine union." Dr'ul spoke,with the systems amplifying her voice where all could hear her without her needing to raise her tone.
"They have asked you all here to share in their joy, and to declare their love for each other before us all as a collective Arkadia." She continued and then looked at Sol.
"Lord, you are here today in pledged troth of your own free will and choice?"
"I am." Sol answered, and then she repeated the question to Ikaris to which the responded.
"Yes."
With Sol and Ikaris sharing glances Dr'ul spoke once more. "With their pledges before you that their adjoinment is of consent we call upon our father the Light to bless this union, and thus if any man or god find fault or cause to deny their union let him speak now or forever shut the fuck up." Dr'ul stared into the multitudes and saw Sven, the goat head open his mouth to speak.
"Let it be known before objection that within the pantheon there are gods conspiring that any who object without just cause may be beheaded and set to parade before the couple as entertainment after the feast!" She snapped, and the goathead snapped his mouth shut and cleared his throat. "With no objection to the divine union of our saviour, let us cont-"
Everything stopped, Dr'ul stopped, the mana in the air stopped, every god and being was suddenly frozen, and the ripples across the waters were halted in their advance.
[What if I am the one who objects?] A voice invaded Sol's head as he blinked and stared at everyone and everything before him.
"No, no, you're not doing this, you aren't doing this to me, to her, how dare you-"
[How dare I...?] The voice echoed again, and with the tone he felt his skin grow goosebumps beneath his clothes and the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention.
[I do not permit the handing off of my child to you who reside within light and dark, you are grey, you Sol Vestic who weaponises the Beginning are tainted and unpure.]
"Your child?" Sol released Ikaris's hand and turned around, finding an entity of pure light hovering before him staring with blue formless eyes. "You're-"
[I am the pinnacle, the father of all creation, he who lords over all light, I am Him Above All, and I do not consent to this union.]