Monarch Of Darkness, Arsene

"Lili. Darling. Boo. That is far too many."

Did he think that means something to me? To many? What does that even mean? Sene, I will tie you up and ride you till you run dry.

Putting a sweet smile on my face, I covered my mouth, giggling, "Why don't we talk about this later. Let's say after we leave this realm."

Noticing the faint sweat on his brow, the slight contraction of pupils, I could see with clear eyes the relief.

Does that bastard think this is over? Five Hundred kids and all of them will be named Arsene. All of them will be my little Prince's of Darkness.

"You got that look, Lilith. The one where I end up being screwed over, like the day you just showed up at the Snow Estate, demanding to live with me." Arsene meticulously retold, causing me to grin.

"I remember. I remember quite clearly. I also seem to recall you making me some rice balls before running off like a girl."

"That never happened I--"

Turning my head Arsene and I grew silent at the abomination that stood at attention, carrying the scent of rotting flesh. The Dragonkin bore a haggard smile on his mutilated face.

"Lady Snow, Mr. Snow. I am Kaldor, here to escort you to the monastery, where our archives are held. It will seem Lord Aelfwif is awaiting your arrival." Kaldor nasally uttered with a jaw that appeared tattered, connected only by a sliver of flesh. However, that did not stop him from talking normally.

"What the hell happened to you?" Arsene asked, turning to me, completely taken back by this things appearance.

"You seem new to the Etherial Plane. But I was killed by having my entire face bashed in, till all that was left is what you see." Kaldor explained casually, seemingly unfazed, but it was not like I could tell very much. His eyes were swollen and torn.

I had heard this was how it was for many of these people. Only the dead, who stands in the middle of life and death, are allowed here—a sanctuary for those in purgatory.

"Did you get revenge?" Arsene awkwardly asked, unsure if he was staring at him or me.

"By the time I gain sentience, to think and feel. The Great Change had occurred, and the man who killed me was dead. Leaving me no chance to move on."

I swear the Etherial Realm is like a Plane of Hell. No one seems ever to win, aside from those born within this realm, the Purebloods. Papa Asmo said never to cross anyone there, no matter how offended I feel.

"Well, then Sir Kaldor, care to take us. I am quite curious who this Lord Aelfwif is for my wife to think he could help." Arsene suggested,

"I never said he would help; I said here is where there will be answers. Remember Sene. Once we are there, we have an hour. Unless we are killed on the way there."

"Fear not, Lady Snow." Kaldor comforted, clapping his blood-scaled hands together suddenly, a large spiraling sphere appeared. Connecting two locations in space and time together, a small portal formed. "With my death, my understanding of Heaven and Earth evolved. I am no longer the man I was."

His Dao is quite high and different from what the Bed of Chaos uses. It almost feels surreal. But now it's mine; after all, all things within the Abyss are mine to copy and recreated anew. Sene may be able to adapt to anything, but my attacks do the same thing.

Taking a step through Kaldors Portal, a surge of comprehension flooded my brain, consuming me with almost endless possibilities.

"Lilith, you ok?" Arsene suddenly called, staring at me, standing in place. "You look a little pale."

"Yeah, just pondering over something is all. Never been to the Etherial Realm before; there is so much knowledge here for the taking." I said, warding off his concern.

Glancing at the massive draw bridge just ahead, Kaldor bowed slightly, "I am not allowed further in; another will be there to lead you, and a word of advice. Order is your friend. Touch nothing that may stand out. We tend not to like change."

"Indeed, now carry on, Kaldor, you're bordering my sector." Said an elvan woman with a vicious gash across her neck. She was beautiful, with long blonde hear, and wearing a dashing summer dress stained with a cloud of blood.

"Of course, Sister Lim." Kaldor robotically replied, fading away like a puff of smoke.

"If you will now." Sister Lim softly uttered, intending for us to follow.

'Lili, doesn't it feel a little off here? Sectors? You seem to have some knowledge of this place. Any idea what is going on?" Sene transmitted over.

'Who can say. I have zero ideas. Father said nothing of this. Seems like he doesn't know or just neglected to tell me. Either way, try not talking. Almost everyone you meet ends up hating you."

Stepping past the draw bridge, my eyes skimmed over the many knights I presumed to be those known as Purebloods. The ones who had not died but were rather birth as spectators, wraith, or any other type of abominations.

The monastery itself was rather spectacular. House various types of Qi fluttering about in the wind without any type of intent controlling them.

"So, how did you die?" Arsene inquired, appearing not to understand the grasp of the concept of keeping his mouth shut.

"My husband came home and slit my throat along with my newborn." Lim coldly said as my face slowly began to pale at Sene's response.

"The hell did you do to piss him off? Was the kid his?"

"Arsene, shut the hell up! Not here." I scolded, glaring daggers at this idiot's crude words. "Who the hell asks questions like that?"

"She is the one dead, so I think at this point it's safe to ask what the hell did she do. Come look at her neck; this dude dug really deep. Did your child follow after you?"

Noticing the faint stagger in Lim's step, I sighed. Arsene was fucking inevitable. I think I understand how he died.

However, to my surprise, Lim did not pull at the bait. Letting Arsene's crude comment go, we descended in silence, following behind Lim, who led us towards the central building.

Surveying the rather rustic appearance of this Monsiary, my gaze could not help but notice the closer we got to the central tower, the more we saw Purebloods appear.

Coming to a quick halt before a towering door, Lim turned to us coldly, no doubt Arsene's fault, "You are to head past these doors, and up the spire there you will follow the path.. Lord Aelfwif will be expecting you."