Lord Shadow
/ Lord Shadow 107 THE TRUTH HE HIDDEN
Peaceful and windy. Just the way he likes it. Remembering his past which he had to start in the coldness of Russia, Loki shivered.
It was a lifetime ago, in a different timeline.
It has been a few days since the Ceremony and the shocking conferment of the title Prince of the Central Plains to Azief.
The World Government has also begun moving to their new headquarters a large island separate from the large Pangaea.
Hah' Loki rub his forehead almost wishing that by doing this, the problem will also be washed away as he is also concerned on what Sasha and Sian told him and the highest officials in the land.
They discover a secret alright.
Loki didn't think anyone would found about it this early. Too many things are beginning to steer from his original past.
'I just could not understand Azief leniency towards Sasha. There might be something else I don't know' Loki said as he sighed.
Azief has decided to pardon Sasha and she is under the care of Sina.
Now she is recuperating and still a Pillar Forming Stage. But if Loki knows Sina and he does, he knows Sina will concoct a pill to accelerate Sasha leveling.
This time Sasha would come back stronger which might be a blessing in disguise. After all Sasha did level improperly, skipping the Energy Disperse Stage almost entirely.
While she may not be able to contend with the great people in history, Sasha might avert her fate of being killed by her killer.
Loki doesn't know much about Sasha because she was a generation older than him when she died.
She died early in the phase. And she never did once bear the title the strongest which is another difference in this timeline.
Then as he closes his eyes and take a deep breath, he calmly organize that all he learned and with the release of his breath, he calms himself down.
'I will settle that for another day' he said as he open his eyes and look at the book in front of him.
Loki was reviewing something in his Book of Artifacts, sitting in his dark study, illuminated with only one candle.
One in particular is necessary for him.
The Staff of Loki.
His signature weapon. Of course Loki real name is not Loki. But he will never truly reveal his true names.
After all he learned it best from The God of Death, names have power.
Loki the Trickster of the Universe. That is the true Loki.
Unlike his image of evil and antithesis of the Gods of Asgard, Loki knows that the true Loki was much more than that.
And Loki remembers a prose in the Poetic Edda
A ship journey from the East,
Muspell's people are coming over the waves,
And Loki steers,
There are the monstrous brood with all the raveners,
The brother of Byleist is in company with them,
Many thinks that Loki hated Asgard after all the story about him always portrays him as quite the troublemaker when he was in fact in the true sense of the word is a Trickster.
He tricks people. It is kinda his job.
He roamed around in the Universe and tricks those who strike his fancy. He was the blood brother of Odin and help both Asgard and the Jotuns according to his mood.
Of course, the reason he knows this is because 'this Loki' once went to Asgard using some backdoor dimensional door and met this royal family of the universe.
Then Loki look back at his Book of Artifact.
The Book of Artifact is showing the Staff hidden under the sea.
With Loki current strength he will not be able to go so deep underwater not when he knows there are dangerous things lurking down beneath the sea.
At least until he reached Disk Formation, he will not dare contend with the creature underwater.
Not to mention the crushing pressure of underwater exploration. He would be squished apart just by the pressure alone.
Loki slowly closed the book and the book turns into a tiny mark on Loki fingers.
'Trisha' Loki whispered and then from the darkness of a shadow, a woman appears like she had always been there.
'Lord Loki' the woman greets respectfully.
The woman is tall and slender. Her face is covered with a red smiling demon mask, with horns on each side.
Even her voice is masked with some kind of technique making her voice tone to be monotone and unrecognizable.
Loki looks at her and sighed. Trisha is a loyal retainer of his. He remembers what he had to do. His heart is unwilling but it was necessary if he were to achieve his goals.
'My Lord? Do you have any orders?'
'Your sisters, are they ready?' Loki asked while sighing
'Sisters of Shadows are ready, my lord.' Loki nodded but he was not smiling. A complex expression was on his face.
'My lord?' Trisha asked as she sees her lord seems to be hesitating which is rare.
Loki has always been nonchalant and confident and that was the image Trisha has of her savior.
Loki then said honestly
'They lack practical experience. I worried that sending them to such a faraway place might be detrimental for the development of your secret unit.'
'They must be forged by fire if they ever wanted to stay in this line of job, my lord. That is what my lord taught me. No great men and women was not forged by the fires of hardship'
'Hehe' Loki chuckles dryly.
'True. When did I become softhearted?' he asks without expecting an answer. Trisha did not say anything for a while before she reply
'You have always been softhearted, my lord.'
'Is that so?' And Loki smirks.
Looking at Trisha and remembering what he had done for her, he nodded and chuckles
'I guess I am.' Trisha looks at him like he was someone for her to look up to. Loki knows that in her eyes, he was more than just her lord.
He was her family. Her protector. Her hero. Her knight in white shining armour.
The reason he knows…is because the kind of gaze that Trisha looks at him was the same kind of gaze, Sofia has when she looks at Azief.
Which is why Loki pities her. It will only be a doomed love.
That is why Loki never recognizes her feelings and keep her at a distance while at the same time giving her mixed signals.
Because like it or not...Loki like the way she looks at him. Like he was a hero. When what he was is a coward.
The coward who survives the greatest war of all. He almost laughed knowing the irony of it all.
But even after knowing this…..Loki could not bear to hurt the little girl heart.
Because he doesn't want to lose that gaze. Because Loki has never been looked that way his whole life. It was that simple.
'Take a deep breath, inhale and exhale and be calm' he thought to himself and then his mind clear again as he ask
'Who will survey the nobles, the clans and the guilds after you leave for the Ice Region? Do you have a replacement?' Loki ask Trisha
'Greisha, my lord.' She answers
'Your sleeper spy?' Loki said, a little bit shocked.
The reason is because Greisha is a 12 year old girl. Leaving this kind of dangerous task to a child barely of age, leaves a bad taste in Loki mouth.
But….this world sometime pushes people. Loki doesn't have the luxury of morals right now…not when he knows what at stake.
'Yes. She was employed in the households of the Councilor's belonging to Wang Jian camp. She is a wise woman beyond her age. She knows when to keep her ears open and her mouth shut. All she needed is the guarantee her family will be taken care of if anything happens to her.'
Trisha asked and she looked at Loki face. Loki creased his eyebrows but then he decided.
Loki nodded as a sign of agreement.
'That could be easily arranged. I'll make sure her family will be taken care of if anything happens to her'
Then he asks another question.
'How about the Merchants? Have any spies there?'
'Riana handles the merchant spying network. She is tight with the merchant community since she is a merchant herself. She has spotless reputation among the merchants and as such she is perfectly placed in the merchants of this city.
'How did you get her as a source? I've met her several times and I never knew she was your source.' Loki asks puzzled.
'I persuaded her.' She replied curtly
'I persuaded her too' Loki said
'I persuaded her…..strongly' she replies and Loki chuckles.
'I guess you have your ways.' Loki said before he nodded again truly satisfied. But he must warn Trisha not to underestimate the Merchant Association.
'The Merchant's Association must not be underestimated. Their resource far outstripped ours. For now, we must gather information and not provoke them. At least not yet. I want to know where their Inventor is'
The Merchant Association. Even in his timeline they were quiet a resourceful organization. The only mistake was they pitted themselves against the Prince.
Of course who could possibly know that humanity could reach Godhood?
The moment Azief becomes a Sovereign, warped by his bitter experience and hardship, he set out to settle the score.
Those crime lords he aided in his rise to power, He turned them into Death Reapers. Some were tortured in His hells.
Others were reincarnated only to experience terrible fate.
And the Merchant Association?
The God of Death sent Heavenly Retribution by the trial of Lightning, Fires, Wind and Earth wiping them all out excluding only a selected few.
And the Merchant Association was no more.
Their wealth was swallowed by the Earth, their lives forfeited by the Lightning, their remains washed away by the Wind and their souls burned by Nirvanic Fire.
The First Sovereign wiped them out so thoroughly that for a decade nobody dares to utter any relations to the Merchant Association.
That is why Loki doesn't knows any key players of the Merchant Association.
It was because by the time Loki was strong enough to know some things, the Merchant Association was no more.
He was about to brief Trisha on more matters when Loki senses something.
Loki looks at Trisha and said.
'Dismiss' And she quickly dissipated into the shadows, disappearing like a wisp of smoke without a single trace.
'Who's there?' Loki ask
Then someone announce from the outside.
'I am your guard my lord. My lord. The City Lord is summoning you to meet him at the Havenbrook Castle. It is an urgent summons' Loki answered.
'I will be ready. Send message that I will be coming when I'm ready' Loki heaved a sigh of relief as he got up from his chair and look outside the windows.
'Looks like a good night to stroll around the neighborhood. After all, I know Azief is not summoning to speak about something banal and nonsensical which means my head will be more swamped than I am now. I deserve a pick me up'
Smiling he began getting ready
************************************************************************
Finished getting ready, the Duke of Northern Eden Loki decide to walk to Havenbrook.
Even though the guards prepared a carriage for him but he refuses and wanted to walk to Havenbrook.
Havenbrook is not far from his own castle, only a few kilometers which he could easily arrived by his feet.
As Loki walks to Havenbrook, he was smiling. There is a sense of accomplishment in his heart as he saw the city.
In his timeline, there is no Haven like this when the first phase started.
It takes years before someone manages to use the civilization seed and at that time humanity has lost many of its brethren.
Sofia was right.
By letting Azief uses the World Orb and gained experience in other worlds, Loki manages to save thousand or maybe millions of people from their deaths.
Azief ability to reach Seed Forming earlier has allowed him to activate the Civilization Seed and create this city and when the horde of monster came, the amount of casualties will not be as high as his time.
That alone must have count for something in the grand design of things. Maybe it is big enough to change the current of the river of time.
Loki could only hope. After all, time wants to happen. He shakes his head as he tries to enjoy the beautiful night
There is bustling transportations of carts and caravans. The night in the city of Eden is busy and colorful.
On the gates, the patrol makes sure the city is guarded. There is also many large manors being constructed even at night by builders trying to gain more silvers.
After the ceremony, many men have their status raised and they began constructing houses that reflects their new status creating a booming working population.
This district that Loki lives is called the Administration district.
This is where all the officials of this city must live.
Loki suspected it is because Azief wanted to be aware if there is any plots against him making them lives nearby the Palace.
The new citizens of this city also seem happy and prideful.
Eden is the first seed of civilization after the Fall. A proper city with laws and enforcers to enforces those laws.
It was not like the lawless world outside the walls of this city.
But the problem does not yet surfaces. This city is racially diverse. Sooner or later, the government will surely have to address these issues.
So, it is very important to integrate the people.
Which is why some officials in the court have been adamant in not allowing any race to hold full monopoly on certain stuff, business or places
Some are determined to make the geography of houses and district as racially diversified as possible.
In the Administration district it is not strange to see Patrolmen patrolling the streets. After all not all of the officials is as strong as Loki or Wang Jian and thus require protection.
Some of the officials were employed because of their talents in administrating and solving problems.
As Loki walks further and closer to the castle, he stopped in front of a stall for a while and orders a skewered chicken.
The stall owner was shocked when he found out who he was but the owner quickly reclaimed his calm and serve him up with the tastiest chicken skewers he ever eaten and he quickly gobble it up before ordering another one.
After finishing alleviating his desire for delicious food he continues his journey without hurrying, hand behind his back as he enjoys the atmosphere of the city.
Soaking it all up. The conversations. The life. The people. The peacefulness of it all. To a man like Loki who has seen the end of the world, this is a healthy refreshing change.
Red sun. Red clouds. Dark days. It was a dark age. Loki reminded himself of the world he left behind. Of the Time he left behind.
And vowing in his heart, not to let the same thing happens again.
Chuckling he could only imagine Azief is waiting for him in Havenbrook and his face if he knew he was lazing around the city.
'Peaceful' he muttered again.
Since the Palace is being renovated right now, Azief is taking temporary residence in the Havenbrook castle.
It belongs to one of Azief officials, Councilor Chu Feng but as Azief need a place to stay while waiting the Palace finished construction, Chu Feng is slumming it down with the common people in the largest inn in the city, The Smiling Fortune.
It's not like he could disobey the word of the most powerful man in the world. With each steps taken, it enlivens Loki soul, and calms his heart.
This is what he dreams of….in those days of darkness.
This kind of world.
Of course by the time he knows what is the most important to him, Darkness came and it swallows all.
Devours all. And the chance to do it all over again, the chance to change your own destiny and the destiny of the world...who would not take that kind of chance?
Loki was never a hero. But for once…..he wanted to be one. He wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with those great people.
He was always an outsider…even among the Sovereign. Whether in personal power or moral character.
The reason the other shines so much compared to him was because they all possess something special in them.
Raymond with his conviction that all men can change even the worst of them. Katarina that does not turn her backs on her people and her family even if the cause is hopeless.
Jean and his unswerving iron will to fight all for the one he loves. Oreki and Hikigaya for their generosity and love towards their people.
And Azief for his sense of justice, however twisted it is.
He dispense justice and pacify the people heart, making sure those that are wicked and evil in life, will pay their dues in the Afterlife.
'I could only hope' Loki mutters
Then before he knows it he arrived in front of Havenbrook castle with not a single sweat on his body.
With Energy Disperse Stage level that he is now, even if was further he will still not break a sweat.
'Lord Loki!' The guards in front of the castle gate loudly exclaimed as the guards realized who is coming.
This couple of days Loki has used this appearance when he is in the city. This time he was a handsome man with well-toned muscle and blonde hair reaching around his neck.
His jawline was straight symbolizing a male oriented beauty. He has that kind of Brad Pitt look and style, making him quite the looker among woman when he walked outside his castle.
Of course, no one really knows Loki face.
'Reinhardt. Please open the gates. The City Lord is expecting me' Loki said
'Of course my lord.'
'Wait!' one of the guards beside Reinhardt stop him. This guard is a little bit older than Reinhardt, a wise looking old man with neat trimmed beard.
His body is well toned and his skin tone is tanned. This older guard begins reprimanding Reinhardt
'Reinhardt, do you forget what you were taught? Check him if he was wearing any concealment items or disguising items!'
Forgive me Lord Loki but this is protocol' Reinhardt said with shame on his face as he shows an embarrassing conduct among his colleague.
'I don't mind' embarrass with himself Reinhardt check Loki while maintaining an apologetic expression.
'There is nothing suspicious Head Guard Bart.'
'Lord Loki, the city lord had been waiting for you' Bart said as he welcomes Loki in. Loki could see this man is very loyal to the city and nodded in agreement.
He quickly enter the castle. Then when he was immediately escorted by a couple of military men to the Great Hall of the castle .
'This is where we leave you, Lord Loki' the military men leader spoke and with discipline they leave him there in front of the large door.
Opening the door, a creaking sound could be heard as the image of Azief waiting for him can be seen.
Azief was sitting in a exquisite carved wooden chair, his body leaned back, his hand supporting his cheek as his eyes closed like he was asleep.
'Azief' Loki said and Azief opens his eyes.
He look at Loki lazily and then he leaned his entire body to his chair and moves his finger. The door behind Loki was moved by some force and instantly closed by itself.
'Come forward' he said and he waved his hand as blue aura spread all across the room concealing every noise and sound or transmission to ever leave this room.
Azief was using the Ring of Ultimate Sealing, one of the ten rings of Eternal.
Loki quickly gazed towards Azief fingers and he could not help but sighed inwardly. Loki recognizes the things that emitted such grand magic.
'He has already had them at this moment.' Loki thought to himself with a bit of trepidation.
Loki just did a little thing for Azief to rise up and it was already like attaching wings to a tiger.
No wonder even though Azief was captured and tortured by the world government in Loki timeline, he still manages to become the first Sovereign.
Of course this didn't happen this time since Azief meeting with Loki changes the timeline in which Azief get into a conflict with the World Government, costing Azief a lot of time to become as powerful as he is now.
Loki knows the rings quiet well.
Glittering like the stars in the sky was ten rings in each of Azief fingers.
Loki knows them….and if he had to admit it….hates it.
When Azief was Sovereign, with the aid of these ten rings, he was unbeatable and sweeps all across the Universe without anyone being able to stop his unimpeded march.
With his million Ghost Army, and Soul Reapers, he plagued the Universe so much so that the Jade Palace lock the Nine Hells fearing it would be invaded.
Their Heaven was sealed and their Palace was thrown into Deserted Dimension. Sweeping through the Nine Heavens and Nine Hells, even Lord Wargod was not his match.
Their battle ended in a draw and destroys a newly formed star system. What kind of brute power need to destroy a star system?
Azief face which was expressionless then suddenly turns into a smirk as Azief look towards Loki with a grateful expression
'I hope some people are tricked' Azief suddenly said.
Loki smiles as he takes a seat on one of the chairs in the Hall, not too far from Azief seat, looking as relaxed as possible not at all like how he acted during the ceremony.
'I don't know' Loki said.
'If will be good if some of those whales got caught. I just fear your gambit will only catch small fishes.' Loki said with slight chuckles.
'If that is to be so, then treat your exile to the Northern Plain as a vacation and after one year, you can return.' Azief reply nonchalantly
'You think they will be deceived?' Loki asks again as he makes himself comfortable as he produce a wine glass and started pouring himself wine.
Azief don't know Loki true origins but just by this fondness of wine that Loki had, Azief had half a mind to think he is a European.
Azief then said
'They all know that my relationship with you has been on the rocks. Some of them might even think you will be inclined to betray me. Those traitors and spies might come out of the woodwork if we dangle such delicious bait like you.'
'And how come I am delicious?' Loki said while chuckling
'You were with me since the beginning. Other than Sina and Sofia, of course. You were highly trusted by me which makes you a treasure trove of information for anyone wishing to harm me. Not to mention your ability is also top notch. You are a delicious bait Loki.'
'You think it's okay not to inform Sina and Sofia?'
'To deceive the enemy sometime you have to deceive your friends first.' Azief said and Loki nodded agreeing
'It's fine to spend a year in the Northern Plains. I could monitor the alliance of Tumbu.' Loki said trying to see the bright side
Azief nodded.
'That would be good. Don't do anything that might attract too much danger though knowing you, that wouldn't be possible' Azief said as he began rising from his seat before Loki suddenly ask him a question
'You know I am just curious about one thing' Loki ask his fingers twirling around his wine glass.
'Oh and what that's?'
'Why treat me this good? I know you are suspicious of me.'
'Yes, I am. But…'and Azief was contemplating something before he sit back down and he said.
'Let me tell you something about me that I never shared with Sofia or Sina.'
He said as he takes a deep breath and started his story.
'You see I realized this when I was in another Universe. I was captured by this Psionic Monster and he made me relive my nightmares. All the greatest hits' he said with a dry chuckle.
Loki takes a sip of his wine as he listen intently.
'And I remembered something that I put in the back of my mind. You see, after the Fall I return back to my village to search for my family. I remember a shadow of a figure stamped on the pink wall. I remembers red figure on a wall. I remembers ashes and dust of my family. I remember tears falling down from my eyes even though it doesn't make sense. An anger, unexplained. Pain that I could not describe rending my heart apart and puzzling behaviors. I remember feeling odd about all of it. At that time, I cry for the death of my family even though I never loved them that much.'
'Why do you think that is?' Azief suddenly asked Loki. Loki shakes his head.
He doesn't know.
Azief smiles a bitter smile and then he said
'Because my memory was wrong.'
'What do you mean?' Loki asks.
Loki never knew much about Azief before the Sovereign mostly because when Azief became Sovereign Loki was still just a Disk Formation Low Realm.
Azief continues his story
'After the torturous mind probing I finally understand why I cry so much. Why I feel sad for their death. Why I was searching for some kind of make believe monsters. And why I never found it'
'What did you remember?' Loki asked and the instant he asked he regretted it as Azief face darkens.
But Azief then laughed dryly as he said
'It was because what really happens was not something I could stomach at that time. The true memory of what happens in my house was that…..when I returned home, there were dozens of zombies, in my house. And who is this zombies you ask?'
Loki already knows the answers but he did not reply. By now, Loki had already had a premonition why the memory is a nightmare for Azief.
Azief just nodded his head and said
'My family. I killed them all. Even my baby little brother. Why? Because they were mindless monsters trying to kill me. Survival instinct kicked in. To me they were target to my wellbeing. All you need to do was a simple cold calculation and you can steel your heart. So, I slashed and hacked them into pieces and crafted my own memory to ever forget the fact that I killed them. I created a new reality inside my mind….unconsciously. A new memory where I found my family died in monster attack and that was the version of the memory I wanted to remember.' Azief said with an expressionless expression.
'What do you think I felt when I learned of this revelation?' Azief ask Loki again
'I don't know' Loki answers
'Weirdly, I felt free' Azief said as he once again leaned his back on the seat while sighing.
'I always wonder about why I cried so much, why I grieve them that much when I don't love them. And when the truth was revealed to me I finally understand. I was crying because I killed my family. I was grieving because I killed the only family I have. To know….I was truly alone in this world. I understand why my reaction was so exaggerated when it is so unlike me.'
'What is your point telling me this story?' Loki asks as he take his last sip.
'You ask me why I trust you so much. Because after meeting you and Sina and Sofia, I was never that lonely anymore. I never knew much about family, but I know family is not only connected by blood or who raised you. It's those people who stand beside you through thick and thin. Loki….I don't know your motive or when you come from. But I know this. You have saved me from the jaws of death many times. You have proven yourself as a friend.'
'That's why you trust me? That is so unlike you. I thought you were a distrustful man.''
Azief chuckles a bit and then he continue saying
'Yes, I am. You don't know how much I want to distrust you. But you know after traversing many universes, worlds and realities for four years you know what I learn? Just because you distrust everyone around you, doesn't mean you will be safe. Doesn't mean you being smart. Sometimes, trust needs to be given not earned. Sometimes when you give trust to people, they change. Sometimes…..you have to take the first leap of faith and not others. Maybe, you are my bane. Maybe you come here to destroy me. Maybe you came here with a plot. But in the end, I have to choose. To either trust you or not. I could kill you now if I so wish. But I made my choice. And I…..decide to trust you…without any evidence or reason to. It is idiocy I must admit it myself. But it seems I have a selective blindness when it comes to family.'
'Family?' Loki said startled.
'Yes. Loki….you are family. You, Sina and Sofia. You are my family. And in this new chance I have been given, I wanted to at least be loyal to my family. You don't know how hard to be a family in this kind of era of chaos. And unlike my old family, I like you all. It would be sad to see you die. I know, I will. And despite our disagreement and tension, you were the closest thing I have to a family. The three of you. But I…..and don't tell this to the other two, I adore you the most. You were like a little brother to me. You were always a troublemaker, a little hotheaded but wise beyond your years. But do you really think that I don't know your true form? You are barely a child.'
And hearing this Loki was shocked.
'You see…..my true form?' Azief just nodded and did not say anything else.
Loki his face was unreadable as he musters his courage to ask him a question
'What if, even after all of this, I turn on you?' Azief look at Loki face meaningfully, sighed and then said with clear calmness
'I will never turn on my family…..'and looking at Loki he added
'Even when they turn on me. I'm idiot that way'
Four years taught Azief many things. Loki does not know, but Azief is veering of the path of the cold blooded God of Death.
But he is still walking the path of Sovereign. But will he become the Demon this time? Will the Devil appears again? Or is he walking the path of light, of hope?
Azief finished speaking.
He just smiles and got up from his seat and walked to the door but suddenly in front of the door before he was about to push the door opens, he stop and then he turned his face back and then he ask
'Loki….what kind of a man I am in the future?' Azief casually ask and Loki who was just finished his last sip almost choked on his wine as he looked straight at Azief and for the first time in a long time, cold sweat filled his back.
He gulped and smiles.
'What do you mean?'
'Just answer the question. I like to know.' Azief shrugged Loki failed attempt of dodging this kind of conversation.
Loki was contemplating for a while and then smiling confidently he replies
'You were kind of an ass.' Hearing this Azief was shocked and then he laughed heartily
'HAHAHA. Then I guess I didn't change that much' Azief said making fun of himself and Loki also laughed.
Saying this Azief went out from the Hall, leaving Loki looking at the shadows of Azief illuminated by the light.
The shadow seems to envelope everything and Loki said.
'Family, huh? That is something' He said without realizing he is smiling, a warm sensation on his heart.
Lost boys like him had never had a place to call home or people to call family. For some reason, Loki was moved by Azief words and confession.
And he remembers Sofia words to him a lifetime ago and he just nodded in agreement
'I guess you were right about that Divine Archer.' Saying this he left the castle and get ready to depart the Northern Plains.
***********************************************************************
Chapter end
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