Lord Shadow

FEW DAYS BEFORE

Azief flies toward Krakow Center riding his terrifying Steed of Abigor. The semi skeletal winged horse brings a legion of shadows that darkens the bright skies.

Dark mist swirling under its hooves, the sight send chills to anyone who could see it.

Behind him snow falls from the skies as a woman steps on the air, like she was gliding along the air

On the ground, a hundred men followed the two person on the sky, riding warhorses, trampling the flowers on the ground as they are heading toward the Duke Palace on the Southern Krakow.

The scouts stationed on tall mountains, and those that uses the Sky Ship to scout the area seeing this ghastly procession reported the happening at a rapid pace to the Palace.

They of course recognize the two person leading the hundred men. The Death Monarch and the Snow Princess.

How could they not tremble at the sight of the two great figures of the Weronian War? The scouts were set up along the road that leads to the King Palace.

After the letter was sent to the Palace, the kingdom was in a state of vigilance. The King even send a message to the World Government headquarters asking for assistance.

But with the barrier in place they could only send the message using the Bolt of Transmission. And they did not dare open it in case of a sneak attack by the enemy

The Bolt of Transmission is a special arrow made by the Thunder Monarch, forged from a lightning bolt and could only be sent when there is a catastrophic event in the allied nations of World Government.

The drawback of this type of message is that only the Thunder Monarch could see the message since the Bolt of Transmission would be melded with the sky.

The moment Artur retrieve the Bolt he quickly recorded a voice message into the bolt before he throws it into the sky as the skies thundered for one second.

Then he waited.

Artur thought even though the Death Monarch did send his warning he would not immediately come to his palace.

He was wrong.

Azief immediately march after Frederick ask for his help.

These shocked the King who was trembling on his throne after hearing the report. The ministers and advisors were also shocked with this sudden development.

‘What the fuck!’ He cursed on his throne, spit coming out of his mouth as he could not hide his anxiousness.

‘When did I offend him? Why does he wanted to come here?’ He ask, looking at his advisors.

The advisors all look down like they were something interesting on the ground, not daring looking at their King right now.

The advisors of the King all shut up. They too felt suffocated. They all know this is above their capabilities.

Some of them guessed this is because of the bad blood between the Death Monarch and the World Government.

And some of them remembers the rumors of two years ago saying that it was the World Government that tries to assassinate the Death Monarch.

They all believe this is the matters of World Government and the Death Monarch business and they were the victims that was stuck in the middle.

Little did they know that the reason why Azief move against Poland royalty is simply because Frederick asked for his help.

He did not think the implication of what happens if he kills the royalty of Poland that is crowned by the World Government.

He didn’t think that will slap the face and degrade the reputation of the World Government in the world.

Does this means Azief did not think that his actions would have far reaching consequence and might pit him against the World Government?

It is not that Azief didn’t think about it, but he simply does not care.

To the world the position of the World Government deserve respect and fear. But to Azief…what does a mere organization like that worth in front of his eyes?

He saw a Jotnar that lives for millenniums, powerful beings that could destroy planet with one swish of their sleeves, he saws Asuras and Devas, Demons and Ghost, unexplained beings that roams the vast universe.

What does some organization worth in Azief eyes?

Meanwhile inside the throne room, King Artur is on the verge of a panic attack as he ask one of his General that is inside the throne room

‘General Tyrone how is the battle going?’ A black man look up as his gaze stares at the King, his eyes was sharp and power exudes from him.

He was six feet six, with muscly body and military style haircut. General Tyrone come from United States of America before the Fall and used to serve under Raymond when Raymond become King.

He then was sent to Poland by the orders of the Quorum and hold a powerful position in Poland.

Tyrone then answer the King to ease his worries

‘I have set up a net to delay him until the assistance from Headquarters could come. I have ordered one of the Legion to take part’

‘Which Legion?’ King Artur asked, his voice slowly regains back that calmness.

‘The Black Tiger Legion.’ Tyrone said

The King sat back down at his throne and clearly felt a little more relaxed.

The Black Tiger Legion is comprised of elite battalion all of whom in the Orb Condensing with half of them in Energy Disperse Stage Low Realm.

This kind of Legion would make people tremble just by its ferocity.

‘Huu’ he released his relieved sigh.

He did not want to run. If he runs, the headquarters would surely oust him from the position of king and crown a new king.

In the years since he become King, he made many enemies left and right. Even his countrymen hate him.

Without the protection of the World Government, he would not have a happy ending.

Now, he could only hope that the measures his General has done could delay that calamity until the big guns from the Island could come.

But this did not dispel the fear he had of the Death Monarch. This is a legendary figure that shakes the world and dictate an era.

When he was around, the Death Monarch commands the respect of the world, with none of the crime families dares to reveal themselves in fear of making themselves a target.

When Artur was still in Orb Condensing the guy was already at Seed Forming.

Before Artur become King he was a mercenary. He of course knows the battle between the Death Monarch and the World Government.

At that time, all the elites of the World government tries to stop him with none of them succeeding.

Oreki, Hikigaya, Raymond, Arno, the Holy Lady of the World Government , Hirate, these illustrious figures all could not match the force of one person.

The World Government Island at that time, was split into two with one slash of a saber.

Artur still remembers the recording of that battle.

The saber splits off the sky and quake the earth, tsunamis were formed and storms ravaged the seas and the shores.

He saw how such a large island were split into two as easily a burning knife cuts butter.

How could he not feel afraid right now?

Not to mention, based on the fact that the Death Monarch decided to immediately march toward his castle shows his decisiveness, intelligence, and bravery befitting of a legendary figure.

‘Hmm. I am unresigned to just be a pawn in this large chessboard’ Artur thought to himself, his face was still grim.

He felt uneasy, like an invisible pressure weighing on his mind. The entire court are all in a tense mood.

Each hour the scouts reported at a rapid pace, departing and landing constantly, to report of the enemy’s position.

The scouts bared in without decorum and the King allowed it because now is a time of war. So, the scouts keep coming and going reporting the happenings of the procession.

“Report! The enemy is estimated to be a few hours travel away!”

“Report! The enemy is accelerating! They broke the Ward!”

“Report! The Wardens of the South was impaled on the South Gate!”

“Report! The Wardens of the North and West tries to delay the Death Monarch march and they were split into two by the Death March saber leaving only ashes”

The more the reports came the paler the faces in the throne room became. It was like the only news the messenger brought was designed to instill more fear in their hearts

“Report! The Black Tiger Legion was decimated by the Snow Princess!” This time General Tyrone face turns ugly.

This is one of his most elite battalion and they were decimated.

But General Tyrone did not dare to say anything. He think this is unavoidable. They are facing that person after all.

He knows his strength.

If he met the Death Monarch, he would surely died. After all he heard the news about the other Wardens that tries to delay the Death Monarch.

They all died without fail. He would be no different.

As the enemy came closer to Krakow Center and the Palace, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

The pressure of the impending battle caused the entire Palace, the army, the garrison to tense, their muscles taut and their forehead sweats.

It is kind of a psychological torture. Everyone that is inside Krakow Center protection became nervous.

Many of the general that had been through hundreds of battles had stern faces and threads of worry, praying for the reinforcement to come as quickly as possible.

They all know experts like Death Monarch must be dealt by another expert.

Formation could delay an expert but if the gap is too big, then even a formation would prove useless unless a formation experts is inside the formation

King Artur feeling the atmosphere of his territory could not help but smiling bitterly.

The other was clearly only comprised of a hundred person, and not even ten thousand people.

But for some reason, an invisible yet great pressure was on each person’s mind and that was because the fact that it was led by the Death Monarch and Snow Princess.

In their absence people might have given the title of the strongest man and woman to Raymond and Sofia but now that those two monsters have returned, who knows?

They might reclaim back their title as the strongest man and woman on Earth.

The enemy that is about to come was not unknown.

They had proven their strength to the world. And that is precisely why the pressure bearing down on them is so great.

Because everybody knows the Death Monarch and the Snow Princess.

The army of almost forty thousand people prepared to face a great enemy.

The fact that Artur could still have a private army of forty thousand people is good enough considering the low population of the world right now.

Not to mention his army also has many Energy Disperse Stage Middle Realm because of the pills in the dark market.

They waited, for the reinforcement but then a cracking sound pierce the uneasiness in their hearts.

Thunder and lightning rack the skies as black clouds roils and covers the previously calm blue skies.

BOOM!

The sound shakes everyone heart as they knew this is not the reinforcement they were waiting for, as all their face paled.

Some have trembling all over their body and some fall down in shock hearing such a shocking sound.

Artur got up from his throne again as he saw the dark clouds and he thought to himself

‘Fuck. I had it with this. I need to run’

The soldiers in the inside of the Palace grip their weapons and are ready to engage the enemy regardless of the fear in their hearts.

The mood was unusually nervous and strict. Then with another sound of thunder, two black dots appeared in the sky, as everyone’s hearts jumped.

‘Shit, he has come!’ Artur cursed as he got up and almost fall down from the stairs of his throne.

Tyrone know he could no longer shift his responsibilities. So, he close his eyes, take a deep breath as the visage of his old commander flashed inside his mind.

‘Raymond always seems so strong and fearless’ he thought to himself. He smiles for a bit as he opens his eyes, the previous fears and uneasiness disappears like the wind.

He immediately went out and jump down from the balcony landing on the courtyard as he shouted

‘Prepare to fight the invaders!!’

Artur was ready to teleport away when a cold voice resounded all over the sky of Poland.

This voice disturb the vibration of energy and seems to even tamper with the Laws that govern this world.

‘Seal Space!’

The voice was like a decree as one could feel the Laws of the World slightly shifted.

Artur ignore the voice and run down from his throne and took one of the Teleport Stone he prepared beforehand.

The other advisors seeing even their king has intention to abandoned the Palace also follow suits as they all produced their own Teleport Stone as Artur look at them dumbfounded.

It seems he was not the only one who thought of running.

Teleport stone is expensive but for people like the King and his minister they could afford to buy it from the Golden Syndicate.

Artur looking at his minister that were all ready to flee could not help but jeer on them. They were already preparing to run Artur thought to himself.

Artur then crush the teleport stone and he waits for that sensation of teleporting take over him when his face fell.

When he opens his eyes, he found in his shock that he did not teleport anywhere.

He was still standing at the same place

The same thing is happening to the minister and all over Krakow Center for those people that want to teleport away.

Then they all looked at each other with dumbfounded expression before fear seeps in their heart.

They then remembers the voice.

Seal Space!

Could it be the Death Monarch could even seal Space preventing them from teleporting! This time everyone face turns pale like corpse as they all trembles and some fainted on the spot.

Artur then knows he no longer have any choice

‘Get up! We have no other choice. We just have to surrender!’ But before he could say another word, another General look towards Artur.

This General name is General Shinji and used to work under the Thunder Monarch Oreki.

He was six feet five, wearing a samurai armor, with clear pale white skin and have thin physique.

His body did not emit any fluctuation of power almost like he was a normal man. Yet, there is something that in dissonance with the way energy flow through him.

It was almost like he did not exist.

But when he spoke it was like his existence was the only thing that is present in the throne room.

He was the only one who was calm during all the chaos, not that anybody notice. He shouted to Artur

‘Artur, the moment you surrender, this General will reap your head! Either you win, or you die!’ Shinji said as he unsheathe his sharp katana, the sharpness could be seen by the sound it emitted when it was unsheathed

The shing sound of his katana bear down on the entire throne room as even the tile crack beneath the feet of General Shinji.

Sword intent exploded as sharp energy burst slices through the pillars of the throne room leaving a clean slice mark

He did not even call Artur King, he straight up said his name disregarding his title.

This General once ruled the entire Kansai region before he was transferred because he offended Hikigaya.

He is dutiful and loyal. And that is his problem. And the reason why he was transferred. Artur who was ready, gulp. This time, one of the minister shouted back

‘You dar-‘he was about to scold Shinji when that katana moves and the minister head flies off from his body, rolling forward on the now red drenched tiles of the throne room.

That slice even slices one of the pillars of the throne room but it did not fall simply because of how fast and flawless that slicing attack was.

If anyone were to push that pillar, that pillar would surely fall down.

This time everyone shut up and look at this General in a new light. He was always silent and suddenly today this General suddenly explodes.

‘Ok! Ok! I won’t surrender’ Artur shouted, his eyes did not leave the katana as he was gulping in fear.

This time he was stuck in between two powerful entity.

Now, even his life isn’t his anymore.

As the internal struggle inside the throne room is being settled with the forceful method of General Shinji that little black dot on the sky arrived with quick speed.

On the sky, two person could be seen approaching while only a hundred cavalry on the ground as their warhorses stomping the ground with ferocity.

Shinji tighten his grip on his katana, his eyes survey the throne room looking to kill anyone who wishes to sully the name of the World Government.

Meanwhile, on the palace ground, Tyrone is preparing himself to meet the hundred men that Azief has brought.

Artur still standing, is now sweating on his back.

The enemy were clearly could not even be considered an army but with the powerful display of such terrifying theatrics that is assaulting the Heaven and Earth, it made people feel as though there were tens of thousands demons from hell that is roaring and is about to charge at them.

Everyone’s hearts uncontrollably shook!

With the thunders roaring, and the lightning that accompanied that hellish looking steed of the Death Monarch, it almost seems like there is nothing in Heaven and Earth that could stop this force

But Tyrone still unsheathe his saber, and Shinji still readied his stance. Artur could see these two is truly loyal to the World Government.

As the Death Monarch and the Snow Princess slowly about to reach the Protection Dome all the people inside Center Krakow become stern and nervous.

The bellowing thunder did not stop as even the wind roars like an anguished beast.

The ministers also have managed to calm themselves down and their eyes become determined. They already could not teleport out and they could not surrender.

Either they die under the blade of the World Government or the Death Monarch, they would die either way.

If that is true why not try fighting and maybe a chance would open for them to escape?

It was then Azief suddenly stop, his body only one meter away from the protection barrier.

And Katarina also stops.

The white mist that always materialize beneath her feet hardened and solidified creating a platform for her to stand on the air.

The wind around her hardened and snow falls down like winter has come again. The snow originate from her platform but the surrounding areas slowly become cold.

Azief then take a deep breath, calming his mind, his Divine Sense survey the area. Then he look down.

It was a simple action.

And Azief didn’t mean anything by it.

He simply look down because he is high beyond the city. So, he look down. But in the eyes of the weak, his action was like a God looking down upon mortals.

The fact Azief did not even bother hiding his aura make himself even more formidable and almost seem to be undefeatable.

As he silently look down, the thunder keep roaring, and lightning exploded in the background behind him like it was his backdrop.

With his action of him looking down, it was like he was a God that comes down from his realm to exact his wrath upon disobedient creation.

Azief look coldly down and he said

‘Civilians of Center Krakow. Enter you home and shut the door. I will not inflict any harm to those that stay in their home. Those who is outside don’t blame me for being ruthless.’

Tyrone who was in the courtyard uses his Artifact to fly on the air, looking at Azief, who is standing only one meter away from the protection Barrier.

Then looking in front of him, his face turns grim as he look toward that towering figures and he said

‘What do you want Death Monarch? Let us talk.’ Katarina looking at this attitude could only scoff.

Azief, like always…have that expressionless face.

His eyes was cold as he look back at Tyrone.

Thunder boomed once again as it lights up the dark and showing that terrifying figure on the sky of Center Krakow.

Floating on the air with such a fearsome aura emanating out of him, overbearing to the extreme, and looking at the world with disdain, there is no one in this world that could imitate such actions.

Today, Azief will make the name Death Monarch to be spoken in the four corners of the world. Today, is the day he reclaim back the title of the strongest.

***

Hahahaha. Another cliff. It has been a long time. This time it is quite long don’t you think. There is a bit of drama. There is the dramatic arrival. Only the battle has not yet started. I ended it at the most frustrating point. Hahahaha.

***

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