"Rose, please give us five minutes to talk, I beg of you," Asher pleaded.
Rose, who wasn't expecting the request, looked between the two before nodding. Something felt off, but she didn't care—her top priority was making sure her brother made it to the human realm with both of them.
Once Rose was at a distance, Asher turned to Jeremy, looking straight into his eyes.
"Look at me, Jimmy, and tell me what you feel for me. Tell me if you love me because, at this point, I don't see your behavior as a sign of love anymore," Asher said, his voice cracking.
"You gave me signs, Jimmy. You even fucking kissed me. Jeremy, you kissed me, and now, when my sister came in, you acted like I didn't exist. You ran to her and threw me aside. I understand you're struggling, maybe trying to come to terms with your sexuality, but if you're straight, bi, or gay, let me know because it's haunting me."
Asher's hands clenched into fists as he continued, his emotions spilling out.
"Or if you like my sister and not me, tell me, so I can get my shit together. Because this—this is driving me insane. You're driving me insane!"
Jeremy turned to Rose and gave her a sad smile before looking back at Asher.
"I don't know, Asher. What do you want me to say?"
Asher scoffed, his frustration boiling over. "Did you just—what the hell, Jimmy? Say something, at least! Do you love me, or was this just one of your tricks to prove to yourself whether you're straight or not?"
Jeremy remained silent. Awfully silent.
And that silence broke Asher. He couldn't help but cry.
God, he was truly stupid. First Ezekiel, and now Jeremy. Why was it always the hot guys?
"It's okay. I get it now. Loud and clear. You like my sister, and you're straight but just trying to prove to yourself you're not gay. It isn't your fault, Jimmy. It's me. What's my deal with straight guys?" Asher muttered, his voice filled with bitter disappointment.
"It isn't like that, Asher," Jeremy finally spoke, sighing. "I don't understand myself. I've always had a crush on Rose. I felt drawn to her—it was like this magnet, or maybe a force. But through all my trials in senior year, I got closer to you. I got to know you better. And then, I started feeling... something. At first, I thought it was just friendship, but in this hellhole, I realized it might be more than that. I might have romantic feelings for you, Asher."
Asher's breath hitched, but before he could speak, Jeremy continued.
"But it can't go beyond friendship. I love you, Asher, but I can't be gay. I don't want to be. It would tarnish my reputation. My parents are poor. My dad was brutally killed like an animal because of his status. My mom struggles every day to put food on the table. By getting to Paradise, I have a chance to start over, to become a high member of society, get a good job, marry, and have a good life—not be a faggot who masturbates every time he sees a shirtless man."
Asher felt suffocated.
Jeremy just called him a whore.
He compared Asher to those sex freaks, those desperate perverts who couldn't control themselves.
And not to mention the homophobia. Like being gay would ruin his future. Like he wouldn't get a job because of it.
Asher laughed bitterly.
"Okay, Jimmy. Now I see exactly what I am to you. I'm nothing but a disgusting faggot who sleeps around, right? I don't matter to you. Wow." His laughter died, and he glared at Jeremy. "And you know what, Jimmy? Fuck you."
Jeremy flinched.
"You really hurt my feelings, but you know what? I don't even care anymore. May the devil fuck you sideways. You think you're a straight guy? You're just in denial. And trust me, a day will come when you'll realize the truth, and by then, I just hope you haven't destroyed your life chasing this so-called future of yours. So, Jimmy, I regret falling for you. You are my biggest mistake."
Asher turned away, never sparing Jeremy another glance.
Rose had been watching the entire exchange but remained silent. It felt as if she had orchestrated this argument, and the thought pained her deeply.
But then, something else hit her.
"Asher... what about Lamia? Where is he?" Rose asked, her voice laced with fear.
Asher, still broken, looked at her with hollow eyes, filled with agony. Rose became alarmed, but before she could react, the ground beneath them began to shake violently.
Explosions erupted from below. Fire rained from the sky. Terrifying creatures howled in the distance.
Then, a horrifying realization struck Asher.
"Oh no... the Dark Trench is crumbling! Run!" he screamed.
The three of them bolted as fireballs exploded around them, the ground groaning under the weight of the destruction. Darkness swirled like a living entity, shifting the entire realm into chaos.
"Lamia! Lamia, where are you?" Asher screamed.
Rose followed suit, calling his name, but there was no response. The darkness swallowed everything whole.
Jeremy looked up and saw a massive black void descending from the blood-red sky.
"Guys... what is that?"
Before anyone could respond, a blinding blue light engulfed everything. Then, Sylvia's voice echoed in Asher's ears.
"Asher, if you can hear me, step into the void immediately when it lands! Whatever you do, don't let any other entities follow you into it!"
Asher's breath hitched. They were going to be free. They would be free.
But what about the Red Oak Tree?
"You two, let's enter the black vortex! It's our ticket out of this cursed world!" Asher shouted.
Without hesitation, Jeremy and Rose rushed toward the burning dark void. But as Asher hesitated, a thought nagged at him.
What if this was a trap?
Before he could decide, the darkness consumed them.
A whisper slithered into his ear.
"As you return to the world, you are now awakened. Each of you has encountered the Red Oak Tree, meaning your true selves will emerge, and your hidden, deadly abilities will come forth. But you, Asher... you are doomed. The trap you walk into will be the destruction of you... and humanity."
Asher's face turned pale.
The Red Oak Tree spoke of supernatural abilities, but at this moment, all Asher felt was fear.
He stole a glance at Jeremy, who hadn't spoken since their argument. Maybe Asher's words had crushed him. Good. He deserved every bit of it.
Rose, however, was watching something else.
"Asher... look," she whispered in terror.
A dark shadow materialized before them. Pure evil radiated from it. Then, a wide grin spread across its face.
It was the leader of the dead witches.
And they were bringing her into the human realm.
"Surprise!" The voice cackled. "It seems our original host—the worthless girl we empowered—failed again. So, we took another form. Your dear friend, what was his name again? Oh, yes... Lamia. He enabled me to possess his body, and now, look! I am returning to your world. And it will be mine to destroy."
Lamia crept from the darkness, his once-vibrant red hair now pitch-black, his hollow eyes void of life, his skin veiny and pale.
Asher's stomach dropped.
Lamia was a demigod. An immortal.
How the hell were they supposed to stop him?
Jeremy looked sick.
Rose rushed to Asher, clinging to him in terror.
Lamia—no, the witch—giggled.
"Scared, are we? Pathetic. First things first... what was the name of your little town again? Valemont? Ah, yes. I think I'll start there. Everyone will burn."
Then, the laughter erupted—a monstrous, demonic cackle that made the darkness spread even further.
And Asher knew.
They were already too late, or were there?