IF HELL WAS COLD

▪︎Chapter Overview:

This chapter serves as a comprehensive guide to the crucial elements within the novel's universe, gradually unfolded throughout the narrative. While it contains some potential spoilers, its inclusion aims to provide easy access to essential background details, the prologue is under this so just scroll down if you feel like skipping.

▪︎General Information:

¤ Demons:

Infernal entities originating from hell, their sudden appearance centuries ago forced humanity to seek refuge within protective barriers.

¤ The Barrier:

Consisting of two energy domes, the primary one repels demons, while the secondary filter safeguards against the influx of hell energy, although it remains powerless against internal rifts.

¤ Rifts:

Tears in reality serving as portals between hell and earth, contributing to the emergence of demons. The construction of barriers aims to minimize their occurrence.

¤ Contractors:

Prominent figures who forge pacts with demons, granting them varied and peculiar powers, albeit at a personal cost. Contractors operate beyond the barriers, unaffected by the lethal impact of hell energy.

¤ Hell Energy Shock:

A condition induced by exposure to substantial amounts of hell energy or the aftermath of demon clashes, leading to bodily shutdown.

¤ Contractor Families: Organized groups of Contractors, with the ten original families overseeing respective barriers, each shelter bearing the name of its overseeing family.

▪︎Common Terminology:

¤ Threat Levels: A universal classification system for evaluating the strength of Contractors and weapons, based on the density of emitted hell energy. Contractors often wield power below that of their contracted demons due to the restrictive nature of their agreements.

¤ Hell Stones: Condensed forms of hell energy utilized as energy sources and currency by Contractors. They undergo six distinct stages of formation, each requiring specific types of intense pressure and energy.

1. Tectonic Pressure: Generated by the gradual movement of tectonic plates, this force exerts a steady, enduring pressure on the hell stone, laying the foundation for its initial composition and structure.

2. Crustal Compression: Stemming from the convergence of tectonic plates, this force subjects the hell stone to significant but gradual pressure, resulting in a compact and resilient structure with distinct mineral patterns.

3. Subterranean Tempering: Emerging from the interaction of mineral-rich fluids, this force gradually refines the hell stone's internal composition, enhancing its conductivity and energy-retention capabilities with subtle, enduring pressure.

4. Lithospheric Agitation: Arising from the dynamic movement of the Earth's lithosphere, this force intermittently subjects the hell stone to moderate pressure, contributing to its distinctive color variations and mineral diversity.

5. Geothermal Intensity: Driven by the Earth's internal heat, this force gradually impacts the hell stone with an increasing level of pressure, infusing it with unique mineral formations and enhancing its energy capacity over time.

6. Meteoritic Infusion: Caused by the rare occurrence of meteorite impact, this sudden and extreme force introduces an unprecedented level of pressure, infusing the hell stone with a mysterious blend of extraterrestrial elements, resulting in an exceptionally rare and powerful variant of the stone.

¤ Unnatural Materials: Substances resulting from the amalgamation of hell energy with ordinary matter, categorized by threat levels depending on their hell energy density.

¤ Infected Beasts: Animals infused with heightened strength and abilities due to exposure to hell energy.

¤ Infected Humans: Humans who have adapted to hell energy, gaining varying abilities, though not as potent as those of Contractors.

¤ Other Races: Diverse non-human entities inhabiting the world.

▪︎Relative to the Main Character:

¤ Soul Energy: Exclusively harnessed by the protagonist through soul consumption.

¤ Soul Armor: A pivotal ability of the main character, among others yet to be explored.

Feel free to delve into these intricacies and let me know if there are any additions or modifications required..

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The wretched echoes of cruelty and injustice reverberated through the cold study, like a chilling symphony of despair. "Pa," The sound of the resounding slap seemed to pierce the very air, leaving an indelible mark on the listeners' souls; a dark haired youth was flung to the side.

Aiden, a young man whose dreams had been crushed under the weight of malevolence, lay sprawled on the immaculate, silvery floors, his body trembling from the violence inflicted upon him.

"Who are you looking at you filth," his foster mother's voice sounded out, that voice once filled with feigned kindness, now dripped with venom as she berated him. The cruelty of the Horatio family, his supposed kin, was a bitter pill he was forced to swallow daily. Aiden's eyes, red-rimmed from a lifetime of tears, scanned the room, each gaze met by the hollow stares of those who should have been his protectors.

The wounds on Aiden's body were only a reflection of the scars etched into his heart. Betrayed by the very people who had sworn to care for him, he had become a pawn in their sadistic game.

The contract, signed in desperation, was a testament to his shattered hope, trading his birthright for a chance to prolong his mother's life. The tendrils of hellish energy had not only claimed his mother's health but had ensnared his soul in a web of torment.

As the footsteps of those who had tormented him echoed in the distance, Aiden's gaze shifted to the figure approaching him, Mr. Horatio. His polished appearance was a stark contrast to the darkness that seemed to emanate from his very being. Aiden's heart filled with loathing, his trembling hand clutching at the remnants of his shattered dignity, "get out," Horatio's voice filled with disdain was heard, taking a small pause before continuing, he said, "I don't want to see you or your mother in twilight city ever again."

"No," a small voice sounded out, "big brother Aiden didn't do anything wrong," the voice said, "Isabel," Aiden thought, The intervention of Isabel the youngest child of the Horatio family, the one light in his otherwise bleak existence, painted a tragic portrait of innocence amidst the sea of malevolence. Her plea, though frail, carried a weight that resonated with Aiden's broken spirit.

" You dare call this rat your big brother." Horatio said his face distorted from anger, the torrent of cruelty that followed, "Pa, Pa, Pa," was the belt whistling through the air, leaving Aiden's body battered and bruised, but actually it was his soul that bore the deepest scars.

Isabel's wide eyes bore witness to the unforgiving brutality of her own flesh and blood. Aiden's body became a canvas for her tears as she watched in horror, trapped in a world where compassion was a rarity and brutality was the norm. The indifference of the others, the family that had birthed this nightmare, cast shadows over Aiden's existence.

Banished from the only semblance of a home he had known, Aiden's body was discarded like refuse, the world outside colder and more indifferent than the family he had been cast out from. As he was escorted out, he heard the disdain filled voices of the servants of the Horatio family.

"Finally the trash is out,"

"I heard his mother's condition got worse hahaha that serves his right,"

"If not for the foster care program this peasant would never have come in contact with elites,"

"I heard he failed to get a contract wasting such an opportunity,"

"What a waste of resources,"

"What's the need to bother about such trash?"

"And even after nurturing him the Horatio family still has to give him his inheritance,"

"A total loss,"

Aiden ignored their words, the streets, teeming with bustling life, felt like a wasteland to Aiden. Each glance from passersby only reinforced his isolation, as if he were a ghost haunting the world he had once inhabited.

With each faltering step, Aiden's thoughts were consumed by the realization that even the facade of hope was an illusion. The borrowed money, the dreams of saving his mother, all seemed to crumble in his hands like dust. In a world where compassion had eroded, where the value of a life was measured solely by its utility, Aiden's heart weighed heavy with grief.

As he disappeared into the throngs of people, his silhouette blended into the backdrop of life's callous rhythm. The ache in his body was nothing compared to the ache in his soul – a soul beaten, not only by fists but by the harsh realities of a world that had forsaken him. And so, Aiden walked on, his back hunched under the weight of his shattered dreams, a shadow among shadows, and a tale of sorrow in a world that had forgotten how to weep.