Shadow of the Abyss

Somehow, reminded of the recording of the Duke Leto had left for Reina as he said, "...meaning… at times, he is omniscient. Bullshit, right?"

A/N: Chapter 115

Altair frowned, recalling a few months ago how he'd somehow tapped into the power of the Realm of Spirits, but when he had awakened on the beach, all that knowledge he'd gained had vanished like a fleeting dream, or at least he was led to believe it was gone.

'Perhaps,' he thought, 'perhaps it's within my sea of consciousness.' somehow being pulled within the deepest regions of thought, his breath turned shallow as he receded into himself, past the awareness of thought to the mist of causation twisting into a sea of instincts and function.

A stillness swept through the conscious spirit of his being as he stood once more within the realm Raven called the Astral Sea.

Darkness encompassed the shadowscape of the furthest region of his mind, pulling at the never-ending mist that seemed to curl in a sort of vacuum-like arc upon a sort of invisible axis.

'I'm back,' he whispered, overwhelmed by what he was witnessing. He couldn't see the snow-white mist the last time he was here.

As he took in the meaning behind his Astral Sea, Altair was awakened to a wave of realization stirring within him.

'If all that I was existed here… won't all the answers I seek be before me? My sudden lapse of knowing. The truth of my blood, perhaps… even my Aspect, all lies here within my soul.' everything he knew and didn't lie here. It was within his Astral Sea that rested the meaning of each and every cell, along with the conscious theory of free will all sentient beings possessed.

Suddenly, without warning, Altair was pulled from out of his Astral Sea and flung back into his body as memories came like a flood through his mind. The memories were of his journey here within the palace and before the King.

Altair felt a cold chill slither down his spine as he felt he had gone into autopilot. As a part of him spoke and reacted in the very manner befitting him, yet it wasn't him or… was it? He could recall Ren asking him about the decor and his response of disdain when compared to the Palace of Stygian.

He could recall it all, and yet that wasn't him, was it?

"Art? You ok?" Asked Ren, sensing the subtle hint of panic on his shoulders. She took his hand and gasped when she saw blood slither down his nose.

Thanatos bore a tight frown. "Were you attacked?"

"Altair," Said Syris alarmed.

"I…I'm fine," Altair answered, though his mind was spiraling out of control for but a moment. "I just thought too hard for a moment." He gave a shallow smile, refocusing his attention upon the Blade of Dawn, Varrquess, who now sat on the throne.

"Kingslayer," said the Prince, amused by the tensing of Varrquess's entire being that straightened up the moment the words reached his ear. "So you sit upon the throne now. How distasteful."

Varrquess' solemn expression broke into an ugly grimace for a split second. Then, he regained control. "I am now King."

Altair smiled. It was one of utter disdain. It had been one thing to kill your King, but for the one who slayed him to sit upon the throne of the one whom they were sworn to protect made his gut twist.

"For there to be no commotion. Can I assume all these 'things' are worshipers of Astaroth?"

Tasha's grim silence had been Altair's confirmation.

He scuffed, studying the man who sat upon an iron throne, black as tar; it towered over everyone present, sitting nearly six meters from off the ground, requiring one to speak with Mana if their words were to reach.

The throne room had been emptied, but Altair could still feel something present. Something different from Mana and his Vale Qi. It was light, ethereal… much like the strange mist within his Astral Sea.

Awareness. Someone was listening.

"Thaan, might you be able to block that 'Awareness'?"

"It's called a spirit domain, remnants of the old world." Said Thaan, calmly glancing toward the ceiling. He lifted a finger, drawing the Sigil of Death upon the air with the aid of Mana. The sigil glowed a black light pulsing with a natural aura that brought a cold that made everyone's hair stand on end.

As if death bore his ancient scythe, Thanatos pointed his finger toward the skies and slashed it upwards. A grunt echoed, and the strange domain that had warped around Altair vanished.

"Divine Sense, I believe people call it nowadays," Thanatos began, ignoring the ugly grimace of Varrquess. "Personally, I always thought this new generation's usage of Spirit Domain to be irrelevant, for it did so much more than people could ever imagine. I guess you returned your Astral Sea. Good on you. Your uncle once said that All Truth exists within the soul. One needs only to seek it.

Though be careful. The realm of souls is the most dangerous cultivation journey. I've seen quite a few people accidentally send themselves to the Hells by touching upon runic symbols that exist within their souls."

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"What the? There are Hell Runes in my soul?" Altair shouted with panic in his voice.

"Of course! They exist in everyone within the Myriad Heavens, with no exceptions. Even the Holy Seraphims possess them." Said Thanatos, a little excited for once. " There is much you don't know about the soul, but it's really for you to explore."

"Enough!" Thundered the Kingslayer with fury in his voice. "You enter my throne room to what? Teach lessons?"

"I entered your throne room to take your seat," Altair remarked.

"Lady Tasha, what is this drivial in which he speaks?" He turned to her, taken back by the annoyed gleam in her eyes.

"Must you do this?" Said Tasha to Altair. "You'll only cause more—"

Altair glanced at Tasha lazily. "Then have him aid me. I want all the children below the age of twelve. Slave or not. And... I don't know a few tons of Mythril."

The Kingslayer stood up from his throne. "You want the children? Are you mad? Our people are—"

"Are absolute slaves to the demons." Altair cut in, " I'm sure they'll breed their seed into your women in time. I'd like to save the kids from that accursed fate if possible."

A predatory look filled the Princes' features. He pointed towards the Kingslayer with a feverish smile, tasting the rage. "You are but a slave, yourself. Why else would this devil here put you in charge? You sold your soul. You're practically every demon's bitch."

"Altair Blackwood, you will hold your tongue!" Varuqees shouted, unveiling his presence. The stone walls crackled and splintered, unable to bear the sheer force of a hundred mountains baring over them. "I'll hear no more from you."

"Sheath your presence, you old fool," said Tasha coldly. "Altair and His Majesty the Great Prince of Mythos have come to an agreement. No harm must befall the boy. No matter how much of an ass he might seem."

"Ren? Am I an ass?"

Reina's scarlet eyes glimmered like jewels. "The biggest."

"Yup," Said Syris. "One hundred percent."

"Diddo," added Zag.

"Little bit."

"Et tu, Thaan. Traitor!"

With a slew of laughter, anger pieced through Vanquee's soul like a knife. "This boy? The one Lord Astaroth had us hunt."

"And the one who one-upped your Lord and had him call me daddy." Altair spat, sending his chat into a spiral.

[Daddy: Spawn of my balls, I planted a good seed in your mother!]

[Conquest: This guy above me is wilding!]

[She Who Hunts: Is this really something to be proud of?]

[Piercing Owl: It's a guy thing.]

[Archeon: I shouldn't be laughing, but damn. He really is courting death, isn't he? But you do realize that Lord Astaroth might not be able to kill you, but there are far worse things that can happen.]

[Daddy: Fuck Astaroth, that goat fucking bitch. Realm War! Come at me!]

[Archeon: -_- ]

[Piercing Owl: No one even knows who you are.]

[Daddy: Come at me!]

A little embarrassed, Altair closed his notification screen. He turned to Varquees. " Now that is out the way. Deliver to me all the kiddos. Your Kingdom is nearly out of food and is struggling to keep up. So unless you plan to use kids as cannon fodder, I'll happily take them off your hands."

"Just do it," Tasha said calmly. Playing the cards she was given. Now that her mission was to protect Altair during this festival. She figured she might as well act as a spy, seeking to figure out Altair weakness to better aid her lord.

Tasha knew this game between her Master and Altair had only just started. And if she were to play her cards right… perhaps Astaroth might grant her 'Authority' amongst her kin.