Past

Dani's Dream Continues

Even though Steve's dream had ended, Dani's dream was still ongoing. While the accident was happening, Steve woke up, cutting the link between their dreams. But Dani's dream persisted.

In his dream:

Lilith approached Dani, her face streaked with tears.

Dani's voice was filled with rage. "What have you done, you bitch?"

Lilith sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Dani shouted, his anger boiling over. "You tried to kill a pregnant woman! That crosses the line. I thought you'd changed."

Lilith's voice trembled. "I didn't know she was pregnant."

Dani's eyes blazed. "So what? You think you can just kill people like that?"

Lilith reached out, trying to hold his hand. "She's not a person. She's a—"

Dani pushed her away, his voice breaking. "I know, damn it! She's a star. That's why I'm so angry. If you kill her in a dream, she dies in real life!"

Lilith wiped her tears and looked into Dani's eyes. "Then kill me."

Dani froze. "What?"

Lilith's voice was steady but filled with pain. "I've never seen Steve cry like that in my entire existence. I'm the reason he's suffering. I was trying to hurt him."

Dani's anger flared again. "So it's all about Steve? It's always about Steve!"

Lilith was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Dani's eyes glistened with tears. "I've been here, looking after you for days. I… I loved you, Lilith."

Lilith's breath hitched. "What?"

Dani's voice cracked. "I've never felt like this before in my life. And here you are, chasing after someone who hates you."

Lilith whispered, "Do you hate me?"

Dani took a deep breath. "Just tell me the whole story."

Lilith nodded, her voice trembling. "Okay. But you should know… I might be the villain."

Lilith's Backstory

Lilith began, her voice heavy with sorrow.

"It was around 10,000 BC. Humans weren't civilized like they are today. I lived in a small village of about 100 people, including children. Our village was nestled in a valley beside a mountain. We survived by hunting in that mountain.

I was the only daughter of the village chief. We were fierce warriors, known for our brutality. I was raised to be cruel and heartless, like a monster. From the age of three, I was trained to hunt and kill.

When I was about seven or eight, I found a little lamb. It was so cute. I saved it and kept it as my own. I even named it Fray. I loved it so much. We used to play together on the mountain after my hunts.

But one day…

My father, the village chief, was furious. 'What is this?' he demanded.

I explained, 'Father, I was raising it for food. I heard we can get milk from them.'

He slapped me across the face. 'We are hunters! We are fierce! We don't raise weak animals like cowards who plant trees and grow food. We only raise animals that can hunt!'

I looked down, defeated. 'Yes, Father.'

He barked, 'Bring that little prey to me.'

I brought Fray to him. The lamb was happy, jumping around me, wanting to play like it always did.

But my father grabbed it by the neck. Fray cried helplessly, its eyes pleading with me. I was powerless. I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face.

My father sneered, 'Oh, are you sad for this weakling?'

He loosened his grip slightly. 'Come here. Kill it.'

My heart ached, but I couldn't defy my father. I stepped forward.

Fray was still happy to see me, but it couldn't move because of my father's grip.

'Kill it,' he ordered.

I pulled out my knife.

He snapped, 'What are you doing with a knife? Choke it! Grab its neck and squeeze!'

I pleaded, 'Father, please. I can't do it.'

His voice turned cold. 'Do it, or I'll burn your mother alive.'

My mother was just one of his many women. He'd slept with almost every woman in the village. Yes, he was a monster.

I bit my lip so hard that blood trickled down my chin. I gently grabbed Fray's neck.

Fray looked at me, still trusting, still smiling.

I couldn't bear to look. I closed my eyes.

My father barked, 'Open your eyes and watch your pet take its last breath!'

I bit my lip harder, blood flowing freely now.

The little lamb looked at me, crying for help.

I choked it to death, watching as it took its last breath."

I couldn't sleep for months on for years.

Lilith's tears fell freely. "I became what my father wanted—a monster. But I'm tired of it, Dani. I'm so tired."

Dani reached out, gently wiping her tears. "You're not a monster. Not anymore."

Years passed, and I became a monster without a heart. I was the best at hunting, ruling over others with fear. It was a world of kill or be killed.

When I was 15, during a harsh winter, we couldn't find any animals to hunt. The village was starving.

My father, the village chief, made a decision.

"We're going to take over the other villages," he declared. "They have food from their crops and animals."

I hesitated. "But Father, we don't kill among ourselves, right?"

He sneered. "They're weaklings. We only acknowledge the strong."

I prepared ropes for the attack.

Father raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need ropes?"

I smirked. "I have a better idea. Let's take them as slaves and make them work for us but only half."

Father nodded, impressed. "The weak work under the strong. But why only half?"

I grinned. "I need to test my new killing techniques on the rest."

Father laughed. "That's my girl."

We attacked the neighboring village, slaughtering many. I danced through the chaos, my sword cutting down dozens. I reveled in each kill.

But one boy stood out. He fought back fiercely, his strength unmatched. My heart skipped a beat—I was a teenager, after all.

We clashed in a brutal fight. He managed to wound me on the face, but my father distracted him by capturing his mother. I defeated him.

Father ordered, "Finish him, sweetheart."

I shook my head. "No, I'm taking him as my slave. I want to show him what hell is."

The boy spat, "I'll never submit!"

Father smirked. "Then I'll rape your mother right here and pass her to all the men. You'll watch her die in agony. Or… you can be my daughter's slave, and I'll set your mother free."

The boy's eyes filled with tears. "No! Don't touch her! I'll be your slave. I promise—we never go back on our word."

Father nodded. "Good." Then, in one swift motion, he beheaded the boy's mother.

The boy screamed, "No! Mother!"

Father shrugged. "I set her free from her pathetic life, as promised."

 Month later, 

the boy worked in the fields all morning and acted as bait during hunts. He spoke little, obedient as a loyal dog.

I beat him night if look at other girls even if they were shadows of girls, but secretly, my feelings for him grew. I couldn't act on them—not until I became village chief. Until then, I showed no mercy.

Every evening, on the way back, I kicked him into a pond. To others, it seemed like torture, but I was helping him clean up.

One of my friends remarked, "I wish I had a slave I could do anything with."

Another laughed. "My dad had one, but the idiot made eye contact with him. So, my dad used him as target practice with a slingshot. Poor thing died busting his balls."

They all laughed.

one day, while hunting, a tiger lunged at me. There was no time to react, but the slave boy pushed me out of the way, saving my life. The others killed the tiger, but they were furious.

"How dare you push her!" one of my friends shouted, beating the boy with the flat of his sword.

I stepped in, my voice icy. "Stop! How dare you touch my slave!"

He stammered, "But he—"

I cut him off. "He's mine. I'll punish him."

I whipped the boy until he bled, leaving no doubt about his punishment.

In my mind, I seethed. How dare they touch my boy.

On the way back, I deliberately pushed a rock onto him, killing him instantly.

Later, one of my friends said, "Lilith, I think he was in love with you. He only talked about you, and he was the one leaving the hearts of the beasts he killed on your doorstep. Where is he?"

I replied coldly, "He's dead."

That night, at midnight, I called the slave boy to my hut. I asked, "Does it hurt?"

He shook his head.

I was about to apologize when my father interrupted.

"Lilith, come out! A god has descended!"

I rushed outside. "Who is it?"

It was the first time I saw Vega. She was extraordinary, radiating power. She was a star, a princess of the galaxy.

My father bowed. "What can I do to make you happy? We apologize for attacking you first."

Father saw her powers and bowed:" What can I do to make you happy and apologise for attacking you first."

She was bad news back then there were so many dead bodies lying down.

Vega pointed at the slave boy. "I need him."

Father commanded, "Lilith, give him to her."

I shouted, "Let me fight her! If I win, she can't take him."

I was overconfident. Vega defeated me in a single move.

She turned to the slave boy. "Come with me."

The boy hesitated. "I need orders from my master."

My eyes were wet with tears, but I yelled, "Who cares about a stupid slave? Go and be her meal!"

The boy nodded. "Yes, master."

As he walked toward Vega, she smiled softly. "Do you remember me? I'm Vega. I was the voice in your head."

The boy looked up at her, his eyes filled with recognition. She took his hand, and they flew into the sky.

I thought Vega would kill him, but they were in love long before I even met him.

Who am I? I thought. Just a mad girl trying to claim a boy whose heart was never mine.

That boy was Steve.

I left the village after that. Later, I was given a chance to see Steve and Vega again by the galaxy emperor. My mission was to kill Steve, but I was there to kill Vega. I had a weapon that could kill even celestial beings.

When I pulled out my weapon and stabbed at Vega, Steve stepped in front of her, taking the blow.

I cried, "Why? Why did you leave me?"

Steve whispered, "I'm sorry, but Vega is the one I love."

He turned to dust. Vega knelt beside him, weeping.

I screamed, "It's because of you!"

I stabbed Vega repeatedly, consumed by rage. Then, I was killed too. I had lost my will to live.

We were all reincarnated, but I was late again. I was the only one who remembered the past.

Dani listened, his eyes never leaving Lilith's. "It's okay now. You have me. Did you remember me? When you told me about your past, I remembered something too."

Lilith's tears flowed freely. "You're the one I killed, aren't you?"

Dani nodded. "Yes."

They kissed, falling onto the bed and holding each other tightly.

As Dani woke up from his dream, remembered all of it.

the little stars whispered, "Mom, is that true?"

The Moon sighed. "Yes. I was the one teaching Vega in her previous life. She didn't listen to me that night. But there's more to the story."

[ For the nerds: Lilith is now inside Dani's mind because she fled to his dream when Steve's dream collapsed. 

Each galaxy has its own emperor and queen, and every billion years, a chosen heir is born. In her previous life, Vega was the chosen one. After being born, stars travel to different systems, like the solar system, to learn how things work. Vega came to Earth for that purpose and fell in love with the slave boy (Steve).

Vega had the power to transform into any creature, speak any language, and command nature itself in her previous life.]