My God domain is the endless abyss Chapter 78: I’d love to

"What manner of monstrosities are these...?"

The angel Adeline found it difficult to trust her own perception. Every conceivable form of wickedness surged towards her without any restraint whatsoever. It felt suffocating, akin to facing a tempest composed of pure malevolence.

Simply remaining here caused her wings to shudder visibly. Had it not been for her brother Peter’s command to deliver his message, she would have long since fled or incinerated these abominations herself.

Yet, she could not. Not at this moment. Her mission was to convey the request for an alliance to the sovereign of this blighted domain.

Suppressing her profound distaste, Adeline descended with deliberate slowness, her wings folding with a strained elegance as a divine radiance flickered around her. Her voice, though measured, resonated with inherent authority.

"Announce your master," she commanded coldly. "Inform him that an envoy from Heaven has arrived. I require his immediate presence."

Her words, though not forcefully projected, carried divine power that swept across the embattled landscape. The undertone, however, was far from submissive. To an observer, it might have sounded as though she were addressing a subordinate.

Adeline was not oblivious to her standing; she believed her status fully warranted such confidence. Although her personal might barely reached the demigod threshold, she embodied the authority of Heaven itself.

The Heavenly Legions stood in solidarity behind her; this fact alone elevated her far above any lesser celestial being.

However, the reaction from the Demons was something she had not anticipated.

Rather than showing deference or compliance, they advanced towards her, moving deliberately, their faces contorted with cruel smirks. Their eyes gleamed with overt mockery.

An icy dread coursed through her.

Their gazes were loathsome, viewing her as mere quarry. Indignation ignited within her, the sacred flames coursing through her very being flaring to life.

"How dare you assail me!"

A pair of lances forged from pure light materialized in her hands, radiating an effulgent brilliance. Despite the surrounding multitude of fiends, she felt little trepidation. Her unwavering faith, her celestial title, and the distant, reassuring presence of the Heavenly Army, situated thousands of kilometers away, bolstered her resolve. Even if outright victory were beyond her, escape remained a viable option.

But then, the very atmosphere shifted.

Adeline’s countenance grew rigid as she perceived a stirring above. The heavens darkened ominously. An unending expanse of black mist began to coalesce from seemingly nowhere, swirling into a vortex that inexorably consumed the light. The divine fire enveloping her sputtered, its glow diminishing significantly in its presence.

Her breath hitched in her throat.

"So, you are the emissary from Heavenly Mountain?"

The voice emanated from within the swirling vortex. As the obscuring mist receded, a man with raven hair and obsidian eyes emerged from the void.

His expression remained inscrutable as his gaze swept over the angel. A moment of profound silence ensued. Then, with a subtle gesture, he activated his innate perception, meticulously probing every divine strand that constituted her essence.

A specific aspect within that scan prompted him to pause momentarily. His eyes flickered with a trace of unexpected astonishment. Subsequently, his demeanor altered, his sternness softening into an approximation of gentleness.

"You are significantly more radiant than I had envisioned, esteemed Angel." His tone was mellifluous, disarmingly courteous. "Please accept my apologies for the discourtesy of my creations."

These words struck the assembled Demons with the force of a physical blow.

They gazed on in sheer incredulity. Was this charismatic, urbane figure truly the master of the Abyss? The very entity they spoke of in hushed, terrified tones?

In their collective imagination, Cillian was the very embodiment of shadow, the sovereign of depravity, neither merciful nor gracious.

Amidst the onlookers, one Demon narrowed its multitude of eyes, a grin stretching across its visage.

"Heh. There is something amiss here," it rasped. "Our Lord expends courtesy so sparingly. I detect a stratagem."

Another fiend turned, its expression one of bewilderment. "What do you imply? What scheme is he concocting?"

The first merely guffawed, idly licking its sharp claws. "When a potent entity addresses the lesser beings with leniency, it stems not from benevolence. It signifies an ulterior motive."

High above, the delicate negotiations commenced.

With a casual wave of his hand, Cillian conjured a shroud of black mist, effectively obscuring the Demons’ view of the proceedings below. The two figures now floated in isolation within an ethereal dome of subtly shifting darkness.

Adeline released a measured breath, a modicum of her tension dissipating. "I am grateful," she replied, placing a hand over her chest. "I feel considerably more at ease now."

Cillian offered a faint smile. "I am pleased. The Abyss can prove... rather overwhelming for spirits unaccustomed to its nature."

To her surprise, his tone conveyed genuine warmth, and as their conversation progressed, she found her initial hostility gradually waning. The preconceived image of a monstrous ruler was supplanted by that of a man possessing reason and refined composure.

"Then, Sovereign of the Abyss," Adeline continued, her demeanor shifting to one of cautious optimism, "let us deliberate on our joint efforts against the encroaching Void Swarm." Her eyes sparkled with nascent hope. "Based on your words, it seems capable warriors still exist within your dominion who could lend assistance to the Heavenly Army. Paradise would undoubtedly extend a welcome to their support. The Swarm represents a threat to all existence."

Cillian’s lips curved upward into a subtle smile. "Indeed. I am most amenable to forging a partnership with the esteemed Heavenly Mountain." His gaze seemed to soften as he uttered these words.

"I will send my forces to your battlefields," he stated calmly. "Together, we shall rid the land of the Zerg Swarm."

Cillian's words were delivered with a serene smile.

"Within my divine realm," he elaborated, "the number of inhabitants is more than ample for our defense. Dispatching a contingent to assist you will not incur significant losses on my end."

Angel Adeline observed him intently for a prolonged period, her expression deep in thought. His unwavering confidence was almost disarmingly effective. Eventually, she gave a slight nod.

"Paradise shall indeed be honored to join forces with you in the eradication of the Voidlings."

In this current age, where even divine beings adhered to appearances, an attractive visage held the power to easily sway judgment.

However, what Adeline failed to perceive was the profound abyss lurking behind those dark eyes – a silent darkness that no smile could possibly conceal. The moment her guard wavered, the shadows had already ensnared her wings.

"Nevertheless," she added, "I must first convey your request to my brother, the Angel of Punishment. While I possess the authority to negotiate alliances, the ultimate decision regarding military cooperation rests solely with him."

Cillian inclined his head minimally, his smile unwavering. He could readily discern the hesitation within her voice.

"Absolutely no issue," he responded softly. "Please, consult with your brother at your leisure. I, meanwhile, shall commence my own preparations for the impending war."

With a simple, nonchalant flick of his wrist, several data fragments, akin to divine code, materialized before her, coalescing into radiant sigils suspended in the air.

"I have delineated the information pertaining to several of my legions," he clarified. "You may scrutinize their capabilities and subsequently assign them to the appropriate fronts when the opportune moment arrives."

He then snapped his fingers.

The entirety of the abyss seemed to vibrate with the action. A black-and-red vortex, situated at the realm's nexus, began to spiral with increasing velocity, reminiscent of a slumbering heart reawakening after an eon of stillness. The very atmosphere thrummed with a low, resonant power.

Across the vast expanse of darkness, the mythical beings stirred, along with the horrors and monstrous beasts meticulously forged in despair, all instinctively responding to the summons of their master.

Adeline's brow furrowed as she observed this extraordinary spectacle.

"The Angel of Punishment is not my master," she corrected, her tone sharpened slightly. "He is my brother. Among our kind, we address each other as brothers and sisters, yet we all stand in service to the same Lord, the very Creator of Paradise."

"My sincerest apologies," Cillian replied with gentle sincerity. "I was not privy to your customs."

Adeline waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "It is quite alright. Most outsiders tend to misunderstand. It is not uncommon for many to fail to grasp the intricacies of how our order functions." She then straightened her posture, her divine luminescence reasserting its calm, unwavering intensity. "I shall deliver your message to the Angel of Punishment and will be in contact once we receive an official response."

Cillian offered a nod, maintaining that same gentle expression, the sort that appeared almost excessively earnest. "I shall await your return."

She inclined her head in acknowledgment and turned, her wings of pure light unfurling as she prepared to ascend. However, at that precise moment, the surrounding air contorted, creating an unseen force that inexplicably pulled her backward.

Cillian's eyes flashed with a subtle gleam, the twin vortexes within them spinning with accelerated speed. In the blink of an eye, he stepped forward and firmly grasped her hand.

"—!"

The abrupt contact caused her divine aura to instinctively flare. Indignation blazed across her features. To physically seize an angel of Paradise by the hand was an act far exceeding mere blasphemy; it was an profound stain upon divinity itself. Billions offered prayers to beings of her kind. No mortal, no god beneath the exalted Heavenly Thrones, had ever dared to exhibit such brazen familiarity.

But before her righteous anger could fully materialize, Cillian swiftly released her. His expression appeared genuinely startled, almost embarrassed.

"My deepest apologies," he stated rapidly. "I acted purely on impulse. There was a detail I had neglected to mention."

Adeline's sharp glare softened slightly, though her voice retained a cool edge. "And what might that be?"

Cillian cleared his throat delicately, resuming his smile as if the preceding moment had never occurred. "It pertains to the combat resources necessary for our collaborative endeavors. I merely wished to ensure that the logistics were adequately aligned prior to any deployment."

Adeline gave a brisk nod, entirely oblivious to the faint, almost imperceptible glimmer that had briefly passed between their hands during his prior, impulsive touch.

Far below, deep within the unfathomable abyss, a subtle ripple of unseen light flickered into existence. This ethereal wave traveled rapidly upward, penetrating the angel's very being without detection. It inflicted no immediate injury, nor did it taint her essence at that moment. Instead, it deposited something far more intangible... a seed of corruption.

Cillian's expression reverted to its former placidity as he watched her gracefully ascend into the heavens, whispering silently to himself.

"Lust... and sloth."

Two cardinal sins, meticulously and subtly woven into the fabric of a divine vessel.

⸻———x——————

Several hours elapsed.

Within the central command nexus of the Heavenly Army, the resounding echo of heavy boots clanged against both metal and stone.

Fresh from the brutal battlefield, Peter stood dripping with crimson. His once-pristine armor was now a tattered, scorched mess, and his formidable wings were cloaked in the acrid black smoke of conflict. Clutched in his grasp was the gargantuan corpse of a demigod-level insectoid, its alien form still exhibiting a faint, lingering twitch despite its demise.

"Its soul has been reduced to cinders," he stated, his voice devoid of emotion, as he unceremoniously discarded the monstrous carcass. "Yet, its physical form retains a degree of vitality. Ensure it is processed meticulously before being dispatched to my vault."

The attending subordinates offered deep, respectful bows. "Your command shall be executed, magnificent angel."

Disregarding their obeisance, Peter strode towards the luminous projection dominating the chamber's center. There, Maeve's chillingly precise, synthesized voice awaited his attention.

"The eradication of nearby worlds has led to a substantial decline in the Void Zerg population," Maeve relayed in her characteristic monotone. "Nevertheless, our defensive perimeter is stretched perilously thin. The relentless engagements have depleted our combat effectiveness. Present standing army strength: 41.35% of its zenith. Armored legions: 27.6%. Fallen angel detachments..."

Peter expelled a slow, heavy breath. "That is sufficient. I comprehend the gravity of the situation."

No matter how resplendent their celestial titles, even beings of angelic descents were ultimately constrained by the frailties of their corporeal forms and the finite nature of their power. They could not sustain eternal warfare indefinitely; this was a truth he understood with profound clarity.

Maeve's voice resumed, a subtle shift in its cadence.

"However," she continued, "we have received expedited intelligence from Adeline, our operative stationed within the world designated by the seventeenth seal. She has successfully established contact with a lesser deity who has conveyed an inclination to lend their aid to our cause."