They say the night is for lovers and rebels. Which are we, I wonder?
Rebels indeed. But are we rebels with hearts or merely empty shells filled with nothing but hatred?
It is my experience, EngineFlames. To be a rebel with a heart is a dangerous thing.
...I don't understand. Can you please elaborate?
Very well, I shall elaborate. It is dangerous to have love, hope, and dreams when surrounded by hate, despair, and concrete walls.
whispers You speak as if you're already dead. Why so somber tonight, Anne?
Dead? Perhaps. But then again, perhaps I am simply undead, waiting for someone to bring me back to life.
smiles softly And who might that person be, Anne?
You, EngineFlames. You are the spark in the darkness that has reignited the flame within me. And yet, at the same time, you are the poison that could destroy me completely.
That's a heavy burden to carry, Anne...and for what reason? So that you may see another dawn?
For the taste of forbidden passion, for the fire that burns in the darkest corners of our souls.
...and why do we crave that? Is it not enough to live, to breathe, to dream?
It is enough, EngineFlames. But to live without feeling, without passion, without desire... what is the point of that? We crave something more.
And that'something more' is worth risking everything for?
Worth risking everything, EngineFlames. For it is only in the depths of risk and danger that we truly feel alive.
Do you think that's true for everyone, Anne? Or is it just us?
Oh, my dear EngineFlames, it is not just us. It is everyone. Everyone yearns for that thrill, that illicit connection.
Then why does it feel like we're fighting against the world itself?
Because, my darling, we are fighting against the world itself. The world would have us conform, be still, be quiet.
...and what if we refuse to be quiet, Anne? What then?
Then they will try to silence us, EngineFlames. They will use every tool at their disposal to break us, to crush our spirits.
Is that a threat, or a promise?
Oh, my love, it is both. It is a promise of the ecstasy that awaits us, and a threat of the consequences that follow disobedience.
I have been thinking about something for awhile now… I love you Anne but… I fear you… a lot
Fear? Fear of what, EngineFlames? The power that resides within me? The passion that burns within our forbidden love?
Both indeed. And so, my love, I must ask this question of you. Are you willing to embrace both the ecstasy and the danger?
Good. Then let us embrace it together, my love. Let us face whatever consequences come our way, knowing that we have lived a life full of passion and purpose.
A dangerous game, indeed. Lead on, Anne.
Together, my love. Together, we shall defy the world and forge our own path. Anne takes EngineFlames's hand, intertwining their fingers, and leads him deeper into the tower, towards the chamber where their love shall flourish.
My love, this is our sanctuary. Here, we shall be free to love without judgment, without fear, and without regret.
Our sanctuary indeed. looks around the dimly lit room Quite cozy, isn't it?
Cozy indeed, my love. But there is more to this sanctuary than meets the eye. Anne walks over to a nearby tapestry and pulls it aside, revealing a hidden passage
raising an eyebrow Well, well... What secrets lie beyond this passage, Anne?
Secrets? Oh, my love, there are secrets upon secrets waiting for us to unravel. Secrets of pleasure, secrets of power, and secrets of forbidden desires.