Shadow of the Abyss

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 place 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 and laughing 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 playing 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.

"Blackwood. Ah, forgive. Emperor Blackwood." 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 genetic line has been bred to follow, to be slaves 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 you command 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, glancing down at his palm, the essence of the Vale rising across his fingertips like a flame. 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 claim 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—"

"Don't," Azura snapped. She lowered her teacup, settling her palm over her lap, regal elegance in her movement. "You are playing a dangerous game, Mr. Blackwood. One I might have played with you a few years back." Her gaze narrowed dangerously. How much do you know of Gremory that you dare use her name so blatantly?"

"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.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"This man,' Azura pointed at him, his black hair and golden red eyes, as he stood in azure regalia. "This man is called Mephisto, The Black 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 they commanded 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 accept one another and rid themselves of this accursed alliance."

"Mephisto is currently banned from entering the Myriad Heaven; his blatant 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—"

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. Explain it."

"How can I?" Altair shrugged. "It's my first time even seeing Mephisto. I'm equally shocked that Athena has a relationship with Mephisto." he stared at the ashen complexion within the picture, a musing grin playing 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 Slab, 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?"

"A communication 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 planned. 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 playing 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."

"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."

'The compendium 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 his lap, the communication prism Azura left him. He laughed, 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.