A/N Back with another story for you all~ Feedback would be a great help for me, to correct any mistakes. ^^; Enjoy now~

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia

The Abyss: Part 1

"... Have you gotten everything you will need? We won't be returning to this place anymore, so make sure you take the things you find plausible." A man said sternly, facing the back of a boy who was crouched down, rummaging through a small, makeshift box sitting beside the side of a cave wall, it's interior lit up by many tiny candles.

The boy bobbed his head in return, his face grim, and a frown placed upon his lips. His emotions were all scrambled, and with the current situation happening at this very moment, he had no idea what these feelings were: fear, resentment, or perhaps fury? But the fact that his Master and himself were soon going to abandon their beloved home, shook him to the very core. Their home... The very place where he had been raised and trained in... Was soon about to become only another lost property in this Hell of a world.

His fingers shook as the boy extended his hand into the box and fished out an anklet with a peculiar design etched on to the gold metal piece, with lines crisscrossing at every angle around the perimeter, until it reached the center, where only three horizontal lines lay suspended, separated from the rest of the representation. He was never one to carry about jewelry on his body, but once upon a time, his Master had told him that this anklet was blessed with the power of flight; to fly free, and away from the plague that had infected the previous Mother Earth with its curse of atrocity.

Although it was yet, but a story, the boy still had treasured this item, whether it possessed magical abilities or not, he would never trash a gift from his Master.

He carefully held it in his cupped hands as his eyes wandered from one end of it, to the other, taking in the shimmering piece of jewelry. Then, clasping it between his fingers, he latched it on to his exposed, right ankle, clicking it into place. "... Alright. I'm ready to leave now, Master." He said monotonously, straightening up his posture and standing upright again, then turning around to face the man.

He stared at the boy for a good couple of seconds before his eyes lowering to the metal piece around his ankle. His stoic expression didn't waver as his gaze returned to meet the other's bright, blue eyes. "... Alfred. Why have you dug up such an ancient relic? Don't you not have anything else you'd want to bring instead of this? Surely there are toys that you find to your liking?"

The boy, Alfred, pouted and puffed out his cheeks, his gaze lingering to the ground instead. "I'm fourteen. I'm too old for toys now, besides that- I... The only solid gift you have given me, was this," he lightly brushed his right foot against the cold ground, the anklet sparkling against the dim lights, "I don't want this to be left behind to encounter the storm."

His Master let silence befall them as Alfred continued to brush his feet against the ground, the scuffle sound it made bounced off the cave walls, killing the dreadful tranquility. His Master, or Arthur as Alfred rarely called him, made a stride over to where his apprentice was standing, and placed a gloved hand on his shoulder.

The contact that Alfred had felt, made him immediately stare up at the older man, almost as if it were a second instinct. His Master rarely touched him, so this is probably something that won't happen again in another few months. But yet, whenever he does, they would always be full of gentleness, when in combat, roughness, and when in loneliness or pitifulness, light touches. It was mesmerizing how he had such affections with his caresses, it made Alfred respect him even more than ever, hence the way he never called his Master, Arthur.

"... Yes, Master?" He said solemnly, his blue eyes tinted by the lack of lights within their ex-home, his lips in a passive line.

Arthur glanced down at his hand on the boy's shoulder, and he felt his fingers slowly tighten themselves into Alfred's tunic. "Alfred. You are still young, you have your entire life waiting for you at the end of this bloody horizon, there will be times where you will indeed, have to use brute force to get out alive. But that is only if you have a strong desire to live. The harder you fight, the more you want to grasp on to the concept of life, that is what life here is all about: it is either you live with your head held up high, or you die because of the little mistakes you have made trying to live. You see that? And as your Master as well as your combat instructor, it is to my intent that I see you standing on that battlefield, with your red-stained sword in hand, and breathing."

Alfred began to feel his heart pick up speed, it was roughly pounding within his already aching chest, the pain made it worse, not only that, but his breathing hitched up and his throat went dry. This was more than an ordinary day of hand-to-hand combat with his Master, his worst fears were very slowly becoming a reality.

Deep down, he knew that one day where he will have to point his weapon at an enemy or two, it was how things went here on this nameless planet. He had trained hard, day after day, returning back to their cave with small wounds and a body releasing an excess amount of sweat and sore muscles. But now being told this suddenly after hearing about having to leave their home? It was all too much for him to handle.

Taking a deep breath through his mouth and then exhaling, Alfred tried to relieve the pain which was coursing through his chest. It was already bad enough for a boy like him to feel such nonsensical emotions, if he was going to fight for his Master, then he'd have to throw these feelings away sooner or later.

"I understand. But you shouldn't worry yourself over me, it'll only cause you another problem to watch over and I don't want that to happen." Alfred managed a weak grin and nodded his head.

Arthur's lips tightened to a straight line, his brows furrowing, as he knelt down to meet up with Alfred's level and now planted both of his hands on either side of the boy's shoulders.

"You are the only person I care deeply about, the day I found you in that rubble of a building, was the day my life, for all I know, have changed. I have watched you grow up, taken your first steps, and have trained you to be the very best. I absolutely do not want you in the crooks of my arms, all battered and broken and breathing out your last words." Arthur spoke out calmly, his expression still unreadable as he released his hold on Alfred and stood back up, towering over him.

"I do not want to lose you."

This time, those words hit directly into his heart and he began to tremble, not from fear or the fact that he was going to potentially be killed once they left, but of empathy, tenderness, love. These strange emotions that he had to experience with his Master, are finally going to become reality. Though it'll probably going to be short lived, all Alfred wanted, was to spend his days with him, through this journey, and forever, his Master will be with him.

His thoughts sparked a trickle of tears that escaped his eye, forming a pathway down his cheek and then falling free from his chin. He immediately wiped the fluid away with the back of his petite palm, he didn't want to show his weak side in front of Arthur.

"I... I-!" Alfred couldn't form the right words on his tongue, "... I also care about you! I wish we are never separated! Never ever! I want to stay by your side forever! I'll protect you with my life if I have to! Just don't leave me, that's the worse thing that can happen, worse than death itself!" He spun around and finally caved in, his small arms wrapping themselves around Arthur's legs and holding on to them tightly, as if those legs will carry Arthur far away from him.

Arthur's lips formed a tiny smile, as he rested his hand atop Alfred's head and gently caressed it, muttering soft words of encouragement for him to not cry.

"There, there, do not fret, for I have made me own resolve: to never leave you as well. But there is only one promise that you must hold to your word, are you ready to hear it?"

The nodded his head frantically, his face still buried within his Master's legs. "I'll do anything! Really I will!" His voice muffled out.

The older man chuckled, his hand still musing up Alfred's hair as he briefly shut his eyes in deep thought. He inhaled and said, "Whatever happens, whatever changes between one of us, you must promise, to never disobey me. I am the sole caretaker of your well being, and that you must be devoted to myself, and only me. Do you understand?"

Alfred, again, nodded frantically, he had already made that mental decision a long time ago, he knew that within himself, that he would be eternally grateful to his Master whom had kept him safe from the outside world for all these years. The very thought of him leaving his side had never even struck his mind.

"Of course, I would never abandon you, Master." He promised solemnly, meaning every word of it.

His Master returned a curt nod, wriggling away from Alfred's hold and bending down, he leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on to his forehead. "I expect nonetheless from you, Alfred." That touch of his lips on his skin, it sent shivers up his spine and a warmness spreading in his cheeks. He really did adore his Master.

As he stood back up, Arthur took a few paces ahead of Alfred until he stopped at the entrance of their home, where the dark fog blanketed the surrounding area, who knows if they'll be able to find this place again? Probably not in this lifetime, there were millions of other caverns out there that were inhabited, someone will eventually occupy theirs.

Arthur craned his head over his shoulder and glanced at Alfred with a mischievous glint in his eyes, his black cape streaming behind him as he flicked out his arm. "Well, come now, this bloody world awaits us. A new dawn has dusted over the horizon, calling out our names as a precaution of what's to come. It's not like everyday you get to witness the murder of another one of your kind… But of course that's impossible for me, since there aren't any of my kind left."

Alfred's eyes widened in surprise as he witnessed yet again, as Arthur's, once black leathered cape, merge into his clothed spine, then slowly stretching back out, this time changing into a pair of enormous charcoal wings. The tips were pointed at each end with a sharp edge, and the skin was tight when placed a hand upon.

His Master was a dragon hybrid.

Once Arthur's wings were fully extended, they hovered up, and then down, he was testing the mobility of how long it would hold him up for, since they were going to travel by air.

"A-awesome… I wish I knew what hybrid I was… " Alfred wondered aloud in awe, his eyes never leaving Arthur's wings.

"In due time you will, but that isn't until you reach your eighteenth year. You've still got a ways to go, four years even." Arthur smiled, and beckoned Alfred to come to him.

The boy huffed and crossed his arms, his feet bringing him over to his Master. It wasn't like he was envious of Arthur's abilities, no, he was just annoyed of how long he had to wait until the signs showed up on what breed he'd turn out to be. Usually you would already have that knowledge if you born into the clan of that hybrid, then starting your training early on preparing yourself how to navigate your abilities.

Though since Alfred didn't know where or whom he was born from, the anticipation of waiting four more years until he changed was nerve wracking. At least to him it was, Arthur thought that it would be a good opportunity to be trained in every kind of fighting technique known to different clans. That way, it'll be sufficient to him on where the enemies weak points are.

"I know that, I just want to know right now!" He complained as he stopped in front of Arthur, his arms still crossed and his face still pouty.

Arthur sighed and leaned down with his arms outstretched. Then, hooking his arms under Alfred's knees and behind his neck, his Master heaved him up into his chest, bringing him closer.

"You'll have other things to complain about once we get going. Now, I dare warn you that this'll be a rather, "long" flight." He pursed his lips and started out of their home, the metal heels on his boots making their last clink sound as they exited the cavern.

Alfred looked up at him curiously, his head tilting to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I will answer that question once we are in the air. Now I'm prepping, so please cease the talking, at least until the ground is miles away from my feet." Arthur then halted in his steps, he parted his legs at an angle and then bent his knees. Alfred saw him narrow his eyes and a thin line formed on his lips. His Master was always like this whenever he was prepping.

A burst of strong winds surrounded them as Arthur sprang from his spot on the dirt, his wings pressed neatly on to his back as they continued to elevate higher, and higher. The boy gasped as the gusts whipped at his face, the coldness planting themselves on his skin.

He dared a peek through his closed eyelids as he felt the intensity die down. Alfred blinked and looked over Arthur's shoulder to see his wings fully extended, beating in rhythm against the wind. They were now airborne: though their location has yet to be announced.

From afar, on a desolated, abandoned battleground, you can spot a golden shine above the thick murky clouds, its light bringing the tiniest of hopes to the wandering hybrids. They have yet to find out that it was coming from a piece of jewelry.

An anklet, to be more precise.

A/N More clarification will be in the upcoming chapters of just who these "hybrids" are, with the inclusion of Alfred and Arthur's past. Also, new characters will be joining the party very soon, so look out for them~