Lord Shadow

PANDEMONIUM

It was night.

Azief is back on his residence. He was sitting by the window, looking outside in his large living room.

He was looking at the Garden of Pandemonium. Even at night the Garden is beautiful. It makes one heart calm just by seeing it

Today a lot of things had happened. Not all of it was pleasant of course. But everything was important.

He took a sip of the cold drink on the table beside him. He sighed. He notices that while he becomes stronger, the threats he had to face also become stronger.

There is always a higher mountain to climb. He wanted to stand on top of the mountain. It might be lonely but he wanted to see it and verify it for himself.

The view from the top. Is it really lonely? Is it really grand?

He won’t know until he experience it by himself.

The Path he has to walk is still long. There were many times he wanted to stop walking down this path but he knows that was just him being sometime discouraged.

It was a time where he is tired and felt small. But, he never gives up.

At least if there is one thing he had learned from all of his experience after the Fall, he must never give up.

Even if he was slow…as long as he does not give up…. there is still a chance.

So, he has never stopped taking a step in his Path. At times he runs smoothly, other times he struggled but his steps never stops.

It is because of that he reached where he is now. But he knows the road is still long.

Other than his forming a new Disk today which alarmed many other factions he also learns that Sofia did not yet enter the Palace.

He did not send any Shadow Guard to look over Sofia because he felt that would be disrespectful.

Of all the news he could pay more attention today it was the fact that Sofia is here in Pandemonium that rattles him the most.

Sofia….don’t know how much she affect him because he never let it show. He never let anyone in on that.

Azief was not a man that let on his feeling very much. When he was talking with Sofia the last time, he was speechless.

As he took another sip it was like he was back there on that night.

He didn’t know what to say. When she was gone, he looked back on that moment a hundred times over.

And each time…he felt the same pain he did that night. He thought to himself…is there any words that could make her stay?

He was never a talker. But at that moment he wished he knew all the words in the world. He wanted to say the right words, the right words to make her stay beside him.

Maybe that word wasn’t invented yet. Maybe it doesn’t exist.

In the end he simply didn’t know what to say…so he let her go. Because he didn’t know the right words.

He doesn’t know anything.

He didn’t know what to feel and he didn’t know how to turn off this feeling that he had. But letting her go….letting her go that day was a mistake that he keeps thinking about.

It was painful and it was hard. And that pain just stay in place.

Maybe this makes him selfish. He could lie of course. That was always an option. Azief shakes his head.

He could lie to anyone in the world, he could even lie to the entire world…and he wouldn’t blink an eye.

But he would never lie to her. He promised her that. He would lie. Not matter what. Because he knows her pain and knows her past.

So he would not lie to her….no matter how much it hurts.

But he was also prepared to have his heart broken.

To be mocked and be slapped on the face. He wouldn’t even mind if Sofia wanted to hit him until she was satisfied.

Because he knew he was selfish.

The only thing he wasn’t expecting is that she wouldn’t stay.

Because that possibility terrifies him so much he did not even think of it and the moment she went away…he didn’t know what to do.

People all over the world cultivate to increase their strength as their priority but Azief is using cultivation to run away from his problem.

When he was living Azul life…for a moment, he could forget how badly he screws up in real life. When he is back on Earth and now that he is truly back, he was reminded of it.

He didn’t know Katarina answer. And he didn’t know what his relationship with Sofia is right now.

All of this contributed to him trying to run away from it by training in seclusion.

He didn’t want to hurt any of them. And that is where his selfishness lies. He didn’t know if it was possible to love two women at the same time but that is what he felt.

He would not mind people calling him names.

After the Fall many powerful people took concubines simply because they could. Even woman who are powerful could take multiple men if they are capable.

But…not many did that even if they can.

Not because they can’t, or because monogamy is the only way, it is because somehow human’s emotions are heightened the more they become stronger.

Love and hate become heightened

Some people could accept it….but Azief could not accept it and he knows Sofia couldn’t accept it just like him.

But he just didn’t want to hurt any of them. So, he loved them both. It looks like the solution but he knows it is not.

In the matters of the hearts, the simple solution might not be the right solution.

So, when Sofia asked about his feeling he did not lied.

He sighed.

Azief don’t know whether she already knew that he knew she was here or not. But the fact she is still not here….there must be something holding her back.

But…what is holding him back right now to get out of this Palace to come and get her?

Because he doesn’t know. He doesn’t know what to do. Because nothing that he would say would excuse him that he love two girls.

Two beautiful great girls. And it was hard because he doesn’t know who to choose. It was like an impossible question.

Whatever he does, he would hurt one of them. Not matter what he chooses both of them will get hurt.

And that hurts him more than both of them know.

He sighed.

‘Brother, you are sighing too much’ the voice makes Azief smiles bitterly.

‘You don’t have as many problem like me that is why you are not sighing’ On the opposite side of the room is Will the Purple Speedster.

Arcs of lightning are coursing inside his body even while he is sitting doing nothing.

He is also relaxing in the room and he told Azief about the Oracle visit but that she was rendered unconscious before Azief returned to the Palace.

The fact that the Oracle travel from God knows where just too meet him raise alarms for both Will and Azief.

It is why Will escorted her inside the Palace. He tries to see if anything was wrong. He checked everything about her from her facial expression to her bodyguard.

Nothing seems out of the ordinary. Will could not really rid of her since she didn’t intend to do anything harmful.

But maybe the harm would come later. Will knows that the Oracle was never a fighter. In a way she is like Sina.

Both of them are equally influential but both of them have no fighting skills whatsoever.

If Sina is influential because of her ability to create pills and alchemical solutions that helps people, then the Oracle is influential because of her precise prophecy.

But as there are people that were helped by her prophecy there are also people who have been ruined because of her prophecy.

It is one thing if he seeks for the Oracle; it is another matter entirely for her to seek him. It also raises some suspicion about this Oracle.

Azief have always been cautious.

‘The Oracle, huh’ Azief muttered inaudibly.

Azief never like The Oracle even though he never met her in person. It was like a feeling. Like she is someone that he needs to avoid.

He could never explain this distaste he felt for the Oracle so he didn’t bother explaining it to his people.

After all since he is the sole decision maker what he says goes.

Since the Fall so many people try to meet the Oracle and ask her to divine their fates but not once Azief was even tempted to meet her.

Azief don’t think it is good to catch the attention of the Oracle. But Azief is curious why the Oracle would travel thousands of miles just to meet him.

Since she is unconscious right now even Azief could only wait until she is woken up to ask her purpose.

Not to mention Azief is not that interested in knowing his own future.

It is not because he did not believe in the Oracle it is just that he heard what Alsurt said about Oracles and Norn’s before.

Their prophecy and their vision could not be trusted literally and completely. It will come true eventually it is just not the way you think it is.

That is the thing about prophecy.

And sometimes listening to the prophecy would actually make the prophecy to become true like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

For example if a man knows that he would die because of some other people, in an effort of trying to save his life he would try to kill the person that is supposed to be responsible for his killing.

And then somehow fate would dictate that the person that man is trying to kill would survive by some stroke of fortune.

Angered at the fact someone is trying to him without any reason, the person prophesied to kill the man would then kill the man.

It is a cause and effect. It could also be considered to be Karma. It could also be called Destiny and Fate.

Would the Effect really happen if the man did not hear the whispers of the Oracles and become the cause of the Karma?

If he didn’t listen to the words of the oracle and did not know his fate would he still offend that person? Or would he lives a good life until he is old and die on his deathbed happy?

Of course this is just an example. But it remains true. Listening to the whispers of the oracle is a very dangerous thing.

It is better to avoid it if one can

It could lead one astray from one own heart because of the fear of the future. Azief shakes his head and let that out of his mind and then he turns to Will and ask

‘How is Lily, you think? Azief ask. Will just smiles and said

‘Hopefully good. Since I left her there, I think she would be safe’ Azief nodded in agreement. Thinking about it is a perfect plan minus opening a portal in Earth Prime that could lead to otherworldly invasion force to come from the breach.

Thankfully Azief managed to close the breach before it became bigger

But Azief have always been forgiving of his friends. In a way that is his flaw.

The last time they split off against each other is because of the fact that Will needed to protect his younger sister, Lily.

It was why he opened a portal to another world and how Azief ended up in Earth 39.

Thankfully everything ends well in that world and Azief even find a fragment of the All Source using it as a base for him to form the All Source Disk.

Now, even when he is at Earth he could use variety of energy that would baffle and pressure any other Disk Formation leveler who mostly derives their Disk from the elements and the surrounding energy of the world.

Will was drinking whiskey. But no matter how much he drink he could never get drunk. His fast metabolism makes it impossible for him to be drunk or intoxicated.

He put down his glass and then his face turns a bits serious he ask

‘Loki was spotted. In Svalbard. He was seen helping Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki fighting Sithulran. It seems he is also now Disk Formation’ Azief also put down his glass and nodded.

‘I know’

‘Don’t you think you should do something?’ Azief did not say anything. Will clicked his tongue and then said

‘I know you think he knows who tried to kill you that day. You should seek answer. Ask him.’

Azief frowned. Then looking once again outside the window he sighed.

‘I don’t think he knows. I know he knows’

Will sighed.

‘You share with me everything brother. But you never shared anything about Loki to me’ Azief just shakes his head.

Azief did not know how to responds other than his usual sighing.

Will shake his head.

Then sincerely he said

‘But just because you don’t share anything about him with me it doesn’t mean that I don’t notice anything. I am a Speedster. If there is one thing I am most sensitive about it is Time Energy. And I sense that from Loki. It is not the same kind of Time Energy that exist in the Speed Source but it is of a different kind’

Will continue

‘I don’t know how to explain it. There is nothing incongruous about him being in this time which means he is of the person that exist and have been existing in this timeline yet there is a swirl of Time energy that I could not recognize around him. It was like a different Laws of Time around him

Azief did not say anything g but it is a good as confirming some of Will doubt. Will think a bit before he ask the next question

Heavily Will asked.

‘What is his purpose? Does he mean harm against you brother?’ Will ask Azief. There is a gleam of killing intent in his eyes.

Azief then look at Will and said with a tone he always uses when he is giving an ultimatum to someone.

‘You will do nothing to him, Will’ then he did not speak another word. There is a heavy silence in the room.

Will knows there is no use arguing about it now so he just nodded his head.

They both take a soup of their choice of drink before Will once again ask him

‘There is still Sithulran. She is getting stronger and a much bigger problem than before’

Azief ears perked up

‘Raymond, Oreki, Hikigaya almost lost in battle with her before Loki slays her with a staff. But we already knew that is just a temporary solution she will come back and probably stronger than before. The Orvanians bait didn’t interest her. It was like she suddenly lost interest. She is turning to be more than just a headache. The World government and the Republic will surely ask for your cooperation in this matter’

If there is one person that knows why Sithulran didn’t take the bait it is probably Loki.

Of course the whole world did not know the secret war being waged between Loki and Yewa Hafar on the background, setting up chess pieces and moving them all across the globe and even beyond this world.

Even Azief did not know about Yewa Hafar interference.

This delicious bait that is being dangled by the Orvanians would have normally brought Sithulran biting but Yewa Hafar has spoiled their bait.

It is why Loki personally interfered, showing himself to the world once again.

Azief on the other hand hearing about Sithulran, his eyes gleams with excitement and battle intent around him is trying hard to break out from his own suppression.

After he has refined the Demonic energy to become his Ancient Demonic Disk, he has been itching of using one of the spells Azul taught him.

Now that he has formed the Ancient Demonic Disk, he could use that spell. He wanted to know whether Sithulran could really break through that spell.

Is the Creator simple curse is more powerful than Azul spell? That is a question Azief is dying to find out.

And he wanted to quickly open up the Supremacy Stairway.

He did not forget his oath and his promise.

He has given his word. And he still remembers the third rule he learns from Alsurt.

‘Never swore an oath carelessly for an oath is a binding covenant’ and he also remembers the fifth rule

‘Never promise something you could not do’ he promises Alsurt that he would free him from his prison.

He was weak then. But now he is a lot stronger. It would not be long now before he has the capabilities to free Alsurt.

Azief then smile as he said

‘That is good’

‘Good?’ Hearing this Will is puzzled. Why was it good that Sithulran is getting stronger? If anything isn’t that worse?

Azief did not explain anything to Will. Instead he ask Will

‘Do you know where she is now?’

‘Who?’ Will ask

‘Sithulran’ Azief answered

‘I could run around the world and try to seek him but why do you want to know?’ Azief smiles and then filled with confidence he said

‘I wanted a rematch’

***

Azief is ready to take his next steps. but there is still a lot of problem on Earth he needs to solve. The battle between Sithulran and Azief is about to begin. Want to bet the Time Crisis happens before or after Azief completed his thirteen Disk.

Hope you like the chapter and thanks for the support. Hope you voted for the story and give me some gifts if you like it. And I will be editing the previous chapter which has many spelling mistakes.

Though i would surely miss a few of them. And I think it will mess up the reading order. But i will try to do kit anyway.

Other than that, tomorrow will be the last part for this chapter.

And guys and gals( Thought I don’t think many girls read this kind of story)do check out my other novels Age of Adventure and Song of Heroes. Song of Heroes is kind of stopped for a moment since I am editing Age of Adventure and writing Lord Shadow at the same time.

But do check it out.

Anyway, this is it for today. Wait a few days before I post a new chapter though maybe by this time I am already finished with the new chapter

And will be posting Age of Heroes after I finished editing the story. this time I will finish it since I have got the permission.

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