Mani's Eyes were hazy with tears.
He couldn't help but recall a conversation he had with Neely only a few days ago.
It was at night and half each, of the twin moons were in the sky.
It was not as bright as when it was two full moons, but it was still a beautiful night.
One that was decorated beautifully with the stars twinkling above their heads.
Neely had insisted on seeing him that night after a hunt, and they had met under a tree beside a mountain, not so far from the village.
This was their usual meeting point as far back as he could remember.
In fact, this exact tree had been decorated with ornaments from both of them.
Some times, they would use their Aura energy to leave behind messages on the leaves.
It was their way of always feeling that the other cared.
It was their love language.
On this particular night, he had met her under that same tree, and after enjoying some snacks, they embraced and enjoyed each others copany in passionate kisses.
Usually, Neely was always the one to one to hold back, but on this particular night, she was all the more affectionate and even made moves to proceed further.
This had taken Mani by surprise.
However, just when he was on her, he stopped himself and pushed himself off her body.
"What is it?" she asked, "don't you... want me!?" her hands folded across her chest and her legs tightened, all in fear of his sudden rejection of her body.
"No! its not that...I want you. Trust me, I really do. Its just that, we have been able to hold back for so long, so why now?"
A finger played with her shoulder long beautiful black hair, "I don't know!" She looked away from him.
This action of hers, Mani was all too familiar with.
After all, they had grown up together and had developed from friends to lovers.
He was well aware of when she was lying.
Her body language was something he could read even if it was in his dreams.
"Come on, tell me!" he encouraged her.
She looked away from him, unwilling to spill.
"Neely, the future mother of my children. My great mother," he teased her continually, buttering her up until she broke into a smile.
"Its just...Its just a dream, that's all."
"A dream!?" He asked back.
"Yes!" she nodded shyly.
"Okay, tell me about this dream."
"No!" she shook her head again, acting like a stubborn little girl.
This time around, he pulled her in by the waist, an action that always made her mind go blank, and make her blush ever so much.
"Come on, we are going to become man and wife in a few days time. And we made promises to ourselves, remember?" He pulled her face to his own by her jaw.
She saw his attentive eyes. They were just on her and for her.
She knew that this man would do whatsoever it took for her and it warmed her heart even more.
"I saw you... In the war. You wore color of red and was stained in it. In your hand was the key to ending the war, and you picked it over me!"
Mani looked at her with absolute confusion.
Nothing she had just said made any sense to him.
Firstly, because of their tribe and Aura color, they all wore Purple, this was the same for every one in the village.
Secondly, their village was even too far from the war zones.
It was the reason why they even had the guts to plan a marriage in such trying times.
The moment she finished talking, she could see the confusion in his eyes.
This made her pout, and she looked away, peeling herself from his embrace. "You don't believe me."
Mani realized that he had pissed her off.
He suddenly remembered an advice his father had told him concerning women.
There were always in constant need of reassurance.
He hastily rushed to her side, patting her on the shoulder, "come now, Neely! Don't be like that. I understand and trust me, I do believe you. But my dear take a good look at me.
"Do I look like I'm Rubrum material?"
She turned to him, and then she shook her head, "But your mother was Rubrum!"
Mani heard this and sighed loudly.
Now, this woman was trying to give him an headache.
"Yes, my mother was Rubrum, but as you can see, I inherited my father's Purple Aura, and as you know, no one can have more than one type of Aura energy..."
She wanted to speak up, but he immediately placed a hand on her lips, "I know what you want to say. Only a god Child like the Oracle could have more than one. But I am not a God child. So that's that."
She wanted to open her mouth again, but decided to close it. Mani was right.
And the more she thought about it, the more she thought that she was only being crazy.
"In a few days my dear, we would be married. We have waited patiently and have never done it for so long. We will have plenty of time when you are officially mine."
He pulled her closer to him, and as his fingers traced her body, she giggled a bit.
He placed a kiss on her lips, "I will be your husband, and you will be my wife. What could go wrong...?"
Now, Mani discovered that that was not a statement he should have uttered.
Because right now, his newly wedded wife was having her first time with a beast of burden.
The sight of blood flowing down her legs was the catalyst that made something in him break up.
Like a flood gate suddenly bashed through, red Aura energy of pure rage saturated his every being.
It literally burnt the bodies of the Soldiers and they were forced to let him go....
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