By the time I had returned to the manner, Ezra and Victoria had both backed, seemingly ready to leave. But upon my acceptance of Rar'Caju's request, a wide grin marred my lips as I watched their smiles crumble from their face.
"Why?" Said Victoria stringently.
Why indeed. I don't know, but it sounded fun. Plus, it's not every day I hear about the darkness attacking or trapping people. I wonder if I'm a bad influence.
Chuckling in response to Victoria, I shrugged. "Oh, buck up. Live a little. It's not like we are in a rush. I've got everything under control."
"Do you?!"
My eyes narrowed. " Do you think I'd be gone for an entire cycle without keeping an eye out? Look down at my feet. What do you see?"
The two lowered their heads and stared at me for a while as moonlight began to fill the room. And right on cue, Ezra snapped her head up. " Your shadow! Where is your shadow?"
"My shadow is in Aether," I replied. "And I plan of creating a few hundred clones of myself to distribute all over Iluthath. A Chaos Cycle is dreadfully long, and while training in the traditional sense was out the window: My Astral manipulation has risen significantly. I've not left you guys alone. I have just been super busy. So relax; manipulating the Forth Heaven behind the shadows is harder than one might expect."
"Now, come along," I said, swiftly turning around. "After we take what's ever in this cave, we are out of here."
Herding my knight and one of the Abyssal Children towards the site after I pushed out my senses to check. A tingling sensation slithered down my heart the closer I got to an encampment guarded by two sentries carrying the crest of the White Rose.
They looked me in the eye and parted their spears. It hadn't taken more than a few hours for me to arrive, but… something was off. And I couldn't put my finger on it.
"Master?" Said Ezra. " Are we heading in?"
Hesitating for a second, I frowned and shot Victoria a look. "You sense anything?"
She shook her head, but I could see she was alert. Very alert of what lay ahead, which was odd. I had not felt any danger or forwarning. I just felt something, and I could not figure it out for the life of me.
Hurrying my step inside, it did not take long for Rar'caju to find me, a look of utter relief bleeding from his face. " Thank the Mighty Raj'on!"
"Who?"
He paused, shooting me a long stare, " you don't know who Raj'on is?"
"Should I? I would assume he's a God."
"Well, yes. But not any old god. Raj'on is a Myriad God. He lives past the confines of this world and on the greater planes. The fanged Devil they call him due to his furious might."
I glanced at Ezra, but she shook her head, as did Victoria.
"Well, it's of no consequence," Rar'Caju said, leading us towards a strange cave that could fit a giant based on its enormous entrance. "This is it. The entrance to hell."
"Is that what you call it?" Said Ezra lifting her cherry lips. " I can assure you. This cave has nothing to do with the Nines. But… But doesn't this aura feel somewhat familiar?"
I nodded. It was familiar. "Why don't you two wait out here."
"Eh!'
"Master I—"
"Stay out here," I commanded, frowning as my footsteps stretched forwards till a dense mist of darkness blocked my path.
What in the world?
I lifted my fingers twirling them through the mist, and shadow stepped through when suddenly I felt something strike against my chest like a vicious battering ram. I paused. It didn't hurt, as there was only enough power to harm a Mid God that didn't have a body like mine.
"You'll have to do better than that." I teased and whipped through the veil of darkness with perfect vision. I dashed through the various stones and boulders alongside the multitude of insects beneath my feet.
"A~R~E~S~E~N~E." Came a strained ghastly wail that made my skin crawl.
I stopped, picking up debris as I whipped my cold eyes towards the depths… A woman?
My senses were inhibited by this strange mist that seemed to be of the Element of Darkness but different. Far different. I didn't rule over it.
Continuing on my path, the frown on my face only grew as the faint scent of blood began to fill my nose.
Unsheathing Noctem from its scabbard… my soul, a hissing sound hummed from the edge of my blade as a pure intent began to bleed. I pressed ahead.
Feeling the laws of time beginning to wither due to the essence of darkness devouring natural law, the sounds of whimpers entered my ear, but my eyes remained locked on the statue in front of me.
A statue of Tenebrae.
Cuffing my hands with my spear still in hand and at an odd angle, I found a smile. "Why is it always when you say we won't meet again? We end up meeting."
"someone! Someone's here! Ja'ran! Ja'ran! Look, someone—"
"Shut your cunts, brats!" I snapped. " I'm talking." Shaking my head, I focused more on the statue as a gentle sigh echoed in my ear.
"We weren't supposed to meet again.' Came her reply bringing a smile to my lips. "Seems you are drawn to me." She paused, and a tinge of amusement came into her voice, "You've annoyed my daughter."
"Mithra?"
"She's glowing so bright with anger. Not even Azazel can approach. Not without harming himself."
"Is she mad at Azazel or me? I'd thought I gave them quite the gift."
Tenebrae chuckled. " You sent their daughter to the Origin Realm with a nightmare. Azazel can't even approach without being attacked by Ariel and Gabriel. For angels, those two sure know how to torture a father, and Zena is loving it. A silly little lass."
"Are you mad?"
"I get to spend time with the twins and Zena. I'm quite happy," she replied, bringing a smile to my face. "But I suggest you not take any chances further up ahead. You'll die if you overreach."
"What's up ahead."
Tenebrae went silent for a moment. " A Heartstone. A broken Heartstone from an upper realm higher than the Origin Realm."