Demoa rose slightly onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck. Then she kissed him, full of happiness, gently feeling out his lips with her own. It was bliss and thrill, something she was not used to, but she liked it. Finally, she leaned back and smiled.

  “Then let’s do it in a special place. You know, now that we both agree, now that we’re simply being together for an eternity, I finally have no reason left to stay here. I will honor the tradition and add something of myself to the Monastery,” she said, looking toward the tree where she had been sitting when Stirleo first visited her.

  “Are you sure? Ray will…,” Rad objected, concern reflected on his face.

  Demoa shook her head.

  “That’s her fight, her decision. She chose it. I’ll always be her friend, yet we’re different. She’ll understand. I mean, she’s not unreachable. I’ll be able to visit her. I can feel her, after all, unlike… you. That will change now, though,” she said and nodded.

  Determination burned within her as she stepped toward the old tree, whose countless branches stretched high into the sky and offered a home to many chattering birds and insects. Between its roots, several plain hoppers had burrowed into the ground, and she saw two curious heads peeking out from the soil. Demoa’s Lucidity soon enveloped her, as well as the tree and the meadow. Her calm flared, and she began to sway slowly to the sounds in her mind.

  Beside her, Rad bobbed along to the rhythm, a dreamy smile on his lips, and the nearby plain hoppers began to squeak happily. In her mind, she saw people dancing in a circle around her, full of joy and lightness, without worries, moving in the glow of the radiant day. The tree nearby began to bud, filling the air with soothing, pleasant scents as the blossoms turned toward the evening Sun in time with the melody in Demoa’s soul. The lush green canopy was soon threaded with flowers in countless shapes, colors, and sizes, each softly glowing.

  From afar, Demoa heard Rad gasp in delight and amazement. She wove her Lucidity more deeply into the crown of the tree, and soon the leaves began to fall in a mighty rush, billowing and spreading like waves in a flood of life and beauty. Her thoughts shaped the blossoms and leaves, first forming a carpet, then walls, and finally a great dome. Gables and a roof emerged until a vibrant hut stood near the tree, a quiet center of all the calm Demoa had ever felt in her dances.

  The scent of peace and bliss lingered in the air, and Rad could hardly stop marveling as she pulled him toward the hut. Inside lay a single mass of fluffy green seed wool, the very embodiment of coziness.

  “Do you think this is a fitting place for our… first coming together?” Demoa asked, tension suddenly creeping into her muscles.

  What if he doesn't like it? This house, the floor, the walls, all of it is me, who I am. What if he doesn’t like it, what if he...

  “This is incredible! Almost like a piece of the clouds,” he murmured, setting the amphora down by the door. Then he let himself fall onto the soft ground with a laugh, arms outstretched, as though lying on thousands of cushions.

  A loud sigh escaped Demoa, followed by a foolish giggle. Rad shrugged off his shirt and tossed it aside carelessly. His abdominal muscles were well defined, and she had to bite her lip, forcing herself not to pounce on him and...

  “Do you like what you see? I mean, you’ve never seen me without…,” he began.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  She dissolved her clothes with her Lucidity and stepped toward him slowly, making an effort to display her femininity for him and him alone. She smiled when he broke off and swallowed, his face flushing as his eyes darted shyly over her naked body.

  “They say the Lucids are healthy and… attractive, yet you… Demoa, you’re… unimaginable…,” he breathed, breaking off.

  She lowered herself down to him. At last, she lay on top of him, feeling his muscles, his warmth, the fast and excited beat of his heart. Smiling, she pulled off his pants. He sucked in a sharp breath, brushed her cheek, and finally returned her gaze with his crooked, gentle smile.

  “I… I already regret that we didn’t do this sooner,” Demoa whispered, trying to sound seductive while keeping her playfulness.

  “Don’t. You should only do something like this when you’re certain,” Rad said, carefully brushing a strand of hair from her face.

  “Thank you for being so understanding, for coming back again and again. I’m sure that soon we’ll be one. I’m sure that unity of the body will finally bring unity of the mind. I’m so envious that you already feel me in your thoughts. I’m certain that soon I will too, that I’ll finally be able to give you what you deserve. Are you… ready?” she asked, forcing down the tremor in her voice.

  In answer, he wrapped himself around her and rolled her onto the soft ground. As he lay on top of her, the intense closeness made Demoa tremble with anticipation. His skin was velvety, his muscles firm, his body flawless. She could not tell whether happiness or desire made her heart pound so wildly as his hands closed around her breasts and his lips sought hers. They were moist and carried a faint, wild scent that nearly drove her mad with longing.

  He massaged her, his body pressing into hers. In Demoa’s mind, happiness and desire surged together, yet the brightest thing burning within her was hope. The things he whispered, the way he touched her, all of it would lead to their bond. There was no doubt. She threw her head back and moaned as he kissed her neck and let his hands glide over her trembling thighs.

  “We’ll truly be together soon,” Rad whispered as he gently pushed her legs apart.

  She felt growing wetness and bit her lip.

  “You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his fingers massaging her, drawing a soft moan from her lips.

  When he finally united with her, she clung to him so tightly that he flinched, though he seemed just as lost in ecstasy as she was. He carried her into ever higher spheres of bliss, and she could not let him go. Demoa wanted him with her, inside her, forever, for the eternity of the Dream that lay before them.

  There was only Rad. Only the two of them beneath the canopy of leaves and the open sky, beneath the Sun that promised a radiant future. She felt her Lucidity flow outward and envelop them both, and soon their bodies moved in time with the silent melody of her soul. With every thrust, deeper waves of happiness surged through her, her sense of safety and belonging swelling higher and higher until she finally burst in a shower of sparks, her body quaking together with his.

  The feeling of completeness lingered. She clung to him as he pressed her close, fingers digging lightly into her back, his breath warm against her skin. They were drenched in sweat, still scented with something wild. It felt like the eternity she had always dreamed of, though, to her quiet disappointment, it eventually ended. They drew slightly apart, and she slowly became aware of her surroundings again.

  Looking into Rad’s smiling face as he gently stroked her breasts, she felt the warmth return.

  “That… thank you. It was… I can’t even describe it…,” he stammered.

  She smiled, and with that smile the experience seemed to come alive once more.

  “You don’t have to. I felt it. I felt… you. Thank you. I… I love you,” Demoa said, her face flushing again.

  She bit her lip. He returned her smile.

  “I love you too. Let’s have a toast. I actually brought the wine to give it to Ray for Nobea’s farewell, the way Sars and Olver wanted. Still, I doubt they’ll miss a sip,” Rad laughed, hurrying to his feet.

  He stepped over to the amphora leaning against the wall, and Demoa let two buds grow from the surface, shaping themselves into chalice-like blossoms in her hands.

  With a soft pop, Rad uncorked one of the amphorae. A sweet scent rose to her nose, carrying a sharp undertone. Alcohol.

  She handed him one of the cups, and they clinked them together, smiling.

  “I enjoy drinking this far more than the beverages I’ve usually been offered. I’m not much of an advocate for this stuff. Still, here with you, it’s something truly special. At least it is only for me, not for the Monastery.”

  Rad laughed and raised an eyebrow.

  “You drink alcohol here often?”

  Demoa waved it off quickly.