11 Union/First climb

"Veron...Do you love me?"

What kind of question was that?! It was beyond obvious that he did but she wanted him to say it. Veron was not nearly the fool he once was, he mustered his courage and approached her. Tenderly taking her face in his hands he whispered.

"Yes Eliza...I love you, I have always loved you."

Tears once again seemed to spring from her eyes. The joy in her countenance could not be faked, it was everything she ever wanted to hear him say those words to her. What she did not expect is what he did next.

Maintaining his gentle grip on her Veron slowly leaned closer, moment by moment shrinking the distance between their lips. Eliza's heart felt like it was attempting the long jump as it nearly burst out of her chest. She very nearly slapped him away due to panic but restrained herself at the last minute.

'What are you doing!' she screamed internally, 'This is exactly what you wanted! Why are you freaking out?!'

The tension built as Veron's lips drew closer to hers. She closed her eyes, anticipating the wonderous moment when her dreams would become a reality. She waited and waited for what felt like an eternity until...

"BOOOOOOOOM!"

Her mind exploded as she felt the gentle touch of Veron's lips upon hers, the electric bolt that ran through her body froze her on the spot. Every nerve ending in her body was on fire, like someone had poured a years worth of caffeine directly on her brain.

The kiss remained timid and tenuous for a few moments as both Eliza and Veron were recovering from the initial wave of emotions. Yet as their lips lingered it grew bolder and more passionate, as the years of repressed longing began to burst forth and demand expression.

They clung to one another tightly as the joyful tears flooded down their faces, and they relished in the feeling of loving and being loved once more. Of having their hearts desire truly, and perhaps for the first time, wholly fulfilled.

The kiss lasted for several moments before Veron was able to extricate himself long enough to catch his breath. They both were breathing heavily at this point but Veron had some very important things to say, this was literally the only reason he pulled away from her at all.

"Eliza my love, I have lived my entire mortal life dreaming of the day you might be mine. And now that you are hear I would have you as my wife and companion for all of eternity."

Having said this Veron knelt down and took Eliza's hand in his own. Looking up into her tear filled eyes and beaming smile he spoke the question he should have saved for her so long ago.

"Eliza, will you marry me?"

Eliza began to laugh and cry at the same time, so overwhelmed by her joy and relief she couldn't muster the strength to answer him verbally. Instead she threw herself at him and began to kiss him once again, showing through her actions how willing she was to be his, and to make him hers.

They both sat there on the floor, hugging one another as the pain they had both carried for so long melted away in the embrace of the other. Like two halves made whole, they finally felt complete.

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"You have done very well my son."

Icarus praised Aaron, and rightly so. Aaron had shown a unique proclivity for martial combat, mastering the form Icarus had chosen in just over a month. This form was rather peculiar as it focused on quick decisive strikes, having rather little defensive techniques involved at all. This however was not a problem as Icarus had rightly deduced that his species in particular could mitigate this disadvantage rather simply.

Icarus had been fashioned after the popular fantasy of Angels in Veron's previous world. As such his species came equipped with a rather robust set of wings with which to fly. The thing that Icarus also realized is that these wings could be used as a solid defense, simply folding them around ones own body would be extremely effective in warding off most blows.

They acted like a shield, deflecting both ranged and mele attacks with relative ease. Knowing this Icarus tweaked the purely offensive martial art to include several moves where the wings were utilized. Doing so he created a never before seen martial art that was nearly perfect in both attack and defense.

"You may now enter the tower my son, be sure to remember the things I have taught you. While mercy is to be given to the repentant, and life granted to the surrendered. You will destroy without hesitation those who seek to take away your life, or the lives of those whom you love. It is far better for one evil to perish, than for that evil to destroy countless lives on the hope that it may some day repent."

Aaron nodded as he expressed his understanding. He would be damned if he allowed anything to happen to his wife and child. He was not the judge, but he would be the executioner of anything that threatened those he loved. The gods would sort them out later.

Aaron took a few moments to say his goodbyes to his wife, he knew that Icarus had trained him well but he wanted to be sure just in case. He would curse himself forever if he lost his life in there and had neglected to kiss his wonderful wife one last time.

Taking some steadying breaths Aaron approached the tower doors and placed his hand upon them. A brief flash of light and Aaron disappeared within the bowels of the tower, beginning the race to be prepared for whatever was coming.

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During the past month Eliza and Veron were nigh inseparable. They spent every waking hour together preparing for their union. They spent several days inviting people to come and witness their sealing, and several more figuring out which holy temple they wanted to perform the union in.

Eventually they decided to get sealed within the most iconic temple of their mortal lives. This building had been reestablished within the eternal kingdom and was still operating on the principles and laws of the god who had it built in the first place. 

As they were both true disciples of this god and retained their exaltation, they were qualified to enter this holy house and participate in its ordinances.

This sealing that would take place would bind them together as husband and wife for all of eternity. It was the same kind of sealing that took place in these temples during mortality, and would be just as effective so long as they were faithful to the covenants made.

The reason both of them were without their husband or wife, was that their spouses had both violated those covenants and thus the binding was undone. Yet now they were forging a new eternal bond with each other, and neither of them could be more full of joy than they were now.

This eternal bond was exceptionally important as it is written that no individual can be exalted alone. And that is true enough because true exaltation is rooted in the family, the continuation of the bloodlines. That is what it means to be a god, that you continue unbroken forever and ever. 

Yes they had both qualified to receive exaltation but neither of them could fully enjoy its blessings without a spouse. Exaltation was MADE for families, and now at last they could begin to have one of their own.

The ceremony lasted for a couple of hours, during which the same sealing vows and covenants that they had once made to someone else were now made to each other. The divine energy within each of them flooded into the other to form a single ring around the others core. The function of this ring was unknown to them but they would figure it out in time.

Once the ceremony was over they absconded to Veron's home where they spent the next couple of weeks alone together. The things they got up to shall never be spoken about, but lets just say that the 13 people who maintained that castle were left with blushing faces on more than one occasion...Eliza didn't know how to be quiet.

Time passed in bliss for the new couple until two months had passed since Veron had returned from his domain. Feeling it was time to go check up on things he decided he would bring Eliza with him to show her his creation.

She came most willingly, having had a great desire to see the domain her love had made. So filled with excitement was she that she nearly went without him. It took all of the blink of an eye for them to appear within Veron's domain. Once they arrived all Eliza could think to say was,

"...Beautiful."