Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Souls began to glint under the darkening skies, shimmering with a profundity that drew the King of Hell’s gaze.

“Low-level souls,” he said stoically. “I’d have thought GrandMaster Arsene, famed for his scheme, would have something… more.” He shook his head and pointed his greatsword toward me. “Lay down Noctem and seal your senses. Do not humiliate yourself.”

The smile over my lips deepened, and a depraved aura began to bleed from Noctem. A soul pressure soon followed, rippling and tearing, felt by even paragons weighing like stones over their heart.

“Arsene!” Barked Zargon. “What are you doing?”

My smile crumbled to ice, and with a single glance sweeping through armies, only the sound of heartbeats could be heard as the Flames of Abyssal Night flashed over the souls behind me.

Terror reflected in their eyes. None spoke.

The outer, Inner, and core of the souls all began to burn against my flame, losing their right to exist in my world, an icy grimace followed by a sinful aura that should belong to a fallen coiled around my arm, hissing like a serpent it slithered up my arm and neck, anointing me its king.

“Is this your first time seeing a soul wipe out of existence?” I asked calmly. “I’m sure it is. It’s a sin. You know the saying. Thou shall not kill? Well, this is the true meaning. To kill a soul… an impossibility in this minor heaven. But the price is quite worth it.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Thunder cleaved through clouds and skies and struck the surface of Iluthath, causing faults throughout the realm. Whirlwinds spiraled by the dozen and flared in into existence as wrath began to leak from the tip of my spear. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝑙．𝑐𝘰𝘮

Heaven and Earth wept as a sinful power bore its fangs.

“All of you… Every last one of you who dares to challenge this king will pay.” I shouted as I fully awakened the Throne of Darkness.

Force backed by my voice, the searing souls disintegrated, and another crack of pure heavenly lightning howled like a raging dragon forming vortexes into subspace.

“KILL HIM!!!”

Eyes whipping back and forth, Fifty Paragons rushed toward me. Still, with a single instant, a single thought, faster than any possible movement, I Shadowed Stepped behind my barrier and hoisted my spear high into the air just as twenty Paragans struck against the barrier.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Annihilating the very structure of the Eben Forest with their insane might, cracks instantly began to appear over the surface.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOM~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!~BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Hamming the barrier without end, an infinite world of weave filled my eyes, and without a care for the consequences, I struck the end of Noctem down, and a sound aking to an ancient toll or clocktower echoed.

The world became silent after the first toll. By the Second, fear began to resound. By the third, the paragons started to back away with terrified eyes. Even, Zargon was no exception as he rushed towards the Hell Gates with his men.

“If Zariel could handle it, why can’t I?”

Space and time became locked, and a single eye appeared.

Impeccable azure blue eyes without the slightest hint of impurity materialized, bringing every single man and woman to their knees, myself included, with none daring to resist. Blood instantly ran cold as only Lily remained standing, munching on what appeared to be cereal.

“So this was your plan… Well, that’s one way of doing it. But I swear it’s only the Snows that God is striking down… or, in this case, the Holy Spirit.” She looked at me, smiling, and leaned in, kissing my cheek. “Lily, you better take care of him. I’ll come to get you after this.”

“Don’t worry, Lilith! I got him!” The little system lord said.

Thunder-crackling, fear slowly began to palpate in my heart as the pressure over our souls began to pound like hammers. Striking me till my eyes and soul bled, I felt true extermination for the first time.

Before my eyes, the rubble, the remains of trees, and grass all caught a flame as the world before my eyes became a wasteland of fire. The world had begun to splinter and shake as I could feel the entirety of the Ebin Forest begin to rise. The entire continent began to be lifted off the surface of Iluthath.

“… Lily, if this were anyone else, would they be judged like me?”

“No one else carries the ability to destroy souls like you and Lilith in this Heaven.” Came her calm reply. “But since you are Zariels brother, the Bridge between Heavens and Abyss, Husband of the Abyss, and Monarch of Darkness, you are held to a higher standing. And it’s not like this is the first time you destroyed the souls of the Myriad Heavens. You sort of deserve this.”

“Deserve? I’m Arsene motherfucking Snow!” I shouted as the ancient crest of the black sun, the Sigil of the Abyss, appeared above my brow. I stood up and snapped my eyes towards the will of the Holy Spirit.”

Fear hounding my soul, my eyes streaked over the other paragons alongside the armies that had come after this king. The fools who thought themselves worthy of this king’s might! I didn’t even have to attack.

“ARSENE!!!” Zargon howled.

Flicking him off real quick, I cupped my hands towards the spirit and smiled with Noctem still in hand. “So you are to be my Arbiter.”

“If the Lord of Order cannot judge. My will shall be carried out,” The Holy ghost claimed, its profound Azure eyes gleaming, no hate, no dismay, only Order.

‘Lily, remove the Limiter… I’m not about to die here.’

“Yeah, you realize the holy ghost is still stronger than anything imaginable? He’s one of the two avatars of GOD. Me removing the limiter isn’t going to do shit. God doesn’t want to kill you, but you must take the hit… This is both a punishment and help. So play your role.” She said, but I could still feel Noctem breathing a powerful intent.

“Reminds me of what shot us through space and time…. How can someone be so powerful?”

My eyes blinked in surprise, and I nodded towards the eye.” I am ready.”