Shadow of the Abyss

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, glaring 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 black. "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 taste compared 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 his labored 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 Circulation Pills to help with blood loss." Ren retorted. "Or do you find that their blood taste–"

In a burst of anger, Altair pressed his lips against Rens, seizing claim 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 soldier laughed, small like a mouse.

"In the halls! Have you no shame?" Shouted another.

"Shameless!"

"Get it, Girl,"

"Whor–"

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~" laughed the Prince, similar to that of a supervillain. "Mwahaha~"

"Art!" She quickly squealed, far too ashamed to reveal herself. She stomped over his foot and conjured a pillar 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 two large 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, similar 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 exclaimed with a flutter in her heart.

Altair wondered. Where he to slay the beast would its mane turn black 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—"

"You'll be silent." Storming through the soldiers, Cedric Vandel trotted forth, bound by his golden armor that shone beneath the sun's rays. Gallant, 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 the commoners to hear. "Those that are competing in the tournament will gather here! We'll travel by Pegasis to the Great Plateau, 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 your commanding 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 welcomed.

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 feverish laugh 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 Plateau that spanned well over a hundred miles. From rivers of plenty intertwining through the land to lakes of plenty to towering snow-filled peaks and large volcanic mountains, Altair and Ren took it all in, sucking a large breath at the awe-inspiring scene.

When at last they landed, Cedric stood glaring, 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. "Your commanding 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 the lake, 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 glanced 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 planned?"

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 of laughter, 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 her lashes. "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, welcoming 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 black dress that clung to her body like a thin film. On her chest lay 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 uncomfortable 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 slaying."

"Though you look a little uncomfortable." Altair kindly mentioned. " Are you cold?"

With a forced smile, she shook her head. "I'm nearing seventy-eight. Imperial military law 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 glared 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 pearly laughter, 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?"

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