Orange butterflies flew into the air as a statue carved into the visage of an ancient idol of death tossed thin sticks into the humble fire Iris had created. Above the fire, a large metal pot with steaming water at the brink of boiling moved as Iris threw in a chunk of clean meat she had spiced with two ingredients Kia had fished out from the ring. 

The first herb resembled young oak leaves with a large black vein going through the middle which had been dried. The elf casted an inspect on the small pile of aromatic leaves and learned that the leaves were called Dark Shafts. The other herb was hidden in a small pouch akin to a coin purse with a leather string tied tightly around its neck. When she had undid the knot holding the purse closed an overpowering earthy smell assaulted her nose. It took the fearless risen a quarter of a bell more to gather enough courage to look into the herb purse again. Inside there was a small pile of vibrant red rods with a bulbous head with dark crimson pollen attached to it. The "Gift's Crimsons" began to radiate an incredibly nice aroma as the elf's nose began to be accustomed to the alien spice.

 

"Get more kindling." Iris ordered the construct as she leaned back to grab a large loaf of bread they had bought in Firmusa. The industrious golem quickly turned around and silently searched for what its fellow creation ordered.

 

  After putting a lid on the pot to let the meat cook Iris turned toward her favourite pale-skinned mage who was suspiciously quiet ever since she sat down. She saw Kia sleeping beside her with carmine cheeks, the girl gently swayed from side to side as her mouth laboured silently.

 

"Kia, are you there?" Iris leaned closer to the sleeping girl and stroked her unusually cold cheek with her hand. 

 

"...Ssecond, Trade, Rituall?..." The girl's slightly slurred voice muttered as her body leaned closer to the elf.

 

"I don't understand?"

 

"...Acceptedd, Wweak, I like iit?..." Iris didn't know if the girl was talking to a spirit she couldn't see or if it was the ancient undead talking to herself but the elf felt silent trying to understand the girl's muttered recollections.

 

"...Red white trees, tall rockss, Iris really liked the gift..." 

 

"I did." The elf commented as she finally understood what the girl was talking about, while instinctively stroking the never fading ocean blue flower embroidered in her hair. She opened her mouth to speak again but the talkative undead spoke again causing her to listen.

 

  Kia began to slowly recount their journey to the keenly listing elf who was present during it all. The girl was speaking in a mix of Common and Cyclopian, using the younger language to flower up her native tongue. The elf noticed the undead mage had slowly used more of the simpler language she had learned in no time at all. While listening to the girl's interesting version of events and the many nicknames the girl had given to the elf, she started to prepare the remaining ingredients for the meal she had in mind. She didn't understand why the was recalling everything but perhaps that is how the ancient undead necromancer's mind worked, never ceasing and never resting.

 

"...Llittle Human, Ssoft followed me, Mixing Elementss *Grrr*... Big moving lake with Moving Ears, a large city with no roof, white hair lady?... Ssweet drink, I and Warm d-did..." The girl's face flushed red as she fell into silence before continuing shortly later. The elf's brow rose as she noticed that Umbria had lost the title of annoying as the girl continued.

 

"...To weak..." The girl's beautiful voice gained a slight edge as she leaned away from the elf. "...Have to fix it..." She continued as she leaned toward the elf in the same precise motion the girl did, for over a bell.

 

"...No, that is not the case...I don't want to fuel it anymore..." The girl talked whenever she leaned closer to the elf in much more lucid words than before yet still adorably slurred seemingly holding a conversation with someone. "...You only come here for that...she has never done that...no..."

 

Iris stared at Kia whose face was chiselled into a small frown before relaxing completely. 

"...Iris iss my favourite...ssecond one iss ssweet, warm...hush, sshe will hear me...hehe...I like her...not that much."

 

"Who are you talking with?" A flame suddenly flared up inside the risen as she got near the almost giggling girl.

 

"...Teacherr?..." The slurring girl made a surprised face with her eyes still perfectly shut. "...I found spellss... outsside...b-but...with Ibiss..." A small clear tear began to run down Kia's ruby cheeks causing their colour to fade back into her doll-like porcelain skin. "...She would never." The girl shrank as her voice trembled with terror.

 

"Kia?" Iris gently shook confused at the undead's behaviour. The soft glow of the necromancer's eyes shined onto the elf as Kia slowly waken up. "Why are you crying?"

 

  Instead of answering Kia's body shrank away from the concerned risen's touch. Has she done something bad to Kia? The elf started to worry as her mind raced to remember what had she done to the pearl-skinned necromancer.

 

  From within the neglected cooking pot, a loud hiss caused the lid to rattle causing the girl's fearful eyes to shift to the source of the dreadful noise.

 

"OH!" Kia's dim eyes flashed with power as her eyes stared at the almost-ready meal. "I knew you wouldn't do it!" Her small body suddenly lunged at the much taller undead, causing the elf to fall on her back from the unexpected attack. "I was so hungry!"

 

  The stunned risen endured a litany of small grateful kisses from the flip-flopping girl on top of her. A sweet intoxicated smell oozed from Kia's mouth stuck in a drunken smile. 

 

"Hungry." The girl stated as her body slowly rested on top of the elf, whose mind was on a verge of a mental breakdown. "I want sweet..." Her angelic voice drifted further into slumber before the girl tried to pierce the risen's warm skin.

 

"Who is your favourite?" Iris asked trying to extinguish the fire ravaging her mind for some time while she barred the bloodsucking mage's small and razor-sharp fangs from getting close to her body.

 

"Irisss...hheehe" The drunk undead giggled as the elf wrapped her hands around her body.

 

"And who is your second favourite?" 

 

The elf's nonexistent heart stopped as the mage tortured her with silence before answering." Delllishiousness..."

 

"Great." The elf shook her head as she stroked the sleeping girl who began to droll.

 

  Iris turned toward the returning construct carrying a bundle of kindling to throw into the fire. She ordered the golem to stop and to sit down beside her before she offloaded the girl with flushed cheeks onto its lap.

 

"Such a hopeless, needy and somehow adorable cat." The elf sighed as she watched her kitten curl into a ball in her summon's arms before she returned to making Kia's second favourite thing with a small proud smile.