Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 273: Crown of the Vale

Atticus stood there, though he did not approach. He couldn't understand why Keiran didn't dodge when he could. Did something attack his psyche? Was there poison in the air? Perhaps it was Talia. Questions filled his head as he stood nearly ten meters away.

His eyes swept the area for any sort of hidden trap.

He found none. This absence of danger, rather than providing relief, only heightened his caution, making him even more wary of the unseen dangers.

Altair's smile only seemed to deepen, the redness pulsing with the sudden throbbing of his pupils. It was a smile that held a secret, a hidden power that was nearly indescribably invisible to those who weren't aware of the signs of the Eye of Sacrilege. It reached across the distance, invading Atticus' mind, cautious not to make any irregular gestures.

Atticus's spirit was indeed stronger than his. He could feel it—the slight motion of defense against the wisp of spirit that struck the moment their eyes crossed. It was as if he was moving against an endless tide, seeking to drag him into its depths. It might have been if Atticus had been aware.

'Intent,' Altair mused, contemplating the unseen force surrounding his heart, a force designed to conceal his true intentions from the world. The power of this skill was far more terrifying than he had initially thought. It rendered him truly invisible. He had witnessed its true power when he effortlessly sliced Keiran's collar.

He knew Keiran could have evaded his attack; after all, it was nothing extraordinary. Yet, Keiran seemed oblivious to the sword, treating it as if it were as harmless as air, not a lethal weapon designed to kill.

'We train to rely on our senses, our instincts. But against Domain users, one needs to ignore one's instincts, which were like toys against us.'

"What is it you want to know?" Atticus asked.

'He keeps looking around. Ah, he's looking for Talia.' Altair thought, and he said, "Talia, do come out." The Ashen Knight seemed to spring from out of his shadow like a ghost, her appearance coming as a relief to the Inquisitor. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Atticus noticeably relaxed, though not by much, as his Astral Sea was still cautious when Altair had an idea. Rather than manipulate the physical senses, why not attack his desires, his emotional state of being? He was good at controlling his own… perhaps the same could be said about controlling others.

"And the others?" Atticus asked. " A man and two other women were reported to be with you."

Altair shrugged. "I've no idea where they are. We got separated, though I suppose you are aware of that. So tell me, Mr. Atticus. Who are you, and what do the Upper Moons want with me?"

"The Upper Moons are the Arbiters of Babels Tower, and I am one of their Inquisitors," Atticus said. "As is Kieren there."

Syris frowned. " That doesn't make sense. I do not believe Altair has broken any rules. Especially since we just got here."

"We were told to bring him back dead or alive," Atticus said, the tension seamlessly waning from his shoulders. "We… We weren't told the specifics of his crime. And neither did we ask."

[Divine Ruler, Aylin demands you be silent]

Atticus stood frozen in place, his body drenched by a sudden and bitter gust of wind that seemed to pierce through his bones. He felt his muscles tense and his heart race with fear. But just as quickly as the cold winds had swept over him, a sense of calm serenity washed over him like a warm blanket on a winter night, leaving not even anger in its embrace. Only a cool, familiar warmth.

Altair loosened his grip, leaving Atticus to ponder while the Gods in his chat raged.

[Titan Fall: This is one hundred percent against the rules! What the hell are the Upper Moons doing?]

[Dragon Farm: Think something is in the water over there?]

[Piercing Owl: Either way, it's worth complaining to the Tower Masters.]

[She Who Hunts: I bet this has something to do with Altair's heritage. Ask if they were curious about your blood.]

[Daddy: Blood, Eh? Now that is interesting.]

[Archeon: And could very well be their true aim.]

[Luscious Red: I'll tell everyone I know that the Upper Moon is breaking its own rules. I'm sure the Ironbloods will love to hear this. The same goes for the Sisters of Sepith. You guys are fucked!]

Altair grinned. Thanatos was indeed correct. Each time Artemis spoke, her words struck true.

"Did by chance the Upper Moons ask that you bring my remains to them?" Altair asked, a little surprised by the shock that jolted across his cheekbones. He grinned, finding his answer. "So they did. There's no need to answer that. I wouldn't want your Masters to kill you."

Atticus forced a smile, embarrassed for some reason as if Altair had done him a favor, though not enough to thank him.

"Then I'll ask one last question. Why are you working with this hot head?" Altair glanced down at Keiran, whose emaciated half seemed to be trickling into dust by the way his shoes seemed to flop lifelessly to the side, with nothing to support them.

"The House of Shadows sent him. I had—" Atticus stopped himself, the caution he bore flaring. But this time, Altair did not try to lessen his alertness, lest he give himself away.

"So there is more than one fraction. Interesting. Very Interesting." Altair took a step back, kicking Keiran to Atticus, who moved out of the way, allowing his body to slam against a tree. "We'll be on our way. Though next time. I don't suppose I'll let you off so easily."

Atticus did not say another word, reaching for Keiran's arm; he vanished in a wisp of light.

"I'm surprised you just allowed him to go," Syris said. "If they manage to repair Keiran, he'll be out for revenge."

"It makes little difference," Altair told her, a cruel glint flitting across his eyes. "Atticus didn't have as much information as I originally thought, but it's fine. He'll be dead soon, anyway. The backlash from this will not be small."

"That was his fault for being so open," Syris remarked, playing ignorant. "Well? Shall we continue? I'd like to leave this bloody floor before shit gets dreadful. I can't imagine that any good will come of this."

Altair was inclined to agree, though he didn't have much of an inclination of where to go. He scratched his head, pausing when, through an invisible tether, Altair's mind synced with Vaiga and Hilda, who were besieged on all sides by hundreds of Cambions.

Hilda seemed frozen, having been struck by one of the Cambions. This left Zagreus and Vaiga to defend as they desperately tried to 'tag' her before one of the Cambions managed to touch her.

Altair frowned. He could easily teleport Hilda to his side. But that would leave Zagreus and Vaiga high and dry. He wasn't much concerned with Vaiga since she was a ninth circle, but Zagreus was different.

"How the hell did they even get surrounded? Vaiga isn't that sloppy. Not with my skill set." He narrowed his eyes, looking towards the skies—the gods, perhaps?

'No. The Arbiters. The Upper Moons,' Altair determined beneath his breath. He cursed, sensing their distance across the forest. 'If I go and save them, there is probably a secondary trap there.'

Altair did not like the idea of falling into a trap, especially one he had no control over. "Talia, show Syris to my location."

Before Sryis could understand what Altair meant, golden particles of light began to emanate from his body as he transitioned into light itself. Altair was gone, piercing through the fabric of the realm's reality, leaving behind singeing embers of a focused beamed of whatever his body touched.

By the time he blinked, Altair had crossed an incalculable distance before de-transitioning from light back into flesh through the use of Valemorph beside Hilda, his palm on her shoulder. Behind him was a scorched trail of destruction that had carved through mountains, valleys, trees, builders, and lakes.

"Altair!" Zagreus shouted, snapping his eyes towards the entity that appeared. He'd been ready to activate his Domain Aspect but held back as Altair emerged.

The moment the words left his lips, a mysterious and ominous fog began to snake its way across the skies, billowing and churning until it completely obscured the sun and the moon. Altair and Vaiga stood frozen, powerless to react as the fog consumed everything in its path, twisting the land into a sinister realm of darkness.

'Strange… But not out of the realm of possibility,' Altair thought when a strange and unsettling sensation interrupted his thoughts. Suddenly, a thick and ominous miasma began to permeate the air, attacking the very essence of mana that lingered between Heaven and Earth. In a matter of moments, the once vibrant and powerful energy dissipated, leaving nothing but an eerie silence in its wake.

He grinned savagely, transitioning his Mana into Vale Qi as a crazed gleam flickered across the Prince's eyes. Channeling the blood of the Nephilim through his veins, Necroic's flames permeated the stilling darkness, revealing the hundreds, if not thousands, of Cambions.

Altair's countenance was as unyielding as the icy winds that swept through the frozen plains of Sylvorlum. His face was hard, wielding a grimness carried by the Fallen. Above his brow, three Vale Stars hovered like a celestial crown, their brilliant light illuminating his features with an ethereal glow.

Each star seemed to pulsate with a life of its own, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow across his face.

The three radiant Vale Stars shone with a brilliance that was almost blinding to behold. They were perfectly aligned, as if placed there by some divine hand, and seemed to glow with a power that transcended the boundaries of the physical world. It was as if they were a symbol of Altair's lineage, a crown that stood beyond the highest heavens.