34.- Shadows on The lake

The second level of the dungeon loomed like a ghostly refuge under the dim light of luminescent fungi sprouting from cracks in the damp walls, their greenish glow casting dancing shadows on the phosphorescent moss that covered the stone. The small underground lake, its surface dark and still as a broken mirror, reflected spectral glimmers that slipped between the stalagmites like wandering phantoms. The air, thick and cold, carried a scent of dampness and wet stone, mixed with a faint touch of sulfur that stung the nostrils.

It had been a month since Aurora entered hibernation, a month since the crimson orb and the vines had enveloped her in a golden cocoon in the main chamber, and the dungeon seemed to hold its breath, awaiting the awakening of its queen.

Sebastian sat on the shore of the lake, his legs crossed on a flat rock that he had turned into his makeshift refuge. In his hands, he held a rustic fishing rod, made with a sturdy branch he had torn from a corner of the first level and a string braided with plant fibers that he had collected himself. His messy brown hair fell over his warm eyes, now dulled by a shadow of melancholy, and his dusty boots rested motionless against the damp grass. A slight breeze stirred the water, sending ripples that broke the reflection of his face – a face that, although serene, bore the lines of a contained sadness. He had spent every night of that month sleeping outside Aurora's niche, his back against the wall of vines, his hands brushing the cocoon as if he could feel her presence through it. He missed her smile, her soft voice, the way her fingers squeezed his with an affection that anchored him to this strange world. Without her, the dungeon felt emptier, a labyrinth of shadows that enveloped him in a loneliness he didn't know how to fill.

Fishing had become his ritual, a way to occupy his hands and calm his mind. He had discovered that the translucent creatures of the lake – blind fish with scales that shone like crystals – were edible, and each catch was a small victory against the silence that surrounded him. That day, he had been there for hours, still as a statue, his gaze fixed on the water as the hook floated beneath the surface. It wasn't just food he was looking for; it was a moment of peace, a connection with something alive in a place that sometimes seemed dead without Aurora.

"Come on, little one," he murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "Keep me company today."

The air stirred with a whisper that didn't come from the lake, a sound that mixed the flutter of wings and the rustle of shadows. Sebastian didn't need to turn to know that Kaili was there – her presence was unmistakable, a cosmic weight that made the cavern tremble with each step. She emerged from a side tunnel, her tall, athletic figure silhouetted against the spectral light, a wandering star that defied the gloom. Her purple skin glowed with an inner light, the golden, silver, and red runes pulsing like living veins on her voluptuous body. The black armor, tight as liquid obsidian, hugged her curves – the neckline revealing the runes that danced on her chest, the hips molded with a precision that took one's breath away. Six membranous wings unfolded like a fan, black, purple, and scarlet, capturing the surrounding light and projecting iridescent sparkles that scattered through the cavern like magic dust. Her horns, sharp and adorned with glittering gems, rose like a crown, and her eyes – dark pools with red sparks – observed him with a mixture of curiosity and disdain.

"What are you doing, mortal, playing like a child in this gloom?" Kaili growled, her melodious voice resonating with an edge that could split worlds, her tone loaded with an arrogance that contrasted with the intrigued nuance that Sebastian detected beneath the surface. She approached, her wings folding with a whisper that stirred the water, and stopped beside him, her shadow falling over him like a veil of chaos.

Sebastian kept his eyes on the lake, his calm steady, although a cold sweat ran through him for an instant at her proximity. "Fishing," he replied, his voice calm but with a hint of melancholy. "Hoping for something for dinner." He paused, turning the rod between his fingers. "It keeps me busy... since Aurora left."

Kaili frowned, her wings trembling subtly as she processed his words. "Cooking?" she said, her tone tinged with confusion and a touch of mockery. "I don't understand why you go to so much trouble. That's why humans are weak – they need to feed themselves to avoid collapsing." Her eyes flashed, but something in her posture – the way she tilted her head – suggested that it wasn't just contempt she felt.

Sebastian smiled slightly, his gaze still fixed on the water. "It's not all about surviving, Kaili. Sometimes, preparing a meal... it's comforting. It reminds me that there are simple things worth cherishing, even here." His voice softened, an echo of the nostalgia that had brought him to the lake's shore that afternoon.

Kaili crossed her arms, her runes glowing more intensely as she watched him. "Comforting," she repeated, savoring the word as if it were a strange concept, a riddle that didn't fit into her existence of chaos and power. "What does that mean for a mortal like you?" Her tone was dominant, almost challenging, but there was a spark of curiosity that surprised him.

He thought for a moment, searching for the right words. "It's... a feeling of well-being," he said, looking up at her for the first time. His eyes met Kaili's, and a glimpse of her cleavage – the runes pulsing against her purple skin – distracted him for an instant, making him swallow before continuing. "As if everything is in its place, even if just for a while. Peace, I guess." He looked away quickly, focusing back on the rod, his heart beating a little faster.

Kaili tilted her head, her wings casting shadows that danced on the water. "Peace?" she growled, her voice cutting but with an intrigued undertone. "You mean the absence of struggle? That sounds like weakness." Her words were a challenge, but her eyes – dark and deep – seemed to search for something in him, an answer she didn't expect to find.

"Not exactly," Sebastian said, his tone firm but gentle. "It's more like... harmony. Feeling that there's nothing to fear, that you're connected to what surrounds you." He paused, pointing to the lake with a gesture of his hand. "Like when I fish and the water is still. It's simple, but it makes me feel alive."

Kaili remained silent, her wings trembling for an instant as she processed his words. For her, peace was a foreign concept, a luxury she had never known in her existence of wars and devastation. But something in Sebastian's contained passion – his calm in the face of the immensity of the dungeon – sparked an interest she couldn't ignore.

"I don't understand it," she said finally, her voice lower, almost reflective. "But... I want to understand it."

Sebastian smiled, a warm glow crossing his eyes. "Maybe you can try," he said, his tone friendly but with a sincere invitation. "Sit with me for a while. You could try what I catch... see if you like it." His words were simple, but there was a genuine desire in them – he wanted to know her, not just as a cosmic being, but as someone to share a moment with. His eyes strayed for a second to the curves of her armor, and he looked away quickly, his pulse quickening.

Kaili arched an eyebrow, her runes flashing with a red glow as she assessed him. "Try your food?" she growled, her tone laden with mockery but with a hint of amusement. "Ridiculous... a mortal offering me something so insignificant." However, she didn't move away. Her wings folded with a whisper, and she sat beside him on the rock, her imposing body barely brushing against his, a lethal heat emanating from her that made Sebastian swallow again.

At that moment, the rod bent sharply, and Sebastian pulled the line with a quick, precise movement. A fish with translucent skin emerged from the water, its scales shining like small crystals under the light of the fungi, wriggling with an energy that broke the silence. Sebastian held it firmly, a spark of satisfaction crossing his face. "Good size," he murmured, more to himself, as he placed it carefully on the rock.

Kaili watched him, her eyes following his every move with unusual attention. "Why do you do that?" she asked, her voice sharp but tinged with curiosity. "I could rip a thousand of those from the water with a gesture. What do you gain from that... patience?"

Sebastian smiled, taking an obsidian knife from his belt – a gift from the dungeon system. "It's not about how many I catch," he said, cleaning the fish with expert movements. "It's the process. Waiting, feeling the tug, knowing I did it with my own hands. It reminds me of her… of Aurora." His voice cracked for an instant, and his eyes clouded with nostalgia.

Kaili frowned, her wings trembling subtly. "You miss her?" she growled, her tone softer than she intended. "She is my Queen, my creator... her absence is a void for me as well." Her words were an echo of her loyalty, but there was something more – a nuance that Sebastian couldn't decipher, but which made him look at her with renewed interest.

"Yes," he admitted, his voice low as he cut the fish. "Every night I sleep outside her niche, hoping she'll wake up. This place... it's not the same without her." He paused, looking up at Kaili. "But you're here. And I was wondering... what's it like for you? Being what you are, with all that power."

Kaili looked at him, her eyes flashing with red sparks as she processed the question. "What's it like?" she repeated, her voice resonating with an edge that cut through the air. "I am the chaos that devours worlds, mortal. My existence is strength, war, fire... there's no place for your 'peace' in what I am." But her words faltered for an instant, and her wings moved, brushing his arm with a heat that made him tense.

Sebastian nodded, his gaze caught for a second by the gleam of her runes before returning to the fish. "Maybe not," he said, his tone friendly but curious. "But I'd like to know more. Not just about the chaos... about you." His words were sincere, a bridge extended to her, and although her closeness distracted him – the heat of her body was impossible to ignore – his interest was genuine.

Kaili laughed, a sharp sound but with a playful undertone. "About me?" she growled, leaning towards him, her breath brushing his ear with an intensity that made him swallow. "Careful, mortal. Asking about a Chaos Throne could cost you more than you imagine." Her fingers brushed his shoulder, a provocative touch that could split worlds, and her cruel smile gleamed with a flash of amusement.

Sebastian smiled, his calm steady despite the knot in his stomach. "It's worth the risk," he said, his tone light but with a sparkle in his eyes. "Besides, I have fish to share... if you're up for it."

Kaili pulled back, her wings casting shadows that danced on the lake. "Ridiculous," she growled, but she didn't move away. Her eyes watched him, dark and deep, as he began to prepare the fire, the flick of the flint breaking the silence. For a moment, the dungeon seemed less empty – a mortal and a Chaos Throne sharing a rock by the lake, a moment of connection that neither expected. And although Aurora slept in her cocoon, her absence united them, an invisible bond that was beginning to weave itself in the shadows.