Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Cracking the brace of my throne, I stood to my feet as the skies lit up with radiance. My hands swiftly grew arc as a barrier of protective Astral Essence flared to life, following hundreds of Wards around the Serpent Edge.

The world trembled! The skies were ablaze, and high in the Bed of Chaos, with his blazing black spear in his arm, I saw Arsene Snow. A gut-wrenching sensation of pain smelter my mind as I stared just as an almighty force blocked my vision.

He'd cut through Heaven's End.

Impossible!!!!

"Ion! You limp, dick immortal bastard! What did I just see!" My eyes snapped towards my advisor, whose expression was as dark as Arsene's spear.

"Sir… He cut apart Heaven's End. That's impossible. Heavens End is the source! The Ultimate Sorce of Power. The Qi of Heaven and Earth originates from Heaven's End. Through it, we got the core of Iluthath!

"We must call the Kings of Ilutahth and the Twelve Realms. We have to stop him! No, we have to take away that spear!"

Fingers digging into my palm, I found myself a little faint. Ion was right… it was that spear. The second it appeared, I felt a disturbance through the Weave. The Weave trembled.

The Monarch of Darkness needs to die now.

"How many Kingdoms have we found?"

"There are scores, my Lord." Ion frowned and snapped his eyes to me. "I recommend we ignore the kings in the Realm of blood. They'll act when they see the army of the other Realms rushing towards the Eben Forest. We can't allow Arsene Snow to formulate a base."

"What about the trade amongst the Realm? Will this affect that? Arsene had suggested the idea, and Noctem is a vast realm with untapped potential. If they pull out, everyone will suffer."

Ion opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly waved him off. "I know what you are about to say, and I've fate in my people. However, they'll have to suffer for the greater good. Gather the Armada Ion. We are heading to the Eben Forest!"

"Yes. My Lord. By your will, we, the Court of Nox, will resume the hunt."

Vanishing from my eye, I frowned and pulled out a holocube. Hesitation splintering my soul, I sucked in a sharp dry breath as a Hologram of a King of Hell appeared.

"Lord Zargon."

"Lord Yornen." The fiendish King said. " Why the call? It's not the best of times."

"Is it because of Arsene Snow?"

"Fuck off. Get the fuck out of here!' Zargon barked on his end and shifted his razer, sharp obsidian black and red eyes to me. "Go on… but do not assume just because we have an alliance that means I'll help."

"A proposition." I saw to say. "I would like you to help with the raid on the Eben Forest. We need to get rid of Arsene Snow. I refuse to believe he's not critically injured. That Infernal Formation could have seriously injured a Paragon. "

Zargon's expression remained icy cold, and even a professional like me felt unease. I didn't like dealing with Devils when they were aware of my existence. It's a different ball game when they know you are trying to manipulate them.

"I am very much aware of the power of my Formation. However, what I don't understand is why you are contacting me. We, Devils, gained so much from the Abyss we are close to reclaiming what was lost during the Great Change. We are ready for Arsene Snow. I doubt he'll even stay in the Ebon Forest." ????????????????e????????. ????o????

"So you'll risk him getting stronger? Do not play these predatory games with me, Zargon! Surely you've seen the spear he held. Such a weapon cannot exists. It must be sealed or destroyed!"

The King of Hell smiled for the first time. "Fine. But my people do not discriminate. When we enter the fray, everyone is a target."

"You'd risk strategy for what? Keep this bullshit up, and I'll take my business to Paimon." I barked. Gods, I hated working with fucking devils. Greedy bastards are what they are. Selfish assess who are utterly unpredictable.

Zargon stood up from his throne, and something deep within me reeled. Trusting my instincts, I leaped to the side as a great sword cleaved into my throne, blasting through stones. I skidded over the ground like a rock on water and stared as the aura of a Paragon leaked out from the beast standing where my throne should be.

Digging my feet into the earth to stop, I glared with an iciness running down my brow.

" Zargon."

The Horn Devil lifted open his mouth and revealed rows of predatory glistening teeth. "When Iluthath was reopened, the Legacy of my people returned. We joined the Court of Nox because we held fear of Balor, but he's gone. Sealed or either heavily injured.

"Our text, our history is being restored! We are rising, Ilthad. So what if Arsene Snow relates to the Silver Devil, Zariel Snow? By our side, we have peak Fallen. You will be wise to learn to hold your tongue. When addressing this King."

Wiping away the warm blood trailing into my right eye, I sneered but held my tongue. Pride will not get the best of me. This idiot has already given me tons of information.

Zargon dismissed his weapon back into scarlet nodes and frowned. "Now then. We Devils will do our part but make no mistake on who runs this operation, ilthad."

"Oh, and I let the information about Zariel slip for a reason. I just wonder if you're smart enough to figure out why."

"You're using us as guinea pigs," I concluded.

"We figure as smart as you are. You'll try to learn everything you can about him. If you die, we learn something. You live. We also learn something."

We? So the Kings are working together. Good to know.

"Can I assume our deal is still in place to have an ilthad prince?"

Zargon chuckled with a mocking grin, "You don't even know your people's history, do you? But yes… they'll be allowed to rule over— shit, I've got to go. Fucking idiots."

Witnessing a Gate of Hell materialize then dematerialize with Zargon, I began to frown when his intent vanished.

"This is bad… I wonder if Arsene is willing to form a treaty or sorts."