"I am invited to a wedding," I repeated, staring at myself in the mirror. Brushing the obsidian silk that was my hair, a foreboding feeling gripped my heart.
I had come to trust this feeling plaguing my soul since I first heard of this wedding.
"Was I too dismissive of Arsene?" I had come to ask myself often.
Placing my brush upon the crystal counter, I listened to the echoes of flowing water. Allowing the Dao of Water to soothe my nerves, I tried to recall the face of that Devil. Yet no matter what I did, the only thing that remained was a blurred image.
It had come to a shock, but it seems like even we High Gods are not exempted from that mysterious force pulling at our souls. Try as we could. Nothing worked. The memory of Arsene was fading. Same for the one known as Yura.
Leaning back upon my seat, I sighed when a sudden knock echoed through my empty room. "My Lady, Sir Abbadon Snow is here to see you."
Glancing through the walls and space, all the memories and blurred memories returned instantly. Arsene, that bastard was smirking as if everything around him was in his hands.
Wrapping my body in the finest silk of crimson, I took a glance at the seductive witch, staring back, and smiled.
Taking the express route, I materialize a few rooms from Arsene. Letting my feet echo, a wave of Dao so profound, even mid gods would cower, I approached in a slow, patient manner. Akin to a lion stalking its prey.
Yet, Arsene remained still within the study. He poured himself a glass. His hand was without the slightest tremor of fear. Like my aura towering over this city was nothing, the mocking smile upon his lips never left.
Opening the door to my study, Arsene did not glance towards me, but rather the Artwork I had gathered, "Quite a collection you have. Are they all of you?" He questioned as I too peered at the various images of women, that in a way, resembled me.
"None of them are me, but they had gathered my attention during my travels. Guess the Auther has a thing for brunettes." I replied, hearing Arsene pour another glass before handing it to me. He continued.
"I met a man by the name of Christofer. Quite the character, I must say. Never before have I seen such a man with a blood lust like so. Well, at least not from those that were not a devil or demon." He said almost as if to gloat.
Why bring him up now? Was this not supposed to be a secret? This was not the plan. It seems Arsene likes going off-script.
"I am rambling, sorry." He charmingly uttered, turning his soul-sucking gaze towards me. "Are you coming to the wedding?"
"I am."
"Plus one, or alone."
"Plus one"
He smiled, swirling the amber liquid in his glass." I like you, Aiza. You are pretty interesting, and most of all, you are valuable. So I will give you a bit of information upon the wedding me and my wife Lilith will have."
Widening my eyes, my heart shuttered. That bastard Aeron, he never said anything of Lilith being with Arsene! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! No, wait, this could still work. Yu Jing simply needs to be careful.
"You see, Aiza. You remind me of a Devil, and I being one, have this almost innate feeling like you are my enemy."
Getting my emotions in check, I smiled, arching my glass. Clinking his glass against mine, his gaze hummed with a look I had only seen in myself.
"Why is it you are here, Mr. Snow." I once again repeated.
"I am laying a trap, and since I am low on time and patience, and I require a bit more allies. So I came for your help." Arsene informed, confusing me immensely. Didn't he just say I was his enemy?
Noticing my confusion, the mocking smile upon the Devil in my sight deepened, "I already contacted Loki, and I am meeting his Lords a little later."
My heart froze. This isn't good. No, this is really terrible. If Arsene gets in bed with them, we of the Court of Nox is fucked!
"So I was right. Your expression says it all. Loki is on Casia was due to me and you, or should I say Nox. Now, this is quite the day. I truly like playing God with other people's emotions." He uttered sinisterly, sipping the brandy in his hand that was older than two Dao Cycles.
"We have not fallen out, Aiza. You have done me no wrong. As a matter of fact, you have given me a babysitter and a mighty Chosen. What more can I want?"
Turning the glass into my hands to dust, my Mask broke, revealing a bone-chilling stare. I kept only for those I needed to kill. Arsene was too dangerous. Aeron was right. I fucked up. No, I was right; this only reinforces the idea that Arsene Snow needs to die.
"A prince of hell is here," Arsene uttered, shaking my frozen heart. Widening my eyes, I shuddered as he continued, "Not to mention a few others with the power of a King of Hell, I would suggest you contain yourself."
Gritting my teeth, I could not find any sort of deceit in this bastard's face. It was blank, with only that damn smirk.
"What do you want." I once again repeated.
"Help, of course. You see, my captivating Aiza. I plan on making a vicious blow to the Celestial King, Yael, the other Angels, a Prince of Hell, and a few others. And I need the help of the Founders."
Peering into the gaze that seemed to suck out hope from those that fell into his sights, I felt the hole we had fallen into deepen.
"You want me to help battle against Yael?"
"Oh god, no. That would be suicidal. You and the rest of the courts would die. Yael is an Elder God from Heaven. He is in a league on to itself. No, Yael will be handled by me.
"Make yourself clear, Snow. What is it you want?" I sharply demanded.
Arsene stared, losing his smile for the first time. He lowered the brandy from his lips, "I wonder what it is, Aiza. Is it the fear of the Princes and Kings of Hell, or is it my involvement with Loki that has you on end?"
Shaking his head, he shrugged, "you know what, it doesn't matter. Both reasons give me a bit of leverage. I will not request your help yet. No. I will simply wait for all the Founders to come knocking upon my door when you approach them and tell them of our meeting."
"You're a rat bastard. Humiliating me like so." I snapped, growing colder by the second. "Why not just have me fall upon my knees before them and say Arsene just fucked us, and it was my fault."
"Oh, Aiza. You think too much. Allies, enemies, those are just terms to me. It didn't matter if we had a good relationship or not. When dealing with a true devil, there is only value. And you, Aiza, have true value. So call it what you want, but you will go before your peers and tell them what I said."
Shuttering at his words, it was only now I remembered the blood of the Nines running through his veins. Arsene is a Devil, a true one unlike me. There kind only know how to betray. Cutting each other down is what they do.
"This game of yours, what of us?" I asked, needing to understand whether I should flee or not.
"As I said, Aiza. You have value. Do you think I trust Loki or a Prince or King of Hell? Much less the Angels?" He said, stepping past me. Opening the door to the study, Arsene chuckled, "This is how the game is played. It's not just your head that may fall, but also mine."