1 Prologue-Trial of Fire

Cold. It was the only thing she could think of. The world around her had turned cold.

As she lay on the cold floor, a pool of crimson blood formed around her while her abdomen was tormenting her with an agonizing pain. The bullet had pierced through her flesh in a flash and before she could comprehend anything, she fell on the ground in a semi-conscious state.

She peered her eyes, fighting to stay awake. Her mind was muddled in shock while she could dimly hear the cries of men. Bullets flew everywhere and drops of blood hit her pale face. Gunshots shattered the silence of the night, terrifying her but for once, she was not afraid of the ear piercing sounds of death.

"No…" she mumbled. "Don't…"

Don't do what? She no longer knew. But the pain from the bullet was nothing compared to what her heart was going through. It was engulfed in a torturous grief, beating so fast that it felt as if it would explode any moment.

Bodies were falling near her, piling up until she could no longer count them.

"Stop…" she softly begged. "No...don't…"

Suddenly, the gunshots stopped and everything was silent again. There was a short pause before she heard slow footsteps approaching her way.

She should have been scared. She should have run away. There were many chances to escape and yet, she stayed. Like a moth to a flame, she let herself burn in the hellish fire.

Why? Why did I stay? She wondered.

Through her hazy vision, she saw a pair of feet stop in front of her and she felt an emotionless gaze fall on her. The man was watching her but she could not see his face.

Yet, she wanted to. She wanted to see his face. If this was the end, then she wanted to see his face one last time. Her consciousness was fading but she held on to a ray of hope in the middle of the eternal darkness before her.

The man in front of her slowly stooped down. She felt a hand grabbing her by the hair and pulling her up until she could see a dark pair of eyes staring back at her green ones. There was something in those eyes which she could not read. A mixture of alien emotions played in his gaze and even in that state, she was captured by them.

Was it hate? Was it pity? Or was it something more?

Whatever it was, she knew it would be her doom.

"You've entered hell," she heard him whisper. "And no one can ever escape it."

He leaned closer to her ear. She could feel his breath like the slightest wisp of air, making her shiver. The harsh words coming out of his lips should scare her.

But where was the fear? Why could she not feel it anymore? Why?

"Not even you, Lillian," the darkly dangerous man said. "I won't let you escape. Not now. Not ever."

A slow smile appeared on her colorless lips.

"Am...I trapped?" she whispered back. "Or...are you?"