CH 17 - Sera's Desire

Caesar twists his neck to the side as he feels the release of tiny cracks moving down his spine. A cruel smile passes over his lips as the scent of brimstone fills his nostrils as the creature move forward.

The hint of smoldering fire at the edges of her hair highlights her delicate features of the soft gray ash soaking, staining her flesh. Sliding his fingers out of Lily's mouth slowly as her teeth cling to his fingertips. The last movement travels the final moments as he feels a smile spread across her lips.

"Do you see your friend, girl?"

"Yes," Lily whispers, "Sera looks so lovely."

"Yes, she does," Caesar answers as the demonic mimic walks forward, her skin pale and taunt against her emaciated frame revealing her ribs and firm breasts. The claws of her hands hold a diseased heart in her hands as it oozes vile sickness from her grip. The creature in any other setting, cleaned and washed, would look delicious to the soul.

"Why is she naked?" Lily asks in a hushed whisper seeing her friend walking naked, holding a small child in her arms.

"She is here to serve her purpose..." Caesar answers calmly as the demonic presence moves forward and death's scent fills his nostrils.

The creature moves forward, her features seductively twisting her hips, allowing her body to sway softly as she moves forward, "Ah, I see you have found a new pet... Gabriella must be jealous."

"It was her idea Sera. She thought it was time to help those tormented by corruption."

"Oh?" Sera smiles as her fingers travel down her flesh; running over her left breast, she releases the heart as it falls to her feet, hearing the gasp as Lily scrambles forward. Her desperation to check on the child is evident in her movement. Sera scowls pitifully as he peers toward Caesar with bright yellow eyes. "Do you truly desire such pitiful creatures?"

"Purity is such a thing... most creatures desire that," Caesar watches the eyes of the demon.

"Purity is overrated; why would you teach these creatures how to serve," Sera smiles, allowing her black serpent tongue to flutter from her mouth, "I remember you desired me long ago. I served quite splendidly, didn't I?"

"I was a different man then."

"Ah yes, the witch pacified you, didn't she?"

Caesar twists his dagger within his hands as he watches Sera's eyes look at Lily as she clings to the diseased heart trying to make the baby cry back to life. Her mind was lured into the child's destruction, wondering what caused the baby to stop breathing. The cruelty of Sera dropping the child doesn't surprise Caesar.

"Why are you here?"

"To take my place at your side as your rightful queen."

"I don't seek power any longer."

"Oh? You don't.... do you? You seek out a Seer, stealing a prize from your brother but don't seek power. Don't fool yourself."

"I did not seek her out but merely tempted my protégé. Give her the space to bear witness to your cruelty. To see you for what you truly are, but neither of them could, could they?"

"They are too pure." Sera laughs, "They cannot see what needs to be seen. They are only children, after all."

"They are in their twenties and ready to see the world as it is."

Sera laughs warmly as her ashen hair turns to a red hue. Her skin pales as several hundred freckles dances across her flesh as they rise to the surface.

Sera's body fills out slightly as she perfectly mimics the purity of Lily's flawless flesh, "You see, there is no reason to have one pet when you can have thousands of them. Why limit yourself to one Queen when you can have anything, anyone you have ever dreamed of?"

Caesar growls low as his anger begins to boil within his body. He sees the genuine terror in Lily's eyes as she holds the diseased heart up to the light. Tears fell from her eyes as she witnessed the death of a child.

The extinguishing of a flame, the destruction of life, is a cruelty that he is sure she has seen. But not a child she had a chance to hold. To see it take a breath as it fought its way back from the edge of darkness.

Cesar looks at the creature before him as Sera twists her mouth in a silent laugh, "Do you think she is ready to conquer the world? To be what you need of her?"

"I need nothing of her... I wish for her to have the freedom to live her life without harassment. But I doubt that monsters such as yourself would allow that."

"Oh? Monster..." Sera laughs, "I could see giving her freedom for a price."

"What is your price?"

Sera laughs darkly, "Why don't you simply conquer her? We, creatures, don't like to anger those who possess the flesh. Why do you think I survived so long all those years ago?"

Caesar breathes deeply as he hisses, "You should change back into your form."

Sera laughs, "You know you want me to remain in this form. You want to conquer her; I see it in your eyes. You yearn for the darkness to be unleashed. You want to use her in ways that will destroy her innocent body. You want to pluck her and rip her innocence from the world. I can give you a chance to do so... you could destroy her and cast her aside. And I will walk in your shadows. No one but you will ever know I was there."

Caesar growls and stands, walking towards the girls as his eyes glow red. Seeing the genuine fear in Lily's eyes as she scurries backward. Moving back as he approaches Sera, his growl is deepening, "Cast off the spell and let her see you for what you truly are."

Sera smiles, "Why, she looks adorable trying to save that heart, doesn't she?"

"I will not ask again," Caesar growls as he loses patience as he approaches Sera, his hand twitching in rage.

Sera laughs, "She deserves to be broken... the child will never get up again. In her mind, she will realize you killed it."

It takes almost a moment as the confusion enters Sera's eyes as her mouth gapes open. Caesar looks despondent as the blade slips between her ribs, piercing her heart.

A silent scream escapes her lips as her body turns to its ashen form as her body transforms before his eyes. Pulling her body close, Caesar growls low as he whispers in her ears, "I only ask once..."

Holding the knife in his hand, he releases his hand from Sera's waist, her body falling lifeless from his arms as he watches the horror in Lily's eyes. He thinks she did not know the creature she had given her submission to save.

Stepping forward, Caesar lifts his knife and pieces the decaying heart, ensuring the vixen doesn't return. Spitting on the corpse, he turns his attention to Lily as she scurries and runs away. Terrified of what she just witnessed, Caesar cracks his neck again and watches the Seer flee in terror.