A Shadowfell's Pride

A/N: Evil Arsene Warning

Giving the necessary coordinates to Tiamat, I gave Zariel and Zero a heads-up about her arrival. Zariel, far, in contrast, seemed more stressed about Tiamat's arrival than Zero, who didn't particularly care.

I wonder if Zariel is still scarred? It happened so long ago. Then again. I have no idea how Aurelia will respond. That was a whole drama.

Scratching my cheek, recalling events that needed to stay dead, I smiled and turned towards Adrian in the lotus position shedding his burnt flesh like a snake.

"Boy," I called deeply.

"I've got a name, you know."

"Makes me feel powerful. " I joked. "Try it sometime. Learned that shit from a god of war. "

Peeping his golden red eyes open, Adrian grimaced with a hard stare. " I'll never forgive you."

"Ok… not really sure what you want me to say. Am I supposed to feel bad? To say noooo~ don't hate me. Bitch I'm Arsene. And when you address me, it will be Master. Remember that. I'm not that forgiving."

Rustling the little brat's head, I lifted myself up and stretched my limbs. " Man, I'm hungry. Haven't eaten in years. Should we eat?"

Adrian pushed away my hand and flared his qi, destroying the shedding skin clinging to his body.

"I want souls." He voice.

"So you're a killer now?" I casually said, narrowing a single eye, and looked skywards." We can get you a soul. There is a budding life a few dozen kilometers away. A nice family… of seven. Damn, she must like popping out kids," I said, stretching out my perception.

The look in Adrian's eyes couldn't have gone wider, but before he could say no, or shake his head, my palm flashed towards his neck, snatching him up. I tossed his little ass over the horizon toward the presence I felt.

Shadow Stepping towards where he was falling, Adrian, flared his wings, trying with his all to stop fall but to avail as he slapped the earth-shattering bones, skin, organs, and a single eye.

"Hmm. Now you're in quite a predicament. If you don't kill, you'll surely die." I remarked, watching his grimful wails resound like a siren's cry.

"I HATE YOU!" He howled, bleeding tears from his eyes with a shattered jaw and a torn tongue.

"First warning. It is, 'I hate you, Master," I swiftly corrected, narrowing my eyes into two cold slits. "Do it again, and I'll toss your ass into the Nines to rot."

A fearful spasm rippled through the unruly child, but to my amazement, Adrian lifted a single finger toward me. " FUCK YOU!!!!"

"I like you, boy. You are not even seven or six, yet you have such a sense of amusement. But it all won't matter. If you don't kill, you're going to die. What's more important? Your life, or there's."

Masking myself with shadows of darkness, I stood off to the side and stared as a young boy around Adrian's age ran like the wind with his small stubby legs.

"It won't work, Arsene." Lily addressed, startling me for a second.

"And whys that?" I asked, uncertain Lily knew what she was talking about. I knew how to break people. It was a simple thing.

"The moment you gave the Shadowfell the ability to mold their souls with a sliver of your Abyssal Sins in their souls, you changed them. In a way, you made loyal subjects with an unbreakable will. Adrian will not break his pride to live. Not unless his wrath wins out. And I don't see that happening. He is not enraged like that yet."

My lips tugged downwards quite deeply. "I'd not considered that. But I should still be able to break him."

"Then you underestimate your Sin and Blood."

"Ah! Your hurt! I'm going to get mommy!" The little boy around Adrian's age yelped.

"No!" Adrian grittily howled as the laws of creation began together to his will. Withering his life force before my eyes. My frown only deepened. "I'm fine! See! Just run! Run away!"

Healing before the eyes of the little boy. My frown continued to deepen, but I didn't do anything. Not yet, anyway.

"Is there a monster?" the small child asked, vigilantly looking around. 'Lornanna is strong! See, look at my muscles!"

Shadow Qi flared like a vibrant storm consumed by a demonic aura, and Adrian's eye flared ruby red with bloodlust for a second. " RUN!"

"Lor! What are you— RUN!!!!" Hearing the boy's Mother rushing towards her child, I released a sigh and dropped the shroud around me.

"Adrian." I calmly said, approaching my disciple. "I am both proud and disgusted. You have a noble pride about you. And you will surely choose death. But what if I say I'll shatter your own Mother's soul if you don't listen? Your choice, this boy's life or your Mother's."

Halting the Mother and child with my presence, I stared downwards with icy red eyes. "In life, we have choices that cause real damage. And it seems you don't understand that yet."

"You promised! You promised you wouldn't harm them!" Adrian howled, vomiting a mouthful of blood. Tear-stained red dripped from his eyes as he growled.

I shrugged. " I don't remember that."

"ARSE—"

My eyes grew even colder. Halting Adrian's words.

"Master. Please." The boy caved. "Please don't do this."

Chest heaving in and out, I opened my palm, and the soul of Adrian's nameless Mother flew out from his chest into my palm. Coldness filled my heart like a brewing storm, and without hesitation, I pressed down, distorting the fragile mortal Soul Flame.

"Please! Take my life instead! The Mother of 'Lornanna cried.

Snapping my finger, freezing her in place alongside her son. I stared dead at Adrian. Who glared up at me.

Crawling off the grass, Adrian stood bow legs, drenched in blood, and released a deafening howl of pure emotion.

"Take my Mother. She is already dead."

Startled by his answer, my grip loosened. "You understand what you are saying, right?"

As if Adrian had aged hundreds of years, he portrayed a sadness I saw only in that of a broken warrior who'd fail their life mission.

The boy didn't respond.

"I don't think I know anyone as noble as you," I said, shaking my head when my heart and soul turned to absolute zero. "But what if I did this"

Erupting Adrian's Mother's soul in abyssal Flames. I felt the laws of creation twist and bend to my will, taking the form of a beautiful woman covered in scales and runes that mirrored Adrians.

A long deafening silence rippled out as the female in my palm opened her eyes, blinking her golden eyes. A visible look of confusion filled her eyes.

"Adrian? Is… is that—"

Snatching her by the neck, I smiled devilishly. " What about now, disciple?"