Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 194: Festival of Chaos: Astral Sea

On the way towards the Palace Walls, Altair was finally allowed time to think of what had happened to him with Astaroth.

'Creator of Time,' he'd said some minutes ago.

Somehow, reminded of the recording of the Duke Leto had left for Reina as he said, "...meaning... at times, he is omniscient. Bullshit, right?"

A/N: Chapter 115

Altair frowned, recalling a few months ago how he'd somehow tapped into the power of the Realm of Spirits, but when he had awakened on the beach, all that knowledge he'd gained had vanished like a fleeting dream, or at least he was led to believe it was gone.

'Perhaps,' he thought, 'perhaps it's within my sea of consciousness.' somehow being pulled within the deepest regions of thought, his breath turned shallow as he receded into himself, past the awareness of thought to the mist of causation twisting into a sea of instincts and function.

A stillness swept through the conscious spirit of his being as he stood once more within the realm Raven called the Astral Sea.

Darkness encompassed the shadowscape of the furthest region of his mind, pulling at the never-ending mist that seemed to curl in a sort of vacuum-like arc upon a sort of invisible axis.

'I'm back,' he whispered, overwhelmed by what he was witnessing. He couldn't see the snow-white mist the last time he was here.

As he took in the meaning behind his Astral Sea, Altair was awakened to a wave of realization stirring within him.

'If all that I was existed here... won't all the answers I seek be before me? My sudden lapse of knowing. The truth of my blood, perhaps... even my Aspect, all lies here within my soul.' everything he knew and didn't lie here. It was within his Astral Sea that rested the meaning of each and every cell, along with the conscious theory of free will all sentient beings possessed.

Suddenly, without warning, Altair was pulled from out of his Astral Sea and flung back into his body as memories came like a flood through his mind. The memories were of his journey here within the palace and before the King.

Altair felt a cold chill slither down his spine as he felt he had gone into autopilot. As a part of him spoke and reacted in the very manner befitting him, yet it wasn't him or... was it? He could recall Ren asking him about the decor and his response of disdain when compared to the Palace of Stygian.

He could recall it all, and yet that wasn't him, was it?

"Art? You ok?" Asked Ren, sensing the subtle hint of panic on his shoulders. She took his hand and gasped when she saw blood slither down his nose.

Thanatos bore a tight frown. "Were you attacked?"

"Altair," Said Syris alarmed.

"I...I'm fine," Altair answered, though his mind was spiraling out of control for but a moment. "I just thought too hard for a moment." He gave a shallow smile, refocusing his attention upon the Blade of Dawn, Varrquess, who now sat on the throne.

"Kingslayer," said the Prince, amused by the tensing of Varrquess's entire being that straightened up the moment the words reached his ear. "So you sit upon the throne now. How distasteful."

Varrquess' solemn expression broke into an ugly grimace for a split second. Then, he regained control. "I am now King."

Altair smiled. It was one of utter disdain. It had been one thing to kill your King, but for the one who slayed him to sit upon the throne of the one whom they were sworn to protect made his gut twist.

"Sheath your presence, you old fool," said Tasha coldly. "Altair and His Majesty the Great Prince of Mythos have come to an agreement. No harm must befall the boy. No matter how much of an ass he might seem."

"Ren? Am I an ass?"

Reina's scarlet eyes glimmered like jewels. "The biggest."

"Yup," Said Syris. "One hundred percent."

"Diddo," added Zag.

"Little bit."

"Et tu, Thaan. Traitor!"

With a slew of laughter, anger pieced through Vanquee's soul like a knife. "This boy? The one Lord Astaroth had us hunt."

"And the one who one-upped your Lord and had him call me daddy." Altair spat, sending his chat into a spiral.

[Daddy: Spawn of my balls, I planted a good seed in your mother!]

[Conquest: This guy above me is wilding!]

[She Who Hunts: Is this really something to be proud of?]

[Piercing Owl: It's a guy thing.]

[Archeon: I shouldn't be laughing, but damn. He really is courting death, isn't he? But you do realize that Lord Astaroth might not be able to kill you, but there are far worse things that can happen.]

[Daddy: Fuck Astaroth, that goat fucking bitch. Realm War! Come at me!]

[Archeon: -_- ]

[Piercing Owl: No one even knows who you are.]

[Daddy: Come at me!]

A little embarrassed, Altair closed his notification screen. He turned to Varquees. " Now that is out the way. Deliver to me all the kiddos. Your Kingdom is nearly out of food and is struggling to keep up. So unless you plan to use kids as cannon fodder, I'll happily take them off your hands."

"Just do it," Tasha said calmly. Playing the cards she was given. Now that her mission was to protect Altair during this festival. She figured she might as well act as a spy, seeking to figure out Altair weakness to better aid her lord.

Tasha knew this game between her Master and Altair had only just started. And if she were to play her cards right... perhaps Astaroth might grant her 'Authority' amongst her kin.