Abystella - The Star of The Abyss

Chapter 1: Child of the sea

In the year 2122 a catastrophe beyond regular proportions hit earth, out of nowhere thousands of mystical rifts in space-time opened all around the world, inside, environments and landscapes beyond human imagination had unrevealed themselves and out of these monstrosities before only seen in myths walked the land and where they threaded oceans of blood flowed like water. An entire quarter of the human population was slaughtered in a span of weeks. In the darkest hours of humanity something changed, a human had discovered something world changing, the blood of the creatures hid deep magical powers and thus started the first blood war. Humans killed beasts, beasts killed humans, and humans killed other human in their insatiable lust for power and life. Soon things went back to control, the gates were heavily monitored by the government and powerful blooded as they began being called. Normalcy was reinstated despite its ever-growing quality of life disparities. Then 10 years later, it happened again, massive gates opened their doorways to hell once more, this time in the deep confines of the ocean. As a consequence, the already rising water levels rose in torrential flood, drowning another quarter of humanity and turning half of the land uninhabitable. And thus began the second blood war where the oceans themselves became the enemy of humanity, teeming with ferocious leviathans with a single sole objective, devouring all land based life. On the day of such doomsday, a young red haired woman came back from the waters she had jumped in to save her lover, but not just with him beside her, but with a baby in her arms.

And so, the story begins like many others, and also, unlike many others, in poverty.

2122: In a distant a shore kilometers away from any civilization the clashing of swords can be heard. A woman with beautiful short red hair and revealing leather clothes held a dull blade in her hand and said with a hearty laugh:

"What's the matter?! Tired already? Didn't you want to learn the sword from me? If so, you'll have to try harder than that."

And opposite to her, is Jack, our protagonist, a 16-year-old teen with long brown hair up to the shoulders and heterochromia. One eye blue, the other pitch black.

"I-I'm just starting too!" He said with a stutter while charging toward her. Not too impressed, she just stepped aside, dodging his blow and kicking him in the gut. "Wasn't that a bit too rough?!" He bellowed, almost throwing up.

"So you expected me to go easy on you? Maybe I should hit harder." She went in for a stab, which he managed to block... for a second, until she slid the blade and hit him in the head with the pommel of the sword.

And thus they kept at it for a few hours until all muscles in Jack's body were sore and there was no way to stand up anymore.

"Good job getting this far, Jack." This is Anne, the young boy's mother, she's been taking care of him since he was little, and she found him on one of her "business trips" or how she used to call them despite Jack knowing what it entitled. Pillaging, seafaring battles and murder. Yes, my mother is a modern day pirate, though she retired when she found me.

"Given up yet?" She asked, extending her hand to help Jack get up. Who grabbed her hand with a defiant expression.

"No way! I want to be justly like you and Edward!"

"That's the reason you asked me to teach you? Don't be stupid, we have a perfectly tranquil life far away from all the conflict of the world over here, and even we are in no way proud of a lot of things we did in the past."

"Yeah, but there is no guarantee things will always stay the same! I want to explore the world and become strong like you guys did."

" We aren't even that strong."

"Then how the hell can't I even touch you?"

"You're just that weak. And there will always be someone stronger. But that's enough of that, let's go get washed and have a bite."

They nodded and begun their walk home, the sound of waves and the blue sea seemingly washing away all the fatigue from his sore body. After a few minutes of walking they saw their house in the distance, it was a small wooden hut by the sand, vast expanses of shoreline expanding beside it and lush forests and mountains behind. Despite its size there was an inherent coziness in it, the walls were decorated in family pictures, the jaws of beasts and spoils of the couple's good old pirating times.

As they entered, Jack was greeted by a tall gaunt man with short crew cut white hair and a mustache, wearing a black shirt, jeans and a blue scarf.

"Oh, you're back already, so Jack, how was the beating?"

Jack went red with embarrassment.

"I'm learning okay?!"

Edward laughed.

"Sure you are, and getting your ass handed to you, too, is part of the process. At least it ain't me that had to take time off my busy schedule to teach you this time. But never mind that, the food is ready. You both should be tired."

"Busy schedule of fishing eating, sleeping and drinking all day? But at least I finally get some reward." Jack thought to himself.

"So... I heard you want to be like those soft handed academy blooded from the city?"

Anne scowled and gave him an intimidating look.

"What? I heard it from Jason, that kid from the port who does errands with me sometimes, you did tell him right?"

"N-no dad, I told him I wanted to be a blooded some day, but I never said anything about joining hand with those pig headed elites! I wouldn't fit in any way, even Jason who would be my only friend thinks I'm weird."

An awkward silence overtook the dinner table and when it was about to become unbearable, Anne spoke up.

"Look, it's okay for you to dream about a better life, one of adventure, luxury and fame. But do know that it comes with a deadly cost, those people risk their lives daily and most of them had a privileged upbringing, one filled with elite tutors, ample amounts of beast blood and weapons to make sure that they will survive. And us? We have none of that, people like us who choose that life, live on the knifes edge constantly, and it takes a toll on your mind."

"But how do they know if one is truly suited for that kind of life? I live here already on the edge between life and death whenever I go fishing with Edward and am in no way soft!"

Ed sighed and with a hand to his face said.

"Look, Jack, the problem isn't that you're not used to it, but that you're way too kind. In this kind of field it ain't all about hunting bloodthirsty monster and saving mankind but about having to kill humans too, to survive, you know."

These last words left Jack very thoughtful, he wondered if he could do it, if he could kill a person if necessary.

"I... get it. I may be naive, but it's also naive of your part to think I won't need to defend myself to survive eventually. This world has gone to shit, and it's one day of bad luck for me to be a goner the way it is now."

The parents looked at each other with doubtful eyes and ended the conversation like that.

The rest of the day went on as usual, eating, talking, fishing, cooking, and training and thus the night approached.

Everything seemed fine, at least to the young Jack, he said his goodnight to Edward and Anne, going to his room to sleep. Different from the rest of the house, there were no decorations or pictures, just a plain bed. Despite the years of infamy, the couple had renounced it all and lived in simplicity and modesty, not having any money to buy luxurious things for their young son and living from that which nature gave them. Jack didn't mind, he knew how lucky he was to have them, and in his gratefulness he slowly drifted to sleep despite hearing an unusual discussion between them in the other room.

However, in the middle of the night Jack had a terrible nightmare, one where something was dragging him down to the depths of the ocean, the pressure crushing him, the air fleeing from his lungs and the all encompassing darkness consuming his everything. He saw a pair of black eyes with white vertical irises staring at him, cold and calculating, as if measuring every fiber in his being. The eyes shut down and a cold whirlpool enveloped jacks entire being, At that moment he woke up in a cold sweat.

Yet, he was not alone in his room, there seemingly waiting for his awakening was Anne.

"Mom...? What are you?"

"We... have to talk, Jack..." His eyes widened, trying to see her in the dim moonlight sipping through his window as she approached him.

"About what? And at this time? I just had a horrid nightmar-"

" Something is going to happen to us, kid." She said, leaning in and hugging him tightly.

"Wait, what do you-"

"There is no time, my child, and I need to tell you something before everything changes." At this point, Jack was very worried, gripping at his mother's arms.

She continued: "The bad things we did in the past are finally catching up to us, and they will take us away, most likely we'll never see each other again."

"What?! No! You guys changed... you said it yourself we are living peacefully here, not bothering anyone... Why?!"

"Because it doesn't matter if we changed or not, what matter is that those in power always saw us as an eyesore, and they finally found this hiding place. Found you."

Tears were running on his cheeks. "So what?! We just have to go somewhere else, hide again!"

"No. You will end up implicated in our mistakes, and that is the last thing we want! And they will find us one more time. The life of a fugitive is no life for a child."

"That's not fair..."

"I know Jack, but you have to be strong and listen very intently as now I'll be telling the story of how we found you, how fate brought us together, and It might save your life later on." A dead serious expression was plastered on her face. Deep down she was afraid, but she knew he would get to the bottom of his own story and that would give him power to fight the entire world if so he desired. It all started in the day of the great deluge.