Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I was a bit unsure how long it had been since I fainted in Tene’s embrace, but as I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but be transfixed by the snow-haired woman stroking my hair. Eyes a dazzling ruby that shimmered brighter than any garnet, she appeared to come from the heavens themselves.

“You got fatter.”

“Arsene… Snow,” Lilith seethed.

Chuckling to myself as her expression darkened, a bit of a snicker couldn’t be hidden as I reached up, cupping her tender cheeks within the darkness.

“I’m in labor.” She told me. ” My water hasn’t broken yet, but it’s almost time.”

My heart practically lunged out of my chest as excitement awoke my body. ” You serious!”

“Why would I lie?” Lilith attested, releasing a bitter sigh. ” Gods, I can’t wait to not be pregnant. Screw those bitches that never get swollen feet or insomnia. Ves and Iza are constantly stepping on my bladder, constantly moving. It’s painful as hell! At one point, I think they almost made me shit myself.”

Dazzled by her experience, I couldn’t help but stare at her enthralling expression. ” Then why are you smiling?” And I paused, “Wait a minute. On earth, isn’t it almost Mother’s Day? Or did it pass?”

“Mother’s Day? What’s that?”

Realizing her ignorance regarding the topic, I explained: “Mother Day, aka Mama Bird Day, is a day we take out of the year to praise Mothers or to be mothers like yourself.”

Lilith expression lit up,” There is such a thing?”

“Yup. It’s kind of like a birthday, but it’s more of a celebration of your contribution to the woman who gave birth to them. So when you’re a Mama, all your children, no matter what they are doing, will always come to visit you.”

A foxy smile swelled over Lilith’s lips as she trembled: ” Mini Ves and Iza crawling all over there, mama~ Just what I need.”

Poking her cheeks, feeling the weakness within my own body from the usage of ‘Breathing,’ I spoke: “Want to explore Mount Olympus with me till your water breaks?”

Aggressively nodding, LIlith reached down, pressing her lips against mine with a victorious glow in her eyes. ．

It had been a while since we last met, hadn’t it? Now that I think about it. Years continue to come and go like they are nothing. When did it become like that? When did it feel like years were akin to a single day? What a funny thing perception is.

Helping me to my feet, I glanced at Tiamat resting with a shallow breath to her and sighed. I’d underestimated ‘Breathing”. At least she isn’t dead. That’s a win…kinda. But now I’ve got a perfect path to create.

I should really start following Sherlock Holme’s example and talk aloud to help reach a more profound understanding. Although…

Scratching at my head pounding away as though I was in the middle of a hangover, I flicked my wrist, teleporting Tiamat into my Palace Walls back on Nocturne.

“Can you walk?” Lilith asked,

“Yeah. But everything hurts. It really is like a hangover. Never thought I’d get one of those in this life.” I muttered, glancing at Lilith’s clueless expression. I snickered. She had no idea what a hangover was. Not that I can blame her. We never really lived that kind of lifestyle.

“Let’s go… Oh?” Recalling all the events that transpired before I fainted, I grimaced and glanced around.

We’d created a lot of noise, yet no one had come to check up on what had happened. Are they scared?”

“Tene had called you, right?” I carefully asked Lilith.

“Yeah. She said you needed me.”

“And did you sense anyone else escape?”

Lilith fell into silence, only to shake her head. ” There was no fluctuation in space, much less time. I would have sensed it. But my senses have been rather off as of late. So I could be wrong.”

“Wrong? Are you, by chance, more sensitive?” I said, unable to mask my enthusiasm.

She looked at me hard, and a devilish grin appeared. ” I can literally hear you getting hard. Sadistic bastard.”

Blushing at the truth, I coughed into my palm. “Let’s continue then.”

Holding onto Lilith’s arm, I wanted to lean onto her but decided against it, noticing the paling of her cheeks, the sweat that would appear and disappear as she tried to hide her weakness.

She was pushing herself. As was I.

My QI was constantly growing, but for some reason, I was weak. And said weakness wasn’t getting better.

It was as if I had severed something and given it away. Could you not recover from Breathing? No. I gave Tene and Altair my breath, and they received it. It seems like there is something more to it. Perhaps… one’s Breath is set in stone. It appears that it doesn’t regenerate.

When I gave Tene and Altair mine, they received it, but they also felt stronger… fundamentally stronger.

“… Lilith, your dula. Ariel. Do you think I could speak to her sometime?” I asked her, feeling like I needed to check up on what the angels considered evil or good.

I got in trouble a lot in regard to destroying souls at their core. But if I were to steal ‘Breath,’ would that be considered an even greater sin? Would negative Karma gather over my head on a grander scale? Would such a thing even be considered by Karma?

I never had to worry about such things in the fourth Heaven, but we are not there anymore. Now my actions will affect my children. I’ve got a lot of enemies, mainly from me ignoring them or letting them live. Not to mention I’ve got zero friends outside the order.

“You asked me a question, but it looks like you fell into deep thought,” Lilith whispered, a little short of breath. “Thinking of your kids?”

Startled, I nodded.

“Well, don’t. Nothing we can do but raise them with all we got. All of the Abyss will be there to protect them, as well as the Night. You’ve nothing to worry about except your ailment. You look like shit.”

“You too.” I countered, smiling back at her disheveled appearance.

We laughed, somehow amused at each other’s appearance when a thought came to mind. “Why don’t we start acting like we are rich? Let’s have someone carry us in a carriage or something. No need to walk, much less feed ourselves.”

Lilith eyed me, “Someone is using their head.”

“Yeah-Yeah. Just set up a meeting with Ariel. That joyful Seraphim might have some of the answers I want. More importantly, you look like you might pop at any moment.”