Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

A lump had seemed to form within the back of Xelf's throat as he staggered back, " You! You attacked us because of that reason alone!"

"I mean, if you say it like that, it makes me look like the bad guy, but yeah. I did." I scratched my cheek, and a cheeky chuckle left my lips, " Fine, it's kind of fucked up now that I think about it, but I just bought all the ingredients."

"You will not get away with this! I assure you! You will pay. Someone will—"

'Come along to kill me?" I finished, rolling my eyes, " Whatever. No one gives a single fuck about you. But it seems like we are still naive that I will simply kill you or you're—" I paused, lifting my lips, " Or your child."

Xelf's pupils shrunk to a fine point as he staggered back with tensed shoulders and a tightened jaw, "Please, not her. Not my baby girl." He pleaded, his voice cracking as he slowly fell to his knees.

"Then tell me what I want," I said in a soft-spoken voice.

"All I can remember much was his scarlet eyes, talking to someone named mepfii. No, that's not right, Meglio. I can't recall the name but—

,m "Mephisto?"

"Yes! That's it!" Xelf hurriedly amended. "That's it. That's who the red eye one was speaking to in an icy tone." His head touched the dirt, "He spoke to him, and-and Mephisto warned him."

"Warned him of what?"

"Of raising the Dead, I am not the only one, my lord. All you've killed are returning. We were all in pods at the time, but it seems like our creator just—"

"Silence. Let me think."

The resurrection of the dead, Mephisto's involvement, all this has to be a part of some fallen game with me. But to what end? What could he—

'What did he do to you?"

Xelf lifted his head and frowned, " Well, when we all awoke. We were dealing with someone named Arawn, his features were blocked by black fog, but he said his master would require we train. We fought and killed one another until we were thrown away."

Arawn? As in the Celtic God of the Underworld? There involved? No, that's not what's important. This Fallen is looking for a Disciple. And he's using my victims. That is genius. But it seems Xelf and Vinay were the ones thrown away. Unlucky bastards.

"And this Arawn. What can you tell me about him?" I patiently asked, intrigued by the fear the name held in Xelf as he bowed his head even lower.

"He was without feeling. I rarely encountered him, but on the days I did, he would pierce spikes into my soul and brain, sending volts to enhance my mental faculties. His goal was to create a new type of human."

"I see." I wonder where exactly this was? Was Xelf experimented on in the Bed of Chaos? Is that possible? Well, whatever.

Constructing a Shadow Sword with my Darkness, my blade plunged into the head of Xelf tearing his life away while also ensuring not an ounce of blood spilled. I placed his carcass into the ring of bael.

Now off to Vinay! Such a beauty now. Shame she's got to die. I would have loved to—My thought patterns are different. Enjoyment of torment. That sounds like old Sene. God damn it! But wait, Old Sene was not cautious. I feel cautious. Interesting. I may need to make a detailed analysis on myself a little later.

Now. Let's think logically for a second. I've met most of the Fallen who came to this world. The only ones I've not met were: Chemosh.

So he must be the Fallen resurrecting my—Wait, what about people I killed in the past before I became Arsene? Does this list also include the people Zariel and I—

My head snapped to the faded image of Iliah, and a bit of unease—

'I've already found my target, Arsene Snow." A ghastly voice filled with enough malice to make my spine reel announced.

Turning to look at the ashen-headed Fallen with scarlet eyes, seemingly younger looking than the other fallen that usually looked to be in the there early to mid-twenties. The one before me seemed to look around fifteen or sixteen. He wasn't very tall, but his feature was defiantly extravagant, as was the aura of grace he held.

"Chemosh, I presume," I said, and he nodded.

"I'll leave my toy for you to entertain, as he'll show himself soon. Although if I could make a request. Do keep him away from Iliah. I wouldn't want to deal with Zariels anger more than I already am."

"What do you mean?" I asked as he looked at me with utter surprise.

"You've not figured it out? When you heard House Lazarus. I would have thought something would have gone off. It seems I've overestimated you." He said as a shadow suddenly appeared behind him.

My eyes narrowed as I felt a monstrous power emanating from this shadow, "It's begun; shall I restrict it?"

"You shouldn't have ignored the Abyssal Fiends in this land, Mr. Snow. Until we meet at the precipice of this war," Chemosh uttered as he vanished into the void alongside the shadow.

"House Lazarus," I repeated, recalling the last people to bring up such a thing.

If my memories haven't been damaged by the endless years of torture, it was that Clan of Ninja warriors. I'd wanted to speak to them regarding it, but I had decided to train instead.

Pulling out a Holocube, my eyes narrowed as I immediately called Freya, who picked up after the first ring.

"My lord."

"Where is my brother?"

Freya's brow scrunched at my tone. " He is on his way to the city to be with the other chosen. Richter Snow is being guarded by a team of—"

"When was the last time they checked in?" I couldn't help but ask, thinking of the worst-case scenario.

"It's been a while, my lord," Freya revealed, narrowing her pearly red eyes, " Shall I send out a search party?"

I shook my head. " that will not be necessary. I only wanted to confirm my theory. Should Rictor appear in this city, You are to inform me if he acts up. Tear all his limbs off his body and shatter his soul till nothing is left. I need his body, not his mind. In fact. The moment you see him do that. "