Abyssal Awakening
Chapter 722 - 722: Isolde And Ria

"F*ck." Alice's pupils constricted.

She could see it, the storm brewing beneath Ria's expression. Her eyes were locked on Isolde, her body tensed and ready to act if she made a single move.

With Ria's past, it's no wonder she would be sensitive about this kind of information yet it completely slipped Alice's mind.

Then there was also Jin who was in the cult since he was young.

If there's anything to be thankful for, it would probably be the fact that Jin got modified so Ria couldn't tell at first glance.

"Erm. . . They used to be part of it but actually. . ." Alice paused. She couldn't say that it was outside of Isolde's choice since she probably accepted their offer on her path to revenge.

"I was part of the Eclipse for my own benefits and stayed there for a while until my previous Lord, Zal-Ka'Rith, offered me a contract which I accepted. Now I am no longer part of the cult." Isolde admitted honestly.

She could see the displeasure on Ria's face. However, her past was something she must take responsibility for.

Just because she's on the path of revenge doesn't mean she's excused from what she's done. Isolde understood that and even before taking this path, it was something she vowed to accept rather than deny and reject.

Atrocities? She committed them.

Was she a sinner? Most definitely.

Does she regret it? To some degree but to say that it deeply affected her would be a lie. She does what must be done in order for her to reach her goals.

Ria was silent. The veins on her neck bulged as she could see the lack of remorse in Isolde's eyes.

Alice could practically see the sparks dancing around Ria's body was she seemed ready to strike.

After what seemed like forever, Ria gritted her teeth and let out a sigh. The energy coursing through her body slowly fading away.

"I want to hope that you have your own story, why you joined the Eclipse. If this reason is also why you've left them in favour of this. . . Zal-Ka'Rith or whatever his name is then so be it." Ria spat out, looking down at the table before glaring at Isolde. "But most importantly, the fact that Alice finds it safe enough to let loose and drink around you means you're trustworthy."

Alice was about to shed a tear when she blinked her eyes.

Was drinking around someone really a sign that she trusted them??? Was her trust that cheap???

"So I give you only one warning. If you join the Eclipse again, I will personally rip out your spine and use it like a whip. Don't you dare betray this trust Alice has given you."

A moment of silence was drawn out between Isolde and Ria as neither of them spoke a single word.

The first to break this silence was. . .

"Riaaaaa! So you were mad because you didn't want me to get hurttt. Uuuu~ you're gonna make me cry in joy Riaaaa!" Alice hugged Ria from the side emotionally while Ria tried to push Alice off her, avoiding the tears and snot.

Having her serious face and warning shattered by Alice crying out her name gave her a new sense of embarrassment. And right now, Ria wanted nothing more than to hide her head in the ground.

"Alright alright! I get it so get off me!" Ria begged.

"Pft~ Ahaha." Isolde laughed, seeing Alice rubbing her face against Ria dress, staining it.

"Don't worry, you have my word. I will not harm Alice nor betray this trust she has decided to give to me." Isolde reassured with a smile, handing Ria a napkin to clean up the mess on her dress for the time being.

"You better not. And honestly, this goes for you too Alice. First with Selen from the Zenia family now with Isolde and Jin. Are you going to keep picking up stragglers from the different religions or what?" Ria sighed helplessly.

At this point, Alice was going around collecting people from different backgrounds.

Alice wanted to refute but paused.

Especially considering her. . . connection to a certain cardinal of the Moon. Surely Isolde and Tristan wouldn't try to kill each other on sight right? Right???

Isolde's smile twitched seeing Alice deliberating her answer while occasionally sneaking glances towards her.

"You've got to be kidding me. . ." Ria was dumbfounded.

"I mean. . . Everyone's got their own circumstances okay? It's not like I go out of my way to befriend them. It just kind of happens." Alice pouted while Isolde sighed.

"The one I have a grudge against is the Goddess herself. Even if you have friends in the Moon church, who am I to stop you from befriending people?" Isolde chuckled.

Hearing this, Alice sighed in relief.

"Phew, Tristan is a Cardinal but honestly he's not that bad of a guy. Cares for his sister." Alice scratched her hair, remembering her time by the port city. "In the first place, he only joined because the Moon Church offered him a way to help his sister but I sorted that out for him."

Isolde almost fell over.

The more Alice talks, the more she's reconsidering this partnership.

"You mean to say. . . You and Cardinal Tristan are friends?" Isolde supported her weight on the counter.

"Something wrong?" Alice tilted her head.

"The thing that's wrong is that head of yours. It'll be more surprising to see someone that doesn't know about Cardinal Tristan." Rosalyn stumbled over to the table while clutching her head.

She was still suffering from a headache thanks to a certain stunt a certain split haired mead addict pulled last night.

Shooting glares at Alice, Rosalyn continued.

"Cardinal Tristan, also known as the Favoured Son of the Goddess. Someone whom the Goddess has put special attention into helping. Not only is the Goddess fond of him but he's a good saviour for the people." Rosalyn recalled.

"Often times you'll see him out and about, helping people when he can. What I didn't know was that he has a sister, probably something he wanted to keep concealed."

Hearing that Tristan was known as the Favoured Son of the Goddess, Alice folded her arms. Looking back, the favours he did for her seem more impressive now that she had this context.

Even though he was the favoured son, he still concealed her existence from the Goddess.

Essentially saving her life or a bunch of trouble depending on how the Goddess would've reacted.

Regardless, Alice knew that he was pretty important but not to the extent of favoured son.

"So anything else you failed to mention before we had the drinking party? I'm feeling rather forgiving right now so you should probably tell me all of it at once." Rosalyn sighed.

She'll admit that last night was rather fun. Being able to let loose and get drunk like that was a new kind of feeling for her, especially since Alice essentially disabled her passive resistance for a brief moment.

Crossing her arms, Alice scrambled her mind but couldn't quite think of anyone. Darrow while strong, wasn't exactly a unique existence like Tristan.

"Ah!" Alice shot up.

There was one person who'd given her a hand and tolerated her antics. But calling her a friend is. . .

"Feris. Realm ruler of the Void, I'm rather acquainted with her."

"PFFFFF!!!" Spitting out her drink, Rosalyn shot a glare at Alice.

"You're friends with a realm ruler?!?!"

Yet before Alice could answer, the Void tore in half as a tall woman stepped out holding a pipe in her hands.

"One. No the f*ck she is not. Two, acquainted we may be I've definitely saved her ass more than she has done me favours. Three, I'm here to cash in a favour you owe me." Feris scoffed, pointing her pipe at Alice.

No one else could speak with Feris in the room. It felt as though a seal was forcefully placed over their mouths and even Rosalyn had cold sweat dripping down her back.

One wrong move and this entire space would be erased!

"Ehh??? I owe you?" Alice furrowed her brows.

"!!!" Rosalyn's bloodshot eyes darted to Alice as Ria hastily held her back.

She was practically screaming bloody murder with her glare and the only reason why she hasn't said it out loud was the REALM RULER next to them.

"You. Owe. Me." Feris reaffirmed with a glare.

After all the sh*t she's pulled and the mess she's been causing to the Void, even going as far as to pretty much permanently destroy a part of it thanks to her scuffle with the Zenia family, owing Feris a favour was putting it lightly.

Anyone else and Feris would've just erased them where they stood.

Scratching her hair, Alice sighed and nodded her head.

"Fine. So what kind of favour do you want to cash in? I ain't got much unfortunately unless you want some mead."

Rosalyn was holding back her urge to throw her parasol at Alice.

Leaning against the table, Feris took a deep breath of her pipe before exhaling a large cloud of smoke.

"Show me that weapon of yours, the one on your wrist."

Alice tilted her head.

With the way that Feris was phrasing things earlier, it seemed like the favour was going to be something bigger than just. . . showing her the weapon.

However, she had no reason to reject it.

Injecting energy into the bracelet, Alice transformed Void Fang into its blade form. Its obsidian blade reflected a lightly violet hue with energy reinforcing the whole weapon.

Observing it in silence, there was a flicker of hope in Feris's eyes before it crumbled apart into disappointment.

"I see. . . Never mind, I thought it was something else. Don't corrupt my realm with Eldritch, you know the drill."

Not wanting to stay longer, Feris turned around and stepped back into the Void.

For a moment, Alice felt like she saw a teardrop in the corner of Feris' eyes.