The Black Hand

Barging into the chamber that held four of these bastards, my eyes instantly landed on a familiar face. A face I'd seen a few times in Ilyia as a child. It was then everything fell into place as images came rushing into my mind.

It was the first time I'd ever seen Mother so enraged. The first time I saw her slaughter dozens of people. By the time Titus, my father, came rushing in with a look of false horror, Mother had already run her arm through his chest with such a bloodthirsty look in her eye I thought she was about to kill him. I never understood why she didn't flee that day, why she didn't kill him. It was clear she could. But she didn't. She allowed him to live and fainted after that.

Around us stood dozens of limbs sprawled about and a single man on one knee heaving as he used his brethren as shields to keep himself alive. Valiscar was his name. The bastard who ran his dagger into my shoulder, missing my eye only due to Mother's quick reaction.

He gave me my first scar.

The mere sight of him made my blood boil beneath my skin. Red instantly filled my sights, as everything around me froze in time, sealed away as I moved. After images trailing my body, my fist, bleeding the great sin of pride, crackled.

An eruption of such power ruptured for what seemed humanly possible for my current level as the frozen image of Valiscar tore through the confines of my castle, leaving me behind a blood mist. I growled as my almighty aura rippled.

My eyes scanned the other three, who merely bowed their heads, falling to a knee one after the other.

"Arsene!" shouted Tene materializing from the shadows. She turned to stare at the settling mist and then at me with a look of wonder in her eye. "They're here to help."

"I'll kill that man's entire family and force him to eat their remains." I barked. "Why the fuck is he still alive!" I pointed. "WHY IS THAT PIECE OF SHIT ALIVE!"

Arcs of lightning that ought to belong in the Abyss shrieked through the skies as my aura billowed like a fearsome god of death over Nocturne. Valiscar was a top-level member of the Black Hand. Becoming one of the highest after his defeat. His appearance marked the day I became a man. Each day was a battle for my life. Each fucking day!

Tene expression paled, and her head bowed. "He is the reason I became enemies with your brother."

"What?"

Tenebrae nodded slightly, a trace of bitterness in her voice, as she raised her head. "The reason I helped you, the reason I was Zariels enemy, all stems from Valiscar. At the end of the war, I negotiated a deal. Zariel would drop the vendetta against him, and in return, I would owe him three favors. And he used all his favors on you."

"FUCK!!!!!" I bellowed, glaring at the three bastards, trembling beneath my fiery eye.

"Sene," Tenebrae whispered.

"Why him?" Trying with all my might not to outright lose control. My fist curled in a ball as I snapped my gaze to Tene. "Why him?"

"For some reason… Arsene, please. Why don't we—"

"Tell me," I said so coldly. Images of the hells flickered through my mind, crowning me with its approval.

"I… he… he was a Shade Variant." She said softly.

I laughed. I laughed and laughed as blood pooled from my pores as anger swelled within me, becoming tempered the longer I discussed this.

"How many? How many Shade variants are out there."

"Including Kuro? Seven. Seven out of the entire Myriad Heavens. " She answered. "I'm sorry… I—"

"You know… I love the trait of betrayal, despite my trust in people. I always encourage them to betray me. Telling them to kill me at any chance. Complacency is the product of sloth. Something I don't wish on my people. But it's not something I look for in a mate."

"Let me explain I—"

I shook my head through narrowed eyes. "Save it for later. I don't know what you were planning. So I'm going to give you some time to work… on it. And you better be able to explain it." I told her, staring dead into her heart. "I'll say that's reasonable. You were gone for a week. So you can deliberate for a week. While I calm down."

Turning my back, Ash and Brimstone followed my steps as I entered over the bridge of the damned, surrounded by a plethora of Demons and Devils armed to the bone.

Formations, weapons, vessels, and more all entered my sight as the Hells prepared themselves for another attack from Noctem. Ignorant of the fact my people have already started breeding. It was only a matter of time before we took over the first layer of hell, however, at the mere sight of me. Alarms shook the billowing ash.

In a single instant, the Devils initiated an all-out attack.

Nevertheless, I wasn't in the mood to entertain. Shadow Stepping out of combat a few parsecs away, I made my way toward Ezra, who should have built a fortress by now. It had been a little more than four hundred years. More than enough time for monsters to be born. More than enough time for people to rise as I did.

Connecting to my Knight, I teleported to her side, smiling as my mood improved when I stepped into a training ground that could fit hundreds of people. Standing at the forefront with a blade in her hand, Ezra demonstrated her martial arts.

Below her stood hundreds of little kids around the age of five to ten covered in wounds. I'd have thought I entered a child workshop if I didn't know better. Then again. Ezra is a devil. I can't put a child sweatshop past her.

"Training them well?"

Ezra glanced at me with a vibrant flare and smiled. " Master!" She exclaimed like a small child and nodded. " Of course. These are the newborns. We train them by starving them. It teaches them to push past pain. And what is worse than starvation?"

"... I could think of many things."

"Me too. But it's appropriate for kids whose minds haven't been developed." She replied happily and stopped her movements. "What brings you here?"

"Negotiations."