With his grimoire in hand, Altair stepped out from behind the stgmite, unleashing a spell he had gained from Archeon that appeared in his grimoire the momt his mission had bepleted. Altair had be looking for a target to use it on but never had the chance despite practicing for a few hours a day.


    He pointed towards Jay with a smile.


    "Infernal Bane."


    Suddly, as if his words carried magic onto itself, a sh of a scarlet Magical Circle flickered off the boy''s finger, burning with writhing hate. The spell took off as a crimson sword forged of mana formed above the man''s head.


    The Sword dropped from the skies, piercing through the man''s head. A scream so deep, so dark, shook the depths of the cave, sding ripples through the melted snow as veins protruded throughout the man''s flesh and eyes. As if maggots were worming their way through Jay''s flesh, eating him alive, he dropped to his knees, trembling as if caught by a seizure.


    [Infernal Bane is in Effect]


    [Jay has be petrified due to Infernal Bane]


    [Jay has be Frighted due to Inferal Bane]


    [Jay will experice the pain held by the Souls of the Damned]


    [Madness has begun to consume Jay''s mind.]


    Blood bubbled and popped like blisters from the ve''s mouth and eyes as his face nted itself into the dirt, convulsing as his body wt into shock.


    "Jay~ JAY!!!" Howled the injured man as he cried to his frid. Unable to see, much less perceive, the existce of the sword. He tugged and prodded at Jay, who was left in aatose state. "Jay, what happed? Jay!" Tears flooded the man''s eyes as he looked a, but he only saw nothing.


    Altair had moved back behind the stgmite with a cold heart filled with shock. His face was utterly pale, with the monstrous drain of mana. Yet as he peered a the corner at Jay, his mind shuddered at the indescribable pain that would cause a man to bleed from his eyes.


    [Ding]


    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 3%]


    Infernal Bane [F]


    Effect: Madness


    Description: Tormt your emy with the pain of the Souls of the Damn within the Nine Hells. Once Struck by the Edge of Tormt,  shall remain sane.


    The Prince watched intsely, unable to help his stomach from churn. Perhaps Jay was merely too weak, unable to withstand the boy''s mana. But within the next hour, Altair watched with horror as his eyes popped from his skull, watched as his skin began to peel, and watched how one''s organs could slip up one''s throat like vomit. And yet, not once did Jay scream.


    That had be the most frighting thing to Altair. As he came to understand, screaming was a privilege.


    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' tilts her head in confusion as to why you are merely watching.]


    "I needed to know how long my spell willst…" Altair responded, stepping out from behind the stgmite, alerting the injured man to his presce.


    "A-A-A kid…" he whimpered, clutching Jay within his arms, his bloodshot eyes glistering a deep helplessness.


    "I wanted to know the ins and outs of my new weapon." He continued, drawing Endymian with an icy expression. He stopped inches from the man, bearing down with unfeely eyes. " Do forgive me.


    "Y-you did this… why—"


    Piercing his de through the man''s throat before he could finish, Altair jabbed his sword down into Jay''s head as the ethereal de began to dissipate.


    "—For Power." The Prince answered as if matter of fact


    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]


    [Jay, Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]


    Distaste shed over the boy''s tongue like a bitter bite of cold as the blood the color of wine pooled at his feet. He backed away, dragging his feet across the stone to remove the blood before it dried.


    "I need a distance spell or weapon. Why is it that I am always staining my clothing? Blood reeks after a few days." He moaned. The rivers were already beginning to freeze, and Altair did not look forward to bathing during the cold winters. "Damn." He sighed, inching his gaze deeper toward the cave''s depths ahead.


    The warm air had be bothering him since he arrived. Ever since the Sun vanished over the serpt''s outreach, Altair had not felt the warmth outside a fire. He looked up at the ice, allowing the moon''s glow to petrate in, allowing some semnce of light.


    "It was the moon that brought the change in weather." He said to himself. "Everywhere the moon reaches has begun to freeze… except here." he smiled, reaching for Jay''s ankle, "Well, I''ll be back. After I y the Chimera… you''ll make a good ce to explore."


    …


    …


    …


    "Are you see this, Sir?" Tania asked from within the CCTV Control Room of the Breeding Facility. From the momt the drone was destroyed by Ria in a sh of scarlet to the ughter within the Breeding facility, Tania sucked in everything with unease tracing her spine.


    "Bloody Hell," Tunan said, peering through Tania''s eyes with the help of their neuro-link that allowed one to share one''s vision. He was a bit pale, clching his fist as he watched Altair sever Kirr''s head.


    "Are you telling me he could not only hold his own against drones but also easily ughter fifte m?" Dillian darkly eximed. "And he''s not alone. Are you fucking kidding me? Sir… He wasn''t ev a First Tier Circle wh he battled Kirr."


    "Yeah…" Tunan muttered. He passed his hands over his wet forehead. "He''s more dangerous than we initially thought. And that spell… I''ve never se anything like it. Tania, Dillian. You two must recover Altair by any means.


    The secondary mission is to bring back that girl. She, too, is a monster."


    "Lord Tunan…" Dillian was the first to say with discontt. "That''s not possible, and you know it. Altair has the skill to harm us. That spell is already an issue. But he also has backup, a girl capable of cutting through the Drones like hot butter."


    ''He''s right, Ser." Added Tania harshly. "It''s not a feasible idea. We—"


    "I wasn''t asking." Tunan fired back with mes in his eyes. "You will bring it back, or we''ll sd in someone who can. Altair is T. T. ckmail him with his mother if you must. I don''t care.


    But he will return to us. Same with that girl. Are we clear? Now. Burn it all to the g."


    Tania''s fist tighted, bearing the order with all the restraint she could muster. There was arge differce betwe capturing and killing. It took a higher skill tier to capture someone rather than kill them, especially if one shared a simr skill level.


    "Let''s go." She whirled out of the room as smoke began to fill the halls. me instantly red through the number of corpses as Dillian followed behind with a heavy heart.


    [Ding]


    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' smiles and is willing to offer help for a price]