Lord Shadow

 Azief is thinking about why was this moment? Why does Borgan wanted to show him this moment

And then he understood. Judging from all the interaction he have with Borgan in this space, he could not help but think of something. 

From the beginning, Borgan was trying to show him things about the Ten Rings. And now, there is Ten Etherna. 

There is a forge. There is a crafter who could craft stars and moon. 

Is it….It is not farfetched to think it? 

This is the forge from which the Ten rings are forged. And Phaitos would forge it. As for the ten people….

“She had already given me the clue” he thought to himself. Each time Azief tries to see the face of the ten Etherna that enters the room, he could not remember them

“Cursed?”

“If they are cursed, for what sins would they be cursed?”

And so, the answer comes naturally to Azief. Because on Earth, there is also such stories. And it is always tragic. 

“Ten people, ten rings’ he thought to himself. The moment he connected this, he could not help but sigh and he seem to know why he could not remember the faces of these beings

“Are they cursed?”

Azief ask and Borgan like she understood what Azief was thinking, nodded

“In a way”

For a moment there is silence and then Borgan ask

“What do you see when you see their faces?” Azief sigh

” I could not remember their faces. But I could feel them somehow”

 When Azief look at one of them, he could hear songs. 

The song that he heard when he looked at one of them had no lyrics, yet it resonated with him like a symphony of nature.

No, it was like a song that exist in everyone heart

A song that touches upon the heart, upon the soul 

Each note carried with it a different emotion, like a reflection of the world’s moods.

When his gaze shifted to another Etherna, a sense of peace washed over him.

 It was as if the very act of looking at this particular Etherna had a calming effect on his heart. 

As this Etherna spoke, Azief felt his emotions align with the words, each syllable ringing with a profound truth. 

And if a trace of sadness touched the words spoken, Azief too would feel a heavy sorrow in his heart.

It was as though these Ten Etherna possessed an innate connection with the emotions of the universe, and their very presence could evoke and shape those emotions.

 A world transformed by their presence, where the music of the cosmos danced to the rhythm of their being.

Each of these Ten Etherna seemed to embody a unique domain of power, and their presence affected Azief in distinct ways. 

When he gazed at them, he could sense the resonance of their powers, each evoking a different aspect of their abilities. 

The atmosphere around him would shift, and he felt like he was standing at the threshold of their domains.

As he experienced these sensations, Azief couldn’t help but draw parallels with his own experiences. 

The Ten Rings he possessed on Earth each held a distinctive power and were tied to their respective domains. 

It was through his encounters with the rings that he developed an understanding of these domains.

And now, the realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. 

The Ten Etherna before him were akin to the Ten Rings. 

Their unique abilities and the way they influenced emotions and perceptions were reflections of their domains of power. 

Azief revelation came with a profound sense of understanding, and he voiced it aloud, “They are the rings.”

And Borgan nodded. 

Azief face turns dark and then for a moment there is only silence. And he began understanding what had happened

The realization hit Azief like a heavy wave crashing upon him. 

The Ten Etherna were sacrificed and forged into the Ten Rings. 

He felt a mix of emotions – awe at the magnitude of the sacrifice. It was a revelation that left him almost speechless.

“Life sacrifice?” he asked, seeking confirmation from Borgan.

Her response was a bitter smile, as she replied, “There is nothing more sacred than life.”

Azief knew that he had witnessed countless remarkable and often disturbing things in his lifetime, but this revelation shook him to his core. 

The magnitude of what he had just learned left him in a state of reflection.

Azief contemplative nature led him to consider the broader context in which these sacrifices had been made. 

He understood that these acts were likely committed during desperate times, when those who would become the Ten Rings knew they were facing their own deaths. 

In such a context, it was indeed challenging to determine what was right and wrong.

He let out a sigh, recognizing that morality and ethics were not always clear-cut in the face of dire circumstances. 

“It is quite a tragic story” Azief mutters before sighing. But Borgan only smiles bitterly and she said

“the destruction of a race is always a tragic story”

Azief did not know what to say. Because it might seem like he should sympathize with the Etherna.

But he knew what the Etherna did. Etherna is eradicated by the Supreme One. You might even think that the Supreme One is on the wrong on this.

Why should He destroy His own children?

lightsΝοvel But…the Etherna had killed and destroyed so many races, so many lives. Should they then be spared?

How could that be possible. 

All vengeances have a target and all debts have a creditor, so the seed that the Etherna had sown, they now must reap it

patience and a kind heart has never meant that toleration is to nurture an evildoer. 

Repaying grievances with acts of kindness – how then, do we repay these acts of kindness?

If evil is repaid with kindness, then what you should repaid kindness with?

This is cause and effect. And the Supreme One has given them nay chance to stop. There is the chances that Borgan said that they missed. But Azief believe even before that, there might be other chances that the Supreme One gave them

But they did not appreciate it and they did not see it 

So, Azief could only sigh. 

Borgan could tell what Azief is thinking. Though right now she probably doesn’t care

“And so, there is nothing more precious to gift than the gift of life. And because of that there is a certain sacred and dark magic about using life sacrifice” she paused for a second and then ask

“When you feel them, do you feel like when you were wearing them as ring?” she ask and Azief ponder. For a moment he closes his eyes and tries to recall what he had felt

He sighed and shakes his head

“I feel a little bit different”

“What make it different?” she ask and Azief think back 

“they are better? It gives me the feeling of being embraced…by warmth, good….creation”

Borgan laughed and she nodded

“It is a pity” she mutters before pausing for a while before continuing her words 

“They are all beautiful creature. But no one would remember them. No one would hear their song, no one would hear their words, remember their beautiful appearances and their kindness” she smiles a little , closes her eye’s like she was reminiscing and then she mutters to herself

“One of them like to summon things from other dimension and sometimes he would steal things from the Cave of Turevor”

“Once he travels the universe and see many dark creatures that terrorizes the young and small Etherna so, he constructed a prison for them and he gave them a mark so that they would be pets for him and his nephews. But some Etherna only remember him on his last few years” 

Borgan opens her eyes and she looks at the Etherna that is in the forge and she said with a bitter smile

“He was not always a gloomy one. When he is young, he has that rashness of young. When he is more mature, he could summon life, summon death summons all living beings and all of kind of things could be summon by him. He has connection with the universe, space and time is but a suggestion”

she laughs a little but when Azief hears the laugh, he could not help but sigh.

The laugh felt sad. That is how he feel when he hears her laugh.

“And the other one is close to that one. This one particular Etherna likes to create prison. In your world it is called formation. He created the method of combining certain intangible things to create prison. He started with food. He imprisoned his food so that his brothers could not take it away from him” 

Borgan chuckles a bit and then she continue saying

“For he is a foodie. He likes to eat food” she chuckles again like she is remembering something funny

“A lot of food. I still remember some of his antics” she paused for a second before the smile on her face faltered 

And she chuckles bitterly 

“But when he is older, he became like mad man who scribbles formation on stars, on suns and moons.” 

A pause and then she added

“Maybe, he was the only one that was sane. And it was all of us that is crazy. He did not participate in the war. Because he believes it to be an unjust war. For that he was isolated. He was called a Blood Traitor. But in the end, when it is time to give his life for this race, he did not hesitate” And Borgan sighs at this. 

She paused for a second and it felt like there is a kind of sadness that is radiating out of her. Azief could not understand that kind of sadness but he could try to understand it.

>>