Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Wrapping my arms around Seraphina’s sublime waist, the Gate of Abyssal Night formed, sucking us away into a void of eternal darkness. Light suddenly pierced through, and we appeared on the surface of Midgard wrapped in the glow of the suns.

Sera was grim, and she was staring, “Just say it.”

“Are you Arsene?” She asked, and I chuckled, amused by why she would think so. Seraphina unhooked my arm around her waist, and she stared. “It’s the only thing that makes sense. Your talent, you know the Snows, there being an angel by your side, and the fact that you somehow know Zantar is a fallen.”

“And what would you do if I were. This Arsene?” I asked, placing my hands behind my back. I peered out over the vast prairie, seemingly untouched by war. The grass was a vibrant green, teeming with life, while endless flowers roamed about, filling the gentle breeze with pollen. Multicolor light seemed to bend at its beauty, creating a haze of wonder.

Sera’s gaze hardened, then weakened. Her shoulders went limp, and she slowly slipped to her knees, “Is,” She slowly said, touched with such heartbreak, even I felt her sorrow, as her voice began to crack, “Is he really a Fallen?”

“Unfortunately, he is.” I faintly answered, lowering my gaze from his beautiful scenery to the heartbroken angel. Tears slowly slipped down her cheeks, turning to crystals as they fell from her chin. “Who was he in Heaven?”

Seraphina did not answer me, but her painful whimpers slowly reached my ears. I turned away, sensing it was the right thing to do. She shouldn’t be, but Sera was very prideful. While it was a sin, having pride itself was not evil.

“Are you Arsene,” She asked in between whimpers.

“I am,”

“Did you really want me to kill Lilith?”

“Kill, no, but I was going to make her suffer for beating me in a competition.” I calmly explained, taking a seat on the smooth grass.

“Why are you evil?” She asked, and I laughed, turning to stare at her poor expression stained by tragedy. Her head was low, and her tone was awfully soft and broken. .

“What makes you think I am evil?” I could not help but ask. “Well, aside from one vice, I actually don’t go around randomly killing people and committing slaughters.”

“You killed Yesh and Yael.” She justified. I crossed my legs and leaned my head over my arms, using my legs as support.

“Look at me,” I urged. Sera slowly lifted her teary face, and our eyes grew locked. “You all attacked me. I did nothing, but you attacked me. Your kind plotted, if Yeshimiel had simply minded his business, it would have been a prince of hell that would have been dead. The same with Yael. I don’t think I am evil, not really. I don’t diddle kids like some screwed-up people. Most of the people I kill deserved it or have crossed me. The only time I kill innocent is because they were caught up in the crossfire. I will not deny some of the shit I do may be considered evil, but what evil thing have I done that made the Angels want to kill me?”

“You’re a devil.”

“Do you sense demonic Qi?” I annoyingly stated the obvious, and her gaze grew wide. I shook my head, “Personally, the reason you all attack doesn’t make sense. I am sure there are other demons out there. Shit, just a few months ago, I saw a Knight of Hell, but you were giving me problems. Compare it. Compare Tang Feng, the Celestrial King, to me. Who has done worse? Excluding killing your brothers, of course.”

The crestfallen angel did not speak. She couldn’t. No one that came to power was good. Not really. Sure I may take pleasure in killing, eating people, enslaving planets, but Aside from eating people, everyone else has done far worse. I’m a fucking saint compared to people like Tang Feng. I’m just good at pissing people off. I swear people are so dramatic. I plow a bitch, and I am labeled a villain. She spread her legs too. I’m just saying—Saint Arsene for the win.

Words seemed to fail Sera again. So we sat in silence, and she suddenly lowered her head; I chuckled, “Will you continue your brooding? You are just a villain of Heaven. It’s not so bad. Trust me.” I pressed my arms over her shoulders, and her head jerked to meet my gaze filled with loathing. “Oh, come on, need to give me that look. You now have a chance to help your brethren. Plus, we still have a deal to screw over my wife, Master Sera. I would say let’s just have sex, but that seems unlikely, right?”

“Very unlikely,’ she insisted.

“But not impossible,” I said, bellowing in laughter, “Come, let’s head to the castle! Let me show you how my people live. Maybe then your trepidation towards me may fade. I don’t foresee, Zantar following us. I am sure he just didn’t want you to return to Heaven.”

Rising to my feet, I pulled the annoyed angel to her feet. Enjoying that spark of fire returning to her eyes, I once more brought up an earlier question. “Who was Zantar in Heaven?”

“One of Heaven’s strongest. He was a part of the Great Seven. We call them first-class. He is very reclusive, but many in Heaven respect his power and his wisdom. It was he who presented Lord Raziel to be the next Lord of Heaven.” She said as a grim realization slowly took hold of her expression. “Out of the Seven, it was an open secret that Zantar was the strongest.”

“He is a Fallen, so that is not unexpected, but it makes you wonder. Why did Raziel not sense him? Is he also fallen—”

“NO!” Sera fired off, cutting me short. “He can’t be! He just can’t!” She brushed her hair from her delicate features contorted in anger, “I will not hear of it! Raziel was the best of us. Maybe not in power but in heart! He cannot be! The throne would not let him be.”

My eyes gave the hardest eye roll, and I placed my hands behind my back, “Sera, I want what you are having. That must be some strong shit. Let’s go. Maybe when you are forced to run your sword through your kins heart, you will come around and see the light in a life and death battle.”