Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

The light had just hit the horizon, following the roar of a dragon as it whipped through the skies, trees rustled, and clouds parted as my mighty dragon soared through the icy winds digging deep into my bones, bringing about a cold I long for.

"I love the cold!!!!" I howled, pulling down the top of my robe. "This is how I dress from now on! Bring on the frigid winds!"

The dragon bellowed in a roar and suddenly shot straight up into the skies, piercing through clouds till only the cold existed, forming layers of frost around me.

"Don't you dare!' Ezra hurriedly cried. "Too high! Too high!"

Crackling with laughter, my dragon did a nose dive, bringing out my evil laugh, as the winds became like sledgehammers to my face and body, trying to run me through. Exhilaration flooded my system as Ezra and I gripped the leather saddle that formed from my darkness. We screamed as a strange pressure rattled my stomach making everything feel so surreal.

"Stop, stop, stop, we're going to crash!"

'Then let's go BOOM!!!" I sang " kamikaze Weeeeeeeeee!!!!!'

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!

Crashing into a mountain range, I bellowed in laughter as my body slammed through a few mountains, causing untold destruction. By the time I had stopped, I couldn't stop laughing. " I need to do this with the newborns! Let's try for the speed of light next time."

Rising out of the crater in some mountain, I stretched my arms and legs, looking at the migration of hundreds of thousands of beast racing away from my location.

"Is that how beast raids begin?"

'Two hundred years, Master. Can you not see a mountain range and not crash land?" Ezra shouted, stomping her foot down with anger. " You almost broke my neck!" The little devil crossed her arms as she poked her head out of the snow. "Each time you do this, you end up killing your dragon."

"It's training."

"Training? Please, you just like crashing! And don't you dare take your newborns to do this crazy shit!"

"Screw that! I'm sure the Twins will love it!" Lily chimed in like a lovable crazy aunt.

"Not as newborns! Fucking Hell! You two are insane!"

Chuckling as I cracked my neck and checked for any injury, I glanced around at the Zenptis Mountains, just at the border of the Eben Forest. Spanning over a few million kilometers, it would take another few more years to cross. Assuming I don't end up crashing for the fun of it.

Pulling in a large breath, I turned towards the east to where the scent of fresh water trickled into my nose about a few klicks away.

"I'm thirsty."

"Master, we should have already crossed the border. If you keep stopping for random shit, it'll take over a thousand years to…, and he's gone."

Rushing past Ezra as she complained about something, I ran towards the fresh breeze. It had been so long since I was stuck in the Palace of Darkness, and despite looking for a good place to summon said palace into the material plane, I wanted to explore. I wanted to see the world.

So I made hundreds of stops, using crashing as an indicator to explore. Which ended up working perfectly, ensuring I never really grew bored. Not to mention I was secretly using Black Sabbath on Ezra, which wasn't going so well. Black Sabbath was insanely complex as it used astral force, my devil's heart, the divinity of sin, various actual sins, blood laws, illusions, and much more.

I wasn't in a rush because I was actually training, although I was doing it while having fun. All of my actions since I fully recovered were designed to manipulate. If I could master Black Sabbath, or at least become a novice, I could manipulate both allies and enemies to a certain extent without caring for the difference in power.

A/N: It would work on anyone. Even Zariel. Power difference doesn't matter to skills at this level.

Dancing through the trees like a ninja, the gentle crashing waves of a waterfall trickled into my ears.

Eyes glittering, I suddenly paused as my arm shot forward, hitting an invisible barrier that suddenly radiated with runic symbols.

"...the runes are elder futhark." I lifted my head, studying the swirling runes for a second, and without a second thought, spear intent slithered over my finger. Twisting the laws with its might, I flicked my finger, releasing my intent that pierced through the barrier, shattering it as though it were glass.

Watching as a massive waterfall came into view all of a sudden, my eyes glittered. " I could train here for a while."

"Master," Ezra said, rushing towards my side. "I think someone lives here." ????????????re????????. ????o????

"If there is a problem, we'll just kill them. Makes no difference. I'm a little peckish." I conveyed, glancing at the small village a few ways off the waterfall. My lips grew arched. "Don't tell me you're not interested in bathing Iluthath red?"

"Not as much as returning to the Hells… But I need to be stronger."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Slapping my head, I pulled out my holocube and sent Freya a message to gather Dukes of Noctem. I'm taking over the Nines. I'll be damn if I let the Court of Nox have it. Much less the Pale Lord who said she would be taking the Plane of Oblivion.

"I'll have to send a clone to Noctem."

"Master?"

"Nothing. Just focus on getting stronger." I said for now. Iluthath was still new to everyone, so few knew how to proceed. But with Victoria taking over the Sect of the White Rose, I can have a party from Noctem make a base in the Eben Forest.

Hmmm, you know what! It's time Vaevictis begins fucking up the Court of Nox. If they can hunt me, I can do so as well. I've got paragon and Shadowfell, immune to various elements.

"Master, someone is coming."

Refocusing, I glanced at the golden figure piercing up into the air and towards us at a breathtaking speed.

"Hold! Who are you!" A tall, tan man with blonde hair and golden eyes shouted, creasing his brow that held a scar over its edge, just missing the right eye by a few centimeters. Clad in golden armor, he raised a golden straight longsword at me.

"And why do you carry the foul scent of the Nines upon you!