Lord Shadow

At the same time, on the second floor, the computer seems to be taken over. The Frank Sinatra song stopped.

The playlist changed its song. Sound of drums beating appeared. Then guitar bass. Nathan gulped. He recognizes the song

♪ Back in black ♪

♪ I hit the sack ♪

♪ It’s been too long and I’m glad to be back ♪

♪ Yes, I’m let loose ♪

♪From the noose ♪

♪ That’s kept me hanging around ♪

♪ I’ve been looking at the sky ♪

♪ And its getting me high ♪

♪ Forget the hearse cause I’ll never die♪

‘Hi’ the word echoes inside the entire house.

Then a man appeared out of the green mist with a mist. A Caucasian man, 5’10” tall around 150 pound and of medium build.

The hair is black and cut short appearing more like he is bald with shining green eyes. This man come to the tune of Back in Black full of theatrics.

A powerful pressure fills the entire house. Nathan frowned. 

Then he walks to the veranda on the second floor. Each step seems to have some rhythm that affects the flow of energy in the house and the surrounding area.

The mist outside stops advancing toward the house and instead seems to be still. Like a wall that prevents anything from coming and out.

It reaches twelve meters high and the circumference of the green mist is around fifteen meter wide.

Then that man appeared on the ledge of the veranda. He put his hand on the railing and look down at him with a smile

There is a smile on the edge of his face and it look at him like looking at a prey and Nathan knew exactly who this person is. His eyes could not see the status window of this person

That alone had eliminated certain old enemies. But then there is the green mist and the theatrics

‘Trickster’ he said and his face contorted into an expression of worry.

‘Yours truly’ he said with a chuckle. 

And then as he smiles suddenly his existence spirals into a green mist and before Nathan could react, Loki had appeared just a few feet away from him

From the second floor to the first floor in a blink of an eye. Almost like teleportation.

Outside the green mist seems also to spirals and moves. But instead of moving toward the house, it seems to rotate in place. 

Thought it is quite hard to tell since it is consisted of mist and one had to look at it carefully to get a sense of what the mist is doing.

Nathan now could see Loki more clearly. This time he dressed in a way that makes him look intimidating, imposing and elegant all at the same time.

A tailored high-end three –piece suit, a maroon tie, a fedora, a leather shoes that look a lot like an Italian and rose color glasses.

On his wrist is a wristwatch. But the watch had no pointer and it had symbols instead of numbers. 

Loki seems to perfectly captured the fashion before the Fall and complemented it with the mysticism fashion of the new era after the Fall.

He is also wearing a blue windbreaker over his suit. Formal yet casual. Loki like always put the cream on top with his transformation. 

As Nathan is looking at Loki, Loki is also looking at Nathan. Then he smiles and said

‘A rotund middle age man with lush white hair, an African middle age man. Who knew that is just another disguise?’ Loki said while chuckling.

‘I should have guessed. I underestimated the ingenuity of such a man such as yourself. No wonder, you could hide so masterfully all of these years. That is high compliment coming from me’

Chuckling he added

‘I even had to craft a few schemes just to make sure I found the right place. I always had a guess that you were in Pandemonium. But Sasha, is a very tight lipped woman. No wonder, my brother trusted her very much’

Nathan did not seem affected by the words Loki had said. It did not shake him. because it did not matter

What matters was that he had found him. And knowing what he knows now, he is quite sure, his ending would not be good.

Nathan in his own house did not wear his usual disguise.  He is a rotund and he is a middle age man with white hair

But he isn’t an African middle age man. He is Caucasian. When he wears the persona of the famous Broker, his face looks a lot like Morgan Freeman.

He kinda like the actor before it all goes down. When he first appeared in the world, and do the job he had done, disguise is basically step number one.

If Loki could transform to all kinds of disguise, was it so hard for the Broker who have an almost inexhaustible resource of information to find a way to disguise himself? 

He changes the color of his skin, his way of talking, his manner of walking all to complete the charade and created the persona of the Broker.

Today, that persona is broken. Loki came at his sanctuary, one place he felt safe enough to let down his guard.

Loki chuckles looking at Nathan face. 

Clearly, he did not think that Loki would found him. Loki was calm as there is a green mist that is coming out from his three-piece suit.

Unlike the green mist outside, the green mist coming out from him is not as aggressive. It is in low concentration

But it slowly changes the energy inside the house. The green mist coming out of his body slowly becoming colorless and Loki smiles. 

Nathan did not notice this

It would be surprising if he could notice it. Because Loki is only a step away from Divine Comprehension. 

And his method is even more advanced and mysterious 

The perks of coming from the future. 

You are always ten step ahead of everyone else.

‘When was the last time we met? Loki ask and then he answered it by himself. Nathan does not seem to be in the mood to answer his question right now

It is quite understandable

‘Is it Bolivia? Or was it Berlin? I could not quite remember. I believe that you have something to do with what happened in Berlin.’

He clicked his tongue and then said

‘Never saw your face. And I have no proof you were involved in what happened in Berlin. But it had all the trademarks of your method. But, hey, it is story of the past’ Loki said chuckling.

Nathan did not say anything but there is anger in his eyes. What happened in Bolivia still made him angry.

Many of his men were killed by Loki

And then Loki had try to kidnap him but he was sent back by Void. At that time, it was very close for the Broker to kill Loki.

Of course, if he knows there is Seven Loki’s he would not do such a thankless job. 

But the fact was that one of Loki incarnation or avatars of whatever you want to call it, almost die at the hand of the Broker.

One death while it would not change a lot, a change is a change. And Loki had to bring out other Loki’s that have a different role and memories ahead of time. 

If Nathan were to succeed that day, more uncertainties would appear in the somewhat perfect plan that Loki had crafted.

Loki even admired this enemy of his. So, today, as he come to kill him, there is this feeling of melancholy.

Such a talented man…. if not for the fact that it was necessary for him to make sure that he is dead and six feet under, he would rather spare him and let him went free.

But, that’s the thing about freedom. It is very chaotic. Most of the time Loki quite like the chaotic nature of things.

But even in chaos, there is some order. And even in the orderly systems, there is chaos. A bit like of Yin and Yang. 

For now, he requires order. It is still not time for things to go into absolute chaos. Loki sighed as he was about to say something

‘You know, I ad-‘

Then before Loki could say another word, a whooshing sound could be heard and in front of Nathan is Riana

The dust rises up because of her speed.

She did not wear her mask and she look straight at Loki with a pleading gaze. Loki sighed

‘I thought you had returned to Nowhere Land’

‘I turn back’ she said. Loki sigh contained many feelings. He had wanted to meet with Riana and get the location of the Broker from her. She got information from Trisha that she was in Nowhere Land.

He changed his mind halfway. This is not something that she should see or know. Loki had always had multiple plans.

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