Alter Room

The room was lit eerily in a soft blue. Fog covered the ground and hanging moss adorned the marble walls. Connor looked around the room.

"This, isn't a typical D Rank boss room... it looks too fancy." Connor muttered, as long as he didn't trigger the boss, he could wait out for three days before the next group would arrive. Any later and the boss would trigger on its own and go to leave the gate.

Typical F-D Rank gates vary between caves, tunnels or a small plane of existence, like a goblin village or what not. Higher Rank gates can resemble small worlds, A-S Ranks are considered alternate Planets. None are hospitable to humans, and all have dangerous creatures hell bent on devouring the human intruders.

But, none have ever been noted to look like an alter within a Cathedral, or a Cathedral itself. Connor wandered around the room on the outskirts, careful to avoid the Alter.

"Looks like ancient Greek. The engravings and the unnecessary overuse of marble." Connor studied. The few things he was good at, were 'Sensing' and 'Deducting'. Both were a part of 'Sense'.

All humans have 'sense' but awakened have what would be considered as a godly sense. They could sense danger, locate enemies, and accurately hit those enemies in their weak spots.

Connor inspected the engravings on the wall opposite of the entrance and behind the alter. It depicted a god, worshiped by humanoid beings. The god brought terrible tragedy to their enemies, and great fortune to the humanoids.

But, in order to not incur the repercussion of all the tragedies sent by the god, the humanoids had to offer up a terrible price. Every year, on a solstice, the god came upon the civilization of the humanoids and used them for his own pleasures. The price they offered was their own lives and freedoms.

"This seems more like slavery... they get to live, but at the price of their freedoms? Why do they depict such a demon as a god?" Connor muttered.

One year, after an especially bad solstice, the humanoids gathered up and devised a way to seal the accursed god. They waited a whole year, and on the solstice, they especially prepared a most enticing sacrifice, a stunningly beautiful maiden.

They laid her upon an alter and surrounded her with the blood of a sacred beast. They waited patiently, and to their great joy, the trap was triggered, and the god was sealed... or so they thought. For the god appeared before the humanoids in a blind fury. He eradicated the humanoids that plotted his demise, and to the girl, he gave everlasting life.

"Oh! So the plan was leaked to the god before hand by the very sacrifice he was meant to enjoy!... But what was sealed?

This alter, looks like that alter, and none of the ending makes any sense, even amongst mythological standards. The engravings are too mixed between Egyptian and Greek." When alone, Connor had a habit of pondering things aloud.

Curiosity began to gnaw at Connors mind as he stared at the creepy alter. The fog along the floor prevented him from seeing if it truly was the alter depicted.

"Oh fuck it, it's not like I'll be saved anyway. At least I'll die without regrets." Connor muttered and walked right up to the alter and tried to fan the fog away. Stained upon the ground was the faint remains of a blood circle.

"Ha! So it is! I mean, obviously. But where is the boss?" Connor sat on the alter, his foot scrapping the ground as he did.

A sudden rumbling began to shake the room violently. The alter cracked and Connor dove off as it exploded into chunks. He did not escape quick enough, his leg ended up broken.

Connor watched as a large pitch black hand burst from the remnants of the alter. Followed by another and then the head of a demonic humanoid rose up, as the being pulled itself from the alters remains. It's body was pure black with gold linings all over its body. It wore nothing, and was distinctly female, and strikingly beautiful.

Connor still watched in awe and horror as the giant woman finally freed herself from the alter and stood freely. Her eyes were closed. But, once she opened them, a gold light emitted from them, and Connor covered his eyes.

"@#$%×" The being opened its mouth and made an odd noise. Connor uncovered his eyes, only to find himself staring into the golden eye of the being.

"Oh...." Connor said simply. His only though being about him being eaten. The being stood up and seemed to ponder the response Connor gave.

"Would this language suit you best mortal?" The being spoke.

"Ah, yeah." Connor replied.

"Was it you that broke my seal?" She asked another question.

"Yeah." Connor answered.

"Good. As a reward, I promise you a swift death." The being answered.

"Ah. Yeah I'd rather not." Connor stood and limped towards the woman, who stared at the odd mortal with curious eyes.

"You don't have a choice." The being replied.

"Everyone has a choice. I just got my freedom, albeit briefly, and I wanted to use it to get stronger." Connor stated.

"For what reason? You're beyond weak." The being crouched and touched Connors chest. A light burning sensation spread through his chest, but otherwise Connor remained stone faced. A look of confusion crossed the woman's face before a smile erupted.

"Interesting! Unfazed by me boiling your innards are you? Hahaha! I take my previous decision back! Tell me... interesting mortal, what do you desire strength for?" The being asked with an underlying evil tone.

"Strength to kill all who oppose or wrong me." Connor answered easily. The golden eyes of the monstrous woman widened and her grin grew larger and more evil.

"How desirable! Ah, mortal, it's been quite some time since I've come across a cold hatred so deep! It's arousing. I'll grant you your desire. But it comes with a price." The large woman shrank to human size and wrapped her arms around Connor.

"What might that be?" Connor asked.

"You. I want you. For all eternity. All your desires will be utilized for me." The woman whispered in his ear. Her breath was warm, and her breasts pushed against his chest.

"Deal." Connor replied without hesitation.

"Mmm. That's what I wanted to hear!" The woman moaned and then locked lips with Connor. It wasn't a normal kiss. For the first time in a long time, Connor felt intense, unbridled, and excruciating pain permeate throughout his entire body. The kiss lasted quite some time before the woman pulled back.

The pain subsided and Connors consciousness began to waver.

"Connor Michael... hmm... I am Invidia. I will eagerly await you." Invidia smiled once more before Connor lost consciousness.