Shadow of the Abyss

"So you've returned to me," Lilith said, tapping her fingers on her desk. "How was your vacation, Iliana?"

"Odd," Iliana admitted, on one knee.

"Odd, you say," Lilith repeated as a tightness stretched across her jaw. "You took up a disciple, yet you say it was odd."

Iliana looked up for the first time. Her starry red eyes turned wide. "Disciple? I have a disciple? When did that happen?"

Damaris and Eroma exchanged stunned glances.

"How'd that happen, Master?" Iliana curiously asked.

Lilith groaned, cupping her face. "No wonder I didn't learn of this nonsense. You were ignorant yourself. Your clone must not have been created by our blood but something else. No wonder I didn't realize."

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Eroma said. "I'm confused. What just happened?"

Iliana looked at Eroma and tilted her head. "You're allowing men into your court now?"

"I swear you abyssal are all so sexist," Eroma said, sighed, and pointed toward his glowing red eyes. "Lilith called me over to gauge where you are telling the truth. I don't want to be here either. I'm here under threat of no booty."

Lilith nearly toppled out of her chair. "Eroma, you're not supposed to tell people that."

"Why not? We're all cool. And I lowkey hate all this royal etiquette bullshit. It's a bitch to learn and maintain. I'd rather be with Elsa."

Iliana exploded into laughter. "You really are Arsene's Uncle. You two could very well be brothers."

"Don't remind me," Lilith muttered. "Hard to believe Eroma is more loyal, though."

"Right!" said Eroma happily. "After training with Master, I think I lost all interest in other women. I think he killed that part of my brain. I'm a loyal man now." He laughed, lifting his head triumphantly to brag.

"Said every known cheater," the women all said in tandem.

"Isn't Arsene getting better?" Eroma asked. "I hear he's struggling with the sin of Pride as of late."

Lilith turned a bit more serious. "He told you about that, did he?" she reluctantly nodded. "In a few days, we'll be set free, but I must say it's true. Arsene's fuck boy days are behind him. It's been a long process, but—" she sighed, stopping herself. "Well, he's getting better, so let's put it like that."

"Men are such pigs…" Eroma muttered. "Shame on my little nephew."

"Oh, piss off!"

They all laughed, with Eroma laughing the loudest.

"Your Majesty, I talk with Arsene all the time," Eroma continued as the hall grew silent. "And I can positively say after the kids were born, he has lost interest in other women. Just the other day, he said he wants another daughter with you. One that isn't mixed up in all the chaos involving fallen, Forsaken, time travel, and god knows what else."

Lilith went silent for a second before Damaris exclaimed. "We should bring Eroma to more meetings. He's got a very sweet tongue. You better not make our lady cry."

"As the wielder of the Eyes of Abyssal Truth, I am sworn to never lie."

"That's a fucking lie," said Iliana and Damaris.

"Ok, maybe, but it sounded cool," Eroma said, winking at the two ladies.

"Anyway!" Lilith said, shifting theconverstaion away from there tangent. "The reason I summoned you here, Iliana, was not just to welcome you back but to ask you to keep being Altair's Master. Now that the secret are out, Zero saw no need to keep you locked up. I want you to monitor that boy."

Iliana's brows scrunched. "Is he dangerous?"

"To me? No. But he does carry a fragment of my original power. He'd definitely be a match for the twins or a perfect subject."

"I… I don't want to teach anyone," Iliana admitted. "The clone I made only existed to fulfill conditions set by the Tenebrae during the creation of the Shadow Proclamation. I've fulfilled that deal. I don't want to train some child. Can't you have End train the boy?"

"End is busy with my children. He doesn't have time. And you have a connection with Altair. You are, after all, his Master. You already taught him a few skills. And from what I've seen.

You've saved his life a few times."

'My Lady, I don't understand. Shouldn't you hate this boy?" Iliana said. "Isn't it better we just kill him? Shadow Proclamation be damned. Thanks to Arsene, I've already seen the path to Archaeon appear. I will break through in a few days, reaching a higher state of being.

The Shadow Proclamation will have no dominion over my head then."

"You are faster than your sister Izavith. Then I'll congratulate you. But you mustn't forget I am Altairs…" She paused, forcing the words out. "I am his grandmother."

Eroma snickered, enjoying how flush Lilith's face was growing.

She ignored him and continued. "The child is innocent. And while I do loathe the idea of his existence. I am not petty enough to take that anger out on a child who didn't ask to be born. Tenebrae will bear the brunt of my wrath, whether she lives or not. As will the Myriad Heavens." again, she stopped and dropped a bomb.

"Two of the Prime Evils have partially escaped."

The eyes of the Abyssal all widened.

"Your Majesty!" Damaris said in shock. "Isn't that—"

"It's none of our business, but as we do have trade with the Myriad Heavens, we might get caught up in some battle. Ignore it. From what I hear, Zariel caught Pride and did something. He wasn't too forthcoming with that knowledge since I refused to aid him. But Envy is on the loose. She should have parity created a body by now."

"Forgive my ignorance," Eroma cut in. " but if the Myriad Heavens is destroyed, what is stopping the prime evils from destroying the Abyss?"

Lilith, Damaris, and Iliana laughed as if they'd heard the funniest thing.

"The Prime Evils are eternally bound to the Myriad Heavens. If they come into the Abyss, well, let's just say they'll realize just how small the Myriad Heavens truly is compared to the Abyss."

"How big is it?" Eroma couldn't help but ask. He'd never cared much for the Abyss, only remaining inside due to his wife's request.

"The Myriad Heavens takes energy from the Abyss every chaos cycle. And that's enough to fuel its infinite spectrum. If we were to compare the energy of the Abyss, the myriad heavens would be considered less than a spec of sand. There are things in here that'll make even my Generals here powerless.

Why do you think so many Kings and Fallen are so interested in acquiring material from the Abyss?" she waved off his concerns. "I'm not interested in the Prime Evils because their only by-products are the Outer Gods. If, by some miracle, the Prime Evils manage to cause some damage to the Abyss. I'll have them take care of it."

"The One might not be pleased to hear that," said Iliana.

Lilith shrugged. "I'm sure he's already created a prophecy to guide his children, which is why I want you to continue to be Altair's Master. Merge your memories with your clone to figure out all that occurred. Whatever trick Tenebrae and Zero came up with. I want to know."

"To what end, my lady," Iliana asked. "Why the interest in Altair? If you're not going to kill him, then—"

"He needs to prove his existence to me," Lilith said coldly. " Just like how Zariels wields the Ones Fragment, Altair does too. He is my shadow. I cannot simply allow him to exist without allowing him to prove his worth."

"Plus, he looks like Arsene." Eroma casually added.

"That too." Lilith nodded as the tip of her ears turned bright red. She coughed into her palm and said. "If he can prove himself. I shall break the Sire between us and allow him to be his own man. But until then, he'll have to prove himself. Ready the boy.

After his little journey up the tower. The Abyss will be his new home."

"If it's your will, then I shall obey," Iliana said, groaning. "I just still can't believe some part of me accepted someone as a disciple even if Tenebrae asked me. It still feels odd."

"Maybe Altair had that baby rizz and chatted you up."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Anyway," Iliana said. "How much should I teach him?"

"Whatever you deem fit, I—" she stopped, her eyes piercing the endless void between Abyss and the Myriad, to the two towers that stood parallel to each other. One ride side up, the other right side down.

Her gaze fixed itself on the boy shrouded in a mist of absolute darkness crowned by three and a half stars that seemed to resonate across the endless heavens.

Damaris sensed it, too. As her eyes went wide, she released a startled gasp. "Iliana, if you don't take him, I will."

"Piss off, he's mine!" Iliana shamelessly said, vanishing without hesitation.

Eroma only laughed. "What did I tell y'all? My boy rizzed her up. We Snow men got it all."

"It's a shame," Damaris muttered. "If he wasn't already taken. I might have snatched him up. What incredible power."

"Indeed," said Lilith calmly, "He reminds me so much of Sene… I hope he lives."