Lord Shadow

The sound of birds filled the forest and sometimes one could hear the shrieking of the apes.

Hamad was sighing and wiping the sweat from his forehead.

The forest region is not like the desert region where it was always hot all the time. But, doing laborious work, of course he will sweat.

He is after all only an Orb Condensing Stage Middle Realm. Using his stamina all the time doesn"t exactly makes you energetic.

Hamad was felling trees in the forest. Beside him were Hatta, Laksmi, Sita, and Rani also doing the same thing using their weapon of choice.

They are now in the forest region and together they have survived this gigantic forest with monsters at every corner.

"Is there a lot more?" Sita asked wiping her sweats while not far away from her Rani is grunting as she is storing the logs inside the storage bag.

Hamad nodded.

Hatta spit to the ground in anger. This is beneath him. Beneath their group. No matter how they want to join that place, they didn"t have to make them do this.

Hamad did not miss Hatta act of dissatisfaction and he look at Hatta and glares at him with his piercing glares.

"What?" Hatta shot back.

"You know we have to do this."

"Hmph" Hatta complained.

He wanted to complain but he and Hamad go way back. Hamad may not be stronger than him but he was the calm one.

Hamad is not genius.

He is mediocre. But he is mediocre in everything. One could say he is well balanced with no specialties. Hatta doesn"t know if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

Hatta keep felling the trees with his sword. Hamad look at the others and shows a sympathetic expression.

"It"s all going to be ok." He said as he tries to motivate his friends but mostly it was to motivate himself.

Then they continued their work.

Hamad look at the canopy that covered the sky and he could see glimpses of the blue sky from the slit of the gigantic leaves that covered the whole forest region.

He sighed again.

After the white explosion happens they were transported towards this region.

For a few months they wander inside this forest, dodging monsters, disease, natural disasters and other dangers that lurk inside this gigantic forest.

But a couple of week ago, they stumble onto a hut. The hut was simple, and inside the hut lives a couple.

They are young.

Younger than Hamad.

Around the age of twenty.

The woman was beautiful and possesses this otherworldly beauty with white flawless skin and long silky hair that reach her waist, she was like a fairy.

The man was handsome with a boyish look, like a cute boy but possess the charisma of a man, his hair was wavy and his stature was imposing

But their hut was protected by this runic design and the couple was very powerful.

The male uses a big brush that is full of runic design coiling around the brush tip. In his hand it could change sizes like the Ruyi Jingu Bang belonging to w.a.n.g Jian

Ruyi Jingu Bang is a pillar of black iron twenty feet in height and the width of a barrel and manageable in that the staff complies with the users wishes and could shrinks.

Hamad was there when w.a.n.g Jian battles the forces of World Government in Greece where Sofia and Loki were stealing a flock of Pegasus from Athena.

He and his group were transferred to the World Government branch of military as a support group for the main division of Army of World Government.

w.a.n.g Jian was like a lone force that decimated and crushed the Silver Division of the Lion Corps.

The brush also has the same features as the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

When it was used, the male will use the brush to write some runes and the runes is capable of doing many things like making Hamad and his group almost dies without a grave facing him.

The woman uses a flute that controls the beast around the hut.

When she plays it melody covered the radius of about fifteen kilometer radius that not only controls the beast that heard the melody but also gave Hamad and his group mental attack, making their Orb cracked and shaken.

They were Energy Condensing Stage Middle Realm Expert who lives a life of seclusion from the outside world.

The expert takes pity on their group and told Hamad and his group that if they walked following the blue bird that will always come at dawn near their hut, they will find a community of people, living together in a village.

Since then they have been tracking the bird and when they found the place, they were shocked.

They were unorganized rabble.

But there seems to be a system that works for the community inside the Forests region.

For them to qualify to enter the village, they need to prove their worth by collecting a hundred logs for each head to gain access.

The logs will be used by the carpenters and builders indie the villages to construct more facility and making the village stronger from the attack of the monsters that dominates the jungle.

So, that is what he and his group have been doing.

"Huh. Huh." Hamad was panting as he felled his one hundred logs.

And then he sits down beside the stump of the fallen trees and takes a sip of water from his flask.

What luck! What turns of events!

He thought he was already living the good life before the white explosion happens.

He was one of the trusted people of General Razak and General Bashar.

He knows how to play both sides and don"t get caught.

But now?

Now, he doesn"t even know if the two generals is still alive. He could only do his best to lead his friends to safety.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. The sound of the grating of swords against the trees was annoying.

Even the sound of the birds that once so soothing is annoying. The sound of the wind only serves to increase his frustration.

He then remembered Lord Shadow. Remembers how powerful he is. Remembers how he could do anything he wanted.

Then Hamad opens his eyes.

And a fire burns inside that eyes. Desire and determination light up. An unquenchable thirst for power.

He then smiles.

If Razak can do it. If Bashar can do it. Why can"t he? Can"t he also be a Warlord? To rule over a large city and to march men to war bringing glory?

Even if he died…wouldn"t that kind of death is more dignified other than dying under someone else"s order?

He then looks at his group and his desire burns hotter. Hatta is almost reaching Orb Condensing Stage High Realm.

The same could be said for Sita.

Rani and Lakshmi even though they are only at the Low Realm they coordinated brilliantly in battle and their tag team duo is very terrifying.

Then he thinks to the security of the villages and a dark thought crosses his mind. He could conquer it.

This dark thought consumes him, feeding his desires even more.

Until the dark thought becomes more than just a thought. It becomes a will. An undying will.

He steeled his heart. There is no fear in his eyes of what he is about to do. There is only desire. He then yelled.

"STOP!" And Sita, Lakshmi, Rani and Hatta stop their logging and look at Hamad.

"What"s the matter?"

Hamad got up from the ground and then he smiles.

"I"ve been thinking about something Hatta. We"re more than this. I have a proposition for all you. Listen to me and we might not have to do this."

Laksmi eyes brightened. Anything other than keep logging logs. Rani also nodded.

Hatta eyes however glints with maliciousness. He has always urged Hamad to do more. Maybe, one of his advices finally wakes him up.

That this world is not like the world of the past.

The strong rules. The weak perish.

Then Hamad comes closer to his group and then relay his plan. After a discussion, they unanimously agree.

They store all the log they have cut and then they walked towards the village. But they were filled with killing intent.

That night, the village was attacked and hundreds died before a new lord take controls. One part of the forest region was conquered by Hamad.

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IN THE COMMUNITY OF WORLD GOVERNMENT

The street to the market was full of cherry blossoms flowers filing the rudimentary trail created by the people in this area.

This new settlements was peaceful and safe thanks to the barrier erected by the Holy Lady Giselle, monster posed no threats to those who could not fight.

She is also known as the White Witch Giselle.

Small group of buildings can be seen situated around the rivers and the beautiful sceneries and appealing natural features.

Now the population of this settlement is around 300 people and it kept increasing day by day as the rescue operation and excavation of the land is continued by the Military.

Today, Giselle wanted to buy some stuff from the market. Some for her food, others for herbs she wanted to make, while some is for her potions.

The moment she exited her wooden house constructed by the grateful carpenter of the World Government, she was immediately followed from behind by Major Arno.

Her bodyguard.

Major Arno was not a talkative man.

He was a Major after his contribution of informing Raymond of her solution to the white explosion and her contribution to the World Government and he was promoted almost immediately and to such a high rank for someone so young.

"Holy Lady. There seems to be people approaching. Should I disperse them?" Arno said as he could see from afar a few of the resident in the settlement was stirred when they see the Holy Lady.

Giselle just smiles

"Do not worry. They only wanted me to bless them" Arno hesitated and it shows on his face but then he nodded.

"As your Holy Lady commanded" he said as he bows a little

When she enters the market, anyone who sees her bows their head and come closer to her.

Then they kneeled in front of her like she was a holy existence. She uses two of her fingers and touches their forehead as a sign of her blessing.

Light glowed on her hand and that light enters the forehead of the one kneeling to her and fills them with warm feeling.

The Blessing of Elysium.

This is one of her abilities.

Those who are blessed by her would have increased strength, clear head, increase endurance, lowers the chance of catching disease; reduce nervousness and anxiety and many more other benefits.

Unlike a skill, this Blessing that Giselle could use did not use her energy. Instead she borrowed energy from the surrounding.

It was the tattoos she mused.

As she blesses people, she greets them without any pretentious att.i.tude. She was generous with her smile and soft in her manners.

One could not help but feels that she is an angel exuding a holy aura.

Couple with the fact that she was a beauty with pale white flawless skin and wearing a white robe that signifies innocence and purity in the mind of men, she was treated very nicely by the men.

Not only the men did not have lewd thought about her, they treated her as someone they should protect owing to her pure image.

As she walks to the grocers, she bless who wanted to be bless, smiles to those who believe in her and heal the children who came to her.

Yet, the people of the market did not urge her nor did they push each other to gain her blessing.

They were disciplined and waited their turns. If they do not receive her blessing, then they can only attribute it to their bad luck.

Arno behind her always watches for any threats or any religious fanatic who wanted to a.s.sa.s.sinate Giselle.

A few weeks ago, a Catholic Priest tries to murder Giselle calling her a witch before the priest was put down by Commander Raymond personally.

Well, it got nothing to do with what she could do but what she is. She is hope for most of the people.

With her abilities, that could heal people, bless them with good health and peace of heart, people began revered her.

And that is how it starts.

Then some people began to wors.h.i.+p her. And then they will deify her. Most of all, she could create barriers that forbid entry to monster.

Many of the people in the community began calling her the Holy Lady. Her moniker of White Witch was forgotten.

She could also use her magic to teleport people to other places. Since Teleportation Stone"s has been powered down since the white explosion people who could teleport is treated very importantly by the World Government like Warp.

Once in a while, she would turn to look at Arno behind her and smiles at him and Arno would blush while at the same time he tries to hide the fact that he was blus.h.i.+ng.

It was cute of him though it was not a trait one would a.s.sociate with Arno. With lean muscles and a scowling face he was the furthest definition of cute.

But to her eyes, he was that cute even though he was black. Bradheim would have a field day if he ever heard that.

Giselle was from Germany and was under the rule of Fuhrer Bradheim. At the time there was a resistance with David the Iron Lord fighting Bradheim and his group of Neo n.a.z.is.

She was their secret weapon.

She was trained and was given strength by Bradheim army. She escapes captivity after she got the tattoos.

Until today, she doesn"t know what happen that November. That November where she lost her memories.

When finally she arrived at the grocers, she was already exhausted. She enters the grocers and was greeted by a woman with freckles.

The table stand was full of herbs and vegetables.

At the back part of the grocers are bulks of meats. Now that belongs to Liana brother, Lucius.

Lucius Meat Shop.

Lucius was a hunter and always goes outside the barrier with his group to hunt some Horned Rabbit meats, or Giant Chicken or Giant Red Fang Turkey.

When Giselle enter, Liana who caught sight of her bowed at her first and then she ask

"How may I help you today, Holy Lady?"

"Liana, like always could you prepare this?" Giselle said as she took something from her white robe sleeve and handed it to Liana.

Liana took it and then began scanning the ingredients and nodded

"Holy Lady, I could get everything in this list other than Horned Purple Rabbit Teeth. Holy Lady need to go to Herbalist Zhang Yuan."

"Hmm. Fine. I"ll take it." Gisele replies as she smiles politely.

She stands there on the grocers while Arno was outside the grocers, always guarding her.

When people approach the grocers, Arno would block them from entering by citing Military Business.

After a few minutes, Liana return to the front store and handed Gisele a hemp bag full with her ingredients.

"Thanks. How much silver?" Giselle ask.

Liana just chuckles and said.

"It"s on the house."

"This…"

"Its fine" Liana said as she holds Gisele hand and pat her on the shoulders.

"You have done a lot for this community and kept us safe with the barriers with your magic. As long as you are healthy this place will be safe and I can keep doing business. It"s fine." Giselle look at her and smiles.

She could not say anything else other than saying

"Thank you."

They hug each other before Giselle come out from the grocers with Arno waiting for her outside.

"Holy Lady did you finished buying?" he ask

"Not yet." Giselle was about to go to Herbalist Zhang Yuan but then she remembers he was on gathering missions with the soldiers.

"No, were finished." She said as she walk back home.

She walk again at the market and like before, the people crowded her the second time.

This time the one who did not manage to get her blessing the first time, all come in front of her and kneels.

Like before she blesses who she can and then walk home.

As the wind blows, and the cherry blooms flowers flies around in the spring, Giselle had time to think.

She peeks behind her and she could see Arno keep looking right and left.

Arno. Raymond. Jean. Azief. Loki. Sofia. Erika. A fiery tiger. And a flying dragon. Until now she couldn"t understand.

She couldn"t understand the tattoos.

She never tells anyone this but her body was full of tattoos. One might ask why she should hide it since anybody could see.

No.

They could not see it. That"s the first mysterious part of the tattoos. Invisible to others but not to her like an enchantment

The second weird thing about the tattoos was she did not tattoo herself.

She still remembers before the Orb Condensing Stage she did not have any tattoos. It was after that thing.

That thing she could not remembers.

She remembers a cave. She remembers a voice. Then she went blank and the moment she was conscious, she was beside a stream with tattoos filled her skin from her neck to her toes.

Tattoos that could predict the future and events before it even happens

And that is weird because she knows her memories were wiped clean of a particular event. But that is not possible. Since she only knows one person that could wipe memories.

And that was her.

And even if she could accept that she wipes her own memories, how can she explain all this prediction of the future.

She might be able to wipe memories but she could not see the future. No, that was reserved only for the Oracle.

And even if that was explained, why would she wipe her own memories? What horrible thing that she wants to forget?

The third weird thing is this tattoos did not even disappears after she shed her old skin when she evolves.

There is magic in the tattoos itself. A very powerful enchantment. Someone put the tattoos on her.

But…there is another weird thing about the tattoos. The tattoos seem to be able to predict the future.

She once studied the tattoos herself as she draws from what she could see from her tattoos onto paper.

Tattoos in big letters on her front neck was the name Arno. Tattoos behind her neck were World Government.

There is also the name Prince, Earthshaker and Ice Deity on her skins. The reason why she was captured ta the World Government was because one of her tattoos is this.

Let yourself be captured by World Government. Find him. Then an arrow pointed to her neck.

When she found him, the arrows disappeared and the description also disappears. There are also other tattoos of images on her skin.

Then at her back was a depiction of a celestial war with a red clouds and black mist on the ground.

There is also a depiction of a wedding full of people dying. There is also a painting of two people racing against each other.

Both of them wears black attire with lightning coils around one person while another was surrounded by black aura.

The tattoos also have some weird quotes like Witness your end. There are also some useful quotes like When the pure light covered the world comes, hold the people you want to bring and your path will not be lost. The displacement will begin when the third flash blink.

When the world was first enveloped by the white colors Giselle quickly remember that quote and then asking for Arno help to relay her insight she manages to keep intact the upper echelon of the World Government.

But not only that.

The tattoos also have some skills embedded inside her skin itself. When she touches certain tattoos she would be overwhelmed with information and magic.

It was because of it she could create a barrier to hold off the monster near the settlement.

As long at the citizens did not come out from the barrier she has created, the monster would not be able to harm her.

Then as she was thinking of all this thing from behind Arno was admiring Giselle beauty.

He smiles as he saw she was moving her hand on the air trying to grasp the wind.

With the spring flowers making the sceneries extremely beautiful, Arno felt at peace.

He smiles without knowing why he smiles.

No, he said it to himself.

He knows why he is smiling. And he chuckles. These days, he felt his life was complete. He hopes these peaceful days will never end.

As both of them walks home, another peaceful day on the World Government is ending.

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