***
Isaac awoke sometime later; his mind was refreshed, the mana exhaustion was mostly gone. He stretched and looked up. The haze over the glade looked the same as ever, but feeling it was night, Isaac put his hand on the ancient tree, "I'd like to see the sky for a moment."
A knarled branch came down from far above and wrapped around his waist with surprising flexibility, lifting him easily up through the perpetual haze. A sticky, cold feeling shot through Isaac's body as he passed through the barrier above, but he was used to it by now.
The branches of this tree grew outwards from the circumference around the top like a massive umbrella, leaving a conveniently clear top of the trunk to stand on. The vastness of the heavens opened up as the great tree placed him on its top.
Perhaps the one advantage of a less technologically advanced world was the ease of viewing the universe beyond, and it always struck Isaac as ironic that as civilization became more likely to comprehend the view above, it also blinded itself to that view.
The two moons of Haven, a green one about the size of the Earth's Moon called Rorin and a smaller orange one called Rena, were both visible on opposite sides of the horizon, indicating that it was around midnight.
Isaac took some time to gaze up at the sight above. It differed significantly from his knowledge of Earth's night sky, with some of the lights above being violet and blue to the naked eye. An exceptionally bright red star lived on the eastern side of the sky, seemingly serving a similar function in this world to Earth's North Star.
Regardless of his world, the sight of the universe above gave him a sense of peace, though the dangers out there were many.
I wonder if the stars are still visible on Earth? If this is the same universe, then I hope this is a sign that they are.
Isaac stood there, contemplating the universe for a while before the branch tapped him on the shoulder. He looked down and heard a faint voice calling out to him from the haze below. He supposed Solania was looking for him.
He nodded, and the branch wrapped around him again, moving him back down to the glade. Solania was waiting for him where he had been sleeping; she watched as he was placed by the large branch and gave him a look of confusion while tilting her head.
"My betrothed, I truly do not understand why you so desire to leave the glade. And your method of transport is most odd…"
Isaac chuckled, "Well, Solania, I think you will someday understand my love of the night sky. If the opportunity arises, I'll try to find a telescope. There should be someone in this world who has invented one by now. As for my method of transport…well, it's convenient."
She tilted her head in the other direction, signaling a new confusion, probably at the word 'telescope,' but seemed to accept his statement for the moment.
In the years since they had first met, Isaac had grown to understand Solania, and with understanding came affection.
She is truly just a sheltered child at heart. Everyone around her shows her love and awe. Her entire understanding of life outside of the grove feels entirely based on myths and legends.
Unlike many mythological figures from Earth, Solania did not seem to hold much, if any, malice towards anyone. She had a profoundly optimistic view of her religion and didn't feel a desire to punish people for not worshiping her. She desperately wanted them to follow the Path of Purity because she thought it was the best way for people to live. She also had a competitiveness against the other Gods that came across as almost familial to Isaac.
She was very devout in her job, which consisted of managing a massive amount of pure mana, answering prayers, and sending power to priests and priestesses worldwide. In learning to manage mana himself, Isaac had gained a lot of sympathy for how difficult it must be to deal with the absolute deluge of power in this grove, even for a Goddess.
She seemed aloof and uncaring about others, but from his perspective, her zealous followers would probably have rejected any attempts to feel some empathy towards others, especially those who lived in this grove with her. Everything she did was perfect, every decision was perfect, every word was perfect.
How was one supposed to develop normally in an environment like that?
She was a shut-in, but he got the feeling from her constant excitement at tales of other lands and constant advice on where he should travel once they were married that she wanted to be more than that, though he wasn't sure if the Goddess herself understood that.
Solania smiled at him, "Well, regardless. My High Priestesses have informed me that the time has come! We are to be wed. I want you to know that I am quite proud of you! I made quite the wise choice in making you my chosen!" She raised her head in pride, and her aura of pure mana glowed brightly.
Then, in what was an extremely rare event, she gave him a severe look and asked, "Are you prepared? The ceremony will not be easy on you, Isaac. We will be bound together from that moment."
Just from that look, something he had never seen on Solania, Isaac understood the true severity of the marriage he was about to take part in. Of course, the Elves had said much the same thing, but they considered everything involving their Goddess to be of the utmost importance. But to see the normally carefree Solania like that in her own grove was unsettling. He swallowed hard.
In the last 15 years, I have come to the decision that I would take the duty of being her husband seriously because I think Solania really needs someone to support her.
It was obvious from how hard magic is to use that this wouldn't be simple. I can't back down from my self-decided purpose now. What kind of life would I be living if my own decisions held so little weight?
He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes, trying to look as serious as she did in that moment.
"I am ready, Solania. I will take some of that burden from you."
She seemed slightly surprised by that statement but nodded, "Very well."
Solania tapped her front right hoof, and like all those years ago, a bubble of silence formed around the two. Though this time, he could see it, shimmering with incandescent energy. Pure mana began gathering around them, the air becoming thick.
She spoke, her voice sounding more ethereal than ever, echoing in his mind as she spoke.
"We shall begin the Vows. Speak your name, that it may be carved upon my soul."
He answered through the suffocating air, "Isaac of Vale."
She took a deep breath, and a glowing ring of light formed between them.
"Isaac of Vale. I, Goddess of Purity, by my name Solania, ask you thusly. Will you walk the Path of Purity? Not behind me, but alongside me?"
"I will."
"Speak each part of the Path and swear upon them."
Even during his time in Vale, Isaac had been taught the path, and so he answered.
"I swear to be Pure of Character; never shall I lie to another."
The ring of light flashed, and a sensation of warmth embraced him.
"I swear to be Pure of Thought; never shall I imbibe mind-altering substances."
The ring flashed again and began to shrink down.
"I swear to be Pure of Body; never shall I forget to cleanse my flesh."
The ring formed into the shape of a wedding ring.
"I swear to be Pure of Heart; never shall I betray my Wife."
The ring was no longer made of light but molten metal. The pure mana that had gathered in the bubble flowed into it.
"I swear to be Pure of Soul; never shall I harm an innocent."
Having reached the end of the Vow of Purity, metal cooled, and a ring of pure silver glimmering with pure mana formed between them. Isaac knew this amalgam of silver and mana was known as Unicorn Silver, considered so valuable that wars had been fought over items made of it.
She spoke again, "I, Solania, Goddess of Purity, have heard your Vow and found it true. I swear that I will support you as my chosen mortal. In the name of Haven, I bind us through body, blood, and soul."
A sharp snap sounded in the bubble, and with a wince of pain, 5 millimeters of the tip of Solania's horn floated towards the ring, embedding itself on the inner part of the ring, pointing inwards. Isaac suddenly understood what was going to happen and how they were going to be bound together.
She looked at him expectantly, and Isaac held his right hand out. As the ring floated towards him, she smiled and said, "My Husband. This is your last trial. I pray for your success."
The ring, currently oversized for him, floated onto his ring finger, the tip of Solania's horn just barely grazing against him.
Isaac expected the pain and gritted his teeth as the ring suddenly shrank onto his finger, the horn stabbing into him. What he wasn't ready for was what came next. His vision flashed white, and the horrific sensation of being burned alive in white-hot fire engulfed him. He felt himself fall to the ground in agony, every nerve screaming in voiceless pain, every thought drowned out.
He tried to look up but recoiled in horror. His vision wasn't just white; before him was an incandescent flame, and within was a massive eye staring down at him with unending malice.
His trial had begun.