Shadow of the Abyss

Standing at the very edge of the forest, beneath the dome of ominous mist that had ensnared Altair and his crew, the Prince was deeply engrossed in studying the strange barrier. His arms were folded tightly around his chest as he gazed fixedly at the mist, trying to discern its secrets.

He had not attempted to attack it yet, but he had touched it gently with his palm, feeling the strange distortion of the spatial properties. As he stretched his palm out further and further, he was amazed to find that it seemed to stretch on endlessly, a mysterious and impenetrable veil that trapped them all like rats.

"Can you get past it?" Zagreus asked.

Altair nodded, but his expression was far from confident. He wasn't happy about it. He was sure that Severing Edge, which was capable of severing the intangible nature of Light and Dark, could apply the same principle to this Spatial Barrier. Yet, there was a lingering doubt, a nagging uncertainty that he couldn't shake off.

'The more of my power I show, the more they can adapt. The Gods can't physically act, but they can give their guidance, reveal weaknesses, and create counters. The more popular I become, the more enemies I'll face.'

"The Hells got you so grim," Zagreus asked, kicking his chin.

Altair winced, stumbling back, when Zags Voice reached into his mind, leaving him stunned.

"If there is one thing you Snows don't lack, it's confidence. Stop thinking so hard. And act. You're a King, aren't you?"

The prince's lips curled up into a wide grin as he silently thanked Zagreus. His eyes became fixed on the dense fog in front of him, watching as black lines started to spread across his forearm, a sight that only he could see.

As the lines grew in intensity, he felt a wave of Vale Qi flowing through his body meridians like a warm and powerful ethereal liquid that Mana had no hope of ever being compared with.

He opened his palm, and as if she understood his intention. Vaiga instinctually called upon her role as his Sword Maid and settled Shadowclaw into his palm.

With a graceful and fluid motion, Altair spun Shadowclaw through the air, the polished obsidian blade glinting beneath the presence of the Vale. Seamlessly, he transitioned into the Second Form of Grave of End, his lithe steps carrying him forward as he delivered a swift and precise slash with his weapon.

Grave of End: Severing Edge

Light, Dark, and Spatial essence were besieged, severed by a profound arc of sword light pushing through the intangible fog of space like butter.

Space distorted beneath the sword strike, inverting the fog onto itself, revealing a path. Hilda was the first to pierce it to ensure its safety.

As Hilda shouted for them to follow, the three pierced through the fog, opening into the blinding rays of starlight, dancing around them like clusters of fragmented light.

"Master!" Talia said, waving at him in the distance, hurrying towards her Master. She beamed alongside Syris. "We got worried when that Formation appeared. You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm fine." Altair turned to Zagreus, who closed his eyes, channeling some intangible spell deep within his Astral Sea, hidden from the prying eyes of the Gods above. He frowned a few times. Kicking himself at the various failures before a Magical Circle flashed above his head, combusting into embers that receded into the void.

'Clairvoyance,' he silently invoked, drawing on a smidgin of power his Father conveyed through Fate.

Suddenly, a maelstrom of images flashed across his mind, veering in all kinds of directions, revealing passageways, hidden roads, and a city beyond the regions of foliage. He gasped, nearly exploding in anger as he growled.

"The City is towards the South, hidden behind the mountains where we appeared outside the Entrance Temple," he said, glancing at the surprised faces of everyone staring questionably." And he said, "It is called Clairvoyance. It is a minor spell in the School of Divination. I'm pretty terrible at it since it doesn't require Mana per se but Faith—faith in a God you believe in."

"Still… why didn't you cast such a spell when we first arrived."

Zagreus turned a little red. "It's embarrassing to admit, but Clairvoyance is a first-level spell, but it's harder to cast than a twelfth-level spell. At least for me, it is. Meg always said that I was crippled in the School of Divination. It's not my forte. So I just don't try anymore."

Altair chuckled. "Lol. Are you really that bad? I've never even heard of a spell past the Ninth Level."

"It's a spell meant for Transcendents or Divas. However, it is very accessible to people who have a good grasp of the fundamentals. You can cast it at the Ninth Circle. It's just hard as hell at that state without being tempered by the Laws of the Myriad Heavens."

Altair was intrigued; unfortunately, he didn't have the time to indulge in curiosity. Still, he smiled, shifting the conversation. "Then we'll let you lead the way. Let's get off this floor," he said.

Zagreus seemed to understand, pushing off into the distance south in a swift gust of speed. Altair, Syris, Hilda, and Vaiga followed, leaping from branches like Shadow Sprites. They vanished beneath the forest shadowscape.

***

"This is a good spot," Atticus muttered, glancing down to Keiran, whose lower half was nothing more than a rotting bile of entrails he could do nothing to fix. He'd tried everything at his disposal but despite his best efforts. Only the gods seemed to possess the power to mend life and death. He could do nothing but watch as his fellow inquisitor slowly died.

[Divine Ruler, Aylin seeks to know if you can handle Altair Blackwood.]

Atticus shuddered at the sudden emergence of God's message. He didn't hesitate to nod, shaken by the rumors he'd heard about Aylin. She was one of the Rulers and Arbiters of the Upper Moons, known for her rigid character. Few times had Atticus ever seen her. He couldn't remember a time she had smiled or if she was even capable of such a feat. She was such a cold woman.

"I'm confident I can defeat him one on one," Atticus revealed.

[Divine Ruler, Aylin asks what it is you need to deliver Altair to the Upper Moons.]

'I can't screw this up,' Atticus thought, clenching his fist. He said, " I need allies. Altair is not alone. I need a crew. No king is ever alone. And since he can teleport people to his side.

To ensure my victory, I require people who listen to my commands. Syris is, without a doubt, more powerful than we are led to believe. Same with Altair Blackwood. His skills with a blade have surpassed mine. I saw that clearly today. Zero Lock or Precision Slash is without a doubt the sign of a Master."

[Divine Ruler, Aylin will not tolerate failure.]

[Divine Ruler, Aylin has granted you two Elixirs of Malakh]

[Equipment can be found in System Storage]

Atticus's eyes widened with disbelief as he stumbled and fell to one knee. His heart was pounding in his chest as he frantically searched through his inventory for the Elixir of Malakh. The Malakh, a subspecies of Half-Blooded Angels, were revered as divine messengers of the Angels.

For there to be an elixir that contains even a sliver of essence from a Malakh meant that this single potion could heal any injury or grant unimaginable strength.

[Divine Ruler, Aylin has granted you full authority over the House of Shadows inquisitor, Keiran]

[Divine Ruler, Aylin shall deliver you Five Inquisitors from the Seven Houses of the Upper Moon.]

[Divine Ruler, Aylin will not tolerate failure]

Atticus kowtowed, not daring to take this kindness for granted. "I thank you, great one," he said, but there was no reply, only the eerie silence of the desolate winds. Still, he lingered, unable to move, for what seemed like months before motion returned to his ligaments.

He'd heard of Aylin's generosity, but to give him an Elixir of Malakh… was unimaginable. 'I'd heard the High Humans converted all these Elixers, hiding the recipe from everyone across the Myriad Heavens. Does that mean Master Aylin is a High Human? A Highborn of the Celestial Moons?'

Atticus shook his head, trying to push down such thoughts. Only death awaited those who intervened in matters beyond their control. He forced a smile, pushing his hand into the system storage, accessible only to those who received items from the System Shop or by the Gods themselves.

He gulped at the sight of the elixirs of azure white grace swirling like a graceful storm within the drinking vial. Despite its size, Atticus felt he was holding up the very heavens in his hands. It was heavy, taking nearly all his strength to hold and more.

Mana flared from off the surface of his skin like a flame as he pushed his physical attributes past their limits. Azure arteries of Mana treaded along the flesh of Atticus, revealing themselves to the heavens as his Titan Bloodline blazed, but still, the Elixir of Malakh's weight did not diminish, choosing to remain unmoving like a force of God.

He paled, twisting his body just as the elixir fell onto his companion, shattering into shards.

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