Shadow of the Abyss

It wasn't till the next dawn did Altair opened his eyes to the new world. Stretching his stiff muscles without even bothering to wake Riena, who'd polymorphed into a young pup as she'd done every night. He laid still, tilting his head in the direction of Luna flickering through sheets of paper.

"Big Sis, don't you sleep?"

"Gods have no reason to sleep unless they wish to," Luna explained without her gaze leaving the parchment. "Why?"

He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts: " I don't think I like sleeping."

Startled, Luna lifted her silvery eyes to her younger brother. " What an odd child you are. I think you might be the second person I know to loathe the act of sleeping."

"Who was the first?" He asked, hoisting himself up the best he could without waking Riena as he'd done so many times over. Despite his detest for rest, Altair had rather enjoyed watching others sleep. He found it enjoyable.

"How much do you know of the Nine Hells?"

"Nine Hell? There are nine of them?"

"Hmmm. So nothing. Indeed, there are Nine Hells." Luna explained, dismissing the parchment back into the void. She stood up, beckoning to Altair. " And your Father rules one of them. The Second Layer, to be exact also known as Irkalla."

As if transfixed by the news of his Father he'd rarely heard from his Mother, Altair approached as if enchanted.

"Your Father is the only Monarch who isn't a Fallen Angel that rules one of the Hells. He is an absolute entity that demands respect." She stopped herself from smiling at the particular sparkle in this young man's eyes. "Would you like to visit him?" There had been no hesitation when Altair nodded, bringing a deeper smile to Luna's bewitching face: "So you can behave like a child sometimes, eh?

Well, your birthday is coming up in a few days. The time you become a man. And your Father has already decreed you be allowed to enter the Nine Hells. Although, both your Mother and I worry about you."

Luna had resisted the urge to mention the boy's Father. She knew he was a monster, a killer, a bastard whose bottom line seemed more of a facade to keep his mental state intact. He was the current Monarch of Darkness, King of the Abyss, Lord of Wrath and Pride, and the Great Devour of Gods.

The Monarch of Darkness held many names and titles, carrying such profound renown that even the Seraphim of Heaven dared not casually mention his name.

"Altair…" Luna began strangely, but Altair only shook his head.

"It's fine." He said softly, his tone carrying a hint of mourning to them. "I know you can't speak much of it. Mother hinted at the same thing, too. But… Can you tell me if he'll like me? Will I be good enough to earn his surname?"

She smiled, running her fingers through his hair with such gentle warmth tears began to gather through Altair's obsidian eyes. "My child… your Father is an utter simp when it comes to his kids. There is nothing he won't do for his family. Nothing." She promised, pressing her lips over his forehead. "

"HEY!!!! NO FAIR! RIENA WANTS KISS TOO!!!!" Crashing into Altair and Luna, a hefty giggle resounded from the little Nephilim in her human form, planting a kiss on the duo's cheek. "HEHE! No kisses without Raina!"

…

Hours later, beneath the sun's glare over his back, Altair strapped Endymion tightly to his waist as he prepared to take off. It had been about eight hours since he woke. And the hairs barely half-grown on his neck began to rise with each passing hour.

[Animal Instincts [F] Proficiency Increase by 4%]

Trusting his senses, Altair whirled in the direction his senses warned him of. He said: "Riena, we ought to leave."

"Then I will take my leave. And Altair… keep strong." Luna gently said, her voice soft as a kiss. Yet her tone had relayed bells of warning through Altair's mind as his finger clenched.

"Big—"

"I'll be going now. Just remember to close your heart to it. Nothing good comes from being emotional." She said one last time, vanishing like a phantom image.

Altair had wanted to fold his fist, to scream, but he held it in, noticing Riena's neutral expression. "Does this not bother you? Being thrown in the unknown, akin to bait?"

Reina turned her back to the boy. "When my Mother was poisoned. When I sucked at her tit that smelled of bile and brimstone, of sulfur and coal, I learned quite young that there are things one can't control. Every year, I watched Mother vomit blood, watched as her skin bubbled and popped. Watched as my kiss caused her to scream in pain, to reel away as—"

"... I'm… I'm sorry." He whispered, unable to even imagine such a sight. "I… Lets… Let's just go."

"I don't need pity… you know."

"I—"

"I'll cure her… I'll cure the both of us," Reina promised through gritted teeth, wet with blood. She could still remember her Mother's smile before the poison had taken what little skin remained on her face.

And yet her Mother still smiled, still mothered her in all the right ways. Caring for her every chance she had.

Reina felt the tears gathering and took a step forward. One after the other, she moved. Knowing that if she stopped, she'd break down, like she'd done so many times over. It wasn't fair. She knew it. She knew it well.

And yet Faith had claimed its prize.

The young prince stared at the shadow of his friend flee and gave chase in silence. From tree to tree, grass to grass, he moved like a ghost, carrying burning coldness in his eyes, a warning he held deep in his heart.

"I was selfish…" He told himself, digging his finger into his flesh. He looked at Reina's back as understanding of her past actions began to gather. "... She, too, was poison." Blood slithered down his nails.

"Reina… If you want, and if I can." He said loudly so she could hear. " I will help. You just need to ask: "If it's revenge or gathering material. I will help. Just ask, okay?"

It didn't take long for Riena's whimpers to reach Altair's ears. He looked forward, so absorbed in thought he hadn't noticed a fog gather around his feet. The fog was black, carrying a putrid scent of dirty water. A familiar scent Altair recognized the moment it entered his nose.

It smelt of the sewers. The same scent the slaves carried.

"Reina! Hold up!" Shouted Altair, coming to a stop alongside his comrade. He frowned, taking note of the fog gathering around his feet.

"It's a Magical Formation."