A few hours prior...

"You're thinking too much."

"No. You of all people should know me very well. I am unstable. I almost killed you once. Did you forget?"

"You need to calm down. Nothing will happen. Aren't you fine now?" Jin assured him.

"You don't understand." With those words, Serephius took a step back, and with his eyes cast downwards, he turned to leave. He was clearly upset and angry.

"Hey...Where are you going?" Jin shouted at his retreating back. "Don't do anything stupid, you hear me?"

...

After a long discussion with Jin, Serephius had walked off to cool himself down. A little farther down his path, he came across a big willow tree and decided to take shade under it. He strode up towards the tree and laid down on his back.

The glinting rays of the sun penetrated through the slender weeping leaves that were hanging down from the arching branches of the tree. They fell on his eyes, making him feel uncomfortable so he raised his arms over his head and rested them above his eyes so that the bright rays wouldn't hurt them. He then started reminiscing the past events, especially his relationship with Lilith.

Where was he taking this relationship with her? He didn't know.

Should he come clear to her and tell her about his past, about his everything? He hesitated.

Suddenly, the old witch lady's words flashed in his mind.

"Never forget. The most unpleasant truth is a safer companion than a pleasant falsehood."

Those words. Serephius knew very well the meaning behind those words. They were telling him to come out with the truth. To tell Lilith about him, about everything, the things he did, who and what he was. No matter how ugly the truth was, it was better to confront her once and tell her everything instead of hiding it from her, pretending to be nice and innocent when in reality he was far from that. But he still did not have the strength to confront Lilith. He was afraid. But afraid of what?

He never wanted to hurt her but she would have to know about it sooner or later. If he told her, things might never be the same again. But he didn't want to hide his true self from her either. He can't deny his feelings for her, he truly cared for her deep inside his heart. And no matter how flawed and broken he was, he wished Lilith would love him for who he was.

But he was afraid.

Afraid that if he got closer, he might hurt her.

He was confused. Maybe...

Just maybe...

If there was a sign...

.
.
.

"Kill him." A tall and sturdy shadowy figure fumed.

"No. You can't."

"It should have never been born," The male figure continued.

"How could you say that? He's our baby."

"It's a curse."

"He is our son, your son. And he has a name. He is not an object. Stop referring to him like one," came the fragile voice of the mother.

"This was a mistake. Look what we've done. We've created a monster," he grieved.

"Stop." The mother covered her son's ears with both her hands. "He is my son and he is no monster. How could you say such things to a three-year-old child?"

"Step aside." The dark figure pushed the mother away and raised his sword in a deadly position, ready to strike his son.

"Serephius!" The mother screamed her son's name as she rushed in to protect him.

The sound of a steel sword penetrating the flesh reverberated throughout the dark room.

A three-year-old Serephius watched with wide, unblinking eyes as crimson blood splattered onto his face. His mother had been impaled in her chest whilst trying to protect him.

...

The surrounding changed and Serephius found himself somewhere inside a large, empty void space. Red was the colour that surrounded the world around him, the colour of his fear.

"Love? What makes you think you are capable of loving someone?" A voice, very similar to him, laughed.

"What can you give her? Do you not know what you are, Serephius?" the voice continued, taunting him. It was his alter ego.

"Shut up." Serephius gritted under his teeth. He clenched his fists in anger. "I don't need you to remind me."

"Heh. Is that so?" His alter ego mocked him. "How does it feel to have her in your heart when you know you can't have her in your arms? Is it painful?"

The words filled his heart with exasperation and anger.

"Face it." his alter ego continued. "You know very well what fate awaits her if she stays with you."

...

'Where am I now?' Serephius thought to himself as he found himself in yet another unknown dimension.

It was complete darkness that surrounded him this time. Neither could he move nor could he control his own body. He could only look at the nothingness through his eyes whilst his body floated aimlessly within the dark, empty space.

A white figure slowly emerged from the darkness and he quickly identified who it was. It possessed the appearance of someone he knew very well, someone who was very close to his heart. Lilith.

It seemed she was not here for him. She was running away, from something or rather someone. A look of fear and panic painted her features as he saw her run away in desperation and hurry.

"Lilith." He called out but he was mute. His voice could never reach her. A sudden feeling of dread washed over him. She was in danger. He had to run to her, he had to save her. But he could not command his body to move. It was as if he was imprisoned, it was as if he was drugged and tied down; he had no control over his own body.

Serephius helplessly watched in agony as Lilith's frail and frightened form disappeared in the darkness. Not a second later, a beast-like figure swooshed past him like a storm and chased hungrily after Lilith, carrying with it an intent to kill.

He knew the form of that beast very well. That being was his biggest nightmare, it was the one that had always haunted him almost all his life.

'No! Nooo!' His mind screamed as he desperately willed himself to move but to no avail.

Suddenly, the scene changed again. His body still could not move. But this new space surrounded by darkness was filled with poisonous, dangerous flowers; red spider lilies, which were otherwise known as flowers of death scattered around the place in rows, stretching far and wide.

A feeling of panic rushed into his being. He could feel his insides heat up with frustration and anxiety at the thought of what exactly would happen next. But his worst fears were answered. And the image he saw afterwards shattered his heart into a million pieces. His vision blurred as he felt himself choking on his tears; the excruciatingly painful sight ripped his soul apart and burnt it.

He tried to scream and violently struggled to move but he couldn't. Multiple shadows resembling those of hands circled his body and confined him, restricting his movements. Those menacing hands sealed his mouth preventing him from uttering a word and he was made to watch the gruesome scene right before his eyes.

The body of a lifeless Lilith laid on the ground, with her eyes wide open in complete horror. Blood streamed down like a rivulet from the punctured wound in her chest. The menacing creature hovered on top of her dead body, its gleaming red eyes thirsting for her blood. The sinister creature possessing a demonic appearance stared up at him with a satisfying smirk.

Serephius widened his tearstained eyes in complete shock as he found himself looking down at an exact replica of himself.
.
.

His eyes snapped open and his body shot up instantly into a sitting position. He was shaking in fear, covered in cold sweat with his heart rapidly pounding inside his chest. Serephius had awoken in a state of panic. For a moment he felt paranoid, he had almost forgotten where he was at. Then realization hit him. It was a nightmare.

The vivid images he saw in his dream were not real yet they lingered in his mind for quite a long while. The dead, lifeless Lilith who was staring at him with dull hollow eyes, the imagery of her body covered in dark red blood shook him to his core. Lilith, whom he held very close to his heart had died in his hands. Dream or not, it was the bitter truth. And there was no saying the same predicament might not happen in the future.

He remembered just a few moments ago, he was thinking about Lilith. He hadn't even realized when he had fallen asleep. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in exasperation.

'Was this the sign I asked for?' his mind screamed.

'Why? Why is the world so cruel?' And he faltered helplessly.

'Fine. I get it. I know what to do.'

.
.
.

Present moment...

"You're late." Lilith pointed a finger at Serephius, smiling up at him.

"..."

"Isn't the sunset so pretty? What a view!" Lilith exclaimed happily. The view of the afternoon sunset in the sunflower field was absolutely awe-inspiring.

"I also have something to tell you," Serephius spoke after a while.

"Really? Then you go first." Lilith smiled at him.

"No. You go first."

"No."

"I-" "Lilith." They both said in unison and Lilith giggled in amusement.

"You know what, Serephius? I really lo-"

"Let's go our separate ways." Serephius interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

"Heh?" Lilith didn't know how to react.

"Let's end this relationship. Let's end...this marriage."

"...Why?" Lilith's voice almost came out in a whisper. She could not comprehend what he was suddenly saying, all out of the blue.

"It's better that way," Serephius told her expressionlessly.

"I don't understand...Why are you doing this so suddenly? Did I do something wrong?" Lilith reached out to touch him but he moved away making her flinch instead.

"If you stay with me, you're just gonna get yourself hurt," Serephius told Lilith in a low voice.

"No..you're wrong. I know you will never hurt me-"

"You don't know that! You don't know anything about me so don't act as you do!" he shouted.

"...why? Why are you like this?" Lilith could feel warm tears gathering in her eyes.

"I hate those who force themselves on others. You and I never will have a future."

"I don't believe. You're lying to me!"

"You don't get it." Serephius gave her a fake smile. "I just don't want you in my life. That's what I meant. Do you understand? So don't force me. I don't want to hate you."

"Lies...Lies! Lies! I don't believe." Lilith covered her ears and screamed, closing her eyes.

"That's up to you but nothing you say will change my mind." Serephius turned and walked away from her.

"Wait!" Lilith yelled at him. "I...I don't know what came over you to treat me like this but I promise I won't be a nuisance to you anymore. If you would just tell me the things you didn't like about me, I promise I will change. I want us to be together...you don't have to talk to me...I will stay mute if you wish for it. You won't even have to feel my presence. I can stay that way. I won't annoy you...So please..just let me stay by your side.."

Lilith didn't even notice tears had already started cascading down her cheeks. She was crying now.

"You are such a pain..you know that? There is nothing more appalling than sticking shamelessly to someone who doesn't want your existence in their life. The kind of people I despise the most in this world is people like you." He told her bitterly.

"...If you truly hate me, then kill me. Then I'll believe you. Kill me!"

"Don't push it."

"Just kill me! If you have it in you, just kill me. And I'll believe you."

Serephius glared at her, his expression was stone-cold. "You asked for it."

In the blink of an eye, Serephius was right next to Lilith. He looked at her with his bloodshot red eyes, his body giving off an intense aura to kill. He leaned down and got into a combative stance as if positioning himself to attack one of his worst enemies. The area around them quickly changed into a nightmarish ambiance of black and red, the once bright and blooming sunflowers were nowhere in sight. It was just her, him, and an atmosphere of darkness.

The scene seemed to unfold in slow motion. He unsheathed his lean sword and watched her from the corner of his eyes.

Lilith gazed wide-eyed at the glistening silver blade that was about to come at her. And without giving her any warning, Serephius stabbed her chest. Blood splattered on his face as the cruel blade impaled her heart.

Lilith watched with shocked eyes at him. She could no longer move her body, everything felt numb. But she knew for sure that she had been stabbed by none other than the one she loved most. That too, on the day she was about to confess her love to him. She could feel everything that was happening to her with every fiber of her being. But it was too late to reverse things. Because very soon, she would die.

Those menacing red eyes of his, those emotionless deep pools, and that cold hateful stare he gave her were the last things she saw before she closed her eyes, letting complete darkness consume her senses.

Serephius had killed her.

●○●○●○●○

"Are you satisfied?"

"Stay out of it, Jin."

"Are you happy now? After hurting her like this?"

"..."

A few meters ahead, the body of the unconscious Lilith rested under a big tree. Serephius watched her from afar, his body hidden by the groves of trees. Jin had arrived later when the whole situation with him and Lilith got over.

"When she regains consciousness, look after her," Serephius told Jin.

"What is the purpose of doing this?"

"I want her to hate me. That's the only way she'll leave me."

"And you think killing her inside a fake dimension, by putting her under an illusion in some stupid, fake idealistic world created by you is going to make her hate you? Have you ever considered the emotional trauma you could be giving her through that heartless act of yours?"

Serephius did not have an answer.

"She just experienced death because of you. You did this to her. If you want to condone your actions then you look after her. I am not going to do it."

"What makes you think I want to condone my actions? What's done is done and she should live with that. I don't want her in my life!" Right after Serephius said that his face collided with Jin's fist.

Jin had punched him square on the face.

"You're pathetic. Things were going fine so why did you do this to her? You ruined your happiness on your own. You're an idiot. After I told you not to do anything stupid, you just had to go and create this mess."

"Shut up. What do you know about my happiness? What makes me happy is when I see her safe." Serephius punched back at Jin. "I don't want her to waste her entire life living with a monster who might kill her the moment he loses control!" he shouted, grabbing Jin by the collar.

"You're pitiful." Saying this, Jin pushed Serephius away forcefully, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"I don't want to hurt her. Why can't you understand that?!" Serephius lunged forward at Jin, his hands balling into a fist and flinging it at his face. Jin got knocked down onto the ground.

"Excuses. Those are just your excuses. The truth is you don't have the confidence in yourself to protect her? Do you? You're scared when she knows the truth about you, she'll look at you differently. You can't take that, can you?" Jin spat at him from the ground.

"Shut up, bastard," Serephius seethed. "I am the cursed child.." Serephius suddenly lowered his voice, almost into a whisper. "People close to me always end up dying, I have nobody. Everybody ends up dying because of this curse I have. I am a child that was never meant to be born. I don't want to give Lilith the same fate. If I were to lose control one day-"

"You're weak. Only fools believe in curses like that. If you were to lose control one day? What a lame thing to say, that too coming from a powerful immortal like you. If you sincerely care for her, then try to protect her with all that you have, with your blood and soul. Don't let the darkness consume you. Don't let yourself lose control. Stop spouting such pathetic excuses and face it for once. Face your fate. Fight it with her. You weak asshole." Jin got up and kneed Serephius in the stomach.

"Don't act like you know a lot about me you stupid fox." Serephius pushed Jin down on the ground again and hovered on top of him. His eyes swirled red as he brought his fists up to land another hit on him.

"I stuck with you for years. There were times I had seen you lose control. You'd almost killed me once but hey I'm not weak enough to be killed by someone like you. Lilith is not weak either. You need to learn to control yourself and I believe Lilith is the key to achieving that. Why don't you give yourself a chance?" Jin said, fixing his gaze on him. Serephius slowly retreated his fists, looking down dejectedly.

"I don't want to," Serephius replied to Jin, getting himself up. "I can't risk it." he continued but Jin was too busy looking at something else to listen to what Serephius was telling him.

"You..." Jin started.

"What?"

"..your neck..."

Serephius widened his eyes and immediately touched the side of his neck. The texture of his skin felt different. He could feel hard and dry scaly skin instead of the softness that was supposed to be there. His ugly form was showing.

This was the bitter truth he had so painstakingly wanted to hide from Lilith. He quickly turned around and disappeared from the place leaving Jin all alone with an unconscious Lilith a few meters ahead.

'Serephius, when will you ever tell Lilith the truth? The truth that you are the Serpent God.' thought Jin, shaking his head and looking down in defeat.

To be continued...

»»--⍟--««

Surprise surprise..was it? No? Okay.

This is it for this chapter guys! I hope you guys enjoyed it or not. I didn't think so. Well, tell me what you guys think about this chapter in the comments below. Please vote and share if you liked this story. Thank you.

Bye guys｡.｡:∞♡*♥