Lord Shadow

None of it is good.

It was like a storm that shakes the world as all the forces began mustering their strength for the world to see.

The rise of Lord Shadow stirred the existing order of the world. The most affected is those who have lived in the Plains a year before Lord Shadow emerges.

These people have established their influence here and recruit men and people but since the creation of the first real city in the world, Eden, thousands are migrating to Eden in droves.

And that is not good for these warlords which desperately need people. And they all began talking preventative measures

Lady Freya who ruled the majority of the area around the Eastern Plains decide to ally with Athena forces making them a united force after the separation between the Norwegian woman leader and the War lady of the Greeks.

They at first allied together until they have some disagreement which leads into their feud.

But once, the news of Lord Shadow battle was spread out, they decided to once again ally together again.

Freya and Athena territory covered one third of the Eastern Plains. Two thirds are ruled by the World Government and their forces.

The Freya and Athena alliance has shaken many of the warlords in the Eastern Plains as it is clear that Freya and Athena are set to defend their lands if Eden set its sight on their eastern borders.

Many of them already surrender their armies and were absorbed into Athena and Freya troops.

The Eastern Plain is preparing for war.

Meanwhile on the Northern Plains, a new development occurred.

One of the Northern Plains leaders gathered most of the disunited warlords in the Northern Region of the Plains and in a historic moment of unity, they created a confederation to defend themselves if the Northern Plains region is threatened.

Warlord Tumbu muster his ten thousand troops and combined it with the concerted effort of all the Northern Plains region warlords to stand tall and implement harsh security measures to those who wanted to leave the Northern Plains.

People are being recruited forcefully.

Some expert was lured by promises of wealth and skill books. Many more were lured by resources.

While the Northern Plains is not as powerful as the Central Plains they possess many natural resources like gold mines and rare herbs.

And this confederation is led by Tumbu.

Tumbu is a Mozambique national before the Fall.

Now he is one of the warlords in the Northern Plains region and has lived his life in great wealth and comfort after the Fall by using intimidation, coercion and suppression to rule his tiny city.

When Lord Shadow reveal his prowess and now that the World Government acknowledge his actions and has no intention to stop his influence from reaching the entire Plains, Tumbu felt that sooner or later, Lord Shadow will expand to the north.

And when that time comes, Tumbu know what his fate will be.

If Lord Shadow wanted to be the sole ruler of the Plains, then he needs to appease the people.

And the people living under his reign of terror would call for his head in a heartbeat. And Lord Shadow could use him to appease the people, citing exacting justice for those that fall under Tumbu blade.

Since he could not have that he manages to convince most of the lords in the Northern Plains region to create a temporary alliance to battle Lord Shadow forces.

On the Western Plains, the Mountain Clans united not to come down the Mountain and guarded the Western Plain but for a different reason.

They muster the Clans of the Mountains to repel the Fire Region Overlord of Belgica Phillipe who is expanding to its eastern front after failing to defeat Germania led by King Johann on the Western Border of the Fire Region.

King Johann on the other hand is recruiting more men and began increasing efforts to make his territory prospers.

It is even said Johann is trying to break through to Seed Forming as fast as possible to activate Civilization Seed so he could create a city like Lord Shadows.

His city while a proper city does not grant any bonuses to its residents. Many of mediocre rulers was also thinking of doing this.

But not all are as shortsighted like Johann.

After all Raymond and Katarina even though they heard the wondrous effect of the Civilization Seed they still advancing step by step, ensuring that when they broke through to Seed Forming their conditions are be the best.

Katrina is aiming for Eternal Spring and so is Raymond.

Jean is aiming to Red Palace Forming before breaking through. So is the Twin Sages of the Rising Sun.

Because to reach the level of EXP needed to go to Eternal Spring would take years.

After looking at the abysmal weak power of Sasha who broke through to Seed Forming without solidifying her foundations, many had their eyes opened.

Increasing their stage without preparing their foundations would lead to bitter life in the future.

n.o.body wanted to be the second Sasha. Even the Seven Fairy put a lot more fight than Sasha.

But the cause of this chaotic situation all over the world is because of the announcement of the World Government

Everywhere in the world right now, it was full of chaos after the announcement from the World Government

Battles and war broke out and talents emerging everywhere. In times of such chaos, heroes are born.

Great men and women that could shake the world started to emerge as they are forged in the fires of battles and the blood of their enemies.

It was like someone throws a stone, no, a big boulder into a peaceful still lake and the resulting impact created a huge splash.

Everywhere, warlords, small or big began to move and organizing their troops and people.

Heroes recruited men, and the common people seek new lands.

Some wanted to expand their lands; some wanted to defend their territory while other wanted to claim the land as their own.

It was the new era of warlords. It was a new world order.

The storm has come.

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MEANWHILE

ON THE ICE REGION

The monster in front of the dungeon is opening its large mouth wide. It was an eight feet monster.

Not far away from the monster is a crowd of people looking intently at the monster with an inquisitive look.

Jean was smiling as Paulette is drinking some water.

Jean then put his finger on one of the monster fang, caressing it and then addresses the crowds in front of him

"See this? This White Sabertooth cub has sharp and durable fang. If you wanted to kill the White Sabertooth and manage to do it, do not forget to pluck its fang after killing it. It will fetch quiet a price in the markets"

The White Sabertooth could not do anything as its eyes keep darting left and right not understanding what is happening.

In the one meter radius around the monster the snows stayed in place. Not falling at the ground like it was supposed to.

The waves of the wind were frozen.

Time…..stopped. Everything around one meter radius of the monster cub….is stopped. At least that is what it seems in the eyes of the crowds.

But it was actually bonded. Jean binds Time. He did not have the ability to stop Time….at least not yet.

One of Jean powers is to bind time for a few moments.

But for this White Sabertooth cub it would be easy for Jean to bind it for a few minutes.

The people hearing Jean explanation nodded in agreement committing it to their memories.

Jean is leading his new recruit to hunt in a newly conquered dungeon.

After the avalanche that sacrifices thousands of human"s lives and hundreds more wounded, many new dungeons is uncovered in the search and rescue operations.

This particular dungeon that Jean is using to train the newbies was conquered by Jean and his generals yesterday.

Jean is right now sharing his insights and knowledge of what to expect from the monster inside the dungeon and lure one White Sabertooth out to demonstrate.

Jean then explain what they have to watch out for and the weakness of the White Sabertooth.

"Now, that I have shown you their weakness, I hope you all can farm experience and quickly break through to Orb Condensing Realm."

The newbie soldiers nodded.

"You can take your supply from Benoist"

In the front entrance of the dungeon is a stone chair.

Jean sent someone to carve a chair out of the boulder in the front of the dungeon yesterday after he triumph over the Red Furred Sabertooth.

Sitting on that chair lazily, with eyes half opened and yawning every five minutes is a large guy with locks.

It is impressive to yawn while being hit by the unceasing falling snow of the Ice Region.

He is one of Jean general.

He is now tasked on helping the Pillar Forming soldiers to quickly level up and gained experience to break through to Orb Condensing as fast as possible.

"Benoist, lighten up!" Jean yelled and Benoist open his eyes lazily. He just nodded as he got up from his chair and said

"Are they ready?" Jean then shakes his head and said to the soldiers

"Go follow him. He will guide you once you"re all inside." The soldier nodded and saluted Jean before quickly entering the dungeon.

In a few minutes, the clearing around the front of the dungeon is empty. Jean turns towards Paulette and ask her

"You want to finish this monster?" he asked looking at Paulette who is now begun to setting up a tent near the entrance.

Paulette look at that unmoving monster and shakes her head.

"I don"t need the EXP. It"s too minuscule killing a baby cub."

Jean nodded. Then he looks at the monster and pity flashes on his eyes. He looks straight at the monster and said

"I"ll make it fast."

Then taking out a sword, Jean slashes out a golden beam from the tip of his sword instantly decapitating the monster as its head fly through the air and fall down the mountain edges.

The body falls down with blood sprouting from the severed veins of its neck. Even until the end of its life, the monster could not understand why it could not move.

Paulette looking at the dead monster body reminded Jean

"Don"t forget to skin the fur. The Sabertooth type monster have high immunity to cold. We can make blankets for the soldiers or sell it"

I know, I know. You don"t have to remind me every time Jean said sounding a little annoyed as he slowly skin the body with a dagger.

That"s the reason many of his soldiers right now is hunting in this kind of dungeons all over the White Mountain.

The furs of the Sabertooth have high immunity to cold making it a hot items among the people taking shelter on the Ice Region.

With Jean possessing a large army and charisma he manages to monopolize the fur selling business in Revolutionary Army with many buying his fur product.

In the ice Region, their enemies are not only the monster but also the environment.

The cold. The winters that never stops. The unceasing snow. The biting winds. To live here, one needs to have a hard body.

Land of Eternal Winters

While they do have slight immunity to the cold because of their constant exposure to the windy and snowy environment of this region, when the region hit its coldest point, one could even freeze to death.

Meanwhile Paulette is just putting the finis.h.i.+ng touches to the tent. The tent was big and could accommodate ten people.

But this tent is only for both of them because no one is stupid enough to join Jean and Paulette in their tents.

For a Frenchman, Jean is very conservative. Maybe because of his mother.

In the center of the tent is a fire pit to keep them warm and comforters and thick bed were laid out inside the tent.

It was a comfortable looking tent.

It was warm, large and clean. Jean after finis.h.i.+ng the skinning quickly enter the tent and hug Paulette.

Kissing her on the cheek Jean then took a cup of wine and feels his body energize. Which Frenchman doesn"t like wine?

The snows and cold of the Ice Region has some kind of pervading magic that even a person of Energy Disperse Stage like him could feel cold.

But does that stop wine?

No.

Jean doesn"t know if the World Orb is prepared for this kind of problem because there is someone in Jean camp who has the cla.s.s Winemaker and is very appreciated by Jean and most of the wine aficionado in Revolutionary Army.

Because without him, Jean could not enjoy wine. The wine he makes is very exquisite, repel the cold of the Ice Region and even strengthen Jean const.i.tution.

Because of him, Jean pays more attention to the production cla.s.s.

No wonder the World Government was so frustrated losing Sina that could make heavenly pills. If Jean loses his winemaker, Jean doesn"t know what he would do

"You"re ok?" Paulette ask

"A little cold" Jean said as he sits down on the carpet inside the tent. Paulette store her sniper inside her tool bag and then lie down on Jean thigh.

Jean using his left hand began caressing Paulette hair, looking at her with a smile on his face.

Paulette softly stares at Jean. Looking at Paulette trying to keep herself awake, Jean ask her

"Are you sleepy?"

"Un" Paulette said coyly. Paulette is known to be a no nonsense female sniper, cold and ruthless in battle.

This side of hers only Jean could see it. The cute and sweet part of her. The better part of her. Her….brightside

"Just sleep if you wanted too. I will ask Jacques to handle the next batch." Paulette mischievously smiles and order Jean.

"Bring me to my bed" Jean smiles and carries her up and place her on the bed gently, while his eyes never leaves her, looking at her lovingly.

Then he also lied down on the bed beside her.

Paulette kisses him on the cheek and nibbles on his ears and Jean could not help but produce sounds of pleasure.

Then she suddenly stops and push him away while smiling naughtily at him

"Pervert" Paulette said cutely smiling. Jean looks at her and frustrated he said.

"Didn"t know you were a tease"

"I"m not a tease."

"No, you"re a tease."

Then Jean pulls her close and hugs her. Paulette giggles. Leaning down Jean kissed her lips with fiery pa.s.sion and she responded with the same ferocity.

And then her cheeks turn red. She might not seem like it, but she is shy. At least she can be shy when she is with Jean.

When she is with Jean she could lower down her guard and be comfortable.

When she is with him, she could forget that she is living in a world full of monsters. She could forget the harsh tomorrow.

She could forget the uncertainty of the future.

When she is with him, time stopped and all that matters is that moment. The moment that belongs only to them.

It was like a moment frozen for all eternity and she is living her best moments.

With Jean she found peace.

"Do you love me? "Paulette ask while she is giggling. She always asks and Jean always answers.

Smiling Jean shows his smile and nodded

"Always and forever."

Paulette chuckles.

"What a cliché thing to say."

"Maybe. Doesn"t mean it"s not true." Jean replied as he kisses her neck

"And if someday I die?" Paulette asks as she makes herself comfortable on the bed, looking lovingly at his eyes.

Jean was thinking how to reply and then with a dawn of realization he said

"Then, I"ll bring you back. I will s.n.a.t.c.h you from Death itself" He said it full of determination.

He knew he couldn"t lose her. Jean has never met a woman like Paulette before.

And Jean got a feeling that if he let her go he would be the most unfortunate man in the world.

Paulette has her rough edges. She could be temperamental at times. Challenging. She"s tough. She"s strong.

But beneath that strong and confident exterior, she is also gentle.

Full of compa.s.sion and love.

When Jean was made Emperor of France, if not for his mother objection, Jean would have made Paulette her Empress.

Paulette just smiles bitterly and laughs Jean statement off. She did not take Jean words that seriously.

They were a couple in love. Of course Jean would say things like that.

But if she knew the future, then she would not so easily dismiss Jean"s words.

After all, a war was fought for her.

The devastating wars of all in the history of mankind. The War of the Sovereign was fought simply because Jean couldn"t let her go.

Because he wanted to bring her back to the land of the living. He challenges destiny and fate to bring her back.

"How"s your mother?" Paulette suddenly asked.

Her expression was not that pleasant while she was asking that question. And Jean stopped kissing Paulette neck as he looked awkward.

"You still mad at her?"

"She objects us. Should I be happy?" Paulette retorted.

"Hmm. I don"t really know. She founded Francia city ten kilometers away from the Revolutionary Army Base. That"s what I last heard from Jacques."

"Creating her own army. Her? Humph" Paulette snorted.

Jean also could not say much about this matter.

Now, that Jean is no longer the Emperor of France, most of his authority had to be rebuilt.

But his mother could not wait to live back like she lived back then in Paris.

Francia, a new city built not far from Revolutionary Army base has served as a shelter for French survivors and drifters.

Bordering the city of Francia is the Wei dynasty, which shelters Chinese survivors. They are very nationalistic and racist.

This has always been the stark difference between the Wei and Yue dynasty.

Wei dynasty is full of nationalistic youth that believes in the government.

The King of Wei himself was a public officer of the Communist Party before the Fall which made him very nationalistic even after the world broke down and the borders disappears.

Yue dynasty which is led by Yue Xing is more open to outside culture and as such benefited from many alliances.

While Yue Xing himself was a man that could not appreciate talents, it does not mean his rule is not stable.

If not for Lord Shadow employing w.a.n.g Jian, how could Yue Xing have the t.i.tle a King that does not recognize talent?

If Loki and the Divine Archer did not save w.a.n.g Jian then at best w.a.n.g Jian will be remembered as a tragic general and Yue Xing will not be mocked by the world.

Lord Shadow is truly making waves. The only reason why he is not that worried is because the Plains is far away and there is no enmity between Lord Shadow and the Revolutionary Army

But Jean thinks this kind of situation will not last long. In the end, the Lords will decide what to do.

The other reason why Jean is not worried is because he has met with the Oracle and the Oracle a.s.sured him that there will not be any problem for this year from outside forces

The Oracle while she is creepy in her own special way, Jean always found himself to be quite fascinated with her ability.

What did she sees when she closes her eyes and peers into the future? h.e.l.l? Or Heaven? A new utopia? Or a dystopia society?

And if she sees all this, what burden she must have felt? And what will she do with such information?

The Oracle herself seems fascinated by him but for a different reason. The Oracle has always looked out for him, singling him out.

The way she looks at him was a mixture of fear and awe which has always puzzled Jean. She just said, she belies she has seen him before in a vision.

And when he asked what vision she sees him in. She answers Seven people. You were among the Seven.

And when he asked what is the Seven she would only smiles mysteriously and chuckles. Always with her vague answer and allusion.

"You"re creasing your eyebrows, Jean" Paulette said as she put her fingers around the middle of his eyebrows and Jean forces himself to smile.

He shakes his head to stop himself from thinking about other things.

"I would like it if you would reconcile your difference with each other."

"You"re siding with your mother again?" Paulette ask as she turns her back to Jean, her voice is cold.

Jean shakes his head and hug her from behind.

"Ok, Ok. I was wrong. Let"s not talk about this. Let"s sleep."

It takes a five minutes coaxing and a kiss on the lips and a song to finally relieve Paulette sulking face before they sleep in bliss.

Jean and Paulette. A tragic pairing. A painful love. The happy years are short while the years of hards.h.i.+p is long.

This kind of fate should be avoided.

This kind of fate should be changed. But the river of time flows mercilessly and destiny will not stray from its course.

In the end, men could only accept fate which is the hardest thing to do. Or surrender to it which is easier.

Or...he could fight and fight and fight and always keep fighting relentlessly and without stop.

Always beating that river back, always ripping the script destiny has written for him.

It is almost impossible to beat destiny. But if a man does not give up, maybe, just maybe, a door will open.

Bloodied and beaten, the man who keeps getting up after taking all the beatings by Lady fate and her minions...for that kind of man that does not give up, that refuse to bend their necks to those d.a.m.ned destinies and fates, for those kind of people...there is hope.

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