65.- Weaving farewells

The dungeon's garden, tucked away on the second level beneath a ceiling of pulsing roots, was a green chaos thrumming with life. Moonwhisper vines climbed the walls, their silver blossoms glowing with a faint shimmer that seemed to whisper secrets to the breeze, while Fireblossom plants blazed in reds and oranges, their petals sparking with heat that warmed the humid air. The floor, carpeted with spongy moss and black soil, was littered with the remnants of failed experiments: broken stems, scorched roots, and a drift of golden pollen floating like mist. At the heart of this mess, Sebastián fussed over a Fireblossom branch, trying to graft it onto a Moonwhisper vine, humming an off-key tune that echoed through the stillness like a clumsy lament.

"If only I knew more about magic," he muttered to himself, frowning as the branch resisted his awkward attempt, his hands trembling with effort. "I could do amazing things with these plants." Ever since Aurora had shown him how to channel a fraction of the dungeon's energy through his fingers—a gift that still awed him—he'd been obsessed with experimenting, dreaming of impossible hybrids or uncovering hidden properties. But his knowledge was rudimentary, pieced together more from trial and error than books, and his efforts usually ended in disaster.

Beside him, Terrón, the little earth golem brought to life by Aurora's residual magic, watched with an almost comical focus. Its clay hands, rough and rounded, mimicked Sebastián's movements, scooping up clumps of dirt and dropping them onto nearby flowers with a plop that kicked up clouds of dust. Suddenly, trying to "help" with the vine, Terrón pulled too hard, and a Moonwhisper stem snapped with a crack, unleashing a burst of silver pollen that coated the golem from head to toe. Sebastián let out a laugh, shaking his head as the small creature tilted its head as if attempting to smile, its pebble eyes glinting beneath the shimmering layer.

Before he could clean up the mess, Aurora's voice sliced through the air from the garden's entrance, soft but edged with an urgency that made his heart skip. "Sebastián, could you come here for a moment?"

He dropped the branch instantly, wiping his hands on his leather apron stained with dirt and sap, and hurried toward her with quick steps, leaving Terrón stumbling behind, still dusted with pollen. Reaching the main chamber, he found her standing before the red orb, her majestic figure draped in a black dress that seemed to swallow the light from the gems embedded in the walls. The orb projected a hologram floating in the air—a detailed map of a snow-capped mountain range, its jagged peaks and glistening glaciers shining like a frozen challenge. Beside her, Kaili watched the scene, her pale purple skin gleaming under the dim light, her golden, silver, and red runes pulsing with contained energy. Her eyes—black sclera speckled with cosmic dust in shades of gold, red, and silver—glowed with impassive disdain, her iridescent wings folded behind her like a mantle of power.

"What's wrong, Aurora?" Sebastián asked, approaching cautiously, his voice gentle but tinged with curiosity.

Aurora pointed to the hologram, her delicate fingers tracing the outline of a particular peak. "I've been studying Alatar's memories," she said, her tone calm but carrying an intensity he couldn't ignore. "After his death, the orb consumed fragments of his mind—a mage keeps secrets, even at the end. And I found something… interesting."

Sebastián tilted his head, brushing a smudge of dirt from his cheek. "What is it?"

"A place of power," she replied, her amber eyes sparking with excitement. "An ancient shrine, the Crypt of the Frozen Claw, hidden in these mountains: the Glacial Scales. The natives, a tribe of Lizardfolk adapted to extreme cold, guard it near the highest peak. From what I saw in Alatar's mind, it holds an artifact—the Frozen Claw—with considerable power: control over ice, resistance to cold. Any edge is worth having." She paused, a playful smile curling her lips. "Besides, the insects from Eastwatch are restless, sending their toys into the forest. Let them come—the Frozen Claw will speed up my evolution to summon my next Throne."

Kaili frowned, her cosmic eyes narrowing with a glint of impatience. "Lizardfolk?" she repeated, her voice a sharp murmur laced with scorn. "Inferior creatures, barely worth dirtying my hands. And you think this icy trinket deserves your time, my Queen? I could raze those mountains and bring it back before dawn."

Aurora turned to her, her smile widening with a hint of challenge. "Oh, Kaili, I know you could," she said, her tone teasing yet firm. "But this isn't just about the artifact. I want to test my power alone, without you stealing all the fun by crushing lizards like flies. Besides, someone needs to guard my realm while I'm gone." Her eyes flicked to Sebastián for a moment, a spark of tenderness crossing them. "And our gardener."

The mention of his name made Sebastián stiffen, his hands pausing halfway to adjusting his apron. Kaili huffed, crossing her arms with a force that highlighted her figure's curves, her runes flashing red for a second. "Guard the weakling?" she growled, her sarcasm dripping like venom. "I don't see why I should play nursemaid when I could shatter those mountains and be back before you. Let the insects come—I'll crush them with a finger if they dare approach."

Aurora shook her head, her authority slicing through the protest like an invisible blade. "No, Kaili," she said, her voice soft but unyielding. "Your power is too… conspicuous. You'd draw the eyes of all Eldoria, and I'd rather my games stay a surprise. Stay here, protect my dungeon—or I'll get bored waiting for you." Her smile turned sharp, a challenge Kaili couldn't ignore.

Kaili pressed her lips together, her cosmic eyes gleaming with a mix of frustration and loyalty. "As you wish, my Queen," she said at last, her tone formal but laced with an impatience that hummed in the air. "But if you tarry, I'll come for you—and those lizards will regret being born."

Sebastián, who'd been listening quietly, felt a knot tighten in his chest at the thought of Aurora heading alone into such a perilous place. "Aurora," he said, his voice soft but firm, stepping forward, "are you sure about this? It sounds… risky, even for you."

She turned to him, her eyes softening with a warmth that contrasted with her cosmic power, and offered a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Sebastián," she said, her tone light but certain. "I'm the Demon Queen, remember? Ice and lizards are nothing to me."

"But…" he pressed, his worry growing like a stubborn vine. He turned to a wicker basket he'd left nearby, pulling out a thick, woolly ball of thread woven from plant fibers he'd harvested in the garden. "At least let me make you something. For the cold."

Aurora looked at it curiously, tilting her head. "What's that?"

Sebastián flushed, scratching the back of his neck with a mix of embarrassment and pride. "I've been… trying to knit," he admitted, his voice wavering slightly. "I've been practicing with garden plants. I found one that makes a warm fiber, almost like wool. I thought I could make you… a sweater."

Aurora blinked, incredulous, then burst into laughter, a melodious sound that filled the chamber like an echo of pure amusement. A sweater? Knitted from plants? The idea was so absurd, so wonderfully human, that she couldn't hold it back. Kaili, watching with a blend of amusement and contempt, let out a sarcastic grimace, her runes flickering silver. "A sweater?" she echoed, her voice dripping with disbelief. "You think our Queen, who could freeze those mountains with a snap, needs a sweater? Even the lizards would laugh at that nonsense."

Sebastián ignored her, pulling out another ball of thread, this one a bright green that caught the orb's light. "And a scarf too," he continued, his enthusiasm building as he rummaged in the basket. "Maybe gloves. And a hat—with earflaps, so your ears don't freeze." His hands shook as he held up the balls, his face lit with a mix of nerves and determination.

Aurora tried to keep a straight face, but the image of herself—the Demon Queen, a Primordial Universe incarnate—bundled in a plant-knit hat with earflaps was too hilarious. She burst into laughter again, her shoulders shaking as Terrón, wobbling nearby with its pollen coat, tilted its head as if joining in. "Sebastián," she said between laughs, finally calming a bit, "you're incredible."

"Don't talk to strangers," he added, now fully immersed in his role as protector, his voice rising with a theatrical flair that bordered on comical. "And don't stray from the main paths, and watch out for cliffs, and don't trust anyone who looks shady—especially if they're bald, those are always the worst—and…"

Aurora rolled her eyes, but with a fondness she couldn't hide. "Yes, yes, I'll keep it in mind," she cut him off, her voice gentle but firm, halting his endless list. "But seriously, Sebastián, don't worry. I'll be fine."

"I know," he said, sighing as he pulled a cloth bag from the basket, his tone growing more earnest. "But I can't help it. Even a fool like me knows the world's a dangerous place, and I couldn't bear it if something happened to you." From the bag, he drew a collection of dried fruits, berries, and mushrooms wrapped in leaves, carefully prepared. "Take this with you," he said, offering it with both hands. "It's food, for the trip. I don't know what you'll find in those mountains, and I don't want you to go hungry."

Aurora took the bag, her fingers brushing his for a moment, and a genuine warmth crossed her face. "Thank you, Sebastián," she said, her voice sincere, carrying an affection she rarely showed so openly. "You're very thoughtful."

Kaili huffed again, her cosmic eyes rolling with a mix of mockery and exasperation. "Food? Clothes? What's next, gardener? A blanket so the Queen who could incinerate those mountains with a thought doesn't catch a chill?" Her tone was biting, but there was a playful edge to it, an echo of the softness she'd shown the night before, buried beneath layers of sarcasm.

Aurora ignored the jab, her focus shifting to the portal she meant to open. She closed her eyes, picturing the Glacial Scales: icy peaks, roaring blizzards, the Crypt of the Frozen Claw pulsing with ancient energy. With an elegant sweep of her hand, the air before her warped, forming a glowing oval. This time, there were no flames or shadows, only swirling snowflakes and ice shards dancing within, spinning with a dark blue shimmer laced with streaks of pure darkness—a reflection of her cosmic power shaped by the fate she sought.

"I'll be back soon," she said, turning to Sebastián one last time, her smile a flash of confidence and care. Then, with a steady step, the Demon Queen stepped into the portal, her figure fading among the snow and shadows until the oval snapped shut behind her with an icy crack, leaving the chamber in a silence as heavy as the cold she'd summoned.

Sebastián stood staring at the spot where she'd vanished, his hands still clutching the empty basket, his breath trembling as the weight of her departure settled in his chest. His eyes welled up, a single tear forming at the corner as his lips curved into a bittersweet smile. "They grow up so fast…" he murmured, his voice breaking with a mix of pride, nostalgia, and worry that echoed through the room like a theatrical wail.

And then, unable to hold back, he flung himself at Kaili with an exaggerated sob, his arms wrapping around her in a desperate embrace. His face buried itself in her large, firm breasts, the warmth of her purple skin seeping through his tunic as he cried with an intensity both genuine and absurdly dramatic. "Aurora's gone! My little Queen's off to the cold, and I can't do anything!" he wailed, his voice muffled against her, tears soaking the fabric as his hands clung to her waist.

Kaili froze for a split second, her cosmic eyes widening, the golden and silver sparks flaring with a mix of shock and exasperation. "What the hell—?" she started, her tone sharp, but before she could shove him off, her right hand rose instinctively, giving awkward pats to Sebastián's head, her fingers brushing his messy hair with a gentleness that clashed with her expression. "Pathetic, gardener," she growled, her sarcasm thick as she tried to maintain her disdainful front. "Crying for her like you're her mother now? How weak." But the pats continued, an unconscious gesture betraying an attachment she wouldn't admit, her runes pulsing a faint gold as her gaze flicked to the orb, as if seeking a distraction.

Terrón, wobbling nearby, tilted its head as if trying to make sense of the scene, dropping a handful of dirt with a plop that broke the silence. Kaili huffed, her hand pausing on Sebastián's head as she glared down at him with a mix of mockery and something deeper, something she wouldn't name. "Enough, weakling," she said, pushing him gently away, though her fingers lingered a second longer than needed before letting go. "Keep crying, and I'll use you as fertilizer for those plants of yours."

Sebastián pulled back, wiping his tears with his sleeve, his face flushed but bearing a shaky smile. "I just want her to be okay," he murmured, his voice still cracked, looking at Kaili with a blend of gratitude and sheepishness.

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms again, her runes flashing silver. "She'll be fine, gardener. She's my Queen—nothing in those mountains can touch her. Now stop whimpering and do something useful before I get bored." But as she turned toward the orb, a faint smile tugged at her lips, barely noticeable, an echo of the night before that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

In the dungeon's dimness, the garden hummed with life, and the silence left by Aurora filled with the pulse of a bond growing amid laughter, tears, and a sarcasm that hid more than it revealed.