Shadow of the Abyss

Altair eyed the black heart in his hand with fixation, having carved it from out of the Chimera. It was as big as his head, charred black by poison.

"Was it necessary to leave her alive?" Reina questioned from on top of his back. She comfortably rested her head over his hair, twirling it through her fingers bored ."Won't she come 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, becoming 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 plan. " She'll kill them, thinking only she has the right to kill you… That… That is—"

"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 blanket, 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 blade that he carried. His eyes were cold as a froz lake, 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 blade 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 succeed. A monster. Luna said I needed to smile. And mother… Mother said I needed to be a king.'

His blade stopped through the air, smoldering an intse heat. He laughed, 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.

He laughed 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 untamed laughter 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 the land, over the silt Prince, petrating his bones, leaving only numbness and despair. The Prince lay 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) —> Grave of Night (F) ]

Wh, at last, 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 flame.

"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, glancing at his stats. He frowned. " Five? Is that a lot?" He asked, playing along.

"According 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 become a God, they become Halo's. But right now, it's merely an aura." She explained, 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."

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