Lord Shadow

After a few hours burying one stiff and mourning in front of the makeshift grave, Sofia has calmed down.

It is useless making a grave Azief would usually say but for some reason he couldn’t say it this time.

She is building a grave for her mother.

Azief began understanding what happens and why Sofia was so unnerved before. Burt he kept his silence.

There is time for saying something and there is time for silence. And Azief knows that this is a time for silence.

He just watches from behind, waiting. Then after she calm down Azief began asking Sofia to prepare herself.

She is level 17 right now.

Then preparing herself, slinging the bow behind her back, arrows ready for her to released, she is ready.

Wiping the tears on her eyes, she steeled herself for the new world. Determined not to be a sheep.

‘So, what is our objective?’ Sofia asked Azief.

Azief looked at Sofia while his eyes darted left and right looking around the bushes. He spotted a few places that were transformed by the System.

He could see there are monsters if they go deeper. But not any large beast. Azief don’t know if that is a blessing or not.

Azief wanted to strengthen himself fast.

A trove of experience and items. But he decided to bolster his rank first.

‘Our objective is the monster at the elementary school.’ He said. He first needs to become….Shadow Lord and enjoy the benefits of a Chosen.

Sofia of course knows that Azief needs to defeat the monster in the elementary school to become a full-fledged Unique Class.

‘Are you using me?’ Sofia eyes narrow.

‘Yes’ Azief said and he said it shamelessly with no change on his facial expression.

‘You!’

‘We use each other, Sofia. We benefited each other. Me and you.’ He said, looking sincerely at Sofia.

Azief is many things and has many flaws in his character but if there is one virtue that enables him to have friends, is that he is steadfast and loyal.

Once he has a good opinion of someone he would surely make friends with such person. Azief is not one that makes friends lightly.

He weights all the pros and cons before choosing a friend. But once he chosen, he will not regret.

Then he said it

‘You and me against the world.’ He said smiling, looking at the sky. Sofia was stunned.

‘Us? Against the world?’

‘Yes, us.’ Azief said

‘The world order has crumbles, the world itself have changed. Look around you Sofia. Peach tree in the middle of nowhere, green grass as far as the eyes could see’ and then Azief pointed to a peak of mountain

‘A mountain that reaches the clouds, monsters and undead roamed the world. This is our opportunity make a name for ourselves.’

‘How?’ Sofia asked. Azief looked back at Sofia, and he seems to be thinking then he said.

‘Become stronger. The World Orb has warned us. Be strong….or perish. If you don’t want to perish be strong. Survive. Grovel if you must. Stay alive! And be strong! That’s it.’

‘But….can we?’ Sofia asked as Azief began walking. Sofia follows from behind.

‘Why not? Of all the people that perish, we survived. Both of us survived all that horrors. Whether by luck or by the machinations of fate or by destiny or by coincidence, we survive’

‘And that….makes you think we are chosen.’ She said snickering. Sofia believes that Azief feel that they were chosen.

A self-form of megalomania, to think that the world revolved around themselves but Azief quickly dispel her thoughts.

‘Hah!’ Azief gives a dry laugh.

‘Chosen? No, we’re not chosen, Sofia. If you think like that, abandon that thought. We were random cause. No reason, no rhyme, but we survive, a product of luck and chance. If anything, we are cursed. But we do have advantage’ he said as he cut the bush in front of him with his blades.

A few snakes slithers on the ground.

Azief stomp it with his feet and blood splashed on the ground.

‘An advantage?’ Sofia said as she released her arrows at one of the snakes.

‘Yes, a head start. Right now, all around the world I guess, there are some people like us. Survived the resurrection of the undead. Fight the roaming beast like I did. Seen terrible things like we have. Experience sorrows and despair. And all of them, countless of people forged by fire, have walk to the new future. Some would cling to the old ways. Surely there are a few people who would try to rebuild the old systems out of the ashes. They will fail. Some people are bad at understanding the changes that is happening right now. But of course they would be also those who are fast in understanding. Some would fall and descend to their most primal and animalistic instinct, killing and doing whatever they like. I’m not surprised if we encounter some kind of crazy man creating a tribe, or a man pronouncing themselves as prophet’

He said, his eyes already anticipating the dark possibilities of the future.

‘If you meet a person like that, there is no need to reason with them, Sofia. Just put an arrow in their head. As there are heroes emerging in chaos times, villains and crazy people also would be born. We have a head start…and we better grab it. Before they realized it’

‘Hmm’ Sofia nodded as she slings back her bow behind her back.

‘It seems you have thought a lot about this.’ She said

Then Azief look at the peach tree behind him, watching the swaying branches of the trees, and release a sigh.

‘Do you have any other thing left here?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Baggage, perhaps?’ He asked. And Sofia understands. Anything she regrets about, other things that needs to be cleaned up.

Sofia understands that Azief and her, they probably won’t be coming here for a few years. Looking at the grave of her mother, closing her eyes, she answers.

‘No’ she said.

‘Good, then we will move.’ Azief lead the way and begins walking. They were both astounded after they leave the peach tree.

All they could see was a huge forest. The place where Azief was confined before has a stream of clear white flowing water.

The sound of the water flowing creates a calming feelings and the fresh clear air helps. The greenery is astonishing.

It was like nature was never tainted before.

There are no longer tar roads, modern transportations or buildings. It was like the world made anew.

On top of them, they could see a clear blue sky with bird flying around. Large trees provide shades from the sun.

‘This is….something’ Sofia said in astonishment as they walked through the forest. Azief nodded in agreement.

They take a rest under the shades, near the creek of water. Then Azief take one of the large bottles in his storage rings, pour out the content of the bottle and then fill it up with the creek water.

The creek water doesn’t seem like it is polluted and it just has been created, so the chance of it being polluted by anything is minuscule.

‘Do you have supplies?’ Azief asked Sofia as he stores the bottle back inside his storage rings.

Sofia nodded.

‘At least the System didn’t take that’ Azief said in relief.

He looks around and he could see that all of the buildings he pass during his journey coming here, all vanished, like it never existed.

He also checks his storage rings and there is still a lot of snacks.

‘Do you recognize the way to the elementary school?’ Sofia asked.

‘Even though the road has disappeared and were surrounded by the forest, I think I can still pinpoint the area.’

‘I’ll follow you then.’ They got up from their resting places and they walked again. Then Azief remember something.

‘Wait a bit’ he said and he halted his movement and he smiles. How could he forget?

‘What?’ Sofia stopped.

‘I remember that the time has ended’

‘What time?’ she asked .Azief smiles in glee.

‘Just wait. I’ll give you a shock’. He remembers something very important. His pet. This is a perfect opportunity to summon his pet.

‘Summon’ he wills it in his mind.

And then a notification appears.

SUMMONING SUCCESSFUL

SLOT FOR SUMMONING BEAST REMAINS: 9

A portal appears behind Azief back and from that portal appears the Strong Fist Badger. The strong fist badger come in front of him and kneels.

Then a notification appears.

The status window of his pet appears in front of him

NAME – GENDER MALE

RACE STRONG BADGER FIST

CLASS ORDINARY

PASSIVE SKILL

BODY FORTIFICATION

DIGGING

ORE MINING

MINERAL MINING

SMELL SENSES

ANIMAL INSTINCT

ACTIVE SKILLS

STRONG PUNCH

SLASHING WIND

IDENTIFYING EYES

SHRIEK OF BADGERS

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTE

NONE SPECIAL SKILLS

NONE

It is not the same like his status window. It only shows Azief skills. And then there is also special skills and special attribute.

But Azief could see that this Badger is one hell of a monster. Ore mining, mineral mining, digging, all these techniques would help if he could become a blacksmith or alchemist.

But for now, he doesn’t need that passive skill of his pet. He quickly names the beast Badge.

He always has been terrible naming things so he couldn’t care less. Looking at the status window of his pet it really is different from his status windows.

It doesn’t have level and such.

There is also a limit to capturing beast. Ten is the limit Azief presumes.

Maybe those who choose Beast Tamer or some class that is related to rearing beast would have a larger slot.

But just because you can tame beast doesn’t mean you will tame one. It is hard because you have to weaken them, and not kill them.

Not to mention there is a limit of 10.

Azief don’t know if his pet is permanent or not. What he means if he has recruited ten beasts would he have no other choice but to keep that beast?

What if he encounters another beast more powerful and has a lot more potential? What then?

If it is permanent summoning, then Azief would lose a chance.

If the beast he captured and tamed can be released when he found a new and more powerful beast, then Azief would not worry that much.

This World Orb system! Send me some tutorial manual at least. Then he realizes something else.

What is that? Ordinary class? Does beast have class? Azief touch the screen written ordinary and then another explanation appear.

YOUR PET IS OF ORDINARY CLASS.

Then appears the list of ranks in my mind.

[Ordinary] [Extraordinary] [Unique] [Legendary] [Apex] [Godly] [Heavenly] [Ultimate] [Otherworldly]

Azief understand then. Class up or evolution right? He mused.

The beast could also evolve. Azief look at Sofia, her hand is at her bow, ready to release her arrow at the beast.

‘Put down the bow. It’s my beast.’ Azief said, chuckling

‘Your beast?’ she asked incredulous, her eyes look at the beast from head to toe.

‘Yes, I have the Beast Tamer skill that is why I could tame this beast.’ Slowly she put the bow back behind her back.

She come closer to the beast and looks at it.

‘What do you intend to do with it?’

‘Level him up. As we walked through this forest surely there will be some stiffs and beast that we will come across. Three is better than two, right?’

Sofia just nodded. Then the beast got up and Azief said.

‘Destroy any snakes or rat you found. If you found any beast that is beyond your capability, retreat.’

Azief of course got all the information on how to order the beast when the notification appears so he quickly orders Badge to work.

Better level him up until he could class up.

The Badgers nodded and began walking in front of them.

‘Sofia you support him’

‘Ok’ she said. Azief and Sofia then keep walking. When the snakes and rats drops vials, they would quickly loot it and stores it.

These vials are important.

Azief did not join in killing the snakes and the rats because he knows it will not help him that much.

In about 15 minutes they encounter a problem.

Azief knows they are on the right track and Sofia knows it to but the scene in front of them make them slack jawed.

The Temerloh Bridge that has long connected the villages and the town….has disappeared and in front of them right now is a cliff.

The wind blows Azief robe as he stand there dumfounded. The bridge disappeared…how can he cross to the city right now?

Under it is the Pahang River, no longer brown colour because of the development project and the sand reclamation but blue as the skies, with large crocodiles could be seen sometime showing their head on the water surface.

Sofia look at Azief dumbfounded expression and ask

‘What now?’

Azief look across the cliff and could see the city….now transformed into a forest. He shakes his head, looks at the sky and said.

‘You never let me off easy, do you World Orb?’ He said, clearly he could not accept this.

His plan was perfect. At least, it was perfect before. Then looking at the hill beside the cliff he said.

‘Then I guess we have to swim across.’ Saying that, he climbed down the right side of the cliff and is sliding down.

Sofia shaking her head, and then follows him from behind. And as she climbed down she is thinking to herself.

What did I sign up for following him?

***