Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

The moment Lilith had floated up into the air, leaving me without a second thought. I had been struck by a sudden urge to study the Dao of Chaos and Destruction.

Keeping an eye on my wife as she entered the emerald light, I felt the gaze of the Seven Elders upon me. Staring with an emotion I was all too familiar with, Envy.

Meeting their gaze that seemed never to let up, I pressed ahead. Somehow for the first time finding myself in the correct location.

At times, I may be an idiot, but I undoubtedly know that I, Arsene Snow, have a crippling sense of Luck and Direction. I had come upon such an area far too quickly and easily.

Pausing for a moment, the words of Lilith echoed into my head regarding Asmodeus forcing his people to chant the Doctrine of Sin unconsciously. I had been at the time too disdainful to follow another Monarch's rule but thinking about it now. I did not have much choice.

However, my instincts were howling for me not to, while another part of me was whispering to do so. The second voice was weak, almost insignificant, but its soft whisper tugged at my soul.

Chanting the mantra, I felt a wave of Abyssal Night surge from within my dantian, warming the chill I had not even known I had in my chest away. My thoughts had become clear, and my cheeks flushed, but the whisper and urge still called for the study of Destruction and Chaos.

'We need power,' The familiar voice uttered, sounding a little desperate to my shock.

'Who are you?'

'Us'

Creasing my brow at its abnormal response, the chill I once had returned but not without my knowledge.

"Destruction will allow us to defeat, The Abyssal One."

"Tell me your name, and I will give up this opportunity and follow your lead." I played off cautiously. While this was a big deal to just give up on reading various concepts of Darkness, I could not learn much regarding Darkness anymore. My understanding had transcended what others understood to be the all-encompassing Dao.

"Aegis," It uttered to my fascination.

"Random or Given name."

"Random," It replied back, causing my brow to crease.

I could barely pick up on its emotion. It was almost robotic in many ways.

Passing my fingers through the various text held by the so-called Library of Time, a surge of information began to overflow from within me.

Recalling my match with Julius and how his injuries were constantly healing even with my Darkness withering his life force, I came to understand the same thing would happen with Devils. The Withering aspect of Darkness was not as practical anymore.

However, that will not stop me from using the Withering Aspect; I felt there is more to it.

"Wither no more," Aegis uttered sharpy, "For now a Path of Destructive Night is ours to take."

So it cannot read my mind... Or at least it cannot read my mind with Abyssal Night running through my body. Nevertheless, I cannot last like so; this mantra is very taxing on my mind, and I am without any souls.

Finding a nice spot in a section that bordered the Dao of Chaos and Destruction, I began studying its versatility.

Chaotic Night and Destructive Night were two of the paths I had already started in my endless torment to compete Noctem. However, it fell short due to my lack of understanding and affinity.

Growing a little weary for having the Path of Abyssal Night active for so long, I sighed, knowing there was only one solution.

Weakening the effects of my mantra to a level I can have active each passing second, a wave of ice came over me, freezing my soul into place. My mind grew a bit dim, and my heart dark.

"We are Free," Aegis uttered, carrying more emotion within his tone than ever before. His voice echoed out like an enchanting songstress.

When all of a sudden, Lilith appeared.

'Shit,'

...

...

...

Gripping the Spear of Noctem in my hands, the tip of its head laid upon Lilith's neck, who did not seem concerned. Even with a trickle of blood falling from her neck and onto my blade that ran down the polearm and onto my fingers.

"Have you come to?" She casually inquired.

Hastily Pulling Noctem from off her neck, my hands shuttered. "That was too close."

"You would never harm me, Sene, Never you," Lilith uttered warmly, passing her hands through my hair.

"Was the Path of Abyssal Night running when I attacked?" I hastily asked, not sure if this thing read my thoughts or not. It could see and hear through me, but I was trapped in Darkness at the time.

"It was. Why? You know what, tell me later." Lilith suddenly said, glancing around suspiciously. "Let's go; it seems we only have a few minutes left. Unless you wanna stay?"

"We must say!" Said the smoldering voice of Aegis weakly.

"Yeah, let's go," I agreed coldly, thinking up a plan to slaughter this fucker trying to kill my wife. "But how long was I out?"

I was still a little weak mentally to use Abyssal Night to its full capabilities, but nothing has changed mentally, so it seems like Aegis has a limit.

"About five minutes." She replied with a surprised stare.

"You know?"

'I do now," I sent back, leading the way ahead, "Let's go. Coming here was..."

"Lord Snow. we have words we wish to share." Said the Seven Elders in unison, appearing like a phantom, causing my heart to race against my chest.

"We would like to invite you to dinner, is all. It will seem our king wishes a word with you. Hearing that you were within his domain, he rushed back."

'Sene, these guys hate you. We need to bide our time carefully. At least until Asmodeus, Levithan and Baphomet can appear." Lilith transmitted into my mind.

"What time is dinner here?" I played along, feeling the moon still high in the air. The night was still present.

"in about six hours. But why not tour our lands in the meantime? Our training grounds will definitely be quite useful to you—Prince of Noctem.." The Seven stated calmly with shared eyes.