Lord Shadow 146 THE SLEEPING PRINCE

The waves of the sea was calm with gigantic sea monsters sometimes surfaces for a few seconds to take a breath.

Deep beneath the oceans of the Earth many sea creatures roam the seabed. But somewhere in the vast oceans of the world, lies an island revered by the people of Earth.

Revered and respected.

The Island of Peace.

It is the headquarters of the World Government with many of its important citizens resides there.

Renowned for its beauty and formidability it is a safe haven for most people of Earth.

As it is inhabited by great men and women like Raymond, Oreki, Hikigaya, Hirate, Giselle, Arno and many more heroes renowned and famous throughout the globe, it lends a sense of security for the people of Earth.

But that feeling of security was destroyed the day the Prince charge and sunk the island into the sea.

The Island of Peace, the testament to the invincibility of the World Government, its pride was shred and tear apart by the Prince.

They rebuild the Island of course but the image of invincibility that they try so hard to cultivate was no longer.

The World Government could be wounded. They could bleed. And as they were wounded and bleeding, sharks circles the waters.

But then the Invasion came.

And once again the World Government, like a beacon in darkness shines the light of hope all across the globe organizing the Assembly and creating the United Front Alliance.

The people once again…hope.

Now, the Island of Peace location was a secret and only a few people could enter it other than core members of the alliance and the people already inside of it.

It is to prevent all the great heroes of the world to be killed en masse thus the need for the secret location.

The formation put in place to make it invisible has help to protect the lives of people inside the Island.

Reinforced with Sina transmutation circle that seems to strengthen the formation efficiency and effectiveness has helped the Island to stay hidden under the eyes of the flying spacecraft of the Weronians that is engaging war all over the world.

Since the Eight Horn Weronian Supreme Expert all turns themselves into the Pillars and Weronian strength is weaken down a bit on Earth, humanity…. Still has a fighting chance.

Kingdoms and faction falls everyday but slowly humanity is catching up with victories slowly being accumulated.

But there is still a headache.

The six horns and seven horns Weronians.

They acted like a deterrent force akin to nuclear bomb, a surefire way for Weronian victory in any battlefield or large scale battle.

Which is why the heroes of the world had to hide inside the island and has to be content with guerilla tactics targeting the weaker one and whittling the Weronians numbers, relying on strategies and artifacts to fights the six and seven horns Weronians.

The Island is one third of the landmass of Europe yet how could it remains hidden?

The secret lies in the formation and the transmutation circle. Only people inside the island understand why they are not found.

People called it an island but to be more accurate, it is a floating island.

Floating about 12 meters above the sea, it is invisible through the naked eyes and divine senses.

When the formation and the transmutation circle is activated in tandem, the island could phase itself making the island incorporeal if somehow the Weronians scout tries to poke around the sea.

They got this idea from Will phasing abilities utilizing the concept of vibration and extreme condition of speed that facilitates such phasing abilities.

And recently the island welcomed a new addition to its population. A woman feared and respected both in World Government and Revolutionary Army

On the island, underneath a large oak tree a woman is sitting on the green grass looking at the distance with cloudy eyes.

Near her were secret guards posted to protect her. Her hair was white like that of an old woman.

But some of it is black. Only a few strands of her hair is black while the other is white. The woman grab one of the fruit inside the basket beside her lap and quickly munch it.

Slowly her white hair turns black.

Around the tree, on the west, east, south, north position of the tree is a pot of incense burner which is burning with purple smoke that seems to calm down the woman.

The woman is the Oracle Erika.

'My Acolytes help me considerably' the woman muttered. Her eyes is white before it turned back into the normal green eyes.

Her wrinkles that she sustained in her Vision Walk has also lessened with constant medication and herbs applications.

She was wearing that purple robe again full of runic design made by Seamstress Quentin, a class that could make clothes and imbues it with runic design that could boost the wearer abilities in many ways.

'Antonius' Erika gently called as a man come to Erika kneeling in front of her, his knees were planted firmly into the ground.

'What happen? Did you secure a meeting with the Mind Master Hirate?' Erika immediately asked.

Now that her injuries is slightly healed she must meet the Mind Master.

Antonius was the typical handsome Greek stud with toned muscles and tan complexion that gives him that exotic feeling of the Mediterranean

But this is not why Erika let him stays beside him. Above all else, Antonius was loyal to her. Antonius looked at Erika and sighed before replying to her question

'It was complicated but the Quorum of the World Government has decided it is permissible for you to meet him and stress that you must follow protocol and do not demand anything unreasonable.'

'Hmph, The Quorum!' Erika snorted.

Erika once used to side with the World Government before she changed her allegiance to the Revolutionary Army and constructed her temple in their territories.

Many members of the Quorum believes that the Oracle foresaw the Island destruction thus she changes her allegiance.

They were angry because the oracle did not warn them of the destruction

In a way they were not wrong.

But they were not entirely correct either.

All Erika could see was glimpses and she didn't know who the main player is. She just knows she will not be safe if she remains with the World Government at that time.

Since she is now of Re many members of the Quorum is wary of her and her abilities.

Even though the Revolutionary Army and World Government is in cooperation mode right now, they both are careful not to expose their true power and reserve strength too much.

On the surface they are cooperating.

But behind, they are cautious against each other. That's why the meeting of top characters of the two faction will usually be supervised.

Not to mention that Erika wanted to meet the current president of the World Government.

Even the Revolutionary Army is suspicious of her thinking maybe she might wanted to change her allegiance again.

When the lords of the Revolutionary Army reported this to Katarina, she coldly said that if the Oracle dares betray her, she would freeze her into an ice statue.

Erika knew that the temperament of Katarina is severe and sometimes could be crueler than that of her brother.

It is because she loves her brother…. Sometimes too much. She shares some similarities with the Prince in the fact that both of them would do almost anything for the people they love even if that means the world be damned.

Powerful people tends to be selfish Erika mused.

Katarina would rather bear all the pain for her brother. Boris might have many vices but if there is one thing Erika respected about Boris, it is that unconditional self-sacrificing love for his younger sister.

Erika knew that Boris sacrificed almost everything to ensure his sister managed to become the Ice Sovereign.

Antonius then added bringing Erika back to her mind and out of her musings

'The Mind Master herself wanted to meet Great Oracle too. Thus the negotiations quickly fell into place.'

'The venue?' Erika asked.

'The Broken Hill near the Quorum Council Great Oracle.'

'When?'

'This afternoon Great Oracle.

'Did you ask him for the meetings to be private?'

'Yes, Great Oracle.'

'Did he agree?'

Antonius nodded

Erika nodded satisfied.

'What are his demands?' Erika was not naïve to think that the president of WG will just meet her without any price whatsoever.

'He said he will talk about it later.'

'He's always been shrewd. It's one of the things I don't like about him.' Erika remarked to herself.

'Should I prepare the carriage and the Priest?'

'No need. I will meet him alone.' Erika decided

'But great oracl-'

'It is fine' Erika said as she waved her hand forcing Antonius to drop the subject.

'If the WG plotted against you, th-'

'Then they will incur the wrath of Katarina and Boris. While there are many shining heroes in World Government, do you think the Revolutionary Army is any worse?' Erika said smiling.

'Why would the WG risk war in this kind of chaotic times? Unless they wanted to die with the Earth? Why do you think WG and Revolutionary Army is still cooperating? Because the threats is still there. I do not know what will happen when the threat is neutralized but for now both Revolutionary Army and WG will not do anything to harm this nice little alliance they have going on because of me. I might be valuable…but I'm not that valuable.'

'Yes, Great Oracle' Antonius said before he made himself scarce. Erika got up and the wind blows, as the leaves falls and the grass sways.

She walked slowly to that hill near the Quorum Council. As she walks those that recognize her bows slightly and dare not meet her eyes.

Some because they respected her. While others feared her eyes, fear that she would see their future and use that against them.

When she arrived on the Hill she saw a man sitting on a garden bench near a large tree.

On that tree is a few colorful birds chirping. Amazingly the birds suddenly looks at her and chirps loudly.

And then they fly down to the ground, as they move towards that man like they were tamed birds.

The man was smiling looking at the birds wearing a black robe with a mon of a butterfly with his long tied black hair makes him look charismatic.

After his realm reached Seed Formation Hirate becomes a lot taller and more dignified.

But even though he is a Seed Formation, his body refinement was not as high as the other illustrious heroes of this era.

Compared to Katarina and Raymond which attains Eternal Spring before breaking through to Seed Formation Hirate broke through when he was at Celestial presence refinement making him unable to compete in terms of strength with the current heroes.

Even Sofia broke through at the Red Palace Forming refinement.

Nowadays the accomplishment of the duo of the Earthshaker and the Divine Archer is famous.

A few days ago, when the Divine Archer and the Earthshaker went to India to fight the Weronian corps that's terrorizing the area around Delhi demonstrate their prowess.

The Divine Archer create a manifestation of a giant arrows that splits open the skies and rain down lightning arrows killing thousands of Weronians that possesses three or four horns.

The Earthshaker on the other hand clashed with a five horn Weronian Commander flattening a city and rupturing a mountain.

But everyone knows that the Mind Master strength did not lie on his prowess of battle abilities. It is his powers of manipulating mind.

A term Hirate called Psionic Force. He could tap into an external force that could enhance his mind powers.

Of course Hirate did not know it but if he researched Will he will found out that his case is the same as him.

The reason why Will even though his powers are inferior than the prince could possess a speed beyond that of the Prince is precisely because he could tap this external source of power.

Speedsters could access the Speed Source or the Will of Asargan and Psion Sensitive beings like Hirate could tap the Psionic Force of the Will of Dav'nium.

Of course he did not know this as the understanding of the Mind Master was not the same as the understanding of people who knew about the Etherna race.

Will knows about the will of Asargan because he once visit the Temple of Speedsters.

But the Mind Master did not know there is a race such as the Etherna that once ruled the vast universe

But the moment Hirate broke through to Seed Formation his mind expanded and his abilities grows.

Now he could even access his own memories and walk inside his own memories.

He could also controls minds of monster and weak willed humans or people weaker than him in a type of Mind Compulsion.

He could even send short memories or planted dreams in someone minds. He becomes more versatile in his abilities.

Erika saw Hirate and sits beside him.

'You were here first.' She stated. Hirate did not say anything instead scattering bird feeds to the birds near his feet.

The birds pecked the ground, munching on the bird feed.

'I owe you' Hirate said and did not elaborate. Both of them know what he owes. And since he owes her something, he will pay it back.

'I like speaking with people like you Hirate. You are smart and do not talk much and understand people'

Hirate scatters the feed once again as a new batch of birds come and munch on the feed chirping loudly.

Then without looking at Erika he said coldly

'And you talk too much'

'You could hardly blamed me. I'm excited' Erika said still smiling.

'What do you need?'

'A straightforward man. I like that in a person.' Erika said chuckling.

She knows this was frustrating for Hirate but the more it is frustrating for him, the more Erika like to tease.

This time Hirate did not fall to her provocations and continuing to scatter feeds around him urging more birds to come.

Erika feeling that it was enough then said

'I want you to locate someone with that Mind Search ability of yours.'

Hirate face expression changes but he ask nonetheless.

'Who?'

'The trickster.' Hirate stop giving the bird feed as he tied up his bird feed bag and then sighed.

'I'm afraid I had to disappoint you this time'

'I don't understand' Erika said her face distorted at this sudden turn of events.

'It is not that I'm unwilling but I am unable to.'

'What do you mean?'

'Did you think I did not try to find him? Loki might be a mischievous prankster but nobody deny that he is a force to be reckoned with. It is only….'

'Only what?'

'After the five pillars were erected, my psionic Wave do not work like it was being restricted. Did you not heard about the White Witch explanation about the Five Pillars?'

'I was outside at the time.'

'Of course' Hirate said bitterly.

'Right now, my mind could not perform such a task. My mind wave is obstructed. Other than short distance I could not utilize my Mind Wave to its extreme.'

'Tch' Erika clicker her tongue.

'Then what use I am seeking you!' Erika got up from the bench. Hirate was calm as he put the bird feed inside his storage bag.

'I could offer you anything else.'

'I do not need anything else. I only need to see Loki.' Hirate smirks.

'Why, the Great Oracle that could see the future is so interested to see the Trickster? While he is a formidable person, he is not the most important person in World Government list. What do you see through that eyes of yours?' Hirate asked

'Hmph' Erika snorted.

'A straightforward person that is useless has no value for me' Erika coldly said.

'You still owe me' Erika said as she walks away. Then just three steps away from the bench she stops and smirks before she laughs.

The moment she got up she felt a pressure inside her mind, like someone was trying to probe her mind.

She turns back and look at Hirate and smirk

She pointed at her head and said toward Hirate

'Searching for something?'

Hirate on the other hand was sweating on his forehead. His face hardened. A few moments ago, the moment Erika tries to leave Hirate tries to Mind Probe Erika mind.

The moment he entered a barrage of images assaulted him making him unable to even probe.

Sneering Erika mockingly said

'You will find nothing…not with that puny mind of yours. You do not know the immensity of the things I see and the things I foresaw. If you tries to probe inside my mind, you will see God'

Hirate did not understand but from the way Erika is saying it, looking at a God seems to be a bad thing.

Erika then shakes her head

'And those that see the true face of God, will see madness' she said this and laughed, her laugh was piercing and seems to hint at madness as she walks away.

Hirate sits there on the bench trying to make sense of the images he saw.

He knew he has offended the Oracle but he could not resist the temptation.

He knew that the Oracle could see the future and as such the temptation to see it was too great for him to resist.

He wanted to see the world that oracle saw. But his mind could not process it.

Hirate could not interpret what he saw but he remembers one images that struck him senseless.

It was a world….of red skies and red clouds.

**************************************************************************

SOMEWHERE IN SOUTH KOREA

A vast clear land of fire. All around the fire was a sign of the scarring of the terrains.

Hills were sliced perfectly, fires that burns lake water turning it into evaporated gas and the black scorched earth.

Corpses filled the area some were scorched, some were sliced, but none have a full body parts. Blue liquid flows down from these corpses, the bloods of Weronians.

Their expression before death expresses the fear and despair they felt moments before their death.

Blood were shed and blood were lost, thousands of corpses littered the ground, a rain of blood washed the world.

A great and tragic battle has been fought here.

Amidst the burning field and the scorched lands, a man clad in blue lightning is holding someone on his arms.

It was Will holding onto Azief head who lays unconscious on the ground. He was kneeling amidst the smoke and ashes.

'Brother' he said looking worried but relieved that his brother did not perish. Azief aura was faint but it is still there.

The simple raid that they anticipated was unexpectedly turns into a large scale battle that affected 200km radius from the epicenter of their battle and shock the entire regions of South Korea.

All around Will was flattened terrains, burning soils with scorched earth and black smokes and piles of ashes of Weronians corpses.

It was only around Azief area that fires did not touch.

When he saw his brother falling down from the skies like a hurtling meteor about to crash-land on a sea of fire, Will uses his hand to create a maelstrom of fire that spins towards other direction collecting the fires away from his brother.

His brother body that was nigh indestructible was wounded with deep gashes all over his body, bleeding in many orifices.

What kind of power one must possess to even wound such indestructible Physique? The only explanation was that the attack exceed the capacity for healing using the worldly essence.

It is true his brother possess Undying Body but this does not mean he could not die. If Azief truly believe he could not die he would not have been so cautious in his actions.

Undying Body is Body Refinement highest stage. It gives an advantage, a high advantage over other people but…this doesn't make him invincible.

If it is compared to the Supreme Beings that roamed the Universe they have ways of dealing with such Body.

Still even under the nourishment of the herbs Will stuff into Azief mouth, he is still bleeding. But his brother did not bleed red instead he was bleeding golden liquid.

But maybe thanks to the Perfect Foundation of his brother body, Azief body is regenerating.

Azief two destroyed arms is regenerating.

The process of bones that is slowly regrowing and blood veins that enveloping the bones is happening in front of Will eyes.

The tragedy began when Azief and Will encounter a Seven Horn Weronian Supreme Expert General when they were raiding the Weronian camp.

Lee Sangmin who was initially with them ran and teleported the village and all of the forces inside it.

The array formation was not only a protection formation but also a teleportation formation.

With Lee Sangmin gone, he leaves Azief and Will to dry. Azief did all he could, utilizing his Saber until all of his Seed dimmed.

That means even after even borrowing worldly essence to bolster his Seed imbued attack it was not enough that it forces Azief to use his Seed Core Essence exploding with the true concept of his Seed.

And Azief even fought using the Six Saber of World Extermination sacrificing both of his hand to bring out the power of the Sixth Saber, the Divine Slayer Saber.

The last time Azief uses this saber was when he is in Disk Formation fighting the World Government.

At that time Azief temporarily break through to Disk Formation after eating Sina pills making him able to slash one strike that sunk the Island of Peace.

The moment Azief sheathe this saber, all of his bones cracked and his Seed almost dried up.

The world lost its light, the land trembled and cracked, the skies splits open and all the three and four horns Weronians were disintegrated into nothingness.

His saber slash sweeps through all the Weronians troops like they were grass and Azief saber were a sharp sickle that cut them all out in one swoop.

Will could never forget the blinding light that eclipses the sun and the murderousness explosive spirit that exploded out from the Saber like it wanted to slay all Divine Creation.

Using this Azief manages to heavily injure the Weronian Commander. And with Will helps using one of Azief Eternal Rings Azief manages to slay the Weronian Commander.

Will broke through to Seed Formation because of the experience gains forming Eternal physique refinement and the broke through to Seed Formation immediately to heal all of his injuries under the level up benefits.

He will not be able to be so lucky like his brother and have no time to persevere like his brother to attain the Undying Body.

And he didn't need Undying Body since his body is powered by the Speed Source.

And Azief become unconscious after the fight ended, falling down from the sky with golden blood raining down from the clouds.

His Seed wither and his aura almost all dissipated.

It was like his energy dried up. If not for his indestructible bodies and the worldly essence that is supporting Azief life force he would be dead by now.

If Azief did not form the Seventh Seeds and form the Branches of Creation, Azief would have undoubtedly dies today because he would loses all of his life force.

Even though he poses an indestructible body that only refers to his body not of his soul and his life force.

Beings that crossed the Seed Formation possess other means to kill people of such indestructible physique.

There is nothing truly perfect and nothing truly eternal in the vast universe.

This is a principle that is known to all great beings and wise creations.

Will loom around him and knows this battle will attract a lot of eyes. Azief is unconscious and Will do not know the severity of the injuries of his brother.

Will himself is riddled with wounds with a few broken bones and wound all over his body.

'I need to run first' When in doubt run.

That is Will principle.

Because that is what he is good at running. And once he decided he moves with all of his might, as blue arcs of lightning exploded from where he was as he disappeared into a blur that surpasses the speed of sound.

With a thunderous boom, Will disappears leaving a gust of tornado behind him as he races away from South Korea as a blue streak that is slowly turning to purple cross the Pacific Oceans.

****************************************************************************

Chapter end

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