Chapter 4: Immortal Desires {Part 1}

Castle MorningStar stands tall and proud in the center of Pride, the center of Hell. Its brimstone walls stand strong against the cruelty of the dark realm's skies, which batter it with harsh, flaming rain. The supernatural harshness of the weather matches the wickedness of the dark realm's inhabitants. Deep within the brimstone walls of the castle, a figure walks elegantly down a hallway. This figure is a strikingly beautiful woman with long purplish-black hair, pale skin, and purple eyes. She is dressed in a black evening gown, white gloves, and black heels that clicked on the carpeted floor. The hallway is decorated with portraits of grotesque scenes, but that didn't seem to bother the woman. She arrives before a double door guarded by two demon guards, who open the doors when she approaches. The woman walks past them, not even acknowledging their existence.

The woman walks into a grand throneroom, and in the center of the room are two thrones. One of the thrones is elevated above the other, and on each throne was a crown and a scepter. The first throne is lower and made of silver. It has various precious stones inlaid into it. The crown that lies on the throne is also made of silver and is decorated with intricate patterns. The scepter, which is also silver, is tipped with a coiling serpent. The other throne sits higher than the first. It is made of pure gold and has the finest diamonds engraved into it. On it lies a golden crown and a golden scepter tipped with a roaring dragon.

The woman ignores the silver throne and walks before the golden one. She grabs the golden crown and puts it on. Then, she grabs the golden scepter and sits on the throne. A smile blooms on her beautiful face as she reclines into the throne. "Power is a look that suits you, my dear." A voice echoes across the room. Then, shadows from the corner of the room gather and coalesce into the figure of a man. The man's waist-length hair is a beautiful golden shade. He has sun-kissed skin and a tall, muscular build. The man's good looks can attract many, both women and men. But his most eye-catching feature is his eyes. They shift color like a chameleon. The woman rolls her amethyst eyes. "Your sense of humor is as vexing as ever, Leviathan. I'm starting to wonder if you even have one." The woman says, clearly exasperated. The man laughs, and his figure seems to dissolve, revealing his true form. His hair is now shoulder-length and grey, with a single streak of green on the left side. His skin has faded to a pale color and he shrank to the average height. He was still handsome, but not nearly as much as before. His eyes remain reptilian, with pale green sclera, golden-green irises, and slitted pupils. This is Leviathan, the Sin of Envy.

"Admit, I had you fooled for a moment! For a brief moment, you actually thought I was him!" Leviathan says gleefully.

"Not for a single second. A fake can never truly match the original, no matter how hard it tries. A tiny snake trying to imitate a mighty dragon. It's almost adorable. Almost." The woman bluntly says. An unknown emotion flashes across Leviathan's face before he quickly covers it with a smile. Something the woman noticed but didn't care about. "Your tongue is as venomous as ever, Mistress Lilith." The woman, Lilith, smirks. "I drink from the same cup as the Devil himself. It is to be expected." Leviathan laughs at that. "A few millennia ago, I would never have expected that from you. I doubt anyone would." Lilith's full lips curl into a frown. "What did they call you back then?" Lightning flashes outside the castle, briefly illuminating the room. Lilith's figure seemed to overlap with another in Leviathan's eyes. A figure with honey-colored hair, peach-colored skin, and warm brown eyes.

"Ah yes! I remember now! They called you... Eve."

X X X

In the beginning, the Almighty created the Heavens and the Earth. And on the Earth, from the dust of the ground, He created Man, the only creatures made in His image. He breathed life into the first humans He had formed from the dust: Adam, the first man, and Eve, the first woman. God united the first man and woman in marriage. He blessed them to be fruitful and multiply. He placed them in the Garden of Eden, a veritable paradise with everything they could ever desire. But in the Garden, things did not go too smoothly for the newly created couple.

"Eve, my lovely bride. You must understand, as your husband, I am naturally meant to take charge. I am the one with the authority, not only in this Garden but also in our marriage!" said Adam. The first man was indeed made in the image of the Almighty. He had dark, curly hair and bronze skin. His lean, strong body looked like it was made from the best stone. He radiated power. "No, I refuse to understand! What right do you have that I don't? We were made from the same dust, Adam; it is the same breath of the Divine that gave us life! Tell me, what makes you so special? What, pray tell, gives you authority over me?!" Eve questioned Adam. She was clearly unhappy with his words. "Eve, please, it is the natural order of things. Look around! All the animals in the Garden follow these principles. My instinct says we should do the same." said Adam. Eve scoffed. "Well, you know what my instinct is telling me? My instinct is telling me that you are being insufferable! And until you are ready to see reason, I don't want to speak to you! Your very presence is vexing!" said Eve. Then, with a fury that could match a storm, Eve left Adam. Adam watched her go, sadness and hesitation in his gaze. He contemplated going after her, but he decided to let her go, believing that she would calm down in time. Little did he know that years later, he would regret that very decision.