Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

I sent Zariel a soul whisper to handle the next arc while I tried to focus on my mental domain. The damage was extensive, surprising me with the vicious gash across my mental space, which I was sure would make me a retard, capable of only uttering my name. 

The thought made my stomach drop as the lightning tried to harm me, but with my current body already adapted, all it did was grant me an abundance of energy to mend my broken mental realm. Although I only had time to patch the damage… this much damage would take a cycle to heal, especially since the intent is far above my current level. 

By the time I opened my eyes, I felt more than a third of my body obliterated. Nevertheless,  I allowed my Qi to help regenerate my damaged flesh, thankful this lightning was meant to destroy my soul. So, the intent around destroying my body was lessened to a point where I could regenerate without issue. 

"Woman… That was hella scary," I said, gasping on a fearful breath of air. But with a smile, I looked up at Rhea\'s icy expression, focusing on Zariel rather than me. Knowing she had already calculated what Zariel would do, her brow scrunched up. 

I chuckled. That bastard\'s ability to control the Weave really is bullshit, even to the likes of Rhea. 

Rhea\'s lips compressed into a straight line, tightening for a while as the rumbles between the abyss and the Myriad began to intensify. Growing louder and louder, forcing myself alongside many Gods to block it with our Qi or risk injury. 

The might above me grew to such a level the sweet nectar of my lifeblood pooled within my mouth as the chilling rumbles intensified. The tribulations of clouds grew thick like a cluster of congealing bodies. However, after a few breaths, the clouds and lightning, followed by the gut-churning noise of thunder, all began to compress with a pulsing motion similar to a beating heart. 

*Badump *Badump *Badump *Badump *Badump 

Unsure if that sound was my Heart or the Heavens, goosebumps prickled my flesh, popping as if I was festered by the plague. Instincts came to life. Raw, untamed instincts warning of extermination as my bloodied face paled. 

My fist tightened over my spear as I stared at the clouds congeal into a trident of sorts. Bearing three edges, each of them wielding a different intent, the skin upon my body pealed from not just my flesh but everyone present, leaving a selected few untouched. 

The Trident fell. 

And Zariel moved. Like a ghost, he was in front of me, reaching for the Trident while simultaneously using his blacken blade, Requiem, to sever his arm at the moment of contact. 

I watched in awe as Zariel\'s arm became like a mist. But from that misty blood, runes of plenty began to appear, one from each droplet of blood connecting into a weave around the Trident. 

"You owe me an arm." Zariel weakly said, in a fine sheen of sweat as his body paled of color. 

The Trident began to compress in size, twisting into a droplet faster than I could blink when Zariel whirled towards me and directed the small Orb into my mouth before I could grasp what had happened. 

"Tribulation still needs to land on those that infringe on its laws. That is a fundamental law I can\'t change. Not without another sacrifice." He said, clutching his bloodied shoulder. 

I gulped down the Orb… forcefully. 

"Son of a bitch…" I said.

"Son of a Bitch," Rhea said. 

"BITCH~" Cheered Iza 

"SON!" Said Ves

Sensing a ball of fire within my gut, I didn\'t so much as hesitate as I began to refine this literal bomb. Adaptation only worked after the fact… if it exploded and I instantly died, I— FUCK. 

"Move the Orb into your Heart… and have each heartbeat refine the Orb. It should take maybe a Hell Cycle for you to break it down. And I say that because that\'s how long it\'ll take for me to break down such an energy." Zariel said. 

Gritting my teeth, I followed Zariel\'s instructions but not before flicking him off. "If it goes into my heart, why not put it into my heart rather than have me swallow it." I cursed. 

"...Hmm. I didn\'t think of that." He said, and my ears went red with either rage or excess qi. 

Bastard. 

Focusing my mind, I didn\'t dare to hesitate to merge my Heart and Orb together as I began to refine the energy when the sound of shattering glass began to echo through my ears. 

My eyes went wide as a new type of qi… a strange omnipotent Qi began to pulsate through my meridians, devouring the old to bring forth the new. 

"I broke through…" 

"Keep focusing… until all the Old Qi is eaten; this could take a long time," Zariel warned, catching my attention somehow, feeling he was more than just watching out for me. But rather observing me like a specimen. 

"How… strange… this feeling." I mused, closing my eyes as the world slowly began to sweep into darkness. Weakness began to sink through my bones, pulling at my consciousness. I blinked, somehow seeing my twins in front of me pawing at my face like two little pandas. 

I arched my lips into a smile… slowly growing weaker as my vision became a blur. 

"Lilith… Call… army." I whispered out, having enough sense to know how much greed was in a person\'s Heart. 

"No need to worry about that." Came the icy voice of Mephisto. "You\'re the Second Monarch of Hell. You have the protection of the Nine Hells." He said with a laugh. "We\'ll cover your retreat. Just make sure you stay alive." 

"Indeed. For we have much to discuss about this new path." Lucifer echoed.

… Geez… more… w…o…r….k…