Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

“Everything has gone according to your plan or punishment,” I said, standing next to Izavith, studying her serene expression as she lifted a glass of champagne to her pink lips; she smirked.

“It was your master suggestion; I only complied because he asked.” She replied, and my cheeks seemed to heat up the moment she brought up my Master.

It was embarrassing to say, but I’d never envision myself bowing my head toward someone. To fall to a knee, merely by their presence. But fall I did, unable to resist those silver eyes of his, I allowed myself to become his disciple.

“It’s a foolish mistake on Arsene’s part to believe I would interfere in the will of the abyss, much less its prophecy, but we needed to teach him a lesson. Thinking back now, maybe we went too far, but what’s done is done.” Her lips curled, and she slid her pearly red eyes to me, “You and I have fooled everyone involved. Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I said back, unable to stop myself from smiling.

“How is it working under that Silver Devil?”

“He’s been informing me of gaps in history while also granting me some brain teasers about the cycle of Dao and Concepts. I’ve learned so much, I think—”

Izavith placed her fingers over my lips, causing my heart to flutter and my cheeks redden as she leaned in, “People are listening. We’ve not only tricked Arsene but other higher beings. You’ll do best not to say your secrets out loud.”

“Then when are we delivering the package to Arsene?” I inquired, glancing around at the wandering eyes. I could feel a Silence spell around me, but I was sure people were trying to pierce through Izavith’s magic.

,m But watching Arsene and his people suffer over one careless action, I realized how much Arsene had gotten away with being brothers with my Master. Yu Jing was the key to all of his plans, and with her supposed death, everything had changed.

I don’t know what type of witchcraft Freya has been into but creating a clone of someone like Yu Jing is impossible. At least it should be impossible.

Creating clones is one of the significant genetic moral sins a person can make. And due to the abstract nature of Yu Jing’s bloodline and cultivation, that not only forces a person’s existence to be pushed to a greater height, which by definition makes us all aberrations. Everyone wants to believe that they can just absorb Qi from Heaven and Earth, and you’ll be fine, but that simple act breaks down the cells and recreates them stronger. Freya is trying to re-create a clone of Yu Jing with the same genetic components, which cannot be formed without a specific string of Qi that can only come from a soul. We are not mortals anymore; cloning is but a dream of those in Genesis.

I have spent over eight Dao Cycles trying to clone myself without splitting my soul. Maybe then I would have someone that could understand me. To understand how a girl whose talents were sub-par, barely above an ordinary mortal, could become a Paragon. How many years did it take me? How many schemes did I have to run through before becoming who I am today? I have killed more people than I’ve met, and even now, as a Paragon. I feel like nothing has changed when under the gaze of my Master.

“You’ll have to ask your Master. I don’t want to be too involved.”

“Then how about lunch?” I hopefully asked. I’ve never been able to have a decent lunch with a woman I consider a friend. ｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖

And throughout the years, as we taught each other things, I honestly have begun to enjoy spending time with Izavith. She’s as clueless about the world as I am.

“That would be lovely. It’s a date. Did I use that term right?” She inquired, turning to me with a large smile.

“I think so.”

“IZAVITH!!!!” A cute shout rang, and I knew it was time to sneak away.

“Three days from today,” I said, scheduling our date, taking my leave, and waving her off.

Catching a glance of Arsene speaking with Levithan and Asmodeus, I paused; sensing a disturbance in space a few kilometers away, I left the party to check.

Walking through the woods, the sounds of tearful whimpering reached my ears,” w-what-what am I to do? The Gestation period has failed, and it has failed in every lab. I-I-I can’t go back. I can’t go back to him. Not Odin, please, not him. Master is going to–”

“Freya,” I called, startled by the woman on her knees, crying into her hands.

‘Avar?” She muttered, peeping up with large swollen eyes,’ W-w-what am I going to do?”

I felt my heart seize at her broken tone; it was the first time it had ever done that. Confused by what it meant, I made sure to read my chart, the nanobots created within me.

“What am I to do? You had told me that cloning was impossible long ago and that it would fail in the Gestation period, but I didn’t understand why. Now-Now—”

Nothing wrong? Impossible?

“I—”

“Master is going to force me back to that monster. Do you know what it’s like to have your face stepped on as a man you were to call your husband brutally rapes you? To have your screams for mercy be his pleasure? To plead and beg till all that is left is a bloody mess down below and a battered body trembling, knowing that the next day the same thing was going to happen. To hear the sounds of your whimper followed by his laughter? Oh, GOD! PLEASE!!!”

My heart clenched. Was I feeling guilty? Did I even know how to feel guilt?

Falling into a waterfall of wails, I froze. What was I to do? I couldn’t relate. In Genesis, most people don’t care about sex but the advancement of civilizations. Or was I just ignorant of the tragedies before me?

“Master gave everything to me. I love him. But I can’t. I can’t go back.” She whimpered out, and it was at that moment I felt a powerful reaction awakened within Freya. I felt her entire being light up into a pillar of death, about to detonate.

“Forgive me, Master! I’m nothing but a failure.”