Shadow of the Abyss

"... Ensign?" Vaiga's secretary called, stirring the boy to his feet. "The Admiral will see you now." She said, buzzing him through the door. Altair practically hopped to the door, opening it to see Vaiga standing beside a masked individual… a woman.

He studied her boldly. From the loose snow-white robes he had seen among the Freeriders of the Myriad to the silvery mask engraved with ancient runes he'd never seen before to the sword sheath in leather strapped to her back. He took her all in as she did his.

"Altair… this is Commander…"

"Iliana." the masked woman said, her voice cool, like the winds of spring.

'Yes…' Vaiga muttered, her voice trailing off, grappling with the fact she knew nothing of this woman aside from her name. "She will be your new commanding officer. You're being transferred."

Altair brow jumped. "So sudden?"

It hadn't even been a month since he first joined up with Vincent, and yet…

Vaiga folded her arms over her chest. "Commander Iliana here will be under Fat Mike. It's just you'll be taking direct orders from her," she said, continuing. "From what I've heard, you have two more members joining."

"Three people?"  Altair muttered. "That's hardly a team. "

"Four. If you count, the Nephilim," Iliana said, grinning beneath her mask, sending a shudder down his spine as he felt an invisible presence curl around his heart, and for a moment, his mask cracked, revealing his pale expression.

"A what?" Said Vaiga.

Iliana glanced at Vaiga with a glint of amusement. "Admiral, I'm sure Altair came in for a reason. Shall we hear him out?"

Catching her meaning, Vaiga didn't push. She'd received more than she ever wanted. It was best not to pry too much. Not when she didn't have to. " Yes… Altair, what was it that you wanted?"

In a guarded voice, Altair spoke: "I'd like to cash in some contributions and get two tier-three hearthstones. One with the element of Darkness, the other of Blood."

Vaiga frowned. "Blood? That's… Hmmm. I'll see if we have any, but who can say? Blood Cryptids are rare. Rarer than those with the element of Darkness.

But I'll see what I can. Why do you need them?"

"To complete my second advancement. Those are the requirements." He responded to her, unable to pull his gaze from the masked woman. He was glaring.

"Noted. You'll have your resources by day's end," she said. "If that is all—

"Then you're coming with me," Iliana said, stepping out of the door.

'She's not part of the military,' Altair quickly concluded, noticing the lack of militarist rules. He saluted the admiral and followed after Iliana to a secluded field devoid of life in silence.

Iliana turned to him. "You have yet to touch the Ninth Form." She said, with a note of disappointment.

Resisting the urge to conjure a moonlit blade, Altair stared hard. "There are few people who know of that. Who are you?"

"The one who granted it to you," Iliana declared. She glanced at Ren. "And you… For you to be trained beneath a god and still be, this weak is an insult to the Nephilim. Aurelia would die in her grave were she to see her kin so pathetic. But I'll fix that."

When Altair heard this, he knew who he stood before. "Your… You're my surpossed master." He said as the Eye of Sacrilege lit up.

Name: Iliana of the Abyss

Mana Circle: N/A

Class: [None]

Strength: 100

Dexterity: 100

Constitution: 100

Wisdom: 100

Charisma: 100

Mana: 100

'Your… Your mortal." He blurted out.

Iliana did not comment on her circumstances. Rather, she circled her disciple. "You're not bad. Battle prowess is utter rubbish, but you've got potential."

This gave the boy pause.

Had he ever faced defeat from a foe? Ever been forced to retreat? And yet… she dare call his prowess rubbish?

Aside from Ren, who could defeat him?

"You disagree?" Iliana noticed. "Well, that's up to you. You're free to do as you like. Fall in, don't fall in. I don't care. Come find me when you want to be unrivaled."

Altair watched her walk away and said nothing.

"She… um, she was something," Ren said at last.

"I don't like her."

Giggling to herself, Ren smirked. " You haven't even had a full conversation. To me, she just seems like she'd rather be doing anything else."

" She seems like a know-it-all."

" Are you talking about yourself?" Ren laughed before pawing at her Prince's head. " Look, Art. Your mother thought she was a good fit. Why not give her a chance."

Altair knew this, but he didn't like it.  Not only did she reveal Ren as a Nephilim. Even the way she looked at him made his gut churn.

'Art… you're being too arrogant. What's going on?"

Altair felt fist clenched as air filled his lungs. He scratched his head, wondering the same thing. His emotions were unraveling each day.

"Perhaps… I just like the freedom of it all." He told her. "I don't like being told what to do, Ren. It's a little childish. But I don't. I put up with it in the military because it's necessary for my survival. But It sickens me.

Stand straight. Do this, do that. Master this… I loathe it all. Standing before these… insects, not even worth me unsheathing my sword makes me want to puke." He looked up at the azure skies. "I wish it would all end."

"Then… Lower your pride. And as for her help." Ren said, hopping from his head. She looked at him dangerously. "We need power, and as long as it doesn't cross our bottom line. We endure because that's what we do. Through our desire, we endure.

Because the alternative is a meaningless existence."

Moonlight folded before the aimless rays of starlight, congealing into a blade, in the young Prince's hand. "Endure huh…' he repeated softly. "Through Despiar and Madness… we endure." He smiled. "Yeah… let's go get her."

Hurrying after Iliana, who hadn't even made it back inside, seemingly lost as she wandered about the fortress, Altair and Ren fell to their knees before the masked maiden. Iliana stared with raw indifference at the young children before her.

"So this is your decision?" she coldly mused. "Good to see you're not as arrogant as your father. Rise, disciple. You too, Nephilim." She lifted a palm, and from the nothingness within her grasp, one stone mask, forged from the embers of hell, appeared within her palm, alongside a white one forged from the Endless Skies and Moon of the Seven Heavens. "Where these… they will mask you from the Gods."

Altair flinched. "Why would we—"

"The system gives the gods too much power to monitor you. And that's a problem. You need to mask some of your techniques. Your battle prowess. And so on. Right now, the Gods know more about you than you yourself.

And these masks will assist in masking your identity and location."

She tossed Altair the black one and Ren the white, "Dawn them, and let us begin."

***

"Vaiga… what the hell do you mean?" Fat Mike barked, slamming his fist into the wall. "What do you mean Altair was transferred? The only reason he's still alive is because of me. I've stopped over ten assassins this week alone."

Dusting herself off, Vaiga eyed him darkly. "Jorna, calm down. He's still in your group, just under a new commander."

"An Iliana, was it? I've never once heard of a Commander by the name of—"

"Jorna…" Vaiga spat, silencing the room with her presence. "Fight me on other things. Not this. Altair will be with Commander Iliana, and that's final."

"Hells, Vaiga." Fat Mike muttered, realizing something. "You made a deal with a god, didn't you? That's the only way you—" He froze and shook his head, calming himself. "Must have been a hell of a deal. Fine…  but I want to add to Altair's team. I want Leonie there."

"Eli's daughter? Why?"

"The marquess is a large sponsor." Fat Mike retorted, as a matter of fact. "That woman… Iliana, is she strong?"

Vaiga didn't answer. She honestly didn't know. And not for a lack of trying. But no matter how much she tried to spread her perception. All she felt was nothing. No presence, no breath, no energy, nothing.

A feat not even the dead could accomplish.

"I'll take silence as a yes. You said there were four members, right? Five are necessary for the tournament of sponsors the week after next."

"Fine… But you need to get Iliana's permission. And Jorna. Be careful." Vaiga said softly. " We might have fucked up taking in Altair. I've seen many gods on Genesis. Interacted with many.

Offended a few. But the ones backing this child are dangerous… and old. If you offend one, you'll die."

"Understood." He said with a growl in his throat, departing with a hard gleam in his black eyes.