Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Chapter 996 Ashen King

Atonement twirled in full swing with the flick of my wrist, whisking through the air. No sound of wind being cut could be heard as a black aura darkened the golden edge of the blade, tainting its once majestic color with obsidian black.

"Arsene, I've sent squads one and eight to back you up. They'll arrive in five breaths." Victoria sounded in my mind. "The two Elder gods will, however, arrive first."

"Who turned these soldiers into Shadowfell."

"Layla and Freya," Said Victoria.

"Then have Freya open up a Noctem gate," I decided. " She's not in combat, so she should be able to do it."

"Confirm."

Bending my knee, I shot forth as hundreds of flashes of light flickered and tore the air, speeding towards my head, chest, neck, and legs. However, just as those beams of deadly spells landed, I shadow stepped right before a surprised Zarla, my palm already over her chest.

Fear crept through her heart, oozing into my soul as she tried to strike with the dagger in her left hand. However, with a single intent, the air grew magnetic, spiking her hair as arcs of lighting flickered for the tip of my finger tearing through her chest, as Atonement flickered in a grateful semi-circle cutting through the necks of two High Gods.

"Maybe I've underestimated myself?" I said, sweeping my eyes over everything as dozens of soldiers started turning to face this king now, but with another flick of the wrist, my blade cut through the darkness as I employed Shadow Slash.

Heads rolled following the geyser of blood filling my sight. I released a single breath and watched as Zarla was blasted off her feet, and the dead soldiers dropped to their knees, dead.

"Protect—"

Tracking his voice before another syllable left his lips, I shadow stepped near the far left of the army towards a banner guard and drove my arm through his spine, taking his heart on the way out his chest as two sigils ignited within my eyes.

Anger flaring over the cries of the three dead, Atonement swept into another arc as sword light flickered through heaven and earth, cutting through bodies like hot butter. A blood mist washed over the battled field as a bloodlust crawled its way into my heart.

I released my second breath, took note of the twenty Gates of Noctem that appeared in the air, and chuckled as I began to cast.

"Heavenly Bind!" I shouted as the seven swords came piercing through the skies into the earth, holding the army in place.

"Slaughter, my Shadowfell!" I thundered as scores of my children came from the heavens like vicious Fallen cutting down hundreds before the Heaven Bind ended.

"For Noctem! FOR THE KING!!!"

"FOR LORD SNOW!!!"

"HAIL THE ASHEN KING!!!! KILL!!!"

Howling in laughter following the ocean of red filling my eyes, I opened my palm," I off thee my blessing! Go forth with the Darkness!"

The throne of Noctem spiraled, heating my brow as halo swallowed my men, and in but a moment, they all began to Shadow Step.

Shadow Step could not be stopped and was as fast as the user's mind. It was the ultimate evasion skill.

"DIE!" Tilting my head as an energy blade cut across my face nicking the skin. I frowned and turned to Zarla with a searing hole in her chest.

"YOU—"

Shadow Stepping in such a way, my forsaken qi exploded in such a nightmare of fury. Even my ally's weapons turned to dust as I snatched this foolish bitch by the skull and slammed her into the pool of blood and into the earth.

The Divinity Sin awakened to my fury, making the skies bleed a river of blood as the very hells began to call for me. Tapping into its attunement, I stood up and cracked my boot over her head.

Over and over, I stomped till her left eye popped out. I quickly jerked her to her feet and tore her jaw from its socket before jamming it into her only good eye. Watching in utter ecstasy as she squealed like a whore.

"Keep screaming," I barked.

Gargling over the blood drenching her robes, I sneered as my Divinity crackled with the fiendish laws of the Nines.

"Zarla!" Shouted Zolveck through the mist of blood rushing towards me.

His eyes turned wide as stars, but she was no longer his prey. She was mine.

"And abyss walker with such a low-level battle prowess. Utter humiliation. Utter shame!! To wound this king… only Hell will be an appropriate punishment."

Flaring my wings that began to bleed, the aura of the Nines Hells, space, and time began to spiral as an aura that should not exist on Ilutath awakened.

Envisioning what I saw within the Origin Realm, the Sin of Wrath woke and crackled over the world, alerting any Paragon or Elder God throughout the Realm of Blood. Darkness suddenly began to deepen, and with a viciousness I held in, deep within my soul, the Crest of Noctem and the Hells emerged through the spiraling vortex, merging into one another.

"For your Sins Against the Crown, you will burn within the deepest layer of the Hells," I uttered coldly, tossing this useless sack of shit into the spiraling vortex where eternity will be the last of her concerns.

Abyssal runes burning with the anger of this king, my gaze swept over all the lingering enemies who dropped to their knees, bowing their heads… a little too late. I am not Jesus Christ… there isn't going to be a second chance. Only one.

"Kill them all."

No one tried to run, and none dared to defend as the blades of the Shadowfell fell.

My gaze swept to Zolveck, and without missing a beat, he dropped his knee. " My king," he said with a tremor in his tone.

"Continue the sweep," I commanded, soaring into the skies towards the battle between the three Paragons that was beginning to die down.

Flapping my fiendish wings, I advanced towards a barren crater littered with ash and dirt. On his knee, I gazed upon an armless god, bleeding from every orifice, while Layla and Darkmane stood with cold faces.

"He'd be dead already if you—"

Darkmane paused as he turned to me, bowing his head as he took a step back.

"The capture of a Pargon is crucial and will always be our priority," I replied, hovering over Darkmane, and switched my attention towards the hollow eyes of the broken god awaiting his death. "He tried to run?"

"Yes, my king," Said Layla sharply. "But worry not. We've not permanently crippled him."

"I wasn't worried," I replied. " He only has two choices. My respect for his battle prowess.

"You can die and be resurrected as a demon slave forever, a toy for my amusement, or you live the rest of your life as a slave as a Shadowfell."