Lord Shadow

MEANWHILE ON EARTH

That cave where Azief is now undergoing his trial is undisturbed and as Azief body enters the saber, a small green serpent enters the cave at the same time, like it was sensing that Azief is no longer there.

Strangely enough none of the restrictions, magic formation, and arrays did anything to that serpent.

The green serpent slithers, wandering the cave, moving deeper inside the cave. Until finally that serpent stop slithering.

It hissed, its slitted eyes seems to close and opens like it is capturing an image.

Then that serpent opens its mouth and green gas comes out from it.

That green gas covered the serpent and then that serpent turns into a young man wearing a clean cut suit that resembles closely to an Armani suit.

The young man look slit with his hair combed back, his face look dashingly handsome and his body fit and lean.

He looks at the floating sabers and there is a complicated expression on his face. Then he shakes his head.

‘Azief, you are attempting the Six Trials again this time? That man seems to be asking the silence.

‘Six paths of suffering….is too long. There is a threat that is coming. And I could not wait that long, Azief. By now, you must have started the Second Trials. In the past, you did not ass the Trials…especially the last trial. I didn’t know what the last trial is about…but I hope this time you will pass it. The world has changed, and so you have changed and maybe even the future might also on the path of changing’

He smiles a bit

‘You become more compassionate…and you have begun to understand a bit to speak like humans’ and that man chuckles a bit.

This man is none other than Loki the Trickster.

‘You did not let go of your love. Though your love life is as complicated as before. But because you could not let go you are torn. I understand why you could not let go. Letting go is not as easy as one would think.’

Loki heard all about Sofia and Azief debacle.

But to him, it is a normal argument between couples that are in love and are not as serious as one would think.

And while stories and dramas would like to paint arguments as the reason why people broke up that is not true.

Argument is healthy.

Arguing and a fight are different. Arguing actually makes the romantic bonds unbreakable. It is sign that the relationship is maturing.

Arguing sucks. But conflict avoidance is worse. But like any other thing, there are mature and immature types of fights.

When people started to speak their mind clearly, that is a sign that relationship is maturing. And the fact that Sofia is angry means she cares.

Arguing means they are committed to each other. Absence of arguing is a sign major problem of lovers

But, Loki just afraid that this argument will turns to a fight. When fighting, one begun to mudsling and both will get dirty

Loki could not help but feel exasperated with both Sofia and Azief, this two lovers.

Not only he has to plot and scheme to stop what probably will be the end of the Universes, he has also to play matchmaker for Azief and Sofia.

And then there is the elephant in the room.

Katarina.

Young love Loki once remarked. Right now, Katarina is still sane not like that Goddess of Ice and Snow.

Loki has a theory about Sovereigns. Loki did not become Sovereign using the conventional way, fighting for the Will of the World and sitting on the Divine Throne.

But he notices something about Sovereigns that maybe the Sovereigns themselves didn’t realizes.

And now, as he was in the past, and saw the origin story of the people who will one day become Sovereigns, Loki notice a common theme.

Loki in the future only knows Katarina when she was Sovereign. She was obsessed with the God of Death.

Her love for him sometimes bordered on insanity as she would not even allow normal mortal to love thus the curse she inflicted upon daughter of Milos

But the Katarina Loki knows now do seem to love Azief but not as obsessed as she was in the future.

And Azief in the future seems to be morbidly dark and has some obsession with Sofia, never allowing her to be hurt in a way that would allow her to die.

But Loki knows Azief true obsession. It is power. Or to be more accurate the truth of the world and the Universe.

Though Loki never knows what Azief would do with all of that power.

Raymond and his obsession with maintaining the order of the world. Oreki and Hikigaya also have their own obsessions.

Loki theory was that when one becomes a Sovereign their feelings were amplified hundred folds and even change some of them.

That would explain Katarina obsession with Azief. She was already in love with Azief become she becomes Sovereigns and that feeling only amplified when she became one.

Maybe the way to become a true Sovereign is to cut the obsession away.

Then he sighed

‘That Azul is not some kind of normal Gods or Devils. That is a supreme ancient existence, an overlord that rules unchallenged in the Vast Universe. Why do you think he would set these six trials without a Price? But if you really passed this trial….then your control over Life and Death would probably be complete in the future. Then that time….you probably could…’ and then Loki shakes his head and then he smiles to himself

He is thinking of a new future. Where the people he knew is alive, people he loves are well and happy.

He looks at the six sabers, only one is glowing with power.

‘Blissful State’ as he pointed his finger to one of the saber. He smiles as he notices that Azief did not yet enter that trial.

‘Struggling Realm’ he said as he look at the Heaven Sundering Saber. Azief once said that is the easiest trial and the fastest trial.

‘Mortal Trial’ he said as he looks at the glowing saber where Azief is in right now. Azief said that this trial is the easiest one to reach enlightenment.

There is enough suffering for one to achieve enlightenment, but not too much that one could be consumed by it

As long as one did not waste their time in this trial one could achieve enlightenment by experiencing all the mortal feelings

Loki also felt the irony. The whole trials seem to be designed for people to learn to let go, both regrets and desires.

Then Loki looks at one of the other sabers and he said

‘Lower Forms trial’ It is one of the longest trial Azief mentioned to him in the future

And then he looks at another saber and he smiles.

‘The Desire trial’ and then he look at the last saber and his eyes glint with maliciousness.

‘The Hell trial’ Then he closes his eyes and sigh, his sigh is long and deep, hard and full of emotions.

He then said

‘Azief, if you pass this trial, this detour is nothing. But if you fail, then it will be a waste of time. So, I will help you. After all that is the reason I was sent to the past.’

He chuckles a bit and then he pointed his finger to two sabers.

He then look up at the ceiling of the cave, but his eyes is actually looking at the sky and beyond it, knowing that eternal existence would hear him if he invokes his name

‘Azul, you owe karma from me!’ His voice boomed in the Dark Universe reaching the Vast Universe.

Loki did not use the voice from his vocal chords but using the power of his soul to let his voice travels through the extremity of space to reach the vast universe.

‘Time has gone crazy, heavens and the lower realms were turned upside downs and the Laws of Time were changed. But you live outside of time, and so Karma between us still exists. Pay your Karma to me and let the memory of the past bless my friend!’

There were silence for a while but then the skies of Earth crack and thunder boomed like something is answering the call.

Loki on the other hand coughed a mouthful of blood to the ground. He then look up to the sky, smiling.

‘We are even’ Loki said towards the sky.

The sky boomed with thunder, acknowledging Loki words and somewhere in the Vast Universe, sitting in his gigantic throne with holy light glowing behind it, a gigantic being close his eyes.

The sky on Earth is calm again.

And then Loki smiles and turns once again into a serpent and slither outside the caves as time pass by.

***