Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Listening to my brothers argue amongst each other. Their faces flushed with rage as, one by one; they demanded answers I’d been looking for years. Searching to no avail. And yet… here I was, listening to them demand answers. I laughed, finding their reaction as idiotic as their demands.

“This isn’t funny,” Beelzebub bawled with a gaze that could cut. “How many of our memories have been tampered with? It isn’t Father or the Abyss. They wouldn’t have done such a shitty job.”

“Then it would have to be someone who had something against us before we fell. But there is no such person.” Moloch tacked on, narrowing his eyes to me. “Any guesses?”

I grinned,” I’ve my guesses.’ I replied, pausing when a sudden call sent a tingle down my spine, alerting me to the intruder. I rose, shooting my brothers a deep-level stare: “But I’m not sharing. Figure it out yourself.”

Opening a portal in reaction to the intruder, a void of absolute darkness whipped over my perception before the embers of the First Chaos flame whipped over my eyes. Flickers of light slowly banished the darkness revealing a large warding seal against the stone structure. And a stranger draped in robs that masked his or her identity.

“For you to find the First Flame is no easy feat. One cannot enter this domain without it.” I said calmly, undeterred by the stranger’s invasion. There weren’t many who knew of the seals that hid the Seven Sins. “Are you here to break the seal?”

The stranger shook his head and lowered his hood as a rainfall of silky raven-colored hair cascaded down. She stood with violet eyes so soft and gentle even I felt a need, a desire to protect, awaken within me.

She was beautiful. One of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen. Skin a deep milky white, with a face far more bewitching than any succubus. And one I called a friend. One who had been broken by fate, falling so far even devils and demons, would be ashamed in her presence.

“Eve…” I said with a half smile. “So you’ve returned. How were your travels to the Forbidden Temple? I’ve always wanted to go, but… well, I’m always so busy.”

“Mephisto…” She began, turning to the seal in which I was sure she had many questions. “Why’d you weaken the seals? The moment I felt it begin to weaken, I hurried back.”

“Do you still fear the monster within?”

She didn’t look back at me, but I could feel her intent quiver. She knew I wasn’t talking about the Sins but rather herself.

Eve had gone mad with the death of her son. She didn’t care who she had to beg. She went to both angels and fallen alike. The primordials, alongside the Ilvarins, in hopes of resurrecting her child.

And with each year… a brewing darkness began to gather within her soul. It wasn’t long before she turned her back on Father and all the Angels. She Fell. Eve… the first of Fathers, lower entities to fall outside us Fallen.

“I wish I knew.” She muttered. “I wish I knew souls that exist in heaven can’t be resurrected.”

Was he in Heaven? Abel wasn’t in Hell, that was for sure. But hell is a big place. And every day, we are discovering artifacts and new locations. Hell is ever-expanding. And yet no one knew where Abel’s soul was.

“So? Will you not answer me?” She said, turning to me with a forced smile. It was the smile she wore when she wanted nothing more than to sleep or be utterly alone.

“I destroyed most of the seal because I was creating a weapon to splinter heaven and earth, to carve a path into a new realm.”

“At the cost of the Myriad Heaven?” She said firmly. “What the hell Mephisto? You know what lies behind these doors.”

“In times of great turmoil, heroes will be birth,” I told her, amused by her scolding expression. ” Father is sure to create a child or have his special Guardian fix it. Either way. Is it, not my nature to bring about chaos?”

“Chaos doesn’t equate to extermination.”ραпdαs `n?ν?| сom

“Then will you be the guardian of this bedlam?” I conveyed, drawing near the seal. “No, I don’t think you will. But don’t you think it’s time to return to your family?”

She scuffed. “What family? Cain bares the Mark. Adam, that trash, I left him for dead, bleeding out with a gash on his neck. Is he not dead?”

‘Nope. Saved by a Forsaken in passing. He is doing well. However, the Kingdom you both had has been destroyed. Ruined by Adam and his debauchery. Cain, well he took after his father. Although he’s gone quite mad.”

“Do you think Cain would like to… no, probably not right?” She whispered.

“Speak in complete sentences. I’m not a mind reader…yet. How awesome would that be.” I mused, giving it some thought. I’d be like a mega Mephisto. Hmmm. I should research that.

Cheeks a little flushed, she snorted. “You think he’ll want to see me again?”

“Cain? Hell no. You abandon him. Went on an evil binge flooding the land with utter chaos, tried creating a weapon to kill my Father, then vanished.”

“He was gone by the time I left… And the time he killed my darling, Abel. If anyone should be apologizing, it should be—”

“Did Mordred kick you in the head or something? Are you high on that mary jane? Are you snorting something? Cain is or was a petty little shit. And no one had seen him for a very long time. Like a very, very long time.”

“What about me!” Eve said, popping her head up to me with a sparkle in her eye. Her reaction was like a child looking for approval.

“What about you?”

“I’ve been gone for a long time.”

“No. You pop up every now and again. And honestly, it’s not hard to find you. Cain has just vanished. I can’t even find him. Not that I’ve been looking.”

Eve bowed her head in compilation and slowly lifted her gaze to the warding seal: “Do you think Tenebrae can re-strengthen the seal?”

‘No. the Art of Seal is quite restricting. That’s what makes it so powerful. But I’m sure Aunty has some thoughts about that. Why not visit her? You two have always had a good relationship.”

Eve smiled: “Kay. Let’s go, Mor!” ｂ𝚍ｎｏ𝚟ｌ.

With a little startling gleam, a shadow suddenly appeared with its arms wrapped around Eve’s slender waist. Wielding eyes of scarlet flames, it snorted at me, pulling Eve deeper into its embrace.

?α?dαsηθνε| “Back up off my woman chump!”

“Mor!” Eve squeaked, cheeks utterly flush. “Mephisto, I’m so sorry about—”

“… No… It’s fine. I think. I’ve heard Mordrid is… different. I’ll take my leave first.”