Shadow of the Abyss

Upon his return some hours later, Thanatos permitted a sullen expression of grief, anger, and loathing to spread across his face. He'd never been in such a position before, never had to think on behalf of another, that demanded sacrifice. His life he could give, but what had been asked…

Presently, Thanatos stood amidst the highest peak of the Palace of Stygian, breathing in the icy gale fluttering across his cloak.

He sighed and said, "Why are you here?"

"Zag told me you were depressed," came the voice of Aurora entering the spire to spy a glance. "I had to see it myself."

Thanatos cursed his brother beneath his breath as Aurora crossed the distance in her hand a decanter of whisky and two glasses. "What happened?" she asked, pouring him a drink.

He accepted, swallowing the entirety in a single swig.

"Wow… That bad?"

The distant silence became her answer before Thanatos broke it with his sultry voice. "I was ambushed…"

"Eh?"

Aurora looked him up and down, noting the lack of injury, yet found herself frowning for some inexplicable reason. "By whom?"

"My Mother… and Artemis." He lowered his head, and Aurora poured him another. "Apparently… They say when Artemis moves. She always strikes true. Be it in battle or her intentions."

"What are you saying?"

"Artemis seeks to father a child with me on the promise to fully back Altair." The God of Death forced a smile. "Mother… Well, she's my mother. She's been trying to get me hitched since Melinoë first challenged me to battle. If not for Zariel, we might have married."

"I see," said Aurora softly, turning her face to mask her expression. "You know he'd never force you, right?"

"I know… but Artemis is a true monster. Altair could use that type of power. That type of mind."

"I… I see…" said Aurora softly. And with a flash of a smile, offered a hand. "Then, on behalf of my Master. I thank you."

Thanatos looked at it and noted the way it trembled and accepted it, "It was fun… Right?"

"Duty before all else…" muttered Aurora, biting her lips as she vanished in a wisp of light.

Alone, he looked toward the rising multiple suns rising across the North, South East, and West.

"Duty before all else…" Whispered Thanatos, steeling his heart as he wirled to face Altair.

***

Presently, Altair was in an odd state, looking at the small child kicking her feet back and forth upon his throne. Her beady amethyst eyes glistened like two orbs the moment they crossed his.

"Papa!" she exclaimed, suddenly revealing three snow-white fox-like tails as she jumped to her feet. "Papa!!!!" she charged, bolting at him like a blurry ribbon, leaping into his arms as tears sweltered through her eyes.

"Kuu?" Altair muttered, overwhelmed by the dramatic change. He laughed, spinning the little girl around as she happily squealed. Amazed by how much the kitsune had changed, he held her dearly to his chest. If not for her aura, he might not have recognized her; she'd changed so much.

In all the madness that had taken place, Altair had nearly forgotten about the kitsune that he'd met during the events of the Military Games. The very one Ren had fostered.

"Papa remembered! Papa Remembered!" she sang brightly, beaming like a silvery star. "Is Mama with you?"

"Mama went out to train," he answered.

Kuu turned in her Papa's arm to Syris, tilting her head. "Then… is she Mama now? She smells like Papa."

Syris had the grace to blush, turning red as an apple.

"I planted my seed this morning in her so—"

"You ass! She doesn't need to know that!" Syris snapped, wanting to bury her head in the dirt. When she felt Kuu's focused eyes, she awkwardly glanced at the child.

"So she is not mama?"

The Prince permitted a light chuckle. "That's up to Syris. Well? Where is your real mother?" He ignored the sullen expression of his companion, looking at him with blame.

"Mama One? She's hunting. She said this world is too weak to sustain me,' said Kuu when something came to her. "Ah~ mama also gave me a name!"

"I guess that is fair," Altair determined. He'd only thought of Kuu as a pet before. "Well? What is it?"

"Atelia."

"It's cute!!!!!" said Syris, cupping her cheeks.

The little kitsune beamed, arching her head with pride. "I know!" she exclaimed, displaying her childlike innocence. "Mama said it's what she named me before I got lost."

"And where is your Mama?" Asked Syris, stealing her away from Altair. Her soul practically left her when he felt Atelia enter her embrace. She shuddered, thinking, "And now I need a baby! How is she so cute?"

And with her beady arms, she pointed towards the south, "There in the Southern Mountains! But she's not there."

Altair rusled her silver hair, intrigued by the genuine beauty the small girl held. It made him smile. "Want to go hunting with Aunty Syris?"

"A-A-Aunty?" Syris muttered. "S-S-She can call me mommy or Big Sis, you know."

Altair gave a shrewd smile at Syris's words. Despite sharing his bed on more than one occasion, Syris still held a slight aversion to the idea of marriage. Her natural response betrayed her inner thoughts; each night, finding herself visiting his chambers.

"Can I? Mama said I'm too little to hunt!"

"Of course. I'm sure she is hunting some big fish. I—" He paused, noticing Aurora pass by the entrance of his throne Room with a dark countenance. He slightly frowned, 'I'm sure you'll gain tones of muscles if you train with Syris."

"Big Sis!" said Atelia, batting her large amethyst eyes. "Let's go hunt!"

Altair gave Syris's bottom a good slap that echoed through his court and grinned at that lewd expression of pleasure. "Take care of my little girl." he left, losing his smile, finding Aurora in the Athenaeum. Her head was buried in a pile of books, flitting through them like she wasn't even reading them.

It was a technique she'd often used, invoking her foresight. When she was focused, Aurora needed only to touch a book to comprehend all its material.

"What is the matter?"

Aurora practically jumped in shock, finding her lord behind her, 'M-M-M'Lord!" she said and smiled, "Congratulations."

Her sour expression made Altair even more confused. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Startled, Aurora shook her head. "No, m'Lord. But I assure you it won't interfere with—-"

Altair bonked her on the head. "You are my hardest working shadow. Take the day, no. Take the week if you need it. We've come into some help." he patted her shoulders, watching the tears bubble in her eyes. "How about I prepare a girl's trip for all my shadows."

"A-A-All your shadows are girls."

Startled for a second, he laughed, "I guess they are. Well, take them. Go get drunk, fuck some shit up." And he did just that, commanding a few of his shadows to his side. He beamed at the stunned expression of Aurora and said, "Make sure she's fucked up by the time she returns."

Talia was the first to wrap her arms around Aurora's shoulders, shouting, "Don't worry, master! I hear people take liquor through their bum now. Let's see if she's into that."

"... Sure… why not… do whatever you want.' he said.

"I'm not doing that," said Aurora as the girls, Alyssa and Nia, hugged her.

Altair left after that, thinking, 'Syris and Atelia should be fine with Vaiga. Should I summon Hilda? I really don't want to hear bitch to me, though.'

He sighed, giving in, burning through a majority of his Mana to summon her into the land of the living.

And much like Vaiga, Hilda did not appear to possess the pale skin and yellow eyes as his other shadows but retained her natural color of pink hair and red eyes.

Her eyes were fiery when they met with his, burning with such betrayal it seemed deafening.

"In my defense,' Altair started, " It was war, and you two were kind of my greatest adversary. Kind of… I did kill you all really quick. There is that…"

"Only because we trusted you." Hilda seethed. "We trusted you, and you ran us through. Five years we watched over this god-forsaken place! We watched after forty thousand kids… and you what? Kill us!"

There was no guilt in Altair's eyes when he said, "And I thank you for that. But this is your reward. Now then. You will be my Third Sword Maid. Axe Maid… I guess. And since the other two are busy, you'll be attending me for the remainder of the week.

Lucky you."

"You narcissistic son of a bitch!" Shouted Hilda, fuming so loudly her voice rumbled across the halls like a banshee's wail.

"Keep that energy." He said, ignoring her outburst. " And it's not so bad. Go ask Vaiga when you have time. She seems to have come to terms with it. At least I like to tell myself that."

"Altair you—-"

"It's Master," he said, clutching her cheek to her surprise. "Don't make me give you a spanking… but knowing your perverted self. You might actually like that."

Hilda paused, opening her mouth, "H-H-How do you know that?"

The Prince grinned like a devil, "Because I've all your little memories. You've quite the habit of touching y—-.

"Stoooop! Stop! Stop Stooop!"

"Then be a good girl. A good Sword Maid. You'll usually work once a week when the others are in rotation. You died, but in truth, you're life just got a million times better. Suck it up. We've work to do, and I don't need someone depressed working for me."