Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

“Show us.” Said Zero.

Allowing my divinity to run wild, I took Zariel and Zero into the abyss, directly towards the heart where I heard my daughter’s voice and where Tenebrae appeared to me.

“This is the Gate to the First World?”

“Eden?” Zariel concluded, but I shook my head.

“I said the same thing to Tenebrae, but no. She said Eden was the first Mortal Realm. Tell me, have you heard of the Monoliths of End?”

Zero turned to me in this vacuum of abyssal essence, spiraling with endless wonder. ” This is the second time you’ve mentioned Tenebrae… Are you screwing her?”

Flashing my teeth, I chuckled, ” Not yet, but we are to be wed; she’s going to be my second wife.”

“… How are bad people like yourself so lucky with women?”

“I’ve been asking that question for cycles,” Zariel said, shaking his head. ” Bro, I swear some women think they can change him. I swear there was some relationship he was in where he kept talking about banging other bitches, and his girlfriend was surprised and betrayed when he did! HE SAID HE WOULD DO IT. WHY ARE YOU SURPRISED!” Zariel took a large breath and shook his head, ‘ Dumb Hoe Syndrome is a thing.”

“DHS, I like that.” I mused, nodding at that beautiful line. “I wonder if that’s been coined. But he’s not wrong. Who was that again? Man, she had a nice ass. Talk too much, though.”

A/N: I’ve seen this so many times. And I still can’t understand it. It’s honestly a little bothering.

“Right there! How is it you have two wives?” Shouted Zero with a hint of blame.

I laughed at that. “Bro, I don’t know. I just got the sweetness. I don’t know what to tell you. They just keep jumping to conclusions, I guess. I’m honest with them, but…Oh, never mind, I don’t even understand it. Call it Game, I guess. Man, I miss these conversations. Vancuro would get it, though. He was more of a fuck boy than I was. Didn’t he tell some girl he could fuck around, but he’d be done with her if she did? She stayed. They were just hooking up too. How’s he doing anyway?”

“Terrible. His two kids are a handful. And his wife is… well she… You know what? I don’t have an opinion of her.” Zariel started before trailing off. ” Zero. What do you think of her?”

“I’m not getting into that.”

“Like to see. Nothing has changed.” I mused, unable to await meeting him again. “And Izzy? How’s he doing? Did he get a girl yet? He was always a lovey-dovey weirdo.”

“That walking soap opera? Man, You can fill an entire book on his love life. Shit is funny yet tragic.” Zero explained. “What am I saying? How’d we even start talking about this? Focus! The Monoliths of End. What are they, and where is the gate?”

Glancing at Zariel, knowing he was sure to have seen it, I said nothing, letting my action do the talking.

“It’s before us… and… we should leave.” He hesitantly whispered, ” We’ll come back after Arcadia. I think we best not even discuss this with the others.”

‘That’ll be wonderful, uncle!” The voice of Iza chimed in. ” If Mephisto knew things would get complex. When you reach Lord Hellmasters level, you may have the qualifications to step into the first world. And it’s good to see you too, Z—”

Hearing Iza about to say another syllable that wasn’t ‘er,’ a glimmer exploded in my heart as I stood in utter anticipation. I’ve known Zero all my life, but he is the most secretive bastard I know. He hides everything. It took me years to figure out his birthday.

A/N: That’s also true in real life. Took like seven years. No cap. And I only know the month, not the date.

“Just kidding! Father, did you really think I’ll let you figure out his name? Hehe. Suffer~!!!! Mhwahahaha.”

Hearing her devilish giggle vanish, I turned to Zero, who was glaring at Zariel. ” You son of a bitch. You told her, didn’t you? I ought to sell your kid!”

“You were probably the one to tell her! How could it be me? Maybe you got a crush on—”

Noctem blazing with the aura of Laevatein reached Zariels neck. ” What was that little brother?”

‘He’s the one trying to bang your daughter. Point the spear at him.”

Noctem switched.

“She’s playing us! Calm down!” Shouted Zero taking a step away from Noctem. “And why would I want a toddler like your daughter? I’m not a damn loli-con!”

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“He’s definitely a Loli-con,” Zariel said aloud, and Zero summoned his sword that landed on Zariels neck, drawing a sliver of blood, as my brother summoned his black and silver longsword.

“Say that again!”

The air somehow tensed as Iza’s laughter continued to echo. ” You guys are so childish. To open the Path to the First World, one needs the Monoliths of End. They are found in Arcadia. Remember that, for they are ‘one’ of the reason for our passage through time.”

Iza’s voice went dead, and her presence vanished. Leaving a sliver of coldness running through our veins as we dismissed our weapons. .

Zariel took a step back. And touched his bloody neck. “Your daughter is a piece of work.”

“I know, right? Isn’t she amazing? I love her already!”

“Well, I hate her! That damn girl turned us on each other in seconds. Although, over something stupid.”

“So I guess you’re not going to help me babysit?” I asked, and Zero flicked me off.

“I don’t do kids. To date, I’ve not even held Jin, much less Van’s two bastards.”

“God damn, dude. You need to learn to chill. When did you learn you didn’t like children?”

“When van’s firstborn vomited on my scabbard. That’s when he became my mortal enemy.” Zero uttered with bloodlust.

“And as you can see. Zero is as dramatic as always. But jokes and babies aside. We’ve got our secondary mission behind the Throne. The Monoliths of End. Iza didn’t mention how many of them there are, but we need to be on the lookout. I needn’t say this, but should you discuss any of these secrets with another, make sure to kill them. And wipe their souls out of existence. Damn, the consequences, if any, are in Arcadia.”