Shadow of the Abyss

Would she like it? Would she leave him? Is she even alive? Vadi wondered as his face paled and his throat grew dry.

"Gods! What have I done?" He wailed, tugging at his hair till blood streamed down his face. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm…so…so… sorry"

***

"Hey, Ren." Altair suddenly stared up at the girl who had mounted him with practiced precision the moment he fell onto his bed. "Do you like being on top?"

"Huh?"

"Well… I noticed you like laying on top of me. Sooo. I'm just curious."

"I guess I do." Said Ren, narrowing her misty red eyes. She brushed her hair back without her mask and leaned down onto her prince with intent in her sensuous gaze, without a hint of a blemish. "Do you not like it?" she asked fervently.

Altair's breath caught itself in his throat as the scent of lilac and lavender she had used to cleanse herself traced his nose.

"Last time, you held me down and pressed your lips against mine. Dug your fangs into my neck, and—" Her breath caught as the heat of his Warhammer rose, pressing hard against her most sensitive area. She shuddered. "You ran your finger over me like you owned me. Touched my hm~ breast and ah~ what did you do?"

Hot, as if caught in a furnace, Altair replayed those events. "I ran my fingers down your waist, touched your~" he stopped, too embarrassed to continue. He wanted to cringe but instead shuddered, feeling a wetness brushing across his lower half. He gulped and stared up at Ren, looking down with fever. The very fever he looked at her that day.

"Do you want to continue?" she whispered softly, unsure of when her hip swayed over his cock.

The Prince gritted his teeth, constrained by layers of clothing. "Ren"

"I don't like it." She suddenly uttered before he could, her flush expression twisting to indignation. She bit her lip, nibbling at it until it bled. "You bit another before me. So Ren needs to punish you."

Altair trailed his finger through her blood-red hair, brushing his lips over it, looking into her starry eyes. " And how do you plan to punish me?"

With a mischievous grin, Ren hopped off of him with a vibrant laugh as she hopped into the shower, with only her pearly laughter to accompany him.

'Son of a bitch' he cried inside, glaring down at the wet spot Ren left him. "Son of a bitch.'

Soaked in sweat by her feverish touch, Altair grumbled, only to sigh, "Amilia's notes about puberty called this… blue balls, right? It's not a pleasant feeling.' He grimaced when his thoughts suddenly fell to his shadows. 'Talia could…' he shook his head. 'Ren would go utterly mad. Plus… she's one of my shadows. That's weird, right?'

Unsure how his thoughts began to spiral out of control, he commanded his shadows to appear and protect before he fell unconscious as he viewed Aurora's story.

Aurora Alberia was the only daughter and child of Viscount Tilvan Alberia. Born of luxury, Aurora did not want nor crave anything. She was loved despite the death of her mother, Luvia, during childbirth. Talvan doted on her every whim. Going as far as to allow her to marry a boy of a lower noble ranking.

Tilvan believed in his daughter, knowing she had not just the talent but the intelligence to elevate her status with enough time. She was a mentalist. A powerful one that could read just about anyone. Everyone except Vadi.

The question of why she fell for him made her mind swell. Vadi was the only person she couldn't read or perhaps anticipate his aim or goal. He was a spineless craven who, at times, showed such bravery that it made her question her ability. Everything he did was mysterious to her. And in the time they spent together… he made her smile and laugh.

Watching it all play through, Altair's eyes snapped open, bored. "What a boring story… Puppy love." he scuffed. "What a waste of potential and ambition. But I'll fix that."

'Arise'

[Fallen Necormancy Proficiency has increased by 0.5 %]

Proficiency: 0.2% → 1.2%

[Foresight (F) Acquired]

Space shuddered as Aurora appeared from his shadow, possessing the same pale grey skin as his other shadows. Her lifeless eyes suddenly shone with color as she returned to herself.

"Master…" Aurora said, falling to one knee. "I am yours to—"

"Look at me." Altair commanded her. And when she looked up, his palm cut across her cheek.

*POP!

"You deserve better. And you knew it. Why the hell did you look down on yourself so much? Hells. How you fell for that spineless shit is beyond a mystery. Honestly, had I not lived your life, I might have questioned your level of self-respect.

Bloody hell. All the signs were there. He made you laugh? That's what gets you off?"

"My Lord…" Talia interceded.

Altair froze, catching himself, but he couldn't understand it. Aurora truly loved that spindless worm. A beautiful fairy, whose mind was several times faster than most quantum computers, was stumped by a twerp. A bloody craven who made her laugh.

"I know, my Master… I know," she said through tears, cupping her cheek, which stung deeper than any wound she had ever faced. "And I'm—"

"Don't apologize." Altair fumed, feeling a fire rise within him. He shook his head. "Its… It's not your fault he betrayed you. I'm sorry for hitting you." He lamented, quite sure he was more emotional than normal, no doubt thanks to acclimating to Aurora's soul. he was always more emotional when he devoured a soul."I'm not usually this emotional. It won't happen again."

Aurora shook her head, with globs of pearly tears streaming down her cheeks. She lifted her lips into a mournful smile. "No, my Master. You were right. I saw the signs. I saw them all.

Father even warned me. And it cost me my life." She said, somehow finding it to warm her mournful grin. "But now I've got you, Master."

'And me!" Kirr childishly declared, jumping up and down like a child's ball with a bright smile. "You got me, little sis! Kirr got your back! wacha~"

".. Hells. Kirr. Sometimes I wonder about you." Jorm muttered wearily, dragging him back into the shadows.

Altair laughed, having missed spending time with his shadows. Most of the time, they were silently training in what they called the Realm of Shadows, a world where all he absorbed resided.

"Ummm, Master?" Aurora said."What will you have me do now?"

"Ask for a transfer to my division."

"And what about my skin color? I'm a pale grey."

Altair thought for a moment. " For now, use the spell Camouflage, and continue on as you always have."

"And Vadi?"

"That's up to you." He told her, unwilling to control every aspect of his Shadow's life. "I've no need for slaves. But people. Make a decision and act on it as long as it doesn't affect the work I give you. You're free to do whatever you want."

"Does that include me!" Talia joined.

"It does, although you're supposed to be dead… Hmmm. Actually. Acheon changed your appearance before you died, didn't he? So Olivia won't recognize you." He was reminded, slapping himself on the head, wondering where all his intelligence went. "And here I was about to mind fuck her. You do it, Talia."

"You mean that?" Talia asked, beaming with the brightest of smiles.

"Hmmm.' he nodded. "I'll speak to Iliana to get you, Kirr, and Jorm a position. Get your revenge. I don't really care how you do it. She was already under the effect of the eye of sacrilege. Guess I'll just cancel it."

"Ehhh~ since when?" Talia yelped.

"Since we first met. The moment I recognized her. I used schizophrenia on her." The boy revealed. "I was going to make her so mad she'd begin cutting herself. But you getting your revenge personally is best."

A/N: Chapter 78 hinted at the activation of the Eye of Sacrilege

Tackling her Master, Talia planted a large kiss on his cheek, brightly laughing. " Thank you, Master!" She giggled. "Thank you, Master!"

"Oh~ Ren~See's"

'Hells," The prince cursed. But before he could turn, Talia lunged at her, wrapping her arms around Ren.

"And thank you, Princess. You've made Master so much more human."

"Has she?" Altair popped his head up.

Talia kissed her cheek, taking hold of Aurora. She pulled her out of the room, saying, "Can you show me that Camouflage spell?"

Wrapped in a wet towel, Ren giggled. "Let's go to sleep, Art."

'... You're not going to sleep like that, right?" Altair prayed somewhat wishful and fearful all at once. Unsure how much restraint he had.

Ren gave him a smirk. "You'd like that, huh."

'..."

'Hehe. No. I was just curious what was going on.' she teased, heading back into the showers with but a towel to hide her voluptuous figure. Leaving the boy once again with the blues.

On his bed, Altair shook his head. "I both love my life and hate it. How is that possible? Bloody Hell. My dick hurts." He sat up before growing serious. "Tomorrow… days like these will be rare.

But it's been oddly enjoyable. Such a shame this little vacation must come to an end."