AT SUNSET

Darkest of nights...

An angel fell in love with the devil.

An unholy union...a recipe for disaster

Diced with the love of a woman

Came fury... an incense from the depths of Hades.

Passionate desire...conjuring the birth of a queen

If the sun sets, we know the time has come.

If the flames burn, we sense the new dawn of time...

The end of all.. the beginning of a new...

The roaming of lost souls..

to welcome the new one Birthed of unholy matrimony...

blood-bathed in light, encamped in darkness

A dangerous loophole born out of love and desire ...

Make way for the queen, the unholy sun that sets.

The dusk arises from the depths,

welcoming the creature who precedes beauty and power.

For her silent steps, she ignites the depths of a new dawn.

The gentle breeze swayed the trees in rhythmic movements, flooding the forest with a cool atmosphere. The half moon shone brightly, reflecting its peaceful glow and lighting up the dark paths to the forest as the striking image of a woman enchanted the cold air. The night of day acknowledged a beauty at such an ungodly hour. Astrid stared through her window, her dark, flowing hair resting on her tender back. Her bright eyes sparkled like a reflection of the moon.

Her fragile skin as smooth as pure cotton. She had a bright smile on her face as she closed her eyes, anticipating the cold breeze that flung her hair gently backwards. A woman of grace, as tenderness precedes her steps. She loved the night and the peaceful silence the forest brought her. Astrid left her home, walking into the woods as its gentle waves brought her comfort.

A while into the forest, she could hear faint traces of footsteps behind her cold shoulders. Little echoes surrounded the quiet forest as she squinted her eyes to have a better vision of whom she sensed. Her heart raced in minutes as the sounds got closer, almost taking her off guard. She turned in a swift direction, almost dropping the brightly lit lamp, only to find nothing. She had known the forest for its silence but this moment proved otherwise as quiet whispers continued to echo around the trees. The night was too dim except for the moon's generous reflection and the little lamp hanging in her hand. The coolness of the weather brushed heavily on her skin, giving her chills as she wondered around in search of the footsteps she heard. After a brief moment of searching, she sighed. It was useless trying to uncover something in the dark, she thought.

She hadn't walked a far distance when she halted at the sound of a voice behind her. "What could a beauty be doing in such a lonely forest?" the voice whispered softly as it got closer. Astrid tilted a bit but tried to compose herself, responding calmly in search of whom the voice was coming from. "And what could a lonely stranger be doing in such a peaceful domain?" she questioned boldly. In a short instance, the bright image of a well-structured man illuminated the presence, bringing the soft whispers to an end. He had a strong masculine physique, and the elegance with which he walked in was like the gods descending from the heavens.

He had a questioning yet daring smirk on his face as he approached Astrid. The stifling contours of his biceps and broad shoulders pointed an awe reflection from his tightly fitted clothes. He had long, flowing hair soaked in silky curls, making him look even more seductive.

As he stared firmly into Astrid's eyes, his striking masculine image became more visible, quickly leaving her short of breath. He had bright blue eyes like the calmness of the waters, and his radiant smile depicted a pleasing aura in both their presences. Astrid was stunned by the reflection she witnessed, and her beauty was equally enticing to him. "Who is this stranger?"

She waded deep into her thoughts, but soon was drifted back to reality when he whispered with a half smile... "What are you thinking, Astrid?" His words caught her off guard as fear overwhelmed her-a stranger knowing who she was. She questioned, "How do you know my name?" trying to figure out his true intentions. He smiled, ravishing himself in her beauty as he gazed upon her. His unique countenance overshadowed Astrid's thoughts as she stared in awe at this strange man. Hades was the ruler of the underworld. The king of locusts of hell, as his name precedes... Abaddon. His aura was enough to seize the atmosphere; appearing in his human form, he was as ravishing as the Greek god Achilles. He was a higher demon of fierce war and battle; his flaming fury could let hell loose.

He was ruthless, but at the rare sight of Astrid, he had become a man of softness, depicting himself in the most pleasing personality to catch her fancy. The rare sight of Astrid had caused his desire to brew towards her as he stared into her eyes, revealing the depths of her innocence and filling it with an insatiable yearning for something more. A passion lit up in his eyes the moment they gazed at each other. He could sense such innocence and grace in her entire being, her flawless beauty complementing her petite structure as she appeared before him.

The ease with which she stared back, looking effortlessly beautiful caught his attention. He had taken an arrow from Cupid into his heart as it seemed nothing could hold him back from falling madly in love with this delicate woman. A stranger who had yet come to be an object of fantasy before his eyes. Abaddon reached for her hair, gently trailing his fingers beneath her chin.

"You are such a brave woman, Astrid. "I'm Abaddon, ruler of the underworld and walker of the night. "Don't be frightened; I won't hurt you," he said sternly, "only if you make me." His words were as soothing as ever, like the rushing waters from a fountain, yet they came with firm order and stiffness, causing mixed reactions from her. Astrid's heart raced; she wanted to run yet couldn't get herself to turn from the striking presence of this man.

"How could he speak so calmly to me?" How could he touch a stranger he did not know? I should run! "Yes!." Those words echoed through her mind but she couldn't find the courage to turn away. It was as if his striking aura held her from moving an inch. Before she could respond, he cut in, "It isn't safe for you out in the woods." "I will walk you home," he said, smiling.

Astrid wondered how she was terrified yet unwilling to let go of his strange company; she didn't fight her thoughts despite knowing a lot could go wrong. She could choose to flee the scene, but the thought of him running after her scared her to wits. She could take her chances, but deep inside her, a subtle feeling of togetherness overshadows her heart as they walk side by side.

Walking down the path to her house, they said little words to each other, keeping a sense of awkwardness hanging around the air. She kept twisting firmly the linen of her flowing white garment as she was a bit anxious by his presence. She couldn't tell why she felt tense in his presence, but it wasn't something she could control, despite her best efforts to stay calm. When Abaddon noticed her awkward reaction to his presence, the way she stared around restlessly as if trying to find what was lost, he smiled, knowing she felt very uncomfortable in his company.

He paused, looking into her eyes while she stared blankly. For some reason, her uneasiness drew his curiosity closer towards her. He said with a beautiful stare into her eyes, "You are quite an interesting young lady...and it would be my pleasure to see more moonlights with you, Astrid." His words melted her heart as she wondered how a socalled demon could speak so gracefully and yet sound so humane. She frowned in her mind, trying to give herself a thousand reasons to leave his sight. Abaddon could hear the subtle words right through her as he looked into her eyes as if staring right into her soul. He glanced down at her lower lip, causing Astrid to bite them gently in anxiety. He moved closer, taking her hand in his as they got to her house.

"Goodnight, Astrid".

He said with a half smile. 14 She responded in a quiet tone as she couldn't get herself to be bold at that moment. "Good night," she whispered. She stared at the door behind her, breathing heavily to calm her nerves. She felt at ease now, feeling relaxed in her comfort. Yet walking into the house felt a bit lonely for her; she could feel an instant longing for his image once more but was uncertain if they'd meet again.

Astrid turned to watch his reflection from the open window in her room but she couldn't find a trace of him. Her heart felt a bit disappointed yet relieved that she didn't feel tensed anymore. His presence had made her feel different, but in a way she couldn't bring herself to understand. His appearance seemed mysterious, yet tempting beyond words.

Abaddon thought inside of himself as he approached his domain, wondering how soon he would feel a sense of peace at the sight of a mere human. She wasn't just human but seemed to have captured his fantasy. His desire burned as his heart yearned for a moment with her. In a short time, Astrid had become a flowing fountain whose power could quench his dying thirst. Her innocence and pleasing countenance beguiled him, drawing him ever so immersed in her beauty

.

An hour before...

The roaring and clamoring increased with the heat of the volcano at the feast of nights. The screams and blood of tortured souls flowed like the waters of the Styx from the skull throne to the ground. The demons were holding a feast to commemorate the king of Hades, the ruthless walker of the night and beholder of all things evil. The fire burned in red flames as the unseen creatures of the night basked in hell's infernal glory.

Abaddon sat on his throne, priding himself on his rule as he transitioned himself to the sight of a woman walking through the woods. He suddenly felt an urge to roam a while on the earth, inquisitive of this lowly human. As he walked through the forest, the atmosphere darkened, giving reverence to his presence. He hadn't walked long when he sighted the rare image of a feminine lady holding a lighted lamp, her melanin-colored flowing hair resting calmly on her back.

He was intrigued by her white flowing gown which suited firmly the hourglass frame of her petite hips. He walked slowly, enough to catch the graceful image of her movement, thinking of the best method of approach without frightening her. Abaddon felt a strong burning in his eyes as his strong desires concentrated on her. She was already claimed in his mind as all he could think of was having her for himself. Her elegance as she walked gracefully around the forest fearlessly enchanted him. Curiosity stirred up within him, wanting a chance with this bold woman

********************************************************