Shadow of the Abyss

"Slaughter!!"

"GORGE UPON THE BODIES OF THE DEAD!"

"KILL, KILL, KILL!"

Lost in the carnage of the battle, occasionally firing off arrows, Reina slowly came to a halt, watching as the Fallen Shadows fell into a bloody frenzy. The Shadow Wolves, Serpents, Lamia's, and more all began eating away at the flesh of the Undead, gorging themselves raw until their eyes turned red with bloodlust.

Leaving not even a drop of blood as a delectable trace of madness pooled through the atmosphere like an untamed blight, tainting all that was pure.

The scarlet moon seemed even redder, carrying the traces of the prince's madness coursing through his Shadows.

Reina stood still, her bow low. She turned to the smiling prince, glad to be on his side,"... I don't think they'll be regenerating. Not without bodies." She said, approaching, unsure what to even do. "And won't your… I'm sorry, but I have to ask. Won't they get sick eating the dead or something?

That can't be healthy. Honestly, it's lowkey disgusting."

"If they die. I'll resurrect them." He told her without cause for concern. He'd done far worse experimenting on how far his command went when it came to his Shadows. An answer he never found despite the many months. "These Fallen Shadows fear no death, for death no longer exists in their future. Those felled by my hand shall eternally rise as my sword."

"Then... Have… Have you learned how to enhance your body through Mana yet?" Reina asked, watching the remainder numbers fall one by one and then devoured. If he had learned to enhance his physical qualities as she had, with Infernal Rage, then Altair would be unstoppable.

"No," he answered disheartenedly, shaking his head but not for lack of trying. Altair had spent months, if not a year, researching the concept. But he had made little to no progress. He found himself lacking in his grasp of mana roots and martial arts. "Remember when you attacked me when we first reunited? My jaw still hurts, by the way.

Thanks for asking. Well, I was able to harden my muscles to deal with the damage, but that's the most I can do without any proper technique. I need to research the concept better, and to do so... I need references." And he turned to the temple doors, which stood like two large mountains before him, capable of fitting a family of giants.

Veins sprang from Altair's arms as the temple doors wheezed, parting after eons since it was first constructed. Reina peeped her head inside, tiptoeing above Altair's shoulders when her pupils contracted to a fine point.

Swordlight fell like a shooting star just above the Prince's head, threatening to end their lives in a single stroke.  Altair hadn't the time to react nor the perception to sense the hidden enemy. But in that instance of life and death, just as the eye of sacrilege spun with a mythical light, a scarlet burr zoomed past him as Reina appeared, her silvery eyes now a deep shade of scarlet.

Bearing power that came with Infernal Rage, a flash that tore the prince off his feet erupted in a vigorous shockwave. Altair stabbed Endyian into the earth to slow his flight as a sliver of blood trickled down his face.

His heart trembled for a brief moment as the boy glared at the six-armed creature, its fiery eyes, and blood-red skin glistering a deep, hellish aura, armed in plated obsidian armor. Ember stained the skies following the quick succession of blows that spun around the battlefield.

DING! DING! DING! DING!

The power of each sword sent tremors through the serpent's outreach, creating craters and faults wherever their blades met.

[Ding]

Name: Drec'Dumal (Illusion) Lv 21

Race: Shura (Demon)

Strength: 40

Dexterity: 20

Constitution: 34

Wisdom: 30

Charisma: 30

Mana: 13

Wiping the blood from his brow, Altair reacted almost immediately as seven ethereal moon blades shattered the sound barrier, honing in on the Shura. In a matter of seconds, injuries began to splinter the Shura red skin. But just as fast as they came, they vanished by its monstrous healing factor.

Reina roared like a feral beast, cleaving her sword down over the six scimitars that came to meet 'Ice.' Bashing the Shura hundreds of meters into the air, a furious arc of infernal lighting fell from the skies like the Demonic Judgement of The Nine Hells

Crackles roiled through the Heavens, leaving the hells to govern the land as stones turned to molted lava before the naked eye. Volcanic ash blanketed the land as Talia fell to her knee, weak, barely able to remain conscious. Kirr and Jorm charged, sensing the Demon's life force within the ash.

"GOOOD!!!" A booming shout came from within, parting the ash. The Shura made itself known, his chard skin blistering a fearsome wound. One that did not seem to heal. "Show me more!!!!"

Kirr became the first to arrive, wielding the night as a sword, conjuring an arc of darkness to trail his sword. A storm of embers followed, rioting like an infinite whirlwind of sword strokes. When a glaive whipped through the demon's armored chest, carrying an arc of infernal lightning, a gruesome wound tore out the shura rib cage, spilling his fiery blood over the earth.

"Hell storm!!!!" The Demon roared, erupting in a pillar of hellish flames, catching Kirr and Jorm by surprise. Flames danced for over fifty meters, leaving a storm of death and destruction neither Altair nor Reina could imagine.

Suddenly, from the pillar of fire, a great magical circle began to condense within the skies, melting the temple's stones with intense heat that grew with each passing second.

Sensing the death of two of his Shadows, the Eye of Sacrilege shone a deadly killing intent as Altair and Reina looked at each other, and then the circle building up to a tier-three spell. The mana spiraled out of control, gaining the element of fire in its core. The air vibrated with might and from within the pillar of flames. Two bloodstained eyes blazed.

"Crazy bastards. How is this a fair trial?" The prince spat grimly, becoming the first to kick off the ground. Mana cloaked his body, defending him against the flames. He sucked in a deep breath, allowing his insight to take hold of him.

'Infernal Bane'

Torments Edge gathered brimming such demonic malice the Shura eyes shrank with fear. But rather than strike the demon. The ethereal blade attached itself to Endyiam, turning the blade's edge a scarlet hue.

A chilling pulse permeated the demon's heart as it spoke in such a hush whisper, "Duke—"

[Divine Sin, Archeon, places a chilling finger on his lips, smiling]

"DIE!!!!" the Shura bellowed, his mighty voice tearing at his windpipe. But just when his Hell Storm was about to erupt, a dark mist of shadows sprang beneath his ankles. And from the mist came the tendrils of darkness, coiling like serpents around both spell and demon. Shadow Cage sprang into action, stealing all momentum.

"Grave of Night: Shadow Blade," The Prince roared when An arc of scarlet, black sword light whipped out from Altair's sword, cutting through the pillar of flames and flesh. From shoulder to groin, the Sword Light pierced, leaving behind waves of torment echoing with the Souls of the Damned.

[Drec'Dumal has been struck by Infernal Bane; all Stats have dropped by 30%.]

[Drec'Dumal has been petrified]

[Infernal Bane (D) proficiency has increased by .01%]

Proficiency: 0.001% → 0.021%

As the torment carried by the souls of the damn billowed, The Shura's eyes rolled backward, and his tier three spell inverted into a horrendous backlash. When a wisk of light took his head from his body, Reina appeared behind him, her scarlet eyes hummer a profound necrotic aura.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

Hell Storm erupted, decimating the land in a catastrophic inferno of hell. When the light of the backlash ended, Altair stood with Seven Dark Moon Blades Sword surrounding him, his mana cloaking his flesh the best it could. But sear marks could be seen as he fell to his knees, exhausted.

"That was the longest minute of my life… holy shit." The boy cried, with bearly strength, to stand. Blood dripped from his nose as he looked up to where Reina stood, surrounded by a strange red stalagmite of ice, waving childishly at him as if to say, 'Look what I just did!'

[Drec'Dumal (illusion) Felled. Exp Gained]

[Level Up]

[Level up]

Name: Altair (Snow)

Mana Circle:[Second Circle 65.6%]

Class: Young Prince Lv 12→ 14 [First Awakening]

Strength: 13

Dexterity: 15

Constitution: 19 → 21

Wisdom: 21→ 23

Charisma: 21→ 23

Mana:18

Fallen Necromancy [D]

-Proficiency: 0.2%

-Soul Storage: 30/45

Dark Moon Blade [D]

-Proficiency: 0.8%

-Sword Limit: 7

Circle of Gluttony [F]

-Proficiency: 65.6%

Infernal Bane [D]

-Proficiency: .001% → .021%

Survival Instincts [F] →  Superior Instincts [D]

-Proficiency: 93%

Grave of Night [D]

-Proficiency: .01%

Eye of Sacrilege [C]

-Proficiency: 90%

Mana Manipulation [D] content-hosted-on-MVLeMpYr

-Proficiency: 93.99%

Enigmatic Step [E]

-Proficiency: 57%