Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I stood shaken by the tremor that shook the home of Sorina, racks of leather and various beasts that hung as decoration fell. Charging out of the house before it collapsed over me, I stared over the horizon at the massive geyser of ash filling the skies. The forest was aflame, and the roars of wild Abyssal beasts cried from a great distance.

"Master!" Freya came rushing over, " Ren was caught in a blast between two unknown armies. His Holocube states he is still alive, but the damage he has sustained is disastrous. He will die if he doesn't have any help."

"How the hell did he get separated from everyone else?" I complained. Damn it. I don't want to lose one of Truck-Kun's men. He is a valuable asset.

"Is there anyone in the area that can help?" I asked, but Freya shook her head, " The closest person seems to be about a month's journey. I, however, did recognize the freighter starship. It belongs to the Overworld. It seems someone opened fire on them. It's a safe bet that war, a realm war, has started."

"I see." Pondering in thought, I sighed, "It's a marathon, not a sprint." I comforted. There was no need to rush, but this mysterious group has my interest. "Let's go get him. How far is he?"

Freya lifted the holocube that projected an array of information and fixed her gaze on me."A week's journey. Noctem granted us some medical pills, it should help, but if this was a Realm Battle, and his injuries are as bad as this report, then we need to hurry."

Ezra glanced over at the report in Freya's hands and frowned, " Is he so important? He seems like a dead man to me." She said, indifferently as ever. "I have met this man a couple of times, and he isn't that impressive."

"Then it shows your ignorance. Ren is valuable to Baphomet. We are going," I ordered, attaching the spear of pestilence to my back with a leather strap; I glanced at Sorina, "You should gather your people; there is sure to be a beastal raid passing by in the coming days."

Sorina nodded, and we bolted from the compound and raced into the forest. Whipping through the dense woods, I spoke to Zanris, " Get a count on who is near. Make a list, and send the final data to my Holocube.

Zan nodded confidently, and I turned my attention to Ezra, " Contact Bael, tell him to have our armies on guard. Freya, you watch the skies. I don't want to be on the receiving end of what happened to Ren."

Running in the coming days that seemed to skim by, I could only curse for not bothering to gather any food from Rena and the others. I had forgotten I needed to eat. While it wasn't a problem with the influx of wild beasts whipping by us each day, it slowed us down when we had to eat. Not to mention sleep seemed to be needed despite our level of power. However, Freya seemed less affected than most. Probably due to her strong soul.

Ren's vitals were steadily dropping, but they had, for the most part, stabilized, by the time we had arrived, in a peerie of ash and hail. The intense heat was brushing against my skin, searing my clothing. While Zan and Erza were forced to form barriers to defend themselves against these flames, they dared not get too close.

Exhausted by what seemed like a more challenging mission than it should be, the howls of the various beast became more prominent; filled with malice, I shot my gaze to Freya. "Where is he?"

My knight's expression fell when her face lifted to the dark skies," We need to move," She snapped, pointing her fingers to the skies when a rain of azure showered the skies, falling to the ground, grim horror poured over our faces.

"Scatter!"

Mushrooms of explosion bellowed over the land of the abyss, tearing me off the ground. My bloodline howled; as a repulsive force wrapped around my body alongside the darkness that protected me. Even so, I was barely able to control myself as I stabbed the spear of Pestilence into the ground. Standing my ground over the destructive rain, decimating the forest, my mind-melded into the darkness of the abyss.

With the ringing of explosion sieging the land below, my eyes snapped towards the sun's direction, near a chasm. I shouted, empowering my voice with divinity, "Get out of here; I found him."

Darting towards the chasm, I leaped into the abyss without hesitation. Plunging into the darkness below, a shroud of night slipped over my legs, And I stepped over the confines of space and darkness into a hidden cave.

Flying had seemed not to be possible for some reason, at least it was for now. I was sure witht the path of the abyssal night, I would be able to once more fly as my soul adapted to this realm, but for now, I had to use simple tricks.

I took a whiff of the blood, and my eyes locked onto the three bodies, oozing blood without end. Two of the unfamiliar faces' wounds were terrible, not as bad as Ren's, but awful nonetheless, with serious sears over their flesh and bones protruding from their legs, chest, and arms. At the same time, Ren seemed to be missing both his legs, while over half his face appeared to be a nightmare of melted flesh.

Hastily wrapping all three of them in the darkness, their wounded bodies sank into a portal of darkness that swirled around my hand, turning into a black pearl.

Leaping out of the chasm without hesitation, I plunged deep into the chasm, where only night seemed to exist, and teleported with the help of the darkness, far past the bombardment, and fell to my knees.

My vision burry and slowly dimming, I rested near a tree and pulled out a Holocube, " I got them. How is everyone else?" I waited for a few minutes, and my heart slowly began to sink when the voice of Freya echoed.

"I got Ezra and Zanris. Master, I don't recognize the ships above. They seem different from anything I know." Freya said, panic quite evident in her tone. "We are coming to you know, m'lord."