Sebastian, with a serene face and resonant voice, begins the ceremony in the tranquil glade of the forest, where Anton and Akira will unite in holy matrimony.
"Dear friends and loved ones, today we gather in this beautiful corner of nature to celebrate the love and union of Anton ShadowBane and Akira Shimazu. On this day, blessed by the sunlight and the freshness of the air, we witness the eternal bond formed between two souls."
With words full of meaning, Sebastian guides the couple through the traditional rituals. Anton gently places the ring on Akira's finger, promising eternal love and fidelity. Akira, with eyes full of emotion, does the same, sealing her commitment with a gesture of tenderness.
"May these rings be tangible symbols of your enduring love, always reminding you of your mutual commitment," said Sebastian, as the sunlight filtered through the leaves, illuminating the moment with celestial beauty.
With solemnity, Sebastian pronounces the final words of the ceremony. "By the power vested in me and the blessing of nature, I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your love bloom like the flowers in spring, and may your union be as eternal as the trees that surround us."
"If there's nothing more to say, you may seal this marriage with a kiss."
Anton looked at Akira and, with a delicate movement, kissed her under the green canopy of the forest. They united in joy as the birds sang in harmony and the breeze whispered its blessing.
The celebration began moments after they were married—a simple affair, of course, with quality wine and good stories to share.
John, Koji, and Sebastian were the merriest, while Anton couldn't shake the thought of the parasites now entangling themselves within urban society.
"Congratulations, Anton; you are a good man, and I have no doubt your commitment to Akira will endure."
"Yeah, I wouldn't say the same about you."
"Ha, ha, ha."
The simplicity of this wedding was something everyone appreciated. They had lived through too much to be thinking about excessive celebrations. For agents who have seen real combat, loud sounds cause nervousness, large crowds, anxiety, and, when talking to many people, a clear headache.
Anton and Akira wanted to avoid all this with a very simple wedding.
…
As the hours of the celebration grew longer, many guests began to leave as it was time to head back.
To avoid driving, there were individual and couple cabins at the wedding site, so most stayed and planned to leave the next morning.
"Are you tired?" Anton approached while holding a glass of pure whiskey.
"I'm just thinking..."
"What worries you?"
"What will our lives be like ten years from now? Honestly, I think we were careless in bringing a child into this world full of things."
Anton hugged Akira and said, "Full of happiness. We will have many children and a cat, of course."
"I'm allergic to cats." Akira smiled slightly.
"I can cure that."
Much later, Anton began watching some videos about mass massacres caused by the parasites, which were obviously a problem they would solve quickly.
"Foreseeing they have plans to reveal it, it wouldn't be the most convenient due to the chaos, so I should avoid it," Anton thought as he smoked a cigarette, very convinced he would quit.
To reveal plans like these, they must consider many more factors than their own benefits. Obviously, the world will be filled with the wrong cases, and many could even take matters into their own hands.
The most developed countries are the ones that offer their citizens weapons. Maybe in Japan, there isn't that kind of freedom, but in others, there is. If something like this is revealed, not only will the tension among people increase, but the stress levels will be so high that many will end up killing each other.
"The cases keep increasing, but no other alien should think of invading us, or we will be doomed," Anton thought as he walked to his room to sleep.
The coming days would undoubtedly be filled with hard work and much more paperwork than he had ever seen before.