Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

"Finally!" I cried, looking up for the coming of God! It had been so long. Tearing up at this hellish torment, I released a deep breath and collapsed to my knees.

"I've lived for seven Dao Cycles, but dear God, this felt longer. Why does Bael have so many books?"

Wiping my teary eyes, I touched my stomach, which hadn't had food for over a billion years. My God, I think I have finally understood how homeless people feel.

I miss Lilith, and I miss my baby girl! Gods! I hope it's a girl; I just want to sleep. Releasing a dry breath, followed by a large yawn, and tilted my head to the little imp approaching with a smile.

"So, what is it?" I asked, wishing for nothing more than to press my head against a pillow.

"You look like absolute shit," Zax said, crossing his arms; he smiled but did not make another attack like I thought he would. " Are you ready for the test?"

"That depends. Do I have a choice?" I replied, sliding my gaze to his.

"Not really." He amusingly told me and clapped his hands.

I was unsure when it happened, but my surroundings had all vanished, and I was once more in the throne room with a small orb in my hand that slowly disintegrated into dust. I clapped my hands clean, and my eyes became drawn to the Throne situated near Zax.

It had taken me a while, but I understood why this Throne didn't show any dominance. Zax may call it baels throne, but it is, in fact, my Throne, and by the time I take my seat on that Throne, I will be Bael equal. At least in terms of knowledge. That is, after all, what matters to that King of Hell.

"Now then, let's get started. Here." Dropping a towering stack of paper the size of me in front of me, Zax nodded, " This is your test. A mixture of multiple choice and free response."

I don't know much about other people, but I hated multiple-choice; there was never any leeway when making an argument or answering a question. The trick was always keeping it vague while making a wordy paragraph to make the teacher think I understood what I was talking about when in truth. I had no idea what the hell I was talking about for the most part. What the hell is history or learning English, a language I speak fluently, going to do? I swear most of these classes are so stupid. You're just going to take the same courses in college anyway, but it's somehow going to be easier in College.

"Do I need to show my work? Show references?"

"What is this high school? There wasn't going to be partial credit anyway. All I care about is that you have the answers. If you fail, you die. It's quite simple." He said without a second thought.

I placed my hands on the stack of paper, and my divine sense rippled through the material. Studying every question Zax had given me. My mind flashed back to every book I ever used, and without hesitation, I willed the answer to appear on the papers beneath my hand.

"Done," I said, surprising Zax as he turned to me, arching his brow.

'Really?'

"You think I'm going to look back. Let me tell you this: I never look back when I write an essay or complete a test. I got no time to look back to correct my work. Looking back now, its a bit idiotic, but I—"

"Weren't you a surgeon? A person who saves lives in your last life."

"No idea how you know that, but it seems someone is whispering some of my secrets in your head." I coldly said, arching my lips, " But yeah. I was at the top of my class and the valedictorian. But if you think that means anything, then your dead wrong. Not to mention you will not believe the number of drugs doctors take. It's crazy how most of them can pass a drug test despite doing every drug imaginable."

(A/N: I know a few doctors, and it's crazy! They are wild!)

Lifting the test with his mind, Zax closed his eyes for a minute and frowned; opening them to me with a smiled, " You pass, let's get to—"

'Enough Zax. What is going on." I coldly asked, having thrown out my gamble. " I got twenty questions wrong just to see how you would take it. I knew something was going on for a while. When I got out of the trial of souls, I felt something off about my scenario. While Bael may have decided these tests, from all the wisdom and knowledge he held, he wasn't a cruel person, despite being a devil. Not like how you portray him to be. Then there's you."

The imps shoulders seemed to stiffen, and a bitter smile appeared on his lips. " I forgot you know about me now—the half-blood Devil who failed the conversion to Devil. Only to be taken in by Bael in a moment of weakness to be his disciple," he said, and I nodded, recalling Bael's journal depicting one of the disciples he found that made him question what could make someone fail to be tainted by the hells. Was it their soul? There future? Maybe their ideology? There was really no answer Bael found. Zax was one of the few failures the Hells could not taint.

"I'm forbidden from speaking about it." He said, hanging his head low. Unsure if I was seeing shame or something else. My brow wrinkled together. "You best prepare your mind; I shall grant you a few—"

"No, he will start the next trial now." An effeminate voice reached into my ears, startling me where I stood. "I've got the Silver Devils' permission; he's fine in letting Arsene suffer a bit."

"Lilith, you're involved?"

"I've always been involved, my boy." She said, and the indifference was quite apparent," Form giving you the RIng of Bael, to manipulating Bael to take the 'other' Lilith into his fold. Why do you think 'Lilith's' was named after me? There is no such thing as a coincidence, not in the Myriad Heavens."

"So, what is it you want?"

"What your brother, your sister, and what everyone wants, of course. The Opening of the Gates of Iluthath, and only a Monarch of Darkness can accomplish that. That is why you've only seen a single elemental monarch here. You've always been the key. Prepared by Zariel, but also me."

"I see," I whispered, somehow not finding myself angry but instead amused. "So you must really need me, huh."

There was a long silence, and my laughter resounded, " Oh, this is going to be good."

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