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The bells signaled a beginning and an end. A promise for a new life. The one that we deserved. And an end to sins that had plagued us.
"The world doesn't need to be a utopia. As long as we're together." I held Clarith tight. My dear friend—no my wife. Her white hair smelled of dirt and trauben. And every so faintly of the sea. A reminder of the life she made for herself after I was gone.
"Even if our next life is another filled with evil, it will be made better just with you there. We get to choose our own path and I choose you." She wrapped her arms around me in turn, as the arboreal pastor continued his rights for our bond. Ah you're echoing my own words back at me. Ones I said so long ago.
We held each other there for what felt like an entirety, before either of us were brave enough to break away and look into the other's beautiful face. Clarith's eyes watered slightly, not tears of sorrow for once. Those days of the timid villager girl have long since passed.
"Aren't you worried about what the new world will be?" I may be a god but I was not omniscient. Even I could not suppress the vague unease at the known.
"I'm sure we'll find each other again. Just like you found me last time." She brought her head close to mine and smiled softly.
"Besides, now we have a more important task ahead of us." She glanced at a sapling Rin held nearby. A shadowy cutting from the massive tree we all stood under.
It was silly to put importance in what amounted to a dream-like illusion, but Clarith insisted we follow the Elphe tradition. And so as Held finished his speech and we embraced one final time, we broke away to a clear patch of forest soil and began digging the symbol of our life together. Church bells rung out behind us and I hummed a short tune as we toiled in the dirt.
Even though things will never be perfect, we will always have each other. And I think that is enough for me.