Lord Shadow

THE FORBIDDEN CONTINENT

AUSTRALIA

CENTER AREA

It is night time in Australia now.

The sound of howling wolves could sometimes be heard. Gigantic flying creatures fly overhead and large slithering creature’s hides under the soil.

On the shores, gigantic shark the size of the Megalodon, circles their nest and giant crocodiles and alligators waited in patience on the mouth of the shore for any unfortunate prey

But no one that comes here right now is scared.

Even though it is night the center area is full of life and light.

People could be seen building houses, buildings and castles and even palaces in the distance. The sound of hammering fills the night silence.

Builders nowadays could build things if they have the plans in their head and building becomes easier hence why many city could be built fast even after one have been destroyed.

The decoration inside such buildings however requires a finer touch from sculptors and designers.

A few hours ago, the six Battlestar followed Azief to Australia.

He marks his territory by descending on the center of the continent and proceeded to kill any monster that dares near him.

Blood and bones paved his path in this continent and by the time the slaughter ended, mountain of bones and rivers of blood formed behind him, the monster knew to fear him instinctively.

He absorbed the weaker animals and fought off the stronger ones. His Disk is slowly being replenished.

Then in about the timespan of three hours he created a fifty kilometers radius of safe zone and created a spike seal that prevent monster from entering that zone.

All the Battlestar landed in peace and without threat, not that it was necessary. The Battlestar itself is equipped with future technology.

People who come under the invitation of Sina, some of them stay, while some of them leave.

Not all feel ease leaving their freedom and lives with someone else and someone as temperamental as the Death Monarch.

The first Battlestar that landed belonged to the Fairy of the Stars Somi

Somi was complaining that she did not see Wang Jian and air out her complains to the Death Monarch.

Many of her subordinates and Wang Jian subordinates fears for her safety.

Thankfully the Death Monarch assures his safety. Azief only words are that he is with Loki and that he is safe.

She then constructed a castle for herself using starlight and resides in it, and people have started calling her castle the Castle of Stars.

The Immortal Couple however is not present. Azief did hear the news that Heaven Flute Lihua seems to be unconscious.

But the others were all present.

Budiman ordered this engineer and builders to start building settlements for the soldiers and the people while he himself will start repairing the Battlestar.

The White Tiger Army help building their own barracks nearby the Castle of Stars.

It is known that the relationship between The Fairy of the Stars and General Wang Jian is not as simple as it seems.

Sina on the other hand had already ordered her disciples and acolytes to build her laboratory while she is playing hooky.

The smells of pills and alchemical furnace burning waft around the settlement and even attracting some beast that was swiftly dispatch by the army.

And when one is talking about army which army is it? It is of course the combination of three armies.

The Myrmidon army which is led by Lady Athena, The white Tiger Army led temporarily by Fairy of the Stars Somi and the Valkyries which is led by Lady Freya.

They all make camp and secure the perimeters.

They all heard about the ferocity of the monsters in the Forbidden Continent and now they ken that the story is not just story.

If not for the fact that the Death Monarch Death Source deters this monster from coming near, the army is not confident they can survive long in this continent.

The Shadow Guards on the other hand disperse almost immediately when the battle ended dispersing all over the world to gather intelligence.

When Sasha Battlestar landed, she was the only one that is aboard and she landed alone.

While all the hustle and bustle happening around the center area of the continent, on a secluded part of the forest nearby the construction area, a fire place was set up.

There are a few people around the fireplace. The fire wood crackles with fires as the sound reminded these people of a simpler time.

There were reminded of the hard but simple times in the beginning.

Now, that they are here, some people are present and some are absent, and the feelings of the past could not be compared to the feeling of the present.

There is Sofia, Sina, and Azief. In the past, they are three insignificant people in the matters of the world.

However, now, they are great figures in the world and each of their words determines the state of the world.

Sofia that small fearful girl has now turned to a legendary archer, charismatic, brave and were given the title the Divine Archer.

With her bow and arrows she could suppress armies and rain down arrows from the Heavens.

Her precision is unmatched and she could even shot down bullet with her bows. Her bows, the Houyi Bow could shot down the sun and brings down the stars.

She is spoken in the same name as Freya, Athena and other great heroines of this era.

Sina on the other hand is known as the Genius Alchemist.

She could forcefully increase an army battle prowess, craft medicine to save lives, creates a pill that create weird phenomena to the world and her pills could even invite tribulations from the Heavens

But what is terrifying about her is the fact of many personal relationship she had with many great figures and reclusive experts.

In her traveling and journey she helps many of those that was stuck in their path of power by helping them by concocting pills for them.

That relationship of hers was shown most extensively during this trip to the Island of Peace.

Most of the people she invited, hidden among the Pill Refiner and her disciples are warriors in the Energy Disperse Stage and some are even Disk formation experts.

And then there is Azief.

Lord Shadow, the Prince of Darkness and now the Death Monarch. He has many titles and names.

Out of the three, Azief image to the rest of the world is akin of a larger than life figure.

He is the strongest person in the world, with his word he could determine the life and death of someone.

When he moves out he brings the storms with him.

He could affect the world political events just by saying a few words and his influence is far reaching.

The Death Monarch name has a powerful effect in this current era. If he were to summon someone to come before him, nobody would dare to deny the order.

He fought in glorious war in the most glorious era, defeated invaders from another world and paved the way for the liberation of humanity, and all the world heroes are under his feet.

If there is someone that could tell what greatness is, if someone is worthy to tell it, then that will be the Death Monarch

He was a giant among his fellow men, casting a deep shadow behind him, blazing like the sun and forging a path ahead of them

That is the Death Monarch, feared, respected and at some places in the world loved by the people

Only three people are around the fireplace.

There is no Loki.

If Loki was here, then, it would be the same composition of their team when they first started in that forest.

Sina at that time followed Sofia and Azief to exact her revenge. And Loki join them for reason still unknown to both Sofia and Sina.

Azief seems to know something about it but he never would tell. Sofia was the one that lit the fireplace.

She stacked a few woods and create a fire with her fingers.

Sina saw it and come near.

And Azief who for some reason remain tight lipped when Sofia arrived with her on the continent, also joins in the gathering.

The moment he came Sofia look at him, like she was demanding and answer and at the same time there is a certain tinge of happiness that he is alive and well.

Sina could see it but she didn’t know if Azief could see it too.

He on the other hand sit on one of the log, brought down the hood that covering his face and revealed his handsome face and brew a hot coffee on the fireplace.

Usually Loki would start the conversation with either some jokes or some teasing. And Sina would follow along.

And then Sofia and Azief would do their thing.

But…times have changed. And Sina knows this is no longer like those days…when it was easy. There were many more things to consider.

For almost three years, Azief have disappeared from the world. And this time his disappearance was not like before.

There were heavy feeling involved this time….many feelings and thought intertwined on that day the Pillars of Weronian crumbles.

‘That was the start’ Sina thought to herself.

Sofia…felt guilty and at the same time felt angry at Azief…for the most obvious reason.

And Azief was also feeling complicated, his heart is torn and yet he is also suspicious of Sofia and Raymond relationship.

It is true that in the first few years Sofia had something with Raymond. And Azief could accept that.

Because at the time they were never a couple and they never made anything official and Azief could not let her wait and she also never expect Azief to wait for her.

Azief went to Earth two and even fall in love with the inhabitant there. And Sofia and Raymond almost become a couple.

But then he returned and they confirm their love for each other, trying not to waste their time, denying what has always been there.

But then the Weronian War happen.

The mountains has crumbled, but even Sofia has her doubts about Azief feelings.

And there was this feeling of insecurity in her heart? Did he really love her? Or is it always been because he felt responsible for her?

What did he feel actually? The promise of taking the world together is no longer a promise….but a burden

‘You and me against the world.’ Both of them still remember what were said when they decided to team up.

The ambience and situation is awkward. Especially for Sina.

She thought she would meet Loki and Loki would join but Loki is nowhere to be seen. She too had something to say.

But she want to say it to the Trickster. But he is not here. And Azief did not say anything more about Loki.

And now, Azief and Sofia is not talking to each other, just looking at each other with questions in their eyes.

‘I’m leaving’ Sina said as she got up. She look at Azief and Sofia not saying anything. She sighed looking at them both and she walked away as the fire crackles.

On the tree nearby a black raven followed Sina on the sky.

The fire wood crackles with fire, and at the same time lighting up the area around them. It is funny.

Even without the fire place they could see clearly with their eyes yet they still make the fireplace.

Maybe it is more comfortable that way

Azief look at her, as the moonlight seems to be shining upon her. Azief did not see Sofia for two years and she has become even more beautiful than before.

Her hair is beautiful and her face is looking more elegant than ever. There is also this aura around her that seems to elevate her somehow.

It is the same aura he sense when he is with Katarina.

Sofia is also looking at Azief and saw that while he is still handsome as before there is this rugged feeling about him.

There is also a kind of sacred aura around him that makes him to appear as he is above worldly matters and views the world with disdain.

It was an aura of an overlord overseeing all creation.

Even though Azief did not exert any pressure, this innate pressure is not something so easily hidden.

Pride is etched on his bone and his Perfection will find a way to make himself stand out among the sea of people.

They were both silent.

Azief is sipping his coffee but sometimes he stole a few glances at Sofia.

And Sofia play around with the fire as the fire twirls around her finger as she too also sneak a few peeks at Azief.

Then trying to break the awkward silence Sofia said

‘What’s wrong?’ Azief look at Sofia like he was unsatisfied with something. Sofia did not like that look and that eyes

It was like he could not trust her.

And then the image of he, dying, on that woman lap and he caressing that woman cheeks enter her mind again and for some reason she got angry.

‘What is it?’ she said, unconsciously raising her voice slightly higher.

And Azief did not realize this because on his mind, he thought about other things. What is on his mind is Raymond holding her hand.

He did not show any reaction back then, but one could only imagine the suspicion in his heart. He could understand it of course.

He was on that Ice Mountain for almost three years.

He could not even blame her even if she did hook up with Raymond.

But just because he could understand it, just because the head could understand it, doesn’t mean that the heart could bear it.

Just because he understand it doesn’t mean it is not disconcerting. The feeling is not pleasant. He did want her to be happy.

He want her to have all of her desire, to be happy and free of worries but that is what it is.

Could anyone say, that if they saw a person they thought their partner, their lover, who just broke up with them dating other person be fine?

Truly?

It is still disconcerting. Even though one is fine with how thing turned out, and one has let them go in their mind, it is still disconcerting.

It still takes time

And the thing is, the relationship between them is not yet over. And he ask and he knew by the time the word comes out of his mouth he should not have asked it.

He should at least ask her how she was doing. He should have said, he was happy seeing her again.

He should have said anything other than the question he is asking.

But the words was blurted out and he could no longer take it back.

‘What is the deal with you and Raymond?’ Azief has been trying to repress this question inside his heart but he could no longer do it.

He couldn’t hold it anymore.

He could have been shouting nonsense and that would be better than asking this question. But, his heart wanted to ask it. His head knows it is not a question he should have asked.

That he should have approached this wisely and cautiously. But his heart demands an answer. And most of the time, heart always trumps the head.

He needs to know. And he is part anxious and part scared. Anxious to hear her answer and at the same time afraid of hearing something he did not want to hear.

‘What?’ Of all the many question she thought he would ask her, this certainly did not cross her mind.

‘I understand why you might have been tempted to be together with that guy. But he is too idealistic and too dull-‘ And for some inexplicable reason, Sofia shocked expression makes him petty.

He starts putting down the other person before he even knows he is doing it.

Sofia eyes blaze with anger as she intercepted his word and almost shouted saying

‘You must think that I am the kind of woman that easily open her heart but that is unfair. Dull? Isn’t that kind of harsh? Why are you saying this?’

Raymond is her friend. Whatever his fault, Raymond treated her with respect and also help her in many predicaments.

But protecting him created an adverse effect. Sofia would have protected any of her friends the same way.

But because of the person in question, the question become sensitive and the answer even more so and Azief was getting more worked up.

That is how he is.

For some reason, for other matters, he could maintain his cool head, but for something related to his heart, he could not help but go crazy.

He could not think straight.

Because if there is one thing about him that is fragile and could be hurt and be battered and broken, it is his heart.

So he has always been guarding it. He didn’t want to be broken more than he is now. So, he has always closed his heart and that heart was keep safe in an iron box, surrounded by darkness.

He never let anyone get too close.

But Sofia got close. And he let her in, unconsciously and inevitably. That makes anything related to her…makes him go crazy.

‘Why? Isn’t he dull? What kind of a man is so weak like that? Is he better than me!’ Azief knew at that moment he should not have said it like that. But he couldn’t stop himself.

He never felt that Raymond is like that.

And it is not his fault. But the more Sofia tries to defend him, the more he becomes angry and the pettier he became.

‘Why are you yelling!’ Sofia shouted and a few people in the distance heard it.

They look toward that direction and when they saw it was the Divine Archer and the Death Monarch was the one creating such ruckus they immediately scurried away.

‘Forget it then!’ Sofia start yelling.

‘Why are you yelling?!’ Azief said as he get up, the cup of coffee is already thrown to the side. The more she was worked up, the more he was worked up.

Above, clouds gather and lightning and thunder clash.

This is their first meeting since a long time. But the first thing they do is argue.

Suddenly this argument also brings up the little thing inside Sofia heart.

All the broken promises, all the things he didn’t know and all the things he takes for granted all flashed inside her mind.

‘Why? I can’t yell? Only you are the right one? You think you have any right? Right now? Almost three years you were silent and you expect me to just be happy without some explanations? Why didn’t you send any signal? Anything would have been fine. But you were happy hiding in that mountain with her!’ She said this all in one breath, as her chest heaved up and down.

She knows why.

She knows that if Azief did send a signal people would surely try to prevent his healing. But she is angry. And in anger, people always put logic to the side.

But the one thing she is most angry about is not because of this. It is because of Katarina.

And the fact that Azief is accusing her to have something with Raymond while he himself is going around the world gallivanting with a beautiful women by her side.

Then remembering what he said to her and his implication of his word about her and Raymond she spurted more words.

‘And what is with that tone? Are you blaming me? So, what did you do with the Ice Princess? Did you fuck her?’ Azief face turned color.

She didn’t know whether it is because of anger or disbelief.

‘How does it feel being accused like that?’ She ask challengingly.

‘I didn’t do anything with her!’ Azief shouted back

‘I didn’t do anything either but you already assumed I had!’ Sofia yelled.

‘I…I’

‘What’s your problem? Why did you have to turn our talk like this!’ she said, her anger is clearly not yet flushed out

‘You were the one that started yelling first!!’ Azief said his tone of voice shows how worked up he is.

But Sofia was also worked up.

‘Fine! It’s my fault!!!’ Sofia shouted.

‘I just thought that you would talk about something else with me. We could have talk about anything else. You were alive, you were here, and I was happy. I might not show it but I was happy. I really was….’ she said as tears started pooling around her eyes.

‘I just…I just…wanted to go through this night feeling happy. Happy that you were here…alive and well.’

They both looked at each other and wind fills the silence around them. Sofia was about to break down crying.

And then looking at Azief face, and looking at that eyes, and for some reason she begins to vent out what she has been feeling.

Because she fears what she thought about him has been true all along. With determination in her eyes she said

‘You were always saying things like that to me… that I’m an outgoing person, and that is one of the reason why you like me but you know I’m not usually an outgoing person. I don’t open my heart easily because I have been hurt before. I don’t know why but that is how I am. And you know this’ Then she pointed her finger at him and said

‘It was you. You…open my heart. It was you that came to me. And under that cherry tree, you hold out your hand. And I took it. And then we were together in many life death situation and I found myself falling for you. But no. I did not acknowledge this feeling. At first I thought what I felt for you is only affection.’

She takes a breath and then continued, tears streaming down her eyes

‘Many thing happened since that day and I think I was unconsciously leaning to you. Maybe it is because we were always next to each other. I thought that was it. It is not love. And I don’t want to rush into it. Because rushing into it would surely end in heartbreak. And I don’t want to be hurt again. It will be too painful to experience that a second time. But then, when I try not to think of you, the opposite happens.’

And there was a sad smile on her face as she said

‘I kept thinking about you day and night. Even when you are beside me, I kept sneaking glances without realizing it. I keep thinking about you, and when something happy happens to me I wanted to share it with you. The more I kept thinking about you, the more I realized I liked you. And no matter how much I think about it, I think that…is love. And when we are together, everything stops for me. And I keep denying it. “Why isn’t my heart doing what I want to do?” I keep asking myself this question. But even though I keep asking that question I keep missing you all the same. And your face keep showing up in my mind, uncontrollably and fondly. And I hear your voice like it was a song. And I want to be with you always. It was like my heart was malfunctioning beyond repair.’

Sofia voice is cracking and tears flows down her eyes. Azief was shaken. They fought before. But Azief never had Sofia revealing her feelings to him.

Not like this. Not with tears. Not with this kind of tone of finality. And the more he hear Sofia feelings, the more he felt anxious and terrified.

Like something bad is about to happen.

But he could not let her stop speaking. Because, this time, he had to listen. He had to listen and understand.

Because as much as he didn’t understand her, some if it is because of him. And they always skirted around the issue.

But tonight, for some reason, it was like all of it was laid to bare. Sofia said, cracking her voice in some of her sentence

‘But the closer we become, the more I can’t predict your mind. The more we became closer, the more I want to know what you are thinking. The closer we became the more curious I am of you. All day and every day, I miss you. For all those moment we are not together, I dream you were beside me. For all the rain, for all the rainbows you missed, and for all the happy thing that happens in my life, I imagined you were there beside me. But….you always closed yourself off from me.’

She look at Azief and Azief could only stand there speechlessly. She did not even give him the chance to rebut.

He could only listen and try to understand. This is the first time Sofia is telling him what she truly felt.

Unfiltered truth. Then Sofia wipes some of the tears on her face and bitterly smiles as she said

‘But I knew our personalities do not match and there was a lot of thing about you that made me angry and mad. And there are things you do that drives me crazy. But… “I can’t stop thinking about him” “I don’t know if it would be better to be with him or never being with him?’ ” He is honest and he can’t lie” I have all of these argument on my head every day. And even with all that, even with all our differences I thought one day we could truly love each other truly.’

By this time, her voice is cracking and her sobbing blur the words she is trying to say.

‘The more I know about you, the more I don’t know if I can handle you. “He likes being in the darkness. He never tell me everything.” “When will he express his feelings?” “Why are things I care about is not the things he care about?” “Am I the only one that has to make an effort?”

‘Then when?!’ Sofia shouted this word at Azief, her clear eyes fill with tears look at Azief. Azief was stunned.

He was speechless as he felt his heart felt hurt. He did not know. He truly did not know

‘When will we truly love each other? When will this man opens his heart to me and truly let me enter? When will that happen?’ Sofia wipes the tears on her eyes.

Looking at Azief and thinking of all the things that happened, she bitterly smiles and almost laughed at herself.

Could it be her suspicion all of this time was true

She then said

‘I found out I’m the only one that think about you. Always. And that hurts. Not the fact that I might love you more but the fact that you might have been with me simply because I was there. And because I am someone you have to take responsibility for.’ She come closer to Azief and he could see how much pain she is in right now.

‘Alright’ Azief said, nodding his head

‘I get it’

‘What?’ Sofia could not help but scoffed. She could guess what he is about to say. Because he always do this.

But she never call him on it. Not when he return from Earth Two. And not when he return from his other adventure.

All of those times, she never called him on it. Thinking about it, maybe it was better to call him on it before. Maybe…maybe if she did, they would not reach this stage.

‘Let us truly love each other. I will try harder.’ He said

Sofia shakes her head

‘No, you don’t get it’ Sofia tears falls even faster.

‘What?’

“Let us truly love each other?” Does that solve things? What are you thinking?’

‘What do you mean? I’m just thinking-‘

‘You’ll just play along? Like always. Let us love each other? This is ridiculous.’ And she laughed bitterly

‘No, I… Since you said-‘

‘So, just because I was saying it….you suddenly get it. All the feeling I have is that trivial isn’t it? That with one word it is solved’ The more Sofia said, the more her tears falls down.

‘Then what is it you want?’ Azief ask, his voice tone is lower this time

‘I don’t know. But it is surely not this.’ Azief lost his word. He did not know what to right now. He did not know what to say.

So, he stand there….not knowing for the first time in a long time….what to do.

What could he do to make things better? If anything he said, and anything he do…could not solve this…then what was the solution?

Sofia look at Azief and blurting out her suspicion, she almost felt herself breaking down.

‘Why don’t you admit it now? You…don’t love me. You….have always love only yourself.’

‘No…I…’ And Azief reflect on himself.

He tries to think of all the times he was with her. And now as he reflect on his memories, he realizes something.

He only saw what he did for her. But he never realizes the things he never did for her. It was like his memory is first person view.

All he could see was what he does and that is the thing he remembers. But now…as he thinks about it, really thinks about it, there is a lot of thing he did not do for her.

Because he thought it was fine.

Because he thought it is fine to ignore those things. Because he never even imagined, she will not be beside him.

Sofia then leave with tears in her eyes, as she jumped toward the night sky, flying with the wind.

When she arrives on the clouds she brought out her bow and when she shot her arrow she turns into an arrow, traveling with an incredible speed to reach halfway across the world in a matter of minutes.

Azief was too stunned to chase her and because he was asking himself

‘Did they just break up?’

***

MEANWHILE ON THE ISLAND OF PEACE

That cloudy eyes seems to be looking on the distance. But no one knows what she is truly seeing.

This is the Oracle residence

Erika was looking outside her window. She was wearing a see through white robe that shows off her alluring figure.

Her hair falls down to her waist and there is youthfulness brimming from her.

She sighed.

When she arrived at the battle site the Death Monarch has already disappeared when he was chasing the Mind Master.

When the conclusion was reached, Hirate saw her and invited her to stay for a couple of days here in the World Government.

She did not have anything else to do so she agreed and Hirate did offer her many herbs that restores back her youth.

The builders build her a residence near the almost destroyed Quorum building.

As the night comes, she got up from her sleep and meditation and look outside of her windows trying to seek through any fortuitous evenest for her.

But she did not see anything.

She saw that many people outside has started building residential area and burying the dead.

She look at the moon and sighed.

She once again was too late in meeting the Death Monarch. However this time, one of her prediction was once again averted.

She predicted that Hirate would die, she even saw the vision of the future where Hirate is dead, and his head had a hole in them

But, Hirate is still alive and kicking and the world is slowly recovering from the chaos since the attack on the World Government,

Crime families all over the world is being cautious and the enemies of the people of Death Monarch faction all lie low.

And in all of these occurrences there is always a constant, a variable that changes the predetermined path of someone life.

Loki.

‘Hmm…who should I try to meet first?’

***

SOMEWHERE IN MOSCOW

SNOW PALACE

The snows in Moscow has slowed down. The Republic is entering its most peaceful time period with the return of the Snow Princess.

She is walking around her Snow Palace Courtyard, behind her, many maidservants is accompanying her.

A snowflakes falls onto her cheeks and she smiles. She looks at the sky and she smiles brightly. The maidservants behind her could not help but be in awe at her beauty.

She is more than just a typical Russian beauty, her beauty seems to be innate and emitted her own aura.

This is thanks to her now pursuing the perfection path just like Azief.

Her already beautiful face become more beautiful so much so, that anyone seeing her could not help but be entranced for a second.

She was smiling because the cold winter has passes. And she remembers Azief promise to her. That he will come back when spring came.

The warm sunlight seems to even be warming her heart. The storms has stopped and there is clear skies.

When spring came, there is a lot of things she wanted to say to him. All the things she kept in her heart. All the things she is too shy to talk about before.

But until that time come, she will wait. And believe that they will meet again. And if he can’t see her, then she will look for him. And then she will show him what she hides in her heart.

‘My Lady, why are you so happy?’ One of the maidservant asked seeing that Katarina mood visibly lifted.

‘Spring will come, he said.’ Katarina said as she smiles.

‘When the flower petals are falling, then I will be thinking of him.’ And then looking ahead, into the distance, there is a determined expression on her face as she smiles her brightest smile.

***