Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

"You really are a pain the ass; you know that?" Bjorn, my cellmate, complain, eyeing me up and down in relief. "But it's good you made it. Congrats on your breakthrough."

Cuffing my arms, I bowed, "Thanks for the assist. Things would have turned differently if not for you."

"Please, those three girls of yours were there to protect you. Especially the one with the silver hair. I don't know who she is, but it was thanks to her that you are safe."

Pulling my lips upwards, I could not help but smile, knowing Lilith was watching over me...Hmm, she was probably within Midgard for a while. Silly little thing...

"While I am grateful, who are you?" I ask. Bjorn looked around, shaking his head.

"I am one of the servants of the Vanir Clan. Sent here to protect any young sorcerors I find. It was just my bad luck I was stationed here, but I have informed the Vanir Clan about you."

"They already know about me; I met one of their elders already. He even gave me a recommendation." I lightly said with a smile as Bjorn froze.

"...Do...Do you know his name?" he stuttered in fear backing away.

"Silvia called him, Lord Torgeir,"

"By the Northern seas of Njörd, you met Lord Torgeir," Bjorn whispered in dread falling to his knees as he kowtowed towards me.

"Forgive my rudeness, young master." He shivered in fear, completely forgoing his early friendliness.

"Who was that old man?" I asked in confusion.

Opening his eyes wide, Bjorn frantically shook his head, "I cannot say, not until you officially become a member."

"Great, more official bullshit. Get up; you will blow your cover if you act like this." I said with a smile. "Tell me what happen while I was out."

"The Young master, tribulation destroyed half our prison, allowing some to escape. From what I hear, three men that have broken past the gate of truth have escaped. The warden is fuming, summoning reinforcements from Hallr. They should be here in a few days."

"Days? hallr is a months journey." I replied, touching my chin, "Is there a teleportation formation? Or are these people that powerful?"

"They are riding on wyverns, young master. From what I hear, some high officials are coming to interview all the new arrivals. They will be testing everyone, so be ready to hide your Qi."

"We need to leave within two weeks. Do you have a way of fleeing?" I coldly asked, remembering the horde of undead heading towards Sarem as we speak.

"...I do. Why?" he asked in confusion.

"I suggest you leave as quickly as you can. A horde of zombies are coming, and the Vanir's are busy with something else to help. If it was only normal undead, I would not care, but these things are different. They are capable of learning and evolving. Killing them is also difficult."

"Dear Lord, A Lich, what is one of them doing in the outskirts of Midgard." Bjorn yelled, slapping against the wall beside him, "Groma, we need to go prepare our escape. I will contact the Clan to confirm what Arsene said." he stated, leaving the cell in a flash.

Shrugging without care, I sat down on the floor, closing my eyes as my mind began to flash. Blending my mind with the darkness, the darkness became my eyes as I observed the entire prison creating a map of my escape.

With a vicious gleam, I arose, walking towards the edge of my cell. That was wide open. It was currently lunchtime for these animals, and the guards were currently watching over the brutes that needed food.

Looking around at some of the guards, I applied darkness to make my presence vanish before I began seemingly wandering around. There were a few instances where a few people would glance, but no one really paid attention to a weak gate of Man.

Walking towards the depts of the prison that was not destroyed, I saw hundreds of Gate of Truth waiting. Their weapons were drawn, ready for anything that could come in or out.

Getting past these people was downright impossible. Even with my Dao almost at the second stage. With how weak my qi was, I could not even use ten percent of my comprehension. However, as a being of darkness, there are many things I could do.

Standing still, I pushed my senses past the hundreds of guards, reaching a particular door surrounded by darkness. With a slight smile, the darkness began to bend and twist at my will as a body of pure darkness appeared. To me, techniques or Artes were unnecessary; If one had enough imagination and control, one did not need Artes to create. Not everything needed to be about killing, something most cultivators cannot understand.

Staring at the young woman covered in chains, I smiled as the darkness drew closer. "Do you wish to leave?"

With her long Amber hair hanging low, I saw a gleam of light flash as qi began to fill the heavens. Raising her head, I saw a bronzed skin woman release a blood-thirsty grin, "A Shade?"

"Greeting, little lady," I whispered in a demonic tone as my eyes began to shine with power glowing crimson within the darkness. A slight tremor ran through the woman as her chains began to shine, forcing her qi back in place. A pale look quickly began to appear around her copper skin as she glared daggers into me.

"So want to be my bait?" I asked, cutting straight to the point. "I could escape on my own, but governer bo annoyed me, so I wish to give him one final fuck you."

Drawing closer, I began to notice her long ears as I smiled, "So you must be what they call Dökkálfar, you are far prettier than I thought. The name is Arsene Snow."

"Zanris," the gorgeous woman stated with a cold gleam as blood began to leak from her eyes. Suddenly to my surprise, it began to twirl in the air shooting at me. However, I did not even bother dodging as it went through my body.

"It's just darkness, not even my real body. But it's my first time doing something like this, so chill out a bit—the things we can do with a little imagination. Why cultivators only focus on battle Artes is beyond me. Now Zanris care to make a deal with the devil?"

Closing her eyes, Zanris suddenly snorted in derision, "Why would I help you? You are not powerful..."

Before she could speak, darkness stormed some of her chains before turning white. Applying the flames of hellfire for an instant, a single chain melted into nothing as her eyes opened wide.

"All I wish is to have you, my dare. Not sexually, of course. All I want is you." I lightly said my words, a little vague for her to interpret in the wrong way " Of course you can 'leave' this place once we are out."

"You will let me leave?" She asked with a hopeful expression that brought a rather ruthless gleam to my soul. Noticing the webs that covered this dark cell, I nodded.

"You may 'leave' anytime you wish." but you will still be mine, my dear little elf. Once you are mine, you will forever be mine. Next time specify what you wish to leave this prison or my ownership. You will always be mine.

Drawing a contract within the darkness, I placed it before her with a bloody gleam within my dark appearance. "the contract, all it needs is your blood."

Zanris seemed a little hesitant as she shook her head, "No, swear to the gods. Swear to the..."

"Fuck your gods; I worship no one. I am a being of the Nines. You little insects may crawl before your little gods like lost sheep, but I will not. Sign the contract or stay here for all eternity."

Opening her eyes wide, Zanris shivered, beaming with delight, "Good, Good, you are not a fanatic." She said, her golden eyes glimmering like two suns as a drop of blood fell upon the contract.

"Welcome to the Clan."