One With The Abyss

Rellania looked at the strange woman in front of her, her large grin seemingly unaware of how ridiculous what she had just said was.

"Um... Well, Miss Nox. I-" Rell began speaking, but was immediately cut off as Nox interrupted her.

"Oh my God that sounded shit." She groaned, falling backwards, "I've gotta change my name, holy shit that sounded cringe."

She laughed again, making Rell even more confused about the woman in front of her.

"Hmmm..." Nox sat back up, and to Rell's surprise began to float around the back of the carriage; occasionally bumping into the sides and changing direction. Rell did nothing but watch as her saviour floated around like a dust particle, mostly because she wasn't entirely sure about what the hell was happening. After a few minutes of Nox's silent floating her limbs burst out such that she was starfished in the air, "I'll just use it as a last name!"

Rell felt strange as the woman's smile grew wider, her joy so clearly plastered on her face.

When was the last time I expressed myself so clearly? Rell thought, though even her envy was in no way malicious - simply a longing to truly be herself.

"Then my first name will be... Violet!" She exclaimed, as if declaring it to the world, "That's right! King of Ruin: Violet Nox." Then she leaned down towards Rell, "But cuties like you can call me Vi."

Rell blushed slightly as she looked away.

"While I could just check for myself, I'd prefer to hear it from you... What's your name hot-stuff?" Rell's blush deepened as she stammered out an answer.

"R-Rellania." The woman in front of her made her feel so strange, but Rell didn't dislike it.

"Well, R-Rellania. Nice to meet you." Violet jokes, poking fun at Rell's nervousness.

"It's Rellania." Rell responded firmly, trying to act more confident, "... But you can call me Rell."

"Alright Relly, you can call me Vi." Violet laughed, "So, before we go any further." She clicked her fingers and Rell felt clothes materialise around her, clothes she found to be very beautiful and comfortable, seeing Rell's smile Violet spoke up, "Like it? It's some traditional clothing from a place called Japan. Or at least as traditional as a girl from England can get it. Hahaha."

"Yes... They're very nice." Rell responded sheepishly as she ran her hand over the smooth white and red fabrics, marvelling at the flower patterns embroidered into it depicting a rose.

"Of course; Who wouldn't want to see an Oni babe in shrine maiden clothes!?" Violet laughed, "Hope you like the roses, it was the only thing I could think of after looking into your eyes for a while."

Like always, Violet's words made Rell blush.

"Anyway..." Violet broke the awkward silence, but further confused Rell in regards to her powers as the carriage they were in disappeared only for 2 incredibly comfortable chairs to appear below them. And as Rell felt she would fall, she somehow gently floated into the chair opposite Violet who had never stopped smiling, "How did you wind up in the back of a human carriage. I thought humans hated inhumans?"

"They do..." Rell muttered, feeling downtrodden as she remembered what had happened.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Violet said softly, her smile becoming less joyful and containing much more sympathy.

"No! It's fine." Rell blurted out, she somehow felt incredibly close to Violet despite only knowing her for mere minutes. Something about the freedom she embodied in Rell's eyes drew her closer to Violet; like everything Rell desired in life was embodied into her saviour. And so, Rell told Violet everything; about the Shroud Oni; about her family; about what her father and the elders had done to her.

Violet was no longer smiling, her face seemed neutral but a burning rage could be seen hidden behind her eyes.

"I understand." Violet muttered, "Then I change my offer. We're not teaming up."

Rell's eyes widened in shock, she hadn't responded to Violet's offer, but for some reason she couldn't bear the thought of letting it pass her up; however before she could say anything Violet continued:

"That won't be enough. My rage runs deep and I wish to enact suffering upon those who wronged me; just as you have." She said, rising out of her chair, "But to do that I need more than just my power, I need all of Gehenna; and for that I offer you a position at my side."

"I'll grant you power beyond your wildest dreams, enough that the day you return to your village they will be cowering at your feet."

Violet stuck out her strange black hand that glowed with purple light.

"All you have to do is take it."

Rell looked at the woman in front of her; the power and freedom she held were qualities that Rell wished she had; her longing to break free of the shackles that bound her: Her village; the humans ; her own weakness, she longed to get rid of all those things.

The decision was made before it was even asked. 

Rell sprung to her feet and grabbed her hand; the world disappeared as she did. The moment she touched Violet it seemed as if everything ceased to exist as she floated in the void. All that remained were herself and Violet.

"Welcome to the abyss Relly." Violet laughed as the void took over her. But there was no fear, Rell simply welcomed the abyss into herself.

[Welcome Rellania, to the the Abyss]

[May you name ring true through the echoes of reality]

After she read those words everything went blank.

---

Rell awoke upon a soft bed, the shining sun right above her, it was like any other day; but Rell had never felt so different.

"You're up." Rell heard a voice to her side, "Might wanna check your system messages."

Rell's eyes softened as she looked over to find Violet eating some strange combination of bread and cheese. 

"Yes, thank you." Rell said, nodding as she opened her system.

The biggest shock was that the colour had entirely changed; Violet seemingly had the power to mess with the system, one of the fundamental parts of the world. Fortunately, her shocks didn't end there.

[Due to [Bestowal Ceremony], your talent [Mana Crystallisation] has evolved]

[You have acquired: [Abyssal Crystallisation]]

[Crystalise that which does not exist and wield its power in physical form]

[Exceptional affinity detected: Further bestowal underway]

[You have exceeded rank of [Abyss Touched], you have acquired rank [Abyss Noble]]

"What the hell is an abyss noble?" Rell muttered before she continued to look through her messages.

[[Abyss Noble] rank has generated title: [Abyssal Duke Rellania]]

[Proof you are a Duchess of the Abyss. Grants ability to manipulate abyssal energy]

"How do you like the rewards for joining me?" Violet asked, leaning over Rell's shoulder.

Rell jumped, spinning around to face Violet. But as she did she noticed something different about her, Rell struggled not to fall to her knees in deference at the sight of Violet; it was like she knew she was looking at her king, a king she was entirely devoted to.

I suppose this is what an abyssal duke is... Rell thought, thinking that perhaps the ceremony wasn't that good of an idea.

"They are exceptional, my Queen." Rell was incredibly shocked, it seemed that while she could stop herself from falling to a knee in reverence, the same didn't hold true for her speech. Violet's eyes widened slightly and Rell felt the atmosphere become slightly awkward, all before her angelic laughter cut through all the tension.

"Puhahahahahaha! What the hell is that?" Violet literally fell backwards and laid on the floor as she laughed, "You don't need to be so formal Relly, just call me Vi."

In that instant all of the pressure Rell was feeling dissipated, the respect she felt for Violet was in no way diminished, but now it felt more genuine. There was no force pushing those feelings onto her, instead it seemed that her natural feelings were amplified.

"... Thanks." Rell muttered, "I became something called an abyssal duke."

"The hell is that?" Violet smiled, shocking Rell as she had expected her to already know; it was then that another voice rang through her head. One that she had not yet heard.

When the bestowal ceremony is performed the target can achieve different ranks based on their affinity with the abyss and by extension you. The highest is noble, with the highest rank in that being duke. To be honest I hadn't expected the first person you used it on to reach the rank of duke; you bagged a real top quality subject Vi.

Rell went on guard, but Violet only laughed.

"Thanks for explaining as always." Violet responded before turning to see a confused Rell,"Oh. That was Abby by the way..."

Violet then explained to Rell what had happened. While she was sleeping Violet had connected Rell's mind to a telepathic web that allowed her to hear Abby; the person - or more accurately, the mind - that somewhat guided Violet.

"So what do we do now?" Rell asked.

"Well, you should probably check out your new abilities; but after that we should go conquer somewhere." Violet responded, falling down onto the mattress Rell was just sleeping on, "Maybe a human territory to free their slaves and make them indebted to me or something?"

"... You want to invade... A human city?" Rell was shocked, most inhumans only attacked the humans indirectly, they would never just rush straight into the jaws of a beast.

"Yep." Violet laughed, "It'll be the best way to build up an army. Where do you think would be best." 

Rell was continuously surprised at the audacity of Violet's plans; but even still she didn't feel they would fail.

"Where would be best...? Well there are a few human cities around here; since humanity's vanguard has pushed deeper into the continent from here." Rell thought about all cities around her until she finally decided that the one she was likely being taken to would be best.

"Then it's decided." Violet laughed, springing to her feet as she pulled Rell with her, "You can practise manipulating abyssal energy in the car."

"... Car? What's that." Rell became confused as she followed Violet towards the streets.

"Like a metal carriage that doesn't need a horse... Here, I'll just show you:" Violet said, stretching out her hand.

Rell watched with shock as a strange metal carriage appeared in front of her; the front part was quite long while the part where she thought they would sit had a strange wheel thing and a few platforms on a stick. The seats looked incredibly comfortable and cushy.

A majority of the metal was a cold black colour, but it was covered in purple highlights; even the seats seemed to be made of purple leather as well.

"I modelled it off my shit-bag dad's favourite car." Violet laughed as she pulled open the door, "He may have been an absolute dick, but his car collection was quite cool; not that he ever let me see it. I only know this one because he'd show it off to his asshole friends and I'd see it in the garden."

"What kind of car is it?" Rell asked, feigning understanding.

"He said it was a Bentley Blue Train 1930." Violet responded as she sat down on her seat, "But he did say he made it more modern or something.

Rell just looked at Violet as she closed the door; she stood still and after staring at each other through the glass it came down and Violet asked why Rell wasn't getting in. Obviously, Rell didn't know how so Violet directed her to the other door that Rell then pulled open gently.

"This is kinda gnomish." Rell giggled as she fell into the incredibly soft seats, "It really reminds me of the magitek machines made by gnomes."

The pair sat for a while talking about gnomes for a while as Violet seemed to be interested in their machines.

"Okay then, let's get going." Violet laughed as the machine flared to life in an instant, "Oh yeah. Word of warning, I never learned how to drive one of these things, but I can probably learn on the way."

"Huh?" Rell exclaimed as she turned to face Violet, but before she could say anything else, maybe suggesting this may not be the best way to travel, Violet pushed one of the pedals to the floor as hard as she could and the machine flew forward.

---

Rell panted, throwing up the last thing she had eaten over the cobbled floor of the city they had just entered.

I think I may have made the wrong choice. Rell thought, she had literally taken a ride from hell.

After setting off it didn't take the pair much time to reach the city, mostly because Violet refused to use the pedal she said slowed the car down. That was bad of course, but the worst came after Violet sped past a block in the road where the humans collected a toll or arrested criminals.

Rell barely had the time to look behind her as they sped past the screaming and hollering humans; though she did notice that they had crushed a couple humans into paste, upon being told this Violet just began laughing harder.

Soon after this a large number of human soldiers appeared on the horizon with weapons and magic at the ready. Rell desperately wished Violet would slow down, but instead she somehow pushed the pedal further into the car and sped up. Rell almost threw up as Violet began moving extremely erratically, swerving from side to side as if she knew where each of their attacks would land before they were even launched.

Rell could barely keep her eyes open as they carried on driving; Violet did not have such restrictions as she stuck her hand out of the window.

Rell watched as Violet revealed yet another of her strange variety of powers. Her arm split into thousands of tentacles that speared forward, cutting through the barriers and bodies of the humans waiting to stop them; allowing Rell and Violet to speed past with no issue at all. Despite all her fear at the intense speeds and attacks around her, Rell couldn't help but smile as she heard Violet's laughter ringing through the car.

Soon enough the city came into view, but the gate was closed and an army was lined up along the walls surrounding it. Furthering Rell's fear, Violet broke out in a wide grin and once again sped up.

Rell had no idea how they were going to cross over the moat around the city until the ground below them rose into the shape of a ramp.

She screamed as the car flew through the air, arrows and magic raining down and heavily damaging the car all the while, until it crashed through the wooden drawbridge and straight into the city where Violet kept driving. The car was incredibly heavily damaged and sounded like a dying animal as it trucked along through the streets; passing the screaming humans and the quizzical looks of inhuman slaves.

The car came to an abrupt stop as it crashed into a fountain in the centre of the city, causing a statue - one Rell believed was likely of the human's founding emperor - to fall to the ground and shatter into pieces.

Violet carried on laughing as she stepped out of the car, closely followed by Rell who fell to her knees and vomited all over the city floor.

"That was pretty fun." Violet smiled, "Anyway, onto the big stuff."

"Listen up, inhumans! I am Violet Nox, King of Ruin and bringer of disaster! I'm here to free you as the beginning of my inhuman empire that will soon bring down the tyrannical humans!" Violet shouted out.

For a moment the city went silent before the noises started up once again.

Rell watched as a platoon of knights ran towards them from all paths. As Rell began to feel worried a hand gripped the back of her clothes and pulled her to her feet; looking over to the source Rell saw that Violet had stretched her arm and pulled her up.

"Well then. Time to test your abilities." She grinned, a grin Rell was beginning to dread.