Shadow of the Abyss

Altair stared aimlessly at it. He had been unsure how many days had come and went. He couldn't tell. But he felt warm. Warm under its embrace as if he had returned to the fold.

"Why won't you move?" A voice from within the dark questioned.

Inadvertently, Altair's heart began to shudder when he felt something land on his abdomen, its talons digging through the furs on his body. Suddenly, the creature moved towards the neck and then the face, revealing itself.

'A Raven,' The boy thought, studying its strange three eyes.

The Raven extended its wings, taking flight, circling Altair curiously. "Why won't you move? Why won't you move?" He repeated once more.

'Help me.' The boy tried to say.

The strange creature continued to circle Altair before landing on his chest. "Is this the first time within the Vale?" the creature asked, pecking at the furs on his chest. "Do you, by chance, have Corn?"

Frustrated, Altair teeth clenched, unable to understand why he could not feel the Mana within the Darkness.

"Will not the Mana, but the Darkness, and you shall touch the Vale," The Raven said, digging its talons into the boy's cheek. It stared deep into Altair's scarlet one. "The Children of Darkness are born to the Vale and return to its clutches upon their death."

Altair calmed his mind, repeating the words of the Raven he knew better than to trust. But he didn't have any other choice. 'Will not the Mana, but the Darkness. Over and Over, Altair repeated the Raven's words like a doctrine. ' Will not the Mana, but the Darkness."

And as if something clicked through his mind, a sensation of knowing swelled through his chest. He lifted his arms. An insignificant feat, yet it held such sway Altair's eyes grew wet. "I can move… I can move!" he whimpered.

"Crybaby! Crybaby!" The Raven mocked, hopping onto the boy's shoulder. "Well? What are you doing here? How'd you die?" It shrieked.

Still shaken, Altair shook his head. " I'm not dead. Eh? What do you mean?"

"Those born to the Vale return to the Vale." The Raven said, as a matter of fact, batting its wings.

Positioning himself upright, Altair wiped away the tears. " What is this Vale you keep mentioning?"

"The Vale is Darkness. The Vale is Death. Yet nothing at the same time." It said, stabbing its beak into Altair's cheek. "All children of Darkness know this?"

Annoyed by some unknown creature toying with him, Altair rubbed his cheek, brushing the irritation away. The Raven flapped its wings again, landing on the boy's other shoulder. "If you're alive, how are you in the Vale?"

He bowed his head, thinking of all that occurred as he recounted the tale. "A strange, mysterious force dragged me away from Big Sis Luna into the dark. Icy waters invaded my mouth, and before I could think—"

"— You died." The Raven said.

"I'm alive." The boy fired back, refusing to believe he died in such a pathetic manner. There had to be a logical answer.

All three eyes of the Raven focused themselves on the boy, radiating profundity. "You carry a heartbeat… strange. None of the others do. Nor are they awake." It said, tilting its head. "Anyway, do you have corn?"

Altair reached his waist to his pouch, where he kept his jerky. He frowned at the missing pouch and sword.

"I don't have anything on me."

"Tsk. A brokie."

Resisting the urge to pummel the Raven. Altair stood silently before the Vale, overwhelmed by where to begin when a gentle voice echoed his way. "Child, what are you doing in this desolate abyss?

The Three Eye Raven bowed its head. As did Altair, finding himself betraying all his years of training as he desperately tried to raise his head, to no avail.

The voice laughed. "How cute! But if you want to resist, perhaps reach the level of Hellmaster, little rabbit. I shall aid you this once. But should you return to the Vale, there will be a price to be had."

Altair eyes went wide as saucers, and before he could even react, a large vortex opened up within the Vale, pulling him in. And with him, the Three-Eyed Raven.

***

"It's been three months!!!!!" Ren angrily roared, snapping her finger at the sleeping boy. " Why isn't he waking? And don't tell me you don't know! You're a mega ultra god or something. How do you not know!"

Luna lowered her gaze to Altair. He had grown thin these past few months, shedding more than ninety percent of his muscles, unable to stay the course of the elements on his body. Force-fed milk and various liquids, Ren found throughout the outreach to keep him alive. Luna had found herself powerless. Unable to comprehend what happened.

brought-to-you-by-MvLeMpYr

Under her watch alongside some of the strongest within the Myriad Heavens, within her domain, Altair's soul had been pulled from her grasp.

She clenched her teeth, unsure how to bring this up to Tene.

"AH~" Altair gasped himself awake, eyes swaying back and forth with panic as the first light pierced his eyes. He shuddered at the rays of light searing his retinas.

[Ding]

[Baptism of the Moon Complete]

[Refinement of the Moon has Ended]

[Reward: Serpents Outreach, Dimensional Rift, Eternal Moon Physique

[Heart of Darkness has attuned itself to the Vale]

[Mana Circle has been Tarnished by the Vale]

[Soul Flame has been Tarnished by the Vale]

[The Vale has Tarnished the Eternal Moon Physique]

Eternal Moon Physique → Fallen Moon Imperfection Physique

[Soul of Indomitable Flame (F)Acquired]

[Ninth Form, Aeron(F) Acquired]

[Vale Manipulation (F) Acquired]

Flooded by an endless stream of messages within his System, Altair groaned, finding himself weak and his throat dry. He mouthed the 'words' water to Reina's teary face. Unsure what happened. But what came was a strange salty liquid that turned his ashen grimace green.

"What is this?"

"Thank the Stars!" Ren shouted, tackling him onto the solid earth, refusing to let him go. "You were… You… You were out for… AHHhhhh~" Crying her eyes out in his embrace. Altair turned to Luna for help.

But all he received was a deep frown and a familiar icy stare of suspicion that peeled at his skin, revealing everything he hid leaving him exposed beneath her eyes.

"Big Sis?"

"Altair…" Luna began opening her palm as a barrier formed, blocking the eyes and ears of all the pesky gods watching. " Where were you? Where was your soul?"

"The Raven said I was in the Vale." He answered as if compelled to bear his soul.

Luna's eyes contracted for less than an instant so fast that Altair didn't even seem to notice anything strange as she spoke, trying with all her might to stop her voice from shaking. "And how did you escape?"

"A voice… I don't know." He said, unsure of himself. "But it was warm, for what lied around me, a barren wasteland of darkness that did not grow but fester with nothingness." He shuddered, recalling that hell. "If not for the Raven that said to bend not the Mana but the Darkness, I fear I'd have gone insane."

"... This Raven was conscious?"

Altair nodded, thinking. "Yes… And now that you mention it. He said the others were asleep. Yet only he stood awake." He felt Ren shift, peering at him as if she had been wronged. He patted her hair, alarmed by how small he'd become, at how his skin clung to his bones. "The voice… It was powerful, like yours, but gentle, forcing me to bow my head."

"I'm sure it did. What else."

"The voice said something about Hellmaster… That I needed to be as powerful as him to—"

"Ok," Luna said, squatting down to him and Ren. " Listen to me well. No matter the deal, no matter what is offered. Never bring up you went to the Vale. Don't even mention Hellmaster. Clear?"

"Who is—"

"Never even think of him until you become a god. Names hold power, Altair. And his is one of absolution. Each time you speak it, he hears it. It's how Gods once governed their people. And it's why you should never speak a true God's name."

Altair's shriveled palms rose onto his big sister's shoulders. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to hold my tongue towards unknown names." He said, then changed the subject, bearing a bright, giddy smile. "Now… can you do me a favor? I thought about what you said about my plan to escape House Aros. And I've made modifications.

Hear me out."