Lord Shadow

SPAIN

TWO YEARS AND A HALF AFTER THE BATTLE OF SPAIN

The winds of winter. Always. Here it is always winter. Snowflakes falls from the skies likes rain on certain day.

Sometimes when it is favorable, the land will be bathed in the sunlight before the cold winds blows again.

Like preserving a flawless painting masterpiece, the cold never ceased. Time was frozen testament to a sacrifice.

The snow kept falling on the tundra of Spain. Yesterday. Today. And tomorrow. Spain was a cold place, devoid of warmth.

It is cold all the time.

For every people who came to Spain, they all visited the Mountain of Everlasting Love as a tribute of respect and admiration.

In the beginning it was called the Snow Princess Mountain but after a year, with the Bards and storyteller that exaggerate and romanticize the battle of Spain, the Mountain held a special place in the heart of humanity.

Around the Mountain region, thick white fog surrounded it.

But why does one mountain means so much for the people of Earth?

Because encased in the center of the mountain is a couple of lover that won the admiration of lovers everywhere.

The mountain itself could not be approached as it was full of beast and monsters that make the mountain its home.

Most of the monsters and beast that lives there are beast with high endurance against the cold.

A woman is looking at the mountain with a complicated expression.

The woman has a bow behind her back, thrumming with power. Her black hair was silky and beautiful, caress by the blowing cold winds of the mountain.

She was taller than before, beautiful than before, but her heart…..her heart is cold. She never like the name of the Mountain.

If she could she would destroy the mountain.

But because of her hope, she did not destroy the mountain. Her hope….dangled by that strand of desperation.

This woman was the newly acclaimed strongest woman on Earth, Sofia the Divine Archer.

Yet, no matter how strong she has become, she has never been able to pierce the Mountain with her arrows.

And see him.

Because she wanted to hold him. Touch him. And tell him…she was sorry. That she was so sorry.

The memory of their last conversation tormented her every day. She should have not said that. She should have not done that.

She should have smile. At least, she should have smiled. She at least wanted to leave that kind of image in his mind.

As she look at that mountain, her thought is filling with memories and regret, footsteps is approaching.

Sofia did not turn her back but she could have sense who is coming.

She did not leave.

The moment that person saw the back of Sofia, that person stop for a while like she couldn’t believe Sofia is here.

That person then walk slowly and calmly approaching Sofia. Then stopping a few meters away from Sofia, that person sighed.

Behind her, was a woman wearing a white robe layered with red. Smells of herbs and burning scent could be smell from her.

‘This is the first time you came’ Sofia did not turn her face, her eyes transfixed on the Mountain.

For a while only the sounds of the winter could be heard. Sofia did not reply, her eyes keep looking at the mountain.

Standing there proudly, with a peak that reaches the clouds, it was like the Mountain mocking her.

‘Years has passed, and seasons have come and go. Nowadays who didn’t t know the story of the Prince of Darkness and The Ice Princess, lovers that would sacrifice their life for each other? Sina, haven’t you hear the stories?’ she said mockingly.

Sina shakes her head. The whole world truly believes that is the case. But for those people involved, they knew.

‘You know that’s not true.’

‘Is it?’ She sighed as she ask another question. Sina was stumped. She truly did not know how to answer that question.

She, like others also saw the recording of that battle. She also saw the way Azief look at Katarina on his last moments before he was sealed.

Who is not to say that is love? Sina ignore that question and ask another question with her tone slightly trembling

‘Why didn’t you come?’

Sofia did not answer. So, Sina continued

‘For two years Wang Jian and his Legion has been guarding this mountain. But you have never come. You kept fighting. You did not visit. You did not once pass by here’

Sighing, Sofia answered

‘I don’t like seeing the mountain’

‘Why?’ Sina asked.

‘Why does it matter?’

‘It matters. Because I don’t like the way you are now.’ Sina said, her hand clenched in a fist, nervousness sets in.

Two years has changed a lot of things in their relationship. They were once close as sisters. Now, Sofia was like a person Sina did not recognize

‘And how is me right now?’ Sofia asked

‘Cold. Ruthless. Determined. But more than that…..it is like you are punishing yourself. And it breaks my heart seeing you like that.’

‘Maybe I didn’t come because I hated him’ Sofia said.

Sina closes her eyes and shakes her head

‘Don’t lie to yourself. You’re not angry at him. You’re not even angry at Katarina. You’re angry at yourself.’ Sina sighed before saying the words she has been keeping to herself for these two years.

She felt a little bit guilty for Azief, but Sina did not want Sofia to ruin her life. Azief affects him too much.

With a little bit of hesitation she said

‘Let him go.’ Sofia face turns red in anger as she face her face to look at Sina.

‘He’s not dead!’ she almost shouted the words. Sina closes her eyes and shaking her head.

‘You heard what Loki said’ Sofia yelled to Sina. Then acknowledging she lost her temper she snorted and look back at the mountain.

And her mind wandered off to that scene of Azief and Katarina embracing each other. It is unfair.

She couldn’t even get mad at him. Who could she scold or get angry with. All that is left…is the feeling of regret and dissatisfaction.

Sofia saw what happen from one of the recording that recorded that battle.

She saw the way Azief look at Katarina and heard what he said. She saw how Katarina burns her life force to transcend her limitations and create this mountain.

She should have been there. She should have been by his side

Sina opens her eyes and nodded.

‘Yes, true. Loki did say Azief is still alive. He also give a choice for people to stay or to leave. Some people leave. Some people stay. But it is time to let him go.’

‘Loki said-‘

‘I know what he said’ Sina said a little sternly.

‘But who knows how long…..will he stay there?’ And Sina eyes look towards the Ice Mountain. In her eyes she felt a bit guilty but Sofia should also have a life than be just like ghost tormenting herself.

Nobody knows when Azief would appear back. Life is short here in this new era. Who’s to say Sofia would always be safe?

Shouldn’t she also have the right to be happy?

Living like a ghost, tormenting herself with what if scenarios, that is not healthy. Sina knows part of the reason why Sofia did not once come to Spain.

She refuses to grieve.

True, Azief is not dead. But he might as well have. If he is stuck inside that ice mountain for hundreds of years, then should Sofia wait for him for a hundred years?

She should also live her life. And stop blaming herself.

‘I thought you know I love him.’ Sofia asked

‘And he loves you. But he won’t be happy seeing you like this. Let him go.’

Sofia look back at that mountain and she closes her eyes.

‘I wonder who is suffering more? Is it you…or is it me?’ She asked herself. She thought to herself, should she forget him. But then a memory surfaces.

No, memories surfaces.

Moments of time between them. She remembered his kindness and warmth in his short words and clumsy expression of affections.

Azief was never the kind of guy that would do big romantic gestures. He speaks coldly and rarely does he speak for long.

But, Sofia knows there is kindness. Knows there is warmth. He rather acts than talk.

He’s not the kind of guy that would fuss about your birthday or try to remember about anniversary of your first kiss or first date.

But he remembers the important stuff. What you like. What you want. What you actually need.

He doesn’t knows the right words to console someone. But he would never lie.

Some girls will be put off with that. But she did not. Because she knows the kind of guy that only knows to talk but never do anything.

She knows the kind of guy that would speak kind words but all of it was a lie. And being beside him, make him feel special.

Like being wrapped in this warm breeze of spring.

What she regrets most, is that she never got the chance to pay back all of his kindness and warmth.

But because it is him…because it is Azief, she knows he would say “it’s not a big deal’

Azief words, his expression, his kindness, are all honest.

And because of all of this memories, she knows….she could not let him go.

Not yet.

As long as this mind is still this crazy, and this heart keeps beating like this, crazily and furiously with each recollection of their memory together, she knew she could not do what Sina said.

The memories they shared would enable her to overcome this moment. She wanted to believe that.

She wanted to trust in their memories together.

So, she answers

‘I can’t. I won’t.’ Sofia said with cold biting determination in her tone. Sina felt her heart breaking looking at Sofia like this.

‘You…you…don’t have to love him like this. Torturing yourself like this. Like you are being cursed.’

‘I thought you were on my side Sina.’

‘I am always on your side. I know you blame yourself. Every minute of every day. But that is not your fault. I told you this. Loki told you this.’

‘I should have been there. Beside him’

‘And what would you have done? You could have done nothing at that time. Nobody could have. Only he alone could have fought the Eight Horn Weronians at the time.’

Sofia then answer

‘I know. But we are also at fault. We always depends on him. To do the impossible. To do the things we knew we have no courage to do. He has been bearing the burden of this world all this while. And we are happy to stay under his wings. I have. You have. We become complacent. Because he always comes back.’

‘So, is this the reason why you keep fighting to become stronger?’

‘If only at that time I was stronger, if I’m not weak, I could have been there for him…to protect him like he did.’

‘But you were not there. You were not strong at the time. So it’s not your fault. At least acknowledge that’

‘You think I don’t know that? That at that time if I follow I would have not been able to do anything to help him? You think I don’t know that?’

‘Then why?!’

‘I should have been there all the same. Because even if he dies and I die, we will be there….together.’

Sina was shocked to hear this. She shakes her head.

‘He wouldn’t have wanted that. He wouldn’t have wanted you to die for him. I know him. You’re not the only one that is his friend. I’m also his friend. I know he would rather his friend lived for him, instead of dying for him’

‘It didn’t matter what he wanted. It’s what I wanted. Rather than feeling like this, it would been better to be there. He really messed me up…..to make me feel like this.’

For a while there is another silence. Sina gather her thought, not knowing what else to say. She knows her friend is walking a destructive path.

Forcing herself like this, one day she would stumble. And the person that she wanted to pick her back up might not be there this time to pick her up.

The cold wind blows. The snows falls, the snowflakes keep falling as one of the snowflakes falls into Sofia shoulders.

She releases her aura and the snowflakes melted. Sofia hated the snow. Since two years ago, she hated snow.

She look at the clouds on top of that mountain. She could still hear the song praising the world most tragic couple.

The Love story of the Prince of Darkness and the Ice Princess of the Revolutionary Army.

The strongest man and the strongest woman on Earth that dies on the turning point of human history

That day, after all the Pillars crumble, humanity counterattack the Weronian forces and in this two years, new heroes and heroines are born.

The Weronians that still lives hides in underground tunnels, in dense forest and caves.

They were hunted down as the war between Weronians and humanity leaned heavily on humanity winning.

And it all thanks to the Prince of Darkness.

A well matched couple praised by the people. For those who did not know the character in the song, they only knew the Ice Princess as the lover of the Prince.

The name of the Divine Archer as the Prince lover, as the only woman accorded great honour during the coronation of Queen in the Fake World has been buried.

‘You ask me to let him go?’

‘How could I do that? I can’t forget him. I don’t want to forget him.’ Sina could only sighed hearing such declaration.

Giving up for the moment she ask

‘So, what will you do?’

‘I will keep fighting. And winning. And I’ll wait.’

‘Huh’ Sina sighed. She knows…..she could not stop her. Not when she was like this. Somewhere deep in her heart she felt both relieved and worried.

She look at the white skies above. She takes a deep breath. She has tried her best. In the end, each person have to make their own choices.

Like she did. Like Wang Jian did. Like Loki. Like Sofia. Each one of them make their own choices. And sometimes that choice will lead them to clash against each other.

But for rare moments like this, like she was being reminded of the old times, Sina asked

‘Stay for a while’ she asked. There is longing in her voice, and a little seed of hope. Sofia pondered.

She takes her time before she slowly shakes her head and answered

‘I can’t. I have a task.’ She said reluctantly.

‘With the World Government? You know Hirate has try to scheme against us countless of time right?’ Sina voice was slightly raised.

If not for the deterrence of the world heroes and heroines, Hirate might have dismantle all of Azief companions.

The fact was Azief was elevated to a high status after Battle in Spain.

The current condition of humanity that has seem to prosper all relates to that day where Azief fought a great battle before he was being schemed upon.

Many heroes of this era regarded Azief as a person to aspire to.

And the person who sneak attack him was regarded as the world villains even though no one still found a clue of who that person is

Sofia reply

‘If not because of me, he would have tried to dismantle our group. My work with the World Government…you know why I keep doing it. I wanted to find who did this. First I thought it was the League of Freedom. But it’s not. They were as shocked as the rest of the world when Azief was speared. Someone else is behind this. I think Loki knows who it is. But he disappeared since that day.’

Sina could only sighed.

‘Nothing I say will keep you here right?’ Sofia did not answer but both of them knows the answer.

So, Sina turns back, and she sighed. Her footsteps trails the white thick snow path as she walks back to her tent not far away from the Mountain.

Sofia look at that disappearing back and closes her eyes, an agonizing expression etched over her face.

Even though there is many things they do not remember, there is still things she remember.

Looking at the back of Sina, it seems very lonely. There were many thing that changed in these two years.

But there is definitely things that didn’t change.

Sina still worried for her. Like a big sister. But this time she could not be the obedient little sister or spoil herself like before.

Because she could no longer see Azief back. That reliable image of his back as he stand in front and destroy all obstacles around them.

That wall is no longer.

So, she has to hardened her heart and become stronger.

She thought she has become stronger when she promised herself a few years ago. But, it seems she keep being the kind of girl that is useless.

She has never given him anything. She did not even save him once. All she could remembers, was what he did for her.

So, with one last look she flies through the air and disappear from Spain.

Sina was on her tent as she heard the sound of someone flying over the airspace. A person was inside her tent.

It was Sasha clothed in tight black clothing. Her body seems translucent.

‘You want me to follow her?’ Sina shakes her head as she sat down tiredly on a wooden chair

‘No, you have done enough for me.’

‘Instead, could you help me find someone for me now that you are back?’

Sasha clicked her tongue.

‘Is it who I am thinking about?’

Sina smiles bitterly and nodded

‘I need to know if he really knows. And if he did, why didn’t he want it to be known.’

Sasha nodded

‘It’s not going to be easy. He pop out only for a few days before disappearing again.’ Sina agreed

‘I know. But you are also curios aren’t you? What his secret is?’

Sasha nodded.

She has her own thought about what that person secret is…but it seems absurd.

She did want to tell Sina but it seem so absurd and another reason she did not tell is because the Prince forbid her from telling anyone what she found out if she found anything on that person.

Which means The Prince might have known all along….if her thought are correct that is.

‘Fine. I’ll do it. But a week later. I need to rest. And for the reward, concoct a pill for me’

‘What kind of pill you want?’

Smirking she said

‘You know my abilities. Considering your abilities, you know what I am weak at. I need a pill that strengthen my constitution.’

‘Done’

Good’ Then Sasha sits on one of the chair and produce a glass of wine as she pours wine into her glass.

Then as they drink they talk about what has happened in both of their lives. As they talk till night, they did not realize that the snow outside has stopped falling

***

ISLAND OF PEACE

QUORUM COUNCIL

Seated on the center of a large long table is Hirate. His black robe laced with golden thread makes him to look majestic and dignified.

The crest of a purple red butterfly is sew on the back of his robe. Today he tied his long black hair and his brown eyes seems to be even more piercing than ever.

Oreki and Hikigaya was also in the meeting looking uninterested.

The others are people that is rarely seen in public. But this people appears in holographic projection sitting on the chair.

Weirdly enough Raymond is not here.

But Pandikar is here in the flesh like Hirate

Raymond and Pandikar was once a rival in the World Government. But with Raymond current status Pandikar should have been relieved Raymond did not straight up kill him.

And he ask

‘What up with your appeasement for the remnants of the Prince faction. He is dead. The logical step right now is to suppress them, persuade them to work for us, and if they refuse, we do away with them.’

He said passionately.

Oreki who was listening Pandikar words only yawned. Meanwhile Hikigaya did not even open his eyes.

The other shadowy figure inside the room tries to see the mood in the room.

‘The Prince of Darkness is still alive’ Hirate said as he rubbed his temple. Even now, as he is in the room, his mind is doing something else.

He sometimes looks towards Oreki and Hikigaya.

One of the shadowy figures ask

‘Are you sure?’

Hirate nodded.

‘When the Pillars crumbled, my Mind Wave could be activated. When I heard the news that Katarina seals herself and the Prince in an ice mountain, I came to Spain a few weeks later. What surprises me, is that the Prince was truly dead’

Another shadowy figures then exclaimed

‘You sai-‘ Hirate hold up his palm

‘Let me finish. He is dead and yet not dead. He was like in a flux between life and death. Before I could never use Mind Wave to detect existence stronger than me, but maybe because he is weakened I could sense that his mind is still alive. And as long as his mind is still there, it means he is still alive.’

Pandikar digested this new before pondering. Then remembering the many plans of him that get foiled because of Loki, Wang Jian, Boris, Etriel and Sina he snapped.

‘You mean we will have to endure the Revolutionary Army and the remnants of his faction? He is alive, yes, but he is trapped. And he is not exactly moving. And we also have Disk Formation levelers in our ranks now. Even if he got out now, we have Disk formation levelers to defend against him. Last I remember he is still in Seed Formation when he was being sealed. Even when we are now regarded as the strongest organization in the world, do we still have to tiptoe around his companions!’ Pandikar almost shouted.

Hirate smirk before saying

‘Not yet.’ Hirate himself did not like seeing unexpected variable. If not because he fears The Prince he would have long schemed against many of Azief companion.

‘And to answer your question, did you forget that while he is in Seed Formation he fought a Weronian two realms above him? Not only he defeated that Weronian, he also seems to become stronger after that battle. If not for that spear that pierces his heart, the world will belong to him right now. With that kind of power, the Prince would overwhelmingly dominate this era!’

Some of the shadowy figures nodded. Other was silenced. Oreki smiles bitterly. He is also at Disk Formation right now and his attainment in thunder related attacks is high.

But even he is not confident he could break that body of Azief. He watches the battle and he concludes that Azief body possess some secrets.

If there is one person that has a chance to fight toe to toe with the Prince if he is released right now from the seal, that person would be…..and Oreki look towards the person across him.

‘Only Hikigaya’ he admitted to himself.

Many people believes that Raymond is the strongest after the Prince so called death but that is only if you count physical attacks.

In terms of physical attacks, true, Hikigaya could not trade blows by blow but to underestimate him like that will be your doom.

After all, even Raymond has loses against Hikigaya after Hikigaya breakthrough to Disk Formation.

Raymond crate his Disk below his feet. But Hikigaya creates his Disk inside the pupil of his eyes. Just by looking at him, a powerful illusion will be cast inside any person mind.

‘So, what is the reason for calling us here?’ Pandikar asked as he gives up on that issue.

‘Loki’ And Hirate eyes narrowed and there is hint of annoyance in his eyes. These couple of years, Loki has become more than just a nuisance.

Pandikar face also distorted. Because of Loki pranks, his super soldier programs were dismantled.

Budiman who was supposed to be in his grasp also escapes captivity. For Hirate on the other hand, it is because Xu Cong the Celestial painter steals a blueprint of an invention.

Hirate had already captured Xu Cong at that time and was ready to interrogate him with his Mind probe before he was schemed by Loki.

Not only the blueprint was stolen, the secret research lab was destroyed.

Hikigaya who was initially uninterested in this meeting now opens his eyes and one could see purple rings inside his pupils that could turn into a spiral.

Loki…was the only one that easily dispels his illusion with a snort. At that time Hikigaya senses a very powerful soul inside Loki.

So powerful that it is almost impossible.

‘You found him?’ This was the first time Hikigaya spoke in this meeting.

Hirate shakes his head.

‘But I found out who he is working with’ Everyone understand what Hirate is trying to imply. Loki is hard to find.

But his companion might not be. They could not capture Sofia to force Loki to shows himself since Sofia would surely be protected by Raymond.

They could also not offend Sina since so many heroes depends on her pills. Wang Jian is out of the question since he commanded a large army that controls all Southern China.

Athena and Freya both commanded a large army. Athena commanded the Myrmidon Army and Freya commanded her Valkyries.

But it is clear from the tone of Hirate that the people Loki is working with is not related to Azief.

‘Who?’ Pandikar asked

‘Inventor….and Mimic.’ There is silence. Some of the shadowy figures clearly appears flustered.

‘I thought the Inventor died’ one of the shadowy figures whispers. One of the shadowy figures creased his eyebrows like he did not expected this news.

That is not possible that shadowy figures said before he ended his transmission and disappears.

‘Hmm…that is troubling.’ Pandikar offers. Loki is known to have a deep scheme and Hirate views him as cunning serpent.

Hirate was about to say more when a high priority report was reported. The room have a wireless connection to the Main HQ.

The wireless phone which is a luxury in this times lights up. They could not establish old technology since some electrical appliances would be affected by the energy of Earth

He saw the light on one of the intercom so he picks up the phone

‘What’s wrong?’ Then he started listening to the report. Hirate face turns pale by the end of the conversation.

Oreki and Hikigaya are perplexed. What kind of news that would be able to make Hirate face pales like this.

Putting down the phone, Hirate looks at the people inside the room before he sighed

‘What happened?’ Oreki asked

‘The Ice Mountain crumble. The winter has ended and the snow has stopped falling’ The gasp and exclamation of shock echoes inside the room.

But even before ether shock subsided, Hirate said a more disturbing news

‘The Prince and the Ice Princess body that should have been on the center of that mountain….is not there. The scouts we put in Spain believes….that the Prince is now loose.’

Instantly, the tension inside the room intensified.

This time Hikigaya could no longer sit still. He got up and without saying anything, his pupils light up with purple aura.

Then the rings inside his pupils rotated into a spiral as his body was spiraling into the void before disappearing in a spiraling motion.

Oreki also did not wait before turning into a bolt of lightning.

In Spain, a spiraling void appears as one person emerges out and appears on the Mountain of Everlasting Love.

A moment later a bolt of lightning strikes the ground nearby and a man was formed from lightning.

They looked in front of them and they saw the debris of the mountains.

Then they look at the sky and they notices something. The snow was no longer falling….and the sky, the sky was devoid of clouds.

Looking at it and feeling the energy they both concluded at the same time, the Prince punch towards the skies, and it ripped apart space and disrupt the Laws of Time and Space

This kind of power….that could shatter Laws only by a punch, this kind of frightening and suffocating presence…..Oreki and Hikigaya only knows one person in this whole world that possess such might.

The Prince….has returned.

But unlike before, Oreki and Hikigaya did not seem afraid.

Hikigaya eyes glints with determination.

‘He has return’ Hikigaya said. And Oreki nodded with a smile on his face

‘What will you do Hikigaya?’

‘Hahaha. It is time to overcome that wall! And the Prince is the highest wall in the world! Win or lose, I need to know how I measure up!’

Saying this he laughed again as the ring on his eyes rotates and his body spiraling into Space and disappeared from Spain.

Oreki did not say anything but his body was swarmed by golden lightning, pure destructive lightning.

‘Since that is the case, I also could not back down. Saying this Oreki turns into a bolt of lightning and sped up to the clouds as thunder filled the skies.

That day, the whole world was shocked by a news. With the crumbling of the Mountain of Everlasting Love, it was like the Prince was declaring

“I am here”

***

Loki was in Angola when the Mountain crumbled.

Yet, he senses it.

But he did not rush to Spain. He did not even spare a glance towards that direction. Simply because he has a more important thing to do.

The Time Crisis.

He is preparing for that. The Time Crisis is before Azief becoming Sovereign. And the preparation is enormous.

He already got the blueprint for some of the part from the World Government.

Loki might be smart but he is not someone that could create the thing necessary to minimize the damage of the Time Crisis.

He is also begun sending Trisha to shadow The Oracle. After all she would play a large role in the Time Crisis.

In the original timeline Azief enlist Dark Speedster to help him. More like make a deal with him. But in this timeline Loki knows Azief did not even have to do that.

In this timeline the Dark Speedster is now called the Purple Speedster and Azief sworn brother.

And Loki is confident is Azief ask Purple Speedster help, he would lend a hand. The only thing Loki didn’t know is what else did the Oracle said to Azief in the original timeline.

The Purple Speedster has been out of commission for two years.

No one knew where he is.

But Loki had a feeling this relates heavily to that white lightning that appears before the pillars in South America Wilderness crumbles.

‘Loki’ The voice startled Loki as he focused back seeing what is in front of him. It was a blueprint.

This was not the blueprint he stole.

This is a blueprint that the Inventor drew for him.

It is a blueprint of an underground lab large enough to houses the thing he needed to build.

‘Satisfied?’ The Inventor asked

Loki tilted his head.

‘We need a lot of builders. That would make our location easily deduced. I have many enemies’ Loki said

The Inventor only smirks

‘I know a guy’ Loki just nodded

‘I give you permission’

And after looking at the blueprint for the last time Loki walk away but before he could take a step out of the room The Inventor asked

‘What you promised me…you did not forget did you?’

Loki halted and then he turns back to look at the Invertor face. It was scarred and full of burn marks.

Loki could easily heal it but the Inventor said he will not heal it until he got his revenge.

‘It will not be long now. The Prince has returned’ Loki only said this as he walk out form the room with a malicious smile on his face.

***

POLAND

DEEP IN THE FOREST

A VILLAGE SETTLEMENT

In the years after the Fall, many things have happened.

Many calamity has befallen humanity and now the size of humanity population is at all-time low.

Only about 2.5 billion survive which leaves the whole world full of spaces.

Nobody fights for land now since there is so many lands to go around.

But humanity managed to survive regardless of this cruel reality.

And now they thrive after the Weronians was slowly eradicated by the World Government and the heroes and heroines that emerges after the bloody calamity.

Here in Poland, in this vast forest there is a settlement of villages. Even though this is Poland, there is many races here in this forest.

There is Chinese, Caucasian, Koreans, Japanese, and African. If this is before the Fall, this scenery would not be possible.

But now, the world no longer sees black or whites, Asian or Caucasian. There is only humanity…and others.

This village is small. Only about fifty people lives here. The highest levelers here is only at Energy Disperse Stage.

They manage to survive because Poland is under the flag of the World Government.

The current chief of this village is a Poland youth name Frederick Kolinsky. People called him White Warrior.

He is a healer and warrior. For those who did not have the ability to clear the quest of Unique class, they could chose generic classes and evolves that generic classes.

Frederick failed his unique class quest but he managed to evolve his generic classes.

Even though he is only at Energy Disperse Stage right now, he will find a way to become a Seed Formation expert.

Today, once again he is in unease. The reason of his unease is the person sitting across him.

As the chief he lives in a stone house, akin of a castle

With builders that could build thing with faster speed than before the fall to create a castle it will only take a week.

‘Can Senior please tell me your name?’ Frederic said respectfully.

‘Hmph’ the person sitting across him only expresses his displeasure and yet Frederick could feel his Red Palace trembling.

Frederick could only shows a bitter expression on his face and ceased answer question.

The person across him was clothed in tattered black robe. His face was covered leaving only his eyes that could be seen

And the gaze of this black robe person is concentrated on the woman covered in poultices and bandages.

Like him, the woman face was also covered but Frederic believes the woman is beautiful judged by the fact that the woman possess flawless skin.

He sighed as he remembers how he met this two monsters.

Frederick was hunting alone yesterday when he was attacked by a three headed bear. The three headed bear has power equal to a Seed Formation High realm.

Frederick did not notice he strayed deep into the forbidden zone marked by the World Government Peace Corps.

When he thought he died, he felt a powerful aura swept the area. Behind the bear he saw a black robe person is piggybacking a woman.

The woman look pale from afar, and bleeding all over.

The man with the black robe on the other hand has a hole on his clothes around his chest area.

At that time Frederick felt more afraid of the man with the black robe instead of the three headed bear.

The reason being is because he saw it. With each steps that black robe person take, the ground beneath his feet shattered.

Purely by the simple movement of walking, the land beneath the black robe person feet shattered and created a web like patterns

And not only that, the suffocating and terrifying pressure emanating out from that black robe person was a hundredfold more powerful than the three headed bear.

And what is more shocking is the fact that the three headed bear was trembling and almost bowed seeing that black robe.

The bear then instantly tries to run

But the black robe person said coldly

‘I am hungry. And she is cold. I want your meat and your fur’

Saying this he waved his right hand. A powerful force strikes the three headed bear and the bear instantly went limp and lifeless.

All around five kilometers radius dies. The tree wilted before turning into lifeless bark and then turns to ashes.

The grass turns orange and then turns to piles of dust. But the bear remains intact. Probably because the black robe person desires it to be so.

And he was also alive.

Probably also because the black robe person desires it to be so

Then the black robe person stomp his feet and earth walls was formed and trapped him. It was then the black robe person interrogates him and forces him to bring him here.

Under the guise of the night, he brought the black robe person and the woman inside his castle and from then on, the black robe stayed beside the woman.

What Frederick notices is that the woman is almost always on the verge of death. But each time she is almost dying, the black robe person seems to be able to transfers his life force to her

Today was the same. Frederick is waiting for today batch of coffee. For some reason this Senior likes to drink coffee.

This Senior did not talk much. And Frederick is too afraid to offend such a powerful senior. But he could deduce something.

Maybe this senior is running from someone and fought in a great battle and manage to escape here and wanted to rest here and recover their injury before they went away.

Frederic could only hope so and wished they would quickly leave.

The black robe person on the other hand look at the woman who have ascribed so much for him and whisper under his breath

‘Katarina’

***

The end of the arc. Loki appears. Sofia appears. And Hirate and the World Government appears. Bet you didn’t expect the two year time skip. Will is absent. And what happen to Katarina?

What is Azief planning? What is Loki planning? What is anybody planning? HAHAHAAHA. So, ends this arc.

Anyway, the hiatus began. (Maybe in three to four weeks while I will be updating SOH after the celebration in my country ended)

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