Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I felt fearful of the one they called Arsene Snow. The manner in which he held me in his sight, eyes locked, carrying his half-smile that never seemed to reveal teeth, made my skin crawl. I’d heard tales of men like this. Monsters locked in sheep’s clothing, or maybe in his case, a devil.

Fear was all that remained during the night under the glow of the firewood, crackling without mercy. It was only during the twilight that he would lower his hood, revealing his soft features that could tame anyone. He was pretty, if a man could be called as such. I’d even go as far to say he was perfect. But I feared this monster.

I had reached out with my senses the first time we met and saw nothing but a world of flames; when my soul skimmed over his soul, the screams of anguish, howls of mercy, I saw some of the deepest depravities and was chilled to my core. Even the one call Ezra did not give off the same level of insanity then this man. Zanris maybe, but Arsene was special. Throughout everything that had happened, I had kept my distance.

Arsene lowered his hood, releasing a waterfall of silky ashen hair, and smiled under the moon’s glow. He turned to me, his eyes lingering longer than usual, but I did not meet his gaze. My soul told me not to. It’s hard to believe that such a man was capable of created to small little girls like Arkanos and Ty. They were the sweetest little things. Cute as a pair of dolls.

Astral force unfolded from my soul, and I prepared myself.

“You still seem guarded,” Arsene said, his voice curious bordering amused, and I tensed. Despite my training, I almost felt frozen.

I sensed his smile, and I gathered my courage, lifting my gaze to meet the glow of scarlet, spiraling with the bolts of darkness.

“What do you want,” I said, holding back my insecurities.

“Infomation,” His voice now low and enticing. “I want to know about Astral Force.”

Avar popped her head from her nightly stargazing, and she stared like a cat, focused and sharp.

“Ah, See? Even Avar is interested,” He pointed out.

My heart fluttered under his hot gaze, leaving me stripped and bared. I felt naked under his sharp eye and voice that tugged at my soul.

Astral Force raced through my soul. Something was surely causing this, right? It had to be. How could dread turn into such intensity without reason?

My gaze lowered, breaking from his, but my beating heart pounded rapidly against my ribs. Beating so loud, I was sure he could hear it. And my Astral force found no signs of attack, no form of anything but my thoughts.

“Stop what your doing,” I asked, shooting him a glare I usually reserved for the lowest of scums. I knew he was doing something; everything in me told me he was. My stomach bubbled with anxiety, but my soul was cold as ice.

The half-smile over his lips deepened into a real one, and the glint of teeth sparkled. “This is your first time speaking to me during the night, isn’t it?” He questioned, already knowing the answer, “But you know I have no control over this charming voice of mine. During the night, my powers grow, and my Dao ripples uncontrollably.”

I shuttered. “Your Dao, what is it?”

“Darling, don’t you know it’s rude to ask?”

My heart sunk, but I knew he was right. Nevertheless, each word I spoke, each reply I faced, made something in me stir, and I was unsure what was a lie or the truth. 𝑏𝑒𝘥𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑒𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

The firewood crackled, releasing a slew of embers that whisked through the twilight of darkness, and he bent down and crossed his legs over one another. Leaning onto his cheek with his elbow digging into his thigh, he waited.

Was it truly alright to reveal to him, Astral Force? The Lord of Absolution had band contact with the other planes for this very reason.

Astral Force, connected too deeply to the Weave. To bond with the Weave was to connect past the Laws of Concepts into something so profound so rich; only madness awaited those who tried.

“I can’t,” I told him. “It’s forbidden.”

His smile fell, as did the temperature, sinking to levels that even caused the firewood to wither.

“Arsene,” Avar said. Her gaze glanced back at him. She shook her head and turned to me.” Can you tell us why?”

“Long before the Great Change that whipped away our greatest Lords and Kings, there existed a being known as the Lord of Absolution. Who could use the Weave as though it were a tool.” I said, noticing the glimmer in Arsene’s eye. Avar did as well. “That was why we were torn, taken away from the Exalted Wheel. He told us that unless someone made a connection to Astral Force with the Slivers left behind, we were forbidden from speaking of it. This rule doesn’t just stem from our history but our blood. Everyone within the Astral Sea knows of this and dares not cross that line.”

“Your blood is it.” Said Avar, who then shifted to Arsene. She stared a while before she spoke, “What do you know.”

“Nothing that will help, just get you killed,” He revealed.

“Oh, he is right,” Lilith suddenly added, lifting her head from off the cushion held around the campfire. Lilith had been sleeping a lot lately, going even for a ride with Arsene while Ezra and I held onto the kids. She raised her head, stretched her arms, and released a yawn after waking up for the first time today. “Touching upon certain truths will get you killed. Each Realm has them, well, except the Bed of Chaos.”

“Oh?” He glanced down at the two little girls still sleeping near her, and his voice became softer, “And what makes you say that.”

“Well, there was a time before the Silver Devil, before Chaos Lords. Rules are always changing. Regulations are constantly occurring. Have you ever wondered why the Angels were even collecting weapons of mass destruction during the Silver Devils era? What could have forced them to begin collecting them as they did? A race whose arrogance you have seen, a race that is literally at the peak of all creation.”

We all fell silent, understanding the implication.

“So there were others just like Zariel, just like me?” He whispered.

“Indeed.”