Chapter 271 (another chapter incoming tonight or tomorrow) (Patreon)

Chapter 271

The small, private practice room was illuminated with only faintly glowing mana stones embedded into the walls.

Lillith nodded, hands clasped behind her back.  “Change stance.”

Riven’s shirtless body shifted in a wave of crimson, and to the observers it looked like that he was reforming himself from the blood around him in an instant - rather than actually moving his limbs.

“Change stance.” She repeated.

Again he shifted, instantly moving into the next stance as instructed as the blood mana rearranged his position with the speed of thought.

“Change stance.”

From the sidelines, Allie watched her brother while panting and wiping sweat from off her face with a damp cloth.  Despite her newfound body and abilities, Lillith was an absolute slavedriver - one that she was quickly learning to respect as both an ally and mentor.

Athela and Nora weren’t in much better shape, though Fimrindle seemed rather tireless despite the fighting and exercises they’d undertaken over past days.

“You may rest.” Lillith eventually said, letting Riven fall to his knees with deep, heaving gasps.  The demoness turned to look at the others in the room, frowning at their worn-out expressions before giving Fimrindle a nod of approval.  “Any word on our request?”

Faster than it took to blink, Fimrindle moved to hand Lillith a parchment.

“As you requested, creature of the night.” Fimrindle replied with a nod.

Lillith glanced down at the parchment, took it from the reaper’s metal claws, and unfurled it.  Reading what was written on the page, a smile crept across her face and she turned back around to look at the panting young man in the center of the room.  “It appears we have found the materials we were looking for.”

“Materials?” Nora asked between panting.  “What materials?”

Lillith head-bobbed to where Jackal and Messenger were sitting against a wall.  “Materials that were needed to upgrade and modify Riven’s items.  It’s time to head out to the trade district.”

***

The city of The Abyssal Descent was truly massive, but even despite the crowds - most people kept to themselves and tried to avoid others as much as possible.  There were still frequent fights from time to time or even raids on enemy compounds when opposing factions across the multiverse sent their young prodigies to acquire a soul lattice properly, but otherwise the hostility was kept to a minimum to preserve some semblance of sanity.

This rule was usually even more steadfast for the merchant guilds.  They tolerated no violence in their compounds at all, and offending them would end in a ban on any trade resources to an entire sect if one of their number violated the rules.

It was to one of these merchant guilds that Riven found himself walking towards, while following Lillith as they remained disguised underneath masking treasures in the form of rings each of their party wore.  Though they certainly weren’t foolproof, they kept attention to a minimum and were similar to the drow Gentry’s amulets in how they worked.  They nullified identification information and gave off false reads, but they ALSO provided minor illusions that gave them nondescript cloaks, hoods, and hid their features.  Occasionally the disguises were seen through, but those that did recognize just who Riven and Lillith were quickly averted their gaze when caught staring or hurriedly moved aside.

Riven felt like a fake when compared to Lillith though.  Although he was technically a ‘MYTHIC’ tier individual himself, that in large part was due to the bond with Gluttony; or the bonds with his familiars.  It wasn’t entirely due to his own strength - YET, which irked him.  But that’s why he was training religiously, and he could safely say he’d made great strides in his own abilities since coming here.  It wouldn’t be long before he entered the lower levels of the descent at this rate, claimed Chalgathi’s questline for his own, and in the long run - would conquer Panu one way or another in order to keep himself, his sister, and the things he’d built on Panu safe from the outer multiverse for at least another century.

At least that was the plan.

Dark stone skyscrapers towered above them as they passed through the streets, and flashes of purple lightning overhead illuminated an otherwise pitch black expanse beyond Elysium’s dome that surrounded the city.

“You never told me how you two met.”  Riven stated as they moved through the streets with Lillith leading the way.  He looked over to Allie and Retesh - only briefly glimpsing Fimrindle and Athela skirting the perimeter to act as anti-assassin personnel.  “What happened back on Panu?  How did you, Retesh - the person of interest in World Quest 1 - come to be here with us now?  I was convinced I’d have to come and find out where you were to kill you, rather than end up allying with your people as Allie has told me about.”

The lich, who wore a dark gray tattered robe full of burn marks, shifted his skull face in Riven’s direction and made a gesture with one hand towards the sky.  “I did not expect to be here either… It is as much of a surprise to me as well.  Both in the fact that a hero of death would terraform an entire continent in a way that I’ve been attempting to do since my awakening…”

Retesh nodded in reverent respect to Allie while they walked.  “Thereby providing my kind something I’ve been searching for, for a very long time - a home.  And that I am now here, mingling with powers that are obviously far beyond me in a grand event I didn’t know existed.  I had always considered myself the height of power… and then I was taken from my planet and placed on Panu.  It has been an eye opening experience, if I were to actually have eyes.”

Riven grinned at the remark but didn’t comment on it.

Allie took up the talk next.  “Judith Marcina was chasing him across the sea when he attempted to make contact with our kingdom.”

“Judith Marcina?  The previous Apex Rank 1?”  Riven raised an eyebrow.

“The one and only.”  Allie replied with a grimace.  “She’s quite formidable in person.”

“Says the one who scared her off with Lillith.” Retesh chuckled, then he let out a groan as his bones started to literally rattle in some undetermined emotion.  “I was nearly dead, my undead drakes that’d escorted me to Umbra were gone, and if not for the very shores of Umbra permeating my being with death mana - I would have probably died a true death.  I managed to draw enough attention in our battle to warrant a response from some of Lillith’s demons, who then contacted Lillith herself.  And she, in turn, brought Allie with her to meet the sky-rat that’d been chasing me.”

“We didn’t get to talk, she merely fled.” Allie put in with an eye-roll.  “And given the reports from back home, it’s likely she’s gearing up for a full fledged invasion of our home continent.  Ever since the world quest to kill me leaked, it’s been an us versus them situation.  Even more so than the other world quests were.  The Panu Cortex forums are also alight with talk of cleansing the world of the Unholy orders, namely us.”

There was a pause.

Riven eyed the lich, turning a corner in the dark road to follow the tight-lipped Lillith while making their way to the merchant guild.  “So what’s your world quest even about?”

[World Quest 1, The Lich King’s Plague: In the far reaches of the northern Chaos Wastelands, an ancient lich begins to stir.  Advanced details are locked until you come into contact with this quest.]

Riven pulled up his quest log on his status page to show the elder lich.  “Not much in terms of details on my end.  Care to enlighten me so I know who we’re getting into bed with?”

Retesh clicked his bony fingers together a couple of times, as if trying to recall something, before shoving his pockets into the dark tattered robe he wore.  “I will tell you of my quest, when the Queen of the Necropolis deems herself fit to finally speak to The Scythe.”

“Speak to The Scythe?” Riven repeated, turning his gaze to his little sister - who uncharacteristically winced.  “What’s he talking about?”

Scratching the back of her neck, Allie bobbed her head side to side while lowering her pale glowing eyes.  “When I was given the title of Hero of Death, and became an Angel of Death when turning down the path of divinity, I was also given a direct link on my status page to speak to The Scythe.  I haven’t used it yet.”

Riven raised an eyebrow.  “Why not?”

“Because I don’t trust gods.”  Allie replied promptly, getting a snicker of approval from Lillith with a backwards glance - and a groan from the lich Retesh.  “I don’t know anything about The Scythe, and this… thing - or creature - or spirit, whatever he is - he wants me to serve him.  But I’m just a baby god!  I don’t know why he’s paying so much attention to me.”

Riven stifled a laugh.  “Baby god, huh?”

She pointed an accusing finger his way.  “Same can be said for you!  Kinda.  But, instead of a god you’re more like a…”

“My dear child.  Gluttony is more feral, ancient, and primal than what most of the current gods are now.” Lillith said with a sideways smile filled with amusement.  “The Sins and Commandments were here long before many of the gods that now exist.  But not all of them, because some of the gods were born at the same time as Gluttony was.  Most pantheons of gods have come and gone though, with a prime example being the fallen elder god of a different Blood origin than what is widely accepted today.  When a god dies, Elysium usually either recycles that power - or gorges itself on the god’s remnants to increase its own strength, while it could never figure out how to do so with beings like Gluttony.  Still, the comparison is one many across the eons have come to make - though the Sins and Commandments aren’t divine by any means.  They are something completely different, but comparable.  They are fragments of the fabric of creation’s birth.”

That certainly brought up more than a few questions that Riven wanted to ask, but he was cut short when they turned down a final street that was far busier than most that they’d traveled through up until now.  Various multi-story compounds with banners Riven didn’t recognize were hung in various shades of green, black, red, gold, orange, and gray - with Lillith pointing to one in particular further to the left that had the symbol of a large flaming spear or orange fire embroidered onto a dark green background.

“We’re almost there.” She said, picking up the pace and heading over to where a long line had gathered outside the front of the compound - with many bystanders of various races watching anxiously or in obvious irritation.

“I DEMAND TO BE SEEN!  DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?” A young vampire man screamed into the face of another hooded figure dressed in gold-and-black at the barred compound gate.  The vampire was well dressed with an extravagant longsword hanging at his side, handsome, with slicked blonde hair and fangs bared in frustration while he made animated gestures back and forth in protest to the skeleton hand that was held up in front of the other person.  “My family is of GARTH!  The fourth house of the esteemed Rantali Bloodline!  How DARE you forbid me entry!”

Three other vampires in line with the screaming young man wore worried looks on their faces while the hooded skeleton continued to blankly stare back at the vampire without so much as twitching.  

“I DEMAND TO SEE THE MASTERS OF YOUR ASSOCIATION!” The vampire screamed once more after huffing loudly in irritation.

Glancing over his shoulder at the two large minotaurs decked out in obviously enchanted heavy-metal gear while wielding large stone clubs that were likely totems by the soul pulses they gave off to Riven’s senses, the skeleton and one of the minotaurs spoke in hushed whispers before the skeleton turned back to the vampire with a shake of his head.  “I am sorry, young master.  The Firebrand Trading Company is currently already engaged with many other higher priority customers at this moment.  Due to company policy and the need for secrecy in what transactions go on in our halls, you must come back another time to see if we have an opening.  I apologize for the delay of service.”

The vampire’s jaw dropped, and he began to sputter while others in the line began to loudly grumble or call out to him to shut up and move on.  “High priority!?  DO YOU KNOW WHO-”

“I am very well aware of who and what your family is, young master.” The skeleton sighed, with air somehow rattling the very bones of his neck and shifting the gold-black robes he wore as he spoke.  “You have made it abundantly clear multiple times now.  I do not mean you insult, merely being in the descent is a testament to how grand your personal skill and the wealth of your family is, but you must realize that you are now surrounded by people of similar standing to you.  As much as it pains me to offend a prince such as yourself, I must caution you about your outburst.  If you do not remove yourself from the line and come back another time, I’m afraid I will have you forcibly removed.”

One of the minotaurs snorted in agreement from the side, and a pulse of stamina flared around the huge beast to cut off any retort from the much smaller vampire man it looked down on.

The vampire prince sputtered something once more, but thought better of it when the minotaur began to savagely grin.  Spitting on the ground and turning heel, the vampire prince turned around and stepped aside with his three companions while venomously hissing to the others with side-eyes at the gate’s guards.

“Oh look, it’s another one of you!” Nora teased, coming out of stealth and nudging Riven with a laugh that was a little too loud for what was probably appropriate.  “I didn’t realize there’d be so many vampires here!”

The comment caught a couple glances from around the crowd and in the line leading up the compound, but most ignored it and kept moving as Riven gave the smaller Asian woman a raised eyebrow.

While Lillith turned to glare at the startup assassin, Nora visibly flinched and held up a hand of apology.  “Oh… Sorry.  Didn’t realize it was a big deal…”

The line moved on while people made more civil conversation at the front, and Riven edged himself in beside Allie, Retesh and Lillith in their disguised appearances.  Riven only caught one person that had definitely seen through the cloaking methods, and it was obvious by the way the ghoul caster’s face went slack-jawed - eyes bulging before he took a step back.  

“You there!” The vampire prince who’d been screaming at the gate guards called out, making his way through other bystanders to come up next to Riven’s group.  “Did I hear the woman right?  Are you of my kind?”

Obviously the guy couldn’t penetrate the ring’s illusion, but as more and more attention was drawn to him - Riven could only help but feel a little bit of irritation about the situation.  Slowly giving Nora another glare, and causing her to shrink back some more, Riven put up his hand to his forehead and began to rub it frantically to try and relieve the building headache.  “Why is it that you ask?”

The line moved forward a few steps, and so did Riven.  This time though, the new vampire princling followed him.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The prince said, shooting a menacing glare at the upcoming skeleton dressed in black-gold robes for just a moment before returning his attention to Riven.  “I’m sure you saw some of what just transpired, and I’m more than certain you - being a vampire yourself have heard of my family in turn.  My name is Prince Narzkal Rantali!  Perhaps you’ve even heard of me as well!”

He looked to Riven for confirmation with a hint of pride, but couldn’t see underneath the fuzzy illusion that hid Riven’s face and status information.  When Riven didn’t reply, the prince hesitantly folded his arms.  “The kingdom of Garth?  The Rantali Bloodline?”

Riven merely blinked.  “I’m afraid not.”

Suddenly skeptical, the prince furrowed his brow.  “Are you a vampire or not?  You must not be a very bright vampire to not have heard of my family name, or you must be from an isolated part of the multiverse.  Is that it?”

The line moved forward again.

Sighing, Riven let his shoulders slump while Allie began to giggle behind him.  “Look man… You’re drawing a lot of unnecessary attention to me right now.  Can we just-”

“Or perhaps you’re just bashful in the presence of a greater vampire?  I AM almost pureblooded, you know” The prince said curiously, tapping his lips in thought with a far-off look to his eyes.  “There’s no need to be wary of me because of my lineage if that’s it.  Even if you’re a lowly lesser vampire or worse, we are still kin!  I think that, if you would allow yourself to do me a favor, I could pay you back in ways that you’d not even fathom!”

“I could fathom putting a boot up Nora’s ass right now.” Riven muttered under his breath, getting an outright laugh from Allie - who gave Nora a teasing jab while the assassin skulked backwards in shame.

“What was that?” The prince asked - coming back to reality from his daydreaming.

Riven shook his head.  “Nothing important.  What is it you want with me, Prince Rantali?  I’m not necessarily hiding right now, but I am trying to keep a low profile.  You’re botching that in a big way, so if we can move this along…”

The line moved forward again.

Conspiratorially, and not realizing that Riven was becoming outwardly agitated with the man by Riven’s tone, Prince Narzkal Rantali leaned forward in a poor imitation of a whisper.  “Do you know what this place is, lesser one?”

Lesser one?

Was he referring to Riven’s apparent ‘lesser vampiric heritage’?

Jesus Christ.

“Why would I be here if I did not know, dear prince?” Riven said flatly, noting that Lillith was shaking her head from side to side in front of him while she listened in.  Murmurs in the crowd had begun springing up, with a few of them gawking - others whispering - and even more laughing at the sight of Riven’s obvious agitation.

The oblivious prince ignored the comment and pressed onwards, explaining it to Riven as if Riven didn’t know what was beyond the gates.  “Inside this compound can be found some of the best artisans in the Abyssal Descent, the younger generations of the greatest crafting clans of the Unholy Foundational Pillar!  There are very few others that can compare, and though they may not be blooded like we are - they are still skilled individuals.  I was wanting to buy my… Uhm, my fiance, a gift.”

The prince looked uncomfortable, and Riven’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“A gift?” Riven repeated.  “From here?  In the descent?  Don’t you have an entirety country of gifts to pick from?”

The prince suddenly looked agitated, and slowly - ever so slowly - Riven was starting to understand the man just a bit more.  

Had this princling been sheltered all his life?  His social cues were off, his demeanor immature, and the uncomfortable look he had when asked about the gift set off alarm bells that screamed desperation.

“It is complicated.” The prince replied quietly, red eyes falling to the floor.  “And in fact, it is the sole reason I even came to this place.  I’m sorry to bother a complete stranger such as yourself, but if there is any way you can gain access to the compound and bring me along as part of your group - I would forever be in your debt.  Without a very particular item from a very particular person inside this compound, I’m afraid my fiance won’t last much longer.”

Athela’s voice rang in Riven’s mind through their link.  “Just assassinated a runner.  He’d been on his way to tell the Church of Greed about your whereabouts hoping for a price.  I have no doubt there are others on their way if I caught this one so easily after he discussed it in the open.  And yes, before you say it I know that this won’t stop word from getting back - but it’s still fun to slaughter those who’d attempt to profit off our demise!”

Riven had known this would happen, as did Lillith, so it didn’t bother him much.  The churches of Greed and Gluttony were technically undertaking a non-aggression pact right now while dealing with the 7th Wing, but that didn’t mean spies here in The Abyssal Descent were a welcome thing.  Though regardless of what they did now, there was almost a 100% guarantee of the Church of Greed knowing where they were right now, and if not - they’d know soon just by the few people who’d identified him while he passed them by.

“He was wearing a very cute man-lingerie we can put on you later!  We’ll have to clean off the blood though.” Athela chimed in when he failed to reply.  “I’ve been wanting to get you in-”

He cut the connection with a chuckle and an eye roll.  God how he loved that woman, and cutting her off like that would no doubt make her attempt to prod him even harder later on.  He’d be sure to enjoy it when she did, but  there was no way he’d be wearing any man-lingerie.  Not a chance.

Feeling slightly bad for the prince, who was still staring at Riven with desperation in his eyes, Riven gestured for the man to continue speaking while the line inched forward yet again.  “And just what is it that you intend to buy here?  If I’m able to get inside, that is.”

Prince Narzkal Rantali beamed excitedly, while the three associates of his just stared blankly at his back.  “An amulet!  One crafted from a black phoenix stone that is said to only be in supply at this location.  You see, my fiance is a lesser princess of a bordering vampire state - and she has a deep set sickness.  Blood rot, more specifically  If I’m able to get such an amulet with the essence of a black phoenix inside it, the aura it has should be able to keep letting her live on.”

He wasn’t a pureblood, yet he was a prince.  His country, nor the country this princess came from, could find the antidotes for said fiance.  He’d also been denied access to the crafting compound, while numerous others had been let in.

All of this pointed to the idea that Prince Narzkal Rantali and his ‘Kingdom of Garth’ were probably not all that well off, or all that well known, despite the man’s claims.

Riven stared at the other young man for a time, trying to search out for more clues.  He seemed truly desperate.  His clothes were well made, yes, but they held a lot less intrinsic power that he felt on many of the other elites roaming the city here.  And when pulling up his information, he wasn’t even registered as ‘ELITE’ by Elysium - but rather had a normal display tag with a combat level of 190.

“Lillith…” Riven eventually said, not turning to look at the disguised demoness.  “What kind of faction is The Kingdom of Garth, exactly?”

Lillith turned around, then shrugged.  “Never heard of it.  It obviously wasn’t around when I was at the peak of my power.”

He turned to Allie.  “Ever heard of it when talking about politics with the queen?”

“Our great grandmother has rarely talked to me, Riven.  Despite what you may think.”  Allie retorted with a shake of her head and folded arms.  “All she’s done is try to sell me off to the highest bidder, and now that I am what I am - I’m not even sure she’s going to want to do that.  So no, I have no idea what The Kingdom of Garth is.”

“It’s a middling D-grade kingdom in Universe 70!” A bearded chaos-dwarf laughingly called out from the sidelines where he was waiting for one of his kin to come back out of the compound.  “I only know of it because my own kingdom is two galaxies over.  The boy talks big, but do not be fooled!  It is an act and he likely could not pay you back if you were to help him actually get inside such a grand establishment, especially if he actually does have the money to spend in the first place on such a grand item!”

Many of the others around them laughed when Prince Rantali’s face fell, but Riven wasn’t one of them.

“Next!” The skeletal attendant at the gate called out, not paying Prince Ratali any attention when Lillith stepped up to the front.  He looked her over, then glanced at Riven and the others.  “Camouflage devices and all automated offensive enchantments must be deactivated before evaluation, or before entering the Firebrand Trading Company’s main compound here in The Abyssal Descent.  If you cannot do this, you must turn around and leave now.”

Lillith grumbled under her breath, then thought about it - and nodded to the others.  “I didn’t realize that was a rule here.  Apologies, reincarnation.”

Allie was the first to deactivate her own ring, and her LEGENDARY status alongside her race and title were more than enough to snap a few heads her way in surprise for those that hadn’t already seen through the disguise.  Retesh and Nora went next, and then Lillith.

When Lillith took her ring off, a palpable silence overcame the crowd - with many of the ones who’d been gambling or gossiping around the gated entrance to immediately take on expressions of awe, fear, and shock just like a few of the more insightful ones had prior to her deactivation.  

Immediately one of the minotaurs gasped, falling to his knees and slamming his horns into the ground in a semblance of worship, as the skeleton took an involuntary step back.

“Y… You’re…” The skeletal attendant rapidly shot his gaze left to Riven’s position when Riven deactivated his own ring.

Prince Narzkal Rantali blinked rapidly, noting the ancient unholy scripts on Riven’s skin - and the burning red and black eyes.  He looked confused, then flustered, then he paled.  “Are you the prince they speak of from The Blood Moon Requiem, that became the aspect of a demonic god?”

Allie chuckled.  “See, told you.  You’re a baby-god too, Riven.”

“Not god.” Lillith corrected again.  “Demonic Origin.”

“For what it’s worth, my own faction is only F-grade.”  Riven said with a chuckle while ignoring the two women.  “If you don’t include all of the demons that worship Gluttony, or my great grandmother’s S-grade faction.”

“We demons worship you too.” Lillith said with a side-eye.  “You are the reincarnation.  You are one with the Great Maw, Riven.”

Riven didn’t bother replying.  He’d already had this conversation with Lillith more than once since his arrival in the descent.  Looking over to the skeleton, and to where now both of the minotaurs had prostrated themselves, he turned to face the gate.  “Would it be alright if I brought my new friend Prince Rantali along with us?  I was hoping to ask him a few questions about vampiric society, to compare it to what I know of The Blood Moon Requiem.”

He looked at the skeleton man, who was gaping at their group with an unhinged jaw.  “Assuming of course, we can get in.”