Yu Lan - Are you serious?

Staring dumbfounded at Arsene, sitting outside my room on the patio eating and sipping coffee, he turned to me smiling. "Morning, did you dream of me? You have a little drool on your face."

Scrunching my brow, I snorted, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Pursing my lips, I hastily wiped away to drool while he smirked, "Well, you see, I need your help. The Princess of the Celestrial House is about to be married, and she needs to do it here."

"Princess? Are you talking about the Soulbender, Tain Xifeng?" I asked in intrigue, having not heard of the princess in years. Many had thought she was in hiding from the Court of Nox.

"Sure?" Arsene shrugged. "Well, she is having a wedding and wishes to use the entire city."

"Who is it?" I asked, having not heard anything. In fact, the only thing of late I heard of was that of the Prince getting a woman pregnant and an assassin killing her.

"A badass, that's all I can say." He said with an arrogant smile branded upon his lips. "Tang Feng should already know. Since his disciples were the first to find out about it, but I think a proper invitation is needed. You know what, could you invite the entire family? I think it could be a grand event. Tang Feng has something to announce to the realm."

I took a seat at my table and glanced at the second mug steaming with a misty heat. Taking it, I stared, "I didn't sense you enter my room. How did you get in?"

"Is my fiancee worried? Worry not, it didn't look under your bed. I was quite the gentleman. Although I didn't know you like it--"

"Speak another word, and I'll kill you!" I desperately screamed, wishing to dig a hole to hide my burning face, sending a glance to the object under my bed. Damn him! Why the hell didn't I put it into my spiral ring?

Grinning ear to ear, Arsene chuckled, "how cute. I swear you will make a wonderful wife one day."

Touching my heart, I gently shook my head with a bitter smile, "He was my soul mate. One cannot just find them again. Once they are gone, they are gone."

"Then why even live?" He suddenly questioned, not mincing any words.

"It was for my child," I had wished to say but couldn't. How could I when she was the one who killed him?

Peering at me, the Devil before my eyes chuckled as if hearing the echoes of my heart. "So what will you do about Yu Jing? Will you really kill your daughter? The last blood I assume of your husband."

"No. She is still my daughter, and he is dead." I answered, but my heart was screaming. Why?! Why him?

"Oh, Yu Lan. Why lie? Don't tell me you don't wish to slit her throat? When you saw her playing with Arkanos, the little dragon. Don't tell me you were not jealous? Her finding some happiness, and you stuck to forever live knowing it was her that killed him. Kill the man you loved. Sorry, the man you still love."

Lowering my gaze at the steaming brew before me, I could feel Arsene's looming gaze filled with a bit of discontent, if not disapproval.

"You know Yu Lan, I have met a man, who for the life of him is dead inside no matter how he tries to hide it. He was a soul bender and found his Paramore till she was ripped away before his eyes. Do you know what he did?"

"He--"

"He got revenge." Arsene interrupted firmly, "If I did not give him a way out his stomp, he would have probably killed himself. Why not go after Aiza? The woman who caused this all. Or is your daughter who you gave birth to mean so little?"

"Kill Aiza? Kill a founder of Nox?" I could not help but repeat in a bit of mocking light," She would kill everyone I love. Are you serious?"

"You lost your love. Why do you care." He corrected as my eyes grew wide. "Not to mention it's not like Aiza is planning on keeping Yu Jing alive after her usefulness is up. Why do you think she is tolerating me?"

Taking a sip, a bitterness I had come to hate stung like cold ice upon the tip of my tongue. Grimacing, I pouted, "This is disgusting."

The Devil smiled, taking a sip, "How can you say you like coffee if you can't drink it black. But try not to change the conversation Yu Lan, tell me. Do you want revenge?"

Lowering my mug, I sighed, "What is it you are getting out of this?"

"Does it matter?"

"Only a fool would say it doesn't."

Finding a smile, Arsene nodded, "Fine. Think of it as a warning to Aiza and the Founders. I plan on making a deal, but not with allies like the Demons and Devils, nor enemies like the angels or Nox. No, I have something more... enriching in mind."

"Sounds diabolical. Care to weigh me in?"

Arsene snickered, rising for his chair with smoldering darkness, "Your answer? Revenge, or will you waste away your life?"

Shutting my gaze to the outside world, I touch upon my stomach for a minute, maybe two. Mortals will carry there young for nine even perhaps ten months, as they grow to from nothing into something.

However, Gods and cultivators face millions of years and sometimes cycles carrying their young. I hate Yu Jing for what she did, but I hate myself more for allowing it to happen. I could never kill my only daughter that carries his blood. Never!

Opening my gaze towards the devilishly handsome man staring, I shuttered, knowing I would be making a deal with a devil.

"Can you promise Yu Jing will live? That she will live happily?"

He smiled; whether it was with mockery or admiration, I could not tell. "I need an answer, Yu Lan. Are you with me, or not?"

Clenching my teeth, I lowered my head, "I-I I am with you till the end. No matter what happens, I will be by your side."

The Devil before my eyes chuckled, "Then welcome to Vavictus, Lady Yu Lan. I truly cannot await the day. Aiza is on her knees."