Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 224: Ashen Blood IV

The great presence born from his spirit came like a Black Scourge upon the realm, withering will of mortal man to dust. It rallied against the heavens and the hells, seeking neither destruction nor creation but despair and madness.

Ignus trembled, reflecting on a memory, a strange manner of creatures that bore no true form. "An Outer God." A dreadful pang of unease slithered up his spine, coiling around the flesh like death's icy grip. He gulped with a restlessness on him that would simply not die.

And he thought, 'I am Ignus, Lord of the Frenzied Flame, Dragonborn of Golden Empyrean. King Regent, to his majesty Lord Bahamut's reign, I shall not fear a boy." Somehow, he grew more confident standing boldly before Altair.

Altair moved then, using a lightning string as a platform to enhance his natural velocity. Showers of embers came like rainwater from the skies, dancing over the skies. So fearsome were their blows that the winds became like knives, carving through structures below.

Shockwaves uprooted buildings, brandishing them high in the skies, as Sword Intent shrieked high and low, decimating everything it touched.

Rocketed back through the air from the intense blow, Altair opened his palm, grabbing hold of a string of Infernal Lightning like a bungee cord that had lashed itself into space. He grinned, propelling himself forward using the very momentum that had sent him flying. He laughed wildly as spear and sword clashed in an infinite array of blows.

Sword Light and Spear Light weaved, cutting, slashing, meeting with thrust and counters. Altair's and Ignus's arms ruptured from the intense blows. Blood flowed from their arms, but at that moment, Ignus grimaced when he saw Altair's injuries mend.

He could feel the Mana between heaven and earth being depleted at an even higher frequency, refilling the Mana that Altair depleted.

[Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

'He's not even used his Domain yet.' Ignus thought, gritting his teeth. Yet, with each clash, Altair was visibly growing stronger. Each clash of their swords reflected what he was gaining. 'And this body of mine can't exhibit all my skills. Even with the aid of Astral Qi.' he cursed, drawing breath, filling his lungs with Mana.'

Ignus spear turned red hot, blistering an intensity that made the sun's glare feel like a warm bath. Altair's perspiration evaporated, but his smile never faded.

[Ashen Blood has removed all Negative Ailments]

[Ashen Blood is Adapting]

Altair felt the blood beneath his flesh writhing out of his control; He wanted to scream then, as sizzling heat came from his veins, stimulating his nerve endings. The sensation of being burnt alive came like a flood of the senses, plunging him further into madness fueling him with rage.

Crossing space in a single bound, Ingus arrived, his spear darting out. The Prince weaved to the left, followed by the right, grinning like a demon. Unsure why agitation and exhilaration began to fuse. He opened his mouth, firing off an orb of black light, so suddenly Ignus barely had time to lift his spear tip to defend.

Enma exploded in his face, tearing him out of the skies and forcing him down. He struck the earth with a deafening boom as Altair followed, piercing down with [desolate descent]. His sword slashing through the Dragonborn's shoulder, shattering dozens of bones before he could properly defend himself.

A mist of blood sprawled over Altair's cheeks. When he suddenly pivoted back, his twin sword, Shadowclaw, and the Sword of the Vale, carving through several wind spears that came as quickly as the winds themselves. He charged back in with a mischievous smile on his face, playfully observing how Ignus used that time to restituate himself.

Ignus hadn't been able to fully defend against Enma, causing his entire right arm to be peeled of all its flesh. In contrast, his right shoulder collarbone was severed. It wasn't a deep cut, but enough to show imperfection in his once-perfect stance.

Altair embodied the night as he moved like a shadow, dodging the many wind spears darting towards him. When from the winds, fire exploded in mass, catching the Prince off guard. Shattering dozens of bones, bubbling his flesh in a matter of seconds before he was forced to take to the skies to escape the full blast.

The pain had been dreadful. But the excitement equally matched.

"Erase," He commanded, dismissing the effect of his Aspect upon Shadowclaw.

"I see," Ignus peered forward. "Whatever touches the sword comes under your control. You devoured my flame, then erased it. What a frightening Aspect."

"Yes... I call it Rule."

"Too bad you've barely control over it. Otherwise, you would have been able to cut through my scales."

Altair didn't see much point in denying it. It was true. The Aspect of Rule had been in its infancy. And the most he could do now was Absorb, Dismiss, and...

"We'll see about that."

****

"What is this Outer Gods? I've never heard of that," Said Jin, tilting his head towards Beelzebub.

"I can't say I know much about them myself," The Old Fallen said. He glanced at Gabriel, but he shook his head, too.

"The Abyss. You'll find them in the Abyss," Adam remarked. "I'm not sure how they were created or who, but they are like Abyssal but different. I've met one. And it was so strong I had to use Father's blessing merely to escape. They are formless creatures, immune to just about everything."

"Strange... Then why am I only hearing about it now?" Said Beelzebub.

"I don't have an answer to that. All I know is that I didn't journey into the Abyss for a long time after that day. And I never saw another one."

"When was this?" Gabriel asked.

"A little after the creation of the Prime Evils," said Adam darkly. " After Eve's Folly, I dug into the Abyss to test myself, to win some opportunities. However, all I earned was defeat."

Jin made an annoyed face. "What is this Eve Folly nonsense?"

"Eve was the second woman to exist. The first being Lilith, the Mother of Demons," said Gabriel darkly. " With the death of her son Abel. Eve went on a trip to the Abyss. No one knew where exactly in the Abyss she was, but when she returned, She had created a spell that gave the Seven Sins corporeal forms.

"These seven creatures were so powerful that the Second Heavenly War ended before any major deaths could occur. In the end, Heaven and Hell had to team up with the Primordials to seal the Seven Prime Evils."

"Such an event became known as Eve's Folly," Beelzebub recounted. "Thank God for Tenebrae. Had she not been there to aid us. We all might have died."

"Aunty Tene did? Wait... then what is powering the seal? Surely it has to be a powerful—"

"Tenebrae herself is. Her very life force is empowering it. It was the only way to seal the Prime Evils before they grew consciousness."