36.- Bets in The chaos

The second floor of the dungeon vibrated with a distant pulse that reverberated from the upper chamber, an echo of the crimson orb guarding the golden cocoon of their hibernating queen. The subterranean lake reflected the spectral light of the luminous fungi sprouting from the cracks, its dark surface rippling as if responding to that distant energy. The damp walls, covered with phosphorescent moss, projected a greenish glow that danced among the stalagmites, while the air, thick with humidity and sulfur, felt more restless that morning – a contrast to the calm that had enveloped the place since the queen entered her slumber a month ago. For Kaili, Harbinger of the Plague, that pulse was a reminder of her duty, but also of a defeat that still stung: the previous evening, a mere mortal had outdone her with a rod and hook in a game as trivial as fishing.

Kaili couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, her golden runes pulsing with a brighter glow as she brooded in the shadows of the tunnel. She, a "Throne of the Plague" capable of shattering worlds, had been humiliated by a clumsy human – an improvised hook had eclipsed her cosmic chaos! But instead of getting truly angry, a cold smile formed on her full lips, her fangs flashing under the dim light. It was time to return the favor to Sebastian, a mortal so weak that he hardly deserved her attention... and yet, his insistence on such simple things was absurdly intriguing to her. A plan took shape in her mind, and the next day, she emerged on the second floor with a mischievous smile that lit up her eyes – dark pools with red sparks – her six membranous wings unfolding for an instant to project iridescent flashes that bathed the cavern in a magical glow.

Beside her, a summoned creature bounced excitedly: a small, phosphorescent green slime, the size of a ball, with a shiny surface that seemed harmless but jumped unpredictably, leaving sticky puddles after each leap. "Sebastian," Kaili said, her melodious voice laced with a sweetness that made him frown immediately, "today you're going to learn something new... and fun."

Sebastian, sitting on the edge of the lake with his makeshift fishing rod, turned his head, his usual calm faltering at that smile that promised trouble. "Learn what?" he asked, his voice calm but with a hint of suspicion as his warm eyes followed her, caught for an instant by the golden runes that pulsed on her purple skin under the tight-fitting armor – a flash that made him gulp before looking away.

Kaili pointed to the slime with an elegant gesture, her wings trembling with a whisper that stirred the air. "Basic defense," she replied, her tone sharp but full of amusement. "A mortal as weak as you needs to survive my games... and this little friend will be your challenge." She leaned towards him, her face inches from his, her warm breath brushing his cheek with an intensity that made him tense. "Dodge it for five minutes without it touching you, and maybe I'll let you touch my runes," she said, her fingers tracing the air near his jaw, an invisible touch that quickened his pulse. "But if you lose, I'll drag you into my infernal training... and believe me, it won't be fish you'll be cooking." The slime, as if understanding, puffed up proudly, its puddles glowing under the spectral light.

Sebastian blinked, a cold sweat running down his back as he looked at the slime and then at Kaili, his mind caught between the bet and the glow of those runes he couldn't help but notice. "Your runes?" he repeated, his voice incredulous but with a spark of curiosity he couldn't hide. "Seriously? And what is this 'infernal training'?"

Kaili laughed, a low, melodious sound that echoed in the cavern. "Oh, human, imagine fire, chaos, and a bit of my favorite plagues," she growled, her tone playful but with a sadistic edge that made him gulp again. "But don't worry... you'll survive. Maybe." Her wings unfolded for another instant, casting shadows that enveloped him, and before he could respond, she clapped her hands. The slime jumped towards him enthusiastically, leaving small sticky puddles after each leap.

The second floor, usually quiet, exploded into absurd chaos and laughter. The green slime grew to the size of a beach ball, bouncing uncontrollably as Sebastian tried to dodge it, his boots slipping on the shiny puddles. "Come on, human!" Kaili shouted, her laughter echoing like thunder, her wings shaking with each laugh. "Show me that agility! Dodge the jumping snot!"

Sebastian tripped over his own feet, his balance faltering as he cursed under his breath, his shirt already splattered with green goo. "Kaili, this is ridiculous!" he exclaimed, his voice full of frustration but with a playful glint in his eyes. "I'm going to look like a walking swamp!" In a moment of panic, he tried to run to the side, but the slime followed him, splitting into two after a failed jump – two smaller slimes that chased him with an enthusiasm that made him shout.

"No!" he squealed, his eyes wide as he backed away, slipping and falling to his knees in a sticky puddle. "Now there are two! Kaili, do something!" The cold sweat ran down his back, but a clumsy laugh escaped his lips – if this was his bet, at least he could make her laugh. The slimes jumped towards him, and he rolled on the ground with a surprising agility for someone so untrained, narrowly avoiding a puddle that would have trapped him.

Kaili, sitting on a nearby rock with tears of laughter running down her purple face, could barely speak. "I can't, human!" she gasped between laughs, her voice echoing with a sadistic joy that filled the cavern. "This is better than any chaos I've ever summoned!" Her wings unfolded, projecting flashes that illuminated the scene, and her laughter made the slimes jump faster, as if her energy was encouraging them.

Sebastian, seeing that Kaili was lost in her amusement, decided to go for it. With a clumsy but quick movement, he climbed a stalagmite, clinging to the rock like a desperate monkey. "Take that, jumping snotballs!" he shouted, his tone a mix of defiance and panic as he swayed precariously. But the slimes didn't give up: they began to climb, their viscous bodies leaving a shiny trail that rose after him, one even jumping halfway up the stalagmite with a plop that made him squeal.

"This can't be happening!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking as he looked down, his hands slipping on the damp rock. "They're going to catch me!" At that moment, a memory struck him – the glowing fruits he carried in his backpack. With a quick movement, he took one out and threw it to the other end of the cavern, its glow flashing like a beacon. The slimes, attracted by the glow, abandoned the chase and jumped towards it enthusiastically, colliding with each other in a jumble of goo that left puddles all over the cavern.

Sebastian took advantage of the chaos, jumping from the stalagmite and running towards Kaili, his shirt sticky and his breath ragged, but a triumphant smile crossing his face. "Ha! I fooled them!" he exclaimed, stopping in front of her with his hands on his knees, panting. "I passed the test, right? Five minutes... and not a single touch!"

Kaili, with an amused smile that barely hid her surprise, nodded slowly, her wings folding with a whisper. "Yes, human, you passed," she growled, her tone mocking but with a glint of approval in her dark eyes. "I never thought those snotballs were so... inefficient." She leaned towards him, her face inches from his, her warm breath brushing his soaked cheek. "Look at you, mortal... covered in goo and still smiling," she said, her voice low and seductive, her fingers brushing his sticky shoulder with a touch that could shatter worlds but felt playful. Sebastian gulped, his skin prickling under her closeness, the heat of her pulsating runes quickening his pulse.

They both burst into laughter as they began to clean up the mess, the laughs echoing in the cavern. As they collected shiny puddles with broad leaves, Kaili moved closer, her wings brushing his soaked back as she handed him a leaf, her imposing body enveloping him for an instant. "I guess you won your bet," she growled, her tone mocking but with a warm undertone, her fingers sliding to his wrist to guide his hand towards a golden rune on her arm – a touch that made him tense, his breath catching. "Touch, mortal... but be careful... don't get used to it." Her smile was cruel and playful, and he laughed awkwardly, his fingers brushing the rune with a heat that surprised him, his skin prickling as she looked at him with a glint in her eyes.

"This is... weird," he said, his voice trembling slightly but with a smile, quickly pulling his hand away. "But it was worth it." Kaili laughed, stepping back with a sway that highlighted her curves, and for a moment, the chaos of the dungeon seemed to fade into their shared laughter.

After a brief pause, Kaili stood up, pointing to a small nearby pool with a firm gesture. "Alright, human," she said, her tone returning to its playful arrogance, "now for something useful. You're going to fish without your rods... so my Queen has something fresh when she wakes up."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, his body still sticky with green goo. "Fish? Here? With nothing?" he grumbled, his voice laden with disbelief but with a spark of amusement.

"Yes, fish," Kaili replied firmly, her runes flashing with a red glint. "You won't always have your toys... and I want to see if that stubbornness is good for anything." Her wings unfolded for an instant, casting shadows that enveloped him, and her mischievous smile returned.

Sebastian sighed, resigned, but a laugh escaped his lips. "Okay, Kaili. What do I do?" he said, getting to his feet with a crack of his joints.

Kaili smiled with satisfaction, walking towards the pool with a sway that highlighted the curves of her armor. "Follow me, mortal. I'll show you fishing... Kaili style." She stepped into the water, her boots sinking into the mud, and her runes glowed beneath the surface as her hands caught a blind fish in a swift movement. "Like this... or you'll keep falling," she growled, throwing it to the shore with a plop.

Sebastian entered the icy water with a gasp, his clumsy hands chasing the elusive fish. "This is impossible!" he exclaimed after a failed attempt, slipping and falling to his knees in the mud, his soaked shirt clinging to his skin as Kaili laughed from the rock. "I'm going to freeze before I catch anything!"

"Come on, human, don't be weak," she said, her voice echoing with amusement as her wings trembled. "Even a child would do better." Her eyes flashed with red sparks, and her laughter filled the cavern.

Sebastian looked at her, his frustration transforming into a clumsy smile. "Okay... challenge accepted," he said, shaking the water from his face. After several more attempts – and a couple of falls that left him soaked – he improvised a net with vines, catching a fish with a triumphant shout. "I got it!" he exclaimed, lifting it as he emerged from the water, dripping and laughing.

Kaili clapped sarcastically, but her smile was genuine. "Not bad, mortal," she growled, her tone mocking but warm. "Maybe you're not as useless as you seem."

As they prepared the fish next to a campfire, they shared a softer conversation. "You know," Kaili said, looking at the flames with a thoughtful glow, "I never thought a human would entertain me so much... or that their games would make sense."

Sebastian smiled, his voice warm as he broke apart the fish. "And I didn't think a Throne of the Plague would be such good company. I think we make a good team."

Kaili nodded, her wings folding closer to her body. "Maybe," she said, her tone soft but firm. "But don't tell anyone... my reputation couldn't handle it."

They both laughed, the sound echoing in the cavern, and for a moment, they forgot the chaos that surrounded them – just two souls connecting in a complex world, bound by a bet and a campfire.