ᴏꜰ ꜰʟᴇꜱʜ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴏɴᴇ -

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪ - ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ

Rulers will do questionable things so that the well-being of their people won't be called into question. You kneel before their throne unaware that it is born of lies. Until the kingdom is in ruins. Until there's no one to rule over but corpses.

The sound of crushing leaves was followed by the clinking of metallic armour not far behind. The moon was high in the sky, casting a pale glow over the dense forest and the two figures running through it. Their blood — what hasn't been spilled yet — was pumping, breaths coming out in quick, panicked gasps. They could feel their limbs straining, begging and pleading for them to stop, but they didn't. They couldn't. Not with their persecutors hot on their trail. The youngest panted.

"Lilith, please — you're falling behind." The oldest — the most wounded — wailed, her steps faltering. The clinking was getting louder. "I know... I'm sorry — I can't go on much longer."

Her sister then turned around, gripping her hand firmly. "I'm not leaving you behind."

They ran into the darkness, not knowing where they were headed. It was futile, and they were aware of it. They could only pray to lose the pursuers in the maze of trees, but even that was pointless — there are no gods here. He was dead, and they would soon follow.

That was until the youngest spotted something in the distance. She slowed down slightly, until she touched the tip of the portal on the ground with her feet. Despite her heartbeat ringing in her pointy ears, she could still hear it clear as day — the whispers of the trees around them, almost inviting her to step in. The caps of the mushroom ring at her feet were in varying shades of brown and beige, almost innocent-looking despite the implications.

"Abaddon, have you lost your senses? We can't. The humans will kill us all in the same." Her sister protested wearily, and she could only scoff. "They may bury me shallow — I'll be back. Would you prefer to stay here and pray to a god who listens on wilted ears? The guards will chase us like prey over the ledge. I'd rather take my chances."

They exchanged wide-eyed, anxious looks, before wordlessly coming to an agreement. Lilith simply gave her sister a barely noticeable nod, and she squeezed her hand in return. And thus, clinging to their last glimpse of hope, they took a step forward, walking into hell holding hands.