Lykaon

Prologue

There was no turning back now.

Fear gripped me as I continued to walk forward. Its clutch was colder than any winter storm. The stench of death and decay washed over me like a flood. I could hear the screams of the tortured souls far beneath my feet. The cackles of their tormentors echoed throughout the depths.

The light could never reach here, this place was formed of pure darkness. Molded from fear, pain, hate, anger... Yet it was my only hope.

Torches that burned with a shadowy fire illuminated the path before me. It was carved of massive bones, all melted together. I had never seen a creature who's skeleton was so gargantuan.

As I reached the end of the bone corridor, I halted in utter terror.

Before me was what seemed to be a never ending cavern. It stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. Miles below was the inferno. I had only heard myths of this place; whispers never fully said aloud. The damned swam in the fire beneath, the same fire in which the demons were formed. It had been ignited millennia ago by the one; the one without a name. The one who who's breath was fire and who's soul was destroyed when he was cast from the kingdom above.

The one I had come here to find.

I had reached a large circular platform at the end of the bone bridge. It was made of black stone. Thousands of symbols were carved into it, yet not a single one seemed familiar. I bent down to get a closer look at the markings.

Then I heard it, the voice rang out from all around the abyss like thunder. Deep, growling and haunting it echoed, "The language of the ones above. Those words have not been seen by human eyes in a thousand years."

I jumped up in fear, "Who are you?" I questioned the darkness.

"You know who I am. And I know why you are here." The voice rang out, "You are weak, not strong enough to protect the ones you love. You fear for them. You fear for her... So innocent, you don't want the world to destroy her, it has a habit of doing that to people." The voice seemed almost taunting as it continued, "I've seen what will become if you continue on your own strength. She will succumb to despair, as they all do."

Tears began to form in my eyes as I shouted out in anger, "I will do anything to save her from this! Take me! Take my soul and leave her be!" The tears now flooded down my face, "Just let me die for protection.."

"Dead you are just another damned soul."

I felt my body involuntarily kneel to the ground, my head forced to stare at the stone floor. I could feel the presence of the shadow forming before me, yet I could not look up to see it.

"I have more ambitious plans for you. You'll have unimaginable power. No one will be able to harm her, as long as you stay my puppet. Darkness will consume you. The very terror you fought to destroy will be the only thing protecting you, protecting her."

Through my tears and fear I choked out, "As long as she's safe..."

I could feel the shadows envelope me as the darkness replied, "Look into my eyes."

As soon as the words sounded, the inferno began to erupt. Massive plumes of fire and lava exploded around me, burning my flesh away. I screamed out in agony, the pain was unbearable.

"Look into my eyes!" The voice commanded as more fire rained down.

I slowly began to lift my head, the effort was tremendous, "I-I can't!"

"Then you'll watch her burn in these fires for eternity! Death is the only salvation you'll feel!"

Suddenly my head snapped up and I saw it; the face of evil. I could feel my soul being ripped away into it's gaze.

I couldn't draw my eyes away from the indescribable sight before me as it spoke one last time, "Rise now my champion. Your former self is no more. You are Abaddon."