Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Devouring Abyssal Qi from the very void that existed all around me, I found myself lost in a wave of euphoria soaring through my veins like hot magma, soothing my anger, lust, and pride. I felt myself ease into a state of comfort. Dismantling the will of the hell from the core of my being, the odd essence that I could not identify soared to greater heights as it poured into me without end.

Releasing a breath of impure air, I found myself once again before a nebula of unimaginable vitality, pulsing with such power; I felt my legs buckle under the pressure. Surrounded by a vast ocean of darkness and a multicolored swirling existence that could not be comprehended, I bowed.

Was this the abyss? I lifted my head and slid my gaze to my left and right, finding myself lost in the infinite vortex of nothingness.

"Arsene!"

Snapping my eyes, open looking at Avar standing before me, a coldness I found almost intolerable raced into my heart. Despite the burning heat of the twin sun upon my cloak, I felt colder than I ever had before.

"Did you not hear me? It's been a month!" Avar said, squatting down. "Look at you." She pointed out as a whiff of something foul entered my nose. I dared not look down after getting a whiff of that foul air of shit and piss that entered my nose as she continued, " You need to get something to eat. You know we need to eat food in this realm or die."

Cleaning myself up with shadow flames, I lifted my hands to my face and gasped at the state of my shriveled hands and groaned when a wave of nausea washed over me while dots of black slowly began to sprinkle my vision.

"Damn that, Lilith," I muttered, "Why didn't she wake me."

"She visited you every day to feed your child, but it seems like she felt you were better off in your state of enlightenment." She explained, staring at me with a long stare, "Kurt, Siegfried, and Talos are here, along with the one called Rey Talzen."

"Surely you didn't wake me for that?" I remarked, knowing Avar would not waste her time with something so trivial.

"The Clan of Night has requested our presence. It seems they are finally ready to talk. Guess it took them four months to figure things out."

Materializing a strange-looking syringe filled with an ominous green liquid. My heart raced as she plunged the syringe into my chest before I could ask what it was. Watching in shock as my shriveled form regained its youthful color, I smiled.

"Can I get a hundred of those?"

"No." She sharply said, " Now hurry and change your clothing. You still stink." She uttered, vanishing from my sight.

"As crass as ever," Shaking my head, I chuckled as the shadow flames seared my clothing to ash, allowing the rays of the twin suns to pierce my skin. Hearing the sizzling of my flesh, my teeth clenched so hard, blood spilled out of my mouth as I tried not to scream out like a little bitch.

Quickly clothing myself in some simple wear, a delightful sigh escaped my lips as the unbearable pain diminished by almost seventy percent. "When the hell is this aversion going to fade? A body that can adapt needs to adapt. It's been a year!" Picking myself off the grass, overlooking the entire village below, I lifted my head as the nippy winds fluttered against my new cloak. "Jinx, you there? I could use a guide. Despite my greatness, I get lost simply by walking straight."

"I'm here," Jinx said, flickering to my side on one knee, with her long violet hair fluttering wildly in the breeze. Lifting her head to me, her shimmering green eyes locked me in place. Her features were striking, from her perfect cheekbones to her sharp brow and cheery lips. It was all too perfect.

God, I love the cultivation world. I swear everyone here is attractive. It was rare I would see those that were average, and that was relative as back on earth, these people would look like models.

"You don't look like your daughter," I mentioned.

"We of the abyss are different than what you might think. When we have children, our gene pool is not determined directly by the father or the mother but rather by the entire generation beforehand. We technically get to pick and choose what we want." She said, bowing her head, " Unlike you or the others our clan captured, when we procreate, if we are strong enough, we could technically grant our children qualities of the first generation."

That's crazy. I wonder if Lilith took all my good qualities. Come on, Arsene, are there any bad qualities? You're a total dime. A sexy one too. I'm sure the little one will have my ashen hair. I wonder what color eyes they will have? Good god! I need to make a mask and a weapon.

"Master Arsene?" Jinx said.

Startled awake from my thoughts, I hastily nodded, " Yes, umm, where was I? Oh yes, take me to the clan heads. And please tell me Astra will not be there?"

Jinx's brow twitched, " I'm afraid she will. But so will her majesty."

Another traitorous woman. I still need to talk with Izavith; that cold-hearted bastard straight screwed me. Just you wait till… Ok, maybe it will take forever to kick her ass, but just you wait, Izavith. I will plow you, and if I have a boy, and I fail, my boy will surely do it! I'm going to make that the family mantra!

Till the darkest night turns to light, I swear, to plow—

Thunder crackled over my head, a deep scarlet over the cloudless skies scaring the shit out of me.

Can she read minds? Damn it, that was starting to sound like an actual mantra too.

"Arsene, what are you doing?" Lilith sounded from behind me, her arms placed firmly upon her waist, as she eyed me darkly. " Izavith seems to be growing angry. Were you thinking of her?"

"I thought she couldn't interfere?" I muttered out.

"You're a real idiot; You know that? Hurry up. Everyone is waiting."

"I'm just saying, if and mean if I do, do something, she would deserve it," I said, nodding my head.

"You realize she could destroy your brother, right?"

'Lilith, Lilith, Lilith,' I sang through our tether, " Downing, your right-hand woman, is the best revenge I can have against her. A goal, I will subject our kids, and their kids to—"

"I'm going to tell her everything! Dummy!"

"Traitor!"