ã€ŠShadow of the Abyssã€‹


 Chapter 1: Altair

    "Over one thousand years have passed since the Tower of Babel emerged in the heart of Ukraine, concluding the conflict betwe Russia and the alliance within the West. A beginning many weed of fear of the Third Great War." Magister Illyro began, snapping shut the book in his hand with a solid thud. A smile emerged upon his otherwise wrinkled expression.

    He expectedly nodded, stroking his well-forged beard, Illyro''s pride, and joy that hung nearly to his waist for over a decade. "Young Master, can you tell me why peace never came despite WW3 never happing."

    Seated in his desk near the window to allow light to peer in, Altairid siltly. Rows of exhaustion hang beath the lids of his eyes. The boy appeared no more than nine, carrying a small frame those his age held. It was neither overlyrge but neither was it small. His longsh shuddered to close as strands of long jet-ck hair trickled over his face, masking his features within the shadows.

    He slept.

    "Young Master? Can you hear me?" Magister Illyro asked but was returned with silce. He frowned. It had be the sevth time Altair had fall asleep during his lecture. "Young Master." He called again, louder. But there was no response.

    "Let him be, Illyro. He''s merely a guest." Ser Flinn Aros, Head Knight of House Aros,manded, emerging from the ssroom''s threshold with a stone expression. "It would seem our private lessons are being squandered." He bore a thin veil smile bearing down at the young Altair, his cyan eyes narrowing. "What a waste."

    "Should I tell his Mother?"

    "No," The head knight replied. "I''ll tell the Elders instead. Perhaps their words might hold some weight over Lady Tebrae. This is the sevth time this week. I¨C"

    "I''m awake," Altair blurted out, his voice draggy. He already knew he couldn''t sleep long but hoped Illyo would drag out his lectures like usual. He lifted his head, his obsidian eyes glisting under the sun''s kiss.

    Be it Magister Illyro or Flinn. Both couldn''t help but marvel at the sight of the boy, charmed by his child-like features. They''d never se a more handsome child, to which many believed he was a Child of Aphrodite or at least held the honor of receiving her blessing. It wouldn''t be the first time one of the Gods had tak favor on a mortal.

    Ser Flinn''s hard expression dipped under the pleading eyes of Altair. "You¡ª"

    "Uncle Finn, please don''t tell Mama!!" Altair pleaded, his heart beginning to hammer against his ribs. "I was just tired from the harsh training from the master of Swords and¡ª"

    "Which isn''t an excuse," Flinn concluded in an affirming tone, arms folding over one another, leaving no room for excuse. He slid his gaze to Magister Illyro and almost smiled. " But¡­ If you can answer Magister Illyro''s earlier question. I shall hold my tongue."

    He tsed, snapping his gaze to Illyro, who weed his radiance with a smile. "It was about peace, was it not?" He began almost recalling what little he could before the silce came. He thought for a second or two, unable to stop the panic from tering. "Peace never urred because of the Tower of Babel during the Months of 03.

    While the Tower might have stopped the war, a new Era was forced upon humanity. One betwe the New and Old Gods.

    "And because we failed toplete the challge the Gods of the Tower issued, humanity suffered. Hundreds of Dungeons granting opportunities for power emerged one after the other. But such power came at a price. World powers began to cave beath the pressure of the various monsters that slowly appeared within our home: Goblins, Vampires, Werewolves, Kabolts, and more all began to be conjured.

    Modern weaponry at the time failed, and after fifty years, almost every governmt perished. And if that wasn''t bad ough. We, humans, began creating fractions amongst ourselves, leading to the elerated decline of the various states. "

    Surprise took hold of Magister Illyro and Ser Flinn, but neither exposed it. Not that they had to. Altair had be trained since birth to recognize the smallest details, whether they be invisible or not. His conditioning allowed him to perceive many things ev elites would miss.

    "Well done." Magister Illyro remarked joyously with a heftyugh, his palm stroking at his beard, and the tsion smoothed out of Altair. "But that doesn''t excuse why you were asleep for the sevth time in my ss."

    Altair winced, scratching at the mischievous smile clinging to his lips. "Mother took me to Gesisst week. You know, the one in space. The Mega Colony of¡ª"

    "We know it." Said Flinn calmly.

    "Well, it was amazing!" He said cheerfully. "But due to the time zones within the colony, my sleeping schedule has be a bit off. And the Master of Swords training this week is also tough. So¡ª."

    "It takes t long years of dedication to the Sword to receive the Swordsmanship Skill." Ser Flinn interrupted the hardness of his voice returning. "I just hope you wer''t sleeping in his ss."

    ''Never!" Said Altair hastily. Recalling the whip within the Master of Sword''s hand. He shook. Shaking his head, almost tasting the heat of his whip, which crackled like thunder with each swing.

    "Good," Flinn said. " As you might already know. Skills all have requiremts. But to achieve them. No one can escape hard work, ev if you are an unparalleled gius. Have you already be to the Master of Sword today?" Altair nodded.

    " Good. Th, as punishmt, you will head there again today after your lesson with Magister Illyro has be concluded. After with, you will be expected to be in the meditation chamber for the remainder of the day. Clear?"

    Altair expression paled, but he knew better than to talk back. He could see Ser Flinn''s frustration, the tsion within his shoulders that grew each day wh he spoke. He was worried. It had be a month since the Second Son of Duke Garel Aros, Paul Aros, had left for a newly discovered dungeon. Paul was merely fifte, the ripe age for most to descd into dungeon diving.

    And being a core member of the first-rate elite family, he was expected to risk his life to preserve his noble house. It was his duty, as was everyone else a him.

    And yet, there had be no word.

    ''I hate this ce!'' Altair thought, holding his anger in check.

    "Yes, Sir."

    "You may go now, Young Master." Magister Illyro said. "Our lesson is done. Tomorrow, we will discuss proper etiquette. If you are to stay at our Noble House, you will learn to act as a nobleman. Ev if you are amoner without rank."

    Magister Illyro''s words came as the gospel to the young Altair as he rushed out before they could change their minds and tattle to his mother, whom he dared not disappoint. If there was one thing he never wanted to see, it was to witness his mother''s loving smile curl down.

    Altair grimaced to himself, making his way down the hall with a brooding expression: ''Why did Mother bring me to these people? An tire year it''s be. Why are we here? Gods! I wish we could return to Aries Vi.''

    He smiled, recalling the field of effervesct crimson overtaking ev the skies, the cool winds caressing his cheeks, and the soft, ethereal hymns of his mother''s lubies. It was far in contrast to the Aros Duchie that felt as solemn as any cathedral.

    He groaned but made his way towards the training gs near the western courtyard, avoiding eye contact with the various servants and childr a his age. And in turn, the servant pretded he didn''t exist. He was, after all, a Guest in their home. One without any Noble Rank, much less any achievemts. He paid them no mind, finding their arrogance to be expected rather than surprising.

    It was barely noon wh he arrived on the training gs, sured by a mass of childr his age, all of them gripping some form of weaponry. Be it a bow, Pistol, Sword, Dagger, or Ax. They all stood there awaiting the Master of Swords.

    ''So I made it in time. Damn. And I''d tak the slow route, too.'' He thought, finding a wood double-sided sword near an op barrel, and hastily got into formation with the others, awaiting his second lesson. He sighed, unwilling to reflect on the aching burn that came with each lesson the Master of Swords delivered.

    Nor the numbness that followed, which seemed ev more terrifying than the aching sting of his already sore muscles.

    ''I hate this ce.''

    Suddly, the murmurs grew silt, leaving only the grim echos of metal echoing with each footstep; like the ringing of tolls at a funeral, horror swelled, carrying an unsavory ssation at the tip of their tongues. None dared to speak, much less gather the courage to look up. None but Altair, who stared at the cross-shaped scarred man stered over his face.

    ted in chain mail forged by the Drexion n that hung over a dark leather jerkin, a scarlet cloth shrouded the soldier, revealing the noble crest of Aros, the Hawk bearing down upon its prey. The Master of Swords came to a halt. His eyes swayed from left to right, finding Altair, but his gaze never lingered for longer than a second.

    "I''ve got an announcemt." He started, his voice harsh as though gravel rang from his throat. "In the following days. The Reverd Mother shall appear. I needn''t tell you her importance nor the honor of being in her presce. You will mind your tongue, or it will be mine. Are we clear!"

    "YES, SER!!!!"

 Chapter 2: Den of Lions

    The Reverd Mother

    Altair had heard the name before but hadn''t understood its importance. Nor did he particrly care to. Outside of spding time with his mother, the only thing that brought him some semnce of joy was fiddling with the sword his mother had gifted him on his fourth birthday. A gift he''d cared for and maintained each night. There had not be a single moon.

    Altair hadn''t greased, oiled, cleaned, and waxed his de until it shimmered perfection like the day his mother gifted it.

    "Let us begin. Awakers!" The Master of Swords, Veltos Aberis, shouted. "Remain where you are. Unawakers fiftyps a the courtyard and one hundred vertical strokes! Get moving."

    Hearing themand for the Unawaked, Altair, alongside those less than t years, broke formation. To be an Awaker required one to be at the tder age of T, where they''d unlock a unique skill that would grant supernatural power. It was a skill that decided their tire future. Those that couldn''t awak would forever remain unawaked, falling to the ranks of ves if they were so lucky.

    "Pick up the pace!" Veltos barkedmandingly, reaching for the whipped stashed beath the scarlet half-cloak. He unhooked it from its harness, allowing its slder jet-ck tail to fall.

    Sweat gathered over the young childr''s slder bodies that slowly beganboring beath the sun''s re. They ran for fear that jogging would not suffice. A the square, they hurried along, their faces flushed red as they pushed, over and over and over¡­ and over. None dared to stop or slow.

    At the forefront, Altair''s breath seemed smooth, carrying an elongated rhythm as the lead, his worn body squealing for rest with each step. Heat scorched his lungs as he proceeded forth, slowly beginning top the others.

    A gesture that did not fit too favorably with many of the unawaked. But Altair didn''t mind, nor did he care. Everyone hated him anyway. He did not carry the name Aros, nor was he a servant, much less a ve, that carried their crest. At least ves held the faint hope of being free beath the booth of their masters one day, bing servants should they y their cards right.

    But Altair, as a guest, held no such fate.

    "Come on, Sky." Terance, a young serving boy shouted, ncing back at a girl, a short, stocky thing littered with freckles. Her auburn hair was wet against her sun-kissed skin, desperately gasping for air. "We''ve got to catch up. We can''t lose to an outsider."

    Skr, or Sky as many of her frids called her, nodded, wanting to push past the agonizing heat gathering in her chest. She could feel the scorching mes of the sun''s kiss, the pangs of heat stretching from her calve running up her thigh to the throbbing pulse swelling within her skull. She groaned.

    "I can''t."

    "You can!" Terrance shouted, pulling at her hand as if to help. "Last time, weid in bed for an tire week because of the Master of Swords whip. A week, Sky! If we want to awak the sword proficicy skill, we can''t miss a single day! We can''t fall behind. If we want to gain this skill by fifte, we must push!

    Come On!"

    Through the corner of his eyes, Altair nced at them siltly, wanting to offer some¡­ words of couragemt. But¡­ he held himself back, having learned the consequce of words earlier this year with a young ve girl he''d tak a liking to. Pain¡­ torturous pain tore at his heart as he recalled her fate.

    He could still taste the blood mist that hung in the air from the whipping. He could still vividly recall Tessa''s gut slowly being torn away by the Master of Swords whip, tearing at her until her intestines nketed the g, And yet her suffering didn''t d there. Tessa was beat till her body tore, leaving nothing but shredded meat for all to see.

    Her alleged crime: unknown. Not that it mattered, giv her station.

    Altair''s mind pulled away, as did his eyes. The shadow of solitude was all but graved in his heart with the image of a ve girl he dared call a frid. He forced a grin, stopping with a heavy heart afterpleting his fiftyps.

    The throbbing of his muscles had long since faded, leaving only numbness in his lower half. He lifted his sword strapped to his waist, his breathing still harsh. Altair parted his feet parallel to his shoulders and swung into the op. The splitting of air hissed like that of a serpt, yet ethereal as the night.

    Altair''s Swordsmanship was unlike anything within House Aros that was known for its brutality on the battlefield. His sword was silt, swift, cold, and ruthless. It neither focused on speed nor strgth but rather control.

    Each stroke Altair whisked through the air felt sharp as if he was not gripping a wood sword but one forged of steel.

    "A sword is not meant to protect," He recalled his mother''s words. "Wh you lift that sword, it''s to kill. It''s to ughter. Remember that. There isn''t a need to romanticize the battlefield."

    "Ha!" He performed again, fighting against his unev breaths, sweaty palms, and his rapid heart. He swung again, his de swifter than ever, but it wasn''t ough. It was never ough.

    From a distance, Veltos stood before his awakers, his arms poised behind his back. He stared at the young awakers, not as childr but as m and wom. Age had no ce on the battlefield. He lived by those words. And it had be prov it''s worth many times upon the fields of war.

    "Have you all already gathered a Gravity de?" Veltos asked, noting the still ck edge on each of the wood des.

    "Yes, sir!" They shouted in unison, thrusting their chest out to make themselves seem bigger.

    But Veltos wasn''t impressed. "Good. Two hundred vertical strikes and two hundred horizontal. This is the warm-up, and as you know, the sword grows heavier with each swing. I want perfect form. Failure will result in the d of my whip."

    "Ser, Yes, Ser!!!"

    The Master of Swords stared, noting how those with bows or guns had to keep a particr stance. In contrast, those with cold weapons had to be more active. He was thankful for the G-Weapons but couldn''t stand theck of talt before his eyes.

    It was atrocious.

    "Laros, your stance is too wide. Tight it up. Da, keep your gun up. I don''t care if you''re bored. Solva, you sted idiot. You call that technique!

    I''ve se better technique from a bloody whore!"

    From a distance, Altair listed. He had always be curious about the Awaked. Some could conjure mes, others lightning, and some could fly or walk on water. Ev if they wer''t training their awaked abilities today, he found the Aros Sword Technique: The Scarlet de fascinating. It was only a shame he couldn''t learn it as an outsider.

    Nevertheless, that did little to stop him from gleaming insight ever since the death of the ve girl, Tessa. Altair had begun to study those a him. He never wanted to d up that way. Beat to a point where all that was left was scraps of meat.

    ''I don''t want to die like that,'' he promised himself beath his breath for his ears only. Over and over, he said those words as if they were his mantra.

    His de whirled through the air, slowly amassing a greater force with each downward arc. By the thirtieth swing, sweat had drched Altair''s uniform, sticking to his skin as though it were a leach. But he didn''t stop. Not until¡ª

    "Altair!" Shouted the Master of Swords. "To me!"

    Surprise caught the young Altair, but it quickly faded.

    He approached.

    "This is your second ? Punishmt?" Veltos knowingly asked. It was the only exnation as to why he was here.

    "Yes, Sir." Answered Altair.

    "Th you will pass on conditioning training today. We are sparring."

    Altair''srge, beady eyes rose. "We, Sir?"

    The Master of Swords grinned wolfishly and swung to the young Awakers. "Yes. Today, you''ll be sparring with them. Problem?"

    He sneered. " None, Sir."

    ''Th let us see what you can do. In this d of lions. You must be strong, boy.'' Veltos thought somewhat hopefully and nodded. "Good. Laros, you''re up against Altair. Don''t embarrass yourself.

    Your oppont is not ev awaked yet. I''ll not hear excuses less you and your Father die of shame."

 Chapter 3: Grave of Night

    "Outrageous!" Laros Aros shouted, the fifth son of the infamous Brigadier Geral Gado Aros, within the Empire of Am. He rose his finger, his fiery red hair fluttering. "Sir! How could I be allowed to fight against an outsider? And an Unawak to boot! Such a task is nothing but a dishonor!"

    "Th bare it," Veltos replied coldly. And thought: What a waste of talt. Were the boy''s father here, that aristocratic bullshit would have be hammered out of him. Where did he think he was? Pride has no ce on the battlefield.

    "Sir!" Laros squealed, cheeks flushed with rage.

    "Enough! Or you''ll face the whip!" The Master of Sword barked, his patice waning. "The rest of you, par up! There are an ev number of you."

    Altair said nothing, but he did wonder. ''Why did the Master of Sword par him with an Awak? Surely he knows wh ones awak, their physical strgth dramatically changes.''

    "What are you just standing there for?" Laros snapped, pointing his de towards Altair, reluctantly finding a secluded area within the courtyard away from the others preparing to spar. "Hurry it up,moner! Do not waste my time."

    Altair strutted forward with a grace of a dancer, his lips tightly bound together. He said nothing. And found himself parallel with Laros.

    "Well?" Laros said crudely. "Are you not going to set your form? Am I a joke to you,moner?"

    "You are," Altair answered, unamused, his gaze measuring every inch oftitude of his oppont. He saw the tsion building within the young Laros, the tighting of his right arm a his shortsword, and thought: He was about to charge. It ought to be a down sh.

    Laros did.

    Like a wild feral beast, he charged, his expression contorted by rage. Laros arrived in but a few breaths, covering a doz meters, separating them faster than any average human. He arched his sword towards the skies, cleaving it down as though he wielded a saber or ax, his aim directed for Altair''s shoulder.

    Altair reaction, however, was swift: He parried the blow with a downward angle, forcing Laros''s sword to glide over his de, hitting the g.

    ''How did he,'' Laros swiftly wondered wh a ruthless fist whipped over his throat, crushing hisrynx. He seized like a wet cat as a thunderous thud echoed, grabbing everyone''s atttion. The young boy shuddered, dropped his weapon, and grabbed his throat. Siliva practically spilled from his mouth, slowly beginning to foam as he gagged.

    ''Help! Help!'' Laros tried to say, staggering for help. But the words never sounded. Only ghoulish phrases  could grasp.'' I can''t breathe! I can''t! I¡ª"

    A clean sword strike struck against his temple, tearing away at his flesh. Blood, the color of wine, pooled over his tunic as a blinding daze washed over his vision, twisting the light within his eye. Foam and blood-drched the young Laros as he stood froz, bordering a state of unconsciousness.

    Altair merely stared coldly, his indifferce practically frighting to the others watching with fear. He raised his wood de and thought, ''I hate this ce.'' And cleaved his de down over Laros''s forehead, sding his mind into the arms of oblivion. And without a secr thought, he turned and made for the Master of Swords.

    ''Laros was a new Awaker, so the differce in physical prowess wasn''t that big. But to take him down in three strokes is unbelievable." Veltos thought. "Ev if Laros didn''t take the match seriously, to be so skilled at that age was an achievemt. I should report this to the Duke. We should have him spar more oft. I''ve never se him take another seriously before.''

    "You may leave. Rest your body." The Master of Swords said, ssing the boy''s exhaustion. "Your punishmt is over. Go to Meditation."

    Altair nodded wordlessly and whirled to take his leave, shooting a side nce towards Laros''s convulsing body and thought: I hope he''s ok. Hisrynx should be brok, with two skull fractures. It''ll take a few weeks to recover."

    He left, sighing on his way out, feeling a differt type of exhaustion sink into his bones. He made his way home in no mood for Meditation. Not after a day like today. Not after what he''d done. Altair hadn''t needed to humiliate Laros as he did, but... that was what the Aros family demanded.

    Mercy didn''t exist here. Altair made his way towards the western courtyards within the estate, far away from the main house, to a small rustic home within the forest resting beside a small stream.

    A smile appeared for the first time. Finding the strgth, Altair raced ahead, pushing op the door to find his Mother, a woman whose beauty was said to make ev the celestial of old frown with jealousy.

    "Altair!" Tebrae said with some surprise. "You''re back. Is that blood on¡ª"

    His arms swallowed her, and a shutter passed through his being. Tears polled over the young woman, appearing barely over twty. Yet she smiled warmly, trailing her hands through his hair, and said nothing. Merelyforting her only son. She waited, allowing his cries to d before she spoke. "Did you kill someone?"

    "No," Altair said, backing away as he wiped his tears away, a faint sh over his cheeks. He stared up at his Mother with beady eyes that sparkled, and Te squealed.

    "OOOH, you are so cute! Give mommy kisses!" Snatching hold of her firstborn, Tebrae smothered the young Altair with hugs and kisses as he giggled, his cold heart tempered by the Aros family just melting in her arms. "I''ve missed you! Gods! How did I make such a cutie like you!"

    A triumphant grin sprang to life over Altair. He nodded. " Of course! I''m Mama''s baby!"

    "Oh yes, you are!" Tebrae agreed, giving onest kiss to her son. She wiped away bits of tears over his cheek and nodded, cing him over the settee with her." Now tell me. What happed."

    "I used the Grave of Night Sword Form today on some loser," Altair said softly. "He might die if no one helps him."

    "But that''s not what weighs on your heart." His Mother said, her tone still warm. "I''ve taught you to kill without feeling. So tell Mama what''s got you all emotional."

    The boy squirmed ufortably. "I don''t like it here, Mom. Everyone is cruel. Everyone hates me. You trained me to see the truth, but all I see is hate. They curse me behind my back, Fatherless bastard.

    They say. Mother of a Wh¡ª"

    "Altair," His Mother said. "Do such things bother you so much?"

    "Well, of course!" he railed, bewildered why she''d ask such a thing.

    Tebrae trailed her fingers through his hair, soothing the array of emotions she''d se in her son. "My child, I st you to this family to train you. Not in the way of the sword. God knows these people''s skills are equivalt to those on the short bus. I st you here for you to understand. This cruelty, you see.

    This is what life is about. This viciousness is everywhere."

    "Eh?"

    Altair stared nkly at his Mother, wishing nothing more than to dy her words.

    "You''ve se what happs to ves. Do you think it''s fair?" His Mother questioned, her voice carrying a sliver of ice. "Well?''

    He shook his head.

    "Neither do I." She whispered, shaking her head, cupping his tder features. Admiring his chubby cheeks, she never wanted to fade. She took him into herp, allowing his head to rest over her breast as he looked up withrge innoct eyes. "But that''s how the world works. In our society, there exists a hierarchy. A cruel one.

    But it governs the world."

    "Ev on Gesis? Or other worlds in our gxy?" he mindlessly asked.

    "Ev there, Altair." His Mother whispered, holding him tightly. "But if staying in the Aros estate is too much. Mommy can¡ª"

    "No!" The boy shouted, wanting to jerk away. But his Mother held him firmly.

    Tebrae soon frowned. "Do those worms scare you, son?"

    ''Worms?'' He repeated inwardly.

    "It has be a year since we came. No? And you''ve already se death." She closed her eyes. "Tell me will you allow such things to happ again? The death of a frid? What about me?

    Will you watch as I''m beat alive?"

    "They wouldn''t dare!" Altair roared as a violet-ck hue shimmered like mes off the surface of his eyes.

    "Th be strong, my child, because it''s only with strgth that you can defd those you love."

 Chapter 4: The Reverend Mother

    "Well?" The Duke said, lifting his gaze to his subordinate. He frowned, raising his callus palm to his fiery beard. He narrowed his eyes, revealing the scar the Master of Swords had giv him near his lip. "What is it that you need that you had to barge in uninvited."

    Arms poised behind his back, the Master of Swords lifted his gaze to the amber light bathing the room with light. He searched the room before his gaze returned. "Altair, the boy sparred against your brother''s Fifth born."

    "And?" The Duke said, growing more intrigued.

    "Laros lost. He lost badly." Veltos said, " Two fractures in his skull and a damn near brok neck. It was brutal. I recorded. Shall I sd it to your Neuralink? I''ve st it to your Brother already."

    The Duke frowned momtarily and shrugged, giving in to the curiosity. He''d remember a boy no more than eightst they met. But never ced much importance on him, not like he did his Mother.

    "Sd it."

    A chime siltly rang through the Duke''s head as a virtual video appeared within the cter of his eye. Revealing all that urred hours before. "The way his sword moved. That''s not our fighting style. Do you recognize it? It''s quite refined."

    "I don''t."

    "Find out th. It''s surely at least a B-tier swordsmanship, if not higher. And hand Laros a booster. I want him up on his feet by tomorrow."

    "Understood."

    "Now this boy, Altair. What can you tell me about him?" The Duke inquired, leaning back on his chair, revealing his bony face. "Surely you must have recognized him before? What''s his skill?"

    "He was an outsider. So I didn''t put much thought into raising his skill. A mistake I see now." the Master of Swords started. "The boy has definitely be conditioned since birth. He is ahead of his ss, whether it''s stamina, strgth, or skill. I just never thought he''d destroy an Awaker with such ease.

    "

    "So he''s not an Awak yet.'' The Duke mused inwardly.

    "He had a nice personality. A little mischievous if you ask me. But became more reclusive with the death of the ve girl he befrided, which led to him bing more distant. But overall, he''s a nice kid. Kind, courteous, cute. He''s very likable.

    "

    "Do you like him?" The Duke questioned, finding a smile.

    "I do. Altair knows wh to talk and wh to keep quiet. He is very calcting."

    "You sound as if you''re speaking of a woman." Chuckled the Duke. " Do you suspect restmt? You said he was close to the ve girl, right? Kids td to be unaware of social hierarchy. So it''s not surprising he got close to one."

    The Master of Swords thought for a bit. " I think he rests me. Not our Noble House. But he''s a child. Naive of the fact no man wants to kill a child. ve or not.

    But I can dismiss his concerns. And bring him closer to our house, but it might take some time."

    "Th I shall let you handle this matter. And keep that idiot nephew of mine in check. I don''t want his foolishness to bring down our house''s name."

    "Of course, my lord." Said the Master of Swords with a short bow.

    The Duke lowered his gaze, lifting the documts scattered over his desk, preparing to turn in wh a sudd thought came to him. " The Reverd Mother is to arrive tomorrow."

    "Shall I speak to Flinn? He''s responsible for¡ª"

    "No. I''m asking you." The Duke said and looked at him. "Why do you think she''s here?"

    The Master of Swords gathered his thoughts: "The GCA carries a monopoly of over Sev Tier five sr systems of getic codes. Wh they found Earth, they allowed us to hance our talt. But as a result, we became their property. I suspect that''s why she''s here: To check on her cattle.

    With the integration of cloning, getic hancemt, and interdimsional breeding, humans have ris remarkably quicklypared to others."

    "The Getic Clone Association (GCA) Is a powerhouse we need." The Duke voiced, tighting his fist. "The Reverd Mother''s arrival isn''t about checking her stock. She doesn''t need to arrive personally for that."

    Astonishmt tighted its hold over the Master of Swords as he stiffed. " My Lord, do you mean to say you wish for a seat at the table? The Empire will not be pleased. At least not without a cut."

    The Duke smiled and thought: With the rise of Babel Tower, dungeons continued to pop up each year, granting unlimited resources. In my territory alone, I control about sixty-five dungeons, sev being S-Tier. I don''t need the empires permission. It''s my personal property. And if I can earn a seat at the table within the GCA, the Aros family''s influce and power would skyrocket.

    "What if we don''t give them a cut?" The Duke stated firmly, staring at his most loyal knight, advisor, and frid.

    "Getting in bed with the GCA is dangerous. There are many abilities they hold we cannot ev fathom. We can deal with the Empire, but the Aros Family can''t deal with them both." The Master of Swords said, a deep sigh wishing to expose itself. "And let''s not forget. The GCA has be fascinated with Earth''s Dungeons since the beginning.

    They underestimated the powers of Babels Tower and paid for it by giving us weapons, hanced getics, and Cyberwere. We got too powerful too quickly for them to ve. Remember how furious they were wh they learned of how quickly we grew? The Reverd Mother killed her Predecessor over such a mistake."

    "There''s no proof of that." The Duke said.

    "Does there need to be? We have all investigated it. And despite there being no evidce, it''s the only logical solution. The GCA wants Earth, but the Empire has repeatedly refused to grant them rights to ournd. The Emperor wishes to keep Earth''s Monopoly to himself. A wise move if you ask me.

    After all, while Earth wouldn''t win against the GCP due to our treaty with Gisis, not ev the GCP can forcefully upy ournd.

    "Not to mtion, with each geration we produce. We grow stronger. The GCP is on a deadline. And it''s us who hold the cards. In a few thousand years, Earth will be at the top."

    The Duke leaned back into his chair, excited for the Reverd Mother''s arrival, yet frighted simultaneously.

    Tomorrow, the fate of the Aros Family would be decided.

    "I will speak to Flinn, but Veltos, I do not want any mistakes. No one can know about this. No one." The Duke solemnly swore. " Not a single mistake can ur."

    "And what of Tebrae, My Lord." The Master of Swords mused tly, letting her name resound. "I have no idea who she is nor why she''s here. But she does as she pleases. And works wh she wants. Surely, she''s not just awyer."

    Bile crept up the back of the Duke''s throat at the mtion of her name. " I owe her. But she''s not a threat. Ignore her. She usually keeps to herself anyway. But just to be sure.

    Drop by if you can. Let''s cover all our bases. You never know, right?"

 Chapter 5: Unworthy

    The first hour of dawn had just struck the horizon bathing the Aros Forest in light, jarring the Young Master, wrapped in his mother''s embrace, awake. He smiled warmly and looked up at his mother, staring down at him as if he was the only thing that mattered. He smiled, snuggling closer.

    "Hiya, mama!" He sang, hisrge obsidian eyes pooling with such majestic wonder, warmth gathered within Tebrae''s breast. She grinned.

    "What do you want for breakfast?" She asked, rubbing her tder nose against his, cultivating a look of wonder within Altair''s eyes. If there were anything he loved as much as his mother, it would be her cooking.

    "Can I have anything?" He asked with starry eyes.

    "Of course! Although I already know it."

    "5 Blueberry Pancakes!" Altair and Tebrae said.

    She smiled. " You got it, honey. Now get dressed, and don''t forget to brush your teeth."

    "Thanks, Mommy!" The young man sang cheerfully, as he did every morning before running into the shower. With his toothbrush, he hummed a song as he quickly brushed and showered: The horrors of yesterday were thest thing on his mind.

    By the time he got out of the shower, the bewitching echoes of the sizzle of butter against the cast iron had rolled through the house. He shuttered and turned to the mirror, donning house Aros''s traditional uniform that carried the simple colors of red and ck with a crest of the hawk reaching for its prey. While he might be an outsider, Altair was naturally expected to dress the part.

    He smiled, observing the regal hair he''d inherited from his mother. The oval shape of his face, withrge beady eyes, seemingly capable of trapping light itself. He whirled through the door, finding a pir of thick fluffy pancakes the size of him, already ted and ready to devour.

    " I knew mommy loved Altair! Hug?!"

    Not missing an opportunity, Te reached for her boy within the confines of their small rustic kitch, and she swirled him a. " you better have a good day today!"

    "I will, Mommy!"

    "And if some bitch messes with you?"

    ''Kill ''em!"

    "Good job! Now, go eat!" Te said, lowering him to his feet. She smiled, gaze teary as she thought: Gods, thank you for this child. Thank you. Who would have thought: I, of all people, would deserve such a gem."

    Altair had not noticed his mother''s strange reaction, tearing through the pancakes that seemed as divine as the gods themselves. He moaned, blessing his mother, licking the te clean in but a matter of minutes.

    ''Moms the best!'' he told himself wh a sudd knock echoed through their home. It was harsh. He turned and hurried to the door, his smile fading as the fierce features of the Master of Swords weed him.

    "Morning, Ser," Altair said tly.

    "Morning. Is your mother in? I''ve word from the Duke." The Master of Swords said.

    ''What would the duke want with mother?'' the boy asked himself. He turned, ncing at his mother, who smiled kindly. She gestured to let him in.

    "Kay, you cane in." The Young Master said cautiously, returning to his mother''s side. He shot the man a piercing stare. Observing every action the Master of Swords did.

    From tering his home to closing the door, Veltos motioned himself away from the door. He''d never trusted his back to anything that ced him in apromising position.

    "I was hoping to speak with your mother alone." he started, his unflinching stare settling on Altair.

    But the boy remained. He''d not leave his mother. Not with him; ev if she were tomand him to leave, Altair would stay.

    "I''m sure you were," Tebrae replied. "But anything you have to say can be said before my child. He''s an intelligt one."

    ''What a strange family.'' the Master of Swords thought, having surveyed his surings the instant he tered the room. ''It''s clean and simple. But for a woman of her beauty and skill, why does she live as though her worth wasn''t in the millions?''

    "What I have to say is ssitive. Should it be leaked? You''ll face the guillotine."

    Tebrae merely smiled a sign of her indifferce. But the same could not be said for Altair, whose fingers clched, digging so tightly into his palm that blood slithered down his fist.

    He trembled.

    "The Duke would like you to remain inside until the Reverd Mother has tak her leave. That is it."

    "That''s all!" Altair said, in a bellowing cry. "you''d sd my mother to the block over what? Leaving her home?!"

    Heat scorched his lungs as the hue in his obsidian eyes deeped unbeknownst to him.

    And Tebrae slid her gaze to him. ''Just a little more,'' She thought, rustling her fingers through his thick silky hair as she''d done so many times. ''Just a little more, my Child Of The Endless Night. Mommy longs for a reunion.''

    "I mean no offse. But orders are orders." The Master of Swords said, a sour tang over the tips of his tongue. "I hope one day you will understand that: In the d, the freedom of choice remains with those in power. Now gather your things. We are leaving." He said, turning to face the door.

    "Show me your hands," Tebrae said, with a warm smile to her dearest. She squatted down on one knee and stared at the bloody palms without expression, and looked him in the eye. "Remember this feeling, and let it temper your heart. Our lineage is one of blood. Hold back those tears, and work hard. And wh youe back, I shall teach you one of your Father''s favorite techniques."

    Altair holding back therge globs of tears, nodded. The hue within his gaze: deeper than the deepest night. " Yes. Mommy," he muttered, taking a step towards the door. Veltos followed behind without a word, lost in thought.

    ''That woman, she''s an Awaked. But there''s something off about her.'' The Master of Swords thought, his footsteps soundless as he trailed after the silt Altair. ''That type of lesson she gave the boy was first-rate. She, too, is trained. But who trained her? She doesn''t seem that old, but..."

    "Boy, what is your surname." he proceeded to ask.

    "Mother said I''m unworthy of knowing. Said that Father wishes I seek the name rather than it be giv to me. A lesson in pride, she called it." He answered, although he couldn''t understand it himself.

    He had asked his mother many times who his Father was. But Tebrae never budged, only smiling sheepishly. But his mother had promised him that he still lived. And that was ough... For now.

    To his rear, Veltos was utterly bbergasted by what he''d heard. It was the first time he''d ever heard of such a ridiculous im. ''The boy was unworthy?'' he thought, scuffing a the thought. ''If he is unworthy, th ar''t we all?''

    "I see. Th let me ask you this. Do you hate me?"

    "Yes," Altair answered without any hesitation. And the Master of Swordughed, snickering at the bluntness of his words.

    "Is it because of the ve Girl, Tessa? I won''t lie. I didn''t joy it. But it was my job." The said, and there was a bit of helplessness he couldn''t quite hide. "We are all bound by chains. No escaping it.

    The buzzing of cicadas, the croaking of frogs, and the echos of birds, pigeons, and crows resounded beath the dawn. Shadows of canopies glinted shards of light, fractured about, as the two walked siltly for a long time.

    "She was my Frid," Altair said softly.

    "I know, child." The Master of Swords whispered, feeling his age weighing him down." Life can be a cruel thing. But child¡­ If you keep that gloom. You''ll only sadd your mother. Go out and make some frids. The world is what you make of it. You can either live as an outcast or find yourself, someone you can trust."

    Altair stopped. "And if they die again?"

    "Will you be weak and not protect those you love?"

    "I¡ª"

    "Think about it, boy. You needn''t answer me now."

    Veltos vtured a veiled smile, thinking: In time, my child, you will understand true cruelty. What I offered that girl was released. I merely hope one day, you can understand both sides. The world isn''t ck and  as you think. And within House Aros, you will gleam the truth. Or it shall destroy you.

 Chapter 6: First Form

    By the time the Master of Sword and Young Master Altair had returned to the main campus, arge crowd had gathered, from ves to servants todies of wait and more. Each of them carried a myriad of expressions: some appeared joyous that the Reved Lady, whose beauty was said to dim the beauty of the world a her. Others carried scornful looks that dipped into seething hate.

    While some appeared vious unable to hold in the excitemt of catching a nce of the woman who controlled over fourte sectors.

    ''Why is everyone gathered?'' Altair thought, ncing back at his stalker. ''And how long is he going to follow me? No one bullies Mama and gets away with it! Don''t think you can just act nice to me, and all is forgiv!''

    Anger festered for a lingering momt but trickled little by little as the Master of Swords'' words once more resounded through his subconscious. He looked ahead, his childlike likess fading, leaving only the bearing of a Young Lord. Hisrge eyes narrowed, growing piercingly sharp, while his cheeks seemed to thin.

    And while the change wasn''t noticeable to most, Altair knew this false mask was necessary.

    The innoct child that had fall into his mother''s arms had vanished.

    ''This child¡­'' the Master of swords said to himself. ''I guess he can only be himself with his mother. Were we too cruel? Was I too blinded by the fact that he was an outsider? If the boy can control himself to such a level. He''d make a great ally.

    And it''s better to have an ally than an emy: Weak or strong.''

    The inner working of the Master of Sword swirled, connecting various ns for theing years.

    "Tell me, boy, do you wish for power?" He asked, drawing Altair''s ke eye. He smiled inwardly, rustling his hair. " Th you are in the right ce. Give us a chance."

    The cascading crisp summer winds whisked through the air with theing of Fall. Silce rang louder than any voice. And the hue in Altair''s eyes deeped the longer his mind spun. He turned away, leaving no clear answer. But Veltos could feel his desire.

    He chuckled, following behind toward the training g.

    Arriving just before ss started, Altair readied himself by grabbing his weapon as he''d done daily but was stopped, " Grab a G-Weapon. Your skill needs to be challged." Veltos remarked, making his way toward the head of the small formation of childr. He watched Altair shock and resisted the urge to smile as he thought: Still but a child in the d, one too young to carry such a mask.

    A childish smile inched over the Young Master''s starry face at the sight of the G-Weapon, tools reserved for Awakers. He reached up, tiptoeing to the dark shortsword with jitters in his actions.

    ''It''s so light!'' He thought, disturbed by the bnce that seemed counterintuitive. The de wasn''t sharp, but it had lgth. Just about the same lgth as a normal longsword, but it was half its weight.

    "With the defeat of Lavos Aros, fifth son of the Brigadier Geral: I, who carry the authority of the Duke, hereby invite Altair to the Awaker ss. No more will he join the Unawak routine!"

    Altair got into formation, the astonishmt shattering the mask he carried.

    "NOW! Unawak! Twty Laps! Eighty Sword Dances and lightweight conditioning. Move out!" The Master of Sword barked hismand, ring at those who scurried away at a momt''s notice. He began again.

    " Awakers, you will begin your Sword Dance for half an hour."

    ''A sword dance, huh.'' Altair mused, not hearing himself speak. He parted his feet and thought of the First of Sev Forms of Grave of Night, Shadow de. His mother had instilled all the mechanics in his swordsmanship from the tder age of two, and he had be training the first Form ever since having memorized the rest.

    He sucked in a breath, and the light within his obsidian gaze fell into darkness. His de elegantly whisked and whirled into arcs of semi-circles. As if an invisible sphere had gathered a him, Altair stepped forward, his domain slowly expanding and contracting, spirling the flow of the winds a him.

    Each stroke of his de, each thrust, and riposte seemed to capture the ethereal nature of the world a him.

    Control gathered within the Young Altair''s mind. With each swing of his de, he could feel the G-Weapon would grow heavier. He could feel it was almost twelve pounds and rising, but the swiftness of his de never waned. Grave of Night: Shadow de was a Form of Pure Control, unlike many other forms that added destructive elemts. It focused on controlling everything a him.

    ''If the winds are too strong, I shall be the winds themselves. If the sun burns my skin, my de shall gather its cruel me! If my weapon is too heavy! so too, shall my de carry the weight of the world!" He thought, no longer using his tire wrist to control the de but rather the tirety of his body, retaining the same swiftness and power.

    Sweat whipped over the young Altair''s exquisite features, turning many of the youngdies'' cheeks flushed. They stared at the smiling Young Master. Many of them never holding the honor of witnessing his grin.

    ''What a monster!'' The Master of Swords told himself, shak by the level of elegance. He stood, unable to pull his gaze away. ''It''s as though the boy''s sword was shadowing the world a him. What type of¡­ no, what rank technique is that? I don''t know if I can wait for him to awak his System.

    Veltos was so caught up in Altair''s Shadow de Dance; he''d not ev felt the chilling presce of the Reverd Mother and her little guest clinging to the Reverd''s Mother''s finger.

    Masks of  porcin covered their faces, revealing nothing but simr snow- tailcoats, vests, and trousers, the jet-ck hair of the Reverd Mother, and the Snow White of the female child.

    The Reverd Mother stared at the young Altair, a seriousness in her gaze.

    "Master¡­ His blood¡­ He doesn''t seem human." The young child pointed out. Her tone was somewhat confused. ''But it smells good, though."

    "Oh?" The Reverd Mother hummed, drawing near as the Head Knight, Flinn Aros, watched on with cool eyes from a distance, his gaze surveying the perimeter and settled on Altair. A hint of a smile rose.

    "Reverd Mother, I¡ª"

    She raised her hand, pausing Veltos words, and stared at the boy so lost in his dance. She stood siltly by the Master of Swords for a few seconds before offering her words: "Veltos, that boy, is he yours? He doesn''t seem registered."

    The Master of Swords bowed. " He''s not one of ours. He''s an outsider."

    "Yet he training with the Awakers? That is quite a talt." She chuckled, continuing. " How old?"

    "Nine."

    "Race?"

    "Human."

    "Parts?"

    "One."

    "Last question: What Getic Line?" The Reverd Mother asked, her voice so sharp it felt like a de against the Master of Swords'' neck.

    He quivered, his bow sinking deep. "As far as we can tell. He has ."

    And the Reverd Mother thought: ''How? No. That doesn''t make sse. We''ve kept a close eye on Earth. And have regted what type of Getics are giv. Nothing above Sevth Tier was granted.

    Should I scan him? But the brat isn''t mine. Did he step out From Babel Tower or a Lower Tier Dungeon? I heard on the fiftieth floor exists a universe onto itself.'' She frowned beath her masked, narrowing hershes. And spoke: Syris, are you interested in a little match?

    The little girl turned to the Reverd Mother. "Full power?"

    "Draw Blood."

 Chapter 7: Icy Flame

    "Reverd Mother¡­" The Master of Swords began hesitantly. Unsure whether he was overstepping his reach or not. "Altair is a free citiz of Earth. Not bound by the House of Aros. Having battled one of ours is within reason but against another outsider. Will require his permission or his mother''s."

    The Reverd Mother nced at Veltos through the corner of her eye. She knew he was right, but she was also curious. It wasn''t every day she''de across an unregistered race. The GCA had be known for sampling over a billion stit races. And while it''s not umon to find a few races or unregistered ones, it certainly deserves an investigation.

    "Are you refusing me?" She pressed, returning her gaze to Altair. She stood impressed. "Or are you telling me you can''t handle a child?''

    "I¡ª"

    "Well, if he isn''t one of yours. You have no right stopping me." She added. "Syris, attack."

    At the words of her Master, Syris lunged ahead, snagging a G-Weapon from the hands of a transfixed Awaker with such ease that before the Young Awaker could figure out what urred, Syris had already charged away at such a speed, her small frame seemed like a snow  mirage.

    She struck. Her de aimed at Altair''s temple.

    However, the momt Syris had tered, the whirled wind conjured by Altair''s de, his eyes slid to the anomaly. And the G-Weapon moved ordingly. He parried her blow, his body instinctually controlling the inhuman force of strgth Syris held that took him off his feet.

    Altair glided through the air like a leaf,nding as if nothing had urred. "What is the meaning of this?!" He asked calmly.

    "You blocked that, eh?" She muttered, the thusiasm beath the mask audible. "Syris of the Cloud desires a dual!"

    The external frown tarnishing his striking features deeped as the light numbness within his fingers faded; she was powerful, no doubt, and quick. But Altair, in that one blow, felt merely raw strgth. There was no skill in her attack, no form of swordsmanship.

    ''Could it be she was ovee by the nature of the surprise of attack and forgot to use real swordsmanship?'' he swiftly thought and said: "Is that how you issue a challge?"

    Syris shrugged. She tossed her de up, catching it in a reverse grip as though it were a dagger. She shamelessly grinned beath her mask. "Yup!"

    Altair sneered. "Fine, I ept. Let us see how a barbaric ape such as yourself fights."

    "Bastard!" She snapped andunched herself toward her foe. But so, too, did Altair, startling Syris, forcing her to suddly slow her speed, throwing her off bnce. The Young Master smirked, releasing a volley of blows.

    ''I can''t defeat her without going all out. That raw power is too deadly.'' Altair thought, advancing as he pushed Syris back. Not willing to lose the initiative. Syris began to feel heavy power slowly building with each blow she faced.

    Blow after blow whipped over their eyes in a freighting array of sword strokes that thundered like a hail storm.

    Sweat quickly dotted her brow, and Syris could sse her mobility dropped to nothing. She grimaced; beath the volley of blows: ''I can''t find any opings to get away. If only I had my dagger.''

    She cast him a piercing stare, knowing she was trapped. His swordsmanship was better, and she knew it. She sighed, and at that momt, the air chilled.

    And Altair was quick to sse the sudd drop in temperature and retreated in haste, not daring to show her his back.

    "You''re not a fighter, are you," Altair eximed, short of breath, his muscles expanding and contracting in a throbbing motion of agony. The fatigue from his earlier training building.

    Syris nodded. " I train in it only for survivability, but it''s not my specialty."

    Unease tighted its hold a the Young Master the longer he stared, touched by the bitter cold beath the sun''s re.

    "Reverd Mother, your grace, this is ough. Altair is not yet Awaked." He heard the Master of Swords say.

    "Awaked. Words of you humans." She snorted. " Syris is but nine. Same as the boy. What particr issue is there? The boy''s swordsmanship is highly advanced.

    Is it fair that he can abuse his skill, but my Syris can''t? It''s a spar, not a sword match." The Reverd Mother warned, her gaze unmoving. "Or does this Altair has your favor? He has mine. A fine talt he is."

    "Your grace," muttered the Master of Swords coldly. Unable to speak out less, he risks his head on the block.

    "Watch, and let''s see how this battle shallmce."

    Altair calmed his breath and ignored the fatigued wing at his subconsciousness. He moved, circling Syris. He''d remember his mother''s warning: No matter who you fight, no matter what ability it is. You must never remain stationary. And while this rule isn''t absolute. You must remember never to make yourself an easy target.

    "Shall we d this?'' Syris said, observing the boy''s odd movemts. She whirled towards him, stabbing her sword from over t meters away at him. A wave of Azure  mes zed from the tip of her sword, piercing toward''s Altair at a dangerous speed.

    The young Master pivoted off his feet, flipping into the air. Hended on his feet with an excited smile feeling the icy ze burning hotter than any me. He began, dashing in a circle as he made his way toward her, as arcs of mes followed. He twisted like a nimble cat dodging and weaving at the aim of her sword, his uniform smoldering from the intse heat that carried a bitter cold.

    Heughed, feeling his blood ame, he easily covered the g to his target, and his sword whipped out in a shing motion towards the carotid artery with the same fiery intsity of the Icy mes of Syris.

    The Young Mistress narrowed her eyes, clched her fist, and punched out. Suddly a me dagger appeared in her hand, meeting Altair''s blow. They shed, releasing a shock wave that st the winds into a tempest.

    "Impossible!" Many shouted, shak to their cores.

    "That''s better!" Altair roared, regarding the sudd increase in the intsity of her skill with excitemt. He flicked his wrist, ignoring the purpling of the joints a his body.

    Syris snorted with a giant smile on her face. " I''ll show you I, too, have a high-tier battle technique!" she shouted, her me dagger shing in vicious arcs of light simr to Altair''s sword strokes.

    The dings of metal nking through the battlefield resounded, splintering the air and sding those looking into a state of horror. Unable to believe that two humans at such young ages were capable of such techniques. Doz watched, unable to ev imagine themselves this skilled.

    ''I knew he was strong,'' the Head Knight muttered grimly beath his breath, ''But what the hell is his mother teaching him? Who the hell are you, Tebrae? And what the hell type of swordsmanship is that? Is his sword devouring the mes?''

    "He''s a first-ss talt, ev on Gisis," The Reverd Mother noted indiffertly, betrayed by a thin veil smiled beath her mask.

    And she thought: I might have to change some of my ns. Whomever trained this little monster is undoubtedly a monster themselves or a part of a powerful organization.

    From a great distance away, within a small rustic home, Tebrae sat upon her settee, her lips arched, "Oh! My baby is so cute! All the kisses will go to you!" She sang to her feet, giggling away, whirling in circles, and looked up at the skies: "Don''t worry, baby! Your Big Sis Luna will being to train you. Mommy can''t be cruel to her baby. So I''ll let her handle it." She nodded.

    " Te is such a gius. Don''t worry, Altair. Luna will make you into a monster rivaling the Heavs Rankers in no time. And your Master will make ev those of the Abyss bow before you." A dreamy fantasy shed through the mind of Tebrae, lighting her obsidian eyes that seemed so deep no light could escape its depths. f

 Chapter 8: Humanities Future

    ''How''s he controlling my attacks so well!'' Syris shouted inwardly, her ming icy dagger flickering as though it were fractured shards of light, dissipating and appearing in a vast array of strokes and thrusts.

    And Altair thought: "How the hell is she so fast!" His sword, anticipating and reacting precisely to his will.

    des swirling into deadly arcs angled at such dangerous vertices, any irregr movemts or mistake meant death for both parties. Their Dance of des was seemingly unding until a thunderous voice seized control of their small bodies.

    "Enough!" The Master of Swords, with the permission of the Reverd Mother, shouted, appearing like an apparition separating the two kids at each other''s throats. "This match is over. Both of you will stand down." He said, receiving res from the two childr.

    "But¡­" Altair started.

    "It''s ough," Veltos said sternly this time, leaving no room for negotiation, understanding the sse of frustration within the young boy.

    "I can keep going." Altair insisted.

    "Me too!" Syris added, her cheeks flushed red and her breath erratic.

    "You fought well, Syris." The Reverd Mother said. "But this match is over. Look at the boy''s sword."

    Syris did, and her eyes wided at the scorched G-Weapon, slowly falling apart as they spoke. The Gravoian Alloy at its cter gave the weapon its ability to influce gravity with each swing, monitored by a chip that was all but destroyed. The de was but a hollow shell of what it once was.

    She winced. "I didn''t notice."

    "And why would you?" Said the Reverd Mother. "I shall speak to your other Masterter. We''ve neglected your Hand-to-Hand prowess for too long. Head to the infirmary with the boy and get treated. I''m sure you tore a few ligamts." She turned her gaze now on the Head Knight. "You may take me to the Duke.

    I am done with my tour."

    "Of Course," Ser Flinn said. "Right this way.

    Leading the Reverd Mother away, Flinn continued to monotonously perceive his suring. He knew that in every major family, the walls had ears and knew there was always at least one assassin.

    Or worse, a spy.

    He was sure that information regarding the Reverd Mother''s arrival had already spread within the capital. He merely hoped that her arrival would drown out the noise of the kid''s earlier battle prowess.

    ''Wh will my Lord allow me to clean house? My de has be itching.'' He thought, revealing a wolfish grin. He approached his lords office chamber and knocked.

    "Enter," The Duke said from inside. "And that will be all, Ser Flinn."

    The Reverd Mother followed in and closed it just as Flinn left. She turned to the Duke and found herself a seat on a nearby auburn settee. She folded her legs over one another, her presce overwhelming the room.

    "Quite a surprise I was giv." She started, "Whose the boy?"

    "Boy?"

    "Do not test my patice, child. Altair." The Reverd Mother said.

    The Duke flinched at the name. "I don''t believe I know what you''re getting at. Has Altair done something?''

    ''So he knows the brat, but not deeply. But it''s of no concequss. However, I should test him. I should test his loyalty." The Reverd Mother thought, leaning her head over her palm. She stared at the fool, trying to obtain the impossible.

    "I have little time for games, Garel." The Reverd Mother said, as though she were speaking to a servant, a wretched beggar. "Why pretd you do not know what happs in your home? Who is Altair?"

    Duke Garel quivered at the tone of her impatis. ''Nothing more than a child, your grace. He lives with his Mother, Tebrae. Awyer woman. Nothing of¡ª"

    "Garel." The Reverd Mother said calmly. "Who is Tebrae? And do not test the importance of this alliance with me. There are other dukes. Yours was only the first due to your ambition. But there are others.

    So I ask again. One final time. Who is Tebrae?''

    The Duke''s fingers clched within hisp, hidd by the desk. He''d known her words to be true. And a wave of loathing tarnished by humiliation swept through him.

    ''I must dure.'' He told himself, holding the smile he''d wee her with. ''No matter the humiliation. I must join the GCA.''

    "It''s as I say. The boys'' Mother, Tebrae, is but awyer. One I met on the thirteth floor of Babel Tower. I was gravely injured from the fifteth wh I met her. She was still pregnant th. That was a little over a decade ago.

    Yearster, She appeared asking for her son to live in house Aros for the next three years. Having owed her a favor, I agreed." He admitted.

    ''So there is no loyalty betwe Tebrae and him. Much less the child. To betray her idtity at the slightest inconvice: The woman who saved his life. This mongrel cannot be trusted. But I can trust his greed. He''d be very easy to read and control.'' she thought, tapping her fingers against her mask.

    "I see.

    The Duke sighed in relief at her words. "Are you interested in Altair and his mother?"

    "Not particrly," she replied ndly. "Mere curiosity that''s be satisfied. Shall we continue? I''ll like to discuss¡­ citizship amongst our people on Earth. As you know, the Emperor is slowly growing disapproval of our clones, seeing it more as wasteful spding with the advancemt of Earth through the years."

    "It''s true. But surely that shouldn''t matter. We lost over two-thirds of our poption wh Babel Tower first appeared." The Duke began, growing morefortable speaking of things within his control. "And while humanity managed, we need the clones for years toe for procreation. Our world has barely reached twelve billion, andpared to the universe, we are but a drop in a bucket.

    Ev your Maind has well over a trillion souls living in it."

    "What is your point, Garel." said the Reverd Mother finding the patice to tertain his drivel.

    "I mean to say the Emperor needs more people. Desperately so, which is why all levying bills regarding homosexuality remain banned. Futility is currtly humanity''s greatest asset." The Duke remarked. "I do not foresee the Emperor¡ª"

    "That''s ough. Our council told us the same." The Reverd Mother interjected. "Had what you said not matched our reports, this world would have lost a duke." She smiled, observing the worm squirm ufortably beath her gaze. "Well th, what would you suppose  the Emperor will do if we cut the number of clones necessary for procreation by, let''s say, twty-five perct."

    "My Lady, that would be¡­ a mistake."

    "Irrelevant. What would the Emperor do? How desperate do you think he''d be? After all: despite humanity''s growth. Millions die each year due to your''s mysterious dungeons. And it''s on the GCA to continuously deliver clones.

    Surely you know the cost of manufacturing perfect clones, not to mtion getic hancemts and so on. Earth is very rich, but the supply and demand we see don''t befit us in the long run. We''d be digging ourselves into the g, allowing humanity to strive as we did a thousand years ago. So I ask, how desperate is the Emperor?"

    ''This witch! Without the clones¡­ we cannotbat the dungeons while retaining a significant rise in births.'' He thought. ''Earth''s advancemts would stagger significantly. With clones, we get a constant rate of talt, unlike with natural borns, whose talt tds to be randomized.''

    "He''d be furious. And might implemt the oldws. Barring wom from dungeons and work. He''d make them factories." He answered, dreading the oue as one of humanity''s darkest momts.

    "Good. So here''s my offer Garel. Under my authority, I will give you the Clone Factory to do as you please, for the next T years. During that time, you''ll have unlimited ess to our clones and limited ess to our getics¡­ in return. You will barter with the Emperor Court for our citizship. Seed, and your temporary status will be permant.

    Fail, and we exterminate the Aros Family. This will be a test. One that will allow you a seat of power within the known sectors. y your cards right... and your name might be relevant on Gisis.

 Chapter 9: Mana

    Bathed in a transluct light that bore through the many windows within the infirmary, lined with dozs of empty beds, stretching from one d to the other. The room remained silt. Eerily so, carrying only the monotonous drops of liquid within the two IV bags that provided more than just hydration or sodium slowly made its way into the veins of the young childr.

    Altair shuddered, unustomed to the sudd coldness tering his veins for thest few hours. He''d joyed the cold before, hungered for it. But the ssation coursing through him did not bringfort.

    (A/N: IVs are cold AF. And they''re not ev refrigerated.)

    "You never get used to it," Syris said on an adjact bedding, twirling her slder fingers through her silvery  hair. She continued in a pained full voice. "The longer it remains, the colder your body gets until the lids of your eyes grow heavy, leaving only the insipid need for rest, if only for a momt."

    "Are you in hospitals a lot?"

    "You can say that. That''s how I know these IVs contain a rich amount of Protein, Amino acids, Fats, and other esstial nutrits, allowing recovery in hours rather than days. With this stuff, you can break a leg or two and be up and running within the hour."

    "That''s amazing¡­ It would make training easier." Altair said. And he''d be right. The use of Boosters or Medical Serums was widespread amongst the dizs of Gisis, whose grasp of interspecies physiology remained unrivaled.

    Syris looked at him. "On Gisis, wepact these Boosters, as you humans call them, into Balms, one can rub on the skin. With it, we can train for days or weeks with only the need for water. Although, Master says I''m too young to use them."

    "Really. How old are you?''

    "Nine."

    Me too!" Altair said, so surprised he practically sprang to his feet. A vibrant glow flushed across his glistering cheeks and eyes. "But wait, how''d you Awak?"

    "I''m only Half-Awak." Syris corrected in a proud tone, puffing out her t chest; she pulled out the needle, having felt ough of the ice within her veins. She ced pressure on the small needle wound for a second or two, allowing it to close. "What are you, by the way?"

    He tilted his head. "Human, as far as I know. Why? What are you?"

    Behind the mask, her brows lifted, and frowned. "Human?" She said, clear mockery in her voice. "Who told you that? Well, I guess it doesn''t matter. Not with the GCA granting people various getics. You are what you are nowadays."

    There was a bitterness to her words, an almost loathing to them. That She quickly hid with a sudd giggle. But the Young Master was not so easily fooled, seeing through the veil of deceit. He chose to remain silt and change of topic.

    "How does one be Half-Awaked?" He asked, noticing the tsion leaving her shoulders.

    "You got to be awesome!" Syris said, her thusiasm awaking once more. "If you like, I could help. Let Syris kick your ass a few more times, and I''m sure you''ll awak."

    "It would seem you''ve got brain damage. I do believe you nevernded a single hit on me." The young Master dangerously said, mustering a challging grin. He took hold of the machine that monitored his heart rate and IV and stepped toward Syris. "Mother has real swords back at my ce. We can have a real fight there."

    There was an exuberance to Syris upon hearing Altair''s challge. She inched closer, her mask practically hitting the young Master''s thin nose. "Bring it on!" She spun, ready to leave, pausing a few steps away, noticing something wrong. "What''s wrong?"

    ''... How do you take out this thing without dying?" He pointed towards the butterfly needle, being pumped full of IV.

    Pearly-sungughter sprang from Syris. "Are you serious?"

    Altair cheeks heated, and he swallowed, turning away. "... Maybe¡­ Hey! Stopughing!" He groaned, bowing his head wh suddly, she patted him like a lost puppy.

    "There, there." She teased in faint amusemt; reaching for his right arm, she plucked out the needle and held it down for a few seconds or two. Leaving only a dot of blood visible over his arm as she pulled away. "See? It wasn''t so bad?" She teased, breaking intoughter the momt she stared at the teary eye boy appearing as though he''d be abused.

    "It''s not funny!"

    "It he is!" Syris said, brushing up against Altair''s shoulder. A teasing grin visible, "We''d better leave soon; Master will surely be back after her meeting."

    ''The woman in the mask?'' Altair said, heading towards the exit and down the hall.

    "Yup. I''m sure you''ve heard. I''m sure everyone has heard. That''s the Reverd Mother." She exined and followed, eying the tapestries of the Hawk, Aros''s noble crest that hung along the walls. "And she''s my master¡­ at least one of them."

    Altair nced back, descding the spiraling stairs toward the outside. "How many Masters do you have?"

    "Sev!" The proud Syris sang, leaping onto Altair. She pointed with wild exuberance! "Now go! GO! GO! GO!

    G-O-O-O!"

    The Young Master did, finding himself lost in this strange ssation Syris brought. A ssation he''d not expericed since the ve Girl, Tessa. And while Altair did not craveradery, he would not reject it. He dashed into the forest towards his home as a pair of eyes watched over them from a nearby window within the estate.

    "What are those kids doing?" The Reverd Mother muttered, only to shrug, a faint smile over her lips. "Bah, who cares. Have fun, kiddos."

    Winds fluttering against Altair''s cheeks, he zoomed through the forest floor with an unexinable excitemt to show off his home and his mother. He moved faster and faster and faster, finding his body twice as fast as before.

    ''Ev with the fatty on my back. I feel ev stronger!'' He thought, a wide grin revealing two slightly elongated fangs, sharp as any sword. They''d not existed a few hours ago prior to receiving a booster to help recover. And Altair himself had not noticed.

    It was noon a the time they arrived, and resting outside with a warm glow across her cheeks, sat Tebrae upon a rocking chair, her mind focused on the book thatid in her hand: Baptism of the Moon by Lunafreya.

    She looked up, perceiving her child, and smiled, her gaze sweeping over Syris for less than a second. "My baby! You''ve returned to Mama!"

    "Hiya Mama!" Altair said happily, greeting his mother in the usual fashion. "This is¡ª"

    Syris leaped down, straighted her gown, and offered introductions: "I am Syris of the Clouds. It''s a pleasure." And thought: This woman might be the prettiest one I''ve ever se. And he looks just like her.

    "Such formalities," Tebrae mused. "No need for that little one. Well? What are you doing here? Skipping school, I see." A sh flickered through Te''s obsidian eyes, snaring the childr in a sinister chill as she lifted her palm, shing a thumbs up. "Good job!

    Mama was getting bored anyway!" she shrugged. " Life is so unbelievably dull without her precious man."

    "Mommy," Altair said, eyes glowing with somberness.

    "Baby," Tebrae whispered.

    "HUGS!!!!"

    Syris froze, finding herself disturbed by the oddity of the Mother and Son. She tilted her head and murmured. "They''re so weird."

    Swinging her precious treasure a, Altair shed a bright smile. "Mama! Syris and I want to continue our dual."

    "There is no problem there, but are you sure?" She grinned, "Mother prepared a tight-knit schedule to teach you your Father''s technique: Enigmatic Step. A killing technique predicated on the Mana within your body."

    "Mana¡­ " Syris interjected. " Forgive me, but Altair has yet to awak. How do you suppose he¡ª"

    "You have no mama in your body, little one, but you could conjure fire. How do you suppose you did that?" Tebrae asked.

    Syris''s throat grew dry. Not once in all her mystic lessons had she or her instructors inquired about such an elusive concept.

    Mana, the ethereal source of natural ergy found scattered throughout the Myriad Heavs, whose mystery eluded to ascdce, innovation, and evolution. There wasn''t much known about Mana besides its omniprest state, which took the form of small ergy nodes simr to Light Nodes.

    "Being a Celestial, you are naturally attuned to Mana. And with the abundance within Earth''s atmosphere, you are allowed to draw Mana from the atmosphere into your Half-Awak state to fuel your mes."

    "H-How''d you know?" Syris stammered to say, a sweeping shudder snaring her where she stood. She froze.

    And she thought, through crippling fear. "Who is this woman? How does she know¡­ did Altair contact her through his Neruolink? Did he¡­ betray me? No. I never ev told him."

    "You are not the first Celestial I''ve met," Tebrae said, winking her way. "You can always tell wh you see one."

    "Mom, you''re making her ufortable," Altair interjected, noticing the tsion betwe Syris''s brow, jaw, shoulders, and feet. It was as though she was ready to flee. He gestured to the masked child. " Syris, it''s fine. Mother likes to toy with me too. She just knows things."

    "You''re a Master," Syris said.

    Tebrae leaned towards her. Her expression was solemn and harsh. "I''m a Mama Bird!"

    "... A what?"

    She giggled, her solemness melting into a childlike grin. " I''m a Mama, and this," She lifted Altair towards the skies, "is my precious baby!"

 Chapter 10: The Sword of Endmyian

    Syris''s fist tighted with all her strgth and dissipated with a sigh. ''She''s not a threat.'' she thought. ''Just a weirdo. Her son too. But she''s strong. Very strong.

    Although, I find it hard to believe she knew my race. How many celestials has she met? There ar''t any on Gisis.

    "Get your sword, Altair. And you, little girl, do you need a dagger?" Tebrae asked.

    "No. I can conjure a me dagger."

    Altair''s Mother grinned. "Child, that ignorance will get you killed one day.'' she yfully said, turning for the door and gesturing Syris inside. "Think about it. What''s stronger? A de of ergy yet to be condsed to a solid form or a de forged with Ethereum?"

    "But I was able to destroy his G-Weapon!'' She pointed out. "A physical weapon."

    "A weapon built to train, not a de to kill. G-Weapons are built to break. That''s why True Awaker uses them for training. They''d rather a weapon break on contact than sever a limb." Tebrae said, ncing a, "Now, where did I put that weapon?'' She tered Altair''s room, speaking her mind." Syris, how about you try to apply a me cloak to your dagger instead?

    This will grant not only a secondyer of protection but offse. Oh, here it is!"

    She reached into one of Altair''s draws, finding a grove of ck-tinted weapons scribed in Futhark along the handle and de''s edge to help maintain sharpness and durability. She found a dagger and tossed it to Syris.

    Syris caught it by the handle, nearly fumbling the de with utter shock.

    ''This¡­ is Grade-C Ethereum.'' Syris eximed inwardly, almost staggering to her knees, resisting the urge to drop the de that cost nearly a million Sol. She shuddered.

    Ethereum was a precious Ore naturally formed by condsed Mana over the course of millions, if not billions of cycles, merely to condse. It was a rarety and was predominantly used in the Gisis Military. Their standard revolved a Grade-C Etherium and up.

    Few metals could rival Ethereum wh it came to channeling Mana. Much less its intsive durability, said tost for a minimum of a Dao Cycle. Adamantine was stronger regarding durability and simr to manage since it didn''t have a tier list like Etheruim. But Adamantine Ore would usually be forged for soldiers who used raw strgth attacks or those that had no affinity to the Arcanes.

    "What is it? Is the bnce off?" Tebrae asked. "I have others if you want to try."

    Syris trembled greatly. " No!" She hurriedly said. " I-I It''s fine. It''s perfect¡­ thank you." she raised the de that appeared as though it were a cruelly shaped fang. The de edge was nearing a foot long, carrying an exotic L-shaped ck onyx handle and a spiked shape pummel.

    Tebrae smiled, shifting her atttion to her most precious, strapping his longsword, which his Father had gifted him for his fourth year, to his waist: The name de, Endmyian.

    "Are you almost done, Altair?"

    "I''m done, mommy." He answered, tapping his palm over the Ethereum Scabbard lined with Futhark that glowed with the throbbing azure hue of Mana. "But I''ve never fought using Father''s sword. Will it be alright?"

    "Come now, Altair," Te said in a scolding tone. " Show some dignity. The first time you bring a girl home, are you willing to disrespect her by losing a lesser weapon?"

    "I didn''t mean¡ª"

    "I knew what you meant. But Altair, that is not your concern. Wh this girl faced you, she could have pulled her punches but used her Awaked abilities instead. Others might have thought it dishonorable, but this girl showed you the greatest degree of respect. Do not stain the honor your heritage carries with naivety."

    At that momt, a realization overcame Altair''s mind, cutting through the shroud of indecision in a single stroke. He bowed his head towards his mother. " Forgive me, Mother. I will not hold back th."

    Syris smiled, unable to hold back the sliver of jealousy. She''d never known a mother''s warmth, much less a father''s love. But seeing the Mother-Son duo, she couldn''t help but admire their familial ties.

    "Let''s head to the front." Te swiftly said, making her way back outside.

    The childr followed, ncing at one another with a better understanding of one another: An understanding built on honor.

    "Oh, we have a guest," Tebrae mtioned, the smile on her lips never waning upon exiting her home. She stared at the masked woman.

    "Master!" Syris said.

    The Reverd Mother leaned against a tree, her long jet-ck hair dancing through the winds. And her gaze slid to the Ethereum de in Syris''s hand, to the Sword of Endmyian at Altair''s waist, and th to Tebrae.

    "Please ignore me. Proceed." She said.

    Te merely nodded, oping her palm, and spoke: "Spiral Istion."

    As if the world reacted to her words, Mana spiraled through the forest, rising towards the skies and congealing into an invisible dome. Suddly the buzzing of cicadas, the rustling of moving animals through the forest depths, and the cries of the birds vanished.

    The Reverd Mother stilled.

    "Now th, kiddos, you can fight to your heart''s contt without worrying about damage to my lovely home," Tebrae said, her ever-prest smile warming the hearts of the coldest m.

    ''So she can do it too.'' Syris thought. And ced her full atttion on her oppont. The earlier words of Tebrae red through her mind:  how about you try to apply a me cloak to your dagger?

    Azure-White mes sprang over the dark dagger, lowering the temperature, zing at such a low temperature ayer of frost gathered a Syris. She nearly dropped the dagger, fearing her death, and her palm loosed.

    "Get it together, Syris. Do not fear your power. The dagger is only hancing what you already have." The Reverd Mother said coldly.

    There was a pleasingness to her voice wh she spoke. Approval that was drowned by the cold.

    Syris mped down on her de, calming her mind and the me cloak a her dagger.

    "Wow!" Altair muttered and drew Endmyian. And as if he''d be tranced by the vast expanse¡­ A darkness... a void of absolute nothingness swelled through his now lifeless eyes, devouring all that tered his sight.

    Presce. A dreadful presce bore over Syris so hard, apulsion to kneel, to look away sunk into her bones: Fear in that single heartbeat of a second tarnished her will.

    ''What the hell is this?'' She screamed inwardly, feeling the angel of death scythe upon her neck. She swallowed, noticing the dryness of her throat, the sweat cascading down into her tunic and the quiver of her irregr heartbeat.

    "Shall we begin?'' Tebrae asked, cutting through Syris''s dread, stirring her awake. She, alongside Altair, nodded.

    "Do not hold back, Syris. Use it." The Reverd Mother said.

    "Begin!"

    BANG!!!!

    Altair charged, kicking off the g with such force that he covered the distance in a heartbeat and shed toward his oppont''s throat. Syris raised her dagger, positioning herself, wh suddly the de twisted like a strange ethereal shadow.

    Grave of Swords: Shadow de

    Fear prickled her flesh with such dread she hastily pivoted, dodging the de the best she could wh a popping noise thundered as her porcin mask snapped in half, hitting the g with a thud.

 Chapter 11: Half Awakened

    Severed from the base to the tip: the mask fell from Syris''s face, revealing two pairs of wintery blue eyes that carried shards of  scattered throughout the iris,plemting her snow- hair.

    The young woman held an oval face with such defining features it seemed as though Syris wasn''t remotely human: nodes of ephemeral light seemed to almost dance along the surface of her pale skin, granting an almost angelic appearance.

    "You¡­ Bastard!" Syris snapped in a petrating voice as arcs of azure- lightning red to life a the surface of her dagger. The de hissed, with the crackles and pops of lightning being emitted. She took a step forward and began her counterattack.

    Altair scowled, but it was toote to retreat. She was too close. So he mirrored her action taking a step forward, allowing the rings of metal against metal to resound as though it was thunder.

    The g quivered and withered as if caught in a storm with each sh betwe the two monsters. Arcs of semi-circles whirled a their small bodies, twisting into thrusts and sweeps through the field, cutting apart leaves and grass, twigs and trees, as though they were paper.

    Their des were ruthless, poised, and precise.

    "Your son is good." The Reverd Mother said.

    "I know. As is your little Celestial."

    ''Little? Few would call a Celestial little.'' She thought but didn''t take offse to it. Her own Master had said the same thing years ago wh they first met. And she had said the same to Syris.

    "I want him." The Reverd Mother said, unable to mask the urgcy in her voice.

    And Tebrae chuckled. "My son, upon his Fifteth, is free to do as he pleases. But until th, he is under my protection." She said, her gaze never leaving the lifeless pupils of her son. "The boy will make a name for himself. How he does so will be tirely up to him. If you do want him, you may tempt him if you can before th." And she devilishly grinned.

    The Reverd Mother frowned. "I don''t understand. You say he is beath your protection but want us to tempt him?

    "Altair shall not leave the Nobilis Sector. But from there. You may invite him to any ce he wishes to be. If he chooses to join, both he and I will attd. Whether you wish to tempt him or form a bond with my baby is up to you. I am merely a guide for my child.

    I have no interest in interfering in these worldly matters." Tebrae said gtly, her gaze softing the longer they lingered over her son." Once he reaches fifte, bing a man. His business is up to him and him alone."

    "Are you mad? Fifte? He''d be nothing more than a child still..." The Reverd Mother swiftly remarked. "A boy barely capable of¡ª"

    "And how many boys do you suspect you''ve killed? Worlds you''ve burned?" Tebrae dryly replied, cutting her short. "It''s why I''ve be training him so. I shall not always be by his side. Despite how much it pains me, my precious Prince needs to stand on his own, and he can''t do that under my protection. Nevertheless, you are quite an ambitious woman.

    I''m sure you know how to y the game. Ignore my presce and y it."

    ''This woman¡­ I definitely need to investigate her.'' The Reverd Mother thought and shifted her atttion towards the childr. ''As for Altair. I shall not do anything for now. He''s not a threat. If anything, he could be an asset. I''ll have him exempt from our database.

    No need to make him ufortable. At least not until he owes a few favors.''

    "Why won''t you go down!" Syris squealed, releasing an explosion of mes, scorching the earth beath her feet. Altair pivoted backward, almost caught in the explosion. She pointed her dagger at him, short of breath and nearly able to hang on. '' And how the hell are you still standing? Your arms should have be electrocuted long ago!"

    It was a question Altair had no answer to. He''d be curious as well the momt their des shed.

    "That''s because he''s like you," Tebrae said from a distance, drawing near. She stopped a few feet away. "He''s Half-Awaked, although his ability is passive, so he''s never realized. Anyway, let''s stop now¡­ you two are equal in damn near every way."

    "Mother¡ª!" Altair began

    "Enough. No point in this match. You''ll both d up killing yourselves." Tebrae calmly said, scanning their bodies with her piercing gaze. "Syris, if you continue any more, your Mana Core will shatter. You too, Altair. You''ve over-taxed your ability as well."

    "Mother, I don''t have an ability." Altair retorted, somewhat short of breath, uncertain of his mother''s words. He hadn''t appeared hurt and was barely tired. If anything, he''d felt alive. He felt stronger. Faster, and ev the world was brighter. "Surely your mistak, Mother."

    "Oh? You don''t believe me?" Tebrae mused and turned to Syris. " What about you? Do you not believe me?"

    Syris hesitated. She was sure the woman before her was a master of sorts. But¡­ she did feel fine.

    "Th I shall take your hesitation as no. You may continue." Tebrae said in an indescribably cold voice. She turned, ready to depart.

    "I''m sorry, Mother," Altair said, his head bowed and his sword low. The humanity that was brok and withered by the darkness in his eyes returned. "I..."

    "If you wish to know about your ability,e in. With the amount of Mana, you absorbed today. I''m sure your awaking will surelymce in the following days." She said, dismissing the Istion barrier.

    Altair and Syris watched in utter fascination as time began to twist and bd, reversing onto itself, undoing the damage they''d brought. The scorched earth gerated by Syris''s Lightning and icy mes began to recede, its lifeless state regaining its earlier vegetation. Sword strokes gathered over the trees, and leaves dissipated as though all their blows were illusions.

    In the blink of an eye, life had returned to the Aros Forest.

    "We must go, Syris." The Reverd Mother said ndly. "Return the dagger. We''ve much to discuss."

    ''It''s fine." Tebrae said, tering her home. " She can keep it. Not like I don''t have more. Come along, Altair. We, too, have much to discuss."

    The Young Master and Mistress shared apetitive nce, filled with a mutual likess.

    "See you tomorrow?" Altair asked.

    "Yup!" Syris responded, rushing towards her Master, and suddly spun, almost losing her bnce. She hurriedly bowed." And thank you, Aunty Te! I learned a lot today!"

    Tebrae nced at her, smiling, " Don''t leave without saying goodbye should you decide to leave the Aros Estate." she said and turned to Altair. "Come inside and take a seat."

    ''Oh no¡­ Mothers mad." He thought tears all but gathering.

    "Yes¡­ mother." He moved for the door, shutting it as he tered.

    ''Does he think he''s in trouble? Hehe, You little dummy! Mama would never be mad at her little Prince.'' She thought, watching her son''s teary eyes. She pointed towards the living room resisting the urge to take him into her arms as she''d done so oft.

    "Have a seat. Very good. Now how much do you know about the Awakers of Earth."

 Chapter 12: Prince of Darkness

    Altair, who knelt in the middle of the living room, sword onp, in front of his Mother on the L-shaped couch, looked up, his heart practically thawing out in relief at her words.

    "Earths Awakers, you say. They''re individuals granted  powers by the Tower of Babel wh it rose." He told his Mother, pondering why he needed to exin suchmon knowledge. It felt more like an affront to his intelligce to ev ask. Everyone knew such trivial things.

    "Continue."

    "Wh the Tower of Babel rose, a new Voice came with it. The System. Humanities greatest weapon."

    "I see Magister Illyo''s lessons hav''t be for nothing. " She mused. "Good. Th do you know the purpose of each stat on the system? Or have you not¡ª"

    ''The system is regted by a level base design, implemted into ss, divided into subcategories: Strgth, Dexterity, Constitution, Charisma, Wisdom, and Mana." He flutly said, grinning. "Strgth speaks of physical prowess like lifting heavy objects. Dexterity speaks to one''s speed and the speed at which one can process information.

    Constitution is the ability to resist poison, maintain stamina, and take damage. Charisma¡­"

    Tebrae peered at him, awaiting his exnation.

    It never arrived.

    "You don''t know what Charisma is? What about Wisdom?" She softly inquired.

    He flinched, wanting to exin, and hurriedly spoke: "Those two are the most overlooked stat in the System, Mother. Its¡ª"

    "Oh, Altair." Tebrae mused. "Let''s start with Wisdom. Wisdom is the awaress of life in geral. The perception of Kings and Princes, Gods and Demons, Devils and Heroes." She swept her piercing gaze over him. "Wisdom can allow you to perceive danger and know a man''s thoughts before a word is fired. It''s the ultimate tool of awaress.

    Charisma¡­ Charisma is Authority."

    "Authority?" he repeated.

    Tebrae sucked in a breath and spoke with a cruel Authority, "Charisma is the Authority of Power. It''s the pressure you get wh you speak to someone of importance; If I so pleased, I could merely ask you to kill yourself, and you''d do it. If not, the World, your very, would fulfill my request. That is what Charisma is. Many spells require an insane amount of Charisma.

    It''s not something that can be overlooked."

    A/N: Soul Base Attacks

    Unlike anything he''d felt before, coldness fell from the heavs, crushing his body, snaring his voice, and imprisoning him in abyrinth of fear as every syble became branded into his heart, tearing at his floating awaress.

    Sweat ran cold over the Young Altair. His chest rose and fell, faster and faster, as he dared not ev lift his gaze to nce at his Mother. Not daring to ev utter a word in her presce. And th her pressure vanished.

    But the dread in his heart¡­ the coldness gnawing at his bones... that remained. The dry ache in his throat, the sweat that seemed heavier than the G-Weapon after t minutes of use, bore down despite Tebrae''s intt.

    ''It had to be done.'' She thought, pulling air into her lungs. ''If he is to be Awaked, Altair needs to know. He needs to know the tools avable to him. He has talt with a sword, but his de can only take you so far.''

    "Now that all things are said regarding the mains stats. Can you tell Mama about Mana?" Tebrae said and sighed, noticing the shaking of her child, the cold sweat that pooled a him. And didn''t offer words of couragemt. It was too early to do so.

    She stared for a long time, well into the night, awaiting his response. She clched her palm into a fist, waiting¡­ hoping she''d not be too tough, wh¡ª

    "It''s the raw ergy of the Tower of Babel," he replied in a shaky voice, never raising his head. "Magister Illyo said that Mana is too abstract to fully grasp but said it''s like an amplification."

    Tebrae''s fist softed and reached for her son, cupping his cheek. He raised his gaze to meet her soft ones. "I don''t know about being too Abstract, but I''ll leave you to understand Mana as you grow. But you are right. Mana does indeed amplify your natural power," She said, clearing the tears from his beady eyes. She kissed his cheek, nose, and head, pulling him into her embrace.

    "There are nine Circles to Mana. Tier one, you will not gain any befits. Tier two will allow you to double your stats with your Mana. Tier three, you''d be able to triple them, tier four quadruple, and so forth until you hit nine times amplification. After that is Transcdce."

    "Mom¡­ is mean. I don''t like you." Altair muttered tearfully, pulling deeper into Tebrae''s bosom.

    She smiled, hugging him. "I know, baby. But you needed to know. You needed to feel it." She replied, practically crying herself. "If you are to be the Prince of my Kingdom, you needed to feel what Authority is."

    A strange glow flickered through Altair obsidian gaze, and he looked at his Mother for answers. "Prince?"

    "Did you think I just called you Prince for no reason? Of course, you''re a Prince. You''re my little Prince of Darkness. And that is to be your ss wh you finally be an Awaker. You''re already Half Awaked."

    Confusion waned over his mind: ''I don''t remember bing Half-Awaked. But...''

    "Wh did that happ?"

    Tebrae chuckled. "Wh you were born, silly. You were born Half-Awaked. But that''s a story for a differt time. I''m only telling you this tonight because you will awak soon. Tonight maybe.

    And you need to keep quiet about your ss."

    "Wait!" he suddly said, pulling out her grip, and rose to his feet. "What''s my skill th?"

    "Darkness, darling. Did you think I''d teach you Grave of Night for no reason¡­ Although, that sted name¡­ shame on your Father for naming it that. Damn him!...." She cleared her throat, cheeks slightly flushed with anger. "Anyway¡­ from what I can see. I think it''s the ''Body of Darkness,''" She said, finding a smile. "And it''s unique only to you."

    Altair looked down at his hand, a tingle of excitemt in his childish smile. "Mother!" he turned to her. "What does the Body of Darkness do?"

    "Protects you, of course. I wish I still had some of your Father''s old Anime Videos. Nothing but a big child he is, I swear. But that kid¡­ Garea¡­ I think that''s his name. He would have be the perfect example." She pondered for a momt and spoke: "It''s a tool that allows you to conjure the elemt of darkness as a defse."

    ''How does she know about all this?'' The Prince thought. ''And just how strong is Mother?'' he shuttered, recalling her Authority that swept through him without resistance. ''Just who is she?''

    "That being said. I''m sure you''ve got questions. But nothing of your Father."

    Altair''s mind spun, and words flew one after the other: "How do I get new skills? Can you take me to a dungeon? Are you a que? Is Father the king or a Concubine!"

    Pearlyughter sprang from Te as she caved, clching her stomach: "Oh dear lord, he''d throw a fit. Concubine! Lol. I ought to call him that. Now that I''ve got a new man."

    Altair''s young eyes glowed," Ya talking about me, huh! Altair knows he''s awesome. Bestest baby ever!" He gave a glorious nod, offering himself up for more hugs.

    "That you are¡­ but, son." Tebrae''sughter grew still, solemn. "Things can''t be what they once were. The Proud and Noble Kingdom of Noctem is a glorious Heritage. Alone it stands at the peak."

    The Prince stared into his Mother''s eyes with wonder, unable to break his gaze away.

    "And you, Altair, are to be its future. And it is my duty to rear you into King amongst Kings." Tebrae''s presce gathered, unfolding a the Young Prince once more: Authority fell over his shoulders. "To be a King or ev a Prince means you carry with you a great responsibility. A king is ruthless but kind, thoughtful but calcting. He is an individual that stands above the masses.

    And you, Altair, are to be its Shroud of Night, watching over them as they sleep and work in your name."

 Chapter 13: Truth

    Dawn, the next day, the rustle of the winds cascaded over the immature features of the young Prince leading his Mother forward. A poised sse of assurance, of Authority, trailed the Young Prince as he strolled, with a certain sse of purpose in his step.

    "Good," Tebrae said. "But where is your smile, my Prince?"

    "Smile?" He looked up at his Mother.

    She nodded, a dotting hue in her serine stare. "A smile is a dangerous tool, whether it''s your emy, ally, or me: Whether you''re happy, sad, weak, or defseless, you must carry a warm yet unfamiliar smile." She said, reminisct of the year the little ve girl brutally died.

    "Ev to the people I hate?" He asked, unsure whether he could face¡ª

    "That is correct, but do not mistake the smile as anything but a mask." She assured him.

    Altair fell into deep thought. He''d wanted to bow his head but refrained from doing so: ''A king must never bow, if ev towards the heavs.'' He recalled, peering dead ahead without expression.

    "Mom¡­" Altair asked, turning to his Mother. "Wh will¡­ Wh will I be fully awaked? You saidst night."

    "Oh! That''s my bad." She muttered, scratching the back of her head. "I did say that. In the d, I started teaching you about proper etiquette. I should have taught you this at birth, but¡­ "She turned to him, smiling with starry eyes. "You were just so cute!

    Mama couldn''t help but give you kisses all day long!"

    He smiled, a giddy ssation gathering in his chest. "Mama is the best. She''s ev walking me to school."

    "School? Oh yeah¡­ Naw! We are skipping that!" she carelessly said, shooting the young Prince a most glorious thumbs up. She nodded.

    "Eh?"

    "Yup. Mama did promise to awak you. So let''s do it. But you did make a promise to meet up with Syris." Tebrae mtioned. "Part of being a King¡­ No! Better yet, part of being a man is keeping your word, ev if you didn''t mean for them to have meaning.

    As both a King and a man, your words carry weight."

    He stared at his Mother with uncertainty.

    "For example, If someone hurt your most precious mother, what will you do."

    "Kill them!" He coldly said, scrunching his brow.

    "Good. Th I will hold you to those words for all eternity." Tebrae said. "Ev if you don''t understand what it means today, you will one day. Mean everything you say, and never agree to anything you are hesitant about. EVER! understand?"

    "Yes! Mommy!" The boy promised, leaping into her embrace like a little spider monkey.

    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~ My baby is so cute!!!!! Let''s go to town! Screw these Aros asshats!!!!" She childishly squealed, swinging little Altair a, a faint blush over her sere expression. "We''ll take a teleporter into T¡ª"

    "You two seem quite ecstatic." The Reverd Mother, alongside Syris, said, eyeing the mother-son duo, an amused chuckle held in. "Quite a pair you to make."

    "Morning Revy! Morning Syris!" The young Prince said. A charmingly innoct smile on his lips. "Did you sleep well?"

    ''Revy?'' The Reved Mother thought. "I have a name, you know.'' She smiled beath her porcin mask and said: "Altair do you know who I am? What, I represt?"

    "Master, he¡ª" Syris tried to exin, but the Reverd Mother raised her hand, silcing her.

    Altair tapped his Mother to ce him down, which she did. A tinge of expectation in her eyes.

    "Was I overly familiar?" The young Prince asked, his tone poised, regal, rather than apologetic like most would expect. "If so, th it shall not happ again." He said, reaching for his Mother''s palm, ready to take his leave.

    The smile the Reverd Mother carried instantly faded as she noticed rather than an apology. He acknowledged a mistake he''d had no inttion of apologizing for.

    ''This child¡­'' She thought, shaking her head, and spoke: "No, that''s not it, Young Altair. But Reverd Mother is merely a title. I do have a name: Please call me Karis. After all, you and my disciple here will be spding more time together."

    "Really!" He turned to Syris, who grinned.

    "Yup!" She said. "I get to kick your ass until you cry to your mot¡ª"

    "Syris,nguage." Karis snapped her expression behind her mask like a frigid storm. She shook her head and turned her atttion to Tebrae. "I do hope that''s Ok? While I won''t be here. Syris and her Sev Master will spd the next t years on Earth."

    ''How fun!" Tebrae said and shifted her gaze to the young Syris. "Earth has many fun things, especially if you wish to journey into Babel Tower. They say that  everything you seek resides¡­ for a price within Babels tower."

    Syris pursed her lips. " Price? I thought all you needed to do was get strong too¡ª"

    "How young you are," Te interrupted. "Everything has a price there." Her eyes narrowed with a devilish glint. " I''m sure a¡­ ''young woman'' like you can understand that."

    She stirred, nearly quivering wh Altair''s voice resounded. "Mom! Let''s go! I want to awak! And you! Just wait, Syris!

    I''ll defeat you!" He pointed, ring daggers at Syris with a bright grin." I''m going to awak today and defeat you with a single finger."

    Tebrae couldn''t help but giggle. " See you, Reverd Mother, you too, Syris."

    The Reverd Mother watched them leave, and her gaze slid down to Syris. "Shall we¡ª"

    "She knows Karis." Syris coldly said, her once cyan eyes a blood stain scarlet, whirling with the mes of the Hells. " That woman¡­ knows. She knows what I am¡­ " her fingers clched.

    And she thought, "How! My mask has never once brok! Ev with that little monster! How could she¡­?! "

    ''My que¡­ ''The Reverd Mother started, falling to one knee, spreading her awaress to sure there was no one prest. She continued in a whisper, barely audible within the forest. "That''s not possible. No one aside from me knows of your resurrection. And if they did, no one would believe in reincarnation, at least not like what you did. There''s simply no proof.''

    The winds rustled to and fro, leaving only a coldness pinching at the Que''s heart. She gritted her teeth. ''Young¡­ Woman. That''s what she called me. Th there was themt of ''Price''. There''d be no reason to tell a child that.'' Syris told herself.

    ''Could she be a Transcdt? No. Earth is barely a tier-one. There is no reason for a Transcdt to be here like in Gesis. And there''d be no way for a Transcdt to know about me. I''m missing something.''

    The icy winds whirled a Syris, colling her mind, if only for a momt, as she felt her chest tight against her heart.

    "Karis¡­ we''ll maintain the ruse. That mysterious woman, Tebrae, doesn''t seem interested in me. That''ll buy me some time while I investigate." She said, somewhat doubtful.

    "Is that wise, mydy? While I, too, am curious of Tebrae we¡ª"

    "We have to assume she knows who I am." Syris grimaced at the very words. " And I am too weak to do anything, as I am now. My Astral Qi is in hibernation. Earth is our best bet for me to grow. These towers and dungeons will do as well. Especially after I awak.

    I''ll keep you updated on the Duke. But I don''t have much hope in him."

    "On the contrary, mydy. It''s greedy m like him that will surprise ev the gods," Karis mtioned a thin veil grin upon her lips. "I''ll handle the rest. You just keep training. You''ve yet to get ustomed to moving your body."

    "True¡­ Although, I''m no fan of the name. Syris¡­ I sound like a man."

    Karis giggled. "Mydy, you picked the name."

    "We''ll. I like my original one better." Syris moaned, puffing her cheeks. She sighed."You head out first¡­ I''m going to go catch up with the boy."

    "Of course, your grace. And may Soloman''s Wisdom guide your path. "

 Chapter 14: Viscountess Maylar Aros

    Warning: Dark Chapter

    "What a useless child you are." Viscountess Mar growled, brushing a p over the ungraceful swine she''d dare to call her son. "Pathetic! How dare you lose to a meremoner? A boy, not ev an awaked!" Another popping sting whipped over Laros, staining his uniform. "Answer me! How does the fifth son of a brigadier geral lose?

    To a God Damn Unawaked!"

    "Mother¡­" Laros started.

    Blood whipped over the curtains within his room as Marshed out with another p peeling flesh from his cheek. " You have the nerve to call me Mother?" Her palm reached down, taking hold of her spawn by the throat. Her fingers sank through flesh, drawing blood. "Answer me, you useless filth."

    Laros shuddered, thralled by a sudd dread and the source of it before him. " Mommy¡­ Mommy, I''m sorry! I¡­"

    "Call me Mommy again, and I''ll carve your fucking tongue out." Mar snapped, inching her face closer, her once sublime features contorting into a feral rage. "Had I known you''d be so useless, I''d have tak the Duke''s offer to fuck me: Perhaps his spawn would have be useful." She said, releasing Laros to his knees, sneering as he gasped for bitter air.

    And she thought: How is this Gado''s son? I thought him talted. He''d awaked days earlier than most. Possessed above-average skill with a de. And yet he lost to a goddamn outsider. Amoner!

    One not ev adept in our sword art. Pathetic. But it was bound to happ. Five sons, its only natural one is useless. News has already spread of this Altair. I need to¡ª''

    "I''ll do better¡­ Mother¡­ I''ll do better. Just please don''t tell Father. Please. I''ll train every day. I''ll do anything. Please¡­ Please for-for-forgive me.

    " Laros whimpered, tears cascading over the swelling of his cheeks. He cried. Trembling uncontrobly. He dared not look up. Dared not meet his Mother''s furious eye lest he be blinded like so many others.

    He''d se it before: His Mother''s rage that was akin to a demon. The vom she carried. It didn''t matter who opposed her, be it those of higher rank or, god forbid, those of lower rank. Viscountess Mar Aros''s ruthlessness was said to be legdary.

    "What are you? T? You ought to be old ough to be st to the ck Scourge." She added, finding amusemt in her worlds.

    "Mother! You can''t! I''m¡­ I''m still¡­ The viscount, son!" Laros shouted, finding courage at the mtion of the ck Scourge. "Mother, I can''t go¡ª"

    "His Son!!" Mar howled, striking her useless son across the room with a ruthless kick to the abdom, imprinting his small body into the wall. Mana red off her being like a wild storm. As if a whirlwind had gathered a her, uprooting the various decor and bedding,  she approached Laros, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

    "I''d let all four thousand m of the ck Scourge fuck you like a rabid dog should you prove useless. That''s how much you are worth to me right now. Nothing more than amon hole to be used for someone else''s gain. Tomorrow, you will challge Altair. And if you fail¡­."She stopped herself, sucking in arge breath, as the ice within her violet eyes shimmered. " You are my son¡­ that is clear.

    But¡­ should you fail me, should you disgrace House Aros. Your future will lie in the ck Scourge."

    Storming out as blood pooled a Laros, Viscountess Mar''s cold voice echoed to the guard''s station near the doorway, "Take Laros to the infirmary. Give him everything he needs. I want him at one hundred by morning." she ordered, making her way towards the Duke.

    She knocked on his door, taking a few seconds topose herself, and invited herself in to see him reviewing a few documts. "You wanted to see me, sire?"

    The Duke frowned, shooting her a hard nce, noticing the blood over her palm. "He''s merely t, Mar." He whispered.

    "You called me in here to talk about Laros?" Mar asked, pulling out a handkerchief, and calmly cleansed herself of her wretched spawn.

    "No," he muttered through a dark chuckle, putting aside any thoughts of Laros. "It''s a go. We''ve t years to get the Emperor to op Earth''s Borders. More specifically, we have t years to sure the GCA can acquirend."

    Viscountess Mar''s brows sunk. "That''s not a lot of time."

    "I know. That''s why I''m appointing you to head this deavor." The Duke said. "I don''t know a more ruthless woman. One who knows how to get results. You y the game better than me."

    She smirked. "Don''t toy with me, Duke."

    "But it''s true. And it''s better to have you on the inside than the outside." The Duke replied. " You and the Master of Swords. I need both of you. A sword and a shield."

    A delightful grin arose and caught the Duke''s eye. She approached him, taking a seat on his desk. "T years¡­huh." she looked at him. "The consequces of failure?"

    "Death."

    The coldness in the Duke''s words did not escape, Mars ears. Nor did the meaning behind it need to be exined. The Reverd Mother was preparing to d the House of Aros.

    She grinned. "And the reward?"

    "Exclusive ess and rights within GCA. They''ve already granted temporary ess to their cloning facilities. We''ve total control for the next t years." He exined, inhaling the sweet perfume of jasmine and rose, Mar wore. He grinned, tracing his gaze over her ticing figure, which seemed to curve like that of a dragon. He eyed her skin-tight ck dress, revealing her shoulders and back.

    "There being gerous." Mar continued, aware of his luscious stare. She said nothing of it. "How hard do you want me to lobby the nobles? If I''m to start, I might need the support of a few barons." she stared into his fathomless blue eyes, carrying a growing frustration.

    Her smile deeped, and her legs parted over the table.

    "Barons are those of the¡­ lowest¡­ level." He muttered, eyeing the dark-colored undergarmts beath Mars dress, inching closer up her waist.

    Her legs oped wider, just ough to give the Duke a better view¡­ of the lingerie she''d prepared for him.

    ''M,'' she derisively told herself, reaching betwe her legs to the throbbing heat below.

    "Mayl¡ª"

    "Call me May¡­ just for today." She told him in a whisper, so soft, The Duke felt his heart quick, and his cock throb

    "... Gado¡­ My brother..."

    "Isn''t here," she told him, taking hold of hisrge callus palm. They were the hands of a soldier. Of one who''d se war. Her gaze locked over his as she moved his hand further down towards the forbidd fruit belonging to his brother. "He''s never here¡­ Never."

    Mar sucked in a deep sinking breath, speaking through lies and truth, quivering as her cheeks grew flushed. "Your¡­ already making me wet. What''s wrong, my Duke¡­ Am I too much for you?"

    The Duke growled, rising from his seat with a burning heat tighting against his trousers. "Don''t y with me, May."

    "Th fuck me!" She told him, jerking him by the tie with a sse of authority."That''s what you want, right? Do it. I''d heard you Aros m are a great fuck. But your brother was nothing but a disappointmt. Will you disappoint me too? Tear this goddamn dress off me.

    And fuck me. Or are you not man ough?"

    Flushed rage caught the Duke''s eyes as he fell into a sea of Jasmine and Rose.

 Chapter 15: Zamphis

    "Tsk." The Prince hissed, shooting a sharp re toward Syris. He turned to his mother. "Mom¡­ why is sheing along! I thought it was just going to be us?"

    "Aunty Te already said it''s fine," Syris casually mtioned with a challging grin that weed a fight.

    "I wasn''t talking to you!"

    "Well, you wer''t whispering."

    "You wanna fight!"

    "Damn right!"

    Sparks flying betwe these two, Tebrae beamed. ''Such cute chibi''s. And my little Altair made a frid. So cute,'' She thought, humming near the estate trance, awaiting the arrival of the Aros family, local Aerodynes[Flying Car], built using the technology gathered by the orbiting Gisis Colonly.

    They didn''t wait long as the soft hum of the repulsor, anti-gravity technology that allowed machines to levitate within the confines of any atmosphere to echo. The sound caught Altair''s ears; as he nced upward, catching sight of the dark chrome limo making a verticalnding.

    His young eyes glowed as winds jetted past him whirling his hair through the air. "Mother, are we going in that?"

    "It is a duke family vessel," Tebrae said. " Ev guests must ter and exit the Aros Estate with style." She nced at him. "One of these costs nearly sev hundred thousand Sols. If you want one, you''d need to work hard. The finest things are usually the most expsive. Come along.

    We''ve much to explore."

    Entering the limo, a product of the R Corp, one of Gesis''s most illustrious businesses dealing with automotive manufacturers and many other deavors. Syris and Altair marveled at the fine interior: At the cool leather that seemed to circte Mana, calming the mind and body.

    "Take us to Zamphis, Fujian District. I''m in the mood for Chinese for some reason. I wonder if they got Peking Dragon." Tebrae said, her motherly smile never fading. " Is that all right with you, little ones?"

    They stared at her, and Syris said, " I''ve never had Peking Dragon. Not ev sure if that is a thing."

    "Confirm. ETA: 5 min." The A.I. of the R Corp said as the repulsor red to life. The Limo propelled itself a mile into the air tering a public Nexus Lane: designated tracks used to regte Air Traffic.

    Awe sprang over the Prince''s refined features showcasing both his inne and age as he sat by his mother''s side, peering out of the window towards the Metropilis a them. Monolithic buildings wrapped in sheets of glistering silver towered through the skies, reaching miles into the azure skies, as hundreds of cars, both on the g and by air, whipped by. He watched with utter fascination.

    It wasn''t the first time he''d se it. It wasn''t ev the first time he''d be awed at the spectacr innovation Earth had developed in a few hundred years. Yet the more he watched, the more he became lost in its innovations.

    "If this keeps up. It''ll lookpletely like Gisis in a few more years." Syris said, thralled by the view that was as breathtaking as it was impressive.

    "Is that so bad?" Tebrae mused. "I''m still surprised Gisis allows Earth to govern itself to this extt. I''m sure their Sate is filled with debate regarding the annexation of Earth. The GCA might not have the power, but Gesis surely does. Th again, the power to lobby is surely a dangerous thing." she added, ring at Syris. " Right?"

    A wryugh escaped, but Syris didn''t dy her im. "The Getic Clone Association is spding billions to dy the sate within Gisis. They want Earth all to themselves. And they might seed. Now that¡ª"

    "The duke is currtly a board member? Quite a scheme you guys cooked up." Te mused. "With the inclusion of the Duke, a high-ranking member, you can im Earth is under your authority. That way, no matter the ''Gold'' you find. It will legally be yours. Forcing Gisis to assist rather than steal what''s yours."

    "Well¡­ it''s not so cut and dry, but you''re not wrong." Syris begrudgingly said. She slid her gaze to Tebrae. " umm, can I ask you a question? Umm¡­ how''d you know?"

    "Know about what?" Tebrae teased, knowing exactly what she meant.

    "Please¡­ don''t tell anyone. Don''t tell them I''m a celestial," she said, somewhat insecure by the sse of exposure tugging at her skin. She squirmed in her seat. Unsure how to deal with her unease.

    Tebrae nced at her son, lost in the view, and spoke. " Syris¡­ if that ev is your true name. I''ve no interest in who you were. But it seems you don''t ev know the power of your race. Celestials, especially pure blood, td to be reincarnated with their memories intact. It''s not a surprise, darling.

    And since Celestial are rarely spotted in Gisis, not much is known of your kind. Aside from their overwhelming might, that is. But I could be wrong. I don''t do business with Gisis."

    ''And yet you seem to know of it like the back of your hand.'' Syris thought but didn''t dare make her words real. And she looked at her, about to speak, wh Altair oped his mouth.

    "Mother! Is that the teleporter? That''ll take us from Tantal to the capital.

    Tebrae stretched her gaze towards therge gate of swirling mass, twisting with direction. It coiled as the limo zoomed through the portal without issue. They materialized on the other side, within one of thergest cities on the.

    "Do you know what Rippers are?" Tebrae calmly asked as the Aerodyne made its way east, tering the constant tug and flow of traffic. She nced at the kids as they shook their heads. "They are people who are in the business of human trafficking. But instead of sex, they sell organs, limbs, sperm, eyes, and more. So don''t wander off. I wouldn''t want you two to be kidnapped on my watch.

    Zamphis is well known for its crime."

    The Prince red at his mother, and an odd ssation of knowing overcame him. He''d felt his mother''s words were there to scare him or to warn him of the unknown. But he had an awaress that nothing would happ. Nothing wh she was with him.

    He grinned, leaning his head against his mother''s shoulder. "Mom will protect me."

    "You''re damn right."

    "That''s right! Aunty Te will protect us." Syris shamelessly added, her mischievous smile deeping.

    And th the rustle of movemt rippled through the Aerodyne as the A.I. came to life. "Zamphis, Fujian District: China Town arrived. Rmded ces: Ruins of California. Have a wonderful day."

    "First stop! Food!" Altair cried, oping the door, within a parking structure lined with a plethora of vehicles. His eyes glowed an auspicious hue as he searched the area, fascinated by whaty beyond.

    ''Come along. Altair!" Tebrae shouted, heading downwards towards the elevator to the outside, to the streets outside.

    "Humans are strange," Syris muttered, unable to take her eyes off the tall, muscr man with a pink Mohock, tattoos of a ming bike trailing down his triceps.

    "Facts." Altair agreed, nodding as his gaze stretched to the strange world a to the m and woman with arms and legs resembling that of machines; he could see the eyes of some m carrying ssory visors seemingly seared into the flesh, allowing them to see far clearer than the untrained eye.

    He awed, holding onto his mother''s palm as they mindlessly toured the city. His excitemt swayed so deep in his mind he jolted about asking as many questions as he could: To which Tebrae patitly answered.

    Hunger seemed to be thest thing on the childr''s minds as they ogled the various weapons shops, rune stores, and more till sweat slithered down their brows and a dryness tighted a their throats. And yet Altair couldn''t pull his gaze away from the ticing silver within his sight.

    "Mom! Can you teach me how to make runes?" Altair suddly asked, peering through the window at the rune sword inscribed with the blood of a Wyvern. He stilled, suddly tak by the quiver of knowing, of understanding a path beyond his absolute knowledge he''d never sought or known.

    Neither Tebrae nor Magister Illyo had ever once spok to him about runemasters, of the audacious nature of the Rune Making. Yet the look Altair held seemed to gleam, understanding onto itself. Simr to one who''d be found lightmt.

    Fascination filled his young heart as he sought to uncover more.

    She smiled devilishly, narrowing her obsidian eyes that cascaded down like a gue of death: "Are you sure? To be a Rune Master requires a lot of death¡­ and blood."

    He turned to her, a violet hue building in his dark obsidian eyes.

    "I know."

 Chapter 16: Awakening

    For the next few hours, despite the clear fatigue weighing over the shoulders of Altair and Syris, Tebrae allowed the childr to lead as she merely followed, observing the exuberance of youth that could never be bought or expericed again. A precious gift she''d se hundreds of times and longed for herself.

    ''I feel so old, watching them y. How many Hell Cycles or Eternities has it be since I expericed such joy from advturing? '' She said to herself, amused by her vy towards her child. She pped her hands together, gathering their atttion. " Are you two hungry? It''s almost noon."

    "Can we go there?" Altair pointed towards a midsize restaurant within the heart of the Fujian District. He stared eagerly at the store headboard. "Azure Winds Pavilion." Tranted from Mandarin to English via his Neuolink.

    "Syris?" Tebrae said, ncing at the Young Celestial.

    "I''m down!" She cheerfully said, racing after Altair, who''d long left them behind.

    Tebrae faintly grinned. "She must have be a kid wh she died if she is so excited over something so small. How tragic." She told herself and followed them into the Azure Winds Pavillion, drawing in a rich sct of herbs and spices. Te felt her stomach growl as she approached the front desk.

    "Table for three."

    A daze struck the host''s face as he struggled to find the words before the beauty that seemed as ethereal as the night itself. His face grew flushed, and despite the confidce he''d cultivated over the years, all seemed to wither to nothing in the blink of an eye.

    "Alex?" Tebrae said teasingly, noting his name tag over his vest. " Are you guys full?"

    "Ah! Yes. I mean, no. Right, this way."

    Altair stared¡­ he stared hard, reaching for his Mother''s hands as the host led them upstairs to an empty table. He smiled. " Your¡ª"

    "No need for a waiter. Just get us everything on the mu." She handed him her card, sitting beside Altair, with a dotting pang within her eyes. "Oh, and some water and drinks. Ones with a heavy dose of mana."

    "Right away, ma''am. " Alex stammered to say, rushing off.

    "Mana?" Syris interjected. " But won''t that damage our Mana Roots?"

    Tebrae chuckled, poking at Altair''s fluffy cheeks. "Nope. You''ll be fine. You''re a Celestial remember? Just trust in your blood, and you''ll be fine. The boundaries of higher beings pushes the absolute limits of the word impossible."

    "Mom," Altair moaned, pushing her hand away.

    "Oh,e on. You''re not gonna be a kid forever. I''ve got to joy all the fluff I can get." Te righteously proimed, with glowing fascination, that quickly turned to mournful tears. " Or does my Altair not love his mama bird anymore?"

    "Altair loves, mommy!" The prince eximed. "Hugs!"

    Syris''s brow twitched at the overly affectionate disy of love betwe these two, unable to stop herself from feeling like a third wheel. "You two are weird."

    "Jealous?" Altair said as Te nibbled on his cheek. He folded his arm, sitting as though he were the final boss, evilly smiling.

    The disy was so outrageous Syris couldn''t help but giggle. "I do believe¡­ you might be a dummy."

    Altair smirked, ready to rebuttal. Wh a sudd tingling ssation within his chest caught his atttion, he reached for his heart, and the tingling turned to an indescribable itch he couldn''t quite reach.

    "You alright?" His Mother asked him.

    "Yeah¡­" He replied, uncertain.

    In the brief silce, Syris nced towards the stairs, towards the rows of staff heading up. And smiled, almost tasting the breathtaking herbs she''d never smelt. And the indescribable amount of mana emanating from each dish. It was radiant, carrying such dsity a thick azureyer could be se a each dish.

    She shuddered and thought: ''Will I be able to absorb that much? Everything seems so differt from back th...'' But the fear waning on her mind mellowed out with the curiosity that quickly followed.

    "Master Tebrae,'' Maneger Cravis said as the four servants ted the  table. "Are you thinking of allowing the childr to¡ª"

    "Stop asking questions, and there''ll be twty-five thousand Sols in your bank ount if you turn a now." Te casually said, her eyes scanning over the dozs of dishes that were as ticing as the mana fluctuation off of them.

    Cravis knowingly grinned and bowed. " But of course." He said, gesturing for his m to follow.

    Tebrae didn''t bother to eye the few onlookers at their table, watching with grimaces of smile and curiosity hidd beath expressions of worry. She shifted her gaze to her son, holding his chest, nearly clching it. And she spoke: "Eat. It''ll only get worse. You too, Syris. Or he''ll leave you behind."

    Syris''s eyes wt wide, and without hesitation, she dug in. Reaching for the finely cut roasted duck, still a little pink at its cter

    Altair stared out at the table, his hold over his chest tighted as the itch swelled to that of a burning heat expanding from his heart to the plethora of organs, spreading up the arms down to his feet. He paled, nearly staggering out of his chair. Holding under the stern gaze of his Mother.

    "Eat." She demanded.

    Sweat slithered down his neck into his coat, sinking deep beath his tunic as he reached forward, grabbing ahold of the tomahawk-sized wyvern meat and tore into it. Oils of buttered rosemary, thyme, onion, and garlic swelled within the young prince''s mouth with each bite.

    But the roiling burn twisted into agony, contorting his oval features, as he continued to eat: From the Wyrv mean to the Awaked Tiger, to Bazoi, and more, Mana whirled through the Princes Mana Roots, intsifying dread within his heart.

    ''It burned. It burned!'' He cried to himself, thinking only of his Mother. Not ev noticing the sliver of dark blood trailing down his nose.

    "Keep Going, Altair. You to Syris. I know it hurts. But keep going. What your feeling is merely an illusion."

    Syris looked up, tears of ck trailing down her cheeks as the s of her eyes swelled with a dark foreboding color: The iris of her eyes twisted into a deep scarlet. It was as though Syris had ris from the Nine Hell, a demon based on her appearance.

    A violet hue glowed within Tebrae as she spoke: "Eat."

    Themand whipped through their young minds as Altair and Syris found themselves thralled by her words; Thoughts beyond hermand ceased to exist as the pain within their Mana Roots exploded.

    They gorged themselves while Tebrae cruelly watched with the sweetest smile over her lips that never once faded: Ev as a foul dark red blood seeped through their clothing, she observed them.

    And th nothing¡­ As if it were all a dream, the pain, the agonizing heat vanished, and a cooling wave began.

    Altair looked up, his exposed flesh consumed with a seeping dark red liquid.

    [DING]

    [Connecting to the Mryaid Heavs Matrix]

    [Fusing Neurolink and Orgin System]

    [Downloading and Installing the Shadow Proclomation]

    [Authority insufficit to view Shadow Proation]

    [Building Character Sheet]

    [World of Shadows Grimoire Detected]

    [Trial of the Moon Detected]

    [Trial of Blood Detected]

    [Trial of The Nine Hells Detected]

    [Trial of Heav Detected]

    [Trial of Darkness Detected]

    [Trials of the Abyss]

    [Tower of Babel Detected]

    [Bible of Snow Detected]

    [System Store Locked - Insufficit Authority]

    [Ding]

    Name: Altair

    Age: 9

    ss: Young Prince Lv  [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:

    Constitution:

    Wisdom: 5

    Charisma: 5

    Mana: N/A

    Skills: Dark Moon de [F]

    Passive: [Heart of Darkness [???]]

    First ss:

    [Young Prince Lv ]

    Attributes: [+ Wis], [+ Cha], [+ Con] Per Level Up

    Description:  He Who Is Naive Has Tak The Path Of The King! May He Find The Throne He Seeks. Be It Good Or Evil, His Throne Awaits Him.]

    Skills:

    Dark Moon de [F]

    Proficicy: 0%

    Requiremt: [5 Mana], [5 Char], [5 Wisdom]

    Sword Limit:

    Description: Conjure A Sword Of Darkness Blessed By The Moon.

    Passive Skills:

    Heart of Darkness [???]

    Proficicy: N/A

    Attribute: Abyssal/Myriad

    Description: N/A

    ***

    Altair froze, his mind whirling with thoughts, but as he grinned. Overwhelmed by the sse of aplishmt. He looked up at his Mother''s smiling expression. " Mom! I did it! I''m an Awaker!

    I¡ª" His arms trembled as he raised them high, his innoct eyes spiraling a violet hue within the darkness.

    "I DID IT!!!"

 Chapter 17: Passion of Sorrow

    A/N: Warning Disturbing Chapter

    At the stroke of midnight, Laros had awaked from hisa within the infirmary, his body cured of any injury, but the pain of his mother''sshes hadn''t faded from his mind. He shuddered, beath the sheets like a lost fawn, trembling as tears swelled in his eyes.

    ''Is this the fifth time?'' He wondered, the burning of his chest deeping as shame crept into his heart. A cry of a wounded beast, grim as it was torn, sounded from his throat. ''Why? Why? Why? Why me?

    Why is it always me? I hate it here!

    Young Master Laros curled into a ball as the sting of his mother''s words tered his mind: Useless Bastard. Ungrateful Spawn. Worthless. Insect. Retard. Idiot.

    Ev with the Aros name, you''re useless! Your Trash! Insignificant! WORTHLESS! GARBAGE! WASTE OF A FUCKING FETUS!

    KILL YOURSELF!

    He howled, mping his ears shut as her words pierced his heart. He hammered at his head with his small fist. " Useless. Trash. Why can''t you do anything right? I hate you!

    I Hate you! I HATE YOU!!!!" Blood trailed from his head as the tears swelled. He stilled: "I am useless, haha, ar''t I? I lost too¡­ I lost to amoner. I am unless. Garbage, just like Mother said.

    "

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' looks at you with mournful eyes]

    Laros yelped at the sudd notification from his Neurolink, stumbling off his bed. The blood pooled from his head, staining his  gown.

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' wishes to know if you seek power?]

    "I¡­" Confused, Laros didn''t immediately answer. But understood what was happing. It wasn''t umon for a God to pick an acolyte or two. There were many Gods known to grant blessings, High-Rank Armamts, or Elemtal Attributes.

    He staggered to his feet and thought: ''I''ve never heard of Passion of Sorrow¡­ But¡­"

    Laros nodded. "I do."

    [Divine Being ''Pasion of Sorrow'' smiles but remains unsure of your true desire.]

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' desires you to prove yourself.]

    Falling to his knees, ssing his fleeting hope dwindling before his eyes, Laros pressed his head against the g. "PLEASE! HELP ME! I¡­ I DON''T WANT TO BE TRASH!!'' he cried, "I don''t want Mother to hate me! I don''t¡­." Tears once again swelled from his eyes. " I don''t want to be useless."

    There was a long absce of the familiar chime from his system, leaving only the whimpering cries of Laros as he remained, kowtowed: the ssation of hope dwindling with each passing second, each agonizing minute that came and wt leaving only sorrow.

    There was nothing, and th¡ª

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' seeks to test your will]

    <Ding!>

    [Quest Created]

    [Objective: To prove yourself to Passion of Sorrow, Laros Aros must take a single life and prest it to Passion of Sorrow]

    [Completion: 0/]

    [Time Limit: Five Hours]

    [Failure: Death]

    [Reward: Phoix me Upgrade]

    [Do you ept: Yes or No]

    A/N: Hmm, who''d take the deal?

    A chill withered his flesh as he stared at the Neurolink message. His mind nked, and his cheeks pale as the words left his mouth. "I have to kill someone¡­ I have to¡­ kill."

    The thought made his gut twist as though someone had stomped on it. Cold icy sweat trailed his back as he looked up. The tremor within his pupils swayed his vision. Laros could all but taste the acid gathering within his throat, tracing the tip of his tongue. He shuddered

    "...I¡­I" The words became harder to pronounce, but¡­ ''was this not an opportunity? Would this not make Mother love me?''

    "I¡­ept," Laros whispered, rising to his feet. His Auburn hair clouded his expression as he left without a word. He made his way from the infirmary toward the ve quarters. Each step seemingly grew heavier, showering his pores with a downpour of rain.

    He walked till the foul sct of unwashed ves mounted his nose: It was a sct of weeks-old food that had spoiled alongside workers that hadn''t be cleaned in weeks.

    Laros'' gaze swept over the ves living quarters outside the main house, about two miles away. To the simple structures built by gerational ves, Laros saw a small hut one could bearly call a home, running without electricity, much less a candle: The only light source being the moon.

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' looks on with expectation]

    "I have to¡­ I have to make Mother proud of me. I have to make her love me. I can''t be useless." He muttered so softly only he could hear it. He stepped forwards toward a random home¡­ sured by trees in a secluded sector.

    Laros gathered himself. And gathered his courage before he pushed op the door siltly, listing to the sounds of snores. He stepped in, the weight of his steps heavier than before. But he didn''t slow. Not until he hovered over the small boy nearing his age, carrying a frame of mere skin and bone

    The ve''s skin was an inhuman ash color, caring strange runes a his neck, '' the ve seal,'' many called it: Writt in Futhark, the mark held control of life and death for those bounded beath its crest.

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' sits eagerly for what you will do.]

    "Forgive me," Laros muttered, reaching out with both arms. His fingers folded a the neck of the young ve, his fingers deeping as he mped down.

    The ve''s violet eyes, carrying an emerald color within the pupils, snapped op. iling his arms, he scratched at Laros. His chest tighted as the tsion a his neck deeped. Fear, panic, dread, horror, hate all twisted through his mind as he tried to squeal, to beg¡­

    ''Someone! Someone! Help!'' the young ve thought¡­ Begged, his bloodshot eyes nearly bursting from their sockets.

    Blood painted Laros''s hands as his fingers dung so deep into the unawaked he could feel the hammering of his heart, the flow of blood throbbing in and out.

    "NO!" The ve squeezed out, following the dots of darkness piercing his vision with beads of tears, pleading with his Master.

    ''Please¡­ I don''t want to die¡­ I don''t want to die! Master! I''ve be a good ve! Why! WHY!!!!! Please¡­ Please!...P¡­Pl¡­pe¡­''

    Laros''s grip grew tighter¡­ firmer as he stared deep into the strange eyes of the ve watching him¡­ He could smell his breath, the sct of days-old food, the unwashed tang of his armpits, and the slimy ure of his ve''s skin.

    Sweat had bathed the ve below, whose body had stilled a minute ago, but Laros held on. Harder and Harder he clched¡­ until¡ª

    [DING!]

    [Quest Completed]

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' painfully moans for the loss of innoct life but prests you with another opportunity.]

    [Ding]

    [Bonus Quest]

    Objective: Within the ve Quarters, you are to y t more ves

    [Completion: 0/]

    [Time Limit: Five Hours]

    [Failure: Death]

    [Bounus Reward: Destruction Attribute to Phoix me]

    [Do you ept: Yes or No]

    At the sight of the notification, Laros could no longer hold back the tangy acid crawling up from the back of his throat from sshing over the still corpse.

    Heat blistered his cheeks as he buried his head over the tarnished corpse."I can''t¡­ I can''t¡­ I can''t¡­." He cried, curling in a ball beside his vomit and the cold body of a nameless corpse. His bloodied fingers stained his face as he clched his ears shut. He shook his head:'' Don''t make me do it¡­ please¡­ Please don''t¡­."

    [Divine Being ''Passion of Sorrow'' is pleased by your humanity and has decided to grant you the bonus reward.]

    [Reward: Phoix me Aquired]

    [New Attribute Added]

    [Ding]

    Name: Laros Aros

    Age:

    Mana Cultivation: N/A

    ss: Novice Swordsman Lv [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:

    Constitution:

    Wisdom:

    Charisma:

    Mana: 0¡ú

    Skills: [Phoix me Lv E¡úD]

    Proficicy: %

    Passive: N/A

    ss:

    [Novice Swordsman Lv ]

    Attributes: + Str, + Dex, + Con Per Level Up

    Description: One Who Seeks The Path Of The Sword.

    Skills:

    Phoix me [D]

    Elemtal Attribute: Fire, [Destruction]

    Description: The Blood of the One Eye Phoix Aros runs through your veins. Empowering House Aros with the me of the Phoix.

    [Ding]

    [Do to Passion of Sorrow Divinity on the bloodline. A new Bloodline has be born.]

    [+00 Achievemt Points]

 Chapter 18: The Infinity Circle

    mes, the color of a vibrant jade, painted the night skies in a whirlwind of evesting light, folding into itself into what seemed like a pir of hellfire and brimstone, expanding over the ve quarters: Stones began to melt as if touched by magma, grass began to wilt, and trees began to burn, as did those resting beath the moon, carrying with it the screams of the ves.

    "What''s going on?" Altair asked, staring up at the emerald skies. A curious expression was prest as he turned to Tebrae standing beside him on the porch. He noted the hard line of her tder jaw and nced up at the pir of mes in a guarded manner.

    "Danger," Tebrae replied after a momt of silce. "Or perhaps opportunity." She turned to him, "Can''t sleep?"

    Altair chuckled wryly " Well¡­ After Awaking, I was tired but not anymore¡­ the momt the sun fell, I felt awake. I hope I don''t have insomnia."

    "Oh, I wouldn''t worry about it. I like spding my days during the night anyway. It''s peaceful beath the moon." Tebrae softly exined, rustling his hair.

    "I feel weird though¡­." He replied.

    "Wierd, how?"

    He shook his head, lifting his gaze to the night. " I¡­ I don''t know how to exin it. I think it has something to do with the Heart of Darkness Skill. But it''s hard to describe."

    "Oh? Isn''t it just a defsive¡ª Wait. Heart of Darkness?" Tebrae said, lifting a brow. She''d never heard of such a skill. At least not by those touched by Darkness like Altair.

    "It says N/A," Altair interrupted, gazing at the moon''s soft ethereal glow. He closed his eyes, almost as if he could feel the moon''s transcdce against his skin.

    ''So not ev the system can describe it?'' Tebrae thought, curious regarding the nature of what her child had be gifted: ''The system must have discovered the name of the skill but couldn''tprehd its nature. Was such a thing possible for a child? No, age isn''t a factor. It never is. It''s¡­ his blood. It must be abination of Abyssal and Myriad.''

    "Alt, tell me what you know about Mana?" Tebrae said after a momt of deliberating silce, she got a grip on her turbult emotions.

    "Nothing, really," The Prince said, oping his gaze to the tranquil moon, a sse of peace in his eyes. He turned to his mother. "Magister Illyo speaks of it but¡­ I get he doesn''t understand it. Not really, at least. It seems like¡ª"

    "His words are empty?" Tebrae finished. " Well, you ar''t wrong. Th let Mother teach you what Mana is. Mana is the knowledge of the Elemts, the Knowledge of Concepts, the Knowledge of their existce." She raised a finger, and a node of Mana within the air gathered, intsifying until it wasn''t visible within the Astral ne but the material one.

    Light glimmered as an orb appeared, nearly simr to water in how it oscited beath Tebrae''s control. "From that Knowledgees the history of the Heavs that is kept within the Mana, hidd in in sight. But obscured by the limitation of the mind."

    ''Knowledge,'' he thought.

    "The Mana stat you hold is the key to unlocking knowledge." Tebrae continued. " As you may know, the Mana stat represts the destructive Power of your Mana. How heavy it is, in a sse. But the price of improving that stat makes it nearly impossible to gather and refine Mana within your body.

    That said, the more you improve your Circles, the smaller your Mana pool will be wh you increase the Mana stat. That''s what we call equivalt and Exchange. A fundamtal concept."

    "Th.. how does one improve if you both gain and lose process."Altair couldn''t help but ask.

    "To put it simply, the Mana Stat raises the quality for the price of quantity. The higher the quality, the more Mana is required. Meaning. You might need to put in t times more effort than the average person. Possibly a hundred. But don''t worry.

    Mama will help her bestest baby out: What I''m about to give you, Altair, is a technique I created called the Infinity Circle." Her fingers swirled in a perfect circle as Mana trailed her finger, "What you see here is a circle created by mana."

    Altair nodded, staring punitively at the Magical Circle at the tip of Te''s slder fingers. And slowly, the Infinity Circle began to spin as the Mana a the forest huddled towards the Circle. Like an empty abyss, the Infinity Circle devoured the Mana growing brighter with each passing second.

    Sweat trailed Altair''s brow as he felt his body grow heavy, nearly sinking as a heavy weight pressed over his shoulders. His chest hammered as he found himself out of breath. The Mana dsity a him grew so intse that the sounds of his bones began to tremble.

    "I''m sure you can''t understand it. But this Circle is in a perpetual state. Meaning. It shall spin for all eternity, growing stronger and stronger ev if the uses are useless." Tebrae coldly said. "Each day, the Infinity Circle will require you to feed it Mana Stones or simr resources or devour ough Mana from the atmosphere."

    Altair gulped but spoke, unsure why he felt the need to ask, but the words echoed regardless: "And if I don''t meet the requiremts?"

    "It''ll eat you up," Tebrae said coldly. "As I said, it''s in a perpetual state of motion. And it only has one function. Devour. Ev if that means feasting on itself. You''ll not need to worry about feeding within a dungeon since they have a high mana dsity, but on Earth and withereds, you''ll have to be extra cautious."

    "What happs wh¡­ Wh I reach the peak, th?" The prince asked. A question many would scuff had they heard. "How do I control the Infinity Circle?"

    Tebrae''s grin turned macing. "I have the answer¡­ But I''m not going to tell you. You''re a man now. An Awaked. You''re going to have to make a choice. Will you risk your life, or will you seek fortune elsewhere?" She stared into the boy''s eyes, quickly finding something odd.

    She could see anxiety, doubt, hesitation, but¡­ there was no fear. No inkling of dread.

    There was only a devouring light within his obsidian eyes, leaving bearly room for the concept of fear.

    "Th¡­ I¡­ "Altair pondered for a bit longer. His face focused on the Circle. "I ept. I want it¡­ Can you teach me!"

    "The Infinity Circle can''t be taught, only giv." She told him, peering deep into her child. Through the outer tissue of flesh, to the flowing of his blood, to the sheets of pristine  bones, to the core of his very being.

    And thought: His skin isn''t growing red, and his meridians are also empty of Mana despite so much suring him, yet it''s also being devoured. It would seem giving him this Circle was the right decision. What a strange physique. Where is all that Mana going? But a bigger question is why he can''t sse Mana yet. It should have be innate.

    Tebrae narrowed her eyes, suspicion writt on her face betrayed with a hint of worry. She dismissed the Infinity Circle, calming the Mana within the air. And smiled.

    "Your big sister, Luna, will be visiting either tonight or tomorrow morning. She''s a lost soul, so it''s hard to tell. But she will take over your training from here on out before we pass you on to your True Master."

    "EHHH!! I have a big sister!" The boy shouted, his breathing returning to normal. But the me in his vibrant obsidian eyes burning with betrayal. '' You never told me that! And what''s this about a Master!"

    "Well¡­ not by blood. But you''ve got a lot of brothers and sisters." Tebrae muttered, scratching her cheek. " I forgot to tell you, oops. My bad." And th she grinned, a mischievous glow in her eyes. " But I''m sure you''ll like Luna. She''s a very lovely daughter.

    y your cards right, and I''ll give her to you."

    "And wh have I ever be your''s to offer as if I were some piece of meat? My Dear Mother?"

 Chapter 19: Lunafreya

    "And wh have I ever be your''s to offer as if I were some piece of meat? My Dear Mother?" A soothing voice called as the moon''s glimmer showered the Aros Estate in a transcdt array of moonlight.

    Altair''s eyes wt wide as every fiber of his being stilled, froz in the presce that seemed to capture the radiance of the moon. He stared at the woman, attracting moonlight. Hair a vibrant silver, and eyes of gold, carrying to the crest of the cresct moon in each of her pupils. Wrapped in snow- robes, she stepped out of the forest, her movemts graceful as though she were a dancer.

    Yet it held a regal touch that Altiar could not pull his gaze from.

    ''Pretty,'' he thought.

    "Luna," Tebrae said, a beautiful grin on her face. "Come let me show you, my baby!"

    A curious glimmer swelled through Luna''s gold eyes as she slid her gaze to the small eyes. She grew closer to exquisite features shaming the very stars with her beauty. She bt down, raising her finger.

    "Poke. Poke.Poke."

    Altair blinked as Luna pressed her fingers against the buns of his cheek. Her eyes glowed ev brighter as she smiled. "It''s like pudding. So squishy."

    "See! See! Told you he was a cutie! He''s so fluffy! He''s like a fluffy panda!"

    Luna nodded abstmindedly. "Hello, little brother. I''m your elder sister, the second eldest, to be exact. Lunafreya of the Moon. It''s a pleasure." She said. She offered a hand, her expression warm, carrying the familiar warmth of the moon itself.

    It wasn''t fierce like light nor empty like the dark. It was soothing, like a warm whisper.

    "Hello, big sis. I''m Altair." the Prince said, a faint rosy hue trailing over his cheeks. But a warm smile over his lips.

    Luna''s gaze grew brighter as she turned to Tebrae, a protective hue now in her eyes: "He''s too good for you. I''m stealing him. I, Luna, shall protect him for eternity."

    Tebrae merely nodded triumphantly. "The cutess is strong in this one. He''s going to steal so many hearts. Do you think you''ll be able to handle him?"

    "I do feel a little guilty about training him. But I can do it. I''ll make sure he doesn''t break wh Iliana shows up. God knows why you are letting that monster train your child. She''ll destroy him."

    "We''ll see," Tebrae said, tilting her head to Altair. "Take off your shirt and sit in the lotus position. You know, the one, right? The crisscross apple sauce one. I''ll set up the Infinity Circle for you."

    The boy nodded, dropping to the g at a momt''s notice.

    "Infinity Circle¡­ You''re really going all out, huh? Guess with the Arcadians trying to invade. You got no choice." Luna mtioned, her words not going unnoticed by Altair.

    ''Arcadians? Invasion?'' He pondered, unsure if he should ask. But before he would inquire.

    Tebrae shot Luna a cold stare, silcing her as she turned back to Altair, the coldness dissipating. She took a long breath in front of Altair. And snapped her finger. Suddly a dagger appeared from out of thin air, startling the young boy so much that Te giggled as she took his wrist.

    "Don''t worry. Mommy is only taking a little blood."

    Altair couldn''t ev speak before a warm sting whipped out at him, following the pool of blood spilling from the cter of his palm. His eyes wt wide for a mere second, but the panic and fear he had waited for never arrived.

    "Mom?"

    Luna frowned. ''Is he not scared? Ev if she''s his mom. That reaction seems off.'' She thought, ''Hmmm, I''ll have to test the limits of this boy''s mtal acuity. I''ll sd him to a dungeon tomorrow. Perhaps he may¡­ impress me.''

    "You said you wanted to learn runes, right?" Tebrae said softly, lifting a single finger. A quiver ran through Altair, leaking blood. And as if called by a strange mythical force, beads of blood began to lift themselves into the air, twisting into themselves, forming strange runes. She began: "Three Runes are prest, but as far as you can tell. You will only see two.

    Infernal, the Language of the Fall Angels, and Enochian, the Langage of the Angels."

    Altair gaze fell upon the strange gathering of runic symbols: His sea of consciousness seemingly knew the differce betwe the two runes without Tebrae''s exnation of differtiation.

    The Infernal Runes appeared harsh, as though each stroke were forged of a de meant to kill. They were aggressive, filled with anger. And yet carried a peculiar temptation, a poised weight meant to oppress. In contrast, Enochian appeared peaceful, as if each runic symbol connected and flowed with one another as though it were water, granting a sse of serity.

    Or perhaps a cruel sse of aloofness.

    "Neither rune is stronger than the other. But each holds advantages. The other doesn''t." Luna interceeded.

    "Like Attacking and Defding?"

    "No. Each is proficit at killing. "Luna said. "But each form of killing will be differt. Infernal is meant to break your oppont, to sink in fear so deep that death seems a mercy, while Enochian will grant you a seemingly merciful d, all the wild casting you into the fiery pits of the Nine Hells."

    "Nine Hells?" Altair muttered questioningly. He stared at Luna, who turned away at the slip of the mouth, her cheeks a faint rosyplexion.

    "The Nine Hells¡­ is a ce you will discover upon your tth birthday," Tebrae interjected, sighing at her foolish daughter''s slight blunder. "But Language is a powerful tool. Never forget that. And the reason I use your blood is to amply its effects. For now, just sure you always use your blood wh creating runes."

    Altair nced towards his wrist, unsure wh the wound had closed, and back up towards his mother, whose idtity seemed cloudier than ever before.

    A sister he''d never heard of. Anguage he''d never se. And an understanding of Mana that seemed¡­plete. Altair''s mind throbbed as he stared at her, his heart flustered by her knowledge and power.

    "Mom¡­ are you a Ninth Circle tity?'' The Prince innoctly asked, tilting his head with a curious gleam. "You seem so mysterious."

    "Me? God''s no." Tebrae said, smiling. She pointed towards his chest, just over the heart. "Now, take a deep breath."

    He did.

    "Good, now this might sting a bit."

    "Wait, I still have¡ª" Altair hadn''t ev finished as the stinging burn of fire whipped through his chest, sinking deep within his heart.

    A pulsing ache rippled through his being as thick, elongated veins gathered over his small frame, expanding over every crucible of his being, from legs to arms to neck and eyes.

    "What a strange reaction. Are Altiars Meridians Closed?" Luna inquired. "No¡­ they''re all op. Strange¡­ what''s the issue? Why is there such arge reaction?"

    "Are you alright? Altair darling, does it hurt? And can you feel the Mana?" Tebrae asked.

    Altair frowned, aside from the dull ache and the strange reaction of his veins that throbbed as though worms hid beath his flesh. He felt no pain but rather found his atttion on the system messages.

    [Heart Of Darkness has Activated:  Altering Infinity Circle]

    [Tarnishing Engaged]

    [Infinity Circle Lv  ¡ú Circle of Gluttony Lv ]

    [System has resisted Tarnishing]

    A chill rippled through Altair''s heart, as deep within the core of his being, within the cter of his heart where his charcoal back Heartstone belonged, a small spiraling ck circle with a hollow cter began to gather. Swirling as des of dark violet mana spun in a clockwise motion. The web of elongated veins scattered throughout his flesh sunk back into his body.

    Bones began to crackle, and flesh began to shed, bringing about a warm sse of being to the young prince.

    By the time his eyes had oped to theing dawn, his obsidian eyes seemed stained by a violet color, while his pupils seemed to nted to mirror those of a serpt.

    [Strgth: Increased by One]

    [Dexterity: Increased by One]

    [Constitution: Increased by One]

    [Mana: Increased by One]

    Name: Altair

    Age: 9

    Circle: N/A

    Cultivation Method: Circle of Gluttony [F]

    ss: Young Prince Lv  [First Awaking]

    Strgth:  ¡ú

    Dexterity: ¡ú

    Constitution: ¡ú

    Wisdom: 5

    Charisma: 5

    Mana: 0 ¡ú

    Skills: Dark Moon de [F], Circle of Gluttony [F]

    Passive: Heart of Darkness[???]

    Circle of Gluttony [F]

    Proficicy: 0%

    ???: 0/3

 Chapter 20: The Serpents Outreach [F]

    Snapping his dark amethyst eyes op, Altair felt every fiber of his being hum to life, quivering with an thralling power. He smiled, clching his fist, overwhelmed by the power hidd beath his flesh.

    "Your up!" Tebrae sang, rushing from out of the woods. " Looks like I made it in time!" She took him into her arms, pressing his head betwe her breast. " How I''ve missed my baby! How are you feeling, little Alt?!"

    His cheeks red with color. " Mother! Not in front of Onee-chan" He nced towards the porch to the sitting goddess, ring at him with piercing eyes. And a chill prickled his skin.

    Arms folded over herp, the chilling Luna stared grimly as ayer of frost touched her serine expression. ''I want hugs too.'' She thought, rising to her feet with grace. Her piercing gaze intsified. ''How does Luna get hugs? Wait¡­ did he call me onee-chan? AHHHHHH!!!!!~''

    She approached him, her cold expression melting away. "How are you feeling¡­little brother?"

    "Onee-chan is so pretty." the boy said, popping up his head to me her warm smile. " I feel great! Never better!"

    Luna chuckled. " That''s good. Mother, is everything ready?"

    Lifting his head high to see his Mother, Altair suddly noticed a strange backpack on his mother''s back. He stared at her questioningly.

    "Luna is taking you to a dungeon today. You''re going to spd a year or two there." she settled him down, removing her backpack. Altair could see a bow, arrows, a spear, and several daggers poking out of her bag. "Luna is going to stay with you for six months. Teaching you how to survive. After that, she will leave."

    "Eh?"

    Dread fell over his small heart as he stared at her, unable to stop the pool of tears from rising over his cheeks and the sudd heat pressing against his heart.

    "Your¡­ you''re noting?" he stammered.

    She shook her head, a bitterness of love pressing over her lips. " I''m afraid not." She graced her fingers through his silky hair holding back her tears and a brok heart. LadyTebrae shook. " You''re growing to be a man, a Monarch of the Ages. Mommy has already st you information about Enigmatic Step. It should take three months for the system to register it if you train it properly."

    "I don''t care about that¡­ Mom. I want Mom." Altair mumbled, sniffling as the pang of anguish shimmered like a fire. He looked up at her only to bow his head.

    "Remember, a king must never bow his head¡ª"

    "You''re my mommy¡­ I''ll bow it to you." He insisted.

    Warmth showered Tebrae as she smiled. "Th how about we talk every week? But only if Luna approves of it. Your cold sister will be your guardian and mtor. Kay?"

    Altair snapped his head to Te. "Really!"

    "Of course. But you must do something for Mommy."

    "Anything!"

    "Th I want you to conquer the dungeon. Mommy doesn''t care if it''s illegal. You got to conquer it, ok?" She lifted her pinky, and Altair did the same.

    "I promise, Mommy!"

    Shaking on the promise, Te grabbed her little man and hoisted him on her neck. "Let''s go, Luna. The dungeon awaits." she gestured towards her house, and a blinding sh flickered through the door as Endmyian appeared. "Take a deep breath, Altair. Mommy is going to Teleport."

    Startled for a momt, Altair sucked in a deep breath as though it were hisst. Wh suddly, space twisted as though he''d be in a mirage. Light contorted and contracted into itself till only a sea of darkness awaited him, and th light.

    He appears within another forest doz of miles away from the Aros Estate.

    "Halt! Who goes there!" An angry voice thundered.

    "Reporting to HQ, we''ve three unidtified. Targets are at The Serpts Outreach. I repeat three unidtified¡ª"

    "Sleep" And as if her words came from heav or hell, a lifeless gleam filled the two guards as they fell to their knees. Tebrae nced a, catching sight of the camera monitoring everything. She said nothing and nced toward the swirling vacuum of congealing mana.

    She nodded at the Dungeon Gate.

    "How did you do that?" Altair feebly asked, his face pale as the nausea of teleportation struck him hard. He grunted, trying with all to hold back the erupting tang of acid in the back of his throat.

    "Luna will teach you," Tebrae said, lifting him off her shoulder. She smiled, handing him Endymion. "Train hard, ok?"

    "I will¡­ and¡­ will father¡ª"

    "I''ll make sure his bitch ass pays you a visit.." Tebrae coldly said. "Ev if I have to drag his ass out of the Nine¡ª Well, I promise he''ll pay you a visit on your tth."

    "Let''s go, Altair." Luna coldly said, approaching the Dungeon Gate. She stood before the spiraling vortex, awaiting Altair''s arrival.

    "I love you, Mommy!"

    "I love you too, my Altair. Now off you go. A few pests will be arriving soon." Tebrae said, ssing dozs of Tri-Circle warriors heading her way. "Remember to look at my Grimoire." She kissed his brow and turned as her feet lifted themselves into the air.

    "Come along, Altair. Lest things get¡­plicated." Luna said.

    Staring at his mother soar into the air, Altair nodded and ran toward Luna.

    [Ding]

    [Would you like to Enter The Serpts Outreach]

    Time Limit: Five Years

    Capacity: 44/50

    Objective: y the Corrupted Serpt

    Restriction: Fifte Years Old Or Younger

    [Yes or No]

    "Yes," Altair said, his grip tighting over the scabbard of Endmyian wh a soft palm settled over his head.

    "You''ll see her again. Our Mother is a Monster."

    Light red over the horizon as Altair felt himself being sucked through the Gate. And as if he''d stepped through a door, a new world onto itself oped up for him.

    He gasped, amored by the fast greery sce stretching further than the eye could see. He stilled wh a sudd sse of knowing jolted through him. The boy fell to one knee as a vicious w swept over his head, cleaving the air in half.

    Curiosity rather than dread swept through his heart as the thought of what manner of beast that attacked him flickered through his mind. He kicked off his feet, rolling, catching sight of a five-meter wolf-like monster baring its fangs. Its arms and legs were nearly twice the size of the young Prince.

    Milky yellow saliva pooled from the beast''s mouth as its gold red eyes stared at Altair. The beast circled the young Prince. Marking him its target.

    ''A ck Mamba¡­ Seem it''s taking the shape of a wolf. I want a polymorph skill too. How cool would that be!'' Altair thought calmly, eyeing the beast and his surings. He reached for Endymion wh the ck Mamba whipped towards him. Faster than anything he''d se before, a searing heat ripped against his chest as he leaped back, barely dodging a fatal blow.

    The ck Mamba charged just as Altairnded, its arms and feet dissipating as it hurled itself through the winds like a vicious beast, baring its fangs at the Prince''s neck.

    Ruby-red blood swelled from out of Altair''s tunic. But he didn''t dare pull his gaze away. Intse focus swelled within his mind as deep within his chest, the Circle of Gluttony began to spin ev faster, twisting the dse mana a him to its will. A violet darkness began to gather a the Prince.

    He stepped towards the advancing ck Mamba, performing a quick draw through the beast''s jaws. A cresct arc of dark light trailed Endymion as his sword whipped through the beast, as he used the serpt''s own movemt against it.

    A fountain of blood danced through the air, catching the young Prince''s face as he severed the beast from jaw to head.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

 Chapter 21: First Steps

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    [Info Acquired]

    Name: ck Mamba

    Type: Cryptid

    Str: 3

    Dex:4

    Con:

    Wis:4

    Cha:

    Skill: Polymorph[E], Instincts [F]

    Eyes swaying from left to right, Altair didn''t rx as the rms within his mind didn''t cease. He could feel the numbing of his wound where the beast''s ws nicked him, but he refused to check his injuries.

    It wasn''t the time.

    Big Sis Luna isn''t here¡­ Did she get teleported elsewhere?'' He gulped, an unsettling pressure gathering within his chest. He watched as two more ck Mambas stepped out of the woods a him, bearing their fangs. "I can''t run. They''re faster than me.''

    "I need to survive'' He swore as the Circle of Gluttony within his heart whirled at greater speeds.

    [Circle of Gluttony [F] Proficicy Increase by 7%]

    Aforting heat gathered within his chest as an amoring hunger began to build within the depths of his being. He grinned and lunged toward the two ck Mambas, baring their fangs at him.

    [Grave of Night: Shadow Sword]

    Mirroring the movemt of the ck Mambas, Endymion twisted like a snake, gaining the flexibility of the serpt as it pierced through the eye of the charging snake. The prince quickly lept into the air dodging the second Mambas as he whirled his de through the serpt''s eye through his brain, painting his sword arm the color of blood.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    Hended, his cold, lifeless eyes narrowed on the second serpt, taking wolf form. Altair smiled. " You caught me off guardst time. But I''m ready." He said, pointing Endymian towards the beast, "You serptsck skill."

    And through, ''They''re flexible in their snake form, but wh they take the form of a wolf, they have speed. I need to be careful. If they time the morph right, they''ll get me.''

    [Circle of Gluttony [F] Proficicy Increase by %]

    Nodes of Mana swelled a his being as the Circle, the size of a seed, grew in size, devouring the Mana from all a.

    Altair settled in a defsive stance, ssing the tsion gathering in the hind legs of the ck Mamba that lunged towards him. He grinned just as it arrived, wing towards his head.

    "Got you." He shouted, fainting defse. He leaned forward into the iing w, tasting death brush past his forehead, and he dipped beath the ck Mamba in one fell swoop. Sweat ebbing down his handsome face, his sword pierced up as he ran the beast through, showering his body in a guiser of blood and guts.

    A harsh howl of mournful roar thundered through the area. The ck Mambas kneed over, his hammering chest fading as its whimpers soft.

    "Die!"

    Piercing his de through the beast''s skull, howling as he twisted Endyiman through its brain, suring it was dead.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    "It''s over¡­." He muttered, touching his searing chest. He winced. " Damn. That hurts. Thankfully the ws wer''t poisonous."

    [Circle of Gluttony would like to Devour the Three Souls of the ck Mamba]

    "Eh?" Altair eyes wided. "It can devour¡­ Soul?" He frowned, smiled, th frowned again, a pang of regret he didn''t get to ask his mother about the odd ''Tarnishing'' that urred.

    "Well. It''s a part of me, right? I''m sure it can''t be bad." The boy thought. " Go ahead."

    Noticing the small silvery mes rising from out of the corpse. A curious gleam twinkled through Altair''s dark amethyst eyes. he stared as the three Soul mes shrieked into his chest, vanishing without a trace.

    [Soul Absorption: 30 Day]

    "Interesting." He muttered. And questioned. " But why did it activate after the battle and not in the middle? And this Mana" Peering down at the violet Nodes suring him, he frowned. "It''s so thick it''s congealed into the Material ne. And while it doesn''t have a physical effect as of yet, it''s surprising to see such a dsity within the dungeon."

    Countless theories flooded the young prince''s mind as he looked down at the corpses before deciding to leave.

    "I need to find water. Mother always said if I''m ever stranded, I should find drinking water first or devour the blood of monsters. I just hope that I can find a water source before ites to that."

    He looked towards the skies, feeling the re of the twin''s sun against his cheeks, and headed in the opposite direction. Hoping his limited scope of knowledge regarding dungeons would help him survive.

    The Aros family had diligtly researched dungeons and the many worlds they led to. Some found that despite the limited scope of each dungeon''s objective, there was an tire world to explore, resources not found anywhere within their world, much less the neighboring sectors.

    Leading to the formation of manyws restricting advtures from killing a dungeon boss, which would cause the dungeon world to copse.

    And considering the amount of Mana each dungeon provided to Earth through the various Gates, the copse of a single dungeon meant the training speed of humanity''s structure would fall behind.

    Hours slowly wt by as Altair aimlessly wandered the forest, the ache over his chest now nothing more than a scab. Wh suddly he stopped peering towards the setting suns, a frown upon his face.

    "The sun is going to set in a few hours. Has it really be that long?" He shook his head and peered at his stats.

    Name: Altair

    Age: 9

    Circle One: 9% Complete

    Cultivation Method: Circle of Gluttony [F]

    ss: Young Prince Lv  [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:

    Constitution:

    Wisdom: 5

    Charisma: 5

    Mana:

    "The Master of Swords said it usually takes two months to create the first cultivation circle. I wonder if I''ll take that long?" He pondered, touching his small chin, his childlike expression torn with worry after a few hours of walking. "Well, looks like I can''t find water. Guess I''ll have to drink the blood of the monster.

    Yuk¡­ But I''m also without food." He nced down at Endymion, a faint grin on his face. " Just me and you now, I guess. Let''s get along, kay?"

    The Young Prince closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath as he released a cry at the top of his lungs. A hope that a monster would hear his cry. But the momt his voice thundered, the Mana suring him amplified this cry.

    A thunderous wail graced the woods as a chill whipped through Altair, and a sinking feeling of unease wormed through every fiber of his being.

    "Oops¡­" His words thundered off.

    Altair snapped his hands over his mouth. Invisible tears shrieking over his cheeks. ''Curse this Mana! I''ve zero control!'' he moaned inwardly wh the hissing of serpts caught his ear.

    From a distance away, Luna giggled, hovering in the skies. " What a silly child. Don''t worry, Altair, wh your Big Sis is done. You''ll be a true monster. A monster who''d be ready to face the Trials of the Moon." She lifted a finger that bled a dangerous amount of Mana, her icy gaze swirling with profundity and darkness. " But to do so¡­ Big sis will make you suffer a bit.

    But don''t worry. I won''t break you too much."

 Chapter 22: Grave of Night II

    Momts after Altair''s thunderous voice rained over the forest, the glimmers of gold red eyes shimmered beath the veil of shadows of the woods. Altair saw dozs of ck Mombas gathering ahead of him, their serpt-like gaze narrowing onto him.

    ''I can do this." He thought to himself, counting twelve a him. And prepared his stance.

    The speed of a single ck Mamba was near twice his speed, suring he could not flee, and with a high number gathering, escape was but a fleeting dream. He knew this too well, as the wound on his chest gave him an idea of what was in store for him if he tried to run.

    He pressed his back against a tree to cover his rear and smiled as all twelve Mambas rushed towards him in a there wolf form.

    His de whipped out like a bolt of lightning, the shadow of a semi-arc hissing through the air, severing a single ck Manmba in half. Altair watched as its trails spilled over the g and started forward in a single reaction that seemed almost instinctive: He tilted his head as a w shed over his cheek, cutting the skin with excessive ease.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    He winced at the pain but didn''t pull back as his sword reacted to the pain. His de swept towards his left nk, a faint, as he spun, cutting through the neck of a Cryptid on his right. He pulled back, pressing his back against the trunk of a tree, and drew a heavy breath.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    ''There easier thanst time.'' He told himself as the ssation ofbat began to ravage his sses. Altair could feel the flow of the cool winds against his searing cheek, the hammering of his chest, and the fear within the t Mamba.

    "But it feels wrong¡­ mirroring the flow of my emy''s movemts into my sword¡­ It feels wrong." He told himself as the state of knowledge gathered within his mind again. An explicable sse of understanding drew him in as three Mamba rushed towards him, morphing into serpts. Altair saw their tail whip towards him.

    He stepped forward, and rather than trying to retreat, he moved as though he were a dancer, whirling through the oing tail whips with inexplicable grace as Endymian swept forward. A scarlet haze washed over Altair''s vision as he began his ughter.

    Be it his movemts that began to be refined or his sword that seemed to reject the idea of mirroring another emy''s movemts. Altair felt something else inside of him stir.

    ''The First Stance of Grave of Night doesn''t need to mirror¡­ only give the illusion of it.'' He thought as his sword and footsteps began to carry a noble bearing to them. "To control the battlefield, one needs to control the flow of your opponts. To control the flow, I don''t need to mirror my opponts but my surings.''

    Releasing a barrage of sword strikes, a domain of semi-arcs swept through the air in a whirlwind of death. In but a single momt, Altair was soft light water, flexible like the wind, domineering as lightning, fierce like fire, and hard as the earth. In a single second, it was as though his de had vanished, shrouded by shadows.

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    [ck Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

    ¡­

    Ignoring the chime of his system, the Prince didn''t ev begin to notice that more and more mambas began to arrive. His sword became like the harbinger of death as fewer wounds gathered over his small body.

    Five

    T

    Twty

    Thirty

    Unsure how many his sword had reaped, nodes of dark mana trailed after Endymion. Altair found absolute focus on his swordsmanship rather than the battle with life and death.

    "Faster!" He cried. " Faster! FASTER, FASTER!!!"

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' Takes Note Your Existce]

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' Praises Your Swordsmanship And Wishes To Know Its Name.]

    Severing the head of thest ck Manba, All the strgth within Altiars body left him as he copsed over the bodies of serpts. His breathing was like a storm of mes searing his lungs as he smiled, joying the ssation within his body.

    "Grave of Night¡­ Wait?" He paused, through heavy breaths, "Who are you?!" He shouted, peering up at the setting sun.

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' Tilts Her Head In Wonder]

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' Smiles, Praising The Arrogance Of The Name But believe Your Sword Lacks The Will To Killl]

    Startled, Altair tirelessly peered down at his sword, the numbing of his limbs sinking deeper with each second that passed. He groaned."Lacks¡­ the Will to Kill?" He muttered to himself, the warmth of bodies beath him warming his heart as he smiled as blood pooled a him. "What does it mean to kill, th?"

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' Shrug but looks forward to your progress]

    Soft obsidian, amethyst eyes peering up to the setting of the sun, Altair watched as the twin moons hovered over the skies. He felt the cooling of his wounds, of his weary body battered and beat to the point all that was left was numbness, and he chuckled.

    Sprawled over the corpses of his conquest, the young Prince stared without words at the moon, at the darkness, the starry skies bathing the night, and what seemed a neb of stars. Altair became spellbound, locked in its beauty.

    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it." A serine voice said. "Like a sea stretching past the vast expanse."

    "Onee-Chan." he weakly replied.

    Luna grinned and gtly pulled him off the hordes of limbs and bodies that bearly seemed to belong to a creature, making sure not to tear op any wounds he''d received. She pulled him close into her arms.

    "You can sleep now." She told him, a proud gleam in her pale eyes.

    "I''m not tired." He replied, his expression betrayed by the weariness he carried.

    Cleaning the blood off his cheek with her thumb, Luna chuckled and covered his eyes. Her voice was soft yet carried power: "Sleep, Child. For the morning, we begin." Momtster, his soft snores echoed through the forest.

    "Now th¡­ Leto you there? Is the little one ready?" She asked, lifting her starey eyes towards the sky. She awaited the voice of her first disciple.

    "Yes, Master," Leto replied. "Do forgive me, but I cannot descd. However, I''ve prepared everything. Including my daughter. I hope its no¡ª"

    "It''s fine." Luna interrupted, ssing the distress. He was injured. " Head to the second Layer of Hell. I know you''re no fan of the Nine Hells, but the Sovereign there will grant you sanctuary¡­ for a price."

    "Master¡­" Leto said dryly.

    "Enough." Luna snapped, anger spilling from her pale eyes. "It''s your pride that allowed Yuna to be nearly killed. How your child survived is already a miracle. If you keep this up, your daughter will never know her father."

    Leto''s sound transmission stilled for a brief momt before he replied. " Is he trustworthy?"

    "I''ve no idea how to answer that. That bastard is something else. But he''s weaked right now. Inform him that I st you. And pay the price he wishes. It shouldn''t be too bad.

    You''ve quite a few treasures from my treasury."

    Leto gulped within the Overworld, sured by an ocean of Falls and Demons. Arms and limbs sprawled about as his divinity carried with it death itself. He chuckled meekly. " How''d you know?"

    Luna rolled her eyes. "It''s my goddamn treasury. I td to know wh someone steals my shit. If all else fails, and the price is ridiculous, like your immortal soul. Tell him it''s a request from Tebrae. But that''s ast resort.

    I don''t like owing Mother a favor."

 Chapter 23: Reina Of The Moon

    With theing of dawn, the ebbing night receded with the rise of the gold star as a bathing light washed over the forest peering through trees at a small child with long obsidian hair sprawled over his face.

    And as if disturbed by the sudd disturbance, awaress coiled through his sses. He oped his eyes to a sight he''d never forget.

    Inches away stood a young girl so beautiful Altair found words could not ev begin to describe her. Her hair was a pale blue that was so light it appeared silver at times and other times azure. In contrast, her eyes were a deep silver, filled with pure innoct that made the young Prince feel as though it were a sin to stare. And yet he did almost as if to tarnish them.

    Enthralled by her majestic features that seemed to dim the world a him, his gazended on the two wolf-like ears on top of her head. And a thought came to his mind: Demi-human.

    Humans that acquired the blood of monsters and would mutate due to theplexity of getics.

    "Hello," Altair said, and the small girl blinked at him. A curious gleam twinkling through her silvery eyes.

    She leaned closer, and Altair could feel her body''s heat press against his cheeks. And against all reason, he heard her sniff.

    "Eh?!"

    Sniff-Sniff. Sniff-Sniff.

    Like a lost puppy getting to know someone new, the strange girl whirled a Altair, casually sniffing him. Nodding as if she''d made a great discovery. She smiled.

    Startled, if not embarrassed, by the suddness of her action, Altair grew curious if he smelled funny. He nced down, noticing his clean robes, and his cheeks turned ev redder.

    "Did¡­ Did¡­ did you change me?" He asked, unable to resist the shame.

    "Ah, you''re awake. Mother said you like pancakes. Want some?" The cool voice of Luna echoed through the boy''s embarrassmt as she stepped away from the campfire towards the young childr. She nced at the strange girl. "Reina, did you say hi?"

    And Reina tilted her head and nced at Altair. " Hi¡­ I''m Reina of the Moon." She said and cuffed her palm together.

    Altair had never se such a greeting but instinctually did the same, somehow knowing it was customary, and said: "I am Altair."

    "Do forgive Reina¡­." Luna began. "As you can see, she isn''t human. And her beast side tds to control her instincts. So she usually acts on them."

    The Prince recalled the earlier strange action of Reina and nodded, somehow understanding what she meant. And thought: ''Her actions resemble a dog or cat. They td to sniff foreign things to get an understanding of them. Th again, don''t humans smell foods they have never se before? Am I food?''

    He shot a measured stare toward the pale hair beauty and felt his cheeks heat the more he thought of how she sniffed him. He nced down at his milky skin and sniffed it.

    "... Do I smell?"

    Reina shook her head. "No¡­ Onii-Chan smells good." she brightly replied. Taking a step closer, she stared with doe-like eyes. And licked his cheek.

    "Reina! You can''t just lick stranger!" Luna scolded sternly, flicking her head.

    "But why?" Reina asked, puffing out her chubby cheeks. She pointed the finger at Luna. "Mama and Papa, let me. Papa said it''s how we wolves greet each other."

    "That idiot Leto. Bet he just wanted extra kisses from his daughter." Luna moaned to herself. And ced both arms on her waist. "Well, you''re in the human world now. You can''t lick strangers like that. And you''re a Nephilim, not some wolf.

    You are also now my Third Disciple. So licking strangers, especially my little brother, is rather rude."

    Reina shook her head and pointed towards the abst-minded Altair. " But he tastes good!"

    Blood trickled down Altair''s nose as he returned to himself.

    ''What is going on? Who is this feral child'' he thought, rubbing at the cheek Reina had licked. ''She''s crazy!''

    He shifted somewhat, disying trepidation towards the strange woman, barely managing to hold his tongue.

    ''Anger would solve nothing.'' he quickly told himself, getting a grip on his emotions like he''d be trained to.

    "So this is your disciple?" Altair asked, directing the question toward Luna.

    "Yes, I took her inst night. Her family is in a rather tough spot. It was the least I could do for Leto. Being hunted with a child is rather stressful and is no way to raise a baby girl." She told him, beckoning Ria forward, and ced her hand on her head. "

    ''She speaks as though it''s a simple matter.'' The Prince thought. "Does she have so much faith in him?"

    "Master," Reina asked, fiddling with her fingers psively. " Will Father be alright? After Mother fainted¡­ there was so much blood, and¡ª"

    "And what would you do if I said your mother and father were in dire need of help?" Luna said coldly, bearing down with such cold eyes. Ria felt her blood still. Her face paled of color as her throat grew dry as a desert.

    She trembled. "I¡ª"

    "Your Mother suffered quite greatly, and her health quickly deteriorated wh she gave birth to you," Luna added, "As for your Father, he risked it all for your sake. And is taking an ev bigger gamble by heading into the Nine Hells. And you ask if it''ll be alright?"

    Heat pressed against Reina''s small chest, crushing what little hope she held as she recalled the pool of blood suring her mother. The paless of her cheeks, the coldness of her body, and the look of horror she''d se in her Father Leto as she howled.

    Fear coiled up her little legs,tching over her heart as her breathing wt short. Pain, unlike anything she''d felt before, seemed to sink into the small heart as she found the world a her spinning.

    "But there fine?" Altair said, noting how Luna evaded the question. He stepped forward and ced his hands over Ria''s shoulders, and despite being a head taller. The momt Reina nced at him, she''d felt him towering over her.

    "That is correct. But if the Nine Hells don''t help, I will be forced to involve myself, and you''d lose an instructor for the next hundred or so years." Luna exined, taking a seat near the fire. She beckoned them over. " Well, it all should be fine. I only wanted my little disciple to understand the meaning of feeling helpless. More so than what she has already expericed.

    Eat. I''ve got a lot to teach both of you."

    ''What a cruel lesson.''Altair muttered to himself, ncing at Reina, and took a seat with her by his side.

    Luna ted the two of them pancakes and began: "Currtly, we are in the middle of the forest just southeast of the temple of serpts. It will take t months to reach the temple. In that time, you two will hunt for your food. This meal here is a freebie. And you''ll have an hour each day to do so. The work day begins at 3 am.

    Keep that in mind. After your hunt, you''ll have one hour to cook, eat and y. At 5 am, you''ll spar for about an hour. At six, you''ll train in mana ssing and/or cirction. At sev, sword training. At eight, rune/ alchemy training.

    At nine, I shall discuss the Arcane Arts. And from t to elev you''ll have free time to do whatever you want. And at twelve lunch."

    "Big sis¡­ that seems rather intse."

    "Indeed. After lunch, we''ll begin exploration until sev pm. During which I will instruct you on tactics of espionage, killing, assassinations, kingdom building, and politics," Luna added, fiddling with the fire. She smiled evilly. " Once night falls, you can do whatever you want. However, that''s only on the premises that it''s productive.

    Bedtime is . So you''ll have about four hours of sleep."

    A tremor ran through Altair as he heard his schedule, but before he could refute his schedule, Luna licked her plump lips, that carried a devious smile. "Failure to meet my expectation will result in¡­ Let''s see¡­ An increase in intsity."

 Chapter 24: Hell Training

    "Come On!!!!" Luna barked loudly, bearing down on Altair and Reina, withered by sweat, dirt, and grass over their small bodies. She pointed her finger, poking at Altair''s shoulder, waist, and legs, adjusting the flow of his sword strokes. "Good. Can you feel the differce?"

    "Yes," Altair shouted, pushing through the searing heat, sizzling beath his muscles. Luna had merely corrected his posture, but Altair could feel the flow of his stroke experice, a transformation he''d never thought possible.

    He could feel the flow of his ergy with each transition of his movemts, the grace in which his de and body now moved, as he performed the First Sword Dance of Grave of Night. Each stroke, each sweep, thrust, step, and riposte began to flow seamlessly like a river. Free and graceful as the winds, fierce like the mes of war, and mighty as the lightning of heav.

    "Good! But you are missing two major steps, Altair!" Luna shouted, once again making small adjustmts in his posture as he pressed on. " You are missing the killing aspect, and worst of all, you are not thinking of yourself as the de. There should be no differces betwe your sword and your arms, legs, and, most importantly, your heart.

    "Wh you wield a sword, it''s for a singr purpose: To kill. To ughter. There is no need to romanticize a sword with some bullshit about defding the weak or protecting your loved ones. The coldest truth is that a sword is made for killing. You can thank Azazel for that. Wh someone draws on you outside an official duel, it''s for the singr purpose of killing you.

    It''s to take your life." She paused, allowing the cold truth to sink into Altair''s young mind, and continued: "That is what we call Intt. Everything has Intt. Whether it''s an inanimate object like your sword or the one who wields it, it exists in everything. Feel the ebb and flow of your de and yourself. Now make that Intt yours. Don''t just wield or swing your sword.

    Manipte it. Bd it to your will. Harder! Faster!"

    Growling as he devoured everything Luna said like a sponge, Altair''s nose trickled with blood as his body and sword began to push the boundary of his limit.

    Had the Young Prince learned normal swordsmanship, Altair''s System would have long registered his technique within its log. However, the higher the technique''s pottial, the harder it was to grasp. For most humans, it was necessary abiding by the arduous prerequisite of spding t years of learning swordsmanship to push themselves past the boundary of human perception.

    And for Altair, there was no telling wh he would receive the system''s approval.

    Luna nced at her disciple, wielding her greatsword, ''Ice,'' a weapon she''d giv to Leto wh he was a boy who could barely wipe his ass. It was the weapon he slowly drove through his mother''s neck. The weapon he''d use to sever his father''s head in a frighting outburst of rage.

    ''How young he was back th.'' She thought, unable to resist a cold-hearted smile sprinkled with warmth as she observed Reina''s mastery. "But she is far more talted. Perhaps it''s due to being a Nephilim. Such a subspecies has yet to be fully weaponized. Shall we see if I can push her to Aurelia''s level? Although what worries me is that Altair has yet to sse Mana ev after two weeks of training.''

    Her gaze swayed to Altairs, to the throbbing of his muscles reacting to her tempering. Worry had be on her mind for the past week regarding such a feat that should have be innate for someone of Altair''s Mighty Bloodline. And yet, despite days of analysis, Luna had failed to grasp why Altair had yet to sse Mana.

    ''Childr of higher bloodlines such as Seraphim, Devils, Demons, Highborns, or Celestials don''t need to learn to sse Mana. They are born innately with the ability. Altair''s bloodline is no less than theirs, and yet why is it that his cells gerate Mana, but he cannot sse it?'' Luna thought, folding her arms tightly against her breast. Her pale silvery eyes narrowed as she sighed.

    "Perhaps¡­ he''s just like her¡­." She whispered to herself.

    Incased by the slivers of heat drilling into her small stature Reina neither expressed pain nor sorrow as blood bled from her palm, her sword, and onto her cheeks as her icy gaze petrated the void. She swung, allowing the mana within her heart to pour through her Mana Roots.

    Using what little Mana she managed to gather during these two weeks with Altair, she poured it into her sword: Waves of frost began to cloak her fingers as she poured all she had into her swordsmanship.

    It didn''t matter that she could no longer feel her fingers, it didn''t matter that her muscles burned no differt than wh she burned herself with fire, and it didn''t matter that glimmers of darkness dotted her vision. Reina pressed on.

    ''This was nothing¡­." She thought to herself. ''Nothing¡­ Nothing to what it''s like trying to feed Mother as she vomited her guts in front of me. As her skin cracked and her eyes bled.''

    Over and over, her sword whipped through the air growing colder and colder, leaving nothing but her withered image in her mind.

    "Reina!" Altair called, tapping her shoulder. "It''s time for our next lesson. You got to get ready for Alchemy."

    A shudder passed through her body as the wolf-like ears at the tip of her head twitched. She shed him a bright smile as if nothing were on her mind: "So soon! Kay¡­ let me clean up."

    Watching as Reina stepped into the woods towards the closest river, Altair nced at Luna: "Doesn''t it hurt? Her hands are¡­."

    "I''ll heal her," Luna said indiffertly.

    A tinge of frustration climbed on the young prince''s face: "What would that solve¡­ What''s wrong with her? Whever we eat, she leaves! She doesn''t ev sleep at night!"

    Luna giggled: "Is our little prince worried? Your so red!"

    "Aunty!!!!"

    Poking at his cheeks, Luna nced in the direction Ria wt off in and th back to Altair. " I''m not telling. Ask her if you wish to know. Although I''m sure she''ll not speak of it. After all, who are you to her?"

    A startling look shed over Altair''s expression before realization came: "So it must have be something sad. You said her Father left her in your care, right? Does it have something to do with her Mother? Maybe her Father as well?''

    ''What a frighting guess.'' Lunafreya thought, with a warm smile, and said:" Go and find the answers yourself. But after your lesson. Shall we op the World of Shadows Grimoire? It doesn''t matter if you can''t sse Mana yet. The world itself shall bd to thenguage of the Seraphim and Fall."

 Chapter 25: World of Magic

    Altair had found fascination within the World of Shadows Grimoire. From the momt it touched his palm to the second he oped the first page, a sse of authority roiled over his skin. Each page felt cold to the touch. It had reminded him of the dead of space. And yet a sse of premonition weighted over his mind with each touch and flip of a page.

    He found himself lost, his sea of consciousness thralled by the first page listing the Enochian and Infernal alphabet. He had found them simple to grasp, but Luna forbade him from attempting to speak it alone.

    ''There was power in all things,'' She''d told him weeks before. ''It''s esstially true with thenguage of the Seraphim and Fall.''

    Such amand had prov to be frustrating to the young Altair, but he had found sce as each letter and curvature of runes found itself within his consciousness, buzzing aimlessly.

    Applications quickly coveted his consciousness as words began to gather within his mind. In a matter of an hour to a span of a few weeks, Altair had found himself proficit ough to speak the Enochian and Infernalnguage.

    "Continue to the next page," Came the voice of Luna with an adamant stare.

    At her words, the mature expression he always portrayed broke into a childlike smile as he followed her instruction towards the Rune Circle writt in Enochian.

    "Shadow Cage," Said Altair in Enochian. Noting the five-star ptagram, each carrying a differt sigil.

    "Oh?" Caught by surprise, Luna hid her expression. It was widely known that only the Seraphim could speak Enochian as he just did. A racial trait that was unique to very few species. Ev those that held the ability required hundreds of years of trial and error.

    Suddly the Rune Circle lit up with magical light dark as the very night. Eerie fog rose from the earth, gathering t meters in diameter a Altair''s ankles.

    [Shadow Cage is Active]

    "Big sis¡­ what is this?"

    "You like it?" Luna rang, with a bright smile, her eyes focused on the grimoire in his hand. "Seems your Mother gave you quite a big gift. At least for now, we can mask your weakness with this grimoire. Look there" She pointed towards the fog of darkness.

    "As you can see within the grimoire, Shadow Cage consists of Five Sigils crafted from a cluster of runes: Domain, Shadow, Trap, Fog, and Mana: This is a five-star tier-one spell. The Mana Sigil gives the spell power. The Fog Sigil gives the spell form. The Trap Sigil gives the spell intt. The domain Rune just as it sounds, gives the spell range.

    Andstly, the Shadow Sigil gives the spell a target in which to trap."

    "So if there is no shadow, their spell will fail?"

    "That is incorrect," Luna dered. " The spell will be active. But It''ll merelyck a target."

    "Th how does a spell determine size and Range? Why is the diameter only t meters? Why did the spell start at my feet? Can I control¡ª

    "Easy! My cute little brother. Size and Range are determined by the Mana giv to the grimoire, but as it has a core, it can gerate and regerate its own Mana. Now as to why the spell began at your feet. It was because the Grimore made it so.

    That book you hold has a mind and holds an added function called ''Spell Assist.'' Without the grimoire, you''ll need the XYZ coordinates alongside perfect control of Mana Nodes. And before you ask, Mana Nodes are microscopic nodes of mana smaller than atoms. By manipting these microscopic nodes and directing them to your desired location, you''ll be able to target any location you can perceive."

    And her eyes came sharp as she pointed directly at Altair''s eyes. A shard of ice suddly sprang into being, a millimeter away from his eye.

    Altair felt his skin crawl as his instincts warned of any movemt, yet¡­ he was smiling. Enthralled by what Luna had done.

    "Get good ough, and you can explode someone''s brain simply by manipting Mana within their skulls. It''s quite simple."

    ''But I could also use it to heal someone. I''d beagle to target viruses or poisons on a fundamtal level." The young prince mused, muttering to himself, his words turning Luna silt as she stared grimly.

    ''I see now¡­ I think I get why Altair can''t control Mana. He truly is like her. '' She thought, sweeping her gaze towards her disciple in the forest and th back to Altair. She pped her hands: "Keep practicing this spell, but try it in Infernal next time before trying to control the direction of Mana."

    Wonder shed through Altair as he fell in love with the idea of magic. As intoxicating as he felt wielding his sword. Altair quickly found an tire world he never thought possible. Despite the repetition, Altair quickly found his control and understanding of the spells growing.

    And yet, with each cast, each breakdown through the sev days of continuous casting, Altair''s eyes slowly began to find themselves within the cter of the Ptagram.

    It was bare. Almost as if it was missing a majorpont.

    During this time, Altair had learned the World of Magic was on a level of its own. The runes of Enochian were only the beginning. It wasn''t ough to know an ancitnguage. He needed to learn how to build sigils.

    Sigils were the heart of all magic.

    He had memorized five already:  Domain, Shadow, Trap, Fog, and Mana. And each of them wasplex with a fundamtal purpose that could be se in many other spells.

    "Big Sis," Altair began turning towards Luna with a perplexed expression. "Can we add another sigil within the heart of this Ptagram?"

    "I see you''ve noticed. You can, but that spot is usually reserved for your crest." She responded.

    "Mine?"

    "As stit beings, we are ves to our emotions and desires. Each of our desires is predicated on how we live our lives. It''s what makes you, you." And her fingers danced through the air as light trailed after her finger. In less than half a heartbeat, Altair saw a beautiful cresct moon shimmering with untold wonder. "This is my Sigil, birth from my very soul upon the day I came into being.

    By adding it into any spell, you''ll not just gain full authority over your spell, but you''ll be able to hance it with your emotions and life experices."

    "Desires, emotions, and experices have power?"

    "Indeed," Luna whispered, dismissing her Sigil. " If you are able to find your Sigil in this lifetime. You will fundamtally be able to¡ª"

    "Like this?"

    "¡ªMake your spell t times¡­ What the Hell!"

 Chapter 26: Three Lifetimes

    Befuddlemt caught hold of Luna so quickly that her words failed to echo. She found herself thralled by the sigil Altair drew.

    ''Could it be?'' she asked herself, unable to believe what she was seeing. Questioning her reality, she drew close, ssing the intangible force pulling the forces of the elemts a Altair, as well as the crest he was drawing in the middle of the dirt.

    "It was one of my first memories," Altair exined, almost as if he was speaking to himself. "And it was the first thing I ever drew for Mother." And he rose his head, a warm smile seeping into the edges of his lips. " She said she''d keep it deep within her heart. And that I should never make another one."

    ''So it is real,'' Lunafreya said to herself, unable to break her stare. She quivered, the anticipation of his future weighing so heavily on her mind that slivers of sweat fell along the curves of her cheek and neck.

    "You must hide this." She said sternly, watching him continue to draw his sigil.

    Altair looked up, tilted his head, and said: "Why?"

    Falling to one knee before the Young Lord, Luna''s fingers trailed through strands of his hair, soft as the finest silk: "Do you like pain?"

    "Eh?"

    "Altair, you are a perfect specim. A child born with a sigil is just about unheard of. Any sage or god worth his salt would carve you up to see how you tick." She paused, bothered by the fact she never saw fear in his eyes.

    It wasn''t the first time she''d se his indifferce toward death. During the battle with the ck Mamba, there was not ev a concern about his mortality. And yet she saw how desperately he fought for life.

    "Do you understand?" She asked, eyeing the regal sigil that embodied the boy before her. It didn''t appearplex, but each line gave the ssation of the very world a her.

    "I¡­ I think so. But if this makes my spell stronger, shouldn''t I use it?" He protested.

    "Indeed. But you need to do it intelligtly." She replied. "Life is all about deception. And it takes a master of maniption to truly befit from whatever society throws at them. You''re still weak, but your smart, right?"

    He nodded.

    "Th let me ask you. How do you hide the fact you have a sigil while still using it? Because having a sigil means you can insta-cast any spell or ritual you have in-depth knowledge of. It''s one of the ultimate signs of Godhood and beyond."

    He frowned: ''Godhood? Big Sis. Are you a god?"

    She smiled, masking the urge to giggle: "I''m asking the questions here. Now answer. How do you hide that you can instantly cast damn near t times stronger spells than average."

    "It''s simple." He replied happily. "I don''t cast."

    "Eh?"

    "Ignorance is bliss, isn''t it? And Mommy gave me a Grimoire. I can me it on the Grimoire. Or I could manipte my spells more by adding sigils to make my spell more obscure. But better yet. I don''t show people my full abilities."

    "Indeed, people use Grimoire to instantly cast low-level spells. But how will you exin the Grimoire."

    "By telling them to mind their business. I don''t need to answer them. Whatever the suspicion might be. It''s better than the truth, right?"

    ''He really is too smart for his own good.'' Luna told herself, narrowing her silvery eyes that sparkled with wonder. ''But will this be ough? Will he¡­ No, I need faith. He''s a smart kid. A little naive but¡ª''

    Rustling the g to destroy his sigil, Altair folded his arms, his focus on the Grimoire in his palm: " I need to understand my weapon. What can it do? You said it has a mind of its own. Th can it reject my will?"

    She smiled, and once again, the lesson resumed.

    ¡­

    That night, upon the eve of twilight that carried the fireflies twinkling over the dless night, Altair sat awake. On his stomach, a small little wolf the size of a puppy echoed its soft snores.

    ''Again,'' He thought, gtly running his hands over the baby wolf. " Wh will Ria get control of her Polypmoph skill?" He smiled, discovering an unmistakable sse of pleasure each time his fingers trailed through Ria''s beautiful fur coat.

    [Circle of Gluttony has devoured the three souls of the ck Mamba]

    [Assimtion of Knowledge Beginning]

    [Memory Commsing]

    "Eh?"

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    First light had only just peeked into the cave, stirring the serpt''s eyes op. Its reptilian exterior huddled a a single egg. The serpt hissed softly, joying the heat against its dark scales.

    It would be the final time.

    Another hiss echoed from the serpt as she gave the egg one final nce, leaving, never to return.

    Days continued to echo, to slip away as the seasons passed through the humid cave wh the egg trembled. At first, softly, but as hours passed, it became violt. Cracks splintered the egg porcin surface, revealing small greyish scales worming their way out.

    Coldness sank into the serpt''s skeleton, cooling its blood: It hissed, turning to survey its surings, acting on instincts.

    ''I''m a serpt¡­" Altair thought through the eyes of the ck Momba. ''But I cannot move. Nor talk? But I can feel what the serpt feels. I can feel the icy air.''

    There was a silt wail to Altair''s thoughts as he¡­ as the nameless serpt moved. It knew no family, no warmth, no love, only desire.

    The serpt wanted warmth. It wanted food. It wanted to live.

    And now¡­ so too did Altair.

    For the first time, he learned of the tormt of hunger, the cruelty of winter, and the dull ache of fear gnawing at his mind during the long winters. Predators were pltiful, but he had only his instincts to guide him.

    He learned what it meant to kill, what it meant to hunt, what true patits meant, and what despair tasted like, but of all else, he learned of death wh he faced himself near the memories d.

    It had be one of the most painful things and yet one of the most painless.

    For two years, he fought to survive, knowing nothing other than to kill. Thoughts of his loving mother and sister had faded the momt he awoke. All that was left was the nameless serpt.

    [Second Memory Assimtion Beginning]

    It began again.

    ¡­

    Dawn, the next day, upon first light, Luna stood over Altair, a frown marring her face as she leaned over his cold body, his breathing ev but his face ash.

    She took his pulse, peered at a beautiful dark me, shimmering a void of nothing that was his soul, and back to him again, a frown over her sere expression: "His soul has grown a little stronger. But why? How?"

    Her body stiffed but quickly rxed: '' Whatever may be happing. It''s sure to do with his soul based on its growth.'' She growled and looked a, her gaze sweeping over space and back to Altair. "Let''s keep this a secret from your mother. Arbiters like her are bound by the Shadow Promation," she muttered, reaching into her robe to a small pill she ced in his mouth.

    "Good luck, Altair."

 Chapter 27: Athena

    There she stood upon the highest peak of Olympus. Her eyes affixed upon a mirror that revealed a child, small with effeminate features, his dark eyes seemingly an abyss of emptiness. Yet there was a sse of inne. A ting of naivete brought on by youth.

    "So this is the child my half-sister has be looking after?" The Goddess of War, Atha mused, a hint of wonder in her amber eyes that shone like mes. "How boring. Has she forgott her vow of chastity?" Atha resisted the sneer upon her lip. "Perhaps I''m being too hasty. Yes. That must be it.

    But why does this child¡­ this boy interest her? It''s the first time in Cycles she''s shown interest in anything aside from the Hunt. How peculiar its a man, rather than a woman."

    Atha closed her eyes before her bronze mirror, a weary sigh sinking into her bones as she fell into thought about her Half-Sister Artemis. The two wer''t close, but neither of them were emies. But Atha, in all her wisdom, had tak it upon herself to know all those she sured herself with.

    The Goddess of the Hunt, Artemis, was no exception.

    Knowledge was power, and Atha understood this quite well, for she sought perfection in all things: Herself most of all, from the strands of hair that had no ce on her face to her armor neatly bound to her sublime figure. Perfection was needed.

    "I needn''t worry of Artemis nor this boy. But I shall keep an eye on him." She rose her palm over the bronze mirror, shifting the image to a young man, eyes a burning furnace of mes, so profound Atha herself felt as though she was before him, bound by his intt. His hair, a deep ck, was neatly tied as he sat on a throne sured by paperwork capable of drowning the average man.

    "Uncle," she said, the words like ash upon her lips.

    "Atha," Hades called, lifting his calm chilling gaze, narrowing them towards the mirror upon his wall, ssing her stare. "Don''t you know it''s rude to spy?"

    "How else does one seek an audice? You''ve cut ties with our Pantheon." She said, a heated look in her eyes as she pondered his intt.

    "I''d have thought the message was clear," Hades said, lowering a documt. "Or should I have st the message through Hermes?" He said through his teeth, his voice deeping with irritants.

    "Uncle¡­"

    "Don''t toy with me, Girl. My days are torn betwe all of the Myriad Heavs. I have neither the time nor the patits to deal with your Olympian bullshit. Now, Speak. Why have you so rudely interrupted me?"

    "Oh, Hades, must you be so rude?" A hidd voice from beyond the view of the mirror echoed. "And you know there is something called aputer, right? Why are you still working like a caveman?"

    It was a voice Atha knew quite well. One that st pangs of fear racing down the curves of her beautiful neck.

    She gulped, her emphatical mask of indifferce ready to crack, as a bewitching figure strolled towards Hades, finding her rightful spot upon hisp. Her cheeks flush, and her eyes wet with untold wonder.

    "Lady Nyx," Atha greeted.

    "Atha! How have you be?" Nyx halfheartedly asked, her greeting a meremon courtesy. "What is it you want with my husband?"

    "Persephone¡­" Atha started, regret instantly piercing her heart at the mere mtion of the name.

    "You speak that name before me?" Nyx said calmly, yet Atha felt a tight noose gather a her neck, tighting as she felt the Goddess of Night Intttch onto her.

    "I merely wish to deliver a message!" She said hurriedly.

    "So you are a messger, now?" Continued Nyx, the thin lines of her lips cruelly sharp as a de. "I''d have thought you''d leave such an ordeal to Hermes. He is, after all, the only one allowed to ter the Underworld. Rather than attempt to find weakness where there is , why don''t you get to the point?"

    Atha forced herself calm; through intse focus, she gave a nod and said: "We¡­ No, I need you to return. Our Pantheon isn''tplete without you, especially within this damnTower and this sted binding brought on by the Shadow Promation. Mortals are gaining power at a fearsome rate. And the other Pantheons are attempting to remove us from the Fiftieth floor.

    Your name is already harmonious with our Pantheon. Why not rejoin us? Father is willing to forgive."

    ''Zeus?" Hades rose a brow, a faint smile unfolding over his unforgiving lips: "You expect me to believe that? Zeus? Hah! It will seem my niece has jokes. How amusing. It''s amusing you have to follow such a useless leader.

    It''s a surprise Odin himself hasn''t torn his head off. But th again. I heard both of them are in the same boat. Brok little insects."

    "So you know." Atha seethed out, puzzled by what had happed to her Father. He had be a differt man. Lust and greed did not fuel him, nor did he hate. He was but a shell. A brok man that could bearly take care of himself.

    "Of course. But what does that have to do with me? I have good rtions with He of Helhiem, alongside many Gods who deal with simr work. I have my ''own'' kingdom. I hav''t the need nor the patice to deal with the likes of Olympus again. After all, I have my work cut out for me in Arcadia.

    The Era of the Old Gods are over. If you can''t adapt, you''ll fade."

    "So you''re stationed there," Atha noted, a sparkle returning to her eye.

    "No, I''m on the same floor as you. The Tower connects Myriad and Arcadia. I hav''t the need to directly ter thatnd. Not yet, anyway." He rose, lifting the youthful Nyx, whose cheeks grew flush at his touch. She giggled, a mischievous glow shimmering through her dark eyes.

    "Th you''ll help¡ª"

    "If you are in need of help tobat the New Gods, find Freya. As a Goddess of Wisdom, you should know War is the dumbest form of diplomacy."

    "Odins Wife¡ª"

    Hades smirked, "As one who loves to spy. You seem quite ignorant of the storm that struck the Northic Pantheon. Freya has long since be a free woman." He said, shattering the mirror, along with Atha''s connections.

    "Damn, that Monster!!" she roared, fist clching as she red at her image within her chambers. She whirled towards the chalice beside her bed, filled to the brim with wine procured by Dionysus. "Persephone is useless to me now. She can''tpare to Nyx, whether it be looks, personality, loyalty, or power. Useless woman. She was the only one Hades loved.

    Literally, the Only God in our damn patheon who believes in monogamy. Why did she have to¡ª Useless." She spat, downing the chalice.

    Her mind raced through hundreds of calctions, hundreds of schemes. She paused, sding her gaze towards the Mirror of Actum.

    "Altair¡­" she muttered, startled as to why his name tered her mind. The very name her half-sister had tak an interest in. She folded her arms, cheeks flushed with a color from the wine. "Yes¡­ Altair. He will do. A champion.

    A champion of Justice, a champion of War: If Artemis has tak an interest, the boy must surely have pottial. And he is young. This could work."

    Atha grew calm, the creases along her bewitching exterior fading as she stepped toward the bronze mirror.

    ''Zeus can''t be trusted, Hera, that jealous shrew is ev more unhinged. We are without any leaders. Be it for the Mortals or the Gods.'' She stood before the Mirror of Actum, lifted a hand towards it, and said:

    "Show me Altair''s Past."

 Chapter 28: Tenebraes Request

    Stationed in her room, ced under house arrest, Tebrae rested on her bed, her half-naked body sprawled about as she looked up into empty space, kicking her feet back and forth.

    "I miss my baby!" She touched her womb, a bitter-sweet smile guing her tder lips: "It''s good Luna is there. But why is she getting all the hugs and kisses? He''s my son. Stupid daughter." Snorting at the thought, the Goddess hoisted herself up, downing a stylish ck tunic and trousers that gave a regal air to her being. She whirled, vanishing into an eldritch of light.

    She appeared on the fiftieth floor of the Tower of Babel, stationed before a towering modern building, carrying the crest of a Scythe as its signature. The streets were a blistering oasis of mortals racing back and forth, their gaze seeming ignorant of the building that held the Lord of the Underworld.

    Tebrae tapped her lips, nced a, and tered through the automatic doors to the sight of a woman with long ck hair and eyes. Nearly simr to Tebrae herself, she bowed her head, performing a curtsy befitting her status.

    "Night-Mother," Nyx greeted. "Forgive my currt state. I had no idea you''d be¡ª"

    "It''s fine. Where is Hades? I''ve business with your Husband."

    Nyx looked up at Tebrae, unable to help her silly giggling: " Hehe, Hades is my husband." She bragged quite dreamily.

    "Silly child."

    "Night-Mother¡­"

    "Just call me Te or Tebrae; this isn''t an official meeting," Tebrae warmly said, ncing at the lifeless eyes of the employees and back to Nyx. "Do you guys like the upgrade?"

    "... Hades both hates and likes it; he is not a fan of change." The Goddess of Night admitted, leading Te towards the elevator and up to the fiftieth floor. "He is a little unsettled by A. I andputers in geral."

    ''And you?"

    ''Me? I love it. My God. I love it. Now I have more time to spd with Mr. Workaholic.

    But that dummy justins that his work is being tak over. He got so mad that he ran to Asphedel to rx."

    "... isn''t Asphedel a form of Hell in your Pantheon."

    Nyx nced at her with a hue of exhaustion: "Please try exining that to him. I''ve never se a man so happy to rx in Hell. Funny ough, hepares Hell to walking alongside Mortals."

    "Well, this is the 50thyer. There hardly mortals."

    "But their battle prowess is so mediocre most of the Old Gods would kill them with a snap if not for the Shadow Promation," Nyx exined, the disdain quite clear in her tone. "Have you any idea how many attacked us, believing a  high cultivation was the key to our defeat?"

    "You killed them?" Te asked, stepping off the elevator behind Nyx as she led her to Hades.

    "What good would that be? We ved them. Those that had pottial were allowed some freedom, bing indtured servants, while the others were full-on ves."

    Tebrae didn''t seem surprised. Rather she was quite impressed. Few would ve their emies, fearful of the risk of escape.

    "And how is Hade''s other wife?"

    "..." Nyx froze as she sighed. "Difficult. That situation with quite annoying. And while I''ve made my piece with it. Hades, that coward feels guilty. He had no memory at the time wh he got together with me, but¡ª"

    "I''m sorry I asked. Forget I said anything." Te cut in, regretful she asked. She knew those troubles too well.

    "Naw, it''s fine. Shit happs." She replied, giving a knock as she oped the door.

    Almost immediately, Hades rose, ready to fall to a knee. He had wanted to be the first to greet Tebrae but held back due to his station and Tebrae''s tdcy to be secretive. But with a raise of her hand, apelling grip seized control of the God of the Underworld.

    "This isn''t an official visit. In fact, I''d appreciate it if neither of you mtioned my arrival." She said as the door closed behind her. A barrier instantly appeared a the three of them, wrapped in such a degree of profundity Nyx and Hades gulped: "I am here with a request."

    The barrier wasn''t necessarily strong, but Hades knew not ev the strongest gods would be able to spy on them.

    "A request?" Hades muttered, shooting a nce of caution to Nyx, th back to Te. "Is it from the Abyssal Sin or the Silver Devil?"

    "Neither," Te replied, amused by her Husband''s title. She resisted the urge to retort such a silly name.

    "So it''s from you."

    Te nodded: " I am quite limited due to my role as Arbiter of the Towers. But in truth, I am asking help not from you two per se but rather from your childr: Thanatos and Zagreus."

    "Than?" Nyx muttered, tilting her head. "Why would you want him?"

    "Or Zag of all things. That little bastard is¡­ is nothing like his sister. He has no aplishmts of note." Hades mtioned. ''Why would you¡ª"

    "He is a God, is he not? And you''re direct, son?" Tebrae directed.

    "Well. Yes. but¡ª"

    "Has he close ties to Olympus?"

    "No.

    "And Thanatos?"

    "None."

    "Th I''ll like for the two of them to ter the wheel of reincarnation. Their divinities shall be sealed, but I will personally purify their attunemt to the Darkness. I know I''ll have to ask them personally, as they are grown-ass m. But they are a part of your dominion and¡ª"

    "Take that little shit." Hades grimaced. "Break him if you must. I don''t likeparing my childr, but Melione is now ev stronger than me. In contrast, that bastard is as weak as the other Gods of Olympus. It''s a disgrace. But Thanatos will be difficult.

    I''ve never se a man who loves his work like him."

    "You are his Father." Nyx reminded him.

    "Surrogate Father."

    "And you are the man he respects the most. Honestly, he''s like a carbon copy of you. Another workaholic." Nyx attested with a fond smile, trailing her fingers over his sharp features. She turned to Tebrae. "But what is this about? Why would you need our kids?"

    Tebrae toggled about finding a smile: "I''ve got a son. A baby boy, about to be t."

    Hades and Tebrae''s eyes shot wide op, their jaws dropping in disbelief.

    "A¡­A Prince of Darkness," Nyx expressed, shuddering with the blissful smile.

    "Hmmm." Nodded Te. " Yes. But I''ve gott him an advisor, a master, a Sword Maid, but what he needs most are gerals. Brothers that can have his back no matter the situation." She paused in deliberation, and neither Hades nor Nyx dared to speak: " As you know, the basis of adulthood is differt for each.

    The First Article of the Shadow Promation prohibits Gods from interfering in the matter of mortals they do not share blood with before adulthood."

    Hades nodded: " We know. The Council of Omnis agreed on this front. However, the vote was very divided. It was nearly fifty-fifty."

    "Yes¡­ It''s unfortunate that so many disagree. Nevertheless, weter amded Article One to include Gifts from Gods, deals, Boons, and so on. As long as a God doesn''t physically or magically assault another. Gods are allowed to assist under particr circumstances. But once Altair turns t, he''ll be considered a man by Earth standards. I cannot raise him as I wish since I am considered a God.

    I''ll not be able to keep him safe. Once a child bes a man or woman under the eyes of their currt world, I be affected by the Promation. It doesn''t matter the rtion I hold with my Altair. That''s why I''m here. To gain your support."

    Nyx bowed her head: " So that''s why¡­ that''s why you need Thanatos and Zag. And why you are sealing their divinity."

    Hades frowned: " Do the Fall or Angels know of Altair?"

    "No."

    He narrowed his eyes: " Are you certain?"

    "0%" Tebrae guaranteed.

    As the Ruler of the Night, the First Primordial, Tebrae held some of the Myriad Heav''s deepest secrets, held onto artifacts capable of turning ev the purest of Angels, the Seraphim, into bloodthirsty monsters.

    And she had done everything in her power to sure Altair''s safety.

    "Does the Silver Devil know?"

    "He does."

    "And Arse?"

    "He is the father. So, of course, he knows."

    "Arse has a big mouth." Hades remarked. He knew him well. It was only a matter of time before the secret was out.

    "Altair merely needs to be transcdt before the age of a hundred. He''s already tapping into the Realm of Spirits. Once he steps into that realm¡­ He''ll be ready for the Abyss, Arcadia, and all that our Myriad Heavs have to offer." Tebrae beamed, stretching out her palm. " So Hades, Nyx, what say you? Will you allow your childr to rise with my Altair?"

 Chapter 29: Serpent

    For three days, Ria had carried Altair on her back tethered him to her side with rope as she carried him, feeding him water and food. All the wild Luna would cast a cleansing spell to rid him of any filth gathered through the journey.

    "Will he wake today," Ria asked the nth time today. Her bare feet were shredded by the gravel she had traversed over the past few days. Sweat trailed her immature figure as she nced at her Master. Her question was not out of concern for herself but for Altair.

    His face was pale, his pulse weak, and all throughout the night, sweat pooled a his body. She had cared for him throughout those nights: Her mannerisms. While crude to an untrained eye, they were well practiced, as if she''d cared for another for years.

    "Do you worry so?" Luna asked, a faint sliver of a smile threating to surface. "You barely know him."

    "Does that matter?" She looked on, her brow tighting as the grueling pinch of her bloody feet against the gravel kept her alert and awake.

    "Humor me, disciple."

    Ria''s fist clched, feeling the cool ssation of Altairs sink against hers: "he reminds me of Mother. Although he doesn''t reek of that infernal poison." She paused, taking a momt beath the sun''s re, and pressed ahead. "But we''re frids, ar''t we? Although I would like to eat with him sometime¡­" Her voice trailed off as she continued well into the night.

    "Let''s stop for the day," Luna said, noting the fatigue in which her disciple moved. "You should really wear some shoes, darling. I could fashion some out of¡ª"

    "I prefer it this way, Master," Ria said, nearly copsing as her chest wheezed for air. She smiled, if only faintly. " I like feeling the grass beath my feet, the heat of the stones against my flesh, and the faint tremor of movemt hidd from sight."

    "Your¡ª" Her words were brok by the cry chough echoing from Altair as joy dangled over their hearts.

    Luna rushed towards him, untangling him from Ria''s back as she carefully settled him down. She waited, catching sight of an inhuman gleam within his ck stone obsidian pupils. His eyes didn''t resemble one of alertness but one of death.

    "Altair?" Luna began, caution in her voice, as she signaled for Ria to back away.

    "I''m back¡­" Altair whispered, picking up his hands to his face and th to Luna''s. Tears all but gathered, as a cry, a wail resounded through the night.

    For three lifetimes, he lived and died: Gutted and butchered by his very hands. He seized, trembling as he curled into Luna''s embrace.

    "I''m alive¡­ I''m alive," Altair whimpered the tang of death of those he hunted as a serpt still caught in his mouth. "I''m not dead¡­ I''m a human again¡­ I''m¡­"

    "Hush, child¡­" Luna whispered, her voice calm and gtle as a Mother soothing Altair''s worries. As if her voice carried power, Altair found himself calm. His scattered mind slowly found itself ged. Secure by the Goddess before him. "It''s alright, my dear. idts happ," She told him, already getting a picture of what happed.

    "But I''m sure there are befits, right?"

    "Befits?" Altair looked up, catching sight of the system notification.

    [Memery of the Serpt - Six Years Completed]

    [Dexterity has Increased by ]

    [Mana has Increased by ]

    [Animal Instincts Acquired]

    [Polymorph  Acquired

    [Fall Necromancy Obtained]

    "For this¡­ I was bound. Unable to speak, unable to cry, unable to have a proper meal, forced to hunt and kill for six years?" As if he had gobbled sulfur. Altair bowed his head, tighted his hold a Luna, and siltly cried.

    It wasn''t fair.

    But, " Life isn''t fair." Luna reminded him. "But there are ways to strgth the mind. Ways to temper the spirit so that your suffering could be more tamable. How about a dual, Huh? Crying won''t solve a thing. Have a match with your Big Sis.

    "

    "Hey! What about me!" Reina joined, puffing her cheeks, having felt forgott by the duo. "I should be the¡ª"

    "Your feet are bloodied and blistered. Rx. And take note." Luna said, leaping form out of Altair''s embrace. She oped her palm, weaving the moonlight into a majestic sword. Its razor edge fashion to ughter gods rather than mortals. She pointed her sword towards him, her intt clear.

    Thrown back into the wild at the sight of her sword, no differt than a wild beast baring its fangs toward him. Altair''s pupils shrank, contracting as an unnatural bloodlust rushed out of him. He reached for the sword Ria had fasted to his back to maneuver him easily.

    Lunafreya masked her frown under the predatory stare of the boy. She''d felt such a gaze before. She''d trained many and carried just as many secrets since the birth of time. But there had only ever be one she grew wary of.

    A man who embodied the serpt. Who lived his days a trickster? His fangs masked behind the deceit of his actions.

    Altair held onto the Sword of Endmyian, finding it familiar yet unfamiliar. And yet, as he moved, circling Luna in a slow, teasing manner, instincts alongside an inhumane ssation of awaress throbbed like cords through Altair''s mind.

    He waited, the predatorial gaze in his stone-cold eyes cool and indiffert.

    There were not many who could grasp what Altair had be through. Few would dare to describe what it meant to live at the brink of life and death, who knew the terrors of starvations or the darkness of survival of the fittest.

    "If you don''t attack, I will," Luna said, feigning impatice. She dashed at Altair.

    However, the young prince wasn''t baited. As if one with the forest, he moved with exquisite grace; he took a half step back, nearly evading Luna''s sh aimed at his neck, and leaned in, his de curving upwards in a wicked arc that demanded blood.

    No, it demanded her life as the arc of the de curved like a serpt. It whisked through the winds, carving through all. Ember rang like a sea of mes as the moonlit sword and Endmyian met.

    Luna grew startled by the level of supernatural strgth the boy held. It was unnatural and unlike anything he had held days before.

    Instincts working in tandem with his mind. A state of knowing sank deeper into Altair''s perception as a whirlwind of strikes whisked through the winds. His strikes were feral, masking the cold calctions of skill that surprised ev Luna.

    ''Shall I up the level?'' Luna wondered, but just as she did, the glint of his de vanished from the perception of any mortal as it twisted toward her neck with vicious intt.

    ''Mephisto!'' She thought, swatting his de away with her bare hand. She stared deeply at Altair, unable to help the nervous tick rattling through her mind. ''His technique is eerily simr to that bastard Fall during his youth.''

    Luna dismissed her moonlit de in a sh of eldrich light and stared deeply at Altair, a wariness in her heart birthing. A wariness she easily crushed, knowing no good woulde of suspicion. She folded her arms: "Why don''t we call your Mother? You deserve a break. What say you?"

    "Mother?" He said the familiarity of the word spreading a warmth he had sought for years.

 Chapter 30: Strangers

    Three Months Later, over the field of vibrant greery that stretched far and wide over the vast horizon, Altair stood, a mischievous smile on his face as he nced back, dots of sweat dripping from his brow as he giggled to himself.

    "She''ll find me soon." He muttered, his eye searching for the ruins he saw days ago beath the moon''s glow. He nced down at theb he''d snatched from Reina and chuckled, only to bolt north.

    Barefooted with clothing battered by the elemts, Altair rushed forward, his speed iprehsible to that of an average man as he dared not stop. Nor did he dare to nce back.

    He''d traveled these vast woods and prairies for years and knew them like the back of his hand. Guided by his Animal Instincts, Altair hurried over a mountain, hopeful it would slow Raina down, and beamed at the sight of the strange structure piercing upwards towards the azure skies.

    Curved arches like that of a ship''s hull were on full disy, with strange greyish material unknown to many.

    "There!" He said to himself, hurrying down the mountain in a blinding sh just as the wolf''s howl caught his ear. A chill he''d expericed many times tickled his spine as he picked up speed, hurrying at full throttle.

    He stopped half an hourter, his chest hammering, his body wet with sweat. He stared up at the strange structure. A slew of bewildermt for the artistic design graved over what Altair could only presume was a ship''s hull that stood like a tower, a de that seemed to challge the very skies.

    "What is this?" He wondered.

    "A ship. An Ilvarin ship." Luna said as she shed to his side. She looked up with a bitter expression over her serine face."How long has it be? How many Eternities have shed away since I saw one?"

    "Ilvarins?" Altair muttered.

    "A very ancit race. Older than anything you can imagine right now. It will seem the Elemt of Time has ravaged this cruiser. Shame. The Ilvarians were known for their¡­ well, it doesn''t matter. They''re all dead anyway.

    Killed by a madman."

    "Really¡­ By one man?" Altair questioned, his purpose already forgott.

    "Hmm. A Fall Angel, to be exact. I''ll not tell you his name as his name holds power, but he is quite dangerous." Luna said and smiled. " She''s here¡ª"

    ''Who goes there? State your name!" A rugged bark boomed from up above.

    Lifting their heads in tandem, Altair saw a dusty-skinned man with rough features draped in hide pointing down at him and Luna.

    "A woman? Fucking right! " He huped. "Meh cocks be dry for t years. Liam st yah?''

    ''Was he drunk?'' Altair asked himself with a frown. He nced at Luna indiffertly as she turned towards the North in the direction Altair fled.

    "She''s here." Said Luna, pointing into the distance to the feral grimace of Ria, whose bloodshot eyes locked onto theb in Altair''s hands.

    "A~L~T~A~I~R," She shrieked, baring two eerily sharp fangs capable of tearing some of the strongest hides. Her voice blinded by a vgeful fury as she approached, her knees trembling with fatigue. "Give it back!" She thundered, "Give it back!"

    Tak back, he nced at the woodb carrying her name writt in Enochian and tossed it back to her. "Here." He said, watching as she caught it. "It was your Mother, right? Did you really think I''d break it or something?"

    Altair had tak note of theb one night, along with her habit of vanishing every couple of days, forcing him to wait for her return. He meant to no harm; rather, he merely wanted to make up for lost time.

    It had be three months, and ording to Luna, they were behind schedule.

    "YOU~!"

    "A half-blooded bitch too!" The dusk-skinned man above spat in a drunk stupor from betwe a cracked hole. " I ain''t ever fucked a half-blood. Ya seem a little young, too. Have ya had your blood yet? Ya, a ve bitch, right? The breeders will have a fun time tonight.

    Fucking right!."

    Reina''s frown quickly became a scowl as she turned towards the tower, blocking the sun. She squinted him down, the sliver of patice in her mind waning.

    "The Hells the Guards! Guards! Guards! "The man barked: " New arrivals, New arrivals!"

    "What''s going on?" Altair asked, and he turned to Luna only to see her missing, gone with the howl of the winds.

    Unease rose and fell with the nking of metal approaching rustling through the ship''s hull.

    "We need to leave," Altair said, lifting Ria into his arms in one fell swoop as he dashed towards the east, where the prairie met the woods. He could see her legs spasming from their earlier run.

    "Don''t let the bitch escape!" Came the vicious order. "Hurry it up!"

    ''How!'' Altair thought through gritted teeth. ''That man is well over the age limit? How is he here?''

    Eyes surveying his location, Altair''s body reacted faster than his mind. His consciousness turned cold as stone. He spoke in a husk whisper: " I''m sorry, R. I¡­ No." He paused, not letting himself be caught by guilt. " How long till you recover?"

    "I need about five minutes," she said, reaching into her pocket for a small liquid jar fitted with a cork. She pulled out two, popped the cork of one, and ced one over Altair''s lips: "Drink this. You''re not at one hundred, right?"

    Unable to argue, Altair relinquished his fate to Raina and swallowed the unknown liquid that tasted a bit like Cheery. It trailed down his throat like the finest wine, smooth, rich, and bold, with a sweet finish.

    [Balm of Vigor Consumed]

    Altair''s heated body began to cool as he leaped up to a tree over sev meters long in a single bound. He paused upon a branch for a second, feeling his body cool and aforting ssation racing through his mana roots.

    ''Five Minutes!" Reina cooly said. "You''ll recover in five minutes."

    "... Is this how you never seem to sleep?" He asked, pushing off the branch with excessive ease.

    "I sleep once a week," Reina whispered in acknowledgmt, masking her expression over his back.

    Altair couldn''t see her, but he could feel her helplessness, pain, and sorrow in her voice. It was as if a massive weight was upon her.

    "We can wait here," he told her, somewhat short of breath, inching his way up into a set of canopies of leaves that could mask their location for at least five minutes.

    "Was I heavy?"

    "You weigh a ton. I think an elephant would be lighter."

    Tears practically fell as she red at him, snorting curled up near one another. "Sorry"

    "It''s my fault. Why are you apologizing?" The boy said, resting his head over the bark of the tree''s stem. "We were moving so slow¡­ I thought taking yourb would increase our speed. It never urred to me that other humans would be here."

    "Here! Kitty Kitty!" A rough, grainy voice said from below, startling the childr above as they both looked down.

    "She ain''t a dog, Brad!"

    "Fuck off, Rick! Ain''t ya said she had dog ears? Sounds like a bitch to me. Them breeders up and running yet?"

    Shadows were lurching below, flickering with movemt; Altair and Ria held their breath as theyy in wait. Their breathing was still as the dead, with eyes colder than a winter''s breeze.

    [Divine Being ''She who Hunts'' looks on in Anticipation]

    Startled by the message, Altair lifted his head, careful not to rustle the leaves, and backed down towards the shadows.

    "You good to attack?'' he whispered.

    Despite only three minutes passing since hest consumed Ria''s concoction, Altair felt his stamina was more than ough to deal with the two shadows below.

    Reina nodded.

    "Aim for the neck." He pointed to the carotid artery, pressing his finger over the surface of his artery. There was iciness in his voice that unsettled Ria. His voice was never this cold, never this lifeless.

    She nodded again.

    "Show me."

    She looked at him strangely unsure why his words felt like that of a serin''s song, a call of that of a young monarch. But her fingers ebbed towards his throat, just near the carotid upon his neck.

    And Altair smiled: "Good. Let''s do this."

 Chapter 31: Slaves

    Disturbing Chapter:

    The twin guardsm, Brad and Rick, red at one another in a debate over Ria having only be se in passing. It had be Roy, a young tower guard, who''d spotted her. Who''d describe her with such precision and grace? Every guard had felt themselves salivate. Especially so at the mtion of Luna. The other who mysteriously vanished without a trace.

    It had be sev years since theyst se a clean woman, one untouched by the Breeders of House Aros. Ones whose skin did not feel sticky or smelt of another man. These two were sure to still be pure. Sure to have be fresh and innoct.

    A/N: This feels so ufortable¡­

    "You sure Roy saw what he saw? That drunk fool has goofed more times than he''s wet his cock." Brad spat, spitting thick yellowish bile from his lips. He snorted, groping his crotch.

    Rick, a skinny fellow carrying a deep gash over his right eye, sneered: "Th leave. I''ll be sure to toss her to you after I''ve had my fun. You have always be a shotgunst type of bitch." He poked at the thick leather hide fashioned from the plethora of ck Mamba a.

    Brad''s expression turned sour as he scuffed: "Piss off. I''m sick of being here. Eight years, Rick! Eight."

    "You know the rules. T years, mate. T and were free to leave this hell. The captain has be here for t years. From ve to captain. Quite a feat, eh?"

    "Not really." Brad dounced, shaking his head. "They castrated him. Chopped his balls off and scorched it shut. That''s not a win, no matter your position. What''s the point of freedom if you can''t spread it with your kin? The man can''t ev get it up."

    "For real?"

    "No point lying. You should see the Cap drunk. Fuck, it''s depressing. He just cries. Ever se an amputee shake from Phantom Pain? Well, he got that shit in his nuts."

    "Pssff!"

    Listing above, Ria and Altairy, their small bodies poised for action. Altair had originally nned to execute them but held out. The existce of these m had mystified him. How could there be grown m wh there was an age limit on the dungeon?

    He nced at Ria, nodded, and without an ounce of hesitation. Everything had happed so fast it surprised ev Altair, as Ria''s tire being lit up as she shed. Knowing he could not fall behind and disrupt the sync attack, he kicked off the branch. Shattering the stem as his sword whipped through the unsuspecting guardsman.

    The strike was so clean and precise that Rick''s head did not fall until he turned to look at Altair with a curious look. He staggered forward, his eyes swaying to the gruesome strike of Brad''s head rolling on the floor.

    It was not until the sight of red caught up with his consciousness did everything cut to ck. His head tumbled from his shoulders with the rainfall of blood painting the grass a beautiful, unmatched red.

    [Guardsman Felled: Exp Gain]

    [Level Up! Stats have Increased]

    Altair

    Age: 9

    Mana Circle:%plete

    ss: Young Prince Lv  [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:4

    Constitution: ¡ú 3

    Wisdom: 5 ¡ú 6

    Charisma: 5 ¡ú 6

    Mana:

    As if a storm had gathered within him, Altair trembled for a brief momt as all his sses seemed to expand. Colors were blding and twisting, deeping his connection to nature. His vision had prested an tirely new world.

    "You ok?" Reina asked, poking at his cheek. The blood stains over her eyes, glimmering beath the rays of sunlight.

    "I leveled up." He said, kicking the headless body away without remorse. He could smell the sct of wine, which was probably what he had earlier this morning. Altair didn''t know, nor did he care. His mind was fixed on the peculiar ssation his arms expericed cutting through the guardsman''s neck.

    It was eerie, but it had also be so easy. So simple. But differt whpared to ughtering his former brethr. Back th, he felt nothing but a sse of hunger and a will to survive.

    "Altair?" Reina whispered, her beastal sses connecting to his emotions.

    "It''s nothing," He replied, patting down the headless body for any clues. "I¡ª"

    "You did a wonderful job!" Luna remarked, emerging from the shadows like a ghost, smiling. " I''d have thought you know nothing of humanity''s drive of procreation. It seems I was wrong."

    "I don''t understand it." Altair acknowledged. " But Mother exined it to me. Said that those who can''t control their baser instincts are no differt than animals that need to be put down. Whether they are frids or allies, there is a line that shouldn''t be crossed. Did I do good?"

    Luna had watched the trickle of a smile that cut like a knife prested itself upon the young boy''s tder lips and approve of his words. And while he could not grasp the meaning behind the wisdom it prested, he would in time, or perhaps he already did.

    "You should get going. I¡ª"

    "Why did  you leave?" Altair was the first to ask. Not understanding why."Why did you just vanish like that?"

    "Oh? I''m not your protector. I''m your teacher. And I''m not ev that. I will not baby you, little brother. If you wish to be a man ormand some authority in your lifetime, you need to learn to think indepdtly." And her lips curled down, deeping into cold shards of ice.

    " You''ll either rise. Or you''ll fall with everyone you love. That''s life."

    Luna gave him a long, measured stare only to vanish back into the shadows as though she were an apparition. This alerted Altair for a brief momt of danger. Goosebumps were quick to prickle his skin and ev faster to spread down his spine as he stilled.

    "Don''t you know Gods can''t interve in matters of mortals? I believe it has something to do with the Shadow Promation."

    "But they can warn, can''t they?" Altair spat coldly. "Or do you not value your life? All it takes is one mistake, one wrong move, and that''s it. Everything you work for is gone!" He whirled, shoulders trembling with fury. "Let''s go before reinforcemts arrive. We''ll alternate betwe g and tree branches to mask our tracks."

    Reina watched as Altair took off. Ever since he had returned, she''d found him off. Some days, he seemed happy and mischievous. Other times cold and distant. But there had never be a time he''d raised his voice at her. Never a time where he''d shown such anger.

    She pondered no more than a second and followed after him, tracking his every step as her mind wandered off.

    Name: Reina Of The Moon

    Age: 9

    Race: Nephilim [Unawak]

    Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle %]

    ss: Blood Knight Lv

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:3

    Constitution:

    Wisdom:

    Charisma:

    Mana: 6

    Passive: [Curse of the Nephilim (S+)], [Alchemy (F)],  [Mana Maniption (F)], [Blood Poisoning S]

    Skills: [Polymorph (F)], [Infernal Rage(F+)], [Ice Maniption (F)]

 Chapter 32: The Factory I

    It was the zith of twilight; the flickers of shadows and mes stirred Kirr awake within his hut he''d fashioned out of leaves, mud, and stone. Holding ough room for barely two.

    "Sir." A guardsman whispered with a trimmer in his voice, frighted by the monster in the dark. "Sir. You must wake. I''ve news. Sir."

    "There''d better be someone dead.", barked Kirr, oping his foggy eyes, reminisct of the dreams he once held.

    "We found Brad and Rick. Their heads were severed in a single blow. It''s a fuck mess out there. We need¡ª"

    "What," Kirr said hard. Any sort of drowsiness was gone. He rose like aing storm. His scarred flesh, tattered and cracked, appearing as though hounds had once ravaged it, shed through the guardsman''s naked eyes.

    "Wh was this?"

    "Based on dposition. Sixte hours ago." Said the guardsman.

    "Sixte hours¡­ they''ve be missing for sixte hours, and you''re only now realizing they''re dead? What was Cal doing?!" Demanded Kirr coldly, seething a ball of mes in his chest. He was his second inmand. He was one who was supposed to be looking after the camp wh he was indisposed. "Exin. You''ll exin it all."

    In the following minutes, as Kirr dawned his furs listing inttly, his scarred features contorted into that of a Demon.

    "FOOLS!" He roared, barking like a deranged beast, snatching the guardsman by the throat in one fell swoop. Hot piss drched the guardsman''s trousers as his veins protruded against his temple." Is the only thing you bastards think about is wetting your fucking cocks? sted fools. Did it ever ur to you that I''d inform you of a delivery before it arrived?

    Or the fact there was a grown-ass woman alongside childr. They are probably purebloods or that sted child that snuck in a few months ago. Fuck. Do you all ever think!"

    By the time Kirr had released the young guardsman, slobber pooled a his callous palms. Kirr stormed out of his hut, uncaring of his fellow man. He barked out orders.

    "Ready a search party! I want them brought back alive! If so much as a scratch appears on them, I''ll hang you from your bloody cocks!"

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Drched with sweat, Altair and Ria soldier on through the exhaustion. nting one foot in front of the other, they bore through the sizzling pain ringing through their minds as the only thoughts on their heads were to press on. There had be hours that Altair and Ria had questioned whether they had run far ough. Questioned whether their bodies could continue.

    But as they looked at one another. Altair and Reina shared a single thought.

    "If he(she) can keep going¡­ So can I."

    Mused by an intangible force, the two pushed themselves well past their physical limit, but neither of them dared to show weakness towards the other. They only smiled as they measured the other.

    It wasn''t until the day the following dawn that Luna appeared with a scolding frown: "Two dummies. Did you two run for nearly two days simply to outdo the other?" She flicked the two on the forehead before tossing them some jerky. "Eat and go to sleep. I''ll stand guard."

    Altair frowned at the hypocrisy as his chest hammered away, burning as he clched it: "Gods ar''t allowed to inter¡ª"

    "Eat and sleep," Luna said sternly. "Or do I have to beat you till you faint?"

    "You wouldn''t¡ª"

    "You defiant little shit. You''re bearly able to stay awake. And unless Ria has more Balms for the two of you to consume. You are on yourst leg. Let me ask you, Mr. Altair if you were to fight right now.

    Would you be able to defeat a ck mamba as you are right now? Boy, you can''t ev clch your fist. "

    Altair clched his mouth shut. She was right. The momt he stopped, Altair had felt every ligamt down to the bone strained to the limit. It was as though a battering ram struck him the momt he stopped for rest. He was done.

    "I know what you are concerned about. And I admire your suspicion. No, Imd it. Truly. But you need to also realize¡­  You are in many ways at my mercy." She said, amused by the vignt gleam in his eyes. "Next time, keep what you have to say in your heart.

    Never let your oppont know what you''re thinking. And I am your oppont, Altair. Everyone is. Secrets keep us alive. Remember that."

    This wasn''t the first time Luna had raised someone into godhood. She''d taught scores of them. And in all her lessons, there was but a singr skill shared amongst her studts.

    And that was to mask one''s self.

    As a god who carries the Divinity of Secrets, Lunafreya was privy to the Myriad Heav''s most secrets of secrets. To her, it didn''t matter how small the secret was¡­ Knowledge was power. It was an absolute force of reckoning that held no limit but the limitation of one''s imagination.

    "The art of maniption is something I will instill in you, my dear little brother. And you will not like it. But life is all about maniption. I''ve taught the best of the best. And you will be the best."

    To im Altair didn''t understand what Luna was speaking of would be a lie. He understood well. But he didn''t like it. From the deepest pit of his stomach, Altair felt a ssation of loath of being toyed with. And while he understood his Big Sis meant no harm. Nevertheless, Altair couldn''t stop himself from somewhat hating her.

    "I¡­ Understand." He whispered.

    "Smile," she replied, stuffing his mouth full of jerky. "A simple smile can hide a hundred emotions. Remember that."

    Altair said nothing; rather, he nodded and gave a smile sharper than any sword.

    "Good." she thought softly, masking the hollow ssation in her gut. ''Sorry, little Art. But this is for your own good. Your Father is an utter bastard. One who has too many emies to count. So I''ll make sure you suffer now so that wh you go out into the world, you can guinely smile.'' She ran her hands through his hair and kissed his cheek.

    "Have a good sleep. You deserve it. You did a good job protecting Ria, ev if she didn''t need it. You did well."

    Altair nced at Ria eating with a drowsy expression and gave a guine smile befitting his age.

    "Good."

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    "Have you found em''" asked Kirr grimly upon horseback, his wild hair fluttering wildly through the winds.

    "No, Sir. Seemed they were alternating through the tree and by g, tracking them will take longer th¡ª"

    "Enough. Just tell me a time." Interrupted Kirr, soothing his steed.

    "Few days at the most," said Cal, peering over the horizon, frowning. "They''re kids, so they shouldn''t have be able to travel far."

    "There was a report of a third person." Said Kirr, noticing the absce in Cal''s report.

    Cal could only shake his head. "Only two tracks, boss. So unless she can fly or if she was ev real in the first ce. I don''t see shit. But we got bigger issues, Boss. The direction they fled to." he paused, peering towards the northwest.

    "It''s in the direction of the Factory. "

 Chapter 33: The Factory II

    It wasn''t till the next dawn did Altair oped his eyes to the new world. Stretching his stiff muscles without ev bothering to wake Ria, who''d polymorphed into a young pup as she''d done every night. Heid still, tilting his head in the direction of Luna flickering through sheets of paper.

    "Big Sis, don''t you sleep?"

    "Gods have no reason to sleep unless they wish to," Luna exined without her gaze leaving the parchmt. "Why?"

    He paused for a momt, gathering his thoughts: " I don''t think I like sleeping."

    Startled, Luna lifted her silvery eyes to her younger brother. " What an odd child you are. I think you might be the second person I know to loathe the act of sleeping."

    "Who was the first?" He asked, hoisting himself up the best he could without waking Ria as he''d done so many times over. Despite his detest for rest, Altair had rather joyed watching others sleep. He found it joyable.

    "How much do you know of the Nine Hells?"

    "Nine Hell? There are nine of them?"

    "Hmmm. So nothing. Indeed, there are Nine Hells." Luna exined, dismissing the parchmt back into the void. She stood up, beckoning to Altair. " And your Father rules one of them. The Second Layer, to be exact also known as Irka."

    As if transfixed by the news of his Father he''d rarely heard from his Mother, Altair approached as if chanted.

    "Your Father is the only Monarch who isn''t a Fall Angel that rules one of the Hells. He is an absolute tity that demands respect." She stopped herself from smiling at the particr sparkle in this young man''s eyes. "Would you like to visit him?" There had be no hesitation wh Altair nodded, bringing a deeper smile to Luna''s bewitching face: "So you can behave like a child sometimes, eh?

    Well, your birthday ising up in a few days. The time you be a man. And your Father has already decreed you be allowed to ter the Nine Hells. Although, both your Mother and I worry about you."

    Luna had resisted the urge to mtion the boy''s Father. She knew he was a monster, a killer, a bastard whose bottom line seemed more of a facade to keep his mtal state intact. He was the currt Monarch of Darkness, King of the Abyss, Lord of Wrath and Pride, and the Great Devour of Gods.

    The Monarch of Darkness held many names and titles, carrying such profound rown that ev the Seraphim of Heav dared not casually mtion his name.

    "Altair¡­" Luna began strangely, but Altair only shook his head.

    "It''s fine." He said softly, his tone carrying a hint of mourning to them. "I know you can''t speak much of it. Mother hinted at the same thing, too. But¡­ Can you tell me if he''ll like me? Will I be good ough to earn his surname?"

    She smiled, running her fingers through his hair with such gtle warmth tears began to gather through Altair''s obsidian eyes. "My child¡­ your Father is an utter simp wh ites to his kids. There is nothing he won''t do for his family. Nothing."  She promised, pressing her lips over his forehead. "

    "HEY!!!! NO FAIR! RIENA WANTS KISS TOO!!!!" Crashing into Altair and Luna, a hefty giggle resounded from the little Nephilim in her human form, nting a kiss on the duo''s cheek. "HEHE! No kisses without Raina!"

    ¡­

    Hourster, beath the sun''s re over his back, Altair strapped Endymion tightly to his waist as he prepared to take off. It had be about eight hours since he woke. And the hairs barely half-grown on his neck began to rise with each passing hour.

    [Animal Instincts [F] Proficicy Increase by 4%]

    Trusting his sses, Altair whirled in the direction his sses warned him of. He said: "Ria, we ought to leave."

    "Th I will take my leave. And Altair¡­ keep strong." Luna gtly said, her voice soft as a kiss. Yet her tone had ryed bells of warning through Altair''s mind as his finger clched.

    "Big¡ª"

    "I''ll be going now. Just remember to close your heart to it. Nothing goodes from being emotional." She said onest time, vanishing like a phantom image.

    Altair had wanted to fold his fist, to scream, but he held it in, noticing Ria''s neutral expression. "Does this not bother you? Being thrown in the unknown, akin to bait?"

    Reina turned her back to the boy. "Wh my Mother was poisoned. Wh I sucked at her tit that smelled of bile and brimstone, of sulfur and coal, I learned quite young that there are things one can''t control. Every year, I watched Mother vomit blood, watched as her skin bubbled and popped. Watched as my kiss caused her to scream in pain, to reel away as¡ª"

    "... I''m¡­ I''m sorry." He whispered, unable to ev imagine such a sight. "I¡­ Lets¡­ Let''s just go."

    "I don''t need pity¡­ you know."

    "I¡ª"

    "I''ll cure her¡­ I''ll cure the both of us," Reina promised through gritted teeth, wet with blood. She could still remember her Mother''s smile before the poison had tak what little skin remained on her face.

    And yet her Mother still smiled, still mothered her in all the right ways. Caring for her every chance she had.

    Reina felt the tears gathering and took a step forward. One after the other, she moved. Knowing that if she stopped, she''d break down, like she''d done so many times over. It wasn''t fair. She knew it. She knew it well.

    And yet Faith had imed its prize.

    The young prince stared at the shadow of his frid flee and gave chase in silce. From tree to tree, grass to grass, he moved like a ghost, carrying burning coldness in his eyes, a warning he held deep in his heart.

    "I was selfish¡­" He told himself, digging his finger into his flesh. He looked at Reina''s back as understanding of her past actions began to gather. "... She, too, was poison." Blood slithered down his nails.

    "Reina¡­ If you want, and if I can." He said loudly so she could hear. " I will help. You just need to ask: "If it''s revge or gathering material. I will help. Just ask, okay?"

    It didn''t take long for Ria''s whimpers to reach Altair''s ears. He looked forward, so absorbed in thought he hadn''t noticed a fog gather a his feet. The fog was ck, carrying a putrid sct of dirty water. A familiar sct Altair recognized the momt it tered his nose.

    It smelt of the sewers. The same sct the ves carried.

    "Reina! Hold up!" Shouted Altair,ing to a stop alongside hisrade. He frowned, taking note of the fog gathering a his feet.

    "It''s a Magical Formation."

 Chapter 34: Factory III

    The winds carrying the ck fog whirled a the duo, thicking over time like a ck gue beath their feet. Ria''s full atttion was on Altair as she tilted her head, her mind full of questions.

    "How do you know?"

    "Instinct," He deflected, unsure how to exin how sometimes he received strange ssations that directed some of his actions. It was like a sixth sse or perhaps a state of knowing he''d ter in at times. From the day he oped his eyes to the second he held his sword for the first time, Altair had felt something within him stirred.

    He narrowed his eyes and shot a measured look at his surings. "What do you see?"

    Reina shrugged. " Aside from the ck fog, everything seems normal. Eerily so. I can''t ev hear the sounds of the animals, much less insects." Suddly, mana gathered within Reina''s eye, showering her vision with a myriad ofplex nodes dancing along her sight. As if sured by a vast array of undying stars, Reina nced at her feet, noting the dark-colored mana invading her body.

    [Confustion(F) Detected]

    [User will experice confusion wh traversing the Forest of Enna]

    "What the¡­ It''s a confusion formation. It distorts¡­ directions, I guess." She exined through knitted brows, surprised at how she missed such a trick.

    Altair nodded, not in the least bit surprised. Rather, he appeared curious about something else. A peculiar discovery he focused on.

    The wind.

    The winds, an elemtal force that existed solely in the physical ne, were somehow carrying pure ergy, an ethereal force. The Mana was moving with the motion of the winds.

    And while the young prince could not yet perceive the flow of mana. All spells required an ergy source to exist in the corporal realm. For the Wind to move ergy, much less Mana, was anything but normal.

    "There," Altair pointed, his finger directed towards the flow of the winds. "Maybe we can get out of here if we follow the winds. Breaking a formation that''s be set in such arge forest isn''t in our best interest. Especially if we are being chased."

    "True¡­ But we should be on guard. Papa always said to be extra vignt in emy territory. We should be on the lookout for anything out of ce that could help break the formation if needed." Reina advised as the brush of the winds st her hair in a spiral. She looked at Altair with an advturous grin. Reina grabbed at his hand as he siltly stared without sound. "Let''s Go!!!"

    Stepping into action, the duo rushed after the howling of the winds, their steps seemingly pressing forward without d as they maneuvered through the forest. Altair could feel the eerie flow of the wind, alongside something else bubbling within his stomach, forcing him to stop.

    "What''s wrong." She asked him softly as her eyes swayed to an aged stinel tree. She quickly nced back at him.

    "..."

    Altair clched his chest, his eyes narrowing into two slits. Premonition swarmed his mind as he backed up, ring ahead. His fingers tighted as sweat trailed down the hairs that stood on d. His expression was flush and breathless. "We¡­ we shouldn''t go that way. I feel something¡­"

    Reina instinctually nced in the way that Altair was ring towards finding her innate sses picking up on nothing. She could feel they were at the d of their journey through the forest but couldn''t feel danger.

    She made a face, nudging him on the arm: " You sure the forest isn''t ying its tricks on you?"

    Altair didn''t respond. Ria had be right. He had felt a little out of it the longer he remained within the forest but hadn''t thought the formation had affected him much. Aside from a mild headache and a conflicted sse of bnce, he was fine.

    "This is the only direction we can go through. Without feeling the full effects of the formation. And¡ª"

    "I don''t want to go this way." He insisted as that gut feeling intsified. He red at his sister-in-arms. "Please. Lets just¡­ I don''t know. Let''s bear the formation''s full brunt for a minute or two as wee from a directionless auspicious. The formation isn''t thatplicated.

    We should at least be able to do that, right?"

    "Altair¡­ I could. But you don''t know how to use Mana. You can''t ev sse it. Your mind will¡ª" Ria began pausing as Altair cut her off.

    "My mind has be tempered. Trust me." The boy pressed. Tebrae had always insisted he trusted his instincts, ev if it seemed out of ce or wrong. And that lesson had only be tempered by his life by his three previous lifetimes.

    Reina gave him a deep look, one filled with deep suspicion and discontt. She, too, had instincts. And hers ryed nothing. No danger, no sse of ulterior motives. Nothing. There was only silce.

    Were her gifts not ough for him?

    "Fine¡­ We''ll list, but I see no point.

    He gave her a half smile as she pulled away from the path the flow of the winds were flowing. Altair followed, ssing the world a him beginning to spin. His gut bubbled as acid began to roil about the back of his throat, singeing every crevice.

    He said nothing, baring the disoritation without sound, much less a show of discontt, knowing he was causing Ria pain without proof. After all, her sses were better than his; she usually was his rm wh danger approached.

    Following the winds with a few extra steps, the duo slowly came to a halt as the pressure of the formation came to an d. They peeked at a fortress through the thick grass and bushes littered with leaves.

    "What the¡­" Whispered Ria, turning to Altair. "You seeing this?"

    He nodded grimly. "But it''s odd¡­ There are no stries. And it doesn''t seem abandoned. Vegetation is at a minimum." He paused and nced her way."  Want to scout?"

    Reina observed from a distance, finding her vantage advantageous. She lowered her stance, falling on all fours like a small pup, and moved without sounds; her movemts were practiced and precise. Reina circled the fortress, making sure she remained in the bushes before returning to Altair with a heavy frown.

    "You¡­ You might have be right; this is odd. No guards." She whispered to him. "But¡­ I still don''t feel danger."

    "Instincts work off our wisdom stat. What''s that tell us?" He asked, thinking for a momt. "If someone has a higher perception or charisma, they''ll be able tomand a higher level of skill than us. It''s likely we won''t be able to pick them up ev if they don''t sse us." He paused, reaching down for a small rock and tossed it. " Move!"

    Lunging away before the stone could hit the wall. A beam of azure light flickered through the air, striking the stone. Suddly, rms zed through the forest, stirring all life awake.

 Chapter 35: MK-290

    Amidst the cluster of ash and dirt clouding the air, Ria was the first to react as she pushed Altair, ssing the hairs on her neck stand on d. Her actions were calm as a beam of light whipped past the boy''s head, searing the tips of his brows and cheeks. He rolled through the bushes, a chill storming his mind.

    His stomach dipped as he saw a machine, a drone of sorts, reveal itself. Hovering in the skies with the help of two winged repulsors, smoke shimmering off the barrel of the cannon. Altair expression paled as two more MK-90 drones made their appearance.

    "What the hell is that?" Reina barked, whipping out ''Ice'' while Altair summoned his grimoire.

    "They look like the MK-90. Drones that were made for surveince and scouting. They''re capable of killing a Tri-circle Soldier with that cannon, so don''t let it hit you. The Aros family must be using it for security: I guess they figured having anything stronger for such a weak dungeon wasn''t necessary." He said, pondering if they could break through its metal frame.

    "I''ll take two. You¡ª"

    "No." Altair hastilymanded. "These bastards are scouts there fast. It''ll take two of us just to kill one if we can petrate its metal shell. Three is¡­ing here was a bad idea." He cursed as sweat trailed his cheek. " Raina, don''t ever stop moving. Let''s hope the AI isn''t that intelligt."

    ''AI?" she thought but said nothing. Such a machine was already out of the bounds of Ria''s understanding. She had never se such a thing but knew danger wh she felt it. All she knew was the forest.

    Releasing a string of beeps and boops, a single MK-90 rushed toward Altair. Its frame was like a blur in which light could not refract. It made the concept of sound seem like a dream as it shattered the first barrier. It arrived directly in front of Altair; the cannon, a ze with mana, prepared to fire wh suddly two other beams of light shed towards the young Prince.

    [Shadow Cage]

    Channeling the spell through the grimoire with predetermined foresight. A sh of ck light sprang from beath Altair''s feet. Everything caught within the shadows stood froz as tdrils of darkness wrapped a everything, be it the beams of light inches from his skull or the drone itself. They were bound by the boy''s spell.

    Caught by shadows that trailed up the light as though it were a physical manifestation.

    Altair moved to save his life wh Ria reacted, cleaving ''Ice'' down with all her Mana zing off the surface of her skin. She howled as a thrashing sound erupted.

    "KEEP AT IT!!!!" Altair howled, seeing Ria''s de barely pierce the metal frame. She lifted the de onest time and swung it down with all she had, oping the drone. At the same time, the Young Prince maintained his atttion on the two other drones. Apprehsion waned over his mind, awaiting Shadow Cage to d.

    "Its shell is op." Reina roared, through a forehead wet with sweat. Altair appeared ready to strike again, but against all reason, he tackled her down as two beams of light ripped through his Cage, shredding the darkness to nothing.

    "What are¡ª"

    "Two Seconds. That''s how long it holds," He whispered, rolling as beams struck the g. The duo raced to their feet, using the forest a them to the best of their ability. They ducked and weaved, dodging like wild monkeys swinging from tree to tree with wild abandonmt.

    The winds howled with the fearsome debris, followed by ash, stinging Altair''s eyes, disrupting his vision. However, reason told him not to move, not to stray from the path he was on.

    Sweat oozed from the young Prince as he suddly saw from the corner of his eye the third Drone rise from the g, bearing a gruesome gash over its frame, with a few cracks over the flight system.

    "Ria, I''m going to stop everyone again. Aim for the wings. We need them out of the air. If we can disrupt their mobility, this battle is ours." Altair phrased, and without waiting for Ria to confirm, he dipped toward the damaged drone.

    ''These drones'' primary mission should be to defd against intruders. The loss of a single drone could mean a significant loss in stability." The Prince quickly thought. "The Injured MK-90 is not beyond fixing. Meaning¡­" He nced at the Drones hovering above him and grinned as they whipped towards him like a blur of prismatic light.

    The Prince grinned evilly, pausing inches away as the Grinomor hovering near him lit up. "Meaning you''ll try to save yourrade in times of danger against a boy without a Magical Circle.

    "You''re predictable. Shadow Cage!"

    Darkness sprang from the void, trapping the drones all of a sudd. Altair felt every strand of hair on his neck stand on d. His heart skipped a beat, and against his own will, he fell to his knee. His instants overwhelmed his mind as a scarlet semi-arc, so foul the grass and trees withed beath its aura.

    [Infernal Rage (F)]

    Attribute: Nephilim, Blood

    Effect: Stat Boost .5x

    Cost: 30% Lifeforce

    Description: Through the Blood of the Nephilim, call forth the Wrath of Heav and Hell to sever the agts of Yahweh and Lucifer. Beath the Will of the Nephilim, all shall burn beath their rage.

    Altair whirled to his feet, nearly buckling as the arc of transcdt light carved its way through the wings of the three Drones in but an instant: Shards of metal dropped like a house of cards as she appeared. Her once ash blue hair was now an infinite sea of crimson, with eyes to match.

    In a sh, she swung her azure de stained with a scarlet sin that carved through the metal as though it were hot butter. And yet Ria wasn''t done. Her sword red like the edge of a storm, shredding the metal into scraps before Altair''s very eyes.

    The boy had never se anything like it. But he could feel it. The rage bled from every orifice the girl had before the scarlet haze vanished a her, returning her to a righteous state. She smiled at him just barely before her eyes rolled to the back of her head, and her face nted itself into the g.

    "What? What the hell?" He muttered, only to notice a pool of blood gathering a Ria''s wrist. Startled, he lunged towards her, only to see a deep vertical gash trailing up her wrist.

    Altair recognized the wound as something his mother told him was called a Blood Art. Techniques used to call upon the ancestral power everyone''s blood carried in every geration. Tebrae had warned about the dangers of Blood Arts, stating that all of them came with a heavy price.

    If one were lucky or powerful ough, the Blood Art would merely call for their blood, but in many cases, it would call for hundreds of bloodlines, sometimes based on age, sex, or mtal and physical purity.

    He clicked his tongue, "You''re so careless." He tore his sleeve to dress her wound the best he could before cing her on his back. "Now the big question: do we go in or head back."

    The Prince scratched his head as he stared at the trance to the forest ahead and grunted. "Should I head in, or should I leave? We barely survived." he judged for a bit, ncing at the scraps, and made for the trance with a heavy heart: Retreat wasn''t an option.

 Chapter 36: Factory IV

    Warning: Dark Chapter

    Outside, Altair stepped towards the trance of the Wall and crossed the drawbridge with reservation in his step. Remaining outside would only op them to an opportunity for attacks from whoevery hidd in the forest.

    It had be silt beath the shadow of the Wall, eerily so, with the only sound being Altair''s footsteps echoing over the stone. He stopped outside the threshold of what appeared to be a factory of sorts. It was differt from what he''d imagined. On the outside, Altair saw a castle, but on the inside. What appeared was a factory lined with light fixtures as if to wee someone in.

    Unease prickled the young lord''s spine in the form of knives as he paused. He couldn''t sse danger, but his stomach churned as he stared into the empty abyss ahead. He could smell it. He could smell something foul that made his skin crawl and his eyes wet as if held hostage by a bleeding onion.

    "What is this feeling?" He asked himself, hoping for an answer.

    He shook his head, re-hoisting Ria in a better position, and continued forward wh lights lit up one after the other, revealing arge ss cage-like prison: housing no toilets, no beds, no books, or anything that would lead him to believe that any humans lived there, the young lord froze. "It''s¡­ not a prison." He told himself as the sse of foreboding grew deeper with each step.

    "What in the world is¡ª" Through the automatic sliding door of the empty corridor, Altair mind nked as the foul sct of depravity whipped over his eyes, reeling down his spine with ruthless abandonmt.

    Locked in cages like dogs, he saw childr merely a few years older than him, grunting and moaning as theyy into the opposite gder. They were naked, wet with drool unfolding from their mouths as they showed no sse of joy, no sse of sadness, much less pain.

    His bloodshot eyes swayed to find dozs of brok ves eating away like dogs from a bowl, barking and grunting without intelligce as if words didn''t exist. Others stood in the corner pissing and shitting before making their way back to their partner, either still feeding their newborn or¡ª

    "What¡­ What¡­ What is this!!!" The stammered, trembling as tears filled his eyes. "LUNA! LUNA!!!!"

    Howling as he red at the utter madness, acid slipped up his throat and out his mouth, spilling over the g as disgust red like a storm,ying waste to bits of humanity the boy carried

    [+ Madness]

    [Heart of Darkness gtly stirrs]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' is horrified]

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' covers her mouth in disgust]

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' bellows inughter!]

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' raves in wonder, pondering your dilemma.]

    Teeth clching, Altair wiped the vomit off his lips and the tears that rolled down his eyes. He listed to the screams of the infants suckling at the mother''s tit. Counted the needle marks a their arms that kept the ves ''docile.'' He sucked it all in,ing to a drowning conclusion.

    "It''s a ve factory¡­ Why buy ves¡­ wh you can cultivate them," he said coldly. "I''d heard of it. Mother had spok of it¡­ but I''d never¡­"

    His heart dropped

    [DING!!!]

    [Sudd Mission]

    [Objective: Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' demands you kill every man, woman, and child, for only death shall set them free.]

    Reward: True Strike

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' sneers at Divine Being'' She Who Hunts'' mission parameters]

    [Ding]

    [Alternative Mission]

    [Ojective: Divine Sin ''Archeon'' seeks you to take over the Breeding Factory]

    [Reward: Soul Coin]

    ***

    The Prince grimly stared at the two choices, his arms trembling as rage pooled over his violet-ck eyes. Mana began ring like a winter''s storm-cracking ss as he raised his head.

    "You want me to take over this hell hole!" He shouted towards the Gods.

    DING!!!

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' forcefully ops Chat]

    [Divine Sin Archeon: Yes, or do you think life is so simple?]

    "They are still humans!!!" roared the Prince.

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' folds his arms upon his Throne of Brimstone, "He who seeks power needs to learn sacrifice. A Soul Coin can grant you any wish. It can make you immortal. It can release your mother from prison. It can grant you any skill, any object¡­ It can ev revive all these little insects.]

    "M..M¡­Mother is in prison?!!" He stammered, with a tearing ssation emanating from the back of his throat.

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' frowns at this information.]

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl: has tered Chat]

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts''has tered Chat]

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl: Do not be fooled by this Devil! One needs a doz of Soul Coins to revive someone from the dead.]

    [Archeon: Have you ever known a devil to lie? Perhaps if they were Gods, Altair would need more coins, but these ves are mortals. One will suffice]

    Altair trembled, unable to stop his mind from ring with thought. He''d spok many times to his mother during his journey within the Serpts Outreach. But¡­ What if Archeon had told him the truth? What if¡­

    "Is it true?" He demanded in a chilling tone.

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' grins macingly, " Kill one ve, and I''ll tell you. A devil''s promise.]

    The boy trembled, snapping his bloodshot eyes to a nearby ve. Ready to take that step. Ready to stain his sword red. Yet¡­ Just as his foot moved, he froze.

    "... Mother is a God. She isn''t in any danger."

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' smiles at your intelligce]

    "I decline," said Altair coldly. "No way I''m ving these people, nor will I ughter them."

    Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' shakes his head in disappointmt. "Freedom to the mindless is a far crueler alternative. Give a man hope, and he can fall into the deepest pit of Hell. I shall await for reality to set in.]

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' nods in agreemt]

    [Divine Being, "Piercing Owl," approves of your decision]

    In a matter of momts, Altair moved forward. He''d se ough of the madness a him. Enough of the cruelty of humanity that left a chill racing down his spine and a vicious tug at his gut. The more he stared at those mindless eyes, listing to their meaningless moans of grunts and cries, he felt his heart break.

    "It smells funny," Reina whispered, trembling upon the boy''s back.

    Dread raced through his mind as the words left his mouth: "Just go back to sleep."

    Reina moaned beside his ear-twisting stomach as he tried to hold back the seething anger. She yawned, her muscles still vibrating with a fiery intsity. "Wake¡­ me¡­ up¡­ danger," she muttered, slipping into unconsciousness.

    And with a long sigh, Altair toured the building, making sure to memorize theyout. Before he made his way back into the residtial quarter that looked barely lived in, heid Ria on the bed, covering her with the bed sheets at hand.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' grins at your dilemma.]

    "Why? Who are you?" Altair asked with a lifeless expression.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' shrugs and says, ''Just your fridly neighborhood devil.]

    The Prince gave a quick snort: " And what would a devil want with me?" But no response came as he sighed, unable to stop himself from thinking of the ves below.

    [Divine Being She Who Hunts: Please kill those ves. They have no minds. No hope of escape. Their bodies have be pumped with toxins to wither their minds. They have no future prospects. They are, by all means, animals.

    Death would be a mercy.]

    "... I can''t¡­" He whispered, clching his fist as he recalled what happed with the ck mamba. He''d be no differt from them if he absorbed their soul, just like he did the three ck Mambas.

    The thought made the Prince''s throat dry as he curled onto the g.

    "What do I do?" He asked himself, his voice cracking as the screams from below tugged at the deepest reaches of his soul.

 Chapter 37: Infernal Bane I

    "They were here¡­" Sir Elis Whiteman Jr. shouted to his captain, peering down at the wrecked drones before them. The scraps of metal were still hot. "Nice work if ya ask me. Very clean cuts. The kid must be a first-tier circle to handle the MK-90."

    Kirr gave a low growl of displeasure and turned to his second inmand. "What do you think Cal? Any chance they wt into the factory? Or¡ª"

    Cal, a thin man with teeth that shone like spun gold and a burn scar stretching over his right eye, shrugged. He tugged at his jerkin, spitting bile over the grass. "Well. If they tered the Factory, they''d just leave, right? There bloody kids, one long look, and they''ll puke their fucking guts out." The bandit-like mughed. " I''ll say they wt in for a second or two and left."

    "No tracks." Said Elis sharply, noting the absce of footsteps or disturbed grass. He nced up at the setting sun, frowning. " And it''ll be hard to track them at night. We are close, though, Captain. The Drones are still warm."

    Kirr grimaced, galloping his steed towards the factory bridge. " Fine. We''ll spd the night. But¡­" And his voice wt cold. "No one touches the toys within. There isn''t time for that shit.

    I want your minds hard, not your cocks.

    The mughed wryly, but ined. While there was disconttmt amongst the ranks,  of them showed it. Their captain was always like this during a mission.

    "Can we visit our moms!" One of the m following behind asked.

    Kirr rolled his eyes." If she''s not too busy taking cock."

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Elis yawned and nced at Ron, his closest mate, as he moved through the halls, fiddling with his bracers. " What do you think?"

    "About? "Responded Ron with a weary yawn.

    Elis pulled closer to his ear. " You know. Will Kirr get in trouble wh the higher-ups find out that three drones were destroyed?"

    "The fuck if I know." Spat Ron. "But it was the higher-ups that let that kid in without a leash. It''s not our fault if the one that tered this hell was an elite. Did you see how he  fucked up those drones? I''d just die." He grinned, elbowing his mate. " Shit was amazing though, wasn''t it?"

    Elis nodded without words. He was of a simr mind. While the MK-90 wasn''t meant for battle, it was known for its sturdiness and speed. Merely cutting through its shell took both strgth and a fine weapon. He sighed, reaching to the panel of his room. "Are you sleeping with me, or will you¡ª" He paused as the sliding door oped, revealing a small child resting in his room, curled up in sheets.

    "What the¡­ Is that."

    "The target?" Ron muttered with wided eyes, stepping in alongside Elis.

    Elis frowned. "Bloody Hell. Cap said we should check the facility after seeing vomit in the halls. But I''ll be damn. No one thought they''d be stupid ough to stay in our rooms. How the hell did we miss this?" He asked, looming over her.

    He scratched his disheveled beard and sighed. "Well, I''d be damn. I guess¡ª"

    The words Elis held in him came to a swift halt. A faint wetness trailed down Elis''s cheek and onto his tunic. He reached for it, finding the substance lukewarm. Dread echoed through his mind as he peered down at his blood-stained fingers.

    "Re¡ª" He whirled to him, finding a headless body spilling nectar of red, wh a pinching ssation suddly slipped towards his spine.

    "Feel that?" The shadow behind him coldly asked, gripping a de with both hands as his sword stood ctimeters from Elis''s spine. "Unless you want to be a cripple. Keep quiet. If you move, you''re dead. If you talk out of turn, you''re dead. If you try to scream, you are dead.

    Now, raise your arms. High into the air, all the way up."

    Fear gripped Elis as tears fueled by grief and rage spilled from his eyes. He lifted his arms, that shuddered with each passing momt.

    "From your behavior and the way you all talked wh we first met. I figured you guys were uneducated andzy and that you''d be too stupid to check your living quarters. Looks like I was right." Altair coldly said, without expression. He reached for the two daggers on Elis''s waist and tossed them behind him. "Outrunning you all was never a possibility. The momt I saw those drones, I knew.

    Who knows what manner of transport you all possess."

    "A Night Raid¡ªAHH~" He grunted as Altair''s de touched his spine, nearly severing his bone without issue.

    "First warning. Talk out of turn again, and you''re dead." Said the Prince through a sliver of ice. "Now. Tell me. How many m."

    "Fifty¡ª"

    "Lie to me again, and I''ll cut off all your limbs," Altair said coldly. '' No way such a big party would be able to keep up with me and Ria. Now speak."

    ''Monster! Is he really T!'' Elis gritted his teeth. "They''re my brothers."

    " Your life or your brothers?" Altair fired back, ready to spill Elis''s guts over the marble floor. He could already feel the flow of blood, the pulse of his heartbeat hammering away. "You have five seconds. One¡­"

    Sweat slipped from the tracker''s forehead. He gulped. And oped his mouth: " Sixte."

    "So, fourte if I exclude you two?" Altair confirmed, and Elis wept.

    "Y-Y-Yes. Please¡ª"

    Altair removed his sword from Elis'' spine and stared him down as he buckled to his knees with great relief. Wh blood sprayed over the g as the young Prince severed his head without remorse or feeling. As if numb to death itself. He looked over at the bodies, frowning.

    ''I didn''t absorb his soul¡­'' He noted inwardly.

    The boy sheath his sword and dragged the sleeping Reina to a corner before tossing the two bodies over her, dousing her with as much blood as possible.

    "If she is found¡­ This should give the illusion of death. Let''s hope they don''t check too close." Altair muttered, somewhat bothered by the level of exhaustion Reina carried. "I still can''t believe she hasn''t wok up yet. What a mess."

    [Divine Sin '' Archeon'' smiles in favor of your ruthlessness.]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' nods in agreemt.]

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' ponders your n of action]

    Altair grinned, wiping the blood off his cheeks. He moved towards the door. "It''s simple. They''re all going to sleep soon. I''m going to pick them off one by one. I already made a mtal map of theyout earlier.

    All I need to do is wait a few more hours." His grin turned cold as a serpt. He hopped down in the meditative position. "A few more hours¡­ And I''ll kill everyst one of these vers."

    [Divine Sin '' Archeon'' rises from his Throne of Brimstone to bellow withughter.]

    [DING]

    [Sudd Mission!]

    [Divine Sin Acheon demands you bathe in the blood of your emies. ughter everyone without mercy]

    [Skill Reward: Infernal Bane]

    [Do you ept]

    A dark profundity pooled through the Prince''s eyes, twisting into a killing intt as he gave a stoic nod.

    "I ept."

 Chapter 38: Infernal Bane II

    Through the darkness, the sct of copper spilled into the air, staining it with its metallic aroma. The stch was pungt, caring a harsh ssation weed by death.

    Altair stared at the bodies before him with unfeely eyes. Their faces, unaware of his de sinking through their flesh like hot butter. It had be easy. And it was growing easier with each swing of his sword. As was the chime of his system that sounded with each kill.

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    "This makes¡­ Eight." He counted to himself, taking his leave without another thought as he moved with the shadows. Findingfort in the darkness, Altair stepped into the hall. His footsteps were so light that the motion ssors could not perceive his existce. He was focused, like a beast bearing down on its prey.

    From room to room,  blood followed the Prince''s de till his face was painted red, and his eyes glinted a scarlet hue.

    ''Was this what it meant to be King?'' he pondered. Seemingly questioning the value of life that made little to no sse at the d of his de. ''Or is being a King the only way to stop meaningless death?''

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Mana Circle Proficicy Increase by %]

    Stepping out to the hall, he nced to his left to a stranger wielding a dagger in his hand. His expression was cold as the very dagger he held poised for action. The stranger bore a distinctive burn mark over his eye, wet with tears.

    "You bastard!" Cal barked. " You fucking bastard!"

    Altair turned to him, keeping his grimoire hidd within his tunic. He wiped the blood-drched over his lips. "Fourte. You''ll make fourte." And his eyes swayed to his rear as he dipped to a single knee as silvery light whipped past his head. " You''ll make fifte." Altair coldly said to Kirr.

    ''How!" Kirr howled in his mind as his scimitar shed towards the Princes again. Sparks red to life as he parred, using Kirr''s weight to fuel his own. Altair smiled as he was thrust to Cal.

    "Shit!"

    Cal rushed forward, wanting to catch the Prince. Before hended, greed shed over Cal''s scarred face as heughed wildly." GOT YOU!!!" He roared, lifting his sword to split the Prince in half.

    Altair grinned mid-flight wh, all of a sudd, the darkness sprang beath the unsuspecting Cal''s feet.

    ''Shadow Cage,'' said the Prince, as Tdrils of Darkness whispered out of the fog beath Cal, searing him where he stood. Altair shed his de over his chest, feeling his bones howl.

    Blood painted the g as Altair cursed, stopping using the momtum of his sword against Cal''s chest. " Shit. Too shallow." he scrunched his brow, looking up at the beastal eyes of his emy, carrying a dreadful mana.

    The hairs on the Prince''s neck rose as he dared not stop moving as Kirr chased after him. Using Cal''s body that was still in range. Altair lunged behind him, releasing his spell.

    Suddly free of Altair''s spell, rage overflowed through Cal''s mind as his body grew in size like that of a grizzled bear. He twisted hisrge figure, ignoring Kirr, wh a tant aura of Mana gathered, stirring everyone''s prest sses.

    ''Erupting Fist,'' Painting the hall in yellow Mana, a shockwave wailed betwe Altair and Kirr, skidding them over the g like two brok dolls.

    Altair felt his bones shake and his eyes daze as the tremors raced through the halls. His skin cracked and blistered as he looked up with a dazed expression. Witnessing Cal station above him. Instincts howled as the familiar earthy yellow aura swarmed the room.

    "WE NEED HIM ALIVE!!!!" Howled Kirr desperately, kicking himself up.

    BOOOOOOOOOOM!~

    Debris propelled itself through halls like a raging storm, blinding everyone in a storm of dust.

    Cal stood froz as tdrils of darkness once again held him in ce from the momt his fist was about tond over the Prince, pausing his attack to the very momt Altair had kicked himself away. Cal quickly found himself free yet again but could not stop himself.

    The momt his attacknded against the marble floor, tdrils of darkness sprang into action, sealing his every movemt and sight. Wh Endyian, carrying a violet-ck aura, whipped over his neck.

    Recalling how hard his skin was. Altair didn''t stop with a single sh. He gored himself in a downpour of blood. In a matter of seconds, he had struck more than twelve times, severing Cal''s head.

    [Cal, Aros ver Felled. Exp Gained]

    [+ Madness]

    [You''ve pushed past the Mortal Limits. + Con]

    [Animal Instincts Proficicy Increase by 0%]

    Mana Circle Proficicy Increase by 5%]

    "Monster!" Kirr barked as the dust settled. He stared at his second inmand on one knee, his headless body before a young child. "WHY! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!! We were not¡ª"

    "You were not what?" Altair heard himself say, finding Cal''s headless body position in a rather amusing standing. It felt right he stood without a head before him on both his knees. He could feel the downpour of Mana whirling through his body and mind like an untamed storm. Something he was sure only happed wh he fought. "Were you not going to rape my frid? Your m sounded like you¡ª"

    "You are an elite of the Aros Estate! We would never!" Shouted Kirr. " We were asked to deliver you back to the¡ª"

    Altair shook his head. "It doesn''t matter now after seeing this living hell. You''re sick. All of you. This tire family are all sick bastards."

    "And what the hell would a t-year-old know? What do you know of the cruelty of this world." Kirr shouted. ''The people you killed. All of them were my brothers! All of them were born here. What the hell do you know?

    You know nothing. What damn right do you have to judge?"

    ''Is that how grown m are allowed to stay here?'' Altair pondered only to shake his head. It wasn''t the time to embellish in theory.

    "Right, you say?" He continued as the Mana rampaging through his Mana roots fluttered out of him.

    [Mana Circle Proficicy Increase by %]

    [Mana Circle Proficicy Increase by %]

    Anger twisted his refine features in a cloud of anger. "RIGHT!!! DOES THIS LOOK RIGHT!!!"

    [DING]

    [Mana Circle is Full]

    [Your ''Mana'' has Increased by 5]

    [DING]

    [Heart of Darkness pulses]

    Cold violet-ck Mana stormed off the young Prince as his eyes shimmered a scarlet pigmt. Seemingly stained by the blood pooling down his cheeks. Bloodlust emanated from his young eyes. The Mana radiated off his body, twisting into a raging pir of raw ergy, devouring all the Mana in the local region.

    Suddly, the Pir of Violet ck Mana twisted, curling into a circle that stood like a throne behind the Prince''s back.

    "Impossible¡­ Impossible! You wer''t a first-tier warrior!" Cried Kirr, pointing at theplete circle.

    [New Skills Aquired]

    [Insight (C) Aquired]

    [Heart of Darkness stirs]

    [Insight is beginning to be Tarnished]

    [DING]

    [Your ''Wisdom'' has Increased by 5]

    [Your ''Charisma'' has Increased by 5]

 Chapter 39: Infernal Bane III

    In that single momt of supremacy, Altair had fall into the realm of a First-Tier Warrior, gaining his first circle. The world a him felt pixted. It felt fragile, like he was standing on eggshells. Yet there was an indescribable weakness to the ws before him. An innate sse of familiarity and longing that did nothing to calm his raging heart.

    He could feel his anger building within his chest. A ssation he was quite unfamiliar with. But it felt right.

    Kirr expression twisted wh he began to bellow withughter. It was aughter that chilled the air with madness. He lifted his longsword, a beat and battered edge that had se better days. Yet it was sharp to a point: "You are a monster¡­ One that can''t be reasoned with." He cursed. "I was told to bring you in alive, but now¡­ Not anymore.

    Not for what you did." Pure mana began to gather and roiled against therge frame of Kirr as muscles began to protrude with veins.

    The Prince said nothing. He''d heard ough of Kirr''s righteous tone that was as sicking to the air as it was to his gut.

    "Brothers or not¡­ this was wrong." He told himself wh he froze as more notification sprang into his eye.

    [Heart of Darkness has Tarnished Insight]

    [DING]

    [Insight ¡ú Eye of Sacrilege I ]

    A tremor ran through the Prince''s right eye as blood-stained red dripped from his iris. Pain. Pain unlike anything tore at the Prince as he trembled, bearing a cry that thundered through the walls.

    [Eye of Sacrilege I (C) ]

    [Attribute: Infernal]

    [Effect: ???]

    [Destription: ???]

    Resisting the urge to fall to his knee that buckled like a fawn before a preditor, Altair clched his left eye wet with blood that began to twist into a ck ooze that smelt of brimstone. Yet his knees only seemed to lose their strgth as the second ebbed. A silvery sh of light shrieked through the halls as Kirr approached with dse killing intt.

    Altair bearly lifted his sword, groaning as a powerful shockwave tore him off his feet and into the wall, spreading webs of cracks throughout the structure. He coughed up a mouth full of blood, bearly able to stay consciousness wh a flurry of blows shrieked towards him.

    Too weak to defd Altair could only protect his vitals as dozs of gashes clear to the very bone swept over his physique. He was used to this type of pain. But the agonizing tormt from his left eye was something that petrified him to his core.

    [Divine Being, ''Piercing Owl'' is willing to offer you her blessing]

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' chuckles at your pathetic state]

    [Divine Being, "She Who Hunts," folds her arms, awaiting your response]

    "WHY WON''T YOU DIE!!!" Kirr howled like a wild beast, hammering his de down at the princes, parrying the best he could. But despite his desperate strike, Kirr found the boy bearing the full brunt of his sword. At first, he hadn''t thought about it, but the more he saw the boy''s blood seeping over the g, the more he found his sword reacting more efficitly.]

    Gritting his teeth as the petrifying sear in his eye throbbed and sizzled, a scarlet glow deeper than the reddest Hell glisted off the surface of Altair''s left eye as he oped it.

    [DING]

    Name: Kirr

    ss: ve Knight Lv 4

    Bloodline: lycanthrope

    Strgth: 5

    Dexterity:3

    Constitution: 6

    Wisdom:

    Charisma:

    Mana:

    Skill: Wind de(F), (Swordsmanship (F), (Frzy F)

    [Eye of Sacrilege has activated]

    Startled by the sudd halting of pain that vanished like a light breeze, mobility returned as Altair saw an emerald glow flicker over the surface of Kirr''s sword. The world seemingly stilled as Altair suddly became aware of ws in himself and Kirr.

    It was as if a light bulb had stirred his consciousness. He tracked the de''s trajectory and slightly moved as Kirr''s de suddly shrieked through the walls like hot butter.

    ''That was Wind de!'' Altair told himself as he dipped beath Kirr, making a bit of distance, his withered body beat and weak by hisps of weakness.

    Kirr frowned and stared at Altair''s left eye, finding himself utterly terrified. As if Death had pressed his scythe against his throat, terror dug into his mind as a foul stch suddly trailed down his legs. Fear. Utter fear, unlike anything he thought possible, stabbed at his mind. Bringing him to his knees as a howl that tore apart his vocals crackled from his throat.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH~"

    [Kirr has be frighted by the Eye of Sacrilege]

    [All stats will be halved.]

    [Kirr has be Petrified]

    Altair shuddered. He didn''t for a second hesitate as he lunged towards Kirr. Not daring to warry of the blood gushing out of his wounds, sword light shrieked through Kirr''s sword arm, severing it from the base.

    ''Shit¡­"I was aiming for his neck¡­ '' The Prince thought in a weaked daze. He forced himself not to drop as he lifted his sword again. Dropping it over Kirr''s other arms.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAH~ STOP! STOP!!! DEMON! DEMON! DEMON!!!!" Kirr thundered, scrambling away, seemingly unbothered by his missing arms, spewing blood. Kicking away, he tumbled over, scrambling for his life as he wormed away from the young Prince for dear life.

    Altair''s scarlet eye swirled with profundity. The Prince approached Kirr at a slow pace with barely any strgth in his arm. He stopped over his body and dropped his sword through his neck. As the light in his eye wt dead, falling into sweet oblivion, Altair fell with a smile over his lips.

    [ve Knight, Kirr has Be Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Circle of Gluttony Has Devoured Soul of ve Knight, Kirr]

    [Soul Absorption: 4 Days]

    [Soul Storage: /]

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' praises your victory. And looks forward to future dealings. Should you survive.]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' has grown wary of the boy''s left eye. She demands answers.]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Appearing above the pool of blood like an untouched goddess, Luna peered at Altair with a bright smile. She had watched the tire thing and had not be more impressed. Lifting a finger, a gtle force pulled in from a pool of blood. She grinned before giving a bright nod as she brushed off bits of blood from his handsome exterior.

    "You''ve done well, Altair. You wouldn''t have won if you fought head-on. It''s good you can use your head. " She giggled. "And that skill will surely propel you further into the Realm of Spirits. I merely hope you can handle it.

    You''re too smart for your own good. It''s why you hav''t sse mana or why you''ve yet to gain the swordsmanship skill. Your sses are too advanced." She trailed her fingers over his cheeks, which were cold as ice. "Anyway¡­ Happy Birthday, my dashing Prince."

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle 0%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv  [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:4

    Constitution: 3 ¡ú 4

    Wisdom:  6 ¡ú

    Charisma: 6 ¡ú

    Mana:  ¡ú 7

 Chapter 40: Death of the Old Gods I

    Second Layer of Hell, Irka.

    mes of Emerald Hell zed over the torches carrying within them the Souls of the Damned that shrieked and bellowed, bearing twisted images that had be ravaged by tormt. The Souls of the Damned knew no mercy. They knew no love, no hate. There was only pain that was as madding as it was pleasurable.

    Upon his throne aze with the very mes of the Damned, Arse Snow sat with an incorrigible smile on his face. His ash hair fluttered with the winds that carried brimstone through the air, revealing his devilishly handsome face that carried a charm that masked his nefarious nature. His eyes remained red as a blood-stained moon, harboring two everchanging sigils within his irises.

    He smiled from upon his Throne of Brimstone that zed the very mes used to damn the souls of hisyer of Hell. Below him stood a beautiful snow- wolf that seemed untouched by the hell themselves. There was an unholy air about the wolf, and yet there existed a noble radiance carried by only the Seraphim.

    "My oh, my," The Monarch of Hell began staring down at the young boy unconscious within his court, abst of demons and devils. "Tebrae really is something. I did say I''d meet the boy upon his Tth. But to toss his soul in my dominion is quite excessive. Especially today of all days." He chuckled, gazing at the horrid gue of death reigning over his dominion just outside his castle.

    "Looks like Beelzebub will have to wait."

    The Monarch arose and drew towards the small soul me of a small child. A boy no more than t. His soul was transluct, barely able to hold within his domain.

    "Wake that ass up!" He shouted, pping him across the face, snapping the boy''s eyes op.

    Altair jerked like a frighted fawn, trying to perceive his suring, but the momt his eyes rested upon the Lord before him all other things he perceived stilled.

    [Eye of Sacrilege Has Activated]

    [Monarch of Darkness, Arse Snow]

    [Error]

    [Error]

    [Eye of Sacrilege Proficicy has increased by 50%]

    "That''s a neat eye you got there." The Monarch dered, lifting his lips into an arc. "Think of this as a gift. Next time you disrespect me, I''ll toss you into a Hell Pit." He warned, rustling the boy''s head.

    Altair frowned as all his instincts in him warned him of his uninttional action. He hadn''t meant to activate the Eye of Sacrilege, but the momt he peered into the Monarch''s eyes, he''d lost control of his faculties.

    Arse stood impressed, noting no visible sse of fear in the brat. He chuckled and circled him as if appraising merchandise. "Do you know who I am?"

    "No¡­" Altair hesitantly answered.

    "Really? You have no inkling?" Arse joked with a cheeky grin. He flicked the boy''s head as he touched his chin. " I gave you all your good looks, and you still don''t recognize me?" He th sighed. " How you hurt me, Altair, how you hurt me. You were ev named after my Late Mother.

    And can''t ev recognize your blood."

    "No way¡­" Altair muttered, shaking his head. " You can''t be!"

    "I can''t be what? I am one of the Nine Great Monarchs of Hell. The Empyrean of all that is Wrath and Pride." he leaned towards his son, his scarlet eyes mirroring Altair''s single ruby eye. " You''re, my little bastard."

    "F-F-F-Father!" Muttered Altair in disbelief, unable to understand what was happing. One minute, he was locked in a battle of death. The next, he was before a man iming to be his Father.

    "Yup!" Arse joyed. "Look. We don''t have a lot of time. Another Monarch is here to see me. And your existce is a secret. Although, I do have a big mouth.

    So, let''s say it might be a secret." He coughed into his palm as his son merely stared at him.

    "Why?"

    "Hmm? Why what?"

    "Why did you abandon me?" The prince asked, pausing as he suddly shook his head. "No. How can I ev be sure what you are saying is true?"

    "Not my problem if you don''t believe me. But I didn''t abandon you. You''re what? T? We are immortals. You can be over a billion years old and still be a child to me, boy.

    And I mean that in the literal sse." The Monarch sighed and folded his arms. "Look here. You are¡­ Well... hmmm. I''ve got two wives. And if my First wife found out you are alive, you''re dead.

    She''ll kill you and feed your remains to me."

    "... You wouldn''t eat me, right?"

    "..." Arse smiled. " My first wife, Lilith, is quite insane. So we kept you a secret. Not to mtion all my other emies. if anyone found out you''re a Snow. You''re dead.

    Same with your Mother."

    "Mother said you were really strong." Altair pointed out with a deep frown.

    "True. But what''s before you is just a Shadow. A clone, if you will. I don''t ev have one-millionth of my original power." He sighed yet again. " The sacrifices we make. Anyway.

    I''m sure you have some questions. Ask away, kid."

    "..." Altair red, somewhat dissatisfied for some reason. He didn''t know why, nor could he exin it, but he was upset. He''d always imagined his Father to be a solemn man. A man with a hard expression or outlook. But what stood before him was neither. "Do you love my Mother?"

    "Dearly." He answered with a teasing grin. "But your mother''s rtionship with me is  of your business."

    "She is my mom."

    "And that''s my wife."

    "Second wife, it seems."

    "Your point?" Arse jeered, amused as the child before grew flush with rage. He poked at his cheeks and rustled his head as he''d done all his childr. " Boy, look. You are in quite a predicamt. Especially the older you get. The blood of Snow that runs through your veins is a powerful one.

    And people will begin to notice if I don''t outright snitch on you for shits and giggles."

    "..."

    "So..." Arse continued, joying his child''s agonizing rage. "I''ve got a few things to tell you. What I''m about to give you is some peak wisdom. Think of it as my T Commandmts: One, Never trust a bitch with red hair. Trust me on this. Two, the pull-out game is not a real thing.

    She will get pregnant. Three¡ª"

    "F-Father¡­"

    " ¡ªNever get yourself more than one wife. It sounds fun. It is fun. But it''s truly a nightmare. You better be writing this shit down. This is some grade-A wisdom right here.

    Four.

    "...Please stop talking¡­" Pleaded the Prince.

    "Four¡­Bro''s before hoes isn''t a thing. The hoese first. Remember, Booty is more important than Wa¡ª "

    "STOP!!!!!"

    Nearly dying ofughter at his son''s flushed expression, Arse fell to his knees before exploding intoughter. "My God, you''re so cute!" he joked, tugging at his cheeks.

    "I hate you."

    "Alright. Alright." Arse said, wiping away the tears. He coughed into his palm, having ough of bullying his child. " Look. I can''t physically be there for you. But I am watching over your process.

    And I will aid you the best I can within the bounds of the Shadow Promation." He looked into his son''s eyes, showing a softness that was there before. A shred of humanity the young prince never seemed to notice. "This shadow¡­ is yours. I can''t always protect you, but I will give my life if need be. Right now, you''re weak. Defseless.

    And youck a resolve that can make or break you."

    "Resolve¡­" Repeated Altair, clching his fist.

    "Hmmm. Indeed. That girl Ria has more than you. It''s honestly pathetic. So I''m going to tell you something. But it''s up to you whether you want to hear it."

    "It''s not more foolishness, is it?"

    Arse grinned. He shook his head. " No. But it is something that can either make you a demon or devil."

 Chapter 41: Death of the Old Gods II

    No. But it is something that can either make you a demon or devil."

    Altair''s mind spun as premonition once against stirred his subconscious. He shuddered, bringing a cold gleam to the Monarch''s chilling eye.

    ''The Realm of Spirits is¡­ '' The Monarch ssed, choosing not to bring up such an ability. It wasn''t something the boy could handle now.

    "What is the differce betwe a demon and a Devil?" Altair inquired, clching his fist.

    "Both are ruthless and without humanity. They are one of the cruelest tities within the Myriad Heavs; however, if we talk about mtal acuity, One represts Order, the other Chaos." He said, shaking his head. "I foresee you bing a devil in nature with your mischievous personality, but who knows? Demons represt chaos and the Devil''s Order. But make no mistake, Order doesn''t represt Good.

    It merely represts structure. A systematic order ofws that can bring about a type of chaos only the Souls of the Damn could understand."

    The Prince touched his chest as a sinking pressure weighted itself over his heart. He gulped. " Tell me."

    "Are you sure?" Arse warned, narrowing his eyes as Altair nodded in the affirmative. He sighed. "Tebrae¡­ your Mother is dying."

    "Eh?"

    "Giving birth to you¡­" He stopped trying to find the words to convey to his son. "Giving birth to you, Altair, wt against Tebrae''s tire nature. We don''t know what wt wrong during the formation of your bloodline in the womb, but you ate at Tebrae''s Body and Soul. Each day, her aura grows¡ª"

    "Liar¡­ Liar!"

    Arse closed his eyes as the tears gathered in his child''s eyes. "The only time I lie is wh I smile. And I''m not smiling now." He told him, oping his eyes to his trembling shoulders. His voice grew hard. " Tebrae is going to die. I''ve no idea what you did¡­ But Te willingly fed herself to you.

    She¡ª''

    "SHUT UP!!!!!" Altair roared, clching his fist so hard his transluct image grew more corporeal. "It''s not true! Its¡­ not¡­ True¡­"

    The Monarch of Darkness harded his heart and spoke in a icy tone. " I''m not lying. She will die. And it will be a true death. The only reason she lives now is due to what she represts. She is Darkness.

    The Primordial of Darkness. However¡­ in but a few cycles, perhaps a few years, the Night will perish to be forgott like many of the Old Gods."

    "How¡­ How do I stop it?" Altair demanded, striking his father with a chilling eye that brought a proud smile to his lips. "You wouldn''t be telling me this if there wasn''t hope right!"

    Arse raised two fingers. "You can give her your heart. But she will refuse. She''d rather die than see you perish. The second¡­" And the Monarch smiled. " Well¡­ I''ll keep that a secret for now."

    "You!~" Altair raged, clching teeth so hard the tang of copper traced the tip of his tongue.

    "Easy. I''ll tell if you do me a favor." Arse coldly said. "This is life, my boy. We might be family, but I will not hand you everything. If you want to know how to save your Mother¡­ Th you must pay a price." He lifted his eye towards the crackle of thunder bellowing over the Nine Hells as ash scorched the skies in an abyss of night. "Are you up for it?"

    "What do you want?" The Prince demanded with haste.

    "I want you to prove yourself to be my son. While you cannot carry the Snow name, I wish for you to create a power that holds the pottial to rival my own family." He said, lifting his lips into a cruel arc. " No need to look all feisty. It''ll only remind me of a kitt bearing its fangs. This is merely a prerequisite in saving your mother."

    "A prerequisite? "

    Arse nodded. "Yup, If you can''t ev achieve such a feat. Saving Te is but a dream."

    "ARSENE!!!!! FUCKING!!!!! SNOW!!!!!!!" a thunderous boom crackled over all of Hell, sding tremors throughout Arse castle.

    The Monarch sighed, "Fucking Beelzebub. I swear dealing with Fall Angels is growing to be a pain in the ass." He shook his head and stared at his son. " That''ll be it for now. I truly hope to see what you''ll do now, Altair." He said, pressing his fingers betwe Altair''s brow. " Say hi to Luna for me."

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Snapping his eyes op to the familiar roof of the breeder''s factory, Altair released a painful cry as his left eye brimmed with scornful hate as the burn of his tattered body faded with his wrath. He stood up, finding Luna sitting across from him.

    "Is it true? Is Mother dying?" He asked, hopeful that it was all a lie.

    "Your father truly is a heartless bastard," Luna conveyed. She shot the boy a calm, measured stare, taking a momt before she said: "Yeah. It''s true. My sister Mithra, Myself, and the Tower of Babel are keeping her alive. But she is fading rtively quickly." She sighed, noticing globs of tears poor from the boy''s eyes, and sighed, taking him into her arms.

    She said nothing as the Prince cried himself back to sleep in her arms. Luna merelyforted him as her heart grew soft.

    "I understand why you did it, Arse. But my God. He is still so young." She shook her head, kissing his forehead. She cradled him gtly. "Are we doing the right thing?" she wondered and nced at the sleeping Ria by his side, "A gus can change a few hearts, but a man with ough resolve can change the world. You two now both have that.

    I merely hope it''ll be ough."

    She trailed her fingers through Ria''s dark blue hair, carrying strings of scarlet, and smiled. "You''ll know what he is going through in the years that follow. I hope you can assist him on his journey. He''s going to need all the help." She shook her head and straighted her spine. "But this is where everything begins."

    Luna''s eyes swelled with might as she oped her palm, forming an illusionary image of the Serpts Outreach. "Wh you wake¡­ Everything will be differt. Everything. The Trial of the Moon begins here."

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    "So we lost contact within the Serpts Outreach?" Ser Liaway said, carrying a hiss in his tone. Liaway was a thin knight, having reached into the realm of three circles. He had a thin face with droopy eyes and a beard the color of fire, bearing the mission of returning Altair to the Aros Estate.

    "Yes, Ser." Tunan, his assistant, confirmed, bearing simr features to Liaway. " I spoke with the ve Knight, Kirr, two days ago. He said that the drones were destroyed by what appeared to be a sword. We suspect it was Altair. However, nothing hase through since."

    At his desk within his tower, Ser Liaway frowned, picking at his ear. " How many assets do we have within the Serpts Outreach?"

    "Net? About Sev Million Sols. We profit about three hundred thousand Sols annually due to the low maintance of the ves. It''s nothing great, but it''s something." Replied Tunan without much expression. He lifted his sses with his palm with precision. " Are you concerned about public image?"

    "Indeed. From ourst report, The Boy destroyed Three Mk- 90''s. That''s a spectacr feat, considering age and skill. He''s quite an asset himself. Ev if the family considers him an outsider, nevertheless, we can''t allow our family to be connected to very." Liaway chuckled, sliding his droopy eyes to his assistant. "Sd in one of our elites to retrieve him.

    And scrap the project."

    "Male or Female?" Tunan said with a smile. "We are talking about our breeding facility, after all."

    Liaway chuckled. "Sd a woman. The Aros m will put their cock in anything. Also, sd word to the patriarch. It''s best he knows what''s going on. We wouldn''t want to destroy a perfectly good asset like Altair.

    He''ll be a good candidate for our conditioning program."

    Tunan formed a smile wh suddly rms began to resound through the room, turning their expression pale. Panic, he connected his neuro-link to the main Aros System via the USB port on his temple to Laiway''sputer. His expression turned dark. "Sir¡­ The Serpts Outreach has begun to evolve. The Portal Color is¡­ Red."

 Chapter 42: Trail of the Moon

    At atttion within her chamber, Tania stared at her lean figure in the mirror as she had done many times before. Trying her best not to meet her gaze, she picked off various strains of lin from her uniform as she had done every day. Tania had never be pretty, not like her elder sisters, who were praised for their beauty and talt.

    Tania''s face was narrow to the bone, but her eyes were wide, granting her a most unpleasant nickname.

    "You got this!" She said to herself with some spirit. Smiling to herself, she rushed out of her dorm to the Serpts Outreach without dy. Arriving thirty minutes before departure, she frowned at the sight of armed m draped in ck, fitted with metal visors and guns.

    ''The ck Scourge¡­'' she dreadfully thought with a shudder of terror in her step at the sight of Crossed Shape Coffs graved on their armor.

    "Tania¡­" Tunan ryed beside the scarlet portal. He turned to her, bearing a grim expression. "Forgive the sudd mission, but the situation has degraded to this, as you can see." He expressed with rm and approached her. "I''m sure you recognize one of our ck ops units."

    She nodded.

    "Good. Th I''ll not keep you. Your mission is the destruction of one of our breeder factories. And the retrieval of Mr. Altair. You''ve reviewed the dossier?"

    "Yes. Sir."

    "Th you know. The parameters of the Serpts Outreach have not changed. So, we can only sd in First Circle Warriors below the age of fifte. You''ll be the captain." He said, narrowing his eyes. "Your second inmand¡­ Is¡­"

    "I''m here!" A loud voice thundered as arge grizzled man roared. Nearly simr to that of a lion, Dillian Aros approached, standing well over two meters tall, armed with an obsidian ive on his back. He stopped beside Tania. " Good to see you, Hammerhead."

    "That''ll be ough, Diin," Tunan remarked with ice in his voice. He''d not have any of it today. "She''ll be your leader in this mission. You''ll both be connected to the NAV. That way, we can monitor everything. Should I see any form of disrespect?

    I''ll have your fucking head. Clear?"

    ''SIR!" Dillian shouted, saluting Tunan with a hint of dread tracing his heart.

    Tunan shifted his gaze to Tania. " Failure isn''t an option. If you can''t retrieve Altair. You are to kill him. Clear?"

    "Yes, Sir."

    "The ck Surge will obey your every word. Use them well. And sacrifice them should there be a need."

    Tania nodded, feeling a new type of pressure on her back. "I won''t fail you."

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    The day Altair awaked, a coldness trickled from his young eyes, fueled by a resolve that brought a bittersweet smile to Luna. He hadn''t said a word, but Luna could feel his anger, his rage towards the world a him, and his despair.

    "Ev angry¡­ You should smile." Luna reminded him.

    Altair said nothing. He merely lifted Reina, who hadn''t regained consciousness, and left. Through the sea of blood and death, Altair stepped through the ocean of his creation without emotion.

    "What will you do about these ves?" Luna asked, following behind him.

    He nced at her and the caged beast, locked in their depravity:  " I don''t care." He conveyed stepping out of the factory. Luna''s frown deeped, but she didn''t say a thing. Ev as the days continued to fly by, Altair did not speak.

    As if he had lost all semnce of emotions, he did nothing but care for Ria during this time. Forgoing training and social matters, the boy stared into the cresct Moon for a week. At first, he hadn''t noticed it. But as the days continued to pass, Altair noted the absce of the sun. Something he couldn''t ev be bothered to bring up to the Goddess of the Moon.

    To his rear, Luna didn''t make an effort tomunicate with the boy. Rather, she gave him his distance. Despite hisck of words, Luna could feel his turbult aura, which was once cheerful, now full of gloom.

    "Hmmmm¡­ I''m Hungry." A soft voice echoed as Ria oped her pale blue eyes. She smiled, turning her head to her Master. " Hiya, Master!"

    The Goddess of the Moon grinned. " So you awoke. It''s be a week. It seems Infernal Rage is still too much for you."

    Reina foolishly grinned. "Yeah¡­" And she paused, ncing a for a certain fellow. She tilted her head, finding the camp empty: "Where''s Art?"

    "He¡ª"

    "R!!" A bright, childlike voice echoed, catching Luna off guard. As a young boy raced down from the mountain, oping his arms and taking her into his embrace. He held her firmly as if scared to let her go. " Thank goodness. I thought you''d be sleeping for a month."

    "Hehe! All the hugs are mine!" Reina bragged, shooting Luna a side-eye.

    However, the Goddess did not notice as she stared at the young prince. It was as if he''d be a differt person tirely, bearing a rich smile. The aura of gloom was gone, as was the lifelessness his eyes portrayed.

    ''... There bing eerily simr. Will he follow Mephisto''s path as well?'' Luna thought, tracing her fingers through his hair. She saw the coldness gather in his eyes but smiled at the boy''s fangs. " Are you ready to train now?"

    "I feel like I''m missing something," Reina interjected, leaning close to the boy. " And what''s up with your eye? Why is the left one red?"

    "It''s my Sharingan."

    "Your what?"

    He smiled mischievously like a witty fox. " We should watch some anime together. Such a shame it wt extinct after 04."

    "Hmmm." Puffing her cheeks out at the misdirect, Ria rolled her eyes: " Whatever. Can you at least tell me about the factory? It smelled funny¡ª"

    "I could, but I''m sure big sis has much to tell us about what happed," Altair exined, turning to Luna. "The Sun hasn''t ris in sev days."

    The Goddess folded her arms and gave a stern nod. "This is your first trial. Prepared by myself¡­ and your Father. I''m sure you know why?" she asked as a way to test the boy''s mask. And yet Altair did not look surprised, nor did he seem bothered to her dismay. He merely kept up his innoct smile as if her words were air.

    " Right now¡­ I''ve graved all Monsters within the Serpts Outreach with the Qi of the Moon."

    "Qi?" Altair remarked at the odd term.

    Luna nodded. " I''m a little old school. So, I call it Qi. But you know it as Mana. I don''t have time to keep up with each era''s cycle of names. The Moon is a vital source of Yin Qi: in fact, It''s the biggest source of Yin in creation." She rustled the boy''s head as he pursed his lips with irritation.

    She smirked. "Serpts td to have a huge affinity to the Moon. Meaning their stats may double or ev triple. And if that wasn''t ough, many of them will begin to mutate."

    Surprise took hold of the dou as they shot up.

    "This Dungeon was originally Blue," Altair remarked. " What color is it?"

    Luna narrowed her eyes: " Will that help you?"

    Altair paused, backing down as he shook his head. " No." He closed his eyes, oping them with a calmer expression. " And the prize at the d?"

    Luna grinned: ''Monsterious, as well as dangerous. As it stands, you two have a sev perct chance of sess."

 Chapter 43: Mistywood I

    In the following weeks, that came and wt faster than a blink of an eye. Blood had washed the childr''s hands and des more times than they''d tak breaths. It was as if they each had targets on the back of their heads. Serpts, alongside odd creatures ris by the Moon, flooded them several times a day without d.

    Overlooking the mountaintop clouded by snowfall, Altair cleaned his sword of blood with silvery sheets of snow billowing from the heavs with a harmless grin. His innoct expression doing nothing but irritate the young girl.

    "How can you still smile¡­" Reina moaned, crashnding into foamy snow, allowing the icy cold to petrate her wounded bones. "We hav''t slept in nearly two weeks. And Master disappeared yet again."

    Altair didn''t immediately respond; rather checked his body for injuries, finding , he turned to Reina: "I think I''m close to ssing Mana." He said, tracing his finger over his left eye. "Th maybe I''ll be able to use Fall Necromancy."

    Reina snapped herself up: '' Really! Finally!" She joyed with silvery eyes. She grinned and pushed aside a few strands of scarlet from her face. " Think you''ll be able to defeat me, th?"

    "You? If I remember, I won ourst match." Altair attested, tapping his left eye. " I think¡­ I''m about to be a swordsman, too.¡­ Ever since I got this eye. Things have be clearer. My thoughts are far more precise than before."

    [Ding]

    [Circle of Gluttony proficicy has increased by 0.5%]

    Circle of Gluttony [F]

    Proficicy: 0.5% ¡ú %

    The Prince grinned as he pondered the abilities of the Eye of Sacrilege that hanced his everyday life. "Anyway, we should move. Hurry and pick the Lim Moss. That''s why we came up this stupid mountain."

    "Oh yeah. I nearly forgot. TeeHee!!!" Giggling to herself, Reina hoisted herself up, racing to the trance to the nearby cave, where a snow- moss grew. She nodded and began gathering it with a dagger into a small vial. "Alright, done. I''ve got ough for five people.

    All that''s left is Mistywood."

    "Mistywood?"

    "It''s wood that gives off Yin. Or a Cold Mana. I need a specific type of fire to produce a Balm of Vigor. Our bodies are still growing, so our stats struggle to grow ev after nearly five months of ving. This Balm should solve that issue. Especially if we add your blood to it."

    Altair nearly jerked his tire body to her. " Eh! Why my blood, what''s wrong with yours."

    "..." The Maid grew silt. " Its poison¡­Mother got pregnant with me. So wh she was poisoned, I absorbed most of the poison in the womb. However¡ª"

    "There was still trace amounts in her,"  Altair muttered. "Is that why you sometimes don''t eat with me?"

    "I don''t know why, but sometimes my body releases a toxic fume that kills most organic things wh I eat," Reina exined. "That''s why I''m learning Blood Maniption. And its why¡ª"

    Altair bonked her on the head with a crossed expression: "You know I''ve got the bloodline of a god, right? Two Gods. If you can survive it, I''m sure I can. And did Big Sis Luna say anything?" She shook her head, and the boy didn''t bother to resist rolling his eyes. " Th ev she thinks it''s safe. She was just waiting for you to grow some balls."

    "Balls? What''s that? Wait! Are you immune to poison!"

    Altair didn''t immediately answer. His first response was to say no, but he honestly didn''t know. He knew he was differt. And something in him was telling him that he wasn''t wrong.

    [Animal Instincts proficicy has increased by 5%]

    Animal Instincts [F]

    Proficicy: 65% ¡ú 70%

    "Stop worrying and just speak up," he said, masking the sliver of a smile. Altair had already known her blood was poison wh he gazed upon her with the Eye of Sacrilege but wanted her to tell him. Rather than make it known, he could see other people''s stats. "Now th¡ª"

    Ssing their instincts ring, Altair and Reina fired off their feet as the wisk of a doz arrows shed to their previous position.

    The Prince''s eyes narrowed as he turned to a ghostly figure barely corporeal, congealed by the Moon''s power, billowing like ghostly mes.

    [Lunar Archers Lv 5]

    Race: Spirit

    Strgth: 9

    Dexterity: 5

    Constitution:

    Wisdom:

    Charisma:

    Mana: 3

    Damage Immunity: Bludguning, shing, and Piercing from nonmagical weapons

    Skill: Regeration, Ethereal Arrow

    Description: Boundless Souls resurrected by the Moon''s ethereal glow. Bound to seek the warmth of the mortal body

    "It''s those spirits against," Altair roared, pushing through the snow like an apparition. "There are sev!!!"

    The Sev Archers suddly separated on the instincts of their souls. They reacted, nocking their bows. The sev fired their ethereal arrow in quick session toward Altair wh Reina appeared, shielding Altair behind her greatsword. The Prince whirled a, not losing speed, as he arrived before the sev could reach more than t meters from each other.

    "Shadow Cage!" Summoning tdrils of shadows that bounded each of the apparitions. Altair and Reina made quick work of them as Altair felt a huge drain on his reserve.

    [Lunar Archers Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lunar Archers Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lunar Archers Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lunar Archers Felled. Exp Gained]

    [You''ve Leveled Up]

    ughtering the lot, the Prince fell to one knee as sweat oozed from his brow, freezing before it could hit the g. " Damn¡­ Why is the drain so much heavier." He moaned, nearly keing over like a dead fish.

    "The grimoire isn''t using its Mana, but yours now," Reina exined. "And remember, the Mana stat made your reserves smaller but pure; this is how it feels to cast spells. Especially a brok one like that."

    Grunting tirelessly with over two-thirds of his mana reserves empty for a mere sev seconds, Altair oped up his status page while revealing Reina''s stats with the Eye of Sacrilege.

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle %]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 3 [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:4

    Constitution:3 ¡ú 4

    Wisdom:   ¡ú

    Charisma: ¡ú

    Mana:  7

    Skills: Dark Moon de [F], Eye of Sacrilege I [C],

    Passives: Heart of Darkness[???], Animal Instincts [F]

    Spells: Infernal Bane, Shadow Cage

    Name: Reina Of The Moon

    Race: Nephilim [Unawak]

    Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle 5%]

    ss: Blood Knight Lv

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:3

    Constitution: ¡ú 3

    Wisdom:  ¡ú

    Charisma:  ¡ú

    Mana: 6

    Passive: [Curse of the Nephilim (S+)], [Alchemy (F)],  [Mana Maniption (F)], [Blood Poisoning S]

    Skills: [Polymorph (F)], [Infernal Rage(F+)], [Ice Maniption (F), Blood Maniption(New) [F]

    The Prince stood up, allowing the Circle of Gluttony to devour the wild Mana betwe heav and earth. He had always be satisfied with how quickly the Circle of Gluttony granted a swift recovery. What would take the average soldier half a day, perhaps a full one would only require him a few hours at most.

    "We need to move. Too many people have died in this ursed forest. And Big Sis magic keeps resurrecting them." Altair muttered.

    "At least our swords are magical," Reina remarked, strapping Ice to her back. She nced at Altair, some color returning to his face. " Anyway. I''m ready. The Mistywood is usually found in wet marshy areas during the colder seasons. Shall we?"

    "Yeah. Let''s go. I know just the ce." The Prince said as they made their way down the mountain.

 Chapter 44: Mistywoods II

    Two dayster, towards the far east, north of the mountainous range, Altair and Reina huddled together as the icy winds billowed against their bear bodies. As if shards of ice danced along their bare flesh, Altair felt his crack and blister as more time passed.

    "It''s getting colder." He said with a smile. He''d love the snow. The Winters on Earth had always be a magical time. From the sweet honey milk, his Mother made for him to the songs that always seemed to bring a smile to his face. Ev the cold, unfeely m of the Aros estate would find smiles during this time, warming the barr halls of the estate.

    Winter had be Altair''s favorite time of the year. And it had remained so ev today, as his eyes burned. The Snow was always peaceful, unlike the heat that made his blood boil and his body wet. But the cold. The cold was silt like death and peaceful like a calming dream; it was the luby of darkness his Mother oft sung to him.

    Reina, however, held no such affinity to winter, much less any of the seasons. To her, all she knew was the blood and the constant gue of death, tracing its fingers against her cheek, singing a toon that sounded like gravel.

    "Wait a sec," She suddly said, reaching down to a petal flower carrying the silvery hue of snow. "Yarrow can be used to stop bleeding and help digestion. I think I can make a new concoction with this."

    "... Do you just randomly put stuff together?" Altair bitterly questioned.

    "Of course. How else am I to expand my skills?" Reina rebutted. She stored the flower, returning to his side. "Alchemy is aplex field. One flower can theoretically make hundreds of differt medicines or poisons. It all depds¡­ There exists arge amount of Yin Energy within Yarrow.

    So, if we add it to Mistywood, we might be able to hance its effect if we burn it along with the wood. It might add a new effect to the fire, or it could kill us all, Teehee. It all depds, really. However, I¡­"

    Altair listed as Reina began to ramble as she had done whever the topic of alchemy came up. Despite being an extremely skilled swordsman herself, Ria''s true love lied in the Art of Alchemy. It was a magical thing to see and hear as she connected the dots the more shemunicated with him. Her eyes practically glowed the longer she spoke of alchemy.

    In turn, Altair found himself asking stupid questions, as Ria would call it from time to time, which granted her insight into many questions that had be guing her.

    "Where here¡­" Altair interrupted, falling to one knee with her as the trickle of snowfall pillowed from a nearby stinel tree that lined the forest. He pointed ahead, just underneath the moonlight, to a thin trunk the size of their arms that glowed beath the moon. "Is that what you want?" he whispered.

    The small tree was hard to miss in a sea of towering trees withrge, powerful trunks that had grown for hundreds of years.

    Reina frowned, licked the tip of her finger, and hesitated for a momt. "It does look like Mistywood. It''s moist ough. But I never heard of it glowing like that." she answered. "It could be a mutation¡­ Which could either be good or bad. I wouldn''t know.

    It sure does have a lot of Yin ergy to it. How''d you know this was here?"

    Altair narrowed his eyes, searching his surings: "During the past life of one of the serpts. I came here once. It was considered forbidd territory. Due to the existce of a frighting beast." He tighted his fist as sweat oozed from his brow. "It had three heads. One of a serpt, one of a lion, and thest of a goat.

    That all seemed to systematically amalgamate itself to a lionlike physique."

    "Altair¡­" said Ria wh a chill traced her spine. " That sounds like a¡ª"

    "A Chimera? Yeah, I know." The Boy replied. He nced at his sister-in-arms with a challging grin. "Scared?"

    "As if¡­ But ording to our bestiary. Chimeras are poisonous and are capable of spells. You think it''s protecting the Mistywood Tree?"

    "I don''t think so. I don''t see or sse it a. But just to be sure. Let''s track it."

    [Divine Being '' She Who Hunts'' peeps upon you with glowing eyes.]

    [Divine Being '' She Who Hunts'' desires a hunt!]

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts,'' proposes you hunt the Foul Chimera]

    [Sudd Mission]

    [Mission: Hunt the Chimera and Eat its heart to gain its spirit!]

    [Reward: Bow of the Hunt]

    [Failure: Curse of Agony]

    [Do you ept]

    "... You seeing this?" Reina answered, staring at Altair with wide eyes, passing her hands through the virtual image of the Origin System. "Is this magic? And who is¡ª"

    "It''s a God that is watching us," Altair answered. And nced at Ria as she frowned.

    "A God? Why are they watching us?"

    "No idea. Maybe there bored?"

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' nods at your statemt.]

    "See?" Altair said, shaking his head. He couldn''t be bothered to care anymore if they were offering power. He was taking it. "From what I know, they''ll offer mission for rewards."

    The winds howled against their cheeks as Ria narrowed her eyes, which didn''t bother to hide her suspicion. "That''s pretty Sus. Although, I can''t say I mind. It''s weird, though." She turned to the Prince, leaving the decision to him.

    "Th we ept."

    [Divine Being ''Bone Ripper'' takes note of your existce]

    [Divine Being ''Titan Fall'' spitts at your arrogance.]

    [Divine Being ''Falling Rain'' hasn''t much fate in your victory.]

    Altair ignored the voices of the Gods, noting the new influx of messages from the various gods he hadn''t se before.

    [Divine Sin ''Daddy'' has tered the Chat]

    [Daddy: Fuck it up, Altair. I got money riding on this!]

    [Archeon: Lol]

    [She Who Hunts: Lmao]

    Cheeks growing a tinge of red, Altair looked towards the skies with a flush expression: ''It can''t be? Are you really¡­"

    Daddy: "We just spoke. What, you forgot me already? Sup Reina! Your father is quite a talker. This guy doesn''t shut the hell up.]

    [Divine Being ''Wolf Daddy'' Has Joined the Chat]

    [Wolf Daddy: BABYYYYYY!!!!!!!!]

    [Daddy: See? He won''t shut the fuck up]

    [Wolf Daddy: Mommy and I miss you!!!!]

    [Titan Fall: Childr of God, eh? Finally. I was tired of watching weak-ass mortals fight against each other. Let''s hope this''ll spice things up.]

    Ria''s eyes couldn''t have gott wider as the message popped over the system chat. Her jaw dropped as she paused, nearly tearing up.

    "Papa¡­" She cried in a muffled tone.

    ''Its really them¡­.'' Altair calmly thought. He patted Reina''s head as she looked at him tearfully.

    "We got to move¡­  We can''t stay still, or we''ll freeze to death. Let''s prepare." the Prince conveyed in a low, hushed tone.

    "But¡­ papa¡­"

    "You can talk to him privately. At ater date. Right now. We hunt." The Prince pressed, pulling her along.

 Chapter 45: The Chimera I

    The silce beside the howl of the wind had be music to the young Prince as he felt his ssese to life amidst his search for the beast. From his soundless steps across the snow base to the soft felt breaths and pants beath the snowy fields, he found himself lost in a ze of silver and the sct of pine.

    For a good hour, they searched, bearing the mes of ice searing their flesh without sound and the silt hunger that pressed against the lining of their stomachs. But they were used to this feeling. And knew they could survive a least a day or two without food. The pain was but in their minds. Luna had taught them at least this.

    Approaching the second hour, Ria signaled Altair to stop. She pointed over the unevnd beside a looming tree that carried the face of a hideous abomination etched into the bark. Hidd a meter''s distance from the tree beath the moon rested a figure.

    "A Hearthtree," Reina muttered as if to convince herself. "First, Mistywood. Now a Hearthtree. Lucky." She turned to Altair with excitemt that dwindled the momt he saw his expression. And the twinkling of his left eye.

    Lunar Chimera Lv

    Race: Monstrosity

    Strgth: 4

    Dexterity: 6

    Constitution: 0

    Wisdom: 5

    Charisma:

    Mana:

    Resistance: N/A

    Weakness: N/A

    Skill: Frigid [E], Photon Beam [D], [Sleep [F], [Lions Roar [F], Poison Mist[F], me Breath [E]

    Description: Blessed by the Goddess of the Moon, the Chimera, abination of goat, serpt, and lion, has devoured the light of the moon and will forever be blessed by the Darkness and the Light.

    "No way¡­ "Altair muttered through a cold nightmare of sweat. "We need to retreat. We need a n." Pulling at her arm without hesitation, he dragged her away.

    [Animal Instincts proficicy has increased by %]

    Animal Instincts [F]

    Proficicy: 70% ¡ú 7%

    [Divine Sin, Daddy: WEAK!!!!! Be a Man! T-Bag that bitch!!]

    [Divine Being ''Bone Ripper'' looks forward to your next decision.]

    [Divine Being, Titan Fall: You''re so dead. What Moon Goddess cast her blessing on such a uselessnd?]

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl: A bored God, perhaps?]

    Altair ran. Not stopping unstill the bone-chilling ssation had left his legs did he stop only to notice they''d returned to the Mystywood, brimming with light. Despite the intse chill, Altair felt himself burning up as he slumped into the snow. Reina peeped her head over his curiously.

    "So¡­ You wanna tell me what''s going on?"

    "That thing would have killed us."

    Her gaze intsified as her stare unconsciously swayed to his left eye. She leaned in closer. " And you know this¡­ how?"

    Under her suspicion, Altair didn''t immediately speak. The Gods were watching. He reached up with a bright smile, unsure how or wh he could tell her the truth. His Elder Sister had always said that secrets are power. He needed to hide his skill from the Gods. The less they know, the more he could gain.

    "I''ll tell youter." He answered.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon folds his arms, smiling at your wit.]

    [Divine Being, Titan Fall is growing frustrated.]

    ''They can''t see my skills.'' Altair realized. He stood to his feet, patted the snow off his small frame, and pointed towards the Mistywood. "First, we need a n. Can you make a poison? And¡­ bait?"

    Reina arced her head high. " Of course I can. What type of question is that?"

    "And if you add your blood to it?"

    She frowned at that. " My Blood? My Blood is poisonous, but it''s a differt type of poison. It''ll not affect the body like you''d imagine." She said, folding her arms, somewhat wishing for some furs or a thick coat. " My Blood affects the mind. It''ll make the beast writhing mad.

    Give it ough time. The beast will kill itself. Does that help?"

    The Prince hesitated for a momt. "Would this¡­ Madness affects its ability to cast spells?"

    Reina nodded. "Madness is a sickness amongst the gods. By injecting a God, especially a Holy God, with Madness, you esstially cripple their future. And there is no cure for Madness. You either deal with it mtally, or it eats away at you till you''re dead, or you kill yourself. So yeah.

    It''ll affect the Chimera''s ability to cast spells."

    "Holy Shit!"

    [Divine Sin Archeon grins upon the discussion of Madness.]

    [Divine Being Titan Fall spits at the mtion of Madness.]

    [Ding!]

    [Twty New Gods have tered Chat]

    In the corner of the Prince''s eye, he saw his Chat explode with riling questions. To which he ignored. He didn''t have time to tertain.

    "Chimera''s ar''t intelligt. They''ll eat just about anything." Reina mtioned, and she nced at him. " We need meat. Fresh meat."

    "Ok. You set up camp here." Altair said, resting his backpack of supplies down; he turned his back to her. "I''ll go hunting. I''ll be back in a few hours; I need time to prepare a few traps." He added, easily scaling a nearby Stinal. It was his go-to method for finding prey. On the g, he had always felt blinded.

    Whether it was by the grass, bushes, or trees, he felt his sses damped. In the air, however, he found himself free. He could easily list to the howls of the winds and the rustles of the trees.

    It was always peaceful in the sky.

    Finding a pasture in the distance, Altair made out a small crevice through the gaps of snow and ice. He frowned, focusing his eyes, unaware of the mana building within his pupils. Slowly, the vague image began to attune itself to his will, forming into what seemed a cave. He smiled and pushed off the ledge of the branch in a dash of force that propelled him up far and wide.

    The winds hissed through his iling hair as he maneuvered through the various stinels for a couple of miles, stopping before a crack that could fit a small cub if needed. Iced had formed over the trance, shrinking with each passing day.

    Altair had not be more thankful as he slowly wiggled through the crack into melted snow at the heel of his feet. He winced at the sudd touch of water but pressed on.

    "What a strange ce¡­" he paused.

    "Any word from the boss?" A man''s voice said through chattering teeth. The voice echoed through the cave, reaching Altair, who all but counted the seconds it took to reach him. Instantly gauging the distance.

    "Why would I know?" Another said, moaning with pain. " Can you take it easy?"

    "Not my fault someone decided to break his leg. You''re lucky we found this cave." Came the reply.

    "Lucky!" The man hissed with derision. " We got trapped. We are probably going to die here."

    The Prince moved without sound from a distance, keeping his back to the walls wet with melted snow. He stayed low. The cave was quiterge, housingrge stgmites stretching up to the wall as if to support the ceiling. Altair moved behind one, peeping his head over its edge, catching sight of two m. They were both scrawny as if they had barely eat in years.

    Their teeth were stained yellow, with a couple missing. However, the one that caught Altair''s atttion was the one with the protruding bone on his leg.

    "... There so small. I wonder if R can make them seem more appetizing." He asked, gauging the m''s worth.

    "We ain''t dying." One of the scrawny m said, jerking the man''s leg straight. The injured man set out a squeal that made Altair eyes turn so wide he thought a woman was screeching. "This cave is cool. Not hot nor cold. It''s sure to have something that can help."

    "Jay¡­" The injured man whispered as sweat rained from his brow. He had hope in his voice. " You''re not gonna leave me, right?"

    "I''ll¡ª"

    "Infernal Bane"

 Chapter 46: The Chimera II

    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¡ª"

    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.

    "¡ªFor 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¡ª"

    "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]

 Chapter 47: The Chimera III

    Beside the cauldron blistering with an intse me, the Young Nephilimy kicking her feet against the loose snow, twirling the few red strands of scarlet hair trailing down her cheek. It had be a few hours since Altair had left, and everything had be prepped. All that was missing was the boy himself.

    Ria grumbled, bored, finding little motivation to read today like she did most days. "Wh is he returning?" she asked, hopeful he''d appear behind her answering. She popped her head up towards the cauldron and frowned. Mana quickly surged through her pupils, allowing her to perceive Heavs and Earth mana. She nced down at the Mistywood blistering a cold heat due to its Yin base elemt.

    A noise approached, alerting her to the boy''s presce as she turned to him. " Your back¡­" She tilted her head, ncing down at the cold corpse being dragged by the ankle. "And who''s he?"

    "Bait," Altair answered in a in tone. He tossed Jay''s remains beath her feet. "It''s a little cold, but food is food, right?"

    Reina hesitantly nodded, unsure how she felt putting filthy humans into her cauldron. She looked back at Altair, to his red eye brimming with a dark profundity. "What took you so long? It''s be Twelve Hours."

    The boy approached the fire, finding a seat over the snow. "I wasying traps." He nced back at her with a mischievous grin. " Were you worried?"

    The young pup snorted. " Of course not. I was just¡­"

    "Worried?" He chuckled. "I found a cave¡­ one that was warm. After we kill the Chimera, let''s check it out."

    Ria''s wolf-like ears perked as she lifted her eye to him. " Warm, you say?" She inched closer to him, leaning her head against his cheek as she''d done every time the icy winds st a chill down her spine, prickling her flesh with its embrace. "How warm?"

    "Warm ough to melt the ice." He answered, unbothered by her silly antics. "How is the¡­ What was it again?"

    "Ironia''s Ale," Reina said, pulling away a shimmer in her eye. "Fun fact¡ª"

    "Where making¡­ Ale?" The Prince hesitantly questioned, eyeing the young Nephilim with a peculiar look. He reached into his pouch to some jerky and ripped into it.

    [Divine God, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' ears begin to perk.]

    "Of course. Did you think it was a pill or a balm?"

    "Well, yeah." The boy said, growing tired of munching jerky for thest few months. "You said we were making a Balm of Vigor."

    "Did I?" She couldn''t remember. "Well. I guess I was right and wrong." She shot a side nce to the cauldron. "I neglected to ount for the change in weather. There is too much Yin beath the moon. Theponts will not be reduced.

    So now we have a frothy drink instead. Although, I have no idea how it''ll taste. I''ve never made wine. Either way, we got this instead, and the effects are the same."

    "I miss steak¡­ and Bread." He mtioned having be reminded of his time outside the Serpts Outreach. He reached back into his pouch to a handful of jerky tough as hide. He took a huge bite, grimacing. " Well, at least we''ll be able to drink something besides water. Thank the Gods for that."

    The Nephilim pursed her lips. " Father used to make a delicious potato soup with kes of crispy bread and spicy smoked sausage." She said. "I can''t wait to make it myself one day."

    "Ever had pizza?"

    "Pizza?" Reina said, with the ever so tilting of her head.

    Altair grinned, oping his palm as to mirror the size of the dish: "It''s arge circle of dough topped with tomato sauce, drizzled with olive oil, basil leaves, and mozzare cheese baked on the fire till cooked. It''s one of the best."

    Reina sat beside him, leaning her shoulder against his to steal warmth. She never knew how he could always stay warm: No matter how cold it was outside, Altair''s flesh was as warm as a bath she desperately craved.

    "Is pizza your favorite?"

    "No¡­ Pancakes from¡­ Mother is." He answered slowly. He took another bite of the jerky as a sliver of ice trailed his pupils.

    "You think she''ll like me ough to make¡ª"

    "Of course she will!" Altair hastily said. "Mother always said our guests will always leave with their bellies full and their hearts¡­ warmed by kindness. " He forced a smile to hold back the tears. "Yeah¡­ Thats¡­"

    The young girl leaned her head ev closer against his shoulder. She said nothing of his whimpers that began to leak. She knew his pain all too well. So much so it made her heart tight and her vision blurred.

    "I''m¡­ Sorry."

    "Don''t be¡­"

    "But¡­"

    "It''s fine¡­ believe me." She muttered, sniffling to herself. She peeked her head up to his teary face and gave his cheek a lick.

    "Ria!" Altair jerked up. "Big Sis, and I told you not to do that!"

    "Hehe, ya can''t stop Ria!" she joked, unsure why she felt better.

    Altair''s cheeks expanded like a balloon. He snorted. "Is it done?"

    Reina nced at the cauldron, to the mana brimming from its exterior. "Yeah. It is. Although, you never said wh we''ll fight the Chimera?"

    "Tonight. The beast is terrifyingly strong. So we''ll need to tire it out. Both Mtally and Physically." He said, trying to grasp how powerful the Chimera truly was. It was one thing to see its stats, but grasping the level it was on was another story. "The Hunt should take about twty-four Hours."

    "Holy shit¡­" Reina swore, nearly tripping over. "Looks like I was right to prepare some poisons and recovery balms." She handed him a few veils Altair epted without hesitation as they both nced at the icy remains of Jay.

    "Once we consume your concoction, the hunt will¡ª" Pausing, Altair snapped to the sight of the pir of smoke reaching the heavs.

    "Alt¡­ isn''t that in the direction of¡ª"

    "The base," Altair coldly said. "Yeah¡­"

    "How''d it catch fire in this weather," Reina questioned, scrunching her brow.

    The Prince thought for a momt. "I suspect the local vers might have done it."

    Ria nced at him. " You don''t sound convinced."

    "Or it could have be done by another group that tered the dungeon," Altair said, grimacing. " This dungeon evolved. Wh that happs, it''s customary to sd in a team to explore." He added, narrowing his gaze towards the ck smoke. "I suspect those Aros bastards have another mission aside from exploration in mind."

    "They''re here to take you back," Ria stated, and Altair nodded.

    "Yeah. Although I don''t n on returning to House Aros." The Prince said. " After I''m done here¡­ I''m going directly into the military to escape this family''s hold. I''m hoping they''ll station me off-world."

    [Divine Sin, ''Piercing Owl'' nods at your wisdom but warns of telling others your n.]

    Altair grinned. And looked towards the skies as if to stare into the eyes of the gods. "This tire family¡­ I''ll wipe them out one day. From the weeds to the elderly. None of them deserve to live."

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' bellows at your cruelty and wonders what brought this change.]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' approves of your resolve]

    The Prince chuckled, masking the zing inferno of killing intt behind his smile. His scarlet eyes twinkled with profundity as he nced at Reina, who approached the cauldron, oping the lid. She grinned as a wisp of sweet liquid traced her nose.

    "Shall we get drunk?"

    [Divine Being, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' peeps at Reina''s concoction with greed.]

    [Divine Being, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' approves]

    [Divine Being, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' yearns for a cup!]

    The young Nephilm giggled: " Ev the Gods want a sip! But it''s Reina''s! Mine!"

    [Divine Being, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' is wounded by your greed. But approves!]

    Reaching into her backpack, Reina pulled out two cups and scooped up two cups of frothy ale that smelt of apple, barely, and cinnamon. She handed a cup to Altair.

    "To Hunting the Chimera!" They cheered, seeming unaware of a new tradition they created for themselves.

    [Ding]

    [Ironia''s Ale Concsumed]

 Chapter 48: The Chimera IV

    Through several feet of snow, The Prince and Nephilim traveled, tripping over their feet every couple of meters, stopping to pee as they drunkly staggered toward the hunt, singing songs of war on each other shoulders whist dragging a corpse behind them, the duo herded themselves towards the Chimera. Their cheeks flushed like that of a crisp apple. And their bellies full with a ball of fire.

    [Divine Being, "she Who Hunts''ughs at the drunk hunt below]

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' approves of this hunt]

    [Divine Being, ''Debaucherous Wine,'' nods at the blessing of wine]

    Swallowed by snow that cradled their little arms and shoulders like weights, Altair and Ria drunkly raced ahead, their arms over one another, to a particr location they had once visited.

    "There!" Reina yelped, covering her mouth, as her echo stirred the snow.

    The duo stared at each other and the shadow of the Chimera stationed beath the Hearttree. Wrapped in snow, locked in a deep sleep. Altair and Ria giggled.

    "W-W-we got to get serious¡­" The boy joked, having felt a heavy weight off his shoulders for the first time in a while. He felt free as if nothing could damp his mood. The earlier apprehsion towards this powerful beast was all but gone with the first two cups of wine. By the third, Altair and Reina no longer felt worry. The wine had giv them courage.

    "You remember the n?" He continued ncing at Ria, grinning his way. Stealing a lick and nuzzle over his cheek, she nodded.

    "Of course!"

    The Prince pursed his lips and licked her back, smirking as her eyes wt wide. " Revge!"

    Reina watched him, wary. Her expression portrayed one of betrayal as she touched her cheek. "No fair! Reina does that to you. You can''t do it to her."

    Altair only grinned evilly at the docile gleam. He leaned in again, almost as if to strike. Amused at Reina''s puppy dog eyes, she looked back at him, her wolf-like ears drooping as if waiting to be bullied.

    [Divine Being, ''Piercing Owl'' believes you are too young for this type of y!]

    The Prince gave the other side of her cheek a lick and nodded. "I see why you like doing this. It''s kind of fun."

    [Divine Being, ''Fall Titan blocks his eyes]

    Reina gave a nod. She backed away shyly, her plump cheeks pursing as she red at him as if he''d done wrong. It had felt differt wh her father had done the same. With Altair, she felt excited, wanting more but too embarrassed to ask.

    "Bully¡­" She nuzzled out.

    Altair bore a bright, victorious smile. "I''ll lure the Chimera to you. Can you handle the first trap?"

    "Of course!" Reina sounded, taking a step back. She leaped onto the branch of a Stinel Tree. She nced at the Prince, growing solemn. " Be careful, OK."

    "Always." He nodded, watching as she leaped away towards the first trap.

    Altair shifted his eye toward the Chimera. His expression turned cold, but the courage bubbling within his gut began to leak as he approached with Jay''s body pumped with poison and a few drops of Ria''s blood. He stepped close, stopping as a silver-scale beast shed across his pearly eyes.

    Bearing the head and body of a powerful Lion, armed with glistering silvery scale rather than fur, with a goat head over its mane and a cruel-looking serpt for a tail. Altair sucked in a deep breath of icy air. The beast was well over t meters tall, d in iron-like muscles over its frame.

    [Ding]

    Lunar Chimera Lv

    Race: Monstrosity

    Strgth: 4

    Dexterity: 6

    Constitution: 0

    Wisdom: 5

    Charisma:

    Mana:

    Resistance: N/A

    Weakness: N/A

    Skill: Frigid [E], Photon Beam [D], [Sleep [F], [Lions Roar [F], Poison Mist[F]

    He gulped yet again at its stats and abilities as slivers of sweat came crashing down from his forehead. Heughed to himself before tossing Jay''s corpse inches away from the beast.

    The Chimera''s lion''s ears perked up in rm as it oped its azure blue eyes towards the corpse wet with fresh blood. It gave a low, satiable growl, alerting the other heads. Altair watched from above, having lept away the momt he tossed the corpse as six eyes oped one by one.

    He swallowed hard, with the quicking of his heart against his chest.

    The Monstrosity rose, sniffling at the dead man. It gave a few licks and nudges before easily tearing off Jay''s arm with such ease Altair knew he''d be no differt if he were caught. In a matter of seconds, as the beast tested its meal, the sounds of bones breaking and muscles tearing tered the Prince''s ear.

    He watched coldly without expression as, one by one, each of the heads had a taste. Despite sharing one digestive system, they each held tastebuds. Altair stood up on top of a branch, disturbing the snow on the branch, having se the beast devour all its meal.

    The Chimera looked up, all six eyes settling on the obsidian-haired boy standing in his territory. The beast growled as the mana within the area shuddered with deadly intt. It was a growl that would turn a man''s heart weak and their legs to jelly.

    "Hello~" The Prince acknowledged, unphased. "I am here for your head."

    With a horrid roar that tore the Prince off his feet alongside the bark of the nearby trees, blood trickled from his little ears as heughed at the sudd attack that st his mind into disarray. Altair caught hold of another branch, flipping back on top of a nearby tree, and kicked off with all the strgth he could muster.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Tearing through the neighboring Stinel tree wasrger than three grown m with ease. Thunderous explosions crackled through the silt woods as Altair leaped from tree to tree, branch to branch, using therge trees as tools to slow the beast.

    Suddly, bells of rm sounded through his young mind as the hairs on his neck stood at atttion. The Prince turned to the Monstrosity as it oped his mouth, bearing a great ball of mes that st the mana into a state of uproar.

    [Animal Instincts proficicy has increased by 7%]

    [Proficicy: 7% ¡ú 79%]

    Altair did not ev hesitate to leap high into the skies as a great tongue of mes tore through the snow and trees with such ease ash bellowed through the skies like rain. The cone-shaped wave of mes swarmed the woods for over a hundred meters, eating away at life.

    Barely dodging with a few burn marks trailing up his elbow, Altair tumbled onto the g on his feet wet with ash and melted snow. "My Lord¡­" he cried, unable to believe the level of destruction. "Is this a dragon?"

    A light snow graced his cheeks, melting the momt it touched his flesh. Altair pulled back a few steps, stopping as he noticed a peculiar contracting of its six eyes. He grinned as the poison began to kick in. Kicking off his feet at the momt of pause within the beast, Altair ran for dear life, catching sight of Ria in a nearby tree minutester.

    He stopped, nearly tumbling over as he whirled towards the Chimera chasing after him with a crazed gleam, slowly beginning to foam at the mouth. He narrowed his gaze towards the g near the disturbed trees and snow, near where the beast was about to step over.

    He roared. "Ria now!"

 Chapter 49: The Chimera V

    At hismand, Ria barreled through the air, brimming with Mana as ''Ice'' shrieked towards the beast, bearing down on the head of the goat. A thunderous ding tore through the air, cracking the earth below as Reina''s de met with the beast''s scales.

    "Infernal Bane!" Altair chanted, pointing Endyiam towards the Serpt, aiming its mouth towards Reina. Suddly, a dark de congealed out of all the great evils over the serpts just as it was about to sink its stained teeth into Reina. The de sunk into its skull as a cry raced through the realm.

    [Infernal Bane is in Effect]

    [Chimera has be Frighted due to Inferal Bane]

    [All Stats have dropped by 30%]

    Lunar Chimera Lv

    Race: Monstrosity

    Strgth: 4 ¡ú 6.86

    Dexterity: 6 ¡ú .

    Constitution: 0 ¡ú 4

    Wisdom: 5 ¡ú .8

    Charisma:  ¡ú 7

    Mana:  ¡ú 7

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 5%]

    Using the force of her de against the Chimera, Riana leaped away, feeling her heart tremble with fear. Had Altair''s spell failed, she''d be dead.

    BOOOM~ BOOM~ BOOOM~

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 5%]

    Thrashing against the wall in a state of madness, the Chimera hammered its head against the wall of the hole it fell into, howling away as ck ooze gushed from its forehead. Foamy blood gathered from its three mouths as that madding glow in its eyes intsified.

    "Phase One done," Altair said, short of breath. He nced at her. " You Good?"

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 5%]

    "Yeah. Thanks for the assist. I didn''t ev have time to react." Reina said, ring at the mad beast, lost in whimpers of anguish and madness. She turned to Altair. "What do we do now?"

    "We wait." Altair coldly said. "We let it weak itself. Infernal bane will cause it to drain its mtal acuity, while the poison the body." He was surprised by how Infernal Bane increased proficicy but said nothing of it, figuring it was due to how powerful the beast was.

    "This hole isn''t that deep. It''s only a matter of time before the beast scales it." Reina said. "Where is the next trap? I want to¡ª" She stopped turning to the Chimera as arge magic circle erupted from the Serpt''s head. Dread caught hold of the young girl as her eyes wt wide. "Run!

    RUN!!!!"

    Altair looked back, catching sight of the gold Circle zing with light, and knew without hesitation what it was.

    "It''s a Photon Beam! Get on top of a tree!" He roared, scaling a nearby tree. The boy watched as a light began to congeal into the material ne wh his eyes began to throb.

    [Eye of Sacrilege has activated Insight!]

    Understanding began to sink into his mind as he watched the way Mana worked. He''d always thought of it as existing in both the Ethereal ne alongside the Material. But As he watched the dual shape Mana Circle a the Chimera devour the Mana of Heav and Earth., he began to take note of his theory.

    He had be right. Mana did indeed exist in both, but he found himself missing an important step as his thoughts began to expand on the singr idea of the Material and Metaphysical ne. He touched his heart, wearing a bright smile: "It''s not ough I connect to the Etherial ne or the Material ne¡­ I needed to build a mtal connection with both.

    My body shall connect to the material ne and my mind to the Etherial. How did I miss something so rudimtary? Mana isn''t something only for the mind toprehd. It''s something my body needs to experice."

    [Ding]

    [Insight of Mana Gained]

    [Mana Maniption[F] aquired]

    [Ding]

    [Due to your massive level of knowledge regarding Mana Maniption, users'' proficicy has begun to change.]

    [Mana Maniption [F¡ú E]

    Proficicy: 5%

    Altair wildly grinned as Mana began to surge through his Mana Roots beath his will. Directing his Mana in the way Luna had instructed. The Prince felt the Circle of Gluttony speed up as a small domain began to form a him. No more than five meters wide, all the Mana a the Prince began to be drained into his Circle, refilling his half-empty Circle.

    Reina watched with fascination and th dread as she watched Altair point his sword yet again at the Chimera, chanting its spell.

    [Infernal Bane]

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 0%]

    Proficicy: 8% ¡ú 38%

    Once again, the Sword of Tormt began to form and fell above the Serpt''s skull, already bonded by Infernal Bane. Gold shards of light washed the realm in a great array of light that lit the woods aze.

    Sparks of a deadly light fueled by Mana exploded, sting everyone away in a blinding sh of light as the spell failed to activate, exploding due to insufficit conctration and Mana. Altair and Ria shrieked over the g like rag dolls, coughing up mouthfuls of blood as heat blisters scarred their flesh.

    Popping his head up as his body embedded itself into the trunk of arge stinel tree after a few minutes, Altair groaned, trying to find Reina. Everything had happed so fast. But as his vision began to refocus from its earlier darkness, the Prince could only suck in arge breath at the state of the forest.

    As if an atomic bomb had be set off, all that remained was a charcoal abyss of ash and death.

    Panic invaded the Prince''s mind as he tumbled to the g, falling to a knee. He looked a, still somewhat dazed. "Ria!'' He called, his head spinning with a ringing noise. "Ria!"

    Reinay t on her back about a meter behind him, blood leaking from her nose. She popped her head up with great effort, her ears filled with the same noise as the boy ahead of her. Unsure what was happing, she dizzily looked down at the wreckage of her burnt flesh. She tilted her head, staggering up as blood erupted from her lips.

    "Six¡­ Six brok ribs." She muttered, wiping away the blood. She staggered to Altair, pressing her arm onto his shoulder as if to support herself. "You¡­ Ok?"

    Relief came quickly over the Prince. He nodded. " Yeah. I didn''t get hit that hard. You?"

    "A few brok bones." She passively answered, betrayed by the blood leaking from her eyes, nose, and mouth. But Altair wouldn''t point that out. It wasn''t the time. "You see the Chimera?"

    Altair shook his head wh suddly a notification popped up.

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 5%]

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by 5%]

    Proficicy: 38% ¡ú 48%

    "No, but it''s alive." He answered. " Infernal Bane is still active." He coughed into his palm, finding blood through the ash staining his vision. "I messed up. I did not think his spell would explode."

    "It was a tier two spell." Reina weakly said. She shook her head, reaching into her tunic and pulling out a cracked vial. She cursed but swallowed the ruby-red liquid. Altair did the same.

    [Balm of Healing Consumed]

    Embellishing in the cool heat baring down on their withered bodies, the duo did not bother to look for the Chimera. Rather, they slowly retreated to the base to treat their wounds. Artemis had giv them two days. And not ev a day had passed since.

 Chapter 50: Infernal Lightning

    The Earth trembled beath the feet of the Aros m, sding them into a state of alertness. On the day''s journey ahead of them, they could see arge pir of gold light paint the skies alongside the roar of a lion. The beast sounded wounded. And despite the distance, Tania could still hear the pain in its voice.

    "What the hell are they fighting?" Dillian said as the pir of light began to fade into nodes of light.

    "That was at least a Tier Two spell," Tania remarked grimly, her fist tighting. "No way it was the kids doing. It had to have be a monster."

    Dillian frowned. " Hammerhead¡­ Monsters that can cast are rare."

    "I know." She hissed. And she looked down at the message from the God Archeon. It was the first time a God had contacted her, the first time she''d se a message within the System. However, from what she knew, it never said ''Divine Sin.''

    "Do we¡­" Dillian started.

    "Shut up and let me think," Tania demanded, clching her fist so tight she nearly peeled the skin off her palm. She red at the message.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' smiles and is willing to offer help for a price]

    She sucked in a deep breath and whispered. "What is the price?"

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' smiles deeped and is willing to grant thee power for the price of Altair''s head.]

    Tania''s expression paled to that of a ghost as she trembled, stepping away from her team for a minute.

    "I¡­ I can''t kill him it''s¡­"

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' is willing to grant you the power of Infernal Lightning and change your appearance for a mere promise.]

    "A promise?" She stammered.

    [Ding]

    Infernal Lightning [D~SSS]

    Attribute: Infernal, Lighting

    Description: Found only in the Nine Hells, Infernal Lightning is the strongest variant of the Elemt of Lightning, possessing no equal in terms of destruction. Capable of striking down gods with ease. Due to its power, Infernal Lighting will be passed down through blood.

    Tania gulped hard. She''d never se such a powerful skill, nor did she know any that was capable of going past the limit of ''S Rank.'' Not ev the originator of House Aros had ever made his Phoix me reach A Rank.

    ''With this¡­'' she thought, sucking in a long breath of air: " With this¡­ I might be able to join the main branch.''

    "I ept¡­ I ept!" She shouted, but no response came. "Hello!" she called through despair. " Hello!

    [Divine Sin, Archeonughs at your bravery]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Resting for twelve hours, allowing the snow to numb their wounds, Altair nced at Ria, sleeping softly. He couldn''t find sleep today. Not that he minded. Sleep was something he wasn''t very fond of. ''Why sleep wh meditation offers more?'' He''d oft ask his Big Sis throughout the night.

    From the momt Altair had discovered how to manipte Mana, he fell in love with the cool array of ergy coursing through his Mana Roots, or Meridians as Luna oft called it, to set in her ways to change.

    The ergy he held was calm and far more pure than it was on the outside. He hadn''t noticed it before, but while the outside Mana was pltiful, it was tainted with impurities. He could only imagine how impure Earth wascking in quantity and quality.

    "Nevertheless," he smoothly said, with a bright grin. " Not only does Infernal Bane no longer take half my mana, but I can finally use Dark Moon de."

    A/N: Stats in Chapter 6

    Altair childishly grinned with butterflies in his stomach. He brushed his fingers across Reina''s cheeks with a giddy smile, stirring her awake. "R, it''s time. Wake up." The Young Nephilm moaned, peeping her pale eyes op. She stuck her tongue out, turning away from the Prince.

    "Lemmie, sleep."

    "The Chimera is probably half dead, you know. Can you imagine all the food we''ll be able to eat?" Altair mtioned. "All we''ve be eating is snake jerky. I don''t know about you, but I''ve never had a chimera."

    "... It''s poison, you know." Reina kindly reminded him, turning back to him. Wrapped from head to toe in bandages like Altair, she pursed her plump lips, annoyed.

    "Th I guess I''m dying because I''m sick of eating snakes." He argued, lifting her into his arms princess style. He smiled. " Shall we? Or are you too injured?"

    "... I''m good, just tired," Reina said through a weary yawn. "I still have a few brok bones that still need healing, but I can fight. That said¡­" And she grinned. " Carry me there. I am your super weapon."

    "I can use Mana now, you know." Altair reminded her.

    "And I''ve never used Mana to fight you." She countered, grinning foolishly. She closed her eyes, releasing another yawn.

    The Prince was amused. "Oh really." He tighted his grip a her, pulling her closer to him. "Th shall we have a match?"

    "After the hunt," Reina promised him, peeping her icy eyes op, consumed with a challging gleam.

    The twoughed for a bit. Altair ced her back down, knowing he could not lift her and her greatsword, Ice. Reina knew it, too, as she hopped up, giving her numb muscles a flex. She lifted Ice to her back and nodded to Altair.

    "Let''s go."

    Returning to the sce of the crime in a matter of half an hour, Altair and Reina said nothing at the pure devastation as they made their way towards arge crater over t meters long, still blistering with heat and ash. At the cter, Reina rested her eyes upon the head of the serpt that appeared as if its head had be blown off.

    "Master¡­ Can you put this snake head into your dimsional storage?" She asked, not waiting for an answer. She turned to Altair, focused on the tracks of the wounded Chimera stepping out of the wreckage.

    "It''s heading back to the Heart tree," Altair said, ncing in the direction the Chimera chased him hours ago. He nced up at the grey skies with a peculiar thought in mind. "Reina¡­ yesterday we saw smoke a two-day journey away. A day without sleep or rest. Shorter if spells are involved."

    "You think they''ll attack while we fight the chimera?" Reina inquired, frowning. She nced in the direction of the smoke still billowing into the skies. "It''s not like they wouldn''t know our location. Do you want toy an ambush?"

    "No¡­ I don''t think we''ll be able to defeat them." The Prince admitted. "I''m sure they st one of their elites, fully equipped with various tech. We''ll stand no chance. For now, let''s keep up the hunt. One problem at a time."

    Ria stared at him oddly. "Your lying. I think you are nning something."

    The Prince gave her a short, mischievous smile: "We''ll see. After all, the Gods can''t be trusted."

 Chapter 51: Artemis

    Mooning within her gard untouched by man or God for years, kept by nature itself, Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, found herself staring into the crystal pond. She ran her fingers through long, silky snow- hair that trailed over her supple figure. A fond smile touched her tder lips as she stared at the image of the young boy, barely a man.

    The boy showed a mischievous grin as he said: ""We''ll see. After all, the Gods can''t be trusted."

    She covered her mouth, giggling at his antics: "He is definitely the child of a God. I wonder who made such a silly thing." She rolled over the grass, finding a sse of calm within her forest. Wh a stirred countless parsecs away turned her eyes sharp, she stood up, ssing a presce within her dominion. It was a force of power she''d recognize almost immediately as her lips sank to disgust.

    "Hephaestus¡­ That bloody rapist." Artemis cursed. She stood to her feet, ready to drive an arrow through his skull. But held back. Zeus had forbidd battle among the Gods long ago. She sneered and pulled at the snow- bracers lined with spun gold and vanished where she stood, appearing before the God of Fire.

    Hephaestus was tall, nearly measuring up to some giants standing nearly eight feet tall. His body, while muscr, was lined with scars that would not heal and blisters that would not fade. His skull was disproportionate, showing areas that were elongated while others were short and stubby.

    "I will not warn you again, Hephaestus," Artemis said with such visible disgust that Hephaestus''s expression that lit up at the sight of her turned sour like milk.

    "Sister¡­" The God said.

    "Why have you touched upon my dominion," Artemis demanded. She was never one to conversate amongst her brethr. Artemis had found sce in solitude. The Gods had all disgusted her. They were monsters who cared for little, much less showed respect for her dominion.

    Hephaestus wyrly smiled. "Our Lord Father has emerged from¡ª"

    "Is that it?" Said Artemis coldly, her words as sharp as a razor''s edge. "I''ve long severed my ties to Olympus. Ev going so far as to offer up my divinity to Lord Khaos. He rejected my proposal, allowing me to leave without fault. Leave me be."

    "Artemis¡­ Zeus is our father."

    "Fathers don''t try to rape their daughters. Fathers don''t allow their sons to attempt to rape their sisters." She spat, measuring the man with vom in her eye. "Were it not for the fact I want nothing to do with Olympus, I''d have driv an arrow through your eye."

    The God of Fire chuckled. " Sister¡­ I thought you''d like it. Nothing wrong with a good fuck every now and th. And it''s not like I''m a stranger." He waved off her concern, taking a step forward over space, stopping as a sliver of blood trailed down his throat. The God of Fire froze, tsing up, unsure wh Artemis had drawn her spear or wh it touched his throat. But he could feel Death''s kiss.

    "Another step¡­ And I''ll peel you alive," warned "Artemis, peering past the God of Fire to the vast sea of stars glistering with wonder. She had paid a dear price for her dominion, costing her nearly half her fortune. The Blood of Filth was thest thing she wanted her dominion to experice. The death of a god was never without a price.

    Hephaestus pulled back, clching his throat with a dryugh. "Father wants to see you."

    "Father¡­ isn''t the God he once was," Atrimis said, dismissing her spear back into the voids. She sneered. "He''s nothing more than a cheap imitation brok by those of the Nine Hells. He should honestly just kill himself and be done with it. It would be a mercy."

    "You don''t mean that," Hephaestus said with agitation; he puffed his chest out, trying to make himself seem formable.

    Artemis nearly hurled. "I''ve no interest in the affairs of Olympus. Fuck off."

    "Sister¡ª"

    Silvery Spear light shrieked over the void as Artemis''s spear trembled with radiance. Blood pooled through the confines of space as the shredded pieces of Hephaestus''s arm aimlessly floated about.

    Pain roiled from out of the God of Fire''s throat as he screamed. Hurdling curses towards the Goddess of the Hunt.

    "I won''t miss again," Artemis said, pointing her spear towards Hephaestus. "You tell Zeus he can fuck right off back to the Nine Hells. He nor any of the Olympian gods have dominion over me. Like Hades, I am free."

    "Artemis! You ruthless bitch! Don''t you understand! The new Gods want us dead! They are aiming for the Council of Omnis!" Hephaestus roared, clching his blooded stub. " We are all dead if we don''t unite."

    Artemisughed, bellowing with a wild, awe-inspiring smile that once caught the God of mes eye. " The New Gods, you say! Ha! Do you think the Old Gods care? Not one has hit the Omnis Ranking. They are merely cannon fodder for Arcadia or the Lords of Hell." She turned.

    "Leave my home and never return. Olympus and I are done."

    She vanished in a wisp of light, emerging within her forest with a long-expression. Artemis yawned, falling beside a crystal clearke, portraying the obsidian-haired boy. She grinned once more, reaching into the water to pinch his chubby cheeks only to purse her lips.

    "I wonder if helping is the right thing." The Goddess of the Hunt asked herself. She had discovered the boy only a few months ago in passing, portraying a swordsmanship meant for High Ranked Gods. Yet here it was in the hands of a child barely able toprehd its debts. A feat that st chills down her spine.

    It was a well-known fact that wh one grows in power, theirprehsion bes stronger, allowing them to learn techniques on their own level. However, Altair was differt. Grave of Night was something that stood on the precipice of all talt. And the Momt Artemis saw the boy''s immature sword strokes, she knew how dangerous Altair was.

    The boy wasn''t a god, possessing no divinity nor the physique of one, much less the soul of a god. He was a mortal. Nevertheless, he was easily wielding the technique of a God, one Artemis couldn''t imitate despite watching him for months.

    The Goddess sighed. " What monster gave birth to such a treasure?" she traced her finger over his reflection and touched her stomach. "And should I have a child? I''m sick of the constant fighting and schemes betwe gods and mortals fueled by the Lords of Hell. I wish to raise a child." She moaned, kicking herself back onto the grass. " But should I adopt?

    Should I make one? I''m not into sex. So I''ll have to find an alternative. Ahhh~"

    Lost in thought, Artemis suddly pulled herself up to the image of Altair. " Well¡­ Let''s see if I can raise you before making any big decisions." She grinned, bearing a fang over her lip. " I''ve decided. Altair¡­ you will be my adopted child. My trial child." She giggled. "I''m so smart!"

 Chapter 52: The Lure

    Through the rustle of the bushes, Altair moved. He had snow on his hair, melting from the heat of his body, that trailed down his chin. His heart was hammering with each passing second as he approached the Hunt.

    Reina covered her nose. "What is that smell?" she grimaced,ing to a halt just within sight of the Hearth tree a few hundred meters away. "It smells worse than rott meat."

    The Prince agreed wordlessly. He bt a knee, gesturing for Reina to shadow him. He pointed towards the shadow ahead, towards the beast gorging its fangs into its palm, pulling meat from the bone as though it were nothing. Its tail that, once held the head of the serpt, was now a blistering mass of puss, ready to pop at the slightest provocation.

    The Chimera gave a whimpered roar, his once serine eyes festering a deep gue of Madness. Its tire body appeared beat, littered with scorched marks reaching the bone. The blood was ck as ink and thick as glue.

    "That is disgusting," Reina remarked, covering her mouth. "My blood did this? Fascinating."

    Altair smirked, ncing her way, amused. "Really. I didn''t know something could be both disgusting and fascinating."

    "The Chimera is eating itself. Imagine the pain it''s in, Alt. Sured by so many injuries, yet all it does is eat its w." She pointed out as if to take notes. "And that blood¡­ Look at the grass. It''s wilting as if touched by death."

    The boy''s gaze swayed to the grass beath the Hearth tree, to the wilted gre spotted with the ebony dot. Altair stared hard at the grass dying right before his very eyes. It st a chill down his spine. It wasn''t the first time he had se death, much less something as insignificant as dying grass, yet the closer he watched, the greater his sse of unease grew.

    ''Ria''s blood was death.'' He told himself, wanting to push down such thoughts. But the more he stared at the grass, slowly bing overwhelmed by the ebony spots, the more he began to grasp.

    "Do we strike?" Reina asked.

    "That was the n, but¡­" Altair said after a momt, stopping short as his eyes swayed towards the east. He smiled a dark smile befitting that of a monster. " Seeing it so mad and brok¡­ It''ll be a waste not to put such madness to good use.

    "Ah," Reina smiled. "So, a battle royal."

    "The Chimera is still full of ergy. It might be mad, but its power is still real." Altair told her, backing away. "You are still ignorant of how humans back on earth fight."

    "And how do you suppose we lure them out? We don''t ev know how far away they are?" Reina remarked, cing her palm over her waist.

    "Our previous location was already discovered due to that st," Altair said. "For now¡­ let''s make a fire."

    "Eh?"

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    Footsteps heavy by winter''s snow, Tania clched her arms together, trembling as the piercing snow peeled away her will. She shuddered, painfully ncing back to her m, trying her best to remain indiffert. She was their leader and could not show weakness.

    "No fucking way kids are surviving here." Dillian harshly cursed through chattered teeth. "I can literally feel my balls crawling back up inside me. How are your balls, Hammerhead?"

    "I''m a woman¡­"

    "No shit¡­ but you seem to have more balls than me," Dillian fearlessly said, crackling withughter, trying to bring a smile to her face. The two had spt over fourte years together, raised by the Aros branch family.

    "Yeah. Yeah. Laugh it up." Tania indiffertly mused, pausing wh a shadow flickered in front of her.

    On one knee, Vada, a captain of the ck Scourge, appeared, bowing his head: " I''ve spotted a fire in the direction of a st from earlier."

    "ETA?"

    "A day in a half at full speed," Vadamted, his appearance masked by his helm, but his voice was cold,cking a humanity most humans held.

    Tania felt her stomach jitter with butterflies. She reached into her backpack, picking out a particr parchmt. "We''ll all use a Haste Scroll."

    Dillian''s brow shot up: "So early?" He voiced with surprise. "Don''t you think we should hold off till we actually find Altair, and you know¡­ he tries to run before we use the Haste Scroll. We only have one each."

    "No. The Serpts Outreach is one of the biggest dungeons the Aros families have. Tracking them might take us months, if not longer. We can''t give up this opportunity." She exined, tearing the scroll. "Ready your Shield Belt!"

    Emerald light swelled a her as well as the several shadows hidd from in sight that each began to follow her order. Dillian watched, cursing under his breath wh he saw Vada kick off his feet wrapped in the same emerald light as everyone else. He followed, tearing at the Haste Scroll in his possession.

    In one breath, Tania felt her body move as if blessed by the winds, allowing it to reach inhuman levels of speeds. She blitzed through the forest, her appearance blurred by an outline of emerald nodes.

    Through the icy winds that refused to touch her form beath her blessing, flickers of scarlet swelled through her eyes. Wh Ash came quick in the hour that passed, sinking into her pupils, a roiling heat pressed against her face.

    "What¡­ what is this?" She shouted,ing to a halt before therge fire zing through the forest. Sweat slipped from brow onto her uniform. "Vada¡­ Exin. I¡ª"

    "ALTAIR!!!!" Shouted a panic-filled cry. The voice was clear and well behind the fire.

    Through her Nerulink, via the NAV. Tunan expression turned to panic. " SAVE HIM!!!! JUMP INTO THE FIRE!!!"

    Tania''s expression fell, and without hesitation, she reached for the Shield Belt on her waist. Suddly, a protective hexagonal bubble sprang, sizzling with an electrical field. Tania lept into the mes.

    "Crazy bitch!" Shouted Dillian, following after her with his Shield Belt active.

    Fire zed over the shields, shrinking their size as they emerged on the other side to a massive beast foaming at the mouth. Bearing rows of teeth at them. Confusion followed by panic sank in wh arge t-meter magical circle materialized out of Mana Nodes.

    "Where is he?" Dillian demanded, ncing a, but all he saw was the sinking wreckage of fire and ash.

    "Can''t you see!" Tania shouted, with a thick voice shrieking across her jaw. "Do you see Altair?! It''s a trap, you idiot! Separate! All of you!"

    Suddly, the goat head released a great roar, shining a blue light over thend. Mana gathered into the Chimera, shrieking from over the horizon and moon.

    "MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!!!!"

    In a matter of seconds, the fire throughout the forest began to shrink to that of embers as a cold gust of air fell onto Heav and Earth. Layers of frost gathered over the Aros soldiers as they began to move.

    [Frigid]

 Chapter 53: The Birth of a Demon I

    Altair shuddered as the uing force of mana swept through his eyes. He had counted a team of sevte armed with various guns, shield belts, and armor. Each of them held at least a single circle and were all skilled. Nevertheless, the momt Altair and Ria saw the magical Circle appear above the head of the goat, their legs kicked off the surface of the g.

    As if guided by natural instincts and nothing else, the duo leaped as high into the air as hundreds of shards of ice began to tear through the earth-like pirs towering over heav and earth within a range of two miles.

    A howl of a mad beast bellowed over the heavs, deafing the forest devoid of life.

    "SHIT!!!!!!" Reina squealed, clinging to a shard of ice piercing up from the earth with her greatsword over thirty meters in the air. Fear roiled through her heart as she cursed yet again. Beside her, Altairy,ughing, his sword also piercing into the shard of ice. That''s not funny! We almost died!''

    The Prince fearlessly grinned. "It''s a little funny. What a rush."

    Reina red. " Your sick, you know that! If we didn''t jump in time, we¡ª" She stopped trembling as she nced at the sce of icy beauty stretching out for miles. Cracks suddly began to fester through the pir of ice, and in a blink of an eye. It shattered, twistin'' into fragmts that glistered through the skies.

    "AAAAAAhhhh~" Falling towards the g, Reina squealed, twisting her small body; she rolled just as her feat graced the g, tumbling into a pile of snow while Altair followed in suit.

    "That was fun." He said, peeping his head up.

    "No¡­ It really wasn''t." She protested, staggering up, patting the snow off her trousers. Reina gave a twirl, checking for injuries and th to the devastation a them. Frigid had only be a tier two spell, yet the level of destruction it brought could destroy a vige or small town in the blink of an eye.

    Trees that stood for hundreds of years seemed no more than shredded twigs that gathered inrge clusters.

    Altair shook his head, admiring the Chimera''s work briefly before deciding to return to the battlefield. He could hear the sounds of gunfire crackling over the roars of m and beasts. His eyes swelled with impatice as he kicked off. In a matter of minutes, the Prince''s lips curled upward at the five m, and the woman remained the only one standing. Their bodies were battered and beat.

    Wet with the blood of one another. A their bodies, the shield belt flickered bearly, unable to remain stable.

    "What''s that?" Reina was the first to ask, pointing at the bubble a Tania and her m.

    "It''s called a shield belt. It''s usually used to eliminate electrical beams and mana fields." He exined. "But it can also somewhat block swords and spears.

    "Like Shadow Cage."

    Altair nced at her, finding a smile. " Yes. Some call it the bane of spellcasters. Although, if you cast a strong ough spell like the Chimera''s, you can destroy the shield, as you see now. Their shield belt is running low on ergy." he slid his eyes to the roaring beast, cleaving his palm down towards Dillian, who bore the brunt of the attack with his ive.

    Webs of cracks splintered the g as the ooze from the Chimera''s blood shrieked over his face. The Prince grinned evilly.

    "Two down¡­"

    Reina nced at him. "I didn''t know you were so cruel."

    "Cruel, you say?" He nced at her, resisting the urge to scuff, much less reveal his disdain. "You didn''t see what I saw in the factory. You didn''t see that utter madness." His gaze returned to the battle as he took a seat, gettingfortable amidst the destruction.

    Blow after blow shook the earth, splinting the air as the artillery of the ck Schurge carried hammered against the Chimera, shattering its scales. While Tania and Dillian, wielding their cold weapons, confronted the beast head-on. Covering themselves in the ck ooze in a sea of desperation.

    They battled with all they had, struggling to break through the tough flesh of the monstrosity to no avail.

    Drillian roared, covering his ive in Phoix mes, and drilled his ive towards the beast''s eye. Hope shed through his heart, but with a bellowous cry, a shockwave propelled the young lion off his feet, sding him tumbling through the snow. By the time he stood up, his mind was dazed from the blow and coughing up blood.

    Wh suddly, the beast ignored Tania and lunged at him, noting the sublime opportunity.

    Tearing through the flesh on his chest with a swipe of the ws, Drillion roared in pain. Blood gushed from out of his eyes and mouth as his body skidded over the g. The Chimera lion''s eyes glowed as mes gathered in its mouth once more.

    Tania screamed. " USE A DIVINE SCROLL!!!!" Hopeful her cry would meet the members of the ck Scourge. Her heart was relieved wh Vada leaped towards Dillian, gripping a scroll of divine protection. A cone-shaped st bellowed through the wreckage of the forest, melting the snow into a domain of magma and mes.

    As the mes dimmed, Tania''s expression paled as shemted the sight of a corpse dissipating to ash before her eyes. She screamed, racing towards the hell pit. "Dillian!!!! DILLIAN!!!"

    "Ma''am," One of the four remaining members of the ck Scrouge urged, racing to her side as the remaining member drew fire. "We must retreat. We¡ª"

    "AAAAAAAAAAAH~"

    Hearing the cries of his brothers as their arms and legs were torn from their bodies, he continued. "We must retreat. Now!"

    "Fuck that!" Dillian barked, staggering to his feet with over half his face ck as charcoal, bearly surviving due to Vada''s, who managed to activate the scroll in time. Rage filled his eyes as the mana in his circle torched his tire body, cing a great strain away at his Mana Roots.

    Phoix mes zed like a storm from his flesh as Dillian leaped off the g. His lion-like features shrieked over the battlefield, wielding his ive as he crashnded in the preupied Chimera.

    [Phoix Form I]

    Description: Amplify stats by .5x

    The Monstrosity roared in pain, pushed back dozs of meters as it turned to its foe. Its bloodshot eyes glistered a madness. The Chimera bore its ck-stained fangs to Drillian.

    From a distance, Altair stood up and nced at Tania. " She seems to be the leader¡­ but she hesitates." and his gaze swayed to Dillian. " And he is going to die because of it."

    The Prince''s left eye slowly glowed with power.

    [Ding]

    Name: Tania Aros [Poisoned]

    ss: Knight Lv 3, [???]

    Bloodline: Phoix

    Str: 4

    Dex:

    Con: 4

    Wis:

    Cha:

    Mana: 5

    Skills: [Swordsmanship (F)], [Phoix me (F)], [Engineering (F)], [Archery (F)], [Infernal Lightning (D)], [Shield(F)], [Phoix Form I (F)]

    ''With my currt strgth, I''ll be unable to easily cut through her skin.'' The Prince thought, ncing down at his sword; he pursed his lips. "But what''s disturbing is that¡­ Infernal Lightning. How''s it at D-Tier?''

    "What are you waiting for!" Drillian howled, shing his ive against the Chimera fangs. Ember sprang over his charred flesh as his body began to noticeably fail him. He was losing strgth and mana fast. "Attack!!!!"

    Gritting her teeth till coppery sweetness slipped from her gums, Tania lifted two fingers towards the chimera; she whispered: " Infernal Lightning."

 Chapter 54: The Birth of a Demon II

    Duke Garel had be frowning for months at the news of a child invading his domain. It was not something that had be done since Blue Cosmos had bombed his home decades ago, leaving nothing but wreckage in their wake. He had learned a lesson of ignorance th. One he felt he failed to instill in the new geration.

    To leave a dungeon unattded, ev the weakest amongst House Aros assets, was undoubtedly a crime in itself, one he saw as a failure on not just his part but the tire family. But today, he was frowning for a new reason with the rare evolution of a dungeon that hasn''t happed in over sev decades.

    And as time progressed, the edges of his lips continued to droop as he stared through Tainia''s eyes using the NAV towards the monstrosity that hadid dormant in the Serpt''s Outreach. His fingers clched over his desk, alerting him to the dangers of the unknown.

    "How did we miss this¡­" The Duke demanded.

    Viscountess Mar pressed her palm over his shoulder to calm his turbult emotions. "Red Dungeons bring about changes we can''t imagine. This is one of them, my Lord."

    "She right, Sire." The Master of Swords affirmed. "And it''s not like we have capable m with experice to search this dungeon. Most of the m within the Outreach were ves." he sighed. " Perhaps that was our mistake."

    "Perhaps," Mar said. "But there is no use reflecting over spilled milk. What''s done is done."

    "Aye." The Duke whispered, rxing his palm beath the Viscountess''s grip. He leaned back into his chair with a deep sigh fluttering over his fiery beard. "That kid got us. We were so hasty we forgot he was a normal kid."

    "Normal is putting it lightly." The Master of swords rebutted. "Look at the wounds on the beast. Most of that damage was not done by our people."

    The Viscountess scuffed. " Surely you don''t believe Altair did it? That is utter nonsse."

    "Is it?" Said the Master of Swords, closing his eyes. "Th tell me what could have caused it? Another beast? Do those scars seem like a Monster caused them?"

    Viscountess seethed where she stood. "It''s still far fetch. Really far fetch."

    "As far fetch as your son receiving aid from a God?" The Master of Swords asked, arching a smile. "Or is it¡ª"

    "Enough." The Dukemanded, his atttion focussing on the intse battle. His voice turned hard. "This is not the time. Right now, we have a couple of assets in danger. Assets we''ve trained since birth. How long does it take to raise one such as Dillian?

    A few hundred thousand? Have them re¡ª"

    His words came to a swift, heavy halt at the movemt of Tania''s two fingers. He nearly rose through his feet at the scarlet arcs of lightning that traced her fingers. Fear coiled like a vicious snake on his heart as sweat dripped from his brow down his neck.

    "Infernal Lightning," She said.

    Everything had happed so fast from the instance that the slippery arc of death left her fingers from the shockwave that turned the ck Scorge member beside her to a mist with the shockwave alone. To the beam of light that tore a hole the size of a cannonball through the chimera''s chest.

    "Aidios!!" The Master of Swords blurted out.

    A/N: Aidios is an Angel of Heav, which means eternal

    "What manner of God blessed her with¡­ this." The Viscountess blurted out. "No¡­ What''s going on? First Laros now¡­ Tania, of all things? A low-grade asset is receiving aid from a god!"

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ck Ooze drched the snow, leaving only the whimper of the Chimera to echo its cry beath the moon''s glow.

    Dillian turned his head to Tania, shell-shocked at what happed, and his mind wt nk at the deformity before his eyes. As if her arm had be inverted, gaining tumor-shaped masses throughout her right arm carrying elongated purple veins sprawled about. A desperate cry drched his spine with cold sweat. No longer did Tania look remotely human but rather an abomination.

    "CUT IT OFF, CUT IT OFF!!!" She howled, iling back and forth like a mad demon. "PLEASE!!!" She begged, bleeding from every orifice. "Please. Please!"

    "How fun¡­ I really got two birds with one stone." A child-like voice echoed through the battlefield, colder than a winter''s breeze billowing against their flesh. Altair stepped out with Reina by his side, smiling. "Infernal Lightning sure does pack a price, doesn''t it." He shook his head, approaching the Chimera, whimpering without strgth.

    He looked at the only two left.."Are you two here to bring me back?"

    "...why," Dillian whispered, staggering backward to Tania. Blow leaked from his mouth as his overtaxed body began to break down with a heavy bacsh.

    Altair grinned. "Infernal Bane," he chanted, allowing the Two des of Tormt to plunge into the Chimera. The beast''s whimpers wt silt as the ck ooze leaking from its body only seemed to pool a him.

    [Infernal Bane [F] proficicy has increased by %]

    Proficicy: 48% ¡ú 58%

    [All Stats have dropped by 50%]

    He nced at Reina, whose hair slowly began to transition into a sea of scarlet upon activation of Infernal Rage. The Young Nephilim grinned and plunged her sword through the brain of the Goat and Lion in quick session before her chantmt could ravage her body likest time.

    [DING]

    [Lunar Chimera Felled. Exp Gained]

    [You''ve Leveled Up]

    [You''ve Leveled Up]

    [Mission Completed]

    "Oh! Two level-up!" Altair cheerfully announced as mana anointed him its king. A rustle of power pulsed off the duo''s bodies as they settled into there there new abilities in a matter of seconds. The Prince pped his hands. "Honestly, this was going to be a difficult fight. But at least I would have be able to try some new skills, but you two ruined it."

    "Art¡­ be done with it already." Reina moaned, stabbing Ice into the g to keep her standing. She had only activated Infernal Rage briefly, yet it had drained her of everything.

    He nodded and approached Dillian calmly. "Guess I''ll try it out on you."

    "No¡­ please¡­ I didn''t do anything." Dillian pleaded, coughing up blood, fear unlike anything he''d expericed weighing on his mind like a mountain.

    Altair oped his palm towards the injured knight, spewing blood too weak to ev run. The moon behind him quivered as if called upon by a greater force. Its light shattered into fragmts, congealing into a sword shimmering into a silvery light that slowly began to be stained with darkness, ck as the deepest pit of hell.

    [Dark Moon de]

    [Dark Moon de Proficicy will increase by times two beath the Moons Radice.]

    [Dark Moon de Proficicy has increased by 5%]

    [Multiplier: x]

    [Proficicy 0% ¡ú %]

    "I just keep winning," Altair muttered, pointing towards Dillian wh a wisk of moonlight shrieked through the air, cutting through the speed barrier with ease; a frown marred the Prince''s face as an arm flew through the air. Painting the hungry snow a beautiful red, the Prince tilted his head. "Oh, it''s a little harder to control than I thought. Damn. At least the mana output is small.

    It''s really small. Nice! One more time."

    Howling at the top of his lungs, clching the stub of his arms, Dillian begged for his life, howling at the top of his lungs with all he had. Tears shrieked down his face, freezing under the moonlight, bringing a coldnessparable to the eighthyer of hell.

    Altair flicked his finger through the air again and cursed as a leg flew off. "Damn it!"

    [Dark Moon de Proficicy has increased by 5%]

    [Multiplier: x]

    [Proficicy % ¡ú 0%]

    "Again"

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~"

    "One more time!"

    "AAAAHH~~"

    "Bro¡­ stay alive¡­ One more time. I promise I''ll kill you with this next swing. Oops¡­ One more time."

    Carving through Dillian till only shredded meat and the scarlet glow of the system notification remained. Altair sighed angrily.

    [Dillian Aros Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Circle of Gluttony Has Devoured Soul of Drillian Aros]

    [Soul Storage: /]

    [ve Knight Kirr, Soul Absorption 8 days remaining]

    [Dillian Aros, Soul Absorption 4 days remaining]

    "Looks like I''ll need some major practice. Thankfully, there is another here." The Prince giggled innoctly, his smile wet with blood. He turned to Tania and stepped to her. The dark moon de trailed after him like a loyal knight, hovering through the air with a soft hum.

    He stared at the brok girl, bearin'' no gleam of humanity a child should wield. "Are they watching?" He asked, bding down to her spasaming expression. He pointed to her dted pupils. "I hope they are."

    "Kill me~" Tania pleaded, lost in the cruel bacsh Archeon had not told her about.

    "Nope." The Prince said, startling everyone watching. Heughed. "Nothing to gain killing you now." He leaned close, his scarlet eye gleaming a chilling insight. "You made a deal, didn''t you? I wonder what god you prayed to."

    Tania shuddered, the icy winds petrating her bones, leaving only a numbness that burned like fire. She clched her teeth. Wh, without rhyme or reason, Altair stabbed his sword through her deformed arm, watching as she squealed like a pig.

    "Give me a name." He said, gorging his sword through the base of her palm. Puss and the same ck ooze within the Chimera gushed out, drching thend with sin as she howled.

    [Divine being, ''Titan Fall'' frowns at your cruelty.]

    [Divine being, ''She Who Hunts'' is impressed.]

    The Prince twisted his de through her palm, trching his tunic with tainted blood. He stared at her, not losing his smile as slowly but surely the young man began to peel the young woman apart. From the skin on her arm to the very fingers she held till only her deste whimpers for mercy echoed beath the moon.

    "Archeon¡­ Archeon¡­," She cried, over and over.

    "Good." The Prince said, his voice now gtle as a lover. He wiped the sweat from her brow as she looked up with cloudy eyes. "Good job.Good Job. Now sleep for wh you wake. A new hell will await you. One where only Madness exists."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon roils withughter upon his Throne of Brimstone.]

    ****

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle: [Second Circle .%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 5 [First Awaking]

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:4

    Constitution:4--> 6

    Wisdom: -->4

    Charisma:  -->4

    Mana: 7

 Chapter 55: Sword of the Abyss

    Altair eyed the ck heart in his hand with fixation, having carved it from out of the Chimera. It was as big as his head, charred ck by poison.

    "Was it necessary to leave her alive?" Reina questioned from on top of his back. Shefortably rested her head over his hair, twirling it through her fingers bored ."Won''t shee after us if we leave her alive?"

    "I hope she does." He devilishly answered. "I killed her tire squad, tortured her, and left her for dead. Would you be sane after that?" Reina nudged his head siltly. "She''ll be driv mad, bing our shield."

    "Huh?"

    The Prince chuckled knowingly. " Just like how the Chimera was feasting on itself. I want Tania to be just as mad. Wh she wakes, her mind will be flustered by what I''ve done and what''s happed to her. The Aros family will call her back. And if I''ve done my job right.

    She''ll refuse. Tania will go rogue. And her life mission will be killing us."

    "So wh the Aros sds more people in¡­" Reina said, realizing his cruel n. " She''ll kill them, thinking only she has the right to kill you¡­ That¡­ That is¡ª"

    "Madness? What a scary ailmt." He teased, chuckling. " Yeah. But ev if I''m wrong. And Tania isn''t driv mad. She''ll be forced to return to the Aros Estate.

    Either way, we win. By the time we return to the Aros Estate, we''ll be stronger than her. So it doesn''t matter."

    Reina tighted her arms a the Prince''s neck, unsure what to say. What he''d done was cruel, so much so she couldn''t understand what she was feeling.

    That night, beath the dless stars glistering, Reina did not sleep despite being weaked by Infernal Rage. From the day she awoke from within the Factory, she''d felt something off about Altair. From the way he smiled to the way he spoke. It all made her skin crawl as if everything he said and did was a lie.

    She turned beath her nket, warmed by the crackled of the fire, to the young man half naked beath the snow, whisking his sword through the snowfall. Moonlight glistered off his sword in an igma of light, wrapped in a fine she of sweat. Her heart quicked, transfixed by the grace in which he moved, by the sheer focus held within each sword stroke that carried the temperamt of a serpt.

    She could see his half smile, sharp as the de that he carried. His eyes were cold as a frozke, carrying a depth. A level of insight that seemed to transcd her imagination.

    It frighted her. He frighted her, but as for why¡­ she did not know.

    Altair had be lost in thoughts of desperation. ''Power'' held itself fast within his mind with each swing of his sword. He had learned much today. From the scheme in which he employed to the tormt he inflicted. It had be so easy for him. Requiring nothing but the use of his mind.

    But he wasn''t in the least bit satisfied.

    Images flickered through his mind of Tania to the ssation his de carried through her flesh. It had felt as though he was cutting through raw meat. But the screams had made it seem so surreal. It didn''t sick him as he thought it might. From the momt he took his first life, Altair hadn''t felt anything. And what he''d done didn''t change anything.

    ''Was I human?'' He''d oft asked himself, a bitterness tracing his heart at the useless thought. ''What does it matter if I am not human? Father alluded I needed to be a demon to seed. A monster. Luna said I needed to smile. And mother¡­ Mother said I needed to be a king.''

    His de stopped through the air, smoldering an intse heat. Heughed, unable to grasp who he ev was anymore.

    ''Am I a serpt? A human. A God. A King. A Demon. A Devil?

    A Monster?'' Thoughts spiraling out of control, the Prince looked up towards the skies of the Serpt Outreach to the dless cluster of stars sprawled about like a fine mist.

    Heughed beath the snow melting against his burning face, lost. His eyes dimmed, losing their vibrant luster. And for the first time, Altair did not feel like a kid anymore. His chest felt heavy, and his heart ached. Unknowingly, tears gathered in his eyes, shrieking down his face onto his bare chest. He fell to his knee, wanting to ball, wanting to scream¡­ yet only a wild untamedughter echoed.

    Altair smiled at Heav and Earth, finding it was all he could do in his dless sea of misery.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy acknowledges your despair.]

    [Divine Being, ''PIercing Owl'' traces her finger over your mirrored image.]

    [Divine Being, ''Fall Titin'' sighs at the familiar pain.]

    The snow billowed over thend, over the silt Prince, petrating his bones, leaving only numbness and despair. The Princey there, finding nothing to hold onto. He closed his eyes. And wh he oped them, the panic had vanished, leaving a calm that shook the young girl watching. He stood up, eyes a profound abyss of despair and resolve.

    [Ding]

    [Path of the Sword Detected:]

    [Sword of Ice]

    [Sword of Darkness]

    [Sword of the King]

    [Sword of the Abyss]

    [Sword of Shadows]

    The Prince stared aimlessly a the virtual scre. He had no idea what any of this meant. They were merely words that held no meaning. Yet his fingers moved within a state of known that reached deep into his subconscious. Finding an answer for him as it had done so many times over.

    [Sword of the Abyss Selected]

    [Blood of the Abyss detected]

    [Shared Blood Betwe Myriad and Abyss detected.]

    [The Path of the Abyss is op to Altair]

    "More Words without meaning.'' The Prince said dryly, a regal disdain on the tip of his tongue.

    [DING]

    [Sword of the Abyss (SSS)]

    Type: Abyssal Aura

    Effect : All proficicy increases by x.

    Effect : Sealed

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    Description: Brok is the King, who stands before the Abyssal Night. Through Despair, the Sword of the Abyss shall appear.

    [Ding]

    [Swordsmanship (F) Learned]

    [Swordsmanship (F) ¡ª> Grave of Night (F) ]

    Wh, atst, the morning came, Altair unknowingly returned to himself in a sweat so cold goosebumps prickled his ash skin. He shuddered, nearly jolting out of the snow covering him like a snowman.

    Snot dripped from his nose as he crawled to the fire, glimpsing the smiling maid. Luna pinched his cheek. " I see you awoke an aura. How is it?"

    "How do you keep appearing and disappearing like that?" the Prince moaned as he tarred out his flesh by the fire, trembling.

    Luna giggled, pulling out some furs out of thin air. She wrapped him, allowing the boy to resemble a burrito."You didn''t miss me?"

    "Big Sis." the boy moaned, releasing a sneeze. He shot up, snot back into his nose, and huddled closer to the me.

    "Well?" Luna said with anticipation. "Do you like your Aura? Which one did you pick? Your Father hid the details from me. What grade is it? No, wait, how many effects do you have?

    Five? Four?"

    Altair tilted his head, ncing at his stats. He frowned. " Five? Is that a lot?" He asked, ying along.

    "ording to the new gods, yes," Luna said, grinning sheepishly. She pressed her fingers to her lips, her eyes gleaming with an unbeknownst seductive light. "That''s the mark of a supreme gius during this era. Although¡­" and her eyes narrowed. "Although, I''ve se a few that carry six effects."

    Altair debated whether he should keep his mouth shut. Weighing the pros and cons of his decision.

    "How''d I ev get this Aura?" He announced, biding his time.

    "Aura''s are usually gained through affinity or high-grade techniques like Grave of Night. Techniques that give you Aura right off the back are all B-Rank or Higher. So the earlier you have it, the better your future. Wh you be a God, they be Halo''s. But right now, it''s merely an aura." She exined, thinking for a momt. "However, High-Grade Techniques don''t always give you a set aura.

    You might be giv various options if your bloodline, talt, or soul is strong or unique. Although, the stronger the technique, the less chance of developing a unique or a good aura."

    "I see.'' he said, lifting his eyes to the skies. "What are the befits of telling you and the rest of the gods?"

    Luna smiled. " Blessing, weapons. Gods will fall to their knees in worship of you. But you''ll have emies. You''ll have so many emies you''ll be drowning in blood."

    "I could lie."

    Her smile deeped. "You''re still young, my child. You''ll not be able to fool the gods watching. You either speak the truth, don''t speak at all, or you give them a peak."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon frowns at Lunafreya''s involvemt.]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy chuckles, wishing you to reveal it all like a man.]

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' wishes you to be smart.]

    Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' clches her fist at your decision.]

    [Ding]

    [Hundreds of Gods have joined your livestream!]

    Altair nodded, standing in his furs. He looked to Luna. "I''ll give a peek." He said, bearing a devilish grin. "The first Effect of my Aura¡­ Grants me a times two multiplier proficicy on all skills without limit."

 Chapter 56: A Journey Alone

    Luna wt still as the dead at the boy''s words. Her shoulders trembled while her pupils contracted to a fine point. And an exultant hush rippled out amongst the gods watching. They, too, could not believe what they had just heard.

    "Can¡­ Can you repeat that?" She asked him.

    "No¡­" Altair mischievously stated, eyeing his chat that exploded with hundreds of thousands ofmts.

    [ Archeon: x Skill Points! That is Demon-level Battle Advancemt! No, it''s ev better!]

    [Daddy: My boy came from my balls with all my talt. Proud of you!]

    [Titan Fall: Does it work with spells too!]

    [She Who Hunts: Exp! Exp! Exp!]

    [Piercing Owl: Aura''s can be stacked. Holy shit, that''s OP!]

    [Bone Ripper: And that''s only the first effect. Imagine the second or third! Maybe ev fourth!]

    [ming Sword: Cap!!!! ]

    [Eyeing Truth: The Boy isn''t lying!]

    [Passion of Sorrow: Interesting]

    [Gold Pope: Who the hell is Daddy? Go fuck yourself!]

    [Daddy: Shut your pedophile ass up!]

    [Strahasad: If trained right. Altair might be a high ranker.]

    [Daddy: Bitch Please ~ ¨t(*¡ã¨Œ¡ã*)¨sMy son is reaching the Omnis Ranking. Anything less is an insult to my balls.]

    On and on, the chat continued, monitored by the Prince, who was grinning, knowing he''d gained the momtum he so craved. ''It''s only a matter of time before one of them delivers to me an offer.'' he told himself, joying the nk expression over his big sister. It wasn''t every day he saw her shellshock.

    Luna had be sure Altair didn''t grasp the level ofplexity that came with the first effect of his aura. That much, she was certain. What was delivered to the gods was no hint but an offering to salivate ev the greediest of gods. And it was th she knew she had made a mistake. ''Silce was a gift.'' that much she knew.

    She ran her fingers through his silky ck hair,bing it with gtle care. Marveling at the tder features he held. He felt fragile in her hands, like ss that could break at the slightest touch. "Good Job¡­ Little Brother. Are you ready to resume lessons?"

    "Do I have a choice?" He couldn''t help say.

    "You do," Luna said seriously. "I''ve never forced any of my studts to do anything. And you''ll be no differt. What do you want to do, Altair."

    The icy winternds of fresh dawn rustled against the young Prince. His long, silky jet ck hair fluttered wildly. He looked into her eyes, the coldness in his dissipating. "Really?"

    "I''m not your Master. I''m merely teaching you. And your T. A man by Earth standards. That''s a hell of a low age requiremt, by the way. What the hell happed to Earth?" She coughed into her palm.

    "But yes. Tell Big Sis what you want to learn."

    The young boy beamed. "I want¡­ I want to explore my power."

    "Oh?"

    Altair gazed at his palms. "I can finally sse Mana. And I feel like¡­ Like I''m finallying into my powers. I want to try necromancy. I want to learn more spells from my grimoire." He snapped his gaze up to meet her thralling eyes. " I want to grow my power!

    Can you teach me for real?"

    "No¡­" Luna coldly uttered, but she didn''t dare to disappoint her cute Prince. "But this world can. You know the basics. Go out and explore. You can survive on your own. So do so.

    One truly doesn''t know themselves until they are alone." She bt a knee, gazing at him as equals. "If you can''t survive being alone, you ar''t ready."

    "What about R!"

    "She has me to teach her. And she isn''t you, Altair." Luna said. "She has a firmer mind than you. She also suffered far longer. A spiritual journey like this would not do her any good. What she needs is structure, much like what you had growing up." The boy''s head dropped for the first time in months, and a warmth filled the Goddess''s heart.

    She cupped his cheek, kissing his head. "If you really want to grow. Spd a Year alone. If you can''t handle it three months."

    Altair pursed his lips, hesitant. He nced a the camp, finding Reina missing. "Can I wait till she re¡ª"

    "No," Luna said, her gaze filled with mischief. "Just run. Run and don''t look back."

    ".... That doesn''t seem right." He told her, ssing her response to be somewhat fishy.

    "Trust big sis," Luna assured him, holding back theughter with a straight face. She nced at the Chimera heart in the snow near the fire. Focusing her will, a small incision appeared within the heart as an azure blue shard emerged, flying into her palm. She handed it to him. "Take the Heartstone. Swallow it whever you want.

    Just make sure you are in a secluded zone."

    "Aunty, are you sure I shouldn''t say bye to¡ª"

    Luna gave his ass a fine kick sding him flying dozs of meters into the snow. " I''ll see you in a year. So you better hurry and run."

    The Prince grimaced, ring at his mortal emy. He sat up, grabbed Endymian and his bag pack, and left without another word. The ice winds biting away at his goodbye as he left.

    Wh dawn dissipated over the horizon, Altair stood before the familiar cave he wished to explore with Reina at his side. He was a bit sad, touched by the unfamiliar loneliness that came with her absce. And the fact he couldn''t ev say his goodbyes. He sighed, ncing down at the crystal Luna gave him. And stepped into the small trance.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy frowns at your stupidity.]

    [DIng]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy is requesting a Private Video Chat do you ept?]

    The Prince did not hesitate to ept as the image of Arse Snow appeared before the young Prince. His ming eyes aze with a rich evil that made ev the evilest beasts shudder.

    "Beelzebub fuck right off! I''m in the middle of a call!" Became the first thing Altair heard from his father, bellowing towards someone in the backg. His footsteps came to a halt. "This is why you don''t get hoes!"

    "Fuck your phone call and your tea! I want an Answer! Where the Hell is Nessa?"

    ''Nessa,'' the Prince thought.

    "Sorry about this guy. I''m still dealing with him." Arse responded with a bright smile, gazing proudly at his son. He nodded, measuring the small, subtle changes he gained since hest saw him. "Anyway. Dark Moon de is a skill you first awaked. So always have it active.

    Always. This Trial Luna and I prepared for you is quite difficult. Ev if it means emptying your reserves before an emy, you must have Dark Moon de active. Arse Out!"

    [Private Video Chat has ded.]

    "... Gods," he swore."What the hell was all that?" he scratched at his cheek but understood his father''s words as well as his concerns. And without hesitation, he willed the moonlight to drip into a sword.

    [Ding]

    [Dark Moon Proficicy Increased by 4%]

    [Multiplyer: 4x]

    [Proficicy:0% ¡ú 36%]

    [Ding]

    [Circle of Gluttony Proficicy has Increased by .05%]

    [Multiplier: x]

    [Proficicy: % ¡ú .%]

 Chapter 57: Mana Vein I

    Through the gleams of moonlight glistering through the lone cave, Altair stared down at the pool of blood he''d created with his bare hands wh he ughtered the two vers. He siltly nced at the track marks of the creature that had dragged the body.

    "Interesting. So I''m not alone." He told himself, stepping deeper into the darkness. Altair did little to hide his presce as he pulled Mana from Heav and Earth into his body, cycling the Mana through his Mana Roots before delivering it to his Circle. The ssation was one Altair couldn''t put into words. The more Mana filled his Circle.

    The more Altair felt his sses grow, brighting the world a him. The more intoxicated with Mana he became.

    The ssation that came with Mana was as thralling as it was seductive to his young mind. It warmed his gut like wine. It touched his flesh, simr to how Reina shared a bed with him. In a way, it felt like meditation.

    It had barely be an hour since he started pulling Mana from his surings, and the more he drew, the more he felt he didn''t wish to stop.

    [Mana has started to refine your Mortal Body.]

    [Ironia''s Ale will assist refinemt]

    [Your strgth has increased by ]

    The Circle of Gluttony spun, devouring all Mana within five meters into the young Prince, turning his skin pink and th red as the hours ebbed by. And as the hours came and wt, Altair found new ways to cycle Mana. Rather than allow his Mana a single cycle within his body, The Prince found the more hepleted a single cycle a his Mana Roots, the more purified his Mana became.

    [Your strgth has increased by ]

    [Your Mana has increased by ]

    [Circle of Gluttony has Decreased by %]

    Blood spewed so quickly from his mouth, and the noise Altair could barely react, tumbling to his knee, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle .% ¡ú .%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 5 [First Awaking]

    Strgth:  ¡ú 4

    Dexterity:4

    Constitution:4 ¡ú 6

    Wisdom:  ¡ú4

    Charisma:  ¡ú4

    Mana: 7¡ú 9

    Sweat streamed from his brow as he forced the Circle of Gluttony from devouring more Mana. He had be too hasty, too careless. His mind was very much attuned to the flow of Mana and how it behaved, but his body had yet to adapt to the change. The purity in which Mana grew within him had developed too quickly with each refinemt cycle.

    "Three cycles seem to be my physical limit." He coughed up bits of blood, his mind calm as a stillke, but his eyespletely filled with dark light. "But at least I know how to refine Mana. I''m sure no one with F-tier Mana Maniption can do what I just did." He took sce in that. Standing to his feet that buckled with weakness. He wiped the blood from his lips, taking in a long breath.

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' wishes to emphasize patice.]

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' praises your ability to court death but warns of your safety.]

    [Divine Sin ''Archeon'' distains yourck of risk.]

    Altair coughed more bits of blood into his palm. "Archeon¡­ didn''t you try to kill me?" he pointed out.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' ims it was a test.]

    "More like a way to sever my ties with the Aros Family," Altair grumbled, continuing on his way through the cave that began to narrow. It hadn''t be a random thought the Prince held as to why he believed Archeon employed Tania. Nor was it his second thought.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' grins]

    He grimaced, speaking no more of it. He pulled at his furs, undoing them with the rise in temperature the longer he continued. Every so oft, recasting Dark Moon de every hour wh it would fade.

    [Dark Moon de Proficicy Increased by %]

    [Multiplyer: 4x]

    [Proficicy:36% ¡ú 76%]

    It hadn''t tak long for his pores to sweat after a day''s journey, forcing him to disrobe. The boy had torn off everything but his tunic, leaving his immature chest bare. He could sse the intsity of mana intsifying and grew more wary.

    [Divine Being ''Titan Fall'' is perplexed at what is hidd within the depths of the Fractured Realm.]

    Altair held a step as the mighty roar of some manner of beast alerted his sses. He wt low, dropping his bag pack, and instinctually oped his palm. "She Who Hunts¡­ the Bow"

    At his word, a sh of gold nodes gathered at his fingertips, intertwining with the moonlight piercing through the ceiling. And from the light came an exotic bow. The upper and lower limbs of the bow curved like two scimitars, carrying a razor-sharp edge. At the cter, where the Riser stood, was a beautiful oak graved with silver.

    Altair marveled at the craftsmanship. The bow held a bnce that seemed surreal. It was as if the bow automatically bnced itself, depding on how he held it. He stared at it for a while, finally taking note of theck of string.

    [Divine Being, ''She WHo Hunts'' suggests you feed it a drop of blood.]

    The Prince followed her suggestion, cutting his finger over Endymion; he smiled brightly as his blood dripped over his bow.

    [Ding]

    [Weapon has be Soul Bounded]

    [Bow of the Hunt]

    Attribute: Wind

    Grade: E

    Skills: Auto Aim, Steady, Auto Bnce, Petrate, Mana Arrow, Mana Circuits [E]

    Description: Embuid with the Light of the Goddess of the Hunt. Whomever shall hold this bow shall never miss, no matter how arduous the shot.

    Altair mind wt wide with shock wh suddly the bow dissipated into flecks of gold light; his mind panicked wh a visceral image emerged in his mind. The Bow of the Hunt appeared once more. Stars flickered through his eyes filled with childlike wonder, bringing a bright smile to his face, especially wh a blueprint of the tire weapon grained itself into his mind.

    "How?!" He eximed. "How is that possible? No¡­ Is it in my soul? Or blood? It has to exist somewhere." Altair weaved the bow a, noting the ck string formed of his Mana, and quickly gasped. "You might be my new favorite weapon," he said, twisting the grip in half, separating the bow into two scimitars.

    Heughed childishly, weaving them through the air, amazed by the freeing ssation each scimitar granted.

    They felt differt from Endymion. The scimitars glided through the winds as though they were the elemts themselves, caring a ferocity he did not sse in Endymion.

    He was satisfied.

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' rejoices at your words.]

    Altair reconnected the two scimitars back into a bow through the mechanism on the pummel of each de, regaining his earlier focus. He sneaked forward one step at a time over the ball of his feet. The boy soon found a gruesome graveyard of bones from various beasts sprawled about. He stopped, cing a finger on the Mana String of his hunting bow.

    The boy surveyed his surings as he tered a mid-size in hidd within the cave.

    The churning of bones emanated beath the Prince his feet. He nearly cursed at the foolish mistake as he looked up from his feet, finding a small hill a few meters away littered with bones carrying a vile eroma. The bones were festered with rot, caring bits of meat gued by a furry substance.

    The Prince shifted ufortably, neither sse nor seeing any manner of beast. He frowned, stepping over the bones sprawled about. The sct of spoiled meat churned his stomach. "What a mess. What type of beast is this? There is so much chaos I can''t ev tell." He said, eying the multitude of battle scars sprawled over the cave.

    He stood there for a momt, still. The Dark Moon de hovering to his rear, glistering moonlight and his two arms poised for action should the need arise. The rumble of bones and insects stirred the Prince''s instincts. His hands move quickly, nocking his arrow of pure Mana shimmering a vibrant light, leading many to believe Altair wielded an arrow of ck mes.

 Chapter 58: Mana Viens II

    Webs of vis sprang over the Prince''s arms through the sheer force necessary to nock his arrow. Pain roiled through his forearm as he bore the burn that came with wielding his hunting bow. He cooly watched a human-shaped head wiggle its way through the bones. One of a woman, stained by the filth a her.

    Treads of caramel hair treaded her sublime features that carried a charm that would weak the resolve of any man or woman.

    [Charisma Check]

    For the momt, Altair had the bearings of a man bounded by infatuation. His eyes had gone wide as he lowered his nocked bow. Wh an eruption of bones splintered the air, nicking the boy''s cheeks, the woman lunged, her half-naked body revealed alongside the lower half that carried the body of a serpt.

    Fast as a gust of wind, the Lamia raised its w, ready to strike, wh moonlight shrieked through the air, cutting through the eye of the scaled woman, shedding the earth with her blood before she could grasp what happed. A bellous shriek crackled, tormted with anguish.

    Altairughed, mtally controlling his Dark Moon de. He aimed his bow. "Got ya~ " He teased, releasing the arrow. A boom thundered, bearing the force of a shotgun, knocking the boy off his feet as the arrow tore through the sound barrier, shredding the Lamia''s arm to a fine paste. Who had bearly managed to twist her body, trying to defd the best she could.

    The Eye of Sacrilege glowed.

    [Ding]

    Juvile Lamia Lv 5

    Type: Monstrosity

    Strgth:

    Dexterity:9

    Constitution: 6

    Wisdom:

    Charisma: 4

    Mana: 3

    Altair tumbled back in a barrel roll, unable to stop the kickback, sounding withughter, as he hoisted himself up. The tips of his left hand were a shred mesh of blood. But he didn''t mind. Not wh he''d done so much damage. Not wh he''d discovered such a powerful weapon.

    The Lamia shrieked, thrashing back and forth, gripping its missing arm. It roared, foaming at the mouth, turning its one good eye towards the Prince, seething with hate.

    The Prince wasn''t impressed. "Is that all you have to offer?"

    "Demon," The Lamia said, surprising the Prince with its knowledge of themon tongue. She hissed at him and, without hesitation, dashed towards Altair at a breathtaking speed. Wh, all of a sudd, the Dark Moon de shrieked through the air, meeting her head-on. w and de shed head-on, swallowing the Prince''s eyes with embers. The boy darted towards the frey.

    [DING]

    [Dark Moon Proficicy Increased by 5%]

    [Multiplyer: 4x]

    [Proficicy:76% ¡ú 96%]

    A blinding shriek trailed after Endmyian as Altair raced beath her missing arm, aiming for her chest; his de became like the harbinger of night beath the moon''s glow, carving through her scaled flesh like hot butter, spraying his smile with blood.

    The Lamia shrieked, baring a bone-deep scar over its chest. Wh her tail came out of nowhere, startling the young Prince. Who pivoted back on the tips of his toes, lifting his sword to parry the tail whip in time.

    BOOOOM~

    Like a canon being fired, Altair found himself nted into the stone. Webs of cracks splintered the wall, sttered with the boy''s blood. Altair tumbled to the g, falling on one knee, his eyes dazed, consumed by stray light, but his mind was sharp. He could feel several bones brok in his right arm and several on his ribs.

    He could disrupt the Lamia''s speed with his moon de, but its power was something else.

    "Damn¡­ One attack did this much." He cursed, wiping the blood from his lips. Altair staggered to his feet, staring at the Lamia drched in its blood.

    "Demon¡­" She hissed. "Evil¡­ Kill¡­"

    The Prince snorted coldly, wielding the Mana from his core. He circled the beast with slow, easy steps, taking his time as the Dark Moon de trailed after him. The Lamia held only one arm, a fatal injury to most, bearing a gruesome gash on its chest. Its life was sure to d soon. Altair knew this. But so, too, did the Lamia.

    ''I could d it all with a single spell,'' the Prince thought but did not permit himself to embellish in his more powerful arts. It wasn''t ough. He didn''t wish to dominate his emy through spells they could not defd against. He wanted to do more.

    [Divine Sin, Archean,mds your courage]

    The hot air billowed over the graveyard of decay. Yet it felt cold over the flesh of the Lamia for the first time. She gave a whimpered hiss, relinquishing herself to fate, and dashed towards Altair with all the speed she could muster.

    Her monstrous figure blurred, appearing before the boy in momts rather than seconds. Mana red over her razor-sharp talons aimed at his head. Altair did not move; his mind could react in time, but his body couldn''t. Not that it needed to.

    Manipting his Moonlit de to intercede on his behalf, the Prince did not appear surprised wh the Lamia talons tore through his ethereal sword. Rather, he''d expected it as it slowed the Lamia w in time for Altair to react. Wielding the night, Endymion swept up the momt Dark Moon de shattered.

    [Ding]

    [Juvile Lamia Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Ding]

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Multiplyer: x]

    [0% ¡ú 4%]

    Sliced in half from the waist up, Altair calmly stepped through the Lamia as she split in half, her organs spilling out without reservation, decorating the grotesque cave. The Prince nced down at his sword.

    "Next time¡­ I''ll have The Dark Moon de use Grave of Night. That way¡­'' he coughed up blood falling to a knee, weaked by his injuries. "That way, the Dark Moon de will be able to deliver a stronger force. I need more training. My physical body is weak, but my Mana purity is powerful." He clched his fist, standing to his feet, turning his back to his felled foe. "I need a lot more training.

    A lot more."

    [Ironia''s Ale has increased Con by ]

    Altair gave a wildugh that st a chill through the air that echoed through the cave, alerting nearby crows into a state of rm. Their wings battered away as if to flee the sound. The Prince retreated, baring his wounds like trophies to be had. His action slowly nting an icy chill in the heart of the gods watching down on him.

    For they, too, could sse the madness it carried. The scornful wickedness that gued the air, deeping into the depths of the Abyss, untouched by those of the Myriad Heavs. A dark shadow loomed over the Prince, crowning him its master.

    ***

    In the following days of recovery, Altair meditated on his battle against the Lamia. There had be little he could do with his brok bones, but that did not stop him from experimting with Mana, especially wh it came to his Mana Roots. The sole pathway of allowing Mana through one''s material form.

    For most to understand, Mana Roots was a unique process that took years, sometimes decades, as no man or woman was the same. ''One''s Meridians were like a fingerprint. They are all uniquely differt but the same.'' Luna had oft told him. The Prince''s own had be no differt, but Altair had not be interested in learning the various paths that were long since memorized the first day.

    Rather, he was curious as to how one strgths their pathways.

    The Meridians were quick to be damaged but quick to heal; at least¡­ that''s how it was in his body. Altair had learned this days ago, gobbling Mana to purify it. Each cycle had strained his Meridians, causing some to tear and heal in the following hours.

    By the third day, as his stomach rumbled for substance, the Prince oped his eyes with a dissatisfied hue. Most of his shattered bones were mded through his natural healing factor.

    "How does one strgth Mana Roots? To withstand higher levels of purity without raising ''Constitution''?" He grumbled, tugging his hair. ''There has to be a way, right? Strgthing my vessel is important, but I don''t want to restrict any one stat. And right now, I''m restricting Mana because my body is underdeveloped."

    [Divine Being, ''Titan Fall'' Can''t believe his ears.]

    [Divine Being Piercing Owl is shocked by your level of knowledge involving Mana.]

    [Divine Being, ''Dragon Eater'' believes you''re overestimating yourself and ims the body is the ultimate vessel of power in the known Myriad Heavs.]

    [Mana Maniption Proficicy has Increased by %]

    [Multiyer: x]

    [Proficicy: 5% ¡ú 45%]

    Altair ignored them and began to sd Mana into the Eye of Sacrilege, having discovered it brought a calming effect to his thoughts, allowing him not just to perceive the world in a differt perception but also gain a deep level of insight into the world a him.

    The eye of Sacrilege spun with demonic light brimming with Mana as Altair ignored his grumbling stomach. He fell into deep deliberation, seemingly unaware of the growing lifelessness in his eyes.

    A drowning domain of knowledge gathered a the young Prince''s soul, pulling him deeper before popping his eyes op with untamed shock.

    "That''s it!" He sprang up, speaking his mind with a vibrant glow. "Since Meridians ar''t a muscle, they don''t regrow stronger the more I break them down."

    [Mana Maniption Proficicy has Increased by 0%]

    [Multiyer: x]

    [Proficicy: 45% ¡ú 85%]

    "They exist in both the ethereal realm and the material. So rather than cycle Mana at a high frequcy, I need to create a new system of Mana to allow the Mana within my body to flow in a perpetual state in tandem with the Circle of Gluttony. It''s likepressing data! If I can create a rune that forces all Mana that ters my body to adhere to a set standard.

    It doesn''t matter how strong my Mana is if it doesn''t damage my Meridians."

    [Ding]

    [Undsterand of Mana Concepts has stepped into the Realm of Godhood. Proficicy can''t keep up with Knowledge.]

    [Ding]

    [Mana Maniption [E ¡ú D]

    Ding

    [Dark Moon de F ¡ú E]

    Capacity:  ¡ú 3

    New Effect : Shared Mind

    [Shared Mind: Dark Moon de will share the same mind as Altair. ]

 Chapter 59: Mana Vien III

    Listing from their respective locations, the Gods all stood froz, mesmerized by the child''s words, for what he spoke of was not used for manipting Mana but divinity. Yet here he was, a child, barely T spitting theories that had be long prov from scratch.

    It frighted them, for they understood he was a mortal who had yet to experice any real tempering of his soul or mind. Altair was a nk te in their eyes. One who possessed theprehsion of a God despite being a mortal.

    The Gods were all but salivating at the thought of possessing the Prince.

    Three days Later. Wh Altair had fully recovered from his cracked bones and torn flesh. He continued his journey once more. With a new profound look than before, like with Dark Moon de, Altair kept the Eye of Sacfge active in a perpetual cycle of his mana. Never allowing it to dim.

    His eye glowed a demonic scarlet beath the moonlit night through the icy caves that wt on forever. In the weeks following his victory over the Lamia, Altair had discovered a small crevice hidd beath the bone pill the Lamia created, revealing an unding tunnel in which light did not exist.

    [Eye of Sacrilege Proficicy has Increased by .0%]

    [Multiplier: x]

    Proficicy: [50% ¡ú 50.04%]

    He''d quickly discovered that seeing through the darkness was something that came naturally to him. Allowing traversing thebyrinth to be easier than normal. However, what existed down here had shown Altair it wasn''t just serpts that lived within the Serpts Outreach.

    Strange criptids he''d never se before bearing insect-like features existed. Most were quite weak, but there had never be a single creature for him to solo but an tire swarm, forcing him to flee at times. Nevertheless, the Prince with the Eye of Sacrilege that hanced his perception to inhuman levels became able to fell most creatures in three strokes or less.

    "It''s getting hotter," The Prince moaned, pulling out the wood sk in his backpack. He hesitated and ced it back, unsure if he''d ever find water. It had be three days since hest took a sip and three days since he began to manage his daily intake of jerky. "It''s a good thing I didn''t bring R. She''ll have driv me mad." Heughed, somewhat dishearted.

    It had felt weird to journey without her. Traveling was as silt as it wasckluster. Losing much of its earlier charm.

    [Eye of Sacrilege Proficicy has Increased by .0%]

    [Multiplier: x]

    Proficicy: [50.04% ¡ú 50.06%]

    [Dark Moon de Proficicy has Increased by .5%]

    Multiplier: x

    Proficicy: 3% ¡ú 6%

    Altair grinned at his passive skills and nced at the Circle of Gluttonypletion with an ev bigger grin.

    [Circle of Gluttony Proficicy: .5% ]

    "I''ve be taking it easy with my injuries. But ever since I''ve upped my Mana Maniption, I''ve be able to up the speed at which I devour Mana. I''ll begin upgrading my purity once I get to five perct. T should be the highest peak of most First Circle Warriors.

    And since Mana is five times stronger than someone''s physical body, I should be able to destroy if not ughter, any tier-one monster with a single spell."

    If the Aros m could hear him, their eyes would have shone as much greed as the Gods listing. But the prince wasn''t in the least bit satisfied with his progress. Using his shared mind with the Dark Moon de, Altair began practicing as he traversed the dark caves.

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Grave of Night proficicy increased by %]

    [Multiplier x]

    [Proficicy: 4% ¡ú 4%]

    Spding his days and nights training in the dark, the Mana within the cave continuously began to thick, fueling his Circle of Gluttony. Altair became lost, losing most interest in exploring as he trained. He bore the heat, ignored his thirst and hunger, eating and drinking wh the need truly arose.

    He trained every fiber of his being, slowly discovering that mana could dy the effects of not eating, sleeping, or drinking water.

    A month passed until an azure light shimmered, garnering the prince''s atttion. He''d thought he would have missed the light, but it was the furthest thing from the truth, as he found the glimmers of light irritating. Nheless, his curiosity was peaked.

    Assuming he was near the d of this never-dingbyrinth, Altair stepped towards the light, finding a vein of azure stone graved into the wall. The stone glowed with a mythical light, swirling with ergy at its cter.

    "Mana¡­ It''s a Mana stone." He muttered, trailing his fingers over a small vi, and followed after it. For hours, he moved, pausing as the intse heat began to force perspiration out of his pores, forcing him to cover himself with mana. Altair grimaced at the loss of perspiration. He cursed but continued forward, knowing he''d need to leave the dungeon soon to replish his supplies.

    He had run out of food days ago and had be eating the insects for liquids and protein. But it wasn''t very sustainable.

    He stopped hourster over arge unding pit lit with azure stgmites that stood as summits within the cave, reaching far and wide over the ruggednd into ravines filled with pltiful water that glowed natural light within the dark. Various t ins forged of raw Mana stones housed avish ecosystem, from grass to trees to movemt, Altair could barely make out.

    [Divine Being, ''Daddy'' is impressed you''ve found the cter of the fractured Realm]

    Soon, the sound of the beast howled, followed by a great sh that st tremors across thend arose.

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunt'' eyes shimmer with anticipation at the wonderful hunting g.]

    [Divine Being Archeon is looking forward to your progress.]

    The Prince wiped the sweat from his brow, annoyed at the intse heat that didn''t seem to have a source. He growled wh, all of a sudd, his eyes wt wide as a thought echoed through his mind.

    "... The Souls I collected. It''s be a month¡­ What''s going on?"

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle: [Second Circle .5 ¡ú 4%%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 5 [First Awaking]

    Strgth: 4 ¡ú 8

    Dexterity:4 ¡ú 7

    Constitution: 6 ¡ú 9

    Wisdom: 4

    Charisma: 4

    Mana: 9

    Skill:

    Dark Moon de [E]

    [Proficicy: 6% ¡ú 30%]

    Infernal Bane [F]

    [Proficicy: 58% ¡ú 98%]

    Survival Instincts [F]

    [Proficicy: 79% ¡ú 93%]

    Grave of Night [F]

    [Proficicy: 4% ¡ú 80%]

    Eye of Sacrilege [C]

    [Proficicy: 50% ¡ú 60%]

    Mana Maniption [D]

    [Proficicy: 0% ¡ú %]

    Fall Necromancy [F]

    [Proficicy: 0%]

 Chapter 60: Fallen Necromancy

    The Prince paled at the sudden thought of inheriting the fallen memories of those he felled in battle, so much so nightmares would often find him, stirring him away covered in a night sweat. Yet, despite a month passing, he had not received a notification about Kirr or Dillian''s soul being assimted.

    "I was careless. And too focused on training." He told himself, promising such a thing would never ur. Not under his watch again. "I can''t trust the system to notify me anymore. Fail me once, and you''ll fail me again." Altair sucked in a deep breath as the Eye of Sacrilege shimmered. He opened his palm as an obsidian aura began to bleed into the material realm.

    Darker than even the abyss around them, the Obsidian Mana glowed.

    The Prince closed his eyes, integrating his will into the Obsidian Mana. He went cold as if cast into the depths of Sylvorlum, where only the wintery mes of death tormented those in the eighthyer of hell. He wanted to scream as that sensation coiled through his meridians like a serpent, slithering through his Circle as if marking its home.

    When his eyes opened, a gleam of something sinister presented itself over thend. Silence fell over the realm. While death spun, unleashing itself in a catastrophic st through Heaven and Earth. Tremors burrowed through the Myriad Heavens, alerting Gods and Demons, Devils And Kings, of Old and New.

    Power, so strong, crowned the Prince and faded into the confines of the abyss, Leaving his once innocent eyes reced by a hollow husk of purgatory. Beginnings, marking the end, shed over the Great Abyss of his pupils, dissipating into Eternal Darkness.

    He spoke. "Arise."

    As if the word of the Almighty had been spoken, a welter of echoes prated the void, bearing a translucent figure, aze by the darkness, as though they were mes, a serpent appeared.

    [Fallen Necromancy Proficiency has increased by 5%]

    Fallen Necromancy [F]

    [Proficiency: 0% ¡ú 10%]

    [Ding]

    [10% of all stats will be shared between Individual Shadows]

    [Skills of the Master will be shared amongst the Shadows]

    Name: Fallen Shadow

    Type: Fallen Cryptid

    Str: 5 ¡ú 5.8

    Dex:5 ¡ú5.7

    Con: 5 ¡ú 5.9

    Wis:10 ¡ú 11.4

    Cha: 10 ¡ú 11.4

    Mana: 5 ¡ú 5.9

    Skill: Polymorph[E], Instincts [F], [Immortality [S], Mana Maniption [D], Survival Instincts [F]

    The serpent let loose a dark, low hiss, meeting its master''s cold, unfeeling eyes. It lowered its stare, pressing its snout against the ground as if to say, ''Master.''

    [Ding]

    [Fallen Necromancy has taken Authority away from the Circle of Gluttony.]

    ''Had there been a conflict amongst the skills I didn''t know about?'' Altair wondered, releasing his hold of the Obsidian Mana of Fallen Necromancy. ''Was this why when I killed, I would sometimes collect souls, while at other times I wouldn''t? It will seem my ignorance has once again shown."

    He clenched his fist when another notification caught his eye.

    [Would you like to devour the soul of Kirr with or without memories.]

    Almost immediately, Altair screamed ''without,'' frightful of what he might have experienced through Kirr''s memories.

    [Fallen Necromancy will delete all skills, including unique skills if memories aren''t shown. The user will not absorb any skills or stats. ]

    Again, Altair did not hesitate to scream ''without'' promising himself he''d find a skill to temper his mind. However, today, he had no intent on experiencing Kirr''s ve life.

    Suddenly, a warm aura coiled around the Prince''s mortal form, seeping into his mind and body. The sensation embraced him, clearing his mind when¡ª

    [Ding]

    [New Fallen Shadow Avable.]

    The Prince grinned and thought for a second. "Devour Dillian''s soul."

    [Would you like to devour the soul of Dillian Aros with or without memories.]

    The Prince gritted his teeth. "How long would it leave me defenseless?" He asked, frowning.

    [Due to your Mana Maniption, the user will take Three Hours to devour Dillian Aros.]

    Altair nodded. He did not immediately give a response but rather began carving runes into the ground, creating a formation that would cause most manner of beasts to ignore him. He nced at the Shadow Serpent, watching him wordlessly. And without even issuing themand, Altair knew with all his being that this one serpent would protect him until its dying breath.

    He had faith in that¡­ unbreakable faith that stemmed from the Mana the Shadow held that matched his.

    It was only when the formation wasplete, blistering with Mana, did Altair speak: "Devour him with his memories."

    In one fell swoop, the Prince''s pupils went still, fading as he slumped over, sinking into the darkness of memories. Strangely, dark obsidian Mana slowly swelled out of Altair, coiling around him as if to ward him from danger. Silently observing the changes in its master, the Fallen Shadow approached its beady eyes, a swell of everchanging chaos turned to face the world.

    Ready to defend its one and only master.

    ***

    In the hours that came and went, fifteen long, arduous years reflected through obsidian eyes. From his Father''s firm hand to the ve Master''s whip against his flesh, ripping and tearing the ligaments from his back to the sleepless nights begging for food as the servant coldly watched. Altair felt a part of him¡­ dwindle each year that passed. The taste of blood was something he had be numb to.

    Dillian was born a bastard. His Father, Barren Farwin Aros, had conceived him in the arms of a tavern wench; he had his way with one drunken night. The day Farwin learned of the birth of his bastard, he had her killed and his son brought to him.

    Butpared to full-blooded aros men and women, Dillian''s talent was far below average. The purity of his blood wasn''t enough to survive.

    Altairy there silently, lost in Dillian memories. He had forgotten the men and women he killed without feeling were alive, That they, too, had lived experiences.

    "I''m lucky¡­ I''m Lucky Mother loved me." He told himself, finding a bitterugh. "I wonder if I''ll go mad one day? Or am I already there?'' He arose to find the small ming serpent of darkness watching him.

    [Ding]

    [Memory of Dillian Aros Complete]

    [Strenght has Increased by 2]

    [Dexterity has Increased by 2]

    [Constitution has Increased by 1]

    [No New Skills Acquired]

    A/N: Rolled a 3 on a d20

    Altair grinned. Pushing down the lived experiences that were not his own. His experience was different this time around. It wasn''t as visceral. He had found it like a movie that allowed him to experience pain while retaining his mental awareness. A much-needed improvement.

    "Come." He offered a hand. The Fallen Shadow''s beady eyes shone like with flecks of golden light, slithering up its Master palm, finding afortable spot coiled around his neck.

    Altair inspected the serpent, finding beneath the me-like Obsidian Manaid a set of scales to match, carrying his sigil engraved on each scale. Fascination swelled through his mind, and fingers that trailed over its smooth surface. And the serpent purred.

    "You like that, huh." He mused at the newfoundpanionship. He opened his palms. "Well. Let''s call your brothers."

    [Fallen Necromancy]

 Chapter 61: One Year

    Overlooking the highest peak beneath unevennd, both tall and short, fixated with stones forged of condensed Mana that stood like mountains, carving valleys that stretched for miles. A young boy stood locked in the lotus position. By his side stood two strange manners of humonoids. Their skin was a pale eerie grey, with tone physiques, while their eyes burned an inhuman amethyst.

    "Master," J?rm called the vignce in his eyes never fading. "It''s time."

    The Master grinned. "One year¡­" He said, carrying a devilish charm unbefitting of his age. He graciously stood to his feet, opening his eyes that eternally glowed within the darkness. Altair turned to Kirr and J?rm, his Eye of Sacrilege dimming the world around him. "It''s been a while since I saw the moon."

    Kirr nodded, his handsome expression untouched by the scars of his past life lit up. "We can finally leave this ce."

    J?rm rolled his eyes. "It''s just snow outside. Nothing special."

    "I''ve never seen snow!" Kirr childishly eximed, turning to his brother. "What is it like? Is it slippery? Sticky? or oozy? Maybe¡­"

    "Ok-ok," Altair said, cutting in over the excitable Kirr. "You''ll see it in a few days. First, let''s leave."

    "Master¡­ House Aros is sure to have sent assassins to take you out," J?rm warned, his eyes narrowing with a fiendish light. He bowed his head. "If you would¡­ Allow me to¡ª"

    "Do you still want revenge?" Altair patiently asked, knowing his Shadows could not lie to him.

    J?rm fell to a knee. "No, my lord. I only seek to aid you. It''s why I abandoned the name Dillian Aros." he lowered his head to the damp dirt. "I only wish to protect you."

    "Then protect," Altairmanded, stepping past Kirr and J?rm as they dissipated into nodes of ck light. The Prince proceeded ahead over the hundreds of thousands of bodies and bones, both fresh and decayed. When the winds blew, death followed, as did the whimpered roars of monsters and cryptids.

    From mountain to mountain, the Prince journeyed through valleys and swampnds, with silencing being his only friend. There had been no manner of beast or monstrosity that had dared to strike. From the moment the presence of death appeared, none dared to move.

    [Divine Being, ''She who Hunts'' is hungry for a hunt]

    "Again?" Said the Prince, shaking his head. "We ughtered a den of lizard men yesterday."

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' snorts]

    Altairughed, not cing much on this god''s whims. She had a capricious nature. Of all the Gods, only Artemis seemed to have an invested interest. Throughout all his battles and nightly cultivations, it was only Artemis who would point out some of his faults, taking the time to nurture rather than barter as the other gods did.

    The journey back had been rather short than what Altair remembered, taking a week rather than the month he''d taken. When agust of cold air touched his flesh for the first time, Altair was reminded of the intense heat he''d felt within the underground cave. He''d had never found the source, but not for ack of trying.

    For six months, he scoured thend, killing his way through various monsters that dared to meet his sword before giving up.

    He''d felt that his current level was nowhere near the level it took to sense the source of power he so desperately craved. And for now¡­ He''d given up.

    Altair stood before the cold gust of winds, staring at the moonlight piercing through the cave from above. ''So this is ice?'' the voice of Kirr echoed through his mind. Altair didn''t answer him, continuing his journey; he enjoyed the snow as Kirr continued.

    "Master, look! Did you know that ice was transparent?"

    "Master, it''s slippery!

    "Master Ice tastes funny!"

    "Master¡­" Through it all. The Prince said nothing until he approached a familiar entrance. The small crevice he once used now buried by three feet of ice. Suddenly, without notice, a great semi-arc of sword light howled, tearing through ice like water, carving a meter path for him.

    He sheathed Endyminan, stepping out of the ce that had held him for a year. Altair looked up at the skies, to the moon''s glow and the flecks of ice raining from the Heavens. "Kirr¡­ This is snow." He finally said, quieting the Shadow, watching with awe. "I¡ª"

    Suddenly, Endymion whisked through the air like a harbinger of death. It shrieked to the disturbance a few meters away, bleeding a deadly sword light that whisked through the trees like hot butter.

    "You got strong," Came an enthralling voice, stirring the young man''s heart. In front of the rubble, a fairy stepped out. Untouched by destruction, she approached the young Prince, grinning. Hair a rainfall of snow-white silk, with eyes to match. She stared at the boy¡­ the man before her.

    The Prince, a little over five and a half feet, now somewhat at eye level, stared deeply at her. His once soft eyes now carried a devilish temptation she''d not seen in a while. They were charming, so much so Luna''s fingers trailed over his sublime features.

    "You''re filthy." She said, wiping away bits of mud.

    "The rivers were dangerous." He replied, wrapping his arms around her waist, shaking. "I''ve missed you, big sis."

    Luna felt her heart warm. "When I told you to go find yourself. I did not mean to spend a year in utter darkness." She sighed, patting him on the back. And looked up at his head of hair, Matted, littered with lice, and the unspeakable. She dragged him towards ake a few miles away. "Go take a bath.

    No way Reina is seeing you like this."

    ''So this is Masters Sister." J?rm muttered with reverence.

    "She''s pretty!" Kirr added. "Hey, Master, can I swim in the snow?"

    "You can''t swim in the snow, you idiot."

    "Wanna bet!"

    When they arrived at the small cold spring, Altair could see the cold air rising from out of theke. He''d not seen such clear water in such a long time. And as his reflection appeared over the mirrored image of the water, he all but gasped at his disheveled appearance.

    "I look homeless!" He cried, leaping into the water far below freezing. Coldness burrowed into his bones, eating away the dirt and filth gathering around his flesh. For a whole five minutes, Altair did not rise, wrestling to cleanse his body.

    He rose a different man. One who appeared untouched by the elements themselves, the charm he carried seemed only to intensify. Free and unburdened, Altair grinned like a little boy befitting his age. "Wanna join me, Big sis?"

    "How old are you now? Eleven? Soon to make twelve?" Luna mused, dipping her bare feet in icy waters. She observed the yful child she''d been watching over. "Don''t forget to clean your ears. And crotch."

    "Big Sis!!" Altair blushed.

    Luna smirked. " Not my fault you smell like a graveyard." She pointed out, kicking her feet back and forth. She opened her palm, summoning shampoo, body wash, and conditioner, and tossed it to him. "Clean yourself well. You wouldn''t want Ren to say you are smelly. You know how sensitive her nose is."

    Disrobing within the icy waters, Altair thought back to the time he left, finding a bright smile. "How is she?"

    The Goddess of the Moon mischievously lifted her lips. "You''ll see."

 Chapter 62: Conditioning*

    Warning: Dark Chapter!

    Deep within the depths of the Aros Estate, far below ground level, where even the most horrid screams could not escape. A soft-spoken moan sinuated the air. Viscount Mar stirred, glowing with seductive light that hid her venomous gleam. She swayed her hips, raw from the constant motion in which she fucked.

    "3B-11," Mar said, covered in a sheen of sweat that trailed down the curves of her slender physique, defying what most would consider perfection. "What is your goal?"

    "To follow your word." A boy in the early stages of adolescence said. He sounded cold as if he carried no life. His long auburn hair signifying his familiar attachment to house Aros." And to die by your hands."

    Mar expressed satisfaction, tracing her fingers down the boy''s chin. He shuddered. A natural desire that couldn''t resist her touch whirled through his veins. And she grinned, feeling his natural reaction inside her. Her naked body tightened. "Yes¡­ Good.

    Good boy. And who are you?"

    "3B-11, Laros Aros. My Father is Brigadier General Gado Aros, and my Mother the Viscountess Mar Aros." He said fatly, his eyes a dted mesh of mist. His words were empty, devoid of afterthought, resembling more machine than man.

    The Viscountess bore down at her work with pride. For this was her son. The one thing that she could now love with all her heart. It had taken over a year and a half of constant ''conditioning'' since the day Laros had received an unknown God''s Blessing, potentially elevating the Viscountess status to an even greater height.

    News far and wide had all but spread throughout the world of Laros''s feat, reaching the King and Queen''s ear, as well as many powerful families.

    She had started Laros''s conditioning, then pumping his blood with poison. Mar slowly began to groom her child to a level where she didn''t have to worry about betrayal, much less him speaking out of turn. And with him being so young, it made it easy. Laros had be nothing more than a ve. The perfect son.

    "You are finally a good son. Mommy is finally happy." Mar said, removing him from inside her. She patted his head and whispered something almost iprehensively and pulled back as Laros''s pupils regained focus. She nodded coldly, pressing her finger over his temple. A jolt of Mana shed, sending his consciousness into oblivion. She arose.

    "Laros makes three. I should have started sooner with him.'' She said, disappointed. Had she started soon, matters of the flesh could have been avoided. "Oh well. Now¡­ all that''s left is to deal with Altair and those pesky nobles. Nine more years are left."

    ***

    At dawn the following day, Luna prepared Altair''s favored breakfast of sausage, blueberry pancakes, eggs, and hot cocoa. A meal Altair simply refused to skip. He had been counting the days since hest had a decent meal.

    "Dear Lord¡­" He moaned, wrapped in furs Luna had given him to block the cold despite not needing it. Altair didn''t dare refuse his big sis'' gifts, especially since most of his clothes had been shredded beyond recognition. What he wore, Luna called rags.

    "I''m curious, Altair." Luna, watching him eat, said. "Why did you not absorb the Chimera Heartstone?"

    The Prince dug his fork into his brazed sausage, gushing with fatty juices. The smell made his entire being shudder. He took arge bite, nearly swallowing his fork. " Hmmm. I didn''t want to overpower my foes." He said, finishing the remainder of the sausage that pooled within his mouth." Dear Lord, why is this so good? Damn!

    Hmmm. Just damn! I wanted to challenge myself and train my skills. Not to mention¡­" he arched his lips. " I want to share it with Ren. It was our first hunt."

    The Goddess of the Moon lifted her lips into two cheeky arcs. "Altair¡­ Is that how you feel? Or is it what you want me to hear?"

    He snickered. "Can''t it be both?" He mused, digging into his eggs, sticky from syrup. "You always said the Gods can tell if I''m lying. So¡­ am I lying?"

    Luna didn''t immediately answer him. She truly couldn''t tell. It had been as if Altair had mastered his craft in the depths,ing out a different person. She could feel his Mana beneath his flesh, alongside his deadly intent. He had gained a level of control she''d never thought possible in one so young, allowing him to view the world as an observer and a critic.

    When breakfast had been eaten, Altair rose ready, pausing as a thought struck him. "I almost forgot. Can you do me a favor, Big Sis?" Luna turned to him. "Can you contact Mother¡­ she isn''t taking my calls. Tell her to notify the Military of my existence."

    "Oh? Why the Military?"

    "Every citizen of Earth needs to serve for at least three years." He told her with a cunning smile. "And if I''m to survive on the other side. I need the Military''s aid. House Aros won''t let me live."

    "Aren''t you underestimating the House Aros? They are a military family. A dukedom that controls a third of the Western Sectors." She reminded him, holding him beneath her mysterious eye.

    "True. But what''s more of a benefit? A young unmarried asset who''d not only awakened before ten and is on course to experience their second awakening in a year''s time? Then there are the Gods watching. I''m sure many of them are willing to send their representative over to me. "

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' sternly nods.]

    The Young Princeughed, waving off her concerns. "I''ve got it handle¡­ not that you all could help."

    Lunafreya revealed dissatisfaction but did not make it known. She''d done much for the boy. The mere fact she, and Old God, a Primordial at that, was here granting not just her wisdom but her lessons was once said by many of the Old Gods to be unparalleled from her peers. And Luna had no peers.

    "Help cane in many forms." She told him coldly.

    The boy bore a grin revealing his fangs. "I meant no offense, Big Sis. I merely meant you can''t physically aid me. The Laws of the Shadow Promation and all." Altair tapped his furs, pushing off the snow, gathering on his shoulders and hair. "Although¡­ I suspect you''ve done quite a bit for my sake. Anyway.

    Shall we go? I''m dying to see Ren."

    "Little Shit." She said, her face dark with vexation. "Fine. Come along."

    Lunafreya herded the boy east through the dense woods and marshes of unevennds covered with monsters and spirits of many. None of which approached the Prince or Luna. They heeded the warning as if their instincts howled from them not to approach.

    ''Have you heard the story of the Devil of the Damned?" Luna probed.

    "A story." The boy said, "How fun."

    She smirked, a raw snort of amusement sounding in quick session. "Long ago, over the in of the Seventhyer of Hell, Mythos. There existed a lone soul born to pain within a Hell Pit of all that was evil. From thieves to torturous, to rapers and God killers. Surrounded by sin, this pure, innocent soul fell to Madness.

    Its soul began to burn, ready to fade from the Myriad Heavens, from the core of the hells, in what many would call a sweet release. But in its desperation, in its Madness. The Devil of Damned began to gorge itself on the souls around it, desperate to suffer, desperate to feel that pain it had known since birth."

    "From soul to soul, he ate, building his power and the Madness that ravaged his body and soul, leaving nothing but despair so sweet it became poison. Until one day, he rose from out of his torment, from out of the Pits of Hell, to and governed by Chaotic Law. Do you know what happened to him?"

    "No¡­"

    [Divine sin, Archeon is reminiscent of Luna''s tale]

    "He was found by the King of the Seventh Layer of Hell after bing a raging demon, piging, raping, and killing every man, woman, and child he saw, eating their corpses raw. He was made to bow before the King and the Monarch." Luna told him, ncing back with an icy look. "The crazed devil went mad, attempting to thrash the Seventh Monarch''s throne room. And failed.

    He waster given to the King to train as a pet."

    The Prince gulped. "Why are you telling me this?"

    "Because Altair¡­ there is always a deeper form of despair. For a soul that only knew despair and Madness. The Seventh King found a way to break him, destroying his old personality and recing it with a loyal dog. I believe he''s a Duke now." She stopped, catching sight of a pir of smoke. "I don''t like your n. Itcks a depth befitting your intelligence.

    Tenebrae is under the same restriction as me¡­ if not more." She turned to him. "Never give an order without doing your research. Remember, it''s not just life that''ll end. Ren is also affiliated with you. You can''t afford mistakes. Don''t let your arrogance cloud your judgment."

    Altair bowed his head, thinking for a moment. "What was his name?"

    "He is known as the Duke of Hell. Archdevil, Barbatos of Mythos, Lord of all that is Damned."

 Chapter 63: The Broken Prince I

    It had been Eight Days since Reina had started her concoction, infusing Mana into the cauldron. The Power of Yin fluttered the region, devouring power from the moon and snow. Her once pale blue hair was a river of cardinal(red). Stained by her infernal lineage, two pale silver eyes shone a deep focus on the cauldron. They were cold, devoid of emotion.

    The Blood Red me dimmed beneath her control, drawing the infusion of Red Moss, Scrava, Milviota, Death Root, and more. Sheens of sweat dotted her serine figure, leaving her breathless. A rosy flush raced over her plump cheeks as her eyes glowed a vibrant hue. She''d grown this past year, whether it was her height or her assets growing in size.

    Renia had lost many immature aspects, gaining a womanly figure.

    She excitablely grinned, bearing a wolfish fang on her lip, sensing the liquid within her cauldron reducing, slowly transforming into a Pill. Joy quickly shed for a brief moment but was quickly pushed back down as she didn''t dare allow her emotions to taint her me.

    Riena had been so focused she didn''t even notice the approaching footsteps. Suddenly, the cauldron lid popped off with a boom, revealing three blood-red pills. They smelt earthy, like mushrooms or soil. But with a single look, Reina leaped into a silly dance.

    "63% purity! Nice!" She cheered.

    [Ding]

    [New Pill Created]

    [Iron Blood Pills]

    [Effect: Grants + 1 to Constitution based on stats. If Constitution is over thirty, no status buff will be granted.]

    "Yeahssss~ I knew I was awesome!" She cried.

    "What''s that?"

    Startled, Reina whirled to the voice. When she saw her master, her eyes instantly swayed to the young man, nearly a head taller than her. Hair a beautiful ck onyx trailing to his mid-center. He carried a mischievous smile that only seemed to add a certain temptation to his devilishly handsome face.

    "Hiya Re¡ª"

    Blown away by Reina''s fist that popped forward like an arrow, a thunderous boom echoed as his body tore through a sentinel asrge as three men. Shards of dust and snow whipped about as the Boy skidded over the ground, catching himself with a flip. Heughed, not in the least bit injured.

    "You Bastard!" Renia howled.

    Watching the drama with a victorious grin, Luna giggled at the chaos.

    "I see you''ve gotten stronger," Altair said,ughing. He ignored the sounds of the rage of Jorm and Kirr, begging to strike. The Boy moved forwards to the young woman whose cheeks remained wet with tears, wanting to take her into his arms.

    Ren backed away, her small, delicate shoulders trembling. " Why¡­ Why did you not even say goodbye?"

    When Altair heard this, he red at the smiling Luna, giving him the thumbs up as if to say, ''Get her champ!'' he grimaced at her childishness. "It was all big sis''s fault!" He shouted, pointing the finger.

    "EH!!!!"

    "EH!!!!!!! Traitor!" Luna howled.

    "Yeah. She forced me to leave!" He shouted before Luna could get a word in. "I even pleaded to say goodbye. Then she threatened me. I swear."

    "Son of a bitch¡­" Muttered Luna in disblief. "Aren''t you supposed to be a man and take the me!"

    "Screw that¡­" the Boy said, rubbing his cheek Ren''s fistnded on.

    "Is that why you were smiling, master?" Ren asked through clenched teeth.

    "..."

    "Now that I think of it¡­ she was also smiling when she told me to run," Altair added, grinning evilly as he looked at her. Seeing right through her scheme. "She wanted to watch us fight, so she¡ª"

    Vanishing in a wisk of moonlight, leaving Reina and Altair''s jaws wide open. Luna fled the scene. And Reina''s expression grew flush with rage! "MASTER~"

    ***

    Reunited, Altair did not miss out on wrapping his arms around waste in a long embrace. "Gods, I''ve missed you."

    [Divine Being, ''Luscious Red'' demands you keep ten feet apart!]

    [Divine Being ''Challenging Sword'' points out he didn''t log in today to watch kids embrace.]

    [Divine Being, "Devouring Wolf'' rages over the Second Layer of Hell.]

    "I don''t like it. " Altair heard Reina say, pouting her lips, looking up at him. "Why are you taller?"

    "... well¡­ Men are usually taller¡ª"

    "I don''t like it." She said, pale silver eyes glistering with being wrong.

    "Well, I like your red hair." The Prince said, with a charming grin, treading his finger through her silky hair.

    [Divine Sin, ''Daddy'' warns of his firstmandment: Never trust a bitch with red hair]

    [Divine being, ''She Who Hunts,'' flicks off Divine Sin Daddy]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon crackles.]

    Feeling his fingers through her hair, Reina''s expression grew red hot. Hastily backing up, quite aware of their inappropriate action. "Well¡­ what have you been up to?" She asked him. Like a cute pup meeting someone new, he thought, unable to stop himself from patting her head. "Hey!~"

    "It''s just been so long." Altair mused in a disheartened manner. Reina did not quite catch. But that did not stop her from poking at his cheeks, smiling.

    "I know¡­ So let me tell you." She said when she turned to her concoction, recalling what she''d made. Reina leaped into her cauldron, handing Altair a single Iron Blood Pill. "Here! I''m sure you''re constitution isn''t past thirty, right?"

    "Definitely not." The Prince said, ncing at his stats, then her''s. His eyes went wide.

    Name: Altair

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 65.6%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 5 ¡ú 12 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 8 ¡ú 13

    Dexterity: 7 ¡ú 15

    Constitution:9 ¡ú 18

    Wisdom: 14 ¡ú 21

    Charisma: 14 ¡ú 21

    Mana: 9 ¡ú 18

    Name: Reina Of The Moon

    Race: Nephilim [Unawaken]

    Circle: [Second Circle 95%]

    ss: Blood Knight Lv 2 ¡ú11

    Strength: 2 ¡ú 19

    Dexterity: 3 ¡ú14

    Constitution: 3 ¡ú17

    Wisdom: 12 ¡ú21

    Charisma: 12 ¡ú21

    Mana: 6 ¡ú13

    Reina leaned in teasingly. "I''m stronger, aren''t I?" She asked when he flicked her nose.

    "Mana is about five times stronger than physical stats. And mine towers over yours." He answered, folding his arms. A bit of ingrained arrogance in his stance. "But you got strong¡­ how''s your strength so high?"

    The young Nephilim puffed out her twig-sized muscles as though they were mountains. Pride coursing through her heart. "Ren has all the guns. Give it a squeeze If ya want."

    Heughed. "I''ve seen horses withrger muscles. Pups even."

    Reina became crestfallen as if Altair had stepped over her dreams. "Master said I was getting bigger¡­ did she lie?"

    He looked down at her, his gazending on her budding chest. "Y¡­ You got bigger." he sheepishly said. And in that thin window before he turned the other way, embarrassed. Reina caught him.

    Her lips grew arched. "What got bigger, if not my muscles, then?"

    The Boy coughed into his palm. " We should¡­"

    "Art, tell me!"

    "The Trial of the Moon. Let''s finish it." The Boy suggested.

    "ART!!!!"

    Running away, Riena smiled, giggling to herself. "I''m d you''re back," she said and began packing.

 Chapter 64: The Broken Prince II

    [Iron Blood Pill Consumed. Constitution has increased by 1]

    When all was packed and ready for departure, Reina turned to the boy silently by her side, smiling as he downed one of the Iron Bloods. His skin had shed a bright red, revealing long ck elongated veins. They seemed inhuman. At least to her, they did. But he hadn''t mentioned it, nor did he seem to be ufortable.

    "Hey Ren," He called, as his skin returned to its normalplexion. He turned to her. "We need to go east of our location. It should be a three-day journey. I¨C"

    [Divine being, ''Golden Pope'' has grown wary of your connection to the Hells. He demands to know your identity.]

    Altair''s voice grew cold. "You demand, do you." he sneered, shooting his eyes to the vibrant skies, to the countless stars glistering and bending with untold wonder. "And who are you to order me around?"

    [Divine Being ''Golden Pope'' furiously stands from within the Chapel of Time.]

    "Altair?" Ren called to him, startled by the shimmer of his eyes. She felt no killing intent, but her heartbeat quickened with unease. Intent or perhaps authority roiled from the boy''s toned figure, silencing the forest with his presence.

    "Careful, Your Holiness," Altair warned, his voice like the devils of the hells. It was vindictive, filled with ridicule and arrogance. "If I didn''t know better, I''d say you are trying to get a rise out of me. To scare me, perhaps. Why don''t you just get to the point? Show me your contract.."

    [Divine Being, ''Golden Pope'' clenchs his fist in humiliation.]

    "You know what, don''t bother." He said soon after, not bothering to leave the Pontiff any face. "I''ve rejected every offer brought on by Hundreds of Gods. And you''ll be no different. If you don''t like it¡­ try to kill me. I''d love to see who you''ll send to lose their heads."

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, nods in approval.]

    "Hey! That''s not fair! How are you getting various contracts from gods? I''ve not gotten any." Ren shouted, pointing an using finger towards the young man.

    "Because I''m ying the game." He told her, flicking her nose. " And they want to see if we''ll survive leaving House Aros. Once that happens, I''m sure you''ll get a good offer."

    "Will we be able to leave?"

    Altair nodded. "I''ve got it covered. Now. Shall we?"

    When she heard this, Reina shed her pearly teeth. "Kay!"

    ***

    Days Later, Altair stared out at the blizzard they''d barely escaped in time when it arrived. Had it not been for Reina, he was sure he''d have been lost and torn away by the wild wethers. The winds were howling, cutting through branches, uprooting trees and stones, leaving nothing behind but a frozen wastnd.

    "What a mess." The Prince calmly whispered beside the small fire. Reina had started it with a snap of her fingers, turning in for the day to meditate. He sighed. "Come out," he said, his voice carrying a magical authority.

    And from his shadows, over the crackles of fire. Two beings appeared on one knee, awaiting their Master''s orders.

    "Member of the Aros Family ought to be hiding out. Jorm, Kirr, kill them. We can''t lose out on Exp." Hemanded, closing his eyes, as the two Shadow took off in a sh of ck light, bleeding a harsh killing intent. He faintly smiled. "The Members of Aros will surely give me a fine meal. I just hope Tania is alive.

    To lose such an asset would be a tragedy."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon snickers and is willing to offer you Tania.]

    Altair peeped a single eye open. "For what price?"

    [Divine Sin, Archeonughs at your wariness and wishes you never to form a contract with the Golden Pontiff.]

    ''Doing that would make me a full-on enemy.'' The Prince thought, scowling at the tant trap. ''I may have insulted him, but it''s not to a point he''d actually deem me an enemy yet. Blocking me will really make him want to kill me.''

    [Aros Member Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros Member Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros Member Felled. Exp Gained]

    "Why?" Altair asked, ignoring the ughter brought on by his Shadows. He was used to it.

    [Divine Sin Archeon doesn''t believe he owes you an exnation.]

    The boy''s frown deepened, slowly growing to dislike devils. He couldn''t get a grasp on Archeon''s mindset. He was sure he wasn''t an ally, but neither did he show himself to be an enemy, at least not in Altair eyes.

    "Grant me another spell, and I''ll do as you ask."

    [Divine Sin Archeon has grown amused by your greed. He approves.] ?#?@§ã*?¦Ô#??*¦Í¦Å-?#¦Ò--+

    "System Block Divine Being, Golden Pope," Altairmanded when the crackles of lighting shrieked over the skies, splintering thend. Tectonic tes trembled, parting, creating webs of crevices stretching for miles. Tornadoes gathered and roared, uprooting the various ecosystems. Leaving nothing behind but destruction. In seconds, the Blizzard had seemed nothing more than a soft breeze.

    [Ding]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon has awarded you the Infernal Spell, Hellish Rebuke]

    The Prince grinned, feeling knowledge pool into his mind. A soft voice caught his ear. "You got that evil smile¡­ why?" He turned to the voice, giving a chuckle.

    [Aros Member Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Aros Member Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lunar Manba Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lunar Python Felled. Exp Gained]

    "You''ve gotten quite nosy."

    "And you''re a lot more secretive. What''s going on?" She questioned, wrapped up like a burrito. She stepped to the cave entrance, turning to Altair with suspicion. "Seems like the Gods are screaming¡­ what did you do?"

    "Why would you think I did something?" He asserted, flicking his hair, " I am an angel."

    Reina''s face went green. "I''m going to hurl at your lies."

    "I¡ª"

    "Master, we found something." Jorm telepathically conveyed within his Master''s mind. The Prince went silent, standing up. He closed his eyes as a sheet of strange obsidian mana gathered around his flesh. And through the eyes of Jorm and Kirr, the Prince saw an ocean of blood, limbs, and organs sprawled about as if mauled by a bear of sorts.

    Altair counted the various scarlet-colored snow angels printed over the snow. "Can I assume there were seven victims?" He asked as Kirr and Jorm nodded in tandem.

    "Based on the snow angels. I assumed Tania did this. Only a bloody madman would. Not to mention the sizes match." Jorm said, without feeling. He nced at theing storm, then to the various tornados approaching, and back to the blood bath. "There was a squad around here, but we took cared of them."

    "Bring back a few Shield Belts and continue tracking Tania. Seems she is doing what I nned. Bring her back alive." Altair said, opening his eyes to Reina, ring profusely at him. Cheeks like two plump balls, she rolled her eyes, snorting.

    "More secrets," she said.

    "I''m a man of many mysteries. That''s why they call me the Vault of Secrets."

    "Liar."

    The Prince grinned, inching towards her. "Would I lie to you?"

    "One hundred percent." Said Ren as a matter of fact, blocking her nose, sensing Altair''s intent to tease her with a flick.

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' demands you stop flirting.]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' wonders if this is what''s called Rizz.]

    With a mysterious grin, Altair nced out at the storm. ''I''m going out for a hunt."

    "Huh? Why? We have enough¡­"

    "I''m going to kill Tania." He said calmly. "You know, the one I let live a year ago. She''s served her use."

    It was then Reina realized something. "You didn''t leave her alive merely to kill off the other members within the Aros Estate, like you told me, did you."

    With a fiendish smile devoid of human emotion, the Prince nodded with a devilish grin over his lips sharp as a reaper''s edge. " Indeed. Tania''s main purpose is to feed my power. What I want is infernal Lightning. The power Archeon granted her to kill me. Now that she had a year to train it.

    I''m sure she must have gained some insight into it."

    BOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    [Divine Sin Archeon roars at your arrogance with wild, untamedughter!]

    "So do me a favor and wait for me. I''ll be back before the storm ends."

 Chapter 65: The Broken Prince III

    Thunder and hail crackled over the Serpents Outreach with a boom that shook the realm. Rumbles roiled beneath the earth''s crust, stirring the snow into sinkholes for miles on end. Mountains that once stood for centuries crumbled, unable to bear the cruelty of the Elements.

    And as if the world was ending, Altair stepped through the storm with confidence that wouldn''t allow him to ce the destruction in his eye.

    Not when he was so close.

    In front of him stood a small, dark, misty whisk of energy, given to him by Archeon to track Tania as promised. He''d pulled it from the system the moment he''d left against Reina''s wishes. He didn''t wish for her to see him like this. To see what would happen when he devoured the soul tainted by Madness.

    Nor how much he was going to enjoy gorging himself.

    During the past year, he''d devoured many souls, experiencing hundreds of lives, each granting him insight and perspective. At some point, Altair stopped devouring souls, hoping to gain a skill or a stat. Rather, he desperately wanted to experience life and death, which was as maddening as it was intoxicating.

    The more he ate, the easier it became to control what he saw and experience what others felt, allowing him to retain his sense of being without it bing tainted by outside forces. A feat he''d taken great pride in.

    ''Ring~around~the~Rosie, a~pocket~full~of~posies" A soft, gentle voice echoed through the misty forest. ''Ashes~Ashes~We~All~Fall~Down!!!!!"

    The sounds of gunfire quickly took off, crackling through the storm, followed by heavy shouts and screams, pleads of mercy, alongside promises of riches. But the only thing that seemed toe was the gut-wrenching screams, followed by the nursery rhyme.

    ''Ring~around~the~Rosie, a~pocket~full~of~hearts, Organs~Organs~! We~All~Fall~Down." Spry withughter, Tania stood drenched with the nectar of her family. Her extremities were far different from what Altair had remembered.

    The hammerhead of the Aros estate was no more. What stood frolicking through a geyser of blood and death was an enchantress. One with pale snow-white skin. Her once hideous feature was gone as if wished away. In contrast, her smile and eyes seemed to carry a seductive charm to them, tempting the hearts of many men and women alike.

    Tania raised her head, covering her mouth, as she pointed to Altair, who had not bothered to mask his presence. "It''s you! It''s really you! Altair!"

    Altair stepped out of the snowy forest without hesitation, ignoring the ughter around him. He stopped a meter distance from her. "How do you like your Hell?" He asked her.

    She giggled shamelessly. " What Hell? This is Heaven!" she spun, sshing blood over the snow.

    The boy chuckled, ncing around indifferently at her handly work. Most appeared to be vers, but he counted a few Aros Members in the mix. "I''ll take your word for it. But we''ll see what your soul has to say."

    The bloodstained sword in Tania''s palm suddenly beamed, cutting through the air like a ray of light, missing as Altair inched backward. His calm eyes nced at her sword and then at her poor swordsmanship and back to her.

    Name: Tania Aros [Poisoned]

    ss: Hell Knight Lv 13 (New)

    Bloodline: Phoenix

    Str: 14 ¡ú 15

    Dex: 10 ¡ú 12

    Con: 14 ¡ú 16

    Wis: 1

    Cha: 1

    Mana: 5 ¡ú 7

    Skills: [Swordsmanship (F+)], [Phoenix me (F)], [Engineering (F)], [Archery (F)], [Infernal Lightning (D)], [Shield(F)], [Phoenix Form I (F)]

    "Is that all?" The boy asked. He sounded bored. And with a sh of his foot against her abdomen, carrying the force of a battering ram. A thunderous shockwave stirred the snow. Dark ck blood sprayed over his cheeks as she barreled through the winter''s snow, through trees three meters in length like wet paper.

    By the time Tiana had lifted her head, her ribs had shattered beyond repair. Altair appeared, like an apparition, and mmed his foot against her skull, his eyes as hard as stone. He pressed down harder till he heard the cracking of her skull, drowning the disappointment in snow. "I''d hope you''d have changed, have grown significantly with the help of Madness. But I was wrong. What a waste.

    You were even given a new ss."

    Tania roared with rage, unable to bear the humiliation that began to overwhelm her Madness. She cried desperately, struggling to lift herself, digging her bloodstained fingers over the ground until they tore and broke. When she coughed up mouthfuls of blood, unable to keep it down. Tania red with feral abandonment at the boy. She''d never hated someone more.

    But as if a ton weighed over her tender skull, she could only il her arms and legs helplessly.

    Altair looked up at the grey skies, shaking his head. " Are humans so weak?"

    [Divine Sin, "Gram'' folds his arms in agreement.]

    [Divine Being, ''Strahasad'' disagrees with your naive assessment. And wishes you seek out worthy foes.]

    The boy looked down at Tania. "Why have you not used Infernal Lightning? Surely you are aware of the difference in strength?" He asked her as Mana Cycled through his body. Presence gathered at his will, crashing down with greater force than the hellish elements. He shook his head at theck of response and sighed. "What a pity.

    §Ô!¦Å¦Á!?*-?%§à+§Ô?$-#?&¦Ó-+

    Just die."

    Enigmatic Step

    (A/N: Gifted to Altair before he stepped into the Serpents Outreach by Tene.)

    Like a watermelon popping, an earth-shattering explosion ripped through the forest as a ten-meter-wide crater shredded Tania to a smooth paste, barely leaving any sort of bits. Altair opened his palm wrapped with the aura of Fallen Necromancy.

    [Tania Aros Felled. Exp Gained.]

    ck mes coiled around his palm, trailing into the void to the broken Soul me that was Tania.

    [Soul me of Tania Aros acquired.]

    [Soul Assimtion: Two Hours]

    [Archeon: Well, that was boring¡­ what the hell?]

    [Daddy: It was a human. What do you expect.]

    [Piercing Owl: Wasn''t she like¡­ nearly four years older?]

    [Titan Fall: Bitch said Hi, and bye, lol.]

    [Troller: No tea bag action? Weak!]

    Altair nced at the forest behind him, slowly leaving the crater, his perception picking up three intelligent lifeforms. "Come out¡­" Hemanded, his voice whipping out with authority,pelling the three hidden soldiers out of hiding.

    One by one, they fell to their knees before him, eyes bleeding profusely as they dared not look up to what felt like a god gorging his finger through their eyes. Never had such a person''s voice captured their minds and bodies.

    "Who''s the leader?"Unable to resist the Prince''s voice, the one in the center of the three raised a hand. Two heads dropped into the snow, their headless bodies staining the forest a bright red. Altair ignored the chimes of the system and opened up a conversation. "Did you see what I did?"

    Captain Smith nodded, trembling, too petrified to find the words to speak. Altair saw this but didn''t diminish his authority over the man. He wanted him sweating. Praying for dear life.

    "Now that Tania is dead. What is your mission?"

    Smith gulped. "To¡­ find you¡­ My Lord."

    "Hmmm. Dead or alive?"

    "Alive"

    "And Reina? The girl I travel with?"

    "Alive," he repeated as the hot piss warmed his legs. He shuddered, so frightened he dared not even meet the demon''s eye.

    "I see¡­ then you can go. Go and tell them what you saw. " Altair said,ughing, dropping his presence. He stretched and took his leave without notice, having done all he intended.

    When Smith had heard this, all the strength left his body the second Altair was out of sight. He tumbled over, his heart an array of fear, relief, and thankfulness, all intertwining with one another. "I''m done¡­ I''m retiring at fourteen. Fuck this¡­ Fuck it. That was no eleven-year-old but a demon wrapped in sheep''s clothing.

    Bloody Hells...'' Tears weltered through the young man''s eyes as he closed them shut, unable to find the strength to stand. It was only until then, when the storm had ended, that his strength returned. By then, he had been buried six feet under.

    Dayster, when he stepped out of the portal entrance. He broke down before the Armed Gunmen, bearing his heart before the Aros Family about the Demon of the Serpents Outreach. He cried and cried, howling the truth to those who would listen.

    "Altair is a Demon!" He roared as the knights and medics rushed to him. " He''s a Demon! Please, you have to listen to me?! Listen! He''s a demon! A Monster!"

    Ser Liaway watched coldly, tasting the bile at the back of his throat. "Another wasted asset... but it seems Altair hase out of hiding." He said, turning to Tunan. "Put a bullet in that kid''s head after you downloaded his mind into the NAV. Have our analysis spot-check every nook and cranny for a weakness. This issue has gottenrger than it needed to."

    "Ser?" Tunan nced at his grim Father.

    "Look around you.'' Liaway said, spitting bile through his gap teeth. ''Look at how our people are talking. Whispering to each other."

    It had taken a moment for the realization to hit him as he frowned deeply. "Altair... left him alive to spread discord among the ranks."

    "Aye." Ser Liaway said. "And if word were to get out, can you imagine how much humiliation we would face?"

    "Or how much help Altair might receive?" Tunan muttered, ncing at his Father. He saluted, "I''ll get on it, Ser."

    Liaway nced at his son leave and feebly looked up a the grey skies. "It''s toote, my boy. There are sure to have been spies watching. This incident will surely grow in size. What a mess. What a damn mess."

 Chapter 66: The Broken Prince IV (Final)

    It hadn''t taken long for the Prince to locate a secluded field away from the storm and monsters. It had taken even less time as his fingers danced over the snow, his fingers wet with his blood, as dozens of runes appeared one after the other.

    They shimmered with golden light twisting into a ck fog as a protective ward forged of his blood materialized from the mana around the Serpent''s Outreach, condensing before the Enochian runes.

    [Rune Master(F) Proficiency increased by 3%]

    Multiplier: 2x

    Proficiency: 57% ¡ú 63%

    [Ding]

    [Ward of Nightly Protection shall conceal your location.]

    When the light faded, and his presence was gone, Altair snapped, and from his shadow, Jorm and Kirr appeared, transported dozens of miles from where they previously stood. They fell to a knee before their Master in recognition.

    With themand to protect his body, Altair prepared his mind. He sucked in a deep breath to calm his heart and pushed down the excitement coursing through his veins. A feat he found nearly impossible as he stared down the counter. Hopeful of his luck.

    Throughout the past year, he had failed to acquire any new skills from the various beasts, cryptids, and monstrosities he had in. But today. Today, he felt it would be different. Today, through a sense of knowing that had never stirred him wrong, Heaven and Earth felt they would bend to his will.

    In the seconds that followed, the light within his pupils died, plunging his mind into sweet oblivion, where a new beginning started once more.

    Life as Tania Aros had been differentpared to Jorm, formally known as Dillian. It was warmer. Her father was warm. He''d never struck Tania once, but the same could not have been said for her Mother, Catelyn. Who was as cruel as she was vindictive.

    ''How did you pass through my legs?'' Catelyn often said. ''How is such an ugly girl, my child? Go away. Hide yourself from the guess. What good are you? We can''t even sell such a thing?

    What man would touch you?''

    Before long, the servants grew colder, following after their Master. Tania was soon forgotten within therge estate of House Aros. For ten years, she trained, bashing her sword against the training dummies till her hands bled, striving to make advancement topete with her elder sisters to no avail. No matter what she did, no matter who she killed or how well her missions went.

    It was never enough.

    Altair watched it all, devouring all her pain, love, joy, and despair. From beginning to end, he did not stop, enthralled by her life and the story she held. He loved the way the sun shimmered through her eyes, to various senses of touch and smell, and the feeling of being loved. He watched on enjoying life until he stood before the Chimera and the smiling devil he recognized as himself.

    It was a sight he often saw. One eye scarlet, the other an obsidian amethyst.

    The mere sight of him sent shivers of fear through his veins. It didn''t matter who it was, man or beast. Fear had matted their hearts as every one of his kills engraved the image of sin within their souls. More so for Tania, who bellowed and begged, squealing like a pig at the ughter, bursting with such humiliation, she wanted nothing more than death itself.

    [+1 Madness]

    [Warning, System Curruption]

    [+1 Madness]

    [Warning]

    [Warning]

    [Warning]

    As one, Altair and Tania screamed their throats raw until their eyes and throats endlessly bled. Theyughed, lost in a symphony of pain, loathing, death, and destruction fueled by the Madness that never faded but grew with each kill. Like a high that never ceased, insanity swept over their minds, leaving nothing but Madness.

    They gorged themselves till death, finding no regret even amidst their final moments. For this life of Madness was Heaven on Earth

    ****

    When, atst, the Prince awoke, there had been a dryness in the Boy''s throat. One that did not crave wine or water but the sweet nectar of something else. He winced, trying to scratch the itch in the back of his throat. Rather unsessfully.

    "How was her tale, My Lord," Kirr asked, vignt despite the warding. He nced down at his Lord curiously.

    "Tragic. Tania was a good child. One I broke." He said with a rueful expression. "Did you know she had a photographic memory?"

    "I didn''t," Jorm said tly. "She never mentioned it. Then again, we weren''t the best of friends."

    The Prince opened and closed his palm, readjusting to his physique. He sighed, unsure how much of his psyche had changed or how much humanity he still had left. He was sure there wasn''t much, not after Tania.

    The world was a little colder than it was before. A little more bleak.

    "Mother used to call me her Little Prince." He smiled, unsure, when a ck ooze began to drip from his eyes. Heughed." I guess I''ll just be her Broken Little Prince now. If she even wants me."

    Kirr and Jorm closed their eyes, wishing they could bear their Lord''s pain. They stood by his side like two loyal knights, solem without emotions, listening to their Master''s painful cries.

    When the bloody tears ceased amidst his dyingughter, Altairposed himself the best he could, trying with every shred of will not to be like Tania. ''I will not be like her. I will not lose myself to the Madness.'' He told himself. He was stronger, smarter, and had steadfast willpower. One that could be cracked but never broken.

    He shuddered, bearing the increasing urges that came with each soul.

    [Soul of Tania Aros devoured.]

    [New Skill Acquired - Infernal Lightning (D)]

    [Strength as increased by 1]

    [Warning!]

    [Madness has tarnished your soul. The breaking of the psyche is imminent.] -verified

    Altair rose, breaking the warding with a swift kick at the base of the runes. He opened his palm, allowing scarlet arcs of lightning to fold around his fingers, crackling with untold might. The power it wielded was wild, as though it were not meant to be tamed but to conquer or destroy. To break and torment. It was a power that felt right in his hands, as if it were made specifically for him.

    "One does not control the heavenly might of the Heavens," Altair said, staring at theing storm that crackled and boomed. Uprooting the Serpent''s Outreach with its unending might that never seemed to weaken. "The same goes for the Lightning of the Hells." He closed his fist, allowing the lightning to recede back into his meridians.

    He''d found that even with his level of Mana Maniption, he barely met the requirements to wield Infernal Lightning.

    "It had been no wonder Tania nearly lost an arm. And why she was so fearful when using it.'' He thought. I''ll need more practice wielding it before properly using it in battle. At least I won''t end up like Tania, where my arm bes covered byrge hideous masses." He shuddered, recalling that ursed pain that went on for months without end.

    He was sure if it wasn''t for her madness making her insane, Tania would have cut off her arm or killed herself for a sweet relief.

    Heughed, thinking about it somehow, looking forward to the day he could use it with deadly precision. "Alright. Let''s go. I''m sure Ren is agitated by now." He said, looking forward to her brooding expression.

    "Oh! Master! Can we meet Lady Reina?" Kirr hastily asked. " I''d love to see the future Queen!"

    The Boy''s cheeks grew flush. "Q-Queen?! That''s¡­ that''s not¡­ She''s just a friend."

    "Such fine red hair, with eyes as the pale moon. My Lord! You must wife her up before someone else steals her! You must! You must! You must!" Kirr hastily eximed as if he heard something sphemous.

    "My Master, you can''t be a coward! Steal her before someone else does! Can you imagine how cute your babies would be?!"

    "For once, he makes sense," Jorm added along, poking a bit of fun at his Lord, who sometimes acted like a boy his age. "You''re about the same age," he said sharply. "Nothing wrong in professing your undying love for her. Men don''t have the luxury of time when ites to attractive women. Steal her away, sire you a progeny, My Master."

    "What nonsense¡­ I''m eleven, you idiots! Go back in my Shadow." The Boy shouted, rushing past his Shadows, his cheek burning and chest tight. He looked up to where he left Ren, finding his steps moving a little faster.

    Watching their lord leave, the two Shadows exchanged meaningful nces as they burst intoughter before dissipating into nodes of ck light, vanishing without a trace. Altair left the scene, entering the blizzard of hail without concern. With heavy steps that bread no sounds, the winds billowed with the howls of the storm, devouring all that entered it.

 Chapter 67: Trial of the Moon I

    When the Prince returned to the entrance of the cave drenched by the snow, he paused, finding Reina beside the fire. She looked bored, ying with the chard wood, muttering away at her new arch enemy.

    "Big dummy! Baka! How dare he leave me behind. Ren is strong. Hmph. Just because he got tall, he think he can bully Ren?

    Mega Ultra Stupid Dummy. Punch to the nuts! Big Head! Stupid face! Ren will kick his ass one day!"

    A rare, genuine smile branded the boy''s lips as he watched her shadowbox the air. He coughed into his palm, making his presence known. Renia practically leaped up like a startled cat, mechanically turning her head to him, and trembled.

    "A-A-Altair?! W~w~when did you get back?" Ren stammered with a wryugh and nced around suspiciously, unsure if he saw her messing around. She patted to the seat near the fire a little eagerly. " Have a seat. You''re all wet with snow. Come get warm."

    The Prince epted. By her side, he sat, allowing the fire to warm his bones. "I''m sorry. " He whispered, prodding at the fire with a branch. Embers danced through the air like fireflies. "I just didn''t want you to see who¡­ or what I was bing." he nced at her with a sour expression.

    "I don''t even recognize myself anymore."

    "Altair¡­" she muttered.

    "And I don''t want you to see me like that."

    "Like what?"

    "Like the broken prince I am." He told her, his gaze spirling with a darkness that seemed to crown him. Loneliness coiled through his heart, deepening the sinking despair as he chuckled lightly. Unsure what to even say anymore.

    "Do¡­ Do you know what a Nephilim is?" Reina asked him. Her voice was soft as if to lessen the pain she sensed in his voice. The boy shook his head, turning to her. "It''s a tainted celestial body. A stain on all that was pure, ording to Master.

    My Mother was an Angel, a seraph of some unknown order, while my Father was an Ancient." she exined, "That makes me a Nephilim since my Mother slept with someone outside her race. To the Angels¡­ I am filth. And to the Ancients, I am¡­ a traitor. I was born a traitorous filth. At least to them, I was."

    The boy''s eyes went wide, but before he could protest. Reina continued, sensing his fury. "So I get it. Altair, I get it." she smiled, cupping his cheeks, tears gathering in her pearly eyes. "You are not alone. You got me." she giggled, leaning her head against his shoulder.

    "So don''t let other people define you. You are not broken."

    He trembled, tears gathering in his eyes. ''You are wrong. I am broken.'' he wanted to say, but the words became caught in the back of his throat, unable to leave, as Reina''s warmth pressed against his shoulder, tugging at his bleeding heart.

    Altair finally found his words. " Thank you." He said, and for the first time, he felt shame. Shame of words he hadn''t meant, for he knew whaty beside her was a monster dressed as a man.

    ***

    When dawn broke the next day, the storm had faded, leaving behind wreckage in its wake. Altair woke, drowsy, having fallen asleep for the first time in a year. He nced around, his muscles somewhat tight from the cold yet oddly rxed.

    "Morning." He said, finding Ren packing up camp.

    "Oh, you''re up!" Reina said warmly. She turned to him, tossing her bag pack onto her back. "Morning. Did you have a good night''s sleep?''

    "Like the dead¡­"

    MVLeMpYr-original-content

    She smirked. "I could have slit your neck, and you wouldn''t have woken. Guess you were tired."

    Beneath the boy''s shadow, the ever-vignt Fallen Shadow watched, smiling in darkness. Their Master would never be defenseless.

    "I''d have made breakfast, but¡ª"

    "No, it''s fine. Let''s finish this trial and get the Hell out of this dungeon," Altair quickly said, snapping to his feet. "I''m sick of being in here. Let''s go."

    Setting out on their journey once more through countless feet of snow, the children trekked through frosted winds, dense woods, and inhuman monsters for the next few days with little sleep or rest.

    The day would begin with Ren praying to the Gods for a steed, finishing with Altair bonking her on the head each time as he carried her on his back until they came upon a stone temple within arge clearing an hour''s walk.

    The Temple wasrge, as it was old, resembling a cathedral carrying runes that glowed a moonlit hue bleeding an ancient aura, one that felt familiar.

    "So this is the center of the dungeon¡­" Altair murmured, inspecting his target with glowing eyes. "It seems... oddly average.''

    "Indeed. I thought it would have arger mana density since it was the focal point of the dungeon. But it''s pathetically normal." Ren agreed, onto the boy''s back. She lept down, summoning her Hunting Bow in a sh of ethereal nodes of light. "I got your back."

    Altair nodded and began forward without an inkling of fear but rather a confidence that came from those he''d ughtered. For miles, he journeyed forward, frowning when the Eye of Sacrilege trembled, perceiving the intangible. He stopped lifting his palm to what seemed like a barrier: one invisible to the naked eye. A domain of sorts that seemed to cover all of the Temple and then some.

    Suddenly, the barrier rippled like water on ake at his touch.

    "Guess this is where it officially begins," Reina said, unable to see it like Altair, but her perception had picked up on it.

    "A path of no retreat," The boy inferred, treading his fingers over the domain barrier that rippled like water. He nced at Reina, ten meters away with her bow poise for action and Ice resting silently on her back. "You ready?"

    Renia gave a solid nod. "You bet your ass I am."

    Altair shifted his gaze back to the barrier and stepped through, pausing as the once silvery moon turned to blood, bleeding a scarlet hue. The air was foul as sin, carrying the scent of brimstone into what seemed like a hellish purgatory. Ash rained from the heavens like snow, painting the earth ck.

    Around the Temple, Altair and Riena saw. A small army of monsters, their bodies bleeding profusely at every angle as if just recently in. Yet the stench they carried implied they''d perish months if not years ago. Their bodies festered with rot, carrying a plethora of diseases. From lion-like monsters, serpents of variety, humans, and strange spirits.

    Altair counted every one of them, finding them to be all manner of beings he''d killed before.

    "What¡­ what the hell?" he said, startled by the rancid filth before him.

    "Is that a Chimera?" Reina shouted, frowning, her gazending just outside the temple entrance to the undead beast standing guard at the temple entrance like a dog.

    Altair''s Eye of Sacrilege glowed. "A chimera would make a fine mount," he said, unable to mask his excitement. "How awesome would that be? y our cards right. We might be able to upgrade the snake portion into a True Dragon."

    "Are you bloody insane? Can''t you see it''s dead?" Ren pointed out. "Wait a sec... How do I feel about this? No... no." She shook her head and red at the Chimera in the distance: "What I don''t understand is how this is rted to the moon."

    "It''s not¡­ it''s rted to my Father." The boy said with fire in his heart. He grinned, epting the challenge. "Luna did say he helped create this trial."

    [Divine Sin, Daddy nods proudly at his spawn.]

    [Divine Sin, Archean is growing more and more curious about your identity.]

    [Divine Being, ''PIercing Owl'' frowns, unable to sense a demonic bloodline from you, nor anything from the Nine Hells.]

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' states you are neither a Demon nor Devil, but something else. Something new!]

    [Divine Being ''Watcher'' leans in with popcorn.]

    [Divine Being, ''Devouring Wolf'' whistles at the army of two hundred. And demands you watch out for his daughter.]

    With a grin cold as the morning snow, Seven Moonlit Swords twisted the scarlet moonlight into a de ck as the deepest night of the Hells, cold as ice, bleeding deadly sword light. They rose into the air, awaiting to pass judgment.

    [Divine Being ''She Who Hunts'' cheers for your victory!]

    [Divine Sin, ''Archean'' awaits to see your progress!]

    [Divine Being, ''PIercing Owl'' prays for your survival.]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, is worried he is going to lose money betting on you.]

    Altair stepped forward towards the army of two hundred, dark me-like mana billowing around him, chilling the putrid air with death. When his presence, a force of unending might fell upon the dead. And as if the hand of god appeared, dozens dropped to their knees, buckling with untold fear.

    "Arise"

 Chapter 68: Trial of the Moon II

    "Arise"

    As the voice of authority fell like a sword with ruthless abandon, Altair''s shadow grew long and elongated. And from the darkness, thirty Fallen Shadows appeared, their bodies aze with the power of darkness. From serpents to wolves to Liama''s and more, one by one, their figures appeared.

    "What the hell!" Shouted Ren, pointing at the sudden reinforcements. "What the hell is all this!"

    Jorm and Kirr stepped to their King like two sentries, one wielding a longsword, the other an otherworldly ive draped in obsidian mes.

    "We live to serve, Master." They boomed with a mighty roar that stirred the battlefield.

    "Hand Reina a Shield Belt," The Prince ordered, activating his without hesitation at the sight of the archers ahead nocking their bows.

    Kirr all but lunged towards the startled Nephilim like a joyful cat, grinning. " Hello, Princess! I''m Kirr, Master''s most Loyal Fallen Shadow. It''s an honor." He reached into his robes, pulling out a belt with a hexagonal shape buckle. "Please wear this per Master''s request. It''s called a shield belt, and it should help block some pesky arrows.

    Awesome right? Me and Jorm got one to see?!"

    "Altair?" Reina said hesitantly, ncing at him for direction. Confused as to who or what this thing was, bearing grey skin and yellow eyes that sent shivers through her spine. Kirr felt warm, but there was a familiar coldness that followed him. One that reminded her of the icy gleam of a dagger to her neck.

    Altair shot her a grin. "It''s alright. Just put it on and hit the buckle. You better hurry. The archers are about to fire."

    Before he finished, a ck shadow loomed over Altair and his Army of Fallen Shadows. Suddenly, a scarlet ark of lightning, the size of a mountain, washed the Heavens in a vibrant storm of lightning, decimating all the arrows in the blink of the eye as the Former Tania stepped forward, her arm crackling with a newly founded control her Master granted her.

    She fell to a knee before him. "I beschee thee, grant this lowly Shadow a name, Master."

    The Prince gave her a side nce. "Is Tania not enough?" He knowingly asked.

    "If it''s your wish, My Lord." She responded with a deadpan expression betrayed by the urgency of her tone.

    He closed his eyes, opening them filled with thought. "Talia¡­ It means¡­"

    "Dew of God." She finished with a sweet smile. "Thank you, my Master." When she stood up, Talia arcs of Infernal Lightning danced around her pale flesh, challenging the very Heavens with their nature.

    "Lay waste to my enemies." The Princemanded.

    Bearing the Howls of War, the Fallen Shadow charged, carving through the Undead Army like hot butter. Bodies littered the earth in an endless purgatory of death and decay, leaving nothing behind but the decimated moans of the dead and the Awe of the Gods watching, too shocked toment.

    At the front, the leading Army Jorm''s ive danced, carrying the night. He felled three undead Lamia''s in a single stroke. His movements were practiced and precise, with a familiarity Reina had seen before. One she fought against countless times.

    ''Grave of Night,'' she whispered, ncing at Kirr, wielding his master swordsmanship with the same level of familiarity she once saw in their Master. "Altair¡­ just how strong are you?"

    Without words, Altair kicked off his feet, dashing toward the army of the Dead being ughtered by his Shadows. When moonlight shed over the battlefield, grinding the dead into a thick gooey paste. Sword light danced in a paradoxical stream of ethereal light, shing and piercing through bodies without regard.

    Arrows aimed at the Prince were either repelled by his Shield Belt or severed by his Dark Moon des, leaving him free to approach and roam the battlefield to how he saw fit.

    Reina watched it all unfold before her eyes, and in less than half an hour, Altair and his shadows had ughtered everything on the battlefield. Most of the monsters hadn''t gotten that much stronger, with their resurrection merely serving to drain stamina. Reina had felt it wouldn''t have mattered if their stats had increased by two factors rather than the thirty percent she felt.

    Despite most of Altair''s Shadows possessing monstrous bodies, most had a far higher battle prowess than their undead counterparts.

    The Prince''s Shadows were vastly superior, whether it was battle prowess, speed, intelligence, or strength. Those of the same race stood no chance, falling in two or three fierce strikes.

    When all was dead once more, Altair approached the Chimera with a hint of fever in his eyes. "I''ve yet to receive any experience from killing anything here," he said. "I hope at least I''ll be able to take your soul."

    The Undead Chimera, festered by rot and decay, rose at the sight of the boy. Its unfeely eyes glittered a scarlet rot. Viens of muscle branded themselves against the chimera scales following the mighty roar that splintered the ground, sending tremors through the air.

    What had pushed the Prince away a year ago felt like a warm breath of fresh air. Altair measured the undead beast and lifted his head towards the top of the temple to where she stood, watching.

    "Elder Sister¡­ I''m disappointed. Is this it A mere army?"

    Like a fairy untouched by the Hells around them, Luna stood. Her ethereal figure gleamed in the moonlight. She elegantly covered her mouth with one hand. "Silly boy. You''ve done nothing but seal your faith." chapter-source-MvLeMpYr

    It was then that ir frowned. He nced back, watching as the bodies that lined the grass began to tremble and then regenerate. As if time was reversing, the Prince grimly watched with utter fascination as the undead Army rose again. He grimaced and looked to the Chimera.

    "So I won''t be able to make you my mount." He said, unwilling to forgo such a mighty beast. Especially one sorge. "Guess I''ll just have to look for a Dragon, or Kirin, maybe a Phoenix. Although House Aros kind of ruined them for me. But a Phoenix does some rather badass, doesn''t it?"

    As the Goddess stared at him, stripping the clothing off his flesh with her piercing gaze and then soul, Luna resisted the urge to question the boy. She knew he had grown stronger, but not to this extent.

    Years ago, when Arsene approached her with a n for his progeny within the Final Garden of Eden. Not once did they ever expect such a scene to take ce. At his word, the dead would rise, wielding the power of their Master, as well as minds of their own.

    Luna gulped down her excitement, trying to grasp the chaos that would unfold once Altair left.

    "Sister! Am I to keep ying till the blood is dry?" The Prince asked, wielding his ingrained arrogance as a sword. "We''ll be here for weeks."

    She smiled. " Then you''ll die. My Army never tires."

    "Neither does mine," Altair replied in a challenging tone as the men, woman, and beast howled. Their presence swallowing the battlefield in a baptism of war. He reached for Endymian, unsheathing the de that had not seen blood these past few months, and pointed at her.

    A spyrful gleam shed over the maiden''s pearly eyes as she turned. "I''ll see how long youst¡­ boy." And Lunafrya vanished in a wisp of silvery moonlight.

    With another roar, the Chimera opened its jaw, preparing to breathe fire. But the moment it did, Altair''s figure had mysteriously vanished beneath its perception. And like an apparition, he appeared,nding upon the head of the goat with a single foot, his eyes shimmering a demonic light.

    Enigmatic Step

    As if the world''s weight gathered beneath Altair''s feet in a focal point of power, a flood of blood sprayed over the temple wall, drenching the pristine stone red, as a gale of organs sshed over the ground. Altair tore apart the Chimera with the power of seven mountains came crashing down. Crushing the beast into a fine paste before it could whimper a cry.

    [Enigmatic Step (E)]

    Proficiency: 57%

    Descriptions: Condense mana in a focal burst beneath the user''s feet.

    A wave of destruction splintered the earth for over ten meters, leaving nothing behind but a crater of utter destruction and death. The Princeughed like a demon of war, stepping out of the crater to his army, cutting down the undead, and hisughter only grew.

    When all was said and done, he surveyed the battlefield with undecided bloodlust, leaving the death trembling."Leave nothing standing! If the dead must rise, our des will continue to fall! KILL! KILL! KILL!"

    Overwhelmed by the dreadful presence, the Army of the Dead trembled, and despite being unable to feel the concept of pain, fear twisted there inside until their Soul''s mes dimmed.

    Jorm and Kirr lifted their des, bloodied by war, and released their war cry, followed by the other Fallen Shadows over the battlefield.

 Chapter 69: Trial of the Moon III

    "KILL THEM ALL"

    "DEVOUR THEM!!!"

    "ughter!!"

    "GORGE UPON THE BODIES OF THE DEAD!"

    "KILL, KILL, KILL!"

    Lost in the carnage of the battle, asionally firing off arrows, Reina slowly came to a halt, watching as the Fallen Shadows fell into a bloody frenzy. The Shadow Wolves, Serpents, Lamia''s, and more all began eating away at the flesh of the Undead, gorging themselves raw until their eyes turned red with bloodlust.

    Leaving not even a drop of blood as a delectable trace of madness pooled through the atmosphere like an untamed blight, tainting all that was pure.

    The scarlet moon seemed even redder, carrying the traces of the prince''s madness coursing through his Shadows.

    Reina stood still, her bow low. She turned to the smiling prince, d to be on his side,"... I don''t think they''ll be regenerating. Not without bodies." She said, approaching, unsure what to even do. "And won''t your¡­ I''m sorry, but I have to ask. Won''t they get sick eating the dead or something?

    That can''t be healthy. Honestly, it''s lowkey disgusting."

    "If they die. I''ll resurrect them." He told her without cause for concern. He''d done far worse experimenting on how far hismand went when it came to his Shadows. An answer he never found despite the many months. "These Fallen Shadows fear no death, for death no longer exists in their future. Those felled by my hand shall eternally rise as my sword."

    "Then... Have¡­ Have you learned how to enhance your body through Mana yet?" Reina asked, watching the remainder numbers fall one by one and then devoured. If he had learned to enhance his physical qualities as she had, with Infernal Rage, then Altair would be unstoppable.

    "No," he answered disheartenedly, shaking his head but not forck of trying. Altair had spent months, if not a year, researching the concept. But he had made little to no progress. He found himselfcking in his grasp of mana roots and martial arts. "Remember when you attacked me when we first reunited? My jaw still hurts, by the way.

    Thanks for asking. Well, I was able to harden my muscles to deal with the damage, but that''s the most I can do without any proper technique. I need to research the concept better, and to do so... I need references." And he turned to the temple doors, which stood like tworge mountains before him, capable of fitting a family of giants.

    Veins sprang from Altair''s arms as the temple doors wheezed, parting after eons since it was first constructed. Reina peeped her head inside, tiptoeing above Altair''s shoulders when her pupils contracted to a fine point.

    Swordlight fell like a shooting star just above the Prince''s head, threatening to end their lives in a single stroke. Altair hadn''t the time to react nor the perception to sense the hidden enemy. But in that instance of life and death, just as the eye of sacrilege spun with a mythical light, a scarlet burr zoomed past him as Reina appeared, her silvery eyes now a deep shade of scarlet.

    Bearing power that came with Infernal Rage, a sh that tore the prince off his feet erupted in a vigorous shockwave. Altair stabbed Endyian into the earth to slow his flight as a sliver of blood trickled down his face.

    His heart trembled for a brief moment as the boy red at the six-armed creature, its fiery eyes, and blood-red skin glistering a deep, hellish aura, armed in ted obsidian armor. Ember stained the skies following the quick session of blows that spun around the battlefield.

    DING! DING! DING! DING!

    The power of each sword sent tremors through the serpent''s outreach, creating craters and faults wherever their des met.

    [Ding]

    Name: Drec''Dumal (Illusion) Lv 21

    Race: Shura (Demon)

    Strength: 40

    Dexterity: 20

    Constitution: 34

    Wisdom: 30

    Charisma: 30

    Mana: 13

    Wiping the blood from his brow, Altair reacted almost immediately as seven ethereal moon des shattered the sound barrier, honing in on the Shura. In a matter of seconds, injuries began to splinter the Shura red skin. But just as fast as they came, they vanished by its monstrous healing factor.

    Reina roared like a feral beast, cleaving her sword down over the six scimitars that came to meet ''Ice.'' Bashing the Shura hundreds of meters into the air, a furious arc of infernal lighting fell from the skies like the Demonic Judgement of The Nine Hells

    Crackles roiled through the Heavens, leaving the hells to govern thend as stones turned to moltedva before the naked eye. Volcanic ash nketed thend as Talia fell to her knee, weak, barely able to remain conscious. Kirr and Jorm charged, sensing the Demon''s life force within the ash.

    "GOOOD!!!" A booming shout came from within, parting the ash. The Shura made itself known, his chard skin blistering a fearsome wound. One that did not seem to heal. "Show me more!!!!"

    Kirr became the first to arrive, wielding the night as a sword, conjuring an arc of darkness to trail his sword. A storm of embers followed, rioting like an infinite whirlwind of sword strokes. When a ive whipped through the demon''s armored chest, carrying an arc of infernal lightning, a gruesome wound tore out the shura rib cage, spilling his fiery blood over the earth.

    "Hell storm!!!!" The Demon roared, erupting in a pir of hellish mes, catching Kirr and Jorm by surprise. mes danced for over fifty meters, leaving a storm of death and destruction neither Altair nor Reina could imagine.

    Suddenly, from the pir of fire, a great magical circle began to condense within the skies, melting the temple''s stones with intense heat that grew with each passing second.

    Sensing the death of two of his Shadows, the Eye of Sacrilege shone a deadly killing intent as Altair and Reina looked at each other, and then the circle building up to a tier-three spell. The mana spiraled out of control, gaining the element of fire in its core. The air vibrated with might and from within the pir of mes. Two bloodstained eyes zed.

    "Crazy bastards. How is this a fair trial?" The prince spat grimly, bing the first to kick off the ground. Mana cloaked his body, defending him against the mes. He sucked in a deep breath, allowing his insight to take hold of him.

    ''Infernal Bane''

    Torments Edge gathered brimming such demonic malice the Shura eyes shrank with fear. But rather than strike the demon. The ethereal de attached itself to Endyiam, turning the de''s edge a scarlet hue.

    A chilling pulse permeated the demon''s heart as it spoke in such a hush whisper, "Duke¡ª"

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, ces a chilling finger on his lips, smiling]

    "DIE!!!!" the Shura bellowed, his mighty voice tearing at his windpipe. But just when his Hell Storm was about to erupt, a dark mist of shadows sprang beneath his ankles. And from the mist came the tendrils of darkness, coiling like serpents around both spell and demon. Shadow Cage sprang into action, stealing all momentum.

    "Grave of Night: Shadow de," The Prince roared when An arc of scarlet, ck sword light whipped out from Altair''s sword, cutting through the pir of mes and flesh. From shoulder to groin, the Sword Light pierced, leaving behind waves of torment echoing with the Souls of the Damned.

    [Drec''Dumal has been struck by Infernal Bane; all Stats have dropped by 30%.]

    [Drec''Dumal has been petrified]

    [Infernal Bane (D) proficiency has increased by .01%]

    Proficiency: 0.001% ¡ú 0.021%

    As the torment carried by the souls of the damn billowed, The Shura''s eyes rolled backward, and his tier three spell inverted into a horrendous bacsh. When a wisk of light took his head from his body, Reina appeared behind him, her scarlet eyes hummer a profound necrotic aura.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Hell Storm erupted, decimating thend in a catastrophic inferno of hell. When the light of the bacsh ended, Altair stood with Seven Dark Moon des Sword surrounding him, his mana cloaking his flesh the best it could. But sear marks could be seen as he fell to his knees, exhausted.

    "That was the longest minute of my life¡­ holy shit." The boy cried, with bearly strength, to stand. Blood dripped from his nose as he looked up to where Reina stood, surrounded by a strange red stgmite of ice, waving childishly at him as if to say, ''Look what I just did!''

    [Drec''Dumal (illusion) Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Level Up]

    [Level up]

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 65.6%]

    ss: Young Prince Lv 12¡ú 14 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 13

    Dexterity: 15

    Constitution: 19 ¡ú 21

    Wisdom: 21¡ú 23

    Charisma: 21¡ú 23

    Mana:18

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    -Proficiency: 0.2%

    -Soul Storage: 30/45

    Dark Moon de [D]

    -Proficiency: 0.8%

    -Sword Limit: 7

    Circle of Gluttony [F]

    -Proficiency: 65.6%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    -Proficiency: .001% ¡ú .021%

    Survival Instincts [F] ¡ú Superior Instincts [D]

    -Proficiency: 93%

    Grave of Night [D]

    -Proficiency: .01%

    Eye of Sacrilege [C]

    -Proficiency: 90%

    Mana Maniption [D] content-hosted-on-MVLeMpYr

    -Proficiency: 93.99%

    Enigmatic Step [E]

    -Proficiency: 57%

 Chapter 70: Trial of the Moon IV

    Beneath the bloodstained moon, harsh, rugged breaths broke the silence, followed byughter. Altair tilted his head to the pale face of Reina, who''d copsed next to him.

    "What are youughing at?" She asked him, following the spasming of her muscles and the drool pooling beneath her lips.

    Altair lifted himself up, ignoring the weakness of his physique, his shadow looming over the young woman ring up at him. He carried himself to her, amused, and pressed his fingers against the plump of her cheeks.

    A wild blush surfaced over the young maiden''s face. "W-W-What are you doing?"

    "What do you mean?" Came his mischievous reply. He leaned down, fingers treading through strands of silky red hair, softer than the finest silk. "You always poke my cheeks when we sleep together. Hehe, oh. I never got to ask how your hair became so blood red, did I?"

    Embarrassed more so than what she wished to admit. Reina turned her head, allowing him to do as he pleased. "Infernal Rage." She muttered. "Master said my blood was corrupted at birth. So the more I use Infernal Rage. The more my physical attributes will change.

    So after this¡­ I think my eyes will gain a red hue, or I could get taller. Who knows."

    "Well, it''s pretty." He mused. "I like red."

    Her blush deepened. "Bully," she whispered in an auspicious voice, too low for Altair''s senses to hear.

    "I''m sorry, Master," Talia said, slowly approaching. The shame of her failure pressed against her cheeks. "Infernal Lightning took all my Mana I¡ª"

    "Enough," Commanded the Prince, his eyes a swelter of power, and from his shadow, Jorm and Kirr reemerged bearing grim faces. Altair expression turned a shade paler as he emptied his remaining reserves. Summoning Talia for the first time had already taken a third of a Mana. And now, with the resurrection of the two former Shadows, another two-thirds were taken. "You three yed your roles perfectly.

    If it weren''t for you three, forcing him to reveal his trap card early. Ren or I might have died. You three did well."

    "MY LORD!!!~" Kirr wailed, tackling his King with tears in his eyes. He rubbed his cheeks against his. "I LOVE YOU!~"

    "Kirr, you bloody idiot! Release our Lord!" Jorm spat, snatching Kirr up by the nape of his neck like how one would a young pup. He bowed to Altair. " We thank you for your words, our Master.'' And his body, alongside Kirr and Talia, turned into nodes of ck light, sinking deep into his shadow.

    Slowly, all of the other Shadows followed suit.

    "Your really strong," Reina said, sourly. Hopeful, she would remain stronger when he returned to her.

    "You evenly matched a Shura, going as far as to overpower him." The boy countered, his eyes bright with amusement. He poked her on the cheek again, fascinated by how fluffy they were. "I''ll say we''d have a good match."

    Reina turned her gaze to him. Her eyes were like fire. " You didn''t even summon your World of Shadows Grimoire. I''m sure you still had more spells to unload." But the boy wasn''t listening. He continued poking at her cheeks till her expression turned docile. Ren, against her will, closed her eyes, allowing the darkness to take her.

    He smiled. " You did well." lifting her into his arms, Altair opened his pores to the outside mana, pulling it into his mana roots without reservation. For over a mile, the Mana roiled into his body and Shadows, draining the domain of life.

    It wasn''t until an hour had passed and the Prince had recovered did he moved towards the temple, stepping inside what seemed to find an altar carrying a sword at its center.

    Cobwebs lined the chapel in thick brushes of silk that coiled around the luscious vines tailing through windows, bearing vile ck pedals. The pedals smelt sweet, bearing the cruel sign of warning with a nest of small pristine white bones and exoskeletons, of critters and insects,

    "Jorm," Altair said, and from his Shadow, a fiery ive shed through the cobwebs and viens forging a path. Jorm stepped forward, leading the way to ensure his master''s safety until they arrived at the alter.

    There, he saw the sigil of the moon, branded over the sword hilt, crusted and rusted. Yet the edge remained sharp, its shone edge glistering beneath the scarlet moon. Altair handed the girl to Jorm, reaching for the sword.

    And as he did, an azure light erupted, swallowing him in a ze of glory.

    When the light faded, and Altair''s eyes regained their poised focus, he found himself upon ake, rippling from the awe coursing through his body. He gasped. His eyes twirled to the crested moon that reflected off the mirroredke,

    "Honestly¡­"

    Altair turned to the source of the voice dead ahead of him. To a frowning Luna, "I swear¡­ we thought that would be enough. How we underestimated you and Ren." she said, irritated. "You were never supposed to win. At least not like you did. Curse this Promation."

    "Huh?"

    Noticing the boy''s confusion, Luna sighed. "Once a trial has officially started. We can''t intervene. We set the parameters and the route. From there, the Origin System will bend our power to ensure it happens." she exined, folding her arms over one another. "Your Father wanted you to face a demon to show you the power they hold, and I made sure the dead would continually regenerate."

    The boy grinned in a gloating tone. "Well, aside from the Shura, it was pretty easy. Although I''d have loved to battle that Shura alone."

    "You''d have lost," Luna promised him.

    "Perhaps. But¡­ you also thought this trial was enough to challenge me." The boy said, his tongue as sharp as his sword. "So what do you know."

    Luna''s cheeks felt like they had been stung. There was a trap there, one Luna wasn''t willing to fall for. "Arrogant little shit. You were supposed to leave Ren to handle the army of the dead and the Shura and enter my temple to enter this realm."

    Altair shrugged. " I figured. But its stat wasn''t that impressive."

    "It was almost four times stronger than you.''

    "Just four?" The Prince said with amused arrogance. He grinned. "All he had going for him was battle prowess. And a single spell. Maybe if you had added more, I''d be more impressed."

    ''Then Reina would have suffered if everything would have gone to¡­ oh, whatever. I told Arsene creating trials for you was stupid. We are too attached to you." she said, and Altair knew she was right.

    brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr

    Had someone like Archeon made the Trial, Altair was sure sacrifices would have been needed. Luna was clouded by emotions and knew little of Altair''s abilities. He kept most of what he was capable of hidden, showing glimpses of battle prowess here and there.

    "Well? What was in this realm? It looks amazing."

    "First off. "Luna began raising her palm. " Before I give you anything. Do you want to experience a bonus? Just you, not Reina. My trial is basically over.

    You can have your prize, but¡­"

    "What is it?" The Prince asked, somewhat intrigued.

    "A battle within this realm." she mused, but Altair frowned, sensing he couldn''t feel his Shadows. "It''s a bonus event. Based on your results, you''ll be given a reward.'' And then she grew solemn. "The other Gods can''t watch. However¡­ your Future Master is watching. So you had better show her something good.

    As is your Father and his Brother."

    At that, Altair grew grim, cing a palm on the hilt of his sword. "I don''t like games without solid promises." The Prince said, his voice thick with a vile contempt at the games being yed. "I''m not some zoo animal to be prodded and toyed with."

    Luna closed her eyes. " Altair¡­" She began her voice like a cold abyss, bearing the authority of her presence, that brought him to his knees as a fear he''d never experienced before stabbed through his mind. Veins thick with blood protruded over his neck as Luna spoke."You will do well to respect those your elder. You are standing before some of the most powerful Lords within the Myriad Heavens.

    Had your Father been here, much less Tene, you''d have been bleeding from the mouth at the disrespect. We are not equals."

    "NO~" Altair barked, bleeding from every orifice, his pride bearing its fangs. "I''ll do no such thing. Show me the same courtesy. Am I not your blood? Am I not your future? Show me the same respect, and I''ll give you yours!"

    Startled, Luna bowed her head, masking her smile with vast relief. Her heart thumped with a swelter of pride towards the boy who would never bow to those more powerful than him. But when she raised her head, death all but shed through Altair''s eyes.

    He could feel his skin being peeled away like an apple while his eyes bubbled and popped. The painsted less than a second before the splintering winds of winter arrived. And Altair returned to himself, ncing down at his shaking palms.

    He gulped.

    "You will be granted this dungeon," Luna told him, sheathing her intent less she shatter his soul. "What the others grant you is up to them."

 Chapter 71: Trial of the Moon V (Final)

    "You seem more distracted than usual." Lord Beelzebub of Mythos protestedzily. He folded his arms, resting his cold, dead eyes upon the game of chess before him and then to Arsene Snow, wearing a prideful smile like a trophy. " And what''s got you all riled up? Has Tiamate to visit?"

    "My son Vesryn."

    "That''s what¡­ the firstborn?" Lord Beelzebub said. Shifting his attention back to the board. "I never bothered to pay attention to your rise."

    "My second. Izalith is the first." He corrected him, painfully ring at the chessboard, to his impossible situation. " I hate the game of chess."

    "That''s because you suck at it."

    Arsene did not deny it. "Hells. I seriously can''t win"," he said, tasting his defeat at his boxed king. He forfeited tipping his King over for the seventh time this month. He sighed wearily. "Well?

    see-MVLeMpYr-for-more

    How much longer are you going to stay?"

    "How long has it been since you ruled over Irka?" Beelzebub inquired, knowing the answer at heart. "This once barren field of hell, wrestling with debt so great it was crippling, now existing as one of the riches hells."

    Arsene did not express emotion. "What is your point?" he said firmly. "You know the deal I house with the Abyss."

    "It''s a monopoly," Beelzebub replied.

    "And?" Arsene smiled. " Are you expecting me to deny it? That much was obvious. I don''t believe there is anyw against it."

    "There is discontent." He said darkly. "Many im you are abusing your wife''s power."

    "And who might I ask said that? Belphegor, Abbadon, or was it perhaps that little bitch Belial?" Arsene spat, in his eyes a seething abyss of vile contempt. "I''ve offered them my business."

    "You''ve offered them bits to nibble upon as though they were pigs," Beelzebub pointed out, resetting the board.

    "I''ve given them Arcadia."

    "Arcadia was never yours to begin with despite you opening the pathway."

    Arsene snorted, growing more agitated with each rebuttal. "And why the hell should I give two fucks what the other Monarchs of Hell do? Better yet, why do you care?"

    "Devils and Demons are flocking to your Hell, housing Abyssal resources. And I''ve been asked to intercede." Beelzebub said. He reached for his bitter-sweet wine, taking a swig. "They want you to close your borders."

    "Or what?" The Monarch of Darkness challenged, a feral bearing in his eyes, one Beelzubub could recall quite vividly when all Monrchs of Hell acknowledged him as a True Hell Lord. More blood spilled that day following the gale of omnipotence that nearly tore the Myriad Heavens apart. From Fallen to Seraphim, all stood frozen, petrified by the power he now governed.

    "Your main body is still within Arcadia.'' Beelzebub pointed out. "You''re defenseless. And sealed, might I add."

    "Far from it." Arseneughed. "I''ve got the Abyss, the Order of Chaos, and so much more by my side. If they kill this clone of mine, they are the ones fucked once trading stops. Demons are already growing restless at the arrogance of the New Gods.

    While the Devils can barely contain themselves when faced with the stupidity of these newer gods created by the Shadow Promation, not that I can me them."

    "Damn it, Arsene!" Beezubub rasped, mming his fist over the chess board, sending the pieces flying. "Why are you being so difficult? War is already on the horizon within Arcadia. We can''t¡ª"

    "Oh, cut the fucking theatrics." Arsene pressed. " Like I don''t know that you''re inciting war as we speak. You think I don''t know about your flies are already spreading your Principalities, provoking a war among the great fractions. How many Forsaken ns have youe in contact with yet?"

    Beelzubub''s livid expression turned to smiles as he roared withughter. "Fine. Fine. But I''m not wrong."

    "No¡­ sadly, you''re not." Arsene thought for a bit, tapping his fingers over the board. "Aynaete to me."

    The door to the atrium opened, carrying the enthralling scent of hate and loathing: Aynaet de Asmodeus stepped through the halls, graciously bowing towards her Lord and Master, Arsene. She carried long red hair trailing down her back like a waterfall of blood. Her eyes burned a delicious crimson that carried more charm than the finest jewel.

    In contrast, her face seemed as though it were fashioned by the Gods of Beuty, made seductive by the Devils of Hell.

    "Awe¡­ I''ve heard the rumors." Beelzebub mused in awe, grinning with a notable sense of lust futtering behind her trail. One held in all that carried the blood of the First King, Asmodeus. "But they did you no justice, my dear. You are far prettier than I imagined. I wee you, King of Irka."

    Aynaet de Asmodeus greeted him with a nod and fell to a knee before her true Lord. "You called for me, Sire?"

    "Yes¡­ Yes¡­ " Arsene said, admiring the grace with which his King moved. He''d chosen well. Aynaet had been a far better choice than his bastard son. "The other Lords are bitching. Tell me, what can we give them to keep the peace?"

    "What can they give us?" Came her reply, bearing the subtle ent of the Nine Hells, adding a temptation that brought a luscious smile to her Monarch''s lips.

    Arsene nced questionly at Beelzubub." Well?"

    "We can offer ves, or vers if you want, cksmiths, and soldiers. That is what Irka needs as we speak. The Abyss might offer resources, but youck manpower. Am I wrong?"

    "Manpower we can get from the various hells as they enter our borders, Lord of Flies," Aynaet replied nonpluss.

    Arsene smile only seemed to deepen as he took the time to exin Beelzebub''s aim, as well as the other Lords. When he was done, Aynaet''s expression burned with malice.

    "I see¡­ then Rather than ves. We want noblemen directly under the banner against my Lord."

    "That is redicu¡ª"

    "In return.'' Aynaet continued, cutting in. " We''ll divide the various spices from the Abyss."

    Beelzebub''s mouth went tight. "Refined?" he asked, nearly tasting the sweet nectar that came with a grain of spices from the pits of the outer domain.

    "Depends on the grade of nobles you can offer." Aynaet carefully said. She was no fool and cared little for knights or barons. She wanted real noble, ones with authority. Ones that could heighten her power.

    The Lord of Flies cleared his throat, thinking it over. " I''ll have to confer with my brothers."

    "Oh, and tell them I want a favor regarding investigating something on Earth," Arsene added.

    The Fallen lifted a brow. " Will you give details?"

    "No," Arsene said. "it''ll be an open favor.

    Beelzebub rose, grinning away as he nodded. " Alright. I''ve just about done what I came here for. Arsene, Aynaet. Good seeing you." He said, taking his leave in a whisk of red light.

    "Master¡­" Aynaet began confused. "You revealed far too much information. A favor involving Earth with lead them to Altair."

    "That was the n." Lord Snow said, grinning. "And I''m sure Beelzebub won''t even bring it up to the other Lords. In fact¡­ He''ll probably have one of his lesser nobles check into any disturbances as ofte. If he does interfere, more power to him. I''ll have some interesting to watch."

    Aynaet smiled when the realization struck her. " You want them to find Altair." she approached her master, slipping onto hisp, mounting her Lord with a luscious smile. "Are you sure he can survive the curious nature of the Lord of the Flies?"

    The Monarch bore a bright grin as he waved his palm, conjuring a screen within the air above the table that reflected the image of a young boy standing on a silveryke. "I will help all I can, but if Altair is to help Tene survive, he''ll need to journey into the abyss for answers. If he can''t survive demons and Fallen, the Abyss will devour him."

    His finger curled into a fist bearing the thought of his beloved death, powerless before the Abyss''s rage.

    "And who is going to stop me from devouring you, my Lord?" Aynaet whispered beside his ear, sliding her finger down until she felt something begin to rise at her seductive touch.

    "Damn it, woman¡­ Tene said she was going to visit." Arsene groaned as he met the menacing eyes of God, who personified Hate. "She throws a fit if¡ª"

    Finding both her hands beneath her Master''s robe, Aynaet licked her lips. " My Lord¡­ Lilith has already tried to kill me more times than I can count. What does it matter if Tene wants my head? Let her have it." She slipped to her knee with a devious gleam in her eyes and gulped with anticipation. "How about this, my lord. How about I help out the Third Young Master?"

    "Help him how?" Arsene asked as his loyal servant fished out his cock that loomed over her face swallowing her beneath its shadow. She seethed a hot breath of air, sending shivers of pleasure through her lords'' bones.

    "Altair will be entering his adolescence soon¡­ And one of my Divinities is Sex¡­ so¡­"

    The Ashen Monarch gritted his teeth. "A Baptism of Lust? It won''t work¡­ Iliana is giving him the Ninth Form, the de of Ethereal Madness."

    "Hells!" Aynaet yelped with surprise. Unable tobat the horror within her heart. "Is it a Baptism of Madness you wish for? That will¡­ That might break the boy. He''s already unstable. Not even the Fallen Angels dare to challenge that form.

    And most of them are already mad."

    "I agree." Arsene nodded, sighing, when all of a sudden, his back jerked up. And his eyes snapped to the subus, grinning deviously.

    "Well¡­ I wonder who will win out? Lust or Madness." Aynaet said, flushed with redness as she began her meal.

 Chapter 72: [Bonus chapter]Eye of Sacrilege - ???

    When he rose, his brow wet with sheets of sweat, his legs trembling, Altair steadied himself, drawing long, elongated breaths to calm his turbulent heart that did not seem to steady itself no matter what he did.

    An emotionless voice from the great beyond echoed. One unfamiliar to the Prince''s ear. "I shall grant you the Soul of Indomitable me to shield you from your Madness."

    The voice stirred Altair''s mind. Noticing this, Luna shook her head. "Madness cannot be blocked, but it can be appeased for a short period. But in the end, we all fall to Madness. No matter how powerful a god might be, they too will fall."

    "Then what is the point?" Altair argued his voice cracking, knowing his fate was sealed. He would forever be the Broken Prince.

    "To retain the self as long as possible." The voice from beyond said calmly. "For when the Madnesses, you will wallow in despair, for this is the sin of cultivation. The curse we bear for immortality."

    "Madness isn''t something to fear but embrace," Lunafreya exined, not to pacify his fears but to allow reality to set in. No God can escape Madness, no matter how strong they believe themselves to be. Madness was inevitable, just as is Death.

    Tired, for an inexplicable reason, Altair bore a weary smile, one that soldiers held returning from war. "I see¡­ Can I ask who speaks?"

    "Your uncle, Your Father''s younger brother, Zariel Snow, The Lord of Absolution," Luna informed him.

    Altair scuffed. "How many family members do I have? Do I have an Aunt, as well?"

    "You do, and she''s the youngest of the three children your grandmother gave birth to. One I don''t suspect you''ll see any time soon." She said and returned to the matter at hand. "Now. Will you ept the challenge?"

    He clenched his fist and nodded his answer.

    Luna closed her eyes and vanished without sound, leaving behind nodes of light that faded back into the darkness around them.

    Altair stood alert, poised for action, one sword over the pommel of Endmyian, the other by his waist. A ripple soon came from beneath, and Altair lept back, shing at theke with rm.

    Water spooned like waves upon the shores, shaking as it began to pull itself up, twisting into form. And as the moonlight struck the strange creature, Altair saw himself in its reflection¡­ a perfect image, from the sword to the blood-stained furs Luna had given him. Even his left eye, which shone a zing red, seemed to reflect his image.

    "What the hell is that?" Altair questioned vigntly. Off put by the creature that bore his likeness.

    [Celestial Doppleganer Lv 14]

    Altair took a stance, and the doppelganger mirrored his. The feeling left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. But then, without any indicator of movement, the doppelganger suddenly shot towards the Prince with exuberance in a downwards thrust. The blow came quickly, faster than Altair anticipated, as he parried, stumbling back a few steps with a shaky arm.

    The doppelganger followed up with a quick flurry of blows. Each of which Altair parried, slowly growing enraged as he became on the receiving end of Grave of Night.

    He had spent years mastering his craft, years molding it into something he deemed worthy of his time. From before he could walk, Altair had spent training his sword under the guidance of his mother. But to see it in the hands of another that wasn''t his subject left him enraged.

    "Enough!" The boy roared as his sword whirled into arcs of semi-circles. Embers erupted like firecrackers, bathing the moonlit skies, as two swords met. shes erupted like the crackles of lighting over the mirroredke, causing ripples and waves to ssh about.

    Each blow they shared carried a force capable of decimating boulders to rubble, but neither backed off the other despite such inhuman strength. Altair was viciously aggressive, while the doppelganger matched his aggression in a massive defense.

    ''Shadow de,'' Altair thought, and without hesitation, his leg shot up against the stomach of the doppelganger, catching it off guard with a faint. sting him into the air as the shockwave parted theke.

    The Eye of Sacrilege spun with light, and Altair''s finger suddenly danced through the air as mana shrieked after his fingertip. Hellish intent filled the infernal runes. He pointed towards the doppelganger skidding over the water,ing to a stop with a bleeding smile.

    Infernal Cage

    A prism of runes shed around the doppelganger''s body as it tried to leap out of the vicinity. Its fingers danced with the golden light of the angels. Altair curiously watched as the golden nodes began dissolving his runes, to his surprise, but said nothing of it. Only prepared himself as the doppelganger charged, cutting its de through the air.

    Gritting his teeth, Altair dodged and weaved with a tight frown every so often; he parried when arcs of infernal lightning quickly began to trail the edge of the doppelganger sword. Droplets of blood slowly began to drop into the waters, forming the various gashes beginning to line the Prince''s body when he noticed a peculiar anomaly.

    ''The creature had an unlimited supply of Mana.'' He thought, knowing he could at most use Infernal Lightning three or four times. The creature wasn''t faster than him, nor was it stronger¡­ everything was the same, except for one thing.

    He smiled. "What an unfair match."

    "It''s perfectly fair!" The doppelganger said, matching the Prince''s smile. "Pointing towards Altair., as three des of Torment fell from the heavens above his head.

    Knowing Altair was unable to dodge both the doppelganger''s unending strikes and Infernal Bane. The fake crackled with eerieughter, only to frown as a grunt escaped his lips, and a peculiar sound shone from his rear.

    "You misunderstand. From the moment our des sh. This battle wasn''t fair." Altair said, running Endymian through the doppelganger''s heart. The creature watched as the ''Prince'' he was fighting, and wounding trembled with transparency, filling him with a horrid realization just as the light was extinguished from his eyes.

    [Eye of Sacrge - Schizophrenia]

    Type: Madness

    [Description: Disrupt the mental state of your enemy through the Madness of life.Those who are bound by Schizophrenia will begin to hallucinate all seven senses based on their reality. Should the caster be present, he can mentally manipte the illusion. ]

    Altair grinned, rolling his eyes. " For a doppelganger, did it note off as strange for me to use Rune Work as an attack? When would I have learned that? You might have my skills, but not my intelligence. Nor the proper insight to use them correctly. What you saw was merely a formation to mask my presence.

    All I did was stir you in the right direction." And his gaze swayed to the Goddess stationed over the doppelganger''s body.

    (A/N: Anyone Seen the Joker Movie? Genjutsu)

    Her expression was pale, as if she''d seen a ghost. "Altair¡­ "she began, unsure how to ce her words. "You¡­ What are you?" She asked him. "This domain is meant to replicate the past to perfection. This clone was supposed to be the perfect you. That includes your intelligence, not this imitation."

    "The perfect me? It''s dead." He pointed out, amused. "The only thing this creature seemed to master is the art of dying."

    "Shameless wanker¡­" she held herself back, gritting her teeth. Twice, she failed to push Altair to his limit. And it was slowly getting under her skin. "I swear you''re bing more and more like your Father. Arrogant and shameless."

    Altair felt a fester of pride at those words, enough so he puffed out his chest. He didn''t know much about his Father but knew he was powerful. More so than anyone he knew.

    Luna rustled his hair, unable to keep her anger towards her cute brother, much less her frustration. She was too old for that, too old to give it any more thought. "Your victory came as a shock to many. But we learned something. Your mind is something special. More so than we originally thought.

    It''s good to know that you can''t be copied even by someone at my level. What a shame, though. I''d love to keep a mini Altair by my side." She patted his shoulder, grinning. "Either way. A promise is a promise."

    [Ding]

    [Baptism of the Moon has been engaged.] see-more-MVLeMpYr

    [Warning]

    Without forewarning, Altair was pulled by a mysterious force out of Luna''s arms, plunging head-first into theke. mes of icy water filled the boy''s lungs, pulling his consciousness away as he thrashed around, trying to regain control of his faculties. But as if his body had a will of its own. Darkness came.

    Thest thing filling his eye was Luna''s panicked expression as she reached for him, alongside the webs of darkness casting him into oblivion.

    "ALTAIR!!!"

    [Baptism of the Moon has begun]

    [Presence of the Vale detected]

    [Warning]

    [Warning]

    [Wa!$ING]

    [ER$#R]

 Chapter 73: Baptism of the Moon

    When he woke so deep within the Darkness where the endless stars did not shine, and the voice of Gods and Demons did not reach. Altair felt himself aimlessly floating through the Vale, unable to move. He opened his mouth to speak, to call for help, to yell, yet nothing came. Nothing but the solitude of the night.

    And for the first time, Altair felt fear towards the dark, for the Darkness was a pathless abyss of destion that did not mourn for light nor life. Unimpeded by the absence of creation, The Darkness bore solitude as its onlypanion.

    Altair stared aimlessly at it. He had been unsure how many days hade and went. He couldn''t tell. But he felt warm. Warm under its embrace as if he had returned to the fold.

    "Why won''t you move?" A voice from within the dark questioned.

    Inadvertently, Altair''s heart began to shudder when he felt somethingnd on his abdomen, its talons digging through the furs on his body. Suddenly, the creature moved towards the neck and then the face, revealing itself.

    ''A Raven,'' The boy thought, studying its strange three eyes.

    The Raven extended its wings, taking flight, circling Altair curiously. "Why won''t you move? Why won''t you move?" He repeated once more.

    ''Help me.'' The boy tried to say.

    The strange creature continued to circle Altair beforending on his chest. "Is this the first time within the Vale?" the creature asked, pecking at the furs on his chest. "Do you, by chance, have Corn?"

    Frustrated, Altair teeth clenched, unable to understand why he could not feel the Mana within the Darkness.

    "Will not the Mana, but the Darkness, and you shall touch the Vale," The Raven said, digging its talons into the boy''s cheek. It stared deep into Altair''s scarlet one. "The Children of Darkness are born to the Vale and return to its clutches upon their death."

    Altair calmed his mind, repeating the words of the Raven he knew better than to trust. But he didn''t have any other choice. ''Will not the Mana, but the Darkness. Over and Over, Altair repeated the Raven''s words like a doctrine. '' Will not the Mana, but the Darkness."

    And as if something clicked through his mind, a sensation of knowing swelled through his chest. He lifted his arms. An insignificant feat, yet it held such sway Altair''s eyes grew wet. "I can move¡­ I can move!" he whimpered.

    "Crybaby! Crybaby!" The Raven mocked, hopping onto the boy''s shoulder. "Well? What are you doing here? How''d you die?" It shrieked.

    Still shaken, Altair shook his head. " I''m not dead. Eh? What do you mean?"

    "Those born to the Vale return to the Vale." The Raven said, as a matter of fact, batting its wings.

    Positioning himself upright, Altair wiped away the tears. " What is this Vale you keep mentioning?"

    "The Vale is Darkness. The Vale is Death. Yet nothing at the same time." It said, stabbing its beak into Altair''s cheek. "All children of Darkness know this?"

    Annoyed by some unknown creature toying with him, Altair rubbed his cheek, brushing the irritation away. The Raven pped its wings again,nding on the boy''s other shoulder. "If you''re alive, how are you in the Vale?"

    He bowed his head, thinking of all that urred as he recounted the tale. "A strange, mysterious force dragged me away from Big Sis Luna into the dark. Icy waters invaded my mouth, and before I could think¡ª"

    "¡ª You died." The Raven said.

    "I''m alive." The boy fired back, refusing to believe he died in such a pathetic manner. There had to be a logical answer.

    All three eyes of the Raven focused themselves on the boy, radiating profundity. "You carry a heartbeat¡­ strange. None of the others do. Nor are they awake." It said, tilting its head. "Anyway, do you have corn?"

    Altair reached his waist to his pouch, where he kept his jerky. He frowned at the missing pouch and sword.

    "I don''t have anything on me."

    "Tsk. A brokie."

    Resisting the urge to pummel the Raven. Altair stood silently before the Vale, overwhelmed by where to begin when a gentle voice echoed his way. "Child, what are you doing in this deste abyss?

    The Three Eye Raven bowed its head. As did Altair, finding himself betraying all his years of training as he desperately tried to raise his head, to no avail.

    The voiceughed. "How cute! But if you want to resist, perhaps reach the level of Hellmaster, little rabbit. I shall aid you this once. But should you return to the Vale, there will be a price to be had."

    Altair eyes went wide as saucers, and before he could even react, arge vortex opened up within the Vale, pulling him in. And with him, the Three-Eyed Raven.

    ***

    "It''s been three months!!!!!" Ren angrily roared, snapping her finger at the sleeping boy. " Why isn''t he waking? And don''t tell me you don''t know! You''re a mega ultra god or something. How do you not know!"

    Luna lowered her gaze to Altair. He had grown thin these past few months, shedding more than ny percent of his muscles, unable to stay the course of the elements on his body. Force-fed milk and various liquids, Ren found throughout the outreach to keep him alive. Luna had found herself powerless. Unable toprehend what happened.

    brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr

    Under her watch alongside some of the strongest within the Myriad Heavens, within her domain, Altair''s soul had been pulled from her grasp.

    She clenched her teeth, unsure how to bring this up to Tene.

    "AH~" Altair gasped himself awake, eyes swaying back and forth with panic as the first light pierced his eyes. He shuddered at the rays of light searing his retinas.

    [Ding]

    [Baptism of the Moon Complete]

    [Refinement of the Moon has Ended]

    [Reward: Serpents Outreach, Dimensional Rift, Eternal Moon Physique

    [Heart of Darkness has attuned itself to the Vale]

    [Mana Circle has been Tarnished by the Vale]

    [Soul me has been Tarnished by the Vale]

    [The Vale has Tarnished the Eternal Moon Physique]

    Eternal Moon Physique ¡ú Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique

    [Soul of Indomitable me (F)Acquired]

    [Ninth Form, Aeron(F) Acquired]

    [Vale Maniption (F) Acquired]

    Flooded by an endless stream of messages within his System, Altair groaned, finding himself weak and his throat dry. He mouthed the ''words'' water to Reina''s teary face. Unsure what happened. But what came was a strange salty liquid that turned his ashen grimace green.

    "What is this?"

    "Thank the Stars!" Ren shouted, tackling him onto the solid earth, refusing to let him go. "You were¡­ You¡­ You were out for¡­ AHHhhhh~" Crying her eyes out in his embrace. Altair turned to Luna for help.

    But all he received was a deep frown and a familiar icy stare of suspicion that peeled at his skin, revealing everything he hid leaving him exposed beneath her eyes.

    "Big Sis?"

    "Altair¡­" Luna began opening her palm as a barrier formed, blocking the eyes and ears of all the pesky gods watching. " Where were you? Where was your soul?"

    "The Raven said I was in the Vale." He answered as ifpelled to bear his soul.

    Luna''s eyes contracted for less than an instant so fast that Altair didn''t even seem to notice anything strange as she spoke, trying with all her might to stop her voice from shaking. "And how did you escape?"

    "A voice¡­ I don''t know." He said, unsure of himself. "But it was warm, for what lied around me, a barren wastnd of darkness that did not grow but fester with nothingness." He shuddered, recalling that hell. "If not for the Raven that said to bend not the Mana but the Darkness, I fear I''d have gone insane."

    "... This Raven was conscious?"

    Altair nodded, thinking. "Yes¡­ And now that you mention it. He said the others were asleep. Yet only he stood awake." He felt Ren shift, peering at him as if she had been wronged. He patted her hair, rmed by how small he''d be, at how his skin clung to his bones. "The voice¡­ It was powerful, like yours, but gentle, forcing me to bow my head."

    "I''m sure it did. What else."

    "The voice said something about Hellmaster¡­ That I needed to be as powerful as him to¡ª"

    "Ok," Luna said, squatting down to him and Ren. " Listen to me well. No matter the deal, no matter what is offered. Never bring up you went to the Vale. Don''t even mention Hellmaster. Clear?"

    "Who is¡ª"

    "Never even think of him until you be a god. Names hold power, Altair. And his is one of absolution. Each time you speak it, he hears it. It''s how Gods once governed their people. And it''s why you should never speak a true God''s name."

    Altair''s shriveled palms rose onto his big sister''s shoulders. "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to hold my tongue towards unknown names." He said, then changed the subject, bearing a bright, giddy smile. "Now¡­ can you do me a favor? I thought about what you said about my n to escape House Aros. And I''ve made modifications.

    Hear me out."

 Chapter 74: Admiral Darkfire

    Aboard the starship ''Lurvain,'' a navel cruiser amongst the Imperial Forces of Earth, hurled itself through the confines of space aboard its nexusne, traveling from the Andromeda Gxy towards the Milky Way. The ship glistened with sheens of silver over its hull, bearing the Crest of Genisis and the imperial family.

    The hum of the Aion Drives aze with power carrying an emerald hue, propelling the ship forward through subspace.

    "How much Longer?" Admiral Vaiga Darkfire asked from on Deck, her gaze locked on the shrieking stars of light barreling past them.

    "Few minutes, if even, Sir." Captain Vennos of the fifth battalion said, seated in his chair, his finger fidgeting over the various buttons on the Captain''s chair. He looked up, peeping a nce at the raven-haired woman. "Are you worried by chance? It''s been twenty years since youst saw Earth."

    The crewmen lowered their heads, pretending to be busy.

    Rumor within the Navel Academy was that Vaiga had severed ties with Earth, joining the Joint Military alliance between the Republic of Genisis and Earth. It was said that she was once a noblewoman who fled, fearing that her family would force her to marry.

    Admiral Darkfire scuffed. "And what do I have to worry about?" She asked as two icy gleams of ck mes whirled through her violet eyes.

    "Your sister Mar¡­"

    "Our mission, Captain, is retrieving the young boy held within the Aros estate." She said candidly, turning to Vennos, her voice thick with authority. "My former Affiliation isn''t of concern. Genesis, as well as the Imperial Family of Earth, wants that boy." she snapped.

    A virtual screen appeared, portraying arge undead chimera bearing its fangs at a child, a young adolescent who looked to be in his teens.

    "This is Altair. Age Twelve." She pointed out and slid her finger to the Chimera. " And this is a tier two monster, capable of tier three spells. Now watch."

    When the video began to y, the crew, alongside the Captain''s eyes, went wide at the sheer force Altair used to obliterate the Chimera in a single move. They marveled at the step that carried the force of a mountain.

    "Monster¡­ '' One of the crewmen uttered.

    "Sir¡­ where did this informatione from?" The Captain inquired.

    "We believe the boy himself took it. Altair isn''t a normal child. From what we saw, a God is likely aiding his growth. If not¡­ then this Altair is more terrifying than we were led to believe." She said. "We were not the only ones to receive this video. Dozens of military organizations both on Genisis and Earth have received this video.

    Altair CCed it in an email and made sure we saw it."

    A few of the men chuckled.

    "Yes¡­ It''s a bit shameless but a smart move. Especially since Altair made sure to send this video to many of House Aros''s enemies." the Admiral continued. "I''ve been ordered to recruit the boy. Check your Neurolink for more information. It''ll be sent to you soon."

    "Exiting subspace in T-minus ten seconds." One of the Navel Officers said.

    Soon, a shudder rippled through the confines of space following the slowing of the shrieking stars over the horizon. Mana billowed from around the ship''s hull in a powerful shudder as the stars came into focus.

    Vaiga turned and stared at her former home, its once-blue surface seemingly untouched for many eons. She marveled at its beauty and turned her back to it. "Altair sent this message three months ago. Which oddly enough matches up to when the Aros estate is holding a tournament where they''ll invite variouss to participate."

    Vennos bellowed with hardughter. "That son of a bitch. He''s using us as his cover."

    "Indeed," Vaiga affirmed, smiling. " He''s a smart little brat. We¡­ no, all of the enemies of House Aros watching will be his cover. And since Altair isn''t an official member of House Aros, there shouldn''t be an issue recruiting him."

    "Sir¡­" Ensign Aston Grey raised his hand. Tall with a slender physique to match. His golden blonde hair shone with life on top of his white uniform.

    "Speak." The Admiral said with a measuring eye.

    Aston puffed out his chest to make himself seem big. "What incentive does this Altair have to join us?"

    "You were not born on earth, were you."

    "I was born on Thalma, Sir," Aston said, curious why she asked such a question.

    "Thalma isn''t a militarized world." She exined. "Earth is. All Earthlings are required byw to serve for at least five years. So we don''t have to beat the other organizations, just the other military branches. Assuming Altair still wants to live on Earth, he wouldn''t risk revoking his citizenship. But we doubt he''d be so brazen." Vaiga chuckled soon after.

    "But this is the beauty of his little scheme. No matter what happens. All these foreign or domestic organizations will be scouting or grant him sponsorships in the hope of joining them once he''s done with military service. All we have to do is convince Altair to join us."

    Hourster, once the Lurvain had been docked, Admiral Darkfire, Captain Vennos, and a squad of five took a shuttle out of their base within the eastern seas of Korea, flying directly towards House Aros.

    When they arrived before the towering estate stretching well into the horizon, parades of scantily d women swarmed the streets filled with joy as fireworks took to the skies, erupting in glittering stars falling over the heads of those watching. Vendors shouted, disying weapons, jewelry, wine, ves, and more from within the estate the size of a small town.

    "Wee! Wee!"

    When Vaiga turned to the vibrant voice, her expression turned to ice. She looked at the Head Bulter, Bennard, an elderly fellow with a head of hair neatly tied in a ponytail and a clean beard.

    "Oh!" The Head butler started. "Lady¡­Ash¡ª"

    "Admiral Darkfire of the Imperial Alliance," Vaiga corrected through narrowed eyes. Her four-point star badge on full disy.

    With a wry smile, Bennard bowed. "My mistake. We had no idea you were doing so well for yourself. Shall I inform the Duke?"

    "You may do as you see fit. Inform him that Genisis Military Academy is willing to offer seven spots." She said, stirring everyone silent.

    "Does thise from the King and Queen!"

    Vaiga sneered, " And what good would telling you do? Inform the Duke." Shemanded, stepping past him as her men followed suit in sync with her movements.

    Captain Vennos chuckled. " Did that feel good?" He teasingly asked, amused by her childish face.

    "Fucking good. That bastard is a piece of work." She eximed when her perception alerted her of a familiar aura around the Fifth and Sixth Circle. She felt her stomach dip with displeasure at the sight of the Viscountess decked in finery and a bright smile on her face. By her side, the Master of Arms, guarding her son, baring the cross-shaped scar on his face like a trophy.

    The one she''d given him twenty years ago when she tore her engagement contract before the King and Queen, humiliating House Aros

    And if they felt her icy stare, the two felt their faces drain of color as their eyes met. The Master of Arms even reached for his sword, pausing as many eyes found him. Watching his every movement.

    "Twenty Years, and neither of them has gotten stronger. Pathetic." Vaiga mused. She didn''t bother to greet them. Rather, she looked at Laros, sensing the mes his blood carried, and lifted a brow. "Not bad¡­ Is he her son? Not bad at all.

    If trained right, he might enter the realm of Transcendent." read-only-on-MvLeMpYr

    "Is he that good?" Aston questions, eyes on the lookout for any sort of danger. He nced at the kid half his age.

    "He''s not that bad¡­" Captain Vennos said. "Though I''ve seen better. Genesis is full of better options." He turned to Vaiga. ''You want me to deliver an invitation? I know there is some¡ª"

    "My disdain for my former House and House Aros is irrelevant. I''m here to enlist the best candidates. Send the boy an invite." Vaiga said non plus. She couldn''t be bothered to care about bloodline.

    Without warning, a vibrant shout caught the air. " Admiral! Admiral Vaiga heard someone call to her rear. Bernard hurried forward, rushing her way, sweat trailing down his cheek. He stooped when a de pressed against his throat.

    "Easy, Ensign," Vennos said to Aston.

    He lowered his de, and Bernard gulped. Slivers of blood caught on his cor. " T-The Duke would like to meet you, Admiral," he said through frightened, sharp gasps, feeling his soul nearly plunging into the wheel of reincarnation.

    "Where is he?"

    "Bernard," The Viscountess called sharply. "Are you alright?" approaching with cold, unfealy eyes, she turned to Vaiga. "Do you not know how to control your men? He could have killed someone."

    "In a den of lions, one needs fangs." Vaiga mused. She nced at Aston and gave him a thumbs up.

    "Forgive me, my Lady." Bernard quickly said. " But the Duke would like to meet Admiral Darkfire."

    "Admiral? You!" Mars gasped, her breath catching in the back of her throat at the sight of her badge on her chest. "Impossible. How could the likes of¡ª"

    "Watch it, Mar," Vaiga warned her sister, resisting the urge to tear her head from her body. "People are watching. You had better choose your next words wisely. Less you damage not just House Aros pristine but your sons." She signaled to Bernard, and the meaning was clear.

    "Right this way, Admiral. The Duke is waiting."

 Chapter 75: Scarlet Decent

    Within a luxurious suite overlooking the Coliseum, the Duke grimly sat with a drink in his hand. Unable to believe his former fianc¨¦ had returned in such a way. His teeth gritted until the blood pooled in his mouth.

    He could still taste the tinge of humiliation she brought to his house. Her Father, before his unfortunate passing, had promised her to him. Vaiga was one of Earth''s most talented individuals, whose beauty was said to be unmatched by only the queen herself. He''d loved her dearly since he was a boy, no more than nine. But Vaiga cared little of anything outside the de. It was her obsession.

    One that caused her to forgo noble outings. When his Father, Lord Premos Aros, told him he was to wed Vaiga Silwood. Garel nearly fell to his knee before his Lord Father with relief.

    Suddenly, a knock came at the door, and Duke Garel tensed.

    "Enter,'' He said, half expectantly. He knew who was at the door. And it made his gut drop as the acid slid up his throat. When the door opened, Garel didn''t even nce at Bernard, finding Vaiga''s pearly ones, still vibrant as the effervescence springs.

    "Vaiga¡­" He called to her, or at least he thought he did, as she approached him.

    "Greetings Duke Garel Aros. Admiral Vaiga Darkfire." She indifferently said, offering a him a hand.

    The Duke caught himself and stood up, unwilling to make himself look a fool. He shook her hand. "You changed your Surname."

    "I''ve cut ties with my former house." She said.

    The Duke saw her men fill the room, away from the door and window, pressing their backs to the wall as if they expected trouble.

    "It''s protocol." the Admiral said.

    Following behind the Imperial Officers, Mar appeared with the Master of Arms by her side. She greeted the Duke, found a seat by his side, and signaled for the Head Bulter to bring some refreshments to help dampen the tense atmosphere.

    "Vaiga, how have you been? I hear there''s been word from the Emperor."

    "Probably." Vaiga idly said. She took a seat. "But as you know, the Imperial Forces are made up of mostly Earthlings and a few neighborings, but we work directly under the Republic." She nced through the looking window down towards the Coliseum and the specks of children beginning to gather. "The Emperor is aware of our every action but has a mild amount of sway in what we actually do."

    "Then why are you here?" Mar asked.

    "To recruit on behalf of Genesis," Vannos said, smiling. "We''ve heard that House Aros had a fine asset, so we came to recruit him into our military branch before someone steals him away."

    "Like my son?" Mar mused as a few servants brought in refreshments, to which Vaiga and her men refused. When the servants left, the Viscountess beamed. "You gave him a free pass without watching him fight."

    "The Admiral sensed potential. His blood is packed with untapped power." Captain Vannos told her when the stadium came to life. Fireworks erupted through the skies as the crowd began to cheer wildly.

    Once more, the Suite door opened. " Garel, so this is where you were hiding!" a candid voice stormed, bringing about a harsh metallic Mana. Marquess Eli Cross stepped in, stopping as his eyesnded on Vaiga and then her badge. He smiled almost immediately. "Vaiga, you little bitch! How dare you not call me for twenty years!

    How the hell are you!"

    Tall with a bronzedplexion and the build of a giant, Eli wrapped his meaty arms around her,ughing. " How are you doing, girl? I see you are an Admiral! Good looking out! You found a man yet!"

    "Uncle," Vaiga moaned, utterly embarrassed. She nced at her men, smirking, and her face wentpletely red, praying for a hole in which to die.

    "I heard you wereing." The Duke said tly. He was no ally of Eli, nor was he someone he usually consorted with." I just didn''t think you''d actually show."

    "I heard one of the new descendants got sponsored by a God. I came to check him out." Eli shouted andughed. "Oh, Leonie,e on in! Guys, this is Leonie, the spawn of my Balls."

    "GOD DAMNIT FATHER!!! STOP SAYING THAT!!!" a thunderous wail followed as a fist came crashing down over Eli''s head, mming him into the stone. The entire room shook as webs of cracks traveled the walls.

    Eli instantly arose, beaming. "Teehee!"

    ''Shameless,'' everyone thought.

    Vagia looked over Leonie to her dual pupil eyes. "Wow¡­ " She eximed, wanting to take another look when someone else caught her eye stepping inside. Coldness pinched her heart as she sucked in a long breath.

    A small child with snow-white hair, wearing a pristine white mask that warded her from even her perception, appeared.

    Syris nced around the room, at the chaos, and then the Duke. "Am I participating?" She asked him.

    The Duke was ready to answer, but Mar spoke up first. "Do you want to participate?"

    "Not really."

    "Then don''t bother," Mar said, patting the seat beside her. "Why don''t you watch with us? I''m sure there''ll be some interesting party that might gain your interest."

    Syris didn''t think so, but she figured she should show House Aros some Face when they were surrounded by equals, like the marquess and a few others she didn''t recognize.

    She nodded. "Sure."

    Vaiga said nothing, but everyone within the room could sense it. They could feel this girl''s monstrous ''Presence'' weighing over their bones.

    Slowly, the room began to be filled. Faces of new and old began to appear one after the other, filling the air with vigor. When drinks were served, Syris silently departed while everyone''s attention fell upon the tournament.

    Erratic cheers electrified the air with excitement.

    "Are you ready!" Thementator shouted. The crowd roared, stirring the stadium into pandemonium.

    Admiral Vaiga watched on, a little bored until she saw Laros step onto the mount. Wielding Golden ck Phoenix mes, heat danced through the air following the cries of his opponents.

    "Is that the me Blessed by the Gods," Baron Remos Tavon inquired. "What a fearsome power. The heat still lingers despite losing its source."

    Mar grinned. "No less from the Gods." -official

    "I guess... but he lost against¡­ what was his name? Altair? Or was it something else?" Sir Walis Tumar mused, turning Mar''s smile stiff. "Will he be participating? Or is he still dungeoning?"

    Alerting a few ears within the crowd of noblemen, merchants, vers, and corporations. Many began to turn their way.

    "He''s dead." The Duke coldly said. "The dungeon abruptly closed six months ago."

    Vaiga resisted the urge to frown and nced down at the battle below. ''If he were dead¡­ then who sent that message three months ago?'' she thought, narrowing her violet eyes. ''Just what are you scheming child?''

    Eli brushed his palm over Vaiga''s arm. "How are you doing, girl? If you want, we could leave." He whispered, knowing the history all well between her and House Aros. "You don''t have to stay here."

    "I''m fine, Uncle. Never mind me, how are you? How''s Tamma?"

    "Sick with the flu. But Tamma is good overall!" He chuckled and nced at Leonie, carrying her dark blue hair. The girl nced up at Vaiga.

    "Are you strong, Aunty?"

    "Very."

    "Stronger than Father?" Leonie inquired, looking at the badge she was sure could be given to just about anyone, just like noble titles.

    Eli guffawed. "Silly girl! Vaiga is said to be one of the strongest women on earth. Few could match her skill, and fewer her cultivation. Twenty Years ago, she was a seventh Circle. I can''t even imagine how powerful she is now."

    Again, Vaiga felt like crawling into a hole to die as many eyes swayed toward her. She cursed her uncle''s excessive ability to be loud when the crowd went wild as time continued to pass. Vaiga had already made a list, finding a few with potential.

    "Are you ready, Ladies and Gentlemen, for our final battle in the junior division? Wee to the stage, Laros and Baltos of HOUSEAROS," Thementator announced.

    Below, standing over the bloodied dirt, Laros stood surrounded by heat so intense the ground glowed. Across from him, a boy a head taller wielding a longsword stood, his skin tanned and wet with scars from hisst battle.

    "Surrender," Laros said to Baltos over the sandy battleground, clear that Baltos would only serve to waste his Mana and time.

    "No.'' Baltos replied hard, grinning with barely the strength to wield his sword. "Do me the honor of at least knocking me out." he trembled but held steadfast.

    The colosseum went silent, watching as Laros unsheathed his longsword. "Alright." He replied with a griping edge in his voice.

    It was then Baltos felt something off, and without thinking as his heart hammered against his chest, he leaped into a barrel roll when a great tongue of mes rushed him. Baltos barely escaped death when he looked up to find Laros appearing with the help of Phoenix Step, his n''s movement technique, bashed his knee against his jaw.

    Blood sprayed over the sand, leaving Baltos dazed. He looked up, barely able to discern between sword or light, as it came entering through his chest. Baltos froze, looked down at the sword, and then up into Laros''s cold, unfeely eyes. "Why?" He muttered as the light within his eyes faded into the deep pit of oblivion.

    Laros pulled his sword from still warm body and whipped his sword clean as the crowd went wild.

    Cheers of many roared, shaking the estate for miles on end.

    "WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!" Roared thementator as the crowd fell into cheers while medics charged onto the stage in hopes of saving Baltor.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Suddenly, without warning, arge scar tore through space, dividing Heaven And Earth. The stage went silent as hundreds looked up with terrified eyes, unsure if they were witnessing the birth of a dungeon.

    From within the VIP suite, Vaiga stood up, shattering the ss before her with a wave of her palm. When a hand pressed over her shoulder, She turned to look at an unfamiliar young man who bled the air of a Corporate Soldier.

    "Give it a minute. " He calmly said as an arc of scarlet lighting nketed the heavens in a deafening abyss of red.

    Presence filled the skies, falling like the de of Damocles over the necks of men and woman, elderly and child. So terrified their breaths became caught in the back of their throat as many fell to their knees. Petrified.

    The scar, a mile above their heads, slowly bled, and from its tear, a shrieking de of Infernal Lightning struck the center of the Coliseum in a blinding sh of ephemeral light. A deafening eruption ruptured the ears of many, sting them on their back as the shock wave whipped past them.

    And from the silence, childlikeughter, cold and unfeely, echoed. " I''m back!"

 Chapter 76: The Twelve Zodiacs

    In seconds, the stadium was surrounded by the Aros Family''s most elite knights, with Ser Flinn at the head, draped in golden armor and a winged tip helm with a spear that zed Pheniox mes and a shield in his off hand.

    "Lord Laros and Baltos is secured." One of his Knights shouted, falling back with them in arms.

    Ser Flinn stared dead ahead at the scarlet arcs crackling over the sand and grimly signaled for his men to hold their ground until the dust settled.

    When it did, a twenty-meterrge crater shone, and within it, a child, barely of age, stood with a small blue-haired pup on his head. Grinning with his hands high in the air. "Hi, Ser Flinn. Remember me?"

    "A-A-Altair?!" Flinn shouted, sending many into a state of rm at the presence gathered around this boy. A fine sliver of sweat coiled down his chin, unable to believe such an aura came from a child he saw a little over a year and a half ago. "Y-Y-Your alive!"

    The small wolf pup on top of Altair''s head howled as if to be acknowledged.

    The Prince smiled, scanning his eyes around the coliseum to the pale faces of the normal humans. He frowned and revoked his presence. And as if a mountainous weight was pulled off their chest, gasps resounded like drums through the air.

    "Capture him." Viscountess Mar shouted. She had risen the moment the scar appeared. Leaping down through the ss, Vaiga exploded.

    The Knights exchange nces among the ranks. They thought back to the Presence the boy carried and dared not move lightly despite being a few circles higher.

    "I don''t believe we''ve met," Altair said, hopping from the crater in a single bound, meeting the woman''s eye. "I''m Altair. '' He said, feeling the need toe up with a new Surname. If he wasn''t allowed to use this Father''s, then Altair wanted to create his own. " Why am I being arrested? I don''t believe I''vemitted a crime."

    "You illegally entered a dungeon without permission."

    "Hmmm. I''m pretty sure I was kidnapped." Altair shamelessly said, his eyes glowing wet as he began to tell his version of events. "I''m sure there was a video of ady with snow-white hair. She kidnapped me. We tried to ask the Aros members guarding the Gate to help, but before we knew it. They fainted." The boy''s throat began to crack.

    "That''s when she said that¡­"

    "Enough of your nonsense!" Mar shouted. The graveness in her tone was like shards of ice. "Look around you. Do you think anyone here will believe such a tale!"

    "I believe it." Marquess Eli said, with his daughter in hand. "How else could a ten-year-old enter and exit a dungeon in such a manner? He''s a hero."

    "So do I," Leon, bearing the brooch of Sagittarius on his chest, said. He smiled down at Altair, his long, curly gold hair fluttering beneath the sun''s rays."Altair is but an innocent child. Who barely escaped with his life. And we are so sure he is innocent. The God of Fire is willing to offer Altair. Housing, schooling, and awyer if the need arises."

    "For once, we at Scorpio agree." A young red-haired man added. He shot Altair a wink and nced at his rear to the various other men and women approaching. "Then again, seeing that all twelve Members of Zodiac are here. I think are all in agreement.

    Mar grew visibly pale, watching the various Lords approaching. The Twelve Zodiac Saints made themselves known, leaving various corpo buildings either in Genesis or on Earth, for Altair sake.

    Mayler went red, turning to Altair. " What did you do!"

    Feigning ignorance, Altair teared up, adding bits of mana to his voice for all to hear. "Aunty, why are you yelling at Art? How can you be so cruel? Is it because I saw your Breeding Farm within the Serpent''s Outreach? Altair has a neuro-link, so he can pull it up if you don''t believe me!" Altair masked his smile behind a teary face as House Aros secretly herded the various onlookers out.

    "Enough!" Duke Garel dered in a booming tone that sent rippled across thend. His Presence gathered like an iron mountain on those present, quieting the stadium. Strutting forward past the knights, his eyes consumed with authority snapped to the young child.

    Altair felt his chest tighten at the duke''s ruthless aura, but he wouldn''t allow this much to break his mask. He wiped his fake tears and puffed out his chest. "I''ve proof!"

    "You have nothing, boy. Now, be silent." The dukemanded. "And turn yourself in. Your lies are¡ª"

    "NO!" Altair shouted, with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "You''re going to kill me just like that man I let live! Aren''t you! Captain Smith." He grinned devilishly. " I know you had him killed."

    "Now that you mention it!" Leon said calmly, stepping toward the Duke with a peculiar gleam in his eye. "I did hear that a soldier came out of the serpent''s outreach about a few months ago consumed with PTSD. Oh my¡­. Garel, don''t tell me¡­ You killed that boy, didn''t you."

    A plethora of whispers filled the air, all of them concerning Altair and the Duketom of Aros. And it was then Garel realized why so many upperssmen attended his tournament. It wasn''t to measure Laros but to find Altair.

    When the duke turned to Altair''s smiling face, understanding sunk so deep his eyes turned red. "You¡ª"

    Suddenly, without reason, a dark wisp whipped past the Duke and Leon, leaving the duo unable to even speak, as the Viscountess''s fingers pierced towards the Prince, ready to skewer him. But just as her fingers traced Altair''s skin, light arced into a wisp of mes.

    [Hellish Rebuke]

    Without warning, death came like a heavy gale over the Colosseum as the mes of Hell zed with all of damnation at its tail. The Souls of the Damned shrieked, bearing their ghoulish faces through the mes.

    Mar was devoured by the mes of Hell, her body barreling through the knights that dared to stop her descent. Altair watched before hisughter resounded through the battlefield, sending a chill through the air, hanging those who prepared to move up by a noose. His childish image faded, leaving only a demon before House Aros.

    [Hellish Rebuke(F) proficiency has Increased by 2%]

    Type: Infernal Warding

    [Proficiency: 0% ¡ú 4%]

    [Description: Invoke the Infernal Rune and turn your enemy''s attack into a counterstrike.]

    Altair mindlessly listened to Mar''s shrieks, curiously watching her as she tore her arm off desperately to extinguish the mes that grew stronger and stronger the more she tried to kill the me with mana. Altair nodded and dusted himself off. He looked towards the crowd, looking back with mixed emotions.

    "Was that enough to prove my worth?" He calmly asked, not bothering to bait anyone with his earlier childishness. "What you saw was a mere rune attack given to me by one of the Gods interested in me. Not to mention¡­ I''ve awoken an Aura. I needn''t tell some of the stronger ones what that means, right?"

    Ashen, Mar gritted her teeth, ring at the ming arm she severed. She whimpered and recalled that bone-chilling heat that stole her soul from her body. And dared not attack again.

    "I''m going to the military to serve my years." Altair continued. "But I''m quite interested in what you all have to offer. I''ve heard of the Twelve Zodiac''s Corpos of Genesis. And I''m sure some of your Gods have mentioned one of the effects of my Aura. A times two multiplier on all skills."

    The crowd went silent at this new information, and their hearts shuddered as the news of Altair began to stretch across the various sectors of the Myriad Heavens. In seconds, the chimes of Comlinks began to sound from those without neuro-links while others began to review the various emails sent to them.

    "So,dies, Gentlemen." Altair began once more grinning as if to say checkmate. " Can I have your¡­ business cards?"

    Swarmed by the dozens, Altair couldn''t tell his left from his right.

    "Linx Internation is interested."

    "Damian Global, can we have a word?"

    "Vendetta Cross¡­"

    "Omega¡­

    "Delta¡­"

    Flooded by hundreds, Altair epted each card with a bright smile without intending to join any. They were merely tools to get him out of House Aros. Ones that were easy to manipte without promising anything.

    TAP TAP TAP

    Taken by the sounds of pping, the young prince turned to a beautiful woman with raven-colored hair wielding violet eyes to match her approach. The army of Corpo''s parted, allowing her to pass.

    "Beautifully executed. Simply beautiful." Vaiga said, grinning, with a sparkle in her eye. "House Aros can''t do shit. Not unless they want to anger any major group." She said, ncing at the fiendish grimace across the duke. She returned her gaze back to the boy. "I am Vaiga ckfire, Admiral of the¡ª"

    "I''ll go with you," Altair replied without hesitation.

    "Eh?" Hundreds of eyes went wide as Altairughed.

    "Seeing everyone part like the Red Sea. You must be important. Or scary. So I''ll go with you. Plus¡­ ckfire. If I remember, you loathe the Aros Family.

    "He said, ncing at the duke. "So I''m sure you''ll get a kick bringing me out here as they watch."

    Vaiga''s eyes went wide with shock. "You''re an evil little one, aren''t you? I like it." She smirked with the twist of the mouth, resisting the urge tough. Vaiga nced around at the various Lords and Ladies, "If there isn''t anything else. We¡ª"

    "No." Duke Garel said. His words were low, but they echoed like thunder. "He''s not leaving."

    The Prince chuckled. " I wasn''t asking for your permission, my Dear Duke." He stepped forward out of the crater. The knights raised their weapons, preparing to strike. But Altair did not care. He stood near Vaiga. " Can we go?"

    "We have your Mother. You wille with us, or she''ll¡ª"

    the-ce-MVLeMpYr

    The Duke hadn''t finished before Altair''s icy voice stormed the Colosseum. "You may try¡­ however. Should my Mother inform me of any impropriety, House Aros will experience what it means to be a ve. There are far worse things than death. Every man, woman, and child will serve the cosmos as toys to be abused. You have my word that I''ll swear to the fucking heavens too.

    Let''s go, Admiral. "

    Vaiga looked at him. "We could rescue¡ª"

    "Gods don''t need help from mortals like us." He told her, taking his leave as his words resounded through the earthlings like the toll of the dead. Leaving everyone with a single thought.

    Tenebrae was a God?

 Chapter 77: Base

    Weekster, over the Eastern Seas of Korea, south of the maind, stood the imperial fortress, surrounded by a towering wall fitted with armed gunman, archers nest, and turrets well over two thousand years old. It stood surrounded by ocean for miles.

    Altair woke in the medical bay groggy and weak. Toobs lined his mouth and arms, pumping air and fluids. Confused, he began pulling them out one by one, standing to his feet as the world began to spin.

    "Ren¡­" He weakly called, nearly tumbling over.

    When the doors to his room opened, a nurse stepped in, wrinkled and shriveled, bearing a bony face and hollow eyes. "Who said you could get up? Bed, young man. Bed. Now." She said, pointing to his bed. "And here we thought you''d be asleep for another month."

    Altair nearly copsed. "Eh¡­ Wait. Where is Ren? My Wolf! Where is¡ª"

    "If you want answers. You''ll get back in bed and eat something of substance." The Elderly Nurse said, frowning, her bony fingers pointed toward where she wanted him.

    Altair winced but didn''t refuse as his witt began to return to him. He sat down, brooding.

    "I am the Lieutenant Commander, Kim Su-ho," She began, taking Altair''s pulse. She nodded, allowing her Mana to tread through the boy''s Mana Roots. Finding nothing abnormal, she reached into her pocket, taking out her Comlink. "Altair is awake. Inform the Admiral and send in a meal."

    Throughout it all, Altair red, unable to remember what happened. While Su-Ho did not bother to make conversation, she found Altair''s feisty behavior more adorable than anything else. When the food arrived via Drone, Altair felt his stomach rumble when the scent hit his stomach.

    The Lieutenant Commander didn''t even have tomand Altair. The moment she blinked, over half the food was gone. "Goodness. Slow down, or you''ll choke." She said, chuckling, finding a seat. "Well¡­ a promise is a Promise. Ren¡­ that little wolf pup is with the Admiral.

    After you fainted leaving the Arospound, you were¡ª"

    "I fainted?" Altair asked, with a mouth full of rice and kimchi.

    "That tends to happen when you overuse your Mana," Su-Ho said dryly. "Were it not for that little wolf of yours, your situation would have been dire. We''ve never seen anything like it."

    And it was then everything came crashing back, as he recalled.

    "Hellish Rebuke and Dimensional Rift took everything I had." He thought, slowing down. Altair frowned. '' But three weeks. Isn''t that a little much?''

    ''Apparently, your body constantly absorbs Mana. It''s a ravenous physique." Lieutenant Commander continued. "We were lost for words, but when your pup ced a Hearthstone in your mouth, we became amazed when your condition stabilized. Your one expensive soldier." She rose, taking the tray from Altair, just as the door opened up, and a howl echoed.

    Ren lept into Altair''s embrace, nearly knocking on his butt, licking at his cheek with an angry look as if to why he kept fainting. And the moment Altair saw her face, he understood.

    "I know. I know. I''ll stop fainting. Sorry, Ren." Heughed.

    "You know it''s customary to salute when a higher-ranking officer steps in." Admiral Vaiga ckfire said, arching her pursed lips. She singled for Su-Ho to stand at ease. "Well? How is he?"

    "Physically? Perfect. Oddly so." Su-Ho said, looking at Altair as if he were the perfect specimen. "His body maintained a perfect perpetual state without a single ounce of muscle loss despite no movement for three weeks. Given his rank¡­ that should be impossible. Yet here he stands."

    Masking the rm of Su-Ho''s words, Altair disguised his response behind a silly smile. "It''s the sweetness. What can I say."

    [Divine Sin, Daddy has never been more proud of you.]

    ''F-off, old man,'' the prince bitterly thought.

    Vaiga narrowed her eyes, filled with suspicion, which quickly vanished. "Well, it matters not. Altair is fine. That''s the best news I heard today." She said, rustling his hair, when a thought entered her mind. " Oh, right. Your mother vanished."

    "Eh?" Altair lifted his head, startled. "Oh. I see. Well, I''m sure I''ll see her soon."

    "I''ll bet. Now, how are you feeling? Give me an urate report?" Vaiga questioned. She had already read the boy''s chart but wanted to hear it from his mouth.

    "A little stiff and hungry, but I''m good enough to go into battle." The boy said, sensing his Fallen Shadows within his shadow.

    Vaiga''s violet eyes glistened with amusement. "Then shall we greet the team? You can eatter. Come along"

    Before the boy could retort, Vaiga left the halls, herding Altair by the arm through a narrow hall and down a few flights of stairs to arge training ground, blistering with Mana. Not nearly as much as the Serpents Outreach, but enough Altair didn''t feel stifling. He''d noticed it the day he returned to Earth, but the Mana was far lower than he had expected.

    "Wee to the Imperial Forces, Third Fleet, Earth Base," Vaiga announced, turning to the star-eyed boy, watching the soldiers ahead dressed in pattern skin-tight uniforms, wielding G-Weapons, and battlingrge hordes of goblins, Altair''s mind went wide, noticing hisck of ability to sense life form these creatures.

    "Holograms?"

    "Oh¡­" Vaiga gasped. "You can sense it?"

    "I don''t sense any life¡­ and my Perception is quite high." He responded, noticing the fever in which Vaiga looked at him.

    ''Master! This pretty woman wants to eat you!" Talia angrily shouted from within his shadow, ring with vengeful eyes.

    ''EH!!!!" Yelped Kirr, "Humans eat each other!"

    "... Are you stupid?" Talia inquired.

    "No more than you."

    "..."

    Ignoring his Fallen Shadow the best he could, Altair noted a familiar face within the mix of soldiers. A couple of faces. "House Aros?"

    She nodded. "It would look strange to just take you, so we took a few members. Alongside a few others form the various families to meet a quota." She said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes before her men.

    "Genisis epts Earthlings so easily?"

    "No. But there is a quota. Being a part of the Republic of Genisis, Earth, like many other smaller worlds, demanded that Genisis recruit a few from their. This serves to¡ª"

    "Promote tourism from various other worlds while enhancing Earth''s talent pool through mating. Can I assume I''ll have to marry an earthling if I am to join the Imperial Gctic Army?" Altair inquired without much thought.

    "Since you''re weak, that is correct," Vaiga said darkly, "I''m sure that the King and Queen will send you a few fertile women for you to consummate with. Lucky you. You''ll have the pick of the litter."

    "I''ve no interest in such things," he assured her.

    "Well¡­ It''s up to you." Vaiga said without concern. "But I, too, know the struggle. There have been more men I''ve found trying to sneak into my bed than I can count. One thing you''ll learn is that Humans are relentless."

    "As is my de. Speaking of which, where is my sword?"

    "That monstrous de? Gods, who gave you such a thing? Our scientists are researching it as we speak. Of course, not for free. You''ll bepensated if you allow them to." She added, a little hopeful he would agree. She hadn''t much say when it came to matters regarding research.

    "Three Tier two monsters core a day, my own private room, and they can continue it," Altair said as quickly as Vaiga had finished. He had the Dark Moon des, and for now, they would work. If Earth didn''t supply enough Mana, the Circle of Gulttony would begin eating away at his lifeblood. NovelFire-exclusive

    "Deal," Vaiga replied when the eruption of phoenix mes filled the hanger, swallowing the squad of goblins until nothing was left.

    "Warrant Officer, Laros Aros!" A loud booming voice barked, bearing down on a young lord sweet with sheens of sweat. "What did I say about using your mes? This exercise is meant to temper your swordsmanship and ability to adapt. All of you drop and give a hundred! Not you, Laros. You watch."

    Laros all but went red, clenching his fist, feeling hisrade''s eyesnd on him filled with venom. Shame pierced his heart like a knife as he tried to look away.

    "If you can''t follow directions, Warrant Officer, yourrades will pay." Commander Borris shouted, folding his bear-like arms over one another. "Don''t look away. Or I''ll increase the gravity."

    Ren, resting on Altair''s shoulder, suddenly barked, seemingly alerting Borris of their presence. "Admiral!" Borris saluted. "Is he for me?"

    Vaiga nodded. " Yes. He just woke up and is in need of instruction". She smiled, ncing down at the confused boy. "We can get the paperwork settledter, but as of now, wee to the military, Ensign!"

    Started by his rank one level higher than a Warrant Officer, Altair didn''t have time to think when Borris''s voice boomed! "

    "TO ME, ALTAIR!!!!"

    He red at Vaiga but said nothing and ran towards Borris when he noticed a strange urrence within space. He frowned as gravity began to increase the closer he approached.

    "Drop and give me one hundred," Borrismanded.

    Altair looked around at the men and woman, and when his eyesnded on Laros, he frowned. Unsure where he had seen such a face. He dropped and began to follow suit, pumping Mana through his Mana Roots to help better temper his body. He had learned long ago that the body would grow beneath the breath of Mana. That all it required was control.

    In the following minutes, Altair was done, unbothered by the gravity. But when his eyended on Ren beaming gleefully. He pulled her off his shoulder with a smirk. "You do it, too. You''re not about toze around me while I ve."

    Borris frowned but did notment on it. Rather, he grew shocked by the way the pup groaned before following the same regime as the men around him. He smiled.

    ''What an odd pup... Cute too.''

 Chapter 78: Puberty (End of Volume 1)

    When daylight finally began to dim, Altair and Ren showed no signs of exhaustion while the new Recuits stood soaked down to their trousers, barely able to stand, drooling over themselves with scarcely the strength to even think, much less walk.

    Those who kept their face up despite the exhaustion were remembered by Commander Borris. He nodded. "Good Job. For the next twenty-two weeks, we will train your bodies like this. Best you remember the pain today. It''ll only grow with time." He said dryly.

    "You''re dismissed."

    Following the salute of those around him, Altair sighed when Borris took his leave, rolling his eyes with a hint of disinterest. Today''s exercise had barely done anything. And unlike most people, sleep was something he detested. But today¡­ Today, he felt sleep would find him for some reason.

    Altair yawned, ncing around at his futurerades with neutrality and then at Ren. "Can you show me to the mess hall? I''m dying for some real food."

    Reina howled cheerfully and lept onto his head, pointing her palm in the direction. He was about to leave when Laros approached, sided by Six members of House Aros. One that Altair recognized almost instantly.

    Long silky ck hair with strings of auburn scattered throughout, a stunning woman wet with sweat, as her clothes clung to her curves, leaving barely anything to the imagination.

    ''Sister,'' Talia mentioned with the venom of an enemy.

    When Olivia Aros saw Altair''s eye, her heart quickened as she gently tucked her hair behind her ear. "Hello¡­ I''m Olivia Aros, I''m¡­"

    "Seriously?" One of the older girls said. " He''s like seven years younger than you."

    NovelFire-official-text

    "And an enemy of house Aros," Laros affirmed.

    "But we are required to breed. Why not with someone strong?" Olivia said without a hint of shame, approaching Altair with a glimmer of amusement.

    "Well, Kid? How old are you?"

    "Twelve," Altair answered, smiling, calming Reina, who began to growl. He treaded his fingers over her small head, enjoying her luscious fur.

    Olivia grinned and unbuttoned the top buttons of her uniform, amused at how his pupils contracted. She allowed her breast to nearly pop out, glistering with a lustful sweat. "We can be enemies in the day but at night." She lifted his chin with a finger. "At night, I''ll let you fuck me raw."

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts scream Thot Begone!'']

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' wishes to know if she has your permission to hire an assassin.]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon tilts his head at the win-win situation.]

    "You can''t be serious," Laros demanded. "Have you no shame? The Duke has ordered him dead on sight. How can you¡ª"

    Olivia rolled his eyes. " If I must get knocked up against my will. It''ll be to the best gene avable." She retorted. "So what does it matter if it''s Altair? I''m sure the Duke won''t care. Not when Altair has so much potential."

    "Forgive me. But I''m not interested." Altair kindly told as the shimmer of the Eye of Sacrilege caught her gaze. "But we''ll see.'' Heughed, taking his leave without another word. It was only then, when he was out of sight, did his face turned red. "That was¡­ what the¡­" He stammered, feeling his lower half acting up, pressing against his trousers, demanding to rise. "I Ahhh~"

    Stabbing her fingers into his head, Renia growled as words began to sound from her polymorph form. "Big dummy! Are you tempted by that thot! Do you like curvy women? You were ogling her like a fine piece of meat."

    "I''m not! I''m not! I''m not! Altair hurriedly exined, nearly crying as Reina''s ws pinched his skin. "I don''t know what happened. But Ren is far prettier by like a million miles.

    No, by a million parsecs. I swear to the Heavens."

    Ren removed her ws. "Really?" She meekly asked.

    "Yes¡­ I was just caught by surprise." He hurriedly exined, annoyed at the swelling in his lower half, that wasn''t vanishing." That woman was disgusting. No sense of¡­"

    "ss? Elegance? Shame?"

    "All of it," Altair said, hoping Ren would not see the bulge below. He sat in the middle of a corridor to mask his erection just as Ren leaned her head down to meet his eyes.

    "Really?"

    "Would I lie?"

    "Yeap. Altair is a big liar."

    Gulping down the suspicion, Altair waited a few seconds and rose when he felt the swelling vanish. His heart quivered, but he did not dare to open his system chat. He''d humiliated himself enough today.

    When atst Altair arrived at the mess hall, he ate to his heart''s content. Fromrge drums of chicken, fried and seasoned to perfection, to beef, cooked to a perfect medium rare, with various sides, Altair devoured it all without a second thought, leaving many onlookers to judge his messy character. But Altair could have cared less.

    Having spent two years in a dungeon, eating the same dish every day. He was going to gorge himself until his gut would burst.

    Were it not for one of themanders, alongside a few other men, wrenching Altair from a chicken drum, fearful the boy would have eaten them dry.

    Tears whelped from Altair''s eyes as he clenched his round stomach. "Big meanies!" He cried, running away as the men roared withughter; some choking, others fell over, pointing.

    ***

    Having spent the next few hours touring the fort until he found the room the Admiral promised him. Exhaustion crept over the Prince as he entered the well-furnished room, capable of fitting two, housing a shower and a king-size bed.

    Altair scanned the room, pouring Mana into the Eye of Sacrilege to find any monitoring system. When he found none, he closed the door, making sure to lock it. "It''s safe, Ren. You can¡ª"

    Before he finished, a blinding sh shimmered as a sea of scarlet filled the Prince''s eyes. Ren turned to him, narrowing her pearly silver eyes, filled with a red mist. And once again, Altair felt a stir from down below.

    He tumbled to the bed and turned to Ren, only to find she was inches from him on the bed, her breath pressing against his lips. He gulped, taking a long breath of air to calm his nerves. It wasn''t the first time they''did near one another yet¡­ It felt different today.

    "You look a little red," Ren told him, leaning her head against his. "You sick?"

    "A little tired." He told her, enjoying the warmth that came with her touch. "What about you? How was living as a pup for three weeks."

    "Easy. I''m used to it." She eximed, showing off her flimsy muscles. " Papa used to kidnap Ren early in the morning to see the sunset. Every Saturday, we''d run from morning until the azure sun dawned over the horizon.

    "Your sun was blue?" Altair asked, a little startled. He''d never heard of a blue star. Even Earth''s sun, which most people call yellow, was essentially white through human eyes. It only looked that way due to the debris in the air making the sun appear yellow.

    (A/N: Did you know the sun was white?)

    With a childish gleam, Reina told Altair of her azure sun and seven moons and how, at times, they could see their''s asteroid belt. To the various subspecies of peaceful creatures she once saw and yed with, from the ins of Valima to the isle of Dreams, where one could breathe underwater and fly without any need for Mana or skill.

    The Prince listened, so sucked in he didn''t know when the darkness swept through his vision and sleep came.

    Ren giggled, looking down at his sleeping face. "It seems he''s still recovering from the baptism, or is it the Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique?" She grinned, trailing her fingers through his silky hair that seemed so soft. Ren couldn''t help but feel a little jealous. She sighed.

    Wearily lifting herself off the bed to let him rest, Ren covered Altair in a nket at the foot of the bed and, found a few shirts and boxers the army had prepared for him and went into the shower. Enjoying the hot steam of falling water against her skin for the first time, she all but moaned in the water, enthralled by the pressure massaging her weary muscles.

    When Ren stepped out, it was with the stagger of a drunken woman, smiling foolishly as the lids of her eyes waned over her pupils like two iron mountains.

    She yawned, barely putting on a t-shirt nearly twice her size and the boxer that fell off at the slightest provocation. Ren held up her underwear with one arm and left the restroom to find Altair still fast asleep, locked in a slumber she knew he''d not wake till morning.

    She crawled into the same bed, inching closer to his face, when she noticed¡­ a bulge below Altair''s waist. And for a moment, Reina froze, shing red hot, as she looked below theforters. The shade of her cheeks turned even red, knowing no amount of books she had read on biology could help her palpitating heart.

    Reina lowered the nket, turned to Altair, and closed her eyes beside her Sleeping Prince. Awaiting sleep to find her.

 Chapter 79: A New Start

    Locked in Altair''s chamber, arms tightly bound around the slender waist of a pristine maiden with long blood-red hair pressed against his chest. Reina gulped, listening to the still rhyme of his heart pounding against his chest. She blushed, biting her lips, unsure how she came about this situation.

    She cursed, ncing down at the loose undergarments that had slipped away through the night and the overlyrge shirt that did nothing to stop Altair''s fingers from reaching inside to her bare flesh, holding her down. And if things could not have gotten worse, Ren could feel an intense heat below Altair''s waist, twitching with movement.

    ''How did this happen?'' Ren screamed inwardly, misty-eyed. She trembled, somewhat short of breath."Altair never used to twist and turn." And her mind fell to the thing pressing against her, twitching against her most sensitive, sending pangs of sweet pleasure through her mind.

    "Art¡­" she whispered, stifling the hush moan on the tip of her tongue. She bit down, ring up, unsure if she should move. He had barely recovered from his baptism, only to force himself into opening a rift within the Serpent''s outreach and then using the Hellish Rebuke to escape death.

    Altair was in a weakened state. She told herself, drawing sharp utterances each time his spear trembled. Reina squeezed his shirt and looked up at his soft features, tarnished by difort.

    "Art~" Ren whispered again, louder, as saliva pooled from her lips in an erotic sight of pleasure, finding herself sinking deep into the heat of his flesh.

    "Ren¡­ It''s hot." He said softly, opening his eyes, groggy. Burning up as if a fever had caught hold of him, Altair stirred, pulling his arms away from Reina''s waist to her relief, and peeled off his tunic until only his bare chest touched the cool air. He tumbled back into the bed, grabbed hold of Ren, and spooned her gentle frame."Ren¡­ Likes¡­ Cuddles¡­" He mouthed off, falling back asleep.

    Invisible tears streamed from her eyes. ''Curse my love for cuddles! Art, you big dummy! Why are you bulling Ren?'' She painfully asked herself, feeling his zing spear poking her back. Ren sighed with relief, feeling oddly at peace as the dull ache between her legs began to fade alongside her consciousness.

    ***

    When dawn broke the following day, first, light washed over the Fortress of Rim in a glorious array of golden light, finally allowing those on the night watch to change with the morning crew.

    Within his private quarters, away from the recruits, Altair poked his head up, yawning. Opening his beady eyes to the sight of the ufortable bulge in his pants. He pulled at his crotched and frowned. "Why is it wet?"

    Raina, who had been stirred awake by the slight movement, continued to pretend to sleep, wanting nothing more than to fall on her sword, and gently pulled theforters over her head, unable to find the strength to face him.

    "Why is there underwear on the floor?" Altair questioned, yawning. "Ren must have been rummaging through the room." He decided. " Whatever, if she won''t use it. I will."

    When Altair entered the shower, and the water began to run, Ren instantly pulled herself from theforters, unable to conceal the shame stained across her cheeks. " I''m going to kill him! No¡­ God, please kill me!" She cried, biting her plump lips. She snapped to her feet with determination. " I''m going to steal some clothes. There must be someone my size here."

    "Hey, Ren?! You up yet?" Altair called.

    Ren did not immediately answer, seeking only to escape first; she inched towards the exit when the wheezing of the door to her rear opened. She spun. Catching sight of a devilishly handsome young man, chiseled as if fashioned from the gods but refined by the devils.

    Altair was glisteningly wet and utterly naked.

    "W-w-w-what the hell is this¡­" Ren demanded, pointing at the Warhammer between his legs, which instantly rose like a flood dragon when Altair saw Ren in arge t-shirt barely covering her figure.

    Ren''s mind went nk, and in the next moment, she ran. Scrambling to open the locked door, Ren bit her lips, stabbing her fingers at the keypad, trying to recall his pin. Finally, after constant failure, she turned back, glimpsing the veiny Warhammer.

    "W-W-W-Why aren''t you wearing a towel?" She muttered, pivoting her chin back at the door and feeling something coil down her legs. Her knees slowly pressed together.

    There had been many instances Altair had felt embarrassed, but nothing topped this moment. He stood petrified for a while before the words found him. "I¡­ forgot it¡­ the towel." he stared at her and took a step forward.

    Ren quivered like a lost pup in the dead of winter, listening to the echoes of his approaching footsteps. She gulped and nced back to Altair for a second time. Her heart quivered, unsure what to expect. She watched the Prince lift up the towel off the desk and return to the shower without another word.

    hosted on m-v_l-e _m-p_y-r

    She copsed, unsure why her breath seemedbored, but as she looked down at the sweat clinging to her flesh like a leach, leaving nothing to the imagination. Her world crumbled.

    Suddenly, without cause, a loud thud echoed through the bathroom, stirring Ren up. "Altair!" She called, stirred to action by tempered intuition. Ren pushed her perception into the bathroom before charging to the sight of the Prince, a deadly pale, on the ground, pooling blood from his nose.

    The words of her master resounded through her mind before Altair opened a rift in the Serpents Outreach. ''Newly physiques tend to take a while to integrate itself. Especially powerful ones. So remember, despite three months passing, Altair is still in the ''limation'' phase. So watch out for him. Should something happen, use the half of the Chimera Heartstood.

    I''ve already severed it in half."

    Lunging out of the bathroom to where she tossed her dirty furs from the Serpent''s Outreach, Ren rummaged through, finding an amethyst core, and elerated to her Prince, pushing it into his mouth and down his throat without forethought.

    Waiting for a reaction with a panicked heart, Ren gritted her teeth when a quiver of Mana flickered over the young Prince. Ren echoed a breath of relief as Altair''s face regained its color. She was even happier when he opened his eyes.

    "Art!"

    "Oh, c''mon!" He yelped, covering his Warhammer with his bloodied toweled. Ren onlyughed, wrapping her arms around with relief.

    "Thank the Gods, you are OK."

    ***

    Stationed in her quarter, Admiral Vaiga ckfire lifted her cup of jasmine tea and took a rxed whiff to calm her nerves as she looked at the blood report before her. It was suspicious it had taken three weeks, but the moment Vaiga saw the report, she understood.

    "Altair¡­ Wasn''t even remotely human." She muttered, lowering the cup of jasmine. She flipped to the next page. '' Blood work shows high everything,¡­ All in perfect harmony. How the hell is such a physique possible? Everything is perfect. And his resistances are ridiculous.

    Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, metal, light, Darkness, etc. Goodness. I know Genesis is in a state of uproar. If they are seeing this¡­ I expect a few gods to approach us. Let''s hope they are tied up by the bureaucracy of Genis."

    Vaiga stood up, flicking her long raven-colored hair, grinning. She stepped towards her closet, unwinding her nightgown. And changed into her uniform, ensuring not a single crease was visible. "I''ll need to station a few Masters to defend this boy. Goodness. Altair, you are such a troublemaker." She said, stepping out for the day.

    Sheter glimpsed Lieutenant Commander Su-Ho, carrying her natural aged grimace the moment she stepped into her office. "Morning, Admiral." She saluted.

    "Oh¡­ Lieutenant. I don''t believe we had a meeting scheduled this week." Vaiga inquired, walking past her into her chair. She signaled for her to sit.

    "Forgive the interruption, but this is about Altair."

    Brows grew lifted. "Exin."

    "Well, we''ve yet to gauge altairs unique skills which need to be documented, and¡ª"

    "We''re going to skip that." Vaiga interrupted, tapping her finger against the table with a hard look. "Altair is too big, and the more that''s revealed, the less we can protect him. The King and Queen are sure to send representatives. I know Genisis is." she leaned back into her chair, bearing theing pressure with a sigh. "Have Altair battle prowess be measured. We will not state his unique skill.

    We don''t want to give some assassin the heads up. Oh, and get that pup of his a cor. I''ve already registered it under him, but she needs a cor. We aren''t running a kennel here."

    The Lieutenant Commander chuckled, saluting at hermand. "Oh¡­ Before I go. Have you decided on a partner? You are one of Earth''s three Ninth Circle Warriors. I''m sure there is pressure for you to bear them a child. Multiple, if that''s even possible."

    With a wry grimace, Vaiga shook her head. "Earth has really fallen to shit. Forcing women to conceive is just¡­" She seethed, closing her eyes. "The Earthers know of my status. They''ll not risk a fallout with me over such an issue. At least for now, they won''t.

    Nevertheless, finding a random man in my bed every week is getting annoying. Butt ass naked, mind you! I am now an official master at changing my bed sheets."

    So-Ho wrinkled lips bore a grin. "Marriage life isn''t so bad, admiral. I am two hundred and seventy-three. And looking at the seven generations of children I helped create fills my heart with such fulfillment, knowing that if I were to die. I would leave something behind. The Imperial Army will merely rece me, but my children¡­ My children and their children will continue to prosper.

    So think about it."

 Chapter 80: Commissary

    Silently traversing the Halls, Ren, who''d polymorphed, sat on top of Altair''s head without a sound, brooding. Things between the two had gotten awkward with recent events. And neither of them dared to bring it up. Going so far as to promise the other not to speak of their darkest moments.

    Raina was not ignorant of the biology of the chromosomes between man and woman. And changes that they experienced as they aged. Within her books, there were many diagrams of men and women, but as Ren recalled that thing Altair carried, she shivered.

    ''How does he walk right?'' she thought.

    Simrly, the Prince''s mind was drowned by the skin-tight image of Ren soaked in sweat. To her round, perky breasts and curvy hips that trailed down to her¡ª

    He gulped, feeling his lower half tightening hard against the lining of his uniform. It burned, but he dared not show it. From the moment Altair had stepped out of his bed chambers. He''d been startled by the system''s new features.

    [Due to Privacy Concerns at 2200 hours (10 pm), Privacy Mode has been activated.]

    He had never been so grateful that no one knew of his shameful past.

    "Hey, Art. How are you feeling?" Ren curiously asked, pulling the boy from his thoughts.

    "A lot better." The Prince truthfully said, allowing the system status page to fill his eyes.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 65.6% ¡ú 99.82% ]

    Physique: Zero Stars (Imperfection)

    ss: Young Prince Lv 14 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 13 ¡ú23

    Read today at mvl _emp _y,r.

    Dexterity: 15 ¡ú25

    Constitution: 21 ¡ú31

    Wisdom: 23 ¡ú33

    Charisma: 23 ¡ú 33

    Mana:18

    Skills: Fallen Necromancy [D], Dark Moon de [D], Circle of Gluttony [F], Infernal Bane [D], Superior Instincts [D], Grave of Night [D], Eye of Sacrilege [C], Mana Maniption [D], Rune Maker, Enigmatic Step [E], Dimensional Rift(F), Soul of the Indomitable (F), Vale Maniption[F], Ninth Form, Aeron[F],

    Soul of the Indomitable (F)

    Type: Psionic

    Description: Hones the soul of those who seek the Path of Paragon.

    Ninth Form, Aeron (F)

    Type: Psionic

    Description: Sword of Eternal Madness

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance (partial Sealed)

    Effect 2: Sealed

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    "I''m nearly done forming my second Circle. Although what worries me a little is my physique." Altair said. "Despite eating half the Chimera Heartstone. Nothing much has changed, aside from not feeling sluggish anymore."

    "Well. It took nearly three months for you to regain muscle mass. The damage caused by gaining your physique might have vanished, but we still need to be wary. You fainting like that could be problematic."

    Proceeding up a few flights of stairs, lined with armed soldiersing and going, Altair figured he entered themissary facility on the fifth floor, noting the plethora of off-duty soldiers shopping for clothes.

    From various hoodies, shirts, trousers, dresses, and garments to a dozen various mini restaurants, Altair felt as if he''d stepped into a mall. The air was electrifying, filled with a delectable scent he was quick to fall for.

    "Art! Art! Art!" Ren shouted, garnering a few odd stars his way as Ren''s small wet nose pointed to a freshly made pretzel dressed withrge flecks of salt. Her tiny paw pointed to the pretzel.

    "Shhh! Ren!'' Altair panicked, mping her mouth shut, "You''re not supposed to talk!"

    "It''s quite alright, young man." A fox-eared woman dressed in the imperial army uniform, preparing the Pretzels, said, noticing his distress, "While it''s rare. We''ve all seen animals capable of basic." She exined. "It just proves she''s intelligent."

    "Hehe, Ren is intelligent. Hear that, Art! You dummy! Praise Ren!" The little Nephilm cheered, raising her paw in protest to his abuse.

    A little shocked, before Altair could continue. The fox-eared woman spoke up: "Your Altair, right? I''m Warrant Officer Maya Telvac." She saluted, noticing the stripes on his chest. "The rumors did not do you justice."

    Altair was still a little taken back at the news of Ren not needing to hide as much. His ears perked up. "Rumors? About me?"

    "Goodness! Oh yes! Everyone is saying you were strikingly handsome. My Lord, are you a descendent of a God of Beauty? You must be!" Maya determined, with a twinkle in her eye. "Your nearly six feet."

    "I am?" Unaware of how much he''d grown these past few months, Altair looked up to Ren. "Have I really grown that much taller?"

    Maya giggled, narrowing her eyes. She plucked a pretzel from her stall, undoing the top two buttons of her uniform in one swift move, "Here. For free." She said, smiling, showcasing her bosom.

    Altair once more felt the heat rise within his trousers when the luscious image of the erotic sight of a wet skin Ren popped into his mind. The fire in his heart zed, ready to explode, when a cool sensation suddenly pooled through his mind. He pulled himself together, epting the gift before parting ways.

    [Soul of the Indomitable (F) Proficiency has increased by 2%]

    [Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 4%]

    "Here you go," Altair said, handing Ren the Pretzel, unsure how she''d eat it in her current form.

    Ren hugged it as if it were her entire world and took such arge bite her eyes twinkled with stars, from the salty crunch of the salted flecks to the smoky vor of the lightly sweetened dough that carried a warm center. Reina moaned. "Dear Lord¡­ Earth is Heaven, isn''t it? Art! You got to try this!" she eximed, rolling around his head with the pretzel.

    Altairughed at her silly antics. He had always found her attitude towards food fascinating. They were simr to when she ate her concoctions. At times, she''d jump around like a bunny or roll around like a pig in shit, brooding, or, more often than not, hug and lick his cheek when something good happened.

    "Here!" Ren, who had broken off a small piece, hopped to his shoulder to feed him. "Good, right? Let''s try something else!"

    Enjoying the bits Ren gave him, Altair nodded when he suddenly recalled their purpose. "No¡­ We got to buy clothes. I''ve only seven hundred Sols to my name. And we need money for your alchemy resources, weapons, and so on." He said, but not convincingly.

    Ren gave a cute whimper and leaped back on his head. "I had forgotten about that. Sorry."

    "Well¡­ Maybe a few sweets. You ever had a cupcake?" He said, caving as his eyes swayed to various temptations around him. "But after we buy you some clothes."

    Ren hopped with joy as the onlookers pointed andughed. But she didn''t care. Not today.

    Watching the duoughing amongst each other near the southern exit, Fat Mike, a man with a fest of meat well over eight hundred pounds that rolled to his knees, frowned. "Is that him?" He asked as the image of a shadow loomed within his pupils.

    "Yeah. Altair¡­ No surname. He looks older, but yeah, that''s him." the voice said in his ears, calm and without feeling. "He has a bounty of Ten Thousand Sols."

    Fat Mike whistled and leaned on a nearby stall. "Quite a penny, eh? Who''s the source? House Aros?"

    "Anonymous."

    "Tsk."

    "It''ll take me a few months to figure it out. But it doesn''t seem like House Aros. They wouldn''t do something so public. It would be too shameful." The voice said with thought as static traced through the call. "There a high chance an opposing family ced the bounty to make the Aros''s look back."

    ''A fine scheme.'' Fat Mikeughed. "Well, get on it. I''ll see to the boy."

    "Huh? What are you going to¡ª"

    Mike cut the call and lifted his body with such effort that sweat gathered at his brow. Slowly, his feet began to hover from the ground, pulling him towards his Target.

    "You there, Ensign. Yes, you." Fat Mike called, bearing down to the boy, whose past and future seemed to mystify him. For nearly a month, he''d looked into Altair, trying to find pictures of him and his supposed God Mother. But aside from his image, he found nothing on Tenebrae. Not so much as even a record or picture of her existence.

    And yet House Aros imed she was one of their manywyers. Records proved so¡­ But a name without a face was a ghost.

    "Yes?" Altair hesitantly said, counting his many chins and rolls that tumble below the knee and arms so wide they appeared like trees.

    "Are you aware there is a bounty on your head? A Ten Thousand Sols." Fat Mike said with a measuring stare.

    "Oh¡­ that''s nice," Altair said smiling, holding onto a few bags Ren had picked out for herself and him.

    "It''s nice?!" Fat Mike mused, rumbling withughter that drew the attention of many as his fat danced, swaying back and forth. "Surely there is fear to be had."

    "Not really," Altair replied with a sudden coldness. "It just means some idiot will be handing me exp."

    "And what can a boy of Twelve do? One who has yet to even receive their second ss?" Fat miked looked him over, slowly allowing himself tond.

    The Prince shrugged. "Guess we''ll see."

    Fat Mike smirked and offered him a hand. "The Name is Captain Jorna Mike, but everyone calls me Fat Mike."

 Chapter 81: Artesty

    There had always been a single rule Tene had impressed upon her son toplement the charm he carried. From the day he was conceived, Tene instilled within him a sense of regality, as she often said. "Be it King or Queen, servant or Lord. One must have a particr etiquette for Order to exist."

    Altair remembered those words,prehending them as he shook Captain Jorna Mike''s hand. His palm felt so greasy and wet that it made one want to shower, but from the silly smile on his face, Altair found himself willing to forgive.

    "I am your captain and the man you report directly to." He said, sensing the power held in the boy''s palm. He looked up at the pup, which seemed to have been the talk of the fort in recent weeks. "Is this your familiar? Or Pet."

    "She is my family," Altair said. And Mike heard the warning in his tone.

    "I see. Either way. She''ll need to be marked." Fat Mike said. "Put a cor on her or something. Either way. Fall-in is usually at 0400 hours, so you are about two hourste." He chuckled, noticing the indifference.

    "We''ll let this be your first warning, especially since you weren''t told about it, nor did you take the initiative to ask."

    "Oh¡­ I don''t know." Altair began with a mischievous grin. "I''m technically not even sworn in. I''m but a civilian the admiral has on her base."

    Unable to bear it, Fat Mike roiled withughter. pping the boy on the back. "Good! Good! But no loopholes! Tomorrow at 0400.

    Don''t bete. Oh, and you can have the day to get situated. I hear you woke midday yesterday." He said, levitating away with a mighty roar ofughter.

    "He''s a cunning one," Ren said after a long while.

    "Really?"

    "You don''t think so?"

    Altair shrugged. "I don''t know enough. It''s too early to say¡­ But he''s extremely strong." he looked down at his palm, somewhat disgusted at the greasy, wet ooze on his hand, and wiped it onto his pants. "Well. Shall we continue?"

    From shop to shop, Altair and Ren journeyed without end, talking andughing, buying trinkets that caught Ren''s eye. It hade as a great shock at how much seven hundred sols were to him. He could still recall spending hundreds, if not thousands, on every meal or some trousers when he was with Tene.

    However, despite all the clothes, trinkets, and snacks they bought, he had spent no more than twelve Sols. It was then he understood why Tene insisted on granting him an allowance upon his seventh.

    "Young man?" One of the peddlers at the stall called. He was a short fellow with small, beady eyes with a missing headline at the center of his head. "Are you, by chance, interested in painting?"

    "Oh!" read more at mvle_mp,y,r

    Noticing Ren move top his head, Altair looked up at her. "What do you think?" he asked when the system alerted him of a message.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, Rmends you find a hobby outside butchering.]

    Altair raised a brow at his father''s rmendation, unable to grasp why. ''Surely they had to be a reason?'' he thought, drawing towards the peddler. ''Father promised to help me¡­ and he hasn''t stirred me wrong¡­ Yet... let''s just hope this isn''t a waste of money.'' he told himself as if to justify his mindless spending.

    "Give me a canvas, a brush, various painting oils, charcoal, paint, and whatever you think I''ll need." He said.

    Ren leaped over his brow with a vibrancy in her eyes. "Is that for me!"

    He snickered. "You''re a greedy one, aren''t you? No. But I''ll try to draw you."

    The glow brightened. "Really," Ren said, lifting her head and releasing a mighty howl filled with her presence. Pressure raced through the soldiers'' hearts as they gulped, their legs buckled as they tried tobat the innate fear they held.

    "Ren!" Altair snapped. But Ren was far too happy. She had never had as much fun as she had today.

    Like a true pup, too excited, Ren caught the zoomies. And bolted from his head, dashing left and right at a frightening speed.

    "AWOOOOOO~"

    ***

    When they had returned, Altair fell t on his back onto his bed, unsure why he felt weary from shopping. But his eyelids were heavy.

    "ART!!!!!" Ren yelped in her human form, mounting her Prince with a ravenous fever and her blood-red hair fluttering over Altair. "Draw me!"

    Altair hadn''t even noticed when she had thrown on one of his shirts. But in that moment, as he looked up at her face, flushed with excitement. Kirr''s old words echoed through his mind, and he asked himself.

    Why not make her my wife?

    [Wolf Daddy: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"]

    "Ah~ PAPA~" Ren excitedly squealed, looking up as if looking for her father. "Hehe, Art is going to draw me!" She yelped, but her Father, Leto, was trembling in his boots, clenching his fist so tight that blood pooled over the ashes of Irka.

    Dazed, Altair''s fingers threaded through strands that looked like a stream of blood. "If¡­ If I draw you. It has to be in that?"

    Ren looked down at one of the T-shirts Altair had. And her cheeks once more grew flush as it came to her.

    [Divine being, ''Piercing owl'' covers her mouth at your indecency.]

    [Divine Being, ''Douberious Wine,'' nods at your courage! And offers you cheers!]

    Ren ignored the Gods, guing her vision, focusing on herself. "... Why this?" She asked him in a mutter, tugging at his T-shirt.

    Altair didn''t answer.

    He couldn''t exin it even if he wanted to. All he knew was that the Soul of the Indomitable was zing within his mind,batting the blood filling his Warhammer.

    10%

    15%

    30%

    ¡­

    Ignoring the dramatic rise in his proficiency, Altair silently gritted his teeth, using all his willpower to push down his raging blood.

    "... Ok¡­" Ren whispered, grinning, nervously nibbling on her lips. She gulped, feeling that familiar twitch and the wetness that came with it. Ren rolled over, scrambling towards the head of the bed.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Altair took a few seconds to calm himself. But when he rose, there was a sliver of excitement he couldn''t quite ce, a kernel of calling as he began unpacking the various materials he bought for about twenty sols.

    When he was done, Altair stood before a mid-size canvas, gripping a sharp pencil and eraser. He had zero experience painting, much less drawing, but he had often visited Musems with Mother, glimpsing many pieces from all around the world and the many sectors of space.

    Ren was silently staring at him, facing towards him on her stomach, legs kicked high in the air, while the ends of his shirt rested, barely reaching beneath the back of her knee, while her chin and arms rested softly on top of the pillow.

    Allowing the tip of his pencil to dance over the canvas, Altair started with the bedding and sheets. He scribbled away as Ren silently observed him. She watched how his eyes shone with focus, how his lips twitched when he got stuck, how he sometimes observed her with a softness he didn''t show to others, and his two colorful eyes. Ren had always loved how they gleamed at times.

    One was a dazzling scarlet. The other was a ck amethyst, and it was her favorite. When she looked into that eye of his, Ren felt she was looking into the darkness in which light ceased to exist: It was that very darkness that sucked her in, devouring her until all she felt was¡­ peace.

    For three hours, Altair drew, pushing Mana into the Eye of Sacrilege to hone his Insight. Slowly, his strokes began to change, gaining the same finesse as how he swung his sword. And slowly, the small pen became his sword.

    [Ding!]

    [Grave of Night Proficiency has increased by 0.1]

    Proficiency: 0.01 ¡ú 0.21%

    [Soul of the Indomitable Proficiency has Increased by 10%]

    Proficiency: 45 ¡ú 65%

    He began on Ren. Starting with her feet, which kicked back and forth, Altair''s pencil slid down into arcs, never allowing his pen to rise until needed. He poured more mana into his eyes and finger, ignoring the stifling sensation within his meridians. Wanting nothing more than for her to be perfect.

    Altair found himself lost. He''d love the sword. He loved everything about it. From the hiss of his de through the air, how it shimmered silver beneath the aimless rays of light, and the tingly taste of metal, it oozed. Front the day he was born, Altair had never felt more attuned with the sword until now.

    "Done," Altair said, looking up at Ren. He turned the canvas to her, feeling a little exposed as if he was bearing his heart. "I still need to color it, but¡­" His words trailed off, watching as Ren began to shed tears.

    "It¡­ its¡­ It doesn''t need to be colored." She whispered, staring at the sketch that showcased a woman with such vibrancy. Ren felt as though she was standing in a mirror. "I¡­ I look so pretty. Is that really me." she touched her cheeks, where Altair drew so visibly, she gasped.

    "Ren? Do you not like it?"

    "I love it!" She hurriedly said, shifting her gaze to him. "It''s mine now."

    "Huh? But that''s my¡ª"

    "It''s mine."

    "But it''s my first¡ª"

    "It''s mine," Ren said, kicking to her feet. She stared down at Altair like a queen bearing down on her subjects. "Mine."

    The Prince relented. He nced at his painting and sighed, recalling all those other paintings he saw and thought. ''I got everything right, but it''s empty. Devoid of emotions.''

    And as if something popped into his head, he looked down at his palm. "Just like my sword¡­ It, too,cks emotion." He stood up with a snap, nearly bumping into Ren.

    He towered over her and lightly coiled his palms against her waist.

    "I think I get it," He told her, holding her firmly. "Next time I draw you. It''ll be better. I''ll portray you¡­ all of you. So Reina¡­ from today onwards, you will be my muse."

    His words did note as a suggestion, favor, or even a request. No. Altair told her, unbothered by any indiscretion or refusal. And at that moment, Ren had never felt her heart quiver so hard, for she knew, in a way, her Prince was iming her.

    She beamed. "Ok¡­ I will be your muse."

 Chapter 82: Battle Prowess

    That night, when the day had ended and the sun had lost its luster, revealing the pale moon, Altair silentlyid over his bed with his chest bare, more tired than ever. Ever since he got the Fallen Moon Imperfection, Altair had found himself sleeping more often than he liked.

    Sleep had always been something he''d found to be a waste of time, now more so that he stood in the lion''s dead of assassins, soldiers, and mercenaries. But sleep was near despite protest. Yet he didn''t mind it, not today, as Ren rested her head on his chest.

    She felt warm. And despite Altair finding the night air unbearably hotter than before, he found himself craving her warmth.

    "I miss the hundred feet of snow, Ren. I miss the winter winds cutting through my hair." He said, within the darkness, looking up. "It''s hot. Earth is so unbearably hot." He nced at her, looking back up with her silly smile.

    "You could always go back. The Mana there is vastly more abundant," Ren replied, unsure when he had surpassed her in height. It was as if he woke up a few heads taller than her. His voice was even an edge deeper.

    "It takes far too much, Mana. Last time Big sis helped me." He muttered, yawning. "Plus¡­ I don''t want to push my body until I have adapted to the Fallen Moon Imperfection." And his voice dropped a few octaves, almost to a whisper. "Plus, that realm doesn''t have this bed."

    Ren giggled and inched closer, ncing down into the darkness to the tent below her Prince''s waist, twitching. She gulped and picked herself up only to fall over her Prince, mounting him just above his waist. She pressed her head to his chest and nodded. "This is better, right?" she asked him, nervously nibbling on her lips. Unsure what she was even doing.

    She had fought so hard to get away the other night, and now... Now... she didn''t know.

    "Y¡­ Yes." Altair softly strained, feeling her fiery heat between her legs weighing him down.

    "Good," Ren giggled in relief, masking her cunning grin with augh. "I¡­"

    The door shuddered with a boom, and Ren nearly popped up as a voice echoed. " Altair¡­ Are you awake?"

    ''Ah~''

    "Lieutenant Commander?" The Prince said, gripping Ren so tight her cheeks grew even redder as he felt the throbbing of his Warhammer stirred the moment he pulled himself up.

    "Yes. It''s me. Get dress. Your services are needed. And bring that pup of yours." The Lieutenant Commander said from outside.

    Seething a breath of fresh air, Altair stared down at the flush Ren and misty eyes. He gritted his teeth before gently cing her on the other side of the bed as he stood up to get dressed.

    When he was done, Altair shone fitted in his snow-white uniform. He turned to the dazed Ren.

    "Ren?"

    "Ah! Yes." Polymorphing into a small pup, Ren lept up the boy''s shoulder and head.

    He opened the door, catching sight of the shriveled thing of flesh and bones. "Good. We''ve much to do. First, the physical."

    Altair fastened the twosting buttons on his cor. " I thought you did it when I was unconscious."

    "Coma patients aren''t very telling." She said, with haste in her step, exiting the halls to the outside, east to the medical center. "How have you been feeling? Any fainting or blood in your pee or stool? It would look ck if you don''t know."

    "No." The Prince said without batting an eye.

    "Good. I was worried. I didn''t release you to work like you did two days ago." So Ho added, stepping through the automatic doors of her medical bay. She rushed to her office, herding Altair through, and said. "Drop your pants and give me a cough when I tell you."

    By the time she was done speaking, the Lieutenant Commander fitted herself with thin, transparent stic gloves.

    Altair eyes went wide. "Surely you¡ª"

    "Drop ''em, boy. It''s called a physical." She said, annoyed. " Look at me. Do you think I''m interested in a boy still fresh from his mother''s tit?"

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts'' snickers]

    [Divine Being, Luscious Red, Peeps her eyes open.]

    [Divine Being, ''Impregnate Me'' has brought out her ruler.]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, demand you act like a man and drop your pants!]

    ''Bastards.'' He cursed inwardly, ncing up at Ren looking down, and his shame only grew.

    "Privacy Mood!" Altair shouted, denying ess to the Gods watching.

    [You''ve entered Privacy Mode. No God can watch your feed through the Origin System.]

    Spryughter few from the Lieutenant Commander and fell as she watched Altair''s artillery. " Well¡­ you don''t have anything to worry about. That''s for sure." She said. "That''s a wet dream for many women out there. A nightmare for a few, too." She cupped his jewels and gave them a gentle squeeze. " Cough for me."

    Altair did.

    "Good. Now, how many times do you masturbate?" So Ho asked, filling out her chart, while Altair attempted to hide his manhood behind his hands.

    "Master what? What''s that?"

    She nced up at him, a little taken back. "Based on your hormonal levels, I''d have assumed puberty started. Has your penis not gotten hard?" Noticing no answer, she smirked. " A kid naive as you is rare. Wow. Well, look it up.

    That''s what most of the kids these days do anyway. Oh, and you can pull up your pants."

    The ashamed Prince did as he was told, gritting his teeth, knowing Ren was watching his every action, listening as her eyes remained glued to him. It had caused the embarrassment to permeate his very bones, knowing she had witnessed everything.

    So-Ho did a few more tests, taking a few hours, before she nodded at the results. And she reached into her pocket for a small grey cor. " This is for Ren. All pets need to be marked."

    Taking the cor, Altair traced his fingers over that read, "Property of Altair." and smiled, turning to her. There had been something about those words that made him joyous. He would own her, he thought, finding the thought more exciting. He felt the blood rush to his lower half.

    Ren, too, felt it, and she could not deny the idea excited her, for once again, He was iming her, his, and his alone.

    Ren said nothing as he wrapped the cor around her neck but raised her head with pride in her belly; her tail began to wag.

    "Good. Now, follow me so that we might begin." Leading the way outside the medical center to the simtion room, abuzz with life despite thete hour. The simtion room was filled with the new recruits, some of whom neither Altair nor Ren recognized.

    "Damn it. I camete because I thought this ce was going to be empty." the Lieutenant Commander griped. "Clear the way! Make way!" she soon said, dashing through the crowds of soldiers. "Under orders of the Admiral Darkfire, Make way!"

    A path was quick to form at the mention of the admiral''s name. There had been many rumors about her. Vaiga Darkfire was many things:zy, easygoing, and forgiving, but she was meticulous when she needed to be and ruthless when the situation demanded. And many had seen it firsthand. The cruelty with which she carried out punishment.

    As the path formed, many began to stop in their training, shifting their focus to So-Ho, pointed towards therge tform ahead. "Stand there and kill whatever appears," she said, making her way up the stairs to the control room.

    Heeding her words, Altair made for the tform of dark iron silver. He recalled its work from yesterday, between the goblins and recruits.

    "Ren?" He called to her to leave, but the little pup shook her head and slouched on his hair. Stubborn to a fault. But did not mind, whether it be her human form or this one. Ren had always felt as light as a feather.

    Shhhhhhh~

    Listening to the low hum of power, the ground beneath Altair''s feet trembled with the rustle of Mana building up. And in but a few heartbeats, Altair saw a flicker, and before long, the flicker began to grow until a group of seven goblins appeared.

    Grey, grotesque little things that carried long, scrawny arms and legs, wielding clubs, daggers, shields, and swords, gibbering in a strangenguage.

    For a moment, Altair stood there amused as his left eye twinkled and as they were just made aware of his presence. The Seven goblins squealed. And began to charge, iling their weapons with wild abandon. And yet Altair could not even be bothered to dodge, unable to perceive even a sliver of danger.

    He carefully watched as a wave-like ripple pooled the space around him with each attack of their weapons, shielding him from harm.

    ''So this is the Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique.'' he thought, mystified by the strange force protecting him. And yet he felt no source of power in which it came from.

    "How peculiar." He mused, intrigued so much that he forgot where he stood.

    Chop!

    When his palm shed out, cutting across the air like a knife, he parted the goblin skull like the shell of a hard taco. The small grey creature''s eyes rolled to the back of its head and dropped like a broken toy without strings.

    Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop! Chop!

    Clearing the field at a blinding pace as the crowd of onlookers watched, aghast. Altair grinned as the chime of the system entered his ear.

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    Altair smirked. "Free Exp! I''ming here every day," he said, dusting his clean hand, observing how the Goblins turned to ephemeral glimmers before vanishing, and in their absence, another set of goblins emerged. This timerger, bearingrge, thick muscr legs and arms and chests. They stood like men, bearing sharp edges.

    And once more, they charged at the Prince with nearly twice the ferocity, cutting and piercing and bashing their weapons over him. But as if they struck the water, space rippled around the Prince.

    He darkly grinned. "They said resistance¡­ but this is practical immunity.'' he silently mused, with augh, and began his ughter.

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Goblin(Illustion) Felled. Exp Gained.]

    For over ten minutes, Altair stood still, tanking the various goblins summoned, pushing himself to see his limit, failing each time to grasp his current power level until the Luitnmander spoke through the inte.

    "We are going to conjure Tier 2 monsters now."

    Altair weed the challenge when he suddenly crouched to a knee when the sh of a sword arc cut across where his head was. The image of someone''s knee shed through Altair''s eye as he propelled his arms forward, blocking the blow.

    Water-like ripples stirred violently through the confines of space as Altair was forced back dozens of meters. Uninjured.

    He frowned, ring at his foe with malice at the sudden attack. A cold, spilled presence willed into the air like the crackle of a whip, bearing down on the many soldiers.

    "This''ll take forever. Lieutenantmander, let me have a go, a tall, blonde-headed man shouted. His blue eyes narrowed with the ferocity of a lion.

    [Name: John Duvel

    Age: 25

    Mana Circle:[Third Circle 46%]

    Race: Human

    ss: [Soldier LV 25], [Shield Knight Lv 11]

    Strength: 50

    Dexterity: 20

    Constitution: 39

    Wisdom: 13

    Charisma: 7

    Mana:15

    Passives Skills: Swordsmanship(E), Mana Maniption(F), (Shield(E), Regeneration (F), React(F)

    Active Skills: Arc de(E), Herculean Strenght(F)

    ''What an unbnced foe,'' Altair thought, smilingly staring at Johns''s low Charisma. He pondered if crushing him beneath his presence was worth it. To make him be made to bow before him.

    "Warrant Officer, John Duvel, " John introduced, stepping in an arc around the boy with a measured gleam in his blue eyes. "Remember it for the man who defeats you."

    When Altair rolled his shoulders, he couldn''t help but chuckle at how undisturbed he felt. The blow he blocked was well over the bounds his body could take. Yet he tanked such a blow without injury.

    Had the blownded, Altair suspected all he would have gained would have been a bloodied nose. And to that, he rejoiced.

    "Hey Ren¡­ Let''s eat steak tonight. "

    "AWOOOO~"

    And Altair charged, in a surprise portrayal of dexterity, before John could draw his shield from his back. John shed his sword towards Altair''s chest, but the boy was too quick as he ducked beneath John''s sword. His palm was already pping across John''s chest.

    Boom!

    The blow came quickly without indecision, deafening the room with a mighty pop at the impact, pushing John away in a tumble. By the time John had caught himself, Altair''s foot whipped across his face, knocking the teeth out his mouth as Mana pooled off Altair''s foot.

    Again, John was sted away, tumbling to the ground with a thud.

    The Prince approached with slow, steady steps. "You are slow, and your sword strokes make it very easy to read. Were we of matching swordsmanship, perhaps this battle might have been harder, but¡­ As it stands. You are out of your league." He said, opening his palm as a horrid force began to pool. Throbbing with a pulse that sent shivers down even the strongest of men present.

    Altair grinned and drew on the Power of the Vale.

 Chapter 83: Acupuncture

    The Lieutenant Commander was horrified at the exhibition of skill Altair wielded. It was nothing she''d ever seen, nothing she wanted to as she watched him take on someone twice his age, as though it were nothing. She had heard tales of monstrous genius doing the same, but seeing it in person sent shivers through her heart.

    wee to NovelFire mp,y,r

    "What a monster," One of theb techs controlling the simtor said. "It was like Altair was toying with John."

    Helplessly watching as Altair approached John, opening his palm, Lieutenant Commander So-Ho whipped through the door as the pull of something ancient plunged her heart into darkness. A thick whisp of ck Mana swirled around the Prince''s hand. And at that moment, the Fallen Angel of Death, Azazel de shed, cutting across her neck.

    ''I''m dead?'' she thought, reaching for her throat. When she felt blood, she nearly fell to a knee like so many others, only to realize it was perspiration.

    "Hells¡­" She cried, drenched in cold sweat.

    "That''ll be enough, Altair." the calm and collected voice of Vaiga said, grinning as she stepped into the hanger. From the moment she had sensed the might of the Vale gather at Altair''s fingertips, she rushed over. Arriving in the nick of time to see the boy bathe in a pool of darkness.

    Hearing her, Altair dismissed the might of the Vale, staring at his palm. The skin had all but been removed, bloodied red, yet he felt no pain. At least not until his mind registered he was in danger did his face turn ashen. He fell to a knee, gritting his teeth at the roiling pangs of pain, cutting at his soul.

    "That power might be a little too much for you," Vaiga remarked, stopping beside him. She looked at this palm, frowning, and then to the Lieutenant Commander.

    "I¡ª" she began, only to be cut off.

    "I got it from here, Admiral." Fat Mike sounded, levitating off the ground, with a bright smile and a new impression of Altair. "The boy is under me, so I''ll take care of it," he said. "I''ll have our doctors look after him."

    Vaiga thought for a moment. "Alright. He is in your squad. But I want that wound checked thoroughly. You''ve my blessing to use rare material if needed." She added, taking her leave with a grin.

    Fat Mike watched her leave with a salute and turned to Altair and the little pup licking his palm. "Come with me, boy. We''ll get that checked out."

    ***

    "He''s got a bit of nerve damage in his right arm." Lieutenant Commander Amilia Thorne said through pursed lips, ring at Fat Mike, who''d woken her well past midnight.

    "Will it recover?" Fat Mike asked darkly. The prognosis had sounded grim to his ear. And from what he could tell, Altair favored his right palm.

    Amiliabed back her violet hair with her fingers, yawned, and nced at Altair, listening with an unconcern smile. It made her frown. "Yes¡­ The nerves are already regrowing. Based on what we saw in the EMC, it should only take a week for him to return to normal. He seems to have a healing skill or a physique."

    "See. I told you." Altair winced, touching his bandaged arm. "There wasn''t a need to run all these tests."

    "I''m the one who makes those calls." Fat Mike said, pping him on the back of his head with a heftyugh. "Well. For now, let''s call it a night. I''m dying for some sleep."

    ''Your fat ass needs to lose weight, not sleep." Amilia retorted. "Are you still following your diet?"

    "I swear it."

    "Bloodyir." Amilia spat, pointing at the folds of fat at his knee. "It''s been a year, and you''ve put on more weight. Don''t make me call your wife on you."

    "You have a wife!" Altair blurted out, unable to imagine such arge man with over three chins marrying another human.

    "So rude!" Fat Mike shouted. "Who do you take me for? Of course, I have a wife. I''m nearly eighty years old."

    "But how¡­"

    Fat Mike snorted and left with a huff, flicking everyone off as he floated out of sight.

    "Thank god¡­ now." Amilia turned to Altair. " Get out"

    "Eh?"

    Nearly pushing him out of the door, Amilia yawned. " I''m sleepy¡­ don''te back." she closed the sliding doors with the push of the panel, locking it with a click.

    "... There are a lot of entric people here," he said, grinning as Ren licked his cheek.

    "Are you sure you''re ok?" She asked him, peeping down from his shoulder to the bandages. "Does it hurt? I can make a¡ª"

    "It''s alright, Ren. Seriously. It''s just a flesh wound." he assured her, scratching her behind the air. She purred.

    When he returned to his room, Altair tore off his shirt and fell face-first onto the bed. "That ability is too much. Way too much. Its proficiency might be low, but its power is vastly superior to anything I''ve ever felt." he sighed, turning to Ren once more in his long T that stretched to her thigh and the cor around her neck.

    Property of Altair

    He grinned, unsure why those words made him so happy or why butterflies filled his stomach. "Hey¡­"

    "Hmm?"

    "Do you think I shoulde up with a surname? You don''t have one, right?"

    "No¡­ At least none father or mother ever told me of. But I think it''s a swell idea." She told him.

    Altair thought for a bit and said: "Baelfire? Silverhand, Valistar, Nox, ck, Rites, Tar¡ª"

    "Art," She began. "I think you should pick it. This is something that''ll follow you around forever."

    The Prince looked a little sad, as he bore a half smile. " yes¡­ yes¡­" He whispered, slowly drifting away.

    Ren watched him sleep and slowly allowed the darkness to take her.

    When they woke just before theing dawn, Altair stood beside Ren, brushing his teeth, with a brooding grimace.

    "I look like a vampire." He said, scrubbing his fangs that seemed to have grown in overnight. Two sets of pristine white fangs showed as sharp as a des edge.

    "Least you don''t look like a walrus. Can you imagine?" She joked, brushing away as her Prince red at her.

    "Careful, or I might bite you."

    Rencing her mouth, she looked at him with a challenging gleam. "I don''t mind." She revealed her neck to him, just below her cor. And she nced his way through the corner of her eye. "Bite me."

    The blood ran to his crotch as he stared her down, unable to pull his gaze away.

    Property of Altair

    When he saw those words etched into the cor, a possessive fire zed within his heart.

    ''She was mine,'' he wanted to dere, but the words never came, nor would it following the knock at his door.

    Altair rinsed his mouth and made for the door to find a tall, dark-skinned man. He had arge-toned build with onyx-colored eyes, decked in a dark ck uniform, and the crest of a serpent on his chest.

    "I heard you might need help waking." Vincent Wendell said.

    "No¡­" He began to say when Ren''s voice sounded from within the bathroom. "Go on without me, Art. I gotta practice my alchemy." He heard her say as he stepped out of his room, closing it on the way out.

    Second Lieutenant Vincent Windell smirked. "Girlfriend?"

    The boy raised a brow. "What makes you think that."

    "I saw the bed sheets." He said, gently pulling a strand of red hair from his uniform. "A redhead, eh? Not bad. But don''t get distracted. Pussy kills. Especially in our unit."

    "Oh. Why''s that." Altair asked to help move the conversation on from Ren. The less they knew, the better.

    "We got motherfuckers from Babel''s tower in our group. Some of them got some heavy PTSD. They''ll cut your throat if you''re not careful." Vincent said, leading Altair toward his toon.

    They headed to the northern edge just outside the Barracks, near the towering wall. The sun had yet risen, but Altair counted twenty-five men and women, slowly falling in line. Twenty-six if he counted himself.

    "Recruits are in the front," Vincent said, heading directly towards the helm of the group.

    Altair followed, catching sight of Laros, Olivia, and a familiar face. One he''d seen upon his emergence from the Serpents Outreach. Leonie Cross was staring at him with her two dual-pupil eyes with expectation.

    "Morning." He said to his fellow recruits and fellow soldiers, but none weed his greetings. They stood like stone, poise for their nextmand.

    Altair did not mind as he stepped in front of a short, roguish fellow with a nasty pink burn on the left side of his face.

    "Hells! It''s hot." The gripping voice of Fat Mike barked, soaring forward with Amilia on his heel.

    "Sir!" they all saluted.

    And Altair followed.

    "Good." Fat Mike shouted. "And I see all the boots are present. "Bet. I''ve little time today, so I''ll be quick: In a month''s time. We will have an expedition for theing sponsors. And I needn''t tell you how important that job is.

    New sponsors mean more money. More money keeps our bellies full and our cocks wet. " heughed. "More money also means more equipment and more resources."

    "Ensign Altair, step forward."

    Taking a step forward, Altair felt himself being looked over by Fat Mike. " Lieutenant Vincent, make sure to give Altair the basics. His posture is nastier than a whores cunt. Now, since you are thest to join us. And because you''ll be responsible for medical checks with Amilia. Poor you.

    We don''t have any other jobs avable. So congrats. You''ll be doing¡­ Shit. I don''t even know. Amilia, what will our Ensign be doing."

    Straightening her sses, Amilia smiled. "Acupuncture"

    ***

    Within her room alone, Ren sat down in front of her cauldron Altair bought for her since her sword and cauldron her master gave her still resided in the Serpents Outreach, alongside a few rare materials that caught her eye.

    She sat wrestling with an important decision.

    "Base on the money Altair and I have. We have enough tost us about a year if used wisely. And if we add Altair earnings as an ensign, we can sustain ourselves. But the issue is that we need resources to grow: Altair most of all." She said to herself. "If we are to grow, we''ll need arge supply. And for that, I need to start pulling my weight.

    The only thing I do to support us is create pills."

    Her gaze focused in on the cauldron as she sighed. "So for now¡­ I will create as many Iron Bloods as possible to sell. And if I''m lucky, they might be a tier two. " she giggled to herself, clenching her fist tight. "I''m going to make Art and I rich!"

 Chapter 84: Earning Money

    "Acupuncture"

    When Altair heard those words, his brow grew knitted. But before he could ask why, Captain Mike spoke. "Ah, Yes. That''s what it was." He said, nodding. "Everyone has a job, and for now, we''ll have you in the medical ward. We''ll transfer you around after a while. However, right now, until you catch up to the basics like the other boots.

    You''re stuck there. Questions?"

    "How long are basics?"

    "Usually three months." Second Lieutenant Vincent Wendell said, his voice hard. "And you''re about a month behind the other boots."

    "Not your fault. But you''ll be extra busy these next few months." Added Fat Mike. "Lieutenant Borris is in charge of all recruit training. So, for eight hours, you''ll study with him with all the other boots before you head to the Medic Ward to train under Lieutenant Commander Amelia."

    "Is it possible to clear¡­ Boot camp in less than three months?"Altair inquired. Three Months was a long time. Time that could be used elsewhere. He wasn''t a child that needed someone to hold his hand.

    "That''ll be up to Lieutenant Borris." Fat Mike said calmly. " I don''t get involved in his decisions. He''s a man that has been training recruits for well over sixty years. He''s the best of the best. If he see''s, you don''t need it. He''ll let me know."

    The Prince nodded and grew silent.

    When all was said and done, Captain Mike and Lieutenant Vincent allowed Altair, Laros, Olivia, and Leonie Cross to fall out to join the other boots.

    "So your Altair¡­ Fight me." Leonie Cross said, with a fiery gleam in her odd pupils.

    "Knock it off, Leonie." Olivia chimed in, swaying her arms around Altair. "Who''d want to cut such a pretty face?" she imed, with the biting tone of a snake. She narrowed her eyes, leaning to his ear. '' You didn''te to my bed chambers. How mean."

    Masked with indifference, Altair gave her a side nce, "I''m quite alright. I wouldn''t want to step on anyone''s toes. I''m sure you have a lot of options."

    ''Slut, '' Leonie spat beneath her breath. She never understood the need to copte with the fairer sex. Especially so in a world dominated by those who seek the path of transcendence. It was foolish to seek a rtionship if one could not defend themselves.

    Olivia nced at Leonie and grinned as she leaned off Altair. She turned to the girl nearly five years her junior. "What did you call me?"

    "That''s enough." Laros suddenly barked. "We are nearly there. You know what''ll happen if you get caught fighting." He said to Olivia. "Ignore her."

    Altair watched their interaction with a smile when he heard Talia speak into his mind. " Master¡­ Olivia is¡­"

    ''Oh, I know her schemes.'' The Prince replied mentally, narrowing his eyes at the particr skill she held outside her bloodline mes.

    [Psionic ve (unique)]

    Grade: E

    Type: Psionic

    Description: Through touch, the User will be able to erode the minds of their enemies'', twisting their mental waves into Psionic ves.

    ''It''s definitely a good ability,'' Altair determined silently, pondering how much extended contact was necessary before Olivia''s ability turned him into a mindless Thrall. He didn''t believe it would happen with just a single touch. If so, she''d have been the patriarch by now.

    "Worry not, Talia¡­ I''ve got ns for your dear sister."

    Later, when atst they arrived, Altair and the rest of the recruits began basic strength conditioning under the guidance of Borris barking orders, attempting to push everyst man and woman to their physical and mental limit. He wanted to know the ones who were likely to give up, those who fought to the end only to fail, and those whopleted their assignments.

    Borris wrote all their names down before shifting to the basics of aerospace engineering, centered around various warships within the Imperial Army, freighters, and space colonies. When eight hours had passed. Altair felt surprised by the level of knowledge he had gained.

    The military strength training didn''t do much for his current physique. But the various general knowledge regarding Aerospace Engineering filled Altair with a new understanding of theplexity held within space, so much so that he understood why most took three months to finish boot camp.

    When his time with Borris wasplete, he made his way towards the Medical Ward, to Amilia slouching in her chair, mindlessly spinning on her chair. She stopped noting Altair''s presence.

    "You''re here¡­ and you don''t seem tired. Wow, ~" Amilia Thorne sang, pointing to a few recruits slouched over, busted, and bruised from Borris''s strength conditioning. Moaning with tears in their eyes. "I left them for you. Lazy bunch of bitches."

    Altair''s brow slightly twitched. "You left them all beaten up for nearly five hours?"

    "You''re responsible for the recruits that aren''t dying." She said, tossing Altair a manual. "Read it and show me what you can do."

    Art of Acupuncture

    Gripping the thin manual, Altair nced meaningfully at Amilia, who continued to stare and nod. Testing him. He found a seat, opened the pages, and his lips curled down as he flipped from page to page. When he was done, he looked up at Am.

    "Was this a joke?"

    "Excuse me?" Amilia asked. She tilted her head. " Are you confused about something? Surely it''s not tooplicated for the likes of¡ª"

    "Simply poking needles lined with Mana is the solution? Really? Mana Roots are delicate things unique to all living creatures with physical bodies but Mana itself. It''s the source that links us to the Divine. And you''re poking it with needles. Is this 2023?" He said in a scolding voice, having never read something so ridiculous in all his twelve years of life.

    Altair stood up angrily, tossing the manual back to Amilia.

    "Young man, I''ll have you know, Acupuncture is one of Earth''s most mysterious techniques." Amilia snapped back. "You think you can just read one manual and think you can understand¡ª"

    "Meridians, as the Gods properly know them as are what are mysterious, not this horse shit." He pointed to the manual, sneering. Unsure what came over him that made him feel so offended. "You are relying on the instruments made by man to fix something that exists in the material and metaphysical ne." And he drew close to one of the recruits trembling.

    A female boot with long blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires gripped her shoulder, barely conscious.

    "What are you doing," Amelia questioned, rising from her seat. "I hope you''re not about to experiment on¡ª"

    "The body isn''t just made up of Meridians, but bones, muscles, and organs." He said. "Meridian''s transverse all across the body, connecting everything into a single unit. So, rather than merely simte the acupuncture point, to fix the entire body. Why not apply that stimtion to the body''s tissue to relieve the pressure off the meridians?"

    Allowing a wisp of Mana to coil around his palm, Altair took a deep breath, allowing the Eyes of Sacrilege to grant Insight as he began to vibrate his Mana. He touched the blonde-haired female, clutching her shoulder in tears.

    A pained moan quickly sounded from the recruit as she spasmed. Amilia became flush with rage and jerked Altair away and into a wall, gripping his cor. " Are you out of your mind!" She roared, snapping back to the female recruit to see what damage he''d done. And as she did, Amilia''s jaw opened wide.

    "It''s better, isn''t it." The Prince said, smiling. He dusted himself off, fixing his wrinkled uniform. "The damage to her shoulder, the torn tissue, has started to regenerate, hasn''t it? Her cells should have started to repair itself by now."

    Aghast, Amilia stood frozen, unable to grasp what he''d done.

    "To my knowledge," Altair began. " The human body wants to be whole. It has the ability to heal itself without the use of Mana. That''s a fact that has kept us Humans alive since the beginning. And that truth exists in all living creatures. Meridians aren''t necessarily a factor in the equation.

    By Stimting the white blood cells alongside the pre-existing Mana in her body, I could begin cleaning her wounds at a faster rate to help stimte healing."

    [Ding]

    [User of Origin System has grasped the fundamentals of Hands of Nirvana]

    [Hands of Nirvana]

    Grade: F

    Description: Allows the User to stimte necrotic or damaged tissue by manipting the meridians or pre-existing Mana found in the body''s natural fibers, resulting in the rejuvenation of the body.

    Altair eyes glowed as he read his new skill, so much so that he felt like testing out his new ability.

    "Well?" The Prince gibed his voice like a child wishing to try something new.

    "How¡­ that¡­ that doesn''t make any sense.'' Amilia muttered, nibbling on her thumbnail. She looked over at Altair. "Try it again." she hurriedly told him, sure it wasn''t so simple.

    Unwilling to give up such an opportunity, Altair squatted beside her and activated the Hands of Nirvana. Slowly, a radiant gold sizzled out of his palm over the young woman''s shoulder as he pressed down. And just like before, a pained moan sounded from her mouth but faded as Altair continued.

    Within fifteen minutes, her once pale face had recovered, and the damaged tissue was anew. The blonde-haired recruit opened her eyes.

    "The¡­ The pain is gone?" She said, turning to Altair with her blue sparkling eyes. "Thank you! Thank you! Without a booster, It would have taken several months to heal this."

    "Months!" The boy said. "The military doesn''t have boosters? What type of¡ª"

    "We do. But it''s reserved for people like you, Altair." Amilia informed him, shaking her head as she stood to her feet, still awed by his performance. What he did was something on the level of nanotech medical engineering. Tech Earth still hadn''t mastered yet. "Earth might be rich, but our funds are stretched to its limit.

    Resources like healing boosters need to be used in emergencies, not on some low-level injury like this one." She said softly and turned to him. "And sorry¡­ I¡­ I was wrong."

    "Not at all," The boy said, finding humility his best bet to get on Amilia''s good side, at least for now. He''d gauged that much falling back on his mother''s training. "You were only doing your job."

    Amiliaughed, a little more embarrassed. She''d have been happier had he been a little more arrogant, to at least make her dislike him a bit. But seeing him admitting fault, Am showed a wry smile.

    "Then, and I continue on the rest?" Altair asked with anticipation. Find more at m _v _l _e _mpyr.

    "Yes¡­ And¡­" Her cheek burned a bit. " Can you exin to me once more?"

    "..." He grinned. ''Why, of course, Lieutenant Commander."

 Chapter 85: Building Contribution

    When Altair had finally returned to his quarters after a solid twelve-hour shift, the fresh scent of medical herbs traced his nose in a symphony of calming nodes. Altair felt his body visibly rx as he turned to see Ren focusing on her pill-making.

    She wore a white, off-the-shoulder shirt with skin-tight dark gray jeans he bought her yesterday. And the urge to once again paint her filled him.

    "Wow~"Altair blurted out, taking her all in. "You look amazing!"

    "Art~" Ren cried out in a panic, nearly burning her ingredients. She turned to him flush. "Stop saying weird things."

    "Mom always said topliment those that are pretty." And he pointed right at her. " And you look pretty. Way prettier than Olivia."

    Ren whirled back to her cauldron, nibbling at her lips as she tried focusing when a boom! Echoed from her cauldron. And the scent of burning sugar filled their nose, followed by a wave of ck smoke.

    "Damn it¡­ Art, look what you made me do."Cried Ren, puffing her cheeks as the boyughed.

    Flopping to his bed, Altair smirked. "Not my fault. You''re the one who took off my shirt." He told her, eying the cor she kept on.

    "I can''t always wear that, you know." She said, sulking, falling onto her back.

    "Why not?"

    She peeped up from down below as he peered down, waiting. After a few awkward seconds, Altair smiled. "Well? What did you make today?"

    "Let''s not train¡­ tonight." She said to him, with a great sense of wearyness seeping out from her bones. "Show me a movie, tv-shows or anime like you once told me about. And let''s try pizza and soda, and¡­ what do you call it¡­ icies?"

    "Ren¡­ I¡­ we didn''te to his ce to have fun." He said, somewhat unconvincingly. "You¡­ we both have people depending on us, we¡ª"

    "I know¡­ But¡­ I also know." And her voice began to crack. "That it''ll take years, cycles if not longer, to help our parents. Can''t we enjoy a day or two, a week of normalcy without constant struggle? I spent all of mine caring for my Mom, washing her clothing stained by her ck blood." The tears were rolling down her cheeks as she continued. " Please, Art."

    Towards her tears, Altair could not refute her pleas. He relented. "Fine¡­ but you and I will cycle our mana throughout the movie." He said, rubbing his temple as he thought of what she said.

    How long would it take to save Mother?

    The thought scared him more than he wanted to admit. The only person with the answers was his Father, who would not crack. He was as sure that the sun would rise in the east and set in the west before Arsene gave him any hints.

    Ren felt no relief as tears only seemed to stream from her eyes, as the pressure of everything seemed to shatter what little restraint she had left. Large globs of tears streamed as her cries grew louder, so much so that Altair took her into his arms.

    "I don''t want Mommy to die!" she whimpered, clenching his buttoned uniform, her head buried in his chest. "I don''t want her to die, Art. She can''t, ok! I won''t let it."

    Once more, Altair felt powerless and weak as he held her. None of it was fair. Ren''s mother''s poisoning, his mother''s sacrifice. None of it.

    For a good hour, Ren cried while Altair shed a few tears silently for her sake. When it was over, she giggled. "Art¡­"

    "Hmm?"

    "You smell sweaty."

    "..."

    He pinched her cheeks, stretching them till he felt he could no more. He snorted and lifted her onto the bed, still in his arms. "Action, Comedy, Drama or Romance." .

    "I want tough," She told him, a little more secure in his embrace.

    "Alright. Gimme a few." Hopping into the showers, Altair had a pizza, popcorn, and soda delivered via his neuro link to his room alongside a movie to watch. By the time he finished showering and stepped out of the bathroom, the food had arrived.

    Ren''s stomach practically shook the room as a buttery, sweet garlic aroma filled the room. Drool slipped from the corner of her mouth as she stared excitedly.

    Altair hopped on the bed beside her, holding the pizza box and soda in one hand and the tub of popcorn in the other.

    "Dinner," He said as Ren took a sip of c for the first time.

    "...it''s tingly¡­ Art, it''s tingly!!!" childishly, sticking out her small tongue to show him. Altairughed, opening the pizza box. He snapped as the light turned low, and a virtual screen appeared.

    "y Mall Cop: Paul rk "

    That night, Ren nearly peed her pants withughter, barely making it to the toilet in time. By the time they were done, some two hourster, Altair was fast asleep, his arms coiled around Ren.

    "Thanks, Art," Ren said, kissing his cheek. "I know it was selfish of me, but¡­ Thank you."

    A weekter, on the beaches of their small ind, Altair and his fellow armed brothers soldered down the coast, fashioned in G-Belts that doubled the user''s weight every hour. By the fifth hour, sweat matted many of their faces, covered with sand that clung to their skin.

    By the sixth hour, two-thirds had given up. By the seventh hour, only a few recruits remain standing, bearing well over a thousand pounds with each step.

    And at the helm stood Altair, somewhat short of breath, his long obsidian wet with seawater, and his chest bare to the world to take in as he ran without end. Ignoring those that did not stop Altair, sensed Leonie on his heels.

    With only a spandex top and trousers, Leonie''s chest burned, bearing the force of gravity pressing her feet into the wet sand, devouring what little stamina she had left. Her legs buckled, and her gaze swayed as she red ahead, unwilling to lose out to the young man she was chasing after. And yet, with each step out, Leonie felt a tendrils of darkness filling her vision.

    "Need help?" Altair asked her, ncing back, masking his urge to poke fun at the flushed cherry, barely standing.

    "No," She shouted, betrayed by the darkness rapidly filling her eyes and the slowing of each step.

    Nevertheless, Altair slowed his pace, ignoring her pleas, allowing two young males to run past him, "Send mana to the lungs to help stimte breathing, or you''ll faint." He said, pressing his hands on Leonie''s back.

    The Hands of Nirvana swelled with a stary golden radiance, sending a warming jolt of rejuvenation through the young woman''s mind. Leonie was jolted awake, somewhat refreshed, as the air began to better fill her lungs and brain.

    "I said I didn''t need your help." She fired off, ring at him. She snorted, taken back by such a small trick of Mana Maniption that helped regte her breathing. "But thanks." She whispered.

    "You''re the only one I saw giving it their all to keep up with me." He told her, "Even if it ensures you fail trying to keep up.." He smiled at her, observing her dazzling dual pupils. "It was well worth the effort. Especially if we are to be in the same toon."

    The young girl said nothing for a period of silence before a beautiful smile surfaced over her slender lips. "Thank you, Altair."

    Finishing thest hour, Altair did notg behind like some of the others did to talk as he raced to the medical ward after a quick shower.

    "Great, you''re here!" Amilia shouted, noticing him enter her ward. She waved him over to an elderly man strapped with various tubes to help him breathe and regte blood flow. "This is Commander Sonders. He got poisoned by Earth''s mysterious Red Blight twenty years ago. And he has been in aa since."

    When Altair saw the bald-headed man, his skin appeared like folds of loose fat slumping down from his body from rapid weight loss. He frowned. "My skill set doesn''t involve poison." He told her, knowing Ren was responsible for that.

    "It''s a blight, and we''ve extracted all contaminated areas. The problem is themander''s body never recovered. And despite all our best doctors, boosters, and technology, we haven''t been able to cure him. His body keeps rejecting all forms of treatment."

    "Have you sent him to Genesis?"

    Amilia shook her head. "No, but not for ack of trying. Before Sonders lost consciousness¡­ he¡­ Sanders refused to leave, iming he was born on Earth and would die on Earth. The man hated the Genesis colonies. And this right here is the consequence of his actions." She looked to Altair, to his frowning grimace. "Think you can handle this?"

    "I do¡­ but I need to know what''s damaged. There needs to be an order for this." He said. "If I were to fix his nervous system first, he could die of a sudden heart attack. I need his full chart." He exined, "And a full body simtion based around my skill."

    Already forgetting who was in charge, Amilia happily followed Altair''s lead, bing his assistant during this operation. It was a mild risk allowing a recruit to handle such a procedure, but the Imperial Forces had long given up on themander''s recovery, determining that even if he were to recover, he''d have limited potential.

    "Altair¡­ if you are sessful. I don''t need to tell you the amount of contributions you''ll receive." Amilia told him, building a modr simtor on herputer. "You''ll have any first choice of weapons, armor, resources, or instructor."

    The prince lifted his lips with a cunning arc and thought. ''That''s the only reason I''m helping this man. It''s time for Ren and me to build our second circle.''

 Chapter 86: You Owe Me

    Upon the great wall of her Fortrest, Vaiga Darkfire bore a grim frown, looking out at the dozen rats circling the coast of her ind. Their numbers had been growing as ofte with Altair''s achievement in boot camp alongside the rumors growing within the medical ward.

    "Pesky insects." Vaiga spat, resisting the urge to ughter the lot. She turned to Fat Mike, hovering by her side. "How is he?"

    "Truthfully."

    "Aren''t you always?" Vaiga asked.

    Fat Mike gave a heftyugh and shook his head. " He''s a bloody monster. When I took you in some twenty years ago, I thought you were a monster, the highest level of talent our ever bore, but Altair makes you look average." He said in a reminiscent tone, recalling her younger days. "He excels in everything.

    Aerospace Engineering, Combat Training, Firearm Practice, Mental Fortitude, Mana Maniption, Leadership, Strategy, and Patience. He excels in it all. And not to the level of a normal soldier but a seasoned trooper. I''ve never seen anything like it. He''s perfect."

    "Oh? That''s quite high praiseing from you. Then tell me of his weakness?" Vaiga inquired with a gentle smile. "I''m sure you found at least one."

    "Pride, maybe. He''s going through puberty, so he''s feeling himself right now." Fat Mike said after some thought. "And¡­ he feels fake."

    "Fake?"

    Fat Mike nodded. "Not many see it. But his smile is like a mask like I''ve never seen before. The boy is very well trained. So much so it''s hard to believe he is human." He frowned, folding his arms. "When he speaks at times, it''s like he''s acting out a y.

    Like everyone dancing to his tone."

    Brows grew knitted. " I don''t see how that''s a weakness."

    "That''s because you''re not a strategist like me," Mike said. "Altair is charming, joyful, and very easy to get along with. I''ve yet to see anyone hate him. Shit, even those two from House Aros seem to befortable around him. That mask of his is weak right now, but it''s slowly bing tempered with time. Should he insight a rebellion, we are all fucked.

    "

    "So we need to lock him down, is what you''re trying to say." Vaiga smiled, chuckling to herself. "Two thousand years and Earth has not bore a single transcendent, much less a lesser deity. Altair might be the first. Do you think that locking him down will do anything?" She shook her head. "I''ve seen men and women cut their children''s throats, sell them, or worse.

    Locking him won''t work if he''s a degenerate. It''ll only provoke our ruin."

    "I agree. That''s why I handed him to Vincent. That bastard is like a father and uncle to many soldiers." Fat Mike informed her. "Speaking of which, I hear Altair has a girl. A redhead."

    Vaiga picked up a brow. "Oh?"

    "Thing is¡­ I''ve not spotted a single Red Heading or going towards his private quarters. Yet, every day, he has a strand of red hair on his uniform. I checked the cameras. Curious, isn''t it? My guess is teleportation."

    "That''s a very rare ability."

    "But not outside the realm of possibility."

    Admiral Darkfire narrowed her pearly violet eyes. "You could instruct a time mage from the towers."

    "To find out who he''s fucking? Pass," Fat Mikeughed, peeking a single eye open. "Unless you''re jealous of something."

    "He''s twelve.''

    "Age is but a number."

    "It''s a word, actually." She said, frowning. "Summon Altairter and question him. We need to find out if we have a leak on our base."

    "Well, I kind of gave him the week." Fat Mike revealed, grinning, as Vaiga snapped her head to him. " Seems he''s trying to mend Sanders back together. Today marks the fourth day. At least, that''s what I''ve been told from Amilia''s daily updates. And it''s working."

    "S¡­Sanders is returning!"

    ***

    Drenched, Altair gritted his teeth, surrounded by golden flecks of light dancing from his palm. Beneath his hands, arge muscr man built like a truck, shredded beyond measure, bearing thick, elongated veins protruding from his body. Altair couldn''t believe the level difference between now and four days ago.

    From Sander''s charts, Altair knew his body was utterly cripple. Everything about him seemed to have been rotted, down to his blood, turning ck like tar. How he was still alive, Altair did not know. But it left him only one ce to start: The bone. Specifically, his spine to help generate blood through the bone marrow. Next came the heart to help cycle newyers of blood through the body.

    For a solid twenty hours, Altair worked without stopping, eating only what Amilia brought him and sleeping for four hours as per his body''s demand despite his persistent discontent. His only sce was that Sanders Circle and Meridians had been dried for years, allowing him to better aid Sander''s body to naturally heal after persistent aid.

    By the fourth day, Altair had managed to awaken his healing factor, healing about ten percent of his body, meeting his goal.

    He copsed, bearing a smile. "How''s he looking?"

    Holding the scanner, Amilia traced it down Saunder''s body and grinned. "Amazing¡­ utterly amazing. He''s actually recovering on his own. You really did it."

    Sprawled out on the floor, Altair grinned.

    [Hands of Nirvana]

    Proficiency F ¡ú E

    Knowing he''d done what he set out to do, Altair narrowed his eyes and began to massage his tight shoulder, releasing a pleasurable moan, feeling his raw meridians begin to heal, enjoying his hands so much, his soft snores began to resound as he fell asleep.

    "Did he¡­ Bloody Hells." Amilia griped, stomping her foot. " How can you be so irresponsible?" she asked, poking at his sleeping face. "How could you not sleep on a bed?" she grinned, standing back up to find cold eyes staring back at her.

    "C-C-Commander?" Amilia stammered as a horrid presence bore on her, forcing her to her knees. A rush of stone-cold killing intent dominated the present space.

    "I¡­ I''m alive?" He coldly said, pulling the tubes from the back of his throat. "How? Jamie said I was to die for my sins." he rasped, jerking the needles from his veins. He looked up at Am for answers.

    "We¡­ We saved you." Amilia said, gulping, so overwhelmed her throat began to close. "Please¡­ Admiral¡­ Dark¡­fire¡­"

    Barging in, Vaiga swept her palm through the air, dismissing his presence with her own. "Easy, champ."

    "V¡­Vaiga?" Sanders vaguely muttered. "How are you¡­ You made Admiral! How long have I been out?" he quivered to say, noticing her attire.

    "About twenty years teach." She answered, nearly jumping into his embrace. When she noticed Altair snoring away, she nced at Amilia, sweating bricks, a disheveled mess.

    ''How is he so fine?'' she thought, rushing to him to check his pulse. When she determined he was fine. Vaiga sighed with a bit of relief.

    "Seems the treatment was a sess. I¡ª"

    "Where the hell is Jamie?" Sander roared, coughing up a mouthful of tar from his mouth. He paled, stumbling back to his bed. "That bastard¡­ That bastard did this."

    "What are you¡ª"

    Sanders red, wiping the blood away. "He poisoned me. He said it before I lost consciousness."

    Vaiga frowned when she noticed Altair suddenly snap up. "Power nap over." He robotically said and nced around at the tense atmosphere and decided to take his leave. ''I''m going to just go. See ya~"

    Jerking the boy on his cor before he could escape, Vaiga smirked. " You think I''m a fool?"

    Altair, standing a head taller, grinned wryly. " Admiral¡­ This seems like something confidential. How about I¡ª"

    "Shut it."

    "Yes, Ma''am."

    Discover content on NovelFire,em,pyr.

    Vaiga shifted her gaze to Sanders. " This is the boy who saved your life. We''ll discuss your situationter. But for now. Thanks are in order." she pushed Altair towards him. "This is the kid who saved you."

    "This kid?" Sander said with a measuring gleam. He surveyed the boy up and down. "How old are you, boy? You look like your mother''s tit is still fresh on your breath."

    Altair brow twitched, ''fucking boomer!'' he thought, with a bright smile. " I''m twelve, Commander, sir."

    "And you healed me?"

    "Yes, Sir."

    "Why?"

    "Huh?" Altair raised a brow. "What do you¡ª"

    "Why did you, Altair, heal me? Be front with me, boy. I''m not a man to be lied to." Sanders warned, his eyes burning with a mighty presence. And he recalled this very boy sleeping through his aura as if it were nothing.

    He didn''t for a second believe it was for the kindness of his heart.

    "A plethora of reasons," Altair told him without even a hint of shame. "The biggest was to get more resources, but the second was making you amander owe me a favor." He said, gauging Sander''s icy expression, and continued. "Mymander lieutenant told me you refused help from Genisis, iming you wanted to die on Earth. This tells me you are very prideful.

    So I know even now as I tell you this, you''ll return me the favor one day."

    "Aidios!" Vaiga cursed. Unable to believe Altair would be so blunt. She reached for him, ready to pull him away, when Sander''sughter bellowed through the medical ward.

    "Good on you, Boy! Good!" he roared. " You y the game well! Reward him well, Vaiga."

    Nudging her temple, Vaiga looked at him. " You realize I''m themander, right?"

    "Piss on your title, girl!" Heughed. "Come on then, where are my hugs? Or are you too above to show any love for the old man who looked after you since you first learned to shit."

    "Uncle¡­"

    "Hugs. Now." He demanded, opening up his arms wide like a great bear. And Vaiga relented.

    "Wee back, Uncle."

    Watching Vaiga embrace the massive bear, Altair nced at Amilia, who shrugged, a little unsure of the rtionship between the two of them.

    "Hells, woman, you run fast." Fat Mike cursed, popping his head in, his face a waterfall of sweat and grease, wheezing for air. "Oh, Sanders, your back! Good on you, old man."

    Somewhat out of ce, Altair took his leave without a sound as he watched what seemed like a joyous reunion. He hadn''t seen Ren in four days and had been looking forward to it. But as he approached his quarters, he paused at the sight of seven men outside his door.

    "I told your dumb ass he ain''t here."

    "He got a wolf, don''t he? Hilda has been asking to see it. Let''s just get it and go."

    "And how do you suppose we get in?"

    "I can hack the pin."

    "You can barely count to ten. What the fuck ya hacking?

    Sensing a problem, Altair nced at the camera within the corridor and then stepped forward. "What seems to be the issue?"

    One of the men, a tall, blonde-haired man, thin with a scar cutting across his nose, grinned, bearing the rank of lieutenant. "Altair, right? Have you not been taught to salute."

    Altair nced at his door and slid his gaze to the scarred man and his posse. He saluted. "Well? What can I do for you, Sir?"

    "It''s Lieutenant Jor Silmar," he corrected. "And I''m here to conduct a random spot and contraband check."

    Expressionless, Altair nodded.

    "So open these doors."

 Chapter 87: Disturbance

    Typing his pin into the lock pad, Altair stepped aside as the doors slid open, and out from the door, Ren came tackling Altair as she began to lick his cheek.

    Heughed, "Ren, I missed you too!" he said, rustling her fur just behind her ear where she liked. He kissed her cheek, smiling. "How''ve you been?"

    Nudging herself against his face like a cat, Ren hopped onto his head. And growled at the intruders with the cold intent to kill, filling her pearly dark blue eyes. Altair''s quarter was her domain, her territory she marked with her Prince.

    "Easy, Ren," Altair gently said, tracing his fingers over her soft fur. "As long as they don''t touch anything that doesn''t belong to them. We won''t have an issue."

    He was furious, too, but it wasn''t the time for violence¡­. Not yet.

    Memorizing each of their faces without expression, Altair calmly watched as they entered one by one.

    "Why the hell are his quarters so nice?" One of Jor''s men inquired, scuffing as he nced back to Altair.

    "It pays to be talented." Altair mused. Wondering why they were trying to provoke a reaction. He could practically taste the trap.

    your m,v,l,e,m,p,y,r story

    Suddenly, Altair heard something crash over the ground, and his lips curled down. He nced at a funny-looking man, one eyerger than the other with olive-colored skin, stepping over his art supplies.

    "Sorry, my hand slipped¡­ my foot too."

    Ren growled and bared her fang as Altair clenched his shut. He trembled to watch the very ce he called a home to be ransacked.

    "Contain yourself." He repeated, feeling the Soul of the Indomitablee to life within. But what should have brought some semnce of peace was swept away as Altair watched as they began pulling at his clothing. Clothes he bought for Ren and himself.

    "Look at this? The little ensign got himself a bitch! I wonder what she smells like?" one of them said, lifting a set of undergarments.

    "Enough," He said, his voice soft as a whisper. Yet it thundered like a vengeful God cracking as arcs of lightning traced his lean figure. Ren was no different, wrapped in a fog of ice and fire red as blood.

    One of the men gripping Ren''s undergarment, cracking jokes, froze, finding himself in Altair''s cold, icy grip, lifted high into the air, where his feet dangled, flopping about like a fish out of water.

    "What is it that you think you''re doing? Ensign? Release Frankie this instant, or I''ll have you, Court Martial." Demanded Lieutenant Jor Silmar, lifting his lips into a smirk for ying right into his hands.

    "Was this your aim? Court Martial?" Altairughed.

    "Give us the pup, and we''ll call it even," Jor said, pulling a dagger from out of his coat, flipping it in the air with one hand, and catching it with the other. "Make it easy on yourself, boy. We''re just doing our job, or you can give up the pup, and we can be on our way."

    "So you want Ren." The boy said, smiling, dropping the stranger in his grip before he soiled himself. He looked at Jor, the anger in his heart tightening, tempering his self-control. "And if I say no?"

    "You assaulted one of my men," Jor said, confident the boy would break beneath his will. They all did at some point. "I can either make your life a living hell, having you clean piss and shit for a living, or you''ll get the boot."

    "Court Martial."

    "Yeah, that''s right," One of the seven men, a scrawn imp with a buzz-cut head and hazel eyes, spat, inching his way toward Altair''s blind spot.

    Jor looked behind Altair. "No way out, boy. You¡ª"

    "Then I quit. I''ll join a Corpo." Altair said, smiling. He shrugged. "You think I care? I get emails each day. Invites to balls and gs.

    But you guys. The Admiral was the one who personally picked me up. If you think this will go over well because you have someone backing you. Think again." He looked down at the man wheezing for air, trembling like a rat caught in a trap. "As for you. I''m killing you.

    Tonight. Now all of you fuck off."

    "You can''t¡ª"

    Altair lifted his head. " I swear to god. I will release my mana, alerting everyone to this bullshit farce. And we both don''t want that." He said to Jor with the ring eyes of an enemy. "This entire thing was but a farce. I know it, and you know.

    Mymanding officer was not notified, nor was my captain. Random spot checks my ass."

    Lieutenant Jor Silmar stared into Altair''s eyes and lowered his de. His orders were to recover the pup, not cause a scene. Not if necessary.

    "Let''s go." He said, stepping past Altair with venom in his eyes.

    One after the other, with some protest, they left, none of them aware of the Shadow creeping into their there''s. The room grew silent and grim.

    "I want them dead," Ren said, torching her undergarments beneath her scarlet mes, carrying an emerald hue within its depths. She stood up, flicking her scarlet hair, polymorphing back into her human form.

    "Already on it. Jorm, Kirr, and Talia will return once the deed is done." Altair said grimly. Unsure when he became such a hothead. He knew he''d made a mistake, but it didn''t matter. He did not regret it, not when it came to defending what was his.

    But he was rmed that someone wanted Ren. The thought made him guarded.

    Cleaning up after Jor and his crew of delinquents, Altair made a note of the items they needed to replenish before giving Ren arge, huge twirling her off her feet.

    She grinned, like a fool, in his arms. "How was it?"

    "Great. Sanders, the Lord Commander or whatever, owes me a favor. And with the contribution to saving him. I''m going to ask for a tier three Hearthstone." He told her, sensing her circle ready to overflow, just like his.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.82% ¡ú 99.99% ]

    "In a few more days, we should be able to unlock our second ss. Though, I worry about leveling up our first ss. There''s nothing to kill in thesends." He said,ying her on the bed.

    Ren, decked in a flowery red dress, grinned. "Then I''ve got good news, too. Seven Iron Bloods areplete. They won''t do you any good since your CON is over thirty, but not everyone''s a monster like you."

    When Altair heard this, he frowned, stripping off his uniform until his chest was bare and his trousers slightly unbuttoned. "What about you?"

    No biggie. I can always make more," Ren said, feasting her eyes for a while. Her misty silver-red eyes swayed back and forth like a pendulum, tracing her Prince''s every step and gesture until he entered the shower.

    Ren, somewhat beside herself, bonked herself on the head. ''Dummy, calm down. Calm down." she told herself, frustrated by her body''s changes.

    This week alone, she had found her cup size one size too big, and her waist slowly bing rounder, while her stomach craving peanut butter, olives, and anchovies for some odd reason.

    She cupped her breasts, now too big for her palm to cover. " I wonder¡­ if they''re too big? Should I ask Art? He got so much taller, too. It''s so unfair. I wanna be tall, too! I wish I could ask Master.

    She knows about all this stuff. I could even ask her about masturbation. What a funny word." And slowly, her eyes trailed to theptop on Altair''s desk. "I guess I could ask the inte. That old woman did say to look it up."

    Making her way over, Ren opened up theptop and traced her finger over to the ''fire'' icon that opened the browser like Altair had shown her how to.

    [Know Your body]

    [Female Pleasure and All You Need to Know]

    [Give me a try]

    [Ballers: #1 Worlds Best Pornsite]

    [How to Pleasure You''re Man]

    [Daddy and his Guitar]

    [First Time?]

    Ren tilted her head at the various links. " What the¡­" she murmured, clicking on the second link and reading through the material that depicted techniques, diagrams, and positions. Ren was aghast, standing up in shock. She hurried on to the next page, revealing thumbnails of a world Ren never knew possible.

    Clicking away, moving from page to page, the young Neipilm had learned of the world of pleasure before closing theptop. She returned to her bed, looking down at her fingers.

    "Ren?" Altair said, and the young woman jerked her head up to his, unsure when he crawled in beside her. "You good?"

    Bright as a crisp apple ready for the pickings, Ren turned away with a shudder. "Y-Y-You¡­ You¡­ Do you¡­"

    Altair yawned, "Ren¡­" he muttered, pulling her into his embrace from behind, feeling the weariness of four days catching up on him.

    "I looked it up!"

    "I''m¡­ Off tomorrow¡­ and the next day after that¡­" He muttered, drained from the little hours of sleep the past few days.

    "Art?" she asked, waiting to turn her head, but Altair''s powerful grip held her back.

    "Shadows¡­Kill¡­ You¡­ Happy¡­" He whispered, falling into a deep slumber.

    Reina stilled as she sighed. "I shouldn''t have looked that stuff up¡­" she shook her head, closing her eyes, hopeful of a good night''s rest.

    ***

    That night, as the fortress soldiers began to change shifts within the First Division barracks, the loud snores of soldiers rang out like drums over bunk beds on each end of the room, fitting well over twenty people.

    Slowly, from the darkness of night, silent shadows moved without alerting the motion detector, finding those that once stood before their Master, daring to threaten him before their future queen. Kirr, Jorm, and Talia red down at the olive-colored-skin bastard, driving a sword through his skull without hesitation, twisting it for good measure.

    Before moving on to the next, until six of the seven men that raided Altair''s quarters were ughtered, they vanished back into the darkness like ghosts in the night.

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

 Chapter 88: First Feeding*

    The next day, when Altair woke with his morning wood to greet him, pressed up against Ren''s back. He sighed, unsure what to do about this thing that carried a mind of his own. For weeks, it had been acting up, scratching against his clothing, irritating him to no end.

    "Seven More Years," He told himself, counting the years until this phase of his life was over.

    He could feel Ren resting on his arms like a pillow, and he leaned over her, brushing her hair back to reveal her cor. She rustled, turning to him as her silvery eyes cloaked in a mist of red opened.

    He smiled, baring two razor-sharp fangs. "Morning."

    Not immediately answering him, Ren lifted a finger to his lips, to the fangs Altair sprouted a week ago. She had thought about them every night since she offered him her neck. And he hadn''t refused.

    Within the Tribe of the Ancients, those who wished for eternity would often mark the other beneath the full moon. It was an old tradition that had begun to decline with the rise of the new gods, unwilling to tie themselves down for all eternity, but Ren''s Mother, Er, and Father, Leto, had both marked each other over the Arc Moon of Desa.

    Er carried hers on her left breast while Leto was on his lower abdomen. Ren had seen it long ago, touching the feral bite marks that they''d given the other.

    A little short of breath, feeling something hard twitching against her stomach, warm, like hot fire, Ren suddenly felt a sharp pain from her finger. She looked down, but before she could pull her finger away, Altair took it, tracing his tongue against her finger until not even a drop was left. Sweet as it was maddening, he beamed when the system message popped in front of his eyes.

    [Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique has absorbed the blood of the Unawakened Nephilim]

    He didn''t see it.

    As if something awoke within him, Altair sucked the blood clean from Ren''s finger, turning her face red. She moaned, feeling as though he was devouring her whole. Finally, when he was done, he kissed her finger, tracing his lips against her palm, wrist, and arm in a seductive tease, sending jitters of butterflies down her abdomen. Ren''s breathbored.

    "Art~" she moaned, calling to him as he reached her neck, as her fingers sought to dig into his flesh. He kissed her neck, throbbing with her panicked heart, and his lips brushed over her cheeks, pausing short of her lips. His two Blood Red eyes filled with a devilish charm. Altair felt her fiery breath against his and pressed down, unable to bear it.

    Ren''s lips were soft and plump like soft buns, sweet as the finest wine, and enthralling as it was stimting. Her lips made his blood boil, and his eyes became all the more predatorial.

    When he broke the kiss, Ren gasped, her mind nk as warmth flooded in. She could feel his Warhammer pressed against her slit through her clothes, causing her to squirm; unknowingly, she began swaying back and forth as Altair pinned her beneath his weight.

    He kissed her again, harder, unable to stop himself from gobbling her up.

    "Art~ " she moaned, only to shudder as his tongue intertwined with hers. For longer than Ren could remember, Altair had had his fill before he allowed her her breath, and by then, her hair was a sprawling mess, and her nipples piercing through her fiery red dress.

    "Do¡­ Do you want me?" Ren mewled out, enamored by the charming blush over his face. Shey there aroused, unsure what he was going to do next.

    Altair reached down, kissing her lips again, but softer with a more experienced touch. And then her chin, cheek, cor, and finally her neck were, he circle. He opened his mouth and, without hesitation or warning, Altair plunged his fangs into the carotid.

    Pain followed by a sharp, pleasurable sensation swept through her young mind, and then... sweet, sweet ecstasy as she wrapped her legs over him. Unable to bear the Unimaginable sensation of pleasure. It was unlike anything she''d ever faced, filling her loins with an ache that sent her eyes rolling behind her head. She could feel somethinging.

    "Art~Art~ I''m~I''m~ Cumming~" Crying her heart out over the first orgasm, Ren jerked her hips up, mming her tiny cunt against his cock, spewing nectar from in between her legs into the bedding as she tightened her hold over him, fearing he''d somehow vanished.

    [Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique is Awakening]

    [Formation of Fallen Star ismencing]

    [+1 Madness]

    [+1 Madness]

    [Madness threshold has been reached.]

    [Madness has tarnished User Origin System.]

    "Ren, you are so wet, " The Prince evilly whispered beside her ear, listening to her delectably sharp gasps. It was like a symphony he wished to y, too. So much so that he felt his cock about to rupture at how hard it was. Altair licked his lips, the taste of her blood still fresh on his breath, and leaned to look deep into her moist eyes, begging him to continue.

    Pleading for it to never end. And he slid his fingers down her chest and around the tips of her breasts, circling them to toy with her body as though it were his.

    [¨R?¨Q]

    "Hmmm~" Baring her sweet, agonizing torment, unsure what was wrong with her Prince. Ren slowly began to experience her second, followed by third orgasms back to back, as he yed with her tit. Unsure when he would tear off her clothing like the beast he was.

    "You¡­ Are¡­ Mine¡­" He told her as the darkness suddenly swept through his vision like a sh. Altair tumbled over.

    Barely able toe down from her multiple orgasms spasming through her loins, Ren touched her neck, where he bit, finding not even a droplet of blood lost. Ren felt her mind lose bits of its luster from blood loss as she closed her eyes, weing the darkness with a smile of satisfaction.

    ***

    Past out beside Ren, the presence of the Vale swelled from out of Altair''s pore, drawing out impurities he''d gained from his twelve years on earth. ck ooze foul as the Hells bled from his orifices, staining his bed a deep ck. Before long, his skin began to peel, shedding the topyer and revealing a pristine surface of flesh without a single blemish.

    Suddenly, a swelter of ancient power throbbed through the Heart of Darkness, sending ripples deep into the darkness to the Vale. A small obsidian star billowing shed between the Prince, crowning him, carrying with it the aura of the Vale. And in the next moment, it vanished.

    Altair opened his eyes, shooting himself up as he lunged to the bathroom, vomiting a geyser of ck ooze. He groaned, vomiting out more into the toilet.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.99%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: Young Prince Lv 14 ¡ú 16 [First Awakening]

    Aura: Sword of the Abyss (SSS)

    Strength: 23¡ú28

    Dexterity: 25 ¡ú30

    Constitution: 31 ¡ú38

    Wisdom: 33 ¡ú40

    Read first at NovelFire _em _pyr.

    Charisma: 33 ¡ú40

    Mana:18 ¡ú 23

    Skills: Dark Moon de [D], Enigmatic Step [E], Eye of Sacrilege [C], Fallen Necromancy [D], Grave of Night [D], Hands of Nirvana [E], Hellish Rebuke [F], Infernal Bane [D], Infernal Lightning [D], Rune Work [F], Vale Maniption [F],

    Passives: Soul of the Indomitable (F), Ninth Form, Aeron (F), Superior Instincts [D], Mana Maniption [D]

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance

    Effect 2: Sealed

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    With his head spinning, Altair rubbed his temple using the Hands of Nirvana. He sighed, enjoying the stimting sensation of his fingertips. "I''m so hungry," He muttered when suddenly all that he''d done set his mind aze as he snapped up.

    From out of the bathroom, he darted to Ren, to her blissful slumber, her cheeks still flush, and her lips arc into a silly smile. But on her neck, just beneath her cor, two small dots from where he sank his fangs in rested.

    Unsure why he did what he did or what came over him to act that way. He could remember everything to a vivid point as if he was pulled back in time. His mind reflected everything. Her muffled moans, her pleading eyes, the sheens of sweat that tasted like fine wine, swaying over her seductive curves.

    *Chhrrrrrrr

    Bending down to his Warhammer, tearing through his trousers, standing like a one-man army ready to forge on ahead, a wry smile surfaced over his lips.

    "Bloody Hells." He paled. "I need to enchant my clothing¡­ this is ridiculous," he said, only to notice two pairs of eyes staring at him.

    "Art¡­" she softly called. Her loins still aching from his touch. "You bullied Ren."

    [(?????)]

    A little startled by the strange system notification, Altair paid it no mind, watching Ren pull herself up. She stepped to Altair, staring up into his eyes with a peculiar glow he couldn''t quite ce.

    "Your eye¡­ it returned to its original color," she said, cupping his cheek, tracing her thumb beneath the right eye. And her gaze swayed to the subtle changes that made her breathing flutter like butterflies. She looked up at him as if he were a new man.

    "Are you going to eat, Ren, again?" she asked, showing him her mark.

    "I¡ª"

    "Altair! Open up! You have been used of murder!" The harsh voice of Lieutenant Vincent shouted, banging on the door.

    Ren stared up at Altair, awaiting his answer that would note.

    Fleeing, unsure how to answer her, Altair shouted back, "Comming." He said, hurrying to put on pants, hoping his hammer wouldn''t destroy another set of clothing.

    Finally, when Altair opened the door, Second Lieutenant Vincent Windell couldn''t help but notice Altair rueful affluent flush. "You fucking or what? You look like¡ª" And he peeped inside, finding no one but his pup, who leaped onto Altair''s shoulders. "Guess not¡­ wait for a second." He narrowed his eyes, noticing therge ck stain on the bed.

    "Did you have a breakthrough? Gods, it reaks."

    "Sorry about that, Lieutenant. I had a breakthrough in my physique." Altair told him, stepping outside. "But what is this about¡­ me killing someone?"

    Vincent scratched his hazelnut-colored head, devoid of any hair. "I don''t see it happening either. But a junior Luitenent is iming you had a hand in it. We just need a statement from you¡­ under a truth field, of course." he said, narrowing his eyes. "Oh¡­ and Scorpio is here. They came inst night to visit you."

    "Well¡­ today just keeps getting better and better, doesn''t it."

 Chapter 89: Scorpio I

    Made to wait within a brightly lit interrogation room that smelt of old mold, Altair casually rested with a smile on his face. It had already been two hours, but not one person hade to see him. He had already given a written report and¡­

    The door shot open with a thud followed by a casualugh. " Apologies, but I was taking Lieutenant Jor''s statement." The man said, closing the door as he stepped in. He sat across from Altair. He was a medium build man with tan skin and narrow ck eyes that carried a sharpness to them.

    "I am the investigator, Lue Mre, a Commander with the third battalion." He introduced, with a warm air.

    "Altair. An Ensign."

    "Quite the rank for someone your age." Investigator Lue said. "I''ll say it might be the first in Earth''s History. That''s quite an achievement."

    At that moment, a subtle change to the mana caught itself in Altair''s perception. The shift was so small it seemed almost insignificant, but he knew the truth field was up.

    "Not really. I''d say making Commander is more of an achievement. Your wife must be a happydy." Altair said.

    "How''d you¨C"

    "You have on a wedding ring." Altair said," And based on the abrasions alongside the discolorations of the skin, I''d say you''ve been married for a long time."

    Lue visibly chuckled. " Quite the insight you got there. Yes. We have been going strong for fifty years. Seventy-five if you don''t count marriage." He said in a timbre that made Altair smile. It was rare he''d seen someone interested in marriage.

    Most earthlings had renounced the staples of marriage, and now it was something that only nobles used to join various noble houses.

    "So you''re a noble¡­" Altair mused, and a sharp gleam sprang into Lue''s eyes, catching his mistake.

    "Ah¡­ You''re a crafty one." Lue said and made no excuse to hide it. "So much so I wonder how it is you manage to kill Six Warrant Officers."

    "I haven''t killed anyone." Altair calmly said.

    Lue brow knitted. "What do you know?"

    "I know they failed their mission to kidnap Ren. I also know that Jor was under orders to kidnap her. Something about Hilda wanting her." Altair said, noticing the Commander''s palm pause like he knew who he was talking about.

    And indeed, Altair wasn''t disappointed as Lue''s lips thinned. "Commander Hilda Strob?"

    Hilda Strob, the name branded itself into Altair''s mind.

    "If you say so."

    "L¡­Let''s move on from Hilda. Tell me why you assaulted Frankie Dal?"

    "Disrespect. His job was to find contraband, not insult me or my belongings. And seeing as I am allowed apanion if I so deem fit. The fact I didn''t slit his neck then and there constitutes a restraint on my part. Wouldn''t you agree?"

    "Or ack there off," Lue said without pause. "Altair, I''m going to be frank with you. You look guilty. You had the means and opportunity."

    "I''ve got a camera outside my room."

    "technology can be falsified.

    "And random usation can be thrown in the air."

    With a back and forth, Lue grew increasingly annoyed. Nothing was working. There was indeed a camera outside Altair''s private quarters, and it showed almost everything outside his room until Junior Lieutenant Jor Silmar left with all his officers alive. No one entered or left Altair''s room until the next Morrow when Lieutenant Vincent arrived to bring him in.

    "So¡­ can I leave? I''ve another meeting after this."

    "Wait," Lue said. "Onest question. Why do you think they died?"

    Smiling, Altair stood up. " They fucked with the wrong person." And he left, ncing into an empty conor. He was gone.

    From the empty corner that caught the prince''s gaze filled in by shadow, a figure appeared, taking a seat where Altair was. It chuckled, its voice hoarse like the churning of gravel. "That little monster did it."

    "Huh?" Lue looked up. "His vitals were all normal. And everything he said was true. Plus, there is no way a first circle would be able to enter the barracks without being noticed. There are over fifty cameras constantly being from Altair''s quarters to the barrack. And he didn''t even leave throughout the night."

    "He did it." The stranger said without doubt. "Call it instinct. But that arrogant shit definitely did it. What is his skill?"

    "Lightning, for sure. He''s used Lightning on the recordings."

    "...Lightning is rare, but so is having a dual skill. Do you know if he can teleport?"

    "I don''t, but he''s never been to those barracks¡­ You can have your gut feeling but without proof. I''m forced to say Altair is free of all allegations."

    ***

    Reuniting with Ren, who took her rightful position on his head, Lieutenant Vincent Windell smacked the boy''s back with a roar ofughter. "Good on you, boy! I knew you were innocent! Pay up bitches!" he said to a few of his fellow soldiers. "Five Sols form each of you."

    "I swear you did it¡­" Amilia winced. "When I heard they touched the panties in your room. I swore you''d have lost all reasoning and killed those bastards. That''s why I ran all the way here. Although, I didn''t know you were living with someone. Who is it?"

    "Altair, you rolling balls deep!" A tall, roguish man shouted.

    "Shut it, Kilvar. " Amilia snapped at him. "Altair is one hundred percent a virgin. Look at him."

    "He looks like fuck boy material to me," Kilvar said, looking Altair up and down. "Yep¡­ one hundred percent a fuck boy. He is pulling hoes for sure."

    "He doesn''t even know how to y with himself," Amilia said, rolling her eyes. She had heard it from So Ho. But thought nothing of it. At least not until the allegation came up. She''d refuse to believe he was caught up with anyone sexual, at least not with what everyone thought.

    Altair tilted his head. "y with myself? What does that mean?"

    "Oh my God." Kilvar yelp. "You''re twelve, right? How do you not know¡­ ''

    "I was in a dungeon for nearly two years¡­" He told him. "Thest time I saw humans, they were trying to kill me. Sorry if I don''t know the lingo of those my age."

    When everyone heard that, Vincent was the first to frown. "People were trying to kill you?"

    "You don''t know?"

    "None of us did," Amelia muttered, somehow understanding a bit more about Altair. "I''m sorry¡­ we¡­ we didn''t know."

    "It''s fine. It was a great way to level up." Altair casually said, sending a chill down everyone''s present spine.

    "Kid. Have you had your first drink then?" Kilvar asked, breaking the silence. "How about we take you to Seoul for a spin? You got three days off, right?"

    "I''ll take you up on the drink, but I can''t leave until I break through," Altair told him. " Fat Mike told me I got a ten thousand sol bounty on my head."

    "..."

    (¤Ã^?£Þ)

    Again, the notification that caught Altair''s eyes popped.

    the ce NovelFirempy _r

    ''Was this from the gods?'' he wondered but didn''t bother to bring it up now.

    "How many did you kill!" Kilvan blurted out, bellowing in a gale ofughter as he wrapped his arms around Altair''s shoulder. "We''ll they got some baddies here too! Let''s hit themissary. And I''ll tell you all about plowing. Shit, I might even introduce you to Kimmy. She gives the best hand gibbers."

    "Altair has a meeting," Amilia vigntly said, jerking him away unintentionally, pressing his arms between her breasts. She red at Kilvan. "Seems someone hase to start sponsoring him. Come Altair¡ª" She paused and looked down, noticing something tearing through his clothing.

    "Bloody Hells~" Everyone muttered in a jaw-dropping gasp

    Covering up his shame, Altair turned red. "DAMN IT!!!!"

    [Divine Being, ''Luscious Red'' sings praises of your cock!]

    [Divine Being, ''Booty Warrior'' tosses away her ruler.]

    [Divine Being''s Piercing Owl covers her eyes]

    [Divine Being, Daddy gives you a thumbs up!]

    "System Private Mood"

    (???) /

    [Private mode has been activated]

    Laughter soon spilled through the air, pushing Kilvan and Vincent to their knees as theyughed while Ren red at them forughing at her prince.

    Acting quickly, Amilia jerked Altair into an empty interrogation room, handing him herb coat. "Wrap this around your¡­. You know."

    "What god of misfortune did I offend? Why does this keep happening?" Altairmented, forgetting his Almighty Resistance that allowed him to resist all forms of restraints."And why are all these clothing so fragile? I''m not buying clothing from Earth anymore. Screw this."

    Moremitted than ever to learning more about enchanting, Altair wrapped theb coat around his waist after waiting for his hammer to fall.

    "Let''s go." He told Am after stepping out of the interrogation room. He red at the stillughing Kilvan and Vincent before storming away.

    "BE PROUD ALTAIR!!!!" Kilvan roared, watching him leave, "Your packing, my boy! THAT DICK WAS A TEN OUT OF TEN! LOL!!!!!!"

    Gritting his teeth, Altair entered his living quarters to change, noticing that someone had cleaned up his bed stained with his impurities. He narrowed his gaze and made sure to check for any surveince devicester. And left fully clothed.

    "Let''s¡­"

    [Ding]

    Noticing an email enter his neurolink from Amilia, he stopped as she awkwardly looked elsewhere. " Read it when you aren''t with anyone. It''ll teach you everything you need to know. Boys your age all go through this¡­ kinda."

    Ren barked.

    He nodded, unsure whether to be grateful or embarrassed. But both weighed on his shoulders as he looked at the email.

    "Thanks¡­ Now, let''s deal with the Scorpio Corpo. I''m curious what they are offering."

    ¨t(*¡ã¨Œ¡ã*)¨s

 Chapter 90: Scorpio II

    Fingers swirling amongst the rim of her ruby red wine, Scythia Talfor sat within the highest tower of the Fortress of Rim, licking her plump lips when the wine ss came to her lips. She looked out through therge window that stretched from one end to the next to Earth''s yellow sun, bathing the ocean with its aimless rays of light.

    It was a rare sight in her eyes. A world this beautiful. So full of life. Genesis had been fully colonized and stripped of any form of oceans, grass, trees, and clouds. The skies of Genesis were an illusion, and their sun was an artificial star meant to radiate the perfect amount of light.

    ''What god gave these Earthlings such a Perfect World?'' She wondered, resting her wine ss beside her. She stood up, wandering near the window. ''What God gave such insignificant little creatures a world with so much potential. And how could it produce a child like this Altair? One that even our God so craves¡­ I wonder what makes him so¡ª''

    Pulled from her thoughts, she turned towards the door to the three presences outside; Scythia arched her lips into a seductive grin. Curious about the two Soul mes billowing with such immeasurable life, drawing her into the abyss of mes that was their souls. And for a moment, her knees buckled.

    "Enter," She said before the knock came.

    The door flew open as her eyes swayed to the young man, a head taller than her. One eye was scarlet, carrying a sinful temptation, the other a pool of darkness that carried an amethyst mist. Scythia marveled at his perfectly sculpted face, unable to understand how such a man could exist. He didn''t seem real.

    "Greetings," Altair said. "My name is¡ª"

    "Altair, Age Twelve. You''re making Thirteen next year." She interceded and nced to the woman at his side, to her soul me inconsequential to who she stood beside. "Leave us." And beneath her gaze.

    Amilia bowed, "Yes, saintess," she said, taking her leave without another word.

    Scythia ced her gaze back onto Altair and then the pup on his head. She smiled. "You''re a dog person?"

    "Oh, Ren? Quite so." He said, lifting Ren into his arms. He grinned. "They are the most loyal of all creatures, wouldn''t you agree."

    "You''ve no idea," Scythia gently mused, offering him a chair, which Altair epted. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Scythia Talfor of Scorpio."

    "A Saintess."

    Scythia grinned, crossing her legs through narrowed eyes. "Yes, at least that''s the title I was given for joining Scorpio. It''s also a title you get when you be a Transcendent." Calmly measuring the poised child, she lifted her wine ss. "I''d offer you some, but you''re underage."

    "Earth''s drinking age is Ten," he told her, and she gasped. But didn''t let it get to her despite how backward the concept was to her. She took a sip. "Well, do you want some?"

    He shook his head. "No. But I think you are my first Transcendent."

    "How much do you know about Transcendents?" Scythia asked, lowering the ss of wine to the counter. She folded her arms beneath her breast, pushing up for him to see, and inwardly giggled, noticing a subtle reaction.

    "Not much, just that they are Demi-Gods."

    "And did you know Demi-Gods all share an ability to see the souls of those around them?" she said, almost as if to scare him, as her gaze swayed the Ren. Unfortunately, Altair was like stone.

    "That pup¡­ no, she''s about your age. Can you transform?" Scythia inquired.

    Suddenly, a sh of scarlet light filled the room as Ren changed. In the very red dress, Altair teased her in.

    "Reina of the Moon, greetings." The young Nephilim dered.

    ''A two for one¡­ Bloody Hells. My payday will be he big! yass!'' Scythia inwardly rejoiced, pping her hands together.

    "Two Monster! Utterly fantastic." Scythia sounded, " So let us begin. I want you, Altair, and you, Reina, to join us after you leave the military." she said, narrowing her eyes. "Preferably, I''d like to join us now, but then you''ll lose out on being weed back by your home."

    "That is correct." Altair nodded.

    "And you?"

    Reina giggled. " I''m not a citizen of Earth, but I want to stay with Art."

    "Ohoho." Scythia teased, eying her curves in all the right spots. "Looks like someone found a jackpot of a man."

    Ren''s face began to burn as she lowered it. And she bit her lips, recalling the tantalizing touch of his fingers against her breast.

    "Oh my," Scythia mused with a knowing grin. She turned to Altair and opened her palm. Suddenly, two golden rings emerged out of thin air written in Futhark. "One for you, one for Reina. Each contains a few resources. Think of this as a gift before any promises are made." Scythia said.

    "You two look like you are about to break through into the second Circle. I don''t know the System Requirements for you two, but¡­ within these Draupnir Rings, there should be no issue solidating your energies."

    Altair didn''t immediately reach for rings. He had heard much of the Draupnir Rings once said to replicate without end. Until one day, a crazed dwarf had an idea. He would reforge the Gold Ring a dimension within its depths. And he seeded, and with his sess, the dwarf had with him an infinite amount of rings that carried their own dimension.

    It was said his wealth had grown sorge the Gods of Wealth approached him to broker a deal. However, the deal fell through, and the dwarf vanished, and with him the original ring.

    Draupnir Ring

    Type: Spacial

    Description: Allows the user to store roughly 69 cubic meters of space with a weight of 500 lb. Exceeding this limit will cause space to invert, and all items will forever be lost.

    "Oh, and a heads up, if they get damaged and you are in range, you''ll banished to the regiments of the Astral Sea. And at your level, it''s a death sentence." Scythia exined, but Altair was still hesitant.

    "Why no pitch or incentive? Why just support us?" Altair inquired. Throughout this entire meeting, not once did she ask him to join Scorpio. Nor did she incentivize any special resources or bloodlines.

    Surely there had to be a reason?

    "Well¡­" Scythia touched her lips, and a vibrant gleam shimmer through her eyes. "Will you remember this meeting?"

    The boy nodded. The entire scenario didn''t quite go in the direction he thought.

    "Then I guess you''ll eternally remember me when I return, next month, and then the following month, and then the next one."

    And it was then Altair understood. He grinned. "I like you."

    ***

    ncing up on his bed to the golden ring, Altair fell into wonder. "What do you think."

    Unapologetically, Ran nced at him and snorted as she hopped into the showers with a stomp.

    "Ren?" He called at her again, but she didn''t answer, wondering what he did to anger her. Altair sat up, wrinkling his brow, noting her peculiar behavior, and approached the bathroom door.

    "Are you angry?"

    "Hmph!"

    He grinned. "I wonder what made you angry." he sensed her behind the door instead of in the shower and forcefullymanded the door to slide open with the terminal. Ren fell right into his arms as he stared down at her. "What''s got you all brooding?"

    Ren bit her lips and turned, avoiding his eye, revealing her neck. Slowly, the cks of Altair''s pupils shed red as he leaned down, kissing his mark.

    Ren shuddered. "Wha¡­ what are you doing?'' she stifled her moans.

    "... I don''t¡­know.'' he whispered,pelled by the throbbing of her vien. He brushed her lips over his mark, narrowing his gaze in a dangerous light, and pulled away just as the Soul of the Indomnial sprinkled icy waters through his mind.

    [Soul of the Indominal (F) Proficiency has increased by 6%]

    Proficiency: 87% ¡ú 98%

    With an unreachable itch caught in the back of his throat, Altair began to understand more about the changes the Fallen Moon Imperfection Physque brought him and what it demanded.

    Blood.

    He gulped, trying to endure the sensation of sanguine hunger writhing in his mind with the mere thought of sinking his fangs through hot flesh.

    Badum Badum Badum

    His heart quickened, throbbing with need, and for a brief moment, a sh of scarlet painted his vision red.

    BANG

    The prince punched himself across his cheek. The blow was quick, filling his mouth with blood but not enough to push down the grueling sensation of hunger.

    ~(>_<.)£Ü

    "ART!" Ren hollered, catching sight of his dual red pupils, one shing to ck as he returned to himself.

    "I''m fine." He muttered. "Just¡­ hungry."

    "You punched yourself in the face, and you call that hungry! Your bleeding!"

    Altair wiped the blood from his lips and shook his head. "It''s fine. I''ll heal in a few seconds."

    He muttered, gritting his teeth. "Come, let''s go out. I want to look at the military''s martial arts library." He hurriedly said, wanting nothing more than to leave. He turned, and without waiting for Ren, he left.

    Ren padded along beside him, filled with concern. She knew something clicked in his head yesterday, but thought he had it under control seeing him wake up and act like nothing was wrong.

    He had recalled every minute of it. She could tell that much. And yet¡­ seeing him now filled her heart with panic.

    Up eight flights of stairs, Altair raced up, wanting to burn away the ravenous hunger caught in the back of his throat, when he came upon two steel doors guarded by two officers, both in the realm of Sixth Circles.

    Altair saluted, and they did the same, allowing him to enter with but a few words of warning.

    "No violence or loud noises within the Martial Halls."

 Chapter 91: Martial Halls

    Within the Martial Halls, Altair felt he had stepped into a library, but rather than books, he saw a litany of silver cube-shaped devices glistening an azure light, racked on top of bookshelves designed specifically for these cubes. From one end of the room to the other, they stood, categorized into six main groups: Martial, Magical, Cultivation, Engineering, Alchemy, and Rune Work.

    Less crowded than he''d imagined, mainly filled with drones dancing through the air to help organize and add to the vast library, Altair and Ren entered the magical category with a singr goal in mind.

    Starting from the front, Altair began his search for a technique that would turn his raw Mana into physical strength. Ren had Infernal Rage that nearly tripled her physical strength, while he had to rely purely on skills and spells if he wanted to keep up.

    [Tortoise Skin]

    Grade: E

    Effect: Enhance Con

    Description: Allows the user to weld the flesh of man into a shield based on Mana.]

    [Ogre Strength]

    Grade: E

    Effect: Enhance Str

    Description: By devouring the bodies of your enemies, you will gain the strength of the mighty]

    [Enhance]

    Grade: F-

    Effect: Minor Enhance

    Description: The user will be able to enhance specific attributes on the fly. Warning: Due to versatility, this Skill can never achieve a multiplier past 2x.

    Going through the various cubes that lit up with various descriptions, Altair wanted to cry tears at the level of trash flickering across his eyes.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon is willing to grant you a powerful enhancement skill if you reveal your identity.]

    "Keep dreaming," the boy mope. He wasn''t that desperate.

    Most skills were hard to learn, taking years to appear and decades to train, at least for most people. But every Skill had a limit, with a rare chance of evolving. Within the serpent outreach, Altair had managed to upgrade his Survival Instincts skill into Superior Instincts, a D-rank skill. Through many life-and-death battles, he was able to evolve it.

    But Altair knew his bloodline had a lot to do with the evolution of such a skill, which was tied directly to the body, unlike mana spells or techniques that needed to be learned and understood to grow.

    Hemented his fate. "I don''t want to learn multiple enchantment techniques¡­ I''m sure none of them arepatible with the other." He told himself, lifting the cube of the weakest potential. He sighed. "2x is better than nothing. At least until this so-called master of mine reveals herself. Speaking of¡­ when is Mother going to return my calls?"

    "It''s alright, Art," Ren assured him, hopping on his shoulder. She looked at many options. "I''m sure you''re smart enough to create your own once you understand the mechanics. Mine came to me innately; its only requirement being a Nephilim. But I''m sure if you read all of these, you''ll be able to create your own."

    "And that there lies the problem." He said, his voice low. "Mother said I have a Master, who is most likely a God. I''ll be wasting time and effort creating my own when she finally decides to give me something."

    "Art¡­" Ren mulled over. "Didn''t she give you¡­ the Ninth Form?"

    Altair grew silent, a grim look shing across his scarlet ck eyes. "Yes. The de of Eternal Madness. But I''ll not start that ursed training until the Soul of the Indomitable reaches at least E rank."

    There were very few things that scared Altair. But the thought of turning into Talia when she was lost in an abyss of madness was notforting. He knew of the pleasure it brought but the destruction that it waged. Were he to turn into a madman on base¡­ all of his fellow brothers-in-arms would cut him down without hesitation, of that he was sure.

    "I still think it''ll be worth it, Art," Ren told him, nudging her furry cheek against his. "We can''t rely on our master for everything, even if it''s a waste of time. The Knowledge you gain can be put to good use."

    He hadn''t thought of that.

    "When did you get so smart?"

    "Ren has always been smart. Art." The little pup said, arching her head high, resisting the urge to howl. She licked his cheek. "Now grab your shit, and let''s look at some of the Alchemy stuff."

    "As you wish, my Lady." He said, feigning chivalry. Altair chuckled, gabbing a few datacubes before making his way towards the Alchemy escort and finally Rune Works.

    When they arrived at the counter to check out their findings, the librarian of the Mariel Hall red at the boy. "You are going to read all of this?"

    He looked old, barely on hisst leg, with balding shriveled grey hair and a few dozen missing teeth. Those that remained in his mouth were stained brown and yellow with que.

    "Yup."

    "Have you never heard of biting off more than you can chew?" Old Yelv gripped, his voice hoarse with rage.

    "Nope."

    Yelv trembled, his murky greys narrowing towards Altair''s deadpan expression. He''d seen many like Altair. Many that took more than they could handle, believing they were special. And many who''d return after months or years, wasting their time and resources.

    "Is there a problem?" Altair asked. ncing down at the dozen cubes that were sure tost him a few days, weeks at the most. "Is there a limit on how much I can take out?"

    Old Yelv shriveled lips thinned. "Young Man, a word of advice. A dragon must learn to walk before he can fly. Do you understand what I''m saying? Put these back and¡ª"

    "I know what I''m doing." The Prince pressed with an edge in his voice.

    "I see." The shriveled old man said, closing his eyes. He sighed. "I see. Then go," he said, logging the cubes Altair wanted. He''d done his best.

    Exerting Mana into the Draupnir Ring, the twenty-seven cubes vanished within its inner dimension. When the old man saw this, his eyes went wide, and his spine straightened out for the first time in nearly a decade.

    "Thanks." The Prince said and left without another word. And as he stepped through the iron doors, a familiar face popped into his field of vision.

    "You!" Lieutenant Jor Silmar growled. "Murderer."

    Altair didn''t deny it. He''d killed plenty and was sure to kill even more. "Lieutenant Jor," he said with a yful gleam. " Careful. The Investigators have cleared me. I''ve no idea what happened to your men, but¡ª"

    "Silence, boy!" Jor demanded. ''You don''t kill a man over such¡ª"

    "A what?" Altair said, his voice raised, gathering a few onlooker''s attention. "You entered my sleeping quarters. You destroyed my property. Talk down to me. And what? You think someone won''t seek revenge?"

    "So you admit it!" Jor roared, snapping his eyes to the onlookers. " See! See! he admitted it."

    "Goodness, you sound deranged. Are you feeling well, Lieutenant? Did you not hear that I''ve been cleared? I''ve yet to do anything yet. Investigator Lue knows this. Seems to me you offended someone you shouldn''t have.

    I''d watch your back if I were you. You and that Hilda Strob." The Prince warned, his cold eyes filling with a ruthless aura of discord. He stepped past Jor, ncing his way with a chilling smile, setting forth a trap with such ease heughed.

    Red shone through Jor''s eyes in a single instance, blinding him of reason, feeling that ursed smile bring about a humiliation he had never faced throughout his hundred years of life. Jor shot a palm towards Altair, pouring all three Mana Rings of cultivation into Altair''s chest.

    A thunderous eruption of Mana exploded as Altair barreled through the Iron doors, his body skidding like a stone on water through rows of shelves beforeing to a stop.

    "YOU!" Old Yelv roared, and all of the Fortress trembled. rms shrieked as lights began to sh.

    But Jor hadn''t even noticed as he stared at his palm. He was sure his palm came in contact with Altair¡­ And, yet, nearly half the power didn''t connect.

    "Bastard." Old Yelv mustered as his Seven Circle materialized, crowning him as he approached Jor. When Jor looked up, a cruel realization struck him, sending a dreadful tingle sensation down his spine.

    "I-I-I," Jor muttered, unable to find the words, forced to knees by a presence that came crashing down on him like a mountain. Blood pooled from his eyes, following the charging of armed soldiers.

    "Commander!" Second Lieutenant Vincent Windell addressed at the helm, gripping his short sword and pistol.

    "Check on the boy¡­ Although I fear he¡ª"

    "I''m good," Altair muttered, stepping out of the rubble with blood trailing down his lips, and his hair mattered by blood and debris. He approached as the soldiers made way for him. He stood beside Old Yelv.

    "How¡­ How are you alive?" Jor muttered.

    Altair didn''t immediately answer, but it was clear that everyone wanted to know.

    "Altair?" Vincent said, connecting all the dots in a single instance. Anger washed his face in a blinding sh. He whirled to Jor, pressing the barrel of hisTech Pistol against his eye, barely resisting the urge to pull the trigger.

    Feigning weakness, Altair ced a hand on Vincent''s trembling shoulder, "Don''t do it, Lieutenant. It''s not worth it." He said, inwardly grinning like a demon. He nced at Jor. "He failed to assassinate me." Altair resisted with all his heart not to reveal a victorious smile. "Let''s let justice do their job."

    ''And that Jor is how you properly taunt someone.'' Altair thought through narrowed eyes.

    "Assassinate! No! I-I¨C" Jor tried to say through an onught of ugly tears and whimpers. "I¨C Was¡­ I was just trying to¡ª

    "Altair does have a bounty of 10,000 Sols," Vincent muttered, lowering his pistol. "It all makes sense. Last night¡­ you were trying to provoke him to attack you. When that didn''t work, you killed your men to frame Altair!"

    "No~! Your wrong! I-I-I didn''t do it! I¡ª"

    Not seeing a need to interfere more, Altair gestured to Ren, who flew off his shoulder the moment Jor struck. He smirked, knowing everything had fallen into ce the moment Jor called him a murderer in front of everyone.

    Everything yed out like he suspected, including Jor''s attack that allowed him to test out his Almighty Resistance, which ate about fifty percent of the damage.

    "Lock up this assassin. We''ll find out what he''s got nned, even if it means we have to peel his fingers off." Old Yelvmanded. "No one is allowed to see him. Are we clear? No one but the Admiral or me."

    ''SIR YES SIR!!!!"

    When Altair returned to his dorm after getting a checkup from Amilia, per Vincent''s directmand, he devilishly grinned. "That was easier than I anticipated. And now the balls in Hilda''s court."

    Ren hopped from his shoulder and onto the bed, transforming back into human form. "Hilda is the one who wanted to kidnap me, right?"

    "Correct." Altair nodded. "And now she''s got three options. She can try to haggle for Jor''s freedom, Silence him, or do nothing."

    Amused by her Prince''s words, Ren nestled herself beneath the covers. "What do you think she''ll do?"

    He shrugged. " who can say? I''ve never met her or even seen a picture of her. But if I were a betting man. She''ll kill him. In fact, I hope she does kill him.

    Her name is already implicated in my report about the murder of those poor six soldiers."

    "... the ones that you killed."

    "I''m an innocent man." Altair shamelessly said, falling onto the bed, smiling. "The truth field they put me under even said so. The moment Jor dies. Hilda bes the prime suspect. And just like that. One stone kills two birds."

    "Don''t you think you are a tad bit overconfident?" Ren mused, enjoying the glimmer in her Prince''s eyes as he exined his n to her.

    "Nope. Hilda was using Jor, a man of limited intelligence, in my opinion. I suspect she might share the same level of intelligence, maybe higher, but not by much. If she doesn''t kill Jor and he rats or makes a deal or whatever, she could potentially lose rank or, worse, be Court Martial. He needs to die."

    "Then shees after us." Ren reminded him.

    Altair grinned. "Hilda is amander. She''ll have juice, but she''ll have to tiptoe around Fat Mike."

    "You''re pinning your hopes on that fatty?"

    "Not in the least. I''m pinning it on pride. Hilda tried to harm a member of his battalion. If Fat Mike doesn''t react, he''ll lose a lot of respect within his ranks."

    "Art¡­ you''re a little scary." She said, giggling to herself.

 Chapter 92: Leveling I

    In the following days, Inspector Lue had considerably thinned, finding himself stretched far and wide over the Fortress of Rim. Six warrant officers were not only killed in a veil of secrecy with none the wiser, but theirmanding officer, a Junior Lieutenant, had his neck slid in the dead of night.

    "Bloody Hells." Lue Mre felt his blood run cold, standing over the icy body of Junior Lieutenant Jor Silmar in a pool of his own making. His neck slit from one end to the next with cold practiced precision. The cut was made with a single stroke, without an ounce of hesitation.

    He sighed. "Where is Altair?"

    "Per your order, we have been monitoring him." A young ensign said. "He''s not left his living quarters in two days. And none of our sensors picked up anyrge spacial disturbances."

    "..."

    Again, Lue sighed. "And Hilda?" he shook his head. "Never mind. You are dismissed."

    The soldier saluted, leaving. And from the shadows of the closed cell, a mysterious figure emerged: Its features were masked by shrouded darkness, and through the veil of shadows, two peers of emerald eyes shone with vigor.

    "You still think it''s Altair?"

    The stranger shook its head. "No¡­" there was a rasp in its voice. "This was a¡ª"

    "It was a cover-up," Lue said. "And a clean one. Best I''ve seen." he scratched his head and turned to his shadow. "What do you think?"

    "Hilda¡­ that''s the only logical answer."

    "Fuck."

    "Yeah."

    Lue looked at the shadow, and his finger reached for his nose. "Not it to tell the Admiral Darkfire."

    "..."

    ***

    When the news had finally reached Altair some hourster, through an email to his Neurolink, Altair didn''t particrly show much reaction to the news he concluded days ago.

    Rather, Altair found himself enamored by the Rune Work. It was something he had always been interested in ever since Tenebrae took him to the capital. And now his fascination had only grown after he learned Enochean and Infernal.

    Rune Work had covered many things: Formation, Spells, Warding, and inscriptions. Its applications were practically endless. But what Altair found himself enjoying the most was Inscription.

    Simply being able to enhance various clothing, weapons, armor, and even cultivation pills and palms would surely bring a new level of versatility to his life.

    And so it became his focus outside, training his de through the use of a brush or trying to build a moreprehensive version of Martial Arts that would multiply all of his physical attributes rather than some of them.

    Unfortunately, as time passed during theter hours of twilight, Altair''s focus began to dwindle as the grueling sensation of hunger slowly began to overtake his mind. So much so that he locked himself in the bathroom for an hour with a sheen of sweat sliding down his back.

    He was there now, soaked, down to his undergarments, gritting his teeth, rasping for air that tasted of sour milk.

    Starved, barely able to conceive of a world outside, Altair forced himself still. The pain was like a mesh of hot needles stabbing at his throat that grew with each day.

    "Kill me," Hemented, trying to bear it for the next hour when the hunger would dwindle.

    Finally, when the hour of torment had passed, the sounds of running water sounded as hey beneath the icy waters to cool his body. He cursed, wondering when this hell would end.

    ''Master¡­ please feed.'' Talia said, materializing beside him on one knee.

    "Leave me," Altair said in amanding tone. He wasn''t in the mood right now.

    "I will not," Talia said, with persistence as she red at her foolish Master. "If not on us, then Lady Ren."

    Altair clenched his eyes shut. "I can''t feed on her¡­ "he said, recalling the loss of control that plunged in him pure sanguine lust, permeating his every thought. That wasn''t him. It was raw desire.

    "Then me¡­" Talia offered, revealing her slender neck. Her greyish skin glistened a healthy glow as she looked her Master in the eye, unbothered by his naked body. "I am of flesh and blood."

    "It won''t work¡­ You are dead." Altair muttered. "You are but a shadow forged of¡­ Hells, I don''t even know." he looked at her, finding her desperation amusing. "But feeding on you would be like feeding on myself. It won''t work¡­ I''ve tried."

    "Then let us hunt, Master."

    "Talia," he said, an octave lower. "Don''t make me force you. Leave me."

    Unsure when she returned to his shadow, Altair turned off the water, clothed himself, and stepped out of the restroom to the spicy scent of herbs being refined before his eyes.

    mes of Mana danced through the still air as Ren stood before her cauldron so focused she didn''t even notice Altair. Suddenly, a popping noise sounded, and within a few seconds, Ren opened the lid to her, revealing seven scarlet-colored pills within its depths.

    "Hmmm. They can cook a bit longer. But it''s good. Really good." She cheerfully mused, tossing them into her Draupnir Ring. She turned, sensing Art staring her way, somewhat in a daze. "What?

    Never seen a prettydy before."

    "Nope. Have you?" He teased, watching her cheek plump up like two buns.

    "I¡ª"

    A knock suddenly came at the door, turning Ren''s lips upside down. "Every time."

    Empathizing at the constant disturbances that were bing more and more frequent, Altair sighed and went towards the door while Ren polymorph and hopped onto the bed.

    It was midnight, and curfew had longed pass.

    ''Maybe it''s a booty call.'' Kirr said, chuckling beneath his Master''s shadow. "Your Majesty is getting more handsome with each passing day."

    The Prince rolled his eyes, although he didn''t deny it. Each day that came and went brought a new physical change with his recent evolution to his physique. But there wasn''t much he could do about that.

    Opening his door, Altair found the blue-haired Leonie Cross pouting with a dim hue in her dual pupils.

    "Evening¡­ or is it morning," Altair said with a charming smile, pushing down the discontent in his heart.

    "I''ve been told to inform you that we''ll be entering an underground dungeon in two hours."

    ''... It''s midnight." He pointed out. "Why are you telling me this now?"

    Leonie gave an awkward smile. "Ummm. I might have forgotten to tell you. Vincent said to tell you. Last night, but I didn''t know where you lived. And forgot about it until now."

    Unsure whether tough or cry, a great sense of relief coursed through his body at the thought of entering a new dungeon.

    Perhaps within there, he would be able to feed without being monitored.

    "We are currently checking armor and¡ª" Leonie hadn''t even finished when she saw Ren hop onto Altair''s shoulder, nudging him out the door.

    Altair made for the armory while Leonie was somewhat apologetic, staring at his back. Hopeful he''d keep this between them. It was her first assignment given to her by the Lieutenant. One she failed to perform.

    And as if sensing her concern, Altair spoke. "Don''t worry about it. It happens."

    ''That''s no excuse,'' she responded.

    "Maybe. But I doubt you''ll do it again.'' He said, ncing her way to the dual pupils that shone with a well of power. Leonie beamed, nodding with promising eyes.

    When they arrived, Altair noticed Vincent, Laros, Olivia, and Kilvar pressed in a ck leather jerkin beneath a fur-lined cloak bearing the imperial forces crest and a shield belt.

    "What took you so long?" Vincent growled. " Are you''re ribs still bruised? I know you are still on vacation, but that can wait. Captain wants us to help you four level up."

    "The captain?" Altair mused.

    "Yes. he wants everyone to level up at least ten times." Vincent Wendell said grimly. "We need to hurry. Other teams are already making their way inside. If we don''t hurry, we''ll miss out on kills. They should have gone over this during orientation.

    After a month, recruits will begin raiding dungeons."

    Realizing he might have missed more than he originally thought during his time in aa, Altair didn''t waste any more time as he hurried to get dressed.

    When he was done, decked in all ck, Olivia gave a long whistle. " Lordy!"

    "This armor seems a little¡­ counterintuitive." He said. The leather hide made it easy to move, but the cloak seemed unnecessary.

    "That hide you''re in was forged from the flesh of Tier three python and the mesh of a direwolf and wyvern. It''s as powerful as a Great shield. " Kilvar said. "Should block friendly fire, at least the first two shots. Less it''s your head."

    "It''s not inscribed."

    "And who''d pay for that?" Kilvarughed. "If you want to inscribe your armor, you''ll have to spend your coin." He nced at Laros, "Or be a part of a dukedom."

    "Is that jealousy?" Laros used, smirking.

    "Far from it. I wouldn''t want to fuck my sister. You nobles are quite known for that." Kilvar shamelessly said.

    Flushed red with rage, Laros gritted his teeth and pressed his palm on the hawk-shaped pommel of his longsword.

    "Draw it, boy, and I''ll have your head on a pike in three strokes."

    "Enough, both of you," Vincent ordered. "This dungeon has a time limit of four hours. We need to decide on the leader. "He looked down at the four boots, still fresh behind the ears. "I rmend¨C"

    ''Sir, Allow me to be the squad leader." Laros said, striding forward. "I''ve not just the education but the experience leading my knights within my noble factions into dungeons."

    "I, too, would like Laros to take Point," Olivia added, sliding her gaze to Altair. She giggled. " Although Altair is the best strategist amongst the recruits based on the simtions. It''s his first time leading a squad. And I''d rather have someone with experience than someone whose ability has yet to be tested."

    "I couldn''t have said it better," Altair agreed, arching his lips at the surprised faces of everyone. He grinned at Laros, his piercing gaze casting a chill down his spine. "Laros of House Aros would make a wonderful leader."

    "What game are you ying, "Laros inquired, bemused. Were they not enemies?

    "Enough. It''s settled then." Vincent said, without room for negotiation. "Laros will take Point. While Kilvar and I will judge your performance."

 Chapter 93: Leveling II

    Fifteen miles beneath the surface of Rim, stagnant air brushed against the recruit''s grim faces as they stood before arge gate of swirling mana. They gulped, tightening their grip around their swords, daggers, rapiers, ives, and bows, their hearts thumping with forewarning. It would be the first time many would see blood, the first time they''d take a life.

    At the helm, Borris stood, his expression hard with a grim sense of duty. On his back, strapped over his surcoat that bore the crest of fire, a greatsword of ck iron hung, caged with leather.

    "In war, "Borris began, coating his throat with mana so that his voice reached for miles. "There is no such thing as mercy. No such thing as hesitation. Look to your left, and look to your right." His voice thickened. "These are your brothers in arms. Your lifeblood.

    The ones who will be there to save you when you least expect it. Show them your back, and they''ll give you theirs."

    The hearts of the young boots trembled, listening as many gulped, taken by a sense of unity. That made them clench their fist over their chest.

    Altair coldly watched, narrowing his eyes. ''What a unique way to manipte,'' he thought, sensing the changes in those around him. Even Laros, who he knew to be entitled, seemed to be struck by theradery in the air. He grinned.

    "Raise your sword, Soldier!" Commander Borris barked, unsheathing his greatsword that zed a venomous purple me. " We march, We¡ª"

    "KILL!" The Recruits howled.

    With his face grim, Borris stepped into the swirling vortex as recruits followed.

    When it finally came time for Laros and his team. Altair said nothing of the formation. And as he suspected, Laros had positioned him to act as infantry while Laros and Leonie stood a meter back on each of his ends, with Oliva wielding her sma rifle in the center.

    Vincent and Kalvar merely watched. They''d only act when death was certain.

    Stepping through the dungeon into arge grove as far as the eyes could see, the sweet scent of blood whipped over Altair''s nose. He reached for his shield belt, activating it as a rain of arrows barreled towards him, shattering as they struck the protective bubble.

    "Shield Belts!" Altair shouted, allowing his belt to take the first wave before he took in all the blood of ligaments sprawled about the ground.

    [Wee to the Grove of Estelle ]

    [Quest: Dark Mage De''govatda and his rebel army of goblins have taken over the Gove of Estelle, enving the gnomes to do their bidding. y De''govata and free the Gnomes.]

    Restriction: Four Hours

    No time to worry about the system message, Altair scanned the red battlefield, catching sight of various rookies doing their best to ughter as many goblins as possible in the limited amount of time given.

    When Altair took note of the cavalry of goblins on horseback charging from the east, counting nearly a hundred, an overwhelming sense of shock struck many of his crew as they turned silent, taking in the blood bath. He frowned, seeing the discord of the battlefield.

    Everyone was scattered, fighting their own battles without the use ofrger formations.

    ''Art¡­'' Ren whispered on his shoulder. ''Your eye is shing red. Are you ok?''

    Unable to lie, as the grueling shes of hunger sent pangs through his spine, he didn''t answer. Not in front of the others watching.

    "Altair! To the east! Attack!" Larosmanded. "Hit the calvary. Olivia, cover him!"

    Unsheathing his sword, Altair tossed it into the air as Ren lunged from his shoulder, gripping the sword that stood like a greatsword in her mouth. She darted forward like a speeding bullet cutting through horse and goblin in a stroke, staining the grass a luscious red.

    "What the hell!" The others yelled.

    "What? Did you think I just had her for no reason?" Altair asked, and before anyone could ask what weapon he''d use. Moonlight dripped from the void into his palm, congealing into a ck de of night.

    When, without warning, Altair kicked off the ground, shattering the earth beneath his feet. He bolted after Ren.

    Arcs of sword light danced, cutting and weaving, spewing blood in a symphony of death, until he arrived by her side once more, drenched in blood. He licked his lips, starved.

    Laros watched, petrified, unable to understand how a First Circle soldier like Altair could move the way he did. In less than seven seconds, Altair had already cut down twelve goblins. And his pup, ten.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Leonie barked, dashing after Altair, channeling mana into her special eyes, and from within her perception, the world began to still.

    [Dual Pupils (E): Time Dtion Active]

    Afterimages shadowed her image as one by one. Her spear began to steal life from whatever greyish beast that caught her eye. Leonie lunged forward like a beast, executing her spearmanship with practiced abandon. She tried to catch up to Altair, trying to find him, but more and more goblins began to swarm her.

    Wounds began cutting across her flesh as her spear whirled to defend and attack when a beam of light shrieked past her, cutting a blood path towards the scarlet prince bathing in ruby red blood.

    The hearts of Vincent and Kalvar tightened in their chests, watching the manner in which his de danced. It was as if they were watching a whirlwind of semi-arcs carving a path out.

    ''He''s too far out." Vincent said.

    "More like too far gone¡­ what a monster." Kalvar retorted, fascinated by the way Altair''s de swept through life as though it were meaningless. And then his gazended on Ren, covering Altair.

    "Altair retreat!" Laros shouted as he stabbed his de forward, coated in phoenix mes. A gale of mes tore through the eastern side of the grove, hurling itself towards Altair.

    "Ren!"

    Towards her Prince''smand, Ren bore her teeth towards Laros''s me. Blood-red mes erupted in a baptism of fire, spreading like wildfire throughout the grove, that only seemed to intensify as a powerful shockwave of the two mes shed.

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    ¡­

    Altair stabbed his moonlit sword into the earth to hold his ground, bearing the shockwave with the help of his Almighty Resistance that came like a battery ram to his chest. The same couldn''t be said for the others as they were pushed off their feet, barrel-rolling over the muddy grass. Altair moved, like an apparition, through the falling ash and mes, sinking his fangs into a goblin.

    [Calvary Goblin Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Level Up]

    Draining the beast in half a second, Altair tossed the withered carcass aside as the sicking blood of the filthy creature curbed his hunger. He smiled, feeling some sanity return to him.

    [Soul of the Indomitable (F) proficiency has increased by 5%]

    Proficiency: 86% ¡ú 96%

    "Altair¡­" Ren coldly said, channeling blood-stained mes around her fur whileyers of scarlet ice padded after her every step.

    "I know." He told her, allowing his piercing gaze tond upon Laros. Coldness festered like rot in his eyes. "There was no way I would have been able to dodge that me attack in time," He smirked. " that bastard tried to kill me. But I''ll let it be. No need to react on every attempt."

    Like Jor Silmar, his time woulde. The Prince stepped through the ashes of mes and dismissed his dark moon de. He walked up to Leonie, offering her a hand to, which she epted. He lifted her to her feet, eyeing the nicks and bruises that would heal in a few hours. "You good?"

    "Yeah. I saw the sting. But you¡­" Her voice trailed off as the approaching Laros, flushed with rage, stepped forth.

    "It''s quite alright. I know. "

    "What the hell was that!" Laros barked, clenching Altair by the jerkin. "I told you to retreat! Not destroy the battlefield! Look what you''ve done!" he pointed towards the vast wreckage, billowing with the ashes of goblins and their steeds. "You could have killed¡ª"

    "Laros." Altair interrupted, his piercing stare like a winter breeze. "We both know what you tried to do." His gaze swept past Laros to Vince, Kalvar, and Olivia, fast approaching. Unsure if they were close enough to see what urred. "And if I were you¡­ I''d shut it unless you want to see who''s faster. My sword or your mes."

    Releasing his hold, Laros snorted. "This isn''t over." He said, storming off, but not before shooting Ren a dark look.

    "Quite the little bitch isn''t he." Leonie mused. "Are you hurt? That was quite the explosion."

    Altair lifted Ren into his arm, her fur matted with blood. "I''m all good, thanks to little Ren."

    "I''d say!" Kalvar shouted. "What type of wolf is she? To stop phoenix mes blessed by the gods is¡­ Monstrous! I heard she can talk too!"

    "Oh¡­ I forgot that secret was out." Altair mulled over, nodding. "Say hi, Ren."

    "Hmph." She snorted, unwilling to be paraded around like a zoo animal. She was better than that.

    o((>¦Ø< ))o

    ''Again?'' the Prince wondered, staring at the peculiar emoji. "What are you?"

    (¤Å£þ 3£þ)¤Å

    "...nevermind."

    "What was that?" Leonie said, ncing over her shoulder.

    "Do you want me to heal you?" Altair inquired, pointing the finger at the flesh wounds over her cheeks, neck, arms, torso, and thigh. "Who knows if those des of these goblins were clean or not."

    "Please," Leonie epted, curious of his abilities. She watched Altair brush his thumb against her cheek, warm and gentle as though she was his lover. And slowly, a benevolent warmth tingled for a brief moment, for less than a breath, turning her cheeks rosy as she stifled a moan. He soon touched her neck, shoulder, arms, torso, and thigh, mending her wounds in a heartbeat.

    When he was done, Leonie was flushed like a rose and short of breath.

    "W-W-What was that¡­" she moaned in a somnolent voice, weak to the knees from his tantalizing touch. "That was amazing." She heard herself say, only to jerk herself awake. "I mean, thank you!"

    [Hands of Nirvana [E] proficiency has increased by 1%]

    Proficiency 0% ¡ú 2%

    ''Right!" Altair vibrantly rejoices. And for a but a moment, he seemed like a boy.

    "Hurry it up!" Laros spat, beside Olivia. Wondering how he could get rid of this thorn. "It has been less than ten minutes. And we''ve got a lot of ground to cover."

 Chapter 94: Leveling III

    For the next hour and a half, Altair, Ren, Leonie, Laros, and Olivia had washed their des with so much lifeblood it seemed as though they could drown in it. The Drove of Estelle had been upied by the military for eons, forcing goblins to copte in whatever they deemed fit for the filthy beast.

    And with the gestation of goblins being a mere week or two, they needed only wait a month or week at the most for their poption to regrow.

    ''Rapers,'' Borris often called goblins when covering their biology due to their lustful tenancy towards anything female; goblins were bound to mount and fuck, a ve to sanguine lust. Be it dogs, horses, or their kin. They never held back.

    And neither did Leonie or Olivia as theyid waste to dozens, running them through without a hint of remorse.

    "That''s thest of them,'' Olivia said, wiping away the sweat on her brow. She jerked her dagger from the head of a goblin and turned to a solemn Laros, ring at Altair''s back. She smirked. "Keep looking at him like that, and I''ll think you''ll go both ways."

    "Piss off," growled Laros. He couldn''t understand. For an hour and a half, Altair has been fighting, and he''s yet to run out of mana, much less show any signs of exhaustion. He had already changed Leonie to the rare to help her recover. But Altair¡­ He clenched his fist into a tight ball.

    [Level Up]

    Grinning at his third-level gain, Altair couldn''t help but look at his stats.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.99%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: Young Prince Lv 14 ¡ú 17 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 28

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 36 ¡ú 39

    Wisdom: 38 ¡ú 41

    Charisma: 38 ¡ú 41

    Mana: 23

    The feeling was nearly euphoric as the world turned brighter with each level he gained. So much so he couldn''t help butugh.

    Suddenly, his ears twitched, and without warning, Altair lifted a fist, alerting everyone. They turned silent, bending a knee, unsure what was hidden.

    Altair pointed towards the bushes, frowning as he signaled Leonie forward. Understanding, Olivia drew her rifle from her back, poised for action, while Laros heated his de.

    "Huuuuman~" a grinding voice uttered in basic. "Huuman~"

    The bushes of the grove shuddered, and out from the bushes, Altair eyes shed as a taller-than-average goblin stepped out. He was very muscr, lined with vicious scars trailing his two arms, wielding a rusted greatsword and five daggers on his chest of Hide armor.

    [Ding]

    [Hobgoblin (elite)]

    ss: [Goblin Soldier Lv25] [Goblin Knight Lv 32]

    Strength: 59

    Dexterity: 36

    Constitution: 65

    Wisdom: 26

    Charisma: 12

    Mana 9

    Skills: Goblin Sword [E], Goblin Martial Arts [E], Mana Maniption [E], Bone Armor [E], Burst [F], Regeneration [E]

    Bang!

    The Hobgoblin weaved past the purple beam of sma when he suddenly vanished from Altair''s perception. He was on Olivia in a single moment, cleaving his sword down. Unable to draw her dagger in time, Olivia lifted her rifle, hardening her flesh with mana.

    BOOOM!

    Her knees bashed to the ground with a hard thud as the Hobgolin indented her rifle. He lifted his greatsword again when Leonie arrived. Spear light stabbed at his head, pushing him back a few steps, parrying her spear. Laros happed on his rear, cutting his sword through his hide. The Goblin roared as the sizzling of flesh filled the air.

    "Altair!" Laros howled for him to attack. But when the attack never came, his eyes went wide to the sight of seven ethereal swords glistering with moonlight and the three Hobgoblins.

    A chill danced over his heart as a ruthless presence descended. His legs trembled, watching Altair stand before three hobgoblins, grinning with Ren by his side.

    "Monster," Vincent muttered, wet with a sheen of sweat.

    "Let''s go, Ren!" Altair shouted, kicking off his feet. His sword swept through the air in a horizontal arc while six other swords suddenly shrieked toward the two other hobgoblins, shattering the sound barrier with its pure mana while he attacked a peculiar hobgoblin bearing a horn on its head.

    The echos of the swords shing electrified the air, sending webs through the earth. Altair grinned and was pushed back ten meters. When he saw a horned goblin rush at him and blur, activating burst, its movement technique. Faster than a blink of an eye, the horned Goblin attacked, in an upwards sweep, his greatsword, sting the prince well over thirty meters in the air.

    The sh turned Altair arms to jelly, with the great disparity in terms of raw strength. Nevertheless, excitement tugged at his lips as he barreled downwards, where the Goblin waited. Mana swelled into a single point of his foot, and in a single moment, the goblin sword and Altair''s feet met.

    Enigmatic Step.

    *BOOOOOM!

    Unable to bear the crushing force of a mountain, steel shattered into shards as Altair tore through the Goblin''s shoulder, tearing off his sword arm and splintering the air with a mist of blood. A bellowing grieve hurdled through the air.

    "Nooo!!" Rasped the Goblin in basic, gripping his shredded shoulder, spewing gallons of blood, when bones began to protrude over the Goblin''s flesh.

    Bone Armor

    Knitting his brow, he wondered if his sword could prate that armor. Altair nced at the torn and bloodied goblins to his left and right,batting his Dark Moon des. He shifted his gaze back to the horned beast.

    He sneered and raised two fingers towards the bone armor. "Bang!" And from his fingers, arcs of Infernal Lightning came to life in a blinding sh. The Hobgoblin didn''t even have to blink as the beam entered through from the eye and out his skull. He dropped.

    [Horn Hobgoblin Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Hobgoblin Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Level Up]

    Catching sight of Ren running her sword through the bone-armored Goblin, mes washed the beast into a purgatory of mes. While three other moon des pierced the skull, killing it. He grinned. And nced at thest of the remaining three.

    Slowly being cut down by three of his Dark Moon des. Altairmanded the remaining unupied swords plunged into the skull of the Hobgoblin to attack. In a few breaths, the Goblin was cut to pieces.

    [Hobgoblin Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Level Up]

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.99%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: Young Prince Lv 17 ¡ú 21 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 28

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 39 ¡ú43

    Wisdom: 41 ¡ú 45

    Charisma: 41 ¡ú 45

    Mana: 23

    (¡«£þ¨Œ£þ)¡«

    "Not bad. Four more Levels, and I''ll reach the peak of my first ss." The boy mused, dismissing his Moon des. He nced back at his team finishing up with their beast. And then to Leonie, allowing the Eye of Sacrilege to swell with power.

    Name: Leonie Cross

    Mana Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle Complete],[Third Circle 1%]

    ss: [Soulde Lv 25], [SoulSpear Lv 3]

    Strength: 31

    Dexterity: 45

    Constitution: 18

    Wisdom: 29

    Charisma: 24

    Mana: 18

    "She''s strong. If she had a physique, I''d be in trouble." Altair told himself, wiping the blood off his face. " but her CON is downright pathetic." He moved towards her opening palm, conjuring two Iron Bloods from his Draupnir Ring.

    "Take it. It should bump up CON by two points."

    Leonie frowned twisted into a re. "I''m not a charity case. I don''t¡­"

    "You have the weakest Constitution out of everyone here. This means you get hurt more easily and can''tst long during longer battles. This isn''t a charity. " Altair told her, "It''s to ensure you and I survive in dire times."

    Leonie''s re lessened, and her expression dignified. "I''ll pay 75 souls for each. That''s the market price. As a noble, it''s the least I can do."

    "75!!!! Altair yelped. "Seriously, this!!" He couldn''t believe it. The material alone was less than five sols. And Ren had made about twenty since.

    "Yes. Based on the blood-red color. It''s in the 60 percentile range. Not to mention, iron bloods are rare. Extremely so due to their high demanding skill." She thought for a bit. "That said, I''m sure the military would pay a hundred sols.

    Forget the 75. I''ll pay the 100. It''s the least I should do as a marquise daughter."

    [Ding~]

    [Leonie Cross has transferred a hundred sols into your ount.]

    [Current Bnce: 872 Sols]

    "None for us?" Olivained, her lips puffing into a pout. "Our family is willing to pay as well." she nced at Laros. "Right?"

    "Sorry, those were thest two." The boy said, fidgeting with his bracers soaked with blood. "Anway, shall we continue?"

    "What would be the point when you''re just going to steal all the kills?" Laros interseeded.

    "Excuse me?" He raised a low brow.

    "You heard me. Three hobgoblins could have gained us all a level but were killed by you and that monster."

    Altair wondered how to y his response; on one hand, he wanted to push Laros to send him into danger so that he could steal kills. On the other hand, he didn''t much care for the attitude Laros gave him every time he drew his de.

    His experience was shared equally with Ren since she pulled her own weight. They had set the parameters in the system as per Luna''s request. All Altair and Reina needed to do was be in the range of the other. But Altair wasn''t willing to do so with enemies or those he considered allies, like Leonie.

    Not unless they proved themselves trustworthy.

    "If you don''t like it, change the formation," Altair told him. "You''re the party leader. Although, you''ve no right to stop me from killing If you don''t like it. Send me away. I''ll happily leave."

    "Then leave!" Laros flushed with rage, barked, regretting the words when he noticed Vincent and Kalvar approach, their expression dark.

    "Altair, you''ll be the party leader for the remaining of the time. Laros a word." Vincent said, pulling him aside away from his perception. Altair said nothing but turned to Olivia. "You''ll travel by trees for now. It''ll be better to pick off targets and help us track them. Stay hidden.

    And don''t fire unless you''re informed. Do you have a neruolink?"

    Oliva nodded, liking her precision a lot more. The surprise attack of the Hobgoblin had been too close forfort, as she barely found herself being able to block in time.

    "Leonie, you will act freely in order to nk any of the goblinsing towards us. Laros¡ª"

    "Isn''t back yet." Smiled Olivia.

    "...right. Well, he''ll be with me on the frontlines." Altair said, finding Laro''s formation too restricting. "With this, we got terrain covered. And we got bait."

 Chapter 95: Leveling IV (Final)

    Foraging the Grove of Estelle, Altair felt sheens of sweat trail down his jaw, sinking into his fur line cloak. He fell to a knee, bellowing withughter with Ren by his side.

    To his rear, Laros, Olivia, and Leoniey over the wet battlefield, unable to even move a finger; having been pushed so hard, they cursed the monster named Altair with all their heart.

    For three hours, they sprinted through the grove, striking hard and fast, before most of the goblins could even unsheath their weapons, be they hobgoblins or the more average ones. Most were Felled in a blinding sh, faster than Laros thought possible, thanks to Olivia''s bird''s eye view, allowing her to fully disy her marksmanship.

    At the same time, Leonie''s killing efficiency seemed to double now that she didn''t have to take on scores of enemies head-first like Altair. She neither had the physique for that nor the skill.

    Meanwhile, Laros had been fighting for his life, swarmed by goblins on many sides. Cuts and bruises rummaged his flesh as he desperately tried to hold his ground, much to his dismay. Death followed him in nearly every battle before he dropped to battered and beaten to move.

    "You guys did good! Especially you, Laros," Altair said. Despite being enemies, he wasn''t going to let personal feelings get in his way. Not when he could gain a significant amount of EXP, thanks to his new pawn.

    "Hungry¡­" Ren whimpered, dropping the Longsword from her mouth.

    "Hmmm, I''m actually good." He said, touching his stomach. Ever since he satiated his hunger, Altair had been feeling quite happy. More so than usual.

    The world through his eyes just seemed more radiant. However, he didn''t relish the idea of devouring more goblin blood due to its gamey nature.

    Ren tilted her head towards him. "You don''t want to eat with Ren?" She muttered, heartbroken.

    Altair''s eyes jumped. "I''d rather eat you." He whispered so softly he didn''t even realize they echoed into her wolfish ears.

    The wolf girl quivered, feeling Altair''s predatory gaze satiating her. She moved to him, nudging her face against his. When he rose, still short of breath, Altair grinned, having reached the peak of the first ss.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.99%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: Young Prince Lv 21 ¡ú 25 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 28

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 43 ¡ú 47

    Wisdom: 45 ¡ú 49

    Charisma: 45 ¡ú 49

    Mana: 23

    Still, something came as a bother to the Young Lord as he stared down the system requirements to achieve his Second Circle and ss.

    [Tier II - Advancement Requirements]

    [??? ¨C Tier Three Heartstone]

    [Blood of the Corrupted]

    [Blood of the Righteous]

    ''Why is the material needed so rare? No. Why were they so abnormal? Hells, '' He thought to himself. The blood of the Corrupted and Righteous could both be taken from Ren. But he couldn''t understand why such material was needed to create a Magical Circle.

    Altair shook his head after a long while, dismissing the matter from his mind for the time being, and turned to the approaching Vincent. "Lieutenant, we''ve achieved everything that was needed." He said, ncing down at the lifeless bodies of his teammates, moaning and groaning. He smirked. "And as you can see. They need rest¡­ Or a hospital."

    Checking on the Recruits to ensure none were pushed too hard, Vincent shifted a gaze towards the young lord with a long, solemn re. At first nce, Altair seemed short of breath, covered in blood and sweat. But Vincent could sense the power he still carried deep within his Circle. Vincent had never been more sure that this boy, barely over twelve, had barely pushed himself.

    Nor had he even suffered a bruise or cut¡­ he was spotless.

    "You ain''t human, are you," Kalvar griped. No human could have done what Altair did.

    Bashful, Altair grinned, waving off their concern. " Come on, guys! You''re going to make me blush!"

    "And I''m going to hurl," Ren muttered, rolling her eyes. She slouched over his head and closed her eyes, mildly exhausted.

    Suddenly, a thunderous boom whipped out in front of Altair and his crew as a swirling gate of mana spiraled with a fearsome might. And before the Prince could react, it pulled him in and pushed him out outside the main Gate, within the underground sector of the Fortress of Rim.

    A gale of various recruits, soldiers, and instructors apuded, weing him back as more and more recruits began stepping out of the Gate. Directed away my medical officers, Altair allowed them to check him for injuries before he was allowed to leave with a bright smile on his face.

    Dawn had barely broken over the horizon, glimmering with first light when he made it back to the surface with a joyful smile. Altair dropped off all his equipment before jumping into the shower within his quarters.

    Most of the recruits would have the day to recover from their first dungeon. However, while most of them would sleep, by the time Altair had jumped out of the shower, clearing away the blood and dirt, he pushed out his quarters to find Admiral Darkfire to cash in on some favors.

    *Thud~

    Not even a few steps out of his quarters, Altair eyes spun to the noise, to arge man, a brawny fellow, gripping a delicate thing with barely any meat on his bones. He was a small boy with long, shaggy brown hair that covered his face.

    "Vadi¡­" The brawny man spat, gripping the boy by the throat a few feet off the ground. "I thought I told you to send her to me? How hard is that to understand." He tightened his grip until Viens protruded over Vadi''s thin throat. Any more and his neck would pop.

    Tears streamed down Vadi''s delicate features as he struggled to speak. "Please¡­ Logan¡­She''s¡­ my¡­ fiance¡­"

    With a fierce backhand across the face, Logan''s palm whipped out again, and again, and again, until Vadi''s face was plump and swollen, with nearly half his teeth on the ground.

    "What a pussy you are," Logan said, spitting bile right into his eye. He scuffed. "I don''t care if she''s your fiancee. I''ll have that bitch scream my name." He said. "You got an hour. Send her to my room or¡ª" He paused, turning to Altair.

    "And what the fuck are you looking at."

    Altair pointed at himself and nced around, wondering who Logan was talking to.

    "Your¡­ Altair," he noticed and nced towards his chamber. "The one everyone is droning on about."

    "I am, and you?"

    "Logan Drarc, my Father is Earl Lorvac Drarc, Knight of the King''s Brigade and Lord of the Eastern ck Isles." He dropped Vadi and strode towards the Prince, and once more, his gaze slid to Altair''s bedroom. ''So why don''t we trade? You can sleep in my barracks, and I''ll¡ª"

    "You''re in my way," Altair addressed, making no move to step around him. He wasn''t in the mood to entertain anyone. Nor was he willing to get involved with someone who couldn''t even stand up for themselves.

    "Kid¡­ I wasn''t asking¡ª"

    BOOOOM~

    Made to bow like the worm he was as Altair''s presence whipped out like an iron mountain. Logan knee''s caved and buckled, slowly sumbing to the pressure as he fell to his knees in reverence. Altair pressed a foot over his head and continued over his body as though he didn''t exist. Not even willing to spare a nce towards Vadi.

    "Are you not going to aid him?" Ren inquired once they were out of sight. "He looks like¡ª"

    "Ren¡­'' Altair interrupted her, frowning. "I refuse to help those that can''t help themselves. What good is power if youck the will to use it? I don''t cater to the weak-minded. That idiot didn''t even try to fight back."

    "What if¡­ he couldn''t?" Ren mused, opening her pale blue eyes. " What if that logan fellow was abusing his power? Threatening his family, or¡ª"

    "And how would I aid him? I''ve no status on Earth. Not really, anyway. I''m not even human." He said, with a dark edge to his voice. "But if he wants my help¡­ he needs to prove himself to have worth. Prove to me he has potential. Call me a bastard, but I don''t need victims by my side.

    I need killers. Fearless monsters who don''t need a high circle to have confidence, to stand up for themselves." he shook his head, unsure when he grew so callous. "We aim to do something most would consider impossible. Not to help others."

    "It''s still sad¡­" Ren muttered, thinking of Vadi''s poor Fiance.

    "I''ll help, but only if it''s what you really want me to do," Altair replied, looking up at her. " All you have to do is ask. "

    She shook her head. " no¡­ it''s fine. It''s¡­it''s just I wonder¡­ if you''ll save me if I ever be useless."

    "You aren''t the same as a stranger, Ren." He reminded her, resisting the urge to flick her head. "We''ve fought, trained, and slept together. Of course, I''ll save you. What type of stupid question is that!" He sounded a little angry as he pulled her off his head, frowning.

    "You''re mean!"

    ~(>_<.)£Ü

    "And you''re thinking about foolish things."

    Meanwhile, within her office, Lady Darkfire stood before a blue hologram, fully hidden by a cloak.

    "Give us the boy. You''ve neither the resources nor the experience to raise him."

    Arms poised behind her back, Vaiga Darkfire smirked. "If you wish for him, you''ve my permission to visit. Scorpio has already¡ª"

    "You misunderstood,'' The Hooded figure interrupted, shaking his head. "Give him to us¡­ the will of the boy isn''t of concern."

    "Then we''ve nothing to discuss," Vaiga said, cutting the connection on her Datapad without hesitation. She rolled her eyes. " Fucking acolytes of Bahumat. Gods, I loathe those bastards."

    "I, too, would agree." A startling voice echoed.

    Vaiga turned pale, hurrying to turn to the faces inches from hers, to the eyes so dark, they seemed to embody the night. She shuddered, trying to pull the mana within her nine circles to defend herself, but her mana didn''t respond.

    "Hello, Vaiga Darkfire. My name is Tenebrae. Altair''s mother." She said as a mysterious figure loomed behind her. Wrapped in loose-fitted robes, she saw a woman draped in a beautiful white mask and a sword strapped on her back.

    Vaiga gulped, trying not to shudder. She was horrified that another could so easily seal her ability to manipte her refined mana. Not even transcendent or Devas could perform such a feat. At least not without a disy of power. But Tenebrae was merely standing there.

    "No need to be frightened. I''ve actuallye to ask a favor." Tene said, giggling, noticing Vaiga frightened like a little fawn.

    She gulped, trying to speak without a crack in her voice. "Wh¡­what do you want?"

    "Altairs master¡­" Tenebrae nced at the masked woman, narrowing her pale ck eyes. "I need you to give her amand within this base. And move Altair beneath her; think of this as a special team of sorts."

    "..." Taking the time to calm her palpating heart, Vaiga sucked in a long breath of air. "Why?"

    "Because my baby will see an early grave if he doesn''t have anyone protecting him. He has his father''s bravery, but he''s a fool if he thinks the gods won''t outright try to kill him." Tenebrae exined, shaking her head.

    "But the Shadow Promation¡ª"

    "There are loopholes to every rule, my dear. I should know. I created the sted thing." Tenebrae revealed. And the fear in Vaiga''s eyes only grew. "I''ve little time¡­ before I''m recalled back to the Tower of Babel. But if you ept, know you''ll be choosing sides."

    "I don''t¡­ I don''t understand."

    "Altair powers are dangerous. And it forced me to change my ns. More so than I''ll like to admit: He wasn''t supposed to leave me so early." Tene bitterly said, feeling her heart clench. "Nevertheless, Earth is about to get chaotic. So you''ll need to pick a side. Not now but soon." Tene opened her palm, conjuring an amethyst shard.

    The moment the shard appeared, Vaiga felt her entire being atomized in a single instant by an intense sword force. She trembled, coughing blood as the shard radiated a force so great its mere presence seemed to demand death.

    "This is the shard of the Primal Sword. A fragment of the first weapon the Fallen Angel Azazel created for you mortals." Tenebrae said lightly, tossing it into the air as though it were a toy. "I''ve sealed most of its power, but it''s enough for you to transcend and then some." She nced back to the elusive figure to her rear and back to Vaiga, smiling.

    Greed practically spilled from Vaiga''s eyes as she stared at the shard."That''s it? That''s all you want from me?"

    "Of course." Smiled Tenebrae. "That''s all you need to do."

 Chapter 96: Master and Disciple

    Later, after the sun reached its zenith, Altair leaned against the wall, tapping his fingers against his knee, looking out at the endless seas of crashing waves against the shores, annoyed by the endless hours he stood in the waiting room.

    Ren looked up at him, smirking, wondering where her patient prince had gone. Altair had always been patient in her eyes; whether it was before a hunt or when he cooked, he never got frustrated. It was a virtue she always felt shecked.

    "... Ensign?" Vaiga''s secretary called, stirring the boy to his feet. "The Admiral will see you now." She said, buzzing him through the door. Altair practically hopped to the door, opening it to see Vaiga standing beside a masked individual¡­ a woman.

    He studied her boldly. From the loose snow-white robes he had seen among the Freeriders of the Myriad to the silvery mask engraved with ancient runes he''d never seen before to the sword sheath in leather strapped to her back. He took her all in as she did his.

    "Altair¡­ this is Commander¡­"

    "Iliana." the masked woman said, her voice cool, like the winds of spring.

    ''Yes¡­'' Vaiga muttered, her voice trailing off, grappling with the fact she knew nothing of this woman aside from her name. "She will be your newmanding officer. You''re being transferred."

    Altair brow jumped. "So sudden?"

    It hadn''t even been a month since he first joined up with Vincent, and yet¡­

    Vaiga folded her arms over her chest. "Commander Iliana here will be under Fat Mike. It''s just you''ll be taking direct orders from her," she said, continuing. "From what I''ve heard, you have two more members joining."

    "Three people?" Altair muttered. "That''s hardly a team. "

    "Four. If you count, the Nephilim," Iliana said, grinning beneath her mask, sending a shudder down his spine as he felt an invisible presence curl around his heart, and for a moment, his mask cracked, revealing his pale expression.

    "A what?" Said Vaiga.

    Iliana nced at Vaiga with a glint of amusement. "Admiral, I''m sure Altair came in for a reason. Shall we hear him out?"

    Catching her meaning, Vaiga didn''t push. She''d received more than she ever wanted. It was best not to pry too much. Not when she didn''t have to. " Yes¡­ Altair, what was it that you wanted?"

    In a guarded voice, Altair spoke: "I''d like to cash in some contributions and get two tier-three hearthstones. One with the element of Darkness, the other of Blood."

    Vaiga frowned. "Blood? That''s¡­ Hmmm. I''ll see if we have any, but who can say? Blood Cryptids are rare. Rarer than those with the element of Darkness.

    But I''ll see what I can. Why do you need them?"

    "Toplete my second advancement. Those are the requirements." He responded to her, unable to pull his gaze from the masked woman. He was ring.

    "Noted. You''ll have your resources by day''s end," she said. "If that is all¡ª

    "Then you''reing with me," Iliana said, stepping out of the door.

    ''She''s not part of the military,'' Altair quickly concluded, noticing theck of militarist rules. He saluted the admiral and followed after Iliana to a secluded field devoid of life in silence.

    Iliana turned to him. "You have yet to touch the Ninth Form." She said, with a note of disappointment.

    Resisting the urge to conjure a moonlit de, Altair stared hard. "There are few people who know of that. Who are you?"

    "The one who granted it to you," Iliana dered. She nced at Ren. "And you¡­ For you to be trained beneath a god and still be, this weak is an insult to the Nephilim. Aurelia would die in her grave were she to see her kin so pathetic. But I''ll fix that."

    When Altair heard this, he knew who he stood before. "Your¡­ You''re my surpossed master." He said as the Eye of Sacrilege lit up.

    Name: Iliana of the Abyss

    Mana Circle: N/A

    ss: [None]

    Strength: 100

    Dexterity: 100

    Constitution: 100

    Wisdom: 100

    Charisma: 100

    Mana: 100

    ''Your¡­ Your mortal." He blurted out.

    Iliana did notment on her circumstances. Rather, she circled her disciple. "You''re not bad. Battle prowess is utter rubbish, but you''ve got potential."

    This gave the boy pause.

    Had he ever faced defeat from a foe? Ever been forced to retreat? And yet¡­ she dare call his prowess rubbish?

    Aside from Ren, who could defeat him?

    "You disagree?" Iliana noticed. "Well, that''s up to you. You''re free to do as you like. Fall in, don''t fall in. I don''t care. Come find me when you want to be unrivaled."

    Altair watched her walk away and said nothing.

    "She¡­ um, she was something," Ren said atst.

    "I don''t like her."

    Giggling to herself, Ren smirked. " You haven''t even had a full conversation. To me, she just seems like she''d rather be doing anything else."

    " She seems like a know-it-all."

    " Are you talking about yourself?" Renughed before pawing at her Prince''s head. " Look, Art. Your mother thought she was a good fit. Why not give her a chance."

    Altair knew this, but he didn''t like it. Not only did she reveal Ren as a Nephilim. Even the way she looked at him made his gut churn.

    ''Art¡­ you''re being too arrogant. What''s going on?"

    Altair felt fist clenched as air filled his lungs. He scratched his head, wondering the same thing. His emotions were unraveling each day.

    "Perhaps¡­ I just like the freedom of it all." He told her. "I don''t like being told what to do, Ren. It''s a little childish. But I don''t. I put up with it in the military because it''s necessary for my survival. But It sickens me.

    Stand straight. Do this, do that. Master this¡­ I loathe it all. Standing before these¡­ insects, not even worth me unsheathing my sword makes me want to puke." He looked up at the azure skies. "I wish it would all end."

    "Then¡­ Lower your pride. And as for her help." Ren said, hopping from his head. She looked at him dangerously. "We need power, and as long as it doesn''t cross our bottom line. We endure because that''s what we do. Through our desire, we endure.

    Because the alternative is a meaningless existence."

    Moonlight folded before the aimless rays of starlight, congealing into a de, in the young Prince''s hand. "Endure huh¡­'' he repeated softly. "Through Despiar and Madness¡­ we endure." He smiled. "Yeah¡­ let''s go get her."

    Hurrying after Iliana, who hadn''t even made it back inside, seemingly lost as she wandered about the fortress, Altair and Ren fell to their knees before the masked maiden. Iliana stared with raw indifference at the young children before her.

    "So this is your decision?" she coldly mused. "Good to see you''re not as arrogant as your father. Rise, disciple. You too, Nephilim." She lifted a palm, and from the nothingness within her grasp, one stone mask, forged from the embers of hell, appeared within her palm, alongside a white one forged from the Endless Skies and Moon of the Seven Heavens. "Where these¡­ they will mask you from the Gods."

    Altair flinched. "Why would we¡ª"

    "The system gives the gods too much power to monitor you. And that''s a problem. You need to mask some of your techniques. Your battle prowess. And so on. Right now, the Gods know more about you than you yourself.

    And these masks will assist in masking your identity and location."

    She tossed Altair the ck one and Ren the white, "Dawn them, and let us begin."

    ***

    "Vaiga¡­ what the hell do you mean?" Fat Mike barked, mming his fist into the wall. "What do you mean Altair was transferred? The only reason he''s still alive is because of me. I''ve stopped over ten assassins this week alone."

    Dusting herself off, Vaiga eyed him darkly. "Jorna, calm down. He''s still in your group, just under a newmander."

    "An Iliana, was it? I''ve never once heard of a Commander by the name of¡ª"

    "Jorna¡­" Vaiga spat, silencing the room with her presence. "Fight me on other things. Not this. Altair will be with Commander Iliana, and that''s final."

    "Hells, Vaiga." Fat Mike muttered, realizing something. "You made a deal with a god, didn''t you? That''s the only way you¡ª" He froze and shook his head, calming himself. "Must have been a hell of a deal. Fine¡­ but I want to add to Altair''s team. I want Leonie there."

    "Eli''s daughter? Why?"

    "The marquess is arge sponsor." Fat Mike retorted, as a matter of fact. "That woman¡­ Iliana, is she strong?"

    Vaiga didn''t answer. She honestly didn''t know. And not for ack of trying. But no matter how much she tried to spread her perception. All she felt was nothing. No presence, no breath, no energy, nothing.

    A feat not even the dead could aplish.

    "I''ll take silence as a yes. You said there were four members, right? Five are necessary for the tournament of sponsors the week after next."

    "Fine¡­ But you need to get Iliana''s permission. And Jorna. Be careful." Vaiga said softly. " We might have fucked up taking in Altair. I''ve seen many gods on Genesis. Interacted with many.

    Offended a few. But the ones backing this child are dangerous¡­ and old. If you offend one, you''ll die."

    "Understood." He said with a growl in his throat, departing with a hard gleam in his ck eyes.

 Chapter 97: The Ninth Form

    Overlooking endless seas crashing against the shores, rough waters sprinkled throughout the Fortress of Rim, glistering like mini stars, birthing arcs of multi-colored light. Ren and Altair watched it all in the lotus position. Each in their respective mask.

    "The Ninth and Eighth form go hand in hand," Iliana remarked from on high a towering bolder. "The Ninth Form, Aeron, Known as the de of Eternal Madness, and the Eight Form, Arctas, the de of Good and Evil." she pointed at the ocean, crashing into the shores, grazing her mask with seawater. " Both are known as forbidden by the Old and New Gods due to their self-destructive nature.

    Your Father Altair uses the second Form, Ren-Shii, known as the de of Carnage and Vengence. When one uses the second Form, there is no such thing as a retreat, even if it means suicide. It''s an aggressive form for madmen.

    "But The Ninth Form takes elements not just from the Second but every Form aside from the Eight. It''s a form meant to drive you writhing mad. To break you into something even devils and demons fear.

    "The Eighth Form¡­ is no better. It''s a form that leads to utter Madness. Causing the user to be bipr. But it''s the perfect match for Nephilim or Fallen, who stands in the middle of the Divine and the Chaotic. Most of you tend to be bipr anyway. The Eighth Form just enhances that tendency and makes you more prone to betrayal.

    "The point of these mental forms is meant to affect not just your sword but your daily lives. In turn, you will find your actions to be more sporadic. Ideas you never thought possible will pop into your head, one after the other, tendencies you either revolt against or don''t will w at your Soul until it is ck."

    Altair listened to Iliana''s droning and, for the first time, allowed the knowledge of the Ninth Form to pool into his mind like thick hot tar. His body began to warm, but through his eyes, a dystopian hellscape of Scarlet and ck weed him.

    The oceans that once stood before him glistered with crystal clear waters cut across his flesh like knives, sshing his eyes and face with blood. And yet the pain did note, as he felt the blood on his cheeks begin to bubble and pop, slowly beginning to lose its structural integrity. Altair felt himself melt.

    It was only then that the pain came like an endless avnche at his Soul, peeling bits and pieces of his mind, stripping him of the memories that made him Altair. Cracks fractured his dystopian Hell as he returned with an unbearable cry that tore at his windpipe until his blood vessels ruptured.

    Altair instantly turned bloodshot asrge globs of blood streamed from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears.

    ''Ahh~'' Iliana moaned, leaning onto her cheek. ''I remember my first time too. Shit always hurt." she smiled. "But once it ends¡­ Utter euphoria. Waves and Waves of pure bliss that''lle at you until it''s all you can think about." She turned to Ren, watching as one eye bled ck tears while the other was so pure they shattered into shards of light the moment they touched the sand or cloths.

    Iliana stood up, stretching her weary body. "I could use a drink. I wonder if the bar is open this time of day?" she winced and nced back down at the kids. "I really shouldn''t leave¡­ but¡­ hmmm. Oh, whatever. One or ten drinks won''t kill them, right?

    And Altair has his shadows." Convincing herself, Iliana left with an irresponsible giggle. Unbothered by the turmoil facing her disciple and student.

    When the moon had reached its zenith over the endless skies and the writhing torment had ended, Altair stared up at the pale moon alongside Ren. His throat was raw, with the taste of fresh blood. But he didn''t mind. He felt no pain, much less any difort. Rather, he was in awe at the glimmering moon and stars epassing the endless skies.

    [Ninth Form, Aeron proficiency has increased by 40%]

    Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 80%

    [Soul of the Indomitable proficiency has evolved.]

    Grade: F ¡ú E

    Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 34%

    "It''s beautiful," Ren whispered,

    Through his eyes for less than a second, the moon zed like the mes of a burning world, bringing a smile onto his face. " yes¡­ quite." he rasped.

    Ren turned to him, giggling. "I like that voice¡­ it sounds so deep." she wiggled close to her prince andid her head over his chest, staring up at the endless wonders, to the neverending stars of order and chaos converging into a symphony of light, shing against one another.

    "... Madness isn''t so bad."

    Unsure who it was who said those words, Altair and Ren couldn''t help but find themselves in agreement, locked in each other''s embrace.

    The world seemed so much more colorful, with a new edge his mind couldn''t grasp.

    The next day, when dawn broke, neither Altair nor Raina had moved. Together, they watched the sun rise into the heavens and fall over the horizon, vanishing until the following day when the stars epassed the skies once more.

    "What are you two doing?" Came an effeminate voice, hard like steel and filled with venom.

    For a moment, the two didn''t answer. It wasn''t until Ren lifted her head towards the voice that her gaze became like a sliver of ice and loathing, intertwining into a vicious tempest of purgatory.

    Altair touched her waist, sensing her intent of deletable malice; he spoke up, "Easy tiger. She''s a fellow soldier," he whispered across the rear, sending pangs jittering through her stomach. He turned to the soldier, shivering on her knees the moment she met with Rens''s gaze. Piss was already streaming from between her legs from the Nephilim Presence that struck like a battering ram to her chest.

    Aurora trembled¡­ her golden hair fluttering in the wild as death loomed when her gaze met with the Princes. As if a de slit her throat, Aurora Alberia quivered and felt her scream catch itself in the back of her throat.

    ''Please¡­'' she tried to say, but the words failed to echo as the one in the raven-colored mask stood up, holding the one that bore a white mask with such affection; Aurora felt some inkling of hope. Hope that he wasn''t a true monster.

    "Where is she Vadi!" A lion-like roar caught the air. "Split up!"

    "Ah~ The fiancee." Ren connected, hearing Logan in the distance. "So he ended up betraying you."

    Aurora nced back, clenching her teeth, as tears began to run from her cheeks. She had known Vadi all her life. He was her first love, her first kiss, and her first time. She had given everything to him. And yet¡­ with one call in the dead of night, everything came crashing down on her head when she saw Logan gripping his cock. Twirling it round and round as heughed.

    ''Vadi want to watch me fuck her till she screams my name?'' Logan had asked

    She ran¡­ And ran, and ran, tumbling through trees and sand, feeling him on her trail.

    "Please¡­" Aurora shouted, finding the words returning to her with a burst of courage, but her voice was still wet with the sting of betrayal. "Help me."

    "There you are!" Logan bellowed, rushing out from behind the bushes. Half naked, gripping his cock as though it were ance. "Bitch you really are a feisty one." Heughed, inching closer when his eyended on Ren. And despite her being fully clothed in baggy shorts and shirt. He recognized beauty almost immediately. "Two for one!" Heughed.

    Altair didn''t even look at Logan as his gaze fell onto Aurora. "Can you be useful?" he asked her, noticing the cuts and bruises she gained from running.

    "I am a powerful mage!" Aurora said.

    "You don''t seem like it." Ren pointed out, narrowing her gaze. "Wet with piss, and now shamelessly begging for help. All I see is someone useless."

    "Hehe, that bitch ain''t casting shit. Not with this!" Logan said, approaching with a small ck cube in his hand.

    "An anti-magic field," Altair muttered, finding a smile. He stared Aurora down. "The price of my aides with a price. A dare one."

    "I don''t care! Kill me if you want. Just don''t give me to that pig!" Aurora screamed, clenching her fist, as loathing filled her eyes towards Logan.

    "I like ''em¡ª"

    "Talia¡­"

    From his shadow, she emerged, skin a pale grey, wielding yellowish-red eyes flickering with scarlet arcs.

    "Kill him."

    At hismand, a blinding arc of infernal lightning tore through the air, shing through Logan in a hot sh. Suddenly, as he continued his approaching steps, therge, brawny man saw the world turn upside down as the top half of his body came crashing down alongside guts and entrails.

    Logan died a gruesome death without even an inkling of his death.

    Altair pulled his mask from his face, revealing his devilish expression, tainted with a half smile. He drew close towards the trembling woman¡­

    "A deal is a deal," he informed, inches from her face, cupping her tender chin. "From today onwards, you belong to me." He said, slowly making his way towards her neck.

    Aurora shuddered when shards of ice suddenly sank deep into her flesh. Her breath catches as a sweet, delectable numbness, followed by a sensual moan, fluttering through the winds.

    ''What~ Are~ you~hmm~" She quivered as the numbness turned to coldness, and yet she could not resist, could not help but feel the tantalizing pleasure dripping from between her legs.

    And slowly, darkness followed.

    "She''s dead¡­" Ren softly conveyed, watching as her prince brutally gorged himself full until everyst drop was gone. Only then did her prince stand back up, gasping for air. His two scarlet eyes were like two blood-stained moons glistering within the darkness.

    "Lovely." he mused, licking his lips. "Completely different from Goblin blood." He turned to Ren, salivating, hungry for more. And Ren stood there, filled with anticipation. She didn''t want him to ask¡­ she wanted him to take her. To force his fangs down into her neck like he didst time. Damned if she wanted it or not.

    Calmly, Altair turned to Aurora and opened his palm, allowing his mana to reach into the void, to where her Soul fled.

    "You will forever be mine. Wee to the Family."

 Chapter 98: Brand of the Incubus I

    Thoroughly cleaning the coast with Rens Blood mes, ensuring the ashes of their victims were swept away with the coastal waves. Altair and Ren left the scene, not bothering to look for Vadi, who had long since run off. Too ashamed to face the aftermath of what Logan would do to his fiancee.

    That night, as Vadi returned to his barracks, tears blurred his misty eyes, and a mournful cry tore at his throat, imagining every which way in which Logan had her in as she begged him to stop.

    Would she like it? Would she leave him? Is she even alive? Vadi wondered as his face paled and his throat grew dry.

    "Gods! What have I done?" He wailed, tugging at his hair till blood streamed down his face. "I''m sorry¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I''m¡­so¡­so¡­ sorry"

    ***

    "Hey, Ren." Altair suddenly stared up at the girl who had mounted him with practiced precision the moment he fell onto his bed. "Do you like being on top?"

    "Huh?"

    "Well¡­ I noticed you likeying on top of me. Sooo. I''m just curious."

    "I guess I do." Said Ren, narrowing her misty red eyes. She brushed her hair back without her mask and leaned down onto her prince with intent in her sensuous gaze, without a hint of a blemish. "Do you not like it?" she asked fervently.

    Altair''s breath caught itself in his throat as the scent of lc andvender she had used to cleanse herself traced his nose.

    "Last time, you held me down and pressed your lips against mine. Dug your fangs into my neck, and¡ª" Her breath caught as the heat of his Warhammer rose, pressing hard against her most sensitive area. She shuddered. "You ran your finger over me like you owned me. Touched my hm~ breast and ah~ what did you do?"

    Hot, as if caught in a furnace, Altair reyed those events. "I ran my fingers down your waist, touched your~" he stopped, too embarrassed to continue. He wanted to cringe but instead shuddered, feeling a wetness brushing across his lower half. He gulped and stared up at Ren, looking down with fever. The very fever he looked at her that day.

    "Do you want to continue?" she whispered softly, unsure of when her hip swayed over his cock.

    The Prince gritted his teeth, constrained byyers of clothing. "Ren"

    "I don''t like it." She suddenly uttered before he could, her flush expression twisting to indignation. She bit her lip, nibbling at it until it bled. "You bit another before me. So Ren needs to punish you."

    Altair trailed his finger through her blood-red hair, brushing his lips over it, looking into her starry eyes. " And how do you n to punish me?"

    With a mischievous grin, Ren hopped off of him with a vibrantugh as she hopped into the shower, with only her pearlyughter to apany him.

    ''Son of a bitch'' he cried inside, ring down at the wet spot Ren left him. "Son of a bitch.''

    Soaked in sweat by her feverish touch, Altair grumbled, only to sigh, "Amilia''s notes about puberty called this¡­ blue balls, right? It''s not a pleasant feeling.'' He grimaced when his thoughts suddenly fell to his shadows. ''Talia could¡­'' he shook his head. ''Ren would go utterly mad. Plus¡­ she''s one of my shadows. That''s weird, right?''

    Unsure how his thoughts began to spiral out of control, hemanded his shadows to appear and protect before he fell unconscious as he viewed Aurora''s story.

    Aurora Alberia was the only daughter and child of Viscount Tilvan Alberia. Born of luxury, Aurora did not want nor crave anything. She was loved despite the death of her mother, Luvia, during childbirth. Talvan doted on her every whim. Going as far as to allow her to marry a boy of a lower noble ranking.

    Tilvan believed in his daughter, knowing she had not just the talent but the intelligence to elevate her status with enough time. She was a mentalist. A powerful one that could read just about anyone. Everyone except Vadi.

    The question of why she fell for him made her mind swell. Vadi was the only person she couldn''t read or perhaps anticipate his aim or goal. He was a spineless craven who, at times, showed such bravery that it made her question her ability. Everything he did was mysterious to her. And in the time they spent together¡­ he made her smile andugh.

    Watching it all y through, Altair''s eyes snapped open, bored. "What a boring story¡­ Puppy love." he scuffed. "What a waste of potential and ambition. But I''ll fix that."

    ''Arise''

    [Fallen Necormancy Proficiency has increased by 0.5 %]

    Proficiency: 0.2% ¡ú 1.2%

    [Foresight (F) Acquired]

    Space shuddered as Aurora appeared from his shadow, possessing the same pale grey skin as his other shadows. Her lifeless eyes suddenly shone with color as she returned to herself.

    "Master¡­" Aurora said, falling to one knee. "I am yours to¡ª"

    "Look at me." Altairmanded her. And when she looked up, his palm cut across her cheek.

    *POP!

    "You deserve better. And you knew it. Why the hell did you look down on yourself so much? Hells. How you fell for that spineless shit is beyond a mystery. Honestly, had I not lived your life, I might have questioned your level of self-respect.

    Bloody hell. All the signs were there. He made youugh? That''s what gets you off?"

    "My Lord¡­" Talia interceded.

    Altair froze, catching himself, but he couldn''t understand it. Aurora truly loved that spindless worm. A beautiful fairy, whose mind was several times faster than most quantumputers, was stumped by a twerp. A bloody craven who made herugh.

    "I know, my Master¡­ I know," she said through tears, cupping her cheek, which stung deeper than any wound she had ever faced. "And I''m¡ª"

    "Don''t apologize." Altair fumed, feeling a fire rise within him. He shook his head. "Its¡­ It''s not your fault he betrayed you. I''m sorry for hitting you." Hemented, quite sure he was more emotional than normal, no doubt thanks to limating to Aurora''s soul. he was always more emotional when he devoured a soul."I''m not usually this emotional. It won''t happen again."

    Aurora shook her head, with globs of pearly tears streaming down her cheeks. She lifted her lips into a mournful smile. "No, my Master. You were right. I saw the signs. I saw them all.

    Father even warned me. And it cost me my life." She said, somehow finding it to warm her mournful grin. "But now I''ve got you, Master."

    ''And me!" Kirr childishly dered, jumping up and down like a child''s ball with a bright smile. "You got me, little sis! Kirr got your back! wacha~"

    ".. Hells. Kirr. Sometimes I wonder about you." Jorm muttered wearily, dragging him back into the shadows.

    Altairughed, having missed spending time with his shadows. Most of the time, they were silently training in what they called the Realm of Shadows, a world where all he absorbed resided.

    "Ummm, Master?" Aurora said."What will you have me do now?"

    "Ask for a transfer to my division."

    "And what about my skin color? I''m a pale grey."

    Altair thought for a moment. " For now, use the spell Camouge, and continue on as you always have."

    "And Vadi?"

    "That''s up to you." He told her, unwilling to control every aspect of his Shadow''s life. "I''ve no need for ves. But people. Make a decision and act on it as long as it doesn''t affect the work I give you. You''re free to do whatever you want."

    "Does that include me!" Talia joined.

    "It does, although you''re supposed to be dead¡­ Hmmm. Actually. Acheon changed your appearance before you died, didn''t he? So Olivia won''t recognize you." He was reminded, pping himself on the head, wondering where all his intelligence went. "And here I was about to mind fuck her. You do it, Talia."

    "You mean that?" Talia asked, beaming with the brightest of smiles.

    "Hmmm.'' he nodded. "I''ll speak to Iliana to get you, Kirr, and Jorm a position. Get your revenge. I don''t really care how you do it. She was already under the effect of the eye of sacrilege. Guess I''ll just cancel it."

    "Ehhh~ since when?" Talia yelped.

    "Since we first met. The moment I recognized her. I used schizophrenia on her." The boy revealed. "I was going to make her so mad she''d begin cutting herself. But you getting your revenge personally is best."

    A/N: Chapter 78 hinted at the activation of the Eye of Sacrilege

    Tackling her Master, Talia nted arge kiss on his cheek, brightlyughing. " Thank you, Master!" She giggled. "Thank you, Master!"

    "Oh~ Ren~See''s"

    ''Hells," The prince cursed. But before he could turn, Talia lunged at her, wrapping her arms around Ren.

    "And thank you, Princess. You''ve made Master so much more human."

    "Has she?" Altair popped his head up.

    Talia kissed her cheek, taking hold of Aurora. She pulled her out of the room, saying, "Can you show me that Camouge spell?"

    Wrapped in a wet towel, Ren giggled. "Let''s go to sleep, Art."

    ''... You''re not going to sleep like that, right?" Altair prayed somewhat wishful and fearful all at once. Unsure how much restraint he had.

    Ren gave him a smirk. "You''d like that, huh."

    ''..."

    ''Hehe. No. I was just curious what was going on.'' she teased, heading back into the showers with but a towel to hide her voluptuous figure. Leaving the boy once again with the blues.

    On his bed, Altair shook his head. "I both love my life and hate it. How is that possible? Bloody Hell. My dick hurts." He sat up before growing serious. "Tomorrow¡­ days like these will be rare.

    But it''s been oddly enjoyable. Such a shame this little vacation muste to an end."

 Chapter 99: Brand of the Incubus II

    "It''s you! The bastard defiling my daughter!" Came the deafening cries of Leto, tearing Altair off his feet by the throat as he awoke once more within the Second Layer of Hell, Irka. His soul pulled from his body before he knew what happened.

    Panic followed by dread came crashing into the Young Lord''s mind as he felt his windpipes closing and his feet kicking back and forth, scrambling to get himself free.

    "Lord Leto, please release my master''s spawn. Wrath is one of his divinities, you know. "Aynaet de Asmodeus reminded Leto, grinning. She rose from her throne. The very one Altair once saw his Father upon.

    "He defiled my daughter!"

    "The boy is a virgin," Aynaet assured him, giggling to herself. "I can literally smell it on him. Now, release him. You''ve more to lose than your daughter''s virginity if Altair is harmed."

    Leto sneered. "You know you devils don''t scare me." He said but still released the boy. "I''ve fought my share of Kings."

    "I''m sure you have," Aynaet said without impression. "But don''t you have anything else to do, Duke Leto?"

    "Don''t call me that." Leto snapped, grimacing at the title forced upon him to save his wife by Arsene when he was at his lowest. Hunted like a dog, Leto, gripping his wife, entered the Second Layer, gaining an audience with Arsene using Luna''s name. But that was all his rtionship with the Goddess of the Moon got him. If he wanted Er safe, he had to bend a knee.

    And so he fell upon his knees towards the Second Monarch and was made to bow.

    "Yes. Yes." Aynaet teased. "Give the Young Master some pictures of Er and go. We''ve got a border to secure."

    The Duke Leto grimaced but nevertheless shifted his gaze back to Altair. His once furious expression was now of weariness.

    Altair found Duke Leto to be arge man with wolfish eyes with, short dark blue hair, over a toned figure, and a stubble beard filled with grays.

    "Kid¡­" Duke Leto muttered, opening his palm as a golden node of light flooded down into Altair''s palm, only to vanish. " Give this to Reina. And¡­ take care of her for me. OK?" He patted his shoulder, taking his leave, seemingly aging a few decades.

    "What is going on?" Altair finally asked, clenching his fist. "And what''s happening with Ren''s dad¡­ he looks¨C"

    "Depressed? Well, hell tends to do that to people. Ancients are quite a peaceful race despite their powerful physiques. They hate mindless killing. And that''s all Leto has been doing since he gained his title. But we need to secure our borders."

    "And who are you?" He finally asked, ring at the red-haired woman. "I thought my father hated redheads."

    "Goodness, no. It''s just this red hair keeps sucking him dry each morning and night." Aynaet licked her lips and crossed her legs. " thatmandment was to warn of what you''re getting into. That Nephilim is going to ride you until your cock is limp and your balls are shriveled."

    Altair gaped, so lost for words it broughtughter to Aynaet.

    "Young Master, my name is Aynaet de Asmodeus, the second to nine other Kings of Hell. And I am your Father''s servant, Knight, and concubine."

    "And you brought me here, why?" The young master questioned. He didn''t feelfortable here, beneath that throne of brimstone.

    "To aid you, of course." Aynaet rose. "You are the third Young Master, after all. And it''s my duty to see you survive. So I''m going to give you my blessing. Nothing special. But it''ll help when you need to manipte men or women."

    Suddenly, Altair felt a pair of arms mp down on his shoulder, sending a jolt of unease down his spine. He turned, finding Aynaet inches from his face, with a glow in her eyes.

    "Within the hells, there was once a creature so foul. It took the force of several angels to strike him down as he ran about amongst the humans, piging every manner of creature, Be it man, woman, child, dog, or cat. He ran them through birthing millions of progenies. So domineering this creature was when the Heavens learned of it.

    They came crashing down into the Hells and demanded the extermination of this subspecies. But in a single stroke, Lord Abbadon of Nexus felled these angels and hung their bodies for all of Heaven to see. Going as far as to gorge their eyes out so that his demons could skull fuck them while their families watched on."

    "...Hells." Muttered the Prince.

    "Yes. Quite a tail. Furious. The Seven Eternal Heavens took to the Council of Omnis, a court that dictates the Laws of the Myriad Heavens to band this particr subspecies from ever entering the material ne, iming mortals and most gods would be nothing but thralls before them.

    "In the end, it came down to the Mortal Fraction. I''m sure you can guess what happened. The Hells lost. Fearing the Power of the Incubus, they barred their entry. However¡­" And Aynaet grinned. "As a Knight of His Majesty the Second Monarch, and a King myself¡­ It''s well with my right to grant you there, Brand."

    Altair heart suddenly went cold as he tried to interject, but the words failed to sound.

    "The power of the Incubus is quite something. They are not powerful in a destructive sense. But there is no better devil at manipting someone''s lust than an Incubus. So have fun, my Prince, for when you wake. A new world will be awaiting you."

    She touched his brow, casting his vision into eternal darkness.

    ***

    Snapping his eyes open, Altair sprang up, covered in a thick sheen of sweat.

    [Fallen Moon Imperfection has attuned itself to the Brand of the Incubus]

    [Physical attributes will shift over time.]

    (^///^)

    [Compulsion Acquired]

    Grade: F

    Description: Command your will into the hearts of those of a weaker mind, and they shall bend to your eternal will.

    A/N: Charisma Check

    Feeling his body burning up, Altair grimaced, feeling his mind sway back and forth in a daze of discord at the sudden influx of knowledge regarding the intricate dynamics of his new skill. He groaned, staggering up from his bed, finding Ren locked in her alchemy practice.

    [Fallen Moon Imperfection has imbedded the Brand of the Incubus into its skill list]

    [Ding]

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance

    Effect 2: Brand of the Incubus (Partial Seal)

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed <span style="disy:none;">

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    Effect 10: Sealed

    Conjuring a bottle of water from the Draupnir Ring, Altair gobbled it down as though he had been starved for days before copsing, gasping for breath.

    [Ding]

    [Your Hunger Grows]

    When the confusion passed, leaving behind the sizzling desire to feed. To sink his fangs into the nearest sack of meat and gorged himself in a symphony of blood, Altairy sprawled over the ground.

    His will was still strong, having just recently fed, but he was beginning to notice a slight change.

    ''The need to feed is growing by the day.'' he thought, anxious about this new change. On one hand, he was infatuated with the euphoric taste. On the other, he didn''t like being a ve to sanguine hunger. It made him feel weak.

    Altair stood up and got dressed, throwing on a random shirt and trousers not wet with sweat, taking his leave, not wishing to bother Ren, lost in her craft. He moved through the halls to the outside, where the gust of Fall brushed across his scorching flesh.

    The winds felt cool against his skin, calming his boiling blood.

    "You there, soldier!" One of the soldiers on patrol shouted. "Curfew is a 2200 Hours. What are you doing outside? You heading to the Training Grounds?"

    Altair turned to him, and the soldier froze, somehow finding his heartbeat quicken. His footsteps paused, and his breath caught itself in his chest as he blushed.

    ''What¡­ the hell?'' The soldier thought, shaking his head, drawn in by the otherworldly charm and eyes that seemed to tug at his mind. ''Ain''t no way¡­ I''ve been married for nearly twenty years¡­''

    "You¡­ You can''t be out here." The man stuttered, fumbling over his words. "Leave, and I''ll forget you were ever here."

    Altair grinned. "Can you cut your wrist for me," he asked, with the throb of his pupils.

    Warrant officer Thelman Lowl, without forethought or warning, pulled hisbat knife from around his thigh and cut across his wrist without hesitation.

    "Eh? Why''d I¡­"

    "Shhhhh." The Prince whispered, with a finger to his lips; once more, the throb of his pupils came, calming Thelman. And from the Draupnir Ring came a cup, catching the blood. Altair looked back at him. "Can you forget I was ever here?"

    "Of course," Thalman said, and when he blinked, Altair was gone, leaving behind a pool of blood. "What the hell? How¡­what?"

    Watching the soldier fumbling about, Altair felt slivers of ice permeate his heart. "Hells¡­ Thats frightening. It''s like I''m able to direct my Presence. But rather than dominate and bring them to their knees. I can turn them into pawns, thralls for me to do as I please." he wryly chuckled. "No wonder these Incubus were banned.

    Makes me a little grateful that my Charisma is so high. No one canpel me like that. But the drain is crazy big."

    Altair twirled the blood in his stic cup before taking a sip. He shuddered, quenched by a euphoric nectar sliding down his throat, permeating his bones until he wanted to moan.

    [Ding]

    [Your Strength has increased by 1]

    o((>¦Ø< ))o

    Altair''s eyes expanded, watching the system notification. He gasped, suddenly taken when a realization came with the physique he had been granted.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon senses your gain in power andmends you.]

    [Divine Being, ''She who hunts'' is worried you might sumb to your baser instincts.]

    [Divine Being ''Piercing Owl'' suggests you learn to control your desire.]

    ( ?? ¦Ø ?? )y

    ''... is this emoji thing¡­ the system?'' Altair pondered and shook his head for now, deciding to push it to the back of his mind since there wasn''t a way to gain a real answer.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Second Circle 99.99%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: Young Prince Lv 25 [First Awakening]

    Strength: 28 ¡ú 29

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 47

    Wisdom: 49

    Charisma:49

    Mana: 23

    Compulsion [F]

    Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 12%

    Dark Moon de [D]

    Proficiency: 0.3% ¡ú 0.4

    Sword Limit: 7

    Enigmatic Step [E]

    Proficiency: 57%

    Eye of Sacrilege [C]

    Proficiency: 90% ¡ú 91%

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    Proficiency: 0.2% ¡ú1.2%

    Soul Storage: 31/45

    Foresight [F]

    Proficiency: 0%

    Grave of Night [D]

    Proficiency: .01% ¡ú .11%

    Hands of Nirvana [E]

    Proficiency:0% ¡ú 2%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    Proficiency: 4%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    Proficiency: 0.01%

    Infernal Lightning [D]

    Proficiency: 0.5%

    Rune Work [F]

    Proficiency: 27% ¡ú 37%

    Vale Maniption [F]

    Proficiency: 0%

    Mana Maniption [D]

    Proficiency: 93.99% ¡ú 94%

    Ninth Form, Aeron (F)

    Proficiency: 0.0% ¡ú 80%

    Soul of the Indomitable (E)

    Proficiency: 0.0% ¡ú 34%

    Superior Instincts [D]

    Proficiency: 93% ¡ú 95%

 Chapter 100: Duel Arena I

    Outside her door to her barracks, frozen in ce with a heavy heart, Aurora stood wearing a downcast expression.

    "What''s wrong?" Talia said from behind, peeping her head over her shoulders.

    "... I''m dead." She finally whispered as the meaning sank in. The thought still mystified her as her fingers now began to tremble. "This is my afterlife."

    "Or your second life," Talia uttered with a soft grin. "It is for me, Kirr and Jorm, whose lives were considered disposable. Ready to be tossed aside by people we shared blood with." She patted her on the shoulder, shaking her head. " And it''s not like you''re truly dead. You can still eat, talk, spit, pee, poo, and best thing ever, no more periods."

    "Seriously?"

    Talia happily nodded. "Yep. We aren''t humans anymore, so menstrual issues just up and vanished. Although, it is pretty fun to tease Master about it. Since he lived our lives, he always ends up blushing when we bring it up. He said after the first cramp, he ended up skipping that part of my memory."

    Aurora giggled. " Men¡­" She expressed smiling, gaining a bit more confidence. She opened the door to a few girls in deep discussion.

    "Gods, I swear the higher-ups are insane. They''re moving a literal ind for this sponsorship tournament. It should be here by today." Throa said, "I wish I had that kind of money."

    "Girl~ If I had that kind of money, I''d be so fat, they''d have to roll me around." Cina, a blue-haired girl, muttered, flopping onto the bed.

    "I''ve no idea how these rich bitches stay so skinny. It must be nanofibers or enhancements."

    "I know, right?" Throa whispered, pursing her lips. "What I would give to have the bodies like those bitches from Battlefield."

    "You seriously watch that boring ass sport? I see enough guys trying to kill each other every day. I¡ª Ah! Aurora, your back! You saw Vadi, didn''t you? Hehe, how was he?

    Did you cum this time around?"

    "We keep telling you forey is¡ª

    Feeling Talia''s smirk burrowing through the back of her head, Aurora''s expression burned. " Guys! This is Talia." She hurriedly said. "Talia, the girl with pink hair, is Throa, and the blue-haired one''s Cina."

    "Hello, I''m Talia." The Fallen Shadow kindly greeted, with an acute sense of mystery in her smoldering yellow eyes.

    "Tsk¡­ pretty girls always find themselves," Cina said. "We don''t have enough space for another pretty bitch! We''re full up!"

    Talia only grinned. She''d heard no actually ill intent. Not like when she was truly hideous.

    "Talia is here to help me collect my stuff," Aurora said. " I''m going to transfer¡ª"

    "A-A-Aroura¡­ you''re ok?"

    A shudder passed through the newly made shadow as she heard his voice, squeezing her heart. Aurora turned to the disheveled boy.

    "You''re okay. You''re really okay!" Vadi cried and whimpered in a breath of relief, charging, ready to fall into her embrace.

    "Barrior," Aurora chanted, swiping her finger through the air, conjuring the rune she needed. Suddenly, the mana fluttered, and from nothing came a hexagonal domain that repealed Vadi''s advancement.

    "Aurora," Vadi cried, clutching his bleeding nose as the force pushed him back an entire meter.

    "I''m sending my father the necessary documents to null our contract. Luckily, you were a fiancee." Aurora said, ncing at Talia, who nodded with a bright smile. She left towards her bunk, which was easy to spot with a picture of Vadi and Aurora at a theme park beside her pillow.

    "Y-Y-You can''t do that!" Vadi squealed as he tried to make himself seem big.

    "You tried to sell me. To have me be toyed with by someone." Aurora said calmly, betrayed by the trembling of her shoulders. "We are done. Done. I''ll be transferring departs, so we''ll never have to meet."

    "No¡­ NO!" Vadi cried, banging his fist over the barrier until his knuckles bled. "No, you can''t! I¡ª"

    Unwilling to hear more, Aurora''s fingers spun into the rune of force as she pointed, shooting an invisible beam from her fingertips.

    Magic Missile

    Propelled through the air by the powerful eruption of force that tore open his rib cage, Vadi crashed into the wall. And soon, he was still as the dead.

    "Let''s go!" Talia said. " I got everything."

    "Go~bad~bitch~go" Cina sang.

    ***

    "Pineapple! Woman, are you mad!" Altair howled.

    Matching his energy, Ren adamantly nodded. " Pineapple on pizza works!"

    "The hell it does! That''s the nastiest shit ever! Kirr, what do you think?"

    "Me?" The man-child pointed to himself, grinning. "I like pineapples. And I also like pizza."

    "Traitor!" the Prince pointed.

    "I''d actually agree with Master on this one. The two don''t mix." Jorm joined. "Although¡­ You two can just get the toppings split¡­"

    Realizing that was an option, Altair froze. "Hmmm. I forgot about that¡­"

    "And it''s bad for your health to eat pizza in the mornings, my Master. That much carbs might ruin your appetite for lunch."

    Altair rolled his eyes. "Ruin my appetite. "He sneered. "Please. That''s just another way of saying I''ll get full. I can eat an entire cow.

    And still have space for a pizza or pancakes."

    "Ooohhh! Let''s try pancakes!" Ren jumped up. "I''ve never got to try it. Jorm, you said it was sweet, right? Art, let''s try pancakes! We got so much money from Leonie, so let''s pig out!"

    A little excited, Altair took Ren by the arm and stormed out in a hurry, leaving behind Kirr and Jorm. The two exchanged nces, smiling before fading into dark nodes and returning to their Prince''s shadow.

    By the time Altair had made it to themissary blistering with off-duty soldiers, Ren had already polymorphed as he ran towards ''Daybreak,'' One of the few breakfast dinners avable, and blistering with people so much so that Altair saw arge line of people gathered around the receptionist.

    ''Noo~" Ren moaned, on top of her Prince''s head, pawing at his brows. "Art! Art, we''ve been betrayed." she cried out when her nose suddenly perked, and her eyes shed. She leaped off of Altair''s head, darting through the crowd to a masked maiden suddenly in a booth alone. "Teach!"

    "What fresh hell is this?" Iliana muttered. When she noticed Altair slide into the booth across from her, alongside Ren. "You two¡­"

    "Ah~Master!" Altair shamelessly greeted. "How have you been?" He singled out one of the waiters, who immediately noticed his charming physique. "Everything, please. Yes. Everything. We''ll pay in advance if that''s an issue.

    " And he turned back to Iliana. "How''ve you been."

    "You¡­ Shameless." Iliana muttered, lowering her fork over her omelet. "Aren''t you supposed to be training or something?"

    "Onest meal." Ren cheered. "So what''s up, Teach? What do you have in store for us today?"

    ''... Curse you, Tenebrae¡­'' Iliana thought but said. "Mana training¡­ Alongside a few spells since it''s important to learn how they all work. Even if it''s the basics, so I''ll teach you two Abyssal and give you a few spells."

    "What about a technique to increase my physical prowess." The Prince inquired.

    The Abyssal smirked beneath her mask. "Is that what you are after? Well, I could create one for you. But you need to impress me." she said, tapping her fingers against the desk. "I want you to challenge me to a fight after a few months of training. If you manage to make me smile, I''ll give you what you want."

    That made the prince frown. " That hardly seems fair."

    "You needn''t worry. I''ll match your attributes." Iliana promised, enjoying the glow of confidence filling her disciple''s eye. She smirked and turned to Ren. "Why are you still a pup? I already registered your name a day and a half ago."

    Ren nced at Altair, whose shadow seemed to carry a cold edge.

    "I¡ª"

    "Ensign, " Came a chilling voice.

    Altair lifted his gaze towards the stranger to a stunning woman with pink hair and red eyes. She was somewhat short, with a blood-red and ck great axe strapped on her back, bearing themander insignia on her chest.

    "Yes?" Altair calmly inquired.

    "Commander Hilda Strob," The woman greeted with a fiery gleam in her eyes. Behind her stood three officers, watching with faint smiles, waiting for him to rise and salute as so many others did. But the salute never came.

    Hilda''s lips tugged downwards, and she nced at the masked woman, bearing a regal aura. One that made her tense.

    "Do you not know about the chain ofmand?" Hilda said to Altair, frowning.

    "Quite. But I''ve been instructed to have as little interaction with you as possible. " Altair lied, ncing her way as if to measure her reaction. One that didn''t disappoint.

    Hilda''s jaw tensed, and her brow creased ever so slightly with anger. "And who gave you such amand?"

    "I did." Iliana calmly said. "Now, if you''ll be so kind as to leave my disciple alone. We were in the midst of a conversation."

    "Master¡­" Altair began, but Iliana merely slid her gaze to him, silencing him.

    "And who might you be?" One of the officers to Hilda''s rear barked, turning the restaurant to silence ruining the ambiance.

    "Art¡­ the food," Ren muttered, with priorities somewhat off track.

    "She is the newestmander and my Master." Altair introduced, wondering what she had nned. And why he sensed misfortune whispering his name on the horizon. He grew guarded.

    "Ah, Iliana¡­" Hilda hissed, recalling her name being mentioned in passing. But she heard Fat Mike wasn''t too happy about it. "A no-name officer that came out of nowhere. Where are you even from, and why are you wearing that mask?"

    "I don''t believe I owe you a response, do I? Now. I''m eating, so if you don''t have business, leave."

    "I do have business." Hilda fired back, snapping her eyes to Altair. "Did you kill Jor?"

    "Who?"

    The silence became whispers. Everyone had all but heard of the assassination of Jor Silman. It was the talk of the base since it happened nearly three days ago.

    "The Junior Lieutenant who attacked you¡ª"

    "That''s funny¡­ especially since the reports have your name as the prime suspect. I''m sure Inspector Lue will¡ª

    Erupting in abative presence, Hilda red down at Altair with a look that could kill.

    ''Another mindless one¡­ how boring.... though something feels off.,'' the Prince thought, unimpressed by her presence that felt like a gentle breeze. He sighed and said. " Woman¡­ fuck off. Get yourselfid or something. And leave me alone."

    Onlookers who appeared stiff from Hilda''s presence gasped, petrified, sensing her mana begin to leak. Slowly, the restaurant began to empty itself out.

    "I wonder if that''ll get our food faster,'' Ren prayed in a whisper that caught everyone''s ears.

    "That''ll be enough, " Iliana said with a chuckle. She slid her nce to Hilda. "If you''ve got an issue with Altair. Challenge him."

    "Eh?" Altair snapped his gaze at her, feeling his eyes widen.

    But Hilda all but sneered. "Me¡­ a Sixth Circle challenge, a First Circle boy barely twelve?"

    "Then send out a representative. But Altair is epting all challenges. And if he loses¡­ Well. you can have him." Iliana said, with smiling eyes. "I''m sure he''ll make a good pet."

    "I will do no such thing." Altair said, sneering. " not without a proper payment. Ten sols per battle, with a times ten multiplier per circle.

    "..."

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' roars withughter.]

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon''mends your bravery.]

    [Divine being, Piercing Owl'' ponders who''s shameless enough to challenge a twelve-year-old.]

    [Divine Being, ''Titan Falls,'' believes you are opening yourself up for conflict.]

    "Ren is never gonna eat, is she?"

 Chapter 101: Duel Arena II

    There was a distinctive silence within the restaurant that overflowed with blistering killing intent, with bystanders watching from outside. The staff huddled in the kitchen behind a set of double doors, listening.

    Hilda pocked her palms out of her pocket and stared grimly at Altair. "You expect me to believe that? You who have a target on his head would ept the challenge of anyone for a few coins?" She scuffed as if she would believe such a thing.

    Altair nced at his neurolink HUD at the time and sighed. "How long is the food going to take!" He shouted, sensing the fools in the kitchen all watching. "Hells. And as for you..." He turned to Hilda. " Believe me, don''t believe me. I don''t particrly care.

    But those are my terms. First Circles pay, 10, Second a 100, third 1000, fourth¡­ well, you can do basic math, right?"

    "A thousand¡­" One of the officers behind Hilda uttered. "You expect us to pay you a one thousand soul? For most, that''s more than a year''s pay!"

    "Not to mention¡­ it has nothing to do with winning or losing. You are literally pocketing money." Another officer griped.

    Altair shrugged, uncaring. "Not my problem. I personally think it''s fair. Especially since I''m a First Circle warrior." he smiled then, narrowing his devilish eyes toward the Tri Cicle officers. "Are you two perhaps scared? What''s a year''s pay for the likes of you?"

    "Bastard."

    "I''ll pay," A voice near the entrance of the restaurant said. There he stood, a middle-aged man wielding two circles within his heart. "You''re that''s what a hundred Sols, right?''

    [Ding]

    Name: Ron Thevel''mo

    ss: [Soilder Lv 25] [Duel Knight Lv 50]

    Race: Human(Horned Wyvern)

    Strength: 126

    Dexterity: 70

    Constitution: 76

    Wisdom: 20

    Charisma:14

    Mana: 20

    Skills: Split [F], Swordsmanship (F+), Mana Maniption [E], [Marksman[E], [Fire Resistance [F], Poison Resistance [E]

    "Hmmm," Altair hummed, smiling. "A Peak Second Circle."

    "Is that a problem?" Ron inquired, smoothing his goatee. "I''ve heard you got a 10,000 Sols bounty. So what are 100 sols?"

    "He''ll ept," Iliana said in his stead. "But only this fight. We have got a tournament to prepare for in theing week."

    "But not before we eat." Altair cheerfully added.

    "Are you sure, boy? You know lives are lost within the Dual Arena." Hilda said, careful to gauge his response, to see if he was truly willing to die for coin.

    "That''s fine." Altair calmly said. "Now, bring out the food!"

    "Aye, the food!" Ren added.

    "Bring it out! Hilda also roared.

    In the following moments, eggs, sausage, pancakes, omelets, burgers, and steaks all came rushing out, filling nearly two tables.

    And like savages, Hilda and Iliana watched with marveled at the two gluttons gorging themselves as if they had not touched food in weeks. Showing no form of etiquette, the two licked the tes clean.

    "What are these little things?" Ren shouted, gripping on potato wedges. "So garlicky! Ren wants to eat them all day!"

    "They''re called french fries. Basically, potato and corn starched. "Altair exined, stuffing an entire steak down his throat.

    "Hells. Did I just see someone deepthroat a steak?" Hilda muttered. She smiled calmly, watching with fascination as one after the other tes began to be emptied until a clean set of dishes was left.

    It wasn''t until Altair and Ren were done and their bellies full that they finally decided to leave after paying the bill of some fifty Sols, following Ron taking the elevator down to a cer. There, flooded by lights, stood a small arena cage, the ground stained red by a recent match.

    "When there is conflict in the squad, it''s not umon for the lieutenant ormander to order some of their squad mates to battle it out." Ron eagerly said.

    "Later, the Queen, due to the death of one of her knights, abolished this practice. Making it illegal." Hilda afirmed, narrowing her gaze towards Ron with a dark frown. "What is it doing here? And howe I didn''t know about it?"

    "You are only temporarily stationed here,mander," Ron said, making his way down to the arena. He nced back at her, smiling. "Just like the Admiral. In a few months, you''ll leave. And our unofficial custom will remain."

    ''He''s not your average soldier.'' Altair thought, following him into the arena alongside Ren.

    "Oh? You''re allowing your pet?" Ron noticed.

    Altair merely pointed to her cor, "She''s mine. Why can''t I use her." He said, conjuring a Dark Moon de for Ren and him. He looked on with a bored expression, still lethargic from his earlier meal.

    "Indeed. How foolish of me to ask." Ron mused with a dark chuckle, drawing a dagger from his tunic and unhooking a custom-designed ck steel Tech Pistol from his hip.

    "Based on your palm¡­ I thought you used a sword." The Prince said with falsity, with a throbbing motion of his pupils.

    "I do, but taking you out with this alone should be no issue," Ron confidently said, bringing a smile to the Prince''s lips.

    [Compulstion proficiency has increased by by 7%]

    Proficiency: 12% ¡ú 26%]

    ''His mana attribute is simr to mine, but I was still able topel him. That must mean¡­ Compulsion is based on raw charisma.'' Altair told himself, feeling nearly half his mana reserves wiped away in a single instance.

    "You two may begin whenever you feel like it," Ilianamented.

    The moment Ron heard this, bolts of azure light shrieked off the barrel of his tech pistol in a burst of fire. Projectiles barreled toward the Prince as he kicked off his feet, directed by his survival instincts, causing several shots to nick his shoulder and cheek. Altair kept pushing, resisting the urge to cast spells instantly like he was used to.

    His mana pulsed, and with the practiced motion of a seasoned mage, his fingers danced through the air, following the motion of memories he''d inherited from Aurora.

    Mold Earth

    Ron frowned, missing the spell circle that had shed faster than he could perceive. He fell into wonder for less than half a breath, and just as he decided to aim his Tech Pistal at Altair''s head, his footing fell off, as did his aim, causing several shots to miss.

    He panicked, looking down to see his body slowly being devoured by nearly a foot by the very ground in which he stood; dread suddenly caught hold of the soldier when he caught sight of bloody icicles formed above Ren''s head, lowering the temperature.

    Ron''s heart dropped. But despite his desire to move, he had no solid ground on which he could gain any friction. Nearly thirty feet around him had begun to fold into itself like quicksand, changed by the spell known as Mold Earth.

    "No!"

    ''Die, '' Ren thought,manding her blood shards forth.

    Blood instantly swept through her vision as seven ice shards dug several inches into his chest beforeing to a stop by his powerful constitution. Nevertheless, Ren had carved through several bones and organs.

    [Ron Thevel''mo has been corrupted by Blood Poisoning]

    "You were a mage¡­" Ron muttered, spewing globs of blood from his lips.

    "It''s over," Hilda muttered, frowning. She hated mages due to their versatility when it cameto the elements. Especially those that could control the earth to disrupt one''s movement.

    What do higher attributes matter if you can''t move or reach your target?

    Name: Ron Thevel''mo

    ss: [Soilder Lv 25] [Duel Knight Lv 50]

    Race: Human(Horned Wyvern)

    Strength: 126 ¡ú 75

    Dexterity: 70 ¡ú30

    Constitution: 76 ¡ú43

    Wisdom: 28 ¡ú15

    Charisma:14 ¡ú7

    Mana: 20

    Affected by Rens ice spears that tore into his chest, Altair cooly monitor the drop in his stats. Aurora had only eight spells under her belt: Barrier, Camouge, Magic Missle, Mold Earth, Ivy, Feather Fall, Fire Bolt, and Light.

    Three spells were for attacking, one defended, while the rest were for survivability, taught to her by Ser Esten Florell, a Sixth Circle Mage. Ensuring that all her spells could be cast within half a second if needed.

    "Even crippled, you are still a threat." Altair mused, a little threatened at his high strength. "But your defeat has taught me a valuable lesson of information. Looks like I need to study more spells." He said. "Why don''t we call it even?"

    "You-You-You won''t kill me?" Ron said, spewing out a mouthful of blood.

    "Kill you?" The little devil grinned. "Why''d I do that? That would onlynd me in trouble. No¡­ Just hand over my money. And we can call it even."

    [Ron Thevel''mo has transferred a hundred sols into your ount.]

    [832 Sols ¡ú 932 Sols]

    "Oh¡­ I almost forgot¡­ Do you know how to read lips?" The Prince kindly asked.

    "... I do¡­"

    "Then please take that gun and, jam the barrel in your mouth, and pull the trigger ten seconds after I leave, "The Prince kindly asked, mouthing the words with a familiar throb of his pupils.

    "I''ll see you soon then! Come see me at that location at 1300 hours." He soon said out loud, taking his leave with a somewhat pale face.

    Ron stood still, his ears growing wet with tears as themand whipped out at him like a dagger to the heart. Fully conscious of the words stabbing at his mind, Ron counted down

    10

    9

    8

    7

    "Art, I''m hungry again!" Ren childishly said, leaping onto her prince''s head.

    6

    "Do you have a tapeworm? How are you still hungry!"

    5

    "Well yed, Altair," Hilda said, unafraid to dish outpliments when it was deserved. "That was a perfect use of your spell. Though if he had known you were a mage, things might have ended differently."

    4

    Tears fumbled from Ron''s eyes as the countdown dug into his soul. "Don''t¡­ Don''t make¡­ Don''t make me do this¡­''" He cried, pissing himself, cocking his pistol upwards, eating the barrel of his gun.

    3

    2

    "Please"

    1

    "That''s a bit unexpected. I would¡ª"

    BANG~

    [Ron Thevel''mo Felled. Exp Gained]

    [EXP Surplus Detected]

    [Exp will be distributed to the Second ss]

 Chapter 102: Assassin I

    "..."

    "..."

    ( ?? ¦Ø ?? )y

    Inspector Lue was not pleased for once more: this boy, this child, was across from him, with the gall to smile.

    "Inspector¡­" Altair began.

    "Just stop. I don''t want to hear it," Lue said, slumping into his chair, tired. The week had just begun, and yet here he was again. "Death seems to follow you like nats on shit. Cameras were deactivated, yet everyone is iming the same thing after your illegal duel. Ron Thevel''mo ate his bullet.

    Is that your story, too?"

    "Well¡­ I''m afraid it is." Altair said with a wry smile. "That''s because it is true," he said.

    "Yes¡­ Which is why I''m surprised that Hilda¡­ your enemy is also backing your¡ª"

    "Enemy?" Altair interrupted. " Sure, we might not be on good terms, but don''t you think iming she''s an enemy is a bit on the extreme side?"

    Lue narrowed his eyes. "Let me finish," he said, lifting a new set of files. "And if that wasn''t enough. An officer, a young lordling, is missing. I''m sure you know him. Ensign Logan Drarc."

    Altair tilted his head, touching his chin. "I can''t say I do."

    "Need I remind you, Altair, You are under a truth field." Instspetor Lue pped the open file over the desk, and a small picture frame of Logan slid out. "So don''t¡ª"

    "Oh, this guy! I remember now. Yeah, that''s that idiot who was bullying some kid beside my quarters. Inspector¡­ Are you stalking me? I should really deactivate that camera beside my quarters."

    "Everyone who seems to attack you keeps dying or keeps going missing Altair. What the hell do you make of this? It''s suspicious."

    "It''s substantial at best and a coincidental at the most," Altair said with a recognizable teasing tone.

    "Altair¡­ did you kill Logan?"

    "Of course not. I''m not a killer¡­ OK, I am a killer, but I''ve not once ced my hands on that fool." Altair attested. "I swear to the Heavens."

    ''Master is going to hell,'' Jorm muttered.

    Kirr only giggled. " Master isn''t lying, though. He just gave the order."

    "THEN WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP DYING AROUND YOU!" Inspector Lue roared, losing what little patience he had left. ''All the evidence point¡­"

    ''Circumstantial evidence,'' Altair had to say, trying to hold back his smile. He was enjoying this, more so than he liked to admit. But Lue''s expression was simply too cute for him not to tease.

    Lue gritted his teeth. " It all points to you. You are the only man who would benefit from seeing these people dead. Seven Men mysteriously died in their dorms. Next was Jor, and now Logan is missing, and Ron ate a bullet. The bodies keep lining up around you."

    "A coincidence"

    "YOU SON OF¡ª"

    Kicking the door, Iliana sighed. "Let''s go, Altair. I''ve little patience for this shit. If you two want to interrogate my disciple, then find some conclusive evidence."

    "So there were two of you here. I knew I sensed someone." Altair grinned. He nced towards a dark corner and smirked before walking behind his Master.

    Iliana snorted with a tsk and left with her disciple.

    When they made it outside, Iliana looked at him. " You seem to have inherited theability to annoy people from your father. Did you have to antagonize that man?"

    "He was so cute. I had to." Altair chuckled, "Plus, I wanted to see how much they connected to me. That lue is good. Although, I had nothing to do with Jor. That said¡­ Hilda. She backed my story.

    "

    "Oh?!" Iliana''s brow lifted as her silvery hair fluttered. "Why?"

    "I thought she was ying stupid when she imed I killed Jor¡­ but what if she really believes that?" Altair said aloud, scanning his surroundings. "I''m beginning to think she wasn''t the one who killed Jor. Rather, it was someone else¡­ some within the same rank or higher."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon can taste a scheme in the air.]

    "So do I," The Prince darkly mused, smiling. "I think I''m going to have to investigate on my own. Of course, after we train."

    Iliana shrugged. "I don''t care. I only get involved when a god breaches the Shadow Promation." She said, bored, unsure why she was given such a monotonous assignment. "Whatever. Before we continue¡­ Let''s get you a movement technique."

    "Oh! You are going to teach me something. I thought you¡ª"

    "Your arm is bloodied." She pointed out to the sliver of blood over his white uniform, where Ron grazed. "Had you had a movement technique, you wouldn''t have been shot." She rubbed her temple, thinking of a way to formte her words.

    "... Is this your first time teaching?" Altair inquired.

    "I''m used to killing¡­ to destroying. Not this." Iliana admitted with a bitter sigh."Anyway, do you know what movement techniques are?"

    "Techniques that are used to help you escape or dodge attacks."

    "Wrong." She said. " they are techniques to maximize the body''s full capabilities. Right now, you are only able to maximize ten percent of your full speed. And that''s by running at full speed in a straight line. Movement Techniques ensures you use 100% of your dexterity and then boost it based on mana output.

    When you learn swordsmanship, you synchronize the full output of Str, Dex, Wis, and Con into a single point of versatility. That''s what makes your sword dangerous. And why you canbat people who are usually stronger than you."

    Realizing more of hisbat prowess, the young Lord shed Iliana a bright smile. "Master, you''re not so bad at teaching."

    "And as long as you are not good at dying, then we should have no issue. Your father was like a cockroach. I hope the same thing of you."

    "Was that apliment?"

    "Hmmm~"

    "Is Master warming up to me?" the Prince teased.

    "Enough, Go get Ren. She''s been cooped up in her alchemy for too long. She needs training." Ilianamanded, walking away. "I''ll be on the beach."

    "No need for that¡­ I''ll have Talia do it," Altair said, jogging after her.

    Marching past the wall into the dense bushes of the nearby jungle to a secluded area, Altair began to frown the longer he followed after his Master. The sounds of mosquitoes and cicadas had died, along with the rustle of the winds. Even the sounds of his footsteps seem to echo silence.

    "Enough¡­" The Prince shouted, sending an emergency message to Talia. " Show yourself."

    Slowly, from the nearby trees ten meters away, Altair saw two men step out, draped in all ck with a bandit cloth around their nose and mouth as if to mask their appearance.

    "Could you not afford a real mask?" Altair inquired, wondering if they knew that facial recognition software existed.

    [Ding]

    [Name: Lee - Fifth Circle]

    [Name: Devos - Third Circle]

    Altair''s brow scrunched up at the sight of the Fifth Circle before him, and his gaze swayed towards the third circle.

    "Make it quick. I''ll handle the woman." Lee said, flickering towards Iliana in a blinding sh, cutting his sword towards her. But with a sudden wisk of light, they were both gone from Altair''s sight, leaving only the rustle of the winds in their absence.

    Devos silently red at Altair before vanishing in a series of mysterious steps. He was upon Altair in a blink of an eye, covering ten meters in less than half a breath, his de pierced forth.

    Unable to pivot off his feet in time, Altair''s body lost its source of heat as his instincts screamed, reacting before his mind could keep up with him.

    [Superior Instincts[D] Proficiency has Increased by 3%]

    Proficiency: 95 ¡ú100%

    Shadow Cage

    Infernal Bane

    Pausing the de touching his throat with the tendrils of darkness that sprang out from the misty void, Altair invoked a dueling chant, conjuring two des of Torment above the assassin''s head, and lept back all in a single breath.

    [Devos has been inflicted with Infernal Bane]

    [50% Reduction to all Stats]

    A storm of agonizing screams thundered from the assassin, tearing at the killer''s throat when a bow emerged in the Prince''s palm. Followed by several ming ck arrows that fired off in quick session.

    Eruptions shook the ground as Altair kicked off his feet in retreat. His finger danced in quick session,ying a rune trap before the dust settled. He nocked his Hunting Bow, sensing the assassin, along with the gruesome screams radiating from the torment inflicted by Infernal Bane.

    Altair sucked in a hoarse breath, unwilling to show his Shadows. He wasn''t sure if more assassins were around, and the element of surprise was key to survival, he told himself, gritting his teeth.

    ''Escaping isn''t an option. I''m sure this bastard is still faster." Altair thought, secretly conjuring his Grimore beneath his clothing alongside seven of his Dark Moon des.

    "BASTARD!!!" Devos roared, erupting in a tsunami of mana, as webs of smoldering ck veins marred his face from his tormented expression. Battered by injuries that scarred his flesh. A thin veil of dark mana sprang up from his pores, cloaking his body and weapon.

    ''Shit¡­ Is that an enhancement or a unique skill?'' The Prince asked himself.

    "Die!" Devos howled, shing at Altair. Awe filled the young Lord''s eyes as he witnessed the assassin''s sword ignore thews of space. Blood instantly whipped over the Prince, following the ripples of Almighty Resistance, absorbing as much power as it could. Altair staggered back and gritted his teeth as the pain shot into his mind. A bone-deep scar appeared over his chest.

    *Badum*Badum*Badum

    Blood lust filled the Eye of Sacrilege as Altair shot forward like an arrow toward Devos, bearing the pain with madness in his eyes. Separating his hunting bow into two scimitars. Seven Dark moon des shattered the sound barrier, arriving first in a gale of sword light.

    "SHIT~" Howled the assassin, pushed on the defensive in a single stroke. Shrieks of injuries fluttered his body in less than a heartbeat before the Prince arrived in his blind spot.

    Devos felt a chill race down his spine as he pivoted off his feet to dodge, parrying Altair''s seven moon des. However, just as he made it into the air with his movement technique, Devos felt his mind stilled with the nketing of Night as Altair''s sword shuddered with two arcs of pure darkness.

    Grave of Night, Second Stance: Severing Edge

    Sword light shrouded in a brilliance beyond the endless dawn severed the light as though it were tangible.

    By the time Devos could react, much less think, two halves of his body slipped from each other as Altair''s sword arced, vibrating to such a frequency it roared, peeling the bark off trees, withering the grass to dust. The sword light shrieked through the air, cutting the domain of silence like hot butter. Returning sound once more to the blood-stained beaches.

    [Devos Felled. Exp Gained]

    "I¡­ I know there are more of you out there." The Prince hissed, feeling his killing intent begin to scorch his skin. A fire bore itself in his heart as he grinned, ignoring the bone-chilling wound on his chest.

    And from the various trees and bushes, three third-circle warriors stepped out.

    Altair grimly chuckled, parted his legs, and lifted his scimitars into his next stance.

    Grave of Night, Third Stance: Devouring Night

 Chapter 103: Assassin II

    "In the beginning, when darkness reigned supreme before the birth of Heaven and Earth, wielding solitude as its onlypanion. It was through the will of the One that the Darkness gave birth to the Light(Mythia) and Moon(Luna)."

    Recalling the words of his Mother once upon a blue moon, Altair grimly stood before the three third-circle assassins without fear. Unsure what the emotion he felt at this moment. Anger? Despair? Joy? Mncholy?

    His chest was burning, but his heart was calm¡­ calm as the very Vale he graced.

    "Circle him and attack all at once!" One of the threemanded.

    The Seven Dark Moon des shuddered and hovered over the prince like a crown upon his head. While the eye of sacrilege shimmered, bleeding a deadly insight, blood trickled down the prince''s nose as all seven swords, alongside the two in each hand, synchronized with his mind.

    Altair pushed his perception out to ten meters, the limit it could reach, and drew a long breath he held firmly, unwilling to release it.

    He cycled his mana, and a sound so deafening crackled like a bolt of thunder. So horrid the sound it echoed on for miles to the ears of the Admiral as she whirled from her office towards therge window to see a boy bloodied and beaten, surrounded by seven swords that hovered above him.

    She watched, petrified by the sword energy that came like a gale over her base. She watched as Altair''s arms peeled away like a knife on fruit. Watched as the trees in the distance became like dust in the breeze. Watched as the Three-Circle Assassins became nothing more than a red mist.Watched as arcs of infernal lightning threaded each de¡­

    Vaiga Darkfire took it all in, staring as Altair''s sword became like a ck hole devouring the elements around him. Be it light or darkness, wind or heat, his sword devoured everything until whaty before him was a graveyard of death.

    "Hells!!!!!" She cried out only to see a scarlet blur race toward him, pausing as she screamed.

    "Art!!!"

    Altair, perceiving Ren''s existence, stopped, revealing the peeled flesh already reaching his pale white bones, barely tethering any sort of tissue.

    Aghast, Ren charged at him, catching his limped body as he copsed in her arms. She wasted no time, conjuring various refined balms from her ring, and began applying first aid.

    ''Red Hair,'' Vaiga calmly thought and nced at Iliana, observing them with a bloody head in her hand.

    "Yun Da-Eun, " Vaiga lightly called to her assistant. "Put the base on lockdown. And prepare the medical ward for Altair." She stared up in the distance to the various lords,dies, and paparazzi, wishing to see Altair circling her base a hundred leagues away. "Oh¡­ And tell those insects they have ten minutes to vacate, or they''ll be wiped out. That includes the imperial family."

    Yun Da-Eun, listening through herlink, shuddered, hearing the edge in the admiral''s voice, and hurried to ry hermand. In a matter of seconds, hundreds of fighter jets, drones, and ships left the base, pointing their weapons at the onlookers.

    ***

    With a crossed expression, Amilia Throne snarled. "Woman, I don''t know who you are, but Altair is¡ª"

    "Let her do her thing." Iliana calmly interceded on Rens''s behalf, hanging back with a thin vale smile. Carefully observing Ren casually, refining various balms and potions for her broken prince. "He should have some extensive nerve damage, and every artery should be damaged, alongside his meridians that ruptured from over-taxing himself."

    "We know this¡­" Amilia fired back, ring furiously at Ren and then her Commander hatefully. She was the doctor here. "But why are you letting this little girl work on¡ª"

    "I trust her more than you." Iliana calmly mused, pointing to a half-empty vial that Ren created. "Most of those concoctions were made with Altair blood as a baseponent. So the effects are double, maybe tripled. That girl is literally rebuilding his body from scratch.

    Cellr Reconstruction

    Origin Bone Mending

    Blood Cycling Balm

    Blood Regen Pill

    Lesser Yang Balm

    Lesser Yin Balm

    Lesser Yin and Yang Pill

    Cycling through all the various concoctions she created during the past few weeks in case of an emergency. Reina wasted no time drowning her prince in a cocktail of medical herbs and balms, returning him to his former glory in a mere hour and a half.

    ***

    "So it failed, huh." a youthful voice said.

    Captain Cedric Vandel stoically nodded before the hologram on his knee. " Yes¡­ it would seem like the boy had a guardian, a newmander, Vaiga, appointed a few days ago. "He said calmly. "She killed our Fifth Circle in a single stroke¡­ it was so quick I didn''t even see when she drew her sword. Much less reach for it."

    "That''s troubling¡­ "The youthful voice said. "Hmmm. There is sure to be an investigation. Are your hands clean?"

    "Yes, mdy. I''ve already found a scapegoat: Hilda Strobs. In a few week''s time, I''ll release new evidence that''ll implicate her for the death of Jor Silmar."

    "Interesting¡­ then see it through. With the Heir to the Strob family buried and dead¡­ we might be able to recover some property. I''ll see to the shorting of their stocks and so on. Just keep up your end."

    "Yes, mdy," Cedric said, lowering his head.

    ***

    It wasn''t until the dead of twilight that Altiar stirred within the medical ward, opening his eyes, groggy and weak, with an unbearable thirst in the back of his throat, did he wake.

    "What a horrible way to wake up." He told himself, feeling a slight pressure on his chest. Altair nced down, smiling at the teary-eyed Nephilim ring up at him. "Oh, Evening¡­"

    "Big Dummy¡­" Ren muttered, pursing her lips angrily. "How could¡­ You¡­ almost¡­"

    Brewing a shelter of tears in the corner of her eye, Altair patted her head, unable to understand why his heart felt so warm. "Did you heal me?" he asked, feeling utterly anew as if all the damage he inflicted on himself was gone.

    [Ding]

    [Upgrade Avable]

    [Superior Instincts can beEvolve past its Silver Tier]

    "Tier? Skills have Tiers?" he muttered when he felt Ren''s burning eye upon him. ''Sorry¡­ My system¡ª"

    "Hmph¡­ You''re more worried about your system than me! Bully!"

    (¤Å£þ 3£þ)¤Å

    "¡­" Just about determining it was the system sending all these emojis, Altair hesitantly began to test his theory.

    "System¡­ Do Skills have Tier!"

    (? ??_??)?

    [Ding]

    [Updating Admin Rights]

    [Update Complete]

    [Superior Instincts (D)]

    Tier: Silver

    Description: A hidden sense developed by the user to help sense what is within the Preconscious Mind.

    [Do you wish to upgrade Superior Instincts to Gold Tier?]

    "Yes¡­"

    [Ding]

    [Requirements]

    -Tier Four Core

    - Two Mana Circles

    "I knew my luck wasn''t that good." The boy mused, grinning. " I wonder if I can buy such a thing either on base or on the web. I hope it''s cheap¡­ I''m broke."

    "A~L~T~A~I~R," Ren spelled out, ring inches from the boy''s face. She shoved him back down on the bed and pressed her fist to her waist. "Rest¡­ And let me run a few scans."

    Going with the flow, Altair merely grinned, allowing Ren to do as she pleased, enjoying her worried look. She nodded soon after. "Your Mana roots are still raw but should return to normal in a few more hours, or¡ª"

    "After a good meal," The boy finished, as his right eye shed red, billowing with an air of regality.

    Ren rolled her eyes and snagged a blood bag from her ring before tossing it to him. "Eat up. Oh, and Teach said that toe to the beach when you wake. Seems it''s time for us to build our second circle."

    "Finally!" Altair yelped, cutting the blood bag open with his nail before pouring its contents into a ss cup. He looked up, sensing Ren''s peculiar stare, and exined. "I''m not a lowly animal that can''t use proper utensils. I''ve never been one to drink from a milk carton, so this is the next best thing.''

    "What''s a milk carton?"

    "..."

    "..."

    o((>¦Ø< ))o

    ***

    On the beach overlooking the ebbing flow of the waters against the shores, Iliana stood, looking towards the armed battalion, to the wreckage of ships sinking into the endless seas. To the survivors being fired on by Admirals Darkfire''s fleet without a hint of remorse. Blood pooled endlessly through the seawater, staining it red, leaving nothing behind but the cold bodies to be devoured by the seas.

    "Gods¡­ I can''t wait to return to the Abyss. I miss those days." Iliana moaned, nibbling at her lips, reminiscent of the days within the Primal Chaos that was the Abyss, to the Citadel of endless emerald skies and lusciousnds that expanded endlessly over the horizon into cascading seas."Everything in the myriads is so flimsy, so weak. And Gods, I miss the Queen.

    It''s been so long since I contacted her¡­ I wonder if she is as bored as I am?"

    "Master, are you really that strong?"

    Iliana nced at her masked disciple, perhaps the only decent thing she''d seen in a while. "You''ve no idea. "She replied, smiling. "The Realm of Godhood is like most other beginnings, but the level of power onemands is so untethered it takes those at the highest peak to bring about order and chaos for there to be bnce."

    "So even amongst the gods¡­ Such rules follow them."

    "It''s because they are gods. They allow suchws to rule them." Iliana informed him. "All of life can be defined into two categories: Order and Chaos. And don''t confuse these with Good and Evil. There is no such thing.

    "What do you mean?" asked Ren.

    "On the side of Order, we have the Seraphim, the Angels of the Heavens, while on the side of Chaos, you got the Fallen Angels. They are the arbiters of what is right and wrong. Now. Let me ask you this: if you kill a man for harming Ren here. Are your actions justified?"

    "Yes."

    "But the Seraphim, the absolute lords of Order, say that all murder is wrong."

    "But isn''t it for the right reason? To protect someone?" The Prince protested.

    "Killing is Killing¡­ You can dress it up with fancy titles and call it self-defense or whatnot. But in the end, someone is dead. And that is a sin."

    "Don''t Seraphims kill then?" Altair asked, scrunching his brow. Disturbed by the contradiction.

    ''They y by different rules due to the nature of their existence, but yes. However, this isn''t about them but what they represent. Now, the Fallen Angels are a bit different. They thrive on chaos¡­ Lawful Chaos. A good example is a man doing everything right but is cast into hell for a minor infraction in life¡­ a white lie or something that''s considered sinful.

    The crime doesn''t really fit the sentence, but as the arbiters, they can do as they see fit when in bounds to theirws. Simr to a case of self-defense. "

    "So... they''re like politicians." The prince concluded. "Mother always said politics is all about who can lie best."

    "Indeed.'' Iliana giggled, impressed. " And within a nce, you can see the imperfection. Those are the most extreme examples. Not all angels or fallen fall into that category. But based on their affiliation, you can practically guess what they represent."

    Altair folded his arms."Then¡­ What''s my Alignment?"

    Iliana smirked beneath her mask. "You had seven people killed and forced a conscious man to kill himself. You are definitely on the chaotic side of things. Neutral Evil or perhaps Lawful Evil."

    "And father?"

    "He a destroyer. Evil incarnate¡­"

    "... What about you?"

    ''Me?" Iliana smiled and said with augh, " I''m a destroyer boy."

 Chapter 104: Second Class

    Under the moon, radiance, nketed by gentle winds of seawater, rustled against the faces of the children in the lotus position separated by nearly a meter and a half. They sat poised, with a set of peculiar ingredients circling around them.

    On his right and Left, Altair had two small vials of blood he''d taken from Ren and a greyish-ck hearthstone carved out from a tier three Shadowcat, known to prowl the northern sector of Korea.

    Meanwhile, Ren sat with two peculiar, different shades of feathers on each side of her. One was cruel ck that shimmered a sinful aura; the other a radiant white that resonated with Heaven and Earth, the sea, and all there was. Angelic Feathers they were. Plucked from the corpses of the Powers during one of Luna''s endless adventures throughout the Myriad Heavens, Iliana had assured her.

    And before her, like with Altair¡­ A small marble-shaped hearthstone of white and ck, torn out of the Silver Mane Unicorn. The once pure white hearthstone became tainted by mortal greed, gaining a red hue.

    "Calm or Chaotic," Iliana said in a hushed voice, seductive as if she were speaking to a lover. Her voice became enthralling, pulling at the children''s minds as they visibly began to calm themselves. "Channel your Mental Form. Channel it through your body and soul until it materializes. Feel the power of order and chaos, and embrace the madness. Let it permeate you in an endless wave of purpose.

    Yes, just like that.

    She stared at Ren, smiling at the throbbing pulse of good and evil, order and chaos beginning to whirl around her. And then to Altair, surrounded by an aura she''d not felt since her birth. Tainted by the Vale. Iliana visibly shuddered.

    ''Ah, there it is again.'' Iliana whispered, sensing her breath turn heavy And her loins hot as she grinned. "A few more Hell Cycles, and I''ll have you under my sword, boy¡­ So grow up strong¡­"

    Unaware of the burning battle intent directed towards him, Altair''s mind plunged into a realm of darkness in which light could not exist. The darkness pooled like a congealing mass, devouring all who entered.

    And as if he understood where he stood, Altair looked down at his translucent form, which he''d seen a few times when he saw his father and during his meeting with the King of Hell.

    "This is my¡­ soul." The Prince let out, taking it all in. "This is inside my soul?"

    "Caw~ It is the outer rim of it, known as the Astral Sea, or the Sea of Consciousness," Came a voice he''d not heard in a while, and to Altair''s surprise, his eyesnded on the Crow he''d met in the Vale. "CORN~ CORN~" It screeched, circling Altair beforending on his shoulder once more. The crow nudged the boy''s cheek, its three eyes filled with me. "Get me out of here~"

    The Prince tilted his head. "Get you out? I don''t even know how I got in here. Wait, how did you get inside my Astral Sea?"

    "The Lord of the Vale banished me¡­ I think. Or perhaps he didn''t even notice me." It said, pping its beady wings. "Corn!"

    "What''s with your obsession with corn?" Altair couldn''t help but ask.

    "I''m a Crow¡­ Maybe a Raven¡­ maybe both¡­ But we eat corn." It said, as a matter of fact.

    Altair grinned, gently nudging it with his finger, and looked at the pooling abyss that was his soul. "What happens if I dive deeper into my Astral Sea?"

    "You die, Caw~," It said, crackling. "You''ll be lost in thebyrinth of your mind, and without help, your physical body will starve and die. But it''s changing in here¡­ " the crow mentioned, scanning the void around him. "The Madness¡­ it''s bringing elements of the Vale to your soul."

    "That''s a good thing, right?" Altair hesitantly asked.

    The crow looked at him as though he were the biggest fool. "The Vale exists before the darkness, before the light, before the Seraphim, before time immoriate. Nay, it''s not a good thing. You''d go mad and die before even a point value of its power is given to you."

    "... That''s a little harsh. And what do you even mean? I can use Vale Maniption just fine. And nothing¡­

    "Ya What?"

    Altair frowned. "You taught me to manipte the Vale."

    "Inside the Vale," The Crow pointed out, its three eyes focussing on Altair. And a familiar chill simr to when Luna stripped him bare with her eyes coiled through the Prince. One he could neither brush off nor resist.

    He gulped.

    "CORN~" The crow suddenly shrieked. "Corn~ You got Corn~"

    The boy made a face, "... No. Look, how do I get out of here?"

    "Promise me you''ll summon me from your soul, and I''ll teach you." The Crow said, startling Altair, but he nodded nheless, not really liking the idea of a foreign creature inside his soul.

    ''I promise." The Prince assured him.

    "Promise me corn, too. "

    "..."

    "You got issues."

    "CORN~"

    "ok~Ok~ I promise I''ll get you corn." The Prince assured him, unsure why he felt like he was being scolded. Though he didn''t mind¡­

    Satisfied, the crow nodded. "Will it, and so it shall be. Just as you will the Vale, Will the Mind."

    ***

    In the hours that passed, Altair opened his eyes, filled with aura of the Vale within his pupils. A dense mana surrounded him, so pure nodes of pure azure mana glistened around him.

    [ss Advancement: Second ss Avability]

    Profane Knight

    Prince of Hell

    Sword King

    Blood Prince

    Lord Titles? The Prince saw, unsure what they meant. He knew most titles held a deeper meaning based on the attunement they sought to attach themselves to. And with his attachment to the Nine Hells cupped with his meetings with a Monarch and King of Hell. Altair wasn''t surprised to see his next ss rted to the Nines.

    Almost immediately, he marked off Profane Knight. What Prince would seek to lower himself to the station of knighthood? And then Sword King, sensing he didn''t need the system''s help to earn such a title. Who was he, if not a Master of the Sword already?

    [Prince of Hell]

    [Blood Prince]

    Altair stared at thest remaining option and smiled. "There isn''t really a choice is there."

    [DING]

    [Prince of Hell Selected]

    [Ding]

    [Error]

    [Error]

    [Prince of Hell ¡ú Prince of the Vale]

    [Authority Gained]

    [System Store Unlocked- Level 1 ess]

    [Circle of Gluttony F¡ú E]

    "Huh?" A throbbing ache caught the Prince''s chest as he felt his heart pause, and without cause, blood, vile as the Hells, gushed from his throat. Sizzling through the sand as though it were acid.

    [Prince of the Vale Lv 1]

    Attributes: [+2 Wis], [+2 Cha], [+2 Con] [+1 Dex] Per Level Up

    Description: He Who Is Born Of The Vale Shall Return To The Vale. He Who Seeks The Vale Shall Rule It., And He Who Wields the Vale Shall Rule The END.

    [Influx of Exp Detected]

    [DING]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    Suddenly, an influx of knowledge poured into the Prince''s mind, ruthlessly piercing his Astral Sea. He screamed, clutching his head, curling into a ball that trembled fiercely.

    Iliana watched, fascinated. She opened her palm, creating a wall of silence to block the sound from escaping. But the longer she observed her disciple, the more her brows began to crease at the horrid power beginning to cloak his flesh.

    Mana within the surrounding space began to be drawn in by the Prince as he roared, covered by the Mana of the Vale. For over a mile wide, Altair endlessly devoured the Mana, alerting the military to the strange change.

    [DING]

    [Sword of the Abyss (SSS)]

    Type: Abyssal Aura

    Effect 1: All proficiency increases by 2x.

    Effect 2: Sealed ¡ú Will of the Abyss

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    Description: Broken is the King, who stands before the Abyssal Night. Through Despair, the Sword of the Abyss shall appear.

    [Will of the Abyss]

    Passive: Transcend Limitations of the One across the Myriad Heavens. The Stronger the user''s conviction, the stronger he may transcend.

    Active: Creates a Domain fueled by the user''s Willpower/Charisma to plunge those of weaker wills into an Abyss of Despair.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[First Circle Complete], [Second Circle Complete], [Third Circle 0.001%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: [Young Prince Lv 25], [Prince of the Vale Lv 4]

    Strength: 29

    Dexterity: 30 ¡ú 34

    Constitution: 47 ¡ú 55

    Wisdom: 49 ¡ú 57

    Charisma:49 ¡ú 57

    Mana: 23 ¡ú 28

    Slowly, Altair''s cries began to subside, leaving tworge amethyst ck circles above his shoulders, aze with light.

    Iliana tilted her gaze to Reina, smiling as she stood surrounded by the bounds of the almighty and the corrupted. Behind her back rested two scarlet rings alongside a single raven-colored wing.

    Name: Reina Of The Moon

    Race: Nephilim [Semi Awakened]

    Circle: [First Circle Complete], [Second Circle Complete], [Third Circle 0.01%]

    ss: [Blood Knight Lv 2 ¡ú25] [Blood Nephilim Lv 1]

    Aura: Infernal Abyss

    Physique: Fallen Primordial

    Strength: 20 ¡ú 42

    Dexterity: 14 ¡ú30

    Constitution: 17 ¡ú 33

    Wisdom: 21¡ú 52

    Charisma: 21 ¡ú 52

    Mana: 19 ¡ú 25

    Blood Nephilim

    Attributes: [+2 Wis], [+2 Cha], [+1 Con] [+2 Str] Per Level Up

    Passive: [Curse of the Nephilim (S+)], [Alchemy (E¡úD)], [Mana Maniption (E¡úD)]

    Skills: [Polymorph (D)], [Infernal Rage(E)], [Ice Maniption (E¡úD), Fire Maniption (E¡úD) Blood Maniption (E¡úD), Celestial Nine Moon de(E¡úD), Eighth Form, Arctus [E]

    Infernal Abyss[SSS]

    Type: Infernal, Heaven

    Effect 1: Will of the Heaven and Hell

    Effect 2: Necrotic/Sacred me

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    When Ren opened her eyes, slowly awakened to the nature held within her blood, a ripple pulsated of her being, sending waves through the ocean around her.

    "Congrats," Iliana said to her, noticing glimmers of the seven virtues and sin held within her aura. "You awoke not just your aura but a physique."

    "Hmmm." Ren nodded, grinning. "Curse of the Nephilim limits my bloodline inheritance a bit too much. So it took longer for me to awaken these things, unlike Art¡­" she nced at him, sighing at his ability to faint. " Every time. Why does he keep doing this?"

    The Abyssal grinned. "You were able to keep up with Altair due to your pill-making, but there is a limit to how far such things can get you." she warmed, with a dull edge to her voice. "Luna should have ingrained a list of skills into your soul¡­ So why have you not practiced any?"

    Ren did not immediately answer, but neither did she deny any of it.

    "Are you perhaps¡­ so enamored with this boy? You don''t wish to see yourself surpass him?"

    Her lips curled down.

    "Yes¡­ That''s it, isn''t it?" Iliana sneered, sensing she''d hit the nail. "Pathetic. Altair almost died today. And where were you? Had you practiced your movement technique, you would have made it in time to stop his Third Stance."

    "I¡ª"

    "Save it. I don''t want to hear your excuses." Iliana snapped, creasing her brow. "Woman like you sicken me. What you are doing is nothing more than a betrayal to yourself and that boy. And for you not to see it is even worse. Grow up¡­ or you''ll fail everyone you love.

    This is my warning to you, Girl. From me and from your master."

 Chapter 105: Tourney I

    "Is he¡­ Is he not back yet?"

    "Sorrydies," Lieutenant Commander Amilia Thorne wryly said at the dozen young girls ring at her. "But ever since the new Commander appeared. Altair hasn''t been showing up. Although¡­" She smiled. "If you''re lucky, you might see himte at night training his sword beneath the moon."

    "Then is he joining the Tournament?" A young woman with long blond hair asked. She was of the rank of warrant officer and one of the first Altair ever treated within Amelia''s Medical Ward.

    "To my knowledge?" Amilia began giggling as the young woman before her ears began to perk. Their cheeks all but flushed by the news of revolving around the boy that bore the bearings of a lordling. " Altair will be appart of the¡ª"

    "Kyaaaaa~"

    Blown away by the screams of the young woman, Amilia scratched her head, unsure what to make of your former assistant poprity. Each day, it seemed to have been climbing in rank. Amilia found she had to exhibit presence merely to get to the hordes of a woman blocking the ward for a glimpse of their elusive Lord.

    She smiled, wondering if he ever did take a look at the information about puberty she sent him.

    "Now, Shoo,'' Clearing her ward before any more disturbances came, a spring ofughter caught the lieutenantmander''s ear.

    "He''s quite something! Isn''t he." Commander Sanders growled, beaming with a bright smile and a healthy glow. He nced at the time, counting the seconds till noon when lunch would arrive. "So where is he? I''ve not seen him since the assassination attempt."

    "Truthfully?" Amilia said, checking his vitals for any irregrities with the scanner. "I''ve no idea. He''s been MIA since that redhead cared for him."

    "And that bothers you?" The Commander noticed.

    "We are still in the same unit¡­ technically," Amilia muttered before injecting a cocktail of probiotics protein, steroids, and a few stimnts into his IV.

    "When is he leaving for Genesis?"

    "Three years," Amilia told him. "When he''s fifteen. By then, he should have met all the requirements needed to join the Royal Imperial Academy."

    "Do they already know about him?"

    "Probably," Amilia said. "I''m not too in the loop, but it''s highly likely. You know Scorpio came to see him a few weeks ago, right?"

    Sanders growled again. "I loathe those Corpo bastards. There nothing more than Mercenaries and Bantits."

    "But¡­ Altair needs them. Five years we have him. Three technically before he joins the Academy, where he''ll receive the best education within the Four Prime Worlds."

    Silent, Sanders looked up at the pale steel walls wearily, finding himself nearly wishing Babels Tower had never risen on Earth, wishing he''d so much as heard of the Four Prime Worlds.

    ***

    Greyish skies rumbled, shrieking within blood-red arcs of lighting unfolding through the skies, bringing about thunderous vibrations that sent a tingling sensation through the air. Slowly, flicks of water fell, and before long, a downpour.

    "Hurry it up!" Commander Borris barked, leading the recruits forward. "Move it! Hurry it up! Move it!"

    "SIR!" shouted the Recruits, blinded by the rain''s heavy downpour pping across their eyes.

    In the distance, on top of a lone tree, a young man with long ck hair that hung to his shoulders watched, asionally ncing up at them and then down to the book in his hand. Oddly enough, the rain did not seem to touch his body. Instead, ripples in space seemed to sway back and forth, creating an invisible domain around him.

    "What are you doing?" Reina inquired, dressed in the imperial forces'' navel uniform, from down below. "Are you making it rain again?"

    Altairughed. "I''m merely testing out my range," he said, having found that it was rather unnecessary to conjure the element of lightning directly from his body when he could do it from a distance.

    By manipting the Mana in the air to help create an artificial charge, he could generate lightning. However, the power was substantially smaller due to not requiring refined Mana, but what was found in any particr region.

    "It took a while¡­ But I managed to make it rain." Altair joked, hopping down. He hurried beneath Ren''s umbre. "I figured since I could pull Mana into my body¡­ I should be able to direct it outside my body. And guess what, it worked." he said, ignorant of how great a feat he''d performed.

    Ren pulled away, smirking, pointing the finger at him as she cradled her umbre. "You don''t get an umbre! Someone ate steaks yesterday and didn''t even bring me any leftovers¡­ I mean, you didn''t even invite me!"

    The Prince mischievously grinned. " Come on, Ren¡­ please¡­ I''m getting wet," he said, utterly dry due to his almighty resistance.

    ~(>_<.)£Ü

    ( ?? ¦Ø ?? )y

    "Shameless," Ren stomped, snorting, as she whirled to take her leave.

    "Well?" The Prince chuckled. "What made youe find me? You''ve been busy all this week. I barely get to see you now."

    Ren touched the hilt of the sword on her hip. " I need Ice," she said. "We had to leave it in the Serpents Outreach¡­ but I need it now. The sword you me gave has already cracked beneath the weight of my Mana."

    "... Dimensional Rift requires me to be Third Circle to fully use." Altair reminded her, noticing her downed expression. He inched closer, poking at her plump cheeks. "How about we buy you a decent weapon until then?"

    Intrigued by the idea, she nced at the teary-eyed recruits cursing the rain with all their hearts. "How much does a Tier Three Greatsword Cost?"

    "Let''s check the inte, and then we can check the system store," he said, ncing back to the running soldier. He snapped his finger. Suddenly a shriek of lightning struck the Earth in a blinding sh, inches from a few of the recruits, scaring the literal shit out of them.

    "FUCK"

    "DAMN IT!"

    "MOMMY"

    Altair snickered to himself while Ren giggled at her mischievous Prince before they returned to their quarters. Altair pulled out hisptop and opened his browser to one of the more popr websites that sold weapons based on Genesis or any of their colonies.

    "Satori Works?" Ren said.

    "Yep, they are known for their weapon''s durability, Mana Output, and sharp edges." He said, setting the filter for Ren to find.

    Slowly, a 3D diagram of a plethora of weapons came into focus as Altair''sptop began to transform, twisting into fragmented shards; it took the form of a long shaft.

    "What the¡­"

    Altair handed the girl the pole, watching as Ren''s ruby-red eyes suddenly expanded as she felt the unbelievable weight in her hand.

    "Immersive Weight. What you''re feeling is a textured mesh of how the sword feels. If you had a neurolink, you would have been able to enter the Metaverse to get the full picture of what you are buying."

    "Metaverse?" Asked Ren, tilting her head.

    Altair sighed. "I''ll pick you up a few books to help educate you on modern technology. Anyway. This sword is 230 Sols, part of their new GX series."

    "Hmmm. It''s a bit too light. And the bnce is a bit off for my height and weight." Ren said, still amazed.

    Slowly finding a de that fitted her height, weight, grip, and demanding techniques, Altair watched on as Ren swapped from sword to sword, enjoying the vibrant glow in her eyes to the sway of her curvy hips as she tried out various stances. He found himself ensnared.

    ''Enchantress,'' he told himself, shifting his gaze to her ample bosom and butt fitting every centimeter of her uniform. It seemed as though Ren would have difficulty maneuvering based on how tight her uniform was. And yet, the reality said otherwise. She was as fluid as water, able to flex her body as though she wore nothing.

    "Is 510 too much?" Ren inquired, shooting a nce at Altair, googling her like a juicy piece of meat for the taking.

    She grinned sheepishly, not minding the stare that brought butterflies to her stomach.

    Absent-minded, Altair shook his head no.

    " Hehe, Great¡­ buy now," Ren said, grinning.

    When he came too, his eyes widened."Wait, how much?" The Young Lord spat out, watching her tip-toe towards the door with an ever-present smile.

    "No takesy backsies!" The Young Nephifilim said, not daring to show her back to her Prince. She opened the door and suddenly felt something hard hit her. Ren tipped her head back to the hazelnut-skinned Vincent staring down at her.

    "Red hair? Is¡­ Is this her?" Lieutenant Vincent uttered, finding a conclusion of his own in a matter of seconds. "Not bad. Not bad at all." He offered her a hand. "Lieutenant Vincent Windell."

    "Ensign Reina," She greeted, shaking his arm with a firm grip.

    "A fine grip, youngdy, a fine grip indeed." Heughed, ncing at Altair. "A fine woman here. I hope you got the balls to wife her up."

    "You hardly know her. For all you know, she could be a rapist. Or a masked weirdo¡­ A peeping tom." Altair said.

    "Hey!"

    "She''s Mask, so either she is insanely pretty or disfigured. Her palm is raw¡­ recent use of a sword, perhaps. Then, there is that distinctive medical wisp to her. She''s a doctor or an alchemist. I''ll go with Alchemist based on how strong the smell is. Then there is the way she speaks to you¡­.

    That ''hey'' was ming but yful. She isn''t mad because she knows she can get you back, or you''ll make it up to her."

    "Damn¡­" Ren muttered.

    "... A little too spot on," Altair muttered, sensing he might have underestimated hismanding officer.

    Vincentughed. "It''s called a cold reading. Fat Mike demands allmanding officers have at least three hundred hours of practice before taking up the position." He exined. "It''s a useful trick. although¡­ it doesn''t work on people with multiple faces." He narrowed his eyes as if to measure a reaction, but one never came. "Anyway¡­ is your squadpeting."

    Altair nodded. " Are you asking if we will be joining you? Then yes¡ª"

    "Good shit!" Vincentughed with a flicker of hope. "With all the two missing recruits, we had no hope of victory."

    "Two?" Ren said.

    "Hmmm. Altair and Leonie, she''ll be joining you two beneath Commander Iliana. I thought we''d be facing Hilda''s wrath all alone. That bloody monster is strong."

    "Is she? What circle."

    "Sixth. She''s an up-ander. Joined the Imperial Forces nearly ten years ago."

    "How old is she?" Altair asked.

    "Forty-Seven¡­ though she looks eighteen still. Wait. Why are you so curious." Vincent inquired, folding his arms. "I hope you are not scheming. We''ve already eight people dead and one MIA. All of them revolve around you."

    With augh, Altair shook his head. "I''m an innocent man, Sir. I just wish to bury the hatchet with Commander Strob. Especially after my recent assassination attempt."

    Vincent''s folded arms tightened. "You think she¡ª"

    "No. I met her. And I''ve met the people she surrounds herself with." Altair said. "And¡­ I was hoping you''d set up a meeting for just the two of us."

    "Are you high?!"

 Chapter 106: Tourney II

    "Ahhh~ hm~"

    Within her living quarters, dark pink hair matted by watery sprawled over the bedding as tworge pink eyes stared up with the echoes of sharps gasps filling the room. Commander Hilda Strob shuddered, prated by a dull ache with a palm centered between her arced legs.

    She panted, gasped, and moaned for what seemed like hours before her body jerked, stiffening with the arc of her back.

    "Hells." She cried, breathing heavily, pulling her wet fingers from between her legs. "That¡­That was nice."

    "Commander!" A hardened voice echoed from her Comlink

    "Damn it!." For a few moments, Hilday there before she found the strength to stand up and approach her datapad mounted on the wall.

    "What is it?" She calmly asked. Fuming by the interruption.

    "Lieutenant Vincent Wendell is seeking a word with you."

    "Today is my off day, Weiss." Hilda grimaced with a bothersome expression.

    "I know¡­ But Vincent said that Altair wished to meet you. Said it''s about Jor."

    ''Was he nning to confess?'' Hilda wondered, frowning. She leaned her head against the wall and sighed. "Fine¡­ Set it up¡­ Send him to my quarters." She said, disconnecting. Hilda growled and begrudgingly got into uniform.

    Three minutester, a knock echoed at her door as she stared into the vanity of her quarters to ensure all was set.

    "It''s open."

    The doors to her chambers slid open, and the familiar smile of the devil weed her. "Commander Hilda, I''m so d you epted." The Young Lord said, with long jet-ck hair, it seemed to fold night itself. He stood neatly, his hair tied in a ponytail, fitted in his pristine white uniform. He stepped forward, making sure to close the door on the way in.

    "I''d hope you would have allowed this meeting in your chambers."

    Hilda''s small nose pursed at his meaning. "What is it? Are you here to confess to killing seven of my officers and Jor?"

    He chuckled. "Did I catch you stepping out of the shower? Your hair''s still wet."

    "Answer the question, boy," Hilda said outright. She was in no mood.

    "I will," Altair said, scanning her room devoid of habitation. He took a seat on a nearby chair beside her vanity and gave it a twirl before stopping. "It''s just¡­ I''m wondering. Did you send Jor to my room to retrieve my pup?" He asked, touching his chin. "It''s just when we met¡­ you barely even nced at my Ren."

    "Pup? The Cute Baby Wolf?" Hilda tilted her head, wondering why it was so important. She had mentioned his pup was cute in passing, but that was the full extent of her interaction on the matter. She had barely recalled it when Inspector Lue interrogated her.

    "She is cute, isn''t she," Altair said, moving along the conversation. "And do you like cute things?"

    "The Hell are you talking about? Boy, I''ve no¡ª"

    "By your flush," He said, cutting in with a teasing smile. "I''ll take that as a yes. And I suppose your fascination with cute things is not a big secret. From what I hear¡­" He paused as his smile deepened to such a degree that Hilda glimpsed a fang. "You once had a teddy bear the size of three men."

    "Y~Y~You! Where did you hear that!" Hilda squealed, her cheeks flushed like crisp apples. "I have no such thing! See! Look! Nothing." she pointed about her room, a little fidgety.

    Altair gasped, finding his white lie to be so t on the nose heughed. "Well¡­ Aren''t you kind of cute?" He said, recalling how hepelled a few people to spill some of Hilda''s most open secrets after his assassination.

    "I am not!" Hilda cried. "Bloodstain, Hilda! They call me! Tormentor of¡ª

    "Of Teddie Bears." he finished for her.

    Two plump cheeks puffed, and Altairughed. "Ok. Ok. Look. I only bring this up¡­ because it''s not really a secret. Some of the officers know you are a dog lover.

    Some of them even caught you scrolling through social media about dogs and such. Which brings me back to Jor¡­ If you didn''t order him to steal Ren, why was he there in my room?"

    "I¡­" she stopped herself, finding she had no answer. The thought hadn''t even crossed her mind, strangely enough.

    "Let''s put aside the death of the seven officers for a moment. Jor then attacked me and found himself jailed, to which he died soon after. Call me stupid, but how do you suppose I killed a Third Circle Junior Lieutenant without anymotion?"

    Again, Hilda found herself unable to respond right away. "If anything, you seem to be the killer."

    "I don''t kill fellow¡ª"

    Altair raised a palm, silencing her with his almost seamless control over the conversation. "I know. I know. You have a ster record. Perhaps a little scary to most recruits, but no one seemed to hate you or have anything bad to say about you. But what really made me suspicious was yourck of interest in Renst week.

    So I want to know why you think I was the one who somehow killed Jor?"

    "i¡­ " She stopped, once more unable to give a reason. "I¡­ I don''t know."

    "You don''t know," Altair said with strained patience. Twice, he''d received the same answer. "Interesting."

    "I¡­" Hilda shuddered and, without warning, rushed into her closet to her suitcase, already packed for her next destination. Rummaging through her luggage of trinkets of pandas, turtles, and more, Altair merely smiled.

    Before long, Hilda pulled out a small ne that immediately turned red, blistering with nodes of light.

    "Hells¡­"

    "What is it?" The Prince asked.

    "Sorcery. A spell of sorts¡­ no, a hex!" She muttered before pushing her perception to its limit. Webs of viens seemed to protrude from her temple, stretching across her cheek as she tried¡ª

    "In the ceiling, nodes of mana are silently being absorbed," Altair said, pushing mana into the Eyes of Sacrilege. He pointed directly above her bed.

    Hilda lept up, plunging her fingers through the metal, snatching out a bag bearing the crest of a sigil. "A hex bag. Shit," she growled.

    Calmly, Altair continued to scan his surroundings until he stared at the small sack in Hilda''s palm. "How long do you suspect it''s been there?" He asked, wondering how she didn''t notice such a thing.

    "Probably when I was assigned this room." Hilda spat, so furious a sh of mana caught the hexing bag aze. She trembled, ring at the azure mes billowing from the parchment until it was no more. "Bastards."

    "Yes¡­" Altair agreed. "Who handled your bedding?"

    "Weiss," she answered.

    "Trustworthy?"

    Hilda, with an icy expression, narrowed her eyes and scuffed. "This is the military boy. We are trained to follow every order to the letter. Weiss is a bastard conditioned since birth by the military." she flopped to her bed, growling. "I''m so screwed."

    Altair couldn''t deny it. For a conditioned soldier to do such a thing meant his orders came from on high from a captain ormander of greater rank.

    But from whom? And who would have the capability to hex a sixth-circlemander?

    He smirked, ready to sink his fangs into her. "Would you like my help?"

    "Huh?" Hilda frowned, turning to him. "How could you help? No, why would you want to help me? We aren''t friends." she said, sensing a scheme.

    "But neither are we enemies. At least not yet." The Prince mused, standing up, giving his bones a light stretch. "Someone is trying to kill me and using you to do it. Your name will be dragged through the mud. And with both the means and opportunity, I''m sure in time, ''evidence'' will miraculously appear. You be court marshaled, jailed, and possibly killed.

    That''s how I would do it. And I''d use the tournament to bring forth said evidence."

    Hilda shuddered, biting at her lips, feeling the blood drain from her face. ''Surely it wouldn''t be so,'' she told herself, but as her eyesnded on the ashes of the hex bag. She couldn''t deny the reality of her situation. There had already been roomers of her unable to control her people.

    "What do you want?"

    "Cooperation." Said the Prince. He had her. "I need allies. ess to dungeons, resources, and weaponry. And most of all, bodies."

    "So you want me to be your little bitch, your ve," Hilda said in a vaguely condescending tone.

    "Call it what you want. I don''t really care. So you can aid me, and I help you and your little problem, or you try to solve the problem yourself, fail, and lose everything." Altair darkly looked her over. "But seeing how you didn''t even know a hex bag was within your room, tainting your mind, I presume. I''d say there is much you didn''t know."

    Hilda felt her cheeks sting at hisment.

    He was right¡­ she a sixth-circle warrior was caught unprepared and attacked by not just her lieutenant but one of her junior Lieutenants, who died under her watch. Her image was all but tainted already. The thought made her stomach drop.

    She looked up at him, to the boy who seemed to have figured out everything and gritted her teeth together. "What do I need to do?"

    "Simple. Submit," He said, and Hilda''s eyes went wide.

    "Are you kidding me?" she snapped with a zing red fire in her eyes.

    The Prince shrugged, but a grueling presence filled his eyes, staining the air with a merciless spiritual pressure. "I don''t care what you say. Just make sure youe off like you''re on my side."

    "Anything?" Hilda spat, clenching her fist, resisting the urge to kill this boy with a snap of her fingers. It would be so easy. "Can I say anything?" She said after a while.

    "It''s your survival. I''m sure you have a better understanding of how bad your reputation is." He replied, unsure where this hesitation he was sensing wasing from.

    "Then¡­ what will you say if I¡­ I said we slept together."

    ~(>_<.)£Ü

    "Eh? Ehhhhh!" Altair mind went nk for but a moment as he jerked backward, covering his chest. "You-You-You pedo~ Begone, you pedo demon!"

    Tasting blood filling her mouth as her clenched teeth tightened, Hilda seethed where she stood, ring.

    "First off, I''m a catch! Ranked in the top ten most beautiful women on earth," she adamantly said, folding her arms over her chest, snorting. "Secondly¨C" She stopped, startled as Altair suddenly began to measure her height.

    "top ten? But you''re so short." He said, peering down at her pink hair andrge red eyes looking back. Her lips, while curled down, were plump, while the rest of her remained hidden beneath her uniform. "You''re barely above five feet. Then again, what does height have to do with beauty?" Heughed.

    "You!" Her cheeks went plump. " How rude! How would you like it if I did this!" She snapped, clutching his crotch with a cheeky smirk. "not veryfortable, is it."

    Altair went red, feeling his back shoot up straight like a spear. "N-n-no ma''am"

    She snorted, licking her cherry lips, feeling the bulge erge within her small hands. But she never looked down. She kept her stare as she said: " Good now, get out."

    "..."

    "What?"

    "I need to wait for the swelling to go down¡­ And for you to let go." Altair admitted, fascinated by the pleasurable sensation her palm brought.

    "..."

    Unable to hold back, Hilda burst into a gale ofughter, slowly pushing him out the door. She leaned into his ear, grinning with a seductive smile. "And If anyone asks you. Tell them I have a mole down there. Ok? Mr.

    Virgin."

    She pulled back, hitting the control pad to her door to close it.

    "... Damn it," he said, pushing down his Warhammer before it tore through his clothing.

 Chapter 107: Tourney - III

    Warning Dark Chapter

    When the Prince returned to his room, falling face-first into his bed, he recalled Hilda''s teasing hands and groaned for the nth time. For a while, hey there, allowing the Soul of the Indominable to cool the fire in his blood.

    "This has got to stop," Altair muttered, alone in his room, unsure when his life slowly began to be so sexualized. He''d suspect if he didn''t have the Soul of the Indomitable. He would be a ve to sanguine lust as he was to its hunger. "Damn it," he cursed.

    Every night, Altair found himself prowling the darkness. Lured in by his devilish charm, many beautiful women found themselves beneath his fangs, moaning his name as they clutched their legs, riding his hip with a fierce vigor, pulling at his hair, enthralled by his bite. Altair found many cared little of his tendency to draw his blood, finding many to believe it was a part of his bloodline.

    Not that it mattered, as hepelled them to forget.

    He couldn''t risk the exposure. The less the world knew, the better.

    Flipping over to face the ceiling, Altair shook his mind clear of unnecessary thoughts and opened his palm. "I need to work on¡ª" He stopped, ncing at the door as he sprang up, getting into character. He opened the door, greeting the dual eye beauty.

    "Hello, Leonie." He said, glimpsing the Tech Spear hooked to her back. "That''s new."

    Leonie''s eyes glittered. "Yes. It''s the SP-7X; pouring mana into it not only allows the spear to get sharper but hotter. It should be able to cut through any Tier Four Monster with ease, without the need for mana or high physical attributes. Some testing show¡ª" She stopped, growing a little flush as she coughed into her palm. "I mean, yes¡­ it''s new."

    Amused, Altair stepped out of his room. "I see. What brand is it?"

    "I¡­ I made it." She said, blushing. It was her first time mentioning it, and no one within her family knew of her hobby. Her Mother once said it was unbing of ady to do the work of a man.

    Altair arched a brow. ''You''re a Weapon Architect? Sweet! Then, can I ask a favor?"

    "Huh? You need a weapon?"

    "No¡­ Well Yes. But I''m interested in Inscribing. I''ve already mastered thenguage I''m interested in a few years ago. But now I want to begin inscribing weapons. What metal would you rmend?"

    With an ecstatic look, Leonie''s dual pupils practically glowed as she spoke: "The best of the best is Ethereum. Especially low-grade Ethereum. It''s perfect for beginners. It''s the perfect base for any weapon due to its flexibility and durability, not to mention when drawing mana veins.

    Ethereum allows for minor mistakes and corrections, Not to mention its semi-ethereal nature, allowing for multiyered inscriptions, although it can be pricey. Ten sols an ounce. But you don''t need much if you''re merely inscribing. A few pounds shouldst years.

    "Ethereum, eh." The Prince repeated, recalling one of his drawers back within the Aros Estate filled with various Ethereum weapons.

    "What''s the second best? Xenion Ore shares simr properties to Ethereum but tends to be harder to extract, refine, and use all around. Actually, this spear uses Xenion steel. I ran out of Ethereum. I must say, while the process was significantly harder, the end result was pretty much the same."

    Altair''s smile suddenly turned genuine as he chuckled. "You''re kind of a nerd, huh."

    Leonie grew flushed. "I-I-I am not!"

    "Nothing wrong with being a nerd." Altair pointed out, watching Leonie squirm ufortably. "It''s cute."

    ''C-C-C-cute?" She stammered, taking a step back. She''d never been called cute except perhaps by her father, the Marquess. But he said everything she did was cute, from riding her mounts to wielding her spear or the sprawled-out fashion in which she slept.

    Noticing her peculiar reaction, Altair relented for now. "Well? What can I do for you, Leonie?"

    "Nia¡­"She muttered, so soft beneath her breath Altair nearly missed it.

    He grinned. "What can I do for you, Nia?"

    Like a little shy cat, Nia bowed her head. "I thought we should review formations for the Tourney."

    Altair stared at her, thinking it over, favoring her with a small frown. "You know of my assassination attempt," he said, and she nodded with a graveness in her eyes. "There is a high chance that there''ll be another plot against me."

    "You are not the only one with a price on their head," Nia admitted, folding her arms. "My father has openly refused to grant permission rights to the Republic of Genesis to mine our dungeons andnd,alongside allowing aliens to ownnd on our home. That makes you a lot of enemies. Especially since more and more low-level lords are suddenly beginning to change their votes.

    These past two years, I''ve had seven kidnapping attempts."

    ''Two years,'' Altair considered as the masked image of the Reverend Mother entered his mind. ''That''s around the same time she appeared within House Aros. Foreign intervention, perhaps.''

    "All Right," He said, mulling the matter over, "If you''re fine with it. I''ll call the team over¡­ Although Reina might be MIA. I''ve no idea where she is."

    A/N: MIA= Missing in Action

    Later, near the coast devoid of people, Altair, Ren, Talia, Aurora, Leonie, and Olivia gathered beneath the setting sun, blistering with amber light.

    "Where''s Laros?" Nia asked a mixture of irritation and relief on her face. "I called him, and he said he''d be here."

    "How would I know?" Olivia strained, releasing a weary yawn after her twelve-hour shift. "Maybe he bailed. He seems like the type."

    "I''d have thought a child of a dukedom would be more time-oriented." Talia snarled.

    "Excuse me?" Olivia said, scrunching her brow. She turned to Talia, to her pale grey flesh that seemed topliment her ashen hair and yellow eyes. "And who the hell are you to talk down of my family?"

    "Talia." The Shadow eximed with bold confidence.

    "You!"

    "Is that all you can say?YOU?" Talia said in a mocking tone. " Is that the zenith of your vocabry, or does your specialty lie in spreading your legs for all to enter?"

    ''... Damn.'' Aurura muttered.

    Trembling where she stood, Olivia''s emerald eyes lit up as she drew her Tech Pistol from her hip and aimed it dead center at Talia''s head.

    "Do it¡­" Talia challenged her, stepping forward, her cold pale yellow eyes blistering a vicious fire that stained the air with killing intent.

    "Enough!" Nia shouted, stabbing her spear between the two. " We are not here to kill each other. The tournament starts in two days. Sponsors of all kinds will be watching. We don''t have time for this."

    "Art¡­I''m sooo hungry," Ren said, unconcerned with the drama beside her.

    "Same¡­ but someone had to spend 510 sols, so now we''re broke. "

    Ren arched her head high, snickering beneath her mask. "How about I make it up to you?"

    "Hugs and kisses don''t count, you know," Altair said ndly, watching as thess deted before his eyes.

    "That''s all Ren has¡­"the little Nephilim cried. She inched to him, stopping so close Altair felt her heat through the mask she wore to hide herself. "What about if you ate Ren?"

    Altair stiffened. Perhaps it was because she was his first. But he never forgot her taste, which haunted his wet dreams. That called to him each time she tilted her neck or fell into his arms.

    "Hugs, Kisses, and Nibbles. Whatcha think, Art?" Ren shot back through smiling eyes.

    *Badump *Badump

    His heart quickened. "I¡ª"

    "I said that''s enough." Nia''s harsh voice thundered, ring at Talia and Olivia at each other''s throats. "Two days is all we have. If you two can''te together, you''re off the team."

    "And who the hell made you Squad Leader." Olivia snapped, assuming Talia would have the same reaction, but she was deadly silent. She sneered, thinking nothing of it."You''re not even the strongest!"

    "What does being the strongest have to do with being Squad Leader?" Talia said, amused,finding a dark smile on her pale lips. "Or are you of the belief that those that are strong are always right even if they give themand to lead to your death? "

    Again, Olivia felt slivers of ice thicken around her chest. Unable to find a reason why such a woman was courting death by cursing her family. She''d never met Talia, much less said even a single word to her. Yet she had just about tasted the venom in Talia''s wretched tone.

    She gritted her teeth, ready to "I¡ª"

    "I will be leading this team." Came the loathing voice of Laros as he stepped onto the beach, his auburn hair matted with sweat and his palm bloodied and blistered from training. He stormed forward, shooting a re at Olivia as if to demand her cooperation and then Nia. "Leonie Cross, you are unfit to Lead."

    Nia''s lips pursed downwards, and for a moment, she folded her arms."Unfit? Last I checked, you tried to kill one of your teammates."She said dignified.

    "I gauged how powerful my opponent was an¡ª"

    "I think I''ve heard enough," Altair mentioned, with Ren by his side. He had allowed it within the Grove of Estelle since he could control the situation. But with the recent assassination attempt. Altair had no intention of gambling his life, much less Rens.

    "As the highest-ranking officer present. I''ll lead. If anyone has a problem with that, take it up with yourmanding officer.." he said, turning to Nia. "Do you have an issue with that?"

    "No, Sir." She saluted.

    "No, Sir," Aurora, followed by Talia and Ren, said.

    "I''ve already spoken to the Lieutenant," Laros said, smirking, his voice thick with condescension. "He has already agreed to have me lead. You may¡ª"

    Altair shifted his gaze to Olivia, " And you?" he asked, ignoring Laros.

    Olivia nced at Laros, weighing the pros and cons in but a second, and stepped beside Altair.

    "You stupid little whore, "Laros spat, bearing a gut-wrenchingugh that sent a chill crawling up her spine. So devoid of humanity it echoed that he smiled, shooting everyone present a deep stare before shifting his eyes to Altair, searing his image into his mind. "You will relievemand over to me," he demanded.

    "Or what?" Altairughed, arching his lips as his eye lit up with a devilish charm. He approached Laros, standing nearly a foot taller. "What will you actually do? What can you do? I''m not afraid of your bullshit family."

    For a second, the light within Laros''s eyes vanished before it returned. "We''ll destroy you," he swore without a hint of emotion, almost as if he were stating a fact.

    "We''ll destroy you and everyone you love."

    "HAHAHAAHAHA~" The Prince staggered back in a gale ofughter so cold for a moment, his presence took hold of everyone present, bearing its fangs. The air became stagnant, and the crashes of the waves distant. In the distance, wildlife began to wilt, robbed of their luster as if a great evil had descended.

    By the time Altair was done, everyone but Ren found themselves on their knees, wet with sweat, as Altair''s two scarlet eyes seemed to ze so furiously that the mana around him began to shudder.

    "It will seem your use has reached its end." The Prince said without emotion, wielding the Eye of Sacrilege like a knife. He bore down over Laros with a sadistic grin. "I''ll be seeing you." He swore, turning away, no longer in the mood to conversate.

    Shivering beneath a storm of fear rattling to his core, Laros clutched his throat, gasping for air, shaking with tears streaming from his eyes like so many around him. He roared, burring his head into the sand, screaming, praying for the fear to leave. But despite his prayers, his body shuddered beneath the lingering presence in the air.

    ''He''s¡­ he''s a monster." Olivia cried, vomiting lunch into the sand. "F¡­F¡­Fuck¡­" She looked at his shadow fading into the distance, urine wet upon her legs. She clutched her eyes shut. "A Demon!"

    For nearly ten minutes, no one moved until Talia and Aurora drew Nia away, too weak to move herself. They left behind the two children of House Aros.

    "You¡­ You idiot." Olvia shouted into the sand when she suddenly became blindsided by the blow that whipped across her face. Stars dazed consumed her field of vision as she tumbled over the sand.

    Laros pounced over her, hammering another fist into her jaw until it shattered. "FUCK YOU!!!!!" He roared, tearing off her clothing. "FUCK YOU! FUCK FUCK!" HE cried. "MOTHER MOTHER!!!"

    Olvia scrambled, twisting back and forth, but Laros had pinned her down, mounting her above the abdomen, removing any chance of escape. She screamed a mournful cry, bleeding tears from her eyes as she howled for him to stop.

    "Please¡­" she cried in a dreadful whimper.

    "MOTHER! MOTHER!" mored Laros with aughing cry, undone by the spiritual pressure that shook his forced conditioning. He fell back into the only thing he knew, the only thing his Mother, the Viscountess, had instilled into his mind.

    "Laros¡­ Laros, please! Don''t do this¡­ please¡­ I beg¡­"

    "I''ll be good, mommy! I''ll be good! Haha!" The boy cried with unfocused eyes.

    [Divine Being, Passion of Sorrow, offers you power for sacrifice]

    Blooding her face with his fist, Olivia could only moan a cry, powerless to do anything. Powerless to stop Laros from burring her head into the sand. Powerless to stop him from mounting her like a dog.

    "Please¡­ don''t¡­" She muttered a final cry, tasting the sand and water.

    "Mommy, I love you!" Laros said, so unraveled he barked. " So love me, ok! Love Laros! Love me!"

    [Divine Being, Passion of Sorrow, mourns for your sacrifice and will grant you a dual cultivation Art for the price you paid.]

    "NOOOOO!!!!"

    From a distance, yellow eyes watched on without emotion.

 Chapter 108: Stormful Night*

    Aimlessly twirling within her chair, having finished her rounds early, Amilia Thorne sighed and kicked her feet back and forth. "I need a drink." She muttered when the doors to her ward opened up.

    She froze, eyes widening as a young woman with a disfigured face, marred by bone-deepceration over her cheekbones, staggered in. Blood streamed down her legs, which did little to mask the matted blood on the woman''s rear.

    "Hells!" Amilia cried, rushing to her aid. "O-O-Olivia?" She barely recognized but could sense her familiar aura. "Dear Lord, who did this!"

    "H-Help¡­ m...e," The young woman, barely clothed in rags that appeared torn, muttered, losing consciousness.

    "Aidios." Commander Sanders muttered, clutching his eyes shut. He''d never gotten used to such a sight despite having seen it so many times when Earth began colonizing others. It was a sickening sight that had been normalized in the military through the years.

    Conquered Worlds had only one choice: submit or die.

    Anything less would mean the extermination of potentially hundreds of thousands of years of history. Legacies of bloodlines, techniques, and more would vanish in the blink of an eye. And so many epted bing ythings, praying one day their progenies would find revenge.

    "Will she¡­"

    "She''ll make it." Amilia coldly said, lifting her onto an empty bed slowly injecting her with a booster.

    "I meant¡­ will she¡ª"

    "Break?" Amilia smirked with a derisive tone. "Noble Women and female soldiers are conditioned at birth in matters such as these. She''ll walk it off in a few days."

    "That''s¡­"

    "It''s life," Amilia said without emotion, ncing at him and then back to Olivia. "If Earth should ever be conquered and we are cast into very and turned into whores to be abused every day of our lives. It is our duty to carry on the legacy of Earth¡­ just like those we conquer."

    A/N: This is disturbing.

    ***

    "You mad?"

    "..."

    "Want a massage?"

    "..."

    "How about a drink?"

    "..."

    "What about a hug?"

    Noticing a subtle motion of his lips, Ren wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her head into his abdomen as she giggled, rubbing her cheeks against his stomach as if he were a fluffy bear.

    Altair felt a bit better watching Ren''s silly antics, which somehow calmed his turbulent emotions he found he had zero control over. It was frustrating at times being in control one minute and mad the next. Logically, he had wanted to stop, to y the field, but¡­ the moment Laros spoke of his loved ones¡­ Altair felt his mind showered with a bloodlust he never knew he had.

    It had taken every bit of restraint not to kill Laros where he stood.

    "Say¡­" Altair remarked, cupping her alluring hips. He hoisted her up, smiling at the rosy hue tracing her cheeks and ears. "What would you say if we watched a movie?" He asked, feeling her tantalizing breath against his.

    "What type¡­" Ren whispered, enjoying Altair''s warmth seeping through her clothes, pinning her down.

    "I only likeedy." He told her.

    "Then¡­ Romance-Comedy." She countered.

    "And where did you hear about such a genre?" He mused, stretching his neck, finding his room increasingly more suffocating.

    Ren grinned and hoisted herself up, finding herself mounting the young lord as she began undoing her uniform. She didn''t say anything as Altair feasted his eyes on her, undoing each button until the blouse beneath filled Altair''s eyes.

    Finally, after stripping off the outeryer of clothing, Ren replied. " I heard a few girls talking about it in passing. Aurora also said it''s her favorite."

    "Aurora?" His fingers tightened around her waist. "You two met again?"

    Resisting the best she could from making lewd noises, Ren nodded, enjoying her Prince''s annoyed expression. She liked it when he looked at her like that.

    "So she gets to see you all week, and I don''t?" Altair said, puffing his cheeks, turning away like a small child who''d been wronged.

    "Art¡­" Ren giggled, slowly unbuttoning her Prince''s coat and tunic hidden beneath until he was in his trousers and a simple white t-shirt. She leaned down inches from his lips. " Better? You were looking kinda sweaty."

    Unsure how to respond to the subus teasing him, he didn''t answer.

    Ren stood up, grinning before tossing off her pants, revealing a ckce thong. "Computer¡­ God-sama, can you lower the temp?" She called out, unsure how to work the AC, but at hermand, cool air began to flow. She hopped back into bed with Altair. "See? Now Art won''t be sweaty."

    bbergasted, unsure how to respond yet again. Ren didn''t wait for Altair to catch up as the young girl suddenly pulled the sheet. And in a matter of moments, Ren found herself sitting on top of Altair, whose back pressed against the bed rest, with the sheets wrapped around the both of them.

    "Now y!"

    Still lost for words, Altair gulped, enjoying Ren''s bare flesh against hisp, tugging at his level of restraint.

    "y a random Rom-Com," Altairmanded as the virtual screen appeared

    "ying Re: American Pie 1 (3999)," The AI said as the lights within the room began to dim, and the movie began to y.

    "Ahh~ Ride me, Daddy ~" an explicit moan echoed from the screen not even thirty seconds into the movie. "Yeah, right there. Ah~"

    Altair''s eyes went wide as his jaw dropped, and almost immediately, he nced down at Ren, but her eyes were glued to the screen when a sudden wetness seemed to seep through the lining of his trousers.

    He gulped, arms tightening around Ren''s supple waist, causing her to tense and the wetness to intensify.

    "Ren?" He called her name, his Warhammer fervently striking through the linen of his clothing between her legs.

    "Hmmm?" She muttered, cupping the source of her wetness.

    "You like the movie?" He strained with all he had, feeling Ren''s mischievous hands slip around his manhood.

    "Hmmm~," she hummed in a low hush moan, feeling his fingers inch between her legs.

    "Then¡­ What about my Hugs, Kisses, and¡ª"

    "Nibbles?" She finished through sharp gasps for air. Stiffening her lewd moans as Altair''s gentle finger brushed against the walls of her vagina hidden beneath her thong.

    "Ren~" Altair whispered, brushing his lips against the nape of her neck below her cor. Unsure why he never made the first move or why he was so indecisive despite the teasing.

    ''Was I scared?'' he wondered, sliding his callous palm up her blouse until he held her warm tit in his bare hand.

    "Nvh~" Gushing from his touch, Ren allowed every bit of it to ravage her mind, leaving herself bare and exposed for him to see, touch, and taste as he pleased. Tonight, she was his. "More~" She whispered beneath the aimless noise of the movie.

    Altair applied a bit more pressure down below, above her thong wet with a warm fluid. Ren quivered, heating up as fire caught itself in her loins, building like waves against the shores. Without any chance of sweet release, Ren leaned her head back, staring at her Prince with pleading eyes. Hopeful he''d allow her release.

    "Mhh~ ahh~"

    Saliva spilled from her mouth as her moans became louder. In such an erotic disy, Altair groaned, feeling so restrained by his clothing. And yet he didn''t stop toying with Ren. Finding her current expression all the more enjoyable. From her pants for air to her sweet moans of pleasure and her misty red eyes. Altair took it all in before her lips found him, and soon, so did her tongue.

    Minutester, as their tongues entwined around the other, Ren pulled away, on the brink of unconsciousness, shrieking with a sudden jerking motion as a stream of nectar barreled through her thong, staining the bedding.

    She melted in his arms, powerless to hold herself up.

    "Ren¡­ Came." The little Nephilim moaned, with barely the strength to move and the sting of pleasure hot on her slit-like fire.

    Mhhhh~

    Teasing her little cunt a bit more, Altair slid her thong to the side, allowing his bare finger to dance. Ren''s eyes practically rolled behind her head as her lewd moans echoed through his quarters. Altair''s tantalizing touch became all the more rough and vigorous.

    Hngh~ Aaah~ More~More," Ren pleaded, grinding her hips over his cock, as he yed her strings, teased her breast, and kissed her lips until her mind nked for a good minute following her second climax. Altair never stopped growing more passionate with each mounting second, finding himself unable to get enough of what seemed like a drug.

    Ren was burning up, so wet with sweat that her pink nipples shone through her white blouse.

    "Aaaaaaaaahh~ A~r~t!!!"

    Rolling his thumb over her supple nipple, stimting every fiber of her being, Ren mewled, unable to find rest against the devil in her bed.

    Before long, Altair pressed her on her back his cock, tearing through his trousers, reeling with vigor as he red with fever at the garden that had been thoroughly watered.

    "Hug, Kisses, and Nibbles," the Prince repeated, spreading her legs like a bird would its wings and slithered in, unbothered by Ren''s deepening blush. Never before had she been so embarrassed and turned on at the same time. Nevertheless, she watched on as her Prince took a deep breath of spring; he smiled and looked up at her arousing expression, dazed at what he was aiming for.

    "Are you going to eat, Ren?" She randomly spouted out with fear in her breath, betrayed by the unending nectar flowing onto her bed.

    Altair grinned devilishly and brushed his lips against her thigh, teasing the Nephilim with light kisses as she shuddered. He made his way deeper in, tasting the sweet nectar birth by Seraphim and Ancient. Altair looked up into her moist eyes and watched her anticipatory stare before kissing her clit. Savoring his meal blessed by the gods and demons alike. Altair began.

    His tongue tasted the outside of her vagina, cleaning up after the naughty minx before he had his fill of her insides while his nose stimted the clitoris as it had said in Amilia''s notes.

    "You taste so sweet. Like peaches and honey." Altair muttered before Ren ran her finger through his hair, bursting into an erotic symphony of moans. She pushed his head deeper in, screeching as her back arched up.

    Two

    Three

    Four

    Ren had lost track of how many times Altair made her orgasm. But he never stopped. Even now, as she entered her seventh climax, Altair ate his fill, suckling her tiny cunt until it became plump and swelled, reeling for his cock.

    Only then did he look up.

    "Hugs, Kisses, and Nibbles," He said again, pulling away once more to her thigh, to the artery throbbing with blood. "I''ve got my Hugs and kisses¡ª" he alluded to.

    "Bite me~" She moaned, so sensitive. Ren felt herself growing crazy. She wanted to scream at the unending pleasure.

    He grinned, and Ren felt two warm shards of ice sink into her femoral artery, one of the body''s more sensitive areas. Drool pooled from Ren''s mouth as she found herself under the thumb of another orgasm, withering her mind to lust. She stared at Altair, to her loving Prince, unable to pull her eyes away, enthralled by the bite that seemed to burn and tingle at the same time.

    "Art¡­" Ren whimpered. "You''ll drink me dry before I milk you."

    Altair peeped his eyes open, the euphoric sensation trailing down the back of his throat like the finest wine, testing the limits of his patience.

    Ren touched his cheek, lifting his head from between her legs. "You made Ren feel good. So let Ren do the same. It hurts, right?" She said, pushing him on his back, getting a clear few of the weapons she was sure could be used to forge steel.

    She gulped, intimidated by his monster, thick with veins, throbbing with intense heat. Ren shuddered, giving it a sniff. She looked at Altair''s ufortable expression that bordered a painful one. And without hesitation, Ren reached for Altair''s hammer, needing both hands to cover his wide girth.

    Her beady eyes turned wide at the warm furnace in her hands, zing familiar heat thatforted her many nights. Poking at her back and cunt during the nights they cuddled.

    Ren stared, catching sight of Altair''s reaction to her touch. He was shaking, covered in sheens of sweat, staring at her with need. She gasped and slowly began to sway her hands back and forth.

    "Hmmm~"

    *Badump *Badump

    Feeling her heart quicken, an excitable sensation rippled through the Young Nephilms heart, watching her Prince moan before her eyes. It made her own loins throb when she suddenly noticed a strange milky substance began to leak from her Prince''s tip. She recalled the action on the various videos she watched and gently gave an innocent lick.

    "AH~" Altair moaned.

    With tworge beady eyes glistering at the peculiar taste of both salty and sweet, Ren''s tongue began to whirl, round and round, as if she''d found a lollipop to match her taste. Ren widened her mouth over his cock, gobbling it up with a nom.

    Altair felt himself Isekai into a foreign realm as Reina''s warm tongue sent a nervous tick racing through his right leg. Pleasure, unlike anything he could have imagined, seemed to permeate his body and soul when a powerful suction bore down on his cock.

    *Slurp *slurp

    "Aaaah~"

    *Slurp *slurp

    Slobbering over his cock Ren began self-correcting her technique based on Altair''s physical reaction. Swaying her tongue back and forth in a fiery storm of passion as, she applied a tantalizing pressure with her throat.

    *Pop

    " Is it good? '''' She teased, kissing his tip wet with her saliva. So soaked down there, Ren felt her mind spin.

    " the best. Don''t stop," pleaded the Prince through short gasps of air. She smiled and fell back down

    *Slurp *slurp *pop

    Unraveled by Ren and her increasing level of skill, Altair watched as her head began to oscite over his cock, moving faster and faster before...

    He unloaded, grunting as he held her head. Ren''s cheeks expanded like two plump balls as she tried taking it all in, failing as his thick, white-hot sperm filled the back of her throat in seconds and then her mouth. Her eyes rolled as Altair dominated her throat. She gulped, taking in as much as she could as Altair forcefully pushed her head down, expanding her throat.

    Ren felt his hot magic hitting her stomach.

    She came.

    "Damn¡­" muttered the Prince, with a sudden sense of rity as hey there. Staring with utter fascination at what Ren did for him. He watched her pull his cock from her mouth, diligently cleaning it with her warm sulent tongue.

    She smiled at him and slithered up into his embrace, mounting him as she had done so many times before.

    "fuck me."

    The words were like amand Altair couldn''t refuse, a spell he never wished to resist, as she gripped his hammer, positioning it right at her wet entrance burning with need.

    And without hesitation, Ren pushed down and Altair up.

    Booooom!

 Chapter 109: Finances

    "Mrmmm." Groaning,ing to at first light, Altair cupped his face with one hand, dazed, but not enough not to notice the wet blood dripping down his chin and palm. He tensed and snapped up, dread tracing down his spine as he nced around his blood-stained bed, only to find it empty.

    "Ren!" He shouted, panicked, pushing out his perception only to find her on the ground at the foot of his bed, barely clothed, clutching a golden orb in her palms. And the image of the Duke Leto during hisst spiritual journey to the hells came rushing back. He had mentioned his visit to Ren before but could never understand what Leto had wanted to give to her.

    Could this have been his doing?

    Altair shook his head, pushing such useless thoughts to the back of his mind, and proceeded to check for injuries. He sighed in relief, finding there was none, and flopped down beside her. Clutching, his hair matted with blood.

    He winced. "Bastard¡­ Just when it was getting good."

    Ren stirred and propped her head up, yawning. She nced at Altair, flopping her head to his shoulder, and fell back asleep.

    Unsure whether tough or poke fun, he rxed over the foot of the bed, moving the mana around his body to help stimte a faster regeneration. The explosionst night had caused a minorceration across his hairline. Altair figured the orb, if it was from Leto, had been set to awaken before he took his daughter.

    "Crafty bastard." The Prince mused, promising himself he''d never let anyone touch him without a certain level of discretion. Just as easy as the st knocked him out, Altair knew it could have easily killed him. A feat he realized was easy.

    Ordering breakfast to be delivered via Drone, Altair gently nudged Ren when it arrived. He signaled for the Drone to ce the food on the counter and began waking the little thing drooling away. When atst Ren stirred, her groggy eyes filled with smiles, she yawned as her nose twitched.

    "Food~" she muttered cutely.

    Regaining bits of her lost energy, Ren stood up and froze as everything came crashing back. But before she could say a word, her eyes fell upon Altair''s bloody face.

    "Art, you''re¡­"

    "I''m fine," He assured her, lifting his hair to show the pink scar above his brow. "It''s already healed. The scar should vanish in a few hours tops."

    But Ren wasn''t really convinced. Even so, Altair led her to the counter and began unpacking the small meal of bread, rice, egg, sausage, and Soup. She grinned as they slowly began to have their fill-in silence.

    Neither of them mentionedst night, feeling their cheeks burn at the lewd moans and lustful acts they did together. It was especially true in Ren''s case due to her walking the Path of the Eight Form, Arctus. The Path of Good and Evil that made her behavior, at times, erratic. And while her actions were her alone, she was sure her lustful side had taken hold of her that night.

    Not that she minded. But it was still a little much to speak of it.

    "Ren¡­" Altair called. "What are you doing today?"

    "Training. Why?"

    "I think you should cancel it." He said, thinking for a moment. "We shouldn''t split up today."

    ''Because of Laros?" Ren said.

    "Heavens no. You could kill him with your presence alone. No. Today marks the start of sponsorship. Powerful sponsors and donors will be touring the base. It is a bit unsafe for you and me to wonder about.

    If anything, I''ll say polymorph back into a pup."

    Ren puffed her cheeks. "Why do I feel you like me more as a wolf than a human?"

    Lifting the morning coffee to his lips, Altair grinned mischievously. "I thinkst night proved otherwise."

    Ren''s innocent eyes went starry wide, and her cheeks a deep shade of pink. She turned, snorting cutely, unable to deny his words... or his touch.

    He smiled, a little jittery at the mention ofst night. "Oh, right. The Golden Orb. Do you recognize it?"

    Leaning on the counter as she finished thest of her breakfast, Ren nodded. "Yeah¡­ Its Fathers. When we yed hide and seek, father used to create these orbs to give me hints on where he was hiding." She said with a faint smile of mncholy. "In this orb¡­ lies a message," she said, shuddering as she sent it into her Draupnir ring.

    "You''re scared." Altair noticed, lowering his coffee mug.

    "You saidst time he seemed sad," Ren whispered, shaking. "And every time we talk through the system. He never mentions Mother. So¡­"

    "Then shall we go shopping for resources?"

    "Eh?!" she looked up at him, surprised.

    Altairughed. " You always feel better buying various materials for alchemy. Well? Let''s do it. Let''s buy some. But first, a shower!"

    Ren''s straight lips curled up as her stomach dipped, watching Altair head into the bathroom. "Art¡­ I think I love you." She whispered, knowing there was no way he could hear her.

    Hourster, within themissary blistering life, Altair and Renughed, traveling from vendor to vendor, buying whatever caught the little Nephilim''s curious eye. Unbothered by the reckless spending these past few days. He spent another hundred sols on herbs, alongside a poletera of monster parts for Ren.

    [Current Bnce: 241 Sols ]

    ''And now I''m a brokie.''

    "Don''t worry, Art! Ren will make us rich!" She said from the top of his head. Howling with excitement.

    Soon, various off-duty soldiers began to howl, mimicking their favorite pup. That had gained quite the reputation on base.

    "Awooooo~"

    "You people are crazy," Altair muttered, finding himself underestimating people''s love for dogs. It was an unbelievable sight watching grown men and women howling like children, but they were all happily chatting amongst one another. Happy to celebrate something.

    "Ren has her own fan club," the little Nephilim said, giggling. When she suddenly felt Altair stop, catching sight of Aurora sitting by herself outside a Cafe alone.

    "Aurora." Altair greeted.

    "Mas¡ª I mean Altair." Aurora grinned, tensing a little. "I was wondering why everyone started to howl. No wonder." She joked, ncing up at Ren. "How are you, mydy?"

    "Awesome!"

    The blonde-haired noblewoman covered her mouth with an elegant giggle. " I see. Then, are you aware of what happenedst night?"

    Altair shook his head, and slowly, as he took a seat beside her, Aurora exined the cruelty that befallen Olivia.

    "It seems Talia watched it all happen after we dropped Nia off."

    "Hells," Altair muttered. "I knew she hated her. I just didn''t think it would be to such an extent. Emotions are such intriguing things. Well? Where is Talia now?"

    "Consoling her¡­" smiled Aurora, lifting her coffee to her lips.

    "I see. And what made Laros go mad like that? My presence isn''t that powerful."

    "But it is, or at least it is to people with weak minds, or should I say people who are poorly conditioned. It''s not umon for high-intensive situations to unravel a person. It''s a mental facy we humans muste to terms with In Laros'' case¡­ and his assault on Olivia. I believe someone might have used a sexual form of conditioning on him. That breakdown was a result of a quick job.

    A year, maybe two tops. That''s the only thing I can think of."

    The Prince tapped his fingers over the table, frowning. "Do I need an alibi?"

    "I''ve already taken care of that master," Aurora assured him with a cold smile. Her eyes filled with foresight. "The moment Talia informed me of this heinous crime. I documented all of your steps and movements, formting all routes and time to ensure you were innocent. They''ll be delivered in the event you are used."

    "We got another scary person." Ren mused. Observing the simrities between Master and servant.

    "... and did Talia¡­ by chance record¡­ this alleged crime?"

    Aurora didn''t immediately answer him, but her silence was more than enough to give him the answer he wanted.

    "Good. And how are you doing?" The Prince said, switching things up from such a sour topic.

    Aurora hesitated. "I''m ¡­ oddly fine with it. It was a little hard at first, knowing I died and came back anew. But this new life of mine feels fulfilled." She looked into her Master''s eyes, bowing her head with a tiny grin. "It''s enjoyable being with a kind master like you. One who allows such freedom."

    ''Yeah! Masters, pretty awesome.'' Kirr agreed from within his Master''s Shadow.

    "Oh, by the way, Ma¡­ I mean Altair. Is there anything you require? Money, resources, my family is a¡ª"

    "Aurora," Altair smiled, his voice a little firm. "That''s all yours. I would never steal from my subjects. That money you have is yours and yours alone. Although, I could use your help."

    "I am yours¡ª"

    "Aurora!!!!"

    Startled by the sudden wail that drew many eyes to where a disheveled man knelt. His head pressed tightly against the ground.

    "Please! Take me back!" Vadi said. " I was wrong, ok! I was wrong. But we''ve been together for nearly eight years! You can''t just¡ª"

    "Silence," Altair demanded, his words weighted with power.

    Vadi did, tensing beneath his presence. That forced the words on his lips back down.

    This was the thing that she once loved? Altair scuffed, unable to even fathom the level of depravity one needed to betray their own because of fear. Was life so good it became worth it to sell the only woman you ever loved to the wolves?

    Altair couldn''t understand it. Nor did he want to.

    "As I was saying, I want you to help me build my wealth. But not on Earth but in Genesis. All the Prime Worlds use the same currency, so it makes it easy to journey through the Myriad. I already have an ount within Genesis. Mother said it was a good bank, but I want you to handle my finances."

    In his eyes, Aurora had longed since proved her worth. He has seen her entire life. New perfectly of her skills, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes.

    She was perfect when it came to business.

    "You have an ount on Genesis?!" Aurora gasped, covering her mouth as she stared Altair down, visibly shaking. "What tier?"

    "Third. Pretty good, right?"

    Cupping his hands with stars in her eyes, Aurora stared deep into Altair''s eyes, wondering if he''d truly understood what having a bank on Genesis meant.

    Altair did, thanks to Aurora''s knowledge, but he had little time to dive into such matters.

    "I''ll send you all my info. And you may speak to Ren with a surplus of refined pills all above a purity of¡­" He nced at her. " 66%?" and Ren nodded. "Yeah. Far above average. I don''t really know what you''ll do, but I want you to cover it all."

    "Leave it to me, Master '''' saluted Aurora with excitement, covering her mouth at her mistake.

    "M-m-master?" Vadi muttered.

    Altair nced at him and grinned. "Come by my quarters tonight. So we can discuss."

    "No ... No! NOOOO!" Vadi screamed and mmed his forehead against the ground until his blood sttered over the floor in a fine mist. "Don''t do this, Aurora. Please¡­ I''ll¡­"

    "I''d love to," Aurora said in a flirtatious tone, understanding the assignment. She didn''t even nce at Vadi. "But this might take all night."

    Altairughed, lifting the confused Ren onto his shoulder. "Good. Bring refreshments, then. Midnight snacks always tend to be the best." He said, moving past Aurora to Vadi, beating his head over the ground like a madman while everyone watched.

    "You''re in my way." He said with a vicious smirk.

    Vadi shuddered, lifting his head to meet the Prince''s gaze, but he couldn''t bring himself past his boots. His face burned hotter than the scorching heat emanating from the gruesomeceration over his forehead. He''d never felt such humiliation, and yet... He lowered his head over the pool of blood and scooched to the side.

    "Pathetic."

 Chapter 110: Plots

    Near the southern exit of themissary, on the second floor, violet eyes glistened like fire, watching the vanishing shadow of a young man with footsteps of blood treading after his steps.

    "Is that him?" An astute voice inquired beside Vaiga Darkfire, observing the boy until he could no more.

    "It is," Vaiga said. She nced at Senator Thel Duvale, trying to mask her curiosity towards the Taal, who held dark blue skin and red eyes that glowed. Around his neck, Vaiga counted three slight incisions on each side of his throat. Gills, she believed they were but couldn''t quite tell.

    "Is this your first time seeing someone from Orbar?" Thel asked, fluently in basic, noticing the particr way Vaiga stared at him.

    "Was I that obvious?" Vaiga chuckled.

    "No, but in my line of work, reading people bes the job," Thel said. "This¡­ Alta?r? Am I pronouncing it correctly?" he asked, adding emphasis.

    "You are."

    "Yes, this Altair is interesting. His presence is already in the stages of development. His first ss must be rted to Wis or Charisma." Thal continued, stroking his hairless chin. "Although, I can''t speak for his personality."

    "What part?" Vaiga mused, lifting her lips into an alluring grin.

    "The part where he humiliated a fellow officer in front of everyone." The Taal pointed out, slightly narrowing his glowing red eyes.

    Vaiga snickered. "Or was he defending what was his? How can one be a man if they can''t protect what''s theirs? Be it their home, country, or woman, or is it different on Orbar?"

    Thel gave a small smile. "Indeed. Would it be possible to meet Altair?"

    "As one of the earth''s dearest allies, how can we refuse?"

    ***

    "Hilda did what?" Cedric asked,pressing his lips into a thin line, ring at the hologram projected from his datapad. He stood up from his chair, unable to believe what he''d just heard.

    ''She''s fucking him, Sir.'' Weise said, unsure how to better say it. "I overheard it when she was speaking¡ª"

    "She could be lying." Cedric hoped, praying for it not to be true. If it were, all his ns would be ruined.

    "She gave details. Size, Length, weight¡­ And based on video evidence of a particr incident we found a few weeks back outside the interrogation room. It sounds highly likely it''s true.'' Weiss said, bowing his head.

    "That bloody whore¡­ Damn it!" Cedric cursed, with stretched veins brooding over his jaw. "The Princess will not be happy. If we can''t eliminate Altair, our heads will fall. I don''t have to remind you of that, right?! Up the bounty another ten thousand¡ª"

    "Sir, if we do that, then we open ourselves up to be tracked!"

    "I don''t care! Earth doesn''t need a boy who can''t be controlled!" Roared Cedric, disconnecting from the call, seething a great ball of fire in his chest. He tapped on his datapad again, scrolling through contacts before he opened a new line.

    "Cedric," A smooth voice answered.

    "Cut the shit Vanto. Your men failed," Cedric said in a deep voice, hoarse with rage.

    "We lost a Fifth circle," Vanto replied, his tone strained. "A powerful one, one that couldbat a Sixth Circle."

    Surprise deepened through Cedric''s eyes as he paused, furrowing his brow. "You sent a Fifth Circle to kill a first? Why?"

    "You think you''re the only one who wants Altair dead?" Vanto scuffed. " I''ve got seven other groups that want his head. So yes. I sent a Fifth circle and four three circles assassins we had within the Fortress of Rim. From the info you gave me, Commander Iliana wasn''t supposed to be as strong as you said."

    Cedric bowed his head. "From the scene¡­itsted less than a half a breath before she took his head."

    "We are terminating the contract." Vanto coldly said, ending the call before Cedric could get in another word.

    Deeply inhaling, Cedric fell back to his chair, slouching with a defeated hue in his hollow eyes. He sighed when¡­ a particr video entered through his neurolink. One of a boy banging his head against the ground, balling his heart out.

    And a smile returned to his lips. "Vadi is it¡­"

    ***

    "What are you smiling about?" Ren finally asked him, cutely patting his head with her paw.

    [Divine being ''Piercing Owl'' so too wishes to know.]

    With a mightyugh, Altair answered. "Can''t I just be happy?"

    [Divine being, ''She Who Hunts,'' hums in response. Suspicious of your odd behavior.]

    "I never knew the gods were so nosy." He teased, seeing hundreds of notifications filling his neurolink. " I''m just in a good mood. If everything works out, Aurora will take care of my financial troubles, which leaves me extra time to train. Or have fun."

    [Divine Being Titan Falls, wonders when you''ll ept a blessing?]

    Starring hard at the message, Altair''s lips inched a little high up. " I had been wondering if you guys had forgotten. I have been taking my time. But that''s for you guys."

    [Divine Being, Tiger Dragon King narrows his beastly eyes.]

    [Divine Being, ''She who Hunts,'' hoists herself up.]

    "Yes. For you guys. You all know of my talents and my intelligence. Best of all, you know of my first aura skill: I figured the Gods woulde together, alliances would be made, and enemies would begin scheming. So I''ll pick one God or demon/devil by the end of this tournament to ally with."

    ''That''s a bold im.'' Ren thought, noting his use of the word ''ally'' rather than a quick eptance of a blessing. ''But why?''

    Just as she wondered, so too were the Gods. It wasn''t in Altair''s favor to ally himself with any one power. Not when he could ept hundreds of blessings, knowing the gods couldn''t take back what was given.

    It was indeed bold.

    "So work hard, lords anddies." He teased, shooting the heavens a mischievous wink.

    "Hmph!"

    Startled by the sudden snort from across the hall, Altair turned to his rear, meeting a particr set of red eyes over a brooding expression.

    "Hilda," the young lord airily said.

    "Commander Hilda!" She corrected, stomping, on her way to meet up with her squad. She folded her arms. "Talking to ghost, are we?"

    "The Gods, actually."

    Hilda felt herself tense. "Gods. And you use that tone? You must either be brazen, or your mother allowed a donkey to hammer at your head."

    Distantly, Altair felt the winds rustle through the halls, reaching him in seconds. And yet he felt no presence, despite knowing a door was opened and closed. His lips perked up.

    "Are you mad because you''re still sore from yesterday? Or because we dirtier your beloved teddy. I told you I''d get another one."

    Hilda scrunched her brow before it eased. She smiled, sensing a masked aura.

    "Can you stop?! " Hilda squealed with embarrassment, ying along, storming past him.

    And again, Altair felt the warm breeze rustle past him before Hilda turned to the corner and headed outside.

    "Technology seems to hinder stealth in many ways. I''ll need to make note of that. " He said, ncing up at Ren, looking for answers.

    The young Nephilim silently lept from his head, nced around for cameras, and turned to him when she found none. She polymorphed, shimmering brightly as her seductive physique pressed against Altair.

    "Private Mode," Ren said, looking at her Prince. "Now. Exin." She grinned with her lips nearest his chin.

    Her smile was sharp, so much so that Altair wondered how much she''d picked up from him.

    "Are you jealous?" Altair asked her, cupping her waist that slithered downwards, allowing his fingers to press firmly against her plump end. He squeezed.

    Ren''s breath caught itself, but she wouldn''t allow herself to be Felled so easily. "Answer me, Art¡­ please. "

    For a second, that dripped into minutes, Altair found himself pulled into her pleading eyes, so moist and wet, they spiraled with wonder that she nearly had then and there.

    And yet he stopped himself at the pain in her eyes. The hollow moaning of something precious. He smiled and slowly, beside her ear, whispered all that had urred. When he was done, Ren pressed her head against his chest.

    "I''m sorry¡­"

    "For what?" Altair said, holding her tighter. "It was my fault that I didn''t tell you my n."

    "No.." Ren nudged her head, masking her brooding face. " it''s just when I saw Hilda I¡­ I thought¡­ I thought you''d abandon Ren for¡ª" Sealing her words with a passionate kiss that made her knees weak, so much so that she felt thankful she could lean on her Prince rather than make herself seem like a fool.

    "Ren¡­ you are my conscience. You are the person I go to in times of heartache. We fought together, and we grew up together. I don''t think I''d be this sane if you weren''t with me. No way in hell I''d ever abandon you." He swore with all his heart and soul. He lifted his hands, cupping her cheeks until her lips plumped.

    " What in the Nine Hells made you think I would abandon you?"

    To hear his words and feel his intense emotion. Ren foolishly grinned, unsure what came over her. But Ren had felt her heart beating out her chest as she blissfully giggled.

    "Thanks, Art!"

    ***

    Stepping into the medical ward, Altair nced down at the dried blood and to Olivia, staring aimlessly at the wall in a daze. Her face was still swollen from where Laros had brutally beaten her until her skin splintered, but she was a far cry from the disfigurement she came in with.

    Beside her stood Talia, peeling an apple before cutting it into small bite-size pieces, humming a small toon.

    "Oh, Altair," Talia said, alerting everyone to his presence alongside the masked redhead by his side.

    With an apologetic grimace, Altair nodded, noticing the slight tensing of Olivia''s shoulders as well as the shrinking of pupils following his approach.

    He stopped when he saw that, and for a moment, Altair felt as if he could feel her cheeks burn with shame.

    "Don''t¡­" Olivia said, trembling, clutching a small insignia. A ward that protected her from harm."Please... don''t."

    ''So¡­ this is the truth of such things.'' The Prince whispered, tasting the bile gathering in the back of his throat.

    The once proud and confident woman was now a shell, a husk of her former self. Too afraid to even meet his eye.

    "It would seeming here was a bad idea." He said, ncing at the wry smile of Amilia, who approached him.

    "Give it another day¡­ she needs time to¡­"

    "I understand," He uttered, catching sight of Talia''s vicious smile, and sighed, for he knew Olivia''s torment was only just beginning.

 Chapter 111: Prime Worlds

    Peering over the northern front of the Great Wall, which stood like great mountains overlooking the world, shielded by inscriptions etched into the stone. A nest of armed gunmen stationed over towers alongside rows ofrge metal turrets poised forbat stood erect beside the young prince.

    He stared into the distance at arge floating mass ofnd.An Ind blistering with water endlessly cascading over its edge through the winds and onto his face some hundred miles away. Grass bright as emerald shone a vibrant ecosystem of life, with the rustling of trees and vines intertwining with each other. Winged beasts loomed, spreading their wings and taking to the skies in droves.

    "How is such a thing flying?" Ren asked, blocking the sun with her hands to get a better view. She ignored the hundreds of flying cursers docking at its port filled with diplomats and offworlders from neighborings apart of the Republic, and some who weren''t.

    "No idea," Altair replied, blown away by such an amazing sight; he allowed his Neruolink to record it all. "The Mana doesn''t seem active, but that could just mean we are too far away to¡ª"

    "Really?" A nearby soldierughed with a slight Southern ent. "Youe all the way up here, but rather thanpliment its beauty, you try to analyze such a majestic sight?" he nced at Ren and then Altair. "Bro¡­ if you got any Rizz, you''d get yourself a camera."

    "Why? I''ve got a neurolink."

    The soldier rolled his eyes beneath his helm. "Then you got enough money to buy a camera or smartphone, datapad, or holocube. It''s about the aesthetic, not the functionality. Women want to know you''re taking a picture of them. All that advance shit ain''t helping nobody."

    Altair nced at Ren, listening intently with a sparkle in her eye. He''d never really thought to take a picture of anything. He had always remembered everything with near-perfect rity.

    "Why¡­ Why do you care?"

    "Southern hospitality." Heughed, lifting his palm to showcase a small golden ring. "Plus, I just got engaged. I''m exploding with excitement." He said when hislink sparked with static. He frowned.

    "The Admiral is looking for Altair." Came the voice from the receiving end. "Send him down."

    Altair looked at the soldier andughed. "Guess it''s time for business. Thanks for the insight," he said, heading down an elevator to the ground floor, where a familiar Ensign greeted him.

    "Altair¡­ and¡­ I''m sorry, I''m not familiar with your name." Aston Grey said, covered with a fine sweat. He nced at the mysterious figure of Ren, scratching at his golden blonde hair, a little overwhelmed by the regality billowing of her.

    ''A royal, perhaps?'' He wondered.

    "Reina," She told him, hooking her arms around Altair.

    Aston wryly scratched at his cheek. "Well, the¡ª"

    "I know. So lead the way." Renmanded, sensing a few lingering presences monitoring them. "Anywhere Art goes, I go¡­ At least until the end of the week. Safety concerns, I''m sure you understand."

    Aston Grey nodded and recalled the assault that happened just the other night. "Alright, but it''ll be up to the Admiral if you stay or leave." He said and herded the two towards the center of the fort and up towards the highest peak, where the Admiral resided. There, Altair saw two men, their skin blue as the oceans and their eyes red as the lifeblood pulsing through his veins.

    "So'' too vi," The Prince said in thenguage of the Taal, stationed on each side of the door, armed in shiny ck scaled armor.

    The Taals both looked surprised and weed the prince''s greeting, "Vi te meI." They said, opening the door with a weing gesture.

    Thel Duvale noted it all, standing upright with a vibrant smile, and offered Altair his palm, to which he epted. "You know Telsovaku?"

    "Of course. Mother had me master quite a fewnguages and cultures shared through the various sectors. Orbar being one of the first I ever learned when I was four." Altair said, a little excited to see another offworlder. He''d always found it strange how tight-knit earth was with its races. "Alongside the faces of each member within the senate of Genisis. It''s an honor to meet you, Thel Duvale."

    "Oh my!" Admiral Darkfire yelped. " You even know this?"

    "Well¡­ I spent most of my time off-world with Mother. We toured quite a few worlds when I was five years old." Altair admitted. " And while I didn''t get to visit your homeworld of Orbar, I did get to visit the homeworld of Saint Tevu, the Half-Taal hero who helped free the people of Orbar. I even got to try his favorite dish, tabknii. So slimy¡­"

    Through a gale of Laughter echoing from Thel and his bodyguards, Thel patted Altair''s shoulders. " I thought the same. Most people do. Saint Tevu was an odd one. That''s for sure. Come have a seat.

    And who might thisdy be?"

    "Reina of the Moon," Ren greeted.

    "Of the moon?" Thel thought, straightening up. He stared hard at Reina. "Are you, by chance, a member of the Sanctum of Selene?"

    "I''ve not heard that name in years. But yes. My name is etched into the Walls of Descendants. Though I am a far way from the Prime World of Noctem." Ren admitted, narrowing her gaze beneath her mask. She sat beside her prince, calm with an amused smile.

    Very few understood the meaning behind her name. That not only signified its regality but the authenticity of godhood from the Primodial of the Moon. It said those named beneath the moon were fated to be gods themselves.

    "I''ve done my research," Thel said, seated across from Altair and Ren, while Darkfire sat at the head of the table. "Noctem is quite the ce, though I''ve never been there. Their representative is said to be one of the disciples of the Goddess of the Night. So I''ve had my dealings with them."

    "I see," Ren said. "And have you had any dealings with the Ancients?"

    Again, Thel paused, feeling his back turn wet with sweat. "Not much; the Ancients are nomads, free-riders thate and go, caring little for conflicts. Though they do pop up within the senate from time to time, to hear what''s been going on before leaving."

    "Oh¡­ Yeah. The Ancients. That''s one of the Old Gods Races, right? I heard they were extinct." Darkfire said.

    "And who would kill them?" Laughed, Thel alongside Ren. "All their members are blessed by the Goddess of the Moon and Night, alongside various other Primordials. They are one of the peak races. Though they rarely leave the realm of Noctem, they are unknown to the likes of us who reside within the Realm of Knowledge, Genesis."

    Vaiga tipped her head to the side in wonder. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, Senator Duvale."

    Thel chuckled. "Yes. Yes. Meeting new people is always interesting. But if I am to Sponsor Altair and Lady Reina, I would like to know your goals."

    "Intergctic or local." Altair mused, slightly leaning back into his chair while Ren held onto his shoulder.

    "Local."

    "Earth is small. But houses with many untapped resources. Such as Babel''s tower. And from what I know. There are only four towers in all the Prime Realms. I want ownership of it."

    "The towers belong to the royal family of Earth."

    "The Towers belong to the Gods." Altair countered, rejecting the very idea that a set of mortals not even within the Ninth Circle had the power to wage im to Babel''s Tower. Were it not for the bureaucracy of Genesis. Earth would have been long conquered.

    "You''d stand against your government?" Thel creased a brow.

    "I stand with the capitalism of my home world. If it has value, then I want a cut." Altair said, careful to observe Vaiga''s reaction to such a im some extremists consider treason.

    "Sounds like you seek nobility or at least something along those lines."

    The prince smiled. "Yes. Something like that. But true poweres from Genesis. Wouldn''t you agree? It''s through Genesis that an intergctic economy was born: Nocturne, Astera, Vilistar, are now all using a singr currency."

    "Yes, though some believe this is just an attack by Genesis to undermine¡­" He paused, taking back by the direction in which the conversation was heading. " Look at me getting off topic." Heughed. " Let me direct aside from your ambition. What value does Orbar get from sponsoring you?"

    "You would cultivate a good rtionship with me. Unless I die an early death, Transcendence is within reach. There isn''t any doubt. Sponsoring me while a high-risk gamble is well worth the price. Seeing as I not only know of your culture but understand your history. I know of your pacifism, bits of your civil discord, and more.

    Your will gain an ally and possibly a friend. Is that not worth it?"

    Thel stared into altairs eyes for a while in silence before nodding. " Orbar will donate 200 sols every week into your ount, alongside two Dew of the World Trees. How does that sound?"

    ***

    [241 ¡ú 441 sols]

    "That was easier than I thought." Ren mused, sprawled out over the bed. " and all he asked was that we wear the insignia of Orbar."

    "That is how sponsorships usually work," Altair said, closing his bank statements. "Orbar isn''t rich like Earth, but their military is more powerful. However, 200 sols a week might be just what we need."

    "We could get more," Ren suggested.

    "We could, but I don''t like the idea of seeking out help. If corpos like Scorpio want to Sponsor me, then they shoulde to me. Meet me. Shake my hand. Otherwise, they can forget it."

    "Don''t you think you''re being a little too picky?"

    "Not at all. Pride gives the impression of value so that those ravaged by greed maye."

    Ren hoisted herself up, grinning with a foxy expression. "Pride, eh? Hehe. You make it sound like you are an expensive piece of merchandise."

    " In a sense¡­ yes. After all, who doesn''t want the best." Altair said in a teasing breath. Summoning a ck of canvas, a brush, and paint. He closed his eyes, manifesting the image ingrained in his mind of Reina with the floating teau behind her.

    From the High Walls to the nest of seasoned soldiers and turrets to the motion of waves crashing into the shores, Altair brought it all back and, in one swell motion, began his dance upon the canvas, painting not just the memory but the emotion he felt.

    Ren watched him for a while before smiling to herself, wondering what had him so focused. She giggled before summoning her cauldron.

    And in the silence, they trained.

 Chapter 112: Iron Dawn

    It wasn''t until midnight that Altair''s brush paused following the echos of a knock at his door. When he rose in a vale of discontent, he was reminded of his invitation and sighed, opening the door to Aurora''s smiling face.

    "Master," She bowed, noting his slight frown. "It would seem I''ve interrupted you."

    "My fault," Altair remarked, unwilling to me his servant for hispse in judgment. This, too, was a teachable moment, he thought. " I should have given you thebination to my door. Come on in."

    Aurora eyed the iplete abstract piece with a sense of wonder, for she felt the madness washing through the flowing waters like a curling of extinction and the masked figure that stood above it all, free by only the winds dancing across her mask.

    "That is¡­ bewitching." she was able to say before Altair sent the canvas into his Draupnir, somewhat embarrassed. "Master, did you draw that? You''re an artist?"

    "Of sorts, yes." He admitted, coughing into his palm. "Shall we get to the matter at hand?"

    Aurora perked her lips up. "We could, but that matter could involve your paintings." She mused, ncing at Ren in the lotus position, refining pills before her very eyes, wielding her blood-red mes like an extension of her arms, allowing no heat to press leak from out of the cauldron. It was perfectly contained.

    "Amazing. You two are really quite something. Master of your craft at twelve is something."

    "Only by Earth standards. To people within the Four Prime Worlds, we are infants." Altair conceded,piling a list of all passwords and ess to his ounts."Oh, and we''ve been sponsored by Orbar. 200 Sols and two Drew of the World Tree every week."

    Aurora reached into her jacket and pulled out a Datapad before she began keying in Altair''s information. "What about the resources from Scorpio?"

    "A Draupnir Ring and a few mana stones, recovery pills, and balms. But all in all, nothing we want to sell." He said, going back and forth with Aurora as she began to ask many more questions about his resources.

    For a solid hour, they spoke before Aurora got a good understanding of Altair''s particr banks and finances.

    "To review: You have a Tier three Bank, with Realm InternGaltatic Bank. There are so many benefits we don''t need to worry about interest rates for the next hundred years if we were to take out a loan. That''s good."

    "Are we taking a loan?"

    "Yes. It is a good way to build credit and leveragepany money. We''ll start ourpany on Earth since weck the resources to survive on any of the Genesis Colonies. We''ll even add a discount to our sponsors. Twelve Percent. That should be good enough to satiate their interest in you.

    And you said Ren can generate pills with a sixty-six percent purity? Thats good. Earth''s standard is around fifty. Orbar is sixty percent. A six percent increase works wonders with the rich on Orbar."

    Later, once Auroa had finished reviewing all of Altair''s assets. She nodded. "Good. It seems I have everything I need. All that is left is acquiring the necessary pills to be shipped to locals and off-world." She nced at Ren, unsure when she''d be done with her refinement, when a sudden boom resounded through her cauldron loud enough to shake the room.

    A soothingly sweet aroma circted the room, bringing a calm that seemed to wipe away the weariness of the day.

    "Iron Dawns," Aurora whispered, recognizing the familiar fume, recalling nearly seven years ago when she tried her first. For an entire month, Aurora sweated like a recovering attic, so focused on her task she nearly bled out from overwork.

    It was said, long ago, that Iron Dawns were created by the Iron Maiden of Garis, within a world ravaged by war, for soldiers to keep them alert at all times. To help her people survive theing war and deadly seasons. She forged a pill to harden the minds of her soldiers.

    "Here¡­" Ren said, yawning, taking out ten Iron Dawns from her cauldron and Twenty Iron Bloods from her ring. " Call it the Iron series or something. They were all pill forms created by the Iron Maiden, Drasell. Though, I tweaked the form a bit. Fewer resources and more refined heat."

    "Right me the form of all pills you wish to try. I will garner all the resources at cheaper prices. I''ve got a few contacts around the world who''ll supply me with herbs and monster parts. We needn''t buy from themissary that upcharges everyone. I''ll have hundreds of herbs sent your way by day''s end."

    With two glistering eyes that shone beautifully like the first sprinkle of snow, Ren grinned, writing down a list of all her from, frommon to rare. It took nearly an entire hour to fill up nearly fifty sheets of paper. And with that, Aurora left with a bright smile, flush with excitement.

    ''Whore¡­'' a figure in the distance said, watching the flush across her face as she skipped around the corner.

    "He''s probably fucked her like a dog," Cedric said, sliding his gaze to Vadi with a smile. "Look how her legs tremble, how sweat trails down her neck. Oh, he had her, alright. More than once based on the skip in her step."

    Vadi stared aghast. He had never seen Aurora so happy, never seen her skip so much as sweat after he had her. Aurora had always been still, then frozen like ice, smiling at him with warmth as she cupped his face.

    ''You did good,'' she''d say, kissing him so that tears would not fall.

    "Whore!" Vadi repeated, masking his face beneath the shadows of his hair to hide his gaunt expression.

    "I told you," Cedric said with augh. "How many times do you think he had her? A tall, strong man like Altair? Seven, maybe eight times? It''s nearly four in the morning."

    "Stop it," Vaid said.

    "Fucked her good, it seems."

    ''Stop it!"

    "You heard that boom? Wonder what he broke when he had her on her knee. Plowing her from behind. The bed? The walls? Shower maybe or¡ª"

    "STOP IT!!!" Vadi roared, jerking his arms away from Cedric. ring with bloodshot eyes, wet by his salty tears. "YOU DON''T KNOW!"

    "I do, boy. I do. But I can help you." Cedric confessed without much expression. He pressed his arms over the boy''s shoulders, looking him sternly in the eyes. "Let me help you, and Aurora will be yours. Altair is a traitor...

    A fiend. A nobody. How else would he be able to have someone like Aurora? A noblewoman? Think! He is manipting her!

    Think!"

    "... I''ll do it," Vadi said after a long while. "Give it to me¡­ I''ll do it."

    ***

    ''Altair?" Ren suddenly called, noticing her Prince staring into space. "You ok?"

    "Yeah¡­ Just out of it."

    "Want an Iron Dawn?"

    ''No," Altair said so quickly, practically Ren sprang intoughter at his panicked face. She poked at his cheek, snickering at his embarrassed expression. "Aurora had a bad experience. I''ll pass," he exined.

    She then tipped her neck to the side. " Then you want a bite of Ren?"

    The Prince felt his throat dry, watching the smooth, unblemished skin that smelt ofvender soothe with two dots where he''d first bitten her. Ren had never allowed the wound to fully heal, applying a balm so that it would scar. He was sure she''d done the same to her thigh.

    "I''ll pass," he said, so unconvincingly Ren giggled at the reluctance in his eyes. He appeared like a scolded boy whose hand was found in the cookie jar.

    ''You sure," Ren said, exposing bits of her shoulder beneath her blouse.

    Again, the throbbing pangs of hunger sweltered through his throat. He gulped, recalling the euphoric sensation of his fangs biting through flesh, reaching into that unforgiving st of ecstasy ravaging his mind until¨C

    "Ye¡­ No." He turned, biting at his fist to retrain himself. "Ren¡ª"

    With a mischievous smile, Ren curled her arms around her Prince, pressing her breast against his back, brushing her lips against his neck as she slowly curled her legs around him, whispering in an alluring tone. She nibbled at his neck. "If you don''t feed, how will you protect Ren?"

    "I never knew you were powerless or wicked," He seethed, feeling her swallowing him with her embrace.

    "And evil," Ren whispered, her blood-red eyes flickering with a peculiar gleam. She kissed his neck, mirroring where he''d once bit her. She narrowed her gaze at the sounds of tearing cloth and knew where it came from.

    "Subus," He boiled at the frustration scorching his flesh.

    With the smile of an enchantress, Ren pulled the fist from his mouth stained red as he tried to resist thepulsion of his hunger, and steadily, she settled her wrist against his lips. "Eat," she whispered.

    "Ren¡­" Altair stifled a breath. "I''m training control. I can''t always¡ª"

    "Then train it¡­ Ren will be that devil on your shoulder," She murmured in a captivating tone, sliding her wrist beneath the fangs as he whispered her name. "Mark me.''

    Ren winced for a mere second, feeling Altair fangs prate her wrist with vigor, far in contrast to the gentleness he always took with her. His bite was rough this night, ravaging her without the slightest restraint. And yet Ren felt something warm and wet slide down her thigh.

    ''Good,'' she thought, treading her fingers through the strands of dark silky hair. She stared at her Prince, promising her blood would be the only thing he''d ever want or craver.

    After a good minute, Altair picked his head up. His mouth zed wet with the blood of the Nephilim dripping from his chin. He shuddered, regaining some sort of self-control. He grew frightful that he might have taken too much when he felt two soft plums press against his lips.

    "Good," Ren said, breaking the kiss. "How was it?"

    "Bewitching"

 Chapter 113: Pegasus

    It was first light when the Prince stormed out of his room, his face flush with rage. Whistling, Ren followed after him, smiling beneath her mask, massaging Altair''s vicious bite over her wrist, wrapped in bandages, and somewhat light-headed.

    "You think if I only ate mangoes and pineapples, my blood might taste differently?" she teased, finding his current expression cute. There had only been a handful of times she''d ever seen him angry. This was a new face. One she found fascinating.

    Altair was always calm, always poised, with a bearing of a lord, but today¡­ Today, he bore furrowed brows, narrowed eyes, curled lips, and a set of tensed shoulders. Ren took it all in, turning the corner when, without warning, Altair snatched her, shoving her against the wall, ring her down.

    He tore off her mask, peering into her enchanting red eyes wet with a silver mist, and his heart began to hammer like drums against his chest.

    Ren nervously smiled, unsure what he would do or what she would allow. "My Prince?" she tilted her neck, revealing his mark. "Are you still hungry?"

    Altair dropped her mask, trembling as his right eye flickered between scarlet and ck. "Damn you¡­" he swore, struggling to maintain any sort of decorum. He could still taste it, her blood on his breath, alongside her lips against his.

    "What are you scheming?" He fleshed out, bearing the searing thirst throbbing at the back of his throat.

    *Badump *Badump *Badump

    Drinking his predatorial stare with her smitten one, feeling her heart quicken, Ren''s lips curled up. "How does my blood tastepared to the others?" She asked him, nudging her bruised wrist. "Don''t think I don''t know of your nightly feedings." she giggled then, curling her arms around his neck, feeling hisbored breath against her flesh. "I want to be the only one that gets to feed you."

    "You''ll die." He promised her.

    "I can refine a few Blood Cirction Pills to help with blood loss." Ren retorted. "Or do you find that their blood taste¨C"

    In a burst of anger, Altair pressed his lips against Rens, seizing im to them as his tongue entwined with hers. He was furious of his own weakness, made bare by his lust for her.

    To a point, he became aware she was poison to him. A need he couldn''t do without.

    Ren allowed it. Caught in a heat of her own. They barely heard the sounds of whistles and praises that caught their ears.

    "No fucking in the halls!" A roguish soldierughed, small like a mouse.

    "In the halls! Have you no shame?" Shouted another.

    "Shameless!"

    "Get it, Girl,"

    "Whor¨C"

    Silence came quickly amongst the gathering crowd of soldiers as Altair released his presence without reservation. He stared at the scarlet rose blush over Ren and smiled, sensing her embarrassment.

    She was trembling like a fawn in the rain, teary-eyed, before she leaned her head into his chest. Never before had she been so ashamed, caught in a heat before the eyes of everyone. Worse were their worlds and eyes that seemed to warm her cheeks.

    "M-m-mask." Ren pleaded in a desperate cry.

    "And miss the opportunity to show you off?"

    "Art!" Cried Ren.

    "Revenge~"ughed the Prince, simr to that of a superviin. "Mwahaha~"

    "Art!" She quickly squealed, far too ashamed to reveal herself. She stomped over his foot and conjured a pir of bloody red ice to lift her mask to her before dawning it in a hurry. Altair leaned into her ear.

    "Wait till we get back." He said and dragged her away from the lingering eyes.

    Ren had been silent until noon, when soldiers began to gather outside. Curious, they followed after a few soldiers to the crowd of winged horses, white as morning snow, standing well over seven feet tall, dwarfing the humans around them. They stood tall and proud, heads arched, with tworge beady eyes.

    Pegasus, Altair knew them to be but had never seen one in person. But knew much of their mythos. Pegasus were old creatures of the Old Gods, said to carry the blood of the Celestials that granted immortality, simr to unicorns. When they are caught, they lose their light, causing the sins of the world to sink in, turning them mortal.

    Suddenly, the fairest of the batch galloped through the crowd to Ren, brushing its snout over her neck. Ren had never seen a more beautiful creature so full of life. She giggled at its touch, treading her fingers through its silky mane, and turned to her Prince with a sparkle he''d not in seen her eyes in a while.

    "Ren wants one," Reina eximed with a flutter in her heart.

    Altair wondered. Where he to y the beast would its mane turn ck as night? The thought made him smile. He always wanted a mount, though he never envisioned it would be a pegasus of all things.

    "I¡ª"

    "You''ll be silent." Storming through the soldiers, Cedric Vandel trotted forth, bound by his golden armor that shone beneath the sun''s rays. Gant, with his azure blue eyes and blonde hair and bastard greatsword strapped on his back. On his chest, the insignia of the silver dragon of his most noble house was etched into his armor and half cape that fluttered in the winds.

    The crowd went silent.

    "Listen up," Cedric shouted, with scorn in his voice for all themoners to hear. "Those that arepeting in the tournament will gather here! We''ll travel by Pegasis to the Great teau, to the hotel they have prepared for us." His gaze swept the crowd, cold and distant. "We''ll make thirty trips. You''ll have to make your report to yourmanding officer before you are allowed to leave."

    But Altair and Ren would do no such thing. Iliana had allowed them all the freedom to do as they pleased: freedom they more than weed.

    After a few more words, Cedric stepped down, unhooked his bastard sword from his back, and mounted his steed, kicking it with his golden boots. The beast neighed savagely, taking the to skies in a single flutter of its majestic wings.

    Soon, one by one, various other soldiers began to mount the various Pegasus, with Altair and Ren being amongst the first. It had taken a while for the Prince to get the reins of the beast, unlike Ren, who seemed to have been born with the gift. The moment she mounted hers, Ren took to the skies like a fierce storm, and she soared.

    From the slightest touch of her legs to the subtle tug of the reins, the Pegasus responded. She rode the beast high into the skies, piercing through clouds with wild abandon, then down into a nose dive, plunging into the deep waters of the Pacific and then out as her feverishugh trailed the winds.

    "Art!" She squealed, flushed with excitement, turning to her rear to meet the starry expression of the boy watching her gallop through the skies. "Fly with me!"

    Unable to deny her request, Altair chased as Ren fled. Spellbound by the looming sense of freedom, Altair nor Reina felt vertigo within their guts as they dived head first, protected by a small film of mana generated by the Pegasus from the various elements.

    They soared for hours, from high noon to dusk, before arriving above the Great teau that spanned well over a hundred miles. From rivers of plenty intertwining through thend tokes of plenty to towering snow-filled peaks andrge volcanic mountains, Altair and Ren took it all in, sucking arge breath at the awe-inspiring scene.

    When atst theynded, Cedric stood ring, surrounded by a few hundred soldiers. "Bastards!" he roared. " Have you any idea how long it took? We''ve only got thirty of these damn beasts. Yet you took nearly seven hours! SEVEN HOURS!!!!

    "

    Screaming his head off, Cedric cursed and stomped. He had sent dozens of men after those two, but none of them could keep up, nor were any of the drones able to keep up with them and their wild antics.

    "I regret nothing¡­" Altair raised a hand with a deadpan expression.

    "Seconded." Added Ren.

    Thick veins protruded from Cedric''s head as he drew in a long, elongated breath, trying to calm the nerves. "Yourmanding officer will hear of this." He assured them, stomping off with a huff.

    "He seems nice." Ren giggled.

    ''... too nice.'' Altair thought. ''Seven hours we were gone, and a few shouts is all we get?'' He smiled, narrowing his gaze to Cedric''s looming shadow with a trace of suspicion.

    "Shall we eat?" He quickly asked, looking at the monolithic building overlooking theke, filled with wildlife and armed gunmen patrolling the area. He pulled her inside to the reception area.

    "Altair and Reina. ID Code 4311 and 5721"

    Handed a room key from reception. Altair and Ren quickly located the kitchen on ground level when a shout echoed across the room.

    "Lady Reina," Aurora shouted, seated with Talia and Olivia.

    Olivia seemed pale, but she had been better, thanks to Talia. It truly made her wonder, however.

    ''Why? Why was she helping me?''

    Olivia nced up at Talia and shot her gaze back down with a faint smile.

    "It''s girls night," Aurora said as her Master and Mistress approached. "You wouldn''t mind leaving her to me, right?"

    Altair smiled." Of course not. Though, I wonder. What do you have nned?"

    Aurora''s lips perked up. " Girl talk. You know. Maybe a few drinks. Reina is new to Earth, right? I''m sure she''ll be interested in modern music."

    "Music!" Ren whirled to her Prince. " can I go?! Can I?" She asked him with a gleam in her eye.

    "... why are you asking me? Of course, you can go. You''re a big girl, right?!"

    "Ren is a big girl!" Ren affirmed, turning to Aurora with such love she practically tackled her with hugs.

    With bits ofughter, Altair left her with the girls, finding a table beside the bar where a familiar face caught his eye.

    "Altair?"

    Altair recognized her immediately as he grinned at the fox-eared woman. "You''re the pretzel girl¡­. Maya Telvac, I believe."

    A/N: Chapter 80

    "Goodness," Maya grinned, batting hershes. "You remembered me." She said, with the swaying of a voluptuous figure, catching his eyes at the bar. Maya leaned over the bar top, plumping her breasts up as she stared into his eyes. "Well? What are you having?"

    Altair felt the heat rise in him. "How about an Old Fashioned. I''ve never had one of those." He said hastily, suddenly feeling a set of eyes on him.

    Cold, unfeeling eyes.

    "Make it two." When Altair turned, he all but smiled, weing Amelia''s arrival. " and an apple Martini, shaken, with a dash of cinnamon."

    For a second, Amilia graced Altair with a smile before sitting beside him. Mesmerizing him with a stunning ck dress that clung to her body like a thin film. On her chesty a long v-shaped incision from her breast to her navel.

    She looked stunning tonight. And the eyes clinging to her told her that as much as the words that echoed from Altair''s lips.

    "Wow. You look amazing." The boy said, taking her all in.

    "Really?" Amilia said nervously. It was her first time wearing something so revealing. She smiled, far more ufortable than she''d like to admit. She felt naked in this dress. Exposed for all to see.

    "Of course. Why would I lie?"

    "Facts," Maya added. "You are ying."

    "Though you look a little ufortable." Altair kindly mentioned. " Are you cold?"

    With a forced smile, she shook her head. "I''m nearing seventy-eight. Imperial militaryw demands I marry or give birth to children." She whispered, bringing a hard frown to Altair''s lips. " I won''t be getting any promotions or raises if¡­ if I don''t at least put out at functions like these."

    "Tsk. I''m so jealous." Maya red down at Amilia''s melon as though she was a cow. " Lt. How''d you get yours so big?"

    "Maya~" She protested, covering her chest. And secretly slid her gaze to Altair from the corner of her eye, perking her lips up at his dazed expression.

    "Altair?" She called to him.

    "Mm?" The boy absentmindedly hummed.

    In a burst of pearlyughter, Maya rested an emerald-colored drink settled with a dusting of cinnamon before Amilia and an amber drink garnished with curled orange peel in front of Altair.

    "Altair, how much of my notes did you sniff through?" Amilia asked him, recalling the day she experienced her own change within the slums.

    The knowledge came easily there. Her own mother was of the Night, seeking pleasure from man, woman, or beast that could have her. Amilia couldn''t recall a time when she ever felt ignorance towards the body.

    "Why¡­ Why do you want to know?"

 Chapter 114: Girls Night

    "You''re staring, you know," Aurora said in a teasing wisp, watching the way Ren focused on her Master talking and smiling, drinking andughing. In minutes, he had a faint flush of a drunken man. Probably his first time drinking, Aurora thought, noticing the way in which he gulped down the drink as though it were water.

    "I''m not worried," Ren said, with a cramp in her stomach, simrly gulping her martini to Aurora''s awe.

    "I didn''t ask if you were worried," She then said, giggling. "I said your staring. And you are."

    For a second, Ren looked confused before a rosy flush came. "I''m¡­ I''m just making sure he''s ok."

    A fool could tell she was lying, much less Aurora or Talia, who covered their mouths as theyughed, giggling to themselves. Again, Ren turned a shade redder. So much so Talia named her ''Red.''

    "You know it''smon for men to have multiple wives." Talia reminded her, poking and prodding at the seared salmon drizzled with a spicy cajon honey sauce. "My father married and bedded over fifty women. It''s quite a normal thing."

    "Though I hear the queen has a reverse harem of her own in court. " Aurora whispered, grinning as the girls leaned into the gossip. "Rumors of the Cucked King are spreading like wildfire these days."

    "I..I¡­I heard that, too." Olivia joined, shaking a bit with the reeling of her stomach, feeling so exposed to everyone. She couldn''t help but wonder if they knew how she had been raped and beaten, tossed into the ocean, and tortured until her lungs burned with salty waters. Yet she spoke up, bearing the shame.

    "One of the serving boys saw her riding one of her knights while handling two others with her arms."

    Ren could all but imagine it. "Three men?" she yelped.

    "Quite the trooper she is. And now rumors are on about the Princess and Prince being fathered by another." Talia said, grinning. "Though they''re just rumors. The Pce has yet to make a statement. But¨C"

    "The damage to the King''s image isrge," Aurora cut in.

    "Still¡­" Ren began. "I can''t even imagine how terrifying three Altairs would be."

    "Ohhh~" The girl''s ears perked up. "Does that mean¡­" Talia gestured. "You know. Have you two done it? How was it? You know¡­ sex." she whispered.

    Ren nibbled at her lips, regretting her earlier words. But she felt a little proud. "Not sex¡­ but just hands and mouth," she whispered in a hush. Talia and Aurora felt their breaths catch. "Art¡­ Art was so intense I felt I would drown. No matter how much I gasped for air, it was never enough."

    The girls leaned in closer, eyes glistening, but Riena couldn''t continue. It was too embarrassing and private.

    "How big?" Aurora asked, feeling a heat build between her thighs.

    Slowly, Ren lifted her arm hesitantly. She pointed to her forearm. "Bigger than this," she said, and the girls squealed loudly. Even Olivia joined, giggling. Bitterly, recalling her time with Laros, she was thankful he was at least average. If he wasrger, she feared she would not have even had the strength to walk afterward.

    "How does one take such a thing?" Talia eximed loudly. "You''d die for sure. I¡ª"

    "Where''s the Lamb Sauce!!! Fine dining, my ass! Look at it! It''s raw!" A shout from the far side of the room thundered, echoing with the shattering of ss and the nking of silverware striking against the ground.

    "Guess it''s a good thing we didn''t get the Lamb," Aurora said, lifting her head to themotion.

    There, Ser Eddis Mormont stood, fitted in a ck surcoat bearing the Crest of the Silver Dragon of House Vandel. He stood tall as a mountain, with arms and legs as thick as a small tree.

    ''That''s Barron Egar''s second son.'' Aurora told herself, wondering what a knight who''d taken the vow to serve House Vandel was doing within the Great teau. The Vandals were responsible for controlling the lower sectors of the Earth that had been hollowed out for themoners to live and mine. Making them one of Earth''s richest dukedoms, second only to the royal family.

    From breeders to rapers, ves to offworlders, thieves, and murderers, the Vandels oversaw the worst of humanity within the depths. They were the Warrdens of the Undergrounds.

    "Twelve Sols! " Ser Eddis barked, dwarfing the Young Waiter with golden-colored skin and leaf-colored eyes, and pointed ears. " fucken wood elves. Are you deaf? Answer me when I talk, boy! Or does your kind only know how to eat bark and leaves?"

    "I will return it, my Lord." The Wood Elf hastily said, lowering his head.

    ''Will you now." Eddis said with scorn in his voice. "When you brought it out to me, did you not see the FUCKING LAMB SAUCE WAS MISSING?!"

    "What a dick," Ren said.

    "He brings shame to the aristocracy," Aurora added, unamused. Were noblemen and women not supposed to be better than those they govern? She scowled at his unbing attitude that made her wine sour. She signaled for a nearby waiter. " Shots. Ten shots, something sweet if you can.

    Top shelf."

    When the waiter returned, Aurora handed everyone two shots and gave three to Olivia. Cheering to theing battle tomorrow, they cheered, banged the shot ss over the table, and swallowed it down.

    And soon, the party continued. Unwilling to let Eddis dampen the atmosphere, the girls drank and sang without a care in the world.

    "Goodness." Amilia grinned, ncing at them. "Looks like they''re having fun." she looked at Altair. "You know bad decisions happen when one is drunk, right?"

    Silently, Altair watched, lowering his drink over the countertop, and nced at Eddis berating the wood elf with indifference. " That elf¡­ Wood Elves, is he a ve?"

    "Elvish ves are expensive. And are rarely shown to the public. I doubt that elf is a ve." Amilia replied.

    "How expensive?"

    "If he was bought young, probably fifty thousand Sols. Elves are born attuned to mana and live lives well over a thousand years. We humans can live to about three hundred at most."

    "And if it was a woman wood elf?"

    Amilia narrowed her gaze. "A hundred thousand."

    Suddenly, the sound of shattering wood exploded into the ears of everyone as they turned to watch the elf burrel through the room, through tables and chairs, until hended on Ren''s table.

    "Bloody Hell!" Ren cried, lifting her te of Peking duck in time.

    The others, however, weren''t so lucky as their faces stood stained with wine, blood, grease, pesto, and more.

    The room fell to silence as Eddis reached to his waist and lifted a gon of wine, downing it in a single breath. He belched. " Get up, boy, and fetch me¡ª"

    The burst of scarlet-colored lightning hade so quickly that Eddis could only look down, watching its cruel arc tearing through armor and flesh, searing everything it touched until it bubbled and popped like cheese, leaving behind a bright ring through his gut, existing on the other side.

    "Eh?" He staggered forward and touched the hole in his abdomen.

    "Bastard!" Talia spat, but it was Aurora who struck, stepping out from underneath the table with a furious expression.

    Blinded by rage made worse by the plentiful drinks. Aurora, joined by Talia, staggered towards the knight, clutching his stomach, as he fell to a knee.

    "How do you want to die?" Talia spat. " Eh?!"

    "I say we cut off his balls and have the chef prepare it!" Aurora said drunkenly. "I bet they won''tforget themb sauce this time!"

    The silence of the restaurant became all the more deafening, with only Altair''sughter ringing out. Still smiling, he stood up.

    "Easy now, girls." He said, brushing bits of salmon and shrimp off their shoulders. "You can''t kill a man over such a thing."

    Coming up from behind, munching away at her duck, Ren tilted her head. " Why not?"

    "Morals¡­ I guess." Altair said, cleaning a sliver of red sauce off her cheek, and the Young Nephilim snickered. "But mainly because murder is illegal." he poked at her loveable nose and turned to Eddis.

    "Ser Eddis, are you alright?" Altair inquired, drawing on his memories of Aurora. He looked around before shouting. "Can we get a medic? We''ve got a man down!"

    ''I¡­I¡­I can''t feel my legs." Eddis weakly cried as blood began to pool from his lips, bubbling over his mouth in a foam. "I¡­ Can''t feel my legs." He said, gripping the smoldering red ring, ignorant that his spine had been burnt away.

    In a few more breaths, Altair saw a dozen soldiers rushing in, charging towards Ser Mormont as they desperately began to deliver first aid. The Prince watched with a heart of stone, unbothered by the faint cries sounding from his mouth over and over.

    ''I can''t feel my legs,'' Eddis moaned before the medics carted him off.

    No one seemed to show much concern towards Ser Eddis. Much to Altair''s surprise, the soldiers hadn''t even bothered to ask what happened. Rather, they began to help clean up with the staff, ensuring no one was hurt.

    Everyone present had been either a noble, rich, or a diplomat from a foreign world, and Altair knew the consequences woulde the following morning. Not that he cared. Aurora was a noblewoman, one with a name that carried weight.

    "Alright. Shall we call it a night?" Altair inquired, a bit light-headed himself. The girls all looked a little down as they looked at the time. Not even a half past ten. Altair signaled to Talia and pulled her to a nearby corner.

    "How long are you going to y with Olivia?" The Prince quickly asked.

    "Until she breaks." The Fallen Shadow revealed with a coldness that even surprised Altair. "Until she takes that rifle of hers and nts a bullet right here." She touched her head. "I''ll stop then."

    Altair gave a faint nod of approval but feltpelled to advise, "Olivia is mentally unstable and has barely just recovered. If you strike hard enough and break down the walls, she managed to put up these past few days. You''ll own her. But there can''t be any room for hesitation or forgiveness. Break her¡­ No matter what it takes."

    With a lovely smile over her pale grey skin, Talia bowed. " Why, of course, my Master." She said, dismissing herself. She looked at Olivia, smiling at her with bright, doe-like eyes, and her lips curled up."Shall we head to my room, girls? No need for the party to end, right?"

    Silently, Altair watched before deciding to turn in for the night. Saying his goodbyes to Maya and Amilia, Altair headed to the sixteenth floor, to his hotel room.

    "There it is¡­ room number 1611," He said, keying his keyboard over the lock. Altair entered, gazing drunkenly into the luxurious room fitted with Art, molded ss,rugs, vases, and more. And yet he felt bored¡­ and lonely.

    "Perhaps it was a bad idea to let Ren y by herself," Altair moaned, falling onto the king-size mattress. "It''s he dull now."

    "Oh,e on, boss!" Kirr said, stepping out of his shadow with Jorm by his side. "It ain''t so bad. You got us!"

    "... you know there''s a casino, right?" Altair told them, handing them his key card. "Why don''t you go gamble? You each have foresight. Go have fun. Make me rich.

    I¡ª"

    Kirr was practically out the door by the time Altair had finished. Heughed, turning to Jorm.

    "Earn some money. You got my ount info, right?"

    "I do, my Lord," Jorm said calmly.

    "I''m giving you fifty Sols. So make itst. And have fun for me." He said, finally dismissing his loyal knight. When Jorm had left, Altair sighed and closed his eyes, allowing the sweet darkness to¡ª

    "ART!!!!!!!!"

 Chapter 115: Nephilim Physiology

    "ART!!!!!!!!"

    Stirred awake following the banging at his door, Altair opened his eyes."Oh, what fresh hell is this." He said and pulled himself to the door to find Ren slouched over, vomiting her dinner. "What fresh hell indeed."

    "Art¡­ Ren smells funny." She whimpered, with part of her cor drenched with chunks of duck wet with bile. The smell alone made Altair wince as she staggered forward, bonking her head into his chest. " Art is a bully. Why did you leave Ren?" She looked at him, her doe-eyed, moist with fresh tears. "Why?"

    Altair pulled her inside, sorry for the janitor who would have to deal with the clean up, and closed the door.

    Wordlessly, he activated his neurolink and had the room A.I. draw Ren a bath as he hoisted the little thing up and pulled her into the bathroom. She giggled like a schoolgirl, looking up at him with wonder in her eyes.

    "Art, why are you so nice to me?" She asked him as he settled her down beside the jacuzzi.

    "Is that a real question?"

    "Why not?"

    "You were kind¡­" He answered after a moment of silence. Checking the temperature of the water. "When we met. You were the first person I met my age who didn''t look at me with contempt. The first person to challenge me. Even now, I don''t think I can guarantee a win against you." He nced at her, smiling.

    " House Aros was harsh, especially after traveling with Mother. To go from such amazing worlds to a barren wastnd was hard. I never hated anything until I entered House Aros. So that''s it¡­ you were kind to me. Disappointed?"

    Ren shook her head, circling her mana to help metabolize her inebriation. "No¡­ " she mewled, feeling her heart throb with a warm, tingly sensation spreading across her body. " I''m just happy to hear it. Lucky, too." She admitted, leaning onto his shoulder.

    For a while, neither of them said anything as the sound of running water echoed and stopped. He turned to her then, watching the flush of intoxication across her cheeks, and felt his breath catch.

    "Do you want me¡ª"

    "Yes"

    Nervously, Altair began to pull the clothes from her body as Ren watched with unblinking eyes. From her military coat to her shirt and blouse to her trousers and thong, she stared as her Prince stripped her bare. And for a moment, she felt herself grow wet between the legs.

    ''He is watching me," She thought as her breath grewbored.

    Altair had no words this night as he stood bewitched by the glimmers of moonlight bathing her milky skin. To say she was beautiful would have been an insult to her radiance that seemed to embody the nature of the Seraphim. Yet there was a darkness to her, a sinful temptation that made his blood boil. So delectable; her light seemed almost enthralling.

    It was the first time he''d seen her in the light so bare. Her pale, milky flesh flushed with a rose-colored hue.

    "Altair?" She called, smiling, feeling she''d won. And she had.

    "Right." He stammered before curling his fingers over her bare flesh before cing her into the warmed waters. " Let me get you some¨C"

    "Join me¡­ you got dirty, right?" Ren said, eyeing the spot where her vomit graced as he held her.

    And for a moment, Altair wondered, was this all nned? Her drunken shouts, to her vomiting¡­ all of it?

    He shook his head, "Ren isn''t that crazy," he told himself, turning to her poised stare.

    "Alright." He hesitantly replied, dropping his uniform until he and his hammer shimmered. Only then did he see her blush. He smiled, entering the hot waters on the opposite side of her.

    "This is a big jacuzzi¡­" the boy said, trying to make conversation through the somewhat awkward atmosphere. It hadn''t been the first time they''d seen the other naked. They had done far more. But they had been drinking, and everything had just seemed ephemeral.

    "Yeah, it''s like a pool." Ren agreed, kicking her feet over the water''s edge, and grinned. "Altair¡­" she called with the help of the wine filling her head. " hold me."

    "You''re drunk." He reminded her.

    "You''re just holding me," She pressed, kicking her feet to him. She swirled towards him and turned, allowing her back to press against his chest. Reina opened her legs, allowing his reeling manhood to nestle itself between her most sensitive area. " s¡­see? Better, right?"

    Unsure what was hotter than the waters or the scorching heat Ren radiated down below. He shuddered pleasurably as his arms coiled below her breast.

    She leaned back into his embrace, and slowly, the two grew morefortable.

    "Oh¡­ did you ever listen to your Father''s message?"

    Ren shook her head, blowing bubbles into the water. "No¡­" she paused, nestling deeper into his embrace. " I''m scared it could be about my Mother. If so¡­ then it''ll only be bad news."

    "I don''t think so, " Altair mused, instinctually brushing his lips against her ear. "I don''t think there is a single good father alive that would tell his daughter bad news through an orb of all things. I bet it''s¡­" He smiled as Ren tipped her head back to meet her Prince''s mischievous eye. " How about we make a bet? If I win, you do me a favor. If you win, I will do you a favor."

    The Nephilim smiled and licked her plump lips. "Alright¡­ what''s the bet?"

    "What your father has to say. I think it''ll be about¡­ trust. A warning about my family."

    Rens gaze dipped. "Is¡­ Is Father in danger?" She hurriedly asked, but Altair shook his head.

    "No idea. But I know Duke Leto hates what he does. But if you''re worried, I can always try to persuade my father to¨C"

    "No. That''ll only humiliate him. Think about it: A child asking one of the Nine Lords of Hell to stop bullying her father. We''d beughed out of court." Ren shook her head, dismissing the suggestion."I think it''s probably about¡­ puberty. We never did have the talk."

    With an agreed nod, Ren conjured the Golden Orb and crushed it between her fingers. Suddenly, the shards began to shimmer with nodes of mana, gathering until a semi-translucent figure emerged.

    Duke Leto hovered above the water, startling Ren as his eyes met with hers. Ready to scream her lungs out at the sight of her father, seeing her in such a lewd position, she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it was a visual recording.

    "Ren, I hope you are well. Truly. Your Mother is fine. So you needn''t worry about that. Lord Snow has been able to stabilize her body, but¡­ it''s a costly affair. But that''s neither here nor there." He smiled.

    "This recording is about you¡­ and please don''t destroy the recording. But it''s about¡­ your maidenhood."

    Ren all but wanted to bury her face in the water. Had Altair not been holding her, she might have.

    "Yes¡­ I know. Embarrassing. But. Nephilims... are creatures that go against the natural order. Unlike humans, they don''t possess a hymen." Leto grimaced and went on.

    "Rather, the first time a Nephilim mates, they take on the properties of their partner. In the case of Aurelia Morningstar, the first recorded Nephilim and the Silver Devil Lord Zariel Snow, she gained attributes of his almighty soul. Turning her into a genius beyond myprehension." He paused, allowing the words to sink in.

    "I know you are young. But I employ you to think long and hard about this. I know I can''t stop you despite wanting to with all my heart. You''re getting to be a big girl. And there are consequences to each decision you make. Should you engage in sex, make sure it''s with the right person.

    Because of what you are, you two will share your physique. Meaning¡­ god-forbid, its Altair¡­ fuck that guy¡­ But he will gain your Nephilim blessing and curse alongside your physique. While you will gain whatever monstrous blessing or curse he has."

    Ren''s eyes went wide as she hurriedly separated from Altair in a panic. "You''re You''re lying," she shouted, sheddingrge globs of tears. "You are lying, right!"

    "I know¡­ you are panicking. Angry even." The recording continued. "But it''s just the way it is. Though¡­ If it is Altair¡­" The image gritted his teeth. "He''ll be able to take it¡­ Altair is¡­ he is able to tap into the Realm of Spirits. Meaning¡­ at times, he is omniscient.

    Bullshit right? Don''t tell him, but you should know. Right now, it should be merely sensations, particr feelings of knowing, but that power will grow. So you have nothing to worry about, my child. He''ll be able to handle the consequences. I swear it.

    Daddy loves you, OK? So take care of yourself. And don''t worry too much. And just live happily. Daddy will take care of Mommy. You''ve done enough.

    Love you. "

    "Dad¡­" Ren whimpered out, watching tearfully as he faded to nothingness. Sniffulling, she fell back into her Prince''s arms and wailed until a drunken sleep found her.

    Altair stared, frowning at this influx of information. He had known of Ren''s curse on her stats page but didn''t dive too deep into it. He''d respected her enough not to pry too much. And despite the temptation. He had chosen not to invade her privacy.

    "Oh, Ren¡­" He murmured, lifting her out of the waters and onto his bed as he padded her dry, smiling with a mysterious gleam in his eye. He kissed her cheek, admired her voluptuous curves that made his knees weak, and his blood boiled more times than he could count.

    "Art," Ren whimpered, lost in a nightmare of sorts.

    And once more, his lips brushed against her cheek, then lips as he rested his head beside hers, wrapping his arms around her sulent flesh, and pulled her into his embrace, feeling she was so fragile in his arms.

    He smiled. "Curse or not¡­ if you keep seducing me like this¡­ God knows how much restraint I''ll continue to have. Then again¡­ it might be my turn to seduce you." Heughed as his eyes flickered to red.

    "I''ll see you in the morning... Ren."

 Chapter 116: Reinas Decision

    Dark/ Wholesome Chapter

    "I never knew Aurora was so wild," Talia mentioned, staring down at Aurora''s unconscious body slouched over the bed after a wild night. Amused, she turned to Olivia, tracing her fingers over her ss of wine.

    "Thanks, Talia," Olivia gratefully said with all her heart. "I¡­ thought you hated me. But you made what happened to me a lot easier." She smiled, looking towards her friend, who brought a new level of warmth to her chest.She had never had a friend. Not a real one, at least. "I don''t think I''d be this put together if it weren''t for you. So thank you."

    "Olivia¡­" Talia began, pulling a datapad from her pocket, and approached her. "I''ve got something to show you," she said with a calmness that seemed to conceal the ice in her voice. She lifted the Datapad to her and yed the four-hour clip.

    Screams practically jumped out of the clip, turning Olivia pale as a sheet of paper. It was her voice, her cries, and Laros'' grunts. And as if she were reliving those moments, she shuddered, recalling the number of times he raped her, how many times his fist pounded over her face, breast, and arms. How his vile tongue tasted¡ª

    "No," she shuddered to say.

    "Yes." Talia mused, looking on with raw indifference. "I wonder what Catelyn will say when she sees this? She''ll probably have you marry your rapist. After all, Laros is quite important to the family. I bet your father won''t even be able to call you his little girl after this one. No.

    No. Don''t look away; this is my favorite part; this is where he dunked your head into the water just to muffle your screams as he¡ª "

    "No!" Olivia howled like a beast, pping the datapad away.

    Talia jerked her hair, tearing strands from her scalp before she could flee. "Sit your ass down." She barked, ring with a bleeding madness that ran through her body and soul. She clutched her by the cheeks, smiling with a crazed look. "Did you really think I cared for you out of the kindness of my heart?" Sheughed. " The night is still young, Olivia. And we''re not even an hour into the film."

    "Why are you doing this." Olivia cried, whimpering. When she turned so pale, she felt Talia release her as she puked her guts out. Disgusted, Talia pressed her head into her vomit, sneering.

    "You were such a daddy''s girl. I wonder¡­ Do you think he''ll watch it all? It''s truly amazing. I had all these ns on how to torment you. But any ns I had dissipated when Laros did what he did. Truly, such a thing had never crossed my mind.

    But now that it has. Why not bank on it?" sheughed, squatting down as Olivia pulled herself from her vomit. "My master gave me rity. He gave me focus in my destitute of madness. And now his will is my will."

    She lifted her chin, staring into her hollow pupils. "So you''re going to go to Laros, fall on his cock, and whore yourself to him. And when he''s had his fill, you''ll return to me and tell me all the little things he whispered in your little ears. Clear?"

    "Please¡­ talia don''t¡­ Don''t make me go back¡ª"

    "Shhhhh." Talia soothed, brushing the vomit from her hair. "You''ll do this for me, or mommy, daddy, and all of the Myriad Heavens will see this video when I upload its content to the Metaverse. So don''t fail me. Kay~"

    ****

    When atst Reina woke, her naked body bounded to her Prince as sheid over his chest. She stilled. Altair was warm. He''d always been warm, but that Warhammer he had felt as if it had been newly forged. Brimming with heat as it nested between her legs, hard and ready.

    For a moment, Ren said nothing, looking up at her Prince, feeling the powerful thump of his heart, reaching up past her arms into her chest, Matching the rhythm of his beating heart to hers.

    The Curse of the Nephilim

    She dreaded that curse, the thing that nearly felled her Mother, tormenting her till she was ravaged by madness. Causing Er to be bedeviled at times. Reina remembered it all, as it came back to her, as her mother would spit curses at her child while her face bubbled and popped like a gue victim.

    To be a Nephilim was a sin. A crime that went against the natural order after the birth of the first Nephilim. A child born of the blood of Lucifer.

    So powerful she became. Those within the Council of Omnis grew fearful of her kind. Those of Heaven and Hell came together to set forth a curse to destroy the creation of any further Nephilim, despite the adamant refusal of the Eighth and Ninth Lord of Hell. The other Lords voted against it.

    And so... The Curse of the Nephilim was born.

    "I''m sorry, Art¡­ " Ren sniffled as her eyes began to blur. "I want to¡­ but¡­ I can''t bring misfortune to you. I can''t." Her tears had begun to fall. " I''m so sorry¡­ i¡ª mmhh~"

    Feeling her Prince''s palm slide down to her bottom, cupping the fat of her ass until it plumped through the gaps of his fingers. Ren moaned as she watched Altair open his charming eyes.

    "Art~" Ren mewled as his grip tightened.

    "You think you can tease me nearly every night. Force me to drink your blood, and just what? Change your mind?" He snarled, pinning her beneath him as his breath pressed over her tender lips.

    "My curse¨C ah~" Finishing with a tantalizing moan, Ren felt Altair''s fingers brush against her clit, and up to her pink nipples. He plucked at them with amusement as they jiggled and bounced.

    Ren felt her body ame and her garden dripping when she knew she shouldn''t be... She had to stop it.

    "Ahh~mmhh~ Art~we~can''s~" She hissed through sharp gasps. Relenting, she allowed him to do as he pleased.

    It wouldn''t have taken much to overpower him; she was physically stronger, yet Ren found her will to resist being devoured little by little.

    "Ren," her Prince called, seizing her lip with his, tastingst night''s liquor and vomit. But he didn''t care, nor did he hesitate to explore her mouth until he had his fill.

    With a strand of saliva breaking their kiss, Altair smiled, admiring her sulent expression. Flushed with a heat that beckoned for more.

    "Again~," She said, wrapping her around his neck. She pulled him back down. Ren felt herself melt away until nothing but a smoldering heat remained.

    They kissed for well over ten minutes, tossing and turning before Ren broke off.

    "I love you." She cried, breaking down into tears, clinging to his chest like a ko. She cried and cried and cried.

    Altair said nothing, stroking her hair until she was calm.

    "I love you too," He finally said. Stealing a kiss, he lifted her up as his words sunk deep into her chest and pulled her into the shower, allowing the scorching water to rain over their bodies.

    When Ren finally came back to herself, a sh of red stretched from ear to ear. She covered her face.

    "Dummy, what are you thinking about?" Altair said,thering his arms with body wash. He stared her down.

    "You¡­ You love Ren?"

    Altair lifted his lips. "Keep talking like that, and what little restraint I have might die." He said, pointing down at his reeling manhood.

    Ren''s blush grew evenrger as her heart raged uncontrobly.

    *Badum *Badum *Badum

    She smiled, looking back up, and under his gaze, she slipped to her knee, gripping his cock with both hands.

    "Art¡­" she said, looking up past the raining water into his eyes. "I love you."

    Plumping her sweet, tender lip over the head of his cock, Reina slowly swallowed him whole as he grunted. Altair clenched his eyes shut at the sudden stimtion that made his knees weak. He had to ce his hands over her head the moment he felt her sweet tongue vigorously begin to dominate his lower half.

    *Slurp *Slurp

    Altair''s toes curled up, and his spine stretched up as Ren motioned her head back and forth, plunging his cock down into the back of her throat. She stopped savoring the sensation before continuing again and again until he jerked up, gasping as he exploded in the back of Ren''s throat. She swallowed his hot, milky snow.

    Altair tumbled down in the shower. But Ren didn''t let up. Sucking away until he moaned so loud her eyes glistened. Ren felt his dick grow evenrger as he exploded not even thirty secondster.

    "Holy Shit¡­" said the Prince gasping for air, trembling as the pleasure gnawed at his soul. He watched with awe as Ren cleaned him up.

    "Did Ren get better? I think they called that a deepthroat. Hehe, Ren did good, huh?" She shot the boy the peace sign and hopped to her feet. " whatcha think?"

    "Gods¡­ I love you!" He cried, feeling his mind begin to shortcircuit. Words seemed to fail him as he opened and closed his mouth. It wasn''t the first time she used her mouth on him. But it was on a whole other level thanst time.

    Pride nted itself into her heart as she smiled.

    "Art¡­ I want you." Riena said, reaching down. When Altair stood up, wrapping his arms around her.

    "Let''splete this stupid tournament, okay?" He seethed, activating the soul of the Indomitable to keep himself sane. Fearing he wouldn''t stop for a week if he got a taste.

    He kissed her lip, eyes, and cheek and looked at her. She was pouting, but the smile on her lips said it all.

    "Okay." She said, pushing down any more reservations she had about her curse. It no longer mattered. If he didn''t care, neither would she.

    " and Art¡­ I love you."

 Chapter 117: Search and Destroy I

    "You think Ren will get the nibbles like you?" Reina asked piggyback riding on her Prince out of the hotel room and down the elevator to the ground floor. "I hope so. That way, you can call me Ren, Queen of the Nibbles."

    "You''re an idiot." Altairughed, walking off the elevator into the lobby, where the sight of Nia greeted him.

    Leonie Cross unconsciously shook the moment their eyes met, recalling the spiritual pressure that ate at her that night, for which Altair was apologetic but not enough to articte it.

    It wasn''t his fault she was weak, he thought, greeting her with a smile.

    "M-Morning." Nia stammered, trying to sound brave, but her voice cracked. She cursed as the shame began to nurse itself in her heart.

    "We missed youst night," Altair continued, curious if she was ill. "Were you unwell?"

    "Tired is all," Nia exined, massaging her shoulders. "The barracks beds are simply too ufortable. It felt nice resting on a real bed without roommates. Anyway, we''re all waiting for you. Everyone is outside. Follow me."

    Heading out of the lobby, Altair charmingly smiled at the dozen or so men eying him, observing his every step, his every gesture with cold precision. From their clothing, he could just about tell those from a Corpo to those that were foreign diplomats.

    Those from a corporation were always in a seven-piece ck suit, carrying their insignia just below their pocket square. In contrast, foreign diplomats wore traditional robes that carried the colors of their home world, glistering with jewelry that would otherwise makebat tedious. It was clear who were soldiers and who were speakers within the senate.

    Outside, Altair swept his gaze across the hundred or so soldiersing from all around the world, by small military cruisers, hovering in the skies, rappelling downwards one after the other.

    "It''s been like this all night," Nia told him, maneuvering around the various soldiers they crossed to the east near the far end of theke. It was there beneath a cubed iron tent that Altair''s eyes met with Fat Mikes.

    "Lazy bastard," Captain Mike said, snorting, hisrge sausage fingers pointing usingly at him. "You''re ten minuteste!" he smirked and nced at Ren and then Altair. "Was it midnight sex, or was it morning?"

    Never so grateful for her mask, Ren hurried off Altair''s back.

    ''Why am I so turned on, though,'' Ren asked herself, hiding behind Altair''s broad shoulders.

    "My man!" Fat Mike cheered, but with Amilia''s cold re, he wasn''tughing for long. He coughed into his palm. "Yes. Ummm, where is Ren? The pup? I thought she''d be joining us?"

    "She''s in my room." Commander Illiana said, waving at Altair with smiling eyes that left him exposed.

    "Is she. Well fine. And where are those other two you said was joining you?" Fat Mike directed at Iliana

    "Thanos and Zag got lost." Iliana calmly exined. "It''s their first time driving, so there''ve been a lot of mishaps," she said, almost at a loss for words at the duo. "They''ll be here in a few hours though¡­ maybe."

    "Well, that sucks." Fat Mike moaned, signalling for Vincent. "You exined the dynamic to Altair and Reina. I''ve got to report to Admiral Darkfire that we''re ready. Amilia, is the medical ward prepared?"

    With a firm nod, Amilia spoke:" Yes. The Cellr Tank is ready. So, as long as anyone on our team has a beating heart, we can bring them back. But that doesn''t mean it''s eptable to be reckless. These things cost nearly one hundred thousand Sols. It''s best if we don''t have to use it unless we need to."

    "Aye, Aye,'' Kalvar said, recalling thest time he was caught in an explosion that rendered nearly half his body a shredded paste. If not for Amilia reaching him in time, Kalvar knew he''d be dead, or at least a cripple.

    "Let''s go, then. Amilia, you''re with me. We got other teams to check in on. Stay strong, Team Seven." Fat Mike roared, taking his leave with Amilia.

    "Seven?" Altair said to Vincent.

    "It''s what the captain calls us. He''s got other people responsible, so he named them." Vincent remarked and nced at Iliana. "Are you sure it''s alright for me to take over?"

    "Pretend I''m not here. And take all the credit." Iliana waved, uncaringly ying away with her Holophone. "Whether you seed or lose is up to yourmands. Now stop bothering me. I''m ying a game."

    "Master¡­ why are you sozy." Altair moaned, unsure how she was determined to be his master. Had mother simply chosen her at random?

    Flicking him off, Iliana continued with her life.

    Ren snickered. " I like her."

    Altair was speechless. It had been a week since he''d started training beneath her, and he still couldn''t grasp her personality. Iliana was like an elusive cat. She would appear out of nowhere, steal food and drink at random times, all the wild training him at odd hours of the night.

    "Can we get on with this?" Laros barked beside the trembling Olivia.

    It was then Altair noticed them. He arched a brow, noticing how close they sat and nced at Talia chatting with Aurora as if nothing happened.

    ''I wanted to test if the madness still lingered in her." The boy thought, knowing it to be true. ''The old Talia never hated Olivia to this degree that she would force her to return to her rapist. Though she seems focused, could this mean madness doesn''t necessarily mean being insane? Right now. Talia seems unhinged¡­ in a good way, if that''s possible.''

    "Alright. Listen up then." Vincent said. "The game is called Search and Destroy. Each team is given a single Cube made out of nanobots. That cube is essentially your lifeline. If it''s destroyed, you''re out of the game.

    However, if you manage to destroy your enemy''s cube, you gain a point, and the Cube grows heavier, slowly evolving until it can''t be moved. Forcing you to go on the defensive."

    "Interesting. How sturdy is the cube?"

    "There are two ways to destroy it. A level three circle spell or seven seconds of physical contact with the cube to activate its self-destruction sequence, followed by a five-second window to deactivate it. It takes five seconds of physical contact to deactivate." Vincent said.

    "Nia, can your spear prate this cube?"

    "Afraid not. We''re not allowed to use outside weapons." Nia exined, pointing to the case behind Laros. " We got swords, daggers, rapiers, guns and more. But they are all tier-two weapons. Trashy but useful."

    "I see. What happens if we take out an entire team?" Ren inquired.

    "Then the enemy cube will dissolve and enter yours," Vincent answered.

    "Any rules we should know about?"

    " Aside from no upside contraband. No killing. Or sexual assault of any kind." Said Vincent, ncing at Olivia.

    "What about torture?" Altair asked, perking the ears of everyone present. It was an odd question but a valid one.

    "¡­ it''s allowed." Vincent hesitantly said. "Though our troopers have been conditioned not to break."

    The Prince smirked at that. " Maybe the real soldiers have been but not recruits. And I''ve yet to meet a man or woman that hasn''t broken under my de."

    Laros felt a heat rise up with him. "Bastard." He said, knowing he was talking about the soldiers of House Aros he butchered.

    "Keep it PG for me if you can. Remember, this is about looking good. Torture isn''t an easy thing to watch. The cube has a built-in birds-eye camera, so it''ll give the sponsors a good view of everything. We also have thousands of cameras scattered throughout the forest, so watch what you say. No racist remarks or controversial statements.

    Phase one willst three weeks. Those that survive will enter round two. This phase is for recruits only, so it''ll be rare for you to meet recruits with three or four circles. But it''s not outside the realm of possibilities. Keep that in mind."

    Altair pondered for a moment, touching his chin. "How many of these cubes do we need to absorb to make it to phase two."

    "Five," Vincent replied. "So base-on where you get your fifth cube determines where you''ll remain, so think carefully once you get more than five kills. Your cube will continue to evolve, meaning it''ll grow. Alerting people to your location. The bare requirement for a single squad is five. So you are safe.

    But be careful. The limit is ten."

    Altair nodded before he and Ren handled Iliana Draupnir. They quickly hunted for their respective weapons before pulling up a map of the region. To which they memorized after a few minutes of looking it over.

    "Alright, guys,e." The Princemanded. "Our formation will be the same as it was in the Drove of Estelle. However, Laros is out, and Reina is in."

    "Excuse me?" Laros growled, scrunching his brow.

    "Talia, you''ll be Aurora''s knight. She''s our mage. But make sure to preserve mana. Same for you, Aurora, you''ll be the heart, so¡ª"

    "Altair, this is bullshit!" Laros roared. "I¨C"

    Sheens of silver light practically shed, cutting across Laros''s throat, barely reaching him as Altair pointed his de at him. " If you so much as speak my name, I''ll have your head." He warned with icy killing intent that radiated like a winter''s breeze. "This is mymand. And I won''t have a person like you on my team."

    "Altair¡­" Vincent said gruffly. "You can''t just decide that. I know you two have a history, but these are orders. And like it or not. Sometimes, you have to work with people who hate your guts."

    "He''s right. Take him with you." Iliana advised, ncing at Altair with a knowing look that made him smile.

    He nodded her way with an equally cold gleam in his eyes. "Fine. He can join. He''ll be up with me and Reina, though his main focus will be on guarding Talia. Just make sure not to break formation. Our aim is the twin peaks north of the map."

    Distantly, Altair was quite aware of Laros''s gloating expression but didn''tment on it. He had been quite aware he couldn''t rid himself of the boy so easily. Rather, his aim was to alert the lieutenant of their rtionship as a show of warning. This way, when he did rid himself of Laros, it would be justified by everyone watching.

 Chapter 118: Search and Destroy II

    In his hand, Altair stared at the small ck box the size of a mug, but its weight was ill-proportioned to its size, weighing in at roughly a hundred pounds. He tossed it in the air, catching it with his other hand as though the weight didn''t exist, and tossed it to Ren, who caught it.

    "You keep it," Altair said when no one was looking from within the tent. She had been stronger and wasn''t one to rely on speed like he had to.

    "You there!" A fierce shout echoed outside their iron tent. "Yes, you. The one called Altair."

    Alerted by this name, Altair peeped his head out to a valiant woman who wore a surcoat over her skin ck as obsidian. She stood tall and fierce, as she was beautiful, with long braided hair that reached her shoulders.

    A knight?'' Altair thought. "Can I help you?" he said, calmly sensing her two circles alongside her iplete one, nearly fifty percent filled by his estimation.

    "Alyssa of Themiscyra," She said, shaking his arm with vigor.

    "An Amazon," Altair said calmly, sensing the power in her palm and the roughness around her fingers."It''s an honor. Though, you came merely to greet me."

    "Aye! I wanted to see the man I n on defeating." She said, shing with pristine white teeth as she smiled. "I came to see the man I¡ª" she paused, shing backward nearly ten meters in a single step. Her gazended on Reina as she gulped down, touching her throat almost to ensure she hadn''t been cut.

    "That wasn''t nice," Altair said, ncing at Reina with a calming smile. He liked it when she got like this.

    "Two monsters," Alyssa said, with a brow wet with sweat. "What''s your name?"

    "Reina of the Moon," Ren said, unsure why she red her killing intent so. But the moment she saw Alyssa cup her Prince''s arm, she felt a whisper of a devil in her ear.

    "I''ll remember it," Alyssa said,ughing. "I''ll see you on the battlefield." And with that, she was gone, under the gaze of the Prince.

    "Sorry," Reina said once she was gone.

    "Don''t be," The Prince said. "And Ren¡­ Never apologize unless you mean it. It''s a lesson Mother taught me long ago. A king must never apologize, she''d often say. I believe the same is true for a queen."

    With a quiver in her step, Reina lifted her mask and pressed her lips against his cheek, lowering it back down as she pulled away. " I''ll remember that."

    Altair felt his heart burn with a fire. "Careful, my Lady." he warmed

    "Nope."

    And with that, she returned to the tent with a fearsome luster of a tigress in her eyes.

    Hourster, as the sun reached its Zenith, the cube within Reina''s coat began to sh and beam. She pulled it out as a hologram appeared, one of Admiral Darkfire.

    "The tourney will begin in seven minutes." She said, alerting everyone to their feet. "You may enter the Great teau, but be warned. There are thousands of powerful cryptids. If death is certain, make it known of your surrender, and you will be saved. You may begin."

    "Let''s go," Altair said coldly, taking the lead. He nced at the mirroredke reflecting the azure skies and clouds and kicked off his feet north. Through trees that towered and grass tall as his ankles coiling with vines and multicolored flowers of plenty that shone beneath the sun, they moved.

    For seven minutes, they ran before Altair gave the order. " Shield Belts!" Dozens of beams shot through the winds, bouncing off the protective barrier. He shouted, "Aurora!"

    Instinctively attuned to her master''s will, Aurora''s fingers danced through the air with swift proficiency, forging a rune as four missiles of force were conjured from her mana. She narrowed her eyes, relying on her senses, and she pointed to where her eyes glimpsed a shadow and fired.

    The magic missiles were swift like a bullet and agile as a gazelle as the force missile curved around through the forest, as if they had minds of their own, meeting flesh.

    "Olivia." The Prince quicklymanded as she positioned her rifle. She fired seven times with pinpoint uracy; she heard Altair''smanding voice before she could verify her kills. "Let''s go."

    They ran, racing through the forest. Team Seven was oddly silent as they listened to the howls of the winds, wrenching at their coats. Altair gestured for them to deactivate the shield belt to help recover the battery before he came to a stop after running for nearly two hours.

    Nia gasped. "Hells. I feel so out of shape. How long?"

    "Three-minute break. It should take three days to reach the Twin Peaks." Altair said vigntly, feeling oddly at home within nature. It was as if he had returned to the Serpents Outreach. He nced at Ren, knowing she, too, had felt the same as they exchanged nces.

    "Who has the cube?" Laros asked. "They need to¡ª"

    Altair didn''t bother to answer him when he glimpsed a glimmer. "Sniper," he shouted and ducked behind a nearby tree as a bullet, followed by a barrage, came like the rain tearing through trees and grass and stones. The other did the same, activating their shield belt.

    Three''s were immediately run through, turning into debris as beams of light hissed and roared, hitting whatever they could find.

    "This is Fun!" Ren shouted,ughing away as gunfire roared, and with an exchanged nce with Altair, they bolted off their feet. Swift as a deer, they moved with practiced precision. Cutting through the rain using the trees and grass as cover, they were upon seven shooters in moments.

    Surprise caught the seven men following the shine of steel glimpsing over the horizon, blood sttered in a swift symphony of sword light, carving through flesh and armor like hot butter. In seconds, the seven gunmen were down, barely clinging to life as Ren and Altair found it extremely difficult to hold back.

    They were trained to kill, not spare. Even in spars against one another, they''re des aimed to kill.

    "Will they be alright?" Ren curiously asked. One of her swords had nearly severed an arm.

    "Maybe." He said without much concern, looking for the sniper he glimpsed a few heartbeats ago when the familiar echo of Olivia''s rifle thundered, catching sight of blood in the distance.

    "Got ''em!" She shouted, with a bit of excitement that quickly faded.

    Wasting no time, Altair stripped the seven of their shield belt and tossed away his old half-empty one before pocketing a pistol. Ren did the same, and when the others caught up, Altair had them exchange Shield Belts before they were off once more.

    A few leagues away, watching from their tower, Representative Thal watched on with dread in his eyes. "Surely this has to be a joke," he said, ncing at Vaiga with the rest. "Seven men were cut down in a few breaths by two people. I know he''s strong, but¡­ that''s ridiculous."

    "They couldn''t even use their skills." Yawl Tvain, a half-gnome human, gruffed, scrunching his bushy eyebrows thick as a caterpir. "

    Distantly aware of thements, Scythia Talfor of Sorpio spoke: "He used the terrain against them. Altair and Riena seem extremely well-trained in the forest. Look at how they move without stirring the grass and trees. Inparison, those following are breaking branches and ruffling grass. The difference is akin to night and day."

    "Indeed." Leon of Sagittarius smiled, running his fingers through his hair that shone like threads of spun gold. "But I''m quite interested in that, Reina. What is her history? She wears a mask that blocks even my perception. How fascinating."

    "You''ll have to ask Commander Iliana," Vaiga said indifferently. "It''s hermand."

    "Don''t mind if I do then," Leon said with a charming smile that swayed to meet Vaiga violet ones. "And what of you, Admiral? I must say your aura seems like a sword of chaos as I look at you. I wonder what insight you achieved."

    "Or what blessing you were granted." Zolf Gudo added with a crooked smile. He bore the broch of Taurus on his chest. "Either way. You seem like apletely different person."

    Vaiga neither smiled nor showed discontent. "I thank you for thepliment." She said, and it was the end of it. She hadn''t much interest in disclosing the Shard Tenebrae granted her.

    Zolf and his crooked smile deepened. "Yes. But I must say this Altair is quite the feisty one. His cuts are quite ruthless. How many do you suppose he''s killed."

    "How many have you killed, Zolf?" Scythia fired back, singling one of the servants to fill her empty ss of wine. She nced at him. "In this room, we have nothing but killers. So why does it matter?"

    "It speaks of his character," Zolf openly stated. "I''d like to get to know more about Altair. After all, he made quite a big stink within House Aros, a dukedom on earth." He snickered and reached his hands into his bag of almonds. "I think it''s fair that we know. After all, this base alone has had several murders in its time since Altair arrived."

    "All of which he had iron-d alibis," Leon said, with a darker edge to his voice. "What exactly are you trying to insinuate, Zolf? Or is running your mouth the only thing you can do."

    "I think it''s obvious." Zolfughed, crushing an almond beneath his teeth. "I mean to say he''s a murderer. Or at least a psychopath."

    Whispers began amongst the various Lords as many shifted their attention to the Saint of Taurus. "I merely wonder what kind of investigation was conducted. After all, Altair is a very skilled asset, no doubt."

    "We agree." Those who bore the crest of the mighty ck Dragon roaring its defiance over their surcoat interjected.

    ''The Death Knights of Bahumet, '' Scythia thought, frowning at their involvement. ''What would the first Dragon want with Altair? She wondered, cresting her violet eyes. She''d heard tales of the first Dragon God: Bahumet Gods Of Death and Destruction, Lord of the Famine, and Bring of End.

    Names given to those that were felled by his mighty power. How true they were, she was unsure.

 Chapter 119: Search and Destroy III

    Upon the dawn that broke beneath the rising sun, bathing the Great teaus with aimless rays, Banishing the darkness to where it would rise once more, as Shadow Cats, Manticores, and Dire Wolves scurried back through the forest to rest.

    In the distance, several Plesiosaurus, beasts tall as a mountain, peeped their heads from out of theke surface, striking down on a herd of aurochs, tearing and crushing bones, as they were pulled into theke.

    Upon a snow-colored mountain nket with veins of ciers intertwining up and down into bridges up the arduously tall mountain countless miles away, Altair sat with a woman on hisp, staring at the sunrise in awe.

    They had nearly forgotten how majestic the rising of the sun was as they sat together, cycling their mana. Enjoying the billowing icy winds against the flesh. It felt like they were seeing the rising sun for the first time.

    "This is stupid!" Laros shouted, trembling. "Why the bloody hell are we up here!" He demanded, clenching his teeth, too afraid to light a fire lest he risked a bullet in between the eyes.

    "And just like that, the mood is ruined," Ren said incredulously. " Must you be so loud?" She sighed. "It''s too early for this."

    "Why is it so loud?" Nia mewled from in between Talia and Aurora, sandwiched between their breasts. She peeped, her eyes opened, and yawned. "What time is it?"

    " a little after five," Altair answered, enjoying Ren''s warmth.

    Laros had half a mind to push him off the edge as he watched. "Why the blinding cold." He asked again.

    "Because it''s better than the heat," Ren said, ending her cycling of mana, and wiggled her way out of her Prince''s embrace reluctantly.

    "That''s it?"

    "Yup"

    Altair looked up, feeling a fleck of snow melting across his face, and was reminded of his father, of his snow-white hair.

    He touched his own, still ck as obsidian. ''I''m not a Snow.'' he thought and rose to his feet, feeling the chill for the first time.

    "Check your equipment." He ordered, unwilling to give Laros any more of his time. Speaking to him was no different than sharing words with an ass. In the end, they both speak of shit.

    Nia sighed, feeling her warmth vanish, and yawned, praying for a gon of wine to help warm her icy bones. She began checking her equipment before standing back up.

    "I''m good."

    "Same," Talia and Aurora said.

    "Me¡­ too," Olivia said lightly, but Altair could hear the heartbreak in her voice, having spent the night in the arms of Laros. She was shaking.

    ''I wonder how long she''llst?'' The Prince wondered, unsure if he should intercede. On one hand, it felt wrong. On the other, he didn''t care. Olivia was a nobody to him. A sack of meat that could walk and talk. What did it matter if she could feel or think?

    "Olivia, are you well?" Altair probed, conflicted.

    "She''s fine," Laros said with a thin smile.

    "I wasn''t asking you."

    "I''m fine." Olivia finally said, her voice quiet and sad. Her eyes seemed dead like she was on herst leg. It was especially so when she felt Laros''s fingers crawl across her shoulders. And the memories came like a wave of endless screams. She shook.

    "See!" Laros snarled. "Mind your own business."

    "Laros, this is my team. And I''ve noticed one of my teammates ashen as if wethered by a fever. So I''ll not ask again for you to keep your mouth shut." He replied in a calm, somber tone. "Come here, Olivia."

    For a second, Olivia didn''t seem to understand, but her legs pushed forward nheless until she was before the Prince, her head bowed, and her eyes dull. Altair ced a palm on her head and frowned.

    "She''s with fever," he said calmly.

    "Poor thing." Talia sang, taking her into her arms. "Did you cycle your manast night? You know mountain tops are filled with Yin. It is like poison to us if absorbed." she said, ncing at the ck-red fingertips where frost had invaded. "Look at this. We''ll have to cut them off if we can''t receive aid in time."

    Altair took by the hand and traced his thumb over her withered fingers and activated the Hands of Nirvana to help regenerate her dead cells and nerve endings. For a second, as golden light swallowed her palm, Olivia didn''t respond, but as time passed, a soft flush traced her cheeks as she looked up into Altair''s distant eyes.

    And for a moment, a swelter of tears came as she felt something so warm in the barren wastnd of never-ending nightmares.

    "There," he said, brushing his palm against her forehead. "No more fever. No more frostbite. Though, I could do nothing for the Yin in your body. You''ll have to refine it yourself now that it''s inside of you."

    "Wow?" Talia yelped in surprise, though she wasn''t too happy, having failed to take at least one of her sister''s fingers.

    "Wipe your tears." The Young Lord coaxed, a bit perplexed by Olivia''s reaction. None of the others had reacted as she did. Nevertheless, he smiled, brushing away a few tears. "Look, I know you''ve been through a lot. So you can have the day. Nia.

    Tend to Olivia. The rest of you get into position. We''re moving out."

    Ren watched on and rolled her eyes, knowing her Prince was ying to the cameras to those gods and sponsors watching. She scuffed, a little envious. Altair brushed Olivia''s cheek instead of hers.

    "Mmmmmrrrr," snatching her Prince away, ring at him with herrge almond-shaped eyes, Ren snorted with a fire in her belly. "Hmph!"

    "Dummy Art," she''d grumble about through the icy mountains.

    Humoring her silly antics, Altair poked fun at Ren as the others watched enviously.

    "Can I push them off the ledge?" Nia remarked. " I''m going to hurl."

    "Ha, I need a man now." Aurora mused, unbothered the three feet of snow in which they trekked.

    "Yuk. Earthlings are so unappealing, though." Talia sighed. "moners only care about sex and nobles'' status. It''s nothing like what they have."

    The three girls sighed withment. Looking on at theughs and jokes shared between those two, the shared kisses, hugs, frisky touches, and Nibbles. Nia exploded.

    "I can''t take it anymore! You two need to stop!" She shouted hoarse with rage. "It''s not fair¡­ I mean, it''s not professional to be so affectionate in the open like that. It''s cringy!"

    "For once, we agree," Laros said, rolling his eyes as he nced at Olivia. He had been a bit conflicted since that day. He had never lost control like that. And by the time he realized what he had done¡­ It was toote.

    He ran¡­ dreading what was toe. Yet when they next met, she was by his side in his arms. He didn''t know what to think. He could see Olivia couldn''t even look him in the eyes. And Laros had enough shame to blush, to know what he had done was deplorable.

    Altair, however, didn''t particrly care. The difort of others didn''t mean much. Especially to those he neither considered friend nor ally.

    Nia was neither. She had yet to prove herself to him, though her knowledge did intrigue him. It wasn''t enough for him to brand her the title of ally.

    And Laros. Had no one been watching, he''d have slit his throat to watch him bleed out.

    "But it''s cold," he said. Though he would admit his appetite for Ren was increasing by the day. Her lips had never been more sweet.

    "So!" Said Nia with a hard flush. " I''m cold too, but I''m not hugging up on Talia or Aurora¡­ god-forbid that other guy.

    "This is wrong?" Ren said, tilting her head. "Why?"

    Nia exchanged nces with Aurora, who also seemed perplexed, unsure how to respond.

    "Does Nia want hugs from Art?" Ren narrowed her blood-red eyes dangerously when she said that. "Is she jealous?"

    Nia gasped. "I''ve no interest in him," She admitted. " especially one who can''t seem to take his hands off you even as we speak. Separate ten feet apart and look straight ahead."

    Ren felt cold as she felt his palm leave her. And looked teary-eyed to her Prince.

    "She means proper etiquette," he told her, distantly aware of an approaching presence through the snow. And soon Ren felt it.

    There, no more than five hundred meters away, a gray wolf stood as tall as any horse. It loomed over them with cold, azure eyes. Its thick double coat was billowing with the winds.

    Altair went on guard at the sight of the Direwolf. Ren, however, was like a gale up on the wolf with stars in her eyes.

    "Paw!" She uttered, and the Dire wolf sat up and gave it to her. Its paw alone was nearly the size of Ren''s head. But the girl wasn''t in the least frightened." Goodness, you''re such a good boy!"

    With nearly a heart attack, he sighed, signaling for the others to stop. Less they meet a grave end. Dire Wolves were known for their aggression to those who entered their territory. Fiercely agile as they are strong, allowing most to be tier three cryptids once they enter adulthood.

    The one shaking Ren''s paw was fully grown, well into its adulthood, and was nearing the fourth barrier of its kind, enough to rival a fourth circle.

    Altair approached, careful not to rm the Direwolf that slid its eye to meet him. It bowed, sensing the ancient force in his blood. The very blood that gave them the night.

    "Bloodlines," Ren exined as the wolf gave a low, nervous growl. She turned to him. "They must have sensed it. Unlike our minds, the minds of mindless beasts like this one are simple. They understand things we miss despite possessing better senses."

    "Though it''s not every beast," Altair mentioned.

    "Perhaps it''s just the ones attuned to a particr element. " She expressed." Shall we take it for a spin?"

    The wild fever had returned in her eyes as she looked him over. "Having a mount will surely¨C"

    "Go have fun." He told her, smiling. "I know you''re excited to ride. Go. I''ll lead the team up the mountain."

 Chapter 120: Search and Destroy IV

    "I can''t!" Nia wheezed, so coldyers of frost clung to her cheeks.

    The air within the Great teau had already been thin, but the further they traveled up the mountain, the more stifling the air became. Her chest ached, and her lungs burned as if she were drowning in icy waters.

    Altair nced at her, some meters back and then up to the tallest peak in all the realm. Or so he believed, standing there on high, looking down like a god at the insects desperately trying to kill one another.

    Across from them, after nearly traveling for three days straight, Altair stared at the twin mountain to the one they were on.

    ''Ren should have arrived by now,'' he told himself.

    "Laros, it''s fine if you use your¡ª" Igniting his Phoenix me without hesitation, warmth came like the embrace of the Heavens as Nia, Aurora, Talia, and Olivia huddled around Laros.

    He shook his head. "You guys wait here." I''m going to nt the cube at the highest peak. I should be no more than an hour or two."

    "Is¡­Is¡­Is that why we came up here?" Laros mbered, shaking like a leaf, too cold to be angry. He lost hope long ago when the cold numbed his lower half.

    "Carrying a cube that grows in weight is a dreadful endeavor," Altair replied. "And if you, a potential heir to house Aros, found this journey painfully, what aboutmoners and bastards alike? How many of you wanted to give up at the beginning?"

    There was no reply but the silence that came with the answer.

    Altair kicked off the ground, scaling the mountain without much concern. The cool air felt light, thanks to his resistance. And while his shadow did not share his almighty resistance, their ability to manipte mana ensured they could survive in the stringent of environments. They neither slept nor ate but were able to maintain a perpetual state of being.

    In the following hour, Altair crept up to the highest peak, to a small tform of stone and ice, some forty miles above ground level, calmly looking to the other peak, to Ren waving at him with a silly grin, saddled to her dire wolf. She had made it, it had seemed. He waved back before lifting a small squared rock.

    Before hammering it into the ice, cracks splintered into rubble where he buried the stone. "Should anyone betray me?" He smiled. They''ll find only stone." And he looked over to Ren, squinting his eyes as she shot him a thumbs up. She was too far from her voice to echo, not that Altair hadn''t warned her of potential avnches.

    "My neurolink cost nearly a hundred thousand sols if I remember correctly." he mulled over, thinking of gifting one to Ren so they might be able to freelymunicate around the myriad, should they ever get lost. Although, a Holocube was nearly half the price and did the same.

    He sighed, hating that the thought of money was an issue. For a second, Altair stood there asyers of ice cut across his uniform, leaving it hard like stone. He raised his head, breathing a breath of ice, and smiled before hopping down nearly thirty meters and then another thirty. Agile like a gazelle, he lept down from edge to edge, light as a feather.

    Altair skidded through the air with the help of Feather Fall, which made his weight nearly none existent.

    In minutes, he had reunited with his team,nding with a smile. " Done. On the highest peak, the cube has been set. Let''s go hunting." he said, startling them.

    ***

    Despite the three-day trek up the Twin Peak Mountains,ing down took nearly a few hours thanks to Altair and Aurora''s casting of Feather Fall.

    When theynded, Nia practically kissed the ground, promising she''d never leave it, having felt a familiar heat she dared not take for granted.

    "Mama is never gonna leave you again." She vowed and kissed the earth once more.

    Altair didn''t have the heart to tell her they''d have to return at some point, though he suspected he would have to drag her up the mountain.

    "All right," Altair shouted. "Let''s go warm our bones with blood." He drew his sword, which shone a deep silver. "Olivia, if you see anyone. Attack first, then we talk."

    With a low hum of excitement glistering through their eyes, Altair took off. Keeping low to the ground where traps would be set, the sounds of voice were quick to echo through the dark, murky woods a little ways from the twin peaks.

    "Are you sure they''re here?" A gruff voice said.

    "I''ve been a tracker since you were still sucking on your mother''s tit, shitting up a storm." Another fervent voice said that carried a gale ofughter through the forest.

    ''Nine,'' Altair counted, signaling out each voice with precise ease. And signaled to Nia and her spear.

    Inching closer, Altair peeped through the bushes. He saw several men and two women dressed as if a bear had mauled them. They were ragged, withered with mud and dirt, with a smell that made even his eyes moist.

    BANG!

    Olivia fired, nting two in one of the women wielding a staff, a mage, no doubt; Altair rushed out as an arc of red light shrieked past him, piercing through the abdomen of a gaunt-looking man.

    The Prince was upon a soldier with windburned features, reaching for his axe strapped to his back.

    "NO!" The man cried as a golden light arose, forming into small stones.

    Altair''s sword, already in midflight, whirled like a snake, easily maneuvering through the various stones until they met flesh. Lifeblood spiraled into the air with the trembling arc of his arm and fell to the earth with a thud. Grievous wails thundered through the forest, alerting nearby birds to spread their wings and flee.

    The Prince looked up from the pale face of the windburned man to two fleeing men as Nia leaped out from the bushes, thrusting her spear through their abdomen before they could act. They were down in seconds.

    "My arm! My Arm! My Fucking arm¡­ Ahhh!" The cries of the windburnt face man came.

    "Silence before I slit your neck." The Prince demanded, pressing his de against his throat, drawing a nick of blood.

    ''My arm~" The soldier cried, though softer.

    Leaving the rest to his men to handle, Altair searched the man''s body, finding a small cube. And in a minute, as Laros''s tainted mes roiled through the forest, Altair watched a small mist echo from the cube up into the skies, towards his cube upon the mountaintop.

    "Easy," Laros shouted spryly, listening to the moans of the battlefield. "They''re so weak."

    "Yes¡­" Altair agreed, noticing the small machines. Drones began to appear one by one to tend to the wounded. The Prince looked down at the soldier, Fin, they called him. "Tell me, who were you tracking?"

    "My Fucking arm! My¡ª"

    Unstrapping the Tech Pistal from his leg, Altair ced two in his kneecap with deadly precision. "I missed the artery. I won''t miss it again." He said as the howls sent a great stir through the forest and those watching.

    A coldness prated the eyes of everyone as they stared at the calm Prince. "What were you tracking,"

    "A KITSUNE!!!" The man roared, and Altair nted another in his shoulder de. Fin''s body jerked as tears wheeled from his eyes and saliva wet with red from his mouth. " Please! I''m! I'' ''m telling the truth."

    "He''s telling the truth!" One of Fin''srades howled, clutching his stomach where Talia''s lightning pierced. "Please, you have to believe us! I''m the tracker; I can prove it! Please!"

    Only then did Altair allow the Drones to begin treatment.

    "I kind of like pistols now. How neat." He said, whipping the blood off his cheek with his thumb when he felt the eyes of Olivia, Nia, and Laros on him. "What? Anyone can lie. But to save an ally, a friend, or a lover, who wouldn''t break? Brother in arms, I believe the saying goes."

    "Altair¡­ that was brutal," Nia said, ncing down at Fin. "You know these are our fellow soldiers, right?"

    "I think it was the right decision." Aurora chose to say. "This tourney is about survival. And to survive, we need power." She crossed her arms, frowning. " And Kistunes are known for their rich blood. This vital information could help us increase our Mana attribute or, better yet, help usplete our third circle."

    "So we torture everyone we meet?" Nia snapped, shaking her head. " No. I will not approve of such deplorable behavior, as a noble and as a human. I refuse to treat my fellow soldier like that. "

    ''Are normal people all like this?'' Altair wondered¡­ He stared at her, feeling her anger as well as her noble heart, and for the first time, felt disgust. "Fine," he conveyed, holstering his stolen Tech Pistol. "I''ll not torture. Clean the bodies for anything useful. And let''s search for another team."

    "What about the Kitsune?" Laros said to Altair. "Are we giving up on it because of someone''s noble heart?"

    "Kitsunes are nocturnal creatures. We''ll see it tonight. If we can find it, though, I''ve no confidence in tracking it. Not without Riena."

    Her senses were like that of a wild animal, thanks to her Ancient blood. From the moment they had met, Ren had lunged at him, licking him like a dog.

    "And where is your woman?" Laros demanded.

    "Riding, I assume." The Prince answered though he didn''t like Laros'' tone.

    "Riding?" He said with a gawking look. "Hells. We are in the middle of a tourney. And she is having fun! Riding!" he raged, spitting over the moaning figure burnt beyond recognition. "What would I expect of a¡ª"

    "Lord Aros,'' Aurora said, already imagining Laros''s head flying clean of this body should he finish that sentence. "If you do not like it. You are free to leave. A Lordling of your status could easily survive alone within the Great teau." she suggested with an amicable smile towards her Master, whose right eye bore a red mist that began to consume the darkness of his iris.

    Altair felt himself calm, having never felt more thankful Aurora was present. The bloodlust had taken him for but a moment.

    "Let''s move out. After we get five cubes, I want to begin leveling. This ce is filled with powerful monsters." He said, taking his leave as the others followed.

    ***

    "Didn''t I tell you?" Zolf Gudo guffawed. "The bastard is a bloody psychopath."

    "No more than the others with promise, said Leon smilingly. "Alyssa, that Amazon has already castrated seven men. Reese Thorvel, that warlock has already hexed several soldiers to make their teeth fall out, and their bowls implode just to watch them puke shit." He nced at Zolf eerily. " So I ask how is Altair, who tortured his opponent for valid reasons, a psychopath?"

    The low murmurs within the high tower grew silent. They all turned to Leon.

    "It is curious, though. A Kitsune is quite rare. Did it perhaps escape from a dungeon? And if so, what type of Dungeon houses a Kitsune?" Leon continued.

    "Better yet¡­" Scythia remarked beside him, with a ss of wine to her lips. "What type of Kitsune is it?"

    And from the silence, the low hush murmurs began once more within the High tower.

 Chapter 121: Search and Destroy V

    Ren was giggling on top of her Direwolf trotting through the dense woods, thick with an eerie mist that obscured those that relied only on the sense of sight. But neither Ren nor her Direwolf needed their eyes.

    Their senses were attuned to the forest; as Ren directed the wolf low, cutting under a broken trunk caught by a nearby branch, she jerked its fur, whirling the beast down a stoneyndslide beside ake filled with frogmen gripping spears.

    Ren sped past them in a blur of gray, feeling the winds wrenching against her uniform. Her long, blood-red hair swirled like a fierce storm as she stepped upon a soaring cliff overlooking the Great teau.

    She stood there in awe for a moment, allowing her wolf time to rest, and took in the view of endless mountains, Ravines, Prairies, and mirroredkes.

    "I want to explore," She said.

    "Koo~"

    Ren turned, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the small snow-white fox inching closer to her and her Direwolf. Small like a cat with three violet tails, swaying back and forth. It looked up at Ren.

    "Wanna be Ren''s Friend?" The little Nephilim curiously asked, with a child-like innocence in her eyes, and for a moment, her blood-red eyes shed a golden hue.

    "Koo~" Bravely, the fox scaled the wolf''srge frame countless times its height up into Ren''s arms nesting over her bosom.

    Fur soft as silk, the fox purred beneath Riena''s fingers, threading through its coat.

    "You''re a cutie! Aren''t you? Art will surely reward Ren with hugs and kisses." She rejoiced. "Shall we look for him?"

    ***

    On the morn of the fifth day, it was Aurora who first woke to find her Lord, lost in the arts.

    He hadn''t slept again, she told herself, beside the small campfire. Aurora wondered if her Lord ever slept like those around them. He was always training, always focused on something with a poised focus no human held, at least not to her knowledge.

    Without a sound, Aurora began to wake the others before the sun had risen. One by one, they rose, annoyed but wide awake.

    "We need food." Nia soon said. Water they found to be the least of their concerns. There were plenty ofkes and streams within the Great teau.

    "There are plenty of aurochs," Laros said. He, too, was reaching his limit.

    "Those are the bison-looking creatures, right?"

    "Yeah. Sometime in the year 3000, Earth began repopting its extinct poption. And aurochs became one of them." Laros said, startling everyone present.

    "Laros is actually smart?" Talia slightly raved. "Hells. I swore you were retarded or at least the product of incest. Is your daddy also your uncle?"

    Laros red daggers at her. "How dare you!" He began, storming to his feet. " Retarded? Do you know who I am?"

    "Laros Aros¡­ and I must say your mother didn''t love you to name you so. A surname ought to match the first. Yours just rhymes. Feels like she got tired ofing up with names and just started rhyming."

    Laros felt the fire catch within his chest. "You stupid bit¡ª"

    "Enough," Altair said, using a carving knife to sculpt small trinkets of wolves and serpents likemia and ck mambas. He lifted his head to them, tired of the countless squabbling. It was too early for it. "We managed to find two cubes yesterday. We''ll hunt something to fill our bellies, but until then, try to be amicable."

    Olivia stared at Laros''s hideous grimace and turned to Altair, who seemed calm as a stillke, poised for all that would¡­ She shook her head, lowering it, feeling a stir.

    ''He''s the enemy.'' She told herself but still found it in her to steal a nce. Once, twice, thrice, Olivia lost track of how many times she peeked at him, unable to forget that warmth that pulled her from her darkness.

    Thus, the day began, from dawn to high noon. Altair led his squad outside the forest beside the twin peaks down south to where he once saw a herd of aurochs. That had been an easy hunt. A single auroch couldst them at least a month if preserved right.

    When their bellies were full and their happy faces were flushed with energy, the real hunt began; they followed after the echos of gunfire that carried for miles back within the Northern Forest.

    ***

    "He''sing!" A desperate cry rang, scrambling through the woods, through thorn vines that stabbed across his legs, drawing blood

    "Mich!" Lady Vorswa screamed as she felt the whites of her eyes wiggle as if they hid worms beneath. She howled, falling to her knees, wing at her cheeks, tearing through flesh as she felt something nibbling at her pupils. "Mich! I can''t see! Mich!!!!"

    "Gods! Gods!" The one they call Mich, pale as snow fled. Please! Please, I quit! I don''t want to y anymore! Please!!!!" He reached into his pocket, tossing his cube away, scrambling for dear life.

    "Can''t you hear me! I QUIT!!!" he screeched when his eyes suddenlynded on a powerful beast ahead, to a young girl who had caught his cube.

    "Thanks," Ren said, giggling as the Kistume brushed her cheek on her shoulder. It curiously stared at the cube, pawing at it, wondering what it was.

    "You¡­" Mich muttered,ing to a stop. ''You''re a part of Altair''s team¡­ the monster of House Aros."

    "Monster of House Aros? He''d hate that." Ren bitterly said. Altair hated that ce with a deadly passion. "Well¡­ Thanks for the business."

    "No! Please save me." Mich squealed, hurrying over, only to pause at the Direwolf''s warning growl. He froze in ce, frightened by the wolf asrge as a horse. He had never seen such a mighty wolf. "Please¡­ You have to save me."

    Ren tilted her head. "From him?" she pointed, sensing a man alongside a few other auras a few meters away behind arge bolder of sorts.

    "You sensed me?" an unfamiliar voice said as a young man in a ck leather surcoat fitted with fur and a longsword strapped to his waist stepped out from behind a tree. He was handsome but gaunt for one who bore the aura of a lordling. "I''m surprised. I thought Altair would be the only one I had to worry about. My name is Reese Thorvel."

    "Reina of the Moon," The Nephilim said calmly. "Though, I don''t know why you are hiding your monsters."

    Lord Thorvel''s gaunt expression darkened. "Your senses are quite acute." He said, and from his rear, a hoard of small red-scaled reptilians standing on their forelegs gripping axes, daggers, and swords. Some bore armor. Others helm over their draconic-shaped heads.

    Kobolts, Ren knew them to be. Cowardly creatures that hid within caves, digging for treasure or relying on banditry to survive.

    She wasn''t impressed.

    "Hand over the cube," Reese demanded, ring his foul mana that reeked of the dead.

    Ren nced at the dull grey-ck eyes of the Kobolts drooling onto themselves and then to Reese. "No," She said, unsheathing the greatsword from her back. She hopped off her mount. "Though I would like yours."

    "This isn''t a fight you can win, girl," Reese warned. " Hand over the¡ª"

    Sweeping her sword through the air, a blood-red arc of scorching mes barreled through the skies, sweeping across the Kobolts too slow to respond like a gale of wind.

    And from the billowing mes, Reese, who had the sense to scramble out of the way, watched with utter horror as the screeching wails of the Kobolts resounded through his ears. He watched them burn, watched as their skin became zed a scorching ck before all that was left was ashes and bones.

    Sweat slipped from his gaunt face. He gulped and red at Ren, aiming a pistol at his head.

    Barrier

    Hastily warding himself from danger before Ren could fire, Reese felt his heart drop as the realization of what he was up against filled his heart. ''She''s a monster too. Just like that damnable Amazon.'' he thought.

    "This is pretty fun." Ren mused, firing her pistol. "But that barrier is pretty sturdy."

    "Tsk¡­ we''ll meet again." Reese coldly said, sweeping his finger through the air into a sigil of sorts. It wasn''t the time to go all out.

    Lighting

    Suddenly, a blinding sh of light obscured Ren''s vision, bringing a frown to her lips as she quickly hurled her greatsword through the air, shattering the sound barrier as it shot forward like a bolt of lightning.

    When the light from Reese''s spell had faded, Ren stared at the empty forest scorched by her blood mes and frowned. Especially when she found her greatsword lying t on the ground, its edge stained a deep red.

    "He escaped, huh¡­" Ren looked up, tipping her small nose up, ready to track him down. She paused. "Naw¡­ Ren wants to find Art."

    ***

    "That bitch!" Reese cried with a deadly sheen of sweat over his pale face, wet with his lifeblood. Reina''s sword hade so quickly with enough force. It tore through his barrier, to his astonishment and horror, cutting across his shoulder de like hot butter.

    He had barely the strength to flee, less to even move. His wound was grievous, and if he didn''t receive aid soon, he''d bleed out.

    "I swear I''ll kill you, Reese vowed in a low growl, unsure how far he fled, but his squad was nearby. No more than a few meters, he was sure, as his vision began to sway. Reese tumbled over cold, tasting the dirt on his lips. "I swear¡­ I''ll¡­ Kill¡­ you¡­"

    He waited for death, cursing the gods and the divines as he sat there in a pool of blood.

    And slowly, as voices began to echo through his ear, darkness came, pulling Reese into its embrace.

 Chapter 122: Search and Destroy VI

    In a hearth of the High Tower, the room filled with Lordlings, Scythia stared on with grim eyes, watching the virtual screen of the quick bout between Reese and Reina. Itsted mere seconds as Reese fled, deciding not to battle with Ren. He had left his guard down and paid for it dearly.

    "That girl¡­" Leon began, draining his cup. "That girl is one always by Altair''s side. Who is she?"

    "It was foolish of Reese to turn his back like that," Zolf grumbled. "That girl was¡­ very lenient. Her aim was inhumanely urate despite being blinded by his spell. Had she aimed for his chest, I''m afraid the drones might have needed to cart him away then and there."

    "Altair had been so radiant it would seem there existed another." Lady Sabia Tyv mused, with the broach of Pisces just above her bosom. She grinned. "And a woman no less. How fun. How old is she, Lady Darkfire?"

    "twelve, though there isn''t a way to verify such data." Admiral Darkfire said, somewhat interested in the woman herself. She had heard Reina was a talented alchemist, but her skill with the sword wasn''t to be frowned upon.

    "She looks nearly fifteen. You sure?" Zolf said.

    "She has no reason to lie," Vaiga said, ncing at him. " Altair, too, looks fifteen, but he''s only twelve. It''s not strange for conditioned bodies to reach maturity faster than normal bodies."

    Lady Sabia snickered and touched her lip with a curious gleam in her starry blue eyes. "They seem to be in a rtionship," she said, with a creasing mischievous glow. "Is she, by chance, human? By my recounts, Altair isn''t."

    "That I do not know," Vaiga said dryly.

    "Shouldn''t blood samples be taken from all recruits?'' Zolf recollected, having bushed up on Imperial Law.

    "Reina was a special case."

    "Likemander Iliana?" Captain Cedric remarked

    Vaiga did seem surprised by Cedric''s involvement. He had been one of the few trying to investigate her, alongside Fat Mike, to no avail.

    "That is correct. Iliana brought Reina onto the base, and I allowed it. Whether Reina is a full-blood human or not isn''t something I know about nor care about."

    "But if Altair is mating with her, it is our problem," Cedric said coldly. "If the boy is sexually active, it''s his duty to a denizen of Earth to copte with Eartherns. So is the Law."

    "That''s aw?" Scythiaughed. "Hells. You guys really are crazy." she couldn''t believe it, and neither could some of the members of the twelve Zodiacs, as someughed.

    "And what do you suppose we do, Cedric? Force him?" Vaiga said, lifting a brow.

    "Why not?" Said Cedric. " He''s a boy."

    Godric, who bore the crest of the Roaring Lion,ughed, "Force him!" He shouted, "Altair is one of Earth''s most talented individuals. And you think you can what? Force him? Under the eyes of the Twelve Zodiacs and Genisis?" He looked at Cedric as if he were the biggest fool. "Sythia¡­ if we took over earth¡­ what type of fine would we have to pay?"

    "Hmmm. Two hundred years of jail time, possibly a couple million in fines. Though we could just hire someone to do it." Scythia mused aloud, silencing the various mortals within the High Tower. "I''m sure the Senate on Genisis will toss the matter under the rug."

    Wordless Vaiga Darkfire turned to Cedric pale as a ghost. Her expression was dark at the fool who didn''t seem to understand the mechanics of Genesis. Earth was but a single drop in an expanding universe, a meaningless existence to various corporations.

    The only reason Earth was still allowed its freedom and hadn''t been seized away was due to the Geopolitics of Genesis seeking to im ownership of Babel''s Tower.

    Had Earth not been registered well before the eruption of Babels Tower by an unknown party, the Freedoms Earth held would have been nothing more than a dream.

    "Leave," Vaiga demanded, trying to maintain her decorum within this den of monsters.

    "Admiral¡ª"

    Before Cedric could finish, a cruel primal intent shimmered off the arcs of Vaiga''s pupils; one more word, and he was dead.

    Cedric bowed and left in a hurry.

    ***

    "Come on, Kuu!" Ren cheered, hopping back onto her mount. The Kistune hopped onto her shoulder. And once more, a golden radiance swelled through the scarlet of her pupils. Ren giggled at the kitsune affection. "Careful, or Art might get jealous!'' She snickered, almost envisioning his brooding expression." Come on, Grey! Let''s goooo!

    To Art!"

    Shrieking through the forest, the Direwolf carefully recalled Altair''s scent and raged ahead.

    Nearly an hourter, Ren caught sight of dark mes peaking in the distance a mile off.

    "Wow~ it looks like Laros is fighting someone. Onwards Grey!"

    "Awoooooo!"

    "Awooooo!!"

    "Kuuuuu!"

    Racing onwards into the thick of the mes, Ren eyed her surroundings, grinning as she found her Prince firing his Tech Pistol into the arm of a young woman.

    Altair had really found joy in ying with his new toy. Each bullet with most tech Pistol held an electrical charge due to the electromaic railgun fitted inside the barrel. Any projectile shot would inherently gain a charge, whilst mana would only amplify the elemental power.

    "I give! I give! Don''t shoot me!" A young officer cried, cupping the bullet holes in her arms, pleading with the young lord.

    "It really doesn''t feel right." He said, annoyed. Fighting without killing felt boring to him, but even more, it felt wrong. The sword was meant to kill, not threaten or be toyed with. He sighed, holstering his Pistol. "And that should make four¡­"

    "Art!!!!!"

    "Ren!" The boy whirled, grinning as he caught Ren leaping into his arms. " I thought you were gone for at least a week." He said, Startled by how warm she felt. "How was the ride?"

    "Intoxicating!" Ren cheered when she pointed to the three-tail purple tip fox. "And Ren made a friend!"

    "Kuuuu!!!"

    "¡­"

    "That''s a Kitsune."

    "Yeah. And?" She tilted her head.

    It was then he saw her eyes that shone a beautiful sea of gold. Altair boldly stared in wonder, nearly pulling off her mask as he held her.

    "Your eyes are gold!" He said. " do you feel ok?"

    "Hmmm, Ren feels happy!" She expressed.

    Altair hummed in response and slowly pointed to the young woman bleeding out as the Drone performed first aid. "What about when you look at her?"

    Ren nced downwards to the pool of red. And for a moment, Altair saw the look of an angel sent from the Eternal Heavens. Her stare had been so pure, so without impurity, he felt she was a stranger. And yet¡­

    "Fascinating¡­" He whispered as his palm tightened around her waist. Ren hurried her gaze to meet his. She knew that touch well. Especially when she felt his naughty hands cup her bottom. She turned the brightest shade of pink Altair had ever seen. He could practically see steam rising.

    ''The Eighth Form,'' he immediately thought.

    "Art¡­" Angel Ren said in a panicked moan. " You can''t bully Ren."

    But it was all he wanted to do. Altair looked past her mask to her pursed lips, plump, soft, and tender as if perfectly ripe for the picking.

    "Art~" Ren mewled.

    "Altair, we got the cube! Oh shit, Reina! That''s you?" Talia said, drying the blood off her palm with a rag. She paused, staring at the two, and whirled around. " I''ll be leaving La."

    "No, save Ren. Art is a bully."

    Teary-eyed as she was stunning, Ren had no idea the torment she was causing her Prince as he trembled not to bed her here and now with only the gods as his witness. Altair was sure her Lord Father would strike him down in a single fit of rage, consequences be damned.

    Panicked, Ren was like an alert cat as goosebumps prickled her skin. She gulped. " y-y-you should buy a surcoat." She hurriedly said. " I fought a knight about an hour ago, and¡­ he was wearing a ck leather one. I-I thought you''d look quite dashing in it."

    Altair released her. "Did you, now?" He said. " only if you wear one. Though, we might need to have yours custom fitted." He added, boldly tracing her curves with his eyes. "One more month and¡ª"

    "Enemies on the horizon!" Nia''s rasped voice thundered.

    "ALTAIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The voice came like the crackles of thunder stirring the dirt and trees. Gruff and hard, as though it came from a man, but Altair recognized it.

    "Alyssa." He said, rushing to Nia''s location, high up on a tree.

    From the north, she rode with some fifty men and women following on horseback. There gazes hot with fire.

    "Shit¡­ they already started making alliances." Altair spat, "We''re heading into the woods. That''ll force them off horseback. Laros, Talia, Nia and Olivia you are team. Talia is in charge. Aurora, Ren, you''re with me. Pick off as many as you can.

    If you can''t continue, retreat."

    "Sir!" His men shouted, breaking off deeper into the woods.

    "Fifty men¡­ that''s about five teams each?" The Prince said.

    "Search and Destroy," Ren said as the gold began to sway to a deep scarlet.

    ***

    "Aaaaaaaaaah!"

    "Reba, hold him down," Ser William Raymar demanded, weaving string through swollen flesh, amazed Reese was still alive. When he was done, William sped his palms together.

    Mana nodes gathered as the crest of the olive tree appeared behind, flooding the Earth and sky with golden light.

    Healing Divine Light

    In a baptism of radiance, flesh and bone began to mend before the naked eye. But it brought no joy to Reese Thorvel as his wounds felt as if hundreds of ants ate at his mind. Gnawing away until he wanted to scream.

    "There¡­" Sir William said, ashen in the face. He tumbled to his side, his two circles drained.

    "I''ll kill her¡­" Reese gruffed, in a low, sharp tone, drenched inyers of sweat. " I swear I''ll kill her." He vowed, clutching his shoulder where a gruesome pink scar lingered, still tender to the touch.

    Lord Thorvel, " Reba said. "You mustn''t move your injuries!"

    "Call the Banners," Lord Thorvelmanded, rising to his feet with a belly of fire in his gut. Never before had he faced such humiliation, much less the prospect of death. He was a lord, the sole heir to his lord father''s domain.

    "That whore will pay for this!!"

 Chapter 123: Rienas Battle Prowess

    Fiercely riding her mount forward, trotting through a vast in with a heavy fever in her eyes, Alyssa felt a scorching heat rise within her, a fire that zed, directing her gaze towards the North.

    "There!" She roared, ring her shield from her back, and unsheathed her sword from its cage of leather. Alyssa bellowed his name, bearing the brunt of her mana on her windpipe until her voice was hoarse. In seconds, she locked eyes with him, stationed behind a woman with eyes so red it pooled like a bloodyke.

    In a heartbeat, all manner of beasts froze as if on a frozenke, casting Alyssa and her men high into the air as they tumbled and rolled. They lifted their heads, filled with utter dread.

    "Reina¡­" Altair said in a warning tone. He could feel her dreadful presence that reigned like a mighty Queen."We mustn''t kill."

    The Direwolf lowered his head, quivering like a newborn pup, while the Kitsune scrambled onto the Prince''s shoulder. Taken by the ancient aura that made life seem meaningless, the steeds in the distance prostrated themselves before the blood of the Ancients and Fallen.

    [Divine Sin, ''Archeon'' rises from this ckened throne.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Quivering Night'' is rmed by the blood of his kin.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Currupt Prince'' seeks to know why his kin is on such a tiny sector?]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, folds his arms, impressed.]

    Altair''s word of warning did not register in Ren''s mind as she reached for the greatsword strapped to her back. A whirlwind of light stretched through the air, parting the dust beneath her feet as the de left its scabbard. She looked at Alyssa with an excitable gleam.

    "FAN OUT!!!!" Alyssa shouted, shaken by that monster ahead of them. " I''ll handle Altair and Riena! Get the others. Goo!!! Sisters! Too me!"

    At hermand, four beautiful women armed with shields and spears shone with nodes of glistering gold circled theirmander in a formation meant tobat those of a higher circle.

    Reina reached for her mask, dismissing it back into a void of her soul, where her hunting bow resided, allowing the fresh air to brush against her face. The world seemed to dim beneath it all, leaving beauty to cascade over the eyes of Gods and Mortal alike.

    ''She lost it¡­ why the hell is her form affecting her more than me?'' Altair thought, trying to figure out how to help Ren regain control. He cursed and nced around at the hordes of soldiers rushing past him.

    "Ren," he said louder. "Stop this insanity. Withdraw your¡ª"

    There was a maddening regality to Reina, who nced at him from the corner of her eye with a smile that seemed to strip him bare, leaving him exposed. She licked her lips in a lewd embrace of saliva to moisten her lips. She was gone, leaving a blurry afterimage that turned Altair''s eyes wide.

    By the time he turned, he saw the savage arc of her de falling, shing with the golden spear of a young woman with long, auburn hair, chipping the golden spear and pushing her off bnce and into Alyssa''s embrace. Three spears came like the wind, cutting towards Reina''s neck, wrist, and legs. They carved through the woman, which faded into an afterimage.

    "Behind you!" They heard the Prince say. But it was toote.

    Blood arced into the air as Audrey, who had barely stood up herself, pushed Alyssa out of the way at the cost of her spear arm. She screamed, bathing the grass a sheen of red. Alyssa tumbled and rolled, panicked when she saw the greatsword crashing down over her, catching her shield before she could grasp what had happened. Her body caved into the Earth.

    BOOOM!

    "Alyssa!" Ruth cried, whirling at the sight of the bleeding Audry and Alyssa being pummeled into the ground. She dashed, using all her strength she could. She stabbed her spear at Reina three times, four times, seven times, eight, catching air as Reina weaved with a blood-stained smile, dancing around her spear with a chillingugh.

    At the same time, the other girls bolted to recover Audry and Alyssa in a practiced fashion. They dragged her out of the rumble, her lips and face bloodied by her shield bashing across her face from Riena''s earlier strike.

    ''She''s toying with them.'' Altair told himself.

    "Die!!!!" Ruth howled in a fierce tone. Erupting in a storm of mana, calling on her unique skill. The skies erupted with a divine force as several spears of lightning came like the call of the mighty Zeus, shrieking with the brutal force of nature.

    Reina cruellyughed,manding her blood-red mes tainted by her nature forth. A pir of emerald mes swarmed the skies in an ephemeral sh that swept the heavens, devouring the sun and moon into a vale of purgatory.

    [Necrotic me]

    Type: Fallen

    Description: Created by the Eighth Lord of Hell, Mephistopheles, tobat the Seraphic nature of Sacrad me. Necrotic me shall Enchants the User Mana with the Sins of Heaven and Hell.

    All damage taken from the Enchantment of Necrotic mes cannot be healed through normal means.

    The world zed in an emerald haze.

    "Ren!" Altair shouted as the pir evaporated. He jerked the pale face Ruth back and looked at the emerald goddess, and from his palm, the Vale leaked into creation.

    The two looked at each other for a while, and a giggle suddenly resounded as Ren''s eyes swayed to gold and then a calm and collected red. "Art!" She sang, withdrawing her aura with a vibrant voice of spring. ''Rens a little hungry.''

    Altair''s brow twitched, seeing her switch faces like the wind. He bonked her on the head and pointed at the damage. " Look¡­ You nearly killed¡­"

    ''Didn''t you actually kill people?'' She swiftly said in a whisper in his ear, smirking. " Ren is an angelpared to Art. A big fluffy angel! Come here, Kuu!"

    "Kuuu!" Leaping onto Ren''s shoulder, The Kistune purred.

    Lost for words watching Ren return to normal¡­ or as normal can get for her. He sighed, turning to the wreckage. All five of these women had simr physical attributes to Ren, yet¡­ she toyed with them as though they were children.

    ''And that movement technique¡­ when did she learn that?''

    "Stay back!" Ruth shouted, trembling to hold her spear, much less stand. "Leave us¡­ We don''t have¡ª"

    "Easy," Altair said calmly, lifting his hands to show no harm. "It''s fine. I''m not interested in eliminating you. Not when my squad is eliminating those you brought with you." he said. "How''s your friend?"

    "The bleeding isn''t stopping!" Jayda shouted, clutching Audry''s stub.

    Altair looked to the dark-skinned Amazon, standing up with a stagger in her step, still dazed from Ren''s monstrous strike.

    "Now Ren feels bad¡­" the little Nephilim murmured, the glow in her eyes transitioning to gold.

    "Don''t be," Altair informed her with a fixed stare that neither mocked nor gloated. "This is our fate should we ever lose." He said, without emotion, watching as a drone emerged to help. He turned, ready to leave.

    "Is that all!" Alyssa shouted, bloodied and beaten. "Why spare us?"

    "I''m not. I''m merely allowing a pawn to be a pawn." He said, waving, falling back to where Aurora weed him.

    "Careful, my Master. I hear Amazons tend to have a habit of raping strong, virile men," Aurora said teasingly. "Especially ones that have defeated them in the past."

    Ren lifted her downcasted head and wrapped her arms around her Prince from behind, cupping his crotch, "But Altair is mine." She dered, nibbling on his ears with scarlet red eyes.

    "Ren~" the Prince groaned, hoping he''d not tear through another set of trousers. And to his relief and displeasure, Ren jerked away, covering her face to mask the shame.

    "Bloody Hells!!!" She cried.

    "Damn right," Aurora shouted, flushed by the boldness Ren disyed. She never knew the girl to be so bold.

    "Yes¡­ keep practicing the Eight Form," Altair instructed, blushing all the same. "Perhaps you''ll gain somemon ground. Or at least won''t switch personalities so often."

    Ren made a face. "Hmmmm."

    The boy could sense her confusion but didn''t have much to offer. Situations like these were bound to happen more often, either by Ren or Him.

    Aurora shifted her attention to her master. "Do we catch up to Talia or¡­"

    "Talia knows what she''s doing¡­ I hope. She''s a bit unhinged, but Laro''s usage is at an all-time low." He said, ncing up to the twin peeks up north to where the skies shimmered pir of light.

    "Looks like we have absorbed more than Five cubes." He said, grinning. "Ren, how secure is the cube?"

    "Grey''s wife and n are guarding it." Ren cheerfully said. "Alongside the various other monsters. It''s safe."

    He nodded and finally turned to the Kitsune on top of Ren''s shoulder. "This creature¡­ what are we to do about it."

    Like a Startled cat, Ren clutched the Kitsune. " She''s mine! I named her Kuu!"

    "..."

    Kuu looked up at Altair, itsrge violet eyes glistening curiously.

    "Kuuu?"

    [Ding]

    Name: Kuu

    Race: Celestial Kitsune

    Age: 7 Days

    Str: 2

    Dex: 4

    Con: 1

    Wis: 7

    Chr: 7

    Mana: 30

    Skill: Blink[F], Mana Maniption [F]

    "Kuuuu~"

    Ren practically melted. "So cute! Kisses~"

    That made the prince frown. Those kisses were his and were not to be shared.

    Annoyed, Altair jerked Ren away, stealing her away from the Kitsune as it tumbled feet first onto the ground.

    "Mine," He proimed with a childish re.

    The Kistune mewled softly. It was still young and new to the world. Its beady eyes twinkled, unsure what to do.

    "Art," Ren said, whispering something in his ear.

    "You promise?" He made certain with a hopeful gleam.

    Through golden and red eyes, Ren licked her lips. "As God As My Witness," She vowed eagerly.

 Chapter 124: Athena I

    The air was stringent with the scent of blood, carried on by the gathering mist, consumed by the moans that hummed from the depths of the woods. Trembles rang out, and soon, only silence remained.

    Kuu had nestled beneath Ren''s cloak, tired. Its eyes seamlessly drooped up and down like a child trying to resist the call of rest. The Kistune cooed its final song of its people and didn''t lift its head again.

    "She is finally asleep." Ren warmly cooed. She gave the Kitsu a gentle brush and turned to Altair. "Isn''t she cute?"

    "She made pee pee on me." Altair recounted, ring his devilish physique with defiance to the realm. "So no¡­ she''s not."

    The skies were somber with color, and sundown was fast approaching.

    "... um, Master. She''s still following us." Aurora said. She nced back, catching the flicker of a ck woman ducking into the bushes. " It''s been four days." She grinned. " Looks like Master will have to protect his booty before it''s taken."

    "If anyone is taking Arts booty. It''s me." Ren shamelessly dered.

    Wordlessly, Altair red at the two girls and then Alyssa hiding in the bushes.

    It had been four days since Reina had lost control, and in that time, the azure pir over the Twin Mountains became like a beacon for all to see. For hundreds of thousands of miles, it crested over the horizon, rming many off the coast of Korea. Signifying he had earned more than five kills.

    Alyssa had been one of the worst stalkers Altair had ever seen. She had no talent for it. When she moved, it was as if a boar was brushing through bushes, crushing branches, or snorting loudly.

    He sighed. "Alyssa¡­ why are you following us?" he finally asked, tensing his behind, lest it be taken.

    The girls giggled at that.

    The Amazon peeped her head out, herrge dark eyes filled with astonishment. "How''d you know it was me."

    Renughed, and Aurora guffawed, unable to hold it in. Even Altair cracked a smile.

    "We''ve known for nearly four days you were following us," Altair admitted incredulously. He beckoned her over. "What is it you want?"

    "My Lady would like a word," Alyssa revealed, regarding Ren cautiously through her dark ck eyes.

    "Your Lady?" Altair said suspiciously. "And did your Lady tell you to attack me?"

    Alyssa shed a grin. "It''s amonce in Themiscyra." She said. "If you see a man you fancy. You battle. If you lose, he either beds you, or you find the opportunity to bed him."

    Ren lost her smile.

    "But I''m spoken for." Altair immediately said.

    "I know that now," Alyssa mused and nced at Ren. "Earth is known for its promiscuity. Rarely do they resist any female advancement. And for that, I apologize." she looked back to Altair, reached into her coat, and pulled out a golden medallion of an owl fitted with ruby eyes. "The Lady of the Skies had asked me to give you this should we meet on the battlefield."

    ''Lady of the Skies, '' he thought, and his eyes turned wide. There had been only a single Lady of the Skies within Themiscyra. It was the name given to her nearly six hundred years ago when Earth invaded Themiscyra to conquer them.

    The earthlings boarded their ship, armed their men, and drove into the Portal, where they faced one so cruel the humans looked to the skies for relief from the blood bath below.

    Altair epted the medallion that shone the moment it touched his hand.

    "If I remember, the Amazons are a part of the Greek Pantheon," Altair said. "Long ago, about nearly four hundred years ago, during the Age of Recovery, when Earth saw to rejuvenate its lost history during the Age of Babel. There existed a story¡­ One that spoke of a Virgin Goddess that bore the Crest of the Owl."

    Alyssa retreated a few steps and bowed. "Now that my duty is done¡­ I shall take my leave."

    By the time Altair looked up, Alyssa was gone, and the sun had vanished. He hummed curiously, pocketing the medallion.

    "Art¡­ What''s the Age of Babel?" Ren softly asked.

    Altair folded his arms. "It was a time nearly four thousand years ago when Babels Tower first rose, bringing with it chaos. Earth experienced an extinction-level event. Governments were lost, history was destroyed, and Religions withered. At the same time, women and children were ughtered each day. The world was on fire.

    Ten years was all it took for humanity to be on the precipice of extinction. Were it not for the Intervention of Genisis, humanity might have perished. That was the Age of Babel. It took nearly a hundred years to repopte Earth to its former glory¡­ That period wasn''t really talked about much. I''m sure you can guess why."

    Ren shook her head no, recalling what happened to Olivia, and felt her stomach churn at the thought.

    "Then that medallion. Do you know who it belongs to?"

    "Her name¡­ Is Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom, and One of the Twelve Olympian Gods."

    ***

    Hours into the night, beneath the moon''s glow spilling through shadows, the crackling of firewood stirred as prowling Shadow Cats, Matadors, skeleton men, and more gathered.

    It was dangerous this time of night where high-tiered monsters prowled. It was their domain, and the light was their nectar.

    Altair sat by the crackling fire beside Ren while Aurora was parallel to them, brooding.

    "Master¡­ it''s a bit unfair of you." She began, unbothered by those watching them.

    Kuu had opened her eyes then, sensing a looming threat.

    "What is?" He asked, entangled in the heat of his woman resting on hisp, her bottom like a great fire of flesh and heat.

    "You and Lady Ren¡­ It''s so unfair! I want love, too!" She protested, puffing her cheeks like two small balloons. "You two are so¡­ touchy."

    "Touchy?" Ren questioned. She wasn''t wearing her mask now, allowing Aurora to see her childish smile. "Were you not the same with Vadi?"

    Aurora did not pretend to hide her pain that still stung. "No¡­ "She said softly. "Thinking about it now. Rarely did we have any public disy. He didn''t like going out. Not that I did.

    But¡­ sometimes¡­You know. You just want to see the world. Travel, go on walks." she sighed. " Well. That is over and buried now. Now all I have is Master."

    Twirling her fingers through her Prince''s long ck hair, Ren smiled. "Do you want kids?"

    "Kids?" Aurora touched her womb. She wondered if she could even have kids now. She wasn''t human anymore. For a while, Aurora didn''t answer before she found the words. " Maybe what about you?"

    There was a sour smile on Ren''s lips, but before she could answer, Altair''s ears perked, following the distant howl. He frowned and jerked his hand up, catching an arrow by its shaft that propelled his body a meter back and into a nearbyrge tree.

    He calmly stared down at the arrowhead inches from his face, stained a ck tar.

    "Poison," Altair frowned, cracking the arrow in half, and narrowed his eyes when the growl of Kuu resounded within Ren''s cloak.

    "It''s not just monsters this night," Ren said, falling out of Altair''s embrace. She stepped towards her Greatsword that sat by the fire. And tossed Altair his. The boy caught it and whirled the de out of its hard leather cage, staring out with an eerie calm.

    "You caught that," A dark, sunken voice that dripped scorn said from the darkness. "No less from Lord Altair. I''ve been looking for you."

    The voice echoed from all around, breeding befuddlement from Altair camp as they searched the darkness.

    "I hear you defeated the Amazons but didn''t fuck them like dogs." Another voice said distantly. He was further away, the Prince told himself. "Don''t you know Amazons will give it out to just about anyone who has bested them inbat?"

    "Pigs," Aurora spat, unsheathing the rapier from her belt. And skimmed the darkness that did little to obscure her vision. She listened when an arrow hurled itself through the air, striking the fire.

    Ember red into the skies, scattering beneath the dust as the dying fire dimmed and faded.

    "Do forgive me, your grace, but there''s a bounty on that red hair bitch. A thousand Sols for her head. A hundred for each man who rapes her." The voice said, and from the darkness, a shadow came, rushing towards Altair, driving his sword straight towards his throat.

    The stranger was quick, crossing hundreds of meters in a few steps alone, but was mistaken in believing the darkness gave him an advantage. His de stilled nearly a full foot away, shing against a hexagonal domain guarding his foe.

    Barrier

    "Ren¡­ why does this filth believe you have a bounty?" The Prince asked, low and slow.

    Groff''s sunken eyes narrowed. He kicked back in retreat, giving himself some room. He''d heard the boy was a Mage, but the manner in which he invoked his skill terrified the man. It was quick. So quick he didn''t even see him draw a rune.

    Ren rested her Greatsword on her shoulder, frowning, thinking for a second. "Before I met you¡­ I have a run with a Reese Thorvel." She said, recalling the brief matter. "He''s the only one I fought during my Ride with Grey. He ran, but not before I nicked his shoulder. He was the one that wore a leather surcoat."

    The thin frown over the young lord deepened. "So that filth ordered such a thing?" He was looking at Groff. "And you agreed to ept the contract. Aurora¡­ tear off the limbs and tongue of the archer. And sear the wound shut with lightning."

    "Yes, my Lord." She said, departing without a sound.

    "You think a lordling can track Joss," Gruff crackled, entertained by the idea. "She''ll be gutted by dawn."

    Altair drew in a long breath and held it for a while. "Who set the contract?" He asked, with a throbbing motion of pupils

    "It was Lord Thorvel," Gruff confirmed with augh. "Two birds with one stone." He said. "I get my cock wet, and I get to keep her head. You can have her body after I''m done."

    "I think I''ve heard enough, " Altair said, cold as the ocean''s depths. He raised his sword calmly.

    "Your spells wouldn''t work on me, boy," Gruff said and leaned back into the shadows, disappearing from view. His words carried through the darkness. "One cannot hit what they can''t see."

    Altair felt his brow flutter. ''... I can''t sense him. How strange.'' He thought inwardly. ''His ability seems to be rted to the darkness¡­ or stealth.'' The boy pondered for a second when a vicious blow cut across his Barrier from the rear. By the time Altair whirled to his rear, only shadows remained.

    "Need Ren''s help?" The girl said boldly, strutting before Altair.

    "Not really," he said.

    "But Ren wants to help." The girl protested, puffing her cheeks as the wisp of cutting air came. She leaned back, eyes like a river of blood, dodging Groff''s blow that caught the air. Her Greatsword hurled crashing down with the ferocity of a Direwolf. The winds splintered apart with a torment of silver as her de paused inches from the ground.

    "Tsk¡­ I nicked him."

    "Ren, that bastard is mine!"

    "He''s the one trying to kill me!"

    "He attacked me first."

    Watching them at one another throat like two kids over a ball, Gruff wiped the blood spiraling down his forehead where a bloodied gash resided. He gulped, thankful to the gods for his movement technique for saving his life.

    ''Monster,'' he hissed beneath his breath, staring at Rens. Yet his expression suddenly paled as he glimpsed the eyes of the Prince, focused on him, dark and unfathomable.

    It had only taken a whisper, a sharp hiss for Altair to determine his position, and even faster to conjure a de of torrent that pierced his soul like a knife. Gruff tumbled from out of the dark, wailing, thrashing about, iling his arm, legs, and over whatever he could find. Bloodshot eyes hounded the night as he began to scratch at his eyes until they were raw.

    "Mercy!!!" Cried Gruff, tearing out his eyeball, believing the old pain would relieve the new. A miscalction as his cries only intensified.

    Another Edge of Torment fell, followed by another and another, and another.

    Something broke in him that night. Gruff had been a man of adventure. He knew of pain, having been burned alive by his elder brother andter disposed of within the gutters of Zemptis. He waster saved by an off-duty soldier. Yes. He knew of pain.

    He had been beaten, gutted, impaled, and abused during the days of war. He knew of pain. And yet nothing couldpare to the Hell Altair inflicted with his Infernal Bane. Nothing¡­ nothing.

    Gruff''s screams no longer seemed human; rather, he resembled the cries of a ghoul, an undead creature that knew only of death and pain.

    "Wow," Ren raved, surveying her surroundings. "Even the monsters have fled." She turned to Gruff, mystified at the foamy blood bubbling at his mouth as hey, his eyes torn away, tightly bound in each hand, screaming. "How long until you release him."

    The Prince gave a long stare. "Let up?" Heughed a cold, icy chuckle. "Until his soul shatters, and his mind begins to rot and fester," he said, cupping her cheeks to the sound of music he so believed was sounding. "So is the price of making you draw your de."

    Ren felt a flush rise up from within her; she nced at Groff convulsing in his own piss and shit. And took it all in within her enthrallingly red eyes and whirled them back to her Prince, smitten.

 Chapter 125: Athena II

    Dark Chapter

    "That bitch!" Cedric Vandel roared, cutting his knuckles across the stone wall of his hotel. Stones reeled through the air, falling onto the ground like rain. He red at his door, where three navel officers stood outside. They had arrived before first light, with the order barring him from leaving, under the direct Command of the Admiral.

    The humiliation was not something he''d ever face. And for what? Speaking out of turn? "Wretched bitch," he growled, with a belly of fire. "How I loathe that whore." he said, copsing on the couch. Cedric reached into his coat, pulled out his datapad, and padded away.

    Soon, an image appeared.

    "Can you talk?" he said to the hologram of static, distorting the image.

    The voice went silent for a second, followed by a fiddling sound. "Of course, uncle."

    "Good. Have you made contact with Altair?" Cedric asked tly.

    "I''ve met his whore,'' The voice snapped. "And she''s as vile as that low-born sow. She nearly tore my arm off, killing me."

    "I saw," Cedric grimly said. Reese had been one of the finest soldiers he''d ever trained: smart, cunning, wielding the best potential to be a high-rank warlock. Yet he was taken down in a few moves. Poor luck from what he saw. "Have you seen her since?"

    Reese snarled. " No. But you should know. Aren''t you watching?"

    "I''ve been banished to my quarters," Cedric informed him and poured himself a drink from the decanter before him and down a ss or two. "Is Vadi with you?"

    "He is¡­ Though I don''t understand why you assigned him to me." Reese replied. "The boy has less use than a whores cunt."

    "I know." Cedric did not need reminding. "You only need to do as Imand," he said, filling his ss full of whiskeys. "Though you''ll need to figure out how to deal with the girl."

    "I''ll deal with that whore, uncle," Reese replied darkly. You''ve my word."

    "Good¡­ Then listen to what I''ve to say¡­ "

    ***

    [Ding]

    [Shadowcat Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Level Up]

    Touching the shallow gash cutting across his cheek from where the Shadow Cat caught him with his cruelly sharp talons, Altair winced sourly, with blood filling the gaps between his fingers. He stood up, gasping for a bit of air, and red down at the Tier Three criptid felled.

    The shadow cat had beenrge as a lion and bore a deep resemnce to a panther, to its ck coat. Powerful it was with the speed to match sound if given the time to focus its power.

    "He got me good," Heughed, allowing The Hands of Nirvana to shimmer its golden light. A cooling sensation simted his nerves, bringing a smile to his lips. "How are you?" He asked, whirling to see Ren with a concerned expression.

    "You let your guard down," she said, bonking him on the head.

    Altair removed his hand from his cheek, revealing his untouched blemished, and smiled. "It was merely a flesh wound. You''ve had a few too, if I recall, yesterday''s battle with that skeleton knight." He reminded her with augh.

    They had spent the following few weeks locked in constant battle, honing their skills and level from Dawn well within the hours of twilight. asionally, Altair would peer through the eyes of his shadow, with Olivia and Laros to catch up on schemes and so on, before receding back into himself.

    Name: Altair (Snow)

    Mana Circle:[Third Circle 0.041%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 4 ¡ú 7]

    Strength: 29

    Dexterity: 34 ¡ú 37

    Constitution: 55 ¡ú61

    Wisdom: 57 ¡ú 63

    Charisma: 57 ¡ú 63

    Mana: 28

    Name: Reina Of The Moon

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 0.09%]

    ss: [Blood Nephilim Lv 1 ¡ú 7]

    Strength: 42 ¡ú 54

    Dexterity: 30

    Constitution: 33 ¡ú 39

    Wisdom: 52 ¡ú 64

    Charisma: 52 ¡ú 64

    Mana: 25

    Cutting out the hearthstone within its chest, Altair swallowed it whole without a second thought. His skin shed red hot for an instant before streams of mana sprung from out of his pores, billowing with the winds. He began refining the onught of mana, filling his Mana Circle with a bright smile.

    [Mana Circle: 0.041% ¡ú 0.069%]

    "We ought to hunt more Shadow Cats," Altair suggested.

    "Would if we caught, Master," Aurora said. "But most would rather run than engage in a battle of life and death. Though you could try your luck with the Plesiosaurus, Tier Four¡ª"

    "Pass," Ren said in his stead. " With our shitty weapons. We''ll be lucky we can prate the hide of a Tier three monster." She lifted her cracked greatsword, its edge dull after nearly two weeks of use. "Not to mention, none of these weapons can handle mana."

    Aurora looked at her funny. " My Lady, you realize no Second Circle can enhance weapon sharpness and power like you and Master? Most gain that ability when they reach the third circle, where they gain a higher level of control over their mana. These weapons were made with that idea in mind."

    "Really?" Ren looked surprised. "Is that why humans seem to drop like flies when they¡ª"

    "There they are! Get them!" Voices form from a few leagues away howled.

    "GOD!!" Ren swore, turning to Altair. "Can''t we kill a few! Please! They just keeping!"

    Altair peered over the great ins to a set of twenty riders on horseback, trotting towards them with a fierceness in their eyes.

    "I lowkey wish I didn''t send Grey back to the mountains." Ren moaned, ring at Altair, who''dmanded it. He''d imed it was to ensure no one reached the great peaks. And seeing that none had since then, she could not deny his judgment was on point, though it didn''t help that he was always so smug about it.

    Gruff had been the first of many to attack the Young Lord and Lady. For weeks, they had been hunted and tracked, and despite the cruel manner in which they dispatched the hunters, they never stopped.

    "What I''d like to know is how they keep finding us," Altair asked.

    "I''m sure they''ve got a irvoyant," Aurora said. "Or at least someone with a simr skill." she paused. "But I suspect they wish to tire us out. Phase two should be starting in a few days."

    Scratching at his hair ck as night, Altair cursed. Ren, however, held no reservations about killing a few. Altair had always been too cautious in her eyes, too soft when it came to matters of pride. Though in recent times¡­ she nced back at him, unsure what he was bing. But her loins had ached that night beneath the song of Gruff wails like never before.

    She saw her prince for what he was then¡­ a demon, a fiend that hid his bloodlust within the shadows of the night.

    "Let''s just end this." He said, conjuring his Moonlit des, and watched the symphony of limbs that danced, carving through man and mount with little effort. By the time these hunters had entered a hundred meters of the prince, all thatid bare was their limp bodies.

    "Let''s go¡ª" Ren was about to say when she saw her prince point, and her jaw opened wide as she watched his Moon des begin to peel the living flesh from the hunter''s bodies. With the cold precision of a dagger, Altair made sure not to nick any arteries. As he left them howling, screaming, their throats raw, and their eyes dazed.

    "In war," He began, looking up at the hidden drones rying the image to the Lords and Ladies within the High Tower, watching his actions with horror. "To break the will of the people, desperate actions are needed. Whether it''s through terrorism, rape, or conquest. Mercy be damn. This was supposed to be a tournament to showcase our skills. Yet you allow bounties to ur.

    You have created rules to forbid sexual assault yet have done nothing as Riena, and I are hunted with the sole focus of rape and death in mind." He grinned though his eyes seemed like a vale of death. "Since nothing has been done. You have forced my hands. So I''ll leave you with broken soldiers."

    He gestured a rune with his fingers, casting Mold Earth, and conjured several pikes from the earth below and smiled as he ruthlessly skewered them from the rear through their throat. And began healing, mending any internal and external injury that would lead to major blood loss in the course of the next few days. He wanted them alive¡­ and screaming.

    The screams they bore echoed from the depths of their being like acid upon the ear. Pleeded, they tried but held no tongue to do so.

    "Hells!" Aurora cursed, covering her mouth. She felt sick.

    "If you believe me a fool, believe me, kind to allow this bullshit. I wee it. Let''s see who wins out. I''ll break everyst bastard." Altair whirled, taking his leave, unsure what manner of pleasure he was feeling overtaking his mind. But he felt himself on fire.

    Reina looked on at the limbless bodies, stripped of their flesh and skewed through, gargling on the pikes, and smiled.

    ***

    The Lords and Ladies, Knights, and Squires watched on with unblinking eyes, their expression pale, shaken with fear.

    Scythia had stood up. "Scorpio will be sponsoring yourmand, Admiral Darkfire, a Three hundred thousand Sols on the premise you have Altair begin raiding at once." She said with haste. " We care little what dungeons it is. New or Old, but we want him at the third circle within three years."

    "Sagittarius will match that price," Leon said, standing up. "A fine enforcer he''ll make. Better yet, the boy has the potential to conquer," he added with promise in his eyes.

    "You''re all madmen!" Ser Toval Vandal shouted. "He just¡­ He just¡ª" puking his guts out like so many others around him. He looked up with pale, ashen, colored features. " That boy is a demon!"

    None of the twelve saints showed much reaction. They''d seen worse, faced far worse. What Altair had done was no different than draw a line. For two weeks, he had waited whilst being hunted like a dog, allowing the Command to make a decision that never came. And now the young wolf was baring his fangs.

    "Pisces will also do the same." Said Lady Sabia, pulling out a Holocube. "I''ll transfer the funds this evening. Though, we''d like a meeting with the boy when this little tourney has ended."

 Chapter 126: Athena III

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, didn''t think you''d go this far.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Corrupted Prince'' question your lineage.]

    [Diving being, ''She Who Hunts'' mourns for those within the High teau]

    [Diving Being ''Piercing Owl''mends your insight.]

    Mounting another set of limbless bodies onto pikes, Altair carried on with a deste look stained by blood and looked on with cold, unfeely eyes at the fifty or so men and women he''d collected so far.

    Innocent or guilty, it didn''t matter. If High Command didn''t see the need to stop him, he wouldn''t stop. Reeses'' orders were to rape and kill, which was his. Was he to take this insult from the army he served with a grain of salt? Was he to allow mercy? He didn''t know, though he didn''t much care.

    Blood For Blood

    Altair had stood in the center of the High teau with his army of moaning pikes, dripping red. The smell had attracted many beasts that Aurora fed the severed limbs, still pale and unustomed to what her Master had done. She had never known him to be a cruel master, and now she felt she never knew him at all.

    Monster, she''d wanted to call him. And yet, this had not been his fault. He had not caused this madness. ''It was the doing of the High Command.'' she told herself, ''they could stop this madness. They couldmand him to stop. And yet they don''t.

    They watched, listened, and judged.'' Of that, she was sure.

    By the third night, the numbers had reached the seventies, and the moans thundered like an endless symphony across the region. It was then she appeared like a ghost amidst the night.

    "Art," Ren said, her painted red eyes tingling with the ferocity of a lioness.

    "Admiral," Altair greeted with a salute. His face was a dark hue, stained with a river of dried blood. "How may I help you."

    "We''ve issued the order. The Bounty issued by Reese has been taken down." She said, taking in the sight that stripped her of warmth. "I hope you know you''ve made a lot of enemies today."

    "And allies," The Prince said, smiling.

    Admiral Vaiga Darkfire gave him a long stare and nodded. "Yes. You''ve raised over a million Sols. Though it won''t do much when the word gets out."

    "Good," Altair said, allowing his Moon des to stop blocking the drones from aiding the helpless. " And when theye. I''ll finally get to bleed them for all they hold dear."

    "Hells, Altair." Vaiga cursed. "You¡­" Unsure how she felt, she shook her head. " This was too much. Far too much."

    "But not against the rules. Not yet, anyway." He said, grinning. "But do me a favor¡­ Tell me where Reese Throval is."

    "You¡ª"

    "I''ll owe you," he said calmly. "And if it''ll help. I''m not going to kill him." He added with a crooked grin.

    "You expect me to believe that?" Vaiga said incredulously. She''d be a fool to believe that. "After this blood bath? Altair¡­ you are in so much shit right now¡­ I literally can''t aid you. There are lords on those pikes. Daughters and Sons of noblemen.

    When the King and Queen hear this¡ª" she stopped, creasing her temple. "Fuck¡­"

    "I just need a general location," Altair said calmly.

    "It''ll be mayhem, boy. Reese is a Lordling on the level of a dukedom. He has ties to the imperial family." Vaiga warned, certain he would see the value in letting the matter rest. However, despite her words of forewarning, Altair''s gaze was steadfast. "South¡­ to the volcanic trenches," she said, vanishing in a wisp of light.

    The Prince fashioned a sword to his belt, with Ren by his side and his shadow treading behind in a light step.

    The Great teau had been struck silent. What should have been an entertaining exercise had been corrupted. Many recruits were hiding, terrified at the rumors surrounding Altair.

    Butcher, they called him Monster, Bastard, yer, Demon. But Altair neither cared nor could be bothered to. Everything had gone ording to his n. He had been caught off guard by Ren''s Bounty. Nheless, that merely gave him an excuse toy siege to the military. Those who see his potential will fock beneath his shadow, and those who don''t will be marked.

    Phase two of Search and Destroy would begin in a day''s time. For what it constituted, Altair did not know, though he had an idea.

    "We should arrive in three days," Aurora said, with a piercing gaze at the half-moon. She looked at her Master''s back. "My Lord¡­ What will your House Crest be?" Wondering about his aspirations regarding the throne.

    "It will be of a wolf bearing its fangs over the blood-stained crescent moon." He said without much thought. The moon had been the symbol that embodied the darkness and the light. it represented Luna and his mother and all they''d done for him. And the wolf. The wolf was of his beloved¡­ And that wolfish bloodlust he kept at bay.

    Ren slipped onto his bare back and kissed his blood-stained cheeks. " I like that." she intoned, tasting the tang of dried blood. She purred and bit his ear.

    In the days that came and went, the Great teau had gone silent with a chill as the Lieutenants of each team had taken to the battlefield. Like hunters, they prowled, teaming up with those within theirmands.

    By the second night, most had managed to reach their teams. Others weren''t so lucky, having lost track of their teammates altogether. And on the third day, sieges across the Great teau raged on.

    Soon, by the third night, pirs of light shrieked into the skies, marking the various domains of those that destroyed more than five cubes. Altair''s pir was bleeding a scarlet glow over the twin mountains. It was so radiant. It towered over the others.

    When they arrived, their boots were muddied and matted by grass and leaves. The Prince stared up at the volcanic ashes dancing through the air. And was reminded of the Hells, to the emerald mes that burned through the secondyer of Hell. Magma had seemed to trail down the great mountains through trenches and valleys in an endless sea of orange, red, and ck.

    ''It could notpare,'' The Prince thought. He could still recall the innate fear that squeezed at his soul the moment his eyes graced that emerald me. He wanted to scream then, yet the fear had made him silent. Altair lifted a gaze towards the trail that led deep into where a pir of light shone.

    "My Lord, Reese Thorvel is of a powerful nobility," Aurora said with a tension of fear in her throat. She almost didn''t speak. "Are you sure you wish to do this?"

    "Do the Thorvels scare you?" Her Master inquired without turning back.

    "No, My Lord," Aurora said, staring up at her Master through theshes of her eyes. "You do, my Lord. I fear what you''ll do."

    Altairughed and pressed forward through a narrow ledge whereva dripped from above a fang-shaped stone. Reina and Aurora silently followed while Kuu watched on with a sense of familiarity in itsrge, beady violet eyes. It cooed a soft, gentle cry within the bosom of Rens cloak.

    The scorching heat did little to affect the Kitsume as nodes of mana seemed to dance along its soft snow-white coat. Aurora hadn''t been so lucky. Despite being of her Master''s blood, she hadn''t been graced by her Lord''s Almighty Resistance, nor did she possess Reina''s Primordial Physique that allowed her to maintain a perfect state of being. She was of flesh, blood, and shadows.

    Sweat dripped from her slender face, soaking her clothing as she gasped for air, feeling the ashes of brimstone filling her lungs with its fumes. Her eyes grew wet, and her face windburned after a day''s journey.

    "Aurora¡­ You have such a nice body." Ren said, ncing back, pulling her up and over a stone with ease. "So curvy."

    "My Lady~" Aurora bemoaned, embarrassed at how her clothing clung to her skin. It had been nearly a month since she had a shower. Now, she had smelt of blood and death and now sweat.

    "It''s true¡­ though I wonder why you wear a bra?" Reina inquired, perplexed, following behind Altair through arge stony overpass. She nced back, glimpsing a spandex bra beneath Aurora''s tunic.

    "It''s a sports bra," Aurora said, hoping her Master wasn''t listening. "My breasts like to flop about, so I wear one," she exined. "And it''s to help to stop them from growing saggy in the future. Humanity can live for about three hundred years thanks to the advancement of technology and healthy eating. Mana also helps. That''s a long time for the body to change over time."

    "Three hundred years?" Ren cried. " Why so short? Elves live for nearly a thousand years, High elves ten thousand."

    "But their birthrates are low," Aurora replied. "I''m not sure how long transcendents live for, but¡ª"

    "Four thousand years," Altair answered. "They are Demi-Gods, but that''s the general limit. Unless they can obtain something to help increase their lifespan. The limit is set at four thousand or so, I read."

    "Wow¡­ That seems so short." Reina said, but Altair shook his head.

    "Not really. If it''s a High Elves, they could potentially live another four thousand years on top of their normal lifespan. Can you imagine how many generations that is? From what I hear, Elves have quite a few Transcendents."

    Slowly up a set of cliffs that steamed with sulfuric pockets, they climbed for nearly a mile, staining their fingers ck. They arrived at one of the great peaks.

    "Whore!" Lord Reese Thorvel said, greeting them as he watched them pull each other up. "I''ve been waiting for you." he slid a gaze towards the Prince, spat a few curses beneath his breath, and red at Ren. Behind him, Altair counted four, one of them being a familiar face, but the name alluded him.

    "Vadi¡­" Aurora said stiffly.

    Vadi had a cold gleam in his eyes as he clutched his chest, ring at her with his hazel eyes. To his left sat Rebbeca, a young red-haired woman, gripping a Tech Staff. On his right stood Ser William Raymar and his brother Sam Raymar, wielding their iron sword.

    "I''ve been waiting for you," Reese said, pointing his single-edged sword toward Reina as if to pierce her heart with it. "I swore I''ll have your fucking head! And after today. I''ll have it."

    Darkness prowled through the Prince''s icy gaze, smoldering with a baleful gale of fire. And for the first time, he understood the meaning of Courting Death.

 Chapter 127: Athena IV (Final)

    Lord Reese Thorvel had been grinning, crackling as he watched them approach, traversing the Southern Mountains of ash, mes, and sulfur. He''d heard the rumors of Altair''s wrath through the Great teau. And it had been enough to have him retreat to his greatir, where he stored his cube. He''d barely returned in time to catch sight of them entering his domain.

    "You and that sullen whore of yours will pay for this humiliation." He swore, clutching his shoulder where the sting of anguish stirred his every waking thought. He found himself breathless at the taste of what he would do.

    "That''s it there, Art," Reina said, pointing at Reese. "That''s the Leather Surcoat I was talking about. Nice, isn''t it? It''s even fitted with fur to defend against the cold. Though I don''t suppose you''d need that feature. But I''m sure it''sfy." she grinned and nced at him.

    "Well? What do you think? Is it nice?"

    The Prince hummed in response, observing the ck tunic beneath his ck leather surcoat. "It''s nice¡­" he supposed and nced down at his bare chest and bloodied trousers. "But anything would be better than walking around half-naked."

    Reina gave him a shrewd smile. " Now, I don''t want you to have a coat."

    He gave her augh when Vadi howled. " You think this is aughing matter!" He bravely demanded, drawing his longsword. The sword trembled in his grip. "You''re going to die today."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, tilts his head, unsure what to make of the situation.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Baleful Fire,'' spits in disgust. ]

    ''More gods¡­ Fallen this time around. Is it because of Ren?'' The Prince asked himself. He looked at Vadi for a brief moment, and only for a moment, as his gaze fell upon Reese. "So you''re the one who ordered the bounty. I''m curious what manner of cruelty befell you to order that she be raped and killed?"

    Reese felt a dull ache race from his shoulder. "She harmed me." The boy said, red in the face, when Sam suddenly charged like a feral beast and thrust his de towards Altair''s throat. Altair ducked beneath his de, cutting his sword from out its cage, catching Sam in his sword arm before he could retreat in a blinding sh of swordsmanship.

    Iron shattered into shards as Altair watched with fascination as Sam retreated with a spring of blood swelling from his wrist, where he marked.

    The Prince nced down at his shattered sword, tossing it aside as moonlight dripped into a ck de of mana. He tossed another de over to Ren lest her cracked de shatter like his.

    Ser Sam Raymar felt a cold sweat drip from his brow, and his heart lurched in his chest. He retreated two, three, four steps. "Do not hesitate to use your skills." He shouted. " He''s skilled, my Lord. He¡ª"

    In a sudden dash, Altair was on him, his sword a blur of semi-arc whirling about, shing through Sam''s Iron Flesh with mild resistance. Blood swept through the air, staining the ground. Frantically, Sam parried, but Altair''s sword seemed to curl as if it were alive, twisting around his sword, meeting flesh despite his best effort.

    Sam cried a painful scream, trying his best to defend himself. When Rebbeca attacked, she conjured several Magic Missiles with her Tech Staff that amplified her magic and pointed towards Altair when a shriek of scarlet shed. William pushed her away, barely dodging himself as Infernal Lightning shrieked through the stone, turning it to vaper in a hot sh.

    So powerful the arc of lightning was magma shone and pooled from where her lightning faded.

    Aurora snorted and darted out from behind her master to the fallen mage that had toppled to the ground. Willian unsheathed his de in a quick draw, trying to keep his mage alive, and yet, Aurora''s rapier seemed to weave like the nket of night, meeting William''s sword to his amazement.

    A vicious slew of embers rang out from the cross of their blow that pushed Aurora back a few feet. Her sword arm was trembling from the blow. But with her off-hand, her fingers danced through the air, carving out a rune. Vines sprang out from the stone, splintering with needles, catching him off guard.

    Ivy

    William howled as the needles tore open his leg with their cruel grip ensnaring him where he stood.

    Reina moved, racing to end Reba when an emerald ethereal beam shot for her head, nearly striking her as she felt her instincts scream. She pivoted off her feet in a seamless motion, dodging the emerald light. Her eyes slid to Reese, grinning cruelly.

    "Eldritch st," Reese cried with a gesture of a rune. A beam pierced out from his palm like a speeding bullet. Reina didn''t dodge but shed her de with the graceful arc of the moon, gripping Altair''s Dark Moon de. Embers of emerald mana danced, shing into nodes that faded.

    She grinned mischievously. "Is that all?" she said, twirling her de through the air. "I''d have thought you''d be stronger. But your mana isn''t even in the mid-twenties. I wouldn''t be surprised to know if it only just reached twenty. " She vanished, allowing her afterimage to fade into nothing.

    Broken Moon

    Pushing forth with her movement art, Reina emerged a foot away from Reese, cutting her de up to carve him in half. But her de met with the ripples followed by echoes of shattering ss. Reese had managed a barrier in time, giving him enough to barely dodge her slowed sword.

    ''Monster!'' he screamed inwardly and pointed at her. It had only been their second exchange, and yet he was on the defensive. He cursed beneath his breath when he caught sight of Sam on his knee, in a pool of blood covered in an array of gashes.

    "That defensive skin of yours is as strong as the flesh of a Third Rank Beast." Altair had praised, cleaving down his de with all his strength over Sam''s sword arm, taking it off in a single stroke.

    The knight screamed, falling over limp with a thud.

    "Sam!" His brother howled, screaming as he desperately tried to unbind his leg. "Sam! Get up, Sam!"

    Altair turned to survey the battlefield. No more than twenty seconds had passed, but Sam was down, and Willian insnared while Aurora raced towards Reba.

    "Die!" Vadi screamed, jabbing his de toward Altair in the hopes of running him through. A little unsure where he came out from, Altair sidestepped the poorly executed de. When a whisper of warning came about him, he lept back, startled for a change.

    Distantly, Ren noticed this and retreated to his side with a sh of Broken Moon. "What''s wrong?" she hastily asked, noticing the sheen of sweat on her beloved. "You¡ª"

    "ALTAIR!!!!" Vadi roared, with tears of blood swelling in his eyes. "YOU CAN''T HAVE HER!!!"

    "What the¡­" The Prince began when he noticed a strange glow piercing through Vadi''s tunic. He frowned, watching him clutch his chest as if it ached. Deranged, he stood, spewing curses, blinded by a rage that festered like rot in his mind.

    Vadi tore off his tunic, revealing arge crystal embedded in his chest that shimmered a brilliant radiance.

    The light made the Prince''s blood run cold, and soon, he began to notice dozens of drones filling the skies, gathering together. And he knew something was wrong.

    The Kistume arched its head from within Ren''s chest, its beady eyes glistering with a peculiar light. It stared curiously at the ground, tilting its head.

    "You can''t have her¡­ Aurora is mine. She''s mine¡­" Vadi screamed, breathless, "She''s mine. Mine! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE!"

    And from his chest, a violet light erupted into a vast array of destruction. Vadi exploded into a fine mist of red with the throbbing of the crystal that hovered where he once stood.

    "Brother! Brother!" William cried out, clutching an emerald crystal in his hand. "You must¡ª"

    The strange Crystal light folded into an arch and exploded.

    Altair clutched Reina, and from his palm, a ghastly wisp of mana emerged heavy and deep as night; it folded around them before that horrid light caught them. Ren did the same, cloaking her beloved with the golden light of her Sacred me. And yet nothing seemed to matter as the air turned to fire, and then an eldritch of light, liquefying into a vast expanse of ions.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    For nearly fifty miles, the earth folded and ruptured, reeling by an unfathomable force. The Great teau reeled like a living creature in agony, nketed by a shockwave that came like a cruel storm. And soon, like an endless ckhole, the shockwave inverted, pulling everyone and everything in.

    The great teau trembled, unfolding into a great many pieces as hundreds of recruits, soldiers, knights, diplomats, and offworlders howled with panic. The earth broke apart, fractured into clusters of stone by the throbbing power.

    And yet, as they cried out, plunging down to the waters below, golden light erupted from within the heart of the explosion. Catching stones, trees, men, soldiers, knights, saints, and animals caught up in the beam of energy.

    She appeared, smiling with amber-colored eyes that shone like endless mes. Her body, while ethereal, zed with golden light, streaming endlessly from the Golden Medallion given to him by the Lady of the Skies.

    "Hello, Altair," The Golden Woman smiled. " My name is Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War, and One of the Twelve Olympian Gods."

 Chapter 128: Realm of Yarwin

    "Wake him up!" Ser Greymort demanded, ring down at the half-naked boy. They''d found him on the high roads north of Forwin. Greymort would have ignored it, but hisdy had demanded otherwise.

    From the moment his Lady Aria Silvermane gazed upon him, mesmerized. She froze,manding that he be taken in and cared for. She had never seen a more handsome man.

    It had been three days since, and Ser Greymort had lost his patience.

    Immediately, the Silvermane Spearman hurried forward, bearing the crest of a silver sword and shield over their ring mail, and dunked the boy''s head into the water until the bubbles stopped.

    The Young Man''s eyes snapped open in a panic, feeling the foul water filling his lungs. He iled when the guardsman pulled him out of the water bucket. There, they saw red and ck eyes ring.

    "Who are you, boy!" Ser Greymort demanded in basic. He''d never seen red eyes before, at least not in a human, but it left him raw and exposed.

    Somewhat dazed, the Young man felt himself bounded by the two guardsmen''s arms. He nced down, noticing his naked body, and his frown deepened as he looked back up.

    [Ding]

    [Wee to the Realm of Yarwin]

    [Quest: ???]

    [Time Limit: ???]

    Restriction: [All external Mana skills will be sealed.] [God Observation]

    The Young Man growled with a throbbing ache of hunger burning the back of his throat. He was still confused but not enough to forget himself.

    "Altair¡­" He answered with a deep rasp in his throat. "W-Where am I? Hells, my head hurts."

    "The High Roads." Ser Greymort answered, scrunching a brow. "How old are you?"

    "Twelve," Altair answered, still struggling to recall what happened. He groaned and glimpsed a golden ring on his finger. ''Drupnir,'' he thought, more confused. '' But how? I gave this to Master.'' He looked up at Greymort, who seemed as if he''d heard the most ridiculous thing.

    "Twelve!" Greymort roared with a sneer. "You look to be at least sixteen or eighteen." He said, looking the boy over. He had pale milky white skin, without a hint of a blemish, as if he had not felt the sun''s re before. "Do not lie to me."

    Altair grimaced and tried to stand to his feet. But the Silvermane guardsman held him down. He winced, annoyed, pondering whether he should make a move or not.

    "Have you seen a woman with red hair? Beautiful with two blood-red eyes." He saw to ask.

    "You are in no position to demand questions," snapped Greymort. "Now answer me. Why were you on the high roads? Why were you bloodied? And why were you¡ª"

    "So you don''t know," Altair realized, closing his eyes, unable to sense his Fallen Shadows within his shadows. Rather¡­ they were further away¡­ Very far away. Four, five, six days journey.

    Hopeful Altair allowed his mind to connect to Jorm, where he saw her resting in a field of flowers, with Kuu resting on her bosom, protected by Kirr and Jorm. He sighed a sigh of relief, feeling the tension leave his body.

    Greymort struck him with the back of his palm, bloodying his lips. Altair spat the blood from his mouth onto the ground, somewhat dazed. When Ser Greymort jerked his head up by a handful of hair, "Boy, I''ll hang you by your tendons if you don''t answer me." he said.

    Altair stared at the man with a full head of silver that matched his silver armor. Tall and gaunt, he stood with a sword and dagger strapped to his hip, his boots matted with mud and leaves. He turned, ncing around his surroundings to what seemed like a camp. He could see the shadows of guardsmening and going.

    "You don''t seem like a stable boy or a farmer. So you''re either a lordling or merchant." Ser Greymort said, letting go of his hair.

    "You''re brave to strike a supposed lorling," Altair smirked. "Truly brave or stupid. release me now!" He said with the bearing of a lord, his voice thick with presence.

    Greymort nearly felt his soul leave his body as the guardsman man and knight staggered back. Their faces pale. And for a moment, Greymort felt he was before their Lord once more.

    Altair stood up, wiping the blood off his lip. "You didn''t have to hit me, you know." He winced, tracing a finger over his wound, allowing the Hands of Nirvana to mend the wound.

    "Y-Y-You''re a healer!" Greymort stammered to say.

    "I dabble in the art." The Prince told him. Curious if it was fear he was seeing or hope. Either way, he needed information¡­ and blood.

    A day, possibly two, maybe three, he could go without it. And based on the time of date within his HUD, it had been a week since he fainted.

    "What''s going on here? And why the bloody devil is he naked?!" A dark, effeminate voice rang out from behind Greymort as Ser Liana Sinir stepped forward. Her emerald eyes settled onto the wooden bucket of dirty water, and then Altair''s matted wet hair and understood. "Ourdy did not rescue this young man so that he may be tortured him." She said brusquely. "What is your name and upation?"

    "Altair, upation¡­ well, let''s say I''m a wanderer. With a bit of bad luck." He said, though no one believed him. He was too handsome, too charming for that, to articte. He didn''t sound like amoner but rather a lordling. Not one they recognized.

    "Get this¡­ Wanderer some clothes." Lianamanded, with mockery in her tone, but the guardsman followed. They tossed him a tunic and trousers, which he quickly got into and turned to the woman with hair so blonde it seemed white. Beautiful without a blemish, she stood with crossed arms over her surcoat.

    When atst he was clothed and his hair was dried, Liana brought him some bread with a bowl of stew that tasted sour. He didn''tin. Anything was better than nothing.

    "A Lordling wouldn''t touch that," Liana remarked, observing his every action.

    "He would if he hadn''t eaten in weeks," Altair replied, smiling. "What''s your name?"

    "Liana Sinir, Personal Knight to Lady Aria Silvermane," She answered, curious about how the boy acted. He was calm. Eerily so surrounded by dozens of armed guardsmen.

    When he was done, Altair stood up. "Well. Liana, I thank you for aiding me. Will I be allowed to leave? I''ve got to find someone."

    "A girl with red hair?" Liana said, having heard it from Greymort.

    Altair didn''t deny it. "Yes. My Knights are with her," he replied. "I¡ª"

    ''Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh~''

    Taken back by the sound of the grim horn, a loud cry rang out from within the encampment. "Bandits! Bandits!" one of the spearmen howled. "Ready your arms!"

    "What Bandit would risk attacking us when carrying the banner of House Silvermane." Liana whipped, storming to herdy''s side, as nearly forty men armed with crossbows, spears, shields, and swords got into position.

    A league away, Altair''s curious eyes graced several men gripping silvery des of steel. Fine and polished, it gleamed beneath the early rays of dawn. The rode heard, lifting their shields as Arrows hurled themselves down in the rain, catching a few mounts. Horses tumbled over the grass, skidding over bandits and stone. Yet none of the twenty or so bandits seemed to care.

    ''Not bandits,'' Altair confirmed. They were to clean and polish for that. ''I should kill someone. I could use the information their soul has.''

    Soon, blood graced the dawn, weapons hacked, and men roared. Steel against steel crossed against one another, bathing the dirt red.

    When Altair drove forward, he kicked off his feet like an arrow leaving its string and snatched a sword from the body of a dead Silvermane Guardsman that had been run through by an arrowhead, exploding out from the back of his head, dark and wet. He was upon a bandit in the blink of an eye on horseback.

    as his sword danced into a dreadful arc of light, blurring through horse and man in a single stroke.

    [Bandit Felled. Exp Gained]

    By the time the bandit fell into halves, his organs spilling out in a dreadful scene of madness, and his sword tumbling towards the ground, Altair was already upon another, his longsword beginning to carve out a path,ying waste to whatever caught his eye.

    [Bandit Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Bandit Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Bandit Felled. Exp Gained]

    Liana watched, shaken to her core at the ughter he brought. But didn''t move to join. Her task had been to guard herdy.

    "Greymort! Aid the boy!" Shemanded him, tightening her fingers around her spear.

    Slowly, minutester, after a hard-fought battle, the regiments of bandits fled, tumbling over themselves. When the cruel order to take no prisoners came. Arrows rained like a dark shadow, cutting them down one after the other. Altair had his fill of blood when no one was looking, stealing a few souls.

    He gorged himself to quell his sanguine hunger when he sensed Liana approaching, spear in hand, with ten men by her side.

    "Who are you!" Liana growled. She''d never seen a man so young and skilled move like that. It was as if he were a master.

    Pretending to rummage through the dead bodies, Altair wiped his mouth of the blood and stood up. "Your friendly neighborhood, wanderer," he said lightly. " Though I suppose I''m no longer wee. Well. It''s all the better. I''ve much to do.

    So consider this me paying you back."

    Liana scrunched her brow. "You needn''t leave."

    Altair looked up at the skies and then at the carriage. "You are heading North." he looked back at her, and the men beside her stiffened in fear. "Am I mistaken?"

    "No,"

    "I must head West." He told her, swatting over the dead, to better find something other than rags.

    "Come with us," Liana said. "We''ll pay. And it looks like you¡ª"

    "Is it over?" A gentle voice rang out from within the carriage of silver, airy and young it sounded. Revealing a small thing peeping out from a crack, where a small child slid its head out. No more than six or seven, she had hair of long spun gold and eyes a deep ocean blue that sparkled like sapphire.

    "Ari!" Liana cried, but it was toote as she lept out of the carriage with a bright smile in an ocean of blood and death.

    "You''re awake!'' Aria said, pointing, trotting over with her small legs.

    "Mydy, it''s not kind to point." Ser Greymort said with a kind grin over his gaunt flesh, wet with blood. "Come, my Lady, this is no ce for a Lordling."

    "But a Great Prince is here!" Aria said, staring deeply into the ck of Altair''s eyes. "The Prince who shall burn the world and create it anew."

 Chapter 129: City of Forwin

    Within a luxurious carriage moving north of the High Roads, Altair stared at the young Lordling curiously as she slept, resting on Liana''sp, thumb in mouth, and a sliver of drool streaming down her lips.

    "There she goes again," Liana said, grinning, not daring to wake her.

    It would be a fortnight to the City of Forwind and three days since that ughter that had killed seven of the Silvermane Guardsman, injuring ten. Ren had yet to wake, but Altair hadmanded she be brought to him when she woke. He''d trusted his shadows to do that much.

    "She''s still young," The Young Lord said, smiling. "She''s nearly six, right?" He could still remember himself doing the same on his mother''sp.

    Liana nodded, gently brushing her cheeks with the tenderness of a mother. She looked up at Altair. "Why did you change your mind?" She finally asked him. "Surely it''s not because I offered to pay you."

    "I''d make a wonderful Sellsword." He grinned, snickering at the annoyed expression that reflected through his multicolored eyes. "The Prince who shall burn the world and create it anew." he reflected, lifting his lips into a half smile. "I don''t suppose you know what that meant."

    "Afraid not. "Liana saidfortably. "Though, I thought you had a woman to find. A young Red Head? Quite the taste. Redheads: from what I know, tend to be witches, devil worshipers, or mad."

    "My Father said the same thing. Never trust a bitch with red hair, he''d say." The Prince chuckled. "Although I don''t see it. Perhaps I''m lucky."

    "Or Blind"

    "Probably just lucky."

    There was a mischievous glow in Liana''s emerald almond-shaped eyes that shone like stars. "Now I know you are smitten. A wife, is she?"

    "Not yet, but soon." He assured her. The carriage shook, and Ser Greymort galloped beside the window.

    "Riders ahead," he said in a whisper so as not to wake his Lady. "Be prepared." And he was off, racing ahead with seven men on his heel.

    As if he could sense her fear, Altair looked calmly at Liana. "It''s alright." heforted. "There probably just merchants."

    "You don''t know that," Liana hissed softly. She hated the unknown. The taste it brought was one she knew all too well: Fear. For years, she lived in it. Bounded and beaten, whipped, and branded before her father sold her off to a local ve caravan for a few silver. She was seven then.

    Altair eyed her deeply, for he did know. The souls of the dead had spoken all he needed to know of this Realm of Yarwin.

    "Then shall we make a bet?" He said, lightening the mood, seemingly ignorant of his devilish charm that seemed to hasten the young knight''s heart. The Band of the Incubus trembled within his soul, tempting all around him.

    Liana felt the embers of fire rise within her. She took a wisp of the air, pulling in the masculine aroma he brought. "What''s the bet?" She absentmindedly asked. When Liana came to, she saw Altair pocketing seven bronze coins and just about reddened like a cooked lobster.

    "I¡­ Loss.'' She muttered, unsure what hade over her. Greymort had returned with good news, and yet she felt so¡­ restrained. Heat swept over the young knight, racing over her cheeks.

    ''I gambled? I never gamble.'' Liana thought. The very thought had reminded her of her father.

    "Happens to the best of us." The Prince teased. He looked out the window, enjoying the rustle of winds billowing against his cheek, threading through his hair. ''I still can''t remember¡­'' he thought, resisting the urge to frown. He could still recall the mounting aura of the Vale, caressing up his cheek, the cry of the raven and¡­ golden light.

    He winced as his head began to ache, and the memory began to fade.

    In the days following, ebbing into weeks, Altair did little but cultivate. The Law within the Realm of Yarwin had ensured he could not summon his Dark Moon des. Luckily, he found hispulsion worked.

    It had been a curious thing to the Prince. His Infernal Lightning had been sealed, but spells weren''t. Perhaps it was due to the systematic system they followed. Mana within thesends, while denser than it was in the Serpent''s Outreach, seemed fleeting. One minute, it existed the next; it didn''t, as if it found it difficult to maintain itself in the material ne.

    Such a reason alone had caused destabilization amongst his skills like Infernal Lightning and Dark Moon de. And yet, such a restriction didn''t exist for his Vale Maniption.

    Sitting beneath the four Moons of Yarwin, Altair bore the small wisp of Vale that felt as heavy as a mountain in the center of his palm. Sheens of sweat glistened above his brow, shrieking down his cheeks like a cutting sword. He groaned and winced, trying with all his might to hold on. Around his neck, webs of thick ck veins climbed up his jaw, protruding with vigor before fading.

    Altair copsed onto his back, gasping for air. "Hells. Ten seconds." He grunted throughbored breaths, spotting darkness filling his eyes. For a while, hey there catching his breath, powerless to move.

    ''My Lord. The Lady is awake.'' He heard Kirrmunicate.

    With a burst of strength, Altair stood up and peered through his Shadows eyes.

    Drowsy, she stood, her golden eyes still murky from her long rest. Ren yawned, looking at Kirr. "Rens hungry." She said like a child.

    "Typical," Altair muttered. None of his shadows had seemed to know what happened that day, and neither did Ren when he began to question her. All Altair knew was that he must havemanded his Fallen Shadows into Ren''s shadow because none of them were with him.

    "What the Hell happened? And how did we get here? And are we the only ones here?" The Prince wondered as he began to refine his Mana.

    When dawn broke, Altair had broken his fast with Lady Aria before making their way towards the Walls of Forwin,rge like mountains, it stood, crusted and ck, as if they had faced a recent siege. Two towers stood on each side, nested with archers at the top and a squad below, armed with spears.

    Forwin was blistering, consumed with hundreds of humans, elves, demi-humans, and strange creatures Altair had seen only through the memories of those he killed.

    "Make way!" Ser Greymort demanded in a roar. "Aria of House Silvermane, Lady of the North, Heir of the Helm, and Chosen of Aidios is approaching! Make way!!!"

    "You''ve quite a bit of titles under your belt, Little Ari," Altair said to her.

    Aria shed him a grin. " Of course, I''m awesome!" she eximed, shooting him a wink.

    In the seconds that followed, the banner of House Silvermane shone through the skies, along with a hoard of armed knights marching through the streets. Their silver armor glinted off the rays of first light. Commoners and nobles made way, fearing for their lives, as a gant young blonde-haired man galloped down the cobblestone streets on horseback.

    "Sister!" He shouted with a smile.

    And for the first time, Altair saw Aria''s joyous expression crumble.

    "Vanro," she whispered in a hushed tone, receding into her chair like a doll without life.

    Altair had never seen her like this as he peeped out the window to the Lordling trotting past the wall.

    "A Lord must always smile," Altair said to her, brushing his fingers across her cheek. "Whether it be to family or enemies. We smile, for it hides our weakness."

    "My Lady¡­" Liana muttered.

    "Sister!" Vanro shouted, dismounting in a huff. Two guards opened the door to her carriage.

    "Greetings, Elder Brother," Aria said with a poised smile that did not seem to fit her young age. It looked forced and clumsy, but it was enough, she at least hoped. "Are you here to escort me to Father for my uing rite?" she asked, somehow feeling her words giving her strength. She had no longer felt fear or loathing¡­ Though she wasn''t sure why.

    But from the moment Aria heard Altair tell her to smile, she felt all her worries fade, almost as if he hadpelled away her fears.

    "Yes¡­" Vanro said, taken back. He had half expected her pale and frightened. Not smiling. "I''ve¡ª" He paused, ncing towards what seemed like amoner by the rags he wore." Who are you to sit with a Lord?!" He barked, snapping his eyes to Liana. "You, a knight of House Silvermane, allowed my Sister, the Blood of Aidios, to ride with a peasant!"

    "A Peasant? Well, that''s a first." Altairughed. "Even your knights thought I was at least a Lordling or a merchant. Aria¡­ do I look like a peasant?"

    The little girl''s smile brightened. "Of course not! More like a prince who felled the nine-headed hydra!" she eximed in her starry blue eyes.

    Altair turned to the burning expression of Vanro, stewing fire in his eyes. " See! Even your sister agrees. You can address me as Lord Altair since we are not that close."

    So angry he stood, Vanro''s voice practically thundered as it rumbled against the stone walls. " Bastard! Have you any idea who I am!" he roared.

    ''The man who hired a small band of sellswords to kill his sister,'' Altair wished to say but held his tongue. "A bastard." He said calmly. " Born of amon whore from what I hear."

    Liana turned a grim pale.

    "You¡ª"

    "A bastard ought to know its ce before the true heir." The Prince began with presence in his voice.

    Vanro ate his words and staggered back in a panic, shaken by primal instinct. By the time he realized it, his longsword was in his hand, but the Prince was no longer paying him any mind.

    "Aria," He said, amused by the awe in her dazzling eyes. "Shall we proceed ahead? We do not need to entertain the whims of a bastard."

    "Ser Vanro, if you''ll excuse me," Aria said, showing the proper greetings of ady. She gave themand, and her carriage was off, trotting forward, led away by Silvermane Guardsman. Vanro could only follow, the humiliation thick on his heel.

    The carriage was silent for a while before Aria erupted intoughter. Though Liana had found there was nothing tough about. She didn''t understand how her Lady couldugh. Nor how she gained such courage to speak or smile the way she had.

    "My Lady¡­ That was dangerous. Vanro¡ª"

    "Is a bastard." Altair finished." And you ought to treat him like one. There should be no reason for her to shake in fear. She is a Lord."

    "But the Lord Edwin treats him¡ª"

    "Liana." Altair cut in, silencing her. " It matters not what Edwin does or says by her birth rite. Lady Aria is the true heir. I suggest you start treating her like one, or she''ll be eaten alive." he said and poked the little girl''s nose with a boop as she giggled. "Who knows¡­ Perhaps those ''bandits'' that attacked us were all part of Vanro''s handy work."

    Liana felt a cold sliver of sweat trail down her spine. ''Did Vanro¡­ Did he hire them to kill us?'' She wondered, pale as a ghost.

 Chapter 130: Prologue: Hell Tide I

    Lord Edwin Silvermane, Warden of the North And Lord of The Northern Helm, had been in his study when the news of his daughter reached him. He wanted to count the many moons since hest saw her. Yet, he could barely remember it as he prepared for her Rite to be blessed by the gods. The Church of Sepith demanded it.

    "Altair?" He muttered almost like a question, yet it rang like a statement.

    "Yes. My Lord," Stewart Lorvel said. "He is within the Great Halls now. Eating with the Lady Aria."

    Edwin wanted tough. "Eating? He insults my son, and now he eats¡ª" He stopped, tightening his fist. "No¡­ I should be thanking the boy, shouldn''t I?"

    Stewart Lorvel bowed. "May I speak freely, my Lord?"

    "When do you not?"

    "Vanro is your bastard," Lorvel said. "And yet he is treated with a level of respect above the heir." he paused, allowing his meaning to echo. "Some of our knights don''t even know that Vanro is a bastard, believing he to be the rightful heir."

    "You don''t mean¡­" Edwin muttered, taking a stand, his hulking figure towering over Lorvel.

    "Ser Greymort and Liana have both imed that the bandits they fought were not your average thug. Sellswords, they believe. Though, they can''t prove it. But what bandit group would be so brazen not to recognize the banners of House Silvermane?"

    "It can''t be Vanro." Edwin refused to believe.

    "I never imed it, my Lord." Stewart Lorvel said. "The Silvermanes have many enemies. And now that Lady Aria is to be a Chosen of Aidios. We have all the more enemies. Just the other day, whispers of a Demon Hell Tide are underway. Forwin has faced seven this year alone.

    It could have been any number of things, My Lord. But¡­ a bandit attack¡­ is¡­"

    "It feels sloppy," Edwin finished, scratching his stubble beard. The sound it made churned. "And the suspicion of Vanro all the higher." He cursed, growing so silent that Lorvel dared not even breathe. "Tell me about this Hell Tide¡­"

    Seeing his Lord wished to change the topic, Stewart Lorvel happilyplied. "It''s merely whispers, my Lord, but a Great Baptism of Madness is underway, they say."

    "Your source?"

    "The Oathkeepers, my lord."

    Edwin''s expression darkened. "The Keepers of the Realm came down from their Great Mountain?" he began, tightening his fist. "Does this have anything to do with¡­ the stars that fell?" He could still recall it: thousands of stars shrieked from the darkness, bathing the Realm in light some weeks ago.

    "It might, my Lord," Lorvel said grimly. "Shall we continue our interrogation of Hilda Strob?"

    ***

    Altair had been buttering his bread when he heard the metal boots racing through the Great Halls of the Manner. He nced around at the few guards observing his every movement and then Aria, who paid them no mind. He smiled and poked at her plump cheek, amused by the bobbing of her doll-shaped head.

    Aria''srge almond-shaped eyes shone. "Big Brother Altair, what are you doing?"

    "Getting your attention, of course," Altair answered, ignoring the movement outside. "I''m curious: why didn''t you join Liana and Greymort when they went to report to your Lord Father?"

    "Father gets busy at the height of noon." She exined, too scared to bother him. "Why? Did you want to meet my Father?"

    "Not in the least," Altair admitted, staring into her sapphire eyes and wondering of the words that she spoke, ''The Prince who shall burn the world and create it anew.'' It had unnerved him as if she spoke of prophecy. Though, the girl was simply a girl from what he could glean from the eye of sacrilege.

    Aria made a face at him. "Big brother¡­ Are¡ª"

    The doors to the great halls sprung open with a great gust of noise, turning their heads. Vanro strutted in with a few knights at his heel. He stared at Altair beside his Sister and sat across from her, filling his te with smoked sausage, bread, cheese, and a sulent piece of chicken leg.

    "Altair, is it? I heard you aided Liana and Greymort in defending my Sister." Vanro said, stabbing his fork into his brazed sausage, and took a bite. " They say you''re a twelve-year-old Sword Master. The finest they''ve ever seen."

    "Is that true, Big Brother Altair?" Aria asked. "Are you a sword master? Can you teach me?"

    "A girl learning the sword?" Vanroughed while his men guffawed, nearly choking over their meal. "You''d be better off learning to embroider. Aidios herself knows the Church of the Sepith will demand it of you."

    Vanros'' words did not seem to ring through the Prince''s ear. He''d too much contempt to listen to bastards. "Are you perhaps interested in the sword?"

    "A little." She hesitantly said. "Though I like the spear. Liana uses the spear. They say she is one of the best spearmen within the Third Circle in all the Realm."

    "The brothel girl?" Vanros snarled. "Nothing more than a whore ying knight."

    "She''s not a whore!" Aria snapped at him, clenching her fist. "The Sisters of Sepith have already proimed her pure," she uttered, flush with rage.

    "Perhaps. But the ver definitely taught her how to please a man." Vanro joked.

    Laughing, Silv Lim spoke, "She might have her Maidenhood. But I bet those sweet lips have sucked more cock then¡ª"

    "You speak as though you are not before a nobledy." Altair interceeded. Amazed by the level of vulgarity in which Silv spoke before his Lady. "Are you not a knight of House Silvermane?"

    Silv felt his lips curl down. "I am." He said.

    "And did you not take the vow to serve and protect?" The Prince continued. "I believe that is the standard of all knights. Is it not?"

    The Knight gave a grim nod, and the eyes of the guardsman at the door, who had been observing Altair''s every action, turned to Silv. Servants who waited at the table began to whisper, filling the room with rumors.

    "Big brother¡­" Aria muttered, tugging his trousers beneath the table. She tried to hide the fear as she saw Silv''s furious expression, but his presence was filling the Great Halls, and her throat felt so tight she began to hyperventte.

    "Ser Lim!" One of the Guardsman shouted, drawing their spears. "What is the meaning of this? You dare show killing intent before the Lady!" he barked, silencing the Great Halls. Soon, guard after guard began to emerge, spears aimed directly at Silv.

    ''Are these the ones loyal to her?'' the Prince wondered. He reached for Aria, clenching her chest, gasping for air. But before he could aid her. His fingers froze when she spoke.

    "On his Pale Horse of End, the Prince will Ride as Worlds Burn," She hissed, her sapphire-like eyes shimmering. Aria gasped, trembling to say more. But as if an invisible weight tightened over her chest. She fainted, falling into the Prince''s arms.

    Altair''s presence unfolded light an eldritch of death, seizing Silv by the throat. The young Knight was brought to his knees and made to bow like a feeble worm that dared not disobey his master. He dared not breathe, dare not speak, dare not think. Silv could only kowtow before the Prince as he stood with Aria in his arms. She seemed so small there, like a sleeping doll.

    And yet there was a mystery to her, one Altair found to be irresistible. There was something hidden in her¡­ A power he could not see with his eyes.

    "Seize him," Altairmanded, crossing the room toward a young woman dressed in the garms of the Sisters of the Sepith. She wore long ck and white robes and a hard iron mask to mask herself against the lecherous eyes of man and sin. He handed the girl to her with gentle care. All the Sisters were proficient healers, and Aria was their chosen, hand-picked by Aidios, The Seraphim of War.

    "What is going on!" Lord Edwin barked, storming in with a furious expression. His eyes searched the room and found his son barking at the guards while they held Ser Lim down like a dog. He frowned, finding his daughter unconscious in the arms of one of the Sisters of Sepith. "Vanro, you will exin now!" he ordered.

    "It''s all his fault!" Vanro pointed at Altair. "H-H-He¡ª"

    "A Seventh Circle," Altair said with a hint of wonder, sensing the heavy presence that pressured the room. He marveled at the simrities between Edwin and Aria. They were practically twins in his eyes. From their eyes to their hair, even the cheekbones they seemed to share.

    Edwin turned an eye to him, measuring the boy who wore rags yet bore the grace of a king. They had said the clothes made the king, and yet as Altair stood there poised beside his daughter, Edwin felt he was before the King of Yarwin.

    "Yes, him, Father. He provoked Ser Lim." Vanro imed. "He dishonored Ser Lim and questioned his vow to House Silvermane."

    "Is this true?" Edwin asked Altair.

    "If he says it is." The Prince replied, cool as snow, searching his expression with a smile that gave nothing away.

    Edwin did not seem amused, but he would not take Varno''s words as the gospel.

    "My Lord, a Hilda Strob would like to¡ª"

    "Hilda is here!" Altair jerked to the Stewart, stepping in with a startled expression. "Pink hair, Red eyes? Cute? Likes Teddy Bears?" He practicallyughed. " So the others came too. Hells, what a mess."

    "You know Hilda?" Lord Edwin asked.

    "Of course. We''re from the samend." Altair told him. "I hope you didn''t harm her. She is a Sixth Circle soldier."

    "The woman is being cared for in the eastern ward." Steward Lorvel said. "We found her puking her guts out after she fell upon thend in a pir of golden light. Nearly a month ago. She''s been with fever since."

    Edwin exchanged a nce with the Steward, and he went silent. "We will discuss Hilda. After this farce. What happened to my daughter." Her aura was steadfast, but there was a bit of worry as he crossed the threshold towards the Sister of the Sepith.

    "My Lord," The Sister said. "The Lady is well. Her mind is just disturbed by¡­" She nced at the boy through her hard iron mask. "Prophecy."

    "Father!" Vanro shouted. "He¡ª"

    "Be silent, boy," Edwin said hard as stone. He stared and raised his palm. "I thank you for aiding my daughter. Greymort and Liana have told me of your deeds."

    Altair shook his arm. "It''s not a problem. Lady Aria is quite the interesting one."

    Lord Edwin gave a firm nod and nced at his Steward. "Find out what urred here and give out the proper punishment. You needn''t ask my permission if the chopping block is involved. Altair, if you would follow me. Sister¡ª"

    "I shall bring thedy to her room, my Lord."

 Chapter 131: Prologue: Hell Tide II

    "My Lady, we must hurry," Kirr had said, ncing back at Reina overlooking the approaching storm.

    The winds were howling, wrenching against her tunic. Wet with the approaching rain, cascading over the horizon in a downpour of gray.

    "Demons," Reina said. She had never seen a demon, yet her blood had said otherwise. The words hade to her lips, but she knew them to be true. Unease hade slithering up her spine like the touch of strangers. "What¡­ is this feeling?"

    "My Lady¡ª"

    Jorm lifted his palm to his brother, and Kirr went silent. Something was wrong.

    Kuu lifted its head, peering up at Ren with anxious eyes.

    The stench in the air had been one of brimstone. One Ren had been familiar with. Her mother carried the stench deep within her blood, tainted by madness. It was the stench of hell.

    ''Will a Hell Gate rise here?'' She wondered, trembling at the prospect of a portal to hell opening. ''My Father is a Duke of Hell now¡­ I shouldn''t fear yet.'' Reina looked down at her shivering fingers.

    "Tell Altair¡­ to Prepare." She said, grimly, "This dungeon¡­ Hells¡­ this dungeon is about to plunge into the Nine Hells."

    ***

    The walls of the Keep had been deste. Cold and barren, ity beneath heaps of dust and cobwebs festering countless arachnids the size of a child''s palm.

    Altair eyed the unkept annex without much thought as Edwin led him into the lounge. He pulled the tarp off a set of chairs, allowing the dust to rise, and took a seat.

    "The Silvermanes don''t live in Forwin," Edwin dered. "Thest time someone graced these halls was probably seven decades ago. Maybe longer.You may stay here as long as you like. I¡­ we owe you at least that." He said, disturbed. "But I''d like to know who you are. You and that Hilda girl."

    "I suspect there''ll be thousands more that''ll be popping up soon. If they don''t get killed before they wake up." Altair remarked, taking a seat. He thought for a moment before he began. Altair spoke of dungeons and realms of a world beyond the stars, of science so advanced Edwin''s expression turned pale.When he was done, Edwin seemed weary¡­ and old.

    He''d heard tales of the realms from the great beyond. Many mages drew power from them, but there had always been a divide. An insurmountable wall that allowed mortals to live as they pleased.

    "Dungeons¡­ this entire realm?" He said incredulously. "And you all possess a system¡­ a voice of Heaven? Altair, surely you don''t expect me to believe this."

    "Doesn''t matter to me." Altair shrugged. "Believe me, don''t. It''s up to you. You asked, and I gave you a reply." He said, enjoying that look of disbelief written over Edwin.

    He hadn''t expected to be believed. Not yet, anyway. But he wanted to control the narrative before someone else did. Edwin was a powerful man with an army behind him. It was said the Silvermane were the swords of the realm, housing some of the greatest warriors.

    "You merely need to ask Hilda. I''m sure she''ll confirm."

    "Hilda is eerily silent. She refuses to speak of her origins. Though not you. Why?"

    "Fear gets me nowhere. And I want out of this realm." Altair said. "Hilda is a trained soldier and amander. She was probably conditioned since birth to mask her identity if she''s ever captured. Torture her, and it could take years to get any valuable data."

    Edwin groaned and massaged his temple. "I need a drink." He said bitterly. He knew of the soldiers Altair spoke about well. Though, they were usually reserved for those within the king''s pce. Not foot soldiers. Not themander''s.

    More and more, he was starting to believe.

    "I''ve not harmed Hilda. And she will be released into your custody. Though she''ll not be allowed to leave the estate." Edwin said, rising to his feet with much to think about. He looked at the boy. "What is your interest in my daughter?"

    And for the first time, Altair''s expression exposed interest. "A Lordling chosen by the Seraphim of War. And a young girl by the looks of it." He smiled. "With an ability to peer into the future or at least one of them. How can I not be interested? Though I do wonder what the Church intends to do with your daughter."

    "After her Rites. We will return to the North." Edwin said with a long, weary sigh.

    ***

    "My Father will hear about this!!" Vanro cried with a flush of redness. "Do you hear me, Lorvel!" He was ring now. His jaw was thick with a throbbing vein.

    "In the name of Lord Edwin Silvermane, Lord of the North, Protector of the Helm, and Knight of Aidios, I, his Stewart Lorvel Dumar, hereby decree that Silv Lim be stripped of his title and face the block for the crimes of harming his Lady, Aria Silvermane.

    His body will be left to hang until the crows have had their fill." The Steward lowered the parchment he was reading from and nced at the executioner. "make it quick. No need for the Lady to see such a sight."

    When it was done, and the Great Bastard Sword had fallen. Vanro could only stare at the bright red liquid stream and the head beneath his feet.

    Ser Lim had been his knight. One of seven he was allowed. And had been by his side since he was a boy of seven. And now¡­

    The Bastard felt his knees tremble, and it was then he noticed that no one had dared to look at him. Not his knights, the cooks, squires, or the maids. Only one did as she approached him.

    "The Sisters of Silence will be informed of this transgression." The Sister of the Sepith informed him, cold as a winter''s breeze. "May you be judged in the Embraced of Silence, Ser Vanro, Son of Edwin."

    Distantly, Altair watched on, frowning. "The Sisters of Silence." He repeated, searching for the name within his Astral Sea, but none came.

    The Church of the Sepith held Seven Seraphim. Seven Powerful Angels to help spread their principalities. Though from what he knew between Yarwin and the Myriad Heavens, Aidios seemed to be the face of the Church. Even on earth, it was only her name that was ever spoken.

    He wondered, "Who is the Seraphim who Rules over Silence?"

    The Prince did not have to ponder for long before he smiled, catching sight of a lovely young woman with long pink hair.

    "Hilda!" Altair shouted, crossing the courtyard towards her. Hilda froze, following behind the guards. And herrge ruby-colored eyes shone with life.

    "Altair!"

    "I got it from here, boys," Altair told the two spearmen, who quickly released her into his custody.

    "Well, Well, Well." He began with a teasing grin. "I guess you owe me twice now. The gods must truly favor you. Twice now, I''ve saved you." He said,ughing.

    Hilda had looked pale. She was clean and appeared well fed, but her once steadfast aura was weak¡­

    He took her by the wrist, and Hilda allowed it. She had many things to say. But she was too tired to resist or at least pretend to.

    "The Mana here has strained my body¡­ I''m sure the Admiral is even worse." Hilda whispered, leaning onto his chest, finding her strength to stand all the more fleeting. "It''ll take me two more weeks to recover fully. And possibly longer for Vaiga. Three months, maybe?"

    That did not sit well with the Prince. There were a lot of moving parts in Yarwin. And the faster those of the Myriad gathered, the safer they would be.

    Altair fingers ran down Hilda''s back and thigh as he hoisted her into his arms. He made for his secluded annex, currently being tended to by a dozen or so maids.

    "You can put me down now," Hilda said, nibbling on her pale lips with a shriek of red from ear to ear.

    With a shrewd smile, the Prince chuckled. "You''re in my care now. And you''re sick. As a man, it''s my responsibility to feed you, bathe you, andfort you until you''re well."

    Hilda''s teeth mbered as if she was caught in the cold. "Y-Y-You wouldn''t dare." She cried.

    Altair looked at her.

    "Shameless!" She mewled, struggling like a fawn in the wolf''s embrace.

    "You''re the one who touched my cock. Or did you forget?"

    [Ding]

    Hilda Strob [Weakened]

    Race: Human (Fiend)

    ss: [Acolyte of Destruction Lv 75] [Seventh Circle 31%]

    Str: 1876 ¡ú 375.2

    Dex:1501 ¡ú 300.21

    Con: 1308 ¡ú 261.6

    Wis: 1163¡ú 232.6

    Chr: 1121 ¡ú 224.2

    Mana: 120 ¡ú 24

    Hilda fell silent under his gaze, condemning her past actions. She had only meant to tease him back then.

    Unable to help as her eyes began to moist, Altairughed, cing her onto a bed. She pouted, feeling his weighted gaze that pressured her chest.

    "I''ll have a maid do it." Altair snickered and grew a bit serious. He waited for the servants to leave before he spoke. "We are in foreign territory. And none of us know where the Portal is. For now, we are stuck." He sighed, tucking her in. "Hilda¡­ how much do you know of the Nine Hells and the Hell Gates?"

    Hilda sank beneath the sheets and nced at the firece aze with small tongues of mes dancing back and forth. "Little," She admitted. "But there was once a world I helped conquer: There we met a devil worshiper, so profane, many of us broke that day when we entered hisbyrinth. For the Prince! He howled For the Prince." Hilda''s expression was dark. "For Prince Amon!

    He shouted before he carved a newborn from its mother''s womb with his bare hands as she screamed, reeling in shock as she watched her child in the hands of a monster. The infant had not even had the chance to cry its first cry before he¡­" she paused, shaking as the chill crept up her spine. "Before he tore half its face off with his bare teeth¡­ it was one of the most sickening things I''d ever seen.

    Gods..."

    "Hells¡­"Altair uttered, aghast. "Why¡­ why¡­"

    "He was hungry."

    The words alone sent a chill down his spine.

    Hilda closed her eyes, eyeing the fire."That bastard knew death was on him. And so he prepared¡­ onest meal before death¡­" she whispered, drifting into slumber.

 Chapter 132: Church of Sepith

    Beneath the four moons of Yarwin, the gleam of silver hissed, whirling through the air into arcs. The light shone regality as it danced through the darkness, twisting and weaving, cutting and piercing, shing and thrusting. The motion of the sword seemed to nearly embody the night, epassing the moon and stars, the grass and winds, the seas and the earth.

    Soon, the de stilled, distorting into dust and fading away until all that was left was a dream and the thought of what if.

    Altair sighed, covered in a thick sheen of sweat. He lifted the hilt of the de. "I always thought Earth weapons were terrible, but this is even worse." He spat through a sharp gasp for air,menting the fate of themon longsword he wielded.

    "It would seem I knew nothing until now." He tossed the hilt aside into the rubble of the others and drew another from the rack, and once more, his dance began.

    ''My sword must be swift,'' he thought, cutting a de through the air. ''My sword must be cruel.'' His de cleaved. ''My sword must be unprediable.'' His de pierced. ''And my sword must be profane!''

    Unintentionally, Madness threaded the Prince''s de, tarnishing what was once unsullied. Grave of Night seemed to roar as Altair made it his own with the aid of the Ninth Form.

    So distorted his de became Altair''s sword seemed to bleed Carnage, Despair, Hate, and Desperation. The Prince''s eyes shone a deep scarlet as his insight consumed his mind. He roared, ignoring the numbing of his arms and legs. The blood pooling from his lips. The peeling of his flesh as his de howled towards the moon. Altair ignored it as he fell into his Madness.

    ***

    "What happened to your arms?" Hilda asked, yawningte into the morning. "From what I heard, you were a proficient healer."

    "Is themander stalking me now?" Altair asked, with thick bandages of white gauze stretching up his arms," And I am quite a proficient healer, mind you. These wounds are to serve as a reminder." He said, his arms throbbing with a searing heat. "Now, how are you feeling?"

    Hilda was not so weak she couldn''t see how pale he had be. The healthy glow he held just yesterday had seemed to have wilted overnight. He looked as sickly as she did. Yet there was a glow in his eyes that wasn''t there before. A sharpness that stung the longer she held her stare.

    "Tired." She admitted. " But I can fight if needed. What about you?"

    "Oh, you needn''t worry about me." He said with a smile that didn''t quite meet his eyes. "I''ve never been better." He turned, signaling to a maid to fetch their breakfast.

    It had been a guilty pleasure; he had to admit to himself, when the maid had returned pushing a cart she had fetched from the kitchen.

    The taste of warm soup, cheese, sourdough bread, jelly, sausage, cottage pies, salmon, and coffee had filled his empty belly with a great warmth that it made him look his age.

    Hilda had wanted tough, watching him gorge himself like a boar. It was her first time seeing him act his age, and she would not steal that from him. It was a far cry from his typical smile that could cut.

    "What''s the n?" Hilda asked, through her small bites of gnhi in her cream soup.

    "I''m interested in the Church of the Sepith." He said, suckling on a bone. "So I might¡­" Distantly, he nced at the maid, to her trembling arms pouring his coffee. "... I might visit their cathedral with Lady Aria." Altair sipped his morning brew, frowned, and ced it back down on the table. He broke off a piece of bread and dipped it into his soup, and continued. "Are you familiar?"

    "Not really. I''ve never been a woman of faith." Hilda disclosed, lowering her spoon. "What about the search for the others?"

    "I''ve sent my people out to look," Altair told her.

    "Your people?" Hilda questioned, frowning. " What people?"

    With a mischievous smile, Altair stood up. "perhaps one day¡­ you''ll join them," he said and left, signaling for the maid to follow him.

    Down the hall and into the annexed library, Altair whirled to the maid. "Who the hell are you? And why are you trying to poison¡ª"

    Eating his words, the Prince danced away, evading the shrieking glint of the dagger aimed at his neck. The stroke, while perfectly timed, was clumsy. It was her first, the Prince believed when a de shed from out of Draupnir into his hand. A piercing ache shot through from his fingers up his arm.

    He struck. Through steel like butter, the Assassin didn''t even have time to think before she felt the sting of hot iron sizzling against her neck. She gulped, dropping her broken dagger.

    "Name." Altair coldly asked, feeling his de about to melt. He had barely ced any mana into it, yet it was already about to burst.

    "Shlya¡­" Said the Assassin fearfully. She clenched her eyes shut and trembled, so much so that Altair lowered his de.

    "First time?" The Prince asked her, returning his de to Drapnir.

    "Yes¡­ m''lord." Sh murmured, copsing to her knees. Thick sheens of sweat bathed her forehead, drenching her uniform.

    "Was it Vanro?"

    The maid did not acknowledge it, but neither did she deny it. She merely stood there trembling.

    "Look at me," Altair said, with a biting cold in his voice.

    Sh did. Finding all the courage she had in her, she lifted her eyes to the Prince, and for a single moment, she saw her head on a pike at how cruel his eyes seemed.

    "Sh, you will return to your Master and poison his breakfast." Hemanded her with a throbbing of his pupils. "No matter how long it takes." He added, knowing there had been a limit on hismand.

    Two weeks was the full length those beneath hispulsions would remain enthralled by him, during which the memory of those hepelled would sink deep into their astral sea, only to return as nightmares if he somanded.

    The maid nodded with tears streaming from her eyes.

    Altair smiled and left without another word, thankful for his Almighty Resistance. He wasn''t quite sure what was given to him, but the moment the poison traced his tongue, a part of his power stirred with warning.

    When noon arrived, the Young Prince had been all smiles, poking at the little Silvermane, giggling to herself.

    "Are youing with me, big brother?" Aria had asked him with her two knights by her side. She had wanted to mask her excitement but was betrayed by the glow in her sapphire eyes.

    "Of course. I''m quite interested in the Church of the Sepith. "Altair answered and nced at the discontent knight. "Though there seems to be someone who is against it. Ser Greymort, do you have an issue with the church?"

    Greymort faintly stirred where he stood and grimaced. "I''ve no love for them, is all," he said, his mouth grim.

    "Careful," Liana warned. "The walls have ears. You should know when to keep your mouth shut."

    Greymort seemed to spit. "Our Lady might be there chosen, but that doesn''t mean she''ll take the Vow."

    "Vow or not. "Liana growled. "It''s not up to us."

    Altair had not spoken, though he could hear the fear in which they spoke. And it made him wonder who was truly the ruler of Yarwin. ''The King, Lord of the Seven Crowns, or the church¡­ the very ones who ordained him king.''

    Seven Crowns for the Seven Seraphim, he wondered, smiling.

    Outside, as they made their way towards the carriage, those who bore the mask of ck iron greeted them in silence. And for a moment, Altair felt a chill permeate his bones. The women had not been strong, and yet they stood with a conviction that made them seem empty.

    ''If I cut them¡­ would they scream or wince in pain?'' he wondered.

    "Creepy," Ser Greymort spat beneath his breath. And went silent when he felt Liana''s icy re.

    "My Lady," One of the Iron Maidens, a follower of Aidios, approached. "We have been expecting you. The Sisters of Silence are here to protect you in case we are met with a Hell Tide."

    "A Hell Tide," Ser Greymort growled. "Not again." The thought made his bones weak. "This''ll be the eighth. Thank Aidios, we made it back in time."

    "Aye," Liana agreed.

    The Iron Maiden nodded. "Had we known Lady Aria was on her way to Forwin, we would have prepared." She said with an using growl. "Or we might have sent a few envoys of Dawnbreakers to help aid you."

    "Are they not enough?" Altair probed, ncing at the Sisters of Silence, cold and distant like the dead.

    "Those that take the Vow of Silence are not meant to protect. They are Hunters."

    ***

    It had taken well over an hour to cross the city of Forwin, blocked by pedestrians, soldiers, pedallers, thugs, and children throughout the cobblestone streets.

    And Ser Vanro, Edwin''s bastard, had not looked worse. His once sun-kissed flesh seemed nearly green beneath the sun''s re, following behind on horseback.

    He had offended the church of the Sepith and would need to make an offering if he were to escape those who had taken the vow. Though, he feared what they might ask of him. For most, a simple offering of coin was sufficient; others were required to pay with an arm or leg, a finger or ear. Others had offered their children lest they face the Sisters of Silence.

    Vanro groaned, unsure why the sun''s kiss seemed to prickle his skin, why his armor seemed to sear like fire, or why everything seemed so saturated with light it felt blinding.

    "My Lord¡­ perhaps you should head back," Ser Jayden Slov said. "You look terrible."

    "I''m fine," Vanro hissed and drew a gon of wine from his hip. He gulped it down as though it were water. And dared not to meet the Sister''s soulless eyes watching him, waiting to strike at a moment''s notice.

    ''Damn these women,'' he silently cursed, unsettled by their gaze.

    "You look like you might shit green," Ser Hendrick said. "Are you sure you''re not too sick?"

    "I''m a Third Circle," Vanro said, clutching his stomach. " How would I get sick?"

    The men all chuckled.

    "Did you fuck an orc?" Ser Hendrick asked. "Careful, my lord, those bitches don''t wash for months at a time. Hell knows what you might catch."

    "It''s a good fuck though." Ser Jayden said.

    "Aye!" The men roared.

    Vanro loosely eyed them before tumbling on the ground with a thud. The horses reeled, and the man panicked.

    "The Young Master is down!" Shouted Jayden in a panic. "Stop the carriage! The Young Master is Down!"

 Chapter 133: Cathedral of Light

    Aria had been taken back by the sudden shout and jerking of the carriage, tossing her off the chair into Altair''s embrace. She winced, brushing her rosy nose that had struck his chest, and looked up teary-eyed.

    "What''s going on?" Aria sniffled.

    Distantly, Altair listened to the outside chaos and touched Aria''s bruised nose. His finger shone a golden hue, and in the blink of an eye, the rosy blemish vanished.

    "It will seem the Bastard has fallen off his horse," Altair said. "Better?"

    Aria nodded with a bright smile. " Thanks, Big Brother, I didn''t know you knew Healing Magic!" she eximed vibrantly, squishing her nose with wonder in her innocent eyes.

    Liana, seated beside her Lady, smiled graciously and peeped her head out as Greymort approached. "Vanro was poisoned." he said, "And the Iron Maidens are refusing to aid him on ount of his disrespect. I fear the Sisters of Silence might just outright kill him if he can''t make a sufficient offering."

    "They wouldn''t do that in the open," Liana said, unconvincingly. She had heard many tales of the Sisters of Silence''s brutality on the battlefield. Mercy wasn''t something they cared about.

    "I''m sure they would," Greymort uttered. "And it''ll be an issue if it''s done before the Lady. That kind of disrespect will surely anger Lord Edwin." he nced back, cursing beneath his breath. "I merely hope that the Iron Maidens can convince those of the Silence to stay their des. God knows how much blood they''ve spilled already."

    "Tell the Sisters of Sepith that her Lady wishes no blood be spilled before he''s had his chance to pay tribute to Aidios. " Altair said. "As for Vanro, tie him to the carriage and drag his body if you must. What poison?'' He rolled his eyes. "He''s surrounded by guards all day and night. It''s foolish to believe someone managed to poison him.

    He''s probably hungover. Does he drink a lot?"

    "He does," said Liana.

    Greymort seemed hesitant. "You do have a point, but¡ª"

    Aria rolled her eyes. "Have one of the Knights carry him," she said, unconcern. She had heard how he tried to defend Ser Lim when she woke and had been furious. Storming into her father''s office to scream.

    Lord Edwin had been so surprised heughed, seeing his daughter so riled up for the first time in his life.

    "As you Command," Greymort said and galloped off.

    When the carriage had begun again, Aria had been filled with excitement. It had been her first time in the Free City of Forwin. In the North, within the Iron Citadel of Velmor, Aria rarely saw people aside from humans.

    Curiously, she stared out the window, waving at the various beastkins, orcs, elves, dwarfs, gnomes, and more that caught her eye.

    Altair nced out the other side, catching sight of the Cathedral in the distance that seemed to tower over Forwin. It stood glistering a deep virgin white as if it had never experienced the touch of rain or snow before. Statues of towering angels could be seen in the distance, covering their eyes, mouths, and faces. ''Probably to signify the various Vows,'' he thought.

    Along the walls, banners of a Winged de and Sun stood over a field of gold was erected.

    Even a few leagues away, Altair could feel its holy might weighing over his head like a great mountain, seemingly rejecting his existence. He frowned, uncertain as to why he felt this way.

    As they moved closer toward the bridge, mountains of guards stood, armed with spears, morningstars, and shields, d in golden armor forged of mythril. They stood unmoving like statues.

    "Pdins of the Dawn, Dawnbreakers," Liana whispered. "The bane of all that is evil."

    Altair smirked. "If only that were true," he said. "True evil has no weakness."

    "How long do you think it took to polish that armor," Aria asked. "Must be hard. It''s so shiny."

    "Hours," Altair assured her. "That or minutes if you used a cleaning spell or something." He added, sensing great power held in all of them. ''Three Circle,'' he counted silently, shaken by the level of faith and power the church held. With such a force, it was no wonder they survived Seven Hell Tides.

    Finally, when they arrived at the great threshold of the Cathedral, one by one, they stepped out like ants before a mountain. They marveled at the grandeur. And before long, they were led inside through the great halls, up flights of stairs into a waiting room.

    "You seem ufortable," Liana said, noticing Altair''s frown.

    "... They all feel the same," Altair said, ncing at the Iron Maidensing and going. "Every person has a unique aura. Everyone. Even the Gods. Yet¡­ these women don''t." He stared one down, and as if she sensed him, iron weed his gaze as she whirled to him.

    "It''s like they are the same person."

    To her credit, Liana tried. Pushing out her perception, only to frown. All she saw were those who took the Iron Vow.

    The Iron Maidens, unlike the Sisterhood of Silence, did consist of men, though not many had the courage or sense of will to castrate or spay themselves before the Iron Vow. Men, more often than not, fled. While women, especially younger women, were all the more willing to make the sacrifice.

    "The Seven Vows were ordained by the Seven Seraphim," Liana said grimly. "And once it''s taken, the mana will be a part of the Divine. There is power in sacrifice."

    "What about you? Would you ever take the Vow of Silence or the Iron Vow?"

    Liana nearlyughed. "I''m looking forward to having children," She said. "Perhaps when I was younger, when I was beaten and whipped. But not now." She grinned. "If I''m to die, it''ll be with a man in my bed, a beer in my hand, and a child on my tit."

    "Quite the response," said Altair when the door to the Archbishop''s office opened. They rose and were herded inside by an Iron Maiden.

    The Archbishop had been a man of countless years but looked to be in his sixties with a shadow of a youthful vigor. He stood dawned in his ceremonial robes of silver, white, and gold, weing Aria with a bow.

    "Chosen," he said. "It''s an honor to see you yet again. Are these yourpanions?" He nced to Greymort, Liana, and finally, Altair, where his eye lingered over the Prince''s left. He frowned deeply.

    "Archbishop Albert," Aria greeted with a graceful curtsy. "I hope you''re well?"

    The Archbishop''s frown faded into a smile. "Of course!" He said, lifting up his arms to showcase frail muscles. " never better, girl. Though I see you walk with dangerouspany." He nced at Altair. "might I ask your name, child?"

    "Altair," he said calmly, his half smile present.

    Again, the frown had returned to the Archbishop''s aged face. There was something off about him. He sensed evil that wasn''t evil, good that wasn''t good around the boy.

    "Big Brother Altair is kind to me," Aria said, seemingly sensing something in the air.

    But the Archbishop would not listen to the words of a child. Chosen or not. Evil usually was kind and sweet. Gentle and caring. And in all his heart, that throbbed with the power of his Six Circles, he knew when he spoke with evil.

    And today, its talons had nestled into the Chosen of Aidios.

    "Altair," the Archbishop repeated slowly. His voice was somber. "How old are you by chance?"

    "Twelve. I''ll be making thirteen in the Fall next year," Altair replied, wondering why he''d ask such a question.

    Would knowing his age help?

    The answer brought nofort to the Archbishop''s grimace. "For a boy of twelve, you carry a lot of blood on your hands." He said, masking the disbelief. "Have you ever thought of taking the oath?"

    "No."

    Aria lifted her head to Altair, sensing a tension in the air, and shifted her gaze back to the old man. " Don''t be mean to Big Brother!" She cried, hugging his leg.

    The frown over the Archbishop deepened even more. "That boy is¨C"

    "The Prince of the Vale, the herald of Night," Aria said in a firm and proud voice well beyond what she knew orprehended, but the words exited her mouth with vigor. "And you will¡ª"

    Altair covered her eyes, which had begun bleeding plump slivers of blood; he whispered, "Look no more, Aria." He nced at the ashen Archbishop with a knowing stare. "It''s all right. Big brother isn''t in any danger, right?"

    "Yes¡­ " the Archbishop said grimly. "If I''ve offended, then I do apologize. My intent was not to harm but to spread thest word of truth. To persuade¡­ the Prince to join our congregation. Forgive me, princess."

    Liana had been frowning, and Ser Greymort trembled with a furious clenching of his jaw.

    Altair said nothing and activated The Hands of Nirvana. Soon, a golden radiance fluttered through the Archbishop''s office, flooding the room with brilliance seen only by the Divine Arts.

    ''Was this why the Sisters didn''t strike him down?'' The Archbishop asked himself, shaken by the light.

    Mending the broken blood vessels and damaged meridians that had been strained. Altair patted the little girl''s head as she red at the Archbishop with two fat plump cheeks.

    The Prince gave a warm smile, patted her head, and excused himself. When he stepped out, Altair''s smile crumbled to a scowl. He touched his left eye, cursing his luck, and stormed off.

    It had been his eye that had made the Archbishop suspicious. And then there was the girl, Aria. The more she spoke, the more suspicious Altair became.

    ''Prince of the Vale,'' He recalled Aria''s words and wondered if those were her words or the Angel of War, Aidios. If so, how much did she know? Altair clenched his fist and strutted off to the outside with a cold expression. He was missing Ren now. And the ache of his wounds was making him irritable.

    Entering the inner Sanctum from the second story, Altair looked down, scrunching his brow at the sight of Vanro below the altar, kowtowed before seven ancient statues.

    "... Surely you jest!" Vanro shakenly cried, looking up at a scar-faced woman who bore no mask, yet her expression was hard like iron. Copper-skinned, with almond eyes, the Maiden seemed almost radiant if not for the ck scar that had carved through her cheek, tearing it off to reveal bits of jar and cheekbone.

    "This is the price." The scarred woman said. She sounded hard as if her voice was tempered by war.

    "I will give you money!" Vanro screamed, lifting his teary-eyed face. "Please do not do this!" He cried, sping his hands together. Vanro looked at her with his pale greenish skin. He pleaded with a coat of sweat burrowing through his surcoat. "My Father is rich! Rich!

    I can¡ª"

    "We seek not the possession of the High Lord, but the possession of the one to be judged." The scarred woman said.

    "Please¡­"

    "You will be given a month to consider your tribute." She said, without expression, and left, leaving Vanro shaking.

    "I¡­ can''t¡­ I can''t," He cried, slouching over as he fainted, muttering a mournful cry.

 Chapter 134: Prologue: Hell Tide III

    The scent of brimstone had been strong within the central ins south of the High Roads, towards Forwin. The skies had been grey for weeks, and the rain it brought ck as ink.

    Reina took in the sight. Nestled on Kirr''s head in wolf form while Kuu rested on top of her head, curled up in a ball as she slept day and night, pulling mana from the air to feed its needs. The rain hadn''t stopped for nearly two weeks, turning the grass grey and limp. Lakes that once shone a vibrance seemed no more than great pits of thick tarr.

    Goulish moans seemed to embody the night, bringing about strange wails of wraiths prowling the darkness.

    "It''s getting worse," Ren said, narrowing her eyes. She frowned, feeling her recovery of weary muscles underway. "How much longer until we arrive in Forwin?"

    "A week¡­" Jorm said.

    Fallen Shadow did not need to rest nor eat like the living, and like most undead, their stamina was endless. That had made it easy for them, especially Jorm. With his Movement Technique, he could cover more ground without feeling the loss of physical drain.

    "Any way we can speed that up?" Reina asked.

    "We could if we ignited our lifeblood, but¡­" Kirr said. But Altair had forbidden them to do so, knowing it would leave Ren defenseless when they perished.

    "But Master forbade us to do so. For obvious reason," Jorm continued.

    Reina sighed, both touched and annoyed. She wasn''t so weak that she needed the help from a few shadows. She growled. "That big dummy."

    "What? Are you not having fun with us, My Lady?" Kirr asked, speeding through the muddy roads full speed ahead like a swift wolf.

    "Hmmmmm. A little. But all we are doing is running and training." Ren bemused.

    "And no lord to warm your bed." Jorm grinned sheepishly. Watching the wolf girl bury her head into Kirr''s hair. Heughed. "Worry not mydy. I''m sure our King is without sleep as well."

    Reina grinned, peeping her head up as the ck rain struck against the earth like a dozen small stones.

    "Is there still no word from Talia or Aurora?"

    "No," Kirr said first, frowning. "She might have been caught up in the st and is injured or unconscious. We might be undead, but in many ways, our recovery is simr to everyone else."

    Reina closed her eyes with a weary sigh. "I hope she''s alright."

    "As do we."

    ***

    "Did I do good, m''lord," Sh mewled, shudding through gasp of sweet pleasure. Pinned against the Wall, her chest naked, and a sheen of nectar sliding down her leg. She curled her arms around her Master''s neck as his bite weed her.

    Her fingers stabbed at his back as his bite sunk deeper in, tearing deep into the vein until liquid gushed into his mouth, smearing the back of his throat with pleasure. "I did good¡­" She weakly said, wet and in heat, with darkness shadowing her eyes. She brazenly ran her finger through his hair as he had his fill.

    Lips wet with a ze of red, Altair looked up into her misty ck eyes. "You did good," He finally said and felt her shudder before she was allowed to faint. "Very good," he said, allowing her half-naked body to drop like a bag of bricks to the ground. He smiled, bare-chested with a devilish glint in his eye.

    He stepped onto the veranda to piss and moaned as the warm liquid came, with the gentle gust of winds dancing against his flesh.

    "This might be the best piss of my life," He pleasurably groaned, unsure why he had such a primal feeling when he relieved himself before the elements. When atst he was done, he stared up at the four moons, clouded by theing rain.

    It had been nearly three weeks since Sh had first doused his morning brew. And three weeks since he had her poison, Edwin''s bastard in turn. Every morning, Sh would deliver him his morning wine before reporting Altair''s actions to him. Cursing, Vanro would swallow his drink and send her on his way to continue her spying. And his condition was getting worse.

    Just the other day, Vanro had found blood in his piss and stool. His teeth were falling out, and his hair trickled from his forehead.

    But no doctor or witch doctor would see him on ount of his sin against the Church of the Sepith.

    In the distance, Altair looked up at the Great Wall of Forwin to the gathering army of men preparing for battle just outside the Wall. He could see the embers of a hundred bonfires and the shadows of a thousand tents beneath the four moons.

    "There''s even more this week." He said with grim excitement. He had only faced a single demon in his life, an illusion of a beast so powerful. It took the conjoined effort of Riena and Altair to kill. "I wonder how these humans will fare. The shura was monstrously strong. And it was just a fake."

    Altair turned, returning to his room, and nced at the pale Shlya to the tread of blood trickling down her neck and onto her breast. The wound would be gone by morning, but the sensation would linger for weeks, enthralling her mind with the memory.

    Perhaps it had been the Band of the Incubus, but Altair''s every bite and touch had been one of tantalizing pleasure. It had ravaged the maid''s mind well into the night until she found herself, more often than not, stabbing her fingers in and out of cunt, whispering his name. Pleading he''d have his way with her.

    Smiling, he touched the wound, healing it with the Hands of Nirvana, and left her there to check on Hilda. He found her sleeping, with a warm hue screeching across her face. She had regained much of her strength.

    Bare-chested with his eyes stained a deep scarlet, he approached without sound, his bare feet dancing over the ground like a ghost and a throbbing ache of hunger burning at his throat. He brushed her cheek with his palm, grinning when he felt her shudder, and before long, her ruby-pink eyes opened.

    "How are you?" He whispered.

    Confused and groggy, Hilda tried to pull herself up, but Altair pressed her back down. "What''s going on?"

    Altair eyed the artery on her throat, throbbing with her life''s blood. "Edwin, you''ve met him, yes?"

    "I have," Hilda answered, unsettled by the tingling unease dancing along her heart. She wondered if something was wrong.

    "Can you take him?"

    Hilda frowned. "Maybe¡­" she answered hesitantly. " Lower Worlds like this one tend to have low-grade skills. Altair, what is going on?"

    "Nothing yet." The prince answered, breaking her gaze over her throat, andid them on her eyes. He chuckled. "Edwin isn''t truly an ally. Remember that. And once Aria Rites areplete. He will leave¡­ Against the will of the Church."

    "And that''s an issue?" Hilda asked grimly. She didn''t understand.

    "It is to us. Especially if Aria is of use to our release," He said, feeling the Soul of the Indomitable cooling his thirst. "The Iron Maidens will no doubt try to force Aria to remain. She''s young enough to condition. So why not? I''ve met the Archbishop.

    He''s sharp, but he''s not an honorable man, at least not to me." he nced out her window. "With the Hell Tide, neither of them can make a move. But¡­ If the King does not act, then¡­"

    "You''ve been busy." Hilda interrupted, smirking.

    Altair did not deny it. Ever since he returned from the cathedral of Sepith, he had made it his mission to learn as much as possible. And the library within the Annex had given him all he needed.

    "The Church doesn''t want to force Edwin, but¡­ They can''t allow Aria to leave the city. Not when there are so many signs of devil worshipers. And we can''t just allow Aria to go, either."

    "Why is this girl so important?" Hilda asked, frowning. "She''s just a child."

    "No idea, but I''ve got a feeling Aria is the key to our escape." he sighed, looking out at the embers outside. "When the hell tide arrives, Edwin will have a few choices left to him and his daughter. And if he is hurt¡­ The Church might outright just kill him. But that too will be an issue." He looked down at Hilda. "That''s where youe in.

    Depending on what happens, we might have to either have to side with the Church or Edwin. Either way, we have to y the fields."

    Hilda gave a weary yawn. "You could have told me this in the morning. Why now?"

    "Because when you wake tomorrow. You will be serving as my personal knight. Is that okay with you, Ser Hilda Strob?"He said almost mockingly.

    Hilda jerked herself up and red. "I''m no one''s knight." she dered. "I am a noblewoman of the rank of Marquess!"

    "And on the morrow, you''ll be my knight, ordained in a surcoat," Altair informed her, his voice cold as a winter breeze. "You''ll wear my crest, or you can leave. I''ve no use for people I can''t control."

    "I am themander, boy."

    Altairughed and stood up. "Yes, you are. And tomorrow. You''ll be my knight. So do make yourself decent. I''ll have Sh bring you everything."

    Hilda had wanted to scream, but by the time she stood to her feet, Altair had left. She stomped. "Jerk!" She screamed and stomped again. "Bastard!" Spewing a few curses, she red and fell back to her bed. "You think just because you''re cute, you can tell me what you want to do!"

    She gave a snort, gave her fingers a lick, and ced them back between her legs before she was so rudely interrupted.

    "Bastard," she moaned a cry, recalling the sweet moans of Sh from within his study above her. "Bastard~Hmmm¡­ Yes~Ahh~ I''ll~ Be~ahhhh~ your~knight~"

 Chapter 135: Prologue: Hell Tide IV (Final)

    When the morrow came, Altair had lifted a small wooden bucket and drenched himself beneath the icy waters. Steam danced from off his naked body, where the icy waters met his scorching heat. He moaned before the elements entwined with one another. Around the arm, blood ran with the flow of water down his palm from where his swordsmanship tore the flesh from his arms.

    "M''lord," Sh said demurely. The sting on her neck was iprehensible to the throbbing of her loins. " Lord Edwin would like a word."

    "Dry me," Hemanded her, curious how far his bedevilment had gone.

    Sh had not shied away. She lifted a rag that smelt of roses and jasmine and reached for his... Altair stopped her smiling as a redness trailed up her neck. She nibbled at her lips, feeling herself going madder by the day.

    "You may go now. Tend to Vanro." Hemanded and dried himself, amused by that crestfallen expression she bore. Altair had to admit he was tempted. Sh was indeed a beautiful specimen. Every ounce of blood he took made his senses reel out of control, making it the best time to train.

    But it also made his blood boil for a woman''s touch, especially when he took directly from the neck with his bare lips.

    But Ren would not approve. Of that, he was sure.

    Altair sighed, counting the days, feeling his restraint dwindling by the hour. He dressed himself in a ck and gold tunic over ck trousers, a belt to hang his sword, and boots. He left and had not bothered to look at Hilda shadowing him with the silvery crest of the howling wolf mounting the Crescent Moon on her pale ck leather surcoat.

    Her pink hair was tied in an intricate tail that rested at the center of her back.

    "You look¡ª"

    "Save it," Hilda barked. "You haven''t once looked at me." She said when he whirled to her, taking her all in with an amazed gleam.

    "Stunning. Yes. That''s the word." He said, grinning at the redness of her cheeks, and continued on into the main house. They made for the Great Halls, where Edwin, Aria, and the pale Bastard sat.

    "Wow," Aria shone, staring at Hilda''s pink hair. "Is that Riena? She is so pretty!"

    "This is my knight, Hilda Strob," Altair said. "Reina will be here in six days, maybe less."

    Edwin, with his sharp eyes, narrowed at the fierce aura around the pink-haired warrior. "I see you''ve recovered." He said, lowering his fork and knife. He gestured to an empty chair," Have a seat. Eat. There''s enough for everyone.

    Altair epted, finding a seat beside Aria and Liana. He patted a chair for Hilda.

    "This Reina¡­ how old is she?" Edwin asked, lifting his fork and knife that began to cut into his b of pork. "You speak of her so much I can all but ce her in my mind."

    "Like me, she''s twelve¡­ though we look sixteen," Altair answered, stabbing his fork into his braised sausage, seeping with hot juices. "And she has red hair and red eyes."

    "A redhead," Edwin said gravely.

    "Oh,e on! You too?"

    Liana only giggled. "My Lord, you mustn''t reveal such a face so early. Lord Altair and Lady Reina are to wed," She said.

    "She''s¡­ probably¡­ a¡­ whore," Vanro wheezed, coughing into a napkin that shone a vibrant red. He brushed his bloody nose. "You¡­ are¡­"

    "Vanro, you truly seem like a man hard-pressed to ept death," Altair said. "I only wonder when you will offer a tribute to the Sisters." He smiled almost devilishly. "You sure were begging for mercy that day beneath the altar."

    Vanro had not the energy to rage or il his arms. So he red, opening his mouth where a stream of ck blood thick as jelly gushed from out of his mouth, smearing the table. He tumbled to the ground, hitting his head across the table and floor.

    Liana pulled at herdy and covered her nose as Aria screamed. The stench had been so foul she thought she saw ck nodes rise from out of the blood that began to rise.

    "Hells." Hilda cried and red at the Bastard boy. "You¡ª"

    Altair ced a palm on her knee, and Hilda went silent.

    Edwin had never looked paler. He was staring, not at his Bastard¡­ but his son. The boy he took from in between his mother''s legs.

    "Call a Healer!" Edwin barked, charging at his son, convulsing over the ground. But none of the servants moved.

    "They''ll not help," Altair said, resisting the urge to smirk. "He''s offended the Church of the Sepith. You ought to know they demand a price."

    "...what¡­ what do they want?" Edwin demanded, clutching his son into his arms. "Tell me so¡­"

    Altair could only shrug. "I don''t know. I only saw him pleading with a scar-faced woman," He said. "You''ll have to wake him up if you want to know."

    "Noo!" Vanro cried, peeping his eyes open.

    "Oh¡­ he''s still conscious."

    "Vanro! Tell me! Tell me what the Sisters want!" Edwin pleaded with his Bastard.

    "Just let me die, father¡­ I''ll¡­ not¡­ be a¡­man."

    "My, how ruthless these sisters are," The Prince mused. "Though it is a small price to pay for your life... maybe."

    I sure as hell would rather die.

    It had taken a while for Edwin to understand his meaning and less for him to snatch one of the table knives. He had not waited for Vanro''s consent as he knocked him out and did the deed before everyone, severing Vanro''s cock and balls in a single stroke.

    RIP

    o((>¦Ø< ))o

    ~(>_<.)£Ü

    ''Had it been a mercy?'' The Prince thought to himself. Though he did not care. Together with Hilda, he left the manner in the midst of the chaos to a local forge where a rigid dwarf weed him. No more than three feet, with a head sorge it seemed to belong to a grown man attached to a child''s body. Yet despite his small stature, Altair could see his muscr frame, covered in soot from his forge.

    T''volk had been running the forge for well over three decades. He had been known for his steel across thend, so much so that many of the Iron Sisters sought him out to reforge their morning stars, axes, and spears.

    "What do you want, boy," T''volk asked, with a hammer in hand. "If you hear to watch. Fuck off, will you."

    "This is your sword?" Altair said and slid his longsword from his sheath.

    The Dwarf nced at the iron and nodded. "It got my crest¡ª"

    With a single swing, a stroke so profaned swept through the air, bleeding the skies with its hiss. Suddenly, the sword cracked and shattered into shards. Altair looked at the Dwarf with a grim frown. "I need a weapon that won''t break."

    Hilda shuddered and turned to Altair with enchanted eyes. She had never seen a more fearsome cut, a more masterful de that seemed to embody the nature of war and all its cruelty.

    ''Had he ever seen war?'' she asked herself, entranced by his skill.

    "By the grace of Aidios," T''volk said, dropping his hammer over the cobblestone. He gulped, touching his neck where he felt the de cut across, despite knowing it hadn''t.

    "Any de is fine. Greatsword, shortsword, longsword, a dagger even. I don''t really care. I just need a powerful de."

    "It''ll be costly¡­" T''volk said, staring at his shattered de. There had been a moment of dizziness followed by disbelief, and then shame came. But he said nothing of it. He knew his work, knew the very de Altair had shattered. It was one of many he had given to the Silvermane.

    "Money is of no issue." He said, tossing a few gold ingots onto the counter. He had gained it from a noble boy hepelled. "Is a fortnight enough?"

    T''volk gave a simple nod, still in shock. And by the time he came back to himself, Altair was gone.

    "Altair, what grade is your technique?"

    ''Grade?'' Altair thought. He had never looked. It had made no difference, for he knew he was unmatched.

    Ding

    Grave of Night [D]

    Grade: Transcendent

    Proficiency: 0.11% ¡ú 98.999%

    Altair stared at his growth this past month and knew all this was the work of the Ninth Form, Aeron.

    Ninth Form, Aeron [E]

    Grade: Supreme

    Proficiency: 0.0% ¡ú 97%

    Aeron had not given him power, had not blessed him with greater speed or invincible strength.No¡­ It twisted his mind and corrupted his soul until it was rot. It bled him of humanity until the only thing that walked and talked was nothing but a monster. A demon that thought himself human.

    "Who can say," Altair said, grinning. He chuckled at Hilda''s pout before entering a leather shop to help purchase something light.

    Later, when the sun burned like molted gold setting over the horizon. They sat in a local tavern called the ''Red Rose'' with two tankards of Ale, frothing at the rim. Shouts and roars ofughter thundered throughout. Bards sang, and scantily, women, half naked and wet with sweat and beer, danced.

    "I don''t like it here." Hilda had said, frowning.

    Bored, Altair shrugged, watching it all with curious eyes. He sipped at his tankard of Ale of apple, pine, and cinnamon. Sour, sweet, and hard, the Ale zed his throat, quelling his burning hunger that never seemed to fade. Yet now it dimmed for but a few minutes, granting a drowsy rity to his mind.

    "But it''s a good ce for information," Altair replied and took another sip. "Listen."

    "The Bastard of the Silvermane seems to have died." One of the men shouted drunkenly.

    "He ain''t dead, ya fool. He''s cockless!"

    "Same thing!"

    "A man without a cock is a woman!"

    "A cockless man and bastard," anotherughed, clutching his crotch.

    "I''d rather die!"

    "AYE!!!!!" Everyone roared in agreement.

    Hilda felt her brow dipp. " Gods, I hatemoners."

    "Oh, it''s not so bad, they''re funny, don''t you think?" Altair mused, drowning his tankard until it was empty. He gasped with a rosy hue stretching across his cheek.

    "They''re not," Hilda said unamused.

    "Ser Valquess, the Sword of the King, de of the Morningstar, is on the move." Ser Bendon Thou said loudly, mming his tankard down empty. " More!" He shouted to one of the tavern wenchs. " I''d have run from this damned Tide if I hadn''t heard that the de of the Morning is riding from the central ins to aid us."

    The Prince''s interest peaked. He nced at the aged man, finding a simr knight he''d seen within the Silvermane''s keep.

    "Curse this damnable tide!" Bendon barked, belching into the air a foul scent of Ale. "How are we going to survive this one? And them damn Dawnbreakers rarely take the field."

    "Or the Iron Maidens," Another said, a guardsman, Halv, they called him. "You ever seen one of those Iron Maidens?"

    "Nope."

    "Stunning, like fine wine," Halv said, cursing. "Hard to believe such a stunning woman had taken the Iron Vow. It''s such a shame. I''ve never felt my cock press so hard against my¡ª"

    "Seriously, how can you listen to this shit?" Hilda cursed.

    Altair listened for a bit before tossing a few silver ingots onto the table and left with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 136: Prince of Hell...

    A/N: Warning: Things get incredibly dark at the end.

    "Altair ckwood," The Prince tried out outside the door to Edwin''s office. "Reina ckwood, Tenebrae ckwood." he liked the sound of it but remained perplexed. It was a big decision, but he was not a Snow.

    He knocked on the door and stepped in when Edwin weed him inside. His face was gaunt and pale, his finger gripping his quil trembling. His mind on his bastard, on his sick bed.

    "I saw the sisters when I stepped in." The Prince said, finding a seat across his desk forged of oak. "I''m sure he''s alright. Though I needn''t tell you, he was poisoned. That much should have been obvious."

    Edwin grimaced. "I know¡­ yet the assassin eludes us all." He looked up at the young man who seemed as charming as he was dangerous. "What is it you wanted?"

    "The Sword of the King rides to Forwin." Altair had said. "Did you know this?"

    "I did."

    "And you still insist on riding North after the Rites."

    Edwin''s expression darkened. " What if I am?" He asked, in a voice that seemed to seeth a burning hate. "I''ll not raise my daughter in Forwin where the church influence is¡ª

    "You''ll die on the battlefield," Altair told him without expression. "The Church will not allow it. And the King will side with the church."

    "I am the Warden of the North!" Edwin snapped back. "They wouldn''t¡ª"

    "It was the Sepith that crowned the King on his name day. It was the Sepith that backed him during the battle of the Nine Hills. The Sepith rode with him as he piged the realm against his Brothers tyranny." Altair shook his head. "What did the Silvermanes do? When he ran to you? Some hundred years ago?"

    Edwin bit his lips. '' We could not join. We are not¡ª"

    "You chose to remain neutral," Altair recounted, feeling his thirst return. "When the King needed the North, you chose to do nothing. You made him your enemy." He said, drawing a drink for Edwin and himself. "The Sword of the King, Valquess, will gut you should you choose to leave. Why else would such a man leave the man he swore to protect?"

    The will within Edwin''s hand dropped following the realization.

    "They mean to steal my daughter, " said Edwin, troubled. "They can''t¡­ They¡­"

    "Then y the game," Altair said. "The Law is on your side. Neither the church nor the King canmand you to give them your daughter. You are the ruler of the North. Youmand an army so great, even the King dare not openly oppose you."

    "Bastards!" Edwin hissed, with a scorching heat frosting within his belly. "They¡ª"

    "Have you trapped," Altair cut in, standing. "So you either denounce the idea of leaving Farwin, or you die." He left unsure if his warning entered through Edwin''s ears. He thought of Aria and sighed, unsure why all this was happening to some child.

    ***

    Deep within the Jaded Forest west of the High Roads beneath the four moons of Yarwin, moonlight dripped over the pale grey flesh of a young maiden. Her hair was a pale silver that billowed as shey still as if she were dead, betrayed by the subtle beating of her chest.

    Around her stood a dozen or so women and men dressed in the Navel Uniform.

    "How is she still alive?" Alyssa had said, unsure how or why someone in her condition was getting better without the aid of a doctor. Aurora had been no more than a scorching mass of burnt flesh when they found her some moons ago. Her sister, Talia, was resting beside her still, with Nia, Olivia, and Laros.

    She sighed. "I''ll have to¡ª" she froze, staring down at the burning yellow eyes of Aurora and Talia that had opened. Cold like an abyss of death, that scent a gale of ice down her spine. Alyssa gulped.

    The two Shadows nced at one another and hoisted themselves up to the voice of their masters entering through hearts like a stroke of thunder.

    "Forwin!" His voice echoed.

    They nced towards the North and stood up as they returned to themselves. They bowed. " Yes, My Lord."

    "Talia? Aurora?" Alyssa said, shaken.

    Slowly, the two sisters turned to her with purpose in their twin yellow eyes that seethed a ze of mes.

    "To Forwin

    ***

    "Talia, Aurora, Nia, Olivia, Laros, a few Amazons, and¡­ Captain Cedric Vandel, now that is interesting." The Prince mused, staring out with a chalice of red wine in his hands as he looked on at the four moons.

    Quickly, like a shrieking ball of white fire, aet stretched over the night into the horizon. It lit the skies as though it were dawn and vanished.

    Altairughed, watching the great ball of white that burned a scarlet red through his multicolored eyes, drawing him into a pool of red and ck.

    Madness

    ''Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh," Sounded the horn by the high wall of Forwin, wrestling the dust for miles. It stirred the city to life. Shouts thundered, and footsteps shook the city.

    Soon, the scarlet ball of fire erupted a crackle of thunder that shook the world, nearly splintering the realm, as a gale whipped over Forwin, decimating tents and uprooting ceilings until it reeled high into the air, crashing with a roaring thud. Rubble painted the city into panic and death.

    Altairughed, having been thrusted into the wall by sheer force. Heughed andughed, falling to his feet, tasting the brimstone in the air.

    The Hell Tide wasing.

    Brazenly, he stepped out onto the veranda, watching the chaos of crying mothers clutching their bloodied children, brave men trying to find life through the rubble, and the sounds of lost children consuming the city.

    BOOOM! Thunder roared, and lightning shrieked away like webs in the night skies, drowning those below. The ck Rain began to fall.

    Altair stood untouched by the tainted rain, unsure when the dystopian hellscape of his madness became one with reality. Ripples of his Almighty Resistance danced through the great void around him, protecting him. He peered into the distance as if to glimpse her scarlet hair in the distance like he had done every night.

    "If¡­ I am to have a surname and a family of knights, maids, servants, and banners. I ought to have a manner¡­ a castle so that I may rule." He grinned and closed his eyes, listening to the cry of rain. "The Serpents Outreach will be my stronghold¡­ Yes¡­ Yes."

    ***

    "By his glorious name, we kneel before the Great Prince of Mythos! We bow, like worms, before the Lord of the Eternal, Pir of Chaos, Duke of the NineThrones, Bane of all that is Good. Fallen of Skies and Hells! We give thanks and offer thee!"

    Before the altar of amethyst, mes of cky the skewed remains of newborns stolen from their mother''s tit as an offering to their Prince. The mes reeled and spewed, dancing along the newborns remained, so clear and still they seemed asleep, if not for the pikes they had been ced upon.

    Below the altar, on their knee, stood dozens of men and women and children of many ages before the great pyre of mes. Their bodies were marred ck by tattoos carved into the flesh by the blood of the innocent of their one true Master.

    At the helmid the Herald, ordained with a pentagram carved into his skull, draped in robes of Red. "Hear our plea, oh Fallen Prince of Mythos, and bring forth the tide! Bring Forth the Storm of Ash and Brimstone!" tears had begun to swell through his cheek as he cried. "We offer you the blood! Of the Righteous! The Blood of the Good and the Blood of the Profane!"

    Mournful cries swept the forest as the children of the old and young fell and began to cry out.

    "Please! Oh, Lord of Suffering!"

    "Please, Oh, Great One of Damnation!"

    A screech bellowed as a woman tore at her robes until she was naked for all to see. Her breast flopped about with wild abandon. She howled like a banshee and stepped up into the mes. Blister ran across her milky skin and began to brown and cken as she howled in the pits, spreading her legs.

    "I offer you myself, my Lord! Take me!!!!" She cried, stabbing her finger inside herself as the mes burned and charred at her flesh. She came as she died, pleading his glorious name.

    Soon, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, took to the me before all that was left was the Herald.

    "Oh, Prince of Mythos, hear our plea." The Herald whispered, disrobing before the alter. "Hear our plea, oh lord! Hear us, Lord Astaroth!" He rose to his feet and stepped into the fire. Tongues of mes raged, swallowing him as the ghost of the dead wed at his body. "We offer you our mind, bodies, and soul. So, please!

    Give us back ournds! Give us back, Yarwin, from the Church of the Sepith!"

    The pyre whirled like a great baptism of mes, peeling the flesh from off the Herald. Yet he did not scream, did not wail in pleasure like so many others. Poised and cold, he cupped his arms together.

    "Bring Forth the Baptism of Madness, Oh, Fallen Prince, Astaroth."

 Chapter 137: Chapter 137 - Preparation

    Edwin had been on the Wall when theet stretched over the skies in a great pyre of white mes dancing through Heaven and Earth, shaking or perhaps shattering the world with a thunderous ze.

    The Earth had still been reeling, quivering at the memory that had branded its depths.

    "Hells." Edwin protested, looking out at the devastation. "What manner of demon did they summon?" He cried as the chaos erupted. He leaped into action. Bellowing orders to the Guards of Farwin. No one had tried to stop him. Edwin had proven himself time and time again on the battlefield.

    He had experienced seven Hell Tides this year alone, each worse than thest.

    "No soldier is to leave the Wall," Edwin had ordered. "Summon the reserves to aid the citizens! Lord Corvant, you will handle the recovery of the city and its citizens. Lord Towell, you will seek the aid of the Sepith. Farwin needs healers! Lord Commander, Verell, how are the preparationsing along?"

    Lord Ivan Verell stepped forward in his ted armor, stained by the ck rain. "We''ve Eight thousand strong, my Lord, Ten if Lord Picar sends aid from the south." He said with a hard expression. "I''ve sent word to the king, and Ser Valquess is riding with eight thousand strong. This battle is not a winning one. Trap Masters are warding our stronghold, but it''s not looking good."

    Edwin wiped the ck rain smeared across his face away. "How many noblemen fled?"

    "Lord Saldo, Lord Dune, and Lord Berek." Verell dered, his anger ringing loud over the Wall. "Aside from the servants they¨C"

    "Oh, I can aid with that."

    Edwin felt his brow clench as his cold, seasoned eyes crossed Altairs. "You," he said, frowning. "How?"

    Untouched by the ck rain, Altair strutted forward with the shadow of his knight behind him. "Myrades are on their way, you see. And one of them is a powerful sixth circle like Hilda here."

    "The only women I trust to guard my rear are those that have taken the Iron Vow," The Lord Commander said punitively. "And she has not."

    The air had gone cold then. Droplets of three ck rain had paused mid-light as if held by a great force, an authority so demanding it sweltered into six rings circles of sheer radiance, crowning Hilda Strob with its light. The knight, with her hot pink eyes, narrowed dangerously.

    And in a blink of an eye, Lord Verrell had been left breathless. Shaking within his boots as, her presence descended like the de of an executioner.

    "As I said, we are willing to offer our help. Captain Cedric Vandel is a sixth circle Lord from an ancient line some thousand years ago." Altair said, smiling."All we ask is for the manner of Lord Dune to be seized and given to me. A traitor ought not to havend. And if we''re lucky¡­ a true monster might appear. "

    "How far?" Asked Edwin. He didn''t have the power to strip a lord of hisnd. Not without permission of the church or the king.

    "Half a month¡­ possibly less," The Prince answered. "Either way, you have no choice."

    "I couldmand it," Edwin said solemnly.

    "Thenmand it. But it will not make me move. The lives of everyone here are irrelevant before my mission." Altair said coldly.

    Hilda was looking at him now grimly. Would he really abandon an entire city, she wondered, but she would hold her tongue until they were alone.

    "Bastard!" spat Verrell. "We are fighting for our lives. For their lives." He pointed towards the screaming woman and children, bloodied and mangled. "How can you be so heartless?"

    "Because it''s beneath me," He almost said, forcing himself to frown when he wished tough at the foolish drivel Verrell was spouting. He answered," Because I am in a foreignnd. And I will not risk my people for the lives of those unrted to me." He said grimly.

    "I''ll¡­ ept. Give me time to speak to the church." Edwin said, regretting the words the moment they left his lips. He wanted honorable men to take the field¡­ not those guided by coin or profit.

    "My Lord!" Shouted Verrell in disapproval.

    "I''ll not hear it!" Edwin dered hard. "We need soldiers.Not traitors."

    ****

    "What is your aim?" Hilda questioned as they crossed the city walls to the outsider where the bannermen of the various lords stood. They moved downwards across the high roads where the infantry of swordsmen, mages and beast tamers, spearmen, and shield knights stood.

    "Survival, of course." The Prince answered, pondering where best to set up camp.

    "Bullshit." Hilda hissed. "You¡ª"

    From Drupnir, he tossed Hilda a lollipop for her worries. "You worry too much." He said, popping one in his mouth.

    "I''m not a child¡­" Hilda mewled but still epted it. She had quite the sweet tooth. However, her lovey in sour snacks. She was silent, suckling at the lollipop with stars in her eyes. Hilda had the grace to blush when she realized what she had done.

    Altair snickered and patted her head, taking back how smooth her hair was. It had reminded him of Reina''s but lighter as his fingers threaded through her hair. He stopped when he saw her nk stare.

    "Let''s return. I''ve seen theyout." He said.

    It was nearly dawn when they returned. Aria had been at the table, joined by Vanro his three knights, Greymort and Liana.

    Altair exchanged nces of pity with Vanro as he seized in his chair. The light in Vanros'' eyes had all but faded. He was a Lion without any teeth, a wolf without its ws, a man without his seed. He had lost what made him a man and, in turn, lost his right to rule the North.

    "Bastard boy, how are the balls? Or did Lord Edwin nip off the shaft as well?" Altair said airily. He took a seat beside Liana.

    Ser Dwayne and Ser Jayden had both risen with res, fingers wrapped around the pommel of their swords.

    "You will not talk down about our lord," Ser Jayden snarled. He had felt the sting of shame across his cheeks that still burned deep.

    His Lord¡­ His Lord was not only a bastard but a eunuch now.

    Altair snagged some bread, jelly, and cheese that smelt a bit rank. " Is he not a bastard and cockless? Hells. A blind man could see that. Now sit down and eat."

    "Jayden, Dwayne. You are in the presence of the Lady," Liana professed coldly. She had no love for the bastard boy. She had lost count of how many times he had tried to force himself on her. Or how his breath smelt of ale when he kissed her. When Liana tried to resist, he would order his knight to whip her until her back bled.

    He had gotten what he deserved, Liana believed.

    Vanro merely sat there trembling, gripping his empty crotch. When he looked up, all he saw were the eyes of those who pitied him. Even his own knight and his brothers looked at him as such.

    ''Eunuch,'' he told himself. ''That''s what I am.''

    Ser Jayden tsked. "She''s not our Lady. Once she takes the Vow, she''ll just be another Iron Maiden." He sat down with a dark glow as he turned to look at the masked woman, looking silently like stone.

    "Oh, I don''t know," Altair mused aloud, feeling the Iron Maidens cold gaze snap to him. He ignored it. "Aidios chose her. But Aria has yet to choose her. She may do as she pleases. After the rite.

    She might even renounce the church and¨C"

    Not many saw when the Iron Maiden had moved. Not Liana, or Greymort, or Ser Dwayne, but in three steps, she had crossed the room, swift as a ghost, she stood behind the Prince and reached for his neck.

    Hilda grabbed her palm, frowning. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are?"

    "It''s alright, Hilda." The Prince had said, gripping a table knife that bled the profane madness of Grave of Night. He stood up and stared into the eyes of the Iron Maiden with a warning. "I am not Edwin." He told her, with the noble bearing of a Lord. "Next time youe at me, you had beste prepared."

    He left after that, shooting Aria a wink. The girl beamed and pointed at the maiden when his shadow had vanished. "Leave! You are no longer wee!"

    "My Lady!" Ser Jayden growled. "It''s not for you to decide. The Iron Maidens have guarded us for over a thousand years! They are even tending to your brother!"

    "My Bastard brother," Aria corrected furiously.

    "Please reconsider, mydy,'' Said Dawyne in a hurry. "Vanro might be infected and¡ª"

    "She attacked Big Brother!" She shouted, gritting her teeth. "And¡ª"

    Liana patted her head. " My Lady¡­ you mustn''t let such emotions cloud your judgment. Ser Jayden is correct. The Church of the Sepith has guarded ournds in the North for thousands of years." she nced at the Iron Maiden, still like stone.

    "During the War of the ck, nine hundred years ago, your great grandfather, Lord Toumar Silvermane, and the Dawnbreakers of the Sepith retook the North ravaged by demons. For nearly a hundred years, they battled until the North was free. We simply can''t kick them out for a single mistake."

    Aria puffed her cheeks out. "But she attacked Big Brother."

    "And I''m sure the church will apologize, but it''s not for us to interfere," Liana said, calming the young girl. There wasn''t a need to make enemies, not with a Hell Tide on the horizon. "Come, let''s go help themoners. They are sure to have brighter days knowing that Aria Silvermane, Chosen of the Sepith, cares for them!"

    Somewhat unsatisfied, Aria red at the Iron Maiden but nodded nheless.

    The Sister of Sepith bowed and stepped back silently.

 Chapter 138: Prince of Hell, Astaroth

    "Where here!!!!!" Reina cried, leaping up like a willful child. She stared up high towards the wall nketed by archers and mages. Inscriptions lined the wall, glistering multicolored light. Below stood arge battalion of light and heavy infantry, riders armed with spears, axes, ives, pikes, and tridents.

    Sevenrge azure Mana mes burned on pyres, resisting the ck rain, lighting the city in a radiant glow.

    "Wow!" Reina cried in awe. Taken by the vast army of eight thousand strong. She trotted forward with Kirr and Jorm by her side and Kuu on her head, following behind a merchant caravan being checked by Forwin Guardsman. When they were done and allowed in, Reina strode forward.

    "Remove your Mask, and state your purpose!" One of the guardsmen, a gaunt old man with a beard of grey, ordered.

    "Reina of the Moon," She introduced, removing her mask where her golden eyes shimmered like the light of the Sepith. "I''m here to meet someone within House Silvermane. They are expecting me."

    ''Aidios,'' whispered the soldier, starstruck. He turned to his fellow guardsman, but he was busy inspecting Kirr and Jorm when he turned back to Reina. Her mask had already been dawned, to his dismay. Never before had he seen such an innocent girl, so pure it seemed to epass the Goddess Aidios herself.

    "Y-Y-You may enter." The old guard said. And Reina smiled, dancing past him with a giggle. She was greeted by a dozen sharp wooden barricades, with two or three soldiers positioned behind each one of them.

    When Jorm and Kirr were allowed in, the trio maneuvered through the bleak streets devoid of people. Jorm had been the one leading, but even his expression dipped at the deste streets, stained ck by the week-long rain.

    "Where did they hide all the people?" Kirr asked, looking around at the empty shops. He spun to Ren. "What about the kids, and¡ª"

    "No point worrying about it," Jorm said. "We''re here to see master, not investigate." He pointed towards therge pointed manner to the far east of Farwin, "Master is there."

    Excited, Ren lept ten meters into the air, gracefullynding on top of a roof like a nimble cat, and kicked off, vanishing into afterimages with Broken Moon. She swept across town, stopping when she saw the high iron gates to the Silvermanes estate.

    "Hold!" One of the two guards shouted. "State your name!"

    "Reina." She answered, and the two exchanged nces.

    "Of the Moon, perhaps?" One of them asked.

    A fanged smile lifted over her lips. "Yes. Reina of the Moon," she confirmed.

    The two blossomed a smile and weed her in. She told them about thepanions she''d lost in her haste and stepped inside. Happy with a jittery heartbeat, Ren tilted her nose up and sniffed the air. She shuddered and vanished into an afterimage.

    She was in his annex in a few breaths, his room in another, and on top of him as he smiled up at her.

    "Hiya, Art!"

    ***

    "We don''t like it," The Archbishop denounced with a scowl etched over his age wrinkles. "The boy is dangerous. You more than anyone should be able to tell."

    Edwin didn''t deny it. He had sensed that much already. Altair''s smile might be warm, but his heart was ice. "Everyone can be dangerous." He said coldly. "Even you when you ordered my son to be castrated, lest he die of poison."

    "Your bastard attempted to harm our Chosen," Archbishop Albert recounted. "Were we to allow such folly to befall the one chosen by Aidios?" He snorted. "Had your house been in order, this wouldn''t have happened."

    Edwin growled as if a whip branded his back. He knew Albert was right¡­ he knew. But Vanro was still his flesh and blood. Same as Aria.

    "I didn''te here to debate with you. Will you allow me to seize Lord Dune''s estate?" Edwin retorted

    "No."

    "Then we lose two sixth circles." Edwin dered, his voice ringing through empty halls. "The Sister of Silence allowed him to live. They did not sense any evil. Each of them has taken at least five of the Seven Oaths of Sepith. They are attuned to the powers of Order and Chaos. More than you or me.

    So what''s the issue!"

    "I don''t trust him."

    "Aidios!" Edwin nearly struck him. " Albert! We are in the midst of a Hell Tide that might wipe out Farwin. The city my daughter is in. The city your Chosen is in. What does it bloody matter if you don''t trust him!"

    For a long while, the Archbishop said nothing. Edwin wasn''t wrong, but neither was the hesitation he felt.

    "I''ll allow it. But I want him on the¡ª"

    "He has already asked me to be on the front lines," Edwin said and left without another word. Coldly, he strutted out of the cathedral to his carriage.

    "My Lord, were you sessful?" Stewert lorvel asked. But he didn''t have much hope based on his Master''s grimace.

    "I was," Edwin said, entering his carriage.

    "Then why do you¡ª"

    "Even the church doesn''t trust Altair. Yet he''s in my house. Beside my daughter. Am I too trusting?" Edwin asked, slumped over in his chair. He seemed older now, feeling his nearly two hundred years of age weighing him down. He was old¡­ old when he met Syna, histe wife, and older now that she had passed.

    "You are the Lord of the North, my Lord," The Stewert reminded him.

    Edwin closed his eyes. " yes¡­ I am." When he opened them, they were hard and cold. " then send word to my Banners. Tell them their Lord needs them in Forwin."

    "For the Hell tide?" Lorvel hurriedly asked.

    He shook his head. "For the King and The Church of the Sepith."

    "Ooooooooooooooooooooooooommh"

    Edwin growled, feeling the echo of the horn hum across the cobblestone, "It''s started. The demons are here."

    ***

    Lord Arsene Snow, Monarch of the Second Layer of Hell, had not been happy this past month. His son had been missing, and no one seemed to know where he stood.

    It was said the fury of a Monarch was enough to even burn the Dimensional Rift that separated the Infinite number of higher Realms, known as Heaven''s End. It was burning now. And the aura of the Nine Hell was bleeding into the Myriad.

    "Calm yourself, my Master." Aynaet de Asmodeus said on one knee despite her yful nature towards her Master. She dared not raise her head. "If you don''t, your body might explode."

    "It''s been nearly two months," Lord Snow said grimly.

    "We have pinned his general location within the dungeon," Aynaet said calmly. " He is in the Realm of Baefor, Astaroth''s domain. But it''ll take more time to pinpoint his exact location."

    "Baefor?" The Ashen King said grimly. "I''ve never heard of that."

    "Neither have I. But our records show that it belongs to Astaroth."

    When Babel''s Tower was first erected, it had pulled the fragments of the shattered twelve realms together, leaving behind what was known as Prime Worlds. Dungeons, as the earthlings called them, were portals to the shattered regiments of the Twelve Realms.

    It was said these realms were infinitelyrge in size, harboring so much life they required their own wheel of reincarnation. Now, they were broken, forged into tools for the Gods of the Tower to create dungeons.

    "Thanatos and Zagreus," Arsene said. "Where are they?"

    "They too were devoured, my Lord. The Transcendence managed to save more or less a majority of the offworlders but over sevenmanders¡ª"

    "I care little of the details." Arsene had said, standing. "Astaroth eh¡­ Beelzebubs little prince. I''ve had few interactions with that Fallen. How is he?"

    "Your guess would be as good as mine. Astaroth keeps to himself, though I hear he possesses an insatiable hunger. Much like Lord Beelzebub. Though not as poised."

    "Gluttony," Arsene cursed. "Beelzebub craved knowledge and followed after the Sin of Sloth to satiate his hunger¡­ I wonder what does this Little Prince craves?" he mused aloud, drawing beside his knight. He looked down at her, to where she shuddered. Scared. "Tell me what you do know?"

    "Beezubub cares little of his court, my lord," Ayaent said with haste. Patience had not been her Lord''s virtue. "His focus lies on Genesis. Ever since he helped birth that world with Azazel, it''s been his focus. This gives Astaroth time to do as he pleases. What it is.

    I do not know. However¡­ It revolves around prophecy."

    "Yes¡­ he created the Time Lords, didn''t he." Arsene recounted. "Genesis is full of them."

    "Time Maniption is his specialty. It is believed that he was the one who created the concept of time. When it bore fruit, death raced after it." Aynaet said gracefully. "But after the day he fell¡­ not much is known or written."

    The Monarch went silent, his thoughts as mysterious as his smile. "Altair has his work cut out for him. Keep looking. Tenebrae can''t help since Altair is technically in Babel''s Tower. But do ask. Perhaps she might be able to hint at something if Baefor is within the Forgotten Realms and is still under Astaroth''s control.

    There are sure to be lesser demons or worse."

    "My Lord, are you not worrying too much? You were facing Prince''s around that age yourself." Aynaet said almost wistfully.

    "True¡­ but Astaroth is no devil or demon. But a true Fallen Angel of the Eternal Heavens."

 Chapter 139: Hell Tide: Chaos

    Reina had been grinning wickedly upon her Prince. The ck rain had soaked her, but her Red hair seemed all the more radiant, clinging to her supple skin as she pulled off her tunic over her head to reveal her pink nipple and unblemished skin, so soft and tender it seemed surreal. Reina bent down and kissed her lord with as much strength as she could muster.

    When she broke their kiss, they were breathless.

    "I''ve missed you," She whispered with her golden eyes.

    Her words had been like honey upon Altair''s ears. Tarring through theyers of frost that had gathered around his heart. He looked nowhere but her eyes, throbbing with endless wonder. He tasted her lips so sweet he found his mind empty of all thoughts: Of violence, of pain, of despair, of worry.

    "Wee back," he said, holding her so tight Reina giggled. It had felt good to be held again.

    "Kuuuuu!" The kitsune cooed loudly, feeling wronged. She had been on Ren''s head when thess pulled off her tunic, lifting her in the process as she tossed her tunic away. The beast hopped onto the bed and pawed at Altair''s head angrily.

    Altair snickered. "It''s not my fault your master tossed you away," he said but relented to her pitiful attack. He looked up at Reina, then down to her breasts, cupping them with his palm. Perfectly, they nestled in his hands, like two buns fresh out of the oven. Warm and appetizing.

    "I haven''t showered in nearly a month." Reina turned embarrassed to face a peculiar gaze

    "You still smell likevender."

    "Liar." Reina knew she smelled. Days of sweat and travel had clung to her. She smelt like a stable. Were it not for the rain, she was sure she''d be covered with dirt or worse. Yet she couldn''t resist smiling.

    "Oh, I never lied," said the deceitful Prince.

    "Oh really?" Reina leaned down, feeling his fresh, minty breath against hers. "You remembered you owe me a favor, right."

    Altair thought for a bit, recalling the night she appeared in his hotel room drunk, and nodded. "Oh, I remember. Do you remember what you promised me the day Alyssa attacked?"

    "As God As My Witness," She repeated word for word, red recalling what she promised him. But¡­ "I want to cash in my favor."

    Altair gave her an esoteric smile. "Your will is mymand, mydy. But before that¡­" He paused, hesitant for a moment. "Reina and Altair ckwood. What do you think?"

    "Kuuu?" The Kistune tilted its head.

    "Reina ckwood¡­ Reina ckwood." She repeated, sounding out the name.

    Altair listened with anticipation, though he was embarrassed to admit it. He wanted her approval. Craved it even.

    "I¡­ I love it. Reina ckwood¨C"

    "Snow," He finished, startling her. "Though it''s unofficial, it''s Reina ckwood-Snow. My Father is a Snow. And one day, I''ll be one as well. I''ll be Altair ckwood Snow." He assured her.

    Reina felt her smile blossom, feeling his conviction. "Then Altair ckwood Snow¡­ are you asking me to marry you?"

    "Eh?"

    Few times he had ever been startled. And even a fewer times was he at a loss for words.

    Marriage

    The thought had never really crossed his mind. Marriage. The word alone held great meaning, and yet he didn''t mind. He had always imagined a future with her. So why not marriage?

    "Not yet," he told her with a firm gleam in his eyes. He lifted her palm. "If I''m going to marry you. I need to propose. And to propose I need a ring. A custom ring."

    "Altair?" Reina looked at him in a sheen of red. She had only wanted to tease him, to watch him panic.

    Her heart quivered, and her stomach dipped in the most pleasurable of ways. "Y-y-you"

    "I''ll also need to contact Duke Leto and the Duchess. Hmmm. Marriage seems more intricate than I¡ª"

    Squeezing Altair''s lips against hers, Reina''s small heart nearly exploded. She wrapped her arms around him as though he were the only one to exist, refusing to let go.

    ''Mine! Mine! Art is Mine,'' She repeated those words over and over and over. She couldn''t stop herself.

    "You¡ª"

    Interrupted by that cold, barren horn that hummed across the city walls. Roaring its defiance. A sharpness slid through the eyes of the two Lords. The horn rang again, louder, "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORMMMMMMMM"

    Reluctantly, Reina pulled herself from her Prince and rose to her feet. Altair followed after, drawing clothing from Draupnir. "Yesterday. My order came through. " He began opening a small bag, revealing a two ck surcoat with the sigil of the Crescent Moons and the wolf howling in defiance. Forged of the hide of a Lesser Demons Gnoll that grants full immunity to fire, lightning, and frost.

    "It''s¡­ insanely light." Reina dreamily said, weighing it.

    "About two pounds, with enough defense to tank a Tier Three beast." He said, racing his fingers along the shoulder guards forged of mythril. " If someone attacks the shoulder, the armor will be able to withstand the force of a sixth circle, though you might still die. The armor will survive. But I must say the armor is poorly made. These people have the material butck the technique. "

    "It''s beautiful!" Reina ran her fingers through the fur lining, meant to absorb impact. She stripped, ridding herself of her soaked trousers.

    Altair followed after her. When they were done, they stood all gant before the other. The door flung open.

    "Good! You''re ready. Edwins back." Hilda said gravely. She nced at Reina. She had never cared for the girl. ''Pretty,'' she thought, but that was it.

    "And the dwarf came by and dropped off your sword with Edwin. Let''s go. It''s war."

    Hilda had led the way towards the outside, ckened by the great rain. And eyed the silver armor of Edwin, which glistened even beneath the darkness. He was ring, gripping a ck scabbard sword. He tossed it.

    Altair caught it and hooked it to his belt without drawing it.

    Edwin said nothing. Turning, he rode on horseback towards the wall with a solemn expression. He had wanted to see his daughter onest time, but the second horn had rung.

    They traveled, racing down streets barred by runes, traps, and barricades before they reached the High Wall. And there they saw.

    A shadow loomed over the skies and city, glistering hundreds of thousands of red eyes sizzling the mes of Hell. Bat-like Wings that borerge fangs on their joints stood as long as nearly ten meters fluttered, and clung to the foul creature''s back. Its face was hard and hideous, as if dreamt up by a nightmare.

    The demon''s skin was blood-red and bore a crown of horns over its brow, alongside a long, pointed tail.

    "Imps," Edwin said, racing up thedder onto the wall.

    Altair followed, seeing the gate had been drawn, blocking his path.

    "ARCHERS!!!!" Howled themanding voice of Lord Verrell from the highest peak of the wall. "MAGES!!!"

    Mana swarmed the skies in a whirl of might, quivering at the will of man and demon alike, drawing from the realm''s core. The greyish skies seemed to shimmer red.

    "FIRE!!!!"

    Two shadows pounced at the other, one of burning fire that spewed from the Imp''s mouth, the other from that of man.

    Bolts of lightning, fire, wind, and Ice shot from off the High Wall of Farwin in a great eruption of might. Arrows nketed the rain for but a moment, falling where they may over the Imps. Hundreds fell from the skies before another wave came.

    The Imps conjured small firebolts of infernal magic that zed a scarlet pigment. They responded, spewing their spells from their palms at the wall. A golden radiance arose over the walls in a protective bubble, casting its light over all of Farwin. The Sigil of a Golden Shield crowned the Free City.

    The imps roared in Infernal, weaving and dodging the best they could over the unrestricted skies. They crackled into hideousughter, unbothered by the bodies of their brethren, and continued their assault on Farwin. They spewed fire over thend, attempting to break the Warding.

    "KUUUU!!!!!" The Kistune cried, opening its beady eyes.

    "First Infantry!" Lord Varrell,manding in a booming voice that hummed across the field, signaled they meet the imps that had lost their flight.

    Reina, with her golden eyes, looked at the imps raiding the skies and grimaced with a scowl of distaste. As if met with some of the foulest of creatures under the Heavens and Hells, she conjured her bow out of thin air, blistering with the Runes of the Greek Gods. She nocked her ethereal string, pulling back to bring forth a golden arrow zing with rich radiance.

    Pure and Mighty like the Ancient Powers of the Eternal Heavens.

    "Sacred me,'' Reina said and fired.

    The Earth shook and groaned as if to resist the shockwave, sending shudders through the Wall and skies. A beam of scorching light pierced the heavens, parting the foul rain upon thend, smearing the demonic skies with the corpses of imps that billowed into dust. Those caught by the seraphic light, the demonic creatures burned and blistered, howling before the bane of evil.

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    ¡­

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    ¡­

    In a single stroke, Reina had felled nearly a hundred Imps and mortally injured thousands as they plunged to the Earth.

    "Filthy vermin!" She spat with a dark grimace over her pretty face as if she were looking at a cockroach. At the smears of shit one would find on the streets.

    Edwin was aghast. Reina''s power hadn''t been that strong in his eyes. At most, it was within the realms of a third circle. However, none of the demons could resist. Demons that should not have been affected. But her mana was even purer than those of the Sepith.

    Reina could only use her sacred me once more, maybe twice, if she wished to lose consciousness. She was a shade paler but bore the ferocity of a Direwolf. Above her head, Kuu howled, letting out a feeble cry, trying to make itself seem big. It wanted to be strong like its master.

    "Kuuuuu!"

    "I''m going to paint my boots with the back of your skulls," Reina vowed harshly, taking a step over the Wall. And for a second, Altair thought he saw the flicker of a snow-white wing. But he knew better. The second Reina''s foot stepped into the air, he chanted Feather Foot and fell with her, Hilda, Kirr, and Jorm.

    Theynded like ghosts but moved like a pack, cutting through the soldiers and waiting over the three fronts until they arrived at the front lines. The sounds of wars, grueling wails, and panicked cries had weed them.

    Men as green as children, with barely a circle to their name, bore swords, iling them in hopes of gaining a kill. They had cut more flesh of their fellow man than they did demons. But they had been sessful in slowing the imps with their fleshy bodies. Allowing time for the more seasoned men to fell the demons as they feasted over the entrails and hearts of the cannon fodder.

    The Lesser demons were ruthless and profane. It had not been enough for them to simply kill. They wanted to torture. And they had to make the humans watch as they had their way with the men.Seamlessly raping them until they pray for death. They''dugh when the men howled like women and crackled when they saw despair that hung over their heads.

    Only then did they w at the men''s skull, tearing them off with their ws before pecking at the eye with their trident-like tongues and suckling at it as though it were a tit.

    ''Chaotic Evil.'' Hung the words in the Prince''s mind.

    [Ding]

    Imp

    Type: Lesser Demon

    Str: 27

    Dex: 43

    Con: 33

    Wis:30

    Cha: 12

    Altair slid his sword from out its steel scabbard and weighted the de with his eyes. The sword of the Dwarven T''volk had forged had been an edge of obsidian silver. ckened by the forge, it was able to maintain some of its silvery gleam. The cross guard was a stone-cold ck and elongated like a cross. The sword was longer than a Longsword but lighter than a Greatsword, with a wless bnce.

    He gave an eptable smile, "I''ll call you Shadoww," and stepped forward towards the chaos.

 Chapter 140: Hell Tide: Seven Days and Seven Nights

    "The boy is good," The one who personified Death spoke. Bathe in a river of long ck hair that stretched to his broad shoulders. His deep, ancient red eyes shone over his pale face, which some would dare to call handsome. Tall with a lean build, he stood in a ck fur coat that masked the tailcoat and suit.

    "He''s gotten a lot better," Blood Rider Zagreusughed upon his grey stallion. Of simr height and build, he passed his hands through his ashen ck hair. "His swordsmanship reminds me of Megaera. Fiercely cruel." He glimpsed the young girl. "But that girl¡­ Are you sure we can trust a Nephilim?"

    Thanatos stared. "If she is to be the Prince''s Wife, who are we to question his decision?" He turned, mounting his ck stallion, and looked south to where theet vanished. "Let''s head back to Lady Iliana. I''m sure she''s bored."

    "Already!" Zag moaned. "It''ll be boring merely to watch." he nced at the siege underway. "How can we just¡ª

    "We''re leaving," Thanatos told his half-brother, trotting off.

    ***

    Altair had been drenched. He had lost count of the number of lesser demons he had killed. Lost count of how many times his sword whirled through the hide of the imps. Cutting them up like a butcher on his block. Limbs, wings, tails, and eyes seemed to dance around him. He was like a whirlwind upon the frontline.

    Attended by Reina, who wielded an obsidian de that bore the lotus of Satori Works over its edge. The de sizzled with a throbbing pulse of mana, allowing her sword to cut through the monster well within the ranks of tier four.

    They were back to back nearly twenty meters ahead of the line, surrounded by hordes of lesser demons, shing their ws and tails in hopes of catching the two Lords. They caught air and steel.

    "So this is a Hell Tide," Reina said, somewhat short of breath. It had been twelve hours since shest sipped water or filled her belly with a hot meal.

    Altairughed, cutting apart a bolt of me barreled at his head with Shadoww. Embers red, shooting a tremor up his arm. "It''s a lot tougher than I thought. But¡­ The Leveling is crazy."

    "Would be faster if we weren''t restricted," Reina mentioned, cursing the fact she couldn''t use her blood mes. It had annoyed her she had to spend the past month focusing mainly on the sword and her footwork rather than her alchemy.

    Altair had felt her pain. "Luna ought to have taught you spells." he eyed his surroundings of scarlet eyes and licked his lips. Savoring demon blood with a peculiar glow.

    Unlike human blood, which was sweet and rich, the blood of the imps was bold, thick, and savory, with a node of sweet tannins one might find in wine.

    "I know a few. I''m just not well practiced," Reina admitted. "I¡ª"

    "Kyaaaaa!"

    Swarmed once more on all sides, Shadoww cried in an arc of profane light. Cruel and deadly, it roared louder than the shrieking demons. The curving arc of Altair''s de ran across an Imp, spilling its guts as his other hand tore through the throat of a nearby Imp. Viciously, he tore out the demon''s windpipe, kicking it away as his sword and feet danced.

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Imp Felled. Exp Gained]

    Scratches and bruises were plentiful, but that was all they were. Flesh wounds he cared little for. Altair had grown ustomed to pain. And, in a way, he had grown to appreciate it. It was pain that made the man, and it was pain that would forge the king.

    He hadn''t spoken to Ren after that. For seven days and seven nights, they ughtered until they were drowning in blood.

    Hilda had been watching it all. Guarding him in secret. The Hell Tide would go on for Months. The longest ever recordedsted seven years. The Imps were merely the opening Vanguard. There would be more.

    Of that, she was sure.

    When Altair had returned carrying Riena on his back, he was drenched from head to toe. Guarded by his shadows. She had weed him.

    "Come," Hilda said. "I''ve set up camp a little ways from the encampment."

    Coldly, with eyes of blood red, Altair nodded.

    The soldiers that had been watching backed away. There had been no hero''s wee. Hero was Gant. What they saw him do on the battlefield was the furthest thing from gant or just. The mere sight of him made some spit and others growl.

    "Monster," they''d say. "Devil Born" "Butcher."

    Others, however, felt differently towards Reina. The way she had fought was valiant, capturing their eyes and hearts. Her de was just and fair, embodying the will of men and women.

    Altair paid them no mind. He was too tired. More so than he realized, as for the first time in his life, he looked forward to the prospect of sleep.

    "Altair, I¨C" Hilda turned and sighed as he fell right over and into the arms of Kirr.

    "I don''t think I''ve ever seen Master faint from exhaustion." Kirr had said.

    Jorm had gently pulled Riena from off his back and into his arms and spoke: " Lead the way, miss." He said, though unhappily. He didn''t trust Hilda, especially one who could easily kill his master.

    Beside the Wall, some leagues away from the front lines, theyid camp beneath a Pavillion. Surrounded by patrolling guardsmen.

    Altair and Raina had slept for nearly twenty hours before they awoke. Covered in gauze,in a Pavillion that smelt of herbs and spices. The Kitsune had been at the foot of the bed snoring away. And oddly enough, Altair felt a bit jealous. His sleep had been so nice he wondered if he had snored.

    His arms, where an Imp had shed, had been sore, as were his throat and legs that, all faced minor cuts. He couldn''t stop smiling. War had been a terrible thing. He had seen things he''d never thought possible for a boy his age. Yet, as hey with Ren, it all felt sweeter.

    "There is nothing better than a bottle of beer and a woman on your cock after killing a man." He recalled one of the Old Knights in House Aros remarked.

    The words had been lost on him then. But not now.

    ckwood. The name had made him smile as he looked down at Reina looking up at him. A faint gleam of appraisal in her golden-flecked eyes.

    "When will we return to battle, my Lord ckwood." Reina intuitively asked, a faint mischievous grin on her lips beneath the furs that covered them; her arms ran up onto his warm chest. She felt his heartbeat.

    *Badum *Badum *Badum

    ''It beats like a rabbit,'' Ren thought, curious as to why it was thumping so fast.

    "Seven Days and Seven Nights, weid siege on the battlefield." The Prince said, enjoying her warmth. "Are you looking forward to making it fourteen?"

    "The maximum level for a second ss is fifty." Reina brushed the hair from his face. "we made it to twenty-nine." And circled her fingers over his chest. "The faster we peak. The faster we can focus on cultivation."

    "We''ve got months. Maybe years." He shook his head and sighed. "And truly, I feel so good right now. I could die a happy man. Tomorrow. Perhaps.

    "

    Reina couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Altair had been the most hard-working person she knew. He hated beingzy. Hated not being of use.

    She pulled herself up and ced the back of her palm against his forehead. "You don''t seem to have a fever."

    Altair smirked and took her by the hand. "It will seem those golden eyes of yours have made you into a blood Fiend. Tell me what it feels like when you kill demons?"

    "Like a storm of fire that''ll never be quelled." She admitted, cold and hard. There had been no joy when she killed. Rather, she felt obliged as if guided by a sense of duty.Demons, by their birthright, were meant to die by her hands. They were meant to bow, to burn, to die in the foulest pit of hell. And even then, that wasn''t enough. It would never be enough.

    For all three years they had spent together, Altair had never seen raw hatred mar her face before.

    "You look sexy when you''re angry." He lifted her chin boldly, admiring his woman. Reina shied away from his touch,pletely red-faced, and dared not look up at him.

    Altair had found this side of her to be bashful despite her fierce nature on the battlefield. She was docile with her golden eyes. Burden by innocents that made her all the more delectable in his eyes.

    He gave her cheek a poke, enjoying the springiness of her youth. " Ren¡­ i¡ª"

    Pausing, he snatched her into his arms and rolled, snatching Kuu off the bed as a demon came hurdling through his pavilion. It struck his bedding, staining it red.

    Three arrows protruded from the imp''s head and eyes, dead.

    Altair moved, covering Ren in a cloak from Draupnir. Just as seven watchmen came rushing in, spears ready. Their eyes never made it to the Imp''s corpses. They were staring. Staring at the young flower wrapped in a ck cloak.

    She hadn''t been naked, not truly, as gauze was used to bandage her wounded areas like her breast. Aside from that, she wore only undergarments.

    Altair wasn''t fooled. The barrier that protected Farwin had reached where he stood. Ensuring that if a demon were to be struck dead, its corpse would slide down outside the barrier.

    "Excuse us, m''lord," A crooked nose watchman said. "We were just looking for the Imp." Heughed.

    "We told you he was fucken her." One of the Watchmen murmured. Glimpsing Altair''s half-naked body. "Look at ''em. He''s a lord."

    "I''ll take care of this, master," Kirr said, dropping the firewood he was using to warm his Master''s Pavillion. He had been told the ws of imps had been poisonous like many demons. And that it would take a day for his Master to wake. Jorm had left him inmand as he continued to hunt for Demonic Hearthstones.

    But it never urred to him that when he went to gather firewood, something like this would ur.

    Altair had said nothing, but Reina could feel his anger. His fury.

    "Don''t me him, okay?" She kissed his cheek and cupped his clenched fist. "We all make mistakes. Kirr has protected me for an entire month.

    When he looked at her hopeful eyes, Altair sighed, unsure why he felt deted before her soft expression. He had half a mine to destroy Kirrpletely, to permanently remove him from his summons. Such a mistake was uneptable.

    "Please~" She childishly cried, nudging his shoulders.

    "Fine." He relented and turned, catching sight of the bloodstained shadow on one knee surrounded by the butchered remains of the watchmen. He looked at him sternly. "Kirr¡­ Ren wants me to forgive you. Truthfully, I would have you dead for this failure. What would have happened if we were still unconscious?" Altair allowed his words to sink in before he spoke again.

    "I''ll heed her words, but¡­ there needs to be a punishment. Where is Jorm?"

    "Collecting Hearthstones," answered Kirr, trembling, with tears in his eyes. He knew he fucked up.

    "You are still young. Your memories have been destroyed¡­ so mistakes are understandable." He said grimly. "When Jorm returns, you''ll face tenshes of the whip. Now get the hell out of my sight."

    When Kirr had left sullen and teary-eyed, Reina turned to her Prince. "I like kirr."

    "So do I."

    "But Isn''t ten too much?"

    "It''s not the pain he''ll be concerned with." Altair cupped her cheeks. "It''ll be the shame he brought upon himself. That will sting far more than any pain I could inflict."

 Chapter 141: Hell Tide: Genius

    What was a genius?

    It was a question rattling in the mind of Lord Edwin Silvermane. He had been dubbed a genius once upon a time and had lived up to its title. Reaching the realm of Seventh Circle had been no easy feat. In all the realm, there had only been seven. Fewer for those of Eight and Ninth.

    It had been on the name day of the King Serilious, when he had been dubbed the Lord of the Seven Crowns, that he revealed his Eight Circles to the Realm. That was nearly a hundred years ago. Some said he had made it to the Ninth; others believed it was his Sword, Ser Varquess, that had touched upon such a realm. He had been of the Eight Realms long before Serilious had been crowned.

    Yet, as he peered over toward the boy of twelve, in the distance returning to the battlefield, a sense of shame washed over him. Seven Days And Seven Nights he fought, and here he was again. Edwin felt old and ashamed. In all the Realm, he had never seen a more Profane swordsmanship. It was brutal, vicious like the demons around him. Yet¡­ it bore a regal cruelty if such a thing could exist.

    "He''s a monster," Lord Verrell said, overlooking the battlefield. He sounded grim, but he was smiling. "He''s like a one-man army, him and that girl. They''ve felled as many as a thousand. More by my count alone. The Girl¡­ Reina was it.

    She inspires. Goddess of War, they call her. The Second Aidios."

    "She parted the skies with a single arrow, felling hundreds, injuring thousands." Edwin wistfully said. ''And now the Church of the Sepith is looking after her.'' he thought, not daring to say it aloud.

    The day her arrow had split the skies, the Archbishop and the Master of the Iron Mask had descended from their Cathedral of Light to the blood-stained Wall to glimpse her. Edwin had never seen them so shaken. He nearly thought they''d have fallen to their knees the way they had spoken of her aura. But the way they had spoken of Altair had been no different than the way they spoke of Demons.

    ''They are going to kill him,'' Edwin thought. He had owed the boy a great service. He had saved his daughter and counseled her in the affairs of politics and nobility. And had even granted him his wisdom. He''d not forget that.

    ''I''ll protect the boy the best I could,'' he silently vowed through a clenched fist.

    ***

    When Altair ckwood moved, it had been like a shadow, silent and swift. And when his sword moved, it roared like the crackle of thunder through the battlefield, exploring the brain of a nearby imp that sttered open like a melon.

    ''Grave of Night,'' He''d thought, like a harbinger of death, ''Was meant to exterminate the night. The first Stance was to grant me control of the battlefield, to mirror Heaven and Hell, and to seize control of my surroundings.

    The Second Stance granted me the ability to cut whatever resided within my domain, and the Third Stance was meant to Devour the Endless Night.'' he closed his eyes, opening them with a profane gleam shrouded by a mist of Madness.

    Shadoww shrieked with a howling cry of the wolf, and the shing of Lord ckwoods Twin Circle flickered above his head, crowning him.An arc of ck-amethyst light swelled out of the edge of his de in a gale of light, raw with mana, sweeping through dozens of imps with excessive ease.

    He felled nearly twenty in a single stroke before the light faded, carving out a path he raced through. Hundreds of other paths opened as his sword danced.

    Further out some twenty meters away, Reina''s Greatsword was like a valiant dance of moonlight. Graceful like the ripples across ake, her footsteps danced while her sword became like an insatiable storm. She wielded her greatsword with a single hand, carving through bodies, staining her cheeks red. Whirlwinds of sword light swept through her de, following the semi-arcs of her de.

    ''Oooooooooorrnnnnnnn," the horn upon the wall roared.

    "GHOLLS!" someone upon the wall roared.

    Startled, Altair barely glimpsed a vicious w that shed at his head. He ducked beneath it and kicked back as another w came aimed at his head, alongside a dozen Fire Bolts. He danced away, parrying and dodging with Shadoww.

    Altair gave a simple frown, summoning his grimoire.

    There, some meters away, he saw a three-meter beast of grey and ck fur. It bore the face of a hyena, yet it stood on its feet like a human, with eyes that shone a spirling inferno of chaos within its depts.

    There were two of them. And one bore an axe in its hand.

    [Ding]

    Gnoll

    Type: Lesser Demon

    Str: 130

    Dex: 120

    Con: 131

    Wis: 60

    Cha: 12

    Mana: 21

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 0.041 ¡ú 10%]

    Physique: First Vale Star

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 7 ¡ú 38]

    Strength: 29 ¡ú 31

    Dexterity: 37 ¡ú 68

    Constitution: 61 ¡ú 123

    Wisdom: 63 ¡ú 125

    Charisma: 63 ¡ú 125

    Mana: 28

    ''Will my sword be able to cut through its mane?'' the Prince asked himself but still smiled nheless. Feeling a sliver of sweat trail down his brow. The gnolls were nearly twice his speed and three times his strength.

    "Pesky human! Gomm! Will kill!" The Gnoll, with its hands around the axe, said in Infernal. Its voice was gruff, like a saw on wood. "Gomm with your Head."

    "We''ll see about that," Altair replied in itsnguage as his eyes swelled with a burning might.

    Presence crackled like a whip over the battlefield, bearing down on mortal and lesser demons like a god. Pressure caved the battlefield in a Purgatory of Abyss that brought hundreds to their knees as Altair activated Will of the Abyss for the first time.

    [Will of the Abyss]

    Passive: Transcend Limitations of the One across the Myriad Heavens. The Stronger the user''s conviction, the stronger he may transcend.

    Active: Creates a Domain fueled by the user''s Willpower/Charisma to plunge those of weaker wills into an Abyss of Despair.

    A storm that brought despair plunged itself through the eyes of the lesser demons as they stood frozen before the Prince.

    [Lesser Demon, Gnoll has Fallen into Despair]

    [All stats will be halved.]

    [Lesser Demon, Imps has fallen Into Despair]

    [All stats will be halved.]

    [Lesser Demon Imp have been petrified and has be unable to move]

    [DING]

    [Will of the Abyss has removed all requirements of the evolution of Animal Instincts.]

    [Animal Instincts [D] ¡ú Primal Instincts [F]

    Primal Instincts [F]

    Grade: Transcendent

    Description: The user will be able to perceive the trajectory of both known and unknown in ordance with the Will of the World.

    [Symmetry detected between Foresight and Primal Instincts]

    As if a fog had vanished from his mind, reced by a cool steel de. Altair felt his body¡­ shift as if it were correcting itself. From the way he held his sword to the way he stood and walked. It had all changed in ordance with his will and instincts, growing sharper as the seconds ebbed.

    He moved, silent as a shadow and cruel like a demon.

    "In battle, the second greatest tool is speed." He could still remember Iliana''s words. "That Assassination attempt ought to have shown you your weakness. So watch carefully, for the next week, you''ll learn my Movement Technique. With it, space will seem¡­ meaningless. Though for you, simply being fast should be enough."

    With a single step forward, hundreds of thousands of small webs illuminated his mind''s eye, glistering nodes. Mana points in which were his to move and manipte within a domain of ten meters of each step. It had been known as the Kings Domain, but the technique was called¡ª

    "Sovereign''s Gale"

    He vanished, or at least he appeared to by the gnolls, Imps, and mortals alike. By the time the two gnolls had glimpsed his shadow. Severing Edge had already cut across the two Gnolls. Altair had figured if his sword cut light, why not a Lesser Demon? He had been half right, managing to cut nearly four inches into their throats, but no more.

    He growled and cut again three more times before their heads rolled.

    [Lesser Demon, Gnoll FelledExp Gained]

    [Lesser Demon, Gnoll FelledExp Gained]

    [Level Up]

    Pale face, feeling an entire circle drain away in the blink of an eye, Altair hurriedly tossed a single Gnoll into his ring and shouted his retreat to Riena, who followed. He had wanted to take more, but a single one weighed 350 lbs, and Drupnir could only hold 500 lbs.

    Reina had been in no better condition with a queasiness in her stomach from the number of times she used her Movement Art, Broken Moon, much less her sword arts.

    Having Kirr and Jorm cover their retreat, an unsettling heat raced up the prince''s arms and legs, spreading up his neck. He had slightly overdone it, and now he was feeling a bacsh. Altair had long figured none of his skills were meant to be used by mortals. They were skills for Transcendence or stronger.

    When atst they were safe, Altair toppled to the ground. His legs were burning with a raw numbness, and his arms¡­ well, he couldn''t feel them.

    "Come on, Art." Ren snatched him up from under the arm and dragged him forward closer to the wall and out of sight of the war front. She pulled him to their tent. Pale and wary.

    "You overdid it way too much," Reina groaned, entering their pavilion. She copsed three steps short of their new bed, free of demon blood.

    Covered in sweat, blood, and God knows what else, the duoy there gasping for air. Physically drained.

    "We aren''t winning this battle, are we?"

    Altair hadn''t been uncertain who spoke those words. But it hung in the air.

    Despite their best effort, Altair and Reina were only two people. Kuu was but a child. And Kirr and Jorm, while effective, were slightly less efficient due to this world''s restrictions. Mana could not linger for long in the open. That restricted Jorms Phoenix me and Kirrs Lightning.

    He sighed. No matter how much they killed. There would always be another demon to take its ce.

    "I wouldn''t say no to a bath right now." He looked up to where the patch lingered over the ceiling of his pavilion, where the imp fell through. " And a nice cold tankard of ale."

    No, sooner, he felt Raina shudder before breaking off intoughter. "When did my Art be so boujee?"

 Chapter 142: Hell Tide: World of Flames

    From Westwood, they traveled along the High Roads, pushing north, along the Sunk Ravine of Tha''lvk, through viges and strongholds touched by the Hell Tide. The Earth would always remain scorched in those ces. ckened by blood and fire.

    Mounted gnoll heads, Imps, banshees, boggards, and hellions stood on pikes outside the walls alongside the heads of those too craven to fight. They had been left to the crows and ravens to peck at their eyes, teeth, and flesh, festering with rot.

    Bodies of babes could be seen smeared over the walls like paste, where demons would bash their skulls against the wall or fence or toss them onto the pikes to see if they''d stick. It had been a pastime game the demons yed, curious to see who would charge out to seek revenge only to be torn to pieces.

    While women captured by the demons would be sold to the imps to create more of their kind, the incubation period was quick. A week at the longest, much like goblins. And a single woman could birth maybe fifty before her body withered, sucked dry by the parasites. Their mournful wails had been like an endless tide through the night.

    Aurora had grown used to the sight, but her stomach remained squeamish at the sights that seared its way into her mind. Their party had grown in size these past three weeks. Housing nearly a hundred that had all been devoured by the dungeon.

    Her master had said it was merely Forwin who would face the Hell Tide. But the more Aurora journeyed, the more her heart broke at the horrors. Pyres of men and women, of children and elderly, were burned by the day, fearful the demons'' aura would turn them into ghouls or wraiths. It was an endless tide of suffering. The likes not even Cedric, Amilia, or Fat Mike had ever seen.

    Much less the new recruits who puked and cried.

    It was hell.

    "How much longer?" Cedric asked, with a visible sense of drain in his voice. He had seen too much death this past few months than he''d ever wanted to.

    Bitterly, Aurora nced at him, unsure of his aim. The day she had woken, Aurora had imed that Altair had been in Forwin. Most had rejected her im. They had scuffed at her, and understandably. She had never been to this realm. And had only just woken.

    Only Cedric seemed to care what she had to say.

    Aurora had not dared to exin they shared a Master Servent Rtionship with Cedric but imed she couldmunicate to Altair. And it had been proven when she began to lead Cedric to the closest Stronghold, with Altair''s help. He had been the one with a map of the region back in Forwin.

    They had met Amilia and Fat Mike there.

    "Three days." Talia had answered. Her hair had been matted with blood, and her uniform was all but unrecognizable for anything but rags. She pointed towards the faint shadow of smoke in the distance. "That''s Forwin. And it should be where Commander Hilda and Altair reside."

    "Hells." Fat Mike groaned with sweat on his brow. He swept the ck rain from out of his eyes, a hundred pounds thinner than he was three weeks ago. He had fought nearly every day. And had given the recruits his rations. They had needed it more than him. "They''re being sieged."

    Cedric grimaced. "I thought Forwin would be safe. But it seems the entire realm is on fire."

    Fat Mike nodded through sharp gasps. "Aye. Though Forwin seems to be in better shape than the other ces we''ve visited." He looked on, narrowing his gaze at the Cathedral. "And they''ve got a few powerful men hiding. It might be the best ce we could be to gain information."

    "M¨CAltair said he''s procured an estate for us," Aurora said. "But that''s on the promise that we descend on the battlefield. To aid Lord Edwin Silvermane."

    "Good. I could use a rest." Fat Mike said and nced at the soldiers on his rear. "And so too can they. Let''s go."

    ***

    On the Wall, scorched ck by blood, rain, and mes alike. Edwin watched on as arcs of lightning shrieked from the mage''s staff, piercing through the wails of banshees, Wraths, and imps in the dreadful skies of Forwin. A rain of arrows quickly followed after the wave of magic, alternating to give the casters time to chant.

    Beside him, Lord Varrell looked even older. He had shredded much of the greys on his head, and now all that remained was a small patch. He looked nearly his age.

    "With the Gnolls and Banshees on the field¡­ we have lost nearly five hundred meters," said Varrell bitterly. "They''ll reach the first barricade we''ve prepared in maybe another week."

    "The Sword of the King, Varquess, will also be dyed," Edwin said, colder than usual. "It will seem it''s not just Farwin. A Blood Raven camest night with a message. It seems all of the Realm is in an uproar." and so are my bannermen who were forced to return to protect the north. "We might not see reinforcements for perhaps another month. Perhaps longer.

    If they even make it."

    "Aidios, save us all," prayed Varrell. He was looking out at the horizon to the vicious beast aze with hellish fire, charging forward,rge as wolves, with the ferocity to match. Each step they bore seemed to liquefy stone into pits of moltenva, superheating the air until it burned. Howls echoed as the horde of Hellions came forth, bringing with them a sea of mes.

    "Madness," Said Edwin gravely.

    "A baptism of it." Lord ckwoodughed, covered in fresh blood and a bone-deep scar cutting down his cheek. Joined by Reina, she was visibly wet with gashes that shone through her surcoat. Her ears bled with the loud ringing of the banshee''s wails. And soon, so too were her eyes.

    "Altair¡­" Edwin said, furrowing a brow. "You shouldn''t be¡ª"

    "I''m here to collect on our deal." Altair cut in, looking west a little ways off from the horde of Hellions charging forth. He pointed, sensing his shadow in the distance. "Look there¡­ What do you see?"

    Before Edwin could remark, the faintest ache of mana fluttered through the air. He frowned, bracing himself as the Mana of the World began to quiver and fold. The winds began to recede over the horizon, pulled by an unseen force, shifting the tide of the ck Rain. Six Magical Circles crowned the skies, cresting over the darkness. The world shuddered and ached with the rumbles of thunder.

    Serpents of lightning slithered through the ck clouds in a ze of might. A howl thundered through the darkness.

    "Bad of Thor!"

    And the skies wept upon thend, a great cataclysm of thunder and lightning. The air had turned to fire and fire to light. Mountains turned to vaper and demons to dust as the lightning came upon the ground like a great pir. The Earth shattered and howled, thrashing into an endless quake of destruction. Great fountains of magma roiled hundreds of feet into the skies like the eruption of volcanoes.

    Laughter sprang through the air, with the winds that came snapping trees and man alike like twigs. Were it not for the great barrier around Forwin that guarded its ground troops, death would be the only thing that would have weed them.

    "...An Archmage¡­" Edwin cried in disbelief when, atst, the winds died down, and the Bad of Lightning and Thunder ended.

    Altair stared greedily at Fat Mike hovering in the air. He had not known the man was a mage, but it had made sense. There would be no other way for a man of his size and stature to participate in a physical altercation.

    "Bad of Thor, eh?" He licked his lips, feasting his eyes on the devastation that left only death and destruction in its wait. Thend¡­ The World was on Fire. "What a powerful spell." He turned to Edwin. "I''d like my estate now. For I''ve not just brought a single monster, but two. Meet Jorah Mike, Captain of the Imperial Forces."

    Magma continued to spew and fold over thend. Hardened with the help of the ck Rain.

    "Great Gods!" Varrell cried and rushed off to get a damage report.

    "PREPARE FOOD!!!!" Fat Mike roared and floated back down to the ground, returning to his team protected by a warding Amilia, and Cedric erected.

    Altair looked on, arms poised behind his back, taking it all in. "It''s not just Forwin¡­ I''m sure you know this already. But the entire realm is fighting this Tide. And I don''t see us winning." He clenched his fist. "I suggest you take advantage of what Fat Mike gave you. And spread the word for all to know.

    Forwin has an Archmage, or whatever you call it. If we are to survive, we need bodies. A spell like that is sure to havee with a price."

    Quick to catch his meaning, Edwin did not think twice and left the wall, returning to his estate to begin writing up letters to all of the Realm.

    ''Forwin had an Archmage¡­ one of unknown origin.''

 Chapter 143: Hell Tide: Herald of Astaroth

    It had been Lord Verrell who weed Fat Mike, Amilia, Cedric, and his party of a hundred at the front line some dayster. They were settled in behind the wall before arge feast had begun.

    It hadn''t beenrger nor grand, but within the banquet halls of the Silvermane, threerge roasted boars sizzled and popped with the rendering of fat, caramelizing into crunchy fat caps. And spritzed with an apple cinnamon blend every half an hour, the scent alone had many in tears.

    When the chef carved the Suckling Pig, the outer crust crunched with each pass of his knife. Juices erupted from out of the pig, rolling into the fire.

    "..." Altair had been staring at his steaming te. He had never liked pork. Even now, when he was starving, he felt hesitant. The smell had never been something he liked. It wasn''t a foul stench, yet it always upset his stomach.

    ''Fat rats,'' he''d often called them.

    He would have dly handed the dish off to Reina if she hadn''t been staring at it as if it were a great enemy or something.

    "What are you doing?" He opted to say, grabbing a bit of bread and cutting some cheese from the wedge. He did the same for Ren.

    "It smells good," Ren replied, her golden eyes ring at her slice of pork. Suddenly, she deted and looked at him mournfully. " I can''t¡­ I just feel guilty wanting to eat it. And I don''t know why." She epted his offering with thanks and nibbled on bread and cheese, watching Kuu eat away without issue. "What''s wrong with me?"

    He shrugged. "Maybe you got rabies."

    Reina puffed her cheeks. "Yeah. Some dog I know bit me."

    "What a naughty dog."

    She was ring now when the strings of a lute sang, echoing a long, gentle kiss of mncholy. Liana plucked at her string, etching a song lost and war, of love and duty. Weeping Echo, she called it, when she was done, following the wave of cheers of men throwing their hands up in apuse.

    "I never knew she could y," Altair said, pushing his te to Kuu. Curious at how such a creature could eat so much yet remain so small. It had been nearly two months since they arrived, yet the kitsune had not grown.

    Heter found Cedric, Fat Mike, Amilia, and Hilda conversing with one another with Verrell. They seemed solemn despite thex atmosphere.

    "Big Sis, are you big brother''s wife?" Little Aria innocently asked. "Big Brother talked about you almost every day."

    Aurora''s foxy ears perked up. She was sitting across from her master, nibbling on her b of pork. "Did he? What did he say?"

    "Ummm." Aria thought for a bit. "He said Reina was his¡ª"

    Feeding the littless a slice of cheese enough to fill her tiny mouth, Altair lifted her into his arms, and the girl giggled and squealed at the mischievous fingers tickling her ribs.

    "Oh, It''s good to see war has not changed you." Archbishop Albert inoned, beside the threshold with Edwin. He had a smile on his lips, though his eyes did not seem to reflect his smile. "It''s an honor to meet you again." He turned to Reina, and his gaze softened. "My Lady.'' He greeted, "Might I ask about your rtionship with this young man?"

    Reina was about to answer, but Altair spoke up first. "You needn''t answer that. Private matters ought to remain private." He lowered Aria down to her stubby feet and padded forward beside his woman. "Archbishop, to what do we owe the pleasure."

    "You do," The Archbishop fashioned a scroll from his robe and handed it to Altair. "Lord Edwin has informed me of your deeds on the battlefield. And you have aided¡­" He bit at the words that felt harder to sound. "Forwin in its time of need."

    "A deal is a deal," Lord ckwood said, epting the deed to his new estate. He eyed it, reading through its contents for any mistakes before sending it into Drupnir. " Always nice doing business with the Church of the Sepith. Though¡­"

    "Yes?"

    "I''m curious. What caused this Tide?"

    The Banquet hall had gone silent, and Fat Mike and Cedric both turned.

    The Archbishop seemed puzzled for a moment. "Even the likes of children know this." He frowned, noticing the nk stares of everyone listening. "Before the Church of the Sepith had crowned thend. Yarwin had been known as the domain of the Hells. It was a wretched ce. We humans were raised as cattle for demon kind.

    Our women were raped to help sire demon spawns, while the men were experimented on to be hideous abhorrent abominations that knew only how to breed and kill, while human children were raised to be Heralds of Astaroth."

    ''Why the human children? Why not demon-borns?" Fat Mike inquired. "Surely those born of the blood of a demon would be stronger."

    "They were also dumber. ves to sanguine lust and hunger. They cared little for worship and less for the master they served. So, some of the more intelligent demons¡­ devised a n to raise mortal children into Heralds of their Hell Lord. And it worked. Humans began to breed with one another more frequently, which not only supplied more material to the demons it brought a sense of unity to the realm.

    Suddenly, humans began to offer themselves up to the demons to be tortured and raped as a rite of passage."

    "Hells," Many whispered through the banquet halls, shaken to their very cores.

    "... So these Heralds¡­ seek to return thend to what it once was?" Cedric Vandel asked, with a quiver in his throat. His family had ruled the underbelly of earth, where thieves, rapers, and murderers festered. But the things he witnessed within thesends had been the stuff of nightmares.

    "They seek to return us to ves once more." The Archbishop dered. "So are the conditioned minds of the Heralds of Astaroth."

    ***

    Through the dark streets of Forwin, Altair had been silent. He had left the party early, finding it more stifling than rxing. And he was excited to enter his new home. Fat Mike''s attack had truly wiped out a great many demons, allowing Forwin''s troopers to retake any lostnd. Verrell had also begun instructing Trap Masters to begin inscribing explosion traps before the demons could regroup.

    At most, they had a week before the onught began again. And there were sure to be even stronger demons. Tier four, five, or sixth-level demons that might take to the field. It would soon be no ce no one below a particr circle should enter.

    How long he walked, sipping his ale with Reina on his arm, he did not know, but by the time his tankard had been emptied, his mind fogged by the drink, he was upon a broken gate and soon behind it.

    The Dune Estate had been plundered for most of its jewels and ornaments. Only the rugs and paintings that were toorge to carry and the library had been untouched. Shattered ss stood scattered over the ground, alongside vases broken in the raid. Still, the manner was beautifully regal andrge, with twenty rooms and three annexes South, East, and West of the main house.

    In the Master Bedroom, inside the adjoining bathroom. Altair drew water from the faucet into therge acrylic tub. He was surprised that Forwin was this advanced to create water lines beneath the streets, though the water was cold. But not for long, as Reina heated the water with her finger. While she could not conjure a me, she had no issue heating various metals and objects.

    The water had been scorching hot, boiling into vapers when Altair and Ren entered it. They moaned sweet sighs of relief, drenching their dirtied bodies in until they were red as lobsters and the water brown. They must have changed the waters three times before they finally rxed.

    "I''m d they didn''t take the tub," Reina said as the weight of battle drained itself from her weary bones. For nearly two months, she had dreamt of a bath such as this. She purred. "Ren wants to live in here."

    Despite his aversion to sleep, the lids of Lord ckwood''s eyes seemed to drip downwards. "I feel like I''m about to die."

    "Let''s die together," Reina mewled, closing her eyes tucked beneath her prince''s arms. Warm and secured, she yawned, and in seconds, they were asleep. Snoring loudly in each other''s arms. It wasn''t until theter hours of twilight that Altair woke.

    Weary, he moved from out of the water with Ren in his arms and onto the bed beside where they had left Kuu. And once again, he copsed into a deep slumber he didn''t know he craved.

    It wasn''t untilte noon that they woke, wrapped up like a burrito within the fur sheets, that the robber had been too disdainful to take. But with exchanged nces, they fell back asleep to rise the following dawn.

    Altair had been the first to wake. Eyes lids drown by the morning glow of molten light seeping through the curtains. He yawned, rising like a new man, and nced at Ren¡­ For all the years he had known her, she had never had the best sleeping habits. Many times, she slept like a dog on its back.

    It was a funny thing to see at times, and it was funny now as heughed.

    Leaning over her, he brushed his lips against hers with a devilish glow. And slowly, he did the same to her breast, stomach, and finally between her legs. The heat of his breath alone sent shudders jolting through the girl as she purred through her dreams.

    Her breath caught, and from her lips came a tantalizing moan that had stirred her from slumber at the tant intrusion from down below. She reeled from within the covers, her back arching as Reina''s fingers ran through the ck of his hair. Ren had always loved his hair. It was long and thick and felt like a waterfall of the finest silk against her fingers.

    When she came, Reina''s sweet moans seemed as sweet as her cunt, echoing through the room, filling the halls.

    "I could wake up every morning like that," she said, panting weakly through sharp gasps of air, spasming with the ache of her loins.

    Altair grinned and brushed his lips down her right ankle, admiring the view of the flushed maiden. "Then, is this considered my breakfast?" He kissed her feet, watching the rosy blush deepen.

    Reina covered her face. "Art¡­" She mewled. "You''re such a perv!"

 Chapter 144: Hell Tide: Spies

    "Should we not wake them?" Amilia asked beside the dinner table, surrounded by servants that Lord Edwin kindly offered. Filling the chairs around the table stood a great many, with Fat Mike and Hilda stationed on her left and right.

    "To do what?" Cedric asked, piercing his fork into a sausage. "Kill? The demons are still reeling after Mike''s spell, as far as I care. He can sleep all he wants." He lifted a tray of eggs and passed it down to Laros and Olivia. "What I''m interested in is figuring out what this mission of ours is."

    "More reason for us to wake Altair." Fat Mike said, swallowing an entire strip of steak. He looked nearly human now. Handsome even, with over three hundred pounds shredded from his face. A price he no doubt paid for casting a tier six spell. It had been no easy feat conjuring such magic. The toll it had taken had been massive.

    "I figure he''s already figured out our mission."

    "And you''d be right."

    "Master!" Sh, Lord ckwood''s maid, cried. "You''re awake."

    Altair pulled a chair out for Ren and pushed her in before taking a seat beside her. Sh hurried to him and fashioned a te for him, then Ren.

    "What do you mean?" Cedric asked.

    "It''s as I said¡­ though I''ve no interest in exining it to anyone," Altair exined, to everyone''s shock. Gasps followed by curses were quick toe and quick to end as he continued. "Someone tried to kill me by imnting a bomb in Vadi''s chest. I can only assume that''s how we all got here." he lifted the brew of coffee Sh had poured for him and elegantly sipped it before offering thanks.

    "My guess is the explosion that went off interfered with the hidden dungeon, expanding it until¡ª"

    "Everyone was sucked in. Hells," said Fat Mike. "I remember a golden light¡­ I was watching¡­ protecting everyone, but¡­ Then I lost consciousness."

    Altair gave a stern nod. "Indeed." He turned to Alyssa at the far end of the table with suspicion. "My guess was that a God intervened. The Goddess Athena. That I now owe dearly."

    He could still recall the medallion Alyssa had given him. And even without proof, he felt that¡­ He knew it was her doing. For him to awake without any clothing was proof that he was caught in the st.

    Altair shifted his gaze back to everyone at the table. "I don''t like owing people. Especially God''s."

    Laros banged, his palm over the table, sending silverware flying across the room. "That is treason!"

    "Is it?" Mused Reina, twirling her fingers around the rim of her cup. "There is a traitor amongst us. Hey, they could be in this room, or they could be lost in this unexplored realm." She lifted her lips into two sharp arcs. "I''ll side with Altair as well and not speak on this matter either."

    "Then what do you suppose?" Cedric asked grimly. He hadn''t nned for this.

    "First, we get Telmunications back online." Fat Mike became the first to say. "We''ve got a few engineers. It might take a while. Two-three months. But¡ª

    "In that time, I''d like you all to follow my lead." Lord ckwood remarked, buttering his bread.

    "Bastard," Laros, alongside a few others Altair didn''t recognize, said. There had been a great many people he didn''t recognize at his table.

    "This is ridiculous!" A tall blue-haired man with a windburnt face from his travels barked. "You are just a recruit. You''ve barely been with the military for two months!"

    "He''s right!" Another shouted, this one with a metal visor that he had imnted in-lue of his eyes.

    "Then leave." Altair gestured." Right now, you sit at my table, eat my food, and sleep on the bed I offer. Try your hands on the battlefield. Go out and kill demons. The deed is in my name. Not Fat Mikes, Amelia''s, or Cedrics. Mine.

    Altair ckwood. Mine."

    "You only got this ce because of Fat Mike," the blue-haired boy dered. Vance, they called him.

    Altair only shrugged."True. But his actions fell in line with my schemes. Sue me. I used you, and I''ll continue to do so. Do you find fault with me, Fat Mike?"

    "Not at all," The lean man said,ughing. "I''ve got a few more questions, but¡­ we''ll have to speak in private. You''ve my full support. Although, if you''re out of line¡ª"

    "I know." The Prince said. There was a limit to everything. "Then my firstmand is simple. Stay away from the Church of the Sepith."

    ***

    After they had returned to their quarters to change, it was Reina who spoke first. "You know they''ll go to the church, right? Especially that idiot Laros. Why would you tell them that?"

    Fishing out a tankard of Blood from Draupnir Altair gave it a whiff, savoring the scent and swirled it around. "That''s the whole point. The church will be looking for information on me. Perhaps even you." His mind shed to the Archbishop''s stare that banquet night. " Those fools will flock to the church believing I''m hiding something."

    "To what end?"

    "To know who my enemies are," Altair responded. "Amilia, I think I can trust her. It''s maybe for Fat Mike. The rest¡­ well, he smiled. I''llpel a few to spy for me to get a full grasp on who I need to dispose of and don''t¡­ seems Laros will finally be able to show his worth. A high noble like him.

    I''m sure they''ll flock to him like nats to shit. I''ll kill them all then." He said and swallowed the gnoll''s blood.

    [Ding]

    [Lesser Demon, Gnoll Blood Consumed.]

    [Your Strength has increased by 5]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 5]

    Savoring the blood like fine-age wine, Altair finished the tankard.

    ''I get it now. The woman I ate back on base didn''t have higher stats than me. So, it took a while to build up. Small bites also don''t work. I need to Devour at least a pint.'' He smiled and peeped up at Ren, changing into her battle attire. "If she had my physique¡­ "

    "Hey¡­ art¡­ Ren knows what her favor is." Steam was practically rising from her face as Reina stammered to speak.

    "Oh? And what''s that?"

    Batting her golden eyes, Reina looked away. "... that¡­ that thing you y-y-y-you did this m-m-m-morning."

    "So the tables have turned!" Lord ckwoodughed. "Look who''s the pervert now!!!! Bad Ren! Bad!"

    The youngss practically hid beneath all the sheets and pillows, dying of embarrassment.

    "ART~"

    Crackling up at his lovely mate made pure by the Eight forms, Altair snickered, somewhat content. "Alright, though, you''ll have to tell me for how long. Two days, three, a week, a year, ten? My oh my, you have to be a real pervert to want¡ª

    "A WEEK!!!!!" Ren squealed, having never been so ashamed in her life. She whimpered.

    "A week!" Altair joked in a loud, obnoxious tone, trying his all not to guffaw."How many times a day? Two? Three? Four? I''m a hungry man, Ren."

    "Art~" She mewled in a ming tone.

    "Looks like I''ll be having Ren for moon, noon, and night."

    When, atst, the youngss peeped her head out, red as her hair, she was ring like a wronged cat. "You are mean¡­ A big bully!"

    "Only when your eyes are gold." He mused. Ren was like prey when she held those eyes. Easy to tease and trick.

    Reina grimaced and unrolled from her sheets. "You know I can''t control it. I¡ª" she frowned,ing short as her gaze grew sharp and her mind like still water. " Shhh," She hissed with a gesture.

    Altair did, frowning. When he saw Ren gesture to her nose. She bolted off with Broken Moon swift as a shadow. She seamlessly opened the window and lept nearly twenty meters into the air in a single bound, conjuring her Greatsword that howled, cutting through thin air. Blood fell from an empty space in a great stream, following a great shriek, alerting everyone.

    From nothingness came a cloaked figure crashing down into the earth, with arge gash from his shoulder to his groan, falling head first into his courtyard. When hended, the gut-wrenching sound of bone shattering resounded.

    ''His neck broke,'' Lord ckwood determined before he shouted, "Don''t approach! Remember Vadi!" he cautioned.

    Reina leaped back, but from her shadow, a small ck Mamba hissed, wiggling towards the stranger.

    "What''s going on," came Fat Mike, rushing out with Amilia by his side. "Reina? And¡­" he frowned, looking down at the stranger.

    "Stay back," Altairmanded, leaping down from his quarters. The ck Mamba tossed over the corpse and formed the wreckage to reveal a distorted face, bashed in by the impact of his fall.

    "He was invisible," Altair told him, allowing the ck Mamba to do its job.

    Suddenly, his brow creased when he saw the red flesh of the humanoid begin to bleed strange arcs of bloody light. His eyes narrowed, and his intuition whispered a cry of warning.

    "Away," He hastily said, leaping back. The others did the same as the stranger''s fingers grew thick like sausages. His arms and legs seemed to bloat, increasing to nearly thrice their original size. The body exploded into a fine mist, smearing the earth red.

    "What the¡­" Fat Mike began, falling short as the red transitioned to violet and then ck, sizzling as if to scorch the earth. The grass began to wilt, and the soil began to liquefy into a puddy mass of bile that smelt of dung. "Corpse Explosion?! An evolved one. Shit."

    Covering her nose, Reina growled. "How are we supposed to clean this up?"

    "We''ve got worse things to worry about." Altair grimaced. "Invisibility is not an easy spell to learn. Had Ren not smelled him, I might have missed him."

    "What''s all themotion," shouted Cedric charging out. He was wielding a golden spear that carried an edge of obsidian ck. Ordemented with the crest of the silver dragon of House Vandel, over the spear''s face and down the shaft, ordained with runes.

    It was a stunning de and exquisitely crafted. Yet Altair could not help but wonder where such a spear came from. Cedric did not seem to have to possess a Drupnir Ring, nor did his spear give off the sensation his hunting bow carried. So it wasn''t from the gods.

    So, where did the speare from?

    "A spy," said Fat Mike calmly. "A Herald of Astaroth, perhaps?"

    ''Must be due to Fat Mike,'' Lord ckwood determined. "I''ve got to visit Edwin''s estate. But I''ll leave this matter to you guys." He said. "Hilda, let''s go."

    "Ummm." Amilia raised her hand. " can Ie along as well?"

    "And me!" Nia said.

    Reina seemed to narrow her eyes. "Art seems to always be surrounded by beautiful women." She whispered.

    "Lady Reina, might I have a word?"

    Before Ren could reply to Alyssa, Altair spoke first. "You see what she wants. I''ll be back in an hour, maybe less."

 Chapter 145: Hell Tide: Reign

    Within the study of the ckwood Manner, Reina had not been happy. She did not like being apart from Altair, and she did not like Alyssa. The way the Amazon stared at her Prince had always made her hot in the face, though she was loath to admit it. Alyssa was beautiful. Dark-colored skin over hazel eyes glistening with the golden flecks of morning light.

    Her hair was braided and oiled, and despite the long travels, smelt of the earth.

    Reina had been inclined to remain poised like her Prince, to show a smile to everyone, but she could not bring herself to do so before Alyssa.

    "Reina¡­" Alyssa began. " May I ask what you remember of that dreadful explosion?"

    "Not much," She admitted, though they had managed to piece a few things together. "Why do you ask?"

    "Two of my sisters died," Alyssa said ominously, lifting her ornamental bracelet where two cracked rubies shone. "Audry¡­ the one whose arm you cut off and Tothra. I didn''t see how Audrey died¡­ but Tothra blood smeared my face as a stone bashed open her skull."

    "Hells," Reina heard herself say.

    "We amazons live for battle. It''s the dream of every Amazonian to die on the battlefield rather than in our beds, old and decayed." She was looking at Reina now with a hazel-eyed fury. "What happened back there had been¡­she didn''t deserve that. None of them did."

    So she seeks revenge, Reina reflected. "And what would you have me do? Whye to me? Why not Altair?"

    "The only use a man has to us Amazons are their cocks," said Alyssa with nary a blush. "I came to you because you bested me and my sisters single-handedly. Not Altair. "

    For a second, Reina nearly believed her. "So I''m to aid you in your quest? And what is it I gain from this alliance?"

    "A loyal handmaid. A pawn." Alyssa shook. She had not even been able to take Tohra into her arms before her body was hurled away, never to be seen again. "I don''t care. Help me¡­ and I''ll do anything."

    It wasn''t until high noon that Altair returned to find Ren in deep thought. Sipping tea within the atrium, bathed in light, looking out at the clear view of Forwin. It had seemed so deste from what she had remembered.

    Reina had appeared lost in what to do with Alyssa. She had never much cared for followers or servants. That was Altair''s job, she believed. He was the Prince, the lord who bore that invisible crown of his since the day they met.

    ''Am I to also take up that mantle?'' She looked down, finding her tea cold to the touch and her heart weighted by duty.

    "What''s got you all worked up?" Altair asked. He took a seat beside her and gestured to the servants to leave them.

    Reina smiled at his return. "Art¡­" she said when they were alone. "Do you n on being a king one day?"

    ''Naturally,'' he wanted to say but held his tongue, noticing Reina''s troubled expression. "Why do you ask?"

    Bitterly, Ren told Altair of Alyssa and her quest for revenge.

    ''So there is a part of Ren that feels empathy, or is it guilt? Guilt that the attack meant to kill us killed another?'' The Prince reflected, unsure what to say.

    Altair had been born to rule. Had been conditioned since birth. He had the charm, the knowledge. All that was missing was the people and the kingdom.

    "If I am to remain by your side, I don''t want to be a shadow upon your heel." She told him, resting her head against his broad shoulders. "Though I am loath to rule."

    Heughed. "Then what will you do?"

    "What else but reign by your side."

    ***

    For the next few days, Altair had found himself busy and weak. He had made arge decision the day he returned from Edwin''s estate. One that left him weak. And that was to purge his shadows. To banish them back from whence they came.He only kept eight: Kirr, Jorm, Talia, Aurora, and four Sellswords souls he acquired the day he woke in Yarwin.

    The pain of it all had left him weak, spasming beneath the sheets, breathless. The pain of it all was the stuff of nightmares. Yet he did not regrete morning. What had filled their ce were the Ravens. Forwin was drowning with them, havinge from all around the realm to seek the flesh of the man, woman, and child alike. The city had wreaked of death.

    So, no one had batted an eye, especially Cedric and the Archbishop, as they stood facing one another outside the great Cathedral of Light, under the eye of the Raven.

    "It hade as a surprise one such as yourself would seek me out." The Archbishop of Sepith began, following the shrieking caw of the Raven. The Archbishop didn''t pay much mind. "What can I do for you, Cedric Vandel?"

    "You remember my name," Cedric said, studying the man, who bore a ceremonial smile, one that did not quite reach his eyes.

    "Of course. Just the other day. A Mr. Aros came to me and his little band to seek me out." The Archbishop revealed. "Though I don''t believe I was much help. "

    ''Which was why I was here.'' Cedric thought and said, "It''s of no consequence. I''vee to understand more about the church." He narrowed his eyes with a crooked smile. "I''ve heard ofyour Rites, of your chosen, but I''ve yet to hear much of the Church itself, said to be more powerful than the Throne of the Seven Crowns."

    The Archbishopughed poshly. "You tter us. But the Church of Sepith merely seeks to spread its Principalities of Order."

    "Oh, I''m sure," said Cedric. "Is there a ce we can speak? I''ve much to ask."

    "And much I''d like to hear."

    The Raven crowed and pped its wings, taking off with a flutter of leaves that left feathers dancing through the skies. It''s one dull, eye-mused, a strange light that faded as quickly as it came.

    A spring ofughter consumed the atrium of the ckwood Manner. There he stood with his devilish smile, contemting his next move. Nia, with her Dual Pupils, was staring him down, annoyed by his suddenugh.

    "This isn''t aughing matter, Altair." she hissed. "I should be on smithing, forging us weapons for the months ahead. The weapons that Forwin offers are no better than a spearhead of dung. Look at the way they''ve butchered your sword, forged of Mithril! Mithril! That much alone could purchase an entire sector!

    Yet some stupid dwarf saw to rape his material with his poor skill."

    "Hells," said Altair, aghast. He could still remember the day Nia had seen his sword during his routine training some early morning. She cried an ugly cry. With a look of disgust, he could not ce anywhere. Mithril was indeed a powerful Ore, sought out by transcendents and gods alike. If forged right, a sword forged of Mithril could cut through the dimensional walls of space.

    She had snatched it from his hand and puked that day. "The metals did not even refine right!" she had cried right after. "All that bastard did was make a pretty-looking de."

    Altair gave a long sigh. " I know. But right now, we need to prioritize survival. And killing demons will help us do that." He said, noticing the unease written over her face. "If you can max out the full capabilities of your second circle. I''ll have you be our forgemaster."

    Nia looked cross. "You mean that?"

    "I''ve no reason to lie to someone so weak," He pointed out. "I''ve already spoken to Verrell about Amilia taking over as the Head Witch Doctor. To which he epted quite promptly after seeing her skills. Amilia is a fifth Circle Mage. If I am to bring this up to Verrell, you need to at least show yourself to be at the peak of your rank." he paused, thinking for a moment.

    "I''ve read Dual Pupils grants great insight and foresight. I''m sure you''ll do well on the battlefield."

    "And will you be joining us?" Nia had wanted to ask, but the words didn''t sound. She had all but heard the soldiers spit at his name with fear. Talking of how he seemed more demon than human. It was puzzling, really. On Earth, or perhaps any of the Genisis colonies, such a feat would be praised. But not, Yarwin.

    Not by the Realm so tied to the Church of Sepith.

    ''Act a demon, and you''ll be treated as such.'' Nia thought. Unsure how anyone could see him as anything but a lordling.

    "You will be with Reina, Talia, Aurora, and myself." Altair stood up, decked in a ck wool doublet and britches over boots. He yawned and gave Nia a charming smile. "We will be returning to battle tomorrow. Though I hope you are ready. Thest thing I need is to bring back your remains."

    With that, he was off, returning to his study, to his fifth meeting for today, to where a blue-haired boy awaited him. Vance, they called him. And had been one of the troublemakers when he first arrived.

    "What can I do for you?" Altair asked, finding his seat behind his abhorrentlyrge desk. When Altair had first seen it, he had wanted tough at the ridiculousness of it.

    Vance squirmed ufortably in his seat, having to look up at Altair. "The noble fraction are growing restless and are demanding that they be allowed into the main house or that themoners be kicked out."

    Altair made a face. "I''m confused."

    Of the hundred that followed, outside Fat Mike and Cedric. Ten of them had been highborns. And had been allowed to reside in one of the three annexes within the estate. It had been Fat Mike who had made the suggestion that they all remain together, and Altair had agreed. There was strength in numbers.

    "They im the stench of themoners is¡­"

    "You asked for a meeting because of an issue like that?" Altair said incredulously. "The smell. The nobles areining about the smell¡­ the smell."

    "Yes," Vance said, not picking up on the scorn in which Altair spoke. " Lord Thayem says that themoners ought to be ced in pavilions or be tossed onto the wall. Granting them a ce in such a lovely Manor is a most cruel punishment, wouldn''t you agree? Most of thesemoners have never even so much as had servants a day in their lives. But now they are fed three times a day.

    Some of their living quarters are asrge as their entire house back on Earth. How will they ever survive when they return?"

    "... the smell." The Prince repeated.

    "Well? What do you say?"

    "The smell¡­"

    "I''m sorry?" Vance responded. "Lord ckwood, forgive me for saying this, but this is your chance. Not counting Fat Mike or Lord Vandel, this is your chance to rise back on Earth. Yarwin is a backwater realm. When we arrived, we saw soldiers eating rats and snakes. Whatever they could find.

    Cats and dogs." He reeled, disgusted by the memory. " There savages, my Lord. I wouldn''t be surprised if they would begin eating othermoners."

    Altair stared at the man, wondering how someone could be so blind. So what if they were eating rats? This was war. And to survive, he expects nothing less. It wasn''t something to be shamed over. Those men and women were fighting tooth and nail for their families and friends.

    ''It''s like night and day.'' Altair told himself. Recalling the day, Nia scolded him for torturing one of their fellow soldiers. He had felt more disgusted by her attitude then. Nia had a noble heart. She did what she thought was right. And while he didn''t always approve, he respected it.

    But this man.

    Altair didn''t understand what he was feeling at this moment as he pointed towards his door. "Tell your nobles they''ll be on the battlefield tomorrow. If they don''t like it, they can find somewhere else to live. Now get out."

    "You! Lord ckwood. You know as well as I do. That this battle is unwinnable, those demons are unending." Vance swore. " we¡ª"

    "I''ve never been one to repeat myself, " the Prince said coldly, his voice thick with presence.

    Vance visibly paled and waddled out.

    On top of his chair that sat like a throne, Altair felt a tinge of bitterness filling his mouth. "You may scorn a man for his lifestyle, but never shame him for it." He stood up and looked towards the great Cathedral of Light, off in the distance through his window.

    His thoughts were¡­ fathomless.

 Chapter 146: Hell Tide: Into the Storm

    Feverish, Reina screamed a moan, sinking fingers into her bedding as her insides reeled out of her control. She sang like a bard, jerking her hips off the bed, her enammering golden eyes rolling to the back of her head. And for a moment, her mind nked of all thoughts but the sweet writhing pleasure vigorously hounding her loins.

    "Again," She wishfully demanded, clutching the boy''s Raven-colored hair drowning between her legs. She moaned and mewled, reeling and lurching, gasping for air that never seemed enough.

    Altair peeped up, staring at Reina''s breathless expression flushed red. His tongue suddenly flicked, snapping against her slit, sending her world ame. Reina jerked up even higher, her back arching in such a way Altair wondered if her spine broke. Yet her sweet moans seemed to soothe his worries. Though not for long as once again, he was drowned in a sweet waterfall.

    ''I wonder if this is how it feels to be waterboarded.'' He wondered. ''Not a bad feeling.''

    "I~can''t~stop~cumming~ahhhhh!" Ren screamed. Engulfed by a seething heat, Reina tumbled back down, shuddering at the throbbing ache eating away at her sanity. She felt his lips upon hers.

    "What a lovely expression," Altair said, taken by her lewd expression, wet by saliva dripping from her lips. Her misty gold eyes were filled with a breathtaking gleam. He stole another kiss, allowing her to taste herself. And her eyes rolled back yet again, unsure when her three-minute-long orgasm would end.

    Sprawled out and naked, her breast bare and her cunt dripping. Altair steered the image into his mind and vowed he''d recreate it.

    "I feel like a whore," was the first thing Ren said when she came too, garnering her a peculiar stare from Altair.

    He nearlyughed. "You''ve never even seen a whore."

    "Have to! I saw videos."

    Again, Altair shot her a peculiar stare. "And what were you doing watching those types of videos?"

    Ren had the grace to blush, pulling the nket over her naked body. She dared not peep at her prince.

    It had only been once or twice¡­ maybe seven or eight times¡­ nine or ten¡­

    "Well, you''re not," he told her, poking her cheek. Ren had always liked it when he did that. It made her feel special, especially when he offered her head pats. "Come¡­ it''s time to return to the frontlines."

    Reluctantly, the two pulled themselves from the bed into the showers and into their surcoats for the days, if not months, ahead.

    "We might need some heavier armor. I''ve read up on hellions in the library." Reina began trying on her boots. "The weaker ones are animal-shaped, but the humanoid variants are absolute menaces."

    "... this Realm is quite restrictive. So a lot of skills are sealed." He said, helping her tie her boots before they were out the door. "We''re lucky in a sense. God knows how powerful these Hellions would be if they could use fire Maniption or any of the other elements."

    "It''s almost like this Realm was specifically chosen to restrict higher-level beings, To give these humans a chance," Ren added, and Altair couldn''t have said it better.

    For it was indeed true: Hellions especially were known for their unnatural Maniption of Fire said to rival those born of the Elements themselves.

    Through the hall and down the serpentine staircase, Nia stood armed in an obsidian ringmail breastte, bracers, and greaves. On her back stood her spear, which he had paid a pretty penny for.

    Much like his Shadoww, Nia''s spear was forged of mythril. Though, the de had not been forged for her. But rather a lordling who had fled days before the arrival of the Hell Tide, the spear had been longer than she liked, and the shaft too thick for her small hands, but it could cut and would not break, and that was enough.

    Beside her stood Olivia, Alyssa, Laros, Hilda, and his Fallen Shadows.

    The Hell Tide beyond the wall had greatly slowed thanks to the Bad Of Thor that had shifted the structure of the earth. And Lord Verrell did not waste any time fortifying his lostnd.

    Commanding his first, second, and third infantry out, Verrell led them into battle over the regiments of demons.

    Fat Mike, Cedric, and Amilia had already graced the battlefield once or twice, but they weren''t here today. Rather, it was Hilda who stood silently behind Altair, studying the boy.

    He had grown much these past few months, reaching well over six feet, and not even his surcoat could hide his physique. Hilda and Amelia had many timespared him to an Olympian god from the Old Scripts when he trained, bare-chested.

    "Holy Water! Get your Holy Water!" Came the loud booming shout of men across the wall. "Bane of Evil! Get it now! Fresh from the Church of the Sepith."

    "Holy water," Said Nia, ogling the translucent sk of azure light that almost seemed like caged mes crashing against each other like waves.

    "Get some. Reina and I don''t need it. But it''ll do you well." Altair said and pressed forward to his pavilion, untouched by the raging war. Holy Water had its use of suspending a demon''s regeneration, and depending on the purity, it could purify any lesser demon to ash, much like what the Light of Reina''s Sacred me did.

    Its secondary purpose was to allow normal humans to injure demons despite the towering level of attributes. Holy Water was able to cut through the flesh of any demon with mild resistance.

    "Is this where we''ll be staying?" Laros boldly asked, eyeing the single bedrge enough for two.

    "No. It''s where I''ll be staying." Altair boasted. "You can set up a tent nearby or bunk with the members of the first infantry. It''s of no consequence to me."

    Laros made a fist. "Am I also supposed to fight with them?"

    "No. But if you slow me down. I''ll ship you off to them. You can''t use your Phoenixmes, so it makes your usefulness to me all the more insignificant." Altair fastened Shadoww to his belt, unbothered by the ugly grimace Laros was showing him. "We''ll be on the front line for twelve hours. I figured that''s how long you guys canst.

    And I''ve much to do."

    "What of Kirr and Jorm?" Talia asked.

    "They''ll be harvesting those we kill. I need as many Hearthstones as possible. Reina, too." He answered.

    When Nia returned, offering everyone Holy Water, Altair gave everyone a nod before they moved out onto the high road or what was left of it after the Bad of Thor had carved out arge valley off into the distance.

    Embered mes of Hellions illuminated through the ck rain in the distance, marking hundreds of thousands, bringing about a fear that turned Nia''s and Laros''s bones to water. They gulped, sensing the presence stifling the air.

    Altair saw this all but said nothing of it. The Hell Tide was sure tost a few more months, maybe even a year. Of that, he was sure. The Heralds of Astaroth had prepared. And while the Tide might slow. There was sure to be moreing.

    "Are we going there?" Laros breathed in a wisp of despair.

    "Hilda, protect those that need it," Altairmanded before barrelling ahead. He charged, dodging or cutting through Firebolts invoked by the airborne imps. Sending frights through the noobie''s hearts.

    Arrows rained, like the hammering of rain over the skies, drowned by the shrieking of demons and the screams of humans. And everything smelt of piss and shit rather than blood. But the further they charged, all that came was the grueling scent of brimstone. It made their eyes wet and their hearts cold.

    "Here theye!" Lord ckwood shouted, meeting the gaze of two Gnolls.

    His aura erupted as the Will of the Abyss cast a shadow of despair over the demons, stealing their mobility alongside their sense of will. Imps and banshees alike tumbled from the air, starstruck by the horrid presence.

    "Attack!" Altairmanded, aiming for the Gnolls. "Kill the Banshees."

    The song of a Banshee was like a nightmare to those who had heard it long enough. It rotted the mind, along with the soul, until most found themselves eating their swords.

    Nia was the first to strike, wielding her spear tainted by the tongues of holy mes. Her de pierced through the throat of one, exploding out the back. Ashes fluttered out like trickles of blood before the half-naked demon fluttered its ckened feathers, opening its elongated mouth that bore rows of jagged teeth.

    Azure mes caught the beast, bubbling the flesh of the demon until it stilled, erupting into a mist of ash.

    Nia had experienced three levels from that alone. When the w of an imp caught her across the cheek, tearing out the flesh and bone. She screeched, wanting to retreat. But a coldness prated her bones, and before she realized it, her body stilled.

    [You have Been Paralyzed]

    The Imp lunged at her, seeking to tear her throat out. Its head flew high into the air, dropping over the earth as Reina emerged with her greatsword, pouring holy water over Nia''s wounds before she was off again. Flickering through the battlefield, reaping whatever caught her eye.

    Fear came with the return of her mobility, as did the cruel sting of her wound. And yet Nia had no time to despair as hundreds of demons began to swarm them. Her spear whirled into spirographic patterns, cutting and piercing until she was drenched and her armor shredded.

    Cuts lined her body in a bloody fray of madness. And try as she could, the demons continued.

    So this was war¡­'' she thought, swallowed by the darkness that had taken her. She dropped to her knees, clutching her spear, still and unmoving. Kirr carted her off while Hilda held onto Laros, whose arm dangled, held on by flesh rather than bone.

    "Not even an hour," Altair told himself, scratching his head. He nced at his shadows, perfectly content in their ughter. Altair felt he was looking at lesser versions of himself. His eyes moved to Alyssa, barely holding onto her sword. And he knew¡­ he had transcended the level of those his age.

    He stifled a rueful smile, unsure why he felt so disappointed, andmanded Jorm to take Alyssa in; seeing her in a simr state to Nia, he pushed ahead without much regard. Cutting through demons with the grace of a dancer, Altair, Reina, and his shadows stood side by side, drowned on all sides. Andughed within the center of the blood-red storm.

 Chapter 147: Hell Tide: Eight Months

    Upon the mountain of mutted demons butchered like cattle, Reina sat like a goddess of war, stained as red as her hair. Her golden eyes fixed upon Laros on one knee, too weak to stand. She stood in her contempt, stunning without w. She slid down the bodies on a severed gnoll arm and trailed past him.

    Panting and gasping, his lungs aze by hardship, Laros pushed down on his sword to aid him up.

    "Eight months, and this is all you can do," Reina expressed without much regard. She left, returning to her pavilion to the hot bath Talia had prepared for her. Scorching hot, Ren couldn''t have torn off her armor fast enough as she sunk in, blissfully moaning a breath of relief.

    "Gods, I needed this," Ren hooted, cresting her head against the wooden rim of her tub.

    Treading her finger through her hair, Talia began untangling her matted hair. "Are you missing, Master? It''s been about a week since they went to meet up with the Sword of the King."

    Reina sank lower into the tub, blowing bubbles against the water. "It''s even harder to believe it''s been eight months." She sighed, enjoying the soothing waters permeating her bones. "Ten months we''ve been in this godless hell."

    Brushing out knots from her hair, Talia felt her lips perked up. "Least you have, Master."

    She grinned. "Yeah. Speaking of. It''s October, isn''t it? And Art is making thirteen by the end of this month. Should we do something?"

    "Grant us an heir, mydy!" Talia said brightly.

    "Ehh!!!"

    "A mini master! Oh boy!!!!"

    "I¡­ I¡­ I can''t have a baby!" Ren hastily said, shaking her head. She didn''t want kids. Not when a curse hung over her head. " but¡­ Art did say when hees back¡­" She blushed deeply, lowering her face beneath the scorching waters. She grinned and arose. "The Tide has begun to slow again.

    So we''ll have a lot of rest."

    "Is that code for fucking?" Talia jested, sneaking a chuckle at her Lady''s blush.

    Puffing out her cheek, Ren snorted, too embarrassed to give an answer. She changed the topic." The Church is furious that the rite is being dyed and has sent the Dawnbreakers to mount a defense: This is an excuse now that Forwin has lost more than sixty percent of its forces. Bastards. Food is at an all-time low, and crops aren''t growing in this hellish Rain. The way I see it.

    The sepith are trying to weaken Edwin''s forces." She grimaced. "I''m sure those bastards will begin luring people to take one of the Seven Vows to help grow their congregation. Much like what they''re doing with all the residents of Forwin."

    "It''s a solid n. The Church only sent healers out. Not soldiers. Most of the men owe their lives to these Maidens. I''m sure most of themoners are too stupid to understand that they''re being yed for fools."

    "Most want the Tide to End." Reina mused, twirling her fingers through the water. " They''ll see the Church as heroes. Or at least that''s how history will write it." She closed her eyes, weary from the constant brush of battle.

    Reina didn''t remember falling asleep or when Talia had pulled her from the tub and padded her body dry. She woke around sundown, groggy and dry-mouthed, and a rumbling pang in her belly.

    "I''m hungry," Ren muttered. She had been eating more as ofte. And unlike Altair, Reina had been steadfast against eating demons, forcing her to scour the forest for food. Whatever she found was usually tainted by the hellish ck Rain or by the vile presence of Demons, rendering them inedible, at least to humans or lower lifeforms.

    Ren was neither but didn''t like the idea of eating anything touched by the hells.

    It had taken much for Altair to force her into eating demons with him. And even then, Ren had to call upon the Eight Form to change her mental alignment. It had been hard, but the more she practiced, the more she found it increasingly easier.

    Still, she didn''t like the idea of eating creatures whose existence ranked lower than dung in her golden eyes.

    For a while, shey there tossing and turning when she frowned. Popping her head up, she listened.

    It had stopped. The ck Rain had stopped.

    Rushing out of the tent, Ren looked up at the vanishing clouds receding over the horizon. And gave a joyous gasp at the bathingnd in a sheen of molten gold. Sunlight radiated through Forwin for the first time in eight months, consuming thend in a feigned warmth that slowly became a familiar one.

    One by one, soldier after soldier stepped out of their barracks. Pale-faced and gaunt, withered by hunger, that made skin cling to the bone. They stared up at the sun, their hollow, sunken eyes somehow growing wet.

    "It''s over," one man said, staggering to his knees. Heughed andughed andughed, but there was no joy or relief. No sense of aplishment. Just¡­ heartbreak.

    Echos of whimpers seemed to resound over the Wall and despite the demons still attacking. Still baring their fangs. The humans all wept.

    "The Hell Tide was over¡­" they all prayed.

    "No," Reina denied. Hurrying on in a single tunic and trousers. She red at the various demons trashing against the barrier around Forwin. "Things might have only just gotten worse." She didn''t know why, but Ren had felt like all this¡­ was a prelude to something more. The more she thought of it, the more she felt more sure of herself.

    ck clouds, ck Rain, Demons ravaging thend. It had all felt¡­ like a¡­

    She frowned, the thought escaping her. "We need to escape this hell. I miss good food."

    "THERE BACK! THERE BACK!!!"

    "The Sword of Dawn is here!"

    "Where saved!"

    "Food! They''ve got food!"

    "And water!"

    The soldiers shouted and screamed. From young and old, they charged south of the Wall to where held the least amount of Demons, unlike the north and western sectors. The south side was rtively safe.

    Reina followed after a few soldiers and frowned, noticing Altair''s chilling expression in the distance. Even from miles away, she could see his scowl and not his usual half-smile. And she wondered what was wrong.

    Curiously, Reina scanned the caravan of forty thousand men, unsure what she was looking for, when she saw him and her gut wrenched.

    And it all came crashing back like a great flood. The Memory of what had happened ten months ago.

    She shuddered, recalling how her barrier of blood ice melted like ice beneath the sun''s re, tearing into their bodies.

    Altair was a ghastly pale channeling the power of the vale, cloaking her with its power when it appeared. From the Vale, a Raven or perhaps a crow that bore three eyes pierced through the light.

    "I''m free! I''m free!" It shrieked, bellowing a lone cry to the heavens, forcing back the ion st swallowing them. "Corn! Corn!!" It crowed.

    Blood had soaked their bodies and withered their clothes to dust before¡­ she appeared. A goddess of gold.

    "Reese¡­" Reina said, spying a familiar face. She red at him within the caravan. Her fist clenched, and a sh of scarlet shimmered through the gold of her eyes. "I will not make the same mistake again." She vowed. "I''ll make sure to kill you. This time around.

    I swear I''ll take your head."

    It was dark out by the time the caravan arrived, gleaming a cool, dim light beneath the four moons of Yarwin. And Lord ckwood wasn''t in the least bit interested in the Sword of the King, much less entertaining him and his council. From the moment they arrived at the southern gates, Altair made for his estate.

    Entering with dark, sullen eyes, a ss of brandy greeted him at the entrance of his study.

    Ren slid the ss to him across the desk, and the two drank in silence. Savoring the drink until their heads were light. The brandy was bitter, with the sting of amber honey, and aged barley aged for nearly seven decades. It was a bit too bitter for Reina''s pte, but Altair quite liked it.

    "It''s my fault." She lifted the bandy to her lips, sipping it with a heavy heart. "I allowed it to get this far."

    "We all have enemies, Ren." He followed suit, gulping down a shot with a flush. "Things are bound to get more lively." He grinned, pouring himself a ss from the decanter. "Cedric is spending more time with the Church. While Laros is nursing his rtionships with the noble fractions."

    "When do we go on the offensive?"

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 10% ¡ú 74%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 38 ¡ú 51]

    Strength: 36 ¡ú 73

    Dexterity: 73 ¡ú 96

    Constitution: 123 ¡ú150

    Wisdom: 125 ¡ú 152

    Charisma: 125 ¡ú 152

    Mana: 28 ¡ú 32

    Name: Reina of the Moon (ckwood)

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 32% ¡ú 81%]

    ss: [Blood Nephilim Lv 7 ¡ú 51]

    Strength: 54 ¡ú 169

    Dexterity: 30 ¡ú 65

    Constitution: 39 ¡ú 93

    Wisdom: 64 ¡ú 152

    Charisma: 64 ¡ú 152

    Mana: 25 ¡ú 30

    The prince stared at their growth and couldn''t resist a chuckle. These past eight months, they had barely spent time off the battlefield. Spending months at a time refining their mana or honing their des and other skills. The two had spent months swimming through rivers of blood until their hands blistered and their nose trickled with blood.

    "Tonight." He answered. " The Sword of the King, Vanquess, has invited all of us into the Cathedral of Sepith. They sent a carrier pigeon three days in advance to prepare." Altair stood up, lightheaded from the brandy. "I think it''s time we start cutting the weeds."

    Reina lowered her ss to hisrge oak desk. "Who, perchance, are we cutting?"

    "Reese Thorvel," Altair answered, heading out of his office down the hall and to his quarters, where a lovely red dress and ck tailored suit with a tailcoat awaited them. Procured by Lord Edwin, no doubt. He admired the dress that reflected beautiful red scales cascading down its V-shape front. The dress was stunning without question, and Reina seemed unable to pull her gaze from it.

    Altair gave a light chuckle. "I did promise that tonight would be the night, didn''t I." he grinned almost evilly. "I wonder what I''ll like more. You in that dress or bare."

 Chapter 148: Oathkeepers

    Within the bailey of the Cathedral of Light, mmers ofughter fluttered through the open air free of the Hellish Rain that had gued Forwin for thest eight months. Moonlight dripped over the Cathedral of Light, which shone a deep gold under its aimless rays, reflecting hundreds of carriages entering through the crystalke moat onto the bailey.

    Lords anddies, merchants and schrs aplenty stepped down one after the other, enjoying the glow they''d nearly forgotten. The radiance had been stunning and more than weing.

    "Goodness," Lady Erri professed, peering down at theke. "How is it that despite eight months of that grotesque rain, the church''s water is so clear? I can even see my reflection."

    The noble guests allughed. "They are the Church of the Sepith!" They''d say moving on. All except Lady Erri.

    The others hadn''t ced much thought into the matter, but it bothered her. These past eight months, the only source of water that was usable was the water given by the church. The rest were all tainted.

    Amongst themoners, stillborns had skyrocketed due to the ck rain being the only source of drinking water. Deformities happened in droves, and sudden deaths were plentiful. All because of the rain. The only ones safe were those¡­ who attended the congregation.

    Erri herself had been forced to drink the ck water for fear she''d die. Two monthster, she was coughing up blood with an intense fever. ''Did the church have a method to purify the tainted water?'' She wondered.

    "Is that you, Erri?" Her uncle''s voice call, humming across theke''s surface, warm andforting.

    "Grandpa!" Erri professed, spinning to meet the eyes that had seen countless decades. She grinned. "How''s Grandmother? Is she with you?"

    "That wench?!" Lord Verrellughed and looked around as if to search for his wife. And to his relief, she wasn''t around. "She''s tough. Resilient like a donkey."

    "I''m going to tell her what you said," Erri said with a mischievous grin.

    Lord Verrell gave a boomingugh, pulling the girl into his chest. He held her firmly, smiling. "I''m d you made it. Forwin is probably the safest ce you can be. I heard you got stuck in Dorga."

    "Terrible ce, I tell you. The demons got in and¡­" Erri shuddered, remembering the screams and blood that turned her bones to water. "I''m just d The Sword of the King arrived in time." She smiled then. "oh, and we came with an Oathkeeper."

    Verrell tried not to make a face, but his lips betrayed him. "Those bastards that take the Oath of Justice." he groaned. "What would they want in Forwin?"

    A gust of wind billowed over Erri''s slender figure, treading her hair. Erri lifted her hands to block winds from disturbing her hair.

    "Come inside." Verrell gestured. Erri hooked her arms through her grandfather''s arm and followed after him. Through the bailey, they entered through the side chapel and traveled up the staircase into one of the towers, emerging into arge spire that overlooked all of Forwin that glowed a low hum of silver beneath the four moons.

    The city looked breathtaking from on high. It didn''t have much light, but the four moons had illuminated the shadows below, casting silhouettes far and wide. Forwin looked like a city of shadows from on high.

    "Lord Commander!" The crisp voice of Walter Verrell called. "And do I spy little Erri! My! How''ve you grown?"

    "Uncle Walt." Erri grinned beneath the old smile that seemed as cold as when she first saw it.

    "Brother," Verrell joyed, clenching the iron palm of his elder brother. "So you were with the caravan. Lord Edwin or Erri said nothing."

    "That''s because we never met," Walter replied half-heartily. "Forty thousand men are a lot of people. It''s little wonder we missed each other."

    "And I was only with the Caravan for maybe four months," Erri conveyed, staring out at the many lords anddies talking andughing as if war was not on the other side of those walls. It was unnerving, she admitted to herself, unsure how they could be so s¨¦. They had all looked so terrified before, praying to the Seraphim of Sepith.

    Walter seemed to notice the slight tilting of her lips but didn''t speak on it. Erri would be twenty soon. It was best she saw these nobles for what they were.

    "Well? Where is he?"

    "Who?" Lord Verrell asked, spying on familiar and unfamiliar faces.

    "Lord ckwood."

    The name alone returned Verrell''s eyes to his brother, as grey and wrinkled as he was. Walter was a tall man. Tall and gaunt, far more than his younger brother, he seemed almost sickly, though his sharp ck eyes told a different tale.

    "Oh¡­ I heard of him," Lady Erri mused, covering her mouth with a charming gleam in her eyes. "They say he is one of Forwin''s greatest swordsmen despite being only in the Second Circle and is capable of besting even Tier Three Demons. I tried to look for him, but I was in the far rear of the caravan."

    Verrell was beside himself on the matter of Altair. If there had ever been a swordsmanship that had ever installed a sensation of dread and contempt in its execution, it was Altairs. It was a profane skill that made his heart quiver each time. He had much preferred Reina''s, which seemed to embody the teachings of Sepith. It was a pure de, one that radiated Order rather than Chaos.

    Though he had to admit he liked the boy. He was strong, smart, generous, charming, and entertaining.

    "I saw him earlier on the Wall when¡ª" He stopped himself and grinned, pointing towards the young man in all ck holding a maiden draped in red. A ss of red wine in their hands, they stood beneath the ephemeral glow of the moon, overlooking Forwin. "There he is," He said. And as if sensing an eye on him.

    Two ck eyes reflect the purest depths of darkness, seemingly unburdened by the seven sins or virtues, smoldering depth like the endless vale of nothingness. And yet even that deep nothingness seemed to charm the very Heavens and Hells as moonlight dripped along his pupils.

    Erri felt her breath catch. She might have fallen had she not been holding onto Verrell. Her heart thundered beneath her chest as if hampered by an intangible force.

    Seemingly invisible to the eyes of everyone around them, the Young Lord and his woman, whose beauty seemed to outshine the stars and skies, the winds and mes, seemed to lean over his arm. Eyes a stary gold, dancing with flecks of snow white, it had seemed she had flown down from the skies like an angel... an angel of war.

    "Lord Commander," Altair greeted, shimmering a gaze over the two present. "I don''t believe we''ve met. My name is Altair ckwood. And this here is Reina of the Moon. Soon to be ckwood," He lightly smiled, though it didn''t quite meet his eyes. "Family, might I presume?"

    "Quite so," Verrell said, introducing everyone with a proud grin.

    Reina seemed to chuckle in her scarlet dress that highlighted her ample bosom, in how it curved along the edges of her breast like fire, down into a V stopping by the stomach. Whether it was her slender physique or aura, it all seemed to embody the aura of an untouched maiden. One blessed by the Sepith.

    ''It''s unnerving¡­ her beauty.'' Erri thought, unsure how one such as her could exist. Only after a few minutes did she manage to force herself to look away to the stunning man at her side. She nibbled at her lips, unsure what she was feeling.

    "I''ve heard an Oathkeeper is here." Lord ckwood finally said. "Followers of the Noble Seraphim, Cael, correct?" He gestured one of the serving boys over, resting his half-empty ss of wine down while Erri and Verrell picked one up.

    "That is correct," said Walter, gesturing he didn''t wish for anything to drink. "Are you, by chance, interested?"

    Mildly, Altair responded. "A little, just curious about their ability to sense truth."

    "Does telling the truth bother you, Lord ckwood?" Erri asked, unsure why she chose those words.

    "Of course," Altair responded, to her surprise. " Everyone lies. So is the way of life. For one to see through our lies tends to be unnerving, wouldn''t you agree?" He chuckled, noticing her flush, and turned to Walter.

    Walter aimlessly nodded in agreement. "The Oath of Justice is quite a powerful vow, cupped with the others, and it''s deadly. It''s what makes the Sisters of Silence the most powerful of all the Seven Orders of Sepith. Or so I hear." His gaze surveyed the spire of lords and guests as if to look for something or someone. When he couldn''t find what he sought, he turned his gaze back to Altair.

    "The Keepers of the Oath are known for their destion, seeking enlightenment upon mountains away from sin. Rarely do they ever venture down from their domain."

    "And what might force them down a mountain?"

    "Oath Breakers and demons," Said a bold voice from behind Walter. Hard like steel, it rang, drawing the attention of many. And as if they were only now noticing him, they stared at Altair and Reina with widened eyes, startled by the match made in heaven.

    Fawning eyesnded, twisting into infatuation that seemed to burn with Envy and Lust.

    Though dissatisfied with the stranger''s words making everyone aware of his presence, Altair maintained his poised half smile.

    "Oathkeeper Savvas, "Erri greeted with a curtsy.

    Walter and Verrell both gave a half bow, but neither Reina nor Altair so much as moved.

    Savvas was a stout man. Tall with arge greybeard that hid his neck, draped in a grey ceremonial robe.

    "You do not bow," Savvas said, unable to feign ignorance. Those who bore the Oath of Justice were the arbiters of the Realm. So high upon their Moutain they sat,manding the fate of the Realm. Respect was but simply customary for those who stood before an Oathkeeper.

    Those who didn''t bow were either demons or those without virtue.

    Altair made a face, confused. "Why?"

    Savvas could see the genuine confusion and nearlyughed at the absurdity. Verell hurriedly interceeded. " Lord ckwood and Lady Reina are not familiar with the customs of the Realm."

    "And yet he calls himself a lord."

    "Did you bow when you saw me?" Altair calmly fired back. "Did you prostrate yourself before me like a worm?"

    An air of silence permeated the distant night like a spell. None spoke, none blinked, much less moved. Like a statue, they stood with widened eyes.

    Even Savvas seemed bewildered, losing the words on the tip of his tongue. Altair continued. " We alle from different backgrounds, different cultures. I don''t enforce my will upon you, so I expect you don''t do the same. I''m sure you don''t expect an elf to greet you the same as a human."

    The Oathkeeper frowned, wanting to retort, wanting to strike out, but forced the retort back down his throat. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "Very wise. And due tell who were might you be from?"

    "A question asked by gods and man alike," Altair told him, recalling the throne of Brimstone, which his father sat upon, surrounded by that baleful fire that shone emerald ck light. He smiled but did not continue, though a flicker of light shone sacrilege through his eyes.

    The Oathkeeper gleamed no falsehood from the boy, and yet he felt a vale of darkness shrouding him, obscuring his mind''s eye.

    "Altair, are you causing trouble?" A mightyugh following the chimes of music resounded. Cedric Vandel approached with a charming grin over his half-cloak that bore the insignia of the silver dragon. He greeted the Oathkeeper with a smile and a half-bow before scanning the shadow of a grin over the prince.

    "Cedric, how unexpected," Altair started, though his expression did not gleam surprise. "I hope you are enjoying yourself." he inspected the well-groom captain, who had recently cut his stubbed beard into a clean shave. Cedric seemed almost handsome if we weren''t standing next to Altair.

    "Absolutely," said Cedric gleefully, lifting his ss to his lips. "Fat Mike has even informed me that Reese, alongside twenty of ours, was found."

    "Oh yes, I nearly killed him on sight," Altair said airely, as if he was speaking of walking his dog, startling everyone. He studied the startled look on Cedric''s face and continued. "Well, it''s only a matter of time before I toss his remains for the demons to have their way with." he almostughed. "I might just toss him in alive just to watch what they do to him."

    "Lord ckwood, what you speak of is murder." The Oathkeeper said gravely.

    "Then murder it is," Altair admitted.

    Cedric''s expression darkened. "Boy¡­ this is no ce for games."

    "And did you think it a game when he ordered Reina killed and raped?" He looked down at Cedric, a head shorter, and sneered. "How easy it is to judge when you have nothing to lose or gain¡­" He nced at the Oathkeeper''s stoic expression. "Tell me, Oathkeeper, who is right and who is wrong? The one who orders a murder or the one who kills before they can be killed?"

    A few eyes swayed to the Oathkeeper, pondering the question themselves: Was murder ever eptable?

    "There cannot be justice if there is no Order. Two wrongs don''t make a right. What you ask sounds more like revenge than it does justice." The Oathkeeper answered though he felt like he had stepped into some unnamed trap.

    ''Spoken like a true arbiter,'' Altair thought and said. "Then what''s to be done? If two wrongs don''t make a right, then what is my recourse? Lay down and allow what''s mine to be taken? Kneel and beg, hoping that my foe might forgive?"

    The Oathkeeper couldn''t answer. It wasn''t his ce to dictate a person''s action but judge it. Sometimes, there simply was no good side.

    "Murder is Murder."

    The answer Savvas gave sent the spire into a whirlwind of whispers he could do nothing about. Nothing but stare at the Young Man before him. ''He was dangerous,'' he thought, closing his aged eyes.

    "Yes. Murder is indeed murder." Altair agreed, looking Cedric in the eye. "And for his sin, he''ll pay for what he did. After all¡­ he is the reason we are all here."

    "Enough," Cedric said hard. "I won''t let that happen."

    "You brought it up," Altair informed him. "I''m merely stating what I''ll do. Though, I do wonder how you''ll stop me. It''s not like you can protect Reese day in and day out. Especially when he was the cause of that horrid explosion."

    "There is no proof of that."

    "My eyes are the poof."

    Angerly, Cedric tried to keep his voice low. "That''s not enough," He said in a low grumble. ''And it''s not for you to dictate such recourse. Militaryw¡ª"

    "In case you haven''t realized it." Altair cut in, his voice like a winter breeze. "I don''t give two shits. Reese Throvel is dead. Him and everyone he sides with."

 Chapter 149: Heralds of Astaroth I

    Standing over the veranda that overlooked the bailey and all that was Forwin, Altair looked to the wall, to the ripples of attacks pounding against the barrier, and wondered how much more it could take. Eight months, that barrier stood. How much more mana crystal and material did Forwin have left to expend? How much debt is Forwin into to the Church of the Sepith?

    Altair shook his head. "I''m a guest here." He reminded himself in a whisper. "Once the dungeon closes, it''ll all be gone¡­ all of it."

    "It bothers you, doesn''t it," Reina asked him, leaning on his arm.

    "A little."

    "Lair," She whispered, blinking out at the endless skies, to where a ring of stardust shone over the skies like stars. Illuminated by moonlight, it wrapped around the realm.

    Altair looked down at her and smiled. "Did you just call me a liar?" He took her by the waist, holding her firmly.

    Ren did squirm but looked at him triumphantly, puffing her cheeks with a cheeky grin. "Art is a big fat liar."

    "And was I lying when I said what I would do to you tonight?"

    Ren''s triumphant smile turned crooked as heat pressed against her face. She bowed her head.

    How cute, he thought, and said, "I can repeat it if you''ll¡ª"

    She covered his mouth, pleading with her golden eyes. "Please, don''t. Everyone''s listening." Reina nced over her shoulder to the Lords anddies watching them, following their every step and gesture. Then there was Cedric ring at them with venom in his eyes and a belly full of fire.

    Altair had seem to be able to ignore it all, but Ren felt her heart about to explode.

    "BIG BROTHER!!!" Came the innocent cry of Aria trotting through the hordes of nobles and merchants.

    Reluctantly, Altair released Ren and lifted the little girl high into the sky.

    "Kyaa!" Aria beamed, spreading her arms far and wide as he tossed her up into the air, catching her.

    Lord Edwin gave the boy a tired look, watching him y with his daughter. "Altair¡­ her image."

    For a second, Altair seemed confused before he remembered Aria was the church chosen. "Oops," he gave her one more toss and settled her back down. "How''ve you been, Ari?"

    "Awesome!" She turned, studying Ren with her tworge sapphire-like eyes. " Hiya, Big Sis. You look pretty today! Super Ultra Pretty."

    From a jealous stare to immediate infatuation, Ren stole little Ari and nibbled at her cheeks. " sooooo cute!"

    "Kyaaaa~"

    Edwin could only chuckle. "Kids."He whispered as if to remember a time when he was that young. "Come along, Aria, we''ve got to make a few rounds."

    Returning to her father in a waddle, Aria waved the couple off before vanishing into the crowd.

    They watched on, masking their aura with a bit of mana maniption so that no one bothered them. The duoughed and joked, poked, and prodded at one another as the party amidst the spire grew louder. Light, airy music resounded in a chorus through the winds, carrying far and wide.

    "Well, if it isn''t the supposed nobleman and his cunt." Lord Reese Thorvel addressed, strutting forward with a half smile.

    Fixing his gaze onto the man, ensuring him with the Eye of Sacrilege, Altair''s expression grew strange.

    Name: Reese Thorvel

    ss: Dark Warlock Lv 38

    Strength: 64

    Dexterity: 64

    Constitution: 34

    Wisdom: 104

    Charisma: 50

    Mana: 21

    ''He''s weak¡­ Pathetically weak,'' Altair couldn''t help but determine, unsure what gave this man such courage to speak to him. Was he blind? Retarded? For a second, Lord ckwood had forgotten that not everyone possessed the eye of sacrilege.

    Wisdom had been a keyponent when it came to casting spells, granting one the mental acuity to cast spells faster. And yet, as Altair stared at Reese''s highest stat, he couldn''t help but hold the man in contempt. Especially so when he realized that his max level wasn''t the same as everyone else.

    Most humans and humanoids'' max level in the second ss was fifty, while he and Reina appeared to surpass that level.

    "I''m surprised they allowed a whore to walk on church grounds." Reese continued. Behind him, Laros seemed almost aghast. And rightfully so¡­ he was even stronger than Reese. Day in and day out, he was butchered and made new by Altair, who used him as bait until he prayed for death.

    "Are you speaking about me?" Reina said quaintly, drawing out from Altair''s arm. She approached like a prowling lioness, so noble her natural presence. Reese nearly fell to his knees as he felt his bones turn to butter. Despite him being a head taller, it was as if Reina was bearing down from him from her throne.

    He gulped, unsure when a cold sweat sunk through his clothes.

    "Say it again," Shemanded him.

    Reese ignored the screaming of his emotions and straightened himself out with courage in his heart. Unwilling to lose his noble bearing. When Reina''s palm whipped across his cheek with a popping sound, it turned the party silent.

    "I said say it again." Shemanded with a sliver of ice in her voice.

    Blood pooled from Reese''s busted lip as his eyes turned wide. "You¨C"

    *POP!!!!

    She pped him again, harder. The blow alone was enough to thunder like a cry, causing the music to halt. Blood smeared over the veranda, painting the stone a greyish red.

    "Say it again!" Reinamanded and arched her palm again.

    Reese immediately tried to invoke his magical barrier, but like shattering ss, Reina''s palm broke through it like nothing. Her palmnded, tearing a chunk of flesh off his cheek. She viciously spoke with her icy gold eyes, so cold it seemed like she was a seraph delivering punishment.

    The blow alone had caused Reese''s mind to ckout for a second. He staggered to the rails of the veranda. Though, that did little to help as the Nephilim continued.

    "Say it Again"

    POP!

    "Say it."

    POP!

    "Say it."

    POP!

    "Say it."

    "Enough!" Cedric managed to say, but the Archbishop was the first to step forward. "Mydy, please¡­ guests are watching."

    Reina looked at him with nonplus eyes and then down to her soaked palm. "Might you have a handkerchief?"

    The Archbishop smiled, pulled out one from his robe, and gifted it to her. Relieved, she gave him some face.

    "I do forgive the interruption," Reina eloquently conveyed in an apology that wasn''t an apology. She gently cleaned her finger dry, holding the audience''s stare as they found themselves unable to pull their eyes away.

    "Reina,'' Altair conveyed, shaking his head. "That''s not how you do it." He said and pushed Reese, too dazed to do anything off the edge, with a devilish grin. "Oops¡­ my hands slipped."

    (^///^)

    Gasps of terror rose from the crowd, followed by screams.

    Cedric shot forward, leaping over the rails; he plunged downwards, manipting the mana around him to ignore wind resistance. He reached out, catching Reese. He twirled mid-air andnded on his feet with a thunderous eruption of force that shattered the ground around him into webs of small fault lines.

    "Wow~" Altair raved. "You made it in time."

    "BASTARD!!!!" Cedric roared.

    "Lord ckwood!" Archbishop Albert thundered, unable to mask his fierce expression. The Winds whirled, wrenching at Altair''s tailcoat. "What do you think you''re doing? Murder is strictly forbidden."

    "What? I did say my hands slipped," Altair shamelessly said and shrugged. "And look, Reese is alive, is he not? And it''s not like that fall would have killed him¡­ maybe."

    "Have you no shame!" The Archbishop snapped.

    "Oathkeeper¡­" Altair managed to say, grinning. " Am I lying?"

    The Archbishop nearly lost his head. Never before had he meant someone so¡­

    "He is¡­ not," The Oathkeeper said, disturbed. He had been watching and observing Altair''s every action, and yet¡­ he could see no lie. No falsehood.

    "That''s impossible!" The Archbishop shouted, "Sisters, seize that man."

    "You will do no such thing!" The Oathkeeper shouted, gritting his teeth. He stepped towards Altair, lifted his hand, and infused all three circles into his eyes. "Was it an ident?"

    Altair nearlyughed, sensing his web of schizophrenia seeping deep into the Oathkeeper''s mind, blinding him to the truth he''d invoked thest time they spoke.

    A/N: Hinted at in Chapter 148 near the end.

    "Why, of course," He lied without batting an eye.

    The oathkeeper''s expression dropped. "I''ll ask you once more¡­ Did you push that young man off with the intention to kill him?"

    "It was aplete ident," Altair assured him, raising his hand high. " I swear to Aidios and all the gods of Heaven. I, Altair ckwood, did not lie." He shamelessly swore.

    "... No falsehood," Whispered the Oathkeeper in disbelief.

    "He has to be lying!" The Archbishop insisted. He had seen it with his own eyes. Altair had even expressed his intent to Reina before everyone. The bastard had even said, ''That''s not how you do it.'' before pushing him off the balcony.

    sphemy!

    "See?" Altair professed, though even an idiot could see he was lying. But even so¡­ the crowd was starting to believe him. After all, who were the Oathkeepers, if not the arbiters of justice? "The church should really put up wardings to keep such things from happening. That way, idents like these won''t happen again. Right, Ren?"

    Reina could not even look at him. So ashamed she felt at this very moment. She wanted tough at how ridiculous it all was, and yet¡­ she couldn''t bring herself to.

    "ALTAIR!!!" Cedric roared, having raced back up to the spire. He stomped forward, but the Oathkeeper was there to block him with a dark expression. " Get out of my way. That bastard tried to¡ª''

    "It was¡­ an ident." The voice that came out was so feeble Cedric nearly missed it.

    Disbelief shed, followed by fury, drowned Cedric''s face, " The Hell it is! That bastard¡ª"

    "Is innocent." The Archbishop relented, gritting his teeth. He felt his stomach churn. It didn''t matter if Altair was guilty or not; the Oathkeeper had already imed him to be innocent. And if they didn''t want the people to question their ability in the future, they had to side with Altair.

    With an expression that said, ''Come at me bitch,'' Altair nodded alongside the Archbishops'' words.

    "What the F¡ª"

    Waddling forward on her small legs, Aria tilted her head. "Ummm. If Big Brother is innocent¡­ then can he dance with me!"

    "I don''t see a problem with it,'' Fat Mike said, floating forward with a cheeky grin. "If the noble Oathkeepers saidAltair is innocent, I''m sure he''s innocent. Although even if it was an ident. A punishment should be in order. Someone did, after all, almost die."

    "Yes!" Cedric shouted as his eyes met with the Archbishop. And despite all the unanswered questions, his heart bled with hope. "Lets¡ª"

    "Send him to the wall," Amilia suggested, stepping out with an elegantugh. " Demons are still attacking. So let''s have him kill. From what I hear, he kills nearly a hundred demons a day."

    ''Pfft,'' stifling augh, Reina nced at her Prince. She wondered if this was his n from the start.

    Fat Mike smirked. "Then we''ll do that. And we''ll have you leave the party early. Less more idents ur."

    "But Aria hasn''t gotten to dance with Big Brother!" Aria sang, rushing into Altair''s arms. She red at Fat Mike.

    "Let the boy have his fun." Lord Edwin said, signaling to Verrel.

    "Yes. If it''s the wish of the Chosen of Aidios, what is a little dance or two." The Lord Commander said. "After today is a special day."

    Following the exchanged nces between The Oathkeeper and the Archbishop, Altair was allowed to remain.

    "Hehe, Come! Dance with me," raved Aria, pulling him forward with stars in her two stary eyes.

 Chapter 150: Heralds of Astaroth II

    Fuming a great ball of fire in his chest, Cedric gritted his teeth against one another, shaking in his corner, watching Altair dance with the Chosen of Sepith. Never before had he wanted to kill a man more than he did today.

    Reese''s jaw had been shattered, his face destroyed, and his skull fractured in so many ces he wasn''t even sure Amilia could aid him. Not without her equipment. And the only medical offer better than her was Altair, who outright refused aid.

    He hadn''t even bothered to reply when Cedric asked him to help Amilia. He just smiled before being herded off by Aria.

    "Bastards!" He hissed beneath his breath. Searching through the room for the Sword of the King. But even now, Cedric couldn''t spot him nor the Archbishop, who had vanished with the Oathkeeper. He cursed his luck. For eight months, he had been trying to figure out what the Church was hiding and what this dungeon quest was. Eight monthster¡­ And he was nowhere.

    The only thing the Church seemed to be worried about was the little girls'' rite and sometimes the demons on the wall. And at times, Reina.

    "I can''t kill him yet¡­" Cedric hissed, walking down from the spire and into one of the wards that rested Reese, being tended to by Amilia and a few Sisters of the Sepith.

    "How is he?"

    Amilia frowned, looking up at him. "There is some brain damage. But all in all, we''ve managed to repair most of the damage."

    "We?" Cedric nced at the Sisters. He hadn''t much faith in the knowledge of this backwatered kingdom.

    "Yes. We. I''ve been teaching the Sisters every chance I got. And they''ve been teaching me about Aidios." Amilia said, giving her thanks to the Sisters of Sepith. She shifted her gaze to Cedric. "Reese should not use any spells for the next month.

    His Mana Roots are heavily damaged. He must have tried to enhance his physical attributes, hoping it would allow him to survive. He did more damage than good."

    "He was trying to survive," Cedric insisted.

    "Whatever the case, he needs time to rest alongside a ce to live." She chuckled when she saw the look on Cedric''s face. " Did you really think Altair would allow the person who ordered Reina to be killed and raped to live with him?" Sheughed, nearly tumbling over. " Cedric, are you high? Or is your head so far up your ass you''re taking in what you''re spewing out?"

    Cedric was cold as stone.

    "You''d better start worrying about where you''ll be staying, too. Or did you forget Altair owns that building?" She smiled, patting his shoulder as she left him alone.

    ''Bastard,'' Cedric said, alone and defeated.

    ***

    Like a bear towering over a kitten, Altair awkwardly danced with Little Aria as she cheered, grinning. She had liked the glow of the moon, and the winds felt nice, whisking through her hair when he whirled her about like a princess. She giggled.

    "Again! Again!" She sang, only to notice the strange expression on Altair''s face. And she hadn''t been the only one.

    "Art?" Reina called to him, but the boy was still.

    As if caught in a daze, a sudden buzzing wheezed through his ear like the aftermath of an explosion. A gentle whisper sung through his mind.

    Reina went to him, frowning as more and more people began to look at him.

    "Barrior," He said, turning to meet Fat Mike''s eye. "BARRIER!!!!!"

    And as fast as he could speak, Fat Mike followed, invoking his barrier into a hexagonal domain faster than most could blink. He had questions, but before they could be asked, it came like a gale of death.

    Louder than an erupting volcano, the winds became a gale, and the gale a vicious whirlwind that roared and howled, uprooting stones that shattered to dust, shredding the spire to nothing.

    Fat Mike''s barrier splintered and cracked as he tried to hold and channel more mana into a barrier. Sheens of sweat dripped from the folds of his fatty cheeks, thick as a pig''s. He roared and gave the earth a stomp. Webs shrieked around the base of his foot, and the ground shattered, plunging everyone through the tower below the moment Fat Mike''s barrier shattered.

    Nobles screamed, tumbling down the serpentine steps in chaos. Curses and groans, followed by pleading, echoed out before anyone could get a grip.

    "Aria!" Lord Edwin shouted, his voice thick with panic, but all he saw were panic screams and the faces of wretched men and women scrambling past each other, pushing, shoving, and kicking at one another. "ARIA!" he called louder.

    "I got her!" Altair shouted at the bottom of the tower that had forced him to chant Feather Foot lest he risk injury to his legs or, worse, his spine. Around himy nearly ten noblemen, sprawled about at odd angles where theyy dead, as a pool slowly began to gather around their bodies.

    He was looking up at the empty spire cut clean apart as if done by a sword rather than a spell.

    "Run!"

    He bolted off his feet, cutting through the Aisle, and the echos of explosion erupted. Debris shed, and stones whirled about, striking at Altair''s and Reina''s barrier. They moved, unsure what had happened, but the heat of mes was everywhere, dark and violet¡­ much like his mana. mes roiled through the Aisle, burning through the decor, scorching away at paintings that hung high.

    "Baelfire!'' shouted Ren. "Don''t let it touch you!"

    Altair grimaced. His barrier was already distorting. And while he was sure he could bear the me''s heat. Aria could not. Soon, shadows flickered through the mes, followed byughter that sounded like a saw on metal.

    "There she is! The Chosen of Astaroth! Get the girl!"

    Altair spotted three, but it was Reina who moved, conjuring her Greatsword from Drupnir. Her de sawed through a hooded figure before he could act.

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    Spotting two more approaching through the mes, Reina nced at Altair.

    "You lead!" He told her, hoisting Aria to his back, he said, "Hold on tight and never let go."

    Without time to worry about how the heralds manage to invade the Church''s walls, Altair conjured his Hunting Bow and knocked the magical string. Power imbued itself into a magical arrow that billowed like a me, ck as night, and aimed directly at the two dual-circle heralds.

    He fired twice.

    When the arrowsnded, the top half of the Heralds became vaporized in a mist of red, washing over the mes. Their lower half dropped before gushing out like a fountain.

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    Reina took off, cutting through magical mes by imbuing her de with mana when needed, without much hope of extinguishing the Baelfire. She felt her blood ignite in the face of these demonic mes. Her senses heightened, expanding out for nearly a hundred meters. Echos of footsteps and whispers all entered her ears with each of her steps forward.

    Suddenly, she stopped and signaled to Altair to do the same. When two Heralds came out from around the corner, her Greatsword swept through their bodies, iming their lives.

    "How many of them do you think there are?" Altair asked.

    "I can''t tell. The Church is fighting back. There is noise everywhere." Reina stated, ring at the purple-ck me. She turned to Aria, clinging so tight to Altair she dared not even open her eyes. "Aria, how do we get to the sanctuary?"

    "I¡ª"

    Booooooom!, Drowned by an explosion that shattered the windows, Altair groaned, feeling arge expenditure of mana leave him. He re-casted his barrier as shards of ss, stone, and mes crashed down around him. He pushed forward with Reina, trusting his Primal Instincts. They moved straight through a set of table doors into the Atrium.

    "Hells." He uttered, staring at nearly twenty men on the ground, butchered like animals on a farm. Limbs and entrailsy sprawled out over the ground, where they burned beneath the violet-ck mes. Above the corpses stood the cold, lifeless ck masks of the Sisters of Silence. They eyed him coldly, their swords and daggers dark and wet with the blood of their enemies.

    Their gaze softened when they saw their frightened Chosen cling to Altair.

    "We are heading to the Sanctuary. Is it safe?" Reina said.

    The Sisters neither gestured nor spoke. Silent as the dead, even their gazes seemed without feeling.

    Altair growled at their foolish Oath of Silence they made. And clenched his eyes shut. He merged his eyesight with his Fallen Ravens scattered throughout Forwin.

    "Art¡ª"

    "Give me a sec," he said, giving himself a bird''s eye view of the Hell surrounding the Cathedral. Twelve caped figures hovered circling the skies, standing on magical circles acting like tforms. They gestured hand signs that did not remotely seem possible for human physiology. And yet they stood banded together, connected by a thin line of mana slowly growing more corporeal second by second.

    From nearly a hundred miles, the mana shone like endless glimmers, taking the breath of mortal men plunging into the Hell around them.

    The Raven pped its wings, soaring beneath the center of the circle where all points of the circle met. There, he saw through the Ravens eyes a small pristine crack. So perfect it stood within the elements of wind and fire and of space and time; it seemed untouched. And yet¡­ it gave off a familiar stench. One of fire and brimstone.

    "Give it back," He heard, distantly as if said in a whisper.

    "Give it back."

    "Give it back."

    The voices were growing louder, echoing like the distant drum of the battlefield, growing louder and louder until the voice roared.

    "GIVE IT BACK!!!!!!!"

 Chapter 151: Heralds of Astaroth III

    "GIVE IT BACK!!!!!!!"

    Dark and sickly, as if ravaged by something so profane, thundered through Altair''s ears. A tingling sensation he nearly thought to be fear slithered up his spine like the touch of a stranger in the shadows. Cold and merciless, its words hounded itself into the Prince''s mind until a cold sweat pulled him back.

    "We¡­ We need to get the hell out of here." He stammered to say, shaking where he stood, with a bright smile stered over his face. Unsure whether he felt fear or excitement toward the unknown, Altair looked to Ren, wondering if she knew what it was as he exined what he saw.

    Reina scratched at her head, grimacing. "I''ve no idea what that is¡­ maybe if I see it with my own eyes, my blood will react with its inherent knowledge. But until then, we need to move. Come on. Where is our next stop?"

    Seeing her look to him for direction, Altair steeled his heart, pushing down his excitement. It had been a while since he had faced death, where he knew there''d be no one to save him. He missed that feeling. He sucked a deep breath in, and as if cing on a mask, he regained his poised demeanor.

    "Our best bet is still the Sanctuary," He carefully said, shifting his gaze back to that of the Ravens. The Cathedral waspletely surrounded and was being swarmed by the Heralds of Astaroth, ughtering whoever caught their eye. He looked up at Ren, whose brow seemed wet with sweat in front of the mes, and turned to one of the Sisters of Silence. " Lead us to the sanctuary."

    The Twelve Sisters of Silence were still for a moment before they began up the stairs without a hint of sound in their step. They moved yet somehow held formation, moving in tandem without one another without gesture or eye contact.

    As if the silence were theirnguage, they herded them through the aisle, lined with figures of armor worn by the Dawnbreakers.

    "Big Brother¡­ I''m scared." Aria mewled, whimpering with tears streaming down her eyes. "I want papa."The ground shuddered with a fierce rattling that tore the armor off the stands, causing her to quiver. "Please¡­ Please¡­"

    "Oh, Aria," said Altair bitterly, unsure what to say. He had never been good at pacifying others. Perhaps once upon a time¡­ But now the feeling felt foreign, like a fleeting dream. He lifted her off his neck, looking her over with a warm smile, and without cause, his palm cracked over her neck, plunging the girl into sweet oblivion before she knew what happened.

    "You''re getting to be a sociopath!" Reina said incredulously.

    "What? She would have given our position away," Altair responded as a matter of fact. "This way, she''ll be nice and quiet."

    "Maybe a psychopath. Yeah¡­ let''s go with that."

    The Sisters of Silence nced at him with their ck obsidian mask for a brief second and proceeded on. Altair nced at Ren smilingly as if to say, ''See? Not even her people care.''

    Reina rolled her eyes, studying the peaceful expression of the small girl, and sighed. "What''s done is done,'' she mused to herself and moved along after the Sister, shadowing their steps through the fire that made goosebumps prickle her skin.

    Baelfire was one of the Nine mes of Hells that burned so hot it was said that no matter if the me died, the sensation of scorching heat would linger for eternity. And like most mes of the Nine Hells, Baelfire could not be healed by normal means.

    The stride to the sanctuary had given time for Altair to think, and despite the scorching heat that burned a profane light, dancing around his barrier until it distorted and bent into odd shapes. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and he felt fatigued in his two circles.

    He had not been used to maintaining his barrier, but more than that, the Baelfire seemed to be burning at the mana in the air like firewood.

    Abruptly, the Sisters of Silence stopped, and for a moment, they stood there ring through the violet-ck mes that led directly to the sanctuary. A soft, ringing ngor sounded like a de running across the ground came from behind the mes.

    "... Shit." Altair groaned, spotting arge shadow through the mes. He summoned a few hearthstones and handed one to Reina. They swallowed it, refining the core almost instantly.

    The ring soon grew louder until it sheiked like the cry of a banshee. A beast that bore mes from its snout snorted. Emerging the through Baefire that clung to its enormous body, searing his charcoal mane. Two thick horns roared their defiance to the Eternal Heavens, sharp like a trident.

    They rested a bull-shaped head that carried eyes that smoldered a deep red.Bulging arms and legs thick as a battering ram protruded over the demon, the Bapett stepped forward, clutching a great scythe-like axe asrge as three people that dragged against the stone.

    "A Minotaur?

    "No¡­ That Bapett, creatures born from the Archdemon King, Baphomet." Reina hissed, clenching her bloodstained greatsword.

    [Ding]

    Name: Bapett [Cripple]

    Race: Demon(Half-Blood)

    Str: 898

    Dex: 350

    Con: 456

    Wis: 754

    Char: 67

    Mana: 64

    The Bapett gave a deep roar that wilted the mes to embers, shattering the earth and rupturing the ceiling until trickles of dust and stone crashed.

    "Shit¡­" Altair said with a smile, trying to wonder how many which ways they were fucked. Those were the stats of a fourth circle. And yet his instincts told him that this was the only path open to him. The only path of survival. He gulped down a nervousugh and readied himself, allowing the ck of his eyes to shine two bloody irises.

    These past eight months, he had gained much control over the Eye of Sacrilege. Simply transitioning its innate color to ck had taken little concentration to maintain. Still, he opened up the King''s Domain. Slowly, nodes of small embers filled a ten-meter-long domain from the center of Altair''s feet, covering both sky and earth with its points.

    "Don''t get hit," He warned Ren.

    The Sister of Silence all charged, swift as a pack of wild jackals. They whipped towards the Bapett, who gave such a roar the sheer force of it alone shattered the ground, pushing back the sisters.

    "Reina, the fire!"

    Altair said, channeling the Will of the Abyss. His presence crashed over the Bapett like an iron mountain, shattering the earth in which its hoofed feet stood, and something akin to a whimper echoed from its throat.

    [Bapetthas been Frightened.]

    [Bapett''s stats have dropped by 40%]

    Name: Bapett[Cripple]

    Race: Demon(Half-Blood)

    Str: 898 ¡ú 538.8

    Dex: 350 ¡ú 210

    Con: 456 ¡ú 275

    Wis: 754 ¡ú 452.4

    Char: 67 ¡ú40.2

    The twelve Sisters of Silence charged once again, in a shrieking sh, cleaving their des across the mane of the Bampett. And for what little it did, a mere sliver of blood slid down their des, having bearly prated the flesh. And yet, in a synchronized fashion, they each pulled out a sk of Holy Water from their robes and cracked it over the demon''s mane before leaping away.

    Azure fire zed, billowing smoke from out of the demons as a cry so deep and painful it crackled from its tainted soul.

    "RRRROAAAAAAAR!" The Bapett roared, thrashing about, and charged at such a speed that didn''t remotely match its height, much less its robust size. It swung its axe in a fiendish barrage that shattered the hall, carving through marvel floors and chandeliers as if they were brittle pieces of stone.

    A hail storm of blood and gore smeared over the ground, following the bodies of seven of the sisters caught. Their bodies practically exploded into a mesh of grounded meat.

    "Art¡­ give me a good vantage," Reina asked, summoning her Godly Armament granted to her by Artemis and nocked its string.

    Altair rested Aria onto the ground with a barrier over her and stepped towards the Bapett, still locked in a rampage hammering at the remains of the dead Sisters. It whirled to Altair and charged like a beast on all fours, clutching its great axe stained red. It snorted a barrel of mes from its nostrils, zing forward like a bull.

    The speed of it alone had only allowed the Prince a step, but it was all he needed within the Domain of the King.

    In a single step, he was ten meters into the air and above the beast as it crashed through a wall, tearing through the decor with vicious fury, bellowing as it whirled towards the Prince. It leaped high into the air, shadowing the Prince still mid-air with its looming shadow. The demon cleaved its great ax down.

    ''You''ll make a good test dummy,'' Altair said coolly and did the unthinkable. And took a step in mid-air within the King Domain. He moved twice in less than a single breath. He side-stepped the Bapett axe with Sovergns Gale while his second stepnded him upon the demon''srge grotesque head.

    A presence so profound pired over the Cathedral, like a great abyss of destruction, alerting hundreds as they turned one after the other.

    The Vale descended.

    Cloaking the Prince''s leg in a great baptism of ck mes that neither scarred nor burned but devoured: Be it light or dark, wind or fire, life or death, all things perished before the Vale: returning to its birthce.

    Altair stepped dowing, channeling his mana into a single point.

    Enigmatic Step

 Chapter 152: Lord Mephisto

    Upon his throne that bled the blood of his brethren tainted by the pestilence of madness. Blood flowed endlessly from the mutted remains of bones and skulls of the seraphim. There, the Great Prince of Mythosy within the great halls of his throne room. Below him stood the hooded figure of a stranger, one he both recognized and didn''t.

    "Mephisto¡­" He gulped as the name came to him.

    Beneath his hooded cloak, teasingughter, cool as a winter breeze, resonated through the Throne Room. "I''m surprised you recognize me, brother. It''s been a few Chaos Cycles since west met. How have you been, Astaroth?" He said calmly, his voice weighted with authority.

    Astaroth stood up from his Throne, his long ashen hair billowing a soft breeze beneath the Scarlet mes of Beel, hounding the air with pestilence. He glided down from his High Throne and stood before the one that had brought about the Four Prime Worlds by shattering the Twelve Realms. He bowed, meeting Mephisto''s handsome sun-kissed skin and golden red eyes hidden beneath his hood.

    He nced down at the Golden Sigil of Ouroboros that clung over his cloak. And his bow deepened before his regalia.

    "Better than you," Astaroth answered."I thought you were banned. By Rite of the Almighty. What brings you to Mythos?"

    "If Father hasn''t struck me down, then I guess I''m safe," Mephisto said with a smile. Narrowing his golden red eyes, he met Astaroth''s scarlet ones. Mephisto spoke with a profound glint cutting across his eyes. "I''m one of the Seven Arbiters of Babel''s tower¡­" he began. "I''m sure you know. So what I found interesting is during one of my routine surveince.

    I found lowly demons channeling power from my Archduke."

    For a second, Astaroth seemed perplexed until he wasn''t. He frowned. "What is it you want?"

    "You want to make a deal already?" Heughed." Come now, Astaroth. At least try to deny it, though I''m not surprised. Babel''s Tower has produced quite a monster. Aria Silvermane¡­ the child who is capable of peering into the Six Paths of Time. The very paths you created. Quite a disciple you''ve found." Mephisto grinned, amused by the ugly scowl on his elder brother''s face.

    "What is it you want, Mephisto," Astaroth snapped, clenching his fist. He''d thought he had hidden her well. The soul alone had been only barely sensed by the Seraphim of Sepith. And not even they knew the potential Aria held. Of that, Astaroth was sure.

    As if he hadn''t heard the question, Mephisto continued. "The Child has yet to awaken. And if she dies before her Rites, her soul goes to you, and if she dies after¡­ well, you''ll need to have to face the Seven Seraphim whoid im to her soul. And that dear brother is an issue." he paused, touching his lips with a cruel smile.

    "The Entire purpose of constructing Babels Tower was to raise the new generation for theing war. And I can''t have you killing our dear sister generals."

    "And how many have you killed protecting Arsene''s Twins: Izalith and Vesyren Snow!" Asteroth shook, sneering as if he heard the most ridiculous thing. "What is it you are after?" he spat, only realizing his tone when he was done.

    Mephisto merely kept his grin. "So aggressive." Heughed. "I could paint the Halls of Mythos with your remains if you''d like, or would you prefer I hand your soul to Baphomet?" He lost his smile. "Did you think I woulde here with my main body for no reason?" He patted the invisible dust off Asteroph''s shoulders and fixed his clothing.

    "You broke one of the Laws of the Tower by infringing on the higher power such as Bael. Lesser Demons calling forth Baelfire is a big no-no, even if it is a fractured version. But I''ll allow it. And I''ll allow you to keep your life, my dear brother. But you''re going to do me a favor. And I''ll do you one."

    Astaroth had nearly forgotten who he had been talking to¡­ forgotten of the horrors that came with the demon that tricked Lucifer into falling with his angels and, in turn, became the first Angel to ask the Almighty One to allow him to be a Fallen Angel.

    It was said that when Mephisto fell from the Heavens in a great ball of fire, shrieking across the heavens into the hells, his coldughter had been the only thing that echoed through the Myriad. He was Mephistopheles:the Lord of Mischief, Fallen of Deceit, Monarch of Sylvorlum, and the Bane of the Righteous and the Profane.

    There had only ever been a few who had ever liked Mephistopheles and fewer who considered him a friend. His name was a name whispered through the shadows, spoken in hush whispers amongst the High Gods of the Eternal Heavens. Oftentimes, it was said that Lucifer was the Father of Lies, the Lord of Temptation, but even he dared notpare himself to the one known throughout time as Mephistopheles.

    The one who aided him in creating the Hells they have today, or the Devil''s Contact to help spread the principalities.

    "I''ll help you kill this Aria before her Rites, and in return, you relinquish your rights to the Realm of Baefor and allow it to bemonce."

    "Brother! That is madness! Within the Forgotten Realms, Baefor is a realm of unending treasure. It will be a massive Realm War among the New Gods." Astaroth was quick to say, baffled by the very idea. Several of my generals are housed in Baefor. My Dukes!

    ¡­ they''ll tear these New Gods apart without¡ª"

    "That is my offer," Mephisto interrupted. "Now, will you ept, or will you force me to kill my own blood brother."

    Astaroth grounded his teeth. "You aren''t giving me any options."

    "Of course I am. You''ve hundreds of options," said Mephisto with a loveableugh. "You''ve millions of paths, but none of them will serve you any good. Now decide. I''ve got a meeting with one of the twins, and I can''t bete."

    "You really are a bastard¡­ I hope it was worth it, strong-arming me like this."

    Mephisto made an amused face. "Strong-armed?" He nearlyughed. "Well, it must surely look that way to one such as yourself."

    Astaroth had heard the scornful contempt in his voice but said nothing of it. There had been a trap in those words of his. Everything he did was a game, a trap meant to break his foes. From the smile he bore to the timbre of his voice to the nting of his eyes. There had been no better schemer in all the Myriad Heavens or Hells than one such as Mephisto.

    Nor one more so feared.

    ''What was his aim? His goal? Why Baefor? Why bring about chaos?'' Astoroth wondered. ''Mephisto had always loved chaos, but he was one of the more kinder Fallen within the hells. He never bothered to kill or torture without reason.

    Was there something on Baefor that I don''t know about? Are my denizens hiding something?''

    "I can feel the wheels in that head of yours spinning." Mephisto suddenly said. " But I don''t have the time. Decide, brother. I truly must be leaving soon."

    "Fine. But only when Aria dies." Astaroth relented.

    The two shook hands, and a bright, childish smile surfaced over the Fallen of Mischief. He turned and suddenly paused, turning back to meet Astaroth''s cold eye. "Do you, by chance, know what''s been going on with Tenebrae as ofte? She seems to be out of it more often than not."

    Another scheme of his. "No, I won''t say I have," Astaroth said. "I''ve not had contact with that woman since the Fall."

    For a second, Mephisto seemed to smile before he trickled into nodes of ck light, vanishing into nothingness.

    The Prince of Mythos staggered back to his chair with a weariness to him and a concern gleam in his eyes, and what seemed like a permanent scowl. "Baefor. Tenebrae. And now a Realm War." He leaned back on his Throne that had been nothing but ufortable bearing the bleeding remains of his brethren. "What business does that bastard Mephisto still have in the Myriad Heavens?"

    The more he wondered, the more infuriated he became. He began tapping his finger against the armrest, thinking, and thinking, and thinking.

    Why Baefor?

    Was he just messing with me?

    He is a trickster.

    Annoyed, Astaroth lifted his gaze towards the distance through the Tower that hung the bodies of giants writhing in agony, bellowing such screams it was enough to haunt the dreams of Man and Gods alike.

    He looked past his pet project, past the hells, past the endless gxies and shattered realms within the Forgotten Realms, to a small domain, to a little ck seedling surrounded by an endless sea of chaos, aze within a kaleidoscope of stardust, intertwining with one another into mes.

    He saw Baefor and then Yarwin, and finally, a young girl with hair so blonde it seemed white, resting within a sea of violet-ck mes.

    Astaroth clenched his fist and turned to the young man with blood-red eyes confronting a Bapett.

    "Now¡­ what is this?"

 Chapter 153: World of Shadows Grimoire: Second Spell

    Enigmatic Step

    Cold death stiffened the smoldering ashes of the air ravaged by the mes of Hell in a cluster of ck nodes of mana erupting into a pir barreling through the ceiling. It tore toward the skies like a bolt of lightning, bearing the roar of thunder so loud it was sure to rupture the ears of anyone nearby.

    The winds screamed as if to flee, following the great pir trying to connect the Heavens to the earth,ying waste to the elements.

    Altair roared like a great demon surrounded by a ck Vale of Night as he bore down with all his might. The Bapett struck the earth with such a force a shockwave of nearly fifty meters ruptured into a nketing whirlwind of destruction. The earth wailed, rumbling with the churning of stone being turned to dust.

    When, atst, the dust and the trembling of the earth had settled, Altair hadnded silently as a shadow with an ashenplexion. Reina took off, aiming her Godly Armament at the Bapett. She rocketed forth like a blur, with the aid of Broken Moon, arriving at the downed Baqett faster than a snap.

    Her golden eyes seemed to almost burn with the Sacred Might of the Eternal Heavens. Reina released a single arrow that split apart the skies in a great ze of golden light. So radiant it was, Forwin appeared to be beneath another star. The mes that had once been ravaging the castle died one after the other in fear of the me of Heaven.

    She shed back to Altair''s side with Broken Moon, pale as he was. Falling to her knee with a heavy breath.

    "Forty Percent,'' She told him.

    "Thirty," He said back, opening his circle to pull the mana from Heaven and Earth now that the Baelfire had died. Altair swallowed down another set of Hearthstones, and Reina did the same. Even so, theirplexion did not get better.

    Their bones felt heavy, and the lids of their eyes had begun to droop with deadly levels of exhaustion. But even so, the battle wasn''t over.

    The Bapett was getting up. Drenched in the blood that gushed from where one of its horns onceid, nearly half of the demons faced seemed no more than a mesh of gore with an eye dangling from out its socket, spewing blood over the ground. The shoulder that once gripped its ax now carried a gaping hole the size of a grown man''s head from where Reina''s arrow had prated.

    Name: Bapett[Cripple]

    Race: Demon(Half-Blood)

    Str: 538.8 ¡ú 342

    Dex: 210 ¡ú 192

    Con: 275 ¡ú200

    Wis: 452.4 ¡ú 341

    Char: 40.2 ¡ú 31

    "This thing is still a bloody monster." Altair cursed, feeling the numbing of his legs from his overuse of Sovereign Gale. He nced at the pale face of Reina and knew she, too, had been heavily drained. Broken Moon hade with a great strain, and Sacred me was an even bigger drain.

    They couldn''t go on like this.

    With a mourning wail towards the skies, ash seemed to billow from the gaping hold in its shoulders that rendered its right arm unusable. The Bapett cried, staggering from out the crator in which ity. It awkwardly reached for its great axe.

    Altair tsked and conjured the World of Shadows Grimoire and turned to the second page past Shadow Cage with a solemnplexion. He had barely mastered Shadow Cage to a level he deemed eptable, though he had been training the second spell for a little over a year now, with little sess without the aid of his sigil.

    The grimoire hovered within the young lord''s palm, shimming a cloak of ck mana that whirled like mes.

    As if sensing its might, the Mana of Heaven and Earth seemed to turn docile. The Bapett grunted, having regained its bnce, and lept out of the crater with a gleam in one eye.

    "Get her out of here!" Reina shouted to the Sisters that had protected Aria against the shockwave of Enigmatic Step powered by the Vale. "If the sanctuary isn''t safe, return to us," shemanded, pulling herself up with the half-glimmer of a single white wing billowing from off her back.

    The sisters felt their eyes widen, and their cold, dead hearts shook with life once more. They bowed deeply and dashed towards the sanctuary. But not before tossing Reina a sk of Holy Water. They were gone.

    The Bapett did not seem to mind as it red at Altair and Reina, dragging its axe across the earth as it gritted against the stone, asionally sparking. The noise it made seemed to embody the screams of the dead.

    Beginning with a walk, then a trot, the Bapett entered a feral bull rush. Far slower than it was before, Altair still found it difficult to dodge the bull nearly twice his speed. If the beast had known how to use movement techniques, Altair knew he and Reina would have died long ago.

    Bearly weaving the horn aimed at his chest, his clothing wrenched, shedding apart from the sheer winds of the beast. The Bapett slid, trying to stop its charge, and swept his axe towards Altair''s neck, threatening to decapitate him before he had time to dodge and would have had his eyes not glowed with the power of [Schizophrenia].

    Altair manipted the beast''s senses into believing he was a head taller than he actually was. The axe zed past the top of his head, missing himpletely. He took off after the demon, charging as it slid to a stop.

    Altair''s image seemed to split into seven different clones converging on the Bapett. The demon roared, shing and cleaving at the clones that seemed to easily dodge its barrage. They began attacking and taunting, cutting into the beast as it screamed, ring its mana.

    Reina watched as the demon began to attack in the air, seemingly fighting some unseen ghost, and figured it had been beneath Altair''s spell. She turned to her Prince, shaken as he stood with a twin circle crowning his head like a crown.

    Forging an intricate magical circle that bore his sigil at its center, dozens of runes of the Fallen shone with the Demonic Might of the Nine Hells. The air turned to night, and the night to nodes of ck so dark it seemed like liquid balls of Darkness, converging into a single point upon the tip of the Prince''s finger.

    The magical circle gave a finishing sh and vanished, leaving behind a pale Master and the orb on his finger. He exchanged nces and vanished with the aid of Soverign''s Gale. Through the domain of the king, he arrived beneath the Bapett in a single breath.

    When the eyes of the two monsters met, the Bapetts axe that had been arched high cleaved down with the bellowing hiss of a demon sensing the touch of the Angel of Death, Azazel approach.

    Altair pointed his finger up and spoke the incantation: "Enma."

    A/N: Cero

    With Darkness so profound, it was sure to wither the minds, bodies, and souls of those who glimpsed it. A beam of raw Darkness came from out of the Prince of the Vale''s fingertip, erupting in a Baptism of Darkness that ate away at everything and everyone.

    The Darkness did not destroy, nor did it burn. It devoured.

    From the approaching axe, inches from his head, to the ck fur of the Bapett, all of it turned to vaper faster than one could blink their eye. It was all disintegrated, leaving behind a gaping hole that barreled through the cathedral.

    Through the walls it went, whipping past the bailey into the City of Forwin, through houses and farms, forges and keeps,it flew up past the Great Wall, tearing towards the horizon, howling with the cries of the demons of Hell.

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Herald of Astaroth Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Sister of Sepith Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Sister of Sepith Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Sister of Sepith Felled. Exp Gained]

    [...]

    ¨t(*¡ã¨Œ¡ã*)¨s (¤Å£þ 3£þ)¤Å

    What remained of the Bepett was a giant beast of bleeding muscles that held no eyes, much less skin. It dropped to its knees before the Prince, pale as a ghost.

    Reina emerged, shing onto its downed head, and plunged her sword, which zed the golden radiance of her sacred me. An arc flew from out of her sword as she performed the first stance of the Nine Celestial Moon de Technique her master gifted her, adjoined with Infernal Rage.

    "Howling Moon"

    As if the Bapett''s neck had been made of liquid butter, a searing sword passed through it, stealing away its life.

    [Bapett Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    ¡­

    Chiming nearly ten times, Altair and Reina copsed into the pool of lifeblood pulsing from out of the Bapett before it became no more than a steady stream before it stopped.

    Sucking away the blood with a hint of fever, Altair groaned, feeling the bacsh erupting from out of every pore of his body. Blood had begun to trickle out.

    Enma had been a Second Circle Spell. One at the very peak of its stage that called not only the power of the Infernal Hells but the Darkness. Its power was enough to rival most Third Circle Spells and sometimes fourth.

    And had required nearly ten years of his lifespan to cast. It was a drop in the bucketpared to his actual lifespan, but Altair''s current body still found it hard to bear.

    Reina sighed, gasping for air, feeling her heart painfully hammering against her chest. She rolled over, pale and weak.

    "3%," She said, short of breath, unable to feel most of her steaming body.

    "1%," Altair replied, suckling at the Bapett''s blood.

    [Ding]

 Chapter 154: Betrayal I

    [DING]

    [Your Strength has increased by 10]

    [Your Strength has increased by 14]

    [Your Strength has increased by 21]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 20]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 15]

    [Your Wisdom has increased by 40]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 74%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 51 ¡ú 61]

    Strength: 69 ¡ú 115

    Dexterity: 96 ¡ú 141

    Constitution: 150 ¡ú 170

    Wisdom: 152 ¡ú 212

    Charisma: 152 ¡ú 172

    Mana: 32

    Muscles burning with the air of power gnawing at his flesh, Altair became redder than a cooked lobster, drawing in as much blood as he could. Steam billowed from off his weary body, bringing about a strange ck ooze that gushed from his pores.

    Still, he ignored it, seemingly taken with the blood so sweet it made his head spin. Strength might have been returning, but Altair found himself so enthralled he couldn''t pull away.

    [Your Strength has increased by 12]

    [Your Strength has increased by 14]

    [Your Strength has increased by 17]

    Filling his belly with as much blood as possible, he did not even notice a small star crown his head, shimmering with a profound light as the flicker of a second star hummed with life, flickering back and forth, slowly growing corporal.

    He stood up, tumbling downwards, and scrambled forward like a crack fiend, plunging his fangs through the Bapett''s wrist, instinctually finding the artery. He ate, and ate, and ate, and ate.

    [Your Strength has increased by 12]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 16]

    [Your Constitution has increased by 16]

    Losing track of how many times his system hounded his ear, Altair gorged himself until his stomach patrolled, and his eyes shone such fever they didn''t seem to human. By the time he was done some minutester, the Bapett was nothing more than bby skin and bone.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Strength: 115 ¡ú 201

    Dexterity: 141 ¡ú 197

    Constitution: 150 ¡ú 204

    Wisdom: 212 ¡ú 220

    Charisma: 172

    Mana: 32

    He turned, meeting Reina''s golden eyes that shone such radiance a sense of shame overcame him as he reflected on how he just behaved. It had been no different than that of a lesser beast. A ghoul. He felt his cheeks burn hotter than the Demon Blood within his veins.

    "It''s alright," Reina said to him. She pulled herself up, wrapping her arms around him. "It''s alright, Art."

    ***

    Holding himself up with Telekinesis in the skies, Fat Mike bore a grim expression as he stared at the demonic mask of his foe before him. Wrapped in ck robes that bore the red Sigil of Asteroth, Eight Circles reined the skies in a haze of ck light.

    "Can I assume you to be the leader?" Fat Mike barked, ncing down at Cedric wielding his golden silver spear. Amilia, her tech staff, forged from the branch of the World Tree, Hilder her great axe forged of mythril, and Edwin, who wielded a sword of golden radiance he''d taken from one of the Dawnbreakers.

    Verrell was busy protecting the noblemen, trying to herd them away from the battlefield, guarding them against the various Heralds of Asteroth summoning demon after demon at the cost of their lives, with the aid of the Dawnbreakers. He watched as one after the other slit their own necks with pudgy smiles in the sacrifice of their lord.

    "For Asteroth!" They''d howl before turning into hideous, Abhorrent Amalgamations of flesh, bones, and blood. They twisted into monsters that bore no resemnce to humans, but rather a cluster of hundreds of thousands of different types of demons put together; where their eyes ought to have been stood two hideous ck horns that carried a great hundred of many mouths, crackling inughter.

    Their skin had turned all but red as they stood on what appeared like legs but seemed more like thick vines reminiscent of tree stubs.

    Chaos had taken to the Cathedral of Light, and in its midst, several Iron Maidens were bellowing orders at the top of their lungs, wielding their Morningstar, as they battled against the Heralds.

    The one who bore the Mask of the Great Horned Beast crackled in a voice that did not seem to echo from behind his mask, rming Fat Mike.

    He felt the air be like knives against his skin despite being surrounded by his barrier. Fat Mike red, wielding his staff with ck, sullen eyes. Sweat slithered down the folds of fat around his cheek as he gulped.

    "It''s toote." The Eight Circle Herald crackled, looking up at the pentagram that had been forming around the several Heralds in the air. "He is upon us. The Great Devil of the Nine Hells will soon descend to usher us into a new era."

    "CAW!" Cried the Raven circling the battlefield.

    Fat Mike grimaced. "Demon, Devil, it doesn''t matter." He pointed his staff towards the Eight Circle. By himself, he was sure he''d have no chance. He was only at the peak of the sixth circle. However, Cedric was with him, and Edwin a Seventh Circle. He was at least hopeful¡­ but ''this City is lost...

    No. This entire was lost.'' he thought.

    Deciding not to care about coteral, he sighed and said, "Execute Order 47."

    The Order seared its way into the minds of Hilda, Amilia, and Cedric, who''d seen war and conquered many words, stripping any shred of humanity from their eyes until all that was left was the mission.

    Within the Myriad Heavens, there had been countless worlds where they''d face hundreds, if not thousands, of powerful entities that required coteral, whether it was from their forces or the enemies. Order 47 had been one that allowed those of power to leave destruction in their wake without worry of consequences.

    "I grant thee flight," Amilia chanted, weaving her staff through the air. Magical symbols gathered beneath Cedrics, Hilda, and Edwin''s feet, propelling them off the ground. Her eyes glowed with power, revealing the five circles that hung over her head like a crown. And from her staff, sigil after sigiled appeared as she began buffing her crew.

    "Blessing of Yggdrasil, Aura of Divine Protection, Enhance, Elemental Charge!" In a single instance, everyone in Amelia''s party felt as if their bodies had been pushed well past their limits, brimming with such might each of their Circles began to fill the skies.

    The Herald of Asteroth bellowed augh of disdain. Reaching into his robes, he slid a golden-encrusted sword from its scabbard. Golden sword light pressured the cathedral into a domain of silence, bearing down on a great many humans in a golden reign of might.

    "Hells," Edwin muttered, recognizing the sword. "... Your¡­ Your¡­ Your¡­ The Sword of the King, your Varquess, the de of Dawn!!"

    ***

    Hurrying towards the Sanctuary, Altair, with a shadow of a smile, found its way to his lips at the sight of Aria resting in Liana''s arms. He hadn''t seen her at the party and figured she had been patrolling when the Heralds attacked.

    "Altair!" Liana cried, seeing him walk in, drenched in blood. " Are you alright?"

    "I am," He answered, ncing around, unable to find the archbishop but rather the scar-faced woman he''d seen speaking with Vanro. Armed with a golden spear over stered armor that shone silver. She was staring at Altair and Reina.

    "Do you know the situation outside?" The Master of the Iron Mask, Sin Vor, demanded, cold and hard like a man.

    "The Leader appears to be the Sword of the King, Varquess," Altair said, listening through the ears of his Raven. He began exining the situation to Sin, who remained as cold and indifferent as the Sisters of Silence.

    "I see,'' Was all she said, returning to her squad of Dawnbreakers and Iron Maidens.

    Altair didn''t hear what was being discussed. Rather, he was looking for a way out. The caravan they''d been waiting on for nearly eight months was from the enemy camp. And the Cathedral had allowed them into their home.

    "What madness," He hissed, passing his hands through his hair matted by blood. "The city is indeed lost." He mused, shaking his head; he sighed before giving a fewmands to the Fallen Shadows he''d left within the Dune Estate, though he had no hope for the survival of those that apanied him these past eight months.

    Still, he had to at least ensure the likes of Nia and Alyssa survived, even if the rest died.

    He swallowed another handful of Hearthstones and felt his heart ache within his two-circle. He ignored it and turned to Reina, who seemed to be staring at Aria. "what are you thinking of?"

    "It''s hard to believe she was the one to cause all this."

    He nodded, though reluctantly. "Life sure is a bitch."

    "Lord ckwood." The Master of Iron called, gesturing for them to follow. She ushered them towards the altar where countless bodies of Heralds that hadn''t even had the chance to sacrifice themselvesy.

    There, he saw a small outline of a hiddentch.

    "This hidden pathway leads to the crypts, but if you can find your way through, you''ll be able to make it to the Forest of Selune," Sin said, prying open thetch. "I can''t go, but I''ll leave you with Seven Dawn Breakers and Iron Maidens. They''ll know the way. It''ll be a Four Week Journey. But there ought to be rats you can eat."

    ''... I''ve got food." he said, drawing a loaf of bread from Drupnir.

    When it appeared, Sin seemed surprised but nodded nheless. She cupped her arm to her chest and saluted. " May the goddess Aidios guide your path."

    Altair smiled. "Then I''ll thank you."

    Sin Vol watched them enter one after the other without expression and closed thetch after them. She gestured to two of the Sisters of Silence. "Burry thetch beneath the bodies of these filthy creatures." and she was off.

 Chapter 155: Betrayal II

    Following the horrid shrieks that shook the old walls of the cathedral of light, humming across the blood-stained stone, the Heralds of Astaroth charged at the Dawnbreakers that gleamed a dim light beneath the night. They shed. Heralds with their vile talons sh at shields while morningstars, spears, and swords pierce and sh into flesh.

    Even so, the Heralds continued forward, ignoring the thick, clotted blood spewing from out of their severed arms and legs.

    As if possessed by the foulest of demons, they wed forward, biting, shing, and casting with every fiber of their being. The Heralds felt no pain. Or rather, the pain was their pleasure. For each limb and eye they lost, the greater their ferocity became.

    And slowly, the Dawnbreaker, the Pdins of the Eternal Heavens, began to dwindle in numbers. Those who bore the Iron Mask were falling, their bodies being torn apart, shredded to bits of flesh.

    Blood painted the walls and grass over the bailey until all that was left was destruction and wretched screams of those pleading not to die, of those caught up in battle.

    Chaos had descended on the battlefield.

    Eyeing the Sword of the King, Varquess, with darkness in her eyes, Amilia slid her gaze to the approaching Raven. Ready to destroy it, she paused as words echoed from its mouth, startling her.

    "It''s me," Altair''s voice echoed from out of the ravens. It pped its wings,nding on her shoulder. Still, Amilia was cautious, employing a spell of protection to herself, just in case. "You''ve got to get out of here."

    "What?" Amilia cried.

    "We''ve lost this city," Altair informed her, his voice like cold hard ice. "We''re abandoning it. I''ve got the recruits."

    Amilia felt the walls around her crumbling. They''d spent so much time building this city.

    "What the fuck are you still standing there for¡­ LEAVE!!!" Altair snapped when a presence so domineering came like a great flood. The Raven dropped to the ground dead, turning into embers.

    When Amilia turned towards the skies, she saw Varquess gripping his golden saber, which seemed to gleam the brilliance of dawn, so bright it shone, she nearly felt blinded.

    As if she was staring at the great sun above the Sword of the King''s head, the skies seemed to illuminate a gold that made her heart sink into despair. Seven Greatswords came from the Heavens like vicious bolts that struck the earth, seething destruction wherever it struck.

    The earth began thrashing, howling, weeping like a living creature. Structures that stood for hundreds of thousands of years seemed to crumble and shatter, turning to dust in the blink of an eye at the shared shockwave that came.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Heralds, Soldiers of Sepith, and citizens alike imploded into a red mist that whipped over the golden skies, swept away by the vicious winds that felt like a great many swords carving through those strong enough to withstand the shockwave.

    In the blink of an eye, nearly half of Forwin was vaporized. From the Wall to the great mountains that stood behind Forwin, towering over the realm for millions of years, it was wiped away. Turned to dust before the Sword of the King.

    "Hells¡­" cried Amilia, looking up at the folding heavens that seemed to have been split apart. She watched clouds nearly twenty miles long recede into themselves. Only half of the cathedral remained, but what stood was mere rubble.

    "Altair said run!" Amilia shouted, ring at Fat Mike. "He said abandon Forwin! RUN!"

    The earth still trembled in remembrance of the strike as Varquess''s mightyugh thundered like that of the gods. "No one is running anywhere!"

    Fat Mike calmly nced at Edwin''s nk stare, whose manor had been caught in the st, and then Varquess. "That''s not up to you¡­'' He said, opening his palm to the Great Heavens. "Heed my call, oh mighty Sky of Olympus!"

    ***

    "Come on!" Kirr barked, dragging Alyssa away, while Jorm pulled at Nia''s arm, leading them towards the Wall. Behind them, some fifty recruits from the Imperial Forces followed. Dressed in nightgowns, running barefooted across the harsh streets of Forwin.

    When it came like a nket of dawn, a de came from the great skies of the heavens, blinding them in a baptism of gold.

    He appeared, smiling before the great light of the dawn. Zagreus drew his bastard sword from his back, lunging past Kirr and Jorm like a great sh of light, cleaving his sword over the shockwave prepared to wither them to a smear on the streets.

    And from his de, it came, like a ghoulish cry of the underworld, a sword arc so profound it seemed to challenge even the gods, shed against the mighty shockwave. His sword stroke parted the wave as it came barreling around Altair''s shadows, causing untold wreckage.

    Neither Kirr nor Jorm, much less Talia or Aurora, looked back as they pushed their bodies well past their physical limits.

    On a mission directly from their Master, they didn''t seek to stop and ask who protected them. Not that they needed to, as Zagreus caught up to them with a silly smile on his face.

    "Sup! I''m Zag."

    ***

    The shockwave that had struck Altair and his party had been a small one. The earth had begun writhing beneath his feet, shaking back and forth like the sea''s, while the ceiling crackled, dwindling with stones, repelled by his almighty resistance. He looked back to the rubble that hade like a sh, blocking the path that they''de out from.

    "Bloody Monster," Altair cursed, sensing the power that hummed through the air. He ignored it and darted after the Iron Maidens.

    [Ding]

    Startled, both Altair and Reina stopped alerting the Iron Maidens and Dawnbreakers.

    [Mission Update]

    [Mission: Kill Aria Silvermane before her Rites or defend Aria Silvermane until her Rites areplete.]

    Reward: Shard of Chaos

    "Oh shit," Altair cursed, trying to connect to whatever Raven might still be alive, but there was none. They''d all perished either from Varquess''s presence or the shockwave that followed after his sword struck.

    He nced at Aria, sleeping in Liana''s arms, with a heart that had so many questions to them, especially when he lost all his leverage over Cedric. If everyone received the same message, which had been highly likely, then they''d all want to kill her, Altair believed.

    "Come on," Reina pulled him along. "We can''t keep still."

    Through passageways, they ran, sinking into the foulest waters of the sewer that smelt more vile than a publictrine; they ran for hours upon hours. Feeling the shaking ofForwin being torn apart, shredded away when a dreadful pressure descended.

    Despite being outside the city walls, Altair looked up with horror, seeing something that made his bones turn to water and his heart to ice.

    "Give it back~" Returned the ghoulish wails.

    Sweat slithered down his brow, following the taste of brimstone on his tongue.

    "A devil," Reina whispered, with flecks of scarlet tainting the gold of her eyes. "They''ve summoned a devil of the Nine Hells."

    ''BALLAD OF THE SKIES!"

    Hearing the echoes of Fat Mike thunder through the sewers, Altair felt his heart drop, and without hesitation, he snatched Liana up with Aria; opening his Kings Doman, he flickered forward, ignoring the numbing of his legs, he whipped past the Iron Maidens and Dawnbreakers alike, shrieking ahead with Reina by his side when it arrived.

    Divinity fluttered through Heaven and Earth, pressuring the realm; it turned the winds into a baptism of fire. Mana zed like the crackling of a storm, gathering from out of the void.

    A bolt of lightning came, connecting the skies to the earth. So blinding it was, it seared away the eyes of all who glimpsed it,tore at the Heavens and Hells, releasing a sound so loud it began to peel the flesh from bone and tore apart Forwin until all that was left was an abyss of unending depths.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Reina, Altair, and Liana were pulled from the underground into an unknown forest as a shockwave nked the realm. The earth shattered with the movement of tectonic tes writhing beneath the surface of the realms. Molted rocks erupted, reaching nearly four hundred feet in the air, bathing thend in a festival of fire.

    Barreling through trees that snapped like twigs before the sheer force of their moving bodies, they skidded across the earth like a stone on water. Tumbling and rolling until they couldn''t anymore.

    Altair coughed up a mouthful of blood, dazed and weak, his legs nearly peeled of flesh. Reina was no different¡­ but Liana. When Altair saw Liana, he winced as she stood impaled on a tree branch.

    Bubbling blood from out of her mouth, she looked down at Altair, her pale eyes misty as she spoke.

    "Pr¡­ote..ct¡­ Protect¡­" Her words faded as her body fell limp.

    The Prince cursed, staggering up on his bloodied feet, and looked down at Aria, whose right arm seemed to have been twisted into an odd angle. But aside from that, she was fine, to his relief.

    "What madness," Altair cursed, looking in Forwin''s direction. There was nothing left¡­ Nothing but a cator sorge light could not reach its depths. He hurried over to Liana, opening his palm as he pulled at her soul with his [Fallen Necromancy], and watched as her body dwindled into dust.

    "We''re alive," Reina whispered, still shaking with the ache of her battered body. She coughed up bits of blood into her palm, and she wryly smiled. " Our first home¡­ is gone."

    Altair closed his eyes, finding the strength to clench his fist. "Yeah¡­" He whispered back. "But we''ll make a new one."

    "I will hope so, Lord Altair Snow."

    Startled, Altair whirled to the voice, eyeing the man whose eyes seemed as red as a river of blood.

    "Who are you?"

    The Stranger grinned. " I am Thanatos, of the Underwold. Her Majesty Tenebrae has sent me to be one of your bannermen." He bowed curtly. "I greet you, Young Master of the Eternal Night."

 Chapter 156: Betrayal III [End of Vol Two]

    "Can you do it?" Viscountess Mar asked, holding her stare over the masked Syris.

    It had been nearly a year since Laros had left. And despite sending droves of men into the Realm of Yarwin, no word had been found. They''d all either died to demons or killed by various hooded figures. She had seen the videos, and her gut wrenched the longer she watched.

    The military was in chaos, scrambling armies tobat the dungeon they were struggling to judge, calling it a dungeon within the rank of A or B, possibly an S rank. They couldn''t tell with all the fluctuation happening within the Realm. The realmws were fractured, they''d said, and that most of the people sucked in would be crippled. But Laros was alive; she knew that much.

    Syris did not motion a gesture as she stood beside the Reverend Mother, calm as a stillke. Calm and bored.

    "You want to send my disciple there?" The Reverend Mother hissed. Nearly outraged by the sheer idea. "Those are demons. Lesser Demons but real bloody demons. Do you have any idea of the powers they hold?"

    "He''s my son!" Shouted Mar, losing her cool for a second. She couldn''t afford to lose such a valuable asset. "And those demons are limited by the dungeonws. Most of their abilities are sealed." she protested. "If Syris and a powerful squad of Aros Knights armed with real weapons that can turn even six-tier monsters to paste where they to descend, we stand a great chance.

    Even as we speak, the military has managed to create an outpost around the dungeon after it calmed down. We¡ª"

    "Altair is there, right?" Syris said, recalling the raven-haired boy with a faint smile. It was boring without him there. Life in the estate had been as dull as it was on Genisis. There had been no one to challenge her, no one who couldst more than three strokes from her dagger, none. Even the various dungeons she frequented to grind had been considered dull.

    Mar resisted the urge to spew curses and nodded. "Yes. He was sucked in. But¡ª"

    "Then I''ll go," Syris said, rising.

    The Reverend Mother frowned. "Not alone, you''re not. I''ll send a Ninth Circle to aid you."

    "Is that¡ª

    "Necessary?" The Reverend Mother chimed in, folding her arms. "Yes. You know better than anyone the terrors of demons. And if there are so many demons present, what are the chances that there''s a devil there?"

    Hesitant, Syris couldn''t help but ask," Who are you sending."

    "Lady Lyain Orsteen."

    "That bitch¡­" said Syris, getting red at by the Reverend Mother. "Sorry, I mean¡­ no. Not her."

    "Then you''ll help me?" Mar asked hopefully.

    The Reverend Mother turned to the viscountess, wondering what herdy had nned. It couldn''t have been a whim she decided to visit a ce swarmed by demons, right? Or is she interested in recruiting that young man now?

    "Yes. Though whether we find Laros or not. It is up to Syris and the work of your people," said the Reverend Mother, following after Syris with a dark gleam beneath her white mask.

    For a second, Mar stood there before she began pacing back and forth, nibbling at her thumb. She was worried. Worried about her assets and worried about Altair.

    "The Tomb Stone of Laros hasn''t cracked, so we know he''s alive, but¡­" She bit her thumb, narrowing her eyes. "But what if Altair kills him? No¡­ the boy couldn''t have gotten that strong. The gods have blessed Laros." She looked up towards the skies, sping her hands together.

    [Divine Being, Passion of Sorrow, has heard your pleas.]

    A tremor rippled through Mar''s slender figure. And without a moment''s hesitation, she fell to her knees and kowtowed as though her life depended on it.

    [Divine Being Passion of Sorrow, wonders what you are willing to sacrifice for the sake of your son?]

    ***

    Resting in a carriage, Thanatos had conjured out of thin air. Altair stood in one corner with Reina covered in bandages, staring at the pale-faced man while a skeleton that held the reins steered.

    "Where are you taking us?" Altair became the first to ask, struggling not to close his eyes and rest like Reina was. He was drained, and his wounds did little to sway his mind towards the darkness.

    "Lady Iliana settled in a vige up north," Said Thanatos calmly. "Zagreus is guiding your other party there as well. But I''m sure with your Necromancy, you know this as well."

    Still cautious of this man''s intentions, Altair conjured two Ravens, sacrificing what little Mana he had left to give him an idea of the level of destruction Fat Mike had caused. He paled when he saw that the st radius was nearly a thousand miles wide, reforging the region into a basin of such proportions. Altair shuddered once again, feeling he was underestimating the Powers of Mana.

    If the power of a Sixth Circle was so dangerous, what about Seventh or Eight Circle? Could a Ninth Circle wipe out a?

    He sighed, wondering if Hilda or Amilia were able to escape in time.

    "This vige¡­ are they also hounded by demons?"

    "The Hell Tide will not die until that girl does," Said Thanatos calmly, eying the sleeping child. He looked up at the young prince, measuring his guarded expression with a half smile. "Have you decided what you''ll do? A devil of the Nine Hells will be looking for that girl."

    "Would you also like her head?"

    Thanatos shrugged. " I''ve no interest in killing children."

    "Would you?" He asked as if to gauge the man. He couldn''t get a read on him. Aside from the calmness he portrayed, Altair felt like Thanatos was like a nk canvas. One free of emotions.

    "If needed, yes. I follow the Path of Death. And all things die, be they old or young. I am there to reap their souls. So is the Law of Death." Thanatos closed his eyes, recalling a great many faces, some deserving of death, others not so much. Nevertheless, they were all brought to the underworld to be judged.

    ''The Law of Death?'' Altair had never heard of that. His brow creased, and his suspicion of the man only deepened. Like him, Thanatos was a Second Circle Cultivator, but the presence that surrounded him was insurmountable. He had never met someone with such an aura, not Fat Mike or Cedric, much less Vaiga, a Ninth Circle.

    ''Could I defeat him?'' Altair asked himself.

    He had many questions, but¡­ now wasn''t the time. He was weak. And tired. His reserves were dry, and his body ached.

    "Sleep," Thanatos said, noticing his distress. "It''ll take a month to reach the vige. I assure you I''ll not harm you nor your mate."

    Lids struggling to remain open, Altair stared at the handsome man. "How can I trust you?"

    "My word is my bond. And it has never been broken. Not now, nor through the endless tides of time."

    Altair slept for an entire week before he opened his eyes to Reina''s sleeping face, which opened the moment she felt him stir.

    Their injuries had all but healed in this short time, but they were still sore and a little disoriented. Suddenly, Altair noticed a strange glint in Reina''s golden eyes¡­ a system message. It brought a smile to his lips.

    "How dare you look at your system and not me when you wake," He pointed out, biting her cheek as she giggled.

    "Stop silly!" sheughed, wiggling her way out of his embrace. She stood up suddenly, remembering Thanatos, who was locked in meditation. Pulling Mana from the air, he was motionless like a still tree when he opened his eyes as if sensing her stare.

    "Yes?"

    "Nothing," Reina said and nced at Aria, who had not woken. Her body had taken a good thrashing. Despite not taking much physical damage, her insides were sure to have taken some significant damage, damage Altair had fixed before his consciousness drifted away. She smiled, lifting the girl into her arms, feeling her warmth.

    "It''s good to see you awake," Thanatos said. "I''m sure you''ve much to ask me. Much about your Mother, I surmise, and why I was chosen to be one of your Bannermen."

    Altair crossed his legs and nodded. " Yes, I¡ª" A sudden popping noise came as the carriage went over the bump, stalling the prince''s words when it came.

    [Ding]

    [Aria Silvermane has died]

    [Mission Aplished]

    Eyes widening, Altair whirled in a panic, meeting with the bloodstained eyes of Reina and the snapped neck of the girl dangling from her hands. Limp¡­ and dead. Blood had begun to pool from the dead girl''s nostrils in streams as she hung there.

    Howls erupted like thunder from out of his mouth, but Reina heard none of it as she stared at the message in front of her, cold as a winter''s breeze.

    [Ding]

    [Mission: Kill Aria Silvermane]

    [Reward: Information on who Poisoned your Mother.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Ouroboros,'' thanks you for your hard work and will deliver onto you all you desire.]

 Chapter 157: Prologue: Loki

    Loki had been grinning, kicking his feet back and forth over the kaleidoscopic bridge stretching far and wide throughout the Myriad Heavens. The bridge sparkled like an endless neb of worlds and gxies.

    "This woman is such a fool¡­ What is her name again? Mar?" Heughed, falling to his back, his lips all but curled down at the sight of Heimdall staring at him with multicolored eyes, glimmering misty colors. He nearly jumped in shock before chuckling. "I keep forgetting you''re alive. How''d it feel to die and resurrect? You must be happy Lord Zariel brought you back."

    Heimdall, with his sun-kissed skin, winced. "Better than being a thrall to one of the Nine Monarchs of Hell."

    Loki hopped to his feet,ughing. He patted Heimdall''s shoulder as if to beat the dust off his shoulders. He ignored the shudder running through his half-brother''s body and looked him in the eye.

    "Careful, Heim," said Loki gently. "You never know when Lord Mephisto might toss you into one of his schemes." he took a step back, measuring his tall half-brother with a kind nod. "You don''t want to end up like Odin."

    The mere mention turned Heimdall''s stomach. He groaned, recalling the honors Freya inflicted on him. Now¡­ he couldn''t even look at the former king, who had be nothing more than a hollow shell.

    All he did now was drool over himself.

    "Well? What can I do for you, brother?"

    Heimdall made a face, "What is your fascination with Earth? Of the Four Worlds that connect to Babel''s Tower, Earth seems¡­ useless. "Yet Freya and you are protecting it. Why?"

    "Earthlings are stupid," said Loki,ughing. "This Mar is the dumbest of the lot. She''s screwed her own flesh and blood because she thought it was the best alternative than raising him to be a loving son."

    "Not all boys are loving towards their mother," said Heimdall coldly. "But you''re not answering my question. Why Earth?"

    Loki gave his brother a side nce, turning towards the aimlessness of space painted with endless star clusters, twisting into nebs and sr systems.s so many parsecs away seemed nearly a finger''s reach from Loki as he pushed his gaze toward the small of Earth.

    "Because the Second Monarch of Hell hasmanded his lovely knight, Freya, to look after Earth. Why else do you think Earth was registered within the Genesis mainframe before Babel''s Tower erupted? It was Freya''s doing. And I just so happened to aid her. Curious as to why¡­" He grinned. " Curious as to what her motives were.

    And some yearster, up pops Babels Tower."

    Heimdall expression all but turned dark. "This is in regards to that bloody monster, Arsene Snow?" he said, feeling his stomach churn. He felt queasy. "Hells, Loki. Are you really getting in bed with that bastard again?"

    "Oh, Arsene''s not that bad," Loki admitted coolly. "Quite a funny guy. What I''m curious about is¡ª"

    [Ding]

    [Error has urred within the Realm of Forwin]

    [Realm Laws have shifted]

    [All restrictions have been removed.]

    [Reconnection between the Realm of Yarwin and Babels Tower has been established.]

    [DING]

    [Mission: Kill Aria Silvermane before her Rites or defend Aria Silvermane until her Rites areplete.]

    [Error]

    [Updated Mission]

    [Mission: Kill Altair ckwood]

    Loki threw his head back and roared withughter. "How the hell did he do that? What the hell is Astaroth thinking?" He said, bringing up the Origin Systems Live Feed of the Realm of Yarwin with a snap of his fingers. His eyes went wide alongside Heimdells as they watched all that had transpired.

    "Hells. A-Are those Demons?" Heimdall could scarcely believe it, he stammered. "All-Father aid them," he muttered, bringing up his live feed of Yarwin. Heimdall peered through all ten months, watching it through in less than a second.

    He gasped.

    "All-Father!" He swore. "If the restriction is lifted¡­" He turned to Loki, grinning like a fool.

    "Do me a favor Heimdall. Send word to every god within the Nine Realms of our Pantheon. Tell them that there is a good show happening, " Said Loki, turning to his half-brother with a mischievous smile. "And I''ll do the same to the other Gods below the hundredth floor. Things are getting good."

    Heimdall''s expression grew even darker than it already was. He nearlyughed in a thin vale of contempt. "Are you out of your bloody mind? I want nothing to do with Devils or Demons of the Nine Hells. Nothing ever goodes from the likes of them."

    "You don''t know that, "said Loki, beaming. " Look, do this for me¡­ and I''ll owe you a favor. I''ve already be a Fell God, and you are still within the Realms of Immortal, far behind the likes of Thor or the Vanir Gods. Do this little favor for me, and I''ll¡ª"

    "No," Heimdall said, voice hard as stone. "I like living, and the Silver Devil will not resurrect me again. I will not. I repeat, I will not get involved with anything with Demons or Devils. Arsene Snow was already a nightmare. No.

    No. NO."

    Before Loki could give his retort, Heimdall blinked from out of his perception to his amusement. "Pussy. It''s not like you had your booty taken like Odin." He rolled his eyes. "Guess I''ll just do it myself."

    "Let''s see¡­ Passion of Sorrow would like to formally introduce to you¡ª" He chuckled. " Oh man, this is about to be so much fun. I ought to spread the news in the Nine Hells. Perhaps Ishar will do me a favor."

    ***

    "He''s back!" Artemis happily sang, leaping up to her feet. She stared over the mirroredke, smooth as ss, to the mirrored image of the Little Prince and then to his little adventure through Yarwin.

    She tsked. " Demons¡­ A lot of them. And a Devil¡­ A royal devil at that." She frowned, scowling. Looking at the image of the demoness, whose physique was as seductive as her face, seemed to tug at the deepest and darkest fantasies of men and women alike. Alluring with raven-colored hair that dangled to her back, pillowing with the winds.

    Her eyes seemed to capture the rosy hue of blood over the snow, bright and stunning.

    [Insert Pic]

    Yet, Artemis could not bring herself to feel anything but loathing. "A lilm. Gods¡­ one of the Children of the Mother of Demons." she cursed, unsure if Altair was ready for the likes of one such as herself. Lilms were powerful Devils that bore many attributes of subus and Incubus. But held a battle prowess rivaled only by those of royalty.

    Few had ever left the Hells, but each of them was hunted like dogs by a powerful Seraphim before damage could be done. For that reason alone, the Council of Omnis allowed them to enter the Material ne, believing they were weaker than an Incubus. But that couldn''t have been the furthest thing from the truth.

    Lilms were the personal toys of Fallen. In contrast, subus and Incubus were yed things of the more powerful demons and devils of the nines.

    "I need to visit Athena." She mused aloud when she heard a voice echo through hernds.

    "I''m here, sister," said Athena, appearing like an apparition with nary a smile. Cold and hard, she descended like a fairy. "I rushed over when I saw the news. I''d like your help."

    Artemis managed a smile. Despite the simrities the two goddesses shared, they never got along with each other like many believed. "I must thank you. You managed to save Altair''s life¡­"

    "I merely aided him," said Athena, correcting her sister. "I don''t know what power he called upon, but when that Raven appeared¡­" she shuddered, shaking her head. "... I was sure he and that Reina girl would have survived."

    "Do you have acolytes on Earth,'' asked Artemis grimly. "Saints, perhaps."

    Athena''s expression dipped. "Not on Earth. But it won''t matter. If that demon is in the Ninth Realm¡­ No Saint would be able to handle her. She''d shred them to pieces," she admitted, tightening her fist. "Royal Devils are on another level than your average Devil, much less demon.

    Things will only get worse if she begins summoning other high-rank demons and devils. And if... God forbid Archdemon Baphomet gets involved. All is lost."

    "What about¡­" She stopped herself, clenching her fist. "What about the Twelve Zodiacs? "

    "Don''t be stupid," snapped Athena. "You know as well as I do that those bastards are just fronts for the Devils of the Nine Hells. Each of them serves a master within the Hells, A Duke, or Prince, possibly a King. We''d be fools like those damn New Gods if we tried to side with them. Only those foolish New Gods don''t know of this fact¡­ that''s why they''ve grown so strong so quickly.

    Those idiots have all sold their souls, and they don''t even know it."

    "Then that leaves the Old Families or the Church of the Sepith," Artemis whispered. Neither were good options.

    "Ares is with one of the Old families, and he hates my fucking guts. And the Church of the Sepith, dangerous. Altair has many demonic tendencies. They''ll not get along. But that is a better option." Said Athena, sighing. She took a seat beside her sister, looking down at the mirroredke.

    "Still¡­ They might try to kill him. After all¡­ the first chosen of the Sepith ever recorded died. And the mission parameter is¡ª"

    "To kill Altair ckwood," Artemis whispered with a wry smile. She turned to Athena. "Think Freya will aid us?"

    "... Let''s hope."

 Chapter 158: Reinas Dual Cultivation**

    [Divine Fallen, ''Ouroboros,'' thanks you for your hard work and will deliver onto you all you desire.]

    Tossing the remains of the dead girl from her hand as though she were tossing away trash, Reina stepped off the carriage that hade to a swift halt. She stepped out, looking towards the pale skies, and felt a glimmer of nodes sprinkle down from an unknown realm, crowning her with an influx of knowledge.

    [Ding]

    [Known as the Court of Shadows, a Fallen by the name of Lilica ordered your family killed.]

    "The Court of Shadows¡­" Reina whispered, closing her eyes. She had a name. After so many years¡­ she had a name.

    When atst she opened her eyes, Reina had not found herself out of the dungeon as she had thought; rather, nothing had urred. She frowned, turning to Altair, gripping the dead girl''s remains that slowly dwindled into ashes.

    [Soul of Aria Silvermane absorbed]

    "Forgive me¡­" Altair whispered, gripping the ashes of remains, unsure why he felt so hollow.

    "Altair¡­" Thanatos called. "I know you''re mad. I know your¡ª"

    Thanatos had not seen when he moved, but by the time he whirled his eyes to Reina, Altair''s fingers wrapped around her neck, mming her into the earth with a thunderous boom. Stones shattered and cracked, but Reina was only smiling as he tightened his hold around her neck.

    "I like it when you''re rough like that," she said, her scarlet red eyes blistering an abyss of fire. She licked her lips, blushing like a maiden in heat.

    "Why?" He seethed out.

    Reina grinned, feeling her neck being squeezed. "Why not? She was sleeping so peacefully, and I was oh so bored." She reached up, cupping his cheeks as if he were fragile ss. "Though I guess you can say I didn''t want to hear herin about missing her daddy."

    Will of the Abyssshed out, pressuring the air in a whirlwind of might. It bore down on Reina, but Altair could only hear her spryughter. She jerked his head down, pressing his lips against hers.

    "Damn it, Ren, "cried Lord ckwood, flushed with rage. He jerked his lips away, taken back by the wild change. Lost at what to do. "Tell me the truth or¡ª"

    "Or what?" She smiled, licking her cherry lips. " You''ll do what exactly?"

    The words became caught in his mouth. He didn''t know.

    "Abandon me? Over what? Some little sacrifice to the Gods? Some side character?" she sneered. " No, you''ll not do that. I¡ª"

    [Error Detected]

    [Error]

    [Error has urred in Death]

    [Realm Lord is creating new parameters.]

    [All restrictions will be released in one month]

    [Mission Update]

    [Mission: Kill Altair ckwood]

    "That''s enough, the both of you. In the carriage now! Altair your mask. You two, Reina. Now." Thanatos demanded the second he got notified. He jerked Altair off the girl, ring.

    "Let''s go."

    Shaking, Altair stared down Reina as she stood up. He didn''t return to the carriage but aimlessly marched off. By the time he stopped, the four moons of Yarwin had risen over the skies.

    "Why are you following me?" He asked, but when he turned, his jaw dropped at the naked young woman.

    Reina, with her bewitching smile that matched her physique, confidently marched forward, taking his hand and cing it over her breast.

    Her nipples were hard and pink, and unconsciously, Altair''s thumb seemed to fumble about it, teasing it until her face was as red as her hair.

    She shuddered. "I''m in such a good mood." She said, quivering at his touch. "Do you know what I got for killing that useless girl?" She looked at him and slid one of his hands between her legs.

    It was drippingly wet.

    "I got information. Information on the one who tried to poison my Mother. It was a woman. A Fallen Angel. Mhh~ yes¡­ just like that." She whispered, weing one of his fingers inside of her. Saliva slipped from her plump lips as she looked up at him, waiting for him to devour her.

    She didn''t wait long.

    "Damn you¡­ why didn''t you just tell me?" He growled, unsure whether he ought to be angry or sad. To Altair, death wasn''t an end but a new beginning. Still¡­ he felt betrayed.

    Though from the looks of it, Reina didn''t seem to care.

    Buckling at the knees, Reina let loose a moan that sent shivers through Altair''s body and soul. She reeled, wetting the grass as her cunt began to writhe against his fingers. The inner walls of her vagina seemed to expand and contract, mping down on his two fingers, seizing them in a baptism of warmth. Altair nearly felt he was in a forge. It was so hot.

    Sweat zed the surface of Reina''s milky white skin, glistening under the moon''s glow, moaning and purring as she struggled to stand. But Altair wouldn''t allow her to fall.

    He held her there, fingering her little cunt with such vigor her moans became screams, and her screams moans alternating into a crazed heat that swept over her soul.

    Reina had lost track of how many times she came, but untamed saliva slid down her slender chin and neck and onto her breast, clutched within Altair''s other arm.

    "Aah," moaned the little Nephilim, too weak to stand.

    Altair held her and flipped around as though she were light as a doll so that her backy on his chest.

    He had never been so rough, though Reina didn''t seem to mind, as her arm reached up over his neck and into the raven-colored hair she loved so dearly and tilted her head to the side. He kissed her then, tasting the sweet, sweet, crisp taste of her lips.

    She purred, feeling her mind nk.

    When atst Altair pulled his fingers from between her legs, Reina''s cunt echoed a squeamish pop as the suction saw to encase his fingers between her legs.

    He ced her fingers between her agape lips, allowing her to taste herself. Reina suckled at his fingertips, unbothered and unashamed. She trailed her tongue up and down his two fingers until they were clean and polished. She smiled.

    "Do you forgive me," She asked him, her voice weak and her ruby eyes hazy. She was quivering, reeling from his vigorous touch. "You¡­ know¡­ I had to, right?"

    "I''m not mad you killed her. I''m mad that you didn''t tell me." He told her, wondering if their behavior was unhinged or not. He couldn''t tell anymore. "But I get it¡­ if it were my mom¡­ I''d have done the same." He admitted kissing the nape of her neck. His lips brushed against her skin to her ears a curious pink. He kissed it and nibbled at it, listening to Ren''s soft, stifled breaths of pleasure.

    "So I''ll forgive you this one time."

    She grinned, quivering short gasps of air. "Take me," She mewled, savoring the touch that sent her aze.

    Heid her down on all fours over the grass, legs arched, and her bottom high, exposed for all to see, with a small stream of translucent liquid cascading down her thigh.

    Altair, whose warhammer had long torn through his trousers, fixed itself between the zing hot furnace that was her slit quivering with dreadful veins. He moaned as his cock pressed tightly against her slit, plumping up the folds to her entrance.

    Ren had found it all so hard to breathe. She was gasping, but the air wasn''t filling her lungs. Her body was burning up, but the sensation rippling through her had been a sensation not even her dreams could have prepared her for.

    She was scared, anxious, queasy, but most of all excited, for he was finally about to be hers. That excitement quickly dwindled when she felt somerge and hard press against her garden. She stiffened, enjoying every quiver, every twitch echoing from his body into hers.

    Reina''s breath caught.

    Altair had been no different, having to grip her perky ass, filling his fingers with her thick juicy flesh. He squeezed hard, holding it as though he were holding on for dear life. The boy trembled, savoring the view that seemed to sear itself into the deepest regions of his mind. He would draw thister.

    "Altair, ahh!" Cried Reina, pitifully plucking at the strings of his heart. She looked back at him. Ruby-red hair clinging to her naked, wet skin; all the while, her expression seemed one of pleading. She wiggled her rear, moaning as her alluring volva seemingly tried to greedily devour his manhood.

    He moved, trying his best not to cum prematurely. And yet, sweat dripped from down his face, striking against Reina''s naked flesh as he slowly squeezed himself inside her. Slowly and steadily, Reina''s eyes rolled to the back of her head as her mouth opened wide as a donut. She came and came and came, ravaged by a sensation that brought her to the Seven Skies of the Eternal Heavens.

    Nectar dripped like an unending river, sowing life beneath the earth. Flowers began to blossom as though her fluids were miraculous.

    Crazed, Reina billowed an "aaaaaaah~" moaned, feeling her toes begin to curl and her finger sinking deep within the dirt. Water seemed to drain from her body as her pores began to leakrge amounts of liquid fluids.

    "Halfway!" Shouted Altair before he gave up altogether and jerked his hips forward. Flesh rippled, and Reina''s lips became O-shaped as her sweet, alluring monas stopped altogether.

    As if she fell into a world of her own, a Heaven seen only by her eyes, Reina stilled, petrified by the sensation of fullness. Words followed by thought seemed to escape her mind. The tight walls of her vagina all but expanded, reeling around Altair''s penis that seemed to have reshaped the inner lining of her insides.

    At that moment, Reina felt everything in that single instance shift. She hadn''t been human, so Altair''s reckless actions hadn''t actually caused harm, but she felt all her organs being crammed down by his raging cock, piercing through her cervix and invading the deepest regions of her womb.

    It had been said that Nephilim bore no maidenhood like most humans, but Reina still wept when she came to. On all fours like a dog, tears streamed down her lewd expression. She didn''t want it like this. She turned back to look at his shaken expression, feeling herself want to melt inside.

    No one moved.

    Altair had been shaking, lost by the dangerous existence known as Reina ckwood. He was at his limit, but the moment he saw her expression, he knew. Gently, he moved her to her back, a feat neither thought would be so difficult, but by the time they''d seeded, Altair felt as if he''d been in battle for nearly a week.

    He was gasping for air, seeing fit to name Reina''s twat ''The Destroyer,'' for it was meant to destroy even his will.

    "Better?" He murmured, noticing the peculiar contrast of Gold and Red eyes. Reina nodded, beaming a bright, content smile, tugging at his soul. She''d look so fragile now, far in contrast to that demoness she portrayed. She seemed nearly normal.

    "Did it hurt?" He asked, cupping her cheeks. Reina reciprocated, resting her head against his warm hands, finding a sense of security that had been missing.

    "No," she said lightly, growing more ustomed to feeling him inside her, though Altair couldn''t say the same.

    Her insides were writhing like the raging oceans against his cock. Vibrating with a unique frequency, he and he alone could feel deep within his body and soul. The sensation alone made him question his life decisions.

    Reina grinned, seeing his distress, feeling a sense of pride blossoming within her heaving bosom.

    "You can cum," She whispered, arms wrapped around his neck.

    Altair didn''t think twice before unloading a mountain of his seed within her, filling her womb until it swelled, unable to seep out from the sheer size of the shaft plugging her little hole.

    He groaned, rasping a low moan that resounded like the growl of a bear. While Reina''s tung hung loosely from her lips, seething the fiercest orgasm she''d ever faced.

    The sound that echoed from the back of her throat didn''t remotely sound human. But it thundered through the forest, rising high and low into the skies.

    The howling of Wolves followed after hounding the endless night with the song of their people.

    "Your¡­ too¡­ tight," said Altair, feeling her vagina sucking him dry. It pulled and jerked, sucking at his cock until his mind felt as though it would break. The stimtion only seemed to deepen as Reina''s hips began to roll beneath his body.

    Sharp gasps of air billowed from her tender lips, flushed red.

    "Ren," said Altair, grunting. "You''re getting¡­ tighter."

    Reina looked at him hazily. She hadn''t been trying to move, but her hips and muscles didn''t seem to care. They were moving on their own, squirming beneath his heavy frame.

    He kissed her, and their tongues began a wet dance, twirling and entwining with one another. When he pulled away, a strand of saliva followed after his lips and broke soon after Reina licked her lips. She looked down, staring down at the imprint of his beast protruding from her abdomen, unable to believe how such a thing had managed to fill her up. She felt as though she were about to break.

    Still¡­ as she looked up at his devilish expression made hard by her, Reina felt something akin to ownership from the Young Lord above her. Her heart quivered in the most delectable way.

    Altair steeled his heart, channeling Soul of the Indomitable, and he began his attack. Pulling his cock back, he jerked it forward. Reina''s legs kicked up high, and her eyes widened, following a sweet cry to the heavens; she echoed, "Ahh~" So delectable Altair''s hips jerked back, hitting her deepest regions again and again and again.

    Slobber rolled down the Nephilim lips as her prince filled her insides, drowning her pussy with his cock and seed. Lewd noise rolled through the air, followed by hoarse moans and squeals. Altair hipped pounded her peach cunt staining it crimson.

    "Ahhhhhh~" moaning delectable cries till her throat was hoarse, Altair continued to thrash at her lovely cunt until it was swollen, seeping an endless amount of nectar. It became a wonder how she''d not die. He fucked her until she howled to the moon before unloading his second seed deep inside her. Altair grunted once more, cumming so hard he felt his bones turn to water and his mind to mist.

    Suddenly, Altair and Reina felt their mana begin to stir within their bodies. Runic symbals so ancient they bore a resemnce to Primordial Runes lit up around their naked bodies entwined between one another, blending into every cell that made up tissue, bone, and ligaments.

    Ripples through space and time traveled through the Myriad Heavens, stirring the attention of many Gods so old-time seemed extrinsic; they peeped their ancient eyes and turned to meet the invisible vale of darkness masking their location.

    Fear and horror all filled their eyes as, one by one¡­ they Felt the Darkness¡­ the shadow of something being born:

    A Shadow within the Abyss

 Chapter 159: Time Skip

    "I figured you''d arrive before me. Zag, did you call me just to brag? Grow up." Thanatos said, ring at the towering structure of fleshy mass, bearing thick, elongated veins throbbing as if alive, ck as tar. Thanatos sighed and stood, unsure what to do. He had gotten in contact with Iliana, but she merely said, ''screw em.''

    That hadn''t been the answer he had been looking for, but he couldn''t simply abandon them.

    It had been an entire year, and things were growing worse by the day. The sun seemed to have perished with the death of Aria Silvermane, leaving the world a ve to the night. And with many restrictions gone, demons were evolving after every battle. They were growing smarter, faster, and more resilient to modern technology as they found themselves attuning to the Nine Hells.

    "I didn''t call you for that, actually," Zag said on the hologram in Thanatos'' hand. "Those of the Prime Worlds within Babels Tower are descending to this realm. One of them tried to seize Iliana''snd and got his head taken clean off his body by her. Thatdy doesn''t y. But be careful if those in Babels Tower are here. It''s safe to assume people from Heaven''s Gate have descended."

    "Heavens Gate," Said Thanatos grimly. He groaned, feeling a headacheing on. " Heavens Gate shouldn''t have an issue with Altair as of yet. If anything, they should be trying to pull Altair to their side. So unless the person Lady Iliana killed was from Heaven Gate¡ª"

    "He wasn''t," said Zag thankfully. God knows the trouble they''d be in if Heaven Gate got involved.

    "Then we''re good for now. But keep that woman hidden. God knows how many people she''s killed already, "said Thanatos, staring at the cocoon that held Altair and Reina. He disconnected and tossed his Holocube into his Draupnir Ring. "Boy¡­ How long are you going to keep me waiting? You''re fourteen today, you know.

    October 31. That''s your birthday, right?

    Spending the New Year in utter silence, surrounded by his undead guarding the Prince and Princess, Thanatos stared up nkly toward the skies. He hadid down a few Wardings to defend against wondering eyes, but he could still see hovercraft, starships, andrge metal frames shrieking through the skies,ying waste to the raging demons.

    Beams of light seemed to shine more brightly than stars as they fired into the earth, tearing through flesh and bones.

    It was an unfamiliar sight to Thanatos, though the prospect of war was not. He thrived on war, much like the God of War; each death aided him in his growth, delivering death to countless.

    "Look at me¡­ God of Death, standing guard while his master fucks. Hells. What the hell am I doing?" He sighed, regretting his decision. He hadn''t given up his divinity for this.

    Suddenly, the Mana quivered, jolting about like fireflies, alerting the former God of Death, who turned to the cocoon. He frowned and sat up, taking a few steps back, sensing the Mana growing wilder by the second. It began to congeal, growing so bright it became seen with the naked eye.

    Thanatos took another step back, conjuring a dense ck mist around him, causing the grass and trees to wilt as if they''d touched upon death. Even the Mana seemed to fade into nothingness.

    The cocoon stirred before it began to reel, thrashing back and forth. Splintering lines ofceration stretched across therge mass of flesh, seeping blood as ck as the night skies, thick as tar, slid down the horrid curves of the tumor-like mass. The grass turned to me at its touch, and the Mana began to burn, twisting'' into light so blinding Thanatos dared not look too closely.

    Searing heat came at him in a surge of waves, searing the wilted grass to ash, consuming Thanatos and all manner of beasts, cryptids, and demons within a hundred miles.

    They burned. They all burned. Even those that bore resistance and immunities to fire burned. A great pyre of horrid emerald gold fire tore at the heavens, hounding at it. Starships that hovered just outside the atmosphere veered away, employing barriers and shields. Hovercraft that stood inside the atmosphere turned to liquid metal, falling from the skies in a great molten rain of metal.

    Millions upon billions perished in the blink of an eye, leaving gods awe-struck while the demons sang madly with praise. They roared towards the great pyre of mes, seeking what they could to mount, willing or not.

    When, atst, the pyre faded, dwindling into fleeting light, Thanatos stood Untouched but horrified, clenching a sk that held the lingering bits of his divinity. It had been the only reason he survived. He shuddered, looking down at the two Lords still adjoined with one another.

    "Arsene¡­ you owe me big. I did not sign up for this Bullshit."

    ***

    It had taken nearly three weeks for Altair and Reina to wake, groggy and weak; Thanatos became like a maid to their whims. Feeding them demon blood every hour on the hour while roosting meat of whatever wild beast he found. When he found them, the two had been nothing more than skin and bones. Their faces were hollow, as though they''d been encased and mummified.

    Despite three weeks slipping through their fingers, the duo didn''t look that much better, but they could talk now, though mobility was at an all-time low.

    "Hard to believe two years just flicked bye," Altair said within the carriage. "Time really is rtive."

    "And meaningless," said Thanatos. "You''ll realize that when you be gods."

    "If we be God''s." Altair closed his eyes, bringing up the system mission.

    [Kill Altair ckwood]

    He groaned, looking at that sted red lettering.

    "Do you know where the Portal is? Remaining in this dungeon is no longer a benefit."

    Thanatos nodded. "I do¡­ but you''re currently in no state to fight, and with the level of demons wondering about, you''d die before you made it there. We need to regroup and recover."

    Altair could believe it, and it was especially true now.

    "I¡ª" Noticing Altair had fallen back asleep, Thanatos eyed the vige a few days'' journey beforemanding his skeleton knight to veer the carriage off course. The fewer people who knew about Altair and Reina''s arrival, the better.

    They came from the south using the forest as a cover before stopping as the blood-stained wooden barricade stood mounted around the outskirts of the vige. Pointed with various types of demon heads mounted on the wall. Crows and ravens fluttered about wildly, pping their wings, as Archers stood on towering outposts, arrows at the ready.

    Thanatos lifted Altair and Reina and lept over the wall covered in a veil of darkness. He moved without sound like a blur, whirling through the streets filled with different kinds of people until he arrived in the cottage they''d prepared for the two a year ago. Secluded from most of the vige, it stood surrounded by a dense canopy of trees.

    "This ce really changed in thest year," said Thanatos, resting Reina and Altair down in the same bed. He sighed. "I''d give it to humans. Their ability to colonize is legendary. You''d think they''re dwarves by the rate in which they build." He nced at Altair and sighed. Pulling out a tankard of blood, he fed the duo,id down a few runes, and left.

    Altair opened his eyes. "He''s¡­ a nice guy."

    "He''s like a nanny," said Reina, opening her eyes. "Think he can be trusted."

    "If you''d asked me a few weeks ago, I''d say no. But Thanatos could have killed us if he wanted to days ago, but he didn''t. And Mother did send him."

    Reina looked at her withered hands, nothing more than skin and bones, and sighed. "How long do you think it''ll take for us to recover?"

    He shook his head, weak. "Hells if I know. Thest time I was like this, it took nearly six months."

    Reina''s sunken face bore an ugly smile that didn''t quite seem like one. "Am I still cute?"

    "You look like a withered cranberry. A raisin if raisins could look more deformed. Maybe a little retarded."

    "... But am I cute?"

    "..."

    "A~R~T

    With augh that ached, Altair managed a smile, "Yeah, you''re still cute."

    Content, Reina fell back asleep, and soon Altair followed; for nearly a month, theyid in bed, tended to by Thanatos and, at times, Zagreus, who''de to make introductions. He was a lot more expressive than Thanatos. Altair liked that. Expression meant control, and when it came to the Former God of Death, he only saw Pride and Honor. Nothing more, nothing less. He seemed like a simple man.

    Though Iliana never came to visit, she gave a singlemand she delivered through Zag: "Don''t forget to practice the Ninth and Eight Forms."

 Chapter 160: Recovery

    As Altair had suspected, it had taken nearly six months for them to recover; despite being fed demon blood on a daily basis, their bodies were so battered, Thanatos imed, that they should be dead. Still, they somehow managed to slowly recover despite the resources Zag and Thanatos harvested.

    Thanatos had ced them on a tight, strict diet, forbidding any form of dual cultivation, iming they''d only do more harm than good, and for a good reason, for when Altair looked at his stats, he understood why.

    Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 74% ¡ú 99%]

    Physique One: [First Vale Star Complete] [Second Vale Star Complete]

    Physique Two: [Fallen Primordial]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61]

    Strength: 201 ¡ú 301

    Dexterity:197 ¡ú 297

    Constitution: 204 ¡ú 304

    Wisdom: 220 ¡ú 320

    Charisma: 172 ¡ú 272

    Mana: 32 ¡ú 60

    With his Mana Attribute practically doubling, he was sure that, in his weakened state, the flow of Mana in his withered meridian might rupture. Thanatos had even forbidden him from cultivating, though the Circle of Gluttony was continuously absorbing Mana. That became a bit of an issue. The most Altair was able to do was slow the rate at which he absorbed.

    Reina, on the other hand, had gained so much from Altair aside from the Prince''s physique. When he saw her stats, he turned green with jealousy as she not only acquired his physique but also his attributes.

    Name: Reina of the Moon (ckwood)

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 81% ¡ú 99%]

    Physique One: [Fallen Primordial]

    Physique Two: [First Vale Star Complete], [Second Vale Star Complete]

    ss: [Blood Nephilim Lv 61 ]

    Strength: 169 ¡ú301

    Dexterity: 65¡ú 297

    Constitution: 93 ¡ú 304

    Wisdom: 172 ¡ú 320

    Charisma: 172 ¡ú 272

    Mana: 30¡ú 60

    It had appeared to Altair that Duel Cultivating with a Nephilim for the first time had more benefits than he could imagine. Never could he ever imagined he could acquire two physiques, or if that was even a thing. Yet he had.

    Neither Zag nor Thanatos seemed to show much concern or reaction when he brought it up, saying, "It''s the Myriad Heavens. Shit happens." Ending the conversation. It was an annoying response, but there had been nothing he could do about it.

    He sighed, grimacing to himself, as he looked up towards the night skies nketed by machinery shrieking through the skies,ying waste to the demons that couldn''t fly. Thanatos had told him that the Earth forces had air superiority for the first six months of hisa, but once the demons adjusted, they began creating new spells, manipting elements to grant them the gift of flight.

    In a matter of months, the only advantage the humans had was their advanced weaponry. And even then, the demons were learning every day. Lesser demons or not, all demons from the Nine Hell held an innate talent when it came tobat. The curve in which they learned made it nearly seem that they were all geniuses.

    "How long do you think this one willst? An hour, maybe two?" Came the voice of Reina, taking a seat on hisp.

    Her hair had lost its blood-red color, turning raven ck like Altairs. And unlike six months ago, she was thicker, regaining back all the lost muscles and more.

    Altair cupped her waist, looking out. "Ten¡ª" The ship erupted in a fireball of mes, and a wry smile crept up his lips. "Ten seconds it is. Good thing those were just drones."

    "Sure is pretty isn''t it." She mused, licking her lips. "So? " She turned to him. " What''s the n?"

    "Well, thanks to someone, I''m public enemy number one. And honestly, I''ve no clue. Escape. This is unfixable." He said, shaking his head. "Although I n on opening up a gate to the Serpents Outreach, my Mana is pure enough to open up the gate without needing tons of Mana. I n to summon Kirr, Jorm, and a few others to begin excavating the mines I found a few years back.

    We ought to be able to make a few million Sols. More if Aurora can properly invest our earnings."

    "I see, " Ren said.

    "But¡­ I also n on having a shadow of mine begin investigating your issue as well." He narrowed his eyes but didn''t dare speak their name, unsure if they were watching. "But first, we need to leave this God-forsaken realm."

    Ren silently agreed. Now that they had nearly recovered, it was about time they left.And tomorrow was the day all bans would be lifted on their freedom. Or so Thanatos said.

    Reina had turned a bit silent regarding the topic of the Court of Shadows. She had wanted to say many things butpelled herself not to. Yet the very idea of them made her blood boil and her face red.

    It was red now when Altair booped her on the nose. "Easy. One day at a time." He said.

    Ren only curled up around his chest, silently brooding, when she felt his palm lightly patting against her bottom. She shuddered, purring as though she was a cat enjoying the soothing warmth of his hand. She liked it when he did that.

    "Thanks, art," She whispered, falling asleep to the rocking of the chair and the touch of her mate.

    Altair followed after, finding he''d been needing to sleep more often than not to aid in the recovery of his meridians. The injuries to his flesh had been deadly, but the damage to his meridians might have crippled a normal man.

    "Hey!~"

    Jolted awake in each other''s arms the following dawn, Zagreusughed maniacally. "Six months and you two look splendidly better. Your wrist, please."

    "Can you not scare us like that?" Said Reina, offering her palm.

    "Next time, maybe sleep in your beds and not on the patio for all the world to see you, and I just might take you up on your offer." Said Zag, smiling, epting her wrist. He closed his eyes, nodding. And did the same to Altair. "Good. Altair, I want you to not try to cure the remaining damage with the [Hands of Nirvana]. Let it heal naturally."

    The Prince yawned. "Why?"

    "Because our bodies are made up of experiences. The wounds you two-faced while deadly is something you might experience again. So why not experience it a hundred percent this time so your body knows what to do the next time it urs? Because it will ur again. You''ve no idea how many times we''ve seen mortals trying to be gods enter into states just like you guys.

    The body needs to learn to adapt. It needs to learn how to face simr types of situations. Not all injuries need Mana to recover. So unless you''re in a life-and-death situation, let your body naturally recover. You never know. Perhaps you might gain something you never thought possible.

    Now then, who''s hungry? I can eat!"

    "Ren can always eat!" The youngss eximed, hopping to her feet. "What do you¡ª"

    Cut short by the sudden horn in the distance, they frowned. "Shit¡­ you two stay here. I''ll deal with it. Seriously. I hate this realm." Said Zag, rushing out for battle.

    Altair eyed him and donned his mask while Ren followed suit and began after Zag. They made sure to hide their auras as they stood stalled upon one of the tallest buildings within the vige.

    It was then they saw a three-headed demon brandishing two sabers asrge as a greatsword in each hand. Tall as nearly eight feet, the demon stood facing Nia and Alyssa, while Olivia stood with an Arrow nock upon her bow, aimed dead at the demon.

    "They''ve grown¡­ They all look so much older," said Altair softly. "Quite a lot of people must''ve died. I don''t see many recruits."

    "Or they''re all hiding or injured," Ren said, studying the three-headed demon. She frowned, feeling a sense of affinity to the demon. One that was never there before. Her scarlet eyes twinkled, and despite the distance, she spoke in a low hum voice.

    "Leave."

    The demon stiffened, lowering its twin sabers¡­ it left as fast as it appeared. Gone out of sight.

    "you¡­ you can control demons," Said Altair, shocked.

    Reina seemed surprised herself. "I didn''t know." Her scarlet eyes shimmered yfulness. "Oh, this will be fun."

    ''Her eyes were golden for nearly a year. Would they be red for the entirety of this year as well?'' Altair wondered.

    The difference between the two Rens had been night and day. The Golden-eyed Ren was meek, sweet, with a somewhat valiant heart. The red-eyed Ren was bold, naughty, and cruel at times. She did whatever she wanted, so long as it never physically harmed Altair. Anything was fine in her book.

    Though he wasn''t sure which one he liked best. Golden-eyed Ren was easy to tease, but Scarlet eye Ren was all so wild. He could still recall three nights ago of him waking at the sudden pleasurable ache of something warm and wet. Altair had found Ren between his leg, her slender tongue wickedly dancing around his cock as she looked up at him with smiling eyes as devilish as her tongue.

    He''d wanted to keep going, but Ren suddenly ran away, giggling. And a small game of cat and mouse stirred the cottage awake.

    Thanatos, who''d been watching over Altair, making sure they weren''t partaking in any funny business, was stirred awake from his nightly meditation.

    "What do you have in mind?" Altair asked.

    She grinned. "I''m just thinking about how I''d punish my enemies. Demons are just so profane you never know what they''ll do. Shall we see what they''ll do toros? I''m curious if he''s still alive. Teehee!"

    Altair felt dread slithered down his spine. "Alright. Lets."

 Chapter 161: Kingdom Building I

    They found Laros still within the medical wings south of the Vige, with a thick set of lining parchment around his neck, where Olivia drove a dagger through. Apparently, after being mounted and road for months, Olivia finally snapped, and in a blind frenzy, she''d found a dagger and stabbed him eighty-seven times before she came running out into town dressed in the blood of Laros, screaming.

    "Yes¡­" said the witch doctor, looking down at the notes she made. "We managed to save him, but he''s lost half functionality in his right leg; he''s also lost¡­ his penis and one testicle. Thest time he woke up was six months ago when we broke the news to him. Aside from that, he''s healthy."

    "Lady, my man here only got a testicle. Ain''t nothing healthy about that." Altair assured her, blown away by his luck. He figured Olivia would snap one day. He just didn''t think it would be so soon.

    "He''s got his life," said Venise, taking her leave to tend to her other patience. Her medical wing was practically filled with people filling all the bedding and floors. There was. Barely anywhere to walk without tripping, but it was all the people could do until they built another ward.

    "You ought to help them," said Ren, looking down at the moaning men, woman, and children. There hadn''t been any older people. Those that could fight were used as bait to goat the demons away from the Vige.

    Altair looked at Ren''s suspicion. No way in hell she''d say that out of the kindness of her heart, "This is a perfect opportunity for you." She continued. " If we can have people full of vigers, all you have to do is send them off to the Serpents Outreach. And boom! We can start Kingdom Building. You give them a ce to live, and they, in turn, mine for us.

    Their reward, well, they get out of this hellhole."

    "And we get denizens," Altair felt a bolt shoot across his mind. He began hopping so excited he nted one on Ren and whirled to look at the new denizens with a happy grin. "Mine¡­ You''re all be mine." Heughed, hopping about with a skip in his step.

    Ren giggled to herself, having never seen him so happy. He was like a child.

    For nearly an hour, Altair stood shivering with excitement, running to the center of the Vige, ready to finally use [Dimensional Rift] after obtaining it nearly two years ago. He lifted his palm, channeling Mana through meridians. When he suddenly winced in pain, stopping himself.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Altair massaged his wrist, where a numbing sensation slithered up his fingers. "It''s still a little much," he said, a little disappointed in himself. "I''ll try next week. Maybe then my meridians will fully recover. But right now, casting [Dimensional Rift] is still a little too much for me."

    "Oh, cheer up, Art," said Ren, patting his shoulder. "While we wait, we can gather some material. If we do this right, we''ll have a safe ce to rx away from these demons or even escape if things get too difficult."

    "When did you get so smart?" He asked, and Ren gave a triumphant smile, posing as though she were some mythical hero from ages past.

    "Art gave Ren his special sauce and¡ª" He covered her mouth, regretting even asking, only to feel her little tongue wiggling through the gaps of his fingers. When he pulled his hands away, webs of saliva followed, exposing her lewd expression.

    Altair gulped, unsure who was being teased now. "I¡ª"

    "Altair? Reina?" Came the sudden feeble cry of Nia, shaken to her core as she staggered forward, dropping her spear. She lunged towards them, wrapping her arms over their shoulders, and let out a cry that shook the dirt.

    The heartless duo looked at each other, starstruck. ''Were we ever this close to Nia?'' They wondered. Still, Altair had the grace to pat the little girl''s back while Ren slithered out of her grip, instantly regretting as Nia clung to Altair alone.

    ''How many do I have to kill to keep these bitches away?'' thought Ren, brooding, crossing her arms over her ample bosom. She eyed Nia, surveying her slender figure that clung dangerously close to her Prince.

    "Did Talia and Aurora survive?What about Kirr and Jorm? They suddenly disappeared a year and a half ago. Zag said, they went to find you, but we thought they died. After all, he said we were going to find you. So it made little sense that they suddenly decided to separate from us," said Nia so quickly that Altair found it increasingly harder to understand what she was saying. "Are you harmed?

    Did you just arrive? What happened."

    "Easy¡­ Girl." Alyssa said, prying her away like a dangling cat. She''d seen that glow in Reina''s eye before. It had been the same one she held when she destroyed her party¡­ that had felt so long ago, now.

    "How are you, master?" She asked, lowering her head.

    Ren was suddenly smiling, eying the Amazon. "I''m quite alright. Little stiff. How''s life in this¡­ Hell?"

    Alyssa had found it a bit hard to answer. Hell was a word often thrown around. But aftering to Yarwin, she understood what ''Hell'' truly meant. Amazon lived for battle, but even she felt empty from the constant war. There had been no honor in this war, only survival and suffering. All her sisters were dead now.

    All those she''d fought beside were dead. There was only Nia and Olivia now.

    "Hell," was all she could say.

    Reina patted her shoulder. "Hold your chin up, Alyssa." She said, her bold smile gleaming with a particr confidence and charm that wasn''t there before. " We''re here now. And I don''t n on turning fifteen in this godlessnd."

    "No way this is Ren¡­ that silly girl¡­ is actually a good leader. Holy shit.'' Altair thought more taken back than before. He wondered exactly how much Ren inherited from him that day. Surely, it wasn''t just his attributes and physique, right?

    He studied her for a bit and nced down at Nia, staring up at him like a lost cat. He was sure they''d seen the system message, but he couldn''t sense any killing intent. None whatsoever.

    Perhaps their despair isn''t so deep yet.''

    He nced around, spying Olivia, watched him nkly, and beckoned her forward.

    Talia would have been proud to see how dead her eyes had be. Altair felt that it wasn''t a human that was standing in front of him but rather a puppet. One whose will died with the constant battles, the constant death, and the constant abuse.

    "You look terrible. I''d have thought after getting revenge on Laros you''d feel better¡­ but the abuse is still there, isn''t it."¡ªOlivia just looked at him cold as stone¡ª" Well, at least you''re alive. Right? The future is what you make it."

    "..."

    Inviting the trio to his little secluded cottage, Altair was a bit surprised to learn not many survived the trip from Farwin to this Nameless Vige. Demons had attacked practically every day, and Zagreus had been toozy to care for anyone aside from Nia and Alyssa, who were deemed ''valuable.'' The rest were merely coteral. Those who survived wereter killed defending the Vige.

    "And there''s still no word from Fat Mike or Amilia."

    "... none. Commander Iliana killed thest traveler who came by to help. No one knows why. She just severed his head and kicked it to the demons," said Nia, looking at the clear tankard water. She''d nearly forgotten what clear water looked like.

    The ck Rain had tainted the Well within the Vige. Killing dozens by the day. Yet¡­ they could not do without water.

    Both Alyssa, Nia, and Olivia stared at the water and then Altair curiously. Though, Altair could give no answers.

    For the next few days, while Reina and Altair silently recovered, focusing on the meditation of the Eighth and Ninth Form, the Vige faced an odd time of peace as, for the first time since the Hell Tide had begun, they''d face no demon. It was as if a guardian angel had descended on their nameless Vige, warding them from evil.

    All was peaceful until a curious gleam of light splintered off within the center of town, pulling the more curious men and women from out of their homes to a swirling mass of energy hovering off the ground.

    Altair grinned. Looking out at the young men and women, battered and beaten from constant war. He sent Reina in first, and when she returned, it had been with ''Ice'' and the carcass of arge serpent. She tossed it to the vigers, watching as they tore it to shreds, devouring every ligament, bone, muscle, and scale raw.

    They turned, looking at the spiraling portal with hope.

    "Swear fealty, and I will allow you into mynd, free of these vile demons. Free of their torment. No more will you have to fear for your children''s lives. No more will you have to plead with the Heavens. " Altair narrowed his eyes to the nk stares. "You might have to rebuild your homes and work.

    But it''ll be safe. It''ll be secured for the next generation and the generation after that."

    "All we ask is that you swear fealty to Lord Altair ckwood!" Shouted Reina, smiling; she whirled to meet his eyes and bowed eloquently, "The Prince of the Vale."

 Chapter 162: Kingdom Building II

    It had all been rather easy, watching one after the other man, woman, and child prostrate themselves before him, stating their name and upation, followed by age and sex.

    Yes, it was all so easy.

    But Altair could not fault them. After all, who doesn''t grab the ice water when they are in hell?

    The vigers saw hope. They saw life! And better yet, they saw freedom from the Demons. Altair was sure they''d sell their souls if they could if it meant being free from this nightmare. And what he was offering was more valuable than food and water.

    In a matter of days, Altair had taken the time to transport just about anyone willing to join. There had been a few who''d refused, iming that generations of their families lived in thesends. And that they''d rather die than leave.

    Altair didn''t force it. Nor was he willing topel them into leaving. If he wanted ves, he''d have purchased ves or enthralled the entire vige. Like Reina had suggested he do.

    "Fear sure is a powerful thing," Reina silently mulled over studying the deste vige. "A little over a hundred people gone just like that."

    Altair nodded weakly. It had taken quite a bit out of him to use [Dimensional Rift] and maintain it for over thirty minutes.

    Practically flopping to the floor, he yawned, feeling a great sense of fulfillment at the prospect of creating a dynasty that wouldst for hundreds of thousands of years. Millions, if cultivated correctly.

    Reina had never seen him so happy and content; Altair was practically beam just about every day now.

    Kirr, Jorm, and Talia were getting the vigers situated, clearing out the mine they found so many years ago of monsters. While Aurora was aiding with logistics, creating various itemized lists, Altair might need in the future. Though she''d suggest he purchase a few drones to surveynd. It was all aplicated affair that took nearly a week for Altair to sniff through.

    But the vigers were happy, which made Altair happy. The Serpent''s Outreach was very fertile, so he didn''t have to worry about the vigers starving. Still, the Outreach wasn''t exactly the safest area.

    "Alright." Altairid out. "Zag. Thanatos. We''re leaving. Tell me where the Portal is."

    The former Gods nced at one another as if to confirm something. Seemlying to an agreement, Thanatos spoke, "We''ll tell you after you see, Lady Iliana."

    Altair frowned at the mention of Iliana.He''d nearly forgotten about her. These past six months, nearly seven, he''d not seen so much as a heard whisper from her. He didn''t even know where she was.

    "The Commander?" Said Nia, biting at her nail, recalling the woman who rarely took to the field despite how many times she begged. Iliana was cold as ice, unbothered by the countless deaths. It was as if none of it had anything to do with her.

    "I guess it''s about time." Altair stood to his feet, a little hesitant in his heart. He was still a bit hesitant about this so-called master of his. It was just a feeling, but Altair truly felt like Iliana was only teaching him out of obligation rather than¡­

    ''Rather than out of what?'' he thought, wondering what he expected from Iliana.

    Thanatos led the way, and Altair couldn''t have been more furious to find a cottage a few hundred meters from his.

    "Son of bitch! Why the hell didn''t she visit!"

    "I should be asking you that, you little shit." Snapped Iliana, wrenching her door open; her pristine white mask dawned over her silvery white hair; she strutted out, circling the boy who towered over her. "No bow?"

    Altair grumbled but bowed nevertheless, followed by Reina, Thanatos, and Zagreus. Only Nia and Alyssa remained standing, confused.

    "You''re nearly healed. " she said, taking his wrist. "I''m curious¡­ what did you learn out of this entire ordeal? Losing Forwin and Aria? I''m sure there is a lesson in there somewhere."

    "To not pin hope on others," Altair answered, his voice hard like a sliver of ice. " I entered a world believing I understood it based on books. But there had been a hidden game beneath the shadows. The Sword of the King tricked not just me but the entirety of the realm. Such a betrayal could have been life-ending if Fat Mike, Edwin, and Cedric were not there. I''ll not rely on other any¡ª"

    She flicked him. "Idiot. There is a difference between relying on strangers and relying on those who''ve sworn to you their sword. Don''t be like you''re Father. A true king has those who are loyal to a fault. Those he can believe in.

    You trust Reina, right?"

    Altair nodded almost immediately.

    "And Tenebrae."

    Again, he nodded.

    "Those are rtionships you''ve built. You had six months to build one with me. But didn''t. Why do you think that is?"

    For a second, Altair felt a fog begin to clear in his mind, realizing his mistake. He had been so used to being in control of things around him, Iliana, whose personality, while questionable, was without a doubt a powerful asset for him in the future.

    ''Stupid, Supid, STUPID ME,'' he told himself.

    "That goes for your Bannermen." Iliana continued, pointing to Thanatos and Zag. "Take care of them. The wisdom they hold is what you make of it. In the Old Era, there used to be a set of people who''d self-reincarnate just to fix past mistakes in cultivation, striving for perfection. They were known as Chaos Lords. Right now, both these two former gods can aid you in so many ways you won''t believe."

    Altair was reminded of a few weeks ago when Zag instructed him not to use the [Hands of Nirvana], and he unconsciously understood what she meant. He nodded.

    "Good. Well, that''s all I''ll say on the matter." Said Iliana, yawning, "You''re trying to leave the vige, aren''t you right? Well, I won''t stop you. But you should know the entire world is after your head. You have her soul, don''t you?"

    "You knew?" Altair muttered, ncing at Thanatos, but he only shook his head.

    "You underestimate the power of your Master, Altair," said Thanatos. "Though I can''t me you. You''ve yet to understand the principal Schools of the Arcanes. You probably still think of Magic as tool of destruction. When, in fact, they''re far more than that."

    "Quite right," Zag agreed. "A simple irvoyant spell, and you might be able to spy on Gods. Well, new gods. Those idiots, much like you, only use Magic to destroy."

    "There isn''t much I don''t know when you aren''t wearing your mask." Iliana continued. "You managed to piss off the Realm Lord of this ce. And now they want your head. The second those demons learn of your existence, you will die."

    "That''s why it is imperative to¡ª"

    "Leave?" Ilianaughed. "They''ll just leave the dungeon to chase after you. You''ve made an enemy of a Prince of Hell."

    ''... say what now?"

    "Oh? You didn''t know. Heralds of Astaroth. You leave to Earth. I promise you you''ll be more fucked, than a two-dor whore. But¡­ You don''t have much choice."

    "..."

    "Umm." Nia raised her hand. "What is going on? Gods? Princes of Hell. What is¡ª"

    Zag patted her shoulder, fingers pressed to his lips. "Ssshh~"

    "Earth is your safest bet, but the journey there will be a bitch. You''ve got not just the Demons to worry about but the denizens of Yarwin and the Heralds of Astaroth. They''ll be here soon."

    "What?" Altair felt his stomach dip.

    "Didn''t Thanatos tell you to put on your mask? He must have. Oh, let me guess. You figured it was to hide from these little vigers." She was smiling now. "Nope. It was to mask your location.

    Your cottage is Warded from prying eyes, but out here in the open¡ª"

    Altair turned to Thanatos to confirm.

    "I did tell you." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "Those who don''t hear, feel."

    Conjuring the Shadow Knights, he gave the mentalmand to ughter the remaining residence. He couldn''t let his secret of the Serpents Outreach get out. The Shadows bowed and took off.

    "We''re leaving," said Altair. "Now."

    ***

    "Is he there, Witch?" Ser Kisenger snapped, turning to the sunken face of a woman that bore several runic markings over her face, stretching down her neck and onto her arms.

    "Ye~s," she hissed like a serpent, licking her thin ck lips. " I sense him. The boy is there!" said the Herald; on horseback, she touched the serpent like-demon and her shoulder, which bore seven eyes and three trident-like tongues. Its greyish-red scales seemed to burn, charing the woman''s flesh, but it was as if she couldn''t feel pain.

    Kisenger was disgusted, veering his unsettled hoarse away from the Herald. He turned to his garrison and unsheathed his sword. " leave no one alive!"

    The garrison of forty knights all raised their swords that shone a dim light beneath the half moons. Bellowing a war cry, they charged, barreling through the front gates; they frowned, noticing ack of women and children.

    "Where are the men?" Shouted a posh knight galloping up to Ser Kisenger. "Did they make a break for it?"

    Kisenger growled. "search the vige. No one would be mad enough to venture into the Hell Tide." He said, ring at the battered structures of houses, barns, and deste crops. He whirled to the Herald. "You said the boy¡ª"

    Suddenly, noticing the angle at which the Herald stood, the Ser Kisenger frowned, opening his mouth, as his head toppled to the floor, rolling beneath the Herald stallion.

    The horses all reeled wildly, thrashing back and forth, kicking a few off their backs, shaken by the Sudden emergence of the Obsidian Sword that seemed as ethereal as the moon''s glow, bleeding a profane sword intent.

    The glimmer of scarlet eyes shone in the dead of night.

 Chapter 163: Mortal and Heavenly Dao

    Falling like a lone ghost, Altairnded without an echo of sound, looking at the twenty knights or so knights. And his eyes shimmered, scanning over the bodies of everyone, including the Herald. Sacriliage shed through his stone-cold eyes.

    "You¡ª" The Herald was about to say when a pristine knight sword ran through her chest. Blood gushed from out of her mouth, and before she could echo her confusion, the de twisted, ripping her in half. She toppled dead on the ground.

    The knight who''d felled the Herald howled. "I killed a demon! Did you¡ª" and simr to the Herald, he died all the same, cut down by his fellow knights who had begun hacking and shing at their fellow brothers.

    "...I ought to use [Schizophrenia] more often,''ughed Altair as they felled one another until there had only been one left standing. Altair executed him with his Dark Moon de, ending the battle with minimal effort.

    He turned, finding Ren walking towards him, a sheen of red over the azure blue edge of ''Ice.'' Behind her, Thanatos and Zag stood with half smiles.

    Altair shifted his attention towards the demon gnawing at the cheeks of the dead Herald. He killed the thing with his Dark Moon de. "Let''s get out of here. Where are the¡ª" and his lips curled down, noticing Nia holding onto Laros while Olivia watched without emotion.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me."

    "We can''t just leave him," said Nia, and Alyssa rolled her eyes. She''d tried to convince her not to bring him along, but Nia had been quite determined.

    Reina snickered mischievously, "I''m sure it''s fine, Altair. We can treat his limp body like a stool or table."

    "I''d rather use wood."

    "Then¡­ perhaps a blood bag."

    Altairs felt a knot catch in his throat. "You will not drink from that bastard!" he rasped, ring at theughing girl toying with him.

    "Please¡­" Nia pleaded, staring with catlike eyes. "He''s still a fellow human. Shouldn''t we¡ª"

    Altair had no love for Laros, not even a sliver, but a sudden idea hade to him. He smiled and conjured a leash he''d bought for Ren and approached Laros, and with one hand he pressed on his forehead, the [Hands of Nirvana] shimmered its golden radiance, reconnecting tendons and mending damaged ligaments.

    In but a fleeting second, Laros''s eyes were open, and he was screaming, panicking, still thinking Olivia was stabbing him. Altair stomped his head into the dirt and held it there.

    Blood mattered the boy''s head, and his screams only seemed to deepen as Altair hooked the leash through the nape of his neck, tearing through flesh with pure mana. He tossed the leash to Olivia, who caught it surprised.

    Altair looked down at Laros and, with a devilish grin, spoke with the throbbing of his pupils. "From now on, you''ll walk, talk, and piss like a dog."

    "Woof!" Laros''s eyes went wide, and his cheeks bright red. "Woof!"

    "What a good doggy." Said Reina, with stars in her eyes.

    Terror slithered down Nia''s spine as she backed away, covering her mouth, horrified by what she was seeing. Olivia, however, was beaming, finally finding her smile after so many months.

    There''d been a savage gleam in the Prince''s eye, watching Laros bark like a dog, tears weaning from his eyes as he tried to bolt but was jerked back by the leash. The tearing of flesh and muscles sent Laros into a bellowing wheeze as he whirled, returning to Olivia on all fours. Something dark stirred in her eyes then.

    "Can we leave already?" Said Thanatos, unbothered by the little scene. "It''ll take about five months to reach the Katops Vally if nothing stops us. However¡­ without luck," He nced at Altair and Reina, "I suspect these five months might be five years."

    ***

    [Ding]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity: 297

    Constitution: 304

    Wisdom: 320

    Charisma: 272

    Mana: 60

    Compulsion [F ¡ú D]

    Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 12%

    Dark Moon de [D]

    Proficiency: 0.4 %

    Sword Limit: 7

    Dual Cultivation [F]

    Proficiency: 7%

    Enigmatic Step [D]

    Proficiency: 14% ¡ú 87%

    Eye of Sacrilege [C ¡ú B]

    Proficiency: 1%

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    Proficiency: 1.2%¡ú 12%

    Soul Storage: 31/45

    Foresight [F]

    Proficiency: 0 ¡ú 87%

    Grave of Night [D]

    Proficiency: 99.999%

    Hands of Nirvana [E ¡ú D]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    Proficiency: 4%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    Proficiency: 0.01%

    Effect: Madness

    Infernal Lightning [D]

    Proficiency: 0.5%

    Rune Work [F]

    Proficiency: 37%

    Sovereigns Gale [F]

    [Ten Meters]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Vale Maniption [F ¡ú E]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Passive Skills

    Mana Maniption [D ¡ú C]

    Proficiency: 14%

    Ninth Form, Aeron [F ¡ú D]

    Proficiency:9%

    Soul of the Indomitable [E¡úD]

    Proficiency: 34%

    Primal Instincts [F]

    Proficiency: 87%

    Altair had been staring at this process he''d had over the past few years, unsure where to start. Most of his gain had urred during the battle on the Wall within Farwin. The constant battle had reshaped most of his stats, and six months of meditation had allowed him time to reflect on his next course of action.

    He wanted to practice his [Sovereigns Gale]. He''d enjoyed that movement art but had been unable to practice a lot due to the heavy drain on his body. Now, with the recent changes, he was confident he would be able to practice without worrying about a heavy tax on his physical prowess.

    In the days that followed, heading south towards the Katops Vally via carriage, Thanatos had procured and insisted Altair and Reina have their own carriage, iming ''he didn''t want to hear their moans and grunts in the dead of night.''. He did the same for Iliana while the rest shared a carriage of their own. Though most of the time, Altair was with Thanatos and Zag.

    He had been quite interested in those two, and while they had been forbidden from speaking of their past, as per thew of the Shadow Procluomation, it did not stop them from instilling their near-infinite knowledge.

    Thanatos had been quite proficient in spells, especially the Arcane School of Necromancy, while Zagreus was a sword master, though what that meant Altair couldn''t say, as Zag refused to test his de against Altairs, to his dismay.

    He had been in a sort of block, and Zagreus felt it necessary for him to break through on his own, through his understanding of the sword.

    Still, he diligently learned various types of magic from Thanatos, who was more than willing to teach Altair and Reina. While at night, the two were taught under Iliana, who had begun talking about Dao.

    "Dao?" Altair said one night. Listening to the unfamiliar term.

    "Dao is a sort of Path that is divided into two pirs: Mortal and Heavenly Dao." Said Iliana, folding her legs; she poured herself a drink from a Scotch Label and took a sip. "Yourprehension of the sword follows the path of the sword. A Mortal Dao, due to the fact it doesn''te from nature but from the invention of man. Heavenly Dao is the opposite.

    It''s fire and water, wind and earth, space and time."

    Altair thought for a bit. "So¡­ which one is stronger?"

    "Mortal without question, in my opinion. Though it doesn''t seem like it does it. Imagine yourself fighting someone who can stop time. How do you win?"

    Altair and Reina exchanged nces, unsure how to respond.

    "It''s simple. You split time with your sword." Said Iliana,ughing. "Mortal Dao doesn''t follow a set ofws like Heavenly Dao. It''s open source, meaning it''s what you make of it."

    "Then what''s the strongest Mortal Dao?"

    "The Seven Sins and Virtues, of course." Iliana took a sip of her scotch, thinking. "We cultivate to break the Will of the Heavens that binds us. But in the end, we are forever ves to the sins and virtues. No one can escape them. Try as they may."

    And Altair was reminded of the Church of the Sepith, ''didn''t they, too, have seven oaths.'' he thought, frowning. ''Seven Oaths and Seven Virtues. Could there be some type of symmetry?''

    "Heavenly Dao can only take you so far. But they''re safe. Mortal Dao will screw with your mind, much like Madness. Although since you already suffer from madness, you should be good¡­ maybe."

    Later in the night, as the hours of twilight approached and their lesson came to an end, Altairid within his carriage, wondering about his path. Iliana had given him a hint about how to break through in his sword path, but he didn''t quite understand it.

    "Aspects¡­ What the hell is that?" He muttered, annoyed, aimlessly staring up at his carriage as he cycled mana through his meridians. Altair had never faced a bottleneck and was quite disappointed that his swordsmanship hadn''t actually increased since his time within Edwin''s Estate.

    "What are you thinking about," asked Ren, pulling his gaze from off the ceiling. His eyes shone like ck balls of fire shing red as she stood bare. "It''s been nearly Seven Months since west dual cultivated."

    She slithered up his waist, all cat-like, up to his lips; Ren''s devious smile perked up over her lips. "Ren wants to see how bad you can mess her up down there." she nibbled on his low lip, her ruby red eyes watching him through hershes, smiling, feeling something burning hot jerk right out of his trousers, striking against her garden.

    She shuddered,stifling a moan as a bolt of pleasure shot through her. Quivering when she felt hisrge hands squeeze her bottom. Nectar spewed from between her legs, down his half-torn trousers.

    "Whatcha think, Art?"

 Chapter 164: How to Dual Cultivated **

    Ren was biting her lips, wet with saliva, slipping down her chin as she turned to look back at the manhood sandwich between her cheeks. Twitching with need. She looked back to her Prince, and their tongues met in a passionate storm of fire and heat, whirling around the other as though they were fencing.

    Altair gobbled her up, growing increasingly hungrier, until he pulled on her hair, jerking it back, exposing her slender neck.

    Reina moaned a delectable "Ahhh~" and came so hard her eyes rolled back as her hips unconsciously began to grind against his beast, lubricating it with her honey.

    He eyed herrge, ample breast heaving back and forth, like two great mountains they stood, pink and ripe for the taking.

    Exhrated, Altair nibbled at it, rolling the tips of her nipples beneath his teeth and fangs. He felt her cunt began to spasm, and twitch, seeping more and more of her nectar.

    Suddenly, Ren moved, pushing him down; she held I''m down with one hand while the other led his cock into her tiny hole. She pushed, her pussy seemingly devouring his girth while her abdomen protruded from the sheer size of his monster. Her insides spiraled out of control.

    Altair squeezed her ass cheek as hard as he could, groaning with a thick smile. Sweat was raining down Reina''s bewitching figure at the halfway mark. When she saw his grin, she smiled back, flushed with exhration. Ren boldly dropped, letting his cock m into her deepest region.

    The wolfish howl that left her mouth brought back the memories of his days battling the banshee on the wall.

    She shook like a frightened fawn trying to adjust.

    "Why are you so big?" gasped Ren, with a delectable air of triumph in her smile. She touched her belly, feeling the thing tearing her up in the most pleasurable way. "Gods~ I''ve missed this."

    Proud he didn''t cum on impact, Altair slipped her hands to her waist up to her breast, cupping them with a hint of possessiveness in his obsidian eyes.

    Ren felt a swelter of pride shimmer through her heart, watching as he fondled her. She loved it. Loved that he craved her body more than anyone else.

    "Are you cycling your mana?" Asked Ren, enjoying the way the tips of his fingers kneaded around her breast.

    "I am, but I don''t like the idea of having you while a part of me is distracted." He admitted, sliding up his fingers to her plump lips. Ren kissed it. Licked it before suckling at it with a lewd expression as she tried to hide the fact that she was so embarrassed and happy at the same time.

    She began cycling her mana, slowly trying to match the frequency of Altair''s Mana. It had taken a few minutes, seeing it was her first time, but as their Mana began intertwining in a closed circuit around their bodies, a unique harmony awakened between them, a connection that seemed to transfix this Corporeal Realm they stood within.

    [Ding]

    [Band of the Incubus has activated]

    [Mana Dual Refinement Engaged]

    "Aaah~ Gods~Aaaaaaah~"

    Swinging her hip as the mana between them became one, Reina''s graceful fingers pressed over her Prince''s chest, tearing off his tunic to reveal his devilish physique.

    Altair grunted, feeling the walls of her vagina tightened as his hips began to match Ren''s tempo. Her insides were writhing like mad, vibrating as if it had a mind of its own, suckling at the nds of his cock until it erupted.

    His seed shot out, filling her womb as she moaned, wet with sweat, she flopped to his chest cumming over and over again, but Reina''s hips pressed on, hammering at his cock even as he came hard.

    Altair was shaking, reeling out of control, gasping so loudly in Reina''s ear she grew ever tighter, sucking him dry.

    Drool pooled at the former maiden''s lips, her eyes misty as her mind nk of anything but utter pleasure ravaging her soul, eating away at her consciousness until what was left was her animalistic moans.

    When a bolt of pleasure electrified all her neuro pathways, Reina''s back arched up, spewing nectar from her garden as she cried.

    "Aaah~Fuck~me~" She howled wildly, hip bouncing so quickly it seemed like a blur. Shockwave shot through her bones, turning them to butter, while her loins hounded her sanity. Turning her more feral.

    When Altair suddenly flipped her on all four plunging his cock so deep it reached a new depth. Ren''s eyes rolled, and urine ran down her legs. Losing all faculties, a jolt of euphoria shot from her loins to her mind as something broke in her mind.

    [DING]

    [DING]

    [DING]

    The echoes of Altair''s cock and ball pping into Reina''s swollen cunt became like a musical hymn. He squeezed at each of her ass cheeks, unsure what was softer, her breast or her bottom.

    "Aaaaaaah~" howling the song of her people as he tore her up from behind. Ren''s scarlet eyes shone with satisfaction as she copsed into the darkness of euphoria.

    Altair followed right after filling her with onest load. He fainted still inside her.

    ***

    When dawn broke the following day, the duoughed as they came to in each other arms.

    "That was absolutely amazing!" Said Ren, resting in her Prince''s arms. He was still inside her, warming her insides like a warm bowl of hot soup.

    Altair was still drooling as he nodded in agreement. He remembered that dual cultivationes with some benefits.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity:297

    Constitution: 304

    Wisdom: 320

    Charisma: 272

    Mana: 60 ¡ú 80

    [Dual Cultivation[F]

    Proficiency: 7% ¡ú 14%

    "Impossible¡­" Altair muttered, noticing that despite the increase in his Mana Attribute, his circle percentage hadn''t decreased. Rather, it remained the same. He turned his attention to Reina and noticed it was the same for her, growing more puzzled.

    He hypothesized that rather than increase their overall cultivation due to the fact they were both already at the peak of their Third Circle; they managed to purify their mana instead, thanks to their inexperience with Dual cultivation.

    Still, Altair wondered if it was possible to enter the third circle without actually fulfilling the basic requirements like he did with his [Superior Instincts].

    "This is dangerous," said Ren, gravely. The higher the purity, the more mana is required. "We¡ª"

    "Will keep going," Altair said coolly. "If we were in a secr realm, we might have to give up on the idea. But we are a part of the greatest economic system of Genesis.I suppose if we can''t find material to aid in our cultivation. We''ll buy it."

    Reina threw her head back into his chest andughed. "Spoken like a True Young Master! Gods, I love you!" she said fiercely.

    He looked down at her, nestled in his arms, and tasted her posh lips, repeating the words back at her.

    "Come on. We got to get dressed."

    Reluctantly, Ren gave a tantalizing moan, feeling him pull out of her, finally allowing a mountain of snow toe racing out of her onto the carriage floor.

    "aaaah~ gods~I~love~sex," Ren swore, losing the strength to stand for a good ten minutes as semen poured out of her. He wondered how her body could defymon sense. Altair didn''t know, but he was hard as a rock watching it all.

    Deviously, noticing his still erect manhood, Ren took it by the hand. " What type of wife would I be if I let my man go out all dirty?"

    Altair felt his cock grow evenrger as Ren slipped to her knee, opening her mouth so wide she had to hook two of her fingers on either side of her mouth before taking Altair inpletely.

    "HMMWV ME HSgF" (Hold my Head)

    Somehow understanding, Altair did as she asked.

    Melting as Ren skillfully plunged his cock so far to the back of her throat, Altair found himself gasping at the Transcendent sensation ravaging his mind. Ren eyed him, studying his expression.

    "Srupndy?" (Sloppy?)

    "Yes!"

    *SLURP*SLURP*SLURP

    Watching slobber pool and bubble around the rim of her lips. Ren''s head bobbed back and forth, her tongue whirling like a destructive storm around his n until her cheeks went plump and her misty eyes wide.

    Ren pulled away, opened her mouth to show him, and swallowed with the lewdest smile.

    "Thanks for breakfast, Art."

    "Now I have to marry you," he said with the utmost seriousness.

    "Hehe, you''d better."

    Cleaning up around them, Altair began to wonder if he could learn or create a spell that would clean things around him. It would surely help with the clean-up after sex. Still, he was grateful the carriage was warded against load noises. However, his joyous smile dipped a little when he stepped outside his carriage to a set of unfamiliar men and women with their weapons drawn on Thanatos.

    The Former Lord of Death nced at Altair and then the strangers. "As you can see, our carriages are full up.

    "Don''t ye'' fuck with me. I''ve been watching ya'' No demons attacked you, lot for a week. What''s the secret? Eh?"

 Chapter 165: City of Sacrilege

    A/N: Dark AF Chapter

    Altair had been in a splendid mood, enjoying a period of post-nut rity he had only heard of but never experienced until now.

    He helped Ren out of the carriage, having noticed the way she moved seemed to differ. Her loins were still vibrating, and Ren was sure if he so much as touched her breast, ran his fingers through her hair, or kissed her, she''d experience another orgasm, or her cunt might just spasm out of control. She was extremely sensitive right now, so much so that she wanted to sit down.

    "Yo Thaan," said Zag, opening the door to the carriage; not so much as ncing at the battered bandits, he spoke, "We''re running out of food. We might have to forage for something."

    "What happened?" Thanatos snapped, and from Zag''s shirt, Kuu popped its little head out and cooed loudly. "... never mind." He said, understanding the Kitsune''s needs.

    "How dare you¡ª"

    Thanos flicked his finger as though it were a whip: A ck light shed like a lunar arc, slicing through the man, splitting him in half before he could blink.

    "Piss off," hemanded, and like clockwork, the twenty or so men ran for their lives, kicking the others away in hopes they would slow Thanatos.

    But the Former God of Death paid them no heed.

    "Kuu," said Ren, leaning on the carriage. She opened her palm to the little beast that came barreling into her bosom.

    Ren bit her lips, resisting the urge to moan, when she saw Altair snatch the Kitsune up, ring at it. "Those are mine," He said, tossing the little critter back to Zag, and evilly, he patted Ren on the behind.

    The girl''s face turned bright red, and with all her willpower, she held in the moan on the tip of her lips.

    Thanatos was quite confused, but Zag whistled knowingly before returning to his carriage. Ren, with the remainder of her strength, wobbled back into the carriage, figuring it was safer there than outside with Art.

    Sparks practically flew from Ren''s eyes as she mmed the door shut on him. She might be bold with her red eyes, but even she had the grace to blush, having climaxed in front of people she knew.

    Still, he did enjoy teasing her for a bit this time around.

    In the days that followed, Altair didn''t attempt to dual-cultivate with Reina again. The jump in mana, while stupefying, had made it harder to control, and while it was within the bounds of his control, Altair liked absolute control; he couldn''t and wouldn''t tolerate anything less.

    Ren had agreed, especially since her control wasn''t as refined. However, she was finding that herprehension had risen quite dramatically ever since their first time. And there had been much to learn from Thanatos and Iliana.

    They traveled on for nearly a week until they spotted a city in the distance, surrounded by demons. Demons that weren''t attacking.

    "Logic dictates we go around the city surrounded by demons," said Thanatos.

    "yeah. But where''s the fun in that?" Said Zag, patting his shoulder, "Aren''t you curious?"

    "Ummm!" Olivia, who''d been ever silent, raised her hand bashfully to speak. "Can¡­ Can I hand Laros off to the demons?"

    "I got you, girl," Reina said, looking down at Laros on all fours. She didn''t know what Olivia was doing to him, but seeing how matted his bottom was from blood, she had a good idea.

    ***

    As they approached the gates to therge stone city, Reina, Nia, and Alyssa broke off with Laros. To where Altair did not know nor did he want to know.

    But from the moment they entered, they were weed by scantily d women who bore the mark of Astaroth on their womb. A promise that their offspring would forever belong to the Prince of Hell.

    Around them, Altair felt his mind nk at the sacrilege of it all; his jaw dropped as he eyed various women being mounted by Dogs, Boars, and horses alike. Men of all ages sang praises of Astaroth lighting pyres over the ashes of their firstborn

    Brawls of all kinds seemed weed as, at some point, a man asrge as a mountain smeared another man''s brains against the ground; the wife didn''t even seem to mind as she was pinned and mounted over her former lover''s corpse. Sheughed and moaned, filling her mouth with her dead lover''sid manhood. He killed her as he came, snapping her neck as he roared withughter.

    "I''m going to go protect the girls," said Zag, departing without another word.

    "You good?" Thanatos asked, noticing Altair''s nk stares.

    "This is madness."

    "These are demons," said Thanatos calmly. He looked out, finding a mother cutting into her stomach to tear out the fetus. Reeling in agony, yet somehow she wasughing, tears streaming down her face. She tossed her child into the pyre to watch it burn.

    "All Hail, Lord Baphomet!" She said before walking into the mes, to where her eternal screams seemed to resound.

    "This is¡­ disgusting. All of it." Altair said, feeling his stomach churnst night''s meal. He felt sick. "I shouldn''t be here¡­ no one should. No one¡­ this is all insane. Why are they doing this?"

    "Long ago," said Thanatos calmly. " Before this Era began, Demons and Devils were forbidden from entering the Myriad Heavens. They had to keep to the hells. Now, not so much. But it was said if a mid-to demon or high-rank devil were to ever ascend from the Hells, their mere presence brought with them sacrilege. What you see now is the aftermath.

    Like dogs are to humans. Humans are to Demons. Humanity was bred to worship, and so they do."

    Altair''s voice grew sharp. "That thing they were trying to summon. Is it¡ª"

    "No. At least I don''t sense any prominent Demonic Qi or Mana. Whatever graced this city must have left." Said Thanatos mildly. "Let''s just pick up supplies and get the hell out of here."

    Without question, Altair agreed. They scoured the city, trying to find water, food, armor, or anything to aid in theing days. For nearly seven days, Altair toured the city tossing anything that seemed valuable into his ring or within the Serpents Outreach.

    Timber, Stones, Water, Medical Supplies, Weapons, everything was taken with little resistance as most of the denizens of this stone city were lost to the sin of lust.

    They left on the Eighth Day, parting through the Hordes of Demons.

    "Goodness. Thank the Stars, we are leaving." Nia said, shaking with an ashen expression. "That was a horrid experience."

    "You''re crazy!" Shouted Ren,ughing on top of Altair''sp. "All those bitches there were smiling. And moaning as they got their backs broken. They didn''t seem to mind. Shit, they looked like they were enjoying it."

    "They were getting railed by horses and pigs," said Nia, incredulously.

    "To each their own, I guess. Not my ce to judge. Laros was taking more pipe than most whores. He seemed to like it." Ren said, ncing down at the broken dog that held no shred of life.

    "Yes¡­ Laros is a good boy." Said Olivia, patting his clean-shaven head. Laros had thinned considerably. His face was hollowed, and his eyes were sunken. She jerked his cor, and the boy barked, revealing all his teeth and carved-out tongue. "Wanna go back?"

    "Woof!!!"

    Nia felt weird for a moment but held her tongue. Had she known Laros would have ended up this way, she''d have killed him herself. Altair''s Compulsion had ended days ago¡­ but what those demons did to Laros truly made him a dog in every sense of the word.

    His cries for mercy had truly brought the spark back to Olivia''s eyes. She was smiling more,ughing, and even holding a conversation. Though not when Talia appeared. When she was around, Olivia blushed like a maiden, bowing her head.

    "I''m just d we left, " Zagreus joined. "Any longer, and god knows what would have happened to you two." He was looking at Alyssa and Nia. "God knows which one of you might have joined that little orgy of Sacrilege."

    "Not my cup of tea," said Alyssa, though she didn''t mind. Orgys in Themiscyra weremonce. So much so that even the queen of the Amazons would often hold multiple ''banquets'' with the most virile men for her most loyal servants in the hopes they''d get pregnant.

    "And I''d rather die." Added Nia coldly

    "When ites to those of the hells, it''s not up to the individual but the mercy of the Hells," said Zag darkly, turning to face the skeleton horses as they plowed onwards without rest through the woods.

    Ren leaned into Altair''s ear and whispered, "All this talk about sex and orgies is making me so wet. Can you feel it? Wanna see if I can fill a water bottle? We can even try that position again where you bent me over backward to fuck me. What''s it called, Doggy Style??

    Altair gulped when¡ªA high pitched squeal caught him off guard, "help me! Please!" Hammering shook the carriage walls as the stranger''s voice continued. " Please, I''ve got treasure! Something worth millions of gold ingots. Please help me!"

 Chapter 166: Ironbloods

    The pounding at the door grew louder, and the voice more hysterical, "Please, I don''t want to die! I don''t want to¡ª"

    Nia bolted for the door, mming it open to the sight of two wolfish hellions approaching in the distance, their bodies aze with the mes of the hells. Each step turning the ground into molten rock.

    "Altair!" She shouted.

    And begrudgingly, he stood up, somehow trying to push down his libido. He red down at the woman, prating her mind with [Schizophrenia]; he did the same with the hellions in the distance. In seconds, the two began tearing into the other, snapping flesh from bones, in a vicious brawl, convinced the other was the youngdy they were chasing.

    Nia shuddered, looking at the scarlet-eyed boy. She had never seen a more outrageous ability and wondered if she, too, was under his spell like Laros. Nia had only visibly rxed when his eyes shifted to ck.

    "Thank You! Thank You!" Cried the young woman, falling to her knees. She began to ball ugly tears from her dirtier face that looked as if it hadn''t been washed in months by the way green moss flourished from around her chin.

    [Divine Being She Who Hunts suggests you listen carefully.]

    Altair ears perked. This had been the first message from the gods since he arrived in Yarwin. He narrowed his gaze to the young woman suspiciously. She was barely in the second circle, with somewhat mediocre attributes, though her unique skill did catch his eye.

    World Communicator

    Rank: A

    Grade: Transcendent

    [Description: Allows the user the ability tomunicate with the World.]

    And for a second, his gaze dwindled to disappointment that such a grand gift had been squandered on a human of all things.

    "Thank You! Thank You! My name is Z Flynn." She began in a deep, ny-degree bow. " I''m a herbalist with the Ironbloods."

    "Ironbloods?" Said Reina, somewhat interested in the herbalist. In alchemy, there had only ever been three Pirs; one was required to learn to refine various pills, potions, and balms: Herbalism, Transmutation, and Pyromancy.

    Z looked up with moss-green eyes. "Yes, I''m from the Twentieth Floor of Babel''s Tower." She said, startling everyone.

    "... The Twentieth." Altair took a deep breath. "But you''re so weak. How?"

    The young woman felt her face heat up. "I was born there," She exined. "I''ve no talent with a sword or spear. So¡­"

    "So you gave up on it," Altair muttered. He had half a mind to turn her into one of his shadows but resisted the urge, especially when someone elseid im to her. "Come inside, but before that." He turned to Thanatos, who gave a snap.

    Ripples in space suddenly folded around Z, clearing the filth from off her face and body. In the blink of an eye, her sun-kissed skin and plush lips dazzled beneath the moonlit skies.

    "I''m not as proficient as Zariel, but [Cleanse] is still one of my favorite of all his spells," he said, smiling.

    "Yes¡­ but I still can''t grasp it yet." Said Altair, frowning."You said something about merging the School of Necromancy and Alteration, but it''s quite aplex spell even though it has zero offensive applications."

    "Sorcery is aplex field. And what you learn from Aurora only traces the source of the Arcanes. The Seven Schools of Magic requires decades of hard research and practice to be adept in."

    "Seven?" Z muttered, touching her pristine cheeks." I thought there were only Four."

    Thanatos sighed and said nothing else. The carriage began once more.

    Somewhat cramped, Zag made his way to the reins while Thanatos sat on top of the carriage, missing his former job.

    "Now then," Altair said to Z as everyone gotfortable. "Let''s start with the Ironbloods. Why are they here?"

    "To im this realm, of course. We''ve already opened up seven gates within Yarwin. Well, six now. The gate I emerged from was overrun by a horde of Hellions. They killed everyone." She said, biting her lips. "they said we''d be fighting demons, but¡­ those things¡­ they were resistant to just about everything we threw at them.

    Element magic, dark magic, light magic. Even divine magic that calls on the power of Gods lost its potency against these Demons. It was only after two-thirds of my battalion was eliminated that we figured out these were demons of the Nine Hells."

    Altair wasn''t surprised. After all, most of Yarwins'' restrictions were meant to hold back the demons. And now that they''re gone, it''s no surprise most humans can''t keep up.

    Manipting her emotions with the use of [Schizophrenia], Z didn''t break down into tears despite the aching of her broken heart. She sniffled, chewing her lips, trying to be strong for the one before her. ''I need to be strong,'' Z thought and continued. "Nonemental Magic worked best against demons, so Force or some Psionic Magic works best.

    Nevertheless, most of us died against a tier four demon, who managed tobat an eighth circle fire mage."

    "That''s a massive jump," said Nia grimly.

    "Every fire skill Ganco used was redirected by the demon. Their understanding of fire simply outssed us. How''d you like it if the one thing you focused on all your life became useless before a single enemy Four circles below you?"

    Nia shuddered at the thought.

    "Most demons are downright immune to all types of fire aside from holy and Infernal." Zag casually mentioned. " And there immortal. They''ll wake back up in Hell and return. Your best bet is shattering the soul; they''ll still return, but that''ll take millions of years, though by the time you''re strong enough to do that¡ª"

    "It will be meaningless. That''s so broken." Altair muttered, torn between excitement and horror. "And what exactly are the Ironbloods?

    Z wanted to mock him for asking such a stupid question but felt ashamed she''d ever have such a thought towards one so great.

    ''Before him, I am a worm, a dumpster he may do with as he pleases,'' She thought, convinced her thoughts were her''s and hers alone.

    Altair had no idea what she was thinking or that the Band of the Incubus was affecting his maniption in ways he never would allow.

    "The Ironbloods are one of thergest factions within Babel''s Tower." Said Z warmly, her moss-green eyes fixed upon the Prince, "And are one of the oldest. Their origins date back to some Ancient realm known as Elysium. They are one of the Seven Great Fractions of the Tower. "

    ''Yet they were nearly annihted by some lesser demons. Not even real ones, much less purebloods. Lesser Demons.''

    Altair was beside himself on the matter. He understood demons were powerful, but he somehow expected more out of the denizens of Babel''s Tower.

    Having lost a majority of interest in Z, Altair leaned onto Reina as she began Inquiring about various techniques herbalists used to maintain and grow various types of herbs. Z had been more than willing to answer each question, even going as far as to reach into the sack she''d had on her hip that acted much like Drupnir and removed dozens of books.

    Altair mildly paid attention, seeing how far he could push [Schizophrenia] from the moment she entered the carriage. Z had not even acknowledged Laros sucking away at the balls of his master''s feet, removing any sort of dirt she might have earned.

    It was only then Altair seemed to realize the horrors of this technique. Beneath [Schizophrenia], everyone whom his eyes crossed with could potentially be his thrall. He could manipte the sense of touch, smell, biological responses, and emotions such as anger and lust. Anything his mind craved or wanted was open to him.

    He gulped, ''The [Eyes of Sacrilege] truly were horrifying. If I were evil¡­ I could do a lot of damage with this.'' he thought, narrowing his gaze to Nia, and he shook his head, dismissing the idea of removing parts of her personality he didn''t like. It wasn''t right. Not when she wasn''t an enemy.

    "That''s why pyromancy is so important." Z was saying to Ren when Altair spoke up.

    "You were saying something about a treasure. Might you still have it?" He asked, vaguely recalling the matter.

    "Oh yes!" Said Z happily. She reached into her bag, pulling out a three-inch blood-red shard that gleamed beautifully like a ga. "This is a Shard of Blood," She proudly showcased, tracing her fingers along its edge. "That houses the Mortal Dao of Blood within its depths. Slit your finger along the edge, and all its knowledge engraved within its depths will belong to yours.

    Or you can take the long road and study it by infusing mana into it."

    "I''ve got one of those!" Said Ren, opening her palm as arge eight-inch shard sprang out of nowhere into her hand. Dark-like obsidian with glimmers of multicolored light spirling into webs shone within the crystal." It was a reward for killing¡ª" she stopped herself, turning to Altair.

    The subject of Aria was still a touchy one. Altair still felt guilty about her death and, in many ways, had been sad about it.

    "It''s a Chaos Shard." She continued. " I had been wondering what it did, but you said used to what exactly?"

    "gives knowledge or skills," Z answered. "I''m not sure who invented these shards, but the longer a shard is, the denser the knowledge housed within its depths."

 Chapter 167: Forest of Ruin

    Within her carriage, Reina was grinning, looking into Altair''s Obsidian eyes. "So you want the Chaos Shard, hm?" She was saying, crossing her legs. "And what will you do for me in return?"

    "Seeing as a Chaos Shard doesn''t have any practical use to you, and a Blood Shard does. I''ll say I''ll be doing you a great service." Altair said candidly, bothered by that peculiar glow in her eyes. He knew that look well.

    "True, but it''s only a matter of time before my knowledge surpasses what''s within that shard." She exined, her grin deepening until her fang gleaned over her plump lips. "Stand up for me."

    Altair did, curious what she was after.

    Kicking off her boots, Ren naughtily slid her feet up his trousers, caressing his crotched with a lewd smile. In seconds, his Warhammer was tearing through trousers, aching with purpose.

    "We''ll trade¡­ if you canst seven minutes." She said, gently tracing her feet along his shaft.

    The beast shuddered, leaking a creamy substance from its tip.

    Altair was a little pale. He''d only eversted that long once. And it was the first time Renia had ever given him head.

    "Five minutes."

    The demoness'' cute grin turned coniferous. "Seven," Ren insisted, ogling the precum with fever.

    "Six"

    "Seven"

    Altair looked like he wanted to cry. "Ren, you know that''s not fair."

    With a look that said she didn''t care, Reina''s feet seemed to measure the beast, but even then, it loomed over her.

    ''All Ren''s,'' She thought with a hint of worship in her eyes.

    "Seven minutes." She snickered, lubricating his monster with his ''personal'' lube. She grinned evilly. "Starting now."

    Relieved, she began with her feet. Altair''s hopes came crashing as Reina''s feet seemed to glide along his girth, yfully toying with his n as she locked eyes with him.

    Altair was terrifically horrified all at once.

    ***

    "Don''t cry, Art," said Ren cheerfully, licking the thick, hot, milky cream from all over her face where he''d erupted. "We can try every night until you get it right. Though next time, I won''t be using my feet." she licked her fingers. "If you like, we can try again."

    Altair was missing Golden-Eyed Ren. He''d never been more ashamed and satisfied at once. Yet, as Ren cleaned him up, he somehow felt proud this strange woman was going to be his wife one day.

    ''I''ll have my revenge one day.'' he swore, though he didn''t reject going another round or two.

    For the next few days, Altair faced the Demoness known as Reina ckwood Morning, Noon, and Night and failed each time. He didn''t quite mind as the shame turned to joy. Heughed it off, giving Ren a few tastings herself.

    By the end of the week, it had finally be time to abandon the carriages as they approached the Forest of Ruin.

    "OK. I''ll be the one to ask. Why are we entering a ce called the Forest of Ruin?" Ren asked as Altair helped her down the carriage. "Just saying this is how people in movies die."

    Zagreus nodded in agreement, turning to Thanatos. "She does have a point. Why are we entering the Forest of Ruin?"

    "Come on, Laros, " said Olivia, jerking him by the leash.

    "woof!!" said Laros, happily trotting after his master''s heel.

    Thantos growled. "Are we taking advice from movies now?"

    "Why not," Said Ren, folding her arms.

    "The Forest of Ruin got its name after the third King of Yarwin perished," Altair exined. "That was nearly ten thousand years ago. Since then, many stories of this forest being haunted have sprouted up, but aside from the typical bandit attack, very few people have actually died due to monsters, much less ghosts."

    "What he said," Thanatos remarked and said to Ren. "We''ve got to get you two to max level, so remove your Fallen Angel Aura."

    Ren nodded, stretching her arm. She flicked her wrist, and from Drupnir ''Ice'' emerged gleaming an icy blue. At the same time, Altair summoned Shadoww and strapped the de to his belt.

    Thanatos continued. " Since Zag and I are irregrs here. We''ll defend Z. The rest is up to you guys."

    Altair nodded and snapped. Suddenly, Seven Dark Moon des emerged, soaring to the skies to hide beneath the clouds. He''d had to summon some shadows, but most of them were in the Serpents Outreach, aiding in the reconstruction of a town.

    Unfortunately, not even a few minutester did Altair''s partye to a halt before two Tri-Circles half-elves appeared draped in a leather hide of ck and red; on their chest hung the Iron Helm and sword of the Ironbloods.

    They came from the thick canopies of trees trapping light from entering as if to surprise them, though no one appeared startled.

    "State your name and purpose!" Shouted one of the half-elves.

    It had been Altair''s first time seeing a half-elf, but their ears were a dead giveaway. The ears of a Half-Elf were longer than a human ear but shorter than a pure-blooded elf and were the only indicator of what manner of elf they were. He stared at them, taken back by their beauty.

    "Didn''t you hear us?" Another shouted, his voice shaky as he looked at Laros. "Why the devil is he on his knees like that?"

    "Because Laros is a good boy!" Olivia defended,

    "Woof!" Agreed, Laros, wagging his derriere as though it were a tail. He spun in a circle around Olivia, jumping up and down.

    The two Ironbloods jaws dropped in disbelief.

    "By the way, my name is Olivia Aros. And this here is Laros."

    "Woof!"

    "Brah¡­" muttered one of the Ironblood Half-Elves, ncing at hisrade. "This shit is¡­"

    "Hello! My Name is Z Flynn, With the Second¡ª"

    "Z! You lived!" One of the Elves, Bes, they called him, eximed. "It''s me, Bes Ty''via. We saw your name on the MIA list! Come on, we''ll tell themander that you''re back!"

    "Bes, " Snapped Folred. "Protocol, remember." he turned to Altair and pointed his spear at them. "Names and purpose."

    "My name is Darlk," Altair said while the others gave their real names. His was a name that was sure to have many people after his head. "And we aim to leave this godforsaken ce. The portal is¡ª"

    "We know where the portal is," said Folred sharply.

    A scarlet mist began to swell through the cks of Altair pupils.

    "Then might we pass?"

    "Sorry." Said Bes, pulling his gaze from Z. "But we are under strict orders to bring in anyone who passes through the forest of ruin. But we¡ª"

    "I''ll pass. Z, I guess this is where we part." Altair said seamlessly; he hadn''t the time, nor the patience, to deal with anyone right now.

    Folred had been about to snap when a cold, icy sweat erupted like an avnche down his pores, streaming down his legs that buckled like a flowered maiden. His legs gave, and after a while, so too did his dder.

    Altair slid his pressured gaze away, signaling for the others. They were off sinking deeper into the Forest of Ruin. Moonlight seemed to dwindle into mere glimmers of aimless rays scattered throughout.

    "This is He scary," said Nia, gripping her spear with all her heart. Her eyes flickered back and forth, trying to perceive any dangers.

    The Forest of Ruin had been far too dense for the carriage and was growing denser the further they journeyed.

    Altair nced back, grinning. They were still following the main road, but even he could till the ck Rain had inadvertently altered this forest.

    "I can send you into the Serpents Outreach, you know."

    "I''m not a charity case!" Nia hissed, inching closer to Alyssa. Who looked like she was about to break down into tears. She was shaking like a newborn fawn.

    Altair snickered.

    ***

    "And you''re sure he''s from Earth?" Commander Vance Gundere inquired, looking at Z all dignified in his blood-red robes.

    "Yes, no doubt, Sir, " said Z on one knee. Behind her, Folred and Bes mirrored her posture.

    "And you just allowed him to take off?" said Vance, frowning.

    "Quite, " said Z without expression. "As you can see, the mere presence of Darlk had Folred a Third Circle pissing himself. Not only that, Darlk himself saved my life. I owe him that much."

    Vance''s eyes went wide, and all nine of his circles shed. "And who are you to decide that?"

    "Z Ironblood, 47th princess of His Eminence, Magnus Ironblood. " Said Z with a sliver of ice in her voice; she watched Vance drop to his knee as she rose to her feet.

    "Princess I¡ª"

    "I would like for you to kindly hand over your Holocube so that I may inform my father that Earth has raised a monster beyond belief," she said, finding arge grin as Altair''s image shed through her mind.

    ''Don''t worry, Lord ckwood. I, Z Ironblood, will ensure you survive this infernal hell. But before I do that. I need to find out why Mother insisted I enter this hellish ce. Something must be going on amongst the higher-ups."

 Chapter 168: Forest of Ruin II

    When, atst, light ceases to exist within the Forest of Ruin, neither Alyssa nor Nia could bring themselves to act bravely within the darkness that didn''t allow any semnce of shadows to exist. They stood petrified, consumed by fear. Altair had tough.

    Nia was as valiant as any Amazon, and Alyssa was an Amazon, yet their terrified cries made Altair think they were a couple of little girls rather than women.

    Altair might have cast a [Lighting] spell he''d gained from Aurora, but that thought quickly fell through the moment Reina tantly dug her fingers into Altair''s trousers.

    Of the people who could see were Iliana, Zag, and Thaan.

    Altair had the grace to blush when he felt his master''s eyesnd on him. He felt even more ashamed, allowing Ren to do as she pleases.

    ''Ren, I swear I''ll pay you back a thousandfold." he swore.

    For days, they walked in absolute darkness before they arrived at ake that had be something of a beckon these past few days. The day Alyssa and Nia saw it, they nearly charged ahead, potentially to their deaths.

    "What is it?" Zag asked, having been bored these past few days. Aside from scaring Alyssa, Nia, and sometimes Olivia, he''d nothing better to do.

    Thanatos reached down, plucking a few des of grass, and tossed it into the silverke.

    They all frowned at the water sizzling against the leaves, visibly being eaten by a dozen rings of expanding embers until not even ash remained.

    "Acid," muttered Ren, surveying her surroundings. She saw nothing but the trembling of trees pushed about by the gentle winds. She frowned, sensing something other than the winds within the darkness.

    Thanatos stood up, his calm, serene expression marred by a frown. "I do believe we''ve fallen into a trap," he said, turning to Altair''s otherwise dark expression. "There are many creatures that use light to lure in prey."

    ''This is the second trap I''ve fallen into on Yarwin." Altair thought, biting his lip. ''Have I learned nothing?''

    He looked around, narrowing his blood-red eyes. "So we''re being watched."

    "Looks that way," said Zag, reaching for the bastard sword on his back, allowing the hilt to barely inch out of his scabbard. He whispered, ''For Blood and Ash.''

    As everyone but Altair and Thanatos drew their weapons, the air thinned. No longer were the winds blowing, yet the rustling of the trees grew even louder.

    Altair ignored the sounds and stared at theke. "Ren." He said.

    And as if she understood, Reina gave a toothish smile. " I got your back. Although it''ll cost you."

    The boy grinned, looking forward to what she had nned for tonight.

    Altair''s eyes didn''t quite linger on the forest like the rest. They settled on the silverke of acid alongside Thanatos with suspicion.

    ''What benefit would monsters have leading us towards theke?'' Altair wondered, a shudder past through him as his eyes snapped to Reina a second toote. Blood-red fire zed in a sweeping arc through the air, confronting the several hundred branches sharp like spears snapping at them.

    Through the blood, mes, and ashes came the branches at a blinding speed.

    Nia dipped forward, the sparkle in her dual eyes enhancing her perception, her spear whirled into action, thrusting and shing. Alyssa, with her longsword, rushed out, thrusting her sword through the branches, slicing through them with great ease with her resilient strength. All the while, Reina maintained her stance, defending Altair.

    Olivia had her bow in her hand, firing arrows constructed of Phoenix mes.

    Zageus moved, flickering like an apparition; his sword shuddered through the air, shredding the seemingly unending branches with sword light from his bastard sword. So mighty his sword the air seemed to ignite, catching fire as his sword whirled through the air.

    Iliana merely watched, drinking a bottle of scotch. ''That''s the Aspect of Ash,'' she thought, narrowing her gaze to the Aspect that seemed to leave only a wreckage of ash in its wake. ''Not bad, but it''d be better if it were the Aspect of Destruction.''

    Weaving dozens of tendrils of branching twisting as though they had minds of their own, they followed after Zagreus as Ash billowed from his de. A spherical domain formed around him, pressuring the burning winds and twisting the ashes into des themselves, causing everything in a domain of twenty meters to burn.

    "That idiot," Said Thanatos darkly, knowing Zagreus''s body couldn''t handle the properties of an Aspect just yet. "He''s really testing me. Altair, do you have this?"

    The Prince nodded. "You go help." He said, studying theke; he snapped, conjuring a [barrier], and leaped into the acid without a second thought, startling everyone present.

    "Crazy bastard!'' Laughed Zag, covered in sweat.

    Thanatos appeared by his side, opening his palm as a scythe pulled itself out from the darkness. Dreadful as the deepest night, it pulsed with an ancient aura of death.

    "Why are you pushing it so much?"

    "New bloodline, remember? I wanted to see how far I could take it," Said Zag, feeling the droplet of blood the Night Mother had granted him. "Aren''t you curious as well?"

    Thanatos gave a silent nod of agreement, lifted the scythe that throbbed with the ache of death, and looked around at the tendrils of branches iling around him. He looked every bit of the God he once was holding his scythe, which seemed to pressure the air,pressing it until all that could be felt was Death.

    ***

    The descent towards the bedrock below had been a surprisingly short journey but an enlightening one. From the moment Altair leaped into the acid below, his eyes turned wide as saucers, for around stood the inner lining of something organic.

    ''Did I enter the monster''s throat?'' He wondered,ing to a halt at the bottom. Altair looked around, finding what he saw outside to be nothing more than an illusion. The liquid acid was not in the least bit silver but a dark, pudgy red. Presumably, this was due to the chemical reaction of the air shing in what Altair considered to be blood.

    DING

    Name:???

    Race: Abomination

    Str: 260

    Dex: 0

    Con: 700

    Wisdom: 25

    Charisma: 1

    Altair took a step forward, feeling the strange organic tissue sucking at his boots like mud. It was incredibly ufortable. More so than he''d like to admit, maneuvering through the living creature.

    His barrier held up well, especially with all the extracurricr activities between Altair and Ren. The purity of his mana had been so pure despite being surrounded by man-eating acid not even a tear could be seen.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity: 297

    Constitution: 304

    Wisdom: 320

    Charisma: 272

    Mana: 80 ¡ú 88

    It hade as quite a surprise when they learned even forey had caused their Mana Attribute to rise. Altair had felt it was well worth the risk if he could get his hands on the Shard of Chaos.

    Still, he calcted that it would take someone with at least [440 Str] to break through his shield in a few blows before they met flesh, and by then, he suspected most of the force would have been distributed through his shield, leaving behind an attack that might bearly harm him with his almighty resistance that cut all attacks down to half.

    ''Ren''s Mana Maniption has been on the rise since the massive jump. It won''t be long until we can do it every day.'' The boy mused to himself, trying to pull his mind from the suction against his boots.

    Exploring further down into the beast until the throbbing pulse of the acidic blood began propelling him off his feet. Altair conjured a Dark Moon de, plunged it into the strange flesh of the Abomination, and watched it wail.

    The earth began to tremble, cracking with visible webs of lines stretching out for miles. Altair ignored it, hurrying downwards towards a strange throbbing muscle he could only presume it was the heart. It wasrge, nearly ten meters, and thick with a cloak of branches.

    "The monster isn''t hard to kill, but the defense is tough. With my strength and mana, which are five times as strong as the physical bodybined, I should be able to cut through, but Shadoww has a terrible conductor. I might barely be able to¡ª " he smiled as the shimmer of an emerald me formed around him.

    [Necrotic me has been activated]

    [Mana: 2x increase]

    Having dual cultivated with Reina whilst also being her first. Altair not only inherited her physique but also part of her soul, just as she did his.

    Mana 88 ¡ú 176

    A/N: 880 Attack Power

    He felt an ungodly amount of mana pooling around him, thickening within a nket of sin. Altair felt both startled and horrified at the same time.

    ''This aura feels like Hell.''

    Altair gulped, lifting his Dark Moon de, which whirled like a gale of Emerald ck mes. Used only by the Fallen Angels of the Nine Hells.

    He could still recall thest time Reina conjured these mes and how it reigned wildly out of control, burning space.

    Space was burning, now tearing apart by the shared radiance of it all.

    Altair looked up and smiled.

    [Severing Edge]

 Chapter 169: Festival of Chaos: Prologue I

    Climbing out of the vat of acid, Altair was met with the strange sight of the girls huddled around Laros. Olivia was weeping, cradling the skewed pale body of Laros, surrounded by dozens of bone-deep gashes gushing streams of blood.

    "Is he finally dead?" asked Altair hopefully.

    "No¡­ not yet." Said Nia, looking at him peculiarly. "Are you al¡ª"

    Watching Reina mount a lewd kiss on Altair to wee him back, Nia turned away a little awkwardly, wanting to cover her ears at the sloppy sounds of their tongues.She turned to Laros, whom Olivia had used as a meat shield against the branches.

    The battle had been hard for them, but Thanatos and Zagreus had taken a load off their shoulders. She was thankful for that. An even happier Laros was going to die soon.She wasn''t sure if anyone deserved what happened to him.

    "That monster was surprisingly weak," said Altair once he was done greeting Ren,though neither Nia nor Alyssa thought so. Deadly branches aside, they''d never have survived the descent downwards within the acid. "Olivia, can you slit his neck already so we can go.You can toss his remains in the acid or, you know, leave it for the crows. Either way, stop the crocodile tears and let''s go.

    Thanatos, Zag, are you two alright? "

    Thanatos gave an irritable nod, staring down at his brother on one knee, gasping for air.

    "I''m good too. Just overdid it." gasped Zag, nearly sprawled out on the ground.He had a few cuts and burses, the same as Thanatos, but nothing that they couldn''t mend themselves.Still, he feltpelled to ask.

    Making sure they were alright,Altair turned in time to see Olivia slitting Laro''s throat with an arrowhead and tears in her eyes.

    With onest, ''woof.'' Laros went still in a pool of his life''s blood. Killed by the woman he forced himself upon.She left him there for the crows.

    For the next hour, after dressing the wounds of the injured,an unsettling sensation stirred within Altair as he looked up into the skies, blocked by the dense canopies.

    DING

    [World Event Starting]

    [Due to the influence of various Gods, the Tower Masters has decided on a World event]

    [Double EXP for all Demon Kills]

    [Mission Map Targeted Avable]

    [Dungeon Portal Sealed]

    [Reach the Center of Yarwin:Festival of Chaos will begin in Six Months]

    A cold chill rippled over Altair as a map emerged within his line of sight.He gulped and allowed his Mask to fade for less than a second.

    Suddenly, a red dot pinned itself on the map, fading as his Mask reappeared. He had learned his lesson a few weeks ago when a few heralds attacked him. And had worn it constantly, although no one would know since it was as thin and translucent as stic.

    Iliana had told him the Mask could change shape and had opted for a translucent mask since he didn''t like it when people couldn''t see his face.

    "well shit¡­ " He said, exploding off the ground in an eruption of speed and force. He was gone before anyone could say a word.Altair didn''t stop until seven days and seven nights had passed with only Ren at his heel.

    "I''m so fucked," he hissed, gasping for air.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon seeks to know where you are.]

    [Divine Sin,Daddy, says be a man and drop the Mask.]

    [DING]

    DING

    DING

    DING

    "shit-shit-shit-shit-shit"

    Panicked, Altair began to pace back and forth, cursing his luck.

    "I kind of feel like this is my fault," said Ren, smiling.

    Altair red at her. "no shit." he said, slumping on a tree stump when Reina boldly took a seat on hisp.

    "They must really want Aria''s soul."

    Altair grumbled but still wrapped his arms around Reina and went to sleep. He had found that had been the only function sleep had.

    The following day, he woke to Reina''s golden eyes cuddled up in his arms before they turned blood red.

    "Morning Art. Feeling better?" she said, tickling his lips with hers.

    "a little," he admitted, a little groggy. "I''m hungry, though."

    "Don''t worry, art.I got you."

    In the next moment, Altair saw Ren pull out her cauldron from Draupnir and began creating a mutton stew out of demon meat,potatoes, carrots, onions, and various spices he never knew she had. Altair could not remember a single time Ren had ever cooked for him. So he waited, entranced by the way she moved.

    "I used to make Mother this stew, and even in her madness, she''d smile, thanking me. You know, Art, I don''t regret killing Aria. I''d do it again in a heartbeat. My only regret is getting you caught up in this mess. And for that, I''m¡ª"

    "Don''t apologize," he said softly, unwilling to hear it. "You did the right thing. Truly. "

    Altair looked up towards the four moons of Yarwin, unsure if the sun would ever rise again.They were out of the forest of Ruin, but where he was exactly, he didn''t know. Though it didn''t matter now that the dungeon portal was sealed, he had but one alternative to escape.

    "Will you ever summon her?" said Ren, filling a bowl for him.

    Altair smiled, epting the stew. He had to admit it looked rich and creamy.

    "Who can say?" he mused, taking his first bite.

    "Well?" Ren eagerly asked.

    "Let''s get married now!"

    "Hehe," she snickered, with unblinking eyes watching him scarf down her soup. "So?What are we going to do?"

    With a belly full of stew, Altair lowered the bowl."We''ve got two options.We can stay hidden, or we can go out into the world and explore. We''ve got six months to reach the center of Yarwin. I suspect this World Event might involve us either way. Seeing the Tower Masters decided to screw us over."

    "screw you over, " Ren corrected, smiling. "I''m technically free. "

    Altair rolled his eyes."how could I forget? Be that as it may, it''s in our best interest to see what this World Event is all about. But we need to prepare."

    "and how do we pre¡ª"

    He smiled, tearing her clothes off until her breast bounced about at the sudden motion."we fuck till our bodies can bearly withstand our mana. It''ll take two weeks for Thanatos and the others to catch up. Shall we see if I can''t break that seven-minute marker?"

    Ren grinned fiendishly, "bring it."

    ***

    Within the highest peak of Yarwin, ash billowed from the skies like snow; carried forth by the endless winds,she stood on one knee towards the translucent image of her Lord.

    "Have you found him yet," asked the ghostly figure as he sat upon his throne of brimstone.

    Tasha bit her lips. "I have not. My Lord.He was in the Forest of Ruin, but then¡ª"

    "Lord Asteroth will not be pleased."

    Tasha felt her heart go cold as she hurriedly tried to exin," M''Lord,Altair is being hidden. It''s likely some god is protecting him."

    "and it''s why I sent you.We sacrificed an entire city to do so. I''d have thought a Lilm such as yourself would grasp the level ofplexity of the situation."

    "Duke Barbatos," said Tasha, shaking before his presence that transcends time and space,turning her bones to lead. "Altair is Warded against the system. If you could¡ª"

    "In six months," Duke Barbatos cut in, " Altair will arrive in Visem. You are to capture him alive and barter with him for Aria Silvermanes'' soul."

    "My lord, he can''t be that foolish as to¡ª"

    "I have been sponsoring this child since his days in the Serpents Outreach," said Barbatos calmly. "even if he shielded me from my gaze.I know the boy. Well.He''ll be there. Tasha."

    "my Lord? "

    "I want Altair alive.You are not to kill him, barter with him.That boy''s origin runs so deep he is able to cast an infernal spell.An impossibility that brought a smile to my lips."

    "Of course, my Lord. And if the Prince were to¡ª" murmured Tasha.

    "You may leave Lord Asteroth to me. He might be angry, but he''s not stupid.There is an air of mystery around that boy, and it runs deep. Keep your distance for now. And send heralds after him.Let them temper his will and de. "

    The Lilm nodded, looking up to meet the scarlet eyes of the hazy image. "Will you also be in Visem? "

    "Baefor is my domain. It''s only right I show these New Gods that they are but cannon fodder in the grand schemes of things," he said as his image receded into the void.

    Tasha sighed in relief."I wonder what the duke sees in this Altair ckwood." she smiled, licking her lips. "He is kind of hot.It''s a shame that he is so weak. I''d break every bone in his body riding him. Oh well." she turned to look towards the Hand of the King,Varquees, on one knee as she approached him.

    "We are heading to Visem. So prepare your armies.The moment Altair ckwood emerges, I want his head."

    "and if the king has any questions?" said Varquess.

    "oh, Varquess," said Tasha mournfully."you sold your soul to be king.Why are you asking what needs to be done? You have all of the Nine Hells behind you."

 Chapter 170: Festival of Chaos: Prologue II

    "I won! " Altair shouted at the top of his lungs, challenged by the shrieking moans of the woman on all fours.

    "ahh~Don''t~stop~" she pleaded, as saliva slid down her lips. Her fingers stabbed into the dirt as her Prince rode her as hard as she did her pegasus all those many moons ago. Toes began to curl following each thrust that sent sweat dancing through the air.

    Altair fingers danced over her little cunt, sending her eyes rolling to the back of her head. Ren''s entire body began to spasm as a hoarse squeal sounded from her sweet lip.

    She came copsing head-first into the grass, but Altair did not let up.

    Hounding her garden, making sure every seed was sowed, he pulled out, jerking her around by the cor. Ren opened her mouth, swallowing him whole as he exploded. Her hazy red eyes permeated ecstasy, gleaming euphoria. She sucked dry, slurping him clean of all fluids. Reina just watched as his eyes looked into hers.

    Only when she had finally begun to gag, did Altair pull his beast from the back of her throat.

    "I won, Ren," said Altair, his cock still reeling from her touch.

    Ren pushed down, having really regained some strength, and inserted his penis so deep into her womb she came copsing into his chest.

    "Are we sleeping like this again?" Altair asked, finding it was really the only way he could sleep. "Good," he said, cumming inside as her inside did all the work for them. "fuck, this is heaven."

    Reina merely drooled over his chest, falling asleep within his arms.

    Altair smiled, ncing at his stats, and fell asleep.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity: 297

    Constitution: 304

    Wisdom: 320

    Charisma: 272

    [Mana: 88 ¡ú 150]

    ***

    Reina woke the following day feeling her insides having long since made Altair beast its home. It had all been so perfect, as every time he entered her, he''d always manage to hit that perfect spot that made her mind cream with pleasure.

    He was hitting it now despite no movement, and she was loving every second of it. It was only a shame. Today would be theirst two-week vacation.

    Reina sighed slightly, changing her position toy on her back. When she felt Altair cup her breast, he gave them a gentle squeeze, feeling the walls of her vagina react almost instantly. They both moaned, enjoying the morning moonlight hitting their naked bodies.

    He nibbled on her ear and whispered. Something that made her cheeks flush with redness.

    Ren bit her lips. "I''m all yours," she said, gasping for air.

    "Then be a good girl and clean me up."

    "Did your dick get bigger or something?" Ren shamelessly asked him, finding the hardest part of her day was trying to pull his dick out. It was as if her insides hadtched on to something yummy and refused to let go.

    Altair would always have to help, finding it enjoyable to watch his cloudy snow stream from down between her legs.

    After cleaning up her man, Ren rested weakly on him. "I''m going to get pregnant if this keeps up."

    "maybe your throat. I''ve never seen someone so¡ª"

    Ren covered his mouth, her golden eyes blushing dangerously

    Altair removed her hands andughed at her cute expression. "we got to get dressed, but I''m so damn tired. The only thing I had to eat these past two weeks was Ren. Not that I''mining."

    Ren meekly squirmed on his chest, twirling her fingers up and down his nipple.

    "Although I can make an exception for Golden Eye Ren. I haven''t eaten her yet." heughed when she went stiffer than a board. "Hells, you''re cute. Come on, let''s get dressed. The others should be here in a few hours. But man, two weeks of just sex is truly heaven.

    I could die a happy man! "

    Ren proudly grinned, happy she could satisfy him, and kissed his cheek before standing to her feet that buckled.

    And in a few more hours, after they''d gotten something other than each other''s blood and fluids to eat, Thanatos and the other reemerged with one missing member.

    "Where''s Master?"

    "She said something about needing to check in with the queen," Zagreus answered, looking around their camp and then at their muddy feet and arms. He grinned. "have you two been dual cultivating this entire time? There''s barely any firewood, much less any signs of footprints. "

    Reina turned red at once. Altair, however, was all smiles. "My mana is at 150 now. Should do well in what''s toe."

    Nia narrowed her gaunt face, weary from the journey. Her body was battered by mud, her hair matted, and her eyes sunken beneath dark bags. She hadn''t even the strength to exim.

    Olivia was in no better shape, copsing into Alyssa''s arms. She had been the only one of the trio still able to fight. Though, how much she was capable of was up for debate.

    "Is that the peak?" asked Thanatos.

    "honestly? I''ve no idea. The numbers keep rising. But our mana is stronger than Hilda''s, and she''s a Sixth Circle Warrior. Which seems ridiculous as a second circle. "

    "May I?" said Thanatos. And Altair handed him his wrist. He closed his eyes, and a smooth energy pulsed through Altair''s meridians.

    Thanatos'' expression became one ofplexity. "your hearthstone appears to be fine¡­ but¡­ if I''m getting this right, you have two physiques and, not to mention something called the [Heart of Darkness]."

    "Did mother tell you that," Altair asked disapprovingly.

    That was his secret and not for Tenebrae to spread.

    "she did, but I''ll say keep going. In Zariel''s younger days, he¡­ "Thanatos stopped, nearly spilling secrets that ought to remain secrets. "Just know Mana Purity is one of the most important things. Keep going until you can''t go anymore. You''ll know when to stop. How''s your control?"

    "near 97%," said Altair.

    Thanatos opened his palm, and in an iridescent sh of ck mes, the mana whirled into aplex array.

    The mere sight of it had Altair and Reina''s noses wet with a trickle of blood. Their breath caught, and for a moment, they saw¡­ the glow of creation glimmer before their eyes.

    "Have you memorized it?" Thanatos asked, dismissing the Rune just as they nodded. "What you saw was the Rune called the Helix of Mortality. It''s a rune only those at The Ninth Circle can gleam. Try recreating that rune as we make our way to the center of Yarwin. It ought to help you hone your control and your mind. And Altair, might I have a word with you privately?

    Curious, Altair followed Thaan to a reclusive reserve within the drove.

    "What are you waiting for? He asked. "why haven''t you turned Nia or Olivia? Alyssa, I understand. You owe Athena a favor. But¡­ the other two are dead weight.

    They can''t keep up, not with your growth or the situation. If this keeps up, everyone suffers. You''re smart enough to see that. Or is the idea of betrayal what''s getting to you?"

    Altair stood there, his expression hidden beneath his long raven-colored hair as he felt his stomach wrench, trying to pull acid up to his throat.

    He held it back, seething where he stood.

    "I don''t like it," he said finally.

    "Forgive me for saying this, but this is the job; this is life. There will be hundreds that will fall behind. If you can''t see that, then you''re still a child. Zag and I covered them these past two weeks, and it was hard. It''s too hard for what is toe. Whether it''s mana recovery, physical or mental, they simply can''t keep up.

    Even the most subpar races, like elves, can do a little better."

    "So this is the end, huh?" Altair murmured gloomily. He didn''t like it. But he could also not refute him.

    The air felt like shards of ice as he stood there coldly.

    "The path of the king is filled with treachery," said Thanatos calmly. "So they either die by your hands or to some unnamed demon. That is the situation you allowed."

    The winds came wrenching across his face, exposing the coldness in his eyes as he turned.

    Altair said nothing as he returned to his camp. Finding Alyssa and Olivia asleep while Nia stood bobbing back and forth, he approached of her.

    "Altair, I ¡ª" Nia was trying to say, rising to her feet to see his arm plunge through her chest, tearing through bone and muscle like wet paper. He gripped her beating heart.

    "Goodbye," he said, searing the look of hurt and confusion fading into nothingness as she slumped over on his chest. Dead.

    [LeonieCross Felled. Exp Gained.]

    Altair absorbed her soul, watching as her body faded to ash. He summoned Talia.

    "Decide. Kill her or have me turn Olivia. You''ve broken her enough."

    In a heartbeat, Talia had Olivia beneath her boot, stomping her head into a smooth paste.

    "no mercy, my lord," she said, returning to her shadow.

    [Olivia Aros Felled. Exp Gained.]

    "Art¡­" Reina whispered, noticing his pale face.

    "I have never been more disgusted in myself," he said, as bile crept up the back of his throat. "never¡­ Never."

    He puked over the grass, clutching his mouth, trying to hold back the bile searing the back of his throat."Never."

 Chapter 171: Festival of Chaos: Prologue III

    "Altair, I wanted to thank you."

    Ren looked at him, dangling his feet over a cliff. She was confused.

    "That''s what Nia wanted to tell me before I tore her heart out." Altair continued, peering down to the nameless forest below. He could still see countless demons foraging about, snapping their fangs into the other, smearing their entrails out in a brawl that usually left the other or both dead.

    "oh, Art,she would have died. Either way.You know what demons are like they''d have raped her until she died.What you did was a mercy."

    "I could have sent her into the Serpents¡ª"

    With a chop to the head, Ren red at him with her blood-red eyes."She wasn''t your friend.She was an acquaintance, so stop trying to find excuses. And look on the bright side, you big dummy.She now has unlimited potential,an unending lifespan, and probably a sex life. Better than most people."

    Altair gave her a wry smile,pulling her down in his embrace.

    "Careful, Mr. ckwood," said Ren, greedily enjoying the heat his body generated."this is how it starts, you know, you hugging me,me giving you head, and you entering me."

    Lord ckwood found a grin. "That''s a nice form."

    "Maybe, but I don''t want you in me when you look so sad." she brushed back his hair that had grown so long this past year.

    Altair gave a sullenugh and looked toward the cloudless skies bathed in sunlight. For two days, theyy there watching the elements carry on before Altair spoke.

    "I n to remove my mask today."

    "and Alyssa?" said Ren calmly.

    "Up to her. She can be a shadow,leave, or enter the Serpents Outreach.I owe Athena that much." He said, standing up with a baleful look in his eyes. "You handle that. She''s yours anyway. "

    They found Alyssa cupping a bowl of soup within their camp. When she heard the grass churn beneath their boots, she lifted her gaze to meet the scarlet eyes of Altair.

    She shook. "Are you here to kill me?"

    "Nia is quite alive.'' Altair uttered sharply, snapping his finger as she emerged in a wisp of ck smoke. Pale with hair of silver cascading down her shoulders, her amber eyes weighted with presence met with a surprised look on Alyssa''s face.

    Reina, with her cruel smile lifted, spoke, "We''d like to offer you the chance to join Nia, or we can send you to the Serpents Outreach until we reach somewhere safe."

    "Mdy, what happened to her?" Asked Alyssa, staring at Nia''s pale grey skin. She was as beautiful as ever, with minor changes to her physique, but her aura was of night and day.

    "She died and was resurrected in the image of the Vale," Altair said, resting his palm onto the pummel of Shadoww. Cold and hard, he stared unfeelingly at Alyssa, ready to detach her head if she so chooses. "The only one who died was Olivia. It was peaceful, or as peaceful as it gets when someone stomps your head into a paste."

    "But it''s all your choice." Said Ren calmly, noticing the presence of fear on her breath. She grinned. "But know you''ll be abandoning your alignment to the Gods, Both New and Old."

    "So¡­ I''ll Die?" Alyssa didn''t know. She took a step back, clutching her throat: To im she needed to die was all too much. She didn''t know. "Will I still serve you? Will I¡ª"

    "Of course." Reina lied, grinning. "And we will surely have our revenge. We''ve already figured out who it was. Right Altair?"

    Altair found a grin ncing at his naughty wife, so shameless, she was offering up Alyssa without batting an eye.

    "Of course,"

    "Then don''t m¡ª"

    Her head fell before she could blink, whisked away into ash as her soul was devoured into the Vale. Altair''s eyes flickered, and an iridescent emerald hue danced along the arcs of his pupils.

    "Problem, Nia?"

    The newborn shadow bit her lips. "No¡­ Master."

    "You''ll have a new sister soon. Be there to wee her in the Shadow Realm." Hemanded as Nia vanished back into his shadow.

    Sliding Shadoww into its scabbard with a clink, he removed his mask, turning to Thanatos and Zagreus smiling.

    "Is it time to finally let loose?" Said Zagreus as a baleful howl danced across the winds. Heughed. " For Blood and Ash!"

    "For Blood and Ash," Said Thanatos, drawing his scythe from out of the darkness.

    Altair''s shadow grew long, and a half smile hung upon his lips. "Let''s go."

    [Divine Sin, ''Daddy,'' says, "WELCOME BACK!!!!!!!]

    *** Join us at m-v le mpy_r

    "He''s back!" Shouted Cedric, standing to his feet. He was missing an arm, but as Amilia injected a serum into his shoulder, the stub of his arm began to budge, wiggling as if somethingy hidden there. And from his stub came a new arm wet with a thick sap reminiscent of amniotic fluid.

    Amilia nodded, furrowing her brow and turning to Fat Mike, who''d been in aa for thest year and a half.

    "Yes," Said Amilia calmly. "That was what Admiral Vaiga said."

    They''d only just recently found sanctuary some months back, but it came at a heavy price. Cedric had sacrificed a Circle, and Fat Mike had been forced to call upon the Divinity of the Gods. It was unlikely he''d ever wake. Not if they couldn''t make it outside the dungeon.

    "Where is Hilda?" Asked Cedric.

    "With the Admiral. They''re expecting you," she said before continuing to tend to the injured silently.

    Leaving the medic bay, Cedric briefly nced at the portal crackling with arcs of scarlet lightning that had been sealed and frowned. He hurried on over to the Admiral Pavillian.

    "Cedric, good you''re here." Vaiga Darkfire said coldly. She gestured him in. "God to see you alive."

    Cedric nced at Commander Sanders and then Vaiga. "What''s going on?"

    "I forgot you only just woke up." Vaiga hissed.

    "Altair is back. And he''s on the move." Sanders said with hisrge frame that had been built like a mountain barely fitting in a chair Vaiga prepared.

    Vaiga brought up the System Map, revealing Altair''s moving position. "He''s about a few months away from us. Must have been trying to get here when that alert sounded off," she concluded darkly. "Things are a lot moreplicated now. The Lords and Masters of Babels Tower are involved, but we need to get Altair before anyone else can steal him away."

    "Admiral, do you have any idea how he''s been able to live this long? He''s only a second circle yet¡ª" Sanders began, but Vaiga shook her head, cutting him off.

    "No clue, but Amilia confirmed Altair Picked the Surname ckwood. I''ve already ordered a few unman Fighter Jets to his location. They should arrive in perhaps an hour if nothing happens, but¡ª"

    "Admiral!'' Shouted a hoarse voice, alerting everyone. " The skies are¡ª Hells!"

    Vaiga shot outside at a blinding speed, looking up towards the skies draining of color as hundreds of thousands of Demonic Dragons, Wyverns, Winged Bapett, and more came like meteors from the heavens.

    The Realm of Yarwin shook as, one by one, the Demons of the Hells struck Yarwin. Demons that had been hounding their encampment day in and day out all suddenly changed location, charging towards Altair within the Rueful Drove.

    [DING]

    [DING]

    [DING]

    "Oh shit," said Viaga agast.

    [Divine being, ''Golden Pope'' is offering any Divine Spell for Altair ckwood''s head]

    [Divine Being, "King of Swords," is offering SSS Rank Skill to the first to offer Altair remains to him.]

    [Divine Sin, ''Conquest'' shall off ten Soul Coins to any who brings him Altair ckwood''s head on a fucking Pike!]

    [Divine Seraph, ''Arc Soul'' is willing to grant anyone into the Kingdom of Heaven should they offer Altair ckwood''s soul to the Eternal Heavens.]

    Vaiga turned, catching sight of hundreds, if not thousands, glowing with the Blessing of the Gods and Demons. Her heart dropped, and her eyes narrowed as she turned to Cedric, grinning, bathed in a corrupted gold light.

    "Altair¡­ you''d better live."

    ***

    "Oh! He''s pretty close." Syris grinned, resting on a bapett. She giggled. "Seems he''s gotthe gods to go wild over him."

    "He must be something," said Lady Lyain Orsteen, sharply staring at the system messages of gods, devils, demons, and seraphim filling her chat logs.

    Syris hopped off the remains of the Bappett carved into small bite-size pieces and nodded. "Right? He is the strongest person my age. He might be on the level of those within Babels Tower or the Prime Worlds."

    Lady Lyain Orsteen wasn''t convinced. She perked up her sses with her palm and stared down with her emerald eyes. "What is he?"

    "That''s just it. Not even the Reverend Mother knows. But we can be sure he''s from an old family." Said Syris, smiling.

    "The Old Gods." Murrured Lyain grimly. "My Lady, do forgive my insolence, but nothing goodes from the Old Gods. Their knowledge and power are¡ª"

    "Without equal." Said Syris coolly, ncing at her mentor without emotion. "You''d do well to watch your tongue, Lyain. I''ve never met an old god that wasn''t vindictive to some degree. Many of them are Paragons and Chaos Lords. Their knowledge of the Seven Schools of Magic is unrivaled. Come, let''s go.

    We''ll meet Altair in Visem."

 Chapter 172: Festival of Chaos: Prologue IV

    Whisking through the forest bed with seven ethereal des cker than the deepest of nights hovering behind him, Altair, attended by Reina, Zagreus, and Thanatos, followed at breathtaking speeds, blurring into long ribbons of multicolored light.

    Suddenly, from the skies, they came howling like crazed demons; seven Bappetts struck the earth, crushing thend as though it were made of y; shockwaves reeled through the forest, snapping trees asrge as seven men like twigs.

    Name: Winged Bapett

    Race: Demon(Half-Blood)

    Str: 898

    Dex: 350

    Con: 656

    Wis: 754

    Char: 175

    Mana: 102

    UnoNovelFireed by the shockwave or the aura billowing from off the demon flesh, Altair flickered like a sh, with the aid of Sovereign''s Gale, and was before it, his finger already pressed on its brow before it blinked.

    "Enma," He channeled, and from the tip of his fingers, it came, a beam of iridescent light devouring the top half of the Bapett before it could echo a scream, shooting through the forest, withering life to nothing.

    [Bapett Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Soul of Bapett Devoured]

    [Level Up]

    Reina emerged with her great sword ''ice,'' and for a single instance, her long obsidian hair turned a fiery red; as [Infernal Rage] nearly tripled her stats, she shed in a prismatic beam of light, cutting a single Bapett in half. She was on the move after Altair as his Dark Moon de began to carve through the bodies of the others.

    They zoomed through by when arrows came piercing towards Altair''s head. Lord ckwood didn''t bother to defend against the attacks that his Almighty Resistance pushed away.

    "I got them," shouted Zagreus, kicking into the air. He began tforming off magical circles as though they were solid earth. He flickered through the air, arriving towards a small squad of vagabonds gripping arrows.

    "Wha¡ª"

    Sword light came like a shrieking bolt of light, carving through the bodies of the seven archers before they could blink. Their bodies erupted in mes,ter transfigured into ash by the Aspect of Ash.

    [Level Up]

    "This is he fun!" Zag screeched, leaping back down to Altair''s side.

    The Prince grinned, summoning six of his main shadows, and without needing to be told what to do, they shed like demons themselves. Infernal Lighting came like a great tide through the forest, conjuring great pyres of fires that billowed toward the skies.

    Howls of demons raged on for miles.

    Baelfire rose across the Heavens, storming down towards Altair as the wyverns and dragons began breathing fire in defiance of theHeavens and Hell.

    Thanatos whirled to meet the fire of hell when the sigil of the crest of his scythe illuminated itself within his eyes. He pointed his scythe forged of night and invoked his spell.

    [Devour]

    Darkness came like a great flood from out of the tip of his scythe, devouring the raging mes, trees, grass, and demons alike, transporting them deep within the world of darkness to wonder about for all eternity.

    "What type of spell is that?" Asked Altair, barely able to catch the spell before it faded.

    "It''s a level four spell." Said Thanatos. " Why fight when you can just banish your enemies into the Shadow Realm? It''s an easy spell to dodge and get out of if you''re adept with the school of Abjuration. Though you might have to physically dodge." he added, hurrying along before demons began appearing.

    It had been roughly two months of constant battle with various demons waging war against them as they hurried towards the center of Yarwin using the very map that marked Altair''s location.

    During this time, everyone was his enemy. Whether they be from the military or Babels Tower, he hadn''t met anyone who wasn''t trying to kill him. The only time he had to rest was when he donned his mask to eat or rest. But even then, demons prowled thesends.

    [Divine Being, ''She Who Hunts'' puffs her cheeks at your refusal to use her blessing.]

    [Dvine Being, ''Piercing Owl,'' nods in agreement.]

    With a charming smile, he looked toward the bleak skies. "I would have used it, but mypanion blocked the Baelfire." He said,ughing at the two sisters that seemed to be brooding. "I¡ª"

    He stopped ncing towards the corner of his eye towards the glint of a rifle a few miles off. And in a single moment, two things happened. Shadoww shed through the bullet that arrived faster than a bolt through the heavens, and his Dark Moon de arrived at the sniper, plunging through his head and exploding out the back before he could perceive his death.

    "What was I saying? Oh, whatever," said the Prince, snickering; he nced at Thanatos. "How''s your reserves?"

    "Twenty-Five Percent." Said Thanatos intivly. The Last spell had really drained his reserves. "But I''ll recover the more I kill. So it''s fine." He added as his inky Mana began to branch out, gnawing at some intangible force Altair couldn''t quite understand.

    There was much he couldn''t understand about Thanatos and Zag, but they didn''t quite use the same Mana he did. It felt simr but different at the same time. Though, he knew that they were powerful. Despite having lower attributes than him, they made up for it with raw skill and knowledge.

    "Zag, what about you?" He shouted, ncing up to Zagreus and leaping down from his tform of Mana.

    "Me? I''m about seventy-five percent full." He said, smirking at his half-brother. " Bet you won''t fight me now, eh?''

    "Piss off," Said Thaan annoyed.

    Zagreusughed and attempted to trip Thaan, who reacted almost immediately, leaping over his foot. He flicked his wrist, weaving his scythe forward with every intention of decapitating Zagrues, who ducked beneath this de.

    The two brothers gave smiles at one another, filled with killing intent.

    "They''re at it again." Said Ren, drooling. "I wanna join."

    "So they can kick our asses? Pass." Altair muttered, not needing [forsight] to tell him that it was a losing battle. Whether it was experience, skill, or knowledge, Thanatos and Zag outshined him in every aspect aside from raw power. He was sure if their attributes were on par with his, they''d taken him down in a few strokes.

    "What we really need to focus on is getting me a dragon," Altair said, ncing at a few in the distance, channeling spells in the distance. "Look at that! They can cast, and they¡ª"

    Looking up towards the skies stained ck with a magical circle, he sighed a bitter smile and nced at Ren. They''d be horrified if this wasn''t the first time it had happened. Watching hundreds of pirs shriek from the skies, decimating the area and reshaping thendscape.

    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

    ***

    With his mask on, Altairy over a tall mountain of rubble of stones, trees, and demons. He Aimlessly looked up at the skies nketed by demons from a crater lined with countless numbers of faces etched into the stone around him.

    "Ren?" He called, and from the mountain of stone that buried her, her small head, matted with bits of blood, popped out. Soon, Thanatos and Zag, followed by a few of his shadows who lived through the st, emerged.

    "Can we have a break?" Zagreus asked, pulling himself from the rubble, holding his arm bent in odd directions. He gave it, jerked, and snapped the bone back into ce, but the bone was still fractured in many ces. He helped Thantos up, who seemed pale but fine.

    Altair looked around, finding a small entranceway from where two stone faces were stationed into the wall. Pulling himself up, ignoring the ache of his shredded muscles, he staggered a head into the entrance.

    When everyone had entered, he smashed the entranceway with his fist, allowing the rubble to block the path.

    I''m sleepy AF," said Zagreus, bellowing a yawn as he slumped over his brother''s arm. "Carry me, Thaan."

    "get off me,"

    e on, big bro~."

    "Zag, I will castrate you. "

    Renughed at the two brothers only to wince. She touched her side where two broken ribs sat. "You two are brothers, right?"

    "stepbrothers," said Thanatos,ying down inscriptions to mask their location. The stone corridor in which theyy was empty but bore the scent of the dead. "My Mother, Nyx, the Goddess of Night, married his Father, Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Though, it was Hades who raised me and who gave me a mission. A mission I found quite dear to my heart."

    "Reaping souls," Altair remarked. "It doesn''t sound fun."

    "It''s not." Zagreus was quick to point out. "Nothing in the Underworld is fun. It''s all tedious. And mind-numbingly boring. The best part of my day is testing new ways in which to kill myself."

    "Seriously?"

    "In our domain," Thanatos began, "it''s impossible to die unless you use Almighty Qi. Which Zag can''t do yet."

    "piss off," said Zagreus angrily. "I''ll get there. If Melino? can do it, so can I."

    Altair had many questions but now wasn''t the time. "Get some rest, guys, " he slowly cut in, noticing some tension at the mention of Melino?. "I''ll stand guard, you guys rest."

    Conjuring Nia, she bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"

    Ignoring the frost in her voice, Altair spoke, "Go scout ahead¡­ and take Kirr with you."

    "right away, my lord," she said, vanishing and emerging with Kirr. They were gone after a few minutes.

    "looks like she''s still angry," Renia said, nestling into Altair''sp. She purred, enjoying his warmth, swallowing her whole.

    "Well¡­ I did kill her in cold blood," Altair admitted, cycling his Mana to aid in his recovery. "I''d be mad too."

    Ren narrowed her eyes dangerously. "maybe," she whispered, closing her eyes as she began cycling Mana as she slept.

    Arms wrapped around her waist, reaching into her tunic to bare flesh; Altair smiled, finding what he sought. He closed his eyes, entering a state of meditation that allowed his mind to recover but also kept him alert in case of danger.

    His eyes opened the moment Nia returned, looking very somber. "Zombies, my lord. Powerful ones, too," she said, on one knee.

    "Do you hate me, Nia?"

    The Fallen Shadow lifted its amber eyes that shone like liquid gold.

    The Prince smiled at her silence. He gestured her over, cupping her cheek as tears filled her eyes.

    "Nia, I won''t apologize for what I''ve done, but I''ll never order you to do something that goes against your bottom line. I hope you know that. I might be a monster¡­ but to those who bow to me, I am their light."

    Confused, Nia met her Master''s eye, which felt so warm and cold at the same time.

    "yes¡­ my master."

 Chapter 173: Forgotten Kingdom

    "Yes¡­ my Master," said Nia with a rosy blush. Try as she wanted. She could not hate him. Through her eyes, he had always shone brighter than any star, and now that he made her his, Altair was her light, her King, and her God.

    She kissed his palm and dissipated into his shadow.

    Out of all his shadows, Nia, with her Dual Pupil, was the strongest. There had been nopetition. Not only could she perceive time slower, but she also had a type of innate foresight that allowed her to perceive the future in ways not even his actual foresight allowed. She was a monster that was finally allowed to blossom now that her human bloodline had died.

    The next day, when everyone had arisen, Altair couldn''t help but smile as he turned to Aurora, hounding Thanatos to teach her magic. Clinging to his shoulder, she red up at him with tworge puppy dog eyes.

    ''Think there is something there?'' whispered Reina in Altair''s ear.

    ''I''ve no idea,'' Altair whispered back, a little taken back himself. But watching the cheeky smile on Aurora as Thanatos relented and began exining the various mechanics of the School of Alteration, he smiled, curious himself.

    "You''ll be fifteen in another few months, right?" Said Reina, smiling. "We ought to do something."

    "Pass," Altair remarked. He didn''t need another reminder of his mother. His first memory had been of Tenebrae holding him with a pale look as she kissed him.

    "My Baby! My Sweet Baby Boy." She''d said, teary-eyed, trembling with a look of disbelief. "Blood of my Blood. " she kissed him, holding him so tight and gentle that little Altair only cooed a brightugh.

    "But we could do something for your birthday. We''ve never celebrated Christmas. That could be fun." He continued, only to notice Ren''s confusion; he snickered and was reminded she wasn''t a part of Earth Culture before slowly exining the Tradition of Chrismas.

    The little Nephilim eyes shone an illustrious gold as she beamed. "Let''s do that! Oh boy, Ren has the bestest present!"

    They made a small promise; neither of them knew if they could keep it, but they didn''t care much. All they had was time.

    [Ding]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 61 ¡ú 74]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity: 297 ¡ú 310

    Constitution: 304 ¡ú 330

    Wisdom: 320 ¡ú 346

    Charisma: 272 ¡ú 298

    Mana: 150

    Name: Reina of the Moon (ckwood)

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 99%]

    ss: [Blood Nephilim Lv 61 ¡ú 74]

    Strength: 301 ¡ú 327

    Dexterity: 297

    Constitution: 304 ¡ú317

    Wisdom: 320 ¡ú 346

    Charisma: 272 ¡ú 298

    Mana: 150

    Double-checking his stats, Altair and his party once again returned to their journey. Most of their injuries had recovered overnight, and now all that was left was exploring. From narrow corridor to corridor, they traveled, studying the strange architecture of faces etched into the walls and strange murals so withered by time Altair didn''t bother wasting his energy trying to figure it out.

    For hours, they walked, slowly discovering they were in a sort of Kingdom buried by the tides of seasons. How it was possible for an entire kingdom to exist beneath the earth encase as though a dome had existed around it, protecting the city below, Altair could not say, but he was incredibly amazed.

    "Astonishing." He said, stepping out from the corridor towards an unending sight of structures that seemed to predate anything he''d ever seen. But there he saw in a glow of light dozens of flowers and vines that seemed to ravage the city, a kingdom of such esteem he gasped. The entire city seemed as though it were a pce forged by hands that could not havee by that of mankind.

    Each building seemed to take his breath away as they connected in intricate lifts and bridges that spanned endlessly.

    "This architect seems familiar." Said Thanatos, marveling at its beauty. "It''s old¡­ older than even me."

    "Altair¡­ Doesn''t this look like that structure within the Serpents Outreach? You know the one Master told us about? You know the one¡­ Master said it was a ship that belonged to the¡ª" Reina was saying.

    "Ilvarins," Altair muttered wide-eyed, recalling the matter. " I remember now. Luna said one man killed them all¡­ A Fallen Angel."

    A/N: Chapter 30

    "Mephisto," Thanatos murmured in a low tone. "Though he didn''t kill them but sealed them in Pandora''s Box. I remember now¡­ From what I know, when they were finally released, their numbers had fallen to such dangerous levels that they were considered extinct. There are perhaps maybe a hundred within all the Myriad Heavens. Maybe less."

    "Why''d he¡ª"

    Thanatos shook his head. "That all happened far before I was born, near the dawn of creation. It wouldn''t be something I would know. Compared to most of the Old Gods, I''m actually pretty young."

    "I wonder what they did to incur his wrath?"

    "Rarely does Lord Mephisto get mad, " said Zagreus grimly. "That particr Fallen is renowned for his yfulness, but I sometimes think a lot of people forget how cruel he is at times. They must have really pissed him off."

    "You two seem to know much of this Mephisto¡­ who is he really?"

    The two from her gods looked at Altair and shook their heads.

    "Best you don''t ask. Nothing goodes from dealing with Mephisto. Let this ruined Kingdom be a reminder to you of that."

    Altair nodded but still felt a little unconvinced. "Nia," he said, shifting the conversation. "You said there were undead. But all I see is ruin."

    Emerging from his shadow, Nia and Kirr looked out at the structures, nearly spellbound, before Nia said, "We did see ghouls and skeleton knights. Kurt can confirm."

    "She''s right, master," said Kirr brightly, staring up at therge monolithic building within the Ilvarin Kingdom. He turned to Altair. "Can we go up there?"

    To his inquiry, Altair summoned Alyssa, Jorm, and Talia and said, "Go do some reconnaissance."

    "Aye!!!!" he saw them shout, running off into the Kingdom below.

    Touring the city devoid of life, Altair couldn''t help but feel disturbed by the empty cribs and set tables where families were preparing to dine were now buried beneathyers of dust and debris. Questions began to grow in his mind the longer he toured the city.

    "This is weird¡­ it''s like everyone just vanished all at once. There is literally no sign of struggle." Altair muttered as Ren studied her surroundings, picking various herbs and nts she found lying around.

    Slowly making their way toward the tallest building, Altair frowned, noticing Kirr and Jorm trying to figure out how to get in. He chuckled, seeing Kirr striking at the smoother metal frame of what seemed like an entrance based on the way the stairs converged.

    He approached but was quickly stopped as something passed through his body before he could blink.

    "ID Confirmed: Primordial Night: Tenebrae"

    "Eh?"

    Suddenly, the metal frame began to pull themselves apart, revealing the interior.

    "Altair¡­ " Ren began with a gulp. "If this Kingdom predates, I don''t know, most of the Old Gods. How does something like this exist? Shouldn''t the elements have destroyed it?"

    "should we¡ª" Ren was saying when Kirr and Jorm charged in. "I keep forgetting they''re immortal. Guess they''ll be our guinea pigs." interlocking her arms through her Prince''s arm, she grinned, pulling him forward. "Shall we see what Mama Tene''s connection to these people was?"

    Altair smiled. "Mama Tene?"

    "What, you don''t like it?" said Ren mischievously. "a few months ago, you were quite happy when I called you daddy."

    Altair had the grace to blush, having caught sight of Nia utterly red.

    Ren grinned, flickering her tongue over her Prince''s ear like a serpent. Sheughed, noticing his stiffness, and pulled him inside.

    From the moment Altair stepped through the threshold, astrange voice echoed, in its metallic voice, "Wee back, Night Mother. Shall I prepare your room?"

    ''An A.I.'' He thought and said, "Please do. And might I ask where everyone is?"

    "Do forgive Lady Tenebrae, but I do not have the answer."

    The Prince scrunched his brow. "Then how long ago did they vanish?"

    "Do forgive, but there doesn''t exist a number to put into context." said the A.I. coolly.

    Ren and Altair exchanged looks but said nothing of it as they began touring the intricate building untouched by dirt and debris. The building itself seemed to embody the idea of being bigger on the inside as even after several hours, Altair felt himself gasp at the unending series of rooms and doors.

    "It has a room dedicated to cauldrons, forging, spell making, rune work, and lecture halls. It even possesses a library that houses legacies so old it''s written in anguage I don''t even speak, and I speak everynguage," said Ren, utterly spellbound. "Who the Hell are these Ilvarins?"

    "The Ilvarins were the first Immortal Race, the One created after his Angels. They are renowned for their bodies thatbine the core fabric of the elements and flesh," said the A.I. calmly.

    Ren nodded, far more curious than Altair, as he led her up towards their room overlooking the ruined Kingdom. "And this building was?"

    "The Pce of Stygian belonged to the Lady Tenebrae. Gifted to her by the Yvian the VII, the Seventh King of Ilvarian''s and Lord of the ckforge."

    "... The ckforge?" Said Altair, a little overwee by what he was all hearing. He had so many questions.

    "To give life to the light, the Primordial of Darkness slit her ancient wrist, allowing her lifeblood of Abyssal And Myriad to flow into creation. From a droplet, it became a sun of darkness that gave birth to the light, forging into creation the Primordial of Light, Mythra.

    That very sun that birthed the Primordial of Light waster stolen by Yvian the VII and turned into a forged to aid in the creation of lesser beings. Andter, gifted to Tenebrae."

    Altair gulped. "Then this building?"

    "The Pce of Stygian houses the ckforge, my Lady."

 Chapter 174: Palace of Stygian

    As the A.I. droned on about his Mother, Altair became enamored with its stories. Aside from being his Mother, Altair knew nothing about Tenebrae, and the more he heard, the more enamored he became. Of all the Primordials, Tenebrae was the most loved by the Ilvarians, who had built worlds to sing praises of her most glorious name, the Weaver of Night.

    Altair might have listened for days if he wasn''t on the run.

    "It''s so cool in here!" Shouted Kirr, barging into his room, wielding a sword that bore an edge of pure azure light. "Look at this! Master, can I¡ª" Pausing as he saw Altair and Ren cuddled up, he tilted his head. "Is that sex?"

    Jorm, who''d gotten lost chasing him, stormed right in, pushing his head down as he bowed. " Forgive him, Master, he¡ª"

    "It''s quite alright," Said Ren, snickering.

    Hurriedly, Jorm said," Then we''ll be on our way." Jerking his brother outside before any more could be said.

    Ren erupted into a slew ofughter and turned to look out the windows that stretched the length of the entire wall. "This city truly is beautiful. And all this was Mama Tene''snd. Amazing."

    "But how''d it get here?" Altair couldn''t help but stare at the earth, obscuring their view of the skies and moon.

    "During the explosion that took ce on Umbra, a barrier was erected to protect the Denizens within the Pce of Stygian and hernd. Despite my efforts, however, a strange force somehow managed to prate my defenses and was able to restart my system. And as seasons passed, I was able to protect the Pce of Stygian and hernd; however, my reserves are currently fading." The A.I.

    said, curling the lips of Altair downwards.

    "How long do you have?"

    "Seven hundred years, on life support." Said the A.I. coolly.

    Altair lifted himself off the bed, thinking for a second. "We saw ghouls on our way here. Did you exterminate them?"

    "Affirmative. Undead Genus Unknown is a threat to the wildlife the system uses to power its reserves."

    ''It absorbs life force but not Mana? Interesting.''

    After a bit of back-and-forth gauging of the system''s mechanics, Altair asked, "How can I recharge your system?"

    Sensing the stir in the flow of energy that was unlike anything he''d ever felt before, Altair lifted his head towards the ceiling to where an azure droplet emerged from various runic symbols. It fell, sinking into his forehead before he could perceive what happened.

    Knowledge sunk into his Astral Sea, weaving itself within his mind until it took the form of a strange runic symbol that zed a bright azure light within his mind.

    As he came to feel an unending stream of numbers, letters, and formation filling his head, it took a while for the Prince to put them into words.

    "Art? Are you alright?" Ren asked, a little shaken, feeling his aura bing unstable. She dared not touch him, unsure what could happen.

    Blood quickly began to pool form down his nose as he stringently nodded. "I''m good¡­ Just a little out of it." He admitted, trying to assimte all the knowledge held within the Pce of Stygian. He nearly puked. But held it back.

    "Ava, teleport us to your core," Altairmanded, and before Ren could blink, she found herself in a dark abyss of nothingness, seemingly stretching on for miles.

    ''What the Hell?" She yelped, watching with utter fascination as Altair opened his palm. From nothingness, it appeared a small semi-translucent cube flickering with multicolored light, and within its center, Reina could barely make out the twirling mass of a Quasar.

    Suddenly, from the darkness, endless lines of code, formations, runes, and symbols began to rain over their heads, passing through their bodies as though they didn''t exist; they plunged into the darkness below.

    Altair felt pleased standing within the core of the Pce. Opening the control panel to the terminal, he began inputting variousmands, causing all light to fade. In but a single instance, everyone that was within the Pce had been forcefully teleported out, to their surprise.

    But before anyone could speak, the towering monolithic building robotically began to fold,yering itself into a small cube that settled perfectly in Altair''s palm.

    "What just happened?" Nia asked, turning to her Master.

    "A new beginning"

    ***

    Overlooking the radiant seas of azure glistering beneath the sun''s aimless rays, Altair peered out at the heavens and the earth with a bright grin. He nested the Core of Stygian down a few miles off where mountain and sea seemingly touched.

    Suddenly,the cube let loose an intangible pulse, scanning the realm in a blink of an eye. Mana fluttered, and before their eyes, Altair and Ren watched as space began to be devoured. Oddly enough, space did not seem to distort, but rather, from the gaps that led to some unknown realm, it began to mend simr to the way one might sew a wound.

    "What the?" Said Altair and Ren in fascination. They''d never seen something so magical and dangerous all at once.

    "How¡­ How long will it take to¡ª" Before Ren could finish, the cube suddenly burrowed itself into the earth and vanished.

    Lifting Reina into his arms, Altair flickered with the aid of Sovereign Gale, shing as the entire region of the Serpents Outreach began to groan. He leaped out of the portal he''d created, closing it with a bright smile.

    "We''ll let it eat first." He said as theynded before Zagreus and Thanatos, staring oddly at them.

    Thanatos, in particr, was smiling. "Did you gain something of worth?"

    "Hell yeah. Mother unintentionally left me a castle." Said Altair, settling Ren down on her two feet. He beamed happily before shouting in arge booming voice, applying Mana to his vocals."MASTER!!!!!!!!!!"

    Dust whirled about, startling everyone at the sudden outburst, but before they could say anything, she appeared in her pristine white mask like a ghost. Her blood-red eyes narrowed on the Prince, who bowed to wee her.

    "What is it?"

    He grinned." You a wine conisosur, correct?"

    "I prefer whisky, but yes." Said Iliana curiously.

    "Well." With a devious grin, Altair said, "Within the Pce of Stygian, there is a cer before the age of Adam and Eve. If you''d be so willing to trade me a body enhancement technique much like Reina''s [Infernal Rage], I''d be more than¡ª"

    "Deal." Said Iliana shamelessly.

    Iliana had originally wanted to test his de in a sh between Master and disciple, but seeing him hunted like a dog. She thought otherwise.

    "Ren, your infernal Rage is up to a multiplier of three, right?" Asked Iliiana, who nodded in turn.

    "Yes, that''s correct. But now that my Mana is so pure, I think I might finally be able to force it past a times three multiplier."

    Iliana nodded, shifting her attention back to Altair. " Since there are hundreds of thousands of foes from Babels Tower here, hunting you. I''m sure you''ve faced a few that double or triple their stats.

    "Indeed. But the issue is demons. They are learning how to do so as well. And things are getting dangerous." Altair began, clenching his fist. "If I can''t adapt to them, then I don''t see me making it to Visem."

    "Remove your mask," Ilianamanded.

    Altair steeled his heart and took his mask off. He felt Iliana''s slender finger tapped against the forehead and gasped as another influx of information suddenly began to rage through his Astral Sea.

    [Heart of Darkness surges at the knowledge]

    [Ding]

    [Path of the Abyss is being tarnished]

    [Path of the Abyss ¡ú Deste Abyss]

    [Resonence found between Fallen Moon Imperfection and Deste Abyss

    Ding

    Name: Deste Abyss

    Grade: ???

    Description: Tarnishes your ''Source'' into the Essence of the Vale to vastly improveprehension, Physique, and Soul Force.

    Staggering away from Iliana''s touch, Altair fell to a knee, clutching his head, as blood dripped from his nose, ck as tar. He bellowed a cry that came from his depts as the pain came like a flood shing within his astral sea. Thick, elongated veins sprang around his face, writhing in an agonizing frenzy until he was howling.

    "Odd¡­" Iliana was saying when Reina''s de whipped towards her head. She caught the de, amused by the fury billowing in the ruby-eyed girl. "I didn''t cause that," she said calmly, flicking her finger, and like a cannonball, Reina was ripped off her feet, barreling through buildings. She leaned her attention back to the boy, clutching his head as hoarse wails tore at his throat.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, is shaken by the power of the masked woman.]

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts, frowns at the entity known as Iliana.]

    [Divine Being, Titan Falls, wonders who you are.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Quivering Night'' senses the might of the Abyss on Iliana.]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Currupt Prince'' is rmed]

    "Pesky little gods," she said, waving off thements of the Gods. She swatted down but quickly backed away as the Aura of the Vale began to leak.

    An rm filled her eyes as two Vale Stars began to crown the Prince''s head, shing back and forth. ck nodes began to rise off his body, pulling him into the air following the echo of a crow.

    "CAW!!!!!! CORN! CORN!!!!!!"

 Chapter 175: Desolate Abyss

    Peeping its small head from out of Thanatos''s robes, the Kistune cooed loudly, staring at the strange three-eyed crow circling Altair and pping its wings.

    "Corn! Corn! Freedom! Freedom!" Shouted the crow, batting its feathered wings.

    Thanatos stared cautiously at the Crow. Despite its small stature, he could sense a great surge of power flowing through its veins.

    [Divine Being, PIercing Owl, is disturbed by that that Essence]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon seeks to sample that Essence]

    "A Crow?" Said Thanatos, taking another step back from Altair as he began to hover off the ground, bleeding the aura of the Vale. He watched the nodes of essence begin to glob together like light liquified, forming a crown around the prince.

    The ground began to quiver, parting, unable to contain his might. From the earth that blocked the skies, the boulders came crashing down, striking the ruined kingdom like rain. Eruptions resounded high and low, bellowing towards the skies.

    They came like a great fold. As if a shadow had clouded the four moons of Yarwin, demons of all kinds came crashing down.

    "Oh Shit," Ren muttered, picking herself off the rubble. She looked towards the demons flooding downwards. And then to Altair as strange tattoos began to tread up his cheeks.

    She shuddered.

    [Ding]

    [Deste Abyss Activated]

    [Multiplier: 3x]

    [Necrotic me Activated]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv74]

    Strength: 301 ¡ú 903

    Dexterity:310 ¡ú 930

    Constitution: 330 ¡ú990

    Wisdom: 346 ¡ú 1038

    Charisma: 298 ¡ú 894

    Mana: 150 ¡ú 300

    A/N: 1500

    As his aura billowed adjoined with the [Will of the Abyss] descended,a baleful of an ancient throne hung behind Altair as he opened in scarlet eyes towards the demons.A surge of heat came from below his domain as something both new and old came into being.

    [Second Seal of Fallen Moon Perfection Unlocked]

    [Ding]

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance

    Effect 2: Vale Qi [Unlocked]

    Effect 3: Sealed

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    [DING]

    [Heart of Darkness is feeding on the Vale]

    [Realm of Spirit is Opening]

    [DING]

    [Dark Moon de ¡ú Sword of the Vale]

    [Enimatic Step ¡úDeste Decent]

    With his nose bleeding endlessly from the sudden influx of knowledge, Altair felt his head about to explode. He roared, clutching his skull so hard his fingers drew blood, as no one dared move. Be it man or demon, none dared to breathe as Altair''s aura kept on rising.

    [DING]

    [Error Uknown Source Detected]

    [Dantian has been formed]

    Iliana summoned her sword, frowning, unsure if Altair''s body would be able to handle the amount of power he was channeling. She could feel the Vale Qi bing more corporeal with each passing second.

    She stared at the throne behind him and creased her brows. "That''s the thing supplying him with power." She said, about to move when the three-eye crownded on his shoulder.

    "You''ll die if you don''t release that energy," said The Three Eye Crow, studying the demons in front of him. "And what luck, you''ve got targets. Let your heart run wild."

    However, Altair didn''t look at anyone but Reina as he appeared beside her in a sh of radiance. He touched her chest and watched with fascination as another throne emerged behind her.

    It was smaller, slender as if to fit the frame of a woman. But as the Three-Eye Crowed stared at it and then down at Altair, something seemed to click in its mind as it bowed.

    In a sh, two iridescent wings sprang out of Reina''s back, illuminating the skies. Of Obsidian ck and Snow white, they bore down over the demons. Her hair sprang to a vibrant red as it danced through the winds, wrenching at their clothes. Reina felt a simr heat below her navel as dozens of system messages began to fill her screen.

    "Altair, what''s going on?"

    "He has shared his authority with you," The Three Eye Crow said calmly. "Now set out and kill before you be a fine mist. You''d best use your most powerful attacks. I wouldn''t want the Princess of the Vale to Perish before she''s been crowned."

    Touching her dantian beginning to burn, Reina exchanged nces with Altiar''s pained expression.

    "Altair, hurry up!" Iliana shouted. " The Realm of Spirit is too much for your mind right now. Deplete all forms of energy you have in your body now!"

    Paler then snow, Altair clenched his teeth, feeling an influx of information expanding within his mind. Information of Dao, Aspects, Lords of Hell, Archangels of the Eternal Heavens. As if history of past and present was unraveling through his mind, swallowing him whole. He fell to his knees, shivering as blood began to leak from his eyes and ears.

    "Thanatos!" Iliana shouted, turning to see him barely standing beneath [Will of the Abyss]. "We¡ª"

    Before she could finish, Iliana turned towards the skies, eyeing the mighty ck dragon batting its rotting wings. She cursed, noticing it had a fifth-level spell already prepped.

    "Oh shit"

    "Imperium of Baelfire"

    Watching a sphere of magical energy spring from out of thin air, lined with hundreds of Infernal Runes spiraling around its arcs. Altair groaned, bleeding from his five orifices, and stood to his feet.He summoned his grimoire.

    Shadow Cage,he invoked

    And for a single instance, everything froze. Seized by hundreds of thousands of dark-like tendrils, they twisted around the spell, pausing for it less than a breath in time for Altair to cast his second spell twice.

    "Enma"

    Double-casting most spells, emptying both his circles, Altair unloaded everything he had, bellowing a cry so deep the flickers of his crest shed through his pupils as he poured his heart and soul into his spell.

    ck, emerald light,the size of mountains, erupted with such ferocity the world seemed to crackle, parting or perhaps folding as two beams of light detonated against the tier-five spell.

    Boooooooooooooooooooooom~

    The explosion came in a mushroom cloud sorge those across the world felt the shockwave alongside the pir of the light connecting the heavens to the earth.

    ***

    Upon his throne,the Second Monarch of Hell sat trembling with such a destructive might skin began to peel from off his knuckles as the elements of hell began to recede.

    "Get me a list of the Seven Tower Masters. I swear I''m going to kill everyst one of those bastards who thought this was fair."

    On her knee, Aynaet bowed her head to her Master. "the pressure is sufficient, my lord."

    The Ashen King looked at her coldly. "each spell level doubles in power. And my child was attacked with an infernal spell. Do you expect me to believe that?"

    "You are being emotional, my lord. Altair is fine. A little battered but safe. Not to mention Iliana is there. Even you can''t beat her."

    "... I can take her¡­ maybe," he muttered, with a hint of a blush on his ears. "I don''t like it.Where is¡ª'''' Frowning, both Arsene and Aynaet turned to find a familiar face in his throne room. There had been few who could arrive within his court without being heralded in and fewer who could teleport in.

    "Tene!" Arsene acknowledged, rising to his feet, only to frown, seeing blood racing down her nose.

    He flickered to her side, catching her as her body seemingly lost all her strength.

    "damn it, Tene¡­ I told you to go to the Abyss." Arsene whispered in a gentle kiss across her lips,looking down at her gaunt expression pale of color.

    "I¡­ Tenebrae¡­ gave birth to a son," she whispered,touching her belly as prideful tears swell within her pearly ck eyes. Sheughed, her face withering before the king''s very eyes.

    She looked so thin now. Yet her beauty seemed all the more radiant.

    "Sene¡­ I¡­ want to meet our son. I¡­ want to see Reina¡­ his queen¡­ I want to see their child."

    ''I don''t want to die.'' The words caught itself on her tongue. She wondered if she was being too greedy.Too¡ªshe smiled.

    "Take me to him."

    "Aynaet, go tell Freya to run while. She''s my permission to ughter old and new gods alike. Have them tear open the seal around Yarwin. Let''s see how those of Babes Tower fare when ites to the Shadowfell."

    The Ashen Kingughed, admiring the audacity of the Masters of Babel''s Tower. He nced at Aynaet and vanished with Tenebrae in his arms.

    The King of the Second Layer sighed. "The Young Master was supposed to return after Aria Silvermane died.Those were the terms. But somehow¡­ that fell through when he took her soul.How he was able to strip authority from a Fallen Angel, I can''t be sure, but either way, she died. He should have been booted out of the dungeon.

    Seems like someone within the tower is ying favorites or is working for Astaroth."

    Aynaet''s expression lifted, turning to the image of the crater that echoed on for miles into the horizon, slowly being filled with water from the nearby sea. The waters surged, circling her young master and his mate. Around them, an iridescent glimmer of ck light blurred around them like a long ribbon before taking the shape of a crow¡­ and then a young woman.

 Chapter 176: Eternal Slumber

    Altair awoke groaning, clutching his pounding head that still ached in memory of the Realm of Spirit. The day Duke Leto had mentioned that Altair was Semi Omnipitant, he wanted to im he was talking out of his ass, but as he looked up towards the sun that hadn''t shone in years that the thought faded.

    "I''m alive¡­" He muttered, ncing at Reina, holding his palm unconscious.

    "Awake! Awake!" The Crow shrieked, circling the boy''s chest; itnded on his head to peak at his nose.

    "You''re out," he rasped, his throat so dry his voice sounded like a saw on wood. "Where is Thaan, Zag and Master?"

    "They left a month ago," Answered the Crow, batting its wings. "The Silver Hair one¡­ she''s a Royal. Strongest I''ve ever felt. She said for you to catch up."

    Altair could still feel his mask, but as he tried to move, he groaned, coughing up a bit of blood. He didn''t hesitate to activate [Hands of Nirvana]. Golden nodes danced along his body following the warm surge of energy mending his battered body. He puked up a bit of bad blood before visibly regaining some color to his face.

    When, atst, the golden light had faded, he began healing Reina, unsure if she needed it. He sighed, lifting himself off the sand. He scanned the shores of some unknown location before standing to his feet.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, is asking you to return to your pce]

    ''Father?'' he wondered, lifting Reina into his arms. He nced around at the shores once more, unable to sense anything before channeling his Mana. He somewhat paled, feeling his meridians still sore. Nevertheless, the portal still opened to his will.

    ''Corn?" Said the Crow.

    "... there might be some inside," Altair muttered, walking through his portal. He closed the rift behind him, nearly copsing. Lord ckwood stared at therge, intricate pce that towered, spanning some incalcble length, seemingly built by the hands of gods; it stood so grand and regal he couldn''t help but ogle its beauty.

    "It''s beautiful," The Crow said.

    "Who the hell are you? Don''t you have a name?" Altair asked, stepping through the pce walls that weed him by opening its walls.

    "I think I am your Familiar." It said, tilting its head. It nudged Altair''s cheek as though it were its cat.

    Altair had been about to say something but stopped, noticing a familiar face staring at him. His eyes went wide, and a gasp left his lips. "Father!"

    Arsene let out a shadow of a smile. He stared at the little girl sleeping in his arms and frowned. "That won''t do." he snapped. And as if jolted by some unknown force, Reina snapped her eyes open.

    "Art!"

    "I¨C"

    "Come along. Tene is waiting," Arsenemanded, and before Altair could speak or grasp what he had said, they were teleported within the medical ward to a chamber that made his heart wrench.

    There, he saw her wrapped in golden ck robes as graceful as the day he firstid his eyes on her.

    Resting in a pool of iridescent water still as ake, small streams of azure liquid cupped her body, imbuing her still body with life.

    "Mother," he whispered, staggering forward,nearly dropping Ren, who slid out of his hold.

    The iridescent liquid pooling around Tenebrae shuddered,rippling with movement.

    Tenebrae smiled, feeling her strength return. "Is that my baby?" she asked,trying to pull herself up,but despite feeling strength return, she''d not have the strength to move. However, it didn''t matter as Altair wrapped his arms around her,tears streaming down his face like a small boy.

    Tenebrae nearly felt herself melt as she ran her hands through his hair. It was soft,just as soft as the day he was born. Pearly tears continued to cascade down her cheeks as she stared at her son.He had grown so much, losing so much of his immature features.But all Tenebrae could see was the young baby face that first came into this world, staring up at her with two innocent eyes.

    "Gods,I''ve missed you,'''' she whispered.

    "Mommy¡­ you''re so cold." Uncover more tales at m,vl em pyr

    "You''re still a crybaby," she said with a beaming smile. "is¡­ Is she here, too? Reina."

    Altair turned, meeting the teary face of Reina''s golden eyes."yes¡­" he gestured her over. " She''s here. Right here.Right¡­"

    Ren hurried over as Arsene watched. His cold eyes began to tar as he looked up.

    With her vision beginning to blur,she cupped the Nephilim''s cheek, squinting her eyes to see the woman who stole her child''s heart. She quivered, her ancient eyes pleased.

    "What a beautiful woman you are," said Tene. "It seems like all the Snow men are stealing all the heavenly beauties of the Myriad Heavens."

    The Monarch chuckled, though it sounded dry when he felt the three-eyed crownd on his shoulders. He nced at it but said nothing.

    Cupping her hands together, Reina bowed deeply."I, Reina ckwood-Snow, greet you," she said, tears streaming down her face as Tene replied.

    "a daughter-inw, " she giggled weakly. "goodness. And such a cute one." Tene turned to her son, her star. "I very much approve. Though¡­ I''m afraid I won''t be able to continue to watch your growth."

    "Mom¡­ "

    Tene shook her head. "But I''ve set everything up for you. We''ve even got you a Sword Maid. Your Father''s doing; I''m sure you can imagine." she grinned, feeling a little naughty for some inexplicable reason. "I''veid out everything for you to grow into the next Primordial of Darkness after I¡ª"

    "Don''t! You''re not going anywhere. Ok! I won''t allow it!" he snapped,like a little boy who brought such a look into Tenebrae''s face that tears began to overflow.

    "I''m sorry baby¡­ but¡­ " her voice was beginning to fade."but¡­ it''s¡­ almost¡­ time. I love you know¡­ I¡­ love¡­ you"

    Watching her eyes begin to close, Altair bore a cry that came from his depths as he shook her. His heart broke as Teney still, the little warmth held within her skin fading.

    "Mommy¡­ mommy¡­ " he cried,breaking down like a boy."aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"

    Arsene hurried over, pulling him away as he kicked and screamed,balling his eyes out.

    He tossed him to the ground, hurrying to Tene as he sighed, touching her breast.Slowly, the strange iridescent liquid began to crystallize, swallowing Tene into arge crystal where shey¡­ smiling.

    "She is still alive," he said, narrowing his eyes towards the bloodshot gaze of his son. "Alive but extremely weak. This liquid is known as Caelum and was made from the feathers of angels,along with their tears.It''ll help preserve what remaining life force Tene has. However¡­ It''s only a temporary fix."

    "How do I save her!"

    There was a cold look in Arsene''s eyes as he said, "You''re far too weak to even ask such a question."

    Altair eyes shed with a baleful light. "Mother is¡ª"

    "Dying." said the Ashen King, calmy. "And I won''t allow my son to follow her in death, believing he can do what not even I could not. Grow the hell up. If you want answers, earn them.Tene spent a long time preparing for your arrival. A very long time.

    And while this Pce wasn''t what she wanted to give you, it houses items even I envy.This liquid alone is worth more than you can possibly imagine." he turned, looking up at Tenebae, and sighed."Zariel and I are almost out of Pandora''s Box¡­ so wait a bit. Ok? We''ll see you as quickly as possible. And in a stormful roar of wind, he was gone.

    Hobbling to his feet, Altair powerlessly fell back down as Ren held him.

    He cried.

    ***

    For nearly a week, Altair ckwood wept,drowning himself in despair as he stared every day at his mother, seemingly locked in an eternal rest.

    His injuries to his meridians had all healed, though he felt like he was a shell of his former self walking the halls of his pce day in and day out.

    The gains of a dantain had meant little to him in the wake of his Mother''s Eternal Slumber.

    By the eighth day, however, Altair was all smiles, though Ren saw right through that mask of his.She said nothing of it,unsure what she could do to aid him. For nearly eight days, she had been researching the Caelum Springs or touring the library in search of anything to help Tenebrae. Yet nothing. The library was simply toorge and the knowledge too dense for her to gleam anything.

    "We''ll leave tomorrow," Altair said, staring up aimlessly at the twin Moons of the Serpent''s Outreach.

    Ren stared at him from the bed, tucked beneath the sheets. "Are you sure?"

    "I want to leave Yarwin. And¡­ I''m tired of being weak."

    "But we''re already at the peak of¡ª" she said when Altair looked at her.

    "you know what I mean."

    "It''s not enough. It''s nowhere near enough." Altair fist clenched, and a fading light danced along his scarlet eyes. "No more,mercy.No more feelings."

    Reina patted the bed,watching as he stepped from off the veranda to the bed.She settled her head over hisp, watching as tears began to fall.

    He sniffled. "sorry¡­ I¡­"

    "what would Mama Tene say right now?" Reina asked, looking up at his fragile expression, far in contrast to his Regal Mask.He seemed like a little boy now. A child reeling from the loss of someone they loved with all their heart.

    "She''d say a True King must not decide things based on emotions. But neither on cold hard truth. But mom isn''t here anymore."

    "maybe not. But there is a reason she gifted you her wisdom," said Ren, cupping his cheek. "I believe you said one doesn''t always need to react to confrontation. You''reshing out.And I''m sure you''lle to regret what I''m sure you have in mind. Its no one''s fault this¡ª"

    "It''s my fault¡­ if I wasn''t¡­ born."

    Ren squished his cheeks. " you big dummy! Are you trying to abandon me?" she asked, her eyes shing red. Reina pulled herself out from his arms, standing to her feet, and pushed him down onto the bed.

    "where not leaving until I see a real goddamn smile, " said Ren fiercely. "and if that means I have to fuck the sad out of you,Ren is very much obliged."

    Shocked, Altair mouth opened wide as she mounted his waist. Inch to inch with his face,she grinned with a bit of tears in her eyes, shrieking down her cheeks.

    "You need to cheer up, OK?I don''t like seeing you so hurt." She said, having never felt so helpless." And honestly¡­ this is all I can think of, too¡­Do" ¡ªShe started to whimper, trembling over his body¡ª"Art¡­ I don''t¡­ I don''t know¡­ I don''t know how to make you feel better. What does Ren do? What?"

    He hugged her, and the two broke down into tears and began to cry, powerless.

 Chapter 177: The Peak

    "You are the Vale," Said Raven, its three eyes staring eerily at Altair. "You are the Primordial of the Vale."

    "...what the hell are you on about?" Asked Altair, bare-chested within the Training Hall, which appeared more like a colosseum within the Pce of Stygian. Sand rustled beneath Altair''s bare feet as he tried to maintain his concentration.

    He looked up at the bird, annoyed.

    "You are the Vale! It all makes sense now. All of it. The reason you can call upon the essence of the Vale. The throne that had been empty since Night was weaved into creation. It all makes sense.

    You are the Vale." she said, studying him with her three eerie eyes.

    "Do primordials usuallye from someone''s legs?" Altair asked her.

    "well¡­ no."

    "Are any of them as weak as me?"

    Raven''s voice grew soft. "Well, no¡­ but you have to be! It''s impossible to summon the essence of the Vale otherwise."

    "You seem to have it. "

    "That''s because I''m your Familiar," She raised one of her wings, a little proud of herself. "As you''re familiar, I can use the Vale''s Essence¡­ somehow. That makes me a guardian! The Guardian of the Vale, oh, is that my new title! Ohhhhhh that sounds AWESOME."

    "Caw!!!!!!!!! " shouted Raven, soaring in little circles above Altair''s head. "Corn! Corn!"

    Unsure what was going through his Familiar''s head, Altair felt a headacheing on.

    Though he still smiled at the Raven''s silly antics. Her joyfulness had been more than weed.

    This past month, he stayed hidden within his pce, which had been somewhat difficult. He''d ced Tenebrae within the inner sanctum of the pce and had paid her respect every day. But he was finally feeling like himself again. Especially when Reina would make him lunch. She''d taken a special interest in cooking as ofte and had been preparing meals every day since that Night.

    Altair gave a light yawn, returning his sword to Draupnir. "Ava, how many facilities are open now? I''d like for Ren to be able to start using the garden for herbology and alchemy. "

    "The Pce of Stygian has only three percent battery life left after receiving orders to reactivate Caelum Springs. Should the Eternal Garden Be reopened, the core will have to shut down the Caelum Springs."

    Altair winced.That hadn''t been what he wanted to hear. "how long until you are fully charged or have enough energy to open the Eternal Gardens?"

    "Due to the fragility of the Serpents Outreach,it will take five hundred years to reach maximum capacity. However,the Quazar Core should be able to reopen the Eternal Garden in six months, " said Ava coolly

    "And I''m guessing most of the nts died?"

    "98% of nt life has perished. However, the seeds of each nt have been preserved."

    "better than nothing," the prince thought and said. " Create a list and send it to me via my Nurolink, and then create a list of what we can nt and should based on cultivation and resources at hand."

    "Confirmed"

    He smiled, giving a few moremands before looking for Ren. Altair found her in the kitchen over a stove in an apron¡­ and only an apron that barely seemed to cover anything over her voluptuous curves.

    Ren, seeminglyte to notice him ogling her. jumped in surprise; she turned. "You scared me! Gods. This ce is so huge. I¡­ Art?"

    "What are you wearing?"

    Ren looked down, her golden eyes a little clueless. "Do you not like it? It was a little tight, but I thought it looked cute." she looked at him, beaming a bright smile." How was training?"

    Altair nced around at the forty burners and the one Ren was using, spotting arge pot steaming something¡­ sweet.

    He took a seat beside the servant''s table and said. "no good.I still haven''t broken through with my swordsmanship." he said, studying the way she hummed, spinning back to her pot.

    "Have you tried focusing on the Seven Schools of Magic? Thaan did say to give yourself a break whenever you get stuck," she said,tossing a bit of salt into the pot.

    "I have. But I''m more curious about what you are making." Altair stood up, getting closer.

    "Spaghetti. I just finished sauteeing the garlic before adding some tomato sauce. The vigers were quite happy to offer bits of their gains." said Ren, feeling her Prince''s naughty hands cup her waist. She looked up at him suspiciously, then back down to her pasta sauce, giving it a stir and taste with herdle.

    Reina winced. "It needs something missing, " she said, lifting thedle for Altair to try.

    "hmmm.Sugar," he said, smiling.

    "Of course!"

    Reaching for the jar of sugar before she could,Altair handed it to her,amused by the joyous flush stretching across her cheeks as she epted it with a happy "Thanks."

    He smiled dangerously, slipping a single finger down her moist slit.

    "ahh~," nearly dropping the jar of sugar, Ren''s sweet lips let loose a tantalizing moan that truly surprised the Prince. He knew she was sensitive, but not this much.

    "keep cooking," said Altair, sliding a finger up and down, over and over, until the moisture of her slit shrieked down her legs.

    "hmmm~ok~," she mewled like a kitten through short gasps of air. "ah~art~urgh."

    Pulled inside by her ravenous hole, Lord ckwood grinned, enjoying the fearsome heat her tight cunt produced. It was like a warm, hot spring. He kissed her neck, wondering why she was so sensitive today.

    When he pulled his finger out, admiring the translucent honey that coated his fingers, he looked suspiciously at his fiance.

    "I''ve been to pools that are not as wet as you." He said, giving his Ren a taste. His eyes shed a hue of desire. "I know it''s been three months, but you are dripping."

    Steam practically rose from off Reina''s lovely head.She blushed, trying to toss in a few other ingredients.

    "y-y-y-our food¡­ I''ve got to make you some food," said Ren, stammering.

    Spreading her ass cheeks, Altair watched as Ren instinctively parted her legs. She had even seemed to be aware of it as she continued.

    "i-i-i got to stir the¡ªahhh~Gods~."

    Feeling her pussy being eaten up from behind, heat followed by such an intense sense of euphoria came like a flood. By the time she came, Ren had to hold onto the counter to support herself.

    "Wow," Altair began, staring at her pulp vulva, pink as a peach, as though he was stargazing. "I thought I was going to drown," he said, pulling down his trousers."turn off the fire."

    Still reeling from her first orgasm in nearly three months, Ren''s shaky palms reached for the switch.

    He gave her ass a nice spank, memorized by the way it jiggled like jello.

    "hmm~"

    "I do believe this is my first time screwing Golden-Eyed Ren." He said,manding Ava to teleport them into their room. "if only you could see how scandalous you look."

    Heart thumping against her chest like a drumroll,humiliation, pride, confusion, and longing all seem to coil around the young maiden''s heart.

    She covered her face, but Altair pulled her hands away. "I''m sure you remember what I did to your other persona.Tell me what you want me to do to you. Show me with your finger. "

    She blushed, chewing her lip as she touched her neck. "bite me," she said while her other hand slid between her legs, parting her drippingbia with two fingers. "and f-f-f-fuck me here."

    "This might be the best sight in all the myriad heavens.Holy shit, you''re hot!"

    Reina''s face turned an even deeper shade of red, but that bright smile over her tender lips seemed to captivate her Prince''s eyes.

    Her shame quickly turned to pride as he approached; Ren gave a teary-eyed moan as his beast savaged her cunt.

    He entered her, plunging so deep that her moans or perhaps screams of pleasure caught itself in the back of her throat.

    Ren''s lips formed an O-shape as her back lifted off the bed, bending like a bow.

    "hells, you''re tight!" he groaned, capturing that iridescent gleam of mana twirling within her eyes. He tore the apon off, watching as her breast bounced.

    Altair bit his teeth, unsure if what he entered was the Reina he''d tasted a few months back. The feel of it was all different.

    As Ren got adjusted, sweat matted her long raven-colored hair, clinging to her breasts and waist.

    "is¡­ is it good?" she asked,coiling her arms around the nape of his neck. "or¡­ do you like the other me?"

    "Your cunt is as sweet and delightful as heaven itself. I swear it." Said Altair, sinking his fangs into her neck.

    Reina gushed, squeezing him so tight heart-shaped stars began to fill her eyes as Altair''s cock began plunging in and out of her deepest region until he could no more; he filled her hole, enjoying that fiendish way the walls of her vagina seemed to tighten suckling at his n. The Prince had to stop drawing her blood.

    And groaned in her ear as the stimtion grew so intense it had him praying for mercy. For nearly five minutes, they moaned and groaned, sharing in an orgasm that seemed to kill the will of mortal man.

    Slobbering over themselves, Altair smiled, swallowing her small frame with his.

    "you''re the best, Ren. "he said, rolling over so that shey on his chest. His palm mped down on her ass cheeks, unsure why his cock was still reeling inside her, but he didn''t wish to stop.

    "ride me,"

    Greedily stealing a kiss from her Prince, Reina pulled away with the valiant aura of a queen as her smile perked up on her lip. Her hips began to grind over his cock.

    From moans to wails, Reina rode her Prince with the ferocity of a Valkyrie. Her lewd hip bounced, hammering his cock so fiercely in her garden; fluids gushed as Ren screamed her heart out, her voice resonating through the old walls of the pce, rising high and low.

    Her breast bounced about wildly as Ren fell hard over his spear with all her might, screaming hysterically. "aaaaaahhhhhhh~ FUCK ME~aaahhhh: fuck~me~fuck~me~ fuck~me~fuck~me!"

    Altair nearly saw his life sh through his eyes as he came so hard.He roared, baring his fangs like a beast.

    [Brand of the Incubus has Activated]

    [Dual Cultivation Proficiency will Double]

    [Mana Proficiency will Double]

    Reina toppled to the Prince''s broad chest, slobbering on his chest as her hips continued to pound her mind into a state of hysteria. Altair flipped her back down to the bed on her side, hoisted a single leg over his shoulder, and watched the outline of his beast running her through. Saverging her without remorse.

    Unable to help it, a sense of primal desire ruthlessly took over them as their bodies began intertwining.

    [Your Mana has increased by 14]

    [Your Mana has increased by 13]

    [Your Mana Has Increased by 15

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    [Your Mana has reached over200]

    [Peak of the Second ss Obtained]

 Chapter 178: Vesim

    The next day, Altair woke the most rxed he''d been in years. He had been unsure how many times he''d unloaded in Reina, but looking at her happy smile, he kissed her lips and smiled, gently pulling himself out of her. Altair snickered, watching her belly begin to dete. He nodded proudly.

    "I wonder how many times she came?"

    "Lady Reina ckwood orgasmed 207 times," Said Ava, startling Altair. "While Altair ckwood came 56 times."

    "... it was a rhetorical question. Ugh, whatever."

    Scooping Rein up and into the bath to get her cleaned up, the Nephilim awakened in his arms within the Imperial Bathhouse. A luxurious den that housed wall-to-wall hot springs that was as divine as it was beautiful.

    "Did I faint?" Reina asked sofortably she couldn''t be bothered to even question where she was.

    "I think we both did." Said Altair, spooning her through the water. He yawned, resting on the ledge as he looked up over the sun, which didn''t quite belong to the Serpents Outreach but one within the pce of Stragyian. He was a little unsure what happened near the end but didn''t quite care. Right now, he was so rxed he nearly forgot he was in a deadly game against an entire world.

    "One could really get lost in paradise," said Reina, reminded of her Mother for some inexplicable reason. She couldn''t exin it; a sense of guilt began to surge through her heart when she felt Altair''s arms tighten around her, soothing her nerves.

    "Have you been researching this past month?"

    Reina, knowing it was a strange question, answered, "Of course." She''d spend nearly every waking moment studying alchemy within the Ilviarin archives. Learning thenguage of this ancient race had taken merely a few hours before she had unfettered ess to an endless Drove of Knowledge.

    "Then what does it matter if we rx for a few hours?" He replied. "I think it''s been¡­ maybe fifteen hours since we started in the afternoon."

    "When did you get soid back?" Asked Reina, smiling.

    "I''d go mad if I didn''t, especially in light of everything that happened. If you didn''t persuade me to say another month¡­ I think I''d have gone on a rampage." And his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Though I suppose it''s not toote."

    The Nephilim gave a devious smile as a scarlet mist intertwined in her golden eyes. "If that''s your wish. I''ll be there."

    ***

    "You''re wearing your Mask?" Reina asked, throwing on some azure ck robes that bore the intricate Sigil of Darkness on the back. A gift, no doubt, from the Ilvairans to Tenebrae.

    Altair, who wore the same thing, nodded. "Yeah. I''ve already peaked in every stat. All that''s left is to reach the third ss."

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle99%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale Lv 74 ¡ú 75]

    Strength: 301

    Dexterity:310 ¡ú 311

    Constitution: 330 ¡ú332

    Wisdom:346 ¡ú 348

    Charisma: 298 ¡ú 300

    Mana: 150 ¡ú 200

    [Third ss Evolution: Vale Maniption I ]

    Vale Maniption [E ¡ú D]

    [Proficiency: 97% ¡ú 1%]

    Fallen Shadows: [31/100]

    Name: Reina of the Moon (ckwood)

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle 81% ¡ú 99%]

    ss: [Blood Nephilim Lv 74 ¡ú 75]

    Strength: 327 ¡ú 329

    Dexterity:297

    Constitution: 317 ¡ú 318

    Wisdom: 346 ¡ú 348

    Charisma:298 ¡ú 300

    Mana: 150 ¡ú 200

    [Third ss Evolution: Blood Maniption I]

    Blood Maniption [D]

    [Proficiency: 3%]

    "Ren, I''ve got to ask. Why the fascination with blood? What''s so good about it?" Altair couldn''t help but ask, feeling like the question was a long timeing. "I get that you use it to tarnish your elements, but I don''t really understand it."

    Reina shrugged. " I don''t know why I chose blood as my focus. I just like it. And if you didn''t know, Infernal Rage is based on the Principle of Blood; when I multiply my stats, its poweres directly from my body rather than Mana. And while I need Mana to tap into that power now, as my understanding of it grows, I''ll be able to summon the deepest source of Angel''s Blood.

    I can do the same for your blood, too. And double cast it through Infernal Rage, though that might kill me."

    "... That''s a little broken." He said, frowning.

    "I''m a Nephilim. Master said there are less than twenty in all existence. So, of course, Ren is a little special. Hehe." Beaming childishly to herself, she snickered, puffing out her ample bosom.

    As the two madest-minute checks, Altair''s mask shifted from transparent into a wolf-shaped oni mask. He paused and opened his [Dimensional Rift]. Altair gave one final nce back to the pce that housed his Mother, stepped through, along with Reina, to the beach he''d woken up on, and closed the rift.

    Kirr, Jorm, Talia, Aurora, Nia, and Alyssa all appeared one by one like ghostly apparitions turning more corporeal.

    "We''re back! How long were we gone, Master!" Shouted Kirr happily.

    Exining all that happened and the sudden month they missed, thanks to his depression, Altair felt somewhat apologetic. Though not enough to apologize. He didn''t want anyone but Reina to have seen him so weak.

    Unapologetically, he stared at his six Fallen Shadows and lifted his gaze toward the horizon.

    "We''ve got a little than three months left to reach the center of Yarwin." His lips lifted, measuring their resolute faces with a swelter of pride in his chest. "You six will escort us there. We''ll match your tempo, but I''m expecting much from my Pale Knights."

    The Six Fallen Shadows all stared wide-eyed, bringing a smile to Air''s lip. "what did you think you''d be Shadows forever?"

    "THANK YOU MASTER!"

    Without a carriage, they journeyed by foot through valleys and pastures stretching well into the horizon. And with barely three months left to them, Kirr had been the first to suggest they go full speed during the day and train at night. Aurora had calcted that if they were to travel at full speed, they''d arrive two months earlier than necessary.

    Neither Altair nor Reina seemed to care much since most of their time was spent trying to master their focus. Although Altair had made it a point, they found a dragon on the way in which he could kill.

    He''d always wanted a fearsome mount, and a demonic dragon would be perfect. He''d already had a dozen demons within his soul space to be used as cannon fodder. Though, he didn''t quite like demons. Even as he wiped them of consciousness, demons tended to be unsavory to be of use in his eyes. They were simply too hard to control despite being enthralled.

    And he suspected they were not the best influence on Talia, who''d once lost her mind.

    Nevertheless, despite a month slipping through his fingers, Altair''s luck had not been good when it came to finding a dragon, much less a wyvern.

    Reina had med the curse and said that he needed to learn to keep his thoughts in his heart rather than make it known.

    "Once known, the world will act against you," she''d said when the topic of the Curse of the Nephilim was discussed. "Or at least that''s how Master discussed it with me."

    Altair was mildly disappointed, but he figured with the world actively trying to kill him, it was only a matter of time before a dragon or some manner of beast would try to kill him.

    "Master! You got me. You don''t need some stupid dragon to ride!" Said Raven as they trekked up one of the mountains nketed by snow. She was batting her wings, shrieking about like a crow.

    Altair, who''d been slightly covered in a bit of sweat,ughed, leaping nearly six meters up. He stabbed his fingers into the cliff edge andughed. " Then, can you lift me now?"

    "CORN!" Raven flew away, giving Altair his answer.

    The Prince rolled his eyes at the silly Raven before hurrying up the mountain while the others shadowed after him. Reaching the top, they stared down from one of the highest mountains, spanning nearly twenty miles off the ground.

    Altair grinned, taking in the moonlit city below with a joyous smile.

    "Is that¡­ Vesim?"

    "By the looks of the map," said Aurora, nodding. " It looks to be. It''s about a two-day journey if we sprint it. If we had a flying mount, this journey might have taken a week at most."

    Altair patted his Pale Knight''s shoulder with a bright gleam in his eyes. "It''ll happen. Just give it time. Plus, this journey was oddly enjoyable." He said, ncing back to his Reina, surrounded by his loyal Knights. "Come on, let''s go."

    Spending the next few days traveling down a mountain, Altair was quick to meet up with a caravan that bore the Crest of a Golden Trident. He hadn''t recognized it but knew almost immediately they were from Babels tower, especially when he saw a seven-circle man leading them. He kept his distance.

    That would be a losing battle.

    Cautious, Aurora had them take another path around the caravan before they were seen, and with their speed, they arrived a few days before the strange group.

    Vesim wasrge and had been the capital city of Yarwin, housing the majority of the lords of the kingdom and, currently, the king. And now, many denizens of Babels Tower that were looking for ces to rest the night.

    Altair might have been disappointed with Z, but as he stared around at the plethora of men and women of all Circles, he was thoroughly impressed by some of their special skills that made him a little jealous. He was especially jealous of some of the race ss skills.

    Laros, who''d had the mes of the Phoenix, seemed like amon dog before some of the young lords and masters who held abilities to manipte light or slightly bend time to their will.

    "Wow¡­ that is just insane." He muttered, blown away as the guards let them in with a bit ofpulsion.

    He grinned. "Shall we not see if I can''t create a legion by the end of this festival?"

 Chapter 179: Trouble

    "So," said Reina, staring oddly at the frothing Ale in front of her and then to Altair, who''d slightly altered his mask to allow him to eat and drink without issue, sipped his beer. "What are we going to do now?"

    "We''ve got two months." He replied, listening to the idle gossip about him.

    "Has there really been no word on Altair ckwood?" Said an Ironblood to his group as one of the tavern women brought them a few.

    "Nothing. But¡­ I heard the crazy bastards of Noctom went to Earth and tore open the barrier to send in their legion.''

    "You''re kidding."

    "Led by an old god¡­ someone by the name of Fray or something, ripped open the portal seal and flicked off the tower before sending in her people."

    "... Brah. What did the Arbiters say?"

    "What can they say?"

    "Now everything believes Altair ckwood is somehow rted to Noctem. No way that¡ª"

    "Cap! No fucking way. How can some Earthlings be rted to Noctem? Noctem is one of the Four Prime Words, while Earth is¡ª"

    "Utter rubbish?"

    Reina snickered, ncing at her Prince, smiling. "Have you ever been to Noctem?"

    "Can''t say I have," said Altair, somewhat annoyed. He couldn''t say much for the humans that inhabited Earth, but he had found the itself had tons of potential. After all, Earth was one of the fours that housed Babel''s Tower. "But we ought to visit¡ª"

    The door of the tavern was thrown open with a thunderous bang, silencing the hall. Eyes turned to the seven men.Despite the heavy stench of hard liquor in the air,Altair nearly felt his head begin to spin from the pungent stench of the seven ashen-haired men.

    "beer, " said the tallest of the all, bore skin as dark as soil, lined with several inkvine scars around their arms and throat.Neither handsome nor pretty, carrying hardened expressions.

    "Alekis," said one of the Ironbloods,darkly.

    "Have you ever heard of them before?" asked Ren, sipping her Ale. "They seem strong."

    "That''s because they are. Alekis are known for their unique ability to disrupt pheromones. And despite not being able to control that innate ability. Fighting them tends to be nightmares." Altair said as the seven took up seats beside them.

    "pheromones, eh?I can imagine," said Ren, somewhat intrigued.She studied the men for a bit, slowly losing interest as she began noticing her drink felt a little stronger than usual.She chuckled, knowing their pheromones were slightly affecting her.

    "Forgive us if we''ve caused you harm, " said Truin, the leanest of the seven Alekis, to Ren and Altair.

    Ren grinned. "A stronger brew is always weed," she said, cheering with Altair.

    The seven Alekis seemed surprised but cheered along with them as the tavern once more began toe alive. Music began to y, men began to sing, and women danced.

    Altair and Ren left some hourster, wobbling over the cobblestone streets of Vesim, their faces flush with the warm feel of whiskey and beer.

    Through a back alley, they ventured, their heads spinning within the other arms.

    "We ought to drink more often !" said Ren, happily."Do you remember thest time we got drunk¡­ we went on a hunt."

    "We hunted a Chimera, "

    "We should do it again."

    Altair hosted her up into his arms like a princess."shall we hunt a dragon."

    Ren gleefully shed her teeth. "you and these dragons." she said almost ordingly.

    "Feed a man and get him a dragon. And your man will always be there for you. always."

    With a gale ofughter, Ren kicked her feet through the air. "Is that all it takes? Some good food and a Dragon?"

    "I think I speak for all men. Yes. In fact, just get us a dragon, and it''s going down. He''ll impregnate you then and there."

    Ren had neverughed so hard as they went from inn to inn beforending on a small, secluded cottage a little old,with a hint of a funky smell.

    Ren hadn''t been a big fan. She liked the outdoors, liked looking at the moons and stars, but for a bit of privacy, as she rode her Prince like a Valkyrie Queen that night, she didn''t mind.

    The following day, as the alcohol was sweated out afterte-night wrestling, they awoke the next day groggy and more tired than they''d fallen asleep.

    "Do you think that rune of silence worked?" Reina asked, clothing herself, flushed by the aching of her loins. It had been Air''s first time warding his room with a Silence spell rather than a Protection one.He''d learned much about Runes and Spell from Thanatos butcked much when it came to practice.

    "I was pretty drunk," he said, amused by how red she became. "guess we''ll see."

    Ren instantly kicked him out to test the waters,sighing in relief when he returned with a thumbs up.The rune hadsted.

    Due to the ethereal nature of the mana, Altair had found mana could coexist in just about anything if the frequency of the mana matched the frequency of whatever they desired. If the frequency of the mana were too high, users would run the risk of destroying whatever they sought to inscribe.If the frequency of the mana were too low, it would dissipate, unable to retain a set form.

    During breakfast at a more high-end Tavern, Altair nearly screamed when he saw they had pancakes on the menu when a chatter amongst the rich once more began to sound.

    "So it was done by Freya¡­ I''ve never heard of her.Who is she?"

    "No clue, but seven immortals were killed, and their heads delivered to their families. They said Freya didn''t even need to raise a hand before¡ª"

    "bullshit!"

    "It''s true. I heard that a few high-rankers went to Genesis to petition that this Freya be jailed."

    "And? Stop with the dramatic pause."

    Altair turned to a young couple dressed all posh as though they weren''t in the midst of a Hell Tide.

    The man,a golden-haired Young Master, snickered. "When Genesis heard who they were trying to arrest.They turned livid.I heard that even the Chancellor turned red with rage."

    "Bullshit."

    "Da, I keep telling you to stop speaking like that! And it''s true. The eight Rankers wereter exiled." said Jay grimly.

    "Horseshit!"

    "Do you think that Frey and Freya are the same person?" Ren asked, buttering her warm, smokey bread.

    "Altair shrugged."no clue. But it seems whomever they are. They care little about rules set by anyone."

    "It must be nice to be powerful," said Ren, feeding her Prince a piece she''d broken off.

    "said as though we aren''t monsters ourselves," he said with a cunning smile."have you gotten used to that essence yet?"

    At the mention of Vale Qi, Altair and Ren became rueful. The essence of the Vale had been something of a nightmare to these two. Altair had been sure if he or Reina hadn''t had almighty resistance, they would have been dead. The power held by the Vale had been something of legends and myths. It was an essence no mortal hands could wield.

    The duo groaned before two orange blood mimosas came and, soon after, the main course.

    "Yours taste better¡­" grumbled Altair, brooding so hard his dark ck eyes seemed to twinkle.

    Reina had never thought Altar looked more cute than he did now.

    He looked at her, happily blushing as she ate a sweet congee the color of snow.

    "We''ve got two months. We ought to go looking for Thaan and Zag."

    Ren became slightly deted. "I guess, though, I do like having you all to myself. I miss the Pce of Stygian already. I¡ª"

    "Excuse me," said a young thing with sultry-colored skin and bright blue eyes that shone like sapphires.Tall with jet ck hairid a palm on their table."Might I ask when you''ll be done?"

    Ren lowered her spoon, turning to the eye-catching youngdy with two men stationed behind her. All three were in the fourth circle.

    "I do believe my fiance and I might be another hour or two," she said irritably, unsure if this young woman was intentionally being rude or if she was just ignorant. Either way, Reina was very much dissatisfied, especially since she wasn''t a worker at this establishment.

    "Any way you can leave now?" the sultry woman asked, tossing a small parchment onto the table. A few nuggets of metal shone the Genesis logo over it.

    ney, Ren lifted the parchment to hand it back to her."Go away." She said dropping the parchment, whether the woman caught it or not, wasn''t Reina''s concern as it fell onto the floor, unloading its contents.

    had the grace to blush, feeling the tavern turn silent. Dozens of eyes turned. In all her neen years, she''d never felt so ashamed. Even her guards turned red as they snapped back, unfolding their Presence.

    Cracks instantly splintered the wood and shattered dozens of ss, lifting the debris into the air as they red.

    Altair''s frown curled into a devious smile. "Ren, I never knew you had that bad bitch in you."

    Reina''s golden eyes fixed themselves on her Prince, and her lip perked up. She''d wanted to say something when ''s slender palm struck against the table, seeking to turn it into dust.

    But to her shock, all that echoed was the ringing of her palm against wood. She shouted, unsure what happened, but had been quick to make her discontent known.

    "Do you have any idea who I am, you Second Circle worms?" She said, so flush with rage it never seemed to ur to her how two-second circles were able to withstand the Presence of a fourth circle.

    Though quite a few were quick to notice,one being a young ashen-eyed boy whose eyes seemed especially drawn to Reina, hidden away by her mask.

    "Now, who might she be?" he said in a posh, nasally voice.

 Chapter 180: Power or Morality

    The tavern was dreadfully silent before, one by one, many people began fainting. They dropped like flies, foaming at the mouth as their airways began to close.

    "mdy!" shouted the Tavernkeep, on his knee coated in sweat. "Please have mercy! Give us mercy!"

    turned to the Tavernkeep and counted those who weren''t affected.She raised her hand to them, signaling to her knights.

    As the presence receded, the echoes of gasps resounded through the tavern.

    "Do you understand now?" said  with a sullen air of superiority.

    Neither Altair nor Reina had bothered to even nce at her as they nked their sses together, "To the Endless Night!" they said happily,downing their mimosas.

    "Damn¡­, " said Altair,taken back. "That is good. Really good."

    Ren was nodding, her almond-shaped eyes glittering. "another!"

    "Bastards, " said  when her knight''s sword weaved past her, blurring like a string of white light; it hissed towards the young prince.

    A hexagonal domain sprang from out of the void,shing with the de.

    The echo of the sh had been thunderous, deafening those below the third circle. Nevertheless, the barrier held, crackling with an endless sea of embers as ''s knight sword began to grind against the barrier.

    Altair''s eyes turned to that of blood. A chill unlike anything  had ever faced came over her as she leaped away in a blur.

    "Retreat!" she shouted, unable to shake the unease within her heart.

    "mydy!" shouted Galvan, falling back to hisdy''s side with Norp. "What''s wrong? I¡ª" Exclusive content from m,v lem|p,yr

    "That is no second Circle," said  darkly. "Who the hell are you?"

    "Now you ask?" said Ren incredulously,turning to meet her prince''s baleful eyes. "Are we going to kill them?"

    Altair was thinking. He''d have half a mind to break her with [Schizophrenia] to make some part of her mind aware of her actions before having her live out her days as a whore.To have her betray each and every person she''d ever loved: Mother,Father, Brothers, Sisters,even her future children. It would be so easy. One littlemand and¡­

    ''but was there a need to go that far?'' he wondered,finding the principle of the matter to be skewed.

    He owed this woman nothing. She was just a weakling,a worm that had yet to learn how to bow.

    ''So why not break her?Why not show her my cruelty?'' he told himself. ''No one could stop me. No one would know. Even if they did, why would it matter? I''ve killed people. I''ve tortured.

    So what''s the difference? Is one worse than the other? Does it even matter?I''ve already tasted betrayal¡­ ''

    As Altair unraveled into a well of internal controversy, Reina stood to her feet and nced at the one who ruined her breakfast, Galvan. The stare might have been no longer than half a beat,but Galvan felt the cold steel of a de lunge through his heart before it was gone. Her valiant eyes were on her princes.

    "Art?" whispered Ren,brushing her palm from his cold ck hair down his cheeks. "Let''s go¡­ no need to let bloodshed ruin our day."

    Thunder suddenly caught the nightly skies, and a light rain began to fall. It had been nearly two years since the sun seemingly died.Never To be seen since the day Aria Silvermane perished.

    The clouds hid the moon and stars, bringing about a dismal night.Altair grinned at her touch, feeling his rage fall through his fingers like water.

    "yes.Let us leave." He agreed pulled to his feet with her aid. Heughed, though his eyes carried no warmth when they met Galvan. Perhaps  might not have been guilty of any crimes, but Galvan had.And for that, Altair would never forgive.

    He gave the night a crooked grin and left without another word.

    didn''t say a word as they left, watching in awe at how the rain failed even to touch their bodies. She paled, realizing her mistake, but was far too ashamed to remain behind as people gawked at her.

    She left, and the tavern was silent.

    The ashen-eyed boy who''d look barely a man was frowning, tapping his callous fingers over the table. He''d been looking forward to finding an opportunity to appear, saving that masked maiden that bode such golden eyes they appeared as though they were stars.

    "Draxian," he said to the older guard to his rear. "Track her and¡ª"

    "That would not be wise, young master, " Said Draxian, unbothered by the spiteful re his Master held. "Those two wear the crest of the Old Gods of Noctem''s Imperial House," he said, calm like still water."Despite their low cultivation, they stood up against three mid-tier Fourth Circles. Without batting an eye, forcing them to retreat."

    "They still ran," said the Ashen-eyed boy.

    Draxian sighed."Choosing to fight is not the same as running, much less retreating." he nced toward his Young Master with nary a smile over his hardened extremities. "As the second Prince of Cinder, you ought to know this. "

    Vynn smiled, "What I know, dog, is that a prince needs a queen so that she might reign by his side?"

    ***

    In the darkness, they frolic, dancing to the tune of the pattering rain against the cobblestone.Laughing,ignoring the dower eyes of those hurrying for cover, they began touring Vesim in hopes of finding Zag or Thaan; even Iliana would have been a weed sight.

    With two months left before the new year, Altair felt whatever he could learn would be paramount in what was toe upon the Festival of Chaos.

    As the rain continued, the air grew chilly and, by the second day, harsh. The waters had turned to ice, and the streets wore coats of ss. By the third day, a frosted nket of snow and ice folded around Vesim.

    "it''s getting cold," Altair was the first to say at the sight of his misty breath. And the goosebumps prickling his flesh.

    Ren only seemed to smile, touching her belly full of warmth. "yes. I love it."

    "the cold or my cu¡ª"

    Ren shot him a long stare that made Altairugh so hard he nearly toppled to the ground. Eyes along the streets were pulled toward them.She snorted, though her smile never left her.

    "jerk¡­"

    Lately, Reina has found herself dreaming of the Serpents Outreach.Every day for an hour, Altair would revisit his kingdom,checking in with his people while making sure to grab new books from the library for her to read. The Pce of Stygians archives were as old and outdated as anything they''d ever seen.

    The Ilvairens held no organized system of magic.At least none that Thanatos had told him about. Rather, they wielded magic or the True Source as an extension of their minds.

    Something the duo found to be quite interesting,especially when it came to controlling the Essence of the Vale.

    However, a question did emerge in recent days. "who created the System of Order for the various sorceries."

    "Think we''ll find them? Three days and still nothing, " Altair remarked, opening the door to a sorcery shop within Vesim.He''d been looking to create some runes to imbue on their clothing to keep them warm, but required a fire shard.

    "Hopefully.I want to try assimting that blood shard," said Ren.

    "And I still got¡­ " he stopped, scanning the room, his eyes focused on a figure in a familiar pristine white mask; she was tall,bearing a feminine physique despite it being hidden by a fur coat. The woman was holding a shard of amethyst lined with intricate runes. But as if sensing his stare, she turned.

    "Syris¡­" Altair wanted to say but broke his stare the moment their eyes crossed. "I still got the Chaos Shard. " he seamlessly continued.

    Ren seemed to notice a slight change but did not speak to it, though her eyes did cross the masked woman.She smiled and moved to her.

    "Hello. My name is Reina," she said, offering her hand.

    "Syris," said the masked woman loud enough for Altair to hear. She''d recognize his cold obsidian eyes the moment their eyes met. Nevertheless, she epted her hand. Measuring the woman before her.

    ''...She knows. How?'' Altair thought, pointing towards the fire shard he''d wanted to purchase. He stood there awkwardly as the two girls stared at him silently.

    "..."

    "..."

    "..."

    "I can exin. "

    "Exin what? " said Reina and Syris.

    "..."

    ''what indeed?'' he thought. Altair coughed into his palm. "it''s been a while.How''ve you been?"

    Syris only stared at him,perking her lips up behind her mask yfully."And who might you be stranger."

    "... The guy who kicked her ass back on¡ª"

    "That was a tie, and you know it!" said Syris fiercely.

    "no¡­ no¡­ I specifically remember you on the defensive."

    "Almost five years, and I see you''ve learned how to be shameless, " said Altair, feigning shock.

    Silvery eyes gleamed fire as her slender hands tightened into fists.

 Chapter 181: Highborn Celestial

    Altair had been smiling triumphantly, feeling he''d won some invisible battle with Syris. She was as driven as he''d remembered, perhaps even more now that she was a woman.

    At a table within the tavern, ''Blue Pheonix, '' the gathering of various dishes, most of which Altair did not recognize but ordered nheless, had begun to fill the table. However, he still began brooding whenever he began to eat, turning to Reina with pleading eyes as though he were a child.

    Syris was attended by her aide, Lady Lyain Orsteen, whom Altair had tried talking to but was met with silence. He figured she was mute or just stupid; either way, he''d lost interest in her despite her giving the same feel to Vaiga.

    "So I''ve got to ask, what did you do to piss off the Realm Lord?" Syris asked, but when she saw Altair''s awkward smile, she felt like she might have made a mistake.

    "Technically, it was my fault." Said Reina idly, nibbling on something called Pheox-Wing. It was spicy. "My other self did something, and Altair tried to fix it. And boom, here where we are."

    "But never mind about our crimes. How''d you get here?" Altair interceeded, "Last I heard, you were in the Aros Estate."

    Syris painfully groaned. "I was so bored out of my mind. You''ve no idea. Living on earth is like living on fragile ss. Everything breaks so easily. And my god, there is nothing to do."

    Altair raised a brow. "Nothing? Did you go to an amusement park or go to one of the natural reserves."

    "What the hell is an Amusement Park?"

    "Your Language, mydy." Said Lyain sharply.

    Despite the frown threatening to appear on his lips, Altair kept his smile. "So you can speak," he said, gauging the indifference with which she looked at him. Altair shifted his attention back to Syris. "Amusement parks are where people go to have fun. Malls too. Did you really just stay within the Aros Estate."

    Syris gave a dead pan nod. "I had training."

    Reina and Altairughed, somehow able to rte.

    Ding!

    Name: Syris

    Race: Highborn Celestial

    ss: [First Awakening Complete], [Second Awakening Complete], [Elemental Lord Lv 1]

    Strength: 230

    Dexterity:292

    Constitution: 201

    Wisdom:283

    Charisma: 283

    Mana: 130

    Altair was surprised. Syris was nearly as strong as he was. Wielding a skill that made Altair quite green.

    Fusion [D]

    Grade: God

    Description: Allows the fusion of all things that the user has a fundamental understanding of.

    "You got pretty strong." Said Altair, smiling, quite impressed. "Though I don''t think you''ll be able to defeat me."

    Lyain sharp eyes narrowed, and her arms folded over her bosom. She''d wanted to retort when she heard Syris speak, "Your Dex and strength are higher than mine. Con too. Did you eat something good in this world? That ought to be the only reason why."

    "I guess I did eat something good." He said, recalling the Bapett, he''d gorged himself on. It felt like that incident had been just yesterday and not almost two years ago. "What about you? I''m sure the Reverend Mother supplied you with the best Genesis Resources."

    Their eyes shed, and Reina could just about make out sparks. She grinned, staring at the masked girl, seeing only her pale silvery eyes.

    She snickered. "I''ve heard quite a bit about you, Syris. Altair has told me a lot about you. He said that you were the only person he never got to defeat. It is good to see you live up to such esteem." And Reina''s nose twitched. "But might I ask¡­ are you a Celestial?

    You smell like one. A little different but definitely a Celestial."

    Syris seemed a little surprised, but Lyain was grim. "And what good would that knowledge do for you?" she snapped, curling the lips of Altair and Reina.

    "I don''t quite like your tone." Said Reina calmly, as a scarlet mist began to twirl around her iris, tainting the gold of her eyes. "Might we have a problem, stranger?"

    "Lyain," Syris said sharply. " You are overstepping. " Her gaze shifted to Altair and Reina. "I do apologize for my mentor''s rudeness. It would seem that just because she has a higher circle, she thinks that she has the right to treat anyone in any way she might feel."

    Altair allowed Syris some face, but the darkness of his eyes was painted red with blood.

    "Yes¡­ I only mention this. Because My father was friends with a particr Celestrial¡­ Sovim¡­no Sole¡ª"

    "Solemon?" Said Syris shakenly.

    "Ah, yes. That''s it." Said Reina, smiling. "And you smell just like him. He spent a few months in our cabin, looking after our mother before he left."

    "Silver hair?" Syris feebly asked. "With silvery blue eyes."

    "So you do know him? Father said that Celestrials have¡ª" Reina was saying happily when she stopped at the sight of pearly diamonds slipping down from beneath Syris''s mask and hitting the table.

    "Mdy," said Lyain, wanting to take her in her arms, but Syris stood up. And despite being masked, she could tell she was upset.

    "I wish to be alone. Excuse me." Syris whispered, taking her leave.

    Something within Reina''s eyes seemed to realize as she stood up and hurried after her, leaving Altair and Lyain at the table. Reina hurried outside to see Syris shaking in the cold.

    "My Master once told me¡­ when a pure-blood Celestial died, they don''t necessarily experience the same kind of death others do. They self-reincarnate. However, from what I''ve heard, the old blood of Celestial has died out. Their souls are tossed through the fabric of time, forcing them to awaken in a new era with all their memories."

    "You''re from an Old House." Said Syris, her heart feeling like it was wrenching against her chest. "Just my luck¡­ running into someone with knowledge of the Old World¡­" She looked at Reina in her pearly golden eyes that sparkled like two orbs of dawn. "Who are you?"

    "Hehe, I am Reina of the Moon. Altair''s future wife!" She gave Syris the peace sign, quite proud of herself. "So, did you know uncle Soloman?"

    Syris forced a smile, "Of course¡­ He''s my Father."

    ***

    Standing outside of the atmosphere of Yarwin twirling on its axis with a half smile beneath her mask, Iliana gripped her sword with a slight smile, staring at the flickers of stars dying one after the other. Fleeting iridescent lines seemed to streak across the darkness of the void in a mindless sh between gods and demons.

    Led by the Duke of Hell, Barbatos, wielding his blood-stained ive, an amalgamation of hundreds of spears melded together by the mes of hell, it stood within his palm, seething the pinnacle of hate and pain. Tall and handsome, his skin was the color of fire, asionally sparking into mes, with eyes to match. ck obsidian scales lined his fingers, stretching up his forearm.

    And a dangerous air of wildfire whirled around him, pressuring the stars of the Forgotten Realms. Space seemed to howl at his mere presence receding into subspace as he rode on his demonic stallion with death on its heel.

    Death unfolded like an unending nightmare.

    Those of Babels Tower who saw to conquer the Realm of Baelor were screaming, burning within the mes of hell as Barbortos and his demonic legion killed, banishing any and all foes into the hells to face eternal damnation.

    Suddenly, towards the far west of Yarwin, those that bore the Oath of Silence rode in mounted on Pegasus, galloping through the confines of space as though it were solid ground. Ripples in space followed every step, propelling them forward.

    Like shadows, the Sisters of Silence moved without sound, joining the fray against the Devils and Demons. Led by multiple squads of Angels baptizing the sisters of Sepith in their golden Radience.

    "It''s cute, isn''t it?"

    Iliana tilted her head to the young man with short dark green hair watching behind her. She had been unsure when he appeared, but the moment he appeared, a smile slipped onto her lips.

    "Aren''t you going to help your duke, Beelzebub?" Said Iliana.

    The Monarch of Mythos grinned. "Does he need it? No. Barbatos will be fine. What about you? You''re bloodlust is just about seeping into this region.

    Miss¡­"

    "Iliana," She said, sliding her gaze towards the battle. "It was foolish of Babels Tower to ever descend into the Forgotten Realms; this is the Old God''s Domain."

    "What a lovely name¡­ Iliana. Well, my dear, the reason they''re all so blind in attacking Baefor is because they''ve been conditioned to do so." He said, smiling. "Aiding in the destruction of the Old Gods was but a simple thing thanks to Tenebrae''s Shadow Promation, stopping gods from outright killing thepetition.

    A few contracts here and there, and you have mortals bing gods, believing they can do anything. So they''ll keep attacking, some will grow desperate, and slowly make a wish upon a star, red as the burning stars of hell."

    "Guess you guys got all you could out of the Old Gods, eh?" Said Iliana, smiling.

    "With agees wisdom. At least that''s what people keep saying." He turned, his scarlet eyes deepening. "I, however, would like to change that."

 Chapter 182: Syris I

    Within the Blue Whale, Altair and Lyain sat silently,and much to Lyain''s annoyance,Altair did not so much as nce her way.She could sense herdy''s presence outside and felt rather ufortable about the entire thing.

    "If she causes harm to¡ª"

    "Shut the fuck up," a voice from behind her snapped, roaring withughter.

    Altair nced at Lyain, who seemed entirely unaware almost everyone had been enthralled by [schizophrenia]. But the look he gave her just about said, ''What he said.''

    Lyain''s face went red. Then, began to contort when she saw himugh.

    "Stop it!" she demanded.

    "But why?" said Altair, stillughing, his voice still cold as a river of ice.

    When their eyes met, Lyain felt a hint of dreadful premonition slither up her spine. It had been the very feeling she had when she''d stood face-to-face with a demon. Her head began to ache, her chest began to burn, and her gut began to churn.

    "Sorry about that," said Reina''s voice, suddenly adjoined by Syris. "Did we miss anything?"

    They took a seat, and Altair shook his head, though that shrewd smile said otherwise.

    In that second, Lyain knew she would never get along well with this boy.He was arrogant. Rude. Unsettling.

    She tsked and went silent.

    Syris gave Lyain a side nce and knew there''d be much to talk aboutter. Much indeed.

    Of all her seven mentors granted to her by the Reverend Mother, there had been none who knew her true identity. They''d all assumed Syris was the direct disciple of the Reverend''s mother,and so they treated her as such.

    And of all her mentors, Lyain had been the only one Syris disliked the most. Unlike the other seven, Lyain had not been conditioned from birth by the GCP but rather grew up showing great promise off-world. And despite her being the strongest. Syris found she was the dumbest when it came to geopolitics, traditions, etiquette, and bloodlines.

    As lunch proceeded without further incident, ice-cold beer wasid out before them.

    "I''ve never had beer," said Syris, eyes glittering. "Is it good? "

    "50-50," said Ren,ughing. "Yesterday,we tried one that tasted a bit like piss. The day before, like cinnamon."

    Syris stared at the beer, ogling it with wonder.

    "Cheers," said Altair and Ren and Syris a littlete, nking their tankards together.

    Lyain didn''t join.

    A rush of sweet bitterness surged across Syris''s smooth tongue down her throat,warming her belly as she gasped.

    "Orange. Woody. Crisp. And¡­ Sour." She took another sip and then a gulp,finishing the beer in under three seconds.

    "It''s better than wine. "

    "Depends on the time of day and mood, " said Altair, grinning from ear to ear,feeling as though he was corrupting an innocent soul.

    He ordered three more, then six more, then twelve before their faces were red beneath their masks.

    Spryughter and music filled the tavern with an air of vibrancy unlike anything Syris ever known. And before she knew it,Ren had pulled her to her feet to join her in a dance with the other locals.

    Altair had not been much of a dancer but still joined,ughing alongside the other two.

    By the time they could dance no more, it had been well within the hours of twilight.

    That had been when she emerged, pping her feathers; the three-eyed crownded on Altair''s head.

    "Found them, " said Raven."Corn!!"

    "Oh my, "Syis gasped. "What is that!" she asked, wondering if she was too drunk.

    "My familiar," he answered,handing his tankard to the Raven, who somehow managed to lift the cup with its wing and gulped down the frothy beer.

    Raven''s obsidian eyes gleamed."more!!! More!!!" she said in a crow-like shriek.

    Everyoneughed.

    As Ren pulled Syris away to dance once more, having drunk their fill,Altair handed Raven another tankard. "well?Where are they?"

    "Zagreus is in jail.And Thaan is¡­ reading a book within the pce walls. He spotted me spying on him and said to tell you to meet him within the square."

    Altair nearly cursed. "How the hell did Zag get put in jail?"

    Raven shrugged. "no idea. Though Thaan did mention a brawl at one of the local brothels."

    "Hells. That idiot."

    When it was finally time to call it a night, Ren had ridden her prince so hard that night within the tavern that they came crashing through the floor from the second story. And was quickly asked to leave before paying for damages.

    It was dawn by then.

    "Gods¡­ that was so embarrassing!" Ren said, teary-eyed,covering her face to mask the shame that bled through her actual mask.

    Altair, however, had never felt more like a man than he did right nowughing.He was quite proud of Ren, for even while their bed came tumbling through the ceiling,Ren did not stop grinding her hips against her prince until they both came.

    "Oh, buck up. It''s not like we''ll ever see those people again.They''ll probably all die when the festival starts." he said,with a skip in his step. He turned, grinning at Ren.

    "Where''s Raven, " Ren asked, wanting to change the topic as quickly as possible. She had noticed her disappearance as ofte. Rarely was she ever with Altair. Though, when he called for her, she was always there like a ghost.

    "hmmm?Oh well, Raven was stuck in my soul for quite a while.So she asked me to explore, and I said yes. Free reconnaissance if you ask me. It''s the same with my shadows. They''re all having fun right now."

    Ren looked at him, a little surprised. He''d never allowed them such freedom.

    Altair seemed to have guessed what she was thinking and said,"They all deserve it, and as far as I could remember, I had to hide them from my enemies and so on; this is probably the first time I have been free to do whatever I want."

    "Life sure is better when you are not confined to four walls," he added, looking up at the four radiant moons. "I wonder if the sun will ever rise again."

    The town square within Vesim had been a blistering oasis of life this cold early morning. Peddlers had long since erected stands filled with jewelry or foods of all kinds and clothing for men and women, alongside those meant for non-humanoids.

    Flooded with scores of locals and outsidersing and going,Altair couldn''t help but make a face at therge crowd. He didn''t mindrge crowds, but he was a wanted man.Being surrounded was not something he enjoyed.

    Still, as Reina pulled him in, he bought her whatever she might want, smiling at therge assortment of nes, rings, gas, earrings, and bracelets she''d taken a fancy to.He had never known Ren to like jewelry but quickly remembered she had never seen many of these types of things within themissary.

    Though he had to admit she looked lovely in it all. Which apparently wasn''t a wise thing to say as Ren began to look annoyed.

    "Come on, Art,which one looks prettier? "

    ''¡­ someone kill me''

    "But¡­ you look good in them all, " Altair uttered, desperately ncing around for Thaan. But there had been far too many people.

    "Look here, "said Ren, lifting two sets of sleeveless low-cut dresses,one ck, the other snow white.

    "... Both? Ren, this really isn''t my forte. I¡ª" he stopped when he saw the red mist filling her pupils. He pointed to the white one. "it''ll match your eyes."

    Ren beamed, and the scarlet mostly faded. "Maybe tonight I can wear it for you," she said happily, kissing his cheek.

    For the next hour, they toured the square, buying or ratherpelling various peddlers to gift them various items before Altair spotted Thaan, wrapped in his usual ck robes.

    "Thaan!" shouted Altair, hurrying over with Ren on his heel.

    There was a shadow of a smile that did rise as Altair and Thanatos shook hands.

    "Good to see you again."

    "yes¡­ though I wish it were under better circumstances. Zags in jail."

    Altair wanted to pull his hair. "So I''ve heard. What happened? "

    Thanatos rolled his eyes. "wrong ce at the time. About three weeks ago. That idiot had decided to visit a whore house, iming he''d never been. As if all the whores who died in the underworld weren''t enough. A brawl suddenly urred, and being an idiot, Zag kept on with his fun rather than leave until the city watch showed up.

    Apparently, to detain all parties involved. That being two major house descendants. "

    Altair clutched his head." Let me guess. They are pinning the me on him."

    "yup"

    "Shit on wheels.Why¡­ damn it." Altair groaned.

    "Hey, Art," said Ren curiously. "Can we go to a brothel? I''ve never been."

    Thanatos gave her a queer stare and then tilted his gaze to Altair, equally shocked, so much so his mouth was wide open.

    He might have understood if Ren''s other personality had said this.But not Golden Eye Ren.

    "Ren¡­ are you feeling ok?"

    "Never better. I''m just curious how they live.Aren''t you? Are they happy, sad, or indifferent? I can''t imagine being happy with so many strangers inside them, but¡­ I''d like to know."

    Altair was still a little hesitant. "still¡­that seems a little¡­ much¡­ They are just whores. Why bother?"

    "well¡­ to most people, this is rock bottom," she said. "or it''s their only means of survival. Not to mention how many stories or techniques they might have. Oh, please, Art! Let''s rent a hoe!"

 Chapter 183 : Syris II

    "Please~," Said Ren all cutely.

    Before Altair could answer, nearly bending to her sparkling eyes, the familiar voice of Syris sounded. "Altair? Ren?"

    "Syris!" Said Altair, smiling, catching a glimpse of her apanied by Lyain. He beckoned her over. "Just in time. Ren said she wants to visit a brothel."

    ''Oh, that''s a swell idea!" She exined brightly. "I''ve always wanted to see what''s inside a brothel."

    Altair wanted to cry. ''Am I the only one not interested in this?'' he thought, forcing a smile. He ignored Lyain''s spiking killing intent.

    "My Lady," said Lyain in haste. "Such a ce is not befitting of ady."

    "But I''m curious," Syris said tly, shooting an eye at Thanatos. "Hello, my name is Syris."

    "A celestial¡­ no¡­" Thanatos'' eyes narrowed, startling Syris, who backed away. "A High Human. How interesting." His lips perked before his expression became one of indifference. " My name is Thanatos."

    "You''re scaring her, Thaan," Said Altair calmly, shaking his head. "Forgive my friend. Hecks a sense of decorum when ites to private matters."

    "It''s not my fault she did not attempt to hide her bloodline." Said Thaan, rolling his eyes. "Aside from fulfilling curiosity. Is there any point in heading to a brothel?"

    Altair tried to think when Ren spoke first. " Of course. What are the chances of the people who framed Zag still frequent that very brothel? I''m sure they''ll have some girls they like, no?"

    "I see. Well, I''ll leave it to you. But you''ll not see me in any of those ces. If you need me, I''ll be in the Red Raven. " Said Thaan, taking his leave but not before deciding to visit Zagreus within the imperial holding cells within the castle.

    The trip to the cell had been rather simple as he shrieked from shadow to shadow with the aid of [Shadow Cloak]; he arrived beside Zagreus with a busted lip and smiled, making himself known.

    "Already getting into fights?"

    Zagreus rustled his disheveled hair and rolled his eyes. "How''d you get in? There are fifth and sixth circles guarding this ce."

    "The Seven Schools of Magic aren''t as well known or studied within this Era. Rather than create skills themselves, they try to gain skills via the system. And if they can''t, they give up on the idea." Said Thaan calmly, ncing around at his empty cell that held neither atrine nor mat for one toy their head. "I''m sure you can break out if you so choose. You''ve still got a sliver of divinity."

    "Naw. But I am curious about something. Is Altair here yet?"

    "He is. And he''s trying to get you out. Though I suspect it''lle down to force." Thanatos remarked, studying Zag''s busted lip. "Who did that?"

    Zag touched his lip, smiling. "Oh, this? One of the guards did. Quite an interesting thing these mortals are. They aren''t that much different than the Gods of Olympus."

    "You mean corrupt?"

    Zagughed. "Think Athena figured out we self-reincarnated?"

    "I do. I''ve had a few interactions with Athena. She''s smart, and I''m sure she''d have recognized me. Though there isn''t much she could do."

    "Think we should reach out?" Zag asked, narrowing his eyes.

    "I''d rather you reach out to Dionysus. He cares little for most of the godly affairs. And he is one of the few you got along with. If necessary, I''ll deal with Athena. I''m sure she is waiting for us to contact her."

    With a distance silence, Thanatos looked down at his half-brother, studying his lips once more. "Take care of your self brother. I''d hate for you to die and I not be there to reap your soul."

    ***

    With the rapid decline of temperature Vesim, there had only ever been a single Brothel filled with as many young girls as a man could want or need. The Red Fox, it was called, and it had been as depressing as Altair had thought it to be, though no one else seemed to share his opinion.

    The air was as sultry and moist as the women, grinding against one another while the men watched, cheering them on as they tossed coins of bronze and silver. Chamber doors hung throughout, filled with the moans of women and men alike.

    Altair had caught a glimpse of the inside. It was in, funky with the scent of mold, and barren.

    "M''lord, care for a ride?" said a dark-skinned whore, with a narrow face and full lips. Her eyes were dead, but though she was pretty, enough. A man jerked her away before Altair could deny her advances. He wondered how many of them were here against their wills. He was sure these chambers were where theyy their heads and where they''d spread their legs.

    "Look at that one," said Ren, pointing to a beautiful woman with long red hair, sultry-colored skin, full breasts, and long, thick legs. She had been one of the prettiest he''d seen so far, but her eyes seemed dead as she smiled and danced. "I wonder why she''s here? I''m sure she''d not have a problem marrying."

    "And there lies the issue. How many do you think have sold their daughters to pay off loans? How many do you think were born into this life who can''t even read or speak roper Basic? There is a reason so many worlds ban the practice of prostitution.

    Imagine if all these women here were sex ves; would you be able to tell?" Reina could not answer, and neither could Syris, as the glint of curiosity slowly began to fade to sorrow.

    ''What about those who just want to feed their families?" said Ren softly.

    "And there lies another issue. Truthfully, I don''t have an answer to that. I don''t think anyone does. The entire affair is aplex issue. There''ll always be some party who suffers."

    As they stepped further in, manipting their presence so they could not be felt, Altair, Syris, Ren, and Lyain watched on for quite a while.

    Ren and Syris had been quite interested in many of thedies buying some of their time to ask various questions. To which some were more than willing to share; others, however, felt a sense of shame so deep it had taken Altair topel some of them to share their stories.

    The stories had all been horrid, as though they hade out of a nightmare, so much so any and all curiosity Ren and Syris had died. They were ready to leave.

    "You know, " Ren began as Altair pulled her from off the couch."I know my past is messed up, but¡­ it could be so much worse. I never realized how important¡­ no how imperative decent parents are. Most of those big sisters'' parents were¡­gods, they were animals."

    Altair was reminded of the City of Sacrilege he visited a few months back. Recalling the way mothers would throw their young into the mes as sacrifices, how they''d offer up their young in the name of Baphomet.

    "Looks like I''ve got too much to learn. I ought to research the effects of single-parent households vs dual-parent households. No, I should research education itself if I am to reduce choices such as this in my kingdom, " he mused silently to himself. Altair pulled his head back as they were preparing to leave, disturbed by a set of eyes lingering on him.

    He turned, meeting a set of approaching ashen eyes. A head short, with tawny colored skin. He was handsome and tall, with a strong, lean build and broad shoulders.

    "mind telling me why you brought three finedies to such a ce?" said Vynn sharply.

    Altair was confused."who¡­ " he stopped andughed. ''Wait, I don''t even care.'' he thought, walking out with his arms around Ren.

    At the touch of the cold air, the trio smiled, feeling the icy gale of wind caress their faces.

    "Mydy,your cloak," said Lyain, holding a snow-white fur-lined cloak.

    "a little longer," Syris muttered, smiling at her puffs of snowy breaths.

    "Art, we never learn anything to help Zag," said Ren, looking up at him sad.

    "Now you remember him?" Altair remarked,kissing her forehead as he coated her body with his. "I asked a few whores. None of the men were there. I''ll visit Zag and see if I can''t¡­ persuade his captors to drop the charges."

    That had been his original idea, but seeing Ren was so interested in witnessing how some of these night walkers lived their lives. He couldn''t refuse and most definitely did not regret visiting. Altair knew he''d gotten a lot of perspective on what to do within his kingdom.

    "Good, thanks, Art.Today was fun.I learned a lot." she said, snuggling up against his chest. The cold had never bothered them, but even Altair had to admit that if the temperature continued to fall.This city would die in a matter of months if nothing is done.

    "And don''t worry, Ren is working hard on your birthday present."

    "Oh?What is¡ª" Suddenly, the door came flying off its hinges with a ''Bang!'' as Vynn came storming out.

    "So not only are you shameless bringing a maiden to such a ce, but you are also rude. Did you not see me talking to you?" he said fiercely.

    Altair knew there was no point arguing with a man who, by his estimation, seemed like a drunk. So he turned, tickling Ren''s ribs as she erupted intoughter. Syris came about adding to it.

    It had been quite a surprise how well the two hit it off,though Altair was still worried about Ren''s other half.

    Vynn had the grace to blush. He had tried ying the chivalrous knight, but he had never been ignored in such a manner.

    "Stop it! Art. Syris. I''m gonna pee. Hahaha~"

    "Master!!!! Is that you?!"

 Chapter 184 : The Portrait

    "Master!"

    With a spring in her step, Alyssa leaped forward, wrapping her arms around Ren and Altair.

    "Alyssa, save Ren! Art and Syris are bullying me, "said Ren, teary-eyed.

    Alyssa looked at the masked woman, staring back at her, and felt her [Primal instincts] react with a sense of danger.

    ''She''s on guard against me.'' Alyssa sensed,finding a smile; she pressed her palm to her chest and said. "I am Alyssa,Pale Knight to his Majesty."

    Syris narrowed her eyes, taking in the pale gray skin, silvery white hair,and burning yellow eyes.

    "Syris," she said, about to continue when a chilling outburst of presence shed out.

    "I will not be ignored. " Vynn said, brandishing his five circles to the realm.

    "Careful, boy, " said Lyain, though her gaze wasn''t on Vynn but rather on the man who shadowed him like a guard.

    The two exchanged nces, and in a second, Draxian stepped into the snow, advancing on Vynn.

    "My lord," he said calmly, his eyes never leaving Lyain''s emerald ones. "She is a Ninth Circle. Sheath your intent."

    Vynn''s expression turned sour." Whose house do you belong to?"

    Several eyes that were cold as the frigid winds pierced Vynn''s chest like a knife.No one answered him,but even he could feel the baleful air about them.

    Ren released her prince when she saw that profane gleam of scarlet sh with the cks of his pupils. So sharp his eyes became they didn''t remotely seem to belong to a child.

    "Remember the objective," she reminded him. "We don''t need this much attention."

    "Master?" Said Alyssa, calmly awaiting hermand.

    "We''re leaving. Best not leave Thaan waiting," he answered, his words thick with a presence that came cutting through Vynn''s aura. It permeated the air like thick, hot blood.

    Lyain and Draxian froze, their eyes filling with dread as they tried to count the number of lives one needed to y in order for someone to carry such a profane aura.

    Vynn, the target of his bloodlust, stood incredulously.

    "Do not mistake my mercy for weakness, for it shall not ur again," he said, departing under the eye of Vynn, clenching his fist.

    Ten minutester,Altair, Reina, Syris, and his shadow arrived at the Red Raven. An elegant structure of stone carved out by some of the finest sculptors he''d seen since the ilvarian architecture. It was grand.

    "This is nice! " said Ren, entering the lobby. Where a half-elf greeted them with a bow, inquiring if they needed anything. She said no, as did the others.

    "we''re staying here too," said Syris with something on her mind. She hesitated for a moment and asked, "Al¡­ Art, how many people have you killed? "

    Altair grinned. "Do demons count?"

    "... Have you killed a lot of dem¡ª"

    "Syris," said Ren as a cloud of red mist filled the gold of her eyes.

    "Your eyes! They''re red! Are you alright?" said Syris worried.

    By the time Ren could speak, Altair spoke up the best he could, trying to exin Ren''s somewhat bipr personality.

    "The way you say it makes me sound crazy.Am I crazy?" Ren asked, grinning feverishly.She pressed her arms to her supple waist, batting her eyes at her prince dangerously.

    "...more unpredictable than crazy." he tried to salvage, unsure how to phrase it.

    Reina held a teasing grin, circling Syris with an appraising eye. "Syris, I wanted to ask why you are in Yarwin."

    "Why?" Syris repeated,following Ren with her eye. For some inexplicable reason, she felt danger.And yet Ren gave no intent on attacking her, nor was her tone impolite.

    "I was asked to look for Laros," she replied, resisting the urge to nce at Altair.

    "Oh, he''s dead. Olivia slit his neck. Quite the little lovers quarrel." said Ren, feigning remorse. "But it''s odd. Just Laros?"

    "That''s enough, Ren." Altair cut in, jerking her to his side as sheughed.

    Reina pulled herself to his ear and whispered. ''Careful, Mr. ckwood.I wouldn''t want some type of misunderstanding to ur." she kissed his cheek, giggling. "Now shall we eat?"

    ***

    After dinner in the Red Raven, Altair quickly found Thaan, who directed him to his room, a room one door away from Syris''s.

    "Hmm," Ren hummed, staring at Thaan, who seemed as confused as ever by her icy stare.

    Alyssa snickered,returning to her master''s shadow.

    "Lady Iliana is away in business right now. So worry not." Thaan began shooting Syris and then Lyain a long stare. He cleared his throat. "A few Imperials of Yarwin are everywhere, so do keep it down. Less we all get screwed. We can discuss Zag tomorrow." he said, turning in for the evening.

    Lyain and Syris also bid farewell before turning in for the rest of the day.

    "And so there were two," said Ren, pulling Altair inside their room and closing the door with a devious smile. "so¡­ Syris."

    Altair drifted over to his bed, ignoring thevish interior.He flopped onto the bed,already missing his own within his pce.

    "What about her?" he asked, yawning despite it being so early in the evening. He nced at Ren.

    Read thetest stories on M-VL-em|p,yr

    "Are you trying to screw her? "

    Altair looked at her incredulously."Huh?It never even crossed my mind. Come here." he padded his bed as she waddled over like a penguin,slithering up on his chest. "stop looking for something that''s not there."

    Ren puffed her cheeks. "You promise?"

    "Girl, you have two personalities. I have enough problems handling you," he assured her, patting her bottom.

    "Sooo, can Ren kill her?"

    Altair was sweating. " but why?"

    "Shits and giggles, I don''t know. Hehe.

    *Pop

    "aaahh~"

    Clutching her bottom, Altair rolled his eyes. "Where''s your cor?"

    With a ming blush, Ren''s heart quivered,feeling loins twitch. "My cor?"

    "yeah, I wanna fuck you with it on," he said, running his hands through her hair.

    Ren nibbled at her lips, debating something. She shook her head. "We can''t¡­I still have to prepare your present."

    Altair was so stunned he erupted intoughter. "Wow,Ren is denying sex! Gods.I''ve seen everything!"

    "you make it sound like I''m some type of subus," said Ren, feeling wronged.

    "If you stand up right now¡­will I have a wet spot in my robes?"

    Ren''s eyes suddenly shimmered to a radiant gold.She covered her face, hurrying off Altair as heughed, pointing at the wet spot. "See?You''re all the woman I need," he assured her.

    Ren was far too embarrassed to answer.

    Altair didn''t press her. Rather, he stood up, summoning his canvas of Ren upon the fortress bridge. The portrait was stunning, epassing a sense of madness sure to unravel any sane man. There was something evil about the portrait,yet there was also something pure. Ren, as he''d drawn her, seemed untouched by the madness around her.

    He nced at her. Ren had removed her mask, revealing her angelic smile,as she stood over her cauldron. Altair wondered if he''d corrupted her.And yet, as she sat in the lotus position refining away, he couldn''t help but smile.

    "Wings¡­ that''s what is missing." he mused, enthralled as he weaved his brush across the canvas. His eyes never left Ren as he envisioned that sense of purity that everything madness wasn''t. The wings, as he''d drawn them, shone like a fountain of light, brighter than any sun and purer than any sort of child-like innocence before he was done.

    He signed it, ''ckwood,'' overwhelmed by the realism that portrayed the ninth form.

    Altair folded his arms, admiring his work that seemed to move depending on the angle. He grinned. "It''s all perfect¡­ though the Aspect of it¡­ All." Altair stopped, eyes widening as a realization overcame him. "Aspects¡­ Shit. So it''s all been so simple. Aspects are the perceived illusion of how one envisions their reality or a particr element." he muttered, dropping his brush onto the floor.

    "Darkness devours, Light blinds, water rains. All these are aspects. Then¡­." He summoned Shadoww, staring at the de''s obsidian edge. "What is my Aspect? Does the Vale possess an aspect congruent with the sword?"

    Altair fell into deep contemtion; opening his palm, he stared at the ember of Vale Qi rising out of it. For the first time, he began to wonder not of the Vales properties but its usage. Raven had informed him long ago that the Vale is the final resting ce where all go to die. He''d no reason to reject that im. Still, he wonder if that was merely it.

    For nearly an hour, the Vale twirled around his palm, drawing his Mana and physical prowess until a thick shine of sweat slithered down his throat, seeping into his robes. He didn''t let up.

    ''It''s done," said Ren, peering into her cauldron with a bright, rich smile. She turned to look at her prince and couldn''t help but feel a sense of warmth budding in her chest. She stood up, leaving her concoction to breathe; Reina silently left their room, returning with some dinner.

    She ced it down before him when he could hold the Vale no more and began gasping for air, toppling to his back.

    "Shit," He hissed, gasping heavily. "Fuck I''m tired."

    "Good thing I''m such a good wife. Dinner?" She said, pushing tworge steaks towards him.

    Altair nced at it and snorted. "Did you cook this?"

    "Well, no," Said Ren, tilting her head. "What does that matter?"

    "Then Art doesn''t want it." Said Altair childishly, turning his head.

    Ren was incredulous. Sheughed. "You''re so cute!"

    Seamlessly mounting the prince, she tasted his lips. He tasted of pine and mint. "Guess what, Art? Ren finished your birthday gift."

    Still somewhat brooding, Altair nced at the cauldron, which was still carrying an air of steam to it. He shifted his gaze back to Ren. "Is it a pill to give me the skill of¡ª"

    "Silly," Ren said,ughing when her lips and eyes turned naughty. "Well, I guess you''ll find out on my birthday. Hehe. I''m sure you''ll love it."

    "Look at you being all mysterious." Altair mused, peeling the robes off his fiancee until she was naked and bare. His lips reached up into a hungry smile. "Does this mean I can eat you now?"

    "Two hours until sunrise. Think that''ll be enough?"

    "More than enough."

 Chapter 185: Crest of Tenebrae

    Within his room within the Red Raven, Vynn had not been too pleased staring at Draxian channeling his Mana, which slowly whirled into divinity from the God of Cinder so that he might cast irvoyance.

    There had only ever been two ways to cast irvoyance: through the use of mortal eyes and Godly eyes. For nearly four months now, Vynn and Draxian had been trying with all their might to peer into the ether to find Altair ckwood before they flocked back to their God, begging for aid.

    Vynn didn''t like it. Calling upon a god always requires a price. Many asked for favors and others'' loyalty. However, some that had ties to demons and devils were all too fond of offering the souls of mortals for their lives. Vynn didn''t know if the God of Cinder aligned with the side of Order or Chaos, but he was a little desperate.

    Since the Birth of Babels Tower, there had never been a time that a mortal had ever attracted the Tower Master''s attention.

    Never.

    "Well?" said Vynn hopefully, staring as a mist of gold swelled through the cks of Draxian''s eyes, aze with a golden me. "What do you see? Surely it must be something?"

    "I¡­ see¡­ darkness," said Draxian as his eyes faded back to ck. "I saw only darkness, Eternal darkness in a sort of shadowscape as far as their eyes could see. Same as when I used Mana."

    "I-I-Impossible," said Vynn coldly. "That shouldn''t be possible. The Lord of Cinder is¡ª"

    "A Tower God." Said Draxian gruffly. "The Lord of Cinder of the Eternal me. Ranker amongst the Gods."

    "A High Ranker," corrected Vynn gravely. "Hells, what is going on? How could he¡­" As the realization of what this could mean overwhelmed Vynn, he paled. "That means someone is aiding him, one that is as strong as our lord."

    "I''ve never heard of any Lordling with the Surname, ckwood, amongst the high gods," Draxian remarked, standing to his feet. "

    Vynn''s fist shed against the table with a bang, shattering it in half. "Bastards. There is no such a name¡­ Unless¡­ Unless¡­ It''s one of the surnames of Old Gods." He said gravely. "Darkness, eh?'' and his eyes narrowed into slits. "Wern''t there two people we know that bore the crest of darkness on their robes?"

    "That crest belongs to the imperial family of Noctem. And you know as well as I do that Noctem has heavy ties with the Hells. We can''t make random usations." Said Draxian hurriedly. "Neither of us have the power to¡ª"

    "We''ll see," said Vynn, smiling, his mind shing to the masked image of a woman with deep golden eyes. With a feverish grin, he left his room. Daxian padding behind him, sullen.

    ***

    "This is interesting," Ren was saying to Altair from within the lobby, her head deep within a book that read: ''Physiology of Seraphim.'' "Did you know that Angels are infertile?"

    Altair looked at her peculiarly. "That book must be really out of date."

    ''Maybe, but it says that angels cannot give birth with creatures less than what they are." Ren repeated, looking up at her prince with peculiar eyes. "Father said that he needed to enter the Abyss to have me. I wonder why? Why is it that within the Myriad Heavens, such a rule exists, but in the Abyss,ws seem screwed."

    "The Abyss¡­" Altair mused. "Master is from the Abyss. I''m sure she knows."

    Ren rolled her eyes. "And where might she be right now?"

    Altair shrugged. "No clue¡­ but she isn''t in the city¡ª"

    "Says who?" said Iliana, appearing like a ghostly apparition with a handsome dark green-haired man by her side. He seemed pale and somewhat skinny, yet Altair could not pull his eyes away.

    "Odd. I was sure this one belonged to Arsene. But¡­ there isn''t a shred of his Forsaken Bloodline or Aunty Tene''s Darkness.

    "Told you. Pay up.Two bottles from your Cer." said Iliana inly."Something before Zariels era. If you have any."

    Beelzebub pursed his lips in a face that made Iliana want tough.

    "Yeah-Yeah," he said somewhat mournfully. "and here I thought I''d one-up Arsene. What a shame. Though I must say, you do have some Snow features to you."

    Beelzebub raised a finger, and from Altair''s throat, a thin strand of blood flowed, falling into his mouth as he squished it around like fine wine.

    Altair went red, wanting to say something, but Ren held him, shaking her head.

    "You''re really not a Snow. Damn. But you''re something¡­ new? Or perhaps old." Beelzebub narrowed his eyes with a newfound interest. "forgive the inconvenience, young man. My name is Beelzebub.

    And your Father might have sold you off to me in a sense. Though, you ended up with Astaroth. Nasty one he is. I wonder how that happened. How did a boy such as you offend him."

    Altair didn''t answer. He knew silence was his best bet, at least for now.

    Beelzebub tsked, shifting his attention to Reina, and a smile rose over his lips. "A Nephilim. Ever since Aurelia, you''re kind has been hopping about like maggots. Though, I wish you luck with the Court of Shadows," he said, turning Reina''s eyes wide. "But you are family. So I''ll give you two hundred years free of charge on Genesis.

    My gift to you. Oh¡­and I do look forward to the future. Mephisto left his seat, so I figured I''d take over as Tower Master for a bit and see what all the fun is about. Don''t die, Altair and Reina ckwood."

    And he was gone faster than Altair or Reina could blink.

    Sweat came like a downpour over the two lords as they each fell to a knee, gasping for air. Fear that their souls didn''t seem to sense sunk into their bodies, gnawing on bone like ravenous ghouls, stripping them of strength.

    "Wow, you two did great," said Iliana, smiling. "And you made Beelzubub interested. I hoped you didn''t and would have said something to make yourselves seem stupid. But you chose to y a game with him. Brave."

    It was then that Altair remembered his Father mentioned Beelzebub in passing. He gulped, turning to his Master.

    "That''s¡­ "

    "A Monarch of Hell, " said Reina, shivering. "A being of absolute power and authority." she closed her eyes, ignoring everyone present staring at them.

    They looked like idiots covered in sweat lying on the floor, but neither Altair nor Reina cared. They couldn''t move.

    "Yes, he surprised me when he visited, but then again, you two turned this entire to shit. So don''t even me me for thinking I led him to you two," said Iliana, grinning. "Though I am looking forward to seeing what all they have nned."

    ''Fuck'' thought Ren and Altair simultaneously.

    "is¡­ is he an enemy?"

    Iliana merely shrugged. "The Monarchs of Hell can never be allies or enemies.They y the game too well. The most you can hope for is not getting screwed some way or the other. They''re old.Older than anything you two can imagine.

    Competition isn''t something they care about.So you don''t have to worry about them killing you outright¡­ unless you disrespect them, though, that''ll be hard.Since they care about so little."

    Calming his breath, Altair sighed. "Are they all entric?"

    "What did you think? That They''ll all have cold faces and be evil or something?Well, they most certainly are evil and sadistic, but they are all pretty weird."

    "evil, how?" said Ren, pulling herself up.

    Iliana had to think."I believe the first bottle of blood wine ever created came from Belfegore,using the remains of aborted children."

    "what the fuck"

    "I did say evil, right? Why are you surprised? And it''s not like he was the one aborting children. Bel says it''s quite a delicacy. It is one of the most produced vintage wines in the Hells. So it must be good, right?"

    Altair had a spectacr face. "Master¡­ are you tempted into trying it?"

    "a little."

    "Hells. Just what I need. A Canibal for a Master."

    "First off, I''m an Abyssal. And what exactly is wrong with eating other humanoids? You make it sound wrong. You eat animals, and you are an animal. An inferior animal, might I point out? So what''s the problem?

    Most people I know are quite right about eating humanoids. "

    "that can''t be right¡­ right? " he turned to Reina, but she just shrugged.

    "You''re the cultured one," said Ren, struggling. "But I''ll tell you something.I need a damn shower. And a bottle of wine."

    Iliana studied the two weary faces and focused in on Ren. "When was thest time you saw Luna?"

    "Master? Two years, I think, three now. Why." said Ren, feeling as though, despite time passing, she wasn''t getting stronger but weaker. Color began to spill from out of her face until she was ashen and her gaze murky.

    Altair wasn''t in better shape,as he called on Nia and Alyssa to help aid their weakened bodies.

    "I''ll tell you tomorrow.When you wake up." Said Iliana faintly.

    "Art!" shouted Syris, running over. "Ren,what happened."

    "sleep." murmured the prince, fainting then and there in Nia''s arms.

    "Master is now the Princess, and I, Nia, the king," she imed, holding him up princess-style. "Mine!"

    Syris tilted her head, seeing her friends were not in any danger, and sighed in relief. She nced at Iliana, studying the in mask cautiously.

 Chapter 186: Festival of Chaos I

    The following dawn, Altair woke with a throbbing headache, groaning with a dire sense of nausea. He opened his eyes, feeling every pore ache.

    "I feel like I got beaten up, " said Ren, who couldn''t be bothered to open her eyes.

    Everything was hurting.

    Both unwilling to move, they sat there in silence, trying to wrap their heads around how strong Beelzebub truly was. Despite their almighty resistance, his mere presence was enough to strip them of strength.

    After a few hours and a nap, Altair nudged Ren''s shoulder. "I''m hungry."

    "You''re always hungry." she retorted through puffy breaths of cold air, peeping her blood-red eyes open. The frigid air was cold, more so than usual. "hold me."

    Pulled into his arms beneath the covers, the cold air became warm, and Ren just wanted to melt, smothered beneath his chest.She beamed, falling back asleep in a matter of seconds.

    For nearly an hour, Altair yed with her hair, twirling it through his fingers until she woke with a weak yawn,beaming in with a bright smile.

    "we¡ª"

    "Are they in there?" came a nasal voice from outside.

    "Gods, this guy again," said Ren, brooding when she felt movement from her waist. Her eyes gleamed as the little thing propped its little head from between her breasts.

    "Kuuu~"

    Ren nibbled at her ears,smothering Kuu in kisses.

    Altair was jealous, ring at the little pest, when the door to his room snapped open,snapping off the hinges.

    "I''ve got a question, "said Vynn sharply, dusting his palms of some invisible substance. "I must say your servants are quite rude."

    "Nia¡­ Alyssa, why didn''t you fight back?" asked Altair,studying his Pale Knights.

    The two hurried inside and fell to one knee. "Master Iliana said you two needed rest," they said, too, ashamed to lift their heads.

    "Next time, beat the shit out of them.Like this. "

    From the second Altair''s fingers positioned themselves towards Vynn, the young master felt every molecule of his beinge to life.

    The scarlet bolt that emerged from the tip of Altair''s finger tore apart the hotel room, turning stone to vaper and light to liquid. Heat, unlike anything Vynn had ever faced, stormed his being, tearing him off his feet as he roared a mighty cry.

    His body blurred in an arc of infernal lightning, shrieking through buildings for miles, barreling through the city walls and into the distance, meeting the horizon, his body still tearing through mountains and rivers.

    Altair summoned all his shadows, studying them. "This is the minimum of what I expect from you all. Don''t ever hesitate. And now I need a new room."

    "Don''t worry, master,Talia''s got this!" she said, running off.

    "You know she''s going to kill someone, right?" said Ren, smiling.

    "Meh, not my problem." said the Prince, grinning. "let''s go before someone tries to¡ª" he stopped looking at the scarlet ray cutting across the sky in the direction of Vynn. He snorted. " Well, if he doesn''t die. I''m sure he''ll be injured. That bastard is lucky that my lightning is only a D Grade.

    I should have used the Vale. That would have killed him." he was assured; however, as he raised his finger, ready to channel his life force to cast Enma, Ren patted his shoulder.

    "Leave it alone. We''ve got to lie low. Or did you forget you''re a wanted man?"

    Altair did for a second or two. "Fine. But if he should appear before me. He''s dead."

    "Oh, I''m sure." Ren knew, giggling when Syris came charging in, but before she could say a word, Ren was pulling her along before she had the chance to speak. Altair gave his arms a tight stretch and stared at the V-shape valley his lightning had caused in the heart of Vesim.

    The damage alone had killed hundreds, if not thousands, making it all seem so surreal, but for some reason, he didn''t care.

    He left, finding Talia in a new room at the far end of the hotel with a hint of blood stains on the ground. He didn''t ask questions; it had been obvious Talia had killed whoever was staying here in cold blood.

    ''Woman without morals is a little terrifying.'' he thought, surveying the room carefully. He tilted his head towards the smiling talia, awaiting praise. Altair patted her head. "Good Job."

    "Hehe"

    "My Lord," Said Aurura, walking in. "We''ve established quite a bit of connection. I wonder, are you interested in returning to the military?"

    "Nope. Perhaps if I hadn''te here." Altair remarked, sensing how powerful he''d be. "I''ve served my time. Whether they like it or not. I''ll be leaving. Why do you ask?"

    "Because Genisis has finally established an inte connection. I can finally resume my work." She said, removing her Datapad from her pouch.

    "Good, then I''ll leave you with supplying the Serpents Outreach with whatever they might need. Have Jorm assist you."

    "I''d rather have Talia," said Aurora.

    Altair raised an intrigued brow, and Aurora exined. "The denizens fear her. Talia is quite bloodthirsty," she said, ncing down at the bloodstains. "I could use that in the long run."

    "Alright." Said the Prince calmly. "She''s yours. Here that?"

    ''Aye!" shouted Talia childishly. "Let''s do it, big sis! Let''s purchase some ves here. I''m sure now that the cold has killed many of the weak ones, only the strong are alive. Let''s get them before they really do die."

    As Talia and Aurora left, Altair strapped Shadoww to his belt and stepped outside, where he saw hundreds of imperial officers investigating. Charming many of them with devilish intent, Altair made sure there would be no issue in the future, sticking the me on Vynn by giving the authorities all his distinctive features, ensuring he''d have quite a bit of trouble in the future.

    With a few people aware of his full name, Vynn''s portrait was printed over the streets of Vesim.

    "That should take care of him. I should have done this after our first meeting." He remarked, trying to think of new ways to abuse the Eyes of Sacrilege. "With this Nephilm Curse, life should be harder, but the Eye of Sacrilege sure is powerful¡­ though an entire world is hunting me, so I guess that''s just perspective."

    ***

    When atst, Vynn''s body came crashing into arge canyon, creating a thirty-meterrge crater. Blood gushed from his mouth as hey there. Crackles of lightning arced around his body in remembrance of the infernal lightning that had punctured his flesh. He spasmed, groaning.

    His arm was broken, fractured in a dozen ces, with scorch marks all over his body. The damage wasn''t heavy, but it also wasn''t light.

    "Bastard," snapped Vynn, staggering up to his feet, clutching his aching arm. It had been years since he was this injured, longer since an enemy did it.

    "Dog, where are you?"

    "I warned you," Said Daxian calmly, falling from the skies. Hended like a nimble cat without a hint of sound. "Do you need any more convincing, or do you wish to bring down your entire household?"

    "You can''t talk to me like that¡ª"

    Draxian pped him. "I can and I will. Your father has asked I keep you alive. And by extension, that includes yourself." he lowered his arms. "I''ve already reported everything to your father. He wants to¡ª"

    "You didn''t!"

    Suddenly, arge virtual screen magically appeared behind Draxian''s back, revealing a lord with a look so intense that Vynn was petrified.

    "F-F-Father."

    Lord Yandor Lorvince meheart red with a belly full of fire that zed from his ashen eyes. "In all my years, I''ve never seen one so foolish. Are you trying to promote a war with Noctom?"

    Vynn didn''t understand. "We would¡ª"

    "Be ughtered in a week''s time, boy. Noctem belongs to one a power so great not even the major powers of Babels Tower dear to test the waters. Yet a child who has yet to even touch upon the level of Godhood dears to approach the powers that be?"

    "Father, I¡ª I was only¡ª"

    "Be silent, Bastard," Shouted Yandor. "Or I''ll hang your mother by a fucking noose and have you join her. " ¡ªVynn froze, paling of color¡ª"You will stay away from that masked man and the woman that is clearly his mate. You are there for the Festival of Chaos, and that is it. Are we clear?!"

    "I¡ª"

    "That''s a yes or no, Bastard," said Yandor coldly.

    "Yes, Father."

    Yandor disconnected, leaving Vynn with an aching coldness he had never felt before. He lifted his head, shooting Draxian a stare that came from his deepest depths. "You''ll pay for this betrayal."

    Draxian pped him again, dazing Vynn.

    "You may do whatever you please, Vynn, but I am loyal to the Lord of Cinder. And you are but one Prince. Your elder brother and sister have all faced my palm, and here I still stand, raising the next generation. You will learn, or like your brother and sister, you''ll face the whip."

    There had never been more venom in Vynn''s eyes as he stormed off, nursing his injuries with a healing spell. It was then he noticed that despite the high intensity of mana he was using, his wounds were barely mending.

    He gritted his teeth and chanted, [Restoration] a spell that could potentially be cast at any level. Vynn cast it as a level-five spell, but even then, his wounds only began to heal a little faster. He cursed, unsure what type of demonic magic Altair had used on him. But it had taken a full week for his wounds to fully heal and nearly three weeks for him to return to Vesim.

    There was a burning rage about him when he did return as the guards all surrounded him, pointing their spears at him.

    "Bastard!!!!"

 Chapter 187: Secrets of the Vale

    Part One:

    In the weeks that came and went, Syris couldn''t have been in a worse mood, staring over the small pyre of bones, Ancient celestial blood and hair, a goblet of Wine, and raw golden ingots crackling over the fire. The gold had long since liquified, tarnishing the wine blood and hair in a sort of pentagram. mes shot up in a small pir of light, singeing the top of the ceiling until it was burned.

    Rage couldn''t have surged itself faster in Syris''s chest as she screamed a cry, thumping her fist over the ground. "WHY WON''T YOU ANSWER ME!" She roared, tears threatening to fall. "WHY¡­Why!... Why."

    "I''m fifteen now, Father. I''ve never been fifteen before. I''ve never even had a friend before. How odd. Every day, I call for you. Every night, I sing your name like you taught me when I was young.

    What happened to you appearing when you heard my voice? What happened to¡­ What happened to appear when I called for you." Try as she could, Syris could not stop the tears from shrieking down her cheeks. "He killed her, you know. That damn demon¡­ Belius. He tore her apart and made me watch. And then he did the same for me.

    He tore off my skin, tore out my eyes, then my fingers, hands, legs, and yet I still could not die¡­ Still, he didn''t allow us to die."

    She sniffled, shuddering as though what happened was just yesterday. "He¡­He raped Mother. And might have done the same to my corpse. I don''t know. I somehow died. But we called for you.

    We begged him, you know. Yet where was the Great Solomon, the Wise King? ANSWER ME, FATHER, I KNOW YOU CAN HERE ME! WHERE WERE YOU!"

    Bashing the pyre away with her bare arms, a cry that came from Syris''s depths tore itself from her throat. She howled until blood slid down her lips.

    "I hate you¡­ I hate you¡­ I¡­ hate¡­ you¡­ Father."

    ***

    It was morning when Syris stepped out of her room, weed by a bright hug, "Syris!" said Ren. "Wanna have some breakfast?"

    "Join us," Said Altair brightly. "Thaan said this ce has the best pancakes."

    "I don''t like pancakes."

    "..." Altair jerked Ren away, who happily floated into his arms. "Never talk to her again."

    Syris found her smile. "Waffles are so much better."

    "Waffles!" Raised Altair with a belly full of fire. "Women, you are snorting something you''re not supposed to? Waffles are inferior in every way. Crunch, softness, aesthetics, taste, smoothness, and¡ª"

    "Waffles are just better." Said Syris as a matter of fact.

    Altair might have drawn his sword had Reina not been holding on to himughing.

    "Come on, let''s eat. Art refused dinnerst night," said Ren gleefully.

    "That''s because dessert was far more appetizing," he said a little dreamily.

    Ren was as red as an apple.

    Syris beamed."Altair, you like sweets?"

    "Ren makes the best sweets. Two moist buns as sweet¡ª"

    Streams of mist rose from off Ren''s head as she hurriedly covered his mouth. "Food. Let''s get some food." she hurriedly said, jerking Syris away leaving Altairughing.

    Syris felt she was missing something, but before she could say a word, Ren found them a chair in the dining hall.

    "You two are weird," said Syris

    As breakfast was served, Syris feltst night''s remorse dwindle the more sheughed and drank. She hadn''t known Altair long, much less Ren.But had felting to Yarwin had been the best decision since she reincarnated.

    The idea toe to Yarwin had been something of the spur of the moment. She was bored,both mentally and physically,stuffed by the need to remain hidden within the Aros estate,monitoring if House Aros was making progress in forcing Earth''s king into opening their borders.

    It was all a tedious affair that allowed her to grow in peace without worry of assassinations.But Syris was bored. The only time she wasn''t was with Altair.

    ''I really am still a kid,'' she told herself,ughing at how red Reina became. She grinned, unsure when she started feeling like herself again.

    For nearly three weeks, Syris enjoyed her days with Altair, Ren, and his Pale Knights slowly began finding their way to him.Before she knew it, Altair was surrounded by half a dozen men and women,all enjoying themselves. Syris had noticed it before, but Altair had an infectious aura.

    It made all those around him smile,herself included.Even when he did things to annoy her, like stealing books she reads, making fun of the food she likes, or just outright challenging her,Syris found she could not stay angry.

    ''is this what having an older or younger brother is like?'' she wondered as they made their way toward the prison.

    Altair had been quite busy this past month trying to get a handle on who was who so he couldpel and enthrall. This list hadn''t been long, but Altair didn''t quite mind.Unlike his ability to pel], the [Eyes of Sacrilege] didn''t have a limitation on how long it couldst.

    Rather, Altair found that each time he used [schizophrenia], a seed would be ingrained in the minds of his targets,intertwining with not just their bodies and Mana but their very souls, which were slowly fusing.

    The Prince hadn''t been certain what would happen when this ''seed'' embedded itself into the body,mana, and soul, but he knew it wasn''t anything good for the victim.

    Nevertheless, there hadn''t been a single guard to stop Altair and his party from entering to see Zag.

    "Open the gates," Altairmanded the guards,who didn''t for a second hesitate to open the doors to Zagreus'' cell.

    "What a nasty spell, " said Lyain in a foul manner.

    Altair nced into her eyes to where his seedy dormant, slowly fusing into her being. By his estimate, it would take a year, maybe two, possibly three, if he doesn''t feed it. However, he was hesitant to do so.He wasn''t sure if Lyain would be able to sense what he''d done.

    His ability had nothing to do with power but rather with knowledge and whether someone held the ability to sense what he''d done,thanks to his B-Rank skill.

    He grinned. "Scared?"

    Lyain shed her nine circles. "hardly."

    Altair shrugged, shifting his attention to Zag, who ran out with a bear hugging Altair. "God bless you. I need some hoes and some whiskey. "

    "aye!" shouted the red-eyed Ren." beer and hoes! Better yet, Boats and Hoes!"

    "My girl!" said Zag, high-fiving Reina.

    "did not see this bonding along," Altair muttered, rolling his eyes as the twoughed. "Alright, you two, let''s get out of here before some shit happens."

    "Felt like I''ve been in jail for a year,"said Zag as Altair led them out. He sucked in the fresh air, bathing in the moonlight as though it were the sun."Let''s eat! I''m starving."

    "How was prison? Art and I watched a documentary once about a booty warrior. So feared he became something akin to a legend." Said Ren. "He said Booty was more important than water."

    "It is," said Altair and Zag.

    "I think I''ve heard of that man," said Syris, touching her chin in thought. "Some of the guys were talking about that. Though, I didn''t quite pay attention. Things sure were different back on earth four thousand years ago."

    "Well¡­ at least back then, women had rights. Rape and other crimes are not really prosecuted on Earth," Said Ren peculiarly.

    "Actually, " said Syris, "Earth is abiding by the minimal requirements of allary systems that join the Republic. I''ve seen a lot worse on some others."

    "Themyscira is actually the opposite of Earth." Added Alyssa, hopping out from her Master''s shadow. "After the women have had their fill of the men, we usually send them into the mines to live out their lives. Most don''t even get to see the light of day from the time they are born. When we amazons came to Earth, we were quite horrified by the oddity of it all."

    Ren turned to Altair. " Then what would happen if Altair were to visit Themiscara?"

    Alyssa made a face. "They''d imprison him to ride him as they please every day until they''re children and their children''s children were with child."

    "Equality is rtive." Said Altair, smiling. "Some genders will experience some benefits from thew and others not so much. I''ll try to do as much as I can, but in the end, women have a responsibility to breed children if our kingdom is to flourish. Though I''ve little interest in forcing that matter like the Earthlings have done.

    Though I suppose there will always be people who will whine about anything I do.So is the signs of a flourishing civilization¡­ Or a dying one."

    "It truly is peculiar¡­ I wonder how Woman came to power on Themesara?" Said Ren, looking at Alyssa, who was happy to exin.

    Exploring the topic of politics and civil liberties as they ate amongst each other,ughing and cracking jokes with each other. By the time it was time to turn in for the night, Syrisy on her bed staring up at the ceiling with a content smile.

    "Father¡­ If you don''t talk to me anymore¡­ then I won''t talk to you anymore," she swore, tears falling down her cheeks. "But I swear to you and the One, I will kill Belius, myself, for what he did to Mother¡­"

    Syris pulled herself from off her bed, ring towards the skies, unsure if her Father was listening or not. She clenched her fist till blood oozed from her palms alongside the gums of her mouth. "I swear it. Even if I have to die once again, I swear I''ll kill him. With or without your help."

    ****

    Part Two:

    Outside, Altair stared up at the Seven Thrones of Light that stood above the city of Vesim, crowning the city with their light. As blinding as the stars of the Myriad Heavens, they zed like suns within the darkness. They had appeared a few weeks ago, and yet, despite their radiance, almost no one seemed to notice their arrival.

    Beside the Prince, Thanatos and Zagreus stood watching with interested smiles.

    "Two more days," said Zag excitedly, ready to stretch his muscles. "Then they''ll make their descent. I can''t wait. I know Lucifer and Beezubub from Hell will descend, as well as Archangel Gabriel and Zadkiel from the Eternal Heavens. I wonder if we''ll see some ancient families."

    "I must say¡­ Lady Tenebrae did something unthinkable for her child." Thanatos mused aloud, peering deeply at thrones and then at Altair. "Due to the Shadow Promation, I can''t go into too much detail, but their entire state ofw and order within the Myriad Heavens began with the Night Mother for her child''s protection. She even selected all the Tower Masters."

    "Mother was so powerful?" Altair couldn''t help but ask.

    "Powerful?" Thanatos shook his head. "The form you see in Tenebrae is merely an avatar, an image that represents the consciousness of the Primordial Elements. That sort of power, however, is limited. Primordials, while eternal, aren''t necessarily powerful like most people at their level. But in Tenebrae, Luna'' Mythra, and the others, they tend to be ancient.

    And I mean extremely ancient before the concept of time was created. The knowledge they possess about their Elements is without equal. That is a truth that has existed since the beginning of creation and stands firmly even to this day."

    "The mythos of Tenebrae is so profound and wrapped in such secrecy like Luna''s; it would take a Dao Cycle merely to exin it all. Your Mother has taught many of the greatest evils and greatest virtuous men and women, Angels and Fallen, without discrimination. The amount of favors owed to her was enough that no one within the Myriad could stop her from what she was doing."

    "No one?" Questioned the Prince.

    "Maybe Mephisto¡­ but even he was once a disciple of Tenebrae. There is a reason we all refer to her as Night Mother. She is truly a god in the truest sense." Thanatos said, smiling. "All other Gods that im dominion of the Darkness are merely imitation inparison to her might and knowledge."

    The more Altair heard, the more his heart ached. He fought back the tears, trying not to appear like a boy before his two bannermen. Yet even they could see the mist gathering in his eyes.

    Zag and Thanatos turned towards the skies, measuring the Seven Thrones, allowing Altair to wipe his tears. They could sense the divinity of each throne, bleeding far outpacing the divinity of their original bodies.

    "It''s astonishing how powerful cultivation can take you,'' Zagreus mentioned quite grimly, "I knew I wasn''t the strongest, but for such thrones to carry such power¡­ Can you imagine how powerful they are?"

    "Remember when the Silver Devil descended into Madness at the loss of his Mother? All of the Twelve Realms nearly shattered as he tore at the Weave. He was but a boy then. A child. There are just some powers out there that can''t be exined, cultivations that can''t be measured." Thanatos casually said with a hue of mncholy.

    He nced at the now poised Altair, lifting his lips as a thin, invisible cloak of the Essesne of the Vale chung over the surface of his skin.

    Altair himself did not seem aware of it, much less Zagreus, who constantly stood by his side. But each day, it was growing.

    Thanatos narrowed his eyes, "Altair, Tell me about the Vale."

    "Huh? Why do you want to know?" Altair questioned, a little taken back. "

    "Enlighten me, I''m curious."

    Altair felt there was a bit of a trap but didn''t sense danger, merely curiosity. "The Vale¡­ the best I can describe it is the absence of darkness. Raven said the Vale was the final resting ce of the dead, but I feel¡­ No, I know that is only one ''Aspect'' I''ve touched upon. Fallen Necromancy was granted to me because of it." He opened his palm, summoning a kindling of Vale.

    "The Darkness seems like a barrier, a sort of domain or gatekeep to this ancient force so old it seems. But its characteristics appear like a ck me, yet it doesn''t burn, but like darkness, it devours."

    "I don''t quite understand it, but I am trying to create a new aspect with the aid of the Vale¡­ However, it''s rather difficult. But I feel like the secret lies within the ''Heart of Darkness'' that beats in my chest." Altair touched his chest, feeling the thumping of his heartbeat expanding and contracting, channeling blood throughout his body. He could feel he was changing.

    Every day, he felt a little different.

    It hadn''t been obvious at first, but the more he channeled the Vale, the more he began to feel his sea of consciousness changing. It was growing but also striking.

    ''You are the Vale,'' the memory of Raven''s words echoed through his mind returned, almost as if the memory fragment was there seeking his approval: To speak into existence.

 Chapter 188: Festival of Chaos II

    The night before the Festival of Chaos, Altair could not pull his gaze off Tenebrae, who was encased in a beautiful azure crystal. His fists were clenched, and an indescribable sensation of powerlessness overwhelmed him as he stared to where a slight crack blemished the side of her cheek, trailing down her slender neck.

    He felt his heart wrench against his chest. "Mother¡­" He whispered, paying his respects to the woman who gave him everything.

    For an hour, he stood there, palms sped together in prayer. To whom he was praying, too, Altair could not say; he just wanted her whole.

    "Tomorrow is the new year." He continued. "And I fear that the world will turn on me soon. I''ve prepared countermeasures, but I''m still worried. I''m worried about how many gods want my head. I''m worried about how many seek to have my head already despite having aplished nothing. I''ve grown much, mother.

    But there is so much I need to learn, so much I need to grasp. And the one thing Ick is time. So forgive me for what I''m about to do, mother¡­ To obtain power¡­" he stopped, drawing in arge breath as a cold gleam filled his eyes.

    Two Vale stars hummed in orbit around his head like a crown ck as the deepest night. Altair lowered his hand, cing a palm over the pommel of Shadoww. He bowed, turning as his shadow grew long, filled with a dozen eyes.

    He stepped out from the [Dimensional Rift] to his hotel room. He pulled in a long breath, reached for his mask, and pulled it from his face minutes before the new year.

    Ren was watching him with ''Ice'' mounted to her back while Zagreus, Thanatos, Syria, and Lyain watched.

    Altair''s eyes shed to scarlet in but an instant as the city came to life.

    "No turning back now," Zagreusughed, sensing multiple presences stifling the air. They arrived in a single breath, shattering through the window with savage faces, wielding weapons of all kinds; seven men of the fourth circle charged toward Altair like minotaurs. Their bodies were enhanced by nearly double with the aid of mana.

    Altair nced at them for less than a second before they fell prone, howling as their minds began to unravel beneath the [Eye of Sacrilege]. As if their faces were ame, the Prince watched as they began to w at their faces, gorging out their own eyes and hair as if to alleviate the pain.

    Through the eyes of many of his victims, Altair had experienced what true pain felt like. Especially on the battlefield against the demons back in Forwin. What the demons had done to many mortals few got to experience. But with the [Eyes of Sacge], Altair pored their experiences into his enemy''s minds to break them.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon wees you back!]

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts praises your return]

    [Divine being, ''Piercing Owl,'' warns of the danger.]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, narrows his eyes feverishly]

    The Prince slid Shadoww from its cage, slicing off the heads of the seven men. "There is nothing to worry about." He said to the Gods, opening his palm not to absorb their soul but to store it with the aid of [Fallen Necromancy]. Altair stepped onto the veranda. He stared coldly at the hundreds gathering outside.

    "ALTAIR!!!!!" came the dire voice of Vaiga, bolting towards him when several other Ninth Circles blocked her. She cursed beneath her breath, looking at him in a panicked gleam. "Ru¡ª"

    Visem became like a great ball of light asughter erupted into a great pyre of fire, connecting Heaven and Earth. Scorching iridescent mes wielding the might of the Hells liquefy the snow and buildings in a matter of seconds. Lighting those that did not possess a magical attribute of a hundred on fire.

    Those ame howled and pleaded diving into the magma to end their own lives. In seconds, the quiet streets of Vesim had twisted into madness and bloodshed.

    Altair calmly watched as an unfamiliar entity descended with a bright smile on her lips. Stunning, with a voluptuous figure to match. She smiled brightly like a fairy or perhaps a devil, curtsying for all to see.

    "Tasha of Mythos greets you, Altair ckwood." She said, her blood-red eyes measuring the boy before her, taking his odor that reminded her much of those from the Ninth Layer. "You remind me of Lord Asmodeus Lineage. Are you perhaps a part of the Nine Hells?"

    With a smile, Altair said, "What makes you think that?"

    Tasha noted the way in which mana did not swirl like it did for most who needed to invoke spells. Altair was withstanding the me with merely his physique.

    She nced at Syris, Thaan,Zagreus, and,stly, Ren. She shuddered, sensing her blood wrenching against her bones.

    ''A Fallen,'' she thought guarded, recalling the feel of the few she could remember. Against them, there was no point fighting, no point hoping to be free. They took what they wanted and had whatever caught their eye. Demons and Devils were their toys, no matter how powerful they perceived themselves to be.

    It had been said long ago when the first devils were born into this world by the Mother of Demons, Lilith, the Fallen bore into their blood and soul dominance. No demon or devil shally their hand upon a Fallen without the explicit permission of the Monarchs of Hell. In the end¡­ from the devils came demons, the broken fragment of madness that splintered off into abominations that knew only chaos.

    "Your excellency," said Tasha to Reina with a pleasant curtsy. "I greet you. Might I ask whatyer of Hell you preside within?"

    "Irka," said Reina with truths and lies as her mind shed to the image of her Father, who now presided as Duke within the Second Monarch''s Hell.

    Altair nced at Reina with misgiving eyes. He would rather no one make the connection between him and his Father. Beelzebub had already been too close forfort. And his presence alone had nearly killed them.

    Nevertheless, Reina didn''t seem to notice, or perhaps she was enjoying the look Altair was giving her as she studied the devil named Tasha. She didn''t seem evil; rather, there was an innocence that made her wish to brush her hair. Made her wish to tease and break all at the same time.

    "Lord Arsene Snow, the Abyssal King," whispered Tasha, cursing her Master.

    Reina grinned. "How did you recognize me?"

    "I''ve¡­ I''ve¡­ I''ve met a Fallen before." Tasha hurriedly said,pelled by an unnamed authority that bore out from her blood-like tendrils wrapping around her throat.

    Reina sensed it. She could feel that unnamed authority radiating from out of her very depths. It was pure, raw, and innate.She grinned, "What a beautiful dog you are," she said cruelly, the scarlet glint of her eyes spiraling in a lovely sadistic glow.

    Again, Tasha felt something inside her stir. She dared not even speak.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, frowns at the unknown authority wielded by the Nephilim.]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon, has never heard of any Nephilm-wielding the Authority of the Fallen]

    [Divine Fallen, ''Currupt Prince'' nods at the Authority of his Kin.]

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest, roars withughter and demands you take her eyes as trophies]

    Reina''s lips tipped up. "My brothers want me to take those lovely blood-red eyes." She began, "Might you be so kind as to tear them out for me?"

    Bounded by an authority that seemed as absolute as the One''s ancient voice, Tasha smiled and, without the slightest hesitation, reached for her eyes. Under the horror of everyone, her fingers slid up her lids, curling around her eyeball.

    "Enough, Ren," Altairmanded, taken back by the way her power seemed to work on demons and devils alike.

    Ren instinctually halted hismand with her will alone. She frowned, "But I don''t quite like the way she is staring at you." she skipped ahead, studying the bewitching Lilm with a devious smile magically floating in the sky, her fingers curling around her eyeballs as blood shrieking down her face.

    Throughout it all, Tasha never lost her smile; less the authority Reina held caused her to lose her life.

    "I want to hear what she has to say," The Prince said calmly, ncing at the smoldering ash of men and women. From where he stood, he spotted Hilda, Cedric, and a couple of familiar faces who were able to withstand the force of the Lilm. He lifted his gaze towards the devil. "Tell me, Tasha, what is your mission?"

    "To aid you," said Tasha quickly.

    "I find that hard to believe, especially when you are summoned to retrieve Aria Silverman''s soul. I''ll give you another chance. Who is the Realm Lord of this realm¡­ and who told you to aid me."

    Altair did not believe she would randomly just lie. Lies were a tool only to be used with discretion. He''d heard that devils were smart. Surely, even ones who knew only how to warm beds knew how to y the game.

    Tasha''s expression couldn''t have turned a lighter shade of pale before it returned to normal. Sheughed. "If I were to answer you, can you imagine what would happen to me?"

    "I can''t, but can you imaginewhat would happen to your soul should you die and return to the Hells? I can imagine the Gods that be would be even more furious. So give me a name."

    Laughter like wildfire thundered over Visem as Tasha said with fear, "His name is Astaroth of Mythos, one of the Nine Princes of Hell."

 Chapter 189: Festival of Chaos III

    "Beelzebub, I don''t understand. Why is it that you think I would take your side? Do you have any idea how many people would die in Yarwin if you had your way?" Archangel Gabriel intoned upon one of the seven thrones of Babel''s Tower that protruded through the shadowscape of the purest night in a ring.

    "Seeing that nearly eighty percent of the poption has already perished and a realm war with one of my princes is taking ce. It''s only a matter of time before more devils are summoned." Beelzebubzily exined, amused by his brother''s annoyed expression. "Not to mention there are some real talents within Yarwin."

    "Lord Beelzebub, might I ask what is your fascination with Yarwin? Was it not Astaroth that allowed this disaster to ur?" said Solomon, a young man d in snow-white robes. "Surely you''ve got your hands full with Genisis."

    "Sol, am I not allowed hobbies?" Laughed the Seventh Monarch of Hell incredulously, "I''m merely taking over for Mephisto temporarily. You know him."

    The Wise King called upon his authority not to spit in disgust and said with a calm, poised voice. " Is this why Lucifer isn''t here today?"

    "Yes, it would seem my brothers have quite the fascination with Arcadia. However, I can''t me them. Who knew Father would create such an unknown realm and go through all that trouble to hide it." Beelzebub shook his head, waving away the topic with his palm. "What say you, Adam? Are you interested in a proposition? I could even help you with your little problem.

    Like you, I''ve been trying to track down your wife¡­ sorry, Ex-Wife." He smiled, watching the first High Human frown. "Or have you given up on her? Last I heard she was¡­ Oops¡­I nearly spilled the secret. Well? Do you want to know where she is or who she''s riding or who''s riding her?"

    With a belly full of fire, a fiendish light swarmed Adam''s golden eyes. His fist tightened over the stone armrest as he struggled to contain himself.

    Beelzebub sadistic smile deepened. "Oh yes, I''ve been quite aware of Eve''s movements for thest couple of chaos cycles. And you wouldn''t guess the person who granted her sanctuary."

    Gabriel''s lips thinned. "Beel, you''re going too far."

    "What is he a woman? Adam, is your vagina hurting? Was I too hard?" Beelzebub asked with the most serious of expressions.

    Gabriel resisted the urge tough, feeling his elder brother''s eyes on him.

    "Beelzebub," Archangel Zadkiel voiced. "Please keep this civil. No need for insults. You are asking for a favor, after all."

    "Little brother," Beelzebub said, with a half smile sharper than any de. "It was Adam who brought torment to the Myriad Heavens. It''s not my fault he made Lilith flee to the Hells. It is not my fault he couldn''t control Eve from giving life to the Seven Sins. Or did you forget? Then, there was the whole incident with the apple.

    Adam is literally the first simp."

    "Damn," Said Gabriel, covering his mouth. ''You ain''t have to do him like that." he whispered.

    "Come on, how hard was it not to eat from the tree? You literally screwed all of your descendants over some pussy."

    "Bastard!" Adam roared, eyes shing with a sigil of the One.

    Beelzebub didn''t so much as flinch, though his voice did turn ice cold. "Drop the act, Adam. Do you want to find Eve or not? You''ve been looking for her for the past Hell Cycle. Last I heard, she tore your arm off to pummel you all the way into the fourth dimension before all your children. That kind of humiliation is¡ª"

    "Enough," Adam barked, narrowing his eyes with a devil fire in his eyes. "What is it you want?"

    "Cooperation." Beelzub stood up, offering his palm towards Adam. "Serve me well in this affair, and I might allow ess to Seth. You remember him, right? Your other son that fell alongside Cain."

    Adam''s teeth clenched. "You truly are one of the vilest of the Nine Hells, Beelzubub." Nevertheless, he shook his palm, sealing the deal. Authority bore through the Hells, crowning the two with its sigil. "Now tell me where she is?"

    The Seven Monarch of Mythos smirked. "With Arsene Snow. She is currently with Tiamat, though I suggest you don''t try breaking in. Weakened or not, Arsene''s power is real and growing at a frightening rate. Zariels doing no doubt." And his gaze shifted to Soloman. "As for you¡­ How about I don''t inform Belius?

    Need I say more?"

    The implication was clear: Syris would die.

    Solomon''s expression went pale as snow. "How!"

    "I would intervene before Mephisto or Lucifer find out. Especially Mephisto. He doesn''t like you very much. So, do I have your vote?" Beelzebub mused as everything fell into his palm. Solomon nodded.

    "Good. Now all that''s left is my two little brothers." he turned, measuring the two Archangels.

    Gabriel sighed. "Look. I don''t mind you taking the lead. But if it gets out of control, I will step in. So I cannot make any promises."

    Zadkiel nodded alongside his little brother. "Indeed. Though I suppose you would like us to hold back Heaven''s Gate and the Sisters of Sepith before things get out of hand¡­ or more out of hand than they already are. I''m all for peace; however, I would like for neither Heaven nor Hell to govern Baefor. Leave it to the little Lords of this tower."

    For a second, Beelzebub hesitated, recalling the involvement of Astaroth. He frowned for a while, thinking before he gave a definitive answer. "Then business like usual?"

    "That was why the Shadow Prolocmation was created." Zadkiel intoned solemnly. "We let these mortals rule themselves, or at least we keep our distance and let these lesser gods do as they please. There is a reason our kind chose peace during the Second Blood War. There isn''t a need for Fallen or Angel to perish."

    "But perish they might. Astaroth will continue to gun for Altair ckwood." Beelzebub said, narrowing his eyes. "I can''t promise much, but I can ensure he will not descend."

    Zadkeil stood up, ncing towards the empty seventh seat before vanishing with a gale of golden light. Gabriel grinned, kicking himself up.

    "Bye Beel, Sol, let''s hangter¡­ Whatever Beel is ckmailing you with, I can help." He said, shooting Beelzebub a silly wink before disappearing with a storm ofughter.

    Adam scuffed but vanished not long after having nothing left to discuss.

    "How did you find out?" Solomon asked, narrowing his eyes.

    "I would have missed it had I not descended altogether," Beelzebub remarked. "You''ve hidden her well. But you should have asked Aunty Tenebrae to hide her. Though I suppose you only just found out, she resurrected. You Celestrial and High Humans surely do breed like rabbits. Though I am curious¡­ Who is the mother?"

    "That isn''t for you to know," Solomon growled, pulling himself up from his throne. He seemed almost weary, yet there was a deadly gleam in his eye. ''What is it you want?"

    "Assistance on Yarwin, but I could use you on Genisis. My research is reaching a level where I need someone whose authority of Magic is superior to mine. And you are the one to fit that criteria. Since you are the one who created our current system of Magic."

    "There is Zariel. He surpassed me." Said Solomon grimly.

    "True. But Zariel is still unstable. And seal with Arsene in Pandora''s box."

    Solomon sneered. "He might be unstable, but his ability to manipte the Weave would outweigh any sort of disability he has. What is the real reason."

    "I''ve no obligation to tell you. And it''s not like you have much choice." the Fallen remarked coldly, more annoyed with himself than anything else.

    "I can consult Zero. I''m sure he''ll be happy to aid me." Solomon remarked, frowning.

    "But Zero isn''t here right now." Beelzebub cut in, "So unless you wish for an ''ident'' to ur, you''ll follow me to Genisis after this, and I promise not to touch your daughter unless she messes with me, of course." he smiled, patting his shoulder. " So work with me for a few years until you can figure out how to escape my grasp."

    Fist grew clenched. "Beelzebub, I don''t understand. What more do you want? You are already one of the strongest within the Myriad Heavens and, I''m sure, Arcadia as well once you''ve limated to thews there. What the hell else do you want? What more does¡ª" A tinge of coldness consumed Solomon''s words.

    "for one so wise, you truly are foolish." Beelzebub sighed, studying the man. "Do you know how the myriad Heavens got its name?"

    "The Ilvarians named it so. "

    "Correct. The Ilvarianshad learned that the universe they lived in wasyered between an infinite amount of dimensions, one stronger than thest. The higher you go, the more condensed thews and concepts are. And above all of that, we have the Primordials and then The One and the All. So ask yourself this. How does one break out of the Myriad Heavens that are infinitelyrge as it is wide?"

    "You enter the Abyss." said Soloman, "the abyss surrounds the Myriad Heavens, empowering it¡­ Hells.Your research is¡­"

    The Fallen grinned. "The Abyss? Correct."

 Chapter 190: Festival of Chaos: Descent

    "His name is Astaroth of Mythos, one of the Nine Princes of Hell."

    Altair wasn''t in the least bit surprised. He only saw to confirm what he already knew. Heughed, turning towards the skies, and raised his middle finger. "Go fuck yourself!" He roared, empowering his voice not with Mana but with Vale Qi. he red toward the heavens as though they were hells with vile distaste.

    Through the vast expanse of the Nine Hells, his voice pierced like a knife, reaching the Prince of Hell upon his throne.

    Astaroth''s expression dropped, and in a single instance, he rose, his eyes shing like two twin orbs of scarlet suns. The mes that govern the nine hells rose in temperature, twisting the wills of mortal souls until they burned, cracked, twisting into amalgamations of insanity.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy: NOW YOU ARE MY SON!!!!]

    If he were to perish, he wasn''t going to die cowering in fear. Altair sneered towards the gathering of clouds, nketing the skies.

    "W-W-What have you done?" Tasha cried, horrified as the skies began to form into sadistic amalgamation of faces and bodies. Upside down-crosses lined the skies as droplets of blood poured from the Hells onto the snow. The crest of Astaroth appeared, and with it, the rage that bore through space and time came like a while storm through the Myriad Heavens.

    [Daddy: My Son said Fuck it! I love it!]

    [Piercing Owl: Aren''t you going to do something?] Your adventure awaits on m,v le,mpyr

    [Archeon: My hands are tied¡­ I didn''t think he''d do this¡­ or that his voice would manage to reach the Hells.]

    [Daddy: Meh, he''s got it.]

    [She Who Hunts: You''re a bad father]

    [Daddy: My seed knows what he''s doing.]

    [Conquest: I came for the Nephilim but stayed for Altair. This little dude is funny.]

    [Curupted Prince: I''m curious what he''s going to do.]

    [Debaucherous Wine: I advocate for booty and wine.]

    [Daddy: Lol]

    [Passion of Sorrow: (¡«£þ¨Œ£þ)¡«]

    Altair ignored the system chat and stared dead ahead at the clouds that had changed into madness. And for some reason, he couldn''t help but feel his heart wrench against his chest. It was hammering-like drums.

    Badum-Badum-Badum

    [Heart of Darkness is beginning to stir]

    [Festival of Chaos shall nowmence]

    Suddenly, the Seven Thrones of Babel''s Tower converged into a single throne in but an instance. The Golden Light that had been invisible to mortal eyes became corporeal, revealing itself to the Realm. He appeared with a half smile resting upon the golden throne that was as ck as the deepest night, ravaged by a horrid evil that seemed to carry a madness that made the skies seem like nothingness.

    All eyes were drawn to the Monarch upon his throne, his mere presence instilling a sense of fear in Gods and Mortals alike. Yet the one upon the throne that carried no warmth in his eyes was not on them but upon the skies.

    Astrarth had felt Beezubub was standing before him, and the familiar sensation of when Mephisto stood before him assaulted his soul. But Beelzebub was no Mephisto. The Prince held his authority. A feat that made Beelzubub grin.

    An invisible sh shook the fabric of creation within the Forgotten Realms.

    Altair inadvertently quivered.He could sense something but couldn''t quite put it into words. But as he looked past the Gates of Hell that reigned over the skies towards the vast skies. All the stars that had lined their sector within the Forgotten Realms vanished. Even the darkness of space seemed to be dissipating before his very eyes.

    "Can all gods do this?" Altair greedily asked, feeling a sense of insight cut across the Eyes of Sacrilege.

    "These aren''t ordinary Gods,'' Thaan said, positioning himself beside Altair while Thaan did so to Reina. "They are Fallen Angels. They''ve reached a level only those on the Omnis Rankings can touch."

    "The Omnis Rankings?" Questioned Ren, drenched in ayer of sweat, not daring to pull her gaze from off the standoff between Astaroth and Beelzubub.

    Zagreus was about to answer when Beelzebub stood up from his throne. The smile on his lips faded into a baleful abyss. Space began to fracture between the two intents, shrieking far and wide over a hundred parsecs.

    "I will give you one chance, Astaroth. Just one," said Beelzebub calmly. "Stand down."

    Altair gulped and visibly rxed when the shing intents vanished. Strength almost left him as he stood there feeling light-headed, as if they''d all experienced a great battle.

    Beelzebub tsked, wondering how much power Astroth had gained since theyst met. ''That type of bravery is rare.'' he thought, returning to his throne with a half smile. ''I wonder what he''s hiding.''

    "Wee, children of this Era, " He began, his voice a gale of rejuvenation washing over those within Vesim, reenergizing their weary bodies. In an instant, those who had either fainted or burned beneath the mes of Tasha had recovered.Their bodies appearing as though they were never harmed.

    "w-w-w-who are you?" A young man asked. He was a Time Lord, one of many within Genesis. Ragnar, they called him. " No¡­ what are you?"

    "I am one of the Seven Masters of Babel''s Tower. And my name isn''t someone the likes of you ought to know. However, there are a few here who know. Altair, Reina, how''ve you been? I see you''ve taken up quite a nasty trait of angering people."

    "Lord¡ª"

    Beelzebub raised a palm, "Call me Malzeen; it''s annoying when lowly mortals begin praying to me."

    Altair smirked. "I thought gods needed worshipers to grow."

    "Stupid gods, perhaps," said Beelzebub smilingly, "The real powerhouses know how to gain power from both believers and nonbelievers. You simply breathing now is making me stronger as we speak."

    Altair didn''t quite understand yet. But took what he said to heart. However, he wanted to confirm with Iliana. Everything about Beelzebub made Altair''s skin crawl. He couldn''t ce him in any groups like the others.

    Despite his power, Beelzebub did not act arrogant, nor did he expose his presence as a show of power.Rather¡­ the more Altair was around him, the morefortable he felt with him. Beelzebub had a charismatic aura that was as devilish as it was intoxicating.

    That scared Altair.He hated the feeling of his body wanting to rx, wanting to sumb to its most basic state.

    "You, Altair ckwood, have quite an affinity for the Sin of Sloth," said Beelzubub. "Survive this trial, and I might have to steal you away from Iliana," he added, nearly forgetting the reason for his descent.

    Those who could wield the sin of sloth had always been the minority within the Hells. It was a sin most could not grasp on a more fundamental level.

    "Sloth?" the Prince questioned,unsure what made this Lord of Hell think he was azy person.

    "Think about it. Now then." Beelzebub looked up, and from the skies, they came, tearing through the atmosphere like meteors; the twelve pirs bore into the earth, striking so hard the realm began to thrash and wail,seeking to break from the sheer power.They surrounded the City of Vesim in a great ring.

    Altair had nearly toppled, unsure what type of power Beezubuv had used to ensure nothing kept the city, if not the world, from breaking apart.Nevertheless, the moment the Twelve Pirs struck, a sense of panic slithered down his spine.

    Frigid air began to permeate the realm, gnawing so deeply that many of the young lords anddies began to quake in their boots. Sheen''s of frostyered the earth, rising high above the grass and trees,inching over the various buildings,encasing the realm into thinyers of crystals.

    Beelzebub, who satfortably on his throne, spoke. "Within each pir, there houses a couple thousand souls who perished so long ago that many of the gods you worship couldn''t hold a candle to these men and women in this little festival of mine. You are not the heroes but the victims. For with each kill of the living these souls take, the more they''ll revive."

    Suddenly, a list of numbers sprang over the head of everyone present, ranging from one to one thousand.

    Altair, Reina, Thaan, Syris, and Zag all bore one thousand over their heads.

    "it takes a thousand points for a soul to revive.And another thousand points for them to increase their mana by one stage, of course; they can do so without the aid of these points."

    "Then¡­ then how do we win?" the Time Lord asked incredulously.

    "I wasn''t aware victims could win," said Beelzebub, smiling. "Well, if by some miracle you survive the wrath of these soul kings and the demons on their way to burn this city to rubble thanks to Altair revealing himself, you each will earn an S Rank Skill. Double or triple S Rank if you kill each other and gain a higher number of points."

    Altair winced, seeing right through his y; Beelzebub had intentionally not mentioned how many points were necessary to earn an SS rank skill,much less SSS.The number necessary could be anywhere near the billions or trillions. No one knew.But neither did they care as hundreds all turned to those that bore high numbers over their heads.

    Their eyes festering greed.

 Chapter 191: Festival of Chaos: Blood

    With one palm on Shadoww, those that belong to the stars and Babels Tower all locked onto Altair''s group.

    "This isn''t the time!" The Time Lord, Ragnar, shouted, wielding his silver cut ive in one hand. "We need to take down these Pirs first. Killing one another cane second." He added, above his head, carrying the number identical to that of Altair and his team.

    Ragnar hadn''t been too certain how Malzeen, as he knew him to be, was able to quantify how everyone was graded but figured it had to be based on bloodline or at least potential. Time Lords had been one of the top ten of all mortal races within the Myriad Heavens. Their ability to manipte space and time was second only to Celestials.

    "He''s right," said Zaros, whose eyes were as red as blood. Pale as the moon with sharp, distinctive features. He had scales protruding over his throat, trailing up and stopping at his cheek. "Lord Malzeen said they were Soul Kings! We need to exterminate them before anything else."

    Altair narrowed his eyes. "Two intelligent people. How rare." He mused, ncing down at Tasha trembling like a maiden on her wedding night. He smiled. "Is he talking to you?" he smiled, watching a quiver ripple through her, bringing a smile to his face. Altair pulled his gaze away.

    If a battle between Tasha and his team broke out, he was sure they''d lose. The Ilvarian had categorized the Demons and Devils as the most powerful race of their time.

    "Lord Malzeen." Thaan shouted, " Might I ask how long this Festival of yours mightst?"

    "Six Months," said Beelzebub calmly. "And¡­ are you a Shadowborn?"

    Thaan seemed a little surprised. "I am, how''d you¡ª"

    "There was a Shadowborn on the Silver Devils team. Cenn, they called him. Tene had created him. Quite a specimen." He said, smiling. "I prefer them more than Shades."

    Thaan narrowed his eyes and shifted his attention towards Altair. "What do you want to do?"

    Altair stared at the pirs in the distance. "It would be too easy to simply destroy them. I figure that''ll be outside the Realm of possibility. I''m sure that¡ª"

    "ALTAIR!!" Thundered Cedric, flying towards Altair like a feral beast, his spear seeking to run him through.The winds tore, and the veranda they stood on turned to rubble from the visceral power Cedric generated.

    [Ding]

    Name: Cedric

    Race: Silver Dragon

    Str: 1130

    Dex: 906

    Con:743

    Wis: 643

    Chr:514

    Mana: 176

    Altair didn''t react much, while Cedric was indeed stronger. His Mana was severelycking. That would be his in.

    An eruption that turned the Red Raven into rubble exploded, tearing Altair off his feat as Cedric''s spear shattered the barrier he was in, losing nearly two-thirds of its power. The Prince slid Shadoww from its scabbard and shed his sword towards Cedric the instant his spear broke his barrier.

    "Die," Cedric roared, erupting with all his Mana. His wrist flickered, twisting the spear so that it met with Altair''s sword. Unfortunately, just when Cedric''s spear was seeking to engage Altair''s sword, the Prince''s de vanished.

    Blood gushed from out of his chest in a geyser, spraying over the ground where theynded. Startling everyone present as Altair Mana painted the skies. "Your body is a little hard. It''s a shame I don''t have my original sword. It might have severed you in two."

    Cedric staggered back with a horrified expression, clutching his chest. The wound wasn''t that deep, but Altair had still managed to sh through a few bones. "Your Mana¡­ How high is your Mana?"

    The Prince gave a bloodthirsty smile as his shadow grew long. "Peak of the second Awakening," he said when two Bappets emerged from his shadow. Slightly changed burning with the mes of Mana. They roared, wielding the madness of their master. Arcs of infernal lightning tore towards the skies like mad beasts, terrifying thend as the Mana they bore frightened everyone around them.

    Bloodstain electrical arcs thundered as the two beasts hammered at the ground with their great swords. They moved, opening up the King''s Domain; they both used Sovereign Gale to move, arriving before Cedric in the blink of an eye. Their des mirroring [Grave of Night] to perfection as their des shed.

    Cedric might have had superior stats, but his skills with the de could not bepared to the skill these two Bappets wielded, empowered by the Infernal Lightning.

    Ember rang out like shes of light, sending shockwaves throughout the skies and on the ground as they shed around the city, moving at speeds that made the speed of sound seem irrelevant.

    "Release us, Master," said Kirr greedily.

    The Prince did, allowing his pale night alongside an army of Demons at his rear to rise from out of his shadow. He stared dead at Cedric, whose expression turned pale when he saw all forty of his shadows thundering with Infernal Lightning.

    Kirr had been the first to move with Sovereign''s Gale. One second, he was there. The next he was before Cedricbatting the two Bappets; when he arrived, cleaving his de down, Kirr vanished once more. Just as Cedric prepared his sword to parry, he was behind him, startling him as his sword cut across his back.

    Everything had happened so quickly that Cedric couldn''t even catch his breath when several other shadows appeared. Nia arrived with her ability to manipte her perception of time. Her dual pupils shone like endless stars, manipting the concept of time to reveal his weakness faster than a blink of an eye.

    Her spear roared with a horrid power arcing into a de, shrieking into a ribbon of sma arriving on his shoulder, boring a gaping hole in his arm the moment he turned to confront Kirr.

    Cedric was sted off the ground, skidding over the earth like a stone.

    "Nice!" Kirr gave a thumbs up, twirling his de towards Cedtric, who caught himself a few secondster.

    "How¡­How¡­ How are all your Mana so powerful?!"

    The Prince didn''t answer, summoning his grimore. He nced at Ren, who nodded, and then Aurora, who took his grimore with a warm smile. The World of Shadows Grimoire shook for a moment before recognizing Aurora as Altair.

    "I will not fall!" shouted Cedric, erupting with all his Mana when he suddenly froze as tendrils of shadows sprang out from beneath his feet, freezing him.

    Aurora gave a chilling grin, "Shadow Cage."

    Cedric''s eyes went wide when he saw Reina emerge from the shadow with [Broken Moon], her sword barreling through his chest in an upward arc. Ice chopped through many of his ribs, sting him through the air, where the Prince weed him.

    "Bet you didn''t see thising," Altair asked, as his foot gently pressed against Cedric''s head. The Prince smiled, applying Necrotic me to his Mana.

    [200 ¡ú 400]

    A/N: 2000 Minimum Con to defend

    Deste Descent

    The Realm howled as the Vale bore form out of subspace like a terrifying demon hounding the skies with presence. It tore the fabric of space, twisting its nature.

    As if a teardrop had descended through the skies, pirs of Vale Qi spiraled out of control, twisting thend to dust. The skies tore apart. Clouds turned to ethereal vaper perishing before the eyes of gods and mortals alike. The Vale whipped out in a lion-like roar, splintering all of Vesim in a purgatory of damnation.

    So horrid was its power that the tectonic tes of yarwin moved and shattered, bleeding molten rocks forming beneath its surface, spewing hundreds of meters into the air.

    Altair smirked, using mana maniption to stand on top of the magma as though it were water. "Pathetic," He said, clutching Cedric, whose eyes had popped out of his skull. He had managed in time to triple his constitution, but it was a little toote.

    "D-D-Don''t¡­" mulled Cedric weakly.

    Altair sneered, snapping the neck of the man who hadn''t taken him seriously. Had he used all his strength in the first ce, none of this might have happened. Altair''s Mana had been powerful, cupped with his ability to Manipte Mana; it had ensured that he had one hundred percent control of how destructive his Mana was.

    [Cedric Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Soul of Cedric Aquired]

    Watching the body of Cedric turn to ash, Altair kicked out of the abyss he''d created, pulling with magma and out towards the city.

    There were hundreds of eyes on him, but the Prince didn''t say a word to them. Rather, he smiled, ncing at his shadows, pointing towards the onlookers.

    "ughter them all. And bring me their souls. Spare none."

    "What are you¡ª" Before Ragnar got his question out, blood painted the ground in a geyser of red as Altair''s Pale Knight shed through the city, reaping life.

    The Prince stared at Ragnar with a look that could only be described as disdain. "It was a smart move. Unfortunately, the lives of everyone present will serve me better in death." he smiled devilishly, turning to Beelzubub. "Do you have any objections?"

    The Monarch of Mythos bellowed intoughter.

    "None!"

 Chapter 192: Festival of Chaos: Clash

    Ragnar and Zaros felt their stomachs turn at the ughter taking ce. Men and women alike were being butchered like cattle while children were taken away and thrown towards the feet of Altair to be transported away. They''d each seen the ughter brought on by the demons of the Nine Hells but could not differentiate between the madness of the demons and Altair.

    "Monster!" Ragnar spat as the men and women of Babels Tower began to fight back but quickly began to understand the horrendous difference between skills. The mortal limit of one swordsmanship had been set at D-Rank. Achieving that rank was usually only obtained by either a genius or those who absorbed a Soul Shard that houses the information of what it had been engraved with.

    Even amongst the denizens of Babels Tower, what Altair had done whilemon was damn near impossible based on the grade of swordsmanship that clearly came into perspective when they saw his shadows grey skin abominations that bore burning yellow eyes wield a level of skill reserved for only unrivaled monsters.

    Vesim was a blood bath, and worse yet, many men and women were not even fighting back. Enthralled by some devilish power neither Ragnar nor Zaros could ce. They could only watch. Watch as many of their rivals were butchered before their very eyes.

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest, smiles in your favor]

    [Divine being ''She Who Hunts'' rejects this mindless ughter]

    [Divine being Piercing Owl shakes her head in disapproval]

    [Divine Sin Archeon approves of your actions.

    [Divine Being She Who Hunts ims that if a devil approves of your actions, that ought to be a red g.]

    Altair stared coldly at the notifications, trying to handle the memories of souls his shadows delivered to him, but he couldn''t be bothered to exin his circumstance to the Gods. He had mated with a Nephilim and was now practically one. Like his mate, he was now cursed, doomed to forever be beneath the boot of the gods.

    ''I won''t justify my actions, but¡­ to survive, I need power¡­ I need lived experiences.'' The Prince thought, a feral smile rising over his lips. He took in the sight of the in bodies turning to ashes with each kill, their souls entering his body.

    "You bloody monster!" Zaros cursed, and something akin to a domain expanded over fifty meters, passing through Altair''s body.

    The Prince frowned, feeling his blood suddenly begin to act up, but before he could do much, Reina patted his shoulder, calming his blood, to Altair''s surprise. In a single instance, he had felt his meridians begin to close themselves to mana.

    "I didn''t know blood could do that?"

    "It''s fucking awesome, right?" said Ren gleefully. "It''s not an Aspect I follow, but¡­ hmmm." she frowned, and suddenly, like Altair, the understanding of Aspect began to unravel through her mind, startling her as sheughed.

    Everything had happened so quickly that she pped herself on the forehead. "I''m so stupid. So that''s what Aspects are for¡­ there like Mortal Paths of Dao."

    "Is that how you see it?" Altair wondered, noticing the slight difference in how he thought they were. He was in slight disagreement with it but had nothing he could actually disagree about. He was still learning about Aspects. And despite already being on the precipice of creating his own, he found Rens ''aspects'' of aspects to be interesting.

    "We ought to discuss this at ater time," Ren informed him, studying Zaros with a curious gleam in her blood-red eyes. ''Fourth Circle with an affinity for blood.'' She judged him to be studying the way in which he moved. Reina reached for ''Ice'' on her back, unveiling her presence that came like a horrid mountain upon Vesim.

    "I''m not impressed,'' Zaros spat, opening his palm, conjuring a blood-red ive. When it appeared, the blood soaking the cobblestone street began to rise into small droplets.

    Zaros Dracul

    Race: Vampire

    Str: 847

    Dex:751

    Con: 713

    Wis: 647

    Chr: 514

    Mana: 321

    Altair monitored his stats, which were more than double their stats, and smiled when he felt Reina''s battle intent spike. The difference in power while high wasn''t overwhelming. Not enough that Reina''s swordsmanship and footwork could not match.

    ''Plus, she has Vale Qi and my Almighty Resistance.'' he thought, shifting his attention to Ragnar.

    "Altair ckwood, this isn''t the time to kill one another," Ragnar shouted.

    "On the contrary,'' said Aurora, gripping the World of Shadows Grimior. "If these spirits need people to revive, isn''t it better we ughter them all?"

    "This is madness! Look at what you''re doing!" Ragnar roared, pointing towards the blood bath.

    Led by Jorm, who had be something of a leader amongst Altair''s shadow, a systematic order of ughter was being waged.

    Altair wasn''t phased. What Aurora said was the reality of their situation. Perhaps if he weren''t a necromancer, he wouldn''t wage a ughter amongst the denizens of Vesim, but he needed bodies desperately.

    ''Beelzebub had called them Soul Kings,'' He thought, uncertain of the terminology, but none of it sounded good.

    "If you must me someone," Altair said calmly, " me the Gods who chose to hunt me down. Or did you think I''d forget such an offense? Every soul devoured, I''ll learn the names of each of everyst one of you." He raised his head with a bloodthirsty smile. " And I swear I''ll damn you to the Nine Hells if it''s thest thing I do."

    "You''re a bloody madman!" said Ragnar, unsheathing the double-edged sword on his hip. The hum of steel rippled through the air, following the intangible might of the Time Lords.

    The painted blood began to dry before it came a festering gue of rot that slowly died until nothing was left.

    "Lyain," said Syris calmly, ncing towards the twelve pirs stretching as high as the wall. "Go destroy those pirs if you can. If not, retreat. I''m sure the other 9th Circles are trying to do the same."

    "But Altair¡­"

    "Is baiting everyone." Syris hurriedly said. "The weak will flee, but the strong will flock to us," she informed her. "Or did you forget Altair has the only way to actually grant us a peaceful night? I don''t know about you, but I can''t fight for six months straight. His domain will be the only ce we¡ª"

    Feral light pierced the skies in a baptism of radiance, shrowding the night sky in a tremendous might that swallowed Vesim, threatening to bring Syris to her knees. She cursed, looking up towards the great skies of Vesim, and a chill ran down the back of everyone.

    Hundreds of blood-red eyes opened through the night, spirling like a vicious beast as if trying to spot their prey.

    "Shit!" Syris cursed, feeling such a horrifying power bearing its fangs to the Realm. She hurriedly turned to the Devil on her knees.

    "Can''t you do something? Dy or¡ª"

    Thanatos snatched Syris by the shoulder, tossing her body away as Tasha''s palm whipped out with every intention to im her head. A massive gale wind tore through the city like a knife cutting through mountains and ravines.

    "Yes, my Master!" Tasha said, shaking with such dreadyers of sweat slithered down her voluptuous figure.

    ''Why is it all these damns Snows are professionals at pissing people off?'' Thanatos thought, cursing his luck.

    "We need to leave her to Heaven''s Gate," said Zag, feeling Tasha''s aura paint the skies in a demonic might. "If they can''t do anything, I''ll use my Divinity. You wasted yours, right?"

    "You know I did." Thaan cursed, recalling when Altair was going through his metamorphosis. Had he not used his Divinity, then he might have been atomized into nothing. "A Nine Circle Devil, even with your Divinity aiding you, will not allow you any possible chance of victory. You know that, right? Seal her."

    "Damn devils," Zag spat, ncing around for any traces of Heavens'' Gate but saw none. He knew they were hiding. "Ren can''t you know¡ª-"

    "Sit, doggy!" Ren shouted wildly, but Tasha floated nkly in the air, wrapped in an unfamiliar Authority. "Guess not! Sheughed, charging towards Zaros, dashing forth with Broken Moon. Her body flew like a blur, tracing over the battlefield.

    Ice met, and ive collided in a horrid shockwave that had buildings being torn apart from the sheer shockwave of it all. The winds turned to howls, tearing through stones like a hot knife through butter. The earth was torn apart.

    Zaros was shaken. Despite clearly being stronger, his swordsmanship was not anywhere near Reina''s, nor her footwork. shes of embers ricocheted over the battlefield as their bodies danced in such a way it didn''t seem remotely possible for mortals when they emerged between Altair and Ragnar, preparing to sh.

    Ren gave her Prince a subtle nce, and with a half smile, he beamed forward, not towards Ragnar but Zaros with the aid of the King Domain; he was in front of the unsuspecting vampire in an instant.

    Altair''s sigil shed through his eyes, conjuring Shadow Cage in tandem to his palm, hitting against Zaros''s heart. The energy of the Vale punctured the Realm, filling the many red eyes in the skies with an indescribable fear.

    Upon his throne, Beelzubub had his brows creased. "That is¡­ the Vale," he whispered so softly it was heard by none. "That shouldn''t be possible. How the Hell is it here?"

 Chapter 193: Festival of Chaos: Devils Deal

    The ice that had covered the streets began to wane, disappearing into a clear liquid and soon vaper following the Baelfire that zed from off of Tasha''s curvy figure.The mes burned and iridescent violet, tainted by shrieking tongues of ck.

    "You must die¡­" said Tasha so loosely it echoed without much vigor. Her eyes were upon the Prince as he stood still, his palm dripping with the might of the Vale.

    "Perhaps," the young Prince remarked.He nced at Ren, signaling to her to protect him while he dealt with Tasha or, rather, Astaroth. "You''ll not kill me. No, you''re not stupid.Are you oh Prince of Hell." there had been a sort of mockery in his voice as it echoed past Tasha''s mind into Astaroth.

    "Aria''s soul is indeed within my possession.Quite a soul she possesses," he said, teasing a half smile upon his lips. "And as you can see, the souls of those I kill are being devoured by me."

    The mes lessened over thends,allowing the cold to enter.

    "Yes,quite a soul, this Aria Silvermane possesses.But I am¡­ what''s the word willing to pay?" He smirked as the mes vanished outright. Thanatos and Zagreus came to his side, guarding his being against unwarranted attacks. "Or I could, you know, offer a prayer to the Sepith.To grant them her soul."

    A voice that was not her own tore from out of Tasha''s windpipes. "The Sepith would not deal with one so bloodthirsty."

    "Perhaps not.But what about other Fallen watching? I''m sure they are curious about dear old Aria." Altair remarked,resting Shadoww on his shoulder. An image of a wolf cornering his prey surfaced through his mind.

    ''Asteroth had revealed his hand quite early in this game,''he thought. ''Commanding a devil after him,seeking to descend. He was desperate.''

    The grueling voice spoke from out of Tasha, "What do you propose?"

    "hmmmm.I will loan you Aria. She''ll be one of my shadows. Just like Aurora here."

    The possessing spirit of Astaroth nced at the gray-skinned beauty, who shot him a wink.

    "Bastard¡­ you''d give me your thrall?"

    "They are no thrall," said Altair, frowning. "Those I kill are reborn through my power as sentient beings with their own free will."

    "Save your idealistic bullshit for yourself." Astroth intoned but went silent nheless. The situation was less than ideal for his liking.However, Altair had proved that he possessed Authority over those he killed,unlike anything a Fallen like himself had ever witnessed.

    To im a soul that had been rightfully his¡­ was unheard of. Demons had only two masters.Lilith, the Mother of all Demons and Devils and the Fallen of the Hells.But somehow, Altair had them beneath hismand¡­ his thrall.

    None of that sat well with Astaroth. He had to admit he underestimated the boy. However¡­ wasn''t this also a chance?

    Astaroth found his smile. "You are either brave or ignorant, perhaps both. Hand me the girl. And I will allow you your life."

    The Prince gave a smooth smile. "Give you? I think a trade is in order, don''t you? I do enjoy my life, but I''m not really concerned about a devil, of all things killing me. As with many children of the Old Gods, we all have resources to use in order to escape,right?"

    Zagreus was smiling at the shit spewing from out of Altair''s lips.The boy had no type of escape n or life-saving treasure,though he supposed Tenebrae might have added a few to his soul. What mother with her resources wouldn''t?

    Altair lifted Shadoww. "Inscribe my de with the infernal Runes of Mythos." he nced at Beelzebub,the Lord of the Seventh Hell,and so too did Astaroth.

    "bastard," hissed Astaroth beneath his breath.

    "When you create the spine, please don''t skimp out. Thest thing I need is to know that a Prince of Hell¡­the Creator of Time,cks in the most basic knowledge of inscriptions.

    It was then that Altair''s pupils contracted. ''How did I know Asteroth was the creator of time?'' he wondered with a foreboding premonition.

    Both Astaroth and Beelzebub were staring at Altair curiously.That information had been lost since the dawn of time. Few records still existed about that miraculous feat.

    Neither of them spoke of the matter, seeing it wasn''t the time nor the ce.

    "Fine," said Astaroth calmly. "just hand me the girl."

    "Oh, and take her knight to¡ª"

    Tasha snapped, and in a sudden instance, a mythical ck light swarmed the battlefield, blocking even Beelzebub''s eyes.

    ***

    When the darkness suddenly cleared, Altair carried the brightest smile as he stared at Shadoww, radiating an ancient red glow. Over its glossy edgeid the infernal script of the nine hells.

    The sword felt lighter, carrying a horrid aura of rot¡­ of contamination.But none of that Altair cared much for.Rather, what he loved was that he could input a hundred percent of his Mana into the de without any of it leaking.

    It was as if Shadoww had be an extension of his arm or, better yet, his meridians.

    "I''m so awesome!" he said, giving himself a pat on his back.

    "I wanna try it! "said Ren, eyeing the de like meat.

    "... The stench of Irka," Beelzebub thought, unsure what deal Altair and Astaroth came to. Nevertheless,the sword in Altair''s possession was¡­ adequate for a mortal.

    For a soul or de to be fully corrupted, it needed to spend an incalcble amount of time in the Hells, and Beelzebub could sense Shadoww had traveled from the firstyer, Avenos, to the secondyer, allowing the de to not only gain the properties of part of the Hells but its runes.

    ''He ought to be able to triple his stats with that de alone.'' Thought the Monarch, tapping his finger across his armrest.

    "It''s mine," Altair mused, ncing at ''ice'' in Reina''s hand; his gaze slid to Zaros, who he had sted away, walking back from the grueling trek ofnd his body had barreled through. The top half of his clothing had been torn apart with a shallow hole from where Altair''s Vale Qi had torn through shone. Nevertheless, He was smiling with an impressive gleam in his eye, staring dead at Altair.

    "Are we still fighting?" He asked, wiping the blood away from his lips.

    Ragnar studied Zaros. "How are your injuries?"

    "Crippling. Whatever Mana he used isn''t allowing me to heal." Said Zaros, unable to stop smiling. His circles were heavily injured, and he could not even pull two-thirds from his reserves. "But if I''m to die, I might as well die fighting, right?"

    Ragnar was grim. Vampires were known for their inhuman ability to regenerate, allowing them to regrow arms or reattach lost limbs. For his healing factor to be unable to heal him, Ragnar knew he was lucky that he didn''t engage Altair without showing his full power.

    "Did you really give up, Aria?" Asked Ren, studying the crimson-ck de.

    Altair grinned. "Let''s talk about that within the pce. We wouldn''t want unwarranted gods to know our business." And his gaze swayed to Ragnar and Zaros. "Let''s take care of you two now."

    The two young masters went on guard, but against all reason, Altair merely opened his palm. And from the wound where he''d struck Zaros, ck nodes of Vale Qi gathered.

    "Our little bout is over." He said as dozens of Ninth Circles began to appear. Their faces were pale, but the aura around their bodies was brimming with Mana.

    "Tasha, might you take us to the pce? I''ve much to discuss with the king of Vesim," He said, ncing towards the Lilm''s pale face.

    "Our business is finished; I''ve no reason to¡ª"

    "I mean, you can try to leave, but I''m sure Lord Malzeen here might take offense to that. After all, he did take the time out of his busy schedule to entertain everyone." Said the Prince with a smooth grin. "So please lead the way. No reason we can''t be allies, right? Plus, if I die, so too does Aria. And who knows the type of rage your master will fall into if that were to happen.

    You''d be lucky if he tore your skin off."

    Tasha wanted to cry. She, a ninth circle Lim, a devil, was being ckmailed by a boy of fifteen.

    "Oh yes¡­ and I''d just love to learn more about Mythos," Ren added. "That''s theyer you''re from, right? It seems so¡ª" Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelFire

    "This isn''t over!" Ragnar shouted, fist curling into balls. He pointed towards all the dying men and women. "Stop this madness."

    Altair made a face. " Why? The more people die, the less these Spirits can revive. Personally, I don''t want to be a victim. And if I don''t do it¡­ these Ninth Circles here might." He nced at the twelve Nh Cirlces, memorizing their faces, before he walked towards Zaros. He smiled, offering a palm.

    "Let''s have a real fight one day."

    Zaros touched his chest, which had healed when Vale Qi left his meridians. Heughed, taking the Prince by the hand. "Well yed. I made the mistake of not taking you into consideration. Next time."

    Reina stuck out her tongue at him. While Zagreus, Thaan, and Syris followed after the Prince, led away by Tasha. No one tried to stop him¡­ for they knew he was right. In order to survive, the lives of those who are weak would only serve as a detriment in this cruel festival.

    "By the time we are done¡­ I''ll have my own functional kingdom," Altair mused with a feverish smile. "And soon¡­ I''ll have my very own army."

 Chapter 194: Festival of Chaos: Astral Sea

    On the way towards the Pce Walls, Altair was finally allowed time to think of what had happened to him with Astaroth.

    ''Creator of Time,'' he''d said some minutes ago.

    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 epassed 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 thest 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 suddenpse 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 pce 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 whenpared to the Pce 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 rmed.

    "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 de of Dawn, Varrquess, who now sat on the throne.

    "Kingyer," 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 yed him to sit upon the throne of the one whom they were sworn to protect made his gut twist.

    "For there to be nomotion. 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, ck 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 ncing toward the ceiling. He lifted a finger, drawing the Sigil of Death upon the air with the aid of Mana. The sigil glowed a ck 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 shed 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 identally send themselves to the Hells by touching upon runic symbols that exist within their souls."

    Read new chapters at m_v-l''e-NovelFire

    "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 Kingyer 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¡ª"

    Altair nced at Tashazily. "Then have him aid me. I want all the children below the age of twelve. ve or not. And... I don''t know a few tons of Mythril."

    The Kingyer stood up from his throne. "You want the children? Are you mad? Our people are¡ª"

    "Are absolute ves 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 ursed fate if possible."

    A predatory look filled the Princes'' features. He pointed towards the Kingyer with a feverish smile, tasting the rage. "You are but a ve, yourself. Why else would this devil here put you in charge? You sold your soul. You''re practically every demon''s bitch."

    "Altair ckwood, 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 havee 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 ofughter, 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 nted 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 beughing, 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 n to use kids as cannon fodder, I''ll happily take them off your hands."

    "Just do it," Tasha said calmly. ying 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 y her cards right¡­ perhaps Astaroth might grant her ''Authority'' amongst her kin.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 195: Festival of Chaos: Chaos Lords

    Made to bow, Varquess''s fingers bit at his clenched fists.He wanted to scream to curse, but before his Lady, he could only force a smile. He had offered his everything to the hells. His soul, his body, and his pride. And now it seemed even the kingdom he desired was falling through his fingers like sand.

    "Kingyer," Altair spoke up, measuring the man in a sort of different light. Thest time he had seen him, he seemed so insurmountable, annihting Forwin in a single stroke of his sword.Now? Now, he seemed small. He could smell the stench of the hells upon him. Eating away at his body and soul.

    ''What was a man without a soul?'' he wondered, unable to even pretend what was before him was a king. Altair could not deny Varquess was powerful. But was simply being powerful enough to be a king?

    Where was his regal might? His poised eyes? The mere image of the man made him sick.

    "I care little about how you do it. What matters are results. I''m sure you can see it, but this city is going to be wiped away. Gather as many children as you can. Do so for¡ª" he stopped, awakened to a sudden possibility that might lift his hopes. He hurriedly turned to Tasha and Thanatos.

    Altair opened his mouth to speak to seek confirmation but stopped himself. ''I mustn''t be hasty,'' he thought, shaking his head. ''We''ll talk when we''re away from the eyes of gods."

    Tasha frowned at the caution he portrayed. Based on her understanding of the boy, he was reckless. ''Could it be that had been a front? A front to trick everyone? Cursing Lord Astaroth before all that was the Myriad Heavens?''

    "Interesting." Said Thaan.

    "Indeed. For now, Ren, Syris, and Zag will go out to monitor the city. I''m curious about the eyes within the skies. They''ve not done anything. Have they?"

    "A true hunter knows when to strike,"Said Thaan calmly. "Killing themoners was the correct strategy; however, that will not do much in the long run."

    "I disagree," Altair shook his head. "Defeating those Soul Kings isn''t very likely. At least not in the traditional sense. So why not make thepetition amongst each other fierce? The more we kill, the fewer points they can collect to resurrect. But why has none of them at least tried to stop me or my shadows?"

    Thanatos had no answer, but there had been a smile on his face. ''It will seem entering his Astral Sea has allowed him to have a better perspective of the world around him.''

    "This is just a wild hypothesis, but it''s because they''re vulnerable."

    "Vulnerable?" Said Syris, thinking it over. "I guess that makes sense. Malzeen did say that they require a thousand points in order to reach the second awakening."

    Around them, everyone present aside from Varquess possessed a value of one thousand, signifying their value. Varquess, despite his Eight Circles, held only a low value of eighty. A pitiful number made known of his mortal bloodline and destiny.

    Reina touched her devious lips and slid an eye towards the Lilm. "What do you think Lord Malzeen has in store with these Soul Kings of his? I''m sure a devil like you ought to have a fundamental understanding of souls."

    "To resurrect people from the dead is a simple feat for us Devils. Especially when the soul of our target is within our possession." Tasha said, choosing her words carefully. "Altair is correct. A soul is usually defenseless in its raw state. That''s why the body exists. It''s there to protect the Soul me."

    "Then they''re defenseless?"

    "No." Tasha shook her head. "Soul Kings, if I remember right, are souls taken from the Astral Realm. Beings who focus directly on the cultivation of souls. They are terrifyingly powerful. Fighting not with their Mana but rather their Souls. For them to be Soul Kings means they must have had extremely high battle prowess, potentially Chaos Lords."

    "Chaos Lords?" Said Ren.

    "It''s Realm of Battle Prowess that once stood at the precipice of creation," Syris answered with a deadpan expression. "They are beings who, in theory, touched upon the Dao of Perfection without actually getting too close.

    Mastering their art¡­ and every other art to the highest peak possible: They were so renowned they were called Lords of Chaos because when they descended into battle, all they left behind was utter chaos and ruin."

    Altair turned to Thanatos, but he shook his head. "I''ll exin our situation to you, but for now, all I can say is no, we are not Chaos Lords anymore."

    ''Anymore,'' he thought peculiarly, uncertain of what he meant. Nevertheless, Altair could see neither Thaan nor Zag sought to exin themselves now. He didn''t push. It wasn''t the time.

    "What are the chances that these Soul Kings are, as you said, Chaos Lords?"

    "Low," said Tasha, darkly uncertain herself. "That''s why it''s imperative we find a way to survive this Festival. Our best bet is allying ourselves with the major powers: The Ironbloods. My spies tell me that one of the princesses is amongst their armies."

    "We¡ª" Taken back by the sudden rumble outside the pce walls, Varquees readied himself when Altair spoke up. "Worry about the mission you were assigned. Get your heralds to gather the kids. Go."

    Varquess stared at Altair with such a look of venom he vanished before his anger took hold of him.

    Altair ignored him. "Thaan monitor him."

    The Former God of Death evaporated into nodes of light, vanishing before the eyes of everyone.

    "Now, then, our next course of action is to gather relevant souls." Altair began once more, a slight edge to his voice. " Ragnar and Zaros are two that both held the same value as us. We can''t allow people like him to perish. We must either kill them or recruit them to our side."

    "Didn''t you just try to kill them?" Syrisughed.

    "Tasha here is scheming to screw me over." He pointed out, ncing at the devil, who awkwardly smiled, once more feeling she was underestimating him. "They''ll get over it. And if they don''t, I''ll seriously try to kill them. We''ve six months in this godforsaken ce to receive an S Rank Skill. Whatever humiliation Ragnar might have faced will fade before his greed."

    Syris snickered. "I knew staying by your side was the right call. Things went from boring as shit to crazy. I like." A predatory gleam shed across her features. "Well, when do we start?"

    "Now. Tasha lead us to the major powers. Let''s stop by the Ironbloods first. I¡ª"

    BOOOOM~

    Nearly sted away by the searing heat threatening to kick them away, the doors to the throne room were flung open, mming across the hinges with a bang!

    "Nice Pce," said the familiar voice that made Altair groan.

    "Not this guy again."

    From the threshold, several eyes spotted Vynn''s silvery eyes stepping through the embers of mes reeling through the throne room. Behind him, Draxian, his shield, stood wielding a sword made of fire.

    [400]

    Spotting the number above his head, Altair scuffed, unsure where his arrogance had originated.

    "It''s¡­ you," Vynn muttered, noticing the familiar clothing of Altair and the masked image of Ren. His handsome expression contorted into a hideous grimace. "Bastard! Have you any idea the amount of trouble you''ve¡ª"

    "Do you ever shut up?" Syris asked, unable to hear anymore. "Gods. You''re fucking annoying. What do you want, now?"

    Vynn''s gaze swept over the masked Ren, Syris, and Altair and settled upon Tasha. His pupils contracted, feeling his blood pull to his lower half.

    "Hells," he gasped, never before seeing a woman so ravenously beautiful.

    Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin

    Tasha grinned. " Hells indeed. Who might you be, young man?"

    "We''ve no time for losers," Altair told her. "Lead the way towards the Ironbloods."

    "What makes you think I know the way?" asked Tasha as a sort of test to push his buttons when under stress.

    Altair''s expression did not change. Masked by an intangible mask, he spoke, "Lead the way, Devil."

    The edge in his voice had been one of warning. A warning Tasha had been quick to hear. She hadn''t been quite sure what manner of power or authority he was relying on, but an indescribable whisper gave rise to a submission.

    She bowed in an elegant curtsy, her lips curled up. "Please, right this way." She waved a hand, and before the eyes of everyone, the mes within the castle turned to nothing. She lifted her gaze to Draxian, measuring the man for half a beat, and stepped past him.

    "Wai¡ª" Vynn had been about to speak when a hand covered his mouth, silencing his tongue. Draxian said nothing, allowing them to leave, feeling all the strength leave his body.

    "Dog! DO that once more, and I''ll kill you myself!" Vynn barked, spitting over the ground, having tasted his servant''s palm.

    "That woman¡­" Draxian muttered, shaking so vigorously that Vynn, through his rage, began to notice. "That woman¡­ Gods¡­ Holy Lord of Cinder!"

    Vynn paled. "Dog, what are you on about?"

    "We¡­ I must inform his majesty. Gods! He must know." Draxian mewled,yered by sweat seeping out of his clothing. He began to gasp, falling to a knee. Unable to help the shaking radiating from out of his being, the terror of it all clouding his eyes like a dense mist. "Gods¡­It''s them¡­ it''s them again."

    "Draxian?" Vynn called, beginning to worry. "What is going on?"

    "A Devil. That there was a Devil, boy! A DEVIL!"

 Chapter 196: Festival of Chaos: Astral Prism

    The streets had been lined with so many bodies that they stood like mounds awaiting the pyres to help cleanse thend. The smell had been harsh, and the noise, the screams deafening. Each second, each kill of a single shadow filled the Prince''s mind, chiming without end. The numbers were endless.

    The bodies of many had been carved apart, their heads bashed until their eyes popped form out of their sockets, tongues gorged out by a cruel demon shadow or Imps. Many died in pain, their windpipes inmed by the hoarse wails, the begging, and the praying.

    ''It had to be done,'' Altair thought, unsure what manner of God those within Vesim prayed to. Were they Heralds of Astarorth, Worshipers of the Sepith? He didn''t know, nor did he wish to find out. Children were impressionable, expressly those who knew nothing of the terrors of war. Many of them sought peace, just like their parents.

    The Ironbloods were all stationed within one of the cathedrals of the Sepith. The cathedral was perhaps the second-greatest building within Vesim. Beautiful snow white and grey stone sculpted in an ordained wonder that made any mortal man gasp in awe. Yet there was an air of death upon the cathedral.

    There was little reason to wonder why. Altair knew the moment that Varquees had felled his King to take the throne. He hadid waste to the Sisters of Sepith. He nced at Tasha, knowing it was perhaps with her aid as well.

    And for a moment, he was reminded of the City of Sacrilege he''d visited once. A shudder passed through his mind, recalling the horrid debauchery.

    Tasha felt his eyes and spoke without turning, sensing some internal conflict in the boy. "Would you like to ask me something, young Lord?"

    Ren silently nced from her Prince to the Lilm, back to her mate, the reds of her eyes sharpening.

    "That City¡­ the one you visited. Why''d you do that? How''d you do it?"

    "That City?" Tasha began to think. Frowned and then smiled. "Ah, I know the one." she touched her lips. The seductive glow of her eyes found Altair''s. "Yarwin is under my dominion. That city, Rutar, was the mark of my descent.

    The lustful madness, the murder, and the rapes are but a consequence of mortals being beneath my presence. Did you enjoy it? From my experience, most awaken a primal desire in ces like those."

    Altair sneered. "It was disgusting."

    "Yet every man and woman were mounting the other like deprave animals. The greatest feat of a devil, Young Master, is the corruption of one''s Soul. Demons seek to destroy; Devils seek to corrupt, to im."

    "From devils, demons are born, right?"

    Tasha grinned. " You know the Infernal Bible. Indeed. Such mindless creatures, demons, are. Savages so enthralled by the Seven Sins, they be mindless beasts. Useful though in times such as these."

    As they approached the cathedral, the two guards sought to stop them; however, beneath the [Eye of Sacrilege], their bodies straightened, and the very idea of stopping their lord faded.

    The doors shot open, pulling the eyes of many towards Tasha leading them inside. None of the Ironbloods said a word, but weapons were slowly being drawn in caution. Shoulders grew clenched, arms poised upon the pommel of their des and shooters. They entered into the sanctuary, finding an old seamed face upon the altar.

    Talled, covered in scars made by spears, daggers, axes, and swords, he stood, d in elegant red robes rather than armor.

    Ryzar Ironblood, they called him. Behind him, Altair saw Z''s pale face beautifully resting over a tight frown. The frown faded the second her eyes met with the Princes.

    "Altair!" She jumped up, shaken.

    ''Seems she more important than I originally thought. Interesting,'' the Prince thought, greeting her with a half smile.

    "Altair? ckwood, perhaps?" Said Ryzar in a rasped voice. His seamed face pressed together.

    "Indeed."

    Ryzar gestured to the gathering soldiers behind him, ordering them back."I''ve heard much about you. Your name is practically infamous within Babel''s Tower. Yet I wonder why you''re here?"

    "Perhaps I''m interested in joining the Ironbloods."

    "If you must lie, at least have the grace not to smile," Ryzar Ironblood said. "This is about the King Souls, correct?"

    The Prince gave a faint grin. "You know of them."

    "No more than you."

    Continue your saga on m|v-l''e-NovelBin

    "Then are you aware that they are in their most vulnerable state right now?"

    A noticeable shudder passed through the old man, drawing in a long breath of cold air. "Is this true?"

    "Why else would I be here? You Ironbloods are well-connected, right?"

    Ryzar grimaced and gave a subtle nce to Z, returning towards the Prince.

    ''More important than I originally thought.'' The Prince told himself, noting a few young men rising to their feet.

    One of them, a lean fellow with a shaven head lined with various tattoos of runic symbols, spoke out in a snarl: "And how do you know this?"

    "Be silent," Ryzar snapped.

    "Lady Tasha here has quite the experience with¡ª"

    "A woman?" shouted the stranger. Richmond, he was known. Richmond Ironblood.

    Altair exchanged awkward nces with Ren and Syris, a little confused for half a beat."Yes¡­ but what does that matter?"

    Richmond reached to a side, took a dagger from out of his belt, flipped it, and caught it with his off-hand. "She''s a woman. Of course, it matters."

    Altair didn''t entertain the man further. " As I was saying, Lady Tasha here has quite an affinity towards the souls of the Myriad Heavens."

    "You''re a practitioner of the School of Animus?" said Ryzar, with the grace to blush at his loathsome nephew.

    ''The School of the Soul,'' Altair thought, recalling the fundamental change this particr school experienced with the Rise of the Lord of Absolution, Zariel. ording to Thanatos, it had been Zariel who had been able to incorporate the ''soul'' into just about every aspect of life, amplifying the proficiency of every sort of spell and battle maneuver.

    Of the Seven Schools of the Arcanes, Animus had been the hardest to master, with Transfigurationing in at a close second.

    "All of my kind are," Said Tasha proudly. "It''s sort of an innate skill, if you will."

    Ryzar expression turned to surprise. " Soul Races are rare. Are you from the Astral Sea?"

    "Uncle, even if she is from that damned realm it¡ª"

    "Be Silent!" Ryzar roared. "That realm has been ruled by an Old God, Lord Zariel Snow, Protector of the One. He is, without question, an absolute power! All that exists within the Astral Prism is known to be monsters beyond belief. Controlling the forces of the Soul as though they were the elements. It''s said even a toddler is capable of lifting four tons."

    ''Astral Prism?" Altair questioned.

    Zagreus nodded and exined, "Much of the Astral ne is ethereal in nature, including most of its elements, seemingly existing and not existing, in a way, granting immortality since time is quite literally frozen in some areas. The Astral Prism is known to be a controllednd, allowing time alongside a plethora of elements to be corporeal. There, you''ll find one of the Prime Worlds, Asteria."

    Reina and Syris both gasped, feeling their minds sort of expand.

    "The Astral Prism is known for where all of civilization thrives, outside of that realm, well¡­ from what I hear, it one of the most beautiful things a man can see. It''s said there are gods so old that they simply exist outside the Astral Prism, lost in an endless void of wonder."

    "What is this Astral Prism made out of?"

    Ryzar hard expression broke intoughter. "That is a question only the Lord of Absolution knows. No one else is aware. However, that doesn''t stop some of the Strongest of Gods from traveling to Asteria in order to research it." he nced around at the faces of interest in the children, feeling older than ever.

    Absolute wonder graced the Prince''s eyes as he wondered about Zariel, his very own uncle he never knew. There had been so much he didn''t know about his bloodline. From his father to his uncle, much he didn''t know, indeed. Few people ever spoke of the Prime World Asteria due to its secrecy, but had often been spoken in fear.

    "Which is why these Sou Kings, while vulnerable, are still quite dangerous. They are weak right now. However, I''m sure killing a few Fourth Circles won''t be an issue for them." Tasha cut in. " As you know, the power of the Soul allows the innate ability of telekinesis. And if they are adept in the powers of the Old World, Spirit Domains will be used. They might be invincible if we don''t team up."

    "So that''s what you seek," said Ryzar calmly. "I understand. However, your team is rather¡ª"

    "Patheticly weak. Twin Circles are hardly enough to face a Soul King," Richmond cut in.

    Altair nced at the Fourth Circle, studying him with a look that sent a chill spiraling down his spine. Richmond lept back in a hurry, barreling through the long benches, sending shrapnel through the sanctuary.

    "I believe I''ve long proved myself. Would you not agree, or were you not witness to my battle against a Fifth Circle? But¡ª" He reached for Shadoww, allowing its infernal nature to rot the wood around in a thick ck tar. A seething might, burning with the very rage of the hells, tore from out the scabbard staining the air. "I''m happy to ept any challenge because I assure you.

    I''ve never been defeated."

    Reina lifted her lips and thought, ''Except by me.'' Though, she''d never say those words aloud, not before those who were not friends or allies. She''d allow her Prince that much face.

 Chapter 197: Festival of Chaos: Soul Kings

    Shadoww began to hum, letting loose a scream that set the air ame. From the de''s spine, webs of scarlet veins lit, stretching across the obsidian face. Each unit of mana Altair delivered returned threefold, spreading through his meridians like an endless flood across the body.

    Moonlight peering through murals became stained red, tarnished by a demonic rot known only to the Second Layer of Hell.

    Richmond Ironblood was horrified, whether it was the aura billowing from off the Prince or the presence of the Hells around Shadoww. Instincts overwhelmed reason, warning of the Second Circle.

    Altair nced at his sword, sensing he had not brought out all this sword''s power. ''It can do more,'' he thought, containing himself with the aid of the [Soul of the Imdominable].

    "That is enough," Ryzar tried to say, but Richmond had already be something of a blur, cutting his sword to meet Altairs. The de caught air as Altair sidestepped, flinging his sword arm upwards in a profane arc. Shadoww roared a cry of defiance as steel against steel met in an outcry of might.

    BOOOM!

    Ripped from off his feet, Richmond tore through stone like mud, piercing through the ceiling. Hended on the roof, panting. Altair followed his body''s trajectory, stopping a meter from the man.

    "W-W-What are you?" Richmond shouted through short pants of air. He nced down at this ruptured palm, feeling dozens of bones shattered in many ces along the arm.

    ''I don''t even need the boost towards my physical attributes,'' the Prince thought, ''Shadoww is channeling all my mana, ensuring that all two hundred of my mana attributes are working through my de without the slightest leakage. My control is slightlycking, but not enough to lose a point value in overall performance.''

    He gave his wrist a twirl, grinned, and shifted his focus back to Richmond.

    [Ding]

    Name: Richmond Ironblood

    Race: Titan

    Str: 800

    Dex: 754

    Con: 954

    Wis: 651

    Chr:579

    Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin

    "I held back with that one sword strike," Altair said mockingly, amused by the way the glow of the runic symbols on Richmond''s head lit up. He studied the way the wounds on his palm began to mend, stretching in an inhumane manner.

    In a few seconds, all the injuries from their sh vanished. Altair began to circle his opponent, allowing [Primal Instants] and [Foresight] to not only guide his actions but also his intuition. Shadowy images flickered through his mind, marking subtle reactions of Richmond should he move.

    "I shall not falter!" Richmond barked, unveiling a seething presence that tore at the air, stripping it from the region and leaving behind a vacuum. Thick, elongated veins began to protrude from the young Ironblood writhing beneath the flesh.

    Altair took a step back, frowning as the man began to grow, reaching nearly nine feet tall. He began tough when he saw all his stats quadruple.

    [Titans Rage]

    Multiyer: 3x

    Name: Richmond Ironblood

    Race: Titan

    Str: 800 ¡ú 3200

    Dex: 754 ¡ú 3016

    Con: 954 ¡ú 3816

    Wis: 651 ¡ú 2604

    Chr:579

    Mana: 197

    "Is this the might of a Titan?" He roared inughter as the essence of the Vale began to leak from out of his pours, cloaking his body. The reds of the iris turned to two great orbs of the deepest night in which no light could escape.

    [Deste Abyss]

    Multiyer: 3x

    Name:Altair ckwood

    Str: 903 ¡ú 2709

    Dex: 933 ¡ú 2799

    Con: 996 ¡ú 2988

    Wis: 1044 ¡ú 3132

    Chr: 900 ¡ú 2700

    Mana: 200

    A/N: +1000 Mana to Str, Dex, Con [Conditional]

    As the Vale fluttered his mind and body, a sense of icy cold coursed through the Prince''s veins, turning his face a ghastly pale.

    The thousands of eyes within the night skies spiraled towards the Prince, marking him with their piercing gaze. He met their stare. "Wait your turn¡­ I''ve quite the proposition for you all," he said, touched by a hint of greed.

    The disbelief upon Richmond hit him hard. He had never met one such as Altair: A Second Circle battling a Fourth Circle had been the stuff of legend, stories of monstrous genius spoken by the Old Gods to the new.

    He parted his legs, hopeful that his de wouldn''t be as sharp as his presence. He touched the ring on his finger, meant to protect the spirit from those stronger than himself. Richman could only pray in relief, feeling something prating his mind, peeling back theyers of mental defense.

    The pain had been a terrible thing, but the tension in his body at this moment had been something that tore his mind away from the difort, at least for a second or two.

    "Stop it," Richmond bore a grunt, nearly falling to a knee. He clutched his head, "STOP IT. Please¡­ stop what you''re doing."

    ''He can sense it?'' the Prince thought, measuring the man and then the ring that his sense of knowing directed him. He noted the subtle inscription and frowned. However, he did not remove the Eye of Sacrilege.

    "Enough, Lord ckwood,'' Ryzar shouted, with Tasha following in case he decided to attack her greatest resource.

    The Prince permitted a profane smile. "He attacked me. Rarely do those that attack me live."

    "Even if it means our deal might fall through?"

    ''A threat?'' Altair grinned. "Even then."

    Ryzar could feel the pride in which the boy spoke, both approving and disapproving of his response. ''What man didn''t have his own pride?'' he thought, nodding. "I can''t allow you to kill him," he said.

    "His life is of little importance," Altair uttered, sliding his eyes towards Richmond, clutching his head in a ball, writhing in terrible pain. "Though, I''d like that ring on his finger. The inscribed one."

    "And then this matter will rest?"

    "On my honor,'' Altair responded, intively unsure whether he was lying or not. He was a little unsure. And thought: ''If that ring could defend against [schizophrenia], could it perhaps grant me knowledge into the School of animus?''

    He managed a smile, watching the indifferent air of Ryzar, knowing he did not recognize the ring. Perhaps he might have questioned his nephew further, but the agonizing screams had been something that didn''t fit too well in his age mind. He hurried forward, pulled the ring from off his finger, gave it a good stare, and tossed it to Altair.

    He caught it, pocketing the ring, allowing the Eye of Sacrilege to pry further into the mind. Richmond''s screams had died the moment the strange ring had been pulled from off his finger, his mind taken over by the power of the profane source.

    "A devil of my word," The Prince said shamelessly.

    "Then I thank¡­ you," Ryzar whispered, his voice a mixture of anger and relief.

    The entire endeavor made Altair realize the subtleties of the [Eyes of Sacrilege]. Its ability to manipte had been something no one seemed to recognize the particr affliction. Even Richmond, who had been struck with [schizophrenia], might have recognized the soul attack but had been unable to block it.

    ''In two weeks, Richmond will hang himself¡­ but not after gifting me all his knowledge.'' the Prince thought with a feverish gleam in his eyes, slowly awaiting his life story.

    Again, he smiled. " Now then, shall we discuss¡ª"

    The skies began to writhe, reeling with its thousand eyes. The frigid winds picked up, pulled by an intangible force. From North to South, East to West, it reeled, pulling stone from earth in a whirlwind of destruction.

    So powerful the winds, Altair was pulled high into the air, saved by Tasha, who caught his arm, jerking him back down. In a single moment, the ceiling of the cathedral was torn away and cast into the heavens. The darkness howled with the ravaging might of the winds, carving through Vesim.

    The thousand eyes fell down towards the realm like liquid rain, ck as the sea within the night.

    Ryzar''s fingers reeled, conjuring a strange sigil within the school of Abjuration to create a barrier around what was left of the cathedral. Tasha did the same with a grim frown upon her face; even so, the winds somehow were able to prate right through the barrier as though it didn''t exist.

    ''Astral Qi,'' she thought grimly, pulling Altair into the cathedral.

    "Head towards the crypts," Ryzar shouted, herding his men downwards. Holding onto his faint nephew and Z, he pointed towards one of the staircases a little ways outside the sanctuary.

    Within his party, Ryzar had at least thirty thousand, all of them within the Fourth Circle or higher. But despite that, they were left defenseless, about a hundred flung into the air, caught only by the barrier of protection he''d created in time.

    "Don''t follow them," Altairmanded Tasha, pulling himself out from her embrace, sensing an unfamiliar sensation prate his meridian, targeting¡­ his Astral Sea. His sense of knowing warned him of his impending downfall as he struggled free to look at the falling ''Rain.''

    Beelzubub''s words rang true in his head, ''You are not the heroes in this game, but the victims.'' he''d said hours ago.

    Knowing, passed through the Prince, studying the way the many eyes vanished from the skies, and knew¡­.

    "We''re all going to die," He said, believing it to be the closest thing to the truth.

 Chapter 198: Festival of Chaos: Kitsune

    "Shit!" Zagreus cried, his fingers dancing to form Runes of Protections. In moments rather than seconds, a dozen small domains appeared, cloaking Reina and Syris in a protective bubble.

    "What''s happening?" Syris shouted. Her palm was wet with perspiration. She could feel the foreign energy gathering whirling about Vesim. It was like an intangible nket seeking to dominate by stripping all that was necessary to live within the atmosphere.

    "These bastards are testing the lines of the Shadow Promation. Damn that Monarch of Hell." Zagreus cursed, snapping an eye to Altair, locked in the arms of Tasha.

    His head pressed her between her voluptuous bosom, seeking to smother him. He nearly cursed in a fit of jealousy. He might have if not for the tense killing intent radiating off of Reina.

    "I''m going to tear out her spine and feed it to her,'' Reina growled. She watched him slip out from her grip, and her frown only seemed to intensify, noticing the faint rosy hue around the cheeks. And thought: ''A blush¡­ He''s blushing.''

    An indescribable sense of rage scorched at her chest, seeking to sear through her flesh and bone.

    "She''s a devil," Zagreus reminded her in time. "Like you two, they have physiques. That has been proven to entertain the Fallen of the Hells. ythings or not, Lilith births the Lilms to warm the beds of every Fallen. They cannot be ced in these same categories as a regr subus."

    Reina felt an awareness awaken within her, a focus born from her blood that came like a burning haze seeking to burn all that there was and would be.

    And for a second, Seven Ancient Sigils sprang around her twin circles, shing back and forth.

    The world through her ears turned silent, followed by a numbing, monotonous ringing sound. So deafening it was, Reina had not even seemed to notice when her Prince pressed a palm on her shoulder and called her name.

    "Ren? You in there?" Altair called to her again, gently shaking her.

    Reina returned to herself, nced at her Prince, smiled, and said, "Never better."

    Altair had never felt such a foreboding sense of danger. He hesitated the following words, ''you sure?"

    Again, Ren smiled. "Of course, would I ever lie to you?"

    "...I see." He replied, admiring the peculiar red of her eyes. They were different than before. ''Brighter?'' he thought, a little unsure by the way her eyes glinted with a devilish temptation.

    He wanted her now.

    "Altair, what''s the n," Zagreus asked when dozens of grueling cracks splintered the wall, pulling up dozens of buildings into the skies. Rumbles came like an explosion as hundreds of stones, rooftops, and buildings came crashing without any particr pattern.

    "I want you tomunicate with Ryzar. Use Z. Tasha, stop that infernal energy from ravaging this city. God knows how many have died already. Those are points in their favor. Syris and Ren, you''re with me.

    We''re going to see if we can''t ughter a few."

    Charging from out the Cathedral, Altair began to feel the state of Mana within Yarwin growing more aggressive as if set into a hyperactive state of awareness, so much so they were beginning to materialize within the material realm.

    "This is¡­'' Shaken to his very core, his eyes snapped towards the skies towards five Nine Circles hovering in the air like gods, surrounded by nearly a hundred strange translucent creatures that bore no simrities to that of humans but rather wild beasts.

    "Kuuuuuuu~"

    ''CAW~~ I''m back bitches!~ CAW!!!"

    "Raven? Kuu?" Ren called, catching the Kitsune in her arms.

    The crow circled Ren''s head,nding on it and pointing her cute wing towards one of them. "Her mother is up there."

    "Eh?"

    Ren, Syris, and Altair looked towards the three-eye crow.

    "Impossible¡­" Altair started to say when all of a sudden, they saw one of the five Nh Circles open his palm, whispering a strange incantation Reina could barely make out as ''Spatial Istion,'' where they all vanished, as though they never existed.

    Their presence was gone, vanished in a strange pulse of energy.

    "There within a pocket dimension," said Syris hurriedly. "It''ll fade when the master¡ª"

    Even as the words echoed, a strange ripple came no more than a few secondster. It sounded like shattering ss. Revealing the soaked remains of five men, their bodies not appearing as though they were run through or shed at. Rather torn apart by some indiscriminate hand.

    Of the hundred or so Soul Kings, only one remained a small nine-tail fox with fur as white as snow, wielding violet eyes of iridescent mes that shone so beautifully it made little women wonder why Kitsune was known to seduce the minds of gods alike.

    ''A distinctive cry weaky chimed out from the little one in Ren''s arm, blinking from out of her master''s arms before therge Fox. Hesitant, it moved closer. "Kuuuuu?"

    "Mommy Two?" Said Raven in trantion.

    "Lol, Mommy two?" Syris muttered, holding back the urge tough.

    "Art, what is going on?" Ren followed up.

    Altair thought for a bit, then, " I know that Kuu was born in this realm. It''s the only reason why no one on Earth caught it. When we found her, she was a newborn, one that had only juste out of the portal. Though I''m surprised by its rtionship to this strange beast."

    "Child,'' said the Transulsent figure of the Kitsune, growing so corporeal the winds began to rustle against its thick coat. She leaned down, nudging Kuu with its nose, taking in the scent that was her own. "You lived?"

    She sounded surprised, if not taken back.

    "Kuuuu! Kuuuu! Kuu. Kuuuuu!. Kuu." Little Kuu said excitedly, jolting around the ancient beast before it. She turned towards Ren as if to say, ''Check out Mommy Two!''

    "You''re an Old God," Altair was convinced, drawing closer, his palm clutched around Shadoww.

    Therge Kitsune gaze swept toward the Prince with a measuring stare. ''A Snow?'' she wondered, mesmerized by the familiar aura. It felt so close, yet it wasn''t. ''No¡­ He''s not our king.'' she decided and said. "I was. But no more."

    Altair narrowed his eyes., noting the revival of a monster before his very eyes. ''Life truly is illusionary for those who are powerful,'' he thought and said, "How were you killed?"

    "I was injured when a Seraphim, Ancient, and a Corp of Fallen invaded the Astral ne." She said calmly, as though everything urred yesterday. I was protecting my egg. But that battled, tore apart my home, raging across the Myriad Heavens¡­ Until wended on Genisis."

    "Younded in his domain." Altair looked up at the smiling Monarch upon his throne.

    She nodded her head, her beautiful eyes spinning as she gazed down at the child who held a sort of soul connection to her. She could feel Kuu''s bloodline within her soul, slowly spilling out into her small mortal body.

    "In his fury¡­ an entire corp of Fallen, alongside myself, were ughtered, and our souls made to bow."

    ''I care not if you are one of Zariel''s Knights,'' She remembered him saying as he stood over her headless body, her soul being thest thing to fade. "A Pce wench such as yourself ought to know whosend you invaded. You and these Court of Shadows fools will learn the price of touching upon my world."

    "Death by one of the Monarchs of Hell. Damn. That is some next-level bad luck." Altair remarked, a little taken back. "So what exactly did he promise you?"

    "Freedom." The Kitsune remarked. " My child¡­ should have died when our battle broke out. The sheer shockwave of it all was enough to destroy most gxies. It''s a miracle she still lives." she bent down, nudging the little beast with affection. "The Egg must have been tossed into subspace and deposited in some unfamiliar world." she judged.

    Kuu''s mother studied the healthy cloak of her daughter, noted the well-groomed paw pads and snow-white teeth, and gave her child a lick.

    "Bless You, Lord Zariel, for the mercy you''ve shown," she prayed.

    ''How odd it is for a God to pray to another God.'' The Prince thought, unsure how to feel about the matter as a whole. "Then will you continue to participate in this little game?"

    Ren and Syris exchanged nces, sensing Altair''s intent. He wanted to recruit her.

    "I have no choice. My soul is bound to¡ª"

    "You''ve revived. So unless Lord Malzeen branded your soul with a ve mark. You are freed to do as you please," he said, opening a small rift that brought an unfamiliar warm air to the realm. "You''ve already revived. And while your body is weak¡­ you are an old god. I can offer yound as you recover your lost power,nd where you one will annoy you."

    The Kitsune iridescent eyes narrowed. "My Loyalty lies with Lord Zariel, not¡ª"

    "Well, you can stay here, but from what I hear, dealing with Fallen is a sort of tricky endeavor. I wonder who is worse, Devils or Fallen? You, as well as I, know that there is no promise that can''t be maneuvered out of."

    "I¡­" she lowered her head towards her child, rubbing her scent into her mother''s coat.

    "Plus¡­ There are many things I want to ask about your story: a Seraphim and an Ancient. Believe it or not, our lives might align in many ways." The Prince said, sensing a change within the Old God.

    "How?"

    With a fiendish grin, Altair beckoned to his portal. "Join me, and see."

 Chapter 199: Festival of Chaos: Davos

    With a step of trepidation forward, the iridescent eyes of the Kistune swayed toward the Prince. ''So much does he resemble his majesty.'' she thought, that a sense of hope blossomed within her chest.

    "My name is Kara,'' she said, entering the dimensional rift to the Serpents Outreach.

    Altair grinned and gestured for Kuu to follow. He closed the rift andughed a cry of victory. His kingdom was growing. Even if Kara''s arrival is a temporary endeavor, he had gained a potential ally.

    "Altair¡­ she said Ancient and Seraphim. That sounds like¡ª" Ren was saying, and Altair nodded before she could finish.

    "Your parents. I know," he whispered, studying the tinge of coldness in the way she spoke. ''Was she angry?'' "We''ll talk to her in a few days when we''ve time. Right now, we must make note of how strong these Soul Kings are."

    "They are all Old Gods,'' said Syris calmly. "It''s imperative to either kill or recruit them. I suppose that''s your intention."

    The Prince did not deny it, rather admired the way in which she caught hold of his purpose. "It is. Kara mentioned that the Astral Sea is where sheid her head. So perhaps this is true for the others. How much do you know about Astera, Syris?"

    "The Prime World?" She paused, thinking, then, " Not much, but I do know it''s ruled by a young man who goes by the name of Jin. I believe that based on the rate at which he grows mentally and physically, he is about eighteen. Though, not much is known about him. The Reverend Mother only said that he was not to be crossed."

    Ren was slightly confused. "The rate at which he grows?" She repeated, "What do you mean?"

    "Just as it sounds. Higher lifeforms don''t live like humans. Simply put, we age slower. That includes mentally. Jin, for example, is technically considered an Old God despite most considering him a New God. However, he''s only just be a man based on his mental acuity."

    Syris thought for a bit longer. "No one really knows why this phenomenon exists; however, it affects most higher lifeforms. Causing them to be extremely childish or naive. From what I''ve read on Genesis, thest Era, known as the Age of Night, that brought forth the Monarch of Night. Children of Gods were born as Gods, requiring almost ten thousand years to reach the mental age of ten.

    And for extremely powerful gods, that number is even higher, requiring cycles if not Dao or Chaos Cycles."

    Altair and Ren were incredulous, with many questions spinning within their minds.

    "That said, there is a way to speed line this process if you will. And that''s by tragedy. Force a child to grow up with the horrors of the world, and this strange phenomenon will vanish entirely. I can''t say much about Altair, but Renia''s blood is something that is extremely pure. I''m sure you''re one of these special souls. At least you were one of them."

    "Lord Raven knows the answer!" the crow shouted on top of Ren''s head. "It''s known as the Invocation of Innocence," she said with a caw! "Most newborn souls, and I mean newborn souls, fresh off from the boat tend to be attuned to the One''s Ancient Aura, making them sort of immortal in a sense. They see things and hear things most cannot even begin toprehend.

    That''s why it''s so important to hone the child during this state."

    "So this Jin is one of them? Of these¡ª"

    "Absolutes, they are called,'' said Raven, saluting with her wing.

    "Whatever. So Jin, the King of Astera, is one of them?"

    "Prince, not king," Syris informed him. "Strangely enough, I can''t get much information on the King and Queen of Asteria.

    Altair folded his arms, annoyed. Annoyed by his own ignorance surrounding the Myriad Heavens. There had been only four Prime Worlds, each of them with their own Gods and histories dating back far beyond what people ever hoped toprehend in a single lifetime.

    Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin

    Noctem, Astera, Genisis and Vilistar. They had been the Prime Worlds that governed all of the Myriad Heavens. Be it trade or tradition, all came from these four worlds.

    He sighed and pulled himself from his thoughts, recalling they were upon the battlefield, not in some tavern or library.

    "Raven, what have you seen?"

    "It''s bad out there. Aside from your Pale Knights waging war, these Soul Kings are, without question, winning. I saw one bore into the throat of a young man, invading his body and soul to transfigure his body into one that could be used to its full abilities." she answered, a feat even she had been surprised about.

    No soul could inhabit a body that was not their own and gain true authority over it, no matter how powerful one is. Much like a soul, the body was just as unique, carrying its ws and frequency. Body and soul worked harmoniously as one. For a foreign soul to take over anyone''s body broke that harmony.

    The Prince knew this, having heard it from Tenebrae long ago. ''However, if they could alter the gic makeup with Transfiguration, then¡­ Gods. Screw these Olds Gods. That''s broken! No wonder Transfiguration is a School of Magic.''

    A/N: Fun Fact: All Body Cutlvation is Transfiguration

    "However, Master, you shouldn''t worry. With the Sword of the Vale, you should be able to cut through even the Laws of Causality." Raven was convinced, pping her wings, her beady eyes poised upon her Master.

    "Talking about me now?" Came the dark, sultry voice that sent a tingle of fear dancing along the spine of everyone present.

    They all whirled towards the voice standing upon the rubble of a copsed building. They saw a young man with long jet-ck hair and eyes of gold that seemed like orbs of stars. Bare-chested with sultry-colored skin and slender features, he appeared every bit of a young master.

    "Davos is the name," he said, grinning with an amused gleam in his eyes. He waved his hand, and as if an intangible force had struck them, blood gushed from out of Syris''s tender lips. She was torn off her feet a dozen miles away from her location, scraping over the earth like a rag doll until she reached the great wall of Vesim.

    Altair and Ren stood poised, their faces slightly pale as their Almighty Resistance bore the brunt of the Astral Qi over their bodies.

    ''Was that telekinesis?'' Altair thought, shaken to his core. He couldn''t even sense it.

    "Oh? Almighty Qi?" He grinned a little surprised and slid down from the rubble with his arms poised behind his back. "No¡­ you two are dry. What unique souls you possess: To grant such a Resistance. I wonder who your parents are."

    Blood-like mes sprang from over Reina''s physical features, turning her hair crimson. She slid Ice from out its scabbard, readying herself against the monster before her.

    Altair snapped, and from all reaches of Vesim, his Pale Knights emerged, summoned by their Prince.

    Davos felt his smile thin, counting the hundreds of Pale Knights surrounding him. He touched his hairless chin, thinking. "You''re not bad. Not bad at all. Such a shame I''m in such a weakened state. Still.." heughed, cracking his neck.

    "Shall we see what this body can do?"

    And once again, Altair felt an intangible force¡­ a strange domain expanding from out of Davos about forty meters in diameter.

    Aurora became the first to move, pointing her finger toward Davos. A bolt of infernal lighting shed like a beam of iridescent light.

    "Demonic Lighting, eh?'' heughed, opening his palm, catching the infernal lighting bolt with his bare hands. Crackles zed and burned, but as if held by some intangible force, it could not harm Davos.

    [Daddy: Damn!]

    [Archeon: I hate Astral users. They trivialize all long-range attacks.]

    Altair felt his jaw dropped, unable to believe his eyes, when [foresight] warned of danger.

    Hurling the lightning back towards Auroar at three times the speed, Altair barely had time to appear, pping the lightning away with his understanding of how it worked. Stones turned to magma and magma to vaper in the blink of an eye beneath the sheer force of the lightning.

    DING

    Name: Davos ???

    Race: Dragon [Transfiguration]

    Str: 100

    Dex: 100

    Con: 100

    Wis:100

    Chr:100

    Mana: 100

    ''He''s just like Master? Their stats are the same. But how the hell is he¡ª''

    "That eye?" Davos said darkly, sensing something invading his soul. He scowled and moved like a blur; his image became like an iridescent ribbon arriving before Altair in a sh.

    Altair felt his heart skip a beat at the terrifying speed, reacting only based on instinct. His palm shed against Davos''s, sending shockwaves through the city. Altair held his ground, gritting his teeth, feeling his bones vibrate. He flicked his wrist, seeking to sever Davos''s arm with Shadoww.

    But in a frightening sense of awareness, Davos danced away with his mysterious footwork, flicking his finger as if to gesture his opponent to follow. Altair was jerked toward him with the aid of telekinesis.

    "Bastard!"

    Davos onlyughed, ducking beneath ''Ice'' that came like a wild storm above his head. He pioved back off the tips of his toes.

    "You two are nice! Green but nice. Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. But¡­ you''d better entertain me, well." He said, transferring energy into his Spirit Domain. "If you don''t, I might identally tear an arm or two off."

 Chapter 200: Festival of Chaos: Defeat

    In a blur, images flickered back and forth, shing in an array of force that sent ripples all throughout Vesim. Embers rang out, followed by endless blood-like mes and shards of ice. The earth tore and shook, thrashing back and forth like the endless seas. Magma flowed, and the winds howled by the sheer force of Altair, Reina, and Davos''s blows.

    The Pale Knights came in waves, their swordsmanship and spells like iridescent stars shing through the night skies. And still, no matter how much Davos was surrounded or attacked, not once had he been struck by a blow powerful enough to make him bleed.

    ''Damn it all,'' the Prince thought as Shadoww whirled in semi-arcs,shing and thrusting and cleaving against his foe.

    "Your Spirit Domain is utter rubbish! What era is this that not even children can use it properly?Especially the likes of geniuses like you two?" Davos whirled his palm, pping against the face of Ice, diverting it off track as his feet countered Shadoww.

    In one singr motion, Altair and Reina were stopped.Their des either missing their marks or parried.

    Davos sighed. "What savages you are. To cast a spell outside a domain is the same as swinging one''s sword blind." he looked at Altair, sensing a faint outline of a domain. It was all wrong.

    "Aldrich would weep if he saw this."

    Layered by perspiration, Altair felt his lungs on fire. Never before had he felt himself toyed with like a child. He cursed, leaping back with Ren, who fell to a knee,her hair losing its scarlet pigment.

    "Solomon''s Magical System is still the default, it seems. So¡­ maybe two eras have passed? Maybe more. Where in a Higher Heaven, for sure.But it still feels like the Twelve Realms. Damn, that brings back memories."

    "Who the hell are you?" Altair demanded.

    "Me?" Davos pointed to himself. "I''m Davos. Born within the Lower Realms. Ascended to the Origin Realm and died to¡­ hmmm, I can''t seem to remember." he scratched his head,ughing brightly. "Guess I''ll have to re-explore my Astral Sea. Aaaaaaah~ such a drag!

    Wait, I remember! I challenged Beel and lost¡­ yeah.I remember now. Good battle.Got that bastard good."

    Horrified by the one standing before him,Altair said, "But you lost."

    "Of course, I lost. But I''m alive now. The ebb of time is endless, my friend. But to challenge a true Monarch of Hell, to manage a cut upon his Almighty Body, there is no greater achievement. I''ve seen some of heaven''s strongest notst a single bow, yet Ist against him. Yet I manage." heughed, bellowing a cry towards the Hells.

    "I, a mere human. The weakest of all creatures managed to harm a monarch! No one in all the Myriad Heavens managed such a feat. No one!"

    He turned to face the one upon his throne.

    "Next time!"

    Beelzebub grinned. And despite being miles away, his voice echoed far and wide. " Then seek out Zariel. Perhaps he might instill within you a few tips. His battle prowess is without match."

    "Zariel, eh?" Davos mused. "Where is he?"

    "Within an Ilvarian encampment trapped in pandora box."

    "... Is there a second option?"

    Beelezub did not answer.

    "tsk. Ilvarians, eh? Thought they were extinct. Where were they hiding?" Davos muttered, scratching his head.He nced back at Ren and Altair with a brooding frown. "You two babies have potential. However, you''ll never be Chaos Lords without a domain.

    The soul. That''s where all the potential lies. I''ll let you two live on ount of mildly entertaining me, but next time.I''ll kill you. Taa-taa!"

    And in a misty gale, he was gone.

    Altair copsed, gasping for air as he looked around at his shadows, beaten and bruised.

    "What the hell is a Spirit Domain?"

    ***

    Materising above the pce, Davos smiled, standing on the ripples of space. It had been so long since he felt the winds against his face. Felt the heat of the sun or the radiance of the moon.

    "How long has it been?" he muttered. " Do you know?"

    Behind him, Thanatos stood poised forbat.

    "Any more, and I might have killed you," he said coolly.

    Davos chuckled. "A Spirit Domain of Death. Scary."

    "And the Endless Night," said Thaan, opening his palm, enveloping a hundred-meter domain in a sort of translucent fog.

    "Fucking Darkness." Davos snarled. "elusive fucks, the lot of you."

    Thanatos'' gaze only seemed to narrow. "You''re dao is¡ª"

    "Dao¡­ what a loathsome word that is.Bloody monks came up with it. Pacifists and losers seeking to understand the Primordials¡­ the Source." he turned to meet Thanato''s dark, sultry eyes. "Mana, Qi, and Ether are the three dominant sources created by the living embodiment of the primordials themselves. Which one was your first?"

    ''He knows I''m not from this era?'' Thanatos thought. And said, " Arcana. "

    "From the purest of Arcana,mana is born. I know it well.Very well.Arcana was my first within the lower realms.But here¡­ here children are born to it.Molded by it. Lucky sons a bitches." he chuckled, turning to the city of ruin. " Lord Beel released quite a few monsters. Light weights are my opinion, but they''re not bad. Not counting me¡­there are six.

    If you don''t train those two, they''ll die. A Spirit Domain is the basis of allbat and spells. To see with the soul is to see with objectivity.Seems in my absence, mortals and gods have forgotten that lesson."

    "Are you not going to join?" Thaan asked.

    "Maybe for a bit of mana.But I''ve little interest in some of these insects.I n on creating a Limitless Circle first. My battle with Lord Beel showed me a fatal weakness."

    Thanatos scuffed. ''If you think Lord Beel hasn''t grown since then, you''re a damn fool. Chaos Lord, this¡­ Chaos Lord, that¡­how old you must be. The Myriads Have changed; knowledge is lost, but power is gained.Two more Realms have opened up for us since then: Paragon¡­ and Archeon."

    There was a childlike glow in his eyes when he turned to Thanatos. "And what Monster did that?"

    "Monsters. Plural. Zariel and Arsene Snow."

    A maddeningugh left Davos. "Have a drink with me¡ª"

    "Thanatos,"

    "Thanatos¡­ hmmm." he knew the name But could not remember the face.

    "Follow me."

    They vanished, arriving in the pce cer filled with hundreds of thousands of aged wine,beer, mead, and whiskey. However, as they appeared, their eyes were attached to the young woman with a tankard all to herself.

    "Lady Iliana?"

    "Boo~hehe~Hi!"

    "hells.You''re shit-faced."

    "just a wee bit." she huped,giggling to herself, red-faced beneath her mask. ''Whose ya friend."

    "he''s¡ª"

    "Davos." he cut in, taking a seat at the table. "pleasure."

    "We''ll see," said Iliana,downing an entire tankard. "It seems everyone is reviving or reincarnating these days."

    Thanatos took a seat. It was a surprise to see Iliana,but he didn''t let his guard drop. There was something off about this man.

    "How''d you know? "

    Iliana huped. "Your domain touched my skin. Quite rude. You know.If I weren''t drunk, I''d have killed you. Or toss you into the abyss."

    "And what would a girl like you know of the abyss?"

    Iliana found herselfughing. When was thest time someone called her a girl? Or dare to speak of the abyss to her? The abyss had been both her mother,father,lover, and god.The abyss was her living existence, her will,and her desire, for only an abyssal, could understand the abyss.

    "Thanatos joined her,nearly losing himself. "Forgive him, mydy¡­ he doesn''t know much of the abyss. It seems he was not around for the Era of Darkness."

    "Does he know of Zariel?"

    "I don''t," Davos said, frowning, feeling he was missing more than he originally thought. His lips pressed together, waiting.

    "Being dead must suck. Gods.I''d hate to return to the Vale. Purgatory for gods, I call it." said Iliana with an appraising eye. She grinned. " and how does it feel to die?I only ask because I''ve never lost. Draws between brothers and sisters I''ve known but never true defeat.

    Never death."

    ***

    "Yooooo,Syris, you alive? Ooooiii!"

    "oooiii"

    "Syris!"

    Searching the wall that was now rubble from the countless battles waging back and forth. Slowly, they found the young Celestial clutching her chest, masking her aura the best she could as a cruel gash showcased most of her ribcage.

    "He got you good," Altair muttered, noting the azure light enveloping her, mending injuries. He nced back at Ren, dragging her feet behind him. Battered with a few broken ribs and ruptured organs, she pushed forward.

    Ren didn''t hesitate much, offering Syris a sk from out of Draupnir.

    Syris downed it in a sh, tossing the empty veil away as a soothing heat began to hamper the cold of her body.

    "Who the hell was that guy? How did he nearly kill me in a single blow?" she finally asked.

    "Not just you¡­" Altair muttered, ncing around in a guarded manner. "He toyed with us. No matter what we did¡­ No matter how hard we tried. That bastard yed with us like children."

    "Least you didn''t get one-shotted," Syris argued, thanking Ren with a smile.

    "Innate defense. We got lucky. Extremely lucky."

    "No time for that," said Ren, pulling out a few bandages for Syris. "After I wrap her up, we got to go. Pce or the cathe¡ª"

    Taken back by the searing wave expanding from the center of Vesim like a star, a burning shockwave approached like the gale, turning stone to liquid and the air to hell.

    What little mana Altair and his shadows held became theirst line of defense as, one after the other, barrier after barrier was erected in order to defend their Master.

    *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

 Chapter 201: Aspect of the Vale I

    Paled of color, Altair tried to hold. He could feel his skin begin to peel at the monstrous mes trying to prate through the barrier. Blood bubbled and popped from the surface of his palm as he held on, giving enough time for Ren and Syris to escape. He''d faith in his Almighty Resistance. Faith in a state of knowing that allowed him to perceive the Truth.

    ''REN GET HER OUT OF HERE!!!" Altair roared at the top of his lungs.

    [Divine Being She Who Hunts demands you use the Skill!]

    Altair didn''t listen.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy grins feverishly.]

    In the distance, watching, towering over Vesim like an immortal, a poised Beelzebub stared with an intensity that would ce many of his brethren on guard. He could feel it. He could feel the presence of an indescribable domain beginning to unravel; like a shadow beast within the darkness, it was beginning to bear its fangs.

    ''In the Era of Zariel, the Spirit Domain was something of a determining factor in battle many of us adopted when Davos created it. It allowed one to see minute changes within causality.'' Lord Beelzebub thought, rising from his throne. It was a skill many sought, sacrificing their soul in order to learn how to see with the soul rather than the eyes or with Qi.

    As one''s control of the soul grew, the Spirit Domain would expand, allowing one to perceive space and, in a few cases, the future. It was a domain that allowed just about anything based on one''s ''intent'' and ''knowledge.''

    "I sense the presence of the ''Realm of Sprits'' surrounding the boy. A tainted Realm of Spirit. How is that possible?" Beelzebub asked, resisting the urge to steal the boy away.

    Neither Mephisto nor Lucifer would approve of his action should he abuse the position they allowed him to hold.

    With a deafening roar that tore from his throat, shredding muscles on the way out, Altair''s Mana twisted into Vale Qi, piercing the skies like a de of Despair. Darkness congealed into a dense ooze of mes and liquid. The stones beneath his feet began to fade, withered to a rot known only to the hells.

    Altair followed his sense of knowing. Allowing his awareness to merge into a dense oasis of understanding. The sensation of plunging into the depths of the seas swallowed him hole.

    From within the heart to the iridescent twin circle radiating light, the Vale consumed, turning it into a me cloak ck as the deepest night. In half a beat, Deste Abyss activated, crowning the young Prince with two twin stars that hummed across his forehead, a brilliance beyond the dawn.

    The barrier that had been defending the Young Prince shattered as the Mana supplying it died. Shadoww raged, meeting the shockwave threatening to turn Altair to ash.

    So powerful was the iridescent shockwave that golden light turned to liquid, seething with a profundity that threatened to destroy an entire continent; all around Vesim, barriers and ancient scrolls were torn in the hopes of surviving.

    Unsure who was battling causing such catastrophic damage to the world around them. Shadoww instinctively merged with the [Dark Moon de ]that had recently evolved into [Sword of the Vale], cloaking Shadoww in iridescent ck mes. A domain of nearly twenty-five meters materialized.

    "Severing Edge," He bellowed.

    With the sword technique that could cut through Darkness and Light as though it were corporeal, a scar of Sword Intent roared a cry of defiance, creating a V shape around the Prince.

    The skies seemed to split apart from the sheer might of Severing Edge, but strangely, the cut itself did not extend past the intangible domain. Suspended in the air hovered the sword arc, which lingered in the air like a scar across space.

    Altair pulled his sword back and gave a ruthless thrust, and like a beam of light, the Sword Arc whipped through Vesim like a baleful storm. Severing Edge separated light, darkness, and space, which stretched across all of Vesim, splitting all that entered its path.

    A grave mistake urred as a sense of knowing, followed by prophecy, told Altair of his impending doom. He wanted to move, wanted to curse, but as the space that had been cut expanded open like a wound, Altair saw something that turned his legs to butter.

    ''An Event Horizon!" He thought as everything froze, unsure what was happening. Altair felt time slow to a standstill. All was frozen, all but him. He looked at the Sword of the Vale, knowing it had something to do with what was happening, but before he could understand.

    The Event Horizon inverted, turning on itself, letting loose an eruption so profound, Altair could only make out the sensation of a dozen or so divinity materializing out of thin air to defend.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Pirs of Divinity shed against the scar within space, keeping it from atomizing all of Vesim as Altair watched in horror. He understood it was not that his power had been so powerful that it required the power of a God to stop it, but rather, it was profound enough to alter the naturalws of space and time.

    Beelzebub pursed his lips, thinking, ''This is a mortal domain. It''s not meant to handle this type of power. Altair nearly destroyed the. Not bad for a Second Circle. If he keeps this up, he might be able to match a few of those monsters within the Old Houses.''

    Still, Beelzebub felt something off about the sword in Altair''s hand. It had been clear to him that the boy wasn''t knowledgeable enough to split space in his present state. Yet the moment the Sword of the Vale descended, it ignored naturalw.

    Beelzebub thought for a bit and flicked his head with a cheeky smile. And the thousand scores above Altair''s head spiked to five thousand. Heughed when he saw the indescribable look of unease settle across the young Prince''s face.

    "His Almighty Resistance ensures he won''t be one-shotted by some of these monsters, but he''ll take quite a nice beating. Let''s see if we can''t push him to create a true Spirit Domain and Aspect. Hehe, you can thank me if you live."

    ***

    Despair fell like a crown upon Altair''s head as he whirled, his domain signaling to his rear. Shadoww moved, shing against the w from a ghoulish fellow. The shockwave flung Altair''s arm into the air, allowing the strange creature enough time to attack with his other arm.

    Your adventure continues at m v|l-e''-NovelBin

    Talons tore through flesh, shing across his chest, spilling blood.

    The pain was iprehensible to the sensation of understanding that came in waves. Altair pivoted back, weaving his sword through the air, parrying several other apparitions that came in droves.

    ''Remember Altair, whenever you are surrounded, never stop moving,'' came the words of Tenebrae.

    Conjuring another Vale Sword in his off-hand, Altair''s entire being became like a blur. Through his eyes, embers blinded the skies as Altair was guided by [Primal Instints], [Foresight], and his domain.

    "He''s almost out of Mana! Get him!" the Ghoulish man shouted, bolting towards the Prince. His body somehow multiplied into seven and then fourteen.

    Tendrils of ck veins traced up the Prince''s throat, reaching his cheeks and the whites of his eyes. The two Vale Stars above his eyes were spinning, and the throne that had appeared a few months ago began to rise.

    "Arise," the Prince said, summoning his Fallen Shadows. He entered the third stance of Grave of Night when a lion beast that bore two heads materialized right before Altair''s face. Both its mouths open, with a spiraling orb of Mana prepared.

    Not enough time to step in with Sovereign Gale. Kirr emerged from shadows like an apparition from the King''s Domain and erupted in a ze of Infernal Lightning, ending his life and giving the Prince enough time to dodge.

    Altair summoned him again with a single thought, feeling the throne behind him, fueling him with an endless supply of Qi. And shed above the head of the twin-headed lion. His sword plunged into the Astral Beast''s skull, and Devouring Edge howled like an infinite storm.

    Striking nearly a thousand times, breaking through whatever barrier it held, Altair severed the head alongside every inch of the beast into cubes in a single microsecond before he pushed off space with Sovereign Gale towards the next astral monster.

    His swords whirled like endless swarms as everything within twenty-five meters of the Prince slowly began to grow in more focus. They were moving slowly; their swords, ws, tails, and spells were all slowly being perceived.

    "RESTORATION!" Aurora shouted upon her master, having learned the spell from Thanatos.

    Altair felt a warmed aura beginning to mend his injuries at a blinding rate. Aided by the Vale Qi, he was back to one hundred before he could blink and upon the ghoul that carved through his chest two seconds ago.

    "How do you have so much mana!" The Astral Ghoul howled, meeting the Prince''s sword with its talons.

    Embers tore at the heavens when all of a sudden, Nia emerged like a ghost, her spear like a storm of Vale Qi as it tore towards the undead spirit.

    Aided by her ability to dte time, the ghoul, despite its spirit domain sensing her arrival, had no time to defend against Altair, and Nia felt her spear run through its heart and spine, exploding out the back in an eruption that sent nearly half his organs sprawling out of the ground.

    "Arise!" The Princemanded, summoning those that had perished. He had his main knights upy his domain, feeling like he could control their every action as if they were a part of his body within his domain.

    [Ding]

    [Fallen Necromancy Proficiency has increased by 3%]

    [Fallen Necromancy Proficiency has increased by 3%]

    [Fallen Necromancy Proficiency has increased by 3%]

    :( ?? ¦Ø ?? )

 Chapter 202: Aspect of the Vale II

    As the Vale Throne began to grow more corporeal, the twin Vale Stars above the Prince''s head grew ever more radiant. Like a burning star, he shimmered like the silver gates of the Heavens.

    "Bastard," The Astral Ghoul spouted, staggering back with a gaping hole in his chest. A smile was present on his disfigured face. "So you''re a necromancer. Nothing I hate more than those that fuck with thews of life and death."

    The ghoul reached for his chest and, before Heaven and Earth, began to peel away the flesh tainted by the Vale. He wasn''t sure what manner of Source this energy was but felt it attack both the body and soul.

    "Unfortunately, you''ve just touched upon the power of a Spirit Domain. Allow us to show you why we, Astral Monster, are so feared by all of the Myriad Heavens."

    "The dead have no right to speak before me,'' the Prince decreed, conjuring the World of Shadow''s Grimoire. The moment it appeared, the mana whirled from beyond the control of many within the city.

    Strava sneered, unveiling his domain: ''Dominating Mountain.'' pressuring everything within a hundred meters. From every cell that epassed the Prince, every microfiber within the air, several tons of force came crashing down like a mountain.

    The earth shattered as all the shadows and astral monsters came crashing dozens of meters into the ground, creating craters all around.

    Blood pooled from the Prince''s nose as he stood his ground from within a crater. Beneath nearly fifty tons of force bearing down on his being, Altair wanted to roar in pain, yet knowing aided him as the Vale Cloak instinctually began to lessen the force upon his mighty body.

    He roared, and in a single step, he was before Strava when the force upon his body shifted direction, sting him miles into the air. Unsure why his foresight didn''t let him perceive what would happen.

    "Shit!" Altair roared, cursing beneath his breath when he saw Strava soaring after him. The unease came when he began to understand his intent. ''What a ridiculous ability. He''s going to use his domain to propel me down into the earth. And I can''t fly.''

    Propelled forward by his astral qi, Strava was upon Altair in a matter of moments. He smirked and pointed down. Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelBin

    "ART!!!!!" Ren roared,shing forward in a ze of emerald mes. On her back shone the necrotic mes of her mana maniption, granting her phoenix-like wings.

    Piercing through Strava''s domain, to his shock, made little difference as the Domain of Dominating Mountain allowed him to exert force in any direction he pleased. And while he wasn''t sure how Altair was still alive, it made little difference once he tore off his head.

    "Down!"

    Ren suddenly felt her body turn against her as tons of force came crashing into her, seeking to tear her from the skies. And yet, as the Necrotic mes of the Hells zed around her, space distorted, offering a sort of protection.

    She vanished, applying all four hundred of her mana attribute to Broken Moon. A horrid explosion took ce as Strava was forced to defend with his talons. He was sent flying, his astral Qi not holding as well as he thought against the Necrotic mes of Ren.

    The instance they were out of his domain, Ren caught Altair.

    "We can''t escape, so don''t even try.'' The Prince said. "How many times can you use Necrotic me?"

    "Two more," Ren said, a little short of breath. "My mana is nearly depleted from our fight with Davos."

    "We need tond."

    "You''re not going anywhere," Strava said, returning in a few breaths. "Just give it up, boy, even if I can''t finish you. You''ll eventually tire out. No way that body of yours can keep this up. If I''ve learned anything in my endless life. That Throne of yours is taking something quite precious in return for all that energy.

    Allow me your life, and I swear upon the Imperium of the Astral Realm that I, Strava Suvm, will not y her afterward. Listen to me well, boy. This is merely the secondyer of my Spirit Domain. There are seven more left to tap into."

    Altair felt the hairs upon his neck stand on end, but he couldn''t afford for fear to cloud his mind. If there was anything that rotted the mind, it was fear.

    ''If that was the case," he said. "If that were the case, you would''ve done so long ago. No¡­ I think¡­ No, I know you Astral Creatures can''t use this Astral Qi as much as you want. Your souls are either in a weakened state, or the Shadow Promation has limited your power."

    [Ding]

    [Vale Maniption has Increased by 3%]

    [Vale Maniption has Increased by 3%]

    Ignoring the changes to his mind and body, Altair felt his own domaining together. He was drowning in a sea of knowledge that was not his own. He could feel the flow of space, the strings of karma that connected him and Ren, the eyes of Beelzbubub''s intent, the will of the Gods watching, and more. He could feel Authority.

    The binds of the Shadow Promation, the Laws of Life and Death, and so much more that knowledge began to burn his very soul.

    [Vale Maniption has Increased by 3%]

    "Then DIE!!!!!" Strava roared.

    Altair felt as if a bat had been taken to his face, jerking him from Ren''s arm. Blood popped from out his lips as he caught sight of Ren in the same position. Another invisible blow caught him again, casting him downwards into the earth like a meteor.

    "Shadow Cage!" He shouted, using the world of shadow grimoire to pause him mid-flight for a single instance. He had Aurora make the earth soft as mud with ''Mold Earth.''

    Everything had happened so fast that not even Strava had time to understand what happened as he came barreling toward Altair for the kill. However, as he arrived, he frowned, noticing that aside from a few bruises, Altair was perfectly alright.

    "Restoration!" said Aurura, aiding her Prince with a bright smile.

    "Monster," the Astral Ghoul muttered, looking around at the hundreds of shadows arriving. "What are you sacrificing for this power!"

    "CAWWWWW!!!!!!! Master doesn''t need to sacrifice!" Raven shouted, pping her small wings. Shended upon her master''s shoulder, enjoying the rich sensation of home emanating from his being.

    "Eh?" Strava suddenly turned, taking a step back as his left arm flew high into the air,nding with a thud. His hollowed-out pupils shrank deeper into his skull as he turned to see a blood-stained Syris surrounded by a strange ripple of energy.

    "That bastard caught me off guardst time, not this time," Syris said. "I''ll show you the power of a Highborn Celestial." She cursed, merging the properties of space and sword with her innate skill of ''fusion.''

    "You recovered." The Prince eximed, though his guard was up, as he scanned the battlefield, spotting a few Astral Monsters waiting. ''Waiting for me to exhaust myself,'' he thought.

    Strava nced at his missing arm with a deep frown. ''I''m almost out of Astral Qi.'' he noted inwardly, calmly ncing around at the others watching. ''Tsk¡­ looks like I''ll have to cut my losses on this one. But how is this Altair alive? My domain was supposed to pressure even the brain. Why is he still alive?

    I best consult Davos.''

    "Cutting your losses?" Altair asked bitterly, recognizing the way Strava''s tense shoulder rxed.

    "It''s not even been a single day, yet you''re already half dead, surrounded by hundreds of my kin." he smiled. "You''ll see me again. I hope you survive till then."

    And he was gone.

    Syris sneered, approaching Altair while Ren emerged from the skies to his right.

    "You two should have escaped." The Prince told them, the burn within his mind turning to a sizzling mess of anguish.

    "I don''t need your protection," Syris eximed, betrayed by the warmth in her voice that echoed. "Though you dide to my aid. So it''s only fair I do the same."

    "Aspetitive as ever." He muttered, clutching his right eye. He could feel the Vale prating through his flesh.

    ''Master?" said Raven with a caw.

    ''I''m fine¡­ Lets¡ª"

    "Is it my turn now? Strava, that little bitch went so easy on you."

    The voice that echoed came from behind,ing from a tall, muscr man with hair so red it flowed like blood down his shoulders. Skin the color of obsidian with eyes to match approached Altair and his team.

    "Heard you met Davos andsted against him. Not bad. Not bad. Little chicks with fangs." heughed. "But I''m not as easygoing as him. That number on your head could serve me well in reaching the sixth level.

    Nearly two-thirds of the people have already been ughtered. All that is left is you babel tower weaklings. "

    ''Screw you, Beelzebub. How are we supposed to win this? These bastards are all on another level. Strava nearly killed us. If not for the Vale, I''d be dead.'' Altair thought quite bitterly.

    "You''ve got a powerful body. I like that. So I''ll give you a chance. Survive a single attack from me. And I''ll let you live. I''ll order these weaklings here to back off for a single week." The dark-skinned man dered, his bright teeth showcasing rows of jagged teeth.

    "You expect me to believe that? Killing me would¡ª"

    "Be a mistake. I''m no fool," he said, shaking his head. "You''re definitely some chosen. And if Lord Malzeen here saw to increase your rank to Five thousand, you must be important."

    Altair expression was grim; he wiped the blood from his nose that never seemed to stop flowing and stepped out. "What''s your name?"

    "Protector of the Weave, Keres Umbel. First Commander of Zariel Snow, Architect of the Weave, Protector of the One."

 Chapter 203: Aspect of the Vale III

    As Keres Umbel approached, a dreadful abnormality hounded the air, wrenching at the young lord''s torn tunic like a vicious cloud of daggers. Laceration tore at the flesh, muscles, and bones. So dreadful was the presence Altair felt. Simply breathing in the air, he felt like he''d swallowed dozens of needles.

    ''What is this?'' he thought, the earth now a painting of red. From his pores and eyes, a vibrant red shone through his clothing.

    Bitterly, bearing the force one could not defend against but rather had to resist, more and more Vale Qi began to protrude from the Prince''s body. His once ck hair slowly withered to an ashen configuration, nearly reminiscent of his bloodline lineage.

    ''Fear clouds the mind. It rots the soul, taints the will, and weakens the heart.'' he thought, through gritted his teeth. So hard he clenched the gums of his mouth bled.

    And suddenly, the sensation of emptiness stirred his greater purpose. It shook his bones and unraveled his mind as a memory returned to him: A memory of the Vale.

    Keres sucked in a deep breath, noticed the seemingly emptiness of the boy''s lifeless eyes, and readied his stance. "There are only two types of people who carry those eyes. Those that are dead and those that are within the depths of enlightenment. Which are you."

    Suddenly, the entire Vale Cloak of Qi around Altair began to dwindle. The ooze of essence slid down towards his sword arm onto the Sword of the Vale.

    ''You are the Vale,'' the distant voice of Raven eximed through his mind.

    Keres opened his palm, and as if the void heard his Will, lightly bent and shattered, torn from the Heaven''s Binds, a seething Spear Intent parted the clouds piercing through the vale of eternal night, as it appeared: A ive glistering silver so radiant everything within a hundred meters was atomized, turned to vaper that dissipated into nothingness.

    The void shook, seeking to tear, and yet, beneath his control, space began to stabilize. The domineering force the Silvery ive exerted slowly being focused around its edge.

    In the distance, Tasha, who was controlling the forces of the elements from destroying the city, frowned.

    "Keres Umbel¡­ First Commander within the Imperium of the Astral ne¡­ I''ve heard about him. He was felled by the Night Mother when Lord Zariel rode through Myriad Heavens, seeking to kill the Night. So dreadful his strength, it was said that his control of the spear had been second to the God of Weapons, Lord Azazel. So Lord Beelzebub was the one who took his soul."

    Tasha found her throat dry and her palms sweaty. She had the advantage due to her race, but she did not dare tobat Keres in a head-on confrontation if they were in the same circle.

    ''I need to kill him before he can¡ª''

    ''Do not interfere,'' came the cold Soul Whisper of Lord Beelzebub within her mind.

    She turned to meet the Monarch''s chilling eyes and bowed with a heart of anxiety.

    ''If he dies¡­ then death is thest thing I''ve got to worry about¡­ Lord Astaroth will¡ªHells, I''ll be lucky if my mind can still exist after what he''ll do to me.'' she moaned, her heart pounding against her chest. She turned to Altair, unsure how such a serene expression could be portrayed on such a young boy.

    "Save him!" A voice suddenly howled.

    Charging forward with a heart full of dread, Ragnar, beneath thews of time, was propelled through space and time. His body blurred, and like a shrieking beam of light, he pierced forward when the embers of ash came carving through his perception. He kicked back in a panic, nearly sensing he''d lost his head.

    "Get back, kid," Zagreus cut in, his sword upon his shoulder. "You''re about to see the birth of an Aspect. A dreadful one."

    "Are you bloody mad! Aren''t you a part of his group? He''ll die! That bloody monster is a CHAOS LORD!!!!"

    ''I know,'' Zagreus thought, unsure how long it had been since hest saw Keres. His fist clenched into a ball as he kept his presence hidden lest he distract the two. He smiled, awaiting the finale.

    With his final breath of the acrid air, a dull, almost obscure sense of understanding came over the Prince''s mind. He had been dancing with the idea of the Spirit Domain but never quite understood it. Yet such a path ofprehension had not been what the Prince sought but another power, one that came from the blood, from the deepest depths of his soul.

    The Vale

    BOOOOOOOOOM! Kicking off his feet, cratering the earth in a sea of devastation, the thrashing skies, moons, and stars hummed across the energy being exerted by Keres. His ive carried forth an incandescent me so profound. It carried with it authority.

    "Astral Infringement!" Keres shouted, thrusting his ive towards the Prince.

    Altair was poised. His mind was absent of thought, absent of life and death. It carried but a single truth that demanded it be spoken. A truth that stirred the void.

    "I am the Vale"

    Time and Space cracked the focal point of sword and ive meeting; it stretched across the world, bore through the earth''s crust, cutting through the''s core. The night vanished; the sun that had barely shed its light parted like a broken mirror.

    Silence enveloped thend, quieting gods and mortals alike. Life seemed to sh through mortal minds as theing night approached, seeking to pull them into the eternal void. They bore witness to a sh, not of power but rather understanding.

    Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin

    Ragnar, who stood frozen by the unknown, staggered back to understand it wasn''t his Mana that made him powerful but the knowledge his blood carried. The same was true now before the sh he was witness, too.

    Neither Altair nor Keres had the power to turn the elements to shatter the void to twist space and time, yet as he stood upon some unknown world. Ragnar couldn''t help but finally grasp the concept that said, ''Knowledge was power.''

    In theing sh of iridescent light spiraling in a pir of the empyrean gods of old, silvery light danced over the horizon, swallowing all life a brilliance beyond the dawn. So radiant it became those who bore witness to the fruit of knowledge were blinded. Their eyes singed from out of their skulls.

    When the light faded and space and time mended back together, Keres stood, poised above the young Prince, the right arm that once held his ive missing, appearing as though it had been singed off. At the same time, Altair appeared no more damaged than he previously had been.

    "A fine strike, boy," Keres muttered, clutching the charred remains of his stub. "What a ridiculous aspect. Finest since I''ve seen since Lord Zariel used his to defeat me. What a battle." he looked down at the half-unconscious boy, futtering through the unconscious. "You''re like him, you know. Such a shame you are not a Snow.

    I''d have aided you with my undying breath. Listen well, child. A Spirit Domain has Nine Levels. Find a way to incorporate your Aspect into your domain, and perhaps you might live to reach the peak. Let this be your reward for injuring me."

    Keres turned to Ren, measured her with a particr eye, and said, "You may take him now. And my word still stands. No harm shalle to the boy or hisrades. Use that time well." he turned. And beneath Reina and Syris''s incredulous eyes, they watched his body restore itself to normal in the blink of an eye.

    As if he had never been injured, Keres was whole once more.

    The two did not hesitate to lift Altair into their arms; they bolted away, whisking through city streets toward the pce.

    Zagreus watched but did not follow but rather stepped out from the shadows and approached with a half smile.

    "Did you hold back?"

    The voice alone sent Keres into a state of panic as he whirled to meet the face he''d not seen since his ascension from the Lower Realms. His lips grew ajar. "Zag¡ª"

    "Shhhh," said Zag smilingly. "The Gods are listening." He nced up towards the skies, to Beelzebub, and back down to Keres. "Let''s speak at the Pce. Thaan is there."

    ***

    Astral Prism, Astera

    Upon the silver throne of his Father, a silver-haired man with eyes so gold they appeared as newly spun gold, clouded by a silver mist, sat. The young man appeared barely sixteen, yet there was an aura of supremacy about him, alongside a sense of whimsy.

    "Your Grace, your lesson with Lord Hellmaster is starting in a few minutes. He''s awaiting you within the atrium like always," said a masked woman d in all white and silver. She wore the royal attire of the Astral Imperium with pride.

    "Already?" The Young Master muttered, twirling strains of his silvery hair. He sighed, his golden silver eyes narrowing. "Has there been any word from Mother or Father?"

    Sabine, his royal aid and personal Knight, shook her head. "No word yet. Do they still visit you in your dreams, Sire?"

    He nodded, though reluctantly. "Yes. They tell me much about my little brother. And much of my cousins." he grinned. "I''d like to meet him. Uncle Lucifer has invited me for dinner tonight.

    Perhaps I might try to convince him to escort me to Arcadia."

    "You''re much too weak," Said Sabine sharply.

    "I''m stronger than you," The boy fired back.

    "A mild flook." Said Sabine intively. "I¡ª" her vie flew from out of th void into her calloused fingers poised upon the throat of the one who saw to teleport in without being ushered in by the heralds.

    "A messenger?" The Young Man said. "Lower your weapon, Sabine."

    "Is that before or after I cut out his tongue? Who are you to enter the court of the Imperium without an escort?" Sabine demanded.

    "Enough," The young man said, his voice carrying weight. "He can be punishedter. Let''s hear what he has to say."

    Sabine lowered her ive a mere inch from his throat. "Speak."

    The Messenger gulped."Its¡­ It''s Sir Keres Umbers Soul Lamp. It burns. Lord Jin, it burns! He''s alive."

    Jin stood up, his eyes like two orbs of silvery gold mes. "Are you sure?"

    "Ser Tav confirmed it himself. It''s true."

    With a suddenugh, Jin floated down from the Empyrean Throne. "Sabine, ready the First Fleet."

    "Sire, that''s¡ª"

    "My Lord,'' The messenger began again. "Ser Keres is within Babels Tower that could lead too¡ª"

    "Since when does a Snow need permission to do as he pleases? The Powers of Babel''s tower are of no importance to our kingdom. If they try to stop us, we''ll burn them all to the ground. Simple as that."

 Chapter 204: Aspect of the Vale IV

    Within the western tower of the Pce, within the medical hall, Reina began pacing back and forth, unsure when he would wake.

    It had been four days since the battle against Keres; however, Altair had not opened his eyes since. She looked his way, studying pale flesh and hair as silver as steel. There was something off about him. He didn''t quite feel like the man she knew.

    He appeared the same, but the aura and the innate presence he excluded were all wrong. It felt eerily simr to Iliana, yetpletely different¡­ like a shadow.

    Reina stopped her pacing and moved towards her Prince, allowing her fingers to dance along the strands of hair covering his eyes. She smiled. "When will you wake up?"

    "You look like shit."

    Reina nced towards the voice of the masked maiden with bitter resentment in her heart. The gold of her eyes slowly began to be clouded by a scarlet mist.

    Iliana stepped into the medical bay,studied her disciple with an appraising eye, and took a seat beside him. "Cute, isn''t he? He took after his mother in so many ways. Though his father is rather appealing as well."

    "What do you want."

    She ignored the slight in her tone, studying her disciple. "Altair ckwood Snow actually impressed me. When I sensed his life in danger, I was rather hesitant to help him."

    "Why didn''t you?"

    "I don''t like helping people," Iliana admitted. "Especially this little disciple of mine. However, I might have to change that nasty habit of mine. To survive a hit from a former Chaos Lord is rather impressive. I thought he''d be half dead by the time I saved him. Yet, not a single injury came to him." she grinned.

    "A fine specimen this one is. My Lady would be quite impressed. Though she might also smite him simply to spite the boys'' father."

    "Your Lady?" Reina muttered.

    "The Queen of the Abyss, the first wife of Arsene Snow. Now, there is one so madly in love she risks him hating her in order for him to love her. Love of Madness, they call it. I don''t really understand. But¡­ I want to take him to meet her one day."

    For a mere fraction of a second, Reina felt something within her depths scream. "You can''t!"

    The words came so quickly that they echoed like a pleading cry.

    "He''ll have to meet her sometime if he wishes to save that mother of his. No one enters the Abyss without her awareness, no one," Iliana said. She nced towards Reina, studied her paleplexion, and continued. "I was born to the Abyss. From the day I opened my eyes, I saw nothing but endless blood until awareness came to me. Knowledge of truth, of words, letters, and symbols.

    Her Majesty gifted me that. It will not be now, but soon, there wille a day where I will be forced to bring the boy towards her¡­ Whether I want to or not."

    "Why are you telling me this?" she finally asked.

    "Because this body of mind while mortal¡­ needs to be killed. If not now, then in perhaps a few years or months, my Lady will learn of Altair''s existence. And she will eithermand me to kill him or bring him to her. I wonder what she''ll decide¡­ If she doesn''t already know? As you two are right now. You''ve no hope of stopping me.

    So I''d like you to leave."

    Reina felt her heart clench. "Leave?"

    "Return to Luna''s fold. Allow her to train you. To better mold you. You''ve got enough experience. You''ve got the focus. The intensity.

    No one can refute that. It''s time you experience the next level of your training,'' Iliana said.

    "What of the Court of Shadows!" Reina snarled. "What about Art?"

    "Altair will begin his ascension through Babels Tower after this. He''ll have a lot on his te, no doubt. Not to mention the kingdom he''s building. But as it stands now, you''ve no right to stand by his side. Not as you are right now."

    "And who the hell are you to decide that?" Ren snapped, ready to draw Ice. Her eyes were now bloodshot. "You who''s barely done anything for Altair. You who''ve not even taught him the basics of a Spirit Domain."

    Iliana''s expression behind the mask did not dwindle. " I don''t use Spirit Domains. Never needed to. Neither does Altair. It''s but a single path to the peak. Irrelevant in my eyes, as it should be in yours, Nephilim."

    "NO IT''S NOT!!! It''s not bloody irrelevant! We nearly died. Art nearly died, you psychotic bitch!" Reina roared, unburdening her heart. "Altair is alive thanks to himself! Thanks to that Bloody Realm of Spirits.

    You offered him nothing! NOTHING!" Tears started to fall as the words continued to re. "How can you shamelessly im that you''ve given him something!"

    Iliana replied in a dry tone, "When you look at the boy. What do you see?"

    "I see Art."

    "Art?" Iliana sneered. "I see a demon." she nced down at the boy, sensing the light echo of breath wafting in and out. He''d awaken. "Yes. A small hellion bathing in Madness. Tell me, girl.

    That boy you first met in the Serpent''s Outreach. Do you still recognize him?"

    Ren fumbled for words that never came.

    "Each day he breaths, each time he swings his sword, pieces of humanity is torn from his Spirit and ravaged into Madness. A few days ago, Altair gave the order to ughter an entire city. Women and men alike were ughtered in their beds, while children were stolen beneath the bodies of their parents. Quite fitting for a Necromancer.

    For are they not the arbiters of life and death?" sheughed, sliding her gaze to Reina. "And you¡­ you just followed along. So wrapped up in his Madness, you didn''t even question the massacre."

    "Thats¡­ Beelzbubub¡ª-"

    "Made a scenario. You didn''t have to participate. You could have left. You still can. Simply stand up and leave the city." Said Iliana with a disdainfulugh. "You say that I''ve not given Altair anything, but I''ve given him just about everything.

    I''ve made him who he is today. The seed of Madness in his heart will writhe and sprout until only a true monster remains. He''ll betray, he''ll lie, he''ll do about anything to survive. And somehow justify it. If not for his ursed pride, he might even learn to beg." she chuckled at the thought. "And now¡­ that pesky innocence he held is dead.

    No more hesitation. No more guilt¡­ well, not yet."

    And there it came, a sudden realization of awareness sprang through Reina''s mind as she staggered back "... Aria¡­"

    "Hmmm. Oh yes. Quite a little surprise there. Did you like my gift? You see, I wanted to test how unhinged my little disciple was¡­ so I made a little deal with Mephisto. To which he was more than willing to help.

    The man sure knows how to scheme. I persuaded him to aid me in having you somewhat betray our little Prince here in return for my assistance in a little matter in Arcadia. It was a bit of a bonus for him since he loathes the Court of Shadows. But never would I have thought you two would''ve fucked after such an egregious act."

    "Goodness, I had the bestugh when I realized how insane my little disciple was. That little bastard sure knows how to entertain."

    "Y-y-you''re a monster,'' said Reina incredulously.

    Iliana shook her head. "I didn''tmit any acts. I didn''t force you to kill an innocent little girl. I didn''t force Altair to murder countless innocent people out of greed. Life is about choices. And you made these decisions yourself.

    I merely¡­ instigated these little events from the shadows." she smiled a smile that reached her eyes. "I don''t like schemes, but I must say this one was my best yet. What do you think, Altair?"

    "Art?"

    The young lord opened his scarlet eyes, studying Iliana with newfound awareness. He wanted to be mad. Wanted to rage¡­ Yet, for some reason, he felt thankful¡­ thankful for this gift of Madness.

    It was all like a switch to him. A button he could hit to turn it all off. All this guilt, all his feelings.

    The boyughed. Andughed. Andughed. Bellowing a cry that came from his depths. "You got me good. Truly. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin

    And you know what? I don''t care. I don''t care I ordered the ughter of all these people. They were going to die anyway. I did it to survive. But even if that wasn''t the case¡­ What does it matter?"

    The reds of his eyes grew to an even deeper shade of red as hisughter grew louder by the second.

    "AHAHA, I¡­ I think I get it. This Spirit Domain of mine. I think¡­ I think I''ll call it the Rotten Vale. Yes. And my aspect¡­" heughed, as Madness dripped from off his person like a thick oozy bile. "I¡ª"

    Iliana gave him a chop to the neck, calling forth oblivion to consume his mind.

    "I''ll help lessen these manic episodes of madness," she said, watching him copse back onto the bed. She giggled. "If he''s to be my disciple, he must be as mad as his master. If not¡­ how can I teach him properly?"

    "You''re fucking insane!"

 Chapter 205: The Rotten Vale I

    Altair had awakened on the fifth day,his mind distorted, burdened by an intense hyperfocus sense of awareness of his surroundings. The pupils of his eyes throbbed with meaning as a vale of knowing shrouded his being.

    He could sense the uneven heat of the sun warming Yarwin,turning the low-pressure air into wind. He could feel the light particles,the photons around him, surrounding him,entering through the pores.

    He groaned,clutching his head, following the wave of confusion that scattered memories throughout his Astral Sea.

    For a brief moment that felt like hours, if not days, the boy groaned, pulling himself together.Sweat bled through his clothing as he stabilized his mind. Yet despite the calm refining the body, the pain continued tosh at his mind.

    "It hurts," he groaned when, in his state of hyperawareness,prehension overwhelmed his senses as he pulled at the Spirit. He gasped, sucking in the air like a man deprived of it. "Gods. What the hell was that?"

    The door to the medical bay was pulled open as Thanatos stepped past the threshold. He smirked when he saw the boy awake, gave a light bow, and said, "I like the new look. You look like a Snow now."

    Altair nced at the strands of hair, took it by the hand, and studied the ashenplexion it carried. He chewed his lips.

    ''Mom! Why do you keep touching my hair?" A memory of a little Altair emerged through the boy''s mind as he looked up towards his mother, pampering him with her love.

    She was nibbling at his cheek, her fingers running through the cks of his hair. "When I see you, I''m reminded of myself. I see the most handsome boy alive who possessed my hair. I love how dark it is. It truly is like a vale of darkness."

    As the memory faded, Altair resisted the tears rising from the back of his eyes. "What happened? I was fighting against Keres and¡ª"

    Thaan raised a brow, "Hmmm. Iliana told me you two spoke. Do you not remember?"

    Altair moved to stand up, felt the stiffness of his body, and pulled at his joints until it popped. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

    Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin

    "The Rotten Vale¡­ rings a bell?"

    The Prince could feel the measured look from out of Thanatos, and instinctually, his domain expanded from out of his Spirit.

    Thanatos slid back at a speed Altair didn''t think could exist with his dexterity. His domain was met with air, but even so, the Prince felt a history of recent actions brand the mind. He shook as blood came trickling from his nose. Thanatos frowned, resisted his instincts, and entered his domain against his endless years of experience, which told him never to enter one''s active domain.

    "Altair, you must calm the Spirit. Chant the [Soul of the Imdominable]. As it stands, your fragmented domain isn''t ready to be deployed."

    ''What happens if I don''t?''

    Thaan frowned. "The soul is a veryplex thing. However, right now, you are tapping into two sources of power. You''re soul and the Realm of Spirits¡­ Let''s call it the Spirit Realm for now. You feel like you are drowning, right? The air must feel dense, like the raging seas are swallowing you.

    But as you resist the urge to hold your breath and inhale, each pull of air feels like a new fountain of knowledge coursing through your mind."

    The Prince looked at the man as if he''d seen a ghost. "How''d you¡ª-"

    "I''ve lived a long time, boy. So, let me illustrate what might happen. In a few minutes, the pain will vanish as your soul will limate to the influx of knowledge. I''m sure you''ll think that''ll be a good thing. But even now, I can see your soul dimming, fighting with itself to exist.

    Once five minutes pass, your ego, the thing that makes you, Altair ckwood, will be drowned, and all that''ll exist is the endless Realm of Spirit: A Void of Infinite Knowledge. You''re not the first to possess such an ability, but most don''t live long. Zariels [Soul of the Indominable] is shielding you right now, but even it has its limits."

    As Altair sensed the truth, the domain around his body resided, leaving him cold and empty.

    "In all my life, I''ve not heard of anyone with the ability of the Realm of Spirits to live past infancy, even in the Higher Realms like this one. It doesn''t exist. Perhaps the ancient races there are exceptions, but most of them end up dead or in a fate worse than death." He continued, shaking his head.

    "You''re not ready to use the Realm of Spirits, at least not until you master [Soul of the Indominable]. Now you hungry?"

    "Not sure¡­ " Altair admitted, touching his stomach. He could feel he''d not eaten in days, but it didn''t ache like hunger but rather an annoyance and annoyance stemming from mortality. He grinned. "Food can wait. How has the collection of the children been going on?"

    Pausing before he gave an answer, Thanatos said, "We''ve collected fifteen thousand. Most of them aremon born. So they can''t read or write yet. Can''t even sustain themselves at their young age. Those that can are a little older and might require special observation."

    From the medical bay towards the outside, they walked and talked about the state of Vesim.

    "After your victory over Keres, every power within the city ran towards the Pce. So it''s a little crowded." Thanatos said, eyeing a few souls crowded in each other arms. The stench of perpetrated fear emanating from their bodies. "They''ll be good meat sacks."

    "Indeed," said the Prince coldly. "What about our defenses?"

    "They are currently setting Wardings down to slow some of the Soul Kings, but as you have already experienced, these are not your average opponents. They are of the Old World. Creatures dating back far beyond even my era."

    And Altair was reminded of the archives within the Pce of Stygian. "Old doesn''t necessarily mean better." He said. "Many of their techniques might be behind the times."

    "Or above it." Said Thaan calmly. "But your right. Nevertheless, you managed to gather all the powerhouses of the city¡­ along with one of your family''s enemies. Heavens Gate."

    The tone in which Thaan spoke made Altair step stall for a brief moment. "Just because they are my family''s enemies doesn''t necessarily make them mine."

    "I''d agree. But after you gave the order to ughter all the men and women of the city. To those of Heaven Gate, you are no less than a demon."

    Further down the corridor leading into the throne room, two men with strikingly blue eyes nced toward Altair, marking him with their eyes. They crossed their des, barring him from entering.

    "Are these them?" The Prince asked.

    Thaan studied the two men, "White robes. Ocean Blue Eyes and the Sigil of the Silver Gates on their shoulders. Yep, that''s them."

    "And they''re blocking me. Why?"

    "If you two will move, we''ll be on our way," said Thanatos calmly.

    "The Throne Room is currently being upied by¡ª"

    Once more, Thanatos felt the presence of a domainshing out like a beast baring its fangs. It roared as Altair''s palm struck like the hand of a god. A smear of blood painted the floor following the fine mist that was someone''s head exploded, wafting the air.

    "Need I kill you too?" The Prince asked, the tone so indifferent the remaining Guardsman simply dropped his mouth ajar, prated with a fear that hounded his soul.

    The Guardsman gulped, so shaken he began to crawl from out of the Prince''s way like a worm.

    Thanatos handed Altair a handkerchief and opened therge frame that stood like gates. They entered as several eyesnded on them. Their eyes widened as Altair strolled through the bloody floors into the throne room, wiping his hands free of blood.

    Syris and Ren smirked, a little amused by his entrance.

    "Whoever those guards are, I suggest you train them better." He said, calmly dropping the bloody handkerchief onto the ground, his eyes scanning into memory several familiar and unfamiliar faces.

    He might not have killed the Guardsman had they not failed to agonize him, but s. Who was he, if not the most influential man who was not only hunted by most of the realm but also the one who allowed many of them to find peace? It had been clear that whoever had asked the guard to block his path was trying to either test Altair or¡­

    The Prince grinned. "Allow me to formally introduce myself. Seeing that there are so many new faces. I am Altair ckwood."

    Ragnar''s expression was mild. He nced at the blood and then Altair. "It''s good to see you''ve recovered. We were worried."

    "Aye. Now I really want a rematch,'' said Zaros, baring his fangs with a smile. He strutted forward, offering his hand. "Thanks for the aid. Ragnar and I thought you''d have lost a head, but you proved us wrong. Nice shit."

    epting his palm, Altair grinned. "It was quite an experience. The first time I ever struggled so hard in my life."

    "It was a good fight," said Ryzar, aided by Richmond. "We wanted to help, but the moment we exited the crypts, sensing the intense battle, we were assaulted by several soul kings."

    Altair looked surprised. "They were able to lock you down?"

    "I''m ashamed to say, but yes¡­ this domain they use is on another level. It bends reality. I''ve never seen anything like it. I fought eight Third Circle, yet they were able to get the better of me in every category of Mana. Their techniques are all at the level of godhood. My speed and power meant nothing against them, not to mention the teamwork they all possess.

    They are all trained. Much like a unit, now that I think about it." said Ryzar sharply.

    "No need to make it sound like you were truly dominated," an unfamiliar face said smilingly. "You didn''t use your full power lest you risked killing your men."

    Altair studied the smiling man with long aqua-blue hair and eyes between his brow housing the crest of a three-prong trident. Tall like a mountain, standing nearly seven feet, d in dark blue robes, he shook his head.

    "But this is not the best of circumstances. Something needs to change, or I fear we''ll all die," he sighed, ncing at Altair. "Ah¡­ Forgive theck of introduction. I am Yalivor Sadu, an Acolyte of the Water Dragon King."

 Chapter 206: The Rotten Vale II

    ''Yalivor Sadu'' Altair memorized the name, intrigued by the sense of purpose in which he spoke.

    Shrouded by a cloak of tranquility that rolled down his shoulders, warming the hearts of mortal men. Yalivor Sadu, despite his age, had not been the most powerful Altair had ever faced. He was a mere fifth circle, yet by his side, two ninth circles attended him. Their bodies were poised for action. A testament of his prowess or perhaps importance.

    Memories rolled like the rustle of the waters upon the shoars. He remembered the organized party some months ago, all d in armor, on his way to enter Vesim.

    ''I don''t remember seeing him within the army,'' he thought. ''Perhaps he was using them as a decoy. It would seem it worked.''

    Yalivor Sadu''s grin seemed to deepen. "Does my presence bother you?"

    "The opposite," Altair said. "Tacticians are hard toe by."

    The mask of the two young masters seemed to sh, seeking to prate the other''s intent. And yet, despite his effort, Yalivor Sadu witnessed only a vale mist of mystery too dense for him toprehend.

    Altair slid his gaze away, marking another individual with a reserved air meant to show warmth but distance. A woman with long golden hair, it seemed like strands of spun gold and eyes of azure. They glittered like sapphire, wrapped in a breastte of silver that bore the sigil of the Silver Gates.

    To say she was beautiful would perhaps be an insult, for her beauty shone brighter than any star, seemingly crafted by Goddesses of old.

    "Ariane Newgate," she said, her gaze not shying away. She looked on without a hint of shame or remorse towards her lost men.

    ''So it was a test,'' he thought amusingly, burdened by a sudden itch to gorge her eyes from out of their socket, to store them away within a collection of his jars of formaldehyde.

    "It''s a pleasure," The Prince replied with a charming smile.

    Ariane resisted the sudden urge to scowl, feeling her skin reel in disgust. As if every part of her being wanted tosh out, she forced herself calm, forced herself to recall the old lesson of the Heavens.

    Yet, to her surprise, the mere presence of the boy felt like the rotten pits of Hell.

    ''Have the Hells branded him?'' she wondered, resisting the urge to grab her aching chest. She could feel it. Like tendrils were drilling into the flesh, twisting her mind, her perception.

    Altair glided to Reina''s side and stationed himself between Syris and Ren. He found a seat they''d kept for him.

    "Can we get back to the matter at hand," snarled Vynn, attended by his aide, Draxian.

    Altair made the gesture of a king to his servant. "Continue." Hemanded.

    As if he''d felt he had stepped into some invisible trap, Vynn turned red. He balled his fist, trying to maintain some regal demeanor before the various lords.

    "It seems to me," Ser Glynn Vardoo began in a stoic demeanor. "Our best bet is to call to our Patron Gods or Sponsors for aid."

    "A wonderful idea," Yalivor Sadu eximed with half a smile. "But our Lords each have their own price and enemies. For them to¡ª"

    "The ck Knights of Bahamut are willing to descend," Said Ser Glynn Vardoo sharply. And from the corner of his eyes, in a subtle way most would miss, he nced at Altair. "For a price."

    The Prince caught the nce, masked his intent with a half smile, and kept his mouth sealed, allowing others to echo their opinions.

    "And what price would that be," said Ragnar coldly. "A mortal sacrifice? Our immortal souls? Perhaps our bloodlines? Bahamut, the Great Dragon of All Dragons, is no kind god."

    "Neither is Lord Malzeen," Glynn replied. "From our estimation, he seems either to wield a sort of power unlike anything we''ve ever seen. Why else have no God from Babels Tower descended? Why are we, the children of Gods, left to his whims."

    Altair kept his smile, gauging the subtleties of those at the table.There had been few Ninth Circles, yet those who were clearly weaker were leading the conversation.

    "Is this not our opportunity to strike?" Glynn continued. "Altair has given us time¡­ now, if we are to survive, we must either flee or make a sacrifice."

    "A God will only intervene if their acolytes are in trouble," Yalivor Sadu said calmly. "Five days ago, when a Ninth Circle shed nearly annihted this city, it was our Lord''s divinity that saved many of us. To ask for another favor might¡­"

    "Seem ungrateful,'' said Ragnar solemnly. He sighed. "But¡­ we don''t have much choice in the matter."

    "I disagree," Altair uttered. "You all can leave. It''s that simple. Abandon your greed and walk out of Vesim." A profound silence took hold of the table, leaving all but one smiling. "I''m a little ignorant, but I believe I''ve heard the term Chaos Lord thrown around. I''m sure you all know who or what they represent."

    "Monsters who abused the Cycle of Reincarnation to the fullest of their ability to heighten their skill sets by allowing them to experience hundreds of different perspectives. They are the ones who touch upon the Mortal Dao of Perfection but dare not walk its path."Yalivor Sadu mentioned, stroking his hairless chin.

    Once more, the silence became deafening until:

    "For an S-Rank Skill, it''s worth it." Said Vynn darkly.

    Altair nearlyughed, looking out at the eyes of agreement. "Then you are nothing but fools. None of you have any idea of who Malzeen is, do you?" heughed, shaking his head. "Victems. That''s what he called us."

    Vynn scrunched his brow. "What is your point?"

    "My point is that not all deals are necessarily in our favor. I do believe Lord Malzeen never mentioned what type of skill he''ll be giving us. How do you know it''s even useful? How do we know if we are evenpatible with it?"

    Thanatos nced at him and thought with a slight smile, ''So he knew all along. Good, I fear greed might have taken over his mind. How poised his mind has be.''

    "What are you trying to say?" Ariane cut in. "Stop speaking in tongues."

    "Ahh, what I''m alluding to, my dear. Is that everyone is frightened? Everyone is greedy. So blinded they are that everything we need to enthrall a god or perhaps a demon is here." A cruel grin surfaced over the boy''s serine lips. "Within this castle alone, there are so many from Babels Tower. So many saw to attend this cruel festival.

    Why not take advantage of that and sacrifice them instead."

    "Fuck," many muttered, taken back as their eyes opened wide. A feral chill dancing along their spines.

    Altairughed," Think about it. None of us know what skill Lord Malzeen seeks to give us or if it''s even useful. A devil knows how to hide his intent, after all. So why gamble with our future prospects when we have so many ''assets'' outside these doors.''

    [Daddy: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! SEED OF MY BALLS, I AM IMPRESSED!!!]

    [She Who Hunts: Stop addressing him so! He has a name!]

    [Conquest: He''s not wrong, though. There are quite a few devils, Necromancers, and gods who''d love to get their hands on many of these so-called talented people.]

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl, is impressed by your scheme.]

    [Daddy: I need to have a beer with my son!]

    "That would be utterly heartless," said Ariane sharply. "Have you any idea how important souls are?"

    "I''m sure the Gods within the Church of the Sepith would be more than willing to ept the souls. Megatron and Michael, too," said Thanatos calmly.

    Ariane, to say the least, was utterly petrified. She whirled to him, her mouth ajar, "Y-Y-You¡­ Who are you to call them by name so tantly."

    ''Seeing that we had dealt with them Quite a bit,'' Thanatos thought, recalling how much the Myriad Heavens changed, requiring the allied forces of the plentiful underworlds to join forces to create an orderly system in tandem with the Shadow Promation.

    It was Michael who approached Hades to propose the role of one of the Master within the Tribunals of Death.

    He smiled. "Worry about yourself, girl."

    Ariane nibbled at her lips, ever more wary than before.

    "I''m hesitant about this idea," Yalivor Sadu conveyed through scrunched brows. The idea of ughter was not a foreign one to him, but seeing how open some of the faces were to the idea did not sit well with him.

    ''If they are willing to take life so easily, how can I expect them to watch my back,'' he thought.

    "I agree," Ragnar added.

    "Dido," said Zaros. "I don''t like giving my food up."

    "But it''s not like we''ve got another option," Ryzar joined in. "If we are to survive. If we are to acquire a potential skill without true sacrifice, why not ept it?"

    Syris nced at Altair, feeling a chill race down her spine. For five days, they had been arguing about what to do. Arguing on the next course of action. Demanding wardings, cannon fodder, and more, yet in a few minutes¡­ an idea was being heavily considered.

    The Prince grinned, sensing it wasn''t the right time to push. "How about we take a few days to consider? Five days have passed, right? So we''ve two days left. Why don''t we consider our possibilities? I''m sure you guys have been at it for days.

    "

    Once again, that deafening silence enveloped the throne room before, finally, they rose all in agreement.

    "Good"

 Chapter 207: The Rotten Vale III

    As the throne room began to clear to thest man, Altair leaned his head back with a smile, meeting Reina''s golden rose eyes. A childlike beam shone from his face as he looked at her.

    "Did I do good?"

    She giggled. "When did my Art start needing my validation?"

    "I don''t. But It can''t hurt to have it."

    Ren hummed a cry of victory, stealing a kiss. "Yes. You did you good. Good boy."

    Continue your journey on m|v-l''e -NovelBin

    "You two are weird." Syris mused, a little annoyed by such a public disy of affection. She nced at Thanatos, not paying attention, and nudged his arm with her elbow. "You''re fine with this?"

    Thanatos returned to himself with a sudden jolt and shrugged. "I could care less. If I get ufortable, I''ll just leave. Simple as that." he nced down at Altair, beaming like a little boy. "But I suggest we leave. None of you are ready to face these monsters."

    "No, " Altair dered. "This was exactly the challenge I was looking for. Every sh I had felt as if death had me. You can''t expect me to give that up."

    "I expect you to keep on living. And right now, you are in a position where neither Zag nor I can guarantee your life."

    "Thanatos, " said the Prince coldly. "I don''t need a guardian. Do you think I don''t know how much you two have held back?"

    "Which is why I''m telling you now.If you stay, death will¡ª"

    "The hands of death will not im me." Altair dered. He stood up and drew in on Thanatos, peering so deep into the eyes that the Former God of Death sensed a fathomless abyss hidden beneath this boy''s shadow.

    With an arm on his shoulder, Altair said: "If you are my bannerman, then stop holding back.

    "like Father like son. " Thanatos closed his eyes, sighed, and said: "If that is your decision, will not speak of it. What will you have of me?"

    "Help me create my domain.Help Reina and Syris form theirs even if our domain is outssed. Those Soul Kings can''t bring out all their skills with their current souls or physiques. Am I correct? Their prowess is surely cut by eighty percent, right?"

    "I cannot use ny-nine percent of my battle prowess as it stands right now. And it''s the same for those Soul Kings," said Thanatos, startling the boy. "You''ve no idea the power of the Chaos Lords, do you? There is no shing of the sword, no parry or shy battle: You either die trying to fight and defend, or you flee from death."

    He closed his eyes, amused by a faint memory he''d had with Godric, a brother, friend, and rival within his Father''s court. So swiftly as the memory came, it faded just the same.

    "Theprehension of a Spirit Domain was a feat even a child can do. Boys and girls barely eight and nine can do it. Learning it is quite simple, but that simplicity quickly dissolves into an ability meant to bend reality."

    "Like changing the position of gravity?"

    "Was it gravity that changed or space?" Thanatos asked the boy, startling him as the answer did note as easily as he thought. "The perception of spatialws gets quite difficult to understand. It''s the same for gravity. But I''m getting off track. Let me exin to you the first level of a Spirit Domain."

    Altair, Ren, and Syris waited with open hearts and minds. "To put it simply, it''s a Divine Sense. A soul-like ability that allows you to see with the soul rather than the eyes. To soul users and Astral Users, the body is more like a cage. Blocking our senses. By pushing past our mortal cages, we expand our minds to the world around us."

    "A divine sense,'' Syris said. "I heard that one needs to be at least a god or¡ª"

    "One needs only be a mortal." he tensed, and the three felt a hint of ''presence'' upon them, a weighted power pressuring their bones. "When you exert your presence upon another. Is that not the maniption of the soul? Yes. One merely needs practice to explore rather than dominate."

    Altair fell into deep thought while still allowing himself to listen to Thanatos''s lecture. And for some reason, he felt what he said was both right and wrong.

    ''How does one explore without the need to dominate?'' he wondered. Be it man or woman, is the urge to dominate not innate? ''Toy im to all that around me? Am I not a King.''

    Warning caught hold of Thanatos in a sensation of danger, a pulse of forwarning that urged against any sudden movements. He smiled said," Of course, that is only the most basic way to acquire one Spirit Domain. But truly, ites down to one''s innermost desire. Will forth your Spirit, and it shall appear. The power was already at your fingertips. All you needed to do was weave it into being."

    As he said that, a domineering force surged from out of Altair, pressuring the air like a great mountain. So dominating the intent, the pce walls groaned beneath its might, cracking and bending.

    "Dominate not the physical world but the spiritual," Thanatos informed in alecturing tone.

    And as if a switch had flipped, the horrifying pressure vanished, leaving a sort of heavier air.

    Syris had been unsure why, but the urge to kneel tugged at her mind, gnawing away at her Spirit as it began to dominate her mind. Her cheeks grew hot, and from between her legs, her loins began to quiver. It began to writhe against her undergarments.

    She covered her mouth, staring at the Prince dominating the air with his Spirit. It was faint, but she could see a rune, a brand upon between his brow: The Brand of the Incubus.

    "It was so simple?" Altairughed. "Was I overthinking it?"

    "This is but the first level. Give it time for the System to register it, but yes. How fitting you chose the path of a conqueror."

    "What path did Father choose?"

    "Him? He didn''t really have a Spirit Domain, per se. At least not in the traditional sense. He kind of skipped several phases, gaining a technique that worked much like a spirit domain, allowing instantaneous movements and attacks."

    "And my Uncle?" Altair questioned, recalling Zariel''s name being tossed around more and more.

    "His own was hard to exin; his Astral Domain was¡ª"

    "Astral Domain?"

    "Oh¡­" realizing his mistake, Thanatos said," It''s an upgraded version of Sprit Domain that requires Astral Qi. Does the same thing but a thousand times better."

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts demands you say who this uncle is!]

    Thanatos gave her the finger.

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts, puffs her cheeks incredulously.]

    "Let''s just say his own dealt with reality-warping feats. Anymore, and these gods might learn his name."

    "How does one add abilities to this Spirit Domain then?" Reina asked, getting a sense of her own. It was a little easy, but for some reason, it frightened her the more she realized how much more proficient her enemies were than her.

    "They''ll need an Aspect or something that synergizes with it. Elements do well with this. But for now, practice the basics. I''ll exin the rest the more proficient you are."

    "Great¡­ then Altair, can you shut down your spirit domain?" Syris tearfully asked, so red her chest was hammering so loud she feared others could hear it.

    Altair tilted his head when his sense of knowing whispered truth into his mind. Almost immediately, he dismissed his domain, overwhelmed by two things: The Brand of the Incubus and the Realm of Spirits.

    ''Does my domain grant me knowledge?'' He wondered, recalling the matter a few hours ago when he first awoke. A little tempted to unveil his Spirit Domain again, Altair halted the idea on ount of Syris.

    "Better?" He asked, not daring to bring up the fact he was aware of all that urred. He was sort of apologetic. He wasn''t aware of how the Brand worked, but it had seemed to find a particr interest in Syris. ''Or perhaps it''s following some feral desire of mine.''

    "Y-Y-Yes."

    "You''re so red," Reina said, her golden eyes filled with a pool of warmth. "You ok?"

    "Yes," Syris mewled softly, so ashamed she couldn''t even meet Reina''s eyes.

    ''What''s wrong with me?'' she thought, chewing her lip when her gaze snapped to Altair, filled with me.

    Altair wisely chose to ignore the stare. "Do you have anything to do today?" he asked Thaan.

    "I do. Keres and I have much to discuss."

    "Excuse me?" Altair muttered.

    Thanatos nodded. "Yes. Keres is my protector from the old days. Molded by the hands of Nyx herself, he was forged into being to be my shadow. Although that was a long, long time ago. I''d invite you, but¡ª"

    "No. I get it." Altair remarked. "But I must know, is he an enemy?"

    "Keres isn''t an enemy, but I can''t say the same for Davos. Watch out for that one. I''ve heard only rumors of his existence."

    "What type of rumors?" Said Ren.

    "That he was the first to create the concept of Spirit Domains¡­ and that he was the teacher of Former Lord of the Prime Chaos, Aldrich."

 Chapter 208: The Rotten Vale IV

    Thanatos had always been a mystery to the prince. Zarieus was whimsical, doing what he pleases.But Thanatos¡­ he was poised. He was a man who carried duty on his shoulders. He was always so grim. Only showing expression on asion.

    Altair wondered as he saw Thanatos take his leave if that was a trait of all Gods of Old.

    Duty,the word itself, portrayed Thanatos so well that it seemed to embody the man.

    His gaze broke when the shadow of his bannerman vanished.

    "I wonder what could make him truly smile."

    Reina gave a toothy grin. "A woman, of course. Find the right one, and I''m sure that mask of his might break."

    Altair wondered.There was truth in her words. More so than he liked to admit as he realized how dependent he was on her to keep his sanity.

    "I''m going to go visit Lyain. She a bit injured," Syris was quick to say,hurrying out of the throne room, her chest still reeling from the mark of the incubus.

    Altair paid her no mind but found himself quite enthralled by the youngdy smiling his way.

    "I''m d you''re awake; you had us worried." Ren brushed Altair''s hair from out of his face. "But how could youe to court looking all ragged. Have you no shame?"

    "My woman wasn''t there to dress me.What did you expect?"

    The young wolf narrowed her eyes dangerously. "if only the gods weren''t all watching."

    The Princeughed, gave her left tit a flick, and watched the redness take over her cheeks before taking her by the arm. "Screw the Gods. Come, let''s see the little kiddos. Thanatos said food and water had been prepared for them; all that''s required is someone to organize homes for them in the Serpents Outreach."

    "Aurora?".

    Altair nodded. "That''s our best bet, but¡­ we''ve someone else with quite the experience.I''ll have him do it."

    Ren looked intrigued. "who?"

    "Cedric¡­ quite the fucked up individual there. I thought I killed a lot of people. But he is a true psychopath. An effective one at that." A little hesitant to say any more,he changed the subject.

    "You saw Hilda or Vaiga yet?"

    "Art¡­ have you noticed there is a growing number of women surrounding you? Literally Talia, Aurora, Nia, Alyssa, now Hilda and Vaiga¡­ It all feels a little sus. Are you secretly building a harem or something?"

    "hmm. That''s not a bad idea," he said, gauging Ren''s reaction, but to his surprise, she merely continued to lead him into the eastern wing of the pce and down towards the servant''s quarters.

    "Liar." she finally said,turning to him with her golden eyes. "but Ren would forgive you."

    A little caught off guard, Altair''s expression turned a little dark as he thought, "Is she trying to test me or insult my Integrity."

    "I¡ª"

    Ren gave him a look that made him eat his words. e there right through these doors."

    Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin

    Approaching arge doorway nearly ten meters tall, Ren pushed it.

    The first thing that struck the prince was the acrid scent of hot piss wafting out of the door.

    "What the hell is this?"

    "ren-ren!" came a bright, doe-eyed little girl waddling forward with a bright smile. She leaped up towards Ren, wrapping her arms around her chest.

    "Anne!" Said Ren, grinning.

    "Ah, your back," Hilda shouted, carrying for two infants. To her rear, Vaiga stood within one of the quarters, tending to an entire litter of infants barely a few months old.

    The entire quarter was filled with children of all ages standing in their waste. Many of their eyes were red, crying for their mothers and fathers. Numerous were covered in dried blood or huddled together, balls traumatized.

    "Altair?!" Hilda shouted in surprise when her expression quickly turned to rage. "You bastard!"

    Leaping forward with children in her arms, she sent a kick to his face. Altair opened his Spirit Domain and suddenly felt an unnatural sense of harmony envelope him. As his movements became reactionary, he glided beneath Hilda, twirling around her, catching her like a little princess.

    Hilda turned so red she found herself so taken back the thought of rushing out his arms dissipated.

    "Careful," Altair said, putting her down on her two feet. "Children aren''t as tough as you think." he pointed to the little boy in her arms, gatheringrge globs of tears. "You nearly snapped his neck."

    "You got strong," Hilda muttered.

    Altair grinned, closing the Spirit Domain before the headaches began.

    "And you got a tattoo." She added, pointing towards the mark between the boy''s brow.

    "What tattoo?" Ren chimed in, circling her prince to see the strange sigil. "Eh? That''s the Band of the Incubus. How''d it materialize?"

    "Well, it did merge with my physique, so it''s not all that strange that''ll appear," Altair said, though he was a little taken aback. And he wondered, ''But why did it appear now? I''ve barely gotten the hang of my spirit domain. Could there be some unforeseen transient properties?''

    Ren hummed, looking up into her prince''s eyes, and once again, Altair saw that glint of dismay.

    ''I''ll have to leave him soon,'' Ren thought, forcing a smile, and she said, "Well, it looks cute. It suits you. And your ashen hair. Should we start calling you the Ashen Prince?"

    Sensing he was missing something, something he couldn''t quite remember, the boy turned away for now, focusing his eyes on the approaching Vaiga.

    "You killed Cedric."

    "Cedric is very much alive¡­ He''s merely sleeping, Admiral." Altair said, studying how disheveled she looked right now. He nearly thought she was homeless.

    "Anyway, I''ll handle the rest," Altair continued, opening up a Portal towards the Serpents Outreach. He snapped, and all the crying, all the pain, and sorrow seemed to vanish beneath the [Eyes of Sacrilege].

    As far as his eyes could take him, those that fell under his eyes became calm and motionless, from children to infants, all of them still, their wills, wants, and desires twisting into what Altair demanded.

    "Single file line!"

    And like mindless dolls, those that could walk made for the portal one by one in an orderly line.

    Vaiga and Hilda stumbled back, their stance growing slightly guarded. Thoughts spun into a panic as they wondered if they were under some sort of trance. They wondered if they were beneath his spell beneath his thrall.

    "Get naked," Altairmanded them as their eyes turned to fire in but a moment.

    "Piss off!" Hilda snapped, her fist clenching into tight balls.

    "See? If you were beneath my thrall, would you react like this?" Altair grinned, amused by their guarded stance. He chuckled and began scanning the docile children one by one.

    "You can control people?"

    "I can manipte people," Altair responded. He nced at Vaiga, sensing a faint shimmer of a sword shrouding the flesh. It was faint, nearly absent of power, yet it was enough to ce him on guard. "Does that frighten you?"

    Vaiga studied the boy, and her palm slipped towards the longsword at her hip before it fell. "Have you used that power on us?"

    "I have not," he said. "Never saw the need, too. Although¡­'' and a hue of Vale Qi dangerously curled around the pupils like sr res," If you should prove to be an issue. I might be forced to take action."

    Vaiga swallowed hard, ncing down at the puppets being herded into ands unknown. She hesitated before a long sigh escaped her.

    "I trust you. But I want you to exin to me what is going on. And truly, what are you?"

    Altair smiled. "I''ll tell you as much as I know." And he thought, ''But I''ll only tell you enough to get the most out of you.''

    ***

    Within the medical bay, Altair found himself suspended in a state of deep thought. In his palm, Shadoww stood horizontal from one knee to the other as he sat in the lotus position.

    And in the following moments, a pulse echoed from the void, an ethereal domain expanded from out of the boy''s spirit, and with it, a fundamental understanding of all that was within his domain.

    From past to present,from dust to dawn,echoes of history came and went through his mind,fading to nothing as the domain died.

    "Knowledge I acquire within my domain isn''t retained when it fades."

    Once more, his domain surfaced, but this time,Altair saw to use simple arithmetic to solve a basic math problem before he closed the domain. He was startled to see that the knowledge remained.

    "It will seem that knowledge I manifest on my own is retained. Ok, so let''s consider all knowledge acquired by my domain to exist within my subconscious. Something I can''t touch. Is it possible for me to manifest segments of that knowledge?"

    With a smile, Altair once more began a new sort of training not even Thanatos considered. For nearly a day and a half, the boy began to y with not just his Spirit Domain but the Realm of Spirits, seeking to understand his limits by pushing himself to heights he never thought possible.

    Altair shook, seeking enlightenment towards not the heavens but himself, for whaty within his blood, he knew, would dominate the very Heavens above him.

 Chapter 209: Schemes

    Within the inner sanctum of the pce, torchlight stretched across the walls, casting a long, smokey shadow of the great statue of one of thedies of the Sepith.It was of Aidios, she who bore the First Oath of Iron. It was a hollow depiction of her beauty and power, for no mortal hands could emte the divine.

    Below the statue of Aidios, Ariane knelt on one knee, her head bowed.

    A rustle of wind echoed from a distance past, wafted through the sanctum, gliding through Ariane''s golden hair.

    "The Boy," came a sultry voice from the statue of Aidios herself. "Tell me about the boy."

    "I believe him to be touched by the Hells, your eminence," she said, her head lowering even further. "Though I have no proof. I felt¡­" she stopped as if to hesitate whether to speak her mind.

    "Speak your heart, child," echoed the statue.

    Ariane gulped, calming her heart with the old lesions she''d learned during her time within the Imperium of the Sepith. She drew a breath, stilling the unease within her heart, and said, "Altair ckwood is terrifying. It''s as if the Lords of Hell taught him. For every action he makes, for example, killing the townspeople, a scheme exists.

    It was not until it was over that we realized all those he killed lost their souls. Including those we knew to be the Heralds of Astaroth. Vesim held about a hundred thousand souls. Altair''s people ughtered about ten thousand. And none of their souls entered the underworld to be judged by the Tribunal of Death."

    The voice behind the statue went still, though its presence still dominated the sanctum.

    "Your Eminence, you sent me to Heaven''s Gate to gain experience, to learn how power corrupts. However, the discovery of Altair ckwood could be detrimental to all of the Myriad Heavens. Especially if, as a mortal, he possesses an Authority that allows him to im souls that already belong to those of the Hells or the Heavens."

    "I believe that¡ª" Ariane whirled, shouted in a guarded cry, "Whose there!"

    With a p of her bloodstained hands, Tasha smiled. Beneath her feet, dozens of those who stood guardy dead, their bodies mutted beyond recognition.

    "You sensed me through a Silence spell. Was I too messy? The stench of death is rather pungent. Ah, a w of mine. Do forgive, but aftering out from hell. The feel of blood against my skin was all so delicious." She smiled without mirth and entered the sanctum, ring at the statue.

    "Aidios, I presume?"

    Ariane nced at her dead brethren, offering a silent prayer before her focus slid to Tasha. "What is it you want, devil."

    And from embers of radiance, swords, and shields formed around Ariane.

    Tasha ignored her, entering a state of hyper-awareness before the God hidden within the statue.

    "Devil Spawn of Lilith," Aidios proimed. Her voice echoed like tempered steel."Why are you here?"

    "When I learned Heavens Gate was here. I thought perhaps it would be best to exterminate them. But I didn''t expect the Seraphim of War to be addressing her acolyte." Tasha slid her gaze to Ariane and smelt the air. "A virgin, but she hasn''t taken the oath of Iron. Shall I corrupt her before she spays herself?

    It''s been a while since I ran my finger through a woman''s legs." she licked her lips, curling her fingers in a seductive light.

    "What is it you seek?" asked Aidios calmly.

    Slowly, Tasha made her way towards the altar. "To instill within you that Altair ckwood is not to be touched. Less war between Mythos and your little boring cult begin."

    ''If that was her intention, wouldn''t it be better to kill me first to show her intent?'' Ariane wasn''t convinced and asked," So Altair has sided with the devils."

    "He''s sided with the Prince," Tasha said, her intentions still a mystery.

    Ariane frowned, her mind recalling a few days ago of the incident when Tasha saw to attack Altair. ''What changed from then to now? A deal perhaps?'' she thought.

    The statue hummed once more with life, pressuring her surroundings with a dense psionic field. The pressure grew so strong, so blinding, Tasha was forced to her knees. She didn''t resist, though her smile deepened.

    The smile didn''tst long.

    The attack, the mental pain that came seeking to tear the brain from the body, struck like a gong, vibrating so viciously that Tasha''s eyes began to bulge from her sockets. Blood slithered down from her ears and nose as a cruel cry tore at her windpipes.

    The cries were quick to beughs as she roared, "Harder! Come on! Squeeze my neck while you''re at it. Break it andhave your way with me!"

    The voice of Aidios was calm. "Kill her."

    Ariane drew her sword up, ready to sever the head, when Tasha spoke, "I am here by themand of the Prince of Mythos! Kill me, and he will descend for sure."

    Her sword descended and stopped as Adios spoke,"Halt."

    Ariane obeyed, her de inches from the nape of her neck. "Yes, your eminence."

    "Why not call her Master?" Tashaughed. She turned her dark scarlet slits narrowing. "Are you two not Master and Disciple? Why else would one that has not taken the Oath of Iron or any others?" she smirked, lifting her head to Ariane. "And to attack me. A royal devil from the Demon Mother herself.

    You''re either a fool or desperate for this one''s life. Kill me, and not only will you face my Prince''s wrath, but my Father will burn you alive! Your soul will writhe in the infernal hells for eternity, praying for relief."

    A sliver of fear caught hold of the young maiden, shaken by the level of insight with which the Lilim spoke. She shuddered, turning towards the statue for guidance.

    "You know the game," Aidios said, her voice now a cold calmness. "Tell me, devil, what is it you seek?"

    "A mutual understanding that Altair ckwood is off limits," she said. "The boy is not to be touched.''

    And again, Ariane felt that was not her true intention. There was truth in her voice, mixed in with equal falsity. She could nearly taste it now. ''This sanctum is guarded from the wondering eyes of gods and mortal kind.''

    ''Altair is not to be touched.'' she thought. ''Yes¡­ no touched but assisted. Is that her aim? But is he not touched by the hells? Why would she¡ª''

    "Leave," Aidiosmanded.

    And hermanding presence faded.

    Suddenly freed, Tasha stood up with a hot smile on her lips as she dismissed herself. Her eyes glided on Ariane for onest time before she was gone.

    Ariane whirled to the statue, falling to a knee once more. "Master I¡ª"

    "Be still, Child," The statue voiced. Her tone was just as hard as the very granite it was molded from. "The Devil seeks an alliance or perhaps something more. She desires that we attach ourselves to the boy."

    "But he''s touched by the hells?"

    "Is he?" Aidios voiced. "This is the second time I''ve been approached about Altair ckwood."

    "Master?"

    "Athena and Artemis approached me months ago. Seeking a simr alliance. What is so special about this boy? Authority?"."

    ''Is it so easy for her to believe he has within him Authority?'' Ariane wondered. "What will you have me do, Master?"

    "Beelzebub, my brother, also sees interest in the boy." There was a bit of teasing in her voice, amusement. "You are not yet ready to kill that devil. But should you see an opportunity? Take it. I shall descend if the need urs. Beelzebub¡­ My brother¡­ He will take our side.

    His position requires it."

    "As youmand, Master," she said, sensing the presence held within the statue fade. She stood to her feet, dismissing the shield and sword back in a sea of embers.

    Ariane turned to the bodies of her brethren. Stepped to them but did not mourn for them, for their souls had already soared to the heavens.

    For a long while, she stood there, unable to deny the envy she had towards the dead. She lifted a palm, conjuring golden mes from the tips of her fingers, writhing like ocean waves.

    And in a sea of gold that scorched the earth, skin, blood, and bones were torn to ash, pushed away by a gust of aimless wind wafting through the halls.

    She left, ignoring those huddled together, weeping cries for the tribtion ahead. Ariane hadn''t the time to pay them mind. With purpose in her step, she raced ahead, having heard the reports of her fellow brothers. She stopped just outside the medical bay and entered.

    Ariane felt her breath catch and her heart quiver at the boy who hovered in meditation. Above his head, two circles cker than the deepest night, bleeding profound essence that did not belong to the Myriad Heavens.

    Suspended by not mana or the strange essence that bound him, but rather Authirty he governed, Ariane felt the truest hand of death coil its lifeless fingers around her neck, pulling her into the shadows beyond the abyss.

    She gulped, shaken by a fear that her training did not allow. ''I must run,'' she thought, yet her legs could not move.

    "Ahhh, you''vee." The boy said, directing his scarlet eyes towards her. "Did Tasha have a conversation with you yet?"

    Ariane felt the power that binded her fade. Felt the mobility returned but didn''t dare show fear, but her eyes betrayed her. "Did you send her?"

    "No¡­ But there are few paths open to someone like her.'' Altair smiled, unable to or perhaps unwilling to hide his disdain.

    "Close the door, and let us discuss our little alliance."

 Chapter 210: Canaan

    Far beyond the Blood Clouds of Macar, within the profoundnds of Zepar, echoed the wretched cries of the damned. Mist born of sin carried with it the tainted bile of the dead, cascading into twisted ck winds. Lightning bolts so red they seemed as if they''d been purged in a vacuum of blood struck the hells, echoing distant cries of those damned for eternity.

    Like a never-ending nightmare that haunted the minds of Gods, all of it wasid bare before Aria Silvermane within the Tower of Div. From her balcony, she stood, watching with utter fascination at how the blood rain that flowed endlessly suddenly slowly twisting into liquid fire falling to the west.She heard the painful wails and then the maddening cries ofughter.

    And wondered, "What type of pain was necessary for pain to turn to pleasure.''

    "You shouldn''t look, mydy," said her knight, Liana Sinir, softly. She beckoned her inside, but Aria did not move.

    Liana bit her lips. "My¡ª"

    "Big Brother sent me here¡­ why?" Aria asked, her voice no longer childish. Her eyes were no longer innocent. She had grown these past few years, now bearing a womanly figure. Long silvery hair rand down her back while me twirled along her calm yellow eyes. "What year is it now?"

    "I lost track, mydy. Hell has no true concept of time," Liana said. Read thetest on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin

    Aria turned to her then. Her beauty was as stunning as the stars beyond the myriad heavens. "He visits me in my dreams every night. Kisses me on my cheek like a little girl. And every time he does, I feel like that little girl I once was." sheughed, shaking her head. "It''s been over a hundred years."

    "It''s been longer than a thousand years, mydy."

    Dryughter slipped from out of her, much like the ghoulish wails of those embedded into the elements, embedded into the very space and time to be tormented.

    "I hate him," Liana snapped. She hated thatugh. Hated it to her very core.

    "Liar," she said, drawing in on her knight, took her by the hand, and stared into her ming yellow eyes. "Tell me¡­ my knight, what do you dream of?"

    Heat came from the deepest reaches of her chest, images calm, enveloping into picture-perfect view within her mind.

    She grinned then. The dream still hard in her mind. "It''s only a dream, mydy."

    "A wish," Aria corrected, falling back to the memory that brought back that innocence that faded within the Hells.

    A knock echoed then, the door opening to reveal a young woman with bat-like wings and a long ck leather tail with a sharp trident-shaped tip. Violet ck scales coiled the stranger''s arms and legs. Two Kudo-like horns bore out of the head, glowing a beautiful red.

    "The Prince will see you now," she said, bowing cautiously where she stood. Her blood-red eyes poised on the ground.

    "A new one," Aria said, with a deep scorn in her voice, marking the perspiration slithering down the young subus."How long will youst? Devil or Demon?"

    "Devil, mdy," said the Young Subus.

    "Good. Thest one I had was a demon. Foolish little thing, that one," Aria said. "And where might I find my Master?"

    "Within the atelier."

    "Of course he is. Liana trained this woman. The next time she opens my door without permission, have the Dungeon Master tear the flesh from her body. For now¡­ I''ll be content with an eye. See that it''s done." Ariamanded before she made her way towards the atelier.

    Devils, one by one, parted in the wake of her presence. Peaking stares towards the one the Prince deemed untouched.

    The atelier of the Tower of Div was Astorath''s favorite room. Though the tower remained her''s, within the infinite rooms it held, the scent of old paint and books brought a sense of calm to the fallen.

    He sensed her when she entered, almost managing a smile as their eyes crossed.

    "Come here," he said.

    Aria obeyed. Finding he was staring at the same picture once again. ''Canaan'' it was called.

    "Is there significance behind this painting?" she asked, finding herself unable to see past the silver gates and the ocean of mes trapped behind it.

    Astorath nodded. "Canaan was the firstnd my brother Lucifer conquered in his fruitless quest to overthrow his Father. Several of my brothers and sisters were felled then. Their souls plunged into the Endless Abyss of the Vale. The attack, the execution of it all. It had been so perfect I thought that perhaps Mephisto had aided him in the capture of Canaan.

    No one saw iting. Not even me. One minute, I was talking to Diniel; the next, his warm blood smeared my face red. The next thing I knew, his head was in my arms, and Lucifer was staring me down."

    Aria exposed a look of surprise. "You¡­ were not on Lucifer''s side?"

    Astorath chuckled, "The thought of betrayal had never crossed my mind until that day. Death, my dear disciple, was somethingpletely new to us, yet the day Diniel died, a new Authority presented itself to the Heavens. Seized by Azazel, allowing him to be the Angel of Death. I felt true fear that day. But that fear quickly turned to rage as I fought back."

    "Like a mad dog, I fought Lucifer with all I had. It was all so futile. I couldn''t even cut his armor.He would have cut me down had Beelzubub not saved me. For some reason, he saw promise in me. Saw something no one else could gleam. Not even me."

    Aria was hesitant to ask but did so nheless, ''Then when did you fall?"

    "After the war, years after Lucifer was cast from Heaven. I, alongside many of my brothers, ran towards our Father to beg that he resurrect those that were murdered, To pull their souls from the wretched Vale. He refused. And in a moment of insanity, I tore apart our doctrine, the very Bible by which all Angels abide: The Law of Concordance. Yes¡­ Quite a day that was. Quite a day indeed."

    He shook his head. ''Honestly, I don''t know why Father allowed us to keep living. He might have saved himself so much trouble if he killed us all. It would have saved everyone from our wrath. It was then I realized how little we truly mean to him. The mind truly opens when one loses everything."

    "I don''t understand," Aria said. "Why didn''t he revive the dead?"

    "He is God."

    It was an answer that encaptivated everything she needed to hear while also leaving her confused.

    Asteroth shook his head. "But enough of the old days. How has your training been with theSix Paths of Time? How many futures can you see?"

    "Two. But I don''t really understand how you can im there are only six paths in a single timeline?" Aria folded her arms, thinking. "Why only six? Why not nine or Eight or Ten?"

    "In the Lower Realms, there is an infinite amount, but in higher realms like this one, there can exist only six. These illusory paths are the foundation of all time. As you already know, most Seers or Prophets are capable of only gleaming a mere fraction of the truth. But most of the time, they are never wrong. With your eyes, you''ll never misunderstand a vision.

    In fact, if you get proficient enough, you''ll be able to actively manipte events in these illusionary timelines and merge them into our reality to make them true."

    "Then why do you need me?" Aria finally asked. A cunning gleam glinted across her yellow eyes.

    The question had been on her mind for the longest time, but seeing her master so lost in mncholy today. She felt that this might be a chance to probe for information.

    Astraroth roared a mightyugh. "How long have you been wanting to ask that question? You still believe Altair wille for you, my dear?" he shook his head, sneering at the very idea. "The day you entered the hells. I severed the link between you and Altair using the Concept of Severance. You are connected only in name."

    And he thought, ''Why does she cling to that memory? Nearly a Cycle has passed since she entered my hands, yet the memory of the boy is still so fresh in her mind. How can that be? Must I take more drastic measures?''

    The girl did not argue with her master; she merely expressed indifference. There was no point arguing with him. Still¡­ "Then you''ve nothing to fear in answering my question. Why me?"

    "What a cunning child you are," He rumbled inughter. "Because I can only see five of the six paths in a single instance. Despite being its creator, capable of pulling life from that illusionary reality, I have not been able to tap into the sixth. Thest one to exist, like you, Zariel Snow, murdered, going as far as to use the Weave to wipe him from existence.

    No matter how I tried, his soul was gone."

    "Is such a thing possible?" Aria carefully asked.

    "Zariel is a special case. Most rules don''t apply to him," he said, shaking his head. "Anyway. Your power is growing if you can reach the third level within the Six Paths of Time. I''ll teach you how to reincarnate people from the future into the present."

    "Eh?!"

    "Hahaha. There is much to learn, little Aria. Much indeed."

 Chapter 211: Alliance

    Ariane stood staring at the young man gliding down from the air as if he''d been ustomed to such a feat. There was a noticeable precision in his actions. She crossed the room towards him, finding that the wretched sensation she had faced during theirst meeting was no longer present.

    "What kind of Alliance are you looking for?" She folded her arms, seeking to gauge some semnce of weakness.

    She saw nothing.

    Altair lips lifted into a regal smile. "Now, I didn''t quite expect that. So epting. Now I''m really curious. What did Tasha tell you?"

    There had been a trap in his words. One Ariane realized she''d walked into. She straightened, dawning her cognitive mask, "She asked we not harm you."

    "Ah-h-h, now that''s interesting. Are you curious as to why?"

    "Would you tell us?"

    Altair chuckled. " of course. Why wouldn''t I? I think there is much to gain from the Heavens. Don''t you? I''m sure they could offer more to me than the Hells, at least more than what a devil could."

    ''Is he trying to manipte me?'' she wondered. And said, "Then you admityou''ve been touched by the hells?"

    "Lady, no one has touched me. Except my wife."

    A faint blush rushed up Ariane''s cheeks. "You know that''s not what I meant!"

    "Did I?" he teased. "But I truly have no connection with the Hells. At least none that is of relevance. However, I''m rather curious about Heaven. What makes them so powerful whenpared to demons and Devils?''

    ''He feigns curiosity,'' she told herself. ''Why?''

    "You''ve given up Aria Silvermane to the Prince of Hell. Her soul is probably beyond¡ª"

    "Little Aria¡­ no. She isn''t little anymore. Aria has grown so so much. She''s a woman now." Altair knowingly grinned. "And while I can''t see her life due to some sort of strange magic. I can sense her heart.

    She is content. A little lonely but safe and secure."

    "You can''t possibly know that!" Ariane snapped. "We are talking about a Prince of Hell. Astaroth of all Fallen Angels. The Forger of Time. You''ve no idea his cruelty!"

    And again, Ariane felt she had fallen into another of his traps. One to gauge her emotional response. She bit her lips, allowing cracks to surface along her mask.

    "Aria died and was resurrected from my blood." He opened his hands, and from his shadow, Aurora materialized, bowing almost immediately, sensing a strangeness shrouding her Master. Much like an invisible vale, it swallowed him.

    Reverence deepened through her heart, and her bow deepened.

    "You''ve called master?" she said.

    "Indeed. Though merely to show you off. Ariane, this is Aurora. One of my Knights, or is it Sorcerer? Either way, she is my right hand, dealing with all kinds of logistics. An invaluable asset and subject one could ever ask for.

    I''m sure you don''t believe much of what I say. So why not ask her?"

    "She is your subject. She could lie," Ariane said, rather incredulously. Unsure where this conversation was taking her. ''Why tell me this? Why allow her before me?''

    "Tell her everything, Aurora. Well, aside from, you know, banking information."

    "Lol. can you imagine?" The little shadow joked. She stared at the frowning Ariane, studying her with a serene expression. "Allow me to go first. I became Altair''s shadow by him killing me."

    The disbelief became all the more deafening. "Then how can you defend him? How are you even qualified to convince me of¡ª"

    Aurora lifted a hand, pausing the youngdy''s words. "The alternative was to have my dignity stripped from me. To be made a toy of by some bastard. And while I did not understand the choice I made at the time. I do not regret it?"

    "Can you even regret it?"

    "I did at first," Aurora admitted. "I died after all. I was rather mad for a while. Angry with not just myself but Altair as well. But he gave me something¡­ no, he allowed me to see a whole new world. Look at me.

    A human girl. Now, standing before Monsters from the Astral ne. Staring at the face of one of the very Monarchs of Hell. And now¡­ I''m before a young woman who is a part of the very Heavens. Can you even imagine? Me, a small-time mage, now having an opportunity to witness such things?"

    Heaven''s Chosen could not believe what she was hearing. "You were human?"

    She knew the race well. Their only usefulness was their ''belief'' in the Gods.

    "Quite. But this isn''t about me. I''m sure you''d like to know about my Master. And he just allowed me to speak the truth. Ask away. I''m quite open."

    Ariane calmed her raging emotions in a single moment and said, "What are his thoughts of the hells."

    "He hates demons. They have no usefulness aside from utter chaos. Devils are intelligent but are too smart, or rather think they are always the smartest person in the room. In Altair''s mind, they are simple tools. Simply put, there is only an Equivalent and exchange going on."

    "Has he been touched by the Hells?"

    "Touched?" Aurora turned to her master, tears burning her eyes. "Master, has your booty been taken?"

    "Piss off!"

    Ariane smiled, then said, "Alright. I mean, has his soul been branded by the hells? Is he owned by a¡ª"

    "No one owns My Master," Aurora dered. There was a hardness in her voice, a cold certainty that startled Ariane. "He has spells and techniques that have infernal origins, but no way in hell is he owned by anyone but himself. He''s too much pride in himself to be a ve to anyone." Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin

    "If you''d like, I''ve several other knights you can ask your questions. Though I believe they''ll tell you the same thing in different ways.'' Altair voiced then.

    Ariane wasn''t convinced of Altair''s intentions but felt a greater understanding about the boy, who''de out of nowhere. It wasn''t much, but it was enough¡ª for now.

    "I''ve two gods I''ve epted blessing from. One Devil or Demon seemed to have taken an interest in me. I''ve one slot remaining for another. And I''d like it to be someone from your side." Altair said, closing his eyes. He savored the darkness, opening them back to the light with a profoundness Ariane had not seen in mortal men.

    "You want Aidios?"

    "Is that who you serve? I wasn''t aware that the Sisters of Sepith was a part of Heaven''s Gate."

    Ariane chagrined at her mistake.

    "I guess this is an example of different paths converging on a single truth." The Prince shook his head, studying the woman closely. "Speak with yourdy when you get the chance. But now. We''ve something else to speak about. Have youe to a decision in the sacrifice of those without power?"

    Ariane winced. "There are two groups that ept souls."

    "Three. Angels, Devils, and Necromancers." Altair said.

    "Are you truly willing to sacrifice them?"

    "How I tire speaking of morals and sentiment." He said in a grim voice."The lives of those not aligned with me are as worthless as grass itself. Will you ept my proposal or not?"

    A tight hold coiled around Ariane''s chest. "And if¡ª" she stopped catching that profane gleam in his eyes, felt the unease, felt the image of blood bubbling from out her mouth emerging from her mind.

    "I don''t like being threatened," Ariane said, feeling an intent no mortal man should wield.

    "My life is on the line," Altair told her calmly. "My life, my wife, and subjects." he shook his head, stepped around the bed, and stood directly in front of her. "The others will take the easy path. They''ll all agree to sacrifice everyone within the pce. How could they not? A S-Rank skill is on the line.

    Greed is quite a terrifying thing. All that''s left is you."

    "Me?" Ariane muttered, not understanding.

    "I could offer the souls to a devil, epting the risk of being screwed over in this desperate time of ours, or we could go with the safer option. The option everyone would be more than willing to ept. After all, the Sepith, despite their odd practices, is a force of Good. They''ll all be willing to ept that offer." he grinned, opening his palm. "It matters not if you agree to it or not.

    You''ll be outvoted when ites to the ughter. So it''s either you watch us send innocent souls to be burned for all eternity, or you save them by allowing us to offer the souls to Aidios."

    It struck Ariane then, the rxed demeanor he held through the meeting. The confidence in which he spoke. It all came together as she said," I had no choice from the start."

    "Bingo. The thing about good people. They''re so easy to predict. You''ll always choose to help people. I just took advantage of that."

    Ariane sneered. "You''re quite a sick bastard. Aren''t you? What a disgusting trick."

    Altair shrugged, offering his palm. "This is merely the beginning of our alliance, my dear. Plus, I''ve always wanted to meet an angel."

    Ariane shook his hand and stormed off in a gust of anger. She had no choice in the matter. A sacrifice was going to ur. The only question was who was going to ept the souls. An Angel or a Devil.

    "Go pacify her," Altair told Aurora with a smile. "She''s a sharp one. Just a little dull when ites to mind games."

    And you, my lord?" Aurora asked.

    "Me? Well, I think it''s time Father and I have a chat." And he thought, ''I didn''t collect ten thousand souls for no reason.''

 Chapter 212: Baptism of Blood I

    When, atst, everyone had left him, enveloping the medical bay in a dead silence, Altair took a seat on the bed, folding his legs over the other.His breathing followed the monotonous pattern of the Ninth Form, Aeron. In moments of shallow breaths, a hellscape of madness capable of driving mortal minds to insanity bore witness through eyes.

    ''What was madness?'' he wondered, unsure if there was such a word that could capture the sensation currently swallowing him. Morals that once made the man dwindled before its withering might. Oaths taken before Heaven and Earth were now meaningless words echoing from distant pasts.

    ''The Rotten Vale'' The words hung through his mind, vanishing into a mist before they could be understood.

    When, atst, Altair opened his eyes, the emerald mes of Irka filled his sights alongside the ashen king upon his throne. Red eyes so old they reflected oceans of blood now stared back at him, measuring some sort of reaction.

    There was none.

    "Father," Altair greeted him, rising from out of the lotus position. Curious why every time he saw him, he was smiling.

    "Have you created your aspect yet?"

    The Prince nodded. "I have. But the system has yet to register it for some reason."

    "I could imagine. You''re quite the anomaly. Nevertheless, I look forward to seeing it. Especially that domain of yours. Zariels, ''Anthem'' made fighting him just about oundish. Yours¡­ Yours, I wonder." he shook his head, calming himself.

    "Well? What can I do for you? When I heard your prayer, I smiled."

    Altair felt the air around his father change. There wasn''t much familiarity he always carried. There was an air of regality around him now. A poise air only a monarch carried.

    ''He''ll not hand me anything for free,'' Altair knew. ''It''s better that way.''

    "Where is the other one? The King of this Layer of Hell?"

    "No idea. Probably tormenting Leto. For a man who hates the act of killing, he is as proficient as any demon," Arsene revealed, a smug look cresting around the lips. "Were you smitten by her by chance?"

    "She''s the devil," Altair said.

    "And I''m not? Ask your question, boy."

    Altair frowned. "How much will it cost me to receive help from your hell?"

    The Monarch of Irkilia chuckled. It was azy chuckle that didn''t sit quite well with Altair. "Beelzebub, one of the first to fall from the Eternal Heaven, now guards that little festival. Do you really expect me or any other devil to gamble with you?"

    "I do."

    With an incredulous look, Arsene shook his head. "The level of ignorance you possess is astonishing. Beelzebub, without question, has the tools to break your little will. But ignoring Beelzebub for a second. How are you stopping people from assuming the connection between you and me?"

    "I don''t really care about that. Father, I am already on everyone''s list. I might be weak, but there are so many questions racing through everyone''s mind about me. Adding more enemies isn''t something I can''t control, nor is it something I should care about. The shadow promation holds back a few¡­ but the lesson with Cedric taught me there are many ways to bypass such restrictions."

    He closed his eyes, recalling the explosion that nearly took his life,nding him in Yarwin.

    All it would take was an explosion but on arger scale to kill him.

    "Even as I stand in this Festival of Beelzebubs. I''m safer here than I am outside."

    ''Imagine that?'' the Prince thought. ''So many people want my head. Want deals? Want something from me? That I''m safer in the hands of a Monarch of Hell than out there.''

    The thought made him smile mirthlessly.

    "You are my son¡­ So, of course, I''ll help you." Arsene began after a while of deliberation. "However¡­ there are a few things to note. Right now, this entire world is surrounded by some real monsters. More eyes are on you than you can imagine. Both Old God and New God alike." He stopped letting the words echo through his son''s mind.

    "The price for all that you seek based on your situation will be arge one. Desperation, my son, sells. It sells well."

    "I need something to protect me in times of need. I need a weapon."

    "The weapon you con from Astorath not enough?"

    "You know who I''m up against. Davos alone managed to solo my entire team of Shadows and allies. He wasn''t even a first circle yet." The boy clenched his fist. "Six months¡­ I need something that''ll allow me to survive for six months."

    Arsene nodded, about to speak, when a sudden flicker of static ran through his body. "Damn that Zariel¡­ what is he doing? The seal is getting stronger!" he cursed as the flickers became distortions. "Tsk¡­ Shit. What wretched timing. Damn him."

    "Father?!"

    "Fuck. Show me the shield you got from your sponsors." Arsene said. A tinge of impatience in his voice.

    "How''d you¡ª"

    "Hurry it up. I''ve little time. I need to stabilize this shadow of mine." The Monarch said hurriedly. "I''ll enchant it, giving it form. However, the price is those ten thousand souls of yours and a favor."

    And again, Altair felt exposed before his father''s eyes. ''How much of my power does he understand already?''

    "What type of favor?"

    "That''s the game, boy. I won''t tell you, but should you ept or refuse the assignment handed to you, I can assure you. The price you''ll have to pay will be a horrid one."

    There was something in his Father''s voice that was cold, primal. He looked him in his scarlet eyes, sensing something more to that gaze than met the eye.

    The gaze alone told him his life might be on the line should he ever turn his back on the vow.

    Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin

    When a sternness filled the young man''s eyes, he lifted his forearm and conjured a sort of translucent shield, seemingly forged out of golden stardust, that gathered into a dome.

    ''The Shield of Aegis." Altair said, unable to deny him the gift his patrons had gifted him back when he was on the run from demons. He''d never invoked the skill that called forth the shield that was to be his trump card in the face of death.

    "Athena is quite desperate," Arsene said, crossing the throne room in a single step. He arrived before his son, the winds reeling away before his transcendent might. "Ten thousand souls and a favor. Do you ept?"

    Altair bit his lips, tasted the blood, and nodded. ''He is my father, right? No way he''ll ask me to do something deprave.''

    "I ept," he decided then and there.

    ***

    Altair opened his eyes within the realm of yarwinyered by perspiration. He touched his head, felt the icy wetness, and cursed, unable to deny the tinge of regret in his heart.

    ''An Open Favor now hangs over my head,'' he thought, tasting the bile threatening to rise from the back of his throat. ''And I didn''t even get to ask about the Brand of the Incubus. I wonder what happened to Father?''

    Just then, the door to the medical bay was opened, stimting his sense of danger. He rose, shooting his eyes at the masked individual.

    "You''re awake," Iliana said. "Good. Come with me for a second. I want to test something."

    "Master¡­ It''s good to see you." The boy smiled, chasing after her, as Iliana stormed off. "How''ve you been? Has the wine cer been to your liking?"

    "How''d you know I was¡ª"

    "I''m getting a contact high from your presence," Altair said, not in the least bit exaggerating.

    "Hmmm. Davos and I had a drinkingpetition. He is currently knocked out. So, if you want to kill him, now''s your chance," Iliana mindlessly conveyed, startling the boy for a good while.

    "Master¡­ just how strong is Davos?"

    "Right now?" she turned down the hall, hurrying towards the garrison. "Just about the weakest and strongest person here right now. His control of Astral Qi is, without question, at a dangerous level. He''s definitely someone who emphasizes control over all else. His physical body is pathetic. But his soul is without question monstrous.

    He''s like Zariel. He reconstructed his soul to create well¡­ I don''t know. I didn''t probe that deep. Either way, he''s way beyond your current level."

    "Even though I''ve gained a Spirit domain?"

    "Your Spirit Domain only allows a dramatic rise of cognitive function. He''ll kill you in a single sword stroke. Shall I show you how?"

    They arrived within an empty garrison, the ground still wet with the mark of a fresh kill.

    "The foolish knight of dawn¡­ I don''t remember his name, but he is gathering people under the direction of that devil woman," Iliana said, pulling a wooden sword from one of the racks. She turned to her disciple, creating small circles with her sword. "Alright, show me what you''ve learned. No movement arts, no body enhancements. Show me your sword mastery. I need to check something."

 Chapter 213: Baptism of Blood II

    Hounded by an innate intuition, Altair did not reach for the wooden swords that hung on racks but drew Shadoww from out of his Drupnnir Ring, reeling at the sudden sensation of forewarning gnawing at the back of his mind. He saw Iliana move. He saw her sword sweep across the air, slicing through the winds, and saw the very mana part.

    So fiercely, her sword struck across his embers and shook the walls of the structure around them. The thunderous boom! Reigned like the drum of thunder, pushing Altair back dozens of feet. His sword arm reeled upwards when Iliana pushed forward. She drove her sword toward his neck just as Altair tried to reposition his arm to defend himself.

    She drew back with a sudden feint and struck with her foot, catching over his jaw and tearing him off the ground into the walls.

    Traces of blood slid from down his jaw, touching upon his robes. He cursed, shaken to his very core.

    "Zariel''s technique he instilled in you isn''t to be used like you think it is." Iliana began shaking her head, the disgust radiating from the back of her throat. "Disciple, why do you think he blessed you with the [Soul of the Indomable]?"

    Spitting the blood from his mouth, Altair cursed, reorganizing his stance. "To retain my self of self."

    "The sense of self? The fuck is that?" She sneered. "We are constantly changing. Constantly evolving. The Soul of the Indomitable was meant to leave behind order within that chaos of your mind. It''s meant to allow you some semnce of control of the madness empowering you."

    Hesitant, he looked at his Master strangely. "Aside from innovation, what else can Madness grant?"

    "Aside from innovation?" Iliana nearlyughed. She stepped to Altair, shing forward in a blur, her sword swinging into semi-arcs so profane the howls of ghostly wails of the damned echoed. So frightening her sword, the boy dared not take the strike head-on.

    When for some reason inexplicable reason, the image of the sword and the woman all vanished.

    In a single moment, the instant of danger, the fundamental sixth sense ingrained in all living creatures, vanished from his being as Iliiana appeared, cleaving her sword over the back of his neck hurdling the boy into the ground.

    BOOOOM~

    Webs of cracks shot through the earth, carving out a crater. Iliana stared, and without hesitation, she stomped down over his head, piercing him deeper into the earth. Over and over, she stepped until a pool of blood dripped from her foot.

    "Aside from innovation," she sneered, lifting her foot mirroring the very technique Altair once used.

    ''Enimatic step''

    A dust cloud red in an upward gust of torment, shaking weapons from off the wall.

    Iliana stared down at the glowing red eyes through the dust. "So you reacted. I fear I''d have killed you."

    With a push of raw force, he forced Iliana back and pulled himself from out of the crater. Drenched from head to toe in blood and dirt, he stood with a newfound sense of coldness racing down his spine.

    ''Had my spirit domain not opened up at thest second, alerting me,'' he gulped, sensing his death.

    "You were going to kill me," Altair muttered, feeling the dull ache radiate from the back of his head.His vision began to blur with the damage to his skull.

    "Of course. Better to kill you now if this is the zenith of your skill. The fragility of you mortals is something so profound to me." she shook her head. "My little disciple. The Ninth Path is so much more than you can imagine. Most of these so call Soul Kings are so crippled that most of their skills can''t be used without major changes.

    The Ninth Form is all you need to ughter them."

    Iliana lifted a palm and invoked her spell, "Spacial Istion."

    Mana whirled form out of her palm, distorting the space of the region around them. Light itself seemed to be partly fractured, bringing about a sort of silence to the once rowdy castle.

    "Within this Mirror Realm, I can run wild without the need to worry about unnecessary destruction." She pointed her sword towards her disciple. "By the time we are done here, little despite. You''d either be dead or that madness you keep at bay with break free."

    Altair took a step back, suddenly feeling all his senses go on edge. He gulped down the bile crawling up his throat, and tilted his head as a sword arc of profane light shed through the castle. The prince shuddered, witnessing the very mana begin to wither before his very eyes.

    "Master¡ª" He turned to face her, his eyes twisting as he opened his spirit domain. Two swords crossed, sending shockwaves that sted apart the very building they stood within.

    Altair had no time to think of theck of people or the screams of panic that never echoed as Iliana''s monstrous sword dance began to weave like an endless ball of string, shing and thrusting into arcs that made little to no sense.

    Gashes began to line the flesh as Altair tried to defend. His domain aided him the best he could when, just like before, Iliana vanished from his perception. He felt her de slide through his gut, threatening to spill his entrails out.

    Madness erupted through the prince''s young eyes as he grabbed the sword, staring deep into Iliana''s smiling eyes.

    "What a lovely look. But you can do better than that," Iliana said, ripping her sword from his palm as she retreated in a blur.

    "You''ve too little experience with a Spirit Domain to rely on it against me." She said, cracking her neck. "My little disciple. Channel the Nine Form and let it guide you. Fear not the madness, boy. Let it course through you. And I assure you¡­ all those pesky limiters will break.

    Throw away your morals; throw away those bottom lines. And let the seed of chaos breathe through you¡­ if not." And her voice turned to ice. "I''ll have to kill you here and now."

    On one knee, he red, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. He held his gut, spewing blood, shaken by how a wooden sword could do so much damage to him. It was as if his Almighty Resistance was nothing before Iliana''s sword.

    Altair had noticed it already but throughout it all. None of her techniques wereplicated. In fact, they were the most basic that any swordsmanship could offer. Yet he could barely defend. He could not read her¡­ He¡ª

    "What are you thinking about?" Iliana asked, appearing as a ghostly apparition, swinging her word down to over his neck.

    Gave of Night: Devouring Night

    DING!! DING!! DING!! DING!! DING!! DING!!

    His eyes widened as Iliana easily parried with a few sword strokes that even he could barely perceive with ease. He gasped when a sudden seething force shattered his rib cage, sting him off the ground and through the castle. His body skipped across the earth like a stone.

    "Astral Qi is pretty handy," Iliana muttered, flicking over his flying body, shing her sword that bled a deadly iridescent red. A gruesome gash several inches deep swept across his chest, cutting through ligaments of bone like nothing.

    Erupting in a pir of Vale Qi to push Iliana back, Altair coughed up a mouthful of blood, watching his masternd like a fairy without being untouched by even the dirt. "Stop! This madness! Can''t you see there isn''t any point!" he roared, tapping into the Ninth From as she asked. But against his best effort, aside from the hellish shadowscape of madness, Altair bore witness to nothing else.

    ''Will he really make me kill him, or should I continue to drag on the battle?'' Iliana wondered. She thought for a bit and said, "My sister¡­ Izalith is probably the only one who is capable of defeating me if we were to fight in a battle of death. But to do so, she must fall to madness. She must just purge the mind and the soul of useless emotions and morals. She must be a demon.

    No¡­ she must be an Abyssal. If you can''t drop that false mask of yours¡­ I''ll really kill you, Altair Snow."

    As panic began to slip into his heart, the Hellscape within his eyes began to dwindle. Cracks began to appear in space through his eyes, and like shards of ss, they began to fall one by one.

    [Warning]

    [Error]

    [Warning]

    [Orgin System is¡ª]

    [Error]

    [( ?? ¦Ø ?? )]

    [Orgin System Authority Is Being Stripped]

    [Heart of Darkness is awakening]

    Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin

    Watching as trendlines of darkness billow as ethereal ribbons formed from off his body, Iliana shook her head.

    "What a waste¡­" she closed her eyes and, with a single step, crossed the bounds of space before the young prince.

    Altair saw the disappointment as she pressed her sword against his chest. She tilted her head almost mournfully when she suddenly smiled. "I know! I''ll kill that girl instead. I''ll kill the girl you love. Yeah, let''s go with that instead."

    A sudden ringing sensation pierced from out of the viel through Altair''s eyes as he stared at the woman he called Master.

    Iliana backed away the instant that peculiar radiance cut across his eyes. Like a de with infinitely sharp edges, two sigils began to weave themselves through his eyes. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck begin to rise.

    She gulped, bearing witness to arcs of bloodstain red lightning that began to rise not from the mana around him or the essence of the vale but something else.

    "The First Stage of Aeron," Iliana muttered. "Baptism of Blood."

 Chapter 214: Baptism of Blood III

    "The First Stage of Aeron," Iliana muttered. "Baptism of Blood."

    With a single step back, a torment of wind came like a thousandshes, pulling with it the scent of blood. Iliana stared at the slit-like pupils writhing surrounded by the sigil that branded itself permanently into the iris.His clothing was wrenched from his chest, revealing an enigma of obsidian tattoos dancing along the flesh like a living being.

    "Show me, boyo~" Iliana howled, shooting like a bolt from of the ground. A crater nearly twenty meters wide exploded beneath her feet from the sheer force. She arrived startled as Altair''s de seemed to arrive at her throat first.

    [Grave of Night, Third Form: Devouring Night]

    Eyes slightly contracting, Iliana pivoted off the balls of her feet, leaning her back nearly to the earth, cutting her momentum in a single instance. She watched as his de slid past her nose, changing direction in the same half-instant. When her eyes widened, she noticed Altair was not merely using the Third Form but the First Form.

    "There you go!" she shouted, channeling Abyssal Qi into her sword. A gush of ember swallowed the skies as Altair''s de struck hundreds of times before a third of a second passed, pushing Iliana back.

    Suddenly, Infernal runes lit up over Shadoww''s edge, and as Iliana''s sword instantly met with the Princes, destruction ensued.

    [Hellish Rebuke]

    Hellish mes exploded, swallowing the battlefield in a geyser of fire. Stones turned to liquid, the air to mes swallowing the abyssal, forcing her on the defensive.

    Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin

    "HOW''S IT FEEL!!!!" Iliana roared, leaping out of the mes untouched and skidding over the earth.

    Altair barreled through hellish mes, cleaving his de down toward her. Arcs of sword light followed his sword, cutting through light and darkness.

    The sigils of his eyes exploded with a baleful light so profane Iliana could onlyugh as her de shed against altairs.

    "Body and soul, Soul and weapon, spirit, and world are now one within you! All emotions are your power! So release it, boyo! Show me what you got!" She continued parrying the blow with ease when another, followed by another and another and another, came like a wild barrage.

    "DIE!!!!" Altair roared, opening his mouth so a wide a ball of mana twirled into form before firing off point nk.

    [Enma!]

    With her off-hand, Iliana caught the beam of energy dancing in a circle as her sword parried all iing attacks. She simultaneously hurled the spell at the boy. Altair did not seem surprised, but as Shadoww crossed paths with Enma, the beam of energy vanished into the sword.

    Skin peeled from off the Prince''s arm when Shadoww suddenly exploded with the very might of the hells. So dreadful was its power that Altair needed both arms to wield the de, bleeding out an Aura not even he could handle.

    ''Was that an aspect? Is it absorption?'' Iliana thought, ncing at how wretched the boy''s body was bing. ''Not yet. He can still do more.''

    She licked her lips, beckoning to him.

    Altair obeyed. He arrived via Sovereign''s Gale above Iliana, shing at her head. Catastrophic damage ravaged the city as Altair merged the First, Second, and Third sword paths into one. Stones turned to the vaper as the earth began to thrash back and forth, parting and crumbling. Lava overflowed from Yarwins'' crust in upward geysers of destruction as they shed over and over.

    When from the skies, it came, having brewed since the start of the baptism of blood. Iliana saw a single scarlet bolt fall from the heavens.

    "SHADOW CAGE!" Altair roared, freezing Iliana in ce as his sword and infernal lighting caught the air.

    Startled, he whirled to find her foot pping across his jaw, sting him through the wretched city like a cannon beam.

    ''He should be out of Mana now.'' she thought, releasing a single breath of air.

    Through buildings across ponds, striking hard against the wall of Vesim, did he stop, feeling nearly every bone in his body shatter at once. Still, he stood.

    Falling from the wall onto his feet like a nimble cat, blood pooled from the Prince''s mouth as a rage, a pit of fury he never knew had swallowed him. His body was battered, his mind ame with so many different emotions, and his meridians were nearly destroyed.

    Through his vision, the cracks across space did not seem to fade but expanded until everything seemed like it was going to fall apart. All of it seemed to only kindle a me within the chest.

    "It''s beautiful, isn''t it? That feeling in your heart." Iliana said, floating down from space. "It''ll never leave you now. Everything you feel from this point on will remain within you, adding to the madness.Anger, Lust, Love, Hate, Joy, or even pettiness will forever be your tools of war and your cage. So roar a cry of defiance towards the Heavens and Hells, disciple! Run wild with me.

    Let Master show you just how powerful you are."

    Altair merely growled savagely his thought so scattered, his domain so distorted he could barely think straight. Yet sensation, a glimpse of enlightenment, kepting at him, altering everything he ever thought possible.

    A sword of joy, a sword of hate, a sword of desire, a sword of wrath¡­ all of it was spiraling through his young mind, integrating itself within not just his swordsmanship but his mental pce.

    "Let out it, disciple!" Iliana roared. "LET IT OUT!!!!"

    With a cry that shook Iliana''s spatial domain, an echo reigned through the void far and wide like the depraved cry of a demonic dragon.

    From outside the spatial Istion, Beelzsubub turned with a look of shock reeling over his mind. "The Ninth Form¡­ Hells," he muttered, tightening his fist betrayed by the smile lifting over his lips. "Will this be his final fall into madness or the first¡­ For the Path of Carnagees after the Baptism of Blood. What do you think, Adam?"

    With a flick from out of space, the First Man emerged with a conflicted expression. He folded his arms and said, "He reminds me of Eve. She, too, walked the path of the Ninth Form."

    "She was the first, too," Beelzebub imed.There was a grimness to his voice there, one he did not bother to hide.

    "Did you and your brothers ever find out how those damn forms came to be?"

    "No. Though it was not for ack of trying. We always thought those Nameless Forms came from the Abyss. And to this day, I still believe so. However, to my knowledge, not even the Abyssals know of its origins."

    Adam grimaced. "Altair might be a problem."

    Beelzebub nced at Adam and then through the spatial istion towards the young boy, releasing the roar. He smiled, "That is Tenebrae''s son."

    "Tenebrae has adopted plenty of children. Zariel killed most of them."

    "This one is special¡­. Look at his master."

    Adam obeyed, focusing on Iliana, frowning at the mask that blocked even his gaze. He narrowed his eyes, filling them with Almighty Qi, and shook when their eyes crossed.

    The Monarch grinned viciously. "That''s a first-generation Abyssal. That body is a mere vessel. Touch him¡­ And you are dead. Unless you think you can handle an Abyssal."

    With a half smile, Adam shrugged. "I''ve got the Father''s Eternal Blessing. I could¡ª"

    "Her name is Iliana¡­ rings a bell?"

    The name sounded slightly familiar. "Maybe¡­ who is she?"

    "One of the Twelve Abyssal Generals. The One Who Conquered Destruction, Iliana Of The Abyss."

    "You''re kidding, right?" Gabriel asked, leaping out from space. He leaned over his elder brother''s shoulder, gasping. "It could just be a coincidence! You never know. That mask is quite a terrifying piece."

    Pushing off the Gabriel, who had always been too touchy for his liking, Beelzebub folded his arms upon his throne. "That''s what makes this all the more fun. Why don''t you go rip her mask off, Gab?''

    "Me?" The archangel pointed to himself andughed. "So I can fall in love? Naw, I''m good. I''d rather not have someone like that. She''ll ruin my life."With a few strange looks towards Gabriel, the archangel exined. "What can I say?

    I''m a sucker? And Iliana seems like someone that''ll gobble me up."

    ***

    "Are we almost there?" Jin asked, walking in on the bridge aided by his guardian, Sabine. He nced at Captain Roxian.

    "We''ve pierced through the deficiencies of Babels Tower, my Lord. However, there seems to be quite a bit of traffic ahead. I¡ª"

    "Cut them all down," Jin said coldly.

    Roxian looked a bit flustered. "My Lord, that is¡ª"

    "Bullying," Sabine said.

    "Piss on their feelings," Jin exploded. "This is Keres we''re talking about. If we can''t retrieve him, are you going to exin why to Father? Above all else, you know Father prioritizes efficiency. I''ll not y the game of politics. Not when Keres as we know it is alive."

    Sabine hesitated at the mention of her Master. "You''ve got a point, but without His Majesty present, it would be unwise to anger any major powers."

    "Father once told me if your kingdom has to rely on one person to survive, it''s a failure of a kingdom. Tell me, Sabine, is the Astral Kingdom a failure?"

    Quick to catch herself, Sabine bowed. "Forgive me. I miss spoke."

    Jin gave a tooth smile, snicking inwardly at the victory that had taken him years to achieve. He patted his guardian''s shoulder with a smug grin and nodded. "Worry not, Sabine. I''ve brought some of Grandpa''s devils¡­ just a few Blood Reavers and a few Abyssal Fiends. You know¡­ just in case."

    Everyone on the bridge turned to their Prince with a peculiar expression. " In case of what?" Sabine said incredulously. "War against every major power? That''s overkill."

    " Hehe, I''m a Snow. Now raise our banners! And Lets GOOOOOOO!!!!!"

 Chapter 215: Baptism of Blood IV

    As the battle raged, the earth beneath Iliana''s feet began to writhe with unnatural might. Altair winced, ignoring the shooting pain, ignoring everything he shot forward with purpose. The Abyssal grinned, stomping down.

    The earth parted like the jaws of a savage beast, snapping shut around the prince, splintering a few mended bones before he could react; a stone beast mped its jaws over his body, hurdling him miles into the air. He rocketed upwards, groaning at the sheer force propelling his body forward.

    From the ground, the stone golem began to take form, gaining two pairs of wings asrge as twenty feet, draconic scales so precisely transfigured they seemed nearly real, alongside a long, clunky tail. A terrifying roar of a dragon tore at the skies as the stone golem took off.

    "Shit!" Altair cursed, piecing through a storm cloud. He whirled mid-air, his heart hammering so hard against his chest it ached, and watched the hundred-ton golem chase after him.

    He had been unsure how he was still conscious, much less alive. His bones had continued to be shattered and repaired by his constitution, while the blood that had once been easy to spill was bing harder to spill. The world was slowing, revealing particles of light and air.

    The Mana that had left his body so long ago was beginning to be pulled in at an elerated rate by the Circle of Gluttony. It was refined a few breathster and deposited into his twin circles, rending him with a sensation of fullness.

    It wasn''t enough.

    As his body reached its zenith, Altair, for the first time, bore a smile, feeling the winds wrenched against his skin. Insight seemed to flicker through his crimson eyes, sparkling as he plummeted downwards towards the dragon.

    Arcs of infernal lightning seemed to tread over his body like the winds. It grew and grew and grew zing until around the prince, a dragon of Infernal Lighting presented itself.

    [DING]

    [Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    [Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    [Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    [Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    [Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    Like a great beam of scarlet light falling from the heavens, Altair tore through the stone golem, piercing downwards like a demon toward Iliana. So fast he became the barrier of sound shattered, as Altair grew faster and faster until he matched the natural speed of lightning itself.

    Their des shed.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    Dust clouds roared, connecting to the clouds swallowing the wreckage of Vesim.

    "Isn''t this fun!" na roared, directing ny percent of the force towards Yarwin. She watched as the shockwave that should have been directed towards Altair was pulled into his sword by his mysterious aspect andughed as the strength of his weapon only seemed to rise.

    Rage and joy began to intertwine within the prince''s mind. He was unsure how, but he wasughing. And he was also so angry he wanted something to break¡­ something to destroy.

    shes between master and disciple quickly took off, twisting into helix-shaped lines all across the city. Shockwaves within shockwaves ignited into lightning bolts, iling back and forth.

    Vesim, which was nearly three hundred miles long in diameter, was wiped away. Being filled with craters the size of mountains. Magma was gushing from out of the ground, instantly turning to stone as Iliana began wielding the elements: From Earth Dragons to Wind, Ice, Fire, Light, Dark, and Lightning Dragons. She used them all.

    Lost in a pandemonium of chaos, Altair couldn''t stop. His lungs were burning, his eyes were bloodshot, and his meridians were continuously being mended and destroyed. Yet he didn''t stop moving his legs. Unable to stop himself from abusing the King Domain to gain footing mid-air.

    With the Spirit Domain, the cirction of Mana through his body was getting more precise, allowing him to reinforce his body to new heights. Every sense was deepening, from his primal instincts to his ability to perceive his master''s actions. It was all deepening.

    Gods that had been watched were struck with awe as the battle was getting more and more intense. Iliana hadn''t been using more strength but rather elemental maniption, but even so, Altair was adapting. Each time he moved his sword, it bore a different feel.

    Within her pce upon Olympus, Athena watched, so shaken. She gasped as he began to weave through the ''rain'' of never-ending ice spears. When He advanced on Iliana with a breath-taking speed¡­. When he suddenly keened right over, skipping over the ground, hended before her feet.

    Iliana looked a little taken aback as she squatted down. A bright glow was apparent in her eyes. "You did good, Art. Once a week, kay? Once a week, we''ll have battles like these. It''s time to push you to the absolute limit that your soul can handle.

    You''ve seen the first bridge. Next time, I won''t go as easy. Let''s see if you canst ten seconds." she grinned almost childishly beneath her mask, poking at his cheek. "Good luck adapting to your new life. It''s gonna be kind of fun watching you murder and torture like a depraved demon."

    Rising, she lifted her palm to the skies, allowing a strange mist to shroud the chaos around them. The spacial began to shrink, pushing their bodies through space without the need for movement. They appeared a secondter in the garrison bay. When Iliana chanted a basic restoration spell, healing some of the more major wounds and meridians before leaving him to sleep.

    It had taken nearly three hours for a young man to find Altair. A fourth circle that went by the name of Halvic. He''d spotted him hours ago, and when his disappearance was made known, he knew where to go.

    "... is he dead?" he asked almost incredulously.

    Soaked from head to toe in blood that pooled around him. Halvic inched closer, entering through the door and closing it without a sound.

    "Sorry, kid. But the hit on your head is still high," Halvic said. He pulled a hunting knife from out of his belt and lifted the boy''s head with his palm, shaken by how wet it was. He ignored the sensation of blood pooling along the webs of his fingers, pressed the de to his neck, and slid the de from ear to ear without a moment''s hesitation.

    The cut had been smooth, but Halvic frowned when he saw no blood was spilled. "What the?"

    He tried again, enforcing the de with mana this time.

    Again, the results were the same.

    Halvic stood in disbelief, flipping the boy over to face him, and stabbed his sword down over his skull.

    With a dull ringing of steel against steel, slivers of fresh blood raced down the Prince''s forehead.

    "You''ve got to be shitting me?" He swore as the hunting knife when flying across the room.

    ''How high does one constatation need to be to do so? Isn''t he only a second Circle?'' Halvic told himself, dragging himself off the boy. He cursed, trying to think of another way.

    Then, without warning, the hunting knife began to release a golden light. Golden runes lined its silver edge in the form of an old, deadnguage glittering a bright light that faded momentster.

    He gulped, inching towards the dagger. He reached for it, sensing the ancient aura around the de. An ecstatic sensation coiled down the de edge, reaching up into the arm, traveling to the mind. He stilled, shaken by its gentle whisper.

    ''Kill''

    Themand voice was so sweet, so enticing. It echoed like the whispered moans of a lover.

    Halvic seemed to rx, lifting the de to look at it beside the touch.

    "Kill." Like a pulse jolting through the mind, the voice echoed again. But still, he did not seem to notice as he appraised the dagger.

    "Kill¡­"

    "Kill¡­

    "Kill¡­ Him"

    A lifeless hue slowly swept the cks of Halvic''s eyes, eating at the depths of awareness that seemed to fade from the mind, leaving behind only one thing: The Command.

    ''Kill Him''

    Halvic lunged, plunging the dagger toward the prince''s skull. Blood sshed over his face as the bones of Altair''s fingers caught the de edge inches from his eye. A dull ache stirred the unconscious mind, clouded by fatigue that came not from the body but the mind. Instinctual words echoed from his lips as he whispered.

    "Shadow"

    ***

    Covered in a mist of sweat in front of her cauldron, Reina tilted her head at Syris. "You''re looking for Art?"

    Syris nodded. "Hmmm. Apparently, everyone is."

    "Why?"

    "They''re gathering people up for the sacrifice. And theyfigured Altair should be a part of it."

    Reina thought for a second. It hadn''t been like Altair to go missing, she knew. "I''ll go in his ce. You go find him. I''m sure one of his Pale Knights knows." she stood up, ncing around the king''s room with a bit of hesitation. "Yeah¡­ I''ll go.

    You hurry after him. I''m sure he hasn''t gotten himself in trouble in such a short amount of time, right?"

 Chapter 216: The Black Lake

    From the darkness, they emerged like apparitions, their gray faces cold as a Winter''s breeze. Silent like a shadow, they moved in tandem with each other.

    Nia had been the first to arrive like a mirage of fog, catching Halvic off guard by the wrist with her spear.

    Halvic returned to himself then, pulled by awe from the fog that clouded the mind. He thundered a wail that shook the earth, lifting dust from below, when he saw the glint of a spear''s tip twist towards his throat. He panicked, reeling back to Alyssa''s knee, cracking his skull open from the rear,propelling forward.

    Tears pooled like hot tar from his eyes as Nia''s spear entered through the mouth, running him through without hesitation. He stiffened, gargling over the de that did not quite kill him yet.

    Try as he could, he couldn''t understand why he didn''t sense anyone. He couldn''t sense his foe''s footsteps, her spear, or the one who struck him from behind.

    The pain came like hot shes through him as a cold numbness began to spread.

    "the dagger," Aurora said, noticing the way Altair''s bloody palms struggled to hold it. The de was writhing, trying to escape,trying to run her master through.She darted forward, snapping Halvic''s severed hand off the de grip for her to take hold of.

    She frowned then, her ears catching a whisper, a soft, gentlemand rippling through the depths of her subconscious.

    "Kill Him"

    With both hands clutched around the de''s grip, Aurora felt a thin veil of fog begin to cloud her mind.

    "Kill Him," The voice hissed.

    The fog within the mind thickened, seeking to obscure the mind until only a lifeless gleam swelled through her pupils.

    "KILL HIM!"

    Aurora lifted the dagger high and ran it down, piercing her own heart. A hushed groan echoed from her lips. She smiled and, with herst breath, as blood pooled from her mouth, said: "Don''t touch the dagger."

    And in a gush of ckish mes, she vanished in a gale. Leaving the dagger to fall where it may.

    "Nia," Jorm drew forward, his eyes like two great pyres of yellow mes. "Stand guard outside. See what none of us can see. Talia go with her. You''ve permission to burn this entire pce to the ground should the need arise. No hesitation.

    I''ll carry his majesty. Lady Alyssa, you''ll handle the guarding of the Prince while my hands are tied.

    The Amazon pped her palm against her chest. "I understand. Leave it to me," she said in a solemn tone.

    Jorm nodded. And he thought, "We cannot bring our lord to the Serpents Outreach not without risking that he might lose out on the prize. But we also cannot stay. If there is one assassin, there are bound to be more."

    He nced at the strange dagger that led to their mage''s death and kicked it away beneath one of the weapon racks hidden from sight.

    Cleaning their master of blood, the Shadows all stared at the strange marking that bounded their Prince''s chest before clothing him with the cloths within Drupnir.

    They left ten minutester. A group of one hundred hurried towards the closest tower, killing a few stragglers who ignored the summoning.

    ***

    With his feet kicked over the round table within the throne room, Vynn tilted his illustrious gaze toward Reina, "Where is Altair?"

    "upied," Reina informed the table, sliding her scarlet eyes across the unfamiliar faces. "I''ll speak in his stead."

    "He trusts you to speak for him," said Ragnar questionably.

    "Why else would I be here?" Said Ren calmly. She folded her legs over the other. "Now, can we begin, or is there a need for more useless questions."

    "She''s right," Yalivor Sadu intervened. "The participation of Altair ckwood isn''t a necessity. But what is his opinion on what god he wanted."

    "I spoke to him a few hours ago. It''s the Angel of War, Aidios," Ariane Newgate attested. "As you all are aware, not many gods have use for souls. Especially untalented souls. However, Aidios is more than willing to make the exchange."

    Ser Glynn Vardoo scowled." As would Lord Bahamut."

    "Despite my loyalty towards the Water Dragon King, he too has no use for foreign souls. But I am inclined not to get close to one known who is a part of Khaos. An angel¡­ well, an angel is sure to be fair, or so the legend goes. I''ve never met one."

    "I agree with the Yalivor guy," Vynn joined. "I''ve never heard of anyone from Khaos that wouldn''t kill or¡ª"

    "Isn''t the Lord of the Eternal me a part of Khaos?" Glynn spat.

    Vynn shrugged. "But our Lord of Cinder has no use for souls. He''s no devil or demon."

    ''Khaos? Is that some type of organization?'' Reina thought without making her ignorance known. ''Still, a deal with an angel is better than a devil at this point. I''d rather not have to deal with another Tasha. Too many women are surrounding Altair alone as it is.''

    "Is there any god anyone else wishes to throw in?"Yalivor Sadu kindly asked, ncing towards Ragnar and Zaros alongside the new faces.

    From head to toe, they were covered in foul-smelling bandages, much like mummified men, wearing ck robes that bore the sigil of the crimson spear.

    He didn''t recognize the sigil.

    "We''ve got a few minutes to decide while a few of my men hurd our sacrifices into the observatory tower."

    ***

    As Altair opened his eyes, a vaporous sensation treaded the lines of his muscles, weaving through him. It treaded his hair like the winds. Above him, a constetion of stars, each of different colors and shapes, clustered the ck skies.

    He recognized the stars: They were his Pale Knights and shadows. It was their souls.

    Below himy a still ckke as deep as the Abyss and as dark as the Night Mother''s dreams. Theke itself couldn''t have been more than twenty meters in diameter, with a strange mist around its edges.

    "Is this my Astral Mind? My Soul? It changed." Altair thought, picking himself up, and peered down at his translucent palms, knowing he was in his spiritual form. He nced around, taken back by how much everything had changed.

    "But¡­ But why am I here?" He wondered, ncing around to find his eyes slowly being pulled to theke beneath his feet that reflected no light but devoured it. He was transfixed, entering a state of hyperawareness as he drew upon the center of theke and looked up towards the hundred stars when he saw one dim.

    It was Aurora''s stars, her Soul me.

    He stilled, then. Unable to pull his gaze away. Find exclusive stories on m_v l|e-NovelBin

    ''Danger!''

    Tensions whirled the mind, stirring the ckke as it rippled: He had to get out. Had to return to the material world.

    Trying to recall the lesson of his mother ingrained in his bones when a memory came to him.

    ''If you are ever in panic, my little Prince. Think of the Endless Night. Think of the skies woven by the very hands of the Abyss herself. Feel its cool, ephemeral nature that guards you beneath the night." Tenebrae whispered, smoothing her finger through her son''s long ck hair.

    A trace of tears came from the corner of the Prince''s eyes as a sense of calm swelled through his Astral Mind. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to will himself to return. To Will himself awake like he''d done before.

    Still, he remained. Locked within the deepest regions of his mind. He frowned, pulling the distraction of the unknown out of his mind. He peered down at the ck Lake, finding himself unable to break his eyes away.

    He tilted his head, reaching down towards the waters when a palm caught him.

    "Master, you shouldn''t," A strangely familiar voice echoed. "You''re not ready yet."

    Altair turned, wondering why he didn''t feel startled, much less afraid. The voice was soft. Comforting as if she had been by his side since the beginning. He stared at the woman whose beauty seemed to transcend mortal understanding.

    She had amethyst eyes so sharp they seemed unreal, as if they didn''t belong amongst a mortal kind. Hair of smooth ck silk curled down her naked shoulders, hiding her breasts.

    "Master?" the woman said, tilting her head in confusion.

    Altair unconsciously cupped her cheeks, pulled in by the aesthetic eyes that bore a crest within its depths. His crest. His mark.

    "Raven?"

    "Of course? Don''t you recognize me?" Raven asked. She leaned into his palm only to brood at the missing warmth. She hurried up to her feet, pressing her palm to her hips in a triumphant pose. "It is I, Raven ckwood! Guardian of the Vale!"

    ''... Raven¡­ No¡­ that''s not your name¡­" He muttered, feeling an ache rise from out of his mind. He groaned as the sensation rang louder and harder through his skull, distorting his thoughts. It was like someone was hammering a nail into his mind.

    "H-Have we met before?"

    Raven looked at her master as if he was the biggest fool. ''Of course! We met in the Vale! Master sure is dumb."

    The Prince winced, "That''s not what I mean¡­ before that? Did we ever meet?"

    Raven shrugged her shoulders. "I don''t know. I know only the Vale." And her fingers pointed down towards the ck Lake, "And that is the Vale. If you enter it¡­ I''m not sure we''ll ever return."

    Altair groaned as the dull sensation faded. "I see. Then¡­ why are you naked?"

    She looked down and then up to her Prince. "Is it wrong to be naked?"

    Unsure how to answer, he said, "Depends if anyone is around."

    And she pointed at him. "But you''re naked. And I''m around."

    "... That I am."

 Chapter 217: Evolution or Devolution

    Raven snickered soon after, "Is Master shy? Fear not, Master, I, the great Raven, is not ashamed of her body! Nudity is our most natural self."

    "Spoken like a true nudist. You really believe that shit?" Altair asked,studying Raven''s perky breasts,thin waist, and wide hips. But more than that, her eyes seemed so serene. So carefree, he felt a little bothered, if not jealous.

    They were soft like the winds,so ephemeral he feared if he looked away, they lose their luster.

    "Of course!" she pointed to her feet. " Those foot prisons seem so stifling. How do you all do it?"

    "Foot Prisons?" he tilted his head,mulling what she said over. "You mean shoes?"

    Raven nodded. "Yeah.Those things. Gods, I hate those things. Worse thing mankind ever made."

    Altair froze, his expression turning rather unusual, "wait a sec, could you always go into human form?"

    "Yup. But being a crow is so much cooler. I have wings and a badass beak, and I can Caw loudly. It''s so awesome! Not to mention the corn! Master!

    Raven loves Corn!" she eximed,running in circles around her Master. She beamed like a love-struck child.

    "Alhail Corn!Hip-Hip Corn!!!"

    ''This woman is insane,'' Altair thought. He forced a smile and said, "Then how do I get out of here?I''m in danger."

    "You can''t," Raven said, shaking her head. "You''re in a state of spiritual exhaustion. You''re stuck here until you mentally and physically heal."

    "... I tried calling you guys," he revealed. "what happened?"

    "Iliana''s istion barrier stopped us. No idea how, but she did."

    Altair looked at the mist obscuring his vision past the edges of theke.

    He sighed,flopping down onto the ck Lake.Raven drew in on him, falling on her knees. She grinned, brushing her hands through his ashen hair.

    He nced up at her then. Finding his eyes wandering toward her naked bosom. They were without blemish. While her nipples were a luscious pink.

    ''I wonder what she tastes like.'' Altair chagrined with the realization that his mind, for the first time, began to wander. He shook his head, though his eyes never strayed, and neither did his manhood, rising with the drums of war. He tried to calm the drum of his heart, to control the flow of breath, to regain some semnce of control.

    It was for not.

    Shame and guilt struck cords against the prince''s heart, unsure why he felt so¡­ frustrated.

    ''What is wrong with me?'' he thought, biting his lip.

    Raven did not seem to notice as she ran her fingers through his hair, closing her eyes. "Master¡­ Do you think we''ll survive?"

    In the midst of his many sensations entwined within his mind''s continuous stratum, Altair shifted an eye towards his Protector. Echoes of transcendent awareness coiled through the mind of the Prince like the endless flow of a river. Pain approached, stirring the ckke of the soul that stilled soon after.

    "Yes," He said, a confidence protruding from the deepest reaches of his soul. The spiritual nature of his body dimmed, slipping through the fingers of Raven.

    She stood petrified, pulled within those scarlet eyes that reflected a nexus of awareness spanning far beyond that of the Myriad Heavens or Arcadia, revealing an abyss. And within the Abyss, she saw its shadow.

    The Shadow of the Abyss¡­ The Vale

    ***

    Within the southern tower, one could peer at the four towers of Vesem stained by the scent of blood wafting through the air, clouding the castle in a dreadful silence.

    It had been so loud hours ago. Those of Babels Tower, Denizens of Yarwin, and humans were wailing. Screeching cries, howls of mercy, and moanful roars were now bearly audible to mortal ears.

    There in the distance, Jorm saw it from up high, the flickers of steel against steel flickering back and forth, fading to nothing. Blood was practically spilling from the northern observatory tower. The area of the sacrifice stained the air with an acrid aroma.

    "So it begins," Jorm said, turning his back towards the bloodstain castle. He approached his master in an unfamiliar room. The former king''s son had been beheaded the day his father met his end. Cut down by the Knight of Dawn, the Heralds of Astaroth devoured his remains as an offering, alongside the king''s daughter and wife.

    The ughter had been led by Tasha, ensuring no one outside the castle walls noticed. She''dughed then, devouring the delicious sight of Vaquees, fucking the king''s wife bowlegged over his corpse before he offered her up just the same.

    No one had been spared, their skinned skulls mounted on the walls of the Sothern Tower. The very tower Tashaid her head. She could still see their pained expression, hear their wails, taste theirst breath.

    "It''s pretty, isn''t it?" Tasha asked in a rocking chair beside Altair, studying the skulls on her wall.

    Jorm didn''t so much as nce her way. It had been his terrible luck that they''d wandered upon her chambers but also a blessing.

    "The dagger I describe." He said calmly. "Do you recognize it?"

    Tasha struggled. "I went towards the location you told me about but found it empty. Someone must have taken it. I tried looking into the past, but nothing."

    Jorm turned to her then. "You¡­ You can look through the past?"

    "It''s not hard. Though I suppose you need to be at least a ninth star. Altair ought to be able to do it when he gains his fifth star." she folded her legs, lifting the ss of wine to her lips. "Though I suspect that one might be able to see it earlier."

    Nia snorted. She''d never been more disgusted with a person than she was with Tasha. From the instance she saw those skulls, she perceived the horrid way they''d all died.

    Tasha smirked. "Do I surprise you? You know I''m a devil, right? I do sometimes indulge."

    "I¡ª"

    "Do not entertain her," Jormmanded beside his master''s bedside. He nced up at his fellow sister. "All that''s important is his survival. We''ve already lostAurora. We can''t afford to get distracted."

    Nia ate her words.

    ''This one seems to be an excellentmander¡­'' Tasha thought. There was a hint of admiration in her eyes, though it quickly faded.

    In retrospect, Talia seemed almost to be enamored with Tasha, falling in love with the sight of the skulls.

    "That settles it. I''m going to start collecting the skulls of my victims. I''ll make a belt of it. A Victim Belt, if you will. Think Master will approve?"

    Through the scattered outburst of discontent, Tasha fell intoughter. "What a cute one you are. I''m sure he''ll love it. Who can say no to a pretty little thing like you."

    Talia giggled, arching her head triumphantly. She pped her chest. "Then I shall create me a Victim Belt."

    ''There both fucking crazy,'' Nia thought when she felt a stir within her consciousness. Awareness pulsated from her mind as she whirled to see Altair''s trembling lids. A bright smile rose as she charged over.

    He opened his eyes, sensing a great weight dragging him down. He couldn''t move his body, couldn''t move his fingers, much less his toes. A dryness burned at his throat as the sigils of his pupils glowed. He nced at Nia with an awfully worried expression.

    She was shouting, shaking his shoulders, but Altair could neither hear it nor feel it.

    The dryness in his throat ached like the prickling of needles along the inner lining of the throat.

    "B-B-B-Blood," He mouthed or said, unable to tell which.

    Nia didn''t hesitate to snatch Drupnir from off Altair''s fingers and summoned a veil of Reina''s blood, which he''d stored in case of emergencies. Her neck had been the only source of sustenance these past few months, keeping him sane.

    Popping the cork, Nia slid the blood down her Prince''s mouth, finding the color return to his ashenplexion. She drew out another and another and another until nearly fifteen liters of Reina''s blood was consumed. Only then did Altair retain a somewhat healthyplexion.

    He grinned, feeling some of his faculties return to him. Still, he found moving his body was too difficult.

    "How long was I out?"

    "Seventeen Hours," Jorm answered. "We areing upon thest remaining hours of your deal with Keres."

    "What happened to Aurora." He asked, noticing the slightck of danger he thought he was in.

    Nia took the lead, exining the strange scene to her master, leaving nothing out.

    "Did you send someone to find Ren?"

    "She sent Syris," Nia said, pointing up. "She''s on guard outside, watching for danger. She''s currently monitoring the sacrifice. It looks nearlyplete."

    ''None of that sounds good. But this dagger thing¡­ that''s slightly concerning.'' He nced down at the small scar on his palm, nearly faded, and looked towards Tasha, rocking back and forth.

    "Do you know something?"

    "What can you give me for that info?" Tasha teased, leaning a palm over her chin. She licked her lips, savoring the wine.

    "I can tell you my next destination after this," Altair informed her.

    "If I were you, I''d journey through Babels Tower. So I''ll pass. However, I am interested in the first floor. ''Tag'' is so much fun. No matter how strong you are, once touched, you''ll be frozen. If touched again, you die."

    A little taken back by such a revtion. His lips twitched. "Then what is it you want?"

    "Hmmm. Let mee with you. I''d like to openly walk beside you."

    Altair narrowed his eyes. "You ask a lot for simple knowledge about a damn dagger."

    "I''m a devil. It''s what I do."

    Staring dead into her profane eyes, Altair mulled over the options given to him and grinned. "Why not? Journey with me. Though, you''ll have to keep up."

    Tasha chuckled, though her eyes did not. "The dagger Jorm described to me looks to be a dagger from the Age of Mist. Devils, if you don''t know, have the innate ability to read every knownnguage within the Myriad Heavens. Call it a gift." She lifted her palm through the air, weaving a sketched image out of mana, mirroring the runesJorm had drawn for her.

    "It''s a Blood Curse," She continued. "That''s what it reads. Though I''ve no idea what it does exactly, not without actually seeing the dagger personally."

 Chapter 218: The Defiled One I

    "The Age of Mist?" Altair muttered as the dry ache at the back of his throat returned. He grunted, giving the ache a scratch. " What is that?"

    "That''ll cost you, " said Tasha with a mischievous smile.

    At that moment, Syris hopped down like a little cat onto the balcony. "The Age of Mist is how we once categorized the Source between Heaven and Earth. Back then, we didn''t have phrases like mana, Ether, or Qi. Rather, we had Mist.It was around that time that Soloman created the System of Arcane Arts we use today. One can say the Age of Mist was the Origin of all magic."

    Tasha tsked, "Seems someone is knowledgeable." she''d hoped to at least gain a favor or two.

    Syris glided to the bed, propping herself down at the far end. "From Mist came Fire. The era of life. Or so I''ve heard. I did read that the Fallen began creating new races around that time. Angels did the same in the hopes ofbating them.

    Thus, the Fire of Creation was born. And with it, Creation Magic."

    She studied the boy who seemed so defenseless, where hey. He''d never seemed so weak, yet there was an undeniable sense of confidence in his stare.

    She liked that.

    But more than that. Syris wondered how he could still smile.

    "Syris. You have my eternal thanks. I''m sure your time would have been better spent preparing for theing battle." he said softly. "I will remember that."

    "You''d better! I want a good dual when you''re all better."

    "A dual?" he smiled a wicked smile. "Alright.Deal. Though you better prepare yourself to lose."

    Syris red, her cheeks puffing out,when she noticed Altair''s head slid to the side, falling limp. He''d fainted, leaving a few of his Pale Knights in a panic. They all called for him, running various medical tests to ensure his life.

    "A little under seven hours left," Tasha informed everyone. "What are the odds he recovers in that window?"

    Jorm nced over at her. "Physically, he''s fine. But for some reason¡­ "he shook his head,unsure why his Master felt so fragile.

    "I¨C"

    "It might be soul damage," said Syris."Either way, we need to prepare for failure. In groups, the Soul Kings can handle a Ninth Circle. So we mustn''t stray too far from the main group."

    In this, they could agree. There was power in numbers.But so was there danger.

    A dagger that bore the Runes from the Age of Mist did not sit well in anyone''s gut.

    ***

    Throughout the council table, they stood d long inrge fur-lined cloaks. Hooded, they gathered in a circle of seven. On their backs, the crest of the Tainted Lilies.

    "Did you receive the dagger?" asked Trivor, boldly.His voice was hard,and his eyes were like two-tempered des.

    The youngest among the seven slid the hunting dagger from out his side and stabbed it down onto the oak table. The de rung,still wet with blood."

    "That his blood?" Trivor pressed.

    "The scanners say there are two bloodlines on it," said Fre.

    "And the fool we hired? Is he dead?"

    "no way to confirm.But we suspect he''s alive.There was a pool of blood but no body." another said. A woman with a hard, somber voice.

    Trivor frowned, finding his eyes swaying towards a particr man. Beneath his hood, the outline of a vicious scar stitched upwards in the shape of a cruel smile.

    And as if sensing that stare, the man raised an eye, the crest of the crimson spear president in the cks of his ashen eyes.

    A nastyugh escaped him when the dagger appeared in his hands. No one saw how he''d done it or how fast one needed to be, but as the de touched his gnarled fingers, it lit up. No longer bleeding a golden radiance but a tainted red.

    Naked fear awakened through the six cloaked figures as they drew back.

    Trivor chewed his lip. "Defiled One, is that enough?"

    The scarred man lifted his ashen eyes to meet Trivor''s, taken in the way his body shook, the way perspiration gathered at the brow and neck. And he crackled augh that shook the hearts of mortal man.

    He drew in on Trivor, his movements like a sh that never shone but merely appeared. His fingers, so crusted with callous''s and ckish cis ready to pop at the slightest touch, traced the cheeks of the man, drawing blood with the tips of his ck stained nails, sharper than any de. He sniffed his neck, tasted his blood with his tainted ck tongue, and moaned sensuously.

    The Defiled One eyes rolled to the back of his eyes. "So sweet, so tender," he moaned, writhing where he stood. "How does ''it'' taste, I wonder?"

    ***

    Reina was drowning where she stood. From the tips of her ankles, it stood, rippling with the warmth of lifeblood. From the corner of her cheeks, blood slithered down her neck, treading down her arms and feet like smooth silk.

    As far as her eyes could take her, she watched, enthralled by the bloodscape of meshed flesh, floating limbs, and bones sprawled about. She took it all in with indifference flowing through those red eyes of hers, bearing an asional smile at the ughter being delivered.

    It had all felt so wrong, so unjust, yet no one hesitated.

    ''Greed,'' she thought. ''What a wonderful Sin.''

    Scatters of battles ran through the observatory, slowly spreading throughout the castle before it all faded to silence. They screamed, cursing all seven generations, and they begged one by one as those without power were felled, their remains left to pool aimlessly. A few managed to resist, though most did not.

    Reina sighed, weary, mounting a small pile of torn bodies. She''d lost count of the number she''d felled, leaving behind a numbing sensation.

    "What a waste," Yalivor Sadu intoned. He shook his head, a tinge of regret in his eyes.

    Reina didn''t understand it. How long had they hunted her prince? How many of them sought to strike them down,to take her as a trophy of their conquest? The thought of it all made her smile.

    ''Mercy was a luxury for the strong,'' she thought, feeling the eyes of the Monarch of Hell upon her. He was watching her, amused by something she couldn''t quite ce.

    "Had to be done," Zaros replied, licking his blood-stained lips. "Though I''d agree. Wish we could preserve some of this. Good meat, gone to waste."

    Ragnar winced in disgust, "You¡­ Do you eat them? I thought you''d just suck the blood out?"

    "Of course not. It''s called variety. Sure, every blood is different. But so is the flesh of those I consume. And don''t give me that face. Genesis could have ouwed such practices but didn''t." Said Zaros mildly.

    "None of the major powers did. You eat various other subspecies, some of which can turn into humanoids. Dragons, for example. Is that fair?How many dragons have you consumed?"

    Reina propped her head to the side. "Is that a political issue on Genisis?"

    Both Zaros and Ragnar nodded.

    "No one wants to admit it, but it''s true. Many nonhumanoid creatures gain human-like bodies as a means tomunicate or exist in cohabitation with one another on arger scale. However, they have their diets, and many of the times, that includes meat. And agree or disagree, we are all meat in a sense. What ites down to is morality. And what''s legal and what isn''t legal," said Zaros calmly.

    "Enough of the gibberish," Ser Glynn Vardoo scowled. "Let us begin the sacrifice. Lady Ariane, when can we begin?"

    In the skies with a golden orb in her palms used to trap the souls needed for the sacrifice, Ariane looked down at the Knight of Bahamut.Hearing the wretched wails of those felled, she nodded with an ashenplexion.

    "I''ll make the offering now," she said, untouched by the tarnished below. Her palms rose into a prayer, and her head bowed as the orb of light rose above her head, much like a crown. Rings of transcendent light molted into sight woven by an intangible authority. Nine Arcane Rings formed, creating a luminous nexus point before all could see at its center.

    "We offer thee the souls of the tainted for the blessing of the light, oh Serphim of War, Aidios."

    Reina rosed then, sensing a formless energy begin to tug at the golden orb that housed well over twenty thousand souls. There, within the nexus point where all power gathered, she saw it. A golden me, brighter than dawn itself, coiled around the orb.

    A sense of salvation swelled from the me as she said, "That''s a Sacred me."

    Mystified as the Sacred me consumed the tainted souls, she backed away as the mes began to surge with such might it felt iprehensible to mortal minds. Blinding light tore through the ceiling connecting Heaven to the Earth, releasing a Sacred Divinity upon the Realm.

 Chapter 219: The Defile One II

    In the midst of the light, those of the Crimson Spear retreated into the shadows like men being persecuted. They hid behind therge stone pir to escape the Sacred mes of the Heavens that felt like acid upon the flesh. Of fear they might give themselves away, the two nced at one another,ing to a sort of instinctual understanding, and left without sound.

    Their actions had not gone unnoticed by Reina. She had been curious about their identity from the first time she saw them at the table. But held her tongue, sensing the unbelievable amount of bloodlust hidden beneath their bandages.

    ''They''d more blood beneath their belt than demons, ''she''d told herself then.

    As the light grew all the more radiant, epassing the realm and swallowing the skies with a blinding brilliance, they appeared upon thend. From the skies, they soared like Transcendent beings with their iridescent wings of gold, zing like the mes of a phoenix. They hovered in all of golden, blistering a seraphic essence, masked by a wyvern-shaped helm and a golden sword and shield.

    Reina felt her subconscious freeze, stirring with her inherent memories. She didn''t need to be told what hovered above her was no manner of God or Deity. But the Guardsman of the Eternal Heavens.

    The Seraphic Watchers, The Phx

    Constructs that were created after the tarnishing of the Grigori to watch after humanity alongside the Angels. They stood upon the world judging mortal men and gods alike, calling forth Tribtion for those that went against Heaven''s Will. Untouched by the Seven Virtues and Seven Sins, they judged all beneath their All-Seeing-Eye, said to be able to peer into the souls of mortal minds.

    A kindling of unease slithered down Reina''s heart as she observed the hundred or so guardians descending one by one. They stood on one knee before a stunned Ariane. It had been clear she was ignorant towards their kind.

    Ren made herself smile and began to exin their mythology to the young woman. A little worried for their future. The Seraphic Watchers were constructed with no sense of self, no sense of identity or understanding. They could only judge and obey.

    It was why, more often than not, Demons and Devils feared them more than the Angels. Angels could be tricked and manipted, but the constructs. They ughtered without care for morals or politics. Though to her knowledge, Renia knew them only to be the eyes for the Heavens in calling forth Tribtion on cultivators. Rarely did they ever leave heaven.

    Reina made a face, thinking, ''How will they react to Altair or Tasha? For that matter¡­ Tasha is a Lilm. A Royal Devil. Her battle prowess, while not the highest, is real. Lilms were all born with a set base-level battle prowess and understanding of their magic. Then there is the matter of her maternity.''

    Scowling, she sighed, bonking her head at the range of thoughtsing through her mind. Understandings of Heaven and Hell seemed to swelter through her soul, filling her with so much information she wanted to close her eyes to it all.

    ***

    Within the library, Davos had quite a smile on his face, peering up at the Golden Watchers. He''d counted well over a hundred, unable to help but feel a tinge of excitement. It had not been the first time he''d faced one of the halfpleted contraptions of the Fallen Azazel. But he could still remember the battle that had cost him an eye.

    He could still recall that day that started his rise throughout the Myriad Heavens. On his two knees, broken and defeated, hey there awaiting death before one of the Nine Kings of Hell, Asmodeus.

    Such a vivid sight it had been in his mind. He chuckled, recalling how Asmodeus told him to relinquish his humanity, to be tarnished by the Nine Hells, to be a Devil unlike any other.

    Davosughed, ready to speak, when they appeared from the Heavens, cutting through one of his eyes with their des. The wound had never healed properly, but their memory had been forever engrained in his mind.

    "Looking back¡­ they must have been scared when they learned Asmodeus wanted me to be a demon." He mused, reminiscent of the past.

    Keres nced at him with a bottle of wine in his hand. "You rejected bing a devil?"

    "Of course! Who said one needed to be a demon or devil to be powerful? I am the one above all. I''ll not abandon what I am to be something I can be."

    Keres heard the ancient pride in his voice andughed aloud. "Well said! Well Said. Zariel said something simr."

    Davos felt his eyes narrow, and his lips rose into a wicked smile," Zariel is the one who defeated my student. Aldrich had some of the best potential I''ve ever seen in all the Myriad Heavens."

    Keres snickered. "What a battle that was. You should have seen it. Dead Laws mounted the Fourth Dimension, spreading so far they traveled the 33 Heavens. So powerful there blows Gods from above our realm had to descend. They''d dieter to my master''s hand when they tried to mount a surprise attack on him."

    "But now the 33 Heavens are no more. Destroyed to bring forth this era," Thanatos mused, a cold sneer upon his lips. "Those bastards got what wasing to them."

    Davos tightened his fist, looking towards the Constructs descending one by one. "I''ll challenge this Zariel, and I''ll challenge Beelzebub once more¡­ and this time. I won''t lose."

    Keres, Thanatos, and the drunk Zagreus all looked toward the man, smiling. An undeniable trace of admiration on their lips.

    ***

    Just outside the Pce, the Astral Lords all watched with marred expressions. They had all recognized the constructs. All once tasted their power on the rise to the peak. If the Hells had an unlimited number of Demons and Devils, the Heavens had the Watchers.

    God Killers, they were often called.

    Strava''s expression was colder than ice. He''d only manage to get to the second circle with the leftover stragglers, and now¡­ and now the price for another circle was not worth it.

    ''Should I cut it quits?'' He wondered. The benefits of Beelzebub''s Festival of Chaos were over. Combatting the Watchers, even if weakened Watchers, was not something he wanted to experience.

    However, he also could not leave. Not without the Festival officially ending. The moment he passed those walls of Vesim, he''d relinquish all achievements he acquired. Stil¡­

    As the memory of Altair appeared in his mind, he growled, tapping a finger over his folded arms.

    Experience exclusive tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin

    "But is it worth casting an Astral Domain? Simply to increase my Circle in a mortal realm?"

    With a grimace, he turned his back to the castle, passing through the other Astral Lords, when one grabbed him by the wrist. He turned a face to the Lord that bore a king''s demeanor like a shroud. He had long jet-ck hair and frosted blue eyes that seemed silvery beneath the glow of radiance above.

    Yet his was a face Strava did not recognize. He nced down at the palm gripping his wrist, then up to the man. "Do you have a death wish?"

    "Are you just going to run away?" A few of the Astral Lord''s eyes snapped to Strava. "Are you afraid of the Watchers?"

    Lightning tore itself from the skies in an ephemeral bolt of lightshing out at the Stranger. Forced to let go of Strava, he lepted back with a cynical smile.

    "So you chose the path of Lightning, Eh?" he asked, studying the way the lighting bolt began to coil around Strava, entangling itself around his flesh like ayer of armor. "I thought you controlled space."

    Strava pointed, and, in perhaps a moment of pure luck or skill, the Stranger had taken another step back as the aspect of Strava''s barriershed at his palm, turning it into scorched dust, as lightning bore through every pore, every cell down to the electrons.

    The Stranger did not hesitate to sever the arm off with a chop of his other hand, kicking back with enough force to shatter the ground, and he mounted a defense with his domain, his face visibly pale with dread and bloodloss.

    "Don''t touch me," Strava snapped, vanishing into a fleeting bolt.

    The Soul Lord crackled a burst of wildughter as the intent that echoed from his soul came down like an immutable mountain. Buildings turned to rubble and rubble in but a moment when a sh of light bore over the other Lords, startling a few of them as a name appeared in their mind.

    The crest of the Crimson Spear bore itself above his head.

    A few fell to a knee others backed away as they all gasped

    "The Mark of sphemy!" a few hidden faces muttered in a transcendent roar of fear.

    "The Mark of Murder"

    "The Mark of Suffering!"

    In a gale of uproar among the Soul Kings, one stepped forth, falling to a knee before the nameless king, and said, "I greet you, Defile One."

    A look of shock overcame the Soul Kings as the sigil within the nameless king''s eyes zed ruby red me.

    "The Mark of Cain," They whispered in hushed tones.

 Chapter 220: Awakening Third Circle

    Stationed over his body, wagging her hips like a pup, Talia tilted her head. "Master¡­" She gave his cheek a poke. "Master¡­. Master, you got to wake up."

    "What are you doing?" Nia responded, walking in, carrying her spear on her shoulders.

    Talia practically jumped to her feet. "N-N-Nia! You scared me! This Spirit Domain or Maniption thing is crazy. Being able to hide oneself is scary."

    Only now realizing that she was instinctually masking her aura with her Spirit, Nia scratched her cheek, recalling the matter of her master''s battle with Iliana. The change they had all experienced through that formless connection had evolved their state of awareness and skill to a level they would have never obtained on their own.

    "I get that, but what are you doing?"

    "Trying to wake master up!" Talia mused, hopping down from the bed. She glided over to her sister. "Master needs to y with Talia."

    "... You know you''re not a child, right?"

    "I know. But what''s so fun being an adult? That shit is so depressing." she said, ncing back to her master, recalling the years of torment she''d faced. It had all been so strange. Thinking back on it now. Olivia was now dead.

    Killed by her hands. Now¡­ only Mother and Father were left.

    She grinned.

    "I hear that," Nia agreed, ncing at Talia, somehow finding something that the two shared inmon. Of all the Pale Knights, Talia had been the least like in her opinion. She was bloodthirsty, shameless,cking honor in even the most basic of things. The only difference between amon demon and Talia was perhaps her many years of morality. And even that was failing her now.

    Talia''s hand brushed the tips of her Prince''s hair. She heard rainfall then, saw the arcs of lightning shriek across the skies, and felt the hum of thunder shake the walls. Still, the Prince did not wake. His breath was even.

    "WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!" She screamed in his ear like a banshee''s wail. Her voice rumbled high and low through the empty halls.

    Altair''s eyes snapped open then.A hint of panic in his chest.

    "Ah! That worked!"

    "You crazy bitch!"

    Notifications came across the Prince''s eyes then like an endless string of words.

    [Ding]

    [Baptism of Blood has Tempered your existence]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Third Circle99% ¡ª> Forth Circle 1%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 75 ¡ú 1]

    Strength: 301 ¡ú 601

    Dexterity:311 ¡ú 611

    Constitution: 332 ¡ú 632

    Wisdom:348 ¡ú 648

    Charisma: 300 ¡ú 600

    Mana: 200 ¡ú 250

    [Third ss Obtained]

    Prince of The Vale II

    Attributes: [+3 Wis], [+3 Cha], [+3 Con] [+2 Dex], [+1 Str]Per Level Up

    Compulsion [D]

    -Proficiency: 12%

    Spirit Domain [F]

    -Range: 35m

    -Proficiency: 53%

    Sword of the Vale [F]

    -Proficiency: 0.4 % ¡ú 15%

    -Sword Limit: 2

    Dual Cultivation [E]

    -Proficiency: 42%

    Deste Abyss [F]

    -Multiplier: 2x ¡ú 2.5x

    -Proficiency: 50%

    Enigmatic Step [D] ¡ú Deste Decent [F]

    -Proficiency: 14% ¡ú 87%

    Eye of Sacrilege [C ¡ú B]

    -Proficiency: 1% ¡ú 8%

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    -Proficiency: 1.2%¡ú 12%

    Soul Storage: 100/100

    Foresight [F] ¡ú [E]

    -Proficiency: 87% ¡ú 57%

    Grave of Night [D] ¡ú [C]

    -Proficiency: 99.999% ¡ú 1%

    Hands of Nirvana [D] ¡ª> Hands of the Incubus [F]

    -Proficiency: 97% ¡ú 0%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    -Proficiency: 4% ¡ú 97%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    -Proficiency: 0.01% ¡ú 56%

    -Effect: Madness

    Infernal Lightning [D]

    -Proficiency: 0.5% ¡ú 78%

    Rune Work [F] ¡ú[E]

    -Proficiency: 37% ¡ª> 11%

    Sovergins Gale [F] ¡ú [E]

    -[10m ] ¡ú [20m]

    -Proficiency: 97% ¡ú 0%

    Vale Maniption [ E] ¡ú [D]

    -Proficiency: 97% ¡ú 0%

    Mana Maniption [C]

    -Proficiency: 14% ¡ú 31%

    Ninth Form, Aeron [D ¡ú C]

    -Proficiency:80% ¡ú 0%

    -Baptism of Blood: Obtained

    Soul of the Indomitable [D ¡ú C]

    -Proficiency: 34% ¡ú 14%

    Primal Instincts [F] ¡ú [E]

    -Proficiency: 87% ¡ú 57%

    [Ding]

    [Authority has reached the second level. Secondary ess to the System Store is now avable.]

    [Vale AI is now avable.]

    [DING]

    [Sword of the Abyss (SSS)]

    Type: Abyssal Aura

    Effect 1: All proficiency increases by 2x.

    Effect 2: Will of the Abyss

    Effect 3: Ashen Blood [New]

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    Description: Broken is the King, who stands before the Abyssal Night. Through Despair, the Sword of the Abyss shall appear.

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance

    Effect 2: Vale Qi

    Effect 3: Valemorph [New]

    Effect 4: Sealed

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    He hadn''t felt it when he first woke, hadn''t felt anything but the feeble weakness of his spirit weighing him down, robbing him of sensation. The beat of the heart against his chest stirred the winds around him, almost like it was breathing Mana.

    Badump! Badump! Badump! Badump!

    Shaken to his core, he clutched his chest, feeling something different¡­ something monstrous growing within his body.

    Three Full Circles zed from above his head like a crown, turning to embers as he made it to his feet. He covered his lips, struggling to hold back hisughter, struggling to manage, but before he could, a roar ofughter tore itself from the back of his throat towards the realm.

    So crazed it echoed, Talia, the one who embodied madness to her core, the one who epted madness as herpanion, took a step back in fear, sensing a formless danger against her chest.

    She grinned, falling to her knees alongside Nia in respect.

    "We greet you, Master," they said in unison.

    Their bodies stiffened when they felt their master''s intent shift from himself and onto them. They felt naked before his eyes. Stripped of all their dignity in an instant that perhapssted hours in their minds. The intensity of it allyered them in sweat before Nia forced the words out.

    "Master? What is yourmand?"

    Altair gestured for them to rise said, "Blood¡­ I need blood," As the dry itch returned stronger than ever.

    "I shall bring¡ª"

    Before Talia could finish, Altair''s mind shed through all one hundred of his shadows; he vanished with Sovereign''s Gale and arrived just outside a jail cell with a man being peeled alive by his shadow, making sure to scorch all parts taken off.

    He was howling when he entered through the doors, halting the torment led by Kirr.

    At the sight of the Master, they fell to a knee. Altair ignored them, finding his gaze focused on the pool of blood on the ground.

    Altair gulped but quickly shook his head. His sense of pride refused to bend like a depraved fiend who''d had no control. Still, the sensation remain¡­ the writhing hunger that demanded blood. It was growing, feeding the primordial desire in his mind.

    He was better than that. ''I was better than that,'' he told himself, gritting his teeth, trying to deny himself.

    [Your strength has Increased by 1]

    "Is this the man Nia stabbed in the throat?" He asked, once again feeling a sense of pride swelter in his chest that his knights defended him so well. He nced down at his palm to the scar that remained and felt all the more proud.

    [Your strength has Increased by 1]

    ''What a monstrously mad ability this Baptism of Blood is,'' he cursed, a little unsettled by the idea that despite his control¡­ no matter what he did, these emotions would never fade but rise until something in him broke.

    "Yes, my Lord," Said Kirr. "But we''ve not been able to extract anything from him."

    "I see. Then give him to Talia. I''m sure she''ll have enjoyed her new toy." hemanded, not putting much thought into the matter. He''d had no intention of relinquishing one of his shadows in order to retrieve his assassin''s story.

    Not until he got a fundamental grasp of his mentality.

    Dreadful premonition had warned him, and in an instance of reflection, he agreed to follow his instincts.

    "Where is Ren?"

    "She¡ª"

    "Here! Sup Art! Missed me! I heard you just woke up!" Ren eximed, propping her head up from behind the threshold to the cer doors. "How have you been?" she skipped in, circling her man with great interest, noticing the pale countenance. He looked as though he hadn''t eaten in days.

    Worse, there was something feral about him. Something wicked."When Nia told me you woke up, I sprinted over. Are you alright?"

    Altair bore a shrewd grin. "And if there was something wrong?"

    Ren bonked him on the head, ced a hand on her hip, and snorted all cutely. "Then I''ll help you, silly." she froze then, noticing the outline of his manhood begin to writhe against his britches. And felt the desire of her Prince ooze from out of his eyes with an intensity that made her legs weak.

    ''That''s good to hear." He slid a finger down her cheeks, down between her bosom, felt the natural response of her dry heaving, and smiled a wicked smile. "Good indeed."

    "W-W-W-We¡­ don''t have enough time."

    "Time?"

    "We have a few more minutes before¡ª"

    In a naked blur, Altair had ced Reina into his arms, arriving once more in his chamber. He tossed her onto the bed, undoing theces of his britches.

    "Let''s worry about them when they''re on our front doors. Right now. You are all mine."

    Reina ckwood swallowed hard.

 Chapter 221: Ashen Blood I

    "So things have gotten thatplicated," said the Reverend Mother.

    Syris nodded, gripping a Holocube in her hand. The virtual image of the Reverend Mother was visible, her arms poised behind her back. "What do you think is our survival rate? You are past the realm of Transcended, after all. I suppose you would have a better understanding of my situation than most."

    The Reverend Mother cracked an old, aged smile beneath the porcin mask. She''d half a mind to tell Syris to abandon the festival. But she knew the girl well. Knew her stubbornness like the back of her hand.

    "By yourself, you''ve no hope of survival. Your best bet is to use the Ninth Circles as shields."

    Syris lifted a brow. "How?"

    "Force a battle.Send word to various locations."

    "Betrayal?"

    "Survival," said the Reverend Mother darkly."Lasting Six Months isn''t very likely, even with the Watchers guarding you.Remember, the more ruin befalls Vesim, the fewer ces there are to hide. Most of these Soul Kings are sure to have one-hit kills beneath their belts. That''s how they fight. A drawn-out battle will do the Soul Kings no justice. They''ll go all out on their first attack."

    Syris couldn''t deny it, recalling a week ago how a few hundred Soul Kings managed to down a Ninth Circle within a spacial istion barrier. By themselves, they stood no chance, but in packs¡­ The thought made her shudder.

    "I''ve already contacted Lyain. She''s been instructed on her mission. You, however, are to be careful. But I will say you should not get your hopes high, mdy. Remember, those of the Hells never truly deliver on what they promise. A S-Grade Skill might just waste your time."

    "Altair said the same thing," said Syris softly. And a part of her refused to believe it. What was an S-Rank skill, if not the skill of peak gods? Even if the skill was useless to most. Could she not synthesize it with another skill?

    "The boy is smart," said the Reverend Mother. She nced to her left, then signaled to an aid off-screen and said," Inform the council of the madness in Baefor. Have them look into Soul Kings. I''m sure they''ll be interested in some of these old faces."

    Syris carried on then, seeking some wisdom from the Reverend Mother before she ced the holocube into her Drupnir Ring. She sighed, looking up towards the southern castle. Even from where she stood, the tremors of Altair''s wild thrust shook the ground.

    She felt a heated flush rise to her face, "Sex Fiend," She bemoaned, puffing her cheeks. Ridding herself of the peculiar sensation crawling up her skin, she left to prepare herself for war.

    ***

    In the bed plundering Reina''s depths of her bottomless worth, Altair found something quite interesting besides her cunt, fueling his insatiable desire. The blood that flowed down through his veins was writhing, warming his body until this cold, deste night seemed warm. Vapor steamed from his pores as his blood began to consume his mana.

    The weariness of his soul state began to clear, allowing the mind to enter a state of extreme awareness, unlike anything he''d ever known.

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    [Ashen Blood has Removed Mental Exhaustion]

    [Ashen Blood has Tempered the Soul]

    [Ashen Blood has made Soul more resilient]

    Sinking his fangs into her neck, drawing on all of her lifeblood, sweet geysers of nectar exploded through the back of his throat as Altair couldn''t stop himself from savoring everyst drop of blood.

    "Art¡­" Ren weakly muttered, fainting on the spot, awakening a few secondster in a simtive explosion of the senses. She moaned, having never felt so dominated in all her life. He was swallowing her both mentally and physically. Congnitive words failed her, leaving animalistic howls to echo.

    Through blurry eyes, she threaded fingers through his hair, unsure what had gotten into her prince. When she pulled him from her neck to gaze into his godless eyes, she grinned a smile, one of the proudest smiles that knocked Altair from out of his lust-filled state into reality. Ren keened over onto the bed, spasming every few seconds, faint.

    Altair shook, suddenly awakened to the many bite marks he''d left over her breast, shoulders, and thighs. He paled at the sight of her shallow breaths, unable to understand how she could still smile.

    The shame that shook him had been so terrible his vision grew cloudy. "What have I¡­What have I done?"

    In a hurry, he slit his wrist, cing it into her mouth, waiting with bated breath for the color to return to her ashenplexion. The color never returned, but Reina did manage to reopen her eyes.

    "You''re still hard," she teased, still feeling her inside writhing against his manhood.

    "... I almost killed you."

    Reina snickered. "I''d have lived. It''s just blood. My heart would create more. If I lose too much blood, the worst that''ll happen is me fainting for some time. I''m not human.

    It''s fine if you suck me dry. "

    Even as she said that Altair did not care, looking down at her ravaged body, he felt all the more confused, somehow aggrieved with himself, that he felt guilty but excited all the same.

    ''Is this the new me?'' he wondered, pulling out of her, fighting the urges to keep on going.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Strength: 603 ¡ú 605

    Dexterity:611 ¡ú 613

    Constitution: 632 ¡ú 632

    Wisdom:648 ¡ú 649

    Charisma: 600 ¡ú 601

    Mana: 250 ¡ú 251

    "Are you alright?" He kindly asked, allowing her to feed upon his blood. He watched her lovable head bounce in agreement.

    "That''s good¡­" He muttered, ncing down at her dripping¡­ he closed his eyes, his breathing growing erratic and sharp.

    [Soul of the Indomitable Proficiency has increased by 2%]

    [Soul of the Indomitable Proficiency has increased by 1%]

    [Soul of the Indomitable Proficiency has increased by 3%]

    [Multiplier 2x]

    [Proficiency: 14% ¡ú 26%]

    Feeling the soul of the Indomitable, allowing him to clear his mind to pierce through the fog of despite, Altair winced, feeling he could think clearly again; the sensation guing him had not decreased.

    He still felt burdened by guilt, lust, and excitement. Even the anger he felt for his master seemed drowned away by these three emotions. He sighed stringently. "This is going to¡ª"

    Clutching his Warhammer, Ren grinned mischievously. "Ready for round two?"

    Altair forced a smile. "Why don''t you recover first."

    "But it''s so hard. Why?

    "Ashen Blood," He answered, brushing her naughty hand away.

    [Ashen Blood]

    Passive: Tethers the Body to the Ancestors of Old, granting Inherent Memories and lived experiences to the user.

    Active: Through the Will of the Abyss, the user''s blood shall mend the rift between Eternal Damnation and Eternal Life.

    "It seems I can''t get fatigued so long as I have mana. I think it''ll heal all injuries and more, too. Its description is pretty vague." Altair said mildly. When Reina licked her lips of his blood, the color slightly returned to her ligaments and face. She pushed him back onto his back, mounting him in a hurry.

    Altair expression turned to pleasure in but a moment, groaning at the stimtive sensation of her insides. She was even sweeter than before.

    "I like that you are no longer gentle with me," she said, pulling a leash form out of Drupnir and clipping it onto her cor before pulling out a strange liquid. "Remember the birthday gift I promised you. Do you know what this is?"

    "Ren, I don''t think this is a good idea¡­ I might¡­"

    "It''s lube."

    "..."

    "..."

    "..."

    "I love that silence," she said, falling into the sweet embrace of her devil.

    ***

    Barreling from out of subspace into the far reaches of space within the sector of Baefor, arge star cruiser warped just outside the atmosphere of Yarwin, carrying the emblem of Astral Prism of Asteria. There, they saw dozens of Transcendents and various deities hovering over the''s gravitational field.

    Jin tilted his head, noticing a familiar banner that hung in the far distance on another battleship.

    ''The Norse Gods¡­ is Freya here?'' he wondered, shifting his attention down towards the burning.

    Even from high in space, he could see the mes of war down below, to the world being savaged by demons.

    "What in the world happened here?" Said Sabine,manding the captain to run a few scans of the.

    "Category 12 Demons are running amok. Nothing to worry about," Roxian remarked, giving the panel on his chair a few taps. He frowned, looking back up, hesitated to say, and said, "We have also picked up on Two Nephilims. Origin Unknown."

    Jin felt a little excited. "Two? Now, that is a catch. What gender."

    "Male and Female."

    The Prince of Asteria snickered, opening his palm, conjuring an intangible domain that spanned the entire realm below. He frowned then and, before anyone could stop him, teleported in an iridescent glimmer before the Fallen upon his throne, attended by the First Man and Archangel.

    "Uncle Gabriel, Uncle Beelzebub, and¡­ I''m not sure who you are." he cupped his hands, greeting them all the same. "How are you?"

    "Jin?" Said Gabriel happily. "Father in Heaven! You got tall!"

    "This is Zariel''s son?" said Adam, measuring the young man.

    And he thought, ''He kind of looks like Altair.''

    "If it isn''t the little troublemaker." Beelzebub grinned a frightening smile. "How are you, boy? How''s your mother?"

    "Like you don''t know she''s sealed with Father," Jin mouthed off, folding his arms. "Why are you here, uncle? You''re not a¡ª"

    Cut short, a pyre of mes erupted into a burning glory in the distance, swallowing the horizon in red. Jin whirled to the battle below when he froze at the sight of the few hundred Soul Kings rising into the skies.

    "What¡­ what in the world is this?!"

 Chapter 222: Ashen Blood II

    High in the skies, over nine hundred Soul Kings stood, their once translucent bodies now made corporal by the endless ughters.Led by one of the Defile Ones, Roxas Lampris, stood gripping a bloody spear in his hand. He had a crooked smile on his handsome face, while the mark of Cain zing like a pyre of bodies from within his eyes.

    "Altair!" He boomed, his voice empowered by three Mana Circles. The voice bellowed like the echo of thunder, stretching far outside the world''s atmosphere, reaching the ears of Gods and Transcendence.

    "Face Me, Boy!"

    From the Pce Walls, they came blistering the radiance of the Eternal Heavens above the skies. The light of dawn shone, blinding the eyes of those who dared to glimpse it. All two hundred and fifty Golden Watchers took to the battlefield, souring into the skies with their golden wings of mes.

    The Difile One''s eyes sparkled with damnation as a menacingugh echoed."The weapons of the Seraphim. How nostalgic."

    The Soul Kings all conjured their weapons, forged either by the soul or by the elements.

    "No man shall fight a Seraphim Watcher alone," Roxas instructed as he moved. Scarlet Protons danced along his flesh, seeping through his pores. They began to synthesize with the many tendons around the arms and legs when Scarlet Light turned to liquid mes, swirling into a vortex of supernatural essence.

    Fragments of light fractured as Roxas shed like a beam of light. Embers from out of his spear grinded over hundreds of golden shields radiating out faster than a single breath. The Golden Watchers all moved, seemingly vanishing to engage the enemy.

    Jin watched incredulously. "That''s some defense¡­ that man moved nearly two-thirds the speed of light. Yet they managed to defend. For golems, that is quite impressive."

    Gabriel couldn''t have agreed more. "Their focus lies in defense. But what I''m more interested in is that man. That skill¡­ it''s simr to Zariels."

    "The two never met," Beelzebub assured his brother. "I killed Roxas a long, long time ago. Far before Zariel was born, during the Second War, between Heaven and Hell."

    "I didn''t know Cain had a hand in such a matter," said Adam, clutching his arm. He could still remember the taste of his blood then, the sting of his arm being torn from his body by Eve, who had fallen into a state of madness.

    "Eve ended the Second War with her folly, but it was Cain who tried controlling the aftermath. As you know, when we began creating various races to battle each other to grow our principalities. We were able to increase our power, but unfortunately, it also blinded us to many things. Your bloodthirsty son bore his fangs towards both Angel and Fallen.

    From the Age of Mist, he had been trying to create a supreme force to kill our kind. Roxas was his first disciple."

    "Huh?"

    Jin''s jaw opened wide. "That''s quite brave of him. Is he stupid?"

    "He seeded," Beelzebub said coldly. "Cain was the first creature to seed in killing an Angel. We don''t have proof, but the reason the Second War started despite the already high tension was because of Urva''s death. It was assumed that us Fallen killed him, but that was the furthest from the truth. Lucifer and Mephisto investigated it personally. But by then, the war had started."

    "I didn''t know that," Gabriel said.

    "You didn''t participate in the second war. Good then thing, too. We might have faced catastrophic damages had you joined." Beelzebub muttered, knowing Gabriel all too well. Of all his brothers, despite his silly nature and disdain for violence, his battle prowess was no less than some of the strongest. "I found Roxas a littleter, defiling one of our brothers."

    Jin made a face."Defiling?"

    "Not sexually, if that''s what you think. No, the defiling I''m talking about is why some of the members are known as the Defiled Ones. It''s a sick ritual one must go through in order to be initiated into their little group. I had found Roxas midway and killed him and everyone else with him. His soul has been with me ever since."

    Jin came to a realization then and said," Does that include Keres?"

    "It does."

    The Prince of Asteria chewed his lip. "And if I try to take him from here?"

    "I''ll kill him and maybe torture you a bit. Depends how I feel," Beelzebub said, grinning. He patted his nephew''s shoulder. "Rx. Rx. You''ve got your uncle Gabriel here.

    I''m sure he''ll protect you."

    "I will¡­ if you promise to introduce me to that woman." The Archangel pointed towards Sabine, piercing through the atmosphere. "Now that is a fine piece of¡ª"

    "She''s mine, uncle!" Jin voiced, flickering towards his aid side. He snatched her up by the waist, turning her cheeks red.

    Sabine kicked back and forth, "My Lord, release me this instant!"

    Gabriel snorted and kicked Beelzebub on the ankle, " Fuck ''em up for me."

    "Traitor!" Shouted Jin usingly.

    Ignoring his brother''s antics, Beelzebub focussed his attention on Roxas.Wondering if Cain would evere out of hiding. Ever since the Age of Fire, he had vanished.

    ''Roxas is his first disciple,'' he thought, arching his lips. ''And currently, two members of their mysterious organization are already targeting Altair. If Cain doesn''t hear about this, then he''s either dead or in deep slumber. Time will tell.''

    ***

    As mes clouded the skies, flickering with multicolored light shing back and forth, shaking the earth below, the various lords within the pce watched through incredulous eyes. Not one of the Soul Kings above had a higher circle, but they all moved their bodies in ways that seemed almost inhumanely adept.

    Be it their understanding regarding the various schools of magic or the simple skills with the sword or spear, all of them understood that death was only a matter of time should they engage in battle with any of the Soul Kings on their own. They were outssed in practically every field imaginable.

    "This is a battle of attrition," Yalivor Sadu intoned, his arms poised behind his back. "They''ll retreat soon to recover and return hourster. Stronger than before. Remember, it''s only been a week since their resurrection, and cultivation requires immense time."

    "They can''t level up. Not without any creatures to kill," Ser Glynn pointed out. "Meaning they can''t bring out the full power of their Circles. That ought to limit most of their skills."

    Ragnar shook his head, "That''s why he brought up the concept of time,'' he pointed towards Roxas. "Once they get the hang of the system and all the benefits thate with it. They''ll be absolute monsters. Like us, they''ve already obtained corporeal bodies. All they need now is a few months to recreateplex spells to match their current power."

    "Indeed," Ryzar remarked. "Currently, we have Ten Ninth Circles in total, including myself. Which is why I suggestwe make the sacrifice and head out there to y as many souls as we can."

    The two behind Yalivor Sadu nced at each other and then toward their young master. They bowed deeply, awaiting his orders.

    From the shadows of Ragnar, Zaros, and Ariane, two Ninth Circles emerged each. Their faces were as hard as a stone falling to a knee before their Lord and Lady.

    To Ryzar''s right, Lady Z Ironblood''s expression was dark. She bit her lip, tasting the sweet metallic gush of blood.

    "Are you sure? This is a suicide Mission," she pointed out, wondering if he understood.

    "If it means you have a better chance of survival. Then, by all means. I am willing to die. I owe you and your family that." Ryzar closed his eyes, recalling the days he had been a ve sold from master to master. Served slop that not even pigs would eat. Force to fight his fellow brothers and sisters to the death to satisfy his Master''s sadistic tendencies, he was finally sold to the Ironbloods.

    Through battle, he fought his way up to earning the Surname Ironblood, ridding his old identity as a ve. He came out an Ironblood. A Lord, a Peak soldier in the Mortal Realms.

    In this lifetime, he had no talent in reaching the Realm of Transcendent, but perhaps the next¡­ he smiled then.

    He fell to his knee just the same, "Allow me this honor, mydy."

    Through clenched fists, Z felt blood slither down her chin. "Your Soul Lamp, is it ready?"

    "Before every battle, I prepared it in-case I might perish. It''s the only way one can reincarnate a soul back into the family."

    The other ninth circle all nced at each other, nodding equally.

    Ser Glynn folded his arms. "In order not to strengthen the Soul Kings. I''m sure you all must know what must be done."The ck knight nced at the Ninth Circles, ring at him. He didn''t care. Their sacrifice wasn''t for him but for their masters. "Before you die, invert the flow of Mana into your circle.

    The Watchers are sure to be able to at least defend against the shockwave."

    Yalivor Sadu did not bother to acknowledge the ck Knight of Bahumat. With all his attention towards his subjects, he sped his hands together. "Sato, Luvi, I shall not forget your families. So long as I am alive, I shall grant them with enough resources to propel them into Transcendent. You have my word. Your bloodline shall not die with you.

    In the name of the Water Dragon King. You have my Eternal Vow."

 Chapter 223: Ashen Blood III

    On the bed where he''d left her, Altair stood to his feet draped in the robes of Tenebrae. He strapped Shadoww to his belt and conjured Aurora from out of the depths of his soul.

    "Get her cleaned up," Hemanded.

    The journey down the southern tower had been a long, dark walk racked with such guilt and shame. He could not bring himself to face Reina, not after how he''d taken her. He couldn''t understand how or why she didn''t fight back or why she allowed him to do as he pleased. But by the time he''de too, sheid in a slop of their making.

    Three weeks had slipped through his hands like water.

    "There''s our conqueror," Tasha shouted. Waiting for him outside the tower, she grinned. "Any longer and might have joined. A vigorous fucking like that is¡ª"

    "Enough," the young lord snapped. Visible anger seething from his scarlet eyes.

    She grinned. "I wouldn''t break, you know. We were made to fuck. Made never to break beneath another. Though that never stops others from trying." Tasha folded her arms, plumping her breasts up. "Think of it as our sole goal in life."

    "Just tell me what I''ve missed," he said darkly.

    Tasha noted the outline of his manhood pressed against his britches. Licked her lips with a devious glow in her eyes and said, "The Ninth Circles are battling it out." she pointed towards the skies scorched by mes, war, and blood. Ash came from the clouds, staining the realm in darkness.

    It was light out. The sun hung far over the skies, yet it seemed so small, so frail as if it hadn''t graced thend in many moons. The once cold winds that had ravaged Vesim died beneath the shes, shifting the seasons.

    "I see that wound of yours has not healed." She pointed out.

    Altair nced indifferently at the scar on his hand. "Whatever manor scheme someone has against me will fail." he mused, a baleful glint pulsating off the sigils within his pupils.

    He wasn''t worried. Rather, he was excited. Excited for what fool was willing to challenge him?

    Within the Sr, he found Syris in meditation, a dagger resting quietly on herp. In front of her, a cup of warm teay steaming. She hadn''t sensed when he entered, hadn''t sensed his approach, but shuddered nheless as his touch sent ripples dancing along the flesh.

    The teacup shattered, spilling tea everywhere.

    Syris opened her pale eyes, her breath stiffened by how close he was. He smelt of pine and¡­

    A faint flush rose along the tips of her cheeks. "What are you doing?"

    "Wondering how my general is doing." He said, jerking her to her feet against her will. "How is Lyain?"

    "Battling," she answered, sensing something off about the boy in front of her. Something about him had changed. "We all decided that all Ninth Circles are to be our shields. Though one seems against joining no matter how we protest." her eyes darted to Tasha just outside her room.

    Altairughed. "No surprise there. And you. Are you ready for war?"

    "Of course! Waiting has never been my style, not in the least," she puffed up her chest, snatching Altair by the cor. Syris red into his eyes. "Plus, I''ve not gotten my revenge against that dick Davos."

    "Ooh, So aggressive," Tasha sang. "Think she''s like that in bed?"

    "Piss off!" Syris shouted, letting Altair go. She straightened up his robes, somewhat apologetic. "Well? What is the n?"

    " I''ve neither the knowledge nor the power to scheme against these monsters. Not without gambling on unseen forces," he shook his head. Not entertained on the idea just yet."No n. Just blind violence this time around."

    "That''s the best kind of violence," Syris swore, sheathing that silver dagger to her''s to her hip. She beamed.

    ''Plus¡­ I want to experiment more with Fallen Necromancy,'' he thought. The ability to collect souls had been something he''d only discovered by chance. And if D-Rank skills were the peak of mortal understanding, Altair figured there had to be more to it than simply absorbing and sorting souls.

    ''There had to be more.''

    "I''ll show you why they call me Elemental Queen."

    Onto the balcony attached to her Sr, they stood peering up at the aimless rays highlighting the intense battle shattering the skies above. Elements of all kinds danced and bent, tearing and folding until they could hold no more, exploding in destructive waves.

    Heavens Constructs defended, their swords and shields moving in tandem, blocking and shing simultaneously.

    Altair had never seen a more perfect symmetry between offense and defense. He liked it. He liked it a lot.

    "I''ll see you up there," He said. Something changed about him at that moment; much like the flick of a switch, a profane bolt of dense sma crackled from off his being. shing at the space around him like a whip seeking to scar heaven and earth.

    The tainted glow in his eyes shone when he leaped in an earth-shattering explosion. Altair became a string of infernal lightning tearing through the skies. He arrived before a Soul King faster than a bolt of light, his fingers balled up in a fist, catching over the jaw of some unnamed Astral King.

    A gut-wrenching cry echoed as Altair sted the man well past the reaches of the wall into the horizon and watched his soul disintegrate into dust when a tform of scarlet lightning formed beneath his feet.

    The battlefield descended into silence. Countless eyes flocking towards the Prince. Greed practically colored their pupils.

    Altair drew Shadoww and felt his existence harmonies with his de. He could feel theyers of hell that had tempered his de. Could feel the fire it had experienced touch upon his soul, seeking to taint it ck.

    When at that moment, Altair weaved to his left, informed by his Primal instinct, and dodged the de that came from out of the void. His eyes whirled towards the dark-haired king, whose red eyes were marked by the sigil of the crimson spear.

    Roxas tsked in annoyance before flicking his blood spear, allowing the de edge to twirl much like a snake toward the prince''s throat. But stood shaken when Altair caught the de with his bare hand.

    Blood came wrenching from his palm as he gave a sinisterugh. Shadoww came cleaving down, zing the horrid might of the Vale as Altair channeled [Deste Descent] over the edge of his de.

    Without any time to dodge Roxas, he tilted the Polearm of his spear with his free arm to meet with Altair''s de.

    The phoenix-like cry of the winds howled became thest thing Roxas heard and saw as his body tore through the earth like an oil rig. Hellish lightning exploded from out from the Prince as he followed hundreds of meters down into the earth''s crust to find a star-struck Astral King. He smiled, piercing his de towards the man.

    [Deste Descent]

    Another explosion erupted like a volcano, spewing magma nearly fifty meters into the air from out of its core. A rainfall of hot magma came onto thend as blow after blow echoed from down below. Both man and god saw Roxas shriek from the earth into the skies as a boy draped like a god of lighting followed in a vicious arc of light.

    He snapped in an instant, and one hundred Pale Shadows emerged, each of them cloaked in a simr lightning.

    "SHIT!!!!" Roxas howled, opening his Spirit Domain. He paled when he felt another hundred other domains marking him with their intent. "What type of monster are you? How is that possible!"

    Altair''s eyes narrowed when he suddenly pivoted off a string of lightning, dodging the arc of wind seeking to sever him in half. A hint of a sneer yed at his lips as he looked up towards the neer. A boldface demihuman. Dragonborn, no doubt. Possessing golden draconic scales and eyes over his coppery skin. He stood nearly eight feet tall, wielding a golden spear in his hand.

    "Go recover, Roxas. You''ve been battling for seven days. I''ll handle the boy."

    "Is that why you were so weak?" The Prince mocked, studying the man. "Run along. I''ll allow it."

    Roxas felt a fire rise through him. The sting of humiliation was not one was ustomed to. He straightened himself out, pressing down the wrinkles over his robes. "I''ll not forget this¡ª"

    ''You''ve no right to speak to me," Altair informed airly. He no longer ced him in his eyes, focusing on the Dragonborn towering over him. He didn''t like how high his eyes stood. "Keep the others back. This one is mine."

    The Pale Knights nodded, turning their attention towards the other Astral Lords. They were indeed no match for any of the Astral Lords. But with their lives on the line, they knew holding them back for a set time was enough.

    "You''ve grown much stronger since your battle with Strava." The Dragonborn said, unveiling his domain.

    Altair felt an intangible force mp down on his bones like an iron mountain. Seeking to shatter them into dust. An epassing domain expanded over him alongside a few of the Watchers.

    Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin

    "Ignus Bloodgrave. Remember it well, boy."

    "Boy this¡­ Boy that¡­" Altair frowned, the sigils within his eyes zing like two stars. In his off-hand, the ebony de of the Vale congealed.

    Ignus felt the mana begin to dwindle, pulled into the ck hole that was Altair ckwood before him. The winds that were once beneath his control wrenched themselves from out of him, reeling back in fear as the Sword of the Vale began to ze. There, he saw them: Three Vale Stars emerging from out of nothing, crowning the prince.

    "Hey¡­ Mr." Altair smiled a smile of utter madness."Don''t die too soon!"

 Chapter 224: Ashen Blood IV

    The great presence born from his spirit came like a ck Scourge upon the realm, withering will of mortal man to dust. It rallied against the heavens and the hells, seeking neither destruction nor creation but despair and madness.

    Ignus trembled, reflecting on a memory, a strange manner of creatures that bore no true form. "An Outer God." A dreadful pang of unease slithered up his spine, coiling around the flesh like death''s icy grip. He gulped with a restlessness on him that would simply not die.

    And he thought, ''I am Ignus, Lord of the Frenzied me, Dragonborn of Golden Empyrean. King Regent, to his majesty Lord Bahamut''s reign,I shall not fear a boy." Somehow, he grew more confident standing boldly before Altair.

    Altair moved then, using a lightning string as a tform to enhance his natural velocity. Showers of embers came like rainwater from the skies, dancing over the skies. So fearsome were their blows that the winds became like knives, carving through structures below.

    Shockwaves uprooted buildings, brandishing them high in the skies, as Sword Intent shrieked high and low, decimating everything it touched.

    Rocketed back through the air from the intense blow, Altair opened his palm, grabbing hold of a string of Infernal Lightning like a bungee cord that hadshed itself into space. He grinned, propelling himself forward using the very momentum that had sent him flying. Heughed wildly as spear and sword shed in an infinite array of blows.

    Sword Light and Spear Light weaved, cutting, shing, meeting with thrust and counters. Altair''s and Ignus''s arms ruptured from the intense blows. Blood flowed from their arms, but at that moment, Ignus grimaced when he saw Altair''s injuries mend.

    He could feel the Mana between heaven and earth being depleted at an even higher frequency, refilling the Mana that Altair depleted.

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    ''He''s not even used his Domain yet.'' Ignus thought, gritting his teeth. Yet, with each sh, Altair was visibly growing stronger. Each sh of their swords reflected what he was gaining. ''And this body of mine can''t exhibit all my skills. Even with the aid of Astral Qi.'' he cursed, drawing breath, filling his lungs with Mana.''

    Ignus spear turned red hot, blistering an intensity that made the sun''s re feel like a warm bath. Altair''s perspiration evaporated, but his smile never faded.

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    [Ashen Blood is Adapting]

    Altair felt the blood beneath his flesh writhing out of his control; He wanted to scream then, as sizzling heat came from his veins, stimting his nerve endings. The sensation of being burnt alive came like a flood of the senses, plunging him further into madness fueling him with rage.

    Crossing space in a single bound, Ingus arrived, his spear darting out. The Prince weaved to the left, followed by the right, grinning like a demon. Unsure why agitation and exhration began to fuse. He opened his mouth, firing off an orb of ck light, so suddenly Ignus barely had time to lift his spear tip to defend.

    Enma exploded in his face, tearing him out of the skies and forcing him down. He struck the earth with a deafening boom as Altair followed, piercing down with [deste descent]. His sword shing through the Dragonborn''s shoulder, shattering dozens of bones before he could properly defend himself.

    A mist of blood sprawled over Altair''s cheeks. When he suddenly pivoted back, his twin sword, Shadoww, and the Sword of the Vale, carving through several wind spears that came as quickly as the winds themselves. He charged back in with a mischievous smile on his face, yfully observing how Ignus used that time to restituate himself.

    Ignus hadn''t been able to fully defend against Enma, causing his entire right arm to be peeled of all its flesh. In contrast, his right shoulder corbone was severed. It wasn''t a deep cut, but enough to show imperfection in his once-perfect stance.

    Altair embodied the night as he moved like a shadow, dodging the many wind spears darting towards him. When from the winds, fire exploded in mass, catching the Prince off guard. Shattering dozens of bones, bubbling his flesh in a matter of seconds before he was forced to take to the skies to escape the full st.

    The pain had been dreadful. But the excitement equally matched.

    "Is that all!"

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    ¡­

    ''What manner of monster is that?'' Ingus screamed inwardly. ''He quelled my mes with his fleshy body? Impossible. My ''Intent'' ought to have stopped his regen. Is that boy really an Outer God? One of their pups?''

    "That''s a neat trick," Altair said openly upon a string of lightning. He had been a little unsure why it took him so long to begin manipting lightning. But it was well to his liking. "I think I''ll copy it." Ignoring the scorch marks being mended by Ashen Blood, he felt himself want to act a little recklessly.

    He lifted the Sword of the Vale, wasting an entire Circle of Mana; he conjured twenty-seven swords simr in size and shape to Shadoww.

    Ingus tsked, switching his spear to his lift hand. "You''ve not won yet."

    Glimmers of iridescent light came from his Golden Scales, tainting it a foul ck. His eyes, which were once the color of spun gold, transitioned to red. Two spiked horns sprouted from out of his skull, piercing throughyers of skin, spilling blood in a grotesque scene of gore.

    "Ahh~ So much better. So so much better!" The Prince bellowed with a belly full of fire. He could sense the radiance of power. The searing heat blistering off his being.

    [Radiance of Fire]

    Altair had no time to react, much less think, as the Second form of Ignus''s domain expanded. Draconic me came into being like the domineering roar of a dragon, conjuring forth a pir stretching past the Yarwin''s atmosphere. It burned brighter than any sun, reaching temperatures no one could defend against.

    "Ain''t this FUN!!!!!" Altair roared, employing his aspect, which he''d dubbed ''Rule.'' "Ignus, my friend¡­ Just a little more, and I might feel like my life is in danger. Show me more!"

    From Shadoww, the pir of mes was devoured, superheating the de until it melted the flesh of his outer arm. Scorch marks reigned over his body, but still, the Prince did not release his sword, allowing Ashen Blood to waste another Circle of Mana to keep him alive.

    More Mana was being devoured to keep his Ashen blood sustained.

    "You fucking madman," Ignus said incredulously. Before he chuckled, amused to no end, when a strange halo of fire appeared above his head. He vanished, arriving before Altair faster than he could perceive. His spear darted toward his brain, catching air.

    With Sovereign''s Gale, he dodged, weaving to his rear. Shadoww trembled with the rage of the Night.

    [Devouring Night]

    Altair gaped in shock at how his sword glided across Ignus''s ebony scales. He pivoted back with a flip, narrowing his eyes toward his burning sword.

    ''Fire doesn''t work¡­ interesting.''

    "Erase," Hemanded, dismissing the effect of his Aspect upon Shadoww.

    "I see," Ignus peered forward. "Whatever touches the swordes under your control. You devoured my me, then erased it. What a frightening Aspect."

    "Yes¡­ I call it Rule."

    "Too bad you''ve barely control over it. Otherwise, you would have been able to cut through my scales."

    Altair didn''t see much point in denying it. It was true. The Aspect of Rule had been in its infancy. And the most he could do now was Absorb, Dismiss, and¡­

    "We''ll see about that."

    ****

    "What is this Outer Gods? I''ve never heard of that," Said Jin, tilting his head towards Beelzebub.

    "I can''t say I know much about them myself," The Old Fallen said. He nced at Gabriel, but he shook his head, too.

    "The Abyss. You''ll find them in the Abyss," Adam remarked. "I''m not sure how they were created or who, but they are like Abyssal but different. I''ve met one. And it was so strong I had to use Father''s blessing merely to escape. They are formless creatures, immune to just about everything."

    "Strange¡­ Then why am I only hearing about it now?" Said Beelzebub.

    "I don''t have an answer to that. All I know is that I didn''t journey into the Abyss for a long time after that day. And I never saw another one."

    "When was this?" Gabriel asked.

    "A little after the creation of the Prime Evils," said Adam darkly. " After Eve''s Folly, I dug into the Abyss to test myself, to win some opportunities. However, all I earned was defeat."

    Jin made an annoyed face. "What is this Eve Folly nonsense?"

    "Eve was the second woman to exist. The first being Lilith, the Mother of Demons," said Gabriel darkly. " With the death of her son Abel. Eve went on a trip to the Abyss. No one knew where exactly in the Abyss she was, but when she returned, She had created a spell that gave the Seven Sins corporeal forms.

    "These seven creatures were so powerful that the Second Heavenly War ended before any major deaths could ur. In the end, Heaven and Hell had to team up with the Primordials to seal the Seven Prime Evils."

    "Such an event became known as Eve''s Folly," Beelzebub recounted. "Thank God for Tenebrae. Had she not been there to aid us. We all might have died."

    "Aunty Tene did? Wait¡­ then what is powering the seal? Surely it has to be a powerful¡ª"

    "Tenebrae herself is. Her very life force is empowering it. It was the only way to seal the Prime Evils before they grew consciousness."

 Chapter 225: Aspect of Rule

    Spear and sword shed, constructing whirlwinds of mes spanning far and wide, wrenching at their clothing. There, beneath the mes and the dimly lit sun, they saw an intricate weave of runes and symbols tattooed over the boy''s porcin skin. They were glowing, pulsing like a heartbeat.

    The Soul Kings all watched. They''d all too much pride to strike when the boy''s back was turned. Who were they, if not the ones that once stood at the peak? Lords and Ladies, Beastmen and deities, whose names once echoed through the Myriad Heavens.

    Even so, they couldn''t help but feel the ache of something ancient jolt across the body and soul upon the boy''s flesh.

    Blow after blow crackled like the echos of thunder raging on like the endless tides of the seas. When the Ignus gave his spear a thrust, the de jolted towards Altair in a position that left no way to maneuver but rather block.

    And block he did, or at least tried, as Ignus''s spear turned into mes, phasing through Altair''s twin swords, turning into a real de just in the instance me touched skin. He drove his spear through the boy''s chest, nicking the heart.

    [zing Dragon]

    Ignus drove forward just as Altair tried to pull back, exploding the tip of his spear with vengeful mes. Fire erupted out from Altair''s chest, revealing his scorched heart and ashen bones.

    "Why won''t you die!" Shouted the Dragonborn, burning through his three Circles.

    [Ashen Blood is Adapting]

    [Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

    ''Just a little more,'' the prince thought, feeling consciousness slip from out of his hand. Darkness dotted his vision, seeking to pull him deeper in.

    Biting his teeth, refusing to heed its call, Altair red into the maddening eyes of his opponent. He swiped his sword with every intent to lop off his head, but Ignus pivoted off the balls of his feet in retreat.

    "You''ll not survive," Ignus spat, panting heavily. "Even with your superior regeneration. You''re nearly at your limit. How much of your Circle do you have left!"

    ''What a frightening technique,'' Altair told himself, aided by his Ashen Blood mending his injuries. He''d never thought to use the ethereal nature of the elements to bypass the material realm. He coughed up blood stained with bits of ash and wiped it away from his lip.

    Ashen Blood had regenerated most of his heart alongside some of his bones before his Mana Circle dried up due to the heavy task it required. Still, he held his head up high, crowned by his Vale Stars. Supported by his secondary source of power.

    Vale Qi.

    The very source of his new Aspect.

    Vaulting off his feet in a zing sh, turning stone to vaper, Ignus drove his spear forward, cloaked by mes twisting into a dragon. He arrived before Altair, gripping Shadoww with both arms, unable to sustain the Sword of the Vale.

    "Dragonic Dive"

    "Rule," The Prince muttered with cold dead eyes.

    As the Dragonic Dive met with Altair''s spear, its mes vanished, echoing the grueling sound of metal hitting against metal.

    Ignus hadn''t the time to wear a victorious cry, knowing the moment Altair absorbed his mes, he would turn dust the next moment. Rather, his mind turned to shock when he saw a simr attack evade his perception, striking against his chest.

    "Counter," Altair mumbled, bleeding as much Vale Qi as he could.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Swallowed by a catastrophic explosion that shook all of Vesem, a mushroom cloud of mes touched the horizon.

    When the mes faded, Altair stood wheezing for air. His lips cracked, and his skin scorched beyond recognition. Below him, Ignusy, the left half of his body missing. The wounds scorched shut.Half of his face was a blistering mess.

    "I win¡­" Altair murmured.

    "Devour, Erase, Counter," Ignus muttered hollowly. Heughed, coughing blood. "Bastard¡­ Yeah¡­ you¡­won." he closed his eyes, recalling the matter when he heard that Altair had managed to wound Keres. It had been right in front of him the hole time.

    "Make it quick."

    With thest bit of strength, Altair lifted his ck sword, "Wee to the family." And his de fell.

    Suddenly, a heavy blow caught Altair by surprise, twisting his body into a bow. He was sted away, piercing through molted rocks. He was propelled far towards the edge of the city from where they stood in the middle.

    "Forgive me," Ser Glynn said mildly. "But Lord Ignus shall not die today. Lord Bahumat desires his survival."

    Altair coughed up another mouthful of blood, feeling all the Mana the Circle of Gluttony was devouring was being channeled into Ashen Blood. Nearly on the precipice of death, he forced himself to stand before falling t on his face. Nearly every bone in his body was shattered. He groaned, unable to move, and stared up towards the skies, towards¡­ An ashen-haired boy peering down at him curiously.

    He was smiling much like a naughty child.

    "Hello," He said.

    "...Hi¡­"

    "My name is Jin. Jin Snow or Morningstar, whichever you prefer."

    Altair felt a pulse ripple through his heart. Blood pooled from his mouth as the words he wanted to speak never sounded.

    ''A Snow¡­'' He thought, slowly being pulled in by the darkness. ''Family?''

    Jin saw the gleam of recognition and felt a tinge of confusion towards it. "If only my hands weren''t tied right now. I''d bring you back home with me. Father might have even taken you in as his disciple. I do hope you survive Altair ckwood. I truly do.

    I''d love to see you on the Grand Stages. And not this backwater zone. But you''d better get up, or you''ll die."

    Gleaming the sigil of the Crimson Spear, shrouding the skies behind Jin, Altair groaned, watching in amazement as Jin dissipated into silvery mist, revealing the crazed expression of Roxas.

    "DIE!!!!!"

    Plunging from the skies towards him like a bolt of light, Altair felt a spear dive through his abdomen.

    The darkness that had been shrouding his vision vanished, slowly being filled with red, as he gave a loud cry. Spewing blood from his mouth.

    "Bastard! You think you can just humiliate me like that! I¡ª"

    Forced to squander bits of his lifeforce, Altair conjured Enma from his mouth, catching Roxas, who hadn''t bothered to activate his Spirit Domain off guard. He was sted nearly a mile into the air.

    Altair screamed, cing his hand to his mouth; he conjured a vial of demon blood he''d collected during his battle on the wall back in Fowin, mped down, shattering the vial with teeth, and began devouring all he could to regain some strength. He consumed three vials before Roxas came hauling from the skies. His face contorted like a demon.

    Heunched his spear forward, seeking to dive it through Altair''s skull. And missed as Altair rolled out of the way with what little strength he''d gathered. Unfortunately, the explosion had been enough to tear him off his back, sting him away.

    Entrails spilled from his gut, spilling over the earth as he tumbled through structures when he caught sight of Roxas flying towards him.

    In a panic, Altair willed with all his might for his Ashen Blood to stop his recovery. He wasn''t in a situation where it was doing any good. And despite all his control. He still could not properly control Vale Qi, not without Mana.

    [Ashen Blood has been Deactivated]

    Altair forced a grin, feeling Mana surged once more into Meridians at a blinding rate. Desperate to survive, he touched the ground, casting Mold Earth. He was devoured into the ground just as Roxas arrived.

    "BASTARD!" He cursed. "You''re not escaping!"

    Altair plummeted downwards as he turned the ground of the earth into the lightest consistency possible. And began hiding through the use of his Spirit.

    ''My battle with Ignussted Three Minutes. Roxas shouldn''t have recovered in that time." Altair told himself. "He shouldn''t be able to use major spells or Astral QI." He nced down, consuming more and more blood from outside of Draupnir to aid in his recovery. Still, his vision was fading; he was unable to breathe beneath the earth.

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    Tremor came like a storm, reaching him nearly a dozen meters below the earth. Still, he kept on casting Mold Earth, allowing himself to sink further beneath the ground before consciousness slipped from his mind.

    [Ashen Blood has Reactivated]

    ***

    In a sh, Syris arrived before Ser Glynn, her knife cutting across the air. However, just as she neared his throat, a discharge of lightning sprung from out of the void around Glynn, forcing her back.

    "If I were you, I''d retrieve the boy before he dies," Ser Glynn said, lifting the unconscious body of Ignus. He turned as two more ck Knights emerged like flickers of light, escorting them away.

    Syris bit her lips and cursed loudly. "Aurora!" she shouted soon after, unable to see her through the chaos above. So many lights clustered the skies, so many shes, she was unable to gleam who was who. "Nia! Talia! Kirr!

    Jorm!!!!"

    "Here!" Shouted Nia, falling from the skies battered and beaten with a mere one arm to support her. Blood ran profusely down her tunic onto the ground. But despite her hurt image, a resolute gleam filled her eyes. "I''ll lead you to him¡­ He''s injured. Do you know how to hide your spirit we''ll¡ª"

    Cloaking the both of them in a shroud of darkness, Syris said," I have control over all elements. The darkness will hide us. Lead the way."

 Chapter 226: The Dark Curse I

    In a blinding rage, Roxas spewed countless rays of light onto thend, superheating the stones to magma. Layers of perspiration dotted his brow, wenching at his tarnished robes as he roared. Shrouds of enigmatic light exploded, casting craters far and wide when blood spewed from his mouth.

    He staggered back, falling to a knee, light-headed and weak. "Damn you, boy! Damn you!" he muttered, vomiting another mouthful of blood, facing the bacsh of his meridians rupturing. He growled, falling faint.

    Hundreds if not thousands of meters below, Altair awoke and fainted soon after, unable to keep a clear mind. In a cycle, his consciousness came and went. His instincts woke him of the impending danger, but his body was unable to keep up.

    Just then, a faint voice came, stirring the Prince. "Master!" The voice had been so soft, as if it echoed from so far away. ''Master, you must wake up! Syris feed him."

    "Feed him? Feed him what?"

    "Your blood."

    "Screw that! He''s fine!"

    "He''ll die!"

    "I''ll die! My blood is precious. I can''t just¡ª"

    "Do you want to save him or not? Look at his gut!" Nia voiced, cradling her Master, noticing the way his entrails hung from out his stomach. Bone protruded from his skin, and dirt marred his flesh and injuries alike. He didn''t look anything like her Prince but rightfully a beggar on the precipice of death.

    Syris bit her lips, rather disgruntled. She liked Altair. She liked him a lot. But the act of giving one your blood was sacred to a Celestrials. In her past, blood had been the catalyst for creation. To spill blood in battle was honorable.

    But to give it freely meant marriage. Such a tradition dated back far before the Celestrial, echoing from their Ancestors, the High Humans.

    "Traditions or someone''s life¡­" She thought, her minding to a decision. Pressing her wrist within Altair''s mouth, a tantalizing shudder came as two shards of ice prated the skin. It''s stung, pulsing with a distant trace of pleasure, rattling along the skin. The cold became warmth, trailing up her slender neck.

    She felt her blood flowing from her wrist past his lips, and a greater sense of weakness took her, followed by a gentle numbing sensation spreading through the arm. The cold grew sharper, more present, but so did the pleasurable sensation of his lips against her skin.

    Syris moaned through her clenched teeth, feeling her breath catch and her heart quicken. She struggled, trying to pull away. But her body refused to listen to her. It moved in on its own, her fingers running hands through his matted hair, clearing it of debris as though she was his lover.

    Shame crept through her mind, but Syris couldn''t stop herself. Her skin felt as though it were on fire. And her loins¡­

    ''Gods¡­ I''m about to¡­ I''m about to¡­ '' she thought when Nia jerked her arms out from his mouth. Syris''s eyes went wide.

    "Y-Y-Y-You can''t die¡­ here," Nia lulled out, copsing into a dark mist. Returning to her Master''s embrace. Killed by her injuries.

    Altair licked his lips, opening his eyes with a profound sharpness. Nodes of Iridescent light spiraled around his injured body, pulling his intestines back into his stomach. His skin, which had once been punctured by bones and stone alike, began to mend, healing at a visible rate. Syris''s blood had been so rich with Mana that it managed to pull him from the closest reaches of death.

    "You taste good," He muttered.

    Syris felt a heat catch in her chest. But still bonked him on the head, biting her lip. "You owe me big time!

    Feigning injury, Altair mischievously grinned, "I could treat you to dinner."

    "I want steak. A big ass steak."

    Altair had to chuckle, "That seems fair. You feed me, I feed you." he tried to stand but fell t on his face.

    "Just rest," Syris said, smiling. "I''ve shrouded us in darkness. It''ll be very hard for them to find us, especially with us being so far underground."

    "How far?"

    "About five miles."

    ''So I fled that far,'' the prince thought, closing his eyes. He found peace within the darkness.

    As Syris heard the echos of his soft snores, she giggled. Before long, she noticed she, too, could not move. Altair had taken quite a bit of blood, rendering her somewhat immobile. She sighed, resting her head against a stone, creating a gust of air with her Elemental Mastery.

    "What a day¡­"

    Just then, another tremor came. The earth groaned, seeking to crush them alive. Syris frowned, creating a small domain free of motion with her Elemental Maniption. She scowled, ignoring the weakness in her body, and snatched up Altair.

    He had been so much bigger than her, nearly consuming her with hisrge frame. It was awkward to move, but after nearly half an hour, Syris managed to pull him beneath the castle walls.

    She winced, the burden of her aching muscles spasming out of control. Maintaining a dark shroud powerful enough to mask oneself against the Soul Kings had already tasked her reserves; adding to the loss of blood and Earth Maniption, Syris had nearly wiped out all her Three Circles.

    Looking over at Altair, she said, "I want two steaks. Two big ass steaks."

    ***

    It was weeks before Reina woke, her loins throbbing greatly with the seed of her lover warming her belly. She couldn''t move but found the strength nheless through the use of mana, easing the fatigue of her weak muscles. By her side, she found Altair in dried blood and dirt, with a letter attached to his chest.

    ''I''ll leave cleaning him to you.''

    Syris

    ''How long was I out?" Reina wondered, giving her precious prince a light kiss over his bloodied lips. She stood up, wrapped in robes she didn''t ce on herself. She stepped onto the balcony, counting the Watchers in the skies. The once two hundred and fifty had dwindled by about fifty. The eight hundred Soul Kings, however, was far less than it once was. Nearly two hundred were lost.

    "I wonder who all died on our side?" She shook her head, turning towards her Prince to his sleeping face, and watched as his eyes opened and swayed towards her. He grinned, studying the curvature of her robed figure, his eyes mounting with lust.

    The memory of her soaked cunt, on his lips was still fresh in his mind.

    "Ready for round¡ª"

    "Can you even move?"

    "That''s why I''ve got you. You got enough moves to make up for myck of mobility."

    Ren had the grace to blush. She tipped toed towards him and smiled. "You really have changed, haven''t you."

    "Good or bad?"

    ''Not sure,'' she admitted faintly. Observing the way the glint in his eyes dimmed."But I don''t mind. It''s still you. Still my Art. Now tell me all that happened?"

    Recounting the battle between Ignus and himself, Altair told her about the surprise attack of Ser Glynn and Roxas before long his encounter with Syris. He had been bedridden for nearly two weeks, finding his soul exhausted beyond belief with hisst battle.

    Ashen Blood might have mended such exhaustion, but Altair didn''t wish to be surprised by another attack once again. If he were, he''d need all is Mana, at least until Reina awoke.

    "Two weeks," Ren muttered, so overwhelmed she blushed. "You fucked me into aa."

    "Please¡­ if you say it like that. People might think it''s a flex." Altair said. However, he didn''t seem happy about it. The loss of control had not been something to be proud of. "Anyway. Can you protect me?

    I''ve no idea where Thanatos and Zagreus are. But this level of soul exhaustion runs quite deep."

    "Leave it to me!" Ren gave him a thumbs up. She watched her prince slowly close his eyes, allowing his Ashen Blood to activate.

    And she thought. "I wonder what Art tastes like now that he has Ashen Blood?"

    She shook the thought from her mind when a soft knock echoed through the door. Syris entered with a slight surprise gleam in her eyes.

    "Ah. You''re awake."

    Ren''s eyes turned blood red then, while her voice carried the echoes of death, " This Glynn, did you find him?"

    Shaken by the bloodlust passing through her bones, Syris instinctually shook her head. "He''s gone. Tasha even confirmed it."

    "And you believe her?" Said Ren darkly.

    "I''ve no reason to doubt her. Do you?"

    "She''s a devil. That is more than enough reason. But¡­ it''s unlikely." She shook her head, folding her arms. When her personality switched, her voice became like sweet honey. "I heard Art bit you. How was it?"

    Syris chagrinned. "Alright, I guess," she lied, too ashamed to admit the truth.

    Reina saw through the lie but didn''t press the matter. She gestured her in, patting the bed with a warm smile.

    "I see. Then¡­ what say you on journeying with Altair for a while longer?"

    "A while longer?" Syris looked a bit taken aback. "What do you mean?"

    Ren lifted her lips, turning to perhaps her only friend. "Well¡­"

 Chapter 227: The Dark Curse II

    "It''s finally ready, m''lord," shrieked one of the Defiled towards the ceiling, his abhorrent eyes writhing madly within their sockets. Around him, bodiesy mutted,torn asunder in a blood-stained festival of entrails, lungs, hearts, and human skin cut so cleanly no tear could be seen.They were all organized, forming a sort of barbaric ritual.

    At the center hovered a golden edge dagger,stained red. Red with the blood of Altair ckwood.

    "M''lord, we offer you his blood," The Defiled One eximed, wrapping his arms around his chest. He moaned, bathing in the blood mist. "The Blood of Altair ckwood is now yours."

    A dim scarlet glow pulsated from the golden edge of the ritualistic dagger. It swirled, pulling at the tendrils of blood along the de, drawing it into the metal until only its mirrored surface remained.

    The Defiled One kowtowed. "Shall Teivelmence phase two, my Master?" he peeked up at the glowing dagger, observing the way systematic glimmers echoed from off the dagger before it faded, sliding through the stone like water, stopping at the hilt with a ding. "Yes, my Master. As youmand."

    Teivel rallied an ecstatic cry and lunged for the dagger, clutching it for dear life. His eyes glittered as the echo of a heartbeat sounded.

    Badump Badump Badump

    "Yes¡­ Yes¡­ my Lord. Before this Festival Ends. Altair shall be plunged into the depths of the Crucible. You''ve my word, m''lord. I shall not fail you." He whirled, his lips arched into a bright giddy smile as his eyes were drawn towards the head of hisrade, Trivor.

    He was crying, his face contorted with such agonizing pain words could not seem to escape his lips. How or why was he still alive after being skinned alive before being decapitated? He wasn''t sure. But the pain all remained. He could still feel it. Could still taste the de the Defiled one released within his mouth,ughing.

    It was the same for the others¡­ they were all watching. All alive in a sort of sick, sadistic nightmare.

    "What lovely tears," said Teivel, lifting the contorted face of Trivor. And with his long serpent-like tongue, he sampled the bloodied tears from off Trivors, allowing his tongue to enter through the eyelids to savor every inch of his eye. He stringently moaned like a man deprived of water,"Delicious. Absolutely sublime. You taste wonderful. Don''t worry.

    When I nt you within the Lake of Rot, I''ll make sure to water you with your family''s blood. Two boys and a little girl, right? Whether you grow will be up to whether or not all nine generations of your family are alive. Finger crossed."

    ***

    "We found him," Ragnar said, entering through the threshold into the throne room. "Looks like he was the one whobated one of the Soul Kings."

    Those that bore the Sigil of the Crimson Spear showed no reaction, though the same could not be said of those within. Zaros, Yalivor Sadu, Vynn, and Ariane turned white, with only Z Ironblood beaming.

    "They are in the Southern Tower right now. Seems like the ck Knights of Bahamut attacked Altair before he finished one of them off."

    Yalivor Sadu''s fist clenched, unable to stop the sensation of inferiority from oozing around his heart. He had spent the better part of a decade training until he puked and shit blood. He had tempered his body and soul to a level most humans could not imagine¡­ yet there was now another who showed himself to be superior.

    Ragnar and Zaros could rte. It wasn''t enough to be a genius. The Myriad Heavens had countless. Resources, Teachers, Techniques, luck, and family were essential keys to sess. Gone were the days when anyone could simply rise without the aid of another. With the addition of gods aiding various high-value assets, it wasn''t enough to merely stand out.

    One needed backing to ensure sess.

    Why else would a god offer a blessing if they knew their acolyte would simply die to some random assassin or worse after a challenge had been issued?

    The silence throughout the Throne Room ate at the minds of everyone, leaving them hollow. Until Yalivor Sadu lifted his head, finding his smile once more.

    "Then we can assume Glynn has switched sides. Or at least has been asked by his Patreon to aid the one Altair saw to y." he was convinced, narrowing his eyes. "Lady Ariane, is it possible to inform the Watchers to have Ser Glynn in should he make himself known again?"

    Ariane nodded. She had been the only one given authority over the Heavenly Constructs due to being the one to perform the ritual towards her Patron God.

    "I''ll see that it''s done. But that leaves you two." She turned an eye towards the muffled men, lined with dozens of worn gauze draped around their faces. She could feel their power. Each of them was Six Circles that appeared out of nowhere. "Isn''t it time you reveal who you are?"

    "No."

    There was a flicker of angelic light as two Golden Watchers phased through the ceiling walls,nding by her side. Ariane''s expression turned cold.

    "You''ll answer, or I''ll ask your tainted souls."

    Find adventures on mvl

    Yalivor Sadu frowned, lifting a palm, conjuring an intricate weave of runes.

    "Water Prison"

    Just then, those of the Crimson Spear stood in gaping astonishment as water molecules both within their bodies and outside froze. The outline of a cubical domain surrounded them.

    "Your appearance was tolerated but no more, not after Ser Glynn''s betrayal." He continued, opening his palm, revealing a cube with the mirrored image of the two inside. Yalivor Sadu began to close his palm,pressing the walls of his spell.

    Blood began to thicken, turning their fingers to the sizes of sausages. Their eyes began to grow erged, nearly popping out of their sockets as they desperately tried to channel enough Mana in order to break out of his spell. However, to their astonishment, they were unable to move their bodies. The water¡­ within their bodies didn''t allow it.

    ''Is he transfiguring the water?'' Ragnar thought, wondering about the spell applications. ''What an interesting sorcery. It ought to be strong enough to kill people at his level or slower, with the added benefit of slowing those that are stronger than him. Not bad.''

    "I''ll ask once more," Yalivor Sadu said, narrowing his eyes, revealing the inhuman slits within his pupils. They stood like vicious scars bleeding arcane light. "Who are you?"

    Still, the two remained silent when, from the doors, cruelughter spilled into the air. Yalivor Sadu whirled, catching sight of a sword arc beaming towards his head. The speed of the sword arc had been so terrifying. His back bent into the shape of a bow as he dodged.

    "Oh? You were able to keep up concentration even after that?" Teivelughed, entering through the threshold, gripping a Great Scimitar on his shoulder. Its edge engraved in a sleeve of ancient runes. He was delighted, seeing as Yalivor Sadu returned upright.

    "Behind you."

    Yalivor Sadu didn''t have time to react when he saw the sword arc that had whipped past him somehow redirect itself, shing through his shoulder and lopping off the arm from the base. He paled, letting loose a cry following the searing heat pulsing from his arm. Perspiration dripped from his brow like rainfall, staining his robes a vibrant red.

    The Water Prisom shattered, and with it, the residents housed within were released.

    "Water Dragon King," Teivel spat, the disgust evident. "What good is your god and Master if he can''t even teach you the basis of all life?" he sneered, annoyed his foes hadn''t even developed a basis of a Spirit Domain. "

    "Who the hell are you!" Vynn voiced, his sword poised forbat.

    "I don''t talk to mutts." And his eyes darted towards his rear towards Syris cloaked in white lightning. "But you¡­ I can have fun with you within the Lake of Rot."

    Syris drew in on him, gripping her dagger; the white lightning, a fusion of Ice and Lightning, crackling around her. Layers of frost swelled throughout the throne, coiling up the arms of ally and foe alike.

    "Surrender or die... Even if you possess a domain. You will not survive us all."

    "I can see it¡­ you''ve got an outline already," Teivel teased when he nced towards other members of his group. "Return to the Crucible."

    Without warning, the two pulled out daggers, slitting their necks without the slightest hesitation, startling everyone present. They watched in narrowed disbelief as the blood spewing out their throats began overflowing down their bodies, consuming them in red.

    Syris recognized the spell and activated her Movement Technique.

    [Void Step]

    Expending nearly half her Mana, she blinked through space, shing through his head just as the other sunk into the pool of his blood, gone.

    "The Mark of Cain¡­ You bastards are Defiled," she said, with a sense of dread coiling around her chest.

    ''Spacial Maniption,'' Teivel thought, growing a tad bit wary.

    "So you know who we are."

    "I know you all too well¡­" she said, recalling the day she saw fear on her father''s face for the first time. Never before had he shown such terror than the day that the Lord of Murder descended in a crackle of lightning. "You are an acolyte of the first killer."

    Teivel chuckled, taking a whiff of the air. His eyes radiating endless joy. "A Celestial¡­ No. A High Celestial. How fun. I''ve never gotten the chance to defile a Celestrial.

    Much less a halfbreed like you! How fun! How FUN!!!!"

 Chapter 228: The Dark Curse III

    Syris nearly choked in disgust, dashing towards the Teivel in a wisk of white light. Ariane, aided by her two Golden Watchers, matched her speed, arriving faster than the blinking of an eye. At the same time, Ragnar and Zaros darted to guard the threshold, emanating dark auras.

    Teivel crackled, his Great Scimitar whirling into a semi-arc, catching Syris and Ariana''s attacks, when he noticed tendrils of ice treading along his de like a serpent. It exploded just when it neared his arm, wrenching the sleeve off his arm in an eruption of fire and ice. Teivel was hurled back, pping against the wall.

    Just then, two of the Golden Watchers came, piercing their swords towards his abdomen and chest. Teivel had no time to dodge, no time to react in a spell to defend. With both arms, he lifted his Scimitar, managing to parry the attack on his chest, allowing the other sword to puncture his gut.

    He winced but used the terrible force that echoed off his scimitar to propel him through the wall, tasting the debris tracing across his lips. The pain was an inconsequence of the freedom he''d gained.

    "It''s not over yet," said Syris, flitting through the gaps of debris before he had a chance to fall. She was before him or rather behind him, her dagger piercing through the spine with great and terrible precision.

    The Defiled One expression contorted as a horrid electrical charge exploded from out of the edge of her de.

    "Bitch!" He cried, feeling the horrible electrical discharge cameshing at his flesh. Syris twisted her de in tandem, seeking to spill his entrails, failing as a vile miasma came seeping out of his body.

    A faint numbing treaded along the fingers, entering through the pores and attacking the nerves.

    Syris slid back, her dagger tracing several luminous arcs through the air, hurling them toward the Defiled One. Teivel exploded with mana, lunging to his left, when he saw several arcs suddenly shatter into nodes, leaving behind the magical sigil where he''d dodged.

    [Gravity Well]

    With no time to lift his leg once more, Teivel felt the off sensation of something seeking to tear his flesh from his body. Stones, debris, and decor all came hurdling toward the buzzing Gravity Sigil.

    "Nasty little bitch! You''re quite the Sorcerer," Teivel shouted, resisting the spell by plunging his sword into the ground while the others began chanting their own spell.

    And thought,'' This wasn''t a winnable battle. I underestimated this one. Her speed is terrifying. Not to mention the Watchers¡­ I should have killed the one from Heaven Gate first."

    He tsked andzily nced towards Syris, "We''ll meet again, littledy." And in a wordless spell, a scarlet glow embodied the Defiled One like a star, fading away to nothingness.

    ''Teleportation?'' Syris wondered, shaking her head, unable to sense a disturbance within the Space. She slid her dagger back into her scabbard before ncing at her numb fingers. They were turning ck.

    "Allow me," Said Ariane, approaching her with guarded eyes, surveying her surroundings. "It looks like a devil poisoning."

    "What about Yalivor Sadu?"

    "Him?" Ariane nced over at him in surprise, observing the way his severed arm turned into water, slowly beginning to climb over where his arm once was. Momentster, Yalivor Sadu was whole once more. Aside from his ashenplexion, he looked perfectly fine.

    ''Fascinating." Syris cried."Can you even die?"

    Yalivor Sadu didn''t entertain a response. "So he got away. Could the Watchers not find him?"

    Ariane, who had begun tending to the strange poison along Syris''s fingers, nodded. " Probably. But you were down, and Syris is poisoned. I''d rather tend to the injured than try to hunt down someone who seems proficient in stealth." She signaled to the two Watchers, allowing them to aid her in drawing out the strange ck fluid from Syris''s pores.

    The poison bore no distinctive scent, but the instant it dropped from her fingers onto the ground, it began to sizzle at the stone.

    "What in the¡­ Who the Hell was that!" Vynn shouted, taking a few steps back.

    At the sight of Vynn, Syris resisted the urge toment, slowly losing color with the enormous drain on her Three Circles. She allowed Ariane to do as she may, unable to even heal herself.

    "Can you take me to Altair?"

    Ariane looked up at her. "Why?"

    "I know he won''t betray me."

    ***

    Reina was looking rather vexed, leaning on her palm at the sight of the ashen Syris, Ariane, Yalivor Sadu, Ragnar, Z, and the others outside his door. They could all see him covered in bandages, pale beneath the sheets, lightly snoring.

    "I get Syris and Z being here. But why are the rest of you here?"

    "Protection," said Ariane.

    "I don''t doubt you all ughtered all your men in cold blood. I''m sure there are hundreds in total left," said Ren coldly, as a matter of fact. "You have protection."

    From the looks everyone was giving her, no one denied it.

    Especially Z, who said, "I''ve got a thousand men left. The rest Ryzar told to retreat while sacrificing those that wouldn''t survive the trip home with all the demons straggling about."

    The others looked at her strangely but said nothing of it.

    "H-H-How is he?"

    "Recovering. It should take a few days, maybe hours," said Ren, sliding her gaze toward the Ironblood. Her eyes glowed with thought, measuring some incalcble seam in space. Syris had exined much of all that happened, but something was rattling through her mind.

    The scar along Altair''s palm. Of all the wounds, burned flesh gashes along his skin had all but begun to heal¡­ yet that particr scar remained.

    ''A blood curse,'' she''d remembered Tasha saying.

    Reina''s fingers drummed across her prince''s chest, matching the rhythm of his heart, thinking¡­thinking.

    "Ren?" said Syris, noticing her absent mind.

    "Oh¡­ Yeah. Right, I was in the middle of a conversation. Yes. You guys can stay, but only Syris, Z, and Ariane are allowed in here. The rest must leave."

    There was a bit of grumbling amongst the Lords when Vynn snapped, "Why just the women? Why not everyone? Isn''t there power in numbers?"

    "Ariane has about two hundred Watchers. Why would I need you?" Ren questioned, baring down on the young lord, much like a king onto his subject. The arrogance in her voice dancing along the hairs of everyone''s neck.

    "You think that is wise?" said Ragnar. "Vynn is right. The more we¡ª-"

    "I don''t trust you. Nor do I know any of you. Ariane gets a pass because she''s useful. And let''s be honest. Do you have a say in this matter?"

    Ragnar went red. "Reina, think this through! This isn''t the time to¡ª-"

    "I''d heard Time Lords were smart." Reina''s scarlet eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do you think it''s wise to argue? Especially with me after we were betrayed?"

    A sort of grim line was drawn in the dirt. Ren didn''t have much use for Ragnar or any of the other lords after Altair manipted them into sacrificing their people. The Ninth Circle''s was still fighting, each of them currently in a Spatial Istion in order to secure the safety of their young masters. They had served their usefulness. And right now, without a Spirit Domain, they were a liability.

    "It''s because of the betrayal that we¡ª"

    ''That is enough," said Yalivor Sadu calmly. He nced at the sleeping Altair and then Reina, acting like his guardian in his defenseless state. He understood her intention and had nothing more to say. "There are other rooms within the Southern Tower. We''ll take those rooms."

    "That''s bullshit!" Shouted Vynn. "Are we really going to listen to some bitch!"

    Syris lifted her drowsy eyes towards Vynn. She wondered what manner of fool he was unable to see what was right in front of him.

    The air had been so pungent with blood, yet none of it came from their bodies, much less Altairs. Syris had quite the understanding of blood spells and knew of its danger.

    ''Reina was poised for attack the instant we entered the South Tower," Syris thought, sensing the density of blood spiraling into a mist.

    "Drop it, Vynn," Yalivor Sadumanded

    But his words fell on deft ears. Vynn pressed out his chest and said, "What power do you have tomand what I do?" His eyes lowered to her bosom and curvy waist. "You are just Altair''s woman. Your¡ª"

    "Are you done?" Ren said, lifting herself off the bed, conjuring ''Ice'' that was slowly losing its azure luster.

    As if the de was soaked in blood, it grew red, bleeding a cardinal radiance.

    Whatever words Vynn wanted to deliver were halted. Burdon, by premonition,shing out at his mind like a whip, seeking to draw him away. Images of death haunted the subconscious, sending tremors running up his arm. Discover stories at mvl

    Yalivor Sadu left then, seeing his words were wasted. Reina had allowed them much. He could see the shadow of Tasha on the balcony listening. And had quite the inkling that Ariane would side with Reina should the need arise.

    Zaros did the same, followed by Ragnar, seeing negotiations begin to break down most unfavorably. They sighed, leaving Vynn all alone.

    The Young Lord chewed his lip at the sight of the loss of allies. And grinned, ying off his offense. "Fine¡­ you win. I was merely testing how loyal you were."

    Ren tilted her head, "You were?"

    "Of course," said Vynn, turning around. "I was¡ª"

    He stopped halfway through, looking down at the greatsword that had punctured his chest, piercing through his ribs and heart alike, zing with emerald ck mes. Reina leaned forward, pushing her sword deeper in."I know your God, father, or whoever is watching us right now¡­ So I''ll make them watch.

    I''ll show them how I carve you up before annihting your soul¡­ If you think a pathetic insect like you has the right to insult me, a Nephilim of Heaven and Hell,let this be an eternal reminder. I, Reina ckwood, fear no one."

    Globs of blood poured form out of Vynn''s throat, down his lips. He mumbled inaudibly, dropping to his knee.

    ''F-F-F-F''

    Just then, Golden Light came from the skies in a pir of light bathing the castle in a brilliance, concentrated around Vynn.

    But Reina only shook her head, "It won''t work. The Soul Art, Necrotic mes, was created by Lord Mephistopheles, the Eight Monarch of Hell, tobat the Angels Sacred me. It can''t be healed by just any God." She lifted her bloody eyes towards the skies, a dangerous glint prating through the heavens. Carrying a dreadful sense of warning towards the unknown.

    She was ring at the gods, to those seeking their deaths.

    "I am the Nephilim, Reina ckwood. If you seek war. Our House will be more than willing to ept."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 229: The Dark Curse IV

    She started with his fingers, skinning them of any flesh they might have, following the seemingly endless globs of blood slipping down his lips. Vynn was wailing. He had never been more terrified than he''d ever been in his life.

    Ren did not care. Tearing into him until his windpipes broke, she began mercilessly mutting him for all to see. Diminishing Necrotic me with Sacred me in order to keep him alive as long as possible. From his fingers to his arms, ligaments were torn away and ced in a symmetrical line for him to see.

    She wanted him to see it all. She wanted him to use the very eyes he''d lusted her after to watch what she was going to do to him.

    "All of this could have been avoidable if you didn''t turn your back on me. Didn''t let your guard down. Did you think me so kind? So honorable that I would not attack you. Was it because I was a woman?" Sheughed, gently lodging his ulma and radius from his skin suit, beaming like an innocent flower. "Such a shame you''ll not be able to reincarnate again.

    Truly. Once the Necrotic me touches your soul. Only an Angel of the rank of Ophanim can save you."

    "Please~" Weazed Vynn, pleading with all his being.

    "Shhhh~ Look. After you experience a true death, your existence will begin to fade from the Myriad. You''ll die in the truest sense. Your mother, Father, perhaps even your god, might find your existence vaperious. And in a few cycles. Not even a sensation will remain of you."

    ''So was what made Fallen Angels so terrifying,'' Syris thought. They alone held the innate ability to destroy the immortal souls within the Myriad Heavens. She clenched her fist, taking in the sight of Reina''s brutality. She was soaked at this point, and it seemed her wrath had not dampened even a little.

    For seven days and seven nights, this carried on. No one spoke of it, nor did anyone seem willing to intervene. Though Tasha seemed all the more willing to give pointers, she''d gain in the Hells.

    On the eighth day, Vynn''s soul experienced a true death, vanishing from the Myriad Heavens. At that moment, Altair opened his eyes to the sight of a woman drenched in red nectar. She was smiling, the blood cupping her ravishing body.

    "You''re awake," Said Ariane darkly, sensing yet another Watcher within her control fall. And at a faster rate than they were yesterday and the day before that.

    The soul kings were growing stronger. They were cultivating their ancient skills.

    "We need a¡ª"

    Altair leaned up,manding silence with his presence. He smiled, ncing towards the balcony, and said, "I know. I''ve been listening. Just couldn''t do much. But it''s better this way." his gaze swayed to Ariane, lifting his lips into a devious grin. "We''ll wait it out."

    "But that''s¡­"

    "I''ll teach you all how to use Spirit Domains. I think I''ve got enough practice to exin it. That said¡­ Are you not proficient in strategy?"

    ''Strategy?" said both Syris and Ariane.

    "The watchers are not very smart. They are entirely nk tes. They need to be informed on what to do. And you need to be giving them orders constantly." He stopped thinking for a second. "How many Watchers are left?"

    "A little less than two hundred. We lost about twenty this week." Said Ariane, clenching her small fingers.

    He nodded. "Alright. I''ll show you. Syris and Ren, can you gather the others? It''s time we act as one now."

    Just then, Z entered with a bowl of budding herbs she''d been cultivating these past few days. She nearly dropped the bowl, shouting, "Lord ckwood! You''re awake."

    The Eyes of Sacrilege nefarious nature glimmered, uplifting Altair''s devious smile. "Well. If it isn''t our dare, princess Ironblood."

    A faint rosey blush treaded up her cheeks. She bowed her head as if to mask her embarrassment, feeling a sense of joy brush across her chest.

    Syris and Reina left then, returning with familiar faces. They all went grim at the sight of remnants of Vynn neatly tied up on the ground as he was being served. One after the other, their eyes swayed to Reina, wearing his blood like a dress.

    Altair didn''t waste much time and began exining all that he had nned for the future.

    ***

    On the other side of Vesem, Teivel slouched, nursing the wound to his spine with mana. The wound was healing at a very slow rate. A consequence of someone proficient in the maniption of Intent.

    "That little cunt really got me good," heughed, trying to ovee the foreign energy from worsening his already delicate condition. "Still¡­" And his eyes circled his surroundings. "I know you''re watching me. I''ve made no attempt to mask myself. His majesty, Lord Iblis, The Bloodless Hollow has informed me to seek out Lord Roxas."

    Silence echoed back for the longest before he emerged in a bolt of light from the skies, striking the earth like a god. Roxas''s expression was as hard as a stone, clutching Teivel by the throat.

    "Has the Golden Order gone so under? That you''d dare use Iblis''s name?"

    "I speak only what is asked of me, my lord," said Teivil, conjuring adagger from out a Draupnir Ring, offering it towards Roxas with humility in his eyes.

    "... this is¡­ this is Iblis work." He lifted a brow, a thin vale smile upon his lips. "Who is the target?"

    "Altair ckwood," said Teivel calmly. "Lord Iblis and the Sullied One both desire him."

    "Both of them?" Roxas, though, clenching his fist, finding the willpower to ept the cursed dagger. The unwillingness on his face carried forth irritation. "I owe Altair ckwood. I owe him much."

    "You may yet be given the right to defile him," said Teivel smilingly.

    Roxas nced down at Teivel, sneering as if he would waste any time Defiling a boy that made him suffer a bit of humiliation. He''d better things to do. Better things to be involved in than some boy he met at his lowest.

    "Where is he going? The Crucible? The Lake of Rot? The Tears of Despair or¡ª"

    "The Crucible calls for him. Lord Iblis believes he might have some of the highest Grade of Talent imaginable."

    Roxas resisted the urge to snort. "Is he still on about that talent bullshit? Fucking High Humans. How are youmunicating with him? I need off this."

    "Already taken care of," Said Teivel calmly. "The instant your Soul Lamp reformed, the Sullied One and The Bloodless Hollow came together to reforge this dagger. All that it requires is Altair''s lifeblood over its edge once more. And the Dark Curse will do the rest."

    "Hmmm¡­ And Master?"

    Teivel kotowed, carrying not the courage to even speak upon the Master.

    ***

    At a distance, Jin observed the two with a frown; an inkling of unease prickled his skin at the mention of this Lord Iblis.

    For an organization that had been hidden for so long, he found it so strange that they''d drop his name so openly. He was sensing a trap. Some formless domain coiling around him.

    "They''re after you," Said Gabriel, losing hiszy expression.

    "Me!" Jin pointed to himself. "Huh?"

    "Never speak his name outside of Zariel''s domain," Beelzebub conveyed, ncing at Adam''s dark expression. "That there is a man, dubbed the enemy of God, our Father himself. Speak his name¡­ and you might forfeit your life entirely to him."

    "I don''t¡­ I don''t understand," said Jin. "What would he want with me? Or Altair?"

    "Zariel possesses the ability to control the Weave, and you happen to be his son. It is truly a matter of convenience on his part to steal you away. But as for Altair¡­ now that is curious. Now I''m curious to see what will happen."

    "Aren''t you being too apathetic in this matter?" Gabriel responded. "And how long have you known that Iblis was working for Cain?"

    Beelzebub managed a chuckle." of course, since I killed Roxas. I learned quite a few things then. But would it have mattered? Isn''t your fraction within Heaven neutral?"

    "Then why bring back Roxas?" shouted Adem. "Surely you could have chosen someone¡ª"

    "Come now, Adam. No need to be so cold-blooded. Cain is your bastard; is he not? The first child you ever failed. I thought perhaps you might¡­ you know¡­ want to make up with him. Just like with Seth.

    Surely you¡ª"

    "You, a fallen, have no right to drag that bullshit up. If not for your kind. If not for your interference, none of this would have urred. Eve wouldn''t have gone mad. Azura wouldn''t have gone missing. Seth wouldn''t have been tossed into hell.

    Your kind was at the center of every bloody evil thing in this world!"

    "Come now, Adam." smiled the Fallen Monarch, drumming his fingers across his armrest. "All that violence you inflicted on Lilith was your doing. You abused her. We merely asked Lilith, ''Why?'' Come now¡­ I know it was your first time. But did you care to wonder why she screamed in pain after you took her maidenhood? First Man or not.

    The concept of pain ought to have been an indicator of something off.As for Eve¡­ well, after all that you did to Lilith, it was easy to convince Eve to protect herself from you. Or did you forget how pale she, too, looked after you took her maidenhood? Ignorance sure is bliss."

    Adam looked as if his eyes had caught fire. "I was young¡­ I had no one to teach me, no one to exin right or wrong. It was fucking hell back then! But whose fault is that!"

    "You''re ming us again?"

    "Damn right!"

    "You literally¡ª"

    Jin raised a hand. "Ummm, I thought we were talking about the Crimson Spears. What¡ª-"

    "Shut up for a sec," said Beelzebub sharply. " Adam, are you seriously ming us? You were a terrible husband and father."

    "I knew nothing! And don''t think I don''t know about you all whispering in Eve''s ear. Forcing her to manipte me.

    "Manipte yoU? Shit. that was her idea. We wanted to. But the moment we told her about Lilith¡­ she said fuck no. And flipped the handbook."

 Chapter 230: Cataclysm I

    In the following months that skimmed by, a steady decline of Watchers and Soul Kings became visible from the skies, leaving a mere hundred in total.

    Ever since Ariane had begun incorporating various formations amongst the Watchers, they had managed to encircle various Soul Kings that were far more difficult to handle than others. It had been Altair to point out that no one Soul King held the ability to take down a single Watcher. A truth Ariane had been ashamed to learn.

    Starting small, they designated a team of thirty to ambush those who focused on a single target.

    War was brutal, and fighting in three dimensions had created far more opportunities for Altair and Ariane to incorporate various formations. Such a feat had forced the Soul Kings to begin their ambush from the ground rather than the air.

    "Forty Watchers to Sixty Soul Kings," said Nia, who had taken up the position of watchman with her Dual Pupils. There was much she needed to learn about her particr eyes that enhanced her perception to levels no one could everprehend, not without possessing one themselves. It was as if she was watching herself from a distance while another part of her watched her, watching herself.

    Her dual pupils had been a multipurpose tool that allowed her not only to dte the concept of time through her perception but peer past space as a whole, ignoring the concept of distance if she so chooses. Such a skill had only blossomed every week when Altair took her out to face the Soul Kings.

    Death after Death that Nia faced seemed to temper her eyes, enhancing every aspect of them; by the time three months had passed, she''d awakened the aspect rted to her special eyes, which she dubbed God''s Eye.

    In this state, Nia had managed to pierce her master''s chest.

    Altair had been so surprised that he gaped. If not for his Ashen Blood mending his wounds, death might have honored him with its appearance. Still, he felt nothing but pride for his Pale Knight.

    "Sixty?" muttered Syris, ncing over with a half frown.

    Currently, within Altair''s chamber, hanging over the balcony, enjoying a meal created by the denizens of the Serpents Outreach. Syris spoke with a zed red chicken leg in her mouth.

    "Hmmm." Nia nodded.

    "Not bad. Not Bad," Syris praised, leaping up. She turned an eye towards Altair in meditation beside Reina. "Oiiii~ You hear that? Don''t pretend to be all mysterious now. I know your bitch ass doesn''t need to meditate to absorb mana!"

    Altair unwillingly opened his eyes. "I wasn''t meditating for that reason. I''m trying to organize my emotions."

    Syris tilted her head. ''Why not do whatever you want then? That''s what I do."

    "Really?" He tilted his head.

    "I''m a bad B. Of course." Syris proimed. She propped herself on the bed beside Ren, leaning her head on her shoulder. "Anyway? Is there more of this chicken? It''s super spicy!

    I can''t even feel my cheeks."

    "There is¡­." At that moment, Altair closed his eyes, thinking¡­ thinking. It had been a bit new, but Altair knew that controlling emotions were no longer an option. So, every day, he decided on an emotion that would govern his state of being that wouldn''t disturb his daily life.

    Lust, Wrath, and many other negative emotions were too difficult with his current mastery of Soul of the Indomitable. At its current level, he could only insert two emotions at a time throughout his daily life.

    Of course, such actions caused quite a bit of drama as Altair learned that he had no sort of control over his boundaries when it came to certain situations.

    The ones he picked today had been interest and joy.

    Thebination of these two had been the most enjoyable and the least destructive. The rest of Altair''s emotions would be in the background, subtly guiding some of his actions to a lesser degree.

    When Altair opened his eyes, a more familiar gleam that sparkled through his eyes made Syris beam. Altair had exined his situation, so she wasn''t that surprised when she saw a slight change in him.

    "Tomorrow, I''ll try three emotions¡­ just to even it out," he said, grinning at the young woman. "Well? What can I do for my silver-haired beauty?"

    "Hehe, don''t be a tease," Said Syris, hugging Ren, just in case Altair tried to hug her likest time. "There are Sixty Soul Kings left. What do you think?"

    "What do I think? I think we should use Tasha and Varquees next." Altair said, hopping up. He gave his body a light stretch, hurrying over to his Pale Knight. "What do you see, Nia?"

    With a brief recounting of the situation, Altair patted her some head pats.

    Nia blushed. "Master, I''m not a dog," she said in a small voice.

    "What about a cat then?"

    Ren sighed, lifting an eye open. "He''s giving off some golden retriever energy when he''s like that."

    "Think he''ll y fetch?" said Syris.

    The girls both giggled.

    "I don''t think it''ll work." Ren finally said. "Altair ced his emotions in a sort of triangle. On the surface, you''ll see interest and Joy. But the secondyer there is pride. He''s using that as his restraint. On the third¡­ Well, I don''t know.

    Sentient creatures have well over a thousand emotions. I''ve no idea how he''s doing it."

    Syris tilted her head. "Must be hard."

    "Well¡­" Reina watched him teasing Nia by tickling her ribs. She smiled. "He looks happy. So that''s all that matters. This persona of his is also the hardest worker. Since he is interested in everything, he trains the hardest.

    So it has its benefits." And her lips perked. "No such things as too much repetition in his mind anymore."

    "We''ve seven days left." Syris finally said. "All hell is about to break out soon."

    Ren stood to her feet. "I think we''re ready. We aren''t as defenseless as we were six months ago."

    ''But we also aren''t that much stronger,'' Syris thought through narrowed eyes. She closed her eyes, drawing in a long, amiable breath. ''But we''ve no choice but to fight.''

    Just then, a massive eruption came from the front gates of the castle walls. Debris took to the skies like a mushroom cloud, falling like rain. Altair poked his head up, staring off towards the northern gate. Counting the fifty or so Soul Kings. Behind them, a dozen mutted bodiesy dead.

    ''They are desperate.'' His eyes slid towards Watcher, swarming to face them, their des and shields tanking various types of spells.

    "Theirst stand."

    Nia peeped up towards her Prince, "How can you be sure?"

    "We don''t have a lot of watchers left," Altair said, amused by the segment of watchers falling one by one, their metal bodies being torn asunder. "And they believe that once the Watchers all die. They''ll be able to kill us off quite easily. They''re not wrong. But they are also not right¡­. I wonder¡­ should I aid the Soul Kings?

    That''ll make it even more fun, wouldn''t it?"

    The girls all stared at him coldly. They didn''t say anything. It wasn''t Altair''s first time making such a im. He was curious about everything. And held no loyalty toward anyone aside from those who were in his heart before the change. If something was determined to be interesting¡­ there was no telling what he might do.

    "Master¡­ can you let me go?" Nia begged, trying to wiggle out of his arms.

    "Nope. Nia is kinda fluffy," The Prince eximed, his focus being pulled away. "Oh, and I was thinking¡­ what if you started eating a soul?"

    "Eat a soul?" She tilted her head. "What would that do?"

    "You are a subject of my Fallen Necromancy. I gifted you life from death. I wonder if I could grant you more. With my current mastery, you all mirror my level, though not my stats as of yet. But let''s ignore that for now. I grow in power by feeding on stats.

    Doing so will not only give more stats but also skills, though not ofte. You all are living right now through my power, but you''ve not experienced any major upgrades. You don''t eat, you don''t sleep, you''re like dead men. So I wonder what happens if I feed your souls?"

    "But we can sleep if we choose to. Same with eating."

    "When was thest time you ate something?"

    Nia had to think. "The day you¡­ killed me."

    "Bingo. I''ve got a theory that the more souls you eat, the more autonomy you might gain after all; Thanatos told me that Necromancers typically strengthen their skeletons into beings stronger than themselves. So why not you guys?"

    BOOOOOOOOOOM! Like a battering ram, the winds struck, tearing the stone from thend uprooting the ceiling as a massive gale swept through the castle.

    Altair bellowed a cry ofughter, holding on with the sheer force of his fleshy body. He held onto Nia, who would have been blown away and shouted. "They are really going at it. Syris, go tell Ariane to start having the watchers blow themselves up."

    "That might kill us all!'' Syris shouted.

    "Meh. Life is too overrated anyway."

    Ren bonked Altair on the head and said to Syris, "Don''t forget we have Tasha, Varquess, Thanatos, and Zagreus. We ought to be fine. This was our final strategy anyway. How do you think they will survive after such a catastrophic explosion urs point-nk in their faces."

    Altair beamed. "I estimate five will remain standing. Injured. And just right for the picking. Greed makes a fool of us all."

 Chapter 231: Cataclysm II

    Soaked by perspiration peering through the lining of his robes, Roxas felt his lungs amed. "Twenty more," he panted, falling to a knee. Pain curling through his torn muscles brought a sort of small smile to his lips. Had there ever been a time since he felt mortal? Felt the weariness echoed a dreadful sense of morality through his bones?

    He was born a demigod, conceived through the fusion of a Celestial and High Human. Roxas didn''t know much about his parents. Whether they were dead or not, Cain, his Master, never spoke on it, and he never asked. It didn''t matter. None of it mattered.

    "It''s our final stretch!" shouted Jacar. A Versi, an Ancient race that bore the Elements into being themselves. With his arms raised, gripping a staff he''d found lying around, he roared at the top of his lungs. "Kill!"

    The Soul Kings echoed his words, bellowing their war cry and charging towards the soulless faces of the Watchers. They could taste it now. Victory was upon their breath.

    Over the metal bodies of the watchers, they stomped, bashing swords and spears over shields, conjuring spells that would damn those of the flesh to a horrid existence erupted. Wildfire swarmed the skies, conjured by the Pyromancer Freylor. mes as luscious as the first God Tree, Yggdrasil, bloomed, swaying like the great waves of the North Sea, superheating stones to a bright golden ooze.

    Lava spilled from the walls of the castle, setting it aze. Whirlwinds of inferno came from the earth, shattering windows and meltingrge towers that stood the test of time for thousands of years.

    From the skies, violet arcs of pure lightning struck without regard, splitting various walls and towers like twigs, dismantling the castle in a matter of moments. Destruction covered the horizon, seeking to drag all of Vesim into the Nine Hells.

    Altair watched it all, standing upon a string of Infernal Lightingshed across empty Space. He stood there, taking it all in with a half smile. His arms poised behind his back.

    "Altair!!!!!" Shouted Roxas, spotting the young boy and the appalling number above his head. His fist clenched as they all charged forward, seeking to push back the Watchers.

    "I must thank Beelzebub for this high bounty," Altair thought. Without it, none of this might have been possible. Most of the Soul Kings wouldn''t have been so greedy and might have given up trying to y him. But the prospect of power, even if it''s so small, had been so enticing in their eyes. They all abandon everything, seeking his life as if they need him to advance their cultivation to the peak.

    "Altair ckwood¡­" The Prince resounded, allowing his name to ring across the void. It echoed far and wide, tracing the ear of every Soul King present. "Remember it"

    ''Eh?'' Caught by a horrifying sensation of premonition, the thirty Soul Kings nced around, unsure where this horrible sense of knowing was echoing from. Instincts were howling within their minds, causing some with heightened senses to bleed from their nostrils as the sensation grew so strong the Intangible hand of the Angel of Death, Azazel, traced their necks.

    "You wouldn''t¡­" Roxas said in a feeble cry, noticing the shattered parts of the watchers that had fallen from the skies these past six months. Nearly two hundred surrounded the castle in a sort of graveyard.

    "Such a shame¡­ I''d really love to fight you guys." Altair mused half-heartedly. When from the ground, golden fragments of light shimmered a brilliance beyond the dawn. The light of the Watchers began to entwine, connecting Heaven to Earth, in a pir so blinding it seemed brighter than any star within the Heavens.

    The entire world of Yarwin trembled, its rotationing to a swift halt. In that single instance, the ocean rose into tidal waves, and the winds became like the ruthless hands of Gods, uprooting continents and tearing them into the skies. Mortal women, children, men, and animals all died, their bodies bashing over the ground from the momentum of the''s sudden deceleration.

    A/N: Fun Fact: if the earth stops rotating, all of a sudden, we all die quite instantly.

    Baptized by the blinding golden light, Vesem turned to vapor as the pir of golden light bore through the world''s crust, tearing throughyers; it pierced the core, running out the other side of the world. Gravity destabilized, inverting on itself, tearing at the until it began to be pulled apart by the celestial bodies in space.

    The Gods orbiting the all paused, frozen in ce by the events taking ce. One by one, their jaws dropped, unsure if this was really a battle between those still within the mortal realm.

    Many of them had not even traced the realm of Transcendent, yet a world was dying. Magma was pooling form out of the''s core like blood.

    A shudder rippled through the darkness of space illuminated by Yarwin''s yellow sun. They heard it¡­ The sounds of crazedughter.

    "HAHAHAHAHAHA~" Roaring withughter, Altair stood in a ck fog on top of the Southern Tower, taking in the wreckage. "Beautiful!" Unsure when reality matched the hellscape of his mind, heughed andughed andughed until his gut burned and his eyes teared up.

    On top of the balcony, Tasha, VarqueesZagreus, and Thanatos stood, aiding the other to create a barrier that might withstand the test of the two hundred Golden Watchers imploding. Tasha herself had sunk nearly half her Nine Circles into the formation. At the same time, Varuqees has to do the same, shaken by what he is seeing.

    Tears all but gathered in his eyes as he turned to Tasha. ''You promised me¡­ You promised I''d be king¡­ promised I''d rule. You said I''d¡­ you said all this world would be mine¡­"

    "But it is yours, my dear Knight of Dawn. We merely redecorated it for you,'' said Tasha cruelly. "As for being a king¡­ we gave it to you as well. Everything you wanted became yours. Not our fault, someone¡­ "she grinned, "... ruined it."

    Thanatos did not pay the knight of dawn much attention, leaping up the moment all the chaos embodied the world faded. He nced at his crazed boy, patting his shoulder. "Save oxygen. You''ll need itter. You are not at the level where you can create oxygen into your lungs via Mana."

    "Who knew burning worlds could be so much fun¡­ Thaan¡­ do you hear it?" Altair excitingly asked.

    Thaan closed an eye, nodding. "I am a god of death¡­ yes¡­ I can hear them all. All the souls that died. Be they devil or human. I can hear it all."

    Conjuring a canvas and brush,Altair began to draw, weaving paintings that embodied the madness bleeding from out of the ck Lake that was his soul.

    To mortal eyes, the souls of the dead might seem invisible, but to the Prince wielding the Eye of Sacrilege. He could see them; he could see their pained expressions, their weeping faces, as their bodies began to fade in and out of reality.

    Familiar and unfamiliar with those seen within the military base echoed through his eyes as he marked them down upon his canvas of blood.

    "Art is cute!" Ren giggled, hugging herself writhing like a love-sick child.

    "You two got issues," Syris muttered agast.

    The other lords watching all stood still, their faces nk of all emotions, so much so that Ren couldn''t even begin to gauge what they were feeling but felt it her duty to throw salt into their wounds.

    "I wonder how many people died? How many people died just for us to get an S-Rank skill? Damn. We don''t even know if it''ll be useful, but we burned an entire world to the ground. I must say¡­ I feel kinda proud. Dead people aside.

    We just blew up an entire world. Hi-five? Anyone? Just me? Syris? No?

    Cool. cool."

    "I got you!" Talia shouted, smacking Ren''s hand. "This shit is awesome! Look down; the crater we are in is bing a pool of magma. It''s even starting to float due to the disorder of gravity. This shit is wild!"

    Nia didn''t quite share the same reaction, but neither did she show much concern for those felled in her Master''s madness. Her eyes were poised upon the surviving Soul Kings¡­ if there were any survivors. Ignoring space, her Dual Pupils darted about, piercing through the debris of shattered tectonic tes rising and falling, slowly bing consumed by magma.

    Her eyes narrowed upon a set of five soul kings huddled together. The bodies were scorched beyond recognition as they stood before an ancient sigil of the Crimson Spear.

    "I see them," Nia said, opening her palm; she began condensing light into sma, creating a bolt of infernal lightning into her hand.

    Zagreus padded her shoulder, "Let your Master regain control. Seems he''s going through something."

    Nia peered up, listening to the madughter seeping out of her Master''s lips, and shuddered.

    "My first disaster!" He roared ecstatically, ring at his painting. "I think I''ll call you Cataclysm."

 Chapter 232: Domain Lord

    Forged of his blood, sinking deep into the canvas, Cataclysm had been something of a perfect representation of Altair''s psyche, or so Thanatos thought, studying the halfplete painting. The painting itself seemed to carry a noble despair, swallowing a ruined kingdom within its depths.

    The portrait was, without a doubt, a chaotic sight embodying elements of the sword, symbolizing the madness of Yarwin''s celestial bodies.

    "Hey Thaan," he began after his maddeningugh, dropping that joyous smile of his, "Fish them out for me. Let''s end this game."

    Light fractured into shards, forming a sleek ck scythe as Thanatos took off shrieking through the skies, piercing through the lone chaos into the gaping pool of magma below.

    The magma, despite its density, began to ripple, then shake, swaying the molten rock like the waves of the ocean. Suddenly, the echo of steel nking against steel thundered like the wail of a banshee''s cry, parting the magma as though it were the Red Sea.

    "God of Death!" Shouted Roxas, covered in scorch marks that bubbled and popped around bones as ck as tar. He looked nearly half dead, though his body moved like a fearsome gale. "I don''t need you interfering!"

    In a fearsome storm of flurries forcing Thanatos on the defense, Roxas suddenly became illuminated by the element of light. Thaan lifted his scythe, narrowing his eyes, and shook with astonishment as Roxas pierced towards Altair, matching the speed of light, driving his arm through his chest.

    Altair was all the more surprised. "That is indeed some insane speed,'' he stared up at the man, grinning at his scorched face, clenching his wrist. "Though you''ll have to do better than that to kill me."

    "That¡­ that''s not possible! I used Intent! It shouldn''t have stopped your Healing Factor!" Roxas shouted, trying to jerk his arm out, finding he could not escape the boy''s hold.

    "I didn''t even see you move, much less perceive when you arrived," he went on, that joyous glow twisting into contempt. His fingers tighten, snapping bones as though they were twigs. "Hey¡­ You better not disappoint me."

    Jerking his arm from out his chest, blood smeared their faces as Altair hurled Roxas far into the chaotic skies of Yarwin. He turned to Beelzebub with that savage grin of his, "Hey¡­ Don''t kill him if he leaves past those Twelve Gates." And took off after him at a blinding speed.

    Thanatos made something of a hesitant expression. "He ought to be able to handle him," He was assured before trailing his eyes towards the four Soul Kings, soaring up into the skies. He smiled, ncing towards his rear towards Davos, hovering like a lone king. Beside him, Strava and Keres."Are you joining too?"

    "The Laws of Death only be useful once you''re able to infringe on thews. You aren''t worth fighting right now," said Davos, unwilling to waste his time fighting someone who''d regress so much.

    "Are you suggesting I''m not capable of using Infringement Techniques?" Thaan asked,his smile turning into a frown.

    Davos grew interested. "Oh, I just knew there was more to you. But I''d rather fight your Father. Let''s see how much he''s grown since ourst duel." he turned, soaring towards Beelzebub, his expression turning hard.

    Jin, who stood beside his uncle, was smiling, studying Davos. He could feel his battle intent, feel it radiating like a vengeful storm, parting the primal chaos around them.

    "Davos, right,'' said Jin. "I''m sure father would be interested in one such as you. "Care toe with me towards the Astral Sea?"

    "Silver eyes?" Davos muttered, studying his hair and eyes. "Who are you?"

    "Since we are in the Myriad Heavens, I''m Jin Snow. But in the Hell, I carry the surname Morningstar."

    Beelzebubughed. "Easy, boy. That''s not a battle you can win."

    Jin smiled a smile that made Beelzubub and Gabriel flinch. It was subtle, nearly invisible, but they could feel it¡­ the ancient force of the Weave, tugging at reality.

    "You shouldn''t underestimate me, Uncle. Lord Hellmaster and Grandfather have been training me for a very long time." Jin warned, finding his eyes upon Davos. "Unfortunately, you are still in the mortal realms."

    "What an Era this one is!" Davos raved, shaking with excitement. "Good on you, Young Man." He could feel it as well. That ancient force that made his heart quiver in fear. "Jin¡­ Snow. I''ll remember it."

    "Do you seek to leave?" Beelzebub asked.

    "I will continue to watch. That boy Altair¡­ there is something off about him."

    "Off?"

    Davos nodded. "I''m not sure I can put it into words. But¡­ he reminds me of the Weaver of Night."

    "Aunty Tene?" said Jin.

    "In the cultivation world, we are only limited by our imagination¡­ so I ask this question: Can The Darkness possess a Shadow?"

    ***

    Shrieking through a torment of lightning crackling from the skies, Shadoww lunged out, shing against Roxas''s Blood Spear. The cry of steel shattered lightning into an array of particles, pushing them back dozens of meters. They lunged at each other once more, weaving a string of strikes and flurries that shook the skies.

    Each of their domains shed against the other, allowing them to perceive the other''s attack pattern with minute precision. After images came through their minds, eyes in streams, revealing their opponent''s next move.

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 3%]

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 3%]

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 3%]

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 3%]

    Slowly enriching the mental image in his mind, Altair began to feel that his control over space was beginning to intensify. Empowered by a sense of authority, the world began to carry on at a snail''s pace, ebbing towards stagnation.

    ''The Spirit Domains allows me to perceive my opponent based on their spirit¡­ there ''Intent,'' so let''s hide it.'' Altair thought, reaching into the deepest pits of that ck Lake to mask his Intent. When Shadowwshed out, cutting through the air, nicking Roxas over the cheek. The sword entered a spiraled, shing towards his throat as he made an effort to parry.

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 20%]

    [Spirit Domain Proficience has increased by 20%]

    Spirit Domain [F] ¡ú [E]

    The man''s eyes narrowed in astonishment but remained calm. He had never been a master when it came to a Spirit Domain. It was a new prospect he''d learned after entering Beelzubub''s services within the Hells. Still, who was he if not the first Acolyte of Cain, The Lord of Murder?

    Enhancing his Domain with more of his Spirit, Roxas spoke into being the words that made Altair''s skin crawl.

    [Divide]

    As if he was split in half, Altair''s world became split. Be it his soul, his sword, his being, everything was in half, or at least that was how it appeared, as his subconscious mind stirred, transitioning the consciousness into a state he couldprehend.

    "Nia!" Altair unconsciously muttered, summoning his Shadow to give himself time to rpose himself.

    The instant Nia, the Aspect of her Dual Pupils, hummed to life, startling her seeing the state of her master. His body was fine... But his spirit was split. All that he was was divided, including his Arcane Might.

    "Give me time too¡­"

    "Divide"

    Nia stilled, feeling her spirit also cut in half, entering aatose state much like her master.

    "I must say you¡­ are indeed a monster. But you are far from being able to fuse your Aspect with your Domain," said Roxas, panting, struggling to maintain his domain ability. "Even if you were¡­ I am Roxas of the Golden Order. And I shall not be defeated by a fledgling."

    Ny-seven more Shadows emerged, startling Roxas, but even so, he didn''t seem to care, expanding his Domain nearly a hundred meters.

    And echoed hismand, "Divide."

    In a single instance, the conscious mind of Altair''s shadows was split in half, sending plummeting from the skies.

    Roxas''splexion turned an even deeper shade of white, skin slightly turning frail, feeling his life force experiencing a deep drain.

    "Hahaha!" Cracking augh, Altair, who''d somewhat stabilized his mental state, dismissed his shadows back into his ck Lake. "What a monstrous ability."

    Discover hidden tales at mvl

    "Give up¡­ You can''t keep this up," said Roxas.

    "Neither can you. To split my mind and power is terrifying, but that''s only if I''m in your Domain, right? You''re too weak right now to truly abuse this ability."

    ''Smart kid¡­'' Roxas thought, when from his throat a mouthful of blood came, overflowing down his lips. He groaned, feeling the strain upon his soul bing heavier. He was already heavily injured by the explosion, and now, after incorporating his Aspect into his Domain, his injuries were worsening.

    ''A shame I can''t kill him¡­ that would make everything so much easier. What a shame. I must use the dagger.''

    "Kid¡­ I''ll admit. I didn''t like you from the start. But you are, without a doubt, one who could potentially bring change to an era. To adapt so quickly to your mind being divided is practically legendary. However¡­ This is where everything ends."

    Altair lifted Shadoww, narrowing his eyes, and raised his left arm, conjuring an ethereal shield, twisting with the infernal sigils of the Hells.

    "Oh? Another Armament? A shield from the Hells. Impressive. But you are only dying the inevitable." He closed his eyes, lowering his pride before what was to be asked of him. "Let''s end this quick.

    Teivel, make yourself known."

 Chapter 233: New Beginning [End of Book 3]

    "Let''s end this quick. Teivel, make yourself known."

    The being that materialized in a mist of red made Altair''s skin crawl to no end. There had been something about his eyes that didn''t sit quite well within the Prince''s gut. His five circles were indeed worrying, but that gaze of his seemed foul.

    The creature, if it was a creature, did appear human, yet its aura was the furthest thing from it; it grinned, portraying pristine teeth and fangs. Long, disheveled ck hair masking those iridescent red eyes.

    Syris had told him about the assassin but had not been able toment on his appearance due to the bandages and cloak they wore. But seeing his gaunt appearance, Altair found some semnce of him felt intimidated. As if whaty before him wasn''t a part of the universe he inhabited.

    "Altair¡­ Altair¡­ Altair,'' said Teivel camly. "How I''ve been looking for you. For just a boy, you are like an elusive de of grass in the winds."

    Altair resummoned his shadows. He hadn''t much choice now that it was a two-on-one battle. And with Teviel being a Fifth Circle, he needed all the powers he possessed to survive even if the minds of his Shadows were fractured.

    "I''m going to enjoy Defiling you."

    "..."

    "Pause"

    "What?"

    "Brah¡­ that sounded he Sus."

    "Masters! Booty is Talia''s!" The crazed Shadow shouted

    "Protect your booty, Master!" Said Kirr sharply, clutching his ass.

    "Goddamn rapist!" whispered Jorm grimly.

    Altair''s face was stone.

    "You know¡­ I kind of hear it," said Roxas, ncing at Teivel, looking somewhat confused. He didn''t get it. "He means you sound gay."

    "Ahh!" Realizing the misunderstanding, Teivel chuckled eerily, "I wonder what face you''d make if I were talking about matters of the flesh." He lifted his lips, shing his fangs. "But I speak of matters of the Spirit. Each of us¡­ You, me, demons, devils, angels¡­ all of us are created in the Father''s image.

    The Prince listened, allowing the Circle of Gluttony to absorb more and more of the Mana within the air. He could feel it dissipating at a rapid rate with the death of Yarwin.

    "To Defile the Soul pulls you away from the Eternal One. It strips you of his protection, leaving you to see the Truth of this False Reality."

    "And what is it you see?" Said the Prince calmly.

    "The¡ª"

    "Teivel,'' said Roxas coldly. "Do not break your Oath."

    Through narrowed eyes, Altair watched, ncing towards Reina alongside Syris and the young Lordlings battling against the other four Soul Kings. Towards the north, standing outside the atmosphere, he saw Tasha covering the entire world with her Mana, holding the from fully falling apart.

    But even so, he could still feel he perhaps had a week left before Yawin became utter ruin.

    "Oi! Where are you looking?" Roxas asked, standing inches from the boy, piercing his spear toward his chest.

    Altair didn''t show much reaction, allowing the Infernal Shield to hum to life and forcing the Blood Spear to glide across the iridescent barrier, diminishing most of the impact to dust. He was sure at his current level that his mind could not keep up with Roxas''s speed. But he didn''t need to.

    "Tsk." Roxas lept back, pointing a finger towards the Prince, inscribing a rune of infernal origins.

    Just then, Teivel lunged at him, conjuring several afterimages. Nia moved to intercept but was easily pushed back, unable to properly move with her mind still split. The other shadows were the same. Still, they had managed to at least slow Teivel''s passage, giving the Prince enough time to veer Shadooww toward the Difles One''s throat.

    The de missed, catching barely an inch of flesh, when from Roxas''s fingertip, a blinding discharge of light lit the horizon. Stones turned instantly to vaper beneath its radiance, spanning the range of an entire mountain.

    Altair''s expression was cold, shing Shadoww out with the Aspect of Rule on its edge, absorbing the st in a single instance, enriching Shadoww''s base power to unparalleled heights. The ck de zed, seething a luminous radiance, peeling the flesh from off the Prince''s arm.

    Viens Mana peered from the boy''s meridians, illuminating the way it cycled through his body. He vanished, crossing space at a speed that seemed nearly instantaneous; he was above Roxas, cleaving Shadoww down, discharging the energy he had just absorbed with reflection.

    Light exploded in a pir, cutting through floating magma and stone alike, the blow catching air as the man, whose movements seemed to match light itself, dodged.

    ''He can''t move constantly like that. And light only moves in a straight line. So¡­ I need to predict his next move," the Prince thought, sling-shotting himself toward Roxas with the use of his lightning.

    Nia, who''d slightly recovered mid-air, opened the King Domain, marking the several points to move, choosing behind her master, as Teivel emerged in an iridescent sh, wielding a blood spear in his hand. She crossed the distance faster than one could blink, intercepting Teivel.

    "Stupid bitch!" Teivel mocked, channeling all five circles into his blow; he grinned fiendishly, suddenly bing astonished by the way his blow veered off track by her spear. Nia''s God''s Eye locked onto the Defile''s One''s weakness, channeling her next move mana.

    "Devouring Night"

    Hundreds ofcerations caught Teivel by the time he could retreat, startling him by the way a spear could move. He red when, from his rear, Kirr and Jorm came, having limated to their split minds.

    ''I''m still not at the level of a Soul King,'' Teivel thought, sensing them through his domain. He cursed when he suddenly saw Syris emerge from out of nowhere; the dagger in her hand had already plunged through his chest, barely missing his heart.

    "Damn you," he cursed, sensing the retreating Shadows.

    "Art said you''d remerge. And that his Shadows would make an opening." Said Syris coldly, creating a barrier around her. "Ever wondered what Nuclear Fission looks like from inside a person?"

    Attempting to the fusion of electromaism from within Teivel with her innate skill, Fusion, Syris fiendishly smiled, cutting the process short.

    "Bitch!"

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    A helix of light poured over thend as radiation surged, ravaging nearly a hundred miles. Empowered by her Mana, the radiation grew in power and stature, atomizing everything around her.

    "Fuck¡­" said Roxas, conjuring a barrier, as spear and sword shed in a free fall down into the ruined depths of Yarwin. "Shit¡­ that''s Void Step! How does she possess that movement art!"

    "Oi! Pay attention!" Altair shouted,shing Shadoww out, sending Roxas flying through a pool of magma.

    His eyes darted up towards some of his Shadow, perishing at the reaction of fission above, and thought, "A worthy sacrifice. Even if that doesn''t kill that bastard, it should have paralyzed him for a while."

    Altair smiled and followed after Roxas, darting through the magma, shielded by the searing heat with his infernal shield, when he suddenly felt a blow ripple across the barrier the shield generated. The blow was so strong and unexpected that the barrier shattered as Roxasunched himself up at light speed, sacrificing his right arm.

    ''I got cocky!'' Altair thought, seeing Roxas prate his barrier. It was toote to dodge, much less defend, against the spear piercing his chest, exploding out the back in a wet baptism of red.

    Blood Thorn

    Altair felt every vein in his body turn to thorns exploding out of his skin in an amalgamation of the flesh. He plummeted, appearing no different than the roots of a tree. But alive only due to the Ashen Blood, mending his injuries faster than he could think. He was whole in a few seconds, with two-thirds of his Mana gone.

    ''Light and Blood. Are they the only two powers he possesses?'' He wondered, panting. He had realized long ago that Ashen Blood might heal all injuries, including mental fatigue, but it also generated a lot of mental fatigue. If he abused his ability to heal, he might just end up fainting mid-battle.

    "Give it up, Altair," said Roxas, holding himself up. "You can''t keep this up. Withdraw your sword. I don''t want your life. Our lords want to meet you."

    Altair didn''t want to hear it. He charged, vaulting off the bolt of lightning, forcing Roxas on the defensive.

    The battle continued¡­.

    Blow after blow, slowly growing weaker as the days continued to slip through their fingers, Altair and Roxas fought, neither gaining a hand on the other.

    The Defiled one sighed some dayster as they stood ring at the other, dismissing his blood Spear; he reached into his robe and slid a Golden Dagger form out of its leather scabbard.

    "Altair¡­" Syris cried weakly, nearly half her face peeled of any skin. "Don''t get hit¡­" hopping down from the various floating rocks, her reserves nearly depleted. She stopped beside him. "That dagger is¡­"

    "I know¡­ I can sense it, too. If I''m hit¡­ something bad will happen."

    "Indeed," said Roxas, "unfortunately for you two¡­ You can''t stop me. Not as you are now."

    Altair raised a shield, cing Syris behind him. "How much longer?"

    "Five more seconds. Thaan, Zagreus, and Ren are currently holding back by the four Soul Kings, but¡ª"

    Just then, Roxas lunged forward, his speed paling inparison to what it once was, but after nearly seven days of battle, neither could disy much power.

    Still¡­

    Divide

    Discover stories with mvl

    Divide

    Divide

    Divide

    Cutting the boy''s consciousness into thirty-two segments alongside his power in ast-ditch effort, Altair could only gape in shock as the golden dagger grazed his cheek, drawing a bit of blood.

    "CONGRATS!" Beelzububs voice boomed.

    [New Skill Aquired]

    "Eh?"

    "See you in the Lake of Rot," said Roxas as a back orb nearly twenty meters wide in diameter swallowed Altair whole.

    "Wee... To... the... Abyss..."

 Chapter 234: The Lake of Rot

    "Run¡­" The words echoed loudly through his mind in this swampynd of death. Perspiration oozed, creeping down the linen cloth wrapped around his eyes. "Syris¡­ you alive?Come on. Answer me." he cursed when no answer came. "Syris! Fuck don''t make me¡ª"

    Cradled in his arms with a gaping hole in her stomach,bleeding a sickening ck rot of bile and puss, Syris barely had the strength to speak. "A-A-Alive," she managed, gasping for some semnce of air or mana. She found neither,only an ice abyss consuming her whole.

    The Young Man holding her didn''t allow himself a sigh of relief, training his senses on his surroundings; he stopped crouching in a set of bushes,listening¡­ listening¡­.. Listening.

    "a¡­ Al¡­ Altair¡­" Gently covering her mouth, Altair unhooked a small dagger from his pelt before carving away at the rotten flesh before the rot reached her heart.

    Syris began to writhe, thrashing about in his arms,scraping at his flesh as he dug out her intestines, galldder, and parts of her liver.

    "I''m almost done," he muttered, dropping the rotten organs into the waters. He ignored the quaking of the waters, alongside the millions of eyes ring at them like insects.

    Tears all but soaked the bandages around Syris''s eyes as she cried out in muffled pain. Whimpering like a lost child. She wanted it all to be over.

    "I know¡­ I''m sorry, but it''s the only way," he said, chewing his lip. "just a little more. Just a¡­ done!" removing his arm from within her abdomen, he began to sew the wound shut, hoping her innate healing factor might allow her to live.

    "We ran for a month this time¡­ looks like we made it¡­ somehow," he muttered, lying her down in his arms.

    "Five Years," said Syris, sensing her body already beginning to regenerate.

    "Do you regret it?"

    "what? Saving you?" said Syris with a scoff. " no¡­"

    "Seems like the rot has gotten to you. How did you save me?As far as I can remember, Roxas and I were tied."

    "Really? Because it looked like he was fucking you up. Bro was abusing your ass so bad I thought he was pping them cheeks."

    "Fuck you."

    "Nope."

    Altair and Syris shared augh, wallowing in their despair these past five years within this world of rot; Mana was removed as a source of power, leaving the two to rely on their bodies and souls.

    "hey¡­ Art¡­ if I ask you to kill me¡­ would you?"

    The boy didn''t dignify her with a response, merely flicking her across the head. It was too early to give up.It was too early to even consider dying.

    "Yeah¡­ I figured you''d do something like that," said Syris, giggling lightly. " I miss Earth."

    "Really?I actually preferred Genesis to Earth."

    "Too much red tape in Genesis. Too many people, too. And way too colonized.I hate it. Earth is quiet. Secluded from so many things.It felt¡ª"

    "Boring?"

    Having regained a bit of color to her face, Syris stuck out her tongue.

    As the hours ebbed, color finally returned to Syris. The two set out once more through theke of rot,masking their spirit. Through mountainous trees, whose roots stretched on for miles, they veered north through marshy waters and hollowed-out trees for nearly three weeks beforeing upon a cabin that bore no windows within the growing mist.

    "Five years since we had a proper meal," Altair muttered, stepping inside their shabby cabin,perceiving everything with his spirit. "I think that''s what I missed most."

    "I thought you might have said Ren," said Syris, closing the door on the way in. They both smiled, undoing the bandages around their eyes.

    "I''mpartmentalizing. Plus, I got my very own cutie to look at."

    Syris snapped her pale blue eyes to him, her cheeks puffing out into a pout.

    "piss off!"

    Altair shook withughter. "Alright-Alright,go get change so that we can go to sleep.My Spirit is crashing. How''s your spirit doing?"

    "Seems my soul recovery is a little better than yours. I''m all good."

    "Well, when your kind dies, you self-reincarnate. No surprise, you have a superior soul recovery."

    Syris seemed to beam, riling herself up to seem big. "So you finally noticed my awesomeness, huh?

    "Yeah-Yeah, just get changed. I''ll start the fire."

    The dainty girlughed, skipping away with a beamful grin, entering a room, losing her smile as silence echoed louder than any wail or cry. Globs of crystal-like tears gathered along the rim of her almond-shaped eyes, sliding down her cheeks.

    Syris curled up in a ball, leaning against the door, twitching, clutching her chest to where her heartbeat resounded.

    Badump! Badump! Badump!

    Its rhythm, its powerful beat, told her she was alive. Told her that this was life. Told her this was it.

    "How much longer? Five more years? Six? Seven? Eight? Ten?

    A hundred? How much longer must we be trapped in his horrible Lake of Rot?" she whispered, cursing to herself.

    Altair heard her cry, heard her words, said nothing about it, sliding his dagger across a piece of flint over a set of firewood.He sat there, watching embers eating away at the linen in a ring, catching into a small blue me.

    The fire carried no heat, illuminating the cabin, peeling away the mist within, revealing the rotten bones used as beams, bleeding terrible ck bile. Tall and long from some terrible beast of unknown origin, it appeared warm, carrying with it a beating, much like a heartbeat.

    He sighed, killing the me, returning the world to darkness once more.

    "Is there anything to eat?" Syris asked from within the bathroom. Her voice was hoarse, filled with loathing.

    "Yes¡­"

    "I see."

    "Syris¡­"

    ''Don''t. It''s fine. It''s our life now."

    "Do you regreting to my aid?"

    "... No."

    "Why?"

    Her cries became all the more audible, clenching the young man''s heart as he looked up towards the ck, past the bone ceiling, towards the rotten skies. He clenched his eyes shut, holding back the acidic bile creeping up his throat.

    It burned, reminding him of his mortality.

    "Art¡­ I hate it here."

    "I know¡­ I know."

    Silence once more enveloped through the cabin. After a while, Syris emerged. Having cleaned the gunk off her body, she nestled herself beside Altair, leaning her head onto his arm.

    ''Tomorrow," she said. "Tomorrow, we''ll find a way out of this purgatory."

    The Young Man grinned, leaned his head over hers, and stared at the embers of mes within the firece.

    "Tell me¡­ What was Soloman like?"

    "Father?" Syris frowned. "Why the sudden interest."

    "Well, in the past five years, you''ve barely spoken about your father. You''ve told me everything about your Mother. But¡­"

    "I''m mad at him. He knows I''m alive. As creator of the First Order of Magic, I''m sure he knows I''m alive. Not to mention all the times I''ve prayed to him. Yet not once has hee to me. Not once as he¡­" she stopped, chewing at her lip till it ran red with blood.

    "I don''t like talking about¡­ Sorry."

    Silence entered once more.

    "Syris."

    "Hmm?"

    "I''m gaining more and more control of the Vale. I promise you. Even if it takes ten more years, I''ll get us out of here."

    She looked at him, bonking her head over his shoulder. " I know you will. I''m just¡­ I just feel like I''m going crazy. Eating¡­ Eating that stuff¡­ walking through marshes of organs believing it water, cleaning my face with a rag, when in truth, its human skin and hair, woven into¡­" she stopped, the metallic sweetness of her blood spilling through her teeth, down her lips. "It''s just a little maddening."

    "Tomorrow," he said.

    "Yeah¡­ Tomorrow." Your next chapter awaits on mvl

    From days to weeks to months and years, they woke, traveling the Rotten Lake, pressing forward, ignoring the changing of the seasons, the taste of blood in their mouths, and the madness that came from time.

    They trained, traveled, fought, and fled. For nearly four years, they carried on, seemingly returning to that very cabin by the time of the new year.

    They''d echo the words: Tomorrow.

    Tomorrow

    Tomorrow

    Tomorrow

    Tomorrow

    Until, in a cycle of repetition, a soft, gentle knock echoed from their cabin door.

    "Might Ie in?"

    The voice was serine. And very much woman.

    Altair and Syris exchanged nces and covered their eyes with the linen cloth, unsure of thest time they met someone or something with true sentience.

    The Lake of Rot had been filled with all sorts of abhorrent amalgamations echoing from the most dreadful sort of nightmares. Wounds created by these creatures burned and blistered with a horrible rot that held no cure aside from surgery.

    "Who are you?" Altair asked calmly.

    "The Lady of this Lake."

    Syris nearly lunged for the door, but Altair snatched her by the wrist, jerking her back. He calmly stood still.

    "The door is open."

    "You didn''t lock it?" Syris asked.

    Altair looked at her as though she were a fool. "Lock it from who? The Monsters that could obliterate it with one palm? Or maybe from the ghost that could walk on through walls. Not to mention¡­ there isn''t even a lock on the door."

    Syris turned slightly red. "You didn''t need to say it like that."

    "I lowkey one hundred percent did."

    The door opened, bringing forth a vibrant silver sheet of mist, masking the woman''s figure.

    "Greetings, Altair ckwood and Lady Syris." She said slowly, closing the door on the way inside.

    "My name is Azura, Lady and Master of this Lake of Rot."

 Chapter 235: Azura

    Altair veered to the right in a slow, cohesive symmetry to Syris on his left, their arms pressed against the hilt of their des, poised forbat. Their eyes seeking to peer through the formless mist, obscuring their vision.

    "What is it you want with us?"

    "Cain asked that I free you from my bonds. Though I wonder if I should."

    "Cain being your Master?"

    Altair must have said something amusing, for Azura''s voice hummed lightly across his ear. "I possess no Master, child. Cain and I merely see eye to eye on many affairs. You two are not one of them." she snapped her finger, conjuring three chairs from out of the mist, making herself at home."The First Child of Soloman and a Young Man whose body and soul strive to connect into the Realm of Spirits.

    What a catch. Few who leave my Lake do so Defiled. And you two have not been so lucky."

    "How do you know that?" Said Syris, leaning forward to strike.

    "I knew your mother, Aridea, well.We yed together as children. A shame what happened to her. But we warned her of the fate of those born from Adam and Eve."

    "Huh?" Syris backed away, lowering her de. "Mother¡­ Mother was one of the First? That''s not possible."

    ''And why not?" Azura remarked. "Most of their children are dead now. Killed by Demons, Fallen, and Angels alike."

    Altair slid Shadoww back into his scabbard, taking a seat. "Does that also make you one of their children since you yed together?"

    Azura did not deny it, "Yes, I''m their second daughter. One of the three still alive."

    "Cain, Azura, and¡ª"

    "Aclima, our lostmb, who fled this wretched family. She was perhaps the smartest of us all."

    Syris looked a little pale, her hands shaking, "Impossible. Impossible! If¡­ If Mother was a part of the first generation. Then why¡­ why would that demon have defeated her!"

    "A testament to how powerful Belius was. He was a proficient killer. One of the best. Perhaps even stronger now beneath the Second Monarch''s reign."

    "Arsene Snow¡­" muttered Altair darkly.

    "Indeed. Seems you are not as ignorant as I once perceived you to be. I wonder how such a name entered your ear." Azura narrowed her eyes, obscured by the mist, smiled, and said, "Tell me, child¡­ what would you give to escape this Lake?"

    "What can I offer that you, a God, do not already possess."

    "Humor me."

    "No."

    Azura''s tone of voice remained. "I suppose you are not foolish enough to be toyed with. Fine. I will allow you passage under the condition of a promise. Cain will enter my sanctuary tomorrow. He will offer you a deal.

    And you will take it."

    "Will I now?"

    "You will, or I shall personally defile your body and soul. Robbing you of what little protection the One grants his pets." Your journey continues on mvl

    A slight crack flickered across that intangible mask of Altairs, agitating his lips to a bloodthirsty arc. He stood up, a hand on the pommel of Shadoww.

    Azura had not spoken with any show of intent or force, yet the unease it carried wed its way through his pores, stripping him bare. His throat and eyes began to burn as his eyes shed against the one that threw away the Divine.

    "What the hell bloody happened to you," Syris asked. "Aren''t you, my aunt? Aren''t you family?"

    "The child my father and brothers fucked into me died by my own hands," said the Queen of Rot calmly. The timbre of the voice was cold and without feel. "In all of Heaven and Hell, there exists no bloodline that connects directly to me."

    Altair''s face was stone, shaken to his core by such a revtion. "You killed your children? Why?" He could understand if she were a devil or a demon, but Azura was neither of those.

    Thedy, for the first time, chuckled. "For one who walks the Path of Aeron, you sure are Innocent. But please. Let us save such an intimate talk for after we get to know each other. I have known my brother for a very, very long time. If you deny him, he will kill you without a second thought."

    Syris found a bit of courage to speak then, "Gods aren''t allowed to¡ª"

    "We are currently within a slit between the Abyss and Myriad Heavens. The Shadow Promation holds no dominion over us here. We can do as we please," Azura proimed.

    "Why are you interested in me?"

    "Potential. Despite the overallck of skill. You managed to put Roxas in a Nine-Yeara. A feat that impressed Cain and me. He woke up about a week ago. So your punishment is officially over."

    The Prince''s mask cracked even more. His wrath was bleeding through. "Punishment? You mean all this¡­ all of his was a punishment?"

    "Get over it. And listen," Azura snapped. "You will ept the deal. Cain will not tolerate anything less than full obedience. Should you ept¡­ he will send you on a quest. What it entails, I cannot tell you.

    But it will surely involve death. As for you, girl, your situation is a tad bit moreplicated. You are not required. Not in the least."

    Syris lost a bit of color. "What do you mean?"

    "The secondary purpose behind the ck Curse was to teleport Altair into my domain. You just so happened to be near him when it urred. When you tried to control space to stop the process, you were dragged along with him. But in truth, you aren''t relevant to the equation."

    "Then what do you propose?" Altair asked.

    "Cain is a very pragmatic man. One that isn''t easy to fool. There needs to be a reason for Syris''s survival. A use beside spreading her legs."

    The Celestial grew flushed with rage. "Why I have never¡ª"

    "What is her qualifications? What can she do? You need to make a clean case. And I mean clean. You''ll only have one chance. And if you fail, she dies, and you lose credibility with Cain."

    The Prince, filled with preponderance, spoke, "Why are you helping us? And don''t say potential. We both know that''s bullshit. That''s what you tell people to boost their ego."

    The Goddess of Rot grinned. "Indeed. How about if you survive tomorrow, I''ll tell you. Because you will need me, Mr. ckwood. The Crucible of Blood is not something people typically survive.

    You will be tested on both a moral and mental level in ways you cannot even imagine. You might do everything right and still die by Cain''s hands. Good luck."

    "Wa¡ª"

    Whisked away in a gale of mist, Azrua vanished before Altair could inquire more about the one called Cain. He cursed under his breath, turning towards Syris, whose expression was anything but pleasant.

    Holding back tears the best she could, Syris chewed her lip till it bled, full of frustration. "What an unpleasant bitch. I¡­ I think I hate her."

    "One Evil versus another," Muttered the Prince in a discouraging frown. "You know¡­ when I learned that putting my cock into Ren would curse me. I didn''t think twice. But if this is the fault of the curse¡­ I must say it has fucked me in more ways than I can imagine. Pulled you for a ride, too. How''s it feel?"

    "I''d rather be fucked."

    "I could help with that, you know."

    "Piss off, this is serious Art! One wrong move and I''m dead. And you might be, too."

    Altair began to slouch in his chair, looking up nkly, fatigued. The lids of his eyes closed in a vale of darkness, returning him to the Night Mother''s embrace.

    "She killed her kids." He mentioned. "I wonder why?"

    Syris red at him incredulously. "Are you seriously thinking about such useless things now? Art we need to start¡ª"

    "I''ll be fine. Just don''t say anything. No matter what happens. In fact, I''d start now. He''s probably listening as we speak."

    "Art¡­ how can you be so se? This is Cain we are talking about. Cain, the First Murderer. Wielder of the Eternal Curse."

    "Someone is dick riding right now."

    "Piss off!" Drop, kicking the young Prince in the chest, flinging him into the wall. Heughed, feeling a few bones crack.

    "Syris. You got to calm down. Look, I got you into this situation. So, just trust me. Say nothing. And it''ll be fine even if he asks you a question.

    Say nothing. Can you manage that?"

    The young celestial nodded, letting her shoulders drop as she pouted. "Are you ok? I think I broke a rib or two."

    Altair slowly slid to the floor, looking upwards¡­ Thinking¡­ Thinking¡­ Thinking. When a faint wetness traced his lips, pulling him back. His red eyes glowed, focusing on the fair maiden who slit her wrist with her dagger.

    "Just this once, OK?" she was looking away, the tips of her ears slowly bing burdened by a light pink. "I''ll let you eat me. Just a small bite. Just enough to heal your broken ribs. Kay?"

 Chapter 236: Cain

    The saturated glow in the young prince''s eyes entwined in a luscious red, permeating darkness in an iridescent glow of red, focused on the young woman. She was panting, flushed by an intense heat writhing beneath her naked flesh.

    The room was dark, but he saw her with picture-perfect rity. He saw the way she bit her lips, saw the sensation of pleasure along the lips and tongue. Saw the way her nipples hardened against her pelt.

    Syris had been blessed in many ways by the heavens, be they her voluptuous figure or her pale blue eyes capable of unraveling any man or woman. It appeared as if the Gods had taken extra care to sculpt her perfection into being. Kingdoms could burn,s could perish, all for her beauty that seemed absolute beneath the stars.

    "W-w-w-what ya looking at?" She stammered, peeking down nervously. "Y-y-you done?"

    Altair didn''t answer, tracing his tongue against the slit across her wrist in a sort of awe at her defiant cuteness. Nine years, and he could count the number of times he''d tasted her blood on one hand. He wasn''t sure why, but Syris''s blood was like hard wine. Strong with a delectably smooth finish, clearing his mind of worry. It was sweet, savory, rich, and¡ª

    "Art¡­I''ll faint if you," she shuddered, nibbling at her lips. "I¡­"

    He didn''t stop absorbed in the eye candy above. A tinge of a sadistic glow gathered in his eyes as he began to tease the wound, flicking his tongue against her cut. Allowing his fangs to sink in and out.

    "Ah~" she covered her mouth, trying to mask her shameful moan. "I''m¡­I''m¡­I''m a¡ª"

    He stopped bathing in that look Syris bore into his skull of what he''d deny her. So many emotions were unveiled through her mind.

    Altair kissed her palm and said," Thank you for the meal. Syris is indeed the best."

    ''Meanie¡­'' she fumbled beneath her breath, jerking her hand back. "I''m going to bed."

    "Shall Ie? Of course, merely to sleep. This could be ourst night."

    "...Fine," she muttered. "But no funny business."

    Altair practically jumped in joy, making their way upstairs to where Syris''s small bedy. She nced at him, trying to determine his expression through the darkness with her spirit, all for not.

    All she saw was darkness.

    "You scared?" Altair asked, falling onto the bed. It was hard, much like his own. But there wasn''t much he could do about that. The bed was made from bone they''d mashed into fine powder.

    Syris joined him at the edge of her bed. "Hmmm. I''m a little scared. You?"

    "Not really. It''ll all work out."

    "I wish I had your confidence."

    "You can always transition. I''m sure being a man might help with that."

    She punched him in the side, cracking the ribs that had just mended. "Asshole. I very much like being a woman, thank you."

    Altair shook withughter and pain, rubbing his side. "I jest. I jest, haha. But I''m shocked you''ve gotten so much stronger these past nine years. Your physical prowess is enough to harm me." He looked at her, patting the silver-haired girl. "Just do what I tell you, and it''ll be fine.

    I promise."

    "Umn"

    ****

    At dawn, or what constituted as dawn within this wretchednd of rot, Altair stood with the chairs Azura had created with her mist, with Syris by his side, staring at the door.

    "What do you n to do when we get out of here?" Syris asked, trying to distract herself.

    "Me?" Altair looked up, thinking about the future. "Well¡­ I think I''ll probably start conquering Earth. When I killed Cedric, I learned quite a few things. Though I suppose Earth will have changed significantly in these nine years. After that¡­ I''ll begin conquering Babels Tower. Why?

    Wanna join me?"

    With her arms wrapped around her knees as she sat, Syris peeked at him. "Would you let me?"

    "Of course. Having an extra man on my¡ª"

    Syris punched out, annoyed when Altair caught her palm. " I''m a woman, you dick!"

    "That I know too well. So how about we¡ª'' Pausing, Altair''s expression turned to stone, swaying towards the front door that had been opened without a sound. The shadow of a humanoid hung in the mist, staining it red.

    The creature entered the cabin, his scarlet, green eyes so poised upon the young man that Altair felt he was drowning in ake of blood. He had killed many demons and people alike during the events of Yawin, but even so¡­ the amount of bloodlust within that man''s eye made Altair leap in joy at the fact he was sitting lest he humiliate himself.

    He couldn''t feel his legs anymore.

    "Cain?"

    The stranger nodded, emerging from the mist, revealing a ruggedly handsome man. He had sharp features reminiscent of a de or perhaps a fragment of the Heavens. Much like Altair''s, his hair was Ashen, with a stubble beard to match. He was tall, with a well-toned build, wrapped in a regal halfcoat.

    "You''re not my father, right?" Altair jokingly asked, twirling his finger through his hair.

    Cain did not answer.

    "Well. I guess not. Guess I''d be dead if that were the case. I''m sure you''re aware that Azura visited us."

    "I am," said Cain.

    "She said you were a pragmatic man."

    "I am."

    "Then tell me what you want.''

    Cain''s lips nearly lifted; he''d nearly wanted to believe that the boy might have fallen to a knee to plead for his life.

    "It will seem Tenebrae taught you well. Then again, she''s taught all the greats. Which leaves me to wonder¡­ where is she?"

    Altair did not respond, calling upon an earlier memory in his childhood.

    "Remember, my little Prince. A lie will always be seen through by someone infinitely stronger than you. You cannot see it yet. But there are small microexpressions, both on the body and soul, that will give you away. So, learn to say nothing when the moment calls. Sometimes silence can be your greatest weapon," said Tene, nibbling at his cheek, twirling her fingers through his ck hair.

    "So either you know or you don''t." Cain broke the silence, maneuvering towards Azura''s chair, making it his own. He studied the boy, the man, with transient eyes and said. "The Golden Crucible was created by me the day I killed an angel of the Heavens with my very hands. I tore off his wings, mutting him until God''s Breath left his lungs, returning it to the ether."

    He stopped, letting the meaning present itself in the young man''s mind. "Of course, I don''t expect you to kill a Seraphim like I did. But you will do something of simr relevance."

    "Oh?" Altair perked his ears, listening.

    "On the Fifith Floor of Babels Tower, you and a hundred other recruits will attempt to burn it to the ground before the Eyes of Heaven and Hell."

    Altair adjusted his chair and leaned forward, "To my knowledge, Gods exist upon the Fifth Floor."

    "They do," said Cain.

    "And to refuse¡­ death?"

    The silence that followed spoke volumes, uplifting the prince''s lips into a nasty arc. "A suicide mission. Refreshing. Can I ask why?"

    "You can."

    "But you''re under no obligation to answer." Altair looked him straight in the eyes. "Is it false hope you''ll think I''ll hold in my arms as you send me to my death?"

    Cain stood up. "You may hold whatever in your heart. But you will head to the Fifith Floor, or you''ll be defiled, and your soul will never reach the Vale."

    Altair did everything in his power not to react but failed as Cain''s eyes narrowed. "You know of the Vale. And if you keep silent, I assure you, your death will be a painful one. How does one such as you know of the Vale?"

    ''A true master of deception speaks only truth, rather than mixing lies in," Tenebrae words rang out just then.

    "My wife''s Master. Lunafreya said my soul visited the Vale due to an ident urring during her Baptism," Altair calmly revealed, his serene gaze seething with hate. An exaggeration but one the Ninth Form attributed.

    "You fell into the Vale? Fascinating. Yet here you are?"

    "Its guardian¡­ or Watcher sent me back. I don''t know what manner of creature it was, but its power was real."

    "Lunafreya, Tenebrae, Beelzubub, now a Vale Guardian. Seems fate has shown you much of its favor." Cain closed his eyes, opening them with terrible intent. "I''ve high hopes for you, Altair ckwood, within the Golden Order. We will speak again if fate aligns. Azura will deliver the details of your full mission to you."

    And Cain was gone, blinking out of existence.

    Altair gasped, breaking out in a sea of sweat. He wanted to curse, wanted to scream, but he held it in with all his willpower.

    "I''m¡­ I''m alive¡­ why?"

    "Because you are Soloman''s Daughter. You are perhaps one of the biggest bargain chips Cain possesses in order to get Soloman on his side. Remember what Azura said in the beginning: Continue reading at mvl

    "I possess no Master, child. Cain and I merely see eye to eye on many affairs. You two are not one of them," is what she said.

    Altair grinned, "What disagreement do you think that was? Me? Very unlikely since I''ve no major backing. Or at least unreliable backing."

    "W-w-w-w-w-wait," said Syris incredulously. Overwhelmed by a sudden anger. "If you know all that, then why did you let me panic!"

    "Hehe. Shits and Giggles."

 Chapter 237: Home

    He''d changed. Syris thought ring. It hadn''t been obvious, but be it the way he spoke or the way he smiled andughed, the grace with which he did so felt so wrong like it was a scheme to give him what he wanted.

    "You''re such a dick!"

    Altair shrugged his shoulders, allowing a smile to rise across his lips. "Have I ever told you I quite like your eyes? They are like two pale blue sapphires. Peerless beneath the Heavens." he reached for them, curling a finger across her cheeks, brushing a strand of her silvery hair away.

    "W-W-What are you saying! Dummy!" pping his hand away, Syris leaped back like a nimble cat, her finger reeling up and down. "You can''t say stuff like that! I-I-I''ll tell Ren!"

    "Please do¡­ Ren will surely have an interesting expression."

    Syris turned red, her heart wrenching against her ribs. ''Bully!'' she thought, snorting, and said," Don''t go touching me whenever you feel! At least ask before¡ª" Realizing what she was saying, Syris had never been more thankful for the darkness. Praying he could not see how red she had be.

    Azura appeared like a ghost then, peering at the two with sullen eyes. "Enough flirting."

    "You!"

    "Azura, "said Altair with his usual crooked grin, "I take it everything went ording to your n?"

    The Goddess of Rot stared at the young man, the mist obscuring her face, thickening even more. "You know it didn''t," she said with a slight edge to her voice, ncing at Syris. "I''d hope he''d have forced you to remain. The faster we Defile your soul, the more leverage we possess against Soloman."

    "The pride of every man is a sacred coven. He might have done such a thing if he hadn''t had much expectation for me. But it seems he does. And it seems so, do you." he said, narrowing his profane eyes of his; he offered her a seat. ''Now. Can you get us the hell out of here?"

    "Why? You don''t like it? It was created after I observed the Outer Gods amidst one of their rituals." She said. "It''s the only power in all of Heaven and Earth to rob you of the Holy One''s blessing."

    "It''s abhorrent."

    "Really?" Azura grinned. "You never seemed to struggle mentally. If anything, you seemed right home."

    "I''ve be great atpartmentalizing."

    ''That word again,'' Syris thought, sensing she might have overlooked something important. ''He¡­ never broke down. Never showed great anger or sorrow. In nine years¡­ has he ever cried or despaired?"

    partmentalizing, eh? " she scuffed. " well before I return you to earth. There are a few regtions you should know about. One: Only Five years have passed within the Myriad Heavens. Time works differently here.

    Two, you have forty years toplete your mission. Fail. And your souls will be defiled, and you will be killed."

    Azura lifted a finger, conjuring a brand that imprinted itself over the two''s shoulders in searing heat that made them flinch.

    "Wee to the Golden Crucible. This brand will mark you for all eternity. No matter if you flee to Arcadia or the Abyss, we will forever be able to find you. With the added function of teleportation, you to me. So don''t try to run. As for the removal of the Brand well." Azura grinned mirthlessly.

    "You can try, but the consequence will be catastrophic, to say the least."

    "Interesting¡­" Altair casually said, not really surprised. He''d been wondering how they expected him to perform such a mission without fleeing.

    "Is that really all you have to say?" Syris and Azura muttered.

    "I''m not going to try fighting a God trying to make me a ve. Time will tell its tail. Of that, I am assured." the prince said, baring his fangs in a sickly smile. "Now send us back, dear sponsor."

    Enjoy exclusive chapters from §Þ??

    Azura paused. "So you figured that much out, eh? Well. I will contact you once more in a Month for an update." And with a snap of her fingers, they vanished, whisked away across space and time. "What a curious boy that one is¡­ dangerous. And a mysterious background, too, booth.

    Cain should know better than I that Tenebrae possesses more secrets than the likes of Mephisto. Yet he took in one of her children¡­ Well¡­ so long as it benefits me. What''s it matter?"

    ****

    BOOOOOOOOOOM~

    Piercing through the ice top of mountains in the far east, Altair and Syris''s bodies caught me at the sheer friction of the winds and earth, piercing through ice caps like water. They stopped reaching the base of the mountain with nk expressions.

    With hair matted by blood, they staggered to their feet, ignoring the several men and women hurrying over. They stared at the sun and moon, shaken to their core. Syris erupted into tears at the mere sight. While Altair stood there nkly, ovee by emotions he found difficult to express.

    "Oi! Are you alright?"

    "Littledy!"

    "Are they covered in flesh? Gods, they smell like rotten fish!"

    The two ignored them, feeling the icy winds of the east billowing across their faces. They stood there before exchanging nces, erupting intoughter. Theirughter turned crazed, rming those around them as their Spiritshed out; dozens dropped and died as their terrible soul bore its fangs to the world.

    Mana spiraled into their bodies at a rate that drained most of the eastern inds in the blink of an eye, stretching towards the maind. For nearly an hour, they stood there absorbing the mana that had been absent for nine years.

    "We''re out¡­" Syris wept, falling to her knees, letting loose a galeful cry. "WERE OUT!!!!! ALTAIR WE ARE OUT!!!!"

    Like an unending ck hole, the mana whirled into Arcs of Lightning crackling across the skies, attuning itself to nature; it whirled, spreading far and wide, rming mortal man.

    [Dimensional Rift]

    Conjuring a portal before the local police appeared, Altair lifted Syris into his arms as she wept uncontrobly, entering hisnd.

    Summer billowed against his nose as he stood along the outskirts of a kingdom beyond his wildest dream. Structures seemingly forged by Gods of Beauty stood erected below twelve Suns and Moons.

    Altair gasped, drawing in a long breath of refined mana so pure he nearly felt his Circles quiver. He staggered back, overwhelmed by whaty before him.

    "What happened?"

    "ALTAIR!!!!!!!!!" Came the furious voice of Hilda, shrieking out from the city gates, barreling through the winds in a long red ribbon; she crashnded with her axe, missing Altair by a fraction of a centimeter.

    "Y-You dodged that?" Hilda muttered when he saw Altair and Syris''s eyes roll to the back of their heads, copsing onto the ground. "Well, shit! Five years! Then you just appear only to faint!" She lifted her axe, biting her lip as she lowered it. "You''re lucky I''m nice. But why do you two smell like hot dung?

    Hells, you two need a bath!"

    Gathering a few locals, Hilda brought them to the Pce of Stygian''s medical center andid them down. She sighed, giving herself a sniff. She winced. " Gods, now I smell like them. Yuck!"

    "Hey! Hilda are they back!" Shouted Vaiga, hurrying in. Her eyes nearly popping out at their dreadful appearance. She covered her nose. "What the bloody Hell happened to them? Did you drown them in the sewers?"

    "Tsk. I wish. They just appeared and then fainted."

    "They¡­ just fainted?" Vaiga repeated, narrowing her eyes. "You didn''t attack them, did you?"

    Hilda looked the other way. "Well, I might have, but Altair dodged before that. I¡ª"

    "Minor Damage to the soul and psyche has been sustained. Estimated time of awakening: 72 Hours." The A.I. Ava exined.

    "Where have they been? Can you tell?"

    "Unable to Determine. However, due to the withered state of their meridians, they were likely within a realm without any Mana," Said Ava in the affirmative.

    "Three days, and they''ll finally be able to get us the hell out of here! Thank the Stars! I''m sick of this ce!" Hilda exploded, cartwheeling around the medical center.

    "No idea where you''ve been, but I might have had the best five years of my life," said Vaiga, ncing down at ir. She smiled. "Honestly, I''d love to live here all my life. The Mana is extremely pure¡­ nearly 200 MP. That is unheard of back on earth; that''s barely at ten. Shit, the highest world that I visited was Genisis which had zones based on the Grade of MP.

    I entered a 500 Mp Zone. Breaking through almost immediately. Two hundred is perfect."

    "Not for the locals. Mana Poisoning is on the rise. This year alone, we had a hundred deaths."

    "Twenty less than the year before. They are adapting. What more can you want? It''s kind of a perfect system to breed the strong. How much has your Mana Attribute grown these past few years? Sixty points?

    That''s unheard of for us humans. If we can make a deal with Altair in allowing entry to various high-value men and woman, we might¡­ we might be able to create a powerful new generation back on earth."

    "Tsk¡­ whatever. I don''t really care. I just want to go home and watch TV. I''ve got to catch upon all the K-Dramas."

    "... Honestly, do people that know you seriously call you the bloodstained Hilda?"

 Chapter 238: The Throne of Stygian

    It was noon when the ashen-haired boy opened his blood-red eyes, drifting about as hey in a refinement tank. On his bare shoulder, the emblem of the crimson spear shimmered a dimly lit glow.

    He smiled, ncing over at Syris in the chamber next to his, fully nude. And fully woman.

    "Calm,Poised, and Patient," the young master muttered. His eyes broke away as he pulled himself out of the tank, allowing the strange odorless fluid to fall from his broad shoulders and hair. He managed a mirthless smile,his fingers finding the brand on his shoulder that sought to brand him a ve.

    ''Roxas, Azura, and now Cain.'' he said,the words carrying with them a fury so deep,he felt his Three Circle heat up.

    Nine Years, he walked the Lake of Rot. For nine years, he ate of the foulest creatures, felt their smiley flesh against his tongue,drunk of their rotting blood,festering pestilence without reaction.

    And now he was free.

    The Young Master looked up, peering into some unfathomable domain with a smile so sharp, so cold it felt demonic.

    "Ava¡­ Contact my Father."

    Through his Neurolink, the Ashen King''s translucent image appeared. His expression was hard,and his eyes zing a simr me to his child.

    "Son."

    "Father."

    Arsene Snow closed his eyes, releasing such a sigh of relief he nearly smiled.

    "I need your help. I need information?"

    "How bad¡­ "the monarch stopped, watching tears slide down his son''s face." What is it you need, son?" Stay updated with §Þ??

    "information on the First Family. Everything you have on Cain and Azura. I don''t care about the price, ill¡ª"

    "No one fuck''s with a Snow. You''ll have the information in a week." Arsene remarked in a voice of coal, cutting the connection.

    "Calm,Poised, and Patient," he muttered,clenching his eyes shut. "Calm,Poised, and¡­ Patient"

    ***

    It was around midnight when she found him in his bed chamber resting over the terrace, staring up at the twelve moons with a bottle of wine.There were more suns and moons than he remembered,illuminating the clusters of stardust through the endless skies.

    It was a stunning sight bathing his chambers that still carried the lingering scent of his wife. The scent alone brought a smile to his face and a deafening sense of calm he''d not had in nine whole years.

    "Not now," Altair suddenly voiced, his domain spotting Vaiga at the threshold. "Give me a few hours. We can talk at dawn."

    Vaiga withdrew. Threatened by that unseamed force within his voice. It terrified her,shing out at the deepest pits of her being.

    She stopped halfway down the hall to her bed chamber,stunned by how easily she obeyed his will. She nced back, her cheeks ring.

    "I''ll let this slide just this once. Since you just returned."

    Lost within the memories, Altair lifted the bottle to his lips, savoringplex nodes budding around the tongue. He watched on as the moons dripped beneath the horizon, fading with the rise of the sun, enjoying th breath of summer''s kiss across his cheeks.

    Whatever manner of unease or nightmare that haunted his psyche had faded at the arisen sun, drowned beneath his newfound sense of purpose. He donned the Mask of the False Smile. It was a mask he''d been taught since he was in diapers and honed through the passage of the Lake of Rot.

    It didn''t matter what he felt, what he wanted to feel; Altair presented a regal smile to those who held the honor to grace his presence.

    "It will seem you two had it rough," he said to Vaiga and Hilda in the dining hall. "There was a small ident during the final hour."

    "But you earned an S-Rank skill, right? I''m sure it was worth it," Hilda remarked, brooding over her de ofmb Kebabs, Eggs, and Rice.

    "Sweet Heavenly Father, bless you! Bless you!" Syris wept, stuffing her face without the slightest hint of shame.

    "I assure you¡­ it was not. But let''s not talk about that. I''m sure you all wish to leave."

    "You bet your ass I do," Hilda remarked. "I''m sure everyone thinks we''re dead or missing."

    Altair chuckled, "I''m sure. Well, I can return you all to earth after breakfast."

    "That''s it?" Vaiga voiced. "That''s all you have to say?"

    "Hmmm. My sword. I''d like it back," Altair said, cutting into his kabab and lifting it to his lips. He opened an eye to Vaiga. "It was a gift from my Mother and Father. I''ve fulfilled my time in the military.

    It''s time for what was mine to be returned."

    "There might be an issue then," Hilda joined. "I''d have given you the sword without issue, but¡ª"

    "Hilda. Vaiga. I wasn''t asking. You will deliver me, Endmyian, or I will burn Earth to the ground." The prince dered, startling the duo.

    Neither Hilda nor Vaiga looked pleased.

    "Are you serious?" Vaiga asked. "You are but a Third Circle."

    "But he has my backing," Syris remarked. "Altair is a bonafide citizen of Earth. Recognized by Genisis. My group would be more than willing to give him an army. So long as he does us a few favors, of course."

    "You son of a bitch!" Said Hilda darkly. "Altair, you can''t be serious? You''d really¡ª"

    "I want my sword. Save yourself a lot of heartache and deliver me what is rightfully mine, or face the consequences." He snapped, conjuring a Rift. "You have by the end of the day. I truly hope you make the right decision. I''d hate to wipe out Earth and start anew. You may leave."

    Hilda had to turn to Vaiga to confirm what she had heard. She had never known Altair to be anything but intelligent, but such a rash im left her speechless. If not annoyed.

    "Oh¡­ If you don''t know me, please contact the Aros Family. I''m sure they''ll exin who I am,'' Syris mentioned. "I''m an offworlder from Genisis. My group controls yours of clones, bloodlines, and so on. We are the Gic Clone Association, GCA for short."

    Altair opened his palm, calling forth a face none ever imagined they''d see again. He emerged from his shadow, rising like a dreadful apparition.

    "Cedric¡­" Hilda and Vaiga shouted, assured of his death.

    "Master," said Cedric.

    "The woman that ordered me dead. Kill her. Use all your family''s power if you must. I want her head on a pike. And her soul. You''ve two weeks."

    Cedric bowed, blurring into an iridescent ribbon through the Rift.

    "Syris," Altair continued. "Do you want to inform the GCA that you''re alive?"

    "I guess I should¡­" said Syris hesitantly, "Though, I''d like to wait a few days if that''s alright with you. My mental state isn''t really the best¡­ as you can see."

    "Would it be wrong topare you to a Colossal Hippo based on how you eat?"

    "Would it be wrong if I broke my foot off in your ass?"

    "Message received," he said with a toothish fang, not pushing the matter. Despite the mask, the experience of the Lake of Rot still felt raw. "Take your time. Though I''m sure they''ll visit my domain soon the longer, I keep this Rift active."

    Syris sighed, lowering her fork; she nced at Vaiga and Hilda, shaking her head. "I''ll speak to them in a few days. A week''s tops. If theye¡­ just¡­ dy for me."

    Realizing something, Vaiga hurriedly asked, "Altair, what happened these past few years?"

    And for the first time, the Prince lost his smile. He stood up, losing his appetite. "Worry about my sword, Vaiga," he said, vanishing into a wisp of light nodes. He appeared in the Throne Room of the Pce of Stygian.

    Torches of Eternal Darkness illuminated the hall, revealing the iridescent throne, cker than night, purer than the heavens themselves. It zed much like the fire of the Sacred me. The Throne of Stygian, called, pulsing with a dreadful weight.

    It had been nearly ten years since hest saw this ''thing'' that nearly stole his soul; filling him with such a sense of awe, he backed away the first time his eyes ever graced it.

    He had never felt more shame then, for he knew he had not been ready to sit upon the Throne of Stygian.

    As he approached, Altair''s shadow grew elongated, splintering off, as his Pale Knights, one by one, began to emerge, falling to a knee as their Prince anointed himself king upon his Throne.

    ck mes seething from the throne coiled around the prince''s arms and legs, granting him the appearance of a Hell Fiend. Yet as time passed, the mes lessened, revealing his sharp features that matured these nine years. The delicate touch of youth and innocence had died, leaving behind a cold de of a man.

    "We greet you, my Lord," said his Pale Knights.

    Altair managed a smile that came from his depths. He lifted a palm, gesturing for them to rise.

    They obeyed.

    "Aurora, now that we have returned to Earth and I''ve finally regained ess to the Origin System. I need resources, and I need people. ves, freemen, offworlders, whatever you decide, we need. The number of Sols should not matter. Ava should be able to help."

    "Yes, My Lord," Said Aurora formally.

    "Jorm.

    ''My Lord"

    "Five years have passed in this realm. The infants and children that we took in are now capable of killing. Train them. Well."

    "Nia¡­ You will create a spearmanship for my Military. Your eyes can see things I cannot. I look forward to the results. Especially since you share myprehension to a lesser degree."

    Nia bowed. "As youmand, my Lord."

    "Alyssa, head to Themyscira and inform Athena of my return. Tell her I have a proposal. One I''m sure she''s interested in. Get back to me in a week."

    "Confirmed!"

    "Talia, you will apany me as my new Sword Maid. Kirr, I want you to run the Pce of Stygian. We have a lot of staff now, though I am hesitant to appoint you with your silly personality."

    "My Lord," Kirr said with a poised demeanor. "You can count on me."

    "I sure hope so¡­ Dismiss."

 Chapter 239: System Store

    Whatever manner of excitement Vaiga or Hilda shared towards their home world had all but curled beneath his ironmand. They thought it stupid, foolhardy even, yet as they appeared off the coast of Mount Fuji, each of them was ovee by a strange sensation coiling around the nape of their neck as some intangible countdown began to run.

    Hilda was furious beyond words, raising her palm high at the sight of the military arm gunman outside the rift. Several Drones poised for action pointed their Railguns toward the duo, measuring the microexpressions.

    One wrong move, and they would fire without regard for intention.

    It had taken over an hour for their identities to be confirmed before being shipped off in a star cruiser to the nearest military base to be debriefed. The same could not have been said for Cedric, who''d whisked through the army before they had proper time to call in reinforcements.

    From King to Queen, stretching all the way into Genesis, many joined the live debriefing of all that urred in Yarwin. Neither Vaiga nor Hilda saw the need to mask the events involving Altair.

    If the Gods knew, why not their acolytes and allies?

    For nearly seven hours, they carried on addressing the festival before the question was asked.

    "And what skill, mind you, did Altair ckwood obtain from the Festival of Chaos?"

    ***

    "ording to Ava, the Eternal Garden are both operating at thirty-five percent efficiency," Aurora remarked. "As reported five years ago. 98% of all agriculture has perished. But we''ve managed to store all their seeds. I''ve selected a few possible seeds and their effects once they blossomed. But I thought that perhaps you might have a particr interest in one or two I''ve not listed."

    Altair stared at the data pad Aurora offered to him, raising a brow toward the nts that had already been nted: "The Tree of Rebirth, the Pale Tree, and Soul Blossom.''

    Name: Soul Blossom

    Status: Ready For Harvesting

    Effect: Creates a protective membrane around the Soul me, with the added benefit of strengthening and refining the souls of Infringement Gods.

    Note: Highly Rmended For Mortal Consumption.

    "Infringement Gods? Is that perhaps one of the rankings of the Gods of an old Era? How curious.'' The Prince wondered, narrowing his eyes. And he said, "It says we can harvest six pedals. I see. Pocket five, and sell one on the System Store.

    Have the system store analyze it and sell it at five times its worth¡­ no, Make it ten times."

    Aurora seemed taken aback. "Ten times? That''s quite a markup."

    "It''s business. We diluted a single drop of the Caelum Spring a billion times merely to use it to water our nts. Our Springs were made from the wings of an Angel. Whatever the price is¡­ it seems fair."

    "As youmand."

    "As for the rest¡­ what you have written is fine for now. Also, find a person with a high level of skill when ites to alchemy. We lost our best alchemist. We should find a stand-in until she returns."

    Aurora did not disagree. She smiled, running a few more talking points before she was off.

    Altair sighed, yawning upon his bed, as Talia ran her fingers over his muscles around the spine. He nced back at her, sinking further into his pillow. "You got me drooling. You''re kind of good at this."

    "Oh?" Talia giggled and smacked his ass. "Of course! I''m Master''s ve! Hehe, Masters got all the cake."

    "... Knight. Not ve."

    "Nope. Talia''s Master''s ve," Talia said seriously.

    ''Crazy bitch,'' he thought and chuckled. But spoke no more of it. It wasn''t his ce to correct the mental space of his shadows. So long as they performed to his liking, they were free to feel how they wanted.

    Altair yawned, enjoying the way Talia''s fingers lightly hummed with the arc of Infernal Lightning, soothing his muscles to no end. As the first user of the lightning, Talia simply loved finding small uses for it, especially when she mixed it with the Hands of the Incubus, which had evolved from the Hands of Nivana.

    The skill was downright evil, seeking to enve those of any power beneath their thrall. It was a skill that forced one to experience the ravages of lust to such a degree they''d lose their sense of self. Although it had healing benefits by manipting various hormones, ensuring any wound created could be recovered from, much like the Hands of Nirvana.

    For nearly ten hours, Altairid still, allowing Talia to do as she wanted with his weary body, while he sat upon the ck Lake of his Soul, facing Raven, who wore a brooding expression.

    "I finally escaped, and you are still chilling in here?" he grinned, wanting to give the little girl a poke on the cheek. He felt slightly bad for her, unlike his other shadows, who had been unaware of the time lost. Raven had been fully aware but hadn''t been able to leave his soul space due to theck of Mana.

    "They branded you¡­" She mournfully mewled, biting her lips.

    He touched his right shoulder. "Yeah¡­" And that smile of his turned dark. "But it''s fine. I''ve nned for them, But enough about such a nasty topic. I will actively need your assistance as my guardian. I need you outside.

    And learning about how to use various technology, spells, formations, and more."

    ".... Sounds annoying."

    "True. But I''m sure you''ll be more than capable of handling it. Although you''ll need to put on some damn clothes.''"

    Raven hoisted her naked chest up, cupping a breast, "I will not be caged! Free the nipple!"

    "..."

    ''I swear no one is normal anymore!'' Altair muttered painfully. "Look here, you will put on some damn clothes. But you can be as naked as you want in the privacy of your room."

    Raven looked as if she were about to cry. "Do I have to wear those ursed foot prisons?"

    "... Yes."

    "This is animal abuse of the highest order! Bad Master! Bad! Raven shall not be abused in such a manner! I demand a rebellion!"

    "Rav¡ª-

    "REBELLION!!!!!"

    ***

    It was a little past midnight before Altair awoke to the sight of Talia resting beside him, covered in ayer of sweat from over-exertion. She was snoring, sprawled out over his bed.

    He paid her no mind, connecting his Nureolink to his System Store for the first time in a long time. He could still remember the first time he opened the System Store for the first time. He nearly threw a fit at the outrageous prices of most of the items.

    The system store had been a universal store that connected everyone within the Myriad Heaven. Whether they existed in a higher dimension or a lower one, all items were connected in some intricate way. Allowing the user to purchase just about anything should they have enough Sols. Explore more stories with §Þ??

    Prices were abhorrent, with a simple Iron Maiden that went for 5 Sols to be 10 or 15. However, due to the convenience of receiving a product instantly, many ignored the outrageous prices, broker fees, and high taxes. Finding that despite the cost, in a matter of life and death, many wouldn''t mind losing their life savings.

    However, that was not to say there weren''t any illegal substances all around the System Store that any of the Prime Worlds struggled to regte.

    [DING]

    [Wee to the System Interster Store]

    [Current Bnce: 1,303,122 Sols]

    Authority: Level Two

    Quickly sending a message to Aurura to inquire if his current bnce was his spending money or funds to be invested, Altair was all smiles, feeling a great sense of aplishment. When he learned this had been the money, Aurora had invested before the events of Yarwin. He beamed, nearly jumping for joy before he remembered this was barely enough to stay within Genesis for about a Month.

    "I''m both poor and rich¡­ Screw this standard of living." He lulled out, falling onto the bed beside Talia.

    The little shadow smacked her lips, mumbling, "Noo~ Master¡­ Talia can''t eat anymore! Desert!"

    "What are you dreaming about?" He asked, booping her on the nose. He chuckled, returning to the system store. He grinned, "Now let''s see¡­"

    [Category: Sorceries]

    [Sub Category: Darkness]

    [Teir 1]

    [Shadowscape -1500 Sols ]

    [Shadow Prison- 1500 Sols]

    [Negative Field- 10,500 Sols]

    [ck Fire- 9500 Sols]

    [Dark Light- 4500 Sols]

    [Shadow of Hecatoncheires- 40,000 Sols]

    ¡­

    Browsing through the hundreds of dark spells, Altair was blown away by the various innovations that darkness could hold. Especially finding Negative Field spell that inverted space, making up down, and left-right, to the user''s sense of direction.

    "Fascinating!" he raved. Reviewing more and more spells, Altair had found he could even purchase cultivation if he so pleased. However, the price was heavily absurd.

    "So Tier One sorceries include all spells in the mortal realm. Then Tier Two would be the realm after that. Transcendent. And I possess¡­ enough authority to purchase such spells. Oh, I''m going to abuse the shit out of this. I wonder if I can purchase a pimpmobile?

    How would that even look? I feel silly even asking that." he snickered to himself, continuing on through the endless list of spells, weapons, armor, martial Arts, and more.

    Altair didn''t even notice that the sun had risen, approaching the time limit of twenty-four hours he''d given Vaiga and Hilda, until Talia awoke to remind him.

    He hopped up with a bloodthirsty smile. "Shall we see if I''ll have to burn Japan to the ground? I already slightly destroyed Mount Fuji."

 Chapter 240: Altairs Rebellion

    "I can''t believe we''re doing this," Hilda rebutted, approaching the throne room within the Pce of Stygian.

    "Nonsense, " said Toval Newmanl,repositioning his sses. He stopped, sliding an eye at the decor as beautiful as the gods themselves. "Lord ckwood is without a doubt a talent that needs to be cultivated."

    "He''s a third Circle."

    "So were you once upon a time. Did your government toss you to the wolves? Did they have you raped merely to conceive us a child of simr talent?" Toval smirked, looking at that incredulous face. "I assure you. If not for your family and the mere fact that we wanted to fully cultivate your talent. We might have."

    "He''s right," said Vaiga darkly. "They do the same thing in prisons. You''ve no idea the amount of talent housed within the underground prison. Cedric''s family is actually responsible for it. They encourage such action amongst the mongrels there. And once the men have nted their seed, the women are escorted out for nine months before they are shipped back for the process to repeat."

    "That''s sick¡­" Said Hilda.

    "It''s business," Toval remarked. "Why are you so surprised? We essentially do the same thing on the surface. It just has more steps. And the illusion of consent There is a reason, my dear, that marriage is such an umon practice amongst themoners. It''s quite an effective system."

    "So just because Altair has talent, we are going to give him what he wants?"

    Toval pped her. The blow had been quick, echoing down the halls. "It''s exactly that. Or did you think you were special in any other way? With the level of talent Altair possessed, we would have him fuck you if he so pleased. Learn your ce, Commander Strob.

    You are an amazing talent. But you are not Altair, who has received an S-Rank skill."

    Hilda bit her teeth, tasting the metallic tinge of blood zing down her tongue. She was still stunned, still reeling before the anger overflowed from her chest. Her Seven Circle lit the pce halls, shing across Toval like des of grass.

    "Enough," snapped Admiral Darkfire, noticing Talia standing patiently outside the Throne Room Doors. "Or did you all forget we are in Altairs Pce? I''m sure such a ce has the capability to kill us all. I saw it not only move quadrants but also create multiple stars and moons.Not to mention, a Soul King lives in thisnd. I might have gotten stronger, but so has she. And by a lot."

    Observing their every action while her master saw through her eyes, Talia remained poised outside the door. Neither smiling nor expressing much emotion, she said nothing towards the three as they approached and heralded them in addressing each of their names towards her Master.

    Altair studied Toval, an Eight Circle warrior. He was not impressed. Compared to Roxas, Davos, or Ignus, be it Toval''s aura, his poised demeanor, or his intent, all of it felt unnaturally weak.

    Toval was thoroughly shaken, weed by the ungodly Spiritual Pressure weighing on his soul like a mountain. He was stunned that such an aura was emanating from a boy, barely a man of the Third Circle.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 1%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 1]

    Strength: 605 ¡ú 900

    Dexterity:611 ¡ú860

    Constitution: 632 ¡ú880

    Wisdom:648 ¡ú 900

    Charisma: 600 ¡ú 900

    Mana: 250

    Despite not having ess to the Origin System for nine years, Altair had the Ninth Form with him as hispanion.

    Poised upon his throne, the Prince pulled his eyes away from Toval to Hilda. He frowned, opening his palm, conjuring a wisp of Vale Qi. That shattered into embers much like the invocation of a spell. It faded into the ether, forming into substance around Hilda, mending her busted lip in the blink of an eye.

    "Have some self-worth," he told her, gliding his eyes towards Vaiga with Endymion in her hand. The sword his Father had forged for him when he was but a boy, or so Tenebrae imed.

    The Prince nearly broke into a smile, barely controlling his emotions through the Soul of the Indomitable. He was thankful to his uncle, who had granted him such a skill. Without it, he was unsure what manner of monster he might have be.

    "Is that for our Lord," said Aurora in ce of her Master.

    Toval forced a smile, studying the shadows that wore their auras like cloaks. Despite his superior senses, they felt like ghosts.

    "We¡ª" Before he could answer, Altair was beside him, standing in front of Darkfire. Neither of them saw when he moved or how he moved. Whether it was a movement art or if he merely walked to her, they could not tell.

    Vaiga was especially startled, finding her throat dry as Altair offered out his arm. She gulped, cing the sheath de into his hand.

    And once again, he was on his throne. The ckened sword had already been slid out of its scabbard. The de was exquisitely forged, reaching a level of mastery it made Shadoww look like a simpleton inparison.

    Despite Tenebrae''s words, Altair could not sense the hells echoing from the de. Rather, he felt an incredible sharpness embedded in the de''s edge. He smiled, channeling neither mana nor Vale Qi but his spirit into the de.

    Endymion hummed, unveiling sword intent that seemed as transcendent as the lord gripping it. As if a sovereign God touched their ne of existence, a horrible sensation of authority fluttered the air as the Aspect of Rule locked space down. Holding everyone in ce, Hilda, Toval, and Vaiga stood petrified for so many different reasons.

    "Congrats, my Master," said his pale knights.

    "Rule," The Princemanded, clenching the handle of Endymion, overwhelmed by the synergy between sword and man as if the de was part of him. Vale Qi began to channel itself through the de without issue, creating a sort of ck me cloak around the de''s edge.

    "Seal"

    All light vanished, shattering into shards never to exist beneath his Rule. Beneath the endless night, he chuckled, that chuckling turning intoughter, as the light returned to normal with the retrieval of his Spirit from Endymion.

    "You did good, Hilda, Vaiga," Altair remarked, sliding Endymion back into his scabbard with a click! "With this sword, I should be able to reach new heights."

    Toval gulped. "Lord ckwood, might I ask what you intend to do now? Surely, a man of your power might want to settle down or¡ª"

    "I will be heading to Babels Tower in about six months. But before that, I think I''ll expand my kingdom."

    DING! DING! DING!

    Startled by the sudden chime of his Holocube, both Vaiga and To looked stunned as a virtual image appeared.

    "The Princess! The Princess! Princess Vaiana is dead! The killer is Ser Cedric¡ª" As eyes turned to Altair, his expression was as cold as Ice.

    "In the meantime¡­ I''ll conquer all of Earth¡­ and paint your rivers red. Ava, seal them."

    Light came from the heavens in the form of seven swords striking the earth around Hilda, Vaiga, and Toval in a single instance. Light sprang in a loop, forming a pentagram around the three, freezing them in time and space.

    Altair looked cold; sliding Endymion out of his scabbard,he shed without the slightest hint of hesitation, his sword matching his speed. It took off Toval''s head without the slightest deviation for hesitation.

    The stroke was so precise and swift no pain echoed through his mind as it cut to ck.His de pieced through the heart of Vaiga and Hilda thereafter before a fraction of a second passed. Explore more stories at §Þ??

    He was out of his throne room, moving towards the rift within the dining hall, collecting the three souls without a hint of emotion.He ignored the chime of his system, alerting him of the dozens of levels he obtained.

    Aurora followed after him, taken back. "I didn''t think you''d go so far."

    "I don''t have time for political games. Earth is weak. So I will take it as my own."

    "And Genesis."

    "If they want to stop me, they had better send a God."

    As Altair walked out of the Dimensional Rift, a hailstorm of gunfire came and stopped mid-air, as Aurora intoned Shadow Cage. Her Prince stepped out, ncing at all the humans with the Eyes of Sacrilege.

    One by one, the guns and des turned on each of the drones before the machines had the time to process what had happened. They were cut down.

    "And Syris, my Lord? What if¡ª"

    "She had a night to recover mentally. I don''t mean to force her hand, but if she''s smart, she''ll hurry to inform the GCA. She better work fast¡­ Or else no one will be alive by the time I''m done."

    "Master¡­ you''re quite the menace!" Said Talia,ughing. "Can I join?"

    "You can handle the Aros Family. You''ve got an hour to inform me of their extermination." Altair turned his eyes to the horizon.

    "ALTAIR!!!!!!"

    At the sound of the hor, two beams of light whisked from across the horizon, cutting through the battlefield. They arrived on one knee, their auras like fire and ice, harmonizing with the other.

    "Thanatos, Zagreus, rise."

    The two looked up, measuring the Spiritual energy radiating out of his body like a mountain, and obeyed.

    "It''s good to see you two. Very good indeed," Altair said warmly, patting the two on the shoulders. "Unfortunately, this isn''t the time for pleasantries. As of today, I am taking Earth as my own. I''ve just killed Vaiga and will attempt to summon her soon. A ninth Circle will do us well."

    Neither Thaan nor Zagreus showed much expression.

    "I want you two by my side as we storm the pce. Try not to kill too many people. After all, there are going to be my citizens soon. Now, shall wemence with my rebellion?"

 Chapter 241: Revenge

    "He touched me here, right?" Syris wondered from the Pce of Stygians'' luscious hot springs.Her fingers trailed towards the tips of her breast. "His other hand was here¡­ they were warm¡­ no, they were burning hot. Just like these water."

    Cheeks flushed beyond their material means. Syris stifled that moan as she''d done during their first year.

    He''d taken her from behind, tearing the clothes from off her back, savoring her naked neck.

    "ahhh~" her fingers mirrored his as he whispered beside her ear.

    ''What did he whisper again?'' she wondered, spreading her legs open in the spring waters. Her naughty fingers maliciously teasing her sweet spot until her moans became deep pants wet with saliva trailing down her chin onto her breast.

    He squeezed.

    "aah~yes~ahhh"

    She climaxed, groping one breast as his lips brushed against her neck,his fangs finding her carotid with exquisite ease.

    Syris opened her eyes, lifting her fingers that had been inside her to her lips. And tasted it as he''d had her done.

    "how do you taste?" he asked, throbbing down below.

    "please~dont~ren¡­ she''s"

    As Syris returned to herself, she pulled her fingers curled around her tongue out from her mouth and sighed.

    "I¡­ I shamelessly started calling him Art after that, didn''t I? Just like Reina¡­" She exhaled mournfully. "He must have been so hungry. So frustrated. So¡­ Gods, what am I doing? I''m touching myself to a memory.I''m such a slut¡­ a homewrecker!

    Ren, I''m so sorry. Truly! Art apologized and everything.

    "I understand his circumstances, but¡­ I didn''t stop him fast enough. I had the strength, too. I had the skill¡­ "

    Shaking her head, Syris dunked her head into the water and screamed. She screamed till her lungs dried,and her throat burned.Pearly tears merged with the spring as she howled to her heart''s content.

    She left the springs after an hour, smelling likevender, in a snow-white robe when she ran into Nia hurrying through the halls.

    " Why are you here?" Nia shook her head. "Never mind, just hurry and get changed; Master started a war with Earth. "

    "That Son of a Bitch!"

    *** Find more to read at M V L

    "Burn, Burn, Burn!" shouted Talia, cloaked in lightning, barreling from the ckened skies, decimating thend below in a tide wave of destruction. Towering structures turned to rubble, melting into magma, catching those lucky enough to escape the lightning.

    The men of the Aros estate were howling. Screaming like maidens surrounded by a pack of goblins.

    Ash billowed blinding mortal eyes, forcing hundreds to meet their end in ruthless oblivion.

    "Mama!!!Papa!!!It''s me!Your daughter Tania!Look, I''m back from the dead!I killed Olivia.I smashed that little cunts head over my boot. She went pop!I even recorded her getting smashed by her cousin. I made her scream my ringtone. Teehee, wanna listen? It was so sweet. I get so wet each time I hear it.

    A~ where''d the time go? Mama, Papa, before I skin you alive, do you wanna hear?

    Catelyn was in tears, watching it crumble to ash. Her home of nearly sixty years. Her children¡­ her, babes.

    "Don''t worry, papa. I''ll kill you quick.But mama. Talia thinks she is going to have you eat the charred remains until you pop and die.Teehee! Shall we start with my new baby brother? Seems the ash already snuffed him out."

    "Your¡­ Your¡­ You''re a demon!"

    Talia might haveughed had she not recalled the cruelty Catelyn once inflicted on her. The harsh words that made her gut drop at the time.

    ''How is such an ugly girl, my child? Go away. Hide yourself from the guess. What good are you? We can''t even sell such a thing? What man would touch you?''

    "But you made me like this," said Talia, tilting her head. "You abandoned me. You told me that no one would have me, even if I spread my legs open right before them." she straightened herself, walking down from the skies on a tform of lightning, lowering herself before her mother. "I guess none of that matters, huh?"

    Talia curled her fingers through Catelyn''s hair, ensnaring it in a casual moment of cruelty. She mmed her head into the ground. Then, curb-stomped her, kicking her in her face until her eye popped out of its socket. Her once pristine white skin turned from purple to ck, swelling as Catelyn kicked and screamed, balling her heart out. Her daughter didn''t stop.

    "Papa,e help daughter! Help her out, and Talia will kill you quickly. Let''s have fun together!"

    ***

    A few miles off the coast of Japan, Altair stood aboard a small star cruiser designed forary exploration. The cruisers were being piloted by several officers of Earth''s Imperial Army. Enthralled by the Eye of Sacrilege, they did his bidding without fail.

    Syris was brooding behind a white mask, standing before a hologram of the Reverend Mother. Despite being masked herself, her voice was filled with relief.

    "When you didn''t return. I feared the worst." The Reverend Mother eximed, clutching her heart. "Child, you scared me fiercely! I thought some man might have taken you. Your Soul Lamp still burns."

    "It''s a bit of a long story," said Syris bitterly. She didn''t want to talk about it with the Reverend Mother. At least not yet. "But I contacted you in order to ask for aid from the GCP. Altair here is starting a rebellion. And he is a citizen.

    Recognized by Genisis."

    "Oh?'' Said the Reverend Mother. "And what by chance is he offering us? The Aros family has served us well. So why¡ª"

    "The Aros Family is being exterminated as we speak," said Altair coldly. "As for what I''m offering? Well, I''m offering yound, or rather, I am offering Syrisnd. The GCP will have ess to much."

    ''You''d allow entry to unknown forces?"

    The Prince chuckled. "Unless you call forth a Transcendent and break the Shadow Promation, I have nothing to fear."

    The Reverend Mother did not look convinced. She folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. "Altair Earth has many weapons that can deal with Transcendent. It''s a very rich. And Genisis is sure to send an envoy to aid them in the midst of their rebellion."

    "You let me worry about that."

    ''You! Look here, boy. In war, there is no ce for¡ª" The Reverend Mother ate her words, feeling some intangible force lock onto her form countless parsecs away. She shook, startled by the spirit targeting her hologram.

    "My Name is Altair ckwood. Not Boy. You will do well to remember that. Transcendent, Diva, or whatever the hell you are. I assure you, you will die should you oppose me. Cut the connection, Syris."

    Syris obeyed without hesitation. She nced at Altair, propping down on a seat next to him. "What crawled up your ass?"

    "I don''t have the mental patience to deal with stupid questions. I''m already on the path of war. Warnings serve no use to me. Either you help me, or you stop talking to me."

    "Art¡­ I''ve been meaning to ask. Why do you want to create a kingdom so bad?"

    "It''s my calling. It''s what my mother raised me to be. What I spent all my time thinking about." He smiled, kicking his feet back, his spirit keeping watch like a construct that neither needed rest nor substance. "Plus, it''s fun. I like the process. I like the Politics."

    "Still¡­ you could have given me a heads up. You just started blowing shit up," said Syris removing her mask. The feel of it felt foreign now. "So? What is this trump card against Transcendents and Devas? Does your pce have a sort of super weapon?"

    "Maybe. I won''t be surprised, though it''s still recovering. But I''m sure you''ll find out once everything is over. What? You scared?"

    "As if! Not after the Lake of Rot," she eximed. "Nothing can scare me after that hell hole."

    "Good, I¡ª"

    Their eyes grew sharp as knives as their bodies rocked through the hull of the Cruzer as it detonated, exploding into a cluster of mes, following the beam of light that ripped through its hull like water.

    Altair and Syris stood on lightning respectfully, one of azure and the other of red. Opposed to them stood an entire squad of fourth to fifth-circle men draped in a hexagonal-patterned ck suit. They were all armed with firearms, hovering in the air through the use of their suits.

    "That''s a nanofiber-augmented suit," said Syris. "One of those suckers cost an arm and a leg, allowing the user to fight with a Ninth Circle in physicalbat."

    "Interesting. Well, this works out well for me." Altair mused as the Eye of Sacrilege hummed to life. The pupils convulse in a magical reaction, bringing luster to the sigils housed within.

    All ten of the men ate their guns, pulling the trigger without fault. A red mist swept the skies for a brief second as bodies, one after the other, dropped, hitting against the water.

    "Holy Shit!" Said Syris, ncing at Altair''s scarlet eyes. "That''s a bullshit ability."

    "Said the woman who could fuse just about anything she wanted. That''s far more of a bullshit ability than what I possess." The Prince snorted,manding a few Imp shadows to collect the suits off the bodies below. Even if a biometric system locked the Nano Suits, he was sure the Pce of Stygian could hack it.

    Altair collected the souls of the twelve men for his shadows to feed upon before giving his head a scratch. "Now, where the hell are we?" he looked around, squinting his eyes to find the nearest body ofnd.

    "Let me¡­" said Syris, lowering herself to the waters below.

    ''Elemental Sensery,'' she intoned in a whisper.

 Chapter 242: Valemorph

    "Did you notice it?" Thanatos asked, just outside Earth''s atmosphere. His words echo despite existing within a vacuum of space.

    "You mean Altair? Yeah. That look reminds me of the time I first met Zariel," said Zagreus. "Honestly, I''m not sure if it''s because of the Ninth Form or what happened these past five years, but he''s different."

    "Five Years isn''t a long time."

    "And that''s where we disagree. We were once gods who lived through multiple Chaos Cycles.We saw the death and rebirth of dao, the recreation of concepts. Our perception of time is skewed. A year is like an instance for us. But to Altair¡­ well."

    "Ah." Thanatos saw his point, nearly breaking out in a smile. "That might be the most coherent thing you''ve said since we were resurrected."

    "Piss off," Zag fired back. He rolled his eyes, studying the fleet within Earth Orbit. So blinding they appeared like stars as Mana zed like the nearby sun."Remember, Altair, what said, try not to kill."

    "I''ll only steal half their life force. It ought to be enough to propel me into a new physical realm." Thanatos raised a palm, his finger weaving into the runic crest of Death.

    "Life Steal," He intoned.

    ***

    Your journey continues at M V L

    "You look he jealous,'' Syris mused, brushing up on Altair''s shoulder as he pouted like a small child. "Finally recognizing my greatness?"

    "I just think it''s bullshit that you have such an understanding of the elements. And can use all of them."

    "I''m a Highborn Celestial. Celestial themselves have an insane affinity to time and space and a monstrous level ofprehension for the other elements." She said, gloating, after finding the closest northern continent in the blink of an eye.

    "Isn''t it hard toprehend so many elements?"

    "Is it hard to walk and talk?" Syris countered. She hung an arm over his shoulder. "Even in the Lake of Rot, my spirit wasprehending the elements there just like how you were trying to grasp the¡­" she leaned closer, her warm lips tracing the tips of his ears. "The Vale."

    Altair eye slid to her, "Keep that up, and I might visit your quarterster tonight."

    "You! Just go have one of your shadows! That Nia girl looks like she''d spread out for you if you ask." She hurriedly said, hurrying off him. "And what the hell happened to Honor?"

    Altair didn''t immediately answer. He was asking himself the same question. But ever since he entered the second stage of the Ninth Form, he felt so tired of it all. Yet it was his honor, his pride, that made him strong. It was pride that held him in check. That forced him to back down the night he had Syris in his arms.

    It was pride that made his mind strong, that purged the sensation of confusion, allowing him to stand tall even if he faltered at times.

    "If I am to have someone. It''ll definitely be you."Altair looked her straight in the eyes. She didn''t lower hers until she did, turning as bright as an apple created by the Goddess of Innocence, Idunn. "Come on. Let''s go. I''d like to make it to the capital before Talia finishes up with the Aros Estate."

    With his forces scattered, Altair didn''t have much time to make detours. And so, without hesitation, he took her by the waist as particles of light began to dance across his flesh.

    Despite the confusion in her heart, Syris noticed that her body weight vanished. She felt light, more than light, as the winds and salty waters swept through her body. She could feel the might of the Vale coursing from Altair''s powerful arms into her body, transfiguring it to match his will. A sin to do in the cultivation world, yet Syris did not react. Merely looking up at him with puzzlement.

    "If you blink, you''ll miss everything."

    Syris blinked, only to find herself once again above the Capital City of Zamphis. She recognized the city and recognized the familiar scent. But couldn''t fundamentally grasp what happened. One moment, they were over the Pacific, the next, the city.

    "It''s called Valemorph. An innate ability of my Physique: Fallen Moon Imperfection."

    [Valemorph]

    Active: Allows the user to manipte all aspects of the body to their will, so long as he/she has an active understanding of its properties.

    "Using Vale Qi, I turned our bodies into photons and moved forward. I''m a little thankful for my omnipotence. Or else I might have missed when to stop. We were moving at the speed of light just now. I learned that one from Roxas."

    "Y-Y-Y-Y-You turned into light particles? No, you turned us into light?"

    "Badass, aren''t I? With Valemorph, I can turn into whatever I want. Be they sentient or not. Vaperous energy. No prob. Light?

    Just did it. Fire? Simple. It''s quite easy. Although, for some reason, I still need to turn Mana into Vale Qi. And it''s insanely draining."

    Altair opened the Circle of Gluttony only to wince at the dryness of Earth''s atmosphere. Compared to his pce, Earth seemed more barren than an eighty-year-old whore.

    Syris looked at him in utter disbelief. "W-W-What the hell are you?"

    "A Bad Bitch. A baddy for short."

    "Fuck off!" She tried to punch him in a moment of infuriation, but Altairughed, ducking under her straight punch. Flicking her left tit.

    "I call that the titty flicker! Hitting his bad, Syris."

    The youngss turned red as a grueling fire zed in her chest. "I''ll kill¡ª''

    With a finger ced on her mouth, Altair looked towards the towering castle far in the distance. The Sunset Pce, as it was known, stood as tall as the highest mountain in all thends. It zed like an eternal torch upon the horizon like a second sun.

    "My own is better¡­"

    Gripping her chest, Syris pursed her lips. "I like that one better. It''s bigger."

    "My own has an entire world on the inside."

    "But it''s not big." Syris teased, iming a small victory by the offended expression he was giving her. She couldn''t hold it in, bursting intoughter in the skies.

    Altair might have dropped her if she didn''t already know how to fly. "Whatever. Let''s just get this over with." he snapped his finger, and from the void, Cedric appeared in a pulsation of space.

    Lightningshed across space, acting as a tform, as he bowed. "I''ve brought what you asked of me." Reaching into his robe, Cedric revealed a substantial crystal shard nearly twelve inches tall. "A Ninth Tier Mana Shard. Only twelve exist on Earth. With my family owning one."

    "Is that how you n on summoning Vaiga?" Syris wondered.

    "Yes. Vaiga''s Mana Attribute outstrips me by quite a bit. It''s nearly triple what I possess, which is what really matters. If I summon her using all my Mana as I am now. I sense I would be able to summon her, but her potential would not be a fraction of what it could be. Her stats and attributes might mirror my own."

    Altair looked around, counting the few snipers. He signaled for Cedric before opening a Dimensional Rift to the Serpents Outreach.

    Cedric stood guard by the Rift, gripping his spear with hardened eyes.

    Inside the Rift, within his Pce, Altair teleported himself and Syris to the training grounds, where he knew no one would bother him.

    When it came to Cedric, Altair wasted nearly two-thirds of his reserves in a single instance since he was of a higher circle, retaining all his stats. A feat Altair held dearly in his heart. Most of his Shadows carried the same level of power as their brothers and sisters. The only difference between them was their innate skills and mindsets.

    "Syris, can you monitor my vitals? Ava will grant you a droplet from the Caelem Springs should I appear on the verge of death. Just feed it to me."

    "I think you''re underestimating yourself," said Syris. "Your control over Mana has already surpassed the level of mortal understanding. You''ll be fine." she shot her thumbs up, flopping to her bottom.

    The Prince chuckled. It was surprising how weak the people of Earth truly were. It was especially true when he recalled Davos. The one who had humbled him in such a way he felt shame recalling the matter.

    None of the other Soul Kings had ever made him feel so defenseless. Roxas was strong, and his Domain seemed nearly impossible to defend against, but It was only Davos who seemed on an entirely different level.

    "Yeah¡­ You''re probably right. Still¡ª"

    "Yeah-Yeah. I got your back. Just like before," said Syris, pressing her palms over herp. She stared with poised focus.

    The Prince lifted the 9th Mana Shard to his heart. His eyes closed, and his Domain expanded, reaching into the azure shard. And in a fleeting moment, memories of countless years came and went, flickering across his mind, sinking into the ck Lake of his soul.

    The memories were fierce, fueled by a deep, seething hatred that he knew too well. Through his mind''s eye, he saw her life. Her nearly hundred years of life flickering by from start to finish.

    [Soul of Vaiga Darkfire assimted]

    "You truly are one in a million," The Prince mused, beginning to channel the Mana into his meridians up towards his Three Circles.

    "A powerful warrior like yourself blessed by my Mother with the shard of the Primal Sword. You will make a most excellent Sword Maid after the crazed Talia.

    A/N: Chapter 95

    He grinned, feeling his meridians ready to explode.

    "Arise, Vaiga Darkfire. Arise Anew."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 243: The Primal Sword

    If she was honest with herself, Syris might have admitted she was worried. Even if Altair had unnatural control over his mana, all it took was a single mistake, apse in judgment, or a single distraction that could lead to his death.

    The Ninth Grade Shard in his hand was breaking apart, falling into small colorless shards that shattered into small fragments at the slightest touch.

    Syris watched it all, watched the sweat seep from out his pour. She felt the hammering of his heartbeat through the vibration of the ground and felt the harsh storm of mana coiling around him, diving into his meridians like a wild storm.

    His hair was iling, flitting back and forth with the flow of the mana. It wasn''t until half an hour had passed that Altair opened his eyes. The shard in his palm copsing into small fragmented dust.

    "Arise, Vaiga Darkfire. Arise Anew."

    From his shadow, she emerged, slightly changed from the other shadows. Her skin wasn''t the pale grey like the other''s but retained its sultry white hue. It was only her hair that changed, transitioning to an ashenplexion.

    ''Strange?'' The Prince thought, observing the subtle way her shoulders moved. He sensed anger¡­ betrayal, and more.

    It was forced as if she was fighting with herself, but with her flesh bare for all to see, Vaiga fell to her knees, tears bubbling in her eyes. She clenched her teeth, tasted the metallic sweetness of blood coiling around her tongue, and gritted out, "I greet you¡­ Master."

    She was red, flushed with a humiliation that curled her gut.

    "Look at me," hemanded.

    Vaiga lifted her head, ring daggers at him. She flinched when he raised a palm.

    "Rx¡­ I''m not that type of Master," He remarked in a soothing tone, betrayed by that indifferent expression. He cupped her chin, appraising her with a curious eye. "I''m not sure what I like more. The pale skin or the white?"

    "She''s sultry. You know, kind of tan but not too much,'' said Syris. "And can you put some clothes on her?"

    "Oh¡­ Right, most of my Shadow resurrected with what they were wearing. Vaiga is the only one who didn''t. Only one who retained their skin color and eyes, too. I don''t like it. That beautiful pale grey was sexy as¡ª"

    Covering his mouth lest he continue spouting nonsense, Syris pulled a cloak from out of Draupnir, cloaking the maiden trembling like a frightened fawn. When she jumped back away from Altair, tickling her palm with his tongue. She blushed.

    "Perv."

    "Keep your hands to yourself, and I won''t do it." He smirked, ncing down at Vaiga without much concern. "I saw your entire life, Vaiga. You''re younger than I originally thought. Much younger.Stand up. Good. I know you''ve no love for Earth''s major powers.

    Personally, I don''t me you. They''ve tried to assault you quite a few times. Sadly, this is the culture of his.

    Vaiga chewed her lip, unable to even look at her Master. She felt so exposed that it made her skin sticky with shame.

    "Don''t cry. It won''t aplish much¡­ this is a reality that you must face. Now. Have you retained any of my skills?"

    She nodded.

    "Speak."

    "Yes."

    "You will address me as My Lord or Master when we are before people. Whatever you call me in private between us will be our business. Do you understand?"

    Vaiga lifted her glistening eyes, seething baleful hate. She might have looked more intimidating had she not been barely clothed. "I understand¡­ Master."

    "Good. Now answer my question."

    "I''ve retained all of them, my Lord," said Vaiga, dropping her head low. Unsure if she could do this.

    ''She is sired to me but isn''tpelled. How interesting," Altair thought. "Is it because her soul is stronger than mine, or is it because she passed a particr threshold?''

    Either way, it went, Altair was quite interested in the result.

    Tossing Shadoww towards her, he mirthlessly grinned. "You will be my Second Swordmaid; you will handle my daily needs. Don''t worry. I''ve no interest in forcing myself on a woman."

    Syris coughed then, recalling that night quite vividly.

    "That was an ident! I lost control once! I even apologized."

    "It still happened."

    "And it wasn''t forced¡­ If I remember correctly¡­ You didn''t say stop until¡ª"

    "I know what I did." Syris mewled, shrieking back like a frightened cat. She snorted, puffing her flushed cheeks. "No need to bring it up again."

    "As I was saying,'' Altair intoned. "You will hold my sword from now on and will correspond my daily needs to my various vassals and servants. However, your biggest job will be to fight when I don''t want to or have to. You may also keep the Shard of the Primal de mother gave you. It''s yours."

    Vaiga was taken by surprise. "Really?"

    "I''m not so greedy that I would steal from one of my servants. I¡ª" Unloading a mouthful of blood over the ground, Altair winced, turning slightly pale for a brief second before his Ashen Blood mended his swollen meridians.

    "Altair!" Syris screamed, appearing by his side in an iridescent sh.

    The Prince wiped the blood off his mouth, ignoring the faces of worry. He shook his head, rising to his feet. "Just a bit of bad blood is all. I''ll be good once I recover my mana. I''m really low right now. Unfortunately, I don''t have the time to patiently recover.

    Vaiga, using Shadoww, I want you tomand destruction upon Earth. Wipe out all those who oppose me."

    Vaiga bit her lips, drawing blood. "Can I refuse?"

    "You can. But It won''t change mymand. Let''s go." Altairmanded, issuing her some clothing from out of his ring before snapping his finger and teleporting them to the outside world.

    Manless drones surrounded them, each of them armed with Lazguns and Lazswords, fully capable of wiping out a if one wasn''t careful. The king had banned such weapons due to their destructive nature. It was said that if a Lazsword were to fall at a perfect angle, it could potentially prate through the multipleyers ofEarth''s crust, striking at the core and destroying the.

    Before a Lazweapon, killing a ninth Circle or Transcendent was a simple task, assuming the user could actually hit a ninth circle.

    "Stay back, my Master," said Cedric, lifting his spear.

    "Vaiga¡­"

    "Yes¡­ My Lord," said Vaiga, watching the life she had built for nearly a century vanish. She moved, vanishing in a blur of white light, shrieking through the airway above. She closed her eyes, picturing a scene held within the Fragment of the Primal Sword.

    She saw it then: a man carrying a tainted ck halo and two fiery ck wings. The world around him was burning, zing with mes so intense that space and time distorted, inverting on itself. In the stranger''s hand hung a sword intertwined with ck and azure colors. He was pointing it towards the skies, splitting apart the tainted red heavens, showering thend with red.

    With her body mirroring the unnamed stranger, Vaiga lifted Shadoww into the skies, and for an instance that seemed tost a decade, the sun and moon splintered off their axis, severed in half by an unseemed force that split the skies of Zamphis.

    Primal Death: Nexus

    The blinding light that tapered the heavens swallowed the entire northern hemisphere, splitting mountains and buildings alike that stood taller than her in the skies. Be the man or animal, drone or Star Cruzer, all that stood in the skies were split apart before her de.

    Altair had only seen a sort of halo emerge from around Shadoww, expanding like the hiss of a de across space. He was in awe for a while, taken back by the level of destruction caused by such a technique.

    None had been spared, not even the pce of sunset. He wondered how many she killed with that one technique.

    "What the hell was that?" Syris asked.

    "I could teach it to you." the Prince said, sneaking up beside her ear. "Come by my chambers tonight. And I''ll be sure to teach you the basics."

    Syris had half a mind to believe him. If not for that sneaky smile, she might have. "Liar."

    "To lie is to sin; am I a sinner, Syris?"

    She pointed to Vaiga. "Didn''t you kill her in cold blood?"

    "Only with the intention of bringing her back. Now she gets to live out her days in joy."

    "... she''s lowkey a ve.''

    ''She''s a worker. A pal, doing me a favor."

    Altair face was looking really punchable right now, or so Syris told herself, snorting. "You''re insane."

    "Well? What do you think? I''m sure we can get the basics down by dawn if we start tonight."

    "You''re serious?"

    "As God as my witness."

    "Which God?"

    ''Pick one."

    The pale-eyed girl snorted beforeughing. "We''ll see."

    Altair narrowed his eyes, "so you say."

    "I''ve done it, master," said Vaiga. There was no joy on her face. Today had marked the day she sessfully executed a named sword art, yet she didn''t feel joy.

    The Prince ignored her expression. "Now then, shall we Conquer Earth?"

    "We''ll die," said Vaiga darkly. "Even with me¡­ even if I''m stronger. You''ll stand no chance. You should know that. We have machines as strong as transcendents."

    "Let me worry about that, my dear sword maiden."

 Chapter 244: Execution

    The People of Earth were screaming, blinded by the mes, rising and falling in the form of ash from the ensuing chaos. Cruzers alongside skyscrapers were falling like meteorites all across the northern hemisphere, killing hundreds of thousands.

    It had all happened so quickly. A halo of sword light came, severing all whom it graced in the skies to dust, leaving the buildings to fall on the people below. In a single moment, destruction swept the, leaving bitterness in Vaiga''s chest.

    She had been conditioned since birth to protect her even if she didn''t like it. Even if they constantly betrayed her¡­ Earth was her home. It was the ce she never wanted to see burned. Yet now¡­ the skies had turned ck from debris. Sirens around Zemphis were zing, echoing a lone cry for the people to seek shelter.

    Vaiga was in tears, taking it all in. Only now grasping the Level of destruction she brought. She covered her mouth, nearly dropping Shadoww.

    "Beautiful, isn''t it," her master asked. He patted her shoulder, sending jitters throughout her body. His touch was like honey against her skin.

    "Monster¡­" she cried.

    "Why? Because a few people died?" He chuckled. Hisugh was as smooth as whiskey, crawling down her skin as she felt his will tease the deepest regions of her being. "It''s curious, isn''t it? For a woman who hated the customs of Earth, the way it treated your gender whenpared to Genesis and other worlds, you genuinely seem upset such trash perished. Are you a masochist?"

    Vaiga palmshed out, but Altair caught it. "I will let this transgression pass, but there won''t be a second time. Get your head in the game," he said, letting her palm go; he turned his attention towards the Pce of Sunset. "I''m tempted to kill every nobleman, but that''ll do more harm than good. Cedric send word to all the nobles about the state of the Aros Estate. Show them what Talia is doing.

    Let them understand what it means to side against me."

    "As youmand, my Lord,'' he vanished, thereafter, whisked away in a blinding sh.

    The Prince slowly made his way toward the Pce of Sunset, which had been split in half. He sighed, conjuring Nia the moment his feetnded at the threshold. "Capture all of the politicians so that they can be made my thrall. I will deal with the King and Queen."

    Nia bowed. "Might I have a team of fifty demons?"

    He gave it to her, conjuring them out from his shadow, before sending her off while he made his way into the pce marred by the chaos. There was blood everywhere. Several maidsy bleeding out, some trapped beneath various iron beams. Those had been the lucky ones, with various men and women who had been caught in the copseid mutted beyond recognition.

    There was so much noise Altair couldn''t hear his thoughts as Vaiga made a path for him with the wisk of her sword.

    "Are you going to have me kill the other two Ninth Circles?" she asked as she led him towards the throne room.

    "Yes¡­ and you going to eat their soul. I''m curious about something. So let''s experiment a bit."

    "And after that?"

    It was Syris who looked at her with a growing frost in her eyes. "It will seem this one doesn''t know her ce."

    "It''s fine¡­ she likes her freedom. I''m sure we can both rte to that." Altair mused. "But you are indeed right. Don''t worry, Vaiga. Until I get more Sword Maids, you will alternate each day with Talia. I n to have seven in total, one for each day of the week."

    "All women?" Syris asked.

    "Not to sound sexist, but¡­"

    "But you''re going to anyway. "

    "Of course. I''d rather look at a woman all day than a man. No offense. It''s probably why I''ve more female Shadows than male¡­ huh? I lowkey just noticed that. Damn.

    Ya boy Altair was pimping before¡ª"

    "That''s enough of you,'' said Syris, resisting the urge to bonk him on the head. She looked at him with half a smile, twirling a finger through a lock of her silvery hair. She was smiling, amused by something. "How did Ren not notice that?"

    "She brought it up many times. I just never put much thought into it at the time. Nine Years gives a man a lot of time to think. A shame, really."

    ''Just what the hell did the ninth form do to his mind¡­'' Syris wondered, stopping in her tracks. She looked ahead towards the butler outside the throne room. He was bleeding from the head, clearly injured, but he had a smile on his face.

    "Altair ckwood, I presume?" he asked.

    The Prince nodded.

    "Right this way," he said, pushing open the doors. Altair entered, attended by Vaiga, warily looking around.

    Upon the throne of gold, she sat in a white dress marred by debris. Beneath her heels, the head Altair recognized to be the king, severed by what seemed like a sword.

    "I must thank you¡­ You gave me such a good opportunity to kill that useless bastard." Queen Lyvina said, flitting her golden hair to the side. She lifted her lips into a formal smile. "Shall I reward you?"

    "Would could you offer?" Asked the Prince calmly, taken in the ruined throne that looked like it was about to fall apart. The ceiling had long copsed, leaving mes caused by electrical wires to ignite.

    "You can have the throne? I''ll be more than happy to marry you," she said brightly.

    "Vaiga¡­ go kill the two Ninth Circles."

    Queen Lyvina looked startled, but before she could voice aint, Vaiga vanished in a whooshing sound.

    "Now, why would I marry a woman who made his king be known as the cucked king? From what I heard, three men each had a piece of you."

    A/N: 114

    "Oh! I heard of that." Syris suddenly remembered. "After you vanish. There was another incident of her enjoying the pleasure of wolves. Especially werewolves."

    Altair looked disgusted. "Woman, you need God. I think I''ll pass on marrying you."

    Queen Lyviana was outraged. "Are you so arrogant that you believe that through force, you can conquer Earth?"

    "Are you seriously trying to talk me out of this? Lyviana, I think we are past that, don''t you? The entire northern hemisphere is in chaos. Hundreds of thousands are dead. Millions by now. No way anyone could just ignore that."

    Lyviana smiled, but her eyes were cold and narrowed. She was ready to explode. "Then you would choose death? Are you¡ª"

    "You''re an eight-circle, right? Despite not looking injured. You''re hurt. Badly at that. Why not just surrender? Personally, I don''t really care what happens to you.

    Leave Earth, go have your fun in a zoo, or whatever you like being fucked by. I don''t care. But you can''t be Queen."

    "You''re delusional if you think I''ll ever back down. I''m Lyviana! I¡­ "

    As Lyviana went off on a tangent, Altair patiently waited, asionally flitting through his Shadow eyes to grasp the various situations. By the time he''d finished, Lyviana had just about wrapped up her speech.

    "... I will burn this world before I allow it to fall into your hands. Once that traitor Vaiga is dead, you''ll be next."

    Altair smirked, ncing towards his lift as she reemerged all bloodied, her ashen hair a bit haggard and her robes lined with a few cuts. But she was without injury.

    "How is it possessing all that power? I''m sure with my Level of skill; you can finally execute the Primal Swords'' Second Art. Imperious Rain."

    Vaiga did not respond, clutching Shadoww even tighter.

    "I-im-impossible," shouted Lyviana, turning as pale as a ghost. She practically began screeching at the top of her lungs, "Lynix! Lynix! Help me! Help me!!! Kill them!"

    Startled by the sudden fluctuation stretching across space, Altair''s domain narrowed on a slight disturbance around him. He lept back as space splinted in two around the area where he was stationed.

    ''Domains are stupidly strong. It really gives a new meaning to perception. Doesn''t it.'' The Prince thought, pivoting backward in quick session as someone tried to cut him down through spacial maniption.

    "Vaiga!" Hemanded.

    In a blinding sh, Vaiga took off, escaping his perception as she tore through rubble above the Queen, shing against something hidden away. The force of the blow was so powerful that the shockwave shook the damaged pce and tore the Queen off her throne, rocketing her toward Altair and Syris.

    "Master, what do I do? I can''t win against¡­"

    "Woman, you aren''t human. I''m pretty sure you can handle a transcendent. Stop your panicking and concentrate on the skills I possess. You''ve got foresight, primal instincts, my swordsmanship, my domain, and my damn movement art. Even if you can''t win, you should be able to hold them off."

    Shaken to her core, Vaiga''s eyes rested on the metallic android,monly known as Lynix, blocking her sword with its palm. The android was nearly seven feet tall, appearing quite humanoid in more than one way. But it was hollow. Its eyes were dead.

    "Was it your n the entire time to have me fight this damn thing?"

    Altair ignored her, drawing in on the Queen, who had been sted towards his feet like a rag doll. She was coughing up blood, bleeding from several orifices, as she looked dourly at the Prince. Her eyes seething hate.

    "Why? Why are you doing this? Aren''t you an Earthling?"

    The Prince did not dignify her with an answer. He slid Endmiyain out of its scabbard, narrowing his indifferent eyes.

    "Answer me! ckwood! Why!!!!" She screamed, vomiting a mouthful of blood. Tears swelled through her eyes as she looked up at the Prince, unable to understand. "Are we not your king and Queen? Were we not kind to you?"

    ''Vaiga''s sword must have really drained her¡­'' he thought, sensing he might have underestimated the techniques held within the Shard of the Primal Sword. ''I wonder if the damage is a lot worse than I initially thought as well.''

    "Altair¡­ please¡­ don''t kill me¡­" Tearing the clothing off her back, revealing her naked breasts, Lyviana''s tongue lulled out, "I''ll let you do anything you want to me. You can have me any which way. You can¡ª-"

    ''Altair, look out!" Syris suddenly squealed.

    But the Prince did not remove his eyes from off Lyviana at the sudden emergence of another Lynix. He smiled, not even bothering to defend himself, as a palm reached out from the void, grabbing the android''s arm and squeezing it so tightly that its metallic arm ruptured in half.

    "I thought you might wait until I was half dead,'' said the Prince. "How''ve you been Tasha?"

    "tsk¡­ so you knew I was here?"

    Altair chuckled. "Of course.My deal with Astaroth still stands. You can''t risk me dying."

    The Lilim fashioned a palm through her jet-ck hair, which curled well past her shoulders,nearly reaching her bottom. A teasing smile yed at the edges of her seductive lips as her eyes dangerously narrowed.

    "you smell different¡­ you''ve got a man''s stench now."

    "And a man''s hunger, " he replied, shing his de over the Queen''s neck, amputating her head from her shoulders.

    [Level up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level up]

    [Level Up]

    ¡­

    "I trust you''ll handle the rest of these androids?"

    "Perhaps if you treat me to dinner, " said Tasha.

    "deal," Replied the Prince, opening a rift to the Pce of Stygian.

 Chapter 245: History

    The subjugation of Earth was a lot easier than he thought. The eartheners were like defenseless cattle but fell much like grass amidst the farmer''s scythe. Try as they could, they fell and died one by one.

    With the extermination of the two transcendent Androids Tasha took care of, there wasn''t much that could stand in the way of the Prince.

    The world was in Chaos. Rebellions containing various militias were rising across several continents in the hopes of fending off the sudden attack that took the Northern Hemisphere by storm.

    Despite a mere twelve hours passing, Altair had not bothered to make a statement as of yet.

    He was letting the earthlings cook while Cedric and Vaiga dealt with the nobles, with Aurora coordinating with them to target particr individuals who held above-average authority on Earth.

    "In about a month¡­ I ought to have full control of Earth''s defenses. By the second month, rebellions should be wiped out. Still, there''s going to be a lot of work. I feel sorry for Aurora. Still¡­ I''m leveling like crazy. By the time six months pass, I should be ready for Babel''s Tower." Giving his arms a stretch overlooking the terrace of his room, Altair yawned, flopping onto his bed.

    "A quick nap, and I''ll go tease¡­ Syris."

    He was awoken by the faint disturbance of someone poking at his cheek.He moaned, turning the other way.

    "Art¡­ what the hell?You don''t even like sleeping, " muttered Syris, giving his shoulder a shrug, "oooiii, teach me that sword art move. Ooooiii"

    Altair groaned, opening his groggy eyes, slowlying into focus.He nearly jumped, finding Syrisyered in so many trench coats she looked like a giant bowling ball.

    "What the hell? Syris?"

    It had taken him a while to catch on as he erupted intoughter."Oh shit!Did you seriously put all that on just toe train with me?"

    "in my defense, " said Syris, ring her nostrils. " You can''t be trusted."

    "I''m offended," replied the Prince with a posh undertone. "the only things I can see are your fingertips and face. I bet you can''t even grip your dagger."

    "Can too! It''s¡­ it''s just a little more difficult to¡ª"

    "take it off. All of it."

    Syris''s cheeks red into two puff balls as she hopped off the bed, slowly rolling into a wall.

    "... Need help?"

    no

    "you sure because it¡ª"

    "I got it¡­" She muttered,asking herself why she was even here in the den of night.

    ''I should just go¡­ it was inappropriate for me to be here anyways. If Ren saw me, what would she even say?''

    "You''re making that face again. What useless thoughts are you having? Hurry up and get changed. You already woke me up. No turning back now. Don''t you know it''s a sin to wake up a man from his slumber?Especially a future king?"

    Wiggling herself out of a fewyers,Syris rolled her eyes at him. "again. You don''t even like sleeping."

    "I get sleepy whenever I use Ashen Blood. It''s a minor drawback," he exined before helping her shed a few moreyers. By the time they were done, Syris was in her battle robes.

    "See?Much better."

    Nervously, the young girl sat up, tightening her robes with a crooked smile.

    Quick to sense the nervous tension running across her shoulders, heughed. "Rx. It''s just training. We did it a bunch back in the Lake of Rot."

    "We were blindfolded. You couldn''t see anything."

    "true¡­then how about this¡­ if you ever feel ufortable during our session. Say stop, and I''ll stop. You''ve my word on that."

    Syris felt a little better, though her heart ached with a sudden sensation of anxiety and anticipation. When she straightens herself up, standing firm, pushing down unnecessary thoughts.

    "The sword technique Vaiga used is called Nexus. Named after the Sixthyer of hell. Created by the Fallen Angel of Death Azazel after his fall from grace."

    Such knowledge hadn''te from Vaiga''s memories but the knowledge held within his blood after mating with Reina for the first time. The process of limation had been slow, but the power and knowledge held within all Nephilims was coursing through Altairs viens.

    "Ok¡­"

    "No questions?"

    "Nope¡­"

    "You sure? You''re clearly nervous."

    "No¡­ no, I''m not.'' She turned her head.

    "Do I make you nervous, or is that excitement I''m sensing?"

    ''Excitement," Syris was quick to say, nibbling at her lip. She might have even looked bashful if her eyes weren''t so fierce.

    "Thene here. Let me show you how your energy should flow," he offered a palm.

    Syris stared at his hand and hesitated before epting it. She felt him pull her in, his palm wrapping around her waist. Her heart quickened, and her breath caught itself. Butterflies filled her belly as she stared up at him, measuring his height.

    "Are you ready?"

    "Umn."

    Channeling a sliver of Mana into her meridians, he began directing it through her in an intricate manner. It was as if he was creating within her a magical circuit in the hopes of chanting a spell. Syris felt her body begin to heat up as the foreign Mana began connecting within her body before it left her pores, drawing her into the cold.

    "Did you memorize it?"

    "One more time," said Syris softly, trying to calm her heartbeat. She wondered if he could hear it pounding against her chest. It was so loud.

    Badump! Badump! Badump!

    "One more time," replied the Prince gently, channeling his Mana into her once more.

    Syris felt the warmth return. It was warmer than before¡­stronger, filling her meridians as if to im it as its own.

    "It''s hot¡­" she muttered, teary-eyed, gasping for air. Her chest was aching with sweat pouring out the surface of her skin. "Art¡­"

    "Did you memorize the pattern?"

    Syris shook her head, a little embarrassed. How could she know it had taken Vaiga nearly seven years to grasp the flow of Mana? And even then, she only seeded after an instance of enlightenment as one of Altair Shadows.

    "Just a little longer then¡­'' He said seriously, observing the way Syris began to mimic his Mana, falling short. He stopped after an hour, catching the young maiden as she copsed in his arms, gasping for air.

    "Ava, get us some wine."

    "What¡­What¡­ about¡­ water¡­" Syris said with great effort.

    Altair only tossed her onto the bed to rest,ughing, and said, "Who the hell drinks water when we could drink wine."

    The wine and two sses materialized in his palm. He poured some out for Syris, offering her the ss.

    The young girl practically swallowed the entire ss, gasping for dear life, only to realize the slight buzzing of the wine against her tongue. "It''s good!"

    "Of course, it''s good. I drink it, don''t I?" The Prince sat beside her, savoring his ss. He stole a nce, observing the way her soaked robes clung to her skin.

    "Hmmm. Another."

    "It''s strong. Be careful, or you might just end up spending the night." he teased, pouring her another ss.

    Syris only stuck her tongue out. " You wish."

    "Or perhaps you wish it."

    "I would never betray Reina like that. You remember her, right? I noticed it before¡­ but you don''t talk about her. Why? In the nine years we were trapped, you brought her up four times."

    "I don''t like to think of Ren¡­ it makes me antsy, to say the least. My emotions don''t die down anymore. So everything I feel for Ren typicallyes back all at once, usually resulting in¡­" He pointed towards arge bulge threatening to tear through his trousers.

    Syris felt her stomach dipping as a knot caught itself in the back of her throat. And once again, her heart began to hammer against her chest.

    "Then the time you attacked me¡­"

    "Now, that was hardly an attack, Said Altair mildly. " As far as I remember, your cunt was as wet as a¡ª"

    She covered his mouth, spilling the wine. "Don''t you dare say it!"

    Altair ignored the way she had mounted him in order to cover his mouth, merely sliding a palm over her supple waist, iming a small victory she couldn''t even see just yet.

    "That was humiliating."

    "How so?" He said through the gaps of her fingers. "It''s just us here. That was probably the best time I ever had in the Lake of Rot. Oh, I lied. Didn''t we also kiss that one time¡­"

    Syris''s arms began to tremble. "That¡­That¡­that¡­ was because I was nearly going crazy! Ok! You weren''t talking to me. It was hell! For an entire six months, you refused to even look at me.

    I''m sorry if I had a mental breakdown. But That ce¡­ That hellhole was maddening!"

    Tears had begun to fall as Altair cupped her cheek, bellowing a great sigh. "You know why I did that."

    Leaning her head onto his chest, Syris shuddered for a while before peeping up at him. "I still hated it. And I hated you for a while."

    "Do you still hate me now?"

    She nodded.

    "Liar." he chuckled, flicking her nose.

    "Ouch!"

    Holding her by the waist, Altair suddenly snickered. "You''re a bad kisser, by the way. No tongue or nothing; I was rather embarrassed for you. "

    "You arrogant piece of shit!" she snapped, hammering her small fist against his chest.

    And without warning, Altair pressed his lips against hers, drawing her in as his palm pressed the back of her head.

    Syris struggled for a bit, jerking her head back. "Ren¡­ I¡­I¡­"

    Once more, his lips touched against her, his tongue invading her mouth as she squirmed breathlessly, melting into his arms like a fawn in the presence of a tiger.

    Syris closed her eyes, giving herself to him if only for a night.

 Chapter 246: Syris**

    In the fleeting moment of submission, Syris felt weak. She felt warm, pressed tightly against his chest.

    She was breathless by the time the Prince broke their kiss, his lips wet with her saliva. While hers was swollen and plump and ripe for the taking.

    "Now, wasn''t that better?"

    Slightly panting, Syris pressed her lips against his.He tasted like wine as her tongue mimicked his technique, sucking him in. She shuddered when his palm cupped her bottom,clutching it firmly like he was marking his territory.

    ''Mhh~''

    She could feel his fingers reaching through her robes, touching her bare skin,savoring her like a delicate piece of meat.

    She liked it.

    "How''s it feel?" He inquired as they kissed,enamored by those pale blue sapphire-like eyes of hers. They were glistening with guilt,shame, and excitement.

    "I feel hot¡­" she muttered, lying on his chest,panting,sweating more heavily than when he was imparting knowledge. She was flushed,her mind in a daze as his palm groped her lower half.

    "I''ve never seen such a lewd expression over your face like that, " Altair expressed,slowly peeling off her robes until she was in her undergarments. She didn''t wear a bra today but had a thin,ced red thong.

    "What are you going to do to me?" Syris whispered in a bashful manner,resting on his embrace as he devoured her sulent image.

    He had a palm around her breast, the other between her legs, gliding it up and down her clit,teasing her little cunt until it quivered and pursued.

    "Urg~" covering her mouth to hide her moans,she looked at Altair, smiling back at her.

    "Does it feel good?"

    "Hmm~ no~ ah~ Not~even~aahhh~ a~a~h~h~h." Squeezing her legs shut at the sudden stimtion, Syris''s hip jumped with exhration as Altair''s touch grew all the more vigorous.

    Her pants broke into moans that could not be stopped as his finger kneed the tip of her breast. Fiddling with it as though it was a marble.

    They were smaller than Reina but softer, with a suppleness that was irresistible.

    Syris squirmed, reeling like a fish out of water as her toes began to curl. "Hah ~ Art~ahh~its~ ahhh~gods~ it''sing~" Echoing lewd moans she never knew she had Syris tongue lulled out as a geyser of sweet honey shot out from between her legs several meters in the air falling like rain.

    "That the girl," he whispered beside her ear, patting her sweet spot throbbing like a heartbeat.

    "I came¡­ to¡­ another woman''s¡­ man," mewled Syris with a crooked smile,spreading her legs wide, watching Altair''s fingers slowly begin to stimte her insides. She lit up, turning a brighter shade of red.

    She could barely breathe, drooling over herself as he suckled at her breast like a babe.

    Syris''s eyes began to roll as she felt herself being devoured alive, melting into his embrace as the words she never thought possible echoed from her lips.

    "Fuck me," she demanded,twirling in his embrace. Her loins were on fire, demanding something more.

    Suddenly,Altair flipped her on her face, pressing her head into a pillow,propping her ass up,overwhelmed by the two peachy moons the gods blessed her with. They were divine, with a springness that made him lick his lips.

    Syris was too embarrassed to speak. She''d never felt more exposed. She had never felt so dominated in all her life yet so drowned in anticipation; her two fingers reached between her legs, spreading herbia wide for just him.

    The Prince marveled at her talent. "beautiful."

    "Art¡­you''re making me ahhhhhh~"

    Taken back by the sudden orgasm, Altair''s eyes shone. "Do you likepliments?"

    "Please! It¡­"She turned to him teary-eyed, wiggling her perky ass." it hurts¡­ fill me up!"

    Quickly shedding his clothes, Altair gripped his bulging hammer.

    Syris gave a brightly horrified smile before reaching back with both hands to spread her little cunt. She moaned when he reached her entrance, on the verge of another orgasm when he began gliding the head of his cock,up and down herbia.

    Syris was moaning like a bitch in heat,so wet the bedding turned a darker shade of color.

    "ha~ha~ha~bastard~dont~stop~yes~ah~ahh"

    Reeling, her chin stained by the unrelenting saliva pooling from down her silly smile.

    Altair was sweating, slightly panting, trembling, sliding his head between her slit. He moaned at the intense heat that was sure to rival a furnace.

    "Syris¡­" He gritted out, feeling his willpower begin to slip. "What about Ren?"

    "I¡­God¡­ I¡­I¡­" teary-eyed, she turned to him, nibbling on her lower lip. "I don''t care¡­ just fu¡ª"

    He entered her, gasping at the sulent sensation intensely writhing against his tip, sucking him in deeper and deeper and deeper, restructuring her insides.

    "T-T-T-Tight! Syris! You''re too¡­Tight! Fuck! Grr~~"

    Syris felt all the air inside her lungs escape her.

    The sensation had been unlike anything she had ever thought possible. She could feel him shaking, reeling behind her. She could feel his mass prating her deepest regions, conquering the regions her finger could not. She came, spurting like a sprinkler over the bed.

    She came and came and came, over and over, as he plunged deeper inside until he could no more.

    mping down on her ass for dear life, Altair leaned onto her back, panting beside her ear, "Why are you so tight?"

    When atst Syris caught her breath, gasping for air as if deprived for hours. Sweat poured from out of her pored, slipping down her naked body.

    "~Deep~" she mewled, twitching uncontrobly. When Syris felt him cup her breast, a delectable moan sounded from her throat as she tipped her head to him. He took her by her lips, tasting her supple vor.

    Unsure where she even was anymore, Heaven or Hell, Syris surrendered control, feeling her mind nk, only to fall like the Angels of heaven as Altair''s hips struck cords through her entire being. It was like a bolt electrified her being. She moaned in his mouth as he squeezed her supple breast hard. His hips became like a piston, hammering at her cunt until it rained.

    "AHHHHHHHHH~'' breaking out in a cry that echoed through her core, she buried her head into the pillow, biting her lips as drool slithered down her chin.

    Altair exploded his first seed inside her, feeling his toes curl at the intensity in which he orgasimed. He jerked at her silvery hair, pulling out of the pillow to listen to her lewd noises.

    "Don''t stop!" She screamed, overwhelmed by the seething heat unraveling in her.

    POP! POP! POP!"

    Altair obeyed, feeling the frustration he''d held in check for nearly a decade explode. He pped her ass until it turned red.

    "Harder!" Syris demanded, feeling his prating stroke hammering at her insides."~Aaaah~YES~ YESSSSS~ ART~HARDER~BREAK ME~ BREAK~ME!!!! FUCK ME UNTIL I CAN''T THINK!!!"

    The Prince grinned fiendishly, "I think I''m going to make you my second wife¡­" he said, plunging his cock so deep in he felt her entire body begin to spasm. When he pulled her up into his arms just as her voice stretched across the room.

    She was as light as a feather in his arms as he dropped her over his manhood. He chuckled when he saw her tongue lulled out as shey helpless in his arms, too weak to move. She was smiling, so lost in the pleasure she couldn''t even think correctly.

    She''d lost count of how many times she had reached the nine clouds or how many times she nearly cked out. Yet her insides still clung to Altair, refusing to let go as he had his way with her.

    She held on until she could no longer. She fainted, or at least tried, when she felt his lips press across hers, channeling Mana into her body.

    "I''m not going to let you sleep. Until morning. You''re mine."

    ''I''m going to die¡­'' she thought so happily, finding herself gyrating over his cock, simrly to a woman on the pole.

    "I''m~Yours~Till~Morning~" she promised him, riding herself the best ride of her life. "So don''t stop¡­. Even if I faint. Ruin this pussy."

    "As youmand, mdy."

    ****

    As high noon approached, Altair awoke to his lower half experiencing its own personal bath inside Syris, where he''d left it. She was on him, fast asleep.

    "She''s as fierce in the bedroom as she is outside of it." He thought, finding out he was unable to pull his cock out. Her insides were mping down on him, stimting him until he unloaded yet another cloud of snow inside her.

    "This is heaven¡­ All that''s missing is Ren. A double blow job will be the truest version of heaven."

    "Art¡­" syris muttered. "Can you stop moving? If you move anymore, I''m gonna cum."

    He squeezed her plump ass, driving her deeper down against his cock. "Then cum. Cum until you can''t anymore."

    Syris obeyed, shuddering, as her honey leaked from down her legs. She hummed a moan that danced across his heart.

    "Was¡­was I good?" Asked Syris bashfully, drooling onto his chest, still a ved to the sensation warming her insides.

    "Oh?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Was I better than Ren?"

    Altair nearlyughed. "Nope. Ren beats you in technique. But I can teach you. I can show you all the different ways to please a man. I can show you how to use your mouth, how to sway your hips, and how to use that second hole of yours.

    Of course, that''s up to you."

    Syris looked up at him, nibbling at her lips. "This was a one-time thing¡­ it was a mistake."

    "A delicious mistake."

    "I''m serious," she echoed, biting her lips; she forced him out of her. Syris''s legs buckled like a newborn fawn. Still, she hopped off the bed, quick to fall on a knee. She turned to him, teary-eyed. "I¡­I can''t feel my legs."

    "You''re wee."

 Chapter 247: Raven

    "it''s still flowing," she muttered,watching Altair''s thick, heavy seed stream out from between her legs. It seemed nearly unending, pooling at her feet.

    When she looked up towards the mirror of her bathroom, her lewd smile reflected across her eyes. She was stunned,touching the mirror then her lips.

    She was smiling.

    Her breasts were tender and raw from his touch, carrying his firm imprint where he''d groped, touched, and kissed. Simrly, bruises ran across her body.

    Syris nearly didn''t even recognize herself. She had never smiled the way she was now. And her loins had never ached as much as it was now. It was a good ache, one that made her smile all the more sublime.

    "it was a mistake¡­" she told herself,ughing,licking her lips. "Just a simple mistake. I was frustrated¡­ in heat fromst morning''s bathhouse fun. Plus¡­ Altair has Ren. My friend." She nodded almost as if to convince herself. "Yes!

    And Altair is just a friend! Haha, yeah¡­ just a friend."

    ***

    As Altair peered out from his terrace towards thends, the vibrant skies, he yawned, taken with himself.

    "I got no game!" heughed. "Nine Years lol! Nine goddamn years. Still, I''m d I forced Dual Cultivation to our limit. If I didn''t faint, I might have still been eating little Syris." he grinned, falling onto his outdoor settee. "I got lucky with Ren¡­ but Syris.

    Damn, I had to wear her down. It kind of makes the Lake of Rot kind of worth it. No way in hell I''d havended that otherwise."

    Quite pleased with himself, Altair looked up at the twelve suns, lulled into a strange state of being. He knew he shouldn''t be proud of what he had done. He knew Ren would surely disapprove. Yet¡­ he also knew how weak he was. Everything he knew about himself felt surreal.

    At times, he had no control over his thoughts and ideas,much less how he felt. What he showed had only been ayer of convoluted knots.

    "I screwed my best friend of nine years¡­ and now¡­ and now what?" he shook his head,his features turning sharp as a knife. "Let''s focus on Earth. I''ve six months to prepare. And I need to make up for these five years lost. No¡­I need to be better than that."

    Altair closed his eyes, drawing in a breath that seemed to pull at the very Mana fluctuating through heaven and earth.

    The world''s Mana pulsed like a living heartbeat, gathering around the Prince''s body, stimting his meridians.

    It moved to his will, dancing like the winds,flitting back and forth,forming intricate runes entwined in arcane circles. His eyes followed it all,analyzing its nature that had been so absent from his life.

    In all his life, he had only been truly disappointed twice. One had been in himself, lusting after another; the other was the Mana that abandoned him.

    "I can no longer trust you.No longer consider you a part of me," he affirmed. Conjuring a wisp of Vale Qi that danced like mes within his palm. "Only you remained."

    He closed his eyes, wondering how far one could go based on the world''s energy that left him to rot. Feeling its energy sickened him.

    "Raven¡­appear,"

    Emerging from a swirling vortex of Vale Qi,Raven fell to a knee, awaiting hermand.

    "Teach me about the Vale. I seek to rid myself of this thing called Mana that isn''t mine tomand."

    Raven sprang to her feet, saluting with a cheeky smile. "Okie Dokie Master!"

    Altair groaned with one hand upon his face. "And put on some damn clothes for me, please."

    "tsk¡­ clothes are so stupid. And you said I don''t have to put on any when I''m in the privacy of my house. Master house is Raven''s house!"

    "Clothes now¡­ Ava, dress this dummy; thest thing I need is to be attracted to yet another woman."

    Raven tilted her head, her amethyst eyes and long ck ebony hair dangling over her assets all the way down to her ankles. She had a kind of funny smile on her face as she took a step forward.

    "Does Master think his guardian is pretty?"

    The way she said it opened Altairs. She had no lust in her eyes. No sort of emotion aside from¡­

    He couldn''t tell.

    "Any man would. That''s why I ask you to cover up. Your actions are inappropriate for your gender¡­ well, for any gender. As my guardian, you should carry yourself with dignity¡­ my dignity."

    Raven folded her arms, thinking¡­ thinking¡­ thinking¡­ "I think I get it¡­ kind of. But Master, can I have a room to be naked in?"

    ''She really doesn''t like clothes¡­ how strange,'' he thought,and said, "Of course.You can have anything you want."

    "Anything?"

    "Just ask Ava or open the system shop. You''ve ess, right? I''ll give you two hundred thousand in spending money to buy whatever you want. Though I suggest you buy¡ª"

    "CORN~CORN~CORN~CORN~CORN~CORN!" Raven screeched, mashing the purchase button over and over and over until Altiar snatched her palm,his brow covered in sweat.

    "CORN!!!!!!!!!" she continued, ring feverishly at her Master. "Masters a liar! He said I could buy anything.

    "Aurora," Altair intoned,summoning her to his side.She looked a little stunned by the sudden emergence, but before she could speak, he continued. "Teach this dummy about economics. And various other things. She''s my right-hand woman, so take good care of her."

    "Raven, for the next six months, you''ll learn under Aurora.At night you can teach me about the Vale. Dismiss."

    "Corn~"

    Dragging the dark-haired woman away,Aurora left his room with a bright smile.

    "Gods¡­ they''re going to kill me." Altair snickered with the semnce of an amusing smile.He left his room, taken back by the sudden prating howl wafting down the halls. He frowned, expanding his domain to reveal a somewhat odd expression.

    Talia, who had just returned, appeared as though she had taken a bath in a river of blood.She was naked, yet every inch of her pale skin was stained a luscious red.

    He gulped, devouring the sight of her perky breast and ass like a boy wanting a taste. He shifted his attention to one of the young men who worked within his pce.

    What his actual job was. Altair could not say since his Pce was fully automated.

    "Talia, why are you nude?"

    "oh, Talia decided to squeeze the Aros Men and Women like oranges. To make a bath. It''s still warm if you''re interested, Master. Talia felt like a newborn in her mama''s belly again." she beamed, running a palm through her hair matted by blood. " It''s the best master!"

    "That¡­ that actually sounds nice, "he thought but dared not say in front of an outsider. Rather, Altair bonked her lightly on the head and said, "Go get changed.What''s with you and Raven going around naked?"

    "Ah, Ravs back, hey!Master, can I go?"

    "What?No, your, my sword maid, damn it.Go take a shower and get changed.I want a report on your sess."

    Talia stuck her tongue out at him and ran away.

    "Crazy bitch¡­ and you." he turned to the young boy."You''re nearly a man.Stop screaming like a little bitch. You''re better than that."

    ****

    Within his dining hall, Altair stared happily at the b of meat down on his te, unsure what to make of it. Rather than pink,the meat had a golden hue to it.

    Across from him, sitting awkwardly, rested Syris,who had gotten rather famished as ofte. She was biting her lip, stealing nces at Altair, who suddenly said, "You know if you keep cheering your lip, it''ll bleed. Rx."

    "rx?Rx!How when¡­ when¡­ when¡­ we just had sex. " she mewled, covering her face to hide her shame.

    "do you regret it?"

    Yes¡­ no¡­ i¡­"

    Altair looked a little hurt as he tilted his eyes toward her. "We''ve known each other for a long time, Syris. Personally, I enjoyed myself a lot. So I can''t say I regret it. But if you''d like, we could pretend it didn''t happen."

    "That would be cruel¡­." she muttered so softly she wasn''t sure if he heard. "but it did happen."

    "Yes, it did.But how are you feeling? Any bruises?"

    She nodded,catching herself toote. She blushed.

    "No need to act all shy. You took my entire length without issue and rode me like a stallion."

    Syris wanted to bury her head in the dirt. Still,as their gaze met, she found herself reminiscent of the past. How many times had he saved her,or the times she saved him?How many times did they have to huddle together for warmth in the winter months?

    She smiled, recalling those times that made her belly warm. "I''m sorry¡­ I don''t regret it¡­ I just regret that you belong to someone else."

    "You know¡­ you''re allowed to be selfish. Nothing wrong with it. I''m being selfish right now. And I''m loving it."

    "Of course, you would say that," she giggled, lifting her fork and knife to the dinner table. Finding a smile at the sudden throbbing of her loins.

 Chapter 248: Gremory

    "The reconstruction of the Pce of Sunset is underway.If we put it on a rush, it''ll take about roughly three months." Aurora began, pointing to the wreckage. " Many of Earth''s allies are sending ambassadors to speak on behalf of their home world. Genesis just so happens to be one of them."

    Altair nodded upon the throne of Earth, observing his Shadow Demons removing rubble.

    "Has the former queen''s family been killed?"

    "I oversaw their death personally. All legitimate heirs have been exterminated. An autopsy on the king showed he was sterile.It would seem not even the former princess was actually his."

    "damn."

    "Yes. Especially when you take into ount that the former queen had one hundred and eleven children."

    "You''re kidding."

    "They''re all dead now, their kids, too. And so on and so forth, " Aurora went on. "But I''ve got several nobles still hesitant to¡ª"

    "hang them by the necks and have their children take over. That might cause an issue down the line with loyalty, but Raven should be able to handle it."

    "me?" eximed the dark-haired girl, munching on a cob of corn. She wore ck robes bound tightly to her slender figure, wielding a ck ive nearly twice her size on her back like nothing.

    "Yes, " said Altair after a moment''s pause. He beckoned her over. Watching her clumsily waddle forward before flicking on the head.

    Raven nearly teared up, clutching her head as if to stop a major bleed.

    "bully!Master is a bully! That''s called animal abuse! A pox upon your house!"

    "You''re a part of my house, dummy!"

    "hehe!"

    Syris, who stood behind a shattered beam, giggled. "Don''t you bully her?"

    "Yeah, don''t you bully Raven!" shouted the dark-haired girl, lifting her chin high.

    After a bit of back and forth, Aurora and Raven were off to prepare for the iing ambassadors, leaving Altair to peer into empty space upon his throne.

    "Syris¡­" he began, "With Babel''s Tower and this damn Crucible. We''re going to need help."

    "You want me to contact my Father."

    Altair craned his neck towards her mournful expression. "I would not humiliate you like that. If he can''t say hi to his daughter even after what just happened.Solomon can fuck right off. No.I need you to work with the GCA. The Reverend Mother missed her shot to work closely with me. But you are still her point of contact.

    Obtain some resources for yourself to grow."

    Syris was a bit startled. "you don''t need any?"

    "a single night with you, and I grew twenty-five points in all categories but Mana. I think I''ll stick to eating you."

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 1% ¡ú 5%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 1¡ú Lv 145]

    Strength: 900 ¡ú1045 ¡ú 1070

    Dexterity: 860 ¡ú1150 ¡ú 1175

    Constitution: 880 ¡ú 1315 ¡ú 1340

    Wisdom:900 ¡ú 1335 ¡ú1360

    Charisma: 900 ¡ú 1335 ¡ú 1360

    Mana: 250 ¡ú 255

    A/N: [+3 Wis], [+3 Cha], [+3 Con] [+2 Dex], [+1 Str]Per Level Up

    Syris was red, stammering to speak. "T-T-that was a one-time¡ª"

    "Come to my chambers tonight, " Altair cut in and hopped to his feet. He glided on over to her, lifting her chin with a devious finger. "Or would you rather me take you out for dinner and buy you some clothes before we head to a hotel? Perhaps we can try some new things I didn''t get to. Plus, I''m curious: how much did you grow? Two hundred points?

    Three? Four? How strong was my seed?"

    The Eye of Sacrilege hummed to life, ready to reveal her status page, when Syris swatted his hand away.

    "I''m not some girl you can demand when and where you want," she said, visibly angry.

    Altair was a little startled. "Did Ie off like that? Has my Pride grown so much? Seems I was a little too ecstatic." he patted her shoulder, meeting her fiery eyes. "Does that mean you want it now?"

    She kicked him in the chin, snorting about to storm away, when Altair snatched her behind. He kissed her neck, feeling her shudder, losing a bit of her earlier resistance.

    "Don''t¡­"

    "Don''t what?" he grabbed her by the breast, squeezing it like he''d donest night, listening to her delicate moans of pleasure. He smiled deviously. "Don''t touch you here, or perhaps you want me to touch you¡ª" His fingers ran in between her legs. Even through her clothing, he could feel her heat. It was as if a raging fire was brewing down below. "You''re already soaking wet.

    Were you hoping I''d grab you like this? You''re a little masochist, aren''t you."

    Syris covered her face, so ashamed she dared not meet his eye. "No¡­ No¡­ I was just sensitive." she admitted. "Ever¡­ Ever sincest night I¡­I can''t stop¡­ I can''t¡­"

    "Master!" Aurora returned, her head buried in her Data Book. "Change of ns. We¡ªoh. Oops."

    Just then, in Altair''spse of concentration, Syris Vanished with her Void Step, leaving him to chuckle.

    "Master, I''m so sorry. I wasn''t aware you and Syris were¡ª"

    "It''s fine. What is it?" he voiced, transitioning his emotions to fit the current narrative. He was getting better at it. Switching between what he felt and what he didn''t want to feel. It was nearly like breathing now.

    "The Ambassador of Genisis has arrived,'' she said, startling him for a second.

    "Guess that makes sense. Who is it?"

    "A man by the name of Sado Vari. I''ve yet to get any confirmation on his race."

    Altair nodded, "Get me, Thanatos. I want him to sit in. We''ll have negotiations in here. Let him see the blood bath."

    "Of course. Then I shall return."

    As Aurora took her leave, Altair returned to his throne, narrowing his eyes with a dangerous glow.

    "What are you thinking about tiger?" Tasha mused, sliding out of space like a ghostly apparition. She brushed a finger across the Prince''s cheek, licking her sulent red lips. Altair felt the Brand of the Incubus hum across his mind, vibrating at a strange frequency, heightening the endorphins rushing toward his receptors.

    "I was wondering when you''d show up."

    "You knew I was here?"

    "I know everything within my Domain," he remarked, brushing her hand away, and looked her in the eye. Tasha held his stare with a devious grin.

    "Seems like our pup really has grown. To read spacial fluctuations is quite an amazing feat for a mere third circle."

    "What can I do for you, Tasha?"

    "Can''t I juste see you?" She asked, boldly taking a seat on hisp. She smiled a smile that seemed as dangerous as it was seductive, her voluptuous figure resting soundly in his embrace.

    She was warm, much like Syris, generating an intensity that tugged at his inner desire.

    "Has Asteroth asked you to seduce me?''

    "My ''Father'', actually."

    Altair nearly raised a brow. He was intrigued. "And who is your Father?"

    "The soon-to-be Archduke Gremory."

    Faded images entwined along an axis of his mind came into being, along with a shallow sensation of understanding.

    "So you are from her infernal line," He said, started by this revtion. In all the Hells, there was only one Fallen who could create demons, simrly to the Mother of Demons, Lilith, and her name was Gremory, known by her children as the Father.

    "And does Asteroth know of this?"

    "He does not seem to be aware. But Father does work beneath Asteroth, so he might who can say."

    Just then, Aurora, followed by Thanatos, entered the throne room. The God of Death ran his eyes across the Lilim, sending a chill across her chest before his eyes swayed towards Altair. He approached, silent as a shadow, stopping short.

    "Should I go?" Tasha asked.

    "No¡­ Your presence is very much weed. Send him in."

    Heralded inside, a tall, dignified middle-aged man strutted in with his head held high, dressed in the High Order Gown of Genesis.He bowed and spoke in a sharp voice.

    "I greet you, King, Altair ckwood; I am Sado Veri, Ambassador to Genisis."

    Altair gestured for him to rise. "So Genesis recognizes my rule?"

    "Without question, so long as you approve our entry into Babels Tower."

    Altair scuffed. "Then I guess you don''t approve."

    "Our deal with the former¡ª"

    "Those of the past are dead: Theirtews are what I decide are valid. And whatever business you had with the previous rulers is now over."

    Sado Vari lifted a brow. "Then you will be removed to¡ª"

    "Tenebrae, the Lady of the Night, recorded Earth into Genesis Records," Said Thanatos sharply. The very that became a part of Babels Tower. It is not hard to confirm the rtionship between Altair ckwood and The Night Mother. So unless Genesis seeks to anger the Oldest Primordial, you will do well to watch who you threaten. Thest thing anyone needs is her calling in favors.

    God knows how many owe her."

    "And who''s to say the Twelve Zodiacs might not rush in to protect Lord ckwood?" Tasha mused.

    "A demon¡­" MutteredSado Vari darkly. Recognizing the breed that carried the stench of the Nine Hells.

    "A devil," she corrected. "A Lilim, to be exact. Care to test me?''

    "Down," said the Prince, patting her bottom until she purred with the hum of the Brand of the Incubus resonating with her touch. He looked at Sado Vari and said," Genesis will recognize my rule, and you will pay a standard fee if you wish to enter Babels Tower because I''m not as defenseless as I might appear. I''ve quite a few allies. Both from the Hells and the Heavens."

    "So? Can we start our negotiations? Or do you need to report to your superiors?"

 Chapter 249: Duty

    The Prince had been silent, watching Sado Veri take his leave after he gestured a bow.

    Thanatos broke the silence. "You''re ying with fire if you don''t believe some branch of Genesis won''t retaliate."

    "I''m quite aware. But isn''t that a good thing?" Altair smiled, his palm lightly beating against Tasha''s bottom. "War, Chaos, and Strife will make us strong. There is much I need to tell you.Athena will be joining us soon in a few weeks, maybe days. I will also be meeting with Father to discuss my revenge. I''d like you beside me then."

    "A kingmands," said Tasha. "They don''t ask."

    "Thanatos is both my mentor and friend. But his council is something neither an enemy nor a king canmand."

    "I am here when you need me, " he said, and in a gale''s roar, he was gone.

    Altair counted this a partial victory. Thaan was a man of duty. A man whose sense of duty was rivaled only by the pride he took in his work.

    He had to be recognized to set a precedent for the future.

    "Then I shall take my leave," Aurora said,narrowing an eye upon Tasha.

    As the door to his throne room closed,Altair''s drumming palm stalled. "What does Gremory want with me?"

    "You have mated with a Nephilim, thereby bing one yourself," Tasha said after a moment''s pause. She seemed nearly hesitant to say, yet the words seamlessly left her lips.

    The Prince was not fooled by her silvery tongue. He smirked, continuing the drumming across her bottom that carried with it a meaning of its own.

    "If I didn''t know better, I''d say you were trying to manipte me into thinking you exposed some grand scheme."

    Tahsa''s grin turned feverish. She didn''t speak.

    "I suppose I owe you dinner. But as for my seed. You or perhaps Gremory will have to work for it. I just hope there aren''t any problems serving two masters. I wouldn''t want issues to ur between two Fallen."

    "As you say,my Lord," said Tasha humbly. Expecting something more, when he flung her high into the air.

    The Princeughed, making his way out of his throne room just as Tasha gracefullynded like a ck cat, skipping after her new target. A pleasant smile dancing across her lips when a dreadful shriek prated the halls of the ruined pce.

    They move, whisking through the ruined halls like a blur, arriving outside to see an unfamiliar man besieged by a ck edge ive lodged in his crotch.

    "Raven, don''t¡ª" Aurora tried to say.A littlete. From crotch to crown, her ive shot up,sprawling the man''s entrails over thewn.

    Altair was stunned. He''d never seen Raven so cold, exuding such a wicked killing intent.

    "Bitch!" shouted Sado Vari, ordering his men to open fire.

    The instant they opened fire, the iridescent bolts of light caught air as Raven crossed the distance between them in a single bound and, in one swing, severed the legs of three men before she hacked off another man''s head before he could echo shout.

    "Enough, " Altairmanded. His voice seemed to carry a sort of hypnoticmand,stalling man and woman alike.

    Raven was seething, lowering her ive.

    "Lord ckwood!" Sado Vari screamed,pointing at his dead men resting beneath his Star Cruzer.

    Altair had many questions, but the biggest had been,"What is this starship doing on pce grounds?" he demanded,turning to Aurora."Isthis a joke?"

    "It''s how the argument started, master," said Aurora hastily,bowing her head. "Raven had noticed the cruiser''s descent and had told them to move, but they refused. That was when I arrived,asking them to¡ª"

    "You don''t kill a man over an argument!" Sado Vari shouted, pointing a finger towards Raven. "have you any idea who¡ª"

    "Her actions were very much within reason. Who are you to enter Imperial Airways?Who are you toy your oversized cruiser on pce grounds?Aurora gets that girl her own personal farm to grow some corn."

    "Yes, Master!" said Aurora, smiling.

    Raven was beaming, shing her pristine white teeth.

    Even Tasha giggled,covering her mouth.

    "I will be sending a formalint to the council of your behavior. Now fuck off my before I string you up by your Achilles Tendon." Snarling,he turned to Raven. Gestured her closer and patted her on the head. "Good job. Come, let''s go."

    Aurora stayed behind to ensure Sado Veri had left. She hadn''t allowed him to collect the dead, much less the injured. All who were felled to Ravens ive would be consumed by the Shadow Demons.

    Sado Veri was outraged but could do nothing in this foreignnd. He left Earth within the hour,clenching his teeth.

    "I should have had some imps ce a bomb inside his cruiser to detonate the moment he entered subspace. I hear that it kills even gods." Aurora meticulously smiled, giggling to herself when she began to blush. "Just wait till Nia and Talia hear about Masters infidelity. Kyaaa!There''s going to be so much drama! Hehe, Now¡­ let''s go see Thaan, it''s been so long."

    ***

    The city of Zamphis was in ruins,clouded by a dense fog of debris that left many blinded or dead. It had been nearly a day since the fall of the northern hemisphere, yet things only seemed to have gotten worse. Through the streets, men piged what they could find, and women stole what caught their eye as mass chaos was unveiled.

    Mutted bodiesid indiscriminately scattered, breeding pestilence as crows pecked, tearing flesh from bones and eyes from sockets.

    Cries of children screeching for their mothers and fathers hounded the air,deafening all who neared them.

    It was all a nightmare,turned real as Altair winced. "Gods! I don''t think anywhere is serving food anymore. Sorry, Raven, I was going to buy you some corn-vored ice cream."

    "Such a godly thing exists?!" Raven eximed, her doe eye sparkling like glimmers beneath the night.

    "I''m sure it does¡­ somewhere.I guess we can make it ourselves." he nced toward Tasha,a teasing grin tugging at the corner of his lips. "guess we''ll have to dy our dinner."

    "Or you can cook me something."

    "Is this your way of trying to get my seed? You''ll have to do better than that, Tasha. I rmend you learn how to cook. I only cook for those I want to sleep with."

    Tasha might have been offended if she weren''t so focused. She beamed, lighting up with purpose. "What do you like?"

    "Spoilers." Chapter Find:

    Later, as the night dawned,leaving the myriad of stars to crest the heavens,Altair had his first night within the pce of sunset. There had been so much to do with so little time. Earth was in shambles, a mistake he knew now,but one that had already been made.

    He had a choice: Aid his people or force them to adapt. Both had their benefits. Still, he chose thetter. More would inevitably perish when he began terraforming thend to fit his mental image.

    Earth was already too weak to exist on its own. If it could not rise, it would be doomed to a deste existence.

    "The first thing I need to do is raise the MP of earth''s atmosphere. And to do so, I would require the aid of gods or the resources to match."

    The thought made him smile. Still,as he turned to face his bed,he had Aurora change after what he had heard about the former queen; he nearly flopped onto it,ughing to himself.

    Syris had not found his chambers like he''d asked.

    "Master~" shouted Raven from outside his chambers,walking in. "Are you ready?" She was holding a binder that read "The History Of The Vale, by Raven."

    Altair patted his bed, gesturing her over.

    Beside him,Ravened opened up her binder, patting her chest, and said, "As you know, the Vale is the final resting ground for all lifeforms,usually reserved for people who have had their souls destroyed. Or insanely powerful gods."

    "oh? Then can I summon them?"

    "Masters is too weak. And even if you could, I don''t think they''d listen to you.And he probably won''t allow it. "

    "Who?"

    "Silly!Hehe,the Warden. The one we met."

    Altair looked at her suspiciously. "wait a sec.You said you didn''t know who he was."

    "Well, I don''t; that''s becauseHe''s not from the Vale like me. He just appeared. Strange, huh?"

    ''For a woman who knows nothing,Raven sure knows a lot. I wonder what else she''s hiding?'' Altair thought, listening to Raven until morning.

    He patted her head just as she yawned,rubbing her eyes. He smiled, wondering how more lethargic they felt after leaving the Lake Of Rot.

    "Let''s take a nap. We can go over the basics of Vale Maniption tonight.

    Practically flopping onto his shoulder asleep, Altair could only snicker,ying her down to rest. He got up, whisking himself out of his chambers and down the halls like a blur,entering her bed chambers with purpose.

    "Ahhhh~"

    The Prince gawked, eating in the delicious sight of Syris pleasuring herself.

    Her eyes met his, yet her lodged fingers did not move, firing back and forth as she cried,"It~won''t~reach~see?"

    Altair did.

    She was bare, the sheets beneath her back drenched; as she drove her fingers so far, the squishing of her swollen cunt resonated through her chambers. She was hammering it in, pping her finger so hard down there that she appeared to moan like a cat in heat.

    "You naughty little minx!" he eximed, advancing on her. "So is this why you didn''t visit mest night? You were ying with yourself. I''m hurt, Syris. We could have shared quite a night."

    "why~Why~isn''t~it~enough?"

    Altair smirked. "The brand of the incubus makes me like¡­ catnip. Think of your fingers as standard while I am the premium. Your touch might make you wet,while mine will send you to the nine clouds."

    Syris chewed her lip, a nasty habit Altair was finding more and more seductive by the second.

    Altair thanked the gods but found himself cursing them the next second. He wanted to indulge, but his kingdom called. He had responsibilities, noblemen who think themselves above him. Yet, his fingers indiscriminately trailed up her knee, finding themselves in between her legs.

    He tasted her, savoring the sweet nodes of her honey.

    "Syirs¡­ do you want me to help?"

    She nodded, taking her fingers away as if to wee him in. Yet such a request was denied by his sadistic smile as he wrapped around her a set of robes to hide her voluptuous figure, to her surprise.

    She teared up.

    "See? I helped. Come on, we''ve lots to aplish."

 Chapter 250: Zero

    For the next few days, Altair enjoyed his peaceful life,manding his growing kingdom and nights where he trained with Raven. He ate when he was hungry and slept when he felt mentally drained.

    He especially enjoyed seeing how irritable Syris had be. Every minute of the day, she was either ring or cursing.It had gotten so bad Altair had noticed Raven had taken up swearing.Something Aurora did not find amusing whatsoever, nearly washing Raven''s mouth out with soap.

    Today, however, marked the day he had been waiting for since his descent back to Earth. The day his father would deliver him the information on the First Family.

    "My Lord?" said Aurora kindly. Noting his absent awareness.

    Lord ckwood shuddered, returning to himself, driving the madness bordering the surface of consciousness down like quicksand. He forced a smile, "Yes¡­ continue."

    "I was saying we have to hire more workers and some imperial soldiers. Lady Darkfire suggests we use the citizens within the undergrove. There are many who are not necessarily criminals. I am sure there will be many willing to serve for their freedom to the surface."

    It wasn''t a bad idea, he thought. "Do it. But to earn their freedom, a minimum of twenty years is required. However, should they have children in their service, they will be born free."

    "And might I rmend we purchase some more drones to aid in the clean up to¡ª"

    "That won''t do,'' said Syris suddenly. "We can''t simply hand the work off to machines. We need to improve the economy. We need to give work to the people, and the best way to do so is to use people. It might cost more, but it''s how we improve the standard of living."

    "We?" Aurora nastily smiled. "Lady Syris, I wasn''t aware you were a citizen, or are you now a ckwood or perhaps¡ª" she looked at her belly perking her lips¡ª" Are you now carrying our Young Master.''

    Syris had the grace to blush, clutching her belly that still carried the heat of his seed. The sensation was not something she could ever forget. She chewed her lip, ncing at the pact throne room of eyes turning to her.

    Zagreus was trying not tough. Betrayed by his turnt head and trembling shoulders.Even Thaan carried something of a half smile.

    The worst had been Raven, who rushed towards her, touching her belly. "Is a Little Master inside?"

    All Syris could do was hold her head high, holding a solemn grimace. "I am in Altair''s court, am I not? If my input wasn''t necessary, then why even have me here?" she looked towards the Prince, now King, her gaze asking if she was needed.

    "She is right, Aurora," said the King. He could tell she was still mad regarding the incident with Raven, but such discord would serve no purpose in his court. "And Syris is no guest. She is an honorary member of my court and kingdom. Please show her the same decorum you show me in court."

    Aurora bowed. "As youmand, my Lord."

    "Ummm, Big Sis, are you pregnant?" Inquired Raven, tilting her head and ring at her belly, afraid she might miss it kick or move.

    ***

    As court ended, Altair exploded intoughter, nearly busting a gut at the sight of his almost empty court."I can''t believe she asked that!"

    "It''s not funny!" shouted Syris, ring. She was chewing her lips, touching her belly. "That was so embarrassing. Raven was out of hand. Aurora, too!"

    "Who''s bloody fault is that? You literally cursed someone out using every word in the book. Raven is very impressionable. She''s not used to people¡­ well, living people." Altair lightly exined, gesturing her over, noting her discontent."Are you still mad at me? It was just a bad¡ª"

    "Am I ugly?"

    Altair looked all the more startled, taken back by her bashful appearance. "Ugly? You?"

    "Is that why you won''t¡­" she began to squirm. "You know¡­ Is that why you used the band of the Incubus on me? Did you not like what we did?"

    Altair could not believe what he was hearing; he felt it his right to exin himself, "The effects of the Brand of the Inncubus should be able to affect you. But with your powerful soul, its effects are very much temporary, as for why I used it on you. Well, I didn''t. It''s a passive of my physique." He gestured to her with a finger that slowly began to glow a misty red.

    Syris obeyed, plopping herself on hisp.

    Without conscious thought, the tip of his finger lightly brushed against the tip of her breast, stimting her nine senses. A fiery heat jetted from between her legs, wetting her trousers with viscous fluids.

    She screamed, reeling into his arms like a frightened fawn, shuddering uncontrobly as the sensation prated her loins, ravaging the walls of her vagina until she experienced the sensation she had been craving these past few days.

    He patted her bottom until she purred, and her tongue lulled from out her mouth.

    "b~a~s~t~a~r~d"

    "That is one of the powers of the Brand of the Incubus. I would use it more, but it requires a lot of Mana. Plus, I enjoy the effects of Dual Cultivation better. How was it?" He ced a finger in her mouth, embellishing the way she mindlessly suckled at his thumb. When her eyes slid to him, opening wide with realization, she hopped up like a startled cat.

    "Y-Y-You!"

    "There''s is my fiery girl. I¡ª" he stopped, taken back by the masked stranger within his court. The man,if it were a man, stood tall,carrying with him an ordained ck mask that bore the symbol of Zero like a crown.

    "Altair ckwood,Syris of Zyvara, I am Zero. The man who will guide you on your quest to annihte the first family."

    "Father sent¡ª"

    Zero snapped,phasing them through time and space into a conference room across the pce grounds.

    By the time Altair could speak,he was already seated around the conference table. Beside him sat Syris and Thanatos.

    "Zero, " said Thanatos calmly. "I''m surprised you materialized. Is it that serious?"

    "The moment Zariel heard Cain was involved.He sent me to manage the situation."

    "Zariel¡­ is my uncle correct?" Asked the Prince.

    "Yes. He is a Snow. I''m sure if Cain knew of this, he might have thought twice about touching you. Now, first things first, the Pce of Stygian, in your absence, has received several updates via our Order.The biggest is its ability to hide itself from Fell Gods,in this case, people like Cain or me.Two, it''s now integrated with the current times.

    Three,several defensive and offensive spells have been added and wille online once the Pce gains either power cells or enough Mana,which leads me to point four. The¡ª"

    "Ummm," Syris raised her hand. " How many points are there, and how did you know I''m from Zyvara? I''ve never told that to anyone."

    "There are 783,453 points, " said Zero. As for herst question, he didn''t answer. Nevertheless, Altair gaped while Thanatos sighed.

    "That''s ridiculous¡­

    "That only section 1.1.A. By the end of the day, we should havepleted all 6,973,345 total points, half of what I have written down."

    "fuck¡­ "

    "Holy Shit¡­ your kidding, right?"

    "I don''t, kid, " said zero coldly. " Interrupt me again, and I''ll rewire your mind to think rather than speak."

    ***

    It had taken nearly three full days for Zero to finish his lecture about The Pce of Stygian before he moved on to the First Family, but by then, Altair and Syris felt like their minds were about to copse.

    Still,Altair was both astonished and humbled by the shared level of understanding Zero had taken in exining everything. By the time he was done, he knew everything about the pce of Stygian alongside all the various contingencies installed, which left Altair asking how Zero was able to aplish all of this.

    He never got an answer but rather a word of warning.

    "If you can''t handle it. Don''t be too ashamed to call if you need help," Said Zero before departing before anyone could thank him.

    "that might have been the most hellish study session of my life¡­" Altairr muttered, sprawled out over his bed. "Zero is he crazy! The man documented everything."

    "and sent us everything via email," said Syris, sharing his exhaustion. "he should have sent over that shit first. An entire week was wasted. A week Art."

    "I know, " he said, though his lips lifted in a wicked arc. "But now we have a n."

    "You really think you can take down a Fell God?" Syris asked, a yful smile tugging at her lips. "The most powerful type of god?"

    "Defeat him? No. But I''ll make damn sure they suffer a defeat that''ll make all their hard work burn like ash through their fingers."

    Just then, he turned on his side, jerking her into his chest until his scent prated her senses. He smelt of pine and cinnamon.

    She gulped, looking into lustful eyes. "Now you want me?"

    "I wanted you before."

    "Liar," she muttered, though she did not deny his touch.

    Peering deep into those pale blue eyes that carried doubt, the Prince cupped her cheeks, his rough, calloused hands curling gently against her face as he brushed his thumb gently against her lip.

    She kissed it.

    Once

    Twice

    Thrice

    He had to admit, Syris had been one of the most lovely women he''d ever seen. Silvery hair, blue stary eyes, full lips, and breasts that riled him up each time he glimpsed her at angles. It was as if the Gods had taken extra care crafting her beauty.

    His thumb tugged down at her lower lip, revealing her porcin white teeth. He grinned feverishly. "I''m not sure you realize how sexy you are."

    ''Stop it¡­" she blushed, pulling away. ''...Bastard."

    He held her steadfast, peering into her pearly blue eyes, taking her all in, "You will be mine. And only mine, Syris of Zyvara." Chapter Discover:

    "B-b-bastard¡­ I''m¡­ I''m no one''s," she muttered in defeated defiance.

    Altair grinned all but turned wicked. "That mouth of yours. I think I''ll find some good use for it."

 Chapter 251: Mine**

    Beneath the shadow of his manhood shrouding her beneath its length and girth, Syris looked up in praised worship, shaking. It looked even more frightening than before; she had to wonder how such a monstrosity managed to fit thest time.

    She smiled a crooked smile, panting over its tip. "It''s¡­ it''s¡­ not going to fit." Hesitantly, she touched it, drawing in a long breath. It was warm, throbbing with his heartbeat.

    Badump Badump!

    Syris heard herself gulp. ''He was excited,'' she thought, feeling his heartbeat thumping through his manhood.She peeped a nce at him and swallowed at that predatory gaze.

    Had he always looked at her so, she wondered, finding the aching of her loins returning. A dampness returned from between her legs, slipping down her thick thighs.

    The Prince watched with bated breath.

    She did not make him wait. Clumsily, Syris''s lips opened, gobbling his tip the best she could.

    "Ah~ Further!" Hemanded.

    Syris obeyed, the dampness beneath her legs turning to wetness as she drove his cock to the back of her mouth.

    ''He''s bullying me again,'' she defiantly thought, the ache turning to a slow, supple burn as her finger slid through her trousers in between her legs. She red, circling her naughty tongue around his cock, savoring his being like it were a lollipop. She began to slurp, finding a delectable sweetness being exuded.

    "You are a natural, Syris,'' said the Prince through muffled pants, clenching his toes shut. He pleasantly groaned, allowing her to find her own technique. She was getting better, the suction around his cock, focusing as her tongue grew all the more fierce.

    ''Fuck!~" He spat, writhing in the bed sheets, noticing Syris''s head beginning to sway back and forth. She was staring at him, enthralled by his reaction that she was giving him some semnce of pleasure.

    Slurp!~Slup!~Slurp!~

    Saliva slithered down her young maiden chin as her action grew all the more vigorous. Each time his cock pped against the back of her mouth, it sent pangs bolting down into her llins, eating away at her sanity.Her finger was dripping, soaked in a viscous liquid, flitting back and forth.

    Syris''s eyes widened when Altair mped down on her skull, cumming into the back of her throat with a moan that brought her topletion. Her cheeks bulge, overflowing with his piping hot seed racing down her chin. She coughed, gagging at the sudden explosion.

    "You made a mess," He told her, waving his still erect manhood before her. "Clean it."

    Again, Syris obeyed, cleaning him up with her naughty tongue until he was pristine. She couldn''t exin it herself, opening her mouth to show him what she''d done.

    "All clean," she blushed, echoing those words, her tongue still coiling around his cock, slurping it down one more time, this time testing to see how much she could take. Syris did not stop even as her throat bulged, appearing as if an eight ball had been stuck.

    Altair clutched her head, forcing her further down; he groaned, mesmerized by those blue eyes staring at him with poised focus.

    He unloaded his second seed then, filling her belly with his snow.

    Syris still did not let up, bobbing her head back and forth even as he climaxed, carrying with her a sadistic glint in her eyes, enjoying that torturous glow of pleasure reeling from out of him. She deep-throated him until his third and fourth seed was shot.

    Only then did she relent with satisfaction, stretching her mouth open wide with both hands to reveal not a single ounce of his semen had been wasted, "All clean!"

    The Prince was soaked in perspiration, panting like a man deprived of water. He wheezed, wiping the sweat from his brow, taking a moment to catch his breath.

    "You really are the best!" He said with effort, having Ava conjure his bottle of water. He downed the entire bottle.

    "Better than Raina?"

    Altair raised a brow at that oundish question. He didn''t feelfortableparing sexual experiences between lovers, especially since no good coulde from answering such a question.

    "Do you think if you''re better in bed, it might sway my heart to you more?" He replied softly, caressing her cheek.

    The sudden gentleness of his action shook Syris; she leaned her head into his palm and shook her head.

    "No"

    "And you''d be right. What type of man would I be if I abandoned you or Reina just because one is better than the other at something?" Chapter Discover:

    Syris felt somewhat embarrassed asking that, yet she wanted to know.She had to know. Even now¡­ even if it hurts.

    "Do you want to rece Ren? To steal her away from me, now? Be honest."

    In the momentary pause, Syris slid from his crotch to his chest to hear his heartbeat calmly thumping against his chest.

    "I do," she said, too ashamed to even look him in the eye. Yet she did not regret speaking her mind, nearly managing a smile. She felt him pat her bottom and purred, peeping up at his smiling face.

    "You don''t want to share?"

    She shook her head, nibbling on his chest like a cat. "I''m going to make you mine."

    "Tough wordsing from a girl who just now came to that realization." He pped her ass, holding it firmly like a sack of meat, feeling that heat fluttering from between her legs swell. "You can be as greedy as you want so long as you remain mine."

    A dangerous glow flickered across Syris''s eyes as she hoisted herself off his chest, mounted his waist, and positioned his cock so that it rested high up on her belly.

    "I am Syris, and no one owns me. Not my Father, and certainly not you."

    "We''ll see after I fuck you so hard, you feel it in your chest."

    Syris gaped, trying not to lose all that bravado, and kept her head high in noble defiance. Who was she, if not a former princess of her Father''s Empire?

    At hermand, Annihting Energy sprang from out of her being, turning her clothes to vaper, revealing her goddess-like figure. She grinned at the sudden jerking of his cock, pping against her bare skin like a drum.

    And through shuddering breaths, she lifted herself over his manhood and descended.

    Altair could only watch as her little cunt began to devour all that he was.

    "aaaah~it~just~keeps~going~ahhha," mewled Syris, chewing her lip, ''nhhh~So~Good~mmmhh."

    Gushing like a sprinkler as Altair prated her womb, Syris threw her head back in abandon,eating his length,smiling through bated breath.

    "I¡­ I¡­ did it, " she panted, shrouded by a thick mist of perspiration. In that instance, Syris had never felt more like a queen than she did now.

    Altair felt as if she was milking him. Her insides were like a furnace, expanding and contracting at such angles Syris didn''t have to do anything to draw forth his seed.

    "Your¡­ too ... .tight!" he groaned, clenching her supple waist.

    He wasn''t sure why she felt so different, so much sweeter thanst time. It was as if that confidence she carried herself reshaped her.

    In tandem, they moved, grinding against the other in gritted pleasure, seething feral moans.

    Altair felt like his dick was melting, strangelying to a realization of who was fucking who. The way Syris swayed her hips made her even tighter. He was certain Syris had orgasmed multiple times.She was quite the squirter. Yet even as she reached new heights, she did not relent in riding him until his toes curled and his moans prated her ears.

    Drool practically slipped from Altair''s lips, feeling himself slowly being overwhelmed.

    Syris grinned like a lewd demon, leaning over his chest,pping her cunt hard against his ram; she truly felt it in her chest, echoing a sharp cry. Her eyes involuntary rolled to the back of her head as she struck again and again and again¡­

    She was on her hundredth orgasm, bouncing off of him like a bunny, shouting, "Fuck~Fuck~Fuck~Fuck" beside his ear,sinking her teeth in each time he shot his load,expanding the walls of her womb. Before she copsed, jetting Altair''s cock from her vagina as a geyser of cum spewed out.

    Altairy there, finding for the first time his cock sat limp for about a minute before the Band of the Incubus hummed to life,strengthening his manhood.

    "I~I~I can''t stop~ aaaahhhhh~cummming!" shouted Syris, shuddering uncontrobly. She had no strength to move, much less remain conscious, expending all her soul energy to keep herself sane. Each time Altair''s seed had entered her, filling her womb, she had felt her mind clear, allowing her to keep herself.

    A type of torment, no doubt; various incubus used to torture as their seed was known to possess a minor effect of keeping the minds of their victims clear for as long as possible.

    Altair, however, knew none of this felt a fire ignite within him.Be it his blood, the band of the incubus, or his physique, all began to boil with desire.He felt hot to the touch, scorching to the touch whenpared to normal humans. But Syris was indeed not human, nor was she normal.

    The instance she felt his manhood rise between her legs, lodging itself between her ass cheek, a devilish smile stretched to the corner of her lips.

    There was anticipation in that smile, as well as excitement.

 Chapter 252: Subjugation

    It was around midnight when Syris was awakened by the vigorous stimtion biting at her loins. Her Prince was on top of her, still inside her, asleep, bringing her topletion even while motionless. Syris could not bring herself to move, frightful she might lose her mind, as she nibbled on her lower lip, drooling up a storm.

    She moaned, panting in a hoarse voice, when she heard his voice," Want to go again?"

    She orgasmed, letting loose one final lustful cry that knocked her unconscious, to the prince''s astonishment. He patted her shoulders, taken back by the way her tongue lulled out, almost as if to ept his cock.

    He gulped, biting down the intrusive thoughts guing his mind like a knife. He wanted more. He needed more. He needed so much more that he felt the mere sight of Syris was driving him crazy. He was hard again, ready to continue their three-day binge.

    Be they her supple breast to the sweet honey between her legs. Altair was not in the least bit satisfied. He wanted to fuck, and fuck until he lost his mind just as she had.

    "Three days of Dual Cultivation, shall we see the results?" He muttered, taking on a hardened personality. He pulled out of her coldly, watching her orgasm like an epileptic victim.

    Name: Syris

    Race: Highborn Celestial

    ss: [Elemental Lord Lv 1]

    Strength: 230 ¡ú 850

    Dexterity:292 ¡ú 907

    Constitution: 201 ¡ú 700

    Wisdom:283 ¡ú 875

    Charisma: 283¡ú 875

    Mana: 130 ¡ú 200

    "That is a massive gain¡­ is it due to the discrepancy between our stats," Altair wondered, ncing at his own.

    [Ninth Form, Arceon has increased all stats by 50 Points]

    [Dual Cultivation has increased all stats by 10 Points]

    [Circle of Gluttony has increased by 5 Percent]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 5 ¡ú 10%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 145]

    Strength: 1070 ¡ú 1080 ¡ú 1130

    Dexterity: 1175 ¡ú 1185¡ú 1230

    Constitution: 1340 ¡ú 1350¡ú 1180

    Wisdom:1360 ¡ú 1370¡ú1420

    Charisma: 1360 ¡ú1370¡ú 1420

    Mana: 255 ¡ú 260

    "When I did it with Ren, none of my physical Attributes rose. Why is it different with Syris? Could it be due to the Dual Cultivation proficiency rising?" he grimaced, thinking it over, seeking to understand his abilities. "Still¡­ if we copte once a day. I suspect her stats might match my own in a month or perhaps two months. Thats good.

    But it makes me wonder. Are these stat changes due to us or our blood? Surely that has to be a factor?"

    The more he thought, the more a sense of enlightenment began to flicker through his head, connecting like neurons. He nodded, snapping a finger, summoning Vaiga and Talia into his bed chambers as he got up.

    The two Sword Maids materialized only to gawk at the mess as well as his unveiled Warhammer.

    "Masters got a crime against humanity! Wow~'' said Talia shamelessly. Turning to Syris in a pout. "Lucky girl."

    It was only then that Altair understood his mistake, having Ava both clean and clothe them in a sh. He was slightly embarrassed, though not enough to apologize. He coughed into his palm and said, " I summoned you two here to aid Syris Level in the various dungeons. I would like her at level one hundred by the end of next month."

    "Kay!" shouted Talia, who suddenly gave a mischievousugh. "Master, by chance, are you building a Harem?"

    "Ten Years ago, I might have said no¡­ but after this curse. I don''t think I have a choice." Altair said, annoyed by the way he now had to regte his emotions.

    Vaiga seemed even more ufortable. She''d wanted to ask, ''Are you going to force us to join your harem, '' but held her tongue, frightened such a reality might ur.

    "Anyway, you two have your assignments," continued the Prince, "See to Syris. Also, there might be a masked woman named the Reverend Mother, who mighte into contact with Syris. Observe and report to me her actions."

    The two Sword Maids bowed in acknowledgment, leaving the Prince free to return to his Throne. There had been many things he needed to work on. The first was his understanding of the Seven Schools of Magic Thanatos had told him about. And six months wasn''t long enough to learn everything.

    Still, he was d he had Aurora working nonstop toplete her unending assignments. Her mind and foresight had been something of a blessing Altair could not even imagine living without.

    He was quite grateful he recruited her. Chapter Discover:

    "And that''s why I rmend we begin collecting the various Dungeons," said Aurora. "We can''t allow the Nobles to keep such a valuable resource. Rather, I rmend they lease it from us. And we take a cut from each of their sales, not including taxes."

    "How high are our taxes?"

    "37%."

    "Do it. Now is the best time to be a dictator. Leave the nobles reeling at the loss for now. I don''t want them to even think of starting an uprising. Not that they''ll be able to afford one after this."

    Syris patted it into her databook," As youmand, my Lord. And on another note. Will you be opening the borders of our?"

    "In a sense. After the restoration of the Northern Hemisphere, we''ll open a department to all offworlders applying for citizenship. Have Cedric take control of it. That ruthless bastard will make a good warden."

    "You think?" Aurora said. She hadn''t known Cedric for long and hadn''t known much of his personality.

    "Alyssa hates his guts, but yes. I do. See to it. That''ll be all for now."

    With an elegant curtsy, she left with a joyful expression and a kick in her step to do her lord''s bidding.

    Earth possessed thirty-seven nobles, seven of whom were dukes, now six with the loss of the Aros estate: A huge loss for the due to the seven active wars across the Milky Way. Still, Altair was quite pleased, having sent several orders out calling for a full retreat across three of the seven wars.

    In the other four wars, he couldn''t bring himself to call for a retreat, incurring the heavy cost. These were the biggest money drainers that Earth had been fighting over for nearly fifty years.

    Instead, he sent a few of his Shadow Demons to theses to aid in the disposal of resistance guing his armies. He didn''t quite like his Demons, but if there was anything they were good at, it was a mass ughter, especially since they were resurrected with his skills.

    "Next order of business is¡­" muttered the King upon his throne, reviewing his next appointed ment. He grinned when he saw Alyssa''s name on his schedule. He summoned her, grinning like a kid.

    "Master," she bowed. "I bring good news from Themyscira. Athena is willing to meet you. However, it must be done in Themyscira."

    Dangerously, Altair narrowed his eyes, a frown threatening to form, "Why there?"

    "She ims she has a present for you. One you''d be a fool to discard."

    Calmly and without pause, the King rose from the Obsidian Throne of Stygian, "Then I willply. However, I will be attended by you and Tasha."

    "She said you''d do such and ims she has no reservation towards that devil by your side."

    Altair scuffed, though he was smiling. He liked it when he was dealing with a smart woman. Especially when one could analyze his movements, it made it easier to aplish what he set out to do.

    "Good. Then, set an appointment. And¡­" He paused, staring at Alyssa through the eyes of Sacrilege.

    [DING]

    [30% of all stats of the Master will be shared between Individual Shadows]

    [Skills of the Master will be shared amongst the Shadows]

    [Fallen Necromancy has drawn out 30% of Amazonian bloodline]

    [Str, Dex, Con, Wis will Receive +400 to Bloodline bonuses]

    Name: Alyssa

    Race: Fallen Amazonian

    Str:150 + 324 + 400= 874

    Dex: 370 + 369 + 400 = 1136

    Con: 615 + 420 + 400 = 1435

    Wis: 620 + 426= 1046

    Chr: 620 + 426= 1046

    ''Her stats are monstrous, too. They are close to a peak fifth Circles. Not bad. I wonder what Nia is like?''

    "Master¡­ If you keep looking at me like that, she''ll think you''re going to eat her," said Alyssa candidly.

    The Prince managed a smile, "Perhaps if you show promise amongst my Pale Knights, I''ll allow you to visit my chamber." he said, unveiling his lordly aura.

    Alyssa''s grin turned savage. "I''ll prove it tenfold, my Lord."

    After Lord ckwood dismissed her, he chuckled, narrowing his eyes, sensing everything within his palm falling into ce.

    "Ava, have you alreadyposed a list of Earth''s data bank? The Nobles ought to have given you everything they have involving martial arts, spells, and so on."

    "Confirmed, ess has been sent to Masters Neruolink," said Ava, highlighting the file across Altairs pupils.

    "Bring up all tier One and Two spells. I think it''s time I expanded my repertoire of spells."

    "Confirmed"

    As the Prince''s vision expanded through the hundreds of spells hounding his sight, a bright smile rose across his face as he opened the file that caught his eye.

    Shadow Fire

 Chapter 253: Secrets

    Pyres of noxious me rose amidst the noble screams of those who had refused to take a knee. Their horrid deaths had been broadcasted the same instance Lord ckwood, Earth''s New Monarch, made his first statement. The world fell in despair, with hundreds rushing to storm the pce walls, only to be cut down before they could beg for mercy.

    It was Nia, attended by her father, the Marquess Eli Cross, who led the charge against the banners of rebellion. The battle couldn''t havested several minutes. The act had been a stain upon his honor, yet as he looked out at the ughter to his daughter, cutting man and woman down like leaves, he couldn''t help but wonder what went wrong.

    His Nia had been of a righteous heart. One who would never raise a weapon against these so-called traitors. The day she returned, her hair had been the color of silver, her eyes a burning yellow, all the while, her skin took on a greyish hue.

    ''What has happened to my daughter?'' he wondered, turning an eye towards the Pce, his eyes attempting to peer through the wall to find the one upon the Throne.

    "Marquess Cross," said Nia, wielding her crimson spear. "You will advance upon Zamptis and prove to our New King your resolve: Be they man, woman, and child, you will uproot any resistance."

    Eli nearly broke, biting back the tears; he grinned an ugly smile and said, " I understand. For the Honor of King ckwood!" he saluted.

    "Keep that resolve¡­ Father. Send the broadcast to the people of Earth. Let them know the consequence of their actions." Shemanded, returning to her lord''s court. She fell to a knee, globs ofrge pearly tears cascading down her cheeks. "It''s done¡­ My Lord."

    Listening to her muffled sniffles resound across the walls of his Court, Altair sighed, "This was your idea."

    "I know¡­ but it had to be done. The people trust Marquess Cross more than life. He is a man of unyielding conviction. You''ll have a far easier time earning the people''s trust with him by your side. But¡­"

    "I will never earn his unyielding trust." The King scuffed." Is what you''re saying? Then I hope you work on your rtionship with him, Nia. A noble has no ce if he doesn''t have value. If there is no loyalty, there is not much value. He lives only today out of my concern for you. And only that.

    However, there are limits to my patience."

    Nia looked stunned. "My Lord?" she said, as understanding swayed across her mind. Her head bowed in recognition. "I will seed my Father."

    Lord ckwood did not say another word. He knew he was being cruel, but so was the Path of the King. He couldn''t afford betrayal, at least not when they were under his terms. Not when Earth was so fragile, facing a farrger threat.

    He dismissed her soon after, though not before rewarding her for her efforts by granting her her own dutchy on the named day she seeded her Father alongside ess to the Forge within Stygian.

    "Now¡­ all that''s left is to deal with Azura," he muttered, closing his eyes as he waited.

    He did not wait long, opening his eyes towards a stunningly azure blue tree possessing blossoms seemingly created out of pure, raw, ethereal energy. Each time the blossom fell, they danced through the air, dissipating into nothingness.

    Beneath the tree sat Azura drinking a cup of tea, an empty chair across from her. She gestured to it.

    And Altair obeyed, scanning his eyes over the foulke of dposing flesh and bile so foul he felt his stomach dip.

    "ording to what you told me," said Zero, shing across the young lord''s mind, "The Lake of Rot exists just outside the Myriad Heavens in the Abyss; this means you need to dy each time you return. Dy as much as you can."

    "Why?" he asked, unable to understand.

    "Because you¡­ specifically need permission to transverse the Abyss. Your father''s First Wife, the Queen of the Abyss, rules that domain. Her omnipotence ought to have sensed you."

    "... Huh? I don''t understand."

    "There is a reason your Father told you never to visit the Abyss. It was all to keep you hidden away from the Queen. I can''t imagine she was able to fully prate Cains or Azura''s protection, but she ought to have sensed a disturbance in her mate''s bloodline, aka you. So, when you ever return. Dy."

    ''Such a risky gamble,'' He thought, face to face with Azura silently observing him. She seemed mildly surprised, though he could see why. His power had practically doubled, if not tripled, in the short month he had left the Lake of Rot.

    "I''m impressed with your growth. Despite ack of resources, your growth isparable to that of some of our weaker crucible members. It was the same for Syris an hour ago."

    ''She will attempt to y mind games. Trying to get beneath your skin.'' Said Zero, tapping his finger across the council table. ''She will probably try to y with your feelings by bringing up the loss of Solomon''s daughter''s virginity. As a practitioner of the Ninth Form, I need you not to react.''

    The Prince''s expression was nk, expecting as such. Still, he feltpelled to give some reaction to help aid in his dy, "Why does that matter? Especially to the Goddess of Rot."

    "I was just wondering if there was any Yin to take? She was raped after all," said Azura, startling the Prince. "Oh? You didn''t know? Oh yes, the day she died. It happened.

    Curious, I wonder why she never told you."

    Altair had something of a nk look written across his face. He''d heard of the Demon King, Belius, straight from Syris''s lips, but never had she....

    "I never knew you could make such a mournful expression. Most guys might have flown into a rage. It seems you are either moreposed, or she doesn''t mean that much, and it was just sex. Either way, we feel like we are morally obliged to let Soloman know that you are giving it to his daughter. Now, that might be interesting to watch."

    She grinned when she saw his paleplexion crossing her legs. Did you really not think such a thing urred? I''m sure she told you she died before.It''s quite amon thing, you know. It''s why many women opt to die before death."

    "Is there a point to this? Or are you merely trying to get a rise out of me?" He asked, rposing himself to a fine point sword. "Why am I here?"

    "To gauge your progress, of course. Be it in Babels Tower or mentally. A sword that can''t be sheathed typically loses its edge. You are a bit of a wild card. Unknown Origins attended by a Nephilim of all things and a Highborn Celestrial, born to a daughter of the First Family. It makes us all wonder about your origins."

    Her fingers drummed against the rim of her tea cup. "Cain suggests we tie you down with marriage, forcing you to birth us a child. But¡­ look at me. I killed my children in cold blood. Familiar bonds don''t mean much to creatures at the top." She paused, peering up towards the azure tree blossoms. "Though, it is enough to trap boys and girls for a lifetime.

    Could you ever abandon your son or daughter, Altair?"

    "I''m not that demented." He answered.

    "Demented? I suppose it might appear that way to a blind child. But I owe you no exnation. Tell me when you will venture into Babels Tower."

    "In a few months. No set date."

    "Syris said Six."

    "Syris isn''t leading," said the Prince coldly. And he thought, ''Seems she gave out the necessary information.''

    "Perhaps. But I am remiss to inform you that you only possess thirty years. Someyers in Babels Tower can take up to twenty years per floor."

    The Prince did not look worried. Who was he if not a man who defied possibilities?

    "I don''t care how much time it takes your average man. I am not your average lord."

    "Your hubris will get you killed one day, boy."

    Altair eyes dangerously narrowed, "I could say the same thing for you."

    Azura opened a hand, conjuring a stack of parchment. "I''ll contact you next month. During that time, you will be expected to choose a partner. Now that you are a candidate for the Crucible. You will actively partner up with various women if you cannot decide. We will decide for you.''

    ''Did they give Syris something like this?'' he wondered but didn''t get the chance to ask before he was sent back to Earth, in his hand the parchment he never reached for.

    He held his tongue until he returned to the Pce of Stygian. "Bastards!" he cursed, tossing the parchment of paper across the floor. "As if I''d ever allow you ess to my progeny."

    ****

    Far outside the Citadel of the Abyss, amidst the primal chaos, peering towards the vast expanse. He stood, flooding like a child amidst the endless tide.

    "The presence vanished again¡­ tsk, damn it. Master is going to kill me. But why do I have to do this? It''s so stupid. I miss the good old days of freedom. Damn you, Master!

    One day, I, Eroma Snow, will escape you and your infernal training."

    He hung his head, touching his rumbling stomach. "Ahh, and now I''m hungry. I wonder if Master cooked. For a bastard¡­ he is surprisingly a good chef. AAAAAAAAH~ Fuck! If I return¡­ I''ll get to have some booty.

    But I''ll suffer beneath Master infernal treatment. But also, there''ll be booty. But I''ll also get food. And then there is booty. Damn it. Booty wins out again.

    Looks like I''ll have to try escaping during my next excursion. "

 Chapter 254: Land of the Amazons

    It had taken nearly seven days for Altair to regain control of his emotions as far as Syris was involved. He had so many questions, wanting to join her in her dungeon diving, but he held himself back. It hadn''t been his ce to ask such a question.

    Not that he even knew how to broach the subject.

    And so he held his tongue, almost as if to allow her to keep her noble barring before him, smiling each time Syris would return for a rest or had dinner. He kept his smile, swallowing his pride until she was ready to broach the subject.

    "Master! Are you ready?" Alyssa asked, wrapped in the formal attire, bearing the Crest of Tenebrae on her back.

    "You ever had that feeling where you really don''t want to leave your house, but you lowkey have no choice?"

    Inside a cruiser bound for the Amazonian Dungeon towards the North, Tasha found herself self-exchanging nces with Alyssa, giggling at one another.

    "Of course not. You''re just in a bad mood." Said Alyssa, patting his shoulder, smoothing out any wrinkle that caught her eye. "Are you sure you''re not just scared of meeting a god? Athena is quite known for her infinite wisdom and beauty. I''m sure that can be quite intimidating."

    "You seem a little too zealous," said Altair, smirking. "I know all about Athena thanks to you. Or at least all I should know."

    "Then allow me to inform you that Athena is not a kind god," said Tasha as a matter of fact. "In fact, most of the Old Gods are absolute monsters who don''t seem to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong."

    Altair merely shrugged. "Well, I can''t really me the Old Gods. I''ve already gone mad. It''s the price of power, is it not?" when he felt his Cruizer dock, he yawned, forcing himself up. "Look at you. I still allow you by my side, and I''m quite sure you''re not alright in the head."

    "I''m offended," said Tasha, feigning being hurt with a teasing grin."Lord ckwood, I am, of course, a sane woman. I just enjoy letting loose every once in a while. And to prove it to you, I even returned from the Hells to acquire some cooking material."

    "You really went to the Hells just to acquire some cooking material?" The mere idea seemed so out of pocket off the Cruzer Altair was gaping.

    "Quite. " said Tasha in the affirmative, pleased with herself. "Gluttony, My dear King, is a sin. And what better ce to indulge in all your desires than the Hells?"

    Just then, a shrillugh caught the air as Vina, one of the two guards of the Amazonian Portal, caught sight of Alyssa.

    "Sister!" she waved, her eyes meeting Lord ckwoods. Dread prated her innards like a cold shard of ice, stifling her voice until it did not remain. Vina went paler than a ghost, losing herself within those fathomless ck eyes.

    She dropped, falling over dead.

    It hadn''t been an intentional thing, but Altair was shocked to see her reaction.

    "Is she ok?"

    "That''s what happens when you raise your stats outside the bounds of your understanding," said Thanatos, following behind. "Coat your Heart with your Spirit. For most, including yourself, we all possess a core, housing all our intent and spirit much like the soul, except it is embedded into our Mana or Source."

    Altair did as he was told, having gained a lot of experience controlling his Sprit domain. It was an easy feat following Thaan''s instructions, somehow finding his aura vanishing from his fleshy body. He was stunned, though his stunned state did notst long when he saw a spear pierced towards him.

    His eyes shed to red, and the spear halted inches from his face.

    "I didn''t realize my power was so great that I could kill people with but a nce. "Altair muttered, walking past the guardian. "It seems I owe you an apology, Alyssa. It was never my intention to kill anyone."

    "It was her fault," said Thaan coldly. " She should have never looked you in the eye. Warrior or not, this is the consequence."

    Alyssa was silent, looking at the corpse of her friend. She shook her head, "It''s fine, Master¡­ you didn''t know. But I think I get why people of higher levels typically keep their distance."

    "Altair is a special case," said Thaan. "He has trained his Spirit, making it far more lethal than people like Lady Darkfire. Her gaze might stun, but Altairs will kill."

    "I never felt anything from her¡­ now that I think about it. Aside from Gods, I don''t think I''ve ever felt threatened by someone''s eyes," said Lord ckwood softly. "Guess I''m just built differently. Anyway, will this be a problem, Alyssa?"

    "No. Death amongst Sisters ismonce." she nced at her other Amazon Sister clutching her spear frozen in ce by the Eye of Sacrilege. "What did you do to her?"

    "Froze her perception by a couple thousand. A single second is about a few months for her, I believe," Altair replied, walking through the portal rift without another word; he emerged on a sandy beach.

    The sand felt like fire as if it had been baking beneath the sun for countless hours while the winds dragged it across his cheek.

    "Now this is mildly annoying¡­ what a lovely new way to torment someone!" said Tasha happily, a little taken back by the weather.

    Calmly, Lord ckwood scanned the area, narrowing his eyes towards the trees, hiding away the countless drawn arrows poised for action. He closed an eye, the memories of Alyssa shing across his mind.

    Rustling echoed noises from the jungle ahead before she emerged, a stunning warrior wrapped in a golden breastte and half coat that bore the crest of Mt.Olympus. Taller than most men, armed with a sword and shield. Her long blond hair tied in an intricate dragontail down her shoulder.

    "In the name of Ares, state your name!" she demanded, unveiling her broadsword, " Or die by my sword."

    "Did Athena not tell the woman of Themyscira of my arrival?"

    Alyssa looked cross. "I was with the queen, my Lord. She should have informed them."

    "I see. Well, I did not bring my Sword Maids with me. So, I''m quite defenseless. I''ll leave it up to you guys to protect your defenseless king." Altair said without shame. "Kill everyone present. And put their heads on pikes even if they beg.

    Paint the sand red." He turned around, conjuring a brush and some canvas.

    The female warrior looked stunned before she exploded inughter; she raised her sword, " SIsters¡ª"

    "That is enough; all of you stand down." said a cold, effeminate voice, emerging on the beach like a ghostly apparition, bleeding a strange, oppressive aura, weighting the very air.

    Altair smiled, his gaze sweeping across a woman in all white. But the order had been given. And who was Alyssa, if not his a Knight of his court?

    Without pause, Alyssa''s fist closed the distance between the Amazonian Warrior, her palm plunging through the breastte and breast exploding out the back in a geyser of red against the stand.

    "My king demands death," she intoned, opening a palm, crafting sword, shield, and armor form out of raw Infernal Lightning. She looked every bit like a goddess of war, unleashing a dreadful wave of presence onto the beach.

    "Bastard!" shouted the unnamed woman.

    "Hmmmmm~" Hummed Tasha, resting her chin onto the woman''s shoulder, to her surprise. "I really want some cookie points with Altair. So, despite my distaste for involving myself in mortal affairs, I have no choice but to kill you, Silia. No hard feelings, right? A half-transcendent like you ought to understand, right?"

    Silia drained of color, unsure how she had gotten so close without her notice. She was practically on her. "How do you know my name? I''ve not spoken it in over five hundred years!"

    "We devils see the true names of all. The benefits of forming deals," said Tasha, removing her chin from her shoulder. Her gaze narrowed dangerously, "Anyway¡ª"

    "Don''t kill her," said Thaan, his voice echoing through the Devil''s Soul.

    "Sorry. I don''t listen to you," said Tasha, ready to drive her palm through Silia''s chest when she saw Altair''s smiling face. She shook, lowering her palm, thinking, ''Why is he testing me? Did I make a mistake?''

    And said, patting the young woman''s shoulder, "Just kidding! Call off your little party here. And I''ll let you live. No need to kill them, right, Lord ckwood?"

    "I did order it¡­ but we are on a diplomatic mission. I guess mercy is in order. What do you think, Thaan?"

    Thanatos elegantly bowed. "Mistakes were surely made on their apart, my Lord, but I don''t believe killing everyone present is the most diplomatic solution."

    Altair did not look convinced, weaving brush across the canvas, his eyes lifted towards the scene. He nodded, "I am in agreement, but¡­ they raised a sword against me. What is a sword if not a weapon meant to kill? But now I''m curious. What gift does Athena have for me? Alyssa, my knight, kill everyone aiming their bows at me."

    Thaans silently stared at him, confused.

    "Tasha, bring that woman here. Of everyone present. Her life is far more valuable to me."

 Chapter 255: Primal Death

    Altair had not spoken since he began weaving brush against canvas that spoke of the intricate madness of his psyche.Each kill he marked with his brush ebbing the pulse of lifeblood from those in, epassing shrill cries or torment, rippling the pooling blood of the soaked sand.

    They were being cut down like weeds, butched like bs of meat. The series of actions in which Alyssa killed seemed entirely predatory. She was the Alpha, and her sisters, the beta, ripe for the picking. Guided by the prescience of Foresight and Instinct that seemed to transcend mortal understanding. she blurred, weaving through bodies like a ribbon of death.

    Silia had been made to watch. It was like a cool bath exposing the sadistic tendency of the woman behind her and the young man who allowed it.

    When it was done, leaving only silence, Alyssa knelt in the blood of her sisters, tingling with a vibrancy that had taken her by surprise. She hadn''t been the strongest of her generation amongst the Amazonian women, but rather a talent that couldn''t be wasted. But neither did it need to be fully cultivated.

    She had seen the zenith of her ability the day she died and the subsequent revival in her Master''s image. It was like a battering ram to her mind, awakening an awareness of her current state.

    ''I am no longer an Amazon.'' she thought, "I am a Shadow, a Knight of my Masters Court.''

    Altair lowered the brush, marking how she panted, how she grinned, and said, "How did it feel to dominate? To y what might have been your future?"

    "Empowering," she said in a kowtow. "I thank you, Master! I thank you for this power."

    The admission of thankfulness had been something Altair had never heard from his shadows. It made him realize how much they''d actually gained from him. They were stronger, faster, smarter, wielding skills that blurred the lines of mortal or perhaps transcendent understanding. The only limitation being his understanding of the Sword. And yet premonition warned of potential danger.

    ''If you could kill one, you could kill all,'' he thought, perceiving no distinction between his Shadows and himself.

    "Lift your head. Good. Do you wish for more power, Alyssa? You fought against Nia before, have you not? Lost to her quite miserably if I remember."

    Alyssa felt the sensation of her victory run cold. She nodded.

    "Then forsake my style to find your own. Nia possesses a level of prescience that rivals Aurora. Those eyes she possesses are Godly. Foresight, advanced levels of cognizance, and spatial and time maniption all echo from her eyes. You will not defeat her using the skills I create. She knows my repertoire.

    To beat her and those beyond her, you need to call upon your roots. What is your specialty? What is your unique skill?"

    At the sudden epiphany jolting through her mind, Alyssa beamed, nearly forgetting herself. "Will do, Master! Using your knowledge, I will fuse the Teaching of my Past into something new¡­ something made only for me."

    Altair grinned, shifted his attention to Silia, and said, "Why do you suppose your Queen allowed this?"

    "She did not,'' said Silia, careful in how she spoke lest she be killed by the Devil holding her hostage. She couldn''t take the chance to escape yet. Not when she was so close, her palm pressing against her spine. "Ares, The God of War, seeks to defy the will of Athena. The woman who attacked you is beneath his banner."

    "Ares¡­" Another of Twelve Olympians. "I see. And Ares wishes me dead?"

    "That¡­ That I do not know,'' said Silia hesitantly. "The two have been at odds since the dawn of their conception."

    As the winds fingered the Prince''s robes, rustling across his ashen hair, the scarlet tinge across his eyes faded to a charcoal ck. He smiled, shifting his attention to Tasha. "You may release her."

    Silia tried to contain her relief, feeling Tasha remove her palm from her back. She sighed, offering a bow. "I thank you for sparing my life, Lord ckwood."

    "I''m not a fan of abusing Tasha''s strength. Especially since ites with a price." He nced at the smiling devil, ignoring her lewd smile. There were still many things he did not know about Tasha that made him apprehensive, and yet¡­

    An axiom of his mother''s words came to his mind, ''No Lord shall ever be fullyfortable within his court, said Tenebrae, brushing his hair. "A court is just another battlefield. One fought with words and ideals rather than sword and shield."

    ''She''s too powerful not to use,'' he told himself with a snort. ''What matters is giving her enough without giving her what she actually needs.''

    "It will seem we got off on the wrong foot, Lady Silia. But Introductions are in order. My name is Altair ckwood, Ruler of Earth. This here is my Pale Knight, Alyssa, and that lovelydy there is Tasha."

    Just then, Tasha rounded to his elbow. She was grinning, teasing the air with her breath. "I could have introduced myself," she said, "I am, after all, a Royal as well."

    "I will remember that for the future,'' he replied, suddenly aware that she too was a Royal Devil, a creature recognized by the Hells as a higher life form. Fundamentally different from the average demon or devil. Royals typically possessed either the bloodlines from a King or the Authority of one, but never both.

    He wondered which Tasha was.

    "Then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Silia, Lady of the Celestial Keep. Seventh Guardian to Her Majesty the Queen."

    If her guardian is a Half Transcendent, then the Queen is sure to have the Realm of Transcendent, he determined, offering a palm to gesture peace between the two.

    Silia felt he had just pped her with such a gesture. Not only had he indiscriminately ughtered her Sisters, but he also took her captive. Still, she ate her pride, epting his hand.

    "I''vee to guide you to the Temple of Athena, along the Isle of Judgement."

    Altair knew the ce well. It was a small ind towards the east. Every Amazon had to make a pilgrimage on their fifth named day. It was a memory that had been embedded into the bodies of every Amazonian.

    "That''s a week''s travel," said Alyssa calmly.

    "A week,'' he repeated softly, shaking his head. "We''ll travel via the skies. I can''t waste a week. It''ll take me less than a second if we travel at light speed."

    "You¡­ You can travel at light speed?" The mere words seemed almost foreign to her ear, yet as Silia heard herself speak, it felt all the more peculiar.

    "Might I make a suggestion?" Thanatos remarked. "I think you should travel by foot or carriage and take in the process. The will of each world is different. Experiencing it allows one to attune themselves to a greater whole.

    ''He''s right,'' said Tasha suddenly. "If one wishes to attune themselves to the Hells, they must walk the Nine Hells and feel each of their Nine mes.''

    Curious at what they meant, Altair asked, " What is this Attunement you speak of?"

    "I sometimes forget you''ve not been formally taught," said Thaan. "Attunement is the process of calling upon a higher power without prayer. In a sense, it''s the process of borrowing power without a price. Tasha here can attune herself to the hells, in theory epting 1% of its power. However, that one percent would instantly ce her in the Realm of Godhood."

    "True. Unfortunately, my attunement towards the hells is not that high. It''s not close to a whole number yet.''

    "That is ridiculous!" said Altair, stunned.

    "Well, the power is rtive to the ne of existence we live on, but I would agree. Fortunately, the process is insanely hard to achieve. I believe most of the Kings of Hell have an attunement of Ten percent, while Fallen is fifteen or twenty percent."

    Altair looked utterly in disbelief. "And your saying¡­ I can attune myself to the Myriad Heavens."

    "Of course. Attunement is a very necessary process. I myself have attuned myself to Primal Death."

    "Primal Death?" said Tasha and Altair while Silia stood there taking in the conversation. She''d never heard of any of this.

    "Before the Angels Fell, The Father dubbed Azazel the God of Death,Creating the First Ever Reaper, subsequently creating Primal Death, granting all things Life and Death."

    "Destined Death," muttered the Prince, somehow understanding the matrix of it all.

    "That is correct, "nodded Thaan."Destiny and Death are closely rted. Even if you are Immortal, death will find you. It''s not a matter of how but when¡­ That is Primal Death. It is the Nexus of the End. All things begin with it."

    "Interesting. I didn''t realize that."

    "Neither did I until the Silver Devil revealed the Eight Form of his Sword, Primal Death. The moment I saw it¡­" he stopped, still shaking as the image of that de sparked across his subconscious, cooling his blood. "Anyway¡­ We should go. I''m sure Athena is quite angsty. Despite her wisdom, she''s never been a patient woman.

 Chapter 256: Athena I

    ''Experience,'' Altair thought, idly peering out at the carriage Silia had procured for his arrival. It was an odd thing. Despite it being his first time within Themyscira, Altair had found himself reminiscent. Familiar trees,ndmarks, and faces swelled across his mind like a maelstrom of the senses.

    He felt happy, taken back by the feeling of home. It made him realize how little he truly understood of his Pale Knights. These were not his feelings, his nostalgia; they belonged to Alyssa. The memories, the experiences, the pleasure, the sorrow he''d taken them all into him, iming her reality through death.

    Just then, a faint disturbance drew him away as Tasha guided his hand to herp. He watched, neither speaking nor rejecting her touch.

    "In Mythos, it''s believed that one could read the fait of Gods and Mortals alike by reading the palm,'' she said. "Would you like me to read yours?"

    And the memory of little Aria Silvermane stirred his prescience, ''But a Great Prince is here!'' she''d said, ''The Prince who shall burn the world and create it anew.''

    "Did Grimory teach you that?" he asked.

    Tasha nodded. "She did. Amidst my lessons, palm reading was instilled within us. We are not just ythings of the Fallen. We are guides."

    Across from her, Silia''s eyes brushed across the Lilims face.

    "Guides? That''s the first time I''ve heard of that."

    "That''s because it''s not something housed within our blood. Father imed it would give us too much power and that only a selected few whom the Fallens had chosen via their birthright should ever need to be trained in Guidance." Tasha looked up at him, smiled, shook her head, and focused on his palm once more. "You feel sorry for me."

    "I don''t like the idea of breeding someone for pleasure. It feels¡ª-"

    "Empowering.'' Finished Tasha, once more lifting her eyes to him. "You''ve no idea the pleasure thates in serving. I''m sure it equates to the sensation of ruling."

    Thanatos nodded. "To that, I''d agree. Not everything sounds nice. In a sense, I am a ve to Primal Death. But there is honor in service, honor in carrying out my duty."

    "But is it the same? She was born to be someone''s ything. You had a choice." Altair fired back, not understanding how he could make such an absurdparison.

    "Did I?" said Thaan, smiling. "Did you have a choiceing into this world?"

    Altair frowned, shaking his head.

    "Did you have a choice learning the Path of the King?"

    Again, he shook his head.

    "What about who or what your parents are?" Thaan drew in a breath. "Athena¡­ is Family. My family. I don''t like it, but it''s true. I''ve never particrly liked her, but neither have I ever hated her. That there is a choice I made.

    And a choice that was reciprocated. I was born the personification in my domain as Primal Death. I represented the end of all things. Meanwhile, my father, Hades, represented the Order of Death. These were not choices. Do you like spears?

    "

    "I don''t dislike them."

    "But you don''t use a spear. Is that a choice, or is it inherent?"

    For a while, Altair was silent, lulled into a state of awareness that made him ruefully smile. ''All men are not born equally,'' he thought, closing his eyes. ''Only beneath the hands of Death are they equal.''

    "Each of the Hells but the Eighth, Sylvorlum, possess Lilims to guide the various monarchs and lower Lords," Tasha began once more. "Allowing them to make informed decisions. In the Royal Pce, beneath Father, I was the best attending her on a daily basis before I was offered to Lord Asterorth."

    Tasha smoothed out his palm, gently pressing down, following not the lines of his palm but the pattern of a rune Altair could not make out.

    "It was a shame¡­ I never got used by the Allfather of Time. He did not require me. But rather chose to allow me to guide the mortals across the Myriad in his domain."

    "Couldn''t he do it? Why you?"

    "I was good, my Lord," said Tasha, her blood-red eyes burning with fire. "I nned the entire ordeal of Farwin: The strife, the betrayal, the lust, the demon assaults, and more. I created an entire culture based around fighting demons, even manipting the Sisters of Serith into believing they were a force of good. I did so for millions of worlds.

    Why else do you think a Devil with my level of cultivation would be able to call upon Lord Asteroth?"

    ''If what she says is true, then I am vastly underestimating her.'' Altair thought. ''It would seem her talents don''t necessarily lie in spreading her legs.''

    And he said," Is this your way of asking me to give you a ce of power?"

    She looked at him strangely. "Oh my Lord, I already have your ear. Aside from your bed, what better ce is there?"

    Altair did not respond, turning to peer out at the ice-cap mountains alongside the silvery nket of snow covering the Heavens. He sighed.It was a stunning sight, yet they were burdened by the memories of a pilgrimage that left many dead.

    On the fifth name day of every Amazonian child, a pilgrimage would be taken to sharpen their will and bodies.The pilgrimage took nearly two weeks toplete, forcing the children to either work as a team or kill each other in the hopes of stealing body heat. It was a harsh trial with a fourth percent mortality rate, usually, with most perishing trying to cross the frozen Lake of Deos.

    But the memory of it all was both a tragedy and a treasure marking the day the children became women.

    For nearly an hour, they trekked forward, pushing the horses until their lungs burned and their eyes froze.

    "My Lord, do you want me to tell you your future?" Tasha mused, sliding an eye towards him.

    "Is it along the lines of I shall burn worlds and create it anew?"

    Tasha looked startled for a while before Altair broke the silence. "Aria told me the day we met. I assume that''s the reason Asteroth wanted her so badly. Those eyes of hers are very much special. I wonder how she''s doing."

    "Hmmm!" ring her cheeks, Tasha snorted, "Cheater!"

    "Excuse me?!"

    "You heard me! Cheater!"

    Altair chuckled. "How about I give you another chance?"

    Tasha peeked up at him, her lips curling up from her earlier pout. "Really?"

    "Of course I¡ª"

    "It''ll have to wait," said Silia. "We have arrived at the Lake of Deos." she pointed towards the faded ind in the distance shrouded by an icy fog. "There lies the Isle of Judgement."

    Releasing Alyssa from out of his Shadow, his knight lept out of the carriage, frolicking through snow, beaming like a child who''d never seen snow before. She stopped at the edge of the shores, looking out at the thinyer of ice at the top of the Lake of Deos.

    "Are we swimming across again?" she asked, ncing back at Altair and Silia walking off the carriage.

    "You can if you want¡­ I''ll just walk on top of the water." Said the Prince, though he was mildly interested in experiencing the cold waters of Deos once more. The cold was always something he strived to experience.

    Alyssa nodded before leaping in without the slightest bit of hesitation. Piercing through the topyer of ice, she plunged into the water''s depths like a fish in water.

    Meanwhile, Altair, Tasha, Thaan, and Silia began stepping over the water''s surface using their Mana to match the frequency of the water, allowing them to stand on the water even if the ice cracked.

    They spent about three hours crossing theke, taking in the sight before they arrived on the other side of theke to be greeted by Alyssa alongside half a dozen Amazonians, d in their traditional garms. All of them were in the Ninth Circle.

    "Sisters,'' said Silia calmly. "This is Altair ckwood, the new King of Earth."

    The Nine Amazonian Sisters turned a measuring eye towards the Prince. And their gaze turned to disbelief.

    "But he''s a Third Circle," One of them eximed. "How''s that possible?"

    Thaan ignored the Nine Sisters, looking up towards the Twelve Pirs in the distance obscured by a fog. He couldn''t make it out before, but he could now.

    "I''m going to pay respects to my Father; it shouldn''t take more than a few minutes."

    "Tell Hades I said hi."

    Thaan nodded, vanishing in a wisp of Mana that made Altair somewhat jealous. He wondered when he''d be able to teleport like that.

    "Hey you!" said Tina, one of the Nine. "Are you really the King of Earth?"

    Altair did not respond to her. It was to beneath him. "Silia, why don''t I go ahead? You can deal with¡­ this." He said, moving forward beneath the incredulous eyes of the Nine Sisters.

    Silia nodded. "As you say. The Queen should already be there. Awaiting your arrival, Lord ckwood."

 Chapter 257: Athena II

    Without pause, Altair, followed by Tasha and Alyssa, crossed the ind, making their way toward the Twelve Pirs in the distance. Through the dense fog gradually thickening until mortal eyes could not perceive their surroundings, they trekked,ing to a stop just outside a clearing before the entranceway.

    There, through their domains alerting them of movement, they perceived a strange creature that gave Altair pause: A centaur, arge creature that possesses the upper body of a man and the lower half of a stallion, entered his domain.

    The creature was massive, with the height of nearly four grown men, wielding a ive to match. Padded in leather-hide to mask the chainmail beneath, pointed the tip of his ive towards Altair.

    "State your name!"

    Altair did not sense the presence of a star within the centaur; rather, they seemed much like a monster that grew through what it devoured and time lived. He approached, wondering if Thanatos took the same way.

    He shook his head no, recalling this was his Pantheon, in a sense his domain. He was sure to possess some semnce of Authority as the God of Death.

    "You are speaking with Altair ckwood, King of Earth," herald Alyssa coldly. "Step aside, the Queen, herdyship, Klonia awaits." She was growing more and more frustrated by all these side stops. It hardly seemed as if Klonia, much less Athena, had any good faith in inviting her Master.

    The Centaur, Talv, growled, "It''s not up to you to decide. I am¡ª" Bearing off, noticing Altair had already crossed him before instincts had instructed him he''d gotten so close. He spun on his hooves, sweeping his spear to split him in half.

    Altair did not react, discerning the action alone through his all-knowing prescience; Alyssa interceded on his behalf, parrying the blow with one flick of her infernal lightning sword.

    A hail of embers swept across the fog, pushing it back with shattering force.

    Altair continued on his way, waving, "Bring me his head." and he was gone, Tasha flickering to his elbow. He crossed the stairs into what seemed like a temple forged of ashen stone. It was a stunning thing, perhaps beautiful, if not for the obscuring fog.

    Twelve stunning pirs stood in the open, piercing through the clouds into infinity. Each of them radiating a powerful divinity, capable of captivating mortal understanding, carrying twelve different symbols.

    He found Klonia standing before a pir that bore the symbol of the Golden Owl: Athena''s crest. He''d recognized her almost immediately. Though felt no attachment like Alyssa might have. Amazons had been taught to love war, love the thrill of battle, to love their queen. And yet, despite experiencing her life, only a coldness blistered in the young king''s chest.

    "Klonia," he said, drawing close. His footsteps humming across the stone, up the twelve pirs.

    "Did you know¡­ The Amazons once belonged to the God of War, Ares?" she said, brushing a palm across the pir of Athena. "But after the Great Change, Athena stole it. Invading ournds, she systematically ughtered the previous queens. She rewrote history. Wiping the minds of the mortals¡­"

    "That was allowed beneath the Shadow Promation?"

    "You assume everyone is aware of the Shadow Promation. Most, I assure you, are not aware. Those who had aligned themselves with Ares, the ones you met, rejected Athena when she descended and were allowed to keep their memories. They are the descendants from over a few Cycles ago." Her eyes dimmed, swaying towards the Young Lord, silently appraising her while she did the same.

    Her heart dipped, finding all his intent and presence hidden away within his heart, shielded from her perception. Klonia knew what it meant. She''d read the old script about spiritual maniption. Its practice had been lost to time but not its history.

    "Did Master Thanatos teach you?"

    "You know Thaan?"

    Klonia looked every bit pale, "Y-Y-You call him Thaan? He is the God of Death, the God who is said to be able to carry the souls of other gods into the depths of the Underworld."

    "I do. Thaan''s a really chill guy. Extremely honorable. We had dinner together the other day. I have to say, I managed to make him chuckle once. The best achievement of my life.

    Although¡­" his eyes scanned the area, unable to perceive the existence of hispanion. "I don''t see him."

    "Chthonic Gods are paid respect beneath Gaia herself," said Klonia, pointing her finger downwards as if to insinuate their ce of worship is below the earth.

    Altair scuffed. "That''s rather insulting."

    "I did not create the tradition," said Klonia kindly. "My ancestors did. They were all frightful of the Chthonic Gods. After all, who isn''t afraid of Death? Or the One Who Governs Death itself?" she paused, shaking her head. "But I meant no harm by it."

    Altair''s expression seemed only to darken, but before he could continue, Klonia spoke up," They are frightening beings, Lord ckwood. Mortals don''t understand that¡­ Not even I understand how anyone could worship Death. Yet some do. They are Gods, and upon the Death of loved ones, we pay them honor so that their souls might find peace. "

    "Enough of this tangent. Why am I here?" Altair demanded.

    The mist whirled at his words, swallowing him before he could hope to resist. By the time the fog had faded, Altair felt a heavy ache in his chest. Gradually, the ache became something of a burn.

    "What is this?" He growled, clenching his chest.

    "Divinity," said a gentle voice, carrying a hint of surprise in the tone. "Mortals typically can''t exist on Olympus without igniting into mes. You truly are part God."

    As the ache began to settle in his chest, Altair looked at the woman, the goddess, in all white, leaning onto the settee. She was a stunning thing, epassing the meaning of beauty to its fullest. Her eyes were as icy as her smile, yet across her face, it seemed to warm his heart, distracting him from something else¡­

    Altair felt he''d missed something. But couldn''t quite ce it.

    "My name is Athena."

    "Altair ckwood," he reciprocated.

    Athena gestured for him to sit, forming a chair out of nothing. He took a seat, staring at her silently.

    "You don''t seem honored," she said.

    "I could say the same thing," he fired back, and the two smiled.

    "How was your time away? You seem different. Colder." Athena remarked, conjuring the both of them a ss of ruby red wine.

    "Hell. More than you can imagine."

    "I''ve been to the Nine Hells. Although that was in a lower dimension. Still¡­ it shouldn''t be that different."

    Whirling the wine across the ss, he arched a brow, "What were you doing in the Nine Hells?"

    "The Silver Devil dragged me down there to threaten me. And in the end, I caved."

    "...Zariel Snow¡­ Right?"

    A dark sharpness cut across Athena''s pearly eyes. She frowned. "Your knowledge of the God Absolution is disturbing."

    Altair took a sip of the wine, his eyes snapping wide.

    "You like it? I had Dionysus create it for me. Despite being an absolute swine, not even I can deny his craft. In all the Myriad, his is the best." She savored the wine, enjoying the child-like glow across Altair''s face. He seemed every bit of the boy she once saw not so long ago. "Well?

    How do you know about the Silver Devil?"

    "Are you that afraid of him?"

    "Yes. We all are."

    "Lunafreya, my Big Sister, told me about him. Those two have a somewhat cordial rtionship. Or so I think." And his eyes narrowed, "But what is this all about, Athena? Surely you didn''t invite me to Olympus for nothing."

    "I''m deciding," she answered. "I''m wondering if you''re ready?" Nails rattling across the wine ss in a soothing rhythm, she sighed. "Truthfully. I''m in need of your services. Most of the Olympian Gods are. A fact that most of us don''t like to admit.

    The Old Gods are dying out. Newer Gods like you are taking over, and we are losing power."

    "So you''re not a Fell God," Altair said, once again startling the Goddess of Knowledge.

    "I''m an Infringement God. A High Ranker. But that isn''t important. What is important is our extinction. The Shadow Promation is going against us. It''s giving the Newer Gods time to grow, time to ughter our people.

    Even as we speak, several of my Worlds are on fire, and I can do nothing about it."

    The Prince took a sip of his wine, savoring the delicate notes across his tongue with exquisite precision.

    "And so you want to make me your champion? Thaan said as much. And I agreed. But what I don''t understand is why me? I''m sure there are more qualified individuals."

    Athena did not flinch and said," And I''ve already acquired them. But I want you. I''ve even prepared you a gift. A gift I''m sure you won''t refuse."

    Altair could sense the olive branch but did not reach for it yet. "But why me? I''m sure you saw the Devil by my side. You even saw my altercation with the First Family. Heralding me around as your champion will cause much discord."

    "Yet your head is held high." Athena pointed out. "I won''t try toprehend what happened over these past five years¡­ but your spirit is not broken. I''ve watched you for a very long time. And you possess one of the finest mindsets I''ve ever seen. You''re poised, hardworking, a little too lustful for my taste, but even when you engage in sex, you gain something out of it."

    "So here''s my gift to you. With your permission, I would like to fuse Gaia into Earth."

 Chapter 258: Athena III

    "So here''s my gift to you. With your permission, I would like to fuse Gaia into Earth."

    "What does that mean?" said the prince, shaken by his prescient warning of some unnamed amalgamation within the maelstrom of his subconscious. And he thought, ''Was this a trap? A game to give myself over to her?''

    "It''s as it sounds. With my authority, I seek to fuse Themiscyra into your world, granting Earth a higher level of Mana, better fighters, higher fertility rates, knowledge, and more."

    Her words appeared sincere, and perhaps they were. But was this the right move?

    Athena seemed to sense the apprehension and said, "It would not just be Themiscyra. But many other realms across Gaia herself." ¡ªAltair''s brow jumped, but he allowed her to continue without pause¡ª" Dungeons as you know them to be are mere fragments of a single realm. Some arerge; others are small. Some possess borders, others do not. It all depends on the God who crafted the trial."

    "This hardly seems like a gift. Perhaps I getnd, but you and your allies of all these particrnds will gain a shield." He said, almost managing a smile. It was an interesting scheme, one that truly worked in his favor. And yet, why did he feel hesitance towards it?

    Athena had a shrewd smile, brushing her lips across the wine ss seductively. "A true king would never hesitate over such a matter. No one ever said gifts never came with attachments."

    ''Does she seek to attack my Pride?'' he thought through expressionless eyes. And he chuckled and said, "Are these powers ready to bend a knee?"

    "They are."

    "What about the Gods?" He asked, marking the slightest twitching of her lips. It seemed nearly absent. "When one invites someone into their home, they invite not just their customs but their religions, their diseases, and their daggers. As a King, when I conquer people, I intend to strip them of their former identity.

    I intend to bastardize what they once were so that the new generation will believe the only culture that is right is my own. That is what it means to conquer, Athena. Unless¡ª-" He paused, giving out an olive branch.

    "Unless," said Athena, feeling their position was being flipped around.

    "Unless you join me and my court."

    Athena''s jaw dropped. "Eh?!"

    Altair snickered. "Swear fealty to me while also attending my court in the Pce of Stygian, and I''ll agree to your terms. You can have all the champions you want. They can even try to kill me. I don''t care. So long as you swear fealty before Heaven and Earth."

    "What good would that do? Allegiance can be broken?" Athena said, unable toprehend why he''d suggest such a conundrum.

    The Prince grinned. ''Because the moment you find out who I am. All that bravado you possess will vanish into eptance.'' he wanted to say, but instead said, "Because the moment you enter an alliance with me, you''ll never be able to leave."

    Athena sneered, "You''re more arrogant than I thought."

    "I king must have his pride," he answered, ying along with her scheme, recalling an axiom within his memories.

    ''The Pride of the King represents the state of your kingdom. Each time you lower your head, bend a knee, you degrade yourself before another,'' said Tenebrae kindly.

    Athena had expected pushback, but not like this. It made her very own prescient writhe with forewarning.

    As the Goddess of Knowledge, the Gift of Prescience was one of many gifts Athena was born with that made her the God she is today. Ares might have been the God of War, but even he dared not face Athena in battle if he did not have to. Be it her strategic mind, political maniption, or schemes, few possessed the skill to face her head-on.

    Had Zeus, the Patriarch of the Gods, not forbidden conflict between Gods during the Forgotten Era of Stagnation, it was said whoever held Athena on their side was sure to be undefeated in all matters.

    "You realize even with me. Even if I swear allegiance, the other gods won''t."

    "Athena,'' said the Prince, amused. "I thought you were trying to persuade me. Is it not your intent to get me to side with you? And it''s not like all Gods will be against their idea of making me their champion. Plus¡­" He leaned closer, narrowing his scarlet eyes. "I am not without allies.

    There is Artemis and the Chthonic Gods. Thanatos and Zagrerous have already taken the vow. I''m sure you know Hades. Do you think he would send both his sons to me if he didn''t see potential?"

    ***

    Seething a tantalizing moan, shudders jittered across her bare skin as Syris bit her lips. Altair stood behind her, his fang pressed against her neck, drawing in sweet nectar with each pulse of her heartbeat.

    Syris allowed it, quivering in delight at the euphoric sensation rattling across her flesh. When she had heard from Talia that Altair had returned, she had practically abandoned the mission at hand, hurrying back to the Pce of Stygian.

    It had been nearly two weeks since shest saw him. She knew most of the blood packs she''d made for him would notst. Ever since he returned to thend of the living, his appetite had been predatory.

    He''d already killed several young women by ident, forcing Aurora to implement a national order of some of the strongest men and women donating blood.

    So it came as no shock to Syris that on the day Altair found her, he''d torn off all her clothing until she was bare, sinking his fangs in.

    He wasn''t gentle like he usually was, tearing through muscles like a wolf upon a rabbit. It wasn''t until she was cold that Altair stopped, his glossy eyesing into focus. He kissed her neck, then her cheek, andstly, her lips as she weakly looked up at him.

    "I''m d you came. Already doing your wifely duties of feeding your husband."

    Syris found the energy to smile as her natural regeneration began to produce more and more blood through her system, replenishing what was lost. By the following dawn, she would have returned to her peak.

    "Your hunger is growing."

    Three Vale Stars hummed across space, appearing like a ghostly crown upon Altair. "The more blood I consume. The more my stars grow. I don''t really understand the mechanics. But aside from you and Reina''s blood. No one else seems to be able to sustain me for more than a day.

    Even the blood of people who are in higher Circles doesn''t do much aside from raising my stats. I get hungry the following hour. I''m sorry if I hurt you. I¡ª"

    "Don''t be. It''s why I returned,'' Syris said, shing him a bright smile despite being overly pale. "We need to buy some blood pellets."

    "Or perhaps we need to find a proper cow."

    Syris peeped up at him. "A cow?"

    "A sweet young thing, just like you, who I can bite every day."

    And her cheeks began to re with color. "Am I a Blood Cow then?"

    Altair narrowed his eyes at her breast. "Those things are not big enough for¡ª-"

    Jetting her head up into his jaw, Altair cursed, nearly biting off his tongue.

    "I''ll have you know I''m a D Cup, you ass hole! You just got big ass hands, so they seem¡ª"

    "Milk-able?"

    Syris blushed, covering her chest with her hands. She hurried off the bed into the bathroom to clothe herself. When she asked, "How''d it go with Athena?"

    "Oh? It''s a done deal. She made the oath of Fealty or at least some semnce of it." he answered, sprawled out over the bed, savoring the lingering nodes of Syris''s blood.

    "She didn''t bend a knee? I told you she wouldn''t." Syris echoed from the bathroom. "You owe me breakfast in bed. Fucking loser!"

    Altair lifted his head, annoyed. "I really thought she might have. She''s more pride than I realized. Thanatos and Zagreus did it."

    "Beneath the order of their Father and Nyx. Well, at least you were able to predict that Athena would officially join our side. That should make dealing with Genesis a lot easier. Was Artemis there?"

    "Sadly not.And Thanatos didn''t return with me."

    Emerging from the bathroom in a snow-white sleeping gown, Syris slithered back onto the bed, mounting her prince with practice precision. She grinned.

    "Well?" she said expectantly.

    Altair could only sigh, "While I would love to eat you up tonight. I might have gone a little overboard on your neck." he touched the taut wound on her neck, still tender to the touch. The wound, despite signs of healing, appeared as if a wolf had savaged her neck. It had already begun to heal, yet it unnerved him how easy it would have been to kill her by ident.

    "You almost look guilty, " said Syris, brushing a few strands of hair from his face. "why is that?"

    "Would you like to feel what I feel?" he asked her,expanding his domain. "it''s¡­ it''s hard for me to express everyst emotion in the moment.

    It''s extremely taxing managing the three or four on the surface.And there are hundreds." he reached a hand across her temple, extending his spirit inside of her to watch as a stream of tears racked by a profound sense of guilt and hate came crashing down in a flood of emotions.

 Chapter 259: Atelia

    Upon his return some hourster, Thanatos permitted a sullen expression of grief, anger, and loathing to spread across his face. He''d never been in such a position before, never had to think on behalf of another, that demanded sacrifice. His life he could give, but what had been asked¡­

    Presently, Thanatos stood amidst the highest peak of the Pce of Stygian, breathing in the icy gale fluttering across his cloak.

    He sighed and said, "Why are you here?"

    "Zag told me you were depressed," came the voice of Aurora entering the spire to spy a nce. "I had to see it myself."

    Thanatos cursed his brother beneath his breath as Aurora crossed the distance in her hand a decanter of whisky and two sses. "What happened?" she asked, pouring him a drink.

    He epted, swallowing the entirety in a single swig.

    "Wow¡­ That bad?"

    The distant silence became her answer before Thanatos broke it with his sultry voice. "I was ambushed¡­"

    "Eh?"

    Aurora looked him up and down, noting theck of injury, yet found herself frowning for some inexplicable reason. "By whom?"

    "My Mother¡­ and Artemis." He lowered his head, and Aurora poured him another. "Apparently¡­ They say when Artemis moves. She always strikes true. Be it in battle or her intentions."

    "What are you saying?"

    "Artemis seeks to father a child with me on the promise to fully back Altair." The God of Death forced a smile. "Mother¡­ Well, she''s my mother. She''s been trying to get me hitched since Melino? first challenged me to battle. If not for Zariel, we might have married."

    "I see," said Aurora softly, turning her face to mask her expression. "You know he''d never force you, right?"

    "I know¡­ but Artemis is a true monster. Altair could use that type of power. That type of mind."

    "I¡­ I see¡­" said Aurora softly. And with a sh of a smile, offered a hand. "Then, on behalf of my Master. I thank you."

    Thanatos looked at it and noted the way it trembled and epted it, "It was fun¡­ Right?"

    "Duty before all else¡­" muttered Aurora, biting her lips as she vanished in a wisp of light.

    Alone, he looked toward the rising multiple suns rising across the North, South East, and West.

    "Duty before all else¡­" Whispered Thanatos, steeling his heart as he wirled to face Altair.

    ***

    Presently, Altair was in an odd state, looking at the small child kicking her feet back and forth upon his throne. Her beady amethyst eyes glistened like two orbs the moment they crossed his.

    "Papa!" she eximed, suddenly revealing three snow-white fox-like tails as she jumped to her feet. "Papa!!!!" she charged, bolting at him like a blurry ribbon, leaping into his arms as tears sweltered through her eyes.

    "Kuu?" Altair muttered, overwhelmed by the dramatic change. Heughed, spinning the little girl around as she happily squealed. Amazed by how much the kitsune had changed, he held her dearly to his chest.If not for her aura, he might not have recognized her; she''d changed so much.

    In all the madness that had taken ce, Altair had nearly forgotten about the kitsune that he''d met during the events of the Military Games. The very one Ren had fostered.

    "Papa remembered! Papa Remembered!" she sang brightly, beaming like a silvery star. "Is Mama with you?"

    "Mama went out to train," he answered.

    Kuu turned in her Papa''s arm to Syris, tilting her head. "Then¡­ is she Mama now? She smells like Papa."

    Syris had the grace to blush, turning red as an apple.

    "I nted my seed this morning in her so¡ª"

    "You ass! She doesn''t need to know that!" Syris snapped, wanting to bury her head in the dirt. When she felt Kuu''s focused eyes, she awkwardly nced at the child.

    "So she is not mama?"

    The Prince permitted a light chuckle. "That''s up to Syris. Well? Where is your real mother?" He ignored the sullen expression of hispanion, looking at him with me.

    "Mama One? She''s hunting. She said this world is too weak to sustain me,'' said Kuu when something came to her. "Ah~ mama also gave me a name!"

    "I guess that is fair," Altair determined. He''d only thought of Kuu as a pet before. "Well? What is it?"

    "Atelia."

    "It''s cute!!!!!" said Syris, cupping her cheeks.

    The little kitsune beamed, arching her head with pride. "I know!" she eximed, disying her childlike innocence. "Mama said it''s what she named me before I got lost."

    "And where is your Mama?" Asked Syris, stealing her away from Altair. Her soul practically left her when he felt Atelia enter her embrace. She shuddered, thinking, "And now I need a baby! How is she so cute?"

    And with her beady arms, she pointed towards the south, "There in the Southern Mountains! But she''s not there."

    Altair rusled her silver hair, intrigued by the genuine beauty the small girl held. It made him smile. "Want to go hunting with Aunty Syris?"

    "A-A-Aunty?" Syris muttered. "S-S-She can call me mommy or Big Sis, you know."

    Altair gave a shrewd smile at Syris''s words. Despite sharing his bed on more than one asion, Syris still held a slight aversion to the idea of marriage. Her natural response betrayed her inner thoughts; each night, finding herself visiting his chambers.

    "Can I? Mama said I''m too little to hunt!"

    "Of course. I''m sure she is hunting some big fish. I¡ª" He paused, noticing Aurora pass by the entrance of his throne Room with a dark countenance. He slightly frowned, ''I''m sure you''ll gain tones of muscles if you train with Syris."

    "Big Sis!" said Atelia, batting herrge amethyst eyes. "Let''s go hunt!"

    Altair gave Syris''s bottom a good p that echoed through his court and grinned at that lewd expression of pleasure. "Take care of my little girl." he left, losing his smile, finding Aurora in the Athenaeum. Her head was buried in a pile of books, flitting through them like she wasn''t even reading them.

    It was a technique she''d often used, invoking her foresight. When she was focused, Aurora needed only to touch a book toprehend all its material.

    "What is the matter?"

    Aurora practically jumped in shock, finding her lord behind her, ''M-M-M''Lord!" she said and smiled, "Congrattions."

    Her sour expression made Altair even more confused. "Do you want to talk about it?"

    Startled, Aurora shook her head. "No, m''Lord. But I assure you it won''t interfere with¡ª-"

    Altair bonked her on the head. "You are my hardest working shadow. Take the day, no. Take the week if you need it. We''vee into some help." he patted her shoulders, watching the tears bubble in her eyes. "How about I prepare a girl''s trip for all my shadows."

    "A-A-All your shadows are girls."

    Startled for a second, heughed, "I guess they are. Well, take them. Go get drunk, fuck some shit up." And he did just that,manding a few of his shadows to his side. He beamed at the stunned expression of Aurora and said, "Make sure she''s fucked up by the time she returns."

    Talia was the first to wrap her arms around Aurora''s shoulders, shouting, "Don''t worry, master! I hear people take liquor through their bum now. Let''s see if she''s into that."

    "... Sure¡­ why not¡­ do whatever you want.'' he said.

    "I''m not doing that," said Aurora as the girls, Alyssa and Nia, hugged her.

    Altair left after that, thinking, ''Syris and Atelia should be fine with Vaiga. Should I summon Hilda? I really don''t want to hear bitch to me, though.''

    He sighed, giving in, burning through a majority of his Mana to summon her into thend of the living.

    And much like Vaiga, Hilda did not appear to possess the pale skin and yellow eyes as his other shadows but retained her natural color of pink hair and red eyes.

    Her eyes were fiery when they met with his, burning with such betrayal it seemed deafening.

    "In my defense,'' Altair started, " It was war, and you two were kind of my greatest adversary. Kind of¡­ I did kill you all really quick. There is that¡­"

    "Only because we trusted you." Hilda seethed. "We trusted you, and you ran us through. Five years we watched over this god-forsaken ce! We watched after forty thousand kids¡­ and you what? Kill us!"

    There was no guilt in Altair''s eyes when he said, "And I thank you for that. But this is your reward. Now then. You will be my Third Sword Maid. Axe Maid¡­ I guess. And since the other two are busy, you''ll be attending me for the remainder of the week.

    Lucky you."

    "You narcissistic son of a bitch!" Shouted Hilda, fuming so loudly her voice rumbled across the halls like a banshee''s wail.

    "Keep that energy." He said, ignoring her outburst. " And it''s not so bad. Go ask Vaiga when you have time. She seems to havee to terms with it. At least I like to tell myself that."

    "Altair you¡ª-"

    "It''s Master," he said, clutching her cheek to her surprise. "Don''t make me give you a spanking¡­ but knowing your perverted self. You might actually like that."

    Hilda paused, opening her mouth, "H-H-How do you know that?"

    The Prince grinned like a devil, "Because I''ve all your little memories. You''ve quite the habit of touching y¡ª-.

    "Stoooop! Stop! Stop Stooop!"

    "Then be a good girl. A good Sword Maid. You''ll usually work once a week when the others are in rotation. You died, but in truth, you''re life just got a million times better. Suck it up. We''ve work to do, and I don''t need someone depressed working for me."

 Chapter 260: The Olympian Gods

    Upon his return to his Throne, Altair was met with a scene of intense confrontation. Athena and Thanatos, their eyes locked in a fierce debate, seemed ready to ignite the room with their animosity. It was a rare sight to see Thanatos, usually a figure of calm, so open with his contempt.

    Towering over Athena, he was a formidable presence, yet she stood her ground, undeterred by his intimidating stature.

    With Hilda, dressed in the formal gown of darkness, by his side, Altair assumed his seat upon his throne, a symbol of his authority. Observing the standoff between Athena and Thanatos, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of amusement. His voice, resonating with power, cut through the tension, "Thanatos, Athena, is there something I should know between you two?"

    "The Chthonic Gods and the Gods of Olympus, as you know, share a deep-rooted animosity towards each other," Athena informed him, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness as ifmenting the state of their connection.

    Thanatos did the same, acknowledging her words with a nod. "Fate, in a sense, has pitted us against the other. Though I''d say we won in the end."

    "Only because your kind fled."

    "Or were we smart enough to detach ourselves from the very so-called King of the Gods you are trying to rid yourself of," said Thanatos, a scornful smile ying at his lips.

    Athena rebuked him, "Had you done the righteous thing and felled Zeus rather than hide like rats? Perhaps¡ª"

    "We fulfilled our duties by maintainingw and order in the Underworld. It wasn''t our damn responsibility that your kind is fading away while the Chthonic Gods are flourishing," Thanatos dered, ring at her with an intense stare. "Your kind''s actions only involved exploiting mortals, treating them like helpless cattle until they were broken. How many women did Zeus rape?

    How many bastards did he foster? And you! How many acolytes have you in? Need I even bring up poor Medusa? What was her crime? Raped by Poseidon, and you do what?

    Transform her very soul into an abomination and send someone to kill her. You''ve no fucking right to hold the moral high ground. You and your kind are monsters."

    Silence enveloped the court, leaving not even the hum of the winds to cut through the tension.

    "That will be enough," Altair voiced, shattering the tension. He pped his hands, capturing their undefined awareness. "Thanatos, whatever crime Athena might havemitted. No matter how depraved, it''s of no consequence in my court. The moment she took the Vow, her former crimes were absolved."

    "Yes¡­" Thaan acknowledged at once, biting his teeth. "I understand, my Lord."

    "And Athena, I needn''t remind you the power these Chthonic Gods carry. Despite myck of understanding about their situation, for them to sever ties with the Olympian Gods and stand on their own is evidence of their power, not to mention their allies, like the Silver Devil or the Second Monarch of Hell.

    I hope your emotions aren''t blinding your near-infinite wisdom." And he smiled, leaning onto his fist. "Now, if you''d excuse me. I''ve something to inquire about from Thanatos¡­ and it''s rather sensitive."

    "Personal?" Athena probed.

    "Very."

    She nodded, gave a deep bow, and left through the double door without another nce.

    Altair gave Hilda amand to shut the doors and stared down at Thanatos. "Is what you said about Medusa correct?"

    "I wish I were lying, but I''m afraid it''s the truth. As the God of Death, I could exist everywhere death presented itself. I know all that transpired. More so than the Sisters of Fate." Thanatos calmly exined.

    "And where is Madeusa now?"

    "In the Underworld¡­ Serving as a guardian of sorts. With her monstrous features, she¡­"

    "Can you bring me her soul?" Altair inquired, startling the God of Death for a good second.

    Thanatos'' lips curved into a frown. "Are you suggesting to turn Medusa into a shadow? Please forgive me for saying this, but what would be the reason for it? Medusa is a kind soul, one of the kindest I''ve ever met. Her pure heart is the reason why Hades allows her free reign within the Underworld."

    "No one deserves such a faith¡­" He said, somehow amused he could still feel empathy. "She will be reborn in my image as a Shadow. Whatever form she wants, she can have."

    "Father has done your Mother a favor, but he might not just allow Medusa to leave¡­ not without¡ª"

    "Tell him I''d owe him a favor. Whatever he wants¡­ so long as it doesn''t go beneath my beliefs."

    "I''ll get on it. But there is something I need to tell you," said Thanatos, opening up about Artemis and his growing rtionship with Aurora.

    Altair was so stunned that his jaw dropped. "Wait a second! Ren was right? Something was going on?"

    "I wouldn''t say something. More like a mutual understanding¡­ Nothing big," said Thaan with a hint of coyness.

    "Did you kiss?" The Prince excitedly asked.

    "My Lord¡­" Thaan awkwardly remarked.

    "Oh! Sorry. That''s really none of my business." Altair coughed into his palm, spying a nce at Hilda, snickening off to the side of his throne. He chuckled a little, amazed at his childishness. "Well¡­ Look. It''s your decision, but if I were you.

    I''d definitely snatch Aurora up before it''s toote. It was a good call, just not the right call, my friend. All this¡­" ¡ªHe pointed towards his home, his kingdom¡ª"All of it I would be willing to sacrifice for Ren. No questions asked. Artemis would be a fine catch¡­ but in the end, she is just a single God."

    Thanatos was without movement, peering into the fathomless maelstrom of his mind, processing his innermost desire.

    Altair could see Thaan needed time to think and released him to be on his way.

    Upon seeing Thanatos waddle out of sight, seemingly lost, Hilda eximed, "I never knew a heartless bastard like you could give advice. I''m impressed."

    "I''ve seen movies. Plus, I meant every word of it." He assured her, leaning back on his throne, unable to getfortable. "I can never find the right spot to this sted thing. Now then¡­ what shall we do about you?"

    "Me?" Hilda pointed at herself. Her expression darkened. "You rat bastard. I knew you were¡ª-"

    Altair silenced her by cing his finger on his lips before she could further speak. "A Sword Maiden without a sword cannot be considered a Sword Maiden, can she? Vaiga has Shadoww, while Talia possesses Endymion. It seems like I need a new sword, or perhaps I should try practicing with a spear or a dagger, something out of myfort zone. In the end, a weapon is just a tool for killing."

    Swatting his hand away, Hilda red, echoing a snort that lulled him out of thought. "Don''t touch me without permission."

    "I should be telling you that. Who knows what type of orifices your fingers might graceter this evening." He gave her a mischievous smile, ignoring the shame tugging at her cheeks. His fingers reached for her chin, tipping it up as she averted her eyes.

    Hilda felt his awareness strip her bare but was powerless to stop him. Her heart was thumping against her chest, pounding so loudly she wondered if he could hear it. Would he even care?

    She took a step back in desperation, and Altair allowed it, finding the terror in her eyes appetizing.

    The Prince left it at that; having toyed with her long enough, he left to find Athena within the Atheneum, rummaging through his archives of books. Though none of it was in anguage she could read, at least not without time.

    "Looking for something?" he asked, marking the gleam within her eyes.

    "You guard your intent with your Spirit. Thanatos taught you that?" She asked, ncing at him with stark surprise. She didn''t sense him until he was in the Atheneum.

    "He did. The library here is old. More than ny-nine percent of its knowledge is out of date. The most you''ll find is literature."

    Athena nodded, "It''s a work of art in here. Did you know the Olympian Gods based many architects off of the Ilvarians?"

    Altair wasn''t surprised Athena knew about the Ilvarians. She had lived a long time, and knowledge was power.

    "I didn''t, then again, I don''t know much about the Olympian Gods. I do, however, realize a ploy. Thanatos and Artemis? Really? I will say it caught me off guard."

    "Oh, that?" said Athena, feigning surprise. "My sister was inquiring about a safe option. And I might have offered up Thanatos. Much like Hades once upon a time, Thanatos is a fiercely loyal man, bounded by a great sense of duty. Strong, handsome, with a powerful family to match.The perfect match. Don''t you think?"

    "And you''re in with the Chthonic Gods. Artemis owes you a favor; all the while, Nyx is praising you for the setup. Quite the aplishment. Even if they saw through your n, who would care if Artemis were to appear with child? Quite the scheme. I''m Impressed, really."

    Athena''s lips thinned. "You''re not mad?"

    "It benefits me. Why would I be mad? If it works, I''ll be happy. If it doesn''t, I''ll still be happy. However¡­ You might have made an enemy today. Aurora, my lovely little Shadow.

    If¡­ no, when she puts this together. You''ll be faced with someone quite formidable."

    "I fear no mortal," said Athena, shrugging her shoulders.

    "Ahh~ I wonder when Zariel, the Silver Devil, dragged you into the Nine Hells. Did you make the same im? We won''t always be mortals, Athena."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 261: The Syndicate of Black I

    Altair''s emergence from the rift was a tumultuous mix of anticipation and anxiety, a surge of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He found himself in the familiar confines of his chamber within the Pce of Sunset. A gentle breeze, almost a whisper, ying at the curves of his ashen hair, heightening his senses to the bustling world beyond.

    The sound of officials, their tireless work echoing through the walls, was a stark reminder of the impending storm. Despite their exhaustion, they remained silent, their hearts burdened by fear.

    Faintly amused, he stepped onto the terrace, his gaze drawn upwards to the once serene azure skies, now marred by the bustling traffic of the Sky Cruiser. Even from the sanctuary of his castle, the chaotic sight ofnes directing the flow was a jarring contrast to the tranquility he sought.

    "By the end of the Month, Gaia and Earth will be one. Transcendence will be out for my head, alongside various deities," he paused, his fingers tightening into fists. "And then there is the deciding factor of my choice, a choice that Azura gave me, a choice that could change everything."

    Altair became deadly silent.

    The choice, or theck thereof, had given him pause for violence, seeking to wipe out any sort of swine that wanted to attend his bed. Yet such an action would be met with either death or brutal recourse for him, or worse, Syris.

    Fear began to rece anger, clouding the mind in a fog that faded beneath the throbbing might of the Soul of the Indomitable, rippling like a gong through his very being, felling his fears until only calm remained.

    "Tasha¡­"

    She appeared like a ghost, phasing through the very walls of his pce. "Lord ckwood?"

    "I think I''ll y along."

    The Lilim''s eyes narrowed into a smile.

    "That meal you''re preparing for me¡­ I''d like to dy it until the first of next month. Tell Gremory I''ll be more than happy toply."

    Tasha savored her lips," You''ve every intention to have a child with me?"

    Altair looked at her, his expression masked by indifference. "Does it matter? The final result of coption is the production of a child, is it not? Whether you''re able to or not isn''t really my concern."

    And he thought,'' What are the chances of me fathering a bastard? I need to have Ava test me. And prepare a contraceptive. Thest thing I need is a child inside a devil or worse, one I''ve no control over.''

    His heart dipped at the thought, though his expression remained the same.

    "My Lord¡­ would it be possible for me to be one of your Sword Maids?" Tasha unfolded, looking him straight in the eye. Altair did not look away.

    "You wish to be a shadow?"

    "No, just by your side."

    Altair expression grew all the more intense. "And what sane man seeks to have a devil by his side?"

    "I''ve more things to offer than just spreading my legs, my Lord. There is a reason that Devils are one of the strongest races in all creation. And while Lilims are not the strongest, we make up for that with our minds said nearly to rival Ilthads, a race known for their schemes and intellect. Give me a chance."

    Altair gazed at her with an unwavering intensity, impressed by her unshakable confidence in her own intellect.

    It had seemed she knew her worth beyond seduction; all that was left was to prove it.

    "Find for me a Sword, Spear, or dagger of equal value or power to Shadoww, and I will acknowledge you as something more than a tool of pleasure."

    With a graceful motion, Tasha fell to her knees, her sultry eyes bowing in reverence. This simple act of her submission exposing her eptance.

    Altair measured her every motion of breath, reaching out, finger to chin, lifted her head, brushing his thumb against her luscious lips.

    "I do hope you won''t disappoint me. I have no doubt the Lords of Hell could conceive of punishments far beyond my imagination. Betray me, and I assure you, I will offer you up to the Hells."

    Tasha could discern no trace of deception or change in his tone beneath his icy words. Her body shook involuntarily upon realizing that he was telling the truth.

    "I assure you,my lord, I will not fail you."

    "Failure, Tasha, is expected and will be tolerated. Betrayal won''t," he said, lowering his palm, the sensual sensation of her lips against his thumb fresh in his mind."You may go."

    And she vanished, dissipating into a mist that escaped his heightened senses.

    "I wonder if I weren''t so vital to her survival, would she have nced twice at me?" Altairughed almost derisively at the sudden sense of indecision. It annoyed him as his mind began to question if it was his merit and potential that attracted Syris or Ren.

    He shook his head, pushing down such doubts and insecurities.

    "I need to¡ª-" He stopped a sharp tinge of awareness of his surroundings, forewarning something in the distance.

    Altair frowned, a part of him connecting to Vaiga to see her at a bar with Syris, Atelia, Aurora, and her group; he looked out over the terrace, following the greater sense of prescience guiding his eyes, to the ruined monolithic building on the horizon.

    The Lazitor Building had been an impressive skyscraper and one of the most prominentndmarks in Zamphis. It stands as a symbol of the city''s progress and growth, reflecting the ambition and vision of its people. Only surpassed by the Pce of Sunset, the Lazitor Building was a testament to the city''s dedication to development and innovation.

    Just then, Altair saw it amidst the ruin, the faintest glint, alerting his conditioned mind of possibilities.

    ''Sniper¡­''

    Despite the perceived danger, Altair did not react, keeping his intent hidden beneath the sphere of his domain, sending an alert to his Shadows.

    Trusting his refined instincts and foresight, the prince did not react like a man facing death but rather held a reserved nature, ordering up a bottle of wine. It arrived over the terrace via drone. Altair smiled, taking a seat and peering through the eyes of his Shadows while he appeared to be enjoying the view.

    Vaiga had already arrived, invading the tower, avoiding the very runic traps and camera like a ghost, using her Spirit Domain. Behind her, Nia, Aurora, and Talia trailed behind, leaving Syris and Altelia to monitor the building like a shadow to ensure no one escaped.

    In an impressive disy of efficiency, the team managed to pinpoint the whereabouts of the sniper within less than a minute. The sniper had cunningly hidden himself beneath the rubble, using it as a disguise to escape detection.

    Moreover, several meters away, hidden from sight, they spotted a swordsman who was dressed in an all-ck ensemble, adding an element of secrecy to the already tense situation.

    "Target is in sight," said the sniper sharply. "Target is intoxicated by wine. Vitals show a steady decline in faculties. The barrier is still inactive. I currently have the shot."

    Vaiga was coldly observing, disturbed by the level of calm disyed by her Master. She could feel Altair watching through her eyes, and it made her insides turn even colder.

    ''Do not act yet¡­ for now," he ordered.

    Vaiga had recognized the rifle. One used to take out even Ninth Circles with proficiency in body cultivation with ease. However, simply acquiring the parts necessary to assemble such a piece was nearly impossible due to the advanced A.I. field that alerted the government of any banned weapons.

    The fact that such a weapon had been assembled without notice was a testament to a betrayal within that sector.

    "Confirmed." said the sniper.

    ''He has a Neurolink.'' Vaiga thought. ''A cheap one if he has to speak aloud for the words to register.''

    "Confirmed, Shot will be taken in, Three, Two¡­."

    ''Immobilize them,''manded Altair.

    Opening the King Domain, Vaiga arrived, leaving behind an afterimage, stabbing Shadoww through the rifle''s barrel just as it hummed to life; it fell dead soon after, blistering a glimmer of static.

    "Number 10!" Shouted the swordsman to the rear, lunging forward to assist, unsheating his sword. His entire body erupted into a purple arc of lightning, crossing the distance in a sh, shing his sword across her neck, catching air, as Vaiga ducked beneath and whispered.

    ''Shadow Cage''

    Before the Sniper or the Swordsman could escape, tendrils of darkness sprang form out their shadows, holding their very being in ce. Just as Talia and Nia arrive, pressing their palm over the back of their necks, knocking them unconscious with an explosive jolt of infernal lightning. They dropped like flies.

    "Mission aplished, Master," said Aurora. "However¡ª-"

    "I know¡­ Secure the Rifle for now. Sorry to disturb you on your day off."

    "No, this is actually for the best," said Aurora brightly, peering down at the strange rifles billowing a cloud of dark smoke. "Work is the best remedy right now."

 Chapter 262: The Syndicate of Black II

    "Answer the question Gods and Demons have been asking since the dawn of time: Pancakes or waffles," Aurora contorted, stripping the flesh from off the Sniper''s arm simrly to how one strips tape off a wall.

    The grueling cry that followed had been so horrid it tore at the man''s windpipes until it burned.

    The stranger was iling, suspended in the air by two hooks embedded in each arm. The lower half of his body was a bloody mess of throbbing muscles where the flesh had been torn off. There had been so much blood it formed an expanding puddle, seeking to consume Aurora''s bare feet.

    "It''s been three days! Why can''t you answer me? Pancakes or Waffles!" Aurora barked, sshing his lower half with an acrid-smelling liquid, embellishing in the hellish scream that shook the dungeon walls.

    "I don''t know!!!!" The man wept, iling back and forth as if he were on fire. He kicked and screamed, howling a prayer to whatever evil god or demon that would hear him out.

    Aurora ignored his cries, pointing towards herpanion, where hey embedded into the walls by four wooden stakes. All the skin around him was torn from his body, currently being soaked in the same acrid liquid. He was still alive, but he couldn''t scream. He hadn''t the strength, much less the willpower.

    His pupils, however, betrayed his everything, distorting it so inhumanly it didn''t seem possible.

    "Mr. Let me exin what will happen in the following months. This liquid, Baba''na, was created to stimte and regte the nervous system. Each time I ssh you, not only does your sensitivity to pain double, but you''ll feel like you''re on fire."

    "Your friend over there is on his sixty-ninth dose. The pain he is experiencing right now is something I can''t even imagine. And I''ve only just started." Aurora gave the man a rather therapeutic look, her lips arching into a beaming smile.

    Throughout the three days she''d tortured them, not once had she asked any sort of question about who they worked for or who hired them. She wanted to know her prisoners first.

    "We''ve already sent a blood sample off the various worlds allied with our government, that includes Genesis: If your bloodline is registered in any of their data banks. Your family, friends, and lovers will all face the most unfortunate fate."

    "Please¡­"

    "Pancakes or Waffles"

    "Please¡­ I¡­ I¡­I''ve never had any."

    Aurora pped him. "Answer the damn question: Pancakes or Waffles!"

    ****

    Altair gawked incredulously at Raven''s contorted pout. "Are you still mad at me? I already apologized," he said as Raven''s folded arms tightened into a cross around her chest.

    She red at him, snorting. "Raven is supposed to be Master''s Guardian, yet he couldn''t trust that Raven would protect him. My Vale Qi has already coated the entirety of the Pce of Sunset. Any action taken against Master would have¡ª"

    "It wasn''t about my safety." Altair tried to exin. "Look it¡ª"

    "Master should have also called Raven to capture those idiots. But chose to call his Shadows." She shot him a meaningful re and said, "Raven isn''t useless, okay?! She is very powerful too and skilled!"

    Altair could only relent, having gotten the cold treatment by Raven for the past few days. It had never urred to him that Raven might have been offended by such an act. But the more he thought about it, the more he understood. Everyone had their roles within his kingdom given to them by him.

    For him to act without at least notifying the ones in charge of his protection was sure to have been a kick to the face.

    With a gentle lift, he looked into her eyes and earnestly assured her that it was a one-time mistake. As he held her,he couldn''t help but notice how light she felt, like a feather in his arms.

    Raven still pouted, but her intense expression lightened. "Then will Master make it up to me?"

    "Are you ckmailing me now?"

    She nodded.

    "Okay, go ahead and tell me what you most desire," Altair said with a hint of amusement in his voice. He brought her to his chest, making his way down the halls into the royal garden he''d found her tending to every so often.

    Raven had to think but ultimately shook her head, changing her mind. "While Master is at fault, it''s my fault as well for not showing you how serious I was in protecting you. So Master¡­ Allow me to take charge in the torture of those captured. Allow me to hire my men and¡ª"

    "Granted to all of it. Send a detailed report to Aurora so she cane up with a budget." He rested her back down on her two feet, a little shaken by Raven''s new resolve. "Weapons, armor, skills, and various cultivation resources will be at your disposal. But you know you''ll have to expand your knowledge of technology, right?"

    Arm to chest, Raven nodded in salute. "Don''t worry, Master, I will not allow you to feel even the slightest bit of danger."

    And she was gone, hurrying to find Aurora with a dangerous fire in her eyes.

    "I never realized how seriously she took her job. Perhaps that is just my failure." Altair forced a smile, realizing there was still much more to learn. He chuckled, gliding an eye towards the goddess tending the garden, apanied by Zagreus.

    "Come on, Aunty! Are you seriously not interested in rtions or settling down yet?'' Zagreus was asking her, handing her a watering can. "I know, as the virgin goddess or whatever, you''ve no interest in many activities, but don''t you think adoption could be a viable option to pass the time?"

    "Adoption?" She looked at him, unable to understand what he was getting at. " Why would I ever adopt a child?"

    Zagreus shrugged his shoulders. "Why not? You spend most of your days scheming; don''t you want to turn it off every once in a while?"

    "Did Hades ever turn it off?"

    "Between Irina and Nyx. I''d say he does more often than not. He was insufferable before caring only of Order amongst the dead. But now¡­ Now he seems far more rxed."

    "Irina? You mean¡­ she''s still in the picture?" Athena muttered, her mouth opening. "Hades has more than one wife?!"

    Zagreusughed. "Yup. It''s probably the only time I think I ever saw my Father so torn. Irina wasn''t really happy about it, but she also knew it wasn''t his fault."

    "And where is Irina now?"

    "You really can''t turn it off," Zagreus mused, smiling almost dangerously. "Forever a ve to your Mortal Dao. A shame, really."

    "Enough about me. What about you, dear nephew? When are you going to settle down? Or will you continue to bed, maidans, each night?" Athena countered, her prescient eyes peering into the maelstrom of knowledge. "Or perhaps you''re just looking for the right one?"

    "I''ll stop when a woman can hold me down. I¡ª Oh," Zagrues noted the presence of Altair, straightening up as he grinned. "Eavesdropping my Lord?"

    ''Hardly. I was thinking of giving Babels Tower a trial run. I want to test out the first floor. Care to join me?"

    "Wasn''t there just an assassination attempt?" Athena mentioned, frowning. She lowered the watering can. "Are you seriously going to walk into public?"

    "Of course. I''ll bemunicating via my Neruolink. It still has a connection in Babels Tower, right?"

    "Correct¡­ I just fear you''re hubris might get you killed in the first trial. You''ve heard of it, right?"

    Altair nodded, "Yup. They call it tag. The moment that creature touches you, you''re frozen. If the creature touches you again, you die. However, if Zag perchance were to see me frozen and touch me, he can unfreeze me."

    "Correct," Athena remarked. "So I rmend you bring Syris and Zagreus with you. This sick game has an element of luck to it, created by the God of Mischief, Loki. If you are lucky, you can just run to a safe zone. If you''re unlucky¡­ well, you can be swarmed by several creatures capable of manipting time."

    "Huh?" said Zag. "Manipte Time? What are we talking full-time stop, eleration or¡ª-"

    "All of it. You''ll be up against Cambions, who has seduced the Dao of Time. There are pretty brain-dead amalgamations due to the necessity to make the trial somewhat fair, but the first floor can be either the easiest trial or the hardest." Athena kindly exined, measuring the look of intrigue on the young lord''s face.

    He seemed every bit a mix of confused and curious. "A Cambion? Now that is interesting. Very interesting. What are such low-rank demons doing outside the Nine Hells? Are you telling me Babels Tower binds these demons?"

    Athena nodded. "Loki¡­ as far as I know, works directly for the Eighth Monarch of Hell¡ª"

    "Mephisto"

    "Don''t speak his name," Athena snapped. "Never Speak the name of an Infernal Lord. especially his!"

    Altair looked at Zagreus, who wryly smiled and said, "There is a bit of history there¡­ Apparently, Mephisto is the one who gave the Olympian Gods Pandora''s Box. Nearly wiping all of mankind in the lower realms."

 Chapter 263: Outskirts of Babels Tower

    As Altair soaked in the hot springs, he savored the rejuvenating warmth that enveloped his skin. With a ss of wine in hand, he delved into the data on his Neurolink, his mind focused on unraveling the mysteries of "The Syndicate of ck."

    Syris was inplete bliss as she nestled on hisp, feeling the heavenly springs against her skin. With her headfortably resting against his chest, she looked up and admired his striking features, mesmerized by his charm and allure. He looked every bit more handsome than the Greek Gods.

    "Who are they?"

    He quivered at the sweetness of her voice.

    "Aurora and Raven are still interrogating the prisoners, but they appear to belong to a group that dabbles in organized crime. ording to Genisis, a few senators often use them to change leadership in various worlds that they can''t officially control."

    Syris hummed.

    "It seems someone on Genisis doesn''t actually recognize my rule. Not that Genisis, a republic with its political intricacies, has much say on who rules so long as they are denizens. Despite its limited influence, it''s unsettling to know that there are dissenting voices within."

    Genesis was a republic that brought together hundreds of thousands of worlds, each possessing a unique culture of various alien species. The primary aim of this union was not to conquer but to unite under a shared sovereignty.

    "I can ask the Reverend Mother to¡ª"

    Altair smiled, lowering his ss of wine, and wrapped his arm around Syris''s belly. He closed his eyes. "Don''t worry about it. After the fusion of Gaia and Earth, we will be hosting a party to celebrate my Reign. I''ve already sent out invites to several organizations, including the World Bank."

    Syris pursed her lips, "you didn''t send me an invite."

    He leaned beside her ear and said in a sultry voice, "And why would I when you''ll be by my side all night."

    Syris gulped and, in one lithe motion, turned her entire being to face him. He was smiling, expecting something.

    She knew. Tilting her head in a practiced motion, she passed her hands through the tangled web of her soaked silver hair, revealing her slender neck with an inviting gesture.

    Altair did not reject her, sinking his fangs into her neck. She shuddered, gasping at the sudden sensation of prating ice, followed by sweet, sweet tion.

    "Don''t~Stop!"

    ****

    With the arrival of the first light, the Pce of Sunset was bathed in an ethereal glow that shone like a second sun, casting sheens of golden rays that reflected off the pce walls back into the heavens.

    Stunning as it was beautiful, several armed Pce Guards stood erect, swords pointed vertically toward the skies, as Altair and Syris came down from their pce into the mortal realm, towards the Sky Cruizer awaiting them on thewn.

    Greeted by Raven and all three of his Sword Maids, he grinned, noticing Zagreus already inside, waving at him.

    "You''re walking funny," said Talia to Syris, snickering aloud.

    "Hmmm." Raven tilted her head. "Now that you mention it, every time Big Sis stays the night, she always walks funny the next day."

    "You naughty little vixen," Talia teased, poking fun at the apples on Syris''s cheeks. She circled the womanly figure of the Highborn Celestial. She was practically glowing despite her embarrassment but held her head high, taking pride in what she took and who had taken her.

    She was a woman now, not just in body but in mind.

    "Are you joining us," Syris asked, ignoring Raven''s inquisitive fixation.

    "Of course, I am Master''s Sword Maid," said Talia, gliding her eye towards Hilda and Vaiga. "We all are, right master?"

    "That is correct," The Prince said, boarding the Sky Cruiser and taking a seat beside the helm.

    "I''m jealous," Zagrueus moaned, kicking his feet up. "I don''t want to travel with your Harem."

    "Then perhaps you should find your own," suggested Syris, taking a seat beside her Prince. She nced back at Zag, grinning. "What''s the saying? A man who gets no hoes isn''t a man at all?"

    Zagughed, flicking her off, "Never heard that before. Is that a Soloman axiom?"

    "ckwood," said Syris proudly.

    Vaiga and Hilda boarded, closing thetch shut, just as the Sky Cruizer took to the skies, guided by a programmed A.I. towards the northeast, following thene reserved only for royalty.

    "Due to the dangers ahead, there aren''t any gates for us to pass, so it might take a few hours," Vaiga remarked, taking a seat on themand chair. She dotted her finger over the panel, elevating a disy of Eta for all to see.

    "Three hours," Altair muttered. "That''s a little long. Why?"

    "It seems that we are taking the safest route. The one free of monsters. We could change the¡ª"

    "It''s fine. Thanatos suggests I attune myself to the world around me," he said, expanding his awareness past the physical so that it touched the ethereal nature of space and time. All of it whirling in a seamless web, within a web, within a web. Time ebbed, pushing forward, while space carried it¡ª

    "Stop that," said Zagreus, his words invading his mind.

    Altair recoiled within his chair, startled by the awareness of fresh blood streaming down his nose. He saw Zagreus on his feet, leaning over his chair with intent. Syris was wiping the blood away, her expression one of anxiety.

    "You''re seeing too much," Zagreus continued. "Entwine within the mana is Knowledge; the more you have, the stronger it radiates. Right now, your body is holding you back; yourprehension is far beyond mortal understanding. If you keep this up, you might just end up killing yourself."

    He raised a finger, chanting a cleaning spell to cleanse the sight of blood over the young lord''s clothing before returning to his seat. "Try not to reach too far ahead. There are billions of paths yet to be mastered at your current level."

    "Yes¡­" Altair mentioned, clearing out his nose, noticing hours had passed despite being only aware of a few seconds weaving by. He felt confused, marking the change of setting in space. They were in a dense wet forest, clouded by a strange mist, outlined by a strange white line of mana, whirling with color.

    "We arrived an hour ago,'' said Syris, giving him a good look around to ensure nothing else was wrong. "We tried waking you, but you didn''t wake. No matter what we did."

    Altair winced, unable to make sense of it. Ever since he emerged from the Lake of Rot, his heightened senses were sharper, as if a fog had cleared from his mind. Picturesque images of prescience swelled when hemanded it, epassing a maelstrom of possibilities of deep truth and knowing.

    Each time he moved, he saw hundreds of paths ahead and felt the knowing of both past and future guiding him, be they knowingly or unknowingly.

    "Right¡­" He muttered, sensing how dry his reserves had be. They were practically empty.

    ''I almost died,'' he told himself, staring at his hands. They were still undeterred by the nexus of his end.

    Altair sighed, ncing at the worried Syris alongside his Sword Maids. He forced a smile, "I don''t see the tower. Are we close?"

    "We have to go in by foot," Syris lightly informed him. "The mana generated by the Tower is too strong to approach by air."

    "Cool," he said while standing up, offering his hand to Syris, who happily epted. When Zag cut in, pping his hand through their touch,

    "None of that lovey-dovey shit. I''ll be damn if I got to see that bull shit."

    "Spoken like a man with no hoes,'' Syris fired back, giggling to herself at his twitching expression. She pulled Altair''s arm out of the Sky Cruiser to the forest outside.

    "You didn''t have to do me so dirty," muttered Zag, stretching his head, not taking it to heart, though his expression was one of perplexity. "But she isn''t wrong¡­ why haven''t I found someone."

    The chilly weather outside was apanied by a thick fog that gave the surroundings a surreal touch. The fog dispersed into a misty wave at the slightest disturbance.

    Altair''s keen senses detected a multitude of wild Cryptids stirring amidst the fog-shrouded bushes. Despite theirck of physical prowess, they were numerous, akin to bustling ant colonies.

    Strangely, none of the cryptids attacked as they pressed ahead. Vaiga was leading; having visited the outskirts of Babels Tower, she was well aware of the path. The journey had brought back many memories of the past that seemed so long ago.

    "Hey, Master, how far are you actually nning to climb?" Talia asked him.

    Altair wasn''t really sure himself and said, "Let''s see how far we can get in a day. Neither Cedric, Vaiga, or Hilda raided Babels Tower, so I don''t have much understanding of the various trials, but I suspect it shouldn''t be that hard." He nced at Syris, guarded against her surroundings, before giving her arm a nudge. "This isn''t the Lake of Rot. You can rx."

    Syris froze, managing a forced smile, "Right¡­" she said, though her guard did not falter.

 Chapter 264: Babels Tower I

    The journey towards Babels Tower had been eerily silent. The only one who spoke was Talia, unable to keep still. She''d too much energy to remain still, pointing out various types of cryptids. That caught her eye.

    Presently, Talia was ying the game of ''I Spy'' with Syris and Zag, who were happy to entertain her, finding the journey boring,cking in the sort of violence they''d trained themselves to face. Thendscape around them was a monotonous stretch of clouded forestnd, broken only by the asional sighting of a cryptid.

    Altair, on the other hand, was engrossed in his own world, his attention riveted on absorbing the Mana. He quite liked the idea of Syris bonding with Zagreus. It saved him the trouble of idle conversation while also allowing a familiar bond to form between people who would remain by his side for a very long time.

    "Altair," Hilda suddenly called, padding away at her data pad. "Raven just sent over data about the Syndicate of ck. Shall I tell you?"

    ''Seems even when I''m away, I''m still busy,'' Altair told himself. And he said, "No. Send it to my Neurolink. Is there anything about our workforce across the Outerary Rim? I''d imagine chaos has ensued with the change of leadership."

    "Down thirty percent," said Hilda, opening the document. "Aurora suggested we send a few loyal nobles to¡ª"

    "Send the Silmor Family. Your family has been toox for the past century. You''re a Count, right? Earth''sary Outer Rim is rather small. Your family can and will handle the northern sector. Kill who you must; I just want the territories under control."

    Hilda bit her lip, her eyes finding her Master''s cold, icy ones. "I am all of my family can offer," she told him, the desperation in her voice the more apparent. "I''d have to force my father out of retirement and¡ª"

    "Hilda," Altair cut her off. "I am sure you''ll have to do what you must, but this is also an opportunity for you and your family. Earth''s Outer Rim is akin to our borders. And they need to be secured. As for your familiar ties, as long as the job is done, I don''t care what you have to do. I''ve no use for nobles that can''t be used.

    It''s why the Silmor family were gifted titles. They had use. If they can''t handle this, there isn''t a need for them to exist."

    Hilda felt the warmth beneath her skin wither. She gulped and knew he was right. Nobles were the direct subjects of the king. The lords anddies who were granted power in his name. She could not deny this, nor could she reject him just yet. Her family was still weak, carrying no sort of power or political authority.

    Perhaps that would change when she took over the northern sector of Outer Rim. But until then¡­.

    She bowed her head and said, "Right away, my Lord."

    "You''ll be given funding, of course; however, that will be limited. But I am sure you''ll be able to handle it. Vaiga," Altair called, ignoring the quiver of dread curling down her spine as her footsteps waned for half a beat. "Reconnect with your family. Kill those who stand against you or whatnot. I don''t really care.

    But they''ll handle the Southern Sector."

    "Yes, my lord." Said Vaiga, pressing on, following the path.

    To Altair''s rear, Syris heard and observed, studying his movements, finding that even when he was rxing, he was scheming. ''He''s using the nobles¡­ weeding out the useful amidst the rabble.'' she told herself. ''His maids iming territory was perhaps the most important defense against invaders. The Outer Rim of any territory is, without a doubt, the most important step in securing his reign.

    With them by his side, he would have untethered ess to any sort of invasion in the future.''

    "Ah, I almost forgot to ask, what is the reason for the drop in manpower?"

    "Money and apparent working conditions," said Hilda. "The Current ruler, Marquess Yelf, has a rathervish lifestyle."

    As they traveled, Altair continued giving outmands, finding most of his time was spent on tedious matters. Though he knew it was the tedious matters that demanded attention before they led to change that he had no control over.

    Earth was still reeling, still fearful of the change of leadership. He could see it already, guided by his sense of knowing. The people hated him; they feared him. Kingyer! They''d call him, spitting at the name ''ckwood.'' Others were confused, unsure what to do.

    There has been no significant change to the economy''s ie as of yet, nor was there any sort of heavy loss, with the aid of the nobles seeking to keep their heads.

    After half an hour of travel, they caught sight of a massive outline of a tower there through the fog. The sight of it left Altair breathless, struck by awe. The tower, despite its clouded appearance, appeared every bit forged of sorcery so profound the furthest region of his mind, where knowing existed, began to ache, encumbered by an invisible pressure of omnipotence.

    Altair gazed upon it, lowering his eyes towards the path ahead, and followed it,ing upon a clearing to a stronghold that had been cultivated the day Babels Tower arose.

    Nyvor, it was called, and for all intensive purposes, had not been owned by the royal family or by Earth but was upied by some unnamed force; Altair was sure it belonged to Genisis. Why else would such andmark not be imed by royalty?"

    "What are you thinking?" Syris asked him as they approached the wall. She sounded worried. Curious at what measure he might take to an upation on his he nor any human ruler had agreed upon.

    "It''s up to them. My goal is to im this entrance to Babel''s Tower," he said, pausing at the gate, where two guardsmen stood in all white.

    "Name and¡ª"

    "Kill them," Altairmanded.

    Heads rolled faster than anyone watching could blink as Vaiga slid Shadoww from its scabbard, severing head from shoulder in a single stroke.

    He pressed on, ignoring the screams of visible distress of those watching. His eyes counted the number of individuals of unknown origins and identities. There were so many who looked confused, drawing their swords and shields, spears, and ives, nocking arrows thaty poised for attack.

    It all amused him. None of these people were from Earth. Through facial recognition brought on by his Nerolink, none of the faces were logged for visas or even registered within his records. They were all offworlders, invaders who knew nothing of him or his reign¡ªa testament to how unsecured the Earth''s Outer Rim had be.

    He had half a mind to kill them all, but instincts warned against such brutal actions.

    ''War should always be ast resort,'' Tenebrae had always told him. "Each time you lift your de, you reveal part of your hand, a part of your inner self."

    He waited. Neither speaking nor answering the many shouts that echoed off in the distance, as soldiers began to appear one after the other, armed in various weaponry meant to kill even Ninth Circles.

    But still, Altair stood calmly, counting the unrecorded faces and sending the data to Aurora within the Pce of Sunset. Growing increasingly attached to his Neurolink, he hadn''t been able to use it properly in the early years of his life.

    "Who are you?" asked an approaching woman as various guards parted for her. She looked old, marred by seamed wrinkles across her cheeks and forehead. Her hair was withered white, shriveled but elegantly tied in an ornamental bun.

    "Are you the leader of this¡­ Band of aliens?" Altair spoke, focusing an eye on the woman. He could feel it. His sense of knowing, warning her transcendence past mortal understanding.

    Syada looked every bit crossed, hearing the cold cadence of his voice. She lifted her lips, angling her head high. "Boy, are you a fool? You kill two of my people, do you¡ª"

    "Syris," Altair said, cutting the woman off, " How would you feel about upying this territory?"

    "I could make you very rich, perhaps turn this half-ass city into an actual one." Said Syris.

    "Then I''ll leave you to upy this territory," he said,pletely ignoring Syada. " I''ll leave you to control your people. All I ask is that they are registered byw under a work Visa."

    Syris nodded and said, " I understand. I''ll see to it at once. I''ll have my old Masters begin upying thisnd."

    Syada could only shake with anger, opening her mouth to speak before being cut off once more by Altair. "That makes me wonder where my Master is. I guess time will tell. It has only been a month and a half since we left the Lake of Rot. It seems kind of longer, doesn''t it?"

    "Enough of this! Kill them," Syada demanded; flitting her sleeve, she whirled to find a masked woman behind her, inches from her face. A coldness echoed through every fiber of her being as she looked every bit petrified by a distinctive pressureshing at her soul.

    Karis, the Reverend Mother, stared her gaze so prating that every ounce of willpower housed within Syada crumbled to dust as her awareness folded beneath the might of a true God. By the time she realized what had happened, Syada was on her knees, her head buried in the Earth. She was weeping, pleading for a merciful end, a quick death.

    It would be deniedter amidst the terraforming of this region by her organization.

    ''A king does not mean you are the strongest,'' Altair thought. ''A king is someone capable of controlling those above him, like those beneath him.'' he smiled, feeling Syris hook her arms around his, and stared, waiting¡­ waiting.

    Karis approached, passed Syada, and fell to her knee, "Mydy¡­ Lord ckwood. I greet you."

 Chapter 265: Babels Tower II

    The sight of a god, a being of unparalleled strength, bowing down before a mere mortal filled Altair with such tion that he had to force down his smile¡ªa feat that required most of his spirit to suppress such a reaction.

    Syris, well-versed in the nuances of Altair''s behavior, recognized the familiar glow in his eyes. She''d seen it each time he''d yfully undress her after a long night or when he sought to tease her; that mischievous glint was a telltale sign. She smiled, taking the initiative to say, "Wee, Karis, it couldn''t have been easy finding the time. Please rise."

    With a hint of reluctance, Karis obeyed themand to rise.

    "Altair, how long do they all have to acquire visas?" Syris asked him, silently elbowing him to pull him from his trance.

    Seamlessly, he said, " Thirty days. That''s more than enough time. Aurora will aid you, right, Hilida?"

    In response to her Master''s inquiry, Hilda reached into her robe to her data pad. "Aurora can see you, alongside your people, in about seven days. Until then, you''ll be granted a temporary visa." She lifted her eye towards Karis''s pristine white mask. "Is that alright with you?"

    Karis noted the youngdy''s oddck of trepidation or care. She expressed no fear, much less dread. Hilda was strangely passive. Karis felt a little embarrassed, unsure of what she expected in the first ce. It certainly was not this.

    Grateful for her mask, Karis nodded," that will work. Will you be heading Babels Tower, my Lady?"

    "I will. We should be out in about a day, perhaps a day and a half." Syris said in a lilting voice, sounding unsure of herself. She couldn''t really recall fromst night. Her mind was on the gift Altair had gifted her in the morning hours: A semitransparent white leotard he wanted her to wear tonight.

    When she saw it, Syris wondered how such a thing would fit around her, but¡­ she suddenly nced at him, quickly recognizing his naughty grin.

    It was as if he could read her mind as he said, "We''ll definitely be backter tonight." And his gaze shifted to Karis. "I can''t leave as much as I''d like just yet."

    "Then I won''t keep you," Karis said, giving her finger a snap; seven ghostly shadows flickered to her side, their bodies carrying the ethereal might of Semi-Transcendents. Each of them was masked and wrapped in the familiar ck and white uniform of the GCA.

    "Capture those that surrender, kill those that dare to resist."

    Carrying on with his trip as the Seven Men and Woman took off in a blinding sh, Altair ignored his surroundings and made his way toward Babel''s Tower entrance. The size of it had left him in awe, pressuring the sense of knowing within his mind. The closer he grew, the more he felt the ache in the back of his head begin to writhe against his skull.

    Knowing came in a hive of awareness towards the structure. Babel''s Tower had been a gate,an entrance towards a new Realm torn open by a madman. Touched by hands predating the nexus of time itself,Babel''s Tower held but a singr truth within its depths: Be they father and daughter,mother and son,master and disciple,all are strangers beneath its domain.

    As Altair approached the stone steps, he nced back at his party, confirming their resolve. There was nothing short of excitement.

    With nothing else to say, he reached for the door,suddenly sensing the divergence of space shifting around him, transporting him into a starry ne from within space.

    [Identity Confirmed]

    [Wee Altair Snow]

    Stunned, more so by the message than the situation of being suspended in zero gravity,Altair''s expression changed to one of confusion.

    He was alone, separated by a fold in space.He could feel Hilda and Vaiga beside him despite the clear absence of their appearance,leading to one conclusion.

    [Message from Tenebrae detected]

    "Hiya Art!It''s Mommy!Just here to tell you to watch out for Truck-Kun. She''s a little mad that I didn''t tell her about my pregnancy.She''s your aunt. A little crazy, but she''ll be your greatest asset or pain in the ass. The moment you enter Babel''s Tower, she should have been alerted."

    It had taken much for Altair to stay, the tears threatening to fall. When was thest time he heard her voice? Thest time he heard the teasing in her words.

    "Mommy is quite busy right now!Mephisto¡­ that bastard is a real pest. Little shit forgot who trained him. But I hope you''re fine. See you on the Tenth Floor. Say Hi to Reina! I left her a message, too.

    All the kisses!"

    "All the Kisses,'' Altair repeated, fiddling his sleeve against his eyes. "Gods, it''s good to hear you again."

    [Authority Detected: Altair Snow identity will be hidden]

    Through his spatial awareness, it wasn''t long for Altair to sense the shifting in space once more, propelling him through various folds in time and space. He was dragged, nearly made to kneel like amon worm, before three strange entities upon silvery thrones: A linen cloth shielded their eyes, possessing an archaic sigil of the All-Seeing Eye over the cloth.

    ''He does not bow,'' The Central High Lord said.

    "He does not bow," said the Upper Left and Right High Lord, parroting the center Lord.

    As Altair''s expression sank, heposed himself and surveyed his surroundings carefully. The court he found himself in was a magnificent multi-level structure, with Altair standing on the first floor. Above him, he saw countless unknown beings who were watching him with fascination, as though he was a captivating spectacle.

    They were pointing and smiling at him, with their eyes covered by a linen cloth.

    It was not just him, but even his Sword Maids appeared to be receiving simr treatment.

    "What is this?" Altair calmly said.

    The Central High Lord was taken aback, his voice betraying his disbelief as he eximed, "He speaks!" This was a clear indication that the person being referred to had surpassed the expectations of those around him, and his authority was beyond what people had imagined.

    tion swept through the upper echelon of the courts, leaving many breathless.

    "House Master," a strangely calmly familiar voice, yet unfamiliar one, came across Altair''s ear. "Will you not let Lord Altair ckwood off?"

    "Archeon¡­" Someone in the crowd whispered in terror, untethered fear echoing their fears.

    Altair shuddered, turning towards the source to see a horned man unbound by the linen cloth. His blood-red eyes found Altairs, amusement ying across his lips.

    "You sponsor this abomination?" the Upper Left HighLord spat.

    ''Abomination?'' Altair thought, wondering what they meant. As far as he knew, no one was aware of who or what he was. Even Zero had hinted as much. He was rather suspicious of anyone else''s ability to peer through his identity.

    "I''vee in my Master''s name, Lord of the Flies," Said Archeon, narrowing his eye toward the Lords. "Altair ckwood is to be allowed unfeathered ess."

    "That is not how this works," said the Central Lord, his voice now an icy mix of death and fury. "The Abomination needs to be analyzed."

    The various Gods all had smiles, electing to be silent.

    "I see," said Archeon. "Then there isn''t a need for you to continue living." he snapped his finger.

    Before the Upper Lords could speak, a mist of red whipped across their faces as the Central Lord convulsed and exploded into a gorey mist.

    Such an act left the court stun-locked, their jaws opening like a startled fawn.

    Archeon continued, ''The Lord of Flies, Beelzebub, and her majesty, the wielder of the Compendium of the Hells, Gremory, seek no harm befall Lord ckwood over such foolishness and greed. Authority has been procured by Her Majesty the Mother of Night."

    "Mother?" Altair muttered.

    "We got the message the moment you entered Babels Tower," said Archeon, throwing Altair off for a bit, especially since Tenebrae was still encased within the Pce of Stygian.

    It would only make sense to assume Tenebrae had foresaw such a scene.

    ''But Gremory?'' Altair thought. ''How does shee into y? I''d not even heard of her before. Ah, so that''s why Tasha was specifically chosen. Gremory ran a game on Asteroth. She was never there to kill me.

    No. She probably was; she just wasn''t aware of her master''s intentions.''

    And he smiled, curious how far ahead Tenebrae actually saw. Who was Gremory to her? The more he thought about it, the more his smile grew.

    ''Still, why did they call me an abomination?'' he asked himself, sensing the tension.

    "If the Upper Moons see to find my action deplorable, tell them Mythos is more than willing to wipe them out," The Duke of Hell said, turning an eye towards Altair, "Altair¡­ I expect an invite to your opening World."

    Before Altair could respond, space shifted, distorting all around him, transporting him to a forest region, where Syris, Zagreus, and his Swords Maids idle awaited his arrival. Around them, unfamiliar faces and races stood erect, arms upon weapons outside the temple.

    "Master!" Hilda said, covering her mouth. " I mean Altair." A little embarrassed, she coughed into her palm. "What took you? We were worried."

    Amused, Altair touched his chin. "Not sure myself¡­ Zag¡­ Who are the Upper Moons?"

 Chapter 266: Zagreus Past

    "The Upper Moons," Zagrues muttered, the name not unfamiliar, but that was all that it was, having at most heard it in passing, many years if not cycles ago. He shook his head. "I''ve no clue."

    Altair turned to Syris, but she gave a simr reaction: "I''m rather ignorant when ites to Babels Tower politics." Her gaze swept across the many faces of unnamed creatures of unknown origins, wearily marking the strategic points of escape. She wasn''t asfortable anymore around so many people¡ªnot after the Lake of Rot.

    Altair gently patted her shoulders, sending a jolt through her skin into her churning stomach. She blinked at him, managing to find her smile.

    "I''m good," she lied, ying off the trepidation and caution she now held in crowds, pushing her spatial awareness to its limit. And to her credit, Syris had managed to retain herposure, though she was missing her mask.

    There had been much they''d learned from the cruelty held within the Lake of Rot that seemed to have imprinted itself onto their bodies and souls. Maintaining their Spirit Domains in a perpetual state so as not to allow anyone or anything to sneak up on them being one.

    They couldn''t rely on the average senses there, in the Lake of Rot. The harsh climate was barely survivable, let alone the creatures that lurked beneath its depths. Each step, breath, and sound could mean death. Hiding wasn''t enough; they had to adapt to the grueling conditions, bing one with their surroundings.

    "But we should go," Syris said.

    And Altair agreed, spreading his consciousness to his surroundings: They were being watched, both him and his woman, but mostly his woman.

    Catching a few leering eyes, Altair marked the faces, their intent of purpose, before moving along, forming a domain around his heart, though not before exining how Syris could do the same.

    The skill was simpler than she was led to believe by Zagreus, who said such a technique took weeks for even a genius to master. Hearing how Altair had mastered it on his first try and Syris after her third left him in a sort of stink, slumping his shoulders in defeat.

    Syris grinned, nudging his shoulder. "It''s alright, Zag. High Humans are born with insanely high affinity for the soul. It''s why many Fallen tried to convert them into Infernal Creatures. They make the best devils." She exined, recalling the story Soloman had told her about Devils hunting down her ancestors.

    By the time she was born, High Humans had almost died out, forced into the cycle of reincarnation or, worse, made into thralls of the Fallen Angels. Celestial was a bit lucky losing the soul attunement for a high degree of Elemental and Spatial Attunement. By the time most Celestrial were born, most had an instinctual understanding of how to fold space or manipte it to some degree.

    Syris didn''t share that ability during her birth despite being a Half-Blood; spatial maniption wasn''t her forte despite possessing the talent for it. Rather, her ability to fuse reality around her echoed from the depths of her soul, even before her reincarnation.

    It was what made her so dangerous, more so now that she had managed to purify herself through Dual Cultivation. Syris was every bit as dangerous as Altair, especially since her skill set was so unpredictable.

    "Wait!"

    The shout echoed from behind as a young, handsome Fae waved them down. Tall, with golden olive-colored skin, emerald eyes, and snow-white hair, hurried forward.

    Talia stopped him dead, two meters away from Altair and Syris, the obsidian edge of Endymion poised against his throat, a cold, deste expression recing the usual teasing face. The touch of the de tip punctured the firstyer of flesh, finding blood that trailed down his white tunic.

    ''Wait! Wait! Wait!" shouted the Fae, his face turning white, not daring to make any sudden movements. He nced down at the wicked de, then back up to Talia, then Altair, and only Altair. "I meant no harm. No¡ª"

    "What do you want?" Altair asked, measuring the man''s number of circles in his chest. He had four nearly a half a step into his fifth.

    An unimpressive aplishment for a Fae, known for the ability to manipte the Mana in ways that would put Elves, who already possessed incredible levels of Mana Maniption, to shame.

    "To team up!" he said quickly. And his eyes slid towards the rear towards the seven women behind him.

    Altair nced at them, sensing tension in their bones, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. The seven were humans, or rather, half-bloods, sharing the blood of a Fae. His mates, most likely, judging by their nervous expressions.

    "No, thank you," Altair said, turning his back to the man. He wanted nothing to do with the man or his harem.

    Talia lowered Endymian, grinning gleefully. "Lucky man. Seven women. You must have quite a bit of stamina."

    "Talia," Altair called, his voice trailing off in the distance.

    "Coming!" she grinned, staring at the man clutching his neck. "Keep your eyes off our Master," she said, noticing the distinctive way he''d been staring at her master since he materialized¡ªthe same way he looked at his woman.

    "Yes¡­" he muttered.

    Talia beamed, sliding Endymian back into his ancient leather casing. She hurried on after her Master, arriving just in time to hear Syris''sughter.

    "I know Fae''s are rather open about their sexuality. I never thought I''d ever see you get hit on. He didn''t even look at us, just you." Sheughed, elbowing her lover. "How''d it feel? Be honest."

    "Odd? I think. I''ve no idea how to feel. Do you ever get hit on?" he asked, realizing he had never really had the chance to explore in over nine years. Earth was rather unfamiliar to him, more so now than nine years ago. He''d lived longer in the Lake of Rot than he had on Earth.

    "I do now!" Said Talia, holding her head up high. She still found herself looking in the mirror every morning to see where that ugly girl had gone. Touching her face to find how surreal her life now was."It''s freeing¡­ no¡­ it''s rather empowering in a way."

    "Empowering¡­ I guess that''s the word I get when I look through some of your memories. You girls are weird."

    "Really?" said Syris, smirking. "You don''t feel it empowering to press me down, touching me when you know I''ll be annoyed."

    Talia giggled sinking, ''Oh l¨¤ l¨¤''

    "... Hmmm." Altair nodded, caught in a sort of conundrum. He had their memories, their lived experiences. He knew everything about them, yet he wasn''t them, at least not anymore. He had been unable to say when it happened, but there had been a clear line drawn between their lived experiences and his.

    And now, at least without reviewing their story again, he found himself unable to rte to some of the more cultural side of being a woman.

    "I do have to ask," Zagreus joined, " How did it feel to be a woman?"

    "Never really thought about it. Being Talia was hard. Her life was pretty crappy. Vaiga was nice but cold but not bad all around; it was just empty. There a woman who needs some dick in her life."

    "Fuck you¡­. Master." Vaiga feltpelled to say, biting her lip to Altair''s amusement. He knew all the buttons to push to get her mad.

    "Well, it''s just different. I don''t know how to exin it. It''s very different but pretty much the same as a man''s. It''s like a culture¡­ Hmmm. That''s a hard one to describe. Although I will say Hilda did express the pleasures of a w¡ª-"

    Altair ducked, dragging Syris down with him, barely managing to dodge Hilda''s axe sweeping through the air. Hilda might have struck again had Vaiga not dragged her away, leaving their master tough, unbothered by the fact that Hilda tried to kill him or at least make him bleed.

    Altair didn''t seem to mind, nor did he bring it up, something Hilda and Vaiga attributed to his madness. Any other King would have had her head on a pike within the hour. And in truth, he might have done so in his Imperial Court.

    It was these little acts that made Syris chuckle. She didn''t like him so serious all the time. And there were plenty of times she wanted to stab him herself.

    "What are youughing about?" He asked, stealing a peck across her cheek that stung her loins with heat.

    Syris practically glowed.

    "Are you interested in bing a woman, Zag?" Altair asked, ignoring Hilda''s treasonous actions as he helped Syris off the ground.

    "Pass. I quite enjoy giving it to women."

    "I''d heard Greek Gods also like taking it." Altair fired back, meeting that awkward grin of his second bannerman.

    "The Olympian Gods, maybe. I''m a part of the Chthonic Gods."

    Talia leaned onto Zag''s shoulder, her teasing smile nearly predatory, "And who by chance did you conqueror in the underworld? Hmmm? "

    Zagrueus pushed away, using her face as a grip. "It was one of the Furies, Megaera. Father wanted me to marry, but I was rather against it."

    "Oh?" Syris''s ears perked as the three Sword Maids looked at him, curious as to why. They''d all heard how honorable Hades was, and that much was clear to them with how Thanatos turned out to be. Zagreus had imed as much on asion, saying they were practically the splitting image despite not being blood-rted.

    Altair, however, already figured out the reason. "You wanted more than one woman, eh? Wanted a harem."

    "You''rekidding?" said Syris

    "Trash," Vaiga muttered

    "Lol!" chimed in Talia.

    "Wow," mewled Hilda.

    Zagreus seemed a bit sad then, scratching the back of his head. "I don''t really have a better excuse. But yeah. I hated my father back then. I wanted nothing to do with him or his moral high ground. Megaera was hurt¡­ and for nearly a Dao Cycle, she didn''t speak to me.

    Didn''t even so much acknowledge my existence. When she finally did¡­ she told me she hated me. It''s been a few Chaos Cycles since then."

    An eerie silence crept over the forest bed, broken only by the whistling of the winds through the tree.

    "What''s a Dao and Chaos Cycle?" Talia asked, her tone softer. She didn''t feel for the man¡ªhe''d made his bed¡ªbut curiosity did win out.

    "Measurements of time in the Myriad Heavens go like this: Years, Cycle, Dao Cycle, Chaos Cycle, Hell Cycle, and Eternal Cycle. All creatures die out at a Dao Cycle if they haven''t reached the natural cultivation level, no matter who they are or how young they are. It''s like a universal reset. It''s easy to defend against if you know what you''re doing.

    A Chaos Cycle is when the Abyss feeds our Myriad Heavens energy to sustain itself, and a Hell Cycle is when the Nine Hells begin to shift¡­ though I don''t know what that means. And Eternal. You''d have to ask someone who''s actually lived that long. I haven''t. There''s a bit more to it, but that''s the jist of it."

    "Is there a way to quantify it?" Vaiga suddenly asks. "Like in numbers?"

    "For a Cycle, yes. It''s a googol. But for the others, nope. You just have to feel it out."

    "So-So-So?" Syris reached out, arms curling over Zag''s broad shoulders. "Is that why you so readily wanted to reincarnate? You wanted to build a harem away from your father?"

    Zag swatted her arm away and shook his head as he walked further ahead. Syris didn''t give chase, stopped by Altair holding her back.

    "I didn''t reincarnate to form a haram. I ran. I ran because I''m a coward¡­ who couldn''t continue facing Megaera over some stupid ass bullshit."

 Chapter 267: Cambion I

    As Altair enjoyed conversing with hispanions, he couldn''t help but feel like an outsider as the discussion shifted towards music. He realized that he had never really taken the time to appreciate the art form and couldn''t recall ever having a moment to just sit back and listen.

    Since arriving on Earth, his life had been a never-ending series of problems and challenges that demanded his immediate attention, leaving him no time to rx or pursue leisurely interests.

    He couldn''t help but feel a twinge of envy.

    Syris and Talia loved pop. Hilda was a fan of Rock, while Vaiga and Zag were staunch supporters of ssical music. Lately, however, Zag had been getting into Hip-Hop and Jazz.

    "Surely, Altair," Syris interjected, acutely aware of Altair''s exclusion. "You must have listened to music while you sketched?"

    The young man shook his head, "Nope. Each time I held my brush outside noise became like static."

    "Wow~" Talia sang, " Not even while you two banged. Yall must really like the sound of balls pping against¡ª"

    Syris and Altair bonked her on the head, finding they might need to buy a muzzle for the little witch.

    They all shared augh, but the mirth was abruptly cut short as a wave of tension swept through Syris. Her eyes darted around the area, her senses extending beyond what the ordinary eye could perceive. Yet, she saw nothing. Felt nothing.

    Altair felt her alert state; they all did, growing on guard even if she felt nothing. The spatial awareness of any Celestial was unmatched. For even a part of her to tense ment, her consciousness had sensed something.

    The silence nked the forest bed for a few seconds before Zagreus broke it, "Can I assume you wanted to kill one of these Cambions?"There had been no other reason Zag could think of why he had chosen to idly walk rather than speed through the forest.

    Suddenly, the air screamed as Altair sidestepped, swiftly dodging the arrow the size of a titan''s arms, prating the earth with earth-shattering force, raining debris like shrapnel, and shredding the nearby forest apart. Trees the size of several strong men snapped like twigs following the ruthless shockwave that swept the region.

    Altair looked indifferent, untouched by even the dust. The moment his domain caught sight of the stone arrow, the twin sigils in his eyes illuminated sacred light, creating a barrier around him. His eyes fell upon the arrow six times his length, towering over him like a tree. Altair''s smile grew predatory.

    The arrow hadn''t been shot by any mindless creature but by sentient hands.

    "Ah, it has been far too long since Ist experienced the thrill of a good hunt," he mused, rising to his feet as a surge of energy coursed through his body. The air around him crackled with infernal lightning that trailed his being as if he were a living thunderstorm struggling to contain his power.

    With effortless grace, Altair blurred into action, weaving through the dense foliage of the forest with precision and ease that left even the most nimble of creatures in awe.

    Altair''s frigid, blood-red eyes gazed intently towards a distant forest mound, which rose majestically, towering over the treetops like a colossal mountain. The mound was shrouded in thick vegetation, which concealed a massive stone structure, evoking the image of a fearsome humanoid standing proud and tall, almost 20 meters high.

    Atop the construct on its shoulder stood an archer, his small figure dwarfed by the enormity of his surroundings. The archer held an arrow that was almost twice his size, his eyes fixed on a distant target, waiting patiently for the perfect moment to strike. And like his master, the Stone Construct seemed to mirror its master. An arrow poised to strike from its bow.

    Another arrow was let loose with terrifying force; however, what he saw next defied all logic and reason. As he watched in awe and horror, a being made of pure lightning emerged from the earth, using the stone arrow as a bridge to leap towards him.

    The Archer trembled with fear as a palm snatched him from his construct, barreling his body through the air into the ground until his skull bore the brunt of the force, tearing through trees and stone until it exploded into a paste.

    [Tero Hale Felled. Exp Gained]

    Altair ignored the crumbling construct, tossing the body towards his left, allowing it to catch the firebolt that exploded the archer''s remains into a gore-filled mesh. He stepped through it, his eyes targeting the young elven mage.

    By the time she blinked, thest thing that entered her mind was Altair fist prating through her skull, skewing her remains until she hung lifeless across his arm, dead.

    [Lyndel Fyto Felled. Exp Gained]

    He swatted her useless body with unblinking dismissal, swaying his eyes towards a swordsman, a half-elf, standing powerlessly.

    Altair raised his bloodied palm, and like a ghost, Talia emerged, invoking a cleaning spell to rid him of blood.

    "Master is so fast," she said, ncing back at the others several miles back, taking their time to arrive.

    "I''d thought perhaps it was a Sixth Circle, maybe a fifth. Not some Forth and Third Circle warriors." Altairmented, settling his sight on the swordsman, falling to his knees. Taken by such a degree of fear, words failed him. He''d had half a mind to finish the job but felt it too beneath him.

    "Kid," spoke Altair in amanding tone, his voice resonating with confidence and authority. The swordsman could feel the weight of his words, like a sudden rush of cold water coursing through his veins.

    He gulped.

    "Why did you attack me? What? Cat got you, tungue? I could cut it out for you?"

    "A-A-Atticus¡­Atticus asked us to attack you," the swordsman stammered, his voice cracking as he tried to maintain any sort of dignity he still possessed. Trying and failing with the warm piss, rolling down his trousers.

    Altair frowned and drawled, "And who is he?"

    "I¡­ I¡­ I don''t know¡­ but he paid us seven hundred Sols."

    "He''s Kind of useless, isn''t he?" Talia mused,zily sliding Endmyian out of his scabbard, the de edge carrying Death across its edge. "Should I kill him?"

    Altair wasn''t sure. He had a name, but that was all. It would be easy to simply kill him and read his soul. Unfortunately, he didn''t want the coward apart from his Shadow Army, especially now that he was full up. Even a demon that could only kill was better than a useless man like this.

    "Just kill him. And you can eat his soul if you like. Vaiga said she felt full doing so.'' Altair said, a little frustrated over the entire incident about his shadow-consuming souls. It didn''t seem to do anything. But Vaiga had told him about the desire to continue feeding on them.

    Altair allowed it, allowing her to feed on the souls of prisoners each day, but aside from satiating some unknown desire, there had been no real growth in her skills or body. He''d dismissed the matter but still held out hope his Shadows might gain something out of it in time.

    At her master''s silence, the Swordsman''s head was separated from his shoulders in one blinding sh.

    [Marcell Tomps Felled. Exp Gained]

    "What now?" Talia said, cleaning Endymion with a single swish of her sword over space before sliding it back into its cage.

    "We continue¡ª" His eyes tilted towards the shadow that loomed behind him, arriving at such a speed it seemed almost iprehensible.

    Almost

    ''I''ve been waiting for you,'' He thought, invoking Shadow Cage. He''d gone out of his way trying to kill irrelevant people to make himself appear as if he''d let his guard down.

    Unfortunately, just as Shadow Cage was invoked sprawling with tendrils of Darkness, the creature vanished, just outside its range of ten meters, with its inhuman speed.

    He winced, "That speed is¡­ ridiculous."

    Cambion, or what was left of it, had been a sight Altair would perhaps never forget. To his knowledge, Cambion were creatures said to rival the angelic beauty of angels. Irresistible to mortals and even some gods, they were said to be the only type of True Half-Bloods to exist within the Infernal Lineage.

    Due to the power of the Infernal Blood, those whose souls were tainted by the Hells would be full-fledged Demons or Devils. It was only a matter of time before the change took over.

    Cambions was different. Due to the physiology of an Incubus and a Subus, mutations tend to ur amongst the stronger races they copte with, resulting in the production of a Cambion. Half-Bloods that manage to maintain a perfect perpetual state within the soul.

    Such abominations were usually objects of sex that were usually abandoned by their Mother and Father within the Hells,ter to be used as Sex ves by demons or humans that managed to purchase them from a traveling Devil for a daring price.

    Most Cambion did not live long in the Myriad Heavens and were usually hunted down by Mkhs or the Sisters of Silence before they could grow.

    Presently, the Camboin was far different from how they typically appeared. This one was all wrong. Mutted beyond recognition, it possessed one elongated arm crooked like a half-broken ruler, burning red skin stretching into itself like a vortex. At the same time,rge boils the size of an infant''s head trailed the body.

    Indeed, it was an abomination. A hideous creature that deserved death and nothing else.

    "Now you''ll be more wee in my Shadow Army," Altair said, unveiling the presence of what seemed like a Demi-God.

 Chapter 268: Cambion II

    As the Cambion loomed before Altair, its grotesque form covered in throbbing boils, Syris felt her essence intertwining with the winds. She became one with the gentle breeze, as light as a feather and as soft as a de of grass.

    With the agility of a ghost, Syris moved, her form blurring as she traversed the battlefield like a wind sprite, silent as a shadow. Her silver dagger, a symbol of her fury, was far from gentle. Embers danced in the wind, igniting the air to mes as Syris attacked, her de slicing through nothing but air.

    She missed. Her eyes followed the agile creature that had somehow evaded her surprise attack. Unable to sense a domain, it was baffling how the Cambion had not only detected her but also dodged so swiftly.

    Still, as the Cambion somersaulted to dodge, its gnarled arm reached toward Syris. When Hilda''s Battle Axe she''d hurled struck like a battering ram itself across the Demon''s shoulder, tearing the infernal creature from out of the air through the earth like a rag doll.

    Syris tossed her silvery hair over her shoulder, darting Altair a look, her stunning features nearly blinding. "Lightning!"

    Altair, who''d immediately understood, didn''t hesitate to shoot Syris a bolt of his Infernal Lightning from his fingertips in a blinding array of electromaism, twisting into something sickly. It stuck against Syris Dagger. She knew this lightning well. Had seen it so much, Syris did not need to properly study it to condense the light into the deepest reaches of her bones.

    As if her bones were now producing Infernal Lightning rather than blood, arcs of burning hot light rippled, sprawling across her body like a goddess bathing in the rain of the Hells. The clouds across the azure heavens split, torn asunder by the sheer radiance of her divine being; as she took off in that instance, the abomination lifted its gnarled head.

    She blurred a step toote as Altair arrived first with Sovereign Gale, which appeared much like teleportation. He was before the creature could blink, his eyes measuring theck of damage Hilda''s Ax had caused. He wasn''t surprised. Cambeions were infernal creatures. The level of destruction necessary to harm them was magnitudes higher than what most mortal minds could grasp.

    But without much care, his fingertips gently touch the creature''s burning hot chest, seething with the inner mes of the Nine Hells. He ignored the ufortability of that heat. And he invoked, in a cruel whisper.

    "Enma"

    Like an imploded neutron star inverting on itself, infernal flesh tore asunder, spiraling in a vortex of blood and gore as a beam of raw, deathly energy shrieked through bones, flesh, and organs, turning whatever it touched to liquid bile. From the Cambions chest, then back, the beam split apart the mountain, ughtering a path through the forest.

    Syris struck, her dagger weaving through space like starlight, meeting flesh this time.

    ''Omnis Mortis, '' she whispered, arriving behind the Cambion. The Empyrean Technique of her Father, The God of Wisdom, Solomon, had molded into being when he first set eyes upon the Angel of Death, Azazel.

    For six million years, he stared at the abyss, enthralled by the one to wield Primal Death. The de that reaped the souls of Gods, Demons, and Fallen alike bore itself from death.

    Besieging life from Death, daring sword light so fleeting and dangerous spiraled across the ether, assimting the forest to sand, then dust, and finally nothingness. For nearly a hundred miles, all life ceased with the annihtion energy reeling through space.

    "Holy Shit!" Altair shouted, invoking a barrier to protect himself from the destructive bacsh whirling him off his feet as winds stirred, quivering, turning to howls, snapping the trees it caught hundreds of miles away like twigs. It reeled from north to south and from east to west, congealing into a whirlwind of death.

    Infernal Lightningshed itself across space as Altair held onto it, trying not to be pulled away by the winds. His eye locked on the Demon staggering back. He could feel its life fading. The wound that Altair inflicted mended at a visible rate, but the strange technique Syris used seemed to linger across the creature''s throat.

    It didn''t appear deep, yet the level of destruction expressed something other than the physical body had been cut.

    The Cambion staggered a few more feet, the mending wound inflicted by Enma slowing before it stoppedpletely, finally allowing blood to spew from out the cavity.

    ''What type of Technique was that?'' Altair wondered, startled when he saw the Cambion leap into the air and grab at him.

    Life was slipping through the Demon''s naked body at a visible rate. The Cambion was withering; by the time it reached Altair, its entire being was emaciated beyond recognition.

    The artery of Infernal Lighting dissipated, leaving Altair to plummet downwards, barely weaving past the creature''s touch. The Demon was indeed mindless. Acting on what was before him rather than attempting to flee.

    He wondered what type of torment such a creature experienced for it to be as such. He pushed such useless thoughts from his mind as he flipped through the air,nding on his feet like a nimble cat pivoting backward in retreat. The Demonnded, wanting to follow, only to fall to a knee and moan.

    Its emaciated flesh writhing against disfigured bones.

    Altair narrowed his eyes, breathing a breath that allowed the tense nerves to fade. "This thing is still alive. How?"

    Zagreus approached, toozy to have hidden himself. Not after the way Altair and Syris bullied the Demon. He had been sure the gods watching had been so taken back they were gawking. If not, throwing a fit.

    Few creatures in the Myriad Heavens couldbat a demon, even if they were half-bloods. To do it so effectively had left the son of Hades breathless.

    Syris rounded to her mate''s elbow, surprised the creature was still alive. It was her first time using Omnis Mortis, and despite its poor execution, in her opinion, the Demon should have been felled.

    She tilted her head. "I''d heard Demons were immortal. Does that include Half-Bloods?"

    Altair didn''t know. Reina''s blood was silent. He shrugged, opening his hand for Talia to ce Endymion into his palm. When she did, he approached, ncing down at the dying creature, too weak to even kneel, slumping over the ground like a moribund pest.

    He jammed Endymion into its skull, applying a sliver of Vale Qi across its edge for good measure. He wondered if the Vale, the final resting ce of all that lived, could circumvent even True Immortality. He didn''t wait long to see the stillness sweep across the Demon''s body.

    [True Immortal, Cambion Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Bonus Exp Gained]

    Ding!

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [True Immortal Being Felled. Error]

    As the Prince felt the sudden warmth coursing through his veins, he was filled with a renewed sense of vitality. The energy seemed to weave its way through every fiber of his being, invigorating his body and sharpening his mind. He shuddered, sensing an unattainable peak being achieved.

    He grinned, allowing a stream of Mana to seamlessly flow from his nostrils.

    [Soul of Cambion Aquired]

    Altair''s smile deepened. "This battle was far easier than I imagined."

    Zag''s gaze swept the surroundings of the barren earth. "It''s not over yet." he slid his sword from out its scabbard, pivoting back, snatching Syris by the cor with him, as a gnarled arm came from the earth, where he''d been.

    Altair was stunned before he chuckled, recognizing the arm. "I guess one Cambion wasn''t enough," he said, his voice derisive. And watched as the Demon pulled itself from the earth, its grotesque frame bellowing a cry. He chuckled and shouted. "We''re running! I got what I wanted!"

    "Eh!" Zag looked at him peculiarly. "They''re faster than us."

    "And? But there, stupid. Let''s make a game about it," he said, Valemorphing into the elemental nature of light, arriving by Syris before she could even perceive what happened. He took her into his arms and leaped up into the air, hovering in the skies like a god before heshed out a string of lightning to stand upon.

    The drain of Valemorph for him to maintain a constant state of light was still too much on his reserves.

    "Let''s see who gets to the finish line first." Altair nced at his Maids. "Don''t die." He said, tossing Endymion down to Talia, who hurried to catch it.

    Moaning, "Master," She red up at her Master, feeling wronged. "I wanna ride, too!"

    "Altair, you bastard! Don''t just leave us with this Demon!" Zagrues shouted, leaping back as the Demon shed at blinding speed towards him.

    But Altair only whistled at Zag''s swiftness. Although he was physically stronger, Zag''s movement still showed a difference in skill. He nced at Vaiga, sending amand to protect them before he vaulted off with Syris in his arms,ughing quite evilly.

    "Don''t die!"

    "ALTAIR!!!!" Zag howled. But his shout fell on deaf ears.

    Syris snickered, puffing her cheeks. "You just abandoned yourrade."

    "Correction, my lovely Syris. I handed off the responsibility while I, the Master, and I went ahead to achieve our real goal," he exined before his smile slightly faded. "Plus¡­ I didn''t really have a choice."

    Syris blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight before her. She gazed towards the southern horizon and saw a vast swarm of Cambions, their silhouettes darkening the sky. As they drew closer, Syris could make out their twisted, demonic features, their eyes burning with an otherworldly rage. The sound of their pounding footsteps echoed across thend, and Syris felt her heart pounding in her chest.

    It was as though a pack of wolves was closing in on her, and she could feel her body tensing up in preparation for the fight toe.

    "Fuck me!" She muttered.

    "It''s why I brought you with me! Hehe!"

 Chapter 269: Emperor Blackwood

    Caught in the throes of their aerial dance, Altair and Syris hurtled across the boundless canvas of the cerulean sky, their bodies moving with the velocity of a lightning strike. The windshed at their billowing robes, producing a relentless rustling noise that heightened the drama of their flight.

    As they darted through the air, their blurred silhouettes left a trail of afterimages that twinkled like the constetions above.

    As if seeking to race across the horizon that never came, they stopped gliding down from the clouds onto a branch, masking their intent. Perhaps it had been their hubris, but even after an hour, they saw no city or finish line, just an endless forest¡ªboundless leaves of vegetation that never ended.

    Syris spun her lovely eyes to him. "We''re lost, aren''t we?"

    "In my defense, I''ve never been good with directions," Altair admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of his usual shamelessness.

    Syris''s disbelief was palpable. How could he, the one who always led them back to safety, be lost now? Even when they were gone for days, sometimes months on end, he had always found the way. He had never missed a beat. Not once.

    Altair ignored her scrutinizing eye. He coughed into his palm, that mischievous smile rising. He could all but tell what she was thinking but didn''t have the heart to tell her he had no idea what the hell he was doing back in the Lake of Rot. Things just urred, and somehow, he''d taken credit for it.

    Most of his achievements had relied on his acute sense of knowing, which he had no control over. If he really wanted something¡­ he''d find it. But he couldn''t just tell Syris that¡ªnot when he rather enjoyed teasing her, not when he could practically taste a new adventure around them.

    He caught her waist, drawing her closer to his side. "Screw directions. Let''s just fuck around. Look around us. Think we can¡ª

    [Conquest: Wait a second! Your back!]

    [Daddy: That is correct. The seed of my balls have been back for about two months now]

    [Piercing Owl: Yup, although he seems to be fooling around.]

    [Luscious Red: Light the Beacons!!]

    [Daddy: Lol!]

    [Archeon: That gave me a goodugh.]

    [Reverend Night: Altair ckwood? Wow~ You''re cute!]

    [She Who Hunts: Very Cute! Cuter as a kid, though]

    [ I Got Diarrhea: No fair! Howe you didn''t tell us you were back!]

    [Daddy: Alright. I''ll ask. What type of bloody username is that?

    [ I Got Diarrhea: Bruh]

    Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

    As the influx of messages about Altair''s reemergence began, the Young Lord daringly spun Syris''s hair around his finger. It made him smile when she red at him, but she allowed him to do as he pleased.

    She couldn''t understand his fascination with ying with her hair. Had there been a morning he wasn''t ying with it? Running his finger through it like a brush, smoothing the tension out of her naked body. He''d only stop when she purred, falling asleep.

    ''Did he also do so with Ren?''

    Altair grinned. "The Gods are watching us again."

    Syris''s mood slightly soured. "I see." With a visible look of irritation, she fidgeted with the fabric of her robes and readjusted them to better fit her frame. Her muttering under her breath was barely audible as she longed for the privacy of the Pce of Stygian, a ce where she could escape the prying eyes of others.

    After five long years passed, the gods gradually became aware of ALtair''s absence from the Origin Systems. Despite their growing concern, they found themselves powerless to intervene and could do little else but watch from afar. As the days turned into months and the months into years, their initial interest slowly waned, reced by a sense of resignation.

    Altair felt her frustration but said nothing of it. There was nothing he could do as the Gods streamed their lives like they were influencers on the inte. It was a hard pill to swallow, harder now that he was a man, with a man''s appetite, one he had no control over anymore. Still, he bore it, lifting his eyes towards the skies, towards the Gods.

    "Wee Back¡­ I nearly forgot about you. It''s been Ten Years. Five for you guys." He smiled, not bothering to exin what he meant. They were gods. They should be able to figure it out. "I''m throwing a little party on my If you haven''t already figured it out.

    I took over Earth and am in the midst of fusing Gaia and Earth. It should be done in a few weeks. I''d like to invite you guys. Especially if you still wish to use Babels Tower. I''ll be seeing you on Earth in two weeks. Please contact Aurora for any details."

    [Divine Sin, Archeon frowned and asked how you intend to enforce restrictions.]

    Altair saw hisment but expressed little concern. "Genesis, of course. As a citizen, it was my right to dethrone the previous monarchs. Such events have urred all across the Republic of Genesis. I managed to exterminate them before they could call for backup. Thanks to our lovely Tasha.

    A Devil. Yes. I do have a devil on my side. I''ve already sent Genisis a message to request for a guardian. Plus, I''ve got a few gods on my side already. The thing I have the most to worry about is an invading army.

    But I''m quite ready¡­ Rather, I''m looking forward to it."

    And he thought, "Not to mention, I intend to use those bastards of the Crucible to the fullest. Like hell, Azura and Adam will be able to ignore the fact that I have gained full ess to Babels Tower."

    Syris mirrored his bloody grin, her regal demeanor gathering more and more attention from the various gods.

    [Archeon: So you''ve chosen the path of the Emperor rather than the King, eh?]

    "An Emperor¡­" The young Lord muttered, a tantalizing grin spreading across his lips. "Emperor ckwood

    And he thought. "Emperor Snow"

    Syris chuckled at his wicked smile. "We should go." Pulling him away back into the skies, with her winds to carry them across the endless forest, Altair yed with the gods, answering questions here and there that he could without revealing much of his time in the Lake of Rot. Sure that Adam or Azura were watching him.

    The mere thought of them had left him breathless, his heart burning with the wicked embers of the Nine Hells. Particles of Vale Qi gathered around his head like a crown, reacting to the fury that would never fade, even when they were dead and buried.

    He nurtured that hate, that rage in the depths of that ck Lake in his mind, burying its darkness in the waters.

    But with a smile of kindness, he answered the questions the various gods had, stopping when he saw a familiar face.

    "Oh? Isn''t that the Fae we met earlier today?" Syris asked, frowning. "Did we walk in a fucking circle" She looked at Altair suspiciously but saw only his childish smile across his stupidly handsome face.

    "What? Want a kiss? You''re staring. Has my sweetness reached your loins or¡ª-"

    Suddenly plummeting from the air at the sudden dismissal of the winds carrying him, Altair shouted augh, spinning through the air until he crashnded with shattering force on his feet. Spirals of fragmented destruction sprawled across the earth from his descent, but he still dared to chuckle.

    "You bastard! We''re lost, aren''t we!''

    "I never said I knew where I was going!" Altair screamed, dancing away as Syris charged at him, half seriously trying to kill him. He continued tough andugh until Syris got tired, folding her arms annoyed. "Its an adventure, we¡ª-"

    "Damn it! The map is wrong!" They heard the Fae curse. "What the hell happened? How is that possible? A city doesn''t just disappear.

    Syris gasped. And Altair just nodded expectantly. "See? I knew something was¡ª"

    She covered his mouth, not allowing herself to be fooled. She moved closer, masking her presence even deeper with her domain. She began to eavesdrop.

    "An Arbiter must have moved the bloody city!" The Fae male cursed. "Why the hell would they¡­" fingers clenching, he tossed the leather skin map onto the ground, burying it with a stomp. "Fuck¡­"

    "Calm down, Yvain." Said one of the lovely women, attempting to take him into her arms.

    Yvain recoiled, shaking his head. ''It''s not. Those bloody shadows are quick, so quick; we got lucky there were so many of us. And even then, we had to abandon Harken."

    Altair snarled, muttering, ''Upper Moons.'' He had no proof, but he med them nheless. It was the only thing that made sense. The entire situation within that strange court had been a strange one, tugging at his inner awareness since he arrived.

    ''Let''s go,'' he said, pulling Syris away as she whisked them back into the air.

    "Are you allowed to change a trial like that?" Syris coldly asked.

    Altair narrowed his eyes. "ording to Big Sis Luna, you can''t make changes to a trail once it''s started." He could still recall her trail like it was yesterday, pulling him back to a familiar time, one unburdened by the Lake of Rot.

 Chapter 270: The House of Shadow and Flames

    Far across the Raven Woods of Babels Tower''s First Floor, Lord Atticus Inglede, powerful arms folded across his chest, his poised silver blue eyes narrowing across his spy on one knee, was unamused by the news he had just received. It had all been nonsenseplete and utter drivel.

    A Third Circle capable of flight.

    The mere image alone almost brought a smile to his lips. It might have been if he hadn''t been aware that his thralls could not lie.

    Coldness slithered through his eyes, glinting venomously, as the runic tattoosced across the left side of his cheek and running down his neck glowed.

    Keiran, lying leaning across a nearby tree, raised his head, flipping the dagger in his hand and catching it with the other. "And you said it was the woman by his side that allowed him flight, right?"

    The hooded spy nodded. "Yes. ording to the Identification Orb. Her name is Syris. However, her status and skills remained hidden, even from the orb."

    Keiran grinned. "Pretty?"

    "That is irrelevant," said Atticus, unwilling to entertain his fellow inquisitor''s more lustrous behavior regarding official business, especially business pertaining to the Upper Moons.

    He had heard the stories of Keiran and heard about the women he''d taken; most of them were married or with child when he ruined them.

    Keiran drawled, "You''re no fun." he said, though his eyes never left the hooded spies. He was still awaiting a response.

    The hooded man gulped. "Yes. She is the most stunning woman we''ve ever seen."

    Keiran couldn''t help but whistle. "And she''s in a rtionship with this Altair ckwood?" he continued, lips arching into a crooked smile.

    Atticus ignored his perverted smile and asked, "How did he manage to kill the assassins we sent after him? Did he use any particr types of elements? Swordsmanship or¡ª"

    "He''s a Third Circle," Atticus retorted, pulling himself off the tree. What does it matter? The report ims him to be a denizen of Earth¡ªa brain-dead bunch of idiots who got lucky being aligned with Genesis when Babels Tower rose."

    Atticus merely looked at Keiran. His expression was unyielding, and the look gave Keiran pause. "And when was thest time the High Lords of the Upper Moons personally asked someone to assassinate? An inquisitor like you should understand the implications. So take this fucking job seriously."

    Keiran''s expression sank. He did not particrly like the tone being taken with him. Atticus might have been his senior of a few months, but he was certainly not his Master of the House of Shadows. Nor was he required to heed the advice of someone from a different house¡ªespecially one from the House of mes. He''d be damned if he listened to any one of these arrogant bastards.

    He scuffed. "I merely asked about the woman allowing Altair to fly. What does she look like? Or do you think asking about a description is not important?"

    Atticus''s jaw tensed, an artery of muscles rising across his jaw. "You''re thinking with your cock, not your head, as usual. And it''s not the time. We¡ª"

    "Piss off¡­" Keiran hissed, snapping an eye towards the trembling spy, who could practically taste the tormented Mana across his tongue. He gulped. "What the hell does she look like: from her face to her tits to her ass. I want to know. Leave nothing out."

    Atticus was consumed by a wave of anger that surged through him like a thunderstorm. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat like a drumroll of fury. His muscles tensed and coiled like a spring, ready to release their pent-up energy at any moment.

    The heat of his anger seemed to radiate from his chest, spreading through his body like wildfire until even his fingertips were tingling with its intensity.

    He could only turn his back and leave. As a member of the House of me, amongst the Upper Moons, Atticus could notmand, much less dictate, anyone from the Seven Houses of the Upper Moons. Keiran was free to do as he pleased, free of any restriction from the other houses.

    "Bastard¡­" he muttered, shooting one final nce at the crooked smile of Keiran before shuffling off, his fingers drilling into the flesh of his clenched palm.

    ****

    To his dismay, the setting sun had not been something Altair had been looking forward to. Not when his Kingdom still needed him. He didn''t like the idea of handing everything off to Aurora or Thanatos in his absence, but now, with nearly twelve hours of constant travel, he had no choice.

    Syris was tired from all the constant flying, leaving him kicking himself for not acquiring any sort of flying amendment. And Earth had a treasury filled with various Armements.

    That had left him thinking of the System Store.

    "I should have killed those demonic Dragons back in Farwin when I had the chance." hemented.

    Syris smiled, leaning on his back as he carried her. She could certainly still move, but Altair had insisted.

    ''Focus on recovering your mana,'' he''d said sternly, hoisting her onto his back before she could blink.

    ''Dummy,'' she thought, burying her head against his broad shoulders, a flush pressing against her cheeks.

    She wasn''t even that tired, just a little taxed from overusing her Mana. He probably just wanted to hold her, Syris told herself, brooding on his back.

    "Maybe I should have Tasha bring me back a Dragon Soul from the Hells. Emperor ckwood and his Mighty ck Dragon."

    He chuckled, much like a child.

    "Boys and there, Dragons, " said Syris, grinning. "Shouldn''t you be thinking about securing the Outer Rim?"

    "I''ll do it on a badass ck Dragon," Altair said adamantly, his smile appearing all the more radiant. He nced back at Syris. Can you imagine your man on one of these badass creatures?"

    "my man? When did that happen," said Syris, giggling.

    "I imagine it was the many nights you came to my chambers to stay until morning," Altair said, ignoring the way her arms tightened around his neck. The way you rode me, I''d say you were iming me!"

    [Divine being, Luscious Red, covers her mouth in admiration]

    Syris had the grace to blush, fumbling the words to say, "The gods are listening."

    "So let them." Altair shrugged. "I''m sure they have better things to do than watch us fuck."

    "You give them too much credit, "said Syris softly.

    [Divine Being, Luscious Red exims you gave them much to credit.]

    Syris felt her cheeks flush with heat and her heart race with embarrassment. She stood frozen in ce, feeling as though every pair of eyes in the room were fixed upon her, judging her every move. Her body shook with nervousness as she struggled topose herself and move past the ufortable moment.

    Altair didn''t need his unnatural senses to know he''d humiliated his mate. And even if he knew there wasn''t a need for her to be embarrassed, he had been aware not everyone was so open about whaty beneath their sheets.

    Perhaps between friends or lovers. But not strangers. Not the Gods watching, judging their every action, their every gesture.

    "Sorry¡­" he whispered. "It won''t happen again."

    Syris didn''t say anything. She didn''t need to; listening to the whistling of the winds through the leaves, carrying the lovely aroma of honeydew, pine, and nuts, silence walked side by side with them, following their journey for miles as the sun crested the horizon, sinking deeper and deeper until all that was left was the night, illuminated by most of the stars following the skies like a silk nket.

    There was no moon tonight, leaving only the stars to apany the masses.

    For hours, they aimlessly walked. Through rivers and marches across mountain passes and bogs, they journeyed, lost beneath the bliss of the elements.

    "Art¡­"

    "Hmmm?"

    "We''re being followed," Syris muttered. "They''re pretty good. I count seven."

    Altair pointed an eye towards the west, marking three shadows hidden beneath the nket of night. He pulled his eye away, pressing ahead.

    "Ignore them. It''s probably that idiot who sent those assassins after me¡­ what was the name? Atticus." He smiled when he noticed a faint dusting of rain pulsated across his Almighty Resistance, rippling like rain upon a stillke. The water vanished, erased by his resistance.

    From the rain came ashes upon thend, flitting through the air by the winds.

    Altair stopped, his body tensed before it recoiled into rxation. "A fire¡­" He narrowed his eyes, his gaze crossing the distance to the faintest glow of embers rising into the skies like fire sprites.

    "A trap," Syris intoned."Or perhaps a battle?"

    Either of which Altair wanted to ignore. Tonight, what had supposed to have been spent in the naked arms of his mate had been interrupted by the Arbitors interference in the trial. Rather than waste energy, plicating enemies or gaining new allies wasn''t something he was interested in tonight. Not when it would ruin the silence.

    Altair didn''t hesitate to turn, heading east¡­ perhaps west or south. He didn''t quite know, nor did he care, trusting his instincts.

    Syris onlyughed, sensing his frustration, when she leaned beside his ear and whispered so softly that not even the gods could hear, "You know¡­ If you wear that mask of yours. You can have your way with me all night long, and no God will be able to¡ª"

    Altair had his mask on before Syris could finish.

    Flipping her off his back in a sh onto her feet, he said, " Let me go kill these idiots first, and we can begin."

    Covering her mouth, Syris giggled, unsure of whether she should tell him she was only joking. Perhaps not. Perhaps she''ll tease him a bit.

    "As you wish, Emperor ckwood."

 Chapter 271: Hades and Thanatos

    Lord Atticus''s face contorted in a mix of shock and disbelief as he once again heard the report echoing from the hooded spy. The more he learned about Altair ckwood, the more surreal¡ªeven frightening¡ªhe became. None of it made any sense. He''d never heard of a Third Circle capable of ughtering Fifth Circles like cattle. And like cattle, he did.

    All the spies he''d sent to monitor and report Altair ckwood were dead. Their bodies were torn into pieces and left for the forest beast to peek at.

    The report was like a cold drip of ice drowsing his veins.

    Keiran, who stood beside him, was beside himself, the usual smile no longer present. Not so much blinded by lust to grasp the resources they''d just lost in a single night.

    The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, painting the sky with a warm hue of orange and pink. The air was crisp with the coolness of the morning, and a light mist of dew had settled on the grass, leaves, and flowers, glistening like diamonds in the gentle light. It was a peaceful and serene moment, a perfect start to a new day.

    Yet all they felt was ice pouring through their hearts.

    "That fucking prick¡­" Keiran said. His arms crossed. "You think he is hiding his cultivation?"

    "The Identification Orb would have revealed such a fact," Said Atticus slowly, sliding a file from out of Draupnir bearing the great sigil me of the House of mes; he flipped through it, angling a frown. "Five Years ago, Altair ckwood vanished. Somehow, he survived the destruction of Forwin against several Soul Kings. Apparently, he was a major factor in surviving such an event."

    "The fuck is a Soul King?"

    Atticus shook his head. "No idea." He looked over the file he''d buried his head in all night. "Both of us are Eight Circles. I suspect that''s why the House Masters sent us. "He paused, looking up at the hooded spy. You said Altair is being apanied by Syris, right?"

    "Yes, my Lord." said the Hooded spy. "He separated from his group to escape the abominations."

    "Where are they now?" asked Keiran, shing his canines in excitement.

    "There¡ª-"

    As the rustle of the grass rumbled, alerting the men of the Upper Moons, an annoyed voice cut through the sudden silence.

    "Gods! I hate this forest! How could Master just abandon us?"

    As she emerged from the lush foliage, a breathtaking womanmanded attention. Her eyes, a stunning shade of yellow, glimmered like the rays of the golden sun. Her skin, a sultry shade of grey, was wrapped in a set of formal gowns that bore the emblem of the Crest of the Endless Night. Her alluring appearance was further enhanced by a devious radiance that glimmered across her voluptuous figure.

    She was elegantly dressed like a maid, and a sword without a hilt hung at her side, adding to her mysterious demeanor.

    "Oh, Hello," said Talia, who felt a sudden shiver down her spine as she stumbled upon the unfamiliar campsite and the group of men encircling a crackling fire. She tried her best to appear friendly as she awkwardly waved at them, but none of them returned the gesture. Instead, they just stood there, silently staring at her with unblinking eyes.

    The silence lingered on for what felt like an eternity as Talia felt her difort growing with each passing second.

    "What the¡ª"

    "That''s her!" The hooded Man shouted. "She''s the one traveling with Altair."

    Talia frowned, losing her earlier trepidation to the trained demeanor of a killer. No light reflected across those yellow eyes of hers. She reached for her Master''s sword but didn''t quite draw it yet. She had questions as she recalled the assassination attempt just yesterday.

    She smiled, guided by her Primal Instinct, and said, "Which one of you is Atticus."

    "Gods," said Keiran with an enthralled expression. That crooked smile of his returning. "You are the most stunning¡ª"

    Keiran didn''t see when she advanced on him, much like teleportation: One instance, she was merely seven meters away. The next, her sword was drawn, the ck edge of Endymion''s obsidian hue devouring the morning rays of dawn within its fathomless depths, driving its tip towards his throat.

    Barely saved by the ive that snapped from out of space into Atticus'' palm, stabbing towards her throat, Talia tsked her domain, alerting her of the ive seeking to run her through. She spun on the balls of her heel, using her momentum to dodge before pivoting back a few meters.

    Keiran''s trembling hand reached up to his throat, where a tiny drop of blood hung precariously. His heart raced, pounding against his chest, as beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He turned to face Talia, his eyes widening in shock as her devilish grin, both taunting and alluring, captured his mind.

    Talia giggled. "Aren''t you a little pervert?" she said, narrowing her eyes towards the rising tent between the man''s legs. She sneered. "What a shame I can''t cut it off. Two Eight Circles might be a little much for me." she nced at Atticus, her mind revolving with questions. "Are you Atticus?

    It would be a shame if the man who tried to have my Master killed were this pervert here."

    Atticus felt a sudden fire fill his belly. As if he, an Inglede of the House of mes, would allow himself to ever be mistaken by anyone, he raised his head and snapped. "Of course I''m Atticus."

    The man''s hubris did not go unnoticed by Talia, and a hint of amusement flickered across her alluring lips. As she stood there, the modes of Vale Qi swirled around her in a tempestuous disy, illuminating her every feature. The energy enveloped her form, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished before anyone could react to her sudden disappearance.

    She emerged hundreds of miles away from the vortex of Vale Qi that had pulled her to her master''s side. Her eyes could only widen at the sight before her, leaving her breathless as a faint blush crawled up her face. Her knees buckled as if struggling to contain her weight as she looked at her Master, gripping Syris''s silver hair. She stood on her knees, her head jerking back and forth in rhythm.

    Talia covered her mouth, unable to pull her eyes away as Syris blew her Master, ying with herself, dripping with his seed. She was looking up at him, her fierce eyes demanding release.

    Altair gave it to her, exploding in the back of her throat, groaning a deep, sultry moan of delight. Syris drove his length further down her throat, enjoying the warming sensation of hot soup filling her belly. Goosebumps prickled her naked flesh, driving away the cold. She shuddered and squirmed, gasping for air, as she opened her mouth wide for praise.

    "Syris is indeed the best." Altair mewled, brushing the beads of perspiration out of her eyes. Then he smiled a warm, gentle smile. Syria could only beamed.

    "Um¡­. Master?"

    The two looked over to Talia on her knees, trembling.

    ****

    "Well¡­ You''ve really done it now," Altair told Talia, ncing back at Syris nearly twenty meters away. She couldn''t bring herself to talk to him anymore. He wanted to smile, but Syris had not spoken once since then. She couldn''t even make eye contact. She was so ashamed.

    "I didn''t have a choice, Master. I was surrounded." Talia expressed. "It''s not like I wanted to see Syris deepthroating you."

    Altair scratched his head, unsure if he should reprimand her. He sighed, nevertheless, " Well? What happened?"

    "Was it good? Talia has never seen you make such an expression. You looked like you were about to fall over."

    Altair flicked her head, knowing Syris heard every word. He nced back at her proud expression, marred by embarrassment.

    "Just answer the question.''

    But Talia was not listening. "I saw her massaging her starfish. Does she want it there, too?"

    With a sudden outburst of emotion, Syris let out a heart-wrenching scream that echoed through the forest, "Talia!" Her voice was so loud and intense that it sent a flock of birds flying into the sky, their wings pping frantically as they disappeared into the horizon.

    The sound of her cry was like that of a banshee''s wail that seemed to reverberate across the entirendscape, filling the air with a sense of shame.

    Altair turned to her, his jaw opening, trying to recall if she gave any inclinationst night.

    "Don''t!" Syris snapped. "Don''t even ask! Not now! Not ever!"

    "Syris starfish practically devoured¡ª-"

    Altair covered Talia''s mouth, ignoring that evil grin of hers tormenting his mate, and said in a stern voice. "No more teasing Syris." Hemanded. "Just tell me what happened. What forced you to Teleport to me?"

    As Talia expressed her disappointment, she delved into his mind and conjured up a vivid mental image of the events that had transpired, pushing through the mental tether that allowed Altair to live through Talia''s life.

    It felt strange, but Altair allowed these images to sh across his mind, revealing all that had taken ce from when Talia discovered the strange group to their extracurricr activities.

    He frowned. '' So that''s Atticus... '' he said, patting his maid on the head.

    Talia emitted a soft, contented sound resembling a purr as she basked in the pleasure of the gentle strokes on her head.

    "You did good, Talia. Very good." The Sword Maid beamed. "Yo Syris get over here. Shit just got real."

    ****

    "I''ve told you many times. There isn''t a need to fall to one''s knee before family." The virtual hologram of Hades remarked, his ruby eyes bearing an unnatural warmth towards the boy, the son he called Thanatos.

    Thanatos ignored him as he''d always done. Even as his mother watched wryly beside him, her shadowy eyes tilted up in recognition.

    Like father, like son

    "Tell me my boy. What is it that the Snow Boy has asked of you?"

    Thanatos wasn''t surprised by his father''s acute awareness. There were few things he could hide from the God of the Underworld.

    "Altair seeks to adopt Medusa as his Maid. "

    "Oh?" Hades gestured for him to continue, the mes within the depths of his eyes spiraling.

    "Athena is now involved, and Altair seeks to use Medusa as a chest piece to control the goddess. Though I also suspect he had a moment of empathy."

    "A Snow that possesses empathy? Iza and Ves, those two psychopaths, are on a bloody mission to burn Arcadia down. You expect me to believe a Snow has any sembeince of Empathy? " Hades gave a derisive snort, the knuckles of his hand pressing against his left cheek. "You know, despite my willingness to assist, I don''t like dealing with the Snow family. Sending you and Zag should have been enough."

    "I''m aware. But I''m also aware of how broken Medusa is. Altair can grant her original form and more, and perhaps even allow her revenge against Poseidon and Athena."

    "She has forgotten such things."

    "No one forgets being raped and betrayed in a single day, " said Thanatos.

    The God of the Underworld lifted a brow, his lips rising slightly. And for a moment, Thanatos felt as if he was looking at a stranger. He couldn''t read him. Couldn''t¡­

    "Nyx, has our son ever retorted me like this?"

    Nyx had to think. "once. I believe when you were reeling over Persephone''s betrayal."

    "Indeed." he chuckled, a loose-fitting smile tugging across his striking features. "Fine¡­ you can take her¡­ under one condition. Do you speak for Altair? "

    Thanatos nodded. " He said any favor so long as it doesn''t pass his bottom line."

    "As if a Snow possessed one. Athena will surely bring Persephone into this mess. Destroy her, mentally and physically. That''s it."

    Both Thanatos and Nyx looked startled for a second. Hades had rarely spoken that woman''s name since the betrayal. When spoken with, it was neither out of hate or love, merely indifference.

    "Will that be an issue?"

    "No."

    "Good. Now tell me about my other son. Has he managed to make his harem? Or has hee to his senses?"

 Chapter 272: Deadly Trap

    As the first light of dawn began to creep across the horizon, a breathtaking disy of color illuminated the sky. Bands of pink and orange stretched across the heavens, casting a warm glow that bathed everything it touched in a soft, ethereal light.

    In the midst of this stunning disy, Altair stood, his eyes fixed on the sky, a grin of pure excitement spreading across his face before it turned feral.

    With a sudden burst of energy, heunched himself off a bolt of Infernal lightning, the sheer force of his movement shaking the very ground beneath him. The air around him crackled with energy, a tingling sensation running through his veins as he soared higher and higher, heading straight for the heavens.

    As he reached the peak of his ascent, he let out a fierce cry, the sound echoing across the sky. With a sudden burst of light, a bolt of scarlet lightning shot out from his outstretched body, illuminating the sky in a deadly red. It streaked across the sky, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, tearing through the very fabric of reality itself.

    The sight was awe-inspiring and terrifying all at once, a testament to the raw power of the Infernal magic that Altair wielded. For a moment, it seemed as though the very sky itself was on fire as the lightning bolt tore through the heavens with a deafening roar.

    Atticus felt it then: He felt an immense power bearing down on him, emanating from a god-like entity thatmanded respect and reverence, whose radiance was so strong that it seemed to engulf him, pulling him into a ck, bottomless void where no light could escape. His heart raced with a primal fear racing through his body as he looked up at the painted skies.

    He gulped, whirling towards the scarlet lightning, shrieking across the skies towards them. When the lightning turned ck as the endless night, bleeding the horrid might of the Vale, the color drained from out his face as he snapped his eyes towards Keiran.

    They''d predicted that Talia might have warned Altair and had taken precautions to leave their camp before they had enough information about him to decide what to do. But never in their wildest dream could they have ever envisioned such a scene. The Mana was burning, writhing against their skin like a living amalgamation.

    "We fight!" Keiran shouted.

    But Atticus thought otherwise. There was still much they didn''t know. The gap he''d imagined between the Third Circle and Seventh Circle seemed to be nearly bridged.

    It was absurd.

    "We''re retreating," said Atticus, prioritizing caution.

    "You can leave, I''m staying!" Kieran barked as if he could bear the shame of retreating before a mere Third Circle. The very idea was so deplorable that if word got out, he''d beughed out of the House of Shadows.

    ''So what if Altair had might have been able to bridge the gap between Third and Seventh Circle? In the end, he still had limited Mana.'' he thought. Kieran didn''t bother mulling the matter over as Shadow mes danced across his shoulders, spiraling down his arms and torso.

    As his fingers slowly opened, dark modes of mana began to gather around them, forming into a shape that took the form of a shamshir - a sword with a de that curved sharply, like the arc of the crescent moon. The ck mes around the de grew stronger, causing the winds to howl with a newfound intensity.

    The force of the winds caused the nearby vegetation to uproot, andrge boulders were reduced to nothing but dust. As the chaos continued, thendscape was transformed, with new canals and trenches forming in the earth.

    "You fool! He is not¡ª"

    Kieran did not wait for Atticus to finish before he pierced the skies, tearing the clouds above asunder in an ocean of Shadow mes.

    "¡ªalone. Shit." Atticus cursed, reaching into Draupnir to the Identification Orb, a violet ga that bore the sigil of an intricate eye across its smooth surface. The moment it appeared within his hands, Atticus pointed towards Altair before they could sh.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 10%]

    Physique: Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Aura: Sword of the Abyss [Blocked]

    ss: [ <Blocked> Lv 150]

    Strength: 1240

    Dexterity: 1345

    Constitution: 1520

    Wisdom: 1540

    Charisma: 1540

    Mana: 295

    Skills [Blocked]

    Passives: [Blocked]

    Atticus''s heart froze in his chest. He''d seen monsters. He had been one himself, following the templet of the House Masters gifted him to train. He''d lived up to it. Day in and day out, he''d trained until his bones shattered and his meridians ruptured. It wasn''t enough to merely be talented.

    He needed resources to aid his path. But even those whom he once considered a genius by his standard couldn''tpare to Altair ckwood.

    "What is this monster?" he stammered, looking towards the ashen-haired boy. He hoped¡ªeven prayed¡ªthat Altair''s Swordsmanship wasn''t as monstrous as his physical attributes.

    Name: Keiran Shadonce

    Age: 29

    Mana Circle: [Ninth Circle 0.2%]

    Aura: Titan Break

    ss: [Shadow Knight Lv 3]

    Race: Titan (Half-Blood)

    Str: 2471

    Dex: 2043

    Con: 2984

    Wis: 2734

    Chr: 2734

    Atticus'' fingers stabbed against his palm, witnessing the sh that distorted the early morning dawn. Light fragmented across the horizon, shattering into shards of ephemeral grace.

    The sound of howling winds filled the air as they uprooted and flung vegetation around like mere ythings. Large boulders were smashed to dust as though they were made of sand. As the winds rage on, creating new canals and trenches, carving their way through thendscape with a fierce and unstoppable force.

    Keiran''s expression was cold, though his lips were arched. "You''re pretty strong. But not enough!" he said, condensing a smidgen bit more strength straight into his arms,unching Altair earthbound with ease¡ªtoo much ease.

    But Keiran did not seem to notice or care. He followed, barreling through the air like a bullet, crossing the distance in half a beat. He swung. Sweeping his ming Shamshir down in an arc to match its curve.

    Altair merely smiled. He''d never faced such a weapon. But he knew swords. He knew them as though they were an integral part of him. The instant the sword swept towards his neck, it flowed like water weaving towards his groin. A feint as it swept towards his shoulder, back to his neck.

    Embers danced as the sword of the Vale shed against the ming shamshir at such a precise angle; Keiran, who held a superior strength, felt all the power he held shatter as their blows canceled the other''s power out.

    Keiran expression was one of astonishment.

    "Not bad, but nothing great. Your sword is about a D Rank, eh? No. Mid-D-Rank. I guess that''s eptable."

    Keiran tried to push forward using every bit of strength he could muster. Yet Altair, a Third Circle, stood insurmountable.

    "A Zero Lock," he said finally, a cold gust of wind filling his lungs. He knew the technique well. It was a Transcendent Skill used only by extremely talented swordsmen. By perfectly timing the moment of impact across your enemies'' vulnerable sword stroke, Zero Lock allowed the user to redirect the kic force.

    However, Keiran had not felt any sort of redirection. The deadly force he''d used seemed to have merely vanished.

    Keiran took a step back, realizing the mistake a step toote as Altair leaned forward by passing his sword before Keiran could flick his wrist to defend.

    And there he saw it, if only for a brief moment, as the sword vanished from his perception. No, he could still see it. But he sensed no danger, no immediate threat. He had time to defend. Time to react. Time too...

    The sh came slicing across his chest up across his cor.

    "eh," he said, staggering back. Unsure what had just happened. He touched his chest. Felt the wound. It was shallow. But deep enough, it burned.

    Pain. Pain shot across his nerves as body and soul synced with what happened before his very eyes.

    He screamed, leaping backward nearly a hundred meters in less than a second t.

    "And Checkmate"

    He heard Altair say as a dull pain entered through his lower spine. Dreadful words splintered through his consciousness

    "Omnis Mortis," said Syris, jerking her dagger from out of his flesh. There was no blood, the same as with the Cambion. Omnis Mortis saw to besiege life from death.

    In but a brief moment, the lower half of Keiran began to be wilted like that of a flower ravaged by time.

    "I don''t know what''s more broken, being able to mask one''s intent within their heart or that dreadful technique."

    "Father created it to kill devils. Of course, it''s broken." Syris said harshly, watching Keiran fall to his knees and then face. "Cambion are immortal or damn near close. Half-bloods like this guy here can''t withstand it. At least not without help. And even then.

    I cut part of his soul. The injury is damn near permanent. Either way, it looks like it all went ording to n. Shall we begin negotiations?"

    "Indeed." Altair nodded. "Mr. Atticus, if you would, I will be more than willing to hear your offer for your friend here. There isn''t a need for swords¡ªnot anymore, right?" He paused, ncing down at Keiran, whose lower half appeared emaciated beyond reprieve. " Or would you rather I kill your second?"

    "That won''t be necessary," said Atticus, emerging from the shadows ten meters away. A ive clenched in the palm of his hand. He nced at Altair, then Keiran, back to Altair. "Will he live?"

    "I''m sure you''ll find a way to keep him alive. Information is key," Altair said, the implication clear: ''so long as you are willing, he will live.'' Now, then, shall we begin? There is so much I want to know about you and the Upper Moons.''

 Chapter 273: Crown of the Vale

    Atticus stood there, though he did not approach. He couldn''t understand why Keiran didn''t dodge when he could. Did something attack his psyche? Was there poison in the air? Perhaps it was Talia. Questions filled his head as he stood nearly ten meters away.

    His eyes swept the area for any sort of hidden trap.

    He found none. This absence of danger, rather than providing relief, only heightened his caution, making him even more wary of the unseen dangers.

    Altair''s smile only seemed to deepen, the redness pulsing with the sudden throbbing of his pupils. It was a smile that held a secret, a hidden power that was nearly indescribably invisible to those who weren''t aware of the signs of the Eye of Sacrilege. It reached across the distance, invading Atticus'' mind, cautious not to make any irregr gestures.

    Atticus''s spirit was indeed stronger than his. He could feel it¡ªthe slight motion of defense against the wisp of spirit that struck the moment their eyes crossed. It was as if he was moving against an endless tide, seeking to drag him into its depths. It might have been if Atticus had been aware.

    ''Intent,'' Altair mused, contemting the unseen force surrounding his heart, a force designed to conceal his true intentions from the world. The power of this skill was far more terrifying than he had initially thought. It rendered him truly invisible. He had witnessed its true power when he effortlessly sliced Keiran''s cor.

    He knew Keiran could have evaded his attack; after all, it was nothing extraordinary. Yet, Keiran seemed oblivious to the sword, treating it as if it were as harmless as air, not a lethal weapon designed to kill.

    ''We train to rely on our senses, our instincts. But against Domain users, one needs to ignore one''s instincts, which were like toys against us.''

    "What is it you want to know?" Atticus asked.

    ''He keeps looking around. Ah, he''s looking for Talia.'' Altair thought, and he said, "Talia, doe out." The Ashen Knight seemed to spring from out of his shadow like a ghost, her appearanceing as a relief to the Inquisitor. "See? Nothing to worry about."

    Atticus noticeably rxed, though not by much, as his Astral Sea was still cautious when Altair had an idea. Rather than manipte the physical senses, why not attack his desires, his emotional state of being? He was good at controlling his own¡­ perhaps the same could be said about controlling others.

    "And the others?" Atticus asked. " A man and two other women were reported to be with you."

    Altair shrugged. "I''ve no idea where they are. We got separated, though I suppose you are aware of that. So tell me, Mr. Atticus. Who are you, and what do the Upper Moons want with me?"

    "The Upper Moons are the Arbiters of Babels Tower, and I am one of their Inquisitors," Atticus said. "As is Kieren there."

    Syris frowned. " That doesn''t make sense. I do not believe Altair has broken any rules. Especially since we just got here."

    "We were told to bring him back dead or alive," Atticus said, the tension seamlessly waning from his shoulders. "We¡­ We weren''t told the specifics of his crime. And neither did we ask."

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin demands you be silent]

    Atticus stood frozen in ce, his body drenched by a sudden and bitter gust of wind that seemed to pierce through his bones. He felt his muscles tense and his heart race with fear. But just as quickly as the cold winds had swept over him, a sense of calm serenity washed over him like a warm nket on a winter night, leaving not even anger in its embrace. Only a cool, familiar warmth.

    Altair loosened his grip, leaving Atticus to ponder while the Gods in his chat raged.

    [Titan Fall: This is one hundred percent against the rules! What the hell are the Upper Moons doing?]

    [Dragon Farm: Think something is in the water over there?]

    [Piercing Owl: Either way, it''s worthining to the Tower Masters.]

    [She Who Hunts: I bet this has something to do with Altair''s heritage. Ask if they were curious about your blood.]

    [Daddy: Blood, Eh? Now that is interesting.]

    [Archeon: And could very well be their true aim.]

    [Luscious Red: I''ll tell everyone I know that the Upper Moon is breaking its own rules. I''m sure the Ironbloods will love to hear this. The same goes for the Sisters of Sepith. You guys are fucked!]

    Altair grinned. Thanatos was indeed correct. Each time Artemis spoke, her words struck true.

    "Did by chance the Upper Moons ask that you bring my remains to them?" Altair asked, a little surprised by the shock that jolted across his cheekbones. He grinned, finding his answer. "So they did. There''s no need to answer that. I wouldn''t want your Masters to kill you."

    Atticus forced a smile, embarrassed for some reason as if Altair had done him a favor, though not enough to thank him.

    "Then I''ll ask onest question. Why are you working with this hot head?" Altair nced down at Keiran, whose emaciated half seemed to be trickling into dust by the way his shoes seemed to flop lifelessly to the side, with nothing to support them.

    "The House of Shadows sent him. I had¡ª" Atticus stopped himself, the caution he bore ring. But this time, Altair did not try to lessen his alertness, lest he give himself away.

    "So there is more than one fraction. Interesting. Very Interesting." Altair took a step back, kicking Keiran to Atticus, who moved out of the way, allowing his body to m against a tree. "We''ll be on our way. Though next time. I don''t suppose I''ll let you off so easily."

    Atticus did not say another word, reaching for Keiran''s arm; he vanished in a wisp of light.

    "I''m surprised you just allowed him to go," Syris said. "If they manage to repair Keiran, he''ll be out for revenge."

    "It makes little difference," Altair told her, a cruel glint flitting across his eyes. "Atticus didn''t have as much information as I originally thought, but it''s fine. He''ll be dead soon, anyway. The bacsh from this will not be small."

    "That was his fault for being so open," Syris remarked, ying ignorant. "Well? Shall we continue? I''d like to leave this bloody floor before shit gets dreadful. I can''t imagine that any good wille of this."

    Altair was inclined to agree, though he didn''t have much of an inclination of where to go. He scratched his head, pausing when, through an invisible tether, Altair''s mind synced with Vaiga and Hilda, who were besieged on all sides by hundreds of Cambions.

    Hilda seemed frozen, having been struck by one of the Cambions. This left Zagreus and Vaiga to defend as they desperately tried to ''tag'' her before one of the Cambions managed to touch her.

    Altair frowned. He could easily teleport Hilda to his side. But that would leave Zagreus and Vaiga high and dry. He wasn''t much concerned with Vaiga since she was a ninth circle, but Zagreus was different.

    "How the hell did they even get surrounded? Vaiga isn''t that sloppy. Not with my skill set." He narrowed his eyes, looking towards the skies¡ªthe gods, perhaps?

    ''No. The Arbiters. The Upper Moons,'' Altair determined beneath his breath. He cursed, sensing their distance across the forest. ''If I go and save them, there is probably a secondary trap there.''

    Altair did not like the idea of falling into a trap, especially one he had no control over. "Talia, show Syris to my location."

    Before Sryis could understand what Altair meant, golden particles of light began to emanate from his body as he transitioned into light itself. Altair was gone, piercing through the fabric of the realm''s reality, leaving behind singeing embers of a focused beamed of whatever his body touched.

    By the time he blinked, Altair had crossed an incalcble distance before de-transitioning from light back into flesh through the use of Valemorph beside Hilda, his palm on her shoulder. Behind him was a scorched trail of destruction that had carved through mountains, valleys, trees, builders, andkes.

    "Altair!" Zagreus shouted, snapping his eyes towards the entity that appeared. He''d been ready to activate his Domain Aspect but held back as Altair emerged.

    The moment the words left his lips, a mysterious and ominous fog began to snake its way across the skies, billowing and churning until itpletely obscured the sun and the moon. Altair and Vaiga stood frozen, powerless to react as the fog consumed everything in its path, twisting thend into a sinister realm of darkness.

    ''Strange¡­ But not out of the realm of possibility,'' Altair thought when a strange and unsettling sensation interrupted his thoughts. Suddenly, a thick and ominous miasma began to permeate the air, attacking the very essence of mana that lingered between Heaven and Earth. In a matter of moments, the once vibrant and powerful energy dissipated, leaving nothing but an eerie silence in its wake.

    He grinned savagely, transitioning his Mana into Vale Qi as a crazed gleam flickered across the Prince''s eyes. Channeling the blood of the Nephilim through his veins, Necroic''s mes permeated the stilling darkness, revealing the hundreds, if not thousands, of Cambions.

    Altair''s countenance was as unyielding as the icy winds that swept through the frozen ins of Sylvorlum. His face was hard, wielding a grimness carried by the Fallen. Above his brow, three Vale Stars hovered like a celestial crown, their brilliant light illuminating his features with an ethereal glow.

    Each star seemed to pulsate with a life of its own, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow across his face.

    The three radiant Vale Stars shone with a brilliance that was almost blinding to behold. They were perfectly aligned, as if ced there by some divine hand, and seemed to glow with a power that transcended the boundaries of the physical world. It was as if they were a symbol of Altair''s lineage, a crown that stood beyond the highest heavens.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 274: Schemes I

    "Master!" Hilda muttered once she was tagged, shaken to her core by the sensation that nearly took her to her knees. She wanted to kneel, to be made to be whipped until her back blistered and bled for her failure. "F-F-Forgive me."

    Altair''s piercing red eyes did not so much as cross Hilda''s, remaining poised on the countless Cambions surrounding them. Their gnarled bodies were petrified by the indescribable sensation of authority that pulsed from his crown and blood.

    Dread.

    Dread bore through the bodies of the half-bloods, leaving many to be made to bow, writhing like lowly worms. They dared not look at the Prince, determined to suffocate beneath the profane might that echoed from the infernal depths of the Nine Hells. And to be made to die beneath the honor of the Prince of Hell.

    To do so was their honor. They''re right as worms whose mother tossed them away at birth.

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest, is surprised by your level of Authority.]

    Far within the Nine Hells, the Second Monarch of Hell, Arsene, was smiling upon his throne, his semi-translucent body fluctuating between reality. He chuckled, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Zero across from him.

    "You sure of this?"

    Zero shrugged. "Why not? We only hid his identity because your first wife might learn of him. Now that he''s touched the Abyss, her semi-omnipotence has more or less told her of his conception. Giving Altair a little of your Authority won''t change anything. Especially now that the Upper Moon has betrayed their duty."

    "I see." the Second Infernal Monarch mused, a half smile ying at his lips. "I guess I should break the news to her before she goes on a rampage. After all, the Shadow Promation does not affect her."

    Zero sighed. "It might be toote."

    Arsene frowned darkly. "What do you mean?"

    "The real body of Iliana has been summoned," Zero remarked. Your Wife might have sensed the Endless Night is dying and is probably seeking answers. She might already know more than she lets on."

    "Iliana''s main body should not know about Altair. We made sure to create her clone separately."

    "But she knows we made a clone. She assisted in it. If and when Lilith learns of this, she will summon the clone. No abyssal can deny their queen''s decree. Iliana''s clone will obey."

    ''Then lock her ass up!" Arsene shouted, rising to his feet from his throne.

    "No shit. I''ve done so. Both Iliana''s clone and main body have been locked up. However, her main body is viciously trying to escape. It''s only a matter of time before she learns about Altair. And if she sends out one of her Generals.

    Damaris, for example. We are fucked."

    "Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit."

    Zero nodded. "This is what happens when you can''t keep your cock in your pants. I swear, how are you and Zariel rted? One is undeniably loyal. And then there is you."

    "Zariel was mind fucked. Something is wrong with him," Arsene spat, falling back onto his throne exhausted. He sighed, massaging his temple. "How long?"

    "Five years, maybe ten, before Iliana escapes. I put her into something that could keep Mephisto trapped for a while. But she''s one of the Strongest Abyssals. I didn''t have time to create a cage to hold her. Not when dealing with your shit situation. I''m stretched thin as it is."

    "No. This isn''t your fault. I fucked up. Shit. Lilith is going to kill me." He hesitated before saying, " I''ll go to the Abyss to dy her. What about you?"

    "Worry about yourself. And don''t think my services are free just because we are friends. You''re paying. One thousand ck Soul Coins per hour."

    Arsene nearly paled. "Are you high?! A ck Soul Coin is equivalent to a fucking Fell God."

    "Then I suggest you start killing gods within Arcadia or the Myriad."

    ****

    "I don''t understand my mission," Morrigan conveyed before Azura. Her long, raven-colored hair shrouded most of her face, revealing only her scarlet eyes settled on the Goddess of Rot.

    "You are to spread your legs and conceive a child with an Altair ckwood," Azura said lightly, pouring herself a cup of tea as azure petals of the blossom tree weaved across the stagnant air across the Lake of Rot.

    Morrigan bit her lips. "I was promised¡ª"

    "A second life. A chance to earn the right to wield Primal Death." Azura took a sip of her tea, her lips perking up into a lovely smile that bore no warmth, much less familiarity. "It''s a new Era, Morrigan. The Old Gods are dying. Slowly being torn to shreds by New Gods. The New System favors them quite well." she lowered her tea, her lifeless eyes finding Morrigan''s.

    "Syris, Solomon''s daughter, has been sharing a bed with Altair. Every night, as far as I can tell. And has grown into quite a monster. I see no reason why you can''t do the same; A Shifter like you should be every man''s fantasy."

    "That¡ª"

    "Azazel," Azura continued, ignoring Morrigan''s feeble protest, "currently wields Primal Death. He is one of the ''three'' users I''m currently aware of. And he, as you know, is a Fallen Angel¡ªone of the strongest. The one who killed you, might I add, for challenging him."

    Morrigan fingers curled.

    "Funny enough, Altair is a Nephilim, or at least he became one after he slept with one. Quite the lucky one. There is much for you to gain from spreading your legs. From what I hear, he''s a good fuck. You might enjoy it. What matters is you conceiving us a child to control the boy."

    "And me," Morrigan added.

    Azura chuckled. "Yes, and you. Altair is quite an important tool for which we have high hopes. But he is incredibly dangerous. He has allies, allies neither Adam nor I wish to cross. Tenebrae and Lunafreya are matters of concern.

    But more so is Hades."

    "The Greek God?"

    "A front. That bastard is dangerous; he has ties with Arsene Snow and the Second Wielder of Primal Death, Zariel Snow. I cannot stress the level of allies he possesses. Both of them owe him favors. You''ll be given a document revealing his true status in the Myriad Heavens. He has sent his two sons to be by Altair''s side.

    Your secondary mission is to find out why."

    "I don''t understand. Can''t you just demand an answer from Altair? He''s just a mortal."

    "Altair¡­ is protected. The same is true for Syris. Something ancient is protecting those two¡ªBeelzebub, I suppose. However, I can''t be sure. Much of the events on Farwin are still not adding up." Azura shook her head. "Either way, we''d rather not break rtions when not necessary.

    Altair has not acted out of turn¡­ yet. I do believe he is plotting. But Adam wants to use finesse. The boy is a fine talent. More so than you."

    "That has yet to be seen," Morrigan said, bowing her head as Azura''s eyes turned a tinge bit cold.

    "You know what is expected, Morrigan. This Crucible was meant to temper the finest talents the Myriad Heavens have ever seen. If you can''t handle it, you will be disposed of. Szar will be your point of contact from now on. His words are my words."

    Morrigan''s fingers found blood writhing against her palm. "Will Altair allow it? In the end, it''s his decision."

    "I shall speak to the boy. Just see, you bear him a son. You two are still mortals, so conception should not be all that difficult."

    ****

    As the Cambions were made to bow, Altair did not immediately strike, sensing something off. For some reason, the authority he governed felt precarious. It was beneath his thrall, yet he could feel someone infusing their authority into his blood. It felt strange. Yet strangely familiar.

    He wondered how far he could push it.

    "Die," hemanded.

    And beneath an incredulous eye, those that bore Infernal Blood all sttered into a mist of gore, smearing the earth like a whip. In the blink of an eye, an ocean of blood painted the forest a deadly red, leaving only the fog to exist.

    [Divine Sin, Archeon demands to know what just happened.]

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest is curious about your attunement to the Nine Hells.]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon wonders if that was really Infernal Attunement.]

    But Altair could give no answer.

    He wasn''t sure what had happened, but he could feel that Authority was not his¡ªor rather, it wasn''t yet his. It was infusing itself in the blood of Nephilim, which Reina had shared with him. He blinked, looking down at his hands and then up towards the pool of red around him.

    "The system didn''t register it as my kills. I guess kills made by one''s authority don''t count. I wonder why, '' He asked himself, turning to Hilda. He finally smiled at her and said, "You alright?"

    The Shadow blushed, bowing her head. "Yeah¡­"

    "Good. Come, let''s get out of here. Let''s see if Vaiga can slice through the domain." Altair mused before he went to check on Zagreus, who had a few injuries but nothing more than flesh wounds that would mend in a few hours.

    "I''m fine," Zag said, surveying his surroundings. "For now, let''s just get out of here. I''ll cast a irvoyance spell to find the entrance."

    "You can do that?"

    Zagreus seemed a tinge bit embarrassed. "I can¡­ I just suck at it, "he said, looking up at the vale of darkness shrowding them. "But first, let''s get the hell out of this formation."

 Chapter 275: The Elixir of Malakh

    Standing at the very edge of the forest, beneath the dome of ominous mist that had ensnared Altair and his crew, the Prince was deeply engrossed in studying the strange barrier. His arms were folded tightly around his chest as he gazed fixedly at the mist, trying to discern its secrets.

    He had not attempted to attack it yet, but he had touched it gently with his palm, feeling the strange distortion of the spatial properties. As he stretched his palm out further and further, he was amazed to find that it seemed to stretch on endlessly, a mysterious and imprable veil that trapped them all like rats.

    "Can you get past it?" Zagreus asked.

    Altair nodded, but his expression was far from confident. He wasn''t happy about it. He was sure that Severing Edge, which was capable of severing the intangible nature of Light and Dark, could apply the same principle to this Spatial Barrier. Yet, there was a lingering doubt, a nagging uncertainty that he couldn''t shake off.

    ''The more of my power I show, the more they can adapt. The Gods can''t physically act, but they can give their guidance, reveal weaknesses, and create counters. The more popr I be, the more enemies I''ll face.''

    "The Hells got you so grim," Zagreus asked, kicking his chin.

    Altair winced, stumbling back, when Zags Voice reached into his mind, leaving him stunned.

    "If there is one thing you Snows don''tck, it''s confidence. Stop thinking so hard. And act. You''re a King, aren''t you?"

    The prince''s lips curled up into a wide grin as he silently thanked Zagreus. His eyes became fixed on the dense fog in front of him, watching as ck lines started to spread across his forearm, a sight that only he could see.

    As the lines grew in intensity, he felt a wave of Vale Qi flowing through his body meridians like a warm and powerful ethereal liquid that Mana had no hope of ever beingpared with.

    He opened his palm, and as if she understood his intention. Vaiga instinctually called upon her role as his Sword Maid and settled Shadoww into his palm.

    With a graceful and fluid motion, Altair spun Shadoww through the air, the polished obsidian de glinting beneath the presence of the Vale. Seamlessly, he transitioned into the Second Form of Grave of End, his lithe steps carrying him forward as he delivered a swift and precise sh with his weapon.

    Grave of End: Severing Edge

    Light, Dark, and Spatial essence were besieged, severed by a profound arc of sword light pushing through the intangible fog of space like butter.

    Space distorted beneath the sword strike, inverting the fog onto itself, revealing a path. Hilda was the first to pierce it to ensure its safety.

    As Hilda shouted for them to follow, the three pierced through the fog, opening into the blinding rays of starlight, dancing around them like clusters of fragmented light.

    "Master!" Talia said, waving at him in the distance, hurrying towards her Master. She beamed alongside Syris. "We got worried when that Formation appeared. You''re not hurt, are you?"

    "I''m fine." Altair turned to Zagreus, who closed his eyes, channeling some intangible spell deep within his Astral Sea, hidden from the prying eyes of the Gods above. He frowned a few times. Kicking himself at the various failures before a Magical Circle shed above his head,busting into embers that receded into the void.

    ''irvoyance,'' he silently invoked, drawing on a smidgin of power his Father conveyed through Fate.

    Suddenly, a maelstrom of images shed across his mind, veering in all kinds of directions, revealing passageways, hidden roads, and a city beyond the regions of foliage. He gasped, nearly exploding in anger as he growled.

    "The City is towards the South, hidden behind the mountains where we appeared outside the Entrance Temple," he said, ncing at the surprised faces of everyone staring questionably." And he said, "It is called irvoyance. It is a minor spell in the School of Divination. I''m pretty terrible at it since it doesn''t require Mana per se but Faith¡ªfaith in a God you believe in."

    "Still¡­ why didn''t you cast such a spell when we first arrived."

    Zagreus turned a little red. "It''s embarrassing to admit, but irvoyance is a first-level spell, but it''s harder to cast than a twelfth-level spell. At least for me, it is. Meg always said that I was crippled in the School of Divination. It''s not my forte. So I just don''t try anymore."

    Altair chuckled. "Lol. Are you really that bad? I''ve never even heard of a spell past the Ninth Level."

    "It''s a spell meant for Transcendents or Divas. However, it is very essible to people who have a good grasp of the fundamentals. You can cast it at the Ninth Circle. It''s just hard as hell at that state without being tempered by the Laws of the Myriad Heavens."

    Altair was intrigued; unfortunately, he didn''t have the time to indulge in curiosity. Still, he smiled, shifting the conversation. "Then we''ll let you lead the way. Let''s get off this floor," he said.

    Zagreus seemed to understand, pushing off into the distance south in a swift gust of speed. Altair, Syris, Hilda, and Vaiga followed, leaping from branches like Shadow Sprites. They vanished beneath the forest shadowscape.

    ***

    "This is a good spot," Atticus muttered, ncing down to Keiran, whose lower half was nothing more than a rotting bile of entrails he could do nothing to fix. He''d tried everything at his disposal but despite his best efforts. Only the gods seemed to possess the power to mend life and death. He could do nothing but watch as his fellow inquisitor slowly died.

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin seeks to know if you can handle Altair ckwood.]

    Atticus shuddered at the sudden emergence of God''s message. He didn''t hesitate to nod, shaken by the rumors he''d heard about Aylin. She was one of the Rulers and Arbiters of the Upper Moons, known for her rigid character. Few times had Atticus ever seen her. He couldn''t remember a time she had smiled or if she was even capable of such a feat. She was such a cold woman.

    "I''m confident I can defeat him one on one," Atticus revealed.

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin asks what it is you need to deliver Altair to the Upper Moons.]

    ''I can''t screw this up,'' Atticus thought, clenching his fist. He said, " I need allies. Altair is not alone. I need a crew. No king is ever alone. And since he can teleport people to his side.

    To ensure my victory, I require people who listen to mymands. Syris is, without a doubt, more powerful than we are led to believe. Same with Altair ckwood. His skills with a de have surpassed mine. I saw that clearly today. Zero Lock or Precision sh is without a doubt the sign of a Master."

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin will not tolerate failure.]

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin has granted you two Elixirs of Mkh]

    [Equipment can be found in System Storage]

    Atticus''s eyes widened with disbelief as he stumbled and fell to one knee. His heart was pounding in his chest as he frantically searched through his inventory for the Elixir of Mkh. The Mkh, a subspecies of Half-Blooded Angels, were revered as divine messengers of the Angels.

    For there to be an elixir that contains even a sliver of essence from a Mkh meant that this single potion could heal any injury or grant unimaginable strength.

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin has granted you full authority over the House of Shadows inquisitor, Keiran]

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin shall deliver you Five Inquisitors from the Seven Houses of the Upper Moon.]

    [Divine Ruler, Aylin will not tolerate failure]

    Atticus kowtowed, not daring to take this kindness for granted. "I thank you, great one," he said, but there was no reply, only the eerie silence of the deste winds. Still, he lingered, unable to move, for what seemed like months before motion returned to his ligaments.

    He''d heard of Aylin''s generosity, but to give him an Elixir of Mkh¡­ was unimaginable. ''I''d heard the High Humans converted all these Elixers, hiding the recipe from everyone across the Myriad Heavens. Does that mean Master Aylin is a High Human? A Highborn of the Celestial Moons?''

    Atticus shook his head, trying to push down such thoughts. Only death awaited those who intervened in matters beyond their control. He forced a smile, pushing his hand into the system storage, essible only to those who received items from the System Shop or by the Gods themselves.

    He gulped at the sight of the elixirs of azure white grace swirling like a graceful storm within the drinking vial. Despite its size, Atticus felt he was holding up the very heavens in his hands. It was heavy, taking nearly all his strength to hold and more.

    Mana red from off the surface of his skin like a me as he pushed his physical attributes past their limits. Azure arteries of Mana treaded along the flesh of Atticus, revealing themselves to the heavens as his Titan Bloodline zed, but still, the Elixir of Mkh''s weight did not diminish, choosing to remain unmoving like a force of God.

    He paled, twisting his body just as the elixir fell onto hispanion, shattering into shards.

 Chapter 276: Schemes Vs Altair

    ''Is it because of the Brand of the Incubus?'' Syris began asking herself. Her pale, glossy blue eyes fixed across the man, captivating her every thought. It was as if he''d branded his mark into her very soul.

    She jumped, pushing herself off arge branch with enough force that it sent her racing through the air in a parabolic arc. Shended on another branch some distance away, lost in thought.

    Syris was beside herself. Unable to recognize herself or her actions as ofte. She could still feel his seed inside her, warming her belly. Try as she could, Syris could not stop her loins from throbbing, sore from where he touched her, where he''d fucked her raw, until the moans she''d tried to contain carried through the forest bed.

    It was maddening¡­ his touch never seemed to fade despite the hours that had passed. He had ingrained himself into her, and Syris did not know if she could resist anymore¡ªnot that she ever attempted to. Being caught by Talia truly enlightened her of how far she''d fallen.

    ''In the forest of all ces¡­''She thought, her heart throbbing out of control as she nced at Talia.

    The shadow seemed to sense her stare through the air, turned, and waved, much like a child who was over-the-top and silly.

    Syris had the grace to blush when a sudden disturbance entered her perception. Unlike the others, her spatial awareness exceeded the range of her domain, stretching nearly a thousand meters. While it wasn''t as detailed as the information she received from her domain, it told her of traps, formations, or any living creature before they had the awareness to sense her.

    "There is someone up ahead!"

    Zagreus, who had been leading the way, slowed to a standstill as the others did the same.

    "How many?"

    "Seven Humanoids," Syris said. "About 800m away.

    From maid to bannerman to Syris herself, they all turned to Altair, their eyes awaiting hismand.

    Altair did not leave them to wait long. "We''ll continue at our pace. Hilda and Vaiga will hide themselves. And strike when the asion presents itself. Let''s move."

    Vaiga frowned, somehow made to believe she was a lowly assassin and not a warrior who''d seen decades'' worth of battles. Still, she obeyed, keeping to the shadows like a ghost; she vanished alongside Hilda.

    Pushing off the earth once more, the four¡ªAltair, Zagreus, Talia, and Syris¡ªtook to the skies, leaping from branch to branch with exquisite ease. They blurred, elerating through the forest floor, crossing the seven armed men who were noticeably not rmed by their arrival.

    The seven warriors stood tall and proud, their imposing presencemanding attention. Each of them was adorned in intricately crafted ck-ted armor, with every detail carefully considered. The armor seemed to have a life of its own, glowing menacingly in the dim light.

    At the center of the breastte was the sigil of seven crescent moons, each one gleaming with a faint silver light that seemed to pulse with power.

    Their heads were encased in ck-winged tip helms, the edges of which curved upwards like the wings of a bird of prey. The helms were fashioned from the same ck metal as the armor and seemed to blend seamlessly with it. The helms were designed to be intimidating, with no visible openings for the eyes or mouth, only a narrow slit at the front that allowed them to see.

    Half-cloaks hung over their shoulders, flowing down their backs like the wings of a bat. The cloaks were half-ck and half-white, with the ck side facing outwards. The white side of the cloak was adorned with intricate patterns that seemed to shimmer in the light. The warriors moved with grace and ease, the cloaks swaying gently with every step they took.

    Altair only frowned, sensing their Peak Sixth Circle Cultivation, shrowding Heaven and Earth like an ominous nket.

    ''Why is this happening? I get that I''m a little special, but this seems odd. No, it''s rather ridiculous. Why am I being targeted like this?'' he wondered, signaling for Talia to hand him Endymion.

    [DING]

    Name: Rr

    Age: 123

    Race: Half-blood [Gaints]

    Mana: Seventh Circle [76%]

    Str: 1072

    Dex: 947

    Con: 1460

    Wis: 1210

    Chr: 1210

    Mana: 450

    ''And there are seven of them, all with simr stats,'' Altair told himself, unsure whether to flee or not. Killing these men was of no value. Rather, it was disturbing that the Upper Moons were so tantly abusing their power. It was as if they didn''t care who saw them.

    ''Were they the ones whoid the trap? If so, why didn''t I notice them when I firstnded? Such beautiful armor would have surely captured my attention. '' Altair''s eyes widened as a sudden burst of anger red across them. He began tough, augh that bore a striking resemnce to the devils of the Nine Hells.

    Zagreus looked back, startled when his eyes met with Altair.

    "So this is your game, eh? Sending more people to kill me, are you?" Altair mused, looking up towards the skies. His profane eyes bleeding a scarlet hue, " I swear¡­ whoever is the arbiter of this realm. I''m going to kill you. You, alongside everyone you ever loved. Do you really think this is fair?

    Hahaha. Let''s see who wins in the end."

    Heart thumping in his chest, the Mana that lingered between Heaven and Earth thinned as the Prince drew on the energy flowing mindlessly.

    "Arise"

    At the utterance of his words, his shadow splintered off into hundreds of dark, shadowy webs, and ny-nine Shadow-like creatures rose from the darkness as though it were a pool. Their infernal essence rmed even the gods as Altair continued.

    "Burn this entire world. Kill everything and everyone!"

    Zagreus waspletely taken aback by the situation that had unfolded before him. But, it was Aurora, Nia, and Jorm who were forcibly summoned that were inplete shock as if they had been struck by lightning. The intense emotion emanating from their master was palpable, and it felt as if the very essence of their seething rage was burning with the same ferocity as the depths of Hells themselves.

    As if his emotions had reached into their chests, Vaiga and Hilda, who had been hidden, revealed themselves, their aura overflowing like a shroud of cmity.

    "We are iming this fucking realm. Burn it all down. ALL OF IT!!!" Altair roared, giving in to the sudden anger burning through his veins.

    As the prince''s fury reached its boiling point, the Seven ck Knights tensed their muscles and gripped their swords and shields, ready for whatever was toe.

    But before they could even react, a blinding sh of lightning as crimson as fresh blood tore through the sky with a deafening roar, causing widespread destruction and upheaval that spanned hundreds of miles, striking both the heavens and the earth with its fury.

    Veiga, in a fleeting moment, blinded by the Ninth Form echoing from Altair, swept Shadoww infused by Infernal Lightning across the skies with all her strength, channeling the Second Form of Grave of End.

    Severing Edge severed Light and Dark, besieging space and time as utter ruin befell the realm faster than some Transcendents could blink. In a single horizontal stroke, the Seven Knights turned to vaper alongside thousands of miles faster than some could believe.

    As if the very threads of the universe were being torn asunder, space ruptured with a deafening roar. A monstrous vortex, hungry and all-consuming, red to life beneath Severing Edge before their eyes, drawing everything towards its gaping maw. The once peacefulnd was now at the mercy of this cosmic force as it devoured all that stood in its way with terrifying speed.

    "Keep sending them! Send your Ninth Circle! I shall ughter them all! And raise them in my image!" Altair roared as hundreds of tattoos lit across his pale skin. The mark of Areon glowed scarlet as his system kept ringing over and over and over!

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Surplus exp detected. Exp will be delivered upon entry to Forth Circle.]

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Monster Felled. Exp Gained]

    Zagreus did not even speak as he watched each Shadow Deamon point their finger, invoking Enma onto thend. Explosions red across the first floor of Babels Tower like falling rain. By the time the spatial vortex closed, a new one had followed hundreds of miles away, imparting a level of cmity no one not even the gods, had foreseen.

    Even Athena, who considered Altair, a calm man, felt she hardly knew him.

    "Secure the Tower entrance!" Aurora ruthlessly shouted. "ughter all who may enter it! Devour the souls of all who are felled by your hand! FOR HIS MAJESTY! FOR THE VALE!!!!"

    Shadow Demons roared for their king, imparting ruin upon thend. Leaving not even the smallest stone to exist beneath their fury.

    It was a sight neither Zagreus nor Syris had ever seen as they stood petrified by the level of destruction. It was especially terrifying for Syris, who had not seen such levels of destruction since Yarwin. Magma was pooling from this realm''s core, spewing hundreds of meters into the air like hellfire.

    ''He really is a fucking Snow,'' Zagreus thought.

    "Zagreus lead the way. I want to see when that bastard arbiter or bloody floor master descends to me. I want to look him in the eyes and tell him how he fucked with the wrong Emperor!" Altair ruthlessly dered, undisturbed by the level of destruction and his system.

    [Strength has increased by 7]

    [Dexterity has increased by 9]

    [Constitution has increased by 10]

    [Strength has increased by 7]

    Powered by the Ninth Form fueled by this carnage, Altair only felt his fury escting past levels he could never even conceive. He knew this was all a mistake. A foolish tangent that made little sense, yet he did not stop. He was going to burn everyone and everything.

    Still, as he channeled his Authority echoing from the Blood of the Nephilim, his words thundered through the Mana of Heaven and Earth to the many Cambions.

    "Kill! Pige the Denizens of th Myriad Heavens. BURN IT ALL DOWN!!!!"

    [DING]

    [DING]

    [Strength has increased by 19

    [Dexterity has increased by 15]

    [Constitution has increased by 20]

    ¡­

    [Divine Sin, Archeon roared withughter!]

    [Divine Sin, Daddy grins proudly upon his Throne of Brimstone]

    [Heavenly Tribtion willmence]

    Altair turned towards the skies, sneering,municating with all his shadow. Each one roared, shing towards the skies, slicing through the void with Severing Edge, annihting whatever Heavenly Tribtion the gods saw to invoke to punish him.

    He grinned like a devil, the fury twisting into tion as his System raged with countless notifications. If a God hadn''t known of Altair ckwood before, they shuddered as all of Babels Tower awoke to his name.

 Chapter 277: Zero and Mephisto

    The rage that had been unveiled had sparked outrage amongst the denizens of Babels Tower. The New Gods were not just appalled; their faces twisted in a mix of shock and horror at the news of the Upper Moon''s interference. They were utterly aghast by the one called Altair ckwood and the ughter he brought.

    Far across the First Floor, infernal lightning reigned supreme like the hands of a furious god, smiting thend into wastnd.

    Magma red skyward, only to burn to vaper following the bolt that shrieked across the skies, unable to allow even the most basic of elements to exist.

    Such a sight left even the cruelest gods amused. It had been clear that Altair and his people didn''t have the power to uproot the first realm, but they were doing it brick by brick. Altair ckwood, with his overwhelming power, was scorching the elements as though they were the earth. It was a sight to behold and admire, at least to the Demons and Devils of the Myriad Heavens.

    Those who upheld a righteous heart were torn between the sorrow of a dying realm and the horrid truth that gave birth to such a viin: The Upper Moons had betrayed their trust. They were not just furious; they were seething with anger, amassing in numbers within the Pce of Upper Moons on the Hundred and twelfth floor.

    Their faces flushed with rage, watching in numbers the massacre Altair reigning.

    Trigon, Pce-Master of the House of me, stood poised, arms pressed tightly behind his back. He stared out at the hundreds of thousands of new gods ring back at him with tant distrust pressed against eyes. If he so chose, it would take but a single gesture to ughter them all, bathing his pce ground a sinful red.

    They were New Gods, bearly at the level to exist beneath his presence, and no longer protected by the Shadow Promation. He had the right toy waste to everyst god that scorned him and his house.

    And yet he smiled, quelling that Undying Immortal me in his chest. "Please calm yourself, Children of Babels Tower."

    "Calm! You created a monster! Look!" The God, who shouted, opened his palm, projecting an image of the First Floor to reveal a Shadow Demon bashing a woman''s face open, draining its contents into its mouth as if he were squeezing an orange.

    The sickening sight left even the outraged mob silent, their eyes turning to Trigon. Slowly, dozens of other projections began to y, allowing simr scenes to run. The Shadow Demons were ruthless and uncaring of right and wrong so long as they could satiate their undying bloodlust.

    Worlds could burn, but each of the New Gods was sure that none of that would be able to quell these Shadow Demons'' bloodlust.

    "We demand¡ª"

    Before the mob could speak, they all vanished, banished from view before they could even hope to resist the suddenpression of time and space; ''He'' appeared, his usual half smile buried beneath the coldness of his eyes.

    The mere sight of the entity sent a sudden chill across Trigon''s spine. He''d heard much of the dog of Mephisto. The trickster whose aim in life was only to sow chaos between Gods and Mortals alike, Be they demon or devil, Angel or Fallen, none of it seemed to matter before the Eighths Infernal Monarch pet.

    "Loki," Trigon said.

    "My Master is not pleased." Loki began, a sound only he was privy to whispering across his ears.

    ''He fears. He fears. He fears us." the voice was childish, almost like a kid, yet it carried no humanity, only a sickening madness. "Kill~We~must~kill!"

    Loki did not entertain the voice. He approached Trigon, his eyes fixed upon the Upper Moon House Master. "Is Aylin inside?"

    "No," Trigon answered.

    "Then we''ll wait," A voice said from behind Loki as she emerged across space, her frigid pale eyes epassing the moon themselves. So radiant, Trigon felt an insipid desire to fall in recognition of her Imperious existence.

    Loki bowed, "Lady Lunafreya." he greeted.

    "Zero of the Order of Chaos has sent me as representative to investigate the madness taking ce within the Upper Moons" Her eyes narrowed into slits, burning azure radiance that illuminated the hundred and twelfth floor of Babel''s tower.

    Trigon gulped as Lunafreya continued, " As the creator of the Upper Moons, he felt it necessary to have me investigate to convince him not to wipe out this corrupted court." she reached into her Moon Robes, lifting an intricately woven hourss trickling with ck sand. "Aylin has fifteen minutes to convince me. If not, Zero has decreed that he shall wipe out the Upper Moons. Personally."

    Loki grinned. "What a coincidence," he said, reaching into his robe to reveal an hourss of simr size and light. "My master, too, has given you fifteen minutes before he descends. So Trigon, why have the Upper Moons begun targeting Altair ckwood to such a degree that they''ve sent inquisitors after him?"

    Trigon quivered, opening his jaw, "We have our¡ª-"

    Luna backhanded him. The blow was so swift that its impact shook all of the Babels Tower, echoing upwards towards the Twin Tower above their heads.

    Trigon''s neck tore open, staining the pce grounds as he whipped across the horizon. Luna pressed forward, and Loki followed without sound.

    "Zero in the name of the Lord of Absolution will bring forth destruction in fifteen minutes, yet you y games. Well, y your games. Whether the Upper Moons exist past thest drop of sand will be up to you." Luna conveyed, her footsteps ttering across the marble floors.

    "The Names of all Inquisitors, House Masters, and Divine Rulers have been listed. Your locations have all beenpromised." Loki added. Several High-Ranking Mkhs will soon descend beneath the Tower Master''s Divine Order. There is no escape. Exin yourselves or be exterminated."

    ***

    As Zagreus arrived before the ruined walls of the city, lined with bodies of old and young, he could only sigh. The City of Trein had been a safe zone that the Floor Masters had created to congratte those who seeded in surviving the first trial.

    It was a heaven in itself, allowing mortals to live peacefully for the rest of their days without the need to worry about food, water, money, or lodging. Everything had beenplimentary, or rather an incentive to climb the tower above to experience the riches above.

    Now, the city, once a symbol of grandeur and prosperity, was now a smoldering ruin with mes licking at the sky. Smoke billowed up from the buildings, choking the air with acrid fumes. The streets, once bustling with activity, were now a deste wastnd of entrails and never-ending bodies.

    Zagreus was nearly reminded of the City of Sacrilege back in Yarwin, but rather than Lust, it was unfeathered Wrath, burning unendingly.

    ''He really has lost control.'' Zag thought, ncing at the still-fuming Prince. He''d never seen him so angry. No one had. And yet, as he nced at Syris, she didn''t look too surprised. It was as if she suspected it.

    It came to him then as he asked himself, ''How much of that anger is from his experience in the Lake of Rot?''

    Altair only needed a single trigger to shatter his mental defenses, and it just so happened to be the tant abuse of the Upper Moons and the Floor Master, who encouraged such behavior by seamlessly allowing their inquisitors toe and go in his trail.

    While Zagreus believed it was in the Tower Master''s right to allow the Inquisitors free reign across the various towers, it made no legal sense why they were targeting Altair, who had just appeared in Babels Tower.

    ''Even if they were after his blood, there is more to this story. There is no way the Upper Moons are this stupid or tant.''

    And he said, " Syris, we should stop Altair."

    "Not until the Floor Master kneels," Syris said in a deadpan expression, unbothered by the madness before her. "And even then¡­ Altair should not stop until this Floor is his."

    "He''s making enemies in a blinding moment of rage."

    "So what? Altair is not a fool. Nor is he so defenseless that he needs to always be so cautious at every turn. This is right here! All this chaos is a precedent that is being set. There are only so many times you can taunt an animal before they strike back." Syris slid her eyes to Zag.

    "You should know this better than us. Why else is your Father so feared that no one dears to touch him? How many precedents did he set?"

    Zagreus smiled wyly, recalling the matter quite vividly. No one except the dead was allowed within his Underworld. He''d seen many Mortals, even some Gods believing themselves above his Father''s rule, be torn apart. In his father''s kingdom, everyone Feared and Respected the name Hades. They feared his power and cruelty, but they also admired his dedication, purpose, and mission.

    "Even if Altair is not thinking straight, it''s not our job to quell his anger but direct it in the direction he believes will aid him in the future," Syris smirked. "Even if it means the ughter of innocent people. That is our job."

 Chapter 278 Fear

    [Congrattions onpleting the First Trial]

    Altair ignored the system message, continuing through the burning city, his seething rage swallowing the first city of Babels Tower. The amassing cries raged on as shrill cries of men and women pleading for their lives hummed across the embers of their hellscape. Shadow Demons raged, iming life without mercy, much less a kindling of hesitation.

    The Shadow Demons, with their dark and ominous presence, were basking in the glory of their conquest, their wretched bodies engulfed in the smoldering mes of destruction. The stench of death and decay hung heavy in the air as the demons reveled in the sight of fallen warriors whose blood pooled around them.

    The echoes of their triumphant howls seemed to pierce the very fabric of the heavens, daring the gods to challenge their power.

    "For the God Emperor!" Shouted one of the Shadow Demons, iming the skull of a delicate female as his own.

    The Shadows rallied his cries across the city of Trein, baptized by the mortal flesh of man and mes.

    As he stood amidst the rubble of the once-thriving city of Trein, Altair exuded an aura of cool, calcted cruelty. His piercing gaze, as sharp as the icy touch of gold, swept over the devastation around him, taking in every detail of the carnage with a mixture of fascination and contempt. A profane presence filled his being, lending an otherworldly quality to his already imposing figure.

    At his elbow, Syris and Zagreus stood like ethereal guardians, their ck robes fluttering in the cold, unforgiving wind that swept through the ruined city.

    "Stop this¡­" A weak, shrill voice pleaded. Emerging from the dust of azure light modes, the sight of a small child, a boy, reflected across Altair''s infernal eyes.

    He sneered, the contempt nearly bleeding from his stature.

    "You''ve taken everything¡­ What else do you want?" The Child lifted his azure eyes to meet the Princes, bowing them as beads of pearly tears trickled down his cheeks.

    "Beg me on your knees."

    The boy looked up, stunned. Refusing to believe what he''d just heard. He, a god, was to be made to bow before a mortal? "What did you say?" he asked, a knot forming in the back of his throat.

    Altair did not further acknowledge the God, sauntering past him as though he was air. Whether the floor Master bowed or not was of no consequence. The Shadow Promation ensured no God could harm a mortal, not without risking death themselves. Such a rule led to the death of many gods, as some gods would work out deals with mortals. Loyalty for the death of the God they''d anger.

    Ultar was sure Altair had a few Gods on his side. And while he was not without allies. The mere sight of his shadow demons and authority over the Cambions echoed the Infernal Gods of the Nine Hells.

    "No! Wait!" he shouted, cradling to his knees. He pressed his head against the ash and cried. "Forgive me! Please! I was wrong to ept the words of¡ª"

    Cracking his head over the cobblestone, Altair sneered and stomped his head forth into the earth; the tion pressing against his chest was nearly as enjoyable as matters of the flesh. He stomped and stomped and stomped until Ultar''s entire head was buried.

    "Do you want to live?"

    The shame within Ultars chest had never been palpable as he cried, much like a boy and not a God that had lived for hundreds of cycles.

    "I asked you a fucking question, do not make me repeat myself, New God." Altair snapped, ruthlessly burying Ultars head so far into the dirt that his shoulders touched the ashy cobblestone.

    The deity''s mournful voice echoed through the ash, so feeble and pitiful that it attempted to tug at some semnce of mercy within Altair. The Prince couldn''t help but sneer in disgust at the pitiable disy. The deity''s words were barely audible, but the desperation in his voice was clear. "I want to live," he whispered, his toneced with a sense of urgency and fear.

    "Tasha," Altair called aloud for all to hear, including the Gods all watching, quite sure the woman could hear his decree even if she were in the Hells. "Prepare me a ve contract for this pathetic excuse for a god. I''m sure either Astaroth or Gremory would love a Floor Master as their bitch."

    Altair knew he could not control such goldly Fallen. But he was sure everyone was aware of his dealing with at least Asteroth. Grimory was merely icing on the cake for their minds to wander back and forth, trying to figure out his rtionship. After all, a Lilim was now on his side.

    A magical projection immediately appeared, revealing her naughty grin in the darkness. Tasha didn''t speak but rather a mysterious voice from the darkness of the projection that froze the mes and embers across the realm, stilling the clouds and winds, the seas, and flowing magma.

    As if time appeared to have stopped, an effeminate voice echoed, racing across the first floor of Babel''s Tower, " I shall ept his Soul upon your behalf."

    In a single instance, Ultar Humiliated himself in two different ways beneath the eyes of the gods as he voided his bowels.

    Altair took a step back. Commonly amongst the gods or higher beings that had mastered control of mana, they didn''t necessarily require to piss or shit. Most of the time, food eaten by some like Altair or Syris would be fully digested, leaving no form of waste to exist within such a highly evolved body. The Stronger their bodies became, the less sustenance they required to sustain life.

    It had been the same with gods. Ultar himself, however, had taken a liking to meals meant for Gods, like Celestrial meat and vegetables, creating waste within him due to hisck of control over his divinity as a new God.

    "And now I''m angry and disgusted," he muttered, shifting his attention back to Tasha or, rather, the Fallen she was with. "Then, I''ll thank you, Gremory."

    A delightfully sinful chuckle resounded through the flow of time as the projection window began to close, "The pleasure is all mine, Altair ckwood. After all we are in business together." The system window closed, leaving only silence and the continuation of time.

    "One of my Sword Maids will find you," Altair said to Ultar, shattering open space with his fist as a Rift emerged. "See that you ready."

    Your journey continues at empire

    ***

    Arms folded over his eyes, Altair seethed a breath of fiery airced with Mana as heided on his bed. He was tired, furious, and worried. Each time he opened his eyes, he saw nothing but red, leaving him to hold up in his room for the past two days.

    He hadn''t eaten, nor could he get work done, burdened by the emotion of rage.

    "Syris¡­" Altair called out. He could hear her soft breathing beside him. Deep in meditation.

    "Hmm?" Syris peeped her eyes open. "Sane enough to talk, are we?"

    "How Do I experience the feeling of peace?"

    "Through serenity," Syris calmly exined. "Feelings are stories, images of the past. Emotions are Primal, untouched by the past. At least that''s what Father told me. To seek peace, you must have serenity."

    For the first time in two days, Altair opened his eyes and gazed upon the pale blue eyes of the Goddess upon his bed. He was surprised, or rather in awe that such wisdom echoed from Syris of all people.

    She was always so violent.

    "What type of drugs do you take? Can I have some? When did you be so wise?"

    Syris'' lips twitched. "I don''t like it. But my father is a God of Wisdom. I do know a bit of stuff. So? What calms your heart?"

    "I guess talking to you. Stupid, eh? Two days, and I''ve not said a word to you or anyone."

    "Then shall I tell you?" Syris said, a little proud that she didn''t need to use her body as a means to please others. She liked that. "Darkness. Two days of bandaging your eyes, and you''ve calmed enough to talk to me."

    Altair shook his head, crawling over to Syris as he rested his head against her supple thighs."I haven''t calmed down. The anger is still there. It''s just fighting against joy or, as you say, serenity."

    Syris hummed, running her fingers through his ashen hair like ab. Curiously, she observed the way his eyes closed and his lips rose. Even his breathing seemed to rx as her fingers wove rage out from his chest.

    ''So even something as simple as this can give him peace, huh?'' Syris smiled, continuing her movement until all the stress was quelled from his bones. ''Men are so strange¡­ I wonder¡­''

    "Are you hungry?"

    Altair nkly nodded.

    It was Nia who brought in a tray of creamy Broli cheddar soup, managing a warm smile as Syris continued on.

    "No domains. Keep your eyes closed, ok?" Syris said, gesturing to Nia, who nodded.

    Nia, like an elegant cat, veered onto the bed, folding her legs as sheid the hot bowl onto herp, and began feeding Altair, careful not to make a sound lest she disturb his supple peace.

    The soup was warm, sliding down his tongue and throat and warming his belly. By the time he was done, his consciousness was fluttering through reality and dreams.

    "It''s not over yet, my sweet Emperor. Your Massage is next."

 Chapter 279 Medusa

    In the darkness, four beautifully half-naked women, wet with almond oil, spun their arms across Altair''s flesh. Fingers trailed up and down the lines of muscles as their bodies pressed down, pushing their weight against him, until he moaned at the stimting warmth, drawing the tension from his bones.

    As Altairy there, the darkness engulfed him, making him feel as if he had been transported to a realm beyond the mortal world. The soft caress of the cloth covering his eyes added to the ethereal ambiance. Despite his curiosity, he resisted the urge to peek, knowing that Syris had forbidden him from doing so. The woman who tended to him was silent but wild, adding to the mystique.

    Altair''s imagination had practically run wild. He most desperately wanted to know who was ying with his body. Syris, he knew to be one. He''d recognized her touch. But the others, not so much. Nevertheless, he could not stop the natural response of his rising manhood from standing strong.

    He shuddered as a shadow blew a sultry breath across it, followed by another, then another, and another, and another.

    The Young Lord quivered. ''How does it feel?'' Syris''s alluringly soft voice resonated across the rim of his ear. Her voice was different than usual¡ªalluring, certainly, but devious as well. She was panting, her warm, sultry breath caressing every inch of his awareness. ''Do you want more?''

    "Yes."

    Altair heard a few gulps but felt only his manhood shudder uncontrobly. Whatever anger he felt was slowly being buried beneath curiosity and lust.

    "How unfortunate," Syris said almost teasingly. ''Perhaps if you can get the names of the youngdies tending to you, we might be inclined to¡­" She leaned closer to his ear. "To have you y with each of our holes."

    Altair once more gulped.

    "One chance"

    Altair felt a knot form in his throat as perspiration slithered down his hair. "Syris, Nia, Hilda, and¡­" he stopped, thinking, and thinking, and thinking, and said with certainty. "Talia"

    ''What a shame,'' Syris said in a mournful whisper beside his ear. ''Sadly, you made a mistake. No~no." she held him back down, keeping his eyes covered. ''Don''t look. Don''t cheat, either. Next time, Mr. Find more chapters on empire

    ckwood. Next time, when you''re stressed, you''ll have another chance. Until then, just enjoy our massage."

    Altair''s disappointment was palpable until he heard her voice continue. tion jolted through every fiber of his being as she said, ''Of course, you''ll be given a happy ending. I have a new technique I want to try out.''''

    ***

    "You look glossy," Thanatos noted, tilting his head at Altair, who was slouching on his throne. A silly smile was stered over his face. "I guess Syris managed to get you out of your funk."

    "Oooh, yes," Altair noddedzily. Drained in more ways than one. "What''s up?"

    Thanatos raised a palm, and a swirling mist of emerald essence spiraled, revealing a condensed soul, and his expression turned hard. He sucked in a deep breath, holding the Emerald Soul me dancing upon his palm.

    Altair regarded the Soul me with a warmth that nearly threatened to make him smile. As he looked at it, he felt a warmth spreading within him, one that he could barely contain. The Soul me was a sight to behold - pure, ethereal, and otherworldly. Its beauty was beyond words, and Altair found himself mesmerized by the ted energy that emanated from it.

    The lightness of this energy seemed to dance around anyone fortunate enough to be in its presence, filling them with a sense of joy and wonder.

    "So this is Medusa."

    Thanatos smiled warmly. "Yes. And all she asks is that you don''t view what happened after Poseidon."

    Altair remained impassive, allowing Thanatos to continue, though his fingers began to drum across his armrest. "She wishes for you to see her as a human, not as the monster she became. And I''m inclined to agree, but not for her reasons. Medusa is old. If you were to live her life, she would certainly override your identity."

    "I see," Altair muttered, closing his eyes. He could agree to that much. Everyone had the right to privacy, or at least some semnce of it, as one of his Shadows. "You have my word on that matter. What was Hade''s demand?"

    "He''d like you to exterminate Persephone, his ex-wife. She should be a member of Athena''s party, which should be arriving amidst the fusion of Gaia and Earth.

    He wants her broken mentally and physically." Thanatos exined, measuring the impassive face, which made him begin to wonder when Altair''s microexpression became so reclusive. If he wanted to gleam insight, he''d have to open his domain and read the natural reaction of his Soul me.

    "Consider it done," Altair informed him. "Though I might need some information on what transpired between the two. I don''t want to be blindsided."

    "I''ll send you a report and have Zagreus exin it to you, though I expect a fight."

    "A fight?" Altair asked.

    "Persephone is a sore spot¡­" Thanatos said, a little ufortable. "Ask Zagreus about it. He''ll have more details. However, if Persephone does appear, you should keep Zag away. He''ll attack her in a blinding fit of rage, invoking his domain to turn this entire pce to ash.

    The mes Zagreus wields are the hottest outside the Infernal Elements." he stopped thinking for a bit and added, "Zagreus mes are invisible; burning so hot holds the power to open Subspace. It typically happens when he loses control of his emotions. And the only way to stop him, at least to my knowledge, is to kill him."

    Altair''s indifferent mask broke into shock. "You¡ª"

    "Our Pantheon is truly Immortal within thend of Gaia. After a night of death, we''ll awake at dawn as if nothing happened."

    "Holy Shit!"

    Thaan nodded. "It''s our most powerful home turf advantage. And in a sense, such abilities will carry over to earth since Zag and I are still recognized as Gods by Khaos."

    "Do I even want to know who that is?"

    "The Master of All. The Primordial of Beginning. He created us, but aside from that, the only one who knows much about Khaos is Mother, and she doesn''t speak much about him."

    Thanatos floated the Soul me of Medusa to Altair, giving him a long stare. "Treat her right."

    Altair grinned. "Don''t I always?" He said, assimting the soul in a blinding sh.

    [DING]

    [God Soul Detected]

    [Fallen Necromancy proficiency is too low to view memories of Medusa]

    [DING]

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    [Aura of the Abyss has Increased Proficiency by 2x]

    [Proficiency has Increased by 30%]

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    [100/100]

    [Proficiency: 12% ¡ú72%]''

    [Error]

    [DING]

    [Heart of Darkness has devoured Divinity]

    [Strength has increased by 150]

    [Dexterity has Increased by 150]

    [Constitution has Increased by 150]

    [Wisdom has Increased by 150]

    [Charisma has Increased by 150]

    [Warning]

    [If the Fallen Shadow of Medusa is Summoned, she will not be subservient to the Prince of the Vale, but rathered sired]

    As Altair checked his messages, he was caught off-guard by the sudden and overwhelming influx. As he read through them, a curious sensation coursed through his body, a cooling warmth that seemed to flow through his veins and prate his muscles and soul. It was a strange and unexpected feeling that left him momentarily breathless.

    But just as quickly as it had appeared, the sensation faded away, like ripples on a stillke that slowly dissipated into nothingness.

    Altair summoned one of his Shadow Imps, dismissing it back into the Vale. He wince at the sudden onught of pain, cradling as he experienced the sensation of his soul being torn apart. Still, he held on, keeping the pain down as he opened his palm, summoning Medussa through his Fallen Necromancy, a little in disbelief at the stunning creature that appeared before him.

    Medusa was a strikingly bewitching woman that left many who caught a glimpse wanting to stare at the emerald-green scales that adorned her face. The scales were reminiscent of the sinuous bodies of serpents, curling down her cheeks and neck in a mesmerizing pattern.

    The scales gradually became more sporadic as they spread over her shoulders, creating the impression that she was adorned in a beautiful, shimmering cloak made of emerald-green gems. Her eyes were piercing and luminous, far in contrast to what one expected from one of the Underworld''s Guardians. They were soft, like innocent newborns,rge and beady with a tinge of interest.

    As Medusa stared with unbridled curiosity, she looked down at her hands and feet. Then she stumbled back in shock, toppling down the flight of stairs. Thanatos acted quickly, his reflexes honed, and caught her before she hit the ground.

    Medusa''s eyes blinked in a daze, seemingly unaware of her surroundings. She reached up to touch her hair, which had once been a throne of serpents, now a striking shade of minty ck that made her gasped in amazement. Suddenly, a primal wail escaped from deep within her throat, so raw with emotion Thanatos felt his eyes begin to moist.

    As tears streamed down her face, Medusa tightly clutched Thanatos'' robes. It had been so long since she''d walked on her own two feet that she''d forgotten how. It had been nearly eight hundred Chaos Cycles since she''d been turned into a Monster that could not look at anyone who wasn''t a God.

    It was over. Her nightmare was over. Medusa turned to Altair. She ignored her naked body and crawled up the stairs to his feet and kowtowed, wailing so loud that those who heard it might believe they knew her torment.

    Altair bent a knee, lifting the woman''s face to meet his. "Wee to my Empire, Medusa. Wee to my Family."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 280 The Eternal Garden

    Altair had initially thought Thanatos might have exaggerated the matter, but Medusa was perhaps one of the cutest creatures he''d ever seen. She was incredibly timid, often seeking refuge behind Thanatos at the slightest disturbance, like a child seeking protection from her parent.

    Thanatos, in turn, was always ready to shield her, his protective instincts kicking in at the slightest sign of her difort. Her vertical pupils writhed uncontrobly at the sound of footsteps, giving her an air of vulnerability that was hard to resist.

    Altair, on many asions, held the urge to pinch her fluffy cheeks, especially when she tried hiding beneath objects or people that were either bigger or smaller than her.

    The second Raven met her; she''d shouted, ''New Best Friend!'' before lunging into her embrace, burying her head between her ample breasts.

    The meeting between the two had been prenned in Altair''s mind due to Raven''sx mindset. Raven, while exceptionally cold while on duty, was much like a naive young woman without a single care in the world when off duty. She greeted Medusa with a wide grin and open arms, her carefree nature shining through her actions.

    She was free of schemes and toozy to try to get along with anyone who held enmity towards her.

    Of all his Shadows, only Raven didn''t have secr intentions toward him. She sought to be rather than crave matters of the flesh, wealth, or power. She chose to be free, her only burden being her Guardianship.

    Medusa was practically in tears, looking down at the ogling amethyst eyes of Raven smiling back at her. She''d stumbled on her bottom at the sudden attack within the Halls of Stygian. Cloaked in the Robes of Darkness, Thanatos had procured for her.

    Thanatos sped his head. "Raven, you can''t just tackle people like that."

    Raven peeped up quite reluctantly. "She smells like one of Master Shadows," she tilted her head. "Why can''t I touch her?"

    Medusa, too shy to speak, covered her face, wanting to scramble away, but she felt Raven''s armstch around her, ensuring she couldn''t run.

    "This Big Sis is super soft!"

    That made Medusa blush as she looked for Thanatos and Altair for help.

    "You don''t need to be afraid of Raven, Medusa." Altair said softly, "But it''s as she said, she''ll be your new best friend and the person you''ll be spending a great amount of time with, as her secondary job will be protecting our Gardens."

    Raven hummed, lifting herself off Medusa, and helped her to her feet. "The Garden? Reina''s Garden?"

    Altair nodded. "Yes. Medusa will only serve me in an official capacity one day of the week, but I figured every other day, she''d enjoy tending to our garden and the Caelum Spring within the Pce of Stygian."

    Altair nced down at Medusa''s skill sheet, then his own.

    [Ding]

    [30% of all stats of the Master will be shared between Individual Shadows]

    [Skills of the Master will be shared amongst the Shadows]

    [Due to Half Complete Assimtion of Medusa Soul. The Master has the Authority, not Share Skills

    [Fallen Necromancy has drawn out 30% of Vale Devouring Serpents bloodline]

    [Str, Dex, Con, Wis, Char will receive + 1000 to Bloodline bonuses]

    Name Medusa

    Race: Vale Devouring Serpent

    Str: 155 + 432 + 1000 = 1587

    Dex: 380 + 464 + 1000 = 1844

    Con: 630 + 51 + 1000 = 2146

    Wis: 635 + 522 + 1000 = 2157

    Chr: 635 + 522 + 1000 = 2157

    Mana: 300

    [DING]

    [Prerequisite to Forth Circle: Blood of the Vale]

    Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 25% ¡ú30%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 150]

    Strength: 1240 ¡ú 1440

    Dexterity: 1345 ¡ú 1545

    Constitution: 1520 ¡ú 1720

    Wisdom: 1540 ¡ú 1740

    Charisma: 1540 ¡ú 1740

    Mana: 295 ¡ú 300

    Compulsion [D]

    Proficiency: 12%

    Spirit Domain [F ¡ú E]

    Range: 65m

    Proficiency: 3%

    Sword of the Vale [F]

    Proficiency: 15% ¡ú 17%

    Sword Limit: 2

    Dual Cultivation [D]

    Proficiency: 12%

    Effect: Unites the Body, Soul, And Mana into a singr Entity.

    Deste Abyss [F]

    Multiplier: 2x ¡ú 2.5x

    Proficiency: 50% ¡ú 65%

    Deste Decent [F]

    Proficiency: 87%

    Eye of Sacrilege [B]

    Proficiency: 8%

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    [Proficiency: 72%]

    Soul Storage: 100/100

    Foresight [E]

    Proficiency: 57%

    Grave of Night [C]

    Proficiency: 1%

    Hands of the Incubus [F]

    Proficiency: 0.01%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    Proficiency: 56%

    Effect: Madness

    Infernal Lightning [D]

    Proficiency: 78%

    Rune Work [E]

    Proficiency: 11%

    Sovergins Gale [E]

    [20m]

    Proficiency: 47%

    Vale Maniption D]

    Proficiency: 0.01%

    Mana Maniption [C]

    Proficiency: 31%

    Ninth Form, Aeron C]

    Proficiency: 0% ¡ú 3%

    Baptism of Blood: Obtained

    Soul of the Indomitable [C]

    [Proficiency: 26% ¡ú 30%]

    Primal Instincts [E]

    Proficiency: 57%

    Altair was impressed by his growth these past two months after his descent from the Lake of Rot. But he was more than adequately surprised by Medusa''s stats. Her bloodline was monstrous.

    "Currently, I had Aurora handling the matter, but she is swarmed with work as it is. Now, how are you with finance?"

    Medusa jumped slightly and shook her head. "I''ve only ever been a priestess," she said. "I never got the chance to learn numbers. Lord Hades wanted me to learn to read and write. But monsters don''t deserve anything else than to lurk in the dark."

    Altair''s eyes went wide, and even Raven had to turn to Thanatos for answers.

    The one who embodied Death shook his head. "She knows the basics. As a former God, she naturally learned to read and write but rejected any sort of higher learning. But now I''m sure that she is interested in learning, right?"

    Medusa nodded, lifting her fist with a fierce glow in her emerald eyes. "Yes!"

    Thaan patted her head, drawing an eye towards Altair, "herprehension is absurdly high. So, it should take a few minutes toprehend finances or any other sort of knowledge you deem suitable for her."

    Altair wasn''t really worried but rather was a little curious about Medusa. More so now than before. It was as if she was punishing herself for what happened to her. Instinctually forcing herself to be something unworthy in the eyes of the god that had shunned her, who''d destroy her in body and soul.

    ''She really believed she was a monster¡­'' Altair thought. And he said, "Ava will deliver what you all need to know in order to catch up with the current era. In the meantime, the Eternal Garden will be your responsibility." He snapped, having Ava teleport them into a stunningnd that stretched on for miles.

    Nestled in the midst of a mystical realm within the Pce of Sytgian, the Eternal Garden was a sight to behold. Every inch of the garden was alive with an explosion of colors and fragrances, captivating anyone who stumbled upon it. The air was thick with the sweet aroma of blooming flowers, ranging from delicate roses to bold sunflowers, each one more captivating than thest.

    The garden was a sprawling expanse of lush greenery, with winding paths leading to hidden nooks and crannies where one could sit and bask in the beauty of the natural world. The ground was carpeted with a vibrant tapestry of flowers of all shapes and sizes, each one vying for attention with its rich hues and intricate patterns.

    The sprawling ntations, which extended for several miles, were a sight to behold. Each one was meticulously designed with an eye for detail, and the result was a stunning patchwork of crops that dazzled the senses. The pathways in between the crops were carefully carved out, winding their way through the fields in a pattern that seemed almostbyrinthine.

    It was a testament to the ingenuity of the AI who had designed them, as it enabled easy ess to all parts of the ntation, ensuring efficient harvesting of the crops. From the vibrant green leaves of the lettuce to the golden hues of the corn, each crop was a marvel to behold, and the intricate pathways only added to the beauty of the scene.

    Medusa was motionless, spellbound by thend so stunning it felt as if she was walking through the luscious heaven of Elysium. She gasped, turning to Altair, as her heart pounded anxiously in her chest. She held it, tears nearly forming across her eyes.

    "All this! All this is¡ª"

    "Yours to manage," Altair told her. He pointed towards the golden corn in the distance, nearlyughing. "Over there is Ravens Pride and Joy. She is infatuated with corn. Each crop is fed diluted water from the Caelum Spring, ensuring the highest grade imaginable, even if the actual sapling is trash. What is cultivated here is masterfully enriched by the nature of this paradise.

    Unfortunately, I''ve only a hundred miles. I''ll try to expand by purchasing material for the Pce of Stygian to devour, but for now, this is the best I have to offer you."

    "You should focus on the forge," Thanatos suggested. "A hundred miles is more than enough. Once the money starts flowing, you''ll have so much money. It''ll be¡ª"

    "Then make a formal legition¡­ Chancellor." Altair told him, smirking at the stunned expression of the God of Death. He snickered. "I''ll, of course, have a full say. But this allows you to spend more time with Aurura. Or has that rtionship officially died?"

    Altairughed at Thanatos''s awkward face and continued, "You''re a smart man. You should know Artemis isn''t necessary. Be a bit selfish, Thaan, or lower your pride and marry them both. And if she wants a child so bad¡­ I can alwaysy it down."

    Raven giggled, elbowing Altair, and said, "I saw him give kisses to Aurora only to get pped."

    Thanatos turned red before he was teleported away.

    "Did Big Brother Thanatos just blush?" Medusa muttered.

    The Prince chuckled, "Aurora must be giving him hell. She actually pped him. I wonder what''s going on there?" He shook his head, turning his attention back to Medusa and Raven. "My guardian here will show you the ropes, as I''m rather busy. But don''t be afraid to ask for help. Raven, be nice."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Kay!" Raven sang.

    "Thank you, Sire," Medusa bowed.

    He gave them a wink before teleporting back to his court to find Aurora, the woman of their most recent conversation.

    Aurora stood with a foreboding expression on her face.

    "What is it?" Altair darkly asked.

    "A woman by the name of Morrigan of Scara from the Golden Crucible requests an Audience."

 Chapter 281 The Saintess of the Vale I

    As Syris stood before the full-length body mirror, she observed a silly grin on her face. Her reflection seemed almost unrecognizable to her. Her knees had nearly given way, buckling like a newborn fawn. The early morning exercise still lingered in her mind, leaving her eyes glossy and unfocused.

    She felt lost in the fog of the memories that flooded her thoughts, eroding her awareness, leaving only the seething ache of throbbing loins.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    He appeared like a looming shadow, cupping her ass and giving her a nice squeeze. "I fucking love how thick you are," he said, recalling how she had him shooting nks just a few hours ago. "How do you feel?"

    Syris, with pleading eyes, looked up at Altair through the mirror. "I don''t have the physical strength. No more," she said, betrayed by her naughty palm cradling his manhood beneath his trousers.

    Altair invoked ''Soul of the Indomitable'' to cool the blood racing towards his Warhammer. He swatted her hand away and said, "Someone from the Crucible is seeking an audience with me."

    Syris, who had been reeling with a tanalizing tion, suddenly lost her smile and swiftly pivoted on her heel to face Altair. Her pale, piercing eyes, now devoid of any warmth, shed with an intense gleam that could only be described as deadly. It was apparent that they had arrived earlier than she had anticipated,pletely catching her off guard.

    She had initially hoped that they would have more time to prepare themselves for the inevitable. The merger between Gaia and Earth was scheduled to take ce in just a few days, and she had hoped that they would have had at least until then. The gravity of the situation had now be all too real, and she knew that they had to act fast to protect themselves and their world.

    "Who''d they send." she finally asked after a moment''s pause.

    "A woman by the name of Morrigan of Scara and a man who gave no name." Altair said, "I''ve asked that he be removed from the premises since he wasn''t courteous enough to name himself before my people."

    "Oh?" Syris smiled. " Who''d you send to tell them to fuck off?"

    "Who else but Raven."

    ***

    Morrigan was taken aback by the stunning young woman before her, who stood with a firm andmanding presence. The woman was armed with a ive that was strapped to her back, its sharp obsidian edge gleaming in the deadly mana.

    Her arms were folded across her chest, and Morrigan couldn''t help but notice the intricate tattoos that adorned her right arm, which were barely visible beneath her uniform. The woman''s head was slightly tilted as if she was silently assessing Szar with a stern gaze.

    "Forgive my rudeness, but what is the problem?" Morrigan asked.

    "Master has asked that he leave," Raven said.

    Salizar, who''d been sitting at rest, stood up, his blood-red eyes ring. "What is the meaning of this? I heard you are Altair''s ves¡ªhis undead. Surely, you''ve been informed of the Golden Crucible."

    ''I was with my Master through the Ten Years he was imprisoned. I know all about it," Raven said, her expression not giving anything away. "But your presence is not needed. Lady Morrigan will be the only person to meet Emperor ckwood.

    Salizar, a tall and imposing figure, stuttered towards her, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. Without warning, he raised his hand and aimed a p at her face. However, his attempt was met with a sudden resistance, causing his palm to ricochet backward with shattering force.

    As his hand recoiled, a wisp of Vale Qi red up, rippling through the air like the waves on a calmke. The energy that followed seemed to awaken something ancient, something that had long been dormant. It was a force that pulsed through the very fabric of reality, drawing the attention of both the Gods of Old and New.

    The room was filled with a strange and unsettling aura as if the very air had be charged with ominous intent. Salizar stood frozen, his eyes transfixed on the ripple of energy that spread through the room.

    For a moment, time seemed to stand still, as if the entire Myriad Heavens was holding its breath in anticipation. The Gods watched with keen interest; their immortal eyes fixated on the mortals caught in the midst of this otherworldly disy of power.

    The Vale quivered through Raven''s amethyst eyes, fueling her body and soul with Authority.

    "Hey, Mr. Do you want to die?"

    "Just leave!" Morrigan snapped. "Your presence is unwarranted by the Monarch of thisnd or myself."

    "Her Majesty has¡ª"

    "Kid. Don''t think us Old Gods don''t have ways to kill younglings like you," Athena said, emerging like an apparition. Her steely eyes locked on Salizar. "Leave, or you''ll be turned to dust. We''ll not see you out."

    Raven did not bother to nce once more at Salizars contorted expression, sheathing her essence. She smiled as if nothing had happened. "Emperor ckwood will see you now."

    Salizar opened his mouth, preparing to voice his discontent, but ate those words as Raven nced his way. There were warnings in her amethyst eyes, as well as Authority. He weighed his options and the consequences of his actions before speaking out.

    "Fine, but I want a report. When you return." He said, taking his leave without further hesitation.

    Raven did not further acknowledge the stranger, regarding him as air; she directed Morrigan towards the Throne.

    "Presenting, Morrigan of Scara," Aurora said, heralding her through the golden doors.

    As Morrigan stepped through the doors, her sharp eyes quickly locked onto Thanatos and Zagreus, who were standing a few feet away. Her frown deepened, and she couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease as she observed the two men. Despite their low cultivation, Morrigan''s honed instincts warned her of an underlying danger, and she knew that she couldn''t let her guard down.

    She took a few cautious steps forward, her eyes darting back and forth between the pair as she tried to assess the situation. The air around them was tense, and Morrigan could feel its weight pressing down on her. She took a deep breath and steadied herself, ready to face whatever was toe.

    "You can rx," Altair said from upon his throne, noticing the slight bit of tension.

    ''He says that, but the unbridled killing intent says otherwise.'' Morrigan thought, shooting an eye toward the two men, then Altair. She said, " You know why I''m here."

    "Not really," Altair said, feigning ignorance. "Please spell it out for me. What exactly do you want from me?"

    Morrigan suddenly felt a hot gust of heat rise across her cheeks as she thought, ''Is he trying to shame me?'' It was only then that she noticed that aside from Syris, only men stood within his court.

    It didn''t take long for her to realize that was his intent.

    Still, Morrigan held her head high and said, without the slightest hint of shame, "I''ve been ordered to carry your child."

    "That''s interesting. Altair said mildly. "And for what reason should I father some bastard with the likes of you?"

    "The Goddess of Rotmands it."

    Altairughed, regaling his court with his booming voice. "She mightmand it. However, I''ve no interest in fighting over who to mate with. Azura, Grimmory, Artemis. I''m caught in a sort of baby hell. Everyone thinks of me as a factory that I can fuck into any whore they send my way."

    Morrigan had the grace to blush. "I am not a whore!" she said through gritted teeth. "I was ordered to¡ª-

    "It''s irrelevant," Altair said, suddenly gesturing a finger through the air.

    She emerged beside Morrigan, her smiling lips perking as her devilish eyes traced Altair''s every muscle. "You called, your majesty?"

    "Yes. Morrigan, this is Tasha. Tasha, Morrigan. One of you works for the Goddess of Rot, the other for the Fallen Angel, Gremory. I can''t refuse either of those two monsters, so ites down to you two. I''m quite a busy man.

    Ann Syris and Raina are the only mates I have any desire to be intimate with."

    "You can''t refuse the Goddess Of Rot."

    Altair shrugged. "And I''m not. Grimory is. Or should I say Tasha here? If you want my seed, kill her and take her spot, or she''ll kill you. I only have one dick.

    Or I guess you can seduce me. And I might just clear up sometime."

    "That''s ridiculous!"

    "Is it?" Syris remarked, curling down on Altair''sp. "Just this morning alone, I had him shooting nks." She touched her womb, looking at the two, licked her lips, and said, "I don''t n on giving him to anyone. Art is mine."

    Altair looked stunned, catching himself before his mask shattered.

    Zagreus looked at Thanatos, mouthing, "Why are we here?"

    "Shut up and look serious," Thaan mouthed back.

    "That''s actually impressive," Tasha muttered, touching a finger to her lips."Your dual cultivation must be on point. What''s it at?"

    "D Rank"

    "Oh, my~" Tasha grinned lewdly. "One night with me, and I''ll have you in C-Rank."

    Altair didn''t deny it. If anything, he already considered it. Tasha was in the Ninth Circle. The boom he would receive would rocket him past his own understanding. He''d only dyed due to this moment in time.

    "The Lady of Rot will hear of this."

    Altair shrugged. "Do whatever you want. It still doesn''t change the fact that I have a deal with Gremory. If you want my cock earn the bloody right to have it." And he whispered beneath his breath," Blood Hell, I still can''t believe this conversation is happening in my Court. What a day."

 Chapter 282 The Saintess of the Vale II

    "Well, that was unexpected," Altair said, leading Syris into his room back within the Pce of Stygian, where he''d have all the privacy he''d ever want or need. "What the hell? Did you really have to tell them I was shooting nks? For fucks sake, Syris. Upon my Throne of all ces?"

    Syris had her face covered, ring with such shame she couldn''t even look him in the eye. The words had juste to her. Imagining those nasty sluts vying for what was hers had triggered something, something primal. At that moment, Syris could not control herself.

    ''What is happening to me?'' She thought, scampering into the wall to face her time-out.

    Altair was scratching his head, finding not only that her actions were adorably cute but also that, for some reason, he felt some inexplicable sensation of guilt as if he''d done something wrong. He hadn''t¡­ or had he?

    "Syris¡­e on, speak to me," Altair said, finally sauntering over to her side. His shadow loomed like a warm nket over her delicate frame. "what¡ª

    "I''m in time out¡­ leave me alone," she said, pushing her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees and kept her head down.

    Altair looked even more confused, caught between wanting tough and yell. It was ridiculous.

    "Are you trying to punish yourself?" he asked, but Syris only seemed to sink further into herself until she resembled a ball. Altair paused, reflecting on Syris'' past actions, starting from the days they spent outside the Lake of Rot. The insatiable sex, the dinners, training sessions, he reflected on it all, finding nothing¡­ she was the same throughout it all.

    Hesitant at first, but slowly, he''d worn down her guards, leaving her bare for his eyes only.

    "Do¡­ Do¡­" Altair hesitated. "Do you want me to punish you?"

    Syris shuddered. "No¡­" she mewled softly.

    "Then look at me."

    Syris quivered, unwrapping herself and turning teary eyes towards him. Her moon-colored skin practically glistened, a lustrous glow of mana dancing across it.

    "What is going on?" He asked, his voice softer than before. "You''ve acting¡­ odd. What brought this on?"

    Syris gulped, her pupils writhing uncontrobly. "I think I''m pregnant."

    "..."

    "..."

    [>_<]

    "W-W-W-What?" Altair muttered, nking out for what seemed like a day. "What did you say?"

    "I don''t know! I feel so strangetely. Ever since we fucked in the Forest on the first floor. It felt as if my body was not my own." Syris covered her face. "My God, I got some of your shadow to blow air across your dick! Why would I¡­ GOD!

    Art¡­ I can''t get you out of my head. My hormones are out of control. Even now¡­. Look"

    She opened her legs, revealing a wet spot across her robes, between her legs. "It¡­It won''t stop throbbing." Experience tales at empire

    Panicked, imagining his spawn in the hands of Azura or Adam, he stammered the words, "Did¡­Did¡­Did you ask Ava?"

    Syris shook her head. "Then you''d know," she shouted. "Your AI is a stalker. Watch this! How many times did I cum this morning!"

    "Seventy-two," Ava reacted almost immediately. ''Longest Orgasmsted ten minutes. Multiple Orgasms urred in tandem to¡ª"

    "See!" Syris shouted. "Art¡­ I can''t have a baby! I can''t! I¡ª"

    "Ava¡­ is Syris pregnent?"

    "Negative," Ava said, to Altair''s relief and dismay.

    "See?" he said, looking down at the young woman, but Syris was only shaking her head, disrobing before him, sweat beading her tender skin. Her breath turned to pants, and a glossy hue zed her eyes as she looked up with pleading eyes.

    "Then why can''t I stop?" Syris asked. "Are you using the Hands of the Incubus on me?"

    Altair was slightly offended at that but hid the discontent. Something was wrong. Very¡­Very wrong.

    "I''m not. I''d never use it on you. But¡­" He thought about it for a second before snapping his fingers, teleporting Raven to his side in an instant.

    Syris felt she was burning with shame with the new addition of Raven; she looked pleadingly at Altair to take her away. Her naughty fingers inching towards her garden, a mess of viscous liquid. Yet an undeniable excitement tugged at her heart, spirling along the hole greedily devouring her fingers.

    The pressure of her inner walls, tightening and writhing against her fingers, began to bend, reaching deeper and deeper and deeper, until an explosion of tion sprayed like a faucet across the room.

    Syris threw her head back and squealed like a demon of lust. Shame turning to raw, unbridled pleasure. As she shamelessly yed to the tones of her heart.

    "Dear Lord," Altair gaped, rock hard. He might have already eaten her up if not for the look of shock across Raven''s eyes. "What is it?"

    "Art~don''t~just~stare~ you~too~Raven~" Syris mewled, spreading herbia to reveal the delicate glint of pink. "Lets~have~some~fun~"

    "You chose her," said Raven, tilting her head and pointing a finger down to Syris''s little hole. "What is she doing?"

    "... Ask Tasha. Now, what do you mean that I chose here?" Altair demanded, a little overwhelmed by all that he was seeing.

    "Ah! Teehee! Oops!" Raven giggled, pivoting to Syris. "Syris has attuned herself to you. She is tapping into your skill. However, she''s doing it unconsciously.

    You''ve chosen her like you''ve Chosen Reina to be your Queen. Syris is to be your Saintess. The Saintess of the Vale."

    "Eh?" Before Altair could ask how such a thing was possible, Raven continued.

    "You shared your Authority with her. Somewhere in your consciousness, you recognized her, not as your Queen but as someone of equal rank. In this case¡­ only one slot was avable: the saintess."

    "That''s all it takes? Recognition and boom, someone is a saintess?" Altair snapped, more furious than interested.

    "Trust is involved," Raven remarked. " Intense trust and love."

    Syris''s moans turned to pant-fullughs. "Art, you love Syris?" her honey pooling like an unendingke.

    "Is that pee-pee? It doesn''t smell like it. Hmmm. It smells sweet." Raven touched it. It wasn''t water, that was for sure. Rather, it felt¡­slimy¡­ gooey?

    Raven tilted her head. "How does it taste?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Sweet¡­" Altair bonked her on the head. "stay focused. How do I stop this? She''s channeling part of the Ninth Form. I have the soul of the Indomitable, but Syris¡­"

    "Owie," Raven moaned, ring her cheeks. "Master, you big meanie. Just give her Vale Qi, and you''llplete the transformation."She said before hurrying away, but not before she stuck her tongue out at him.

    "That little¡­ oh, whatever." He said, quite aware of Syris''s bold actions. "Guess this has been building since the start of it all, eh?"

    A/N: damn near 49 chapters

    Altair sighed, opening his palm as mana shed across his crest pupils.

    ''Sleep,'' he invoked, allowing the sheet of mist to pulse around the defenseless Syris, who''d usually be immune to such a spell if she were aware.

    Syris went limp, falling into Altair''s arms before her head struck the floor.

    With a bitter sigh, he looked her up and down, unsure if what he was doing was the right thing. Unsure what change might ur.

    Altair settled her over the bednguidly, thinking back to their first time and how reluctant she''d been, how disgusted with herself. Hepared behavior now versus then and wondered when it was Syris who became tethered to him.

    Was it within the Ten Years they shared within the Lake or Rot or during these past few months?

    He sighed, gliding fingers from her cor down her chest to where the Dantain resided.

    "I hope you don''t change," He said, and with deep concentration, he began to transfigure the Mana that coursed through his being into Vale Qi.

    As the transformation took ce, he could feel the dark nodes of this new energy slowly and steadily flowing through his meridians, like an ethereal river that carried with it a sense of power and vitality that outssed even the strongest of energies known to the Myriad Heavens.

    The Vale was Primal. Each node felt like a small explosion of energy as it passed through his body, leaving him feeling invigorated and alive. He closed his eyes and focused his mind on the task at hand, letting the energy flow through him, gathering at his fingertips and building up in a wisp of essence.

    As the Vale Qi gathered, it began to shimmer and glow, taking on a life of its own. He felt the energy humming through him, warming his skin, and tingling at his fingertips, ready to be unleashed at a moment''s notice.

    Altair stood transfixed, gazing intently at Syris'' serene face. Despite his turbulent heartbeat that pounded in his chest like a drum, he attempted to still his mind, focusing all his energy on channeling the Soul of the Indomitable to rid himself of any abstract emotions. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he gasped for breath, the intensity of his focus increasing with every passing moment.

    Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he began to channel Vale Qi into Syris.

 Chapter 283 The Saintess of the Vale III

    Slowly, almost reluctantly, Altair felt himself pour into Syris''s very being. The Vale shuddered, and his heart pulsed, beating a song so old it seemed to echo distant past and present future.

    Ba-Dumb! Ba-Dumb! Ba-Dumb!

    As if a whirlwind had woven itself through his chambers, ancient tapestries that were once dedicated to Tenebrae were violently ripped from their mounts. The exquisite carpets, which had been carefully woven since the Fall of Angels, were also not spared from the chaos that ensued.

    The entire room was in a state of disarray, and the aftermath of the tumultuous event left asting impression on all who witnessed it.

    Altair noticed none of it. His gaze pressed against Syris as he felt a powerful surge emanating from the Vale. The ck Lake, which was suspended within his Astral Sea, began to ripple as wispy tendrils of essence flowed out of its depths and into the material realm, enveloping Syris in an obsidian veil.

    The Essence of Vale spun its otherworldly nature through bones and flesh alike, tainting the soul until all that was left was a glorious Abyss of Darkness.

    Slowly, as it began, almost reluctantly, it faded away, much like mist against the winds.

    [Ding]

    ****

    Dawn, the following day, Syris awakened with a cry that might have shaken the entire pce had their room not been soundproof.

    She was bare, the winds greedily licking her naked body, carrying her scent across thend. Much like a lover, the winds touched, exploring her with a gentleness that slowly brought her into reality.

    Syris screamed again. This time snapping, Altair awake. He''d'' Been unaware when he fainted, but his only concern had been syris, who sped her face.

    "That''s it! I can never go back. I can never face Raven again. God, I''ll never go! I can never ever, never!"

    "I masturbated right in front of her!" Syris went off, nearly pulling hair from her scalp. Tears flowing. " and YOU!!!" Her eyes glowed Indomitable might. "You got hard right then and there! Didn''t even try to stop it!"

    Altair raised a hand. "In my defense. It was sexy as fuck."

    Syris chewed her lip, ring. "You could have cloth me."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Well¡­" Altair excitement fell as he grew solemn. "Check out your stats first."

    "Huh?"

    [Ding]

    [Name: Syris ckwood]

    "Excuse me? How the fuck did I be a ckwood!" said Syris, ring.

    Altair''s brow twitched. "I''m slightly offended, but keep reading¡­ you dick."

    [Name: Syris ckwood]

    ss: Saintess of the Vale I

    Race: ???

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 50%]

    Strength: 1440

    Dexterity: 1545

    Constitution: 1720

    Wisdom: 1740

    Charisma: 1740

    Mana: 300

    [Bloodline of the Vale has Devour your Highborn Celestial Blood]

    [All Latent Skills and Passives held within the Highborn Celestial will remain]

    [Vale Saintess Aquried]

    [Four Skills Inherited]

    [Ding]

    [Touch of the Incubus]

    [Eye of Sacrilege]

    [Soul of the Indomitable]

    [Vale Maniption]

    [Ding]

    [Dantain Aquired]

    [System is unable to create Daintain Parameters. Please Wait for an Update]

    Syris stood there, her jaw dropping in shock as she gazed at the skills before her. She lifted her head to meet Altair''s gaze, her face now etched with a mix of concern and contemtion. Just as she was about to voice her question, Altair''s voice broke the silence, his words heavy andden with dismay, as he began recounting all that had urred.

    Syris listened, tilting her head as she began tough. "You seriously think I don''t know when I''m being manipted?"

    Altair arched a brow.

    Syris snorted, "Why the hell do you look so bent out of shape? Look here. I knew something was wrong but didn''t care. I still crawled into your bed. This¡­Tether, as you say, attuned me to your lust. If I didn''t like you, I have found some other bastard?

    I chose you. Be grateful!"

    Emperor ckwood smiled, looking at the woman with her arms folded around her chest. She might have looked all the more intimidating if she wasn''t so naked¡­ and cute.

    Heughed. "Silly me. I should have known my Syris is a savage. I bet you''d even justify me using the eye of sacrilege on you. If I didn''t know better, I''d say you love me."

    Syris became red, snorting as she looked the other way. Unable to deny the words, despite wanting to.

    Altair let out a soft chuckle, his lips curling up into a smile as a warm feeling spread through his chest. "Anyway¡­ Now that you''ve got Soul of the Indomitable¡­ I feel like it''s time we upgrade it."

    Your next read is at empire

    Syris shot him a suspicious stare. "What do you mean?"

    "Well¡­ the sun has not yet crested the horizon. As my new Saintess, I think it''s appropriate we anoint thisnd."

    Syris still didn''t understand. "Anoint the Land? Art, just say what you¡ª" she looked down at his palm, groping her tit. Steam ignited from her pores as she looked up at him. "Is sex always on your mind? You just found out I just had my ss, and apparently, my race forcefully changed, and you think Sex."

    "In my defense¡ª"

    "Again, with the fucking defense¡ª"

    "In my Defense," Altair said a little louder. " Your boobs are just out there! You''ve no clothes on. So clearly, you''re a pervert. And I lowkey think they got tits got bigger. Your ass too.

    How else am I supposed to react?" he took her by the hand, leading it towards his crotch.

    Syris ceremoniously blushed. She could feel it throbbing against his trousers, seeking to rise out of the cage its master had ced him in. She gulped, a heat stirring in her, coursing every crevice of her being, igniting a fire between her loins.

    She gave it a rub, savoring its powerful weight as the beast grewrger, traveling down the thigh.

    A lewd grin lifted across her lips before it dropped, a cool sensation quelling the unsatiated lust across her mind.

    [Ding]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 0.5%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 0.5%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 0.5%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 0.5%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 0.5%]

    Her voice trembled as she spoke, "We can''t." She lowered her hand, which still held the warmth of his body. She couldn''t allow herself to fall prey so easily. No, not when there were so many questions she wanted to ask.

    What was Vale Maniption?

    How can she use Touch of the Incubus despite not being one herself?

    What exactly does a Saintess of the Vale mean?

    What the hell was a dantain?

    All those thoughts shed across her mind when she felt her head hit the bed. Before she knew it, her legs had parted as Altair settled his head between her legs, so close to her loins that the whisper of his breath sent tingles fluttering across Syris''s mind.

    "It just urred to me. I''ve never allowed my lips to touch your pearly gates." Altair grinned savagely, the heat of his breath pressing against her cunt. "How selfish of me. You''re right, Syris, this isn''t about me. It''s about you. Here and now."

    "Ahh~ Art¡­ you~rat~bastard~" Syris crooned, her breath a slender mess as beads of sweat rolled down her neck.

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 7%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 2%]

    [Soul of the Indominable Proficiency has increased by 10%]

    Heart thumping in her chest, a tedious moan slipped from her lips as she rushed to cover her mouth, her hips reeling as something hot and moist sent her mind sprawling.

    The sensation was like a delicious jolt through her mind, bolting through loins up into her womb, linking to her heart and brain in a single instant.

    ''GODS~" She squealed, overwhelmed by the tion coursing through her veins like liquid fire.

    She held his head, gripping his ashen hair as she pushed him further, her legs kicking out in a wild, extended manner as Altair savaged her. His tongueshed and whirled while his thumb rolled against her clitoris.

    She tasted like spring.

    Altair couldn''t describe it, reminded of a sea of orchards as tongue sank deeper into her pussy, no dought do to her brash actions. He didn''t stop, gobbling her down until a waterfall of her honey showered him. He looked up, a little stunned. He''d not even given her his surprise, yet she came so hard on their first round.

    "What a naughty saintess." He said, lifting his eyes to see infatuation ring back. He chuckled.

    "Don''t stop again."

    "Yes, Saintess."

    A sudden pang of tion shot across her heart as he obeyed like a good boy. She shuddered, her eyes rolling to the back of her head, as he made her cum, and cum and cum. Like a never-ending tide coursing against her very soul, a lewd smile curled across her drooling lips. She felt like a queen. In control as he did her bidding.

    ''Is this what Reina felt?''

    Riding the feeling as long as she could, Syris pulled his head to give him a once-over. "Fuck me," she said.

    "Nope," Altair replied, snapping his fingers as a spark turned his clothing to vaper. He stood up, pointing towards his bulging hammer, which seemed like a war crime to even possess. Show me how much you want it, and I''ll happilyply."

    Syris felt all her power evaporate as the shadow of that hammer loomed devilishly over her. It left her cold yet hungry all at once.

    Creeping on all fours towards her Emperor, Syris looked up, a devious glow gathering across her eyes.

    "You''ll pay for that," she said, gripping hold of his cock, looking him dead in the eyes.

    Altair smiled with satisfaction. "Please, me, Saintess."

    Syris obeyed, swallowing him hole with practice ease as he moaned, her tongue swirling as her eyes shed as she invoked her new skill.

    [Touch of the Incubus]

 Chapter 284 The Saintess of the Vale IV

    [Touch of the Incubus]

    The sound that came out from Altair''s throat had been nothing short of Primal. Saliva slithered down his chin, hitting Syris''s forehead below. And a daunting glow filled her pale blue eyes as he shuddered. The pangs jolted through his nerves, turning his shudders into tremors.

    Syris could hardly ever imagine Altair could make such a sound. It seemed so inconceivable. He was always poised. He was silly at times, but there had always been ayer of calm beneath his antics.

    But now¡­ Syris'' eyes glowed, his moans drowning her thoughts as tion jolted through her loins. Her enchanting tongue devilishly rolled across his tip in a wild, untamed fashion. Her gaze fixed on his flushed expression.

    When Altair copsed on his bottom, his Mana scattered out of control, to his astonishment. This left him in a vulnerable state, and Syris fell with him, refusing to give him reprieve.

    After a few moments of her milking, Syris lifted her eye to him, her tongue kissing his tip.

    "My Emperor, how was it?" She asked, her devilish grin only widening as she opened her mouth just as his seed shot down her throat.

    Syris beamed, her moist eyes never leaving Altair''s. Before long, his moans slowly became drowned by her lewd slurps, following the motion of her head jolting back and forth.

    Slurp!~Slurp!~Slurp!~Slurp!~

    She was punishing him. Altair would be a fool not to see it, but it was powerless to stop it. The idea that a single skill could incapacitate him so easily made him frightful. He''d initially thought that his Almighty Resistance would ensure some semnce of resistance. He knew now of his hubris, which was now eating him up.

    He came again. Beads of sweat rolled across his body, his vision a blur of mist, as his mind began to shut down. The ringing of the system was constant, alerting him of the Soul of Indominable proficiency increase, but Altair couldn''t bring himself to pay attention to it.

    "My Emperor, why are you sweating so much?" Syris whispered, her lewd lips arching as she crawled over his limped body, grinding over his beast with vigor. "If you won''t fuck me. I''ll fuck you. That''s a saying, right?"

    Altair wasn''t sure.

    "Goodness. Your drooling. Was it good?"

    He nodded.

    "Better than Reina?"

    Altair nodded once more, widening Syris''s smile as her naughty finger curled around his cock, positioning right at her entrance.

    Syris pushed, enjoying the fall over what seemed like an endless cliff that overwhelmed her senses. Firing a fierce jolt that splintered into every crevice of her being, consuming her world in a vibrancy. An intricate tattoo branded her womb as the [Touch of the Incubus] began to be channeled.

    "Gods! You''re always so big~ It really isn''t fair." Syris mewled, her words said through pants, as she looked down eagerly at her Monarch. He was drooling, lost beneath the stimtion that sought to conquer the mind. She liked that look. It was the same look she knew she had whenever he''d dominated her.

    "What a cute look." Syris crooned, enjoying the fierce beating of his cock inside of her. It had never moved like that. "Do I feel¡ª"

    The world spun as Syris''s head struck the floor with a shattering force. A slight daze took her by surprise before she found herself on all fours, Altair''s predatory eyes marking her prey. Rather than fear, Syris instinctually lifted her ass to him, spreading her cheeks with a lovely smile.

    "Break~me, Break~my~pussy!"

    Channeling [Touch of the Incubus] for the first time over his manhood, a wolfish howl sprang from Syris''s throat as she threw her head back in a transcendent array of sweat teaming from her pores.

    Altair, who''d slightly regained control of his mana enough to activate his spell, only felt a wave of euphoria swallow him. Tearing away sanity until none was left. The way Syris''s insides were writhing against his cock had been something that left him feral.

    [Ding]

    [Synergy Found Between the Brand of the Incubus and Dual Cutltivation]

    ***

    As Raven walked out of the Pce of Styian, the first rays of the sun were just starting to peek over the horizon. She smiled to herself as she began her daily rounds, her feet kicking back and forth in a yful skip as she made her way through the below city. It was a familiar routine, one that she had been performing ever since she had taken on her official role.

    As she walked, Raven breathed in the fresh morning air and felt a sense of calm wash over her. But suddenly, her senses were assailed by a powerful scent - a heady mix of ripe fruit and earthy sweetness. It was apanied by a strange sensation of dampness that made her feel as if she were out at sea, the salty spray of the wavespping at her face.

    Raven looked around, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of where the scent might being from. For a moment, she found nothing until her gaze finally drifted upwards towards the sky.

    She froze, her cheeks turning hot as a strange sensation tugged at her gut as she took the sight of Altair, holding up Syris by both legs so that sheid still on his chest. She was bare for all to see as his cock savaged her little cunt.

    Raven had not been so naive that she didn''t understand, yet she found herself bounded to the earth, watching the new Saintess anoint thend with her fluid. It had looked so painful, yet the untamed expression Syris held was anything but unbridled pleasure.

    Altair seemed to have noticed Raven and waved before he continued his fucking.

    ***

    Three Days Later.

    As the first light of dawn broke through the horizon, the two lovers silently made their way towards the Pce of Stygians Springs. The cleansing waters beckoned to them, promising to wash away their past sins and grant them a fresh start. Without uttering a word, they slowly immersed themselves in the soothing waters, feeling its healing power wash over them.

    They closed their eyes and allowed themselves to float aimlessly, lost in the tranquility of the moment and the serenity of the surroundings.

    Altair asked, his voice now hoarse. "How are you?"

    Syris tilted her head over the waters. For some reason, Altair found he could not read her thoughts.

    "I''m not giving you to Reina," Syris suddenly confessed.

    Brows lifting by the sudden outburst, he frowned. He said, "She is a Nephilim. Do you really want to fight her?" Altair sighed, looking up towards the tranquil skies. He listened to the sound of flowing water before he heard Syris speak.

    "I don''t care. I won''t give you up."

    Altair felt her stare but did not turn to face her. "A battle between the Saintess of the Vale and the Queen." he chuckled, closing his eyes to the peacefulness of this secr realm.

    "Tomorrow, Gaia and Earth will merge. There will be hundreds of enemies flying into our airspace for the party Aurora is setting up. And then there are the enemy gods we''ll have to face." He turned to Syris and said in a calm tone, "You might not like it. Reina might not like it either, but we all need each other. You seek to kill a demon of the Nine Hells, a powerful monster.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    While Reina seeks the extermination of¡­ well, it doesn''t matter. None of that can be done alone."

    Enjoy more content from empire

    Altair turned his head once more towards the heavens. ''We are not all-powerful. So you have two options. You can cause trouble and do something irredeemable to your rtionship with Reina, or you can use each other."

    "It''s not fair," Syris said, chewing her lip. ''You''re the only one winning."

    Altair grinned, gesturing towards her. He ignored the bruises across her breast and thigh as she swam towards him, taking her into his arms and cupping her bottom. syris began crying, trembling as she buried her head against his chest.

    "You''re so selfish¡­ Bastard¡­.Bastard¡­" Sniffling, she cursed him over and over until her face was clouded with tears. "Why can''t I just be your only one? Why must I share you?''

    Altair sighed, looking down at the Saintess, and said with a heart of stone.

    "I am a Broken Prince"

    Syris departed soon after in silence. Her shoulders were trembling as tears slid from down her cheeks. She made her way through the city, slowlying to life as children of all ages took to the streets. Their faces were bright as they all began to huddle around one woman.

    Nia.

    Syris looked out at them, her dead eyes surveying the children as words echoed from her lips in a shush whisper.

    "We need an Anthem¡­ a religion."

    For a while, she watched, masking her presence beneath a veil, observing Nia before she left, moving through the intricate streets of the city The Pce of Stygian had created.

    Only those that bore the highest potential on earth were allowed entry. Nia saw to that, hand-picking those she deemed talented enough with her mythical eyes.

    It had been Altair''s order, but¡­

    Had that been the right move?

    Rounding the immacte city, farrger than its poption, Syris came around to see the children training away, led by Nia shouting hermands. There were thousands there, ages ranging from seven to ten.

    ''How wonderful would it be if these younglings could worship the Vale?'' she thought, a smile lifting across her lips.

 Chapter 285 The Merger I

    The return to the throne had been something Altair desperately sought. It felt natural. Calming the mind of unwavering convictions.

    Presently, in his court stood Athena and Aurora, both locked in a sort of debate.

    "No God will simply agree to lose theirnd even if Altair is the Ruler. To suggest that any sort of property without reason could simply be taken away is inconceivable."

    Aurora remained impassive. "Land that isn''t beneath the Emperor''s Reign is subject to be conquered. We''ve little time to care about the morality of action. Not when¡ª"

    "Aurora," Altair interrupted. "Why are you debating Athena? Thaan is the chancellor."

    Aurora lowered her head respectfully. "Forgive his absence. He wanted to review the three-day event we had nned¡ªthe coalition party."

    ''Ah, I see. Athena is trying to change Thanatos'' mind through Aurora. Cute.'' He thought, ''So that''s his intent.''n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Athena," Altair said. "Thanatos is right, but neither are you wrong. So how about you take over diplomacy between the various secr kingdoms on this new worlding into being? I''ve no interest in waging war, but I will without hesitation. Unlike the previous rulers, I already instructed Genesis to send agents. Ninth circles.

    Aurora, what''s their ETA?"

    "Two days," Athena said. The two looked at her strongly, and she exined, "I can sense everything that urs in this entire quadrant in space. Based on their speed. Two days."

    Altair, while surprised, didn''t show it. "Yes. They''ll probably use these¡­agents to broker new deals and so on, especially now that we have a bit of funding from the GCA. Although, I don''t like that they''rete. We called them months ago."

    "We acquired A few Arcane Suits. Giving them to a few shadows could drastically aid us." Aurora said, padding something into her datapad. She looked up, a frown nearly visible. "Oh, and¡­ Syris just sent me an invoice for¡­"

    "Give her whatever she pleases. Have you seen her in person today?" Altair asked, wondering what sort of Authority Syris might have over his Shadows.

    "Not yet."

    After a moment, Aurora padded away, nodding to herself.

    "Ah, and do start giving out sries. God knows how dull life is without money." God and Shadow chuckled, beginning to discuss the empire''s current state for the next hour and a half.

    By the time his court was out of session. Altair returned to his study to catch up on all the work he''d missed. ring at the paperwork stacked on each side of his desk, nearly half the length of a sword, he nearly cried.

    "Screw the Upper Moons for messing with me." He told himself as Auroraughed behind him.

    "I''ve got to go soon, master, but don''t be afraid to ask for help. I''m just a call away."

    As Aurora left, Altair eyed the hellish work before digging in. He spent the next eighteen hours there, working tirelessly, skipping lunch and dinner, before calling it a day at midnight. Aurora and Talia returned every hour to deliver him a stack of documents. And any sort of reprieve was well worth the effort.

    Altair had changed into a mundane tunic for a night on the town back on Earth. He left, attended by Raven, who sensed his intent. She joined him with an eagerness that left him powerless to refuse. So, he brought Atelia, whom he''d not seen in weeks.

    Leaving the Pce beneath a cover of night, they wondered about the city of Zampris to get a grip on how urate it had be. It was a strange sight to observe men and women with various cyberware attached to their bodies. Some seemed more machine than human. It had all seemed as if their augmentations were more like tattoos than actual machinery based on how they wore them.

    Compared to nobles, who kept their bodies intact if they could,moners did otherwise. Of course, there were benefits. Some allowed others to perceive mana without actually being able to sense it. At the same time, others carried weapons that enabled them to kill those of a higher circle if they managed to surprise them.

    The more he saw, the more out of touch he felt with the culture Earth had cultivated over the years. It had all seemed so hidden within the Aros Estate. Even in the military, he didn''t see many people with cybeics.

    "Papa¡­ these people are weird," Atelia said, ring her chubby cheeks. "They look weird."

    "I agree¡­ But Humans are weak. There are exceptions, but Cybeics is a great way to increase one''s worth, especially if you''ve no natural talent." Altair shook his head, lifting the Kitsune onto his back as they toured as much as they could.

    As Altair, Raven, and Atelia toured Zampis, they began to perceive a subtle yet distinct change in the air around them. Gradually, the Mana that permeated the environment began to gather and coalesce, almost as if it were taking on a tangible form. It was slowly bing more and more noticeable as the hours ebbed.

    Zampis was a lively and bustling metropolis that never seemed to rest. The streets were always filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, childrenughing and ying, and the hum of magic in the air. However, as the Mana grew stronger and more prevalent, an insidious threat began to emerge. Humans were falling ill and dying one by one, unable to withstand the effects of Mana Poisoning.

    This affliction was caused by unrefined mana that contained impurities, which entered the bloodstream or meridians and caused harm to those who were unable to assimte it.

    Altair watched it with insidious eyes. The death toll would surely begin to rise, but such things were a necessary step in Earth''s development. Humans were descendants of the Titans that were created by the Celestials, in turn, the Highborns,monly known as High Humans.

    He needed them to evolve or perish and be reced. He couldn''t afford weakness, not when there was so much he needed to do.

    [Ding]

    [Merger of Earth and Gaia hasmenced.]

    Altair''s lips stretched upwards just as the morning rays hit his hemisphere. He took the elevator to the thirtieth floor of one of the most luxurious Hotels in Zampis, Sena, up towards the bar. Inside, he saw a few working women and found a few drunk noblemen who held the credits to purchase a night.

    Altair carefully studied the women as they sashayed toward unapanied men in a skin-tight dress that hugged every curve. Their alluring beauty was only matched by theirpanions, each of them moving with an effortless grace that held anyone captivated. He found himself drawn to a luxurious leather chair that offered a breathtaking view of the city, his city, below.

    From this vantage point, he could see every detail of the bustling metropolis: the dazzling lights, the towering skyscrapers, and the endless stream of people moving along the streets.

    "Master¡ª"

    "Call me Altair when we are outside the pce," Altair interrupted, ncing at the stunned Raven. She smiled, nodding quite eagerly.

    "Then Altair," she said a little awkwardly. "What are we doing here?"

    Just then, one of the working women fell, and tendrils of azure veins rose across her throat. Mana poisoning.

    "We are observing." Altair narrowed his eyes, perfectly visualizing the world through his mind''s eye with the aid of his Spirit Domain. From the slightest movements to the woman counting the Sols they were given in their hotel room, to those enjoying the taste of a woman''s touch, to some awaking from the cool embrace of dreams, he smiled.

    "Only the rich or the well-off can afford the luxury of this Five-Star Hotel."

    Atelia tilted her young head. "Papa, can I have some ice cream?"

    Altair revealed some of his presence, signaling to one of the waiters to order three drinks and some ice cream before sending them off, and continued. "This entire trip was to observe the people. I wanted to know if they''re happy or at least capable of sustaining themselves." Revealing that Neuolink was giving information about anyone he watched, he patted Raven''s surprised expression.

    "What did you think? I just did this for fun. Of course, my data is screwed with my limited interaction, but¡­ Seeing the state of my kingdom with my own eyes rather than through numbers makes everything seem real. Plus¡­"

    And he poked Raven''s cheek. "I''ve never got to hang with my favorite guardian."

    "More like your only guardian," Raven said, arching her head, pleased with herself.

    Altair snickered when the ice cream and drinks arrived. It was one hell of abination, but no one bothered to call him out about it¡ªnot that they could, as it had taken only a few seconds for many to recognize Altair.

    No one moved to greet him as more and more began to fall prey to Mana Poisoning. Convulsing over the ground, foaming at the mouth, as a few staff rushed to deliver medical attention.

    Soon, many more began to plummet to their knees, gripped by death''s sudden embrace; the blistering streets and the entire city became alert. Screams of panic followed, and sirens resounded across the skyscrapers, rming many to the changes facing their world.

    Altair suspected a thirty percent mortality rate¡ªa lower number than he had originally suspected, but Ava had affirmed that percentage.

    Those who could not hold would die; those who could be something more, something that rose to the minimal standard the Emperor had set for them, would rise.

    The deafening roar of explosions echoed through the skies as numerous flying cruisers burst into mes through crashes and began falling towards the earth. It was a catastrophic scene that left onlookers feeling helpless and afraid. In an instant, emergency services around the world sprang into action, working tirelessly to manage the situation and prevent further damage.

    Your next chapter awaits on empire

    The global response was swift and resolute, with authorities ordering the immediate grounding of all non-emergency vehicles to ensure the safety of people on the ground. Meanwhile, civilians still conscious were in shock and disbelief as the once-blue sky grew dark with smoke and ash, and the sound of sirens filled the air.

    Altair watched it all, lifting the amber whiskey to his lips, "It''s starting¡­ Gaia and Earth are beginning one."

 Chapter 286 The Merger II

    Altair hadn''t been certain how long he''d watch the ensuing chaos spread across his eyes¡ªlong enough that when he caught himself, the Mana of Heaven and Earth had coalesced, reaching out from the Ethereal Realm into the physical. Seismic tremors came and went, growing more frequent, splintering the asphalt into intricate webs as buildings tumbled.

    Those who saw to photograph the chaos rather than flee died, their screams reaching up towards his vantage on the thirtieth floor.

    "What have you done?" A cold and sweet voice cut across the rim of his ear. Altair turned an eye to the female, unbothered by her beauty. He nced at the stranger behind her, then offered her a seat that could fit only one more beside Atelia.

    The man, standing tall like a sentinel, frowned, his silence dark with unspoken tension.

    "Lady Morrigan," he said. "Please."

    Morrigan lowered herself onto the chair, feeling a sense of difort as she noticed the girl with striking amethyst eyes gazing up at her intently. The girl''srge, beady eyes seemed to peer into Morrigan''s with an unspoken innocence that left her with a feeling of wanting to poke at her cheeks.

    "Big Sis, do you want Ice cream?" Atelia asked, lifting her half-empty cup of multicolored ice cream.

    "What vor is it?"

    Atelia beamed. "Birthday Cake"

    Morrigan lifted an intrigued brow. "That''s a vor?"

    "Of course. Or do you prefer something like mango or coconut?"

    Altair was surprised by Morrigan''s interaction with Atelia. He noticed that Morrigan''s demeanor had softened considerably, which was quite unexpected given her usual cold self¡ªnot that he knew her much. Even her tone was markedly different.

    "Would it be fine if I had a taste? I could just order one myself."

    "And what if you don''t like it?" Atelia said disapprovingly. Mama said that one should never waste food." She scooped out a small spoonful and offered it to Morrigan.

    Morrigan elegantly swept her fingers through the unkempt locks of her hair, delicately tucking a stray strand behind her ear with a graceful movement of her hand. " Then, if you don''t mind, " She epted a spoonful, her cheeks blushing as she smiled. "Oh my! It''s yummy!"

    "Right!"

    "Morrigan!" Salizar hissed, warning in his tone.

    Morrigan sighed, unable to escape the pest at her heel. She gave Atelia an apologetic smile before shifting her attention to Altair. Her soft demeanor dissipated into a somberness, befitting her status.

    Atelia sensed the change and grew silent. Explore more at empire

    "What have you done to this world?"

    "Without the permission of the Golden Crucible," Szar added, arms folding off to the side.

    Altair ignored Szar, his attention on Morrigan. "I agreed on the fusion of Earth with Gaia. The Twelve Olympian Gods are sure to be present upon Earth in no time."

    "Who gave you the right?" Szar once again interrupted. Unaware of the disrespect that was disyed before the Emperor. He continued. "Earth had finallye beneath our control. And yet you dare¡ª"

    The storm of profane force that caught the air beneath its merciless grip had stolen the lives of most present within the bar as Altair Presence was unveiled. The killing intent he held at bay reached the heavens, staining the morning skies a pitch ck.

    Ghastly wails of the dead, of those in by his hands, rose across aimless space. Their translucent bodies writhed uncontrobly, wing andshing mindlessly as the lingering intent left beneath their bodies came into being beneath the Emperor''s smoldering gaze.

    Salizar resisted the innate sensation of stepping back. He was a Ninth Circle possessing a higher state of being, yet even he was shaken by the killing intent that left him damn near breathless. Unlike his, Altair''s Presence was tempered, possessing an edge that had been forged through blood.

    Morrigan, however, did not appear surprised. Invisible to beings like Salizar, who hadn''t experienced the passage of Samsara. Morrigan could vaguely perceive the presence of Altair''s active Spirit Domain. He''d seemed proficient.

    Amongst the Golden Crucible members, there were only a handful who were proficient in the maniption of the Spirit. Trained by the Old Gods with the sole purpose of being tempered by the Myriad Heavens.

    "Forgive Szar''s insolence," Morrigan said dryly.

    After a moment''s pause, Altair aura receded into the depths of his being.

    "This is the second time," Altair said softly. He closed his eyes, opening them with a coldness that bore no humanity. "Have him out of my empire before light dawns across this hemisphere."

    Morrigan hesitated and said. "His words are The Goddess of Rot''s words."

    "Then perhaps I should have him killed now. To spare myself the annoyanceter?" Altair suggested, no sooner as Hilda and Vaiga materialized, their arms poised above the hilt of their des. He looked at Morrigan, too disdainful to give Szar one final nce.

    "You''d die,'' Morrigan said.

    "Need I call the Devil of the Nine Hells to my side as well?"

    At the mention of Tasha, Morrigan''s eyes dted with fear that she tried to hide. Devils, especially Devils of Royal Blood, were on another levelpared to those of the Myriad Heavens. As she was now, the prospect of defeating Tasha was but a fool''s mission.

    "Leave us, Szar," Morrigan said without much deliberation. "You''ve failed to control your arrogance. Be sure to tell the Goddess of Rot of your failure. Perhaps you might have the honor to be defiled by her hands."

    Salizar was pale, though certainly not out of fear, but humiliated, deterred by the tremors writhing across his shoulders, down to his arms. Without a sound, he left, unsure what awaited him.

    "Are you curious as to why I would risk control over Earth by merging Earth with Gaia?" Altair proceeded to ask, his tone light. He nced at Vaiga and Hilda, gesturing for them to leave for the time being.

    "You''re confident."

    "True. Very much true," Altair smiledzily. "How''d you guess."

    "I was once a Goddess of ughter," Morrigan said, ignoring the look of intrigue he was giving her. She nced around at the bodies of the dead, too weak to keep their lives beneath Altair''s presence, and sighed, the taste of ice cream still in her mouth. She nced at Altair, surveying him up and down. "I know a Monster when I sense them.

    Young though you may be, no way you''d be that stupid if you didn''t have some hidden card. Still¡­"

    "Still?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "You underestimate the Goddess of Rot."

    Altair snickered, his solemn behavior melting away. "I think I''ve got a better gauge on her than you do." He looked down from his vantage point towards the chaos; the mes roared and licked at the sky, consuming everything in their path. Above the mes, a great crack had formed in the sky, tearing it apart and revealing the stars beyond.

    The crack widened with each passing moment as if the very fabric of reality was being rendered asunder. The sight was both mesmerizing and terrifying, leaving him in awe.

    "The gods are surely powerful," he said, sensing the crack expanding space in a way that left him confused by how such a thing was possible, if not conceivable.

    The mana projecting from the crack was surging, reaching incredible levels. Altair was sure there was little difference between a dungeon and Earth.

    "Well¡­" He said, pulling his gaze away. "What did you want with me?"

    "Nothing," Morrigan revealed. "We spent the night here. Salizar inquired about a drink, so we went there. Our meeting was a mere coincidence."

    Altair arched a brow. "Why aren''t you staying in the Sunset Pce? Surely, you were invited to stay."

    "Szar wanted a report. So I refused."

    "And now?" Altair said calmly.

    Morrigan gave him a confused look. "I don''t understand. You want me within your Pce?"

    "I''m not a savage," heughed. "Have you eaten? I¡­ oh, right. I guess I Killed everyone, eh?"

    Raven sighed, giving him a look. "Master is a big dummy."

    "That bastard was asking for it," Altair protested, though he had to admit he lost control for a brief second.

    Atelia shed her teeth. "Papa, Atelia can feel the world expanding. It makes Atelia''s head spin."

    "Huh? You can sense it? How much bigger?"

    The Kitsune tilted her head, raising her palm, lifting all five fingers. "This much!"

    ''Ah! Cute!'' Morrigan thought.

    Altair flicked her on the nose. "Don''t act all cute. You know your number, right?"

    Atelia flickered, rending herself through space as if she''d pivoted off her feet, gripping her bruised nose. "Papa struck Atelia! "

    The surprise that Atelia had given Altair was far beyond what he''d thought the Kitsune was capable of. Five years might have passed, but the measure in which she bent space seemed almost effortless.

    "Atelia is going to tell Mama about you!"

    "Oh really? " Altair smiled. "How about I give you all the ice cream? As much as you can find in this¡ª-"

    Atelia [blinked], Pushing herself through space, unable to keep herself still. She appeared in the kitchen, eager to im what was now hers.

    Altair and Morrigan sprang into a chorus ofughter as they looked at the shadow of the little girl scurrying through the kitchen like a mouse.

 Chapter 287 Acolytes of the Old Gods I

    "That girl is something else," Altair said when prescience warned of some intangible web. The Emperor turned to face his city, his domain of 65m actively pushing information into his mind''s eye. As if he were standing amidst a maelstrom of information, his palm opened as a fist bore through the window, shattering the ss in a frightened burst of earth-shattering force.

    A deafening roar struck!

    Altair held the force at bay, his surroundings shattering into a burst of destruction and debris, uprooting the bar like cardboard. The room exploded as the Emperor stood poised, a half smile across his impassive face.

    "You blocked that?" Thaeon said, taken back by the young man holding his grip. He frowned, disturbed by the way some unseamed force disbursing half his force.

    Altair released him, taking a seat in his chair, which had been left untouched by Raven''s Vale Qi, beside Morrigan, who did not seem the least bit phased.

    "Your domain is impressive," Morrigan said.

    "Is this you trying to flirt?" Altair joked, though clearly Morrigan did not find it funny. She red at him, giving him his answer with an obscene finger gesture.

    Altair crackled up, and his eyes glided to the stranger. "Who are you to court death so openly." He asked, the ridicule in his voice overt.

    The tant dismissal had left Thaeon flushed with rage. How many could say they survived a fist from someone like him?

    Altair took a sip of his whiskey, awaiting his response when a cry echoed from the ruined kitchen.

    "Papa! Someone tried to kill Atelia! Help! Oh¡­ Papa found him. Nevermind. Atelia will continue to look for Ice cream.

    She''s sure that some of it survived. Justice for Atelia!"

    As Atelia left to rummage through the kitchen''s debris, Thaeon grew even angrier.

    "Your Altair ckwood."

    "Obviously," Lord ckwood said. " or do you just attack random people? Evidently, you don''t work for Athena, so what God dick are you riding."

    Thaeo expression contorted. "I walk the Path of War."

    "Ares." Altair grinned. He enjoyed another sip, embellishing the smooth warmth pulsing through his chest, attempting to cloud the mind. "The God of War has found fault with me. Interesting."

    As Altair''s eyes fell upon the acolyte, he couldn''t help but be struck by the man''s unique appearance. The ashen hue of his hair contrasted beautifully with his sultry brown skin, creating a striking symmetry that was impossible to ignore. Altair''s gaze drifted down to the acolyte''s tunic, which was worn and frayed in some ces, revealing shadows of scars that seemed to tell a story of their own.

    Despite the tunic being a bit toorge for the acolyte''s height, it failed to detract from the man''s overall appearance. Altair''s eyes then wandered to the linen robes the acolyte was wearing - they seemed to give him an air of mystery and intrigue, almost as if he had recently emerged from a long journey through a vast dune-filled desert.

    Thaeon''s voice wasced with anger as he uttered the words, "Your arrogance is deafening." With a swift motion, he opened his hand and summoned a cruel ck ive. The weapon was adorned with intricate engravings of a helm of war across its hilt, giving it a menacing appearance.

    Altair regarded the scarlet glow of the ive curiously but did not ce much worth in its user.

    The scarlet threads of Mana began to writhe, building momentum that left the air stagnant and with weight.

    A voice called out, cutting through the air.

    "My Lord, should I kill him?" Vaiga asked from the threshold of the ruin bar. Her back to the wall, but her palm across Shadoww.

    Altair left a palm open. His intention was clear.

    Vaiga didn''t hesitate for a moment. She gracefully stepped over the piles of rubble and carefully ced Shadoww into the Emperor''s open hand. As soon as he grasped the weapon, the Infernal de started to hum with furious energy, causing scarlet tendrils to spark and line the Emperor''s hand.

    It had happened in a single instant, but Morrigan had whipped back like a gust of wind, an rm present as the faintest sensation of an Aspect began to curve Shadoww''s obsidian edge. She gulped, taken back by the near presence of Almighty it brought. But as she blinked, the faintest wisp of Almighty Qi vanished.

    ''Could I have imagined it?'' she wondered. ''No. One does not imagine Almighty Qi. What is his Aspect?''

    Suddenly, the motion of his sword red, scarring space an infernal red, as Shadoww whipped,ced with profane air, crackled against the shaft of Thaeons ive, rocketing the man through several buildings like an intable beam of light.

    As the [Eyes of Sacrge] glowed, a surge of madness seemed to taint the very air as he looked eyes with Thaeon, pulling himself from the rubble.

    Ding

    Name: Thaeon of Tyboon

    Age: 24

    Race: Versi

    Mana Circle: [Seventh Circle 99%]

    ss: [Acolyte of War III Lv 150]

    Str: 1747

    Dex: 1622

    Con: 1860

    Wis: 1910

    Chr: 1910

    Mana: 504

    "What are the Gods thinking sending a Sixth Circle after this King?" He smiled. "But I guess I do want to try out my new original technique on you."

    mmering to his feet, ash and soot hounding his senses, Thaeon kicked off the earth with shattering force, reaching Altair in half a breath, his agility so great the air folded, exploding as he reached supersonic levels.

    And yet the Emperor seemed like an immutable wall as their des crossed. He contained the force to such a degree the hotel merely shook.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "How?"

    "Is that all?" The Emperor asked. His voice was like ice. Swatting away Thaeon like he were a child and not an acolyte of an old God.

    Pushed several meters, Thaeon glided across the air, simrly to how one would the earth. "How! How! My Power is clearly higher." he asked, hovering in the air.

    The attention of their battle caught the eye of a few Gods and Mortals alike.

    "Why don''t the rest of you show up, or will you allow the God of War to front this battle." Altair did not move, his eyes narrowing as eleven, more simr men and women, began to leak their aura. The radiance of their being like the soaring sun as they came into being like pirs of light.

    Again, Altair was not impressed, his lips curling into a disdainful smile as the eleven forming twelve stood in the skies, their bodies aze with the light of their God''s Glory.

    All twelve were in the Sixth Circle, possessing simr stats to Thaeon. Each of them was a genius in their own right, and yet, as they hovered before the Emperor, a palpable sense of inferiority began to seep into their minds. Even though they were each aplished in their own right, their confidence faltered in the presence of the all-powerful ruler.

    He was younger and weaker in terms of a Circle, yet each of them felt their hearts pound in their chests at the mere image of the young man.

    "Master, shall I assist you?" Raven asked, rising from her chair, a ive shing in her small hands.

    Altair raised a brow. "I''ll allow it." He said as though it was nothing, his feet stepping onto a b of infernal lightning to allow flight. Raven followed behind him. The coolness within her amethyst eyes was slowly being swallowed by the will of the Vale.

    "Surrender," Ophelia Silvers, the First Acolyte of Athena, said in a strong, orderly voice, pointing the sleek edge of her Katana towards the Emperor. "There are twelve of us and Two of you."

    Azar, the First Acolyte of Hephaestus, lifted the Third me of Rite across his palm. "Lay down the sword and just ept it, ckwood. There is no need for us to ruin you and your woman."

    "Back the fuck off!" Thaeon shouted, ring at the Elven Acolytes.

    "I''m not in this," said Asahi, First Disciple of Artemis, as she glided towards Altair. She cuffed her palm. "Such a dishonorable battle would be a disgrace to my Master, the Goddess of the Hunt."

    "Ah. Now, there is a god I would love to meet," Altair said, gesturing to Morrigan. "But if you''ve no interest in fighting, please stand beside Lady Morrigan."

    Asahi nodded, fluttering through the scorched winds towards the Goddess of ughter. She offered a kind smile but said nothing. Raven nced at her but did not ce much worth in her being as Vaiga and Hilda remained where they were, poised for any signs of extreme danger.

    Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire

    Altair regarded the eleven remaining Acolytes with a critical eye; his thoughts drifted to the ominous, expanding crack in the sky. The crack was unlike anything he had ever seen before - a gaping hole in the heavens that seemed to defy thews of physics. It was as if reality itself had been torn asunder, and the very fabric of the universe was unraveling before his eyes.

    As he watched, transfixed by the mesmerizing sight, Altair noticed that the light rays were twisting and warping in strange and chaotic ways. They were being pushed out of disorder from out of the swirling crack that seemed near endless.

    Calmly, he returned to himself, giving a half smile to the Acolytes. "Does anyone else wish to stand down?" his gaze swept the faces, marking the level of disdain and contempt before he asked. "Alright. Then which one of you belongs to Athena?"

 Chapter 288 Acolytes of the Old Gods II

    "Then which one of you belongs to Athena?"

    Ophelia Silvers, a devoted follower of Athena, strutted forward, her shoulders swinging in a confident air. "That would be me," she dered, "And I will be the one to kill you in the name of Athena herself!"

    Interestingly enough, Altair only smiled, his gaze assessing the youngdy with azure blue eyes. "Athena, this one seems to be quite a handful. Erect a spatial istion barrier for me, and you have my word. I won''t kill her."

    The Heavens replied as a sudden fixture of silence engulfed the entire city below. The mournful cries guing the city seemed to dissipate as the morning light took on a lighter consistency. They all felt as if they had teleported into another realm.

    "It seems your master doesn''t have much fate in you," Altair said, his smile turning cruel.

    Ophelia''s face contorted into an ugly grimace as she red. "I¡ª"

    Just then, Thaeon''s voice echoed with fierce determination as he asserted, "He is mine!" His lithe figure moved with an otherworldly speed, cutting through the vast expanse of space like a brilliant beam of ephemeral light.

    As Thaeon moved, it felt as if time dted within the Emperor''s mind. His surroundings came to a standstill, as if frozen in time, while every fiber of his was united under a single, unwavering will. Tension built up within his muscles, tissue, and cells, creating a palpable sense of momentum that seemed to transcend mortal understanding.

    It was as if the Emperor had harnessed the very essence of his being, channeling it into a powerful force that defied thews of nature.

    "Rule," The Emperor willed, his sword reaching up as the flow of time resumed, crossing against Theaeons ridged ive.

    DING!

    The earth-shattering thunderous shockwave everyone expected did not resound through Heaven and Earth, leaving only the nking of steel against steel to trace their ears. The realm stood still as Thaeon looked on with disbelief.

    "H-H-How?" he asked a quiver in his voice, having pushed as much Mana into his sword as he could to generate the strongest sword stroke he could without an Art.

    "A Soul King could not im my life. What right does an insect such as yourself dare to hope?" The Emperor coldly asked, channeling the Will of the Abyss. He unveiled an ungodly might that transcended limitation, affixing his name across Heaven and Earth.

    The moment did not constitute fear but a silent terror that bore through the hearts of mortals and transcendents alike.

    Had there been a more terrifying mortal? A being that bore such Authority it seemed transcendent?

    Thaeon could not contemte such thoughts as Altair''s palmshed across his face, bleeding the very wrath with which he swung his de. Sound roared through Zampis''s silence as Thaeon bore through buildings the size of mountains, tearing through the earth like a rock through the water. He bounced and skipped, uprooting stones, ss, and trees without stopping.

    "Approach me next time at full strength." The Emperor dered, settling his cruel eyes upon Athena''s Acolyte. "Next"

    The eleven acolytes gulped, their bodies shaking from the intangible pressure weighing over their shoulders like the hand of God. They wanted to kneel and sing in praise of the Emperor, whom the very Abyss seemed to anoint.

    Ophelia caught herself, noting herbored breath, while behind her, the ten acolytes seemed to mirror her distressed state. She didn''t dare turn, unable to take her eyes from the Emperor, channeling the [Will of the Abyss]

    ''What is this?'' she asked herself, opening herself to the Wisdom of Athena.

    [Ding]

    [Will of the Abyss]

    Passive: Transcend Limitations of the One across the Myriad Heavens. The Stronger the user''s conviction, the stronger he may transcend.

    Active: Creates a Domain fueled by the user''s Willpower/Charisma to plunge those of weaker wills into an Abyss of Despair.

    [DING]

    [Ashen Blood]

    Passive: Tethers the Body to the Ancestors of Old, granting the user Inherent Memories and lived experiences.

    Active: Through the Will of the Abyss, user blood shall mend the rift between Eternal Damnation and Eternal Life.

    [DING]

    [Aspect of Rule - Dectected]

    [Error]

    [Authorty not sufficient to view the Aspect of Prince of the Vale]

    Altair frowned and touched some unseamed force seeking to invade his being. It was smooth, like a wisp of the winds, and yet¡­

    "What do you think you''re doing?" he asked, opening the King''s Domain and connecting to the invisible point between him and Ophelia. He was beside her before her awareness could channel that he moved. A palm reaching towards her head.

    "I asked you a question."

    Ophelia lurched her katana toward Altair''s throat, an instinctual reaction that took over her arms, seeing his palm approaching. However, before her sword arrived, a bolt of infernal lightning bore through her head, stealing her consciousness before she could invoke a spell of protection. She plummeted toward the earth.

    Altair once more looked at the ten. "You''d better release your body art. Those who are my equal have no chance against me."

    "Master, your kill stealing!" Ravenined, ring her chubby cheeks. "If this keeps going on. Raven will have no kills."

    Wry amusement narrowed across his eyes.

    "I''ve not killed anyone. I''ve kept my word," Altair said as Ophelia''s limp body struck the earth, cracking the asphalt. "But I see your point. Have fun. Just don''t kill anyone. I''ve ns for these fools."

    Just then, Azar, the First Acolyte of Hephaestus, let out a deafening roar, unleashing the full power of the Third me Rite. The city of Zamphis was engulfed in a blinding sh of light, so bright that it seemed to turn the very air into liquid fire. The once-solid asphalt and towering buildings quickly sumbed to the intense heat, melting away into a deluge of molten rain.

    [DING]

    [Rite of me - Engaged]

    [All Attributes have been multiplied by a factor of 4x]

    Name: Azar

    Age: 24

    Race: Godling

    Mana Circle: [Seventh Circle  97%]

    ss: [Acolyte  of me III  Lv 150]

    Str:  1847 ¡ú 7388

    Dex: 1522 ¡ú 6088

    Con: 2004 ¡ú 8016

    Wis: 1910 ¡ú 7640

    Chr: 1910 ¡ú 7640

    Mana: 500

    The Emperor waved off the mes as though they were the winds, his Almighty Resistance ensuring that such a level of me could not prate his natural defenses.

    "That''s a bit better. But 4x? Is that the zenith of your ability as a Sixth Circle?" He wasn''t impressed, but that was to be expected from someone less than thirty years old. Not everyone could train everything all at once.

    "Pathetic," he continued as three Vale stars began to shimmer across his head like a Crown. Shadoww began to leak infernal air, and the ck entrails of Vale Qi began to bleed from the sword''s edge.

    Dark, crackling tendrils of infernal energy snaked their way across the Emperor''s lean forearm, pulsing with a sickly light as they reached ever upwards, snaking towards his shoulder and neck as an otherworldly circuit had been formed.

    The very air around him seemed to vibrate with the power of his profane aura, which billowed and surged like a roiling storm cloud, lending an ominous weight to his already imposing presence.

    [Deste Abyss - Engaged]

    [Infernal Might of Shadoww- Engaged.]

    [Necrotic me - Engaged]

    [All Attributes have been multiplied by a factor of 4.5x]

    [Mana Attribute has been Mupiled by a factor of 2x]

    Altair ckwood

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 25% ¡ú30%]

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 150]

    Strength: 1440 ¡ú 6480

    Dexterity: 1545 ¡ú 6953

    Constitution: 1720 ¡ú 7740

    Wisdom:  1740 ¡ú 7830

    Charisma: 1740 ¡ú 7830n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Mana: 300 ¡ú 600

    As the two auras shed, a captivating fear engulfed the hearts of the ten acolytes, who stood transfixed before the Emperor. Their eyes were glued to the mesmerizing sight in front of them while their hearts pounded against their chests with an intensity that made them shudder.

    The air was thick with anticipation as the beads of sweat formed on their foreheads and evaporated instantly, leaving them feeling drenched in their own fear.

    The Third me Rite was unlike any mortal me. It radiated an overwhelming energy that seemed to transcend mortal understanding. Yet beneath the Vale writhing against the Empeor like a me cloak, it felt like a cool gust of air.

    ''Run''

    The thought had cut across everyone''s minds as they continued to stare.

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl, ask that you show mercy.]

    "Mercy?" The Emperor smiled as the sigil within his eyes shed, invoking [Infernal Bane]. Suddenly, ten translucent infernal swords appeared above the heads of each of the acolytes, who seemed to have a far higher sense of awareness than those Altair faced.

    All ten dodged, invoking their divine arts to multiply their body''s attributes, cutting through the air as they all charged at once.

    Raven grinned. Her amethyst eyes glowed a frightening light as she blitzed the Acolyte of Fire, thrusting her fist through the air with such force that me coiled around her arm as the Acolyte roared, managing to raise his Warhammer of me in the nick of time.

    A dreadful force reached into the Acolyte of Fire, tearing him from the skies and into the earth like a meteoroid, causing the earth to begin thrashing back and forth like a wave. She whirled to her rear as the Acolyte of Lightning roared his mighty cry of defiance. Thrusting his spear toward her head.

    The Vale spun beneath her will, enchanting her ive as it shed against a lightning spear. A discharge of essence ignited into a grand pir that distorted space, seeking to tear it asunder.

    Pushed back several meters, Raven did not stop. She rounded through the air, using infernal lightning as a tform. She charged towards the Acolyte of Lightning, only to divert at thest second as the Acolyte of War rejoined the fray like a raging demon.

    Experience more on empire

    The Guardian of the Vale began tough as an ancient force began to rise from off her being. The translucent image of her true form. The Three-Eyed Raven opened its wings. Ancient knowledge predating time immemorial rising across her sea of consciousness.

    She grinned a predatorial smile, opening her will to the Vale.

 Chapter 289 Acolytes of the Old Gods III

    Zyran Arcemas, Acolyte of the Mighty King of the Gods Zeus, stood at the heart of the city of Zampis, his eyes fixated on the Spear of Indra, the legendary weapon he held in his hand. As he gazed upon it, he felt a sudden jolt of energy, as if the spear was alive and pulsing with the power of the Primal God of Thunder and Lightning. Yet his arm was shaking.

    The Spear of Indra, a weapon forged from the bones of countless gods, was shaking.

    Had it felt something to constitute such a reaction of fear? Yet what could cause the Spear of Intra such turmoil?

    In the annals of ancient lore, there have been stories of Indra, the primal god of thunder and lightning, who created a weapon of immense power and destruction. The Spear of Indra, as it was known, was forged from the very bones of the Ancient Gods of Old, imbued with their strength and will.

    It was said that the spear was created to battle the devilkin of the Nine Hells, the Asuras, who threatened the very fabric of creation.

    The Spear of Indra was a weapon of incredible potency, capable of unleashing bolts of lightning and thunder that could rend Time and Space. It was a weapon that had seen the deepest depths of the Hells and had returned, stained with the blood of countless Asuras. So much blood had graced its edge that it had gained sentience, bing a living thing with a will of its own.

    Zyran hadn''t been sure why the Spear of Indra had chosen him despite rejecting both the Gods of New and Old, but as his fingers had curled around the spear shaft before the eyes of his Master, he had managed to awaken the Spear''s spirit. He''d felt a might that seemed to defy the veryws that govern the realm. An Authority that zed brighter than any God of the Heavens.

    Yet such a Spear was now shaking.

    "Thaeon!" Zyran shouted, snatching the charging Acyolyte of Fire by the shoulder. He pulled, his heart thumping in his chest as the translucent image of the Three-Eye Raven red its mighty radiance. A rending sensation of panic red across his heart.

    "Back! Back!" He hurriedly screamed, hurling the unsuspecting Thaeon back.

    As Raven opened herself to the Vale, her ive moved in a lithe path to her ankle, its tip aimed down. She took in a breath and exhaled, a fine mist of Vale Qi enveloping her in a ck cloud of energy. Raven closed her eyes and focused her mind, feeling the power of the Vale flowing through her veins. With a sense of calm and purpose, she opened them.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    [Fallen de of Nine Rivers]

    "HIT THE DECK!" Altair roared, instinctuallymanding Vaiga to protect Atelia. "ATHENA GET THEM OUT!"

    In a moment that seemed tost several years, Raven''s ive only needed to cross space once for the City of Zamphis to turn vaporous beneath the maelstrom of spear intent. The spatial istion barrier surrounding the city shook violently, warping under intense pressure as the elements themselves were consumed by the storm.

    The Vale Qi was unlike any energy source known to Creation. It was akin to the manifestation of Primal Death. Its power was so great that it seemed to tear at the very fabric of reality. As the maelstrom raged on, Raven''s ive hummed with otherworldly energy before dissipating into nothingness, unable to hold out beneath the will of the Vale.

    For what seemed like an eternity, the storm raged on, twisting and warping the very fabric of space-time. The sky turned dark, and the air grew thick with the energy of the Vale. Finally, with a thunderous roar, the storm began to dissipate, leaving nothing but a vacuum the size of Zampis behind.

    "Master¡­" Raven muttered, blood trickling down her nose as she swayed back and forth before allowing the weightlessness of the vacuum to hold her up. She fainted.

    Altair wasn''t sure how he was alive, looking down at his arms and feet. The moment that ck Vale touched him, he felt only a gentle breeze that left him taken back. Athena, at least to his awareness, had pulled the acolytes from her Space but had left everyone else.

    ''That bitch left me to die,'' He thought, ncing over to see Vaiga, Atelia, Hilda, and Morrigan floating soundlessly in his gaping void.

    They all had the same look that mirrored the Emperor. Disbelief

    "Where alive," Vaiga said, though her voice did not travel far in the vacuum of space. When her eyes swayed to Raven.

    Had her control allowed them to survive? But how did she manage to create such a feat?'' she wondered. ''As far as I can tell, Raven should be as strong as Master. But that attack. It felt¡­ inescapable.''

    Pushing his way towards Raven, Altair caught her, a little taken by how fragile she felt. The meridians across her body were all but shattered. If she were a normal human, she''d either be dead or crippled for life. Even now, he wasn''t sure how long it would take to recover from such a bacsh.

    "Hells. Tasha, get us out of here." Altair said,municating with the devil on the outside through Aurora.

    As he spoke, Altair did not react much when space shattered, shifting in a way that left them once more in the streets of Zamphis, untouched by the madness Raven had unveiled.

    Altair did not regard the Twelve Acolytes; rather, he directed his attention to Aurora, who was side by side with Tasha. "Have Ravenmitted to the Medical Ward. She''s badly injured." Enjoy more content from empire

    Aurora bowed, epting the young woman into her palms, as she took off towards the pce.

    "Tasha, Vaiga take the acolytes. All except the acolyte of the Hunt. She has free reign over the Sunset Pce. The rest¡­ you can kill them if they try to resist. Morrigan. How many members of the Golden Crucible are here?"

    "Hundreds," Morrigan said, remembering. "Why?"

    Altair looked at the eleven ugly faces of the acolytes and said, without emotion. "The Olympian gods will surely send envoys to take back their disciples. Have some of your members kill them before they arrive at my pce."

    "And if there in the Ninth Circle?" Morrigan asked.

    "I control the Entrance, too, Babels Tower," Altair told her. The Goddess of Rot will be sending you back up, especially now that I''ve allowed Gaia and Earth to fuse. Control of such a power like Babel''s Tower is not something one can just pass up. She''ll help me secure myself on Earth or, rather, her organization here. Ninth Circle, Transcendence, and Gods alike are sure to be cut down like weeds.."

    "Then I shall inform her, Majesty," Morrigan said calmly before she took her leave, her eyes lingering on the eleven Acolytes'' faces. "It was stupidly arrogant of you all to challenge this man," she said before leaving.

    The taste of using the Golden Crucible had left a foul taste in the Emperor''s mouth, but it was a necessary evil. He had to strike lest Azura took drastic action against his tant disrespect for Salizar''s dismissal. Allowing more crucible members to run amok on Earth was not something he could stop, but by asking for backup through Morrigan, Altair was giving Azura the respect she deserved.

    Ophelia''s eyes narrowed as she red at her captors. "What are you going to do to us?" she demanded, her voiceced with a hint of defiance.

    "Next time she speaks out of turn, cut her fucking tongue out and send it to Athena,'' Altairmanded Vaiga, lifting Atelia into his arms. The little girl looked like she was going to start crying anytime now. He kissed her cheek, pacifying her turbulent emotions.

    "Is Big Sis Raven going to be alright?" Atelia asked in a weak cry.

    "Of course," Altair assured her. "You''ve nothing to worry about." He looked towards Vaiga and then the Acolytes. "You all are now my prisoners. I''ve no idea why you believe you could kill me when I''ve shown to kill Soul Kings. But there will be a price paid. If you''re, God cannot ount for your behavior.

    You will be killed and made into Shadows. Take them away."

    "Which Pce, my Lord?" Vaiga asked.

    "The Pce of Stygian. Where their gods can''t find them."

    The Sword Maids were both bowed, curling their essence around the horrible faces of the Eleven before they were whisked away before they could resist.

    ''Athena¡­ you''ve truly disappointed me, '' Altair thought, smiling. ''At least have the means in which to control your Acolyte. What good is a tool if it can''t be used? But I wonder¡­ were you trying to kill me with that stunt, or were you just curious?''

    He shook his head, a gant smile rising as he looked at the single Acolyte left behind. "What is your name, mydy."

    "Asahi," she said, bowing. "My Master warned that I am not to offend you. It was a piece of wisdom that I took to heart."

    Altair nodded, engraving the image of her being across his consciousness. "She saved your life. Come along," he said, shooting that crack across his world onest nce before returning toward the Pce of Sunset.

    He found Athena waiting for him at the gates, an uneasy smile on his lips. "Wee back." She said.

    "Go find Raven," Altair said, lowering Atelia to her feet. He lifted an eye towards Athena, a devilish smile rising across his lips.

    "Your disciple is quite the handful."

    "She is merely one of the countless acolytes of my parish," Athena exined. "I warned her not to attack you."

    The Emperor chuckled. "I''m sure you did," he said, ncing at Asahi, whose knees practically began to buckle beneath the weight of Athena''s presence. "My guards will prepare you a room. Athena¡­ why don''t we talk? There is so much we need to discuss."

 Chapter 290 Sif

    It had started to rain as Altair led Athena up the serpentine stairs of the Pce of Sunset towards the spire that overlooked all of Zamphis; from north to south and from east to west, they stood, taking in the ruined city that had barely recovered from not that long ago. Still, even on fire, the city looked epassingly beautiful.

    As they sat down at the table, which had been prepared, Altair faintly smiled as he looked at the Goddess of Wisdom. She looked ufortable, although he was sure that was just an act¡ªa trap to y to his ego. She''d used such tactics before.

    "I''m thinking of turning the Twelve Acolytes into nobles that work beneath me," Altair said, and a spark of surprise pulsed from those amber eyes of hers. "What do you think."

    "They tried to kill you."

    ''And you didn''t just now?" Altair responded.

    "I did no such thing,'' Athena admitted. "I tried to take you and your people along, but the instant I tried, some strange force interruption disrupted me. If you died, then I''d have no champion to herald us towards the future."

    Altair saw her point very clearly, yet something was off. Even if that had been the case, wasn''t Athena a God? It made little sense to im some unnamed force allowed her to stow away the acolytes but not him or his people.

    Could there have been some resonance between the Vale and his Shadows that afflicted Athena''s helping hand? But what of Morrigan and Atelia? They weren''t shadows. Yet they were unaffected by the aftermath.

    Athena felt his withered gaze and added, "The force was strong, pushing me away as my will grabbed the acolytes. By the time I was aware of it, all I could do was take away the twelve acolytes."

    Altair frowned before shifting the topic to something about which he would actually receive definite answers. "You never answered me. What do you think of me taking on the Twelve Acolytes as nobles?"

    "They''ll never agree to it," Athena said. "Unless you can convince my family."

    "Convince, you say." Altair smiled cruelly. "The Gods will either agree to it, or they shall be killed and raised as my Fallen Shadows."

    "Their souls have already been imed by¡ª"

    "I took the soul of creature sired to Asteroth, Fallen Angel of the Heavens. Demons for the Hells are now my thrall. Do you truly think you all can stop me from stealing their souls? The simple fact is Athena. When ites to Death, my Authority outstrips even the Angels."

    Athena went silent then, her lips thinning. "You can''t kill Zyran," she said solemnly. "He is special."

    "Which one is that one?"

    "The Acolyte of Lightning. He is Zeus''s disciple."

    Altair adopted a humorless smile. "And that matters why?"

    Athena sucked in a deep breath. "Long Ago, my Father had been sent to the Hells to be tormented. For countless Dao Cycles, he experienced the Torment of the Nine Hells. When he was finally resurrected beneath the Pact we had with the Silver Devil, something had changed within him. He had changed¡­ Time, if you are not aware, works differently in the Nine Hells.

    A second on the material ne, depending on the type of torment, could be anywhere from a dao cycle to a chaos cycle in length. Zeus, however, experienced multiple Dao Cycles. By the time he returned¡­ he was a shell of his former self. I still think he was lucky. Compared to what the Second Monarch of Hell did to Sif, he was fortunate."

    "Sif?" Altair asked.

    "Thor''s wife. These events happened long ago. Chaos Cycles ago. But Sif never recovered. Arsene shattered her. Broke her will to live, then the will to die.

    All she is now is a husk, drowning in fear and misery."

    "When we ascended through the Myriad Heavens, Zeus was broken beyond our means to control. We are very cautious when approaching him now. At times, he is very poised, and at other times, he is cruel and violent. Kill Zyran, and he''ll break the Shadow Promation and bear the consequences. I''m not sure who you have behind you.

    But I ask, do you think your backers will support you if they learn an infringement God is after your head?

    "What are Infringement Gods," Altair calmly asked.

    Athena hesitated. "I¡­ I can''t tell you. Information on such would go against the Shadow Promation."

    Altair rolled his eyes. "You''ve interfered quite a bit, creating a Spatial Istion barrier and all."

    "Technically, I didn''t do anything. To escape my istion, all you had to do was walk out of it. If I actually trapped you guys, then that would infringe on the Laws of the Shadow Promation.''

    ''Infringe, she says,'' he caught on, discerning meaning in her words.

    "Zeus can resist the Shadow Promation?" He then asked.

    "To a certain extent. Which is¡ª"

    "Then let him try to kill me. I will not act based on fear over some unhinged bastard. If Zeus seeks to court death, then he''ll find himself in the Nine Hells once again." Altair dered, sneering. He waved off Athena''s concern and asked, "Now tell me about this Sif."

    Athena frowned. "Aren''t you dismissing this too early?"

    "When your, Emperor, you get to do so," he said, smiling.

    Athena sighed, shaking her head. "How arrogant. I''ll try to convince him but don''t expect much. As for Sif¡­ I don''t really know much. She''s entered the wheel of reincarnation over a thousand times to wipe her memories, but whatever torment that afflicted her was so deep it reached the core of her being."

    Now Altair was curious. "Thor¡­ is the Norse Pantheon, right?"

    Athena nodded. "Yes. Why?''

    "Think you can send her a message? Tell her I can wipe her memories. Of course¡­ it''lle at a Price."

    "You are just a mortal, how could you¡ª-"

    "Ever heard of the Vale?"

    Athena went silent.

    "I''m sure you''ve heard it before amidst all your spying. I''ve said it plenty of times."

    Athena hesitated. "I''ve heard you speak of it¡­ but I''m not aware of what exactly it is."

    The Emperor stood up. "Send the message to Sif. Let''s see if she takes the bait. But I am a little disappointed. I''d have thought Arsene would have shattered her hope."

    "Sometimes hope can be the greatest form of torment. It''ll keep you going, pushing you so high up that when you fall, all that''ll await you will be a sort of hell that''ll leave you more broken than you ever were. "

    ***

    The dungeon within the Pce of Stygian was dark. Devoid of sound, it pooled with a profound darkness that ate away at the concept of time.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Zyran didn''t know how long had passed, but no matter how loud he yelled, the echo of his voice never returned. It was as if he were within a vacuum. It left him cold and shivering as he recalled the reason he''d attacked Altair ckwood in the first ce.

    ''We were foolish to listen to that bastard,'' Zyran thought, clenching his fist as he sighed bitterly. The instant he had seen when the other Acholytes approached the crack, he should have known it was a trap. ''Damn that¡ª''

    As if the shadowscape of darkness that had been his prison before him had been nothing more than an illusion, Zyran blinked, confused. As his eyes adjusted, he realized that he was chained to the wall, with thick iron chains around his arms, feet, and neck. The chains were tight, and the metal dug into his skin, making it impossible for him to move.

    The dungeon was poorly lit, and the flickering torches on the walls cast eerie shadows around him.

    It struck him then. He didn''t even remember being chained.

    "What is¡ª" He stopped looking at the young man before him, studying him with a cruel smile.

    "Mr. Arcemas," The Emperor started, his eyes narrowing. "How do you like your cell?fy?"

    "H-H-How did I get in here? No¡­ how long have I been here."

    "Talia, can you bind his mouth? He''s a talker."

    As Zyran''s eyes scanned the dimly lit room, he suddenly locked onto the sight of a girl with striking yellow eyes skipping inside. With a sense of impending doom, he immediately began struggling against his chains, but it was all in vain. The girl bounded towards him, a sinister smile on her face, as she quickly gagged his mouth with a filthy cloth.

    "You will blink, once for yes and two for no; if you cannot follow directions, I will begin cutting off some body parts. Do you understand?"

    Zyran red but nevertheless surrendered with a single blink.

    "Good. Now then. Do you want  your freedom back?"

    Zyran blinked once.

    "Freedomes at a price, Mr. Arcemas. Athena thinks your life is important. But I''m inclined to have you killed now simply to lure Zeus to his death and be done with the matter."

    Zyran looked at Altair as if he were mad.

    "Yes. I know. But it''s true. So here are your options. You''ll be givennd, freedom, and a noble title to my Empire; however, you''ll have to serve me for an entire Dao Cycle. As a Godling, that is the entire length of your life span unless you achieve godhood." Altair said, smiling.

    "I''ve already given the others the same pitch as it stands right now. If your god doesn''t pay the ransom on your life. I''ll kill you and raise you as a Fallen Shadow. If they do pay, well, the only way you get out alive is if you ept my deal. Ransom or not.  Either way, you''re fucked.

    Do you understand?''

    Zyran, with a crestfallen expression, blinked.

    "Good. Then I shall wait for your answer in a few days. Do enjoy the darkness of this realm. I hear it really gives a man time to think,'' Altair said as the shadowscape once more filled Zyran''s eyes, sealing him in eternal darkness.

 Chapter 291 The Sword Path I

    For the next few standard days, Altair found himself engulfed in a sea of paperwork during the day, and at night, he would train tirelessly with his sword and art beneath the Endless Darkness. He would often gaze up at the stars; his curiosity piqued toward how much Babels Tower might have changed since he stormed out of its gates in a fit of rage.

    He deliberately avoided asking anyone or checking for himself, his anger still smoldering. Though he had sessfully gained control over the Arbiter of the first floor, he chose to withdraw his forces now since they were needed across the Outer Rim of his.

    Presently, he was outside beneath the endless night within the Eternal Garden, secretly watching Medussa tend to the colony of crops from a distance. A yful smile was present on her lips as she knelt over the mud, watering a particr herb¡ªone he didn''t recognize.

    He smiled before teleporting into the Training Hall, which was nearly a few hundred meters in length, width, and height. Ancient weapons that had lost their power hung across the wall, each masterly forged by ancient methods that predated the Age of Mist, ebbing to the Era of Creation.

    As Altair appeared, he opened his palm, and the thrum of his Vale Sword reached his ears. He took a deep breath before losing himself in the Seven Forms of Grave of End without the use of mana.

    Ever since he returned from the Lake of Rot, Altair had found Mana to be a distraction from the Sword. A falsity he knew, and yet he felt the path he''d chosen was the one he needed to travel. Mana, the lifeblood of power itself in all mortals, had betrayed him and had been stripped from his body the day he''d fallen within the depths of the Lake of Rot.

    For ten long years, Altair had lived without Mana, touched only by the presence of the Vale within his Astral Sea.

    The Vale Sword in his hand hadn''t been forged through the mana he held within his Three Circle, which he''d transfigured into Vale Qi, but hade from the very depths of his being, from the pulsing organ beneath the navel, the Dantain.

    Lessons regarding the Vale and how it could be used had been his focus each evening with Raventely. However, as ofte, he had been feeling his Vale Qi reserve, if it could be called reserve, growing and recovering like a living entity, allowing him to train longer.

    Even so, the feel of his sword felt¡ª

    "Wrong," said a calm,manding voice.

    Thanatos, the owner, walked inside."Don''t stop the movement. Open your domain and keep it up. Any swordsman worth his salt knows this. Good. How''s that feel?"

    "Better," Altair admitted, sensing the flow of his des'' movements breeze across space.

    "Now shrink your domain. A domain should be no bigger than fifty meters. It''s the sign of a master. Always keep your range hidden. Ideally, against weaker foes, 15m is your best bet."

    Altair silently nodded, instinctually bringing his domain down to fifteen.

    Thanatos nodded. "Good. Arge domain sucks away more of your spirit than necessary. Now, then¡­ allow me to be blunt. Your sword is the most beautifully disgusting de I''ve ever seen in my life."

    Altair nearly dropped, shooting his mentor an eye.

    "Don''t look at me like that. It''s true. But I don''t me you. Rather, your irresponsible master. I''m not a sword master, but you, Altair, have not mastered the Intermediate, advanced, or expert level of the Sword. It clearly shows.

    You''ve jumped straight to the level we gods stand within."

    Altair was about to stall his movement when he heard Thanatos''s voice ring across his ear. "Don''t stop. "This is why I hate this system. It reduces the path of anything to a single letter. You have jumped multiple levels in the way of the sword. It really hurts to imagine how you got so good."

    "So I''m going to teach you about the Sword Path. Your Uncle Zariel created this when he was a child, andter, it became a staple of all masters, myself included."

    "He taught you?"

    "No. The Sword Path was such a profound concept he''d created that it echoed across the Dao. At that moment, everyone who had an understanding of the sword, or any de for that matter, felt a profound resonance in them."

    Altair stopped. Turning to face Thanatos'' half smile. "Such a thing is possible?" he asked in awe.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Oh yes. You should have seen the face of my Father that day. He stopped as if struck by a sudden enlightenment as he said, ''The Silver Devil, Zariel Snow, has returned.'' Thanatos shook his head, amused. Perhaps it was pride or one of his schemes, but Zariel had wanted everyone to know he had created something beyond their understanding.

    All across the Twelve Realm, and, sure enough, the Myriad Heavens echoed the name Zariel Snow."

    Altair''s fist clenched. "What is this Sword Path?"

    "In a sense, it''s the collective consciousness of perfection towards the sword. Much like the Realm of Spirits, which allows you to be all-knowing, the Sword Path was a more focused entity that everyone could ess. But it''s limited to your perception.''

    "My Perception?" Altair said.

    "Yes. The Sword Path can''tpare to your being omniscient at times, but it allows you to seek perfection if such a thing is possible. In a sense, you''ll be seeking an end to infinity."

    Altair''s eyes opened wide. ''To seek the End of Infinity?'' Was such a thing possible? Did it

    "But that''s¡­"

    Thanatos nodded. "Correct. It''s Madness. But that was Zariel. I can''t imagine the level of skill that Bastard has obtained now, but Zariel decided to walk that path." He took a deep breath, looking at the astonished face, and managed a smile. "The sword Path does not push you past your limit.

    Rather, it is there to show you the Infinite Paths of the Sword based on your level of skill and, in a sense, your perception."

    "''How do I do it?"

    Thanatos lifted five fingers. "There are five requirements for seeing the Sword Path. One is that you must have a sturdy domain, which you have. Second, you must be able to push yourself into the very world itself. The third is to imbue your sword with your Sword Spirit. The Fourth is to possess harmony between yourself and your sword.

    Andstly, and probably the most essential part of it, the desire to seek perfection."

    "You said Sword Spirit. What do you mean by that?"

    "The Sword Spirt¡­ Hmmm. How do I exin that one?" He paused, thinking it over. "What is the Aura called?"

    ''Sword of the Abyss, why¡­.oh!"

    "That is your Sword Spirit. It''s the embodiment of your soul, the living entity that embodies your existence. It''s easy to forget, but that power did note from the system. But through your lived experience. You pulled it from your soul. Understand?"

    "I think so.¡­" Altair said hesitantly. " Can I ask this? What realm was Zariel in when he created this technique?"

    ''Realm?'' Thanatos tilted his head. "I''m not sure. But he was mortal. And about¡­ let''s see. Fifteen years old when he first created the Sword Path."

    The Vale Sword in Altair''s palm shattered into a wisp of Vale Qi thatter vanished into the ether of time and space.

    His fingers clenched even tighter, finding blood. "But that''s¡­"

    Thanatos nodded. "Altair, in many ways, you are like Zariel but opposite to him. He had the ability to see the Weave, to see the face of creation, but he had to work tirelessly to understand the nature of each string. You just know. How far are youing along with your Realm of Spirit?"

    "Every time I open my domain, I feel knowledge constantly fluttering through me. It''s why I don''t like training with it¡ª"

    ''Then you''re a damn fool. Knowledge, Altair is power. Even if it feels like you are cheating or trivializing the world around you, that ability is what has made you who you are today. Tomorrow, you will be facing Gods. True living, breathing Gods. Monsters that carry with them a limited sense of omniscience.

    You have barely tapped into the Realm of Spirit. And who knows when Azura might summon you. Even if it hurts, unless it''s killing you, and even then, you need to maintain a perpetual state within your domain. "

    Thanatos sighed, turning away. He was about to take his leave when he said, "I''ll let you figure out the rest. With your partial omniscience, you ought to figure it out in a few hours, maybe minutes." He waved before he was gone.

    Amidst the silence within in his domain, Altair shuddered as knowledge of inscribable knowing flowed through his sea of consciousness; like a droplet of water, it stuck against the ck Lake, causing ripples to flow across its smooth surface.

    Altair felt a sudden calmness wash over him, like the stillness that descends upon a forest when the breeze dies down. Suddenly, he felt a weighted pressure swelling within his Spirit Domain.

    As if he was sinking into the water, his hair slowly began to sway with the motion of his current, pulling and pushing.

    ''I''m falling,'' he thought, his eyes seemingly peering past the realm around him towards an ocean, a great sea beyond the stars. He blinked as the sensation sinking through the ethereal waters around him filled him.

    Finally, after what seemed like hours, he stopped, breathing in the strange, viscous liquid around him like air. It had been instinctual as if he knew there was nothing to worry about.

    "Show me," he said, or perhapsmanded. He wasn''t sure. "Show me my Sword Path."

    As the Emperor stood still amidst the swirling waters, a mysterious mist-like effect started to emerge around him. The waters began to take shape and form, revealing a series of intricate pathways around him, each one seemingly crafted with the precision of a master swordsman.

    The pathways seemed to be getting more and more refined with each passing moment as if the Emperor''s very presence was imbuing them with a sense of purpose and direction.

    He stared, recognizing Grave of End, his sword technique expanding to a level that sought to approach infinity itself. He shuddered, returning to himself, within his training hall, to where the lines now seemed to stretch across his Domain.

    Altair drew a deep breath and began the Seven Movements within Gave of End, unaware of the synergy between the Realm of Spirits and the Sword Paths he was following.

 Chapter 292 The Sword Path II

    As the sun began to dip beneath the horizon, the Pce of Sunset was enveloped in a soft hue emanating from the moon. The grand structure, with its towering spires and intricate carvings, appeared nearly ethereal in beauty.

    The air was filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation as elegantly dressed men and women made their way through the imposing entrance, each one radiating a sense of confidence and poise.

    The moonlight seemed to enhance the beauty of their attire, casting a shimmering glow on the fabrics and dazzling jewels adorning their bodies as the sound ofughter and conversation echoed through the courtyard, adding to the enchanting ambiance.

    ''It''s hard to believe Altair did all this,'' Amilia Thorne whispered, her arms entwined with Fat Mike''s, leading her up the pristine stairs and into the pce. They followed the line of noblemen and foreigners.

    "I''m not," Fat Mike said. He shook his head, the fat he''d cultivated now vacant. "After the shit, we saw in that Dungeon. It''ll change any grown man. Not to mention a child like our dear old Emperor ckwood." he smiled. "Plus, he''s got Vaiga.

    That is¡ª"

    "Is odd. Why would Vaiga help Altair?" Amilia cut in. "it also seems odd. She even quit her job."

    "Careful, Amilia. " Fat Mike said. To call the Emperor by his name could be a sin. I''m sure you''ve noticed. People are listening." His cool, dark eyes scanned a few noblemen, finding more off-world representatives than actual Eartheners. Each was ordained in his or her traditional colors and gowns.

    Amilia clenched her fist. "Sorry."

    "Remember, we are only here to observe. The Emperor is now one of our biggest sponsors and has the right to disband our military force. He''s already conquered the noble fractions. From what I hear, they don''t even shit without his say-so."

    "You''re kidding."

    "I wish I were," Fat Mike remarked, shaking his head. The way Cedric butchered these poor bastards was cruel. I''ve no idea how he became so powerful, but he seemed to have proved his loyalty to the Emperor¡ªand then some. His majesty has total control over earth''s finances, resources, and fractions."

    "But is that even possible? Why was the transition so quick? It seemed almost as if our people just gave up," Amilia rebutted. She''d seen worlds burned. She''d conquered many herself with her brother and sisters within the Imperial Navy, yet they''d always been met with deep resistance.

    There were always hundreds of thousands ready to defend their homes, even in the face of death.

    "Those monsters, the Emperors, have by his side," Fat Mike said. "The ones with grey skin seemed to possess some ability to manipte the mind. Our reports say they don''t necessarily need to fight if they don''t have to."

    As they made their way into the Grand Halls of the Sunset Pce, Fat Mike couldn''t help but marvel at the sheer grandeur of the ballroom. The opulence of the room was beyond his wildest imagination: the glittering chandeliers, the plush silvery red curtains, and the intricate floral arrangements all contributed to a breathtaking spectacle that left him speechless.

    The tables were a sight to behold, with their snow-white tablecloths and elegant ce cards bearing the names of the guests.

    "Damn¡­" He said, nearly drooling on himself. "Please tell me there is an open buffet. All this rich shit. They''d better be an open bar and buffet. I''m not leaving until I regain my original size."

    ''You¡­" Amilia winced. "For Goodness sake. Five Yeara, and you still pulling this bullshit?"

    "My name is Fat Mike. I can''t be Fat Mike if I am as thin as you. Look at my ass." He said, pointing to his rear. " It''s not even as thick."

    Amilia flushed. "Can you stop?"

    "Your friend is quite a smart one," said a tall man with violet hair that carried a peculiar presence, his cinnamon-colored skin glistening in the light. His eyes were the most striking feature¡ªa deep shade of amethyst that sparkled with amusement. He was wrapped in a robe that hung loosely on his broad shoulders, revealing a chiseled chest. Smiling, he shot Amilia a charming wink.

    This time, Amilia flushed for a different reason, feeling her heart begin to thump.

    "Dionysus, a pleasure to meet Altair''s old friends," He said, taking Amilia by the palm. He kissed it, a yful glow flickering across his eyes.

    Amilia backed away, her heart thumping so hard against her chest. She wondered if he could hear it.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Dionysus?" Fat Mike muttered. "It sounds Greek. Are you from Sector Eleven?"

    ''In a sense." Dionysus mused. "I¡ª"

    "Dionysus," said Athena''s cold voice. "Stop ying with the mortals." Sauntering over, she shot Amilia a look before turning to face her brother''s mischievous expression. "Especially the ones that Altair has rtions with."

    Dionysus shrugged, snatching a ss from one of the Fae Waiters walking by. " I am allowed fun, Dear Sister. I did bless the wine. Plus, this one appears to be the sweetest of them all."

    "Be that as it may. Do not forget who is hosting this party. Thest thing we need is trouble."

    "Trouble. Come now, Sister. You know Altair is my only source of entertainment in the Myriad Heavens. Life has be so dull." He took a sip of the red wine. "What would I do without him."

    Athena rolled her eyes. ''Whatever you''ve been doing for the past few Chaos Cycle, '' she shook her head, sending a nce towards the two mortals. "If you''ll excuse us¡­ and do watch how much you drink. Dionysus loves spiking people''s drink."

    "Some of the best mistakes happen when one is drunk," Dionysus said.

    Athena dragged him away by the ear. "But in the end, that''s what they''ll always be. A mistake."

    Fat Mike and Amilia exchanged nces.

    "They don''t look rted," said Amilia.

    ''But they were insanely attractive. Damn. I''m not even gay, but Dionysus has got a shit load of drip." Your next read awaits at empire

    Amilia once more flushed. "Yeah. I feel like I was getting wet just looking at him. "

    "Again, not gay, but same." Fat Mike said,ughing. "If I get drunk, make sure I leave with a woman, please. God knows what''ll happen if I wake up in a man''s bed."

    Amilia shot him a mischievous grin. "Now, that would be quite a sight. Who''d you pick? Hypothetically, of course."

    "No! Last time we had drinks together, you tried sending me home with some¡ª I don''t even know what she was. But she was bigger than me."

    "It''s rude to judge."

    "Then I''m rude. Fuck it."

    Amilia giggled to herself. "Then you''d better watch how much you take in."

    Fat Mike turned green. "Bastard."

    As the two found their table, they froze when they saw Hilda and Vaiga''s namete alongside three others they didn''t recognize. The two looked at each other, a palpable gulp escaping their mouths. Unsure how to face their former allies.

    Taking a seat, they both epted a ss of wine from one of the waiters and downed it in a heartbeat.

    "Think they''ll kill us?"

    Fat Mike looked at her. "You''re kidding, right?"

    Amelia shrugged. "I don''t know what to think. It''s all madness here. You saw the Spaciel Scar in the skies. What the hell am I supposed to think?"

    The two shared an awkwardugh, looking out as the ballroom began to fill when one of the guardsmen heralded someone inside.

    "Presenting, the Representative of Genesis, Lord of the Seventh Tower, Artivas L''loutos."

    Eyes flitted towards the Time Lord striding through the hall, two Ninth Circles on his right and left. Amelia felt a sudden pressure upon her, pulling her into her chair she dared not move.

    The sensation seemed tost an entirety before it vanished, releasing many from its hold.

    Amilia gasped, nearly forgetting to breathe.

    "Bloody Monsters," Fat Mike muttered, wiping away the perspiration from his chin. "For fucks sake. What is going on? Why are there so many Ninth Circles here?"

    "It''s not, just Ninth Circles," Thanatos said in a cool voice, apanied by a pale woman whose eyes seemed as red as blood. She was tall¡ªtaller than Thanatos¡ªand her heels only seemed to propel her to higher lengths.

    There was a coldness to the woman in a skin-tight ck dress highlighting her curves.

    Fat Mike could not pull his gaze away, yet the woman did not seem to pay him mind, flitting back her ash-colored hair behind her ear. She took a seat, her eyes spotting a name tag that made her sneer.

    "Was this your n all along?" she asked.

    Thanatos ignored the fury in her eyes, finding a seat beside her, in between Amilia and her. "You think I''d concern myself with your love life? I''ve far better things to worry about. Thest thing I need is the Leader of the Furies after my neck."

    Megaera rewarded him with a smile. "Then why am I here?"

    Thanatos grinned but did not reply, ncing at the two faces. Finally, he took the time to introduce himself as the Chancellor and grasped their palms firmly. As he looked deeply into their eyes, he studied their expressions, detecting subtle emotions they were not even aware of. His piercing gaze seemed to prate their very souls as he marked every nuance of their reactions.

    Megaera snorted but did not bother to waste any more words.

 Chapter 293 The Sword Path III

    Surveying the ballroom, Megaera felt incredibly bored. She had always found social events such as balls to be incredibly dull. She had spent most of her existence on the battlefield, hunting for some poor bastard and killing, training for years on end, seeking the peak. The very idea of spending an entire evening socializing with anyone other than the men she hunted was worse than torture.

    At least there on the chopping blocks, she''d be able to experience something other than boredom.

    "I can''t believe you got Lord Hades to agree to this bullshit," Megaera said.

    "Jealous?" Thanatos asked.

    "Hardly," Megaera intoned, though Thanatos thought otherwise. Why else would her mood be so sour?

    "How do you like your new body? I heard you went to Zariel for help."

    Megaera shrugged. "I went through Arsene since he owed us a few favors. Bloody bastard kept smiling, asking if I wanted to be one of his Shadowfell. As if. Being a Godling was already annoying enough."

    "I hear that," said Thanatos, reminded of his old lineage. Godlings, like many of the God Races, had been a lineage destined to Godhood. Contrived by the Titans of Old, from the Celestials of the Half Moons, Godlings were beings who were born God or held the innate power to achieve it.

    The two chuckled, finding a cup of wine from a nearby Fae Waitress swaying their hips as if to lure the eyes of men and the scorn of women, who eyed them like something less than meat.

    "So? What did you decide on? New beginnings are rare." Thanatos asked as more was heralded through the doors.

    "You know the Silver Devil. He has his experiments, his idle belief of what perfection of creation ought to be," Megaera said, masking her thin smile. She looked at her slender finger curled around the wine ss. "Scary bastard, that one." She swirled the wine, curiously watching it spin and then ripple before it stilled. "This body doesn''t have a name or title.

    Much like the body he gifted Arsene, it''s highly adaptable. Perfect for one who seeks perfection."

    "I''m jealous," Thanatos said, though his voice said otherwise. Zariel had rarely done anything for free, favor or not. His actions, from the simplest to the mostplex, always had a purpose that linked into a constetion of schemes that usually ended with someone on his operation table.

    Mercy was not a virtue the Silver Devil ever mastered or sought to master, believing it held no meaning outside of defending the weak and giving opulence to those beneath him.

    ''Mercy is a luxury to those who have power,'' he said. ''I''d rather have Power than be beneath the de of my enemy, too disdainful to end my life.''

    "Please,'' said Megaera coldly. At least try to sound convincing. It''s why I went through Arsene. The Silver Devil has a soft spot when ites to his elder brother. Familiar ties and all that. Plus...

    '' she stopped, thinking, ''Altair is family¡ªthe Silver Devils'' family. He should be more inclined not to scheme against me.''

    As if understanding the implication, Thanatos nodded, looking out, marking his former Pantheon. Looking out at them,ughing and smiling, speaking with one another as though they were mortals. In truth, they couldn''t have hated what was happening more.

    Explore stories at empire

    He could tell in their movements, their fake expressions, the twitching of their lips as a serving girl brushed by them, and the sudden conversation others would have with them. It almost made him smile; he wondered how many cycles it had been since they stood beside each other and not fucking each other or some mortal they took a liking to.

    "I don''t see Persephone," Megaera mused.

    "Ah, is that your current hunt?" Thanatos replied. "Well. She''s not here. At least not now."

    "You think she''ll show herself?"

    "For Zagreus''s sanity, I hope she doesn''t. He''ll strike before thinking." He sighed, ncing for Megaera''s reaction.

    There were none.

    "Do you¡ª"

    Megaera did not let him finish as she gestured to one of the serving girls, ordering something to fill her empty stomach. She said, "Agents of the ck Heavens and Vaevictis are here. It''s best if we keep a lookout."

    Taking the hint as not to speak of her former lover''s name, Thanatos did as she requested, turning silent as a shadow.

    "Ummm," said Amilia awkwardly. "Do you two know when the Emperor will make his entrance?"

    Thanatos lifted his ornate pocket watch from his suit vest. "Half a minute from now," he said when he felt he heard Megaera ask.

    "Are you body cultivating?"

    "I am," Thanatos said when he realized the implication. "Ah, you need me to imprint you. Although I''m not reallyfortable seeing you naked."

    Megaera rolled her eyes. "It''s just my chest."

    "And it''s still ufortable. "You can ask Medusa or Zag, but¡ª"

    "Zag is a no. I''ll never let him see me like that again. And Medusa sucks at manipting Source energy." Megaera said, looking him over sternly. "I barely have a Mana Circle to my name. I can''t do it. And what the hell do you think is going to happen?

    Im going to rape you? It''s just a tattoo. Nothing more, nothing less."

    Thaan looked even more ufortable before he said, "Altair, but Aurora has to sit in."

    "Who?"

    "Me," said Aurora in a soft voice as she approached in a stunning ck dress that seemed to show more than just curves.

    Thaan paused.

    "And I, too, have many questions, but Altair is expecting us," Aurora continued, referring to Megaera with special care. Raising a palm towards Thanatos, she smiled, "Shall we?"

    Thanatos smiled, epting hisdy''s palm. "Until we next meet, then Megaera, And try to stay out of trouble."

    They left, leaving Megaera silent.

    Fat Mike, a little out of ce, spoke up. " So¡­ how long have you two known each other?"

    Megaera did not so much as acknowledge him but rather spoke with silver of ice in her voice. "How much longer are you going to watch? Have a seat, Zagreus."

    ***

    "You ready?" Syris asked, fixing the Emperor''s regalia. She looked up at him, parking a stingle-ashen strand of hair behind his ear, nodding at perfection itself. "And now you look perfect."

    Regarding that sharp glint in his eyes, with extra care, Syris felt as if she were touching a de rather than flesh and blood. From the instance she saw him, she''d felt her entire being besieged into a thousand pieces, her blood spraying into a fine mist over the marble floors as he approached.

    The sensation had been surreal, so much so she had to cover her mouth lest she scream.

    The Emperor chagrin slightly. "Perfect? I think all eyes will be on my lovely Saintess than they will be on me."

    Syris flushed. "When did your tongue get to be so sweet."

    Interloping her arms into his, Syris beamed, "Are you ready?" she asked once more as Thanatos and Aurora approached.

    They both wore smiles as they looked him over once, then twice, for any faults. Finding none, they each took their role to his rear.

    Altair sucked in a nervous breath of air, releasing it as the [Will of the Abyss] aura roared its infernal cry of defiance. The air grew heavy like blood with a heaven-defying might that seemed to transcend mortal limitations.

    "Let us go," The Emperor said as the Heralds weed their Lord and Saintess in a single breath.

    The ballroom went still with the might of death, surging through the open doors, leaving only the nking of the foot steps of the Emperor and his saintess to waft through the hall. His aura, a blend of the Sword Path and the Will of the Abyss fusing into something, left even the gods stunned.

    The mere sight of the Emperor left them astonished, for he did not carry the radiance of a mortal or of amon origin, much less noble ones, but rather an Imperious God that walked the path meant to defy Heaven and Earth, To exist as a singr entity beyond the Highest Heaven.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It had only taken a single instance, but mortals that had not touched the Seventh Circle were blinded, fainting to the deepest reaches of death or their consciousness. At the same time, those above felt as if a de had whipped across their throat, dragging them into the depths of the Hells themselves.

    Dread slithered through the great Halls as if Death itself had manifested around the Emperor.

    "The Sword Path," Athena muttered, staring at Thanatos, curious if he had anything to do with the transformation that had taken ce within Altair.

    Ever since the Era of Zariel, the Age known as the Era of Order and Chaos, one''s ability to manipte the soul me had dramatically declined, existing more as a technique taught in the monasteries of old or by the Old Gods that had managed to retain their sanity.

    As far as she was aware, there hadn''t been a single mortal in the current era who was able to utilize even ten percent of their Soul, despite the system aiding in cultivating the Soul me through the Attribute of Charisma.

    Altair, however, seemed to have been the exception. Not only was he utilizing a hundred percent of its potential, he was pushing it beyond its limit. A feat she''d seen only in the Era of Order and Chaos, by monsters who walked the path to be Chaos Lords.

    She gulped, as did many Gods that had been invited.

    "Now, isn''t this interesting? I was wondering why my brother was so interested in such a boy," A sly voice echoed beside Athena''s ear, startling her as she turned, her heart plunging into an abyss of dread. "But there seems to be one missing. You wouldn''t happen to know where she is?"

    "Mephisto¡­" Athena whispered weakly.

    "Where is Reina ckwood?"

 Chapter 294 Genesis

    Eyes were drawn, poised upon the Emperor, who embodied death itself. Fear coiled like serpents around the hearts of many as they watched him take his rightful seat upon his throne. The half smile on his lips was both inviting and far, appearing as if to cast a shadow on the hearts of anyone who sought to approach him.

    Those that could not withstand the Will of the Abyss were either carted off in a body bag or on someone''s arm. No oneined or rather found they could not enthralled by the sensation weighing them down. They wanted to kneel, to proim him the rightful king, yet reality spoke of their position, holding them in contempt.

    The Emperor lifted his gomplet prepared by Tasha, his personal Sword Maid for the evening. Everyone''s eyes followed his movements, their bodies mirroring his actions.

    "Wee, Honored Guest!" he said, his voice booming for all to hear despite his normal tone. "What a lovely evening to witness the gathering of those from all around the Myriad Heavens. I am Altair ckwood, Emperor of Earth and now Gaia."

    His smile turned cold at the snarling faces of a few Gods. "As your host for the night, I hope to share our traditions with those from far-off."

    Thanatos stepped forward, thrusting his goblet into the air, '' To the Emperor!" he said in a pitch and timbre to match the mood. His presence was domineering yet inviting for all to hear, tugging at the hearts of those who heard it.

    The crowd responded to his will, cheering for the emperor.

    "To the Emperor!"

    "To the Emperor!

    A few faces shouted, followed by more and more before the party continued. The thrum of a stringed orchestra began to y in the background, livening the mood with its almost ethereal sound.

    Syris sat on the second throne on the left side of the Emperor, prepared by Aurora. It was leaner than Altairs, while on the right resided the empty throne of Reina''s. Neither of the two thrones was bigger or smaller, indicating their status within the Imperium. However, that was not to say there were not any differences.

    Presently, she was smiling, her gaze drawn towards the man on his knees: A Ninth Circle from the homnd of Genesis.

    "Greetings, "he said on one knee. "My name is Artivas L''loutos, Seventh Priest of the Seventh Tower, in service of His Majesty High Lord, stair Dawn."

    Genesis, due to itsplex architecture that strived to push civilization to the zenith of its capability, constructed Fourteen Towers, each representing a colony of various cultures, religions, and architects that rivaled the size of severals. From the construction of the skies to the Earthid a hive of life, consisting of men and women constantly striving for resources.

    Each Tower carried seven Layers; those that existed on the surface were usually noblemen, kings and queens, merchants, or warlords who held such generational wealth they could sustain themselves indefinitely. They were individuals who could purchase just about anything within the Myriad Heavens without worry.

    The level beneath that ranged from the lesser nobleman to the working ss, to creatures born from the vat in the service of prosperity, to those that served the families or corporations above.

    Altair regarded him the attention he deserved but nothing more, allowing his eyes to meet Artivas.

    "Your Highness," said Artivas calmly. "High Lord stair Dawn has seen to invite you to the Imperial High College. A talent like yours ought to be cultivated, or so he says."

    Altair lifted a brow, mildly interested. Before his descent into Yarwin, the Imperial High College had been his goal¡ªhis escape¡ªbut such things fell through due to unforeseen circumstances.

    "I shall keep that in mind," he said, allowing his smile to dismiss him.

    "Also, your Highness, Seven out of the Fourteen Towers of Genisis have decided to invest in your kingdom''s architecture to help foster a more¡­ diverse culture." He said, peeping up towards the coldness gathering in the Emperor''s eyes.

    He smiled, masking the expression beneath the motion of his head.

    "We have already rejected the offer," Aurora remarked. "It would seem you haven''t heard, Lord L''loutos."

    The smile slipped into a frown. "I-I see," he said. "Then I ask you to forgive my ignorance."

    Altair, however, did not. It had been obvious that Artivas had known what he''d done. After all, the funding that Genesis sought to grant Earth was nothing short of a bribe intended to allow a selected few to begin mining his kingdom''s resources. For Artivas to bring up dealings, whether they be private or not, at a ball was merely to cause a stir.

    Across the membrane of his domain, Altair felt rhythmic waves whistle silently through the winds emanating from Artivas. The waves seemed nearly invisible, and most certainly, they were to anyone below a ninth circle or ones that hadn''t trained their souls to sense irregrities in space.

    The rhythmic waves were soft, smoothing the emotions to allow contentment as he asked, "Can I ask why?"

    Altair, however, raised a palm, halting Tasha, whose palm had already invaded through the temple and skull, seeking to expose his brain to her finger.

    Artivas didn''t dare shake as his eyes opened wide, his heartbeat pounding in his chest like a battering ram.

    Pain, undying pain writhing across his skull as he shuddered, not to scream or howl.

    "Is this the idea of Genisis or yours?" Altair asked calmly. "And do try not to tempt fate. Tasha here is quite adept at reading people. Not to mention there are quite a few Gods here, or were you not aware of that fact."

    Artivas hadn''t been. It seemed illogical to presume otherwise. After all, who was Altair, if not a boy pretending to be king?

    He gulped as beads of fresh blood formed around the rim of Tasha''s lithe finger. If she so chose a single bolt of Mana, a motion of her index finger would leave him in a state worse than death.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Mine¡­ Your Grace," Artivas said in a dreadful tone.

    The ballroom turned silent, though not for long, as Athena stepped out, ring tendrils of near-infinite divinity, alerting many to her existence as she exined Lord Artivas L''loutos'' crime.

    "Oh? And not High Lord, stair Dawn," Altair continued.

    Artivas attempted to motion himself back when he felt his legs fade from his neurowork of nerve endings. His eyes turned to Tasha''s, finding them burning a fire that left him colder then he''d ever been.

    He was panting now, his heart thumping in his chest so hard it ached. "No, my lord."

    Altair nced at Tasha. The moment he saw her eyes, he knew Artivas was lying. Though he half suspected as much.

    "Then thats good. Then do you admit your crime?"

    "Y-Y-Yes," Artivas said, his pants growing all the more heavy. He could taste death.

    ''Who is this woman? How did she sneak up on me so quickly?'' he wondered, panic rising in his chest.

    "How unfortunate. Raven, take this fool to a Holding Cell. He''ll be trailed ording to thew. Be sure to both gag and seal his Nine Circles before he tries to kill himself."

    Off to the side, Raven decked in her royal attire and headed for her master''s call, opening a dimensional rift. She dragged Artivas through like a dirty animal before returning some secondster.

    "It''s done, my Lord."

    Altair''s expression did not change as he looked over the crowd of spectators, his half smile still present.

    "Do enjoy yourself. No need for such unsavory behavior to ruin our night."

    As the ball continued, the air quickly returned to a lighter mood as the God of Wines'' blessing over the drinks began to take effect. Men and women began to dance, their bodies swaying to the tempo of the string instruments, as chatter began to race across the hall until the earlier tragedy faded.

    Allied representatives were quick to make introductions and offer various gifts, all of which the Emperor epted. He had no interest in beginning to conquer those the previous monarch had allied themselves to, but as of now, he hadn''t much reason to seek war with variouss¡ªat least not yet.

    Hundreds of thousands of worlds had refused to join the Republic of Genesis, choosing to ally themselves with worlds that, like Earth, had, thus allowing them to gain simr benefits without actually joining.

    Many of the gifts were nice, though nothing made the Emperor''s heartbeat quicken. However, some caused him to raise a brow simr to the one now.

    "Please, ept the Lady Ayms Veldam," the Representative of Vadies said, gesturing towards the woman who seemed barely past her sixteenth birthday. She was pretty enough, though it was her blood that caught Altair''s eye. It wasn''t much. A mere droplet, but the blood of a titan existed within her body.

    He smiled as Thanatos spoke in his stead, epting the woman as though she were not a person but a thing.

    It had all felt peculiar, though it seemed that was how business was done. Moral or not.

 Chapter 295 Blackmail I

    The Ball had stretched deep into the night, its festivities spanning for hours as tters of food and goblets of wine were passed around. The revelers, both men and women, were all in a state of intoxication, their senses flitting between the realm of reality and the ethereal mist of the night.

    It had been quite the sight, leaving Syris to giggle. "Is this what gods perceive mortals to be?"

    Altair raised a brow. She had a point. The stronger his perception had be, the more he could see how mortals could be considered mindless drunks before their eyes. Perhaps it had been his arrogance, yet the more he watched them lost in the wine, the more he found himself rting to Syris''s words.

    He grinned, "Well said. Is this also going into your Bible?"

    "I''ll have to spews-it-up, but perhaps," Syris said, her lips perking into a lovely smile. "Perhaps I''llpare the perception of a god to the rtion between a child and a parent."

    ''You seemed to be having quite the time."

    "I am." Syris nodded. "You should see the children Nia is training: Cute little things. Every morning, I have them sing praises towards the Vale. It''s not the man that can change a kingdom but the ''force'' it carries. Religion across the ages always seem to span longer than the life span of any kingdom."

    It was strange hearing Syris speak so¡­ theologically. Yet there was an aggressiveness to her words that made him wary. Religion in any form was a dangerous tool. It segregated ideals.

    Still, he wasn''t against the idea. Especially since the one they''d be worshiping would be him. He merely had to trust that Syris understood the power religion had on the minds of the men and women now under her control.

    He grinned, pulling himself and Syris to their feet before making a few rounds to make a few more connections between the neighboring kingdoms and corporations from Genesis. He grinned when he came across the various Saints from the Twelve Zodiacs.

    "Lady Scythia Talfor, I believe it''s been eight years," Altair said before the Transcendent of Scorpio.

    Scythia looked surprised. " You remembered."

    ''How could I forget?" Altair said, lifting the Ring of Draupnir. "I''m still using this baby. It''s treated me well these past years."

    Scythia found a smile, studying the man who was once a boy with amazement. She could hardly believe the little brat that was twelve when they met would have grown so much. She was a bit regretful she couldn''t snatch him up when she had the chance.

    "Actually¡­" Altair began. "I wanted to invite your organization to Earth formally. You''ve treated me well years back. It''s time I return that favor, don''t you think?"

    "It was only a ring and a few resources," Scythia said, regretting the words as they came.

    "Perhaps, but I like you. I like your spirit. Your strong, and my Sword Maid here ims you''d make a most wonderful fiend in the future."

    "A fiend?" Scythiaughed, ncing at Tasha. "Is that apliment? Well, I''ll take it. Never been called a fiend before."

    Tasha lips perked up. "Where I''m from is quite thepliment."

    "And where is that?" Scythia asked.

    "Spoilers," Tasha mused with a sneaky smile. She winked, causing Scythia to flush.

    ''Oh my¡­ does she prefer thepany of women?'' Altair wondered. He chuckled soon after gesturing to Syris. "This is my Saintess."

    "I heard. Does that mean you''ve found a God to worship?"

    Syris answered for him. "As future Gods, it''s unbing to worship anyone ourselves."

    "You make it sound so simple," Sythia said dryly.

    "But it is," Syris said, taking a lithe step forward. Her silvery blue eyes dazzled like the brightest light. His Highness and I are both part of a God Race. As for what grade, we''ll keep that a secret. But it''s only a matter of when we be gods."

    Scythia wasn''t surprised, although she still didn''t understand why Altair needed them. Inviting an organization to his monopoly was inviting trouble. She was merely one of many faces of Scorpio.

    "Will you ept?" Altair asked.

    "Can I think about it?"

    "No," The Emperor said in his regal voice. "You are Scorpio''s representative. You are their voice. I wouldn''t have sent an invite if they hadn''t sent someone without a backbone."

    Scythia froze, recognizing her mistake. She bowed, knowing the invitation would onlye once. "We''d be happy to ept the invitation to bring our cooperation to Earth''s surface."

    Altair allowed her to raise her head, offering her a drink before making idle conversation before he left for another of the Twelve Zodiacs. He didn''t offer them a deal like he did Scythia but felt the rest needed to salivate to help sweeten the pot.

    Sauntering through the party, Altair finally stopped before Amilia and Fat Mike, who sat awkwardly between Megera and Zagreus. He wanted tough but stifled it as best he could.

    "I hope your trip to the surface was a pleasant one. When Thanatos told me you wereing, I could hardly believe it," he said, his voice cracking.

    Zagreus frowned. "So you knew?"

    "An hour before the party. You were preupied, so I didn''t bother reaching out," Altair said.

    "A pleasure, Lord ckwood," Megaera said, rising to formally greet him, but Altair stayed her movement with a palm.

    "There is no need to rise. However, I thought your first stop would have been to see Medusa. I heard you two were besties."

    Megaera blushed, ring at Thanatos as he made his rounds to apany various important guests. He smiled and waved at her before proceeding on his way.

    "Damn that lord of death. I don''t like that word¡­ my Lord."

    "What bestie?"

    Megaera flush only seemed to deepen. "Yes. that one. Medusa and I are merely good friends."

    "Oh my god, you''re cute," Syris said, a little taken aback. She could feel her battle-hardened persona bleeding out from within her skin-tight dress. It had been undeniable how many people she''d kill, yet even she had such a side to her.

    "I wanna spar against you one day."

    Megaera rose, a head taller than Syris, nearing Altair''s height. "You''d lose."

    "We''ll see," Syris said confidently.

    "I¡ª" Megaera frowned, her eyes swaying to the perceived danger around her.

    Altair seemed to sense it too, the ''knowing'' of his Spirit Domain filtering through his subconscious, alerting him of some unseen danger. He nced around, his gaze narrowing on a man staring at him. The moment their eyes met, the stranger turned, but by then, it was toote.

    Raven approached, her eyes a deep shade of red as she activated the Eyes of Sacrilege.

    "It seems it''s already taken care of," Altair mused, turning back to Megaera. That''s quite the sharp sense you have there. How''d you do that?"

    "There is more to a domain than perceiving your surroundings in 360 degrees. When you create your ''World,'' I''m sure you''ll understand."

    "The more I learn, the less I feel like I know." He shook his head, bellowing a sigh. "Well, I hope you enjoy the ball. I''ve some business with the Twelve Olympians."

    ****

    The first god Altair had approached had been Aphrodite, conversing with Athena and Hera. The three were as lovely as he suspected them to be, epassing the very definition of beauty. They didn''t seem real, although neither did Syris Raina or Tasha. And yet¡­

    "Altair," said Athena, quickly noticing his arrival. "Mother, this is the young man I was just speaking about."

    "The boy king," Hera said cooly.

    Altair looked her dead in the eye, sliding his gaze away, without further recognition, to Aphrodite, who, like her brother, appearedid back, beaming as she opened her palm, conjuring an envelope.

    "The price," She said in a lovely voice. Smoothing a strand of her red hair from her face.

    Startled, to say the least, Altair epted it and simply pocketed it without looking it over. "Your Acholyte will be released."

    "Please torture her a bit. y with her holes for me so that she might understand her mistake." Aphrodite grinned when she saw Altair''s disturbed expression. "You know she has a kink for that sort of thing, right? No need to feel guilty. I''m sure that little slut is imagining many ways in which you can tease her."

    Altair''s jaw snapped opened, finding for the first time in a while he was at a loss for words.

    "I see¡­" he said, pushing down the wild thoughts seeking to distort his mind. I''ll keep that in mind." Then Altair remembered, "And what of you, Athena? Do you want your disciple?"

    "Me? Well... I''d have assumed that working for you would afford me the luxury of having my acolyte spared," she said. Was I wrong?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She had a point, however¡­

    "Your words do carry some weight. I''ll release Ophelia, but her freedom is no longer her own. She''ll be mine from now on," Altair said, his voice hard, leaving no room to negotiate.

    Athena expectantly agreed with a slight half-bow. "Then I thank you for your generosity, my Lord."

    "Then I hope you twodies are having a wonderful time?"

    "Goodness no," Aphrodite said, shaking her head. "What type of ball doesn''t have an orgy? Come on, it''s called a ''Ball'' for a reason."

    "I legitimately have no words," Altair said, embarrassed. Even Syris wasughing at him, holding her stomach.

    "What about me," Hera snapped.

    Altair did not seem to recognize her existence as he bid farewell to the two Gods, leaving Hera to fume where she stood.

    "I warned you, Mother. Your arrogance will be your undoing."

 Chapter 296 Blackmail II

    "That one in the middle was a bitch," Syris said quietly. "I wonder what type of stick she has up her ass."

    Altair turned, eying Syris. "She can hear you, you know."

    Syris shrugged. As if she cared about such things. "Good. Then she can hear that she''s a damn fool. I''m not sure if it''s because she stood on her throne for so long, but insulting the man by giving them opportunity is idiotic."

    Altair was in agreement. The new gods had been on a mission. And he wasn''t sure why. But they were killing off the Old Gods, taking what was theirs without regard for morality. Stepping into power, news outlets on Genisis had reported the deaths of many Old Gods.

    The New Gods were united, unlike the Old Gods, who sought only to live in seclusion or upon their pedestal.

    Sauntering towards his new target, one Athena had told him much about. He smiled, holding the stunning figure of Hestia, surrounded by chattering men and women yet secluded from sight.

    He approached her, and men and women parted to make way. "May we sit?"

    "Emperor," Hestia said, her soft eyes and lovely lips rising in surprise. "Why, of course."

    Altair did so and began with a musing grin. "I have in my possession your disciple."

    "That you do," Hestia said, voice still soft. "Can I ask what you want from me?"

    "You," Altair said.

    "Me?" Hesita said, stunned, her lips thinning. "Why?"

    "Your acolyte did not motion to draw her de at me, but neither did she wisely join Artemis''s acolyte." Altair paused, allowing his words to reach the deepest regions of Hestia''s mind. "She stood to gain with my death. A crime. But one I am willing to forgive."

    "For me¡­ for my assistance," said Hestia softly. "Why so¡­ generous with me?"

    "Because of Artemis," Altair said.

    "Do not lie¡­ it''s unbing of you," Hestia said gently. "Why?"

    The Emperor chuckled. "Medusa ims you fought for her the day she was abandoned by Athena. It was you who hid her away within one of your abandoned temples. She said if not for your kindness, she''d have been in long ago."

    "That child¡­ you have her?" Hestia asked, a smile rising once more on her serene lips. "My brother, released her to you?"

    Altair nodded. "She is in my gardens tending to the flowers. She seems to love it."

    Hestia arose. "Altair I¡ª"

    "Want to see her? Please sit. Hear me out."

    Hestia obeyed, a look of concern rising across her extremities.

    "I will take her to you. But I want you and Demeter to grant mynd your blessing. I want to foster stable homes stable men and women. The conditioning of men and women this world faced was intended to breed life, not proud men or women. When I look around my world, I see that women are used as tubes to produce soldiers. And nothing more.

    Men are merely killers,cking the sense of will to direct themselves without proper leadership."

    "Not all are like that," Hestia said.

    "True. Not all, but the majority are. I don''t want that. I want you, Hestia, to improve such things. I want strong men but caring ones¡ªones who will do anything for their families. I want women who care for their children and not see them as tools to further political gain."

    "Presently, we are tied together thanks to the fusion of Gaia. This world is greatly tied to Olympus, the ce you call home. New Gods are constantly threatening to destroy your pantheon. If you¡ª"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I''ll assist you," Hestia softly agreed. I do not wish to see any more families torn apart, but I cannot say Demeter will agree. That is especially true if you seek to kill her daughter, Persephone."

    Altair smiled. "Why do you think I would kill her?"

    Hestia closed her eyes. "I do not partake in political endeavors, but I am not unaware of the turmoil Persephone caused in my brother''s life. Her infidelity was not something I sawing. But Demeter is still the mother of Persephone. And she will do everything in order to protect her life."

    Altair did not deny that fact. He suspected that Hestia had only known of this fact through Thanatos or Athena or perhaps through her understanding of her brother. Either way, it was clear Hestia knew. And a chance Demeter herself was aware of that fact.

    "I will speak with her then¡­" he said, drowned in lengthy thoughts towards a ''knowing'' he might reach.

    He managed a smile, gesturing to Syris to show Hestia the way to Medusa. They left soon after, leaving the Emperor to himself and his thoughts to lead him towards Hephaestus. A hideous-looking thing of a man. If it could be called a man with the many boils and stretched grotesque flesh appearing both burned and dismembered.

    Hephaestus was bent over against his humpback and snarled a smile. "Emperor ckwood."

    Altair did not offer a greeting. He merely stared, one could perceive as contemptible. It was as if he were looking not at a man or a god but a worm, a thing that held no worth.

    Hephaestus, flustered at the tant contempt, was prepared to speak when Altair cut him off before the first syble was spoken, "What can you offer for your Acolyte life?"

    "My craft¡ª"

    Altair cut him off again.

    "¡ªMeans little in a world where I can purchase anything I deem eptable. So I ask, what can you offer that''ll allow me to give you ess to your champion?" Find exclusive stories on empire

    "You!" He hissed beneath his breath, teeth clenching within his crooked jaw. He''d never mind abandoning Azar but stayed the intent.

    Azar had been the first Godling since himself to be able to wield the me of the Third Rite, a me created from the very source of fire itself, the Primordial Spirit Ifrit. And unlike him, the me did not bend, change his appearance, or warp him into some twisted abomination for which there had been no cure. Azar had remained pure. Untouched by the primal force.

    He couldn''t lose such a valuable asset. But he could¡­

    "I could give you the Embers of the Third Rite."

    Altair grinned. "That''s better," he said. "ce the me Rite in a crystal and deliver it to me on the morrow. You''ll have your acolyte¡­ if he doesn''t choose death."

    Hephaestus looked as Altair sauntered past him, a hideous smile rising across his lips as he thought, ''Just as I look to be a monster. So too shall you take on my appearance.''

    ***

    As the party began to die down, Altair made an early exit, having spoken to most of the Gods that had caught his eye. A few were missing, such as Zeus, Apollo, and Ares, but that didn''t matter to him.

    He''d gotten much from out of the Gods present, except Demeter, who had made an appearance but had left early on while he was making his rounds. Still, he''d not lost or gained anything as of yet, and for that, he was thankful.

    Presently, he stood in the imperial Garden of the Sunset Pce, tired, as if he were out at sea for days, swimming back to soar. Maintaining his domain, alongside the Will of the Abyss, the Sword Path, and his Presciences, had left him mentally drained. So much so that the moment he felt himself alone, he tumbled onto a bed ofvender, pulling in its lovely aroma.

    Hungry for blood, sex, and war, he looked up at the skies to the endless cluster of constetions forming never-ending patterns.

    His throat was dry, growing dryer by the second as he sighed. "I hate that I''m always like this¡­ Each day, it''s getting harder and harder."

    "What is my Lord?" Nia said, sauntering into the garden. You look terrible, by the way. It looks like you''re about to die from an illness." She looked down at him, grinning. "You alright?"

    "I haven''t had sex in three days. What do you think?"

    Nia flushed. "D-Don''t tell me that!" she snapped, turning her head away as heughed at her shy expression. "Pervert!"

    "Is that how you talk to your emperor? For shame, Nia!" Altair joked, slightly pulling himself out of his funk. He stood up, the throbbing his head rattling like the cry of hundreds of children. "What brings you here? Aren''t you supposed to be at the party?"

    "I had to leave¡­ so many guys were asking me to dance," Nia moaned. "I had to get out of there."

    "Did you?"

    "Of course. I quite like balls, but it was just a little too much this time around," Nia expressed, turning to face her Master, then the delicate flowers billowing with the moonlit breeze.

    "I see¡­ And training the new recruits, how is that going?"

    "As you suggested, I created a new technique for the children. I hope you don''t mind, but I started training them in ives instead of swords. Since ves have more reach, they''ll have an advantage against various opponents.

    The Emperor chuckled. "That''s good. Then do you suppose you can show me?" Altair said, creating a Vale Sword as he drew on Nia. "Show me the skill you''ve prepared for the children of my kingdom.''

 Chapter 297 Order and Chaos of Creation

    The Shadow looked stunned for a moment. Complying soon after as the thrum of a Vale Weapon, a ive congealed around her palm with the snap of her fingers. Exposed by the drip of moonlight.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Altair lifted a brow, noting the intrinsic manner in which Nia conjured the very essence of the Vale. It seemed as though it were done not as a thought but as though it were an everyday urrence.

    She moved. The thromb of her ive piercing through space like a surgeon''s de through flesh: precise and deadly.

    Altair both saw and felt the blow approach, guiding it off course with the full length of his sword, taken back by the raw power. Despite what he felt, Nia had only used the power proportioned to an average human. Matching that level of strength, he drew a step back despite averting most of the force. Momentum drove him back.

    He pushed forward, but by the time he did, Nia had taken a step back. Her ive was holding him at a distance, jolting and sweeping at him in wild thrust.

    Altair felt as though no matter how far he advanced, the distance between the two never closed, at least not with the level of skill he was disying. And he had a momentary sense to push Nia''s technique to its limit: to test the zenith of her art.

    Sword light seemed to roar in a sudden iridescent jolt of motion, sweeping forth at such a speed it seemed no different than rays of light consuming Nia on all sides as Altair entered the Third Stance of Grave of Night.

    Devouring Night

    Trapped, Nia ive hummed, roaring as though it held abustion engine. Its smooth surface vibrating at such a frequency, Altair''s eyes went wide as Nia ive seemed to match the natural speed of sound.

    Altair smiled, pulling back. Despite Nia''s movement, it had been clear that her technique had been outssed by several Realms. Still¡­

    "Not bad," he said, dismissing the Vale Sword back into embers. He smiled a smile that met his eyes within the biome of the Imperial garden," For most humans, it''s near the peak of what they''ll ever master."

    "I''ve also created higher tiers if there are those that show true promise. Still¡­" Nia paused, making an annoyed face. "None of them canpared to Grave of Night."

    Altair tried to stifle hisughter but failed outright. He''d thought she was joking, but it made himugh even harder. After all, some of the smartest minds in all the Myriad Heavens hade together to create Grave of Night. The sword that allows a mortal to cut light itself.

    It was arrogant, thinking she was able to outss his sword art with her level ofprehension.

    Nia flushed. "It''s not funny!" she snapped the Vale Weapon in her hand, dissipating into nodes of ephemeral light.

    "Oh, it one hundred percent is," Altair told her, returning to himself. "And yet I''m for it. Do it. Try to achieve what I consider impossible. Prove me wrong. I would love to learn from you."

    Nia bit her lips. "You mean that?"

    "I mean everything I say," Altair intoned. "You think I''m lying?"

    N-no," Nia said frantically. "I just¡­ I don''t know. You just never really give words of encouragement like that."

    "Good. Then show me a bit more," Altair demanded, creating a vale sword.

    ***

    As dawn broke across the Imperial biome, exposing the vibrant colors of various unnamed life blossoming. The thrum of the Vale weapons finally went silent as the two sat in their sweat, panting for air.

    Nia was looking at him as though he were a monster. Throughout the night, Altair had only ever used the first stance of Grave of End, perfecting its nature. At first, she thought it was in order to limit himself, but the more Nia faced him¡­ the more she began to fear the first stance, Shadow de.

    She couldn''t sense his sword anymore. It was as if the thrum of his sword had vanished. Even the motion of the de seemed to escape her senses as though he were trying to mask his intent within his heart. And yet he assured her their spar was one of the sword.

    If not for her dual pupils being able to ''see'' the de, she was sure the first stance of Grave of Night might have felled her in a real battle.

    "Master¡­ you''re a monster. How''d you improve so much?"

    Altair grinned. "The Sword Path. I just followed it. Sword Mastery isn''t just about adding various aspects or concepts to your de but the ability to hone even the most rudimentary skill to its zenith. I actually n on limiting myself to relearn everything until now."

    Nia hummed in response, rising to her feet. "Looks like I''ve got a lot to learn as well," she expressed, bowing deeply. "Thank you for assisting me, master. It would have taken me three months to gain the progress I made with you after one night."

    Later, as the day progressed, Altair looked up, his eyes affixed on Hepheustus entering his throne room, dragging his limp leg forward. A crooked smile stered across his face.

    "Good Morning, Your Majesty," he said, holding a nine-inch-long white crystal in his right hand¡ªsimr to the Chaos Shard Raina acquired long ago.

    Altair did not waste idle time with pleasantries and said, "I thought you''d have abandoned Azar."

    Hepheustus chagrined. "He is my acolyte. How could I abandon him."

    Attending his court, Athena frowned, turning to look at Altair, back to Hepheustus, then the white crystal.

    Continue reading at empire

    "That''s¡­" she thought, opening her mouth to warn the Emperor of the foolish scheme. "Your Majesty¡­ the me of the Third Rite is not something you can handle. Only two have ever been capable of wielding the me of the Third Rite. Hephaestus, and Prometheus¡­"

    "Be silent, woman," Hephaestus snapped. "Can''t you see men are talking?! No wonder you fell out of favor with Zeus."

    Athena''s thin brows beetled. "Heph¡ª"

    Hephaestus snarled. "Did you know, Your Majesty Athena has not seen our father in over a dao cycle? She''s not even allowed in his court to discuss politics."

    "Then why is it that she was able to merge Gaia and Earth? Surely that required her influence," Altair calmly said, ncing at the poised Athena, too disdainful to react to such ims.

    "A mere trick. Athena, that little cunt, went to the Titans behind our back, even while Sealed. Gaia herself is a being of nature, a force that stretches beyond what we can contain through seals." Hephaestus said. "Father was so furious for the first time in a Dao Cycle that he ordered her into his court. Instead, she fled to your side."

    "Athena," Altair gaped, feigning surprise. "Is this all true?"

    Athena threaded her hands through her long, silky hair. "It''s true, your grace, though I don''t understand why that matters."

    "It means you are a bloody snake! You betrayed our father by promising the freedom of the Titans! You know that¡ª"

    "That sounds like a swell idea," Altair cut in. he turned to Athena, who looked a little stunned.

    ''He''s not mad?'' she thought.

    "Are they purebloods?" Altair asked.

    "Y-Yes. Gaia is a¡­ pure blood. Long ago, in the Lower Realm, before the Silver Devil and his Order pulled the Twelve Realms to a higher realm, it was said that Aether, the birthce of sorcery, gave birth to her with the aid of Khaos, willing her into being. Back then, he sat upon one of the Twelve Thrones of Power.

    It was in his authority to produce particr races at various times in order to keep the bnce of causality."

    "The Bnce?" Altair questioned.

    "The Yin and Yang, or Order and Chaos within the web of Karma. Have you ever wondered why some are born advantaged? Why some are born with absolute power? While others are born cripple? It''s all a bnce. Khaos controlled the bnce in a sense.

    While there are many limitations in his position, he can use the Myriad Heavens to produce someone like me. I, too, was born out of Khaos'' will. It was he who decided that I was to be born from my Father''s skull. And odd decision, but he is the reason I''m alive today."

    "I¡­ still don''t understand. Why? No, how?" Altair said, ignoring the irritated Hephaestus.

    Thanatos answered before Athena could, "Because of the concept of equivalent and exchange. Each time you use a spell or cultivate, you go against the natural order. A sin in a sense. Breeding negative karma.

    To counterbnce negative karma, Khaos or in one of the higher realms like the one we preside in the Council of Omnis will manipte creation into producing cripples, stillborns, diseases, and so on. Anything natural or what we deem as natural. However, that''s how we deal with negative karma from creation. Positive Karma is used to create life or create lucky, chances, and so on.

    People like Athena, really. However, whether we do good or evil is up to the individual. It''s a ratherplex cycle."

    Altair felt his head spin. "Wow¡­ I never knew," he said, but it had all made sense¡ªat least for now. Yet he had to wonder how strong someone needed to be to control that type of authority.

    "So if that''s the truth of Gaia lineage. Is that the same for other titans?"

    "No, they all came from Gaia herself," Athena said.

    Altair nodded. "What a most curious tangent we fell into." he turned back to Hephaestus, smiling. "What do you think? Should we make the Titans our guardian pets?"

 Chapter 298 The Emperor and his Dogs

    Hephaestus''s expression couldn''t have been more ugly. Make the Titans his Guardian Pet? The mere idea turned his eyes red, blinded by a rage that seemed to burn with the mes of the Third Rite. His chest ached, his skin stretching tightly across his clenched knuckles.

    "What I think,'' he said, trying to stave his fury, fooling no one. "Is that you will fail. The titans will not listen to some boy."

    "Athena? Do you share his thoughts?" Altair asked, turning an eye toward her to her astonishment.

    "Well¡­" she began uncertainly. "They have been locked up for many chaos cycles. They''d been nothing more than prisoners and ves for longer than they''d been alive, though Titan''s Pride still lives within them. It still burns each time I see them chained to the dungeon walls likemon dogs."

    The Emperor grinned. " Pride is good. But I wonder what''s better? Pride or Freedom."

    "you can''t just take them!" Hepheustus eximed, cursing the boy''s arrogance. Did he really think his father would allow such a transgression?

    "Why not? I have allied gods capable of stopping Zeus should he strike at me. I have Genesis as a backing whether they like it or not. I am a part of their republic. Then there are The Twelve Zodiacs. The Hells.

    And perhaps even some members of the Heavens, not to mention my protection from the Shadow Promation. I''m untouchable by the Gods. Why else do you think the New Gods are winning? You all can''t do shit."

    Hepheustus paled. "Perhaps not now, but when you be a God. What can you do then? The Shadow Promation won''t save you then!"

    "Would I need it?" Altair asked. "It''s why I''m building a kingdom. I''ve surrounded myself with people stronger than myself. Smarter than me. And yet, I still lead them. Do you really think I''m scared of just a single God?

    Or a group of them? By the time I''m a god. There will be hundreds, thousands, if not more, on my side. Each one willing to die for me. When I give those titans freedom, do you think I''ll treat them like dirt? They''ll be citizens.

    They''ll be men and women I employ to do my bidding. Bound by contract. By the time their contract is up, I doubt they''ll want to leave. This ce right here will be their home."

    "And what would a usurper like yourself know about a home, much less patronage? You killed your predecessors in cold blood."

    Lazily, Altair slouched back on his throne. He could see there was no further need to converse with a man who held him in no regard. He resisted the urge to sigh, no longer cing the cksmith in his eyes.

    "Raven," Altair said, eying his guardian. "Get Azar. He''s the loud one."

    Raven bowed, withdrawing from sight, returning minutester dragging a man by chain bound to his neck as though she was on a walk with her dog.

    Stained by humiliation, Azar kept his head down like a beaten pup, not daring to even meet his master''s eye. Even while Raven tossed the chains of his leash before his feet, he dared not look up.

    At that moment, Hephaestus could not have been more furious, his turbulent aura threatening to leak tendrils of his divinity. He held it in, biting his tongue in the hopes of staying his anger.

    "Azar will be released back into your city, though he isn''t free to leave. Isn''t that right?"

    Hephaestus''s brow furrowed. He looked at Altair and then back at Azar. Fury rising. "What does he mean?" he demanded.

    "I''m¡­I''m sorry, Master I¡ª"

    Hephaestus''s odd-shaped eyes red. "Boy! What the hell have you done!"

    "Raven cut his chains," Altairmanded.

    Raven flicked her finger, snapping the chains around his neck in half, allowing it to fall to his feet with a nk. He shuddered, tears gathering in his eyes.

    "Did I forget to mention this?" The Emperor cruelly grinned. "Well, what you bought was Azar''s life. At the same time, he had to pay for his limited freedom in my court."

    "You fool!" Hephaestus snapped.

    "Oh, don''t me him, seeing how much he means to you. That you are willing to give me the me of the Third Rite; I''ll make sure to use him well."

    "This is ckmail!" Hephestus barked.

    ''No shit,'' Altair wanted to say but held his tongue, meeting Hephaestus''s hideous ring with a pleasant grin.

    Presently, he said, " I could kill the boy if you''d like. In the end, I still get what I want. He''ll be my Shadow. And you''ll be¡­ well, you''ll be what your attitude suggests you are: An enemy. Or you can hand me the crystal and ept that I have in my hands something you consider to be of equal value to the Third Rite."

    "Master!" Azar shouted in a pleading cry.

    "Be silent!" Hephestus barked. "It''s your damn fault for being so foolish! Did I not tell you to stay away from Altair!"

    "Please, Hephestus. It''s rather unbing to have such a disy before me. Will you hand me the crystal, or will you continue to run your mouth?"

    Hephestus''s expression twisted as he struggled to say, "I¡­ I need assurances that you''ll¡ª"

    The emperor''s eyes turned cold. And a Vale Weapon appeared in Raven''s petite hands, poised for execution as she shed behind Azar. Her knee simultaneously striking the back of his leg so that he fell to one knee.

    "You''ll give me your answer now, or I''ll have this bastard''s head. You are in no position to demand assurances. You hand me what I want and ept the changes I bring, or¡ª" he signaled a nce at Raven, and her ive fell.

    "MASTER!!!" Azar howled at the top of his lungs.

    A whirlwind of emotions red across Hepheustus''s mind as he roared. "I yield! I yield!" he said. He couldn''t lose Azar. Not when he was the key to fixing his current situation. Why was he turned into something akin to a ghoul while Azar managed to retain his natural appearance?

    He had to know. He had to.

    Raven''s ive stopped a centimeter into his flesh, allowing Azar to breathe a sigh of relief. She pulled the ive''s edge form out of his neck and sauntered off to the side without expression.

    ''Raven is getting to be a bad bitch. Damn,'' Altair thought, smiling to himself, keeping his extremities emotionless.

    "Here!" Hephaestus said, tossing the crystal towards Altair, anticipation of the change the me of the Third Rite would bring to the boy. He cursed when Athena caught it.

    Altair looked questionably at Athena, who exined, "This is the me that made Hephestus look the way he does. I was trying to warn you, but¡­"

    "We went off on a tangent. Damn." Still, Altair opened his hands towards the goddess without the slightest fear. "Give it here."

    Hephaestus''s eyes went wide, and a crooked smile rose as he watched with anticipation. Athena hesitantly made her way toward Altair, offering it to him.

    The Emperor looked at Hephaestus as though he were the biggest fool. "What? Is this your big scheme?" He sighed. "It seems rather childish, seeing that your disciple''s life hangs in the bnce."

    The mes of the Third Rite shimmered across the Emperor''s mighty palm, dying out as some unseemed force pushed back into the crystal where ity silent. A deafening silence enveloped the throne room, leaving the eyes of gods wide.

    "Thaan, do you think Thanatos will want this me?"

    "No," Thanatos answered without hesitation. "He brought his mes from the Underworld. He doesn''t need such a godly me. But I''m sure he''ll ept it."

    Altair nodded. "Then summon him here. And make sure you inform him he is expected to be in court each morning," he said, staring dead at Hephaestus, ogling him like some odd animal. He openly sneered, rose to his feet, crossed the distance between man and God, and looked down at him.

    "And now I know your motivation for keeping Azar alive despite all the humiliation he is putting you through. What a fool you are." A nasty smile earned its ce on the emperor''s lips as he nced towards Azar, still on his knees, panting, having escaped death''s icy grip. He pulled his gaze back to the cksmith.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Azar, my first order now that you are officially mine is to kill yourself should your master get close to you."

    Courtroom eyes turned wide as even Athena covered her mouth.

    Before Hephaestus could roar in anger, Altair''s cold voice reached his ear. "Bite your tongue lest, and you risk losing everything. I need a dog¡ªa dog who''ll deliver me quality weapons. And you are just the right amount of stupid to do as I please. If you want ess to your progeny, you''ll do as Imand. God knows how long you''ve been looking for one to withstand the me of the Third Rite.

    Altair pulled upon a memory a few minutes before when Athena named the list of the individuals who were currently using the me of the Third Rite and how Hephaestus had hurriedly interrupted. He grinned, grabbing onto the memory to analyze.

    "No! " Azar shouted, desperation now evident in his voice. "That was not our deal! It was not¡ª-"

    "You seem to not understand your situation, baron. I own you. I allow you freedom. You might not be my shadow, but you are nothing less than a tool to further my power. A dog that has no right to eat without his master''s permission. Perhaps I might have Tasha let you have the Zues treatment and cast you into the nine Hells for a few days.

    I hear Time works differently down there."

    Altair lifted his foot, stomping down on Azar''s head, cracking the marble floors as blood gushed from his forehead. "I own you, dog. Until the allotted time I granted you is up. You are mine. And I can be either a good master or a devil the likes you''ll never meet." His gaze turned to Hephaestus. "That goes for you, too. Find exclusive stories on empire

    So what do you say¡­ dog? Will you yield to me?"

    "I¨C

    "Kneel," the emperor ordered. Athena tried to open her mouth, but Altair signaled her to remain silent as he red daggers into the God of the Forge.

    Slowly, almost reluctantly, Hephaestus tumbled to his knee. "Please¡­ I¡­ I need to be normal. I don''t want to be a monster."

    The Emperor sneered, "In the end, that is all that you are¡ªa god with pathetic insecurities." he scuffed, leaving his throne room with his voice trailing after him. "Go forge my weapons, and you''ll have ess to Azar. You''ve my word. If not¡­ Azar will be cast into the Nine Hells for all eternity. Next time, learn to keep your mouth shut."

 Chapter 299 Azura and Gremory

    As the emperor made his way out of his throne room, all worked up over the little show, he tried to find Syris but came up empty when we saw she was busy indoctrinating the children into the Vale. He sighed and visited Medusa instead, tending to his garden.

    The Eternal Garden''s biome was a serene paradise, with vibrant and lush foliage all around. It was a ce of tranquility where one''s emotions could be tempered by the peaceful surroundings. From a distance, he sat and watched Medusa humming, her voice almost blending in with the soft rustling of the leaves. Hestia was there with her, frolicking around andughing as if they were family.

    They were both covered in mud, their hands, feet, and faces smudged with the rich earth. But the dirt didn''t seem to bother them as they relished their time together, talking and ying with unrestrained joy.

    Altair envied them.

    For a while, he watched, munching on a golden apple; he smiled, thinking of his future. If he could not have Demeter, then Gaia herself would be the best option. It was especially true when he thought of allowing Demeter''s blessing to invade the Eternal Garden. As much as she was a goddess of life, it was within her power that all his resources could wilt in the blink of an eye.

    Altair blinked, regretting his decision as he appeared once more within the Lake of Rot beneath the blossom tree surrounded by the endless tide of rot and decay. He growled, the familiar stench darkening his mood.

    Still, he smiled, though forced. "Lady Azura."

    The Goddess of Rot sat with her legs crossed, a small teacup in her palm steaming. Her long, milky fingers curled around its base.

    "ckwood. Ah, forgive. Emperor ckwood." She greeted him with pleasantries. "I trust you''ve been enjoying your freedom."

    Altair met her smile without indecision. "I don''t believe there is anyone alive that doesn''t value their freedom.''

    "Then you''d be wrong. There are hundreds, thousands of various species whose gic line has been bred to follow, to be ves to their master." she took a sip of her tea, a grey blend of Azu Creme. "Devils and demons are one such species. They are bred to serve the Fallen. Why else would youmand a certain level of Authority over them.'' Continue reading at empire

    Altair took a seat at her table, remembering the time against the Chambian on the First Floor of Babels Tower. "You speak truth."

    "I rarely lie," Azura said.

    "I find that hard to believe."

    Azura gave a wire-thin smile. "And do you think I was lying to you when I said I would defile you?"

    ''Could she defile me?'' Altair wondered, ncing down at his palm, the essence of the Vale rising across his fingertips like a me. He closed his eyes, thinking¡­thinking¡­

    "Could you defile someone like Tenebrae or Lunafreya?" Altair finally asked after a practiced pause. He opened his eyes to see Azura''s startled features, which slipped away through her emotional discipline.

    "They are Primordials. To im they exist above or at the peak of the Myriad Heavens is not an exaggeration. Of course, what I''m speaking of are their true bodies, not the Avatars you see." She studied Altair closely, her cool eyes without human emotion. "To defile one means to taint their souls. To tear it away from the Father''s Almighty Will."

    Altair smiled, thinking, ''Is that her way of saying no?'' He straightened in his chair, a confident air rising across his lips, and said, "Is this about me and Morrigan? I''m afraid my hands are somewhat tied with Gremory¡ª"

    "Don''t," Azura snapped. She lowered her teacup, settling her palm over herp, regal elegance in her movement. "You are ying a dangerous game, Mr. ckwood. One I might have yed with you a few years back." Her gaze narrowed dangerously. How much do you know of Gremory that you dare use her name so tantly?"

    "Not much."

    "And have you ever wondered why that is?" Azura opened her palm, conjuring a couple of pictures that showered the table before Altair. Each one showed a man he did not recognize talking with Athena. They appeared quite close.

    "This man,'' Azura pointed at him, his ck hair and golden red eyes, as he stood in azure regalia. "This man is called Mephisto, The ck Scourge of Rebellion. There is not a more dangerous man than him. In all of the Myriad Heavens, the Hells, Arcadia, and the Abyss, no one can rival him in schemes or strategy except perhaps Zero.

    At the mention of Zero, Altair held the urge to motion awareness of the name.

    "He is the true devil. And the woman you saw to use to stay my hand, Gremory, is closely allied with him. Their assorted alliance during the Era of the Silver Devil was so deadly that every Monarch of Hell and Archangel of the Heavens gathered against them."

    Altair frowned, not understanding.

    Azura saw and said, ''Can you imagine the Power theymanded that both Good and Evil had to form an alliance to stop these two? Ever since the great Fall, Heaven and Hell have never allied themselves but were now forced to ept one another and rid themselves of this ursed alliance."

    "Mephisto is currently banned from entering the Myriad Heaven; his tant infringement of his Father''s orders worries us all. And then there is your involvement with Gremory herself. It all¡­ worries us. So much so killing you now would be very well worth the interest of our Order."

    Altair realized something then and said, " Is that why you''re so active now? Mephisto left¡­ so¡ª"

    As if an invisible palm grabbed hold of his lungs, depriving them of air, Altair stiffened. Tendrils of veins rose from across his jaw as he struggled to breathe. He panicked, directing a wisp of Vale Qi into his lungs, returning air to his pathways.

    Azura''s brows beetled in surprise. "You¡­" She shook her head, calming herself. "You can see it that way. In many ways, Mephisto maintained a certain level of order across Heaven and Hell. It was how he passed the time when he got bored."

    Altair lips twitched as he thought, ''he made the Heaven and Hells dance to his will because he was bored?''

    "Everyone owes that bastard something, even us," Azura continued, her expression darker than normal. "Whenever Mephisto is involved with something¡­ it usually means trouble." She pointed to Athena. "And right now, he''s talking with this child. Exin it."

    "How can I?" Altair shrugged. "It''s my first time even seeing Mephisto. I''m equally shocked that Athena has a rtionship with Mephisto." he stared at the ashenplexion within the picture, a musing grin ying across his lips. "Think there lovers?"

    Azura scuffed. "Hardly. But we need to know why he sought out Athena. Presently, Mephisto''s reach has never been so weak ever since he was banished from the Myriad Heavens. We''d like to keep it that way."

    She waved her hand again, conjuring an Eldritch b, which she threw towards Altair, who caught it.

    "When you speak to Athena, we would like to listen."

    The Emperor studied the prism lined with runes forged out of malleable metal. He lifted an eye to Azura, back to the prism. "What is it?"

    "Amunication device that we created. Untraceable.''

    "Ah," said Altair. "So now you seek to listen to my conversations."

    "Hardly, but we need to learn that Mephisto has nned. And between you and Morrigan, I don''t care what deal you possess with Gremory. Make time."

    "Make time?" Altair feigned ingorance. "My hands are rather tied. How can I, a Third Circle, battle against a Royal Devil, a Lilm, form from Gremory herself? I made a devil''s deal with her first. So unless you think your little seal can pull me from out of the grips of hell¡­" He stopped allowing his scheme to be unveiled in Azura''s mind.

    Azura opened her mouth to speak but found she had nothing to say, so she stared at the boy, smiling, her slender white fingers drumming across the table.

    "You are ying a most dangerous game¡­ You got into bed with one of the biggest monsters of the Myriad Heavens, and you don''t even realize it." Azura grinned, the light within her eyes spiraling demurely. "I hope, for your sake, you know what you''re doing."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Why, of course," said Altair cooly. "But I must say¡­ I didn''t think you''d be so wary of Gremory. Is there history there?"

    "History?" Azura whispered, spinning a lithe finger across the rim of her teacup. "You can say that¡­ she is one of the reasons I saw to wipe out my bloodline from the Myriad Heavens." her gaze lifted toward the blossom tree.

    "The Compendium of Blood And Faith both belong to that monster. I don''t know why you decided to offer her your seed. But you will regret that decision. Mark my words."

    ''Thependium of Blood and the Compendium of Faith.'' he thought, making a note to inquire about such things from Zero and his Father. Still, he leaned back in his chair, wanting to probe for information. When his surroundings shifted, he frowned, falling onto his bottom onto the grass within the eternal garden.

    In hisp, themunication prism Azura left him. Heughed, hopping to his feet, sending the prism into Drupnir before teleporting into his office, allowing a cool gleam to flicker across his eyes. He had Ava teleport the ring back to Earth before taking out a small Holocube that Zero had procured for him in the event he needed to report anything.

    In a moment''s breath, the virtual image of Zero appeared. Beside him, an unfamiliar face. Yet, from his silver hair and eyes, Altair felt a knowing as if the Mana of Heaven and Earth was whispering the name of the being.

    "Zariel¡­Snow," Altair whispered, bringing a half smile to the Silver Devil''s lips.

 Chapter 300 The Omnis Rankings I

    "You know me," Zariel said, his smile fading to a wire-thin line. His silvery leaden eyes glowed with a perception of truth that did not seem to exist in reality but beyond it, masking his true intentions eternally hidden beneath a veil of mist.

    "Uncle," Altair said.

    "Are you liking my gift?" Zariel asked.

    Altair knew he spoke of the ''Soul of the Indomitable'' and said, honor predicated in his voice, "Very much so, uncle. It has kept me sane."

    "It does more than that," Zariel intoned, rising from his chair, his words echoing not through the hologram but through space and time across the vast expanse. "As you drown in the ocean of knowledge of the Realm of Spirit, you will find that it strips you of direction, of purpose.

    But if you wish to im that power, truly im it as I had done, once, to make it your own for a mere moment that allows one to see past infinity, then embrace the Soul of the Indomitable'' within its depths."

    He vanished in a blink, leaving Altair no way to offer thanks. Not that he could, as Altair stood transfixed, like an oak rooted to the earth, bounded by the tendril roots that reached the skies, stirred by a prescience he had no control over.

    Zero didn''t speak; He watched the moment of enlightenment embedded in Altair that Zariel had offered him, a thin smile rising beneath his mask.

    For a day, perhaps two or more, he stood frozen in time, his Pale Knights instinctively approaching to guard. The call had been primal, from the very marrow, summoning them to his side. They stood there poised before him; after what seemed like years, Altair returned to himself, returned past the moment that constituted future, past, and present.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    A force so great it seemed as if the very confines of deep space held itself in his mind.

    Something bright was in his eyes, and as he blinked, his heart experienced a sensation of words that failed to be rted in the now.

    "Zariel rarely rewards others with his insight," Zero said. He sounded surprised. "Not even his two sons were honored in such a way. I wonder what he saw in you."

    "What he saw?" Altair said.

    "Yes¡­" Zero said, his voice slightly trailing off. He seemed hesitant before it faded, killed by some formless de. "Tell me what you wanted to talk about?"

    Altair nodded, remembering and recounting the conversation between Azura. Zero listened, finding himself once more smiling.

    "Ah," He began, "Mephisto¡­ Mephisto¡­ Mephisto¡­'' he repeated, his voice like dry leaves. "You''ve given me a gift¡ªa most interesting one." He looked up, nodding. "As for Gremory¡­ There isn''t a need to worry about her so long as you do not keep her waiting."

    "She''s impatient?"

    "The perception of a god is as long as time and thin as hair," Zero said. "Lilms are carefully molded creatures. Kept pure for a Fallen. Each one is a spy for her to watch the aristocracy of the Hells. Keep her at arm''s length, but do not forget your ce. Devils are not your allies.

    They''ve no loyalty, even to their Masters. They might be bound by blood, made to serve like a dog. But do not assume you''ll ever have their trust. I''ll be sending you various lessons in Lore about the atrocities that happen to people like you. Geniuses that might have made a name for themselves if they had the foresight to understand a devil''s true nature."

    "Then how does one bind a devil?"

    "Fucking Snows," Zero said, shaking his head. "Turn her into a shadow will work. From what I''ve seen, they are bound to you. At least until that tether between the two of you is severed. Anyway¡­ Gremory is dangerous. Remember, arm''s length.

    And for the love of God. If she invites you, and she will invite you: do Not sleep with her."

    Altair felt offended. But before he could say his peace, Zero continued, "You are of Arsene balls. Your ability to fuck your way out of the situation might be hereditary." he said, discontinuing the line.

    Altairughed incredulously, falling back to his chair. His scarlet eyes carried a leaden fire that transfixed Syris, who stepped into his office to check on him.

    "Can you believe Zero said I was like my father? And that I fuck my way out of issues."

    Syris found herself blushing, turning her head as she said, "Well¡­ you do have a woman attending you every other day."

    "Sword Maids," Altair said to clear up any misunderstanding.

    "A made-up position," Syris retorted. "Eye candy. I can say the same for many of your shadows. Most are women. Need I go on?"

    "Please."

    ''How many of your enemies were women?"

    Altair made a face. "That wasn''t my fault."

    "All of them. Ten percent are men. You can really call them cannon fodder," Syris insisted, folding her arms. Now fuming, a tinge bit jealous. The more she heard herself articte Altair''s issues.''

    "Even your mother and her daughter, Lunafreya, are fucking hot. Talk about Milf''s."

    "The hell did you even hear such a thing?"

    "Then there is your father, the so-called Sexy King of Hell. You said she was one of the most¡ª"

    "Ok¡­ Ok¡­ I get it," Altair said, folding his arm. "Why are you here."

    Syris rolled her eyes, drawing near to look him in the eye, into the fang-shaped pupils he held. "You haven''t had blood in a while, so I was concerned. Not to mention, it''s been a week. I''ve taken over since your little¡­ enlightenment."

    Altair stormed to his feet, feelingpelled to confirm, " A week! Are you serious?!"

    "Quite."

    "Damn it¡­ all that paperwork! Ah, and the damn gods. How are they?"

    Syris shrugged, "I dealt with them. I told them to wait. And that we''ll call them when we need them."

    Altair''s lips curled. "Are you serious?"

    "Of course, why would I lie? They''re kind of annoying, especially Dionysus. But I must admit he''s got some good wine and is the funniest¡­. Hmmm. You know what? He might be my favorite one.

    He pops in, steals me away to drink, and rivets me with tales of conquest."

    Altair couldn''t help but tilt his head. "Umm, Is he trying to sleep with you?"

    "Nope. At least, I don''t think so. He genuinely just seems bored as hell. I must say that this pantheon doesn''t have many redeeming characteristics. They are kind of¡­ terrible people."

    "Well¡­ after the story with Medusa, I figured that. By the way, how''s Athena?"

    Syris went deadly still. "Gone. Vanished right after you experienced enlightenment. I tried contacting her, but nothing. I suspect she''s trying to figure out the n with the Titans. At the least, that''s what Thaan said."

    Altair sat back down. Syris followed after him, nting herself on hisp. " Also¡­ There seems to be something going on with Zagreus. I think he''s balding. Megaera has got him silent. You should see her.

    Her resting bitch face is immacte. I love her."

    ''One week, huh?'' Altair thought, shaking the unsettling sensation he held within his gut. He hadn''t the time to worry about Zag and asked, " How''s been the transition between Gaia and Earth?"

    "Over with, about a fifteen percent mortality rate. Twenty percent of the poption is inas. The rest are hanging on by a thread." Syris exined, and Altair indifferently nodded. "We''re about ready to begin brewing the Soul Blossom into the water supply. It ought to transform Earth into the next step of evolution."

    "Good. Now, all that is left is to unify thisnd," Altair said, though he was speaking to himself. He suddenly became aware of how hungry he was as that familiar burn returned to his throat.

    Syris recognized the look offering her wrist. "Gentle, okay." She winced when she felt his fangs ruthlessly tear into her wrist. Her cheeks red as she snorted. "Just you wait. Big dummy." still, she did not jerk her wrist away, continuing to exin the state of his kingdom. Her milky skin turned paler with each breath.

    It wasn''t until the rim of her vision began to falter that he stopped, instinctually aware of how far he''d gone. Discover hidden stories at empire

    His hunger was growing, reaching a point that Syris could no longer hold him on her own. At least not until her mana reached past the limit she''d confided herself with.

    "Also," Syris said, voice soft as moonlight. " The Archon of the Seven Towers, stair Dawn, is interested in a conversation. I asked around, but it seems no one knows much about him aside from the fact that he''s a High Imperial."

    "High Imperial?" Altair repeated. "Any rtion to High Humans?"

    "Not sure. But it''s said that the Fourteen Archons of Genesis are all High Imperials. I''m concerned. Genesis is a force unlike any of the Prime Worlds. If the Archons are getting involved, then¡­ I don''t know. We might not stand a chance.

    People like them have unlimited power. They are in possession of weapons that would wipe us out. All they''d have to do was hand the means to a mortal to¡ª"

    "We are not without aid," Altair said calmly. "We have my family, your family, the crucible and¡ª"

    Syris cut him off, "Thanatos said. All the Archons of Genesis are on the Omnis Rankings, and their families have imed ten percent of the rankings."

 Chapter 301 The Omnis Rankings II

    As they made their way towards the council room, Altair approached the holograph, which hummed to life at his presence.

    Presently, Zagreus, Thanatos, Syris, Aurora, and Medusa stood gathered around the holograph, projecting a constetion of logistics regarding the Empire.

    "I am against this," Thanatos said. "The Archon of the Seventh Tower is not someone we can just call up. He''d sent a representative."

    Zagreus agreed, saying, "He''s right. Privacy amongst the noble Gods is something more precious than power. We might have a secure line, thanks to Zero''s upgrades. But let''s not assume it''s absolute. The Seventh Archon is a powerful man. A powerful God, ranked thirteenth on the Omnis Ranking."

    Thanatos looked surprised. "How the hell do you know that?"

    "Unlike someone who ced work above all else. I was rather interested in the outside world," Zagreus remarked, a coldness that was not there before now on his tongue. He turned to Altair. "It''s said that that House Dawn is one of the leading fractions of progression across the Myriad Heavens."

    "He is right, Master,'' Aurora added. "From what I''ve read, the Archon of the Seventh Tower is a dreadful character. Some even imed him to be one of the Dukes of Hell, though there isn''t much proof of that."

    "And what do we know about his family?" Altair asked.

    "Only of what''s on the surface," Aurora said. "He has two sons and one daughter. His eldest is called Zelos, and he is kind of the ck Sheep of the family."

    Altair raised an ear. "How?"

    "No Idea. But it''s rumored that stair''s Wife, who is the Eldest Daughter of the Archon of the Second Tower, Lady Visha Lothal, is known to detest her eldest son."

    Altair nodded. "So we don''t have much about the family. What about Zelos?"

    "He''s¡­" Aurora hesitated. "There were some rumors about him. Nothing confirmed. But it does hint that Visha was quite a cruel Mother to him. From what I''ve read¡­ she tossed Zelos away at birth to be a ve."

    "The hell? Her own son?" Altair asked almost incredulously. He shook his head, waving off a response. "you know what? I''m not surprised anymore. People are weird as they are cruel.

    Make the call."

    As the holograph shuddered beneath Aurora''sputations, a virtual image materialized: one of a masked individual bearing the number "X."

    Altair immediately recognized the mask, reminiscent of the one Zero wore.

    Altair resisted the urge to frown, ncing up at Thanatos and Zagreus, who looked startled. They, too, recognized the meaning of the mask.

    "Tenebrae said that to earn your trust, I ought to wear the mask," the masked man said. " And Zero seemed to approve.

    "You aren''t stair," Altair determined. No ruler Would mask themselves like that.

    "No, I''m not," the masked man said, removing his mask to reveal his Blood-Red Eyes. "But I am his son. Greetings, my name is Zelos."

    "You know me, it seems," Altair said.

    "A little. Not much. Mama Tene mentioned you to me some time ago. Is she with you? You''re her kid, right?" Zelos asked, his handsome expression brightening. "I haven''t seen her since she had you."

    Altair started to feel a bit ufortable. He hadn''t been expecting this, and he certainly wasn''t expecting someone who knew his mother. Nevertheless, he couldn''t answer honestly until he confirmed the nature of this man before him.

    "I haven''t seen her since I returned to Earth," he said.

    Zelos winced. " I see, but no matter." He smiled again. "I haven''t much time anyway. Father has no interest in Earth, but the same isn''t true for the other Archons. I tried sending a proper representative to you, but well¡­ My little brother got in the way, managing to switch my representative with one of his, you know, the one. Mr.

    Artivas L''loutos. From what I hear, he''s in your dungeon."

    Altair nodded. "That is true. Though I''ve no interest in releasing him."

    "Then kill him." Zelos shrugged.

    "Mr. Zelos, I don''t particrly understand what you want from me¡ªthis call, this familiarity. What is it I can do for you?" Altair asked, his gaze poised on the blood-red eyes of the man smiling back at him. The man always seemed to be smiling.

    "Your Mother aided me long ago. She helped me find a Master and connected me to the Order of Chaos. I owe her so much that words cannot even begin to express how much love I have for that woman."

    Altair listened, his expression unchanging.

    Still, Zelos continued. "I know you''re in a predicament. The chancellor of Genesis and many of the Archons around the Fourteen Tower are seeking to remove you from your throne. Even the Fifteenth Tower is beginning to hear of your name."

    Not wanting to sound ignorant, but at the sight of the confused Thanatos and Zagreus, Altair feltpelled to ask, "The Fifteenth?"

    "Beyond Babels Tower, Within the Land of Arcadia, the construction of the Fifteen Colony Tower of Genisis has just recently beenpleted. Its Archon named dropped you at one of the Balls."

    Altair nodded and asked, "Then your purpose is to align yourself with me. To im that House Dawn and my House are allies."

    "Hmmm. Yes. I''m not particrly interested in ruling. But¡­ such things are being pushed on to me by Father. Ahhh. Life sure is hard." he shook his head.

    "If you align with me, you''ll not only gain yourself a powerful ally but also the protection of my house."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I don''t need protection," Altair said.

    "Are you sure? The protection I''m talking about, Lord ckwood, is protection from terrorism. In case you haven''t realized it, Genesis is a type VII Civilization, transcending the various Heavens. We have the means to wipe out your sector of space with a snap. Ignoring the Archons of Genesis themselves. Their families alone will not allow you to flourish as you please if they can''t have a piece.

    They''ll rather see you destroyed than rise. My own brother has already suggested permission to employ such tactics. That is the true reason why Artivas L''loutos was there. "

    "To threaten me."

    Zelos nodded. "Yes. My brother Vin had an entire holograph constructed of the Sunset Pce, where he nned on acting as viceroy in the name of our Lord Father. Earth is quite appetizing, harboring resources that might make anyone salivate. Even the Trading Consortium is eying you now."

    Altair nced at Syris, looking at him as if to say, ''told you so.'' He smiled, ncing back at Zelos.

    "And what by chance do you get out of this? Surely, you''re not doing this for free. Even if it was done as a favor to my Mother."

    "Despite my title as an Arcons Son, I am a member of the Trading Consortium. What I want from you and your empire would be Goods. I''d like you to be one of my clients in the foreseeable future. From what I hear, Dungeon Diving is quite a profitable business. And is the cornerstone of Earth''s primary wealth."

    Altair nced at Aurora, who nodded in the affirmative.

    "Despite your profits, I know you all are struggling to gain footing on Genesis. I''ve done my research, Lord ckwood. Your alliance with me isn''t just about protection. It''s about earning us money. Currently, Earth is pulling in scraps through tradepared to what it could be making. I want a piece of that¡ªtwenty percent, to be exact." Zelos said. Your journey continues with empire

    Aurora muted the audio feed and said to Altair.

    "That is more than four times the amount we pay for various traders across Genesis. However, we don''t have much of a rtionship with the Trading Consortium due to our low ess."

    Altair unmuted the audio feed and said, "Mr. Zelos, how does fifteen percent sound for six months? We can''t simply stop trade across our sector. But we can''t allow you to do as you please without a trial. Aurora, what a good number can we allocate to Mr. Zelos to test his worth?."

    ''Fifteen Percent of the various ores we mine. Since he is acquainted with Lady Tenebrae, such a number should be eptable.''

    Zelos looked surprised. It was a better offer than he''d hoped. "Good. That''ll work. I''ve already sent a transport cruiser to your quadrant. It''s currently circling your outer rim.

    I''ll send you their tracker information."

    "You own your own freighter group?" Altair asked.

    "Of course. It''s mandatory since everything on this damn costs an arm and a leg. I''ll be on that cruiser so we can sign the contract."

    "Not a fan of digital?"

    "All the important documents are still done by hand," Zelos said, his smile rising. "I''ll see you there, Mr. Snow."

    Altair''s eyes went wide, but before he could inquire more, Zelos had already disconnected. Heughed.

    "That bastard likes to y games. Aurora. What do you think of him?"

    "We haven''t had much footing in the Trading Consortium mainly because it''s run by many of the banks, along with the Archon Families and corporations. If we use him right, then I''ll say our profits might increase over¡­" She paused, looking dead into her master''s eyes. "My Lord, we might actually be earning enough to fully evolve our civilization.

    Despite all the technological advancements, we are bely considered a type II civilization thanks to humans'' inability toprehend the greater sciences. Zelos aid is by far anything we would obtain any time soon. If his trading group within the Consortium isrge enough, we''ll be set for a very long time. And¡­"

    "And if he''s an ally¡ªa true ally¡ªwe might gain some valuable information from him." Altair grinned, looking at his inner circle with a smile. "Thanatos, prepare for his arrival. Let''s see what type of man this Zelos is."

 Chapter 302 The Omnis Rankings III

    The of Earth, renamed Terra after the fusion of Gaia, had been in a state of chaos for quite a while as its denizens suffered from the constant attacks that left them reeling for months.

    Clouds of mes seemed almost amon sight as officials from all around acted the best they could to minimize the damage while also trying to maintain the economy that was now in turmoil due to the constant changes.

    Automatons wielding advanced Artificial Intelligence that had once been heavily restricted by the Empire were now being heavily relied upon to give humanity time to recover while cataloging the various new arrivals from Gaia.

    Still, as Altair peered over the logistics of his empire''s current state, he turned to Thanatos and asked, " Are the Amazon''s poption of men and women fully logged?"

    "Yes, though they''re not happy that they have to release their male ves."

    "They''ll adjust," Altair dismissed the concern with a casual wave of his hand as if swatting away an insignificant insect. "We don''t have the luxury of time for pleasantries. We''ve invested nearly ten million Sols in a variety of Automatons. Simply assassinate those that are against me."

    "That could lead to rebellions. Martyrs could be born."

    "Then have Tasha or Vaiga deal with it." Altair continued, swiping a palm through the constetion of logistics over the holograph. " Raise theirnds to the ground. Like I said, I don''t have time to y mortal politics. We have be too big for that shit. The people will forget in time. If not well¡­"

    Thanatos hesitated but nodded nheless; he stood up, making a few calls across the empire to various officials.

    "Aurora," Altair said as a feed of her present location appeared from within his office. " What is Zelos''s current Eta?"

    "He ought to arrive tonight," Aurora said.

    Altair nodded. "How are the effects of the Soul Blossom going?"

    "Wonderful¡­ too good, really," Aurora said. We''ve already awoken most of the humans who entered aa. Those who hadn''t awakened to the System are now full-on Awakeners, while those who had gained a substantial boost to their souls."

    "How big?"

    "200 to 500 points to Wisdom and Charisma," Aurora said, somewhat rming the Emperor. He''d underestimated the Soul Blossom. Even when it was diluted, its effects were vast, especially on humans, known descendants of distinct Godlings, Titans, and Celestials.

    "Some are awakening Psionic Abilities," Aurora continued, a smile branding her lovely face. It''s rather terrifying. We''ve diluted the Soul Blossom water over a hundred times, but the effects are¡­ terrifying. I can''t even imagine what would happen if we were to pull fruit from the Tree of Rebirth or the Pale Tree, said to grant insight into Primal Death."

    Altair nodded, though he expected nothing less from such godly nts that withstood the test of Hell Cycles or Eternity and survived. If a single one of these nts couldn''t change the foundation of a civilization, what would?

    "Good," said The Emperor. "Since the effects are so good, send a shipment to Syris. I want her to control the Soul Blossom distribution."

    "The Saintess?" Aurora said, not understanding.

    "The Soul Blossom, it seems, grants enlightenment and bolsters the soul. More than what Ava originally told us. Can you imagine the effect it would have on children who just awaken? I''m a third Circle with a soul of nearly two thousand points. Can you imagine how much stronger I would have be if I had a Soul Blossom at age ten?"

    Aurora gulped. "It seems we might have underestimated our resources. Might I suggest we don''t put it on the market just yet?"

    Altair furrowed his brow. "You haven''t done so yet?"

    "No. I was waiting for the annual AuctionHouse held by the Trading Consortium to advertise Earth''s greatest resources. It Seems we were lucky. Our ignorance might have gotten us killed."

    Altair grimly nodded. He could almost imagine entire armies raiding the Outer Rim of Terra in order to acquire such a precious resource. He almost wanted to stop the distribution of the ''water'' that was infused with the Soul Blossom, but it was toote.

    ''My first fuck up,'' he thought, frowning, drumming his finger across themand panel of his chair.

    "Continue the distribution. I''ll let Syris proim it to be water blessed by the Vale. Let''s grow the faith," he said after a moment''s pause.

    Aurora nodded and disconnected the feed.

    "Medusa," Altair said, looking at his Sword Maid for the day. Happily organizing documents.

    She smiled at him. "Yes, Master?"

    "Get me Zagreus."

    She saluted, like a child receiving a very important mission, before scurrying off. Momentster, she returned with a sulking Zagreus.

    Altair thanked her before sending her on her way alongside Thanatos.

    "You look like shit. And smell like cheap beer," Altair said. "I guess it''s not going well with Megara?"

    Zagreus flushed, his fist curling into balls. He turned, having nothing to say.

    "Zag¡­ I''ll be honest. I have zero clue what you''re going through. Personally, I find the entire matter stupid. So I''ll ask you now. Do you want me to send her back to the underworld?"

    Zagrues looked at him, eyes turning wide. "No!" The words came before he could think, much less catch himself.

    "Then pull yourself together, man. For fuck sake." Altair snapped. " It''s embarrassing watching this shit. I don''t have many words of encouragement because I don''t know what you need to do. But this isn''t it. Get your shit together, or return to your Father."

    Zagreus''s expression turned. "You don''t mean."

    "I do with the Involvement of the Olympian Gods. War is bound to be on the horizon. And as you are now. I can''t imagine you surviving any sort of major battle." He stood up, standing eye to eye with the man. "If you can''t close your heart to such things. You''ll die.

    And I won''t have that on my consciousness or what''s left of it. Get your shit together. That''ll be all."

    Zagreus stood there for a second. Lost.

    "Go find you a woman¡­" Altair suggested. "Or be the man Megaera wants. That''s really all the wisdom I have."

    Aimlessly, Zagreus left, drowning beneath a strange pressure of his own making.

    "What the hell was Thanatos thinking bringing Megaera to the surface? Three furies, and he picked the one Zagrues chose to flee from." He winced, shaking his head before continuing his work.

    ****

    As the hour of Zelos arrived, Altair decided to personally wee him despite it being beneath his station. He left his castle and headed towards the Interster Transportation Hanger, several miles outside Zamphis.

    Across the hanger bay, Altair stood alongside Thanatos and Medusa as a shuttle entered his world''s atmosphere. The shuttle was rather small, though it appeared luxurious, as though meant for kings and queens alike.

    But as the shuttle docked, lowering its stepping tform, Altair did not spot Zelos as he thought. Only servants draped in the crest of the Burning Sun on their chest. There were seven of them, and each one of them was Transcendent, nearing the peak of their respective fields.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Altair blinked but did not speak, as one by one, the Seven bowed, presenting a dagger not to him but to the world itself.

    Suddenly, the dagger shone a bright fixture of light, revealing a sigil, one of the infernal origins, before he appeared like a sh, gripping the dagger in his palm.

    Altair nearly gasped as Zelos teleported in, screaming, " I''M BACK!!!!!" Arms raised like a child.

    His servants all looked away in shame, already aware of their masters'' antics.

    "You can''t have me this time, Truck-Kun!!!!!" he roared, his bloody eyes sparkling with wonder. He spun, eying the transport bay before fixing his eye on Altair. "You''re a lot taller than I thought. Are we the same height?"

    Altair nearly smiled, offering a palm that Zelos instantly took. "How have you been, Lord ckwood? I hope it''s good."

    "...yes¡­" Altair said, unsure why there was such excitement that was absent before.

    "Oh¡­ I almost forgot gifts." He waved his hand, conjuring a tome lined with gold: " Compendium of Ascension. The Seventh Edition. It just came out this year. It has a list of every God at the Omnis Rank. Please read it. I think you''ll find a few familiar names on it."

    Altair smiled, epting the nearly seven-inch-thick tome. He didn''t open it but handed it to Thanatos, who happily epted.

    "Now¡­ before business¡­" Zelos began. "Kabobs."

    "Excuse me?"

    "Kabobs. Please tell me Earth still has Kabobs. They don''t make it in Genesis like they do on Earth. I''ve spent nearly thirty years trying to recreate the recipe, but Hells! I haven''t been sessful."

    "Well, we did have a banquet prepared for you¡­ but¡­" Altair said, his voice trailing off, looking at how excited Zelos had be. "I guess we can skip it to dine at a traditional restaurant."

    "YESSS!!!!!!!!" Zelos howled, shaking the skies, his transcendent might bleeding through. He was shaking visibly, tears nearly rising across his eyes.

    Your next read awaits at empire

    "You¡­ You alright?"

    "Lord ckwood¡­"

    "Yeah¡­ You kind of ruined any sort of regality the moment needed. Just call me Altair." The Emperor said, shaking his head.

    Zelos seemed to catch himself. "Sorry about that. But it''s been a dream of mine to return to Earth. I just didn''t think I''d return to it in a futuristic setting. Everything has changed."

 Chapter 303 Zelos

    Altair was at a loss for words as he watched Zelos raid an entire restaurant. He was in tears, nibbling on a kabab. Snot oozed from his nose as he gnawed at the meat.

    "You''ve no idea how I longed for this," he whimpered.

    Puzzlement turned to astonishment, " Are you sure you''re an Archon son? You¡­ you seem¡­ to normal."

    Zelos rubbed his eyes. "Archon son though I might be. You probably had a higher beginning than I did."

    There was a story there, one Altair could see but held himself from inquiring about. Prescience warned that such a topic might sour the meal. Instead, he happily ate alongside the stranger, who appeared to have reconnected with an illicit lover.

    "You must be Thanatos," Zelos remarked, looking at the God of Death beside Altair. He looked curious. "I learned a lot about you in school. What¡­ What was it like to have Nyx as your mother? And Erebus as a Father. Greek Lore was my favorite topic back in high school."

    At the mention of Erebus, Thanatos lips thinned. "My mother was kind, having taken it upon herself to learn from Night Mother herself by studying the Eternal Night."

    "Tenebrae taught her personally?"

    Thanatos shook his head. "All born of the night possess an inherent connection towards the first Primordial of Darkness. One merely needs to attune themselves to the Endless Night."

    Zelos made a wry smile. He lowered his kabob. "Lucky them¡­ I wish¡­" He shook his head. "I¡ª"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ''You''re a reincarnated soul, aren''t you? '' Altair said, aided by a preexisting knowing in his conscious mind. "There is no way an Archon son like you would have visited Earth, and I have not heard about it. Mother told me about people like you¡ªpeople who are killed and are allowed to reincarnate with their memories."

    Zelos didn''t deny it. "It''s quite an open secret within my House." he shrugged. "But that''s right. I am a reincarnated soul. Although I came from a time far, far in the past, where things like holograms or interster travel were a thing of fantasy, not reality." He dripped a bit of tzatziki sauce on his kebab, biting into it with a satisfied expression. He moaned.

    "And it''s really one of the biggest reasons I don''t want you or this world to perish."

    Altair nced at the servants that bore the sigil of the burning sun on their chest and shifted his attention back to Zelos.

    "Who killed you?" Thanatos asked with a perplexed expression. He seemed to already know but wanted confirmation.

    "The universe''s greatest killer. Truck-Kun."

    "Of course," Thanatos rolled his eyes. "That kid¡­ I swear, when she discovered that power, she went on a killing spree."

    Altair turned to Thanatos. "Killing Spree? Kid?"

    The God of Death nodded. "Oh yes. Truck-Kun is just a big kid whose power over Rebirth was so great andprehensive that it revolutionized the Myriad Heavens. She got so powerful that the One actually acknowledged her power of forcing someone through reincarnation."

    "How strong is this Truck-Kun¡­" Altair asked.

    "Bottom of the Omnis Ranking," Zelos said, munching away. "She''s powerful¡ªinsanely so¡ªbut it''s not herbat prowess that rms people. It''s her inability to die."

    Thanatos nodded. "Yep. You can''t kill her. She''s literally unkible. The most you can do is seal her up, or she''ll just be reborn."

    "Excuse me?" Altair said.

    "If you cut her arm off. Reborn. And she''ll be whole again. Cut her soul in half. Reborn. Chop her head off.

    Reborn. Use a Primal Death spell. She''ll have to be reborn more than once. But she''ll be fine." Thanatos remarked, stretching his head at the sheer absurdity of her ability.

    "That''s ridiculous," Altair said, unable to believe what he was hearing. He nearly spaced out. "How the hell does one fight that?"

    "You don''t. In fact, no one wants to fight Truck-Kun because each of her attacks has a percentage of pushing you through the wheel of samsara. It doesn''t matter how strong you are. She''ll force you through reincarnation, granting you a wish or two, then send you on your way."

    Zelos nodded in agreement. "There are a few Corpos on Genisis that are currently doing the same. It''s quite a good investment. Even my family is involved. What''s funny is that humans, despite being useless, are the most sought-after souls since their Soul me can limate to any known species amidst their reincarnation. They aren''t necessarily restricted like other races."

    "But¡­ Isn''t it dangerous to just reincarnate someone like that? What if they turn on you?"

    "Ideally, you want them to grow stronger than you," Zelos remarked. "That''s the hope anyway. You''ve heard of devil deals, right? Each person who Truck-Kun kills signs one of those. She cuts out betrayal before there can be any hope of¡ª"

    "Truck Kun, is a devil then? A fallen perhaps?" Altair asked.

    "No. Truck-Kun is a Forsaken. Kinda. I''m not that sure." Zelos remarked, stretching his head. "I ought to ask her. But she has an insane rtionship with people like Lucifer or Mephsito or whomever.

    They treat her like a daughter or someone. He weird. Having a few devils by her side isn''t unusual."

    Thanatos nodded, recalling his father, who treated the little girl like his own. He''d even gone as far as to pat her head. Something he''d not done for his blood daughter. Not that Melinoe was as affectionate as Truck-Kun. It still left the underworld reeling.

    "That''s wild," Altair whispered.

    "Well, unlike most, Truck-Kuns Isieki''s contracts are actually quite freeing. She doesn''t have a ve contract like my family employs. She just grants your wishes and sends you on your way. It''s a pastime for her. Rarely does she actually gain an actual good soldier."

    Altair made a face. "You seem... quite close to her."

    "She did kill me." Zelos seemed to see the irony, opening up with augh. "Well, that''s true. She''s kind of awesome. But more than that¡­" he leaned close as Mana coalesced across space, trapping sound from entering or escaping around them. "She is your Aunt. She''s a fucking Snow."

    Again, Altair found his mask cracking. The more he heard about his family, the more he began to understand the level of power the Surname ''Snow''mands. His father was a Monarch of Hell, his Aunt was the Universe''s Greatest Killer, and then there was his uncle, the so-called Lord of Absolution. And that wasn''t to mention their wives.

    He suddenly felt he was drowning, pressed against the bedrock of the ocean by an immeasurable weight of expectation.

    Zelos lowered the wall of silence, a sly grin cutting across his lips. "I''m jealous. They all seem to love you."

    "How do you know all of this?" Altair asked. "Surely they wouldn''t just tell you all this without a certain level of trust."

    "My Master doesn''t believe in trust. As a test, that bastard had me running after their ass to try to uncover something. Your uncle literally tried to toss me into the Nine Hells. He''s a major asshole."

    "Yup," said Thanatos. "That sounds like him."

    Zelos made a face, reeling from his first meeting with Zariel, and shuddered, shaking his head. "I''m not sure who''s worse, though: Your father or your uncle. One doesn''t give a single fuck about anything but his woman, while the other is so orderly if I don''t sit properly, I risk being cast into Hell. At least Jin is cool."

    "Jin?"

    "Your nephew, the Acting King of Asteria. You should reach out. He''s told me a lot about you. It seems he saw you fight five years ago. He was impressed. Like me, he''s a transcendent.

    So you better catch up. We''re trying to build ourselves up before war erupts with Arcadia." Zelos said, wiping his mouth. "Which brings me to the actual reason why I sought to meet up with you. I''ve already aligned myself with your brother and sisters in Arcadia. Your sister is a baddie, by the way. Izalith, Vesyrn, Crowe, Jin, and I have all decided to align ourselves to create a sort of organization.

    Much like your father and his family and friends did. Our parents and Master can''t help us much due to the Shadow Promation, but who knees them when we have each other."

    "You¡­ You have been to Arcadia?" Thanatos asked. "And you''re alive?"

    Zelos nodded. "I''m a merchant. I go where there is money. Vesyrn of the ck Suns and I have quite a business rtionship. And are drinking buddies. That stoic bastard is quite funny when he''s fucked up."

    Thanatos''s expression froze for a while before he asked, "Just¡­ Just who is your Master? There is no way the Silver Devil or the Monarch of Darkness would have you near their children if you weren''t close."

    Zelos lifted his lips. He didn''t look at Thaan but nced at Altair. "What do you think? Who do you think my Master is."

    The Emperor didn''t even so much blink as he said, " Zero. You gave it away when you said he doesn''t believe in trust."

    Once more, Mana coalesced across space to form a domain of silence, imprable to even the ears of the Gods listening.

    Zelos pped. "Correct. I am Zelos, the Tenth Member of the Order of Chaos. Your personal Assassin for the right price." he grinned a cruel, red smile, his blood-red eyes glistening a sinful heat. Experience new stories on empire

 Chapter 304 Four Months I

    That night, as Altair sat in his bed, he felt a little puzzled. He hadn''t known Zero long, but there was a level of cold precision in his action that seemed missing from Zelos¡ªa seriousness that would often signal greatness. Zelos, at least to his perception, seemed¡­ normal¡ªtoo normal to be a disciple of Zero, whom Azura hadpared to be Mephisto''s equal.

    He frowned, pulling himself off his empty bed. Sleep was not on his mind tonight, so he pulled himself outside, towards the cool air cascading across the Serpents Outreach. The seven moons shone brightly, illuminating stardust across the endless night.

    Normally, he would not have sought out theforts of sleep, but he felt unusually weary that night, as if he were drowning in a vat of endless knowledge, filling his lungs until they wanted to pop. His head ached with such activity that it could render mortals immobile.

    So he drew. Brush to canvas, he wove the night into being across his canvas, dotting the near-infinite cluster of stars, each of different sizes and positions. He wondered how long it had been since hest painted or looked up at the night to simply take in its wonder.

    It wasn''t until dawn came around that he stopped looking at the painting. It seemed so real, as if he could reach into the canvas and grasp the stars themselves. It made him smile when he realized how silly that might sound if spoken aloud. Still, he tried,ughing at himself.

    "You''re in a good mood," came Syris''s sweet voice. "When you canceled the banquet, I thought perhaps Zelos was being an ass."

    Altair gestured Syris over to his painting. "What do you think?"

    Syris paused, frozen in ce, finding herself lost in the cker-than-night portrait. For a moment, she felt she was before the skies of the Serpent''s Outreach, breathing in the winds brushing through her hair.

    She smiled. "It''s beautiful."

    "You think?" Altair asked, unsure himself. He''d nearly forgotten how much he enjoyed painting. Yet, the moment his brush flew across the canvas, he felt the fog across his mind fade. Facades that were hidden in in sight seemed to vanish, leaving only the truth.

    ''Truth,'' he thought, lifting his lips, recalling a peculiar glow he''d seen in Zelos''s eyes. Was he really Zero''s disciple?'' The more he thought of it, the more off he felt. Yet the knowledge Zelos held seemed to justify the im. ''He knows my surname. And he knows my family. But is he really telling the truth about that?

    If not¡­then why lie?''

    "Altair?" Syris said, noticing the space within his eyes. She booped him on the nose, grinning. "What are you thinking about when I''m right in front of you? Don''t you know it''s rude to ignore ady?"

    Altair''s smile returned to him. " Ady? When did my Syris be ady? You eat as you fuck like a savage."

    Syris tried to punch him in the nuts, but Altair was ready, gliding himself away from reach as heughed at her flushed cheeks. Readtest stories on empire

    "I do not!" Syris eximed, the flush turning to anger. " You¡­ You dummy!"

    Altair lips perked up high. "It''s been a while since I teased you."

    Syris gave him the finger, whirling to leave when Altair grabbed her from behind, pulling her into his embrace. "Don''t be mad¡­ What did you want to talk to me about? It''s been a while since you entered my chambers."

    Somewhat pacified, especially as he began kissing her neck, Syris said, "I just wanted to see you. As you said, it''s been a while since we talked about anything but work."

    "Well¡­. You do feed me your blood every other day." Altair mentioned, his lips brushing across the throbbing artery around her throat. He could hear the motion of her blood beating through her heart, rushing up her veins across her body before returning all in a single beat.

    He gulped, masking the desire to eat her up.

    Syris felt the desire, the heat rising across his skin, punctuating her own. She nced back over her shoulder to see the heat in his eyes.

    "Let''s have a dual. Me and you."

    "A dual?" Altair pulled his lips away. "Well¡­ we haven''t had a proper battle since the Lake of Rot." He paused. "But it''s not really a fair fight now, is it? My Almighty Resistance cuts half of all attacks against me. Can you even break through my defenses?"

    Syris grinned. "You realize I can fuse anything I want? Do you think you''ll survive if I fuse the Vale alongside every Element I have a clear understanding of? But I was thinking of a skillful battle, not a real one. I''ve been feeling a little¡­ out of practice as ofte."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "And what do I win if I win this little spar of ours?"

    "Whatever you want." Syris expressed, eyes carrying confidence that left others intimidated. Altair had not been one of those.

    "Anything?" Altair asked as his fingers sped her bottom quite firmly.

    Syris didn''t allow herself to flush. She''d not let him win so easily. She swatted his hand away, eyes like a burning me of silver. "Only if you win."

    Altair smirked, looking at the hand she''d struck; he looked up at her dangerously, "I''m going to have you fuck these fingers as a consequence of your transgression."

    Again, Syris gave him the finger, appearing nothing like a saintess. "Bring it... Bitch."

    ***

    Within the training hall of the Pce of Stygian, Megaera looked as if she had eaten a bitter fruit.

    "Can''t we just have a threesome?" She asked.

    Altair nced at her with a deadpan expression. "A threesome," he repeated, ignoring Syris'' idleughter across from him.

    "Megaera¡­ do you know what a threesome is?"

    "A three-way battle, of course," she said with the utmost seriousness.

    "Well¡­ I wouldn''t mind, but Zag would kill me." Altair said when Syris walked over to her and began to exin the proper terminology.

    The Fury went red, opening and closing her mouth in disbelief. "Never mind¡­" she expressed, a few steps back. "Carry on."

    Altairughed. "Well¡­ Aren''t you cute? I see why Zag fell for you." he smiled as she flicked him off as well. "You know the rules?"

    "No, Mana, just hands," Megaera said after she cleared her throat.

    Altair and Syris took weapons from the racks before they took up positions across from the other.

    In a single breath, hundreds of thousands of sword paths glinted across the domain of Altair''s inner eye, forming a whirlpool of infinite lines.

    "I''ll only need a minute," Altair said, opening the Sword Path fully.

    Syris sneered, bounding to him like an ephemeral beam of white light, her dagger shing against his sword with shattering force. mes ignited like an exploding star across the emperor''s eyes. When a constetion of blows rioted against the other, as de arcs danced in a maelstrom of vicious lines as their two arms blurred.

    Syris was faster, but with each motion of Altair''s sword, Syris found herself being pushed back more and more. It wasn''t until their hundredth sh that she realized that she''d fallen into the flow of his sword strokes. He was controlling her flow, her rhythm.

    She frowned, backing off in a few flips before rounding on her opponent''s nk at a breath pace.

    A flurry of dagger strikes came as Altair easily parried, following the motion of his Sword Path, perfecting his basics to a degree he felt he had not truly ever learned how to hold a sword.

    ''Just how strong is Zariel?'' Altair had wondered, slightly glimpsing what it meant to perceive the concept of infinity. It seemed improbable. Yet, with each stroke of his sword against Syris, he felt the strings of perfection, of infinity, rising across his de.

    Syris was by no means weak. In fact, Altair felt that if he had not obtained the Sword Path, he might have struggled to hold her down. But it wouldn''t have been so¡­ simple. Now, he felt as if he were ying with a child who''d barely just learned to hold a weapon.

    "You lose," Altair said, motioning his sword across space in a single arc of his de.

    Syris didn''t even see it ur as she felt his sword touch her neck. She froze, ncing down at the ebony de; blunt as it was, it drew blood from her flesh.

    "How?" she muttered, dropping her dagger as awareness settled across her face.

    "The Sword Path¡­" Altair said, his voice trailing off as he noticed tears rising across her lovely eyes.

    "I¡­ lost¡­ so easily." Syris sniffled, a pained look cutting across her tender features. She blinked, biting her lip. "I must have looked like a damn fool."

    Altair frowned at that. "What do you mean."

    "You don''t even realize it. Do you?" Syris said, looking up at him. "I attacked you hundreds of times. All you did was parry until¡­ you finally decided to go on the offensive. All it took was a single sword stroke to defeat me." Tears welled in her eyes as she bit her lips, drawing blood.

    "I¡­"

    "Winner," Megaera said coldly before more words could be had. She drew in on them, arm pressed on Syris''s shoulder. "And now you know. Do not cry. Simply improve."

 Chapter 305 Four Months II

    Altair was rather disturbed by Syris''s strange outburst. It hadn''t been the first time she''d ever lost against him in such a manner, especially when it came to the test of one''s sword. He''d bestered her before. Her true skill neverid in her skill but rather her ability to fuse to bend reality into what she wanted.

    To see her shedding tears over such a matter left him slightly regretful and confused. He''d wanted to apologize, but had there been anything to apologize over?

    ''The stronger ate the weak,'' he thought, justifying the victory as he lifted her teary chin with a finger to look her in the eyes.

    "Mine."

    Altair''sughter filled the room as he caught Syris''s punch, overpowering her and pinning her down. He teased, "If you''re going to be a sore loser, you should visit my chambers more often. I''ll teach you how to open the Sword Path while giving you a good workout." He kissed her cheek, asserting, "But today, you are mine. The victor ims all, my dear Syris."

    Syris wiped away her tears, her expression a mix of resignation and determination. She sniffled and nodded, "Fine." Her lips and cheeks betrayed her true feelings, pouting in a way that spoke volumes. "But you better teach me how to open the Sword Path."

    Altair snickered, releasing his Saintess, then lifting her to her feet; he froze when a holograph of Zelos emerged across his Neurolink. He connected the call.

    "Sorry, but we need to sign the contract. I''ve got to leave. I''ve business back on Genisis," Zelos expressed. "Mywyers have already drafted up a contract. And I''ve already sent it to Aurora for it to be amended. She changed a few things, but I amfortable with all that''s left of your signature."

    Altair nodded, disconnecting the feed as Ava teleported him back into the Sunset Pce. He hurried to the council chamber, where Zelos stood beside Thanatos and Aurora, discussing the various materials he''d be trading.

    "... You''re underestimating Earth''s resources. I can sell it, but as you guys are right now. You''ll start a war with unaligned worlds," Zelos remarked, pointing a finger to a holograph of a crystal, Scyirdiydite. A crystal formed through the primordial radiation of a birthing star.

    "Sell it," Altair said. "We don''t fear war."

    Zelos lips thinned. "This material is apound material necessary for creating a ninth Star. Refine in the right manner, and you can allow an awakener to skip eight sses and obtain their Ninth. They''ll be weaker than your normal Ninth Circle, but they''ll still be a Ninth Circle."

    "It''s fine. I need other worlds to salivate. Plus, how else am I supposed to gain levels?"

    "Alright," Zelos shrugged. "You know your world''s position better than I do. But also, don''t forget. I''m open to assassinating anyone for a price. Just give me a call." He waved a palm, conjuring a number of documents, and handed them to Altair.

    The emperor reviewed the contract, nodding as he bit his thumb, drawing a sliver of blood; he signed it.

    Zelos happily epted the contract, sighing," You''re so lucky. And now I have to get back to Genesis for Father''s bullshit."

    "Bullshit?" Altair mused, smiling.

    "The other Archons are trying to pressure my Father into naming an heir. And despite being the eldest son, my session amidst the Ptine line isn''t guaranteed." Zelos mused, reviewing the contract with mild interest; he then nced at Altair. "I n on letting my father and mother know of my sess here but do watch your back.

    My little brother tends to be a bit reckless when ites to things he can''t have."

    Altair frowned. "I''ll kill him, you know."

    "I expect nothing less," Zelos said, stretching his arms. He smiled, reaching out his arm to Altair, who epted with a firm hand. The two grinned.

    "Take care, Emperor Snow. And do watch your back¡­ You''re the talk around the Hells."

    Before Altair could inquire more, the glint of the Ars Goetia sigil shed across Zelos''s eyes, distorting his image as he vanished, teleporting across space and time.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "The Ars Goetia," Altair muttered, recalling the ancient sigil sh through the bloodline of Ren. He touched his chin, narrowing his eyes. "How does he have that Tome?"

    "The what?" Thanatos asked.

    Altair shook his head. "It''s nothing¡­ At least not yet," he answered. "Aurora, get everything delivered to his transport vessel. I want them off my world in the next few days."

    ***

    Four Months Later.

    "It''s done!" Altair moaned face-first over the bed of flowers. Experience tales at empire

    Hestia giggled, "You''re an odd one." She''d never seen a lord or king so rxed outside their pce. No matter where they were, they always kept up the facade of poised regality that predestined greatness.

    "Terra is officially stable. I can finally leave."

    "Leave?" Medusa said. She sounded frightened. "Why do you want to leave?

    "ah," Altair caught himself and exined, "I mean, I can finally resume my ascent up Babel''s Tower. I left before I could even pick up my prize. "

    Medusa breathed a sigh of relief. " You scared me. Who are you taking with you?"

    "Tasha," Altair mewled. "I have to fulfill my promise to Grimory and maybe Morrigan. Azura has been hounding me to nt my seed in her."

    Hesita grinned. "I hope you have the biggest family," she eximed. "Babies are just so cute. Especially if they turn out as handsome as their daddy or as pretty as their mommy."

    Altair wanted to make a snidement but held it in. He had no intention of giving Grimory or Azura a child. He was counting on his control of his physique to make him infertile. By manipting his will, he hoped that it would be enough to ''kill'' any sort of life from his semen. His only worry had been that Tasha''s or Morrigan''s willpower might ''force'' his body to behave normally.

    While such a method lowered the chances of fertilization, it was still a viable option.

    He yawned, rising off the bushes. "I just wanted to check up on you. It''s been a while, so¡­" He stopped looking at the flush glow across her face and shook his head. "It seems I was worried for nothing. You look happy."

    "I am!" said Medusa. "It''s so peaceful here. Plus, I have Hestia, Raven, and Meg, whoe to visit me every day."

    "Megaera? Oh. You two are close?"

    Medusa nodded. "She taught me how to fight, how to use my ws and tail, how to focus my petrification ability to allow it to affect even gods."

    "What is she teaching you now?" Altair asked.

    "Martial Arts. The Fist of Hell Fury. it''s fun!" Medusa said, clenching her small fist. "Maybe soon. I¡­ think¡­ I''ll be able to face Athena."

    Altair smiled. "Do you want to kill her?"

    "I¡­" Medusa froze. I don''t know. I want to say yes. She could have saved me back then, could have done so many things, but she didn''t. I just want to know why. Why did she allow that monster to escape."

    Hestia patted her head. "All that matters is moving forward, whether it''s revenge or forgiveness. What matters most is achieving peace of self."

    Medusa nodded, clenching her small fist. "Yes!"

    Altair chuckled, "Well, so long as you''re safe. Ah. I''m taking Raven along with me, so you might not see her for a while. But she''ll have a Holocube. So give her a call whenever you feel lonely."

    As Medusa nodded, Altair took his leave, teleporting outside his pce to the bailey where Raven sat shrouded by a Vale Cloak cker than the deepest night, dancing like mes across her flesh. She stopped when Altair appeared, rounding an eye to him.

    "Master?"

    "Hephaestus ought to have finished refining your ive. Want to check it out?"

    "I don''t like that man, Master," Raven said, startling the young man where he stood for a while. "The aura around him¡­ is vile." She''d never liked him from the first time her eyes crossed against his. It hadn''t been his looks that Raven detested but something darker.

    "What did Medusa tell you about him?"

    Raven paused to think. "It''s not just what Medusa said about him. The sins he carries across his flesh are disgusting."

    "You know¡­ I''m also evil, right? I''ve ughtered countless."

    Raven shook her head. "Yes. I know. But it''s different. Master, you have a bottom line. You''d never think of rape, never think of abusing children or partake in more deplorable activities.

    Even Tasha, a literal devil of the Hells, doesn''t rub me the same way as Hephaestus does. That bastard is scum. He''s worse than scum."

    "He''s a means to an end," Altair said, frowning. He wondered what brought this all on. She hadn''t said anything for four months.

    "I know," Raven said in ackluster voice. "I just don''t like it. And I''d rather not ept anything from him. That''s all.''

    Altair thought for a bit. "Would you rather not ept a weapon?"

    "I''d rather be weakened, Master."

    "Even if it means you''llck the means to protect me?" Altair looked at her with eyes that could cut. Waiting.

    "No¡­ Never that." Raven relented. "But¡ª"

    "You can use the Weapon Tasha brought back from the Hells. But do give what I said some thought. I might not agree with your assessment, but I''ll respect your decision. We all have bottom lines. I''ll not force you to cross your own. Not when you don''t have to."

    Raven bowed. "Thank you, Master!"

 Chapter 306 The Third Form, Belras

    Babels Tower, Second Floor

    High above the skies were the clouds so thick they seemed solid; cascaded beneath the Heavenly Iron Peak Moutain stood a lone figure shrouded by a thick mist. Old as the timeless winds, he stood before hundreds of awakeners, each performing their various martial skills to the best of their ability.

    Arms poised behind his back, as his robes fluttered touch by the soothing winds, Lord Lu Chen sniffled, stiffing the sneeze threatening to explode. He cursed inwardly, thinking, ''God damn it! Screw those Bastard within the Council of Omnis. My peaceful life is ruined!'' He sighed. "I could be in bed teasing my junior Sister. Not watching over some brats that''lle to kill me in the future.''

    He winced, finally allowing a frown to mar his striking features hidden away by the weave of time.

    "Lord Lu!" Atticus said, drawing forward. "I''ve done it."

    Senior Lu Chen trained his eyes on the inquisitor of the Upper Moons, a smile that could cut ss rising on his lips.

    "You''ve been here for nearly four months," Lu Chen said, lifting a palm to his silvery white beard that stretched to his belly. "This will be your... second attempt."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Just then, his eyes grew sharp as he opened his palm, and a sword shed into his hand.

    Atticus gulped. "Yes, Senior Lu," He said, cupping his palm. "I''ve finally achieved the First Form of Belras."

    "Belras!" Lu Chen whispered. He nearly gulped. "The Third Form of Order and Retribution, Nemesis." Then he smiled. "It had been said a Master of Belras held the ability to counter even thews and concepts of creation."

    Atticus nodded. "I''ve been training this form since I was twelve, Lord Lu."

    "The Nine Powers are known as mental techniques; however, only those that truly understand them can merge them into their body and soul." Lu Chen started. "If you continue down this path¡­ I''m sure you know what awaits you."

    Atticus once again nodded. "I am prepared to lose my mind to the Nine Powers."

    Lu Chen did not say anything; instead, he lifted his sword high to strike. Even from a few meters away, Atticus felt death''s embrace as he gulped. Sweat slithered down his brow like a stream, staining his robes as an insurmountable pressure descended. Dread. Cold, unfiltered dread swelled through his mind,shing him to the earth as he looked up at the Lord at his alter.

    It had happened so quickly. Lord Lu Chen''s de became like a mirage as it sought to tear asunder life and death. Atticus could barely make out the path of the sword as he countered; reaching into himself, he moved, hurling his ive up to block.

    He parried but was blown away by the sheer force of their sh. Atticus quickly burned his Mana, allowing it to coalesce across space. He shot forward, diverting the force of Lu Chen''s sword across the air so that it propelled him forward instead of back. He blurred, like an arrow leaving a string.

    Lu Chen nodded, dismissing his sword back into the void. "Not bad," he said, watching Atticus stumble forward to a standstill. Belras is a powerful form few can even hope to beat. Perfect for an inquisitor. "He ced his arm behind his back once again. But you''ve passed the second floor.

    I hope you seed on your path to Godhood."

    Atticus grinned, bowing his head. "Thank you. But must I leave?"

    Lu Chen frowned. "I was warned that the Upper Moons are done hunting the one called Altair ckwood."

    "No! That''s not it," Atticus promised. I only wish to hone my skills. The Mind Incense here has aided me in many ways." He lifted his palms to signal his innocence. I''ve no interest in messing with Altair."

    "The Third Form, like the Second Form Ren-Shii, requires lots of conflict to grow," Lu Chen said. "I don''t particrly care if you seek to kill Altair ckwood. However, you will not involve my Floor in the madness that urred on the first floor. But I cannot stop you if you wish to remain. So long as you assist others in refining their technique."

    Atticus, of course, epted, bowing. "Of course, Lord Lu."

    ***

    "Why are you brooding?" Altair asked, looking at Morrigan. "It''s not like you''ll have any difficulty clearing the first floor. I''ve full authority there."

    Morrigan shook her head. "That is not the issue." she bit her lips. "I know why you''re bringing me."

    Altair lifted a brow. "You''re ufortable."

    "Of course, I''m ufortable! I don''t even like you, but I have to spread my legs and allow you to¡­" Morrigan stopped gritting her teeth. She sighed. "Never mind. Just be quick when you take me."

    "You''re a reincarnated soul, right?" Altair inquired. "Surely this isn''t your first time."

    "It''s not." Morrigan made a face. "That isn''t a problem, is it?"

    Altair shrugged. "Do you want it to be a problem?"

    Morrigan did hope, at least then, he might decide not to take her maidenhood in this life.

    "Of course not," she lied. "I was just curious if you were like other guys."

    "Other guys? Well. I''ve not been around ''guys.'' If you haven''t noticed, most people around me are women." Striding up towards the forge outside his Pce, Altair kicked open the door, gesturing Morrigan inside.

    "Some are insecure about it," Morrigan said, assaulted by a ring heat that sought to scorch her robes. They held due to her mana. She entered inside to where Hephaestus stood hammering away. "It''s pathetic."

    The forge had been nothing special, as he was still transferring his forge from Olympus into the Serpents Outreach. Still, it was enough to forge any sort of weapon for mortals and transcendents alike.

    "Is it wrong to be insecure?" Altair countered, shrugging. "It doesn''t matter to me, but people are allowed to feel what they feel. You''re a grown-ass woman. Do whatever you like. Some people will like it; others won''t. Find someone who doesn''t care about such things.

    Shit, look at me. I''ve got two women. It''s not like I''m the arbiter of what''s right or wrong."

    Morrigan froze, turning to him. "You''re¡­ kind of open about such things."

    "This feels likemon sense to me," Altair said, approaching Hephaestus. The moment he glimpsed the boy, he openly disyed a defeated expression. Altair didn''t acknowledge his downcast expression, saying, "Do you have what I ordered?"

    "Yes¡­ Yes, your grace," said Hephaestus. He nced at his disciple, equally wearing a dark expression. "Bring out the newly forged des."

    Azar snapped to his feet, hurrying off, returning with a ive and two pairs of double-sided swords. Neither of the swords appeared impressive, at least at first nce, but the longer Altair stared, the more he began to feel he was shedding away their mortal appearance to reveal something beyond his imagination.

    "I just remember¡­ what weapon do you use?" Altair asked, rounding an eye to Morrigan.

    "I prefer spears. But a sword is fine. I''m proficient with any weapon." she expressed, her eyes poised on the ive meant for Raven.

    Altair grinned. "You can have the ive. Raven doesn''t want it.''

    Morrigan''s thin brows beetled. "Isn''t it for Raven? She¡ª"

    "Her pride will not allow her to use a weapon forged by the god who forged it." Altair cut in. "I''m not one to force the issue, so¡­ you can have it. I''m sure it''s a better weapon than what you''ve gotten from the Crucible."

    "Its¡­ It is." Morrigan admitted, staring at the ive with stars in her eyes. She epted it, lifting it into the air to study its length. "It''s beautiful."

    "Of course it is, girl," Hephaestus said.

    "Girl?" Morrigan raised a brow. I''m older than you. Child," she snapped, whirling on her heel. She stopped before saying, "I thank you, Altair. I will not forget this."

    ''She didn''t even hesitate to ept my gift,'' Altair thought, smiling, sending the two swords into his ring. He smiled at the Master and Disciple Duo and said, " I will be leaving, but Thanatos will be in charge. Do watch yourself. He''s not as kind as I am."

    ''Kind?" The duo thought in tandem. Their lips twitched as they forced themselves to keep their smiles.

    Smiling, Altair left, catching up to Morrigan. "Soooooo¡­. When do you want to do this?" He asked, merely to tease. But Morrigans expression only chilled.

    "Whenever," she said.

    "Whenever¡­How unromantic." Altair shook his head. "This will just not do! Mor¡­ Darling. Have you ever tried to seduce a man?"

    She stopped, turning to the young man, smiling at her. "Seduce¡­ You?" She tilted her head. "Why would I?"

    "I''m hurt. Do you think you can just have your way with me?" Altair covered his chest. "How shameless.''

    "What?"

    "I know the type of dick I bring to the table. I''m not giving that away for free¡­. Be my sugar mama. Treat me good. And I''ll give you what you want."

    Explore more at empire

    Morrigan''s mouth dropped as she stared incredulously. "You¡­ You¡­You¡­"

    "You ain''t the only one with a nice ass too. Just saying. Seduce me." Altair decreed, puffing his chest out. "Rizz me up. Make me feel like a bad B!~"

 Chapter 307 Second Floor of Babels Tower I

    "What''s with her?" Tasha inquired, staring at the brooding Morrigan as they took the shuttle toward Babel Tower. "She looks like someone punched her in the face."

    "Master is a bully," Raven said, not as ament but as a fact. She sighed, patting Morrigan on the head. "There-There big sis. Ravens here for you."

    "Have you ever been punched in the face?" Altair asked, swiping through the matrix of holographs.

    "Of course. Your not a true devil if you haven''t gotten your ass handed to you. Lady Levi kicked my ass so bad I needed to enter the Blood Pits to regenerate part of my skull that went pop."

    Altair had to look up for that. "I know Devils are immortal, but that seems¡­ excessive."

    "Do you ever put your hand back into the fire after it''s been burned?" Tasha remarked, silencing the matter. She hadn''t been wrong, for with each cruel beating she''d gained, Tasha''s defensive capabilities grew. "Demons have a much higher threshold of battleprehension than we''ll ever understand, so these methods are the only ones we can take in the hopes of remaining on top."

    "The Top?" Said Morrigan finally.

    "Demons are like our ves. Most of them are stupid. We usually use them to breed cattle." Tasha said, pausing when she faced the peculiar stares of everyone around her. She said,pelled to exin herself, "Ever heard of the Demon realm? Well. All those so-called demons are just half-bloods if even that.

    They are experimental failures we have in breeding new races. A damned soul breeding with a demon results in something not particrly ''infernal'' but rather ''Demonic.''

    "There is a difference?" Altair mused.

    Tasha folded her arms over her ample chest. "Of course. That is why they are two different words. Demons from the Demonic Realm pale inparison to our kind from the Hells, but they are very usually tools in controlling territories. They aren''t stupid like those from the Hells. They''ve retained their humanity, but while also gaining¡­ what was the number again?

    Ten percent of most Infernal Kin abilities."

    Raven raised a hand. "Whatpelled you all to copte with a soul? How is reproduction functionality even possible?"

    "People screw animals, and out pops a goddamn half-breeds. No one seems to question beastiality. Shit happens," Tasha said. "me it on the Mana or our Infernal Bodies. I''ve no idea."

    Raven turned to her master, hoping that he might know. She was disappointed to find out he didn''t. Not that he would have given a proper answer. He wanted to be done with the conversation.

    His wish was granted when the shuttle finished docking a few miles off of Babels Tower. They left, hurrying into the tower through the teleporter onto the first floor.

    Altair stood alone for a while in the first city of the first floor, which he''d once ruined in an outburst of rage. That wasn''t the case as he appeared, as it appeared to have been fully restored.

    He smiled, opening his inner awareness to the system to where a system message appeared.

    [First Floor of Babels Tower - Completed]

    [Would you like your Reward]

    [Yes] [No]

    Selecting ''yes,'' Altair suddenly felt a mild warmth surge through him, alerting him to the strengthening urring.

    [Your Strength has increased by 10]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 10]

    [Your Constitution has increased by 10]

    [Your Wisdom has increased by 10]

    [Your Charisma has increased by 10]

    Altair made a face. "That''s bullshit! What good is that shit to me now!" he barked, stomping his feet down, looking over his current stats.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 150]

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 30% ¡ú 98%]

    Strength: 1440 ¡ú 1640

    Dexterity: 1545 ¡ú1745

    Constitution: 1720 ¡ú1920

    Wisdom: 1740 ¡ú1920

    Charisma: 1740 ¡ú 1920

    Mana: 300

    "That shit would have been weed when I was¡­ huh." He paused, suddenly realizing he was still in the realm of a third circle. Slowly, his appearance turned strange as he snapped an eye to some of the awakeners around the third circle.

    Name: Joyce Mcy

    Race: Imperial

    ss: [Legionnaire I Lv 25], [Legionnaire II Lv 50], [Legionnaire III Lv 75]

    Str: 272

    Dex: 197

    Con: 360

    Wis: 360

    Chr: 360

    "I really am a monster. That''s not even fair." Turning on his heel, Altair sighed, drawing toward the vortex near the upper edge of the city, ignoring the guarded eyes of pedestrians and awakeners alike who''d recognized him.

    He moved upwards, waiting for the threedies to catch up to him. Since he''d alreadypleted the first floor, Altair was allowed to rise to the second floor anytime he wished; the others, like everyone else, had to reach the safe zone.

    Beside the spiraling vortex, Altair took out his Datapad to continue his work when a sharp voice caught his ear.

    "Altair ckwood," shouted a petite youngdy. Smaller than most, she strutted up towards him as if she were the tallest man or woman around, her arms folded across her t chest.

    The emperor did not acknowledge her swiping through the holographs of data projected from his datapad. He winced at how much work that had been generated after a few seconds.

    "Damn that Thaan. He''s sending me all the shit work to do," He grunted. "Then there is that sted Zelos. Fuck I¡ª"

    "I heard you were a part of the Crucible," the little thing snapped. Her words were louder than they ought to have been, especially since the Golden Crucible was a secret to the outside world.

    Altair fixed an eye on her. "What do you want?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She snorted. "Elder Grim wants a report." She lifted her palm, expecting¡­ something. A challenging smile ying on her lips.

    Altair resisted the urge to p her head off her shoulder. It would hve been so easy, especially since she was a mere fourth circle. Instead, he said, "I report to The Goddess of Rot herself. The likes of this Grim is of no consequence."

    Julia Helsvort''s smile turned nasty. "We know a lot about you, ckwood. But it doesn''t matter if you report to the Goddess of Rot. You must and will report to¡ª"

    Altair pped her, snapping her jaw out of ce. Blood smeared the cobblestone as his blood-red eyes burned infernal might. "It seems to me you don''t understand my position. I own Earth. The Tower of Babel''s Fourth Entrance. My importance outstrips you and some fucking elder I''ve never met."

    Julia didn''t dare to make a sound, her heart rumbling against her chest. The look in Altair''s eyes told her if she so much as uttered another word, she''d die. Dread trailed across her almond-colored eyes, forcing her to take a step back.

    Altair sneered, resuming his work for an hour before the threedies finally appeared.

    "Master!" Raven sang, leaping into the air onto his back. "You didn''t tell me there were demons out there."

    "Half-Bloods," Tasha said, rolling her eyes. She sounded disdainful.

    Altair lifted the little girl by the cor, bonking her on the head, saying, " I did tell you. You just weren''t listening!''

    "Master tried to assassinate Raven! Call CPS!!!"

    "You''re not a bloody child!" Altair snapped, dropping the little thing with a smile. He rustled her hair, ncing at the other two. "No problems, I hope."

    Morrigan pointed a finger at Tasha. "She has authority over the half-bloods. They couldn''t even step a mile in our direction. The time we spent getting here was due to Raven collecting herbs."

    Raven nodded. " But now that master has tried to assassinate Raven, She''ll never give it to you."

    Altair flicked her across the forehead, rolling her eyes. He ignored the threatsing out of her mouth, turning one final nce to Julia, holding her purpling jaw. He didn''t understand why she stood there for an hour but said, nheless, "Get out of here. And tell your Elder I report to the Goddess of Rot. And only the Goddess of Rot."

    Julia dismissed herself, scurrying off and nearly tripping over her feet, so lost in fear.

    "You struck her?" Morrigan asked.

    Raven nodded. "I expect nothing less from Master. These bitches out here can catch Equal lefts and rights."

    Altair looked at Raven, then Tasha, "You taught her that, didn''t you?" Discover stories at empire

    "Me?" Tasha said, exaggeratingly. "My Lord, I am the embodiment of righteousness. How could I¡ª"

    Morrigan covered her mouth. "Even I fear that the One will hurl lightning down at your tant lies."

    ''Although, you''ve got quite the mouth on you too," Altair mused, rememberingst month when Morrigan had the unfortunate pleasure of drinking a ss of poison meant for him. After she puked up a mouthful of blood, she ughtered an entire noble family, reigning curses. Raven watched it all, eyes glued to the fierce Morrigan.

    Morrigan flushed. "That situation was different. I¡­ I wasn''t in my right head space. Yeah. Yeah! I was poisoned."

    The look everyone gave her read, ''We don''t believe you.''

    "Alright. Let''s head up towards the second floor."Altair finally said, breaking the awkward silence; he turned to face the vortex when a familiar voice halted his steps.

    "That''s him! That''s the bastard who cursed Elder Grim!"

 Chapter 308 Second Floor of Babels Tower II

    Altair turned to look over his shoulder at Julia, who was pointing her finger at him, her other hand clutching her ck and purple jaw. She was shaking, but there was fiery rage in her eyes. Beside her stood a young man. An unusually tall man with copper skin and yellow-green eyes that shone brightly like the moon.

    "Elder Grim?" Raven mused, her eyes flickering with curiosity as she nced at her master. Altair, not in the mood for a discussion, simply shrugged. He chose to ignore the duo, his focus solely on pushing forward into the portal, with the others following suit.

    ''Wait!" Julia barked, but by then, it was toote.

    They emerged from the portal gate as sounds of loud shouts emerged across therge courtyard, so high above the clouds that Altair thought he could touch the moon. Moonlight dripped onto the yard as his eyes were drawn to the lone figure atop the scaffold ten feet above the awakeners.

    Lu Chen''s pupils shrank to a ballpoint pen as recognition flickered across his mind. He grimaced, cursing, ''Fucking ckwood'' before vanishing, materializing before the Emperor and his party.

    "You know me," Altair said, smiling. He recognized the look. Almost everyone on the first floor had it when he returned.

    "How could I not? Your infamous."

    "Not Famous?"

    "They call you the demon that wed his way out of hell to wipe out humanity," Lu Chen said with a level of seriousness that reflected only truth.

    Altair might haveughed wryly if not for Tasha''s sing-song voice, echoing, "Marvelous! All that''s left is for them to recognize you as a Prince of Hell."

    Again, Lu Chen''s pupils shrank. "You''re not already one?" he asked, recalling a few rumors that suggested otherwise. Across the Myriad Heavens, many had assumed Altair was indeed royalty amongst some infernal house of the Nine Hells. After all, he had a Royal Devil as a maid¡ªa Lilim at that. All the old families knew what that meant.

    Before Altair could reply, the portal rumbled with activity as Julia and herpanion stepped out. Their eyes red mad.

    "YOU¡ª"

    "Enough," Lu Chen interrupted, a cruel authority weighing on his voice. "There shall be no violence on my floor," he ordered.

    Julia went silent with the gesture of the stranger''s hand.

    Altair smiled, looking over the man, wondering if he had the bloodline of a giant.

    Name: Varis

    Age: 26

    Race: Giant [30% Awakened]

    Mana Circle: [Sixth Circle - Complete], [Seventh Circle 80%]N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ss: [Godkiller VI - Lv 150]

    Str: 4,000

    Dex: 1022

    Con: 4,000

    Wis: 1710

    Chr: 1710

    Mana: 300

    Skills: [God Sunderer (S)], [Mana Maniption (D], [Godyer Tactics (D)], [ck sh(D)],[Origin Step (E)], [Focus (E)], [Giant Instincts (C)],[Gaint Constitution (C)], [Giant Pressure (C)], [World Shattering Roar (D)], [Polymorph]

    ''That''s ridiculous,'' Altair nearly gaped, blown away by the level of strength and Constitution the giant held. He''d seen monsters, but this one surpassed almost everyone he knew but Tasha, whose stats seemed to transcend mortal limitations by multiple miles.

    Varis, who stood a towering 8 feet 6 inches tall, glowered at Altair. His Presence descended across the mountain peak,shing across the earth like rain. Awakeners, one after the other, caved, falling to a knee, leaving a selected few to stand.

    Altair couldn''t be bothered to flinch. The spiritual pressure could not even bypass his Almighty Resistance. He wondered if the same could be said for Reina, as Nephilims would, too, awaken their Almighty Resistance with time. Presently, only the Nephilim had held any sort of Almighty Resistance, at least until Altair came into being.

    "Are you looking to die at such a young age?" Altair asked. He was smiling, finally discovering an equal.

    ''Enough!" Lu Chen said louder, his authority shattering the Giant''s spiritual pressure. He stood to his full-length eyes, ready to destroy those who broke his rules. "Another outburst like that, and I''ll personally kill you."

    The Giant snarled. "I''d like to see you try."

    "Then break my rules again," Lu Chen said calmly.

    A faint shadow emerged behind Varis, lingering like death, glowering at Lu Chen with cunningly red eyes.

    Suddenly, two shes of will struck the heavens, nearly tearing Altair off his feet, who stood his ground as Vale Qi coalesced around him. The clouds beneath the mountain peak were torn asunder, leaving space to tear and splinter like a web.

    It had been said to be a Ranker of the Myriad Heavens; one needed to possess the battle prowess to kill the weakest Devil of the Nine Hells, and to y Angel would result in being named a High Ranker.

    Few remembered the name, Lu Chen. Fewer are still honored to witness the retired swordsman whose de allowed him to approach those who stood on the Omnis Ranking. It had been said that he had personally received guidance as a reward from the first Prince of Hell, Seir, when he battled a Knight of Hell to a standstill.

    Whatever arrogance Varis held vanished into dread as the ghostly shadow behind him fractured beneath the might of Lu Chen. he shuddered, taking a step back by an almighty presence only those that stood above creation held. In that single moment, he''d felt he''d die over and over, somehow brought back only to die again.

    "Senior Brother!?!" A sultry voice called, shattering Lu Chen''s old persona as he appeared like a young man in a blinding moment. His long grey beard vanished into a well-groomed ck goatee while his hair transitioned to jet ck.

    He looked every bit more like a Young Master than he did an elder as he whirled, with a smile, "Junior Sister, Yu. You''re looking lovely as ever. You didn''t need toe out. It''s just some troublesome kids making noise." he chuckled, grabbing Varis by the wrist before hurling him off the mountain, shouting, "You can make your way up by foot."

    Altair saw only a blur followed by an earth-shattering explosion reaching up from below. His lips twitched as he looked towards the fairy,nding with a lithe step.

    Experience more tales on empire

    "You''re not bullying someone, are you?" Fairy Yu Yan asked, cheeks ring.

    Lu Chen rounded to Altair with a look that said, ''You better not lie, '' and asked, "Lord ckwood, would you please corroborate my story."

    Altair was quick to react, tilting his head and giving the man a look that read, ''What will you give me in return?''

    A slight twitch ran across Lu Chen''s lips. "Lord ckwood?" he said, his voice slightly weaker, when he delivered a Soul Whisper to Altair''s mind.

    Altair smiled, nodding, immediately recounting what he''d seen to Yu Yan.

    Tasha wanted tough at the tant ckmail but managed to hold it in. It wasn''t every day she saw a mortal forcing a Fell God''s hands.

    ''I''ll have him one day,'' she thought, tracing a finger across her belly. ''One day soon.''

    Yu Yan grinned. "Then how about I take over?" she asked with starry eyes. "I''m sure the de of Samsara would like a break."

    "Only if my Junior Sister can join me so that we might cultivate together." Lu Chen said, watching his Junior Sister blush. He grinned feverishly, taking in the lovely sight before him.

    Altair coughed, "So¡­ what is our mission?"

    Lu Chen tsked. He turned to Altair, saying, "You''ll each show me a single skill that is at the best of your ability. Then, break that limit. The stronger you are, the harder this trial bes. You''ll have two attempts. Afterward, I get to kill you.

    So don''t try to pull some bull shit."

    "What are the rewards?" Raven asked.

    Lu Chen stared at Raven longer, finding something¡­ impossible. When he found the words, he said, "Enlightenment to a single skill within the system. Once a month, you''ll be given Mind Incense that heightens yourprehension for a time."

    Tasha lifted a hand, asking, "Does that apply to me?" She was a little bothered as she looked at the list of skills she''d already mastered to the peak her body and mind allowed. She''d spent hundreds of years honing her craft like all Lilim within her cr¨¨che. Improvement wasn''t something that could ur, at least not unless she experienced enlightenment, which couldn''t be sought.

    "As I said, the stronger you are, the harder the trial."

    "Just learn a new skill." Altair said, "There isn''t a rule against that, right?"

    Lu Chen''s lips thinned. "There isn''t, but it takes years for the system to register skills and longer to grow it above two letter grades. You only have ten years."

    Altair made a face. "Two letter grades! All my shit is at C or D!" he wanted to say, realizing the loweryers of Babel''s tower are meant for weaklings. He nearly cried, saying, " Not like we have a choice unless you want us to gain letter grades on a skill that already has a C rating."

    "That''s¡­" Lu Chen shook his head. "Those are the rules. You are free to look around my Sect and purchase techniques. But there will not be violence of any type, is that clear." He nced at Julia, shaking beneath his stare, turning them to Altair, who nodded.

    "Fine by me."

 Chapter 309 Sword of the Heavenly Raijin

    Before Lu Chen returned to the scaffold alongside his junior Sister, he gave Altair a deep look and said, "My Sect, the Heavenly Thunder Gods Sect, is known for its Sword Techniques, but it is also known for its pacifistic nature. I will not tolerate violence, Mr. ckwood, neither from you nor that devil by your side."

    Altair politely cuffed his palm. He hadn''t imagined that an entire floor would have been dedicated to a single sect. Perhaps this, too, was a testament to Lu Chen''s prowess.

    Lu Chen nodded, departing to flirt with his Junior Sister.

    Altair chuckled before deciding to tour the mountain. He took a final nce at Julia, marking her death with his gaze, before walking off. The Heavenly Thunder God Sect hadn''t been asrge as he''d suspected, but away from the courtyard meant for foreign awakeners, everything changed.

    Inside their sect, Altair was rather mystified by the stunning biome of life as disciples and nature lived side by side.

    Theck of technology took Altair aback. He observed men and women carrying buckets of water from various wells that dripped with Mana to live in caves they called Cultivation Caves. At first, he was inclined to think of them as savages, but their distinctive manner and the exquisite gold and white robes they wore made him reconsider.

    As time passed, he realized that not all the disciples lived in such ways.

    The Heavenly Thunder Gods sect had been divided into five categories: the Outer Disciples, Inner Disciples, Core Disciples, Elders, and Patriarch.

    "It''s pretty," Raven said, looking around at the various pavilions that left her breathless. She spun on her heel to Altair, pointing towards one of the stunning structures. "I want one!''

    Altair grinned. "The architecture sure is nice, though I can''t say it''ll match with what we currently possess," He said.

    Morrigan looked around, frowning. "Let''s just hurry to the Martial Pavillian. We are wasting time."

    Altair nced at her. "Can''t you just create a new type of technique on the spot?"

    Morrigan shrugged." I''ve mastered all the skills I''ve ever created to the highest level my current body will allow, but I refuse to simply create a technique that''ll go unused for years on end. It''s beneath me. I''d rather master some other person''s techniques before tossing them away."

    Altair didn''t know what to say. He hadn''t thought about it that way. "I guess that''s true."

    Asking a few disciples, Altair was quickly directed towards the Martial Hall, hidden deeper into the luscious biome. Subtly noticing, the deeper they traveled up the mountain, the more purified the Mana Density grew until it radiated multicolored light across space.

    He gasped, feeling his pores breathing Mana. He might have been happy if he''d not decided to abandon the Path of Mana. Every day, he could feel his Vale Qi growing, thrashing about like a living creature within his Dantain. He''d noticed it the moment Syris became his Saintess, but ever since then, Vale Qi had slowly been gathering.

    Starting as a mere droplet of energy, it now stood as a pool, half the size of his Mana reserves and nearly three times as powerful.

    As they journeyed up the mountain leading towards the Martial Hall, Altair''s footsteps came at the sudden scars etched across a stone monolith. He froze, blood trickling from his nose.

    "Sword of the Heavenly Raijin," It read across its frame, written in High Imperial. Each character oozing a radiance reminiscent of the Sword''s intent.

    "Master?" Raven said, craning her head towards him.

    The inner disciple, Guo Wengui, rounded on his heel to face the monolith. He smiled at the sudden attention to the monolith. "The first ancestor, The Patriarch''s Master, created that Sword Scar after he vanished for nearly Six Chaos Cycles. Many of the old elders thought him dead, trying to steal his position as Patriarch. If not for Lord Lu taking over, they might have."

    "Raijin¡­ Raijin¡­ Raijin," Tasha muttered, tilting her head back and thinking. She smiled then, turning to Altair. " I remember now. Raijin was the one Lord Seir battled for Seven Days to appease his boredom."

    "Raijin as in the Ninty-Eight Lord on the Omnis Ranking?" Altair asked, remembering the name on the Compendium of Ascension Zelos had given him.

    Tasha nodded. "That''s the one. It was said that Raijin had managed to leave a permanent mark on the Prince of Hell''s chest. As a reward, he kept him as his pet for Six Chaos Cycles to rule as a Knight of Hell. It would have been for an eternity if not for the Archangel Ariel''s intervention. By her hand, he was able to earn his freedom. Bing one of Myriad Heaven''s most Righteous Gods." she smiled.

    "I hear nowadays he ughters any devil and demon his path crosses."

    ''Seir, the First Prince of Hell in Avenos," Altair thought, staring at the monolith in a sort of absent daze. He approached it.

    A/N: Avenos is the First Layer of Hell''s Name.

    "Well, I''m not sure about all that you said. Those were only rumors, but Lord Lu said that a technique exists on this Monilith after Lord Raijin carved into it after his long absence. However, no one has been able to learn it." Guo Wengui exined, pushing his chest out with pride.

    "How long has it been standing here," Raven asked, noticing her master''s fascination.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "No one knows. There aren''t any records."

    Altair frowned, noticing ack of moss or erosion from the stone that did not seem any different than granite. It was ordinary stone. And yet it stood untouched by the elements as if there was a power protecting it.

    "I''ll keep my distance,'' Tasha said, touching her throat. Unsure if Raijin''s hatred for her kind still lingers in the Sword Intent embedded in the Monolith.

    As one of the Knights of Hell, Raijin was known as a warden who often butchered his way through hordes of demons and devils on the front lines during the War between Demons and Devils, known as the War of the Devils Fall. He had made a name for himself by surviving a sh with Archdemon Baphomet, whoter honored him by allowing him to live another day so that they might sh again.

    Raijin had never won a single battle against Archdemon Baphomet but had managed to earn the respect of one of Hell''s most powerful Archdemons, rivaled only by the Archdukes and Kings of Hell.

    It was only after Raijin had escaped from the hells that he managed to ascend to the Omnis Ranking three Hell Cyclester when the Silver Devil created the Sword Path, which allowed one to seek perfection without the consequence of madness.

    ''The Sword of Raijin,'' Altair muttered, studying the strokes that seemed to transcend the limits he''d envisioned a sword could possess. It was pure, like liquid fire, held only by lightning.

    Altair couldn''t exin it, but the more he studied the monolith, the more he understood the hundred and twenty-eight strokes, the five main forms, and the nine subforms.

    For a moment, he stood there, lost in the movements, before a Vale Sword shed into his hand, carrying a thrum of power across its edge. Closing his eyes, Altair saw it, the shes of sword light marking space within the shadowscape of his mind.

    He moved, matching the path of the sword. Each stroke was marked with imperfection, and yet with each cycle of each form, perfection began to settle.

    [Divine Being, Reigning Lightning, has recognized your existence]

    [Divine Sin, Sacrilege is observing your existence]

    [Divine Sin, Sacrilege grins the veil of mystery around you]

    Suddenly, arcs of obsidian lightning ignited across the Vale Sword as Altair''s de began to grow. He could feel anger in each stroke, unimaginable pain and suffering, and despair hidden beneath each stroke.

    Discover hidden stories at empire

    ''He must have done this after his escape,'' Altair told himself, pouring his emotion into the de. Despair had not been foreign to him but the foundation of his power. Whether it be his mother, the Lake of Rot, Azura, Cain, or the Upper Moons, all had caused him to suffer. All had caused him some sort of fury to ignite in his de.

    Thunder roared across the heavens, rolling through the clouds below as a furious arc of lightning coiled around the Emperor''s de.

    [The Ninth Form, Aeron proficiency has Increased by 1%]

    Proficiency : 3% ¡ú 4%

    The winds turned sharp like des, uprooting the biome around them and gathering the attention of Elders as each lifted their attention towards the Emperor. They stood frozen as the lightning around his sword turned furious. Reeling out of control, itshed against the Earth, igniting fires as Altair began to grasp the fundamentals of the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin.

    [Divine Being, Reigning Lightning, expresses more interest in you]

    Far across the sect on his scaffold, Lu Chen frowned, turning in Altair''s direction. His pupils contracted as he muttered, " Masters Sword Art¡­ Oh, Hell." He vanished, appearing before Altair in a single breath in time to hear the young lord mutter.

    "Indignation"

    Once more, Lu Chen felt as if he were looking up at the World Tree spanning heaven and Earth, lightning cker than the deepest night coiled like the roots of Yggdrasil,shing at Heaven and Earth to open the Gates of Hell.

 Chapter 310 Reunion

    [Ding!]

    [You have Acquired the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin]

    [Grade: F]

    [Type: God]

    Description: Born from the infernal rage that had buried into Raijins heart. The Sword of the Heavenly Raijin is meant to channel all the raw emotions of the soul into the de.

    Altair was all smiles, taken aback by the way the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin sword art didn''t require Mana but rather called forth the Vale Qi within his Dantain. He paled a little at the sudden drain but kept his head high, peering at the devastation brought by Indignation. The lightning had destroyed everything, turning the earth to cracked ss and trees to ash.

    "How''s that, Lu Chen!" Altair demanded.

    Lord Lu lowered the palm he''d used to contain the power that would have otherwise decimated half his mountain. Giving Altair a long, measured stare, he nodded, saying, "Impressive. Your Sword Art has been recorded." he nced at the destruction, waving his palm. And in a fleeting nce, time seemed to rewind to a fixed point.

    Altair froze. He wondered if Lu Chen''s authority over Babel''s tower allowed him to Manipte time or if it was his ability. He''d wanted to ask, but Lu Chen vanished from his perception before he had the chance to inquire. He grinned nheless, spinning to face the starry looks of Morrigan, Raven, and Tasha.

    "Don''t fall for me too hard," he said in a teasing voice.

    Raven''s round eyes seemed to glow. "woow, can Master teach me?!" Experience exclusive tales on empire

    "You don''t strike me as an angry person," Altair told her. ''Or negative even. I don''t think this sword technique is for you.''

    Raven''s cheeks red. "Master is trying to hide his secret Art from Raven. Fine! Then Raven won''t share her corn!" she snorted, crossing her arms like a child, spinning on her heel to hide her flushed expression.

    Altair wryly grinned. He didn''t say anything again, patting Raven''s dark hair before he turned to look of disbelief stered across Guo Wengui''s face. A swelter of pride wiggled its way into his heart as he asked that they resume the journey towards the Martial Hall.

    Guo Wengui all but agreed. Hurrying to bring them to the Martial Hall, Altair found it rather small. Though he was surprised, it might be. He wasn''t a disciple of the Heavenly Thunder Gods Sect. Nevertheless, he wasn''t very interested in the skills held in the ''guest'' martial hall.

    Raven felt the same, grabbing a technique that caught her eye before leaving with Moriggan and Tasha, who didn''t bother to look around much, grabbing whatever caught their hand.

    Guo Wengui didn''t say much but directed them to their very own gave meant for those who traversed the mountain, saying, "You should receive your Mind Insense by the day''s end." he left soon after, almost as if running away.

    Altair looked at him, hurrying off when the sensation of being watched touched his awareness. His lips thinned, turning towards the rows of caves held alongside the mountain''s surface to the blue-eyed man ring at him.

    "Atticus," Altair said. He allowed a smile to rise, shooting the man a nod. "I''ll be seeing you on the third floor."

    Atticus turned pale. His teeth gritted, watching Altair walk back into his cave. He returned to his room, where a young man waited for him in the lotus position.

    "What crawled up your ass?" Keiran opened his eyes towards his fellow inquisitor. Even from where he sat, he could feel frustration.

    "ckwood is here. Seven Caves down to our right." Atticus said. "How are the legs?"

    Painnced up Keiran''s spine as he winced, gritting his teeth with a vile look across his face. "Still numb. I¡­ I don''t know what that bitch did to me, but not even the Elixir of Mkh has been able to cure me. It''s been nearly five months."

    "But functional. Your battle prowess is¡ª"

    "I can fight!" Keiran barked, biting his lips. He clenched his fist, cursing his fate. He couldn''t feel much anymore. It was all numb. Even his manhood refused to greet him each morning he woke.

    Tears nearly threatened to fall, but Keiran bit them back, trying to hold his head high to retain his pride. "So what are we going to do?"

    Atticus'' lips trembled. He breathed, "It''s obvious we aren''t supposed to attack ckwood. But¡­" His voice trailed off as he cupped his face, shaking his head. " But we haven''t been asked to retreat. In fact, we haven''t gotten any orders these past few months."

    Keiran realized what that meant and cursed. "Fuck. So they are hanging us out to dry. If we don''t return with Altair, we''ll be punished with either death or a fate worse than death. But if we attack Altair, managing to kidnap him or kill him, it''ll have to be done as awakeners not affiliated with the Upper Moons."

    "So you''re not as stupid as you look,'' Atticus said, nodding at his assessment. "The thing is¡­ I''m not sure we''ll be able to capture Altair. He''s too strong for that." He paused, releasing a deep breath. "If we are going after him. We need to aim to kill or¡­"

    "Or?"

    "The Divine Ruler did say we''ll be receiving five Inquisitors from the Seven Houses of the Upper Moon. They''ll probably be on the higher floors. And like us, this ''assassination'' will have to be off the record."

    Keiran stood up. Despite the numbing sensation in his lower half, he appeared stable. "Is that bitch Syris with him?"

    "I''m not sure. I only saw ckwood. But we''ll have to assume she is," Atticus determined. "They appeared to be lovers, so it''s hard to imagine he''d have her remain on the lower floors. Still¡­" Then he smiled. "Can''t we hire someone?"

    "Hire?"

    "ording to the data we received on ckwood, it''s safe to assume he''s in possession of an artifact that allows him to hide from the gods at times. Let''s ask for assistance from the various gods watching. We''ll hire some to act as a proxy to hire assassin of prestige."

    Keiran gave it some thought, nodding soon after. "Alright. I actually have a god in mind. Have you ever heard of the Brotherhood of Torment and their undying Legionnaires? It is said that a single peltast in the First Circle can kill a Third Circle. And a Third Circle and Kill as Sixth Circle, and so on."

    Atticus straightened. "How do you know about them?"

    "The House of Shadows has worked with them many times. They''re expensive, but they get the job done."

    "How expensive."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "The Brotherhood was created to keep unruly mortals in check after many mortals began abusing the Shadow Promation." Keiran started. "They are given all the right resources to hone even the weakest creature into unkible machines. For Altair, the minimum will be a hundred thousand Sols. Five. If we inform them about his battle prowess."

    "Half a million!" Atticus shouted, appalled. "None of us have that type of money. If we did, we wouldn''t be Inquisitors."

    Keiran agreed. That much was enough to live an entire lifetime in luxury or enough to buy a small, underdeveloped sr system. "However¡­ we don''t need to pay. We''ll just send the bill to our House¡­ as a random expense." the more he thought about it, the more he smiled.

    Atticus saw red. " Do you want to die? They''ll hang us by our Calcaneal(Achilles) tendon."

    Keiran sneered. "It''s better than what they''ll do to us if we fail. The Divine Ruler told us that failure will not be tolerated. They might cast us into Hell if we fail. Plus¡­ that''ll make it look like we really fell off the deep end and went rogue."

    Atticus gritted his teeth, looking down at his feet. He felt trapped¡ªtrapped by his house and trapped by Altair, who''d caused all this madness. But he didn''t have a choice. Lifting his head, after a moment''s pause, he looked Keiran in the eye and said, "Let''s do it."

    ***

    "What are you smiling about?" Tasha inquired, looking at him in the dark cave. The darkness did not so much affect her eyesight as it did heighten her senses.

    "I met an old friend," Altair said, taking out a holocube from his ring. He chuckled when he saw a hologram of Syris emerge.

    "What''s up, Art," she asked. "Problems already?"

    "Yes. A little problem. Can you prepare a pure cup of tea using a Soul Blossom for me?"

    "I can, but we don''t have much left. Are you sure?" Syris inquired as her lips thinned.

    "Yes, I''m sure. There are some annoying rats on the second floor, and I''ll need all the resources I have tobat them.I''ll open a gate for you so that you can have one of your ''acolytes'' deliver it to me." He smiled, saying a few more words before disconnecting and refocusing his attention on Tasha.

    "As for you. I need you to push your mana into me. I n on summoning the Cambion I received on the first floor."

    Tasha licked her lips. "You know all these favors are adding up."

    "I''m sure I can deliver," Altair assured her, sitting cross-legged. Do you think I''lll run off or something?"

    Tasha shook her head. "No one can escape from the Nine Hells."

 Chapter 311 Empress of the Abyss

    It had only been a droplet Tasha had transferred into Altair''s body and yet his milky skin transitioned to red. Bones threatened to shatter as, one by one; they fractured like cracks upon ss. Painnced up through his body as he growled.

    Without hesitation, Altair lifted a palm, burning the droplet of Mana before it shattered him. He winced, invoking Fallen Necromancy. In a blinding moment, a stunningly beautiful humanoid male came from his shadows, rising from the earth like a mist. He stood tall, carrying long bat-like wings that caressed his back and scarlet eyes glowing in the night.

    The cambion stood there, its past life burnt away from its very soul. Confusion and recognition both danced in its eyes. It smiled, a transformational smile, as it fell to a knee before its Master.

    Altair tried to find the simr silliness he''d seen in Kirr but felt only a distinctive will to destroy.

    "From here on out. Your name shall be Therion." Altair decreed, regenerating his shattered bones and ruptured organs with his Ashen Blood. He stood when color returned to his face.

    The Shadow Demon pressed his head to the earth, speaking in a soothing voice, "I thank you for honoring this lowly Shadow with a name."

    "Hide in my shadow and learn all you can from the others," Altairmanded, oddly satisfied as Therion vanished into his shadow.

    He sucked in a deep breath when he felt Tasha wet tongue run across the curve of his ear. She smiled, feverishly cupping his crotch.

    "I, too, can satisfy you, my Lord," Tasha said beside his ear. She grinned, feeling him getting hard.

    "Master! You made a¡­" Raven''s voice trailed off as she stumbled forward, craning her head at an angle. "Master, what are you doing?"

    Tasha giggled. She nced back to Raven. "Do you want me to teach you how to please your master? Truly please him."

    "Hmmmm¡­ Has Raven not been doing a good job?" She clenched her small fist.

    "Of course. But you''ve not given your Master everything he desires. Look." she spun, directing Altair to face his guardian. "Look how much pent-up energy he has." Tasha''s smile turned savage as her finger reached into his robes, curling around hisnce at attention. When she felt Altair tremble, she said, "Every night he has Syris to please him, but¡­"

    "Stop it." Altair snapped, swatting her hand off his manhood. He winced at the sudden loss of warmth. "Can''t you sense it? Were being watched," he said, opening his senses to the strings of intent invading his cave.

    "We could have given them a good show. You, me, Raven, and Morrigan over there. Don''t try to hide it. I know you saw us. You''re blushing!"

    Morrigan turned her head towards the darker aspect of the cave.

    Altair nearlyughed but stifled it back down. He kind of felt bad for Raven, staring at his crotch.

    "Does¡­ Does Master think Raven is pretty?"

    ''Oh dear lord,'' Altair thought. Raven had been one of the most stunning specimens he''d everid his eyes upon. She did what she wanted, openly challenging some of the orders he''d given her at times. She didn''t care about anything other than protecting him. Aside from corn and exploration, matters of the flesh were not even on her list of things to experience.

    Altair knew this and said, "Don''t listen to Tasha. She''s trying to bait you into doing something you''ve no interest in."

    "No interest?" Tasha nearly scuffed. She hurried on over to Raven, circling her like prey. "She has a working cunt, right? She has the ass that any man would die to have and the tits that could sandwich any man''s c¡ª"

    "Hells, Tasha!" Morrigan cut in. "Leave the girl alone. Let her have her Innocence."

    Raven touched her breast, confused.

    Tasha rolled her eyes. "Innocence is so overrated," she said, touching Raven''s chin and smiling. I bet she hasn''t even had her first kiss yet. Isn''t it better to have fun?"

    "Altair tell that subus to leave that girl alone. Don''t take advice from a damn Devil." Morrigan said. "Let Raven be as Innocent as long as she wants."

    "What so good about innocence," Tasha argued. "What''s so good about being a virgin? I don''t really see any sort of benefits. It''s not like Raven is cultivating her Primal Yin. And if you''re so against it. Let Altair have a go at her starfish.

    That''ll still keep her innocent.''

    "M-M-M-My starfish?" Raven stammered to say, looking as if she were about to cry. "W-w-w-whats that?"

    "Us girls are born with three splendid holes, darling," Tasha began when both Morrigan and Altair covered her mouth.

    Altair specifically didn''t know what to do with the subus. Hemented, whispering in her ear, "After this floor isplete. You''ve my word; I''ll deliver you my seed. Just drop it. Leave Raven out of this. It needs to be her choice."

    Tasha smiled, "of course, my Lord,'' she said, although she was in disagreement in regards to Raven. She agreed nheless, at least for now.

    Altair saw the scheming glow in her eyes but left it alone for now. Releasing the subus, he patted Raven on the head. "Ignore the crazy woman, okay? Just be Raven," he told her.

    Raven moved out of the Cave, returning to that of a crow as she took off to think.

    Altair sighed. "And there she goes." he shook his head, refocusing his awareness on the string of intent watching them.

    "What is that?" He finally asked, pondering the meaning behind why such intent was so tantly exposed to them. Not realizing those beneath the fifth or sixth circle might not have realized they were being monitored.

    "The Sect. They are monitoring their interest. You or Morrigan." Tasha expressed. She didn''t include herself, aware that the Heavenly Thunder Gods Sect would rather see her dead than on their mountain.

    Altair''s lips curled downwards. That wasn''t what he wanted to hear. Aside from training, he wanted a certain level of awareness of his empire.

    "I can block it," Tasha revealed, sensing his frustration.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Don''t. Let the sect watch." Altairmanded, conjuring the Sword of the Vale. Listening to the thrum of his de, he began the movements of the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin.

    [Sword of the Heavenly Raijin Proficiency has Increased by 1%]

    Studying the movements Altair was going through, Morrigan scuffed. "I don''t understand why he''s trying to master such a powerful Technique when he''s barely tapped into Grave of Night."

    "Perhaps he sees something we don''t," Tasha agreed. "Don''t you sometimes do something that defies themon sense?"

    Morrigan turned silent. She sighed soon after, lifting the manual she''d picked and began training.

    A slow, devilish grin surfaced across Altair''s face, revealing sharp white fangs he held at bay. He could feel it. The Infernal Lightning he''d cultivated for years was slowly embedding itself into his Dantain, seeking to merge with the Vale Qi. Yet all it faced was a cruel ughter as the Vale Qi devoured the energy.

    Beads of sweat trailed down Lord ckwood''s brow as the pressure began to hammer at his bones. Painnced across his nervous system as Vale Qi began to rise like a shadowy me, coalescing across his frame.

    The Vale Qi was growing, pulsing like a heartbeat, pushing Qi through his meridians like blood through vessels.

    [Sword of the Heavenly Raijin Proficiency has Increased by 1%]

    Ba-Dump! Ba-Dump! Ba-Dump! Ba-Dump! Ba-Dump! Ba-Dump!

    [Sword of the Heavenly Raijin Proficiency has Increased by 2%]

    Within his Astra Sea, across the still ckke that separated him from the Vale itself. Ripples began to quiver across its mirrored surface. Slowly, droplets of that pure ckke began to rise across its surface, reaching up and vanishing into Altair Dantain.

    Drop after drop began to reach his core, falling into a newke that represented a source of power that could no longer be stolen or sealed away due to some god''s higher understanding of Dao and Concepts.

    [Error]

    [New Source is not proficient with System!]

    [Error]

    [Er¡ª3238359750239483913948570239481394134]

    [Hi¡­ Master]

    ****

    "So? What did you want to talk about." The Empress of the Abyss asked, looking through the wall-to-wall window towards the Citadel of the Abyss, lined with monolith buildings confined by a dome that represented the skies.

    The Second Monarch grinned. "No hugs, no kisses, just business."

    Lilith Snow turned to Arsene, a delectable smile ying on her lips. "Is that something I should be doing, Mr. Snow."

    Arsene cringed. He hated when she spoke with honorifics. Nothing good ever came from honorifics.

    "A few years ago¡­ I felt something. It''s like a heartbeat. Ites and goes. It beats every month, on standard time. I was curious, you know. So-So Cursious.

    I sent your uncle Eroma to check it out." Lilith''s smile began to thin. "I got so impatient. I had the Abyssal of War aid him."

    Arsene felt a knot form in the back of his throat. "You sent Damaris."

    "Izavith, Cyra, and Iliana are both indisposed. So, of course, I had to send Damaris," Lilith said. "Do you disapprove?"

    ''She knows,'' Arsene thought, shaking his head inwardly, thinking,'' No. She''d have gone herself if that was the case. She knows something is up, but¡ª"

    "Did you sire another child, Husband?" Lilith outright asked. Amethyst eyes narrowing into two twin swords.

    "I¡ª"

    "Don''t answer that. I''ll find out myself," she said, touching her belly.

    "Our main bodies are a step away from breaking out. It should be done in two months, maybe three. Shouldn''t we be preparing for that? Especially when¡ª"

    Lilith looked at him, fingers falling from her belly to her side. "The Night is dying. Tenebrae is dying."

    "So you knew."

    "Of course, I knew. I created her. The Father merely gifted her sentience," Lilith said, closing her eyes. She sighed. "There are so many things going on in the Myriad Heavens. And when she dies¡­ all hell will break loose, when the Primal Sins are released."

    Arsene frowned. "You aren''t going to help?"

    "You married Tenebrae to spite me. Why would I help." Lilith said. "If you want help, go to the Father and ask him for assistance. My Abyss doesn''t want to deal with your problems."

    "Mephisto and Lucifer are both in Arcadia." Arsene expressed. "We don''t¡ª"

    The look Lilith gave Arsene was one of pain. "You married her to spite me. " she repeated. "I don''t give a fuck if the Myriad Heavens burn. You and your family are wee in my Abyss, but I''m not helping you battle against the Primal Sins when they are released. Have the twins do it.

    Iza and Vesyrn are capable of manipting causality into whatever they seek to happen. Maybe they''ll be able to stop one or two."

    Arsene gave a wry smile. "I don''t think I''ve seen you this mad in a long time." He chuckled, taking her by the hand. Lilith snorted but didn''t pull away. "Darling¡­ how about¡­ how about we go on a trip."

    "A trip?" Lilith asked. "You''re just trying to get me out of the Abyss to¡ª-"

    "In the Abyss," Arsene interjected. Your main body might be pregnant, right? Let''s find out. Let''s gather some rare material to see."

    "Dameris already did that."

    "... ok, let''s get you some vitamins."

    "The Abyssal of Reincarnation already did that."

    "Damn that Renru. Ok. Let''s just go on a damn trip."

    "What''s in it for me?"

    "Sex"

    Lilith rolled her eyes. "And¡­"

    "Memories.," Arsene said. "We haven''t gone on a trip since we got Sealed. Let''s do it."

    "I know this is a trap¡­ but that does sound nice." Lilith nodded. "It won''t work, but I''ll allow it. Let''s see what you''re scheming, Mr.Snow. But first¡­ let''s make a trip to Earth."

    "Eh?"

 Chapter 312 Lilith and Syris I

    For the past fortnight, Altair had a nagging sensation of unease coursing through his veins. A knowing of catastrophe rose over his head as he stood in his cave, clouded by the incense of the Mind. Thoughts that the Mind Incense should have cleared away returned in full,shing onto idle thoughts as the sensation grew.

    Presently, he stood in a pool of sweat, unsure if it was due to refining Vale Qi or something else. Nevertheless, he felt exhausted, burdened by the intangible weight on his shoulders. He was panting, wiping the tang of sweat from his lips.

    "Master?" said Raven, her voice filled with concern. "Are you alright?"

    Altair gave no response. The Sword of the Heavenly Raijin had been a technique that predated his current era, stretching back to a time when Mana or Ether had not been the primary source but rather the Qi of Heaven and Earth. The energy had a striking resemnce to Mana yet was different on a fundamental level, rting more to Vale Qi than Mana.

    Manipting Vale Qi felt different, requiring different types of pathways through the meridians than he was ustomed to.

    Raven had taught him such pathways before, but there had been a disconnect due to his rtion to Mana clouding his perception of how things were intended to be.

    "Yeah¡­ just tired," Altair admitted. I guess learning God-level swordsmanship is harder than I imagine, even if my proficiency is on a mortal level." He felt sick, wanting to sit, but pride held him up. Two weeks was not nearly long enough for a training sessionpared to back in the Lake of Ro,t where he''d train for six months without so much as breaking a sweat.

    Raven winced when she saw her master''s pained expression. "Is the Vale Qi too much for your body?"

    It wasn''t. Altair felt it in his very soul that no matter how much his dantain grew, his body would hold. Even his mind felt twice as strong ever since he started learning the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin.

    [Sword of the Heavenly Raijin]

    Grade: F ¡ú F+

    Proficiency: 0% ¡ú 98%

    Altair forced a smile. "The Vale isn''t the issue. In fact, I think it''s strengthening my body. I''ve gained nearly a hundred Attributes in all areas. I just feel heavy."

    Raven craned her head to the side, studying her Master. She could feel the essence of the Vale threatening to push itself out of his body. But that wasn''t something odd. One of the Vale''s many natures was its ever-expanding attributes. Much like the universe that continues to grow, so too did the Vale.

    She touched him beneath the navel, a few inches below where the Dantain resided, frowning before giving him a full look over.

    "I think it''s mental Master. Are you stressed?"

    Tasha''s ears perked up then. "Stress?" she said in a mischievous tone, the one that said she''d try to sneak into Altair''s bed chambers again. She''d done so before catching Altair and Syris locked in their prenuptial activities. "I can help with that."

    Altair scratched his sweaty head. "I don''t think it''s that after my enlightenment. The control I have over the Soul of the Indomitable surpassed the Ninth Form. I don''t know why I''m so exhausted. My empire is growing each day. Zelos came through and has been making a killing.

    We''ve got so much money I can survive on Genisis for an entire year without worry."

    Just then, Morrigan returned from one of her daily strolls, a dark scowl lingering across her face.

    "Varis is back,'' she said. "He finally climbed to the top again."

    "And?" Altair wondered.

    "He''s looking to challenge you tobat," Morrigan continued nonplus. She''d sensed the Gaint''s power but hadn''t been impressed. A bloodline that wasn''t fully awakened was not worth her time. Her name had never made it to the Omnis Ranking, but that didn''t mean it didn''t deserve to.

    ''Even in this lesser form of mine, killing that twat would be as simple as a snap.'' when she thought of killing Varis, she grinned. She was so bored. Training was not something she had ever enjoyed. Not when one could train on the battlefield through oceans of blood.

    "He asked me to ry the message."

    Arching a brow, Altair asked, "Is he threatening you?"

    "The only one who could threaten me is the Goddess of Rot," Morrigan said, approaching her prayer mat. She sat, yawning a weary yawn. "I report only to her. Not some Elder. I only told you because I''m bored as hell."

    "Then maybe you should head to Avenos. The eternal war there is quite¡­ fiery." Tasha said.

    ''How do you think I got the title Goddess of ughter?'' Morrigan wanted to say but held her tongue, deciding to meditate instead. The memory of it was still fresh in her mind. The bloodshed of demon and devil blood across her skin. The warning of the Kings and Princes of Hell as she sought to face the Fallen Angel of Death.

    Altair ckwood

    ss: [Prince of the Vale II Lv 150]

    Mana Circle: [Forth Circle 98% ¡ú 99%]

    Strength: 1640 ¡ú 1740

    Dexterity: 1745 ¡ú 1845

    Constitution: 1920 ¡ú 2020

    Wisdom: 1920 ¡ú 2020

    Charisma: 1920 ¡ú 2020

    Mana: 300

    [Master¡­]

    Altair froze, staring at the System Message. He''d heard a voice¡ªa child''s voice echoed from the System. It was faint and muttered, but he was certain this time. He wanted to answer but held off in front of Tasha and Morrigan.

    Instead, he took out his Holocube connecting to Syris.

    "Is the Soul Blossom ready?"

    "It was ready the first day you called. Oh, and¡­" Syris paused. "How do I say this? Your dad is here?"

    "..."

    "..."

    "on Terra or the Serpents Outreach."

    "Terra. He said hi. Then left, apanied by a silver-haired woman. She was pretty."

    Altair suddenly began to sweat as the feeling of catastrophe began to burn within his mind.

    He gulped, hurrying out the cave to be alone. The mask Iliana had given him shed onto his face. " How long ago."

    "One Hour." Syris tilted her head to the side. "He seemed scared. The woman, however, only smiled outside the sunset pce. I have a video if you''d like to¡ª"

    "Send it," Altair demanded, leaping into the skies like a bolt of lightning. Where he ced a Rune of Silence written in Enochian, he paled when he saw the woman''s appearance as a knowing echoing down from his marrow came into being.

    "The Abyss!" he yelped, clutching his heart tightening in his chest. "W-w-why is she here?"

    ''Does she know!'' Altair wondered. ''No! Father would have warned me. Suspicious maybe? No."

    "Art?" said Syris. "What''s wrong? Is this woman an enemy or something?"

    "..."

    "Fucking tell me. Your Father sent me a message about dinner. I can''t refuse a Monarch of Hell."

    The more Altair heard, the paler he became. His chest was burning as the realization of what was toe settled over him.

    "Refuse him," Altair said in a panic.

    "I can''t," said Syris." or rather, I won''t."

    "Syris¡­ that woman¡­. She isn''t like my father or anyone else you can imagine."

    "he has information on the demon who¡ª"

    "She is the Abyss! The Avatar of the Abyss!" Altair barked.

    Syris went still. A coldness that wasn''t present before was now visibly there. "Altair, I will not have anyone stand in the way of my vengeance. I will kill that bastard that tormented me. That fucker killed my mother before my eyes. He gorged out our eyes.

    Skinned us with his talons, and¡­ And¡­" She was in tears by now, ring at Altair with as much hate as she looked at her Father. "You will not stop me."

    Teeth clenched, Altair wanted to break something. She was right. He had no right to stop her, especially with no clue what Lilith was after. But such thoughts did help to lessen his concern. The knowledge of Lilith hadn''te from Raina''s bloodline but his. He knew what she was¡­ and, in many ways, had an inkling of how she came to power.

    "I''ll go with you."

    "Art¡­" Syris''s voice went soft. "It''ll be alright. None of us know what this woman will do. We just have to¡­ hope."

    ''Hope,'' Altair muttered. The words were like ash on his tongue. He hated the idea of hope. Hated that he felt so powerless.

    "Maybe she''s not that unhinged. After all, it was your father who invited me, not her."

    "Lilith is my Father''s first wife. She is the woman he told me to stay far away from," Altair said, remembering. He sighed.

    "I''ll be fine, Art. It''s just dinner. Open a dimensional rift. One of our acolytes will deliver you the Soul Blossom. Make sure you consume the peddle when you''re done. Ava said it''ll add a protective membrane around the soul to act as a defense.

    Love you." She said, disconnecting.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Fuck¡­Fuck¡­ Fuck¡­ What the hell is going on." Altair muttered, biting his lip. "First Azura and Cain, now Lilith. Why is my life so¡ª"

    "There you are!" Varis''s voice thundered as he soared up towards the Emperor. "Did you think I wouldn''t find you!"

    In no mood for words, Altair ignored Varising at him, ready to return to his cave to sulk. He grimaced at the man blocking his way.

    "I''m in no mood," Altair said, sensing the dystopian hellscape of the Ninth form shing through his eyes.

    Varis sneered. "In the Golden Crucibles, challenges are required. You have to ept the challenge or else¡ª"

    "Or else what," Altair snapped, looking at the copper-skinned man. "Or else what!"

 Chapter 313 Lilith and Syris II

    Varis lifted a brow, startled by the rage emanating from the young man in front of him. He grinned savagely.

    "I''ll kill you," Varis dered, circling Altair through the air. "Do you think you''re special or something? That you have the right to disobey the elders?" he sneered, tearing off his tunic to reveal the cruel scars that lined his hulking figure. "You''re not special. Your just a fucker with a bit of luck."

    From his scaffold, Lu Chen watched. A frown threatened to rise across his thinning lips. He''d warned them of the rules of his floor. Yet his words seemed to have gone in one ear and out the other.

    The Awakeners training over the courtyard all began to lift their heads, noticing the rising discord of intent shing against the other. They all turned to Lu Chen only to notice that he did not act. His actions confused them, but none more than Yu Yan staring at her senior brother, curious about what he was thinking.

    ''Is he waiting to see who''d strike first?'' she wondered when a Soul Whisper from Lu Chen caught her attention.

    ''Let them duke it out. It''ll be good for the others to see what Peak Awakeners are like.''

    She frowned, replying, ''To what end, Senior Brother? The rules are being broken.''

    ''Master wishes to see their battle,'' Lu Chen revealed, staring at the System Message before him.

    [Divine Being, Reigning Lightning, employs you to allow this battle.]

    Yu Yan''s frown deepened. "You''re the patriarch, not your master. He¡ª"

    "It''s fine." Lu Chen waved her off, a more curious gleam rising across the cks of his eyes when he saw the sigil of the obsidian ck trident Varis held on his belt. He''d never seen the sigil before, and yet there was a strange magic about it. A hidden awareness coalescing over its surface.

    He''d caught a glimpse of itst time but never ced it in his eyes until Raijin spoke up. ''There had to have been a reason for the battle, right?''

    "Elder Grim," Varis said, " has grown curious about yourck of cooperation on Earth. He wonders about your loyalty to the cause."

    "The cause," Altair scuffed, opening a palm as a Vale Sword raged like a Venerable Lord of Lightning. Veins of Vale Qi buzzed and roared, seeking to tarnish the sun and moon. It''s unmerciful power writhing like a living creature.

    Just then, Varis moved or rather lunged forward like a battering ram toward Altair, thrusting his arm forward like a spear. The blow alone could shatter mountains, uproot ravines, and decimate continents. None of that happened when it shed with the Emperor''s Vale Sword.

    Ripple across space shone as his almighty resistance absorbed nearly half the force while the darker-than-ck sword ate the rest.

    Varis''s expression turned to astonishment, along with the rest of the awakeners below, as a gust of windshed across their robes and tunics, pushing them back dozens of meters. Even Lu Chen looked surprised, having been aware of the difference in ''Strength'' between Altair and Varis. The differences weren''t small but massivelyrge.

    ''Monster¡­'' Yu Yan said quietly.

    "Is that all?" Altair asked coldly, a coldness brewing across his face. "If you''re not going to use Mana to augment your attacks, then this''ll be a quick fight."

    Varis pivoted back, standing at his full length, 8 feet 6 inches. "You''re better than I thought," he said, opening a palm to reveal a vicious-looking spear.

    The Emperor did not look impressed as his Spirit Domain began to coalesce, marking the smallest speck of his awareness. The Vale began to rise from off his being like a ck me, robbing life like Primal Death. The Sun and Moon dimmed, robbed of their glory as an ancient force permeated the space.

    The elements began to rot, buried beneath the Vale, and a foul sensation embedded itself into Varis. It turned his gut to water as if he stood once more in the Lake of Rot. The sensation was visceral, turning his face slightly pale.

    He roared, ring his mana to defend his soul, which he felt was being attacked. The sensation vanished, but only for a second before it returned stronger than before. He charged, blitzing the Emperor on his nk; he drove his spear towards his head, throwing the idea of returning with an intact body away.

    ''Rule,'' Altair invoked, absorbing the full force of Varis''s spear into his Vale Sword. He grinned, unbothered by the unmatched power tearing the skin off his palm as the Vale Sword seemed to reach near transcendent might.

    Three Vale stars shed across Altair''s brow like a crown as he sneered. "After I''m done with you. That little bitch that is watching us below. Julia or whatever." ¡ªHe grinned devilishly¡ª'' The things my demons will do to her will make even the gods weep. If you''re still alive, I''ll send you a video."

    Altair vanished, or rather, his sword did right under the eyes of Varis. It shot across his shoulder and embedded itself there,shing through several inches of flesh, barely missing bone, before Varis managed to pull away.

    Blood painted the Giant''s shoulders as he growled, clutching his wound that began to heal at a visible rate. After a second or two, the wound was gone. Altair nearly thought he, too, had Ashen Blood.

    Still, he smiled, waving a palm across his obsidian de, ''Necrotic me,'' he said, giving birth to a foul emerald me that illuminated the skies with a profane presence.

    "How many bloody powers do you have," Varis growled, fixing his stance.

    "If I were you. I''d worry about how you''ll survive. I''m not taking prisoners today." Altair decreed.

    Varis sneered, vanishing with his movement art, ck sh. He materialized above the Emperor''s head, thrusting his spear down into an afterimage of Altair. The next moment, Altair appeared to his rear; he smiled, his sword weaving into a profane arc of madness.

    Giant Instincts (C)

    Stay updated through empire

    In the moment that constituted life and death, Varis''s body reacted most instantly as he threw the end of his polearm behind his back to throw Altair off. It did, but only for a second as several small woundsshed against his back.

    He spun to face the emperor, opening himself to his bloodline, causing the mana to il like a maelstrom.

    Spear Light and Sword Light shed, spinning into intricate semi-arcs and circles as they spun through the skies, uprooting the Earth below.

    Just then, Altair''s scarlet eyes glowed, spinning to his left and right, marking all the Giant''s movements as if they were moving in slow motion. His wrist was sore, and a few of his bones had fractured, thanks to Varis''s inhuman strength, but nothing that his ashen blood couldn''t mend. He had the advantage when it came to raw skill.

    Parrying into a counterstrike, Varis nearly pale, pushing himself back before he was split in two. When he pushed forward again, giving up onpeting in terms of skill. With his off hand, he grabbed at space.

    Altair''s eyes went wide when he felt space contract around him. He wanted to re his Vale Qi to break through but decided against it. He couldn''t risk burning the majority of his power when he didn''t need to.

    Varis grinned. His entire being suddenly erupted in a golden radiance that coated the skies with brilliance beyond the dawn. Annihting energy erupted around him, forming a massive spear the size of a mountain, a mile long as it was wide.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "God Shattering Spear!" Varis howled, stifling the air as it bore down on Altair in a pir of light. A fiendish glow fried itself from the Sea of Heavens,shing onto Altair''s very being as his domain began to expand. Maddeningughter tore from his throat as infernal lightning and his Vale Sword merged. He swung, sweeping through space and time, an upward sword arc amidst the sword Path.

    So perfect his Sword Stroke, Lu Chen straightened, enlightened by the de that seemed to transcend the limit to touch upon the Dao of the Sword.

    Severing Edge

    The earth-shattering force that erupted forced Lu Chen to personally get involved, erecting the sect barrier as the sh of the two reached a level seen only by ninth circles. The realm shuddered as mountains that stretched on infinitely in the distance began to crumble beneath the annihting energy falling like rain across the skies.

    As the maelstrom of energy cleared, Altair stood with one arm while Varis had a cruel gash across his chest, revealing a vicious scar across his rib cage. Altair''s arm regrew in a blinding sh, but the wound on Varis''s chest refused to close.

    "This is fun¡­ It''s been a while since I could cut loose. So¡­So long¡­ Oi¡­ Don''t die on me yet." Altair pointed his sword at him.

    Panting Varis winced, ncing down at his injuries. Aside from the lethal one on his chest, the rest of them were flesh wounds, but even so¡­ He''d never seen someone who could survive the First Technique of the Godyer Tactics. He''d face hundreds in the Golden Crucible to show his power. Killed all he''d face, but Altair had been the first to survive.

    He frowned when he saw another sword materialize behind Altair and a strange tome rising in his left hand.

    "I hope you don''t die. I''ve never gotten the chance to go all out since my return to the surface."

 Chapter 314 Lilith and Syris III

    Amidst the sh of Altair and Varis, hurling blows powerful enough to topple mountains raged across dawn and twilight as their weapons thundered across the heavens.

    Varis was like a fiend, his face twisted into something that couldn''t resemble man but a monster from the deepest pit of hell. The battle should have ended twelve hours ago amidst their first sh, or so he believed, as his spear crossed against the flying Vale Sword. He couldn''t believe such power could exist in a sword made out of raw energy.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    More than that, he couldn''t believe it came from someone who was only a third circle.

    ''No! He should be nearly out of Mana!'' Varis thought, craning his head as Altair blitzed his nk. His spear moved to intercept the sword,ncing towards his throat. He grimaced, embers ring across his pupils, striking across flesh like theshing of rain against the earth.

    "You''re getting slower," Altair told him, unleashing a flurry of blows that put the Gaint on the defensive.

    Varis snarled, caught in a whirlwind of sword light, when two Vale Swordsunched a surprise attack from his rear, embedding themselves into Varis''s shoulder. The wounds were deep but not enough to deter movement.

    Ding

    [Sword of the Vale proficiency has increased by 4%]

    [Sword of the Abyss has multiplied proficiency by 2x]

    Sword of the Vale [F]

    Proficiency: 17% ¡ª> 25%

    Sword Limit: 2

    ''Why can''t I sense those swords?'' Varis wondered, gritting his teeth. He was forced to rely on his eyesight to battle Altair. He''d heard of this technique but had never experienced it before. The elders who had lived through their Crucible had spoken of it.

    Shadowheart

    ''Damn it. How does Altair possess such a powerful domain?''

    "Oi, don''t be thinking of foolish things," Altair said, suddenly vanishing to Varis''s shock. Eyes iling wide, he felt a set of five fingers seize him by the face, hurling him from across the skies.

    Varis red his Mana, trying to activate the power held within his cells that allowed him to instinctually control space to propel flight to seize him. A mistake. The moment he stopped, Altair''s cold boot gently settled itself on top of his forehead. Varis heard it then, the wails of the dead, as an unholy energy pulsed.

    Deste Descent

    The Vale bore its fangs,shing into Varis''s head with the very shattering force that tore him from the skies in a gaping pir of ck light and onto the earth below.

    "I can''t seem to break through his defensive without a surprise attack," Altair said, looking past the mushroom cloud cresting the horizon. Each attack that held any significant power enough tond a lethal blow was parried with the help of his Giant Instants.

    Shadowheart, which allowed one to mask the user''s intent in their heart, allowed him to damage Varis, who couldn''t sense his Vale Swords, but the damage was insignificant. It would be easily healed since he couldn''t maintain his necrotic me constantly.

    "Altair!" roared the Giant, baring his fangs. The mushroom cloud obscuring his eyes was whipped away by the fog of Mana connecting towards the skies. The sting of humiliation ring across his face, Varis rose into the heavens. Thunderclouds gathered as his fury seemed to tarnish the Mana itself.

    This surprised the Emperor. He''d known that emotions could affect the world, the Mana, which was otherwise neutral unless acted upon by an outside force. It was just that he''d never seen another sentient being perform such an act. It felt sticky¡­ as if trapped by a strange essence.

    Your next journey awaits at empire

    "Disgusting," he muttered, shooting a measured stare toward his opponent, bleeding tendrils of dense Mana from off his person. He stood at eye level, ring at the Prince of the Vale with such hate it could be felt.

    The rumbles of thunder rolled across the heavens as Varis'' energy continued to grow, igniting some strangew that locked space down.

    Varis lifted a palm, and the heavens wept, drizzling a hail storm of rain across the realm. The rain felt heavy. Infused with Mana, it struck the stone below like bolts of sma, then actual rain.

    Altair allowed a frown to tarnish his features, sparingly choosing to use the Mana he''d reserved for flight to invoke a barrier. He looked towards the Heavens, down towards Varis, when he saw a strange matrix materialize in his palm¡ªa semi-transparent three-dimensional cube.

    The skies suddenly became lined with strange veins of Mana, creating a simr cube around the space around Lord ckwood.

    "Die for me!" said Varis, clenching his fist that held the cube.

    World Breaker

    Altair sneered, feeling space contract; he grinned soon after, realizing this was the same spell Varis had used to seize himst time, just more formed than before. However, he was prepared this time, shing his sword across space with Severing Edge, empowered not by Mana but by Vale Qi.

    Varis, along with the other gods, gaped as space was torn asunder to reveal the Emperor, smiling at him.

    "That¡­That¡­That was a transcendent spell," Varis muttered.

    "And my sword art is of a higher grade," Altair revealed, pulling Vale Qi from the ckke in his astral sea into his meridians when a thought urred to him. ''What would happen if I channeled Vale Qi into my Vale Stars.''

    [Ding]

    Vale Maniption D]

    Proficiency: .001% ¡ú19%

    He could do as much. Raven had taught him for nearly six months on how to better manipte the Essence of the Vale.

    Altair started with one star. Pushing the unimed essence from the still ckke into the outside world, tendrils of ck qitched onto a single vale star.

    [Fallen Moon Imperfection has Awakened]

    [The Attribute of Almighty has now been infused in all Magic]

    [Mana consumption has been divided.]

    [Space has be unstable due to the Presence of the Prince of the Vale]]

    [Warning]

    [Dead Laws are preparing to descend]

    [Warning!]

    [Dead Laws are birthing around the Prince of the Vale]

    [Error]

    [Error]

    [Error]

    [Calling for Administrator]

    [The brand of the Golden Crucible has begun to crumble.]

    [Prince of the Vale has rejected existence]

    "What the fuck!" Altair muttered as Heaven and Earth toppled, crumpling like sands through his fingers. Space that was once like stone seemed more like a strange liquid melting to reveal a void beyond description. Empty and vast, it called to him like theke in his mind.

    "That''ll be enough of that!" Said Lu Chen, snapping his fingers and reverting everything before Altair understood what had happened. "Altair¡­ why don''t you stop? I''d hate to kill you," he said, looking at him coldly.

    Stunned, Altair immediately stopped channeling energy into his vale star. A coldness instantly treaded the lines of his cells, and for a moment, he felt naked¡ªtruly naked.

    ''Was that my perfect state of being?'' he had to wonder, looking down at his fully clothed self.

    "Why are you stopping us?" Varis barked.

    Lu Chen pped him. "Shut up, fool. If any of the administrators descended, they''d have killed you both. " He said, grimacing to himself, ming his Master inwardly. "I''ll not allow Dead Laws to descend in my realm. Try that shit on a higher floor; that''ll be equipped for such things."

    "Well said."

    The voice chilled the hearts of everyone present, Lu Chen included, who instantly drew his sword, spinning on his heel, but the stranger was already behind him, staring strangely at Altair.

    "Altair ckwood, right?" the man asked. His smile did not quite reach his eyes, but Altair knew him. Everyone within the hells and heavens knew this man¡ªthe Almighty Congration of Heaven and Earth.

    "Mephisto¡­" Altair muttered, a strange tightening coiling around his chest at those serpent-red eyes of his.

    Mephisto grinned, ncing down at the boy''s right arm. "You''ve got a lot to exin to Cain and Azura." he looked back to Altair. "They''ll give hell for all this. Especially now that I''m here."

    "What do you want?" Altair managed to say, unsure where this fear came from.

    "Rx. I''m not here to kill you. I don''t like killing potential allies."

    "I could be your enemy," Altair said.

    "Even better," Mephisto replied. "With enemies, I don''t have to scheme to keep them alive."

    That left Altair breathless.

    Mephistoughed. "Rx, boy. As I said, I''m not here to kill you. I''m curious about something."

    "Lord Mephisto, I don''t think someone of your station should be converting with Altair." Lu Chen said respectfully, shooting Altair a look that read, ''Give him everything he wants.''

    "Don''t interrupt me, " Mephisto said in a stony voice, not bothering to nce at a member of the Omnis ranking.

    Knowing sought to grant some sort of foresight but was propelled by the creature''s mere presence, smiling at Altair.

    "I wish to know your mate''s location. Raina ckwood."

    "My Wife?"

    ''My Niece," Mpehisto said yfully. "Fallen, Angels, and Nephilims are all family."

    Altair''s thoughts whirled as he considered answering, but the words came to his lips before he knew what had happened: "I don''t know. Eh?"

    "Don''t mind it, "Mephisto said, grinning. You broke so many rules just now. It''s my right to exterminate you, but killing you won''t serve any good. You''re still just a kid, too young for me to y with. I just want information."

    "I can''t lie?"

    "You can. Channel that strange energy into those stars of yours, and you''ll regain faculties, but¡­"

    "You''ll notice and kill me."

    Mephisto scratched his cheek as if caught. "Well¡­ I did say I wouldn''t kill you. No. I''m just curious about little Ren. Is she alive?"

    "Of course!" Altair blurted out, cursing that strange powerpelling him to speak. He couldn''t even sense it, yet there it was.

    "Who has her?"

    The scarlets of Altair''s eyes turned to ck as the essence of the Vale began to resist the strange energy ying at his soul; Mephisto''s grin only deepened.

    "I don''t know you."

    "Then give her a message for me," Mephisto said, pulling out a pocket watch. He waste. He was alwayste. "Here. Give that to her." He tapped him on the head, shooting him a goodbye wink. "And don''t be scared of Azura and Cain.

    You''ll be on their level soon."

    And he was gone.

    Altair''s lips trembled. "Why¡­ Why does he feel like an uncle of sorts? Wait? If I''m technically a Nephilim, does that make him my uncle?"

 Chapter 315 Lilith and Syris IV

    "You look nervous," Lilith said, smiling. "Don''t be. We''re not all monsters, you know."

    "So you haven''t killed people for any reason?" Syris asked.

    Lilith''s smile deepened, her eyes glinting mischievously. She lifted her chalice, the scarlet liquid inside shimmering in the candlelight took a sip, and allowed the silence to answer, her gaze fixed on Syris.

    Arsene took that moment to say, "I like the castle. It''s not every day I get to visit someone else''s home."

    "I find that hard to believe," said Syris. "You''re a Monarch of Hell. Can''t you do what you want?"

    "I haven''t the need to visit people. If anything. I''m the one entertaining guests within my Halls."

    "If you visited more often, you''d have seen the ''luxury'' I''d prepared for you," Lilith mused, ncing at her husband with a cheeky grin.

    "I''d rather be with you than in the Hells," Altair remarked. He sounded exhausted, and for some reason, Syris believed him; this surprised her because she asked, "You don''t like ruling?"

    Arseneughed. "I''m what people call azy king. What I''m doing now is only for my children."

    "Your children?"

    "Our Children," Lilith corrected. "Izalith and Vesyrn Snow. The Abyssal Twins." her smile turned genuine, mixed with a warmth only a mother could have. "I''m sure you''ve heard of them."

    "Only by name. But we met a man. Zelos who spoke of them."

    "Ah¡­ the wielder of the Ars Goetia," said Arsene, narrowing his eyes. "I know the boy. It seems Levithan has seen something in him. To allow him to wield the Ars Goetia."

    "Levithan¡­" Lilith muttered, her voice trailing off, thoughts upon a fragmented memory she held long ago in the lower realms. A small smile wiggled onto her lips. She turned to Arsene. "Sene. Why didn''t you tell me about that? Levi is back?"

    "The original incarnation¡­ kinda. Mephisto told you about her true nature, right?"

    "I was the one to tell you," ¡ªShe made a face¡ª "I swear, do you ever listen to me?"

    Arsene smiled wryly. "I''m too old to remember who said what¡­"

    "You''ve got Hyperthymesia. All that is required is for you to think back," Lilith said, looking at him with an annoyed expression. She booped him on the nose, finding her smile. "Still¡­ You should have told me. Levi, even if it''s her original incarnation, is someone I''d love to meet."

    "What is this about Incarnations?" Syris asked.

    "In the lower realms, people like us¡ªmonarchs of Hell, Kings, Princes, and some of the other nobile devils¡ªcreate incarnations to help maintain order within the Hells, " Arsene exined. We create artifacts that allow just about anyone to be a lesser incarnation of ourselves and send them to the lower realms to help raise the next generation that seeks to ascend the Myriad Heavens."

    "Devils actually helping?" Syris said, not believing it for a second. She wouldn''t believe that.

    "Well¡­ not really. There food supply or fine resources." Arsene said, sipping his wine with a cruel grin. "Have you sipped on pride or drenched yourself in the very embodiment of lust? Mephisto came up with the idea. We offer them power, build their pride, or any of the seven sins or virtues; it doesn''t really matter, and then we wait for them to thicken.

    They''ll slowly climb up to our higher realm, where they can be harvested for all their worth. Their sins, their organs, blood, and souls. They''reter reborn in ouryer of Hell since devils and demons are immortal to be reharvested until they break and are rendered useless."

    "Thats¡­That''s¡­ sick."

    "They are devils. They most definitely deserve it. Although normal immortals or whatnot are the primary targets since we can turn them into devils or demons once imed. Those of the hells are just icing on the cake."

    "And that''s all for¡­"

    "Entertainment, of course." Arsene cut in, "Everything has a price. me Moloch foring up with the concept. As the youngest Infernal Monarch, I, too, was surprised, but I must say once you have a steak imbued with the euphoria of a warrior who once challenged the heavens and won, you kind of forget about the cruelty you''ve inflicted."

    "Oh yes, Sene here is rather spoiled. Now, he''ll only eat the food of the hells or when Zariel cooks for us." Lilith expressed, rolling her eyes.

    "Lil bro can cook. He doesn''t even imbue the food, yet I can''t get enough."

    Again, Lilith rolled her eyes, a bitter resentment rising. "I get that, but you even stopped eating the food I prepared for you."

    Arsene raised a neutral palm. "I don''t take sides when ites to food. Not even for booty."

    "I''m not booty. I''m your bloody wife."

    "In this instant. There is no difference," said the infernal Monarch, smiling at his wife''s infuriated expression.

    ''They seem¡­ so normal¡­ until they say some shit about harvesting souls from the lower realms.'' Syris thought, asking soon after, " Then can I assume you two are from the lower realms?"

    "Yep, we ascended a while back," Arsene said, slowly growing serious. "With the aid of Belius."

    The b of meat Syris was munching on turned to ash.

    Seeing that, Arsene continued, "I hear you want to kill him... you and the first so-called God of Wisdom, Solomon."

    Syris maintained a straight face, but it didn''t take much to see through her intent. The two lords both chuckled.

    "Belius is¡­" Lilith had to think. " He''s your heavenly Arc Demon, right? You made him a duke, right? One of the few Demons that actually have that rank."

    "As if I''d ever make a demon a noble." Arsene sneered. "Perhaps if Belius wasn''t so greedy to be held down. More than once, despite his petty power. He''s tried to rebel against my kingdom despite my promise of offering Soloman''s head to him."

    That statement shook Syris. "You and my father are enemies?"

    "Enemies? Please. That broken man isn''t worth killing, in my opinion. From what I''ve heard and seen. He''s just a shell of what he once was. I see why Mephisto toys with him.

    It''s like kicking a man while he''s down."

    Syris''s fingers curled. She might not like her father, but she''d not allow anyone to mock her family. No matter how she felt.

    Stay tuned with empire

    "However¡­ I hear he''s more active ever since your soul was reborn." Arsene continued. "So many, so many are wondering why. Especially Heavens Gate?"

    From Syris''s expression, Arsene could tell she didn''t understand. He smiled, exining. "Heaven''s Gate is the reason for your death. You see. They had tricked Soloman. I''m not sure how, but by the end of it, Arc-Celestrial Belius had in you both."

    "Arc-Celestrial? No. Belius was a demon who¡ª"

    "Not at that point." Arsense shook his head. "Belius only became a demon after his battle with Soloman that raged on for two hundred years. That wasn''t to say he didn''t have attunement towards the Hells. That attunement was what allowed him to kill your mother, whom I understand was a High Human. The difference between someone with attunement and one without is grand.

    So much so that I was able tobat people that would have otherwise killed me with a snap if not attunement I held towards the Hells and the Abyss."

    Syris''s eyes went wide, and her teeth gritted. "Then are you abandoning him? Belius, that is."

    "No," Arsene said coldly. "His worth outstrips your own. At least for now." he grinned cruelly, lowering his chalice. "But I''m willing to give the opportunity to kill him to you. On the promise you be my duke when the timees."

    "I''m Altair''s Saintess," said Syris.

    "There''s no reason you can''t be both. I''m not only the Monarch of Hell but also the Ruler of the Prime World, Noctem. My disciple is currently the acting sovereign over that realm. In the end, they are just titles. What really matters is if you are willing to take responsibility for what those titles require of you."

    "You mean what you require of me." Syris hissed.

    Arsene gave her a warning stare at herck of decorum. He was still a monarch, and Syris was still a mortal.

    Still, Syris kept her head high, ring at him. He liked that. "Aren''t you a fiery one? But indeed. Belius is a useful tool. I can''t just allow anyone to just kill him without something in exchange.

    If you seed in ying him, you will be my Duke."

    "And if I say no?"

    Lilith spoke up, then." Then you''ll be mine." This startled both the Monarch and Saintess, who turned to her. Lilith lifted a finger, and nodes of Vale Qi gathered at her fingertip, startling the two lordlings.

    "That''s¡ª" said Syris rising.

    "The Essense of the Vale¡­ yes." Lilith smiled, looking up at Syris. "Curious how you can exist¡­ when no being is supposed to leave the Vale. But¡­ you didn''t leave the Vale, did you? Someone gifted you the Authority of the Vale." her smile thinned into a piano-wire-thin smile. "That is most curious¡­ Sene. Why do you think that is?

    Why is the Vale present?"

    Arsene''s expression hardened. "Why would I know?"

    Lilith''s smile could cut. She could sense the lie, but more than that, she could partly see a hidden scheme hidden away from her omnipotence. Suspicion traced the arcs of her abyssal red eyes. She nodded nheless, sure her husband had quite the reason to hide something from her. Lilith tilted her eyes back to Syris, who''d returned to her seat.

    "Well, it really doesn''t matter. I''ll hear it from the source soon."

    "What does that mean?" Arsene asked.

    Lilith lifted a brow. "You''re expression was so curious. I think I''ll join Damaris and Eroma as they find that being that made my blood stir." Knowing yed at her eyes as she rose. "They''ll be in my arms by day''s end."

    Arsene rose. "Lilith, don''t."

    "My sweet Sene. Tell me why. And I''ll stop."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Liar," the Monarch snapped. The sin of wrath writhing across his pupils.

    "Don''t kill him!" Syris blurted out.

    "So it''s a ''him''. Well, I already figured," Lilith mused. She giggled, ncing back at Arsene. "Honey, you are so easy to read once you''re agitated. Rx. I''ll probably not do anything.

    I''m just curious."

    "I''ll do as you say. I''ll join you. Just¡ª"

    Syris didn''t see when Lilith moved, but her finger had gently touched her lips, sealing the words escaping her mouth. "I like you¡­ So here is my deal to counter Sene. I''ll assist you in killing Belius. I''ll even take you in so you''ll escape his wrath¡­ in return, I want you to tell me what you two are hiding from me."

    Angrily, Syris swatted her hand away, the vale rising across her pupils only to recede beneath the Will of the Abyss.

    Lilith grinned. "You don''t even understand the Vale, yet you are using it against me. Cute." She rounded to Arsene. "And you¡­ what makes you think I''ll kill this boy?"

    Arsene opened his mouth, but before the first syble left his mouth, Lilith had vanished.

    "Oh shit¡­" Arsene eximed, struck by an uneasy premonition. He snapped an eye towards the Tower of Babel, eyes widening at the sight of Altair and Varis locked in battle, then to the strange mark on his shoulder. "... They''re about to summon him. Fuck."

 Chapter 316 Arsene Vs. Lilith I

    Curious about what Mephisto could want from Reina, Altair could only scratch the back of his head, unable to conceive of anything he might need from her. He''d considered perhaps it was the Duke Lord of the Second Layer of Hell, but he renounced the idea, realizing that Mephisto did not necessarily need to go through Reina to speak to a Duke, much less a Prince or King of the Hell.

    Mephisto was the Eight Monarch of the Nine set across the Nine Layers of Hell. He didn''t need anyone''s permission.

    Altair sighed, peering towards the aimless skies. He had found himself meeting more and more monsters that couldn''t fit in any one box. Was Mephisto an enemy? An ally? Perhaps both. He sighed again, pulling himself together before deciding to return to his cave.

    In the light of dawn that began to crest the horizon, the stench of rot ensnared his being as a supple palm seized him by the throat, lifting him several inches off the surface of the Lake of Rot he appeared in.

    Altair grimaced and pulled into this strange realm to see Azura''s pretty face, cold as a white winter, ring at him. Bounded by her iron grip, he didn''t react or rather couldn''t find his mana once more sealed beneath her will. He almost smiled as the Vale permeated his being.

    Azura seemed to have noticed because her grip tightened. "Do I amuse you, boy?"

    [Goddess of Rot, Azura has recognized your existence]

    ''What the?'' Altair thought, trying not to react. The system shouldn''t exist in this realm.

    [Goddess of Rot, Azura has seen through you]

    Before Altair couldprehend the System Messages, Azura''s palm tightened, drawing blood as she spat, "Did I not warn you that you would be Defiled if you touched the Brand of Cain?" Her eyes were a strange bone-chilling blue, far in contrast to the scarlet they always held, radiating a baleful might.

    "I''ve no idea what you''re talking about." Altair strained, using the Vale to pronounce the words correctly with his windpipe about to be crushed. "I was in battle. I''m sure you were watching me. You know what happened."

    Azura''s grip tightened, threatening to snap his neck. "What energy are you using? How does it possess the Almighty?"

    "Woman!" Altair squeezed out, clutching Azura''s palm tightly, hoping to relive grip. It didn''t. "I don''t even know what Almighty is!"

    "You expect me to believe that!"

    "I don''t care!" Altair roared, Vale Qi ring.

    Azura''s brow lifted in astonishment, but her palm didn''t lessen. The Lake of Rot was her domain, turned corporeal. Nothing could exist within it without her knowing. And yet, a strange wisp of energy had escaped her senses. She tried to grab it, but as her palm reached forward, the Vale Qi eluded her touch¡ªanother surprise.

    "Impossible¡­" She looked at him, a flicker of recognition filling her azure eyes. "Y-Y-You truly Tenebrae''s child. Blood of her Blood." Her lips etched upwards as she grinned. "Who is your¡ª"

    "So you were in this foul realm," a coldly cruel voice said, stunning the Goddess of Rot.

    Azura''s pupils shrank as a silver-haired woman appeared, clutching her palm that was holding Altair''s throat.

    "Lilith!" Azura questioned, her breath turning elongated.

    Abyssal Qi red, tearing asunder the presence of the Lake of Rot, forcing Azura to release Altair as she pivoted back on guard.

    "How?" Azura said, Almighty Qi rising across her being. "How are you here?"

    Lilith didn''t look at Azura, gliding a palm across Altair''s cheek with a tenderness neither of them expected.

    "Eroma¡­ what do you see?" Lilith asked as a silver-headed man materialized. He looked pale, biting his lip.

    He didn''t give an answer.

    "I see¡­" Lilith mused, her lips thinning. "So my fears have be a reality."

    "Y-Your majesty," Altair said, startled by the words echoing from his lips.

    "You''re Sired to me¡­" Lilith mused. "Well¡­ that''s not surprising." she shook her head, lowering her palm from his face. "It seems you''ve taken up an Outer God Lineage." Her eyes glowed.

    Altair felt exposed as if all his secrets were bare before the scarlet-eyed Empress.

    "Lilith¡­" Eroma said, gritting his teeth. Anxiety writhed across his heart as The Eyes of Abyssal Truth was unable to pierce the veil of his Empress of the Abyss. He grimaced.

    "Take his soul to the Citadel. Return his body to the Babel Tower before the Floor Master notices." Lilith ordered, turning to Azura, who was ready to act but stopped as another figure materialized at herdy''s side.

    Along with scarlet hair fluttering, the Lake of Rot began to shake with instability. Theke began to rupture, and gnarled trees began to splinter.

    "Abyssal of War, Damaris," Azura whispered, shaken by the presence that lined her frame. It was more monstrous than most of the Fallen she''d met.

    "You know me?" said Damaris, a scarlet ck ive shing into her palm.

    "Everyone knows of the Abyssal of War," said Azura, inwardly cursing her luck. She looked at Lilith, studying her. "What is your rtionship with that boy?"

    "Rtionship?" Lilith smiled. "I''m under no obligation to inform you of my rtionships. If you wish to know, ask Altair next time you see him." She looked up, her eyes crossing Cains, who''d just arrived. "But you two fucked with the wrong Liniage. The Outer Gods are not ones to forget the crimes against one of their own."

    "Altair is an Outer God?" Cain questioned, gliding down the skies beside his sister. His heartless eyes narrowed.

    Lilith covered her mouth with a grin. "He''s more than that. Come on, Damaris. Let''s have a chat with Mr. ckwood."

    "Of course, my Lady," said Damaris, ensnaring herself and her Empress in a veil of Abyssal Qi. They vanished, traversing space and time.

    ***

    Altair was still, looking at the stranger with snow-white hair and kaleidoscopic eyes. He was confused. He''d recognized Eroma Snow from the picture Zero had shown him, but that face was marred by fear.

    "Arsene had another kid¡­ Bastard. Bastard. Bastard. Bastard!" He spat, circling the young man within one of the pce chambers. "I can''t have a kid, but he can have four. What type of bullshit is that?"

    "Ummm," Altair started.

    "Nope!" Eroma shook his head. "I don''t want to hear it. I''m pissed. How can he have four children?! That''s bullshit!" he stabbed a finger at Altair''s chest. "And not only that.

    You¡­ You¡­ had the gall to enter the Abyss. Gods, Lilith is going to kill you. She''s going to kill me for defending you!"

    He was pulling out his hair now, pacing back and forth, trying toe up with a n.

    "She''s really going to kill me¡­" Altair muttered.

    Eroma paused, turning to Altair, his nephew. "Little Bro¡­ You really have no idea, do you? Lilith is batshit crazy, especially when ites to Arsene. And I mean crazy. She has ced a multimillion Hit on several of Arsene''s concubines. Several of them almost seeded. Discover exclusive content at empire

    If Aynaet weren''t a King of Hell, she''d be dead."

    "Is¡­ Is she that strong?" Altair asked, growing a little frightened.

    "Yup. Lilith has no mercy when ites to infidelity. Especially since she ''ordered'' Tenebrae not to carry his child after they eloped. It was an order that came down from the highest order."

    Altair frowned. His frown only deepened when he felt a strange restriction around his mind, holding back his state of ''knowing.''

    ''Was this too a part of Lilith''s power?'' He wondered.

    "What are my chances of living?" Altair finally asked. He''d prepared himself for this day the moment Zero and he came up with the likelihood of Lilith capturing him. But unease still slithered down his spine.

    "Enough talking to the prisoner." A cool voice came from out of the void as the Empress emerged like an apparition. A candid smile stretched across her face as she studied Altair ckwood Snow.

    She circled him, appraising him like a b of sapphire. Behind her, Damaris tilted her head a little curious.

    "He doesn''t smell like Arsene. Nor does he have his blood."

    "I''m not surprised. But it''s definitely Sene''s child. Look at him. The gic constetion is definitely there." Said Lilith, her eyes glowing brighter.

    "He''s cute."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Sene is cute. Of course, Sene''s kids will be cute. Our own are both tens."

    Damaris rolled her eyes. "My Grace, I think you''re hallucinating again. I don''t see it." She looked closer at the boy, tilting her head. "Are you sure he''s an outer god, too? He seems¡­"

    "I never said he was an outer god¡­" Lilith mused, finishing her appraisal. "He''s a bit more than that. Isn''t that right? Snow."

    "I''m not a Snow," Altair said.

    "Perhaps. But you are Arsene''s Bastard, are you not."

    Altair gritted his teeth but saw no more reason to lie. He nodded. "I am."

    "Your mother¡­ Is Tenebrae dead yet?"

    Altair looked stunned. "How do you¡ª"

    "So not dead. Hmmm. Strange. Tenebrae should have died having broken my Command." Lilith mused, a cruel grin rising across her lips. "I did warn her."

    "Huh? But doesn''t Mithra have a kid? Why would Tene die having Altair?" Eroma asked, in the voice of Altiar frozen in ce. "They''re both Primordials."

    "I-I-I don''t understand." Altair stammered. He felt dizzy. Trapped in an endless fog. "What does mother dying have to do with breaking yourmand?"

    Lilith smiled, nestling Altair''s pale face in her small palm. "Everything, darling. It was the Abyss that gave her existence. She is the Night I wove to clothe myself. The only reason she possesses sentience is because the One granted her a soul. But it was I who gave her life, and I who took it away¡­"

 Chapter 317 Arsene Vs. Lilith II

    Altair threw a fist, anger writhing across his eyes, seething with nearly tangible hate. He red when a strong hand mped down on his wrist. He flinched, snapping a hateful look at Damaris.

    "Calm down and listen," Damaris said, releasing the boy.

    Lilith smiled thinly, "How you look so much like my Sene. Even your rage is as delicious." she shook her head, signaling for Damaris and Eroma to leave. They did without a word, leaving the two to talk.

    "Why?" Altair asked atst with an acrid taste on his tongue. "Why did you have to kill her?"

    "It was your mother who decided to have you. I only set the parameters," Lilith exined, her voice calm and measured. She created a chair for both of them to sit in. She took her seat and gestured for Altair to join. She began when he finally allowed sanity to return. "It was your mother who went against her nature, creating you."

    "Liar," he hissed. "You were jealous."

    Lilith didn''t disagree. "True. But Tenebrae''s death has nothing to do with that. If anything, it was done out of necessity." She paused, thinking. "How much do you know about the One and the All?"

    Altair brows beetled.

    "The One and the All are the nexus of all things and their end. There is I, and then there is the All-father."

    "Odin?"

    Lilith broke intoughter. "Don''t insult him. Odin, that rabid pest, obtained the name ''Allfather'' when he lost his left eye trying to peer at the Alpha and Omega and paid the price for the knowledge he obtained. Of the infinite things, he gleamed at once. The only thing he could pronounce became one word. Allfather.

    And so he took the moniker."

    "The One is such a being that even at your peak, you''ll never truly understand him," Lilith said. Let me ask you: Why do you think I created the Night?"

    That stunned the young man. It seemed such a ridiculous question that he''d never considered it before. Why does the Night exist?

    "I¡­ I can''t imagine." Altair said.

    "I know. Unlike my brother, the One, I don''t have perfect control of my power in a sense that can be understood by those like you who reside in what ''we'' consider a lower realm. The Abyss is the Nexus of all Chaos." Lilith halted her words, ncing to the corner of the room where Arsene materialized. She frowned, banishing him away with a wave of her palm. She didn''t want to see him right now.

    "What does that have to do with Mother?" Altair said antsy.

    "Not so much your mother but you," Lilith said, smiling again.

    "Me?" he pointed to himself.

    "The Vale. Ahhh, now that is quite a look. Yes, the Vale. The Night was woven into creation to shield the Vale. It was ''one'' of thergest fragments of my true body''s power, a detriment to the concept of creation."

    Altair gaped. "The Vale is a Fragment?"

    "When you look down at your shadow¡­ is it not just a mere fragment of our bodies?" Lilith pointed at the Young Emperor. You, Altair ckwood, are the Shadow of the Abyss. The reason I told Tenebrae not to conceive a child was that it gave the Vale a way to be reborn. Nullifying the meaning of existence. Now, here you are, with sentience at that."

    "So¡­So Mother really died¡­ creating me."

    "Yes. All she had to do was abort. And she''d be alive."

    "But you can save her, right?" Altair looked at Lilith, who seemed as cold as an icy sun.

    "And why would I do that? Tenebrae is no ally of mine. She''s the woman who ran to my husband''s bed. And like an idiot, my Sene slept with her."

    ''What type of toxic rtionship¡­'' Altair shook his head, dismissing his inner thoughts. "What can I do to¡ª"

    "Nothing, boy," Lilith snapped, cutting him short. "It''s well within my rights to revive Tenebrae to her peak, but I will do no such thing. I will relish in her death for what she did having you."

    Altair tasted blood, biting his lip. "Then why am I alive? Are you just going to torture me? Break me?"

    "So my Sene can hate me?" The Empress shook her head, releasing a bitter sigh. "You look like my Sene. I could never kill you. But I can''t simply allow this¡­ transgression to go on. I will not banish you from mynd. But I will watch you suffer.

    Tenebrae will die. It''s only a matter of time."

    "You''re being petty!"

    Lilith pped him. Despite being only a soul, it dazed the boy as if his real body had felt the blow. "Yes, I am. But if there is someone to me, then me your father and his rancid seed for creating you to spite me. How''d you like it if Syris or Reina came back pregnant with someone else''s kid? You''d kill them outright. Be grateful I don''t."

    At the sight of the tears rising across the rim of Altair''s eyes, Lilith''s anger subsided. He looked shattered. The sight of him made her bite her lip.

    ''Curse that bastard¡­ and all his cute ass babies.'' She thought. Releasing a deep breath, "But merely to watch you suffer¡­ I can give you a hint on how to save Tenebrae. You''ll fail, but watching you fail will be all the more sweet."

    Altair looked up at her. "Really!"

    For a moment, Lilith nearly forgot he was a man. He looked so much like her Vesyrn. She half smiled. "Hmmm." She nodded. " The Outer Gods, Regiments of the Vale. They might have an idea on how to keep your beloved mother alive."

    "Outer Gods? I heard of them."

    "Hmmm. They were a by-product of your Vale Qi and my Abyssal Qi merging. When you awaken, you''re Vale Bloodline, you will realize. You can leave now. "

    Before Altair could express anything, he vanished, leaving Lilith to sigh.

    "I do hope he fails," she muttered to herself.

    "So you weren''t lying?" Arsene asked, sauntering into her chambers. His lips arched high.

    "You were listening. How Rude. And stop smiling like a damn fool. I did say I hope Altair''s fails." She snorted, folding her arms across her chest.

    "You know he''s he cute. Do you want to see some baby pictures?" Arsene asked, waving palm-creating a photobook. "I have all the pictures."

    "Piss off. I''m still angry."

    "I may have also added chibi pictures of Ves and Iza. Shall we see if we can spot the difference? You are Altair''s grandmother, you know. "

    Lilith froze. "Holy shit! I am. Fuck. Damn, you, Sene!"

    Arsene grinned.

    ***

    The moment Altair opened his eyes within his Cultivation Cave, he was greeted by an odd sight. Nestled in Morrigan''sp, the young woman had a pair of rabbit ears on her head as she stared down with a flushed expression.

    He stared, opening his mouth wide in shock. "Two gifts in one day. Are¡­ are you trying to seduce me?" Altair asked, startled.

    Morrigan turned even redder. She''d never felt more embarrassed in all her life. She chewed her lip. "Do¡­Do¡­Do you like it?" she asked demurely.

    The young man resisted the urge tough. "Yes. But you know rabbit ears are supposed toe with a costume?"

    Read new adventures at empire

    Morrigan made a strange face. "You¡­" She shook her head before beads of mana danced across her flesh. Before Altair eyes, he watched as Morrigan was wrapped in a rabbit costume.

    He exploded intoughter. "I''m not fucking a rabbit. Oh my God. Hahaha! When I say rabbit outfit, that''s not what I meant. I''m not a furry."

    Morrigan tilted her rabbit head. "What''s a F¡ª"

    "Let me show you." He took out pen and paper from his ring and began drawing a distinctive image of Morrigan with rabbit ears and the correct uniform.

    She blushed when she saw the lewd image. "I-I-I can''t wear something like that!" She eximed, losing the rabbit outfit. "That¡­ That''s too embarrassing."

    "More embarrassing than being naked?"

    "Yes! One hundred percent!" Morrigan expressed, clutching her face. "Gods, what''s wrong with you? You mortalse up with such shameless things!"

    Altair tilted his head. "Now I''m curious. Exactly how much experience do you have, Mor? You''re more cute than I thought."

    Morrigan''s expression soured. "I don''t want to talk about that."

    "Ah," he said, catching on. "Then I''ll drop the issue. But I must say you do look cute. Ten points for effort."

    Perhaps it was his imagination, but Altair swore he saw a thin smile rise across her lips. He couldn''t imagine anyone, a woman, not smiling when someone told them they were cute.

    "I''m guessing the Goddess of Rot contacted you," Altair figured.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Morrigan tilted her head. "No. Is there a reason she should have?"

    That surprised Altair even more. He never would have thought Morrigan would have taken the initiative to seduce him without Azura forcing her hand more than she already was.

    "Yes. I just saw her. I''m sure she''ll contact you soon. Just y along. Things have gotten a little moreplicated."

    Morrigan frowned. "What happened."

    "I can''t tell you. I need your genuine reaction before the Goddess of Rot and The First Murderer," Altair said, sitting up. In a bright mood, he gave his bones a stretch and kissed her cheek.

    Morrigan looked nonplus. "What was that for? I thought I failed."

    "You did. But it''s progress. You''ll find outter. Now, shall we train?" he asked, his fist tightening with a newfound determination and path.

 Chapter 318 Ravens Dream

    Raven was dreaming of darkness, of the Vale, swallowed by an unyielding void rippling like ake across the distance. She shuddered, peering at the nameless kingdom of souls far away. There, she traveled, finding hundreds of names.

    Soon, the scene shifted, and now she was gathered above the clouds, where twenty-four thrones and twenty-four elders, dressed in white and bearing crowns of gold, circled the One and Only Throne that seemed to hold significance, that shone brightly beyond the chaos, epassing authority itself.

    From below the throne, strange elder beings, the highest order of beings in this realm, heralded the words, "In his holy name we serve." They repeated this axiom, their voices echoing through the hall.

    As she stared, they stared back, curiosity finding their expressions.

    "Who are you, girl?" a man whose voice she didn''t quite recognize said from the twenty-four elders.

    Raven touched her head, where a crown stood. Eldrich and ck, it seemed to tarnish the very presence of the hall set above the clouds.

    "The Night Will Perish And Seven Stars of Order and Chaos Shall Aline, To Burn Three To Create One. A Brilliance Of ckest Night Shall Form, As The Fallen King and Sins Shall Aline. Order Will Shatter, and God''s Will Weap, Kings Will Break, And Monarchs Will Perish. Megatron, scribed of the Heavens, expressed in an infallible voice. He took another breath, echoing¡­

    When Raven woke beneath the sun, weakened by the aimless rays, a yawn escaped her lips as she stood up, rubbing her beady eyes.

    "What a weird dream¡­" she muttered to herself, standing to her feet. She stretched out her arms and looked towards the Heavens when her stomach rumbled. She beamed, hurrying back to her cave to roast some corn.

    "You were sunbathing again, weren''t you." Altair snapped, bonking his guardian on the head with the end of his scabbard.

    Raven teared up. "That''s child abuse!"

    "You''re not a child," Altair argued.

    Raven touched her chest and said with unyielding vigor, "Ravens a child at heart!"

    Altair bonked her again. Hard enough, a welp rose across her forehead. She was crying now, but Altair didn''t give beneath her shimmering amethyst eyes.

    "Master is bullying Raven." She sniffled. "I¨CI¨CI hate master!"

    With another bonk on the head, Altair lowered his scabbard. He sighed, looking over the little thing a few heads shorter, ring up at him. "Raven, you can''t just disappear like that. In our kingdom, it''s fine, but in unknown territory, you need to tell someone. What if someone tried to capture you or, worse, tried to kill you?"

    "I''m strong," Raven drawled, cupping her swollen forehead.

    "But not invincible," Altair said. If someone had taken you, we would have had a headstart on finding you because you told us your location. I''m not asking a lot. Just a heads-up when you wander off alone or when you decide to take a nap." He plucked a leaf from the rainfall of her ck hair and tossed it away. "Were you that tired or something?"

    Raven nodded. "Sowwy Master. I''ll do better." she lowered her head.

    "Good nap, at least?"

    "Strange dream," Raven muttered, shaking her head. "How was Master''s nap?"

    Altair brows scrunched, and he bonked her on the head again. "That was two weeks ago. That''s how long we''ve been looking for you. We found you a week ago, napping in the open."

    Raven shed a lovely smile. "And Master let Raven nap? Master does love Raven!"

    [Your Vale Guardian, Raven ckwood, has be Enlightened]

    Altair brow beetled. "Rav.. are you enlightened?"

    "For corn." She''s aid, unsure of what he was talking about. She pulled out a new spice rub from her ring, showing it to her master. "I''ve gotten a Burbon Hot Rub from Big Sis Medusa. She said we might like it."

    The Young Emperor sighed. "You''re a handful. Yeah. I''d like some.

    Raven ran off, stumbling to a pause, and looked towards the Heavens. "What a strange dream!" she muttered, recalling the twenty-four thrones and twenty-four elders. "I wonder if such a ce exists?"

    ***

    As a month came and went, Altair stood in the lotus position shrouded by the Mind Insense that had burned through the afternoon hours. He''d decided to meditate, and while at night, he came out to experience the Endless Night. He felt like a night owl, lurking while everyone else meditated, but it felt right.

    He was always morefortable beneath the moon and night. It reminded him much of his time in the Serpents Outreach, which seemed almost a lifetime ago.

    "It''s almost time," Tasha said, opening her eyes. How are youing along, Master?"

    "I''m close to mastering the basics," Altair revealed. "The Sword of the Heavenly Raijin has aided me in betterprehending the Fourth and Fifth forms of Grave of Night, Weeping Moon, and Heaven End, though they are still a bit much for my current body to handle. My tight arm turned into a fine mist merely trying to pull off Weeping Moon."

    "I must say your Regeneration is top-notch, Lord ckwood. It''sparable to Lord Baphomets."

    Remembering the madness within the City of Sacrilege, Altair made a face. "Baphomet is a true demon, isn''t he? One who craves utter chaos."

    "Of course, he''s the bane of most Devils. Only the Arc Dukes can restrain him." Tasha said as a matter of fact. "Baphomet is the most feared Demon of the Nine Hells. I also believe he is the number one enemy of the Sisters of Sepith."

    Altair stood to his feet, walking and talking, leaving his cave with Tasha on his heel to a secluded area in the woods. Hidden from prying eyes and gods alike with the aid of his mask. They paused, following the sounds of whispers.

    "The Brotherhood of Torment have agreed to the bounty," came the familiar voice of Keiran.

    Atticus hummed brightly. "It seems you were right. They were paid, and none seem the wiser, at least for now."

    Altair nced at Tasha, who smiled and whispered, "Shall we see what they''re up to?"

    The young man nodded, regting his breathing to nothing as he drew forward, like a shadow, one with the night. Tasha followed without giving herself away, leaping onto a branch to see the two inquisitors of the upper moons in debate.

    They had surrounded themselves with wardings to mask the sound. Still, it seemed irrelevant against Altair''s Eye of Sacrilege and Spirit Domain, which had invaded the Warding''s defense before he''d even realized it.

    [Eye of Sacrilege has pierced the veil of the Shadow Rune]

    "They''ll take care of everything. They''ve already sent several peltasts to scout the boy." Keiran exined, smiling beneath the moon''s radiance. "Altair and that bitch will be dead by the time they enter the fifth floor."

    ''So they''ve decided to hunt me?'' Altair told himself, smiling. He watched for a few more minutes before leaving beneath the cover of the night and returning to his cave.

    ''Tasha¡­ Prepare for me some tea,'' he ordered, handing Tasha a handful of Soul Blossom peddles. "No more dying. I want to break through into the Fourth Circle this month."

    "Then allow me to aid you, master." Tasha expressed. "I am quite proficient in Infernal Rituals. I can make it so that you''ll break through by week''s end. Your physical attributes might even double or triple."

    "Altair turned to her, eyes narrowing. "What''s the price? There is always a price."

    Tasha covered her mouth with a small giggle. "Forgive my insolence, butpared to me, Master, you are too weak. My blood alone will be enough."

    Altair sneered. "All Infernal Rituals require souls. I''m no fool, Tasha. So I''ll ask again: what type of sacrifice do I need to make?"

    The Lilim''s grin turned cold and savage, like a true Demon of the Nine Hells. "Why, it''s the soul of a newborn. Nothing I don''t already have in my Soul Space from our delicious time within Yarwin. The Ritual of Infernal Rebirth requires you to be stained in the lifeblood of one who hasn''t sinned.

    As you already know, the Soul carries the bloodline through reincarnation or rebirth, so all I need to do is spill the blood from the soul. A simple feat for us devils."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "That''s¡­" Altair was hesitant. He was not so gone that he didn''t realize right from wrong.

    "Oh my lord, you shouldn''t feel bad. The newborn is burning as we speak." Tasha exined, chilling the heart of the Emperor. "When we devil take a soul into our bodies, we send them into the fire of our hearts to burn until they can no longer strengthen ourselves. All their delicious screams, pain, hate, and more are turned into energy for us to strengthen ourselves.

    I, myself, have over a few billion souls empowering me. Taking out a few hundred souls will do nothing. Especially since I''ve reached the peak, my body will allow."

    Again, Altair was reminded that Tasha was a true devil of the nine hells. He felt sick merely hearing this. Your journey continues on empire

    "What will happen to the soul once released?"

    "We don''t usually release souls," Tasha exined, smiling. "But It''ll head to the Nether Realm to be judged. But since there is nothing to judge but the negative Karma we devils inflicted on the soul, an equal amount of positive karma will be given to the little thing, and it''ll be reborn as a higher entity after a few million years of recovery."

    "A few million!" Altair yelped.

    "Of course. My Lord, I am burning the souls alive. The Heart and soul of any Devil carry the attunement of the Hells to turn them into infernal creatures. To remove all that damage we inflicted takes time. When you break an arm, you need time to heal, right? Well, it''s the same for a soul."

    "But an infant Soul is¡­"

    "They''re already burning, my Lord." Tasha smiled, like a devil on his shoulder, slithering close. "They are already dead. Would you like to listen to their little screams? You''ll be freeing them from eternal torment. You''ll be saving humanity from another devil or demon. So don''t hesitate, my Lord.

    You''re a hero in this scenario. I mean, you''ve killed quite a handful yourself, allowing Gaia and Earth to fuse. So please don''t hesitate. Let this devil help you."

 Chapter 319 Tribulation Of The Abyss I

    The damp cave, lined by infernal runes that seemed to radiate sin, was heavy with the scent of blood. It was sickening to sit in. Altair had to wonder if his willpower was as great as he was led to believe.

    Would a proper man allow such madness for power? He didn''t know, but he was very much willing to sacrifice moral obligation for the necessary power to rise across the boundless.

    "Is it done," Altair asked, perhaps too sharply. Tasha shuddered, a curious glow rising through those devilish eyes she possessed.

    "Almost, your Majesty," the Lilim intoned,shed by the sting of authority he possessed over her blood. ''He was getting better at it. Ruling, that is,'' she told herself, unable to resist the seductive smile from cresting her lips.

    In her palm, Tasha lifted a small azure Soul me, dipped her fingers in it like paint, and continued finishing thest of the Infernal Runes across the cave. When she was done, the Soul me could only whimper a feeble cry so innocent it broke the hearts of those who heard it. The sound left Altair shattered by the reality of his alliance with the Hells.

    He questioned it. Questioned many things, but his heart remained steadfast.

    ''Heartless bastard,'' he told himself, closing his eyes. He said, "Commense when you are ready."

    Tasha obeyed, clenching her fist so tight the soul within her palm howled a cry none would forget, Not for the next hundreds of years as it was torn asunder, rendered to azura embers glittering about like fireflies. She grinned cruelly, licking her lips at her Lord''s ufortable demeanor, and pulled out another soul and began squeezing it until it tore.

    In all the Three God Realms¡ªArcadia, the Myriad Heavens, and the Abyss¡ªthere had only ever been a single renewable resource that could exist beyond the copse ofws: the immortal souls of Mortals and Gods alike. No matter how strong a god imed to be, Souls were indestructible. No matter how much you burned them, tore them, or stabbed at them, a Soul me would always ignite given time.

    Across the Cultivation Cave, a scarlet mist rose across the earth, tangling itself across Altair''s feet. It felt alive, coiling around the lines of his clothing. Rings of embers sizzled across his robes, slowly igniting into mes so red they seemed like blood.

    "You can now begin breaking through, Master," Tasha said, eyes glued to the lines of muscles that lined his lean frame. "As a Higher Being, breaking through into the Fourth Circle shouldn''t be an issue. All you need to do is bear the anguish thates with Rebirth."

    Altair opened his eyes. "Serve me the Soul Blossom."

    Tasha found a smile as she looked at the boy, who was tained by the infernal mes without expression. She couldn''t imagine the pain he was feeling. Yet he bore no expression. She wondered if she should have used a Soul so innocent that Heaven and Earth recognized it.

    ''A Lunar Fairy should do¡­'' She told herself, drawing close to her Master as he sat in the lotus position. The infernal mes did not bother her. At least not mes of this level. Tasha lifted a palm, stretching her fingers forward. Space rippled like water mist the stillke, opening itself to her hand as she reached in, taking out a tea set with infernal markings along its smooth surface.

    "How do you feel?"

    Altair did not answer, allowing the Circle of Gluttony to devour more and more Mana of Heaven Earth, while another part of him began drawing Vale Qi from the Lake within his Astral Sea to refine.

    From over a mile around, the Emperor mana jolted about like vaporous gas before it spun towards the center, towards the Vale Prince, as if he were the eye of the storm. Beads of sweat began to tarnish his striking features, treading the lines of his face and muscles strangely not igniting into the vaper as his the Infernal me zed across his body.

    Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump!

    The mana turned cardinal red with radiance as mana poured into the cave to be tarnished by the infernal runes, which, in turn, strengthened the blood mes.

    [The Heart of Darkness has Awakened]

    [Warning]

    [You Have Invoked The Wrath Of The Heavens]

    [Heavenly Tribtion Has Been Engaged]

    [Abyssal Qi detected]

    [HeavenlyTribtion has been Tarnished]

    Removing the mask that his master had gifted him, fearing it might shatter, Altair''s calm expression began to fracture as the maelstrom of mana began to coalesce into something unimaginable, reaching levels beyond his control. Still, he calmly stared at Tasha as she smoothly prepared him a cup of tea.

    Her movements seemed practiced, refined to a level that held his gaze for more than a few minutes. By the time he realized it, Tasha had ced the cup of Tea in his hand.

    [Heart of Darkness has begun to beat]

    Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump! Ba-Thump!

    "Quickly now," Tasha urged him. "Drink it."

    "What is going on here!" Raven shouted, about to rush into the cave. She stopped when she saw her master state. An ancient glow flickered across her amethyst eyes as she looked towards the heavens, tainted by clouds ck as night.

    Disciples were all hurrying out of their cultivation caves to gauge the situation before elders, one after the other, began appearing, urging them to evacuate.

    The Gods, New, and Old, stared with poised focus, orienting their divine senses on the second floor of Babels Tower, listening to the rumbles of thunder racing up the tower. Despite the distance, each one of th gods felt as if they were beneath the gathering tribtion.

    Altair did not have time to consider epting the cup of Soul Blossoms Tea. He felt theke within his soul stir at its lovely aroma. His pupils contracted, unsure how much water and liquid weighed the same as a mountain.

    The rain began then. Lashing at the Earth, it carved through mountaintops, unwilling to allow anyone or anything to obscure its vision of its target.

    He swallowed the tea, startled by how the liquid turned to vaper the instant it entered his body. It didn''t travel down his throat but rather permeated his body, phasing through bones and tissue to touch upon the spirit.

    A wall was torn asunder then following the system message.

    [You have consumed the Leaves of the Soul Blossom]

    [Restriction of the Mana Attricube has faded]

    [Heart of Darkness has begun to produce Ashen Blood]

    [Your Wisdom has Increased by 1000]

    [Your Charisma has Increased by 1000]

    [Soul Membrane has coalesced around Soul me]

    DING

    [Your Mana has increased by 1]n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    [Mana: 300 ¡ú 301]

    The world came to a standstill, and only the Heavens'' fury was allowed for movement. Be it mortal hands or the elements, everything seemed paralyzed by his will.

    Seemingly unaware that the Will of the Abyss had been triggered, a deafening silence swept across Altair''s mind as a fog that had been treading along his Astral Sea cleared. And for the first time, he could see.

    [You have achieved basic Mastery of Realm of Spirits]

    Realm of Spirits

    Grade: S

    Type: Almighty

    Description: The user will obtain Omniscients based on the depths of their souls

    Suddenly, Altair felt as if he was drowning as the mana around him became like water through his perception. He could breathe, but it felt stifling as if what he was doing was unnatural. He saw it then. Runes of Abyssal and Myriad gathered around him, coalescing to form matrixes, to create concepts and thenws.

    [DING]

    [Orgin System Has Been Forcefully Updated!]

    [Orgin System AI Has Grown]

    [Gods may now grant Karma to Worldly Events]

    Just then, thunder roared like the rage of an angry god, as lightning ck as night cut deep across the skies. The sun faded, giving rise to the moon, radiating its ephemeral beauty across thend.

    Lu Chen watched on with cold eyes. The cultivation caves were close to falling apart. He saw it then, and blood drained from his face.

    [True Abyss Demands you Activate your Heaven and Earth Defensive Formation.]

    ''Lilith Snow,'' Lu Chen thought, caught in a cold sweat cascading across his body. ''What is the rtionship with Altair and the Snow family?'' he wondered.

    It was no simple matter to align oneself with one party, Lu Chen knew, especially to Altair, who had a Lilm that was usually reserved for the pleasure of Fallen to stand by his side. But an order from the Abyssal Empress was not something he could ignore or refuse.

    He cursed his luck before giving the order to his elders, " Activate the Sect''s Barrier."

    ***

    "First, you triggered an Abyssal Tribtion; now you are helping him," Arsene said to Lilith, frowning in her chambers. His body was more faded than ever before. "What are you nning?"

    "I am his Grandmother," Lilith countered aghast.

    ''Bullshit. Tell me the reason."

    Lilith curled up in her lover''s arms and grinned fiendishly. "Well¡­ I altered the Tribtion because he was your son but slightly aided him because I remembered he was your son and my little grandson. Funny how love and hate work."

    "You¡­" Altair sighed. "Oh, whatever. Doesn''t matter now. We''re finally about to break out of Pandora''s Box."

    Lilith''s expression hardened. "Think Mephisto has more hands to y after this?"

    "Always. But Mephisto owes us more than one favor now. When we get out, I''ll check on Iza and Ves with my own eyes. What about you?"

    "Me?" Lilith thought about it. I''m not sure. We lost contact with the kids a while back, so I am curious, but¡­ I think I might visit the Forsaken ns in Arcadia. We''ll see what happens."

 Chapter 320 Tribulation Of The Abyss II

    As rainshed over the earth and the skies rumbled the song of the End, Altair peered up, no longer shrouded by the earth. He could see the skies, the rage brewing across the majesty of the Heavens. The winds were howling, slicing like angry knives across his surroundings, when an azure light coalesced across the skies, forming a protective sphere.

    It didn''t matter, for the storm phased through the barrier as if it didn''t exist, bringing down a cmity that made mortal hearts quiver. Disciples pointed and shrieked, their terror mirroring the horror unfolding before them as their home became undone.

    [Divine Fallen, Lord of the Flies, is observing you]

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest has seized your image with the Eyes of Cmity]

    Altair stood in defiance, hard as stone, before all the Gods, peering up at the skies towards the ckest night. He took in a deep breath, releasing a mist of Vale Qi from his lips.

    "Endymion," He called, and the hiltless sword materialized, its mirrored obsidian edge absorbing all light in its sector. It had been the only sword he''d taken aside from the de Hephaestus had given him. Aurora had insisted, iming that he should at least get ustomed to the de he rarely used.

    When the arcs of ck lightning illuminated the skies, Endymion quivered as if sensing something. Something beyond mere lightning. Altair felt it, too, though he didn''t much care for the mysteries besieging the skies. All he desired was to survive.

    [Defiled One, Goddess of Rot watches you]

    [Ding]

    [Cursed One, Murder, is willing to offer you a High Arcane Stone if you survive.]

    [Divine Fallen, Lord of the Flies, will grant you half the Mana necessary to break into Fifth Circle should you never break a knee.]

    In a sh, Altair''s wardrobe shifted to a king''s attire. He wore a snow-white half-coat spun from the silk of a ninth Circle Arachnid. It had been said it had once thought of spinning a web that would connect their sector of space to hundreds of parsecs in space together.

    On his chest, he A strutted leather ck and white, jerkin, and boots forged of the scales of a Dragon scale, the size of the small continent that came from the Heavens nearly four thousand years ago, caving in the central mass of Africa in a single swoop.

    Curiously, on his half cape stood the sigil of the Moon and Night.

    The gods who saw it all gaped, alerting many within the Prime Word of Noctem Altair''s existence and rtionship with the Primordials, for only those that have been blessed by the Endless Night and Lunar Moon were allowed to wear their banner.

    Abyssal Lightning crackled, baring their furious fangs on thend in a rainfall of vicious arcs. Dozen danced across the Emperor''s image. He ignored it, tightening his grip across his body.

    When the first bolt of Lightning came, the barrier that had been for show became corporal, defending against the lightning that would have otherwise decimated the mountain. The sound it echoed was nothing short of earth-shattering. Worlds were sure to have burned before such a might, yet the barrier held by the sect maintained its resolve, barely invoking a shiver.

    Lu Chen smiled on his scaffold. "You''ll have to do better than that." he dered, sping his hands together within his robe.

    Experience new tales on empire

    "You''ll do well to never underestimate the Abyss," a voice from behind warned him. Lu Chen craned his head over his shoulder to the image of a man he never sought to cross. Not to ever.

    "Lord Beelzebub¡­"

    "So the monkey''s disciple is all grown up," The Dark Fallen said. He sounded amused, though by what Lu Chen couldn''t tell. Yet he couldn''t pull his eyes away from the long ck hair spilling out beneath his head. Tall with fearsomely red and gold eyes that seemed to harbor something devilish.

    "Not many dare to call Lord Raijin monkey."

    "I am not many. Raijin is nothing more than a lesser Lord to Sun Wukong. Both are monkeys in my eyes."

    The winds rustled the robes of Lu Chen, but it didn''t dare breathe against the Fallen. It parted much like the Red Sea, aware of itself.

    "My Lord, forgive the curtness, but why are you here?" Lu Chen asked, cursing his luck. He didn''t know much of the fallen. No one did. Aside from the small battles held across the myriad between the angels, none knew what they were like.

    Even Raijin, whom the Princes of Hell had once tormented, could not exin the nature of a Monarch of the Nine Hells. They were the absolute powers of the Myriad Heavens, the beings that brought about Chaos from Order.

    ''There isn''t a need for formalities,'' Beelzebub said, smiling. "Just tell me why you are aiding Altair. Surely you are aware of his rtionship with the hells."

    "I was asked. By the Abyss." Lu Chen revealed.

    Beelzebub frowned. "Lilith?" He nced up at the tribtion, sensing the Abyssal Qi that had invoked a change, and then at Lu Chen. "Why would she Tarnish a Heavenly Tribtion merely to ask you to aid the boy?"

    "I dare not im to understand the Abyssal Empress. Of all the Primordials, Lilith Snow''s mystery is rivaled only by Lord Hellmaster."

    Beelzebub lips thinned. On that, they agreed. The Primordial of Hell and the Primordial of the Abyss were two entities most of his brethren found hard to grasp what they truly desired. Lilith was a bit easier to grasp due to having watched her rise to power, but now that she had fully reimed her powers, many of her actions remained veiled.

    It was the same for Lord Hellmaster, who always seemed busy despite the Fallen Angels controlling the influx of souls in the hells.

    "Where is your master now?"

    Lu Chen lifted a brow. "Currently being sheltered by Lord Sun Wukong and Venerable Lord Shiva and Brahma. His name is on the bounty list of Kings of Hell."

    "But not yours." Beelzebub mused, studying the ufortable look he was giving. "Well, it doesn''t matter. Shall we watch the birth of something monstrous? The second bolt ising."

    ***

    As Heaven and Earth wept and howled, Altair stared, connecting the Vale Qi to not one star like he didst time but the three he possessed.

    He hadn''t known what it meant to possess the Almighty, but the sensation was without description. He was above it all. Life, Death, Hell, Heaven, Light, Dark. All of it. The presence of the Almighty Element wasn''t something Altair could conceive as he stared, falling into the ripplingke of the Realm of Spirits.

    It hadn''t made sense before, but as he lingered there, drowned by an ocean of mana, Altair was pulled from his feet and into the air. Unburdened by thews ced on thend, he stood above it,prehending the realm in a way that only those who held omniscience could.

    There were many things he could not grasp, many things that made little sense, but none of that mattered. What he could grasp became his power.

    The Sword Path grew clearer, the lines thinner but brighter, and it epassed a world rting to the Weave.

    "With knowledgees Authority," The Emperor dered, closing his eyes. The rumbles grew fiercer by the second. He channeled Vale Qi throughout his body to augment his original battle prowess. The Vale Crown he wore only seemed to grow brighter, illuminating the Endless Night that devoured.

    For a while, nothing happened before the second, third, and fourth bolts fell like a cataclysm. Disciple beneath the realm of Transcendent threw up mouthfuls of blood as the raging thrumb of the lightingshed at the barrier, shattering into a sea of ember by the third bolt.

    Abyssal Rage invaded, falling from Heaven like a venerable sword, the bolt so massive it seemed to rival the mountain peak itself.

    Reaching into himself, deep within his Sea of Awareness, The Emperor called upon all the Soul Energy to Augment his Aspect. He gritted his teeth, recalling the moment of enlightenment Zariel had offered to him, and swung Endymian with the rage of the King.

    Vale Aspect: Rule, Divine Counter.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    DING!!!!!

    Ligaments were torn asunder as blood vessels popped out of the young emperor''s forehead as he roared a cry of defiance that shook the heavens as he redirected the Abyssal Lightning back at the Heavens. The skies were divided, revealing the aimless void of an imperial eye looking from the great beyond.

    Primal Death unveiled itself from the great beyond,shing itself across mortal and immortal hearts alike, robbing them of their will to live. One by one, they toppled to a knee as the presence of the eye bore down on the realm.

    "What is this!" Altair muttered fear unlike anything he''d ever faced,shing at him, focusing on him as he looked up. His heart bounded in his chest as blood pooled from his eyes and nose, ears and mouth; he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood, resisting with all his might to bat the sensation of death so prominant, he felt his very life force fading at a rapid rate.

    The skies dimmed, and color faded to ck and white as the eye focused. Abyssal Qi red from across the scarlet eyes as the fifth tribtion bolt began to rise.

    "Lilith¡­ you crazy bitch! Whose side are you on?" Beelzubub asked, startled by the sensation meant for a transcendent, if not a Deva.

 Chapter 321 Tribulation of Abyss III

    Within the center of the storm, where only ck and white seemed to exist, Altair wiped the blood away trailing down his chin, ring under the shockwave that had nearly torn him asunder. Despite him redirecting the lightning bolt, the force had been a little too great. His Ashen Blood was regenerating him but had slowed considerably due to the refinement.

    [Abyssal Lightning has refined Your Fleshy Body]

    [Ritual of Infernal Rebirth has Mulitpied all increases by 2]

    [Your Strength has increased by 20]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 30]

    [Your Mana has increased by 5]

    ''Son of a bitch!'' Altair said to himself, wyly smiling. He coughed up a mouthful of ck impurities of stagnant blood and rot, cursing what was toe. He was dazed, the numbing of the lightningncing up his spine, dancing along the body like fairies beneath the moon. Experience tales at empire

    He took in a deep breath, gritting his teeth, as the sixth bolt came like an Immortal Spear from the Ancient Eye, devouring space to their color. It struck with world-shattering force, filled by an annihting force so radiant it was almost blinding, eating away at the sight of those who dared to glimpse its beauty.

    Altair held that honor. Though there was a moment of admiration, there was cold dread as Endymion reached above head, meeting the lightning in a sh of kings. The force took the young Emperor earthbound, herling him through mountains dozens of miles downwards.

    [Your Strength has increased by 30]

    [Your Dexterity has increased by 40]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    [Your Constitution has increased by 70]

    "Again!" Altair roared, charred beyond recognition. He stood on his feet that never dared to cave, defiant as an Indomitable mountain. The Mana that was being devoured a mile wide began to expand, stretching to levels nearly inconceivable by mortal understanding.

    Ten Miles

    Thirteen Miles

    Twenty Miles

    Fifty Miles

    Eighty Miles

    One Hundred Miles

    Eight Hundred Miles

    The range continued to expand to the level where it touched the walls of the first floor. A feat that would normally kill any fourth or fifth Circle, but Altair''s body held as the Circle of Gluttony pulled at space, devouring as much mana as was physically possible.

    The charcoal that had tainted his flesh shattered like ss, trickling down like sand. The Emperor stood poised beneath the ancient eye, gathering Abyssal Qi to conjure another lightning bolt.

    [Second Tarnishing has Begun]

    [Heart of Darkness has found resonance within the Lake of Vale.]

    [Lake of Vale has moved from Astral Sea into the Heart of Darkness]

    Altair ignored all the system messages, reaching a level of focus that seemed unmatched. He couldn''t hear anything, nor could he see anything but the Ancient Eye as body and soul prepared for the next bolt.

    The Vale stars on his forehead grew, burning like mini stars of mes as the very mana refined became tainted by the Vale.

    Altair opened his palm and created a small sphere that was his Spirit Domain.

    [Spirit Domain proficiency has increased by 40%]

    [Spirit Domain Profiy has increased by 50%]

    [Warning]

    [Knowledge from the Realm of Spirit might be too much on Prince of the Vales Soul]

    [Spirit Domain Grade has increased several ranks]

    Spirit Domain [E ¡ú C]

    Range: 65m ¡ú 150m

    Proficiency: 1%

    "First, you create a room," Altair thought, focusing his willpower on the Spirit of the Indomitable. The domain in his hand, the size of a ball, began to stretch, causing beads of sweat to stretch down his skin. "Next, you fuse your Aspect into the Room to create a Rule. And finally, you pour the Vale Qi into it to create a vision."

    Clutching Endymion so tightly in its grip, Altair took a breath, ignoring the hundreds of notifications clouding his vision. A concept of the dystopianndscape he''d once seen within Yarwin dripped into the calmke of his astral sea.

    "Show yourself¡­ My Rotten Vale"

    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!'' Thunder roared, its rage of defiance calling forth a bolt of lightning so profound it escaped the minds of mortals and transcendent alike, tearing at the minds of Gods and Divas, burrowing its way through the heavens towards Altair.

    However, whatever deafening noise those watching hopped to see never urred as the bolt splintered off into hundreds of treads around the sphere Altair ckwood had erected, dancing around its surface as he stood there nkly, staring at the lightning that could not harm him.

    "Divide," Hemanded, and the lightning divided. "Break," And the lighting was torn asunder, shredded beyond recognition. "Coalesce," And the lightning was whole once more. "Refine"

    And the ck Lightning was devoured by the Heart of Darkness beating unconditionally within the Lord''s chest. The sound of shattering ss filled the Young Emperor''s ears.

    [You''ve Broken in the Fourth Circle]

    [Rewards of the Gods have been granted]

    [ss Change]

    [Prince of the Vale ¡ú King of the Vale I]

    [Authority of the Vale has been granted]

    [You May Now Freely Enter the Vale]

    [Authority shall be restricted in the Myriad Heavens]

    [Ding]

    Altair fainted then and there, on his feet for all to see, blood and lightning trailing his flesh.

    Beelzebubughed, "He''s reached that level of Soul Masterly so quickly. And to see him use the Realm of Spirits in battle¡­ The boy reminded me of Mephisto when he was little. A shame he gave up that power¡­ I wonder why?" He shook his head, forgetting about it, as he materialized above Altair. "The damage to your soul is quite grave. You might have created your second domain, but your control is shit.

    Nevertheless, you''ve entertained me. Good luck on your journey upwards. We will be watching." And he was gone in a gale''s roar.

    Altair never heard it as he stood there until Raven appeared. Only then did he copse in the arms of his guardian.

    ***

    Location: Unknown

    "Did ya see?" a young feminine voice sang, surrounded by a sea of moons that hung over the skies. The winds that were once like daggers became stagnant as Seven Swords of Holy Light stood erect to form an arcane pentagram encircled by the red-haired woman. She was beaming, blushing with a curious glow in her scarlet eyes.

    "Stay alert, Ren. You are getting distracted." Said a cold voice from behind. Reina craned her head over her shoulders to Luna and her second Master, Ariel, beaming at her.

    "Oh, rx, Luna. You''ll need to use the Almighty Element to break through the Heavenly Bind." Ariel sang, pping Luna on the back. The primordial winced, grimacing in pain.

    "Stop hitting me so hard.''

    "Hehe. No need to act all coy! Hehe. A little spanking never killed." Ariel said, sauntering over to Ren, looking at a screen of Altair against the Tribtion. Ren tilted her head to Ariel and clutched the hologram as if to say, ''he''s mine.''

    Ariel giggled. "Ahhh~ to be in love." She poked at Ren''s cheeks. "Rx, I don''t want your hubby. He''s way too young and taken." she nced at the seven ethereal swords fading away. "You''ve managed to master Heavenly Blind, but do be warned; it''s a very taxing spell we angels use. But with your Infernal Blood, you''ll need to be careful, as Heavenly Binds turns into something truly evil."

    Ren shuddered, remembering the first time she tried it. She''d nearly killed herself and the world she was hiding out in. She nodded. "I''ll remember."

    "Please do. Aurelia Snow, the First Nephilim, nearly killed Zariel using that ursed ability. It''s not something mortals should wield, but well¡­ Nothing we could do about that."

    "I do keep hearing a lot about Aurelia. Was she that powerful?"

    "Yes, especially since the Council of Omnis hadn''t restricted the blood of Nephilim yet. She once attempted to seize the throne of our Lord Father on the lower realm. With a single reverse spell, she yed thousands of High-Rank Angels that followed the Law of Concordance. The spell was so powerful it tore at thews of causality, creating Dead Laws that rendered that time and space unusable.

    It''s still like that to this day."

    "We angels are warriors of our lord. But we don''t usually have the desire to conquer ingrained in us, but Fallen is different. They are driven by desire. Lucifer is a prime example."

    Ren made a face. "You make it sound like Lucifer, but are you different? Arn''t you both Angels?"

    Ariel exined, "To be a Fallen, one must be tarnished by at least one of the Seven Sins. It''s harder than most think, as there are a lot of psychological changes that need to ur, but on a fundamental level, they change. But you are right. They are still angels, and that allows them to use Seraphic Skills much like a Nephilim without consequences."

    "Then, are there any Nephilim abilities?"

    "There are a few. All are ingrained in your blood. The first¡­" Ariel reached forward, lowering the robes that covered her chest to the sigil that shone darkly across her flesh. "The Stigma of the ck Heavens is one. That alone ensures your body will be stronger than any God or Seraphim with the best of Body Cultivation.

    We, angels, possess the Law of Concordance that gifts us unlimited power, and you, Nephilim, possess the Stigma of the ck Heavens.

 Chapter 322 The Primordial

    "It''s all gone¡­" Davos said, shrouded by waves of sand cascading beneath the endless night. Dunes rustled, formingrge canyons forged of sand that seemed nearly endless, propelled by Dead Laws that altered the state of reality. Ensuring no life could exist within this desert biome.

    He didn''t recognize thend anymore. It had all been imed beneath another king after his defeat by the hands of one of the Monarchs of Hell. Hisnd was conquered, the men, woman, and children he''d once reared perhaps torn asunder by some unknown lord, only to meet his end by another.

    His world was no longer the bright heavenly realm he had spent nearly a chaos cycle molding from nothing but a dust-filled dune in which nothing could exist.

    "The Strong Eat The Weak," he muttered, closing his eyes, burdened by sorrow that echoed from his depths. He sighed. "If and cannot survive without its king, does it deserve to survive?"

    "Forgive me, children of Ska''ar. It would seem I failed. Twice." Fist clenched, Davos knelt, passing his fingers through the sands of his home. "May the sands of time grant you life once more." He prayed, recalling the faces of old and young, and closed his heart to it all.

    For five years, Davos walked the dunend of Sa''ar through the Dead Laws that inverted thews of thend. Cold became hot and hot cold through Regions that once represented life twisted into death, killing all who entered it; he passed through nearly perishing to the Dead Laws on more asions.

    Still, he held out hope. Since Sa''ar had not entirely perished, there was still hope. Still, a possibility that what he''d hidden remained. From his time in the lower Realm, the peak of all creation was the Chaos Lords, entities who''d master all paths of the Dao.

    To achieve such a feat, many Chaos Lords would often enter the Wheel of Reincarnation to create a new path, journeying to the ancient stash they''d left behind in order to reim their lost power once they achieved what was needed.

    Davos hadn''t needed to make that sacrifice to reach the peak but had always managed to consider the idea of having a dozen or so stashes a necessity in times of great need. He''d never imagined it possible he could be defeated.

    Not once, but it had been Ra, a child he''d adopted after his ascension through the Thirty-Three Heavens, who had insisted on it after she''d heard his thoughts ofbating the Monarch of the Nine Hells.

    ''How right she was,'' Davos considered, smiling, tightening the cloak used to defend against the ravaging elements. His mana had depleted years ago. And Astral Energy was simply too precious to use now that he was cultivating the soul using a conditional Vow. The less he used his soul for the next ten years, the purer it would be.

    He''d already sealed most of its function, blinding himself to most things.

    It was Beelzebub who''d allowed him to return to his world under the condition of a favor paid in the future. He wasn''t so keen on the idea, but options were limited. All that he was given was a Ninth Circle Shard before he was left to his devices.

    "I''m here¡­" Davos muttered, squeezing what little mana he could without relying on his will to transfigure water. He looked unraveled. Disheveled hair and emaciated flesh that had seemed to have aged considerably. What regality he once held seemed to have vanished after five years of torment.

    "I remember this ce¡­" he said aloud, his eyes ncing around at the dunes that obscured his vision of the skies and horizon. He squatted down, remembering the stunning emerald sea that once touched the horizon. It had been said even the Seraphim of the Heavens would travel from their realm in the hopes of merely glimpsing what was said to be one of the Twelve Wonders of the Myriad Heavens.

    "Serph. It seems you were taken." He said, shaking his head. "No¡­ you probably left after I fell. I was the only reason you stayed in the Myriad. Are you in heaven now? Gabriel must have kept his word." He smiled decrepitly.

    "I thought I''d at least be able to see you once more. But I can trust that Gabriel would keep his word. He''s a fool but an honorable one."

    Davos stilled himself, pulling the mind away from thoughts of old, outstretching his hand, clenching some invisible space. "By the Vow of Earth, Heaven, and Soul, hear the call of Davos of Sa''ar, And reveal thy self to the one to wields the de of Chaos. "

    The realm shuddered. The deadws that infested Sa''ar receded beyond the endless night in which no star could exist. A door appeared in a cloak of mist before him, golden and regal. Yet Devos was not pleased, for the door appeared ajar.

    His brow arched as he pushed his way into a Heavenly Realm that had grown far beyond his imagination. A mere breath rendered him whole. He gasped as his emaciated flesh grew plump with meat and water. He stared out at the endless forest andnd, which held everything he would need to reach the peak once more if he so pleased.

    It wasn''t something he wished just yet, but it was something he was looking forward to in the future.

    [Wee Back Administrator]

    ''The spirit is still alive. That''s good,'' He thought and said," Have you gained full awareness of the self?"

    "Yes, Administrator." the Spirit said," I have taken the name Silia."

    Davos grew amused. "And you''ve not tried to leave?" He nced back at the door behind him, open wide. She could leave now. It was clear to him she was perhaps the one that had left the door ajar.

    "The Empress is about to be born," said Silia cooly, appearing before Davos. Her soft olive-colored skin and golden eyes glowed beneath the artificial sun he''d once created. Beauty itself seemed toe alive beneath her appearance as she slowly fell to one knee.

    "The Empress?" said Davos, arching a brow. "Did someone break in?"

    Despite her olive-colored skin, Silia''s blushing was notable. "I¡­ tried to break out."

    Davos wasn''t surprised. He was trapped in the Hells for what might have been a Hell Cycle. After all, what sentient being wanted to be trapped?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "I ask for forgiveness."

    "You need not ask for forgiveness. It was your right. Can I assume you''ve rummaged through my things as well?"

    Silia shook her head. ''I wouldn''t dare, my Lord. But¡­"

    "Say it," said Davos, his voice hard and cold.

    "I have been feeding the child¡­ various materials after my escape attempt failed. Something got in. A soul. A newborn soul. One that has yet to touch the wheel of reincarnation." Tilting his head, Silia continued, "The door was ajar, and I was too weak to close it. But after the strange soul entered, I was able to use my authority in this realm to seal the entrance of anyone who wasn''t my Master."

    ''So she didn''t kill the soul but allowed it to grow.'' Davos thought, and he said," How long ago was that?"

    "Five thousand Chaos Cycles Ago."

    "Five thousand!" Davos yelped. He''d never heard of a soul incubating for that long. Not even High Imperials were induced for that long within the vat. "Take me to this Empress."

    Silia obeyed,pelled by an authority that bound her to thisnd. She forced herself to her feet, teleporting the both of them towards an azure blue shard. An abyssal Shard he''d found in the Abyss during hisst expedition. Within the crystal, he saw it. A small infant female, smaller than his palm.

    He blinked, taken back by the little thing, and nced at Silia. "She¡­ How the hell is she alive?"

    Silia did not answer. She, too, didn''t understand. But the day the soul found its way into the crystal, she buckled to her knees.

    Davos drew in on the child but could see nothing aside from its sleeping exterior. It was beautiful, with milky skin and tendershes. Her hair hadn''te in yet, but even he felt enthralled by the infant''s majesty.

    An Empress, indeed.

    "What is it?" He finally asked, entertaining the idea of keeping it.

    "I''m not sure, my Lord. But¡­ I think it''s Primordial."

    Davos didn''t entertain the idea and said," Don''t be ridiculous are constant. There¡­"

    "The readings im otherwise, my lord," said Silia. "The Child is a Primordial or something rting to it."

    "What the hell is it the primordial of then? The Primordials of all elements already exist. What could this one be? Karma?"

    "Zariel killed that one."

    "That bloody name again." Davos snapped, a hungry smile rising.

    "Readings indicate it''s not a Heavenly Dao¡­ But a Mortal Dao. But as for which one? I cannot be sure."

    Davos''s expression turned to stone as his mind nked. ''A primordial of a mortal dao? Could something like that exist?''

    "Reading also shows there are Six Lines of Karma connecting to the Empress. Most likely indicating brother and sisters."

    "Seven Children? Seven Primordials? What a strange number." Davos mused, arching his lips as heid himself down on the grass. He smiled and said, "Well, I guess in this life. I can still be a father once more."

 Chapter 323 The Abyssal Twins

    The day Altair awoke, he had been silent, his serpentine pupils coldly peering at the skies lost in some unseamed void. He felt lost and ufortable in his skin. He was stronger, faster, and harder, but for some reason, he hadn''t felt like himself. It was all too visceral.

    For a week, he merely stared up at the sun and moon, drowning in the endlesske that was mana around him, swallowing him far, far, far into its depths. The realm of knowledge felt warm. Here, he could learn without the need to be burdened by worldly things. He could know things without being told.

    Presently, he was learning about his Father, the Monarch, his mother, the Primordial, and his Sister and Brother, the Abyssal Twins, and how they came to be. His Father was a monster¡ªa butcher who cared little of the world. Even if the world were to burn, he wouldn''t care. He would probably be the one to burn it all despite the path he picked. Father was kind in many ways.

    He ughtered his enemies but never bothered going out of his way to kill unless it benefited him in some way.

    Altair was very curious about his father, but the knowledge the Realm of Spirit revealed seemed obscured, demanding he dive deeper into the endless sea surrounding him. He did. Plunging into the very depths of omniscience, words, and whispers became images dancing across his Astral Sea, revealing illustrations of his father as a youth. Other times, it was his Mother, and then¡­

    "Hiya Arty! I''m Iza!" Sheughed in a strange ck and red uniform. Her hair was long and thick, silver like her mother and father''s, while her eyes wererge and almond-shaped, red like blood. "You''re probably watching me in Blood Haven. I''d love to have your ability. Omniscience is awesome.

    But I saw you watching me in your future. Learning about me. Hehe. I don''t have much Abyssal Qi, so I just wanted to say hi; Master will be cutting off your Omniscience towards me soon. But you can look back on my past. Ves and I hope to see you soon.

    One day here in Arcadia or wherever we are in your present. I will be getting you presents and all the hugs and kisses!" she shed her teeth, free and uncaring. "I always wanted a Little-Little brother. Ves, you got something to say?"

    The illustration shifted to a young man, a near-splitting image of his father, the Monarch, but poised and carrying a level of calm he''d seen in himself. Vesyrn Snow nodded and said, "The Order of the ck Suns will be at your disposal should you ever need it. You merely need to seek them out. If I have done my job right, there should already be a fraction within the Abyssal Citadel.

    Mother will probably not be pleased, but you merely have to tell her I sent you. Oh...And congrattions on reaching basic Mastery of the Realm of Spirits."

    I look forward to dueling you. You and all your minions all at once."

    "You and all this violence." Said Iza cutely, cing her hands on her hips.

    Vesyrn tsked. "You just ughtered five men for looking at you funny."

    "They were assassins!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "So you say."

    "They were!"

    "Hmm," said Ves, not believing her for a second. His focus returned to Altair. "We''ll be watching you, Little Brother.

    ''They knew I''d be watching them? Can they see the future?" Altair wondered, giving pause for a moment. He smiled inwardly, shaking his head. It didn''t matter.

    "Ah! Before we go. Talk to Mother. She''ll not be happy, but you should form a good rtionship with her. Have her break the sire between you and her. We haven''t seen all the details yet with our eyes, but if you wish to truly be your own man, you must break the shackles ced upon you." Izalith instructed.

    "Just never forget what the Abyss represents. Vesyrn continued. "We are the All. And you, Altair Snow, are its Eternal Shadow."

    Altair blinked when a sudden jolt of painshed at him from the Realm of Spirit.

    [Soul Damage has been taken due to Realm of Spirits]

    [Charisma has dropped temporarily by 2000]

    [Wisdom has dropped temporarily by 2000]

    Altair nearly howled in pain as tendrils of veins began writhing across his forehead. He curled, clenching his teeth so hard the tang of his sweet blood permeated his mouth. The pain subsided after an hour, leaving the young lord breathless. Covered in his sweat.

    "Kill me!" He muttered, his eyes clouded by an obscuring mist. He nearly thought he was going blind. He sighed. He''d taken a huge hit. But had learned two things: He could only withstand a week within the Realm of Spirits. And that number would be half, depending on how far he traveled within its depths.

    "Ahhhhhhh~ Still¡­ I should be happy."

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [King of the Vale I Lv 1]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 0 ¡ª> 50%

    Strength: 1740 ¡ú 2500

    Dexterity: 1845 ¡ú 3000

    Constitution: 2020 ¡ú 3000

    Wisdom: 2020 ¡ú 4000 ¡ú 2000

    Charisma: 2020 ¡ú 4000 ¡ú 2000

    Mana: 300 ¡ú 310

    "At one hundred percent. I rival peak Eight Circle." He said, closing his eyes, relishing himself to the elements surrounding him. "Unfortunately¡­ I''ve grown too fast. Far too fast."

    He managed a smile, closing his eyes and opening them with a newfound purpose. "It''s easy to overpower one''s enemy, but that''s not enough. If I ever hope to reach my father''s level, or the twins for that matter, who somehow managed to pierce the veil of my omnipotence? I need to seal my powers.

    He took out the World of Shadows Grimior and stared at it for a while. He hadn''t used it much. Not with all the madness that had urred. Still¡­" I need your help. I need something that''ll temporarily seal my powers. Do you have a spell that can offer me that?"

    The Grimoire shuddered, lifting itself from Altair''s palm. Luna had already told Altair that he merely needed to earn the respect of the Grimiore to be its true Master. It had seemed he''d done so. The Grimoire shone brightly, transforming into a ck ring that bore the crest of Tenebrae on its head. Ancient Shadow Runes marked its curves, revealing a profundity Altair could not conceived of.

    He gaped, showing a wry smile soon after. "I''ve had all the things I needed to grow. I was just blinded to it." He shook his head, cing the ring on his finger. "Thanks, Grimm."

    The ring shuddered its approval.

    [World of Shadow Grimoire has sealed all Attributes.]

    [Attributies cannot increase, only Decrease]

    [All Attributes will return once the World of Shadows Grimoire Seal is Removed]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [King of the Vale I Lv 1]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 50%]

    Str: 272

    Dex: 197

    Con: 360

    Wis: 360

    Chr: 360

    Mana: 140

    Altairughed when he saw what he''d be. "These are the stats with someone with no hoes." He felt weak¡ªmore than weak. He didn''t even feel like a man anymore, but a boy. "Still, it''s not so bad."

    He stood up, feeling even his Vale Qi had been sealed. Something not even the Goddess of Rot could aplish. He knew it was because he allowed it but felt proud nheless, brushing a finger across the Ring. "You''re awesome, Grimm. Can you teach me more spells?"

    The ring began to glow as a screen appeared above Altair detailing multiple new spells meant for his rank. He smiled, nodding his head. "I''ve mastered the path of the sword to a degree mortals can never achieve. Now¡­ It''s time I finally master the Seven Schools of Magic to the same degree."

    Altair looked around, craning his head back, only to realize he was lost. "Where the hell is Raven? Tash¡ª"

    The devil appeared in a sh, grinning with a surprise glow in her eye. "Master. I''m afraid I''ll eat you up if we go at it in your current state."

    Altair was at a loss for words. "You really are something else, aren''t you? Where''s Raven?"

    "Meditating while guarding this secluded spot. Although I think she is just sleeping." Tasha answered, making note of the ring on his wedding finger.

    "I see. Then let''s head to the next floor." Altair said.

    Tasha lifted a brow. "To my knowledge, you''re skills of the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin have not yet met¡ª"

    "It''s ready," Altair said. Having touched upon his Omniscience, he knew he''d reached that level. He was sure of it. "Are you?"

    Tasha nodded. "We all are."

    "Then let''s head to Lu Chen," Altair said and added. "Get Raven and Morrigan."

    Tasha bowed before vanishing. Altair winced. He might have caught her movement if he wasn''t sealed. "What a pain."

    Exiting the forest, Altair ignored the idle stares of pale-faced men and women who hadn''t recovered from the annihting energy the Tribtion had caused. Many of them were furious, but none dared to make their statement known.

    Altair found Lu Chen on his scaffold and waved at him, "I''m ready!"

    Lu Chen made a face, realizing what Altair had done. "You¡ª" He stopped words from leaving his lips and nodded. "Show me then."

 Chapter 324 Third Floor

    Lu Chen blurred from his iron scaffold. He appeared three meters away in what appeared to be the prelude to a duel of sorts. Around them, awakeners, new and old, lowered their des to crane their heads in their direction. It wasn''t every day that an awakener, much less one that had only been on the second floor for about a month, saw to ascend.

    Most saw the need to capitalize on the mind essence that was given to them to aid in their overall battle prowess.

    Altair didn''t need such things. While it was useful, there wasn''t an overall gain, in his opinion, that the Realm of Spirits didn''t offer outright. He''d only just gain control of his Omniscience. And how he wanted to train it on higheryers in the heat of battle.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "This will be your first attempt," Lu Chen said. "Show me what you can do."

    The emperor gave a half-smile, lifting a finger that began to arc with profound evil, which seemed to take the light of the world away. It had only been for an instant, a motion that seemed to transcend the limit of mortal ascension, but in a single motion of his finger downwards, Lu Chen was once more before an infernal world tree so tant in its evil it felt stifling.

    Arcs of Infernal Lightning besieged the world, like the ancient roots of Yggdrasil, endless and eternal. It crackled like a whip across the air, shrouding the realm in a dystopian nightmare.

    ''Indignation,'' The Emperor intoned, igniting the world aze. mes turned to fire, fire to light, and light to substance, so blinding it they missed the motion of a hundred sword strokes that came along with each arc traveling towards Lu Chen.

    Lu Chen was horrified. Whatever Altair was using wasn''t the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin he knew. The motions were the same. The fundamentals were the same, but the heart was twisted beyond measure in a profane matrix that cameshing across his entire being.

    "Amazing!" were the only words he could conceive, uninjured by the Sword Art that could kill anyone beneath the realm of the Fifth Circle. It was perfect in almost every conceivable metric of the word.

    "You pass."

    Altair grinned, "I''m awesome, aren''t I? It''s ok to admit. I''m sure all the gods will agree."

    Lu Chen caught himself. Fixing his expression, he said, "They''ll admit you need humility."

    "A lord needs his faults. Perhaps I can learn from an angel or two." He said, amusing himself as hundreds of system messages came his way. Heughed, putting them on silent. "Any pointers?"

    "You''ve touched upon the Dao of the Profane. I''d only ask if that is it. Your sword was unbelievable but was a tad bit iplete if you catch my meaning."

    Altair did, and a strange aura he''d always kept to himself began to leak. It felt abyssal, rejecting thews around him. He looked up, remembering, ''Broken is the King, who stands before the Abyssal Night. Through Despair, the Sword of the Abyss shall appear."

    "Destion¡­ that was what was missing," he told himself, and he said, as the aura receded. "Allow this King some secrets."

    Lu Chen allowed himself a smile. "Well said. Altair ckwood. You are free to ascend to the second floor!

    [DIng]

    [Congrattions on passing the second floor]

    [You Have Been Rewarded]

    [All Attributes Will Increase by 25]

    "I wonder if I''ll ever get something that isn''t stat increases?"

    Lu Chenughed. "Don''t let anyone hear you. They''ll throw a fit."

    Altair could imagine, though he didn''t much care. He wasn''t the one who held the issue; they were the ones.

    "What will you do now?"

    "Ascend. I got to make it to the fiftieth floor."

    Lu Chen made a face that Altair didn''t quite understand. "You''d have a lot of issues then. The fiftieth Floor is not meant for mortals. As you are now¡­" He stopped himself. "Well, you''ll figure it out."

    "That I will," Altair said confidently.

    Lu Chen nodded, ncing behind Altair to Tasha, Raven, and Morrigan, making themselves known. He pointed behind him to where arge pavilion stood on a mount some leagues away. "The Ascension Gate is there."

    He smiled, bidding his farewell before making his way towards the pavilion. Tasha, Raven, and Morrigan joined him a few minutes after their test. Inside the pavilion, Altair arched a brow at a man draped in ck armor that appeared as if some master cksmith had forged night into steel.

    ''A shadow knight,'' he thought, unable to see past the armor he wore. Only his three circles stood out, adding to the strangeness of it all. ''An armor that hides everything but the Circle of its wielder.''

    The Knight nced at Altair and nodded before he took the first step up the staircase of ephemeral light.

    "What a strange armor that man wears," Altair muttered.

    "That there was a woman, my Lord," Tasha said. "I know an untouched cunt when I see one."

    "Dear Lord," Altair muttered, taken back by Tasha''s way of speaking at times. He liked that about her. But there were times he questioned the vulgarity of it all. Still. "You could see past the armor?"

    "No," Tasha said, a lot more seriously now. "I couldn''t. Only her Three Circles were visible. If it was three Circles, she might be a transcendent. Maybe higher or truly just a Third Circle. Who knows.

    Few things could truly hide for a Devil''s discerning eye."

    "Well, it doesn''t matter now," Morrigan remarked. "She isn''t an enemy."

    "But perhaps a potential ally." Altair mused.

    "And so his harem grows," Tasha remarked. "My Lord, it seems to me woman after woman is rising across your court. Do you not think perhaps rumors of your ''taste'' might get around?"

    "rumors?" he emphasized, spitting. "If the gods and mortals are so easily swayed by mere rumors, what right do they have to speak in my presence?"

    Tashaughed. "As you say, my Lord."

    They trekked up the stairs of light, higher and higher, until the sect below seemed as small as a pin before light shrouded his vision.

    ***

    When Altair opened his eyes, he stood in ruin. Stone-like Monolithic buildings stood in decay and moss. Viens long as they were wide as tree trunks coiled through abandoned windows and stone alike.

    The air was acrid with something coppery as a strange force bit at Altair flesh. It was soft, and he almost hadn''t noticed it if not for the domain he channeled the moment his eyes opened.

    "This is radiation?" he said, remembering one world he''d gone to with his mother long, long ago that had been lost to war in which no parties won. Their world was not as advanced as Genesis, relying on nuclear energy and weaponry to survive. In the end, it was that very nuclear energy that had been their undoing.

    [Wee To The Third Floor Of Babel''s Tower]

    [Mission Parameters: Kill The Lich King or Survive the Apocalypse for One Year]

    Restrictions: Must Consume Food Each Day Or Face One Level of Exhaustion]

    [Reward:???]

    Presently, Altair stood alone atop a building that hade crashing down to form a stone mount. The horizon was clouded by tendrils of darkness that seemed to lick the skies with shadow mes.

    "What in the world?" Altair wondered, hopping down the mount onto the deste streets, where vegetation had begun devouring. Stone and amber gold-colored grass crested his feet as he mindlessly wondered.

    [The Dungeon Master is observing you]

    The mana was purer on thisyer, nearly twice as pure as it was on the second floor. Something Altair thought was without equal. He was wrong, for not only was the mana stronger but far more violent, adding to the radiation that seemed to eat away at his body. Unfortunately, it wasn''t enough to affect his Almighty Resistance.

    After a while, Altair began making his way to where he sensed Raven about a seven-day journey away. He didn''t need to worry about food, having stuffed his ring with various meals to be consumed in the off chance he got hungry or bored. But he was curious by what thews of this world meant by a level of exhaustion.

    It wasn''t until seven hours had passed that Altair finally wondered on a humanoid tearing the naked flesh from off a dog, pitifully exuding whimpers. The dog''s blood came in pulses from its neck that was being consumed. It wasn''t long until its poor cries turned to silence.

    ir froze in his tracks, the Eye of Sacrilege glinting insight.

    Name: Superior Zombie

    Age: 19 Years

    Str: 300

    Dex: 200

    Con: 400

    Wis: 600

    Chr: N/A

    Mana: 100

    Skills: [Run], [Leap], [Bite], [Sense], [Pestilence], [Infect], [Blood Tendrils]

    Altair''s eyes practically glowed. "A Zombie? One close to the peak of a fourth Circle," he determined, masking his movements with Shadowheart. He drew in on the creature but was surprised to find that it snapped a savage eye burdened by pestilence aimed at him.

    It was snapping his gnarled jaw at him. Its cannibalistic teeth were long and yellow, stained with bile that made Altair gut twist.

    "What an ugly sight¡­"

 Chapter 325 Infernal Rain

    Before Superior Zombie could lunge, Altair disrupted the asphalt with Mold Earth, changing its properties from a solid to a liquid back to a solid so that its ankles were trapped. The Zombie tumbled over face first, hitting the earth with a solid thud, when the asphalt began to crack beneath its scrambling.

    Altair pointed a finger as Mana coalesced into a sphere, igniting into a great ball of fire so ck it appeared like shadows dancing beneath the moon. The presence of the Vale was tangible,manding authority like a king over its subjects. The ball of mes shrunk to the size of a marblepressed by the Authority of the Vale.

    ''I wonder if it''s possible to use heat convection to pull the heat of my surroundings into this me? I ought to make a form,'' Altair thought, igniting the me that zed brighter than any sun; it pierced through the Zombie''s brain, incinerating the head in the blink of an eye.

    In his domain, Altair watched the fireball pierce through multipleyers of asphalt, reaching the earth until it vanished after losing all energy and momentum. He wondered if his fireball couldbust when he deemed fit or would it have to be on a set timer to do so.

    [Superior Zombie Felled. Exp Gained]

    Having made a promise to himself to master the Arcane Arts, Altair began to experiment with his magic, using the Eye of Sacrilege to gleam insight after fireball after fireball lit the skies aze. Fireball was a mere level one spell that held the potential of being cast on a third level, but Altair had kept it at a level one, mindful of mana limitation.

    With his current reserves, he figured he could cast any level one spell thirty times in a row without growing tired.

    After his breakthrough, the Vale and his Mana merged in a way that allowed him a higher level of authority over the Mana that he had refined. He was inclined to believe that the Mana truly belonged to him now and that not even Azura could seal his Mana in her realm. The thought made him wonder when Azura would summon him again.

    ''I shouldn''t be thinking of that. I''ll have a lot to answer for now, as Azura knows I possess some rtion with Lilith. The question is how I''m going to answer that.'' Fiddling with the arcane arts for a while, he sighed when a message popped into focus.

    [Divine Being, Arcane Lord of Wonders, is curious if you are interested in the Seven Schools of Magic]

    Altair smiled. He''d learned fireball from Thanatos a while back but had been neglectful in using any spell due to fighting foes well beyond his level.

    "I believe that it''s the arcane arts and its seven schools of magic that''ll propel me to heights only the gods see," he said.

    [Ding]

    [New Mission Avable]

    [Kill a Hundred Skeleton Knights using the Arcane Arts]

    Reward: Arcane Mastery(Basics)

    Altair epted the mission without much thought. He smiled, "Arise, Therion."

    The Shadow Demon appeared on one knee, cloaked by shadow mes writhing across his body like garments. He appeared every bit like a demon that had dragged itself up from the Hells, though that wasn''t what his master intended. Altair frowned, tossing a few robes his way to mask his naked appearance.

    Therion was quick to cloth himself, offering a bow, "Thank you, Master."

    "Have your brothers and sister been teaching you well?"

    "Yes, my lord. Sir Kirr has instilled in me all the basics. I shall not embarrass you, Your Grace." Therion said calmly.

    Altair nodded, studying the Shadow Demon closely. His skin, unlike his brother''s, was not a light, sultry gray but a darker hue that seemed to match the night. The whites of his eyes were a stone cold back, while his eyes zed a sinful yellow. He was handsome, possessing two trident-like horns piercing through his long silver hair.

    "Find for me a few hundred skeleton knights," Altairmanded.

    Therion bowed, opening his Spirit Domain that seemed to span 150m, returning to himself. He moved, and Altair followed, scaling a nearby building. They ran two hundred feet east, pausing at a small skirmish between a familiar face and a group of skeletons.

    The knight, whose armor seemed to have been forged of a night, was wielding a greatsword, cleaving her way through the hordes in a blinding fury. Each swing of her sword seemed to smash away dozens of skeleton knights raising their shields to defend. It hadn''t done much in guarding themselves, but the mere fact that they held the perception to defend made Altair frown.

    ''These Skeleton Knights possess an average battle prowess. That Superior Zombie back there was also pretty strong for a zombie. Strange.''

    "There isn''t a need for you to fight," Altair ordered Therion. "All I require you to do is protect me from danger that I can''t react to in my sealed state."

    ''As youmand," Therion said stoically.

    Altair glided down from the skies on a bolt of Lightning, conjuring seven small orbs of fire that zed a light beyond the stars and pointed toward the Skeleton Knights charging at the ck Knight.

    The orbs of fire all shot forward like arrows expanding ten meters at the moment of contact, incinerating everything they touched in a matter of moments, leaving only the molten remains of sword and shield held by the skeletons.

    Altair tsked. ''It still didn''tbust.''

    The ck Knight snapped an eye at Altair, pointing a sword at him. "I don''t need your help!" she said in a masculine voice. Had it not been for Tasha, Altair might have thought she might have been a man.

    "Help?" Altair smiled. "My Lady, I believe I''m helping myself."

    The ck Knight stiffened. "How¡ª" she paused, staring intently at Therion, silent as a shadow behind his master. " A Demon!"

    Another fireball fell like rain, incinerating a skeleton knight as it was about tond a blow. "My Lady, I''d be a bit more aware of your surroundings." But the ck Knight wasn''t hearing it as sheunched herself skyborne, cleaving her sword down at Therion.

    "Are you trying to die?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Whatever intention the ck Knight held faltered beneath the voice of the Emperor,ced with authority echoing from his depths. At the suddenpse of judgment, her sword missed, forcing her earthbound.

    Therion only stared.

    "What are you?" The ck Knight demanded.

    Altair didn''t respond; rather, he opened his palm, allowing the Mana to coalesce once more into a sphere of raw energy before fusing his Infernal Lightning.

    The air grew acrid as a pulse of Mana rippled across space like a stillke. Altair closed his eyes, imagining an ocean of rain pouring over thend. When he opened his eyes, a shadow of omnipresence shed across his eye like a knife, imparting endless knowledge as his fingers wrote the infernal Rune for Rain.

    Annihting energy ran across the skies like a shadow as he spoke the words that came to him, "Infernal Rain."

    In that single instance, as all the Mana he''d retained vanished and the sigil in his eyes ignited, Altair realized his mistake, as the Ancient Heavens then turned into the Hells. Heat turned to fire, and fire to light. In a blinding moment that constituted an instant, light turned into sma as a downpour of infernal raindrops came like a raging storm upon the ruined city.

    Infernal Lightning dripped from the skies,shing at the earth like rain, drowning the nking of armor and the decoration around him. Altair heard none of it as the Infernal rain annihted everyone and everything for nearly twenty miles.

    Buildings that had been sure to have survived for more than a hundred years were gone in an instant. Survivors who still clung to hope were annihted before any perceived notion of survival entered their minds.

    The spell onlysted five seconds, but in a mere five seconds, everything was gone.

    "Oops"

    [DIng]

    [Skeloton Knight Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Skeloton Knight Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Skeloton Knight Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Superior Zombie Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Superior Zombie Felled. Exp Gained]

    Superior Zombie Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Skeloton Lord. Felled. Expp Gained]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    Experiencing over twenty levels in a single moment, Altair frowned, plummeting for the skies, unable to maintain his tform. Hended with a lithe step, scratching his cheek in embarrassment.

    [Mission plish]

    [Reward has been sent into your System Storage]

    "Superbe job, your Grace," said Therion with a look of striking fascination. "You are indeed a King without equal. The Pinnacle of All, that I shall strive to be to stand in your most venerable shadow."

    Altair did not know what to say. He was embarrassed. He''d never meant to do that. He''d only wanted to grasp the fundamentals of rain and fuse it with Infernal Lightning. He didn''t mean to cast a level-four spell. If his power hadn''t been sealed, Altair feared he might have annihted more than just twenty miles.

    He wasn''t even sure why the range was set at twenty miles.

    "You asshole!"

 Chapter 326 Psionic Mind and Rebirth

    "You asshole!"

    The ck knight''s voice was exceptionally cold,ced with a scorn that was hard to miss. Greatsword in hand, she pointed it at Altair, making herself big.

    "Who the bloody hell are you?"

    Altair was stunned. Surrounded by destruction, the ck Knight appeared untouched, her Armor without the slightest hint of damage or scratch.

    ''Did she really tank a Fourth Circle Spell?'' he wondered, finding a smile. He said, "Well, I''d be happy to give my name if I Had your word; you''d give me yours."

    The ck knight nodded.

    "My name Is Altair ckwood," he said, adding, ''Snow'' deep in his heart. "What''s yours?"

    She snorted. "I''m under no obligation to tell you."

    Altair''s expression grew poised and cold. The notion ofradery of a potential ally trickled through his fingers like rainwater. He didn''t respond, signaling to Therion to follow as he left.

    "Wait!"

    Therion barred her second step forward with a stare that had her taking six paces back. He sneered, following after his Master.

    Beneath her mask, the ck Knight bit her lip. She clenched her chest, feeling her heartbeat thumping so loudly against her ribs that she wondered if it was audible. She hesitated and took a step forward to follow.

    Altair felt like a fool. He could almost imagine his fatherughing at him. It was his mistake. He realized that. He should have kept the regal air he''d always maintained. He couldn''t afford to show weakness.

    "Shall I find more Skeleton Knights, Majesty, "Therion asked.

    Altair did not immediately answer. He looked up at the skies, sensing night approach, which seemed almost impossible, for no star seemed to touch the skies. Even the sun he''d seen hours ago felt like a dying one without a kindle. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to absorb the Mana he''d exerted to its final drop before the words came to him.

    "Remain by my side. The day is about to end soon. And I''m curious about what that level of exhaustion entails."

    "As you say, Majesty," Therion said. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words failed him. He bowed his head and followed.

    ''He''s shy,'' Altair noted. ''I guess all newborns are shy in their own right. Still, if he is to be my messenger, he''ll need some confidence.'' And he said, " Lift your head, Therion, and speak."

    Therion flinched. "I¡­ I am curious why you are allowing that lesser being to follow us."

    Royal fury threatened to shatter the calm air the Emperor projected. "I allow it because there''ll always be some rat clinging to my shadow. If not her, then it''ll be someone else. There is no benefit in killing her."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Isn''t the experience enough?"

    The Emperor grinned. "It''s as you say. But I don''t base my way of life around the system. If I did, it would control me. If experience were all that mattered, I would kill everyone on Terra."

    "You could kill everyone outside Terra."

    "In time, Therion. In time."

    ***

    As the new day approached, Altair suddenly felt an uparable pang emanate from his stomach. The sensation rmed him. He''d wanted to fight it with ashen blood but held out, unsure if this was something he could fight. But the longer he stood beneath the night, Altair suddenly felt a strange weakness overwhelm him.

    [You Have Experience One Level of Exhaustion]

    [Your Muscles Have Begun To Atrophy]

    [10% Of All Attributes Have Been Temporarily Lost]

    "What a strange effect," Altair muttered, ncing back at Therion, tilting his head with a questioning look.

    "Magesty?"

    "You weren''t alerted?" Altair asked.

    "Alerted to what?"

    ''So it doesn''t affect my Shadows. Is it because they are considered dead by the system?'' Altair asked himself, ying with a strand of hair. A habit born out of stress every time Aurora brought a stack of documents to his table. He looked back at the ck Knight following at a distance.

    She was staring at her shaking palms, apparently affected.

    Altair didn''t attempt to consume anything he held in the Ring but instead sauntered forward at a quicker pace. He was curious how far thews of this Realm could affect him. A theory was almost coalesced in the furthest reaches of his mind as he pushed his way forward.

    By the third day, sweat slithered down his brow onto his formal attire as he pushed forward one step at a time. Each step appeared as if they were weighted by some unseen mass standing on his shoulder. He forced himself forward.

    The ck knight followed though she was doing a lot better than Altair, having carried a few rations enough tost a week. She had never had to worry about food since her Armor filtered the Mana into substance, ensuring she''d never have to eat as long as she wore the Armor. She only kept around some rations due to missing the taste of food.

    [60% Of All Attributes Have Been Temporarily Lost]

    [You Shall Experience Psychosis]

    [Psionic Mind has made you immune to Psychosis]

    Altair forced a smile but did not dy his steps, asionally peering through the Spirit Realm to glimpse omniscience. He was thankful for the fourth ability he''d gained from his Aura, Psionic Mind, but was a bit mindful of theck of description it held.

    [Sword of the Abyss (SSS)]

    Type: Abyssal Aura

    Effect 1: All proficiency increases by 2x.

    Effect 2: Will of the Abyss

    Effect 3: Ashen Blood

    Effect 4: Psionic Mind

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    Description: Broken is the King, who stands before the Abyssal Night. Through Despair, the Sword of the Abyss shall appear.

    Fallen Moon Imperfection

    Type: Vale Physique

    Effect 1: Almighty Resistance

    Effect 2: Vale Qi

    Effect 3: Valemorph

    Effect 4: Rebirth [Semi-sealed]

    Effect 5: Sealed

    Effect 6: Sealed

    Effect 7: Sealed

    Effect 8: Sealed

    Effect 9: Sealed

    It was the same for the Rebirth ability he''d gained from Fallen Moon Imperfection. He didn''t quite understand what it entailed. Did it require him to die to use it, or was it more versatile than simple death? He''d wondered for three days, but no answer came to him.

    ''Perhaps my Authority isn''t high enough.'' Altair told himself, finding a smile. Still, he wasn''t so inclined to perish merely to test a skill, especially since he hadn''t fully formed his Fourth Vale Star. "But I will soon once Tasha appears. I will. Perhaps not just my fourth but fifth and possibly Sixth Vale Star.''

    He could already imagine the anger she was currently feeling. He had, after all, promised to have her on the third floor. The thought sent into a state of tion as he continued, deciding to pull out a blood bag after the fourth day when the system message emerged.

    [Your Mana Has Been Sealed]

    [90% Of All Attributes Have Been Temporarily Lost]

    [You Will Experienced Major Psychosis]

    [Psionic Mind has made you immune to Psychosis]

    Altair exploded inughter. Not only had his Mana not been sealed, but the worldws and the secondary effect held no dominion over him. He felt free. Unbounded the heavens that once bounded him.

    Sinking his fangs into the blood bag of his Saintess, he was all smiles as he felt a strength return to him.

    [One Level of Exhaustion Removed]

    Summoning a single Vale Star, Altair channeled Vale Qi into it, feeling the almighty attributesh itself onto his Mana.

    [The Attributes of Almighty has now been infused in all Magic]

    [Mana consumption has been divided]

    Channeling Ashen Blood through his body, Altair suddenly felt a wave of warmth smoothing the atrophying muscles. In a blinding moment, the worldws that worked against him receded, allowing him to be whole.

    [All Levels of Exhaustion have been Removed]

    [Dungeon Master gasps at what you''ve done]

    [Dungeon Master is requesting fair judgment before the Upper Moons and Tower Masters]

    "What type of bullshit is that!" Altair snapped, ring at the heavens. "It''s my ability! It''s not my fault I can''t be sealed."

    [Dungeon Master has chosen silence]

    Altair tsked, "Whatever," he said, continuing on his way, dismissing the Vale Star. He took off at a speed that left anyone watching curious to know if he was at the peak of the Fourth Circle.

    "Master¡­ there is movement up ahead," Therion said, "Shall I exterminate them?"

    Altair nced a few miles ahead, using the eye of sacrilege to push past any limitation his perception held to a small army of humanoids gathered together, distributing food, bs of red meat that was eaten raw, and weapons.

    "I can''t be the only one that thinks cooked food is the best."

    Therion lifted a brow. "Didn''t His Majesty just devour a blood bag? Isn''t that raw?"

    "Hmmm. Didn''t think about it like that¡­. But that''s different, I think." Approaching the group, Altair paused, noticing a group of spearmen lifting their spears in reaction to his sudden appearance.

    "Who are you!" Shouted a very gaunt spearman.

    Guarded eyes locked onto him as a voice reached out from the crowd. "Master! Master! Is that you!" Tasha waved, pushing her way out of the crowd with a faint blush. She hurried on over to his side, nearly tumbling into his arms, and whispered, "These people are insane. It''s kinda fun."

 Chapter 327 Actions and Consequences

    They all stank.

    The men, women, and children clinging to their mother''s withered tit smelt as if they had bathed themselves in the dead. It wasn''t a scent any sort of human would find pleasant. Altair had never seen anything like it, not even in Yarwin during the final days where demons piged and raped all that caught their eye.

    He covered his nose. "Why do they all smell like a rotten corpse."

    "To hide from the dead," one of the Spearmen said. He looked embarrassed but still spoke. "The undead tend to ignore us when they perceive us as one of their own."

    Altair nced at the children, who were as thin as dried leaves, ravaged by diseases. There wasn''t one present whose skin hadn''t been inmed by undead blood.

    It looked painful.

    "We don''t need your judgment!" A gaunt woman said, holding her infant tighter. "We do it to survive! You will, too!"

    "So we have to take in another!"

    "We already took in that woman!"

    Angry voice punctuated here and there before a man who carried the bearing of a lordling stepped out. Head held high, as not to hide his nobile linage, sauntered forward. Unlike the others, his flesh was healthy: pudgy with water and a good set of meat on his bones.

    "Who are you, stranger?" he asked, though his gaze never left Tasha''s.

    "Altair ckwood," Altair said, unsure why he''d ented his name like a High Imperial of Genisis. But it came naturally to him as the arrogance ingrained in his blood sought to leave its cage.

    Tasha seemed to notice and smiled.

    Ravel looked stunned, trying to maintain his appearance, but beneath ckwood''s stare, he instinctively bowed as if before his Lord Father, the Barron of Evank. He was a barrons son, born out of illegitimacy, to amon wench who''d picked up whoring as a means to support her five children when her husband fell to the gue.

    She''d fallen for the Barron, only for her head and her five children to be ced on a spike out of shame of having bedded and impregnated a whore.

    None of the Ravels brothers were sure why their Lord Father had allowed his life and not spiked him as he did the whore and her five bastards, but they often mocked him.

    Even now, beneath Altair''s haunty gaze, stripping him bare, Ravel did not look disturbed. He was used to such stares. More than ustomed to them.

    "What Kingdom do you hail from?" Altair inquired, studying the man. He didn''t understand why he appeared so much more healthy than the others.

    "The Kingdom of Orvat," said Ravel. "My father was a Barron."

    The angry voice faded at Ravel''s overly polite voice. They''d never heard him take that tone with anyone.

    ''So not the heir but the second born or a bastard. No way a Barron would send the heir of their house to the Tower.'' Altair figured. And he said, "You''re a strong man. Five Circles, by the looks of it. Do you know where the Lich King is?"

    The whisperers returned in full, ravaged by fear and dread.

    "My Lord," said Tasha. "Most of these people are trapped."

    "Trapped?" Altair asked.

    "Hmm~ They''ve all been here for generations. It''s not that they don''t know where the Ascension Gates are located. It''s just that it''s inessible."

    Altair brows beetled. And Ravel said," It''s as she says. Even as a Fifth Circle, I am powerless before hundreds of thousands of undead around the Fourth Circle guarding the Ascension Gate."

    The Emperor lifted a brow. "Interesting. I wasn''t aware that was allowed."

    "There isn''t a rule against it, Lord ckwood," said Ravel calmly. He hesitated, adding, "They even say he possesses an undead dragon.

    "Strange. I know quite a few people who''ve ascended past this floor." Altair folded his arms, ncing at Tasha. "What do you know?"

    "Only that those that do usually pay a tribute to the Lich King. The kind of Tribute you''d never agree to."

    Altair scuffed. "As if I''d ever pay Tribute to anyone. What type of foolishness is going on here? What is he asking for?"

    "Depends on who you are," Ravel said. "Sometimes he''ll ask for your blood; other times, he''ll ask for a favor, treasure, or your first or secondborn. Sometimes it is small, other times, so enormous one simply has to refuse."

    "Then the people here? Was the price toorge?"

    "No. It wasn''t that the price was too high. It''s just that we are too weak to approach his army without being ughtered in a few seconds."

    Altair grinned. "What a curious thing. Are you saying that the Lich King can match a ninth Circle? I''m sure hundreds pass through each day."

    Ravel looked disturbed. "I have no answer, Lord ckwood. I''m not a ninth Circle, so I cannot say."

    "Then¡­" The ck Knight approached. "What do you all do for food?"

    The question turned the crowd silent, none of them daring to look the other in the eye.

    The answer to such a question didn''t matter to Altair, for he asked, once more, "Where is the Lich King?"

    "A-A-At the heart of the city, Lord ckwood." Ravel stammered, looking queerly at Altair. He reached out to grab him, but Tasha pped his hand away with such shattering force he paled, feeling his arm nearly torn off its shoulder.

    Tasha sneered, "Do not touch my Master with your filthy hand."

    "Now-Now," said Altair, patting Tasha on the bottom, listening to her purr like a cat. "No need for violence. Let''s go. I''ve gotten what I wanted."

    "Wait!" The ck Knight, outstretching her arm to grab Altair. This time, it was Therion who barred her ess to his lord.

    A sphere of pure ck mana pulsating from his fingertip pointed at the ck Knight.

    She hadn''t even the words to speak before Therion unleashed a spell that seemed to suck the color from their surroundings.

    Enma, he invoked.

    The ck Knight hadn''t even seen what had urred before the ancient armor that ordained her body ignited with ancient runes, and a beam of ck energy struck her, flinging her body into a nearby building.

    Altair frowned. "Enough. There wasn''t a need for that Therion."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Tasha seemed to think otherwise. "My Lord, we are here to protect you. We cannot simply allow those that have yet to be vetted by members of your court to simply touch you, much less address you."

    "I am you''re Emperor," Altair dered.

    "That is precisely why no matter how much you punish us, we will make the same mistake over and over again," Tasha said. "Such is our love for you."

    Altair grimaced, suddenly recalling the words of Tenebrae. "A King is not without rules set by the people they govern, Art. As you protect them, so too shall they protect you."

    ''She was right.''

    Presently, Altair lifted his eyes towards the ck Knight, who was falling from the building that she had crashed into. He was impressed by the way the armor absorbed so much of Therion''s spell that it managed to kill demons of the Hells.

    "That armor¡­" Tasha muttered. "Those runes are Enochian."

    "Far from it," Altair said, ncing at the runes. He spoke thenguage well enough to see that whatever runes hung on the ck Knights''s body were not Enochian.

    "What I mean," Tasha rephrased, "Is that its Broken Enochian? There was a lot of that during the Age of Mist. Mortals who hear thenguage of the angels try to write it down, only for it to mistakenly be inscribed due to their limited minds."

    The ck Knight, who''d fallen from the building, toppled to her knees, coughing up a mouthful of blood through the visor of her helm.

    "You can use that armor!" Tasha suddenly eximed. "Armor like that should be able to match the size of its master. All we have to do is kill that girl."

    Altair thought about it, almost allowing himself to smile. He sauntered over to the ck Knight, still on her knees.

    ''She survived a Fourth Circle Spell but fell to Enma a second level. Is it because Therion''s mana and my own are the same?'' he wondered, keeping his eye on the ck knight reaching for her sword. ''No, that is not the case. Perhaps it''s because I''m so much weaker now that I''m sealed.

    Presently, he said, "Draw your de, and I''ll take your head."

    The ck knight froze, biting her lip.

    "Actions and their consequences. Had you built a rtionship instead of acting all haunty, none of this would have happened. Therion might not have attacked you. Oh well. The question now is¡­ should I kill you? Armor from the Age of Mist can surely do me good.

    It could even save my life. Tell me, stranger¡­ Should I kill you?"

    "I¡­" she went silent, keeping her head down.

    "Master¡­" Tasha suddenly eximed. "If you''re hesitant about whether to kill her. Why not just use her as bait?"

    "Bait?"

    Tasha smiled, a smile as cruel as the Hells. "Oh yes. The armor is quite sturdy. If we starve her for a few days, then toss her to hoards of undead. We can have fewer enemies to face against the Lich King. Not to mention, I''m sure her armor will keep her alive.

    So when you return triumphantly, we can simply kill herter and take all of her for all that she is worth. Who knows. Perhaps she is really pretty underneath that armor."

 Chapter 328 The Malakh

    "Enough. I''m not interested in resorting to such deplorable means," Altair said, his voice hard as stone.

    "But your Shadow Demons might be," Tasha countered, her voice dripping with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "Even if you altered their state of being, it doesn''t change the fact they were once Infernal Creatures. Pretty or Ugly, a hole is a hole, isn''t that right, my dear ck Knight?"

    The words of Tasha ran true. Altair knew all too well. It was why he didn''t particrly mind releasing a shadow demon, even if it did slightly weaken his forces. He valued shadows that were not driven by desires like lust.

    Even bounded by the hands of death, he struggled to reign in their natural desire, choosing to send a few shadow demons that craved violence to worlds he could not afford to outright pull his forces out from. At least there on the battlefield, he didn''t have to defend tragedies his Shadow Demons would create.

    Syris hadn''t been pleased about such an arrangement; she still argued about the morality of it all. Still, her words fell on deaf ears as Altair told her, "If you can find or create better recements, then I will be more than willing to dismiss these demons. Until then, they shall conquer in my name."

    "Please¡­ Anything but that¡­" The ck Knight pleaded in a shaky voice.

    "You say that, but¡­" Tasha took a whiff. "I can smell your intention. You''re scheming something. Perhaps we ought to kill you now and send your soul to the Nine for whatever Lord or master you serve to find."

    "I second that decision," Therion said. "Better we kill this snake now, then let her have the chance to bite our master."

    Altair found himself in an odd predicament. He could stop this madness. He could simplymand it, yet Tenebrae''s wisdom told him to allow them toe to a decision on their own. He had set the parameters in which they could move. All he needed to do was observe. Observe not just the ck Knight but Tasha and Therion.

    "As an immortal shadow, any of my brothers and sisters will be better bait than this mortal," Therion added. "Master could simply gift any of us the armor after we tear it off this female''s dead body."

    "Interesting. Very interesting. But you''re missing one thing, newborn." Tasha countered, shooting an intriguing smile at Therion. "High-level armor tends to die with the user. That''s why I rmended her as bait."

    Therion did not seem to express anything as he said," Then we ce a few Shadow Demons in her shadow to ensure the result."

    Tasha spun to Altair, " He''s got a strategic mind. I like him."

    "He''s to be my messenger," Altair said, also finding Therion to be a far different case than Kirr ever was. The innocent phase he expected didn''t seem to ur with Therion as it had with Kirr.

    ''Perhaps it''s due to Kirr being human. They are born innocent, while Demons not so much. How interesting.''

    "Please, can we discuss this!" The ck Knight said. The desperation that wasn''t present before was now very much tangible.

    Therion sneered. "My Master tried to engage in negotiations with you. And you spat in his face. Why should we bother listening to bait? What can you offer His Majesty aside from your life?"

    ''You sure you want to make him a messenger?" Tasha whispered beside her master''s ear. ''He''ll make quite the inquisitor. Cambions have a way with men and women. They can be well-received and hated depending on how they feel."

    "An inquisitor? That''s not a bad idea." Altair nodded. "He certainly has the temperament of an inquisitor. Then who will be my messenger? You?"

    Tasha grinned. "You insult me, your grace. Aside from your Sword Maid, my greatest talent is in my ability to advise. Messengers are meant to be thrown away. Sure, they need to be knowledgeable, but you should always be ready for their heads to be returned when you send them to enemy territory."

    Altair folded his arms, thinking. He nced at the various men, women, and children watching him from Ravel''s group. "Let''s take this discussion somewhere else. Bring the knight along."

    ****

    In a far-off suburban area overrun by nature, Altair decided to set up camp while Tashaid down a formation to keep undead and anything or anyone else away. Altair watched, memorizing the formation in case he ever needed to use it. There were still a few days left until he met up with Raven, but that still left Morrigan, whom he had not heard anything about.

    "Tasha¡­" Altair started. " That Ravel¡­ did you sense something off about him?"

    "Aside from the fact he''s engaging in cannibalism?" Tasha said, smiling. "We''ll he was quite intelligent. The moment he spotted me. I felt he knew I was a Ninth Circle."

    The cannibalism didn''t surprise the Emperor. He''d already suspected that was the case. That wasn''t what bothered him. All the men present who had engaged in cannibalism were simply too gaunt, while Ravel himself appeared normal.

    "You suspect him?"

    "I don''t know¡­." Altair mused. "What I do know is that I didn''t feelfortable around him. Perhaps it''s because of my sealed state, but I suspect something is going on."

    "Master, if I may be so forward," Therion suddenly said. "How about we send in a shadow under the disguise as a new arrival? We can confirm our suspicions then."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "And who would you rmend? All of my elites are busy running my empire."

    "They needn''t be smart, my Lord. Any humanoid will do." The shadow demon said.

    Altair gave it some thought and allowed him to do as he pleased, giving him full control over this operation he thought to have. Whether it was useful or not would be up to Therion and his performance. Sending him into his shadow, Altair waited for Therion to find an ideal candidate.

    "For a half-born, he''s not half bad; Master will surely have to reward him," Tasha said, creating a small campfire. She nced at the ck Knight thaty paralyzed beside the me. "Perhaps you can give her to him."

    "Therion would rather die than touch her. Let''s see how he performs before I decide anything." Altair decreed. "unbind her."

    Tasha snapped, and the hex she''d ced on her knight shattered like ss. Mobility returned to her limbs as she slowly pulled herself up.

    "Take off your helm," Altairmanded. "I''ll not ask twice."

    The knight did as she was told, pulling off her helm to reveal the heavy rainfall of golden hair falling to her shoulders. Beneath the campfire, her sapphire blue eyes seemed to take on a ruby pigmentation that seemed marred by sorrow. Tears flowed as she bit her bite, trembling for what was toe.

    "Goodness. She''s more pretty than I imagined." Tasha sped, inching closer to the young maiden. She touched her cheek where a scar-shaped tattoo lined the left side of her cheek. But what truly attracted Tasha''s eye were her ears. They were long, like the average human, but shorter than elves.

    Altair thought her a Half-Elf but threw that thought away as soon as he caught a whiff of her blood pulsing through her body. It was something new. Something he''d nevere across.

    "Rx," Tasha teased her. "My Master has already decreed you are not to be touched in that way. How kind of him. If it were up to me, I''d have had you between two minotaur screaming for death." She touched her beautiful golden hair, the coldness in her eye punctuating the air. "How old are you, darling?"

    "Twelve¡­" she muttered, shivering. "Please¡­ I¡­"

    "Shhh," Tasha said gently, brushing her cheek so softly that it was odd how her skin ruptured, staining her lovely face a bright red. "What a lovely young girl you are. What''s your name?"

    "Seina. Seina Xen," she whimpered, unable to keep down her terror. "Are¡­Are¡­Are you going to kill me?"

    Altair was a bit taken aback by her young age, but none of that mattered to him. The moment Seina stepped into Babels Tower, she voided any sort of protection her innocence warranted.

    Tasha narrowed her eyes, pulling her fingers away. She nced down at them, noting the way her flesh began to bubble and pop as if Seina''s blood was acid. "Master, I believe we''ve found the perfect catch," she said as her fingers began to regenerate. "We caught ourselves a Mkh or at least the spawn of one."

    Through Reina''s lineage, Altair was aware of the Mkh, the Messengers of the Heavens. They were mortals whose lineage had managed to be gifted the feather of an archangel, granting them the properties of an angel.

    "It exins how she has the armor. Mkhs are rare, your grace. So rare, in fact, that if one should appear, we are to report directly to the Prince and King of Hell," Tasha exined. She turned to Altair with a lewd smile. "Of course, I''ll only do so on your orders."

    "She isn''t a first-generation Mkh."

    Tasha shook her head. "I can''t be sure what generation she is in without the proper tools. However, what I do know is that once she awakens, she''ll be dangerous."

 Chapter 329 The Specter

    Altair shot the Mkh a measured stare, debating with himself how to proceed. She was a bit younger than he suspected, not that one''s age ever mattered on the battlefield. Still, he couldn''t help but ask, "Where are your parents?"

    Seina Xen bit her lip. "Looking for me. I ran away."

    Even without the Eye of Sacrilege, Altair could tell she was lying. "So your parents are dead." he chuckled when he saw her bewildered expression. "What type of God loses their child? They have too much awareness of that. You simply couldn''t have run away while taking with you an armor that even some Gods might want to preserve."

    The camp firewood crackled, lifting embers into the skies to billow far, far away.

    Therion returned sometime timeter with a young man, a knight d in the armor Altair had felled him in. He recognized the man to be one of the men who had attacked him the day he''d awoken in Yarwin. The sight of him brought back memories of the Silvermanes and the lostmb currently in the depths of hell.

    "He''ll do, your grace," Therion said.

    "See to it then," Altair told him, gesturing for them to depart. He continued to stare at Seina, quivering like a maiden on her wedding night. Tears fell where they may as she awaited judgment. For a moment, he debated letting her go but crushed the thought almost immediately.

    ''So what if she''s a child? She''ll be a woman in a few years. More than that, she''ll be a Mkh. A little messenger of the Heavens. Seina is valuable. Too valuable to let go." He thought, suddenly, thinking of Reina, who he''d once told to start her court alongside his.

    ''If she were here, I''d have given her to Ren.''

    "Seina," Altair announced. "I''ll give you the choice. Your bloodline deserves that much. You can serve me, or you can be one of the Maidens of the Vale. My Saintess would be more than willing to have a youngling like yourself."

    "Y-Y-Your not going to eat me?"

    "Eat you?" Tashaughed. "Darling. You''ve not yet ripened enough for our master to devour."

    Seina''s face flushed. She felt relieved but more so embarrassed.

    "I''ve no intention of forcing the matter," Altair said. "As a maiden to my Saintess, you''ll receive formal training, though it seems you already have. Resources will be enough to raise you to the Ninth Circle and beyond."

    "W-W-What happens if I follow you?"

    "You die, and I resurrect you in my image. You''ll be ten times stronger than you already are, ordained with knowledge that will push you to such heights you''ll see how meaningless your lineage before me."

    Siena clutched her throat. "I-I-I have to die?" she mewled, shaking her head. "I don''t want to die."

    "Such a shame; I''d have thought you''d have gotten another Sword Maid," Tasha whispered beside Altair''s ear. "Speaking of duty. Didn''t Majesty promise Tasha something special on the third floor?"

    Before Altair could agree," Tasha continued," Unfortunately, Father has asked we do so on the next floor."

    Altair brows beetled. "Why?"

    "The Fourth Floor, all the way to the Twentieth, are all connected. How it''s connected? I''m not too sure. What I do know, however, is that most Awakeners die during their trials. Either way, Father has paid quite the price to give you the perfect identity."

    ''Identity?'' He thought and said, "How is Grimorie doing? What does a patron of the hells do in their free time?"

    Tasha''s ruby-red eyes sparkled. "promise not tough?"

    "Nope. Tell me."

    "Hehe, she has gotten into watching K-Drama."

    "..." Altair took a moment to process that. "You''re kidding?"

    "Hey, when you predate time immemorial, then you can judge her. A lot of gods do silly things to pass the time. Some take up knitting while others pretend to be creationist God just to experience what it means to ''create life'' outside the spectrum. Grimoire has done all that. So she''s doing moreid-back things¡­ at least in her free time."

    Tasha lifted a brow, studying Altair''s look of surprise. She''d always enjoyed that expression held by those curious about the Fallen Angel. Even her fellow brother and Sister often time gaped at some of the strange hobbies she''d picked up throughout her lifetime.

    It had often been said within the Hells that Grimorie was the one to offer Soloman a portion of her wisdom, which allowed him to create the current system of the Arcanes, currently reigning supreme. In the eternity that followed, no such magic has sought to rece what Solomon and his near-infinite wisdom created.

    Tasha suddenly looked around.

    "Something is approaching,'' she said, lifting a finger. "There."

    Altair stood up, suddenly aware of the mist that had formed out of thin air. He frowned, ncing at Siena, and said," Put back on your helm. We¡ª"

    A deafening shriek reverberated across the earth, echoing high and low across the air as an eruption of pounding hammered at the warding Tashaid down.

    Eldritch mes ignited in reaction to the unknown creature''s action, searing the air a ghostly emerald, cutting through a fog.

    A pained cry shrieked, revealing an emaciated woman with long, tangled ck hair. She wore nothing but the mist. Her body was partially translucent, seeming to fade in and out of reality as she bared her ghoulish fanged teeth.

    "A specter¡­" Altair said, approaching the edge of the warding.

    The Specter shrieked again, so powerfully it tore the bark off the tree, shredding the leaves to dust and the grass to mist. The barrier trembled but held.

    "What a strange creature," said Altair. "Can she think?"

    "Bearly," Answered Tasha coldly. "Specters are souls that Eldritch Energy has effected, or a Yin Base energy, altering the internal bnce they held. This one here is a poor imitation of the ones in the hells. It cannotpare to the specters we have in the Hell Pits. Now those breed some delicious fiends."

    The creatureshed its gnarled talons at the warding, screaming when the eldritch mes lit her aze. She crackled a cry, a stream of ck liquid overflowing down the hollow pits of her eyes that revealed silver mes.

    Name: Specter

    Age: 200 Years

    Str: 1000

    Dex: 1200

    Con: 400

    Wis: 1100

    Chr: 300

    Mana: 150

    Skills: [Mana Maniption], [Ghostly Hail], [Spector], [Ghostly Hate ], [Terror], [Ghostly Hate]

    Taken back by the creature''s attributes, Altair frowned for a second. This Specter wasn''t a creature that any third circle or fourth circle could face on their own. The creature was as strong as a fifth circle.

    "Shall I dispose of the creature?" Tasha said as the air ignited with Infernal Might. The trees, weeds, grass, and lilies wilted, falling to ash as her aura unveiled itself. The Specter stood petrified. It wanted to leave, to flee but was bound by a strange force that appeared tosh her to the earth.

    Altair shook his head.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [King of the Vale I Lv 10]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 50%

    Str: 272

    Dex: 197

    Con: 360

    Wis: 360

    Chr: 360

    Mana: 140N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "I want to try, " he said, erecting two warriors around him as he stepped outside the warding, reaching into his ring to remove one of the swords Hephaestus had forged for him. The de glinted off the mes, writhing across the emaciated flesh of the Specter.

    The creature spun to face Altair, the ghostly mes in its eyes burning hate that seemed tangible. It lunged at him, entering his Spirit Domain, which allowed him to perceive some movement from the ghost.

    Its w came down with earth-shattering force, shattering Altair''s barrier, before its second palm came down across the final barrier, just in time for the sigil in Altair''s eyes to ignite. An infernal runeshed itself across his barrier, igniting almost immediately in a hellfire so fierce the mist thatyered the field turned from a vaper to nothing.

    Hellish Rebuke

    [Ding]

    [Hellish Rebuke Proficiency has increased by 7%]

    [Hellish Rebuke has evolved]

    [Hellish Rebuke [F] ¡ú [E]

    Proficiency: 97% ¡ú 4%

    Altair grinned. "I haven''t used that spell in a while." He said, a little thankful to the hell lord that gifted it to him. "The drain is still outrageous, though."

    The Specter''s left arm that had been singed beyond recognition toppled to the earth. The creature howled, letting loose a maddening cry before vanishing. Remerging behind, Altair, only to vanish, then appear on his nk, to his surprise.

    The Emperor erected another barrier, adding Hellish Rebuke both on himself and the barrier, finding the Arcane arts to be much more destructive than he originally thought. He''d already mortality wounded the Specter by redirecting its attack back at it with Hellish Rebuke, and he still held more than ny percent of his Mana.

    Suddenly, the Specter emerged from out of the veil it hid itself in, releasing a ghastly wail that shattered both Altair''s barriers. Hellish Rebuke did not activate,cking the means of a physical body or object to attack. The wail struck against Altair like a battering ram, shattering a few bones while crushing a few organs.

    He winced but held firm, smiling as his Ashen Blood made him whole in the blink of an eye.

    ''Shadow Cage''

 Chapter 330 Sacred Flame

    Shadow Cage

    As the shadowscape of the endless night expanded, swallowing the Specter, tendrils of darkness arose, seizing the Specter in ce at the exact moment the Emperor lifted his palm: Light turned to liquefied gold, transforming into a bolt of seraphic might, so blinding it ignited the world aze in a sea of molten gold through the Specter.

    For only a half a beat did the shrieking bar of light exist, turning all it graced to vaper on its way towards the horizon, only to fade and vanish into the ether.

    The Specter shuddered, with a gaping hole embedded in its head; she toppled like a house of cards to her knees as numerous cracks came into being across her emaciated face.

    "Thank You," said the Specter, her voice filled with gratitude as she faded into dust.

    [Specter Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    "It would seem like a counter to Necrotic me, but Sacred me is the bane of evil things," Altair said to himself, taken back by how effortless the battle became after one invocation.

    "You underestimate yourself," Tasha mentioned. "What you wield isn''t something created by devils or demons. But the Seraphim and Fallen of Old, creatures that predate the nexus of time. Sacred me is the Bane to all infernal Creatures. One touch could potentially be fatal."

    A gust billowed across Altair''s face as he lifted his palm. Necrotic and Sacred me originated from Ren, but for some reason, he couldn''t quite exin; even with the Realm of Spirits, he couldn''t grasp the fundamentals of these two powers. It was as if Reina''s blood could shield itself from omniscience. But was such a thing possible?

    He shook his head, wishing that his irresponsible Master would return to him. There were simply too many things he needed to learn. It often felt stifling to breathe.

    Altair sighed, "Seina, can you use Sacred me?

    The Mkh fiercely shook her head. "Surely not, your grace! Sacred me is the weapon of the Angels; how could a mere half-breed¡ª-"

    "Alright, Alright," Altair interrupted. "Enough dick riding. It''s just a me."

    "Magesty," Seina said. "Sacred me is a skill that amplifies your magic twofold. It even works in tandem with the Almighty Attrubue. My family had records of several angels who forced themselves into the Hells in the hopes of rescuing damned souls. Sacred me alone allowed to incinerate most of the demons and devils that foolishly attacked them."

    "She''s right," Tasha added. "Sacred me has been so powerful for a long time we devils were defenseless against it. We had to create Bloodline Arts in the hopes ofbatting its seraphic effects. As I said, Sacred me is the Bane of all Infernal Creatures or Evil Creatures. That is especially true if the user believes whoever he kills is evil."

    Seina nodded again. "It was said when the Lion of God created Sacred me, it was done using the image of the One, in tandem with the Primordial of Light, Mithra."

    Altair couldn''t help but sigh; this was yet another thing he needed to master.

    Without thinking, he began packing up his things before heading out before they were attacked once more. Altair had ced Tasha in charge of guarding him as he began toying with the Realm of Spirits and the omniscience it granted. He was growing ustomed to the sensation of being shrouded by water on all sides.

    The feeling was euphoric, invoking a sense of some greater purpose in him. Altair couldn''t describe it. He didn''t want to. Falling into the Realm of Spirit was the highlight of his day, as with every step he took, knowledge of the Heavens branded itself into the depths of his Astral Sea.

    ''Rune Magic,'' Altair thought, returning to himself. He shuddered slowly, growing more fascinated with the magic system that Soloman had created. It had been said that all things were created equally. A falsity Altair knew, but not without some semnce of truth, as all things were, in fact, created out of runes.

    Pulling out Basics of Arcane Mastery, written by Kisler Harvac, Altair was given as a reward; Altair fell into deep deliberation, missing the days as they journeyed forward. If not for Tasha asionally asking if they were walking in the right direction, they might have gotten lost on their way to Raven, with whom they reunited with after the third day.

    "Master!" Raven mewled, leaping onto her Master''s head like a spider monkey wailing. "I missed you! It''s so scary out here! Everything is trying to eat me!"

    "We''d all like to eat you," said Tasha, licking her lips.

    "Meany!" shouted Raven, hugging her Master tighter. "Master, must we continue to travel with such a vulgar devil! Look at her! She looks hungry?"

    Tearing off the spider monkey from his face, Altair dangled her out with his arm, "Raven, that was not appropriate. You can''t just wrap your entire body over my head."

    "Told you! He almost ate you," Tasha said in a teasing tone. "Your Master is a man, after all. He has needs."

    Siena, who''d been silent, blushed, turning the other way.

    Raven suddenly grew angry, ring her cheeks. ''I can''t be naked; I can''t even hug Master how I want. Are there any more rules?"

    Settling the brooding Raven down on her two feet, Altair patted her head. "It''s called boundaries, Raven. If people saw how you reacted, they''d think you were my lover. Do you want to be my lover?"

    "Raven doesn''t really understand what that means."

    Altair patted her head. "And that''s what makes your action inappropriate. There is so much of the world you need to learn about."

    "Such a shame," Tasha mewled, pinching Raven''s lovable cheeks. "She so pretty not to eat up. So innocent and sexy. What abination."

    "I''m going to have to buy a muzzle for you," Altair said, not expecting Tasha to blush the way she did. He nearly kicked himself. ''Tasha is a devil. A crazy one. Stop giving her ammunition.''

    "Anyway!" Altair continued with emphasis. "Have you seen Morr¨ªgan?"

    "Morrigan?" Raven muttered, pinching her eyes close as if to visualize her better. "Hmmm. I think I caught a glimpse of her killing a horde of zombies."

    "And you didn''t help her?" Tasha asked, impressed.

    "Why?" Raven tilted her head, not understanding. "She didn''t seem to need help. Plus, Master was calling. He''s far more important than Morrigan."

    "Show me," Altairmanded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Raven nodded, morphing back into a three-eye crow as she took to the skies. Altair gave it some thought, but rather than try to create a tform of infernal lightning; his fingers danced to form the Enochian symbol of flight. The sigil ignited into starry light, which illuminated translucent wings around Altair Feet and faded after a heartbeat.

    He took to the skies, propelled by a strange force that gifted him the ability of flight.

    Thenguage of the Angels all held an authority no othernguage held aside from infernal. All it required was the intrinsic form Altair held within his Astral Sea to initiate. Heughed as a sense of mastery overwhelmed him.

    Tasha and Seina, whose armor allowed flight, followed, somewhat taken back. It had to be known that only fifth Circles could invoke a flight spell as it required high levels of arcane mastery and skill, both of which Altair was acquiring each time he entered the Realm of Spirits. Adding Enochian lowered the amount ofManaa needed to fly.

    He could maintain his levitation for about four hours due to the purity of hisManaa.

    He only needed to spend an hour following Raven to spot Morrigan locked in battle. Alone, surrounded by undead, she stood over a mountain of corpses and bones. Her de was dancing, whirling to and from various undead, tearing them asunder as they entered her domain of ten meters.

    "She''s a monster," Altair said, noticing Ravennd on his shoulder, pointing her wing at Morrigan.

    "I found her!"

    "As a special gift, I shall award you some corn from Genisis. I hear they have the best form of produce due to all gic engineering."

    Raven batted her wings happily, crowing loudly, loud enough for Morrigan to take note of their existence.

    Altair waved, soaring down towards her, projecting a barrier as a few skeleton archers nocked their bows.

    "Need help?"

    "Hardly," Morrigan said, rolling her eyes as her de moved in tandem to her will. " I was just level grinding. I rather loathe this system''s dynamic that forces you to kill to get stronger. It''s too slow for me."

    Altair smiled, lifting his palm as a golden me arose along the center of his hand.

    [Ding]

    [Sacred me has weakened all undead within the Light of Sacred me by 60%]

    [Sacred me has Weakened all Devils by 50%]

    [Sacred me has weakened Royal Devil by 10%]

    "That¡­.That''s ridiculous!" Altair said, turning to Tasha, forcing a smile at him.

    "I told you. Sacred me is the Bane of all Infernal Creatures. And the stronger your soul is, the stronger it''ll be," Tasha exined, staring at the me that sought to turn her into cinders.

 Chapter 331 Fundamentals of War

    Altair stared at the sacred me in his hand, slowly turning to embers, unable to maintain its current form for longer than ten seconds. Without a base spell to cling to, his soul could not support the massive drain. Still, during that time, Morriganid waste to the hundreds of undead within the vicinity.

    She hadn''t seemed to be in a rush, saving the majority of her mana by not using any big skills.

    It had seemed obvious, but watching the grace with which Morrigan killed only seemed to highlight how much of a proficient killer she truly was. That much had been obvious. Yet, seeing her in action, Altair felt an odd sense of rivalry. He''d never felt this way before. After all, who in his generation, but those who experience rebirth, could face him?

    "Whatcha staring at?" Morrigan asked with the arrogance of a Nobile. She had a teasing smile that didn''t quite meet her eyes when a horde of undead goblins came from the western bank. There gnarled faces, burdon by pestilence, snapping at those teaming with life.

    Altair froze. Not just goblins were approaching; from the north, south, and west, various undead creatures were rising from the asphalt. Instincts warned of some unseen danger, but it was his rational mind that told him to stay and fight.

    He stayed.

    Without hesitation, hended beside Morrigan as Tasha, Raven, and Seina followed, gathering around in a formation that left no side unprotected. It would be a simple thing for Tasha, a Ninth Circle, to ughter everything with a snap of her fingers, but neither Altair nor Morrigan wanted that. They wanted to train and grind levels.

    Of course, grinding levels was not necessarily required, as many denizens of the towers and on Terra had found a way to skip the process of ''leveling'' in order to reap the benefits of having a higher Mana Capacity. Such action usually led to the person being significantly weaker than their peers, but with enough resources, such actions could be mitigated.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Altair had originally considered doing as such since his Attributes outshined everyone on his level, but he threw away the idea when Tasha had shown him her attributes a few months ago. The numbers had been so astronomical he wondered if a fully fledge transcendent was her match. If he were to match her one day he''d need to make every ss he obtained count.

    With such a goal in mind, Altair pushed himself, falling intobat and forgoing sleep. He fought for seven days and seven nights. He fought with his de when his mana well ran dry, losing track of how many times Raven came to his rescue when he was at his most vulnerable. It took nearly ten hours to recover his mana but only two hours to expend it.

    The hordes of undead never stopped. They were a constant in this godless realm.

    Still, Altair felt right at home. He was learning so much from Morrigan, whom Athena once said reminded her of Thanatos and Ares. Altair didn''t quite understand theparison, but the more he fought alongside her, the more he realized just how powerful she was and why she''d made such a distinction.

    Morrigan was a true goddess of war and death. Whatever she faced, no matter how much stronger or how they outnumbered her, she had a technique for any situation. That was true when she faced seven specters and two Wraths.

    Altair had expected her to retreat, but with minimal mana, tracing her sword, she felled each one with minimal effort. She was never in one ce and had taken up the leader''s position, directing Altair where to go and what skill to execute when necessary. He''d felt rather embarrassed at first, but the more Morriganmanded, the more he began to understand how she fought on the battlefield.

    Tenebrae had taught him the basics, but Morrigan allowed him to perfect all he learned on the battlefield.

    It was past the seven-day mark that he began deciding to take hold of themander position, instructing everyone in a way simr to Morrigan. There had been a noticeable drop in proficiency, but no one seemed to mind. Especially Morrigan seemed to brighten as she began exining various types of formations and how to better incorporate the skills of those hemanded.

    Their battle carried on for nearly a month before the undead stopped rising from the bowels of the earth.

    "Not bad!" Morrigan said, pping his shoulder. She took out a demijohn filled to the brim with hard liquor and took a swig before handing it off to Altair. "After a battle like this, a drink is the best thing for one''s mind."

    Altair lifted the demijohn, finding it oddly heavy¡ªat least a hundred pounds. Questionably, he gave Morrigan a look.

    "Did I not mention I''m an inscriber? It''s bigger on the inside. I''m a little weak, so I couldn''t mask the weight of the object in ''space,'' now stop asking questions and drink. There is more than enough for everyone."

    "As you say, Commander,'' Altair responded with a teasing smile, amused by the glow of embarrassment stretching across her cheeks. She almost looked cute enough to eat if not for the undead gore that stained her exterior.

    "Can I finally sleep?" Seina pitifully asked, toppling to her knees.

    Altair didn''t even bother to pass her the demijohn as she fell asleep the moment her knees struck the ground. He chuckled, taking a swig only to lift his brows in surprise. "This¡­" He breathed as a burn simmered in his chest. "This is going to kill someone!"

    Morriganughed. "Made it myself. When I first stepped onto the battlefield at age seven, my general gave us each a mug of the ale he made. He showed me how to ferment my own, though I perfected it."

    ''Is this the real Morrigan?'' Altair thought, curious why the battlefield brought out her personality the way it did. He''d never seen her so¡­ normal. She wasn''t cold and unbridled like before but rather a soldier who had just gotten off duty.

    ''Master! Don''t hog it all!" Raven protested, snatching the demijohn before chugging several mouthfuls before Morrigan snatched it away from the crazy girl.

    "Dear Lord!" she eximed, looking at Raven turning a peach red.

    "More!" Raven drunkenly eximed, outstreching her arms. She was like a baby whose bottle was snatched away.

    Tashaughed, pping her hands as a mythical force cleansed their bodies of the filth and gore of the battlefield.

    "More!" Raven said breathlessly, swaying to face her Master. She red at him usingly. "And corn! You promise, Corn!"

    Altair scratched his cheek. "Well, I told Syris to¡ª"

    "Liar! Raven has been watching Master. He hasn''t contacted Big Sis in a month!"

    "I¡ª"

    "Corn!!! I¡­" Raven''s words trailed off, fainting as the wine became too much for her to handle. She tumbled into her master''s arms, fast asleep.

    "How is it so strong?" Altair couldn''t help but ask.

    ''Trade secret," Morrigan said, taking another swig, giving her voluptuous body a good stretch. She looked Altair up and down, appraising him with glowing red eyes. "You''re a lot better than I thought. Who taught you the basics of war?"

    "My Mother," Altair said.

    "Speaking of Tenebrae," Tasha joined. "How was she as a Mother? They say she raised one of the Monarchs of the Hells."

    "Who?" Altair inquired.

    "The Eighth, Lord Mephistopheles," Tasha said with glowing fascination. "Though that was just rumors."

    [Divine Sin, Daddy nods in confirmation that such a im is true]

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest reluctantly admits it''s true]

    [Divine Being, Titan Fall, cannot believe his ears]

    [Divine Being, Six Sage is appalled by such a revtion]

    Tasha made a strange face, "Why is that so hard to believe? She is the Night Mother. Every Monarch of the Nine Hells respects her greatly."

    "Does that make Mephisto my uncle?" Altair asked, suddenly feeling the fog of the wine clouding his judgment.

    "Huh¡­ never thought about it like that."

    "What about Luna?'''' Altair asked.

    "You mean Miss Secrets?" Tasha mused, epting the demijohn. She took arge swig and said," I heard she taught him too. It''s why he''s so mysterious. He learned from the best."

    Morrigan lifted a single brow. "Should we be talking about this? He is a Monarch of Hell."

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest, ims that <Mephistopheles> doesn''t care about such things and that he might evenugh.]

    "What about Beelzubub?" Altair inquired. "What''s he like?"

    [Divine Fallen Conquest tilts his head, curious why you want to know]

    Perhaps it was the wine talking, or perhaps a scheme had begun to coalesce in Altair''s mind, for he said, "He invited me to Genesis. Said he''d even cover my expenses."

    Tasha suddenly paled. "Are you being serious?"

    "I''ve no reason to lie," Altair said as Tasha handed him the demijohn. He huped, looking down at thatrge thing, significantly lighter than before. "How much did Raven drink? I hope she doesn''t take up drinking. Does anyone ever ask why wine is so expensive? Seems silly to me."

    "Makes you feel good," Morrigan said.

    ''I guess. So do other things. How strange. Master is fascinated by wine. I think she''ll like this¡­" he muttered, taking arge swig before lowering the demijohn. "That''s it for me.

    Tasha¡­ can youy down a formation? I¡­I''m a bit tired."

    "Tired!" Morrigan crackled. "We''re not going to sleep until this bottle is empty!"

 Chapter 332 Soul Weapon I

    Altair awoke like a buttered hotdog, sandwiched between Tasha and Morigan. The thick scent of pungent wine he''d had in celebration still lingered on his breath. Be it Tasha or Morrigan, both of them were somehow bare, clinging to his left and right.

    ''Heavens¡­'' he thought, as his mind trailed off at the soothing heat their bodies generated. Who needed a nket when you had two baddies? He smiled, noticing that he still wore a tunic, but his lower half was bare, and his manhood spearing the Heavens. He sighed, unsure what happenedst night.

    "What a day!" Altair freed himself to stretch his limbs, which felt stagnant from the wine. He''d been unsure what he drank but, for the first time, felt nauseous. His head was spinning with an ache that made him want toy down.

    Ashen Blood had been able to metabolize the wine from his system, but he still found himself sore. Perhaps it was just in his mind. He shook his head, remembering where he was, and nced at Raven and Seina, who''d hit it offst night. He could vaguely remember them awakening to drink some more but wasn''t sure how they winded up cuddling together beside the campfire.

    "Master!" Came the voice of Therion through his Astral Sea. "You''ve awoken. Are you alright? I''ve been trying to contact you since¡ª"

    "What is it, Therion?" Altair interrupted.

    "We''ve sessfully infiltrated Ravel''s group. I''m unsure how Tasha got in, but it seems they wanted us to track down seven men and women as a test." ¡ªAltair narrowed his eyes¡ª " Tygor has confirmed that they are eating those we save to survive, your grace."

    "I assume that Tygor was force feed human meat in order to join."

    On the other end, within a secluded building, monitoring all that urred with Ravel, Therion coldly nodded. "He wasn''t happy about it, but he did what was necessary. We''ve found something interesting. It''s about Ravel. It seems he''s manipting things."

    "Manipting? Manipting how?"

    "In the month we spied on him, he''s been left camp on more than one asion. I followed him once and found he was in collusion with a rather interesting Skeleton Knight, shrouded by azure mes."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "A general, perhaps in the Lich King''s army?"

    "Yes," said Therion calmly.

    "And you weren''t spotted?"

    Therion smiled. "Surely you jest, my Lord. I''m, after all, one of your Shadow Demons. In me lies an infernal lingege. It''s nothing to hide myself from those whose perception is nearly twice or thrice my own."

    Altair gave an amused snort. Therion sounded so prideful it made him smile. "Then we can assume that Ravel is working for the Lich King. However, to what end? Survival, or is there something else?"

    "Could be out of loyalty or for whatever other reason, my Lord. But I don''t think that matters." Therion said, narrowing his eyes. "Now that we''ve confirmed that Ravel is a Traitor, I''m inclined to kill him now and save us the trouble."

    "Leave that to Tygor," Altairmanded. "I want you to track that Skeleton Knight. We need to find his Master. I want a dual against this so-called Lich King. A battle between two Necromancers ought to be quite interesting."

    "As youmand, my liege."

    As Altair felt themunication connection fade, he smiled before deciding to clothe himself. He woke everyone up, amused by their rather annoyed faces. Raven was groaning, clutching her head at the throbbing headache alongside Seina. Morrigan only blushed slightly, hurrying to clothe herself while Tasha shot him a wink, joining Morrigan to get change.

    ***

    For the next month and a half, Altair continued to make the trip toward the center of the city, where Raval once said the Lich King lived. A possible lie he knew. After all, Ninth Circles were allowed to enter the Tower. The Lich King would not ce himself in such danger by giving his location away.

    ''Up until now, the first trial taught you how to flee, the second trial trained your skills, and the third is meant to raise your level. In the two months I''ve been on this floor, I''ve gained seventy-five levels.''

    Every undead horde he''d seen on his way toward the heart of the city had been cut down without hesitation.

    "Altair, are you listening?" Tasha asked, annoyed. "You are aware my services are not free. A Lilm''s Knowledge of the Arcanes is renowned all across the Hells. Necromancy is a veryplex field of magic. It''s best if you listen."

    Altair smiled. Ever since he asked her to teach him about one of the Seven Schools of Magic, Necromancy, Tasha has truly taken the role of instructor seriously. Not once during their lesson had she made any sort of advances, which felt strange. He never knew Tasha to not say anything inappropriate. Yet when it came to the Arcanes, she was as hard as stone.

    "Yes, Professor Tasha."

    Tasha nodded. "As I was saying. Necromancy isn''t truly about summoning undead but the Maniption of the Soul. A True Necromancer can ce a soul into the soulless husk of his weapon and armor andmand it to cultivate just like you can gain levels. We call such things Soul Weapons. The name itself has changed many times, but in this era, we call it as such."

    "But doing so will slow your cultivation," Altair said, narrowing his eyes.

    "That is correct. That is why Devil''s Souls are the best since we possess an innate skill to increase our stats with the souls we consume. That ability stacks as the days continue. For example, if a mortal soul gives me an increase of 1 point per day, can you imagine how many attributes the devil would have after, let''s say, two years or for shits and giggles a hundred years."

    "Devils sure have a broken ability."

    "The Angels have an even stronger ability thates from the School of Animus. When ites to the maniption of the Principalities, we are not their match. At least normal devils and demons are not."

    Altair hummed in response. "The School of Animus is just about manipting the soul, so how is it different than necromancy."

    A/N: Animus means soul in Latin

    "Because Necromancy is a Branch School of Animus. In all of the Myriad Heavens, there is only one person who has reached the peak of Animus, and that''s the Silver Devil, his Majesty Zariel Snow. Even our Father admits as such. But to take a single step into the path of Animus, one needs to have at least one foot in the six schools as they all rte to the maniption of the soul in some way."

    Altair folded his arms, asionally monitoring the buildings overrun by nature. "So the School of Animus is without a doubt the core of all Arcane Arts."

    "That is correct. Primordial Spells or, God forbid, Infringement Spells, the strongest type of magic to exist, are all heavily tied to the Soul. So¡ª"

    "Infringement Spells?" Altair asked.

    "Ah! Sorry, I forgot you''re not aware of the levels past the Realm of Diva. Well, there are Nine Realms of Godhood. The second tost known realm is called Infringement God. It''s when one is free from the binds of the ONE and the All.

    ''Almighty God and the Abyss,'' Altair thought. And he said, "So these Nine God Realms are¡ª"

    Tasha interrupted. "Technically, there are Ten. But the Tenth is currently in the process of being made by the Second Monarch of Hell, his Infernal Majesty, Lord Arsene Snow, who was able to push his state of being to the next level."

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, greatly praises this Arsene Snow]

    Altair tried with his all not to roll his eyes at his father''s silly antics. Still, he found himself pressed beneath some invisible pressure. Both his Father and Uncle had done something that seemed to change the very state of the Myriad Heavens as he knew it. He had to wonder if he''d be able to do the same.

    "Can you teach me about the Godrealms?" Altair asked.

    Tasha looked rather pressed. "Ummm," she scratched her cheek. "It''s not that I don''t want to¡­ but certain rules bind us, devils. If you reach transcendent, then I can tell you."

    "But you just told me about the Realm of Infringement God," Altair snapped, not understanding. "What type of game are you running?"

    Tasha appeared a bit embarrassed. "In truth, I''m not supposed to talk about the Silver Devil or the Monarch of Hell as their names are so heavily tied to certain sources of power. But it''s only because of your Authority that I''m allowed to speak of it."

    "My Authority?"

    She touched her eyes. "We Lilms possess the ability to see someone''s Authority. And yours is high enough to allow some things through the cracks, but if I outright state them, I''ll run the risk of being cast back into hell."

    "That''s stupid. Who the hell created such a rule?"

    "It''s to keep people ignorant," Tasha exined. "The more ignorant a man is, the easier it is to control. If I ask most awakeners, most will tell you Diva is the peak of cultivation, but they''d be wrong. You and I know the truth, but what about the rest? Knowledge is power.

    If I can convince you to join the Hells or whatever other major power for the knowledge of higher realms, almost everyone would agree to do so. It''s all about leveraging knowledge to control the Myriad Heavens."

 Chapter 333 Soul Weapon II

    For the longest time, Altair had found himself enthralled with the knowledge held within the school of Necromancy. Unlike the School of Animus, which focused on manipting one''s soul, the School of Necromancy, at least in its infancy, focused on manipting other people''s souls: A feat he''d been instinctually doing since he''d first resurrected Kirr.

    Fallen Necromancy had been proof of his talent.

    After learning the basics of Necromancy, the more he found that his Fallen Necromancy, which had always been stagnant, began to deepen in terms of proficiency in such a way, Tasha seemed almost concerned by how well he was mastering this branch of magic. It seemed almost inconceivable, but in just a month, he''d stepped into the realm of intermediate.

    Presently, he stood downtown within the heart of a nameless city whose name appeared lost since its downfall. Facing hordes of Skeleton Warriors charging at him. Yet that wasn''t much concern for Altair as an orb of ck light glinted off the tip of his finger.

    Slowly, almost reluctantly, the scarlet pigment in his eyes turned to an eternal ck as the presence of the Vale began to pulsate from his body like a heartbeat. Silvery mes began to writhe across the Emperor''s palm, shrouding Emna with their ethereal me.

    "Necromancy is about domineering," Tasha began like a devil on his shoulder. "When you im a soul, it''s done out of desire. When youmand your shadows to rise, it''s done out of your authority as their lord, their King. You cannot be soft, my Lord. You needn''t show finesse or pity. A king feels neither.

    Decree your intent and bend this Soul me into what you desire. Even if they might scream and writhe in such unimaginable agony. You must will yourmandments into being."

    The presence of the Vale became corporal, giving pause to the charging undead. The authority of mana controlling their bodies slowly dissipated as a new force presented itself to the realm¡ªa force beyond the Myriad Heavens, so profound it resonated across the realm of the third floor.

    "Bind," said the Emperor in thenguage of the Hells, Infernal.

    Just then, an Infernal scream echoed across the walls of ruined buildings, resonating high and low across the city. So depraved it sounded, no one could imagine the level of pain it was experiencing as the silvery mes of this nameless soul merged with Enma.

    Silence gripped the realm as the gods watched in awe. Some rose with fear while othersughed upon their infernal throne as the ck orb appeared to drain the color from the world.

    With a lithe step forward, Altair pointed his finger, invoking the spell, "Enma."

    In a blinding sh of eldritch light, monolithic buildings that were entangled by an amalgamation of branches turned to vaper as Enma exploded into a pir of light, connecting heaven to earth. From north to south, east to west, the elements were devoured in a way that left the world barron as if it was at a loss for words, needing the time to breathe.

    When the world was finally allowed to breathe, a tormented gale swallowed the realm in a cksh that tore down buildings hundreds of miles wide.

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    [Ding]

    *

    *

    *

    As hundreds of notifications filled his iris, Altair ignored it, left in awe by his own power amplified by a single soul. He simply had to wonder if we''re to add ten or twenty more soul mes into Enma how much stronger woud it be.

    A rather nasty smile yed on his lips as he lifted his finger, ready to invoke yet another spell, when Tasha tapped his shoulder.

    "You need to be crueler, your grace. When you bind a soul to a spell, you essentially refine that soul into power. You''ve taken sixty percent of that soul''s power. You need to strip the soul bare all the way down to its core. Tear the soul asunder until so that the core requires cycles to recover. There isn''t a need to be merciful.

    Not when ites to necromancy. Aurelia, the first Nephilim, said that when she fought against two Archangels to a standstill during the Battle of Evernight."

    "Evernight?" Altair muttered.

    "I guess she wouldn''t have told you," Tasha said. "Long ago, a war was waged against the Night Mother. Zariel Snow and Aurelia Morningstar led the charge against the first primordial, felling all those who dared to stand in their way. The Battle of Evernight marked the turning point of the war.

    In her anger, having lost one of her beloved children, Ciaran, to the hands of the Silver Devil, Tenebrae called forth two Archangels, who arrived with an entire battalion.

    "It was Aurelia alone who took them on while Zariel hunted down Tenebrae. It was said that Aurelia was only an Infringement God at the time, while the Archangel was one level higher. Still, the battle ended in a draw, annihting the Kingdom of Evernight. It was said that Aurelia ughtered everyst battalion member using their soul and blood to empower herself."

    Altair froze. It never urred to him that his uncle and mother had once been enemies. After all, they were all a family now.

    ''Why did mother even marry father then? Could it have been a political marriage?'' he wondered, trying not to let his emotions show.

    He failed. Tasha saw right through him andughed. "You don''t have to worry about the Silver Devil hating you. That''s all in the past. Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel, Shiva, Lord Mephistopheles, and Lord Lucifer ended the war during the Battle of Heaven''s End."

    "What started the war?" Altair couldn''t help but ask.

    "..." Tasha went silent for a second. "I''m not sure. The records have been destroyed by the Eighth Monarch but there were rumors it involved the Second Monarch of Hell, Lord Arsene Snow."

    "Are you all done?" Morrigan asked, lowering the barrier she''d made to guard against the shockwave that leveled over a hundred miles to rubble.

    "Are you still mad?" Tasha couldn''t help but ask, giggling.

    Morrigan cheeks red. "Don''t you dare bring that up!"

    "One handjob, and you''re getting so embarrassed. You had Lord ckwood shooting¡ª"

    "Enough!" Morrigan squealed, never wanting to dig herself a grave more than she did at this movement.

    Tasha sighed. "Such a shame he''s no memory of it." she shot a peculiar nce at Altair. "I''m not sure if I should feel offended for Morrigan or not."

    "In my defense," Altair raised his hand. " I''ve never been that drunk in my life. However¡­" he nced at Morrigan covering her face, and a smile touched his lips. "It wouldn''t hurt if I could remember. You are a rather stunning specimen."

    Morrigans blush only seemed to deepen.

    Tasha inched closer to the goddess of ughter, leaning onto her shoulder with a lewd smile. "You could help him remember. You know. I hear¡ª"

    Covering her mouth before more could said, Moriggan pleaded, "Please stop talking¡­ I just want to forget that such a thing has ever happened. It was a drunken mistake."

    Tasha pushed her hand away. "Please. There are no such things as mistakes to people of your level. You know what you were doing. Lie to Master all you want. But I know the truth." and her smile turned nasty.

    "That night, you''d have fucked him silly if he hadn''t fainted," she whispered.

    Tilting his head, Altair said," What are you two talking about?"

    Morrigan snorted. "Mind your business."

    "After you stole my first kiss?" Tasha shook her head, pointing a mischievous finger at her. "You need to take responsibility for me."

    Altair eyes went wide. "Mor! You kissed Tasha! How shameless¡­"

    "YOU!"

    "Raven wants kisses, too!" Raven joined, leaping onto Morgan''s back. She wrapped her arms around her, iming her as her own.

    Laughter quickly spilled with Morrigan smiling brightest. She''d like Raven the most, finding that she was nearly a nk canvas when it came to worldly affairs.

    "Alright, let''s go," Altair suggested, ncing at the mck on the lookout. He chuckled to himself, curious how much control of this child whose bloodline had yet to awaken he would have in the near future. Tasha had informed him that most Mkh would awaken at age ten, butte bloomers usually required a trigger.

    "I¡ª" Pausing after a second, a screen appeared across Altair''s iris, revealing the image of Aurora. His expression darkened for a moment when he noticed the grimness on Tasha''s face.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "What is it?"

    "Two Kingdoms just dered war on us," Aurora revealed.

    Altair''s frown deepened. "So suddenly?"

    "They say that you have no legitimacy to the throne of earth, so they''ll take everything," Aurora exined. "I suspect someone is backing them."

    "They''ll have to be. Leave it be for now. Fortify the Outer Rim. Let''s see what they''ll do first. And send me the information you have on them towards my neruolink. I want to see what bastard is courting death."

    Aurora nodded. "My Lord, how long will you be in this dungeon?"

    "Missing me already?"

    Aurora flushed. "Always, but it would be better to have you here than away. I''m sure they''ll be sending assassins after you."

    "I''ll be back in a week. Even if I have to annihte this floor."

 Chapter 334 Soul Weapon III

    "What''s going on?" Morrigan asked once she saw Altair''s gazee into focus again.

    Altair folded his arms. "War. Do you think this has anything to do with the Golden Crucible?"

    Without a moment''s pause, Morrigan said, "No. That is highly unlikely. Terra is simply too valuable to have you killed."

    "She''s right," Tasha added. "You are in possession of a talent that''s rarely seen, even amongst devils and demons. So unless your existence threatens that organization, they wouldn''t want you dead. They wouldn''t even want a war. After all, War is the dumbest form of diplomacy."

    "She''s right," said Morrigan. "War requires an enormous amount of resources. Think back on how easy it was to kill the king and queen of Earth a few months ago. Do you think they were ready for any major conflict?"

    The memory was indeed still fresh in Altair''s mind, and it was a clear reminder of his vulnerability. At the time, all that was required was the prowess of a Ninth Circle to infiltrate the Sunset Pce with a single skill that transcended mortal understanding. It was only after forming a contract with Zelos that he learned the truth behind Earth''s state of being.

    Despite his wealth, none of that mattered if hecked the authority and connections to purchase certain items.

    Lord stair Dawn, the Archeon of the Seventh Tower Bios, was a High Imperial of such authority that his presence alone amidst the Council of Omnis constituted a level threat rivaling that of a King of Hell. The same went for those born under his banner. To be born a High Imperial meant one was born above the masses.

    As the firstborn within the House of Dawn, Zelos held a level of authority that trivialized the systematic monopoly to control those at the bottom of society.

    "What about this Elder Grim?" Altair coldly pointed out, his voice tinged with a calm that left others ufortable. "Could he have gone behind the crucibles back to¡ª"

    "No," Morrigan expressed, not as opinion but as fact. "He''d not be so stupid. He''d have kept the fighting in-house. You have my word on that."

    Altair could only eat his words. He hadn''t much time to understand the inner mechanics of the Golden Crucible. To his knowledge, it was simply a fanatic group forcing hundreds of candidates topete over a single task.

    "Let''s leave it at that then," Altair remarked, passing his hands through his hair. He closed his eyes, imagining the cost and time required to send his troops across the multiple systems, Nexus Lanes or not.

    ''Thann will handle things.'' he thought, turning to Tasha. "Do you, by chance, have a devil soul?"

    "Of course!" Tasha said. "He''s weak enough for you to use as well. Although, this particr soul has been broken by me."

    "What did he do?"

    Tasha touched her lips, looking skyward, thinking, "Hmmm, it was a few hundred years ago when I was born, but he tried to rape me. Father taught me the ropes of torture then. She showed me how to use the Hell Pits, the Nine Infernal Commandments, and the Seven Sins to obtain the ultimate forms of torture. Since Tarvak here was my first, he''s a little¡­ broken."

    "Broken?" Morrigan asked.

    She scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed. "Torture in the hell is a little different than what people think. We don''t really focus on the body but the soul. In a way, we try to torment the soul without damaging the soul. It''s a bit of a paradox, but that takes practice, especially for young devils like myself.

    It''s still a devil''s soul, but Tarvak if you can still call him that, is at the stage of eptance. A rather nasty stage, where the ve begs the master to be tortured." She blushed a bit. "Little Tar is such a good boy. Did you know¡ª"

    Altair stopped her then. He didn''t need details. Tasha''s expression alone was all he needed to grasp the cruelty Tarvak was going through.

    "Well, he''s currently in his eleventh iteration of the self. One could say he was born to the life. That is especially true since Devils are immortal, at least to anyone without the angels Sacred me. So do be careful not to¡ª"

    "I''m going to wipe this Tarvak soul nk and bind him to my sword," Altair told her. "Now give it here."

    Tasha looked a bit hesitant. "You''ll take care of him, right?"

    "What?"

    "Tarvak¡­ you''ll still torture him, right?"

    "Is he your fucking child? What the hell?"

    "He''s my first!" Tasha retorted. "Everyone remembers there first. His screams were so sweet; I came so hard¡ª"

    It was Morrigan who covered her mouth as Altair thanked her. After a bit of back and forth, Tasha reluctantly reached into her Soul Space, where she kept all the souls that gave her a boast to her attributes each day, and handed it off to Altair with a bit of tears in her infernal eyes.

    ''Crazy bitch,'' Morrigan whispered.

    Tasha only nodded. "Thank you for making me feel better. I needed that."

    "I was insulting you."

    "It sounded like forey."

    "..."

    "..."

    "I like her!" Raven said suddenly, giggling. "It''s like none of you can win against her!"

    Altair knew better than to touch that topic and stared at the radiant ck soul me aze in his palm. He felt sick holding it. The soul itself felt naked as if someone had torn the flesh off of it. It was such a strange sensation; Altair wasn''t sure if he was holding a soul or a vaporous existence.

    ''Tasha is he crazy¡­'' he told himself, unsure why he was looking forward to reaching the next floor.

    He shook his head, refocusing on the matter at hand.

    "Oh! I almost forgot." Tasha suddenly eximed. "Tarvack is a Devil of Wrath. So he''s very attached to anger. If you''re not careful, whether he''s your thrall or not, he might steal or influence your consciousness negatively."

    Altair kept that in mind as he poured Vale Qi into the soul, though not before dismissing a Shadow Raven he''d kept to do recon. The pain of releasing a Shadow was always something that left him pale. Even Ashen Blood did little to deter the visceral pain that came with such actions, but the sensation of pain was quickly reced with a newfound warmth that came from his newly assimted soul.

    When Altair summoned the soul me back into his hand from his Astral Sea to gauge the feel, Tasha was surprised to see just how much it had recovered. The soul itself was nearly twice as radiant, burning like a ck sun in the emperor''s hand.

    "He recovered¡­" said Tasha, her voice trailing off. She watched, fascinated, as Altair pulled out one of the longswords Hephaestus had forged for him. The de itself was nothing short of perfect, nearly matching the infernal smiths forced to hammer away within the pits. It was faint, but the nameless sword carried a level of sharpness that allowed it to cut space itself.

    It was the sign of any master de.

    ''Father always said if a de didn''t carry the ability to cut space, then it didn''t deserve to grace our hands.'' Tasha studied the de for a while, thinking of her own sword she''d forged using her immortal soul as a base. It had been traditional for all Royal Devils to do as such, usually requiring one to sacrifice at least two-thirds of their life force.

    A negligible sacrifice since Devils were immortals. It still left them bedridden for a few years. Tasha herself spent a hundred years in aa after deciding to sacrifice a little more than two-thirds, forcing the High Elders to take action.

    Altair couldn''t exin why he did what he did; in a moment of understanding that came from deep within his being, he slit his finger across the edge of his silvery de that seemed to illuminate the darkness of this ruined world like the sun, and began drawing runes.

    To Tasha''s surprise, it wasn''t anguage she spoke, a fact that stunned her as all Devils were born with an understanding of allnguages known to the Myriad Heavens. The onlynguage they had not been privy to was Primordial. But she''d seen the intricate mannerism of Primordial before, and what Altair was drawing wasn''t that.

    It was something older. It was ancient. Tasha could feel the time nodes around her rapidly aging and dying off one by one, ensuring only those in the now-watching were pervy to such a shocking movement.

    By the time Altair had returned to himself, the world seemed a bit darker as his blood had sheathed the de in front of him. The sigil in his eyes shone a strange light resonating with the marking. Once again, his arm moved, with the practiced grace of a master, as he began merging the Devil Soul into the nameless de.

    Vale Qi spilled from out his being as three stars, alongside the shadow of the fourth, made its appearance.

    "Arise, Oh Rotten Vale of the Abyss"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 335 The Abyssal Meeting

    "So you''ve returned to me," Lilith said, tapping her fingers on her desk. "How was your vacation, Iliana?"

    "Odd," Iliana admitted, on one knee.

    "Odd, you say," Lilith repeated as a tightness stretched across her jaw. "You took up a disciple, yet you say it was odd."

    Iliana looked up for the first time. Her starry red eyes turned wide. "Disciple? I have a disciple? When did that happen?"

    Damaris and Eroma exchanged stunned nces.

    "How''d that happen, Master?" Iliana curiously asked.

    Lilith groaned, cupping her face. "No wonder I didn''t learn of this nonsense. You were ignorant yourself. Your clone must not have been created by our blood but something else. No wonder I didn''t realize."

    "Wait! Wait! Wait!" Eroma said. "I''m confused. What just happened?"

    Iliana looked at Eroma and tilted her head. "You''re allowing men into your court now?"

    "I swear you abyssal are all so sexist," Eroma said, sighed, and pointed toward his glowing red eyes. "Lilith called me over to gauge where you are telling the truth. I don''t want to be here either. I''m here under threat of no booty."

    Lilith nearly toppled out of her chair. "Eroma, you''re not supposed to tell people that."

    "Why not? We''re all cool. And I lowkey hate all this royal etiquette bullshit. It''s a bitch to learn and maintain. I''d rather be with Elsa."

    Iliana exploded intoughter. "You really are Arsene''s Uncle. You two could very well be brothers."

    "Don''t remind me," Lilith muttered. "Hard to believe Eroma is more loyal, though."

    "Right!" said Eroma happily. "After training with Master, I think I lost all interest in other women. I think he killed that part of my brain. I''m a loyal man now." Heughed, lifting his head triumphantly to brag.

    "Said every known cheater," the women all said in tandem.

    "Isn''t Arsene getting better?" Eroma asked. "I hear he''s struggling with the sin of Pride as ofte."

    Lilith turned a bit more serious. "He told you about that, did he?" she reluctantly nodded. "In a few days, we''ll be set free, but I must say it''s true. Arsene''s fuck boy days are behind him. It''s been a long process, but¡ª" she sighed, stopping herself. "Well, he''s getting better, so let''s put it like that."

    "Men are such pigs¡­" Eroma muttered. "Shame on my little nephew."

    "Oh, piss off!"

    They allughed, with Eromaughing the loudest.

    "Your Majesty, I talk with Arsene all the time," Eroma continued as the hall grew silent. "And I can positively say after the kids were born, he has lost interest in other women. Just the other day, he said he wants another daughter with you. One that isn''t mixed up in all the chaos involving fallen, Forsaken, time travel, and god knows what else."

    Lilith went silent for a second before Damaris eximed. "We should bring Eroma to more meetings. He''s got a very sweet tongue. You better not make ourdy cry."

    "As the wielder of the Eyes of Abyssal Truth, I am sworn to never lie."

    "That''s a fucking lie," said Iliana and Damaris.

    "Ok, maybe, but it sounded cool," Eroma said, winking at the twodies.

    "Anyway!" Lilith said, shifting theconverstaion away from there tangent. "The reason I summoned you here, Iliana, was not just to wee you back but to ask you to keep being Altair''s Master. Now that the secret are out, Zero saw no need to keep you locked up. I want you to monitor that boy."

    Iliana''s brows scrunched. "Is he dangerous?"

    "To me? No. But he does carry a fragment of my original power. He''d definitely be a match for the twins or a perfect subject."

    "I¡­ I don''t want to teach anyone," Iliana admitted. "The clone I made only existed to fulfill conditions set by the Tenebrae during the creation of the Shadow Promation. I''ve fulfilled that deal. I don''t want to train some child. Can''t you have End train the boy?"

    "End is busy with my children. He doesn''t have time. And you have a connection with Altair. You are, after all, his Master. You already taught him a few skills. And from what I''ve seen.

    You''ve saved his life a few times."

    ''My Lady, I don''t understand. Shouldn''t you hate this boy?" Iliana said. "Isn''t it better we just kill him? Shadow Promation be damned. Thanks to Arsene, I''ve already seen the path to Archaeon appear. I will break through in a few days, reaching a higher state of being.

    The Shadow Promation will have no dominion over my head then."

    "You are faster than your sister Izavith. Then I''ll congratte you. But you mustn''t forget I am Altairs¡­" She paused, forcing the words out. "I am his grandmother."

    Eroma snickered, enjoying how flush Lilith''s face was growing.

    She ignored him and continued. "The child is innocent. And while I do loathe the idea of his existence. I am not petty enough to take that anger out on a child who didn''t ask to be born. Tenebrae will bear the brunt of my wrath, whether she lives or not. As will the Myriad Heavens." again, she stopped and dropped a bomb.

    "Two of the Prime Evils have partially escaped."

    The eyes of the Abyssal all widened.

    "Your Majesty!" Damaris said in shock. "Isn''t that¡ª"

    "It''s none of our business, but as we do have trade with the Myriad Heavens, we might get caught up in some battle. Ignore it. From what I hear, Zariel caught Pride and did something. He wasn''t too forting with that knowledge since I refused to aid him. But Envy is on the loose. She should have parity created a body by now."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Forgive my ignorance," Eroma cut in. " but if the Myriad Heavens is destroyed, what is stopping the prime evils from destroying the Abyss?"

    Lilith, Damaris, and Ilianaughed as if they''d heard the funniest thing.

    "The Prime Evils are eternally bound to the Myriad Heavens. If theye into the Abyss, well, let''s just say they''ll realize just how small the Myriad Heavens truly ispared to the Abyss."

    "How big is it?" Eroma couldn''t help but ask. He''d never cared much for the Abyss, only remaining inside due to his wife''s request.

    "The Myriad Heavens takes energy from the Abyss every chaos cycle. And that''s enough to fuel its infinite spectrum. If we were topare the energy of the Abyss, the myriad heavens would be considered less than a spec of sand. There are things in here that''ll make even my Generals here powerless.

    Why do you think so many Kings and Fallen are so interested in acquiring material from the Abyss?" she waved off his concerns. "I''m not interested in the Prime Evils because their only by-products are the Outer Gods. If, by some miracle, the Prime Evils manage to cause some damage to the Abyss. I''ll have them take care of it."

    "The One might not be pleased to hear that," said Iliana.

    Lilith shrugged. "I''m sure he''s already created a prophecy to guide his children, which is why I want you to continue to be Altair''s Master. Merge your memories with your clone to figure out all that urred. Whatever trick Tenebrae and Zero came up with. I want to know."

    "To what end, mydy," Iliana asked. "Why the interest in Altair? If you''re not going to kill him, then¡ª"

    "He needs to prove his existence to me," Lilith said coldly. " Just like how Zariels wields the Ones Fragment, Altair does too. He is my shadow. I cannot simply allow him to exist without allowing him to prove his worth."

    "Plus, he looks like Arsene." Eroma casually added.

    "That too." Lilith nodded as the tip of her ears turned bright red. She coughed into her palm and said. "If he can prove himself. I shall break the Sire between us and allow him to be his own man. But until then, he''ll have to prove himself. Ready the boy.

    After his little journey up the tower. The Abyss will be his new home."

    "If it''s your will, then I shall obey," Iliana said, groaning. "I just still can''t believe some part of me epted someone as a disciple even if Tenebrae asked me. It still feels odd."

    "Maybe Altair had that baby rizz and chatted you up."

    "..."

    "..."

    "..."

    "Anyway," Iliana said. "How much should I teach him?"

    "Whatever you deem fit, I¡ª" she stopped, her eyes piercing the endless void between Abyss and the Myriad, to the two towers that stood parallel to each other. One ride side up, the other right side down.

    Her gaze fixed itself on the boy shrouded in a mist of absolute darkness crowned by three and a half stars that seemed to resonate across the endless heavens.

    Damaris sensed it, too. As her eyes went wide, she released a startled gasp. "Iliana, if you don''t take him, I will."

    "Piss off, he''s mine!" Iliana shamelessly said, vanishing without hesitation.

    Eroma onlyughed. "What did I tell y''all? My boy rizzed her up. We Snow men got it all."

    "It''s a shame," Damaris muttered. "If he wasn''t already taken. I might have snatched him up. What incredible power."

    "Indeed," said Lilith calmly, "He reminds me so much of Sene¡­ I hope he lives."

 Chapter 336 Omniscience Awakening I

    The surge of power that came into being toppled buildings and mountains alike appeared as if it came from the heavens, and yet the destruction it brought made it seem as if the hells had been called forth.

    Chaos unfolded in a maelstrom of destruction. From north to south, east to west, thends churned, writhing like a living thing. From the heavens, lightning fell deep into the bowels of the earth. Moltenva surged hundreds of meters into the skies, twisted into tornados as molten rock rained from the skies, bringing with it utter ruin.

    Tasha felt as if she''d stood within the firstyer of hell, Avenos that forever bled the burning embers of the Fallen Angel, Arakiel''s wings, when he was cast into the hells. All through Avenous, ming maelstroms came and went, decimating the denizens of that infernal hell.

    Just then, a shout that seemed to carry the power of a hundred burning suns thundered across the realm, shaking all who heard with a primal fear.

    "ALTAIR!!!!" The name echoed far and wide among the oblivion as a wildfire came crashing across the earth. mes ignited across the foliage, setting what remained of the city aze.

    Altair heard none of it. As if he was plunged into the depths of some unseamed void, his hair and clothes rippled as if the sea had swallowed him.

    Vale Qi began to swell around him as a power beyond the Myriad came from the depths of his being. Knowledge so old it predated the nexus of creation began to unfold itself across his mind.

    "There you are!" Varis shouted savagely. "No one can save you now!" piercing through the skies towards the Emperor locked in enlightenment.

    Raven stepped forward with chilling eyes, wielding a ive made of pure Vale Qi. Her swing hade so ruthlessly quick Varis could barely perceive its nature as a set of obsidian gauntlets made themselves known around his hands and arms.

    He winced at the shattering force hurdling him across the earth like a rag doll.

    Name: Raven [???]

    ss: [Vale Guardian Lv 1 ¡ú 95]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 50% ¡ú 55%]

    Strength:2500 ¡ú 2690

    Dexterity: 3000 ¡ú 3285

    Constitution: 3000 ¡ú 3475

    Wisdom: 4000 ¡ú 4475

    Charisma: 4000 ¡ú 4475

    Mana: 310 ¡ú 340

    A/N: [+2 Str], [+3 Dex], [+5 Con], [+5 Wis], [+5 Chr] Per Level Up

    Despite his superior strength, Varis felt Raven''s superior Mana augmenting her blow, leaving him powerless to properly defend himself from the sudden blow.

    "Bitch!" he snarled, stabbing his feet into the earth to stay his momentum. "Get out of my way. I''ve no intention of killing a woman."

    An obsidian spear intent began to rise from off Raven''s ive as she took in a long breath. In a single breath, hundreds of thousands of lines appeared across her vision, marking the infinite spectrum of spear paths approaching perfection. The air turned cold and stagnant as the presence of the Vale pressured space around the two.

    "Stand down, Varis," Morriganmanded as she opened her hand, willing a bloodstained longsword to appear in her palm. "This isn''t a battle you can win."

    The giant sneered, his eyes finding Altair wielding a double-edged sword. "Are you going to hide behind your woman? Answer me, ckwood!"

    When no response came, Varis scuffed, trailing his eyes to Morrigan. "I''ve heard about you. You''re the failure who faced defeat at the hands of some weakling."

    Morrigan arched a brow. Her defeat had been at the hands of the Fallen Angel of Death, Azrael. To belittle the mere defeat was nothing sort of an insult to the Fallen who''d stolen her life. She almost had it in her tough. Instead, she brushed past Raven with a type of fury that felt tangible.

    "I think after I kill you. Your Elder will be the next bastard I cut down," Morrigan dered, vanishing into the ether. By the time she appeared, she was behind Varis.

    The Giant paused, looking down at his chest exploding into a geyser, blood spraying across the earth. Horror lined his face as he whirled to face Morrigan. He saw the tip of her sword piercing towards his eyes, with every intention of running him through. In the moment that constituted the now, his giant instincts roared, forcing his movement art.

    Even so, Morrigan''s de aimed true, slicing through his ear like hot butter. Varis screamed, shing backward as the Goddess of ughter chased.

    Raven arched her brow as the eye of sacrilege burned like fire in her eyes.

    [Ding]

    Name: Morrigan Del Rav <Chaos>

    Race: High Imperial - 10%

    ss: Lord of Destruction I - Lv 175

    Mana Circle: [Sixth Circle - 67%]

    Str: 2450

    Dex: 1725

    Con: 4050n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Wis: 4050

    Chr: 4050

    Mana: 500

    [High Imperial Aura Detected: All Attributes Will Double Once User Reaches The Peak Of Any Circle]

    "What a ridiculous ability."

    "As are all High Imperials," Tasha revealed. "Of all Pntine Blood, they are one of the strongest, rivaling the High Humans. All High Imperials are artificially made, causing them to be infertile."

    Raven''s frown deepened. "But isn''t she supposed to have a baby with Master?"

    "That''s the wonder of the Arcanes. They breakws set forth by creation. To bypass such restriction, one needs a stronger bloodline to force the change. In all the myriad Heavens, there has only been one recorded case of a High Imperial creating life from their body." Tasha imed. "And that was through the unity of Nephilim and High Imperial.

    And what is Master Altair if not by most ounts a Nephilim?"

    "You wretched bitch!" Varis eximed, forced to retreat again, unable to perceive how she was moving.

    Morrigan smirked, "When one creates a domain, they''ll be able to perceive just about anything. The second level is the ability, Shadowheart, which allows them to hide themselves, but the third level, ck Heart, allows the user to obscure the mind of his opponent."

    "Shut up!" Varis demanded, desperately using the gauntlet to guard the best he could, but each blow appeared as if they were invisible. He was dying. Each swing of her wretched sword was true, iming his lifeblood.

    "Spirit Warfare is the specialty of everyone that is on the Omnis Ranking." Morrigan continued. "Shall I show you, boy, the Fourth Ability of a Spirit Domain, or would you like to see the fifth? The Fourth Ability is called Infernal Intent, for it stops you from healing.

    At the same time, the Fifth is known by many as Universal Annihtion, for it seeks to annihte anything and everything between Heaven and Earth, no matter how strong they may appear to be. Shall I show you?"

    Around the tip of Morrigan''s sword, a terrible force came into being, demanding ruin upon the realm. Space seemed to twist and burn, trickling into Mana, only to be absorbed by the strange Annihting force rising across Morrigan''s de like a me.

    The force brought the Giant to his knees as everything in a mile radius ceased to exist as Universal Annihtion imed the authority within the third floor. The Gods all watching stood from their throne, reeling with a fear that touched their core, for it had to be known only those on the Omnis Ranking were capable of using Universal Annihtion.

    It had been said that when the Silver Devil created Universal Annihtion in the face of the Almighty One''s Heavenly Tribtion that would have wiped out all life in the 33 heavens, he survived trying to cut God himself and instead managed to cut the flow of energy generated by the Almighty One.

    In a single stroke, Zariel''s Sword had managed to cut through Heaven''s End, reaching past the thirty-three Heavens far into the Myriad Heavens.

    That day, Mephistopheles stepped forward, dubbing the force Zariel had used as Universal Annihtion, for it had done the impossible, challenging the Almighty Ones'' rule.

    Morrigan herself had been witness to such power as that stroke of pure annihtion had managed to reach her amidst her battle with Azrael. At that moment, that marked her enlightenment; it had also marked her death at the sudden distraction.

    "...stop¡­" Varis suddenly pleaded. Stained by blood and sweat, a primordial fear he had no control overshed at his soul, bringing tears to his eyes as he begged for the first time in his life. Forgoing his giant pride, he felt for the first time his blood shrink in fear before another lineage far more superior than he was.

    He was made to bow, to squirm in ce like a lowly worm whose only goal in life was to die by her hands.

    "Please¡­Mercy¡­Mercy¡­"

    Morrigan smiled. "Mercy? The fuck is that?" She swung her sword, pausing short when the Mark of Cain that tarnished her shoulder red. She paled when the words of the Goddess of Rot trailed across her mind.

    She scuffed. "Aren''t you lucky? It would seem her Majesty wishes you to live. However¡­ " And her de shed, carving through Varis''s shoulder without the slightest bit of resistance, iming his right arm.

    The cry that left Varis had been something so deprave it made even a Devil''s heart shake with anticipation.

    "This is the price for challenging me," Morrigan dered as her sword turned to vaper, unable to retain the power being channeled through its depths.

 Chapter 337 Omniscience Awakening II

    Altair had been awoken by the sudden scream that had somehow managed to pierce his state of enlightenment, awakening him to his surroundings. He nearly toppled over at the sight of Varis screaming like a boy, clenching the stub where his arm once was.

    He''d wanted to ask what was going on but stopped as the event of all that urred came into being across his head as if he''d experienced it all firsthand.

    He froze.

    [Would Master Like To See Through the Eye Of Raven To Experience This Event Closer?]

    The voice that echoed across Altair''s mind made him jump. It sounded childish but familiar at the same time. It was his voice. Back when he was a child.

    "What the¡­"

    [>_<]

    [Master, I''m your Omniscience!]

    In lieu of the many questions rattling Across his mind, Altair said," exin."

    [Kay! Due to the Astral nature of the Vale. I was created in your sea of consciousness through your Authority, which affected your System as a virus.]

    Altair recalled. "I remember getting the notification." He said, ncing at Raven, then his feet. " What I don''t understand is why now?"

    [I was learning, Master. As your Omniscience, you are privy to almost all information to the endless now. 99% of that is saved in your Astral Sea, while the other 1% is processed as knowledge retained. Due to the limitation of your soul due to the Origin System on higher beings, it took longer to process all that information.]

    Altair scratched his head. "Then do you know everything?"

    The system voiceughed.

    [No. I only know things at present that are relevant to the distance of your domain. So if you touch something, you can glimpse its past for up to 300 years, so if you were to touch Morrigan or have her in your domain, You would be able to see her entire life.]

    Altair''s eyes widened. "That''s¡­ broken."

    [I can also teach Master any and every spell he''se across during thest 300 years.]

    "I wasn''t even alive.]

    [Correction, you weren''t born. But you existed inside Mommy Tene''s belly. All that she did in that window was provide information you could potentially wield.]

    Altair frowned, touching his chin. "Would that work? Wouldn''t she have tried to hide herself from others with the same ability? I''m sure I''m not the only one with Omniscience."

    [I cannot say if you''re the only one who possesses Omniscience, but you do share a bloodline connection with Tenebrae. By stimting your awareness of the past through the shared bloodline you and Tenebrae possess. You''ll be able to see the past through her eyes¡­ if she allows it.]

    "Eh? Isn''t that like¡­ Time Travel or¡ª"

    [It''s Time Maniption, Master, based around Omniscience.]

    Altair scratched his head. "It''s confusing, that''s what it is¡­ So would Mother know that I''m observing her?"

    [Yes, she''ll not just know. But she''ll be the one controlling what you''ll see and hear.]

    "And I can do this as much as possible?"

    [ ^_^ Yup, although, if you abuse this ability, you might experience soul exhaustion.]

    Altair gulped, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. "Show me¡­"

    [¨t(*¡ã¨Œ¡ã*)¨s]

    With a sudden jerking motion, Altair slipped to one knee, finding his consciousness beginning to move through a strange nexus in his mind.

    "Master!" Raven shouted, lunging towards him. Her eyes were marred with fright. "What''s¡ª

    Altair couldn''t even speak before he found his consciousness being pulled towards that strange nexus within his mind.

    ****

    "Kyaaa! Are you here to watch Mama work again?" Tenebrae eximed, clutching her swollen tummy. She was beaming, kicking her feet back and forth in her office. "Your Father is quite busy, so it''s just me and you today. Kisses! What shall mommy teach you today?

    Yesterday, we talked about how to manipte darkness. But thinking about it. That might be a bit too advanced for you. Since you are about to pop, you might not be so powerful yet. Still, it''s good to know you''re alive. It seems Lilith hasn''t found you yet."

    "Let''s talk about hmmm. Magic. I¡ª"

    Just then, the door to Tenebrae''s office was flung open, and Iliana strutted in frowning. "Zariel said to go away."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Tenebrae couldn''t help butugh. " You tried fighting him again, didn''t you? You realize you''re a clone, right? And I sent you to talk to Aurelia; why are you speaking with Zariel."

    "He happened to be there. What else was I supposed to do? Apparently, it was family time. Little Jin was there, too. That little monster is terrifying."

    "Jin?"

    Iliana nodded. "He saw through my existence with a single nce. He definitely got something from Zariel''s lineage. His eyes, maybe."

    "Well. I was just teaching little Arty how to perform magic like a Fell God." She touched her belly, unable to help but blister up with a smile. "Wanna help?"

    "If I must," Iliana said, shooting an eye at Tenebrae''s belly. "But will he understand it?"

    "Rune Magic is quite simple. That will be especially true for a genius like my Arty." Tenebrae nodded at herself, holding her belly tighter. And for a moment, she seemed a little bitter, unsure she''d ever get to see her boy be a man. "Anyway, let''s start.

    "Oohhh~! I want to help, too!" a vibrant voice echoed through the office as a golden-eyed woman appeared like a ghost. "Let''s teach him the Origin Runes."

    Tenebrae made a face. "Aurelia, what did I tell you about entering my office without knocking? And don''t you think Origin Magic is too much?"

    "Hell no. Let''s do it." Aurelia said, grinning. "Little Art here is going to help me steal the Throne of the One."

    "Sweet Baby Heavens¡­ Are you still on that?" Tenebrae asked.

    "Of course. Dumb-Dumb can always save me if I''m about to die."

    "I swear you are abusing your husband," Iliana said, sping her hand over her head. "Didn''t he get struck by the Almighty One three times already?"

    "Four," Aurelia admitted, passing her hands through her strands of silvery gold hair. "But he doesn''t mind. I think he likes learning from it."

    Tenebrae sighed, studying Aurelia. Despite so many cycles passing, her beauty, much like her Father''s, seemed only to deepen like fine wine as time progressed, or perhaps it was the Dao of Perfection she''d inherited from the Silver Devil. Either way, the more Tenebrae studied Aurelia, the more she found herself entranced by the beauty that seemed to transcend her understanding.

    "Oh! Guess what little Jin told me today?" Aurelia suddenly eximed. "He said he wants to marry a woman as pretty as me!" She shed her pearly teeth. "He''s so cute. I want to just eat him up."

    "Why don''t you two have a y date? Jin has always loved his Aunty Tene," Iliana suggested.

    Aurelia shook her head. "I would love to, but Jin is still a kid, and Lilith always visits to y with him, so that''s not a good idea. He might reveal Altair''s little existence. Let''s give it a few hundred years."

    "Jin is in his adolescence, right?" Tenebrae and Aurelia nodded, ncing at Iliana. "He''s practically a man. What responsibilities have you given him?"

    "Dumb-Dumb just made him the Crown Prince, so he''ll have partial rtions to some of the monarchs of hell. That said, I do have concerns about Moloch and Belphegor. Those two seem to have taken interest in Jin."

    "They are family." Tene mused.

    "And I don''t like Moloch. Neither does Father."

    "Lucifer doesn''t trust anyone. Not after Mephisto banished his lover into Arcadia for shits and giggles." Tenebrae continued.

    "Was it really for such a petty reason?" Iliana asked. "That just seems¡­"

    "Fucked up?" Tene finished. "I don''t really understand what Mephisto wants with the Snow family, but he''s quite fixated on that entire lineage. And for some reason, no one is exempt."

    "But Zero pulled a fast one over on Mephisto, creating secret clones," na added. "That''s quite the aplishment."

    Aurelia smirked, remembering the look of realization when he''d shattered the Twelve Realm to create the New Order. "That was worth it. That''s especially true since he wasn''t too mad about it."

    "He got what he wanted out of it," Tene said. " Mephisto isn''t one to be petty."

    "Bullshit," Aurelia said. "That bastard is one hundred percent petty incarnate. He just isn''t malicious about it."

    They allughed before returning to the conversation at hand. Aurelia said: "But I really think Altair could benefit from Origin Magic. If he can merge it with his Sigil, he''ll be able to cast Infringement Spells in no time."

    "Why not? I''ve shown him so many other things already." Tenebrae said. "But what would be the best spell to show him?"

    "No spell," Aurelia said. " Just the principle behind it. If he can grasp that, he''ll be on his way to mastering the Seven Schools of Magic. He might even create the Eighth. You never know. Zariel said that his perception might rival his own when he was a child."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 338 The Grimm

    "Master! What''s wrong?"

    Despite nearly seven days passing in the blink of an eye inside his mind, Altair was stunned to learn he''d only been out for less than half a breath. He blinked, looking up at Raven. He shook his head but still remained on one knee, powerless to move.

    "I''m¡­ good," He muttered, ovee by a familiar fog of weakness.

    [Full Recovery in eight hours]

    Altair made a strange face, signaling for Raven to help him up. He could see Tasha and Morrigan''s concerned faces but gave credit to what had urred between the fusion of soul and sword. The fewer people that knew about his Omniscience, the better.

    He''d been too weak to even raise his hand to study the weapon he''d created, but he could feel a strange astral force reaching up from the de hilt up his arm and through his pores.

    [Due to the absorption of Soul Essense, recovery time has decreased by five hours]

    [Full Recovery in three hours]

    Before Altair could echo a few words, Tasha tossed him a Soul me as if she were throwing a stone. Raven caught it for her master, offering it up as Tasha said, "Chew it. It should lessen the Soul Exhaustion. Just ignore the screams."

    Rather than questioning Tasha as he''d usually do, he followed her direction without hesitation, for he knew she spoke the truth. The moment she''d spoken, his Omniscience confirmed it. Indeed, there were wretched screams that would haunt the dreams of any who heard it, but Altair didn''t seem to mind or care. He was caring less about things each day.

    "I was just letting him go," Morrigan said, noticing ack of surprise in his eyes. "Master''s orders. It would seem like she doesn''t want trouble with a Grimm."

    "A Grimm?" Altair questioned this time, noticing his Omniscience oddly silent.

    "They''re like a Mkh, except rather than Archangels imnting a feather into their bloodline, a Fallen Angel does so."

    "Oh yeah¡­ I forgot Grimm''s existed." Tasha muttered. "Fallen rarely make them; I think thest recorded Grimm was done by the Eighth Monarch of Hell. Apparently, he liked Loki so much he granted him his feather."

    With his recovery time cut down to minutes, he reached up to rub his aching temple. "Then¡­ is this Elder Grim also a Grimm? No imagination on that one."

    Morrigan didn''t confirm, choosing silence, but she hadn''t needed to respond. Her silence was all everyone needed; after all, the use of a true name was especially forbidden to crucible members beneath the eyes of various gods.

    "Grimms aren''t as useful as Mkh''s since they are harder to create and breed whenpared to devils and demons, so no fallen goes out of their way to waste resources and a wing that''ll take several cycles or dao cycles to recover."

    "Let me go¡­" Varis muttered, clutching his bleeding arm. His face was contorted beyond recognition, and his aura was in disarray.

    Projecting his domain, Altair smiled, learning that the blow Morrigan had executed had not necessarily been a physical attack but one that severed a part of his soul. No matter what he did, Varis would never be able to regenerate his missing arm, no matter how many resources he used.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Still, he found her mercy to be too much. With her level of skill, Altair was sure she could have ensured that the wound would never heal. Morrigan certainly had the necessary skill.

    "What a shame¡­" Altair said as the Grimory Ring on his finger turned vaperious. The unnamed sword in his hand whipped across Varis''s neck, igniting the skies ame as a fury that turned the wheel of time aze.

    [Varis Felled. Exp Gained.]

    [Level Up]

    [Level Up]

    ¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    mes came from the skies like clouds stretching down from the heavens towards Altair with every intention to kill him.

    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" Tasha snapped, stepping forward, staying the approaching me with a swipe of her palm, when a domineering pressure came from the great beyond, turning the rubble to dust and the dust to nothingness.

    Be it Tasha or Morrigan, both struck the Earth oppressed by a force threatening to wipe them out of existence. Only Altair and Raven, and strangely, the Mkh, staring nkly, stood on feet protected by a forceing from their depths.

    "Elder¡­Grim¡­Stop¡­" Morrigan demanded through clenched teeth, slowly struggling to her feet as she ignited her blood. Tendrils of veins lined her slender jaw as she reached back to her feet alongside Tasha, seething a hatred that seemed to echo from the sin of wrath, for its sigil shed across her iris.

    Itsted less than a heartbeat, but the authority it held was so stifling it shattered the oppressive force, leaving many of the gods to gape.

    "The Seventh Prince and Her Majesty Grimmorie will hear of this transgression, Dungeon Master." Tasha choked. "You dare allow this folly!"

    The realm quivered and shook as if caught in a storm that could shatter the world. Tangible rage pooled across the great void, which shook and cracked, caving in to reveal a robed man.

    He was handsome, with a sculpted face that gave him a rugged appearance, yet it was his authority that demonstrated a regality that knew no bounds.

    "Altair ckwood!" Elder Grim barked, his smoldering eyes igniting into emerald mes. "HOW DARE YOU!"

    [Divine Fallen, Conquest frowns at this folly and rises from the shattered husk of the Ancient Gods] Your adventure continues at empire

    [Divine Sin, Daddy, has shattered his Temporal Cage and has imed the freedom to rage]

    [Divine Sin, Archeon is furious and demands to know what the Dungeon Master is doing.]

    [Divine Being, She Who Hunts, nocks her World Ender Bow]

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl, stands together with the Giants of Old.]

    [Supreme Being, Silver Devil aims his gaze towards Elder Grim]

    [Supreme Being, First Trinity, is set to leave the Principalities]

    Perhaps it was due to defying the Origin System to his soul, but Elder Grim remained ignorant of all the system messages arising across everyone else''s iris, but all of Babel''s Tower shook, awakening several Fell Gods of the folly on the third floor.

    Altair was smiling. He stood triumphantly, feeling the Heart of Darkness empower him to stand. Perhaps it had been out of pride, but Altair, despite knowing Elder Grim could fell him with a snap, rose into the skies to stand a head higher than the Fell God in front of him.

    He brandished a smile like a deadly weapon and folded his arms. "So you''re the elder that foolishly tried tomand me."

    "I¡ª"

    "The fuck is this nasty thing?" Iliana''s cold voice came as her palmshed out from behind Elder Grim.

    Before the Tainted Elder could respond or react, death''s primal grip took hold of him. His head was nearly torn off his shoulders as he was sted out of the realm, far beyond Babel''s tower, to some unknown realm.

    [Myraid Message - Sector 3]

    [Origin System will go offline for several minutes. Please stand by]

    Iliana winced, wiping her palm with a handkerchief, and stared brightly at Altair. Unlike the previous times they had met, she wore no mask, allowing her amethyst-red eyes and stunning features to be disyed to all. She had been so strikingly beautiful that Altair could only stare, unable to recognize her form before. Her eyes seemed different from what he''d remembered.

    "So this was the little Turkey that I was raising." She gave Altair a once over, circling him like prey. "You''re definitely cute, and your blood lineage is definitely up there. Skill is mid. But I can definitely feel it. Yeah¡­ you''re a prime candidate aside from the twins."

    "Twins? Do you mean Ves and Iza?" Altair asked, feeling like they were the ones she was talking about.

    "Of course, they are already wielding Almighty Qi." Iliana covered her mouth. "Oops, that was a secret¡­ Well¡­ Guess I''ll just give them a present to ask for forgiveness." She smiled, lowering her hands.

    "Who¡­ who are you?" Altair asked, unfamiliar with the fiery aura radiating off this being before him.

    Iliana grinned, pointed to his tummy, and against his every being, he bent to his waistline to bow. "Don''t you know how to greet your master when you see her? Children these days have no respect. I like that."

    She strutted over, lifting him by the chin, and found a peculiar look of recognition. "You recognize me now, eh? Good on you, boy. Because I''m going to make you so strong, everything around you will feel like sand."

    It had taken a moment, but the Iliana from his memories when he''d seen her as a clone through Tenebrae''s eyes was far different, be it her features or her ferocity. Altair felt more so like a rabbit before a tiger about to pounce.

    "What? I ain''t gonna rape you. Don''t look at me like that. Although¡­ you are cute enough." Iliana mused, lifting the boy by the chin with one finger until he stood to his full height. "What say you, boy? Wanna learn how to kill even Abyssals?"

 Chapter 339 Gram

    Iliana''s amethyst-red eyes twinkle with mischief as they usually did. She stepped in closer, and Altair could just about taste the supple scent ofvender. "You''re going to be mine from now on."

    Instinctually, Altair took a step back, covering his chest as if he were a maiden on her wedding night. "Master¡­ if others heard you, they''ll¡ª"

    "Piss on the thoughts of others!" Iliana stepped forward, snatching him by the cor, and said, "If I wanted you. I''d take you. Unfortunately¡­" She released him, straightening his crumple robes. "You are a tad too weak. But we''ll fix that."

    Altair flushed, so taken back he was at a loss for words. Perhaps he''d never known his master well enough, but not once had he ever imagined her being so forward with him. Experience more content on empire

    Iliana smiled broadened. The more she stared at the nk canvas before her, the more she wanted to steal him away. She had to wonder if her other self knew of his potential.

    "Altair¡­" she tipped his head up with a lithe finger across his chin. "How much do you know about Abyssals? Are you aware of their Hive Mind or the function of Abyssal Qi?"

    "You''ve talked about it before, but I''ve never met an abyssal aside from you and the Empress," Altair said, reminded of the various lessons Iliana had instilled within.

    "Good." she mused. "Now, before I kill the dungeon master for his defiance against the Abyss. I''d like to know something." she beamed, opening her palm as a translucent barrier coalesced around the two, barring the eyes of gods and demons alike. "Have you awakened your omniscience?"

    Strangely, Altair wasn''t surprised Iliana knew his secrets. Still, he wondered how many others knew this as well. "I have, how''d you know?"

    Iliana tipped her head up with grace. "I''m your master, that''s how."

    "Seriously?"

    She beamed. "You ain''t the only one who knows things. Do you know why I''m so willing to teach you?"

    Altair shook his head. "No idea. Your past self wasn''t too keen on the idea."

    "Probably because you hadn''t awakened. You see, Altair, you possess an ability that isn''t used for battle, which truly makes it inferior to the Abyssal Hive Mind, which draws on all the experience, skills, aspects, and concepts of other Abyssals." Iliana nodded, cing her palm on her curvy hips. "And it shouldn''t be like that.

    As someone with Omniscience, you ought to be able to know everything and perform just about anything with perfect uracy."

    "I need time toprehend¡­"

    "Piss onprehension." She gave his forehead a flick. "You are all-knowing. You shouldn''t have toprehend that knowledge with Omniscience active. All that tells me is that youck control of your power. Your brother and sister. Ves and Iza both possess the ability of causality.

    Cause and Effect. At first, they could only see the past, present, and future. But now, they are able to manipte causality to seek whatever result they want. Do you think that''s done out ofprehension? Hell no. It''s done because they are the children of the Abyss.

    They don''t need to understand how it''s done. You are the same."

    Her eyes were perhaps a tad bit too feverish that it made Altair quiver.

    "In all the Myriad, there has never been a warrior to use Omniscience in battle in the way I''d imagine." Iliana licked her lips, eyeing the boy with a look that made him take two or three steps back midair. "There was one who had the chance, but he gave it up for some reason. But you. You''re not giving it up. I''ll not let you."

    "Not to dampen your excitement, but I''m quite busy. I have aing war back on Terra, and I have the Towers to climb. Do you think we''ll have enough time to¡ª"

    "I''ll just stop time or destroy it. Whatever works." Iliana said nonchntly. "You''re overthinking things. Now, then¡­ let''s start on the next floor. I''ve got to deal with this idiotic Dungeon Master¡­ Look at him¡­" She squinted her eyes. "He''s fled quite a distance.

    I''ll be back. Oh¡­ might you want his blood? I saw you devouring a blood bag when I reviewed the Time Nodes."

    "Ummm¡­ Sure." Altair said, unsure of what to say. He was quite sure he wouldn''t be able to devour such blood, but that didn''t matter. He could use it for inscriptions or forging weapons. Hephaestus, perhaps, might even enjoy a few blood bags himself.

    "Good, see you on the next floor," Iliana said, vanishing with a bloodthirsty smile.

    As the barrier disbursed around Altair, he sighed, slowly bringing himself back to the ground.

    Tasha held a heavy blush, studying him as he returned. She bowed almost immediately. "Congrats. It seems you''ve acquired much gains."

    Altair was inclined to agree but didn''t bother to exin himself. Now that Iliana had proimed him her disciple before everyone under the Heavens, he was sure more trouble would find him.

    "Let''s just get the hell out of this floor," he said, lifting the unnamed sword in his hand. He gave it some thought and smiled, "I shall name you Gram, after the Lords of Chaos and Sky within the Hells."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    [You have named Unnamed sword Gram]

    Name: Gram

    Race: ??? [Unnamed]

    Str: 150

    Dex: 150

    Con: 150

    Wis: 150

    Chr: 150

    Mana: 100

    Skills:[unbreakable], [Attribute Share], [Infernal]

    Souls: 1 [+ 10 Points To All Attributes per day]

    "What the hell?" Altair mewled. "It''ll be stronger than me in a year''s time? That''s not even fair."

    "Well, that''s how Devils work. We feed on souls, absorbing one hundred percent of their strength and then some." Tasha exined. "You''ll do well to feed your sword well. It''ll only grow stronger as time progresses.''

    With a silent agreement, Altair once more felt his attributes sealed once more as his grimoire ring returned to his finger. He didn''t say much, only returning Gram to Drupnir. He said," We need to find this Lich King. We''ve been here long enough."

    Everyone nodded before Morrigan strutted forward," We''ve got bigger problems than that. You killed Varis. The Goddess of Rot will not be pleased."

    Altair touched his shoulder, sensing his omniscience stir deep within his consciousness. He couldn''t quite ce it yet, but he could sense a set of eyes silently monitoring his actions.

    ''Azura, no doubt,'' Altair told himself, curious to know if the mark of cane was able to pierce the vale of Iliana''s barrier. ''Does she know about my Omniscience?'' he shook his head and, after a moment, said," If it was truly a big deal, she''d have summoned me."

    Truthfully, he was curious as to why Azura hadn''t contacted him in thest few months. Surely, it hadn''t been because the abyss had frightened her.

    "You''re taking this too lightly, Altiar," Morrigan said. "Even if you possess even the highest backing the world has ever imagined. It will not deter those who bear the Mark. Syris will pay the price, or your kingdom, for that matter. You are not so strong that they cannot find a way to keep you under their boot."

    "You seem awfully worried," Altair mused with a slight smile. "Well, don''t worry about it. I know what I''m doing. Now, let''s skip the hordes of undead and reach the Ascension Gate. I''d like to secure that area before we uproot this entire city to find the Lich King."

    Morrigan stayed her words, biting her lip, watching him depart. She stepped to follow, only to find herself walking forward into theke of rot. She quivered, biting back the sickening heat tracing her face, turning it bright red. It was like a scorching heat eating away at her extremities.

    Azura sat beside Cain before the blossoming tree surrounded by the horrid rot that made any man pray they wake from this nightmare.

    Cain gestured. "Sit"

    Reluctantly, Morrigan obeyed, finding a seat across the two. "How can I help you?"

    "Altair¡­ is bing too¡­ arrogant."

    "Arrogant?" Azura scuffed. "The boy is ying with fire. He practically spat in my face."

    "That''s enough, sister," Cain said.

    "You''re not the one he spat on. You don''t get to tell me that." Azura snapped, shifting her attention back to Morrigan. "It would seem he''s forgotten that, though he might be a tad bit useful. Syris is not as protected."

    Morrigan stared. "Mydy, you''ll destroy any sort of goodwill with¡ª"

    "What good is goodwill before the Almighty?" Azura tantly asked, silencing both Cain and Morrigan. "Altair is but a boy who believes himself a man. Why do you think Lilith, or even his supposed master, hasn''t removed our mark?"

    With a passing moment of thought, Morrigan said," They need time to understand the nature of it, the Mark."

    "Correct," said Azura coldly. "But let''s assume they could remove the mark. I''d imagine they''d want Altair to act as a spy." she smiled nastily, cing a palm across the table, where a letter appeared from out of nowhere. She slid it to Morrigan. "Give this to Altair ckwood. Tell him this is the price of his actions.

    Tenebrae''s child or not. It matters not. A tool that doesn''t know its ce isn''t useful. Don''t you think?"

    Morrigan gulped, epting the letter. "What¡­what is it?"

    "A marriage proposal for his dear Syris."

 Chapter 340 Rage

    "Morr? You good?" Altair asked, noticing the way she stood there for a nk second or two. He sauntered over to her and frowned at the way her face seemed to pale and then at the letter that magically appeared in her hand the instant her eyes came back into focus.

    "What happened?"

    "I¡­" She stopped biting her lip. Unsure what to say, she stared deep into his crimson eyes, which seemed to glow beneath the darkness of this realm. Perhaps it was the lighting, but they seemed as cold as a steel edge.

    After a moment, Altair said, "Is it for me?" he looked at the letter, snatching it away before Morrigan could stop him. She flushed but held her tongue, figuring it was better he found out now thanter. He tore it open and fell into a deeper silence. Altair might have read the letter seven times before it ignited into ck mes.

    "So this is the way you want to y it," Altair lightly mentioned. He turned without another word and sauntered away without another sound. He walked until he was alone before the tremors began to jolt across his shoulders, and the rage that came from his blood lit the world ame. A roar that could be perceived as a dragon''s roar opened the earth beneath his feet.

    He could see it all. The look of scorn Azura held as she pushed the letter to Morrigan.

    ''A tool that doesn''t know its ce isn''t useful. Don''t you think?'' echoed Azura''s cold words across his mind.

    Heughed, cupping his face with his callus palm, trying to smolder the sin of wrath held by his father''s blood, resonating with his lineage.

    [Shadowfell Lineage Detected]

    Altair did not seem to notice the message as he stared nkly into space. He was cold. Growing colder by the second until any sort of warmth seemed to escape his being.

    "Luvar Al''Gore," He said, shattering space with Dimensional Rift, reemerging within the Pce of Stygian. He smiled when he felt his Omniscience exin that not even Azura could pierce the veil Zero had set up to block the eyes of gods.

    He said nothing, walking into the office to make a single call.

    "Altair! My man, what can I do for you?" came Zelos'' smooth voice on the other end. "How''ve you been?"

    "I need information," Altair tried to say with a calm voice, but his efforts were for not.

    Zelos saw right through him. "Give me a name."

    "Is this line secure?"

    "In the Archeons Name, I assure you it''s secured," Zelosforted. "Tell me the name."

    "Luvar Al''Gore"

    "Al''Gore?" Zelos was smiling. "I don''t know Luvar, but I know Al''Gore. His family belongs to the Archoeon of the First Tower, Advent. They act as advisors. For each generation, however long the first tower has been around, the Al''Gores have been around. House Dawn has quite a few business contracts with them."

    "Anything of substance?" Altair asked.

    "Nothing that would make me turn down the contract. Do you want him dead?"

    "No." Altair shook his head. "I want him brought to me, caged like a rat."

    Zelosughed. "It''ll not be cheap."

    "I''m not a poor man."

    "No. Unfortunately for me. Your first one is free."

    Altair might have felt grateful were the situation not so grave. "How long will it take?"

    "As I said, our consortium has quite a few businesses with them. Give me a week. Two at the most."

    Altair was about to hang up when he said," If you are caught¡­ tell the Archeon that the Mark of Cain binds them."

    Zelos''s expression contorted on his end as he stood up. He''d wanted to inquire more but failed as Altair ended the call.

    "Well, shit¡­" He muttered, garnering attention from one of the Peltast standing guard. A mistake for his head fell the moment they could be lowered. He snapped a finger, calling for one of his maids, whose inhumane eyes seemed to trace the pool of blood on the floor, slowlynding on the Young Master before her.

    She bowed. "Young Master. Shall I clean this mess?"

    "No. What is my father doing right now?" Zelos calmly asked.

    "Dining with your mother, Young Master. It''s the eve of their anniversary. And he''s asked that he not be bothered."

    Zelos smile blossomed. "Inform my Father, there has been news that might earn himnd on Advent." He lifted his eyes to House Dawns very much owe Homunculus, ensuring their eternal loyalty. "Keep this from any Peltast whose loyalty can be tested."

    She bowed, disbursing into a mist.

    "What a gift." Zelos mused. And he thought, aware that the luxury of privacy doesn''t quite exist to anything outside his body. ''If we can get rid of the Al''Gores, my father will have no choice but to award me¡­" he chuckled, sping his hands behind his back as his maid returned.

    "The Archeon will see you now."

    ***

    "Your back," Syris asked, sauntering into his office, noticing the way not even the aspect of light permeated the room. She frowned, finding Altair with his head bowed.

    "Art¡­" she said softly, approaching him. She didn''t say anything afterward, pulling up a chair to rest beside him. When he didn''t say anything after an hour, she had powerful whisky delivered to her.

    Altair did not refuse a drink, nearly swallowing the ss whole to Syris''s amusement. She patted his back and poured him another drink before he finally said, "Azura is trying to put me in check." His face reddened a bit, swallowing his eighth ss. "she wants you to marry some bastard."

    "Pfft," a smallugh escaped her. The very thought of marrying anyone else besides Altair made her feel as if she was covered in bile. It was a disgusting thought that brought on her scorn. "Art¡­ you know I''ll not marry anyone but you, right?"

    "It might not be up to you," Altair said, lowering his head slowly. He exined what he had Zelos do. By then, the decanter of whisky was practically empty, leaving only a half-drunken man.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "What are you going to do? To this Luvar Al''Gore." Syris asked.

    "This entire pce was built around a furnace," Altair whispered, growing silent, leaving Syris''s thoughts to wonder. She gulped, almost finding a smile, as her fingers ran through her lover''s hair. She didn''t pour him a drink or anything else but helped him to his feet.

    "Let''s take a bath. The hot springs, a little bit of wine, and a few movies ought to help you unwind."

    "I don''t want to bathe."

    Syris tried to notugh, but Altair sounded so much like a boy, refusing to shower that she hadughed, jerking him along into the hot springs.

    "You smell a bit love. Rx. The third floor isn''t going anywhere. A shower, a movie, and a snack, and you can return to your madness."

    Reluctantly falling into the springs after Syris had stripped him down, Altair sighed, blowing bubbles in the water. He was still angry but couldn''t find it in him to snap at Syris, of all people. He couldn''t understand why she wasn''t more furious.

    He surely was.

    "Why aren''t you angry," he finally asked as his thoughts began to unravel.

    "Did you know there is a song called Unravel? I found it in the Earth archives. It has a nice ring. Want to listen."

    "Syris¡­"

    "It really does sound nice."

    "Syris," Altair said, unable to hold back his frustrations, and red at her.

    "Fine." Syris relented. "I''m not worried about it because you''re taking care of it. And because I''m your Saintess, now."

    "Your fate in me will get you killed," Altair muttered, returning to childishly blowing bubbles in the hot springs.

    "I beg to differ. If my man cannot protect me, then perhaps you don''t deserve to be my man."

    Altair red even harder. He wanted to snap back but found that there wasn''t anything he could retort. She was right.

    With a mournful sigh. "You really are a handful."

    "Ah, the price of getting to fuck me," Syris teased, swaying into her lover''s arms. "It''s alright, Art. I''m sure you''ll figure it out. And if it helps, I''ll be by your side the entire time."

    "What other side is there to be on?"

    Sheughed, kissing his cheek, whispering something in his ear that brought a smile to his lips.

    Discover exclusive content at empire

    "Bet"

    ****

    "Damn that Mephisto!" Lord Arsene Snow snapped, ring at the foreign weaponry aimed at him.

    Beside him, Zariel Snow and his wife Aurelia Morningstar both carried strange expressions, lifting their arms at the squad of Fell Gods moving to surround them. They hadn''t recognized the race but felt an incredible amount of pure energy radiating from their being.

    Lilith, who stood with her arms wrapped around Arsene, spoke first, "Does anyone here have a pregnancy test?"

    "That''s what you want to ask?" Aurelia blurted.

    "Why not? You should get one yourself. The Silver Devil there has been putting it down."

    Aurelia blushed. "I''m not pregnant, silly!"

    "Enough!" said a cold voice as an aged man sauntered forward. Tall, with tendrils of azure light trailing up his arms, stopping at his cheek, he was handsome¡ªor at least he once was, given his current appearance filled with wrinkles.

    "Who are you? And how did you escape Pandora''s Box?" the man damned.

    The four exchanged nces before Zariel curiously asked, "You recognize the box?"

    "Of course, we recognize it. We were sealed in it for nearly an Eternity!"

    Arsene''s expression shifted as he said, " You''re¡­ you''re the Ilvarian''s. The ancient race that predated the High Humans. The Almighty One''s a little mistake."

    "The Almighty doesn''t make mistakes. Do not believe what you hear from that damnd Serpent Mephisto!"

 Chapter 341 The Ilvarians Plight

    The following day, as Altair rolled Syris onto her side where she''d fainted, he yawned, pulling himself up when he noticed a strange video message near the corner of his neurolink interface. He tilted his head, opening up the file, when a video image of his Father appeared.

    "Yo¡­ So we just broke out of Pandora''s Box. And something went wrong. The curse of our family struck again. We were able to negotiate that the women be set free, but Zariel and I got captured."

    Altair nearly gaped, toppling off his bed with a look of disbelief. He was under the impression that his uncle and Father were nearly invincible."

    "Laugh it up." Arsene continued with a brooding look. "But with me reaching to the realm of Fell God with Zariels and Aurelia''s help, we were quite drained. And we are quite interested in the Ilvarians. We had heard they were tormented by Mephisto for their arrogance, resulting in their near extinction. So don''t count on us. Ezra¡­ I mean, Aynaet ought to be able to take care of your needs.

    Stay safe out there, son."

    "Why does he sound so nonchnt?" Altairmented, cupping his face. He had no idea what his Father was thinking, but at least his head confirmed something. "The Ilvarians are alive."

    Shaking his head, he nced at Syris and the light dusting of bruises he''d inflicted. He flushed a bit, a little concerned for hisck of controlst night, before pulling at his hair. Slowly finding the will to get out of bed, Altair got dressed and left his room, figuring he couldn''t just leave everyone on the third floor without a single word.

    They were probably all worried.

    He was certain Raven was in a state of panic. The image of her pping her wings in agitation, threatening to find her master at any cost, filled his mind, all but putting a smile on his face as he entered the great halls. But what he found there was beyond his expectations. The Silver Devil himself and Arsene Snow were sipping coffee with an unfamiliar man.

    The air was thick with tension, and Altair''s heart raced with a mix of fear and anticipation.

    "Sup!" Arsene said, waving Altair over. "Come hear! Let me have a look at my seed."

    "He''s practically a man. It''s a little unbing to call him your seed, especially when he is the Lord of thesends." Zariel added, savoring what seemed like a cappino with a light dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon. He looked every bit more regal than his brother, wielding a silly smile as he wrapped his arms around Altair.

    "He''ll always be my seed," Arsene dered. "How you been, son? We were going to inform you of our arrivalst night, but your AI informed us you were trying to make a baby¡­ Her exact words."

    Altair had never blushed more fiercely. He coughed, making a mental note to upgrade the AI''s etiquette. "It''s quite alright. But what are you doing here? I thought that the Ilvarians captured you. What is going on?"

    "We negotiated a deal," Zariel answered, lowering his mug and lifting his dazzling eyes to Altair. "You''re in need of denizens, and they are in need of a ce to stay."

    "A ce to stay?" Altair frowned. "You didn''t suggest my pce?" No matter who Zariel or Arsene might be, there would be no way he''d agree to have men or gods alike he had not vettedy their heads near his family.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Outside the pce," Zariel said calmly. "Ivarians, for some reason, require a source of power that gives off a particr type of energy. Ever since my brother released them, they have been searching for such a source. Unfortunately, none of them seemed to withstand the test of time." he lifted his mouth to his lips, savoring his drink with the fever of a man who''d not touched water in days.

    "Allow me to exin," the stranger said, rising to his feet. Aged as if his ageless body couldn''t withstand the test of time.

    Such things bothered the young emperor; only among mortals did he see the elderly. But to see one that was ageless in a sense appear no more than a frail man disturbed him in a way he couldn''t quite ce.

    "My name is Corvin," The Ilvarian said, lowering his head before Altair. Stirring yet another surprise, for he knew this man was perhaps at the peak of cultivation, if not near it. For him to bow his head before a mortal so willing was thest thing he suspected. "And I am the High Elder of my people."

    The azure lines across his flesh shimmered. "I implore you. Allow us to stay."

    "Correct me if I''m wrong, but can''t you just create another source? I''ve read some of the knowledge of the Ilvarians; I''m sure it''ll be simple to one of the smartest and oldest races imaginable." Altair said, trying not to get caught up in the sheer emotion emanating from the elderly man.

    Altair exchanged nces with his Father, but aside from his silly smile, he could not glean his intentions. It was the same for Zariel, who was more focused on his coffee than what was urring around him.

    "To avoid pointless ughter, Zariel suggested they stay here. "Arsene suddenly said. "I was kind of against it at first. But he thought it would be good for you. Especially since this could be your chance to cultivate an ancient race."

    "We''ve lost much of the knowledge of our ancestors. Most of us are nearing the end of our lives," Corvin said. "Without a source, we''ll die in a few more cycles. That''s especially true for the younglings who we kept in Stasis."

    "Stasis?"

    "In the void of Pandora''s Box, there was only darkness. So, for the first ten years of a youngling''s life, we taught them everything we could in that limited time while selecting five with the greatest memory to remain and watch over the young while retaining as much knowledge the older generation could instill within them."

    ''Damn¡­'' Altair thought, not revealing his inner expression. And he said," How many generations?"

    "The birth rate of an Ilvarian is not high, so we''ve only a few hundred thousand. However, it''s imperative they take up refuse in thesends. We are even prepared to be your eternal vessels. Your Valeguards, if you will."

    Altair didn''t immediately grab the opportunity. He still had too many questions. "What generation are you?"

    "Me?" Corvin lifted a brow, not expecting such a question. "I''m a second generation. I was alive to see our bodies pulled from our homes. Though I was only a child when it urred."

    "So you ought to know how to create a core? Surely your elders of your time should have¡­'' His voice trailed off at the look of dismay across Corvin.

    "W-W-We, we thought that maybe it would be a few years in Pandora''s box. But those years turned into cycles, and the cycles turned into Dao Cycles, then Hell Cycles. The system I spoke about was made when all hope was lost, but by then, it was toote. I am thest of my generation. And what knowledge I hold resides mostly around weaponry meant to kill even the strongest of gods."

    "And has that knowledge been passed down?"

    Corvin nodded. "It has, along with the knowledge held by a few others before their passing." he shook his head, trembling with a tangible shame. ''We have been trying with our all to find some relics of our kind, but time has left it all in the dust."

    "Why not go to the angels?"

    "Mephisto¡­ the monster who did this to us was once an angel," Corvin said, his shame twisting into something vengeful before it faded. "But thisnd¡­ thisnd is a eutopia for our kind. I''ve only been here for four hours, but I can feel nearly four thousand years of life pour into me."

    "And that''s what confuses me," Altair remarked. "Why do you need a source? You should be immortal."

    Corvin wearily sighed."Not every race is the same. Cultivation might grant immortality to most, but we are not one of them. No matter how strong our bodies and energy might be, we require a specific energy to survive."

    "I rmend you take them in," Zariel said, finishing his cup with a childlike glow that slowly faded to a cool steel. "You''re in need of people. Strong people and Ilvarians are such. They''lle in quite handy, especially since all Ilvarians don''t have a hierarchy when ites to knowledge, meaning it was shared freely amongst its people.

    So, the Pce of Stygian should have an entire archive of its history and more. Keep them. Raise them, and then condition them into a race that was once feared by everyone once more."

    Folding his arms, thinking about the pros and cons, Altair looked at Corvin. "If they stay here. They''ll be subject to my rules. You''ll be subject to my rule. War is already on the horizon for my kingdom."

    "The children cannot fight, but those that had their Coming of Age, Rite will have no issue making progress¡­ Your Grace." Corvan said, lowering his head.

    Zariel matched Altair''s cold smile. "We''ll be staying for a while. So if you have a question or are in need of assistance, do not be afraid to call upon us."

    "You''re staying?"

    "Well, we did make a deal with Corvin. And we, too, have to recover our Divinity. Breaking out of Pandora''s Box wiped us out. We¡ª"

    Snatched off his feet, Altair was whirled around like a child as high-pitched squeals nearly made his ears bleed. "He is sooooooo cute! Dumb-Dumb, you have to give me a daughter! We have two boys already. Mama needs a girl!"

    "Ahhh," Zarielmented. "And this is my wife, your aunt, Aurelia Morningstar. Try not to believe anything she says. She''s just like her Father."

    Rubbing her cheeks against Altair''s, Aurelia sighed. "That baby smell is nearly gone. What a shame." Lowering Altair back to his feet, she patted him on the head like a child and said," Want to help me take over Heaven?"

 Chapter 342 To War

    Altair looked at Aurelia seriously, remembering her image through his vision into the past. He might have smiled if the notion of a war with every single angel didn''t seem like an absolute nightmare.

    "What do you gain from that?" he asked, as any normal man might.

    "There isn''t any benefit," Zariel said wearily. "And how''d you know where we were?"

    Aurelia snorted, throwing her head high. "Did ya think I''d flee while you negotiated our freedom? Lilith and I didn''t even require ten minutes to gather an army to annihte these Ilvarians." she nced at Corvin with a chilling look that felt like ance through the chest. He paled, finding a part of himself recede into some unseen ce in his heart. "Anyway. We followed you here.

    When we learned you were safe, we disbursed our armies."

    "Looks like your kind caught a break," Zariel said, standing to his feet. "I''m going to sleep for the first time in a very long time. I''ve used too much Astral Qi. I''ll see you¡­ whenever."

    "You turning in already?" Arsene said, looking around for his wife, finding not even a trace of her existence. "What about¡ª"

    "That''s why we have vassals. They''ll handle the rest. Go to sleep. I know I am. Aurelia¡­" Zariel''s voice trailed off as he pulled Aurelia along before she somehow managed to pull Altair into her madness.

    "But I''m not sleepy¡­'' Aurelia whined, vanishing from the great hall with her husband.

    Setting an arm across his son''s shoulder, Arsene said with a weary grin. "I''m about to turn in for the day. Who''d ever thought that infinite energy didn''t mean infinite."

    "Soul Exhaustion?"

    "And then some," Arsene admitted, though he didn''t divulge all that urred in that empty void of nothingness. "I''ll tell you about it another time. See you around, son."

    When Arsene took his leave, Altair nced at Corvin, who looked a little lost about what to do. He smiled and waved his palm to summon Aurora. He felt a tinge of guilt, noticing the bags of soul exhaustion bleeding through the bags of her eyes. Ever since he''d made her his shadow, had there ever been a day she''d had to herself?

    "Master!" Aurora greeted with a half bow. You''re back." Her eyes trailed towards the Ilvarian, and she smiled a smile that was neither to weing nor cold. "And who might this be?"

    "This is Corvin, High Elder of the Ilvarians. Our new Engineers." Altair said. "Offer them somend, and find them some work within thesends. I don''t want them on earth just yet. And Corvin, exactly how many of you are there?"

    "238, 384, Men, woman, and children," Corvin said, suddenly breaking out in tears, startling Altair and Aurora. He fell to his knees before Altair and echoed a cry that came from his depts that no words could express.

    "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, oh child of the Night Mother!"

    Perhaps it had been attributed to his youth, but Altair had never seen an elderly man weep as such. He was nearly threatened to feel guilty but held it in.

    Corvin, who''d lived for some incalcble time, could never imagine he''d be able to see the rise of his race once more. Like most of the children that had been born to the Void, he''d only known the darkness of that hell. The only light they saw was the azure light that was their elemental half.

    There had been some who''d lived their entire lives in a sea of endless nights, never to see an end to that hell.

    As Ilvarians, the concept of food didn''t necessarily exist. They''d evolved past that, but to see a new generation born into the light, capable of feeding on anything they desired or living past a predetermined time, was something that left him shattered.

    Corvin, who''d never allowed tears to fall after watching his mother and father perish before his eyes, wept for the first time like a child.

    "Give them thend and anything they might desire. I want children educated like the children of Genisis. Hire professors if you must, for there will not be another generation of children that will be more dedicated to knowledge than those who only knew darkness all their life."

    Aurora bowed, "As youmand, your grace."

    Altair patted Corvin''s shoulder. "Congrats, but if you want to see your kind grow, there''ll still be a lot of things to do." He smiled, waving as he departed beneath Corvin''s kowtow, returning to the rift he''d reacted in his rage, and stepped through.

    [Penalty Aquired]

    [For leaving Babels Tower amidst the Trail, your Record of Time has been reset.]

    "Is that supposed to be a penalty?" Altairughed, catching Raven charging into his chest. "Master abandoned Raven!"

    "There was a bit of drama," Altair said, patting her head. "But it''s over. I''ve taken care of it."

    Tasha, Morrigan, and Seina walked over with visible expressions of relief.

    "We were threatened to leave," Tasha said, ncing at Morrigan, back to Altair. "I heard what happened."

    "It''s taken care of," Altair said as a glint of omniscience flickered across his eyes. A cruel smile rose on his lips as a trap began to coalesce across his mind. He could feel the Mark of Cain begin to throb the more he thought of his scheme. Hisugh resounded across the barren world. "Shall we continue?"

    Morrigan lips began to curl down. "Altair¡­" she stopped as Altair raised a palm.

    "All you need to do is determine if you''re an alley or not. That''s it."

    Without expression, Altair hoisted Raven up so that she sat on his shoulder. The young woman giggled, throwing her head up high as if she was iming everything around her. The sight alone made Tasha giggle. Cute sights like this were rare within the hells.

    "Let''s go," he snickered, vaulting high into the air, catching sight of the Ascension Gate, reaching the dark clouds.

    For nearly a mile, Altair saw through the monolithic buildings, entangled by foliage, at the endless hordes of undead standing guard. It was a terrifying sight to anyone that wasn''t a seventh circle or higher, for there stood over a dozen sixth circles scattered about. He closed his eyes, peering through the eyes of his shadow, summoning Jorm, Nia, and Alyssa to his side.

    "Thank! The Vale!" Alyssa shouted, throwing a hand through her pale white hair, far in contrast to her dark skin. She grinned feral like a true Amazonian. "I was getting so bored!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "We greet you, Your Eminence," Jorm said in an elegant bow, throwing his hand in the air. A translucent barrier coalesced around them, and a wave of arrows came like rain above their heads, only to be shattered by first contact.

    "Aye," said Nia in response to Alyssa. She smiled. "It''s been a while since we fought. Although¡­" her eyes met her Master. "I don''t like that whatever we kill, you get all the exp."

    "Are youining about bing a monster? You match my level, you know," Altair waved her off, unsure why he was even trying to argue with Nia, knowing she was only teasing him.

    Nia grinned. "Master¡­ would you mind if I try out a few things I created."

    "Run wild, Nia. You can do whatever you want. You are immortal, after all. If you should fall, I shall raise you from the dead. Although Jorm is themander, ask him."

    "Ehhh!" Alyssa whined. "Why Jorm?! He''s the weakest! And where is Talia? That crazy bitch is no doubt about to be wet with jealousy."

    "She''s surprisingly busy," Altair said before giving out hismand. "Nia, target all the mages; your eyes ought to be able to see everything on the battlefield; ughter them first. It''ll save me troubleter. I''ll be on the ground, making my way forward with my group. Raven, what do you¡ª"

    "I''m with you, Master," Raven said, throwing her hands up high, unable to hide her excitement. "Let''s kill! We''ll make that bastard lich crawl out from whatever hell hole he''s hiding in."

    Jorm smiled, ncing at Nia. "You take the southern side. Hit the targets with Infernal Lightning, then Enma to create a few craters. These Undead are strong, but we can use the terrain to our advantage. If we are lucky, the Lich might be hit. Alyssa, take the West and run wild, but don''t worry about coteral.

    I''ll take the eastern side."

    Seeing Jorm take charge, Altair bent to Alyssa''s side and whispered something in her ear that made even her dark skin blush.

    [A/N: Alyssa Image]

    "You serious?"

    "Have you known me to lie?"

    "Yup"

    Altair rolled his eyes. "I''m serious. Don''t disappoint me," he said, raising his own barrier as he descended beside his group. Arrows and spells struck and shattered into dust and modes of light. "Seina, you''ll be our tank. Morrigan, you''ll take care of her life. We can''t have her dying so young.

    Tasha¡­ just do you. Watch, chill; you''re lowkey too powerful.."

    "I''m offended," Tasha said, feigning anger. "I can seal myself."

    "I''ve seen your attributes. They don''t make sense. Is it even possible to seal that much power?"

    "My Lord, always remember it''s easier to seal someone rather than kill them. I wouldn''t be surprised if your enemies start trying to seal you rather than kill." Tasha mused with a teasing smile. "I believe it was the Second Monarch, who holds the Aspect of Darkness that revolves around sealing one''s power."

    Altair hummed in response, summoning Gram into his palm as a surging force of omniscience began to flicker across his eyes. With his father staying in his pce, he had time to ask as many questions as he wanted. But more than that, he wanted to try something with his Aspect of Rule now that Tasha had brought up sealing.

    Suddenly, Raven hopped from his shoulder, conjuring her ive of Vale Qi, prepping herself, watching the approaching hoard. "Don''t worry, master. I''ll protect you while you cast." To her rear, Morrigan summoned her sword alongside a second weapon, a spear.

    "Oh?" Altair said. "You''re a dual wielder?"

    She smiled. "You''re not the only one training."

 Chapter 343 Elemental Mastery

    As the deluge of Infernal Bolts came from the skies, oxidizing a dreadful miasma into the heavens, eroding flesh and bone, and transfiguring thend into utter ruin and devastation, the winds had turned to des, and the tears that came from the skies were like shards of knives piercing ever downward.

    Monolithic buildings crumbled like y under the weight of the onught. Ancient sentinel trees that had witnessed over seven centuries were set aze, their towering forms illuminating the scarlet shes that had befallen the Heavens and the Earth. No matter how far one stood, infernal lightning came and went, spreading out like the sprawling roots of Yggdrasil.

    No matter how much Altair stared, he could never get ustomed to the sheer might of his Pale knights. Each time they were made to battle, the level of control they held over his skills was slowly evolving past what he''d initially granted.

    The army of the lich undead servants was melting away like butter on a skillet. Most were made to watch, helpless, before the lightning that carried temperatures surpassing the surface of the sun. Those that could defend found themselves locked down, forced either to duck and weave or use the Arcane arts to survive.

    "Damn¡­" Morrigan sang, feeling the surface of the world writhing like a living thing in agony. ncing back to Altair, creating force projectiles with his mana, she managed a smile, noticing how, with each invocation of Magic Missile, she saw the string of various elements being added.

    ''He''s getting better,'' Morrigan thought as her sword and spear appeared to be a whirlwind of thrust and sweeps, as her footwork slowly began to grow more profound. Each step seemed to connect to the way her sword and spear danced, felling everything around her.

    No matter how much Seina had imagined her death at this moment when Altair had used her bait, she never could have imagined how little danger she was in with Morrigan defending her. At times, she was free like the winds; other times, her de seemed as vengeful as fire and powerful like lightning. It was like watching a work of art.

    "Focus, Siena!" Morrigan shouted, a tad bit toote as a force st, to see Siena torn off her feet and skidding across the earth like a rag dog. She might have died if not for armor. She ate her moan, pulling herself to her feet, only to take another blow from a mace to the face.

    "Keep your domain up! Your armor might protect you, but you''re taking unnecessary damage!"

    Siena, who''d barely managed to catch her breath, did as she was told, but there had simply been too many undead. It didn''t matter if she had eyes in the back of her head; her swordsmanship was simply not at the level that allowed her tobat hordes of people.

    To their rear, Altair smiled, tossing out spells without reserve, interlocking various elements he''d found to be interesting. Since Elemental Particles existed in the world around them, it was only a matter of seizing the elemental particles in the air into his spells to ignite the Arcane Circle, or so his Omniscience had exined to him.

    From fire missiles to ice, lightning, wind, and darkness, Altair had found them to be quite easy to use. More than that, he could feel his omniscience granting him knowledge of easier methods the more he experimented. The only problem was that it was¡­

    [DING]

    [Omniscience has been registered.]

    [Synergy found between Realm of Spirit and Omniscience]

    Name: Omniscience

    Grade: SSS ¡ú Lv 1

    Description: The user enters a state of all-knowing

    Masking the surprise, Altair tried not to smile, but his lips couldn''t help but curl upwards. And he asked to himself, ''What is the difference between Omniscience and Realm of Spirit."

    [Realm of Spirit is a domain where all knowledge exists and can grant a limited form of Omniscience. At the same time, your Omniscience is the state of being aware of everything without the use of the Realm of Spirit. This allows you more control. In the Realm of Spirit, you have no control over what you know, as everythinges crashing all at once.

    Your Omniscience can enable you to know everything or one specific thing.]

    [Another way of seeing it is that Realm of Spirit is a massive library, and your omniscience is the program that allows you to copy and paste the knowledge into your mind or my archives located in your subconscious with extreme focus.]

    ''Neat''

    [I know]

    Altair smirked. "What should I call you?"

    [Master may call me anything. I am merely a fragment that shall vanish after you master your Omniscience]

    ''Then deliver me knowledge about the element of light?'' Altair demanded, suddenly feeling a surge of knowledge regarding the element of light. In a mere moment, he seized the light particles from both his body and the air, then fused them into Magic Missile.

    Five small orbs as bright as light itself gathered around Altair, blessing thend with a new light source. Swiftly, he pointed towards five of the skeleton warriors, giving Siena a hard time, and willed the light missiles to move.

    Magic Missle had only been a first-circle spell. Still, with the inclusion of the elements, Altair had unknowingly turned the simple spell into a second-circle invocation powerful enough to turn bones that were as durable as diamond into butter. He had even barely managed to perceive the speed of his spell before itnded, killing five of the hundreds surrounding Seina.

    The more he learned, the more he wanted to experiment, finding spell work to be nothing more than a puzzle to alter the state of raw mana. Arithmetic appeared to be a heavy factor, requiring him to find an equilibrium between how much elemental particles and mana were necessary for a spell. If one or the other were too strong, then the spell would fail, igniting the user.

    However, something he was learning was that spells didn''t always require the user to pull Elemental particles from the air or his body. He could create them with Mana. The more knowledge he held of a particr element, the stronger he could make the element. All that was required was a proper form.

    "Master," said Tasha by his side. "You''re exerting too much Mana."

    "I know," Altair acknowledged. "With how pure my Mana is, I shouldn''t have to use so much Mana to get the necessary results. But¡­"

    "I know you''re still a beginner," Tasha said in a joking voice. "Noobs these days. I swear~"

    Altair had the grace to blush, ring at her teasing face. He snorted, shifting his attention back to the battlefield. They were about a few hundred meters away in front of the ascension gates from north to south and east to west.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    All that was left was the destruction of the lich kings'' generals.

    Just then, Altair heard the voice of his shadow demon reach his ear, "Master¡­ Ravel is acting strange. He paled and said something came up and vanished. I think he teleported. I can''t track him."

    "I believe it''s further proof that Ravel is working with the Lich."

    "Alright. For now, go help your brothers in arms." Altair said, turning to face Raven, defending against any who might approach. "Be on the lookout. There is¡­" his voice trailed off as his Omniscience echoed.

    [Master¡­ you have Omniscience. Just ask where the lich is. You came in contact with him already. He is your past, and you know everything pertaining to it.]

    "Don''t bloody tell me¡­"Altair said, opening his eyes wide.

    [It''s Ravel. He''s the lich. The moment you came in contact with him. Your domain touched him. Meaning your omniscience touched him. He might have fooled your eyes, but he can''t fool your Omniscience.]

    "THAT''S BROKEN!"

    [¨t(*¡ã¨Œ¡ã*)¨s]

    Altair had never wanted to punch himself in the face, and then he did now. "Then can I look at his past?"

    [You would, but nothing urred in thest three hundred years]

    "Fuck¡­ He was right there." Altairmented, closing his eyes only to breathe in irritation. Connecting to his Pale Knights to inform them of Ravel''s identity. He sighed, suddenly ring at Tasha. "Did you know Ravel was the lich?"

    "Huh?" Tasha pointed to herself. "The lich? How would I know? I wasn''t even looking for him. But that would be an interesting cover. That''s really interesting.

    Especially when since every word he spoke was true."

    "Well, now he vanished," Altair said. "Do you have a spell that''ll find him?"

    "rvoince should do the trick," Tasha said. "Want me to teach you, or shall I do it for you?"

    "I''ll learn it on the next floor. Find the lich."

    "A Duhan," Shouted Morrigan as a zing horse came galloping through the undead hoard. Azure mes billowed from the beautifully powerful stallion it rode on, wielding a crusty ck great ax in one hand; it carried a presence that weighed on the immortal souls of all who lived.

    [You are now in the presence of the Duhan]

    [Aura of the Dead is active]

    [You will now lose a hundred years of life per hour]

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 344 Aspect of Rule

    The aura of the dead had been something Altair had not expected. Had he not had an average lifespan, then he might have been forced to retreat. Still, the idea behind the aura of anything withering away his life force did not sit well within his gut. He''d initially wanted to conjure a barrier but held off as his omniscience began to exin the aura of the dead to him.

    If he wanted to block the Aura of the Dead, then he''d have to have the holy blessing of his god or a holy object.

    Altair didn''t believe it. And he would be right, but due to the limitation of his Arcane Arts, he was limited in what he could do as a mage.

    He cursed, riling himself up and preparing to use the blood of the Nephilim, when he suddenly felt the headless Duhan somehow manage to spot him. Every hair on his body became erect when he saw the undead pull the crusted great axe from his back. The world''s dim light waned to a deep ck beneath that des edge.

    When the Duhan moved, azure nodes of light rose from across its being, allowing it to phase through hordes of undead around it like they didn''t exist. As if it had taken up the properties of a ghost, it arrived ten meters before Altair when Raven charged with her Vale ive.

    The spark of their des crossing ignitednd into a sea of mes that tore down dozens of buildings faster than one could blink. Raven fell on the weaker end, forcing her to retreat several feet. She smiled with a trembling arm.

    "Master, I got this¡ª" She stopped, lifting her head towards th heavens as six magical circles nearly asrge as the city themselves showered the heavens, slowly blending in aplex amalgamation of runes and sigils. In the blink of an eye, the magical circle condensed to nearly two-thirds of its size, pulling the mana from the heavens and the earth until it ran dry.

    Altair nced at Morrigan, but when he saw her mouth, the words, ''I''d just dodge,'' he sighed, knowing he had no choice. He wasn''t even sure if this world could handle a sixth Circle invocation. If each tier of magic doubled the higher one went, Altair was sure this sixth circle spell could kill even a ninth circle.

    A/N: 2^6 = 64x [x=Mana Attribute]

    Once more, the Ring of Grimoire faded as he took in a deep breath, calling on the aspect of rule. Presently, the rule of one still applied: He could only invoke a single word he held a true understanding of when calling forth his aspect.

    "Find the bloody mage!" Altair shouted to his Pale Knights, applying a coat of Vale Qi to his de before he took the skies in a blinding sh of eldritch light.

    Below, Tasha watched, unaware that one of her scarlet eyes had turned gold. She shuddered, feeling his domain begin to expand nearly a hundred meters. Her heart jumped when she felt the aspect of his de beginning to trace the edge of his domain.

    "My Lord is ever full of surprises," Tasha whispered, unable to pull her gaze away from Gram. She could feel the authority of his Aspect threatening to overflow.

    At the zenith of his ascent, Altair held his sword with both hands, opening the Sword Path in time to perceive the motion of the terrible Sixth Circle spell that nearly crushed him into particles. He winced andughed at the same time, tasting the Angel of Death, Azazel de on his throat.

    The notion of death had never been so powerful in his mind that he nearly. He shook his head, suddenly rmed as the world came to a standstill.

    [Psionic Mind has Granted Focus]

    [Perception has been multiplied by 2]

    [Psionic Mind has Granted Insight]

    [Psionic Mind has Enhanced Foresight]

    Startled by the sudden change in histent ability, Altair didn''t have time to think as the invocation ignited.

    "Spear of Indrda," Came a voice from the heavens.

    The magical circle shattered into millions of small nodes, shrieking to be a zing spear the length of the mountain. For over seven hundred miles, everything was lit aze, turning into molten rock.

    The once ancient city that had stood for well over seven hundred years crumbled as a spear fell like a raging bolt from the heavens, so blinding for a mere second that Altair felt he was on the surface of a sun.

    He smiled savagely, invoking his rule upon his de edge in ordance with his Rule of One.

    "Counter"

    A thunderous ding rang across the world as Altair struck something intangible as if it were tangible. In a moment that seemed to constitute hundreds of years, those with the perception to perceive what urred saw the spear shrink into a fine point ball before redirecting its ferocity back at the heavens.

    As if a new sun had risen in the skies once more, a new dawn was born, as the lightning shrieked into space, seemingly never prepared to fade.

    The Gods all watched, overwhelmed by the sheer might held by one boy. Even Iliana, holding the bloody head of the Dungeon Master, wasughing. "You''d not be my disciple if you couldn''t do as much. But I''ll teach you how to direct such power next time at your opponent no matter where they are hiding."

    Altair sighed a deep breath, feeling a surge of soul exhaustion creeping up into his mind. That one attack had taken nearly half his everything.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The mana of heaven earth was sucked dry by the sixth circle spell leaving Altair to use Mana shards that he''d not used in a while to sustain the Circle of Gluttony.

    Just then, Therion''s voice entered his ear. " We found the mage."

    Altair saw through his eyes just in time to see Alyssa savagely mming the skeleton mage into the earth with her arm. Ruthlessly, she began stomping, invoking Deste Descent with each step.

    The mage had the foresight to invoke a Second Circle Barrior, but it shattered into nodes on the first strike. The earth caved into an endless chasm, seeking to reach the core of the world as Alyssa continued until she saw a system notification of the Skeleton Mage.

    [Ildroma Calidoma Felled. Exp Gained]

    "Die Motherfucker!" Alyssa roared, crackling withughter as a geyser of molten rock struck her, pushing her hundreds of meters up on the surface of the world. Her yellow eyes glowed. "Did I do good, Master!"

    "Very," Altair answered, smiling. He shifted his attention to Nia, locked in battle with a dual-wielding spearman. Her dual pupils manipted her perception of time as she whipped around the t ne around them.

    With most of the undead being felled by the Spear of Indra invocation, there were few survivors. Something Altair wasn''t too happy about.

    "All that free Exp Gone. Well, whatever. I''ve already made it to the Peak." He nced down at the Duhan Raven was facing. Raven had never been a Fallen Shadow. He''d confirmed that much, having once tasted her blood in a dual. She was something else entirely but still held many of the attributes of his shadows, which made him curious about her true nature.

    She was strong¡ªstronger than him if she had ever used her unique skills¡ªbut she had refused to do so even if he hadmanded her to. He was sure at least one of them would die if they battled to the death. But it still bothered him that he had never seen all her techniques.

    [Divine Sin, Daddy,mends your Aspects, asks you return home to spar]

    [Divine Sin, Archoeon, demands to know who Divine Sin''s daddy is]

    [Daddy: I''m your father, bitch!]

    [Archeon: Piss off]

    [Daddy: I''ll be in the second hell, pull up!]

    Altair chuckled. "Father, stop trying to ruin my patrons. He''s helped me a lot. Devil or not." He nced at the other messages, noting a couple thousand gods inviting him to join their sects or world. He ignored those, spotting Athena in thements.

    [Divine Being, Piercing Owl, has a message from the Titans]

    Altair narrowed his eyes, curious where she''d been all this time. He''d an inkling it was to meet with the Titans, but ever since she met up with Mephisto, he felt that it was merely an excuse.

    "Whatever it is¡­ I''ll find out the truth soon," he thought, connecting to Therion, and he said, " Now all that is left is to find the lich. I''m sure he''s one of the few to survive."

    "No problem, Master," Therion eximed, brushing the molten rock off his shoulders like it was sand. "But master, can I request something?"

    Altair lifted a brow in surprise. "You want to request something? You''re not even six months old. What could you request?" he calmly asked, knowing that Therion was akin to a newborn in many ways.

    "I want to know if you can purchase that spell. The one that nearly wiped out this."

    Altair nearly toppled from the sky, only to explode intoughter. He knew how expensive Sixth Circle Spells could be constant over a million Sols at a time. But he didn''t need to purchase it, for his omniscience had already dissected the memory of the spell.

    He''d all the knowledge inside his mind; all that wascking was the experience and Mana necessary to cast a Sixth Circle Spell.

 Chapter 345 Fifth Form, Zensu

    In the cross-shes of spears rioting against one another, casting tremors far and wide, Nia''s dual pupils granted foresight, projected shadowy images of herself and her opponent dancing around their main body and brawling with their spears before they disbursed into a mist.

    Nia''s eyes shed, curling her lips upwards as she jerked her spear up at an angle, catching the Elder Skeleton where its heart ought to have been if it were still alive.

    The obsidian bones of the strange skeleton shattered into a fine mist, blown away by the force of Nia''s strike. The impact was so powerful that it left a gaping hole in the skeleton''s body, taking out half of it.

    "A¡­ F¡­Fine¡­Spear¡­" the Elder Skeleton muttered as the azure mes within its hollow sockets faded to embers.

    Nia''s eyes grew cold, and her spear flickered, shredding the remaining half of the skeleton into dust. While she wanted to respect her opponent, during their battle, she''d noticed that the skeleton didn''t expense the highs and lows of exhaustion most people experience. It was always at one hundred. She was the same, so she didn''t dare hesitate tond a blow that ensured it wouldn''t rise again.

    [Jovaca Loma Felled. Exp Gained]

    "Mission Aplished," Nia said, informing Jorm before she pushed to locate any more stragglers or other generals. There were none aside from the Duhan, holding its own against Raven or at least trying.

    In the short time they''d been separated, Raven''s spearmanship had seemed to deviate from her masters, taking on a new form of Grave of Night.

    On her return to her Master''s side, she found herself studying Raven. In ways she''d not before, asking herself, ''If we fought, would I win?'' The answer never came.

    "Good work out there," Altair said to her, though his attention was also on Raven. "She might be my Familiar, but her skill with a ive is almost foreign to me. It hardly seems like my Mother''s technique." he shook his head before looking at Nia. "Is your side secure?"

    "Yes. And I have an idea for finding the Lich." Nia said, forcing her eyes away. "Let''s Destroy this realm."

    "huh?"

    The idea had crossed Altair''s mind, but he never thought that Nia, of all people, would rmend it. It seemed inconceivable. Nia was ever bit an honorabledy. Destruction of a world seemed every bit the opposite of what she stood for.

    "that won''t be necessary," Tasha said, strutting over with a smile. She nced at Nia, finding her lips reaching higher. She was impressed. It wasn''t every day an honorabledy turned her back on what they believed in. Or perhaps Nia herself wasn''t aware of what she spoke of. Either way, Tasha found the idea stimting.

    "I''ve found him." She opened her palm, conjuring a strange holy energy that, at any other time, would have incinerated her down to her bones. Instead, the whisk of energy began to dance around her palm before flying off across the ne of ruin around them.

    "That''s Seraphic Essence," Altair said, ncing curiously at Tasha for answers.

    "It''s called Guidance," Tasha said. "it basically allows you to call upon your patron''s power to guide your path."

    "So, in your case, it''s Gremory," Altair said, garnering a strange response he couldn''t quite ce. "What? Is it Astaroth?"

    "My Lord, has anyone ever told you that you''re insolent?" Tasha expressed, finding his confusion all the more interesting. "You only ever speak their name but never refer to them by their title."

    And for the first time, Altair didn''t have an answer. Perhaps it had been of pride, or he simply didn''t care, but he never thought about it.

    "Anyway. Let''s go. Follow me." She continued, following after the whisk of seraphic essence.

    "Wait, are you just going to leave Raven!" Raven shouted, somersaulting into an earth-shattering kick behind the Duhan that sent it skidding over the ground and off his stallion. She charged, catching up to the Duhan, who barely had time to parry the ive that would have impaled its chest.

    "MASTER IS A BULLY!"

    "Yall here something?"

    "Master!" shouted Raven.

    "Must be the wind. Yeah. The wind. Let''s go, Tasha. Raven, hurry it up."

    Raven screamed, shooting a furious re at her master, leaving her behind. She turned her amethyst eyes to the Duhan, who appeared to flinch, kicking itself back to get out of range.

    "Raven is sorry, Mr. Dead-Dead. But she has to kill you now."

    The Duhan responded by opening his palm and summoning an emaciated head that was set aze with the same azure me as the stallion he once rode on.

    Before Raven could conceive what he could do with such a head, the air became electrified, lifting the hairs around her body. She gulped and moved. Blitzing the Duhan with Sovereign Gale, her ive whipped across its rib, pausing a breath''s distance, as a shriek so mighty the earth for over a hundred meters turned to vaper in the blink of the eye.

    Raven didn''t have time to defend, as she felt as if a battering ram struck her chest. Her skin was peeled away like a carpenter peeling wood from off a block as blood gushed from out of her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She was thrown back, skidding like a broken doll over the earth.

    A painful wince escaped her lips as she forced herself to remain standing. She was made whole the following second by her Ashen Blood, but that didn''t make her feel good.

    "I''m going to kill you." Raven dered in an overly calm voice, tightening her fist around her ive that began to smolder with the Essence of Vale.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "You are¡­ not my Match." said the Duhan, lifting its head to speak to Raven''s surprise.

    She smiled nastily, taken in by a calm that came from her subconscious. The Ancient Gods who''d taken an interest all frown, immediately recognizing the Fifth Form, Zenzu. More than that, they recognized the ancient technique held by the ancient form, known as the Hollowing.

    Raven''s skin turned ashen, and her eyes reluctantly grew empty, devoid of even the slightest emotion. As if she''d rejected the harmony of the Heavens and the Earth, a will that transcended the will of the Myriad Heavens began to awaken within the young girl.

    Even Iliana seemed surprised, for she was sure her clone wouldn''t have taught anyone anything other than the Ninth Form. She had to wonder how Raven obtained the Fifth Form, Zensu, known as The Ethereal Grace, said to be able to reject the Seven Sins and Seven Virtues.

    It hadn''t taken long for the Duhan to perceive something wrong. It was an internal sensation that he couldn''t exin. He could see Raven, but he couldn''t sense her, at least not in the traditional sense. It felt as if he was standing before another undead.

    "What is the¡ª-" The Duhan words faded, for it didn''t even have time to perceive its death as the afterimage of Raven vanished. His sea of conciseness simply faded into the general night of the Vale.

    ***

    Altair, following after Tasha, frowned, ncing to his rear in the direction he''d left Raven. He was confident that Raven could handle the Duhan, but for some reason, he felt something stir within his consciousness. His omniscience informed him that Raven was fine and the battle was over, but the sensation of forewarning permeated his mind.

    "I''m sure she''s fine," Morrigan said, noticing the concern on his face. "She could fight a seventh Circle easily. A sixth circle undead should be nothing."

    "I know that," Altair muttered. "It''s something else." he shook his head, ncing around at the molten rock that was hardening now that it hade to the world''s surface. The world around them, however, was clouded with Sulfuric Ash, obscuring the vision of everyone but Tasha.

    "We''re here," Tasha affirmed, pointing towards the only building standing.

    Morrigan frowned, waving her palm, willing the wind to push away the ash to reveal a sprawling building of bones so tall it seemed as if it wished to touch the clouds above. It was perhaps one of the ugliest things she''d ever seen, as many of the bones used to craft the tower were the bodies that were still dposing.

    "Uhgerrr." Siena could not hold it in anymore and vomited her breakfast, threw her mask.

    "Archdemons Baphomet Castle is better," Tashained. "Where are the screaming men and woman, the kids! The aborted bastards. Those bastards'' screams are the best. Come on. At least show some imagination! JUSTICE FOR THE ABORTED¡ª"

    Altair waspelled to cover her mouth. "Please shut up," he pleaded, cupping his face. "You''re making it so I don''t want to go to the Hells."

    Tasha wrenched herself free and said, as a matter of fact. "It''s hell, my Lord. What did you expect? It exists to torture sinners or unlucky ones."

    "It''s disdainful, but she''s right," Morrigan said darkly. ''And from what I hear, Archdemon Baphomet is one of the worst tortures in all the hells. When he loses himself to Madness, the things hees up with are able to make an Angel Fall."

    "There is a reason he''s called the Lord of Sacrilege," Tasha added, pointing towards the spiraling tower. "That there is like a cheap imitation of one of his towers. This Ravel is a believer, or at least admires him greatly."

 Chapter 346 The Lich I

    "Let''s just find the lich and kill him. I''m tired of this floor," Morrigan grumbled; not bothering to find the entrance to the tower, she opened up a new pathway with a fireball.

    "Hells." Altair paused and shook his head, brushing the debris off his shoulder. He followed after her. Morrigan had already begun toin about the grotesque statues exposing those conquered and those Felled by his hand. They were grand though Altair otherwise, who held an eye for art though otherwise. Morrigan seemed to share that option, for she destroyed everyst one for dirtying her eyes.

    By the time they''d imed halfway up, Seina and Morrigan had created a game of who could destroy what, hoping they didn''t have to climb to the top and the lich mighte down. Tasha had even rmended defecating on the statue, though Altair quickly tossed out the idea, bonking her on the head.

    "I was just trying to help!" She''d said in her defense before they resumed their journey.

    After an hour, Altair considered taking Tasha up on her idea. They began to notice that despite how much they walked, the distance between the highest point of the tower never arrived. They could feel they were still at the center of the tower.

    "Anyone good with Formation?" Altair asked, figuring it was a trap of sorts.

    "I''d rather die than study that bullshit," Morrigan admitted, reminded of the times she tried. Ten cycles she wasted before tossing it away in a burst of anger. Stomping it into the dirt until the evidence of her failure was dead.

    "I''m good at it," Siena said as Tasha agreed, saying," As a Lilm, I am proficient in all Professions. Formations were a part of my training."

    Jorm, Nia, and Alyssa remain silent in his shadow, enjoying their outing free of the hellscape of paperwork and Aurora''s constant barrage of work, somehow piling up day after day. Conquering a tower was perhaps the most freeing thing they''d done since their Master''s escape from the Lake of Rot.

    Altair couldn''t me them. He, too, felt the pain of never-ending paperwork but couldn''t do much about it. At least not yet.

    "Let''s just blow it up!" Altair said. "I don''t want to be here longer than necessary."

    "That might fuel the Tower, my Lord." Tasha intervened, sliding to his rear moving her fingers along his shoulders.

    The tension he didn''t even know existed seemed to ease itself from out of the very marrow of his bones. He nearly toppled to his knees.

    "Lord in Heaven~" Altair mewled.

    "More like Devil of the Nines." Tasha corrected.

    "You should have told me you were this good."

    "A girl needs her secrets," Tasha revealed. She leaned into his ear and whispered. "Just wait until you see me in bed."

    "Umm, can you just destroy the formation?" Morrigan shouted. "If I see one more statue of this dipshit dick riding himself, I''m going to puke."

    ''What does dick riding mean?" Seina asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "It''s a form of eating someone''s shit," Morrigan said. "And I mean that literally."

    "The lich eats other people''s shit?"

    "...."

    "..."

    "..."

    "Oh my lord, you''re so innocent," Morrigan said, unsure how to exin her idiom. She''d been kidding, nearly forgetting her young age. Patting her head, she forced a smile and said," I''ll tell you on the next floor. Tasha, can you¡­"

    "Let me finish. Master is taking a break."

    She rolled her eyes. " Just fuck already. Why all the forey."

    Tasha''s ears perked, "You poor girl. You''ve never been fucked properly, have you."

    In all her hell cycles of life, Morrigan had never been so taken back, offended, and embarrassed. In truth, she hadn''t much care for matters of the flesh. She''d experienced it a few times but thought it was overrated. It didn''t help most of her lovers were killed the next day in battle. It had gotten to the point where Morrigan had simply forgotten she was even a woman.

    She''d lived for the tion of death, to look out at the oceans of blood; she''d fought day and night, oftentimes years, to mold such things into being.

    Matters of the flesh simply had no ce in her life.

    Her mission with Altair, while distasteful, wasn''t anything more than a small trial. Nothing she hadn''t faced on the battlefield. Still, Tasha''s words stung more than she wanted to admit.

    "Now, Now," Altair said, forcing himself to brush off Tasha''s dexterous fingers, expressed, "We are all allies here. No need to mention her sex life. Such things are private."

    "Quite right, Master," Tasha said with a smile that said, ''It''s not like I said anything wrong.'' She moved past Morrigan with a victorious expression before gauging the formation around them. Her eyes glowed for a second before a strange sigil formed in her eyes.

    Off to the side, Morrigan coldly watched when she heard Altair''s voice reach her," Are you alright?"

    "I''m not a whore¡­" She said.

    "I never said you were," Altair remarked, unsure where that came from.

    She hesitated, adding, "I''ve never been someone that ever cared about sex. It''s just not for me."

    Altair looked at her, startled to see how insecure she was about the topic. Despite her words, she looked like a frightenedmb. Honestly, he wasn''t sure how to proceed.

    "When we¡­" she bit her lip. "When we have sex¡­ I¡­ I merely hope you won''t hate me afterward."

    Before Altair could question what she meant, the nking of metal chains shook the tower, rustling dust clouds, maggots, and other small critters from the ceiling above. They barely had time to invoke a barrier to defend.

    "Master, you weren''t even watching!" Tashained, puffing her cheeks out. "I even went slow to show you the basic mechanics!"

    "Sorry! I got distracted." Altair nced at Morrigan and brushed against her shoulder, whispering, "Come talk to me after this is all over. I''m now a little curious about your past. I''m even more curious about what you looked like in yourst life."

    "It wasn''t anything special."

    "Said every hot, insecure girl," He teased, quickly asking Tasha to exin all she did. Secretly using his Omniscience to review everything in more detail than she could ever exin. He feigned a sense of knowing and listened to every bit of her words before deciding against looking into Tasha''s past. He didn''t think he was quite yet ready to experience the hells.

    Something told him that only pain awaited him if he did.

    After another ten minutes of travel, they slowly entered themon room, startled to see several men, women, and children sprawled over the ground. From the way their bodies rested, they appeared dead. Tasha seemed to confirm their deaths with a nce, frowning as she looked and studied the bodies surrounding the firece still burning.

    "Did he kill them around the firece?" she wondered aloud.

    "Everyone has a story," Altair said, in time to see Morrigan lit the bodies ame.

    "And everyone deserves a grave, be they on the battlefield or off," she said with a darker-than-average voice.

    "You don''t like Necromancers, do you." Altair noticed. "That hole branch seems to disgust you."

    "I''ve lived my life on the battlefield, Altair. I fought side by side with countless men, women, and children. Enemy or allied. They are fated to be one with the ether. Necromancy breaks that rule. In every war I joined, there have only been a handful of people I know who truly enjoy the concept of war.

    To never be able to seek some sort of rest in death is a type of hell no man should experience."

    "I say otherwise. Fuck ''em," Tasha coldly remarked. "The dead don''t deserve my pity. For that matter, neither does the living. I believe the second monarch said it best. ''The phrase I wouldn''t wish that on my worst enemy is a stupid idiom for someone who never learned to truly hate."

    ''... why does that sound like something father would say?'' Altair thought, masking his smile.

    "The dead don''t deserve respect. They''re dead," Tasha continued. "It''s why we cultivate and why we strive to be the strongest."

    Just then, Nia pulled herself from Altair''s shadow and said," I stand with Morr on this matter. Despite being undead myself, I am against the idea of bringing one back from the dead. Enemy or not. Some things in life should be sacred."

    "Technically, you aren''t dead," Altair exined. "More like you were reborn in my image. It''s a little hard to exin my Fallen Necromancy. But the more I learn about actual Necromancy, the more I find out how different it is from what I do. From all I know¡­ you can have kids if you want. Shit¡­ I think with enough time, I can even give you an actual lifespan."

    "Don''t try to pardon your crime master. I''m still mad you killed me."

    Tasha pped her ass so hard she blushed. "As far as I can see, you''ve filled out quite well in all the right spots. You seem to age along with your Master."

    "T-T-Thats assault!" Nia cried, snapping a trembling finger at her.

    "Then tell your Master. I''m sure he can punish me all night long," she shamelessly insisted.

    Nia''s expression only seemed to redden before she snorted, returning to her Master''s shadow, though not before shouting, "Bitch!''

    "Ahh~ Hostile work environments are the best¡­" Tasha raised a hand. "Who''s with me?"

    "Ummmm¡­ Are we still climbing this tower?" Siena hesitantly asked.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 348 The Lich III

    "Where alive?" Seina muttered, clenching her arms, shaking quite visibly. She stared at Tasha, who''d managed to erect a barrier in time, saving her life. She sighed in relief, noting the expression Tasha had held. For all the time she''d known her, there had never been a moment that led her to frown. Yet here she was with her lips curled down.

    "Master¡­" Alyssa echoed, violently shaking with a feverish look.

    "Don''t¡­ This battle is not one you should be involved in." Morrigan warned, her voice firm as she blocked their path with a raised palm. "I''ve no idea how Altair could muster such power with his meager cultivation, but he has. So unless you three can match his current strength, you need to retreat."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "But you can do something," Tasha said. "Some Arbiter has set the multiplier to five. You''ll be able to¡ª"

    "Does it look like Altair needs my help?" Morrigan said, sounding taken back. Acutely aware of the rage some of the gods were going through at theary levels of destruction. If not them, then the arbiters who had control of the trial were sure to be throwing a fit.

    The goal of killing Ravel, while optional, was never meant to be aplished. The goal of the third floor was merely to raise the level of those who entered Babels Tower as quickly as possible.

    For those that didn''t need to grind like most seventh circle and higher, Ravel would grant them benefits for the next floor or specific resources granted by the Floor Master for them to patiently wait a year. If that didn''t work, he''d go into hiding, though not once had anyone thought to destroy an entire.

    "Just it back and watch,'' she continued. "If it gets too dangerous, we''ll step in.

    "You can handle that?" Nia questioned.

    Morrigan only smiled, peering forward at the billowing neb of Vale Qi echoing from Altair.

    ***

    [You have activated Deste Abyss]

    Deste Abyss [F]

    Multiplier: 2.5x

    Proficiency: 50%

    In a burst of eldritch light so profound that the bleeding world around the Young Emperor shook, dwindling rubble into vaper. From the ck Lake of Vale Qi, he pulled that pure, unrefined essence from his soul into his Vale Stars, drawing on the might of the Almighty.

    [The Attributes of Almighty has now been infused in all Magic]

    [Mana consumption has been divided.]

    [Space has be unstable due to the Presence of the Prince of the Vale]

    [Ding]

    [Due to your Omnence, your understanding of the Vale is Rising]

    [Ding]

    [Deste Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 31%]

    [Deste Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 10%]

    [Deste Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 5%]

    [Deste Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 4%]

    Deste Abyss [F] ¡ú [E]

    Multiplier: 2.5x ¡ú 3

    [Deste Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 5%]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [ Lv 95 ¡ú 175]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 50% ¡ú 55%]

    Strength: 2690 ¡ú 2850(3) ¡ú 8550

    Dexterity: 3285 ¡ú 3525(3) ¡ú 10,757

    Constitution: 3475 ¡ú 3875(3) ¡ú 11625

    Wisdom: 4475 ¡ú 4875(3) ¡ú 14,625

    Charisma: 4475 ¡ú 4875(3) ¡ú 14,625

    Mana: 340

    "BLACKWOOD!!!" Ravel roared, spearing the world with his body as henced through it at a bleeding speed,ing out the other side, revealing his torn body. Bones that could support an entire world stood shattered in hundreds of different ces, bleeding an azure me. "I''ll fucking kill you! ELDRITCH LANCE!"

    The magical circle shed and shattered, invoking a spherical orb of nightmarish essence, forming into ance twice the size of the tallest mountain on Earth.

    Altair sneered as his Spiritual domain formed, wielding an arrogance that sought to challenge heaven itself. He smiled savagely, amazed by the Lich trying tobat him through Magic when it was his physical attributes that had increased. He wanted tough. To mock the insolent animal, yet Ravel''s action only offended him in a way that tore away his smile.

    "Die for me!" Ravel screamed, hurdling his third circle spell at Altair. Bellowing a mighty roar that could be felt for miles.

    Altair stared as thence prated his domain; his attention was immediately pulled toward the hundreds of thousands of microdots huddled around various spots held by thence. Through his omniscience, he knew what they were. They were the weak points held in all things.

    "Indignation," Altair said, invoking the first art of the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin.

    Ravel watched in horror as Altair became an amalgamation of infernal lightning, piercing his spear and arriving before him faster than most could think. He saw his sword reaching towards him and opened his hand to catch it, only to be surprised when Gram took off that arrogant hand.

    "Eh?" Surprise turned to horror as the sword fueled by infernal lightning approached his eye socket, with every intention of annihting him both in body and soul. The Lich pivoted back, escaping using his advantage in speed to dodge at point-nk range.

    ''How''d he¡ª" He flinched as the image of Altair vanished, and his awareness expanded, only to quiver as he felt a palm reach out of the darkness of the Space to touch his shoulder. He robotically turned, the words echoing from his cracked skull, "What are you!"

    The question itself rang through amongst the upper echelon of gods. Whether they were minor gods or true gods, everyone asked the same question.

    Altair, who''d Valemorph into darkness, allowing instantaneous travel, grinned savagely as a seraphic me glittered around his palm.

    [Sacred me has weakened all undead within the Light of Sacred me by 60%]

    Name: Ravel

    ss: Lich King II [89%]

    Race: Undead

    Str: 4447 ¡ú 35,576¡ú 14,230.4

    Dex: 6772 ¡ú 33,860¡ú 13,544

    Con: 7960 ¡ú 39,800¡ú 15,920

    Wis: 7710 ¡ú 38,550 ¡ú 15,420

    Chr: 7710 ¡ú 38,550 ¡ú 15,420

    Mana: 450 ¡ú 180

    With a cry that came from his very depths, Ravel iled about like a fish out of water, shrouded by a holy me clinging to his very soul like nats on shit. Bones turned to vaper, bleeding the embers of his soul as he writhed in agony, pleading with Altair for a quick end.

    "he''s dead¡­" Tasha determined. "I''ve never seen a demon, much less an undead, survive the mes of Heaven. All it takes is one touch. And those mes will eat you alive."

    Altair merely looked, lowering the intensity of Sacred me spreading to every crevice of his bones.

    "Please!!!!!'' He roared a cry so damning Seina turned away, covering her ears. She''d never heard such wretched screams in all her years. To merely call them inhumane felt wrong, for it exceeded that fact.

    "Kill Me!"

    "What a shame, your undead. Suppose you were of flesh and blood. My Sacred me would have no effect. But don''t worry, Lich. This form of torture is only the beginning. For once, I have your soul¡­" He grinned devilishly, with an unmistakable savagery that would lead even the sanest alive man to believe Altair was a devil of the Hells.

    "So scream¡­ and cry and beg. Let''s hear it." He demanded, licking his lips as Sacred me engulfed all of Ravel.

    "M¡­My¡­ Master¡­ Will¡­ AVENGE ME." He rattled out in sharp utterances as his screams became all the more wretched. In the same breath, only his fractured skull remained.

    "He can stand in line," Altair dered, dismissing Gram. His smile faded as he turned towards the twilight of stars, which the world once hid away with its polluted atmosphere. "Some fools thought it wise to have a war with me. After I take care of them, I''ll personally visit your Master."

    [Ravel Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Soul of Ravel Acquired.]

    [Congratdtion forpleting the Third Trial]

    [Due to achieving the Impossible, various patrons have decided to enhance your gift]

    Reward: [All Attributes Will Be Increased by 200] or [Increase Character Rights For The Next Scenario.]

    [Warnning: Each Scenario is different for each person]

    Rmendation: Increase Character Rights For The Next Scenario

    As the cloak of Deste Abyss faded, a tide of exhaustion came over him; the young Emperor felt more than joyous of the fact his body was floating aimlessly. He was so weary that he was sure he''d have knelt were he on a with gravity.

    ''Two Valemorphs nearly put me six feet under.'' he thought, only now realizing he was breathing in Space. He wanted tough, but to his dismay, nodes of darkness began to spread across his body. He shook his head, peering up at his rewards.

    "They even rmended a reward." The Emperor smirked when his head bumped into Alyssa''s breast. He tilted his gaze towards her stunning yellow eyes. He hadn''t noticed it before, but there was a strange color within them, a stunning vein of red and violet velvet across the ocean of gold. "What do you think?"

    "I''d go with the Character Authority, whatever that means. You get points all the time."

    "Alright¡­" he muttered faintly, slowly allowing himself to fall into the nket of darkness held in sweet oblivion and slept.

    Alyssa grinned. "Congrats, masters we¡ª" As a ive tore through her throat, severing her head from her shoulders following a sweeping motion, thest thing she saw through the wet geyser of red was the hollowed expression of Raven, aiming her spear at her Master.

    "Eh?"

 Chapter 349 Nox De Nier I

    Alyssa''s sudden death had not gone unnoticed, leaving Nia and Jorm to charge forward; now that Raven stood over her Master, her ive raised high, seemingly prepared to run him through.

    Nia herself was taken aback by the sudden surge of speed, propelling herself past what her physical limit could achieve. She tackled Raven as Jorm took hold of their Master, retreating towards the Ascension Gates below. Despite the ruin, it alone stood untouched.

    "Raven! Get ahold of¡ª" Nia''s words were abruptly cut off as a powerful knee struck her in the abdomen, stealing the air from her lungs. The impact was so intense that it sent her hurdling through the air, the force of the shockwave carrying her for miles. Meanwhile, Raven, her attention fixed on her Master, moved with a speed that defiedprehension, a blur of light energy hurtling towards Jorm.

    Jorm could feel her approach; it was sharp like a de. He felt cold, conjuring his spear that whipped out to cross against Raven''s. The light in his eyes dimmed as he was forced to watch his arm turn to bloody mist, smearing his face.

    "Morrigan!" Jorm roared. Unfortunately, Raven''s ive seemed to spin into action, sweeping towards his throat. The de''s edge rang against Morrigan''s sword, and her spear drove towards Raven''s heart. It missed as she tilted her body mid-air, sweeping her leg out, to Morgan''s surprise.

    She tsked, mirroring Raven''s leg sweep to counter. The sh sent Jorm barreling across the earth, forcing him to hold onto his Master. Without thinking about Raven''s strange behavior, he bounded towards the Ascension Gate at a speed that allowed his image to be murky at best.

    "Raven," Morrigan shouted, noticing theck of reaction across her hollow husk. Her expression shrunk, recognizing the Fifth Form, and she said, "The Hollowing. Fuck. I¡ª" she paled, with a shakyugh, parrying the near-killing blow that seemed to defy mortalprehension, blending into space aimed at her heart and throat. "God damn it! Get ahold of yourself!"

    Raven didn''t respond as the King Domain expanded, lining her vision with millions of nodes all connected to her for nearly several miles. She vanished, to Morgan''s surprise, catching Jorm by the second step she took, diving her ive into his back before he could sense her arrival.

    Jorm drained of color, opening his King Domain to use Sovereign''s Gale, but was shocked to see every node he could push himself to was missing or rather sealed by Raven''s understanding.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Rave¡ª" Severing him in half without the slightest hint of remorse or hesitation, his sea of consciousness returned to the Vale, leaving Altair''s limp body to topple to the ruined realm.

    Raven tilted her head, her hollow eyes shimmering a deep amethyst hue as she took a step towards him.

    "Sorry dear, I''ll be taking him," said Tasha, appearing before Altair and Raven with a single palm pressed at the center of Raven''s breast. She gave a light push that violentlyunched her into space before she could react. "I''ll see you on the next floor," she said before lifting Altair into her arms and arriving at the Ascension Gate in a single step.

    "But I''ll be first to have a taste." She smiled devilishly before she began her ascent.

    To her rear, Seina followed, ncing in the direction Raven had vanished. Despite not seeing her, the essence of the Vale had never been so dreadful; it made her blood ache with each pulse of her heart. She gulped.

    "What the bloody hell happened to her?"

    "The Hollowing," Morrigan exined, hurrying behind her. "Let''s move before she does something I can''t exin."

    "Is she that powerful?"

    Morrigan nced at her and said, "Those that walked the Fifth Form are all monsters that have reached the zenith of martial arts. Merely entering the Hollowing allows one''s battle prowess to triple. If we fight¡­ I''ll be forced to kill her. So for now, we run."

    Hurrying up the Ascension Gate, Seina saw a small speck of light pierce the atmosphere before she vanished from the Third Floor.

    ****

    "Has Young Master, Nox, not woken up yet?" said Anklem, the Head Bulter, to Arch Duke Godrey Nier. He nced at the annex in question, resisting the urge to grimace at the young Master in question.

    Presently, they stood outside the manner in theirdy''s garden, listening to the rustle of the summer winds, billowing their warm kiss against the summer roses.

    La shook her head, recalling the day he had been struck by a blood-red bolt that shook the realm of Allmar. That was nearly 1000 years ago. She hadn''t seen it herself, but it was said that the day the bolt fell from the heavens upon thend, nearly six hundred miles of annihtion appeared to swallow all of the Vel Woods. Nothing seemed to survive but the young Master.

    "The Maidens of Ariandel is sure he will wake soon," said La. "They said his condition improved dramatically this past month."

    "So I''ve heard, said Anklem, narrowing his eyes. "The question our Lady has, however, is what rtionship does the Order of Ariandel have with our Young Master." he sighed, stroking his grey beard. "The Order of Sepeth is not something we¡­" he stopped, not allowing himself to continue. "La just watched over the young Master. I''m sure he''ll be confused when he wakes.

    See if you can get past his maid this time around."

    "Of course," she said, hurrying off towards the far annex, up the serpentine stairs to his manner, and down the end of the corridor where his room resided. The door opened with seven of the Maidens of Ariande, the Healers of Sepeth, gathered around one bed.

    She was stopped when a palm whipped out as the Young Masters''s personal maid stepped forward. "I thought I was clear that our Master is not receiving guests aside from Ariandel''s healers."

    La bit her lips, ncing at the woman there. Duke Godrey himself had assigned to the young Master the day he returned a month from the capital. She hadn''t known where this woman came from, but despite the protest from his wife, Lady Corsant D Von Nier, Godfrey had assigned a strange woman of unknown origins to tend to the young Master.

    Even her name seemed unknown to the staff, for she rarely gave it to anyone other than the Master himself.

    "I am under orders to report the Young Master''s present condition," La said darkly, tiptoeing to see several of the maids in snow-white robes drawing strange runes of light across the Young Master''s arm and chest. She hadn''t recognized them, though that wasn''t surprising since there wasn''t much known about the Order of Sepeth, much less the affiliate Order of Ariandel.

    Nox''s maid threw her hands through the strands of obsidian ck hair and smiled. "And who might have given that order?"

    "The Head Butler," said La as a matter of fact. "We would like an adequate report of the young Master''s situation. "We¡ª"

    "Lady Tasha," said the gentle voice of the one Maidens. "He is waking."

    Tasha spun on her heel, mming the door shut in La''s face as she sauntered to Nox''s bedside. She grinned, noticing a faint disturbance of Soul Energy spreading through his body.

    "Saintess Ivana, I must say you''ve done my Master quite a service," Tasha said, smoothing the young Master''s knotting brows with a gentle finger.

    The Saintess, covered by a silvery blue mask, exchanged a nce with the infernal eyes of the Lilm before her and said, "His Majesty has shone remarkable talent and skill. He is quite a force to be reckoned with. It''s only right if we keep him by our side and not allow him to be tarnished by a devil like yourself."

    "You tter me," Tasha mused, ncing at Nox. "Still, I can''t believe that of all the people on Allmor, Nox is the person Vessel to my Master. Father must have paid a massive price. It will seem she has high hopes for Altair."

    "We will take our leave," said the Saintess. "Do inform Altair that we will be expecting him to visit the Temple of Sepith." She turned as the Seven maidens all followed. Giving the door seven knocks, each at a specific frequency, a strange mythical light shone across the door frame, shimmering so brightly it was almost blinding.

    As the door grew ajar, slowly opening, the maidens, one by one, stepped in, leaving the light to fade as they mysteriously vanished from the annex.

    Just then, a soft groan echoed through the room, stirring the windows, which began to crack as a tremendous aura began to billow off the young Master''s body. His eyes opened, revealing the depths of something older than matters of life and death.

    "Good Morning, my Master," said Tasha, falling to one knee. "I hope you''re doing well?"

    Confused, Altair stood up, tilting his head, unsure why his head felt as if someone had hammered at it with a battering ram. Light itself seemed more blinding than ever before as he closed his eyes to cope.

    "Close the blinds," he softly wheezed.

    Tasha moved to obey, ncing at Altair or, rather, the scrawny body of Nox, slowly being altered by Altair''s Soul.

    In the darkness, Altair''s ck eyes turned scarlet as he sighed, burdened by a weakness that left him feeble. He lifted his hand, noticing the absence of one of his rings.

    "I have Draupnir with me," Tasha exined, slowly helping him up. "These types of rings are not used in this world, so I took it off before your identity was exposed."

    More confused, he nced at Tasha. "This world?"

    "The fourth floor of Babels Tower, well, that''s a misnomer. We are technically on the Twentieth Floor."

    That rmed the young emperor as all the weariness was drained from out of him. His eyes grew sharp, shimmering with danger. "How long was I out?"

    "A Month," said Tasha. "You were experiencing Soul Exhaustion. So there wasn''t much I could do. Gram helped lessen the effects, but still¡­"

    In a single moment that seemed to constitute a mere instant, Altair cycled through the information of his Shadows faster than he could blink in regard to the state of his empire. He sighed in relief, leaning his head back against the bedrest.

    ''They''re not here yet,'' he thought, throwing a nce at Tasha. Wrapped in golden white robes. They didn''t suit her. Not that he was one for fashion.

    [Master, you need time to recover. It would be best if you didn''t abuse your Omniscience anymore.]

    Altair ignored his inner voice, ncing down at his scrawny body, forced to ask, " What the hell is going on? How''d I be like this?"

    "Well, for starters. Your name from now on is Nox."

    Altair blinked, more confused than before. He was struggling to stand up when a notification came across his pupils.

    [Soul of Nox De Nier acquired]

    [First Transcendent Soul Acquired]

    "What the bloody hell is going on?"

 Chapter 351 Nox De Nier III

    ''1000 years,'' Altair wondered, unable to even imagine the amount of time that really was. It seemed only like words on paper rather than a reality.

    He exchanged looks with Tasha before settling his face back on the butler. Tasha seemed to understand because she stood up, spinning on her heel, and said, "Leave. The Young Master will not be seeing anyone."

    Anklem practically paled. "Young Master. Allow me to¡ª" his words fell on deaf ears as Tasha conjured a sword forged out of Mana and pressed it against his throat.

    "Leave!" Tasha demanded, drawing a sliver of blood.

    Anklem froze before retreating a few steps. With a dismissive bow, he left without another word.

    Neither Altair nor Tasha spoke until they saw Anklem ordering a few servants to drag La away.

    "I wasn''t sure of Nox''s mannerisms or if he has an ent, so I didn''t speak," Altair exined.

    "We could make up a cover story," said Tasha. "Amnesia or something."

    "Maybe¡­" Altair muttered, unsure. "If there are denizens of Allmor who be vessels to outsiders like us. I can imagine some people are against it. Some who might even go out of their way to kill these offworlders." He nced at Tasha, who nodded.

    "This is correct, my Lord. They''re known as Veil Hunters. And I can imagine one will be visiting us soon."

    The Young Lord hummed in response, folding his arms. "I get my role is to be Nox. But what is yours?"

    Tasha deviously grinned. "To serve you, of course. You see. The Father of Nox made a deal with the hells. He wanted his son to open his eyes again, so he paid a fee."

    "A fee?" Altair chuckled dryly. "Funny way of saying he sold his soul."

    "Well, I''m not sure what price he paid, but since you awoke as Nox, We fulfilled our end."

    "I don''t suppose you know who he made a deal with?"

    Tasha shook her head. "I only know this much because I awoke in a new body, with someone iming I was to be the cure to his son''s awakening."

    "poor bastard"

    "He knew what he was signing up for. But what irks me is that the person who directed me to House Nier refused to tell me the price Godrey paid. I know Father is involved somehow, but I don''t know how."

    "It doesn''t matter," Altair affirmed. "What matters now is surviving. If Nox was a Transcendent, then I can''t imagine what realm his Father is in. We need information. What happened to Raven and the others?"

    Tasha''s expression turned awkward as she exined all that urred after he fell unconscious. Altair was more than surprised as he reached into himself to find Raven. He nearly fell over as he saw her flying through the skies, batting her wings free of worry. However, what rmed him was theck of emotions echoing from out of her.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She was very much like a husk. It was indeed as Tasha had described¡ªhollow, without emotion.

    "If I summon her, will you be able to take her down?" Altair asked, returning to himself.

    "That wouldn''t be a problem, but you''re forgetting your predicament. We can''t make any huge waves yet. At least not without solidifying your identity."

    "ahhhh~" He shook his head, wanting nothing more than a cold drink. "I''ll see what I can glean from Nox''s soul. Maybe it can be of use. Ask around to find out why I''m living like amoner. Also¡­ Am I allowed to leave? What will happen to this body?"

    " There should be no restrictions. When you leave Babel''s Tower, you can either leave your husk behind or take it with you. It''s up to you," Tasha responded, walking out the door. She smiled and bowed as she closed the door behind her.

    "She''s going to rape me. I just know it." He scratched his cheek with an unmistakable smile before returning to his bed. His eyes twinkled as he reached into the ckke once more.

    "Omnis¡­ I''ll name you that from now on. Tell me about Fallen Necromancy. I want to better Master it, but I''ve no idea where to start."

    [Thank you for the name, Master. But to Master Fallen Necromancy, you will need to dive deeper into the Realm of Spirits. You''ve only Made it 100 meters.]

    "It has a depth? How deep is it?"

    [Infinite]

    ****

    "He''s awake!" shouted the dutchess. "How''s that possible? Are you sure!"

    "I saw it with my own eyes, mistress," Anklem exined within themon room. "And¡­"

    Lady Corsant D Von Nier arched a brow, raising her cup of tea to her lips. "Speak Anklem. Your input has always been appreciated."

    "Well¡­" Anklem hesitated. "I''ve known the Young Master since he was found in the Sagrem Woods hiding in a hollow tree to escape a Saber Wolf. He was eight then. I''ve been by his side for nearly five hundred years since. Not once has he ever¡­" he took a deep breath. "Not once had he ever given me such a look that I felt a wave of cold creep into the marrow of my bones."

    "You suspect him to be an Outerworlder?" Lady Corsant asked, with a tremor running across her teacup. Her dark blue eyes twinkled with intrigue, though she gave no other sign of it, masking her thoughts with a noble smile that seemed neither warm nor cold.

    Whatever it was, Anklem couldn''t tell. He lowered his head, curious if he should have kept his mouth shut. Loose lips always led to rumors, whether they were true or not.

    "How is poor La?"

    "It would seem Tasha''s aim was true. She managed to tear out La''s tongue along with her eyes. The doctors say that the type of energy used made it so that she''ll never truly recover. He''s not even sure if she''ll live past the night."

    "Goodness," Corsant muttered, lowering her cup of tea. "Surely there wasn''t a need to be so cruel. What happened."

    "We''d like to know too,'' said Anklem. "Based on the marks, I suspect Tasha is quite adept in the art of torture."

    "Contact the family Medarc. And ensure that no rumors escape. Thest thing we need is for everyone to know that Nox''s Personal Maid tortured someone in the open. Oh¡­ and send word to Nox. Invite him for dinner."

    "Not lunch, mydy?" Anklem questioned, zing at the light peering through the terrace. "Surely it''s¡­"

    "If we are to invite a Viell Hunter. Then surely they''ll need time to reach the manner." Corsant replied gently. "Ask for an experienced one. And inform the Duke that his son has awakened, though I suspect he already knows." With a lithe step forward, she left themon room as two of her maids followed without sound.

    Anklem bowed, suddenly wishing he had kept his mouth shut. He couldn''t exin why he felt the way he did, but the feeling grew until he let out a breath of air.

    "What am I to do with him? I just hope the Second Young Master takes the news well."

    ****

    "Tsk¡­" Zelos smacked his lips, ring at the hologram before him. "I still can''t get in contact with your husband. You know where he is?"

    Syris blushed. "He is not my husband."

    " he isying it down, right?"

    If looks could kill, Zelos would have been besieged by hundreds of particles. That feeling only seemed to intensify at that mischievous smile of triumph he wore

    "Yeah. Yall married. Only a wife could give that type of look."

    "Or a terribly angry woman." Syris countered. "What is it you want?"

    "Aha~" Zelos smiled. "Well, thanks to your husband, not only has he gotten me what I dreamed of, but even my Father feels like he owes Altair a favor. In form him wherever he is, the Archon of Bios has added him to his list of selective guests for any party he so desires."

    Syris''s expression shifted. "Really?"

    "Syris, I cannot state the level of power my Father, as Archon wields for it beyond anything you or I can imagine. His words are not to ever be taken lightly. Inform your husband, but tell him to tread lightly. I can''t imagine the bacsh to what he asked me to do is going to be light."

    Just then, Syris''s Hologram flickered as a new face joined the call. "Is that Zelos? You little fucker, where did you run off to! You got my money!" Arsene demanded as the call went dead, to his amusement.

    Syris tilted her head, ncing at Arsene, smiling. "He owes you money?"

    "Yup. Quite a few Soul Coins. Nothing big, at least not to me, it''s not. He''s been ducking my calls for nearly a decade." His smile widened as he threw his hands behind his head.

    "You don''t seem like you actually care."

    "I don''t, but it''s fun to mess with him. Zelos is a man of pride, or so his blood demands. Watching the turmoil on his face is he enjoyable." Arsene exined, releasing a yawn. He shot an eye at Syris and said, "I''m a little bored. Care for a training session?"

    "You serious?"

    "Ya boy, Arsene is all about bully¡­ I mean training the new generation, especially when youck a true master. Zariel and I can help you out for a while. Not like we have anything else going for us."

    "... Don''t you have a daughter and another son?"

    "Yup, but Iza and Ves are an odd duo because they awoke much faster than Altair. Altair didn''t. Thought it might be due to the Lake Of Rot. They don''t need me as much." He smiled with a most curious gleam in his eyes. "That seemed to have changed. And I''m a little curious what an Awakened being like you can do.

    Altair did make you his saintess."

 Chapter 352 Veil Hunter I

    With a half-distant look in his eyes that seemed to take on a violet hue beneath the rising sun reaching its highest point, Altair''s silvery hair billowed, spiraling around his body as if he had been lost in the depths of some ancient seas of old.

    When Tasha had returned, even she could not but be taken aback by the strange phenomenon. Despite being an arm''s length away, she could not feel any sort of Mana, much less any other type of energy around him yet¡­

    "Is this the room?" A haunty voice echoed, betrayed by its childish timbre.

    The door to Altair''s room shot open, stopped only by Tasha from mming against its hinges by catching it with a hand. She nced back at her master, then the little thing barely the size of a young fawn. The boy''s brows were nudged together, with his strikingly amethyst eyes ring up at Tasha, barring his way. He couldn''t have been more than four or five.

    "Young Master!" said a young maid, nearly in tears, grabbing at the boy''s tunic. She tried taking him into her arms, but the boy stomped forward.

    "Get outta my way!"

    Tasha tilted her head, curious if offering the boy''s head to her master would earn her cookie points. She smiled coldly, raising the hair on the young master''s neck. The sensation was perhaps so visceral that he shuddered, drawing two steps back, shaking with a cold sweat running down his spine.

    "That''s enough," Altair said lightly, returning to himself from the Realm of Spirits. His tone, while distant, was very much noble, seemingly refined by years of etiquette.

    Tasha had to take another look, caught off guard by the ptine ent that couldn''t be emted by those who didn''t have the blood. She smiled, bowing as she retreated to her lord''s side.

    "Come to me, boy," he said, allowing himself a smile at the frightened boy, who seemed to have caught the attention of his first demon.

    Noctis De Nier blushed, pulling himself from his maid''s embrace, and tiptoed forward, ring wearily at Tasha. Finally, he turned to Altair, focusing hisrge eyes on him, and asked in a squeaky voice he could not control, "A-A-Are you, my Brother?" He blushed even harder, lowering his head.

    Altair allowed himself a frown. "A brother?" he nced at the maid, who dared not look him in the eye, then back to Noctis. "So it would seem. How old are you?"

    "Four!" He said excitedly, seemingly proud of himself.

    "Oh?" Altair''s eyes narrowed, and he opened his mind to his omniscience. "But we''re not blood-rted. At least not fully."

    "Papa married Mommy fifty years ago," Noctis said.

    Altair wasn''t that much surprised by the boy''s intelligence. Most world children were very well-spoken, learning how to properly talk, read, and count by age two. Altair, himself, had learned to talk after nearly two months with the help of Tenebrae.

    "Fifty years," Altair mused, ncing around his room. The degree of deterioration appeared to have taken at least fifty years to ur.

    "Then what might your name be, little man?"

    "Ah!" Noctis''s beady eyes twinkled. "I am Noctis de Nier."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "And I am Nox De Nier, pleased to make your acquaintance, little brother. "Care to give me a tour of our manor? It''s been a thousand years."

    Noctis practically leaped at the opportunity, grabbing Altair by the hand and dragging him out of his annex. Tasha followed, silently observing her Master, curious about what sort of knowledge he had gained in such a short time. If she hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, she might have thought he was truly Nox De Nier, for even the way he walked and talked seemed to have changed.

    They toured from themon room to the servant''s quarter to the training halls to the massive atheneum, with Noctis giving a detailed overview of everything, taking pride in each word he spoke. Within the estate of Nier, there had only ever been fifty staff members. Sixty, if you counted, the servants taken in by the Dutchess.

    Each member was either vetted by the imperial house and condition since birth.

    Altair only seemed to listen, not necessarily to the boy, but to the whispers of history throughout the manner. With each step he took, his Omniscience echoed every word spoken through the halls. Secrets that were never to be shared all shed across his mind as names, dates, and people all embedded themselves in his Sea of Consciousness.

    "Are you feeling alright?" Noctis asked, noticing how sweaty Altair seemed.

    "Just a little lightheaded. Being asleep for a thousand years will do that," Altair replied, rustling the boy''s hair. He nced at Tasha and said, "Can you get me something to quench my throat? Cold. And maybe a little sweet."

    "Have you ever had a White Lotus?" she asked him.

    Altair lifted a brow. "Can''t say I have. Is it good?"

    "I''m sure it''ll knock you on your ass." She bowed, though not before giving Noctis''s maid a warning look.

    "Well, Noct¡­ How does it feel to have a big brother?" Altair inquired, returning to themon room to sit. He smiled, looking at the starry look in the boy''s eyes.

    Noctis flushed. "It''s fun! I want to see brother every day!"

    "Everyday!" Altair gasped. "You must really like me."

    Noctis looked around, whispering, not aware his words were quite audible to anyone with functioning ears, "It''s so boring here. Mommy doesn''t like inviting my friends."

    "Oh?" Altair whispered back. "What type of friends."

    "Young Master, you shouldn''t talk about herdy behind her back," the ashen-haired maid said. Anna was her name. "It''s unbing of¡ª"

    "Who allowed you to speak?" Altair inquired, unveiling his presence.

    Anna paled, turning as white as a ghost. She stumbled back, lowering her head, prepared to fall to her knees. " My Lord, I was only¡­"

    "Inquiring how to meet your end?" he finished. "Do not interrupt. Now, what type of friends do you have, Noct?"

    Noctis looked up with the brightest stars in his eyes; Altair nearly thought the mana inside his body was reacting with his tion. "In the Dak Woods, round back. There is a unicorn! It''s so fluffy! And a Sirin! And a Selkie"

    "Oh wow! You''ve seen a Sirin!" Altair shouted, ying along.

    Noctis nodded feverishly. "Yup! They like to sing to me. Mommy said they were dangerous, but they were always so kind." he clenched his small fist, trying to contain himself, but couldn''t help but expand on all the things he''d seen in the Dak Woods. From serpents the size of cities to winged dragon-like creatures to towering stone tortoises, Noctis went on and on and on.

    By the time Tasha returned, she had brought not just her master''s White Lotus but also a ss of Pickama Juice for the Second Young Master after asking around for what he liked.

    Altair had only taken a sip before he turned to Tasha. "It''s sweet¡­ and sour. I like it."

    "Can I try?" asked Noct.

    "It''s for big boys," Altair teased, peering down at the snow-white drink with a light dusting of cinnamon over the foam at the top. Two more, and he was sure he''d be in the dirtter.

    Just then, the nking rustle of steel boots came from the hall as three knights ordained with the lunar moon and sword over their surcoats. Silver half-cloaks hung on their shoulders, billowing down to their ankle as the tallest of the three stepped forward.

    He fell to one knee and said, " Safford Armata greets the first Young Master, Lord Nox De Nier." Looks of surprise registered across the other two knights, for they followed in suite to one knee, offering their greetings.

    "Are you here for Noct?" Altair asked, taking a sip of his cocktail. He lowered his nce, unable to resist the smile at the boy''s annoyed expression.

    "Yes. The Second Young Master has sword Practice. When we didn''t see him on the mound, we grew worried. He''s never missed a day," said Safford. He gave the second young master a deep look of disapproval and continued. "Might we take him off your hands?"

    "Is that why Little Noct was so excited to give me a tour?" Altair rustled the kid''s hair. Befriending Nox''s brother had been a simple matter. A little attention and he practically lept into his hands. However, it wasn''t Noctis; he had only to convince but everyone within the estate.

    "Then shall we head to the Training Hall? We were just there, but Noct ducked out as quickly as possible. It''s been a long time since I stretched my bones. And since my cultivation has fallen so much." he sighed, ncing at Safford''s surprised expression, and said," Lead the way¡­ or is there a problem I don''t know about."

    "Gods, no! I just assumed you were waiting for the Medarc to return. I heard the Dutchess call for him. I''d assume it was to give you a proper checkup."

    ''House Nier has a functioning Medarc?'' Altair dreadfully thought. He''d always thought that Medarcs were known only to Genisis.

    "It''s only been a few hours since I''ve awoken," Altair admitted. "And I''ve yet to meet anyone." he gave a half smile. "It seems I am not weed in my own home. Well¡­ shall we, Little Noct? Care for a light sparring?"

    "Really? Hehe! I''ll beat ya up! Let''s go!"

    Sprinting away with all the strength his beady legs could muster, Altair followed as his eyes coldly dragged past a peer of ancient ones from above, silently watching upon the banister. Without being told, he knew who it was but didn''t bother to make introductions quite yet and chased after Noctis.

 Chapter 353 Veil Hunter II

    Silently observing her master lightly sparring with the Second Young Master, Tasha''s fingers gently brushed against the spot where Altair had taken blood. The wound had long vanished, yet the sensation was still lingering. Remembering her lilting moans that were sure to have resounded down the halls, a heat ignited in her loins.

    She smiled, a little jealous of her Reina and Syris for iming him first.

    Ever since Gremory had given the order that she was to be Altair''s personal Lilm until he disposed of her, she had always envisioned the day she''d be his ything, yet against all happenchance, he had managed to dy¡­ pushing her along, with excuses or something else. And yet, only now did he seem to have the desire to im her as his own.

    As Lilm, it had been the dream of every one of her sisters to be taken by a Fallen. If only for a single night or a lifetime. It had been the same for Tasha, who was originally intended for Astaroth. However, the Angel of Time had little interest in matters of the flesh. His Imperial Harem had beenplete, and there simply hadn''t been enough room for another.

    While Altair, who was a full-blooded Primordial and Nephilim, had only just begun his path towards the peak. While he wasn''t a Fallen, he was the closest thing imaginable, perhaps even better, or so Gremory and Tasha believed.

    "Still¡­ I can''t believe Altair found this spot. How''d he do that? None of my sisters did when they analyzed my body for various weaknesses," she thought, brushing her skin. All Lilm, be they young or old, go through the same condition at birth. In order for them to be prepared, every Erogenous Zone is cataloged, both inside and outside the body.

    Images alongside various types of stimtion areter given to determine sensitivity to various forms of tortures and situations.

    Out of all the Lilms in her Generation, alongside thest Hell Cycle, Tasha ranked at the peak in every aspect. She was determined to be a True Demoness due to her body''s ability to adapt to a plethora of situations¡ªa trait that did not exist amongst high-ranking devils.

    Due to her abnormal ability, she had been trained personally by Gremory andter sent to Asterorth due to his peculiar behavior within thend of Baylor.

    A little embarrassed by how she behaved, she blushed, somehow imagining a scenario where he''d take her as his ything and never let go. She wanted to be tied down, to be made to be whipped and burned, to feel every infliction her master desired over her body and then some. She wanted to scream his name, to have his name branded across her skin, to show that she was his.

    ''But he''s too kind to call me his personal dumpster¡­'' shemented, peering out at the childish face of him ying with Noctis. She sighed, clenching her fist, recalling the way he''d yed with her hours before, and had to admit his technique had been¡­ more than perfect. Even her ancestors would have been impressed.

    ''AAAAAAAAH~ Focus!'' she told herself, though her finger kept returning to her neck. "Tonight, for sure," she muttered.

    "Did you say something?" Anna asked,

    Tasha, who had been so lost in thought, hadn''t even noticed when she had arrived by her side in the fields to watch, far enough that they wouldn''t bother the knights on the training ground. She nced at her, measuring her libido with indifference. It was on the rise, spiking every so often towards one knight in particr.

    "You see something you like?" Tasha asked, spotting the target of her lust. She gave a naughty smile that was anything but kind and said. "That one with the red hair and green eyes."

    "Thril?" said Anna with notable surprise.

    "So you know his name," Tasha said. "He''s quite handsome."

    "He has a wife and child," Anna muttered, "I could never."

    "It wouldn''t be your fault if you did. If you know what I mean."

    "I don''t."

    "Really?" She giggled. "But he seems to like you. In the time we''ve talked, he''s nced at you ten times." She smiled deviously. "And what''s wrong with it? It''s not like you''re cheating. You''re not doing anything wrong."

    Anna''s expression changed. "Its¡­It''s still wrong."

    "How?" Tasha slithered closer to her side, like a devil upon her shoulder. "A man can have more than one wife. Don''t you deserve some happiness too? Plus¡­" she leaned closer to her ear. "Look at that bulge. He has to have at least seven inches.

    Can you imagine?"

    "I-I-I¡­" Anna''s cheeks reddened as heat began to rush across her cheeks.

    "I mean¡­ if he doesn''t take you. He''ll probably take another. So why not you? Why can''t it be you? Obviously, his woman can''t fully satisfy him. I''m sure a woman like you can handle him far better."

    "But¡­But¡­ How would I even? No¡­ I can''t I¡ª"

    "Just bring him a cup of water¡­ he''ll take care of the rest," Tasha assured her, pushing her along. She grinned when Anna returned with a pitcher of water for the young knight.

    ''At least someone will be getting some tonight. One good deed aplished. Whoever said Devils weren''t good people. Well, at least with Anna distracted, she won''t even notice when her Little Lord falls sick. Poor thing. She''ll be executed by lunch tomorrow.

    At least I''ll have a goodugh.''

    "Tasha, give me a hand. Noct has a bruise," Altair lightly called.

    The Lilm bolted forward, taking a look at Noct''s bloody hand and teary face. She smiled, taking a closer look at the wound before casting a minor healing spell. A bright golden glow that hid the tainted demonic essence invading Noct''s palm pressed against his hand before vanishing along with the wound.

    "Alright, kid. That''s enough for today. Go see the doctor and tell them to look at your wound to make sure the healing was done right. Then make sure you go to your next lesson."

    "Ah, man~," said Noctis mournfully.

    "Don''t worry, you''ll see meter. I''m sure of it." As Noctis scampered off, Altair and Tasha watched before he nced at Tasha, echoing a set of words in her mind, "Will it kill him?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    ''No, though it will be very bloody. Nothing a Medarc can''t handle." Tasha informed him, a little impressed. "I just didn''t think you had it in you?"

    "The kid''s death means nothing. If he dies, he dies. However, he is more useful alive than dead."

    "I still don''t understand why you had me do that, though." Tasha Soul Whispered. "You even ask. I ced it on a timer."

    "I''ve my reasons." Altair said lightly, "Now then, Shall we return? I need a shower. And possibly a nap."

    Learning the Art of Soul Whispering through Omniscience and peering into the past had drained him mentally. He could easily push on but decided against it. There was still much work to do, and thest thing he needed was to experience Soul Exhaustion for the second time this month.

    Bidding fair well to his fellow knights, Altair left with Tasha on his heel, back to his Annex, where Tasha began drawing him a bath.

    Tasha watched her master disrobe before departing. As much as she wanted to watch, she needed to clean. The manner itself had been filthy, so much so that Altair seemed notably disgusted. He had been that way since the Lake of Rot, unable to stand in dirty ces for too long.

    Later, as the sun began to crest over the horizon, Altair was awoken by Tasha''s gentle touch. His vision was a bit groggy as he yawned, sinking further into the water Tasha had kept warm.

    "If you''re joining me,e. There is more than enough space."

    Tasha bit her lips. "You''re torturing me, aren''t you, master." she harrumphed and said," You''ve been invited to dinner with the dutchess."

    "Damn¡­ it must bete." He yawned, stretching his muscles. "Alright. Let''s get this nonsense over with."

    ****

    "Did you send the invite?" The dutchess asked, making her way to the great halls. She didn''t nce at Anklem expecting the answer as she came down the third-floor corridor, down a set of serpentine stairs.

    "It seemed the Young Master was sleeping, so I had to give it to his maid,'' Anklem answered.

    The dutchess footsteps paused. "He was asleep?" The sheer audacity left her speechless. So much so the likelihood of him being an Otherworlder was falling. ''Was he perhaps so carefree that the looming threat of death meant nothing to him?'' she wondered, continuing her step.

    "The Maid said she would give it to him but nothing else."

    "And my Son. Did the Medarc look after him?"

    "Indeed," said Anklem. "The moment the second young master asked for assistance, he was there to have a full diagnostic of his body. He''s perfectly healthy. Although he did create a list of what the young master should be eating."

    The duchess stifled augh. "If I listened to that rmendation, my son would starve to death. Where is he, by the way?"

    "Already at the table, my Lady."

 Chapter 354 Veil Hunters III

    When the duchess arrived within the Dining Hall, a slight frown of imperfection touched her lips in the form of a frown. The sight of her son beside Nox hadn''t bothered her as much as what was missing from the table. The manor was asrge as a castle, and it was rather difficult to control who or what Noctis wanted to see. No. What bothered her was the absence of Noctis'' personal maid.

    Nox aside, there were five unverified men, Veil Hunters, within the hall with her son, who appeared without an escort.

    "Mommy!" Said Noctis, hurrying to his feet. He sprinted on over, leaping into her embrace.

    "Darling, where''s Anna?" asked the Dutchess.

    Noctis shrugged. " I haven''t seen her." He said all innocently.

    "Then who dressed you?"

    "Mommy. I''m not a little kid. I can dress myself."

    "We found him here with these¡­moners." Altair nced at the five armed men, who looked as if they lived in the woods. They appeared clean, freshly shaven, and sprit with cologne to mask themoner stench. Yet that did nothing to mask the etiquette they clearlycked.

    They could all feel it. The mockery in the young master''s cold eyes towards those around him.

    Lady Corsant herself had the grace to blush, strutting forward with her child in her arms as if he were a babe and not a boy on his fourth term. She hadn''t realized she was being so transparent. But the damage had already been done, and she had lost some face before her stepson.

    "Please," She gestured to the five Veil Hunters who''d risen to their feet at her entrance to sit, finding her spot at the head of the table.

    Altair smiled, holding his tongue at theck of any formal greetings or announcements for her guest or the heir of House Nier. It was rather amusing. He had to wonder what she was relying on to disrespect him so openly. Had he still used his true name, he''d have had her on the chopping blocks for her offense against the crown.

    "Tasha, why don''t you take a seat."

    Lady Corsant lifted a brow and said in a pleasant voice that was no doubt filled with discontent, "You''d allow your maid to dine with us?"

    "My Maid is of a royal lineage. The least I say for these¡­ lesser bread men. Judging by their appearance, they appear to share the same gic constetion. Gentleman. Tell me, who, here, is also the uncle and the dad? An Uncle-Daddy if you will. Don''t be shy.

    Or was it a type of let all fit in mommy to¡ª"

    "Nox!" snapped Lady Corsant, "please show at least some decorum. Such talk is inappropriate."

    The five hunters flushed, visibly shaking, as their fists clenched, unsure how anyone had learned their families kept secret.

    "Right¡­ Of course. Such things are best left in the family. Literally."

    Alvar, the eldest of the five, struck his fist against the table, raising the silverware, as his eyes red daggers at the lordling testing. He might have stood up if not for the thinning lips of the young masters.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Quite audacious," Altair started slowly. "Do you think just because my cultivation has fallen to that of a Fourth Circle, you think that I am defenseless?" his eyes slid to Lady Corsant, back to Alvar. "Or is it because my family has abandoned me that you think that I can''t end your pathetic excuse for a genus? Show me the respect I am warranted. If I tell you to kneel, you kneel.

    If I ask you to cut out your tongue, there isn''t an expectation for hesitation, only results, boy."

    As Altair''s spiritual essence exploded, with the aid of the Will of the Abyss, their bodies were visibly drained of color beneath a force that demanded that they kneel. The sensation, however, vanished before it splintered the wood.

    Corsant could not believe the arrogance. It was so tant her jaw opened as she struggled to keep her calm. Not only had she lost control, but even the servants watching seemed to be observing her to gauge her reaction. She''d wanted nothing more than to p Nox, but despite her feelings, he was still the heir of House Nier.

    "Mother?" Noctis said, a little shaken by all happening around him. He was young but not so foolish he couldn''t sense the tension in the room.

    "Young Master, perhaps we¡ª" Anklem began, but his words were cut short by the fierce storm of survival instincts howling at him to hold his tongue.

    "If you still like your head attached to your body, you''ll be silent, Anklem. Ninth Circle or not, you belong to House Nier. Remember that. Right now, I''m having a conversation with the dutchess. Hold your tongue. Tasha, should he open his mouth again, take his head."

    The Devil grinned cruelly, her infernal pupils beginning to burn witht the mes of the Hells.

    ''This isn''t the young master I know¡­ it can''t be,'' Anklem determined, clenching his fist. "Could someone really have invaded his body? He was never this cruel. Never this heartless.''

    Corsant resisted the urge to bite her lips. "Nox, there isn''t a need to threa¡ª"

    "If you must insult me, please have the courage not to lie in my face." Altair grabbed the chalice of wine in front of him, savoring a sip or two. "Since I''ve awoken, not only has no doctor or the Medarc I here is present visited me, but I was not even allowed to rest in my room. Quite a thing, isn''t it?

    Not only that, but you insult me further by inviting incest bread Veil Hunters, suspecting me of what exactly?" he gave a dryugh. "The insults keeping, Lady Corsant. Even now, you''ve yet to introduce me to yourself. How am I supposed to feel? I have shown your son nothing but love despite his birth being an excuse to rece me, but you. You continue to spit in my face."

    The silence in the hall was deafening, so much so the chanking steps of retreating servants were all the more noticeable.

    Finishing his wine, Altair settled the chalice back onto the table, finally shifting his attention back to the Veil Hunters. "Bring it out. The Shard of Ilvaras. It''s how Veil Hunters determine if someone is an Outerworlder, right?"

    Alvar exchanged nces with his brothers, then the Lady Corsant, who, despite the loss of face, managed to remainposed with her son still in her arms.

    "Do it." she forced herself to say, truly considering if Nox was not from the Veil. If her husband were to learn of the treatment of his firstborn, then even she would dread the consequences of her action.

    "The Shard of Ilvaras is but one of the tests," Alvar notably said. "And is meant to be used in the worst of cases."

    "I am well aware they are expensive. However, the Dutchy will cover your expenses. The Shard of Ilvaras is foolproof. So use it so I rid myself of the presence of youmoners."

    ''Master acting is¡­ on point.'' Tasha told herself, keeping herposure. She nearly wanted to fall out of the chair in shock. Rarely was he ever this aggressive. ''But how does he know about the Shard of Ilvaras? Has his shadows already begun scouring the realm for information?''

    Fishing the azure-faced stone form out of his pocket, he tossed it to Altair, who didn''t hesitate to touch it.

    "Transmit a part of your Mana into it, and it''ll determine if you are an outer worlder or not."

    Altair wanted tough, for that had been the furthest thing from the truth. It wasn''t mana that the Shard read but, in fact, the Soul Essence attached to it. Since Mana needed a direct source of willpower to move, it was the easiest source to read to determine one''s origins.

    ir, however, wasn''t worried since he had in his possession the soul of Nox De Nier. The Transcendent Soul that was so powerful it radiated like liquid fire.

    Everyone present stared intently as Altair injected Manaced with Nox''s soul essence instead, smiling as his own will was easily devoured by Nox''s.

    The shard pulsed an azure hue, radiating so brightly that golden light began to seep through, signifying the noble lineage within the realm of Allmor. The Shard continued to glow brightly before it shattered into dust before the eyes of everyone.

    "Is this enough proof, Corsant, or¡ª" Altair stopped himself, his eyes looking down at little Noctis bleeding from the nose? Slowly, it came from his eyes and ears, and before he knew it, every other orifice down below. Tendrils of ck veins began to line his face as his little body swayed in his mother''s embrace.

    The sight itself had been so shocking even the boy''s mother stood petrified as Noctis puked a mouthful of blood. His innocent face paled to a ghastly white as the light in his eyes faded to a deadly void where light didn''t seem to exist.

    Even Altair couldn''t help but be surprised. Tasha had told him it would be bloody, but even he was startled by the sheer cruelty she''d inflicted under his order. However, it was a necessary sacrifice, or so he believed.

    "What the Hell are you standing there for? Get the bloody Medarc!" he demanded.

    "HELP!!!!!" Corsant screeched, a cry only a mother held, clutching the limp body of her son. Tears ran from her beautiful eyes as she howled, unveiling her Transcendent Might that nearly turned everyone present to a fine mist were it not for Tasha''s quick reaction: For nearly a thousand miles, her aura could be felt, alerting the ancient lords held within the manner.

    "My Lady! You must calm yourself! Your son will die!" Alkrem shouted. "Look! He''s here! But he can''t work under these circumstances!

    Please! Calm down!"

    Before Altair could nce at the Medarc, striding into the room at a pace, Corsant furytched onto the young monster. "NOX!!! What did you do!" she demanded with the fury of a thousand suns.

    Calm in the barrier Tasha had generated, Altair smirked. "You''re ming me? How shameless. You left your son unattended, and somehow, you are ming me. This bitch really is something."

    "It wasn''t him," The Medarc quickly shouted, noticing the tension. "I did a full diagnostic on the second young master beforehand, and he was perfectly fine. No poison was detected."

    "He''s right, mdy!" shouted Alkrem, taken back by the storm of mana invading the estate. "It had to have been¡ª" his eyes fell upon the Viel Hunters, remembering Noctis being unattended for an unknown amount of time. "Oh, dear Lord! What have you done?"

    Tasha all but licked her lips, lowering the barrier around the Five men, choosing to defend only her Master and Noctis from the storm.

    ''Master! You''re a bloody monster!'' she gloriously thought as a quick realization of what he was fishing for urred.

 Chapter 355 Tasha I*

    The Duchess'' aura began to falter when she realized all that had urred. She quivered, ncing at the Medarc as she asked, unable to help her voice from cracking, "Will he be alright?"

    "It''s a poison. Mana Poisoning, to be exact," the Medarc calmly revealed, his fingers deftly striking several Acupuncture points around Noctis''s young body. "It''s evil in origin. Something I''ve seen only among those outside the Veil. Fortunately, Noctis was not exposed for that long. He''ll be fine with a few days of sleep and a few prescribed pills."

    Before Corsant could allow herself a sigh of relief, she asked, "Could it have been those Five?"

    "That is the most logical¡ª-"

    "It wasn''t us!" Alvar shouted. "We''d never we¡ª"

    Altair smiled when he heard the door m open. There, they saw an elderly man struggling to stand, leaning forward on his cane. Wrinkled as he was ancient with a head full of grey.

    ''What is all this?! Sheath your bloody aura, Cor, less you kill everyone in this manner." The elderly man snapped, sauntering in as Corsant reluctantly obeyed hismand. His eye snapped to Altair, then Noctis, back to Altair. "Did you do this, Nox?"

    Altair couldn''t say who this was, but the warning of his Omniscience that a truth field had coalesced around the room told him everything he needed to know. He answered, "It was not my doing."

    The elderly man nodded, then nced at Alvar and his brothers. "What about you five?"

    "No!"

    "Never!"

    "Hell No!"

    "We''d never hurt a child!"

    "As Alvaris as my witness!"

    A slight frown etched over the elderly man''s face as he stared at the youngest. He was a fifth circle, with dusty brown hair, irregr-shaped eyes, and a nose that was quite too long for his face.

    "You''re lying," he said in a cold voice, startling everyone present, Tasha included, as she snapped an eye towards the youngest one. Nobbo was his name.

    ''Had Altair done something I missed?'' she wondered.

    "If it would help," Altair started. "When we arrived, little Noct was with them alone. I''m sure you can verify that on your own. Tasha, shall we? I''m quite hungry."

    The elder frowning''s lips dipped ever downwards. "Boy, do you not recognize me?"

    "Can''t say I do. If any of you had bothered to ask, you''d have learned that I''ve only twenty years of memory," Altair conveyed before sauntering off, pausing halfway out the door at Alkem. "Bring me something to eatter. It''s the least any of you can do."

    As Altair took his leave, the Elders''s expression turned to one of utter rage as he snapped his eyes toward Corsant. "What the bloody hell is happening here?!"

    ****

    Returning to his Annex, Tasha closed the door and said, "I think you were a bit too aggressive."

    "You think?" Altair mused, tossing off his jacket onto the floorboard. He smiled, sliding onto his bed, and stared at Tasha.

    "Yes. If you are trying to win over House Nier, then¡ª"

    "Win over? I think you''re misunderstanding something, Tasha. I don''t win. I dominate," He said with the smile of a ptine Lordling. It appeared so noble that Tasha felt her heart flutter. "There will not be any other alternative for them: they will either submit, or they will burn in a hail of hellfire."

    "You''re different¡­"

    "I can see the truth now," Altair admitted, sitting up. His gaze, now distant, seemed to peer through the nexus of time. "And it''s how I know you''re dripping wet."

    Tasha lowered her eyes to a wet spot above her crotch and touched her lips in surprise, startled to find a lewd smile.

    Altair chuckled and said in amanding tone, "Strip."

    ''What has happened to him?'' She wondered, finding herself bound by some unnamed authority. Her smile nervously deepened as her fingers slid the snow-white robes down her slender flesh down to her ankles.

    Tasha had been as tall as any Amazonian, though she stood a few heads shorter than Altair. Her eyes, while red, burned with hellfire that seemed to grow ever brighter amidst her passion. At the same time, her obsidian ck hair flowed ever downwards to the tip of her naked bottom. Tasha''s beauty had been one that could befall nations, corrupt Ancient Gods, and taint even Saints of Old.

    ''And she''s all mine,'' Altair thought, appraising the demoness, who, despite her confidence, was trembling as nectar slithered down her thighs. His smile thinned at the thought of Gremory, then faded soon after as he pointed to the ground.

    Without words, Tasha fell on all fours, crawling towards her Master, the anticipation in her eyes practically palpable.

    Amused, Altair stuck out his tongue, allowing saliva to pir down; he watched in amazement as Tasha caught it like it was the sweetest treat he''d ever given her. He was only slightly curious about what she could do, but Tasha had gone so far as to swirl it around her mouth like wine and swallow.

    "What a good girl," he said, patting her head. Tasha''s blush blossomed like a flower. Appraising her hourss figure, with proportions that seemed to defy his imagination, he added, "But what else can you do?"

    "Whatever you like, master," said Tasha. "I can be your lover, your ying, even your victim if you''d like."

    "Hmmm," The Young Emperor hummed in amusement and said, "y with yourself."

    Tasha''s devious smile returned as she slowly fell onto her back, spreading her legs perfectly horizontally for her Master to see her precious area, and ced a single palm between her legs, sliding them up and down her narrow slit, practically dripping with her juices.

    Altair wondered what she tasted like but didn''t act immediately; instead, he patiently watched as her finger began to elegantly dance across her little cunt. Lilting moans quickly began to fill the room as her devilish eyes began to burn even hotter. Before long, her dancing fingers became like stakes plunging into the earth, finding themselves inside of her.

    Her sweet moans became even sweeter as her aroma, which would otherwise enthrall even the strongest of men, began to permeate the room.

    "Master~" Tasha mewled, spreading her pussy wide with her fingers. Her almond-shaped eyes were wet with moisture as she moaned his name.

    If Altair was aroused, he gave no sign of it, crossing his legs admiring the work of art. "How many times a day do you y with yourself?" he asked.

    "Ten!" she cried amidst a climax that sent a geyser of her honey two meters into the air. She gasped, writhing deliciously like prey on the floor. "Twenty if I get to see you."

    A stunned smile crept up on Altair''s lips. "You horny, little bitch!" he eximed. "But I''m sure you can do better than that. Show me something impressive."

    Like a cat cleaning itself, Tasha pulled herself up, raising a single leg as her tongue began to explore herher region. Her stare never broke with her Master, gauging his response with an intensity that awoke a passion in the young lord.

    She purred, slurping on her garden with a fever. Altair felt his breath catch. Truthfully, his mind was already in turmoil, deterred by the pheromones the Lilm was releasing. He wasn''t a ninth circle like her, and neither was he at the extreme peak of the Ninth Circle.

    The only thing he could rely on was his pride, tempered by the Ninth Form. But it was that very pride that was beginning to crack as more of her pheromones began to invade through his pores.

    "Take off my pants," Altair finally said.

    Tasha practically lept like a cat at the opportunity, unbuckling his belt and zipping down his fly with her teeth.

    Despite knowing Tasha had never been touched by anyone, Altair couldn''t believe her skill. If not for his Omniscience informing him that Tasha''s Ancestors had granted all their sexual experience through her blood, Altair wouldn''t have believed it. She was simply too good.

    "Master~must~be~part~minotaur!" Tasha eximed beneath the shadow of his cock looming over her head. "You''re so big!" she kissed his tip, tasting the pre-cum that zed her lips. "And delicious."

    Altair gulped, unsure how much more the Soul of the Indomitable could take. He''d already turned off notifications but could feel his spiritual defenses being tempered by a storm.

    Just then, a knock echoed at the door.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Sorry for intruding, Young Master, but I''m here to deliver your dinner." Came the voice of Alkrem.

    "Enter," Altairmanded, smiling evilly as Tasha shuddered as a heart-shaped pattern of mana filled her eyes. Never in her life''s dreams would she ever allow a lesser being to gaze on her body, but today, underneath the eyes of her Master, the door to his room opened as a mere servant rowed in a cart.

    Her heart thundered against her chest while her cunt grew increasingly wet, forming a small puddle between her legs. A bolt of tion came from her brain,ncing down her spine and spreading out like roots all across her body as she shook.

    "Young Master I¡ª" Alkem stopped himself as a fog of euphoria prated his body and Soul on a fundamental level. His manhood fastened itself against his britches as he stared at Tasha beneath his young Master''s cock.

    "Please, humiliate me more, master," said Tasha pleadingly, pressing her cheek against her Master''s manhood.

    Instead of a response to Tasha, Altair red at Aklem and said," Leave the Cart and fuck off. I''m busy."

    Aklem stood there for a moment, themand only registering when he saw Altair grab Tasha by the ass, squeezing her so tightly, his hands were nearly consumed by her cheek. When he had finally left, closing the door in a hurry, a strange wave of heat began to course through his body as he hurried over to the Servants Quarter.

    Altair smiled, biting back the tion course through his lower half. There was so much blood flow it ached, trembling beside Tasha''s head.

    "Eat Up."

 Chapter 356 Tasha II R-18

    "Eat up."

    The sensation of Tasha''s posh lips slowly expanding over his manhood had been so visceral Altair threw his head back, gritting his teeth. He stifled a moan that came from his very depths, trembling, surprised by the intense surge of warmth, reaching deeper and deeper; her silky smooth tongue became something of a magical storm, swirling and flicking with a passion that was unmatched.

    Slobber that bubbled and popped spilled from the rim of her lovely lips, lubricating Altair''s cock, as she stared at her Master. There was an intensity in her eyes that seemed to transcend simple passion bordering on obsession.

    Continue your journey on empire

    As if she had found her greatest passion in life, she had been bread for all her life, Tasha applied a suction that stimted a reaction that sent bolts of electricity dancing along her spine, listening to the first grunting moan echo from her master lips. Her eyes glowed even brighter as a chorus of slurps and pops and lewds sounds resounded across the room.

    *Slurp! Slurp! Slurp! POP!

    "Fuck!" The Young Emperor felt his toes begin to curl and fingers begin to clench. Beads of sweat gather at his brow. Tasha''s blowjob had been so dirty and sensual he wanted to close his eyes in the hopes ofsting longer.

    With a vulgar smile, Tasha pulled his cock out of her mouth, pping it against her cheeks like a cherished gift. Her core temperature had already risen to levels that would otherwise kill the average man but simply left her body moist.

    "Master, did you know a Lilms saliva is the strongest type of aphrodisiac known to the Myriad Heavens?" She kissed his tip with infatuation, prouder than she had ever been.

    "It is so strong that those that taste it are expected to lose a thousand years of force as their metabolism will begin to run wild." her tongue expanded, dripping a pir of saliva down the throbbing veins threading along her Master cock, writhing uncontrobly. "But with each second that passes, the sensitivity of even their victim will be all the more stimting.

    So much so, many abandon everything they have for a single night of passion."

    She gave a blow, calling forth a white Christmas that spewed over her face. Thick with the intense aroma of an incubus, Tasha experienced a climax that sent her mind into a spiral. Her loins ached like they never had before, sizzling with a heat her fingers simply could not satisfy. It was a pain that was both unfamiliar and familiar, leaving her visibly shaken.

    With an arm over his face and his back pressed against the bed, Altair could only gasp, lowering one eye to the entranced demoness.

    ''Crazy bitch¡­'' he thought. He had been more aware of the inner workings of a Lilm physiology than perhaps even Tasha herself. Still, that knowledge did not help when it came to receiving that stimtion. After all, this was what Tasha had been made for, cruel as it might be. There was simply not a greater honor for a Lilm than pleasing their Master.

    "Master~my~pussy~is~on~fire!" said the Lilm, cleaning her Master''s lower half with her naughty tongue.

    Altair nearly climaxed, surviving only due to his pride not allowing him to give Tasha that satisfaction. No. He wanted to break her. She was only instinctually experienced. She might know what to do, but the sensations were all foreign, to say the least. He wanted to break her.

    Needed to break her.

    Just as Tasha''s saliva and other fluids were a natural aphrodisiac, so too was Altair''s semen, although he had the added benefit of his Almighty Resistance, allowing it to ignore any sort of defensive Tasha believed she had.

    Pulling himself up and off the bed, he stood to his full length, satisfied that Tasha remained on all fours, proactively cleaning not just his cock but his family jewels and then the ground with her tuque where spots of his cum had managed to escape. Grabbing her by the head, he threw her towards the bed, spreading her legs out wide so that she stood like an upside-down ''V beside the bed.

    Tasha''s ass had been, without doubt, one of the finest things about her Altair could name off the top of his head. He hadn''t wanted to sound cliche, but it was as round as the moon and thick as any peach. Grabbing hold of it, spreading her ass cheeks to reveal her drenched pussy he offered himself a prayer to the Hells, thanking them for this gift. Tasha''s cunt was glistening, visibly throbbing.

    ''It even oozes like a peach!'' he thought, trying to calm himself but had been rather unsessful. The soul of the Indomitable had already shattered, leaving him vulnerable, and now it was a battle between lust and pride to determine the victor.

    He sucked in a breath of air like he had never done so before and forced the words from out his lips to give himself more time, "When I enter you. The ancient covenant that governs your lineage will activate." he said in a whisper, "And I will officially be your Master both in body and soul. You will still be sired to Gremory, but without fail, you''ll belong to me until I die."

    Tasha might have been surprised to know Altair had taken so much interest in him if she hadn''t been lost in heat the likes that she''d never felt before. Her mind was foggy while her arms and legs were heavy, with a pressure that made her vulnerable.

    Spreading her soaked pussy so wide with both arms that the luscious pink of her inside showed, Tasha lewdly said, "I will forever be Masters ything!" she sounded happy. More than that, she sounded desperate to have her hole filled and her entire being fucked.

    Without hesitation, he held onto one side of her ass with a single palm while his other handtched onto his cock, directing it into the furnace before him. When he entered her, what others might have misconstrued as a hymen popped, invoking the ancientws of the Lilms Lineage.

    Tendrils of blood slithered out of her vagina, falling not with gravity but against it as it began to direct itself upward just above her crotch where her womb sat. There, it wove an intricate tattoo and branded itself over her, marking her ''imed goods'' with Altair Sigil at the center.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Wai-Wai-Wai-Wai-WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIT!" Tasha cried in such a high-pitched squeal that the reinforced windows cracked, nearly shattering if not for the warding she set up.

    Her feet, which would have killed a Ninth Circle, kicked back, iling wildly as jolts of electricitynced across her body, spreading out like Yggdrisils'' roots. At that moment, Tasha felt every pleasurable neuron activate.

    Altair pounded her into the bed, shattering the frame, positioning himself in a way that even her wild movements were less dangerous, filling her with his full length. The sensation was everything he imagined multiplied by an astronomical number.

    The sensation left him shattered as the walls of her vagina began to vigorously begin to expand and contract, desperately weaving itself to match Altair''s length.

    Just then, before signs of madness took him, Altair, with his Omniscience, activated Valemorph to alter the state of his manhood not simply to pleasure her better but to perfectly dominate her mind. The length itself did not appear to change, but rather the girth, as he seemed to gain a slight tilt near his tip.

    Nectar cascaded down her thick thighs as her back arched at an angle that made Altair even harder.

    "F~A~T~H~E~R!" Tasha squealed with the brightest smile she had ever wielded. Ahhhh~Master!~Ruin~my~pussy!"

    "Shut¡­the~Fuck~up!" He roared, burying Tasha''s head further into the bedding; Altair''s hips snapped back, and his cock mmed back in so hard back in it seemed to send a jolt into her very core, striking the exact spot where the brightest pink dot illuminated in his eyes.

    "AAAH~" Tasha''s lewd, lilting moans grew all the more vigorous. Conscious thought seemed to leave her as Altair not only stimted another endogenous zone she hadn''t been aware of, but it was as if he was trying to break it. To ruin her in a way that would shatter her very identity. And he had yet to even use the Hands of the Incubus.

    Her mind nked, losing itself to the tion of lust.

    From his thrust to the pacing, all seemed perfectly calcted as Altair''s cock explored every crevice of Tasha''s tight cunt.

    Suddenly, without warning, a remarkable transformation overtook Tasha as a breathtaking obsidian-red scales suddenly surfaced and extended across her entire body. The illusion of her human appearance faded away, unveiling her true nature. Her once human ears underwent a striking metamorphosis, taking on pointed and unmistakably elf-like characteristics.

    From her head, now a sprawling spray, exquisite obsidian horns resembling those of a Pyrenean Ibex gradually emerged, entwining across her head until they passed her ears, curling up. From her bottom, a few inches above her anus, a porous tail sprouted with a heart shape tip.

    POP!!!!

    pping her ass, which sent ripples across the surface of her skin, Altair exploded inside of her just as the walls of her cunt mped down at the sudden spanking. Tasha moaned like a bitch in heat as her womb expanded with the surge of hot semen filling her.

    "Ahh!!!"

 Chapter 357 Jin and Iliana

    It was the irregr moans that had awoken Altair from his suddenpse of awareness in the midst of the pheromones driving him closer to madness. Tasha''s insides were devouring him, writhing without mercy, stimting him twice as hard as before. Despite theck of motion and the fact he had just climaxed, it did little to stop him from nearly reaching his secondpletion.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Drool slipped from his mouth, hitting Tasha''s naked back, and instantly turned to a vaper by her core temperature. She wondered if this was what her ancestors all felt or if this was something new. She herself didn''t know, though she desperately wanted to know; lifting her buried head, she nced back with murky eyes.

    She could feel her insides were a mess, and yet Altair still stood strong, harder than before, despite all that had happened.

    "Master¡­" She said, startled by the desire in her voice. She could barely feel her legs, yet she was still made to stand, to spread her legs as Master demanded. Yet she wanted more. "Im~Aah!''

    Without warning, Altair''s hips shot forward like a piston, plunging into Tasha''s tightening depths. Altair was in a heaven of his own, overwhelmed by the euphoric vacuum eating him whole. He savored every bit of it, pping her ass until his fingerprint branded itself across her cheek.

    ''Harder~aaahh~YES~YESSS,'''' Tasha screamed, squirting her liquid as if it were a water fountain, overwhelmed by the multiple orgasms flooding her mind and body. She couldn''t think. The air within her lungs was burning as she gasped, arching her back so far back that when she opened her mouth, she caught the saliva dripping down her Master''s clenched jaw.

    Altair could onlyply, utterly amazed by what Gremory had created. He wanted to see how far he could go: How much her body could take before the mind finally broke down?

    He reached forward, clutching her ample breast with both hands, as his cock continued to prate without rest. He squeezed her tit until they appeared like they were about to pop,ughing as Tasha''s tongue lulled out. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her mind seemed to shut down.

    A snow-whitendscape illuminated her sea of consciousness for a single moment that seemed tost a lifetime, and even then, it wasn''t enough; when she returned to herself, she mooed like a sea cow.

    "Moooo! Milk~Tasha!" she squealed, in anguage she herself wasn''t even aware she knew or had ever spoken. Sweet nectar jetted from her clit, arcing into a beautiful parabolic arc down onto the window.

    She came harder than she ever had, losing all strength as Altair plugged her up, making sure his snow had no ce to go. He could see the imprint of his wood over Tasha''s belly alongside his sigil, where his cock was kissing her inside.

    "Tashy~Made~Mess~HEHEHE." As maddeningughter spilled from her lips, Altair threw her on her back, reentering her with such force that her back arced upwards yet again as her legs curled around him like a pretzel that refused to give.

    The smile her Master gave her made hairs on her neck stand on end, yet Tasha could only smile like a sick love girl. Her hips and body instinctually matched Altair''s rhythm, forcing her to experience such tion she started spewing nonsense that if Altair were in his right mind, he would have stopped to ask, ''What the Fuck?

    " instead, he leaned forward, sinking his fangs into the breast, and began suckling like a babe. Drawing in blood to replenish his lost reserves.

    Oddly enough, it was the blood that returned Altair into a state of understanding when he heard Tasha shout, "Tear~out~my~eyes~and~skull fuck~my~socket!" she was shaking wildly her breast bouncing up and down as with such ferocity the sound of pping flesh became all the more thunderous.

    Altair nearly busted a gut,ughing his ass off at the thing devouring him alive. He couldn''t say how much life force he''d lost, nor how much he gained from her blood alone, but he couldn''t stop. He didn''t want to.

    Tasha had been one of the sweetest things he''d had so far. Her skin was unlike anything he couldprehend. It was probably the best and perhaps one of the greatest things he liked about her. Squeezing her cheeks, he looked into her ted eyes and asked, "Who am I?"

    Tasha tilted her head and moaned, "Master~Daddy~God~Everything~Aahh~Master~ Don''t stop!"

    But to her surprise, Altair did, pulling out of her as her legs that were crossed behind him snapped straight up. Despite her body being designed to absorb semon, it struggled to do so with Altair Resistance, as copious amounts jetted from out of her.

    That whitendscape once more returned as Tashay there, her body shutting down for a single heartbeat before jolts of pleasure rioted through her body.

    "Cleanse," Altair invoked, cleaning himself and Tasha before his head began to spin, and darkness suddenly began to overtake him.

    [Master overused his Omniscience!]

    [Master Has Sessfully Satisfied A Lilm of the Hells]

    [World of Shadow Grimoire has Recorded Your Achivement]

    ''Achievement?" Altair wondered as the darkness came ever closer. He forced a smile, echoing hisstmand.

    "Clean¡­Up¡­Tasha"

    ******

    "You don''t even need it!" Iliana shouted, ncing back at the silver-haired boy, who was chasing after her at a speed that seemed nearly impossible for his cultivation. Piercing the Cloud Sea, diving further down to where Measured Time appeared distorted, shended on a of unknown origins, spewing molt rocks hundreds of meters in the sky. Stay tuned for updates on empire

    Heat that would singe ninth circles and transcendents alike billowed from all around as their aura shook the.

    Jin snorted. His silvery gold eyes, ring at Iliana."It''s what I used to train with! And just because your Auntie''s General doesn''t mean you can just steal from me!"

    "That is 100% what that means, and you are outssed. Do you really think you can defeat me?"

    "No. But Father is on his way." Jin eximed. "All I have to do is dy. I can do that much."

    "You''re barely in the realm of Immortal, yet you think you can dy a Fell God. You got balls, kid." Iliana remarked. She smiled ever upwards, unsure how much he had improved since thest time they had seen each other.

    "Then let Aunty have a little taste. Show me your Weave!"

    Jin seemed to be drained of color as his soul began to expand. The Laws of Heaven and Earth and concepts alike slowly began to turn into microparticles, dancing around like grains of sand and vanishing from existence.

    Iliana could hardly believe her eyes as she felt a neww begin to cover the heavens around her, its untamed authority changing naturalw, creating a concept to fit Jin''s vision.

    ''This little monster has gotten frighteningly stronger¡­ At first, this little shit could only use his reality-warping abilities to change the limit of light speed. Adding Qi to propel it to even greater heights. But now he''s creating Concepts, '' Iliana thought, curious who would win in a battle between him and her disciple.

    She smiled, lifted a palm, and caught Jin''s fist, which did not move so much as it arrived. "Instantaneous Movement. But it only works on those that don''t have Dimensional Vision. Still not bad. Unfortunately, you are still a long way frompared to those on the Omnis Ranking."

    Jin coughed up a mouthful of blood, sted back by an attack that did note from their Dimension but from a higher ne of existence. He groaned, touching his chest. There, a finger length whole stood a few inches from his heart.

    "Aunty¡­ Is a Monster." Jin said weakly, falling unconscious.

    "This kid¡­ is way too carefree." She stomped. "How dare you challenge me then faint." Growling to herself, she sighed and flew over to him. She poked his cheek and said, "Well, at least you learn something. I expect to see some improvement, boy. You can''t fight someone on the Omnis Ranking without multi-dimensional capabilities if you can break through that upper limit.

    You''ll see something that''ll have scared even the strongest of monsters like myself."

    "Now then~ Taataa~"

    ***

    It was high noon when Altair awoke with a pounding headache and more than a dozen system messages. The light peering through his window was blinding, ring into his eyes with every intention of scorching his retinas. He sighed and suddenly grunted. His hands reached down for Tasha''s horns, grabbing hold of them as he sent his afternoon snow down her throat.

    The Lilm pupils quivered with satisfaction. She didn''t let a drop slip, pulling him from her mouth with the brightest smile.

    "Morning Master." She opened her mouth proudly to show what she''d done before sitting up like a puppy, waiting for her Master''s response.

    Altair appraised her, smiling soon after, noticing that none of her enthralling pheromones from before were present. She had really cleaned up.

    "Good Doggy"

    "Woof!'' said Tasha, seductively licking her lips as her tail seemed to wag back and forth.

    ''I am going to have fun with this,'' he thought, trying to not react though his cock was more than reluctant to obey his will, bouncing up and down.

    Tasha bent down, kissed his tip with her enthralling lips, looked up, and asked," Master, what shall you have me do?"

 Chapter 358 House Nier I

    "Master, what shall you have me do?"

    Reluctantly, Altair said, "Later, if my calctions are correct, someone should be contacting us if they haven''t already."

    "The Medarc came by earlier today," said Tasha. "He wanted to check up on you, but I refused him."

    "Good." Altair acknowledged. He hadn''t been sure of all the capabilities of a Medarc or how deep their knowledge went. No one did. All that was ever said was that Medarc''s were some of the best Doctors known to the Myriad Heavens. Yet one was on the lower floors of Babel''s Tower.

    "The memories of Nox don''t have him recorded at age 20. So he might havee at ater date."

    Tasha gave an unusual look. " Master, how do you know that? Did you turn Nox into a Shadow?"

    "Unfortunately, no. Nox''s soul was a bit too strong for me to glean everything. But I was able to look through a few years of life yesterday before dinner."

    There were a few reasons Altair acted the way he did at dinner. He needed to show House Nier that he had been betrayed. That the honor in which he held in his heart for his house was broken. They had abandoned him. Had tossed him into a worn, torn annex to rot for a thousand years.

    Nox had always been arrogant, but it was an arrogance that was built on warmth towards his house, as well as pride. Altair couldn''t say what Nox might be feeling at this moment, but he wasn''t Nox. All he could go on was the building blocks that would have been built during Nox''s twenty years of life.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Tasha lips perked up. "You used the eye of Sacrilege on the young Veil Hunter. As a Ninth Circle, I feel ashamed not realizing you''d done that underneath my eyes."

    Altair grinned. Her subtle way of ttery had not gone unnoticed. "So that''s your true form, huh? I like it. It''s far more delicious than your human appearance."

    "Only you would think so, Master," said Tasha softly. And she would be right. Were it not for Altair''s Almighty Resistance cupped with the Essence of The Vale, alongside his lineage and Authority, most would feel a sense of primordial fear. To her knowledge, most who saw devils, true bodies, usually killed themselves in a state of panic.

    Abrouply, Altair stood up. "Dress me. We''lle back tost night soon."

    Tasha seemed reluctant at first, throwing on a tunic over her master, followed by an emblemless ck leather surcoat. She stopped, finding her naughty smile when it came to his trousers; there, she saw his spear saluting her as if to say, ''I''m ready.''

    "Master, shall I make it soft?"

    Altair didn''t answer, leaving It to her discretion. Instead, he began shifting through his notifications.

    [Brand of the Incubus has Increased Your Charm]

    [Charm: 25 ¡ú 29]

    [Your Mana Has Increased by 60]

    [Mana 340 ¡ú 400]

    [Your Strength Has Increased by 100]

    [Your Dexterity Has Increased by 100]

    [Your Constitution Has Increased by 100]

    [Your Wisdom Has Increased by 100]

    [Your Charisma Has Increased by 100] Discover more stories at empire

    [Your Omniscience Recognizes a Path of Evolution for the Brand Of The Incubus]

    [Soul of the Indomitable Proficiency has increased by 40%]

    [The Lilm, Tasha has entered a Master-ve Rtionship with you]

    [Tasha(ve) has recognized you as her True Master]

    ''That''s a massive jump! And what the hell is this Charm stuff?'' Altair thought, jerking straight up as he grabbed Tasha by the horns. The deep groan, as pleasurable as they came, reached up from the back of his throat, up through his lips.

    "Are you getting better? He asked, nearly falling back onto the bed.

    Tasha grinned feverishly, cleaning him up before she pulled up his trousers. "I''ve only just started to learn how Master likes it. I''ll only continue to get better."

    The thought frightened Altair more than he wanted to admit. Though the tion he just felt was more than enough to quell his worries.

    "Get dressed. Anything but white."

    "You don''t like the color?" She asked, pulling herself off her knees, up to her feet, as she beganbing his hair, tying it into a neat ponytail.

    "I don''t like it on you, is all," he admitted, allowing Tasha to tend to him before hurrying off to get changed.

    Altair didn''t wait for her, heading towards the Medarcs Office, situated on one of the two Spires. There, he saw the dutchess beside her boy as the Medarc poured a stimnt down his throat, whispering something Altair could not make out, not that he cared.

    "You wanted to see me?" He said, announcing his presence. The two seemed to jump, surprised by his arrival. It had be something of an instinctual habit by now, but Altair always kept his Spirit locked away in his heart. Ever since Thanatos taught him Shadowheart, it had be something he actively sought to Master.

    "How did¡­No. Are you alright? You seemed pale when I saw you this morning." the Medarc asked. Kegan was his name. And from every ount, he seemed normal. He had a narrow face and nose, full lips, and like all Medarcs, he had dark skin and eyes, standing a few heads shorter than Altair.

    "I was trying to recover some memories but experienced minor Soul Exhaustion. It''s why my maid sent you away."

    Kegan touched his chin. "I checked your soul three hundred years ago. And it was in a state of Extreme Exhaustion. So much so I was sure you would not wake." He nced suspiciously at Altair and said, "Would you mind if chec¡ª"

    Altair lifted a palm. "There will not be any of that until my trust is restored, as well as my memories. The only person I trust in this manner is Tasha."

    "You called Master?" Tasha responded from around the corner from which she came. "Oh, are you here to see little Noct? Kyaaa! He is so cute!"

    ''Said the woman who poisoned him.'' He thought. And said, "Actually, I''m curious if the Doc has anything for Soul Exhaustion."

    "Soul Exhaustion is an affliction that can''t be remedied. However, by adding Soul Essence into the body, we can keep you awake long, though the Exhaustion will remain until it naturally disburses. Despite what people im, you''ll still need sleep or meditation to truly recover."

    Altair didn''t use his Omniscience to confirm if what Kegan had said was true. He had abused it all yesterday and was feeling it today.

    "So all I have to do is sleep in?"

    "You can''t!" The Dutchess eximed. Perhaps too sharply. "I mean, you can''t. Your Grandfather would like a word."

    "Grandfather? Hmmm. Does he have a name by chance?"

    "Lord Elgar De Nier," The Duchess said. She sounded a bit sad.

    "And little Noct? How''s he?"

    The Duchess''s look improved, even finding the strength to smile. "He awoke an hour ago but fell back asleep. He even asked for you."

    "Transcendent though you might be, there are still benefits to Sleep," said Kegan softly. "Allow me to Prescribe you a sedative, my Lady. The Tear of the Ludrain will put you right to sleep to help ease your anxiety."

    "I''d have to agree with the Medarc. You look like shit."

    Corsant anxiousplexion turned from anger to rage in a single second. She opened her mouth to speak, but Altair cut her off, adding, "You looked as if you slept in a barn. Bags under eyes, hair a disheveled mess. If I were a servant, I''d assume the lord of this manor was abusing you or you were on some type of drugs. It is unbing, is what we are trying to say."

    The Dutchess touched her face, turning to the Medarc to confirm, who, with a forced smile, said, "You don''t look great, mydy. That''s why I rmended the sedative."

    She blushed.

    "Did you think I was attacking you?" Altair smirked. "How cute. Such things are beneath me. Doc, get thedy the stimnt less she threatens me again."

    "I¨C"

    "It''s alright, Mommy Number Two. We all make mistakes. I forgive you."

    The dutchess had not felt more shame than ever then in that moment, recalling the way in which she treated Altair. She blushed, turning her head to face her son.

    "I''m¡­Sorry¡­but I''m not sorry. Even if it''s shameful, I will do anything to protect Noct," she said, brushing her hands through his hair.

    "Any mother would. But you''d best understand I am not without limits. Don''t test my patience, Corsant. Now then. Has the culprit confessed?"

    "So it would seem," Corsant remarked. "Although it doesn''t make sense."

    "What doesn''t?"

    Corsant nced at Altair and pulled herself to her feet. "All servants have been conditioned. For them to betray us simply doesn''t make sense. What I can''t understand is how anyone knew I invited a Veil Hunter. And yet one ims they were hired hours before the assassination."

    Altair''s expression did not betray his traitorous thoughts, asking, "And Anna? What became of her?"

    "We hanged her by morning," said Corsant coldly. "The bitch knew nothing, only how to scream and beg."

    "Well... I can''t say much for your servants. But I will be hiring my own by week''s end."

    The dutchess did not seem taken back. She''d expected as much."Then I shall speak to the ountant to¡ª-"

    ''That won''t be necessary." Altair said with a mysterious smile. "Since I awoke, they have been by my side."

 Chapter 359 House Nier II

    Within the chamber room of Lord Elgar De Nier, the absence of sound became all the more deafening as Grandson and Grandfather sat in silence. Tasha had brought refreshments, coffee she''d personally bewed and poured for her Master, though noticeably, she didn''t do the same for Lord Elgar. It had been ten minutes since, but neither had spoken.

    "You''ve changed¡­" Elgar''s words finally broke the silence, carrying with them a weight of usation. "Were you so heartbroken?"

    Altair folded a leg over the other and handed his teacup over to Tasha. She bowed, excusing herself to his rear. "To awaken to see my recement is never a good thing. Though it''s a surprise, Father even remarried. I''d have thought he''d have died alone."

    "It was an unforeseen event," Elgar said. "Lady Cosarnt had been a long-time friend of your Father after your passing. "He stopped himself, noticing the slip of the words. Only continuing after the faint smile Altair gave him. "A drink or two led to a night, and then soon something sparked. However, it was the right move.

    You wereatose."

    Altair shrugged. "Well, it''s not like I''m ming Father or anything or Lady Corsant. Things happen. However, the disrespect I''ve faced since I awoke is not something I will tolerate. What I''m curious about, however, is where my Father is. My awakening nearly shattered the windows.

    I find it strange that he didn''t hurry to greet me. Especially after what he gave up."

    "What he gave up?" Elgar flinched. "What do you know?"

    Altair''s smile thinned. Now, he was curious. "So you don''t know either."

    "How would I know? I''ve onlye out of seclusion because I felt an overpowering presence awake within my house."

    "You tter me, Grandfather, "Altair replied.

    Elgar snorted. "Don''t y mind games with me. You''re far too young for that," he said, though he sounded noticeably proud. If not for the cold, domineering air around his grandson, he might have hugged him. "You''ve fallen quite far."

    "A tragic start. But it wasn''t without gains. Now I canmence on a new path like the stories of Chaos Lord Father once told me of."

    "You believed that." Elgarughed.

    "Stories though they might be, there is always a kernel of truth to them. Right, Tasha?"

    Tasha allowed herself a graceful smile, remembering the knowledge held by the Eldritch bs that held the knowledge of the Old World Order. "In the era of old, before the Path of Paragon was opened, the Chaos Lords were known as the True Rulers."

    "And this woman¡­ I was told she was of royal blood," Elgar said, recalling what Corsant had told her.

    A/N: Said in Chapter 354.

    "Indeed, she''s from the Viel." Altair calmly said, studying the expression of the old man''s expression. "You don''t seem surprised."

    "I heard my son brought her back to treat you. I''d thought she was a Medarc of sorts."

    "I don''t know myself," Altair calmly lied. "However, it seems that she is involved with my Father. The first thing she did when I awoke was dere me her Master. Tasha, why don''t you tell them who you are?"

    "I, Tasha Vil Lilm Corvta De Asmodeus, am a Royal Devil of the Arch Duke Gremory. Personal ve of Lord Nox De Nier." Tasha revealed with a curtsy.

    The light in Elgar''s pale eyes died and returned, filled with such fear he would have copsed if he were standing. He shivered, the words echoing from his lips tugged with fear. "I-I-Im possible. The Church of Sepith was with her. They were treating Nox. They''d have sensed you and¡ª"

    "Yes, Saintess Ivana was quite kind," Tasha exined, ignoring Elgar''s startled expression.

    The Saintess of Ariandel had been a force of nature itself. There simply hadn''t been a person who didn''t know or respect the saintess, who was said to have purged the realm of all disease and famine for nearly a decade. Her power had been so great it was said that she was the personification of the Will of Ariandel.

    "You didn''t tell me about that," Altair said with a frown. Tasha blushed, licking her lips and envisioning how he''d punish her. Perhaps he''d have her whipped before having his way with her. The very idea had her shaking.

    "Forgive me, Master, it must have slipped my mind," she said demurely.

    If Altair had been perturbed, he would not have let it show. He had, of course, known all this but was curious why Tasha hadn''t told him. He figured that Gremory hadmanded her to be silent; after all, she was still sired to her. So was the fate of all Lilm. No matter how loyal to their masters they might be, they simply could not stop themselves from obeying Gremory.

    And it had been the reason so many Lilms had died in the past. Of course, most Fallen knew this but didn''t mind since a Lilm''s ability in bed or outside of it was simply too impressive.

    "That''s¡­" Elgar was about to stand up, but Altair stopped him.

    "You needn''t bow to her. She is, after all, only a ve, right?" Altair asked, eying Tasha coldly.

    The Lilm flushed, falling to her knees, and said in the proudest tone, "I am master hole and his personal ve. He may do with me as he pleases."

    Elgar tried not to gape, but his jaw betrayed him. "Heavenly Ariandel!" he cursed. "Nox, this has to be a joke, right? What has my son done? No, what does the Hells want with you or with House Nier?''

    ''It''s a gift to me, of course,'' Altair thought, thinking about it more. The more he considered the matter about it, the more things wereing into frame. And he said, "I don''t think it matters. We simply do not have the power to reject anything the Hell''s demands of us. And if we got to Order of Ariandel, then we''d only bebeled as devil worshipers. And be killed.

    It''s why I asked if you know what Father gave up to have me awake?"

    Elgar signed a cross in the air over his heart. "I''ve no idea. Seclusion be damned. I''ll ask him personally." He nced at Tasha, the fear in his eyes all the more radiant. "Let me¡ª"

    "Please, Grandfather¡­ there isn''t a need for that." Altair waved him off while inwardly smiling. His reaction was as he suspected. "Father can wait. In fact, it''s better he waits. Heaven knows what the Hells will ask of him once he leaves seclusion. What''s important is getting our House situated."

    " Boy, there is a devil on your side. Are you really fine with that?" Elgar snapped. "If anyone finds out, then¡ª"

    "It''ll be the end of us." Altair finished. "It''s not like I don''t recognize the danger, but it''s not like any of us can do anything. Tasha, who do you report to?"

    "Archduke Gremory," Tasha said without hesitation.

    Readtest stories on empire

    "And when was thest time you spoke to her."

    "When she congratted me for losing my maidenhood with you, of course. Sost night, after you experienced Soul Exhaustion." Tasha said with the warmest smile she could muster. "She seemed impressed. More than impressed."

    Altair gave a wry smile, imagining the conversation they had over his naked body. "As you can see, Tasha here is in direct contact with an Archduke of Hell. I don''t know about you, but I''d say we are cooked. Tasha¡­ please show Grandfather your true form. He needs to confirm everything I say is true."

    "Of course, Young Master."

    Elgar stared motionless. He seemed so still that when Altair passed his palm over his eyes, only then did he realize that he''d fainted. It wasn''t until another ten minutes passed that Elgar awoke to his nightmare.

    "WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ****

    "Hehe, what a reaction!" Tashaughed, falling onto her master''s bed. She smiled, catching a whiff of his scent lingering on his pillow.

    Altair smirked. "Well, the best way to appease suspension is to raise an insurmountable mountain. Now, it doesn''t matter if Elgar or my Father believes me to be Nox or not. A Devil of the Nine Hells is currently in his Dukedom. I''m the least of their issues."

    "I see. So that''s why you never gave the duchess much face. She was never worth causing you issues."

    "True, but she is a Transcendent. She can be of use. Once she realizes that I''m the cause of what happened to her child, after the old man tells her you''re a devil, she''ll eventually fall in line with the rest. And all it took was a single dinner I didn''t even want to go to." The Emperorughed, unhooking the saber Elgar had given him before he left.

    "But won''t she rage?"

    "Maybe, but the Medarc couldn''t find your energy in the boy when he went for a check-up, right? Why do you think that is? Perhaps he wasn''t trained to find demonic essence, or maybe he chose silence in fear of a devil''s attack. Whatever the reason is, the end result was Noctis''s injury. The dutches will theories all this, and once she does, she''ll be at my mercy." He smiled coldly, narrowing his eyes.

    "She''lle to me by week''s end in fear I might kill the boy outright. Such information isn''t something that can be contained. She''ll beg for mercy for her child as any good mother would."

    Tasha pushed herself up. "Master is bing a viin."

    Altair snickered and studied the de in his hand. The saber Eldgar had returned him had a ck scabbard blending with the hilt ordained with two gemstones. He pulled the de from its casing, marveling at the slighted curve, wielding a sharpness that was sure to cut through the flesh of a Ninth Circle if it couldn''t; merely pushing Mana to any level would ensure that it could.

    The de was single-edge and twice as long as any other saber he''d seen to date, yet it seemedpatible in his hand.

    "The dutchess spirit will falter, though I don''t n to break her. After all, I n to either make Nox or Noctis the next leader of this family. I''ll have to listen to Nox''s opinion when I resurrect him. For now¡­ let''s bring House Nier to its knees."

 Chapter 360 World Refinement

    It had taken nearly three and a half days for Altair to finally feel the effects of Soul Exhaustion fade from his consciousness. During that time, he had done nothing but filter through the memories of Nox De Nier to the best of his abilities, while at night, he''d Dual Cultivate with Tasha, devouring her blood to refine his Fourth Vale Star, slowly blossoming.

    Presently, Altair stood beneath a peculiar tree billowing azure blossoms. He''d learn this had been Nox''s favorite spot, where he''d meditate or absorb Mana. Nox had always found this particr spot peaceful. It was secluded, away from the manor, but not too far; he couldn''t see it. If he looked to his left, he could see his dukedom, the city run by House Nier, the Fifth Star City, Akrim.

    It was as if nothing had changed despite the fact that over a thousand years had passed. It still looked as old as it was majestic, having withstood Seven Realm Wars and somehow the test of a hundred thousand years.

    "I am finding myself envious of Nox," Altair muttered, his thoughts drifting to the technologically advanced city of Zamphis. Inparison, Akrim seemed quaint and uplicated. He shook his head, refocusing on his task. Opening his pores to the Circle of Gluttony, Altair willed the Mana that surrounded him into his body.

    The Mana that had been invisible to the naked eye slowly became dense, revealing themselves to the realm. They clustered into streams, their multicolored essence dancing along Altair''s body, eventually entering his meridians to be cycled and refined. The process was simple, growing easier with each cycle he performed.

    However, with the recent purity gained his mana, it didn''t matter how much Mana Altair absorbed. It simply wasn''t enough. Either he absorbed a Mana Shard or Heartstones that held the Energy of a Seventh Circle or higher, or he gave up entirely and allowed his body to wither.

    It had only been three days, but he could feel his muscles beginning to atrophy as the Circle of Gluttony began to devour his physical strength. Ashen Blood ensured a swift recovery, but with each use of Ashen Blood, he risked higher levels of soul exhaustion. He couldn''t continue this way.

    "I''m wasting my time," he said, rustling his silvery hair. He stood up, leaning over the truck of the tree, and stared at Akrim. It was still early to let others know he''d awaken, but he needed resources. Resources that didn''te from his realm. From the reports he''d from Aurora, thest thing he wanted to do was use money when he didn''t have to.

    House Nier didn''t carryrge sock piles of Heartstones or Mana Shards; the ones they did have were drained days ago by him.

    "Master!" Tasha shouted, running up the hill. Her breast that hung loosely in her robes bounced wildly, reawakening his inner beast. "I''ve found a merchant with a high amount of Mana Cores. It''s a fire type. I hope that doesn''t matter."

    Altair had never absorbed Mana, that had been heavily influenced by the elements around him; however, he couldn''t see why that would be an issue. It was still mana.

    "It doesn''t; when can we meet?" Altair asked excitedly.

    "Today, but¡­" Tasha hesitated, causing Altair''s brow to rise. "The Merchant refuses toe to the Manor. He says that he''ll lose more business if he closes for the day just to make the trip."

    That didn''t surprise Altair much. During his travels with Tenebrae, he''d seen worlds that had been refined by mana. While the world itself grew stronger, so did to did the elements. Gravity, depending on the level of refinement, could be nearly a hundred times stronger than Earth''s. Stones he could crumble with his fist alone required a burst of mana simply to crush.

    Depending on the world, gods would oftentimes feel like mortals bounded by higher-levelws.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    So it wasn''t surprising that any merchant would want to close down their shop simply to make the grueling trip to House Nier.

    "We could force him," Tasha suggested. "I can send a Raven too¡ª"

    "It''s fine. In form the knights that I''ll be leaving for the first time in a thousand years." Altairmanded. Tasha bowed and hurried off with a flicker of light.

    By the time Altair had returned to the manor, his carriage had been prepared with a small squad of knights to the ready. He smiled, entering the luxurious carriage where Tasha, Alyssa, and Therion waited for him.

    The trip to Akrim was three hours, giving Altair enough time toplete some paperwork. Now that he had omniscience, he didn''t necessarily need to read each file, for he knew everything they held. By the time he was done, he sighed as the carriage came to a stop.

    "That was hell," Alyssa eximed, slouching in her chair. "Master should have left me dead."

    Therion couldn''t help but agree. "Master, this form of travel seems way too inefficient. We could have flown here."

    "With the high density of Mana, technology is rather hard to use," Tasha informed him. "Only tech from Genisis would work," she added, ncing at Altair, who held a Neruolink Genesis.

    "It''s nearly evening. No wonder the merchant didn''t want to fuck with us," Alyssa mouthed off. She gave her arms a stretch, pushing open the door to the carriage, and rounded on her heel, offering a palm to her Master to help him down.

    Altair lifted his brow. He was curious if Alyssa was aware of the meaning of her action. He took her hand nheless. He couldn''t have taken five steps before a tendril of sweat slipped from his brow.

    "Damn." Even the dying heat of a hadn''t felt as intense as Almor''s sun. "How do people stand this? It''s hell."

    Tasha seemed to sigh in remembrance of the Hells. "It''s not so bad, m''lord, though I can''t say much for the humidity."

    "My Lord," Captain Taren shouted on horseback, trotting to his side. "We''ve secured the area."

    Altair gave his thanks before his eyes swayed toward the shop. It was two stories with a sign that read in great bold letters, ''River Mor.'' The outside was nothing special, but on the inside, Altair felt the cool release of ice magic against his skin. It wasn''t hard to imagine why the merchant refused the call of House Nier, though there would be consequences.

    "Lord De Nier!" a startled voice came from around back as arge, pudgy beast of a man waddled forward. Lordlings that had cleared House Nier''s Personal Knights turned to face Altair with looks of disbelief. It was only then that the recognition began to settle in.

    Calmly, Altair nced at Tasha and whispered, "Wasn''t the order of my awakening supposed to be kept hidden?''

    "It was," Tasha replied.

    Altair had half suspected something like this would happen. After all, they were within his father''s dukedom. There was bound to be someone who recognized him. He simply didn''t think it would be the one he notified of his arrival.

    Masking his discontent with a nobile smile, he did not reach for the slimy palm of Dale Cartan but rather looked at him with a curiosity that was more rming than any sort of rage. The merchant gulped, his smile slowly growing awkward as he lowered his hand, ncing around at the various Lordlings watching.

    "When did you wake?" Dale finally asked.

    "A few days ago," Altair answered. "Please. I''d like to get down to business, Mr. Dale. I''ve little time for conversation."

    ''Of course," said Dale in a tone that hid the shame in his voice. He couldn''t remember thest time he felt so embarrassed, but with the looks everyone was giving him, along with the one before him, Nox De Nier, he was grateful he could lead him away.

    Altair had been about to speak when a notification shed across his Neurolink from Aurora.

    [My Lord, Athena has returned to the Serpents Outreach. She fainted when she saw your Lord Father.]

    Altair smiled to himself, replying, ''Inform me when she wakes.'' And his attention returned to Dale, leading him into a private room. He ignored the smiling face and whispers of various nobles echoing behind his back as he followed, losing his nobile smile the moment he entered his private room.

    The room felt as if it dropped several degrees as Altair''s frown became all the more noticeable. He took a seat on the settee and said, "You''re quite the brave one, Mr. Dale."

    Dale gulped. "My Lord?"

    Altair cleared his meaning. "By imperialw alone, I would be in my right to hang you and your entire family for this offense. Were my instructions not clear of anonymity?"

    "My Lord! It was a slip of the¡ª"

    Tasha''s palm shed a scarlet light that punctuated the air, tearing arge chunk of his flesh off his body.

    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire

    The squeal that left Dale''s lips was equal parts animal and despair, leaving everyone within his store shaken. They gulped, some running to the door, but Therion held them at bay. A vale sword shed into his palm as the thrum of the de left those who heard it lightheaded.

    "My instruction had been clear and precise," Altair continued once the screams began to die. "Now, before I ce your head in the firece and set it aze for your insolence alone, get me a listing of every Heartstone and Mana Shard avable."

    Tasha leaned beside his ear, whispering, ''Mana Shards are called Mana Cores here."

    Altair nearly forgot and was about to correct himself, but by the look in Dale''s eyes, he seemed to have understood. Flying out of the room with such haste, he returned with an itemized listing of everything he owned.

    He was on his knees, presenting each one, as blood pulsed from his cheeks in slow utterances, leaving Altair slightly hungry. He nced at Tasha, half listening, finding her neck bing more and more appetizing. He sighed, pushing Soul of the Indomitable to its limit to refocus.

    "I''ll be taking everything above the Seventh Circle. Have someone deliver them to my Manor by day''s end. Oh¡­ and Mr. Dale. Next time you think of refusing House Nier, think of the consequences. My family owns thend on which you run your business.

    The food you eat, the whores you fuck: They all belong to my House. Remember that next time, you think of refusing us."

 Chapter 361 The Dukes Vassals I

    "Send the bill to my house," Altairmanded, pocketing a few Seventh Circle Heartstones. It wasn''t a lot, but it was enough to sustain him for the next few nights, or so he hoped. Vacating River Mor, he had Tasha hunt down several more merchants that specialized in Mana Shards or Heartstones.

    It was evening when businesses began to close one by one. By the time an hour had passed, weary men, women, and children flooded the streets, trying to make it home.

    Altair observed from his inn, drinking a ss of wine on the terrace. It was a littlete, and it was apparent that no one, including himself, wanted to make the three-hour trek back.

    "My lord," Tasha approached her eyes seemingly on the horizon. "You''re being watched."

    "Am I?" Altairughed. "That bumbling buffoon Dane alerted many people."

    "Shall I kill him?"

    "I have no idea how long I''ll be in this realm, but it''s best I don''t mindlessly kill my merchants, wouldn''t you say?" He took a sip of wine, sinking into his chair as the numbing fog of liquor began to cloud his mind.

    Slowly, the flickers of shadow began to dwindle until there were only so many men and womening and going. Altair simply watched as Tasha filled his ss.

    Tasha was oddly silent. For some reason, she couldn''t exin her Master''s behavior. It had been like that ever since he awoke. There were moments where it seemed as if the entire world revolved around his whims; other times, he was as ignorant as any child. It scared her. The time he would gaze at her with those strange, eerie ck eyes had been more terrifying than death, or so she believed.

    "Master¡­ can I ask you something?" Tasha asked, garnering her Master''s attention. She flushed when she saw his empty eyes that seemed to peer through her very existence.

    "Gremory¡­ I''d like to meet her."

    Tasha couldn''t exin how he knew what she wanted to inquire. She nodded nheless. "I can set it up, Master."

    "I''m curious why she is so interested in me," he lulled out, lifting his eyes to clusters of countless stars shrouding the night. It was a beautiful sight, yet it was as abhorrent as a two-cent whores cunt.

    He couldn''t mask his disgust, finding the star''s mere existence to be a stain upon the Endless Night. Shadow writhe malevolently ever closer, whistling with movement, growing ever louder.

    "Mas¡­"

    "Lay waste to all who seek to harm me," hemanded lightly, forcing himself to stand. The wine had already gone to his head, clouding his thoughts as he stumbled into bed. "Leave there remains on the pavement for all the gods to see."

    With a deep bow, a cruel grin kissed Tasha''s lips. "As youmand, my Lord." leaving the terrace door open for the cold air to billow through. Her Master always had a fondness for the cold. She vanished to begin her hunt.

    Altair said nothing, cing a Heartstone in his mouth and swallowing it, allowing his body to refine the heavy dosage of raw Mana to unfold within his body. He shifted lightly on the bed, closing his eyes with a growing appreciation for the silence sleep brought.

    "Ren wouldugh at me," he muttered. "I always did hate sleep." With onest snicker, he closed his eyes, whispering the words, "Happy birthday, Ren."

    ***

    That morning, Altair awoke clutching his head. A groan slipped through his lips when the scent of blood drew his attention. When he blinked, Tasha had filled his sights.

    "You made a mess," Altair groaned.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "It would seem Nox is rather infamous. Nearly a hundred people tried to kill youst night."

    If Altair was perturbed, he gave no sign of it. Hezily got to his feet, went to the bathhouse his room held, washed his face to stir him awake, and then walked onto the terries to glimpse the streets.

    Dismembered bodiesy sprawled over the cobblestone, and it made it nearly impossible to determine how many people were in. The city watch had closed the street down to investigate, but even they were getting nowhere. Be it the Mana or the Time Nodes, both were tarnished by Tasha''s immense power.

    Your next journey awaits at empire

    "Did you learn who wanted to kill me?"

    Tasha''s tongue lulled out. "They each had made an Eternal Vow, which is shone as a tattoo on their tongue. Even if I tortured them, it would not matter."

    "I assumed that affected their soul?"

    "It would," Tasha affirmed. "At least a part of it, and that''s the part we want."

    Curiously, he stared down at the bloodbath Tasha had woven. He could easily learn the truth of the matter but saw no point in doing so. There would always be someone after his life. Just as he was sure, there were still people after his Father, who stood near the peak. Those after him were like cockroaches. It did little to kill one or two when there was scourge of them.

    Darkly, he told himself there was more toe; before getting changed, he left to get breakfast, a strange traditional Akrem dish he could neither pronounce nor spell. It might have been delicious if it weren''t poisonous. The poison did nothing, thanks to his Ashen blood, but infuriated him, leading to him ughtering the entire kitchen staff.

    It was an early butcher, but by the time he left the inn, he''d spotted more than a dozen ring at him with killing intent.

    "Master¡­'' Alyssa appeared. "Can we kill them?"

    With a stare that could send a chill down to the marrow, Altair nced at one of the assassins before entering his carriage. "Do as you see fit. You are immortal." As Altair was about to inform the coachman to depart, a shout, followed by banging on his carriage door, alerted him.

    "Lord Nox! Lord Nox! Please! Please! Aid us!"

    It was Tasha who opened the door, giving the woman a long stare. She wasn''t human, though she held the intelligence of one. She had pointed, cat-like ears, twitching incessantly. Near her bottom, her fluffy tail stood erect.

    What made Altair frown was the Knights that had been sworn to protect him. Why hadn''t they barred her entry? The thought came as quickly as it faded.

    "What is it you want?'' Tasha calmly asked.

    Alyssa''s fingers were twitching, ready to cut her down alongside the knights for their insolence.

    "My name is Lona. A former¡ª" Before she finished, the dagger she held in her dress shed a beautiful radiance beneath the morning sun, though the de did not travel far before Tasha caught it with a finger.

    "It would seem Nox was a softie," Altair relented. He ced two fingers together and poked Lona in the forehead hard. In a moment, an entire lifetime shed across his sea of consciousness of a young ve girl sold to her master. Lobotomized at an early age to remove dull, unnecessary sensations, she was taught the way of killing, seduction, and espionage.

    By age ten, she had faced every type of mental and physical torture imaginable. Her own master had forced himself on her more times than she could count in her near hundred-fifty years of life as a reward and as a punishment.

    Her Master, the Lord Baron, Finra Vadica, Vassel to house Nier, was enthralled by Lona the first time he saw her. He even went as far as to name her after histe wife, who had fallen to the gue. From the likeness, it was said that Lona was the split image of histe wife.

    His taste aside, what Altair could not figure out was why the Baron, Nox''s father''s Vassel, wanted him dead. From what he could see, Lona was given the mission directly from him in a fit of rage when one of the servants informed him of his awakening.

    "What a mess,'' Altair breathed. "Break all her ligaments and tie her to the horses to be dragged. Coachman. We are heading to Baron Vadica''s manner." Altair nced at Tasha and said, "Have the captaine see me."

    Beneath his Master''smand, Captain Taren trotted toward his master; he was surprised to see Lona''s teary face as her limbs were being smashed by Tasha. She screamed at the top of her lungs, the numbing sensation of pain she''d never felt before almost absent as her very soul felt like it was set aze. The pain shattered her.

    Were it not for her broken limbs, she might have gorged her eyes out to alleviate the pain.

    Taren closed his eyes, unable to look, when he heard his Master''s bone-chilling voice. "That''ll be your fate if this foolishness happens again, my Dear Captain. If a Ninth Circle like yourself can''t spot an assassin, then you''re of no use to me." He nced at the other knights, turning to stare.

    None of them were green. They had tasted the sting of battle. They had all killed at one point in time. For the lord they had all been sworn to protect, to be killed would be a type of shame none of them would be able to live through.

    The captain nearly copses off his horse, but Altair continued, "Evenst night, where hundreds of people were in. It was my maid who protected me while you all slept like children. This folly will not happen again. I need wolves ready to die for me, not cubs. This will be yourst warning. Let''s go."

 Chapter 362 The Dukes Vassals II

    The arrival of Nox did not go unnoticed by Lord Finra Vadica, who had been informed of his arrival by Raven. Unease had never been more president than it was at that moment. He had hoped that Lona would manage to kill him in that window, but his heart fell into his gut when he saw her limp body being dragged over the cobblestone.

    His jaw was clenched so tightly that veins protruded on one side as he forced the words from his mouth, "Wee to my humble abode, Young Master Nox." he forced a smile, no longer able to deny the sensation of unease creeping up his spine like a Wraith Demon. He felt scared and small beneath those cruel amethyst eyes with a scarlet center.

    Calmly, Altair pulled the snowy white gloves off his hand and handed them to Therion. "Does this belong to you, Baron?"

    "My Lord?" Finra''s lips thinned. "Does what belong to me?"

    Altair smiled. "Shall we talk inside, your humble abode?" he asked, lifting an eye towards the towering manor behind him. "Bring the wench."

    Tasha opened a hand, and a hooked chain of energy sprang forth from her palm, impaling Lona through the tongue and down into her jaw. She squealed beautifully, the stench of hot piss slipping from between her legs as she wailed. Tasha ignored it, dragging her away behind the Young Master.

    It was a grim sight, though perhaps the most abhorrent thing Finra had ever seen. It had taken all he had not to demand she be free. It ached him so that he wanted to fall on his sword if it meant alleviating some of her pain. But it was too early¡­ he needed to know what the Young Master Nox knew and what he wanted.

    In themon room, Lord Finra grinned as young elvish maids brought forth refreshments, a fewced with a sedative that allowed one to be more open with the truth.

    "It was a surprise to hear you were awake," the Baron began, fashioning himself at the head of the table. "You probably don''t recognize me. My Father perished a few years ago, and as heir to his name, I took over his title some hundred years ago."

    "Oh? How''d he die?" Altair asked, savoring his tea, allowing his metabolism to consume Lord Finra''s sedative. It was a simple matter of understanding the nature of the drug and controlling one''s body on a cellr level.

    "He was killed during the Siege of Dragon Horn. One of his men betrayed him, driving a spear through his heart." From the look in his eye, Altair could tell Finra wasn''t nearly as sad as he portrayed. "The inquisitors learned it was the work of the Shadowbringers. It was by their hands that Viscount Yinvar held an insurrection."

    "You''ve my condolences," Altair said softly.

    "It''s the cycle of life," Lord Finra exined. "A son is meant to bury their father, never the other way around."

    "Indeed," said Altair.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "But I''m curious, Young Master," Finra expressed. "Who might this be?"

    Altair nced at the assassin beneath Tasha''s boot, pooling liquid tears of blood. He smiled, "This is an assassin that tried to kill me today. One of many."

    "Heavens! Do you wish to use my dungeon? I assure you I''ve some of the best torturers in all of Almor," said Finra, with a tinge of hope.

    Rising to his feet, Altair sauntered over to the braiser to warm his hands. "That''s good to hear, Baron, but you see, my Tasha here may have you beat. This assassin, you see, was lobotomized. She can''t feel pain, yet she squeals louder than any pig." he turned in time to see the color drain from Finra''s face.

    He''d thought she was perhaps faking it, but Altair had shattered that hope.

    "I see¡­ then what by chance did¡ª-"

    "Tasha dunk her head into the me; I''d like her screams to dwarf the halls."

    "No!" Lona gargled a howl so fierce it seemed primal, but against every fiber of being, screaming to flee, she was dragged towards the brazier, desperately trying to flee from the hock that held her.

    "My Lord, isn''t that a bit too cruel!" Finra shouted in haste. "I mean, this is mymon room. Not some dungeon."

    "You''ve got a point. Tasha, stop." The Lilm palm that was reaching for Lona''s head paused. "The baron doesn''t wish for us to sully his home."

    "We wouldn''t want that," said Tasha with a wronged expression. "Then might we use your dungeon, Baron? It''ll be a quick thing. No one hassted more than ten minutes with me. The trick is not to ask for anything. Even if they desperately want to tell me something.

    They''ll spill their guts after the first cycle is over. By the second cycle, all forms of deceit will vanish, and the third, well¡­ that''s just for fun. And can I take the Captain? I simply love to have my toys humiliated near the end. It''s like a reward."

    "A fine idea," said Altair. "Baron. If you would, please lead us to your dungeon. I would very much like to hear what this wench has to say."

    "But isn''t she bounded by an Eternal Vow?" the Baron said, scrambling for an idea to get his Lona away.

    "I''ve already gotten rid of it," Altair assured him. "Our Duketom has many such things, right captain?"

    "Y-Yes, indeed," Captain Taren lied. He had never heard of such a thing, but the Baron would not know that. No one would. It was such a tant lie that anyone in their right mind would have seen through, yet¡­

    "Y-Y-You can''t¡­" The Baron said. The desperation in his voice all the more tangible."You can''t¡­"

    Altair snapped his finger, and Tasha ruthlessly dungked the assassin''s head into the brazier. Her scream only seemed to further shatter the Baron. He howled, bounding towards Tasha, but Captain caught him by the arm, throwing him back.

    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Despite her legs being broken, they iled about like tentacles. The sight alone was enough to break a man, but a lover. Altair wasn''t even sure what type of pain he was experiencing at this moment, but he smiled nheless.

    "Why don''t we drop the act," he calmly said. "You sent the assassins after me. You needn''t try to lie. I already know the truth. I just need your admission. Tell me the truth, and Tasha will stop.

    Or we can all watch as my knight each takes a turn on your woman as she burns."

    Alyssa, who had been ever silent, had to nce at her master, startled by the words he''d spoken.

    ''Was he always like this?'' she wondered.

    "I''ll admit it!" The Baron, Finra Vadica, relented, falling to his knee with his head touching against the marble stone. "Please, my Lord, forgive her. I ordered it. It was all me."

    "You snake!" shouted Captain Taren, unsheathing his de. It was Therion who stopped him with a raised palm.

    "Wait for Master''s decree," he said coldly.

    "Did you think poison would have done something?" Altair snorted. "Defiling such good tea, I should toss your Lona into a brothel so every man could have her and have you watch, simply to observe you fall into true despair. I wonder how many days it would take for you to fall on your sword."

    The air left the Baron''s lungs. Never before had he ever felt so faint. "Please!" he breathed. "Please!"

    "It''s a curious thing, you know. Once you know a man''s weakness, even the strongest one will break. You must have loved your wife. You even raised this little thing. You know she''s not your wife, but you still beg like a worm." he shook his head, finding himself on a tangent. "Tasha, that''s enough."

    Reluctantly, Tasha pulled what was left of her head from the brazier and tossed her on the ground. She smiled, ncing at Finra. "She''s just a little crispy. But her hole is still good. That''s all that matters, right?"

    Finra bore that shame, keeping his posture. He religiously thanked Altair for his mercy.

    "Alyssa, did you record it?"

    "I did, my Lord," Tasha said, taking out a Holocube from her pocket and reying the Baron''s admission. Explore more at empire

    "Baron¡­ I''ll give you one chance. Tell me who ordered you to kill me, and I''ll release your Lona to you. Lie, and she, alongside your wife''s immortal soul, will face a fate even death can''t imagine."

    "A-A-A Raven came from Viscount Vadica estate. I¡ª"

    "Arnt'' you a Vadica?"

    "Where a branch family." Finra hastily said. " Bastards, in their eyes, were allowed to exist simply to maintain votes around the Dukedom."

    "Send a raven to them. Let them know that I am aware of their involvement in this assassination attempt and will be demanding an answer. They''ll have by week''s end answer my call, or it''s war."

    "But if I do that¡ª"

    "They''ll kill you. I''ll have a few knights on standby in your estate to guard you. Ah¡­also, I''m in need of Heartstones And Mana Cores. Highest grade if you can." he smiled, waving to hispatriots as he left.

    Tasha grinned once they entered his carriage. "Why do I feel you did all that simply to gain some Heartstones?"

    Altair shrugged. "Can you me me? It''s a three-hour ride. I''m not going through that again. Though, It is a shame. I can''t kill that bastard yet.

    Having a pedo like him alive breathing the same air as is rather disgusting. We''ll see how useful he is."

 Chapter 363 The Dukes Vassals III

    Altair wiped the sweat off his brow and pulled himself out of Tasha. She squirmed, moaning a delightful sound, her cunt dripping with his seed. It seemed almost endless, piring from between her legs onto his bed. The sight alone might have stirred something in the young emperor were he not so tired. Fortunately, Tasha had fainted once more.

    She was doing that more and more; each night, Altair bedded her as he found himself experimenting in a way he might not have with Ren or Syris.

    The nights were always long, longer, when Nia or Alyssa often found themselves peeping through the door as they were now, with a palm between their legs.

    Altair had sworn Tasha to secrecy, forbidding her from even making lewd jokes until he was ready to deal with them.

    [Charm 29 ¡ú 35]

    Parching his throat with a pitcher of water, Altair stared at the System Message, curious about what such an attribute meant. He had half a mind to use his Omniscience to demand the answer but did not allow himself the satisfaction. Not when he had a limited amount of uses pertaining to his ability. He had better things to worry about.

    It was still grey and dark when he finished with Tasha, throwing on a tunic and trousers before opening a portal to his serpent''s outreach. It had been too long since he had returned, and he needed an answer for the uing war.

    He found Aurora in his office, asleep at the desk, a sliver of drool on her lips, lord Thanatos at her side, watching.

    "That''s a little creepy," Altair said, surprising the god of death.

    "Your back."

    "Not for long. Ten minutes tops," Altair admitted. "Let''s talk outside. We wouldn''t want to wake her."

    Thanatos silently followed after Altair, closing the door on his way out. "What is it?"

    "How much do you know about the enemy heading towards Earth?"

    "Aerettel? They are a somewhat powerful empire. To my knowledge, they are not a part of the Republic. They keep refusing to join Genisis, choosing to remain independent."

    "Independent?" Altair scuffed. "All that tells me is that they simplyck the adequate resources to be deemed important enough."

    "True," said Thaan. "Butpared to us. They are powerful. Especially with the two allied forces joining them. Intora, and Bavica. They are smaller kingdoms, but they both own multiple sr systems.

    When they arrive, we''d be vastly outnumbered."

    "What is Zag doing?"

    "Zag and Megaera are currently leading two small armies to cut off near the Andromeda Sector. We¡ª"

    "Who stands with them?"

    Thanatos smiled. "Of course, all of Olympus, your grace. Have you ever heard of the Spartans?" Altair blinked; he could vaguely recall them in Earth''s history. "They are extinct amidst the Old Era of Earth, but in Gaia, their culture and kingdom still live proudly. Artemis and Athena gave themand, and they came running. Same with the Amazonians alongside a dozen others."

    "And the Ilvarians?" Altair questioned.

    "That''s a troubling one, Your Majesty," Thaan admitted. "They have the potential, but we need to give them time. A year at minimum to adapt. Two to master everything. They are a fiercely intelligent race,parable to the Ilthads, but if we are to use them wisely, we need to cultivate them. It''s too early to ship them off to the battlefield."

    Altair tried not tough, finding that peculiar glow in Thanatos''s eyes to be quite amusing. If he didn''t know the man, he might have thought him excited about the prospect of war.

    "You''ve never reaped an Ilvarian, have you?" he asked, peering right through the man.

    Thanatos flushed, coughing into his palm. "Well¡­ They were extinct when I was born."

    "Aha~ Well, good work. Tell me when Zag makes first contact with the enemy. I''d actually like to hear the detailster. And don''t be frightened to purchase ships. I''m sure Zelos can find us some terrifying weaponry with his level of authority on Genisis."

    With a cruel smile, Thanatos nodded. "Already done, my Lord. You needn''t worry about this war. Once they see the banner of their felled brethren¡­" he stopped shaking with a fever Altair had never seen. "Anway, I must be going.''

    Bidding his farewells to Thanatos, Altair thought of his father and uncle before hurrying back through the portal. He had a smile, closing the rift behind Tasha, who''d somehow managed to fall off the bed. She seemed to be on a bed of sea foam by the way his seed continued to flow.

    "What are you doing?" He asked, looking at her silly smile.

    "How are you so good?" she asked, unsure why the sting of his touch still resounded through her body.

    Altair himself couldn''t exin it. He had noticed it ever since he had awakened his Omniscience. He was a lot more ruthless than he previously believed. Colder than what he thought he could stomach. Skills and Techniques he once struggled to learn seemed almost meaningless beneath his Omniscience.

    A knock came at the door. Altair frowned, tossing a nket onto Tasha from his bed, and said, "Enter."

    Anklem sauntered in, lowering his head with a letter in hand. "Forgive the intrusion. A letter has arrived from Viscount Vadica, your grace." Find exclusive stories on empire

    "Already?" Altair smiled. "What''s it say?

    ''Young Master?" Anklem asked. A sudden jolt of shocknced across his spine.

    "You''ve read the letter, haven''t you? Tell me what does it say." Altair calmly voiced. "I''ve eyes everywhere, Anklem. You needn''t try to lie. Please¡­"

    "Young Master I¡ª"

    "Don''t make my Master repeat himself!" Tasha snapped, with an obscene expression she tried making serious. She failed spectacrly, causing Altair to chuckle, gesturing her to be silent.

    It wasn''t hard to figure out that a letter the Dutchess would have any Anklem read his mail, especially with his recent behavior.

    Anklem swallowed hard when he remembered the scent of sex in the air. He reddened at the familiar pheromones prating his being. "I¡­ TheViscountt has exined that there are traitors in his midst and that he will deliver them to you."

    "Will he now," Altair hummed. "Send a condolence letter then."

    Tashaughed, though Anklem turned a shade paler. "Young Master, that¡ª"

    "And informed my Father''s Vessels of this assassination attempt. I''m curious to see how they''ll react. They should all either be on their way towards the manner after learning I''ve awakened or¡­ scheming with theViscountt." he gave the butler a long stare that sent a chill down to the marrow. "What are you waiting for? Hurry along. I''m not as patient as I used to be."

    When he was gone, Altair snapped, summoning Nia, Alyssa and Therion. "Spread out and tell me what you''ve learned. I want you to observe those brave enough to watch me."

    Nia frowned, those strange dual pupils of hers shimmering fiercely. "Aren''t they all conditioned?"

    "Yes, but to my knowledge, the conditioning was done partially by the imperial family. While they are still loyal to house Nier. That loyalty begins to fade when ites to the Imperial Family."

    ''You mean¡­" Nia realized.

    "Yes. The Baron isn''t foolish enough to simply try to kill me on the order of theViscountt. That would be the height of idiocy. My theory is that the imperial house is somehow involved and is trying to weaken House Nier. The baron father is an example of that."

    "The baron did say that his father was stabbed during the Siege of Dragon Horn," Alyssa voiced.

    "Correct. What the Baron failed to mention was that it is tradition for all men or women who take up a noble title to be Transcendent. To my knowledge, the Baron is neither a transcendent nor possesses the potential to be one. Of course, I could be wrong, and theViscountt holds dangerous aspirations. I''ve no proof, but there are strange signs that I can''t pass up."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Then Dutchess¡­" Alyssa covered her mouth, and everyone smiled.

    "You''re getting sharper," Nia slightly teased. "The Dutchess could be working with the imperial family."

    "I don''t believe that''s the case. "Altair shook his head. "But I do believe they are influencing her decision, or at least someone is. To treat Nox the way she had is rather interesting. Especially since none to my knowledge tried to stop her."

    "This is confusing¡­" Alyssa muttered. "But don''t worry, master! We''ll obey!"

    Altair nced at Nia, who nodded. "I''ll take care of her.''

    ***

    Three dayster, carriages lined the duke''s estate one by one as noblemen and women, young and old, hurried down the hall. It waste notice, but House Nier had never cared for such formalities.

    The former duke, attended by the dutchess, was there to greet her guess, forcing a smile as, one by one, many began to approach her. She was scared. Scared of the young man''s footsteps echoing from behind her down the stairs.

    "Quite the gathering, wouldn''t you two say?"

    "Someone tried to kill you, and that''s all you have to say?" Elgar scuffed. "That''s a Nier for you. What do you have nned?"

    Altair gave a gentle smile at a few noble women who only just recently had theirmoning-of-age ceremony, amused by the way their cheeks glowed brightly.

    "As the Heir to House Nier, it''s my duty to maintain order. This little gathering is merely a formality to see who is still loyal to House Nier."

    "And the Baron?" Corsant asked.

    "You mean my witness." Altair chuckled at Corsants'' sullen expression, which vanished as she kept her noble bearing. "He''ll be here soon. I''m sure he has a lot of interesting secrets that some people would rather not be heard."

    Corasnt made a tsking sound and said, "Some secrets are best left unsolved."

    "Perhaps, but not when someone is trying to kill me. Wouldn''t you agree?"

 Chapter 364 The Imperial Tutor I

    The Dining Hall of House Nier was rowdy with the nking of tankards filled with Svancan Ale. Men joked while the womenughed in their husband''s arms, singing along to the music. Those who hadn''t had the honor of marriage asionally danced, finding partners for whoever caught their eye.

    At the head table, where the heads of each noble family resided, Young Master Nox sat beside his Mother and Grandfather. His ptine smile was both inviting and uninviting. The young maidens who had approached him had already left soon after with downcast expressions, ted by his charm.

    "Young Master, I must say you are even more popr amongst thedies than you ever were," Count Fremar Kinvar said. "Did you achieve some enlightenment while unconscious?"

    ''You can say that," Altair admitted. He tapped his temple. "Ever since I awoke, I''ve never felt more in such control of my body. My Mana has been refining my body in response to my inner will."

    Looks of surprise found Altair.

    "I''ve never heard of such a thing," Viscount Kilmar Foris remarked. "Well, perhaps it has something to do with bing a Transcendent at such an early age."

    ''Or the fact that he''s fucking a devil,'' thought Elgar darkly. "Whatever the reason, one cannot deny he has be quite thedy killer."

    Countess Darna Mado tipped an eye towards the young Master and stifled her gulp lest she embarrass herself. Nox had not been like the other young masters she''d known, who often left home to the colonies to im women as a Sea Bitch, raping those that dared to resist. He had been known for his noble bearing, abstaining from such degeneracy amongst high society. Nox was the epidemy of nobility.

    More so now than he ever was a thousand years ago.

    There simply wasn''t a single woman who wasn''t gawking at the young lord.

    ''You tter me, grandfather," Altair said.

    "Might we ask what your mana attribute is?" Viscount Areon Vadica asked. It was a rude notion to inquire about one''s ability, especially at one''s gathering, but what choice did he have? Everything about the young master nox seemed so foreign to what he knew or heard.

    Dutchess Corsant frowned, gracefully lowering the tankard of ale from her lips. "Would you like to repeat that, Viscount Areon?" her voice as cold as an iron bade.

    ''It''s alright, Mother," Altair said. "It''s not like I''ve anything to hide. It''s exactly four hundred. The apparent limit of a Fourth Circle."

    Silence dwarfed the table, leaving many shaken. No one had ever reached the limit set by the system. Even those who fell from grace in cultivation, reaching the realm of transcendence, only to fall to an injury had never once reached the limit. Even the disciples of ancient heroes had never done so.

    Altair smiled. "As I said, ever since I woke up, something has been different. I''m rather grateful. Now I''m on a path to achieve something even greater."

    "But won''t cultivation be harder!" The Viscount asked. "The purity of one''s mana is¡ª"

    "Irrelevant before my family''s wealth and my talents." the young Master interrupted. "Wouldn''t you say, Viscount Vadica?" A lesser noble would have never dared to cut off a Transcendent, yet Altair''s smile seemed to challenge that ruling.

    "Indeed," said Areon Vadica, flushed.

    Darna shot a warning look at the Viscount. It had seemed he''d forgotten his ce at the table. "My Lord,'' she said to Altair. "It''s a few days toote, but I must congratte you for awakening. We have all been worried."

    "Quite right," the other lords chimed in, paying their due respect, one after the other, raising their tankards.

    The dining hall erupted in ted cheers, resounding through the manor.

    "Will you be heading to the colonies to recover, young master?" Marquis Killian Tovakin asked, swirling his ale in his cup. Out of everyone present, he held the highest authority just beneath the dutchess herself. He looked bored, though that wasn''t surprising. Everyone knew Marquis Killian cared little for social gatherings, choosing to seclude himself in his manor with his beloved.

    His apparent presence was not so much out of love towards the Duke but obligation.

    "Only boys and rapers seek to travel to the colony''s sea, Marques," Altair remarked. "I am neither.No. I''ll be heading towards the Temple of Sepith to pay respects to the Saintess for aiding in my recovery. She is expecting me."

    Cold, piercing eyes watched Altair beneath sword-like brows. "The Saintess was here?" The Viscount asked, perhaps too sharply, hushing the voice from all around.

    Altair gestured to the orchestra to resume their movement, speaking only when the mood lightened.

    "Why does that surprise you?" Altair replied. "Was it assumed that our family had no connection or that I didn''t?"

    Again, silence punctuated the air before Viscount Areon broke it, "It was just surprising."

    "It would seem that my family has fallen in this absence of mine," Altair announced, his tone no longer gentle, carrying a sliver of ice that seemed to strike the marrow. His presenceshed at the hall, fainting a dozen in a single breath. "Why is it a surprise, Areon? What is surprising is that there are traitors in the midst of your court seeking my death that you have no idea about."

    "Young Master!" the Viscount snapped.

    "What? Is it my tone that isn''t to your liking?" Altair scuffed. "Are these so-called traitors the same ones who felled Baron Vadica''s Father?"

    The Dutchess nced at the old Duke, back to the Viscount. "Answer my son, Viscount."

    ''She''s letting the boy lead,'' Marquis Killian thought. ''I was under the impression she hated Nox. Has something happened I''m not aware of?''

    Beneath the eyes of the Head Houses, the Viscount did not back down. He raised his head, wielding his arrogance like a banner. "We are no traitors."

    "I didn''t say you were. Only ipetent." Altair expressed, his presence shifting into a de that seemed to echo from the very abyss as it shed against the force of a Transcendent.

    Altair might have coughed up a mouthful of blood if not for his Ashen Blood. He held his gaze, cold as the depths of the Eight Layer of Hell. No one bothered to reach out to defend the young Master. And why should they? To sit at the Head Table meant staking one''s life. Enjoy new stories from empire

    "You speak to taint, my honor."

    "Your ipetence or otherwise betrayal tainted your honor. Not me," Altair retorted. "And who are these so-called traitors in which you speak?"

    "Do you speak for your Dukedom?" The Viscount demanded.

    "Are you worth that much?'' Altair asked, stunning the table. "To assume your worth is near the level of respect in which you speak amuses me. Twice, your house has offended mine. So I ask you, Areon Vadica. Do you speak for your house, or is there someone else I should be talking to?"

    It didn''t matter what level of discipline the Viscount held. He flushed like a balling newborn. He shuddered, but before he could speak, the doors to the halls shot open with a bang! Nearly snapping off the hinges, Tasha sauntered in carrying with her Baron Vadica.

    Cored like a dog, she dragged him before her Master. With a cruel smile, she nced at Areon and asked," My Master doesn''t like repeating himself. So, in his stead, I shall ask, do you speak for your House?"

    It was only then that Areon Vadica seemed to understand that Altair wasn''t looking for an excuse. He never needed one. His intention wasn''t to oppress his house like he originally thought. He wanted to exterminate them.

    Tapping a finger against the oak, Altair leaned back into his chair, the color of his pupils taking a on scarlet radiance.

    "I¡ª" Areon opened his lips to speak but the young Master raised his hand, cutting him off.

    "Who is that?" he pointed towards a young man.

    The table of heads turned towards the target of Altair''s intent fifteen meters away, startling the young man in question; every instinct screamed in him as surprise shed across his pupils.

    "A transcendent¡­" Marquis said in rm. He turned to Altair, suddenly shaken by the level of awareness the boy held.

    "My Lord, that''s a member of my party." The Viscount said. "He¡ª"

    "Is armed. Why?" he nced at the knights on standby. "All weapons, including all the members of the heads, were checked. Why does he have one?"

    Almost immediately, weapons were drawn, and seven Ninth Circle members encircled the young man. Whispers echoed from the noblemen and women as children hurried to their parents.

    "Three times, Lord Areon," Altair said politely. "Three times your family has insulted me."

    Countess Darna''s inverted eyes narrowed. "He doesn''t have your scent. So, he''s not rted. What is his rtionship to you, Viscount?"

    Areon was equally surprised, losing feeling in his tongue for a good while. "I-I-I Don''t know. He''s a guard."

    "A guard that is a Transcendent?" The Dutchess scuffed. "If you must lie, at least make it sound practical."

    "I swear it¡ª"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "It doesn''t matter," Altair said. "Take the assas¡ª I mean the guard away." he smiled, snickering to himself at the intentional slip of the tongue. "Take off his armor and have him whipped for disobeying our Duketom."

    "Shouldn''t we question him first?" The Countess asked.

    "Would a transcendent speak?" The Young Master shook his head. "One offense at a time. Such a distraction will only serve to dy the Viscount''s im." he nced at Nia in the back, who nodded, following after the guards escorting the Transcendent away.

    "Now then, shall we get back to the matter at hand? Baron. Can you make a Vow to the Heavens that you''ll speak the truth, no matter how obscene the question I ask might be?"

    "Of course," The Baron said without hesitation, pitching a nce at Tasha, who had some of her people take away his Lona.

    "Young Master, that isn''t necessary," The Viscount said, losing his decorum. He shouted. "I''ve personally given the traitors! So¡ª"

    "Please. You are embarrassing yourself, Viscount. You''ll have your chance to speak. I''m only¡ª"

    "Presenting, The Imperial Tutor, Lord Adrum Faytal, Lord of Dragon Stone," The Heralds shouted, alerting many towards the kind smile of the young man walking in. He paused. He caught a nce at Tasha, but it was only for half a beat before he stopped at the table of Lords.

    There was only one who did not rise, smiling at the rat caught in his web.

 Chapter 365 The Imperial Tutor II

    Just as Altair studied the Imperial Tutor, Adrum Faytal, so too did Adrum smoothly study the young master nox with righteous indignation. Something in him seemed to register a passive resistance that left his brow arched. He smiled, but just as fast as his lips rose, they fell at Tasha''s swift appearance before the young master.

    Explore more adventures at empire

    It was subtle, nearly imperceptible, but Altair had barely felt the slightest quiver against the barrier held by his Soul of the Indomitable before Tasha moved. His ptine smile hungnguidly, betrayed by his eyes hard, as tempered steel.

    "We weren''t expecting your arrival," said the Duchess coolly, the first to return to her seat, followed by the others. "How is his grace?"

    "I, dear, say he''s in high spirits. When His Majesty heard that Nox De Nier had awakened from his thousand-year slumber, he summoned the imperial guards to leave, but as with all kings. Duty Calls," Adrum exined. "And so he sent me in his stead."

    "I''m honored," Altair expressed. "And you''re right on time. The baron here was prepared to take an eternal oath to the heavens to answer a few of my questions."

    "Oh?" Adrums gaze swayed to the baron. "And pray, tell what information could he give you?"

    "Three days ago, he told me that there was someone within the Vadica''s House that wanted my head," Altair exined, drawing the attention of young and old. His gaze fell upon the baron.

    "Then pray tell, what would you do if what the baron say is true?" Adrum asked, neither too fast nor too slow.

    "Isn''t it obvious?" Altair beamed. "I was going to order his entire lineage wiped out," he said, startling everyone present. "Why else would I have sent out the invites of so many of my Father''s Vassals?

    The Old Duke seemed to grimace but said nothing. It was how they''d done it in his time. The old way.

    "You mean to test your vessel''s loyalty," The Imperial Tutor asked, shaken.

    "One thousand years, I''ve slept," Altair began. "And now I awake to a baron that is not a Transcendent. A Viscount housing traitors or ipetent. Tell me, Adrum Faytal, what would the Imperial Family do? What would His Highness do if he were the target of a Viscount''s animosity?"

    "The eradication of his nine generations," he answered with a coldness that brought a chill to the hall.

    "But I am no butcher. House Vadica has served our family for¡­ nearly two thousand years. I''d rather not ughter them all if there isn''t a need."

    ''You''d need his majesty''s permission."

    Altair only smiled, shifting his attention towards the Viscount. "Before I give my inquiry, I hope you are aware of how your response dictates your house''s survival. So I''ll ask now. Who told you to attack me?"

    "Young Master, you are making¡ª"

    The Old Duke rose. "This is House Nier, Adrum Faytal. You may speak for his majesty, but you are not His Majesty." he nced at Altair. "The Old Way."

    "The Old Way," Altair repeated.

    "The Old Way," said Marquis Killian Tovakin

    "The Old Way," Countess Darna Mado announced, followed by a dozen others throughout the hall, hard and heavy.

    Whatever thoughts Adrum held died beneath the Duke''s Vessels. It was no longer a matter of the imperial house but of Honor.

    "The Old Way," said the Dutchess coldly, rising to her feet. She shouted, "Bring me Elfgar for Lord Nox De Nier!"

    The drum of hands against hard oak reverberated through the hall as the men of the North, the Banner Men of Arch Duke Godrey De Nier, be they young or old, lifted their tankers of ail towards the skies, drowning the stone beneath their feet with it.

    "The Old Way" They Cheered.

    In a few breaths, the elder of House Nier, Lord Aymar Do Lar, entered through the halls, a sheathed greatsword pressed to his chest, its tip aimed towards the skies. He stopped before the young Master, bending a knee and offering the de towards him.

    Altair did not reach for the de, leaving Lord Aymar where he may for the time being. He would hold that position for years if needed, but the moment the sword was drawn, the fall of a great house would ensue.

    "Do you have any words, Viscount?" Altair asked, not as the Young Master but as Heir to his Father Duketom. "The truth, perhaps?"

    Areon expression had never been so red, thick with shame; he fell to his knee, in lue of the Old Way, dictated by the God of Blood and Iron. Head bowed, he opened his lips, finding the words he held failing him.

    "Baron! Take your Oath!" Altair shouted.

    "I, Finra Vadica, Swear by Myriad Heavens that he shall not lie before the Question spoken by Lord Nox De Nier!"

    At the rumble of the Heaven conformation, a shimmer of golden radiance trickled from the skies and shrouded the Baron in a golden haze that faded like mist.

    "My First Question, Baron, Finra Vadica, Who Killed your Father?" The question seemed to stun everyone, resounding with a gale of whispers.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I do not know, but I had received a letter from House Vadica stating that my Father would be taken care of," The Baron admitted in a calm voice. "I held my tongue for I knew that I would never be Baron in my lifetime, at least not without proper resources my Father held."

    ''Swine¡­" Viscount Kilmar Foris cursed, clutching his fist.

    The Old Duke''s expression grew hard. "Tomas Vadica was a hard man. He would not be felled by nobodies. He''d never have turned his back to a transcendent he didn''t trust." he nced at Areon Vadica, pale as a white sheet. "But¡­ He would if, on the Siege of Dragon Horn, you offered him transcendents with the promise of returning to the main family."

    "What type of weapon killed your Father?" Altair asked calmly.

    "A spear, my lord," answered the baron, his head bowed in shame. He was shaking, unsure what the young master was reaching for. His admission alone was enough to implicate House Vadica.

    "Grandfather, are there any Transcendent who uses a spear that was present during the Siege of Dragon Horn?"

    "Areon uses a spear, but he wasn''t present. At the time, he had been summoned to the Imperial Pce alongside a few other Lords," said the Old Duke coldly. "As far as I am aware, there are no other spear users apart from House Vadica."

    "I see¡­ Imperial Tutor, do you know of this matter?" Altair asked.

    "I do, but unfortunately, I am forbidden to speak about it," Adrum Faytal expressed.

    "I see. It''s of no consequence," Altair mused, ncing at Tasha, back to the Baron. "Then Finra, can you exin to me what has happened with the assassin?"

    Without missing a detail, the Baron gave a detailed recount of what he had been asked by a raven that carried the crest of House Vadica, providing various letters and contacts he used to track the Young Master.

    "That will be all." Altair said," You can leave."

    ''You will not kill him!" The Imperial tutor asked, echoing the words a few others wanted to ask.

    "And who might rece the Barons title when he''s dead? His punishment shalle, but not yet. I''m sure more information can be extracted. Mistakes that weren''t ounted for, and so on." Altair shot a cold look towards the Viscount and, sauntered over to him and said, "I have more than enough information to have your entire family killed. But that would be more of a mercy.

    Look at me." Areon fearfully looked up. "My family''s kindness has gone unwarranted. So this is what is going to happen. If you deny what I ask, every woman that carries the surname Vadica for the next nine generations will live in brothels until your lineage is so diluted they''ll forever be known as Noble Whores.

    While your men, young or old, will have the privilege of bing eunuch ves that live the rest of their days ughtering one another to survive. Father against Son, Brother against Brother. How poetic, wouldn''t you agree."

    "That is not the old way," cried Areon softly, tears beginning to rise from out of his eyes. He seemed shaken, pressing his head against the stone.

    "The Old Way decides your fate. All I''m doing is adding ayer of steps. It''ll cost money, but your lineage will be nothing but a stain that even the Imperial Family will cast away once they learn of your fate."

    Hope turning to sharp despair, Areon lifted his head, croaking a plea of desperation, "Please¡­ I''ll tell you everything. Just let my family go."

    "Then, take the Oath of the Heavens," Altairmanded, though he wasn''t looking at Areon but at the Imperial Tutor.

    "Master¡­" Tasha Soul Whispered in Altair''s ear. "I have detected Soul Whispers between Areon and Adrum. They just started."

    ''Can you disrupt it?'' Altair replied. "If so, do it."

    Opening her palm, a cube of Soul Essence appeared in the center of Tasha''s palm, drawing the attention of many. Before anyone could inquire more, it expanded, stretching through the Hall, disrupting everyone''s ability to Soul Whisper.

    "Forgive the inconvenience, Ladies and Gentlemen, "Altair announced, his voice reaching far and wide throughout the Great Hall. " It would seem my maid has detected a Soul Whisper between Areon and another we can''t yet identify. So, under mymand, she has blocked everyone''s ability to do so."

    He nced down at Areon, patting his shoulder, partially tasting his tangible despair. ''Don''t worry, Areon, just tell me the truth so I can set you free. I assure you, whomever you are defending cannotpare to the despair I shall inflect."

 Chapter 366 The Imperial Tutor III

    A/N: Sorry for theck of an update, but Hurricane Beryl left us without inte/power. I just got back intest night, and it''s he spotty. I''ll make the chapters up when we get power; my generator can''t handle myputer, lol.

    From the look in his eyes, Adrum Faytal was prepared to tear off Altair''s head if it were thest thing he''d ever do.

    "Now then, Lord Areon, if you''d be so kind. Why don''t you tell us your point of contact?"

    The shedding of tears from the Viscount did not garner pity. The men of the North who had lived as a part of the Nier Dutchy had all been fiercely loyal to the Dukedom. The love they''d held for the Duke, both new and old, could not simply be measured despite the passage of time.

    ''But it was that very love that forced the Imperial Family to weaken our forces." He nced at the Imperial Tutor, finding his current expression amusing. It wasn''t every day he had the chance to check a Transcendent. He smirked, returning his eyes to the Viscount.

    "It¡­It¡­It was Lord¡­." He paused, his silent cries bing ever more evident. " Lord Lukcar Malvgrave,"

    In the silence, it was Marquis Killian Tovakin who stomped forward, a tendril of viens spreading down his forehead. He pped him hard enough that teeth were sent sprawling from his jaw and again and again until chunks of flesh were torn from his mouth.

    "Lord Killian that¡ª" The Tutor started but was stopped when a de of Transcendent energy appeared in Kiins hand.

    "Hold your bloody tongue!" The Marquess demanded, flushed by rage.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The Kingdom of Kilsidor had only two dutches: House Nier, which controlled all of the North, and House Malgrave, which held the reins of the South. Other smaller nobles, bannermen, and merchants controlled the East and West.

    And no northern man held any love for any member of House Malgrave.

    "I see¡­" Altair whispered lightly, loud enough for all with enhanced senses to hear. "Now it makes sense. Isn''t the current king married to a Malvgrave? Could there be some rtion?"

    Hard, cold, unfeely eyes found the Imperial Tutor, who seemed to have eaten a bitter bug.

    "Watch your tongue, boy!" Adrum Faytal snapped. "I will not have you implicating the Imperial Family in any folly!"

    "The Malvgrave''s swore an oath!" Shouted the Countess, her words echoed by the lower nobles. "And it was ratified by the Imperial Family!"

    "Speak, Child!" The Old Duke''s booming voice thundered, quelling the voice of noblemen and children alike.

    "Grandfather," Altair cut in, a piano wire-thin smile ying at his lips. "This isn''t the ce to force an answer. Especially if the Imperial Family is involved." he nced at the Imperial Tutor. "Seal your core, or face an early death. Even if you are a transcendent, not even you can escape so many of us."

    "I am the Imperial Tutor!" he roared, but it fell on deaf ears.

    "And you are in the North." Said Altair coldly.

    ****

    "What a mess," Altair said after he''d waved off all his guests. Plenty wanted to stay the night, and under normal circumstances, House Nier would not hesitate to offer hospitality. Still, with the threat of the Imperial Family and House Malvgrave, they could not risk the safety of their Young Master. Continue reading stories on empire

    "Did you know all along?" The Dutchess asked softly. "Did you know the imperial family was involved?"

    "I had an idea, but when the Imperial Tutor showed up unannounced, I knew it to be true," Altair revealed, "And soon so too will all the Realm."

    ''The King holds Adrum Faytal in high regard." she said, lifting a goblet to her lips, tired and oddly cold in her own house.

    "Do you know the function of all nobility?" Altair asked her, looking out at the empty hall, which was being tended to by the servants. "It''s to serve the king. One man can''t do anything. So, he breaks up his power and his authority to create families of those he trusts. The king''s left and right arm are Nier and Malvgrave. King Silos is not foolish enough to go to war.

    Perhaps he might have when I was asleep. But not now."

    Corsant didn''t understand, turning an eye to him. "What do you mean? How are you relevant?"

    "The Old Nox was soft, wasn''t he? Too soft to be any ruler, too noble for all the other nobles to respect." he tapped the table. ''This gathering wasn''t merely to reveal the hidden scheme of the imperial family. It was to reveal a certain level of authority that was absent. Silos will surely send a letter we will ignore.

    He''ll then be forced to send an envoy, or Adrum Faytal will burn in a pyre of mes in a month''s time."

    "You can''t do that!" Corsant had to say. "If we do that, we''ll risk the fury of the king."

    "And? Can we not sustain ourselves without the king''s hand? Is our house not self-sufficient? As I said, Silos isn''t stupid enough to challenge us outright. Plus, I gave him an out." Altair suddenly added, recalling the Viscount. "We don''t have any proof of the Imperial Families hand in this matter.

    Only a traitor''s word."

    "A dead traitor," The Old Duke said, sauntering into the hall. "I''ve had the guards ce his body on the wall for the crows to peck at."

    "Well, do the same to his entire family.''

    The Old Duke and the Dutchess looked surprised. "You''d go so far? You gave your word," Corsant added.

    "I gave my word not to have their family turned into whores and ves. They''ll still be killed. The head of House Vadica betrayed us. Even if mercy is an option, Malvgrave or the Imperial Family will send someone to wipe them out and me us for it.

    iming that we were the ones who sent assassins to wipe them out to cause discord among the ranks," he threw his head back, catching sight of Tasha smiling at him. "We can''t let anyone else exterminate the Viscount. So¡­"

    "I''ll get my armor," The Old Duke dered, but Altair shook his head.

    "You are past your prime, old man," he said half-jokingly, half-seriously. "Corsant and I need to do it. Tasha fetch me some armor and ready our garrison. I''m sure the other families are preparing to siege House Vadica before they can escape."

    Elgar snorted. "I might be old, but I''ll still kick your ass." Heughed. "Get up and bring honor to the house, boy!"

    Altair hopped to his feet. "Of course, Grandfather. Corsant, have the MedArc on standby, just in case."

    ***

    Within the medical ward, Corsant stepped in with a gloomy look. She stared at her sleeping son, brushing his head, before turning an eye towards the MedArc.

    "It was Nox''s doing, wasn''t it? It was his demon."

    The Medarc bowed. "His Devil, mydy, and yes."

    "You knew," Corsant muttered darkly, biting her lip. "Why didn''t you say anything?"

    "To save the young master''s life. Devils aren''t bloodthirsty like demons. There sadistic. They like to y with their meat until they break. Had I revealed there was a sliver of Devil Qi in Noctis''s body, then I fear what that Devil or her True Master might have done." he nced at the Second Young Master and prayed for his swift recovery.

    "Nox is using my son to threaten me," Corsant exined. "He means to use us to¡­"

    "My Lady¡­. How much do you know of the Nine Hells?"

    Corsant bit her lips. "It''s part of the Viel in which youe from, right?"

    "Yes¡­ In a matter of speaking. It''s a realm that holds nine monarchs, each realm possessing its nobles, economy, and infrastructure." He said, garnering attention from the dutchess. "My Lady, forgive me for saying this, but this isn''t a battle you can win. Nox isn''t threatening you. He''s already won."

    "Long ago, there was once a king for whom I worked for. Powerful, young, and naive, he foolishly made a deal with the Hells to the First Prince, Lord Seir. He wanted to create a Legion that never feared death nor felt pain. To do so, Lord Seir demanded his only daughter and a hundred years'' time, which my King was more than willing to give since his son would take the throne.

    A hundred yearster, the daughter returned to her father''s court, her maidenhood shattered by over a thousand demons and her belly swollen with seven children. Demonborn, children."

    "Holy Ariandel!"

    "She had borne all seven of them before the king,ughing before taking her own life. Prince Seir had granted the King his wish. The Seven Demonborne children were the conduit through which other infernal creatures, hellions, were created. But what His Majesty hadn''t expected was that those very grandchildren were rearing an army to annihte his kingdom.

    It only took a year for them to grow into men, a year for them to gain control of the court, and a year to have all the imperial harem impregnated with demon children. They were all raped to death, forced to birth children until they could no more."

    "What is the point of this story!" Corsant demanded.

    "What I mean to say, mydy, is you would think the King was at fault. However, he was merely a sacrifice. For an enemy kingdom had paid the price of a thousand souls to have the entire kingdom sacrificed a hundred years before. That is how devils work. What you see before your eyes is merely an illusion of what they want.

    If there is a devil beside Nox, a royal devil at that, ask yourself how many are involved in this scheme. The Duke, the Saintess, and who else?"

    "Heavens¡­" The dutchess gasped, realizing the truth. "The saintess is involved!"

    The Medarc sighed. "My Lady¡­ When a devil is involved, the only part that wins is the hell. The same bastard that wished my Old King and his people dead wereter ughtered by the Infernal Creatures my king raised. The only man who won was Prince Seir."

 Chapter 367 The Crucible I

    A/N: I''m still out of power, but I''ll release chapters every now. Make-up chapters started Friday when they said power would be back online.

    ****

    It was a three-day ride towards the Vargan provenance, through the Raven Woods, struck by odd shape shadows and writhing tree branches, overrun by marshes, said to kill the unsuspecting, preying upon children and woman alike. Bandits roamed, though they didn''t attack the House Nier battalion, which wore its banners high.

    "A few more ours, my lord," Ser Ian Vastnar shouted on horseback.

    "How are the men?" Altair asked, unable to recall thest time he had ridden a stallion this fine, flying across the earth with grace. He felt free beneath the

    "Strong," said Ian firmly. He nced to his rear at the men of three hundred strong. "But I''d suggest we slow our pace to¡ª"

    "No,'' Altair silenced him. "If they cannot keep up, then they don''t deserve the title of knight." His voice echoed into each of the men''s ears. "Count Kinvar has said to have secured the city of Inka, but given his forces, he''ll onlyst four days. Three have passed. I don''t want any of the Viscount men to escape,monborn or not."

    A baleful aura shrouded the young emperor, quelling the whispers of discontent amongst his forces. Fourth Circle, though he might be, his spiritual might brought a sense of dread andfort no one could deny.

    "Nia, how does it look?" Continue your adventure with empire

    The dual pupils, Shadow, frowned, "The Crest of the Golden Trident is the mark of the Imperial Family, is it not?"

    "Yes," said Ian, ncing towards the woman ordained in the Crest of the ck Moon over her leather ck surcoat. It wasn''t one of the houses he was familiar with. "You can see that far?"

    Nia didn''t respond to him. "I count twenty, but it seems Lord Kinvar''s men are barring entry. The Imperial Guards don''t look too happy. They look like they''re about to kill everyone."

    Altair frowned, ncing down at his horse. His finger shed, piercing through the skull, killing it in a single motion. "Arise," he spoke before the horse could stumble, spreading his Vale Qi within the beast. ck mes danced across the surface of the stallion, writhing uncontrobly.

    Altair appeared as if he was riding a great ball of fire that took towards the skies at such a speed it seemed iprehensible.

    The men shouted, pointing towards the heavens in shock.

    In but a few breaths, a thinly veiled line connecting the heavens to the earth came as Altair dove, his stallion''s feet striking the earth with shattering force. Shadow mes danced, billowing uncontrobly, as the Shadow Beast turned its yellow eyes towards the pnquin holding a member of the Imperial family.

    "The City of Inka is currently under Martial Law, under the will of House Nier. Unless you possess a signed ethic from the king, you will not be allowed passage. I suggest you leave."

    Just then, one of the Imperial Guards pointed his spear towards the Young Master. "Who are you, boy!"

    Altair didn''t nce at him; his eyes locked at the golden ones, peering at him through the pnquin. He smiled, wrestling with an internal sensation reaching out from beside those golden eyes. He did not move until Tasha appeared like a vaporous ghost, touching his shoulder; then he returned to himself.

    "My Lord, Count Kinvar is expecting us." She lifted the Seal of House Nier, an obsidian gold Fang, and showed it to the spearman standing guard. "Let us through."

    "Then we''ll be off," Altair said to the figure onside as the spearman ushered him through the gates. "That was a spiritual attack." He said once the gates were closed. "it felt different from the Imperial tutor."

    "That''s because they were trying to read your mind," Tasha happily replied. "It''s a rather weak ability."

    Weak? How could you say that?" Altair could not help but ask. He''d want to rely on his Omnciense for answers, but he would need all his mental and physical strengthster. He couldn''t afford to experience Soul Exhaustion.

    "Your ptine, Your Grace," said Tasha, a little taken back by his reply. You might not realize it, but your blood protects you in ways that you can''t even imagine. Anyone can read minds, even me. It''s an innate skill, but it''s useless with a bit of Soul Resistance. You were only drawn in because that person was a Transcendent, but they can''t read your mind. No one can."

    Sending his stallion back into his Shadow, Altair sighed, deciding it was best he took a few months to get to know more about his lineage, about Tenebrae, rather than y with Tasha beneath the night. Not just his but Reina''s as well; he had a feeling that the Blood of a Nephilim was far more powerful than anything he could imagine.

    "I see," he said before his expression turned hard. His gaze snapped towards themander, racing forward on foot towards him. His round belly, bouncing out of his armor, seemed almostical, yet no oneughed.

    Brakna Hildroma was transcendent and said to have faced two Transcendents in battle during the sh of Redima. He alone held the enemy at bay for three years to a standstill, neither side gaining the upper hand.

    Round face and belly with arms the size of a boar, Lord Brakna Hildroma towered over Altair like a bear on two feet.

    "Sorry for thete arrival, Young Master; I would have greeted you had I known you''d arrive so early." He said, lowering himself before the Young Emperor.

    Altair had to stop himself from smiling. Transcendents weren''t required to bow, be theymoners or nobles; they had earned the right to be seen as equals. For Brakna to bow meant that he sought to align himself with Altair.

    "My arrival was shortened due to the arrival of the imperial family," Altair began, epting the gesture with open arms. "I dyed the matter, but the pride of nobles isn''t something one can control."

    "You think they''ll break through the wall?" Brakna asked.

    "No. I suspect someone will lower the gates for them. Inka is arge city; there are bound to be Imperial supporters." He nced around, studying the faces of those that met his eye, curious about the face of the man who slept for a thousand years. He smiled back, waving at a fewdies who blushed, turning their heads.

    Abruptly, his gaze turned towards the gate. It was soft, almost indiscriminate, but there it was again, the sensation that once tried to invade his mind,tching onto a guard of humble origins.

    "My Lord," Said Brakna. "What do you¡ª"

    "You don''t sense that?" Altair asked in surprise, turning to Tasha. He stopped himself from talking, realizing not everyone was as sensitive when it came to souls as he was. Devils and Demons were a spiritual race that was said to corrupt anyone aside from Seraphs. At the same time, Altair was a Primordial who dealt entirely with souls.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    He realized it would be odd if he hadn''t sensed that pulse of soul essence.

    "I don''t understand," Brakna continued.

    "Tasha, can you ward this ce against such attacks? I''d rather not give that man a chance."

    The Lilm bowed. "Of course, my Lord. Soul Combat is my forte, after all."

    "Soul Attack? "Brakna''s eyes went wide as a surge of energy reached out from inside him, and his eyesnded on the lone soldier. "I-I-I am ashamed. How could I¡ª"

    "It''s a mess out here," Altair cut in. "Leave it to my maid. Lead me to House Vadica. How many Trancendents do they have, and how many soldiers are ready to die?

    Brakna seemed troubled, though his response was quick. "They have three Transcendents left. The Fourth was a woman who killed herself when she heard the news, though not before killing half the women of House Vadica before she was stopped. She imploded her core and died on the spot. Some are calling her a witch, but¡­"

    "She''s a hero," Altair said. "Soldiers on a battlefield are nothing more than beasts."

    "My Lord, I assure you that my soldiers know better," Brakna exined, ushering the young master towards the Vadica Estate, towards the far east.

    Altair smiled, "Doesn''t that make it all the more sweet?" Altair was not so naive as to believe that Brakna men would obey the order to simply kill all they found. Some would happily nt their seed into a wench and kill her before carrying on. In the heat of battle, who would know? What brother-in-arms would betray their trust for a family of traitors?

    Themander went silent. He knew all too well the cruelty of what was toe.

    "How many Transcendents do we have on our side."

    "Ten, your grace, the Bannermen of House Nier are here to serve. Those that couldn''t attend the banquet in time did send over men, while those that knew couldn''t attend hired mercenaries in their stead."

    "Make a note of the families that aided us; I''d like to personally thank them." Suddenly, Altair began to frown, noticing therge number of people gathered around. For a city under martialw, the streets seemed offly popted by civilians rather than soldiers.

    Tasha caught up with him then, hurrying to his side with a curious look as the throng cleared a path towards the gates that barred entry to the Vadica Estate.

    "My Lord¡­" she whispered in his ear so softly he nearly missed it. ''I sense an aura simr to that Giant that attacked you."

    Altair''s brow jumped. "The Crucible?"

 Chapter 368 The Crucible II

    Altair''s brow jumped. "The Crucible?"

    Tasha pointed them out with his eyes. It was three of them, three men who seemed to blend into the crowd with ease, each with different shadows of robes that masked everything but their muscr frame. Slowly, they drifted back into the crowd, vanishing between the vast amalgamation of auras, though not quick enough for Altair to notice them.

    He touched his shoulder, where, despite the appearance of the Mark of Cain, he still felt its presence observing him, scrutinizing his every action. He wondered when Azura would call for him or if she''d ever call for him again after what urred. He scuffed at the idea, tearing his awaze away before sending a Soul Whisper to the Commander.

    Brakna shifted ufortably, rying an order to one of the soldiers following behind before they arrived at the encampment of amassing soldiers. He smiled when he found Count Kinvar in talk with seven Transcendence, Lordlings by the look of it.

    "My Lord. I brought the Young Master."

    Count Fremar Kinvar spun on his heel, that permanent scowl he held folding into a smile at the sight of Nox. He saluted as if he were weing the duke, followed by the other Seven. They all seemed to carry that peculiar gleam that sought to scrutinize every detail, no matter how small, about the young master.

    A smaller man might have folded, but Altair ignored their stairs, informing the Count of his men''s arrival alongside the imperial carriage.

    "I have no power to hold them for long," Lord Fremar admitted.

    "It doesn''t matter," Altair said coldly. He ced a friendly arm on the Count''s shoulder. "All I require is for you and your men to kill the Vicounts Transcendence."

    "Not capture?" Said Fremar darkly. "I would have thought you might have tried to earn their loyalty."

    "What sort of loyalty can one have in the face of one''s lineage being butchered?" Altair shook his head. "I meant what I said, Lord Fremar." he lowered his arm to his side, his gaze lifting towards the estate in the distance, shrouded by a growing mist. An Arcane formation, he knew.

    "Then¡­ Allow me to secure you a team of guards, too¡ª"

    "Not necessary," Altair refused when screams of men echoed through the streets. He frowned, eyeing one of the members he''d pointed out to Brakna to secure for him.

    "The ckcloaks are trying to kill me!" the Seventh Circle squealed, kicking and screaming. "Help me! Help me!"

    The throng of men and women began to whisper, with soldiers turning to face them, weapons preparing to be drawn.

    "I''ve done nothing!" Corvon shouted, arms pinned behind his back. "I only came to watch! To see news of the Young Master Nox!" when the whispers of men and women grew louder, he continued, "I''m innocent! I''ve never even met someone from House Vadica!"

    Brakna pped him backhand. "You''ll be silent, boy!" the next p sent blood spewing over the ground. "The Young Master, Nox would like a word."

    Corvon went silent, though the people watching did not, shouting, ''release him'' and ''bastard ckcloaks'' over one another.

    Altair did not seem to understand until he asked Fremar, who exined that the ckcloaks represented the men of the North, of all who supported House Nier. The count hadn''t been sure who started calling the northern ckcloaks, but after a thousand years, it was how they became recognized.

    "I see," the young master said, enlightened for a moment before a baleful smile crept across his face.

    Corvon felt the small hairs on the back of his neck rise. Something about those amethyst eyes of his seemed to cut deep, seeing him for what he truly was. He shook his head, no, denying the possibility.

    Altair signaled for the ckcloak behind him to release him. Corvan dropped to his knee, feigning weakness to give the crowd a rise.

    "What are you doing here?" Altair asked in a calming voice.

    "I''m¡ª"

    "I''ll ask once more, what are you doing here, bearer of the Mark." A faint glint of red shrieked like a fallen star from across the cks of his eyes.

    Corvan soon began to pant, a finger reaching up usingly. "You! You! You''re¡­" His voice trailed off as dread crept into his bones, down to the marrow. "Who are you!"

    ''So they do not know my identity yet,'' Altair concluded, grateful Azura knew to keep her mouth shut. He gave him a sharp grin and said, "Your scent is overpowering."

    "Y-Y-You can''t kill me! Elder Grim forbids it!" he breathed, the wordsing one after the other with more confidence. "You''ll be killed if you¡ª"

    Altair needed only to snap for Corvan''s mouth to ignite like a cavan of shadow mes spewing out in a tongue of mes. The squeal banished sound from the crowd and forced them to eat their words and taunts as they were made to stare. They watched Corvan iling, his bare hands reaching up to touch the shadow mes, peeling charred flesh from bone.

    It was a sickening sight that left a few puking while others covered their ears, unable to bear the wretched screams.

    The messted only a minute, yet that minute echoed across eternity. From jaw to nearly half, the upper right of his face revealed obsidian bones charred by mes.

    "Tasha," Altair said. With a smile, the Lilm snapped her fingers, invoking a wall of silence around the two. "Do you know why it''s called a Crucible?" he asked, squatting over the limp body of Corvan. "Where Ie from, crucibles were used by diators or madmen to create poisons. You throw one or two poisons in, let them fight it out, and see who survives. And then you rinse and repeat.

    It was the same for diators."

    If he could, Corvan would have gulped, but even that seemed like a dream or, rather, a nightmare that he could not wish away.

    "This is my message to Grim watching," Altair said, sliding ''Sarrin'' from out its scabbard. The saber gleamed fire beneath the sun, illuminating the skies and earth. "I''ll be sure to send your soul down to the Second Monarch, Lord of Hell." His lips curled up, and his de sank down into Corvans throat.

    Your journey continues on empire

    Blood pulsed from around the de''s insition, pooling at his feet, as Corvan stared with his one good eye, pleading, then snapped sound reached up as Altair twisted the saber, snapping the spine.

    [Corvan Felled. Exp Gain]

    When the wall of Silence fell, he told Tasha to hang his Corvan''s head on a pike for all to see before returning to the Count''s side.

    "A bit of private business," he said, smiling, though no one else had it in them to meet his smile. "When will we siege the Estate?"

    The Count gave an auspicious smile. "When your men arrive in an hour or two. It''s most likely that some of the men and women are killing themselves lest they end up as ves or whores. Nasty business it is to exterminate a family. Others are sure to try to escape. We''d need your men to make sure they don''t."

    "You needn''t worry," Altairforted, peering through the eyes of his shadows. "They''ll be here within the hour. All we must do is wait."

    Nia found her master with an arm pressed on the pommel of his Sarrin. There was an army of men behind her as she waved to grab his attention. Her expression blossomed when he turned to face her with a studying gaze.

    "Master!" She galloped closer, hopping down her mare with a bright expression. "May The Tear of the ck Moon Pierce The Vale!" Alyssa and Therion echoed her words, falling to one knee.

    They rosed when Altair signaled them to stand. "I have got a mission for you three," he said, exchanging a nce with Tasha, who, once again,id down a Wall of Silence. The only thing the Count heard was the echo of, "May The Tear Of The ck Moon Pierce The Vale!" when the wall of silence fell.

    ''The ck Moon,'' he thought, finding the mere thought seemed to send ripples across his mind, and before he knew it, the words faded from his consciousness as if it never existed.

    "Get going then," Altair said.

    With one final bow, the three flickered like shadows, leaving only Tasha by his side.

    "Count Fremar, my men are yours tomand."

    "You''re not going to lead us?" The very idea that Young Master, the Duke''s Son, was not going to lead them into battle made those listening gasp.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "No," Altair confirmed. "I''m not so arrogant as to not recognize a battle hero like you and Commander Brakna. I will ride with my men to strike, but only under your or Brakna''smand. A battle between Transcendence is surely different than what I can imagine."

    Count Fremar seemed to understand, though he would have preferred if the Young Master would have taken a bigger role like his title demanded. When he remembered the news of Nox De Nier''s amnesia, he nodded almost instantly, now grateful.

    "Then I''ll have you with Captain Ian Vastnar."

 Chapter 369 The Crucible III

    "Master, what is my role?" Tasha asked, unsure what to do, surrounded by men tending to their armor. She felt out of ce, dressed like a maid at her Master''s insistence. Initially, she thought that perhaps he had wanted to mount her, but the idea seemed too far fetch on a battlefield with Transendenents.

    In a soul whisper, Altair spoke, "Mask your presence. Are you familiar with Shadowheart?" ¡ªTasha nodded¡ª "Good, then act as my shadow. You have my ring with you, right? My Devil Sword is still inside. Use it to fell those you deem a danger to me. You can do that, right, my Sword Maid?"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The Lilm bowed, "As youmand, my Lord." fading into shadows beneath the sun.

    Her absence did not go unnoticed, but no one seemed capable of tracking the demoness.

    Ser Ian Vastnar came on him. "Where preparing to leave." he said, "As per your request, we''ll head the front lines, acting as the vanguard, though I don''t understand why."

    Altair didn''t bother to exin himself, ordering the men together. Of his three hundred, he was left with twenty-five. He suspected more than half to die in this sh, though he didn''t let his thoughts show.

    "Listen up!" He said, his voice raised. "We''re heading straight in. The moment they see me, you can bet everyone will be aiming for my head." ¡ªThe faces of the knights paled¡ª "I don''t n on dying, so we stick together. Do not break formation. There is power in numbers. The enemy will be desperate.

    They will not be thinking correctly. That is our advantage. Are you ready?"

    One by one, the men nodded meekly.

    Altair sneered. " Are you ready!" He growled, his presenceshing out, crowning him king amongst the sea of nobles and lords.

    In unison, the men roared, "For Blood and Ash!"

    The Young Lord nodded in satisfaction; spinning on his heel, he slid ''Sarrin'' from out its scabbard, and the world dimmed beneath its luster.

    "For Blood and Ash!" he echoed as the army of men shouted.

    Altair footshed against the gate, tearing it off its hinges, spending embers spewing like a fountain across the cobblestone. He bounded forward like a wolf, leading a pack into the forestwn ahead. Behind them, ten other teams follow, slowly breaking off from east to west.

    Altair kept his steady pace, bound by World Laws that were more robust than he was used to. Gravity felt countless times stronger than what he was raised in. Mortal mes that had long lost their effect now burned.

    "An Arcane Trap!" Captain Ian shouted at the strange mist rising from the earth, swirling about in a sort of dome.

    Their steps did not slow. Altair saw it; opening his left hand to conjure Vale Sword, he threw it like a dagger, hitting a tree no different than the others a few hundred meters away. Almost immediately, the mist in their sector disbursed, revealing ten men in the branches, barely obscured by leaves.

    In one lightning moment, Altair became nothing more than a shrieking line of ck light, robbing one of their heads before death could give chase. By the time the soldier died, Sovereign''s Gale had pushed him mid-air towards another and another. He felled five before an arrow exploded out of the back of a soldier''s head.

    "Keep up!" Altair shouted. ncing to his rear at Captain Ian, disying why he was a Ninth Circle, a step into Transcendence. The way he moved was nearly as inhuman as Altairs, ying four in a single strike.

    By the time theynded, they were off once more through the forest, which stretched for several miles. They spotted seven more teams, though this time, there was no surprise attack like before.

    Sarrin howled differently than a sword that carried a finesse that a sabercked. It was fiercer, seeking to cut man, beast, and heavens in twain. It was all the same before Sarrin, demanding blood. In a few swings that sent blood spewing towards the skies, Altair was unsure what he liked more, sword or saber.

    He moved like a baleful whirlwind of death and lightning that came from the deepest pit of the abyss, cker than the deepest night. Each swing echoed like a dragon''s mighty roar that shook the hearts of mortal men.

    By the time they reached the bailey, Altair and his men of twenty-five were stained red. Some who never killed before shaking uncontrobly. How some became knights without killing Altair wasn''t sure, but he was disgusted by how green they were. Of the twenty-five, half were green, with the other being seasoned.

    Aside from Ian, the rest were Seventh Circles, more than capable of defending their young Master, or so many of them thought.

    Snorting, his gaze shed towards the foyer guarded by nearly thirty men, armed and in formation, of seventh circles and higher. Led by Lord Eastan Vadica, the third son of Areon Vadica.

    The moment his gaze fell upon the approaching squad, Eastan released a cry of defiance at the sight of Nox De Nier. With a look that could kill, he bounded forward like a feral beast, crossing the bailey in a few breaths.

    Embers pired the skies, spewing into mes that sought to devour everything against the sh of des that shattered the earth beneath their feet. Altair held his own as his Almighty Resistance cut the force, trying to tear him in half. He smiled mockingly when a Vale Sword shed into his left hand.

    ''Indignation''

    Eastan only saw the sprawling roots of ck lightning reaching out from that saber. His body reacted before he could think, flying back like an arrow as his sword desperately tried to defend himself.

    [Psionic Mind has Granted Focus]

    [Psionic Mind Has Granted Cognitive Division]

    [Psionic Mind Has Enhanced Instincts]

    "Kill the Rest, Captain!" Altair snapped with a feral grin at the blood-stained gash on Eastan. He bounded forward with Sovereign''s Gale, ignoring the spatial properties around him; he was before the third young lord in two steps as their de flew into a maelstrom of fire.

    "MONSTER!" Eastan roared, pushed on the defensive, and quickly became overwhelmed by Altair''s superior swordsmanship.

    Semi-arcs brought forth a gale of mes swirling across the bailey as the two young masters'' sh exploded. The explosion sent both shooting back, gliding across the grass a hundred meters.

    Eastan raised his sword towards the skies, and space began topress around Altair, locking him in ce. Eastans might seem almost pungent as mana bled from his body, dancing around his body like streams of mist. His lips pulled back on his teeth as he roared the words, "Severing Gale!!", cleaving his de down in a profound arc with every ounce of strength he could muster.

    A sword light ten meters tall roared a cry of defiance towards the winds and skies, hurling towards the young Master with a cruel smile. The aspect of ruleshed itself across Sarrin while his eyes burned with omniscience.

    "Counter!" It had happened so quickly that Eastan didn''t even see when his Severing Gale inverted, shing backward through his body. Blood spewed over his face as he absently touched his missing arm and leg.

    Thest thing he saw was a Vale Sword piercing through his eye, exploding out the back in a gore of red.

    Stay tuned for updates on empire

    [Eastan Vadica Felled. Exp Gained]

    [Fallen Necromancy Has Absorbed Soul of Eastan Vadica]

    Altair did pause for a breath,unching himself off the earth so violently it left webs sprawling across the grass. His battle couldn''t havested more than a minute, yet it was enough for his men toy waste to eastern men.

    "Three fled deeper inside," Ian reported once the battle was over. "They''ll know that nox De Nier is about to enter the lion''s den."

    "That is the n. How many did we lose."

    "Two¡ª" Abruptly, blood spewed over Altair''s face, from a soldier to his nk, whose head exploded from an arrowhead, traveling towards his eye socket from the surrounding forest. He couldn''t dodge, but neither did he need to, as tendrils of darkness sprang from out of his shadow, catching it mid-air.

    ''Shadow Cage,'' he managed to employ in time with the throbbing motion of the sigils in his eyes.

    ''Ambush!'' someone in the squad roared.

    "Inside! Get inside!" Ian shouted, pushing the young Master, the one he''d sworn to protect, through the foyer. Inside, Altair cursed, lifting his head towards the archers on the stairs, their bows nocked.

    Ian knew then he''d made a mistake, and he could not take it back. He moved to challenge the arrows being fired in the hopes of defending his Young Master, but Altair ducked from under him, his saber dancing, redirecting the arrows away from him and some of his men.

    "NOX!!!!"

    Altair did not know who threw the spear. He sensed it all the same and dodged only due to foresight, kicking back, his back hitting the wall, before he moved again. His gaze locked in onto the elderly man, gliding his saber from his golden scabbard as tall as he was. He had to pull it from an odd angle to draw the golden silver de, leaving the scabbard behind.

    "Nox De Nier," he uttered low and slow. His old, hollow eyes were blinded by tears streaming down his emaciated flesh. "I''ll kill you! I''ll fucking kill you!"

 Chapter 370 The Crucible IV

    Altair could hardly believe how fast his wrist moved to push Sarrin to intercept the arc of annihting sword light that bore him through the wall behind him. Blood spewed from his mouth as his body tumbled and rolled across the bailey.

    He stabbed Sarrin into the earth to slow his roll, picking his gaze up to re at the elderly Ninth Circle, three meters away, then to the river of blood gathered from out the foyer where a scar rested across the stone.

    Effortlessly, he stood to his feet, with no hope that anyone would survive that de but Ian. From the sounds of screaming inside and the nking of metal, he knew it was true.

    Amar Du Vadica shook, the saber in his arms trembling as if it was too heavy to hold. "You survived that?"

    Silently, Altair prepared himself. He could feel his perception slowing, his Psionic Mind enhancing his already inhuman perception. The world appeared to glow beneath his enhanced cognitive prowess, which left him with a calm that seemed almost indescribable.

    [Psionic Mind has granted Spatial Cognition]

    [Psionic Mind has Enhanced Soul of the Indomitable by a factor equal to Arcane Circle]

    [Psionic Mind has Enhanced The Ninth Form, Aeron, by a factor equal to Arcane Circle]

    A/N: 4x

    [Psionic Mind has granted Mortal (Grade) Enlightenment]

    In one swell swoop, blood ran down his nose, ck as ink, at the sudden insurgence of authority blossoming from his soul. As if he had been a frog within a well all his life, making its escape into a world that seemed beyond mortal understanding, he saw through the eyes of a Transcendent.

    He saw the motion of Dao that readily offered its infinite knowledge. So overwhelming it was blood pulsed from his nose in small utterances.

    Amar frowned. "Your sick¡­ No matter. Once I lop off your head, it''ll¡ª"

    "I understand, Father, Mother," he said, no longer before Amar Du Vadica but before the ck Lake of Vale Qi. His feet rippled over theke. Beneath theke, far deeper than what a reflection should have reached, the motion of his mirrored image filled the Vale.

    Altair ckwood lifted his Vale Sword towards the Heavens, turning day to ckest Night.

    Transcendents and Deities and Gods alike raised their heads to the Night, cloaked in the night mother''s embrace. A ck Moon shone within the Night, followed by the ck Sun that stood in opposition.

    On her throne, Lilith Snow''s tongue clicked."So the ck Sun approves of you. My son is kinder than I would have been." Slowly, almost reluctantly, she closed her eyes, pushing it from her mind. "Do as you will, Child of the ck Moon."

    From the ck Moon came a tear deeper than the deepest Night, shattering into nodes above Altair''s brow.

    As if a dam broke, a transcendent light challenged the Night.

    [Transendence Intent Achived]

    Grave of Night [C]

    [Proficiency 1% ¡ú 2%]

    Stay connected with empire

    [umlitive Understanding of Grave of Night shall be incorporated]

    [Proficiency 2% ¡ú 69%]

    [Warning: Usage of Transcendent Intent could result in injury]

    "I broke through!" Altair muttered, unsure what he had been missing until today. For years, he wondered. The Sword Path had ensured perfection, and he could feel his growth, but his System had not responded with any signs of growth until now.

    As Night faded back to Day, Altair felt the Intent of a dozen unknown awakeners on him. He smiled half-heartily, leaning towards Amar, shaken with a look that could kill.

    "Impossible¡­ Impossible¡­ Impossible¡­ Not even Transcendent awaken Intent like that until they step onto the Path of Deity." He pointed his golden saber at Altair. "You can''t have done so! You can''t!"

    Altair smile never faded, though his thoughts were not exactly on Amar but the men who had previously shot an arrow at him. Either Tasha had killed them, or they were waiting to strike. He couldn''t say which, but at the sudden disturbance of motion behind him, he knew it was thetter.

    Two men in their Seventh Circle sauntered onto the bailey, gripping their des shakenly, forsaking their bow in lieu of a direct attack.

    No one moved until, like a bolt of lightning, they shed towards Altair. Alone, two Seventh Circles would be nothing, but with a Ninth Circle, he dared not lower his guard. And yet confidence seemed to guide his de.

    Channeling that ancient knowledge held in his soul, an arc of silvery light shrouded the Sword of the Vale in a mist.

    Amar was nearly three times as fast as he was, but he saw his sabering a parsec away; his sword moved to intercept whilst Sarrin shed in a horizontal arc towards the two behind.

    The Seventh Circle hadn''t seen what happened. They didn''t even realize their bodies and half the forest behind them beyond the bailey was cut in twain,ying waste to allies and enemies alike. Amar seemed better off.

    At the moment of their sh, the golden saber in his hand, forged of moonstone and orichalcum by a master cksmith and named beneath the breath of a fallen dragon, split from the center of where their des met.

    Amar managed to retreat, saved only by his attributes. He shook, letting loose a cry as if he''d lost something more precious than life. He lifted the hilt to his brow, unable to mask the tears burning his eyes. His cries became screams, and his screams howls. Sorrow twisted to anger as his aura grew unsteady.

    "Young Master!" Ian shouted, charging out. He screamed, frantically pushing himself forward, sensing the change in Amar. "Nooo!"

    Altair made a tsking noise, realizing what was toe. He prepared himself, meeting Amar''s gaze, imploding all Nine Circles in his heart: Heat that could rival the surface of the sun bore through his emaciated body that barely clung to the skin. Like a mini sun had escaped its shell, it radiated brilliance beyond dawn, so brightly it seemed the sun had fallen out of the skies.

    ''Pathetic,'' he thought, cutting his sword across space.

    In a sh, the expanding ball of light inverted on itself before piercing ever upwards, through the clouds into the beyond, before fading to nodes of light.

    Abruptly, he paled, falling to a knee, shaken by the measure of fatigue he had managed to build. Hisbored breath dragged heavy. Ian hurried to his side, taken back by theck of injuries, unlike the many scars his body held.

    "Young Master¡­ are you¡ª"

    Altair raised a palm to silence him. Thest thing he needed was to be questioned. He panted, forcing himself to stand, his world suddenly spinning out of control. He wanted to puke.

    "How many are alive?"

    Ian looked as if he had eaten a Bitterbug. "Just me, Young Master Nox. Just me¡­." he teared up, a glimmer of shame burning his cheeks. "I failed you! Failed them." he bowed his head, and his voice grew faded. "I''m sorry I¡ª"

    It was only then Altair seemed to notice how pale Ian had be and the injuries he''d sustained. From his back, he counted five arrows, with a dozencerations sprawled across his shoulder, abdomen, and throat. How he was alive was anyone''s guess.

    "For¡­gi¡­ve me," he muttered one final time before sound and strength left him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Ian Vastnar died on one knee; his head bowed before his master.

    "Is he dead?" movement sounded from the forest, and two men Altair slightly recognized made their appearance. They were ones he''d glimpsed with Corvan.

    The one in gold reached into his robe and took out a dagger with an unbridled smile. "You''re the fucker who killed Corvan. Elder Grim said we can defile ya all we want." He licked his lips, stepping onto the bailey.

    Altair could barely understand him with that thick ent, looking at their approach with murky eyes.

    "A mortal using Transcendent Intent; I''m sure you''re in a state of soul exhaustion," The one in gold announced nastily. He touched his crotch and asked, "You ever been fucked, boy? Ever had a real man inside you?"

    "... I can''t say that was what I expected toe out your mouth," Altair admitted. Unsure what he just heard. He blinked, curious if he was hallucinating. Was it possible to hallucinate sound?

    "Old Corvan was a tight fuck. I wonder what¡ª"

    "Yeah¡­ I don''t really want to hear any of that," Altair squeezed out, lifting Sarrin. He hadn''t the mental focus to create a Vale Sword. He barely had the strength to cast a single spell.

    They were both Seventh Circle, though the one in gold, Ruen, carried a different aura. It was focused, much like Altairs. He was sure to be able to fight above his circle.

    "I''ll make you scream my name, boy. And when I''m done, I''ll even stroke your hair and make you feel so pretty as I slit your throat. That way, you''ll feel alive when I end you."

    ''That might be the wildest thing I''ve ever heard in all my life,'' Altair thought, trying not tough at the absurdity of it all. He smiled nheless, pointing Sarrin forward, transcendent Intent swirling around the de''s edge.

 Chapter 372 The Red World [End of Vol 4]

    It was dusk when Altair opened his eyes within the atelier, surrounded by bodies, young and old. Blood and ashy sprawled about without care, consumed by shadow mes dancing over the severed limbs. He blinked, unsure how to process what was going on. He could hear the shouts outside, trying to find him. They were shouting for Nox.

    His world spun, and his gaze swayed to the canvas of a red world shrouded by blood, ash, and screams. The canvas was screaming at him. He could hear the voices¡­ the young voices of children, the voices of women, and the voices of men. He could hear it all. They were begging him, begging for him to stop! Begging for mercy that would note.

    "W-W-What?" He tore his gaze away, and the voice faded; only the shouts outside continued. Again, his world spun.

    "Master?" Altair turned to the voice, fining Tasha on one knee. "I¡­ I didn''t know you had that in you."

    Altair was even more confused. "... I did this?" he nced at a young woman hung by the chandelier by her intestines. The mes had already taken half her face, but he could tell she''d only just died.

    "This was your canvas," Tasha said, her gaze finding the work of before her Master. "It''s a Spatial Painting, my lord. You took all the souls you butchered and ced them into that canvas to draw the Red World."

    "Stop! I¡ª" He shook his head. "What is going on? No. No. No.

    I¡ª" He stopped, looking at when omniscience reflected the past before he could blink. He paled, covering his mouth, mumbling, "How could I¡­"

    Tasha hoisted herself up, sending the Red World into Draupnir. "Perhaps we should leave before we are eaten by the mes." she pushed open the doors to the atelier, to the countless bodies held, in in a crazed fever.

    He followed after in silence; his omniscience was oddly silent as to why he''d lost control or how he had. No matter how he tried to find an answer, he couldn''t understand what went wrong. Even in his weakened state, he shouldn''t have lost control like that.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    All through the halls, bodies of the deady, the youngest being a babe bearly off its mother''s tit. Altair remembered that one. Two ckcloaks had tried to stop him, but after he bashed the babes head across the stone, he did the same to those who tried to stop him. He did that all with a smile he could hardly recognize.

    "No one saw you if you are worried," Tasha said, turning down a flight of stairs. "I instructed those I could away. Those I couldn''t you killed."

    On her heel, Altair confirmed what she said to be true, but that brought him no sce. He was ashamed. If he had simply killed them, he wouldn''t have minded, but he took their souls. He took them to be tortured.

    Outside the manor, Altair ignored the faces of ckcloaks hurrying to see if he was fine. He waved off their concern, sending them away.

    "The Transcendent Battle took ce within a Spatial Barrier, so it didn''t disturb us, but I''m afraid it is taking longer than expected," Tasha said as they moved across the bailey into the forest.

    "We had sex over the bodies¡­" Altair said, breaking his silence.

    Tasha licked her lips, and she spun to face him. "That''s not all we did. You''re remembering, aren''t you? Master is quite the monster."

    Hearing those words from a devil did not sit well with Altair, but he could not deny the madness.

    Tasha did not speak of it anymore. It would be their little secret. A secret between devils.

    "Where were you during my fight against Ruen?" Altair finally asked, noticing slight nks during his omniscience. That had never happened before.

    "Remind me who that was?"

    "The weird guy that wanted my¡ª"

    "Your booty?" Sheughed, and Altair flushed. He would not live that down any time soon.

    "She was with me!'' said Iliana, falling from out a tree. Shended in front of him with an entric smile. "My sweet disciple. How do you do? It''s I, your dearest Master." She threw him under her arms, her smile deepening.

    "You!"

    "Me!" Iliana acknowledged, throwing her head up high, her silvery hair dancing like streams through the wind. Her scarlet eyes burning with a sensation he knew all too well. Madness.

    "D-D-Did you see what I did?" He asked. Even now, after he''d regained his calm, shame crept up his face like never before.

    "No, I bounced after you two started fucking. I wasn''t interested in that. But I did make sure no one else would be able to see what you two did. When we fall to madness, things get rather¡­ distorted," Iliana said to his relief and remorse. "You''ll do worse in the future. Don''t mind it."

    Readtest stories on empire

    "I do mind it! What did you do?" Altair demanded, positive what happened to him had something to do with Iliana''s intervention.

    "I gave you a test, and you passed. That''s all you need to know for now. And don''t even try to use your omniscience. It''ll do you no good with how weak you are." Anger began to creep through his mask. It had taken much for Altair to keep his cool, yet even Tasha could feel his rage, much less Iliana. She ignored it, holding him tighter.

    "I did what I did to see you at your best, depending on how you see it."

    Altair stopped, but Iliana dragged him along. "Why are you doing this?"

    "Master wants you in the Abyss," Iliana exined. "And if you are going to live, to survive that trial, you''ll need my help." she nced at Tasha, and the Lilm made herself scarce. "Tenebrae is near death. I can feel her existence slipping each day. It won''t be long before some begin to notice if they haven''t already.

    Today, you fought five Ninth Circles and won through skill alone as a Fourth Circle."

    "I¡­I didn''t do that." Altair said, lowering his head.

    "But you did.'' Iliana insisted. "A part of you that was fully in sync with both of your bloodlines and powers did the impossible and did so with ease. Before I let you go from this realm, I want you to start upon your Path of Dao. Be it Mortal Dao or Heavenly Dao. I want you perfectly in sync with your body and soul."

    Altair chewed his lip. "And the Madness?"

    "It''ll be your de, your master, your lover, and your ve," Iliana told him with a decrepit smile. "You''ll hate it, love it, but if there is ever one truth, it''s that you''ll need it. Get some rest. We''ll begin your training next week, Monday. Heaven knows you could use a nap."

    Altair touched his face. He hadn''t even noticed the bags under his eyes or how exhausted he was.

    "Take care, little disciple. Iliana out!'' Vanishing in a whisk of light, Altair could only sigh, lost.

    He didn''t bother to walk anymore, finding a lone stub; he sat down, throwing his head back to look at the moon, bathing the world with light. It almost felt like a dream. Almost.

    "I hate sleep,'' he said, lifting his palm to grab the moon. ''Mom¡­ I wish you were here. I hate all of this. All of it. I just want to¡­ I just want it all to end." Bowing his head into his knee, he suddenly remembered his shadows and the mission he''d nearly ruined.

    "Shit! Tasha!" Altair called, and the Lilm appeared as if she hadn''t crossed a hundred miles in a single step. "Let''s go."

    ****

    "Help! Help! Help!" Sweetmouth shouted until his throat tore. Blood dripped from his missing leg as he desperately hopped forward, tumbling over in the dark, shadowy dungeons. Arcane torches illuminated the never-ending path ahead.

    "Help!" his voice wheezed once more before darkness consumed his mind.

    For a long while, hey there in silence before the shadow of the torches began to stretch, rising into ten amalgamations of individuals. The narrow walls of the corridor expanded to form a dome with Sweetmouth at its center.

    Ten men stood there, their bodies obscured by darkness.

    "Looks like Ruel failed to kill Nox. Elder Grim will not be pleased."

    "What did you expect," A woman''s voice stretched out from the shadows. "Nox is a duke''s son. Killing him can''t be done without a proper n. What is important is reaching the Fiftieth Floor."

    ''Shut your cunt, Kana," one of the shadows within the dark snapped. ''The order came directly from Elder Grim to kill Nox De Nier. We cannot disobey."

    "Ifar is right. It''s why we have all gathered together," One of the Ten figures eximed.

    A bit of grumbling resounded through the dungeon, with many voicing their opposition to killing Nox De Nier. It seemed almost a silly idea the more they thought about it. Neither of them were Transendents. Even if he had fallen to a Fourth Circle, the news of him awakening his Trandential Intent was enough to deter just about anyone.

    "Enough!" Inra shouted, illuminating the dungeon with a luminous spell, revealing all twelve men and women present. "Trandential Intent isn''t something we can handle on our own. Let us inform Elder Grim to ask for guidance. We¡ª" He stopped as ten heads turned to find an ashen-haired man and a raven-colored hair woman in their circle, standing there like they belonged.

    "Sup?" Altair waved at them. "Don''t mind me. I''m just here to kill you all. Nothing big." From Sweetmouth''s shadow, his Pale Knights rose one by one, falling to one knee, their faces bright, waiting to be acknowledged for their good work of leading the way to Elder Grim''s men.

    He smiled, "I don''t really need all of you to contact Grim. Just one. So Tasha, if you''d be so kind. I''d like to announce to the Elder of my rebellion against the Crucible."

 Chapter 373 The Madness Of The King

    Shadows beneath the ck moved. Branchs shuddered, and the winds whistled through leaves. And wolves howled at the Full Moon, echoed by the pack. The forest went silent; as a star shrieked across the vast expanse of stardust, it vanished far beyond the horizon.

    From a branch, Lord ckwood watched, shutting his eyes, to dream of a Vale beyond the stars. There, he sat upon an ancient throne overlooking the mes. Their numbers seemed endless, yet they were a speck within his domain.

    He woke at first light, groggy to the sight of his devil. ''My devil,'' he told himself, held down by the weight of his dreams and fatigue. A blemish of blood still rested on her cheek, perhaps from ate-night hunt or the ughter fromst night. He could not say which.

    "Good Morning, Master," Tasha said, offering a bow. "Are you hungry?"

    Beneath him, Alyssa, Nia, and Therion huddled around the campfire, roasting a rabbit each they''d hunted. The smell alone drained the fatigue from his body, if only for a minute.

    In the next moment, he was down from the branch beside his Pale Knights, talking about who was smarter. The Ilvarians or the Ilthads. They happily offered their master a piece, though notably, Therion seemed reluctant to do so.

    ''It''s my hunt,'' The Young Shadow thought.

    Altairughed at his knight, who wore his emotions like a piece of clothing. He took a thigh all the same. "It''s a Shadow Tax," he imed, sinking his fangs through the white meat, bursting with vor. His expression shifted, nearly biting through the bone. "That''s¡­ really good."

    Nia threw her head up. "Of course, it''s good I seasoned it." she sounded almost prideful.

    "I didn''t know you could cook," Altair expressed, cleaning the bone. He tossed it into the fire.

    "She can''t," Alyssa spoke up. "I cooked it. She just seasoned it. We caught five rabbits. Care to see what happened to them."

    "There isn''t a need to disturb the dead once buried," Nia said. The heat in her face almost palpable.

    It was a wonder how he did not break out inughter. Tasha surely did, poking a bit of fun a the maiden.

    The fire crackled with bones and firewood.

    "So what''s next, Master?" Therion asked, stuffing his face before his Master demanded more tax.

    Altair wasn''t sure, but he knew he had to return to Inka before the next rise. Count Kinvar was sure to have sent out a search party. He had left so suddenly he didn''t have time to inform anyone of his departure.

    "For now, we''ll head back to deal with the aftermath." Altair lightly exined.

    "And the Crucible?" Tasha asked. "What about them? They''re sure to retaliate."

    Nia and Alyssa nodded in agreement, but Altair said nothing on the matter. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to, but he could feel the Mark of Cain burning with activity, though that wasn''t surprising. He expected Elder Grim to be blowing a fuse right now, screaming for his death to everyone with a set of ears. Altair had just about pissed on his face, leaving his fraction crippled.

    It was a blow that was sure to affect all of the Crucible. But for now, all he could do was count the days until he was summoned back to the Rotten Lake.

    When everyone''s belly was full, Therion kicked dirt into the fire before heading south of the Forest of Ema; they followed the Angal River, the same path Sweetmouth had taken to escape.

    Nia and Alyssa hadn''t much interest in returning to his shadow, enjoying the time with their Master, while Therion scouted ahead. Tasha continued to flirt with the two women and her master as they moved at a steady pace. By the time it was noon, they could see the blistering spires of Inka ahead.

    As he suspected, Count Kinvar had sent out a search party that managed to spot them ten miles away from the city walls. Altair was a bit surprised by the looks they had given him. He thought he''d see scorn or perhaps hate. He had, after all, left the battlefield, yet what he faced was admiration that bordered on worship.

    He learned from the head knight that he alone had managed to kill more than half of House Vadica. No one had seen it, yet the saberceration across the manor proved it. Several Ninth Circles were killed, some half a step into Transcendent. They had attributed it to him, awakening his Transcendent Intent, but it still left a sour taste in his mouth.

    ''That wasn''t me,'' he thought, his shadow horse, cooly riding through the city walls to the mmer of cries and praise that weed him. Men roared, raising their des to the skies. Women shrieked while those more shamelessly shed their breasts, throwing undergarments.

    Altair waved candidly, ying the part of the hero, with a cold gleam behind his eyes. He marched on, Pale Knights hard on his heel, with Tasha to the rear, her lips curled up.

    The parade was nearly three miles long before it ended, and he was brought to the casten''s castle. Count Kinvar, alongside the Castn, Lord Str Kream, weed him. They bowed, showing their respects, and before, they were led in for a warm bath, a hot meal, and afortable bed, and if he liked a woman to keep it warmed.

    That night, Altair stood beneath the window sill, bathed in the moon''s glow. It had been a long time since he heard from Lunafreya, his aunt, or Reina, for that matter. Thoughts of her seemed to fill his mind. He could feel her, could sense some force connecting them, yet it was faint.

    "I''m so tired," he muttered when he heard a small voice. His voice. ''You have a devil, a Lilm, and a shadow that would throw themselves at you. Forget about her.''

    "Go away¡­"

    Something dark seemed to fill his eyes, growing and stretching out from him like a shadow to sit across from him.

    ''And leave you all alone?'' The shadow crackled. Its dark, smoldering red eyes glowing like fire. ''We had fun, you and I.''

    "You''re not real," he said softly.

    ''Real, fake, does it matter?'' the shadow threw his gaze towards the moon. "What we did was real. The screams. The lust, the fire, all of it." he turned to Altair, rows of white teeth shing across the ck. "You''re remembering, aren''t you?"

    Altair quivered. "What if I am?

    The Shadow''s eyes glowed intently. "To watch it through omniscience is one thing, but to live it. To feel what I felt, to see what I felt. Ahh! Now, that is something."

    "That wasn''t me," Altair insisted.

    "Wasn''t you!" The Shadow mocked. "If not you, then whose name did Tasha scream? Whose back did her talons tear into? Whose cunt did we nt our seed in?"

    "It wasn''t me¡­" he continued insisting, his knuckles clenched so tight, they popped.

    "Keep denying it, ckwood! But the memory is there. The sin still lingers.'' he pointed to him. ''You and I, we are one. It''s why I let that thing live long enough to lead us to Grim''sir. It would have been so simple to end him.

    To peel the flesh from off his body, to tinker with his vessels like small pipes. No, he had to live so that others could die."

    "So you''re an ally, now?" He scuffed.

    "An ally? No. I am the you who shall bring forth ruin. I shall be the you, who shall conquer whatever he desires, be they men or women, gods or demons. Yes." The Shadow rose, leaning an arm over Altair''s shoulder. "Shall we start with Alyssa?

    Hasn''t she waited long enough?"

    Altair couldn''t have driven his fist through the shadow''s head as it warped, rippling into shadowy mist.

    "Remember me, ckwood. For I am the Vale King."

    [Ninth Form, Aeron, Proficiency has increased by 2%]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [ King of the Vale: Lv 175]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 55% ¡ú 59%]

    Strength: 2850 ¡ú 3000

    Dexterity: 3525 ¡ú 3800 Experience more on empire

    Constitution: 3875 ¡ú 4000

    Wisdom: 4875 ¡ú 5000

    Charisma: 4875 ¡ú 5000

    Mana: 400

    Omniscience Lv 1

    Compulsion [D]

    Proficiency: 12%

    Spirit Domain [C]

    Range: 150m

    Proficiency: 3% ¡ú 15%

    Sword of the Vale [F]

    Proficiency: 17% ¡ú 57%

    Sword Limit: 2

    Dual Cultivation [D]

    Proficiency: 12% ¡ú 90%

    Deste Abyss [F]

    Multiplier: 2x ¡ú 2.5x

    Proficiency: 50% ¡ú 65%

    Deste Descent [F]

    Proficiency: 87% ¡ú 99%

    Eye of Sacrilege [B]

    Proficiency: 8% ¡ú 10%

    Fallen Necromancy [D]

    [Proficiency: 72% ¡ú 99%]

    Soul Storage: 100/100

    Foresight [E]

    Proficiency: 57% ¡ú 99%

    Grave of Night [C]

    Proficiency: 69%

    Hands of the Incubus [F]

    Proficiency: 0.01% ¡ú 80%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    Proficiency: 56%

    Infernal Lightning [D]

    Proficiency: 78% ¡ú 98%

    Rune Work [E]

    Proficiency: 11% ¡ú 99%

    Sovereigns Gale [E]

    [20m]

    Proficiency: 47% ¡ú 90%

    Vale Maniption D]

    Proficiency: 0.01% ¡ú 50%

    Mana Maniption [C]

    Proficiency: 31% ¡ú 60%

    Ninth Form, Aeron C]

    Proficiency: 4% ¡ú 70%

    Soul of the Indomitable [C]

    Proficiency: 30% ¡ú 60%

    Primal Instincts [E]N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Proficiency: 57% ¡ú 99%

 Chapter 375 Crown and Shadows II

    "All this, my beautiful boy¡­" Tenebrae was saying, throwing her arms in the air at therge spires and monolithic building that rose across thend, locked in eternal night. "Is yours. Wee to my Realm, Noctem. The Realm where the only light to exist is that of the distant stars and the moon."

    She touched her swollen belly, a proud smile stered across her face. Sheughed, arms pressed to her hip to show off her belly, and said, "Want to know a secret not even that dummy father of yours knows? You can''t tell him, okay? It''s just for us. You and me. Not even Luna or my other children know.

    Arsene has only touched a sliver of truth to the matter in bing what he is. But the darkness holds so much truth that it is impossible to tell what''s real or fiction. Let Mommy tell you about the Shadow Isles."

    Awakening from his half-slumber of omniscience, his lids fluttered in a lulled beater of motion. The dark bags beneath his eyes deepened, dragging him under; lightning split the skies, throwing him into a state of alertness. He groaned, perhaps the weakest he''d ever been. He wasn''t even sure he could grip his saber.

    Languidly, he breathed from his window sill, throwing his head back to watch the rain beat across his window. The skies were dark, much like the eternal night of Noctem, illuminated only by the sh of lightning overhead. Thunder rolled.

    He wondered how long he had been lulled into the memories. He was hungry. He felt as if it had been days, weeks, if not months, since hest ate. Perhaps longer. Stringently, he moved to his bedside, to the small bell that sat on his nightstand.

    Servants flooded the room at the moment sound left the room to travel down the hall.

    "Get me something to eat," he said. They bowed and hurried away.

    They returned in a few breaths, a feast that would put any king to shame. There were over a hundred dishes, some of which he couldn''t even pronounce or spell. He ate it all the same, realizing Soul Exhaustion didn''t just make him weak.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    In a way, it made him mortal: It disabled his ability to control the mana, disrupting his ability to metabolize mana into substances his body could absorb if or when needed.

    ''Why do you do this?'' A small voice in the back of his head asked. ''Why must you torture us?''

    Altair ignored it. Particrly d the Vale King hadn''t much to say. He had no answer for the man. He simply wanted to see his Mother, even if it was only in a memory that connected them in a way he never imagined. And while he couldn''t talk to her, it was enough for her to talk to him.

    ''The Shadow Isles, '' he thought, closing his eyes. Curious about what secret such and held that would cause Tenebrae to refuse to tell even her husband.

    "You seem to be in a better mood." A shrewd voice sounded. Tasha''s voice. She sauntered into the room, a smile ying on her lips. "Though, you look worse than you did yesterday."

    Realizing only a day had passed, he smiled, stuffing his mouth with a cream-red potato alongside warm buttery garlic bread. His stomach growled, metabolizing whatever he ate into energy his mana or bloodline failed to provide.

    Experience more on empire

    "Master, are you alright?"

    "I''m fine, Tasha," He really was feeling better, even if he felt like shit. "So a day passed, huh? Did you get anything out of that Skinwalker?"

    "Yes. The order came from the south, from Lord Malgrave''s territory. Word has already spread that you have awakened Transcendent Intent." Tasha rid. "Known underground organizations have already begun to move, spreading your name across Allmor. Also¡­"

    Altair raised his head, frowning at the look his Sword maid was giving him. "What is it?"

    "Your fiance is said to arrive by tomorrow."

    "I have a fiance?" Altair blurted out. "Seriously?!"

    Tasha waved the serving girls out of the room, speaking once the door was shut. "Nox De Nier does. Marques Yandar Rivia''s only daughter, Elena Rivia, is her name. She''s riding from the western battlends across Dragonsbreath through the Golden Fork. It seemed when she heard that you''d awaken, she was so excited that she abandoned her post."

    Altair blinked, lowering his fork. "She abandoned her post? Is she that involved with nox or¡ª"

    "The opposite, I''d imagine," Tasha replied. "ording to a few Intelligenceworks, Elena is on her way to Inka to break the marriage agreement. Her father sent out a few Trancendents, but they''ve not found her yet. Either she hadn''t heard of your Trancendent Intent, or she doesn''t care."

    After some thought, Altair said," If the marriage agreement is broken, business within the West will fall apart. It would destabilize our power in Zagmar, and the Margraves will surely step in to take over." he was remembering now, the memories of Nox De Niers soul reaching out to reveal the truth. It wasn''t a lot, but enough for him to get a feel for the world around him.

    "Has the Martial Law been lifted?" he asked suddenly.

    "Yes. The Castin couldn''t hold it for long. After all, people care more for money than they do loyalty." Tasha nced at the door, back to Altair. "What are you going to do about Nia?"

    "Right¡­" he scratched his head in irritation. "I almost forgot. I did already say I''d forget this matter. I can''t go back on my word, but I also can''t allow such behavior to go unpunished. Send her back to House De Nier."

    Tasha lifted her brow. "You sure? You could use her for what''s toe. Her eyes are¡ª"

    "I''ve spoken, Tasha," Altair said in a hard tone. "Send her on her way." he opened his palm, and the sigil of the ck Moon appeared and flew from out of his hand into hers. "That should be enough for her to know I''m serious."

    The Sigil of the ck Moon had appeared to him in a dream one day and his shadows one day, and no matter how much he tried, he felt bound by that sigil, as if it held some greater meaning. It was an odd thing, but simply holding onto it gave him a sense of tranquility.

    Tasha bowed and left as Altair finished his meal. Originally, he had nned to sleep the day away, but with Elena''splication, Altair felt it was best to prepare. He threw himself to his feet, strapping Sarrin to his belt before he hurried out of his room.

    Most Lords, he was sure, had surely heard the news of Elena abandoning her post, riding to Inka with every intention of breaking the Marriage Agreement. Those Lords were sure to try to dy Elena in the hopes of making whatever she had to say a private matter if not trying to stop her.

    Altair did not want that. He found the Casten in talks with Count Kinvar alongside a few of the lords in talks about a strange matter concerning the problem of trading between the maind of Markros and Inka.

    As ofte, attacks, be they from bandits or known monsters, had been on the rise, forcing merchants to either refuse to travel to Inka or travel through the Forest of Ema; that was surely a death sentence to anyone below a Sixth Circle.

    Mercenaries Corps had been on the rise with the growing chaos, but few merchants had the necessary coin to hire them.

    Talks stopped when Altair opened the chamber doors. Thunder rolled, and the windows shook fiercely. They rose, one by one, a smile spreading across their faces.

    "Young Master Nox!" The Castillian was the first to say. "We were just in talks of¡ª"

    "I could hear you all from down the hall," Altair replied. "And I believe I might have a solution. Let''s have a celebration."

    The lords around the room frowned. Barron Graytar Weltonbed his gnarled fingers through his beard. "Forgive my ignorance, Young Master, but I fail to see how that''ll stop¡ª"

    "Dragonmouth connects to the Golden Fork, correct?" Altair interrupted. "And my fiance is currently heading there. Is this not the perfect time to clear out the rabble that is infesting the trading route along the Golden Fork?"

    "And the celebration?" Count Kinvar asked.

    "To celebrate the death of House Vadica, of course. Alongside the return of my fiance. I hear she''sing to see me."

    There was a palpable awkwardness in the air. Altair smiled, waving off their concern, and said," I know what Elena''s intentions are. But we know her father is wholeheartedly against the idea. So, there is a chance I can turn the situation around. I''ll deal with it. So you needn''t worry."

    "You aren''t going to kill her, right?" A boney face man asked. He pressed his gaunt fingers across the table with a deep frown. "That won''t be good for business, you know."

    Altair didn''t recognize him. "To speak those words so openly about the daughter of a Marquess, I can''t help but wonder if you''re either foolish or you know something I don''t."

    "This is business," Hark said darkly. "And the death of Marquiss Rivia''s daughter isn''t good for business. If she dies and you are found anywhere near the perimeter, you''ll be med, or have you forgotten of the Imperial Pnquin that was spotted a few days ago."

    Altair couldn''t resist smiling. He might have underestimated this old man.

    "Forgive him, Young Master," the Castin said. "Hark meant no disrespect. He is known for speaking his mind, no matter who he offends."

    "It''s quite alright," Altair waved him off. "That is the n, after all. I can''t leave Inka without someone knowing where I''m riding, too. I''m sure there''ll be another assassination attempt."

    The silence was palpable. Count Kinvar rose. "You mean to kill her¡­"

    "Goodness no. But if that fool destroys our marriage agreement, then that would ruin our rtionship with Marquess Rivia. What difference does it make if she dies? Both paths lead to the same oue."

    Hark stringently nodded. "But if she dies and you''re a factor, it could lead to war."

    "Then let''s hope the Tear of the ck Moon will cause her to reconsider this folly."

 Chapter 376 Crown and Shadows III

    They rode within the hour, fording the western gate towards the Golden Fork. Nearly twenty men attended him; his Pale Knights led the way on horseback. Nia could only stare, her palms gripping her sleeve as they rode without her. No one looked back.

    The pain thatnced through her chest brought her to tears. She was his strongest knight. Even Therion, with his infernal lineage, could not stand against her eyes. And yet¡­

    ''He tossed me away,'' she thought, as a knot formed in the back of her throat. She shook her head. Even if she had made a mistake, he wouldn''t throw her away, right? The thought scared her more than death.

    "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid, Nia!" Nearly yanking out her hair, she sighed, pitifully looking down at her feet. "I''m sorry, Master¡­ I¡­ I won''t do it again. So¡­ so don''t hate me." she closed her eyes and stood there awhile before she was on her way towards the eastern gate.

    Through the western gates, Altair rode his Shadow steed hard, whisking through the skies; its feet flew across the dirt. The windsshed across his face and threw his cloak into a flutter. Thunder cracked as lightning split the skies, drowning the shouts of men to slow at his pace in the hopes of keeping up.

    He ignored them, kicking the shadow beast. It neighed loudly, exploding with enough mana to split the earth beneath his feet. His ashen hair kicked up, streaming through the rain, untouched by the elements.

    For a long while, he rode, fording the distance that would take some nearly half a day, losing his party along the way. He stopped near the end of the fork in the road that led towards Markros while the other led towards Dragonsbreath.

    The road had been empty except for the abnormal amount of creatures that roamed. The Golden Fork had been one of the busiest roads in all the North. Most monsters instinctively knew how to avoid human habitats. It was rare to see them ignore their instincts and begin attacking merchants.

    By midday, the rain had stopped reflecting the sunny skies and bright clouds. Altair was short of taking a nap waiting for Elena, assuming that her father''s men had captured her when he heard a fierce voice thunder across the air.

    "A little further, Cloud!" The voice had traveled a little over a mile, but he heard it all the same. His gazended on the maiden in red galloping through the dirt.

    "Finally," he said, opening his palm to conjure a Vale Sword that slowly turned into a spear. He looked up into the skies, calling upon Shadowheart to mask his intent. Slowly, he reached into himself, gathering as much strength as he could before hurling the spear of Vale Qi through the skies before she saw him through the tall tree''s

    Elena never saw who threw the spear. She only saw the red mist that bore a hole through her steed''s neck from on high, taking off its head in the process as she was violently thrown off her steed. Shended on her feet, nearly tumbling into a roll, as her eyesshed onto Altair. Her eyes turned wide when she saw him wave at her.

    "Bastard!" she snarled.

    "If you like, you can name my stallion Cloud,'' Altair taunted, his voice stretching across the distance like it didn''t exist. "I quite like the name."

    It took only a few breaths for her to cross the miles, her swordshing out of its scabbard. A look that could swallow Altair alive red across her eyes, and her sword swept forward in a thrust, but Sarrin was even faster, shrieking across the air like a bolt of sma, spewing a fountain of embers into the skies, pushing the two back ten meters.

    Altair stared expressionless at Sarrin. "I heard you''re trying to break the marriage agreement."

    "H-H-how is that possible? You''re only a Fourth Circle!" Elena eximed, herrge dark blue eyes marred by disbelief. She''d never heard of a Fourth Circle stopping a Ninth Circle. Even if she hadn''t used her full strength, it shouldn''t have been possible.

    "Must be the sweetness. What can I say? I''m quite the specimen." He grinned wolfishly when he saw her irritated expression. He might have made another joke if he wasn''t already so mentally exhausted after a single sh. "I didn''te here to fight you, Elena."

    "Shameless bastard!" Remembering the sight of Cloud with his head torn from his body, she bit her lip, pointing the tip of her sword at him. "You killed my steed! You killed him in cold blood!"

    "The price of your folly. Are you not here to break the marriage agreement?" Altair calmly asked, sending his steed that he was determined to name Cloud back into his shadow when he saw Elena nce at it. She grimaced when it vanished.

    "So what if I am? I''m not my fathers¡ª"

    Altair couldn''t have rolled his eyes harder. "I don''t care for your reasons, but I can''t allow you to do as you please. And neither can your father."

    Elena''s palm tightened so much around her sword that blood ran hot. No one seemed to care what she wanted. Not her father. Not even her fiance. She bit her lips, opening her mouth to speak, but Altair cut her off.

    "But I can see your struggle. Truly, I do. But you have zero authority to do anything about it. As we speak, several transcendent have been sent to retrieve you. You might be Lord Rivia''s only child, but that doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want. They''ve been tasked to bring you back, and they can do so willingly or by breaking all your legs. I''m sure anything is fine short of death."

    "Father would never¡ª"

    "Save it. I''m sure you don''t even believe your bullshit." Altair interrupted. "But lucky for you, I don''t want to marry you." He almost said he would rather marry a devil instead, but Tasha was surely listening. And he didn''t want to give her any ideas. "So I''m going to give you an out. Two years, and you can break the agreement.

    Run to your lover or whomever, and live your life as you see fit. But until those two years are up. You''ll y the role of my fianc¨¦."

    The deal sounded almost too good to be true. Almost.

    "We can even form a contract if that''ll make you feel better," Altair said when he saw her expression. For a noble, she wore her emotions like a piece of clothing, he thought, resisting the urge tough. "So unless you''re pregnant¡­"

    "I''m not pregnant!" Elena snapped. More embarrassed than angry.

    "Then there is no reason why you can''t ept this deal."

    Elena bit her lip in thought. "What if¡­ What if I found someone else? What then."

    Altair felt for Nox. Aside from his father, who might have paid the ultimate price, everyone had abandoned him.

    "So long as your Lover doesn''t interfere in my work. He''s free to do as he pleases. Tasha. Can you make the contract? Add the necessary few stiptions and sign it. I''m about to faint." he needed to rest.

    From the way he stared at her, Elena thought he was seeing right through her. She nearly thought him crazy until she saw her. It was like a knife through the heart.

    Tasha was unlike anyone she''d ever seen. Hers was a beauty that fell kingdoms. Tempting the hearts of mortal minds. It held hers in its grip.

    "W-W-Who!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    " How far are the rest?" Altair asked, summoning Cloud from between his legs to hoist him up without needing to jump. He hadn''t had the strength to, even if he wanted to.

    "An hour or two," Tasha said. "Unlike your steed. Fatigue exists in other animals. You should rest. I''ll handle the¡­"

    He fell asleep before Tasha could finish. "He''s so cute acting all hard. What a softie."

    "Can''t you hear me?" Elena demanded. "Who are you?"

    Tasha''s warm expression froze to ice like a switch had been flipped. Elena seemed to notice since the hairs on her neck stood on end. Fearnced up her spine as she took a step back. She felt like a rabbit before a wolf.

    "How fortunate of you," Tasha said, conjuring a Five-hundred-page contract stipting the various rules that Elena must follow as Nox De Neir''s fiance, alongside what was forbidden and allowed in regards to any lovers she might take in the future or the ones she had now.

    Elena tried to read through it all, but after the Twenty-First page, which covered one stiption in over thirty different variations, she began skipping paragraphs, ensuring that the two-year time stiption was clearly written before signing her name.

    "You''re not smart, are you?" Tasha asked as the contract vanished.

    Enjoy more content from empire

    "Elena scuffed. "Two years. Two years, and I''ll be free of my family''s control and that wretched man. I''ll be free to¡ª"

    "I always heard humans were the most selfish creatures alive. Well, it''s none of my business." She turned her back to Elena, taking Cloud by the reins before leading him away. "Follow me. Master needs rest, and there are bound to be assassins closing in."

 Chapter 377 Crown and Shadows IV

    By the time Alyssa and Therion had caught up to their Master, it was a little after midday. The sun was ring as if to burn all beneath its re to cinders. They found him nheless in the shadows of a tall sentinel, resting in Tasha''s arms. Elena was there, though she scowled when she saw the two knights hurry forward with several ckcloaks on their heels.

    ''More pretty women,'' she thought. It wasn''t fair, she knew, but she had always thought Nox would wait for her. He always had. Even when they were children, he only ever had eyes for her. Not once had his gaze ever swayed or his heart ever wavered.

    It had been a thousand years, and while no one expected Elena to wait on Nox, she never thought, weeks after his awakening, he would fall into the arms of another.

    ''That''s probably the reason why he was so heartless to me,'' she thought. He was almost unrecognizable to her, even if he looked nearly identical to what she remembered. Almost. Perhaps it had been her imagination, but he seemed taller, stronger, with an aura of authority she found hard to refuse.

    "You guys sure took your time," Tasha said in a teasing voice. She nced at the knights behind the two shadows. A thin veil smile thinning her lips. The men of house De Nier all looked pale, wet, and tired like mortals after nearly a day of travel. When they left Inka, the Castn had insisted Altair take fifty ckcloaks to clear out the Golden Fork.

    That seemed almost impossible now with how weary the men looked.

    "What''s wrong with them?"

    Therion nced back at them, a frown tight on his lips. "No idea. They all im to be fine, but¡­" Even a fool could tell something was wrong. Their faces were drained of color, and the whites of their eyes a beat to yellow. "Whatever it is, we didn''t have the time to investigate."

    "You have time now," Tasha said, looking at him. "Master will not be pleased to see his men half dead."

    Therion made his discontent known but could not refute her despite how much he disliked her. Sometimes, he wondered why his Master treated her so much better than some of his shadows. She was certainly stronger; no one could refute that, but when it came to intelligence, Therion felt they were equal.

    Of the fifty men that had ridden along the Fork, there was not one who wasn''t pale, shaking either from the rain that had long passed or something else. Therion searched them down to their briefs, frowning the more he investigated each man, finding nothing. They were all seventh Circles and higher, but for them to experience the sickness of the elements like mortals seemed unlikely.

    When one fell off his horse, it was Alyssa who ran after him to see him scrambling to his feet, reaching into his cloak for this sk of water. She snatched it from him and gave it a sniff, followed by a taste. It didn''t smell sweet or sour, and it tasted like water. Purified water.

    "Master is going to be pissed."

    ''The Shadows¡­'' Altair muttered suddenly, shivering. "Crown¡­Shadows. Shadows Shal''al G¡ª" Blood trickled from his nose, and before anyone knew it, he went silent.

    A dream of antern that bore no light yet held the darkness at bay, ake, and an image weed him. One of his fathers, of Arsene Snow, walking alongside a strange void of darkness. It was so dark the night seemed to move. Tenebrae shone across the darkness, her warm smile pulling him into theke of twilight, into the embrace of the ck Moon.

    ''Shal''al¡ª"

    Tasha frowned, sensing for the first time how weak her master had be. He was growing even weaker. ''What is going on? This isn''t normal soul exhaustion.'' she told herself, gesturing to Alyssa over to tend to him instead.

    "I''m getting worried; he might need a doctor," she said¡­ and her gaze trailed to the ckcloaks. "Or blood."

    Elena felt something was wrong. Felt it down to her marrow, every part of her screaming a wretched cry to escape in that single moment. Predestined death cut across her eyes as the devil moved, gripping Gram that had appeared in her palm in an eldritch arc of light. Elena had never seen a woman move that fast, nor had she ever seen a sword move like that. Never thought it could.

    Therion was the first to shout, demanding what she was doing, but Tasha ignored him. By the time he finished his sentence, blood had painted the earth and grass. Even for someone who had lived most of her life on the battlefield, Elena paled.

    Alyssa was oddly silent. Read thetest on empire

    Slowly, the blood, a river of small beads, rose from out of the bodies of the dead like raindrops, condensing into a small pool in Tasha''s two hands. She knelt, offering a small prayer to Grimory, speaking in Infernal. The blood turned bright with the invocation before returning to its normal shade.

    A lifetime seemed to trickle away before the blood gathered in the Lilm''s palm, and by the time anyone had realized it, Tasha was already pouring it down her Master''s throat. ck tendrils shed across his face, dancing like shadows across his pale flesh before vanishing.

    "You''re a Shadow Priestess!"Elena said.

    Tasha nearly guffawed. No one had ever called her a Priestess. She was a pet, a toy for her Master''s pleasure. The mere idea she was anything other than that was¡­ amusing.

    "Not sure how you jumped to that conclusion, but it does give me some ideas on how to pleasure my Master. Perhaps he might like a Priestess he can punish all night." she blushed like a maiden, cupping her cheeks. "Master is so¡ª"

    "Hot¡­" Altair muttered, breaking out in a cold sweat.

    "What''s happening to him?" Alyssa asked,ying him beneath the shade. She nced at the devil, lost in her own world for a minute.

    "Soul Exhaustion," Tashamented. "Master is simply too strong for his soul to handle. It''s rare, but it''s just something that happens."

    "How rare?" Therion asked.

    "First of all, Soul Exhaustion is an affliction for Gods. Mortals aren''t meant to be affected by it. Can you guess how many system skills Master has at C rank or above? The rank meant for God''s? I can''t tell you, but he definitely has a few. That takes a greater toll than he realizes.

    Then there is the bacsh of using Transcendent Intent ten times to kill several Ninth Circles a few days ago. Honestly, it''s a miracle he could still ride. And you ask how rare. It''s practically unheard of."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Therion looked like he ate shit. "Then how do we fix him!"

    There was a grim silence before Alyssa spoke up. "Nia."

    Tasha looked at her, realizing. "She is heading back to the dutchie. She could call for the Medarc."

    "But it''ll take three days for her to¡ª" Therion was saying before they looked at Cloud beside their Master.

    "Master''s shadow steed," Tasha mumbled. She would have liked to make the trip herself, but¡­ with her master in such a dire state, it was best not to leave him unattended with just his shadows and a woman whom she did not trust quite well.

    "The creature can fly," Therion said. "If we send it to Nia, then perhaps she might be able to bring help before the next rise." he nced at the others, sharing simr thoughts.

    "I''ll tell Nia," Alyssa said. "Who would have figured her getting in trouble would be so much help."

    Therion was in agreement, taking Cloud by the reins. He whispered his mission deep within its subconscious. The shadow stallion neighed in an acknowledgment before taking off in a trot, picking up speed until it blurred.

    "Let''s find somewhere to stay," Tasha said, then nced at Therion. "Can you clean this territory of monsters and bandits? I''d rather Master wake up with good news rather than the news we sat on our ass while he slept."

    "Why can''t you do it?"

    Tasha''s brow scrunched. "You are a hunter by nature. At the same time, I am the strongest present. Alyssa is a warrior trained in all forms of protection. We can protect Master without you. Stopining, or I''ll put you down and make sure you don''t ever rise. I could, you know.

    You, Shadows, aren''t as immortal as you think. "

    Therion expression turned red. "Master would never forgive you!"

    "You are but a shadow. A thing he picked up on a whim while I am of royalty. A concubine. A toy built so he will never grow tired of using and breaking. Are you so sure?"

    "Enough the both of you." Alyssa cut in. "What is going on with you both? What''s with the hate?" She red at the two of them, rubbing her temple, and sighed. "Therion, she''s right. Go out and hunt, but be on the lookout for assassins. I suspected some were hiding as various ckcloaks, but since Tasha killed them all, there are bound to be more iing."

    Reluctantly, Therion obeyed, swinging away but not before shooting a murderous stare at Tasha.

    "Bitch," he muttered, leaving.

 Chapter 379 Silent Run II

    His tongue ached. Every breath, blink, and bite proved exhausting, pulling him deeper into the night. A fluttering motion ran over Altair''s eyelids as they gestured open. Confusion by the sting of flesh-blood massaging the ache. It was sweet. He blinked, cradling the stranger in his arms tighter.

    Her scent seemed familiar, but her blood was anything but. She had dark skin withrge golden eyes that shone in the night, and her neck a red ruin of his design. He blinked, too weak to think who was carrying him.

    ''Who is this¡­'' he wondered; she was certainly warm enough. Slowly, his palms reached up, grabbing onto something soft. A moan sounded from lips, startling the night. Voices echoed around faster than he could see, reaching back and forth too quickly for him to understand. He squeezed even harder, his lips and fangs sinking into the red within the ck.

    "Master." The lilting moans were familiar. "We~Are~Not~Alone~"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ''Is that my name?'' he thought, shrouded by a deepening night. ''Master¡­what a strange name.'' he closed his eyes, returning to the dream¡­

    "You little whore!" Tasha was the first to say, her amusing tone rippling through the depths.

    "I didn''t do anything!" Alyssa said, utterly flushed. "He just started biting and groping me! I did¡ª"

    "Like it?"

    "I didn''t say that!" Alyssa stuttered. "It was just unexpected¡­" She nced at her Master, who had never bitten her before like he had the others. She had heard that her Master had run a test to see if his shadows could lessen the effects of his hunger. It was proven unsessful, so she never imagined he''d ever devour the blood of one of his shadows again.

    Still¡­ she liked it.

    "Can we focus?!" Elena demanded.

    The tunnels ahead were getting smaller topensate for the sizes of each Kobold as they dug. It wasn''t long before they were on their hands and knees, crawling forward. No one used Mana to mold the earth around them, believing their energy signature would be tracked.

    ''Can''t you kill these Transcendence?'' Alyssa asked a mile down the line in a Soul Whisper so that Elena could not hear. The only ones who heard her were Tasha and Therion, near the rear.

    ''I could, but that would lead toplications," Tasha exined. "Master''s true identity could be revealed to the Gods looking for him. Then there is the Church of Sepith. There are those in that church who would throw everything away to have a Royal Devil like myself killed."

    "But isn''t the saintess on our side?" Therion inquired.

    "Our Side?" Tasha nced back, shaking her head, before continuing down the path. "In politics, there are no sides. Those who follow the Seven Pirs of Sepith would rather have a Mck travel with Altair than a devil like myself. The Saintess is not an ally. She is merely ying her role.

    But if Master Soul''s Exhaustion gets worse, and it begins affecting his memories, that would be a prime opportunity to capture Altair and kill me. He''d be extremely susceptible to mental attacks like mind control; even if he were to recover, the damage would be done."

    The thought frightened the two shadows more than they''d like to admit.

    "But he''s unconscious!" Alyssa shouted, no longer in a Soul Whisper.

    Tasha scowled, shooting her a warning stare. "His subconscious is using a skill it shouldn''t. It''s killing him. How can his Soul Exhaustion be getting worse?"

    "Wait!"Alyssa replied. "Master Father is within the Pce of Stigian! He could help!"

    Ears perking, Tasha rounded on the Amazonian Shadow. "What''s this about his Father?"

    Alyssa did not shy away from her mistake. "It''s not for you to know if Master hasn''t told you about it. Then it''s not for me to say."

    The two stared at each other for a while before Tasha resumed her crawl. She could feel the winds up ahead. Three miles, she determined, sensing the seismic vibrations through the earth.

    "It wouldn''t matter. Master''s Father is definitely a god. A True God." She continued. "Inform one of your sisters, just in case, but there isn''t much hope. Soul Exhaustion is an affliction not even the Infernal Monarchs can hold against.''

    At the sound of rushing water, they pushed forward to see a glimmer of moonlight peering through the nearly one-hundred-meter-tall waterfall. The water hit the earth below, shrouding the area in a thick mist.

    Abruptly, the earth shook, writhing like a living thing. Cracks mounted the cave entrance as Tasha spun to her rear. Even from several miles away, her gaze bore through the earth to the sh against five Transcendence. She frowned, noticing several men tailing them several miles behind.

    "Twenty Men. It''ll take them A while to figure out which tunnel, but they''ll find us soon."

    "I''ll lead them up another path," Therion said. " You three go ahead. Take care of Master."

    "You know what to do right?" Tasha asked coldly.

    Therion nodded grimly. "I know what to do, and I won''t break."

    ****

    They bounded northwest through the darkness, through open prairies along the edge of Dragonsbreath. First light peaked over the horizon to warm the earth, and still, the distant sound of battle roared, reshaping the skies and earth. Mountains fell while ravines were forged faster than some could blink.

    Countless times, Tasha was forced to act, deflecting arcs of sword and spear light that came their way without any particr direction other than to cause destruction. There was a random element to the destruction around them that suggested the worst.

    "They are trying to kill me!" Elena realized. By midday, they finally spotted a vige hedge between a ravine and a river that could be seen if one rode in their direction.

    Theughter of children sang across the wind.

    Along the path, they spotted several small cabin farms sprawled about without any particr direction. The men tended to the cattle while the women and children gathered what little they could from either the forest or their plot.

    A few men spotted Tasha, Alyssa, and Elena grunting loudly, spouting ''outsider'' with distaste, while a few others weed them all the same. Inside the vige, those that had made it to their tenth term and older were training in the way of the Arcane Arts in the open to sense Mana.

    Older groups of young men trained with wooden swords and spears by the vige chief, nodding away at the new generation that was learning from the older.

    Rare though outsiders might be, no one ced much attention on Tasha and her group as they looked for an inn, finding but the harsh stares of those around.

    "What a strange vige," Alyssa said.

    Elena looked at them strangely. "If bandits roamed your area, how''d you feel? The fact they didn''t openly deny us entry is proof they are confident in defending themselves."

    "Either way, we need to find an inn," Tasha remarked, her eyes trailing the countless houses around them. She could smell the blood. Those who lived directly inside the vige were perhaps the hunters, while those outside cultivated thend.

    "You''re not going to find an Inn in Ravine Fort," A young man no older than twenty shouted, a hint of fever in his eyes. Mark, they called him. Behind him, several other men followed, hooting at the three women. They gathered around, appraising the four.

    "We shouldn''t stay here," Elena said to Tasha softly. "Its better we continue or¡ª"

    " You can stay with me," Mark shouted.

    "Really?" Tasha asked, her alluring smile reminding even the older men that they were still men even if time tamed their desire. Mark and his friends stood no chance. They flushed, their hearts ringing against their chests like a bell toll. Hips pointed awkwardly to mask the rise of desire.

    "men¡­" Elena muttered disdainfully. She nced at Altair, snorting: with so many women around him, was he any different than others?

    Mark proudly pushed his friends away, cracking a few jokes, unable to take his eyes off the three. A few older menughed, though their eyes lingered on Altair''s unconscious body wet with sweat. Some asked about him, but Alyssa only exined he was a ssmate who had eaten something he shouldn''t have.

    It was amon affliction many young men go through, sometimes believing the stories of men finding ancient herbs that aided them in breaking through to the next circle. Ravine Fort had lost countless young men that way, so many believed her words,ughing it off.

    "Let me show you to my house! I''ve got a lot of room!" Mark was happy to say. "I''m the best hunter in the vige."

    "Then you must surely have a wife," Tasha whispered beside his ear in a starved voice. "What~a~shame. I~would~have¡­" she stopped, letting his imagination run wild, unaware the glow in her eyes deepened with each breath.

    Mark had never turned so red. He had never seen a more beautiful group of women dressed beautifully. From their clothes, it was obvious they came from the city. "I¡­" he muttered, gathering his courage. "I live alone!" he shouted.

    The girls all giggled, and Mark''s skin seemed to invent a new spectrum of red.

    "Good," Tasha said, passing her hands through her long, silky hair. A peculiar gleam shimmered behind her eyes. "I was afraid we''d¡­ disturb them.''

    "We?" Mark muttered.

    The Lilm grinned deviously. "All~three~of~us, of~course. Or~would~you~prefer~just one? For~rent~of~course. We~girls~would~love~to~see~who~can~sate~you~best."

 Chapter 380 Silent Run III

    Altair had been unable to quantify the number of years he had spent in the darkness. It could have been countless years, cycles, or seconds, for time itself seemed to lose its meaning in the all-epassing darkness.

    Words and thoughts failed him, for they seemed beyond his reach, vanishing off the tip of his tongue like a wisp. And yet he knew where he was. Surrounded by a shadowscape of vast nothingness.

    The Vale.

    For a while, nothing but the lone cry of a raven carried forth the souls of creation; it filled the night like stars in the skies. Vast clusters of Soul mes gathered to form nebs spanning further than the eye could take them.

    The Vale was as endless as the souls filling its depths.

    Thoughtless in his actions, Altair lifted his hand, grasping at the Vale and a soul had appeared in his hand. Perhaps it had simply been his authority over the Vale, or perhaps he was simply lucky, but a voice reached out from the Silvery Soul me.

    "Aldrich of Lothel greets the Vale King." The voice came naturally to the soul, for it knew who held it in its grasp. All the one before him needed to do was sp his hand together, and his right to exist would cease.

    "Vale¡­ King?" Altair found thenguage that had been escaping him. His words were choppy like a newborn learning to speak, yet they carried an ancient authority that held the Night within its reins.

    "I am¡­ Altair¡­ Snow¡­"

    Aldrich went silent. "Child of Zariel or Arsene Snow?"

    "Arsene¡­" Altair said, a little unsure. He stared at the soul in his hand, a hint of a smile ying at his lips. He seemed almost amused, as if aware of something. "Story¡­ What is your story?"

    Respectfully, Aldrich spoke. "I was born a ve to the burning world of Lothel that dared to challenge the will of the First Soul King, Davos."

    The name rang true across the Vale King''s mind, stirring a memory within his subconscious. He shuddered, recalling a distant battle. One of defeat and acknowledgment.

    "I¡­ know Davos."

    The Soul of Aldrich burned brightly. "My Master found me on my fifth term and epted me as his disciple, ridding me of my life of a ve." he paused before his words carried on in a favorable light. "He quelled the mes of Lothel and proimed it mine¡­ if I had the power to im it. In five years, I made Lothel officially mine.

    In thirty, I dragged it from the lower Realms of Elysium to stand alone¡­."

    "Davos¡­" Altair interrupted. "Is from the Lower Realms?"

    "I am not sure of the true origins of Davos, but he was the second Chaos Lord to exist within the Twelve Realms and the first to fell the First Chaos Lord."

    Curious, Altair blinked hisrge, twinkling eyes, holding up the small soul me. "Tell me more."

    ***

    "Master¡­." Tasha muttered, looking at the young man drenched in sweat. ck tendrils of veins lined his pale face as she rested by his bedside. asionally, he muttered, ''Shal''al¡ª'' wanting to continue, but the words simply failed to escape him. Tasha had tried to memorize the word, but each time they were spoken, the words somehow eluded her.

    She could think the word, but if she wished to speak it, she always found herself nking, sometimes forgetting where she was at times.

    After the second time, when she lost nearly an hour of memories, she stopped in fear of the authority that bound her.

    It had been a day and a half, and yet, despite their best efforts, Nia and the Medarc had yet to find their way to this secluded vige.

    Just then, the door to her Master''s room opened. Alyssa had a dark frown entering. She looked as if someone had pped her by how dark her expression was.

    "More bad news?" Tasha asked calmly.

    "Nia will be here within the hour, or so she ims," Alyssa said, though she hadn''t exined why her expression was so dark.

    Tasha grew worried. "That seems like good news. So what aren''t you telling me?"

    "Apparently, this vige has a temple to the Seven Pirs of Sepith. One of the vigers requested that onee to check on Altair."

    Tasha almostughed, sighing in relief. "Is that it? Hells! You had me for a second. Unless they are from the Pir of Cael, they''ll not be able to sense me. Those who''ve taken the Oath of Temperance have within them the ability to Sense Sin.

    The stronger ones can see it."

    A/N: Oath of Temperance = Oathkeepers

    "Can''t you hide from it?"

    "It''s an authority from a Seraph, of course not." Tasha shook her head. "To my knowledge, there are no devils that can hide from the presence of a Seraph."

    "Then what do we do? I tried sending the Priestess away, but she seemed adamant."

    "She is probably from the Pir of Ariandel. So long as you keep Mark hidden, it shouldn''t be an issue¡­. What''s with that look? What is it?"

    "Elena doesn''t seem to understand what you did to Mark¡­ and has asked that he be looked at. She is currently tending to him."

    Tasha stared nkly, her jaw tightening. "I swear I''m going to cut out her fucking tongue and feed it back to her. Watch him." Flying out of the room without the slightest hint of sound, Tasha rounded the corner where she left Mark, holding his cock in a death grip, peering hard at the skies. The deranged smile he held was still stered across his face.

    Beside him stood the Priestess, shrouded in the Golden White robes of Ariandel, the Sigil of the Winged Crown ordained on her back.

    "What a foul magic!" Sister Audry shrieked, desperately hurling herself to Mark; she nearly tumbled over, her eyes reaching into his meridians to the sprawling ck tar spreading across his internal organs, up his spine, and onto his brain. It was a sickening poison that left her shaking in her boots.

    She spun when Tasha entered, sensing such evil; her eyes went so wide, they popped from her socket when her head went st across the wall. Blood smeared the Lilm''s face, sshing across Elena''s nk expression.

    It had happened so quickly that Elena had only sensed Tasha reinforce the walls with her mana before a red ruin weed her. In the briefest instance before death registered across her mind, Tasha had already spun her cold palm,shing out like a whip; they cracked across her body with such shattering force Elena saw her entire body explode into a fine mist.

    She blinked, realizing it was only an illusion, and coughed up a mouth full of blood, realizing she was on the floor when Tasha''s boot came crashing across her head, nearly shattering the bone.

    "You''ve be a liability, Lady Elena," The Lilm said, her voice cold as the Eight Layer of Hell, Sylvorlum" ¡ªHer eyes a burning inferno of hellish might¡ª "So why don''t I just kill you now, and rid myself of a worthless cur like yourself?"

    "Because Master needs her!'' Alyssa hurried in. "You can''t just kill¡ª"

    Tasha wasn''t having it, "Master is unconscious and cannot make decisions. It is well within our right to have her killed for such a transgression." The force beneath her boot deepened, channeling dozens of webs across her skull. "I''ve never met a drummer! I should drag you to Levatus myself to watch you burn for all eternity!"

    A/N: Levatus = Ninth Layer of Hell

    "Everything you said is right!" Alyssa shouted. "But it''s masters decision. Nia will be here in an hour with the Medarc. But¡ª"

    A bell toll rang across the vige, catching the attention of the twodies.

    Tasha made a tsking noise and touched her face. Suddenly, her expression changed as her face, height, and weight all began to morph, mirroring the image of the Priestess.

    "You leave this room, and I''ll kill you myself," Tasha said to Elena, stomping out. "Stay with Master, Alyssa. I''ll handle whatever the hell that is."

    As the doors were mmed shut, Alyssa released a breath of cold air, feeling strength leave her body. She toppled to her knees, unable to imagine how powerful Tasha truly was. It seemed nearly inconsble that someone could be that strong. She hadn''t even realized how much Tasha was surprising her presence.

    "What the hell were you thinking?" The Shadow asked, finally catching her breath. She stared at Elena. She hadn''t moved, petrified where she stood.

    "W-W-W-What is she? She isn''t human. No human can move like that. Ninth Circle or not!" She was shaking, blood racing from her forehead, as tears blended with the red. "What is she? What is she!"

    Fearnced up her spine, bounding her to the Earth. She dared not move, dared not even think of refuting themand of the Royal Devil.

    Alyssa breathed. "Elena¡­ You better learn how to beg. I can''t¡­ no, I will not beg for her mercy on your behalf again. If you endanger my Master again, not even the Light of Sepith can save you from us." she stood up, peering at the blood-stained woman. "If you don''t want to end up in a state worse than Mark, you had best learn to be silent."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 382 The Hunt I

    It was high noon when Nia rode into Ravine Fort on horseback. The Medarc, Kegan, sat behind on the double-sided saddle. The streets were deste, carried by a mournful wind that left the air acrid.

    Skin prickling, the Medarc nced around, searching for something for someone, for anything. He found only dust through the streets.

    "Are sure the Young Master is here? This vige seemed abandoned."

    Nia was in silent agreement, slowing Cloud by the reins to a stop. She looked around at the stone houses stered in white. Her gaze searched through the stone, finding fires still burning, tables half set, and children''s clothes sprawled about in a dozen or so houses. Nothing indicated any sort of attack. It was as if everyone simply dropped what they were doing and left.

    Layers of magic weaved themselves tightly around her eyes, awakening the powers of her dual pupils to¡ª

    "You''re here!" shouted Tasha, in a trot through the streets. She beckoned to Nia and the Medarc. "This way! Master is here."

    Cloud neighed loudly, racing after Tasha, leading them to the home that held their Master. Alyssa weed them up the stairs into the room that held Altair, soaked in a dreadful sweat. The fever that had taken him had raised his body temp so high that if not for the wardings ced, the room might have ignited into mes.

    The Medarc frowned beside the Young Master, taking his pulse, and his lips tightened. In all his life, he had never seen a more dreadful case of Soul Exhaustion. He nced at Tasha and gulped.

    "His Soul me wanes. There is no¡ª"

    "I am quite aware there is no cure for Soul Exhaustion," Tasha said slowly. What I require is a measure to lessen the burden on his Soul."

    "Surely a devil¡ª" He paused, his face draining of color, but Tasha only gestured for him to continue. Surely a Devil, a Royal Devil like you who Mastered the Art of Soul Maniption, could aid him."

    "I''m no doctor," Tasha kindly informed him. I know the basics, butpared to a Medarc from the Imperium of Genisis that instilled new techniques each year into your brains, I cannot begin topare our knowledge. I am not so arrogant that I would operate on my Master without proper direction. His Soul wains, but it''s not to the degree that I need to take that risk."

    Kegan forced himself to breathe. "We''d need a powerful soul. A neutral soul. One uncorrupted by the Infernal Heart of a Devil."

    "Nox De Nier," Nia said calmly, ncing at her sisters. "We could use that, can''t we? As Masters Shadows, we could retrieve it. It''s still in aa, so there shouldn''t be any trouble if we took¡­" Her voice trailed off, her gaze fixed upon the Medarc.

    The secret of Nox De Nier being possessed by an outworlder hadn''t been openly stated. House Nier had hoped it was Nox, but there was nothing to confirm the truth¡­ until now.

    Nia''s icy gaze searched the Medarc''s dark features, theyers of magic gathering around her eye to pierce the unseemed veil around the man before her. If there were malice, discontent, or hesitation, she would see it.

    "Nia, you do the honors," Tasha instructed. "Have a little faith in our Medarc. They are the best Doctors in all the Myriad Heavens, after all. Even if this one here is a failure." her lips thinned in a cold arc. "To my knowledge, Medarcs are without emotions. But you wear yours like a piece of cloth."

    Kegan frowned. "My emotional response shouldn''t be an issue."

    "We''ll see," Tasha responded. "Nia," she ordered soon after before she said, "Now, exin what you will do."

    "Despite how simple it might sound, this operation is ratherplex. But what I will be doing is channeling the will of the¡­ Young Master so that he draws on the energy of Nox De Nier''s Soul rather than his own. That should significantly reduce the strain on his Soul, allowing it time to recover. The operation could take anywhere from a few days to a few months toplete."

    "And if I were to help?" Tasha asked. "As you just said, we Devils'' ability to manipte the Soul is unmatched¡ªeven by your standards, Medarc. Perhaps, if you''re lucky, the Soul of Nox De Nier might fully awaken with all this stimtive activity."

    Kegan didn''t have much hope for the matter. He had personally touched the Soul me of Nox De Nier, but his will was so dormant that it would take a miracle for it to awaken. Perhaps if he had the proper tools, it would have been a different case, but Allmore was far too underdeveloped.

    ''Hours rather than days, I suspect," he answered.

    "Then shall we begin?" Tasha asked, pulling her gaze to Nia with a hand over her Master''s chest. Slowly, a beautiful azure me rose from his chest, burning like a star. Seeing how easy it was to extract, Nia''s expression sank even further.

    She looked at the Lilm, offering it to her with a pleading gleam in her eyes.

    "Save him."

    ***

    "What do you mean you can''t find him?" Lord Raxtar barked, horsed with rage. The backhand that caught Talri shattered his jaw, sending him sprawling across the earth. "Nox De Nier is but a Fourth Circle! He is practically a boy! So how does a boy escape our?!"

    Jax Stormbrew snorted, redressing the gash across his shoulder. "Hold your anger, brother. You''ve already killed seven of our men."

    "He''s right," Lord Kaylor said in a sober voice.

    "The hell he''s right!!'' Raxtar scuffed. "And what the hell are you doing with the prisoner."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Skinned him alive,'' Kaylor said, his bushy brows scrunching. "But all he does isugh. Never seen anything like it. The more we cut, the harder heughs."

    "Then cut off his tongue!"

    The two transcendents sighed, ncing at their brother-in-armsnguidly. "Then he won''t be able to talk, you sted idiot," Jax spoke up. He sighed, throwing his head back. It would be nightfall soon. "Any report from El''von?"

    "The Trow?" Raxtar grimaced. "He''s got nothing. I can''t say I trust ''em, though."

    Kaylor made a face. "You''re just racist."

    Jax looked at him. "I once saw a Trow drown a man in some wine. It was a poor vintage, but I dear say they drank it all the same after his body fermented the wine."

    "That¡­That''s disgusting."Kaylor said.

    Raxtar sneered. "The fucker even offered me some. I had to kill him, you see. Tore his head clean off. And do you know what those bastards did? They cheered!"

    The three sighed, though for different reasons. After a while, Jax lifted his head. "We need them all the same. They''re the best killers you''d ever have."

    "I''m not arguing that!" Raxtar snapped. "I don''t care if there are bloody rapers or killers. It''s all the same. But they worship¡­ Muardral! There are bloody child killers. They''d gut a mother with child just to watch the baby bleed out her belly!"

    "It''s called Kor''lie''vecta, and it''s a sacred ritual of Muardral, Ko''vak!" said a shadow from the forest. It culls the weak so only the strong remain. If the child lives without the mother, then it has the right to exist as one of our own.

    "Isgar, "the three Transcend whispered under their breath as he stepped through the forest. Grey skin was hidden beneath Istvon Armor, a Trow male withrge red eyes and strange runes running down one eye like a tear. Tall and hard, he sauntered before the three.

    "Ko''vak, indeed," he said, the scorn in his voice recognizable to everyone present as he stared at the Jax injury. "To call for reinforcements over two Ko''vak, have you no shame?"

    Kaylor rose. ''We were ambushed by two Transcendents!"

    "Two verses Three?" Isgar tilted his head, not understanding, before he did. ''Is your kind so weak? Istcar!" he snarled. "Retreat. We shall take over."

    "The Shadow Tower will not look kindly on this act!" Rextar raged, towering over the Trow, his golden eyes fixed.

    Hands poised behind his back, Isgar did not seem to acknowledge Rextar, though the shadows cast by the setting sun seemed to extend.

    The three seemed to notice, draining their faces of color. It wasn''t unheard of a Trow within the Ninth Circle tobat Transcendents. It''s said that even the most ordinary of Trow possessed that level of battle prowess.

    "We will be taking the prisoner. Return to the Shadow Tower. Tell them of your failure, or shall I send you to Muardral?" Isgar asked. When he heard no response, he turned the twin scimitars on his back, burning with the light of the setting sun. "You''ve got an hour to make yourself scarce lest you be hunted like cattle."

    As he vanished under the watchful eye of the three, Raxtar looked as if he''d swallowed bile. He screamed, his fist piercing through the trunk of a tree.

    ''He can''t do this!"

    Explore more stories at empire

    Jax expression sour. "We¡ª"

    "NO!" Raxtar roared. "Who does he think he is? I''ll not ept this humiliation!" he lifted his eyes towards his men looking at him, the shame bing more than he could bear. ''Ready your weapons! I don''t bloody care if he is some mythical race! He''s!!!!

    RAAAA! I''m going to kill him if he gets in my way! Nox De Nier is mine!"

 Chapter 383 The Hunt II

    A/N: Warning: Dark Chapter

    "So you and my Father were enemies¡­" Altair said, floating aimlessly through the Vale. His blood-red eyes slowly alternated between a mist of ck and red.

    "Your Uncle Zariel, I considered to be my enemy, though through no fault of my own. Fate decided that." Aldrich replied softly. "Once I became a thrall to the Silver Devil, I was predestined to die."

    "He hated you?"

    "Hate is a powerful word, Vale Lord. Zariel loathed my existence, but I was nothing more than a pawn¡ªa tool bound by causality to wage war against him. That was the oath we took to return to thend of the living. I can say for certain he did not hate me. Respect maybe. But hate?

    No. Not Zariel, that was reserved for someone else."

    Altair''s arms folded across his chest, and his lips twisted to mirror that of a childs pout. "Then you''d be against returning with me as my Shadow."

    "Without running the risk of being utterly annihted in a way I cannot fathom, I would say no. And I would be no help to you, my Lord. I am from the Lower Realms. My perception is far too lower whenpared to¡ª"

    "That won''t matter. All my Shadows possess my perception." He threw his head up, mulling the matter over. Tenebrae had always mentioned that a True King needed to carry himself with pride. If he were to ask again, it would be no different than begging. And he was no beggar.

    "I could force you, you know."

    "Then I would forever resent you¡­" Aldrich said softly. "I lost¡­ Zariel Snow bested me. I haven''t the will to return nor the face to look him in the eye."

    Altair stood up, flushed with rage. "I¡ª" He stopped, covering his mouth, recognizing his action was unbing. He couldn''t even understand why he felt so offended.

    "You''re still in a state of Soul Exhaustion," Aldrich exined. "It''s a nasty affliction, but the Vale is somehow protecting you. Your memory is also still absent in many ces. Give it time."

    "It''s frustrating. You obey me, yet you refuse me."

    Aldrichughed. "I cannot refuse amand. Your authority binds me. If you really wish to revive me, I would have no power to stop you. None¡­ I just hope you don''t."

    "Was your defeat so bad?" Altair asked.

    "In one-on-onebat, I have never known defeat. When I fought against the Silver Devil, the shing of our des brought forth Dead Laws, tore asunder the wall to the Thirty-Three Heavens, and ruptured fate itself. Iluthath burned. The Twelve Realms were torn asunder, and the Seraphim and Kings of Hell were forced to act lest we annihte everything. In the end, I was defeated.

    I, Aldrich, the Eternal King, who faced Seven Chaos Lords to a standstill. Who once shed against the King of the Hell, Amara Ardens Asmodeus, as an Empyrean-born for my right to escape the Hells, fell to a boy less than a chaos cycle."

    "Age has no ce on the battlefield."

    ''No¡­ it doesn''t. You sound just like him,'' Aldrich said, a dryugh escaping him. "But that defeat shattered me. If Zariel had merely killed me, I might have epted it. But I was made to watch his ascent through the Thirty-Three Heavens. I watched himbat creatures my mind couldn''t even fathom.

    All the while, I longed for my end. And to die to all things an Incarnation of a Demon within the lower realms. Pathetic. I''ve lost the will, Vale Lord. I haven''t the will to continue. Leave me to the Vale.

    Let me rest in peace. I''ve earned at least that."

    "I¡­" Altair''s voice trailed off as he looked down at his hands fading back and forth. He frowned, suddenly taken back by a force pulling at him. "It looks like my time is up. Aldrich! This is not over. I''ll be back."

    "... It''s called Rest-In-Peace for a reason, you know."

    "Not in my Vale!" The Vale King shouted gleefully.

    ***

    "What¡­ are you doing?" Tasha asked beside Altair''s bedside, throwing her head back to drown a mug of cold ale. She gasped, unsure when shest felt so exhausted.

    Nia''s slender fingers pressed against Altair''s cheek, intrigued by how vibrant they were. "Masters very¡­ bouncy."

    "...Bouncy?" Tasha looked at her.

    "Yeah. Look. "Nia stared intently. "It''s weird how sometimes he''s extremely hard, while other times he''s so fluffy."

    Tasha held back herughter at Nia poking and prodding her master. She seemed so lost; Tasha was sure she didn''t hear when she asked, "Do you want a taste?"

    As night fell, a gust of winds sent the windows into a shudder. A boltnced through the skies, bringing about a downpour that sent the world into silence.

    ''This would be a fine time to make the offering,'' Tasha told herself. She took her leave, having seen enough of Nia''s growing intrigue.

    It had only been three days since the operation took ce, but in that time, the Three Sisters of Sepith had lived in a horror that stripped them of their fate. They''d lost their voice from the hundred or so men that shattered their maidenhood. Mounted and road by every man in the vige, the maidans of Sepith slowly faded from their minds as pain and humiliation turned to pleasure.

    Tasha smiled, looking at the sanguine lust. She opened her palm as a pink mist arose, shrowding the men and woman so that their lust only grew.

    "What is better than when a good man turns to evil? Muardral shall be pleased by this offering," she noted, throwing her head back into crazedughter. She looked on with tion, writhing through her being, sinking deep into the marrow as the moans grew louder. She watched as the three fell deeper and deeper into sin.

    Suddenly, mothers carried out their sons and daughters, the youngest being nothing more than babes that still needed their mother''s milk, while the oldest was barely on their third term.

    They were all crying, sensing what was toe.

    "Please¡­" a woman strained, clutching her babe beneath her swollen breast, screaming. "Please don''t make me¡­don''t make us do this!"

    Tasha offered them a smile that took the breaths of gods and mortals alike away. "your young one is teething. Poor thing. Slit its throat. Make it clean."

    A/N: Tasha is a DEMON! Damn!

    Despite the mother''s mournful wails that could shake even the cruelest of hearts, Tasha watched as, one by one, the women of Ravine Fort reached into their robes to the hunter''s knife they carried and ran the de across the small throats. The incision was clean, turning the cries into gasps and the gasps into wheezes before even the sound of rain vanished in the face of such horror.

    Wildughter deafened the drum of the rain and the arc of lightning. Tasha''s eyes were as red as blood and as cruel as the Hells.

    "Good! Laugh with me! Bash their brains in with your feet. Let us bathe in your children''s blood!"

    "Muardral!"

    "Muardral!"

    "Muardral!"

    A bolt of fiendish red lightning split the skies as if to anoint the ritual below. From north to south, east to west, the winds howled, snapping trees like twigs. Thend trembled as hundreds of thousands felt the hairs on the back of their neck stand on end.

    Trow within the region knelt, feeling the power of Deathless King fall upon the realm. One by one, they raised their heads, shouting for the Eternal One''s Blessing.

    "Muardral!"

    "Muardral!"

    "Muardral!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Isgar trembled. The runes on his eyes illuminated the night beneath the rain as he lowered his head in recognition.

    Blood rose from above Tasha''s head as she spun towards the Sisters of Sepith being savaged. Gram shed into her palm as she sauntered over. The men making way before their new Master.

    "Your soul might belong to Ariandel, but Master has a special Authority over the dead. So it doesn''t matter who the soul belongs to. In the end, once it''s calmed by my Master, it will rightfully be his. So don''t be surprised when you enter the Hells. You three will make perfect whores. Good luck."

    The three looked confused, their lips opening as they said in unison. "Cock?!" like fiends on drugs.

    "Lovely," Tasha said, gliding Gram through their flesh in one sweeping motion, staining the mud red. Gram devoured their souls only to deliver them to Tasha, who offered them to Muardral.

    Another bolt lit the skies aze, sprawling across the clouds like tendrils.

    "Grant thee thy blessing, oh Deathless King!" Tasha shouted, raising Gram towards the heavens. It zed shadowy mes of Vale Qi.

    As if the heavens acknowledged the words of the Lilm, a bolt of infernal light pierced the veil, striking Gram. Tasha drained of color as blood trickled down her lips. Seven Runes of Cmity formed across the de spine, illuminating Ravine Fort with a scarlet light so radiant it appeared to touch the skies.

    Tasha grimmed, bowing her head. "I thank the Rider of the Pale Horse. May you one day find Primal Death."

    Name: Gram

    Race: ??? [Unnamed]

    Str: 150 ¡ú 635 Enjoy new tales from empire

    Dex: 150 ¡ú 635

    Con: 150 ¡ú 635

    Wis: 150 ¡ú 635

    Chr: 150 ¡ú 635

    Mana: 100 ¡ú 410 ¡ú 500

    Skills:[Unbreakable], [Attribute Share], [Infernal] [Seven Circles of Cmity (New)]

    Soul Rune: 25 [+ 25 Points To All Attributes per day]

 Chapter 384 The Hunt III

    On the hour before thest drop of rain fell from the skies, Altair ckwood awoke, his eyes trembling as he struggled to open them. The pungent stench of medical herbs emanated from his flesh.

    "What happened?" he strained, sensing an unfamiliar presence in his room.

    "Young Master Nox," said Kegan softly.

    His features were blurred, but Altair could vaguely remember his voice. ''He was the one from House Nier.'' he told himself, staring unblinkingly at the stranger.

    "Your eyes are dted. How are you feeling? I¡ª" Kegan frowned at the sudden sense of foreboding. He gulped, sensing the Regal Aura emanating from the Young Lord before him.

    Even withered, Altair emanated a force that made Kegan want to be made to bow and whipped for his transgression. He trembled, lowering his head to his belly, and began exining all that had urred. "Right now, you cannot fight. And should avoid using any skills until you enter the realm of Transcendent or fully recover."

    In a hoarse whisper, Altair asked, "Where is Nia?"

    "Preparing you a meal," The Medarc said. The Soul of Nox De Nier is currently unburdening the strain on your soul, but the tether we ce is weak and can be easily broken. In the meantime, you''ll need to constantly consume sustenance to gain energy. Right now, you''re in a fragile state."

    Altair did not look surprised that the Medarc learned of his identity. He was sure his shadows and his devil did what they needed to do to keep him alive. Your journey continues on empire

    In a few breaths, Nia returned to her master''s chamber with a bowl of hot creamy rice soup. She nearly yelped, spilling the soup. Altair nearly cried a silent prayer at the loss of his meal. He hadn''t even noticed how starved he was until he caught a whiff of it.

    ''Damn this woman! Traitor! How could she spill the sted¡ª'' His thoughts were interrupted by the spry shadow leaping into his arm, bellowing a thunderous cry that shook the walls. More and more people flooded the room, to Altair''s dismay. Tasha, Alyssa, Elena, and even the horse, Cloud, sauntered in.

    Tasha giggled, seeing her master''s frustration. She returned with another bowl and ced it by his bedside.

    Altair followed her movements, his gazetching onto Gram on her back. He had never seen Tasha possess any de on her person before. For a moment, he wanted to question her reasoning but decided against it. He was too tired to question her schemes.

    His stomach rumbled, leaving the women smiling. Cloud neighed, licking his face, before propping hisrge frame onto the bed. Nia and Alyssa shouted loudly for the stallion to get down, but he ignored them,ying its head next to Altair, silently amused.

    "It''s fine," he said, brushing a palm through its mane. "where are we¡­" his voice trailed off as Gram''s soul reached out to him, releasing an insatiable hunger. It was starving, demanding sustenance.

    Before he could question Tasha, she spoke up first. "We need to leave. Are you able to ride, Master?"

    Altair looked at her calmly, his thoughts as unfathomable as they were dark. He lifted his palm, and in a mere second, Kirr, Jorm, Aurora, Talia, Vaiga, Hilda, Cedric, and Medusa pierced the Tower of Babel to appear before their master.

    "We will not run," Altair told her. The room burned with hoarfrost as his intent punctuated the air. "We shally waste to any and all who would dare challenge me. I¡ª"

    "Idiot!" Kegan snapped, bonking him on the head hard. "Didn''t I say not to use any skills? You''re very fragile! Can''t you see¡ª" he caught himself when he saw Tasha''s infernal eyes lock onto him. Medusa tilted her head, her reptilian pupils writhing dangerously as she stared intently at the Medarc.

    There was no malice in her eyes, and yet the world was brought to silence.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Altair touched the small contusion on his head, almostughing. Perhaps he deserved that. It was a bit reckless, but how could he allow himself to be hunted like a dog?

    He opened his hand, and Medusa''s attention was drawn. A bright smile pressed against her lips as she took him by the palm. Nodes of emerald light pressed against his flesh, sinking to his heart.

    "I''ll tell big sis Hestia to grant you her blessing. It can''t do much for the soul exhaustion, but it should help mend the fever you''re carrying."

    "You needn''t bother I¡ª"

    "I must!" Medusa insisted. "Soul Exhaustion of this level can kill you."

    The firmness of her voice stunned the Young Emperor. When he found himself again, he grinned. "Then will you take care of me?"

    Medusa flushed, though nodded all the same. "Of course! I don''t like fighting much anyway! Plus¡­" her palm reached forward, pressing through space as though it were tangible. Slowly, she pulled out a herb, which no one seemed to recognize but the Medarc present. "This is¡ª

    "Elysium Root!" Kegan shouted. "One survived the Great Ruin?"

    "You know this?" Medusa asked suspiciously. " Hesita gifted it to me, alongside a hundred other herbs and fruits from her garden."

    Kegan gulped. The Root of Elysium, as some often called it, was an herb that echoed from the distant past of the Twelve Realms before it fell to ruin due to the Madness of the Eighth Monarch of Hell.

    It was a rare root that had been said to not only cure most poisons and forms of exhaustion but also make one so sensitive to the Arcana around them that it granted a hundred years of cultivation with each use. It was the drink of Celestials of Elysium, the sunken Realm that fell from the Heavens into the mortal ne after the First Sin.

    "If you consume that, your soul and cultivation will grow sevenfold!" he said. You''ll be a fifth Circle. And with constant use, you''ll be a sixth circle in a month."

    "It''s not quite a cure," Medusa began. "But with your soul stronger, the soul exhaustion will seem smaller."

    "But that isn''t to say the Soul Exhaustion will lessen," Kegan warned. "So don''t overdo it."

    "It would seem a lot of things happened while I was unconscious and away." He nced at Aurora apologetically. Despite theck of expression, he could still sense her discontent over the matter. It would seem he had taken her from an important assignment.

    "Nia," Altair said, looking at her. "You''ll lead the charge." Tasha frowned but held her tongue. "Prove yourself to me. Mistakes were made. That can be forgiven, but not without a trial. Show me you belong amongst my Pale Knights.

    Hunt those who would have my head."

    "Yes, my Master," Nia said, falling to one knee. She lingered there for a while, eyes pressed shut, her heart hard as stone. "I shall not fail you."

    "Tasha¡­"

    "I will obey her lead, your grace," she said coolly.

    "Then begin the hunt. Take no prisoners," Altair decreed. He nced at Cloud, running a palm through its shadowy mane. "Go with Nia."

    The horse licked his cheek, rising with the shadows around him, bowing its head.

    "May The Tear of the ck Moon Pierce The Vale!" they saluted, leaving the room with a murderous glow in their eyes.

    With a cunning smile, Altair closed his eyes to sense Therion''s position when he felt another soft blow pull him from his thoughts.

    "I swear I''ll knock you unconscious myself!" Kegan snapped, once more receiving a stare from Medusa. "I¡­I''m sorry, but if he keeps using his soul, he''ll fall into aa."

    "Its fine, Medusa," Altair responded. "He''s just worried and passionate, it would seem. Tell me, Medarc. What is it you seek in life?"

    Medusa stared. She had never met a Medarc but had heard the rumors: Imperial schrs who focused on medicine of all kinds. It was said they were without emotion to better allow calctions without the slightest deviation that came with emotions. They were the best healers of the realm, performing miracles wherever they were deployed.

    Still, she''d never heard of a rogue Medarc. They were conditioned from before they were born through gic reconstruction.

    "I haven''t any ns other than to pay back what was owed to the dutches for taking me in. I haven''t any aspirations other than that. I live a quiet life, your grace, studying medicine in peace. What more could I want?"

    Altair stared, ncing at Medusa. She had a peculiar gleam in her eyes. Envy.

    "Then would you mind teaching Medusa what you know? She''s lived a hard life, and I''m sure she''d rather learn to heal than kill.

    Medusa serpentine eyes met Altairs. "Your Grace?"

    "I did say I''d never force you to fight. You like tending to the garden, and it seems you''d like to learn about medicine. Was I mistaken?"

    Medusa hastily shook her head. "No!" she eximed happily. I-I-I''d love it, too! T-T-Thank you! "

    "Will That be an issue, sir Kegan?"

    "None, your Grace, though it might be difficult for her to grasp as she and I don''t share the same physiology. I''m more than willing to impart my knowledge."

    "I wouldn''t worry about it. Medusa is a genius the likes you''ve never seen."

 Chapter 386 The Hunt V

    To the far west of Ravine Fort, El''von bore a tight frown at the two Sword Maids barring his path. He could count on one hand the number of people who''d dared to cross the path of a squad of Trow. And the two before him was not one of them.

    "Nia was right," Talia said, savoring her lips. "They were here."

    Vaiga grimaced and slid Shadoww from its scabbard. The de appeared to dim the sun, shrouded by the aura of the Hells. "Shut up and draw your sword," she said sharply.

    Talia took no offense to her words, gliding Endymion out of its cage. She grinned savagely.

    It had been a while since she had gotten the chance to bathe herself red, and she would not miss such an opportunity, Talia decided.

    El''von had but ten men, including himself. Five in the fifth Circle, three in the sixth, one in the eighth, andstly, one in the Ninth Circle. To anyone facing such a lineup of Trow capable of fighting one Circle above their stage was a horrifying thought. Yet to the Pale Knights, their Circles made little difference.

    "Who are you!" El''von had questions. From their direction, he knew that they came from Ravine Fort, though he could not recall their faces. An oddity, he realized, studying the pair of faces that was sure to bring ruin to any kingdom with their beauty.

    To his credit, he managed to dodge the sword he nearly ate, but not the knee to his abdomen. El''von''s body twisted like a bow, barreling across the earth like a ragdoll through several trees before he regained his awareness. He stabbed his feet into the earth to stop his descent, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and looked up at the scene of red.

    The five-fifth Circle Trow were dead. Butchered like cattle beneath the de of a mad woman screaming,"die-die-die" as she chopped away. Even dead, Talia did not stop her madness.

    It had all happened so quickly that before El''von could grasp the situation, he heard another pained cry that turned the whites of his eyes bloodshot.

    A Trow was on his back, legless, eating Shadoww''s obsidian edge. The look on his face permeated fear and dread.

    "BROTHER!!!!" El''von howled like a feral beast bounding forward.

    Vaiga sighed, jerking Shadoww from the Eighth Circle Trow towards the charging ninth while Talia dealt with the rest.

    ***

    Simr situations echoed from the north and south of Ravine Fort, with many Shadows leading the enthralled vigers toward those who once hunted their master.

    Under Nia''s direction, the vigers were to be used as bait or cannon fodder to kill any Ninth Circle and Eighth Circle Found. Cedric and Kirr led the Northern front, while Hilda, Aurora, and Jorm took the southern front.

    By the time the Trow realized they had been struck on all sides, it was Isgar who forced himself to light the skies aze in the hopes his fellow brothers would know to retreat. Slightly injured from the life-and-death battle with those of the Shadow Tower, he had returned to his camp to find the blood heads of his men pressed on pikes.

    Not only had he lost Nox De Nier, but the prisoner who was sure to die in a few hours had managed to escape.

    Isgar bellowed a cry that tore the bark off the trees. Speaking into hismunication talisman, he was not able to contact his men, but despite his best attempts, the line was silent. For nearly half an hour, the line was silent before someone''s voice resounded through the talisman.

    Telyon, his second inmand, desperate voice rang. "Isgar! Isgar! We are being hunted! We need you! The Ko''vak are hunting us!

    Ahhh!" An explosive noise ended themunication.

    Enjoy new tales from empire

    "Bastards!"

    ****

    Altair had only ever been certain of two things: His morning wood and theing of night. Now, it appeared there were three things: listening to Nia''s report by his bedside.

    "We have captured one Ninth Circle. The rest that managed to escape are currently being hunted like dogs." Nia exined. None of the vigers she had sent out had survived, but that was well within her calctions. All they needed to do was dy for Vaiga and Cedric, the highest cultivation-ranked shadows, toe through.

    "And Tasha?"

    "She should arrive in an hour. The one they called Isgar is sure to go mad when he learns we have hunted all his men. Once he does, he''ll rush to Ravine Fort, the ce where he felt the presence of his lord, in the hopes of asking for guidance from his patron. Tasha will be waiting for him, formations set so she doesn''t have to go all out to kill him."

    Altair was impressed. Nia was a masterful Tactician. Although she had no talent in politics, she shone on the battlefield, unlike anyone else.

    "What type of formation?"

    Nia shook her head, " Tasha wrote it. She said my Dual Pupils should be able to keep me from making mistakes when drawing it across the Ravine Fort. I just finished it."

    Altair portrayed a smile that didn''t quite meet his eyes, studying his Pale Knight, trying to ignore the small voice echoing from his soul.

    ''Bed her! Make her yours before she breaks the sire!''

    ''Enough! Go away.''

    "If she managed to strike her king, how long until her discontent turns to treachery? Nia proved that she has the power to challenge the Sire. You must make her your concubine!" The Vale King shouted, hard and proud.

    Altair closed his eyes to shut the Vale King out. After a while, when all was silent, he opened them to see the concerned face of his Pale Knight.

    ''How much of that is due to the sire or her love for me?'' he wondered, unsure if it was the Vale King who asked or him.

    ''Nia¡­ Do you love me?" The Shadow flushed, and Altair shook his head. "Not like that. As your ruler. Do you love me?"

    The Pale Knight touched her chest in relief. She nodded. "I do, your grace. You gave us earthlings¡­ freedom. Women are no longer breeding farms. They have the right to choose.

    Even if it might take a long time for the culture to change, you gave us freedom. You tore asunder the corruption of nobles and created a new one in your image. Odd, some of them might be the Acolytes of the Twelve Olympian Gods who are doing amazing jobs for the people.

    "Master, in fifty, no twenty years, I''m sure everyone on Terra, myself included, will shout your name. So yes. You are loved."

    The door to his room opened as Talia stepped in, smiling and bloody.

    "Hiya, master!"

    "Talia, do you love me?"

    "Yup! Having Master''s baby is a dream of mine!"

    "I mean, as a king."

    "Same answer!" the crazed shadow eximed, throwing her arms around her Master''s neck. She squeezed. "You saved me from a life of hell. How could I not love you?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Wait a sec!" Nia said. "What are you doing here? I sent you north."

    "Everyone is dead. I thought Trow was supposed to be strong. Why are they dying so quickly?"

    Nia rolled her eyes, unsure how to mention that their mana was so pure that it rivaled many Ninth Circles. She sighed, pulling her arms off her Master before dragging her out of the room.

    Altair smiled, waving them off. Struggling to stand, he stepped out for a second to get a feel for his surroundings, though that sense of adventure quickly faded when he found Mark gripping his cock, smiling fiendishly towards the skies.

    "This is definitely Tasha''s work. Damn. Is he still conscious?"

    "He is¡­" Elena''s voice echoed from behind him. "Tasha said he was to be her new toy. He is conscious of everything. The Envement of his people, the brutal assault of the Sisters of Sepith, and now, the death of his people."

    "Hells¡­" Altair stared at the boy. He was shaking, tears of blood running down his cheek.

    "Is this my fate if I go against you?" Elena asked darkly. She bit her lips, trembling every time she recalled the contract she signed. Tasha''s voice returned to her each time.

    "You''re stupid, aren''t you." she''d said with a simile that left her cold.

    Altair didn''t bother to exin his devil''s cruelty. It was impossible to control her natural instant, and so long as she didn''t do anything wrong to his people, Tasha was free to inflict all the cruelty she wanted.

    She was a devil, and such cruelty was her nature. He couldn''t change that, and he didn''t want to change it.

    ''Perhaps you just like them mad,'' The Vale King''s voice returned. "The madder they are, the sweeter their cunt.''

    Elena could only tremble, falling to her knees. A cold realization overwhelmed her senses at the smile ying on his lips. Her world seemed to crack at the man who seemed to take enjoyment in the cruelty before him.

    She staggered back, the cracks in her world growing all the more vibrant.

    "Nox¡­ Nox¡­ please¡­ "

    The Vale King pressed a finger to his lips, tasting the sulent fear emanating from her. She was nearly ripe for the taking.

    "No one is going to harm you. No one, so long as you obey." He drew in on her, his piercing gaze managing to strip her bare. "Obey me, and you shall live a life worth living¡­ fail me, and I shall break you beyond repair."

    Elena gave a crooked smile, her heart thumping fiercely in her chest. She could hear it. "Y-Y-You won''t kill me?"

    "Kill you?" The Vale King''s scarlet eye bore through her fleshy body to the fragile soul me writhing like a fragilemb. "Death is by far the kindest thing I can do to you. Wouldn''t you agree, Tasha?"

    On one knee, Tasha''s fiendish smile met her eye," I greet you, Vale King!"

 Chapter 387 Black Magic

    "I greet you, Vale King!"

    The Vale King smiled, revealing a mouthful of pristine white teeth. "How is your hunt?''

    "Excellent, I caught quite the fish," Tasha said, gliding an eye to Elena''s terrified expression. Her lips perked into a devious grin. "My Lord, shall I prepare the youngdy a pair of clothes to stay the night?"

    Elena felt her face burn. She dared not look him in the eye. She made herself look small, not daring to raise her head in defiance.

    "I haven''t the strength to taste such an unripe fruit," The Vale King said, though his gaze appeared to strip her of all her pride. "Though I suppose I don''t necessarily have to do much."

    Tasha crawled forward, finding his cock beneath his trousers with her lips. With a single kiss, she had it hard. "My Lord appears to still be strong." she reached her hand up toy down his trousers, but his hand stopped her.

    "That''ll be enough," Altair said, rubbing his temple. "Elena, you may leave."

    The young girl scampered off her knees, closing the door on her way out, breathing a sigh of relief, but the terror in her chest did not seem to lessen now that she was out of his sight. She was trembling, biting back the tears streaming down her cheeks.

    When she was gone, Altair sighed, confused about where the desire to torture others came from. He pulled himself away to avoid her mischief.

    "We still have time, My Lord. Would you like to fuck me in the dirt? Mark here can watch., I''m sure he''d like it. Perhaps you can explore my other hole for the first time."

    "Tasha¡­" Altair said, unsure if he should blush or not. It was awkward enough speaking before another gripping his cock, while he smiled towards the sky. Thest thing he wanted to do was have sex in front of him or anyone else who wasn''t a woman.

    His cock betrayed him, twitching hard against the linen of his trousers.

    "We need to focus. I have but a few Ninth Circle Cores with me. I don''t suppose that''ll be enough to activate the formation outside."

    Reluctantly, Tasha pulled herself from her knees, brooding. "No¡­" Her voice was t. "I''m using my blood. It should be powerful enough to activate the Formation. We don''t have to use major resources¡ªnot when we have a renewable one."

    Altair believed her, at least for now. He wasn''t that knowledgeable about bloodws. That had been Reina''s specialty, not his.

    "Then I shall be watching," Altair said, ncing at Mark onest time.

    "Can I keep him?'' she asked in a pitiful voice as if she were talking about a stuffed bear.

    "Do what you please," he said, making his way to his bed to rest.

    ***

    It was a painful sight to see his brothers butches like cattle, their bodies left to the crows. No one had survived, he knew. Hunted down like dogs, they didn''t even leave the horses alive.

    Isgar had thought that perhaps it was the work of another Trow but dismissed the ideapletely. Traitors did not exist amongst the Trow.

    So, he made the journey to Ravine Fort on foot, where hest felt Muardral''s presence descend. If he could make it there, then perhaps he could receive guidance. Three hourster, he arrived before the eastern gate, drawn open as if to wee him.

    He drew his twin scimitars instead before bounding through deste streets in search of traps or formations; instead, he found Nox De Nier alongside hispatriots waiting for him at the vige center.

    "You''re here," Altair said calmly. He beckoned him closer, curious about the pale grey skin and pointed ears. They were like elves but different, ording to Tasha.

    "You''re the one behind the death of my men?" Isgar asked in disbelief. He nced around but could not find a single Transcendent within a hundred miles of his position. He smiled.

    Altair didn''t respond to his question but spoke the same:" I have been learning of the Children of the Fallen Ones. ording to my Sword Maid, there are seven of them, and the one who created you is called Muardral. Was it his presence that led you here?" Discover hidden content at empire

    "It was my Master who led you here!" Isgar eximed exuberantly. He lured you here so that I might y you!" The scimitars in his hands glowed with emerald mes that carried a strange aura, normal mes that didn''t. They were reminiscent of Baelfire.

    Altair didn''t bother to exin his Sword Maids action. Rather, he was curious about something else. "Before you kill me, in this apparent trap, why are you so adamant I die? I''ve not ever seen an assassin so attached to his mission. Most would have abandoned the contract. But you¡­ you stayed.

    Why?"

    "Dead men do not need answers," he said, bounding forth at a speed that no one but Tasha and Nia could track. They counted the steps, their pupils reacting almost simultaneously. Suddenly, Seven Swords of Infernal Light tore themselves from the earth up, up up, as if to pierce the heavens.

    Infernal Qi shrieked like a beam of light, striking the tip of each de to form a pentagram, when several hundred Infernal Runes glowed brightly, turning the clouds heavy enough to bleed a river of blood from the skies.

    "Infernal Swords of Chaotic Night," Tasha intoned, staring curiously at the still man''s face, bound in ce. Such was a formation the Eighth Monarch had created to spite the Archangel Ariel, or so the story went, she knew. He had created it tobat their Heavenly Sword, said to freeze the axis of all space and time.

    Infernal Swords of Chaotic Night Formation wasn''t nearly as powerful, and it was heavily restricted to Royal Devils to cast it, but it was enough to kill a few Angels if used right.

    Tasha sauntered forward, snatching the scimitars from Isgar''s hand before running them through his heart. She twisted them before carefully taking her time to cut through each of his tendons with infernal intent to ensure his wounds would never heal. When she was done, she took a step back to her position to her master frozen in time.

    She kissed him and stood behind just as time resumed. The battle ended before it started.

    The blood rain that only just began missing as if it were an illusion.

    They saw Isgar spew blood from his wounds, which seemed to appear out of nowhere, copsing in a slide that brought him to Altair''s feet.

    Altair felt a chill invade his very soul. If not for his state of soul exhaustion, he was tempted to peer into the veil for answers.

    "What¡­What¡­ what just happened?"

    "Devils, your Grace, are at the top of the food chain," Tasha said, looking down at the Trow. "When I awaken my sigil, I ought to be able to cast such a formation without prep, just like the angels."

    That hadn''t exined anything to Altair as he watched Isgar moan in a growing pool of his blood. He was alive, if just barely.

    "Stand him up."

    Nia and Aurora obeyed his will, pressing him to his knees as a single pir of blood streamed from his lips. He looked up, unable to connect to his Mana, much less his body.

    "Well damn," Altair said, looking At Tasha. " I was expecting a great battle. Not this."

    Tasha couldn''t help but roll her eyes. "Your Grace, royal devils were originally created to kill and corrupt angels. Killing a Trow is no different than asking a human to crush an ant with his boots. Give a Devil like me time, and we can take down just about anyone. If you like, I will destroy this realm. It''ll only take about half the blood in my body, but¡­"

    "That won''t be necessary," Altair said hastily before he gave her any strange ideas. He turned to the Trow, fading quickly, and opened his hand as Tasha ced Gram in it.

    The moment Isgar saw the Infernal Runes across the de''s spine, carrying his patron''s aura, he knew. A bitter smile graced his lips as his consciousness began to slip in and out.

    "Tell me. Who sent you after me? Enemies, though, we might be. I needn''t tell you what it means to carry Muardral''s de. Give me a name."

    "...Shadow¡­Tower¡­Gor¡­Gor¡­." As death came for him, Isgar relinquished himself to the reaper''s embrace.

    "Have any of you ever heard of the Shadow Tower?" Altair asked.

    No one had.

    "Master, we must be getting back," Aurora said. "I¡ª"

    Altair waved her off. "If you must go, then go, but do give Father and Uncle my regards. I should be seeing them in a few days. Before I head back to Inka."

    "Of course, Your Grace," she said, opening the Dimensional Rift to the Serpents Outreach. Aurora shouted the names of all who needed to return, with Nia and Talia being the main contenders.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Alyssa and Therion can sta. The rest will need to catch up on all the work they missed. Let''s go!"

    Waving off his Shadows, Altair nced at Tasha and smiled. She was still brooding. Shaking his head, he had her wheel him back inside his room for the night.

    "Isgars Corpse," Altair saidnguidly. "Destroy it¡­ danger¡­ even¡­ in¡­death." muttering a few more words that were iprehensible, he fell into a deep sleep.

    Tasha bowed. "By your will, my Master.

 Chapter 388 Ran Away

    Altair had awoken writhing as if a seismic wave hade to topple his house. His fingers dug into the bedding as his Sword Maid devoured his morning wood. He gripped her head, his mind spinning faster than he could perceive, nting his seed deep in her throat. He groaned, a trail of sweat gliding down his brow to soak his pillow.

    "Fuck!"

    Tasha''s face was flushed as she cleaned his manhood, finallyying it to rest beneath his robe.

    "Done!" she said, though the hungry look in her eyes suggested she wanted to be mounted and fucked.

    Altair wasn''t sure whether he should be angry or impressed, but he found himself yearning for Syris''s tender lips back home. If she were here, then perhaps he would feel at peace. It had been far too long since he hadstid his eyes upon her.

    "What is your true name?" he asked suddenly, without much thought. Devils all had a public name and a private name known only to them and, in rare cases, their parents, given to them by the Nine Hells. Most devils hid their true names as a way to protect themselves against attacks or bing thralls.

    "I¡­" Tasha was perturbed. She hadn''t been ready to hear such a question that was more sacred than her body. To any young devil, their true name was the most private thing about them. The very identity that could shatter their sense of self.

    "Gremory knows it, right?"

    All Tasha could do was nod, and for the first time in eons, she felt her face burn with shame.

    Altair rose leisurely, a bit more strength coursing through his body than yesterday. He readjusted his robes and nced at his Sword Maid when he was done.

    "I¡­I¡­ I''m not trying to hide it from you," Tasha said hastily to avoid any misunderstanding. "It''s just¡­ embarrassing."

    "Devils feel embarrassment?" That made him smile. "Now I''ve seen everything."

    "It''s not like that, your grace! It''s just¡­ It''s just that I''ve never¡ª"

    The sounds of steps ended the conversation. Medusa sauntered in after a few knocks with a cup of tea that smelt oddly sweet. Altair''s pores opened as if to breathe in the fragrant aroma it carried.

    It smelt of tranquility.

    "I''ve brought you Tea of the Elysium Root, your Grace," she said, offering it to him with the sweetest smile. "Careful, it''s hot."

    Find more chapters on empire

    [In close proximity to Elysium Root, the Circle Gluttony has increased mana refinement by 60%]

    Almost immediately, Altair felt the immense difference, and he hadn''t even consumed it. Unconsciously, he gulped, lifting the ceramic cup to his lips.

    The tea was vaporous, existing as water and gas at the same time, seamlessly flowing down his throat. It warmed his belly, turning the four circles in his heart.

    For nearly ten miles, the Mana of Almore became like a storm dashing through his meridians. Almost greedily, the Circle of Gluttony devoured what it touched, fueling Altair''s Circle.

    [Fifth Mana Circle has Increased by 0.5%]

    [Fifth Mana Circle has Increased by 0.5%]

    [Fifth Mana Circle has Increased by 0.5%]

    [Fifth Mana Circle has Increased by 0.5%]

    ¡­

    As the string of notifications swarmed Altair''s vision, he shook, hastily trying to direct the Mana into the most optimal path, but it was as if he was a boy before a maelstrom. The Mana was beyond what he could control in his weakened state.

    "Don''t worry about controlling it, Master," Medusa said. "Elysium Root is a Holy Root that has never killed any who consumed it. Look¡­" She pointed to his forearms, slowly bing overrun by moss. "For the next few days, that moss will grow, containing the energy to keep you from going boom."

    Altair couldn''t believe it. "A hundred years of cultivation¡­ just like that. With just one cup of Tea." yet the immense rise in cultivation said otherwise.

    [Fifth Circle: 59% ¡ú 69%]

    "Medusa, this is amazing! I could kiss you!"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The snake woman jumped like a frightened cat to her tippy toes. "N-n-n-not necessary, my Lord!"

    Her reaction ced a smile on everyone''s face.

    "I misspoke." He said, offering her a palm instead. "Thank You."

    Medusa beamed, epting his hand. "You''re wee, your Grace."

    ***

    A dayter, when Altair had regained a portion of his strength, he called forth Therion. The Shadow who had allowed himself to be captured.

    He had perished a few hours after Tasha had rescued him from captivity. Altair hadn''t much on him but assured him he would bepensated for his sacrifice. Though Therion only smiled, asking only for the honor to serve his Master.

    "There is no greater honor than to die in your name, your grace." he''d said, though the young king did not take no for an answer.

    A week after he had recovered a third of his original power, he sent a raven to the Castilian of Inka to prepare a banquet for his Pale Knight.

    He had Tasha detail the things Therion would like as they shared the same origins. He figured she would be able to grasp what he wanted.

    When he heard the debauchery Tasha had nned for him, heughed, asking, "Can a man drown in pussy?"

    The Lilm grinned. "you can always bring him back.

    They left Ravine Fort a dayter on horseback after the Medarc had told him he was healthy enough to ride, though notably, he was forbidden from holding a sword, much less casting even the simplest of spells.

    That hadn''t pleased the Young King. Lord, though he might be, Medusa''s warning re made him a boy again.

    So he focused on absorbing as much Mana as his body allowed to break into the Fifth Circle, where one connected to the Heavens. Altair didn''t want to do that. Instead, he wanted to further connect himself to the Vale. What that entailed, he could not say.

    The ride back to the Golden Fork had been peaceful. Whenever the Young Master felt tired, they''d rest for about an hour before returning to the streets. All the while, they were on the lookout for monsters or bandits. The Young Lord hadn''t forgotten his original intent, having Alyssa and Therion asionally go out to stalk the night, returning the following dawn drenched in blood.

    On the third day along the Golden Fork, Alyssa said," Master¡­ It''s kind of strange that there are so many bandits. These bandits aren''t well-trained. Most of them are Fifth Circle, without any foundation. The ones that aren''t are leaders."

    "They die easily, so who cares?" Therion said, holding the reins tight to his mare. "It''s not our problem if these idiots skip six realms to start in the Sixth Circle. Fuck ''em. It''s an easy kill."

    "Is this amon thing in Almore?" Alyssa asked, not letting it go. "It seems harmful that the king of thesends would allow such a thing."

    "Harmful?" Altairughed. "It''s rather brilliant if you ask me. Not everyone can be like us. They don''t have that type of talent or skill. Look at me. I cultivate through all levels of my Circle, reaching level 175.

    That takes skill with a sword; worse, it also takes resources and lives. Not everyone wants to be a killer. Some people just want the boost to their lifespan or the strength to survive each day."

    The two Shadows looked startled.

    "Not to mention, each Circle One Gains counts as an evolution," Tasha tacked on. "It''s a quick way to raise the quality of the next generation."

    The sound of shuffling footsteps up ahead ended the conversation. A mile from their position, a small gathering of bandits huddle along the road. They didn''t seem to notice Altair and his party, lost in deliberation.

    "Are we selling children now?" one of them asked.

    A gnarled face man snarled. "It''s just another cunt for the nobles to fuck. It ain''t our fault her Father abandoned her.

    "This is kidnapping!" A child''s voice thundered. "Papa will hear of this!"

    Alyssa frowned, ncing at Altair. "Doesn''t that sound like¡­"

    "Atelia?" Altair finished.

    "Atelia? The Kitsune?" Tasha exploded inughter, her gaze piercing through the various bodies to the small child withrge almond-shaped eyes and snow-white hair. Arms to hips, she red at the crowd of bandits.

    "Ya can''t sell Atelia! She has to find Papa! Super Uncle Papa said Atelia needs to spend time with her Papa!"

    ''Super Uncle Papa?'' Altair repeated, his lids twitching. "Who the hell is that?"

    Medusa giggled. "It''s your Father, silly. He has been ying with Atelia. He said they remind him of his dragon twins¡ªtwo cuties." She reddened as if remembering something. "Their cheeks are so soft."

    "God Damned It! ATELIA!" He shouted,

    The foxy-eared girl tipped her eyes through the crowd of bandits, a smile brandishing her face as she Blinked through the ten strangers right into his arms.

    "PAPA!!!! ATELIA RAN AWAY!" the young girl said proudly. "Atelia did good?"

    Therion red at the young thing while the women allughed.

    "Of course you did good!" Alyssa affirmed. "You found your Papa!"

    Tasha nodded. "That''s rather impressive."

    The Ashen-Haired Young Master''s brows twitched as he patted her head, unsure if he should be furious or happy that his Father tricked his daughter into running away.

 Chapter 390 Family Reunion

    Shadows flickered, dancing back and forth around the fire. Tasha was roasting a pheasant while the Medarc took Altair''s pulse, nodding in satisfaction.

    "All looks well, Your Grace," he said. There is minor movement from your Ptine Liniage. It shouldn''t be long before you are fully healthy. I must say this is the fastest I''ve seen or heard of anyone recovering from Soul Exhaustion."

    "It probably wasn''t that bad," Altair figured, but the Medarc shook his head.

    "You should have been in aa, your grace. A permanent one, by my estimation. I have no idea how you managed to regain consciousness so quickly."

    The Young King threw his head back, considering the matter. He had an idea but no conclusive proof due to how abstract the ability was. "Do you know what a Psionic Mind is?"

    Kegan''s jaw dropped in stark surprise. "You are in possession of a Psionic Mind?"

    The Two Elders of House Rivia, who''d returned hours before stained in the blood of man and beast alike, stopped what they were doing and stared vehemently.

    "You possess a Psionic Mind!" They gaped.

    Altair couldn''t have missed his Omniscience more. He felt blind, much like the dark, obscuring mortal eyes. He grimaced silently to himself, nodding nheless, curious what it meant.

    "It''s the Mind of the Supreme," The Medarc exined with notable excitement. "Those with a Psionic Mind can calcte the heavens without the restriction of Paths."

    "Without Paths," Elena questioned, confused.

    Medusa grinned. "Those with a Psionic Mind perceive all Paths of Dao as one." she lifted the kettle from the fire and poured Altair another cup of Elysium Root. She did the same for Atelia, who protested favoritism.

    "Tea-Kun for Atelia!" the little girl said happily.

    Continue your adventure at empire

    "Those with a psionic mind tend to be slower learners, though not out ofprehension but due to how intensely they perceive the world around them," She continued, pinching the little girl''s cheek. She was just too cute. "They are simply without equal in the same realm."

    "It''s as she said," The Medarc confirmed. "Only those who walk the path of the Astral Soul can hope of awakening such an ability."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    If Altair was ted, he would not let it show, sipping his tea with the grace of a ptine. Atelia mirrored his movements. He pinched her cheek until she red at him, iming ''Bully'' before returning to her tea.

    ''Reina was right to adopt such a cutie,'' he thought, kissing her forehead. When he looked back up, his gaze crossed the two elders'' perturbed expressions. He weed it with an easy smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.

    After his tea, he pped his hands together, lifting Atelia with him, and said to Tasha, "Guard the Rift. I''ll be back before dawn.''

    "By your will, my Master," The Lilm said.

    Altair nodded, opening his palm. A crack shattered the night, stifling air from the fire and turning it into embers.

    "Time to finally see Father again,'' he thought, stepping in as a wave of energy warped his body, returning him to his original appearance. He stepped into the Temple of Teleportation. The first thing he saw was Syris, silvery hair streaming behind her and her slender arms curling around his shoulders.

    She kissed him with a passion that could ignite the stars across the heavens, throwing him into a state of arousal.

    "Don''t you know how to call!" she questioned angrily.

    "Atelia¡­ is¡­ a sandwich!'' The little girl cried, sandwiched between the two bodies. "Help!"

    Syris flushed, backing up as she squatted down. "Atelia? What are you doing with Altair? Wait, did you climb the Tower? Alone?"

    The little girl nodded. "Yup! Atelia did good, right? She''s super awesome." Shadowboxing in Altair''s arms, she smiled. "Mama said Atelia should be able to make it to the Tenth floor easily."

    "I¡ª"

    Eye shing, Altair suddenly pped the spearhead aimed at his head, throwing it off the path with ease.

    Down the flight of stairs, an ashen-haired man stood with a crooked smile and a pair of eyes that personified the seven sins. He was handsome, with an indescribable charm that reminded Altiar of Tasha in many ways. It was devilish.

    "What the hell are you doing in my disciple''s arms, boyo~" the Second Monarch of Hell, Arsene Snow, demanded.

    "Disciple?" Altair looked at Syris. "Is he being serious?"

    "It happened a month ago¡­ It was nothing more than training, but after Zariel said he''d take on a second disciple, your father threw a fit, iming he was better fit."

    "I did not throw a fit¡­ I merely stated the facts. Altair came from my balls, so¡ª"

    "No~No~No!" Altair raised a hand. "Let''s fix that description."

    Arsene looked at the boy with sorrow. "Did Tene not teach you about the birds and bees? I made you boy; all your mother did was bake you.''

    "Do you even hear yourself?"

    "Everyday! Why?" Arsene sauntered forward, the air turning arcid with death.

    The Pce of Stygian trembled, rm bells ringing as a might that could topple the heavens came crashing down. Stars turned to ash, and space distorted, tearing beneath the Second Monarch.

    "I¡ª"

    A fist to the back of the head knocked him face-first into the tile hard. The Silver Devil red, massaging his temple. ''What part of soul exhaustion don''t you understand? And what the hell are you doing? Why not just signal to all of the Heavens and Hells that we escaped Pandora''s Box!"

    "Damn it, that hurt! You dick!" Arsene pulled his head from the earth and red, "Don''t think I won''t kick your ass too."

    "The only time you have won against me, you cheated by using your attunement to the Abyss."

    "Excuses," Arsene said happily, throwing his arm around his little brother. "Spawn! This is my little bro, Zariel Snow. He''s a bit of an ass that struggles with emotions and other shit, as Aurelia puts it. A Dumb-Dumb. And the only Snow without hoes."

    Syris''s ears perked as she turned a crooked smile simr to her Master back at Altair.

    "What''s this about hoes?"

    "Don''t you have a daughter? She doesn''t have hoes." Zariel remarked.

    "And thank the Heavens and Hells for that. But I was talking about us men."

    "Jin doesn''t either."

    "Can'' you not just agree with me? Damn. This is why no one likes you."

    "That''s Incorrect. People seem to like me for some strange reason. You, on the other hand, are just unlikeable," Zariel corrected, thinking it over for a bit.

    "In my defense, the people who hate me are all men that got their bitches solen."

    "You don''t think it''s because you are called women bitches, right?"

    "I was talking about the woman I steal, not woman in general."

    "Is there a difference?"

    "This is how they are¡­ all day," Syris whispered, rather exhausted. "The only one who saves me from it is Lady Aurelia. She''s the only normal one. But she sleeps most of the day."

    "What about Lilith? Did she ever¡­" Altair asked, but Syris shook her head. "It appears she refuses to stay in your pce."

    "Give her time," Arsene said suddenly. "Lili is a little cross on what to do about your existence."

    "I don''t me her,'' Zariel said. "If had kept your cock in check, your wife would have been happy" he looked at Altair. "Just as you grow stronger, both in body and soul, so do your women. Most people don''t factor in the growth of pride. Lilith is bat shit crazy, so she''ll deal with it, but not everyone is lucky like Arsene."

    Arsene had the grace to blush. "I wouldn''t say I''m lucky. It''s just the sweetness in me. Bitches love me. What can I say."

    "I don''t think I''mfortable with you teaching my Syris¡­" Altair tacked on, pulling his Saintess into his arms. The woman blushed, smiling a little contently.

    "You''re squishing, Atelia! Super Uncle Papa Help!"

    Arsene grinned, opened his hand, and pulled Atelia away from the duo into his arms. She smiled blissfully, throwing Altair a triumphant grin. "See, Papa! Atelia has Super Uncle Papa''s help! Watch it!"

    The young king rolled his eyes, about to suggest they get something to eat when his eyes caught sight of a familiar god in the distance. Athena, The God of Wisdom and War.

    ''She''s been silent as a mouse, not daring to speak out of turn,'' Syris said in a Soul Whisper. ''She is terrified of Master and his brother.''

    "Oh!" Arsene jerked his head up. "I almost forgot. Hey¡­" He directed his attention to Athena. The Goddess shook, standing to her full height. "You brought that broken thing, didn''t you?

    "Broken thing?" Altair repeated, confused. "What are we talking about?"

    "Bring her to the Bailey," Arsenemanded. "We were just about to have dinner when you popped up. Lucky you. Zariel is the best cook¡ªway better than cooks from hell. And they live for tion.

    The Silver Devil snapped his finger, and before they couldprehend what had happened, they were out front on the bailey before a grand table, affixed with so many dishes he didn''t know where to even begin.

    "You''re next to me!" Arsene grabbed Altair by the shoulder and dragged him to the head of the table, pressing him down as he took a seat next to him. Two other women were already at the table. One Altair knew to be Aurelia, and the other he hadn''t the faintest idea about except that she had a dreadful aura around her.

    "This is one of your protectors," Arsene said, pointing at the dark-haired woman. "She is one of the main reasons you survived Yarwin. It was by her power that none of the shock waves from the war for Mythral reached the world''s surface."

    "I had a little help from one of the dukes of hell," the woman said, sounding notably proud. She rose to her feet, bowing exclusively at the young king. "Forgive theck of decorum on my part. But I am Freya, Queen of the Shadowfell Army."

    "And this¡­" Arsene pointed towards Athena, dragging a beautiful woman with honey-gold hair out on a leash. "That is going to be your new ve¡­ sorry. You call them Shadows. Meet Sif, the Broken Goddess."

    A/N: Sif was mentioned in Chapter 290

 Chapter 391 The Forsaken

    Thrown before his feet like somemon wench, Sify sprawled over the bailey, powerless to stand, much less raise her head. She wasn''t injured, that much Altair could see, yet the look in those pale silver blue eyes of her''s carried a look he had seen in many dead men.

    "This is Sif?"

    It was Freya who nodded. "Yes, a family friend, if you will," and with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes, she said, "one whom we gave our demon infantry to y with for¡­ Gods, how long was it?"

    "You''re asking me?" Arsene scratched his cheek. "I can''t remember what I did yesterday."

    "That would be me," Freya said in an alluring tone.

    "Not at the table," Aurelia mouthed off, leaning over on Zariels shoulder, half asleep. She yawned, muttering, ''Feed me,'' to Zariel. Who promptly ignored her.

    "Sif was so in love with Mighty Thor that Master ensured that every demon that would take her would be perceived through her perception as her husband. Master shattered that love real quick and promptly forgot all about her. The demons could only do what their master had instructed, so they kept ying with her for¡­ a very long time. So long, in fact, it corrupted her soul.

    So no matter how much she forces herself into the Wheel of Reincarnation, the curse remains, as do the memories."

    "How could you forget about such a thing?" Altair asked.

    "Have you seen Lilith? I was climbing those legs." Arsene shamelessly admitted. "And honestly, Sif did some fucked up things for Thor. It was well deserved. Well, I might have taken it too far, but it was deserved nheless."

    Altair scratched his head. "Wait, so you own the Norse Pantheon?"

    "Yup. Impressed right. Well, if you want it. You''ll have to fight me for it¡­ Well, you''ll have to fight Freya for it. Shadowfell vs. Sha¡ª"

    "Forsaken," Zariel said calmly.

    "Excuse me?" Arsene and Altair looked at him.

    Zariel shrugged. "Those Shadows¡­ are Forsaken, at least a new branch of it. It''s a bit strange that I didn''t make the connection before; it''s infinitely simr to the Forsaken ns. Did you perhaps awaken something¡­ Aha Rebirth.

    "How did you¡­"

    Arsene rolled his eyes. "Zariels eyes allow him to see everything. Just as you know everything, he can see everything, but on a deeper level."

    "That is an oversimplification. I see the Weave and can interact with it in ways no one else can. Your Omniscience works by listening to the thrumb of the Weave. This is how I can see your system and all that it contains."

    "That''s broken!" Arsene and Altair mumbled. They fist-bumped almost instinctively without looking.

    "One is fucking the literal Abyss, possesses the highest attunement imaginable, while the other is the embodiment of our final resting ce. And you say I''m broken. Piss off." The silver Devil rolled his eyes, cutting his steak into perfectly symmetrical bitesize chunks. "As for your Rebirth Skill, it appears it''s an ability that pulls directly from the Vale."

    "What are you trying to say?" Arsene asked solemnly.

    "The Forsaken was a race broken into Twelve ns that the Almighty created, considering ''mistakes.'' Why he did so, I cannot say, though I am getting a better picture as to why. But Altair''s shadows are, without a doubt, Pure Blooded Forsaken."

    "That would mean the Forsaken came from the Vale," Arsene gaped.

    [True Knowledge of the Vale has been Aquired]

    Zariel nodded. "That seems to be the case." he nced at Altair with a half smile. "Things are going to turn interesting in the Myriad when this truth gets out."

    Altair raised his hand. "What are Forsakens?"

    "Right¡­" Zariel muttered. "That''s a little beyond your time. They are a group of people, one of the first pioneers of the Myriad Heavens, before the creation of High Humans. They are younger than the Ilvarians, whom Mephisto nearly wiped out, but a tad bit older than High Humans.

    "They were strong?" Altair asked.

    "Your Father is part Forsaken, possessing the ability of rejection. Any material sword or weapon that isn''t made of energy, no matter how powerful, turns to atoms in his presence. Stronger Forsaken of that bloodline has made it so it''s impossible to hit them with any physical attacks. And that is just one n. There are eleven more."

    Altair looked at his father with fascination. "How do people fight you then."

    Smuggly, Arsene said,'' They don''t. They just die."

    "There he goes again, bragging," Aurelia mumbled. "Didn''t I kick your ass just yesterday?"

    "You cheated and used Seraphine!"

    "Excuses."

    "Anyway¡­" Zariel intoned, ncing at Sif. "If Altair were to make Sif into a Forsaken, then the curse Arsene ced on her, as well as the tormented dreams, should vanish with rebirth. Though I rmend you just wipe her mind. Those memories would only serve to distract her."

    "Y-Y-You can free me?" Sif said in a hoarse voice, looking up for the first time, one pupilrger than the other.

    Altair ignored her for now. "What if it doesn''t work."

    "Then we throw her away," Arsene said as a matter of fact. " We''re not running a charity here."

    "You two could have broken this curse, couldn''t you."

    "We could," Arsene admitted. "But what would be the point? Sif, if I remember correctly, tormented the Aesir Gods. She often drugged and manipted the memories of many of those she called friends to have them raped by Thor. This folly went on for countless Dao Cycles. She abused her power merely to please Thor, and this is the price she paid."

    "I can''t imagine you would have done it out of some righteous reason," Altair said, unable to imagine it. His father did not seem like that type of person.

    "Hell no. That didn''t mean anything to me. It was just happenstance, I found out. Sif got in my way during my quest with some of the princes of hell back in the lower realms, and this was the result."

    Altair nced at Sif''s hollow eyes, which seemed to have found a spark.

    "Sif has lost all her divinity in her quest to reincarnate. She is nothing more than a mortal Godling. But she was a talented warrior nheless," Athena said softly. "And a grand schemer."

    "Her schemes got her where she is today," Altair said coldly. "I''m reluctant to take someone like her in, but¡­" he nced at Arsene and Zariel, bored expressions. "I''ll not throw such a gift away." He looked at the sullen wench trembling like a frightened fawn. "What is it you can offer me that a devil can''t?"

    Words failed the fallen goddess, leaving only bloody tears to trail from her eyes. She didn''t know. She didn''t know anything. All she wanted was for it to stop.

    She shook her head, lowering her face into the soil, to weep.

    "You''ll not be able to have a conversation with that one,'' Freyamented. "From the reports I got, when she first mentioned reincarnation, the Demonsughed, allowing her to do just that, only to cut her out of her mother''s belly to have their way with her. That was how she died for the second time in her life."

    "... I did not need to hear that. What the fuck, dad."

    "Don''t look at me. I had forgotten about that." Arsene admitted.

    "That makes it even worse!"

    "I''d like to plead the fifth. I was ignorant of my Demons actions back then."

    "As you can see," Zariel spoke up. "Your father is rather irresponsible."

    "You''re no different. I heard of the screwed-up shit you''ve done. Don''t be a hypocrite."

    "But I at least remember my victims."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "How is that better?"

    Ignoring the two brothers'' arguments about who was nicer, Altair stared wordlessly at Sif. He made a decision when he saw Aurelia''s honey-gold eyes meet his. For some reason, he felt his indecision fade into determination.

    "Fine¡­ I''ll do it." Opening his palm, Altair called forth a sword that embodied the ckest of night. "Fall on¡ª"

    Before he could finish, Sif lunged on the de, impaling herself through the heart with a feverish look.

    [Fallen Goddess, Sif felled. Exp Gained.] Continue reading at empire

    [Soul of the Fallen Goddess Sif Acquired.]

    Altair closed his eyes, reaching into himself to release a soul that didn''t have much worth within his Soul Space, allowing Sif to rece it.

    Holding her soul in his mind, he shuddered at how bare it felt. It was as if someone or something had stripped the flesh from it, leaving it raw and sullied. He simply could not imagine the levels of torment she had been subjected to.

    Silently, he gave a wordless prayer before channeling Fallen Necromancy into her soul to wipe away the pain, memories, and sins. His Vale Qi poured in to bring forth Rebirth.

    The process was longer than he expected, as even after lunch with his father and uncle, Sif''s soul had not been purified. Still, he wasn''t worried, spending time with family he never knew he had.

    "All that''s left¡­ is to get Tene, Lilith, Crowe Jin, Iza, and Vesyrn at the same table. Little Art, we believe in you," Arsene said with a smile.

    "Wait, why is it on me!" Altair couldn''t help but ask. Half the names on that list he never even met or knew on a personal level.

    "..."

    "..."

    ''Good luck, son!"

 Chapter 392 Second Scenario

    "I''m going to start on the tower in a few months," Syris said, leading him back toward the Temple of Teleportation. "Master says that I won''t reach my full potential if I don''t experience true battle."

    Altair felt some way about that. "I don''t like it that you get to spend more time with my dad than I do."

    Syris''s footsteps paused midstep, continuing with herughter ringing across the hall. She threw herself around Altair and kissed his cheek. "You know¡­ if we are to marry, then that would make him my dad too."

    That made Altair snort. He knew he was behaving childishly, but for some reason, he was a little jealous. Ever since he was a boy, Tenebrae had told him stories about his father. She had never spoken of him by name, but the stories she had told him nted a seed in his mind¡ªa seed of curiosity he couldn''t deny.

    Had he the time, he would have stayed merely to inquire more about the man, shameless as he seemed at the time; Altair could not deny he held a title thatmanded power. Monarch of Hell.

    Syris practically read his mind, giggling. "I''m not going to steal him away, you know." she kissed him, savoring his lips before parting.

    "No fair! Atelia needs kisses, too!"

    The two ignored the stubborn Kitsune, looking into each other''s eyes. "If you must climb the tower, bring Thanatos or Zag, or even Meg. I''m sure she''d love to kill."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Near the Rift, Altair stared intently at Syris, seemingly looking at her for the first time since he appeared. She seemed older. Refine in a way that was easily missed, yet shemanded the presence of the room like any High Lord. She had even grown an inch while filling out in other ces.

    He knew Syris wasn''t exactly human but hadn''t realized that perhaps eighteen or twenty wasn''t the peak of her maturity. For Pntine, some continued to physically age for hundreds of years, some growing prettier with each passing year.

    "You sure you don''t want to leave Atelia behind?"

    "Hey!" The Kitsune announced in defiance.

    "The Imperial Princess ought to stay by my side. And it''s not like she''s defenseless or anything." Altair said, rustling her little head. He shot Syris one final nce, saying his goodbyes, reluctant to step through the Rift.

    The moment he did, Altair ckwood''s appearance morphed into that of Nox De Nier, apanied by a fox-ear child.

    "Your Grace," Tasha responded almost instinctually, alerting everyone to his presence.

    Altair ignored her, focusing on Alyssa instead to confirm his suspicion.

    [30% of all stats of the Master will be shared between Individual Forsaken]

    [Fallen Necromancy has drawn out 30% of Amazonian bloodline]

    [Str, Dex, Con, Wis will Receive +400 to Bloodline bonuses]

    Name: Alyssa

    Race: Forsaken (Amazonian)

    Str: 1405 + 400 = 1805

    Dex: 2045 + 400 =2445

    Con: 2705 + 400 = 3105

    Wis: 3010 + 400 = 3410

    Chr: 3010

    Mana: 300

    ''The System has recognized my Shadows as Forsaken,'' he thought, considering the matter. "I should look into Forsakens, just like how the Eighth Infernal Monarch drove the Ilvarians to near extinction. It would seem the Forsaken are under simr constraints, having been banished.''

    "Master?" Alyssa inquired, awkwardly shifting beneath his inquisitive eye.

    Altair smiled suddenly, shaking his head," It''s nothing." he said, pushing down all thoughts of Forsaken. He turned his attention towards the Elders of House Rivia, asking, "Is the Golden Fork clear for travelers and merchants alike?"

    "Indeed, Young Master," Elder Ashe responded, his long face creasing, apparently displeased atpleting such a menial task. to say nothing of their rank as Transcendent, which towered over the Title of Son-Heir to the dukedom.

    Stay connected via empire

    "Does my action displease you?" Altair asked, epting the reins to Clouds from Tasha; he nced, the two ignoring the look of agitation.

    "We are Transendents. We are owed a certain level of respect."

    Altair hopped on top of Cloud, nestling Atelia on hisp. "You failed to end the lives of three Transendents. What respect do you believe is owed? You weren''t even aware that there was a Trow from the Shadow Tower after my head."

    The two elders'' expressions turned to shame.

    In his ptine ent, he said, "It was through my¡­ knights'' best effort that they were able to scheme and take down three of them while my Sword Maid finished the Trow. The only thing you two seemed to have aplished is the extermination of bandits and a few prowling monsters." He gave them onest nce before clucking his horse to move out.

    The journey towards Inka was rather lively with the addition of Atelia, who seemed to see the world through an innocent lens. Medusa herself had taken a great liking to the little girl as she learned from the Medarc, devouring all the knowledge her mind allowed her.

    Kegan was beside himself about the serpentine woman. He was a gic failure who had managed to survive after being decanted from the Vat within the imperium''s surgical theater. The schrs of the Imperial College allowed him to live, interested to see what a gic failure could aplish, monitoring him like ab rat.

    Not only was he several times slower than the other candidates, but Kegan himself had managed to retain an emotional response.

    Medusa reminded him of those Medarcs, whoseprehension of anatomy outshined his own by hundreds of feats. He could notpare, having taken hundreds of years to understand what took Medusa a few hours to grasp.

    He was ashamed both as a Medarc and as a man.

    As they approached the wall to Inka, Altair had Elena switch positions with Atelia on the promise of Cake for breakfast. A gale of apuse weed them, rounding into wild cheers and songs, congratting them on their mission.

    Altair yed the hero well, smiling, surrounded by women whose beauty appeared to dim the sun. And yet, there was only one woman on his horse, leaning on his chest, waving with a graceful smile.

    For the better part of an hour, he yed the returning hero before making his way toward the Castilian. Heughed, riding through the portcullis onto the bailey. They stopped before a banquet of women dipped and thered in chocte walked about utterly naked.

    Medusa covered Atelia''s eyes, ring at Altair with a gaze that nearly caught fire before she galloped off, lest she see more.

    "Therion, your reward," Altair announced, rather impressed, throwing an eye at the several women fawning over his Pale Knight. "Dust them in powdered sugar and fuck them to your heart''s content. They are all yours, my Knight; do enjoy."

    The women, all but Tasha, flushed while the elders riding along gaped. Altair ignored them and clucked his horse forward, preparing himself for the meeting with the Castilian. He hadn''t much interest in the degeneracy, though he did have Tasha linger about to ensure his knight enjoyed the luxury afforded to him.

    Returning Cloud to his Shadow, he held Elena by the hand and presented her to the Castn over the dias.

    "My fiance," he said, smiling at the surprised faces. "Safe and Sound, despite the Shadow Tower''s assassination attempt."

    Str expression turned to Ice. "The Shadow Tower is involved?" a round of noise filled the dais.

    Count Kinvar raised a hand to silence them. "Easy¡­ Young Master, Nox, can you exin what happened."

    Altair did, rying a story of half-truths and half-lies. He told them about how the Assassins had killed his ckcloaks and how they were forced to hide in a cave, then a vige, to the far west.

    "It was a small effort, but we had managed to trick the trow chasing us into killing three other Transcendents." he smiled before exining how it was Elder Ashe and Yorke who helped Tasha y the Trow.

    The two elders were reluctant to lie but agreed nheless to such a story because it was better than facing humiliation for their failure.

    The Castilian, Str, threw a hand through his hair. "It''s a miracle. You''re alright, Young Master. Please, I''m sure you are tired. Why don''t we make reports when you''ve recovered? Please.

    Enjoy the¡ª"

    "I shall pass," Altair said, taking Elena into his arms. He kissed her neck, feeling a shiver racing up her body. Whether it was out of fear or something else, he could not say, but she did not resist.

    ''My Fiance and I have much to catch up on. Isn''t that right¡­ darling."

    Elder Yorke''s expression tightened, then rxed before anyone noticed. Altair, even in his weakened state, sensed it, his Spiritual domain holding strong.

    "The banquette outside is for my Knight and his sacrifice. Now, if you''ll excuse me, I''m quite tired." he dragged Elena, remembering the expression of Yorke he had just seen.

    No one stopped him, but several maids openly stared, as he had suspected. They ran off to gossip amongst their pairs about the returning hero taking his fiancee to his bed. By the time he had closed his door, the story of how Elena''s maidenhood would be broken echoed through Inka.

    After an hour, Tasha began to whisper how her moans were filling the halls. The maids were all quick to squeal, conjuring simr various stories of fiction. In ways not even Altair suspected would have his name spreading across Allmore by High noon.

    [DING]

    First Senerio Mission Aplished: Be Nox De Nier before anyone can question your True Identity]

    [Congrattions]

    [Reward: Nox De Nier Identity]

    [Second Scenario Shall Begin: Kill The Vampire Spawn, shallmence in Two Months]

 Chapter 393 Fifth Circle I

    At the emergence of the system notification, Altair muttered, "Intestering."

    "Did you say something?" Elena asked, staring at the bed as if she wanted to sit down but did not have the courage. She could just about hear the scolding remarks from Elder Yorke. She looked at Altair, but he did not seem to notice. Lost in his world. She quickly flushed when she saw him begin to take off his tunic.

    Shyness turned to anger as she demanded. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?"

    Altair only nced at her. They had been on the road and in the wilderness for countless days. Even if he could cleanse himself with magic, it could not beat a warm bath to soothe away his aching muscles and joints. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Altair could feel his body crying out for his hot spring back in the Pce of Sygian, even if they were always in a perfect state of being.

    Ignoring her, he sauntered into the bathroom to draw himself a bath, missing Tasha, who usually takes care of such a menial task. He found it as annoying as sleep. Still¡­ after throwing in some scented herbs, Altair sunk into the scolding waters, closing his eyes.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [King of the Vale: Lv 175]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 69% ¡ú 99%] Stay updated through empire

    Strength: 3000

    Dexterity: 3800

    Constitution: 4000

    Wisdom: 5000

    Charisma: 5000

    Mana: 400

    Abruptly, a quiver shook the space around the Young King; the air grew heavy, swirling with ancient might: Oak wood floors splintered and tore; costly mirrors as hard as diamonds cracked. Stone pirs shook as if burdened by a seismic event. Only he seemed untouched.

    Slowly, almost reluctantly, he returned to himself, his gaze prating some unknown nexus point. His gaze moved as if in a dream, slow and exasperation and heavy, whirling in every direction. He breathed, expelling the impurities that turned the air acrid.

    For an unknown period of standard time that could havested hours or mere seconds, he could see that nightfall had risen to swallow the day. Altair was a bit taken aback by the state of his bathroom, though notably, and he did not seem surprised. He walked out to see Tasha and Medusa acting as guards on each side of his door.

    Medusa all but covered her eyes, throwing open a hand to call forth a towel. How she''d done so without a Drupnir ring, Altair could not say, but she had.

    "Your Grace, please cover yourself!" she demanded, her cheeks blossoming with color.

    "Or not," Tasha said deliberately, feasting her eyes.

    Altair epted the towel, wrapping it around his waist, amused by the serpentlike woman. It was faint, but he heard an ent that he wasn''t even aware she had.

    "We sensed your will in the Dao," Tasha said, leading him to the bed, where Elenay unconscious. She had a slight wound on the top of her head. "Worried, we rushed in to ensure you were fine."

    "You were, of course, but I felt it was best for Elena not to be conscious," Medusa added.

    That surprised Altair. "You knocked her out?"

    Medusa flushed, cupping her face. Unaware of how cute Altair found her actions.

    "You should have seen her," Tasha eximed. "She didn''t even open the door but phased herself through it, knocking out Elena before she knew what struck her."

    "Altair¡­" Medusa said, forcing herself to be serious. "You are still in a state of Soul Exhaustion. You should avoid peering into the Dao of Heaven and Earth. You''ve already found your Path. The Vale is all you need. Ignore everything else until you are strong enough to withstand the strain Dao has on our souls."

    "Why should I?" Altair challenged. "I have a future Medarc by my side. I''m sure she''ll cure all my ailments."

    Medusa flushed in defeat. "Y-Y-You can''t say that! I''m just a trainee! I¡ª"

    "Hail Lucifer! You''re cute."

    Altair flicked the Lilm on the forehead. "If you must hail someone, let it be me. The hell you hailing other Gods for when I''m right here." he snorted, folding his arms as Tasha grinned.

    "Of Course, Your Grace, Lord of the ck Moon." She curtsied, lowering her head to her waist, one knee kissing the tip of the floor, while a hand pressed against her back, the other her chest.

    "Well¡­ Now that I know you''re fine. I''m going to watch over Atelia. She''s sure to have gotten into some trouble." Medusa said brightly, hurrying away like a fawn from a wolf.

    "She can''t handlepliments, can she." Or she probably isn''t used to people having such expectations of her. "Whatever the case is. Medusa is quite the asset."

    "And then some," Tasha said, rising with his silent permission. "Aren''t you curious what she tastes like?" she reached a hand into his towel and found his cock. In three quick strokes, she had him hard and rearing. Her lips curled up. "You''re thinking about it, aren''t you? They say a snake''s tongue can do things to a man you can''t even dream of."

    Altair snorted, throwing his naughty subus onto the bed beside Elena, and tore off her clothing. He mounted her as he would a horse and rode her just as hard, enjoying how her sweet moans prated the halls for all to hear.

    As dawn hit the horizon, Altair had Tasha leave without being noticed by the maids, smiling as she wobbled out the window, nearly falling face-first from the second floor. Heughed, looking down at his limped manhood, drained for all its worth. The room was a mess, and the bed was broken.

    He couldn''t have been sure when Tasha had done it, but Elena''s clothing was torn in many ces, and a bit of his seed was ced on her belly.

    ''That crazy bitch is really trying to force Elena into a corner,'' he thought, somewhat ming himself for how he behaved. ''But who could me me? She is the highest tier of subus. And I am a weak man. For booty, I can be weak¡­ Hells, I sound like my Father."

    Sinking back on his bed, he shifted at the ufortable wetness all around; a knock sounded at the door.

    "Open."

    Two serving girls stepped in carrying freshly brewed tea.

    "We heard you wanted some tea, my lord," One of the girls said. Her face red beneath the pheromones of Tasha and Altairs prating her pores.

    ''Tasha''s doing,'' he knew. "Yes. And have someone clean the room before my fiancee awakes. Things got a bit wild."

    Within the next half an hour, several maids came in, drawing Altair another bath while tidying his room, not daring to wake Elena.

    Quickly, confirmed rumors of the Young Master, Nox De Nier, breaking the bed with Elena surged across Inka, stretching across the realm within the hour, that by the time lunchtime approached, everyone from the casten to some beggars across the street knew Nox had taken Elena''s maidenhood.

    Elena was none the wiser during lunch, ring at Altair, though the servants all thought it was because he was perhaps too rough. There was a slight dusting of a bruise near her temple.

    The Castn coughed awkwardly with his staff. "Young Master, since you''ve already cleared up false rumors of Lady Elena''s seeking to break the Engagement. Might I ask when you n to return to the Dutchy?''

    "When I recover," Altair told him. "The Family Medarc said I need one more week for a full recovery."

    "You seem already at full health," Count Kinvar said as the men all smiled.

    Elena did not seem to understand but had the grace to continue on her way, finishing her meal in silence.

    "My Lady¡­" Elder Ashe said, perturbed. "Are you feeling well? You look a little pale."

    "Should I have my Families Medarc look after you?" Altair suggested.

    "Quite so," The Castin added, smiling. "I know how difficult it is to lose one''s¡­ well, my wife went through the same soreness. No shame calling for a doctor."

    Elena looked confused. "What¡ª"

    The banging of the table severed her words. Elder Yorke stood to his feet, storming off, his fiery robes fluttering fiercely with each step.

    The Castilian bore a deep frown. He raised a palm, and the servants left the hall as eyes settled on Elder Ashe.

    "Is the Union of House Rivia and House Nier a subject of friction?" Count Kinvar asked.

    Old man Hark scuffed, "Even if he disagreed, to storm out is no less the same as spitting on House Nier."

    Elena felt her cheeks catch fire. "My Lords, I assure you. This is¡ª"

    "A Failure of House Rivia," Elder Ashe said calmly. He gestured for Elena to be silent. "I shall speak to him and demand he apologize."

    Tasha''s voice broke the sudden silence. "But would that be enough?"

    A few brows creased as they looked at Tasha, marking her uniform.

    "Do not let the maid outfit fool you. Tasha is my closest advisor. What I know, she knows. Let her speak."

    The lords at the table took his words with a grain of salt. As far as they knew, no adviser for the Duke Heir would work as a maid.

    "As I was saying, Elder Yorke insulted not just the Young Master before noblemen butmoners alike. You know how the maids and servants gossip. What do you think will happen when the word breaks? House Nier would be aughing stock."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "That''s a bit of an exaggeration." Elder Ashe said grimly.

    "Politics is all about exaggeration, Elder, and The Duke-Heir was insulted by a Transcendent Elder. That doesn''t look good for anyone. If I may your Grace, might I suggest, Elder Yorke, apologize openly lest he be stripped and whipped on the scaffold overlooking all of Inka?"

 Chapter 395 Fifth Circle III

    A/N: Alternate Chapter Name: The Mad King

    In the bailey, after Tasha had various serving girls dispose of the half-naked bodies of women ttered in chocte and powdered sugar, she slit her wrist open with Gram into a red ruin to watch blood welter out. The wound was to the bone, but Tasha did not seem to react.

    Beads of red rose from off the grass into the skies, connecting to form aplex amalgamation of infernal runes and sigils, weaving to give shape to form a cube that had five dimensions in space. For nearly twenty-four hours, the space of five dimensions turned to six and six to seven, reaching twelve across space and time.

    The loss of blood did not seem to affect Tasha as her cool demeanor did not change, nor did it wane with any sort of fatigue. Only when she was done did she breathe a sigh and wipe the sudden stream of sweat racing down her striking features. Her breaths turned tobored pants as she copsed onto her knee.

    ''A Twelve Stage Formation is still too much for me," she told herself. "Still, Father would be impressed." she looked up towards the rising of dawn and the scarlet cube glowing brilliance beneath the rays of first light.

    "If I savage you now, do you think you will break?" The Vale King''s cool, icy voice cut across the bailey.

    A throbbing ache seeped into her loins as her breath grew harsh.

    "My other self is so soft," he looked at the demoness on her back and grinned. "He has the best toy imaginable, yet he doesn''t know how to use it."

    "Vale King¡­" Tasha said, but he had already grabbed her by the hair, dragging her away with a savage grin, saying, "Allow me to congratte you."

    A dayter, as Altair regained control, the lust and arrogance of his counterpart streamed into his mind like a whip across his strained psyche. Angry lines streamed from his brow, evaporating at how hot his body felt.

    Tasha was a wreck. Her tongue lulled out like a bitch in heat, and his seed pulsing from out of her cunt. Her neck appeared as a red mess from where he''d savaged for blood. She was shaking, twitching, lost in an ted dream or perhaps a reality that she had once dreamt of.

    ''What have I¡­"

    ''What have we done,'' The Vale Kingughed. "You and I are one! What I do, I do for Us. Look at your stats."

    [Altair ckwood has broken Orgin System Restriction]

    [Ninth Form, Aeron Has Increased All Attributes By 100]

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [ King of the Vale: Lv 175]

    Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 99% ¡ú 99.99%]

    Strength: 3000 ¡ú 3100

    Dexterity: 3800 ¡ú 3900

    Constitution: 4000 ¡ú 4100

    Wisdom: 5000 ¡ú 5100

    Charisma: 5000 ¡ú 5100

    Mana: 400 ¡ú 401

    The Vale King''s demonicughter crackled was the stuff of nightmares, turning the room to ice. Altair breathed, not understanding.

    "How?! How is this possible!"

    "I am the version of you with full authority of his abilities. While you listen to your Omniscience, I bend it to my will. Uncle said it best. The Omniscience is but the thrum of the Weave. So what happens when we pluck its string? What happens when you squeeze it?"

    Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion weaved through Altair, coiling around his muscles and dragging him down, down, down. He falled over Tasha, burying his head into her breast.

    "We shall dominate this realm! You and I. We shall conquer Allmore. We will burn the Church of Sepith down and take their women. Imagine it, ckwood! Imagine a world of utter women.

    A harem asrge as the realm itself. They say a righteous cunt is the best kind. So let us start with¡ª"

    "FUCK OFF!" Altair roared, fury unfolding like an avnche of raw emotions.

    [Ninth Form, Aeron, has Incresead, strength, by 10]

    Stay updated through empire

    [Strength: 3100 ¡ú 3110]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Yes! Yes! Embellish in your rage, ckwood!" The Vale King roared, his crazedughter deprived of warmth, for there only existed sin. "Sear that fury in our bones, and let us Tarnish the Realm! Why hold back? Why?

    Look at that slut before you."

    It was a struggle, but Altair forced himself up and stared down at Tasha. She was unconscious, but her fingers were still ruthlessly savaging her downstairs.

    "That anger you feel. Take it out on her. She can take it. Devils are immortal. Even if you lop off her head and fuck her corpse. She''s returned.

    She can take it. It''s why Gremory gave her to us. She was built for our lust, for our Madness.

    Altair reached forward, squeezing her tit. She squirmed, her ruby eyes opening with a lewd smile.

    Once more, the walls of Madness closed around Altair as the inner demon of the Lord of the Vale whispered its temptation and lies. Inciting the Ninth Form to blossom like an ancient tree.

    Above the realm, Iliana, maddening,ughed etched across time and space to chill the souls of Gods and demons alike. "It''s alright if I create a monster, right?" she nced down at Altair and sensed the growing Madness, branding itself across his marrow, down into his very soul. "Well, that''s also not too bad¡­"

    Slowly, she pulled out a mirror and stared at theck of the image of herself. "Shall we see how far the Shadow of the Abyss will fall?" she giggled, sliding an eye towards Altair ckwood.

    ***

    On the day Altair returned to the bailey to stand before the infernal cube, the grass beneath his feet withered beneath the baleful evil writhing across his body. Above his forehead, four ck stars of shadow and death hovered, much like a crown.

    Blood soaked his naked body as he looked up at the azure skies, stained red. Abruptly, a bolt of lightning split the skies overhead. The walls of the castle shook as the world appeared to writhe in agony, copsing into itself. The winds howled as women shrieked beneath the copse.

    Rain drowned the upheaval as men flooded the bailey, their eyes not on Altair but on the ckness of the Void above their heads. As if some unseen god sought to bring about the end of days, the world wept. Animals cried, howling to the skies as if to warn them of what was toe.

    Transcendents rose towards the skies, taken back by the world, even spreading past Inka from north to south, to east to west, to swallow mountains and ravines alike. As far as their eyes could take them, they saw a world beneath the ck, where shadow reigned and mortals knelt.

    Fear. Fear was all anyone could feel before such a Tribtion.

    Abruptly wildughter stole the hearts of mortal minds as their eyesy poised on Altair. Some, be they men or women, felt their hearts stolen, their souls branded by the effect of the Brand of the Incubus.

    Thunder crackled like the breaking of the world, topplingrge spires and abodes, breathing the essence of annihtion.

    Medusa shook, reminded of the Shattering that left the Twelve Realms in utter ruin. She held onto Atelia, taking her into her arms. She looked at his Forsaken, slowly making their way towards their master. For a single instance, she sought to follow after them but shook her head, tightening her hold around Atelia. She had a duty to protect this little girl.

    "Big Sis? Papa is¡­"

    "I know," she muttered, staring not at Altair but at the tarnished blight of Madness on his soul that managed to furthertch onto his being. "I merely hope he can retain his person¡­"

    "He''s scary¡­" Atelia muttered. She nced at the serving girls kneeling in his presence instead of running and wondered if that would be her if Medusa hadn''t aided her. The thought sent a shiver down into her soul.

    "He just needs time to adjust," Medusa hoped, pulling her gaze away from Altair to find Tasha. She pushed out her senses to find her sprawled across the shattered bed and fully nude. She blushed, a little unsure why she was stained in blood, but she appeared unharmed, though notably unconscious.

    ''Beast¡­'' she thought, taken away when another roar of the breaking of th world crackled across the realm.

    The transcendents had all reacted swiftly, some activating the barriermonly used against beast raids or the event of an invasion. Some created their own to defend the city while a majority drew their weapons, unveiling their Transcendent might as if to challenge the Heavens.

    The King of the Vale reacted as well, channeling Mana into the Infernal Cube. Strangely, the cube transitioned into a translucent sphere, swallowing him and his Forsaken to reveal seven runes that had brandished themselves across the bailey.

    No one saw when the lightning came, when it arrived, or when it shattered the night; they saw only a jagged trident of sprawling tangles devouring the world to bring forth utter annihtion and ruin, imploded, piercing dozens of barriers to strike at the Mad King, crackling as if the ruin around him did not exist.

 Chapter 396 The Thirteen Godhands

    The Bolt shattered three of the four barriers, breaking into flecks of light beneath the scarlet dome surrounding Altair and his Forsaken. The seven runes burned like fire, rejecting the destruction that came from the skies.

    Suddenly, the air turned dry and acrid, devoid of Mana, that did not dwindle as if to be used but vanished all at once.

    The faces of Transcendent men drained of color. The Barriers that were beginning to coalesce from where they had been broken began to dissolve like puddles of acid on the skin. The Mana Core that had been used to activate the Barriers shattered as the energy used was all eaten.

    The Heavens trembled and snarled. The winds snapped like caged beasts across the denizens of Inka.

    Death. Death was all anyone could think about of those daring to gaze at the annihtion above. Those who could see through the ck could vaguely see something or somewhat, or perhaps nothing, looking back at them. There was evil in those eyes, orck thereof.

    Enjoy new adventures from empire

    They could all feel it, yet Altair felt it best. The gaze was focused on him, sealing the spatial domain around him. A meter around him, he could not move. Yet it was enough for him.

    Empty-handed, he lifted a palm as Gram materialized in it. He couldn''t remember thest time he wielded the sword since he bound a soul to it. The de felt right in his hand, its power merging into his own to breathe forth chaos. The infernal runes across the de''s spine glowed like fire.

    As the second bolt tore from the heavens to illuminate the skies, tearing through space and time, it cracked over the barrier Tasha erected and once again shattered into shards to disburse into light. Of the seven runes ced around him, one vanished. Then more, one by one, as lightning came in quick session, tearing the skies asunder to distort the light.

    Seven strikesshed at the barrier as Gods, Demigods, and Mortals watched it tear open in disbelief. It was inconceivable for the heavens to strike seven times in a row at someone stepping into the Fifth Circle. It had been seen before either in Babels Tower or out of it.

    The Heavens, the Gods were furious.

    "Protect the People!" Shouted the Castin from on high. Echoed by others the best they can. And yet it all seemed for not.

    "Your Grace,'' his Forsaken called, but Altair waved them to retreat, a savage smile brandishing his lips.

    Cruel tion shed across the cks of his eyes, swallowing the red. The Vale hummed into creation like a faded shadow from behind him, expanding out like a pool of liquid abyss. Rising like water droplets, it gathered beneath the King''s will, assimting with Gram to form a de cker than the deepest night, deeper than the deepest trenches of the Hells.

    Altair lifted his Vale Sword, Omniscience writhing across his pupils like the thrumb of a cord. It struck against the lightning before it arrived, brandishing the Aspect of Rule. The bolt condensed into a ball beneath his will,ncing towards the skies like a spear to tear it asunder.

    "I am Eternal¡­" The Vale King''s voice boomed. Maddening Crazed and Pntine all condensed into a single voice. It honored thend, bending mortals'' hearts and minds alike.

    From afar, outside the mighty walls of Inka, now a crumpled ruin of its former glory, a dragon roared, bellowing its defiance towards the Heavens and Shadow. It shrieked by past the wall, shrouding the denizens beneath its dragon might. They saw only the shadow of the creature, and yet even it felt small before thatughter.

    Altair and the Vale King wereughing, the madness as blind as light even as his skin pealed beneath the sheer radiance of the tribtion electrifying the air, turning his skin to char. He burned as though the heavens were a sun, and he an egg.

    The pain. The heat. The madness. It all came in droves, and yet he held, hisughter booming. His madness ring.

    "BURN ME!" Hemanded, sensing the refinement of the Heavens.

    The ninth bolt from the Heaven''s Annihtion fell much like a droplet, devouring sound, light, and color. It ate fear to give birth to something else, something primal.

    Thend of Inka rippled like a droplet of water across a smoothke. The earth fountained to the skies, spewing hundreds of meters into the clouds, as cmity pired the heavens in a force that could be seen hundreds of thousands of miles away.

    And yet, the sword arc that left Gram was as deep as the night, yet as profane as the nobles of Hell, split the heaven asunder, tearing through the ck to reveal the sunlight peering through.

    Altair stood there, barely a skeleton, barely even alive, if such a thing could be considered alive. The Vale Stars connected by a string of Vale Qi. Slowly, his bones dwindle to dust, leaving Gram to fall where it may.

    ''Dead'' was all any of the Forsaken could believe before the ashes of their Masters began to dance through the breeze.

    Just then, Tasha''s eyes snapped open, her naked body sprawled beneath debris. She rose, but Medusa''s palm held her still. Her voice was no longer the usual calm but a faint quiver. "Don''t¡­"

    The Dragon that had arrived stared at the dust that had be Altair, then the Heavens in recovery, back to Altair.

    He could still hear it, that profaneughter that could haunt even the dreams of Gods. From the emptiness of the void, something quivered to give form.

    Thunder grumbled and quiver of something old and ancient and feral. And yet to the Dragon, Shi''ran it, felt scared.

    "The Soul¡­" Shi''ran said, realizing. "Where is the boy''s soul?"

    "Easy¡­ my friend." another voice said from on top of the dragon''s back. It was a hard voice,manding, and yet¡­ in this moment, it felt feeble.

    It was all wrong. None of this made any sense, at least none that he couldprehend. Despite the Nine Heavenly Tribtion striking nine times, the tribtion had not faded. In fact, it was gaining power and stepping beyond the bounds if it hadn''t already.

    "Nox¡­ What in the world have you done?" The stranger asked partly to himself, the other towards the Young Lord.

    Just then, the cry of a crow resounded through the night as a shadow-like raven appeared, taking the form of a woman gripping a spear. Her eyes were hollow, yet theymanded an authority that threatened the nature of the Three Godrealms.

    ***

    [Rebirth]

    Inrge, emboldened letters, red as blood, Altair Soul me saw the system message followed by several others.

    [Curse of the Nephilim (S+) has enriched the Heavenly Tribtion]

    [Curse of the Nephilim (S+) has Augmented the Heavenly Tribtion with the Blood of The Old Gods]

    [Rebirth has granted Forsaken Lineage]

    [The Outergods have taken notice of the Vale King''s presence.]

    [Synergy found between Forsaken Lineage and Nephilim Blood]

    [Connection to Seraphine has been severed]

    [Vale Stars Has Granted Temporary ess to Four of the Thirteen Godhands]

    It had all happened in a single breath, but before Altair could grasp his return, he was once more before the furious Heavens, space rippling around him.

    Lightning split skies overhead, bellowing a furious cry that seemed to turn the world to mes of multicolored light.

    A single tear, ck as night, ran from Altair''s iris, creating a path down his cheek, melting flesh like acid, vanishing halfway into the void before it hit the earth.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The Vale King gave a maniacalugh, opening his palm foolishly and grabbing hold of power that he did not understand. Yet by the reins, he held it, dominating it as everything for over a hundred miles turned to an endless void faster than they could grasp.

    "No¡­No¡­ No¡­" A snarky voice echoed, more annoyed than what most could believe.

    The Vale King tilted his head, not understanding what just happened.

    "Altair ckwood¡­ Nice to meet you. My name is Mephistopheles, one of the Rulers of this Tower."

    The vale king searched but could not put a face to the voice. No matter how much he looked or opened himself to his Omniscience. The speaker appeared beyond it.

    "Though I suppose you can call me Mephisto. I''ve called you here to decree that you are forbidden from using that power more than once per hundred years within Babels Tower. Use of that¡­ Ability will result in your deletion if used within the time frame."

    From the Vale King to Altair, an expression of perplexion tarnished his face.

    "That''s not fair! You gave me¡ª"

    "Let me continue," Mephisto''s tone made him eat his words. "In return. You will no longer face Tribtion. The Council of Omnis has decreed it. So, is there punishment for manipting the Curse of the Nephilim? Do you ept?"

    ''What happens if I don''t?" Altair asked.

    "I kill you." The words were empty, much as if they didn''t matter, and yet¡­

    "Why give me this chance? Why not kill me?"

    "Ask, Zero. Goodbye, Master of the Vale."

 Chapter 397 Schemes

    In the shadowscape of his mind, Altair aimlessly wandered as if he were in a dream. He might have thought it was a dream if not for a strange tree that bore no leaves but small orbs of mes dancing along long branches.

    Soul mes, he knew. They burned like stars, endless and ethereal, banishing the night to birth light. And yet the night seemed to return, to swallow the light. To allow it to exist within its epassing arms.

    What such an ancient tree represented, Altair couldn''t say, yet it towered over fifty meters in length and height, its branches fifty feet. Each Soul me was never the same shade of color. Some were lighter, others darker, but there was never one that was truly the same. Some glowed bright, others barely seemed to even glow, ready to sizzle out at any moment.

    Few appeared as though they stood above the masses, so bright that their light seemed to swallow others, masking them beneath their radiance.

    For as long as he could remember, he stared at the strange tree, finding that no matter how far he traveled, he was never too far from reaching and touching its bark. He never did, though he couldn''t say why.

    "The Godhand," He muttered finally. Confused about why there was a memory that was not a memory, a thought that wasn''t a thought, coursing through his mind.

    "Is that what you call it?" Another voice reached out, shattering the silence of his Shadowscape. He recognized the voice.

    "Uncle," Altair said, shifting to see where he was. Yet, simr to Mephisto, he was nowhere to be seen.

    "Yes¡­ You''ve caused a mess." Zariels voice was sharp. Sharper than it usually was. "The Godhand¡­ You¡­ No, don''t tell me. Don''t tell anyone. We called in a favor for you. A heavy one.

    Zero is pissed. Worse, he''s out for blood."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    That sent a shiver down his spine. For all the time he spent with Zero. The man seemed as cold as Ice. Colder each time he peered at that ck mask.

    "Not at you. I think. The Omnis Council. Blood is about to spill. That''s for sure." ¡ªAltair could just about imagine the stone-faced man shaking his head¡ª "But this is an opportunity for you."

    Confused, Altair willed himself erect. "What¡­ what do you mean?"

    "The Mark of Cain. It hears your words, senses your thoughts, and observes your actions, all outside the Pce of Stygian. Speak Mephisto''s name, and you shall be summoned, or have you forgotten your brand like amon sow? I assure you they are watching you now."

    "I¡­ I don''t understand. I don''t even know how you''re here. This is my Mental¡ª"

    "It''s not my power. It''s Aurelia''s. All Nephilms. True-born Nephilms are born with a set of abilities, much like angels. Mephisto, the voice you heard before he fell, held your ability. Omniscience.

    Though such a thing was lost to time."

    Altair was stunned. "Lost?"

    "He gave it up to fall alongside his brothers into the Hells; he was the first-ever and only Angel of the highest Order of Archangel to ask the Almighty to Fall. Why¡­ no one seems to know. So don''t ask. Yet his name is a name that carries as much power as I, but unlike me, he isn''t bound to any one power."

    "Will I get an ability as a Nephilim?"

    "Perhaps if you bend a knee to the First and ept her, Sire, but I suspect you would never bend a knee to another. And¡­ My wife, like all the women we Snows seem to get caught up in, is mad. You will do well to refuse any request she brings up or demands. I''ve lost track of the number of times she had me smite."

    Altair could hardly believe that. Out of everyone, Aurelia seemed the most tamed. The most normal.

    "Well¡­ returning to the topic at hand. Azura will call upon you soon. She is still reeling from her losses within Genesis. Has Syris told you?"

    "Yes. And it seems I have been honored by the Archon of Bios."

    "Yes. Zelos is quite an asset, especially his family¡­ if he can control them. I¡ª" he stopped, and for a period of time, there was silence before his voice returned. "Sorry. Aurelia cannot keep this up for long. The Soul Exhaustion is too strong. Your journey continues on empire

    And you are too far away. You will wake soon. When you do, you must take advantage of this opportunity. Zero will be on a path of War. Find a way to get Azura and her people in his path. He will handle the rest."

    "Was it so great? A favor to Mephisto!" Altair couldn''t help but ask. "He said that Zero asked him to save me."

    "A favor from Mephisto is much like a wish. There is simply no greater treasure, no greater sword, but the Almighty and the Abyss." Zariel told him, his voice distant and far.

    "Wait! I¡­"

    "Stay in Almore¡­ Do not return. Stay¡­"

    ****

    The lids of Altair''s eyes shuddered, alerting the women around him where hey. Shouts and screams cracked like a whip for the Medarcs, for Medusa, and anyone who could hear him.

    Light peered through his eyes, shuddering, opening to reveal the sun above and ring down at him. He was still on the bailey, the grass as green as he remembered.

    ''Green,'' he thought, remembering the horror that was the tribtion that fell.

    Suddenly pulling himself up, his gaze searched the bailey, the castle that had crumbled to ruin beneath the rumbling of the heavens. Now, it stood erect, tall, and mighty as if it had never fallen.

    The woman, the servants that had burned at the corner of her eyes, turned to dust no better than what was found beneath the bed or one''s feet. Not even their bones or clothes remained, and yet there they were. Alive, walking and talking. He blinked, turning to face Medusa¡­ and Raven.

    "Raven¡­" The girl was on his belly, her arms wrapped around him, as light as a feather. Lighter. And utterly naked.

    He jumped when he heard Medusa snap, the sound louder than he imagined. The sound twisted to invoke a shadowy sphere that covered them all.

    "What is¡ª" Before he could continue, Medusa covered his mouth. A momentter, his body was covered in clothes. The same went for Raven. ''Don''t talk. Just nod or shake. Do you feel weak?"

    Unsure whether he should be amused or not, something curled beneath his eyes. Still, he shook his head.

    "You used your Transcendent might multiple times! ¡­Gods, I can''t even understand how anyone is alive. Myself included. I saw it through my soul. The devoisation. You killed it all.

    Light, dark. Dead Laws fell, and¡­ Someone stepped in."

    Remembering Zariel''s words, Altair let the words "Mephisto" slip from his lips.

    The name alone appeared to squeeze color from out of Medusa''s face. Her serpent-like pupils contracted to a thin line. She covered his mouth, and with a look like she wanted to box him the nose, she said, "Don''t you say his name!"

    Altair wanted tough. He didugh, pulling her slender hand from his mouth. "But it''s true. It seem the Council of Omnis wanted my head. He saved me. And¡ª"

    He hadn''t needed to say another word before the searing heat of the Mark of Cain returned, dragging his conscience through some nexus in time and space. By the time he realized it, the familiar stench of the Lake of Rot weed him.

    Sighing, blurring the world around him to gaze at the one ring at him. He opened his mouth to speak. Azura pped him hard.

    "Don''t! Don''t think I don''t know that you were the cause of the chaos on the first tower!" she growled, her stunning features burning like wildfire.

    Again, she pped him, spinning on her heels to scream, quelling the pained screams within the Lake of Rot.

    "An entire Hell Cycle of work¡­ Gone. GONE!" She red back at Altair, fire now visible. "I should kill you! I should have you burned, whipped, fucked, and gutted. Your lovers, your children¡­ All of them!''

    Altair did not take her words to heart, nor her hatred. He found the seat in which he always sat, ignoring the sting on his face.

    "The Abyss Watches," he said, half smiling, half intrigued by her fury.

    ''Cain wants you dead. And I can say, even if we incur the rage of the Abyss, it would be worth it."

    "Then what about Mephisto," Altair said, smiling to keep himself from appearing from looking like he was talking out of his ass. "It would seem he wants me alive. Does that count for something?"

    The billowing mes seeping out from the goddess'' pupils began to lessen. "You are ying a dangerous game¡­ boy."

    "Better than being defiled¡­ whatever that means."

    "It is your future¡­ " she breathed, reining in the anger across her face as it had never been there. "What did he want?"

    Altair grinned. "My life, of course."

 Chapter 398 Destroyed

    "Your Life?" Azura said slowly. "What would Mephisto want with your life?"

    "Probably nothing, or probably everything; perhaps he owed my Mother a favor. I did hear that a favor from Mephisto is like a wish, second only to the Almighty and the Abyss."

    A steady stream of cold air slipped from Azura''s lips. A cold, scarlet fury burned across her eyes. She had never been one to mince her words and held the same expectation for others, whether they wanted to or not.

    "The Council of Omnis" ¡ªAzura veered up a little¡ª " He said that they wanted my head for some reason. Perhaps it has something to do with that."

    "He explicitly mentioned the Council of Omnis?" Azura pressed.

    Altair nodded to assure her. "Yes, he said I am forbidden from using that¡­ ability of mine before he resurrected everyone around me, even the buildings that fell in ruin. Makes you wonder¡­ doesn''t it?

    "What?"

    "You wanted me to burn the Fiftieth Floor of Babels Tower before the Eye of Heaven and Hell. Your exact words. How do you expect us to aplish that when a precedent has been set within the tower? I destroyed a mere city, yet Mephisto not only resurrected the people but also the city."

    The mes in Azura''s eyes dimmed. "Precedents have been known to change."

    "Is that true when Mephisto is involved?" Altair stifled hisugh at the sudden mes in the Goddess of Rot''s eyes.

    "Why tell me this?"

    "You ask¡­ And it''s not like I can lie." ¡ªHe touched the Mark of Cain¡ª"Well, It''s really to keep me alive. I was warned if I used this power again, he would personally kill me."

    "And this power is?"

    "No idea¡­ It just manifested, and everything turned colorless." Altair admitted, vaguely recalling that day.

    If not for the Mark of Cain, signaling truth, Azura might have dragged him into the Lake of Rot. She stared at the boy, her heart telling her of a trap or perhaps something there that wasn''t there¡­ a warning. ''And yet, how could a boy set a trap against the likes of me?''

    "Did he mention anyone from the Council? By name, perhaps."

    Altair didn''t have time to think. Zariel hadn''t named anyone by name, but¡­ "The Archon of Bios was mentioned. What is Bios, by the way?"

    At the mention of the Archon of Bios, rage bore its fangs in the form of a blow that sent Altair back into his body in Almore. He jerked, eyes snapping to Medusa''s concerned face so close he could feel her breaths across his lips.

    "Your cheek¡­" she caressed it. It was swollen and red as if the sting of his soul and body had been attacked all at once. She smiled before her palm broke contact with his face. "She''s not letting go."

    Altair looked down wryly at Raven, clinging to his body like a spider monkey, refusing to let go, arms stretched wide around his chest. It had been months since he saw the young girl, yet she was as beautiful as when he first saw her. A bit dirty, but nothing that couldn''t be washed away with a simple bath.

    ''I wonder how Zariel is going to use the Archon of Bios. Can he simply just use one of the strongest people of the Myriad like that? The Archon is surely to be on the Omnis Ranking.''

    ''You underestimate the Silver Devil,'' the voice of the Vale King returned. Ptine and cold, it sounded through his mind. "If we can only hear the thrumb of the Weave. Can you imagine what would happen if someone could manipte it?''

    Altair shook his head, trying to get him out of his mind, before trying to look at his System.

    [Ding]

    [Godhand has destroyed THe Origin System]

    [Reinstation willmence in Sixteen Imperial Hours]

    Ice prated Altair''s chest like a knife. "Medusa¡­ can you see the System?"

    To his horror, Medusa said, "It''s not just you or me. Everyone caught in the colorless st lost ess to the Origin System." she aided him to his feet. "Come, let''s get you cleaned."

    She ushered him to his room, drawing a bath alongside Tasha and Alyssa while Therion acted as a guard outside. Altair couldn''t help but feel a little embarrassed as he was stripped, Raven still clinging to his chest, fast asleep to care about anything.

    Mindfully, Altair made sure not to go so deep as not to identally drown the clinging woman. He sighed, looking up at Medusa and Tasha, "Can any of you two destroy the Origin System?"

    "The Origin System, Your Grace," Tasha said, es from the True Source that gives us the elements, dao, and concepts alike. Ites from the¡­ Hell, I''m not even sure. At our level, I cannot even imagine the level of power¡­ No, that wasn''t power. That was something else."

    Medusa nodded. "Gods at the peak typically don''t seek physical strength or higher forms of energy as thates to them naturally. Instead, they seek Authority and Attunement. Attunement from the Hells, the Heavens, and the Primordials."

    "The Primordials¡­" Continue reading at empire

    "Yes¡­" Tasha said, gently pouring a bowl of hot water down his shoulders to clean the dust and ashes from his naked form. Medusa did the same for Raven. "Primordials are creatures that possess a True Source. No one Primordial can exist in their true form. Their true bodies stand above the Myriad Heavens, either outside of it or at its infinite peak, grinding their blessing."

    "That is why no one practically wants to be enemies with a Primordial. They themselves aren''t too powerful. In fact, they are weak as avatars. Very weak. But they represent a power that no one can even hope to imagine. A true source that, whene together, produces Mana, Qi, and Ether."

    "That power you use," Medusa began. "Was very simr to attunement. It''s the only thing imaginable that possesses the Authority capable of destroying the Origin System. I fear that if you had better control of your power, you might have destroyed the Origin Ystem for everyone caught in its radiance."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    If Altair was perturbed, he did not show it. His palm passed through the long, silky, raven-colored hair of the girl on his chest, snoring. It was greasy as if it hadn''t been washed in weeks.

    "Atelia¡­ how is she?"

    "Fainted. Dying will do that," Medusa said slowly. "I had one of the maids bring her to her bed."

    Weariness slipped through Altair as the waters and a pair of hands began to soothe the tension in his muscles. Medusa''s touch seemed to reach the marrow, pulling out all the stress he never knew he had. It was different from Tasha''s, that always left him hard. Her touch always seemed to garner such a reaction.

    He could not say when he fell asleep, but when he opened his eyes, he was awoken by the sounds of men shouting, drowning the cries of a woman. Elena''s cries.

    "I''ll KILL HIM!!!!" The shout was unfamiliar, yet the fury, the hate that was so dense it seemed tangible, reached through the door.

    Raven was no longer clinging to his body, though she was not too far, her breath smooth.

    A powerful thump came from the door, and Elena''s cries became balls.

    Reluctantly, Altair stood up, throwing a robe around his naked body, and stepped out to see his Forsaken Knights barring the door. Tasha had Gram in her palm, blood licking the floor from its tip. Across from her, with a bone-deepceration cutting across his chest, stood a bloodied young man, his eyes aze like a blue icy sun.

    Footsteps echoed from around the corner, with Spearman hurrying forward toward the cries and violence.

    "What is going on?" Altair asked, signaling for the spearmen to stop. They did so as if met with an invisible force holding them in ce.

    "Your Grace," Tasha bowed. "This man was trying to enter your premises. I sensed the Killing Intent and refused him, and he¡ª"

    "I''ll kill you!" The blue-eyed man roared, the ribbon that held his hair up loosening a rainfall of golden hair down his chiseled face. He bounded forward like a lion pouncing on its prey. A sword shrieking through the corridor.

    Tasha caught it with two fingers, looking the gobsmacked Ninth Circle in the eye as if to say his existence had been forfeited.

    "Conall¡­ Please¡­ Please stop this!" Elena pleaded.

    Brows lifting, Altair nced at Tasha and smiled, a smile that did not reach their eyes.

    "So your Conall¡­ Well, no matter. You¡ª"

    ''Nox! Don''t! Don''t kill him!" Elena pleaded. "Don''t!"

    "Be silent.." Altair snapped at her. "People are watching. Hold your bloody head up, and stop the tears."

    Releasing the Spearman from their holds, visible signs of relief rolled across their armored bodies.

    "Bring this man to the Dungeons. No harm shalle to him. Am I clear?"

    The Master of Arms to the Castin sauntered forward, three spearmen on his heel, and bowed. "As youmand, Young Master Nox." He turned to Conall with a disappointed look. "Do not resist, Conall. You''ll only be digging yourself a hole in which to die."

    The one named Conell bared his fangs like a wolf but relented all the same, raising his hands to be tied with enchanted iron. He gave Altair a look at could cut before he was dragged off.

    "Young Master, I¡ª" The Master of Arms began, but Altair shook his head.

    "Just leave¡­ And see that no harmes to that man. Tasha¡­ Elena, pleasee inside and exin to me what urred."

 Chapter 400 Torture

    "Does it trouble you?" Raven asked in a t voice, resting on her side beside her Master. Nothing seemed to bother her; he was noticing. "I don''t really understand. Is it wrong for you to bed¡­ this traitor? She made the bet. She signed the contract.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She has even read the contract. Twice. I don''t understand why you are brooding."

    He had told her everything. From the time he had awoken in House Nier to his battle against Soul Exhaustion to now as theyy side by side. Raven never interrupted, waiting for the story to end.

    "It''s morally wrong¡­"

    Raven blinked. And he could almost glimpse scorn before it pulled away. "Wrong? Master, she made the bet and lost! Who the hell bets their body? Better yet, who the hell makes a bet with someone who screw them over once?

    She''s a bloody idiot. And as far as I''m concerned, she should be killed for her stupidity. There mere fact she has to spread her legs for you ought to be her honor."

    Altairughed; she really believed that, didn''t she? "Medusa says it''s wrong."

    "She is only sensitive because of what happened to her," Raven assured him. "I can''t imagine what she''s going through in that head of hers, but I know she aches. Aches for others that share the same fate as her."

    There was a bit of wisdom in her words that surprised Altair. ''The Hollowing, it seemed, has matured her,'' he thought, and he said. "When did you get so wise?"

    "My Master demands it, so I shall adapt."

    "But is it worth it, Medusa leaving?"

    "She won''t leave.'' Of that, Raven seemed sure. "She is trying to test you. Test your resolve. She knows the Ninth Form isn''t something one can resist. You and the Vale King are one. And as far as I''m concerned, you have not crossed that line."

    "And when I do?" The words left a nasty sting in his mouth.

    Raven was silent, and Altair could only sigh, closing his eyes. When his eyes opened, they were cold as steel. He stood erect and left, Raven hot on his heel. He found Medusa on the bailey. She hurried to her feet, half into a bow, when he lifted her head.

    "I shall do as I please. Whether you like it or not. Elena made her bed. And I shall warm it. As for you." he did not wait for Medusa to interrupt him. "As for you, for your disapproval.

    I have heard of it. If you wish to leave, you may leave. I promised you I shall never harm you. And I suspect¡­" he eyed her softly, brushing a thumb across her cheek, softer than the smoothest silk. "And I suspect I will not be able to control myself around you. Your beauty outshines even Elena, rivaling Tasha or Raven."

    She flushed, though she could not say why. Her feet backed away, away from his touch. ''I¡­I¡­'' she stopped, bowing her head. "I understand¡­ And¡­ I won''t leave¡­ You need me. Need me to make sure you don''t break that line."

    Altair was surprised. "But you said¡­"

    "I know what I said," Medusa said, regaining herposure. "But you need me. That devil on your shoulder is too enticing for you." Then, softer beneath her breath, she muttered, "too enticing for any man."

    Altair grinned, thinking about something. "Are you saying you wish to join me¡ª" he stopped when he saw how bright her face had be. He wasn''t sure what was redder, a cooked lobster or Medusa.

    "I will not!" And she ran, to Altair''s amusement.

    "Master, can I go y with Atelia?"

    "Of course!" And with that, she left, skipping away much like a girl now rather than the woman she was.

    He smiled, and then his lips became a thin line, icy like death. He made for the dungeons, waving to the guards that stood to attention the moment he appeared.

    "We greet the Duke-Hier!"

    Altair waved them to rest. "Bring me to Conall," he demanded.

    Two of the guards exchanged nces and nodded. They opened the cer door and led him down the creaking stairs. Torches fluttered, breathing in a gust of wind, illuminating the harsh-stoney dungeon. The dungeon smelt of rotten fish and soured blood. Pungent and hard.

    They led him further along the corridor, past several gaunt, emaciated men and women trapped in strange contraptions, which he was sure were for torture. He could almost hear Tasha begging him to use them on someone, guilty or innocent.

    Conall appeared better than most. They had stripped him bare and had left him to dangle from enchanted steel wrapped around his wrist.

    "There, my Lord." One of the guardsmen said. "He¡ª"

    "NOX!" Conall roared a cry of utter venom.

    ''Leave us," Altairmanded. He did not ask for a key but phased through the gates as if he were vaporous.

    Tears started from Conalls eyes as he iled,shing out like a feral beast. "I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you! I''ll fucking kill you!"

    The crisp p knocked the words out of his mouth. Conall hung there stunned, unblinking as if he could not believe the stinging across his cheek. The second blow snapped away the surprise.

    "You will learn to speak when I allow it," Altair''s voice made the ice seem warm. "I will seek information, and I will have it."

    "Will you!" Conall began tough, then, like a switch, scowled. "You don''t even know who I am! Don''t even know the chaos you have brought to this castle."

    Altair smiled. "Tasha," he called, knowing she was there, listening. She was always by his side, whether he knew it or not. "How long will it take to break him?"

    "With all these naughty toys?" Tasha, who appeared like a ghost, smiled. She sounded feverish. "A week at the shortest. We are not in the Hells. And I suspect that¡­ you want him whole."

    He nced at her, marking the awareness of his devil, and finally, he nodded. "Yes. He could be useful, and it would be best not for him to be¡­ deformed."

    "As your Gracemands," Tasha said with a bow. She opened her palm, a cruel ckness that seemed to swallow the shadows gathered at her fingertips. It hardened into a dagger, cker than night. When it shed, itshed across Cornalls neck.

    No wound appeared, but he gargled like a man with a slit neck. He convulsed, chains biting into his wrist before stillness. Altair thought him dead when suddenly he jerked up, screaming a cry that tore at his windpipe. He had never heard a more painful sound, and many of the guards who came charging in hadn''t either.

    Tendrils of ck lined Conall veins, spreading from his throat, through his body, down to his manhood and jewels, to the tip of his toes. The taint grew even darker, spreading to cover the whites of his skin, turning it a ghoulish purple. Conalls eyes bubbled like a man that had taken a hammer to the back of the head, at the rim of his sockets.

    "No! NO! NO!" The next cut had been across his manhood, ending with a thrust at one of his jewels.

    Altair paled for Conall, taking a step back alongside any guard watching. The sounds that came from Conall weren''t the sounds men made, much less beast. It was a sound that perhaps only those damned to hell could make. The sound alone had men hurling in a corner. Others fled to the temple to be purified. No one wanted to watch, much less listen.

    Initially, Altair wanted to ask but felt it was wiser to be ignorant of such things. He had a sickening feeling that he didn''t want to know. And even if he did, he hadn''t wanted to find out if a part of him would disapprove or not.

    "You will speak all that you know, Conall. You will speak it inly and neatly. And if my lovely Sword Maid deems you to be lying, well¡ª" Tasha jerked her dagger in his groin and twisted ever so slowly.

    Conall lurched like a fish out of water, soiling himself before he was aware of it.

    "Get it all out," Tasha said in a lovely voice. "I hear when one visits any Persist of Sepith; they must purify themselves. Well, let me show you how we do it where Ie from. I shall stain your soul ck as ink."

    Shrieking squeals followed Altair on the way out of the dungeon and down the halls into his bedroom. Even now, he could still hear it. It sent a chill down his spine that he wondered what more Tasha could do to him.

    ''There is always a worser fate,'' A small voice echoed in the back of his head.

    Altair agreed, breathing soundlessly; he sighed, throwing it to the back of his mind. No use sympathizing with prey.

    "Now all that''s left is to deal with¡­ Master." The thought of Iliana made him weary. "I hope the Vale King doesn''t screw me over."

    Stay connected with empire

    "The hell are you on about?" The Vale King said incredulously.  "We are smashing Iliana. Who the hell cares if she''s our Master? That''ll make it all the sweeter."

 Chapter 402 Warning To The Ironbloods

    Renfi Ironblood''s expression was cold like iron, her handsome face hard as tempered steel. To any who didn''t know, it would seem she was furious, and perhaps it was true, for her Aura thickened.

    "Queen Dowager," the Marquess said coolly and respectfully. "My daughter." He had been keeping Elena alive from her dreadful presence, but should her spirit continue to rise, then¡­

    Renfi''s aura did lessen, but it was not enough for it to matter; from Altair to the Castilian, she spoke. "I needn''t exin the disrespect I faced simply at your gates, should I?"

    The Castilian faltered to speak, but it was Altair''s voice that sounded his words. "That was under my orders. The Imperial Family has been rather active in my familytely, and I couldn''t risk them interfering in the north."

    Renfi snarled. "Your orders?" Her voice said nothing of the rage dwelling in it. "You barred me entry. You, who is not even a duke,mand the Castilian to bar me entry."

    "I forbid everyone from entering," Altair said smoothly. His eyes took in the white and blue uniform she wore. She wore it as well as any man would. "Not you personally."

    The men were all pale, holding themselves back in fear of the Red Queen''s anger.

    "You are very¡­ impertinent," was all Renfi said.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Thank you," Altair responded, almost shamelessly. He saunted forward, lowering himself and plucking Elena off her knees like a kitten by the nape of her neck.

    Elena was pale, but the moment his palm touched her, the pressure of a transcendent became hot air. She breathed as if she had just learned how.

    "How can you kneel, my dear?" he shook his head. "When your husband stands. Stand there. No, not like that. Lift your head. She''s not going to eat you.

    She''s not a monster. No Ironblood are, right?"

    If Renfi was perturbed, she did not let it show. "You know us Ironbloods?"

    "Of course. I''ve saved one once and fought by their side in battle. It was¡ª"

    "You lie!" An earth-shattering roar nearly took him off his feet. It might have if not for Medusa opening her palm to create a sort of forcefield around him. It was unlike any barrier he had ever seen; it seemed to be made out of not Mana but¡­ the Soul.

    ''I''ll have to ask her about that. How strange.''

    Renfi seemed to drain of color, rising from the throne as if readying herself.

    Medusa lowered the barrier and backed herself behind Altair, though her eyes seemed alert, veering to strike if the moment demanded it, much like a snake. Enjoy new stories from empire

    ''A cute little snake''

    ''Shall we see how wide her throat can stretch? I hear snakes can swallow just about anything.'' The Vale King''s voice sounded, and Altair hoped he didn''t choose now to appear.

    He stifled a gulp, maintaining a smile. "You seek something from me, from us? Shall we get right to the point?"

    Renfi did not return to the throne. She stood tall, as tall as he was, from the dais. The distress that had shed across her face now faded. She was back to calm like cool steel.

    ''She is at least trained in politics,'' he told himself, studying the woman.

    "You have something that doesn''t belong to you," Renfi said coldly.

    "I have many things. Swords, Jewels, women, men. Just today, I picked a new toy for my servant to torture."

    The slightest movement of the lower eye was all the indication Altair needed to confirm his suspicions. He grinned. "Is he perhaps yours? Conall? Or is it Conall Ironblood?"

    "Impossible!" The Marquess said hastily. "No Ironblood can simply walk free the¡ª"

    "Be silent," Renfi hissed. "You''ve said enough! Leave us. All of you! I will speak the boy alone, save for¡­that wench."

    "Medusa," Altair said. "Her name is Medusa."

    Therion t-out refused, but under the eye of his master, he folded like hot metal, reluctantly leaving with the other, though not before ring at Renfi without the slightest hint of fear. No one else refused, almost d to be out of her presence.

    When all was gone, Renfi slid from off the dais to Altair. Neither he nor Medusa moved.

    "Is what you say true?"

    "Everything I say is true."

    "Arrogant." She scuffed. "Is Conall harmed?"

    "Physically, no. Mentally. Well, my Sword Maid has quite a way with a soul. He squealed so loudly about an hour ago that some of the guards had to run to the temple to be cleansed."

    Renfi flinched. "If he is ruined, then you will die!"

    "Touch him, and you and your entire line will be purged from Babels Tower," Medusa said. Her words did not sound like a threat but more like a simple thing. A nuisance that was too unbing of her to move against.

    "Who are you?" Renfi demanded. "And how is it you got a God to descend and walk by your side."

    Altair kept his smiling mask, hiding his intent beneath Shadowheart. "Well¡­ Knowledge is power. I know who you are; I think it''s best you don''t know who I am."

    For a while, neither of them said anything until Renfi broke the silence, " What is it you want? Women? You appear to walk with your harem. Men. Artifacts."

    "I want you to keep your son in check¡­ if you care for him. You seem surprised. Why? I know a woman who killed not just her children but their children until she was thest of her blood. You certainly appear cold. But I cannot say if you are that cold."

    Renfi took a step back. Whether it was done out of disgust or fear, he could not say. "That is a mad woman. And hardly even a woman."

    "My thoughts exactly."

    ''Sexy though,'' The Vale King added.

    ''Very¡­ shut up!''

    "Give your son my warning not to interfere in the North. I''d hate for you all to be exterminated over something so¡­ trivial." Altair said slowly, deliberately. "My maid will deliver him to you. Though how much of his mind remains depends on how far along she''se."

    "Nonsense. Conall has only been in your possession for an hour and a half!"

    ''So she has spies amongst the Castns men. How sloppy.'' Altair nodded. "And Tasha is quite good at her job." he snapped, and she appeared in an eldritch sh.

    A serious look appeared on Tasha''s face, marking Renfi as¡­ worthy. She smiled all the same, bowing towards Altair. "You called, your Grace?"

    "How is Conall?"

    "He now prefers thepany of men. Such a shame, really. The mere sight of a woman turns his gut so bad he wants¡­ what?" Tasha blinked, not understanding the looks around her.

    Medusa sighed, sping her head. "I knew it."

    "The first step to breaking a man is to make him forget who he is. Taint his pride, and you break him in ways you can never imagine."

    Altair coughed into his palm. "Well, as you can see. Minus his desire and fear of women, Conall is fine." he nced at Tasha. "Right?"

    "Not a single hair has been touched." The Lilm assured him, though her smile was anything but kind.

    "What say you, Lady Renfi? I can release Conall should you agree to my terms."

    "You aren''t leaving me much choice."

    Altair''s smile did not falter. "I am leaving you with a gift. A most auspicious gift. Conall is safe, unharmed, and all you must do is tell your child to back off."

    "Fine." Renfi Ironblood decreed. "I ept your terms."

    "Then I bid you a good day. Tasha, deliver Conall to her. A shame. I had all sorts of ns. Oh well¡­" he trailed off, leaving the hall and returning to his room with a smile.

    He had nearly forgotten that the Ironbloods had been stationed on the twentieth floor. He shook his head. ''No, that doesn''t matter. I need to train with Master to get the Vale King under control. And figure out what the next mission is. Two months is all I have."

    Altair narrowed his eyes, calling for Therion. The Forsaken Demon appeared in a mystical mist of light, heeding his master''s call. "Get Elena for me. Medusa go get Atelia prepared. We are leaving the manor tomorrow and going back to the Duke Estate. Master is surely waiting for me."

    Medusa stared at him. Those serpent-like eyes seeking to swallow him. It took much not to shake, and he wasn''t sure why. She was his. Or was she?

    Alone in his room, he sighed, curious what he meant to do. Elena was a beautiful woman. And the day was still young.

    "Bedding a Ninth Circle will surely aid in your cultivation," the Vale King said. "If you don''t have the stomach for it. Give her to me."

    Remembering the painting and the scarlet mess that happened in the atelier, Altair glowered. "You''ve done enough."

    "Have I?" The Vale Kingughed. "How much longer do you think you can keep this up? You were ready to bed Elena in front of Conall as he dangled limp dick and all. Don''t pretend you weren''t savoring the idea of it. You are no better than I. Sooner orter, you will be me.

    It''s just a matter of when."

    Maddeningughter sounded, and cool steel burned in the dark ck eyes of the King, hard and somber.

 Chapter 403 Jealousy*

    Raven had never seen a handsome woman before. Most women tended to like looking pretty, wearing dresses, or dressing their faces. Yet the one before her seemed the opposite. She was cradling a young man. He seemed almost like a babe in her arms. Where he had not grown, she might have thought he was.

    ''Hehe! He looks funny like that!''

    She hurried over to her amethyst eyes, searching the woman up and down. "You''re handsome. Why?"

    The question caught the woman, dignified in her manners, off guard, and she could not say why. Everyone from guards to servants seemed to gape; Some even drew weapons.

    The woman lifted a palm, and the guards, all women, stilled.

    "I prefer it as such, child. Why do you ask?"

    Raven had to think. "You''re different. I was just curious. Most women want to be pretty. But you want to be handsome."

    "I am what I am," was all she said, smiling. The women around her seemed to second that thought, each carrying out a nod of approval.

    Raven seemed to nod, and she saluted," Thanks!" Then she was off skipping away without a care in the world. To the kitchen, she went for something to eat. Ever since she awoke, she had felt she hadn''t eaten in months. Atelia wasn''t in her room, and Medusa was nowhere to be seen.

    Somewhere over the gstone yard, she skipped, waving at a few pretty things. Pretty men. That seemed all the more ready to wave back. ''I wonder what Master is doing.'' She stopped looking up at the skies, half remembering a dream that was not a dream. It was calling to her, yet no matter how much she reached for it, nothing came.

    When she woke, her Master did not look happy. He seemed a little sad but a little d she was there. She thought of the hours they spent in bed and smiled, remembering.

    Looking up at his room on the second floor, she leaped seven meters into the skies, catching the stone banister to pull herself up. A few guards caught sight of her, but as she waved at them, they waved back and continued their patrol. She had said hello to just about every guard and servant.

    As much as they had to protect against outsiders, she had to protect her master against anyone she did not vet herself.

    ''You seem almost excited? I thought you would loathe this. Do I excite you?'' Raven''s ears perked up at her master''s heavy voice.

    ''What''s he talking about? Excitement?'' Her footsteps pushed her closer to the door of the terrace, thinking nothing of privacy. ''How can I protect Master if he doesn''t tell me whoes to his chambers? Morning, noon, or night. Master is a dummy! A big dummy.''

    She frowned a little at the curtains that obscured her vision. They were warded to prevent prying eyes. A meaningless act to any with Vale Qi. Her eyes burned with the shadows of the Vale, removing any sort of obstruction.

    Altair had that smile that did not meet his eyes on his lips as he stared down the translucent nightgown wrapped around Elena. She was pretty. She seemed almost radiant beneath the rays of sunlight peeking through. Color dotted her cheeks as she turned.

    Raven wondered if she walked through the halls looking like that. ''Surely not. Women are embarrassed about such things. Weirdos.''

    "I merely wish to pay you back, is all," Elena said, though she didn''t sound convincing. Raven could tell that much, and she struggled a little with social norms.

    The mere fact she still had to wear clothes as though they were prison garms still irked her.

    Altairughed, and it sent a shudder down her spine. He had such an enthrallingugh, and a hot pang of jealousy shed across her chest.

    ''He neverughs like that with me.'' Raven frowned, her fist tightening.

    There was no warning when Altair pulled her into his chest. She squeaked. Then, she reddened when hisrge hand squeezed her breast. Elena''s breath caught. And she appeared as if she wanted to stifle a moan. She failed.

    A lilting moan carried her voice to Raven, who was listening. Watching. Elena was squirming, her hips osciting across Altair''s hips, exciting something. Something wet glided down her thigh, hitting the ground and filling the room with her scent. A palm slid from her breast between her legs, and Elena covered her mouth.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She was trying to defy it. Defy him

    ''I wouldn''t have.'' Raven thought. ''Big Sis Syris did not. So why does she?'' She stared harder to find out what made her so special.

    A pop came from Altair hitting her cunt with a p that had her voice leaking from between the gaps of her fingers. A viscous liquid that flooded like a leaky faucet became like a stream down her thighs, and then a jet hitting the curtains when he pressed two fingers in to dance.

    Even then, when her moans reverted through the room and her knee buckled without strength, he did not stop until she squirted across the room.

    Elena crumpled to her knees, her breathing an utter ruin. Saliva slipped from her lips to stretch down her chin down to her breast. And Raven suddenly wondered, ''Why not me? Am I not pretty enough? I think I''m prettier than Elena.''

    Suddenly, she wondered if she was pretty. No one aside from Syris or Medusa had ever called her pretty. "Would I look as lewd as Elena or Syris if he did that to me?"

    Such thought had never been the subject of study until now. And she had to know. "Am I pretty?"

    She hadn''t realized she had said those words aloud, alerting her Master.

    He nced over once at her but did not appear to notice, though his smile did seem more genuine.

    "I~can''t~ move~my~legs. No~more!" Elena had said that, but her finger between her legs betrayed her. Her face was suddenly shadowed as Altair''s clothing turned to ash.

    "I''ll die"

    "Don''t worry," Altair told her, throwing her on her belly onto the bed, her ass facing him. "It won''t hurt. The Brand won''t allow it."

    Raven held her breath. Her chest burned to watch Elena. Watching her take what should be hers. ''Mine¡­'' Raven stiffened. ''When did master be mine? How can I¡­'' she shook her head, confused, chewing her lips as she watched, unable to pull away.

    Elena was dry heaving, the resistance she wanted to be there absent. There was only eptance. Longing.

    Spreading her cheek to stare at the delicate pink stretching out, Altair sandwiched his battle ram, hot as molded steel, between her legs and heard her purr like a cat in heat. She jerked, slowly lifting her ass high, and her legs widened as if to brace for impact.

    When he entered her, Raven all but imagined it was her and not some unworthy sow. It was her who he entered, her who moaned as she lived for his cock. Her who had to beg for rest and more all at once. He was not gentle with Elena, nor was he passionate like he was with Syris. It was cold. And yet, even that was enough for her. She would ept him that way.

    ''what''s wrong with me¡­ I¡­what''s wrong with me.'' Raven touched her cheeks and found it wet, the wetness streaming down her cheeks. Uncontroble tears.

    ''Am I not worthy? Am I ugly?'' she turned her head, bumping into something soft. Really soft.

    Raven looked up from Tasha''s breast, not bothering to ask anything but, "Am I pretty."

    The question took Tasha by surprise, though she found herposer soon after, smiling as her fingers ran through her hair.

    Raven knew what she was, but her touch at that moment did not seem evil. It felt warm. ''so-so warm.''

    "Do you want Master?" Tasha asked calmly, never stopping to run her finger through Raven''s silky ck hair. "Do you want him to honor you like he does¡­ that wench?"

    Explore stories on empire

    "Honor me?" ''Yes, it is an honor, isn''t it.'' "How?"

    "It''s simple. You must let Master see you as a woman, oh Guardian Of the Vale. It''s a title I''m sure you take seriously. But you forget yourself. You forget all the joys thate with being a woman. Tragic.

    A beautiful thing like you."

    "I¡­I''m pretty?"

    Tasha''s grin met her eyes. Her blood-red eyes. "Darling, you are prettier than me, with all the right assets to boast about. All you need is a bit of¡­ education."

    Raven blinked and wiped her eyes dry. "You''ll teach me?"

    "Oh, of course. I''ve always wanted to add another to the equation. If it can''t be Syris or Alyssa, why not you? Perhaps we''ll all fall on his spear together as sisters."

    ''Sisters?''

    Raven both liked and disliked the sound of that. The idea of someone other than her epting her Master made her belly ache.

    "Teach me!"

    Tasha ced a finger over her lips. ''Shhh!'' She turned her head, and they stared as Altair spread Elena''s legs wide like a butterfly.

    "The best way to learn is to watch. The day is still young, and night has yet to fall, dearie."

 Chapter 405 Abyssal Training II

    "He is fine, Father," Tasha was saying in a serine voice on one knee. Her head bowed before the Baleful Throne. "I was a bit startled when he asked me my true name. But I am prepared to give it to him. He is my Master."

    Gremory smiled in satisfaction. "Child, you might be one of my greatest pieces of the current Era. A shame I must give you away."

    "I am happy, Father."

    "I would bet. Altair seems to like you. Does he love you?"

    Tasha smiled mirthlessly. She wondered if that would ever be the case. Or would he see her for what she was? "One cannot love a whore, Father."

    "You underestimate yourself and overestimate men. It''s the whore that''ll catch his eye, but it''s a woman that''ll keep his heart. You have both qualities but have only used one. Keep at it. Though think quickly less you are forgotten." Gremory exined. And shifted the topic.

    " Tell me about the boy''s Father. What do you know?"

    "He is keeping me from him. But I heard Medusa¡ª"

    "The Snake Girl. The one you said was Raped by Aries and discarded by Athena."

    Tasha continued as seamlessly as if she hadn''t been interrupted. "¡ªYes, that''s the one, Father. She let slip the name Zariel. My Master seems to know. Intently at that."

    "The Silver Devil would not dare break his Oath to Aurelia. The man fathered two children. And even I know better than to approach them."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Is the Silver Devil so dangerous? I¡ª"

    "You forget who he married. Aurelia is stronger, if not equal to the Silver Devil. I dare not challenge her. Especially if Seraphine is used."

    There had been much about a Nephilim ability that no one understood. Much Aurelia had hidden away from other Nephilim as Progenitor. Seraphine had been one.

    It was a power that simply should not exist that forced the Council of Omnis'' hand.

    "She is protective of her young ones. so protective I fear my brother Mephisto must n around them to keep them alive in his little schemes."

    Only Gremory spoke so casually about Mephisto. Dearing to speak his name as if his schemes didn''t control the Myriad Heavens themselves. Even when she had been promised to Astaroth, Tasha had never heard him mention the name Mephisto, even when the topic of the Eighth Infernal Monarch was brought up.

    But Gremory often cursed his name as if he would do her nothing. And he hadn''t.

    "I want nothing to do with the Silver Devil or Aurelia Morningstar or any bloody Snow. They''re too Chaotic."

    Tasha could imagine. In records, the Snow family had been said to have caused as much upheaval as Mephisto. The True Architect of the Fall, the First Lie, the First Murder, and so much more. Mephisto never forced anything, leaving it to the individual, but each time, they yed to his whims.

    It was the same for the Snows. Youngpared to most born at the start of creation, they grew to fame on a mountain of bodies impossible to count. Worse, they held a bond that no angel possessed since the First Sin.

    "Press the boy a little more. The Ninth Form warps the mind. That madness will turn him."

    Tasha believed it. It had only been four days since they started on their way towards the Dutchy and each night, she found herself on her back or knee, head buried in the dirt as he had his way with her. He was relentless, but more than that, he was getting better. Sweeter. The hours they spent at a slow pace felt wrong, and that frightened her.

    As a devil, a Lilm, the mere touch of anyone could hold the attention of any man for all eternity. A lesser man. But still a man. However, in recent days, the unrest was stirring within her. The feeling of not being whole without him inside her had sent her into a state of rm.

    At first, she thought it was due to the Oath she took by all Lilms. The one that made her his. But no matter how much she studied her blood, to peer into the Pce of Blood, which held all the knowledge of her lineage, she found only unanswered questions.

    Even now, as she spoke to Gremory in this gap that constituted a moment in time where hours could be years and years, sometimes decades, Tasha was on her knees, being ravaged by her Master. Devoured in both body and soul.

    She could no safer stop eating souls than give up on being her Master''s bed warmer. His touch was too strong to enticing. Altair was life, perhaps in more ways than one.

    Suddenly, she seemed to blush, and Gremory''s serine brows through the mist that often obscured lesser beings to protect their souls from gazing at a True being. She could still tell.

    "Child¡­ tell me. Tell me all that you know."

    For the first time, Tasha wondered if what she was doing was a betrayal. It made her stomach churn.

    "Father, I¡ª"

    "Ashara, I will not ask again."

    The naming of her True Name sent a taint of fear through her body that seized her by the throat. The kindling of her soul dimmed as a force beyond herprehension awaited.

    She flushed, and the words she could not stop flowed from her lips. It shamed her. Shamed her so that tears slipped from her eyes. The more Gremory seemed to hear, the wider her eyes became.

    ''...he is making me his! "She was saying. "And I wonder if he is the subus and I a lesser thing!'' she was screaming near the end, the words refusing to stop. "I need him, Father! I need him! I need him!

    I need him! I need¡ª"

    "Be silent, daughter," Gremory snapped. And Tasha wept, bowing her head. "Amazing. Wonderful. Utterly wonderful." she rose, and the world dimmed beneath her presence. Her authority.

    Tasha or Ashara even felt her inner thoughts cease. And in that moment, she was sure if Gremory wanted, her existence would be forfeited.

    Read new chapters at empire

    "Altair ckwood appears to be something more than what I could ever perceive until I meet him. Here me, Ashara! On your back or knees, you will rise and beg your Master for a meeting with me. You will tell him to bring his father. I decree it. Now go!"

    ****

    When Ashara opened her eyes, heat-like liquid fire filled her being, shivering through the tips of her toes and shaking as if convulsing. Her back arched, and her moan seemed to strike at the moon of Almore.

    Try as she wanted, she couldn''t stop the tion, the pure raw ecstasy, from bending her to its will. She was a ve to its touch. A ve to sanguine lust. A ve to Altair ckwood.

    Slumped over the dirt, he pulled her face up and savored her lips and tongue, letting her fall.

    "Only you seem capable of turning my cock limp." He said beside her ears.

    Ashara drooled unceremoniously, so high on endorphins and other hormones she didn''t know up from down. She only wanted more, yet her voice became not her own, and her movements not fully hers.

    "I have a decree from her Majesty, Gremory; the Court of the Prime Devils seeks an audience. You are to bring your Guardian. Your Father. And¡ª"

    He pped her. The sting, nocking the words from her mouth. And he spoke in a tone that sent shivers down her spine, a familiar tone that had goosebumps prickling her skin.

    "Perhaps we have been too merciful?" The Vale King said the cruel smile she longed for now present.

    She gulped, but when she opened her mouth to speak, he pped her again.

    "You disrespect me, Tasha." Fingers curled to tangle through her hair as he dragged her towards the river.

    A few were already there, nameless men and women cultivating over the firewood. He paid them no mind, paid them not so much as a nce, as he dumped her head into the water, his hotnce, not finding the hole he hadid im to countless times but another. One he had not.

    Ashara cried out in the waters, kicking and screaming, the bonds of her blood making it so she was no more than amon mortal girl. The icy waters filled her throat, filled her lungs, burning them, while she tried bracing herself. Yet the panic, she could not understand herself, held her by the reins. Altair held her by the reins as if she was amon bitch, and forced his way in.

    The world brightened, brightened to that of the sun as he pulled her out of the icy waters to breathe, yet no air filled her lungs, only the sweet tion of sanguine lust. The bloodws that bound her shattered as a cry that could reach every nook and cranny of the realm thundered like a whip.

    Trees snapped like twigs to dust for nearly a hundred miles, men, women, and children sharing the same fate, exploding in a fine mist.

    "Do you like your punishment!" He asked, beside her ear. His voice was like the smoothest silk, yet cold like the Isles of Sylvorlum.

    A devil of lust in the truest scent, Ashara''s tongue lulled out. She could feel the Band of the Incubus taking her, could feel something chipping away at her soul, but embraced it all.

    "YES!!!! Punishment me more!"

    Altair grinned, dunking her head back into the water. "A fine wench indeed. This is why you are the best, Tasha. This is why."

 Chapter 406 Abyssal Training III

    Altair could only remember a single time he had shrunk beneath his mother''s stare. He couldn''t remember the location, but he knew it was in a city where he had run off without telling her. Every hair on his bodynced up, and a strange sensation crept along his legs.

    That feeling had returned now under Medusa''s stare. It was a mother''s stare, one so disapproving it made his stomach wrench. He tried to apologize, though he felt he had nothing to apologize over.

    Tasha was his. And he could do whatever he wanted with her.

    ''Still, you would think I killed a puppy.'' He tried ignoring the look, but could one ignore a cobra when it was rattling its tail?

    He groaned inwardly, thinking back to what Tasha had told him. He had been furious when she told him of her decree from Gremory. More furious than he had been in a while. It seemed almost childish in hindsight. It was childish, throwing a tantrum when he realized what he thought was his needed to be shared.

    ''I don''t like sharing,'' he muttered begrudgingly.

    When he could no longer ignore Medusa''s stare, he red back at her, "What?" he nearly cringed. He even sounded like a child snapping back.

    "Nothing¡­" Medusa said lightly as if not aware of his tone. Her arms were around Tasha''s waist, holding the reigns, bncing the Lilm, where shey unconscious.

    "You''re ring," Altair said.

    "Am I?" Medusa said airily but gave no sign she would stop.

    He cringed even harder, unsure what to do. He couldmand Medusa to stop, but he had a striking feeling she wouldn''t listen. She was stubborn that way. Shy yet incredibly stubborn. It almost seemed a crime. How stubborn she was.

    "My Lord," Therion shouted overhead. "We are close. Akrim is in reach."

    He ignored the Forsaken, continuing his re at his Sword Maid. He had done nothing wrong. He hadn''t been the one serving two Masters and would not apologize for it.

    ''And if Medusa can''t see that. The¡­ A pox on her house!''

    No one said anything through the blistering streets of Akim. Altair only stared at the various men and women out there. Some were dark skin and pale as snow, some green and yellow, and everything in between, talking and yelling along the flowing throng. A few recognized him, waving, offering pies. Apple pie by the taste; A few he epted and shared them with Forsaken.

    Even Medusa, despite how infuriated he was with her.

    Compared to a month ago, the streets of Akrim were ever more radiant. Raven especially enjoyed it, hurrying to fly overrge spires and dome-shaped buildings while they slowly made their way toward the Dutchy.

    They arrived by twilight, fording the nearly impossibly long forest yard to arrive before a familiar manner. Altair breathed a sigh of relief. A little homesick himself. He missed Tera. Missed the Serpents Outreach.

    Commanding no one be woken by his arrival, he made for his room with Tasha in his arms. Stay connected with empire

    "Are you just going to follow me?" Altair asked, ncing at Medusa.

    She nodded, staring.

    A twitch ran across the corner of his eye. "Your¡­ something. You know that? Whatever,e along. I could use a bath."

    Pushing open his door, Altair nearly dropped Tasha, staring at the woman in his bed asleep. He recognized her almost immediately. Recognized those sharp features and silvery hair thaty tangled across her head. Half naked, with a thick stench of liquor emanating from her lips.

    "Iliana," Medusa breathed. "She Who Whields Cmity."

    "You know her?"

    "No, though I''ve heard she is the Strongest Abyssal, Second Strongest, depending on who you ask. Hades believes that she Personifies Cmity, that it''s her existence that brings about destruction across the Heavens. Unlike her Brothers and Sisters, she was one of the few who didn''t receive a noble title when the Abyssal wasing together.

    She chose to seek the Battlefields, challenging the strongest on the Omnis Rankings. Shiva."

    "Shiva is the strongest?"

    Medusa hesitated. " He¡ª

    "Under the right conditions," Iliana''s voice stretched out. The lids of her eyes trembled and opened to reveal scarlet rubies that seemed to glow brighter than any sun. "not excluding us Abyssals. Michael and Lucifer are the strongest without preparation. Though a lot of time, these types of battles are won through wit alone rather than power or skill. That''s a lesson I just taught Jin."

    "Master," he bowed. "I did not think to see you so soon. Have you been enjoying the Dutchy?"

    "Good wine. Though a little too orderly for my liking." Iliana gestured him over, and he came. "Nothing like the hells. I ought to take up Lucifer''s invite one day."

    Altair could say nothing as he fell to his knees and was made to kneel. He growled. She had not needed to do as such, for he was willing already. She was his master, he recognized.

    "How does the madness taste?" She nced at Tasha in his arms and smiled. "You seem to have acquired a taste for it already. I envy you. Madness and Pride are simply too strong in me. I couldn''t find a lover to have that release. A curse, really.

    Perhaps I should have snatched¡­ pre-ordered Vesyrn like Izalith did. Sneaky bitch. Maybe I''ll take Mephisto. He''s cute."

    "You make it sound like he doesn''t have a choice."Iliana looked at him as if to say the man didn''t. No man did. "He does have a choice, you know."

    "Sure he does," she said in a tone as if to pacify a pet: Soothing and warm. "So!" She sped her hands. " How are you feeling? Ready to train? You look a little¡­ empty."

    "He was screwing that woman for a week straight. He went at it so hard his meridians ruptured. He''ll need another day for them to heal."

    "It was worth it," Altair admitted, and he believed it, too. He hadn''t had that much fun in a long time.

    "Be that as it may," Medusa said sharply. "He seems to be sinking into that devilish side of his."

    "That is a problem," He was surprised to hear Iliana remarked. She fixed her eyes on him and grinned. He didn''t like that smile. The hairs on his neck rose as his instincts saw him take a few steps back. He shuddered. "Oh, my sweet disciple.

    There are so many things you need to learn. The Seven Schools of Magic, Blood Laws, Chaos Theory, and so much more."

    "You''re actually going to teach me?"

    "Of course. But more than that, I''m going to teach you how to use your Omniscience. I don''t have the ability, but we know someone who had it. He¡ª"

    "Who?"

    Iliana grinned. "Mephisto, of course. He gave it up to Fall with the other Angels. A foolish thing. Though I believe there is reason for that¡­ A very interesting reason.'' Her smile did not meet her eyes as she peered into Altair''s eyes, measuring his depths.

    "Uncle said something along those lines. But why?"

    "A bout of madness, or so he ims. I can never tell if Mephisto is lying. No. I doubt he ever lies. He is hiding something, and I have an idea what."

    Altair leaned closer. "What is it?"

    "Secrets," she flicked him on the forehead andughed when he winced. "I keep his secret, and he tells me what I need to know. I''m not that interested in the man."

    "So you ckmailed him."

    "I politely asked, and he set the guidelines, which I epted. Nothing more, nothing less. He seemed more than willing, despite how busy he is." She eyed Altair to see how he had taken the news; Altair looked annoyed. "Don''t like secrets, do you? Well, there isn''t a reason to be so cautious. Mephisto won''t kill you.

    He rarely kills anyone."

    "I don''t get it. Why would he fall like the others? Isn''t Heaven absolute? I don''t get it. You''ve been there, right?"

    "All he said was that it was done out of madness, with that typical smile. The rat bastard. But we are not here to talk about Mephisto." she sprung to her feet, outstretching her arms till her toes stretched out, too. "Get some rest. And you better hope you''re alright. I''ve alreadyid down an expensive formation.

    So tomorrow, before first light. You and me."

    And she left, vanishing behind the door.

    Altair groaned, suddenly breaking out in a sweat. He was not alone; Medusa and even Tasha, whoy unconscious, were sweating. He gulped, throwing a hand through his matted, unsure why there was such an oppressive sensation rising within him. Iliana hadn''t done anything yet he felt like he had lifted a mountain and had been forced to do squats.

    "My Master¡­ how strong is she?"

    Medusa did not answer. Could not answer, though her silence was all the answer Altair needed.

    He would be certain his father and uncle would probably give him the same response.

    "Is she stronger than my Father?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Medusa shuddered. "Your Father¡­ "She shook her head and nced at Tasha, scowling. "I can''t say for sure. Not since he appeared. You''ll have to ask your uncle. He would know."

 Chapter 407 Realm of Madness I

    "How are you feeling?" Medusa''s silky voice reached out.

    Languidly, Altair gentlyid back as thest of the Elysium Root tea was consumed. Torrents of Mana surged through his meridians to gather in his heart.

    He gave a low growl of a wolf as the Mana traveled through some of the Meridians that he had ruptured but held steadfast by creating an artificial pathway with refined Vale Qi.

    Slowly, the pain on his face crept away to a serene expression.

    "Sleepy. Does Elysium Root do that?"

    "I think you are confusing tranquility with weariness," Madusa exined softly, brushing the hair from out of her Master''s face. There was a tenderness to her touch that seemed missing these past few days.

    ''She is mad at me. Yet she can still smile like that. Women are such odd creatures.'' "How long will it take to produce more Elysium Root?"

    "Couple months. The Gardens of Stygian are one of the most fertile I''ve ever witnessed. And with the blessing of Hestia, we should be able to cut down thousands of years to a few months." Medusa paused, hesitating. "I¡­ we do have more, but I gave them to Syris."

    As if he had not heard or cared, he waved off her concern."It''s fine. Thends of the Duchy are bountiful. There are bound to be resources here or across Almore. And¡ª" he smiled.

    "And¡­"

    "And I have you. A swordmaid who is quite the botanist." his grin seemed almost childlike. "Reina will adore you."

    Medusa''s cheeks blossomed with color. "Get some sleep, your grace. You''ve got a long day tomorrow."

    He watched her scamper out of his chamber andughed but did not fall asleep as she suggested. Rather, he closed his eyes and felt the Mana in him slowly bing one with the Vale. Each cycle through his meridians and around his heart, Altair felt the taint of his Vale Qi tarnishing the almost amethyst glow of his Mana.

    It was still nearly a couple of Dao Cycles off from bing one with the Vale, but the more the Mana became Tarnished, the more he felt at peace with it.

    Name: Altair ckwood

    ss: [ King of the Vale III: Lv 1¡ú Lv 100]

    Mana Circle: [Sixth Circle: 0 ¡ú 41%]

    Strength: 3000 ¡ú 3300

    Dexterity: 3800 ¡ú 4200

    Constitution: 4000 ¡ú 4600

    Wisdom: 5000 ¡ú 5600

    Charisma: 5000 ¡ú 5600

    Mana: 450

    Omniscience Lv 1

    Compulsion [D]

    Proficiency: 12%

    Spirit Domain [C]

    Range: 150m

    Proficiency: 15%

    Sword of the Vale [F]

    Proficiency: 57%

    Sword Limit: 2

    Dual Cultivation [C]

    Proficiency: 90% ¡ú 0%

    Deste Abyss [F]

    Multiplier: 2.5x

    Proficiency: 65%

    Deste Descent [F]

    Proficiency: 99%

    Eye of Sacrilege [B]

    Proficiency: 10% ¡ú 11%

    Fallen Necromancy [C]

    [Proficiency: 0%

    Soul Storage: 100/200

    Foresight [E]

    Proficiency: 57% ¡ú 99%

    Grave of Night [C]

    Proficiency: 69%

    Hands of the Incubus [F]

    Proficiency: 80% ¡ú 98%

    Hellish Rebuke [F]

    Proficiency: 97%

    Infernal Bane [D]

    Proficiency: 56%

    Infernal Lightning [D]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Proficiency: 78% ¡ú 98%

    Rune Work [E ¡ú D]

    Proficiency: 0%

    Sovereigns Gale [E ¡ú D]

    [20m]

    Proficiency: 0%

    Vale Maniption D]

    Proficiency: 50% ¡ú 80

    Mana Maniption [C]

    Proficiency: 60% ¡ú 70%

    Ninth Form, Aeron C]

    Proficiency: 70% ¡ú 90%

    Soul of the Indomitable [C]

    Proficiency: 60% ¡ú 70%

    Primal Instincts [E]

    Proficiency: 99%

    Altair sighed in amazement at how much he had grown thanks to the Elysium Root and his week-long tryst with Tasha.

    ''ording to the System Logs when it came back online. Elena granted me a single percentage, Tasha gave me over thirty percent, while the rest came from the Elysium Root.''

    He nced at Tasha below his bed, curious to know how much of her Mana she had held back. As a devil, Tasha was without equal in terms of attributes and Mana. She was an apex race. Perhaps not amongst other demons, but in general, she was within the top twenty, Altair told himself.

    Calmly, Altair regted his breath, barely over a whisper, opening himself to the Ninth Form, breaking whatever serenity he might have found with the Elysium Root, and tightening his already closed eyes.

    Suddenly, hundreds of pearly red eyes opened within a shadowscape of darkness, all watching him, each one swirling about as if to cross-examine him. Mouths opened from the darkness, exposing jagged, hooked teeth not even a shark might have, opening and closing around him.

    Altair gulped, suddenly conjuring a vale sword as he spun, shing with a¡­ clone of himself. An image that held darker skin and eyes of burning fire, bleeding out. Sucking in a deep breath, he broke the sword bind with a flick of the wrist, pushing the both of them back several steps.

    "Who!"

    "It is I, boy!" The ptine ented voice of the Vale King thundered through the darkness, the madness. "You havee a long way. Wee to my world!"

    Blood oozed from the darkness, sliding down the night as if it were a wall, slowly turning to a tainted bile the further it traveled, ever downwards.

    Altair stomach churned. "You can''t be here!"

    "A battle of supremacy!" The Vale King went on as if he hadn''t heard. "I don''t like that you have the reins. It should be split down the middle. Shouldn''t it?"

    "...You can''t be here!"

    "You epted me!" The Vale King thundered to be heard. "Each desire I held, you followed through with. Did you think there would not be consequences? Perhaps if you had used your omniscience, but even with all that power, you still choose to be ignorant." he crackled. "It''s not your fault. You were raised like a mortal. While I a ptine."

    "You''re delusional." Altair found the words, taking a step into the mouth, snapping into his ankle. Painnced up his spine as he roared. When he tried to jerk his foot out, it was gone, eaten by the madness around him.

    Torment, unlike anything he had ever faced before, struck him like a battering ram, raising tendrils of veins to wiggle across his flesh like worms as he desperately tried not to scream, to give the Vale King the satisfaction of his cries. He would not allow him that.

    "Each time you close your eye, each time you savor that orgasm in one of those tight cunts of yours, you shall face me. You shall face me to the death, and if I win. I gain control. If you win¡­ well."

    "No¡­" Altair breathed. "That''s madness!"

    "You epted me, Altair Snow! You epted me." The Vale King snapped. He pointed the jagged sword of Vale Qi at him, buzzing with the thrumb of lightning. "This is the price that must be paid. You and I shall battle for eternity! Until one of our wills breaks."

    Altair mind swirled, and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

    "If you thought what we did to Tasha was fun, you will learn! There are so many holes to be plugged, so many kingdoms to be conquered, and so many more to kill."

    "That isn''t the way."

    "I¡ª"

    His eyes opened, and a cold sweat trickled down Altair''s forehead, startling him. The first thing he noticed was the moonlight peering through the chamber window. The pain in his leg was gone, but the maniacalughter of the Vale King''s voice continued to resound through his head.

    He was back in the Dutchy, back in Almore.

    "There is a time limit," was the first thing he thought, opening himself to his Omniscience to confirm. Despair shrouded him like a veil when he learned it to be true.

    "Madness!"

    "No! No! No!" A torrent of baleful energy tore at the chamber walls, tearing the paint from off the walls. And a low feral growl raddled deep in his throat.

    "Let the eternal battle continue!" The Vale King dered.

    Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire

    Altair refused to believe it, diving into his Omniscience to learn the truth of the Ninth Form.

    Suddenly, the air suddenly felt heavy, and the sensation of falling overwhelmed him, pulling him down. He shuddered, falling down, down, down into the Realm of Spirits. Resisting the urge to close his eyes, to focus, shes of lights filled the infinite depths.

    He sought freedom but was given only despair, for there was no escape from the Eternal War of Madness. The Ninth Form only gave it a form and free will. His will.

    Anger red as Altair''s fist struck his bed, and a somberugh trickled out his lips. "Bastard¡­ Bastard. Damn you! Damn you to Hell. Can I not be happy!"

    As the next dawn approached, Altair''s foul mood was evident, facing Iliana on thewn.

    "Did you like my gift?" She asked him.

    "You did this?" he realized. "You condemned me with this bloody curse!" His voice was calm, yet the hatred was all the more evident with each word uttered.

    "With a bit of help." she nodded. "It''s quite the thing. Madness. Most people think it is a curse Azazel brought upon thend by teaching mortals and gods how to cultivate. I think that is false. I think madness is the price we may pay for the Almighty One using the Abyss as a source of fuel to power his Myriad Heavens.

    Madness. The Madness of the Queen is the price we all must pay."

 Chapter 408 Realm of Madness II

    "The Madness of the Queen is the price we all must pay."

    Altair gritted his teeth. He didn''t understand what that had to do with him. Damn the Abyss. Damn the Queen. He wanted only to be sane, not a lesson on history. History be damned.

    Furiously, he opened his mouth to speak his mind, but primal instinct held his mouth shut.

    No matter how Iliana behaved, she was fiercely loyal to her queen, to the Abyss. If he had criticism, it was best to leave it as thoughts.

    "Master¡­" he had to squeeze the words out. "How does this madness help me?"

    Iliana shrugged. "You''ve your father''s nasty habit of indulging. Matters of the flesh seem oh so sweet to you, Snows. We Abyssals understand. We are no different, especially after our queenmanded that no Abyssal shall reproduce asexually. So, for the first time in our history.

    We indulged in matters of the flesh with men."

    ''More history lessons.'' Altair had to bite back the curses on the precipice of his tongue.

    As if reading his mind, Iliana went on. "Don''t be so quick to dismiss my words, boy. It''s these very lesions that''ll keep you alive within the Abyss. Your torment is minusculepared to what you shall face there." she shook her head suddenly. "There are two ways to survive the elements of the Abyss. One is by being one with the Abyss.

    Knowing it, or being strong enough on your own to resist it. You are far from that."

    Altair might have flinched if anger had not permeated his features. "The Elements? Surely you¡­"

    "The Spatial Winds, within the confines of space, can kill even a Fell God, myself included in some Zones. Dead Laws could spring up, and you somehow find that the Element of Destruction has eroded other Dao, turning you into a mist before you know it.

    Battle between Lesser Abyssals; those not yet blessed with conscious thoughts are frequent, many strong enough to force their way into the Omnis Ranking: This is the type of ce my Queen seeks to banish you to."

    "Dead Laws¡­ can do that?"

    "You are currently in a Refined World, so there is little chance of creating Dead Laws, even if you use Almighty. For Almighty was used to refine the rest of the Tower." Iliana folded an arm beneath her breast and stared. "You''ve been extremely lucky, or Athena or some of your other patrons have paid quite a price to keep you alive when Dead Laws do descend. But they are dangerous.

    I once stepped into an area where there was no such thing as ''Force.'' I nearly died, forced to create my ownws then and there; in the same instance, my cells lost structure.

    Experience exclusive tales on empire

    Altair drew in a deep breath and released it, alongside his anger, to possess the calm of a stillke. A difficult thing, with the madness raging on inside his head. He had managed to keep all his emotions in check. All except lust. He could do nothing about that. But it was enough that at least one of his desires was out of control.

    Two at the most.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "What is this training?"

    "Two types of training," Iliana said joyously, patting him on the shoulder. It was only then he realized how tall she was. She was nearly as tall as he was. "The first is your eternal battle with your other you. You needn''t despair so much. That part of you is a fragment.

    It cannot torment you long. Five hours a day tops with how weak you are. You''ll train with him. Or rather, he''ll kill you a lot. Take this time to learn from him. That mere fragment is everything you hope to be but crueler.

    Crueler in ways that will break you if you let him lose."

    ''The second type of training will be with me, training both you and¡ª"

    "The Vale King"

    "Sure. The Vale King. When he is loose, he will die by my hands." she gave a flourish of her palm, and an intricate formation emzoned with abyssal runes came to the surface of thewn. "Hades is quite the genius for creating such a formation. So I stole it and made it my own. This formation will keep you alive no matter how much I kill you."

    "I don''t want to¡ª" HIs world went to ck at the palm he could see but not resist, touching his forehead. His head was probably a mist by now, he thought, finding himself once more within the dystopian Realm of Madness.

    Hundreds of red eyes and mouths, gleaming with jagged teeth, rose as if to swallow the Shadowscape and him, the Vale King, wielding a sword of ckest night.

    "Draw your de, ckwood,'' he demanded.

    A jagged fang of Vale snapped into Altair''s palm, shaping into a longsword. In his off-hand, another appeared, as he stared, opening himself to the Sword Path, to the world of perfection: Hundreds of shes, strokes, and thrusts that foretold greatness.

    "You''ll only die quicker!" The Vale King dered, nting a foot forward. He vanished, and the twenty paces that separated them were crossed in an instant.

    Altair didn''t have time to wonder how the Vale King could skip through space while he could onlymand speed, which made him appear as if he had teleported bypressing space. His de shrieked, arcing into a turbulent gale that shed against the Vale Kings.

    Embers fountained into the night, illuminating the ghoulish eyes and mouths guing the realm.

    And as quickly as they shed, a hundred more followed. Shadow de, Severing Edge, Devouring Night, Falling Moon, Heavens End, ck Abyss, and Grave of Night all seamlessly erupted in a sh so defying the two appeared a like ck sun.

    Most of the forms Altair had never used. His body simply couldn''t handle the power, but he had no choice. Not only was the Vale King proficient in each of the Seven Forms of Grave of Night, but he had achieved a level of mastery Altair never imagined was possible.

    ''Combinations!'' he thought, battered by hundreds ofcerations across his body. To say nothing of his shattered bones and injured internal organs now mush form his poor proficiency over the Seven Sword forms of Grave of Night. He was alive only due to desperation, he knew, clinging to hope. Yet no matter what he did, The Vale King always held the advantage.

    Unlike him, the Vale King had hundreds, thousands ofbinations in which he swung his sword with each form, forcing him into a trap that he could not even defend against but rather had to sacrifice either a limb or a deepceration. He always chose thetter.

    "Die, die, die!" The Vale King roared as his sword wove a pattern of a rose blossoming thousands of petals, scarlet as blood and as evil of sin. Altair blinked, omniscience devouring everything he could as his head, arms, eyes, and fingers were shredded to pieces.

    ****

    "I win!'' The Vale King crackled. "I always win!" he grinned, turning to face the amused Iliana. His smile deepened, and his ptine voice grew ever more regal. "Even if I lose. I''ll at least scar your body. Perhaps I will im it."

    "In all the myriad heavens, there isn''t a greater hand-to-hand master than I." she dered. "In all of the Myriad Heavens, there is no greater Arcanist than my sister Renru. Weakest amongst us generals, her mind is absolute. And we, Abyss, all possess the ability to share each other''s lived experiences. To be the other while being ourselves. We are a hive mind, boy.

    If you think you can scar me. Even as a mortal, then you are either arrogant or a fool. Perhaps both."

    If the Vale King was perturbed, he did not show it, electing augh. "Altair has just begun to Master Patterns. But you. How far are you? How high have you reached?"

    "Me?" Iliana grinned. "It''s funny how a worm that has yet learned to crawl approaches a god, demanding such knowledge." Her lips thinned, and an otherworldly resistance pulled at causality. "Come at me, boy. Let your master shatter that foolish notion of yours."

    The Vale King was without fear, even as his body trembled with knowing, even when the Heart of Darkness thumped furiously in his chest. He would forever walk towards his death without fear. Undeterred and Unsullied.

    He bounded forward, pushing Sovereign Gale to its absolute limit, weaving his sword into such an intricate pattern it seemed almost impossible to gage the shes. Yet effortlessly, Iliana weaved through them with the grace of a dancer.

    "For your Omniscience," she dered as her forefinger moved across empty space.

    In a single instance, the Vale King saw, or rather perceived, an attack that existed as a one-dimensional attack, somehow divided into two, then four, then six, stretching into infinity, exceeding the perceived limit ofprehension.

    "To be an Archeon, one needs not to surpass infinity but break it." she proimed, lowering her finger. "To reach Paragon, one needed to devour Infinity or whates after the Breaking. Let this be my lesson to you, child."

    Blood trickled down the Vale King''s nose as the Vale Sword in his palm disbursed. He stumbled back, inches from Iliana, and tumbled to his knees. A look that could not be perceived whirling through his eyes as he looked up at her.

    "You are my Master¡­" And he was gone, turned to less than particles, his conscious mind returning to face Altair within the Dystopian Shadowscape.

 Chapter 410 The Rise of The Forsaken

    Raven could not resist the scowl on her face, nor the Vale wrought ive from appearing in her hand. And moved like a ck sh.

    There were a few gasps followed by shouts of ''wait'' and ''don''t be foolish,'' but Raven heard none of it. This woman, Iliana, simply didn''t deserve to be her Master''s anything. She was a bully. An arrogant bully who deserved no better than death.

    Sword and ive shed. And the world appeared to dim beneath them, illuminated only by the fountain of ember fountaining towards the skies. Icy fury that made the sun feel coldly zed from the Forsaken''s eyes as she struck in quick session using a de, polearm, and fist in tandem.

    They moved as if in a dream, their blows heavy, and their bodies blurred and exaggerated. Sound appeared to follow only after they moved, unable to keep up as they took their battle to the skies.

    Iliana seemed shocked. "Another Grandmaster. Interesting." her sword snapped like a whip across the polearm, forcing Raven back twenty paces. "It''s just not enough. You must have learned from watching. You''ve got some nice eyes." Read exclusive adventures at empire

    Raven breathed, but the tension in her body never lessened. She could pounce at any given moment. They had only shed a few hundred times, but in that single breath it took, she felt the difference. Not just in skill but power and experience. Iliana outssed her in every category.

    "Go. Tend to your Master. You look like you''re about to cry. Any battle we have will go in one ear and out the other."

    Raven had been about to protest, but Iliana did not give her that honor. She vanished much like the winds across the horizon.

    "You! You! Mean woman!" She screamed and Bit the vilest curse she knew. Stomping her feet in the air as if she stood on solid ground, she growled before hurrying to her Master. No one got in her way as men parted to make way.

    She brought him to the Medarc, who seemed to be in the middle of a lesson with Medusa when she kicked open the door. The two looked at her and said almost at the same time, "Again!"

    Raven blushed in her Master''s stead, though her voice was hard like steel, "Help him!"

    "Bring him here," The Medarc said. He sounded more annoyed than happy for one seeking to nurse their young master back to health.

    Raven red at the man; this was the one she needed to rely on. No. Never. She took a step back,ying her eyes on Medusa. A Sister of the Vale. A Forsaken.

    She would do.

    As if reading her mind, Medusa smiled, throwing an eye to the irritated look of the Medarc, ready to explode. She giggled but epted their Master with open arms.

    The Medarc certainly smelled like a Transcendent. They all had that ''clean'' aroma, but it didn''t matter to Raven. She wanted someone who would do their all. Not someone who would show irritation. If she had her way, the man''s head would be on a pike as a warning. Medarc or not.

    He might have served Arsene well in the past, but that was then, and this was now, or so Raven firmly believed.

    "You can leave," Raven said to the Medarc.

    He seemed surprised, then outraged. "Girl, this is my ward!"

    Raven''s eyes were as cold as ice, but her words appeared even colder. "Outside." She decreed in a ptine ent that brokered no room for argument, much less peace. Something in her stirred then, power. Authority. It seemed to dominate the ward, focusing on the Medarc. Medusa felt it, too, frowning uneasily.

    "Raven¡­" she said in a careful voice. "Master needs his rest; no need for¡ª"

    "I am his guardian." her amethyst eyes burned. "I will not have anyone. Anyone! That speaks of my master in irritation by his side. Even if they did right by him in the past."

    Near the door, Tasha popped her head in. "You heard the Kings Valeguard. Out. You know our Master''s temper.

    The Medarc grumbled something Raven had not even tried to make out. She had already called for the other Forsaken, channeling them to appear to guard the outside of the ward. Therion and Alyssa appeared, much like stone statues gripping Vale wrought swords and shields.

    "You can control them," Tasha said once he Medarc stormed out of the room, out of earshot.

    "My authority amongst the forsaken is second only to my Master. As his guardian, it is my right and their honor."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Raven hated the way she now talked. She wasn''t one tomand; she hated the idea of it. It felt wrong. All of it. She wasn''t a good leader. Worse, she was childish.

    A little slow and ignorant. But for her Master, she would do anything.

    Medusa chuckled. She hadin Altair down and had taken the girl into her arms. Only then did Raven realizerge pearly tears were flowing from her eyes. She had never felt so guilty before.

    "You think Big Boss Med will be mad?" she sniffled.

    Tasha nearly slipped. "Big Boss, what? Nevermind. He''ll be fine. He''ll probably forget the matter in a few hours. Men do strange things like that." Medusa nodded, echoing her thoughts.

    It had taken a rain of kisses from Medusa for the tears to stop and for Raven''s childlike smile to return, if only barely.

    "Will Master be alright?"

    "Yes. The tether is still alive; Master will be fine," she assured her before turning an eye to Tasha, and her words became colder. "What are you doing here?"

    Tasha answered as if she hadn''t heard the coldness. "Oh, just checking on Master. A month of training. I was sure he needed to relieve some stress." she nced around, and her voice became softer, almost to a near whisper, coated with Mana. Only the three could hear her now. " There are spies.

    That was obvious before, but it''s even more obvious now. These maids and guards were all conditioned by the imperial family and then the Dutchy. It makes sense there is a spy or two, but they are getting desperate. I think¡­"

    "Someone might try to assassinate Master," Raven said dully, the guilt in her heart disbursing like a mist on a new day. She looked Tasha in the eye, and the woman frowned. She wondered why. "Take them to the dungeons. Master gave the Imperial Family a warning. If this is them, then it''s a p to our face.

    I will not turn the other cheek."

    "That could¡­"

    "The Dungeon. Break them if you can. No, I know you can. Shatter their conditioning and have them spill everything to you. A spy who can be caught can''t be too useful. Not this early in the game of Courts and Thrones."

    Suddenly, Tasha grinned. The woman seemed to have many faces today. One minute, she is frowning, then smiling, and now proud. She needed to pick one.

    "I''ll do as you say. Plus, it''ll allow me time to practice. I have been feeling rusty."

    She was off before Medusa could say a word.

    "That could be an issueter."

    Raven nodded. She had learned much from watching her Master and Iliana battle. Much like how they could create hundreds of attack patterns with their bodies and swords, foreseeing near the future or some part of it, Raven knew she could do the same in terms of schemes. She only needed to open herself to the idea, to that part of the world.

    Altair would be better at it, she was sure; he already had the mind, the madness for it. Schemes were not something she liked, but if she could root up any scheme to have her master killed, then¡­

    "You said a week, right?" Raven asked to reconfirm her Masters status.

    "And then three to get him back to full power. Soul Exhaustion is a dreadful thing."

    Raven nodded. "Then I shall create more Forsaken in my Master''s stead. We shall go hunting. Whatever experience he gains goes to him anyway, so it''ll get him stronger. Perhaps if his soul is strengthened through the Origin System, he''ll awake sooner."

    "You can do that?" Medusa asked in disbelief. "Create more Forsaken. I thought¡­"

    Raven shook her head. She couldn''t before, but after Altair had broken through, that restriction was gone. She was sure the Vale Queen and Saintess could create Forsaken now, too. All it took was their master''s permission. But now that he''s unconscious¡­ There was nothing to stop them from raising an army.

    How she knew this, Raven could not say. It was a matter of instinct, much like how humans needed to breathe. Perhaps the origin system might register it within her when she begins raising Forsaken.

    "They will be Sired to me, but also Master. So, there shall not be any chance of betrayal."

    "...C¡­Can I do so, too?"

    "If you have to ask, then you probably don''t have the Authority," Raven decreed, a little regretful when she saw Medusa''s downcast expression. She didn''t mean to sound so hard. " Sorry. But I''m sure Master can grant you the authority."

 Chapter 411 Valeguard

    It took no more than a week to unearth and neutralize the hidden spies within the Maner of House Nier. Tasha''s relentless interrogation and Raven''s transformation of the captives into Forsaken had swiftly built an army of considerable might.

    An army that held enough power to challenge any Ninth Circle. Many of them were Ninth Circle themselves, which required more than a dozen Heartstones to raise them. She had been lucky to have the house Nier behind her.

    Despite the vehement objections of Alyssa and Therion, who were reced near their Master''s room with two Forsaken in the Ninth Circle, Raven made the strategic decision to appoint each as a captain within her Valeguard before leading an army of a hundred to Arkim.

    It was a bitter realization for Raven that when creating a Forsaken, she could not bring them back to life with the memories of their past lives. It was a disappointment, but in the grand scheme of things, it meant little. She needed bodies, an army. Whether they could remember or not was of little consequence. It was just a mere bonus to their character. That was all.

    The Old Duke, Lord Elgar De Nier, had bothered himself to follow, watching her like a hawk as if she had done wrong. ''Well, let him watch,'' she told herself, both hard and proud. Eyes towards the outskirts of the city. She ignored the feeling of doing wrong, no matter how strongly she felt. That had been insecurities, and she could not allow such things to get in her way.

    Arkim was as peaceful as she remembered it. More now than a month ago. "Therion!" she shouted, and the Forsaken Devil appeared like a vaporous shadow. "Inform the City Watch. Arkim is under martialw. By order of the Dutchess.

    Be quick."

    "As you say, Lord Commander," he saluted. She nearly cringed at the name.

    When he departed in a prismatic bar of light with the signed writ from the dutchess, they moved to invade the city. There would be no prisoners this day. No bouts of mercy. These animals had tried to Kill her Master, and there was simply no path for them but death itself.

    Lifting her Vale wrought ive, she shouted, in a voice that froze the sun, "For the Court of the ck Moon!" "For the Vale!"

    The Forsaken at her heel echoed her words, echoed in a harder tone as they entered Akrim, just as the barren horn tore across the air.

    Martial Law

    Tasha had said it would have been a detriment to all trade in the city, but that mattered little to her. It wasn''t her job to care about things like trade. If she cared so much, Tasha would have found a way; simply remembering such a thing, Raven''s bone-white knuckles popped, gripping her ive.

    By the time Therion had returned to takemand of his twenty-five men, alongside Alyssa with the same number, that quickly became a hundred strong with the aid of the City Watch bolstering their forces, they had marched off under her explicit order.

    In her mind, hundreds of strings connected to each other, connected to hundreds of thousands ofbinations of how the enemy could react. Akrim wasrge. Larger than even Zamphis. She hardly had enough men tobat her problems, Ninth Circle or not.

    A n pulled each string, each action, and reaction together to coalesce in her mind, and before long before she knew it, they had begun raiding several points of interest, dens where imperial family dogsid their heads. They had expected nothing when men kicked open the door, charging in to stain the hardwood floor red.

    They all died like dogs, and their heads were ced on pikes for the ravens to peck at. Brothels, gambling dens, unground fights, clothing stores, and various named houses where a few nobles lived.

    She struck with their pants down. Those who tried to fight were easily run through before they could summon their weapons. Those who raised their hands to surrender had the honor to die painlessly. The same could not be said for their remains.

    By midday, Akrim was silent, children watching through cracks in the door where they were quickly pulled away by their mothers, frightful by the bloodshed.

    All of it left a bitterness in her mouth, a bitterness that turned her stomach.

    "My Lady¡ª" The Commander of the City Watch, Ga''ab Sortar, stared but was subsequently taken out of it by the palm that cracked like a whip from Tasha.

    "You are addressing The Lord Commander of the Young Master Valeguard." Your next read is at empire

    If Ga''ab Sortar was perturbed, he did not show it; nodding indifferently, wiping the blood from off his lip, he ced his status as a Transcendent to the side.

    "I was blind, Lord Commander. Will you forgive me?"

    As much as it pained her, Raven kept her face like stone. She nodded. "What do you have to say?"

    "In the ensuing chaos, ten men tried to escape from the north and south entrance. They have been taken into custody."

    "Were my orders not clear, Watch Commander." It was not a question.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Beads of sweat gathered alongside the brow of Ga''ab. "They are close allies of the Duke, Lord Commander. Friends who¡ª"

    Raven pulled her attention to the Old Duke, fuming where he stood. "L-Lord Commander, shall I handle this?"

    Raven might have given him the face he deserved if she found he could be of help, but¡­ "Your Grandson is being plotted against. And this¡ª" she nced at the Watch Commander.

    "They are from the House of Varon, Lord Commander."

    Her gaze returned to the Old Duke. "Can you do what is necessary?" she demanded.

    "Of course, girl, I¡­I mean Lord Commander. Even retired, I am still a duke." Raven gave a nod, though it was not at the Old Duke but Tasha.

    "See that he does. Watch, Commander, the headless bodies will be burned; make it a spectacle. Let Akrim see what is to happen to those who plot against the Young Master, Nox De Nier. Participation is not up for debate."

    ****

    "Altair, Altair Altair,'' The Vale King said, rolling a bloody hand through his silvery hair. "I do believe I''ve lost count of the number of times I''ve killed you. Give it up. As fast as you grow, I grow faster."

    As the thousands mouths across the ckness of space gnawed at his flesh, their thousand eyes ring at him, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, ck as ink. He growled, pulling himself out the jagged teeth of these creatures, and red at the Vale King.

    "You cannot win! You have died more times than you''ve breathed. Stop this madness and surrender yourself to me."

    Altair glowered at the man. Give up? Him? He was either a fool or desperate. The pain, the humiliation, he could bear. It was his duty.

    His duty to Reina, Syris, and even Raven. To give himself away was no different than betrayal. He had not fallen so low as to disregard the women he loved, the kingdom he had built just because of shame or defeat.

    The Vale King''s lips tightened against one another. "How long can you hold this belief? It has been a mere week. And I have years. Years! After a thousand years, a thousand cycles, a thousand Dao Cycles, and a Thousand Chaos Cycles, how long do you think you can hold me back!"

    How long he could hold out, he could not say, but it didn''t matter. That was then, and this was now. And that was all that mattered.

    "I will break you!" The Vale King said, forging his sword of Vale to appear in his hand.

    Altair wanted tough. His shadow appeared more desperate than he was, but he could not me the man. It was maddening to exist in this hell where even space gnawed at your flesh.

    The Vale King, however, was right. He was growing stronger at a frightening rate; as fast as he learned, the Vale King learned just as quickly. A consequence of sharing the same Soul me. Perception and Comprehension were roughly equal. No, they were equal. The Vale King only had the luxury of living in the Madness of this strange Realm.

    He could only dream of being free, one day, training without distractions to support him.

    "Again," He said, reforging his Vale-wrought sword like he had done a million times before and bounded forward like a flood dragon, shrouded by sword intent. des of despair and desperation danced, exploding into a ck sun devouring light. When he fell, he rose once again, bringing himself from the aimlesske of blood that could drown a man. He rose anew, ready to fight again.

    And again, and again. And again. Over and over, they shed, each time their battle bing longer and longer.

    ***

    Within the Castle of Sygian, Arsene stared at the letter his little brother had tossed his way and grinned. "Is this your way of formally asking me to a dance?"

    Zariel wasn''t the least bit phased. He was so boring.

    Snatching up the letter, he frowned, lifting his gaze to Zariel. "You want my son to go to Bios? He''s not ready yet."

    "He cannot refuse the Archon''s request. He is not nearly as strong as he believes," Zariel said as if he were not talking about his nephew. Cold bastard. "Plus¡­ I want you to go with him."

    "Me? What happened to secrecy? We''ve only halfway recovered. It will take about a hundred years for this bloody Soul Exhaustion to fadepletely."

    "Sometimes¡­" He said in a strained voice. "I think you forget you are not just one person. You are the Second Monarch of Hell, Lord Arsene Snow. You''ve all of the Nine Hells behind you."

 Chapter 412 : Honor

    Small beads of rain fell overhead, slowly turning into a downpour that left her soaked, Her breeches sticking to what Tasha often called her sinuous hips and thighs. A smallplement that would surely make her smile, but not today. Today, she wanted to feel sad.

    She had taken too many lives, all rightfully taken, but some that were surely innocent. Regardless, she couldn''t take the chance. Not when it concerned her Master. Were he to ever be in, she shivered at the thought all that he worked for would be over. Her honor would be stained, and a life without honor is hardly a life worth living.

    Honor? She wondered when she started caring about such things. Raven could still remember when words such as honor perturb her. She couldn''t understand it. At least not then. She did now.

    As the rain drummed across her matting hair, she reached for Zensu, the Fifth Form of Ethereal Grace. A slow, rich, and smooth pulse of something untouched and unsullied surged through her body, suffusing itself into her, caressing every crevice of her being. For a moment, she felt those sensations leave her: Pain, guilt, worry, even joy, and more, all seeming to lift themselves out of her.

    There was only cold purpose now. Cold, icy reasoning, untethered by anything but her honor.

    She was one with herself then, one with the Vale, spreading to fill that void where her emotionsy.

    By the time she realized it, Raven had returned to the manor of House Nier. Coldy, she tugged at the reigns to Cloud, her master Warhorse; the young stallion stilled, allowing her time to get off, sliding into her shadow to be called either by its master or her again. It was the same for the other Forsaken behind her.

    They were all young,cking even the most basic knowledge she hadn''t the time to instill in them; they needed to return to the World of Shadows, the Realm only Forsaken could enter within their Master, to begin their education. It would be there where they''d learn how to properly speak and develop skills that did not pertain to senseless killing.

    After a while, once thest of the Forsaken had vanished, to the amazement of the guards¡ªwhy were they so stunned¡ª she made for her Master''s ward. Through narrow corridors, the sound of trashing roared, and a strange, almost icy sensation snapped like a whip across her mind.

    "Master!" The emotions that had left returned, and dread raced, shrouding her in cold sweat. She bounded forward, catching sight of the door where she had explicitly ced two Forsaken. They were both gone. She burst through the door, nearly tearing the thing off its hinges; her gaze snapped to Medusa and Iliana and the two Forsaken inside, watching her master, thrashing like a wild beast in chains.

    It took only a moment to realize that the one who was trashing was not her true master but someone else, something else. His other self, the Vale King.

    Spittle left his lips as he roared, "Release me this instant! Now! Release me or kill me!"

    "I must say, a man like you ought to learn humility. If youe out and try to ruin all your other-self created, then that would be an issue for everyone involved, including the Abyssal Twins. I can''t have that." Iliana was saying in an unbothered voice.

    "He is me! Why would I destroy what he has created!" The Vale King demanded.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Raven moved closer, a scowl growing every present across her lips the closer she became. She would not have her Master caged like a dog. He deserves better than that. Even if this persona was not her Master but his other self, the Vale King, he was still her Master.

    A Vale wrought ive appeared in her palm and shed, slicing through the chains that seemed to be warded against the user but not the assant. The chains split, falling to everyone''s surprise.

    "If you want him trapped, Ward the room. But my Master will not be chained!" she dered. He was not a dog, and she would have no part in such madness. It was a bit of a disappointment that Medusa, of all people, would allow such a thing. She thought better of the woman. It was understandable for the Two Ninth Circles.

    They were very much like children. They couldn''t understand much, but not Medusa.

    "Return to your post," she continued to the Forsaken. "Go."

    They saluted and hurried off without the need to be told twice. At least they weren''t stupid.

    "Now, this is what I''m talking about," The Vale King decreed, rubbing his wrist. "Ever the valiant ck knight, my lovely guardian."

    Raven tried to hold back the spots of color from rising across her lips. It was only a few words, but she felt her chest ache with the need to throw herself into his embrace and sing to him for all that she had done. Perhaps if he had heard, she might be praised. He might even run a hand through her hair or offer head pats.

    The Vale King stood up, eyes set on her, with an almost bemused expression that turned to a smile. What was he smiling at? Surely not her. Not with Medusa or Iliana present.

    Taking her palm, he kissed it, "A gift from both halves," he said, his voice warmly sonorous.

    She blushed, pulling her hand away. "Raven greets you, Master," she curtsy, graceful enough to make even the Lords of Hell feel she was of royal blood. "I''ve dulled out punishment on all who would see you dead."

    The Vale King hummed a response. A cold, icy response. "On whose authority."

    Raven suddenly felt her lips turn dry. Had she done wrong? Surely not. "By my own, your grace. You were¡ª"

    "What did you do." He demanded, and all eyes turned to her. She was grateful the pulse of Zensu had begun to react, pushing back her uncertainty. If not, she might have fumbled over each word.

    She told them everything. The schemes against him, and the lives taken, even the parade of men and women heads on pikes, for all who betray the name, Nox De Nier. By the time she finished, startled faces had filled the ward. Even her master was looking at her strangely.

    "Did I do wrong?" Experience tales with empire

    "Wrong?" Ilianaughed. "A girl of my own heart."

    "I would agree," the Vale Kingughed. He knelt before her, and a type of shame she never knew filled her. A lord was not meant to kneel before his guardian.

    Lifting her head by her chin with one finger, a smile that seemed to touch his eyes reflected across her amethyst eyes.

    "You''ve done right by me and my other half. A fine job you''ve aplished. A fine job indeed." And the Vale King''s smile turned slightly. How? She could not say. It seemed hungry.

    "I might ask you to help warm my bed, but I don''t think these two would allow it."

    "Warm your bed?" Raven blinked. "I can get you a bed warmer or create a ward that''ll do the same." They all blinked as if she was crazy. "What? Is there something on my face? Are you all hungry?"

    Medusa attacked her, throwing her arms around her neck and rubbing against her cheek with a big, bright smile. She hadn''t noticed it before, but even when Medusa moved, she was sinuous in every way that mattered. More than that, it was as if she didn''t need to try.

    "You are just too innocent! Don''t you dare deflower such a maiden?"

    "Why not? There is power in corruption," The Vale King replied. And Iliana nodded in agreement. "He is right."

    ''Monsters the both of you!" Medusa snapped, bearing her fangs like a snake defending her egg.

    '' Am an egg?'' she wondered, smiling at the image of an egg with her colored hair and eyes that suddenly popped into her head. She giggled as it bounced up and down, waving at them.

    "Well, if I''m not allowed to im the girl, then what can I offer as a reward? I am not without my pride. The girl has learned to hunt. She must be rewarded." He said as if it were the most natural thing. "Perhaps I could create a blood ring. They would match her eyes.

    The hearts of a hundred¡ª"

    Iliana bonked him on the head. "Always with the killing. Reign it in, boy. I''ve little patience for this type of talk. If you must kill thousands of people, at least make it have meaning."

    The Vale King tsked, clutching his head. "Fine. I''ll let Altair decide. Bloody bunch of bitches.'' he said thatst part under his breath, receiving another bonk on the head from Iliana.

    Raven had not seen the woman smile so warmly before; she almost seemed happy. Raven didn''t like the woman very much, but even she had to admit it. Iliana was a beauty beyond the stars themselves.

    Scrubbing his head, he red, then said in a softer voice, "If I promise not to kill anyone in this manner unless attacked, can I tour it? Surely that is reasonable. I am still Altair, you know. I am still Nox De Nier."

 Chapter 413 : Resolve

    The Vale King was not too happy being escorted by anyone, especially Raven, his Guardian. At least she was hot. The girl certainly had an ass on her. Nothing like Alyssa, who was nothing but. Still, he was content, at least for now.

    A promise was a promise, even if he hadn''t much intention of keeping it. He was not Altair. The fool king. He was better than that. Better than him in every way. He had to be.

    To be standing here with Raven.

    Brooding, he nced at Raven. The girl, the woman, he decided, had grown. That nativity still lingered here and there, but a now poised de had been instilled within her. All it needed was to be tempered and polished.

    He could do so for her. It would be a simple thing. A few missions, a few talking. Her mind was easily swayed when it came to him. Yes. Perhaps he would temper her.

    "Raven!" She jumped at the stern abruptness of his voice and turned to face him. "You''ve done right by me. It seems to me you''ve fully epted your duty as my Guardian. Tell me. Do you have the resolve to continue? The ruthlessness that is required for my ascension?"

    Raven''s expression hardened with a nod.

    "The Duty of a Guardian is a strong one. Not only must you submit to me, you must be stronger than me to protect me." She seemed startled by that fact, and he could hardly me her. "I''ve many enemies. More now than ever. How can you expect to protect me if you are not stronger than me? You''d be useless if you were only as strong as me."

    A sudden paleness caught the young maiden. She wobbled, unsure of herself. "Useless¡­" she muttered almost to herself.

    The Vale King''s smile was cold. "Quite. What good would guards be if none of them could protect me and I had to do it myself? The answer is simple: Not very good guards. As my Guardian, you must be stronger than me yet still submit to me. Do you submit Raven?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    She fell to her knee over thewn without the slightest drop of hesitation. " You are my Master. And I shall be your shield and your sword."

    Thawing the coldness that caressed his lips, the Vale King''s smile warmed. This was how it should be, how it was meant to be.

    "I cannotmand you like I do the other Forsaken, but that matters not. We are tied together, you and I. Do not forget that."

    When she rose, the young woman seemed harder than before. A cool resolution burning in those sweet amethyst eyes. She would be ripe soon, perfect for the taking.

    He grinned inwardly, knowing Altair was watching, raging at what he had done. It mattered not. Talent like Raven was wasted on such a man. If he could not see it, then it was his responsibility to cultivate it; Her sense of innocence be damned.

    Read new chapters at empire

    ****

    Only at noon did Altair regain control of what had been lost. He glowered at the water, bashing the reflection of himself away. He hated it. Hated it all.

    It wasn''t so much the Vale King''s actions that bothered him. They certainly had, but the strange feeling that he had given the one to give out those orders. It was an annoying feeling that he could not understand. He was that person, yet he was himself.

    "It''s all a bloody mind fuck." He growled, grateful for the time limit. Five hours a day, the Vale King could walk through his shoes. Less if he ever won a battle, though notably he had not. And probably would not for a long time.

    Trying to rein in his anger, rather unsessfully, Altair finished his bath the Vale King had started before throwing on a simple white tunic, coat, and britches. He paused, catching sight of Raven through his window on the bailey training her ive arts. That brought a nasty scowl to his face.

    He had not wanted to admit it, but the Vale King was right about that one. Still, he did not have to like it.

    There would be no training for the next few weeks; with how heavy the soul exhaustion was, it all seemed like a joke, especially when he spoke it aloud. "I am experiencing Soul Exhaustion because my skill has transcended past what my body will allow." He could have understood if he had used thest three sword forms of Grave Night, but no.

    It had everything to do with what he experienced wielding a sword. Perfection.

    "I must sound like a crybaby." He grimaced, throwing himself on his bed. He hadn''t the heart to meet anyone today. Suddenly remembering something, he grinned. Vale Qi abruptly began to suffuse his body, drawing out his body''s warmth, turning him pale as a dead man, and rising like a me around him.

    "Arise Sif"

    Shadowy mes sprung from the gaping void of absence, swirling to take form. From the mes, golden locks of hair spewed out, caressing the newborn forsaken down to her ankles. Large blue eyes that seemed like a glisteningke glowed with natural innocence perhaps only children held.

    Sif was indeed a beauty. Nothing like Reina or Syris, much less Tasha or Raven, but she glowed all the same.

    "Master¡­" She muttered when all the shadow mes danced from off her body. Completely nude, she stood without shame or understanding. "I greet you." she fell to one knee as those innocent eyes slowly began to turn cold until there was nothing of the former girl he saw.

    A little taken back, he probed a bit. "Do you remember anything?"

    "I do not, your grace," Sif admitted. And with a hand to her breast, she smiled. "Though I feel¡­ relieved for some reason. d¡­ I don''t know why."

    "I see. You may rise. Get up. And put on some clothes. I ought to have some women''s clothing lying around." Sif sprung to her feet and quickly began searching the room for something to wear.

    Altair was watching her closely. Even now, he could feel that iciness in her chest growing. It was an odd thing to see. Most demons he raised were no different than humans; those he had risen without their memories were all warm, with a natural deposition to violence and chaos. Sif was different. Her emotional deposition was simr to one who had suffered greatly.

    But how could that be when her soul was wiped? To be this cold that he felt it spreading across the room left him frowning.

    He didn''t have much of an answer, even when Sif threw on some male clothing. He sighed, pointing to the thing as it morphed, or as Medusa called it, transfigured her clothing to match her body type.

    Her head seemed to bob at a mission well done, lifting to meet Altairs. "I''ve finished the assignment, Master."

    "So you have," he muttered absently. "So you have. Return to the Realm of Shadows for education. You may return when you''ve learned everything needed.

    The young forsaken bowed, condensing into a pool of darkness that merged into his being.

    It took a little while for his anger to be regted, about two hours before he found the strength to leave his chambers with a smile that did not look so crooked. Many of the maids scampered by with terrified bows, hurrying to avert their eyes. He couldn''t me them. Raven terrified them. The girl certainly dide into her own whenmanding authority.

    From the Vale King''s perspective, he could tell that she hatedmanding people, yet she was doing so with an iron heart.

    Sauntering into themon room, the dutchess rose, but he gestured her to be at ease with a smile that couldn''t reach his eyes, no matter how much he tried to force it. "Be at ease, Mother." The scornful emphasis on ''Mother'' did not go unnoticed. "You are a transcendent. You needn''t rise when greeting your son. Where is Noct? The little brat seemed to be missing."

    "I sent to Scara for his studies; the boy is getting to that age," she said but did not return to her seat. "There is a marvelous campus there. And¡ª"

    "And he''d be further away from me." The shudder that passed through her was all the proof he needed. "It''s a good choice. These days, I don''t even trust myself. It matters not. We will always do things for the protection of our true children." Finding a seat beside her, he chuckled when she took a seat down only when he had. "You needn''t be so cautious of me, Mother.

    I haven''t very much interest in the Dutchy.

    "You certainly rule over it with an iron fist." she said almost as scornfully as he spoke, ''Mother.''

    "I do what I must, just as you did what you did for Noct, though I am a bit disappointed. The boy would have reached his potential by my side."

    "Perhaps, but the eyes of any ruler are all fickle to a fault. What you feel today might be different tomorrow? And when one ys the game of thrones, there are only victors and deadmen. I''ll not have my boy cross someone who canmand a Devil."

    Altair looked at her. "As a ruler¡­ you fail, but as a mother. You are probably the best a boy can have. Serve the Dutchy well. What happens to it is up to you and¡­ Father."

 Chapter 415 Transcendent Comprehension

    A month. So many things had dropped by his table in such a short time that Altair felt less of a human but more of a ptine through and through.

    He had taken over the Dutchy with permission of the Dutchess, albeit all documents had to go through her still; she wasn''t much of an obstacle but a pair of eyes he deemed eptable, foreseeing issues or the men''s of hearts he could not read. A useful tool. Readtest chapters at empire

    The Duchess had a head on her, Altair had decided. She wasn''t a simple woman, though a bit too cowed in his opinion. As much as she tried to hide it, fear curdled in her eyes. Even the plebians might have noticed if they dared raise their heads in passing.

    Her fear was rather interesting to the Young Emperor. It seemed natural. Yet why didn''t she flee? The dutchess, Thedy, Corsant Delmur, was of the old blood, dating back far to the first king of Almore, said to have entangled themselves in the Ironbloods. She certainly had the power to survive on her own. So why stay?

    Was it love? Hope. Greed. The woman was a hard one. Altair could see it in as day when he was not in her presence, reviewing the time stream through his omniscience.

    She epted failure without a change of expression and victory without so much of as a smile. She never allowed outsiders to see her true face, though against him, it seemed different.

    "Why am I so different?" he had not realized he had spoken until the Duchess said, "Excuse me?"

    Altair nced at the woman in a simple white blouse peeking through the velvet coat she wore over. Despite being nearly a thousand years old, possibly older, Corsant appeared no older than he did, possibly a bit older, though that was her doing rather than cultivations.

    "It''s nothing¡­ mindless thoughts carrying out," Altair said, carrying on with his work. Truthfully, he hadpleted it hours ago and had been working on the various holograms Aurora had sent him via his Neurolink. Every so often, he often red his omniscience to grasp the various moving parts of his kingdom. In a way, he knew it better than Aurora, though he didn''t dare tell her that.

    Fidgeting through a report, the dutchess finger paused at one. "You''re spreading rumors; why?"

    "I''m not spreading rumors; it''s more like bolstering them." Altair gently said, finishing up a document about a prisoner transfer. Strange how such a thing had to through him. "You will be surprised at the stories a man can make up on his own. I simply picked out a few and allowed them to spread."

    "To what end?" Altair lifted an eye toward her. The woman wasn''t going to let it go. "If it were simply rumors, I wouldn''t have cared, but most is about Raven. What are you scheming?"

    Altair made his smile as innocent as a devil. "Mother, please, you''re embarrassing me. What will the Maids think if you say things like that?" He ignored the fact that there wasn''t a single maid in the study.

    White knuckles popped along the dutchess palm, crumbling the paper she held, then seamlessly, her anger faded. "What are you trying to do to Raven? There are quite a few nasty rumors about the girl. Some I fear would make even the devil blush."

    Altair doubted thest bit. "I need a monster. A name that needs to be entangled by fear that children ought to explode into fits of terror at the mention of her name. Raven will be such a character for me."

    Yes, he needed a monster. Raven was certainly strong enough; all shecked was a debut. He would give her one. Both on Terra and on Almore. Hidden beneath that, however,y something else. A trap.

    A scheme to anyone seeking his life.

    The Dutchess gave a start, but a knock at the door cut her off as Tasha strutted in. A minuscule shutter ran across thedy''s shoulders. Altair might have missed it if his domain had not been up.

    "Your Grace," she directed to Altair and "mydy" to Corsant. "The Valeguard have prepped a carriage for your departure. One of you and your Master."

    The time must have gotten ahead of Altair, for he had to double-check the time along his neurolink HUD.

    "Are you truly marching to Vastroph?" Corsant demanded. "The dutchy still needs your firm hand, you know."

    "Hardly, when Mother is here to govern," Altair said, forcing himself to stand. "Though you cane if you''d like. It would be nothing to take a detour to visit little Noctis."

    The dutchess''s eyes practically glowed; she was simply too obvious to anything concerning her son. There was a love there that no one coulde between.

    "If you think it wise¡­ then¡­What? What is with that look?" Her eyes were icy again. "Can the dutchess not visit her son? Don''t think I don''t know this is one of your schemes again."

    Altair shrugged. He couldn''t be bothered to exin what he had in mind. For all the power the woman had, she was a double-sided de, rather hard to handle whenever she thought Altair wasn''t looking. Many times, he had caught her trying to invade his study to snatch documents, though she had no idea he knew. Iliana had been teaching him about Wards and how to better utilize them outsidebat.

    Surprisingly, they had worked better than he had suspected. Despite being a Transcendent, not once had the Dutchess been able to sense one. The moment she tried to reach for the documents inside his desk, the wardings would feed her false information. Information he wanted her to know but couldn''t quite tell her.

    Iliana had told him his understanding, in general, had reached the level of Transcendent. And it made sense since his body couldn''t keep up. All he needed was adequate information, information she was more than willing to offer since they couldn''t quite train their bodies.

    "Tasha sees that the Dutchess has a carriage for herself." He blinked and suddenly smiled. "And see if the old duke would also like toe. With no one here to govern, I''m sure Father will be forced toe out of seclusion." A little taken back by the way Corsant nodded in agreement, he chuckled. "And do make sure you''ve taken enough food. It''ll take six months to reach Vastroph."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The Lilm gestured a graceful bow that made even Corsant''s courtmen look like fools. "By yourmand, your grace," and she was out the door.

    Altair followed after her, two Forsaken shadowing after him until he broke away to his chamber to grab a few things. He paused short of his bed.

    [DING]

    [Mission Sequence Avable: Clear away the Infestation within Vastroph!]

    Description: A Vampire Spawn has been born within the Ancient City of Vastroph. Each bite from a spawn can create another spawn, all subservient to the Vampire Lordmanding them. Kill the Vampire Spawns before Sanguine Hunger consumes Vastroph.

    Failure: The Loss of Your Identity as Nox De Nier

    Sess: ???

    Time Limit: Two Years

    Altair blinked, then frowned. "It''s ying like a story. If it continues like this, I''ll have to kill a vampire lord." he stroked his hairless chin before strapping his saber to his sword belt. "It matters not. I''ve six months until I reach Vastroph. Enough time to finish my training."

    Out the door onto thewn where his Forsaken awaited him, huddled around three carriages, he nced at Raven reigning Cloud in and approached. "I''ll be with Master. Act as a decoy in my carriage."

    Raven nodded like a solemn veteran, and Altair tried not to cringe. He hated the girl like this. She used to be so cheerful. Now was as strict as a soldier and as icy as winter. He sighed.

    He found Iliana in her carriage with a bottle of wine that he quickly snatched from her. "Oh, hell no! You''re not drinking until you ck out again!"

    "I did not ckoutst time!"

    "Like hell, you didn''t! I have a picture!"

    Iliana blinked in scandalous disbelief. "You would take a picture of your master cked out drunk! How un¡ª"

    "I lied. I just wanted you to admit it."

    Iliana coughed into her palm. ''Very good disciple. Very Good. You''ve learned so much." Though her eyes never left the bottle, she added, "What else would you like to learn today?"

    "Everything my body will allow me. There are Nine Circles of Magic, each grade doubling in power based on one''s Mana attribute. I want to finish my Arcane lessens. Yesterday, I tried flying. A Third Circle spell and was able to do so without issue. If I had mastered such a spell long ago, I would have had fewer problems back in Yarwin."

    Iliana, half frown, told him he was wrong."Flying is easy. Any idiot can do so, even in this refined world. What you need to do is learn to fuse flying and your elemental abilities. Right now, you possess a high enoughprehension of Infernal lightning to do so. The Arcanes are the building blocks of reality. When I move, I use the concept of destruction to erase space.

    That way, I can be anywhere I want instantly."

    "Doesn''t that interfere with¡­ I don''t know reality. Law and Order?"

    "Who cares? Leave it to Zariel to handle. That''s his job, anyway. He''ll fix it. Be a little selfish, disciple. Stop thinking of others.

    Now. Shall we start? Today, we are learning about the School of Evocation. And how to make it your bitch."

 Chapter 416 Meeting I

    The thrum of the Weave, or so Zariel had called it, had been a hint Altair had decided long ago. A phrase that he had overlooked amidst his battle for supremacy against the Vale King. Peering through his eyes, listening to words spoken by his persona, had given him a lot of time to think. To recount past actions and learn from them.

    The Weave he had learned was reality itself, woven into creation by the Almighty, containing everything to be and everything that was. And Zariel could not just see it but control it, nearly granting him nigh omnipotence.

    Altair wasn''t as arrogant as to believe he would obtain such a power. No. He was quite content with wielding omniscience. The only issue was how to wield it to his advantage. The idea had been rattling in his mind for quite some time, but he found it difficult to imagine creating a mental picture of what he was supposed to do.

    Iliana seemed to have a better idea of it but kept it to herself. ''Let''s grow your Soul first before anything else. You''re weaker than I suspected," was all she said over the matter.

    That had been infuriating, demanding he train his omniscience but offering no guidance. Altair nearly thought she was trying to deceive him in some way. He didn''t dare use his omniscience to find out; Iliana could sense such things. He had learned that the hard way.

    In the Realm of Madness, Altair did not have to worry about exhaustion or physical limitations. The realm he stood within offered him everything he could imagine. In a way, the world he stood in was a figment of his imagination. A dream in which he was trapped. Yet it was more than that. More than what he could grasp.

    He had tried using his omniscience, yet a surprising system message appeared.

    [The First King Has Forbidden You ess Regarding The Realm Of Madness]

    A sudden sting across his cheek pulled him from his thoughts back to the Vale King, who had just been struck. He felt everything the Vale King experienced.

    "I''m still your Master boy. If you want to get into my pants, have the decency to defeat me first," Iliana announced, calm yet firm.

    Altair could hardly believe the Vale King''s bravery. The man certainly thought with his cock before anything else.

    "It was only a suggestion. I figured since you like wine. You might want a tasting." He said seamlessly, taking that p without a moment''s pause. "I assure you. I am quite bold. With a hint of spice that''ll have you¡ª" she gave him a box right to the nose.

    It was Altair who winced. The Vale King only chuckled. "though I think you''ll be even more spicy if¡ª"

    She busted his lip this time, then ckened his eye soon after with the Vale King''s nextment. Altair was sure the woman was enjoying herself a bit too much.

    "The next word out of you had better be about the Arcane Arts, or I''ll drop you into Hell for the demons to have a go at you. We''ll see how spicy you really are."

    The threat had certainly worked for the Vale King, who did not push his luck, at least not with her. He certainly did with Medusa. At least he was honorable enough not to force her, not that he could. Out of all his Forsaken, Medusa was the first he had ever created that was not sired to him.

    That frightened the Vale King; Altair could sense as much. The man was many things, but he certainly knew how to y the Game, especially when he wanted to bed the serpent queen. She was a strong ally, and not just in terms of battle. Tending to the Garden in the Pce of Stygian was without a doubt the highest priority. That was a simple fact.

    Ruining his rtionship with Medusa or Hestia, her dearest friend, would not bode well for anyone.

    Altair suspected that was what the Vale King was thinking, for he did spend a considerable time flirting with her but also making idle conversation, building that rtionship. It was clear that Medusa did not find the Vale King as revolting as she once had. If anything, he made her smile at times.

    And that had caused Altair much fear, for he had to ask himself, "Would they prefer him over the Vale King." They were one and the same. The opposite of a coin. One simply couldn''t exist without the other. Yet¡­ what if Reina, Syris, or Raven preferred the Vale King over him?

    He had to kill him; He needed a way to kill the Vale King.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I need to train¡­ I need to train even harder." He swore, pulling himself away from the Vale King before he took everything away from him.

    ***

    By the time Altair had regained control over his body. He found himself in a thicket with Elena. His seed poured out the young woman''s garden like a fountain. She had a silly look on her, one that made him think of those he had seen in Zamphis strung out on something. And now she was a sloppy mess.

    He had brought her along for this reason alone; It gave him time to keep the Vale King away from those he loved.

    Elena had shown up at his manor a week before his departure, iming she had been under orders from her father. Whether that was true or not didn''t matter. The woman''s only purpose was to distract the Vale King.

    "no more¡­no more¡­ no more¡­" she muttered, with that silly smile, clutching her slightly swollen belly.

    If this kept up, she would be ruined in no time; Altair sighed, signaling for his Forsaken to clean her up before they resumed their travels.

    Altair himself spent a considerable amount of time with Iliana when she was not drunk on wine or hard liquor. She was a fierce woman with knowledge that could block out the sun. It was clear it was her first time teaching, for she struggled to find the words when describing various methods to spell work or wardings. But like him, she was a genius and adapted several times quicker than most.

    The rest of the time he spent with his friends and family. Especially Raven. She was changing so quickly that Altair wasn''t sure how to treat her. One thing, however, was clear. She didn''t like the Vale King much but would serve him all the same as she would Altair. That was the most he could ept.

    The Vale King wasn''t going to simply vanish. He was a lifelong adversity he had to deal with. His eternal foe.

    "Your Grace," Raven said, reining Cloud beside his carriage.

    Altair lowered little Atelia and peered out the carriage window. "What is it?"

    "We will arrive soon. I''ve already sent out three Forsaken to scout the academy. They have just returned. They im it''s safe."

    Altair nodded slowly. " You know what to do, right?"

    Raven nodded, repeating "Glory to the ck Moon " before she took off again.

    "That girl¡­" He really had no idea what she was thinking. "She hasn''t even begged for corn once this past month."

    "Is big sis alright, Papa?" Atelia asked, lifting her head from Altair''sp.

    Altair struggled to answer. "I-im sure she is¡­ I''m sure she is just trying to find herself."

    Medusa nodded, perhaps seeing what he was. " It''s a phase. Give her a month, and she''ll be jolly once more. She is discovering her duty. Let her find it."

    Altair hoped she was right. The empty detachment she now carried didn''t suit her face, he had decided, resuming time with Atelia while Medusa yed along.

    Laughter followed the carriage along the Race Way through several small viges clustered around the great city of Armeth. Men and women pointed at their carriage along the way. Some, without a proper head on their shoulders, dared to throw rocks but were quickly killed off by a Vale-wrought arrow exploding in the back of their heads.

    No one bothered them after that, as they made their way through the gates without the need to show identification. Raven had taken care of such little things in advance.

    Armeth was like any other city on Almore,rge with towering spires, buildings, and long crooked chimnies breathing foul air. Yet no one seemed to mind, spreading to part under the sight of the sigil of House Nier. They were all within the dutchy, after all. Only a fool would not recognize the Lords who held as much sway as the imperial family.

    "I count seven," Medusa said calmly, stroking Atelia''s head as the little girl lulled in and out of consciousness. Altair swore to find the little girl something she could do instead ofzing about. "All of them have their eyes poised on the carriage ahead of us."

    "That was the n." He said finally. "The Old Duke and the Dutchess are in that carriage. Let them handle this matter. The trap I''ve spun is only in its infancy. Once they see those two, they''ll retreat." he gave a knock at the window to Therion on horseback. He nced his way, understanding shing through his eyes.

    Altair couldn''t say when it happened, but that particr forsaken had slipped away from his caravan like a ghost without so much a hint of his departure. A perfect assassin if trained properly.

    Stay connected with empire

    Consulting the thrum of the Weave, he grinned, his eyes peering towards the school where Nox''s half-brother resided.

 Chapter 417 Meeting II

    The look Ashara had garnered from her Master nearly turned her bones to water as he dropped from his carriage. She could have kicked herself for listening to Gremory for what discord she had caused between Altair and her. Two Months. For two months, he had not touched her, but he had that hussy Elena, whose cunt was probably dryer than a desert. She surely couldn''tpare to her. A Lilm.

    ''So why?'' the thought came harder each day. ''Why not me?'' she forced herself to smile her most elegant gesture and bowed. "My Lord."

    "Ah, Tasha," he said in that t ptine ent. She doubted he was even aware of how much his mannerisms were shifting. The man certainly had the bearing of a king, more so now than he did a few months ago. "You''ll be my acting Sword Maid for the time. You are not to move unless Raven instructs you to."

    Ashara lifted a brow. It had been a while since she acted in any formal position other than his receptionist. Perhaps this was a way to get into her Lord''s good graces. She had betrayed him, she had realized, or at least the closest thing to it. Still, she never thought he would be so¡­ petty. It wasn''t as if he didn''t know she served two masters.

    She had pretty much said it to him before. Even if she was his, both in body and Soul, she had no choice when it came to Gremory.

    "I will not fail you, my Master."

    Hefting Atelia from the carriage, Altair nced to the third carriage and beckoned to his two Forsaken, Annya and Ilva. "Go purchase some wine for my Master. She likes bold, rich vors. Find a vendor and purchase all that you can. Then pick up some sweets for Medusa and Atelia."

    "I''m fine, your grace," Medusa said demurely, though the woman certainly looked pleased.

    Altair ignored her, "And if you find something you like, get something for yourselves." Finger to lip, he grinned. "Just don''t tell the others."

    The two forsaken women flushed like two little girls learning to torture their first demon, bowing their heads as they ran off with the Sigil of House Nier.

    Refastening the strings of Gram to her sword belt, she fell to Altair''s heel, a perfect ten paces away. If he needed her closer, he would signal for her.

    The Calmardian Academy was grand for a mere school outside the heart of the Dutchy, waving bright, crisp colors as the draw bridge opened to wee them. Across the portcullis, the Dutchess walked smoothly with the Old Duke, unable to hide the excitement in their step.

    Ashara couldn''t understand their excitement. The familiar binding of a family made as much sense as the dung eaters in the hells. In the hells, the linking of blood is only rted to one''s position. There wasn''t any obligation to love their progeny. If anything, many of the Kings and Princes held them to a higher standard.

    The defeat of anyone with royal blood at their hands, those who held no such blood, meant a true death. Such a dishonor simply couldn''t be epted. And would not. That was a rare urrence, of course, but it had been known to happen.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Love for one''s progeny was not unheard of but extremely rare. Some often called it a myth. In all her time in the hells, Ashara had never seen it before, nor did she want to.

    "Headmaster!" The Dutchess said in a smooth voice once they had been led inside the massive castle, acting like an academy,  to his office. The interior seemed very well lived in. Hundreds of pictures of children, finger art of those, Ashara was sure the parents would consider talented when, in fact, it was random scribbles rested along the wall.

    It took an effort not to throw up in her mouth. An even greater effort to keep her facial muscles still.

    ''Would it not have been better to burn the pictures to show the children theirck of talent? I see why women aborted their bloody bastards. If I had to look forward to this, I''d do the same.'' Of course, her child with Altair would not be so pathetic that they would bring home such¡­ filth. Of that, she was sure.

    The headmaster was a young man who carried an ethereal look that suggested they were older than what most could perceive. Ashara herself was a little older than two thousand years old. A youngling by any estimation.

    "Dutchess," The Headmaster bowed. "And if it isn''t that old bastard, Elgar. How''ve you been, old friend? You look like shit, by the way. How long are you going to keep up the old man act? Huh?" He nced at Altair.

    "Is this your grandson? I''d heard he''d fallen a few levels in cultivation, but heavens¡­ are you sure? I can feel his power. He''s at least an eighth circle, possibly ninth."

    "You tter me, Lord Symar."

    It couldn''t be helped. Ashara had to look at Altair. Symar Alivatar was the old hero of Almore, one of the True Demi-Gods, half a step into the realm of Deva. Even with her ability, Ashara wasn''t sure she could escape if he were to suddenly turn on them. So why hadn''t she been informed? Had she lost so much of his favor?

    "Hardly." Symar continued seamlessly, turning an eye towards her. And a cool wave passed through her body, turning her ligament to ice. She frowned, pushing away his Divine Sense with a push of her soul, lest he learn something he shouldn''t.

    If Symar were perturbed, his counterness did not reflect anything but his formal smile.

    "Do forgive my Tasha," Altair cut in tly. Despite his neutral voice, he did not seem pleased. "She''s a rather private person."

    "Of course," Symar said, though he made no apologies. Instead, he began to drone on, "So you''vee for Noct? The boy is certainly remarkable. He just broke through into the Second Circle just the other day. And is capable of casting second circle spells¡­"

    Ashara weed the knock that echoed on the door. She could feel a flicker of killing intent. A flicker of something hateful that was hidden so quickly it seemed like nothing. No one else had seemed to notice, not even her master. Perhaps he was not as sensitive to killing intent as she was.

    Read exclusive content at empire

    As the door opened, Raven ushered the stranger in with a cold expression. A somewhat handsome man with a cold look on his face. The ice, however, melted at the sight of Symar like it never existed. On his heel, a little boy of no more than four. A small little thing. Noctis De Nier.

    "Brother! Mother, Grandpapa!!!" The boy flew into a run, leaping one to the other like a Hell Leach, nting a kiss on each of them. The Old Duke practically melted, hugging the little man tightly.

    "How are you so strong? And Second Circle! At age four. That is practically unheard of.." The Old Duke eximed. "And a little concerning."

    "I thought so, too," Symar said smoothly. "But it would seem he obtained enlightenment in the Dao of Darkness."

    Ashara had to look at the boy deeper. Darkness was a very noble Element if it could be considered an element. Her Master himself hadn''t much interest in Heavenly Dao, focusing on the Mortal Dao of the Sword, but he had a very high affinity for darkness. The highest Ashara had ever seen. Though, now that she thought of it, most of his spells had been rted to the element of darkness.

    Perhaps he wasprehending the Dao of Darkness. If he could integrate his knowledge of that particr dao into his swordsmanship or, god forbid, his spells, then he''d be unstoppable in his realm.

    The thought made her loins hot and her eyes fiery. And then sad that her Master had refused to touch her. ''Perhaps he''ll forgive me if I give him my true name.'' she shuddered to think of such a thing.

    "And this is," Symar was saying, "Professor Adel, one of our finest. It was he who recognized Noctis'' talent towards the Darkness. One of his lessons seemed to sing to the young master that he suddenly started glowing, and boom, he awakened, climbing to the peak of the first circle. I, of course, helped him grind some monsters. Nothing hard or too bloody that would scare the boy''s psyche."

    "Ah! He''s pretty!" Atelia pointed out. She hopped from down Altair''s arms and stood a head taller than Noctis. "And short!"

    "I am not short!" Noctis retorted. "And who are you!"

    "I''m Papa''s daughter!"

    "Well¡­ I''m his little brother!"

    "Then that must mean Atelia is your Aunt! Call me, Aunty!" The little kitsune said with open defiance. Clearly, not aware of what it meant to be an Aunt. And it seemed like none of the others had the heart to tell her the truth.

    Noctis snapped his small face to Altair. "Big brother, is that true! Is she really your daughter? Do they grow so quickly!"

    "I watered her very well," he exined it, and Atelia nodded.

    "Atelia is like a flower. That''s also why she''s prettier too!"

    None of the adults could back their smile. Even the dutchess had to chuckle at that one. She had taken up a liking to Atelia despite her dislike of Altair.

    "Medusa. Can you take care of the kids? I''m sure they''d love ying outside." The serpentine woman bowed, pulling the two babes out of the room despite their sudden protest. When the room was silent again, Altair turned to the Professor with a noble smile, offering him a hand. "From house Nier to you, we''d like to thank you for all that you''ve done for Nox. Enlightenment is no easy feat."

    "It was my pleasure," Professor Adel said, epting his palm.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!