Kazimir woke to the warmth of Selis's embrace. Her wings cocooned him, shielding him from the cold, while her muscular arms held him close, her calloused hands firm yet gentle against his body.
It was as if Selis were a giant angel, and he, her treasured keepsake.
The red mushroom cap beneath them was impossibly soft, like a cloud suspended in the air. Above, the night sky stretched vast and endless, stars glittering like scattered diamonds with the moon reigning over them all.
It still disoriented him, waking every morning to a night that never ended. The castle could only exist in realms bathed in moonlight, so their concept of time had blurred. They slept when exhaustion claimed them, but their bodies, strengthened beyond human limits, only needed rest after great exertion.
For a while, Kazimir simply lay there, basking in the peace of Selis's embrace, surrounded by her wings, lost in the steady rhythm of her breath.
But then, duty called.
Stretching, he carefully shifted in her arms. Selis stirred, her pale silver eyes opening to meet his, their gaze watchful, unreadable.
"Good morning," she said, her voice low and even.
Without a word, Kazimir summoned the provisions chest and retrieved two pieces of dried meat, tossing one to Selis.
She caught it midair with practiced ease, then ran a hand through her white hair, brushing away the strands that had fallen across her pale alabaster face, filled with silver scars.
Kazimir sat down besides her and leaned his head against her shoulder. Without hesitation, she draped an arm and a wing around him. And so, they ate their quiet breakfast, gazing at the vast expanse before them.
No matter how often he saw it, the sight never lost its wonder. The distant castle, bathed in moonlight, stood like a monolith over an endless ocean of green. Fireflies drifted lazily through the jungle, their soft glow weaving between the trees, making the world feel alien and dreamlike, yet breathtakingly beautiful.
When they finished, they rose without words and resumed their training.
Again and again, Kazimir leapt into the air, struggling to master his descent. But each time, he improved. What had once felt unnatural, impossible, was now instinct. He could drift downward on his own, guiding his movement with subtle shifts of his body. Selis remained beside him, ever watchful, but she no longer had to catch him.
And finally, after countless jumps, after endless hours of practice, they laid on the mushroom cap once more, lying side by side beneath the stars.
Selis's wings folded around him, shielding him from the wind. The fireflies danced in slow circles, their light flickering like fallen stars.
"I think you're ready," she murmured, her regal voice breaking the silence.
Kazimir turned his head to look at her. Even now, after all this time, she was an enigma, her silver-scarred face like carved alabaster, her pale silver eyes locking onto his, searching for something unseen.
"…Alright," he said.
They rose and walked to the edge of the mushroom cap. Before them, far into the distance loomed the colossal, red-leafed tree, its massive black trunk disappearing into the sky. The wasp hive lay within its branches, an ominous, unseen force.
Kazimir had seen it before, but now, standing at the precipice, he noticed something unsettling.
The jungle was alive with movement, strange creatures flitting between trees, insects crawling through the undergrowth, fireflies drifting lazily. But around the great tree, there was nothing. No fireflies. No animals. Even the plant life seemed to recoil, forming a ring of emptiness around its base.
A quiet dread settled in his chest.
Selis watched him. "Are you ready?"
Kazimir looked up at her, then glanced down.
Mistake.
The world spun. The ground was impossibly far below, a yawning abyss that made his stomach lurch. A cold, primal fear seized him, tightening his throat, making his hands tremble.
Selis stepped closer, putting her firm, calloused hand in his. Her voice was steady, unwavering.
"Do you trust me?"
Kazimir forced himself to look at her, at her pale silver eyes, at the quiet strength she had never failed to show him.
He felt the grip in her calloused hands, both firm and gentle.
And just like that, the fear faded.
"I trust you more than anything," he whispered.
A rare, fleeting smile touched her lips.
Her grip tightened.
And together, they leapt down from the mushroom cap.