Art Trade: Skeleton-Hellflame

'So beautiful...' She thought with a smile as she noticed she could see her apartment from here, or at least the apartment complex where she lived in. Zyunema was as if she were a curious child discovering a new thing as this was completely breathtaking for her. She hadn't even noticed that Incendi came back, though the Nativresh would take this time to surprise her with the things he brought before gaining her attention as it only took a short time to get everything ready.

"Zyunema?"

Turning around, Zyunema herself was surprised at what was all set up in front of them. It was a small picnic.

"I thought you might like this since I don't want to stress you out with inviting you to have lunch with the others. I've never had done anything like this before in a very long time..." Incendi bit his lip, not really wanting to say anything further but only said what needed to be said without hinting anything else that was included. "The main chef also said that maybe you might like to try some of her new special recipes she recently made." He then gestured her to a pot, opening the lid to show the food contained inside. "This one she calls 'Moonlight Tea', With the name it's supposed to look and smell like tea, but it's actually a soup." He then puts the lid back and reaches for another. "This one is 'Garden's Embrace', she said it's to remind someone or feel like they've been in a flower meadow."

Both choices looked rather yummy, though Zyunema has never had anything like this... Being offered to try a completely brand new recipe that hasn't even been around for who knows when it was first made. Though it is possible that the main chef also wanted Incendi to try it too.

"I think I'll try Garden's Embrace, it sounds really good." At this, she was about to reach for the ladle that was neatly on the side but Incendi gently reached for it and brought out a bowl from one of the baskets that contained the dishes. Dipping the ladle into the food, he carefully poured it in as if professionally, daring not to make a single mess. Once it has been filled, he reached for another thing which was a soup spoon as he also placed it in. "Here you go."

"Thank you." With a small shy smile, Zyunema took the bowl and tried the food, her eyes widened after having a bite. "Oh, it's very delicious!"

With a chuckle, Incendi spoke. "She is one the best chefs out there, it's why the King chose her carefully. When he first tried her cooking, she had been officially hired and has been cooking for the palace for years ever since. Sometimes she tends to be a little strict with the others but means no harm."

As they ate, they were engulfed into their conversation that they eventually noticed it was starting to get dark. Most of the food remaining was still warm, as the dishes used for cooking had special enchantments on it that help keep the food warm a little longer. Incendi saw the sun was setting, it would be within a few hours now until that the sight of the two moons aligning to create that beautiful magical show in the night skies to appear. "Um, Incendi? What time does the alignments start? Do you plan on watching it?" Zyunema asked curiously.

The question made the Nativresh think, he had only seen them with the King, his son Melaphas, and their younger brother Mephistofanye. He had never seen it before with a lover of his own, not even with those he had been with before Zyunema as they probably were more or less not interested in such things. Though it would add to the fact that he himself never really paid much attention to the beauty all that much of what the two moons create together when aligned. When she asked him about it, maybe he could do something special just for her...

'She's really interested about the alignments... Maybe I should bring her there...' He thought to himself, almost showing hesitance but didn't let Zyunema catch onto that. 'But should I? It's more of my secret place...'

"Incendi?"

Zyunema's voice immediately brought him out of his thoughts, quickly apologising. "Sorry, I was just... Thinking of a good place we could see them."

"But isn't here the best place?"

"I... Know a better place, but it's within the outskirts of Karshya." Incendi began as it stung him upon seeing that Zyunema seemed uncomfortable about the idea. "It's less noisy for me since events such as festivities, celebrations, or merely watching something happen in the sky, most Demons tend to block most of the sight flood when they're high up in the air to get a more better look without any buildings being in the way but the place that I know, we can easily see them without anyone being in the way. If it makes you comfortable flying there, I can teleport you there."

Zyunema was never comfortable with leaving the safety of the cities as she was very well aware of the danger the world is outside of cities... There were many dangerous wild animals and even the territorial low-intelligent Munstrena if they were very territorial about other Demons walking into their territory even if they didn't intend it. But at the same time, she would never doubt Incendi as she nodded though tried her best to show she wasn't scared, but it was impossible for her to lie about how she was feeling.

"I'll go put these things away first, then we can go." Incendi then used some of his magic to put away half of the dishes while he did the other half by himself. Zyunema saw how very tidy and neat he was, separating the dirty dishes from the ones that were still clean, while the rest were carefully closed up and Zyunema once again remained where she was while Incendi went to go return them to the kitchen. The sun had already gone and it was now dark out... The city was now slowly lighting up, and from the view she could see, some of the city lights looked like twinkling stars.

'So pretty...'

Hearing the sounds of gentle flapping, she turned to see Incendi having just landed. She would admit that his natural gradient in primarily his wings looked really pretty whenever he had his wings unfolded.

"Ready to go?" The response was only a nod, as he began the teleportation to his secret place that only took a few seconds until everything around them was what seemed to be inside a cave. Looking out carefully, she could see Karshya out in the distance, and the faint lights from the city itself but she could see that the area around them was so pitch black. "Just a moment." Incendi spoke gently before she could say a thing, and then she saw him using his fire abilities to light what seems to be a pile of wood around a small campfire in the center of this small cave. "These piles of wood are rare, they come from rare special trees that not even hellfire can destroy, even if the tree itself is on fire but the fire can burn everything else such as the leaves and flowers that grow on it but will grow back once they're no longer on fire. Best of all, it mostly absorbs the fire as a means of fertilizing itself. Since these are cut, I mostly put out the fire myself."

"Wow, hellfire cannot destroy these trees?"

"Many people believe Hellfire can destroy anything, but not these trees. It's possible other things can't be destroyed by it but I wouldn't know, I just only know these trees can resist Hellfire, and absorb the flames to fertilize itself. They're called by their common names 'Guardian Trees'. Long ago, a Fire Calamitas lost control of it's own Hellfire, and there weren't many Fire Calamitas where they lived as most lived in the hotter parts of Northern Hell, and the Calamitas' own Hellfire was spreading very rapidly throughout the land and burned a couple cities." Incendi saw how absorbed she was when he told the story about the trees that was written in history. Then he could see the moons in sight as he then smiled gently.

"Zyunema, turn around."

Doing as told, Zyunema turned around just in time as the moons slowly aligned themselves and the skies were then lit with beautiful colours as she went wide eyed at the sight. The lights shimmered beautifully and brightly than common normal northern lights and unlike the real ones made naturally in Southern Hell, these ones were harmless due to being created from the reflections of the moons themselves, while the real ones were usually hazardous depending on how hot coloured they were.

Incendi dimmed the fire so that it wasn't distracting, but he also found it beautiful himself. He found himself regretting not taking the time to take in the beautiful sights of the beauty both moons make together, but he found himself enjoying it more with someone special. That special someone being with his lover, Zyunema.

Feeling like he wants to do something, Incendi quietly got up as he walked by her side, nervous about what he planned to do as he softly and gently whispered near her ear. "Zyunema." A hand gently entwined with one of hers as he brought her to look at him. "Ye--" The young Dormanndio was so embarrassed that she had responded half-way without finishing. He was so close to her that she shyly looked away, but only for the Nativresh to gently have her look at him again. He briefly seemed hesitant, but inched closer slowly.

"I love you." He whispered again after a few moments, and at these words, he brought her into a gentle kiss. Zyunema was completely surprised by this as her eyes closed, leaning into the kiss. She was never expecting such a thing as this brought her into gently hugging him while carefully minding his wings. He felt Incendi wrap his wings around her gently, affectionately... Only further fueling her shyness but also her happiness.

This was a special memory she would never forget.