Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Standing on a lone mountain a few kilometers away, I stared at Arsene, who seemed far different than I ever expected; he had a different kind of confidence that seemed so foreign.

He didn't seem evil, like the one I knew, nor did he seem kind, but instead an aspiring king. He was regal, seemingly patient, yet with a touch of the darkness that seemed to place him in a veil of mystery.

I wasn't even sure if that smile on his face was genuine or not. This Arsene, while I was sure wasn't as dangerous as mine was definitely a master of his craft in the past. It makes me wonder what truly happened when he fought against Aldrich and the others. My Arsene had said he remembered, but I was sure those were just fragmented memories. If he had Mephisto's blessing, then my god, I am sure at least one of those bastards died.

Unease trickled my heart the longer I stared at this new Arsene. Was Izavith correct? Should I leave Arsene alone? Should I watch as he slowly loses himself into the vastness of the soul?

If there was one single truth, it was that soul was the greatest gift The One ever gave creation. To have a soul meant you were free. And to comprehend the soul meant you had the power to take the Heavens and The Hells. From what I know, once you reach past the Thirty-Three Heavens. Everyone forgets about the body, as it should have reached its limit, and begins comprehending the soul. If Arsene were to master the depts of the Astral Force, he would become so much more.

"Let's go!" Iserth howled, whipping past the confines of space. He materialized beside Arsene, cleaving his scythe downwards with so much Battle intent that the rocks and stone began to be crushed as a soul-crushing force exploded.

Clenching his Fist into a ball, Forsaken Qi erupted like a whirlwind of flames, parting the dao as though they were clouds. He roared and thrusted his arm out like a spear. Empowered by the Dao of the Spear, an onslaught of spear intent bellowed like a dragon.

Scythe and Fist met, and like shattering glass, Arsene's punch cracked open Iserth's Scythe with ease.

"I love this new body! Such untapped potential. Let's see here! This bastard has some inherent memories. bet!" Arsene shouted as his Fist suddenly erupted in a mesh of tarnishing black flames, sucking away the very void of my realm.

My heart hammered like drums watching this, but Iserth seemed overly calm; suddenly, the sounds of a ticking clock began to enter my ears. Silvery Essense cloaked the Badlands warrior, and he was gone in a blink of an eye. Speeding up time around him and the space around him, he dodged Arsene's flames by the skin of his teeth.

"A Time Practitioner! Interesting. But Mother taught me all her Forsaken abilities!" Arsene roared as suddenly I backed away, almost stumbling to my feet, as all my power left me. In but a single moment, I felt I had become mortal.

"I got you," Izavith said, holding me up, looking dead at Arsene. "It's amazing, isn't it. If he was on my level, he might be able to stop my time travel. Depending on where we fought."

"Dear God!" I cried as my body began to feel numb.

Placing me back into a wheelchair with a smile, Izavith stared calmly at Arsene," So this is what he was like before everything. Such a rage flows within him. He has Mastered Ren-Shii more than 'your' Arsene."

"Has he?" I muttered, peering down at the fortress at Arsene.

Surrounded by a silver domain, Arsene's hair hovered around his head as if the laws of gravity didn't seem to exist. Almost like he was standing in a void of nothingness.

"Impossible!' Iserth cried, but Arsene was already on him.

"As a rich black flame burned from the Spear of Noctem, I felt a ripple of astral force being channeled from Iserth's soul into his Fist as a monstrously quick and deadly battle erupted. Explosions, one after another, exploded, forming mushroom clouds, causing the shape of the fortress to be reshaped.

The sounds of dings of steel against steel crackled like thunder as Iserth and Arsene battled it out. Iserth was clearly more skilled and wouldn't be on the defensive if Arsene wasn't such a cheat, but with Sene's body being powered by Mephisto, the Cultivation between these two was just about equal.

"Oh, I see! I'm a Monarch of Darkness," Arsene revealed, with glowing eyes that shimmered with Seraphic Qi. No wonder! Let's do this!"

Watching Arsene blink behind Iserth instantly after learning how to use Shadow Step, I wanted to stand to attention, but Izavith's arm came crashing down on me, holding me back.

"It's Ok, your Grace."

"He learned it, Izavith! My Arsene had to be given it by Aegis! How is that possible!" I shouted in a little panic voice.

"Different standards. When Arsene introduced himself, he mentioned House Lazarus. Another Forsaken Clan. Albeit one that will never see the light of day due to Zariels curse."

"You don't mean—"

"Yup. Those who carried House Lazarus's blood were, without a doubt, powerful monsters. I don't know what their ability was, but it's said that their comprehension was the greatest. Almost rivaling us Abyssal Fiends."

"Bullshit"

"Yeah, it kind of is, but it's true. I'm still learning my history, but it's true. Although during Zariels Era, none of those bastards knew what they were or held the ability of the Forsaken.

"If I don't step my game up, Arsene will surpass me, won't he." I softly mentioned peering up at Izavith, who begrudgingly nodded.

"I think this version of Arsene is more dangerous than his new one. If the Soul trial he's in allows him to retain some of this man, poise, and foresight, then—"

"This was how Arsene was when we kind of first met."

"You were all Lovey-dovey back then, your grace. I can assure you that was not the case. He was an intelligent cannibal back then; now, he's just an idiot."

"What about as he is now?"

"Now he's like a blazing demon, who knows the power of his soul, who knows the knowledge of Iluthath. If the real Arsene can retain anything from this experience, he may just survive Zantar's scheme."

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