The darkness within

Prologue

The fire was blazing, the heat unbearing. The underworld was a cruel place for those who come across it. No mortal can withstand the immense heat, or the creatures that inhabit it.

Even the stone the place is made of is dangerous. The red rock once one fire will never go out. Brown sand that traps wandering souls and drags you down like quicksand if you step on it.

And the great lakes filled with magma. Lava falls down from the ceiling. And there is no day nor night. No sun to repel the creatures of the dark.

No mortal dares to go into that dark place. Yet here they were. A group of people from a village, who had fled from an attack. Were now stuck in this dreaded place.

They had set up a small campsite alongside a large cliff, that laid next a massive lava lake. The leader of the group, Thanatos, had made sure the food was being rationed as to not use it too quickly. Good notch only knows how long they would have to stay before an escape would make itself known.

The water was also used in small portions, and he made sure every villager got its share. He had also send a few men out to search for a possible exit from this hellish place, but there was no luck.

The longer they were stuck, the more people they lost. Men who didnt came back from scouting, either murdered by the creatures that roamed the underworld. Or slipped into lava. Elders also wouldnt be spared from the seemingly increasing heat. Many passed away from the extreme heat or lack of hydration.

Then, the children. A lot of youngsters werent spared either. But the thing they truly feared most, was the creature that hunted them, killed them. It would come when someone got seperated, and murder them.

It would haunt them with nightmares that seemed too real. The creature seemed to taunt them, play with them. It seemed to take pleasure in their pain and misery.

And slowly, every elder, child and woman died with the exception of Thanatos' two children and his wife. The elder son, Oreon. And the young girl, Tempos. And a thirth was on its way.

At first they had hope for an exit. But the longer time went on, the more hope they lost. Thanatos became discouraged, but kept positive for his wifes sake. But even she fell discouraged. And when the time was almost there for the child to be born, she became hystaric and desperate.

'Thannie please, isnt there anything' the woman pleaded with her husband. Thanatos put his hand in his hair. 'Im doing the best I can dear, we have the strongest men on scouting duty'

The woman was crying, tears fell down her face. 'What will happen to the child? I dont want it to grow up in a cruel place like this, if it even gets to live that long!' Thanatos embraced his wife in hopes of calming her down. But dispair was settling in.

Not long after and the woman went into labor. The village people did everything they could. But the terrible heat and lack of supplies caused her to die. But to the suprise of many, the child lived. A young boy.

But Thanatos was too struck with sorrow to even look at the child. His son Oreon tried to cheer him up but was also in great sorrow because the loss of his mother. Only the young girl looked at the newborn. She held him when he cried and fed it. She had help from her uncle. And together they took care of the child.

They named him Kratis.

From the shadows two eyes were watching as the girl took care of the small child. A wicked grin made it's way onto the creatures face. And a dark chuckle echoed the air.

'Now the wait has begun, dont worry, we will see each other again, Kratis'