A/N Many thanks for everyone who were interested in reading this story TuT. I forgot to mention on the previous section, but the rating will go up, I do not know when, but I will inform you all when it does. Nonetheless, here's another chapter for your enjoying, some information will be cleared up here~

Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia


The Abyss: Part 2

The space up here was always more spectacular than the murky clouds that would be hovering overhead. They would be constantly drowning the land below with darkness and eeriness, the hybrids wouldn't know what to think whenever they sensed an unnatural disturbance in the air. It would always be the same, whether the sun rises or set, the sky reflected the bloodstained battle grounds that are left behind.

Alfred let out a soft sneeze as the air began tickling his nose.

Arthur glanced down at him for a brief moment, before turning his attention back to the flight. "Oh my, you aren't catching a cold now are you?"

The boy shook his head and looked up at his Master, "No, it's just the air, getting a cold now would be a sign of a weakling!" He wanted to show Arthur that he can be cool too, just like him! Alfred stared wistfully at his Master's taunt face, how his blonde hair fell above those intense, emerald colored eyes, the trait that he had received when he had found out about his heritage, and the way how his brows furrowed when he was in his "philosophical" mode. He really did admire his Master so, so much...

A tint of blush formed on his cheeks as he felt it grow warmer. Realization hit him, he was fantasizing about Arthur, his guardian. Though it was probably just a mutual feeling towards an older caretaker, Alfred couldn't help but wonder why he found his Master's appearance to be... Attractive?

He shook his head in denial and stared at his lap, his eyes then wandered down to his legs where his Master's strong arm hefted him up. There was also his palm which rested against his small back, where his taut fingers were planted firmly against his tunic ruffling it up a bit. Maybe it's kind of like looking up to a role model of sorts? Well whatever it was, he just hoped that Arthur didn't sense his pacing heartbeat.

"-fred? Alfred? Did you hear me?" Arthur's voice broke his concentration and the boy immediately looked up in embarrassment. So much for trying to impress him.

"Y-yeah? What is it, Master?" Alfred tried to level out his voice from cracking.

His Master raised a brow at him and stared at him in concern. "I was asking you if you wanted to rest below. You look as if you're not feeling good, your chest was beating quite wildly just a second ago." He seemed to be suspecting that something was up.

"No!- I mean, you're the one who is doing all the flying. I can imagine that it's probably you who needs a break." Alfred tried his best to give him an assuring smile as he bobbed his head in agreement to his statement, hoping to throw him off. "Besides, we don't have a set destination yet right? We have plenty of time for you to take a break!"

Good, his distraction was regulating his heart beat back to it's normal pace.

Arthur continued to stare at Alfred for a mere couple of seconds before letting out a sigh and turning his gaze back to the clear skies. "I worry for you. But you are definitely right, let us both take a rest before setting off again." At his command, his Master's heavy wings dipped down and the two of them began to drop. "I have not rested since yesterday evening, so this'll be a good time to relax out my wings."

Alfred hugged his own chest as the dive began to send harsh gusts of winds on to his face. "What? What do you mean you haven't relaxed yet? What were you doing since yesterday?!" He cried against the gale, raising his voice a bit so that Arthur could hear him. Which, wasn't the smartest of moves to do, since the draft just plunged into his throat, causing it to suck the saliva out of it, making him gag.

The older man gritted his teeth as the duo passed through the clouds and back into the land of Hell, the clear blue skies was no more as the red swallowed it up. "... I was… Preparing for today. I had planned to meet up with an acquaintance of mine, he's very useful when it comes to fighting tactics and when he had heard that I was leaving our cavern, he offered himself to accompany us on this journey." His eyes whipped left and then right as he looked for a place to land. "Are you alright by any chance? I know being exposed to air is harsh for someone so young."

The boy shook his head as Arthur began slowing his pace down, now only a few feet in the air. "I'm okay- Oh! But look there, Master!" He raised a hand out and pointed in the direction to a few overturned boulders lying in the middle of a deserted plain, their enormous shape wide enough to hide a few people behind. "We can rest there! It looks like no one can spot us there."

"Hmm, you're right. Excellent job, Alfred." Arthur's lips curved into a small smile as he swiftly changed his directions and headed towards the, now set, destination.

Alfred couldn't help but swell up with pride as Arthur complimented him, this was a step towards something at least! You can do this Alfred! He thought to himself happily.

The beating of the wings have gotten softer, and softer, until finally, his Master's feet were planted, firmly on the cold soil of the former earth.

He grinned as he abruptly leaped out of Arthur's arm and on to the dirt, kicking a bit of the debris up, his anklet catching a bit of a glow, only to have it falling on to his black shorts. "Finally, land!" Alfred whooped and did a small fist bump into the air, truthfully, he loved walking on land rather than flying, though the thought of seeing the beauty of the area above the clouds was splendid enough to have him wishing he could do both. But for now, solid ground was his preference of travel.

"Alfred! Look, you've made a mess of yourself already and the day has just begun!" His Master tsked and knelt down in front of him, using his palm to brusquely remove the filth from his clothing on his thighs. "Remember, we only have two pairs, so you must be careful in this outfit, or else you won't have outside protection from whatever danger is out there." He pointed out as he continued.

Alfred bit his lower lip and glanced away as his Master cleaned away the stain, why would he show this amount of affection towards him all so suddenly? If he he recalled, Alfred had never witnessed Arthur being this overbearing in his life of training and living together in their home. Was it perhaps because of the fact that they weren't residing in that area anymore that made him act like this? Or did he truly meant it, and was now averting all of his attention on the boy?

He didn't understand.

"... Thank you, Master."

Arthur tilted his head up at him and, surprisingly, let out a chuckle. "I really do not know how many times you've told me that phrase in all your years of growing up. I really do care for you, even if I don't reveal it most of time. Just remember that."

Alfred pouted and crossed his arms across his chest as Arthur stood back up, his wings still left out open, the tips grazing the ground beneath him. "W-well, I just wanted to say it again alright?" The boy didn't want him to think that he needed him every single second. It was more of a thanks for being there for him kind.

His Master groaned as he stretched his arms out, and then retracting, and extending his wings back out. "Whatever you say, but lets sit down and talk for a bit until we head out to meet my acquaintance." He then sat his bottom down on a smaller boulder and motioned for Alfred to join him, which he abided to.

"Aren't you going to put your wings away? They seem like they're taking up a lot of room." Alfred asked.

Arthur shook his head, "They need to stretch out for a bit, they've been tucked away for quite a while now." With that said, his wings settled down and were now slightly drooping in relaxation.

After a few moments of foreboding silence, Arthur tilted his head up, "... Alfred, what do you know about our kind as a whole?" His master asked, not glancing at him, but at the blood-red sky just above their heads, his voice steady yet serious.

Alfred thought about his question for a bit, of course he knew about their kind, his Master has retold the story over, and over again, whenever they would have a break together, that story would come out.

"Well, for one, there are many different hybrids, or types of beings like us that have the genetics of both a human, and of another beast like creature, usually ranging from the most common ones, to the not-so-common ones. Like comparing a wolf hybrid to a phoenix hybrid, but they aren't around anymore right?"

"That is what we were told, but who knows? I haven't heard of any dragon hybrids running around causing havoc yet." Arthur smirked.

Alfred slightly rolled his eyes -trying not to be disrespectful towards his Master-, and continued, "Yeah, and the genetics that we receive from the beasts side, are most commonly shown on our physical appearance, like wings, tails, or scales. But we have the option of showing them off, which only applies to features including wings or tails, this doesn't pertain to facial parts, like ears or eyes, you're kinda stuck with those on you for the rest of your life." He paused and thought about what else he could add in.

"... What about the clan system? How do they work?"

The boy glanced at Arthur, who was now returning back his gaze, "Err, well it really depends you see, after the Great Deviation, most of the hybrids either went with whomever they deemed worthy as an ally, or, they remained in their birth clan. But before that war even happened, they were divided up into various sections of the planet, you were either in: Terra Firma, Zephyr, or Oceania… Master, what clan did you belong with? Since you can be both in Terra Firma, which is land, or Zephyr, which is the sky." Alfred never recalled asking him this question before, he had believed that it would've been a too personal question to wonder about.

Arthur remained impassive for a few dragging seconds, "... I was… neither in Terra Firma, nor Zephyr." His Master let out a soft sigh as he leaned back on the stone rock, a fire lit up in his eye. "Before the Great Deviation, I was, but an outcast, I was only four years old and I could already tell that the clans did not like me. I had a scent that was different than the clans, they drove me out everytime I would get in vicinity of them. I had no idea what I had done wrong, just the fact that I wasn't wanted."

"B-but Master! I-" Alfred sputtered out, almost immediately.

"Alfred, I would prefer that we do not, talk about myself. The past is all but forgotten in my mind. So absolutely do not bring that subject up again… Unless, you want a punishment for prying?" Arthur glared back, an ominous, yet powerful aura radiating from his body.

The boy recoiled and gulped, he never knew that his Master would get this upset over his past. Then again, he himself have never asked him, so this new identity of Arthur scared Alfred. He lowered his head and grasped his two palms together tightly. "N-no. I… don't want a punishment, Master." He said softly, his voice wavering a bit.

Arthur turned his gaze away and nodded. "Right, that's a good boy."

Silence, once again engulfed the area, with the conversation now dropped, Alfred feared that his Master was crossed with him. He never intended that on happening, what was he to do now? How can he cheer him up?

An idea sparked in his mind, as he abruptly stood up and walked up to his Master, a small smile on his face. He looked at Arthur, who in turn returned his gaze, his expression stoic. "What is it, Alfred?"

"I… I believe that… I can make you happy. Please don't worry any longer. If you're happy, then I'm happy, and vice versa. I promise I won't bring up that topic any more, so if punishing me will keep your mind on something else, then do it!" Alfred slammed his eyes shut as the words left his mouth, he had been punished before, so the feeling was almost mutual, but saying things like this… Was foreign to him.

Arthur stared at Alfred as he took in every word intently. "... Alfred, like I said before, I would rather not see you in any physical pain, but if I believe that what you are doing is crossing the line, then believe me, there will be a price to pay. Do you understand?"

Alfred bobbed his head in acknowledgement. "Yes."

As Arthur raised his chin up, a word just on the tip of his tongue, an ear-splitting cry suddenly ripped through the air, its volume intensified as it came closer and closer to the duo. By this time, Arthur was already on his feet, his wings spread out and a menacing gleam shone on his face. Alfred was positioned right behind him, his petite arms were wrapped around his midsection as his body began to tremble. He… had never heard of something that sounded so in pain.

"Alfred," his Master hissed under his breath, "please leave this to me, don't do anything reckless."

The boy said nothing, only stared in fear as a dark figure appeared just beyond the boulders, it's cries lessened to a mere sob, followed by a few hiccups. From the way it was carrying itself, the newcomer seemed to be a man, two sets of pointed ears could be seen on his head, trailed by a big, bushy tail dragging behind.

Arthur pushed Alfred back a couple of paces until his back barely touched the other boulder. Alfred's eyes widened and he gasped as the man came into view, his face was bruised up, a few tufts of fur hung limply on his torn shirt, and his eyes were all puffy from the tears that were continuously streaming down his battered face.

His lips parted and he cried out, "Pl-please help me! M-my brother is in trouble!"


A/N Who is this mysterious stranger they have encountered? And what exactly is Arthur trying to hide? All will be explained soon enough...