Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

A cry of despair filled the air as Zantar howled in utter agony. His left arm was missing. Severed from the base of his shoulder from the very technique, Freya reflected back at him. He grimaced, creating distance. When suddenly, the energy from Arc of the Fall, Freya, had reflected distorted into nodes of pure, raw energy.

I lifted my head towards the skies to a Nine Point Arcane Circle, devouring the fearsome energy. My heart quivered with anxiety as, once again, my body was locked down by an Almighty Essese. Draconic Runes filled with Enochian and Infernal writing began to appear within the skies filling the already complex circle with a magical light.

Freya and I exchanged glances, and just as she Shadowed Stepped away, my aura flared to life, and a sealing force layering the ensnaring nature of Almighty Essence sank into the bones of every Ranker caught by Tiamat.

I Shadowed Step just as Tiamat's formation was complete, and her icy voice thundered: "Apocalyptic Prism."

Unsure of what had happened, I merely braced myself with Qi, alongside Freya, as a horrid shockwave decimated everything further than the eye could see. By the time the energy had approached, I couldn't help but vomit blood, feeling my insides shift at the intense backlash that whipped over my body.

I glanced at Freya noticing her pale expression, and patted her head. "How bad?"

"Merely superficial injuries, my lord," Freya responded, betrayed by the deepening paleness of her cheeks. She got hurt. It wasn't anything major, but it wasn't something to ignore. "I can keep fighting."

Peering deeply at her knowing she could still be useful, I glanced at the immense crater stretching on for miles.

Of the Fifty Rankers, I could only sense ten left, Zantar included. Whatever spell Tiamat had used was far too monstrous. And my intervention didn't help these Rankers survive.

"Die!" The dry voice of Zantar thundered as he appeared from beneath the crater, wielding a strange emerald spear molded out of Necrotic Energy.

Instincts practically screaming through my heart, I felt my mind go blank as my body reacted out of pure instinct.

"Spear of the Damned"

Simultaneously kicking Freya away in a rather ruthless manner, Darkness sprang out of the Void, eating away all things living. Taking the form of demonic apparitions, they clawed over the worn body of Zantar, clawing and pillaging his Qi and Lifeforce. Nevertheless, I didn't dare retreat but rather advance, somehow understanding that this technique… was not something I could dodge, much less defend against, at least not in the traditional sense.

One hit from that spear… was a one-way ticket to hell. That was what my instincts were telling me. It's what Tenebrae's knowledge I was still processing was telling and what my devil heart ability was screaming.

'Do it now! Arsene!' Lily shouted.

But I pushed her words away as that strange sealing force many almighty techniques held locked space down. Ensuring I could not advance, much less retreat, I froze inches from Zantar's emerald spear.

And he struck.

Like a blinding flash beyond the limits of even my perception, death came so close I could taste the steel of the reaper's blade, but I was more prepared than ever before as Black Sabbath hummed to life.

An exchange happened that turned Zantars eyes wide. My body swapped with an injured Ranker. And his spear entered through the chest and exited from the back, as the body of the Ranker didn't exactly die but was rather transported in a blazing hellfire of torment.

The Ranker's screams practically sent cords of unease through my soul as I felt the aura of the ninth layer of hell echo like a ghoulish wail, and then, before long, utter silence echoed through the battlefield.

The Spear of the Damnned had faded into nodes of light, turning Zantars flesh a deep greyish color. I'd have thought him a Shade if I hadn't known the man.

But before he could fall to his knee, Tiamat appeared, taking hold of his right arm, and tore it from his body in one fell swoop. Her stone-cold, phoenix-like eyes carried a bloodlust as her arm plunged into his chest cavity, tearing his heart from his body as she crushed it before his hollow eyes.

"This is where you die." She told him.

"n….o….I… need…" Unsure of the slew of shit he was spouting, I approached from behind and drove Noctem through his throat. Feeling the shudder of his last moments transfer through my spear, I tilted my blade and severed his head. And coldly watched as his head and body fell into the Abyss below, only to be caught by the Abyssal Flames.

"No need to bring you back to life, much less have your soul be transferred to Belphigor. Just die." I told him, wiping the Fallen out of existence.

I held no hate towards him, but this battle… If it were one on one. I was sure to have been wounded. This wasn't anything like what happened two Chaos Cycles ago when I could toy with him. He'd grown quite strong… so strong even I'm surprised by the transformation. Was this his true power before he escaped the Hells?

Immediately sensing the fleeing Rankers, I didn't give chase but rather turned towards Tiamat, smiling victoriously. "What spell did you use to wipe them all out?"

"It's an Infringement Spell. I learned from Zariel. But he turned it into an actual sword technique. It uses your enemy's Qi, intent, and concept against them." She said, surprising me yet again with how monstrous Zariel really was. "It's almost like the two techniques Freya used but better. Honestly, you should learn it. It's quite a horrifying technique."

"Dummy Master! How could you kick Loli Freya away!" My first knight suddenly shouted, leaping onto my back; she giggled. "

My brow twitched in despair as I could somehow hear sirens in the distance. "Freya…" I mustered the word, feeling somehow unease beneath my skin. " How long are you going to be… Chibi?"

She rested her head on my shoulder, and I could just feel the teasing grin on her face. " Master… do you not like Loli Freya?"

"Not in the least!"

Childlike laughter sprang from Freya's lips, and somehow I felt even worse: Maybe I'm too old, but the appeal of Loli's has zero appeal to me. They are hella cute, but… that's about it. Perhaps I'll just give Freya free head pats. Even if she is a Legal Loli… Maybe I'm just overthinking things. She's older than me… No, Arsene… don't fall to the Loli's power! You're better than that. Your… Damn, it!

"Sene… Care to make another child? Zaid is already a man." Tiamat suddenly said, saving me with her saving grace, a cheeky grin on her blood-stained lips. "We're going to be traveling together… I'm sure it's possible, right?"

"Traveling? Who decided that?"

She smirked. " I did. Got a problem with it?" She asked, grabbing hold of my crotch, sending a jolt through every fiber of my being. " Come on, let's go. It's been far too long."