Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

“Fallen Radiance”

Hearing those words, I didn’t dare hesitate and lept into the Shadow Realm, sensing a divinity that didn’t belong to anyone but the One.

A baptism of light bled into Tenebrae’s shroud as I watched with utter horror as I was torn from the shadows into the material plane. The tang of death once more graced my heart as this heavenly nomadic light swallowed Iluthath and the Bed of Chaos.

I didn’t even have a chance to groan at the searing anguish as I raised Pride and called forth on Abyss, Tenebrae, and Hell. Hoping that my attunement would allow me to survive. I could feel the One’s holy light burning my soul, searing away the evil ingrained into my bones.

Little by little, I felt my being eaten away by millions of ants before the Light of Uriel faded. I stared at the short stony abyssal spirit beside his brethren, an earthly force holding Uriel’s monstrous blow.

“What monsters, I—” Coughing up a mouthful of blood, an intense pain coiled through every fiber of my peeled flesh, cracked bones, and two ruptured organs. I cursed, knowing I’d taken some heavy damage.

“Disciple…” The mischievous voice of Mephisto reached me. “What is your assessment? Do I need to make an appearance?”

A cold sneer surfaced over my lips. “Like you don’t know. How much of Uriel’s true power did he just show?”

“Nearly fifty. Although I think it would be a good fight. Assuming that Chaos Dew doesn’t—”

Snapping my eyes toward the throbbing pulse emanating from the vortex surrounding the Mutated Chaos Dew. An unsettling amount of fear gathered as I sensed strands of Qi connect to all four of these primordial spirits to the Chaos Dew.

“Arsene… you should retreat.’ Lilith said within my mind.

Retreat? Me? I’d never retreated a day in my life. Life or death… I’m either getting my hands on that damn dew or destroying it. Period.

“Support Uriel… but have Damaris attack the archangel. We must keep him on his toes. I’ll approach from the rear. I’ll handle the Angels.”

“Arsene… you’re still weak! You’ll—”

“Do as I say,” I told her coldly, leaving no room for negotiations. And my eyes skimmed over the scattered armies. I sucked in a deep breath and issued my command as Sovereign Lord.

‘Slaughter, everyone!’

Wailish crackles howled as the demons flashed through the confines of the shattered void, slowly growing more stable with the effort of Zariel and the Pale Lord.

‘Mephisto’

‘Yeah, I’ll help. I don’t know what those things are, but they feel the same as Lord Hellmaster.’ Mephisto expressed as two sinful auras erupted off the surface of Ilutahth; my gaze swept over the obsidian hair of the Fallen and the blonde hair that seemed so pale it appeared snow white.

Lucifer.

“Keep your powers limited to fifty percent. That’s our limit,” Zariel shouted outside the battlefield in the lotus position beside the Pale Lord. Wrapped in a formation of magical circles written in a strange language… almost similar to primordial… but lesser, in a way. “That means you too, Aurelia. Don’t go overboard.”

“Arsene!!!!” the icy voice of Zantar howled, flashing to my side with the laws of Darkness. His blade whipped towards my neck as I pivoted backward, dodging his blow. And the Spear of Pride struck out in quick succession and vanished as almighty essence spiraled off the surface of my spear, tearing through Zantars chest.

A geyser of blood spewed from his heart, and before he could react, I shadowed step onto the surface of Iluthath, just outside Villium, when a pillar of necrotic sword qi cleaved over my head. 𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚗𝚘𝚟ｅｌ.ｃ𝚘𝚖

I hastily raised Pride as I was taken down to my knees. Blood spewed from my open wounds as Balor contorted expression howled, “DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!”

Forced deep into a crater beneath the pillar of sword qi, I thundered, sealing away the energy of Balar. I glared angrily at this bastard and tilted my head as Zantars sword whipped to take my head off.

I pounced away, Pride flashing against his blade as he gave chase.

Words seemed to elude these two as the poised grace they once held faded with the illusion of power I once perceived them to wield. But in the end, they were just insignificant Fallen. Ones no were near Zariel.

“Allow this king to show you true power!” I coldly said as Pride suddenly quivered.

The void thundered with abyssal qi that gathered to my will. Twisting like mini stars, a horrid pressure congealed into authority as hundreds of thousands of blades formed. Each of them carrying the appearance and power of Pride within my palm.

“That’s!” Zantar howled, and the laws of Darkness suddenly cloaked his body.

I sneered. “Using Darkness before me? Are you mad? Seace, you’re foolish actions and recede back to the Mother of Night.”

At my command, the Laws Around Zantar dismissed itself. And a startling look flashed across Zantar but faded to horror as a baptism of Darkness and Pride rained.

My flying spears, carrying my spear intent, crackled, erupting at levels far past the power of Origin Realm bleeding reality of life; they detonated. Pillars of light tore apart Iluthath as Zantar howled, dancing through the infinite rain, carving through his body.

Bone-deep Laceration splintered over his flesh as I rushed to Balor, using my hive mind to battle these two Paragons.

Spear intent and Sword intent cleaved and clashed as the Progenitor of the Teleth battled against this king. Wielding Atonement, the Golden Blades that affected karma, ensuring all those I care for, even my children, would be harmed. I made sure not to allow myself to be harmed by that accursed sword.

And with the Teleth having invincible bodies that won’t die unless I exterminate them completely, I’ll need to finish Balor in one blow.

Let’s start with sealing his will to battle.

“ARSENE!!!!”

Catching sight of Zantar rushing out of the rain of spears towards me, I said nothing as the two Paragons clashed against me. Our weapons twisted and whirled through the dead laws we created with each blow that sunk islands the sizes of planets, uprooting oceans weighed down by gravity.

Each sing of my spear, each thrust began to refine itself as I felt my adaptation come alive. My battle prowess slowly rose as the Knowledge of Chaos Lord and Paragon deepened within me.

“Nectoric Grave!” Zantar shouted as obsidian wings erupted from his back, each feather carrying an almighty power, bathing this fallen in demonic qi.

I grinned, catching the sensation of death I’d come to accept ever since this battle for the Chaos Dew started. I stilled as the prison of sorts suddenly flashed, trapping me on each side. Violet’s magical circles swallowed me whole as the almighty sensation of an unblockable blow overwhelmed my senses.

“There is no escaping this, Arsene! Not even with your Shadow Step. You’re not the only One who can seal people! Now die!!!”

My smile deepened, and with a grin, I snapped, switching positions with Balor, just as I did with Uriel.