Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Frigid

Constantly casting this simple ice circle to keep my body cool against this hellish heat that could rival the Hells, I eyed Lilith’s cold exterior and sighed.

“Arsene fucked up, didn’t he,”

“That idiot always fucks up,” Said Ezra.

Anger swelled through my veins as I thought of that selfish idiot’s actions in the past and then through the dark tunnel brimming with heat.

Lilith’s jaw was tightly shut, with her lips pressed together. She didn’t respond, but seeing that she didn’t try to defend him, it was safe to say Arsene did something stupid.

“Go with them, Arkanos; they will need the help,” Lilith murmured, placing her amethyst eyes over the tiny child.

“But what about— ”

“The Baby will be fine, I promise you.” Lilith swore, “Just listen to me, and follow Ezra and Ren.”

Puffing her cheeks, the little dragon’s fists turned into balls as she peered up with deep defiance.

“We don’t have time for this,” I remarked, snatching the little dragon, whose ability could come in handy. Placing her under my arm, I sent one final glance to Lilith, who nodded and bolted down the progressively narrowing tunnel.

Making sure not to cut myself over the shards of bloodstones that seared my skin with the slightest touch, Arkanos wiggled her head up but did not say a word. Unease by this little dragon’s silence, as I had never heard her silent for more than a minute, I patted her head.

“It’s only a few days, maybe even less,” I whispered. Arkanos lifted her head to me, blinking her ruby red eyes that stung every inch of my being. Resisting the urge to hug this little angel, I continued, “The faster we get there, the faster we can return to Lilith, K.”

Finding the fire in her eyes once more, the little one wiggled out of my arm and onto my back, hooking her arms around my neck as she looked ahead. “Arkanos will show you.”

“All the more reason never to have children,” Ezra whispered. ‘Pesky little brats.’

…

…

…

Days later, Ezra, Arkanos, and I were forced to draw runes filled with some strange frigid qi Arkanos had held. It was amazing the level of comprehension Arkanos held compared to the rest of us, but it was a life save in this moment. With her comprehension of this strange Qi, which she called Tia’s Heavenly Elements, a cooling pressure coursed through my veins, battling against this hellish heat.

After almost three days of travel and only two hours of sleep in-between days, we arrived in this entire world of lava and obsidian rock. We were currently very high up with a four hundred meter drop that would lead into a river of lava. Peeping out the tunnel entrance, Arkanos frowned and pointed towards the east.

“There,” She said, to a relatively close platform, surrounded by the splashing of lava that made my skin crawl.

Why the Hell am I even here? Eating beef jerky every day, two hours of sleep a day, now this shit! I swear Arsene and Lilith are cursed.

“Let’s go,” Ezra said, pushing off her feet; she glided like a beast with wings onto the platform.

“Of course, the devil will ignore the burning lava,” I muttered, following her example. I chanted a small levitation circle, just in case something happened so that I could use the mobility in the air.

Gliding after the Devil, my expression fell as I saw deep within the lava, various…fish swimming through the lava-like it was water. I landed on the ground and frowned. “There is a whole ecosystem down here,” I said, glancing not just at the slew of fish but at the small animals walking about freely without concern. Their bodies were scaly without a hint of fur, but I could feel the powers instilled into the very core of their being.

“We shouldn’t be down here. These things aren’t normal. Those spiders were probably the guardsman of the entrance to this fucking Hell.” I said, amazed by the presence I was sensing. What the Hell was Lilith thinking in sending us here. 𝘣𝘦𝘥𝑛𝘰𝘷𝘦𝑙．𝘯𝘦𝘵

“APOPHIS,” A terrifying voice thundered, peeling the skin off my flesh as it rattled the lake’s surface. “THE FESTIVAL HAS COMMENCED!”

Trembling as the very blood over my skin didn’t even have time to drip before turning into charred crystals, Ezra and I bolted, off the platform, to hide behind something.

Holy Shit, Holy Shit, Holy Shit, Holy Shit

The volcanic cavern trembled, shattering stones and parting magma. I snatched Ezra into my arms, creating a sigil of Noctem over my finger.

“Veil of Night,” I chanted, hiding our presence the best I knew how, as Arkanos enhanced my circle with her abyssal qi. Sweat crept down my spine as I dared not stop; moving up on the high ground, my heart rattled against my chest. We traveled up on high ground hiding through stalagmites when my eyes landed upon a massive red drake, with golden eyes and tattered wings, carrying the same Necrotic energy Arkanos was using. Covered in strange runes, I felt a soul-crushing pressure hammer against my chest.

“Damien,” the one I think that was called Apophis uttered, lifting its golden eyes towards the being of shadows, that sent my heart into a state of anxiety, as I felt I was standing near Baphomet once again. Fear raced down my spine as I glanced at Ezra, who nodded, indicating these were both elder gods.

The shadow, whose body seemed like a blaze of black flames and mist, lifted his hands to his head and pulled down his flaming cloak, revealing his long golden hair and dark skin.

From my vantage point from high above these two near a bed of lava, I could not see much, but I could make out the scar near his sharp ear.

“I will not be lambs to be Felled as the legends indicate!” The one call, Damien shouted in a commanding voice.

“Child, this is not a fight we can win. You felt the powers, haven’t you? Two Fallen have descended.”

Two!?

“And that is why I came to you, The God Shattering Star Dragon, that the Queen of Damnation, Izavith, cast into this land to shape the core of this world.

“DO NOT SPEAK HER NAME!!!!” Apophis crackled in such anger that I saw a piercing pillar of necrotic Qi and abyssal qi pierced through the cavern walls, breaking into the world outside.

Who the Hell is Izavith?

“I cannot allow these demons and angels to run amok on our land. Are we not Superior? Are we not the Origin of Life?” Damien challenged, eying the dragon, with a fearless smile. “Asmodeus, Leviathan, Raziel, Aldrich, and from what I gather, one of the Fallen’s name is Zantar. These are our enemies, brother. These are the things trying to take away our home!”

“Damien,” Apophis started in his hoarse tone, “We are not ready.”

“True, but does that matter? If we head to Iliah and side with that Monstrosity, think of the chances of our victory?” Damien mentioned in a nonchalant demeanor, “Think of it well, my friend.”

“That thing doesn’t even have a functional brain.”

“I beg to differ, my friend,” the dark-skinned man said, “That’s the beauty of his torment. I have spoken to that thing, and if there is one thing clear to me, it’s that his tormentor wished for him to be sentient.

To experience the ultimate form of Hell.”