Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Fear hammered like a drum down my spine, sending my mind into a spiraling frenzy of darkness; I felt myself drowning beneath.

These things. Damien and Apophis, just how strong are these things? How does Damien even know about Zantar, for that matter? Not to mention another Fallen no one seems to even know of.

Rising to her feet, I stared in shock as Ezra flicked her hair back and pursed her lips.

"What the hell are you doing?' I shouted into her soul.

,m "These monsters are as strong as my mother and father. There is no point in hiding. Not to mention the mess Arsene is making up there. I'm sure these two felt it." She said aloud, without the use of a soul whisper. "If I'm going to die, it's going to be with some damn pride instead of dying like a little rat."

Fear bubbled in my heart, but I knew she was right. Glancing at Arkanos, who appeared somewhat confused, I, too, stood up from behind the stalagmites alongside Ezra. The two higher beings didn't bother even to send us a glance of acknowledgment.

"HEY!" Arkanos suddenly shouted. To my shock, leaping off my back, two small wings sprung out from her back as she dashed towards the two before my arms could reach out to catch her.

"Shit!" I snapped, but Ezra merely held onto my shoulder.

"Let her. She's an abyssal dragon, after all."

"But—"

"Hey! Big Baddies!" Arkanos shouted, causing the two beings of indescribable terror to turn to acknowledge her. "Arkanos needs help."

Face palming myself. I sighed, knowing my death was caused by a five-year-old child. Next time, one of my wishes will be to be born in a realm away from Arsene.

"A dragon? An abyssal one with sentience," Damien said, turning to Apophis, who should know who she was, as this was his domain. Then again, why would an all-powerful monster like him pay attention to anything beneath his eye?

"I'll see you in Iliah," Apophis swiftly said, 'We shall see how the discussion with that thing will transpire."

Damien chuckled and then glanced at Arkanos, whose arms were crossed in the air, "A first-generation, huh. Interesting," He said, vanishing in a mist of darkness.

"Umm, can you help Arkanos now?" The little dragon said to the big dragon.

Apophis's golden eyes pooled into a well of wisdom that even from here, I felt the very dao ripple out, "Little one, and what is it you want?"

"You know," Arkanos answered straightforwardly.

"That I do. But are you so sure my loyalty lies with the Queen of the Abyss?" Apophis remarked, "Was it not her plan for us to die? To become a sacrifice."

"Are you a sacrifice?" Arkanos fired back in a question, eyeing the giant dragon as though he were stupid, "If you want to fight, fight. Mama granted you all free will. What you do with that is up to you!"

"Even if that will put us against that boy toy of hers?"

Ezra chuckled, "Knowing Lilith, that sounds just like her."

I nodded, "True."

"Mama likes watching Papa sweat. Arkanos too. Papa is funny when he is angry." Arkanos mentioned shrugging her shoulders with a nonchalant attitude. "Give Arkanos the Twin Bloodstone Crystals."

Apophis leaned forward, his massive head larger than almost twenty Arknaos's combine narrowed its golden eyes, "Despite my grievous hatred for the Queen's right-hand lady, I am willing to help. But I will not deliver you two of the crystals. You may have one."

"One?"

"One." Apophis confirmed, leaning back, "But tell me, is the outside domain so magical?"

Arknaos frowned and glanced back at me with a confused look.

Casting a levitation spell, I glided over, landing on a small platform, and bowed, "To answer your question, it is. The Abyss is far large than anything conceivable, but you only just gained sentience. Or am I mistaken about that? Lilith, your Queen, wants you to see past this prison and explore concepts beyond anything you thought to study."

"Even if it means destroying everything we touch?"

It was then Ezra materialized, cracking a smile like a typical fiend of hell, "I'm a devil, and I assure you, from what I have seen, it's our kind that does that. Now that you have sentience, your kind is no longer crazed demons."

Flames of gold and black left the red dragon's nose. "I wonder,' He mused, shaking his head, "Take it and go. I've had enough visitors." Spreading his wings, Apophis lifted his head to the large hole he created with his monstrous energy going out of control and bolted like a beam of light out of our sight.

"Wait, what about—"

Ezra had not even finished speaking when a ruby red crystal flame magically emerged in Arkanos's hands. Carrying a bloody glow, I felt my knees buckle under the pressure of this thing. Taking a few steps back, almost slipping off the platform, I shook in total fear that a small crystal without any form of Will could make me scared.

"Onwards, back to mama!" Arkanos shouted, leaping onto my shoulder, holding on to the crystal in her hand. She placed that accursed object of death onto my head. "Come on, Big Broda Ren, Giddy up!"

I swear I hate all Snows! Even if she is adopted. Don't put that damn god-killing stone on my head like it was a toy!

"Let's head back," Ezra calmly said, glancing around with her dark eyes, "If we stay here any longer, I don't think we will live long."

I nodded, but my thoughts were still around this second Fallen. One was already enough to control Heaven. What could the scheme be with the second Fallen? It seems like it wouldn't be a bad idea to form a relationship with these abyssal fiends if one can be had.

Arsene, you are so screwed.

Backtracking where we came out, the heat plaguing our bodies vanished when we reentered the tunnel leaving an eerie feeling of emptiness.

"What is this feeling," Arkanos muttered, shuttering on my neck. "Papa, what have you done."

"Come on, let's go. Let's see what type of nightmare Arsene has created, that it required us to save his ass."