"This is the river that flows into the underworld… to the domain of Hades."
"Yes, and no." Said Lily suddenly, startling me.
"Aren't you supposed to be making a body?"
"The Gate here was destroyed by Zariel long ago, angering Lord Hellmaster in the process. The river you see is entering the Plane of Oblivian, corrupting it entirely. You can say that the River Styx itself created the Plane of Oblivion and the Underworld. It also created its own Qi, known as Nether.
"Hellmaster created this?"
"Indeed, although not even I know the place of Origin of this River." She said softly.
"What does that mean… Origin?"
"Where it begins. I'm sure you know how rivers are made. But where did it come from? One would think the Ninth Layer, but they'd be wrong. Mephisto once tried to find where the River Styx ends and where it begins, but even after a few Hell Cycles, he came up short. Ending his journey with negative results. He learned a few things, but that only led to more questions. Don't underestimate this river."
Running my hands over the ruins that were once a gate leading to Oblivian, I gave Lily a stern nod. It seems that even with Mephisto's damn near infinite power, he's still powerless before people like Hellmaster.
"One last question before you go into hibernation again… What's a Hell Cycle?"
"A single Hell cycle marks the Birth of Madness, the Fall of the First Angel, and the Corruption of the Sins. It is something all immortals fear… Even the Fallen fear its flow. Time may be relative, but a Hell Cycle ensures absolution. You can say time exists due to a Hell Cycle."
I paused, taking in her words. If a Chaos Cycle uses a Chaos Dew to feed the Myriad Heavens to ensure it has life, a Hell Cycle ensures time passes by given something relative meaning… then what is an Eternal Cycle?
"Lily…" Hearing no reply, I sighed, knowing she'd returned to her earlier task. Knowing I'd better do the same, I pushed out my awareness and sat in the lotus position beside a cluster of Hell Roots. I played with the petals that held the smooth texture of human flesh. It was even warm, like a human body.
Oddly disturbed by the similarity, I waited for the prince's arrival. Winds billowing with the ashes of Arakiel, in a matter of half of an hour, a shutter through the void of space rippled, signifying a transfer. Instantly masking my aura, I hid in the shadows of the endless hordes of Hell Root.
Witnessing Drar step out with a cunning grin alongside Prince Alzimar, carrying a bored expression, I grew poised to strike.
"Well? What is it that was so important that you drew me away? You ought to know all hands on deck on this one. Arsene must not take Avenos. If he has footing, we all will suffer." Alzimar started.
Drar cunning expression sunk into a frown as he folded his arms. " The way the battle looks, Arsene's forces are being pushed back. Surely that has to mean something? And it's not like he can win. Avenos is as large as the Bed of Chaos, possibly bigger."
"Precisely why we can't allow him to plant roots." Confirmed the Prince, snorting as if what he was saying was obvious. " So? Why am I here? Surely it's not to state the obvious? I've no time for idle chatter."
"Have you ever known me for one for idle chatter? What are we, demons?" Alzimar chuckled, and Drar continued. "Arsene is ignorant of the Hells. He ought to have only the knowledge of a basic demon or devil. So is his demonic right. I've got an idea for the second wave."
"Oh? Is that why we are here?"
"Hmmm." Hummed Drar, " indeed. I've got a plan that requires your support before I take it to Lord Beleth."
"Oh? Do say, my friend. Let's hear this plan."
Drar pointed towards me. Unknowingly causing my heart to clench, but I merely hid my presence more, remaining still in the shadows.
"The Ruined Gate of Oblivian. Its core is still intact. I say we use the discharge it releases to kill Arsene."
Sending Drar a message indicating for him to lead Alzimar closer. My loyal slave began to move towards the ruined without the slightest change as Alzimar followed.
"When this Gate was destroyed. Nether Qi consumed Avenos for hundreds of Dao Cycles, bringing a wave of destruction: It was said that only Chaos Lords could live through the waves of radiation."
Watching Alzimar walk over my shadow, I drew Noctem and consumed it in Stormblade. Not releasing an ounce of Intent, I held my blade and sent Drar another message.
Coming out from the shadows without a sound or any natural disturbance to the elements, Almighty Essence cycled through me.
"With the death of Asmodeus, many of the Kings have stepped into Paragon and a no longer bound by his rule. Lord Beleth, with his mighty power and Infernal Relics, should be able to—"
Blood whipped over Drar's cheek, bathing him as my spear came a centimeter from his eye. There was no sound, no explosion, only an expansive withering as Darkness spiraled around my spear that had pierced the heart of Alzimar.
"Such a shame." I mused as my Darkness exploded within the First Prince's body, withering his soul, cultivation, and life. "I heard this is how Aldrich was critically injured. But don't worry, I've plan's for your soul."
"N….noo…nooo," Plead Alzimar, opening and closing his mouth as his flesh withered away. Leaving nothing but mummified remains, as his soul became nothing more them embers barely capable of releasing flame.
"Die now," I said, turning his body to dust. I opened my palm taking hold of his soul, and smiled. "You did well, Drar. Very well. You ready?"
Drar nodded grimly and did a small bow," Yes, Master."
Noctem flashed, carving deep over the chest of Drar, nicking his heart. I infected his entire body with Darkness. Blood danced over the blood-stain Hell Roots, allowing them to shine brighter as space once again trembled.
Beleth was about to descend… and save Drar.
Lifting my eyes a dozen of meters towards the horned beast that materialized, a smile marred my lips as vicious scars revealing pale white bones entered my sight. Glowing red with sword light ebbing from his wounds, Beleth growled.
"Arsene."
"MY LORD!" Howled Drar pivoting off his feet in a flash of demonic light. By the time my eyes slid towards Drar, He had appeared over twenty meters away, on one knee. His chest heaved as large globs of blood drained out of his body. Thick black webs of veins stretched from his chest up toward his neck. At the same time, the whites of his eyes had long turned black as he struggled not to fall face-first into the earth.
Lifting the small embers of the first Prince's Soul, a cruel smile marred my lips. " Do you think he was a Blood Lord? First Sitri, now Alzimar. How long till I bleed the hells of its nobles?" Beleth's expression turned hideous as he bore his fangs. " No need to behave like a rabid dog. Offer me your head, and I, your King, shall consider granting you a merciful eternal torment."
A/N: How does one have a Merciful Torment?
"Arsene!" Seethed Beleth as a tornado of divinity spiraled off the First King's body. "You will release his soul."
The smile on my lips stretched even higher as I slowly soared into the skies. Standing higher than that of Beleth, a Sinful Aura of Pride tainted by the Abyss wrapped around my body like a blaze of flames. Burning with a radiant aura that seemed more devilish than this false Hell.
Noctom grew arced towards Beleth, surrounded by a storm of elements. "Kneel… and I'll grant thee mercy."
Light flashes and explosions of demonic essence erupted in a pillar of devastation that splintered the skies and shattered the hells as flames black as night showered my vision as I parried Beleth's strike.
Jitters of utter delight hammered at my heart, following a slew of laughter that came off as howls. "So you choose death? Beleth, I shall break you!"
"Impossible!"
"So this is what it means to be a demon? Not bad…" I mused as the Concept of Supremacy spiraled around me. Information that I never knew, and experiences I never lived, all seemed to come at me one after the other.
Like I had lived billions of cycles as a Demon, a brutal strike of utter chaos and torment fueled by my madness, alongside the souls I held, took hold of me at that moment as Noctem blazed forth.
A clash shook the skies that rivaled those of titans and fractured the domain laws around me. Beleth was torn from the skies in a catastrophic blaze, striking against the surface of Avenos, splinting the earth, and piercing through so deep his body was bathed by magma.
Ghastly howls of tormented souls soared from up the Hells as they attempted to escape. I fell following the Dao of Light and Lightning. My body flashed like a bolt of lightning hundreds of times the speed of light. By the time I blink, Noctem was at Beleth's face, poise for execution.
DING!
"NO!" Howled the First King of the Nines, parrying my blow as divinity protected his body from Stormblade. But the moment our blade met, Storm of Heavenly Bind came crashing down.
Another pillar of light spiraled through the air as a vicious gash over the left shoulder of my doing appeared over a Paragon.
"This cannot be! NO! NO! NO!" Shouted Beleth making distance as I chased upwards back towards the surface of Avenos.
Embers of light black as night ricocheted off our blades as a whirlwind of sword light and spear light fused with storm light spiraled through Avenos. The ideas continued flowing faster as I felt I was finally using my demonic side correctly.
Suddenly Noctem froze in the air as a sudden shockwave held me in place. A force almost like astral essence, different, caught me. And I shuttered. But oddly enough, not out of fear.
???
Vibrations! Shit!
Shadow Stepping out of range, blood slowly began to ebb from my pores.
"I'm going to kill you!" Whispered Beleth, tightening the grip of his greatsword that slowly began to shift to that of a halbert, a combination of ax and spear. "I swear I'm going to kill you. I will not stand for this humiliation! I'll not stand for it! I'll NOT!"
"Words of a loathsome shit stain. Kill me?" I sneered, spitting as darkness attached itself to me, almost like it were my lover. It protected me. "You belong to me, Beleth? And a slave like you will not be permitted to have pride. Not before this King."
"Di—'
Shadow Stepping, my fist caught his chin as my foot whipped towards his temple. My first blow wasn't meant to blast him away; it was meant to do as much internal damage as possible. And applying storm blade to all my attacks was just a bonus.
A dazing light flashed through his eyes, but Beleth quickly recovered as he weaved around my kick. His halbert whipped towards me, but Noctom flashed to parry as my index finger caring a dreadful spear intent shot forth.
Actions and reactions suddenly filled our battle as wounds began to shred our bodies. Beleth was more skilled, but I found him lacking in a super close-range battle that required his fist. He wasn't quicker, and his schemes were subpar at best.
Paragon or not, I could foresee what he'd do and react. Each reaction I acted upon had begun to refine my instincts, and as the days flew by, I began to acclimate Sitri and Yesh. To help enhance this experience. I didn't know why but for some reason… I felt myself growing closer to something. The stage to Paragons was close, but I felt much more room to improve.
It felt like I was close to something else. The more laws I incorporated, Mortal and Heavenly, all seemed to push me to heights I never knew were possible.
"If you keep this up, Arsene, you'll be a Chaos Lord in a few Dao Cycles," Lily said to me as my blade clashed with Beleth, whose foot suddenly struck against my abdomen; he used the laws of vibrations to somehow transverse the space akin to shadow slash.
Blood bubbled from my lips as my organs began to be crushed under his monstrous strength. I staggered back but not before Heavenly Bind came from the skies, but Beleth was ready as he pointed towards me.
"Disrupt!"
"Don't use spells against a paragon if your not a Paragon," warned Lily. "He'll always have that advantage."
Blood exploded out of my mouth and noise as I felt a soul attack disrupt my mental incantation. Despite being instantaneous, Beleth somehow managed to disrupt a spell already cast…. He was attacking the link between Man and the Arcanes. Interesting. I need to learn that.
"Heal yourself. If this keeps up, you'll lose."
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