Chapter One: Queen of the Underworld

Clawing from the depths of hell, a vague shadow enveloped the mysterious dwelling. The silence ushered her arrival, the cold wind welcomed her presence. Her faint silhouette covered the pale moonlight. The earth crumbled as she walked; the dry land shook in her every step. Resurrected from the shadows, armed with all the hate in the world, she vowed to cause pain and chaos, to destroy everything in her path.

She is finally here.

Luna Hades, the female descendant of the blasphemous Satan, the heiress to the throne, next in line to sit down and rule the invisible kingdom below. She is the personified face of fear, born out of hatred and intense desire to hurt and poison the minds of the innocent. She is destructive, manipulative and deceptive, much like all the devils and cretins before her. She is the nameless ghost, a nebulous creature destined to wander the terra firma of mortals.

But behind her infernal nature is a beautiful face – a face that no greatest painter in history could perfect, no artist could ever recreate her masterpiece. Her beauty has been written in every book; writers have been scribbling her perfection for centuries. Her virginal figure drives every man insane. Her long black hair trailing below her waist is a sight to behold. Her eyes told stories from a thousand years ago – deep black, black as her heart.

"Elias," the first word she uttered after sitting on her red throne, embedded in gold and pearls. She sat with an obvious boredom on her face.

A bulk figure emerged from the misty ground; a man on a cloak heaved slowly towards her. He was hunched back, his face covered in a dark piece of cloth. His eyes are piercing, old and tired. There is a slight hint of tenderness in his face when he pulled Luna's hand to kiss them.

"Your majesty." He bowed like a tamed animal waiting for recognition.

"The day that I've been waiting for has come; the day of reckoning has befallen us. I felt it in my sleep. The cries of the innocent, the pleading of the damned, they called for me." She hissed.

"But, milady—"

Elias was thrown violently to the ground before he could say another word.

"Whoever dares to defy my wishes shall burn. You mustn't forget that, Elias!"

Elias struggled to get back on his feet. He crawled on the asphalt, numb with the pain, cowering from the blow he was forced to endure. "Forgive me, milady."

Luna looked down on him with disgust and contempt. She scoffed. "My father is the only one keeping you alive! Against my will, he insisted to keep you by my side. You are only my servant. Know your place!"

"Now get up, old man. We have work to do. Mankind shall not have another day of peace."

Luna gave him another look before turning her back and with a snap of her finger, Elias's injuries were gone. He didn't feel any pain anymore. He sighed sadly. This is his fate, his destiny.

Elias was once human, an ordinary mortal who made the wrong choices. He was an orphan, a homeless wanderer who never really had a place to belong. He didn't have any friends; people stayed away from him like a plague that everyone wanted to bask away in obscurity. He tried to lead a normal life. He wanted to have a family of his own but a child who didn't have anyone growing up couldn't possibly know anything about family.

He fell in love once; yes, Marcell – the only person who was never disgusted by the sight of him. He met her while walking down the alley one night from one of his jobs. She was carrying a basket of oranges. She had rosy cheeks and plump lips. Her gentle eyes gave him a familiar warmth; it felt home for a moment. She gave him a glimpse, smiling slightly as she hummed. Elias hesitantly smiled back, embarrassed about how he looked – his clothes were dirty and he could've sworn he smelled too.

"Cold night, mister." She greeted him as she walked by.

"Yes." He shyly nodded, his heart racing like crazy.

"Well, aren't you cold? You're not wearing any jacket. Winter is coming so you should put on something warm especially while walking in this area at night." She smiled warmly.

Elias was stunned. No one has ever talked to him before. He didn't know how to act. People treat him like an animal and he never really existed until now. This young lady in front of him was showing a bit of concern for a lowlife like him. His heart could explode at that moment and he could die but he would not care; he would die a happy man.

"My name is Marcell. I live just around the corner of Bartell store. We sell fruits and candies. Ever been to that place?"

"I, uh...near the plaza? Kids go there all the time. Yes, you sell candies and fruits. There are a lot of candies and fruits in that store" were the only words he could mutter.

Marcell giggled. "You're funny. You didn't tell me your name yet, mister."

"Elias. My name is Elias," he whispered.

Elias closed his eyes; tears started streaming down his face. The memories of Marcell are the only thing that's giving him hope. Living in hell, being the servant of the devil, witnessing the world fall apart every one hundred years, forced to watch the agony of men. Marcell was the only thing human left in him, in his heart.

"Marcell, Marcell, Marcell. You're thinking of her again."

That commanding voice snapped Elias out of his nostalgic trance. Draped in a red and black coat, Luna maniacally laughed at the sight of his tears.

"My poor servant, how many times do I have to tell you? There is nothing to look forward to in this world. Marcell has betrayed you once, she would do it again in her next life."

Luna grabbed him tightly by the throat and looked deep into his eyes. For a moment, Elias felt nothing, no fear, no worry, the thought of Marcell still stuck in his head. With Luna's fingers trickling the tears he shed, she spoke menacingly, "People are weak, Elias; that is their nature. When they are in grave danger or distress, they would betray anyone if given the chance. Love has no place in a man's heart. Your death is sealed the moment you fall in love. A man should live void of emotion to survive."

Elias stood there, gritting his teeth. Much to his chagrin Luna spoke again, this time with a tone of darkness in her voice, her eyes flaming in red crimson, "I will show you, Elias. I will show you the evils of mankind, the sins of mortals and the corruption of men. I will show you that love has no place in this world. Love is a lie. A lie that I will soon decimate."

Elias trembled.