CHAPTER FIFTEEN: PANDORA'S TEMPLE

The sight of the temple was magnificent. Flooded with ancient Greek hieroglyphs inscribed between each monument. It took her days to sojourn through the journey to the temple, as it only appeared at the peak of her curiosity.

Lilith stretched out her right leg, stepping into the ancient temple. Her love depends on this, and so does her future. In a brief moment, she had become a warrior. Seeking meaning in the love she had tried so strongly to reject within her heart.

Fire lit up the ground as she walked slowly. Her face held upright, speaking every inch of boldness. The treasure she sought lay in the hands of Pandora. Her hands tightened their grip as she stood before a statue, Pandora's box lying in its hands.

But it would never be that easy. For the people, it came at a cost. A rush of cold air filled the temple as the fire quenched, igniting blue flames in a second. A still voice echoed throughout the room. The voice of the quiet ones, hissing around the corners of the temple in anticipation of the next miserable soul to be devoured. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a heavy price for what thou seeketh. A sacrifice of human blood for Pandora's box, which you desire…even the queen of hell must pay a price!". The voices echoed in Lilith's heart, causing her pain beyond doubts.

She had to sacrifice a human for her love. Lilith turned around, staring at the countless souls taken away, the skeletons of those who desired Pandora's box stacked upon each other. A price they paid for their curiosity. She was in the exact position, except the only difference was that she came for one reason; a battle for love. A dangerous gamble for a life.

Lilith clenched to her chest, a damsel in distress yet ever so consumed by immense beauty. A teardrop rolled down her tender cheeks as the clouds shared in her pain, leading to an outburst of heavy tears raining down on the earth. She had to kill a human to save the one her heart longed for.

At that moment, she realized that it was all tragedy. Her father's plan devised to control her, bringing her to the realization of how worthless a human's life was. It wasn't about saving his life; it was a matter of admitting defeat and doing as they commanded her. "The devil doesn't bargain!" "He never settles," she muttered.

The Elders of Terror had a hand in it, and she was tied to her options. Killing a human and proving them right that she was their kind, or forcing an alliance with Teviel and saying goodbye to her heart's desire.

Her mind became a roller coaster of confused passengers. In a few days, she had to make the ultimate decision to leave everything behind. The life she held onto was a memory of despair. Her heart played a dark rhythm.. deeper than she'd ever felt.

Lost in between reality and thoughts, she stared at the moon with such helplessness as the sad lyrics played inside of her.

Someone take this burden from my heart.

Anyone..

I am lost in the desert of my confused thoughts.

I can't do this anymore...

One last pull, and I break into pieces.

Exposing my lonely self

When does it all get better?

This misery is eating up inside of me.

I close my eyes. I want to believe that it's all a lie.

An illusion I created in my wandering thoughts...

I need help… that I am sure of

Before it all gets ruined...

If you can hear me, please hurry.

If you can see me, please pull me up.

For I am too weak to realize how deeply I have fallen...

With time, it slowly fades away.

Help me before I am utterly consumed.

Before I say no more...

It is now or never. I will wait...

Until the last straw gets pulled...

Yours lonely.."

Lilith screamed in rage, staring at the Pandora box lying peacefully in the hands of the statue. Suddenly it came across her mind that she was half mortal, half demon. Willing to take a dangerous risk for the life of the lowly human whom she found herself utterly consumed with.

Taking a long deep breath, she stretched her hands forward, holding unto the box in hopes that her mortal flesh would pay the costly price.

In a swift period, the box turned hot, releasing great pain causing a loud wail from Lilith. Her human nature was withering and her demonic self was taking form, ripping her clothes apart. The energy emitted from the touch of the Pandora's box illuminated the temple, throwing Lilith down the mountains.

She staggered as she tried to get herself up through the narrow gates; the box lying next to her on the ground. The unbearable pain oozed from the sores on her bare back.

Tripping to the wet ground, she let out a painful cry as her wings sprouted out in anguish, soaked in sores of blood. Lilith knew the time had come; there was no stopping it.

The harder she tried to keep her head up, the more the flames of hell burned for her. In a matter of seconds, it had become a bloody battle of the heart and fury. She couldn't bear to risk Damien's life for her love. They say all is fair in love and war, but this was a cross too much to bear for Lilith.

"I cannot do this anymore.." she yelled as hot tears trickled down her heavy eyes. There was no hoping, for she knew it was all over. She found herself in a dilemma about who she was and what her ultimate desire was. It dawned on her that it wasn't the throne she wanted more; her actions proved otherwise.

How willing she was to risk everything for the sake of love. No one could save her from this hell, not even herself—a spell she was born to live with. Staring towards the sky, she glimpsed the sunset before her eyes and knew what it meant. Fading sounds and a blurred image of the present slowly eluded her eyes as she went unconscious. Her demonic form laying helplessly on the floor.

***************************************************************************************