Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Torn from the ring of bael, the moment I took a seat upon the Throne, a shockwave came like a whirlwind uprooting the wood from the ground, turning the home around me to dust. Startled by sudden events, my expression fell as I snapped my head to the skies of black clouds swirling with a foreboding glow.

My heart began to thunder, for some reason, as the hairs upon me began to rise. Unsure what was happening, I summoned the Spear of Noctem and frowned. There was no such thing as a Tribulation as a God. When one becomes a god, all they must worry about is overcoming the limitations of talent and the mind.

What’s going on?

My skin felt like a snake was watching me, a beast that seemed to hold me in its sight, leaving no way to flee.

“Arsene!” A shout of worry came towards me as debris of my manner came crashing down.

Sliding my feet under Layla, I gently kicked her towards Freya, alongside Zanris, who caught her with ease, “Clear the area, just in case.”

Divinity rippled out from the void as I felt the invisible walls of space begin to weep, as the Divinity of the Nine Hells began to break its way into the Abyss.

“Arsene, someone is using you to gather the Power of Hells. Be careful.” Lilith relayed deep within my subconscious. ” Try not to overstep.”

Overstep? Of course, I’m going to overstep. Someone is using me to—

Pushing out unnecessary thoughts that’ll get me killed, I looked down on the ring of bael glowing.

“Disciple,” A voice I knew all too well, a voice that sent a chill through my icy heart, entered my ears.

“Mephisto,” I answered.

“Fair warning, but we have decided to help Zantar and Balor in this endeavor with the death of Baphomet. We feel a change is needed. So as of this moment, we are going to enhance our fellow demons and Devils, and to achieve our goal and make the playing field fair; we are opening a Pathway to Hell.”

“What are you—”

The skies began to bleed a deep emerald light. Filled with a Necrotic Qi on a level that made me think of Asmodeus, I felt something inside me stir alive.

“A festival isn’t fun if everything is so structured. Let me show why every angel hated the Demons and Devils of the Nines.”

“ARSENE!!! GET OUT NOW! A HELL GATE IS OPENING NEAR YOU!”

Snapping my head up within the turbulent skies, bleeding the power of hell and tainted heaven, I backed away when suddenly a void opened.

‘By my creed, I, Dagon, Fallen of Heaven, command, thee Demons and Devils of Nine!! Kill! Slaughter! Burn this realm to ash! Leave nothing but the Angels’ whimpers and the Twelve Planes’ cries.”

My skin began to burn, and I felt sera’s blood boil. Clenching my fist to hold back the bubble sensation that numbed my arms, I didn’t even need to think as I Shadow stepped behind Zanris, who entered a strange trance, the moment Dagon’s voice echoed.

Piercing my fist through Zans heart, my divinity pierced through her every being, as I will my tarnishing to turn her into what I was.

“RUN WILD!!!” 𝗯𝐞𝗱𝐧𝗼𝐯𝐞𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Tossing Zan to Freya, I watched the darkness of the void widen, and in a matter of seconds, I saw a coming Darkness as demons and devils rushed out of the Hells.

The demons and Devils were indeed not a match for the Angels, but they didn’t need to be. Their numbers were so great, and with Asmo order not to limit anyone’s battle prowess, I fear what has happened in the hells.

“Shit! WE need to run! NOW!!! RUN!!!” I howled.

The sun had only risen, but it was total darkness, and the taste of brimstone was filling my mouth.

“Disciple.” As sweat oozed from my brow, Mephisto spoke, “A true disciple of mine will bend the laws of hell to his will. It’s not just the Abyss you have become attuned with. Just because the Abyss is stronger doesn’t mean you can ever look down on the Hells. We have given you a gift and a curse. As a mortal, you hunted for souls, but your fire for souls has faded as a God. But how about the souls of Demons and the Devil? Tainted and scarred by the strongest of powers? Devourer Heaven and Hell, my boy. That is what it means to be Tarnished.”

“DIE DIE DIE DIE!” Hearing the howls of Demons and Devils.

I felt the power of the Twelve planes flare to life, rushing from the east, west, north, and south, coming like Gods of Destruction. Paragons filled the skies, tearing away life with utter ease; amazed by what I saw, I could only watch in total awe, not at the Paragons, but at Demons and Devils, who refused to die.

The skies were burning, and the demons whose heads or bodies had been crushed or removed were coming back to life.

“CLEAVE ABBADON!”

My heart hammered as I shuttered, looking at the being who came from the shadows, tall and muscular, with two large horns ready to skew the Heavens, I saw—

Baphomet!!

Cleaving his ax down, as a paragon fell like a falling star, piercing through the earth, crazed bellowing resounded worldwide.

“BAPHOMET!!! BAPHOMET!!! BAPHOMET!!! BAPHOMET!!! BAPHOMET!!! BAPHOMET!!!” The Demons cheered

Holy shit! Staggering back, at the cheers of the Demons, I turned to Freya, whose qi flared to life; she snatched hold of my wrist and whipped over the horizon only to a few hundred kilometers away before we came to a stop.

“You must fight your way out, disciple.” Mephisto said, ” Or die. Your progression is not acceptable.”

Pushing that bastard voice out of my mind, I stared at the army of demons and Devils of the Nines all around the Realm of Empyrean.”

Tightening my grip around the Spear of Noctem, my breathing turned even as a wave of calmness rushed over me. Unsure why but I felt like I was in a similar situation before, a situation that reminded me of my little brother and sister.

Yes— that day, Mother died. That day we barged behind enemies’ lines. Zariel was so angry he began using forbidden blood spells that would make even his mother cry. He was mad, and my sister was drenched, swarmed by an endless sea of bodies. I didn’t know how she did it so young, but she had zero injuries over her flesh.

Lifting my lips, recalling the day Heaven and Earth fell, I chuckled and laughed, ” Freya get Layla and Zanris out of here.”

“Bu— Yes, my king!” She said, and I smiled.

‘Good,”

“And Lilith, how far are you away?”

“Two hours, The Spiral laws are in chaos.”

“I see, then join me when you arrive. We’ll show our child what it’s like to bathe in a River of the Nines.”