Lord Shadow

Azief look toward his left and right as he crossed his legs sitting inside a luxurious chair. He looked completely relaxed regardless of the guards stationed outside the room.

This room has 12 bedroom and 12 marble bathrooms plus a wraparound terrace with the outside view.

One could see the clouds and even feel it with their hand.

Azief was used to it as he always flies up to the sky when he needs to clear his mind so this feature does not really appeals to him.

There is also separate hot tub and Jacuzzis.

There is also Swarovski chandeliers on top of the ceiling and Daum glass sculptures making this room looks more like a palace instead of a simple room

Not too far away from his chair is a piano.

Butler, chef, personal assistant are all provided from him the moment he enter the Castle but he dismissed them since he would not be here for long.

The first moment when Azief enters this room he did not lie down or check out the rooms but instead he went to make his coffee.

Then finished brewing his own coffee, he sit down on one of the leather chair and take a sip while enjoying the breeze of the wind.

He was waiting for someone. He rarely waist for someone. But he waited. Because this person he is waiting for had something he needed.

By now he has finished two cups of coffee and he is now drinking his third

Then as he takes another sip of his coffee a knock comes out from outside.

‘May I come in?’ Azief look towards the door and with his Penetrating Vision he could see a fat man outside the window. Slowly, Azief put down his cup and spoke

‘Enter’

The door creaks and a fat rotund man with a jovial expression enter the room.

His hair was neatly tied with a weird hat on top of his head that had a feather jutting out of the edge of his hat.

With one look Azief knows that is a wig and he almost chuckle. If not for him trying to keep his appearance he would have laughed.

On his almost not visible neck is a necklace with a very big red diamond. On his wrist are golden bracelets.

With every step he takes his body jiggle because of the fat on his body. Yet, Azief knows that this person in front of him must not be underestimated.

He was schemed against by people made only possible with the help of this man.

This fat man is the leader of the Merchant Association Patrician Enzo.

‘Lord Shadow, it is an honor to finally meet you’ Enzo said smiling without any hint of wariness. Azief nodded.

Then scanning him with his Pure Divine Sense and finding nothing amiss Azief gesture him to sit as he takes another sip of his coffee.

‘Straight to the point! I like that in a person. This will make this transaction easier!’ Enzo said in his booming voice as he sits in the chair.

Azief then immediately ask

‘The portal has it been finished?’ As he put down his cup his eyes bored lazily towards Enzo.

Azief also imbued some of his Seed Forming Energy in his stare but surprisingly Enzo didn’t seem even less affected.

It was then that Azief realizes that the diamond on the neck of the Patrician slowly begins to dim.

‘He has tricks ‘Azief mused in his heart.

Knowing his usual stares did not work Azief just decide to let it go. Enzo smiles did not falter but actually he was sweating on his back.

He even wanted to swear and curse towards the Prince but he did not have guts that big.

When he was stared just now, it was like he was being stared by an apex predator, his fight and flight response was screaming to his every nerve to run and flee.

One could finally understand the strength of those that dares to face this man opposite of him in battle.

If every one of the Prince enemies faced this kind of intimidation one could only applaud them for being even able to fight him.

Thankfully, he brought his Protection Necklace. But now from the looks of its energy is almost depleted with one stare.

And that bring sweats on Enzo back if not for him having a strong will not be seen as the weaker side in this negotiation he would have trembled in fear.

This necklace could even repel an attack by a Seed Forming Low Realm but under the stares of the Prince it almost lost all of its energy.

Seed Forming High Realm….no wonder the Prince could do whatever he wanted and dominate all of his peers

‘Do not worry, Lord Shadow. It has been finished. But if I may ask, why would you ask about the Portal right now? I thought you would surely attend the World Council Meeting’ Enzo said enthusiastically

Azief looked towards Enzo and in his eyes it seems to convey ‘and what does it have to do with you?’

But he answered nonetheless

‘Loki would represent me. Either way, whatever they decide, we both know, to enforce the regulations after we return to our Earth would be easier to be said than done right?’

At this Enzo nodded. They share the same opinion. Azief understand it and Enzo understand it. And they both know some smart people will also know it.

This World Council meeting is merely a posturing game. A farce.

Which is why Azief never did pay much importance towards the World Council Meeting nor did he cares whether the Council decided to impose restriction on him in the World Council Meeting.

Since he knows better. Personal strength is the only thing that matters. If he is powerful enough, what restriction could work on him?

‘Then what is your opinion of the Revolutionary Army and the World Government?’

Enzo asked as he got up and walked towards the cabinet and brings out a wine glass and opens up a bottle of wine.

Slowly pouring down the wine to his wine glass Enzo look towards the Prince expecting an answer.

Azief contemplated the question before taking another sip of his coffee. Enzo smiles and twirl his wine glass, smelling the aroma and then slowly sipping the wine

Then he complimented.

‘A good wine. The Shogun is a good host!’ He exclaimed as he sit back down to his seat with a wine glass on his right hand.

Then Azief said as he slowly put down his cup

‘World Government is idealistic, Revolutionary Army wanted influence and the League of Freedom is opportunistic.’ Azief said only this before closing his eyes.

He did not elaborate neither did he have to. It almost like the Prince treasures every word like gold, rarely speaking long.

Smart people will understand what he means and Enzo was a smart man.

World Government is idealistic about this statement Enzo didn’t know if this was a compliment or a criticism.

Revolutionary Army wanted influence this word is it means to serve as a warning or a statement of the current situation?

The League of Freedom is opportunistic.

This word worries Enzo the most.

From the scheme at Eden and the battle between the Seven Fairy and Lord Shadow, each one of this matter has some kind of connection with League of Freedom.

Does the Prince word means this League of Freedom is a formidable enemy? After all it succeeded in pitting World Government and the Prince.

Which prove their scheme is deep. And from the Prince tone of voice when speaking about the League of Freedom there is a hint of admiration.

‘Hmm’ Enzo said as he twirls his glass again, his mind is furiously thinking. Sometimes he looks towards the terrace trying to clear his mind looking at the unchanging scenery of clouds.

‘It is indeed as you said’ Enzo said, looking at the Prince with a renewed view.

‘It seems he is not only brawn’ Enzo thought to himself.

Both taken another sip of their drinks before getting down to the business. Enzo ruffles his clothes before presenting something to the Prince.

It was a large vial with blue liquid swirling inside it like a sticky substance.

‘Instruction Memory Liquid’ Enzo said as he puffed out his chest.

‘Our newest invention’ Enzo exclaimed with pride.

Azief look at the weird looking vials and the blue liquid as he slowly took the vial and examine the liquid that is inside the vials and was shocked to see reflection of images inside the liquid.

It was a moving image of a person tapping lines of green on a cube.

‘It cost us a lot to create this, Lord Shadow. If not for the cost we would mass produce this and sell it to the populace’ Enzo explained with a hint of regret in his voice.

‘From the name of this liquid it seems to impart memories’ Azief ask as he looked at the liquid with curiosity.

He once saw this kind of type of things during his travels of the Multiverse.

‘Yes, but for now it could only retains simple instruction.’ Azief could immediately tell this thing if is developed it would be very tempting to many factions.

Azief opens the vial stopper and drink it in one gulp.

When the liquid enter his throat memories flooded his mind on how to operate blue cube to open the portal.

He never knew what the blue cube was before he drinks the liquid but now after drinking it he seems to know what the blue cube is and how to operate it.

‘Impressive’ Azief muttered.

‘Let us go then’ Azief said as he gets up from his seat.

Enzo nodded as he also stands up.

‘It has already been prepared.’

‘Good.’ They exited the room and dismiss the guards as Azief follows Enzo through the swirling maze of the basement of this castle in the sky.

Then they reached a hall where there are ten doors. One of the doors was coated in gold. Enzo walked towards it, produce a silver key and opens it.

Opening the door it revealed an empty room.

‘Where is the Teleportation Port?’ Azief asked.

Enzo chuckles before he took a card key from his sleeve and swipes at the doorknob and the empty room transform itself as suddenly there is a teleportation port in the middle of the room.

‘Illusion Formation ‘Azief realizes after he saw the runic design on top of the ceiling of the room. The resources that the Merchant Association commands are truly vast.

‘Let us depart now, Lord Shadow’ Enzo said and Azief nodded.

Activating the Teleportation Port, they both stepped inside it.

Meanwhile on the World Council Meeting all the participants are busily debating, arguing about their claims and rights.

Each of them wanted a good deal. Standing on the podium is Loki, Morgana, Raymond, Katarina and Lee Sangmin.

Each one of them seems to hold power and influence.

Loki was watching with a smirk at the proceeding only interjecting when the matters pertain to Azief and his friends and companions.

Morgana on the other hand seems to be trying to talk and catch Loki attention, rarely caring about the Conference discussion.

The Wicked Witch behaviors are truly perplexing to the many people inside the World Council Meeting but only Loki understands the goals that drive Morgana.

Katarina and Raymond on the other hand were having a shouting match with each other, both standing their grounds on the matter of their organization.

Lee Sangmin on the other hand vetoes any request that is aimed at weakening his allies and friends.

It seems Sangmin has made many friends in the course of the few days he is here in the castle. Loki who tries his hardest not to pay attention towards Morgana was instead looking at Katarina and sighed.

From what he heard of the survivors of the tragedy at the Ice Region, Katarina uses almost all of her powers to contain the singularity explosion but she was almost swallowed by it completely before being saved by Azief.

From what he deduces Katarina was extremely grateful and look at Lord Shadow with admiration.

‘And that is how it starts. The complicated relationship between the Ice Deity and the God of Death.’ Loki mused as he could not stop sighing.

On the background of the hustle bustle of people screaming inside the World Council Assembly Hal, a man covered in bandages, look toward this proceeding with a malevolent smiles.

‘The biggest farce I’ve ever seen’ he muttered.

Beside him a man of six feet tall, with golden blonde hair sighed as he pat the bandage man back with the intention to encourage him.

‘Raymond has grown up’ the blonde hair man said as he looked at the podium of Raymond calling for order in the meeting.

‘Larger than life’ the bandage man said as he gritted his teeth. His words were dripping with hatred.

‘Leonard, it is not time’ The blonde hair man said as he pull Leonard back as he saw Leonard wanted to go move forward to the light.

Leonard looks at the blonde hair man and like he was restraining himself he closes his eyes and when he opens it there is clarity of mind.

‘You’re right, Warp.’

Looking at Raymond standing there leading the heroes of the world, Leonard balled his fist as the white bandage turned red and blood dripped down from the bandage on his hand.

‘It is not time. So, I will wait’ He said before he once again hides himself among the crowd and Warp is shaking his head.

***

Budiman is in the Pagoda. The Golden Pagoda of the Three Eyed Asura. That is the name of this Pagoda.

Inside the Pagoda, it was extremely huge and Budiman could do his work.

It is a Pagoda but its interior does not reflect Pagoda interior at all.

The reason it was called a Pagoda is because of its exterior design that resembles a Pagoda. This artifact is like the Grain palace that could be shrinked down and people could hide inside it.

But Budiman is not hiding. He is building. He wipes the black sludge on his forehead before smiling in pride as he looked in front of him.

It was a huge hangar. And on this hangar, three Battleship has finished being constructed. Then drinking some water he went to check the Stasis Pod in the other side of the hangar.

‘Last task for the day’ Budiman said

He went to the Stasis Pod and nodded as he watches as the person slumbering inside the Pod is still there.

Darkness essence is boring itself through the man inside the Pod filling that man with energy and making it possible for him to keep existing past its time.

Budiman then check the main orb that powers his stasis pod and after adjusting the rate of absorption he finally feel relieved.

Inside the pod is …..Azief Shadow Clone. Usually after half an hour his clones would disappears. It is one of Azief skills.

But combine that with Budiman stasis pod Azief clone was then put down to sleep and will only be awakened when there is a danger towards Azief objective.

It is another measure of protection Azief left for his friends before he went once gain to traverse through the Multiverse.

Budiman smiles as he also learns something new. The limits imposed on skills can actually be surpassed if one could find a way.

Finishing with his inspection, he closes the lights in the hangar and exits the Pagoda.

Appearing inside one of the room in the Castle in the Sky, he went to his bathroom, take a shower and then after drying himself up, he went to sleep after a job well done.

***

CAVERN OF GOLD

Each step he takes was full of excitement as he comes closer to it. He then stops.

He could hear droplets of water falling down from the ceiling of the cavern with the rhythm of a moving clock.

Azief look towards the Gate and he smiles.

Enzo and the workers inside the Cavern have already evacuated the place and leave him alone inside the Cavern.

They have already explained the risk and what will happen after he passes through the Gate. This Gate follows the Dark Speedster traces of energy he emitted when he creates the singularity.

Enzo has also told him that he would appears at the most recent places that the Dark Speedster uses his speed so this means when Azief arrive he needs to seek Will.

Because it doesn’t instantly open the portal to where Will is.

Azief approached the Gate and went towards the blue cube and began tapping the green lines on the cube.

It was like he has operated this blue cube for a long time.

Memories fill his head on how to operate this blue cube and once again he marvels the creation of the Merchant Association.

The green lines feel like nerve endings. He furiously tapping the cube before a droning sound appeared and the Gate was activated.

Azief smiles as a swirling portal appears in the center of the Gate and the structures of the Gate begin trembling.

Harsh and heavy winds fill the cavern and dark matter is slowly being emitted.

He slowly approached the Gate and in front of the Portal he smirks.

‘I’m coming for you Will!’ And he takes a step inside the portal and he was sucked into the Portal as the trembling of the structure harshly trembling and almost seems like it would break.

The moment he was sucked the Gate initiates its self-destruct sequence. The green lines on the blue cubes turn red.

The Gates structure was stabilized but that would only be for a while which is why the Inventor put a self-destruct sequence.

He already predicted this which is why they evacuated the entire Cavern.

When the portal seems to create a singularity the structure of the Gate exploded with the explosion acting as a sealing measure.

The cube also exploded creating a blue force field that seems to absorb most of the impact of the explosions.

The explosion did not explode out instead it explodes inwards destroying the newly formed singularity and then a shockwave fills the entire Cavern as the Cavern exploded and fires rushed out from the deepest part of the Cavern to the entrance of the Cavern.

The fires soar to the clouds creating a terrifying scene.

Looking this phenomenon from afar, Enzo said

‘Losing the entire cavern to buy some time for us to be stronger….it is worth it.’He then chuckles and walk away.

***

EARTH 39

NORTH AMERICA BLOC

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Alarms blaring in the Pentagon as alerts were sent to the White House. The General of the Army was phoned in from his home and was immediately summoned to the Pentagon.

The General entering the military car was immediately given a brief summary of what happen. When he heard the summary his face paled.

‘An Omega level Evolver! How could this be? Didn’t the research conducted by the World Security Council state that the strongest level of Evolver was at Alpha level? The Blood Brothers could this be one of their plots?’

The General was shocked as the car darted through the highly quarantined Washington D.C and straight to Pentagon.

A new variable entered Earth 39 as a man clad in black step out from a portal in the middle of Park View scaring the hell out of the army quarantining the area.

Azief when he stepped out was smack dab in the middle of a battle between humans and Evolvers.

When he step out dark energy fills the area and the previously intense battle halted as they all were to stunned and trying to process the sight in front of them.

Dust and fires fills the once peaceful neighborhood, now looking like a war-torn area.

One of the Evolvers who have black wings behind his back and nearest to Azief position cautiously asked

‘Who are you? Which side are you?’

Azief looked his at his surrounding and scans the neighborhood with his Pure Divine Sense.

‘Nobody stronger than me. This world is not dangerous at least but this is not Earth 19. Will, what exactly did you do?’ He asked himself.

‘Hey! Are you one of the Cursed dog!’ One of the soldiers shouted pointing his rifle at Azief and Azief creased his eyebrows with a face showing that he was annoyed being called in that way.

The Evolvers who was on the other side looks at that solider with hatred clearly not pleased being called cursed dog.

‘A derogatory term in this world’ Azief deduced.

‘Rude’ Azief said as he twist his hand and the soldiers hands and feet was broken and the rifle was thrown away by some invisible force and landed in front of a woman who have a green hair.

Gasp filled the war torn neighborhood. Looking at the man with wing on his back Azief restrain his curiosity on the state of this Earth before answering

‘My name is Lord Shadow. And the side I’m with is myself.’

***