Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Chapter 527 - Asmodeus - True Power

Slicing through the very fabric of space, a ding I would never forget rang through the Bed of Chaos.

Cutting through the Blade of Termination, every generation of Demons and Devils had grown to fear like it was air, my arms shook.

When I had awoken to this new Era, I had come to recognize that I had bent a knee towards Lucifer, the Fallen Angel banish to rule over hell. It was not a surprise to me as many devils and demons knew and feared this Fallen.

It was quite the honor to be recognized by Lucifer, so I never placed much thought in the idea of worshiping him, as I had done so for longer than I could remember.

However, the new Kings and Princes of Hell found issues with this. I never bothered to rectify such transgression, as I could not have cared less. A mistake I had come to regret to this day.

Not many know this, but every last Prince of hell was killed off during the early years of the new Era. Where they not immortals and capable of coming back to life, the damage would have been permanent after a few Dao Cycles.

Even so, those that did die came back totally different, carrying an innate fear towards the blade that smited them. Some tried to destroy it, myself included, but it was all for not. We failed each time.

Yet, now, before my eyes, the Sword capable of destroying Kings and Princes of hell was severed in half.

Sheathing her blade, Lilith turned to me, "This is all I can do for him. I hope he can handle the rest."

I did not want to dampen her heart, but the chances of Arsene living were slim. Even if that blade had ten percent of its power left, it held the ability to kill a prince of hell. As a new God, Arsene would die.

Sure the power then and the power now was the difference between heaven and earth, but the profoundness that sword stroke carries was the pinnacle of anything I had ever seen. I cannot foresee Arsene living.

"Let's hope," I muttered. However, as those doubtful words left my mouth, a faint whisper echoed through my ear. Scrunching my brow, I turned to Arsene, who opened his eyes.

"All Hail, the Monarch of Darkness, Arsene." Said an unfamiliar voice that echoed through the entirety of the Bed of Chaos.

"Father?" Lilith firmly called to me, but my gaze remained locked on Arsene, whose eyes gleamed a mysterious light. There was something different about him. Something for all my power, I could not see.

Standing still in mid-air, gripping his spear, he stared off into empty space. Still, as a corpse, his gaze shifted to Lilith, "Come."

As if compelled, Lilith glided to his side and smiled, "How does it feel?" She questioned, touching his cheek.

"Broken, yet complete." He replied within her hands, "Everything feels different. A single drop and the veil shattered."

"A shame you will not be able to enjoy it," Pointing to the skies, the Shadow of a Myriad God, wielding the tattered blade of termination, howled, charging like a beam of azure light.

Piercing through space and time, a blood-thirsty grimace marred his face.

Lifting my hand, an invisible force ripped Lilith away and into my hands as we distance away from Arsene.

"Remember his gift!" Lilith roared.

"It will not help." I casually remarked, "No matter how powerful his body is, before the blade of termination, even a prince of hell will die."

"She wasn't talking about his physique." The Beast King, Baphomet uttered solemnly.

Flickering near me, Levi leaned onto me, struggling to stand. Holding on to her, I could feel her very flesh beginning to melt at my touch. Mincing in my hands, she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Let me see. Let me see him rise into a god."

Foolish Devil, what is the point? How old are you? Yet you still allow your sin to control your urges.

SHaking my head, I held my tongue. Wrapping my wife in a web of divinity to weaken the effects of that damn relic. As all of us gazed heavily at the lonesome Prince standing before the coming light.

"Yesh, Sitri. I shall call upon you once more." He softly commanded. Swiping his blade through the breeze, the Spear of Noctem shuttered before letting loose two wails of anguish.

Screaming to the heavens, a surge of Angelic and Infernal Divinity erupted, swallowing the world in a realm of heaven and hell. Breeding mountains and tearing them down in an infinite cycle of life and death, the power of the abyss engraved within the spear melded these two powers together. Creating a dreadful force I had never seen before.

Finding a smile, Arsene glared at the oncoming star hurling towards him at an impeccable rate. At that moment, my heart froze as his eyes glowed with a familiar silver hue.

"No! No! it can't be him! They. They know each other? He knows the Silver Devil? Lucifer, save us all." I pleaded as my heart recalled that bloody day.

"The Weave," Lilith coldly said.

Storming down from the stary skies, broken and tattered, the Shadow, gripping the Sword of Termination, cleaved.

Splitting stars, planets, and the nature of reality, his blade tore towards Arsene Snow without hesitation. Carrying a sword intent, even I could not comprehend. My fears only grew remembering that fateful day.

The day his majesty, the Heavenly Father, hurled a single bolt of lightning towards the Silver Devil. The day known as the 'Judgment of Sin.'

Fiendishly smiling, Arsene howled. Piercing his spear forward at an odd angle, a power capable of destroying the plant beneath our feet erupted.

Shrieking in laughter, The Spear of Noctem tore through the Shadows sword strike with bearly any resistance, turning it into a sea of embers. "DIE!!!"

"NOCTEM OF DESTRUCTION!!!" The Devil thundered out as all of the Darkness gathered at the tip of Arsene's spear, just as his blade pierced through the Shadow's Sword.

Sending a beam filled with the power of an Arch-Angel, and a Prince of Hell, a flash of broken space came and went, leaving nothing behind but the broken essence of the Shadow's will.

"Before the Weave, all weaknesses shall be revealed no matter how small." Lilith hopelessly announced. "There is no trap it cannot see, no future it hasn't already seen, no mystery it hasn't solved."

"So is the Power of Zariel Snow, The Lord of Order"