Shadow of the Abyss

On the third day after his arrival on Vastroph, a slighted air dwarfed in a thick, oppressive aura that made one feel as if they were moving through water shrouded the manor. There was nothing to say about their arrival outside the Nier Manner. Their Aura had simply been too great a power, peeling the oak from off the main body until it splintered and shattered. The Wardings be damned.

In his antechamber, Altair said nothing, though a notable half smile crossed his lips as he peered through the eyes of a forsaken at an unfamiliar and familiar face alongside Athena and the one he presumed was Poseidon emanating that dreadful Aura.

She was tall, at least tall for a woman, standing about six feet and two inches tall, with a long arcane bow attached to her back. Her eyes were a mixture of blue and green, which seemed to appear either way at times. They were indeed very beautiful, complimented by her long silvery hair, tied in one long, intricate braid down her shoulder onto her waist. Emblazoned with the Crescent Moon, knocked with an arrow over her robes.

Without the need for her to address herself, Altair knew her name, and it made butterflies rise in his belly. He owed Artemis a lot.

Poseidon himself wasn't like anything he had imagined for the man, but then again, he didn't know what a rapist looked like. Those weren't the sort he typically was around. He was a head taller than Artemis, ordained in a blue robe that showed nearly half his sinewy frame. His hair, tied in a neat ponytail, was a stunning shade of aqua blue that seemed to match his dragon-shaped eyes. Handsome, though that meant little to him.
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He had seen the two of them through the eyes of one of his forsaken before having Raven escort the three into his antechamber. A few times, he caught Poseidon studying Raven's ass but said nothing. Poseidon was not the first to do so, and neither would he be the last, though he was the first to be so blatant about it. Either he was so arrogant he believed no one was looking, or he didn't care to not touch wasn't his.

Unlike those he had risen from the dead, Altair wasn't sure if Raven could be revived. She had come directly from the Vale, possessing something of a fleshy body from day one. He had to protect her from men like Poseidon, even if her job was to protect him.

'If she knew I had such thoughts, she'd shame me, 'he thought, laughing to himself, as the door to his antechamber opened. Therion acted as herald, echoing their names as they entered. Only two had the respect to lower their heads into a bow, that being Athena and Artemis, while Poseidon blatantly had his head raised, no doubt to test him—At least he hoped. If it wasn't a test, then the man would have been either a fool or arrogant. Whatever the case was, Altair welcomed them with a smile, though he didn't rise, signaling for the two Goddesses to raise there heads.

"I hope you've been well?" he asked, staring at Artemis, but Poseidon was the one to answer.

"We could be better," he said, as if they had been wronged, as if

he

had wronged them. A somewhat surprising revelation, Altair did not allow to touch his face.

"Is this the reason you sought an audience with me?" Altair asked, in a tone that suggested he was speaking to a plebeian rather than a man of noble lineage.

Poseidon sniffed. "For the past few months, there has been an active drive to worship the

Shadow of the Moon

." He glanced at the crest of the black moon ordained behind Altair across the wall. "It has been interfering with our follower's daily worship. Constantly, they have been straying from the path."

Altair's smile never touched his eyes. Poseidon truly was brazen. To come to him and complain about his House Crest was something he never saw coming. Did the fool not realize he owned the very world he walked on? It was by his influence that Earth and Gaia merged. Its infinite resources were now there to use, so long as they paid the proper taxes.

Of course, he didn't say anything about that; instead, he chose to resume his conversation with Artemis. "I hear you are seeking to be with child."

Artemis's cheeks slightly reddened to the color of cherry blossoms. "Yes, I've been looking. I had an eye on Thanatos, but he…" she shook her head. "He hasn't responded. Every time I try talking about it, he somehow manages to change the topic." she sighed. "I'm not very good with words."

Athena snorted. "Well, that's a lie. I've never seen you lose an argument. You're just hesitant now that he's eying Aurora."

The Goddess of the Hunts cheeks reddened even more. She did not try to deny it, and neither did she comment on it. That made Altair chuckle.

Finally, he turned his attention back to Poseidon, fuming where he stood. "So you came to me to complain about how your followers are no longer loyal to you? Poseidon, you are a god, while I am currently a mortal. If you can't keep your followers, then perhaps you shouldn't be allowed to have them. I don't even have the voice that allows one to hear the wishes of one's followers. You do. You can grant booms and create just about anything through the School of Transmutation. So I don't really see the issue."

Of course, he did. One of the many ways Gods gained Divinity was through the faith of ones followers. Altair had yet to be able to sense such things, but he had ordered every religious symbol on Earth to be paired with the Sigil of the Black Moon. Using his High-grade Surveillance System to grant a few wishes. Whether it's to cure a loved one, or simply pass a written test, or hope a professor is sick for a day, to give them time.

Of course, such things took money, millions of Sols in fact, with how wide Earth had grown in recent months. Even if Earth was a very rich Planet, it was still much. Still, Altair found it was worth it. That was especially true with the various blessings his world now held.

"That isn't acceptable!" Poseidon snapped. "These are my people! My—"

"They were your people," Altair said coldly with an edge so sharp it could cut steel. "Tera is mine. It no longer belongs to the Twelve Gods of Olympus but Altair Blackwood."

"Uncle," Athena cut in sharply. "I suggest you shut your mouth. His Majesty is—"

Altair raised a palm, silencing her. "I agreed to this meeting for two points. Two. One by the end of this week, the Abyssal Empress, Lilith Snow," —The ears and faces of everyone instantly sharpen to fine points—" Will be making an announcement about me. You'll hear from me first. But My Master is one of her Abyssal Generals. Her name is Iliana, the Goddess of Abyssal Destruction, Incarnation of Ruin, Sword of Ilcresh, and The Blade of Lilith."

Athena didn't show much reaction. She had already known it as such, but the other two were as white as snow, with Poseidon staggering back—dread written across his face like a brand.

"I can't say much about her, but her Sister, Vita, or Izavith, had been said to have defeated the one called Shiva, The Destroyer. Whether that is true or not, I can't say, but there seems to be an element of truth. That said, there might be another truth. One about my lineage. Athenas should already know." The Goddess of wisdom nodded. "Whether she proclaims it. I cannot say. So I'll not say it yet."

Artemis stepped forward, her voice a slight tremble. "Can I know?"

"Of course," Altair said without hesitation. "In fact, I'll leave it up to Athena's discretion who knows."

At the slight panic of the Goddess of Wisdom paling, he forced himself not to laugh. This was not just a test of her loyalty to him but also whether she had the mind to do what was in his best interests, just like Ashara.

Artemis looked at Athena with stars in her eyes. "You'll tell me, right, little sis?"

"You two are sisters?" Altair blinked.

"Of course," Artemis said, though reluctantly. "If there is one element of truth about our pantheon, it's that we are all related to one another. Insestous bastards."

Athena nodded slightly after she returned to a perfect calm. "I will inform the other Gods about the Abyssal Empress speech. And we'll also have to prepare various banquets for the arrival of incoming Gods, including the ones on the Omnis Ranking."

Altair had to suppress a grimace. That was going to be another blood bath if he didn't play his cards right. One wrong move, and he and Tera would implode. Disciple or not to one of the strongest. There were simply some people who were suicidal enough not to care about the Shadow Proclamation.

"Then I'll be counting on you."