Chapter 299: Start of Book 6 (7 Chapters released today)

Chapter 299 - Start of Book 6n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The purple sun hovering over him burned with a rich light, fueled by sin that pulled on the link between himself and Gluttony repeatedly during his stay here. It hadn’t been long since Allie had left after chewing him out for what he considered to be a massive overreaction after her quick ascension and departure, but he had his own life to play out. And Allie wasn’t a little kid anymore, he couldn’t be expected to hold her hand.

Though he did worry about Kathrine. Based on what Allie said, the vampiric princess was in trouble. He didn’t know Kathrine all that well, but most people from his homeland in The Blood Moon Requiem were less than savory. She’d been a fresh light in that darkness, and he hoped she’d come out alright - for whatever it was she was going through after being kidnapped. Yet again, he was stuck in a situation where there was nothing he could do about it - Lillith had already sent the archdemon Tre’Zix of the Purple Claw to get her back; and now Allie was apparently going to intervene somehow as well.

It just sucked being left in the dark about it all, and his demons were too happy about the recent exchange. Athela was furious, Fay looked like she’d had her feelings seriously hurt, and even the titanic flame demon Azmoth was grumpy at the sheer disrespect. Thankfully Narg the beholder demon, and Genua - Riven’s thrall - were rather uncaring about the whole ordeal and just kept silent; not wanting to intervene between two royal siblings that just happened to be the reincarnations of two original sins. It was, in Narg’s words, out of their comfort zone to talk about or even have opinions about.

“Hey Riven. You don’t look so good.” Nora said in her human form, sitting down next to him as he pondered the insights he’d obtained on this level. Frowning and brushing her hair behind one ear, she looked out over the half-destroyed room with a frown. “I wouldn’t take what Allie said to heart. My others are telling me that, for a mortal bound to Wrath, she did quite well to contain herself. They were surprised she didn’t outright try to kill you and everyone else here, and I’m sure that over time she won’t be as aggressive or angry about things.”

Riven, for his part, sat with his arms folded in front of him - cross legged on the ground. His cloak, made from shadows and bloodsilk, slowly flickered in the purple light as his body remained motionless. Messenger’s ivory jaws rumbled across his chest where more bloodsilk was woven inbetween patches of thin plate armor. Red and black eyes stared out at the sun created from Sin, and he had to say that he was somewhat disappointed with the results so far. Nora had become something of a badass, and Allie had become Wrath’s reincarnation. How was he supposed to beat those to obtain the points for Chalgathi’s questline? And if he failed to fulfill his side of things and his mother’s warning came to pass about not finishing first, what then? Would he really need to abandon Panu after the apocalypse beasts wreaked havoc? Should he even trust his mother?

Just how much faith should he put in the woman who’d abandoned him as a child?

“I’m alright.” Riven eventually said, closing his eyes with a soft hum. “I don’t blame Allie too much. Though I am going to make her apologize to Athela, Fay and Genua when she’s in her right state of mind. She can be rude to me all she wants, we’re siblings, but it wasn’t acceptable what she said about them. Especially to Athela.”

“Or Kara.” Nora said, head-bobbing over to the sulking dark elf archer who was pretending to sleep not far from them. “That was ruthlessly mean of Allie to say, especially when Kara hasn’t had an easy life. I mean think about it: Kara was betrayed by her own countrymen, robbed here in the abyss, basically made to do a long walk of shame and she wasn’t allowed back into her family by her father unless she made it past floor 40 - which would have been an impossible task prior to your intervention. She was destined to die, or return in humiliation for what she’d considered a worse fate after ties with her family would have been cut. If you ask me, Kara has had it the worst. And just when she finds you, who is both powerful and nice enough to try and help her - your sister Allie comes out and says absolutely terrible things about her without even knowing her; before flipping you off and walking away. If I hadn’t been in my other form, I probably would have cried on Kara’s behalf after the look that she wore on her face during the conversation. It was heartbreaking.”

Riven raised an eyebrow in Nora’s direction. “What did you do instead, since you WERE in your… Eh, Insane Asylum? With your Legion - so to speak? I still don’t really grasp what it is you’ve become.”

Nora grinned, and the smaller but older asian lady punched him in the shoulder. “Neither do I. The voices keep their secrets even now. It isn’t really a hive mind, but it’s… similar? And demonic in nature. I’m still figuring it out for myself. Anyways, I just wanted to come and tell you that you did the right thing in helping Kara out, and that you shouldn’t feel guilty just because your sister is in a piss poor mood. For the record, I don’t think you were flirting with Kara either. Athela and Fay know you love them, but maybe go talk to them and make sure they’re ok too. Genua’s too far gone down the road of losing her mind as a thrall to care what Allie says, so that’s good.”

“I wouldn’t say that’s a good thing.”

“Riven. You murdered her husband and oldest daughter. Of course it’s a good thing, she wouldn’t be able to cope otherwise.”

“That was in self defense. It wasn’t murder.”

“Kind of, but kind of not. But you’re the Reincarnation of an original sin! Why should you care? You’re the bad guy according to multiversal standards, right!? Either way, I’m not here to lecture you on whether or not what you did all that time ago was right. I’m just saying that, from her perspective, it’s a good thing that she became a thrall. Otherwise she’d still be struggling with a lot of mental anguish that she can now push aside rather easily due to what she is, and from what she’s told me - it’s why Genua agreed to become a thrall in the first place. So that she could finally get past it all. It was her decision, was it not?”

“It was.”

“Then don’t think about it anymore. If she wanted to be a thrall then you have nothing to worry about, because you could have let her stay the way she was. Plus you’ll have a lot of time to make it up to her by taking care of that kid, or kids being plural - if you include Len.”

“Did you come over here just to fuck with my head?”

Nora cackled, slapped him on the back, and began to stand. “No. I came over here to let you know that I’ll be heading back to Chalgathi’s trials.”

“What? Why?”

She raised her hands to stop any protests he may have about the subject. “No, Riven. I think it’s for the best. And let me tell you why. As time has gone on, I’ve owed quite a bit of my progress to you and your friends now. Bringing me here has already helped me beyond what I ever thought possible… and has reconciled a longstanding fear I’ve had with the voices in my head. Literally. So… as a way of thanking you, I’m going to go back to Chalgathi’s trial and do you a solid.”

Riven furrowed his brows, and stood up - brushing dust from his robes with a huff. “How are you going to do that, exactly? Color me interested.”

Nora’s expression became savage, and she put her hands on her hips where her bone-crafted blades rested. It was her second set after her first had been eradicated along with most of her original clothes on her ascension into whatever she was now, but Riven had brought multiple spares for everyone just in case something like that happened. “Well, Riven - I intend to go hunting. Hunting cultists… If I can stop them from finishing their event quests regularly, I can make sure they don’t get the 10,000 points needed to leave the Altars of Despair and Hope event before you get there. As it is, this descent has taken months. If you complete the Abyssal Descent to make the number 1 place holder when compared to prior descents, you’ll get another 3,000. But who knows how many points the others have acquired in the time you’ve been gone? If need be, I’ll even kill other non-cultists to make sure it’s you who gets the title since you’re stuck in here for a while.”

There was a short silence after that as they stared at one another.

“That… would actually be very helpful. Thank you, Nora.” Riven slowly nodded, and prompted the screen displaying his old quest to appear before him. It felt like he’d been here forever, but these quest within a quest scenarios were really a bit much at this point. He needed to get Lillith, finish first, and get the hell out of here so he could go back home to Panu. Just thinking that he was within a dimensional pocket within the Abyssal Descent, and he’d gotten there by traveling through another dimensional pocket in Chalgathi’s trials, after having originally left Panu - it was just mind numbing at this point.

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[Riven’s Quest #2 of The Altars of Despair and Hope:

A piece of the multiverse, taken out of the Narwali Sector of Universe 16, has been transported to this territory. Inside it you will find one of a few portals here in these Chalgathi trials that lead into The Abyssal Descent, and three ticket-holders who are waiting to enter. You have obtained the necessary tickets and have already entered the descent.

The Abyssal Descent, a monumental event that only happens every 300 years, is being hosted. It is meant to help forge the lattice meant to transcend into E-grade, and helps give insight into the way of ascension.

Young elites of numerous factions across the multiverse still within the F-grade will be able to participate, as long as they hold true to any pillars associated with the Unholy foundation. Use your status page to find the option to teleport in. You will be escorted via Elysium’s own power into this trial within a trial where only those touched by unholy power may be found. Death in this trial will not result in permanent death despite being hosted on an outer world, but will disallow any re-entering of the descent at any time. Successfully completing The Abyssal Descent will result in 50 points. Completing in the top 100 contenders will result in 300 points. Completing this event in the top 5 contenders will result in 1000 points. Finishing first will result in 3000 points. Any other cultists of Unholy affiliation who enter this trial within a trial will also have a 1000% damage boost increase when attacking you or your minions.

Unlike other participants in this outer trial, you will be able to come and go between The Abyssal Descent and The Altars of Despair and Hope at will via your status page.

Total Event Points Already Accumulated: 39]

He cringed when he saw the total points at 39, and Nora gave a bellowing laugh when he showed her the notification.

“More reason for me to go!” She said with a shake of her head and an amused sigh. “You’ll have a lot of catching up to do when you get back. The Chalgathi trial was supposed to be about a year if I recall, and you’ve spent months of it here. Even if you get the full 3000 points, it won’t be worth it unless you manage some major breakthroughs with your soul lattice. They’re not all created the same, or so I’m told. So get it done fast and I’ll see you on the other side.”

She held out a fist, and they fistbumped.

“Alright Nora. Catch you later homie. Just tell the others so they know what’s going on.”

“I already have.” She said with a thumbs up. “You’re the last one I’ve told. Cya later bud! Regarding the whole Genua thing and morality about murdering Ethel, you’re still the man who saved my life on the pyramid when we were first integrated. That backstabbing elf played you like a fiddle to the tune of her own death, not because you wanted to do it. And I think you’re great, so keep your chin up. You have a lot going for you, I have faith that you’ll come out ahead.”

With that, Nora contacted the system administrator. It was certainly different from how Allie had left, where his sister had been portaled out to a specific location on Panu. Here, Nora flashed and was gone - though based on the quest details she could probably re-enter the descent if she really wanted to. However he didn’t know if she’d teleport back to his group’s location, or if she’d re-enter here should she decided to return?

[Unlike other participants in this outer trial, you will be able to come and go between The Abyssal Descent and The Altars of Despair and Hope at will via your status page.]

But he doubted she would be back if she really intended to wreak havoc on the other Chalgathi participants. Those poor suckers had no idea what they were in for after her change, and a grim smile touched at his lips. So far this descent really had done wonders for his party. All his original three demons were now archdemons, Allie had ascended into Wrath’s Reincarnation, Nora had become a crazy overpowered psychopath of some kind, and even Riven had become far better at fighting after the brutal training sessions back in Gluttony’s Church. What else he and the other remaining members had to gain - remained to be seen, but he was excited to find out.

Turning back to meditation and attempting to keep his mind calm about ongoing events, he re-entered a state of bridging enlightenment - and focused on his building soul lattice as connections continued to make and break themselves across the inner world of his core and pillars.

***

Mara coughed black blood onto the cavern floor when a large spear skewered her all the way through, and she gasped in pain as Kathrine sobbed while curled up in the background.

“I ONLY NEED ONE OF YOU TO SHOW ME THE WAY! Do not push your luck, ghoul!” Crendir sneered, sweat accumulating on his brows beneath shallow cuts and a long gash over his singed head. His armor was cracked or even shattered in various places, and he had wounds that even vampiric regeneration could not entirely heal after having barely escaped the demon pack pursuing them with various protective talismans - but they all knew that he was walking a tightrope here in the underdark.

It would only be a matter of time before Tre’Zix caught up to them again. Hopefully, anyways, and despite the agony Mara was in right now - she reveled in the memory of those clicking sounds the mantis demons made as they tore apart the traitors that’d accompanied Crendir down here. Those banished demons from the ancient wars were machines of pure malice and murder, and they had curb stomped with the F-grade elite vampire traitors of The Blood Moon Requiem like they were toddlers wielding squeaky toys for weapons.

Only Crendir and one other vampiric soldier were left. All the others were dead.

“I told you, Crendir-” Mara gasped, grunting with a wince as the vampiric spear was ripped out of her gut. Thankfully ghouls could take a lot more punishment than humans could. “It was this way! I am not lying!”

“YES YOU ARE! We have been going through these tunnels in CIRCLES! YOU LYING BITCH!” Crendir screamed, raising his foot and smashing his boot down onto Mara’s face.

The bones in her skull nearly cracked, and she was pretty sure her jaw became unhinged in that moment.

The other man, a bearded vampire whose armor had taken a lot less damage in the recent attack, glanced down at the whimpering, shackled princess with a shake of his head. “This was a mistake, taking this job. I don’t care how much it pays if we’re dead.”

“SHUT UP, FARAS! You came here just like I did, and you’re in it for the long haul whether you like it or not!” Crendir snapped with an accusing finger. “We either succeed or die. Those are our only options, and if we don’t stop circling around then we might as well kill both of them now and just go looking for it ourselves!”

The other man, Faras, shrugged. “Sounds like a plan to me. I say we just kill them and be done with it.”

Mara’s heart sank. Despite all that she’d said and done, she was still afraid to die.

And the heavily armored man guarding Kathrine seemed very serious about this proposition to kill them.

She didn’t want to end up like Nin and Vin.

Crendir seemed to seriously consider the option for a while, burned face contorted in contemplation, then bent down on one knee and violently yanked Mara up by her black hair to meet his red eyes. “One more chance. Just one. If you two can’t put your heads together and get us on the right track in the next five minutes, then I really will just cut off your head and bleed Kathrine dry.”

“P-Please!” Kathrine sobbed, face half-covered by brunette hair and body sporting wounds made from silver anti-vampire blades. “I don’t want to die! I d-don’t want to diee!!!”

Her voice came up in a high pitched squeal in the end before she started crying again, and Mara had a lump settle in her throat.

Kathrine for her part, to Crendir’s knowledge, knew where this tomb was. But Kathrine hadn’t actually been there. Kathrine had only been reported to on the subject by Mara and the survivors of the first expedition, before Allie had left, but she didn’t actually know the way down. Those other expedition members besides Nin and Vin had also had their names hidden for safety purposes, so Crendir hadn’t known they even existed when he’d abducted the two of them. Neither woman had actually said this in case Crendir decided to kill Kathrine for being useless, but Mara was the only one here who truly knew the way to the tomb.

Thus, Mara held both of their lives in her hands.

And time was now ticking.

She had to gamble here. Did she want to risk letting Crendir get ahold of the fallen god’s blood? He wasn’t a pureblood himself, but if he’d come this far then he certainly had a means of procuring it anyways. Some kind of work around, or a vessel to capture it inside for transport. She’d felt the awe-inspiring power it held even as a ghoul, and couldn’t imagine what a vampire would do with that kind of energy. Yet, if she didn’t say anything now then she was sealing both her own fate - and Kathrine’s fate too. And she knew that Tre’Zix was on the hunt… he’d already caught up to them twice. With serious casualties on Crendir’s team alongside major protective talismans needing to be used by the traitor as a result. How many more escape and protective treasures did he even have?

Hopefully not many. If he didn’t, then she could potentially risk telling him the truth and leading him down the right path… and would need to hope that Tre’Zix could catch them before Crendir got to the pyramid and tomb.

Above all else though, Mara was just scared. Plain and simple, scared to die. The torture was becoming unbearable as well, even for a ghoul with diminished pain receptors.

Would Allie be mad if she gave in after weeks of not having given the location up?

Mara hoped not.

She’d tried, and now Mara was at her breaking point.

Letting out a sob of her own, Mara began to point a shaky finger down the tunnel in the opposite direction they’d been heading. “There… three miles down and through a lava pit, we’ll come to an abandoned vampiric city. That of native vampires. After we arrive, we will be able to direct you to a new tunnel system where the elder god’s followers, vampiric precursors, have started to terraform the tunnels with runic symbols within a labyrinth.”

Crendir stared at her for a time, red eyes flaring with light, and he seemed to use some kind of system power on her as a wave of energy coursed over her - as if trying to detect a lie. He nodded in satisfaction, smiling for the first time in a while, and let go of her hair - dropping her to the ground with a thud. “There… That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”

“UMPH!” She wheezed, getting a swift kick to the gut wound that still bled black, before she felt her body being pulled across the ground with inhuman strength by the long chain attached at her iron collar.

“Come on Faras, we have a fallen god to harvest.” Crendir muttered. “And we’ve already wasted too much time. Those fucking demons will be on our trail soon, and I’m not sure we’ll survive another encounter.”