Shadow of the Abyss

Fiercely riding her mount forward, trotting through a vast plain with a heavy fever in her eyes, Alyssa felt a scorching heat rise within her, a fire that blazed, directing her gaze towards the North.

"There!" She roared, flaring her shield from her back, and unsheathed her sword from its cage of leather. Alyssa bellowed his name, bearing the brunt of her mana on her windpipe until her voice was hoarse. In seconds, she locked eyes with him, stationed behind a woman with eyes so red it pooled like a bloody lake.

In a heartbeat, all manner of beasts froze as if on a frozen lake, casting Alyssa and her men high into the air as they tumbled and rolled. They lifted their heads, filled with utter dread.

"Reina…" Altair said in a warning tone. He could feel her dreadful presence that reigned like a mighty Queen."We mustn't kill."

The Direwolf lowered his head, quivering like a newborn pup, while the Kitsune scrambled onto the Prince's shoulder. Taken by the ancient aura that made life seem meaningless, the steeds in the distance prostrated themselves before the blood of the Ancients and Fallen.

[Divine Sin, 'Archeon' rises from this blackened throne.]

[Divine Fallen, 'Quivering Night' is alarmed by the blood of his kin.]

[Divine Fallen, 'Currupt Prince' seeks to know why his kin is on such a tiny sector?]

[Divine Sin, Daddy, folds his arms, impressed.]

Altair's word of warning did not register in Ren's mind as she reached for the greatsword strapped to her back. A whirlwind of light stretched through the air, parting the dust beneath her feet as the blade left its scabbard. She looked at Alyssa with an excitable gleam.

"FAN OUT!!!!" Alyssa shouted, shaken by that monster ahead of them. " I'll handle Altair and Riena! Get the others. Goo!!! Sisters! Too me!"

At her command, four beautiful women armed with shields and spears shone with nodes of glistering gold circled their commander in a formation meant to combat those of a higher circle.

Reina reached for her mask, dismissing it back into a void of her soul, where her hunting bow resided, allowing the fresh air to brush against her face. The world seemed to dim beneath it all, leaving beauty to cascade over the eyes of Gods and Mortal alike.

'She lost it… why the hell is her form affecting her more than me?' Altair thought, trying to figure out how to help Ren regain control. He cursed and glanced around at the hordes of soldiers rushing past him.

"Ren," he said louder. "Stop this insanity. Withdraw your—"

There was a maddening regality to Reina, who glanced at him from the corner of her eye with a smile that seemed to strip him bare, leaving him exposed. She licked her lips in a lewd embrace of saliva to moisten her lips. She was gone, leaving a blurry afterimage that turned Altair's eyes wide.

By the time he turned, he saw the savage arc of her blade falling, clashing with the golden spear of a young woman with long, auburn hair, chipping the golden spear and pushing her off balance and into Alyssa's embrace. Three spears came like the wind, cutting towards Reina's neck, wrist, and legs. They carved through the woman, which faded into an afterimage.

"Behind you!" They heard the Prince say. But it was too late.

Blood arced into the air as Audrey, who had barely stood up herself, pushed Alyssa out of the way at the cost of her spear arm. She screamed, bathing the grass a sheen of red. Alyssa tumbled and rolled, panicked when she saw the greatsword crashing down over her, catching her shield before she could grasp what had happened. Her body caved into the Earth.

BOOOM!

"Alyssa!" Ruth cried, whirling at the sight of the bleeding Audry and Alyssa being pummeled into the ground. She dashed, using all her strength she could. She stabbed her spear at Reina three times, four times, seven times, eight, catching air as Reina weaved with a blood-stained smile, dancing around her spear with a chilling laugh.

At the same time, the other girls bolted to recover Audry and Alyssa in a practiced fashion. They dragged her out of the rumble, her lips and face bloodied by her shield bashing across her face from Riena's earlier strike.

'She's toying with them.' Altair told himself.

"Die!!!!" Ruth howled in a fierce tone. Erupting in a storm of mana, calling on her unique skill. The skies erupted with a divine force as several spears of lightning came like the call of the mighty Zeus, shrieking with the brutal force of nature.

Reina cruelly laughed, commanding her blood-red flames tainted by her nature forth. A pillar of emerald flames swarmed the skies in an ephemeral flash that swept the heavens, devouring the sun and moon into a vale of purgatory.

[Necrotic Flame]

Type: Fallen

Description: Created by the Eighth Lord of Hell, Mephistopheles, to combat the Seraphic nature of Sacrad Flame. Necrotic Flame shall Enchants the User Mana with the Sins of Heaven and Hell.

All damage taken from the Enchantment of Necrotic Flames cannot be healed through normal means.

The world blazed in an emerald haze.

"Ren!" Altair shouted as the pillar evaporated. He jerked the pale face Ruth back and looked at the emerald goddess, and from his palm, the Vale leaked into creation.

The two looked at each other for a while, and a giggle suddenly resounded as Ren's eyes swayed to gold and then a calm and collected red. "Art!" She sang, withdrawing her aura with a vibrant voice of spring. 'Rens a little hungry.'

Altair's brow twitched, seeing her switch faces like the wind. He bonked her on the head and pointed at the damage. " Look… You nearly killed…"

'Didn't you actually kill people?' She swiftly said in a whisper in his ear, smirking. " Ren is an angel compared to Art. A big fluffy angel! Come here, Kuu!"

"Kuuu!" Leaping onto Ren's shoulder, The Kistune purred.

Lost for words watching Ren return to normal… or as normal can get for her. He sighed, turning to the wreckage. All five of these women had similar physical attributes to Ren, yet… she toyed with them as though they were children.

'And that movement technique… when did she learn that?'

"Stay back!" Ruth shouted, trembling to hold her spear, much less stand. "Leave us… We don't have—"

"Easy," Altair said calmly, lifting his hands to show no harm. "It's fine. I'm not interested in eliminating you. Not when my squad is eliminating those you brought with you." he said. "How's your friend?"

"The bleeding isn't stopping!" Jayda shouted, clutching Audry's stub.

Altair looked to the dark-skinned Amazon, standing up with a stagger in her step, still dazed from Ren's monstrous strike.

"Now Ren feels bad…" the little Nephilim murmured, the glow in her eyes transitioning to gold.

"Don't be," Altair informed her with a fixed stare that neither mocked nor gloated. "This is our fate should we ever lose." He said, without emotion, watching as a drone emerged to help. He turned, ready to leave.

"Is that all!" Alyssa shouted, bloodied and beaten. "Why spare us?"

"I'm not. I'm merely allowing a pawn to be a pawn." He said, waving, falling back to where Aurora welcomed him.

"Careful, my Master. I hear Amazons tend to have a habit of raping strong, virile men," Aurora said teasingly. "Especially ones that have defeated them in the past."

Ren lifted her downcasted head and wrapped her arms around her Prince from behind, cupping his crotch, "But Altair is mine." She declared, nibbling on his ears with scarlet red eyes.

"Ren~" the Prince groaned, hoping he'd not tear through another set of trousers. And to his relief and displeasure, Ren jerked away, covering her face to mask the shame.

"Bloody Hells!!!" She cried.

"Damn right," Aurora shouted, flushed by the boldness Ren displayed. She never knew the girl to be so bold.

"Yes… keep practicing the Eight Form," Altair instructed, blushing all the same. "Perhaps you'll gain some common ground. Or at least won't switch personalities so often."

Ren made a face. "Hmmmm."

The boy could sense her confusion but didn't have much to offer. Situations like these were bound to happen more often, either by Ren or Him.

Aurora shifted her attention to her master. "Do we catch up to Talia or…"

"Talia knows what she's doing… I hope. She's a bit unhinged, but Laro's usage is at an all-time low." He said, glancing up to the twin peeks up north to where the skies shimmered pillar of light.

"Looks like we have absorbed more than Five cubes." He said, grinning. "Ren, how secure is the cube?"

"Grey's wife and Clan are guarding it." Ren cheerfully said. "Alongside the various other monsters. It's safe."

He nodded and finally turned to the Kitsune on top of Ren's shoulder. "This creature… what are we to do about it."

Like a Startled cat, Ren clutched the Kitsune. " She's mine! I named her Kuu!"

"..."

Kuu looked up at Altair, its large violet eyes glistening curiously.

"Kuuu?"

[Ding]

Name: Kuu

Race: Celestial Kitsune

Age: 7 Days

Str: 2

Dex: 4

Con: 1

Wis: 7

Chr: 7

Mana: 30

Skill: Blink[F], Mana Manipulation [F]

"Kuuuu~"

Ren practically melted. "So cute! Kisses~"

That made the prince frown. Those kisses were his and were not to be shared.

Annoyed, Altair jerked Ren away, stealing her away from the Kitsune as it tumbled feet first onto the ground.

"Mine," He proclaimed with a childish glare.

The Kistune mewled softly. It was still young and new to the world. Its beady eyes twinkled, unsure what to do.

"Art," Ren said, whispering something in his ear.

"You promise?" He made certain with a hopeful gleam.

Through golden and red eyes, Ren licked her lips. "As God As My Witness," She vowed eagerly.