Lord Shadow

Erika spoke as she closes her eyes. She is trying to think why. But she is also trying to calm herself. She is so close now.
And that image of her giving her eyeb.a.l.l.s to that black hooded man flash inside her mind again.
"Who are they, Great Oracle?" Antonius asks as his eyes keep surveying the surrounding. This is not Greece where everyone is afraid to offend the Oracle.
This is Pandemonium.
Hidden dragons and crouching tigers are everywhere, and there would not be a lack of people with guts big enough to try to a.s.sa.s.sinate the Oracle.
The Oracle could see the future, but not all the time unless she focused herself.
And when she is seeing the future, or as Erika termed it, peering through the Veil she is defenseless and all of her stats and abilities are dormant making her most vulnerable in that moment.
That is why the Oracle rarely uses her ability unless she wanted it or someone asking for it. But of course there is a price for everything.
The farther the future she tries to see, the more her lifespan is exchanged.
It is the wilting of time. The future she saw is exchanged with her lifespan, the time she remains to be alive.
It is like burning her life force to see through the time she would have lived out
This is why the Oracle always seems to smell like herbs and medicine. The amount of materials, pills, and herbs she has to consume to make sure she did not break down in exhaustion and death is astronomical.
"The Death Monarch faction" Erika said as she opens back her eyes.
In front of her eyes right now, she could see soldiers of Pandemonium is fighting a sea serpent the size of a building thras.h.i.+ng around in the seash.o.r.e as it is being speared, shot at, and attacked
Antonius ponder about the answer and then he said
"Even before the Death Monarch never seeks Great Oracle. It almost seems like he wasn"t interested," Antonius said. Erika nodded
"Did he believe that fate is one of own making? Or did he think of me as mere fortune teller?" And Erika chuckles a bit thinking of the irony.
In the whole world, usually it is people that would travel thousand or even millions of miles just to meet her.
Who would have thought she would be traveling all over the world to seek the Death Monarch and see his future?
No one would believe it.
That is why she never explained why she started her journey.
And she didn"t want to arouse the suspicion of the Death Monarch.
After all who would believe that she travels all this way just to see his future if she did not have an ulterior motive.
And unlike any other leader who fears her predictive abilities, the Death Monarch is different.
As the strongest person in the world, he could look down on anyone in the world and no one would find it offensive.
Not to mention Pandemonium is his home ground.
Erika might be brave but she is not stupid. To others she might look otherworldly and appears to know everything but that is far from the truth.
If she did not know everything why would she be so anxious to meet the Death Monarch?
Because she didn"t know everything and her vision is turning scarier by the day, that even with all that she seen, it still keep her up at night.
All the death, all the destruction….there were too many of it that sometime Erika fears to close her eyes in fear of seeing the future.
She saw a wedding full of blood, a great explosion that kills millions of people, and a beasts so large that it devour continents and gulped an ocean, and he saw a warrior that seems like an alien from outer s.p.a.ce fighting the great heroes of the world.
And like always she saw that gigantic eyes that seems to be looking at this Universe with an intent to destroy.
Erika didn"t have a lot of time to rest since she first become an Oracle, dark visions and nightmares has haunted her from the very first moment of her being an Oracle.
Pandemonium might be full of monsters but it is also full of vitality.
Because of the protection of the Death Monarch, this continent that used to be a Forbidden Continent is now populated by people of every kind, of every race and the land itself is slowly being explored.
Erika felt pity that the Death Monarch didn"t seem interested in governing. Death Monarch seems only intent if getting stronger and stronger.
But Erika didn"t know what he is trying to achieve by being strong. She could not understand him because they both have different aspiration and goals.
She always wanted to live a safe life. That was her intention. However because of her unique cla.s.s, she got embroiled in a conspiracy in the beginning stages of the Fall.
At that time she realizes that she needs to be stronger.
But her objective has never changed all through these years. Her objective has always been survival.
All of what she had done, it is all for her survival
In the beginning she believes her ability is a blessing and a gift despite the side effects. Seeing the future and using it to her own advantage is what gives her all the power to negotiate with the top factions of the world.
Which in turns secure her safety.
But now, she didn"t think like that. It is a gift, yes but it is also a curse. To see a future where it could not be changed no matter what one might choose, it is not a blessing it is a curse.
To see and knowing that all efforts are futile could break any person that believes hard work is enough to change one fate.
Every day she saw destruction, she saw Death and she saw tragedy in a future only she knows. Imagine seeing such thing every day, in every sleeping moment
No matter how strong one heart is, they would surely broke down and Erika herself almost got seized by madness.
She saw it and all she could do is cry and lament. Her fate is even more tragic than Ca.s.sandra of Troy.
If she told what she sees people would believe her, but she knows even knowing it would be futile. There is some thing that could be changed.
Minor things and minor destiny.
But when the things she saw relates heavily to the fates of the world, where so many destinies and fate tangled together, the harder it is to change such destiny and fate.
She has tried but nothing she did could change the vision she saw. So, she despair
But Loki and Death March is her hope. There were many time that her prediction is broken by them.
He is interested in the Death Monarch because he is probably the one in the black robe, the man with the rings she sees in her dreams
But she is also interested in Loki, the person who has foiled her prediction time and time again.
It was like he was a tool to sever fate and destiny.
She sighed.
On the seash.o.r.e, the sea serpent is already dead and the soldiers are rejoicing patting each other back and skinning the sea serpent while some soldiers are searching for monster core to be given to Pillar Forming recruits.
They probably would set up a feast in the seash.o.r.e eating the sea serpent meat with their fellow soldiers.
"Great Oracle, are we still waiting?" Antonius question startled Erika. Erika then nodded and smiles gently.
She looks at the sky and saw it is turning cloudy as rains slowly falls and she smiles.
"It would not be long now. Wait for a moment."
The moment she said that in the distance, the sea is full of white mist. The soldiers on the seash.o.r.e who was rejoicing also stopped their cheering.
They all noticed the growing mist that comes out of nowhere and their expression quickly turns serious.
They also look at the area where the sea is covered by a misty fog.
Antonius who saw the mist slowly covering the area near the seash.o.r.e from all four directions looks towards the Oracle in astonishment and awe.
"What did I say? You keep doubting me, Antonius. Is this the first time I am proven right? Hehehe" she chuckles.
In the sea sh.o.r.e, the officer of the expedition army look at this weird phenomena and instead of getting scared he quickly organize his soldiers into a fighting position
"Be ready for an enemy. Inform the HQ! This is unnatural" he shouted to his men and they immediately steel themselves for whatever that will come.
Transmission crystals have already been crushed and the Army headquarters will get the report by now.
It was then one of the soldiers shouted pointing toward the ever growing mist
"What the h.e.l.l is that?" They all look toward the mist and they saw one large silhouette inside the mist that is coming closer and closer like it is walking through the sea.
Antonius who was standing on the highest floor of the huge building and saw from above nodded as he also said
"There is one huge silhouette inside the mist. Is it a gigantic creature from the Deep Sea?" Antonius speculates.
Erika shakes her head and reply
"It is not one. It is four" and then like always she smiles mysteriously as the four silhouettes that is coming closer and closer to the sea sh.o.r.e revealed itself to be four gigantic tortoise.
The League of Freedom has come to Pandemonium!
********************************************************
MOSCOW
RUSSIA
As the Senate closed their doors, the a.s.sembly is resting and the Senators return to their residence.
The sight of people running down the stairs of the Senate while being accompanied by their bodyguards to return home is a normal occurrence in Moscow.
When night comes, the guards prowl the streets and guard the walls. The enhancements and protection warding are strengthened at night.
Katarina, the strongest woman on Earth and one of the pillars of the Republic returns to her Ice Palace behind the Senate Hill
Her head maiden prepared her, give her a warm bath which is ironic considering her t.i.tle but she welcomed it.
She likes being pampered. Because she rarely was pampered in her life before the Fall. She likes being treated like she was a Princess.
There are no longer scars on her body and she is no longer her old self who is weak and powerless.
But to want something….and to feel that feeling of being wanted….is something of a yearning for her.
That is what she felt when she thinks of him. She wanted him to feel the same feeling she has. She prayed for it and earnestly wished it.
After finished bathing, she lies in her bed, rolling around in her comfy blanket before stopping. She sighed.
Because of that d.a.m.n promise every time she saw flower petals falling down, she thinks about him.
So, she wears light attire and went out without informing her maidservants.
Meanwhile, there is a black dot that stealthily surpa.s.sed all the restriction and warding in the Senate Hill and heading to the Ice Palace.
Katarina right now is enjoying walking around her garden alone. The breeze is a little cold but it felt like nothing to her.
"Spring has come…but he is still not here. Is he thinking to forget about it? About me?" And she sighed again.
She looks at the sky and notices the moon and how the moonlight today is s.h.i.+ning bright.
She is not used to be feeling like this. She is unaccustomed to it. Feeling so conscious of how one person thinks of her.
When she is in front of him, she wants to show him her best side, unconsciously and uncontrollably
She did not realize that at the time a person is watching over her with a smile on his face. Azief look at her as he is blending with the shadows.
He rarely used it but he can meld with the shadows as one of her abilities as Shadow Lord. He also rarely used his Lord Shadow items after he pursue the path of perfection.
With his body alone he could contend with magical items and pressure his enemies. After all with his other abilities, he rarely has to sneak around.
"What are you thinking, Katarina?" he ask and then he chuckles a bit.
He wipes his hand and the clouds above him moves covering the moonlight letting only a bit of the moonlight to s.h.i.+ne through
Then as she walks on her garden she notices something.
"What is this?" she ask herself , looking left and right. She looks upwards and saw a large cloud. The moonlight is covered by a cloud.
She could sense the world energy being used to move that cloud. Then on her path she saw the moonlight moving slowly forward.
At first her mind was thinking of an enemy but thinking about it why won"t her enemies just ambush her form the start.
There is no need for such theatrics. And who would dare to attack her in her own turf? But then…she could not help but feel hopeful.
Hopeful, that it is that person that comes.
She looks at the moonlight moving forward as the clouds helps manipulate the moonlight to moves where it is supposed to go.
It was like the moonlight is guiding her.
Katarina could not help but felt her heart bloom in happiness.
"It must be him" she tells herself.
She stopped and then moved forward as her steps become even faster and the moonlight follows her pace, guiding her even faster.
So she follows that road drawn by the moonlight until she reached a path where it leads to a bridge over an artificial small pond.
Moonlight s.h.i.+nes over him
On that end of the road, she saw him. Standing on the end of the bridge, waiting for her with a teasing smile on his face.
He looks das.h.i.+ng like always.
But she still could not believe it is real. Maybe he is just her product of imagination. For she sees him every time she closes her eyes.
She agonizes over it. Whether she had been rejected or unwanted. It is painful….waiting that is
And like a lie, the pain of waiting, all of it disappeared in that moment.
The welled up tears in her eyes falls down. He walks to her slowly. In a few second he arrived in front of her.
He slowly and gently wipes away her tears
His hand is hot like fire and they look at each other.
Their silhouette illuminated by the moonlight as they share a lot of feeling just by their gaze.
In her eyes is longing. But in his eyes is a determination.
"You are a little late" Katarina said, he voice is a little slow. He did not say anything.
He just looks at her and slowly traces his finger on her cheeks. She blush a bit and leans on his shoulder, putting her head on his chest.
"That is cheating" Katarina always felt like Azief is messing with her. He never answers her question especially when he didn"t want to answer them.
He always does this. What he did is make her heart flutter with his action, never bothering to answer her question.
Azief put his hand on her hair and slowly caress it. The cold winter has ended and pa.s.sed and their promised season has arrived.
In the morning warm sun light comes and in night the breeze spring air fills the area. But, now, together, they truly felt spring, warmth in their hearts.
Azief smiles a bit and he said with a slight happiness in his tone.
"Didn"t I say I would come when spring came? Why cry?"
"I thought you would never come. I heard the announcement that you are undergoing seclusion. So, I thought you forgot what you promise me."
"I finish a bit early" he said teasingly
And Katarina hit him in his chest with her hand.
To other it might be enough to crush them if they are being hit by the Ice Queen Katarina but since she didn"t put any force in it, Azief saw it as cute grumbling.
"There are a lot of things I want to tell you" she said. When the red leaves of the trees falls and the rainbow like flower bloom, like he promised, he came.
"Me too" And Azief pull her closer to him, his scent covered her and she snuggle up in that embrace.
She blushes even harder, her cheeks is red like a ripe strawberry.
Contrary to her beautiful and enchanting appearance, she never fell in love before and never love any other boys before.
She never experienced all normal kids experience because of her father. Everything is new for her.
Even this feeling….this feeling that she could not control, that at times suffocate her but at times bring her so much happiness that she almost forget everything.
This unchanging feeling inside her heart is warm. And it pains her when she saw her with Sofia but she could not make someone love her.
That is what her father tried to do to her and to her mother. But she didn"t know love could be painful.
With him, Katarina experience all of it….this feeling called love. And even though she was close to him, she could always felt like he was holding back.
As if her heart is broken, she just can"t express her feelings openly and proudly.
Every time she look at the stars and make a wish, her heart earnestly prays. Because when she saw his smile, it brightens her day.
And Azief also felt the same way. He wants to be the one that makes her smile, to make her laugh yet at the same time….he always hold himself back.
He didn"t know what to do. Because of his messy feelings and his relations.h.i.+p and the feelings he have for Sofia
He didn"t know how to squash this feeling and he didn"t even know if he wanted to. And because of all this, he always hesitates.
But after his experience in Azul world, he become sure what he felt for these two special women in his life.
He didn"t know if this is the right thing to do….and he won"t try to rationalize it anymore.
He will accept any punishment but he do not want to lie to his own feelings.
"I ask if you can wait for me once and you said you can wait. It was a selfish favor and one I shouldn"t have imposed on you." He said as he slowly hold her hand.
That fragile, little hand. He grips it hard and his breath become harder. Katarina could feel the heat in his hand.
And she gripped that hand, never wanting to let go
Then he looks at her and she look at him. The wind blew by and they both smile.
"What you are looking at?" Katarina ask, slightly blus.h.i.+ng. Azief chuckles.
"Your lips" he answers
"What about it?"
"It is beautiful" and then he leans in close, his lips almost touching her lips but he stop just at that last moment.
"Are you ok with this?" He asks, his lips only a few inches from her lips.
She did not answer. She nodded shyly and so he kisses her. He musters all of his courage and all of his feeling and kisses her.
Gently and fondly, his hand on her hair and she pulls him close. It was warm and it was beautiful.
Standing there, kissing each other on that bridge, it was like they were a fairytale prince and princess
As he kisses her, it was like they kiss for a million years in the s.p.a.ce of a single moment. The feeling that both of them restrained and kept in check overflowed.
And while kissing him, she smiles.
Even if this becomes a tragedy, this moment, this now, things like, fate, destiny, the future….seems unimportant and completely out of reach from them.
He loved all of it, her smile, the way she laugh so he burns her entire existence into his memory, with every touch, with every kiss, and with his own two eyes immortalizing this moment.
A gentle and fond kiss that seems like an instant but for both of them, it was like an eternity that they never wanted to end.
They finish their first kiss as they slowly part away. Azief didn"t do anything special
He only kisses her. But to both of them that kiss is special. Because it makes her feel love. Makes her know that she is wanted by the person she wanted.
She once wonders how it feels to kiss someone she loves.
She then laughs a bit.
Azief smiles and then he ask
"What is so funny?"
"People say that the first kiss is sweet." Katarina said
"Really?" Azief check his breath and didn"t find anything wrong with his breath
"How was it?" he ask
Katarina reply
"It"s better. It felt like the whole world is beautiful" Azief shakes his head.
"You are strange like always"
"Do you hate that? I couldn"t change that part of me even if I wanted to" Azief shake his head and pull her closer.
Her head once again is on his chest. Instead of pus.h.i.+ng him away, she pull him even tighter as she lean her head on his chest and closes her eyes, feeling safe in his arm.
"You are terrifying at times and also strange and beautiful. Something not everyone knows how to love. I don"t think no one could keep up with you other than me" and he chuckles.
Katarina only smiles in his arm.
She has been imagining about this moment since she first realizes she is in love with him.
Just thinking about it makes her feel like her heart would explode. But now that is has become a reality it makes her so happy that she cries tears of happiness
She always felt like a criminal for having wanted something.
That is what her father taught her. So she becomes afraid of wanting something. But she never wanted something more in her life than she wanted him.
So, now, to get what she wanted the most, she could not help but be overwhelmed by emotion.
"What about Sofia?" Katarina ask him. Azief was silent for a while before he sighs.
"I still love her" And Katarina hearing this was shocked as he tries to push him away but Azief did not let her.
"Listen to me Katarina" He holds her shoulder, his face in front of her and one could see the complicated expression on his face
"I no longer wanted to lie to my feelings. I love you. That is what I felt….but I also love her. I know I am being greedy. And maybe at the end I would regret this…but I won"t regret loving you…and loving her. Maybe I am greedy. No, I am greedy. And this is probably wrong. But…I don"t know what else to do. I love you and saying otherwise would be lying to you and to myself. And Sofia…I love her very much…and dearly and I don"t know if she would forgive this. I don"t want her to forgive me…but I won"t lie anymore. In the end I am still that selfish person. I want to love who I love and not be mocked for it, to be criticizes. I could rationalize this all I want. But I won"t. Because there is no rationale behind it. I will accept all punishment…but I just don"t want to lie anymore."
And he stands there. And Katarina look at him. For a moment they look at each other and Katarina suddenly ask
"Do you love me?" It was the question she always asks. A question he never answers. But today, he answered
"I love you" three simple words and Katarina did not know what to do. So, she flies away from the scene. And Azief did not follow. He knows that she needs time.
But he had told her what he never courageous enough to tell her before. He told her, that he loves her.
And that is what matters. That she knows that he loves her. Whatever happens next…it won"t matter.
Azief knows Katarina did no view herself highly even though she is the strongest woman in the world.
There is pride…yes, but that is a pride of a warrior. She is the most beautiful woman in the world and yet she did not think she could have his heart?
She did…and he told her that. Azief was about to fly away when he notices the rustling of bushes nearby
Azief halted and then coming out from the bush is a tall bulky muscly man wearing a Chancellor robe.
"Boris" Azief coldly said. Azief never like Katarina brother and the feeling is mutual. Boris looks at Azief and said
"Death Monarch" he gritted his teeth before calming himself down.
"Don"t you dare hurt my little sister" Azief eyes squint and Boris felt an invisible pressure trapping the s.p.a.ce around him.
"I never make any promises that I can"t keep. In love, there is always pain. She will get hurt. And probably I will feel more pain than her. But without being hurt, how could she learn?" Azief said this and then he flies away breaking through the speed of sound and disappeared from Russia airs.p.a.ce in a matter of seconds.
Boris looks at the sky and sighed, his face expression is unreadable.
"This… is not what I wanted for her. My little sister, that man is no good." And then he disappeared no doubt searching for his little sister.
As the clouds moved away from covering he moon, the moonlight becomes even brighter.
On a tree near the bridge, a black raven flew away after the scene was calm as a person in an Island sighed and said
"Thus, it begins"
***************************************************************************