54.- Threads of light

A month had passed since the failed incursion of the adventurers in Veridian Forest, and the dungeon had settled back into its peculiar calm, a strange balance that only a place like this could hold. The echo of clumsy footsteps and terrified screams had faded, replaced by the constant whisper of water in the pools and the soft glow of gems embedded in the walls. On the second floor, Aurora spent her days exploring the corners of her domain, tracing letters under Sebastián's endlessly patient guidance as he taught her to read, a task that brought a smile to her lips. Sometimes, she sparred with Kaili in training sessions that, while a tad tedious, sparked a subtle thrill as she noticed her skills sharpening under her Throne's relentless instruction.

Sebastián, for his part, had poured his soul into the garden that bloomed like a living heart at the dungeon's core. Vines climbed the walls in vibrant green, magical flowers cast a glow that bathed the air in gentle hues, and the poisonous plants he'd nurtured with care stood as silent guardians, a deadly gift for any intruder bold enough to cross the threshold. But in recent weeks, an idea had taken root in his mind, a seed he couldn't uproot or fully explain: he wanted to make something for Kaili, something more than a fleeting gesture, something that spoke of what she meant to him.

It wasn't a whim or a passing fancy. There was something about Kaili—something in the way her wings sliced through the air with a majestic whisper, in the glow of her golden runes dancing like liquid fire across her purple skin, in the fierce curve of her hips and the strength she exuded with every step—that had captivated him since the day she'd emerged from chaos a century ago, when the sky shattered and her cold laugh rang out across the world. He thought about her constantly: her power, her loyalty to Aurora, the way her lips curved into a cruel smile when she teased him. Her beauty was singular, a fierce contrast between the ruthlessness of her might and the elegance of her form, a beauty he felt deserved to be celebrated, not dimmed by the simplicity of her life in the dungeon. He wanted her to know she was important to him, that her presence filled his days as much as the flowers filled his garden, and that every time he saw her, something in him flared with an admiration he couldn't hold back.

With the determination only a botanist on a mission could muster, Sebastián set to work. He pulled out the Codex Florae Arcanum, a book Kaili herself had given him years ago with a mix of mockery and curiosity, and used it as his guide to create something unthinkable: a dress worthy of the Precursor Throne of the Plague. For days, he experimented with the dungeon's plants. He wove vines into strong yet flexible threads, tested the softness of iridescent petals that shifted colors with the light, and discovered a moss that, under his careful tending, dried into a silken texture rivaling the finest fabrics he imagined existed in the outside world he'd never seen. Aurora helped at times, her amber eyes gleaming with amusement as she quickened a vine's growth or tweaked a petal's hue with a flick of her magic. "It's for Kaili," he'd told her once, and she'd smiled—a warm, possessive grin that made him chuckle under his breath.

After several failed attempts—vines that snapped, petals that wilted too soon—the dress was finished. It was a masterpiece, a garment that seemed woven from the dungeon's very essence. The base was a corset of intertwined vines, firm yet comfortable, designed to hug Kaili's curves with a precision that highlighted her form. From the waist flowed a long, airy skirt, layers of treated moss dotted with iridescent petals that shimmered with every movement, a whisper of light dancing like her wings. The neckline, a deep "V," bared her collarbones and the top of her chest, a runeless expanse he knew would be a perfect canvas to showcase her purple skin. The colors—dark purple like her complexion, emerald green, and deep blue like the lake's gems—blended in a harmony that seemed to sing her name.

Sebastián gazed at the dress, folded carefully in a bark box he'd carved himself, and a quiet pride coursed through him. There were no nerves, no doubts—just the certainty that this was right. With the box tucked under his arm, he descended to the second floor, where he knew he'd find Kaili.

She sat before the underground lake, her figure still in a meditation that radiated a cold, indifferent beauty, like a statue carved in a realm beyond mortal reach. Her iridescent wings rested folded at her back, brushing the stone with a faint whisper, and her purple skin glowed under the light of the gems embedded in the ceiling, her golden, silver, and red runes pulsing with a slow, steady rhythm. She wore no armor or heavy robes, just a light fabric that hinted at the strength of her arms and the curve of her hips, a subtle contrast to the majesty she exuded. The lake's water mirrored her image, a vision that seemed to halt time, and the air around her thrummed with a calm as intimidating as it was breathtaking.

"Kaili," Sebastián called, his voice steady and playful as he approached, the box in his hands an offering that needed no excuses.

She opened her eyes slowly, and a shiver pierced Sebastián's soul like an icy blade. Her gaze was a dark abyss, a depth that cut with an intensity that froze the blood, an echo of the Throne who'd shattered the sky a century ago. But as it landed on him, as she recognized him, that edge softened, her runes flaring with a golden glint that betrayed a warmth she wouldn't voice. "What do you want now, human?" she growled, her tone sharp but laced with a curiosity he knew well, her wings twitching as if testing the air.

Sebastián handed her the box with a calm smile, his eyes roaming her form without a shred of restraint—the lines of her hips, the arch of her waist, the bare skin where her runes shimmered like molten gold. "I made you something," he said, his voice thick with intent he didn't bother hiding. "And I know you'll look gorgeous in it."

Kaili raised an eyebrow, her runes flashing as she took the box with an arrogant nonchalance, like she was humoring a game she didn't quite care to lose. She opened it, her fingers brushing the vine corset with an interest she couldn't mask. "What human nonsense is this?" she asked, her voice a playful challenge, though her dark eyes lingered on the iridescent petals gleaming under the lake's light.

"It's a dress," he replied, his gaze tracing every curve of her body without apology as he spoke. "I wove it for you, from the dungeon's plants. I think about you all the time, Kaili—your beauty's got me hooked, your wings, your runes, every inch of you. I wanted you to have something that shows how much you mean to me." His smile was warm, bold. "And because I know you'll look stunning in it."

She stared at him, her dark eyes glinting with a mix of disdain and something deeper, a silence filling the space between them with a light tension. There was no shock on her face, just the arrogant calm of someone who'd come to expect his antics, and a flicker of curiosity she couldn't deny. "It's… unusual," she said, her tone sharp but carrying a hint that wasn't entirely cold, her wings rustling as if weighing her words. "I don't usually bother with these things."

"I know," he shot back, his voice smooth and unwavering, his eyes still locked on her. "But I know you like a good game. Try it—if it's not your style, I'll stash it away, no fuss."

Kaili ran her fingers over the moss skirt, her touch steady as she considered it. "Let's see if your human eye's got any taste," she said at last, her voice arrogant but with a playful edge, and turned toward her chamber, the dress in her hands like a challenge she'd chosen to take up.

Sebastián waited by the lake, his gaze drifting over the greenish reflections, a quiet smile tugging at his lips. There was no doubt in him, just the certainty that Kaili would surprise him as always.

When she returned, the air seemed to still. The dress fit her like the dungeon itself had crafted it for her. The vine corset hugged her curves, accentuating the slimness of her waist and the fullness of her hips, while the airy skirt flowed in layers that whispered with every step, the iridescent petals shimmering like trapped stars. The "V" neckline bared her collarbones and the top of her chest, her smooth, runeless purple skin contrasting with the dark purple fabric. Her runes pulsed with a golden glow that seemed to feed off the dress, a sight that left him speechless.

Sebastián didn't hold back: his eyes roamed her body with shameless admiration, tracing the hips the corset molded like a caress, the curve of her waist rising to the neckline that framed her chest, the glow of her runes dancing under the light. "You look… gorgeous," he said, his voice thick with awe and desire. "No words do you justice, Kaili—you're a sight, more stunning than I ever dreamed."

Kaili turned to a mirror Aurora had conjured on the wall, her reflection a blend of power and ethereal grace. Her runes flared brighter, and a small smile—arrogant yet warm—tugged at her lips. "Maybe it's got some merit," she admitted, her tone sharp but with a softness she couldn't fully hide, her wings rustling with a sound that filled the air.

Aurora stepped in then, drawn by the unusual glow radiating from Kaili, her amber eyes widening with delight. "Kaili!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing with joy as she hurried over. "You're gorgeous!" She brushed Kaili's hand with a warm, possessive touch that made her wings quiver, her smile a mix of tenderness and claim.

Kaili tilted her head, her runes flashing with a golden sheen that betrayed a softness she wouldn't own up to. "It's… decent," she said, trying to keep her usual edge, but the glow in her runes gave her away.

"It's more than decent," Aurora insisted, her smile lighting up the chamber. "It's perfect. Sebastián, you're a genius with plants."

Sebastián chuckled under his breath, his eyes still on Kaili as he replied, "I just used what the dungeon gave me. I wanted Kaili to shine like she deserves." His voice was warm, steady, without a trace of shyness.

Aurora moved closer to Kaili, taking her other hand with a tenderness that filled the air with warmth. "Thank you for wearing it," she said, her tone serious yet brimming with affection. "It makes me happy to see you like this, Kaili."

Kaili met Aurora's gaze, and for a moment, her Throne facade softened. "Thank you, my Queen," she murmured, her voice less sharp than usual, a quiet echo of gratitude resonating in the chamber.

Sebastián stepped forward, unable to hold back, and wrapped his arms around Kaili in a warm, confident embrace, his heat enveloping her like a promise. Her wings rustled, brushing against him with a subtle caress, and he leaned in to press a soft kiss to her cheek, a tender gesture that made her runes flare with a golden pulse. "Thank you, Kaili," he whispered against her skin, his voice low and heartfelt. "For meaning so much to me—I think about you more than words can say."

She didn't pull away, letting the embrace and kiss linger, her runes glowing with a warmth she didn't deny. "Don't get used to it, human," she grumbled, her tone arrogant but with a playful glint in her eyes, an acceptance that needed no words.

Aurora laughed softly, sidling up to Sebastián and brushing his arm with a possessive touch that made him grin. "Now we're three with something special," she said, her voice teasing as she looked at Kaili, the dress gleaming like a reflection of their bond.

Kaili spun once more, the skirt whispering with a sound that filled the chamber, and for a moment, she let the dress's light define her—not just as a Throne, but as something more, something Sebastián and Aurora saw in her every day. The lake mirrored her image, a cold beauty softened by their presence, and in the silence that followed, the trio shared a peace as deep as the dungeon itself.