The Scourge of The Abyss [Spellstone]

Black clouds formed within a sky dyed crimson red, a single streak of multicolored lightning flashing across the sky, bringing color to an otherwise dire area. Amidst the dark world floated a single castle, one that seemed to defy any kind of law set within nature, floating at least one hundred feet above the ground. A dark domain that had long ago been corrupted by the chthonian element, one tied with death and many concepts itself. Trees bent and twisted upon themselves, black crystal that bore no fruit and grew from sand that could also bear no life. It was truly a lifeless hellhole, or it would have been if not for those that lived within it. Even within the land of death there was the spark of something, beings marked by an ancient pact that ruled with a near iron fist within their own realm.

However, even among these powerful beings there was one above them, someone that usurped them all within terms of power and one that was a true force to reckon with. Upon the throne sat not a Titan however, but something greater than the race that ruled over death itself; one whose power came from souls. A mere child among immortals, yet his power was great. ”You will not continue your attempts upon my fathers life.” Michael said simply, swirling around a strange colored liquid within a glass, it glowing faintly green but was colored an interesting shade of purple. He reclined within his throne, formed of a material that resembled the many trees that dotted the landscape around The Abyssal Palace. Those who looked upon his shuddered, the strange sigils within his eyes seeming to unnerve them.

”Are you sure my lord…the council is rather vehement about their policy towards those who lose their powers.” Sheiara asked, and something about her bringing this up only made him curious. As far as he knew, she was on his father’s side and that meant that perhaps she was secretly trying to get a rise from him. The ethereal smirked, sipping lightly on the liquid within the glass, a sigh passing between his lips as he considered an answer. ”Especially after this incident with the traitor, the council is getting rather edgy.”

”Let them bluster, all they can do is postulate as they always do.” Michael said with a dismissive gesture. There was a quicky change within his eyes, seeming to glow a bright purple before returning to their default color, or rather their new one. She could feel a touch of death about him, one that had only lingered about Sean and those that had come back from the seemingly eternal sleep. Something else was different about him, especially when she saw his irises twist into that strange pattern and when he seemed to know nearly everything happening within the necrotic domain, when he seemed to become something else. ”If they have such a problem with how I do things, let them come to me and say it, not send someone else. I will not suffer this council of fools forever.” he spoke with a slightly rising voice, mind falling upon his rightful kingdom. The Ethereal Isles were to be his, not a necrotic wasteland where only death could occur.

’I’ll make sure they know.”She muttered bowing before walking out of the throne room, and left the throne room, pausing before turning upon him once again. ”Oh, and I’ve been hearing reports about an old foe of our race resurfacing……however I’m sure you already have heard of it.” She added before leaving, steps seeming to grow silent as the woman left. This left him alone, or so the male thought, as a familiar presence stepped into existence.

”Well, she’s nice.” Raziel mused, smirking lightly as he seemed to appear out of nowhere and sat upon the top of the throne. Michael glared at the ancient ethereal, lip curling into an annoyed expression as he considered destroying him now but let it slide. ”So do you know anything about this great enemy, because I do.”

”Who exactly are they?”

’A dragon…powerful one too. It was said that long ago he managed to nearly wipe out the entire race, the elder being the only one that could hope to stop it. I assume they want you to hunt it down, maybe kill it too. He mused with a slight smirk, looking upon the person whose true power he helped awaken. ”I hear he’s been building up strength within the underground of New York, enough to perhaps once again try and take over this realm….not that I expect you to go out alone.”

”What do you mean?”

”I just think you’ll find that human of yours to be useful in some way.”

”My human? He asked quizzically, perhaps a little annoyed by the ethereals game.

”The one who wields Lapis mana.” He said lapsing into a strange language, smirking slightly as he looked to Michael and floated infront of him. "Trust me young one, I know what I’m talking about,” Michael only needed to think for a second before agreeing, disappearing within a flash of dark purple light. Next thing he knew he was outside what looked like something jutting off of an apartment building in Chicago, his appearance within itself not flashy. His clothing changed within a heartbeat, polo shirt and khaki colored cargo shorts taking the place of dark robes. His dark brown hair was slightly shorter, in a fashion that he considererd more….appealing.

”Hello hello.” Michael said hoping to get the attention of the spell slinger with a smirk.

Michael tapped his foot lightly against the ground, lip turning into a slight line as he waited for the male to emerge from his hovel. It wasn’t the greatest abode that Michael had ever seen externally, but then again he was mostly making snap judgments upon what he saw. Not that Michael was ever usually wrong about such things, but he felt like giving the human a little credit. After all he did owe the male his life in one way or the other, so forgiving what looked like a total piece of crap was not too hard for him to do. From what he mentally counted, he was waiting for around three minutes before the male appeared at the door, clothing slightly wrinkled as if they were put in in a hurry. The male smirked warmly as if this were the most endearing thing that he had seen.

Human modesty was always an interesting concept, but then again he was raised around it, so it was not something foreign to him. Breathing in deeply, Michael swore that he smelt something interesting, a slightly pleasant scent that wafted from the male that was mingled with a fouler odor. ”Hello.’ Michael parroted with a smile, taking away the questioning aspect of the greeting, head tilting to the side as if not expecting him to come at all. His acting as if this w ere a surprise seemed to amuse Michael in some way, low chuckle emanating from his mouth as chest fell up and down. ”Sorry to barge in on you like this.” He said only partially faking the apology, flashing white teeth before accepting the invitation into Spellstones abode.

It was not anywhere close to Valhalla or The Abyssal palace in terms of size or awe inspiring beauty, but for one person it served. In the end he had to remember that humans needs shelter to survive, as much as they needed food, water and oxygen. While not warm, it was warmer than outside and that worked more than fine for Michael as he remembered that he had not brought a jacket with him, meaning that he would have to deal with any cold encountered on his proposed little trip. The room was nearly bare, a single television standing out in contrast to the bone bare decoration of the place as a whole. ”Charming place you have here.” Michael said out loud, actually managing not to sound like an arrogant prick for once, though how was the question really.

Taking a seat upon the nearest place that one could sit, he looked to Joshua and waited for the eventual question; why was he here?

Video games, one thing he had discovered while going about on his adventures through the human world. It was around this times that he purchased something called a Playstation five and a few games along with it, dragged the system into the small house populated by him and his friends, seeing what he could do with the appliance. Within an hour the ethereal was already addicted to the various games that were there, which were not as immersive as he would have liked but the entertainment value was still there. Considering that he did not really need to sleep made the game playing much easier, male going through a dozen games within a week without pausing for anything in between, and even finishing one of those open world games completely within a matter of five days.

Hell, he even delved into these things called MMORPGs and that was perhaps the worst thing one could introduce to Michael. He couldn’t stop calling people noobs for a good week. ”I know.” Even thought he was mostly forcefully dragged away from video games, as the male actually became addicted to them. It made him appear much more like a child in that regard, but Michael never really forgot that by human standards he would have been a toddler. Finally Spellstone asked the question that he was waiting for, one leg propped over the other as he waited for it patiently.

”Well, I was hoping that I could get the help of a power mage such as yourself.” He said simply with a smile, hoping that the male did not simply laugh him out the door for such a preposterous question. From what he knew, people were not that willing to help those that they had just met not too long ago, unless they were the sickeningly good ones anyway. Michael had yet to figure out what kind of person Joshua was, other than he fancied himself a hero. ”I’ll understand if you decline, but considering that we are…a super duo or whatever, it just seemed fitting that I ask you.” he explained simply explaining his reasoning for coming here and hoping that partially hoping the male asked what he needed help with.

Michael had partially hoped that the human male would have declined the offer, but at the same time he was pleased that he was willing to help. Something told the ethereal that this would not be something that he could deal with alone, not something that could simply be slain as any other monster could be. He even saw it as their official first mission, something that made Michael chuckle lightly to himself as arms crossed over his chest, and the male considered what he would even say to the excited one not only a few feet away from him. He seemed to be fishing something out from behind his bed, a small box holding something that was perhaps important to him. ”I just had to be sure.” He noted pleased.

”As for the mission, it will be something that I’m sure that you will find interesting.” Michael started uncrossing his arms and letting them fall on his lips, tapping rhythmically against his thighs. ”We will be heading to the ruins of New York….well under the ruins of New York. It will involve a lot of trekking through the sewers, but our target will be a dragon.” He paused for dramatic effect, perhaps to let the whole thing sink in, and then went on. ”We are going to slay this dragon. If that isn’t done, the thing could perhaps destroy the world once it gains its full power, or so I’ve heard.”

If the thing could nearly wipe out a race such as The Titans, then the earth would find itself hard pressed to survive; even with its metahumans. ”So I will need your immense power to help in slaying the creature, if you’re still willing to help that is.” He had a feeling the male would not decline such an interesting offer, but then again it would have been nice if he did. Michael did not feel like having to deal with an unnecessary deaths along on this dangerous mission. Especially since he had even gone out of his way to consider this human an ally, and allies were better not wasted in adventures through sewers.

He was unsure of the mage really believed what he said about the whole destroying the world thing but it was more than possible. If the male did not want to rush into something like that, the Michael could not blame him for it, seeing as how he did not really want to do this in the first place. ”yes, a dragon underneath New York.” Michael said nodding his head. What kind of dragon it was also came up within his mind, as they seemed to come in many varieties and most of them were deadly. ”Will probably have some power guardians protecting it. The dragon itself shouldn’t be at the whole world destroying level of power yet, so it won’t be tooooo hard.” He added rolling silver eyes as if what he said were a definite truth, but even he was making assumptions.

From the knowledge that he had access to, the thing even when weak was something to fear. ”As for the how, I was thinking that I teleport us there, unless you have another way there anyway.” he added simply thinking of the problems with bringing a human through an abyssal portal. From what his father had said, the metahuman Sam seemed to get along fine, but then again he wasn’t exactly frail as most humans were. ”More about the dragon?” He raised an eyebrow and pondered over that for a moment, running finger along his chin as he thought this over.

”It’s went by many names within its life time, and many aliases as well. The most prominent one being a dragon god of destruction and death. It was said that he once nearly destroyed a powerful race of inter-dimensional conquerors, by himself too, within their own realm where they were the most powerful. Nearly destroyed it as well, but that’s another story for another time. That was however when it was at the height of its power, won’t have to worry about it now. He was supposed to be dead…but I guess someone got that wrong.”

”Teleporting it is.” Michael noted cheerily with a smirk as he stood to his feet, wiping away any small motes of dust that would have clung to his clothing, silver pools then darting back up to Joshua for a moment. It was interesting how the mage only seemed to want to run into the maws of death the more than he talked about them, but perhaps he just had a death wish. Still, he would do his best to make sure an ally was not consumed by an angry dragon. Concentrating, Michael raised one hand, index finger drawling along the air as a black line seemed to follow. One could feel the air of a dark energy beginning to bleed into the room, a dark thing that was corrupting in its touch and perhaps even deadly if breathed in. One the line reached about three feet in length Michael would snap and it did the rest, zipping like a zipper down to the floor.

Then the air seemed to rip open, revealing a strange looking pocket dimension of sorts. One that all Titans used, a sort of portal that would allow them to move freely anywhere. In the other side was a monochromatic view of a ruined city, some shades of red swirling around the monochromatic landscape. ”I suppose hand holding would help, since I don’t know if you’ll end up being taken elsewhere or whatever.” He considered this for a second, then grabbing Spellstones hand lightly as he led him into the portal. The ground seemed insubstantial, yet at the same time it felt like something that they could walk on easily. Around them was a strange energy that occasionally sparked out at them, not really coming close but remained radiant. It reeked of death and destruction, of many dark things.

”From what I was told, the dragon had been destroyed, its body completely obliterated, but that may have just been heresay.” Raziel had been sure to do whatever he did and send a mental report of the situation, but then again his information as always was cryptic. ” So perhaps he is either using some kind of proxy body, or something else entirely. I’m sure we will find out once we encounter him though.” Michael noted as the monochromatic New York came closer. Within a few seconds they walked through the image of New York, stepping out a portal similar to the one that he created within Spellstones home, and it closed upon them exiting. ”And here we are, New York.” They were however in one of the more destroyed sections, a monstrous looking Skyscraper having collapsed within itself ahead of them and covering the street.

Something within him despised the destruction, but he simply quelled that feeling and turned to his ally as his fingers unfurled from his hand. ”Next we will have to go on an adventure through the sewers…fun.” That part he did not find fun in the least. Near them was a rusted looking manhole cover, perhaps too rusted to really remove easily, or whatever.

Michael found himself amused by the prospect of fighting a cyborg dragon, something about the image that floated within his mind seemed to bring a smirk to his face. It however reminded him somewhat of his father, and that perhaps killed the smirk slightly. Even though he would have not wasted his time on cyborg dragons, something about it seemed like him; a certain kind of pseudo-scientific flair. However his attention was now upon the desiccated corpse of New York, something that he had heard was within the throws of rebirth, yet still seemed destroyed. It brought back stories of how his father recounted the destruction, water flooding the streets and the dead walking. There was even a scar on his leg where one had bitten him, luckily they were nothing like the undead within popular media, otherwise he would have not been around to sire him.

A single brick skipped along the street before growing still, kicked by his ally. Something about the place was damp, moist in a way. It seemed that they were perhaps somewhere in Brooklyn, the place where his father had actually grown up, when he was a human anyway. Water damage having taken its toll upon everything. ”Crazy to imagine that this was once a large bustling metropolis.” Michael muttered with a wry smirk, the ethereal king turning to Spellstone as he seemed to have dealt with the problem concerning the manhole cover. Beneath the rusted cover was a yawning abyss that welcomes them into its dirty depths. Michael sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small crystal, one that looked much like an uncut diamond. It would serve as their light within the darkness, so that he did not have to expend precious energy that would be needed upon their foe.

”You’re right, I can fly.” Michael noted with a slight amount of feigned stupidity, as he tilted his head to the side. For a second he was still holding himself as a king, instead of the humble hero that he was trying to portray himself as around this mage. Part of him did bristle when the mage said ladies first, wanting to simply transform into one just to spite him in some way, but that was petty. So he simply nodded and approached the manhole now uncovered, tapping the stone that was floating in front of him as he sent a jolt of ethereal energy through it, and then let it descend into the sewer. Shadows retreated at the sign of the light, much like one would expect them to. With that done, Michael stepped forward and began to slowly descend into the darkness that was now illuminated. They went from the moldy city into somewhere perhaps worst.

It was the smell first that burned his nose, a scent so foul that he nearly coughed up anything that he had eaten before. Disgusting looking brown water stood stagnantly like a rover beneath them, filled with what looked like humanoid shapes, twisted and bloated. Not all of the undead it would seem have been removed form the sewers, some having floated around until they ended up here. Michael levitated a foot above the murk, shadows dancing about the tunnel rhythmically as his orbs looked about. ”Smells worst than I thought.” Michael groaned lightly as the light stone seemed to bob in front of him before sitting still. One the edge of hearing he could hear what sounded like something moving amongst the murk, something wading through the water but fast. A brief plunk plunk before nothing at all. They were not alone.

Michael caught a glimpse of the wink that was shot his way as he lowered into the murk, partially no feeling the sentiment behind the gesture. It was dark, and a chill ran along his flesh that otherwise made the male feel uncomfortable. Joining his sickly pale light was another one, a lighter one, and one that seemed to add a certain vibrancy to the stones dead coloration. Perhaps the corpses that floated below them would rise from their stupor, break the confines of death and then grasp out for the two, before tearing into their flesh with black nubby teeth and then pull them below the depths. It was a morbid thought that ran through his mind and as quickly it was gone. ”The place reeks of death.” Saying this, one could sense the unease within his voice, as if he were hoping that it were nothing.

Spellstone shone his light outwards, piercing the oppressive darkness searching for what lurked beyond the veil. Nothing lurked within the rays of light, save for a small rat that crawled along the small amount of dry concrete, inches from being under water as well. It seemed that even within this murk the rodents would thrive, which made him wonder something for a moment. It was thing that moment of wondering that something surfaced from the dark waters that shrouded everything within it, a humanoid figure that glittered with a strange metallic opalescence. One however could see the gaping holes within its flesh, if they looked hard enough or had the reaction time that Michael did, and he saw the mouth filled with rotting teeth.

It was fast soaring through the air, nearly fleshless limbs that flailed towards him. Without even thinking eight tendrils of dark ethereal formed upon his back, one of them swatting at the being that was heedlessly jumping at him. With a guttural screech it found its head cleanly removed, dirty black blood spewing from the stump, and splattering against the limbs that he had created, as the body fell worthlessly into the water. It was decomposed, but still moving as if it were whole, more of the corpses moved amongst the water, swimming much like fish but at speeds no normal human should have been able to reach. They were shadows that created ripples, humanoid monsters that seemed to want more than conversation. They were the servants of this ancient dragon, beings perhaps meant to stop anyone from wondering into his lair.

”Undead? How….disgusting.” Michael sneered as the new limbs moved about, forming a protective perimeter about him, blade ends proving more than useful for dealing with anything that would come their way. ”Be careful, they may not have an infective bite like on the movies…but I have a feeling that these creatures bites are pretty toxic.” Another slash of a tendril shore one in two, and another took another one out, yet that did not stem the tide well.