Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Resting beneath a beautiful cherry blossom, the wintery breeze of Iluthath fluttered through my hair, purging my mind of its eternal chaos. A stillness I'd only felt in the Godwoods settled within me as Tiamat pored me Sake within its traditional holder, which smelt like the cheery blossom tree above me.

She smiled beautifully, ensnaring me with her curvy figure as she leaned against my arm, trapping my arm between her breast. She spoke in a cool, bewitching voice: "Drink, my king."

Entranced by this peaceful moment, which I'd never experienced before, a particular sensation of awkwardness swelled within me.

I'd never done anything like this before. Every time I drank was either at a bar or for business... this was the first I drank simply to relax as she claimed I needed to do.

Perhaps Tiamat sensed it, but she laughed and leaned in closer: "I find it cute when you behave like this. The mighty king of Irkalla and Evernight doesn't know what to do. Cute."

"I've… never really drank to relax like this. At least not as far as I can remember." I told her, masking my embarrassment, not that I needed to. But it still felt weird. But there was a certain sense of peace within me as I lifted the small decanter to my lips.

Warmth spilled into my chest, swaying my mind in a fog of delight as a cool, sweet, yet bitter liquid passed through my lips. I smiled when I felt Loli Freya suddenly begin rubbing my shoulders.

"My Lord, it's ok to relax, you know." She told me, her magical fingers sinking so deep into my flesh I felt all the tension I didn't even know I had left dissipate. "Zantar and Balor are dead. Felled by your hands."

Tiamat poured me another cup." Or are you perhaps worried about the new enemies you've already made? That you can't even truly relax?"

"I…" Unsure what I even wanted to say, I closed my mouth. They were right. I did have a lot more enemies now. Enemies that could now reach me quite easily.

The destruction of the 33 Heavens was primarily for me. The Order of Chaos needed to purge the enemies they might have left behind, alongside a few other things. But there were still those that lived in the Origin Realm.

The death of Zantar wasn't much of an accomplishment as I'd thought it'd be. I've been in so many battles and killed so many people. Zantars death meant nothing. It only signified that my power had risen to a level nearing the immortal stage according to the imperial system.

I was neither the strongest nor the weakest. With my Authority and hax, I could fight people multiple levels ahead of me.

The Authority of the Abyss.

The Authority of Darkness

These two gave me so much power that I was sure I could survive a hit from an infringement God… a weak hit. But I think I could survive.

A/N: Nope. He is dead. Pride is talking.

Finishing another cup of Tia had poured for me, a particular longing for Lilith suddenly stirred within me. Each day was marking a new beginning for us with the twins. And I was feeling rather… apprehensive about that fact.

Not to mention Mephisto's favor.

The stronger I get, the more I realize just how weak I am. And not just physically. My own house is weak.

I am without leaders. True power that can stand with me. Were Freya and Tia not with me when all fifty rankers and Zantar attacked, I would have been in a rather tough spot. Each of them possessed enough power to pierce through my defenses. And all of them held unblockable attacks. I was sure to have survived, but I would have been gravely injured.

I need not just to improve my army but myself. And I can't purely rely on the Hells. That is not mine. I'm merely borrowing it.

Swallowing my seventh cup of Sake, my cheeks had all but numbed as I turned to the smiling Tiamat, nearly tumbling over. She caught me and rested my head over her lap when a curious thought entered my mind.

'Tia… Where are we?" I asked as the blurry images of cherry blossoms swelled through my eyes. "This place is peaceful."

She smiled. "I guess you wouldn't know' And she looked over the horizon to the pink blossoms fluttering beneath the half moon, "This was your grave. In the winter, you will see cheery blossoms. In the spring, lotus blossoms shall rise; in the summer—"

"... I didn't know I had a grave.' I whispered, hearing the slurs of my words.

"I remember it. It's where I first met Zariel." Freya whispered, massaging my feet. She looked up at me with a hue of favor in her red eyes. "To escape Odin… I'd gone to see Zariel. I'd heard about the rumor that had spread across Iluthath. The Silver Devil was creating a new World Order." She smiled loosely. "But that's a story for another time. But this was the place he lived. The house has long since withered to nothing, but everything else remains."

"Where is my headstone?"

"What a strange conversation," Tia said lightly. " But it's not every day a dead man rises. You don't have one. Zariel said you'd not need it. Said you'd be back. And that a headstone would only inflate your ego."

I chuckled, enjoying the fog deepening in my mind. I don't know what Tia fed me, but that drink was insanely strong.

"Relax, Arsene." Tiamat softly said. " Gods, even drunk, you still worry about so many things. I can feel your mind chaotically spinning."

I shook my head and stuck my tongue out. " Nope. But can you tell me how Zantar found me when I didn't even know where I was?"

She shrugged when I suddenly felt Freya slowly loosening my garms. Tiamat spoke: "Who knows? He could have talked to the spirits to ask for your location. He could have tapped into the laws of space to sense your presence. It's not like you try to hide it. He could have even just asked a devil. They'd spill your location for the right price. Zantar is a Fallen, remember. If he paid the right price, he could just about know anything… assuming he has something of equal value or better than what he's asking for. That's how the Hells work."

"I… guess…" I muttered, tired of my ignorance of the world around me.

I looked up towards the Half-moon and to Freya gently pressing her fingers over my naked chest and smiled.

"I… guess… its… good… to… relax…huh?"I whispered as the darkness swelled within my consciousness, devouring the light in my eye. I yawned, feeling the lids of my eyes slowly closing with the weight of my weariness.

"Good night Master."