Shadow of the Abyss

"I'm going to start on the tower in a few months," Syris said, leading him back toward the Temple of Teleportation. "Master says that I won't reach my full potential if I don't experience true battle."

Altair felt some way about that. "I don't like it that you get to spend more time with my dad than I do."

Syris's footsteps paused midstep, continuing with her laughter ringing across the hall. She threw herself around Altair and kissed his cheek. "You know… if we are to marry, then that would make him my dad too."

That made Altair snort. He knew he was behaving childishly, but for some reason, he was a little jealous. Ever since he was a boy, Tenebrae had told him stories about his father. She had never spoken of him by name, but the stories she had told him planted a seed in his mind—a seed of curiosity he couldn't deny.

Had he the time, he would have stayed merely to inquire more about the man, shameless as he seemed at the time; Altair could not deny he held a title that commanded power. Monarch of Hell.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Syris practically read his mind, giggling. "I'm not going to steal him away, you know." she kissed him, savoring his lips before parting.

"No fair! Atelia needs kisses, too!"

The two ignored the stubborn Kitsune, looking into each other's eyes. "If you must climb the tower, bring Thanatos or Zag, or even Meg. I'm sure she'd love to kill."

Near the Rift, Altair stared intently at Syris, seemingly looking at her for the first time since he appeared. She seemed older. Refine in a way that was easily missed, yet she commanded the presence of the room like any High Lord. She had even grown an inch while filling out in other places.

He knew Syris wasn't exactly human but hadn't realized that perhaps eighteen or twenty wasn't the peak of her maturity. For Palantine, some continued to physically age for hundreds of years, some growing prettier with each passing year.

"You sure you don't want to leave Atelia behind?"

"Hey!" The Kitsune announced in defiance.

"The Imperial Princess ought to stay by my side. And it's not like she's defenseless or anything." Altair said, rustling her little head. He shot Syris one final glance, saying his goodbyes, reluctant to step through the Rift.

The moment he did, Altair Blackwood's appearance morphed into that of Nox De Nier, accompanied by a fox-ear child.

"Your Grace," Tasha responded almost instinctually, alerting everyone to his presence.

Altair ignored her, focusing on Alyssa instead to confirm his suspicion.

[30% of all stats of the Master will be shared between Individual Forsaken]

[Fallen Necromancy has drawn out 30% of Amazonian bloodline]

[Str, Dex, Con, Wis will Receive +400 to Bloodline bonuses]

Name: Alyssa

Race: Forsaken (Amazonian)

Str: 1405 + 400 = 1805

Dex: 2045 + 400 =2445

Con: 2705 + 400 = 3105

Wis: 3010 + 400 = 3410

Chr: 3010

Mana: 300

'The System has recognized my Shadows as Forsaken,' he thought, considering the matter. "I should look into Forsakens, just like how the Eighth Infernal Monarch drove the Ilvarians to near extinction. It would seem the Forsaken are under similar constraints, having been banished.'

"Master?" Alyssa inquired, awkwardly shifting beneath his inquisitive eye.

Altair smiled suddenly, shaking his head," It's nothing." he said, pushing down all thoughts of Forsaken. He turned his attention towards the Elders of House Rivia, asking, "Is the Golden Fork clear for travelers and merchants alike?"

"Indeed, Young Master," Elder Ashe responded, his long face creasing, apparently displeased at completing such a menial task. to say nothing of their rank as Transcendent, which towered over the Title of Son-Heir to the dukedom.

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"Does my action displease you?" Altair asked, accepting the reins to Clouds from Tasha; he glanced, the two ignoring the look of agitation.

"We are Transendents. We are owed a certain level of respect."

Altair hopped on top of Cloud, nestling Atelia on his lap. "You failed to end the lives of three Transendents. What respect do you believe is owed? You weren't even aware that there was a Trow from the Shadow Tower after my head."

The two elders' expressions turned to shame.

In his palatine accent, he said, "It was through my… knights' best effort that they were able to scheme and take down three of them while my Sword Maid finished the Trow. The only thing you two seemed to have accomplished is the extermination of bandits and a few prowling monsters." He gave them one last glance before clucking his horse to move out.

The journey towards Inka was rather lively with the addition of Atelia, who seemed to see the world through an innocent lens. Medusa herself had taken a great liking to the little girl as she learned from the Medarc, devouring all the knowledge her mind allowed her.

Kegan was beside himself about the serpentine woman. He was a genetic failure who had managed to survive after being decanted from the Vat within the imperium's surgical theater. The scholars of the Imperial College allowed him to live, interested to see what a genetic failure could accomplish, monitoring him like a lab rat.

Not only was he several times slower than the other candidates, but Kegan himself had managed to retain an emotional response.

Medusa reminded him of those Medarcs, whose comprehension of anatomy outshined his own by hundreds of feats. He could not compare, having taken hundreds of years to understand what took Medusa a few hours to grasp.

He was ashamed both as a Medarc and as a man.

As they approached the wall to Inka, Altair had Elena switch positions with Atelia on the promise of Cake for breakfast. A gale of applause welcomed them, rounding into wild cheers and songs, congratulating them on their mission.

Altair played the hero well, smiling, surrounded by women whose beauty appeared to dim the sun. And yet, there was only one woman on his horse, leaning on his chest, waving with a graceful smile.

For the better part of an hour, he played the returning hero before making his way toward the Castilian. He laughed, riding through the portcullis onto the bailey. They stopped before a banquet of women dipped and slathered in chocolate walked about utterly naked.

Medusa covered Atelia's eyes, glaring at Altair with a gaze that nearly caught fire before she galloped off, lest she see more.

"Therion, your reward," Altair announced, rather impressed, throwing an eye at the several women fawning over his Pale Knight. "Dust them in powdered sugar and fuck them to your heart's content. They are all yours, my Knight; do enjoy."

The women, all but Tasha, flushed while the elders riding along gaped. Altair ignored them and clucked his horse forward, preparing himself for the meeting with the Castilian. He hadn't much interest in the degeneracy, though he did have Tasha linger about to ensure his knight enjoyed the luxury afforded to him.

Returning Cloud to his Shadow, he held Elena by the hand and presented her to the Castilan over the dias.

"My fiance," he said, smiling at the surprised faces. "Safe and Sound, despite the Shadow Tower's assassination attempt."

Stilar expression turned to Ice. "The Shadow Tower is involved?" a round of noise filled the dais.

Count Kinvar raised a hand to silence them. "Easy… Young Master, Nox, can you explain what happened."

Altair did, relaying a story of half-truths and half-lies. He told them about how the Assassins had killed his Blackcloaks and how they were forced to hide in a cave, then a village, to the far west.

"It was a small effort, but we had managed to trick the trow chasing us into killing three other Transcendents." he smiled before explaining how it was Elder Ashe and Yorke who helped Tasha slay the Trow.

The two elders were reluctant to lie but agreed nonetheless to such a story because it was better than facing humiliation for their failure.

The Castilian, Stilar, threw a hand through his hair. "It's a miracle. You're alright, Young Master. Please, I'm sure you are tired. Why don't we make reports when you've recovered? Please.

Enjoy the—"

"I shall pass," Altair said, taking Elena into his arms. He kissed her neck, feeling a shiver racing up her body. Whether it was out of fear or something else, he could not say, but she did not resist.

'My Fiance and I have much to catch up on. Isn't that right… darling."

Elder Yorke's expression tightened, then relaxed before anyone noticed. Altair, even in his weakened state, sensed it, his Spiritual domain holding strong.

"The banquette outside is for my Knight and his sacrifice. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm quite tired." he dragged Elena, remembering the expression of Yorke he had just seen.

No one stopped him, but several maids openly stared, as he had suspected. They ran off to gossip amongst their pairs about the returning hero taking his fiancee to his bed. By the time he had closed his door, the story of how Elena's maidenhood would be broken echoed through Inka.

After an hour, Tasha began to whisper how her moans were filling the halls. The maids were all quick to squeal, conjuring similar various stories of fiction. In ways not even Altair suspected would have his name spreading across Allmore by High noon.

[DING]

First Senerio Mission Accomplished: Become Nox De Nier before anyone can question your True Identity]

[Congratulations]

[Reward: Nox De Nier Identity]

[Second Scenario Shall Begin: Kill The Vampire Spawn, shall commence in Two Months]