Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Chapter 104: Grandmaster Selma - Demon of Death

Damn it, what the hell is Arsene's goals. Greyson is one story, but that bastard is a real psychopath. It's hard to believe he is related to Grey.

"Master, we found and deactivated Arsene's bombs." My disciple Damion declared, causing me to grin.

"He is quite the fool. Using the same trick twice." I snapped, feeling something was out of place. I did not have time to study Arsene like I did Grey. He rose so quickly, and even then, the amount of info I gather was all contradictions.

"Kind, evil, loving, hateful, childlike, demon," All words used to describe him. Sighing, I suddenly felt my mind pulse and my skin throb as a sinister sensation gripped my heart.

Growing pale, I quivered as Damion raised his head in surprise, "Master?" he called out, rushing towards me in a panic.

"don't you think it was too easy? It's Arsene. He had years to plan everything out. He is so cautious no one knew what he did to Godwin until it was too late." I yelled as I felt a hollow sensation rising from the pits of my stomach.

Clenching Damion's shoulder, I created a massive hole in space as we arrived in Oswin's throne room. Smelling the heavy scent of liquor, I frown at the drunken man on his throne. It has been like this ever since she died. Honestly, I had no idea he loved her so. From what we gathered, he spent more time with whores than he did with Isaella.

"My lord, we have a major problem." I proclaimed as Oswin frowned, pitching a bottle of liquor at me.

Not bothering to dodge, I allowed it to crack over my skull as I lowered my stained head, "Fuck off, my wife is dead. I am in no mood Selma. Leave me with the few remains I have of her." he mournfully yelled, drawing another bottle as he stared at a portrait of Isaella in the distance of his throne room.

"It's about Arsene," I hurriedly explained as a sharp gleam sprung from Oswin's drunken stupor.

Qi began to rise as I felt my heart quiver in fear at his power; Oswin's gaze grew profound as the scent of liquor vanished around him. Then, with a sneer, he arose from his throne, "My lord..."

Pausing, I felt the hairs over my skin begin to rise as the Qi of Heaven and Earth from over the entire city began to gather. Gulping down, Oswin and I rushed to the air as I gazed at the horrifying formation painted in the heavens. Powerful tremors could be felt as demonic radiance darken the azure skies.

Complex Circles began to rise, overlapping with one another as I felt death staring back at me, "Arsene?" I whispered as a beam of blood-red light connected with what looked to be in the direction of Godwin and Romga.

"No...NO NO Nooooooo!!!!" I bellowed as Greyson arose with a horrified look over his face.

"Arsene, what have you done," He muttered. His face was gashly pale as he clenched his fist.

Suddenly a massive screen appeared as the face that haunted my dreams appeared, "Oswin, Grey, and even Selma, it's an honor to meet your acquaintance. But our time is at an end. I must say, you all fucked up letting me worm my way in your city. Especially you, Grey, you should have killed me instead of banishing me. "

"Arsene, what is this" I bellowed as I felt space beginning to bend at the massive amount of energy the formation was gathering together. Runes so complex I felt my spine shiver in fear began to form when suddenly the sounds of horrifying screams that sent chills down my soul echoed out as I saw various specters from the beyond...ghost clawing at the profound formations, moaning and screaming in a never-ending hell. There were billions as they bellowed...in the accent of Godwin.

"Seems like you guessed it, Selma," Arsene wisped in a cold tone, "I don't expect any of you to die, but my goal was never you but rather the citizens. I need their lives to fuel my little formation. Not to mention I can't tell who is working with the Light of Ashna, so I'm going to destroy this entire kingdom. Don't worry, Romga will be joining you soon." he said in sadistic laughter as if this was all a game. As if the lives he was about to take meant nothing...God...Please help us.

Watching as the virtual screen fade, a single beam of light shot down as my vision turned to Ash. Ashen light covered all of Pendragons as the formation protecting didn't even last a second as time seemingly stopped.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

With a deafening catastrophe that swallowed pendragon whole. I felt a massive heat grip my arms as I pushed out all of my heavenly qi in order to defend myself. Yet, spiral winds flowed from the void while ash and sulfur rained over the darkening Azure heavens of Pendragon, making it seem like night had descended.

No screams sounded as I looked down at my missing arm and legs flowing with blood. With a scream of agony, I clenched my face that was slowly melting into itself as tears of blood showered my deformed cheeks. It was all gone...my home...my legacy. Eighty percent of pendragon was obliterated as Arsene cruel laughter sounded in my ears. Looking at the massive abyss within pendragons, my vision began to distort.

Stepping out of the ashen skies, I saw Greyson and Oswin with hollow looks of disbelief as they shuttered at the devastation below.

"A~R~S~E~N~E," King Oswin bellowed as the formation high over the ash-colored heavens showered the city with its light. I could see billions of faces...lifeforce rising into the heavens as the formation began glowing, growing larger.

"...He did this just to charge his formation... all the live... my people... My disciple... my wife... she was finally pregnant... I ..I. i" raining tears from my eyes, my strength quickly began to fade. Unable to process what happened, I fell, crashing into the rubble of Pendragon when his cruel laughter sounded within my ears like bells.

"You lose, Selma. But don't worry, I left you a little surprise. The view must be magical, would you not agree. When I return, I will make sure to wipe out the rest of pendragon. Please wait for me, my dear rival."

...

...

...

Gazing up at the unfamiliar skies, I heard nothing. There were no screams of children, moans of the dead, only nothing, not even the birds or the wind, sounded...Just nothing. I could feel my arms and legs, but I was empty.

Pushing my weak body up, I could see Oswin with a hollow look. Around him stood his aristocracy as they stared at the ashen city of nothing.

"Ashen Prince," Duke Vargis said as he held the severed arm of a small child. Tears streaming down his face as he clenched his eyes shut, "Why... Why... Why... My Grandson... My clan... why?"

I should be sad, but as I gaze at him, all that appeared was her face. Three hundred years, we were together. Three hundred years we laid with one another, three hundred years we spoke of our hopes and dreams. I had hidden her away, allowing only one to meet her. My first and only disciple Damion. And now...

"Where is Greyson," I asked, feeling something dark and evil rising from the pits of my soul. A cold bloodlust I had long forgot shone like the sun as I turned my gaze to Oswin, "WHERE IS HE!!!!!!!!!!!"

"OSWIN ANSER ME," I bellowed, clenching his shirt, "WHERE IS THAT FUCKER,"

Tears ran from Oswin as he merely laughed, his tears turning to blood as he looked up at the man hovering over the destruction. In his palm held a small image of an ashen-headed boy speaking. A warm smile could be seen as he chuckled.

"ARSENE SNOW!!!"