90.-The Gardener’s Whim

The Veridian forest loomed like a ragged green curtain beneath a sky staining itself a dirty red as the sun sank low. The wind whistled through the skinny trees, a hoarse lament carrying echoes from the underground Enchanted Forest, as if the Wailing Tree were snoring deep in the earth's guts. Branches clacked with a dry crack, shadows writhed on the soft ground with a low hum, and a shadow crow cawed from a treetop, its obsidian-sharp feathers glinting black before it bolted with a wingbeat that sounded like torn fabric. The air reeked of rotten moss and crushed berries, a scent rising from the spongy soil like a distant memory of the slimy traps on the dungeon's second floor.

Sebastián walked with an easy stride, his boots sinking into the ground with a soft plop that kicked up specks of dirt. His frayed backpack hung off one shoulder, swaying like a worn-out pendulum, and his calloused hands plucked random leaves to sniff, leaving a trail of snapped stems behind. His tousled brown hair fell over his warm eyes, and a relaxed smile tugged at his lips, as if the forest were his backyard and not a place where a misstep could cost him dearly. Beside him, Kaili moved with a mix of annoyance and majesty, her six iridescent wings—black at the base, purple and scarlet at the tips—buzzing with a tone that made nearby leaves tremble. Her black armor creaked with each step, the golden, silver, and red runes on her purple skin pulsing like they were alive and bored, and her gazelle-like horns, studded with gems that caught the light in sharp glints, rose as if itching to stab the sky.

"How much farther, gardener?" Kaili snapped, kicking a root with a crunch that sent dirt flying. "This forest is a damn bore. Not a decent wolf to slice up, not an idiot to crush. Why the hell did you drag me out here?"

Sebastián laughed, a deep, warm sound that cut through the wind's whistle. "Easy, Kaili. I didn't come to fight, I came for a plant. A red root I saw in an old sketch back in the dungeon. Nothing big, just a whim for my collection."

"A whim?" Kaili whipped her head around so fast her horns nearly snapped a branch, her cosmic eyes—black sclera sparking with gold and red—narrowing with a mix of disbelief and scorn. "You hauled me out of the dungeon, away from my queen and Aevia, for some stupid root that doesn't even matter? You're a walking disaster, gardener."

"Maybe," he replied, shrugging as he sniffed a leaf and tossed it with a soft flop. "But I get bored down there without something new to grow. Besides, don't you ever get tired of buzzing around Aevia all day? You're like an angry fly."

Kaili snorted, crossing her arms with a crack of her armor that sounded like a dare. "Aevia and her dumb clocks can rot in the deepest abyss. But down there, there's blood, chaos, stuff worth my time. Out here, it's just…" She glanced around, her runes flaring red with pure disgust. "Skinny trees, ugly crows, and a gardener playing with weeds. What's next? You gonna weave me a flower crown and sing lullabies?"

"Not a bad idea," he said, winking as he plucked another leaf and waved it in front of her. "You'd look killer with flowers, Kaili. Something purple, to match your wings and that temper of yours."

She glared at him, her wings flaring for a split second with a buzz that sent a gust of leaves scattering. "Keep dreaming, gardener. If you want flowers, I'll shove them up your nose 'til you sneeze petals and cry like a little girl. Got it?"

"Got it, princess," he replied, laughing as he dodged a twig she chucked at him with a thwack against a trunk. "But admit it, you like hanging out with me. If you didn't, you'd have ditched me as fertilizer by now."

"Don't test your luck, gardener," she shot back, kicking another root with a crunch that sounded like breaking bone. "I'm only here 'cause my queen told me not to let you die like an idiot. Though every second with you makes me wanna see how that'd play out."

They kept walking, the sun dipping behind the treetops and staining the sky a filthy red that made Kaili's runes glow like living embers. The forest darkened, shadows twisting with a rustle that mimicked stealthy footsteps, and another crow cawed from a tree, its red eyes blinking before it fled with a wingbeat that tore the air. Sebastián glanced up, frowning as he scratched the back of his neck with a dirt-streaked hand.

"These critters won't stop staring," he muttered, squinting. "Think they know something, Kaili? Or are they just waiting for me to trip so they can laugh?"

"They know I'm better than them," she said, snapping her fingers to send a spark of dark energy popping near the crow, making it bolt with a shriek. "If they don't lead us to something useful soon, I'll turn them into charcoal and warm my boots with 'em."

"What a waste," he replied, grinning as he ducked a loose twig the wind flung at his face. "You could make a necklace with their feathers. Something pretty to show off in the dungeon, princess."

Kaili shot him a look like she wanted to rip his head off, but before she could retort, she froze, her wings unfurling with a buzz that shook the air and sent leaves flying. Her eyes flared with a purple glint, and a halo of dark energy crackled around her hands, smelling of ozone and rot that stung Sebastián's nose.

"What now?" he asked, stepping back on instinct as the halo spread like an invisible hound sniffing the ground.

"I'm sick of this forest crap," she said, her voice sharp as a blade while the halo stretched, cracking the earth under her boots. "I'm not sleeping in this filthy mudhole like some wild animal. We're finding a roof, gardener, or I swear I'll use you as a mattress and crush you 'til you stop breathing."

Sebastián laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "What, your wings can't handle a night outdoors? I thought you were a tough warrior, Kaili."

"It's not about handling it, you moron," she snapped, her runes flashing red as the purple halo faded and she jabbed a finger toward a clearing between the trees. "It's about dignity. There. Something stinks of old wood and neglect. Move it before I lose my patience and drag you myself."

He followed her, amused by her grumpiness, until they reached the clearing's edge. There, half-hidden by twisted vines and dancing shadows, stood a small cabin of rough logs and weathered stone. The slanted roof groaned under a thick layer of green moss, and the silent chimney exhaled a dry earth scent laced with a distant sweetness, like some forgotten flower had rotted in the cracks. The windows were intact but fogged with age, and the door hung solid on rusty hinges, as if someone had cared for it before bailing.

"What's this dump?" Kaili said, frowning as her wings folded with a low buzz that rattled the vines. "A human nest?"

"Looks like a lumberjack's cabin," Sebastián replied, stepping forward and brushing the door with his fingers, the wood creaking under his touch. "Or someone who didn't want company. Let's check it out."

Kaili huffed, crossing her arms with a crack of her armor. "You first, gardener? What, trying to shield me from a rabid rat or a bored ghost?"

"Don't get excited, princess," he said, grinning as he pushed the door open with a long, whining creak. "Just wanna see if there's anything worth grabbing. You stay there looking pretty and menacing."

"Keep talking and I'll make your face pretty with a fist," she shot back, but she followed with heavy steps, the floor quaking subtly under her boots like the earth feared her.

Inside, the cabin smelled of rotten wood and old dust, but it was oddly tidy, as if someone had tried to spruce it up before vanishing. A cold fireplace held a stack of damp logs, their edges crusted with swamp-stinking mold. A wobbly table teetered in the center with two chairs that groaned just from being looked at, a bed draped in threadbare furs reeked of damp neglect, and a crooked shelf on the wall propped up empty jars, rusty tools, and a couple of rags that might've been blankets once. The air hung still, laced with a faint floral hint that didn't fit the abandonment, like some ancient essence clung to the cracks.

Sebastián dropped his backpack with a thud that kicked up a dust cloud and started poking around, his calloused fingers brushing the shelves with a kid's curiosity. "Not bad," he muttered, lifting an empty jar that cracked when he moved it and dropping it with a clink. "Could be a decent spot for the night. Beats sleeping with the crows."

"Spend the night?" Kaili leaned against the doorway, her wings buzzing with impatience as her runes glowed silver. "In this stinking hole? I'd rather dive into the second floor's lake and wrestle eels than sleep here, gardener."

"Give me a sec, Kaili," he said, ignoring her gripe as he tapped the table with a tap tap of his fingers. "Check this out." He pulled a small book from under a pile of rags, its worn leather cover creaking open like it was alive. "Not about plants… it's…" He flipped through the yellowed pages, a goofy grin spreading across his face. "Tales for Good Little Girls! This is pure gold, Kaili."

Kaili raised an eyebrow, her runes pulsing with a silver glow of sheer disbelief. "A storybook? Seriously, gardener? What's next, singing me a lullaby and kissing my forehead?"

"Could do that," he replied, laughing as he turned the pages with a dry whisper that filled the cabin. "Listen to this: 'The Princess of the Golden Petal and Her Brave Rabbit.' Isn't that cute? Perfect for you, princess."

"Sounds like something I'd squash for fun," she shot back, but she stepped closer, her wings' buzz dropping to a curious purr as she eyed him. "What are you doing with that trash, gardener? Reading to the crows?"

"Nope, Kaili," he said, his grin widening as he held the book up like a trophy. "I'm reading it to you tonight. I'll tuck you in and everything. It'll be an adventure inside an adventure. Picture it: you, the mighty Plague Harbinger, listening to princess tales."

She glared at him, her horns glinting under the dim light filtering through the window slats. "Tuck me in? Touch one feather with that dumb idea, and I'll rip your hands off, gardener. I'm not some weak human kid who needs bedtime stories."

"Of course not," he replied, setting the book on the table with a soft plop that stirred more dust. "You're a fearsome warrior, a Chaos Throne, and I'm still reading you a story. Come on, help me with the fire first, princess."

Kaili crossed her arms harder, her boots thudding as she stomped to the fireplace, shaking the floor. "What a waste of time," she muttered, but she snapped her fingers with a dry crack, and a dark flame flared from nothing, igniting the damp logs with a hiss that filled the cabin with dry heat and a burnt-wood smell mixed with something sharp, like scorched metal. "There you go, useless. Don't say I don't do anything for you."

"Thanks, Kaili," he said, sitting on the floor by the fire with a grin that wouldn't quit. "You're a sweetheart when you feel like it."

"Don't call me sweetheart, gardener," she snapped, but her wings buzzed a little faster, and the runes on her stomach flared red for a split second before dimming, as if his words had caught her off guard.

Sebastián dug into his backpack with a rustle of fabric until he pulled out the pajamas he'd made for Kaili back on the fourth floor—that skimpy piece of shadow threads and iridescent feathers that barely covered anything, designed for mobility and to drive anyone wild who saw it. He held it up with a theatrical flourish, the fabric crinkling as he dangled it in front of her.

"Here, Kaili," he said, offering it with a sly grin. "Put this on. It's that pajama I made you a while back, the feathered one. Comfier than that stiff armor and perfect for a night like this."

She arched an eyebrow, her cosmic eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and defiance. "That thing again, gardener?" she said, her tone sharp but shameless as she stepped toward the fire and started shedding her armor without even turning away. "What, you wanna see me naked or something?"

Sebastián laughed, leaning back against the table with brazen ease as she dropped her armor with a dull clank, the metal ringing on the floor. The firelight bathed her purple skin, sweat glistening on her nape as her runes pulsed like living coals. Her fingers traced her sides with a sinuous slowness, baring her wide hips and firm breasts, the pale purple nipples standing out against darker areolas—soft yet taut, a contrast begging to be touched, to test if they'd yield or hold firm. Her wings hummed low as she stretched, naked and unashamed, and took the pajamas with one hand, slipping them over her curves with a provocative calm. The fabric clung to her thighs, brushing the heat between her legs, and the top hugged her breasts, leaving little to the imagination as the iridescent feathers shimmered like a broken sky.

"There's no part of you I don't know, Kaili," he said, his voice warm and teasing as he watched without blinking. "After washing your wings a thousand times, no point in playing shy now."

She let out a short, sharp laugh, her wings quivering as she sat on the bed with a creak of the worn furs. "Shyness is for weak humans, gardener," she shot back, crossing her arms under her breasts and lifting them with natural arrogance. "If you wanna look, look. But get too smart, and I'll rip out more than your eyes."

"Deal, princess," he replied, chuckling as he grabbed a fur blanket from the bed and stepped toward her. "But first, fire and stories." He sat beside her on the bed, the mattress groaning under his weight, and tossed the blanket over her shoulders with a flop that kicked up dust. "There you go, now stay put."

Kaili huffed, but didn't shrug off the blanket, her wings buzzing low as he picked up the book and opened it with a rustle of pages. The fire crackled, casting shadows that danced on the walls like playful specters, and the burnt-wood scent mingled with the faint sweetness of the pajamas, an odd but warm contrast.

"You know, Kaili," he said, flipping through the book as he slid a hand into her purple hair, stroking her head with gentle fingers that grazed her horns, "I asked Aevia to bring back my memories last week. Thought there might be something interesting in my past, something worth a story."

"And what'd Aevia, the time freak, find?" she asked, leaning slightly into his hand, her runes glowing with curiosity as her wings settled. "A lost prince with a castle? A hero with a magic sword that splits mountains?"

Sebastián laughed, his hand pausing for a moment before resuming its strokes. "None of that. Just a regular herbalist with bad luck. My mom died 'cause some smug cleric wouldn't heal her without gold. My dad drank himself to death and froze on the street one winter night. No dragons, no dynasties, no emperor grandpas. Just plants and a pile of manure."

Kaili barked a short, sharp laugh, her wings shaking with pure amusement as she leaned against him, the blanket crinkling. "Seriously, gardener? That's your big tragedy? I thought you'd at least have a demon cousin or a cursed treasure. What a pathetic letdown."

"Yep," he said, shrugging as he opened the book to a random page and kept stroking her head, his fingers brushing the gems on her horns. "Aevia laughed so hard she nearly dropped one of her clocks. Said my life was 'a punchline with no payoff.' But after a hundred years with you buzzing around while Aurora slept in that cocoon, it doesn't faze me. Roland and the others died when she woke up, and yeah, I felt bad for a bit, but… I'm happy here."

Kaili watched him in silence, her runes pulsing slower, the Lunar Chameleon brooch shifting to a soft red that glowed under the firelight. "Happy with us, gardener?" she said, her tone sarcastic but with a less biting edge, almost curious. "You're a total fool. My queen picked you up like a stray pup, and here you are, messing with stories and roots like you're somebody."

"And with you, Kaili," he replied, winking as he started reading aloud in a warm voice that filled the cabin, his hand still in her hair. "'Once upon a time, there was a princess with a golden petal that shone like the sun…' See, this fits you perfect, sarcastic princess. Though you'd rather squash rabbits than save 'em."

"I'm not your princess, jackass," she shot back, but she sank deeper into the blanket, her wings folding with a buzz that sounded almost cozy as he kept stroking her head. "Keep reading before I burn your tongue and use the book for kindling."

Sebastián grinned and went on, his voice rising and falling with the tale as the fire popped and shadows danced like they were listening. "'The brave rabbit leapt over the dragon, and the princess laughed with a voice that filled the forest…'" Kaili pretended to ignore him, staring at the flames with her arms crossed, but her runes glowed brighter with each word, and the Lunar Chameleon brooch shifted from red to a faint gold, as if the story had wrapped around her despite her tough front.

"Hey, Kaili," he said after a while, closing the book with a soft thud that stirred a dust cloud, his hand resting in her hair. "This beats hunting roots, don't you think? Though we could give it a shot tomorrow, just for kicks."

She huffed, adjusting the blanket with a crinkle that sounded more lazy than annoyed. "Do what you want, gardener. But if you wake me up early for that nonsense, I'll bury you with your root and leave you as fertilizer. And don't get used to me like this," she added, jabbing a gloved finger at the pajamas with a slight tremble. "It's just for tonight 'cause this forest sucks."

"Sure, sure," he replied, laughing as he stretched out beside her on the bed, the fire warming his back and the burnt-wood scent mixing with the shimmer of her pajamas. "You look good, princess of the golden petal. You might even win a storytelling contest."

Kaili shot him a murderous glare, her wings buzzing with a tone that promised payback, but she didn't say more. Silence settled over the cabin, broken only by the fire's crackle and a distant hum rising from the earth—an echo of the Wailing Tree waiting somewhere beneath Veridian. The night wrapped around them, warm, chaotic, and oddly comforting, as it always was with them.