Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

Chapter 343: The Forgotten Tribe

Searching heavy with a downcast heart, Snorri kneeled over the vast abyss. "May you find the sun and moon." he moaned in silent prayer.

"We found nothing, aside from wildlife. The Tel'sear Jungle is empty." Brandr softly uttered, "Shall we return to the chief?"

"Yes." Snorri gently whispered, wiping the glistering mist away. "We need to understand what is going on. Gather the men, and let's head out."

Remaining still hidden with the help of the Darkness, I remained silent till Snorri and his men rushed away. Following behind a good kilometer away, I felt a little out of place within a jungle. I traveled in a forest, before but never a jungle.

Holding a whimsical idea in my head, I began swinging from vine to vine, like a man raised within the wild. Enjoying the fierce winds pressing against my face, the blinding flash of my body swinging like a beast. I maintained a safe distance where those tribal men could not track my movements.

"Is this what it means to be part spider? Maybe I should ask Anya and Maya to make me some web-shooters? Now that would be badass!" I shouted with the powerful winds blowing both with me and against me, pulling myself into the skies till I reached the clouds. I hollowed in joy, getting a magnificent eye of the Isles of Sa'ar. It was massive, stretching further than my eyes could take me and filled with nothing but wilderness. However, there was a faint outline of the village in the distance.

Crashing towards the ground, I quickly caught a vine using my built-up momentum to continue swinging till I arrived outside the compound heavily guarded by various men, gripping bows.

Hiding into within the depts of the trees. I figured Snorri's men had already entered, but now it was up to me to enter myself.

Four watchtowers encircled this village—each of them housing three men that faced a different direction. However, the backs were open, a trap If one was stupid enough to simply act without thinking.

There was a fifth tower hidden within the center of the village, watching the four watchtowers along with the village. This place was heavily guarded, although I cannot blame them. I have already felt the power of three demi-god beasts.

"Getting in is going to be a pain in the ass. My shadow step can only take me ten meters. Which is nothing."

Narrowing my eyes, I did the most reasonable course of action. Doing anymore was simply more of a pain in the ass than necessary. I needed information, and worse case, I would end up slaughtering everyone.

Strolling towards the Gate as an ordinary man would, I waved towards the tribal guards. "Sup," I said with a joyful tone, with my entire body covered in a cloak to mask my features.

"Halt! State your name and purpose!" Said the rather large man bulging with muscles. His skin was dark like caramel, similar to Zanris, but he held a boney face. It was somewhat off-putting due to the odd proportion, but when one has seen the God of Fire, the concept of ugly and pretty shifts altogether.

"Tal and Sela. I am sure you have heard about them. I have information on how they died." I flat out told, not truly worried regarding the consequences.

Surrounding me in an instant, I rolled my eyes, not taking offense. The minds of commoners were relatively simple. They were only told what they knew, never genuinely thinking for themselves.

Raising my hands with my face blanketed by Darkness, I felt a peer of eyes upon me in the distance past the fifth tower. Peering past the various building and people who I considered to be rabble, I sense a set of wolf-like eyes studying me like prey. They felt feral, like that of a wild beast.

"Remove your hood!" commanded a guard, but I did not comply, merely waving my hands towards the stranger watching me.

"Let him pass," Brandr suddenly said, rushing to my side in haste. "The chief wishes a word."

"Follow me..." He said, awaiting a name.

"Abaddon."

"Sounds made up." Said Brandr, with stern eyes.

"It means Destroyer," I explained, recalling from my inheart memoirs of an archangel of the abyss. One who was known by the name of Abaddon.

Holding me in his sights for a time, Brandr beckoned as I trailed behind in silence. There were many eyes upon me, including not just the warriors but the villagers. There were vigilant, holding a deep resentment for some reason.

"I seem to be quite hated. What did these outsiders do?" I slightly inquired. Figuring it was not me, but others who the villagers hated.

"Wher it not for our lord gaining a noble title. Our people would still be hunted like dogs." He harshly explained, "We were slaves for the longest, target practice for the Lords and people with coin. It's only now that we stand free. But years of torment simply don't vanish. We do not trust outsiders."

Heading into the most prominent structure within the village, built with vines, wood, and leaves all found within the area, I did not put much thought into this matter as we entered a room filled with a heavy insense.

Frowning at the scent, I could feel my neural networks spinning out of control. However, the will of Darkness acted upon their own, blocking any more damage within my mind.

"What is the meaning of this?" I coldly demanded towards a man whose back was facing me. His back was completely bare, and his skin was pale like snow. He held a sigil of sun and a single lone wolf reaching to consume.

The tattoo was well detailed, appearing like it could reach from his flesh, but I wondered why he held one, while Snorri, who was by his side, held both Hati and Skoll.

"You resisted it?" Snorri darkly muttered, reaching for the trident upon his back.

"Enough!" The Chief said, startling me.

"I know that voice! A gentleman who holds significance never forgets a voice! Eric Skoll, is that you?" I amusingly proposed, removing my hood. Smiling with my eyes, he turned, shivering as his mouth opened wide.

"Arsene... Snow!" He fearfully said, with a tremor in his words.

"So you lived! An here, I thought when I decimated your kingdom, you would have died. So many died, you know." I defended, a little rather upset with myself. "How did you live?"

Breathing heavily, the young man arose with fire in his eyes. "You bloody monster!" he bellowed, reaching for my collar, "I should kill you!"

"An here, I thought we were friends." I joyfully said, adding wood to the flames. "I had thought I could have set up a dinner date for you and Ezra. You had seemed at the time to be quite fascinated with her. Were you not?"

"DIE!"