Shadow of the Abyss

Surveying the ballroom, Megaera felt incredibly bored. She had always found social events such as balls to be incredibly dull. She had spent most of her existence on the battlefield, hunting for some poor bastard and killing, training for years on end, seeking the peak. The very idea of spending an entire evening socializing with anyone other than the men she hunted was worse than torture.

At least there on the chopping blocks, she'd be able to experience something other than boredom.

"I can't believe you got Lord Hades to agree to this bullshit," Megaera said.

"Jealous?" Thanatos asked.

"Hardly," Megaera intoned, though Thanatos thought otherwise. Why else would her mood be so sour?

"How do you like your new body? I heard you went to Zariel for help."

Megaera shrugged. "I went through Arsene since he owed us a few favors. Bloody bastard kept smiling, asking if I wanted to be one of his Shadowfell. As if. Being a Godling was already annoying enough."

"I hear that," said Thanatos, reminded of his old lineage. Godlings, like many of the God Races, had been a lineage destined to Godhood. Contrived by the Titans of Old, from the Celestials of the Half Moons, Godlings were beings who were born God or held the innate power to achieve it.

The two chuckled, finding a cup of wine from a nearby Fae Waitress swaying their hips as if to lure the eyes of men and the scorn of women, who eyed them like something less than meat.

"So? What did you decide on? New beginnings are rare." Thanatos asked as more was heralded through the doors.

"You know the Silver Devil. He has his experiments, his idle belief of what perfection of creation ought to be," Megaera said, masking her thin smile. She looked at her slender finger curled around the wine glass. "Scary bastard, that one." She swirled the wine, curiously watching it spin and then ripple before it stilled. "This body doesn't have a name or title.

Much like the body he gifted Arsene, it's highly adaptable. Perfect for one who seeks perfection."

"I'm jealous," Thanatos said, though his voice said otherwise. Zariel had rarely done anything for free, favor or not. His actions, from the simplest to the most complex, always had a purpose that linked into a constellation of schemes that usually ended with someone on his operation table.

Mercy was not a virtue the Silver Devil ever mastered or sought to master, believing it held no meaning outside of defending the weak and giving opulence to those beneath him.

'Mercy is a luxury to those who have power,' he said. 'I'd rather have Power than be beneath the blade of my enemy, too disdainful to end my life.'

"Please,' said Megaera coldly. At least try to sound convincing. It's why I went through Arsene. The Silver Devil has a soft spot when it comes to his elder brother. Familiar ties and all that. Plus...

' she stopped, thinking, 'Altair is family—the Silver Devils' family. He should be more inclined not to scheme against me.'

As if understanding the implication, Thanatos nodded, looking out, marking his former Pantheon. Looking out at them, laughing and smiling, speaking with one another as though they were mortals. In truth, they couldn't have hated what was happening more.

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He could tell in their movements, their fake expressions, the twitching of their lips as a serving girl brushed by them, and the sudden conversation others would have with them. It almost made him smile; he wondered how many cycles it had been since they stood beside each other and not fucking each other or some mortal they took a liking to.

"I don't see Persephone," Megaera mused.

"Ah, is that your current hunt?" Thanatos replied. "Well. She's not here. At least not now."

"You think she'll show herself?"

"For Zagreus's sanity, I hope she doesn't. He'll strike before thinking." He sighed, glancing for Megaera's reaction.

There were none.

"Do you—"

Megaera did not let him finish as she gestured to one of the serving girls, ordering something to fill her empty stomach. She said, "Agents of the Black Heavens and Vaevictis are here. It's best if we keep a lookout."

Taking the hint as not to speak of her former lover's name, Thanatos did as she requested, turning silent as a shadow.

"Ummm," said Amilia awkwardly. "Do you two know when the Emperor will make his entrance?"

Thanatos lifted his ornate pocket watch from his suit vest. "Half a minute from now," he said when he felt he heard Megaera ask.

"Are you body cultivating?"

"I am," Thanatos said when he realized the implication. "Ah, you need me to imprint you. Although I'm not really comfortable seeing you naked."

Megaera rolled her eyes. "It's just my chest."

"And it's still uncomfortable. "You can ask Medusa or Zag, but—"

"Zag is a no. I'll never let him see me like that again. And Medusa sucks at manipulating Source energy." Megaera said, looking him over sternly. "I barely have a Mana Circle to my name. I can't do it. And what the hell do you think is going to happen?

Im going to rape you? It's just a tattoo. Nothing more, nothing less."

Thaan looked even more uncomfortable before he said, "Altair, but Aurora has to sit in."

"Who?"

"Me," said Aurora in a soft voice as she approached in a stunning black dress that seemed to show more than just curves.

Thaan paused.

"And I, too, have many questions, but Altair is expecting us," Aurora continued, referring to Megaera with special care. Raising a palm towards Thanatos, she smiled, "Shall we?"

Thanatos smiled, accepting his lady's palm. "Until we next meet, then Megaera, And try to stay out of trouble."

They left, leaving Megaera silent.

Fat Mike, a little out of place, spoke up. " So… how long have you two known each other?"

Megaera did not so much as acknowledge him but rather spoke with silver of ice in her voice. "How much longer are you going to watch? Have a seat, Zagreus."

***

"You ready?" Syris asked, fixing the Emperor's regalia. She looked up at him, parking a stingle-ashen strand of hair behind his ear, nodding at perfection itself. "And now you look perfect."

Regarding that sharp glint in his eyes, with extra care, Syris felt as if she were touching a blade rather than flesh and blood. From the instance she saw him, she'd felt her entire being besieged into a thousand pieces, her blood spraying into a fine mist over the marble floors as he approached.

The sensation had been surreal, so much so she had to cover her mouth lest she scream.

The Emperor chagrin slightly. "Perfect? I think all eyes will be on my lovely Saintess than they will be on me."

Syris flushed. "When did your tongue get to be so sweet."

Interloping her arms into his, Syris beamed, "Are you ready?" she asked once more as Thanatos and Aurora approached.

They both wore smiles as they looked him over once, then twice, for any faults. Finding none, they each took their role to his rear.

Altair sucked in a nervous breath of air, releasing it as the [Will of the Abyss] aura roared its infernal cry of defiance. The air grew heavy like blood with a heaven-defying might that seemed to transcend mortal limitations.

"Let us go," The Emperor said as the Heralds welcomed their Lord and Saintess in a single breath.

The ballroom went still with the might of death, surging through the open doors, leaving only the clanking of the foot steps of the Emperor and his saintess to waft through the hall. His aura, a blend of the Sword Path and the Will of the Abyss fusing into something, left even the gods stunned.

The mere sight of the Emperor left them astonished, for he did not carry the radiance of a mortal or of a common origin, much less noble ones, but rather an Imperious God that walked the path meant to defy Heaven and Earth, To exist as a singular entity beyond the Highest Heaven.

It had only taken a single instance, but mortals that had not touched the Seventh Circle were blinded, fainting to the deepest reaches of death or their consciousness. At the same time, those above felt as if a blade had whipped across their throat, dragging them into the depths of the Hells themselves.

Dread slithered through the great Halls as if Death itself had manifested around the Emperor.

"The Sword Path," Athena muttered, staring at Thanatos, curious if he had anything to do with the transformation that had taken place within Altair.

Ever since the Era of Zariel, the Age known as the Era of Order and Chaos, one's ability to manipulate the soul flame had dramatically declined, existing more as a technique taught in the monasteries of old or by the Old Gods that had managed to retain their sanity.

As far as she was aware, there hadn't been a single mortal in the current era who was able to utilize even ten percent of their Soul, despite the system aiding in cultivating the Soul Flame through the Attribute of Charisma.

Altair, however, seemed to have been the exception. Not only was he utilizing a hundred percent of its potential, he was pushing it beyond its limit. A feat she'd seen only in the Era of Order and Chaos, by monsters who walked the path to become Chaos Lords.

She gulped, as did many Gods that had been invited.

"Now, isn't this interesting? I was wondering why my brother was so interested in such a boy," A sly voice echoed beside Athena's ear, startling her as she turned, her heart plunging into an abyss of dread. "But there seems to be one missing. You wouldn't happen to know where she is?"

"Mephisto…" Athena whispered weakly.

"Where is Reina Blackwood?"