Shadow of the Abyss

"You look nervous," Lilith said, smiling. "Don't be. We're not all monsters, you know."

"So you haven't killed people for any reason?" Syris asked.

Lilith's smile deepened, her eyes glinting mischievously. She lifted her chalice, the scarlet liquid inside shimmering in the candlelight took a sip, and allowed the silence to answer, her gaze fixed on Syris.

Arsene took that moment to say, "I like the castle. It's not every day I get to visit someone else's home."

"I find that hard to believe," said Syris. "You're a Monarch of Hell. Can't you do what you want?"

"I haven't the need to visit people. If anything. I'm the one entertaining guests within my Halls."

"If you visited more often, you'd have seen the 'luxury' I'd prepared for you," Lilith mused, glancing at her husband with a cheeky grin.

"I'd rather be with you than in the Hells," Altair remarked. He sounded exhausted, and for some reason, Syris believed him; this surprised her because she asked, "You don't like ruling?"

Arsene laughed. "I'm what people call a lazy king. What I'm doing now is only for my children."

"Your children?"

"Our Children," Lilith corrected. "Izalith and Vesyrn Snow. The Abyssal Twins." her smile turned genuine, mixed with a warmth only a mother could have. "I'm sure you've heard of them."

"Only by name. But we met a man. Zelos who spoke of them."

"Ah… the wielder of the Ars Goetia," said Arsene, narrowing his eyes. "I know the boy. It seems Levithan has seen something in him. To allow him to wield the Ars Goetia."

"Levithan…" Lilith muttered, her voice trailing off, thoughts upon a fragmented memory she held long ago in the lower realms. A small smile wiggled onto her lips. She turned to Arsene. "Sene. Why didn't you tell me about that? Levi is back?"

"The original incarnation… kinda. Mephisto told you about her true nature, right?"

"I was the one to tell you," —She made a face— "I swear, do you ever listen to me?"

Arsene smiled wryly. "I'm too old to remember who said what…"

"You've got Hyperthymesia. All that is required is for you to think back," Lilith said, looking at him with an annoyed expression. She booped him on the nose, finding her smile. "Still… You should have told me. Levi, even if it's her original incarnation, is someone I'd love to meet."

"What is this about Incarnations?" Syris asked.

"In the lower realms, people like us—monarchs of Hell, Kings, Princes, and some of the other nobile devils—create incarnations to help maintain order within the Hells, " Arsene explained. We create artifacts that allow just about anyone to become a lesser incarnation of ourselves and send them to the lower realms to help raise the next generation that seeks to ascend the Myriad Heavens."

"Devils actually helping?" Syris said, not believing it for a second. She wouldn't believe that.

"Well… not really. There food supply or fine resources." Arsene said, sipping his wine with a cruel grin. "Have you sipped on pride or drenched yourself in the very embodiment of lust? Mephisto came up with the idea. We offer them power, build their pride, or any of the seven sins or virtues; it doesn't really matter, and then we wait for them to thicken.

They'll slowly climb up to our higher realm, where they can be harvested for all their worth. Their sins, their organs, blood, and souls. They're later reborn in our layer of Hell since devils and demons are immortal to be reharvested until they break and are rendered useless."

"Thats…That's… sick."

"They are devils. They most definitely deserve it. Although normal immortals or whatnot are the primary targets since we can turn them into devils or demons once claimed. Those of the hells are just icing on the cake."

"And that's all for…"

"Entertainment, of course." Arsene cut in, "Everything has a price. Blame Moloch for coming up with the concept. As the youngest Infernal Monarch, I, too, was surprised, but I must say once you have a steak imbued with the euphoria of a warrior who once challenged the heavens and won, you kind of forget about the cruelty you've inflicted."

"Oh yes, Sene here is rather spoiled. Now, he'll only eat the food of the hells or when Zariel cooks for us." Lilith expressed, rolling her eyes.

"Lil bro can cook. He doesn't even imbue the food, yet I can't get enough."

Again, Lilith rolled her eyes, a bitter resentment rising. "I get that, but you even stopped eating the food I prepared for you."

Arsene raised a neutral palm. "I don't take sides when it comes to food. Not even for booty."

"I'm not booty. I'm your bloody wife."

"In this instant. There is no difference," said the infernal Monarch, smiling at his wife's infuriated expression.

'They seem… so normal… until they say some shit about harvesting souls from the lower realms.' Syris thought, asking soon after, " Then can I assume you two are from the lower realms?"

"Yep, we ascended a while back," Arsene said, slowly growing serious. "With the aid of Belius."

The slab of meat Syris was munching on turned to ash.

Seeing that, Arsene continued, "I hear you want to kill him... you and the first so-called God of Wisdom, Solomon."

Syris maintained a straight face, but it didn't take much to see through her intent. The two lords both chuckled.

"Belius is…" Lilith had to think. " He's your heavenly Arc Demon, right? You made him a duke, right? One of the few Demons that actually have that rank."

"As if I'd ever make a demon a noble." Arsene sneered. "Perhaps if Belius wasn't so greedy to be held down. More than once, despite his petty power. He's tried to rebel against my kingdom despite my promise of offering Soloman's head to him."

That statement shook Syris. "You and my father are enemies?"

"Enemies? Please. That broken man isn't worth killing, in my opinion. From what I've heard and seen. He's just a shell of what he once was. I see why Mephisto toys with him.

It's like kicking a man while he's down."

Syris's fingers curled. She might not like her father, but she'd not allow anyone to mock her family. No matter how she felt.
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"However… I hear he's more active ever since your soul was reborn." Arsene continued. "So many, so many are wondering why. Especially Heavens Gate?"

From Syris's expression, Arsene could tell she didn't understand. He smiled, explaining. "Heaven's Gate is the reason for your death. You see. They had tricked Soloman. I'm not sure how, but by the end of it, Arc-Celestrial Belius had slain you both."

"Arc-Celestrial? No. Belius was a demon who—"

"Not at that point." Arsense shook his head. "Belius only became a demon after his battle with Soloman that raged on for two hundred years. That wasn't to say he didn't have attunement towards the Hells. That attunement was what allowed him to kill your mother, whom I understand was a High Human. The difference between someone with attunement and one without is grand.

So much so that I was able to combat people that would have otherwise killed me with a snap if not attunement I held towards the Hells and the Abyss."

Syris's eyes went wide, and her teeth gritted. "Then are you abandoning him? Belius, that is."

"No," Arsene said coldly. "His worth outstrips your own. At least for now." he grinned cruelly, lowering his chalice. "But I'm willing to give the opportunity to kill him to you. On the promise you become my duke when the time comes."

"I'm Altair's Saintess," said Syris.

"There's no reason you can't be both. I'm not only the Monarch of Hell but also the Ruler of the Prime World, Noctem. My disciple is currently the acting sovereign over that realm. In the end, they are just titles. What really matters is if you are willing to take responsibility for what those titles require of you."

"You mean what you require of me." Syris hissed.

Arsene gave her a warning stare at her lack of decorum. He was still a monarch, and Syris was still a mortal.

Still, Syris kept her head high, glaring at him. He liked that. "Aren't you a fiery one? But indeed. Belius is a useful tool. I can't just allow anyone to just kill him without something in exchange.

If you succeed in slaying him, you will become my Duke."

"And if I say no?"

Lilith spoke up, then." Then you'll become mine." This startled both the Monarch and Saintess, who turned to her. Lilith lifted a finger, and nodes of Vale Qi gathered at her fingertip, startling the two lordlings.

"That's—" said Syris rising.

"The Essense of the Vale… yes." Lilith smiled, looking up at Syris. "Curious how you can exist… when no being is supposed to leave the Vale. But… you didn't leave the Vale, did you? Someone gifted you the Authority of the Vale." her smile thinned into a piano-wire-thin smile. "That is most curious… Sene. Why do you think that is?

Why is the Vale present?"

Arsene's expression hardened. "Why would I know?"

Lilith's smile could cut. She could sense the lie, but more than that, she could partly see a hidden scheme hidden away from her omnipotence. Suspicion traced the arcs of her abyssal red eyes. She nodded nonetheless, sure her husband had quite the reason to hide something from her. Lilith tilted her eyes back to Syris, who'd returned to her seat.

"Well, it really doesn't matter. I'll hear it from the source soon."

"What does that mean?" Arsene asked.

Lilith lifted a brow. "You're expression was so curious. I think I'll join Damaris and Eroma as they find that being that made my blood stir." Knowing played at her eyes as she rose. "They'll be in my arms by day's end."

Arsene rose. "Lilith, don't."

"My sweet Sene. Tell me why. And I'll stop."

"Liar," the Monarch snapped. The sin of wrath writhing across his pupils.

"Don't kill him!" Syris blurted out.

"So it's a 'him'. Well, I already figured," Lilith mused. She giggled, glancing back at Arsene. "Honey, you are so easy to read once you're agitated. Relax. I'll probably not do anything.

I'm just curious."

"I'll do as you say. I'll join you. Just—"

Syris didn't see when Lilith moved, but her finger had gently touched her lips, sealing the words escaping her mouth. "I like you… So here is my deal to counter Sene. I'll assist you in killing Belius. I'll even take you in so you'll escape his wrath… in return, I want you to tell me what you two are hiding from me."

Angrily, Syris swatted her hand away, the vale rising across her pupils only to recede beneath the Will of the Abyss.

Lilith grinned. "You don't even understand the Vale, yet you are using it against me. Cute." She rounded to Arsene. "And you… what makes you think I'll kill this boy?"

Arsene opened his mouth, but before the first syllable left his mouth, Lilith had vanished.

"Oh shit…" Arsene exclaimed, struck by an uneasy premonition. He snapped an eye towards the Tower of Babel, eyes widening at the sight of Altair and Varis locked in battle, then to the strange mark on his shoulder. "... They're about to summon him. Fuck."