Villain: The Play of Destiny

“We have arranged the rooms for all of you, so just feel at home!” An aged lady with the trademark Green eyes of the Mourntale Family informed Keith after he finished his meal and met up with his intended.

“Thank you, Aunty.” He amiably smiled at her which elated her. And she patted his head lovingly before leaving him and Amelia alone in the hallway.

“Your Aunt really cares about you.” He looked her in the eyes and said.

“She’s a good soul.” Amelia turned around and walked ahead. “Come with me.”

Keith smiled at her behavior and followed her all the way to her room. He playfully smiled at her when he saw her lock the door.

“Hey, hey… I hope you don’t plan to force yourself on me.”

Amelia only glanced at him before heading to the couch and sitting on it. Her eyes turned to look at him, seemingly waiting for him to do something, and Keith sighed before walking towards her and take a seat by her side.

“Yes, Amelia?”

“How long do you plan to stay in this world?” She straightforwardly asked, which took him by surprise, but then he gave it a thought and sank back on his seat.

“At least 10, and at most 13.” He answered her after he went through all the storylines in his mind.

His answer surprised Amelia, and she frowned a little.

“Are you sure you only need at most 13 years to reach the Peak of Spirit Profound Realm and enter the Primal Desolation?” She asked.

“I don’t need even half that time to reach that stage, but there are things that I must accomplish while I am here.”

“What?”

Keith frowned at her question and then sighed.

“I can’t leave behind those that are close to me. So I want to take them with me. It will take time.”

His answer only made her more curious, but she did not question him again about it. She could feel that she will get all her answers with the passage of time.

“Well, if we are staying here for a decade, I want you to help me start up my business. I don’t like staying idle.”

“I know.” He chuckled and nodded to her. “And I have already planned for you to join my new Group. You will the Vice-President and the mind behind the Architecture and Design of everything that our Construction Company will build. And you will be in sole command of that company.”

Again, Amelia was surprised at his words. But when she thoughts about how he knew everything about her, it made a little sense to her.

“Of all the Knowledge I have received so far from the Runic Monarch Profound Veins, there was an interesting set of Runes that I previously paid no intention to.” She looked him in the eyes and spoke, but saw him waiting for her to continue her words.

“I may not necessarily know everything about the Runes. After all, I am not the Inheritor of the Runic Monarch, you are.”

“Hmm…” Amelia nodded to him, and saved this piece of information in the back of her mind. “This set of Runes is called the Sacred Wedlock.”

“Oh…” Keith eyes widened in surprise and he lost himself in some thoughts.

“You know about it?” She did not miss the spark of realisation that dawned in his eyes.

“Yes.” He nodded his head. “The Runes of Sacred Wedlock is a special ritual, where the couple take a Divine Vow, and then the Runes are initiated. If the intentions of both the parties are true, the name of their partner will be forever engraved on their body in form of a rune.”

“It’s good that you know about it.” She nodded to him.

“You want to perform the ritual?” Keith narrowed his eyes and asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you know any Divine Vow?” He curiously asked, and sighed helplessly when she shook her head.

“I thought you would know.” She frowned and said.

“I do know one, but I warn you. It’s not a joke.” He seriously said and looked her right in her eyes. “We will be bound to each other forever till death do us apart. There’s no such thing as a ‘Divorce’ when you initiate a Marriage Rutual with a Divine Vow, and this one is even more special.”

“How special?” She curiously asked him, unfazed by his warning.

“You will learn with time.” He refused to tell her about it and then took a deep breath. “You want us to perform that ritual on our wedding?”

“We are doing it right now.” She shook her head and said, leaving Keith with a dumb expression. “What?”

“Nothing.” He sighed again and then smiled. “Alright, let’s do it. And are you sure you have enough reserves to initiate the Runes of Sacred Wedlock?”

“I meditated all day to get ready. It should be fine.”

“I never thought that you could sound silly too.” He chuckled and teased her, which earned him a glare in return. “Come.” He raised his left hand to her, and she placed her left hand in his.

They both stood facing each other, holding hands, and then Keith took a deep breath.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes!” She nodded her head with confidence.

“Say after me when I finish the Divine Vow.”

Keith had never before felt so nervous in his lifetime. He knew the gravity of a Divine Vow, and he took his time clearing his mind before speaking his next words.

“Time, Space, Life, Death, Spirit, Fate, Emotions, Divination, and Judgement, I invoke thee!

Let the Law of Death be our Judge. Let the Law of Life be our Guardian. Let the Law of Spirit be our Bond. Let the Law of Emotions be our Blessing. Let the Laws of Fate and Divination be our Witnesses. Let the Laws of Time and Space be our Prisons, and Let the Law of Judgement befall us. From this moment until the ends of times….”

“I, Keith!”

“I, Amelia!”

“Take you, as my lawful Wife.”

“Take you, as my lawful Husband.”

“I am yours and you are mine!”

“In Happiness, and in Sadness.”

“In Sickness, and in Health.”

“In Glory, and in Shame.”

“In Fortune, and in Misfortune.”

“In Life, and in Death.”

“I promise to stay by your side.”

“Forever and Ever!”

As soon as they took their Vows, the Sacred Runes of Wedlock lit up on their own.

Keith stared in marvel at the beautiful Runes that lit up on Amelia’s body. He could still not see those hidden under her clothes, but the ones on her arms were visible to him.

The Runes of a Divine Language slowly crawled over her left arm and then made their way onto his left hand that was connected with hers. The Runes covered his entire hand before settling at the back of it.

They both gasped in surprised when a brilliant golden glow sprouted from their hands and enveloped them, basking them in a soothing sensation, and before they could grasp what was happening, the glow receded back to their hands, where a beautiful Rune was now permanently embedded.

Even if Keith could not read the language, he knew that it was Amelia’s name that was now etched on the back of his hand. And for Amelia, it was his name, which she could read. 𝒃𝒆𝒐𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝙘𝙤𝒎

They both could feel a weight of responsibilities on their hearts, and Keith, who realized the weight of the Divine Vow, could not help himself but step forward and plant a kiss on her forehead.

She was his lawful Wife now, and she was his Responsibility.

Amelia felt light-headed as soon as he did that and all the tiredness came crashing onto her. She did not realise it before, but invoking the sacred Runes of Wedlock had sucked all of her Aura reserves.

Keith wrapped his arms around her just as she was about to stagger, and then gently picked her up before taking her to the bed.

He laid her down in the bed, and then took off her shoes before taking his off too and climbing into the bed.

He lay by her side staring at her, just like she was doing with her half-lidded eyes. But soon sleep whispered in her ears, and her eyes closed.

Keith affectionately smiled at her and then leaned in to plant a kiss on her head before wrapping an arm around her protectively, drifting off to sleep together with her.

While the newly wed slept soundly, somewhere in the Magic City, in a condo within a tall building, a young boy confusedly stared at the blood leaking out of his nose before everything turned blank and he fainted.