The second morning I awoke without Eve was just as shattering, but I was able to function a little bit better at least.
When Leeson and I made our way to the training ground, I found Quatal waiting for me, running and jumping into me as soon as she saw me.
She was most certainly not a happy bunny, spending a good amount of time demanding I go make up with her Mama so we can sleep all three of us again.
Would she believe we weren't arguing? No.
Was Leeson even a little helpful? No
Quatal, trust me, I love Eve and we will never stop being Mama and Papa. We are spending this time apart so we never forget how painful it is for us, I'm sorry that it hurt you to my darling."
"If it hurts then come home!"
"Quatal listen, we need you to be a brave girl, if we can't then we can't get married." That line finally settled her a bit. "When you get home, take Mama to the other side and open up a small portal, we can't see eachother but I will reach through and hold her hand so you can see we aren't angry."
Quatal was skeptical, but gave in and went home. A short while later, the portal opened and I reached through. "Little one, I missed you to, but please make way for Eve. No, Eve Astrael... When you're done testing me can I please have my loves hand... That's the one. I love you Eve, I can't wait to see you tomorrow."
In the end, all I felt was Astrael forcing us to release then heard her yelp and everyone tell Quatal to stop biting. "Quatal say sorry, now! We're all sad, you shouldn't lash out at people."
"Sorry Auntie Astra... Sorry Mama... Sorry cosma... Sorry celsy... Your still in trouble for leaving Papa."
"Of course I am, you can ask uncle Halsan to teach you how to lecture me. I'll lecture you after."
I then closed the portal. "Hey Leeson... Wanna go hunt a monster?"
"Is that really your idea of blowing of steam?"
"No, but the barbecue after is." I said with a weary grin.
In agreement we headed to the guild to see if Byurik was up for it and when we found him with Halsan we invited him along, though Halsan declined since it wasn't his idea of fun we promised to be back in time for the quiet round of drinks we had planned.
Then we went down to see what was on the menu.
"Monarclaw?"
"Too stringy."
"Wolf?"
"I had my fill as the woodsman."
"You pick then."
"Armoured sceptillian it is..."
"Really?"
"The shell is it's own bowl and the meat is surprisingly tender as long as you don't stress it out before the kill." They knew better than to argue cooking with me so they agreed and we headed off.
We got a bit sidetracked killing every bounty between us and our meal, since Byurik knew every available job by heart and I was somehow broke again, then we found our target.
Not just one, but three of them and each one juicier than the last. The beast themselves were like a cross between the highland cows of a land once known as Scotland and an Ankylosaurus which was an armoured dinosaur that walked the earth several million years before my birth.
Despite their heavy armour and sturdy bodies, I didn't put much effort into the kill, just enough to be certain they felt no stress or pain.
Whilst I butchered them the other two prepared a fire pit and got it nice and hot, then I shaped the earth and either side and put the armoured carapace on it, filled it with water herbs and let it heat whilst I finished.
In the end I had a leaf lined shell packed with leaf wrapped raw meat and one filled with the soft and refreshing boiled meat, both of which would store and keep in my dimensional pocket and then we ate the last between the three of us.
"Yeah ok... That was a good way to blow off steam." Leeson eventually conceded, even if he was kind of sluggish as we headed back.
"Hey Byurik, quick maths, how much have I earned in bounties?"
"A lot, nowhere near the fortune of your first days but most of that came from the bandits that were infesting the area at the time. I heard about your financial worries, I have a few big jobs aside that will take your family about a week to complete and head home. You can let Quatal see a bit more of the world."
"Hahahaha, she only wants to see her "Papa" at the moment." Lesson howled, nearly losing his lunch.
"Keep laughing, that stress is giving me heartburn." I sighed, hoping that it would be ok when I got home.
"Are you nervous at all?"
"Of course I am, she bit Astrael and made her yelp and I'm not a match for her yet."
"I meant about the wedding you idiot."
"Oh that.... No, truth be told, I thought I would be, but the visiting nobles have all been on their best behaviour and everyone has done a lot to pitch in... I have probably had the least to do with it than anyone else in town."
"He means spending the rest of your life with someone. That tends to be what makes men run."
"Now who is the idiot?... I love that woman with all my heart, We will spend eternity together, if she is a nightmare sometimes I'll consider it punishment for some of the sins I've committed."
When we got back we went to the guild, I became slightly richer, the guild got some great mix-purpose meat, I got slightly richer and then we went to meet Halsan at his office, which was also the men's headquarters for wedding.
"So, we chat, drink and keep him in good shape for the morning. In the morning we get you ready then head to the temple, you will meet the deva there and be held at the altar until it's time."
"Held? This is a wedding not a sacrifice right?"
"From what I hear they're about the same, one just take longer to get to the point"
"Ah... One final thing! It is customary for the groom to wear weapons... Normally I'd say you do not need one, but I think this one may actually be worth your time."
I sighed and took the ornate chest from Halsan and examined the surface, surprisingly it was not a natural element but an alloy of some kind. Its decorations were both simplistic line etchings that formed a complex network and sequence.
"Did someone beat me to the dwarves? This work is profound." My eyes were wide, as starry as a curious child.
"Dwarves? Nonsense..." Byurik scoffed. "This is the result of Kuronovus, seeing you as her rightful master. The other origin wyrms seek to appease you for when you bring her under your command. Before you say "Since I have no intention of doing so, I can't accept this" don't. If you accept and show thanks and respect they will trust you to honour that, if you refuse, they will always be suspicious and waiting for you to attack." He finished, knowing exactly what I was going to say.
Without further delay I tried to open it, when it wouldn't relent, I activated my divinity and it released itself, revealing the most gorgeous weapon I had ever seen.
A sword crafted from the origin wyrm of earths scale, veined with the sap of the origin wyrm of life, the guard crafted from a scale of Kuronovus, the handle from tooth of the origin wyrm of water, wrapped in the malted skin of the origin wyrm of wind's wing and pommelled with the crystalline claw of the origin wyrm of the white.
What truly caught my attention was that this weapon radiated something similar to antithesis-energy, but far more balanced and synergistic. It didn't feel bloodthirsty, but instead it seemed to simply say "Leave before I'm used". It felt warm and compassionate and brought tears to my eyes.
"This treasure will be respected for eternity, carried at my side to the day I die. This is a weapon that detests violence and a nature built for it, it reminds me of me, the deva and my family. Tell them for me, I can never express enough respect, but I will honour this swords wish to the best of my ability."
"You're talking nonsense... I've never seen a sword so plain." Leeson drew my ire and froze, but with confusion as much as fear and that's what made me realise it carried an enchantment to make it look ordinary to go unnoticed.
"Humans can't see it, don't blame him." Byutik added, visibly resisting the urge to kneel before it.
I chuckled and returned it to the case, quelling my divinity so it sealed, then placing it in my dimensional space and casting as many glyphs on it as I could before leaving it unattended.
"One last thing before we call it a night. Every good sword needs a name."
"Caliburn, it says its name is Caliburn and I am not to call it anything else."
They looked at me like I was a lunatic and I didn't help by laughing like one, but Caliburn was a very chatty sword.
The next day after waking up, I was groomed professionally by people I felt very sorry for. Unfortunately nobody had explained that bit, so I hadn't explained that I naturally leak killing intent when someone has a blade to my head or throat.
When he was finished, I apologised profusely for the moments I had failed to contain it, then got dressed, equipped Caliburn who was assessing everything like a child. "Oh so this is like a mating ritual?"
"No, more like a ritual, to have the right to a mating ritual." I laughed internally. "When we arrive you will meet my two deva, we aren't related but they are like family to me, two of them my daughter calls aunt and one of them will become my daughter in due time."
"This is confusing, I'm going to sleep for a while, but did you want me to change? I could become any bladed shape or style and modify my scabbard to match."
"Oh you are an absolute marvel, Caliburn. If you could become like this, I would be most grateful." I pictured the rough shape of a broadsword, then asked if it could split into a dagger as well.
"Sure, but the sword blade won't be as long." I told them that was fine and praised them as they changed, then praised them more when they startled the others.
When we got to the temple though, the atmosphere dropped onto me. The sheer scale of this event was mind-blowing and terrifying and I had so many eyes on me even Caliburn couldn't resist pointing out how uncomfortable I looked which only made it worse.