Abyssal Awakening

After leaving the appointment building, both Alice and Selen made their way to the factory section while looking at the token in their hands.

Compared to the other tokens that she's gotten in the past, there wasn't a wisp of Abyssal energy on it. Rather, it's a completely man made key with moving parts and shimmering crystals housed in a small compartment in the centre of this medal.

"The governor was pretty scary wasn't she?" Selen suddenly spoke up as Alice glanced up in confusion.

"Was she? I thought she was rather chill." Alice replied, recalling the twitching ears and fluffy tail.

Once again, the desire to pet them arose in her chest but she managed to suppress the feeling.

"You call that chill? I thought she was going to bite my head off if I wasn't careful." Selen shivered.

Sitting in front of the governor felt akin to sitting beneath a guillotine. A primal sense of fear was instilled in her despite everything she went through. A passive fear of an unknown source that she couldn't get rid of.

Perhaps it was part of her Sigil power or perhaps it was something else. But regardless, Selen didn't feel comfortable in front of the governor.

Yet despite this, Alice had the courage to comment on how fluffy her ears were?!

It baffled Selen.

She was focused on trying to maintain her composure but Alice was more distracted by the ears and tail.

"I'm not sure how to put it… But I guess she looks tough outside? I mean when she was asking me the questions wolves began to appear. They seemed pretty threatening but I didn't sense any killing intent from her." Alice shrugged.

When placed side by side next to some of the enemies that she's been put against, their pure hatred against her, Alice didn't find the governor to be threatening. If anything, her mind was still thinking back to the fluffy tail and ears.

She couldn't help but wonder how it was attached to her and what the sensory was like. Plus, since her hair was in the way, Alice wasn't sure if the governor had human ears on the side or not. If she did, was her hearing improved?

With all the weird questions out of the way, the two made their way to the factory section.

A few of the workers who noticed the medal in Alice's hands couldn't help but cry out in surprise before whispering to his colleagues next to him.

There were a few eyes locked onto Alice while they entered the elevator but Alice ignored it for now.

She didn't notice it before but there was indeed a strange groove perfect for the medal she was holding.

Following the instructions, she inserted the key and watched as a crimson energy pulsed through the elevator.

She could hear the gears turning and the elevator began to descend rather than ascend.

"The Lord of the Forge is below?" Selen raised an eyebrow, feeling a little surprised.

She thought the Lord would prefer a larger working space than the claustrophobic underground. But as they descended deeper into the bowels of the earth, her questions were soon answered.

Facing the gentle coolness of the ice caves around them, a wave of blistering heat caused her to stumble back.

Both of them widened their eyes as a chaotic fusion of ice and flames danced before them. A realm crafted from conflicting elements, a boundary line of clashing forces surrounded a single building that supported the ceiling of this cavern.

Towering ice crystals housing flickering flames hung from the ceiling, illuminating the land.

Looking above, a crystalised sea of radiant flames.

Looking below, the jaws of piercing ice.

It is within this harmony that a single towering forge stood unyielding.

Surrounding the forge, a graveyard of myriad weapons and equipment.

*CLANG!!!

Each strike of the hammer sent a pulse of energy rumbling out, causing the flaming crystals above to flicker before holding their flame true.

Each strike caused the chains hanging down from above to clash against each other, orchestrating a harmonious choir as though to welcome the next masterpiece.

Each strike pushed the energy out from the centre before collapsing in and condensing.

Alice stared at the forge in silent awe.

While the dazzling nature of this forge blinded others, Alice saw what lay beneath.

The raging sea of energy, a chaotic spiral of energy forced into submission and put to work. Enslaved and sealed beneath the ice. There was not just one aura of a Lord here.

No, there were two.

"F*cking hell…" Alice couldn't help but mutter.

Within this forge, a sealed Lord slumbered!

Reaching the bottom of the elevator, the two them cautiously stepped out as there was only a single path and that path led towards the forge.

Swallowing her saliva, Alice took the lead as her eye couldn't help but track the energy downwards.

There was only a single layer of ice separating them from a sealed Lord. However, the biggest question she had was why it was on the surface!

To her knowledge and Cayla's, all the sealed Lords were locked away either in Terminus or the other layers of the Abyss, forever tortured for their 'sin'.

Yet for one to be on the surface… Being used as the flames to a forge at that…

[Simply illogical.]

Right as they were about to walk up the steps leading to the forge, a pulse of energy pushed out, preventing them from advancing.

"After you ring a bell, wait for the owner to respond before walking in. It is common courtesy." A deep voice bellowed out from the heart of the forge.

Taking this as a warning, both Alice and Selen waited just outside the forge as the sounds of clashing metal began to speed up.

Even though they couldn't see what was happening, sparks continued to fly as the ice above reflected the moment of impact. A flash of light with each crash of metal.

*TSSSS!!!!!

"Tsk, trash again." The voice grumbled.

*BANG!!!

Before either of them could react, a chunk of metal slammed into the graveyard behind them as the metal began to melt before reforming around the weapon, shattering it in the process.

thanks for reading on m|v|l|e|m|p|y|r

"Alright, what's going on here. What the hell do you two want?" The voice grumbled as it was clear the owner was in a bad mood. And soon, a frowning man came into view.

Contrary to his deep bellowing voice, the owner of which looked like a fearsome young man with his arms folded. Black hair and a pair of sharp golden eyes illuminated by what seemed to be the light of a flickering flame.

A well trained muscular physique with scars, burn marks and tattoos of Sigils.

He wore a set of loosely fitted white and black clothing with bandages around his arms. Baggy pants and thick boots.

Alice wasn't sure what she was looking at considering the… strange flow of energy. Or rather, the lack thereof. This 'Lord' in front of her didn't feel like a Lord. In fact, he felt like a normal human right now.

"Well? Or are you two mute?" Sigurd asked in annoyance. The mismatch of the voice and appearance caused both Alice and Selen to freeze up before Alice took the lead and opened her mouth.

"We're here as a reward for our recent exploits. We wish the esteemed Lord of the Forge will craft us suitable weapons." Alice replied.

Silence dominated the cavern as Sigurd narrowed his eyes at Alice.

"Are you mocking me?" He asked, clearly annoyed and confusing both of the girls.

"Huh?"

"I can see the weapons you have on you. A personal Artifact and a sealed weapon that clearly shows signs of growth. Even if I make you something, you'll sooner default back to these two am I right?" Sigurd appeared next to Alice, lifting her arm and glaring at the bracelet.

"So why should I make something for you if you're just going to toss it aside in the first place? Is this not a mockery of my craft? Well?" He asked, lifting Alice up so that they could look at one another at eye level.

Surprised by the fact that the Lord of the Forge actually recognised Void Fang on her wrist, Alice quickly recovered and shook her head.

"Ah you misunderstood me, my Lord. I meant my friend here a suitable weapon. If anything, I just want the gift from my mentor fixed." Alice chuckled despite her current position.

Reaching into her pouch, she pulled out the damaged wire gloves.

Narrowing his gaze at Alice, he was silent for a long moment, long enough for Alice to wonder if he was spacing out.

"Depends. You, what's your name." Sigurd glanced over at Selen who pointed at herself.

"Yes you! Who else is here??" Sigurd snapped, feeling as though these two were a bit slow in the head if their reaction was this delayed.

"It's Selen, sir."

"Alright then Selen, I want you to show me what you can do. Use every trick you have, every ability you can command. If you interest me enough, I'll consider it." He gestured as though commanding a jester to perform.

While she was a little annoyed by his attitude, she didn't dare show it considering he's a Lord and began to demonstrate what she could do.

Meanwhile, Sigurd was giving Alice a side glance with a slight frown.

He wasn't even sure what he was looking at.

It felt as though he was staring into a bottomless hole of impurities and corruption. A foul mixture of energies overlayed by a heinous layer of curses enough to kill a man. What did she do to require such a vile curse? And most importantly, who was strong enough to apply such on a lowly warrior?