Kazimir and Selis lay on the soft mushroom cap a while longer, wrapped in each other's warmth. Selis held him close, her muscular arms embracing him tightly, her wings cocooning them in a shield of radiant fire.
He could feel her steady breath against his hair, her hands unconsciously pulling him even closer, as if afraid to let go.
In her embrace, Kazimir felt at peace, like this was where he truly belonged.
Her wings burned with brilliant white flames, radiating a soothing heat. Despite being made of pure fire, they did not harm him. Quite the opposite, like the rest of Selis's flames, they filled him with warmth, serenity, and an unshakable sense of tranquillity. It was as if his very soul was at peace within her presence.
He couldn't help but ask.
"Whenever I feel your fire, it's like my entire soul is being cleansed. All my fears, my doubts, everything negative just disappears. My body feels stronger, my spirit lighter. And yet... you use this same fire to burn away anything in your path. Why does it destroy others but not me?"
Selis glanced down at him, her pale alabaster skin taking on the faintest hint of red.
Was it his imagination, or was she actually blushing?
She looked away before answering, her voice quieter than usual.
"Well... My fire burns what I command it to burn. It destroys what I hate." She hesitated. "And... it does the opposite, too."
It took Kazimir a moment to fully grasp what she meant.
Then his face flushed scarlet.
He abruptly sat up, covering his expression with one hand, though a small, knowing smile tugged at his lips.
"Well then," he said, clearing his throat. "I think we should get back to practice."
Selis sat up as well, her long, silken white hair tousled from the fall. She brushed it aside and spread her wings, their glow illuminating the night like a star.
"Alright," she said, stepping toward him. "This time, I'll fly beside you, to guide you, and catch you if you fall."
Kazimir barely reached her upper arm in height, and standing before her now, he felt small in comparison. But before he could react, Selis pulled him into a tight embrace.
At once, the fire in his chest roared to life.
She looked down at him, her pale silver eyes locking onto his.
"Are you ready?" she asked.
Kazimir swallowed and gave a firm nod.
Selis knelt, and white flames erupted beneath her feet. Then, using the fire, the elasticity of the mushroom cap, and the sheer strength of her legs, she leaped high into the night sky, carrying him with her.
The wind roared past them.
Kazimir looked around, the landscape was breathtaking, bathed in pale moonlight. The world stretched far and wide below them, endless and beautiful.
And yet, he found himself looking only at Selis.
Here, soaring through the night with her blazing wings spread wide, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
As they neared their peak, Selis loosened her grip.
She didn't let go entirely, just enough to grasp both his hands instead, their fingers intertwining. Their bodies faced downward, suspended in the endless sky.
"Now," she said softly, "slowly open your wings. Keep your balance."
Kazimir obeyed.
His wings unfurled hesitantly at first, and as the wind pushed against them, he wavered. But every time he felt himself losing control, Selis was there, steadying him, never letting him fall.
Their descent slowed.
Then, at last, they were drifting through the sky, weightless, hands still locked together.
They were like angels, one of fire and one of shadow. Selis, radiant with white flames. Kazimir, his dark wings casting an ethereal silhouette against the moonlit expanse.
A laugh escaped him, pure and free. It was an incredible feeling, flying through the night, the wind against his face, the endless night sky surrounding him.
Selis watched him, her pale silver eyes soft, a slow smile forming on her lips. In that moment, Kazimir looked at her, really looked at her.
Her scars, her strength, her presence.
Everything about her was beautiful.
Something stirred deep within his chest.
Slowly, they drifted downward, their descent gentle. The soft mushroom cap caught them once more, embracing them in its plush surface.
And for a little while longer, neither of them moved.