The Abyss

Chapter 3: The Abyssal Kingdom

"Wh-where am I?"

The words left my throat as a ragged stammer. I tried to move, but cold metal bit into my wrists and ankles, the heavy rattle of iron echoing in the hollow silence. My skin crawled against the damp floor. "Where am I!" I screamed into the void.

A boots-on-stone rhythm emerged from the shadows. A man stepped into the flickering torchlight, his silhouette sharp and imposing. "Welcome to the Abyssal Kingdom," he said, his voice as frigid as the chains. "Here, you are nothing but a slave."

I lunged forward, the chains snapping taut and jerking me back. "You’re the one. You took me and left my siblings bleeding on the ground," I spat, the copper taste of rage filling my mouth. "Just wait. When I break these, I’ll kill you."

The man didn't flinch. He leaned in, his eyes boring into mine with a jagged, painful honesty. "How can you kill me when you couldn't even protect your own blood? You watched them fall. You were helpless then, and you are helpless now. You are weak, Sebastian. Pathetic."

The words cut deeper than the iron cuffs. My shoulders slumped as the fury drained away, leaving only the cold, hard truth. I was a void powerless. I looked up at him, my voice barely a whisper. "Who are you? And... do you know how to fix it? How to become strong?"

The man’s icy mask fractured, a hint of grief softening his jaw. "I am Edward Ironvale, the eldest son of a fallen house. As for strength... my family was slaughtered by the other Abyssals because we lacked it."

"Other Abyssals?" I frowned, the rattling of my chains quieting. "I thought there was only one."

Edward let out a short, bitter laugh. "There are twelve factions in this hellscape. We are the twelfth the weakest, the prey. The others hunt us for sport."

"What happened to the rest of the Ironvales?"

"My father is in a deathly slumber," Edward replied, his gaze drifting to the dark corners of the room. "If his heart stops, I am the last. We cracked the sky to the mortal world seeking a sanctuary, but we only signaled our position to the predators above us. They are coming, Sebastian."

"So... that was your first time opening the sky?" I realized then that the history books in the Academy were full of lies.

"Yes," Edward confirmed. "The great wars of the past? Those were the higher factions. We were just trying to breathe."

"Then why the chains? Why me?"

"Blood," Edward said bluntly. "We needed yours."

"For what?"

"To wake my father. I can’t carry this legacy alone, and he is dying because he shielded me from the other houses. I didn't kill your siblings because I know the weight of a quiet house. I know what it’s like to be the only one left to love."

I looked at his tear-stained face. In his eyes, I saw the same hollow ache that lived in my own chest. "If you need a brother... I can be your brother."

A piercing alarm suddenly tore through the lab, a high-pitched shriek that vibrated in my teeth. The ceiling groaned under a sudden, crushing pressure, dust raining down from the rafters.

"What's happening?" I yelled over the thunderous vibration.

"They’re here!" Edward shouted, his face pale. "The other Abyssals are attacking!"

"Then free me! Let me help you!"

Edward hesitated, his hand hovering over the lock. Then, with a decisive *clack*, the iron fell away. My limbs felt light, the blood rushing back to my hands. As we turned to run, Edward stopped, his breath hitching as he wiped his eyes. "Sebastian... go."

"What?"

"Go back to the mortal world," he said, his voice trembling. "Your family is still there. They need you."

"And you?"

"I stay," Edward said, his stance hardening. "I won't leave my people or my father's bones. I will die in my country, seeking the revenge I owe."

I shook my head, stepping beside him and gripping the hilt of a discarded blade. "If you aren't leaving, then neither am I. We’ll get stronger together. We’ll hunt the other factions and take back everything they stole."

Edward looked at me, a flicker of genuine hope lighting his eyes for the first time. A small, sad smile broke through the tears.

"Then let's go... brother."