Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Fumbling her words, it didn’t take long for me to notice an I.V. bag injected into her veins, leaving her pupils murky and without focus. And yet only a smile could be seen over her lips as her fingers danced over her womb.

I’m sorry, Lilith. But if you die birthing them. I swear I’ll kill them. Destiny or not, I don’t give a damn. Your life will forever be more important to me. Children will always leave when they grow up. But you… You will forever be by my side.

Unsure of my expression as thoughts continued to pierce my subconscious, Lilith’s palm curled around mine. Her icy touch was both a comfort and a warning of what was to come. “Tell me a story Arsene,” she whispered so softly I couldn’t help but look at Ariel for guidance.

“Tell her a story.” She said to me as a mysterious light cloaked her palms. “But remember, Lilith needs your Breath. Give a sliver every minute.”

Unsure what that would do, I somehow couldn’t bring myself to question her. Ariel was the professional in this regard. And for her to ask me. Someone with zero experience served only to tighten a noose around my neck.

I wouldn’t disobey.

It’s funny how helpless I feel right now. For all my power… I can’t do shit.

“Cycles ago, when Zariel, Zhu, and I lived under the same roof.” I began remembering that story like it had been just yesterday: “News of a criminal had echoed through the grand halls of Ilia. Zariel was but a snot nose brat, barely able to lift a sword, yet he was better than me.”

“Really?” Lilith joined, giggling away. Her pale lips were beginning to crack. But despite the blood trickling from gaps in her lips. Her radiance only seemed to deepen.

“Oh yes. That bastard was quite proficient when it came to weapons. Although he was so nice, it was sickening. A gentle soul, if you will. If you can believe that. That is until I noticed someone sneaking into our sister’s bed chamber.”

Gad whimpered, nudging his obsidian nose, still wet against Lilith’s pregnant stomach. And at that moment, I could feel its seraphic qi come alive.

“Easy Gad.” Ariel comforted. “Not yet. Lilith’s body needs to grow weaker. We need to weaken her physically. That way, those little twins won’t accidentally kill her. Their instincts will take over to keep their host alive. It’s one of the benefits of birthing a higher being, although it’s a dangerous operation, but I’m a master.”

Gad gave a small bark of acknowledgment.

Unsure why she was comforting the dog more than me, I proceeded with my story that had captured Lilith’s attention.

“At the time, Zariel and I had created this ritual of visiting our sister before and after we trained. Goodness, you should have seen how cute our little Truck-Kun was. She was downright adorable. But that didn’t stop our sister from experiencing her first assassination.” I paused, almost laughing at the thought. It had always bothered me, even as a king with a massive empire. I still couldn’t understand why Titus, my Father behaved the way he did.

He was a smart man. There was no question about it. And yet I found his disdain; his hate towards us seemed almost out of place. Perhaps he was merely a sadist who loved watching us tormented but—

“Sene?” Whispered Lilith as I transferred a sliver of Breath. I carefully watched as the blood between her legs trickled over the ground, staining my vision red. Her fingers tightened.

“It was impossible to enter our palace. Not without help. Both Zariel and I knew this. And that was especially true for our secluded Annex. Goodness. Blood practically rushed to our heads as we noticed that bastard enter our sister’s room. We were so hot-blooded and angry we didn’t even care for the difference in cultivation as we rushed in only to see him pinned to a wall like he were Jesus or something.”

“Mother was right there. Feeding our little sister. I’d never forget that day. She had sent Zariel to sleep with a snap but me. She kept me awake. Gurna Velnola, that was the name of the bastard moaning away, begging for his wretched life as he laid nail to the wall.” I paused, finding a cruel grin. ” That day, Mother pointed to the wooden spear in my hand and said, ‘Kill him.’ I couldn’t have been more than seven then, but I gladly accepted that order. I severed that fuckers head little by little, cutting him down with a spear that couldn’t cut.

“That’s how you protect your family.” Both Lilith and I said.

Startled, I forced a smile, tightening my hold over our interlocked fingers. ” yeah… that’s exactly what Mother told me. Said I was a man now. And men protect their families. Right?” 𝗼𝐯𝗹．𝐞𝘁

“Hehe. Is my Sene getting emotional?” Lilith asked, the warmth in her palms all but gone, yet I could feel a rich life force keeping her going. “Well. Thats right. And now it’s your turn to protect me. Promise me, Sene. Promise you’d not abandon them if…”

“Don’t. ” I spat in a demanding voice. “Don’t talk like that.”

“I must… There is still a chance of me perishing during—”

“Lilith, don’t.’ I warned her.

But she only smiled. “Sene, you can be such a villain at times. Yet such a sweetheart. I don’t know what I love more.”

“That’s because you’re crazy.”

“And you’re not? But I must say… I never once thought during my childhood I’d be eating another person. What a ride, eh?”

“We did more than that,” I mentioned pushing my warmth into hers. “Didn’t we bathe in a pool of our enemy’s blood? We should do that again.”

“Oh! Sex and a bath? Where do I sign.” She weakly said as the fog within her eyes could only deepen, sinking into oblivion.

I, too, would visit Oblivian were she to pass.

“She’s prep. ” Ariel said, tapping my shoulder. “You need to leave. My team will arrive soon. They are those that are hand-picked by me. Your energy will only serve to—”

“Keep her alive, Ariel.”

“That’s my jo—”

“No.” I turned to her, my eyes drilling deep into her soul. ” You will keep her alive. At all cost.”