The shattered crystal floor and the lingering scent of ozone were the only reminders
of the dark entity Jee-shahn had just crushed. The High Priest, clutching the
"Sin-marble" like a cursed relic, looked at the crowd. Thousands of eyes were fixed on
the altar, wide with a terror that was slowly turning into a desperate hope. He knew he
couldn't stop now; the people needed a symbol of stability, and the "Monster" was the
only anchor they had.
"The corruption is purged!" the High Priest announced, his voice regaining its boom.
"Let the sacred waters wash away the shadow. We proceed with the Vow of the Ring!"
Jasmine stepped forward, her hands still shaking as she reached out to take
Jee-shahn's hands. He let her, though he looked more interested in the way the silver
rings on the priest's tray reflected the light. Standing around them in a wide
semi-circle were her three brothers and three sisters, their faces pale, watching the
ceremony with a mixture of dread and awe.
The Priest of the Altar stood between them, holding a golden bowl of mountain water.
As per the ancient custom, the female must ask for the union from the depths of her
soul. Jasmine leaned in close to Jee-shahn, her pink pigtails brushing his ceremonial
robes. She whispered, her voice thick with emotion, "Please... just stay with me.
Protect my home, and I'll give you a thousand years of peace."
The Priest turned to Jee-shahn. "Do you, traveler of the distant stars, accept this
daughter of the South as your own?"
Jee-shahn looked at Jasmine's pleading eyes, then at the siblings who were staring at
him as if he were a ticking time bomb. He thought about the Golden Phoenix bird
waiting in the kitchen. He thought about the quiet beach he'd eventually find.
"Sure," Jee-shahn drawled, his voice echoing in the silent hall. "I accept. As long as
it's quiet from now on."
As the words left his lips, a brilliant flash of azure light erupted from the altar. A
beautiful, shimmering ring manifested on Jasmine's right hand, settling perfectly on
her middle finger. The metal seemed to be made of starlight and sea-glass, and etched
deeply into the band was a single name in an ancient, flowing script: JEE-SHAHN.
The crowd let out a collective gasp. The brothers dropped to one knee, their armored
heads bowed, while the sisters whispered in stunned disbelief at the beauty of the
ring. It was the ultimate proof—a marriage recognized by the world itself.
Jasmine stared at the ring, then at Jee-shahn. She had meant it as a desperate lie to
save her life, but as the weight of the ring settled on her finger, she realized she was
now oficially tied to the most dangerous "vacationer" in existence.
"It's done," the High Priest declared, though he looked like he wanted to faint. "The
union is sealed! Let the feast begin!"
Jee-shahn immediately dropped Jasmine's hand and headed for the exit. "Finally! I've
been wearing this crown for twenty minutes and I haven't seen a single honey-glazed
carrot yet. Move it, everyone! The Emperor is hungry!