Chapter 5: Betrayal, Blood, and a Broken Heart

Derek gave me new life, gave me a body and human form, and showed me the wonders of the three realms for centuries. I think people shouldn’t be too greedy; what he gave me was already a great deal, like he was the first light in my life. Seeing him find his own light, I sincerely felt happy for him.

I tried to hold onto that gratitude, to let it be enough. Sometimes, it almost was.

Lila left on an ordinary day, summoned by her coven. Before leaving, she repeatedly told Derek to wait for her in the burning oak grove on Silver Hollow Mountain in half a month.

She kissed him on the cheek, her eyes bright with promise. I watched from the doorway, wishing I could be that bold.

Derek glanced at her carelessly: "Why should I wait for you?"

He tried to hide his smile, but it slipped through anyway. Lila pouted, stamping her foot, but he just chuckled.

Lila was so angry she stamped her foot, but he smiled faintly.

She tossed her hair, muttering under her breath, but there was no real anger in it. They were always like this—fire and ice, teasing and testing.

After Lila left, he seemed absent-minded, often half-reclining on a tree, lost in thought, sometimes smiling at memories of Lila.

He’d stare into the distance for hours, lost in some memory I couldn’t touch. I kept him company, silent and invisible, hoping it was enough.

A monster’s life spans thousands of years; a hundred years is but a blink. In just fifteen days, he often asked me, "Morgan, what day is it today?"

He’d ask like a child waiting for Christmas, restless and impatient. I kept the calendar, counting down the days with a sinking heart.

I counted and told him it wasn’t yet half a month, but he clearly couldn’t wait. On the seventh day, we were already waiting on Silver Hollow Mountain.

We arrived early, the mountain shrouded in fog, the air thick with anticipation. Derek paced, tapping his foot, glancing at the sky every few minutes.

We waited for more than a month; finally, Derek couldn’t wait any longer and said, "Morgan, I’m going to Phoenix Ridge."

His voice was sharp, determined. I nodded, already packing our things. Wherever he went, I followed.

Of course, I accompanied him.

I wouldn’t have let him go alone, not for anything.

Lila was fine; she had just told her elders she wanted to marry Derek, was scolded for nonsense, and locked up for reflection.

The phoenix coven was strict, old-fashioned. Lila’s rebellion was scandalous, but she bore it with a smile, refusing to back down.

When we arrived, people were discussing Lila’s rebelliousness below the cliff.

The air was thick with gossip, voices rising and falling like a chorus of crows. I kept my head down, listening.

"So young, really, who knows who tricked her, wants to get married."

"Right, goddess of the Celestial Heights, the only one left. The marriage was arranged long ago, how can she decide for herself?"

"Who is the rogue who dared trick our goddess?"

The words stung, but Derek just grinned, unbothered by the whispers.

Derek strolled up the steps, finally standing below the cliff, smiling at the stunned crowd: "It was me—"

His voice rang out, bold and clear, daring anyone to challenge him. The crowd fell silent, eyes wide with shock.

That marriage dragged on for a long time; the rest is recorded in the chronicles of the three realms. At Derek and Lila’s wedding, the celestial realm launched its crusade against the underworld. Derek, dressed in wedding robes, had just drawn his sword when Lila stabbed him from behind.

The betrayal was swift, brutal—a flash of steel, a gasp of pain. Blood stained the white of his shirt, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis.

She struck his vital point, showing no mercy.

There was no hesitation, no regret in her eyes. She did what she had to do, for reasons only she understood.

Then chaos erupted. Amid the confusion, I gathered a wisp of Derek’s essence and escaped to the human world.

The world burned behind me. I ran, clutching that fragile spark, heart pounding with fear and hope. I didn’t look back.