Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I\'m here again, huh? How long has it been since someone captured me? I think the first time, it was in Heaven with Metatron. The second time... I can\'t remember. Despite how powerful I am, you\'d think I hold absolute control of myself. But with each Hell Cycle, I feel my past blur. Images become hazy and life fleeting as if all I had ever done was a dream.

But... I succeeded.

The Tower of Babel is now active. It was a real bitch to control Father and Abyss\'s energy and would usually be impossible. If I didn\'t know about the Teleth. Those poor bastards allowed me to tap into the power of that Void. I still don\'t know how such a power could exist or why Father allows access to others, but using the bodies of a few Teleth, I created a rune that would allow me to trap Father\'s Power.

Although, it was a shame I had to burn the Myriad Heavens with that power. If I\'m right... Tenebrae should be trying to stop the destruction using more of Father\'s Blessing. It\'s a shame, really. All she is doing is wasting her time.

All the progenitors and various pantheons that die will reincarnate again, but once they awake, they\'ll have hope of challenging those of higher rank species. The Mryaid Heavens will experience a fundamental change. Even those that didn\'t die will feel it. They\'ll explode with unimaginable power if they haven\'t already.

"Haaa~" I exhaled, glancing at my arms arched out on each side, bounded by a large contraption, sealing my power.

"Hiya! Mepho!" A song-like voice called, stirring the deepest part of me as my eyes snapped to the door, sensing a presence outside the door. "You really showed Iza something special. I knew you could do it. Thanks."

My brow knitted. " Izalith Snow"

"Sup?"

"Why are you here?"

"Mepho is mean! Do you realize how dangerous it is getting in here? Five hundred Fell Gods are using their power to seal you. Seven hundred Infringment Gods are still drawing magical circles and formations, draining suns and galaxies of power. It was hard getting in, you know! At least sound happy this Queen came to see you."

I grinned at her irritant tone. " Well? What is it? You didn\'t seem interested in meeting me before."

"But you were interested in me. Weren\'t you." Izalith said.

"True."

"And I\'m guessing you don\'t know why? You probably don\'t even know why you went this far, why you set fire to the Myriad Heavens. I\'m sure you don\'t really give a damn about a war between Arcadia and the Myriad Heavens."

I stilled.

"No, I don\'t suppose you would know. Life sure is a bitch ain\'t it. But it was beautiful. Those fireworks. Watching these little insects scream, begging as they ran, trying to escape the Flames of Extinction. It was like a rose had risen within the Mryaid Heavens. Beautiful as the color of blood." She said, her words seemingly filled with fascination. " Hey... Mepho. Thanks. It was pretty."

"You make it sound like I did it for you," I said, ready to close my eyes, when her laughter stirred me awake.

"Didn\'t you?" She teased, resting her head against the metal doors with a gentle thud. "Just as you manipulated Tenebrae, Zariel, Arsene, and so many others. I did the same to you. My gift to you."

\'Eh\'

"That drive in your heart, that intensity building like rot in your soul, withering your sea of consciousness, dulling the beauty of this world. And you didn\'t even realize it? You burned your home, burned an endless amount of people... not because you wished it... but because I did." I could sense a smile lingering behind the door. " Mepho... you and I go way back. So think of this as payback. My only regret is not being able to see your face... at least not yet.

A cold, aching, throbbing noise rang through my ears as my chest grew hot... burning for some reason as my throat grew dry. I swallowed. "You... used me?"

"Yup. Vessi went to handle the Abyss. I went to Heaven to handle you. And Crowe... well, spoilers. Hehe, Memories are such fickle little things? Lose them, and you lose yourself, leaving only the body with the sensation. I wonder, Mepho, what is it you feel? Does it hurt? Does it burn? Do you feel betrayed? Tell Iza!"

A/N: Yup... She\'s a Snow. Crazy.

"Tell me! How does it taste right now?"

"Why?"

"Why you say!" Sensing her rise to her feet, a sense of unease gathered within my soul. "Mepho... Why would I tell you and ruin the surprise? When I appear on the other side in time... You can tell me once everything dawns on you."

"Tell you?" I sneered. " I kind of want to kill you."

My chest was burning for some inexplicable reason, throbbing with an unfamiliar sensation.

"Oh, Mepho... Iza will forgive you. You gave her flowers. So all will be forgiven today."

"Your bloody insane!" I shouted, unsure of the stability of this woman\'s mind. Flowers? The burning of the myriad Heavens is flowers to her!

"Pop-Pop did say teaming up with you brings out the worst in me. Hehe. But it\'s been fun, Mepho." She giggled. " Very fun. Despite you not remembering me. It\'s been a wild ride... watching you grow up. Really puts things in perspective."

\'...Wait! Father knew about this! He allowed it!" I growled, unable to even shake, as the inscriptions on the machine flared to life.

A crackle of electricity flared over my being, stripping away my soul energy as I growled. Spewing blood from my lips.

"The One ensured it. However, I needed the power to plant the seed within you. You were really hard to control."

She was here from the beginning. In Heaven... then the reason my memories of my birth, the reason I can\'t remember. Was it then she planted the so call seed? No... I\'m too panicked. I need to calm down. I need to think logically.

"I guess your mind is about to go into hyper gear. Well... Don\'t bother... You\'ll not live past today. I can\'t have my Mepho locked up. Next time we meet..." The door to my chamber opened, and my vision became clouded with silver.

And that smile that seemed as bewitching as it was deadly. The scent of jasmine traced my nose as started at the woman approached as time began to twist.

"When you wake up... Next, we meet... I expect a big ass Panda as a gift... Mr. Bear," she said, drawing a crimson sword from nothing.

She\'s fucking crazy!

"Now that\'s the face I wanted to see! Bye-Bye, Mr. Bear! Tell Pop-Pop Bye for me!"