Shadow of the Abyss

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 mutilating him for all to see. Diminishing Necrotic Flame with Sacred Flame in order to keep him alive as long as possible. From his fingers to his arms, ligaments were torn away and placed 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?" She laughed, 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 Flame 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—"

Altair leaned up, commanding silence with his presence. He smiled, glancing 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 explain it. That said… Are you not proficient in strategy?"

'Strategy?" said both Syris and Ariane.

"The watchers are not very smart. They are entirely blank slates. 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, Zola entered with a bowl of budding herbs she'd been cultivating these past few days. She nearly dropped the bowl, shouting, "Lord Blackwood! 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 explaining all that he had planned 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 manipulation of Intent.

"That little cunt really got me good," he laughed, trying to overcome 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 a dagger 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 Blackwood," said Teivel calmly. "Lord Iblis and the Sullied One both desire him."

"Both of them?" Roxas, though, clenching his fist, finding the willpower to accept the cursed dagger. The unwillingness on his face carried forth irritation. "I owe Altair Blackwood. I owe him much."

"You may yet be given the right to defile him," said Teivel smilingly.

Roxas glanced 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—"

"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 you communicating with him? I need off this planet."

"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 his lazy expression.

"Me!" Jin pointed to himself. "Huh?"

"Never speak his name outside of Zariel's domain," Beelzebub conveyed, glancing 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—"

"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—"

"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 occurred. 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 explain right or wrong. It was fucking hell back then! But whose fault is that!"

"You're blaming us again?"

"Damn right!"

"You literally—"

Jin raised a hand. "Ummm, I thought we were talking about the Crimson Spears. What—-"

"Shut up for a sec," said Beelzebub sharply. " Adam, are you seriously blaming 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 manipulate me.

"Manipulate 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."