Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

It was around noon, the time Zariel, alongside Zero, left. Leaving me to my own devices. Annoying me to no end as a God-damn archangel was after me.

Two gods at an inconceivable level, yet they enjoy watching me squirm. Bastards, the lot of them.

Folding my arms around each other, I smiled as I rose to my feet. Michael isn’t a friend, nor is he an ally. The bastard came towards me with malice. Forcing my hand.

“I’m hesitant. Belphegor might be the only one who would kill Michael if given a chance. I think he’d kill anyone. He is a motherfucker… quite literally.”

Massaging the temples at the chaos about to unfold, I Shadow-Stepped outside the Order of Chaos Temporary base; I gave Mother the proper respect and carried on my way toward the east.

Moving along for a few days in utter silence while getting a feel of the souls of Yesh and Sitri, I came to a halt before a towering willow tree carrying a luscious green and an aura of death ebbing from within.

Suttle movement whispered through the winds from the branches. I approached, parting the branches that stretched towards the grass where I stood. Stepping inside, the aura of death only surged following the birth of demonic killing intent.

And yet the willow tree I knew to be alive didn’t strike. It only taunted and hissed. Frighten as my aura coiled around it. Caging its spirit from any stupid moves that would ensure its death.

“Belphegor, I call to you with an offer,” I said to the darkness that allowed my will to echo into the great beyond.

Unease quickly swallowed my entire being, so much so that I became relieved I was within robes as goosebumps prickled my skin. Tremors of natural instincts spiked through me like shards of ice as essence swirled before my eyes.

“Another treat. My oh my. First your son, now you. It seems you, Snow’s, are everywhere. How amusing. What can this Lord do for you?”

Staring at the swirling vortex of the essence and the six demonic shimmers of eyes watching me from the swirling mass of Necrotic Essense. My spine straightened out as I felt uneasy. More so now than I did before.

“Can we not just talk?” I started. ” Surely not everything has to be about business?”

Belphegor gave a dry chuckle. “A weak little lamb like you? Tell me, boy, have you met your spawns yet? Greyson will be jealous to hear.”

“Uncle,” I whispered hesitantly. “How is he doing?”

“He is like a new man. A new type of monster. My brother did a wonderful job training him. Greyson Snow will soon reach the level to transverse the Myriad Heavens. Him and his wife.

“I see. And is he happy?”

“Why would I tell you that? That curiosity is a weakness. Squash it, boy. I’ll not have the man I wish to kill be so weak mentally.”

Hints of surprise sprung upon my face. ” Is that recognition?”

“There comes a time when certain families need to be recognized. Adam and Eve, for one, is amongst the first. Simply being born a Snow ensures greatness. For it seems even in death, your family will find a way to revive you.”

“Belphegor… why is it you found fault with me? Surely it’s not just because of Mephisto or Lucifer?”

“And what if it were? I was killed in the war between Angels and the Fallen. The Battle of Heaven’s End, and I was somehow reborn as a Demon keeping my original Seraphic nature. I became the first Nephalem. In terms of raw power, I am at the highest peak. Even Michael, with his Father’s weapon, I could overpower that loser, which is why the Arcanes became my focus.”

“Loser? But didn’t you lose to Zariel and Mephisto?” I taunted, seeing the rising glare of his six eyes penetrating my soul.

“True,” said Belphegor calmly as the scarlet light bleeding from his eyes dimmed the longer he spoke. “I did lose. But so, too, would anyone. Mephisto is already difficult to handle, and Zariel… your bother abilities demand your full attention. He loves to destroy Dao and Concepts. And all it takes is a single touch.”

“What do you mean by destroyed?”

“You’re the Monarch of Darkness. And if he wished it, he could destroy all your progress. All the knowledge you garner would vanish. Just as you can break any weapon and armor, halving the power of any warrior, Zariel can destroy the Dao and the Concept of anyone.”

That’s broken!

“Is that what he did to you?”

“I’ve mastered all dao and hundreds of concepts. So destroying one of two will not cause me much damage.” He replied, showing no concern, despite how ridiculous it was to lose dao. When one master a Dao of the Heavens, they must move on to Mortal. By adding mortal concepts onto the heavens, you essentially make Heavenly Dao stronger, but… to lose that knowledge… damn, that’s ridiculous.

I wonder what hax my son has. He better have some good ones. I can’t have no bitch ass, son. That boy has responsibilities. He is to rule my kingdom or his Mothers. Either way, he needs power.

Hmmm, will Lilith make him weak? No, she’s crazy. Iza, on the other hand, I’m not worried about; Lily told me about her madness, but my boy. I’ve got nothing.

Tossing him over a cliff seems like the best method… but that’s only physical. I need to break the boy to train him mentally. I need to distort his norm from the average man.

“There’s that damnable look in your eye. Same as your spawn. Tell me what it is you wished for, boy. Enough conversation.”

“I plan on killing Michael using you,” I replied, shifting my attention back to Belphegor. ” He’s become a thorn.”

“Impossible.

I chuckled at that.

“It is impossible—”

“Not if he’s sealed. And tossed into the abyss to wonder for a few Chaos Cycles. I’m sure something in there might kill him.”

There was a long pause of deliberation from Belphegor before he spoke. ” So he’s after you. But why should I care?”

“Because I am necessary to get to Arcadia. I’m planning on getting every fallen to attack him. I just need you to either kill him or seal him.”

“You’d be a permanent enemy. All of the Heavens would come after you with everything they got. Same with Zariel and his family. Worse of all, you might anger Shiva, that god is not one to be messed with. ”

I sneered. ” Zariel is a big boy. Same with the others. My problems come first. They’ll realize that… Wait, who’s Shiva?”