They lay there for a while longer, Kazimir resting in Selis's steady arms. Her calloused fingers threaded gently through his black hair, a rare tenderness in her touch.
Eventually, Kazimir stirred, his strength returning. He sat up and stretched, his muscles stiff from exhaustion.
Selis's regal voice broke the silence.
"Can you summon the Equipment and Provision chests?"
Kazimir reached into the shadows of his cloak, pulling forth two colossal chests. Both had unique engravings, like the doors of the castle.
Selis placed her hand on the provision chest. A white, glowing liquid pulsed through the engravings, illuminating them like veins of moonlight. With a soft click, the chest unlocked.
Inside, an array of supplies lay neatly arranged.
Selis grabbed two pieces of dried meat and tossed one to Kazimir.
"Eat," she commanded.
Kazimir caught it midair, letting out a soft sigh before taking a bite. He had grown accustomed to Selis's exquisite cooking within the castle, and now, he felt a pang of regret leaving it behind.
Still, the dried meat wasn't as bad as he had expected. It paled in comparison to Selis's meals, yet it was far better than anything he had known before being bound to the castle.
As he ate, his gaze drifted to Selis. The sight of her stirred something within him, a fire, one that burned fiercely yet also brought him an unshakable peace.
She had moved on to the second chest, retrieving a spyglass. Without a word, she strode toward the edge of the massive mushroom cap, lifting the glass to her eye.
Kazimir watched as she methodically circled the periphery of the mushroom, scanning the landscape in complete silence.
Then, she said form across a distance.
"Come here."
Kazimir obeyed, walking toward her. The mushroom cap beneath his feet was vast, large enough to house an entire village. What had once looked like tiny white dots in the distance were now the size of small ponds.
His footsteps made no sound against the soft, spongy red surface, but he quickly noticed something odd, his steps felt... bouncy. Each stride sent a faint push back up his legs.
Curious, he decided to test it.
He jumped.
The moment his feet left the surface, the mushroom repelled him skyward. He shot up five meters into the air and landed ten meters ahead.
A small smile formed on his lips.
These worlds were alien, terrifying, yet strangely beautiful.
He bounced toward Selis, fireflies weaving around him like tiny stars.
Selis turned, amusement flickering in her pale silver eyes as she watched him glide through the air.
When he landed beside her, she handed him the spyglass and pointed toward the horizon.
"See that tree?"
Kazimir followed her direction. In the distance, a black tree pierced the jungle canopy, reaching high into the clouds, its silhouette barely visible against the endless green.
But when he lifted the spyglass, he saw its true size.
Its black trunk was as wide as the mushroom cap. Its branches stretched broader than the Umbrax highway. Its leaves, blood-red and massive, were each the size of the castle's grand hall.
Selis adjusted the spyglass slightly.
"Look there."
High within the upper branches, something huge protruded, a grey, bulbous mass with a gaping hole in its side.
And swarming in and out were colossal, wasp-like creatures.
Kazimir's stomach twisted at the sight. These things had too many eyes, too many legs, too many antennae, and were way to big.
He swallowed hard. "What is that?"
"A hive," Selis answered. "The queen would be strong enough to keep the castle fuelled, and that thing sealed for a while."
Kazimir stared at the writhing mass of insects, his usual fear clawing at the edges of his mind.
Normally, the mere thought of going anywhere near those creatures would paralyse him.
But Selis was with him.
She had protected him before. She would catch him if he fell.
And somehow, that knowledge washed away his fear.
Still, he hesitated. "It's far. Are you sure we have enough time to get there, kill the queen, and return?"
Selis studied him for a moment before answering.
"On foot? No. It would take weeks."
Kazimir frowned. "Then how—"
A slow, knowing smile curled on Selis's scarred lips. She brushed a silken strand of white hair from her face.
"Can't you see how high we are?"
Then, without another word, she snapped her fingers.
White flames erupted from the engravings on her armor, pulsing like molten veins.
Then, from her back, the flames twisted, molded, until they became wings.
Kazimir's eyes widened.
Before him stood an angel of fire, her wings of blazing white flame illuminating the darkness.
She smirked at his expression. "We can glide down."
Kazimir blinked. "I… I can't create fire."
Selis tilted her head. "No, but you can control shadows."
He exhaled slowly. He knew where this was going. "How would I even bind them to myself?"
"The same way I do. I bind mine to the fire within me. You should bind yours to your cloak, your shadow."
Kazimir closed his eyes, concentrating. Shaping the wings was easy. But making them real? Tangible? That was harder.
He focused, weaving the shadows around him, thread by thread, as if forging shadow arrows.
He thought of Selis's wings, the way they had formed, spread, burned.
Slowly, the shadows at his back twisted, shaping into wings of pure darkness.
Then, he bound them to his cloak, his own shadow, anchoring them.
When he opened his eyes, he felt them. Not entirely his, but… close enough.
Selis's pale grey eyes gleamed with approval. "Well done."
A familiar fire ignited within his chest at the sight of her pride.
Then, without warning, she jumped. White flames erupting beneath her feet.
WHOOSH!
Selis launched into the air.
Kazimir watched, awestruck, as she soared high, her white flames casting a winged shadow upon the mushroom cap.
She glided downward, circling him like an angel, her silk-like white hair billowing behind her.
Then, she folded her wings and dived straight for him.
The wind roared.
Kazimir's breath caught. He had no idea what to do.
Just before she hit the ground,
WHOOSH!
She spread her wings wide, neutralizing the fall and landing effortlessly before him.
Her pale silver eyes met his, filled with quiet amusement.
"Now you try."
Kazimir hesitated. "I don't know how to fly."
Selis arched a white brow. "Didn't I just show you?"
Kazimir blinked. "Aren't there techniques I should learn first?"
Her lips curled into a smirk. "The best way to learn… is to do."
Then, softer, "And I will be here, to catch you if you fall."
Something within him stirred.
Kazimir steadied his mind, taking a deep breath as he tested the movement of his newly formed wings. They felt strange, like an extension of himself yet foreign, as if they existed just on the edge of his control. He flexed them, adjusting to the weight and pull.
Then, remembering Selis's words, he bent his knees and jumped.
The bouncy surface of the mushroom cap sent him soaring high into the air, higher than he had expected. The wind rushed past him as the ground shrank beneath his feet. He could see everything now. The castle bathed in moonlight in the far distance, the endless sea of jungle below, the massive black tree with blood-red leaves reaching toward the sky. Tiny glowing fireflies danced between the trees like scattered stars.
It was breathtaking.
Then, gravity seized him.
The realization hit him too late, he was falling. Fast.
He spread his wings wide, trying to stabilize himself, but they caught the wind awkwardly. His body twisted midair, throwing him into an uncontrolled descent. His heart pounded as he flailed, trying to correct himself, but the wind resistance fought against him. The mushroom cap rushed toward him at terrifying speed.
Then, white flames erupted beneath him.
Selis.
She had leapt after him, her blazing wings cutting through the air. He caught a glimpse of her silver armor reflecting the moonlight, her pale white hair billowing like a comet's tail.
Kazimir barely had time to register what was happening before she reached him. Strong arms wrapped around him mid-fall, pulling him close, calloused and firm hands holding him tight. Her blazing wings wrapping around him like a cocoon.
The wings were made up from pure white flames, however, just like all of Selis fire it did not hurt, it felt warm, calming, tranquil, pristine. It felt like her fire was healing his entire body. Embracing him.
They fell downwards, Selis embracing him with her muscular, firm yet gentle arms and holding and pulling him close with tender calloused hands. Both of her wings were wrapped around him like a cocoon.
The word stabilized.
Kazimir could feel Selis steady breathing on the top of his head.
He could feel her silver armor, as she gently held a calloused hand on his head and pulled him close to her chest, the other was firmly held to his back, pulling him close, all the while her fire wings wrapped close behind him, making sure he couldn't fall.
Kazimir gave up on trying to fly and closed his wings.
They plumaged towards the ground.
Then Selis held him tighter, making sure he couldn't fall, then, just before they hit the ground, she opened her wings and slowed the fall to a halt.
However, they were still going fast and were unbalanced so they fell on the squishy mushroom cap. Selis tilted herself backwards, so she faced the blunt of the fall, protecting Kazimir.
The mushroom cap was so soft it felt like falling into a cloud, completely breaking their fall.
When they finally came to a stop, Kazimir found himself pressed against her, his breath heavy, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Selis still held him tightly, as if afraid to let go. Her wings remained wrapped around them, flickering with dimming white flames. He could feel the warmth of her fire, the steady rise and fall of her chest.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then, Selis let out a deep breath, her voice steady. "Are you alright?"
Kazimir let out a small, breathless laugh. "Yes… I think so."
Selis's fingers moved through his black hair, brushing it back with an almost imperceptible gentleness. Then, in a quiet voice, she whispered,
"I told you, I will always catch you if you fall."