Shadow of the Abyss

With Hilda, dressed in the formal gown of darkness, by his side, Altair assumed his seat upon his throne, a symbol of his authority. Observing the standoff between Athena and Thanatos, he couldn\'t help but feel a sense of amusement. His voice, resonating with power, cut through the tension, "Thanatos, Athena, is there something I should know between you two?"

"The Chthonic Gods and the Gods of Olympus, as you know, share a deep-rooted animosity towards each other," Athena informed him, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness as if lamenting the state of their connection.

Thanatos did the same, acknowledging her words with a nod. "Fate, in a sense, has pitted us against the other. Though I\'d say we won in the end."

"Only because your kind fled."

"Or were we smart enough to detach ourselves from the very so-called King of the Gods you are trying to rid yourself of," said Thanatos, a scornful smile playing at his lips.

Athena rebuked him, "Had you done the righteous thing and felled Zeus rather than hide like rats? Perhaps—"

"We fulfilled our duties by maintaining law and order in the Underworld. It wasn\'t our damn responsibility that your kind is fading away while the Chthonic Gods are flourishing," Thanatos declared, glaring at her with an intense stare. "Your kind\'s actions only involved exploiting mortals, treating them like helpless cattle until they were broken. How many women did Zeus rape?

How many bastards did he foster? And you! How many acolytes have you slain? Need I even bring up poor Medusa? What was her crime? Raped by Poseidon, and you do what?

Transform her very soul into an abomination and send someone to kill her. You\'ve no fucking right to hold the moral high ground. You and your kind are monsters."

Silence enveloped the court, leaving not even the hum of the winds to cut through the tension.

"That will be enough," Altair voiced, shattering the tension. He clapped his hands, capturing their undefined awareness. "Thanatos, whatever crime Athena might have committed. No matter how depraved, it\'s of no consequence in my court. The moment she took the Vow, her former crimes were absolved."

"Yes…" Thaan acknowledged at once, biting his teeth. "I understand, my Lord."

"And Athena, I needn\'t remind you the power these Chthonic Gods carry. Despite my lack of understanding about their situation, for them to sever ties with the Olympian Gods and stand on their own is evidence of their power, not to mention their allies, like the Silver Devil or the Second Monarch of Hell.

I hope your emotions aren\'t blinding your near-infinite wisdom." And he smiled, leaning onto his fist. "Now, if you\'d excuse me. I\'ve something to inquire about from Thanatos… and it\'s rather sensitive."

"Personal?" Athena probed.

"Very."

She nodded, gave a deep bow, and left through the double door without another glance.

Altair gave Hilda a command to shut the doors and stared down at Thanatos. "Is what you said about Medusa correct?"

"I wish I were lying, but I\'m afraid it\'s the truth. As the God of Death, I could exist everywhere death presented itself. I know all that transpired. More so than the Sisters of Fate." Thanatos calmly explained.

"And where is Madeusa now?"

"In the Underworld… Serving as a guardian of sorts. With her monstrous features, she…"

"Can you bring me her soul?" Altair inquired, startling the God of Death for a good second.

Thanatos\' lips curved into a frown. "Are you suggesting to turn Medusa into a shadow? Please forgive me for saying this, but what would be the reason for it? Medusa is a kind soul, one of the kindest I\'ve ever met. Her pure heart is the reason why Hades allows her free reign within the Underworld."

"No one deserves such a faith…" He said, somehow amused he could still feel empathy. "She will be reborn in my image as a Shadow. Whatever form she wants, she can have."

"Father has done your Mother a favor, but he might not just allow Medusa to leave… not without—"

"Tell him I\'d owe him a favor. Whatever he wants… so long as it doesn\'t go beneath my beliefs."

"I\'ll get on it. But there is something I need to tell you," said Thanatos, opening up about Artemis and his growing relationship with Aurora.

Altair was so stunned that his jaw dropped. "Wait a second! Ren was right? Something was going on?"

"I wouldn\'t say something. More like a mutual understanding… Nothing big," said Thaan with a hint of coyness.

"Did you kiss?" The Prince excitedly asked.

"My Lord…" Thaan awkwardly remarked.

"Oh! Sorry. That\'s really none of my business." Altair coughed into his palm, spying a glance at Hilda, snickening off to the side of his throne. He chuckled a little, amazed at his childishness. "Well… Look. It\'s your decision, but if I were you.

I\'d definitely snatch Aurora up before it\'s too late. It was a good call, just not the right call, my friend. All this…" —He pointed towards his home, his kingdom—"All of it I would be willing to sacrifice for Ren. No questions asked. Artemis would be a fine catch… but in the end, she is just a single God."

Thanatos was without movement, peering into the fathomless maelstrom of his mind, processing his innermost desire.

Altair could see Thaan needed time to think and released him to be on his way.

Upon seeing Thanatos waddle out of sight, seemingly lost, Hilda exclaimed, "I never knew a heartless bastard like you could give advice. I\'m impressed."

"I\'ve seen movies. Plus, I meant every word of it." He assured her, leaning back on his throne, unable to get comfortable. "I can never find the right spot to this blasted thing. Now then… what shall we do about you?"

"Me?" Hilda pointed at herself. Her expression darkened. "You rat bastard. I knew you were—-"

Altair silenced her by placing his finger on his lips before she could further speak. "A Sword Maiden without a sword cannot be considered a Sword Maiden, can she? Vaiga has Shadowclaw, while Talia possesses Endymion. It seems like I need a new sword, or perhaps I should try practicing with a spear or a dagger, something out of my comfort zone. In the end, a weapon is just a tool for killing."

Swatting his hand away, Hilda glared, echoing a snort that lulled him out of thought. "Don\'t touch me without permission."

"I should be telling you that. Who knows what type of orifices your fingers might grace later this evening." He gave her a mischievous smile, ignoring the shame tugging at her cheeks. His fingers reached for her chin, tipping it up as she averted her eyes.

Hilda felt his awareness strip her bare but was powerless to stop him. Her heart was thumping against her chest, pounding so loudly she wondered if he could hear it. Would he even care?

She took a step back in desperation, and Altair allowed it, finding the terror in her eyes appetizing.

The Prince left it at that; having toyed with her long enough, he left to find Athena within the Atheneum, rummaging through his archives of books. Though none of it was in a language she could read, at least not without time.

"Looking for something?" he asked, marking the gleam within her eyes.

"You guard your intent with your Spirit. Thanatos taught you that?" She asked, glancing at him with stark surprise. She didn\'t sense him until he was in the Atheneum.

"He did. The library here is old. More than ninety-nine percent of its knowledge is out of date. The most you\'ll find is literature."

Athena nodded, "It\'s a work of art in here. Did you know the Olympian Gods based many architects off of the Ilvarians?"

Altair wasn\'t surprised Athena knew about the Ilvarians. She had lived a long time, and knowledge was power.

"I didn\'t, then again, I don\'t know much about the Olympian Gods. I do, however, realize a ploy. Thanatos and Artemis? Really? I will say it caught me off guard."

"Oh, that?" said Athena, feigning surprise. "My sister was inquiring about a safe option. And I might have offered up Thanatos. Much like Hades once upon a time, Thanatos is a fiercely loyal man, bounded by a great sense of duty. Strong, handsome, with a powerful family to match. The perfect match. Don\'t you think?"

"And you\'re in with the Chthonic Gods. Artemis owes you a favor; all the while, Nyx is praising you for the setup. Quite the accomplishment. Even if they saw through your plan, who would care if Artemis were to appear with child? Quite the scheme. I\'m Impressed, really."

Athena\'s lips thinned. "You\'re not mad?"

"It benefits me. Why would I be mad? If it works, I\'ll be happy. If it doesn\'t, I\'ll still be happy. However… You might have made an enemy today. Aurora, my lovely little Shadow.

If… no, when she puts this together. You\'ll be faced with someone quite formidable."

"I fear no mortal," said Athena, shrugging her shoulders.

"Ahh~ I wonder when Zariel, the Silver Devil, dragged you into the Nine Hells. Did you make the same claim? We won\'t always be mortals, Athena."