It had taken nearly seven days for Altair to regain control of his emotions as far as Syris was involved. He had so many questions, wanting to join her in her dungeon diving, but he held himself back. It hadn't been his place to ask such a question.
Not that he even knew how to broach the subject.
And so he held his tongue, almost as if to allow her to keep her noble barring before him, smiling each ti Syris would return for a rest or had dinner. He kept his smile, swallowing his pride until she was ready to broach the subject.
"Master! Are you ready?" Alyssa asked, wrapped in the formal attire, bearing the Crest of Tenebrae on her back.
"You ever had that feeling where you really don't want to leave your house, but you lowkey have no choice?"
Inside a cruiser bound for the Amazonian Dungeon towards the North, Tasha found herself self-exchanging glances with Alyssa, giggling at one another.
"Of course not. You're just in a bad mood." Said Alyssa, patting his shoulder, smoothing out any wrinkle that caught her eye. "Are you sure you're not just scared of eting a god? Athena is quite known for her infinite wisdom and beauty. I'm sure that can be quite intimidating."
"You seem a little too zealous," said Altair, smirking. "I know all about Athena thanks to you. Or at least all I should know."
"Then allow to inform you that Athena is not a kind god," said Tasha as a matter of fact. "In fact, most of the Old Gods are absolute monsters who don't seem to be able to tell the difference between right and wrong."
Altair rely shrugged. "Well, I can't really bla the Old Gods. I've already gone mad. It's the price of power, is it not?" when he felt his Cruizer dock, he yawned, forcing himself up. "Look at you. I still allow you by my side, and I'm quite sure you're not alright in the head."
"I'm offended," said Tasha, feigning being hurt with a teasing grin. "Lord Blackwood, I am, of course, a sane woman. I just enjoy letting loose every once in a while. And to prove it to you, I even returned from the Hells to acquire so cooking material."
"You really went to the Hells just to acquire so cooking material?" The re idea seed so out of pocket off the Cruzer Altair was gaping.
"Quite. " said Tasha in the affirmative, pleased with herself. "Gluttony, My dear King, is a sin. And what better place to indulge in all your desires than the Hells?"
Just then, a shrill laugh caught the air as Vina, one of the two guards of the Amazonian Portal, caught sight of Alyssa.
"Sister!" she waved, her eyes eting Lord Blackwoods. Dread penetrated her innards like a cold shard of ice, stifling her voice until it did not remain. Vina went paler than a ghost, losing herself within those fathomless black eyes.
She dropped, falling over dead.
It hadn't been an intentional thing, but Altair was shocked to see her reaction.
"Is she ok?"
"That's what happens when you raise your stats outside the bounds of your understanding," said Thanatos, following behind. "Coat your Heart with your Spirit. For most, including yourself, we all possess a core, housing all our intent and spirit much like the soul, except it is embedded into our Mana or Source."
Altair did as he was told, having gained a lot of experience controlling his Sprit domain. It was an easy feat following Thaan's instructions, sohow finding his aura vanishing from his fleshy body. He was stunned, though his stunned state did not last long when he saw a spear pierced towards him.
His eyes flashed to red, and the spear halted inches from his face.
"I didn't realize my power was so great that I could kill people with but a glance. "Altair muttered, walking past the guardian. "It seems I owe you an apology, Alyssa. It was never my intention to kill anyone."
"It was her fault," said Thaan coldly. " She should have never looked you in the eye. Warrior or not, this is the consequence."
Alyssa was silent, looking at the corpse of her friend. She shook her head, "It's fine, Master… you didn't know. But I think I get why people of higher levels typically keep their distance."
"Altair is a special case," said Thaan. "He has trained his Spirit, making it far more lethal than people like Lady Darkfire. Her gaze might stun, but Altairs will kill."
"I never felt anything from her… now that I think about it. Aside from Gods, I don't think I've ever felt threatened by soone's eyes," said Lord Blackwood softly. "Guess I'm just built differently. Anyway, will this be a problem, Alyssa?"
"No. Death amongst Sisters is commonplace." she glanced at her other Amazon Sister clutching her spear frozen in place by the Eye of Sacrilege. "What did you do to her?"
"Froze her perception by a couple thousand. A single second is about a few months for her, I believe," Altair replied, walking through the portal rift without another word; he erged on a sandy beach.
The sand felt like fire as if it had been baking beneath the sun for countless hours while the winds dragged it across his cheek.
"Now this is mildly annoying… what a lovely new way to tornt soone!" said Tasha happily, a little taken back by the weather.
Calmly, Lord Blackwood scanned the area, narrowing his eyes towards the trees, hiding away the countless drawn arrows poised for action. He closed an eye, the mories of Alyssa flashing across his mind.
Rustling echoed noises from the jungle ahead before she erged, a stunning warrior wrapped in a golden breastplate and half coat that bore the crest of Mt.Olympus. Taller than most n, ard with a sword and shield. Her long blond hair tied in an intricate dragontail down her shoulder.
"In the na of Ares, state your na!" she demanded, unveiling her broadsword, " Or die by my sword."
"Did Athena not tell the woman of Themyscira of my arrival?"
Alyssa looked cross. "I was with the queen, my Lord. She should have inford them."
"I see. Well, I did not bring my Sword Maids with . So, I'm quite defenseless. I'll leave it up to you guys to protect your defenseless king." Altair said without sha. "Kill everyone present. And put their heads on pikes even if they beg.
Paint the sand red." He turned around, conjuring a brush and so canvas.
The female warrior looked stunned before she exploded in laughter; she raised her sword, " SIsters—"
"That is enough; all of you stand down." said a cold, effeminate voice, erging on the beach like a ghostly apparition, bleeding a strange, oppressive aura, weighting the very air.
Altair smiled, his gaze sweeping across a woman in all white. But the order had been given. And who was Alyssa, if not his a Knight of his court?
Without pause, Alyssa's fist closed the distance between the Amazonian Warrior, her palm plunging through the breastplate and breast exploding out the back in a geyser of red against the stand.
"My king demands death," she intoned, opening a palm, crafting sword, shield, and armor form out of raw Infernal Lightning. She looked every bit like a goddess of war, unleashing a dreadful wave of presence onto the beach.
"Bastard!" shouted the unnad woman.
"Hmmmmm~" Humd Tasha, resting her chin onto the woman's shoulder, to her surprise. "I really want so cookie points with Altair. So, despite my distaste for involving myself in mortal affairs, I have no choice but to kill you, Silia. No hard feelings, right? A half-transcendent like you ought to understand, right?"
Silia drained of color, unsure how she had gotten so close without her notice. She was practically on her. "How do you know my na? I've not spoken it in over five hundred years!"
"We devils see the true nas of all. The benefits of forming deals," said Tasha, removing her chin from her shoulder. Her gaze narrowed dangerously, "Anyway—"
"Don't kill her," said Thaan, his voice echoing through the Devil's Soul.
"Sorry. I don't listen to you," said Tasha, ready to drive her palm through Silia's chest when she saw Altair's smiling face. She shook, lowering her palm, thinking, 'Why is he testing ? Did I make a mistake?'
And said, patting the young woman's shoulder, "Just kidding! Call off your little party here. And I'll let you live. No need to kill them, right, Lord Blackwood?"
"I did order it… but we are on a diplomatic mission. I guess rcy is in order. What do you think, Thaan?"
Thanatos elegantly bowed. "Mistakes were surely made on their apart, my Lord, but I don't believe killing everyone present is the most diplomatic solution."
Altair did not look convinced, weaving brush across the canvas, his eyes lifted towards the scene. He nodded, "I am in agreent, but… they raised a sword against . What is a sword if not a weapon ant to kill? But now I'm curious. What gift does Athena have for ? Alyssa, my knight, kill everyone aiming their bows at ."
Thaans silently stared at him, confused.
"Tasha, bring that woman here. Of everyone present. Her life is far more valuable to ."
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