Once everyone had settled down and had given them their undivided attention, Moiga began the ceremony. Sulran remained closer to the about-to-be-wedded couple.

They were made to stand facing each other, Xiran held Aselia’s hands as they lovingly stared at each other, their smiles deepened. Moiga brought two white ribbons and bound their wrists together.

Under the sacred red tree, this was the unique bonding ritual called "Soul Merge." In this magical ceremony, two individuals would intertwine their souls to form an unbreakable bond.

"Close your eyes and let your deepest emotions, sentiments, and feelings for each other reign free. Think about the deep love and the sacred bond both of you hold for each other. Think about the kind of life both of you want to spend together," Moiga’s voice had turned heavy as she plucked two leaves from the sacred tree and placed them on their clasped hands.

Xiran and Aselia obeyed and Moiga began to chant in her language, the leaves began glowing with otherworldly luminescence.

Their hands trembled and shook, the leaves imbued and transferred their deepest emotions and intentions into each other, binding their souls, and strengthening the connection they shared, ensuring they would support and cherish each other throughout their journey together.

The audience watched, captivated and in awe. Asfarla’s heart swelled and she dabbed her eyes with a white handkerchief.

Moiga’s assistant held out an antique silver bowl in front of her with silver patterns. A white powder which in reality was stardust shone inside it like rainbow-infused grains.

She pinched it between her index finger and thumb and sprinkled it all around them.

The air around them seemed to have become charged. The gale picked up its speed, swishing around them like a tiny whirlwind and the sacred crimson above them began to shake as if some invisible force was present. The branches rustled and the leaves swayed.

The shiny dust-like particles remained suspended in the air and formed an elliptical ring around them, swirling and glowing. Their movement fastened with Moiga’s chants.

They circled all around them from head to toe. Aselia and Xiran could sense goosebumps rising on their charged skin, an invigorating energy was seeping inside them from the stardust, removing any ill intentions that could linger for each other. Cleansing away their bodies, especially their hearts, brimming them with eternal love.

Moiga gradually began to slow her incantation and the movement of particles began to diminish as they did one last circle around the couple, absorbing any negative energy and finally disappearing.

The leaves had stopped glowing as well and incantation had ceased.

"It’s done, you people can open your eyes," Moiga instructed as she removed the leaves from their hands and untied the white ribbons.

The tenderness of Xiran’s misty hue melded into the oceanic essence of the sea. It was becoming a laborious task for him to not take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. The unhinged frantic beatings of her pure heart, that invigorating energy that was profusing out of her and the inviting smell of her sweet nectar was driving him insane. It multiplied both kinds of his hunger.

"Xiran! Relax," a bare whisper reached him and he knew she had spoken under her breath so only he could hear. Silver-haired vampires realised that he was tightly clutching her hands, his emotions going haywire. She was cautiously watching him because she knew he was a part vampire and this had messed up with that aspect.

The ceremony had heightened his already heightened senses and his heartbeat had picked up, his canines were threatening to protrude and he wanted to dig them inside her soft flesh and yet his other side fought to keep her safe and protected.

The inner turmoil of his heart was ever-growing, his grey orbs were darkening like thunder clouds when he felt a warmth envelop him and ease his heart. Xiran dipped his head and saw her hugging him, positioning her cheek where his heart was, easing his vampire half.

"It’s going to be alright, Xiran," she whispered into his warm chest and rubbed it.

Xiran closed his eyes and basked in her affections, slipping his hands around her waist, while everyone else silently watched giving them this beautiful moment.

Moiga began preparing for the next step while Sulran stepped forward and waited for them to open their eyes with two silver ribbons. They needed to put a single braid in each other’s hair.

"We should proceed," Aselia gently suggested, finally lifting her head and he opened his gorgeous eyes to stare back at her. The storms seemed to have abated in them as he sternly nodded and reluctantly let her go.

"Both of you will need to braid a single lock of each other’s hair by interweaving it with this ribbon and binding it at the end. This will be the second step of the ritual," Moiga explained as Sulran handed them their respective ribbons. Moiga signalled Aselia to go first.

Aselia gently took a side lock of his hair and parted it three ways before starting with the braid. As she weaved together two individual strands into one, representing the joining of their lives and the creation of a new, unified bond. This act signified her willingness to support and care for him, just as the braids support and hold the hair.

The ribbon woven together would serve as a tangible reminder of the commitment they would be making to each other, it would also symbolise the love, the unification and facing the challenges as one unit.

Aselia tried to keep her fingers as steady as possible, the silky strands kept slipping or blowing away under the gust of wind and Xiran couldn’t help but grin at her cute struggle.

Once she was done, she tied the ribbon at the end so it wouldn’t become untied and remain steadily in place, her finger lingering for a few seconds more in his hair before she let them go. Moiga kept with her steady chants.

"Thank you, Leia!" he gently whispered, holding an endearing smile for her, which she heartily returned. Her heart rate was extremely alleviated today and Xiran could see her constantly blushing.

"Xiran! It’s your turn," Sulran offered the ribbon with beads to Xiran. Taking it he requested Aselia to turn around. She obeyed without hesitation.

Xiran took a lock of her gold-infused hair from the back of her head and began to braid them. Every knot carefully weaved the strands of hair together. As the braid took form, it began to glow with soft, iridescent light, indicating the fusion of their energies. Moiga was slowly enchanting along as knot after knot was placed by Xiran.

During the process he visualised his deepest desires, dreams, and emotions which flowed into the braided hair, infusing it with his essence.

Once the braiding was complete, Moiga sealed the ritual with a final incantation, locking the connection between Xiran and Aselia. The braid was then tied with a special knot, representing the unbreakable bond that had been forged between them.

He turned her around and delicately held her by the shoulders as Moiga announced the completion of their second step of the ritual. The guests stood up to clap and cheer for the successful completion of this tradition. The faces of Xiran’s family beamed with pride as they were now entering the final stage of the ritual.

The attendants began to serve drinks to all the guests so they could join in the drinking of the elixir. Although the guests were served a simple drink, the tradition was done collectively to give company to the couple.

Moiga then handed them silver pitchers containing the pearly white elixir which will freeze over Aselia’s age for the next ten years, on Altair it will be seventy years before she would need it again.

"Drink up and everyone will join you. This will complete the ritual, binding the two of you forever. Are you ready for this final step?" Moiga questioned.

"We are," they chanted in unison.

"In the presence of this sacred red tree, under its canopy of wisdom, and in the presence of your loved ones. Do you pledge your heart and soul to each other, promising to love, honour, and cherish each other through eternity?"

"Yes, we do," there was no reluctance as they pledged.

"Then drink up and complete your bonding ritual," Moiga instructed, pointing to their pitchers. Sulran asked them to turn towards the guests so all of them could drink together.

Once everyone was ready the glasses were raised and drinks were downed. The elixir had a slightly sweet taste as compared to water, it trickled down her throat leaving an aromatic sweetness in her mouth.

The crowd erupted in joy once the drinking session ended and the ceremony was declared to be completed. Everyone wanted to meet the couple as Xiran grabbed Aselia’s waist and held her close.

"Can I kiss my bride first?" he eagerly asked seeing the crowd of people lining up to meet them. And everyone roared in laughter.

"Go ahead, she is all yours," Sulran winked at him and stepped aside. Giving them all the space they needed.