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Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a shrine built upon the top of the mountain. It was meant to ease the snake god's wrath who ruled over the area and who was known as a cruel and merciless entity who was pleased by humanity's suffering. It was easy to awaken his fury so the villagers left offerings in front of the shrine in hope that the snake god would spare their lives in return. No one dared to step into the shrine, fearing that even the god's sole gaze would be able to destroy them. However, gossip began to spread about a priest who didn't die in the snake god's presence when he accidentally stepped in the shrine. For a mysterious reason, the snake god ended up sparing him - but in return for keeping his life, he lost his body and soul and he was bound to serve the snake god for eternity.
The gossip was true - but those who thought that the priest was suffering in the shrine, getting tortured by his new master, couldn't be more wrong. The priest, Ruskin, was happy to serve the beautiful snake god whose golden eyes captured him since the first time he looked inside them. From that day, he was the snake god's property in body and soul, and even if the snake god didn't ask for it, he wouldn't want to leave the shrine. The shrine where he found his faith again - his faith and the one he loved with all his heart. He knew that his love would never get returned - who was he, after all, to be loved by a god? - but he was content by serving his master. He didn't lack anything, he had food and a warm place to sleep - and most importantly, he had his god's happiness.
And it was the one he needed the most in the world.
It was late at night and Ruskin currently didn't know about himself. He was in a different landscape - inside his dreams. But his sleep was not one of the comforting ones. He was having a nightmare and he kept jittering in the bed, being deeply shaken by what he saw.
He was walking in a village, it was the one which was the closest to the snake god's shrine, located in the valley. Ruskin has been there once, he crossed it when he was still on his journey, it was before he reached the mountain shrine and found a new home. When he walked past the first time, the village was nearly empty - but now he heard the sound of a celebrating crowd, the singing of people, their dancing and laughter. Why are the villagers so happy? An ominous feeling awakened in Ruskin's heart as his legs brought him closer to the people. The villagers seemed to be too afraid of the snake god for this carefree joy. What could they celebrate?
Ruskin wanted to stop, he was scared of what he would discover. But he just kept walking closer and closer and he finally reached the village's square.
His eyes fell onto a horrifying sight and he immediately felt that his heart shattered to pieces. In the middle of the square, there was the snake god's body and the pure, white skin was stained scarlet red from the blood. The villagers cut his head off and placed it on a pole - and they were just dancing, and dancing around it like they just defeated the most evil creature on Earth.
And the one who was Ruskin's only joy, whom he loved more than anything in the world... and now, whom he lost.
He can never look into those majestic eyes anymore.
Ruskin wanted to scream from the pain and the fury, but no sound came out of his mouth. How could this happen, how could he let this happen? He should have protected the snake god he was bound to serve - but he failed him. He didn't have anything else left. He only wanted to follow him to death.
He shrank to the ground while the tears were flowing from his eyes, making his vision dim. The lights around him began to blur. He was sure that his life just fades away, he just wanted the darkness to embrace it.
He didn't need to wait for long.
Ruskin's eyes shut open wide as he woke up from his nightmare. His heart was still beating fast like it was about to jump out of his chest even after he realized that what he just experienced was a dream and nothing more. He still felt the incredible pain in his soul and his body was hot from the terror - like he was about caught on fire.
This was strange, even considering that he just had a nightmare. Even though he was sweating from the fear, the bed was too warm. Did he overheat the shrine again? But the air didn't feel so hot - only his bed. He reached out - and his hand touched something which was not there when he went to sleep. He slid his hand over the huge body - the body of the snake god who, for some reason, curled around him while he was asleep.
A smile appeared on Ruskin's face and his fear and sorrow immediately disappeared from the touch of the beloved skin. The snake god was sleeping as well, with his eyes open, and Ruskin didn't know if he came to comfort him, sensing that he had a nightmare or he was drawn here by his body heat. But it didn't matter, only that he was here now, alive.
Ruskin gently caressed the snake god's body, carefully, to not wake him up and sank into the ecstatic sensation. And lying next to each other in the dark of the night, he made a promise to himself.
He will never let anyone hurt the snake god.
His god - the one who Ruskin belonged to, meant to worship, meant to love for the rest of his life.