The night embraced the Sambili forest, moonlight spilling through the ancient trees, casting a silver glow. Ada and Gagagore found themselves sitting beneath the canopy of stars in their secluded grove. The soft breeze whispered through the leaves, a subtle ballet of nature that underscored the gravity of the moment. Gagagore, Gagagore, stood amidst the ancient trees, his demeanour as unyielding as the roots that anchored them to the earth. The air crackled with an unspoken tension, an energy that even the wind seemed to carry.

Over a dozen years had passed since that fateful day by the lake, where destiny intertwined the threads of their lives. The young girl he had saved had blossomed into a woman, the Heiress of Romersai, destined for greatness.

In the shadowy recesses of his thoughts, Gagagore reflected on the peculiar turn of events that had brought them together. Ada had been the beacon of light in the darkness that shrouded his existence. For her he wasn't a mere convict on the run. He wasn't some psycho fighting against his ill fate. He wasn't a menace nor a burden. She saw beyond the veil of darkness that clung to him, she saw the essence of the being beneath. A soul that was denied his second chance.

A wistful smile touched Gagagore's lips as he remembered those early encounters. He had been content with the unique connection they shared. The young woman had been a rare soul who neither recoiled nor cowered in the presence of Death. She embraced the truth of his nature, and in doing so, became the solitary figure in his eternal existence. Despite the passage of time, Gagagore remained resolute in his commitment to keep the layers guarding his heart intact.

Gagagore harboured no desire for change, no wish for the tapestry of their connection to alter. The delicate balance they had found, the understanding and acceptance, were the cornerstones of his quiet contentment. He had no need for more, for in her eyes, he found solace, and in her presence, a sanctuary from the shadows that trailed him.

But the wind blew past and had a different story to hear from Ada.

In the garden of Ada's heart, love for Gagagore bloomed like a delicate blossom, its petals unfurling with the tender touch of shared glances and stolen moments. Their connection was a dance of fireflies in the velvet night, a silent language spoken in the rustle of leaves under the moon's watchful gaze.

Gagagore, was the orchestrator of laughter that painted the canvas of her world with hues of joy. He had become the melody that echoed in the chambers of her soul. His laughter, a sweet sonnet, could turn the mundane into a celestial ballet, a ballet that they would dance together beneath the vast cosmic canopy.

He was her warmth, the radiant ember that fueled the hearth of her existence. The very reason for the dance of life in her veins, he embodied her entire world. Through the enigmatic pools of his emerald eyes, she believed she had glimpsed the essence of his true self. A tender soul, bathed in the gentle glow of genuine concern, had saved a drowning Ada fourteen years prior. She admired the emerald eyes that had once rescued her from the drowning abyss believing she had glimpsed past the veils of darkness, seeing a tender soul yearning for salvation.

Driven by the desire to be everything for him, just as he had been for her, she embarked on a mission to carve a path of connection. For weeks, she had subtly dropped hints, hoping he would catch on to the silent language of her heart. Yet, amidst the shadows that cloaked his existence, her signals had gone unnoticed, lost in the vast expanse of his enigmatic demeanour.

Undeterred, she acknowledged the possibility that perhaps the nature of dark souls obscured the subtleties she sought to convey. Determined to make her intentions known, she decided to take matters into her own hands. With a heart full of resolve, she charted a course to bridge the gap that lingered between them. However, the Heiress had refused to surrender with no fight.

As the breeze hushed into silence, Ada seized the moment, taking a delicate step forwards. With a gentle touch, she clasped his hand, intertwining her fingers with his in a silent declaration of connection. She traced the lines on his palm, the touch a delicate dance that spoke volumes. Gagagore, initially caught off guard by the tenderness, couldn't help but feel a warmth unfurl within him.

"You know, I like the way your eyes soften when you watch the stars." Ada began, her voice like a gentle breeze, "It looks like you bare the whole cosmos in them when they reflect off your eyes."

"All of a sudden?" Gagagore turned his gaze towards her and he took a minute to muse, peering into her ocean eyes.

"No. It's been a while. There's a quiet beauty in you that I've come to cherish about you." Ada said, her fingers lightly entwining with Gagagore's.

"What's this about? Do you want me to bring you more candy? Flowers? Maybe silk from Sape town?" He asked playfully, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Ada sighed in frustration, her patience worn thin, and playfully swayed their intertwined hands in the air, reminiscent of a small child denied a candy cane, throwing a whimsical tantrum.

"No! Listen to me, yeah? Listen carefully," she scolded, pointing a playful, yet scolding finger at the enigmatic figure before her, earning a chuckle as the only reply. "There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

"Okay? And what will that be? You're kinda scaring me now Primrose." Gagagore replied, his attention now fully on the girl he cherished with his life. The air between them was charged with an unspoken connection, a dance of emotions in the moonlit grove.

Ada took a deep breath, her eyes reflecting the moonlit dreamscape around them. "I've noticed the way you linger in the moments between dusk and dawn–have I told you about that?"

"I--Ada--" Gagagore felt as if something was caught in his throat threatening to choke his life out. What was Ada getting at? Had she perhaps seen him turn him morph back into a serpent the other night? Even worse if she had seen him checking out the Luna Pearl as she was fast asleep.

"Your darkness doesn't scare me, Gagagore." Ada's eyes sparkled with sincerity. "I've felt the warmth of your kindness, the tenderness in your touch. I want to be with you, experience all the facets of your existence."

Gagagore, though touched by Ada's words, hesitated. "What is this about, Primrose?"

Ada cupped Gagagore's face, her touch a gentle reassurance. "Love is about accepting each other, shadows and all. I choose you, not in spite of the darkness, but because of the light you've shown me."

Just like that, his worst fear materialised before his eyes. It was worse than what he had anticipated with getting caught off his slip ups. He was running wild. A hesitant step back, and the contact broke with her hands on his face.

"You've no idea what you're saying, Ada."

"I do. I clearly do."

As he turned his back on her, hastily baring the torment of his existence, Ada's eyes welled with tears, and her heart shattered into fragments.

"Leave," he commanded.

"But—"

"I don't want to hear anything anymore!" His voice, an octave higher, resonated with an authority that had never been directed at this girl before. "Ada. Please. Leave."

"I can't just let go. We've faced the darkness together, and we can continue to do so. Please, just one chance. Let us find our way, just like we have so far," she cried, desperation lacing her voice.

Her pleas hung in the moonlit air, echoing the ache of a heart torn between love and the burden of shadows. Gagagore, witnessing the tears cascading down Ada's cheeks, felt a pang of remorse deep within. He couldn't bear to see her cry, her pain mirroring the turmoil within him.

"Primrose, please, you deserve more than the constant struggle that comes with my existence. I can't bear to see you hurt."

"I don't care. Nothing would be better than you. Never. Ever."

"I'm gonna hurt you, Primrose," Gagagore whispered, attempting to console her with words.

"Then let it be..." Ada whispered inching closer. She wouldn't let go. She couldn't let go. That's not how love works.

His efforts seemed feeble against the sight of her tears, the weight of her sorrow. She shouldn't plead for anything from anyone. Not even him. Gagagore turned on his heels, his resolve finally giving away to desire and desperation. He closed the gap between them standing in front of the girl.

"Don't blame me for this later."

Cupping Ada's tear-stained face, his touch gentle yet laden with remorse he pressed his lips against hers. In a kiss that spoke of passion, vulnerability, and an unspoken promise, a silent vow to weather the storms together. Love was supposed to win all. Maybe, just maybe Ada wasn't lucky enough. 

****

In the realm of the Darkness, there was one profound truth that echoed through the corridors of torment: one must confront their sins to attain redemption. To embark on this arduous journey of self-discovery, individuals were required to acknowledge their faults, repay and move forward.

Regardless of the form one assumed in the abyss — be it a demon, devil, apparition, dark creature, or even a soul half-consumed by the flames of death — the path to redemption demanded a prolonged sojourn in the manifested dark shape. It was a time of suffering, a reckoning with the pain wrought by the sins committed. There was no going back. If it wasn't redemption your choice the only thing awaiting you was madness. Literal madness.

Now Gagagore being one of those had steadfastly refused to reflect on his sins. His soul, once tender like a blossom bathed in the gentle glow of love's moonlight, began to wither and twist beneath the unseen weight of haunting sins, transforming into a jewel that sparkled with the allure of darker desires. Rumours whispered tales of his descent into madness, a narrative accepted by many. Yet, within the shadows of Crepusculem, one soul held a different perspective — Ada, his primrose. Her heart, unbeknownst to others, had reserved a space for the gentle brightness she alone perceived in him.

In the symphony of Ada's heart, Gagagore was a mysterious note, his melody wrapped in shadows that swayed to the haunting tempo of his inner chaos. The night Gagagore slithered back into her life, seeking refuge and sanctuary, it was already too late for her to turn back. Not that she was actually keen on going back either. In an act of compassion, she hid him in a cave only she knew of, nursing him back to life and strength. Despite the profound changes in Gagagore's demeanour, the rebellions against the unyielding authorities of Fate and Birth, Ada remained steadfast in her belief. She thought she had a grip on everything, and had understood the complexities of his defiance, a defiance that set him apart.

She wasn't aware that Gagagore had been on the run since the day they first crossed paths when she was a mere six years old. The revelation, initially a traumatic shock, felt like a betrayal, as if he had harboured a colossal secret. Gagagore had always been good to her, a beacon of warmth. Yet, unbeknownst to her, the tender soul she perceived in Gagagore had become a rigid rock, weathered and corrupted by the storms of his own creation. And like a butterfly carried by the breeze of dreamy love, she collided with the rough, foul surface of reality that Gagagore had changed for the worse, the wings of hopes for a beautiful tomorrow shattered in the harsh impact.

"Primrose," Gagagore whispered, his silver hair cascading like liquid moonlight as he approached her. "I can make everything right again, restore the balance. But I need the Luna Pearl. It's the only way to regain my place among the forces."

"They kicked you out!"

"That was foul. So foul of them."

"Try to redeem yourself. That's your only way back."

"Luna Pearl can."

"It will not. I will not jeopardise everything for your return, Gagagore. The Luna Pearl is not a toy!"

The atmosphere shifted. Gagagore, sensing her resolve, softened his approach. He reached out, his fingers gently tracing her cheek, the touch as tender as it was manipulative.

"I only want to be with you again. The forces have kept us apart for far too long. With the Luna Pearl, I can break free from their hold, and we can be together." Gagagore whispered, his lips grazing her ear.

Ada felt a mix of emotions surging within her, torn between her memories of the gentle Gagagore and the manipulative entity before her. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The conflict within her intensified as Gagagore's charm worked its way into her vulnerable heart. The ache of longing for the man she once knew clashed with the fear of the consequences that might follow.

"I want to be with you, and the Luna Pearl is the way. Trust me, Primrose. Just this once."

Ada's resolve weakened. She gave in. Like any blind lover would. The deal was sealed with a mark, Gagagore's sharp fangs biting gently onto her collarbone, a mixture of pain and pleasure. A deal. Sealed with fate. A sign that darkness was veiling the light. A tangled connection that threatened to ruin many lives.

In his descent into madness, Gagagore didn't see it coming—the erosion of sanity, the corruption of the precious bloom, and the auctioning of his own soul. He remained oblivious to the elusive moment when sanity slipped through his fingers, a torrential cascade into the abyss of insanity. The precious primrose that once adorned the landscape of his soul transformed, unwittingly, into a jewel he would offer at the auction of his darkest desires, seeking the highest bidder.

He didn't know when or where it happened—the unravelling of his sanity to its fullest extent. The precious little primrose he once treasured, turned into a jewel he would put up for auction, seeking the highest bidder. Instead of coaxing her into the warmth of his embrace on a cold winter's night he started to seek to ensnare her solely because the Luna Pearl graced her neck. No longer driven by the tender motive of love, he found himself entangled in a sinister dance. His intentions, once genuine, now became a perilous path. Still he wouldn't have inflicted harm upon her unless she willingly leapt into the jaws of the wolf.