What Abyss Feels Like

CHAPTER 1: SOL

In the current era, there are four kingdoms and one empire standing in their own territories for years, decades and even centuries. Their names are spread inside the countless history books with their unwavering pride, strength and power that is so hard to shake. Their names also shouts for prosperity and success that their citizens are enjoying nowadays. But one name stood among them all. And that is the Sun Dragon Empire.

They said that the royal family has the blood of the sun dragon that founded the said empire. They are naturally warm in every way. They said that their blood is a key to immortal life. They also said that it's so precious that the sun dragon itself prohibited them from being wounded or being hurt in any way. But one thing is for sure, its descendants aren't to be trifled with. They are powerful enough to wipe out the empire if they wanted.

The royal family of the sun dragon is surnamed Sol meaning "sun". They are warm people and kind. They are also loyal and responsible. Everyone respects them with this traits of them. But sometimes, whenever a coup 'd'etat happens or even a war that challenges them and even harms their people, this 'sun' becomes 'dragons'. Fierce, merciless, overprotective and in rare occasion they becomes merciful whenever it needed to be. With this, the people feel safe and well protected. They love the royal family to the point they are training as well to the bones to be with the royals in their expeditions.

Because of their perfections, kingdoms and even other countries want to dominate them. Sometimes, fools decide to move without even thinking. They tried to conquer it to the point they were beaten black and blue. Some surrender, some are cowardly but some people have useless guts to fight or avenge their loss or sometimes they are being bold by sending people to propose various things such as marriage.

Marriage in the royal family is strangely secretive. Some say it's inter-family marriages. Some say that their spouses are actually gods being sent over to assist the family. Some say that demons are also being sent over for unknown reasons, and so on.

Rumors are always circulating in the empire but no one knows the truth. It's a mystery actually but whatever it may be, they will always love this family.

Officials also are loyal to the family. Some are not. Some are neutral. Their reasons? No one knows.

One of the loyalists is the Luce family.

The two families actually share a friendship. The Luce are actually a duchy family that lasts even from the very beginning of their empire. They are friendly and have little to no enemies like the Sol family. They are also one of the richest duchy ranked second only from their three grand duchies that are being led by the current 2nd prince and 2nd princess and one from the so-called ‘God of War’, Alexander Kane Aigus.

The royal family is also known for one of their traits, the silver hair. Some of them turn out to be blonde but most of them have silver hair. Though it's kinda rare, it's also not that uncommon to have one because sometimes those who have one, have their blood ties with the royal family. And that is why, the protagonist of the story learned her origin late.

In another place where darkness seems to be forever exists there and eternal twilight is present, and countless deafening bone chilling screams of agony and pain and pleas for mercy can be heard. It is a complete opposite of the Sun Dragon Empire where light and peace are present.

A woman with long silver hair that strangely illuminates the surroundings with her piercing yet dead red crimson eyes is sitting there in the midst of the chaos. No one seems to notice this woman who's mourning with her lost child and the betrayal of the one she loved and the one she trusted. Her tears are flowing freely from her eyes. Her hand is still cupped with her stomach that her stab wound penetrated her along with her child that killed the two of them almost instantly. Her hands that are so pale yet smooth are trembling. It's trembling because of anger, betrayal, disgust, regret and mourning. She thought how helpless she was that she let her ex kill the two of them for a woman she once trusted.

She feels utterly disgusted with them.

She feels an immense amount of hatred towards them.

She is so betrayed but here she is, mourning alone.

She didn't even sense the man that was in front of her. She only thought about the sins she may have committed to deserve this because as far as she knows, she didn't do anything. Yes... she 'didn't' do any-thing.

She is only twenty-five. She is not that old to be blamed or be accused of infertility. She didn't know why but it sucks because the man she once loved also didn't have a child. But there she was, accused and disgusted by the rotten society. How she wishes to make them feel her pain right now in this cold yet hot, dark yet scarily light place called abyss... or is it... hell?

No one knows. No one knows why she is there. She is a pure and kind soul. She didn't do anything nor harm a single person. She is betrayed but here she is, in a place where demons are lurking. She who didn't commit a crime was thrown there for some reason that she unfortunately didn't care anymore.

She stopped crying at some point. Her beautiful face is only filled with dry tears that she doesn't bother anymore. She swore that those betrayers will pay a price for what they did but here she is, slumping on a cold yet hard ground with no care in the world.

"To think that another Sol arrived here. Am I in luck or what?" She heard a voice. A deep masculine voice. It's rough like stone but it's more beautiful and melodic than the screamings she's been hearing for a while... no one knows.

She didn't know what this man was talking about. A Sol? Isn't it the last name of the royal family? So, why is this man mentioning it? Is there a Sol behind her?

Welp, she didn't care though. Even her who is sin-free was thrown here, let alone those bright and warm people. She's now doubting the system of hell and heaven.

"Why aren't you looking at me? Are you disgusted with me?" The man asked again. The woman sighed helplessly and slowly, she lifted her head to look at the man in hopes that she would know what was his business. But what made her eyes widen is this man is... so gorgeous.

A man with black half-short and half-long hair is in front of her. He has amber coloured eyes with slits like the large black snake that is slithering around him. He has chiseled jaws and a beautiful face. He wears a button up shirt with three buttons unbuttoned that shows his well toned chest muscles, a silk black pants that hugs his lower body, and a silky black and gold robe that is draped around his shoulders that gives the piece of cloth access to flow with the wind— if there is one down there.

The woman gulped and then looked away. She knows that this man has no business with her. She ain't Sol. She is Luce. A mistake at that.

She gave everything to that man. Even her riches she accumulated just to not make her late mother's riches be moved in a single bit. She worked hard as a florist as well but ended up here, down in this hell. She didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to her mother who sacrificed everything for her. She is filled with regrets.

"Why are you looking away? Are the Sol nowadays rude?" He asked again and this time, the woman found her voice to respond to him.

"I ain't Sol." She simply said that made the man flinch.

It's not a bad thing though. He is just... shocked.

Why? Aside from the clear evidence in front of him, this woman is claiming that she is not a Sol. Then how the hell is she here if it means that every Sol needs to be here first before going through the next stage which is the 'judgment'?

"What is your name then?" He asked while thinking, 'she is clearly a Sol. But why does it seem like she doesn't know? Is she faking it or... she really doesn't know? What the hell is happening up there? And she looks so young to die! Is she...'

"My name is... Astrid Arabella Luce. If you are wondering why I am... here... I was... murdered... No! We are... murdered!" The woman named Astrid said with tears flowing down her eyes while holding her stomach once again.

The man's eyes widened. His hunch is correct but what's worse is that someone dared to kill an unborn child of a Sol. He also concluded that the woman knows nothing of her origin!

You see, this man may be a demon but he ain't inhuman. He cares for children and ladies alike. They are those who he deemed to be protected, especially this woman who is the purest one of all the souls he encountered amongst the Sol family. But because of her heart that was broken to pieces, the purity is being slowly eaten by darkness. He needs to save her. It may not be his duty but there is something that tells him to do so.

Without any word, Astrid was scooped from the ground by the snake at the man's command. She yelped in surprise that the man found it amusing and then they left the place to his palace without care of the eyes and mouth around them.

"By the way, I am called Blake Zarvan. I am the Demon King. And I will tell you who you really are. Astrid Arabella Sol."