Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I was too anxious—Too impatient of the fall of my people. This damnable Blight has already wormed its way in every manner of beast imaginable. But that fool Mephisto is either toying with me or seeks the extermination of the Myriad Heavens.

This Blight… has all the means to exterminate us. We angels might have a choice after death to turn into a Teleth, but we’ve already found evidence that it’s infecting other races. And it’s spreading.

We need Mephisto. He’s created the Fel, assisted with the birth of Demons and Devils, and helped mold the Highborns. I… we cannot save anyone without him. But to give up the Crown of Thorns.

Spitting curses as I forced myself into a defensive stance against Gadreel, my intent lingered over Mephisto. Watching his every movement, counting the echoes of his even breath, the pulsing of his calm heart, and the ever-expanding and contracting of his pupils.

I watched it all. Lucifer I could defend against, Moloch I could challenge, but Mephisto… He’s too dangerous. I’ve yet to gain leverage yet. I need time.

But I can’t give it to him. Not—

‘Fine!” I barked, knowing they were giving me time to think. If even it was less than a few milliseconds.

“But I’ll give it to Moloch rather than you,” I told him. If I could stir up some trouble between these monsters, I might be able to escape: This would be the last time I underestimated Arsene and those surrounding him.

The boy might not be the most talented schemer, but he has a head on him. If I want him… I’ll need help. I’ll need to bait the Fallen away. No, not just the Fallen. I need to bait my people. And there is only one man who can do so.

The Traitorous Enoch.

Flashing to the side of Dreamless, I summoned both a Seraphim Feather and the Crown of Thorns.

“Will you let me leave?”

“Correct. I’m a devil of my words, Eldest. After all, none of us wishes you to summon the Word of God to save your skin.” he said, ” it would be unfortunate if Father got involved. You know his anger better than anyone.”

Tossing him the Crown of Thorns, a pinch caught my heart as I crushed the Feather of Gabriel, an object I paid dearly to possess. One that allows any to transverse the Myriad Heavens no matter how protected it is.

But even so, there is a price to be had. The sin I created was forcefully entering. Had I merely used the feather to enter, I could have neglected any tribute to Moloch.

Vanishing in a radiant flash of light, I saw Mephisto’s accursed smile. The very smile he used to destroy me once. The very smile he used to take away my position at one point oh so long ago. The very smile he used to gorge out the eyes of my brethren for touching his dear sister.

“FUCK!!!!!” I barked, banging my fist against a cave just outside the Belt of Grace where I materialized.

“Lord—”

“Leave me, Dream. Leave and prepare for war. The Order of Chaos will be after you. And Mephisto will not leave you be.” I told him, banishing him with a flick of the wrist. I glared at the darkness glaring back at me. Its ethereal nature seemingly, drawing me into thoughts I’d rather not have. But ones I needed to perform.

“The Blight needs to be stopped. It needs to stop before it evolves.”ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝑙．𝑐𝘰𝘮

Gritting my teeth against one another, I painted upon the stone a pentagram with a cauldron at its center. “A feather of a Nephilim to represent man and the divine, blood of a Highborn to signify beginning, the heart of the innocent of revealing the nature of man, and the divinity of the Gods.”

Tossing each ingredient in, I felt my heart bleed a the rarity of each item. A Nephilim Feather was already impossible to find. Aurelia was the only one for the longest now we’ve ten. But they’re all scattered.

Taking a moment to calm my erratic heart, I tossed in a flame within the cauldron. Smoke flared like an explosion as he appeared in a flash of light.

Eyes green as the World Tree Yggdrasil, he stood, his ghastly pale skin painted with a plethora of sigils and runes that made no sense to me, yet they seemed carved into his skin by hand.

“Enoch.” I greeted, measuring the scrawny ball-headed man before me. “You’ve changed. You look… well, you look quite different.”

“Metatron? How’d you… I’m warded.” Enoch said, the panic in his voice quite apparent.

?α?dαsηθνε| “I paid a pretty penny to use this spell, you know,” I told him, masking the discontent with a lie. While these items were extremely rare, they were quite renewable. “It’s a one-time thing. I just needed your help. .”

Enoch grimaced, glanced at the remains of the ritual, frowned, and returned his gaze to me with something heavy on his mind. “I didn’t leave heaven on good terms.’ He kindly reminded me. “So what can a traitor do for you?”

“Mephisto,” I said, pausing as I struck my head. ” Oh, we’re currently in the Belt of Grace, so don’t try to run. You remember, don’t you? The fortress you created? A traitor like you will be cut down in a heartbeat.”

“Aw~ No wonder these walls look familiar.” He said, chuckling, betrayed by the sliver of sweat dotting his brow.

“How’d you like revenge? You were once his assistant, weren’t you? A brother he dared share his secrets with. Lovers even.”

Enoch folded his arms: ” Gabriel told you that? Fucker. We were friends. Nothing more.”

Of course, Gabriel would. His little tricks never cease.

“I’m preparing a team. You’ve heard of the Blight that has infected our kind?” Enoch nodded, a dark smile on his face as he chuckled.

“Aw, I see. I’m to be your bait for Mephisto. If anyone is going to rid the Myriad Heavens of this Blight. It’s him. You can’t trust the other Fallen. They are loose cannons but Mephisto. Well, he’s some compassion.” And he paused, bursting into laughter. “But your wrong. Our home, our lives, our everything matters not to him. Tell me, Metatron. Do you know the Sin Mephisto specializes in? No doubt he wields them all, but there is only one he truly belongs to.”

Is it, not pride? He is not an angry person, so it’s not wrath, nor is it gluttony. He’s—

Disrobing before me without a moment’s hesitation, my heart quivered as a grotesque scar so deep I could see Enoch’s thumping heart reveal itself to me. The scent of rotten flesh was thick in the air. He spoke:

“You know nothing of Mephisto. Nothing! You want my help with that monster! Give me back my freedom,” He seethed: “Heal me of this curse he gorged into my flesh as though I were his toy. Do so, and I’ll tell you everything. I’ll show you the real monster! The real enemy of God and all his children. You think you know him! Ha! You are as blinded as a child!”