Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 304 Four Months I

That night, as Altair sat in his bed, he felt a little puzzled. He hadn't known Zero long, but there was a level of cold precision in his action that seemed missing from Zelos—a seriousness that would often signal greatness. Zelos, at least to his perception, seemed... normal—too normal to be a disciple of Zero, whom Azura had compared to be Mephisto's equal.

He frowned, pulling himself off his empty bed. Sleep was not on his mind tonight, so he pulled himself outside, towards the cool air cascading across the Serpents Outreach. The seven moons shone brightly, illuminating stardust across the endless night.

Normally, he would not have sought out the comforts of sleep, but he felt unusually weary that night, as if he were drowning in a vat of endless knowledge, filling his lungs until they wanted to pop. His head ached with such activity that it could render mortals immobile.

So he drew. Brush to canvas, he wove the night into being across his canvas, dotting the near-infinite cluster of stars, each of different sizes and positions. He wondered how long it had been since he last painted or looked up at the night to simply take in its wonder.

It wasn't until dawn came around that he stopped looking at the painting. It seemed so real, as if he could reach into the canvas and grasp the stars themselves. It made him smile when he realized how silly that might sound if spoken aloud. Still, he tried, laughing at himself.

"You're in a good mood," came Syris's sweet voice. "When you canceled the banquet, I thought perhaps Zelos was being an ass."

Altair gestured Syris over to his painting. "What do you think?"

Syris paused, frozen in place, finding herself lost in the blacker-than-night portrait. For a moment, she felt she was before the skies of the Serpent's Outreach, breathing in the winds brushing through her hair.

She smiled. "It's beautiful."

"You think?" Altair asked, unsure himself. He'd nearly forgotten how much he enjoyed painting. Yet, the moment his brush flew across the canvas, he felt the fog across his mind fade. Facades that were hidden in plain sight seemed to vanish, leaving only the truth.

'Truth,' he thought, lifting his lips, recalling a peculiar glow he'd seen in Zelos's eyes. Was he really Zero's disciple?' The more he thought of it, the more off he felt. Yet the knowledge Zelos held seemed to justify the claim. 'He knows my surname. And he knows my family. But is he really telling the truth about that?

If not...then why lie?'

"Altair?" Syris said, noticing the space within his eyes. She booped him on the nose, grinning. "What are you thinking about when I'm right in front of you? Don't you know it's rude to ignore a lady?"

Altair's smile returned to him. " A lady? When did my Syris become a lady? You eat as you fuck like a savage."

Syris tried to punch him in the nuts, but Altair was ready, gliding himself away from reach as he laughed at her flushed cheeks. Read latest stories on empire

"I do not!" Syris exclaimed, the flush turning to anger. " You... You dummy!"

Altair lips perked up high. "It's been a while since I teased you."

Syris gave him the finger, whirling to leave when Altair grabbed her from behind, pulling her into his embrace. "Don't be mad... What did you want to talk to me about? It's been a while since you entered my chambers."

Somewhat pacified, especially as he began kissing her neck, Syris said, "I just wanted to see you. As you said, it's been a while since we talked about anything but work."

Altair laughed. "Well... Aren't you cute? I see why Zag fell for you." he smiled as she flicked him off as well. "You know the rules?"

"No, Mana, just hands," Megaera said after she cleared her throat.

Altair and Syris took weapons from the racks before they took up positions across from the other.

In a single breath, hundreds of thousands of sword paths glinted across the domain of Altair's inner eye, forming a whirlpool of infinite lines.

"I'll only need a minute," Altair said, opening the Sword Path fully.

Syris sneered, bounding to him like an ephemeral beam of white light, her dagger clashing against his sword with shattering force. Flames ignited like an exploding star across the emperor's eyes. When a constellation of blows rioted against the other, as blade arcs danced in a maelstrom of vicious lines as their two arms blurred.

Syris was faster, but with each motion of Altair's sword, Syris found herself being pushed back more and more. It wasn't until their hundredth clash that she realized that she'd fallen into the flow of his sword strokes. He was controlling her flow, her rhythm.

She frowned, backing off in a few flips before rounding on her opponent's flank at a breath pace.

A flurry of dagger strikes came as Altair easily parried, following the motion of his Sword Path, perfecting his basics to a degree he felt he had not truly ever learned how to hold a sword.

'Just how strong is Zariel?' Altair had wondered, slightly glimpsing what it meant to perceive the concept of infinity. It seemed improbable. Yet, with each stroke of his sword against Syris, he felt the strings of perfection, of infinity, rising across his blade.

Syris was by no means weak. In fact, Altair felt that if he had not obtained the Sword Path, he might have struggled to hold her down. But it wouldn't have been so... simple. Now, he felt as if he were playing with a child who'd barely just learned to hold a weapon.

"You lose," Altair said, motioning his sword across space in a single arc of his blade.

Syris didn't even see it occur as she felt his sword touch her neck. She froze, glancing down at the ebony blade; blunt as it was, it drew blood from her flesh.

"How?" she muttered, dropping her dagger as awareness settled across her face.

"The Sword Path..." Altair said, his voice trailing off as he noticed tears rising across her lovely eyes.

"I... lost... so easily." Syris sniffled, a pained look cutting across her tender features. She blinked, biting her lip. "I must have looked like a damn fool."

Altair frowned at that. "What do you mean."

"You don't even realize it. Do you?" Syris said, looking up at him. "I attacked you hundreds of times. All you did was parry until... you finally decided to go on the offensive. All it took was a single sword stroke to defeat me." Tears welled in her eyes as she bit her lips, drawing blood.

"I..."

"Winner," Megaera said coldly before more words could be had. She drew in on them, arm pressed on Syris's shoulder. "And now you know. Do not cry. Simply improve."