Shadow of the Abyss

Within the chamber room of Lord Elgar De Nier, the absence of sound became all the more deafening as Grandson and Grandfather sat in silence. Tasha had brought refreshments, coffee she'd personally bewed and poured for her Master, though noticeably, she didn't do the same for Lord Elgar. It had been ten minutes since, but neither had spoken.

"You've changed…" Elgar's words finally broke the silence, carrying with them a weight of accusation. "Were you so heartbroken?"

Altair folded a leg over the other and handed his teacup over to Tasha. She bowed, excusing herself to his rear. "To awaken to see my replacement is never a good thing. Though it's a surprise, Father even remarried. I'd have thought he'd have died alone."

"It was an unforeseen event," Elgar said. "Lady Cosarnt had been a long-time friend of your Father after your passing. "He stopped himself, noticing the slip of the words. Only continuing after the faint smile Altair gave him. "A drink or two led to a night, and then soon something sparked. However, it was the right move.

You were comatose."

Altair shrugged. "Well, it's not like I'm blaming Father or anything or Lady Corsant. Things happen. However, the disrespect I've faced since I awoke is not something I will tolerate. What I'm curious about, however, is where my Father is. My awakening nearly shattered the windows.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I find it strange that he didn't hurry to greet me. Especially after what he gave up."

"What he gave up?" Elgar flinched. "What do you know?"

Altair's smile thinned. Now, he was curious. "So you don't know either."

"How would I know? I've only come out of seclusion because I felt an overpowering presence awake within my house."

"You flatter me, Grandfather, "Altair replied.

Elgar snorted. "Don't play mind games with me. You're far too young for that," he said, though he sounded noticeably proud. If not for the cold, domineering air around his grandson, he might have hugged him. "You've fallen quite far."

"A tragic start. But it wasn't without gains. Now I can commence on a new path like the stories of Chaos Lord Father once told me of."

"You believed that." Elgar laughed.

"Stories though they might be, there is always a kernel of truth to them. Right, Tasha?"

Tasha allowed herself a graceful smile, remembering the knowledge held by the Eldritch Slabs that held the knowledge of the Old World Order. "In the era of old, before the Path of Paragon was opened, the Chaos Lords were known as the True Rulers."

"And this woman… I was told she was of royal blood," Elgar said, recalling what Corsant had told her.

A/N: Said in Chapter 354.

"Indeed, she's from the Viel." Altair calmly said, studying the expression of the old man's expression. "You don't seem surprised."

"I heard my son brought her back to treat you. I'd thought she was a Medarc of sorts."

"I don't know myself," Altair calmly lied. "However, it seems that she is involved with my Father. The first thing she did when I awoke was declare me her Master. Tasha, why don't you tell them who you are?"

"I, Tasha Vil Lilm Corvta De Asmodeus, am a Royal Devil of the Arch Duke Gremory. Personal Slave of Lord Nox De Nier." Tasha revealed with a curtsy.

The light in Elgar's pale eyes died and returned, filled with such fear he would have collapsed if he were standing. He shivered, the words echoing from his lips tugged with fear. "I-I-Im possible. The Church of Sepith was with her. They were treating Nox. They'd have sensed you and—"

"Yes, Saintess Ivana was quite kind," Tasha explained, ignoring Elgar's startled expression.

The Saintess of Ariandel had been a force of nature itself. There simply hadn't been a person who didn't know or respect the saintess, who was said to have purged the realm of all disease and famine for nearly a decade. Her power had been so great it was said that she was the personification of the Will of Ariandel.

"You didn't tell me about that," Altair said with a frown. Tasha blushed, licking her lips and envisioning how he'd punish her. Perhaps he'd have her whipped before having his way with her. The very idea had her shaking.

"Forgive me, Master, it must have slipped my mind," she said demurely.

If Altair had been perturbed, he would not have let it show. He had, of course, known all this but was curious why Tasha hadn't told him. He figured that Gremory had commanded her to be silent; after all, she was still sired to her. So was the fate of all Lilm. No matter how loyal to their masters they might be, they simply could not stop themselves from obeying Gremory.

And it had been the reason so many Lilms had died in the past. Of course, most Fallen knew this but didn't mind since a Lilm's ability in bed or outside of it was simply too impressive.

"That's…" Elgar was about to stand up, but Altair stopped him.

"You needn't bow to her. She is, after all, only a slave, right?" Altair asked, eying Tasha coldly.

The Lilm flushed, falling to her knees, and said in the proudest tone, "I am master hole and his personal slave. He may do with me as he pleases."

Elgar tried not to gape, but his jaw betrayed him. "Heavenly Ariandel!" he cursed. "Nox, this has to be a joke, right? What has my son done? No, what does the Hells want with you or with House Nier?'

'It's a gift to me, of course,' Altair thought, thinking about it more. The more he considered the matter about it, the more things were coming into frame. And he said, "I don't think it matters. We simply do not have the power to reject anything the Hell's demands of us. And if we got to Order of Ariandel, then we'd only be labeled as devil worshipers. And be killed.

It's why I asked if you know what Father gave up to have me awake?"

Elgar signed a cross in the air over his heart. "I've no idea. Seclusion be damned. I'll ask him personally." He glanced at Tasha, the fear in his eyes all the more radiant. "Let me—"

"Please, Grandfather… there isn't a need for that." Altair waved him off while inwardly smiling. His reaction was as he suspected. "Father can wait. In fact, it's better he waits. Heaven knows what the Hells will ask of him once he leaves seclusion. What's important is getting our House situated."

" Boy, there is a devil on your side. Are you really fine with that?" Elgar snapped. "If anyone finds out, then—"

"It'll be the end of us." Altair finished. "It's not like I don't recognize the danger, but it's not like any of us can do anything. Tasha, who do you report to?"

"Archduke Gremory," Tasha said without hesitation.

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"And when was the last time you spoke to her."

"When she congratulated me for losing my maidenhood with you, of course. So last night, after you experienced Soul Exhaustion." Tasha said with the warmest smile she could muster. "She seemed impressed. More than impressed."

Altair gave a wry smile, imagining the conversation they had over his naked body. "As you can see, Tasha here is in direct contact with an Archduke of Hell. I don't know about you, but I'd say we are cooked. Tasha… please show Grandfather your true form. He needs to confirm everything I say is true."

"Of course, Young Master."

Elgar stared motionless. He seemed so still that when Altair passed his palm over his eyes, only then did he realize that he'd fainted. It wasn't until another ten minutes passed that Elgar awoke to his nightmare.

"WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

****

"Hehe, what a reaction!" Tasha laughed, falling onto her master's bed. She smiled, catching a whiff of his scent lingering on his pillow.

Altair smirked. "Well, the best way to appease suspension is to raise an insurmountable mountain. Now, it doesn't matter if Elgar or my Father believes me to be Nox or not. A Devil of the Nine Hells is currently in his Dukedom. I'm the least of their issues."

"I see. So that's why you never gave the duchess much face. She was never worth causing you issues."

"True, but she is a Transcendent. She can be of use. Once she realizes that I'm the cause of what happened to her child, after the old man tells her you're a devil, she'll eventually fall in line with the rest. And all it took was a single dinner I didn't even want to go to." The Emperor laughed, unhooking the saber Elgar had given him before he left.

"But won't she rage?"

"Maybe, but the Medarc couldn't find your energy in the boy when he went for a check-up, right? Why do you think that is? Perhaps he wasn't trained to find demonic essence, or maybe he chose silence in fear of a devil's attack. Whatever the reason is, the end result was Noctis's injury. The dutches will theories all this, and once she does, she'll be at my mercy." He smiled coldly, narrowing his eyes.

"She'll come to me by week's end in fear I might kill the boy outright. Such information isn't something that can be contained. She'll beg for mercy for her child as any good mother would."

Tasha pushed herself up. "Master is becoming a villain."

Altair snickered and studied the blade in his hand. The saber Eldgar had returned him had a black scabbard blending with the hilt ordained with two gemstones. He pulled the blade from its casing, marveling at the slighted curve, wielding a sharpness that was sure to cut through the flesh of a Ninth Circle if it couldn't; merely pushing Mana to any level would ensure that it could.

The blade was single-edge and twice as long as any other saber he'd seen to date, yet it seemed compatible in his hand.

"The dutchess spirit will falter, though I don't plan to break her. After all, I plan to either make Nox or Noctis the next leader of this family. I'll have to listen to Nox's opinion when I resurrect him. For now… let's bring House Nier to its knees."