Shadow of the Abyss

Lord Atticus's face contorted in a mix of shock and disbelief as he once again heard the report echoing from the hooded spy. The more he learned about Altair Blackwood, the more surreal—even frightening—he became. None of it made any sense. He'd never heard of a Third Circle capable of slaughtering Fifth Circles like cattle. And like cattle, he did.

All the spies he'd sent to monitor and report Altair Blackwood were dead. Their bodies were torn into pieces and left for the forest beast to peek at.

The report was like a cold drip of ice drowsing his veins.

Keiran, who stood beside him, was beside himself, the usual smile no longer present. Not so much blinded by lust to grasp the resources they'd just lost in a single night.

The sun had just begun to peek over the horizon, painting the sky with a warm hue of orange and pink. The air was crisp with the coolness of the morning, and a light mist of dew had settled on the grass, leaves, and flowers, glistening like diamonds in the gentle light. It was a peaceful and serene moment, a perfect start to a new day.

Yet all they felt was ice pouring through their hearts.

"That fucking prick…" Keiran said. His arms crossed. "You think he is hiding his cultivation?"

"The Identification Orb would have revealed such a fact," Said Atticus slowly, sliding a file from out of Draupnir bearing the great sigil Flame of the House of Flames; he flipped through it, angling a frown. "Five Years ago, Altair Blackwood vanished. Somehow, he survived the destruction of Forwin against several Soul Kings. Apparently, he was a major factor in surviving such an event."

"The fuck is a Soul King?"

Atticus shook his head. "No idea." He looked over the file he'd buried his head in all night. "Both of us are Eight Circles. I suspect that's why the House Masters sent us. "He paused, looking up at the hooded spy. You said Altair is being accompanied by Syris, right?"

"Yes, my Lord." said the Hooded spy. "He separated from his group to escape the abominations."

"Where are they now?" asked Keiran, flashing his canines in excitement.

"There—-"

As the rustle of the grass rumbled, alerting the men of the Upper Moons, an annoyed voice cut through the sudden silence.

"Gods! I hate this forest! How could Master just abandon us?"

As she emerged from the lush foliage, a breathtaking woman commanded attention. Her eyes, a stunning shade of yellow, glimmered like the rays of the golden sun. Her skin, a sultry shade of grey, was wrapped in a set of formal gowns that bore the emblem of the Crest of the Endless Night. Her alluring appearance was further enhanced by a devious radiance that glimmered across her voluptuous figure.

She was elegantly dressed like a maid, and a sword without a hilt hung at her side, adding to her mysterious demeanor.

"Oh, Hello," said Talia, who felt a sudden shiver down her spine as she stumbled upon the unfamiliar campsite and the group of men encircling a crackling fire. She tried her best to appear friendly as she awkwardly waved at them, but none of them returned the gesture. Instead, they just stood there, silently staring at her with unblinking eyes.

The silence lingered on for what felt like an eternity as Talia felt her discomfort growing with each passing second.

"What the—"

"That's her!" The hooded Man shouted. "She's the one traveling with Altair."

Talia frowned, losing her earlier trepidation to the trained demeanor of a killer. No light reflected across those yellow eyes of hers. She reached for her Master's sword but didn't quite draw it yet. She had questions as she recalled the assassination attempt just yesterday.

She smiled, guided by her Primal Instinct, and said, "Which one of you is Atticus."

"Gods," said Keiran with an enthralled expression. That crooked smile of his returning. "You are the most stunning—"

Keiran didn't see when she advanced on him, much like teleportation: One instance, she was merely seven meters away. The next, her sword was drawn, the black edge of Endymion's obsidian hue devouring the morning rays of dawn within its fathomless depths, driving its tip towards his throat.

Barely saved by the glaive that snapped from out of space into Atticus' palm, stabbing towards her throat, Talia tsked her domain, alerting her of the glaive seeking to run her through. She spun on the balls of her heel, using her momentum to dodge before pivoting back a few meters.

Keiran's trembling hand reached up to his throat, where a tiny drop of blood hung precariously. His heart raced, pounding against his chest, as beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He turned to face Talia, his eyes widening in shock as her devilish grin, both taunting and alluring, captured his mind.

Talia giggled. "Aren't you a little pervert?" she said, narrowing her eyes towards the rising tent between the man's legs. She sneered. "What a shame I can't cut it off. Two Eight Circles might be a little much for me." she glanced at Atticus, her mind revolving with questions. "Are you Atticus?

It would be a shame if the man who tried to have my Master killed were this pervert here."

Atticus felt a sudden fire fill his belly. As if he, an Ingleblade of the House of Flames, would allow himself to ever be mistaken by anyone, he raised his head and snapped. "Of course I'm Atticus."

The man's hubris did not go unnoticed by Talia, and a hint of amusement flickered across her alluring lips. As she stood there, the modes of Vale Qi swirled around her in a tempestuous display, illuminating her every feature. The energy enveloped her form, and in the blink of an eye, she vanished before anyone could react to her sudden disappearance.

She emerged hundreds of miles away from the vortex of Vale Qi that had pulled her to her master's side. Her eyes could only widen at the sight before her, leaving her breathless as a faint blush crawled up her face. Her knees buckled as if struggling to contain her weight as she looked at her Master, gripping Syris's silver hair. She stood on her knees, her head jerking back and forth in rhythm.

Talia covered her mouth, unable to pull her eyes away as Syris blew her Master, playing with herself, dripping with his seed. She was looking up at him, her fierce eyes demanding release.

Altair gave it to her, exploding in the back of her throat, groaning a deep, sultry moan of delight. Syris drove his length further down her throat, enjoying the warming sensation of hot soup filling her belly. Goosebumps prickled her naked flesh, driving away the cold. She shuddered and squirmed, gasping for air, as she opened her mouth wide for praise.

"Syris is indeed the best." Altair mewled, brushing the beads of perspiration out of her eyes. Then he smiled a warm, gentle smile. Syria could only beamed.

"Um…. Master?"

The two looked over to Talia on her knees, trembling.

****

"Well… You've really done it now," Altair told Talia, glancing back at Syris nearly twenty meters away. She couldn't bring herself to talk to him anymore. He wanted to smile, but Syris had not spoken once since then. She couldn't even make eye contact. She was so ashamed.

"I didn't have a choice, Master. I was surrounded." Talia expressed. "It's not like I wanted to see Syris deepthroating you."

Altair scratched his head, unsure if he should reprimand her. He sighed, nevertheless, " Well? What happened?"

"Was it good? Talia has never seen you make such an expression. You looked like you were about to fall over."

Altair flicked her head, knowing Syris heard every word. He glanced back at her proud expression, marred by embarrassment.

"Just answer the question.'

But Talia was not listening. "I saw her massaging her starfish. Does she want it there, too?"

With a sudden outburst of emotion, Syris let out a heart-wrenching scream that echoed through the forest, "Talia!" Her voice was so loud and intense that it sent a flock of birds flying into the sky, their wings flapping frantically as they disappeared into the horizon.

The sound of her cry was like that of a banshee's wail that seemed to reverberate across the entire landscape, filling the air with a sense of shame.

Altair turned to her, his jaw opening, trying to recall if she gave any inclination last night.

"Don't!" Syris snapped. "Don't even ask! Not now! Not ever!"

"Syris starfish practically devoured—-"

Altair covered Talia's mouth, ignoring that evil grin of hers tormenting his mate, and said in a stern voice. "No more teasing Syris." He commanded. "Just tell me what happened. What forced you to Teleport to me?"

As Talia expressed her disappointment, she delved into his mind and conjured up a vivid mental image of the events that had transpired, pushing through the mental tether that allowed Altair to live through Talia's life.

It felt strange, but Altair allowed these images to flash across his mind, revealing all that had taken place from when Talia discovered the strange group to their extracurricular activities.

He frowned. ' So that's Atticus... ' he said, patting his maid on the head.

Talia emitted a soft, contented sound resembling a purr as she basked in the pleasure of the gentle strokes on her head.

"You did good, Talia. Very good." The Sword Maid beamed. "Yo Syris get over here. Shit just got real."

****

"I've told you many times. There isn't a need to fall to one's knee before family." The virtual hologram of Hades remarked, his ruby eyes bearing an unnatural warmth towards the boy, the son he called Thanatos.

Thanatos ignored him as he'd always done. Even as his mother watched wryly beside him, her shadowy eyes tilted up in recognition.

Like father, like son

"Tell me my boy. What is it that the Snow Boy has asked of you?"

Thanatos wasn't surprised by his father's acute awareness. There were few things he could hide from the God of the Underworld.

"Altair seeks to adopt Medusa as his Maid. "

"Oh?" Hades gestured for him to continue, the flames within the depths of his eyes spiraling.

"Athena is now involved, and Altair seeks to use Medusa as a chest piece to control the goddess. Though I also suspect he had a moment of empathy."

"A Snow that possesses empathy? Iza and Ves, those two psychopaths, are on a bloody mission to burn Arcadia down. You expect me to believe a Snow has any sembeince of Empathy? " Hades gave a derisive snort, the knuckles of his hand pressing against his left cheek. "You know, despite my willingness to assist, I don't like dealing with the Snow family. Sending you and Zag should have been enough."

"I'm aware. But I'm also aware of how broken Medusa is. Altair can grant her original form and more, and perhaps even allow her revenge against Poseidon and Athena."

"She has forgotten such things."

"No one forgets being raped and betrayed in a single day, " said Thanatos.

The God of the Underworld lifted a brow, his lips rising slightly. And for a moment, Thanatos felt as if he was looking at a stranger. He couldn't read him. Couldn't…

"Nyx, has our son ever retorted me like this?"

Nyx had to think. "once. I believe when you were reeling over Persephone's betrayal."

"Indeed." he chuckled, a loose-fitting smile tugging across his striking features. "Fine… you can take her… under one condition. Do you speak for Altair? "

Thanatos nodded. " He said any favor so long as it doesn't pass his bottom line."

"As if a Snow possessed one. Athena will surely bring Persephone into this mess. Destroy her, mentally and physically. That's it."

Both Thanatos and Nyx looked startled for a second. Hades had rarely spoken that woman's name since the betrayal. When spoken with, it was neither out of hate or love, merely indifference.

"Will that be an issue?"

"No."

"Good. Now tell me about my other son. Has he managed to make his harem? Or has he come to his senses?"