Shadow of the Abyss

"Where alive?" Seina muttered, clenching her arms, shaking quite visibly. She stared at Tasha, who'd managed to erect a barrier in time, saving her life. She sighed in relief, noting the expression Tasha had held. For all the time she'd known her, there had never been a moment that led her to frown. Yet here she was with her lips curled down.

"Master…" Alyssa echoed, violently shaking with a feverish look.

"Don't… This battle is not one you should be involved in." Morrigan warned, her voice firm as she blocked their path with a raised palm. "I've no idea how Altair could muster such power with his meager cultivation, but he has. So unless you three can match his current strength, you need to retreat."

"But you can do something," Tasha said. "Some Arbiter has set the multiplier to five. You'll be able to—"

"Does it look like Altair needs my help?" Morrigan said, sounding taken back. Acutely aware of the rage some of the gods were going through at the planetary levels of destruction. If not them, then the arbiters who had control of the trial were sure to be throwing a fit.

The goal of killing Ravel, while optional, was never meant to be accomplished. The goal of the third floor was merely to raise the level of those who entered Babels Tower as quickly as possible.

For those that didn't need to grind like most seventh circle and higher, Ravel would grant them benefits for the next floor or specific resources granted by the Floor Master for them to patiently wait a year. If that didn't work, he'd go into hiding, though not once had anyone thought to destroy an entire planet.

"Just it back and watch,' she continued. "If it gets too dangerous, we'll step in.

"You can handle that?" Nia questioned.

Morrigan only smiled, peering forward at the billowing nebula of Vale Qi echoing from Altair.

***

[You have activated Desolate Abyss]

Desolate Abyss [F]

Multiplier: 2.5x

Proficiency: 50%

In a burst of eldritch light so profound that the bleeding world around the Young Emperor shook, dwindling rubble into vaper. From the Black Lake of Vale Qi, he pulled that pure, unrefined essence from his soul into his Vale Stars, drawing on the might of the Almighty.

[The Attributes of Almighty has now been infused in all Magic]

[Mana consumption has been divided.]

[Space has become unstable due to the Presence of the Prince of the Vale]

[Ding]

[Due to your Omnicnence, your understanding of the Vale is Rising]

[Ding]n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

[Desolate Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 31%]

[Desolate Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 10%]

[Desolate Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 5%]

[Desolate Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 4%]

Desolate Abyss [F] → [E]

Multiplier: 2.5x → 3

[Desolate Abyss Proficencely has Increased by 5%]

Name: Altair Blackwood

Class: [ Lv 95 → 175]

Mana Circle: [Fifth Circle: 50% → 55%]

Strength: 2690 → 2850(3) → 8550

Dexterity: 3285 → 3525(3) → 10,757

Constitution: 3475 → 3875(3) → 11625

Wisdom: 4475 → 4875(3) → 14,625

Charisma: 4475 → 4875(3) → 14,625

Mana: 340

"BLACKWOOD!!!" Ravel roared, spearing the world with his body as he lanced through it at a bleeding speed, coming out the other side, revealing his torn body. Bones that could support an entire world stood shattered in hundreds of different places, bleeding an azure flame. "I'll fucking kill you! ELDRITCH LANCE!"

The magical circle flashed and shattered, invoking a spherical orb of nightmarish essence, forming into a lance twice the size of the tallest mountain on Earth.

Altair sneered as his Spiritual domain formed, wielding an arrogance that sought to challenge heaven itself. He smiled savagely, amazed by the Lich trying to combat him through Magic when it was his physical attributes that had increased. He wanted to laugh. To mock the insolent animal, yet Ravel's action only offended him in a way that tore away his smile.

"Die for me!" Ravel screamed, hurdling his third circle spell at Altair. Bellowing a mighty roar that could be felt for miles.

Altair stared as the lance penetrated his domain; his attention was immediately pulled toward the hundreds of thousands of microdots huddled around various spots held by the lance. Through his omniscience, he knew what they were. They were the weak points held in all things.

"Indignation," Altair said, invoking the first art of the Sword of the Heavenly Raijin.

Ravel watched in horror as Altair became an amalgamation of infernal lightning, piercing his spear and arriving before him faster than most could think. He saw his sword reaching towards him and opened his hand to catch it, only to be surprised when Gram took off that arrogant hand.

"Eh?" Surprise turned to horror as the sword fueled by infernal lightning approached his eye socket, with every intention of annihilating him both in body and soul. The Lich pivoted back, escaping using his advantage in speed to dodge at point-blank range.

'How'd he—" He flinched as the image of Altair vanished, and his awareness expanded, only to quiver as he felt a palm reach out of the darkness of the Space to touch his shoulder. He robotically turned, the words echoing from his cracked skull, "What are you!"

The question itself rang through amongst the upper echelon of gods. Whether they were minor gods or true gods, everyone asked the same question.

Altair, who'd Valemorph into darkness, allowing instantaneous travel, grinned savagely as a seraphic flame glittered around his palm.

[Sacred Flame has weakened all undead within the Light of Sacred Flame by 60%]

Name: Ravel

Class: Lich King II [89%]

Race: Undead

Str: 4447 → 35,576→ 14,230.4

Dex: 6772 → 33,860→ 13,544

Con: 7960 → 39,800→ 15,920

Wis: 7710 → 38,550 → 15,420

Chr: 7710 → 38,550 → 15,420

Mana: 450 → 180

With a cry that came from his very depths, Ravel flailed about like a fish out of water, shrouded by a holy flame clinging to his very soul like nats on shit. Bones turned to vaper, bleeding the embers of his soul as he writhed in agony, pleading with Altair for a quick end.

"he's dead…" Tasha determined. "I've never seen a demon, much less an undead, survive the Flames of Heaven. All it takes is one touch. And those flames will eat you alive."

Altair merely looked, lowering the intensity of Sacred Flame spreading to every crevice of his bones.

"Please!!!!!' He roared a cry so damning Seina turned away, covering her ears. She'd never heard such wretched screams in all her years. To merely call them inhumane felt wrong, for it exceeded that fact.

"Kill Me!"

"What a shame, your undead. Suppose you were of flesh and blood. My Sacred Flame would have no effect. But don't worry, Lich. This form of torture is only the beginning. For once, I have your soul…" He grinned devilishly, with an unmistakable savagery that would lead even the sanest alive man to believe Altair was a devil of the Hells.

"So scream… and cry and beg. Let's hear it." He demanded, licking his lips as Sacred Flame engulfed all of Ravel.

"M…My… Master… Will… AVENGE ME." He rattled out in sharp utterances as his screams became all the more wretched. In the same breath, only his fractured skull remained.

"He can stand in line," Altair declared, dismissing Gram. His smile faded as he turned towards the twilight of stars, which the world once hid away with its polluted atmosphere. "Some fools thought it wise to have a war with me. After I take care of them, I'll personally visit your Master."

[Ravel Felled. Exp Gained]

[Soul of Ravel Acquired.]

[Congratdulation for completing the Third Trial]

[Due to achieving the Impossible, various patrons have decided to enhance your gift]

Reward: [All Attributes Will Be Increased by 200] or [Increase Character Rights For The Next Scenario.]

[Warnning: Each Scenario is different for each person]

Recommendation: Increase Character Rights For The Next Scenario

As the cloak of Desolate Abyss faded, a tide of exhaustion came over him; the young Emperor felt more than joyous of the fact his body was floating aimlessly. He was so weary that he was sure he'd have knelt were he on a planet with gravity.

'Two Valemorphs nearly put me six feet under.' he thought, only now realizing he was breathing in Space. He wanted to laugh, but to his dismay, nodes of darkness began to spread across his body. He shook his head, peering up at his rewards.

"They even recommended a reward." The Emperor smirked when his head bumped into Alyssa's breast. He tilted his gaze towards her stunning yellow eyes. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a strange color within them, a stunning vein of red and violet velvet across the ocean of gold. "What do you think?"

"I'd go with the Character Authority, whatever that means. You get points all the time."

"Alright…" he muttered faintly, slowly allowing himself to fall into the blanket of darkness held in sweet oblivion and slept.

Alyssa grinned. "Congrats, masters we—" As a Glaive tore through her throat, severing her head from her shoulders following a sweeping motion, the last thing she saw through the wet geyser of red was the hollowed expression of Raven, aiming her spear at her Master.

"Eh?"