Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 215: Baptism of Blood IV

As the battle raged, the earth beneath Iliana's feet began to writhe with unnatural might. Altair winced, ignoring the shooting pain, ignoring everything he shot forward with purpose. The Abyssal grinned, stomping down.

The earth parted like the jaws of a savage beast, snapping shut around the prince, splintering a few mended bones before he could react; a stone beast clamped its jaws over his body, hurdling him miles into the air. He rocketed upwards, groaning at the sheer force propelling his body forward.

From the ground, the stone golem began to take form, gaining two pairs of wings as large as twenty feet, draconic scales so precisely transfigured they seemed nearly real, alongside a long, clunky tail. A terrifying roar of a dragon tore at the skies as the stone golem took off.

"Shit!" Altair cursed, piecing through a storm cloud. He whirled mid-air, his heart hammering so hard against his chest it ached, and watched the hundred-ton golem chase after him.

He had been unsure how he was still conscious, much less alive. His bones had continued to be shattered and repaired by his constitution, while the blood that had once been easy to spill was becoming harder to spill. The world was slowing, revealing particles of light and air.

The Mana that had left his body so long ago was beginning to be pulled in at an accelerated rate by the Circle of Gluttony. It was refined a few breaths later and deposited into his twin circles, rending him with a sensation of fullness.

It wasn't enough.

As his body reached its zenith, Altair, for the first time, bore a smile, feeling the winds wrenched against his skin. Insight seemed to flicker through his crimson eyes, sparkling as he plummeted downwards towards the dragon.

Arcs of infernal lightning seemed to tread over his body like the winds. It grew and grew and grew blazing until around the prince, a dragon of Infernal Lighting presented itself.

[DING]

[Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

[Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

[Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

[Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

[Infernal Lightning Proficiency has increased by 1%]

Like a great beam of scarlet light falling from the heavens, Altair tore through the stone golem, piercing downwards like a demon toward Iliana. So fast he became the barrier of sound shattered, as Altair grew faster and faster until he matched the natural speed of lightning itself.

Their blades clashed.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Dust clouds roared, connecting to the clouds swallowing the wreckage of Vesim.

"Isn't this fun!" Ilana roared, directing ninety percent of the force towards Yarwin. She watched as the shockwave that should have been directed towards Altair was pulled into his sword by his mysterious aspect and laughed as the strength of his weapon only seemed to rise.

Then, without warning, the hunting knife began to release a golden light. Golden runes lined its silver edge in the form of an old, dead language glittering a bright light that faded moments later.

He gulped, inching towards the dagger. He reached for it, sensing the ancient aura around the blade. An ecstatic sensation coiled down the blade edge, reaching up into the arm, traveling to the mind. He stilled, shaken by its gentle whisper.

'Kill'

The command voice was so sweet, so enticing. It echoed like the whispered moans of a lover.

Halvic seemed to relax, lifting the blade to look at it beside the touch.

"Kill." Like a pulse jolting through the mind, the voice echoed again. But still, he did not seem to notice as he appraised the dagger.

"Kill..."

"Kill...

"Kill... Him"

A lifeless hue slowly swept the blacks of Halvic's eyes, eating at the depths of awareness that seemed to fade from the mind, leaving behind only one thing: The Command.

'Kill Him'

Halvic lunged, plunging the dagger toward the prince's skull. Blood splashed over his face as the bones of Altair's fingers caught the blade edge inches from his eye. A dull ache stirred the unconscious mind, clouded by fatigue that came not from the body but the mind. Instinctual words echoed from his lips as he whispered.

"Shadow"

***

Covered in a mist of sweat in front of her cauldron, Reina tilted her head at Syris. "You're looking for Art?"

Syris nodded. "Hmmm. Apparently, everyone is."

"Why?"

"They're gathering people up for the sacrifice. And they figured Altair should be a part of it."

Reina thought for a second. It hadn't been like Altair to go missing, she knew. "I'll go in his place. You go find him. I'm sure one of his Pale Knights knows." she stood up, glancing around the king's room with a bit of hesitation. "Yeah... I'll go.

You hurry after him. I'm sure he hasn't gotten himself in trouble in such a short amount of time, right?"