Monarch of Darkness, Arsene

"I swear schemes surround every part of my daily life. Would you not agree, Master Talos? How is Lady Aiza, if you don't mind me asking?" Lowering my arms, I stared at Talos standing with a dark expression. He did not have to say it, as I knew she was still recovering. "A shame, you know, but I needed a sacrifice. And who better than Aiza? Do tell her so when she is ready to have a conversation. I would love to have a cup of tea."

"you are aware that she will kill you once she recovers." Talos grimly mentioned.

Smiling, I turned and studied Kurt and Sig's injuries. "Many wish me dead. Adding another on the list doesn't make a difference. She will come around, but how are you two so injuries-free? Aside from a few injuries, you are fine."Kurt shot a clear glance at Talos, who merely stare with no intention to involve himself. "If it were against those of the Bed of Chaos, I would understand, but you were against those from Aether."

Sigfried snapped, "We just fought. The hell are you implying?" The large olf argued, "If you have something to say or imply, just say it."

"Just curious. It seems like the Founders trained you all well."

"They did," Kurt insisted, a little defensive. However, I cannot blame him. I did, in a way, offend their master.

"I am sure they did. Guess I never did get to see any of you battle. Never mind my inquiry then." I indifferently uttered.

"Good. Now, with this attack forcing the Holy Sword Sect out of the wormhole, I suspect that it will be a few years before anyone shows up to assist. I was lucky enough to get a lock on Kurts and Sigfried's life signature due to my Dao. However, not everyone is like me. It may take a decade for the Holy Swords to find you. I suggest you train during this time. The mirrored Realm is the perfect place to hone your blade without the worry of damage." Talos lightly inform, vanishing before I could put in a few more words.

Clitting my tongue, I sighed, "Whatever. " Pushing out of whomever room this was, Sigfried raced after me, pressing his overly large palms on my shoulder. " What is it?"

"Did you do something to Aiza?" he asked.

"Ask your masters," I warned, shrugging his palm off of my shoulder. "Somethings aren't meant to be spoken of without one of your masters watching."

Passing through the shadows slipping out of Sigfried's sight, I appeared once more in my room and stared a the empty bed grimly. Knowing Freya had left, I bitterly cursed. Glancing at little Ty and Arkanos still in stasis, I figured it was better to leave them in till we land. I need to start my training. Everyone got stronger during these last hundred years but Lilith and myself.

This battle was probably a stress test to see if I knew any Demonic Artes. I know there is still some suspicion over my talent, but I am sure the Angels will approach me in the next few years. With Kurt and Sigfried proving that there can be those from the Bed of Chaos with high combat prowess, I will say that Angel's suspicion will fade.

Taking a seat in the lotus position, I decided to review all I could do. Darkness and Fire were my main Dao. However, I think that needs to change. Now that I have a soul, I should start creating soul attacks based on my Mortal Dao. Being a soul bender had crippled my spiritual side, but now that I am a player of these two worlds. I needed to evolve.

Pondering over my first Soul Arte, I suddenly burst into laughter thinking about Lilith's Abyssal Arte 'Into the Abyss.' I knew that connecting all my people into a hive mind, having access over all their artes, history, and experience, was a little much. It might be impossible, but there was something similar I could do. Before I left Midgard, I had begun to notice my spear technique gaining hundreds of different properties. Suppose that was due to my fragmented memory. Then it's a safe bet to assume that each of those fragments was part of my past life.

When I first came into this world, still in my mother's womb, I had started using the Mind Palace technique. That slowly grew till I could split my mind. What if I could split my soul with those fragmented memories to form a mini hive. I have lived for a few Dao Cycles, so the chances of them interfering greatly in my day-to-day life was impossible. Allowing each of them to work on different Artes would be like having a team at my disposal. And when I run out of fragmented memories, I will use all the souls I collect.

My Divinity is rising on its own. That will not change till the war starts and people start dying. I need to raise my battle prowess, the one thing that cannot change without Artes or Circles.

"Aegis," I muttered, having not heard from this Dark Passenger for a while. "Wanna help me?"

"Help you? I'm trying to steal your body. Was it not for the Path of Abyssal Night? I would have long succeeded." He claimed, and I would agree.

"Semantics. I try to kill you. You try to mind fuck me. It's how the game is played. I have a theory I need some help with. You did claim that I could have been a Paragon; well, I have a theory on how to do so without Shadow Step."

"You have already weaponized shadow step. What more could you do?" He asked as I recalled that Almighty Technique that almost killed me.

"Shadowfell is a race that holds hundreds if not thousands of Mimi bloodlines. Devils and Demons included giving us access to their heritage. However, with all those Legacies, there comes a great problem. And that is time. I wish to create a Soul Arte capable of splitting my soul indefinitely."

"And again, why should I help you?" He mockingly uttered as I chuckled.

"Killing you is in my interest, but finding out what happened in the Temple of Eternal Darkness is even more critical. I don't think you are the true enemy but rather a pawn in a greater game. Tenebrae would never harm me. You appeared after my race change, so she must have noticed you. Yet she did nothing to protect her child she was helping remold."

"The Dark Mother cares not for her children as most would believe." Aegis coldly declared, "You had best understand that. It is due to the Silver Devil that she assist you, and it's because of your brother Vancurro that I am dead. I would rather die than assist you."

"Even if I could grant you a body of my race free of my sire? Free of this cage? Taken over my body is not happening. So you're either waiting for something deeper to happen, or you are stuck. I am giving you an option, Aegis. Help me, and I help you from crossing me more than you already have."

Aegis fell silent. Allowing him to ponder his life, I smiled when his hesitant voice echoed, "If I side with you... Those of the Ethereal Realm will hunt you down.... as well as Zantar."

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