Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

“I’m technically older than you. But you can call me Ves—”

Ruthlessly bashing my foot across Zantar’s scarred face, blasting him into subspace in the direction of the Hells, I took off toward Arsene’s spawn. I tore through space like a sword cutting through flesh, and my palm became covered in a dreadful intent that wilted the laws, killing them.

The boy smiled and caught my fist.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM~

Ash spiraled like a whirlwind as everything around became stardust flickering back and for as if we were in a cloud.

Did he take that head-on? How is that possible? Not even Lucifer would try to take a head-on strike like that. I looked down at his palm leaking nodes of darkness. He had transported the majority of my attack to another realm.

He released my palm and spoke. “I’m not here to fight… and I assure you you’ll not win. You’re far weaker than the version of you I met. Come now, Belphegor, I’m here to help both of us. I heard you were forced out of the Nines by Zariel and Mephisto.”

Taking a few steps back, I frowned. “How long were you alive?” I couldn’t help but ask, mystified by what I was seeing as impossible.

“Good question, but this is not about me. I need you in the Hells. The Fifth Hell, to be exact. It’s always hard to monitor my uncle’s actions. His power simply transcends common sense.”

He went through time… for Arsene and Lilith’s spawn… spawns… there is no way he could defeat me on his own. There had to be more watching. The other one is here. But how is that possible?

For millions of Chaos Cycles, I’ve been researching gravity, the literal arc of space and time. How we experience space and time results in gravity. But aside from skewing a person’s perception of such things, I could never seem to get around Fathers—

“Are you even listening? Your lucky Iza didn’t show up. She’d have killed you on the spot. The girl has no patience for long-term schemes.” he shook his head. ” Bel, I’ll level with you. We are all pretty much fucked. And I blame Father… and Crowe. Two people who can’t get together. I swear only chaos happens with those too.”

I snorted at his drivel. ” the Fifth belongs to Dagon. We have a—”

“You’re a Fallen Devil. Don’t give me that bull shit. Especially when you were the one who created Infernus. Dagon can be moved to the First layer or can fuck right off. I don’t particularly care. You got time to decide.”

Ves opened his palm, and a dagger emerged from a black mist wet with Abyssal Laws. “This should allow you to fend off Zariel and Mephisto and even ensure the Fifth Layer belongs to you long into Arcadia.”

Taken back by the horrid power ebbing for that demonic dagger littered with abyssal runes, I shuttered so strongly I felt my insides reel in fear as the shutter danced along my spine.

The blade was utterly black, with scarlet runes inching towards the golden hilt that held Enochian script, and at the pommel, I saw… Good god, I can’t even understand that.

Marvelous!

Is that from Arcadia? That writing?

“Your King is to be Beleth, no idea how he came to preside over the first layer in this realm, and Sitri is to be your Prince.”

This… This might be the strangest encounter, if not the most fascinating encounter; I have had in a while. Time travel and a dagger that defines the laws higher than the origin realm?ｂ𝚎ｄｎ𝚘ｖ𝚎ｌ.𝚌𝚘ｍ

I’ve been to billions of realms that are higher than the Origin Realm, but none of them are as refined as the Origin Realm itself, but they’re stronger.

One can always tell a realm’s power by its weapons’ quality. And for all my power and knowledge, I can’t seem to grasp this dagger’s mysteries. It was as put together as the Origins Realms weapons, yet it held a stronger power higher than anything I’ve encountered.

“The blade is beautiful, no doubt, but surely there’s more to this… request then—”

“Not a request. A deal. With Lord Hellmaster acting as arbiter. I need you to take control of the Fifth Layer of Hell, with Beleth and Sitri as your King and Prince—”

“Go on. I’m sure there’s more.”

“And a favor.” The spawn hummed in response nodding his head as I shot him a dark look.” Yes. One day in the distant future, we will come to you with a request. And we want you to accept it.”

“Be specific. ”

He chuckled almost like his Father but poised like Zariel in court. He was refined… trained. He had the mannerisms of Solomon when he was a king.

“No. But I will allow you to barter with our younger selves. That seems like a fair counter.”

“And what of Dagon?” I probed with a simple smile.

“He’s your brother. I’m sure you know him better than I do. But I hear Fallen are wanderers. You’ve been like that ever since you all fell. After all, how can Hell be your home after coming from heaven.”

“It’s mine.” I coldly said.

I’d never felt more at home than before the screams of Hell. Nothing was more soothing than that.

But it was true. Many of my brethren are wanderers. Only a handful had remained within the Nines. Although, Lucifer kept a close relationship with all of them. Despite the distance, he saw it as his duty to aid them whenever needed.

They were there for him in the war, and Lucifer would not abandon them. His pride would not allow it.

“Is the Blasphemous Lord hesitant?” He teased, allowing the dagger’s tip to twirl around his finger. “You who fucked your Mother? You who have killed many of your brothers and sister: only to feast over their carcasses. The very Blasphehemous Lord who feeds on fetuses as a snack? Why the hesitation?”

I paused, and a burst of laughter bled into my ears, stirring my insides with luscious memories. “Bold like your Father, but foolish as he is. Do you really think this will end like you think it will, boy? Your Father and his brother are monsters but so too are we. You make this deal with me now. There’ll be no outs.”

He smiled. ” Crowe is the one who usually talks, but he too wants your head. So they sent me.” He mused, chuckling deeply, ” Come at us any time Belphegor… just know. Behind us is the Power of Hell, Darkness, and Abyss. So do we have a deal?”

“It’s a deal.”