T.O.S.S. : Abyss

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Reap of the Sow

Cameron looked towards Wilhemina, worried of the woman's intentions on helping him know of how the world of the Abyss worked. "Let me work in peace." Pearlette said as she gave a glance to the three. "I'll be inspecting the main village to see how it is doing. Do you wish to accompany me, Lady Annalisa?" Sylvanna asked, making Annalisa nod, leaving the room with the scarlet haired woman. "Now little one, come with me." Wilhemina said as she raised a finger, telling him to come close. "We shall talk in no silence." Wilhemina said as she snapped the finger, making Cameron's neck glimmer. 'W-What the!?' He exclaimed in thought, raising his eyes to the woman who just smirked as she started to walk off.

"Follow along, little pet, Wilhemina may not be pleased if you don't follow now." Pearlette stated as Cameron got worried for his well-being, running off to follow the woman, making Pearlette smile. 'How cute and innocent. It almost makes me have hope.' Pearlette thought as she looked down, finishing her work. Cameron entered the room across the hall to its left, but was genuinely shocked by the forestry inside. It was a dark forest, light shining down on where the leaves hadn't covered, making him see where Wilhemina was walking towards to. It was a small wooden home. 'Wow, that doesn't look half bad.' Cameron thought as he looked towards it, but bumped into Wilhemina's back, noticing that she had come to a complete halt.

"Well, we shall talk here. No ears will hear us and no one shall disrupt us." Wilhemina said as she turned, making Cameron alerted as he took a few steps back from the woman's smirking face. "H-How can you be sure?" He asked, looking around to see that the woods seemed endless. "Because the moment someone uninvited enters here, I'd already have killed them." Wilhemina said as she reached a hand to Cameron's shoulder, earning a shiver from him. "What a glorious day to be killed, right, little one?" Wilhemina stated as she gave him a domineering glance. Cameron felt fear and instinct come over him as he shrugged her hand off, moving a feet away. Wilhemina chuckled as she found his reactions amusing.

"We shall now start our briefing of the Abyss." Wilhemina stated as she raised her palm towards Cameron's direction, earning a confused look from him. "The Abyss, now as you see it, is a domain of dreams. The land of wishes so to speak." Wilhemina said as her hand glowed, potent light releasing into the air as it revealed five islands. Cameron looked at it with careful curiosity, trying to make sense of it all. "What is this place?" He uttered, making Wilhemina chuckle as she put her hand down, finished in creating the map. "The Abyss is a place of connected minds. Where you're dreams. Can become mine as well." Wilhemina said as she gave him an alluring gaze. "I have been here since its near creation along with Pearlette." She said with a hint of proudness in her eyes.

"Creation? When was that?" Cameron asked as his eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Too long for one to live. It was nowhere near your time to be sure." Wilhemina answered as she pointed to the middle island, the largest of all five. "This is where you are now. The land of Lordeque and... Heian." She said with an exhaled tone. 'Judging from her tone. It must be a different place than here? Heian? Did she not like that place?' He thought, but he was too obvious for her. "It is the reason of why we are in war. Lordeque and Heian are the main lands of the Abyss. No one refuses to yield in peace, hence that is why we are in such chaotic times. Heian is well-prepared to die with its life, but we aren't aiming for such." Wilhemina said with a pained expression. 'Oh no, I wasn't aiming to upset her!' Cameron thought as he looked at the island.

"You mentioned you're enemies... but what about Lordeque? How was it created?" Cameron asked as he gestured back to the area he assumed was Lordeque. "Lordeque was created by none other than the oldest of us." Wilhemina stated as a smile slowly formed in her face. "Who?" He asked with utter confusion. "Annalisa Eidenwelsh. The Ruler of Lordeque." She stated, making Cameron shocked. 'T-That woman was this place's boss!? And I've been badmouthing her all in front of her domain!? I'm definitely in someone's hit list.' He thought as he tried to remove the woman from his thoughts. "Then... what about these lands?" He asked, pointing to the four islands.

"This land is the land of fairies. Ru'ann. The fairy king, Jordachie, rules over this domain." Wilhemina said as she pointed to the far left, to a floating island. "Wait? Aren't there only two lands here? Why is this ruled by someone different?" Cameron asked as she gave him a tilted head. "The answer is simple... that man wished for a home where he can rule. That is the reason all of these other islands exist." She said as she lifted her hand. "A simple wish had given them that home and people to rule over." Wilhemina said as she gave a smile. "Wishes are... scary." Cameron uttered, making Wilhemina quite taken back as she looked at him with a slight shock evident on her face.

"What do you mean?" Wilhemina asked as he looked towards her. "Although this world looks so beautiful... it scares me. How can life be created to how we see fit? How can we be safe knowing we opposed to someone's wish? How can we be sure that the life we've built outside of this place... is worse than here?" Cameron stated as he felt dizzy. 'How can we be so sure... that life from this world is what we wished?' He thought with worry. Wilhemina was amused by his words. 'Your courage amazes me to no end, little pet.' She thought as she went toward him, lifting her hand up in the air. Cameron looked towards it, but was genuinely confused to see a glimmer appear, not long a sword had manifested in her hand, its scabbard molded in metal and leather.

"We shall see to it that you understand how this world works. Including how you shall survive it." Wilhemina said as she smirked, throwing the sheathed sword to him, making him catch it towards his chest. He looked up to her as she walked a few steps back. "Be ready. She said as she shifted from a smirk to a nonchalant face. "For this will determine if you are able to help me in the slightest." She stated as her hand revealed a spear. 'What!?' He thought as the two of them stood against each other...