Shadow of the Abyss

"Shut the fuck up," a voice from behind her snapped, roaring with laughter.

Altair glanced at Lyain, who seemed entirely unaware almost everyone had been enthralled by [schizophrenia]. But the look he gave her just about said, \'What he said.\'

Lyain\'s face went red. Then, began to contort when she saw him laugh.

"Stop it!" she demanded.

"But why?" said Altair, still laughing, his voice still cold as a river of ice.

When their eyes met, Lyain felt a hint of dreadful premonition slither up her spine. It had been the very feeling she had when she\'d stood face-to-face with a demon. Her head began to ache, her chest began to burn, and her gut began to churn.

"Sorry about that," said Reina\'s voice, suddenly adjoined by Syris. "Did we miss anything?"

They took a seat, and Altair shook his head, though that shrewd smile said otherwise.

In that second, Lyain knew she would never get along well with this boy. He was arrogant. Rude. Unsettling.

She tsked and went silent.

Syris gave Lyain a side glance and knew there\'d be much to talk about later. Much indeed.

Of all her seven mentors granted to her by the Reverend Mother, there had been none who knew her true identity. They\'d all assumed Syris was the direct disciple of the Reverend\'s mother, and so they treated her as such.

And of all her mentors, Lyain had been the only one Syris disliked the most. Unlike the other seven, Lyain had not been conditioned from birth by the GCP but rather grew up showing great promise off-world. And despite her being the strongest. Syris found she was the dumbest when it came to geopolitics, traditions, etiquette, and bloodlines.

As lunch proceeded without further incident, ice-cold beer was laid out before them.

"I\'ve never had beer," said Syris, eyes glittering. "Is it good? "

"50-50," said Ren, laughing. "Yesterday, we tried one that tasted a bit like piss. The day before, like cinnamon."

Syris stared at the beer, ogling it with wonder.

"Cheers," said Altair and Ren and Syris a little late, clanking their tankards together.

Lyain didn\'t join.

A rush of sweet bitterness surged across Syris\'s smooth tongue down her throat, warming her belly as she gasped.

"Orange. Woody. Crisp. And… Sour." She took another sip and then a gulp, finishing the beer in under three seconds.

"It\'s better than wine. "

"Depends on the time of day and mood, " said Altair, grinning from ear to ear, feeling as though he was corrupting an innocent soul.

He ordered three more, then six more, then twelve before their faces were red beneath their masks.

Spry laughter and music filled the tavern with an air of vibrancy unlike anything Syris ever known. And before she knew it, Ren had pulled her to her feet to join her in a dance with the other locals.

Altair had not been much of a dancer but still joined, laughing alongside the other two.

By the time they could dance no more, it had been well within the hours of twilight.

That had been when she emerged, flapping her feathers; the three-eyed crow landed on Altair\'s head.

"Found them, " said Raven. "Corn!!"

"Oh my, "Syis gasped. "What is that!" she asked, wondering if she was too drunk.

"My familiar," he answered, handing his tankard to the Raven, who somehow managed to lift the cup with its wing and gulped down the frothy beer.

Raven\'s obsidian eyes gleamed. "more!!! More!!!" she said in a crow-like shriek.

Everyone laughed.

As Ren pulled Syris away to dance once more, having drunk their fill, Altair handed Raven another tankard. "well? Where are they?"

"Zagreus is in jail. And Thaan is… reading a book within the palace walls. He spotted me spying on him and said to tell you to meet him within the square."

Altair nearly cursed. "How the hell did Zag get put in jail?"

Raven shrugged. "no idea. Though Thaan did mention a brawl at one of the local brothels."

"Hells. That idiot."

When it was finally time to call it a night, Ren had ridden her prince so hard that night within the tavern that they came crashing through the floor from the second story. And was quickly asked to leave before paying for damages.

It was dawn by then.

"Gods… that was so embarrassing!" Ren said, teary-eyed, covering her face to mask the shame that bled through her actual mask.

Altair, however, had never felt more like a man than he did right now, laughing. He was quite proud of Ren, for even while their bed came tumbling through the ceiling, Ren did not stop grinding her hips against her prince until they both came.

"Oh, buck up. It\'s not like we\'ll ever see those people again. They\'ll probably all die when the festival starts." he said, with a skip in his step. He turned, grinning at Ren.

"Where\'s Raven, " Ren asked, wanting to change the topic as quickly as possible. She had noticed her disappearance as of late. Rarely was she ever with Altair. Though, when he called for her, she was always there like a ghost.

"hmmm? Oh well, Raven was stuck in my soul for quite a while. So she asked me to explore, and I said yes. Free reconnaissance if you ask me. It\'s the same with my shadows. They\'re all having fun right now."

Ren looked at him, a little surprised. He\'d never allowed them such freedom.

Altair seemed to have guessed what she was thinking and said, "They all deserve it, and as far as I could remember, I had to hide them from my enemies and so on; this is probably the first time I have been free to do whatever I want."

"Life sure is better when you are not confined to four walls," he added, looking up at the four radiant moons. "I wonder if the sun will ever rise again."

The town square within Vesim had been a blistering oasis of life this cold early morning. Peddlers had long since erected stands filled with jewelry or foods of all kinds and clothing for men and women, alongside those meant for non-humanoids.

Flooded with scores of locals and outsiders coming and going, Altair couldn\'t help but make a face at the large crowd. He didn\'t mind large crowds, but he was a wanted man. Being surrounded was not something he enjoyed.

Still, as Reina pulled him in, he bought her whatever she might want, smiling at the large assortment of necklaces, rings, garnets, earrings, and bracelets she\'d taken a fancy to. He had never known Ren to like jewelry but quickly remembered she had never seen many of these types of things within the commissary.

Though he had to admit she looked lovely in it all. Which apparently wasn\'t a wise thing to say as Ren began to look annoyed.

"Come on, Art, which one looks prettier? "

\'… someone kill me\'

"But… you look good in them all, " Altair uttered, desperately glancing around for Thaan. But there had been far too many people.

"Look here, "said Ren, lifting two sets of sleeveless low-cut dresses, one black, the other snow white.

"... Both? Ren, this really isn\'t my forte. I—" he stopped when he saw the red mist filling her pupils. He pointed to the white one. "it\'ll match your eyes."

Ren beamed, and the scarlet mostly faded. "Maybe tonight I can wear it for you," she said happily, kissing his cheek.

For the next hour, they toured the square, buying or rather compelling various peddlers to gift them various items before Altair spotted Thaan, wrapped in his usual black robes.

"Thaan!" shouted Altair, hurrying over with Ren on his heel.

There was a shadow of a smile that did rise as Altair and Thanatos shook hands.

"Good to see you again."

"yes… though I wish it were under better circumstances. Zags in jail."

Altair wanted to pull his hair. "So I\'ve heard. What happened? "

Thanatos rolled his eyes. "wrong place at the time. About three weeks ago. That idiot had decided to visit a whore house, claiming he\'d never been. As if all the whores who died in the underworld weren\'t enough. A brawl suddenly occurred, and being an idiot, Zag kept on with his fun rather than leave until the city watch showed up.

Apparently, to detain all parties involved. That being two major house descendants. "

Altair clutched his head. " Let me guess. They are pinning the blame on him."

"yup"

"Shit on wheels. Why… damn it." Altair groaned.

"Hey, Art," said Ren curiously. "Can we go to a brothel? I\'ve never been."

Thanatos gave her a queer stare and then tilted his gaze to Altair, equally shocked, so much so his mouth was wide open.

He might have understood if Ren\'s other personality had said this. But not Golden Eye Ren.

"Ren… are you feeling ok?"

"Never better. I\'m just curious how they live. Aren\'t you? Are they happy, sad, or indifferent? I can\'t imagine being happy with so many strangers inside them, but… I\'d like to know."

Altair was still a little hesitant. "still… that seems a little… much… They are just whores. Why bother?"

"well… to most people, this is rock bottom," she said. "or it\'s their only means of survival. Not to mention how many stories or techniques they might have. Oh, please, Art! Let\'s rent a hoe!"