I suddenly opened my eyes as if waking up from a nightmare. I stood surrounded by a hoard of Cerberus shadows between me and Felix who stood at some distance, blankly looking my way.

I looked to my side where Deli was still crucified. She wasn't moving at all anymore, though I'm sure she hadn't quit breathing yet.

I grasped Ebony tightly and knowing these shadows were no big deal, I launched straight at Felix, easily cutting through all the shadows. It didn't take me long to understand that Felix was just testing the waters. These shadows were weaker than the ones before and I knew he was just trying to conserve his magic.

Still, it was no time to be lagging around, I spared no moments before I headed for Felix. I wasn't going easy on him. My entire focus was solely on the move I was making. I could hear the muscles in my body stretching, breaking and exerting with all my strength as I launched back to back attacks against Felix. He remained on the defense and dodged all my attacks.

But I wasn't stopping until I had made an impact. Finally, thanks to my footwork, I had managed to surprise him with just a little cut on his right cheek. He retreated quickly and established distance between us. I too recovered from my position and held my guard up.

A trail of sweat made it's way down my cheek and I wiped it as Felix assumed a grim and sad expression.

"Seraph, how could you...?"

I wonder what made him say that.

Soon, I was sinking in a bloody swamp as I saw Deli who had probably stopped breathing by now. A single teardrop fell down from Felix's eye and scattered with a rippling echo.

"Haven't this all...happened before?", I thought as I was consumed in darkness.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"And...if you really intend to end everything, you must know that none of them must survive."

I suddenly opened my eyes as if waking up from a nightmare.

I felt as if a hundred needles were impaling my eyes. For one, I just wanted to sleep and never have to look into that red mirage with Felix, the countless Cerberus heads and a motionless Deli.

"Seraph, how could you...?", as I wipe the sweat off my cheek, followed by a rippling echo.

The sinking feeling I felt and the sorrowful face of Felix, all that was before me and it did nothing to surprise me.

At the end of it all, I was left with Granny's words.

"And...if you really intend to end everything, you must know that none of them must survive."

I opened my eyes...in that same increasingly crimson realm. A trail of sweat rolled down my cheek but I had no strength to wipe it off. Yet, there she was and I had no choice but to fight. So I grasped Ebony with all my strength, though my palms felt like they were bleeding.

"Seraph, how could you...?"

The teardrop scattered.

I opened my eyes in that crimson bloodstained purgatory. The air was stinging my eyes so much, I never wanted to open them again.

I was so out of strength but Felix stood in front of me awaiting with all those shadows. And I had no choice but to fight, for Deli's sake.

No.

I wiped the sweat off my cheek as I dropped Ebony on the ground. I turned my back on the shadows and walked towards Deli. I stood facing her crucified form which was motionless. It was already gone. There was no reason to fight anymore. Well, perhaps...but maybe there was a chance.

"Oh, Seraph", Felix overcame me like a serpent, "Is this the look you are willing to carry?"

His voice entered the depths of my soul as he wrapped my whole body.

"You've done so much. You've tried so hard and yet, is this the world you'll be taken away in? Is there a reason you should fight for a place like this? In the end, you are alone. But you weren't alone when you had me. That's right, isn't it?"

I felt like I was melting and Felix and I were merging with every single word he spoke.

"I have the world, without this endless hopelessness, a world where you and I exist and not loneliness. Seraph, there's a world where you are strong. And there's no pain, a place where you can sleep. Aren't you tired, Seraph? Let's go to sleep, shall we?"

My mind was breaking with exhaustion and sleep didn't sound like a bad idea. I was fading away, my thoughts becoming weaker and my mind going numb. He had overwhelmed me.

Felix and I had become one.