Monarch of Darkness, Arsene



Awakening to an unfamiliar ceiling, a hint of something toxic tickled my nose as I struggled to sit up. "Where the hell am I? It doesn't feel like the Abyss. And did someone draw on my face? I hate this chemical scent."

Staggering up to my feet, I scanned the room, finding a mirror that portrayed my image and the writing etched onto my skin.

"Mepho's bitch. All hail Mepho. Arsene sucks. Suck it. Bitch. Insert here. Tickle my balls."

Trembling as anger flared to the zenith, a throbbing pulse rippled through my chest as a dreadful Demonic Qi flared from the center of my heart and into every fiber of being. In a matter of seconds, the writing was gone.

"That goddamn bastard! Why is Mephisto here!" I barked when a knock sounded on the door.

"Lord Snow?" Came a soft voice.

"Enter."

"Excuse me," She said, opening the door. A bewitching dark elf of a woman entered my sight. Draped in leaves bound to her sensual figure, she bowed, masking her scarlet eyes; I was quick to catch.

A demon? Is she—"

"I am Elvira of the Lilim," She said.

"You may rise," I commanded. " Now. Tell me where I am. And where is Mephisto?"

Elvira rose. Those deeply scarlet eyes, which seemed to match the hue of a river of blood, glowed a demonic light: "The Eighth Monarch is awaiting your arrival in the lounged. Would the Second Monarch like to bathe before meeting—"

"Lead me to Mephisto." I coldly interrupted, clenching my fist. I drew in a sharp breath, trying to mask how startled I was at my anger and the Qi racing through my… meridians.

Before I fused with the Abyssal Sins, my Qi was within every fiber of my being. There wasn't a need to move my Qi unless I wanted to reinforce a particular attack or heal a particular injury quicker. However… for some reason, it seemed I had regressed back to when I was mortal.

Although, this is a good thing. Right now. I fear even with my adaptation. My body would break down before the adaptation could go into effect.

Shit. I wonder if my body can even adapt to energy outside the Myriad Heavens.

I tightened my fist at the unanswered question, and my intent snapped to the Lilm as she led me through what appeared to be a manner of sorts. It wasn't anything luxurious, but there was a warm aura I hadn't felt in a long time.

Was this perhaps Mephisto's home?

"Through here," Elvira said, standing beside the threshold, where the unpleasant scent of nicotine caught my nose.

My brow creased as I opened the door finding Mephisto with a cigar in his hand. He looked at me with an ashen expression and said:" I don't think cigars are for me. This taste nasty. Why do people smoke?"

"You rat bastard, how dare you draw on my face!" I shouted, lunging towards him.

But as if he had no bones, Mephisto twisted out of my embrace, dodging with such ease that I felt like I was moving in slow motion.

The trickster chuckled: "Arsene. That was drawn in my blood. You shouldn't have been able to destroy my marking not without my permission. And I didn't grant permission. So how were you able to infringe on my laws?"

My brow creased: " I just overpowered it."

Mephisto sighed: "This is the big leagues. We have ways to ensure that makes it impossible to overpower hexes." He looked at me, scanning my physical form with a scrutinizing eye. "Perhaps it's due to the Path of Abyssal Night. No… Something is definitely different about you. I just can't put my finger on it. Hmmm. Won't you tell Master?"

"Why the hell would I do that when I know you're going to screw me over at some random point."

With a pout, Mephisto rolled his eyes: " It might screw you over, but I'll protect your kids."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked him, glaring his way.

And he opened his palm, creating a magical circle I'd never seen before, but it was definitely complex, more so than anything I'd ever seen. He looked at me: "Try to destroy this."

Startled, I reached for the Magical Circle and frowned as I began pouring Qi into the Circle. However, despite doing so… nothing. The Circle maintained its current state.

"So perhaps it was your body and not the path that destroyed my Hex." He muttered so that I could hear. Mephisto dismissed the Circle and nodded. " Anyway. This here was one of the Seraphim curses to destroy evil. And you and that seed of yours are evil. Wouldn't you agree?"

Frowning deeply, I stared at him: "How does one break this Hex?"

"Prerequisite is that you are an Infringement God. Next, you need the blood of a pure heart. Aka, an Angel. The soul of a saint and the tear of the merciful."

"..."

"What? It's an easy spell to break. But the items needed to destroy them are ridiculously hard to find."

"But we have all of the Abyss at our disposal. And how or when would the angels be able to cast such a hex on us?"

Mephisto looked at me and sighed: " It can be done, but the best way to do it is during birth. But that isn't the point. There are hundreds of curses and hexes like that. What I'm trying to say is you lack the ability to defend your kids."

"And Zariel?"

"It's the same. Zariel Weave has a single weakness. He needs to understand the mechanics. It's quite easy to confuse him. Aside from a favor, you'll gain from me. I'll also protect the little ones. It's the least I can do."

The least he can do, my ass!

Resisting the urge to sneer, I looked at him: "Are the angels so powerful? Throughout my life, I keep seeing them bullied by the fallen."

Mephisto suddenly fell into a slew of laughter: " Arsene… if the Fallen were to fight the Angels now. We'd lose. The moment first-generation seraphim appear, it's over. Only a few Demons and Devils could combat a first generation. One is my Ishar. Sure, we'll lay waste to ninety percent of Heaven, but we'd lose."

"That's hard to believe," I mentioned, recalling what happened during the battle for the Chaos Drew. " But why do you care about my kids so much."

"I don't. Your kids have a purpose. And I need them to see it through. Regardless of who stands in my way." He coldly said, his eyes void of human emotions. And for the first time, I saw nothing but a demonic hue in his eyes. A sinful evil that made me perceive him as the Monarch of the Eighth layer of Hell, Sylvorlum.

"The Abyssals can protect your kids, but to raise little monsters like yours, you'll have to send them into the wild. And let me tell you. There are dozen of people with All-knowing powers. Fate, Karma, and even the heavens aren't on your side. Shit. Not even the Hells can truly be your ally. There is only me."

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