Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Desperately clenching my side to stop the unending blood from overflowing through the gaps of my fingers, I gasped for sweet air as blood filled my lungs. And I ran. I ran till my feet bled, and my divinity ran dry. Coughing up another mouthful of blood, under the glow of the three moons, mocking me with its luminous glow, I hid beneath the shadows.

“Oh God,” I prayed, covering my mouth to keep even a little blood inside me. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It wasn’t. Tearing up, feeling my vision grow blurry, I held in my whimpers.

They would hear me. Drawing a deep breath that burned like a cattle being branded the best I could. A wisp of divinity slowly pulled me beneath the ground, trying my best not to disrupt the soil, my mind wain, and it was becoming harder to breathe, to think.

I used the last of my divinity to grow some plants above the disturbed soil. When untold darkness swallowed me, leaving nothing but a hollow emptiness.

…

…

…

“Awake, my child,” A soft voice said; soothing to my soul, I was stirred awake, but fear was quick to strike as panic washed over me, watching the soil smother me. Recalling what happened, pain assaulted my senses, but I dared not make a sound. Not when I was still being hunted.

“Master,” I prayed, hoping he was fine, wishing he would find me

“Foolish child,” A voice said, catching my attention. “Why are you hiding?” He asked, his tone dark with disapproval.

“Who—”

“Your Ancestor.” He was quick to say, shaking my soul, “Why do you run?”

“I am the only one of my race,” I spat through my teeth, reaching for my waist, where I felt my wound had closed; startled by this revelation, a sigh of relief left my lips.

“The Bed of Chaos is so large you cannot even hope of imagining how small you truly are. My dear, not even the court of Nox has explored more than four percent of the entirety of the Bed of Chaos. But you are unique, Cleo. You truly are.”

Fear coiled around my heart far more than who I was fleeing, but for some reason, despite all warnings my master told me of, I felt like this voice would not harm me. The ethereal voice was soft and loving, almost like when Master spoke to me, it felt fatherly.

“Calm, my child. You have so much potential. There is no need to flee from your enemies, be they from the abyss, the Heavens, or the Hells. Tell me, Cleo Fel Seyrum, what is it you want?” He whispered like a devil in my ear, stirring my heart.

“I-I don’t have time for this.” I coldly snapped, shaking my head, ” I need to get out of here. My injuries are—”

“Still there, if you move, you will die for sure. Close your eyes, my child, and listen. Listen to their desire, feel the whisper of their longing. It’s there. All you need to do is listen.”

“I don’t even know you,” I urgently pointed out, pushing away this feeling digging into me, resisting with all my might despite everything in me telling me otherwise. My fingers clenched into a fist. “What is your name?”

“Suedomsa, the holder of your bloodline, the Progenitor. My lost child, you must act fast, or you will not survive the rest of this day.” He said, his tone now carrying a sternness I did not wish to tempt. Having no better options, I sighed and closed my eyes to his direction.

“Good, my child. Now listen. Not with your body, but with your soul. Even if your Divine Sense is limited, just listen. Believe in success, and it shall come.”

Believing in what he said, I relaxed, ignoring the pain flooding my body. I shut it all down and listened. I did not have a soul as a soul bender, but that did not mean it wasn’t there. Using my Soulforce as a catalyst, my blood slowly began to boil. Consuming me in a warmth I longed for. I felt the pain slowly start to dim. Fading away until nothing was left, and a faint whisper slowly reached my mind.

“Cleo is surely this way! A little taste could never hurt.” Kerr’ii, that half-breed bastard remarked. I felt him just above me, burning such strong desire my stomach twisted in disgust.

“Good, my child. Now your race is different than most. You are not a true soul bender like everyone else. I am sure you realized this. You can use Soulforce, but unlike the others, you are a variant, born from the remains of some lost Astral Force. You have it better than almost everyone, devils and Angels included. You just need some refinement.” Suedomsa calmly said, “now that you are in his head, try to whisper to him. Tell him what you want.”

“Huh?” I muttered, shaking my head, unsure what that even meant.

“Tell him to take you.” Suedomsa sharply said, his voice now intrigued boarding amusement. “Speak to him as thou he was your lover. You’re toy if you want.”

“I never…I don’t know how?” I feebly said.

I couldn’t speak to him like that! Was it not one of his minions that almost cut me open? How-How could I do something so shameless?

“It’s just sex, one of the most common desires most creatures face. Surely there is someone you like, someone you felt something about? Your Master? Your brethren? An enemy? Bend him to your will, Cleo. Make him your pawn. His mind is weak. His soul is untrained. Bend it to your will. Bend his desire to what you will it too!” 𝙗𝙚𝙙𝒏𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡．𝙣𝒆𝙩

Clenching my teeth, tasting the iron spilling out, I released a breath of foal air that reeked of blood. There was no one I loved, none I cared for in such a manner, but…Arsene and Lilith, I saw them do it. I saw them ravage each other like mindless beasts, coil in their lust, grunting and moaning without shame. They did not care that Yu Jing and I were watching.

Envisioning the scene, remembering the uncontrollable desire I held then, the feeling that ran between my legs that throbbed each time I recalled it, I released another hot breath.

“Find me,” I lustfully muttered, a little shy, trailing my fingers towards my garden wet with that scene. “Come to me,” I whispered. “I need you.”

Just above me, Kerr’ii growled and peered over the horizon, almost like he had heard me, from another direction; he took a deep breath. He smiled, pulling at his robe, ” Ah, I can smell you.—such a lovely smell. Worry not, Cleo. I will grant you a quick death once I have a taste. I’ll have you before Arsene does.”

Releasing a sigh as I felt the ground shift above me, my harsh breathing slowly turned cold as my Soulforce dismissed those thoughts.

“Good, my disciple, Good. You are quite a natural. A little experience, and you may be able to bend the will of true gods of those insides of the Exalted Wheel.”

“What am I?” I softly remarked with blurry eyes.

“Special.”