The spectral light from the luminescent fungi bathed the dungeon's second level in a greenish glow that danced on the damp walls, the phosphorescent moss, and the stagmites rising like crooked teeth from the floor. The small underground ke reflected that faint illumination, its bck surface interrupted by occasional ripples that faded into the gloom. The air remained heavy with humidity and a faint scent of sulfur, but that evening there was something different – a subtle warmth emanating from an improvised campfire on the shore, its fmes licking a pile of damp branches that crackled with a comforting sound. Weeks had passed since Sebastián started fishing in the ke, and every day for over a month – since Aurora entered hibernation – had been an attempt to fill the void her absence left. The routine sustained him: fishing, tending the pnts, sleeping outside the niche where his queen rested in her golden cocoon, missing her presence with a weight he didn't admit aloud.
Sebastián sat on his usual rock, his figure slightly hunched as he stirred the embers with a branch. His tousled brown hair fell over his warm eyes, which shone with a mixture of mencholy and determination under the firelight. His dusty boots rested against the damp grass, and in his hands, he held a freshly cooked fish, its golden, crispy skin releasing an aroma that filled the cavern – a blend of gathered spices and the fresh taste of the ke. Beside him, a pile of rge leaves served as improvised ptes, den with more fish and a sad of fruits and vegetables he had gathered that morning. The campfire cast shadows that danced on the walls, and for a moment, the dungeon seemed less like a byrinth of death and more like a welcoming refuge.
The whisper of membranous wings broke the silence, a sound that was already part of his routine. Kaili emerged from the shadows of the tunnel, her tall, athletic figure cutting through the gloom like a shooting star. Her purple skin glowed with an inner light, the golden, silver, and red runes pulsing like living veins over her voluptuous body – a sight that never failed to distract Sebastián, although he tried to hide it. Her bck armor, tight as liquid obsidian, hugged her curves with a precision that highlighted the cleavage where the runes danced on her chest and the hips that seemed carved to defy mortality. Six membranous wings unfolded for an instant, bck, purple, and scarlet, projecting iridescent fshes before folding with a whisper that stirred the air. Her horns, sharp and adorned with sparkling gems, rose like a crown, and her eyes – dark pits with red sparks – observed him with a mixture of curiosity and restrained arrogance.
Sebastián didn't look up immediately, already accustomed to the weight of her presence. "You're just in time," he said, his voice calm but with a friendly touch, holding the fish towards her. "This one's ready. Fancy another go?" His lips curved into a slight smile, a gesture he had started using with her since that evening by the ke, when they shared fish for the first time.
Kaili crossed her arms, her runes fshing with a red glow as she assessed him. "Another of your human meals," she grumbled, her tone ced with mockery but softer than usual – a nuance he had learned to recognize as her version of interest. She approached with an elegant step, sitting on the rock beside him with a grace that contrasted with the rawness of the cavern. Her left wing brushed his arm as she passed, an icy touch that made him tense for an instant, his skin prickling under the worn fabric of his shirt. "I don't know why you insist on this, mortal," she said, taking the fish with a delicacy that seemed out of pce in her hands capable of breaking worlds. "But I suppose your stubbornness is… tolerable."
Sebastián smiled, his composure firm as he cut another fish with the obsidian knife. "It's a good way to pass the time," he said, his voice rexed. "And I thought you might like to try something different today. These spices are new – I found them with the Codex you gave me." He paused, gncing at her sideways. "I still haven't thanked you for that, you know? It's helped me a lot… and I like having company while I use it." His words were sincere, a friendly bridge extended towards her, although his gaze strayed for a second to the gleam of her horns – a fsh that made him swallow before returning to the fire.
Kaili watched him, her dark eyes narrowing as she brought the fish to her mouth. "The Codex Florae Arcanum," she grumbled, chewing with an almost analytical slowness. "I gave it to you because your obsession with those green things was… irritating. I couldn't stand to see you stumble over every root without knowing what you were doing." Her tone was firm, but a pyful glint crossed her eyes as she swallowed. "This… has a strange taste. Spicier than the st one." Her wings trembled for an instant, casting shadows that danced on the ke.
Sebastián chuckled softly, a sound that broke the stillness of the ke. "I'm gd you noticed," he said, his voice warm as he cut a leaf for the sad. "It's a root that's a bit spicy, but it gives it life. What do you think?" His eyes met hers, and although the glow of her runes – pulsing on her purple skin – distracted him for a moment, his interest was genuine, an invitation to keep talking.
Kaili frowned, chewing with deliberate slowness before responding. "Acceptable," she grumbled, her tone firm but with a nuance that seemed to test the word. "It's not… unpleasant." She paused, looking at the fish in her hand as if it were a curious artifact. "You and your simple things… I don't understand how you find so much in them." Her right wing brushed his shoulder again – a casual but warm touch – and he felt a shiver he couldn't hide, his skin prickling under the fabric.
"It's what keeps me sane," Sebastián said, his voice low as he pced the sad on a leaf in front of her. "Down here, with Aurora asleep… the pnts, the fishing, the fire… they give me something to do. And now, sharing it with you makes it better." His words were open, friendly, and although the warmth of her wing distracted him – his pulse quickening – his smile was warm. "Try this too – it's different from the fish. Fresher."
Kaili raised an eyebrow, her runes fshing with a silver glow as she took a leaf from the sad. "More of your human games," she grumbled, but her tone was light, almost comfortable, as she brought the leaf to her mouth. The crunch echoed in the cavern, and her eyes narrowed for a moment before she nodded. "Crunchy," she said, her voice more rexed than usual. "Not bad… for something so green." Her wings rexed a little more, and her body leaned towards him, the heat of her skin brushing his as she took another piece.
Sebastián smiled, a warm glint crossing his eyes. "I'm gd you like it," he said, his tone rexed as he pulled another fish from the fire. "I always thought you were more about fire and chaos than green things. It's good to see you try something different." His eyes shone with sincere interest, and although the brush of her wing made him swallow again – the heat of her closeness sending a shiver down his spine – his voice maintained a friendly tone. "There's more to look for, if you want. The ke is full of strange things – we could explore a bit tomorrow, see what we find."
Kaili ughed – a low, melodious sound that resonated in the cavern. "You, exploring with me," she grumbled, her tone mocking but with a glint in her eyes that she didn't quite hide. "A mortal and a Throne of Chaos looking for fish… absurd." However, she didn't get up. Her wings folded with a whisper, and her body leaned a little closer to him, her breath brushing his cheek as she took another piece of sad. "But… I'm not saying no," she added, her voice softer, almost comfortable, as she chewed with deliberate slowness.
Sebastián smiled, his composure firm as he split a fruit and offered it. "Then it's settled," he said, his tone light. "You bring the fire, I'll bring the rods. We can see who catches more." His eyes met hers, and although the gleam of her horns – and the fsh of her cleavage – distracted him for a moment, his interest was in sharing something with her, in seeing her rex in his company.
Kaili took the fruit, her fingers brushing his with a pressure that could break worlds but felt strangely careful. "You and your games," she grumbled, her tone mocking but with a nuance that seemed to accept the challenge. "I'll win, mortal… and I'll make you eat your words." Her eyes fshed with red sparks, and her cruel smile shone with a touch of amusement that made him ugh.
"We'll see," he said, his voice warm as he looked at the fire, the crackling of the embers filling the silence. For a moment, the dungeon seemed less cold – a mortal and a Throne of Chaos sharing a campfire by the ke, a casual conversation weaving a new bond. And although Aurora slept in her cocoon, her absence brought them together, a bond that grew in the shadows, simple but profound.
