Abyss Progenitor

Silverware clanked in the spacious kitchen of a big house. Funny and flirtatious remarks flowed in the air, as the couple chatted away.

Wade listened to their stories. The encounters they had growing up, as well as the difficulties they had to overcome to become who they are. 

Lisa's story was that of a depressing life. She was the seventh child in a farmer's family. Her days were spent taking care of the fields alongside her siblings while trying to survive the dreadful winters with the little food and warm clothes they had.

Regardless of how tough it might have been in their lives. There was always hope for their future. A future of content life and a full table.

However, it all changed when her father became addicted to gambling. The little money they had was spent on booze and whores, whom he often brought home.

Since Lisa's mother was a frail and weak-willed woman, she often let it slide. Saying it was just a phase in his life and that she couldn't properly fulfill her wifely duties.

Nevertheless, the older kids saw through the pain. Some supported her and wanted to change their father's ways, while some left the house, never to return again.

Eventually, it all came crashing down when, in one of the mornings, the eldest son was arguing with their father to not take away the last bag of wheat they had to sell off only to finance his frequent trips to brothels. On that cloudy day, his father didn't say anything, as the kids watched from afar, covering behind whatever could shield their frail figures.

It happened instantly and without a warning. Their father reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife. Stabbing his eldest son under his chin, as the blade gruesomely reappeared in his mouth, continuing to pierce through just to pop up out of his nose.

Blood and screams echoed, not the screams of the eldest son, as his tongue was cut through. The father simply stood over his son's dying body and at the last moment, crushed his malnourished neck with a stomp, ending his life.

That day, he walked out of the house, never to return, as the family grieved the tragic death. What followed next was the suicide of their mother. One cold night, she simply left the house alone and headed onto the fields. Only the next morning did the kids find her charred corpse.

Without parents and only three children left. Lisa and her older twin sisters clutched for a life in any way they could.

However, three illiterate and unskilled teenage girls soon found themselves starving, forced to gradually sell off their lands to greedy merchants.

Years later, one of the twins contracted throat cancer, something that was passed down from their father's bloodline. Unfortunately, the other twin, being identical, also developed the same cancer in the same spot.

Lisa continued to live in hell as she watched her older sisters die, unable to speak, unable to express their pain and frustrations with life. Forced to watch as their youngest sister would be left alone in this world.

Eventually, Lisa was the one to drag the corpses of her sisters to the same fields and bury them alongside their brother and mother.

However, before they died, they left her their earnest words, mustering the strength to finally speak after months.

"Live Lisa…live for us…"

"Live the life…we never had…"

With nobody left and reluctant to wake up in the house full of bad memories. Lisa completely sold the land and left for a big city.

Farsky City.

A clueless young girl, who hadn't even matured yet, had to clutch at the last straws of life.

But the cold night wasn't eternal, the day would come when the sun would rise, illuminating the world.

One day, when she was looking for a place to stay. She encountered a stunning woman standing alone near a lake, looking at the rippling water with serene eyes. When she turned to look at her, the woman seemed to see right through Lisa's pain and resentment. Alongside yearning for warmth and love.

"Are you lost, child?" her soul-soothing voice, a motherly aura and heartfelt tone shattered all the mental barriers that Lisa had put up throughout her life. Those words invoked a forgotten sense of peace and love, which Lisa yearned for every day.

Right at the spot where she stood, Lisa broke down crying, her wail shaking the very world. Yet, she inexplicably found herself in that woman's embrace, feeling cherished.

"Child, do you wish for a better life?" the woman uttered, her sky blue eyes sparkling like the brightest gems in the world.

Lisa, without missing a single beat, agreed on the spot, as she felt like this woman could help her in this cruel world.

What followed next was quite vague. Despite Lisa trying her best to remember. However, what she knew was that mythical woman changed her life and helped her open a bakery. Creating bread alongside her, which was eventually how she came to meet Aron.

Aron's story was filled with pain as well. He came from a family that served a small noble house. His father, like many of his grandfathers before, was a soldier who served the said nobles. Even when they were in decline, his father chose to stay, while many of the soldiers left one after another.

However, those nobles, desperately trying to clutch for whatever bit of power that was left, betrayed the Alkwood Kingdom to serve the demons. They spied for them, relaying all the dirt they had on the other noble houses.

But one day, they jumped a level too high, trying to bite off a big pie that was Winzer Dukedom. Eventually, their own secrets were dug out as well, alongside them being the demon race's spies.

Under the banner of a duke, all the damaged nobles rallied to execute the traitors. Which they completely succeeded in, as the patriarch of the family was publicly skinned in the capital of the kingdom, Alkwood City.

The low-ranking servants were spared under the pleading of the church clerics. However, those enraged nobles found less public ways to get rid of them. Hiring criminal organizations to murder hundreds of knights alongside their families.

One day, Aron, who had just graduated from a Ranker academy, came back to his village, housing the families of the knights. Only to find everything razed to the ground, as well as rotting corpses that still had the marks of brutal deaths.

Aron experienced profound mental hell after finding out the full extent of the events. He could not vent, his enemies were dead and the other 'enemies' were too high up for him to target. 

After burying every single corpse, he vowed to one day kill all those noble families involved, sparing nobody.

However, he never lost his rationality to rage, as Aron fully knew what he needed the most now was power and time.

After sorting his thoughts, he decided to join the Ranker Guild in Farsky City. Aron climbed the ranks, fighting many battles, experiencing injustice from those above, as well as learning the realities of the profession.

After losing one too many friends. He decided to take a break, exploring the city that he had been protecting for many years. Coincidentally, he happened to wander the streets on the day of the fertility festival. A time of joy for many in Farsky City.

He tried to blend into the crowd, participating in tournaments against mortal men. For once in many years, Aron felt superior and in control, but he knew that he was deluding himself with illusions. Feeling fed up with noise, he walked away. Eventually, Aron emerged beside a calm lake. The fresh scent in the air, the peaceful chirping of the birds and the kids playing around made him feel at peace.

As he enjoyed the atmosphere, he spotted a young woman who was leaning on the tree, munching on small pieces of bread, her thoughts unreadable. Yet, under the inexplicable pull of attraction, he approached her to strike up a conversation.

"Enjoying the peace?" were the first words he spoke to her, which kick-started their relationship.

In the beginning, Lisa was skeptical about him, finding it suspicious that a stranger would suddenly be interested in her. Yet, the said stranger somehow found her bakery, dropping by every morning to small talk. Unknowingly, those episodes of chit-chat turned into heartfelt and deep conversation. The time came when they both shared their stories, finding solace in each other's company.

After many years and seemingly countless meetings, they decided to build their lives together, build a family. Aron told her that he was a respected and well-known Ranker, promising her a life without financial or emotional struggle. However, Lisa agreed to leave this city only under one condition: she would open a bakery wherever they went.

Aron agreed instantly, even telling her that she could open an entire chain of bakeries. Even if they all went bankrupt, he wouldn't give a single damn. He indeed became a love-struck fool, a fool that Lisa loved to death.