Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Lucifer!

Startled where I stood, I could only stare at the man if he could be even called a man that seemed to step beyond the typical construct of beauty. If Zariel could be called perfect by almost any standards, Lucifer appeared to surpass the confines of beauty.

To say his eyes were too sharp would feel like I had sin. To say his jawline was too weak was, to admit, I needed to jump into the pit of fire within the Hells to purify myself.

This being once praised as the most illustrious angel, was now standing before me.

He had long blond hair so light it almost seemed white. Majestic golden-red eyes and a set of striking features that frankly made me kind of wish I were gay.

I was envious.

"Lilith," I said, turning to my wife, that had sprouted into a flower carrying a motherly glow that made me want to take her into my arms, "Let's go. I don't like you around this man."

"See, Father! I told you this would happen if you came in your true form. Why can't you be like my Dumb-Dumb?" The Golden eye woman, whose features seemed to almost copy lucifers but in a somewhat inferior fashion remark. "He's the embodiment of perfection, but here he is, looking like a hobo!"

"Again, can you stop calling me Dumb-Dumb? I'm a grown-ass man." The Lord of Order snapped, placing his cup of tea down; he slid his gaze to—Aurelia Morningstar. Lucifer's only daughter and child.

"And how the hell do I look like a hobo? I'm—"

"Dumb-Dumb," Aurelia warned, puffing her cheeks; she glared.

'Yes, dare," He meekly said, hanging his head low, as his soul whisper entered my ears," Remember this submissiveness, a crazy pregnant wife is more dangerous than any version of us."

Studying the golden wife of Zariel, I could not help but notice her stomach plump with a glow of motherhood.

My heart warmed.

"Arsene," Lucifer softly said, in his illustrious voice that seemed like a crime to hear. "Take a seat. Zariel and I were just talking about Zantar and Balor, the twin Fallen who fell."

"Balor is a Fallen?" I uttered, and everyone here seemed to nod. "Wait! Why am I the last to know of this?"

"Well, he's here in my abyss, so of course, I knew. I did tell you I would keep out of all things you." Lilith indifferently said.

Taking a seat next to my wife, whose lips curled upwards as I scooched closer to her, she leaned her head onto my shoulders, and like music, the drum of a heartbeat thundered its way into my soul.

"Do pay attention, Arsene; I know your attention span is quite small, but this information does relate to you." The First Fallen reprimanded, staring dead into my soul.

"On this, we can agree," Zariel added, shooting his dark gaze towards Lucifer. " And why are you interfering?"

"Because it is my right as a Lord of Rebellion. I do not need to listen to the words of Father. I can do as I please." He responded with a crass sneer. "Unlike you, his little pet project."

"Jealous that you're not his favorite child anymore?"

"I'll always be his favorite!" Lucifer snapped, glaring furiously at Zariel, glaring back with a firepit in his eyes.

"Same can't be said about your daughter. I'm her favorite now." Zariel mocked, slipping his hands around Aurelia's waist, carrying a teasing smile.

"You two are definitely related." Izavith remarked, " Two idiots."

Lucifer coughed and sighed, "You're lucky I wish to hold my granddaughter and grandson." He said, clearing his throat, and shifted his attention back to me.

So these two are rivals? Lucifer doesn't seem mad but almost seems to be used to this type of harassment.

"I'm here to help you out because I don't give a damn about the rules The Father creates. So as you now know. Zantar and Balor are Fallen, who once lived in this Fourth Heaven but were almost killed by these two." He said, pointing toward Zariel and Aurelia, smiling.

Hearing the blame and the cheeky smiles on both their faces, I, too, began to smile, sensing a story.

"They deserved it."

"I don't know about that. but due to your action, I'm sure Lucifer instigated God struck me down." Zariel blamed, crossing his arms.

"Welcome to the club," Lucifer joked," Well, when Zariel destroyed the Heavens, after falling into a fit of rage, two Angels had managed to escape. And slowly, they repaired the Heavens that Zariel and Aurelia once destroyed and ascended. However, as the years went by, revenge slowly began to build into their heart, till one day within the thirty-first Heaven, they renounced the Father, and was cast from Heaven."

I had begun to frown and turned to Zariel, who also nodded. It wasn't uncommon for someone to want revenge, but for that day to be so engraved in their mind, Zariel must have done some damage.

"After that, they had begun to work under Mephisto but secretly tried to look into particular truths the Angels and Fallen agreed not to share with anyone. I had been quite aware of this, but it seems Mephisto had been to, but for some reason, he allowed it."

"And your point?" I finally said.

The First Fallen smiled, " After a while of secretly invading our libraries, Mephisto did something I didn't expect and banished them from the Hells, and if that wasn't enough. He tore away their powers, breaking their wills to live and commissioning the man of their hatred to cast them to the Fourth Heaven. Although I'm sure they think it was their choice to head back to the fourth Heaven. The fools were just too unaware about how much help they received."

"I was more than willing to help, as I owed a few favors to Mephisto, not to mention I didn't like those two. At the time, I didn't think twice."

"Agreed, but that was when I began to notice something strange." Lucifer's expression turned grave, and he began to frown. "I'm sure you heard about the story of how Mephto barged into hell to banish the Forsaken? But the day he returned, I noticed my brother secretly meeting with my concubine. At first, I'd thought it was a fling, but the more I heard from Lilith, the more I began to notice my brother's obvious manipulations."

"Wait, what are you saying?" Lilith said, placing her hands on the table; she stared.

"Just as it sounds. I don't know how far his schemes have grown or how much they involve you all, but I know there is some symmetry. He is trying to find the Forsaken for some strange reason."

My heart was hammering against my chest. If all of this were about opening the Path to Iluthath. I'd be fine, but what did he learn within the One to know what was in Arcadia?

"Why are you telling me this?" I calmly asked, crossing my arms.

"Hmmm, to gauge your reaction, of course. I was furious when Zantar manipulated some no-name angel into taking the throne. As that was my job, but it was only then I made a connection to his plan and left my realm to enter the Fourth Heaven." He said, lifting the cup of tea to his lips, his golden-red eyes narrowed till only a slit was seen, " I wanted to know if you had any idea what he was after; after all, you Snows are the gift that keeps on giving."