Lord Shadow

Loki is walking in circle inside his room feeling both anxious and excited. Sometimes he sighed, sometimes he shrieks.

The guards assign to protect Loki has been accustomed to this matter and no longer give Lord Loki any concern when he was acting like that.

He was given a large house a few minute walking distance from Sina laboratory. And both Loki and Sina was assigned guards to protect them

This is to prevent anything like Sina kidnaping ever happening again.

One could even asses the matter of importance they possess by measuring how well protected Azief friends really are.

Sina was well protected even than before. Guard posted around her in shifts for 24 hours with sealing and magic barriers erected inside and outside her laboratory.

Loki was just below Sina on how he was well guarded.

Maybe it is because Loki himself is as slippery as a loach that Azief does not worry about him that much.

After a while he lay down on his bed and sigh.

‘It seems I have miscalculated certain things.’ He said as he closes his eyes and he sees that sea of blood again.

Heard the screams again. Felt his heart rend apart again. Felt the pain. Felt the burn. See the future.

Felt the suffering.

The future he doesn’t want. The suffering he doesn’t want.

Bearing the burdens of all those lives on his shoulders.

The memory torment him….like always. And he sighed as he tries again to erase that memory.

Maybe when things change, maybe when the Heavens go crazy and overturned the fates, than his memory will also fades.

Loki has seen how his choice changes the future he knows.

For example, The Dark Speedster appearance.

Loki knows there is something between Azief and Will.

Maybe a secret partnership or something along that line.

It seems even Azief is holding some secrets from Sina, Sofia and him. There is another thing that surprise Loki.

Dark Speedster lightning. It was blue….not red. Which means Will has already tapped the Speed Source.

Loki remembers when he met Will in the original timeline. It was when he was in Disk Formation and Will was at Essence Creation.

It was then he managed to make his lightning blue. But Will has always been a half step to Sovereign all of his life even until his death.

And Loki knows from his memory that Will only met the Prince when the Prince seek his help regarding the Oracle prophecy initiating the Time Crisis.

He was the Dark Speedster for most of his life until the Final Battle.

In the final battle Will reached Sovereign level and turned into the Silver Speedster and gained the Speed and power to battle the Darkness.

If not for his sacrifice, Loki and Jean would not be able to survive.

Loki still remembers how Will punch the Darkness with double the speed of light incinerating everything in ten thousand miles radius of his battle.

But in the end he fall.

And that’s when Loki and the others saw the Cosmic Speedster, the pale white lightning.

Most of the time when people on Earth dies, their souls go to the God of Death. But for speedsters like Will, they return to the Speed Source.

Before Will became Sovereign there are other speedsters that dies on Earth and each time their souls could not escaped Azief hands.

But when Will broke the barrier and become a sovereign in that final battle, he was too fast for Death to catch.

Will can be revived if he escaped Death grasp. As long as the soul is still there, some people have means to revive a person back.

But the Speed Source couldn’t have that

So, from the Speed Source, the Pale Speedster appears descending from the Cosmic Source in the form of a white silvery lightning.

Loki even with his Sovereign magic could not see the true form of this Pale Speedster. The only reason he knows that the Speedster is Pale is because Will shouted it out.

The Pale Speedster was too fast even for Loki to see with his Eye of Truth

The Pale Speedster, the embodiment of death itself. And Will who just became a Sovereign.

If only Will has long become a sovereign and has acclimated himself with his newfound powers, he might have a chance to outrun the Pale Speedster.

These two gods race across the world and the stars but seeing that Will body instantly disintegrated after five minutes of the white lightning descend, Loki believes that Will lost the race.

Loki remembers all the big events where Will plays pivotal role. After all, Will was even famous that him before Loki became Sovereign.

He is most famously known for creating The Time Crisis.

Loki has makes sure all the players of that event is alive and well. The Oracle is alive. Sofia is alive…and she is the most important one.

After all, she did send him here. If she dies then Loki doesn’t want to think about the consequences.

Loki knows that leaving the Oracle alive might put some his plans in jeopardy but Loki had no choice.

She needs to survive for the event to start. The reason why Loki fears Oracle….well, she is after all a woman who can see the future.

Who knows how that woman would think and do if she knows what he is planning?

After all she did give one of her eyes to be transplanted into Azief eyes just so that he could see the future

Which crazy person would rip out their eyeball and transplanted it to another other than Erika?

Sometimes, Loki even suspected that Erika wanted to screw Azief by giving him the ability to see the future.

In the end, Azief was led by the nose by his vision of the future. Then there is also the little girl Giselle.

Right now, she is still an insignificant character.

She is now being called the White Witch. She is weak, amateurish in using her abilities and magic, na?ve and childish.

But in the Final Battle her magic and Arno Cursed Chain managed to tie down the Darkness for a few second making Will be able to break through to Sovereign.

After all, a second is long to a speedster like Will.

It was fortunate that he has thought to riddle the body of the White Witch with his mnemonic runic that could inscribe information in the forms of tattoo or symbols even words.

It is vague enough and reliable enough for someone to understand it.

The runes will guide her.

Guide her to her final destination.

To the destined battle she must fight. Because in the Final battle she perished painfully. But honorably.

Because of her sacrifice, because of her determination, Loki being here is possible. This is the weight of life Loki holds.

He met the White Witch and rescues her because it was necessary. He rescues her only to sacrifice her in later time.

What impressed Loki was the selflessness of the White Witch even after he shows her the future to come.

The suffering and the bleak future. She looks at it and accepts her fate because she knows it will be necessary.

And once one sees what the future have in store, like the White Witch, they would rather have their memories burned.

Because knowing what her fate ultimately leads to, she was afraid that she would not have the courage to do what is necessary, what is right.

So, she wipes her own memory.

She was young and yet she still possesses that bravery. She is braver than most men. She accepts her fate with stoic determination.

Loki just hopes that it will not come to that. That the Final battle could be averted. But Loki sighed and then shakes his head.

His eyes still closed he said

‘Nothing can stop the darkness. It hungers. It devours. It destroys. And it will come’ he said to himself.

He carves the mnemonic runic, a memory spell, to guide the White Witch to safety without even remembering it.

Now the White Witch is a great ally of the World Government.

Loki wishes her well and hoped by the time of the Final battle she would be strong enough to survive.

‘She is Plan B’ Loki said as he opens his eyes.

Truth be told he doesn’t really like using the White Witch like that.

And he has no intention of dredging up that seal memory inside the head of the White Witch.

Because the future isn’t good.

And she doesn’t have to bear that burden.

Loki willingly hold up the burden of a destroyed tomorrow and come back here, to where it all begins and undertake a quest he did not know if it’s going to succeed

But he got to try.

At least, he’s got to try.

Then there is the marriage of Earthshaker and Divine Archer. Narleod must remain alive at least until that time.

Fire Arrow Frieda, Warp the Teleportation Master, Water Princess Erin all exist in this timeline and all are alive.

Though most of them are not that famous yet and Narleod has not recruited them yet.

The main players in that events is Raymond, Oreki, Narleod and of course the God of Death.

Loki who saw the event of that wedding with the aid of his staff still remembers.

At the time he was wandering in some pocket dimension when he heard the news and watches the scene by conjuring an Image Magic.

He remembers a man floating in a throne of bones looking down at the people during the attack on the wedding like they were ants.

He came with his black attire, his black hood covering his cold face, his presence sucks up the life and joy of that wedding place.

Laws shattered, and the world was turned into disarray with his descent. The Pillars of the world trembles and earthquake shakes the earth.

The sea become restless as waves and waves of seawater rises up and create a tsunami in most regions while the winds pulsate and create giant tornado.

Life withered, plants wilted and death pervades the world.

If not because he lower his Divine pressure, the Earth would crumble.

The First Sovereign, the God of Death, the Prince. When he arrived at the battle, everyone kneeled, afraid to match eyes with him.

Their hand trembled and all thought of resisting perished. He uses his swish of a hand to overturn an already made conclusion.

The guest that died that perished in that bloody wedding, were resurrected almost in a perfect form

Their souls returned back to their vessels and the League of Freedom was subjugated.

Giving his ultimatum, the matter ended, he himself disappeared in a black flame.

Sofia the Divine Archer then breaks her engagement and seeks the Oracle because of that matter.

Loki also remembers the New World War.

The huntress Delia the Armenian extremist. Akira the Mad Scientist. Poison King Takashi. But maybe this time the New World War will be different since the country no longer existed.

At that time Russia was accused of destroying the Island of Peace using euronioum explosive.

But there is a sinister plot in the background.

And in this matter, the Prince appears again battling Sarohian Beast that was summoned.

The continent of Australia was turned to dust by the end of that battle, with millions of life as collateral damage.

Earth was almost destroyed if not for the barrier of the Illusion God that transported the battle between those two entities into other dimension.

The Illusion God had to retreat for one year in his realm to recuperate after using his powers to create such a powerful illusion.

Then there is the Attack of Yrinia.

Loki knows Fir Her Waz is coming. The strongest warrior of Yrinia. By now, Loki estimated that Fir Her Waz is in Interium, the gladiatorial stadium of the Universe.

The reason why Loki knows about this is because of what happens after the defeat of Fir Her Waz.

The Book of Mysteries.

It is where Loki learns most of his most sinister spells and magic.

‘Fir Her Waz’ Loki said with a whispering tone like remembering a sad story.

One day he will come here, coming down from the Heavens with his Battlestar. And the battle will once again commence.

To others this event did not happen yet.

But to Loki, he has already seen it before. Loki still remembers the unwillingness of Fir Her Waz when he was about to die.

He cried tears of blood and he keeps saying the name of his family until his last breath.

In that event, Lord Shadow once again plays as the main character.

After that the Annihilator came. That beast, that unthinking, savage beast, nearly kill humans to the points of extinction.

Thinking of it, all the Seven Sovereigns had to march into the battlefield at that time to battle this unworldly savage brutish force.

Oreki and Hikigaya were battling other problems because of the Annihilator descent while Katarina battled Rosulka in Russia making her unable to aid the God of Death.

That Rosulka that will battle Katarina at that time, she is still a child now. She is one disturbed individuals.

She only wanted to watch the world burns.

And then came the turning point that leads to the Ends of Days defeat.

The War of the Sovereigns.

Three Sovereign died that day. Katarina, Oreki and Hikigaya. And it all started because of that damn woman.

Paulette. Jean’s woman. Because of her, a war was started. A civil war amongst the Sovereign.

The Sovereign were never people that easily agreed with each other but they never bear arms at each other and they never battle until their death.

Because of Paulette, Earth turns into a battleground for these Gods.

Even after the G7 convenes, the Seven Sovereign could never see eye to eye and thus the war of the Sovereigns started.

At first, Loki and Azief abstain from picking any side.

In an act of affection, the God of Death prophesied that if Katarina went to the war for his brother, she will die.

At the time, everyone knows The Prince has a little something something with Sofia the Divine Archer.

But everyone knows about the volatile on and off relationship between The Prince and the Ice Deity.

If Katarina has a counterpart in mythology, and Gods knows how Loki loves his mythology, then her counterpart is Hera.

Jealous and vindictive.

One such famous anecdote of their story was when one of the Devotees of God of Death truly falls in love with Azief.

His Temple in Everest was always full of his worshippers praying day and night even though he rarely answers.

Most of them asked for either their loved ones to return or to die a good death.

Most of the time those who worships Him feared and revered him. But a woman from Greece named Annika loves him with all of her heart.

She was a weak woman who was blessed by the God of Death on her birth because her father used to fight beside the God of Death as one of his generals before he became Sovereign.

Annika father sacrificed his life to protect Azief. And Azief was very touched by this act that he vowed he will settle this debt.

So, when his child grows to an adolescent year Azief who was now a Sovereign, capable of great magic blessed Annika with good health and decreed that as long as she stays in her mortal form, she is immortal.

His decree and his voice itself is magic, imbued within it the will of the Universe.

Katarina heard of how this Annika always prays that she only wanted to see the God of Death face so she could love him and take Him as her husband.

She would sing love songs on His temple, lavish luxurious sacrifice and many other acts of devotion.

Katarina was incensed with jealousy and rage.

So, she descended from Her realm of tormentors Hell of Ice and sent divine punishment which is neutralized by Azief blessing.

No matter what She throws at Annika, she remains unharmed, immortal as long as she remains in her mortal form.

This makes people believed even more in the power of the God of Death, to grant life and death, control over the souls, rebirth and reincarnation.

Katarina knows she could not do anything to Annika while she is protected by His Blessing so she summon her champion and orders her champion to lure Annika away.

Her Champion tricked Annika telling that her mother has been kidnapped by the Devotees of Katarina.

Annika believing this story since the Ice Goddess has long told the world She hated her. So Annika follows Katarina champion to the Temple of Katarina and she was not afraid since she has the blessing of the God of Death.

But Annika forget one thing. You never underestimate a woman ability to plot…especially when that women in a Goddess.

The moment she arrived there, The God of Death blessing weakens.

Her Temple, Her rules. Now, that Blessing is weakened, Katarina could employ Her Divine magic.

Katarina cursed her to become a ten foot black bear, losing her mortal form and her mind.

She lost all of her senses and becomes a human killing bear with powers resembling of a half step sovereigns.

When Azief learns of this he was furious but the deeds have been done and he could no longer overturn this curse of Katarina.

Katarina was forcing Azief to deal with the problem. With so many casualties incurred by the beast, Azief could no longer sit tight in his throne.

So, Azief sent his champion with a quest.

To kill the ungodly bear.

Azief bestow his champion with his Scythe that could cut anything in the world, even fate and destiny.

Even though his champion was only at Disk Formation, using the scythe his champion killed the bear with one swipe at the bear head

Everyone thought it is tragic for the woman to attract the ire of a Goddess like Katarina but in the end it was Azief that have the last laugh.

The moment Annika died, Azief brought her souls into his realms and constructed a heavenly island for her.

Loki even knows that sometimes, Azief would visit that island when he is troubled with something.

Loki learns something from that and that lesson is don’t be a jerk to the God of Death because he is better at being a jerk than anyone else.

That’s the state of relationship between Azief and Katarina.

Unhealthy, toxic and crazy.

But Azief once commented ‘Other things were not good. But the sex? It was crazy good’

Loki remembers there was this one time Katarina and Azief was having sex that alarmed all the other Sovereigns and the forces on Earth.

Their act of making love is disastrous to the people of Earth.

It created shockwaves that was so powerful that they made the Earth shakes; a plethora of volcano erupts with hot billowing lava and a hurricane that killed thousands.

If not for Raymond calming the Earth, many cities in the world would crumble.

Since then the G7 created a law that in the events of a sovereign-sovereign pairing, if you want to have sex, then do it in space.

The sex was good but their relationship is frustratingly toxic and unhealthy.

But they do have affection for each other. So, the Prince gives his prophecy, hoping she would abandon her intention to join the war.

But Katarina always one for defying Azief words, went into war anyway. In the end she couldn’t abandon her family.

And she dies at the hand of the God of Thunder Oreki, in Azief arms when she breathed her last breath.

The God of Death roars in anger that shakes all the realms and finally enters the war. His bones chariot once again soars over the Earth, bringing the miasma of death.

Thousands of His Death Wraiths emerges from the Darkness, the gates of Hell opens and his Furies flies out with the Heaven overturned and the world becomes crazy.

The sea slowly evaporates turning into black mist killing all sea creatures, the river runs backwards and the land crack and crumples.

The sun was overshadowed with red and black clouds as thunders and lightning covered and strikes the earth.

All manners of terrifying creatures jump out from the Gates of Hell.

Nine Winged Bones Dragon, Twelve Headed Snakes, Ten Thousand Eyes Spiders, these great monster come out and heed the call of the Lord who rules over death and destruction.

He sided with Lord Jean and he slaughtered Lord Oreki and Lord Hikigaya in an earth shaking battle that scarred the Earth.

In the battle 1000 islands were sunk, 3000 mountains was turned into dust and a whopping 400 million lives were sacrificed.

And that was even after the seal of the world was activated.

By the end of the war only 4 Sovereign is left.

And then the End of Days happens which resulted in Earth defeat. With four Sovereigns, and what happened to Azief in the final battle, humanity lost hope.

Loki closes his eyes again and once again he said to himself like he has always been saying from the very first moment he woke up in his younger body.

‘Never lose hope’

***

IN A CERTAIN MANOR IN EDEN

The Seven Fairy returns to their manor after they meet Lord Shadow, each and every one of them feeling variety of emotions.

Not all of them agreed with Nayoung decision to serve under Lord Shadow.

And this faction is the Seven Fairy that does not agree with Nayoung decision is of course headed by Somi.

But they can’t argue it out in front of Lord Shadow so they are all eager to go to their manor and discuss the matter among themselves.

A week ago, Doyeon commissioned the construction of manor on the inside of the village and yesterday it was finished.

Many people offered themselves to help the construction since they all know that the Seven Fairy is a famous personage in the Plains and to gain notice from such powerful expert will make their lives easier in the long run.

Protection barrier and formation to prevent people from hearing has also been put down by formation class user.

Today, they have moved in with all of their belongings transported inside the manor yesterday.

The moment Somi entered she sat down in one of the chairs in the Great Hall and sit down in dissatisfaction.

Somi look at Nayoung and her glares are piercing.

Nayoung might be the leader of their group, but the center pillar that holds up their formation is her.

When in peace, Nayoung words are the Law. When in battle, Somi words are the Law.

The other are all important since their battle style is in formation but these two have always been more outspoken and confident so the other relegated the task of leading them to these two people.

They are all like sisters so they argue but this matter is too big to think of it like some inconsequential squabble.

Sejeong and the other also notice Somi behavior and could only sigh.

The moment they entered the Great Hall, the hired help quickly come to them to ask what they wanted or is there is anything they would like them to do when they were suddenly being glared by an angry Somi.

The hired help inside the manor was very shocked.

It was fortunate that Somi did not pressure the hired help with her level pressure or that servant would have his pillars shattered.

Most of them are just Pillar Forming Stage and mostly young kids or cowards who don’t want to or can’t fight mutated beast.

Only these kinds of people will debase themselves and become servants to high level users.

Kids have potential to become levelers later when they grow up. But old people or young people who are afraid, it is destined they will never be strong.

After all not all humans are brave, resourceful and dare bear the risk of dying. But the work of a servant is not so bad.

For the kids, they could learn many tips from high levelers if one day they want to strike out on their own.

For the old and cowards, they were protected.

But in the Seven Fairy manor there are not so many servants.

Most of the people working here is production class users hired by the village for the Seven Fairy.

There are cooks, gardeners, builders and many others. Not only the pay is high, these production class users could increase their experience.

Who would turns down such an easy job?

Today, the kitchen steward wanted to ask the Seven Fairy what he should ask the cook to prepare but seeing the youngest and most terrifying Seven Fairy in bad mood, the stewards is also sweating bullets.

Nayoung sit down on the recliners with Chungha quickly behind her and began massaging Nayoung shoulders.

Nayoung looking at the kitchen stewards looking afraid, trembling in fear, gestured with her hands to send the kitchen steward away and the kitchen steward quickly dismissed himself from the Great Hall with a breathe of relief.

‘You don’t have to release your anger on someone innocent, Somi’ Nayoung said and Somi scoffed.

Chungha who was massaging Nayoung said hatefully

‘Wang Jian is still very much hostile to us. We have surrendered. We have already apologized. What more does he want?’ Nayoung leaned back comfortably on the recliner.

Hearing Chungha remark, she smiled and said:

‘It is understandable. We kill his brothers. It’s not something he would forget. And the whole world knows that Wang Jian values brotherhood very much. If not why would his men did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for him?’

‘Is that why you ask us sisters to serve Lord Shadow? Because you think Wang Jian might plotted against us?’ Chungha asked

Nayoung nodded.

‘Resting under a big tree, there is no disadvantage. It is obvious to me, that if we want to live, we have to serve Lord Shadow as his officers instead of striking of an alliance with him.’

‘Why?’ Somi said raising her voice, from where she was sitting.

Doyeon who was on the kitchen came in carrying with a goblet of date and honey tea. Hearing what Nayoung said, she laughed and said:

‘Because if it’s an alliance, the moments the alliance is broken, Wang Jian will hunt us down and maul us to death. And I doubt at that time, Lord Shadow will lift a finger to help us. If we were just in an alliance, the best relationship we have with Lord Shadow is someone who was united for a certain amount of time to achieve the same goal. When that goal is achieved, why does he has to care for us? He would certainly not side with us while slighting his own officers. It is different if we are his subordinates.’

Nayoung closes her eyes and nodded. Then she opened her eyes and sighed over those words:

‘Narleod plans were very sinister. Not only we almost make Lord Shadow our enemy, we now have Wang Jian as our enemy. And from what I’ve seen many of the important people on Lord Shadow side has a deep relationship with Wang Jian.’

Nayoung coughed.

Nayoung could not help but clenched her fist every time she remembers about Narleod. It is because of him, her sisters and her need to bow their heads to someone else.

Wang Jian is a silent tiger. He will not move unless provoked. And killing his brother, if that is not provoking him then what?

If not for the constraint of Lord Shadow, Nayoung is confident, with his temper, he would swing his Ruyi Jingu Bang and engage in life and death battle with all of her sisters.

Chungha pulled a thin blanket over Nayoung and said

‘But, unnie. What makes you think Lord Shadow will protect us?’

‘Because we are his subordinates. People like Lord Shadow like to accumulate talented people. Prideful. He is the kind of people that scheme. And those people would always think of situation in terms of profit and loss. And cares very much about their reputation. He would not sacrifice us unless we gave him a reason to.’

‘I’m not satisfied with an ending like this’ Somi said, her voice has calmed a lot a far cry from the beginning.

Somi has always been willful and forceful in her conduct. Maybe because she is young or maybe because she is strong.

Nayoung then reply to her looking tired.

‘Not many things in this world satisfied you, Somi. We just have to deal with the cards we have been given. Now, you’ll get ready for the ceremony.’

The other Seven Fairy nodded and starts preparing.

Only Nayoung still sits on the recliner, pulling the blanket closer to her, thinking deeply on how to survive in the Central Plains.

She has to be strong….for her sisters. For her family.

***

THAT NIGHT

AFTER THE CEREMONY

Loki opens his eyes. It was late at night but someone knock his door. Five knocks. Not three not two but five knocks.

Creating a very weird rhythm.

Loki senses did not detect anyone outside his door and his wariness increase.

Because if his senses did not sense the person outside his room, that means his guards also did not notice.

Loki takes a breath and smirk.

Loki get up from his bed and was about to prepare himself, as his aura intentionally leaked out to warn the person outside when the voice says

‘Lord Trickster, God of Deceit, did you forget the Ten Swords Gorge? Do you still remember the yellow wine gourd?’ The question makes Loki speechless and shocked beyond belief.

‘It couldn’t be’ he said it to himself.

He did remember and he remembers that man he saw in the ceremony and shakes his own head at his own thoughts.

Because it was too absurd.

Loki still could not believe what he is hearing and then slowly he come to his bedroom door and with a slight pull he opens the door and he saw a man wearing ragged clothes with a yellow wine gourd sling on his left hip.

First Loki was shocked and then came his suspicions. His mind is thinking about that woman.

If this is really him, then the only one possible doing this is that woman. He mused to himself.

Loki then pulled the person inside the room and pushes him to the other side of the room while he produces a dagger.

‘That’s not a way to greet old friend.’ Loki looks at him with a very puzzled expression.

And wariness. Sofia did not mention this kind of scenario when she, Jean and Hirate concocted that plan.

‘Wine Beggar Louise.’

Loki said, his hand still tightly gripping his dagger. He knows this person in the future but not in this timeline.

At least not yet.

Loki shakes his head. But if that is truly so, why did Louise called him by the moniker God of Deceit unless this man….

Loki then instantly knows who he is seeing in front of him right now. Not the Wine Beggar Louise of this timeline.

But the Louise of the future.

Loki has seen him during the ceremony. Loki noted that Louise is still young unlike his future self during the ceremony.

‘Who sent you?’ That was his first question

Louise smiles and smirks.

‘Come on. You know who.’ Loki then immediately thinks of someone. That woman. Always in the black robe.

Always challenging him.

‘Morgana!’ Loki said. Louise nodded

‘Hmph’ Loki snorted and then he looked at the ceiling. He then sighed.

‘This is why I fucking hate Time Magic.’

Louise chuckles.

‘Jean and Hirate is not the only one capable of doing that kind of magic.’

‘What price did she pay?’ Loki asks.

‘To conjure such magic, the price must be astronomical.’ he added

‘Love’ Louise said and his face was very solemn. And understanding dawned on Loki face.

If there is one thing that Morgana love, that could only be Mika.

Her son.

Loki once met the little toddler. A cute, young child. And as understanding dawned on him, anger filled his heart.

‘You mean she killed her own son? Using her son blood to create the Array Formation of Rebirth and Reincarnation? Did she use the Wheel?’ Loki said gritting his teeth in anger.

The blood as ink, the organs as the tether, the soul as the millstone of time. To do this kind of magic, one must truly be crazy

‘Dark magic. Dark emotions’ Louise said but he too seems disgusted by the notions. Not to mention he was the one who saw what Morgana did.

She choked her own son on his cradle. Even through the child screams and crying she did not stop choking the life out of that child.

She needs a pure soul, untainted by mortal sin. What is more pure than a baby?

There were no tears on her eyes.

Only determination to do what she thinks is right. The determination that Louise believes the Divine Archer, The Time God, Mind Master is not capable of.

‘And Loki…don’t forget that we did live in dark times.’ Loki just snorted but he could not help but agree with Louise.

‘Fine.’ He waved his hand upwards in a surrendering motion and then he said

‘You’re here. Is anyone else travels through time and space, broke every laws of rebirth and reincarnation is here? Let us set a meeting and meet with each other before the Laws of the Universe find a way to screw us all’ He said sarcastically.

Louise did not pay Loki annoyance any heed. Instead he asks Loki.

‘We need to talk.’

‘About what?’ Loki said dismissively and it is clear form his tone he did not like talking with Louise.

He already sheathes back his dagger and sits down on one of his chair in his room.

‘God of Death.’ Louise said.

‘What about him?’ Loki said as he produces a bottle of vodka and pours himself a drink

‘Did The Divine Archer sent you back here to prop him up? To make him stronger?’ Louise asked

‘And what if she did?’ Loki replies nonchalantly.

This time Louise face is flushed with anger.

‘Loki! You know what he is. What he will become! And still, you wish to strengthen him. Ends of Days! You know who is responsible for that!’

Loki just ignores what Louise said and takes another shot of the vodka.

‘And what did Morgana send you here for?’ Louise face turned serious and answered

‘To end the threat once and for all.’

‘You want to kill him?’ And Loki smiles. But this smile is terrifying. His eyes sharpened and his aura surged up.

He was like a waiting wolf. Waiting to devour. But before the time is up, he will wait. Patience.

But Louise is not one that is easily intimidated.

‘Yes, and we have been planning it since the day he revealed himself. We just did not thought that he would grow this fast. And as you and I know we couldn’t really hoard all the treasures lest risking that some destiny derailed.’

Loki then laughed. He knows the reason why Louise did not manage to kill Azief is because he didn’t know where Azief is.

If Loki is right, Louise could only be here for a few moments of time. Morgana is powerful….but she is not that powerful.

Loki is here permanently. His mind is tethered to this timeline unlike Louise. If not Azief would be long dead.

There is also the fact that in the future not many really know the story of the Prince. Where he originated, who is his friends and so on and so forth.

That is why Louise did not know the whereabouts of Azief until he revealed himself to the world.

The moment Azief becomes Sovereign he cut his Karma Thread except one.

Loki has always said to the Prince that if he has one weakness, it is the Divine Archer.

Who would have thought that weakness is what makes Loki able to find Azief when he was just a Pillar Forming Stage?

Loki then said to Louise

‘I disagree. The cause of that event is not him. You couldn’t really blame him for what happened at the end. He was conquered with fear. Fear of the future. For a God that could see the future, Azief was led by destiny instead of controlling it. And you and I we know that making a decision based on fear rarely bode well.’

‘Say what you want to defend him, Loki. He might not be the true problem but he is the executor. You know he is the v-‘

‘Don’t say it’ Loki said looking angry.

Loki doesn’t like to be reminded of what happens in the Final Battle.

Because he could still hear the screams. He still smells that smell of burning flesh.

Sometimes when he woke in the morning and wash his face, sometimes he sees the seas of blood in front of him again.

Feeling the wet blood on his face again. When he bathes it was like he was drenched with the rain of blood.

The death of good men and women. The death of his friends and brothers and sisters in arms.

The final battle was not really a battle. It was a one sided slaughter. Loki didn’t like to be reminded of that tragic day

‘Fine. I don’t like recalling that memory either. But you know, He will end us all if he is not stopped. If he reached Sovereign, then he could no longer be stopped. All of this has happens before, and if he reached Sovereign all of that will happen again. And looking at his current capabilities, he surely would reach Sovereign level sooner or later.’

Loki just sighed and said to Louise.

‘Louise, sit down first.’ Louise took a chair and sit down and then Loki began saying.

‘What is Morgana plans actually? Kill him? You think destiny and fate is that easy to change? Why did you think any magic involving time, reality and life and death are hard? Why do you think its price is steep? Because destiny doesn’t like being thwarted. It doesn’t like being changed. It is the accumulation of the will of the universe.’

Louise did not like hearing Loki still defending Azief so he said.

‘And what will you do with a more upgraded version of the God of Death? You think the final battle will be easier? When you know, that the very reason we have to have a final battle is because of him? Or are you just afraid that if you change his destiny, your destiny will also change? Loki, the Seventh Sovereign. The runt among the giants. A clown in front of Gods and Divine Warrior. Morgana is better than you. She knows to do what is necessary! Regardless of the price!’

Loki face flushed red. This is his complex. When he was Sovereign, even though he was Sovereign, he was the weakest.

He did not possess domineering powers like God of Death, does not possess the charisma of the Earthshaker, and does not possess the adoration of the people like the Twin God of Japan.

He was not as brave as the Ice Deity. He did not possess a strong will like Jean. He was the odd one among the Seven

He was a runt among giants, a kid among heroes. But it is ironic that in the final battle, Loki and Jean, they were the only surviving Sovereign.

God of Death is dead.

Not literally. But figuratively.

Because the man he saw in that final battle is not the Azief he knows.

To him, it was at that last moment; Loki accepts that Azief is dead. He had the same face, had the same temperament, but Loki will never acknowledge that man as Azief.

But hearing his wound being opened by Louise, he could not just stay silent. He snorted derisively and said

‘Is that why I didn’t see her in the final battle? Because she knows what is necessary? Morgana like always, runs when the problem gets tough. That is why she will always remain in half step Sovereign. What did she do when the world went to war? What did she do when all the great heroes battle the End of Days? What did she do when millions die? What did she do when millions screams, bleed and suffers? Hiding in her rooms concocting this idiotic plan?’

Louise just shakes his head and he said

‘We will install a new sovereign, Loki. The Seven Sovereign will still exist. The New World War, the Yrinia Events all will happen again. I know we are not able to change all the events. Only two events that needs to change. The War of the Sovereign and the Ends of Days. Remove Lord Azief from the equation and we don’t have such a tragic ending for this two events. You know I’m right!’ Louise said as he stood up and glares at Loki.

Louise did not want to make enemy with the God of Deceit.

He might not have his Sovereign Presence yet but his formidability and the aura of a great ruler still exudes out from Loki.

In his timeline, Louise knows while Loki is the weakest among the Seven Sovereigns that still makes him one of the strongest people in the world.

Only Sovereign can defeat a Sovereign. This saying is popular in his timeline because it is the truth.

When Loki heard Louise plans he could not help but chuckle.

‘Hah? Install a sovereign? How would you do that?’

‘We will pour our resources to one person so that he could break through sovereign level’ and hearing this Loki laughs.

‘You think reaching Sovereign is a matter of resources? HAHAHA. To reach Sovereign it could be simple or it could be hard. But one thing I know, it doesn’t involve resources. Morgana never step on that level itself how would she know?’

‘At least, it is better than the alternative. Reaching to Sovereign might not be achieved by pouring resources into one person. But to reach Half Step to Sovereign, with resources it is possible. We have to have faith that the person we install will find a way to pave the path to Sovereign’ Louise said.

Loki closes his eyes and sighs.

‘Saying all this to me, you must have other intentions. Since you could not remain here in this timeline for long, you will not waste your time just to tell me your story. Now, tell me the real reason why you want to meet me.’ Saying this Loki put down his vodka glass and looks straight at Louise eyes.

Louise then begins by saying

‘I know you accepting the mission of the Divine Archer is because you felt guilty of what happen in the Final Battle. I’m offering you an alternative. Lord Jean is the God of Time and his wisdom is unparalleled about the laws of time. But you know Morgana personally Loki. You know what she is capable of. Lord Jean is your colleague but…..’and he look at Loki and he knows Loki dreaded what Louise about to say.

‘Morgana is your Teacher….and wife. And she has the Investiture of the First Race’ Hearing this Loki face fell. And then he smiles bitterly.

Louise smiles and with the highest hope, he ask

‘Join us, God of Deceit. Let us save the world together’ Loki looks at Louise and then looking at the ceiling of his manor he sighed and said.

‘This is why I fucking hate Time Magic’

***