Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 131: Prologue: Hell Tide II

"My Lady, we must hurry," Kirr had said, glancing 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 had come to her lips, but she knew them to be true. Unease had come slithering up her spine like the touch of strangers. "What… is this feeling?"

"My Lady—"

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 desolate. Cold and barren, it lay 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 declared. "The last 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 a commander. 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 palace. Not foot soldiers. Not the commander'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 glaring 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 glanced 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 her large 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, laughing.

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, and comfort you until you're well."

Hilda's teeth clambered 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)

Class: [Acolyte of Destruction Lv 75] [Seventh Circle 31%]

Str: 1876 ? 375.2

Dex:1501 ? 300.21

Con: 1308 ? 261.6

Wis: 1163? 232.6

Chr: 1121 ? 224.2

Mana: 120 ? 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, Altair laughed, placing 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 glanced at the fireplace ablaze with small tongues of flames 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 his labyrinth. 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… one last meal before death…" she whispered, drifting into slumber.