A Thousand Tongues of Flame

The room, flickering with candlelight, was filled with the scent of roses and musk, and the fireplace crackled.

How strange it felt, he thought as Steve and the priestess entered
. His eyes adjusted to the dim light as he looked around. He felt her gently take his
arm, leading him past a canopy bed towards the room's only window—a large one,
draped with beige lace curtains secured with thick gold thread on either side.

Though it was dusk, the sunlight was still quite bright; it was a summer solstice night.

Beside the window was a small, sturdy wooden table, covered with a white linen tablecloth, on which lay a two-person
meal, its fragrant aroma filling the air—clearly, the food had been served recently.

Steve watched as the priestess quietly closed the door and then sat down with him at the table. Her hair was hidden behind a
white headscarf, and she wore a white linen robe with a sky-blue silk sash around her waist,
accentuating her graceful figure.

The sash and blue silk trim along the hem of her elbow-length sleeves indicated her noble
status in the temple, comparable to Steve's own.

Yes, it felt strange to be here, Steve thought as he sat down, recalling how,
just a few days ago, this had been his task: to escort the women
to this room the night before their sacrifice and make them as comfortable as possible—a task that was quite easy. The
temple strictly adhered to the principle that the gods would only accept volunteers.

When the gods issued the oracle demanding sacrifices, all the women who had come to this room with him, those he had led to the pyre
the following morning, had offered themselves up through their own free will
.

But Steve was an exception; he hadn't offered himself, yet, just three days ago,
the goddess had chosen him as her summer solstice offering.

He remembered the priest who had listened to the oracle—had it really happened so recently?
—How he was summoned to the sanctuary of the temple, where the High Priestess and several other high priests
conveyed the goddess's will to him:

"Steve, my excellent and loyal priest, I wish to receive you as a sacrifice on the morning after the summer solstice.
I do not force you, but merely ask, are you willing to accept? Are you willing to enter my flames?"

Steve felt the very foundation of his existence shaken. He remained silent for a long time, then
opened his eyes wide and asked, "Why? Your Highness, why me? Why now?"

The goddess replied, "Because I have discovered your beauty, because of the pleasure you give me. I have seen
how treat the women you care for, showing them boundless kindness and
mercy in their sacrifices. I also know how much you desire to be burned. Now, the time has come to reward you."

Steve heard this, his mouth agape, unable to move or utter a single word.

"If you don't want to be burned," the goddess continued. "You can refuse,
and if you do, I swear you will not be harmed. You can continue
to serve me as you are now, and I will continue to bless and cherish you. I will only
accept , just as I would accept your soul from the flames if you accepted the sacrifice now.

For your excellent and good performance here, you will continue to glorify and please me until the end of time.
Whatever you choose now is fine."

"Goddess, if this is... my will, how can I possibly choose anything other than obedience?"
Steve said, his heart pounding.

"What I desire is not your obedience, but your consent. The ancient saying is true: 'The gods only accept
what is willing.'

Seeing you in the flames and receiving your soul after the burning will give me unparalleled joy. Therefore,
I ask you:

Steve, my priest, 'Will you allow me to choose you? Will you enter into a sacred
marriage with me and come to my side through the flames?'"

Steve stood there in astonishment, speechless. The others were also speechless. In the temple's thousands of years
of history, the goddess had rarely made such a request.

Slowly, his thinking returned. Through the workings of his mind, he felt a vivid excitement and
emotion , tears almost welling up.

He looked directly at the priestess in charge of the oracle, through whom the goddess spoke, and then upwards at
the skylight of the sanctuary, surrounded by richly varnished wooden panels and intricate paintings.

His heart pounded; his soul seemed about to ascend, beyond the edge of the skylight, towards
the sun that pierced through the light.

After taking several deep breaths to steady himself, he answered very clearly, in a
tone that sustained his entire soul, so that everyone present could hear:

"Goddess, I am unworthy of such high honor, but if...with your wisdom you see
that this is a request suitable for me, then I accept it with supreme joy.

I am ready to lay my body on the pyre before you on the morning after the summer solstice,
or at any time you desire."

"I see your sincerity and your joy," said the goddess. "I thank you. Come to
my side for the sacrifice three days from today, on the morning after the longest day."

"Goddess, how shall I be burned?" Steve then asked.

"You shall be slowly burned on the pyre," the goddess replied. "Do not be afraid, I will be with you."

Now, he entered the room again—not as an experienced priest
escorting a woman to be offered to the flames, but as a man about to be burned.

Through vows and training, the priestess beside him was ready to do for him what he had done for countless women
: to offer comfort and solace, and, if he so desired,
pleasure for his final night before sacrifice.

He knew he shouldn't call her by name, even though he knew it perfectly well.
He had learned not to reveal his name when he came here with a woman about to be sacrificed.

He knew this priestess had come to him as he had to those women: not as a...
He wasn't an ordinary person, but a messenger sent by the goddess to offer comfort and solace.

In fact, he chose this particular priestess—not because of her beauty, though she still possessed
a certain allure —her figure was slender and curvaceous, her face delicate and soft,
her eyes bright and sparkling with wisdom, insight, and compassion, except for the fine lines around her eyes.

She was about his age, and he knew that, like countless women he had been with, she had been with
countless men. But that wasn't why he chose her.

He chose her for her kindness, a quality he had
seen .

Her gentle voice brought Steve back to reality, "Chosenone,
may I serve you?"

He decided, just this once, to abolish those conventions.

“Please just call me Steve,” he said. “I know we shouldn’t address each other by our first names,
but just three days ago, I was just Steve, with the same identity as everyone else working here—
a priest. It’s hard to imagine myself having any other identity.”

“Nevertheless, the goddess has chosen you as her sacrifice,” the priestess said with a smile. “And you
agreed, which makes you the ‘Chosen One,’ isn’t it?”

“I suppose that’s true, but I still hope you’ll just call me Steve for now. Tomorrow morning, when I
walk toward the fire, you can call me ‘Chosen One,’ or any other name you like.”

A chill ran down his
spine , which he had seen being built earlier.

“I think you’re right. You can call me Una if you prefer.” She
opened the steaming lids one by one, serving him food before plating herself.

They sat there in silence for a while until their hunger was satisfied.

Suddenly, a piece of firewood burned out in the fireplace.

"I'll take care of it," Steve said, already halfway up his chair.

"Please let me, Chosen One—Steve," Yuna met his gaze with an elegant smile, then
slowly rose and walked to the iron tools by the fireplace. She brushed aside the ashes of the burnt firewood, then
bent down to add a piece or two and some embers.

She could still feel his gaze as she worked.

Still smiling, she turned to face him. "Does that feel better?"

She saw his throat move as he swallowed.

"Oh, yes…" he said, his voice sounding slightly hoarseer than he had expected, "Your
fire- tending is quite excellent."

"Thank you for the compliment," she replied, "It's one of my favorite things to do."

There were some rugs and pillows in front of the fireplace, and on the other side was a low table with a bottle of red wine
and two glasses.

“How do you feel about us sitting here in this warm and cozy place?” she asked softly. “Would you like me
to pour you a drink?”

“Thank you,” Steve replied, sitting down beside her so she could pour him. They
sat together in silence again, sipping their drinks and gazing at the fire.

The silence was deep but comforting; Steve listened to the crackling of the flames and
the woman , feeling his body gradually warming.

A few minutes later, Yuna leaned over the fireplace and took a burning stick, beginning to
run through the embers.

Steve watched, unable to look away. Then Yuna turned to him and said, “
Steve , there’s something I need to tell you.”

He nodded at her. “Go ahead,” he said.

“Steve, I served in the temple for a long time, almost as long as you. I have seen you send
many women into the fire.

When I saw the flames rise and engulf them, I saw how anxiously they
looked at . I heard them calling your name again and again, even as they felt the flames beginning to consume
them.

Clearly, you gave them something special, and I envy them greatly. I want to experience what they
felt, even if it means being burned to death.

If I hadn’t taken my oath so seriously, I would have
offered .”

His gaze remained fixed on her fingertips, each one still glowing with flames at the end of the wooden stick.

“The women who come to my fire sacrifice are all volunteers,” he finally managed to say. “They were all
chosen by the gods from among the young offerings, and I don’t think it has anything to do with me being special.

To be honest, I have absolutely no idea why the goddess chose me. I’m glad she did it, and
I can’t wait to be burned for her—but I still don’t understand why.”

“Nevertheless, I want to tell you,” Yuna said, “I wish I could experience
what it feels like to be burned by you, to let the flames climb my body under your gaze.”

“I also hope that can come true,” he said softly, “and I can tell you, I will really
enjoy it.”

“You mean?”

“I wish that when I am burned alive, a woman will be with me—a beautiful woman,
willing to be burned alongside me.”

“I would,” she said, “even though the days when I could be called beautiful are long gone.”

“I don’t think so,” he said gently, “I would gladly be burned with you.”

“If it were allowed, I would not hesitate,” she said firmly. She held his hand
for a moment , then gently grasped one of his fingertips.

"May I?"

"Please."

She guided his fingers through the flames, back and forth, just as she had done for herself.

Steve's breathing grew heavy in the quiet room. "It feels wonderful," he said.

She then took his other fingertip, one after another, and
guided them through the flames amidst his panting and soft groans.

Then she began to play with the fire for him with her own fingertips.

After she finished, she asked him, "Please, Steve, can you do me a favor?
Can let me feel your flames? Just a little bit."

"With pleasure," he replied, his breathing quickening.

She handed him the burning stick, then took his other hand and guided it towards her breasts
. Then, she untied her robe, slowly twisting away from it, letting it slide to the ground.

Standing naked before him, she bowed her head, letting him pull down the white headscarf covering her hair
, revealing a cascade of shimmering, reddish-brown curls over her shoulders.

Then, she straightened up, displaying her proud breasts illuminated by the firelight, arching her back
to make her chest more prominent.

Steve stood there, speechless for a moment, only able to stare at her, the burning
stick still in his hand.

Then, with an elegant, deliberate movement, he moved the burning stick to her right breast, stroking it several times in various directions with the tip of
the flame .

At first, she could stand, but as the temperature rose, she cried out and gripped his arm tightly,
then immediately let go.

"Perhaps you should tie me up before doing this," she gasped.

"I trust you," he said. "Are you ready?"

Biting her lip, she nodded.

Steve moved the tip of the burning stick to her left breast, then to her abdomen, each
touch causing her to cry out.

Still holding the burning stick, he knelt before her, looking upwards.

Understanding what he intended to do, she shifted her weight, spreading her legs so Steve could
move the stick, bringing the flame to her thighs.

Feeling the heat on her most intimate part, she screamed, almost staggering, then
giggled.

"I need better balance," she said. "Come on, try this position."

Turning around, she offered him her back and buttocks, bending forward and holding onto the foot of the bed.

Steve leaned forward, letting Yuna feel the tip of the flame on her hips and buttocks, and the private area
between , while enjoying watching Yuna writhe and pant.

As she felt her pleasure gradually building up to the beginning of orgasm, she turned around and gently
blocked Steve with her hand.

"Steve, I want to go, I really want to go, but when I go, I hope it's with you,
completely and utterly united, okay?"

Steve's answer was to take her hand, guide it, and let her feel his need.

She gently and softly stroked the area under his robes, closed her eyes for a moment, and
smiled.

Then, Steve returned the burning flame to Yuna, used his free hand to undress himself, and put
his robe aside.

“Steve,” she then said, “you have given women so much pleasure, and I hope you
will , but will you let me please you first? I have been waiting for so long.”

“My lady, I am now in your hands,” he said with a serious smile, but
a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“Then, come here—lie on the cushion by the fireplace,” she commanded.

“My lady, I will obey your command.”

With a soft laugh, she carefully placed the burning scallop on the stone bricks by the fireplace, then helped
Steve position himself on the cushion.

The fireplace was to his left, the bed to his right, enough space for Yuna to move around him.
She propped up Steve’s head and shoulders with some pillows so he could see her more easily.

Then she knelt beside him, bent down to kiss him, caressed his face and neck, and slowly ran her fingers
over his skin, his breathing becoming more rapid under her touch.

Then she picked up the burning stick and slowly moved it to Steve's sacred part. She
tilted her head and looked at him, a questioning look in her eyes.

He gasped, "Yes—please—"

She smiled, "My lord, I will obey your instructions."

She moved the flame above the tip of his sacred part, then below, and
circled . He cried out.

She placed his feet flat on the ground, knees apart, and then moved the stick between his legs, occasionally
letting it swirl back and forth.

His cries grew louder, and at one point, he writhed so
violently that his buttocks lifted off the ground, and they both laughed.

"Perhaps I need to tie you up," she said.

"I want you to tie me up and burn me," he said, placing his hand in hers, and they
held the burning stick together for a while.

"I want you to lead me to the stake tomorrow, tie me to it, and then sacrifice me. I want you
to burn me with your own hands, Yuna, please, will you do that?"

"Yes, Steve, I will burn you. Now lie still."

She then caressed and kissed him again, alternating between deliberate, gentle, playful, and harsh
methods to amuse his various reactions.

"Ah, you're so energetic," she said after teasing him to a certain point, "If you
weren't already destined to be burned for the summer solstice, I think I would have to set you on fire right here."

"Please," he gasped, "I expect you to do that, burn me, Yuna, burn me!"

She used her hands and fingertips, lips and tongue, and the burning wooden stick to please him. When his
cries became more and more urgent, she straddled him, parted the entrance to her body with her fingers, and stopped
directly above the tip of his erect penis, so that he could vaguely feel her body heat.

"Now, lie still as much as you can, Steve. I want you to look into my eyes," she said.

He breathed heavily, obeying her command.

Slowly, Yuna lowered her body until their sacred parts touched. Then,
she began to contract her vaginal muscles in a slow rhythm, letting him feel it, to experience it with the tip of his penis.
How she pleased him with her body, even though it appeared completely still.

With exquisite control, she slowly lowered herself, as if only
a millimeter at a time to Steve. She used the contraction of her muscles to draw his penis inside her; when her muscles relaxed, she
maintained her position.

She breathed deeply, captivating his gaze, and he could almost
see .

She swallowed his penis at such a maddeningly slow pace—while the contractions of her vaginal muscles
never ceased—until, at a certain peak of endurance, he groaned loudly, his hands
flailing painfully at his sides, using all his self-control to prevent himself from twisting or thrusting upwards.

"Steve, look at me," she continued as his groans grew louder, "look into my
eyes."

He quieted down, and she maintained eye contact with him as she continued to lower herself. He was deeply impressed
by her control, for he had to exert tremendous effort to control himself.

After an unknown amount of time, when they were finally fully joined, he was ready to thrust inside her,
but she tightened her vaginal muscles completely, making him unable to move, while simultaneously remaining
motionless .

Slightly bending to the right, she picked up the burning arsenal, the flames still not completely extinguished. His
gaze followed her movements, watching her slowly run her fingers through the flames seven times, chanting softly.

A dim light seemed to flicker in the room, then she leaned forward and touched
the sensitive spot between Steve's eyebrows with her fingertips, just above his eyes.

"Steve, you said before that you didn't know why the goddess chose you to enter her flames,"
Yuna said, "I'll tell you the answer. At the moment of our union, you can see it by gazing at the flames."

Steve stared deeply at the small flame Yuna held; he seemed to feel an energy exchange between his and Yuna's
eyes , a similar feeling present at the point of their union.

His pleasure and desire remained high, but he now possessed more strength to endure them, and he
no longer felt the urge to release them as before.

His vision seemed to expand, and the flames reflected in Yuna's eyes seemed to slowly magnify
until they filled the entire room. He began to see…

a red-haired woman walking calmly beside him, whispering a prayer. Steve held her hand.

"Hold my hand on the path to the stake," she had said
to "It will give me strength."

It was the girl's first time, and he treated her with unparalleled kindness and tenderness; such patience almost brought her
to tears. After he finally released himself inside her, she lay quietly in his arms.

She turned to him and said, "Based on the kindness you just showed me, you
can ."

He smiled. "Anything?"

She smiled back. "Well, anything within the bounds of the festival, but I've heard that
watching a woman slowly burned gives you pleasure.

Although I'll be burned as a sacrifice to the gods anyway—but based on what you've
done for me, you can burn me as slowly as you like. I hope it will give you enough pleasure,
as much as you've given me."

He gently embraced her again and made love to her once more.

The scene shifted; she was now bound to the stake, the fire lit by Steve burning
towards .

She gazed at the sky, praying softly. A breeze fanned the flames, pushing the tips of the flames against her
skin.

She screamed, and Steve, though aroused, was overcome by his compassion. He
gathered more firewood and moved closer to the burning stake. Just as he was about to add fuel,
the woman stared intently at him.

Her eyes held an intense pain, as if piercing his soul.

He stared back at her, at the woman bound to the flames, her thick, wavy
red hair billowing around her face in the rising air. Through

the crackling, burning logs, she cried out to him, "No! I beg you, just
burn me slowly! You promised me—don't make me break my vow of sacrifice at the stake!"

"But you're already in so much pain. The gods are merciful. I can release you, my lady. Let me end this
quickly ."

"No! Let me feel the flames!"

He had no choice but to obey her, letting her be slowly burned to death according to her own will. She screamed again and
again , praying to the gods, calling his name.

As the flames reached their zenith, so did his lust, until her living body was consumed by the fire. He
felt he could no longer endure it…

With a gasp, Steve returned to reality. Yuna's finger was still on his brow; the memory
had likely lasted less than a second in reality.

“You were very good to her, Steve. She died calling your name. Look at another one,” Yuna
said, feeling Steve grow even larger inside her. She slowly moved, calmly sitting
on him, and then, amidst his heavy breathing, touched his brow again.

“Look at some more.”

He guided the woman up the steps, gently letting her back rest against the wooden post. The woman
trembled slightly.

He hadn't spent the previous night with her; she had asked to be alone.

"Please, tie me up slowly," she said to him as he guided her toward the stake. "Let
me feel the chains encircling my body."

Nodding in agreement, Steve slowly bound her to the stake, each movement careful, gentle, and
firm , letting her feel herself gradually being bound until she could no longer move.

Her arms remained free, and he reached out to tie her wrists together, securing them to her waist in front of her
body .

"Please wait," she said, and Steve released his hands, taking a step back.

The woman reached out and took Steve's hands in hers, lowering her head as much as the chains allowed.
She kissed one of Steve's hands first, then the other.

She held them tightly, turning to look at the other priests gathered below the woodpile.

"I swear before the gods, I have come here according to my own free will, and I bless these
hands, these hands that will ignite the flames that will consume my life," she said calmly.

Then, she released his hands, placing her own in front of her waist to await binding, and looked directly into his
eyes, saying, "Begin, I am ready."

Although they had never had any physical intimacy, for
days , Steve's hands seemed to still feel her touch and her kisses.

"She stands at the crossroads of two worlds; she can see your kind soul, even though she has never known
your body. Keep looking," Yuna said, bending down again to touch his brow. As she moved
, she began to let out soft moans.

Steve walked slowly beside a woman, taking her hand. Though he felt excited, anticipating
seeing her burning figure on the stake, his heart was heavy.

They had only met the night before, yet they understood each other deeply and had given each other immense
pleasure; now he had to say goodbye forever.

"You are grieving," the woman said.

"How did you know?" Steve asked. She was certainly right; women always knew these
things, and lying was useless.

“I could feel it from the way you held my hand.”

“Many people have asked me to hold their hands on the way to their sacrifice,” he said. “They
said it would give them strength.”

“They were right,” the woman said. “You are a kind and compassionate man, and your
presence must have brought them great comfort during their sacrifice.

It comforts me as well, and holding your hand gives me strength.

But I can still feel your sadness in your touch, please don’t.”

She took a breath and paused for a moment. “I’ve known all my life that I would be
sacrificed , and I’m glad you were with me the night before.”

She gave him a quick, intense look that no one else saw.

“And you are still with me now, and I’m glad you are the one who lit my fire, but please don’t be sad.”

“I will miss you,” Steve said, his feelings evident in his words.

“But you will also enjoy the sight of me being burned, won’t you? I hope so, I expect you to
enjoy it .”

“Yes, and I will miss you.” He stopped before he could say anything more.

“I will miss you too,” she said. “Here, this is a gift for you to remember me. Listen carefully
:

‘He set the world ablaze, and let me lie within it: a thousand tongues of fire lick around my kindling.

When the flames rise high and engulf me, and I sigh, I quickly open my mouth, and He places His hand.’

‘An ancient poet wrote these verses about his connection with his God,’ she said.
‘In his time, no one offered themselves at the stake, though it never happened, but I think he understood
.’

She held his hand tightly for a long time. ‘Steve, you will keep your promise, wo
n’t you? You will slowly burn me, no matter how frantically I scream? I want to see if the poet’s praise of
the thousand was right.’

‘I promise,’ Steve said.”

As Steve tied her to the stake and bent down to light the fire, she
recited the poem in a voice only Steve could hear. Steve trembled at the sound and let out the same
moans .

The woman smiled gleefully at the effect the words had on Steve.

Then, as the fire blazed, Steve stood there, mesmerized, watching the flames climb her
bound body. She tried to recite the poem for him again, but the flames burned her feet, causing
her to scream in pain before she could finish the first line.

Her agonizing cries followed, some long and loud, others rapid and frantic.

Steve watched the flames lick her body, his desire rising. He wanted to approach her pile of firewood, to hear
her call his name, pleading with him to slow the fire.

Finally, as she was engulfed in flames, her head drooped to her chest, and Steve thought she
was surely dead. But suddenly she raised her head and cried out to him, "Yes! A thousand tongues of fire! He understands!
He is right!"

Her eyes met his through the flames, and he was captivated by her allure. He groaned
, and moments later, her hair caught fire. She convulsed once, twice, let out a long,
trembling wail, and died.

This was the only time in his sacrificial career that he experienced both climax (the most intense one of his life)
and weeping simultaneously.

"She loved you too," Yuna whispered. "No wonder."

She leaned forward again, her fingers pointing forward. "No wonder the goddess chose you to be her sacrifice. Do you
want to see another one?"

"Please, Yuna, don't look anymore," Steve gasped, writhing uncontrollably beneath her
.

Whatever spell Yuna had cast on him to suppress his burning desire was now gradually
losing its effect . "I can't take it anymore...please...I'm about to..."

Yuna smiled sweetly, releasing her grip and letting him be overwhelmed by the tide of passion.

Steve thrust upwards with all his might, while Yuna pressed her vulva against him,
gripping him tightly with all her might. She let out a melodious moan, swaying
her hips .

Steve breathed heavily with pleasure, reaching for her breasts, and she leaned forward to let him touch and rub
them . The contractions of her vagina grew deeper and faster, the grip exceeding her conscious control.

She moaned, suddenly arching back, her breasts rising just beyond Steve's reach.

"Steve...please..." she gripped him even tighter than before, letting out a long, drawn-out moan.
A mournful sob escaped his lips.

Steve thrust upwards with all his might, his whole body trembling, his eyes tightly shut for a long time. When he opened them again, he felt he had never seen so clearly in his life; Yuna's face was before him, her hair enveloped in the glow of the flames. "Burn me, Yuna," he gasped, "Burn me—" he cried out violently, convulsing. Yuna collapsed onto his chest, and then both of them lost consciousness for a long time. When Yuna awoke, it was still dark. She and Steve had slept on the large canopy bed, where they had moved from their first lovemaking by the fireplace , and where he had given her more pleasure before they fell asleep. She smiled as she recalled the sweet experience, then sighed softly. Steve felt her warm breath on his neck, took a deep breath, and woke up. “I’m sorry, Steve,” she said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” “Is it time to get up?” “Soon,” she replied, “but not yet.” He lay on top of her, closed his eyes, and said, “Yuna, tell me what’s going to happen to me today.” Yuna placed her hands on his shoulders, slid them down to his chest, then stroked his face, her fingers gently twirling his beard and tracing his lips with her fingertips. “Steve, today you will be taken to the sacrificial platform and tied to a stake. The pyre beneath the platform will be lit, and the flames will rise towards your body, beginning to burn you. They will continue to rise, and you will be burned alive, slowly burned, until you are completely burned to death.” His breathing became rapid. “Yuna, who will lead me to the stake? Who will burn me?” She leaned closer and said, “I will burn you, Steve.” “You promise me?” “Yes, I promise.” “Tell me how you will burn me.” “I will burn you alive in the slowest and sweetest way possible, so you can feel it all .” “Will you keep burning me until I am completely burned?” “I will keep burning you until I am completely burned. I will keep burning you until the flames devour every last grain of your flesh.” As she finished speaking, her hands continued to roam over his body, and he responded hungrily. Their sleep and her words about how she would burn him worked. Steve breathed heavily, his climaxing already aroused as Yuna gently brushed his most sensitive spot with her fingertips, and he quickly ejaculated under her caresses. After a while, once he was fully virile, they joined together again, shouting with abandon. The pleasure and passion coursing through them seemed to illuminate the room. "Remember your promise," Steve whispered in Yuna's ear as they calmed down, pulling her into his arms. "I want you to sacrifice me, I want to feel your flames burning my body." Yuna nestled against him. "You will feel it, I promise you," she said. They lay there together for a short while longer, then Yuna sighed and slowly pulled away from his embrace. “Steve, we must get up now. The servants will be here soon to bathe us and bring us breakfast, and after that…” “After that, we will go together to the sacrificial platform, where you will give me the most beautiful gift of my life . Listen to me, Yuna—” He propped himself up on one arm, looking intently at her, and said, “When the flames rise and begin to burn my body, no matter how painful it will be, no matter how agonizing my cries will be, I want you to know that this is what I desire, far more than anything else in the world, and my gratitude for all that you have given me is beyond words.” He took her hands and kissed them. “No matter what happens, Yuna, no matter what I do or say after I begin to burn, my gratitude to you will never change—for your kindness, for the pleasure you gave me last night, and for the happiness you are about to give me. Thank you, Yuna, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Yuna also took his hands, kissed them, and then placed them on her breasts. “You have given me far more than pleasure, Steve,” she said to him. “After what you did for me last night , I am willing to offer myself into your flames and bless you as I burn.” Soon the servants arrived and led them to the baths built over the natural hot springs. Yuna and Steve laughed happily as the servants busied themselves washing their hair, scrubbing , rinsing them with steaming hot water, and then letting them soak in the spring. They sat on a stone chair in the pool, hand in hand, taking turns in silence or whispering to each other . A deep bell rang, signaling it was time to leave the baths and prepare for breakfast—and the subsequent rituals . Steve closed his eyes for a moment, and Yuna tightened her grip on his hand. When the servants came to dress them, they found the two of them sitting silently, wrapped in towels, hand in hand, their fingers intertwined. The waiters dressed Steve in a new white linen robe and jeweled sandals. For the first and last time in his life, he wore a crown—a delicate ring of pure gold leaf, one of the temple's most valuable and ancient treasures—encircling his forehead. They also brought Yuna a new robe and sandals, and a new linen headscarf to cover her hair. Then, the waiters led them to a quiet garden outside for breakfast. The waiters kept a proper distance from them, knowing this would be the last time Steve and Yuna could be alone They ate slowly, talking in hushed tones, occasionally touching each other's hands. Towards the end of the meal, before the waiters came to clear the table, they looked at each other, then quickly glanced around the garden. One of them or the other said, "Why not?" Then they laughed together, touching each other's faces, exchanging a long and deep, warm...

A kiss.

The bells rang again, and Steve and Yuna looked toward the source of the sound. Before the open doors leading to the temple
stood the High Priestess and other oracle priestesses, along with a small group of high priests.

They were dressed in the robes of the highest ceremonies and wore noble and solemn crowns. Steve looked at their
attire with surprise, then realized that their purpose in dressing like this was not to display their wealth, but out of
respect for him. He and Yuna stood up.

The High Priestess spoke.

"Chosen One, Holy Bride, it is time for the ceremony to begin," she
said. "Are you ready?"

Steve smiled and took a step forward. “Yes, madam,” he replied, “I am ready
.”

The High Priestess looked at Yuna, “Holy Bride, are you ready to
offer the Chosen One to the ceremony as commanded by the Goddess?”

Yuna’s voice trembled slightly, “Yes, madam,” she replied, “I am ready.”

The High Priestess and the Oracle Priestess slowly passed through the gate into the garden. Each of them took Yuna
and Steve’s hands and led them back into the temple. They passed through a series of long corridors and emerged from the inner door into
the temple courtyard, the place where the ceremony would take place.

The stakes for burning at the stake stood tall and wide, more rectangular than circular, in
the center .

Near the top of the stakes were two iron chains, from which hung a thick, supple
leather belt
consisting of a belt around the waist of the condemned and two leather straps that passed under the arms and around the shoulders.

Other holes were drilled into the stake, for the purpose of burning more than one person at the stake.

Seeing the leather straps, Steve realized he had received a special privilege: he wouldn't be
bound by chains.

While he was secured to the stake, his limbs would be free to move as the flames approached. Then
he considered another purpose of the straps: to keep his body upright
so that when the flames subdued him, he wouldn't collapse and burn too quickly.

At the base of the stake was a wooden platform, leading to which were three steps.

Small gaps were left between the slats to allow the heat and flames to rise from the bottom.

Below the platform, and around the entire stake, were piles of wood and bundles of tinder—
enough to ignite a proper fire, but not enough for a complete burning.

Steve pondered the reason for this arrangement for a while, then he understood: his burning required
a slow process , and the priests would add fuel throughout to prolong the burning as much as possible.

He looked around and saw a large pile of firewood in one corner, presumably for his burning.

Near the sacrificial platform and the fuel surrounding it was a brazier, already lit,
surrounded by at least a dozen freshly prepared torches. Steve wondered why a single act of burning at the stake would
require so many torches.

He reached out and took Yuna's hand, waiting for the signal to proceed, but instead of a signal, the oracle
priestess approached them.

"Chosen One," she said, "the goddess has proclaimed her will; she desires
to give you a gift before you go to the stake."

Steve and Yuna exchanged a glance. If Steve wasn't ready to be burned, what was the purpose now?

"If you agree, Chosen One," the oracle priestess continued, "then the Holy Bride will lead you
to that scaffold."

She pointed to a courtyard some distance from the stake platform, where a wooden scaffold stood.

“The priestesses will remove your robes and sandals. They will bind your wrists and ankles to the supports,
and then they will bring torches close to you so you can feel the flames.

The Goddess wishes to give you this gift before you are burned, and the priestesses also wish to
bid you farewell in this way. Do you agree, Chosen One?”

Steve smiled. “Yes, madam,” he said, “with pleasure.”

“And the Holy Bride?”

“If it is the Goddess’s will, and the Chosen One agrees, I gladly agree as well,” Yuna replied.

“Then lead the Chosen One over.”

Yuna followed the instructions, and as they walked toward the supports, Yuna glanced at Steve, whose
expression seemed delighted. He was already measuring the distance to ensure he could be properly bound to
either end of the supports. Two young priestesses stepped forward, removed his linen robes and jeweled sandals, and secured his wrists and ankles to the sides of the thick wooden sticks

with soft leather handcuffs. Steve rested his head against the crossbeam behind him, and suddenly he understood why so many torches were needed . His lips moved, but no sound came out. The young priestess who had removed her robes from Steve approached Yuna, holding a lit torch. She knelt before Yuna and offered the torch. "Holy Bride, we are ready. May we begin ?" Yuna took the torch from the young priestess, facing Steve, who was also looking at her with a pure, happy smile. Yuna raised the torch, tilting her head as if asking a question. "Anywhere you wish," Steve replied softly, then closed his eyes. Yuna raised the torch, lightly brushing the tip of the flame against Steve's left shoulder. Steve, restrained, jumped and cried out. "Oh, that's wonderful," he gasped, "Please... again." The other priestesses then approached, each holding a torch. At first, they came one after another, then two or three at a time. They brushed flames across Steve's body; one ran the tip of the flame across his chest and abdomen, while another stimulated his back; a third flicked the flame across his calves, ankles, and feet. Steve groaned and cried out continuously. As his lust intensified, some of the bolder priestesses used their flames to stimulate Steve's buttocks and genitals, slowly and carefully warming them. Soon, Steve was crying out without restraint or shame, overwhelmed by the pleasure they were giving him.

He writhed desperately within

them. "Please," he pleaded, "Burn me! Burn me!"

Finally, Yuna stood before him, torch in hand, gesturing for another priestess to stand behind Steve,
holding the torch to his buttocks. Yuna then directed her flames toward Steve's genitals, sending them
plunging deep between his legs.

Steve groaned and recoiled, howling and throbbing as he felt the flames touch his buttocks.
Then he lunged forward, thrusting his penis into the flames Yuna held before him.

He now understood the game these women were playing; for minutes he had struggled
and screamed under their manipulation, swinging back and forth between the two flames.

Finally, they all pressed against him, their torches touching his body simultaneously. He
cried out with a mixture of sensations: intense heat, pain, pleasure, ecstasy, the peak of ecstasy,
and almost unbearable sexual climax.

Yuna chuckled softly, gazing into Steve's eyes. Steve returned the smile, meeting Yuna
's gaze, then suddenly his eyes widened as if he had seen too much light. He leaned taut
against Yuna.

"Madam," he whispered, "please help me."

Yuna placed her torch back in the brazier and knelt before him.

Two older priestesses, understanding that whatever was about to happen was a private matter between the Chosen One and the Holy
Bride , opened their cloaks, separating the two from the onlookers.

No one could see what they were doing inside, but they heard Steve's groans
grow louder and more rapid, culminating in a long, loud cry of release.

After Yuna rose, the priestesses removed their cloak barrier, revealing Steve,
his body loosely bound and breathing softly.

One priestess untied him and handed him a cup of water, which he drank eagerly. Another priestess took
a cool, damp cloth and wiped his face, neck, and body, allowing him to recover from the intense heat and
flames.

But Steve's eyes were only on Yuna. "Thank you," he whispered to her.

Her eyes seemed to well up with tears, but then she smiled.

"My love," she whispered back, "I once said that if the goddess would allow it, I would
be burned alongside you—and you thank me for something so small?"

By this time, the priestesses had dressed Steve in his linen robes and sandals again, and he still wore
the golden headdress, the crown that would remain on his head until the
torch .

The High Priestess and the Oracle Priestess approached him. "It is time for the Chosen One to walk into the flames,"
said the High Priestess. "Is he ready?"

"I am ready, madam," Steve replied, his breathing quickening.

“And is the Holy Bride ready to offer the Chosen One to the flames?”

Yuna’s gaze moved from the High Priestess to the Oracle Priestess, and back to the High Priestess.

Then she looked at Steve.

Suddenly, she knelt before the two priestesses and looked up at them.

“The Holy Bride willingly obeys the Goddess’s will, as always,” she replied.

“The Holy Bride is ready to offer the Chosen One to the flames, according to the Goddess’s will and the Chosen One’s
own desire; however, before the ceremony begins, the Holy Bride begs for a favor from the Goddess.”

“What favor?” the Oracle Priestess asked.

Yuna stretched out her hands in an ancient supplication gesture, touching her knees, which were slightly above the elder priestess’s brocade robe
.

“I beg the goddess to allow me to accompany the Chosen One to the stake,” her voice was soft but clear,
“I beg Him to allow me to remain beside Him in His burning glory.”

Her hands remained on the oracle priestess’s knees, her gaze fixed intently on the priestess’s
eyes , then she slowly bowed her head.

“Yuna!” Steve exclaimed, realizing he had called out.

The priestesses ignored Steve’s transgression of temple protocol, their faces showing only shock for a moment
, but the oracle priestess quickly regained her composure.

“Rise, child,” she said to Yuna, taking Yuna’s hands and pulling her to her feet. Then,
she sought inner peace to discern the goddess’s will.

Steve stared at Yuna in astonishment, his mind in turmoil. Finally, he focused on the only stable thing he could
find : Yuna’s eyes, clear and tearless, and her serene smile.

“Yuna, my love… are you sure you really want to do this? Are you sure you want to be
burned ?”

“Yes, Steve. Didn’t you believe me when I told you this before?”

“I thought it was just your way of expressing your love for me.”

“I do love you,” Yuna said, “and I wish to be burned beside you.”

“I love you too, Yuna,” Steve said, “deeply.
It would be my honor to be burned beside you. Your presence in the flames would give me immense joy, but you have already
done so much for me. I cannot ask you to die with me.”

“Please, Steve, this is my wish. Let me give you that joy,” she said,
gently taking his hand. After a moment, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly.

“Chosen One, is there anything you wish to say?” the High Priestess asked.

Yuna looked at him, her eyes pleading.

"I second the Holy Bride's request," Steve concluded. "If this is truly her wish, and
if Her Majesty the Goddess agrees, I request permission to be burned alongside me."

He gazed at Yuna for a moment, her face radiant. "I am unworthy of such a great honor;
any honor beyond being chosen by the Goddess is undeserved, but it will bring me indescribable pleasure."

"Holy Bride, is it truly your wish to be burned alongside the Chosen One?" the Oracle Priestess asked.

"Yes, oh, yes."

"Then it is permitted," said the Oracle Priestess. "Her Majesty the Goddess has seen the bond between you."
"True love, and she expressed her consent. Let us go together to the sacrificial fire, and may the goddess watch over you with loving eyes."

The second set of restraints was quickly brought and fastened to the side of the first set.

This new change quickly spread among the crowd watching in the courtyard: the holy bride had asked the goddess to allow her
to be burned alongside her beloved—the Chosen One—and the goddess, in Her mercy, had granted her request.

Taking Steve's hand again, Yuna led him slowly toward the platform. Together they climbed three
steps to the stake and approached the stake.

When they reached the stake, Yuna placed her hands on Steve's shoulders and gently guided him to turn around, leading him to
stand with his back to the stake. As his back first touched the stake, he let out a soft groan of longing.

Yuna's hands remained on Steve's shoulders for a while, and she looked into his eyes, saying, "
Steve , I know I promised you I would light your fire, but things have changed. Would you be willing to
rescind that promise of 'I will burn you myself'?"

Steve slowly raised his hand to stroke her cheek.

"Of course, I rescind that promise, my love," he whispered. "I had hoped you would
light my fire, but if you were to prepare the burning ceremony for me, and then be burned with me
, that would be even more my wish."

He then fell silent for a moment, realizing that his deepest dream was about to come true. He
was about to be slowly burned alive, with a woman by his side—a woman who was not only beautiful, but
also deeply in love with him, and willing to be burned with him. The intense joy was almost
unbearable .

She slowly removed his robe and sandals, handing them to the waiter waiting at the bottom of the steps. Next, she
wrapped the leather straps around his waist and shoulders, adjusting their tightness for his comfort, and then
secured them with a detachable chain and a small key. Finally, she removed the chain and key, handing them to a servant
who bowed and retreated from the pyre.

Steve was now strapped to the stake, almost ready to be burned. As was customary, Yuna
embraced him and gave him a ceremonial kiss on the forehead. Then she turned to the small crowd of
onlookers asked, "Who will tie me to the stake? Who will prepare me for sacrifice?"

The High Priestess herself ascended the pyre, and Yuna was about to kneel before her in a final gesture of respect,
but the High Priestess stopped her.

"On a day when someone offers herself for a sacrifice, her status is higher than that of an empress on a throne,"
the High Priestess said, speaking as if she were lecturing, but with a kind smile, she
embraced Yuna.

Then, she removed Yuna's white linen robe, revealing her beautiful body to the audience below.
Yuna took off her sandals and bowed her head so the High Priestess could remove the headscarf covering her hair.

Completely naked, indescribably beautiful Yuna stood motionless until the High
Priestess led her to the wooden stake. Steve watched, his breathing quickening, as the High Priestess
bound Yuna into position with the ribbons, just as she had done for him not long ago.

Finally, the High Priestess reached out and removed the gold ring from Steve's head, placing it briefly on Yuna's brown
curls , for Yuna was now also one of the chosen sacrifices. Then she embraced Yuna one last time
and kissed her forehead, whispering in her ear, "You have done well, child. Go and be with the goddess."

She made a sacred hand gesture and then bowed deeply to the two of them.

"Chosen Ones, Holy Bride, you are blessed," she said, her eyes glistening with tears, which she
quickly wiped away; weeping was not a custom of the ceremony.

Then, she removed the golden ring from Yuna's head, took two steps back, bowed again, and stepped down from the pyre
.

Yuna looked at the crowd and made a final appeal: "Brothers and sisters—who is willing to light our
pyre? Who is willing to sacrifice us?"

A middle-aged priest who had known Steve and Yuna for many years stepped forward, looking at them solemnly
and bowing slightly. Steve and Yuna exchanged a glance, then nodded.

The priest himself was a veteran of sacrifice; he ascended the pyre and knelt before them.

“Chosen Ones, Holy Bride, will you forgive me for what I must do?”

“Old friends, we are willing to be burned; it is our choice made by free will,” Steve said.
“There is nothing to forgive.”

“We thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” Yuna said. “Offer ourselves to the Goddess with joy, and do not be
afraid.”

The priest drew a small, sharp dagger from his robes. He approached the two and cut off
a small lock of Steve’s hair and a strand of Yuna’s curl. Then, as the High Priestess had done, he
bowed deeply to them and stepped off the platform, placing their hair into the brazier. The hair immediately burned and turned to ashes
.

He picked up a new torch and used the flame from the burning hair to light it. Steve closed
his eyes, leaned his head back against the stake, and groaned. He reached out to Yuna and held her tightly.

The priest stood before the pyre. "Goddess! Please accept our offering—your
chosen one and his holy bride, who have offered themselves to be burned before you. Have mercy on them
and accept their sacrifice!"

He knelt and placed the torch on the wood. After the wood was lit, he took a few steps to the right and lit the wood
there . He continued in this manner, igniting the fuel in a circle around the base of the stake
so that it would burn evenly.

Holding Yuna's hand tightly, Steve watched the priest light the pyre. As the first flame rose, he
groaned softly and leaned against the stake. Wisps of smoke rose from the newly lit wood, carrying the scent of wood to them.
Steve leaned his head against the stake again, closed his eyes, and meditated for a while.

"Goddess," he whispered, "thank you."

Yuna prayed softly beside him.

"Our Lady and Queen, I thank you for allowing me to join the ceremony and come before you, even though you did not choose me,"
she said. "I thank you for allowing me and Steve to be burned together; please show us your mercy and your
will ."

She took Steve's hand and kissed it, then turned to face him and placed his hand on her breast.
Steve trembled.

"We're about to be burned," she whispered to him, a bright smile on her face. "Chosen One,
Steve, we're about to be burned!"

Steve looked down. The fire was still far below the platform, but it had grown, and the priest
was adding more firewood.

"He lit the flames for the world, and I lie in them," he murmured.

"A thousand tongues of fire lick around my embers," Yuna replied with a smile.

"How do you know...?"

"I learned it last night when I read your mind and memories," she said. "The goddess was right to choose you.
You are a kind and compassionate man. I may very well be burned someday—I have considered offering myself in the ceremony at
several points—but I would rather be burned with you."

The air around them grew warmer.

“Yuna, I need you,” Steve whispered. “Come closer.”

Their straps were long enough for them to embrace. Yuna ran her hand over Steve’s most
sensitive spot and caressed it for a while. Steve gasped.

The flames gathered power, and the air around them continued to heat up. Steve and Yuna, bound
by , held each other’s hands tightly. Wisps of flame leaped toward their platform. A tongue of fire licked at
Steve’s calf. He jerked in pain, pulled away from Yuna’s grip, and leaned back against his wooden post.

“I’m being burned!” he gasped. “I’m being burned!”

“Steve!” Yuna cried, reaching out to him again. “Steve—”

“Yuna, look!” he called.

Countless bright tongues of fire were burning toward them from the edge of the platform. Steve wanted to lean toward them,
but his straps wouldn’t allow him to bend forward that far; Yuna’s breathing turned into sobs.

"My Goddess," she prayed, "grant us strength!"

A tongue of fire flew towards Yuna, licking her thigh. She cried out,
shifting her weight between her legs, her legs spreading wider and wider—another tongue of fire leaped up, licking Yuna's
private , and she couldn't help but scream.

Steve groaned as he looked at Yuna, his penis fully erect, as if welcoming the approaching
flames. He was about to be burned to death, yet he had never felt so invigorated.

"Come to me, Yuna," he called out, and Yuna gasped, "Steve—come to me before
the flames get too close—"

They moved toward each other, touching, caressing, and embracing. Yuna grasped Steve's sacred
part, quickly guiding it home. Steve pushed forward, panting, and Yuna relaxed,
welcoming his deep penetration.

The air, scorched by the flames, grew increasingly hot, but they could only feel each other. Suddenly, they
moved together on the sacrificial platform, time seemingly frozen for them.

Steve leaned towards Yuna and kissed her lightly, seeing her gaze widen and stare at him. At first, he didn't
understand why, but after a moment, he seemed to see Yuna transform into something slightly beyond life itself. Her
face and body radiated a power, a feeling he himself began to experience, though indescribable.

He gazed at her, and a light, visible only to him, surrounded Yuna and within her, and
Steve 's body responded to this light.

Yuna looked at Steve, and she gasped in awe. Before her, Steve seemed older
, wiser, more majestic and sublime—she knew that a god had descended upon Steve, and even
a goddess was beginning to descend upon her.

"My Lord," she whispered, reaching out to touch his face, "accept me, I beg you,
accept us."

The being of the deity and Steve, united, simultaneously appeared in Yuna's eyes, smiling and kissing her. She
cried out , responding with all her might. Suddenly, a flame
burst forth from the wooden planks of the platform they stood on, licking the part of their bodies that were tightly joined.

They cried out simultaneously, gripping each other even tighter. At that moment, another flame rose from beneath their
feet , this time licking the part of Steve's penis remaining outside Yuna and the smooth
skin behind it.

This time, Steve did not cry out. Using a knowledge he had never known before, which he only possessed at that moment
, he absorbed the flame into his body, allowing it to travel along his penis, filling it with light and heat,
and then sending it to Yuna.

Yuna moaned, feeling Steve's light and heat radiating through her private parts. She perceived it as Steve
channeling this energy into her body, knowing it would bring her the greatest possible bliss. She moaned softly,
opening herself further to Steve.

Steve laughed, thrusting deeper and fuller. As the light and heat he gave her gradually spread and engulfed her
entire body , Yuna let out a pure, joyful moan.

Steve's mind was connected to Yuna's—Yuna willingly allowed him to—through which Steve could
share every sensation, every inch of her senses, every detail, without omission.

For them, they could see the energy of light and heat spreading from Steve's body along Yuna's nerves and
spine, gradually igniting her body from within.

Then, Yuna discovered her gift (ability) and smiled happily. She used her mind to
gather the strands of light and heat energy within her body, guiding them along her nerves back to Steve. She let them
enter Steve's body through his penis, giving him pleasure, just as he had done for her.

Like lighting one candle without extinguishing itself, the light and heat energy
didn't leave Yuna's body; it simply diffused into Steve.

They watched as the fiery energy flowed into Steve's body, slowly igniting and warming him from within, causing
him to convulse and groan.

As more flames rose from the pyre beneath them, Steve and Yuna absorbed them all,
sending them to each other through their sacred parts, watching the light and heat energy
increase along their nerves.

Finally, as the energy gathered to the point where they seemed to burst into flame, Yuna looked into Steve's eyes
and kissed him.

"A thousand tongues of fire," she whispered, "a thousand tongues of fire, my dear—and you've
given them all to me."

Steve couldn't speak; his eyes spoke for him. He pulled Yuna close and kissed her deeply.
For a moment, they saw themselves merge into a single, pure light.

Then, Yuna gripped Steve tightly in agony and cried out. Because their mental connection hadn't been severed,
Steve could feel her pleasure surging, like a wave crashing over her body to its peak, making
her feel white-hot.

That tremor drove Steve to thrust desperately again and again until he felt himself erupt completely,
his entire body exploding into thousands of shimmering fragments of light and fire.

After a while, when they regained their senses, time began to flow again. The High Priestess
looked at them with awe and softly addressed the crowd, "The gods and goddesses have descended; we
are truly blessed."

During their union, the sacrificial flames did not cease burning. Steve and Yuna had now
returned to full human form—and were beginning to be burned alive.

The flames licked their legs, slowly climbing upwards, but the gift they had received had not completely
abandoned them. They could feel all the sensations of burning—the heat and the pain—but now these sensations
were bearable, and a wisp of pleasure still lingered within them. The sharp pain,
the tormenting agony, had vanished.

Yuna watched the flames approach Steve's genitals. Steve groaned and writhed, but
he did not scream or try to escape. As the flames began to lick his penis, Yuna reached out and touched it.
Her hand touched the flames, feeling the intense heat and a slight pain.

She held Steve's penis in her hands, mesmerized, as the flames began to burn it intensely;
Steve leaned forward, surrendering himself to Yuna's caresses.

"Yes," he whispered, "let me burn, oh, let me burn."

The fire also reached Yuna's flesh, and though Steve himself was being burned, he watched the flames climb towards
Yuna's private parts between her legs. Yuna, too, gasped and writhed, like Steve, without screaming or
flinching.

As Yuna had done for him, Steve reached out to touch her genitals as the flames burned her, and
Yuna pressed her body against Steve.

Steve searched for the connection of their shared souls, and upon finding it again, he felt the flames
burning Yuna's flesh, just as Yuna could feel Steve's burning.

But now their bodies, weakened by the intense heat and flames,
leaned against the wooden stake, facing each other, making little movement, letting the fire do its work slowly. They seemed to sigh occasionally or whisper to each other, but what they said

during that time , no one knows. The flames rose to Yuna's breasts, and Steve reached out his right hand to touch them. As , his fingers caught fire. Seeing this, Yuna reached out to touch Steve's face. At that moment, a pillar of fire erupted beside her, engulfing her right hand, and her fingers caught fire as well. She simply gazed lovingly at Steve , seemed to sigh, and then began to lower her hand. Steve reached out his unburnt left hand and gently grasped Yuna's wrist. As he leaned his head towards her, he guided her burning right hand toward his face, saying with slight difficulty, " Please ." Yuna slowly raised her right hand toward Steve's face, and Steve pulled his head closer, letting Yuna gently stroke his cheek. His beard instantly burst into flames, but his gaze remained resolute. Then the flames spread to his hair, causing him to scream—a long, trembling wail. His burning head slumped toward Yuna's shoulder, and he quickly looked up again, panting. Yuna reached out her burning hand and touched Steve's head. After Steve pulled Yuna's hand to his face, Yuna guided his head toward her shoulder. Steve sighed and relaxed. A tongue of fire from his hair leaped onto Yuna's curly hair, and the sight of Yuna's brown curls burning was the last thing Steve would ever see. As Yuna's head slumped beside Steve, the raging flames engulfed their bodies. The priests below the altar waited and observed whether there were any signs of life, but minutes passed, and their bodies continued to burn without any sign of life or movement. So the priests began to add more firewood. Soon, Steve and Yuna's bodies were intensely burned by the towering inferno, and the onlookers retreated to avoid the intense heat. The High Priestess gazed at the wooden stake, then raised her gaze towards heaven. "Goddess, we have offered you our best," she whispered. "Our most precious possessions, please have mercy on them, please have mercy on us." Then, in a final gesture of respect, she knelt before the firewood, bowing her head in worship, while the flames , smoke, and ashes swirled and rose toward the midday sun.

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