The sound of the footstep walking could be heard all across the courtyard, rushing and calm each one reflecting one state of mind.
The courtyard is pretty vast and took up most of the land of the surrounding area with a row of beautiful colorful trees enclosing it.
On the center of the courtyard is a well with square bluestone walls. On the entrance of the courtyard on each four corners is a fountain of water where everyone can take a sip.
The water is clear and gives energy and nourishment to those with low level but considering the list of people allowed here, to find low level people would be rare.
‘The future Sovereign really could not be underestimated. A Castle in the sky. It’s like their Sovereign Abode.’ A young man whispers something to a young girl.
The young girl nodded as she observes her surroundings.
She could see many people talking to each other on every corner of the courtyard, making deals no doubt preparing when the Gathering started.
She could see Phillipe the only prominent personage from the Fire Region talking to the Philippines Queen Maya no doubt planning to submit a request to the Council requesting land.
‘They are smart. World Government and Revolutionary army. With this gathering after we return to Earth, their words will have credibility.’
Without the world realizing it, the people of the world has already view the two organizations as the overseer of this new world.
And the reason is because both organization houses many great and powerful people.
Those who resent these two organization dominance would join other powerful faction like League of Freedom or the Forest Lord Council.
But Lord Lee Sangmin has already decided to disband the Forest Lord Council after he return. And the young girl understands why.
‘Because he too understand that staying as he is, content with having a closed off barrier, he would be left by the times.’
Standing on the distance watching all these back deals being conducted, a young girl smiles malevolently.
She is five feet tall, with lustrous long black hair and gem green eyes, her clothes are an onyx black robe that emits dark aura and frigid cold air.
This explains why not many people dare approach this little girl since the first day of the conference.
Underneath that black robe is red tight attire that is made from human skin, and the young girl could sometimes feel it wriggles and tries to release itself from being bonded with her.
But the black book strapped on her back emits an imperious aura that prevents the skin-like human attire from being released.
The metal chains sometimes would glow bright but nowadays as she is getting stronger, she has become adept at concealing that light.
The mouth is sitting still and the chains do not vibrate.
‘Madam Morgana, should we make alliances too?’ A young and tall Caucasian man whisper to Morgana ears.
With clear brown eyes and a neatly trimmed hazel hair Louise is a handsome young man.
Morgana look towards the people in the distance, looking at them engaging in secret deals in every ways possible.
Standing guard behind the girl was a Caucasian man. The man was young and tall with clear brown eyes and hazel hair.
On his left hip is a yellow wine gourd, looking like a golden gourd.
Morgana look upwards and saw the transparent large dome that shields the people from the harsh winds from the outside.
People could see the clouds and various aerial beast flying on top but not one of these beasts attacked the castle.
This is all because of the arrays that Lee Sangmin has placed on the exterior surface of the castle, repelling monsters.
She then look at Louise and answer him
‘I don’t need alliance from them. I need Loki. If he agrees then that would certainly help’ Louise eyebrows creased.
Then hesitantly he said.
‘But he doesn’t seem receptive to your idea, Madam Morgana. He even seems hostile to you’
‘That is fine.’ She said as she looked at a few person of note. Then she continued her words
‘Loki is not a simple man. How could he compete with all those sovereigns if he were the kind of person who follows what people told him?’
‘Madam Morgana means…’
‘Is what the Divine Archer told him in the future is the truth? Or a plea of a lovesick maiden? We both know that Sofia loves the God of Death. It is that love that doomed the Earthshaker. I don’t know the inside story but I knew enough. In the end she even sends Loki to this era.’ And at this she could not help but sigh.
‘But what did she order him to do? If it was me at her position I would not hesitate sending a kill order. Compared to the trillion of lives in the Universe what importance is there of some trifling emotions like love?’ she ask not to anyone particular and a pained expression flashes for a second on her face.
Louise did not say anything. He saw the change on Morgana face but he thinks it is wise not to ask her about it.
Only once again he remembers why he decided to follow this woman.
Because her determination could not be beaten. That is why he follows her.
‘Both her and the God of Death, they place too much importance in their emotion. People worship the God of Death, erect temples and fought wars because of his name. Each of the Sovereign has their faithful devotees, worshipping them like Gods. But when did the Sovereign acted like Gods?’
Louise was shocked. If this during the time of the Sovereigns rules, she would surely incurs some of the wraths of the Sovereigns.
It is understandable why people worship them. Usually prayers never work. But the Sovereigns could grants prayers and wishes with one click of their finger.
They could be seen.
They could be touched.
And the temptation of their blessing is hard to resist. There are some Sovereigns that rarely grant wishes but all the same the Sovereigns at times save people.
They were Saviors and invincible. Even more so the God of Death Louise mused.
Morgana continued her tirade against the Sovereign.
‘They are capricious, fickle and cruel. This Universe becomes their chessboards while we suffer. The Universe be damned. The God of Death would sacrifice worlds for his love and the Divine Archer would risk the entire Universe because of the slim hope that the God of Death in his final moment would be able to choose. And I could never forgive that.’
Then she sighed her smiles turns into a frown before closing her eyes and calming herself down.
‘This is why it is important for our plan to succeed. This is why it is important to lay out foundation. I was too late. I lack information. But to prevent that damn day, I would do anything. Anything’ and her words tremble.
One could not understand her desperation and exasperation unless they live in that era.
The longer the Prince lives, the more desperate she becomes. The stronger the Prince became her exasperation intensified.
Louise just nodded. He understands. He lost people to. He also sees that scene of the Universe breaking.
He sees worlds wilted and turned into lifeless husk. It was not the death he fears. It was the slow crawl to it.
It was suffocating. It was like being in an eternal tunnel with no light at the end of the tunnel because there is no end.
Only hopeless crawling. They looked at each other and there is some understanding between them.
Louise smiles weakly and Morgana just nodded her head understanding each other. Footsteps comes near them as Louise was instantly on guard before Morgana said
‘At ease. Flies are coming’ she said flashing a vicious smile before quickly changing her expression to an amiable one.
It was then Louise realizes it was Philippe that is coming to them and he relaxes.
Following Phillipe from behind is Queen Maya.
‘What do you think their intention, Madam?’ Louise whispered to Morgana.
‘I have one of the Pieces. They must surely wanted to convince me of some matters’
It is understandable since she is actually one of the few people that have a voice in the World Council.
The people deciding of the matter will be the Prince, Raymond, Katarina, Lee Sangmin and Morgana.
Each one possessing one piece of the World Orb and with it the authority to veto the Resolution that will be presented in the World Council.
At first not everyone agreed to this arrangement.
One of the faction did yelled at Raymond
‘Instead of letting you have the power to decide the fate of the world, it is better to live in this makeshift world. After all the monsters are at a manageable numbers’
Raymond then explains if they keep delaying then more monster horde will form and even more disaster will start to rip this world apart.
The man countered back by saying
‘Then you too need to unite the Pieces whether you like it or not. Whether we follow your words or not, come or not, in the end you still have to unite the Pieces. So why do we have to listen to you?’ That man was brave and Raymond also does not know how to reply but then the Prince appears and spoke
‘Then, if that is your desire, you will become slave in this world. Us four will dominate the west to the east, the south to the north. The Four Pieces also means that the four people holding the Pieces will be able to tap to the will of this World. Which one do you like better? Giving us power at the conference or be dominated by our four faction until this world rips apart. You want to have the power to influence the world? Then, come and steal the Piece I have’
He did not shout. He did not scream. It was calm…and cold. It was impassive and deep and the calmer his words are, the stronger it effects on the people.
Steal from the Prince?
Unless one is sick of life, no one would do such stupid thing.
Thinking of it later, the people protesting decide to swallow their dissatisfaction for a while and come to this conference or gathering of heroes.
Everyone knows this is all a farce. After all when they return back to Earth, the four factions will no longer possess the Pieces.
But does that means it will be easy to topple these four factions after all of them returned to Earth?
The World Government has Raymond, Hirate, White Witch, Arno, Oreki, Hikigaya and Pandikar. These are all powerful men and women that could take on many small powers by their lonesome.
Then how about Revolutionary Army?
They have Boris, Katarina, Jean and Paulette and of course the respected and feared Oracle and her faithful’s.
Lee Sangmin decided to give up his seat and disband the Forest Lord Council.
And Lee Sangmin himself does not make enemies and many people would rather befriend him rather than make him an enemy.
After all Lee Sangmin is more easily approachable comparing the other three. Then how about the Prince faction?
He did say he will no longer associate with Eden but only stupid people would truly believe that.
After all the residents of Eden will follow Wang Jian. Wang Jian is the Prince General and everyone knows the temperament of Wang Jian.
He is loyal. Everyone knows after the Prince return to whatever places he is going this time, Wang Jian will once again pledge his service to him.
Then there is also Sina and Sasha.
Sasha might be crippled by the Prince but no one would underestimate her now that she is under the Prince protection.
Not only is that, the Seven Fairy, Athena, Freya and Loki also in the same camp with the Prince.
When he returns after finishing finding Will, if he wanted to raise waves and storms it would be as easy as flipping his hand with all this powerful subordinates.
The only reason each one manages to found the Pieces and keeping it, was because each of the four people leading these four factions are all powerful people in the first place.
Four pieces. Uniting it will release the Four Divine Beats that is chained to this makeshift world.
And they will return. The World Orb will return to Earth Prime. And with it humanity. However the Piece that Morgana holds is different.
Four Pieces to release the Chained Divine Beast. But one piece to glue back the four pieces. Like Nuwa
‘Greetings, Wicked Witch’ Phillipe joyously greets Morgana. Morgana smiles with her most fake smile.
This title stuck after one faction tries to rob Morgana of her Pieces when she was travelling to reach the Gathering.
Louise also follows her.
Unlike the Prince that could fly she and Louise could not fly.
So they pay the fare and ride a Cloud Ship. A few days ago, one of the Sky Pirates attacks her ship.
They were all Orb Condensing Expert.
Louise uses his wine gourd to inflict dizziness and adverse effect. With one splash of his wine, about a dozen pirates were too dizzy to even walk straight.
But then a second pirates ship launches an attack this time following behind that ship is fifty pirates ship no doubt the orders of the Sky Pirates Cove.
The sight was mind-blowing. Fifty Cloud Ship sailing through the clouds, blotting out the sun from shining below.
At this time Morgana finally shows her claws. She uses the Investitures of the First Race, the book that is strapped on her back.
She opens it with a word.
The black book screams, its screams reach the Dark Universe but could not be heard by the people of Earth.
The screams open the white clouds and the silver metal chains loosen. The mouth on the book cover opens its wide mouth and laughed and the sky turns purplish dark.
Dark miasma spreads and turns those that are touched by the black miasma into ashes. And one ship was sunken to the cold hard ground, burning and burning.
And then the mouth speaks.
It was an unknown language but it sounded ancient. And then the clear sky parted and a portal opened up, creating a gigantic hole in the sky.
The entire world was shocked by this display.
Those that saw these scenes from the ground could see that peering deep into that portal is a mass bodies of gigantic creatures resembling monsters, and then a gigantic face tries to come out of that portal.
The face was as huge as a mountain with crimson red color skin and ten sharp flaming horns lined uniformly on the area of its forehead.
One could not even see its entire body as its face alone almost fill up the entire portal.
Its face fills the heart of everyone who looks at it with dread and anxiety, like seeing something unnatural.
Then Morgana also speak some unknown words before the gigantic face nodded and then blows out something from its mouth.
Coming out from its mouth was a droplet of blood. Then the portal closes itself.
Morgana at that time turns pale and kneel down on the deck of the ship clutching her chest before coughing a lump of black blood hat was so acidic it left a hole drilling through the magic wood used to construct the Cloud Ship.
But she smiles. And that smile brings a chill on every person back that sees that smile. She was a child. Her smile should look innocent.
But it was chilling and creepy. And then they understand why.
That droplet of blood being spitted out by that gigantic monster was as big and large as a four story buildings and then it exploded in midair.
A rain of red showers the fleets of pirates and ships.
For those that do not know of the battle in the ground, all they could remember of that day was they experience blood rain.
Every pirate was drenched in red blood. It was then that all of the pirates screams and wailed as they were suddenly on fire.
But what is terrifying the fire started from inside their bodies. One could even see some of the pirates had leak fire from the hole of their stomachs.
Some coughed their burned liver out of their mouths. Some had their tongue being roasted while they cut off their own tongue.
Some scratches their belly until they dig out their own flesh showing their innards.
Others cut their stomach and pulled out their intestine as they watched fire burns their intestines to dust.
While some of the weaker ones could only screams for a few seconds before being immolated and fall downs to the ship deck and turns to ashes.
What is more incredible that those unrelated people that were being showered by the blood had nothing happens to them.
It means whatever magic that Morgana conjured it only targeted her enemies. That spit was like a biological weapon, a poison of the cruelest kind.
In the end all the Sky Pirate ship was taken over by the captain that brought Morgana to the Castle.
After the battle and its terrifying ending some people began calling her the Wicked Witch.
Since the World Government has the White Witch, then Morgana is dubbed as the opposite of the kind and benevolent White Witch.
Considering her magic, one could agree. It was not exactly merciful.
‘Philippe. Do you have any business with me? ‘Morgana ask looking completely uninterested
‘I wanted to discuss some things with you. If you would spare some time listening to m-‘ Morgana was about to decline his invitation before someone cried out.
‘The Prince has arrived with his people! ‘All heads turns towards the crier before the crier runs towards the battlements of the entrance of this castle with other lords following from behind.
‘I’m going there’ Morgana said to Phillipe before she went to the exit. Philippe smiling bitterly from behind.
He looked at Maya and said
‘It seems she has rejected us.’
‘Then, what do we do?’ she ask, her eyes burning with determination.
‘There is still the League of Freedom’ and their eyes glances towards a tall man on the East corner.
‘The Teleporter Warp?’ He nodded as he walks towards the East corner and was quickly welcomed by Warp.
***
Walking fast she managed to reach the battlements and then she scowl as she look towards the distance.
‘He surely knows how to make an entrance’ Louise remarked.
Standing on a golden flaming chariot decorated with a phoenix design was the Immortal Couple, smiling with each other holding each other arms.
With Nine Flaming Crows flying beside the golden chariot they were truly looks like a Celestial Couple roaming through the Universe.
The chariot itself gives of the feeling of magnificence as the chariot was being pulled by four flying horses which are made of fires.
Behind them is Eight Pegasus flying through the white clouds with General Wang Jian in his full body armor looking intimidating and valiant and the Seven Fairy riding the horses with grace and poises with each faces of the Fairy swoons the hearts of a few young men and fills the minds of those lustful with indecent thoughts.
Leading on the front is General Wang Jian with the Seven Fairy behind him creating an attacking flying formation with a left wing and right wing properly considered.
If this scenery is not imposing enough then on the distance thunders and lightning fills the sky as black mist blanketed the clear white sky.
The chariots and the Pegasus are like a harbinger and Death and Darkness is what they herald.
The Prince was riding something very terrifying. With his understanding of Laws added to it, the effect of his arrival was amplified.
His steed looks like something that came out from horror story.
It is a semi skeletal winged horse which brings a legion of shadows behind it, with dark mist swirling under its hooves.
That legion of shadows resembling wailing ghost and the dark mist swirling the steed hooves was a terrifying sight to behold.
At that time it look like the Prince brings the night as every time that steed of his leap forward the area turns dims and the clear sky and the white clouds was blanketed with eternal darkness.
It was like he was there to cover up the sun and to suck up light and joy.
Morgana look at her left and right and she discovers everyone was awed. Some could not help but looking at the domineering way the Price conducts himself in envy.
They all wanted to be like that. Domineering and unhindered.
Now, The Prince comes to the castle like an Evil God bringing his Legion of Darkness with such majesty and grace, how could they not feel envy and jealous?
But some also look at the approaching Prince with wariness and fear. Being the strongest in the world…..that is not always a good thing.
Laws couldn’t really bind people in this world during this new era of human evolution.
Who likes living under one mercy all the time? Existence like the Prince makes these people feel suffocated.
Morgana nodded. She understands.
It is the same feeling she felt when she was living in her era. The era of Sovereigns.
‘To be honest, I didn’t hate you that much. Out of the Seven you were the most just’ she muttered as she looked at the approaching entourage of the Prince.
As they come closer, horns was sounded and then the castle gate was opened as many representatives from the World Government comes out to welcome the Prince.
When he chariot landed the Immortal Couple cupped their hands and greeted Major Arno and White Witch Giselle.
People began talking to each other while the Merchant Associations began sending messages.
Every moves of the Prince faction will be paid attention.
Then Wang Jian and the Seven Fairy reaches down to the footpath and some of those that knew of the General and the Seven Fairy waves their hand and they kindly responded.
Their Pegasus was immediately being hand off the caretaker as he greeted the other members of the greeting team with even Hirate greeting him and the Seven Fairy.
And then the Prince arrives a few seconds later with thunder and lightning as his entrance music and the darkness of black fog as his stage effects.
The moment his steed landed on the castle footpath, the castle tilted as an Imperious Will bears down on the entire castle and it was like the Heavens is pushing them down forcing them to kneel as everyone almost fall down.
Morgana gritted her teeth as she tries to resist the Suppression of levels but she failed and she was forced to kneel.
Louise behind her was also kneeling in unwillingness and hundreds of the people lining up he battlements could be seen kneeling.
The people on the footpath, Hirate, Arno, Giselle was balling their fist and sweating trying to force themselves to stay upright with a smile on their faces.
The Prince looks at them on top of his horse with a bored expression.
‘Lord Shadow, please lift your pressure. The people weaker than you would not be able to stand it’ Hirate said, droplets of sweat slowly trickling from his forehead to the ground, talking with gritted teeth
The Prince looks at Hirate for a moment and he scans the crowds with his glance before suddenly the Imperious Will and the Suppression slowly dissipates.
‘I forgot’ he replies but looking at his behavior it was not like he forgot. But even if he lies who would dare call him on it?
Morgana knows the M.O of the Prince.
What he did just now was to remind the people here who are in charge and…also serves as a warning to those people scheming against him in the dark.
The barriers and arrays was automatically activated as it glows and brightened as its maneuver itself upright again after the pressure from the Prince energy was lifted off.
Morgana could see a slight smirk on the Prince face and she could not help but muttered.
‘Dramatic as always.’
And like she was heard The Prince looked towards her direction and she could feel his stares were full of killing intent as she almost collapsed.
Louise quickly grabbed her from falling and makes her stand up again. It was a one second glance and in that one second Morgana could feel how powerless she feels.
It was like if the Prince wanted to he could have destroyed her Orbs by just thinking it. It was like she was in front of the God of Death once again.
Feeling powerless.
Morgana look back down and the Prince no longer look at her direction. She balled her fist. And she gritted her teeth in anger.
Looking at the Prince back she muttered
‘I will be the one that defeats you…Father’
***
Boom! How’s that for a shocking revelation! But how could Azief becomes Morgana father since she exists right now? You might ask.
She did not travel from the future instead she inhabits the body she has now. But then how could she become Lord Shadow daughter.
Remember the day Azief met Loki. That day everything changes. I have always written about Azief alternate future in bits and pieces.
You must have seen that this Azief and that Azief leads a completely different life and met different people. Ok, enough hints, hope you leave a lots of comments and donate if you can to help me.
And my Age of Heroes will be published in Dec. Hope you support it by buying it. It is slightly different and this time I have hired a PR so no more mistakes.
That’s it and like always thank you for reading.
***