Lord Shadow

‘On the other side of this love triangle you got going, there is Divine Archer. To you, she might be the cute Sofia you could kiss and hold hands with, but to the rest of the world, she is one-woman army, the renowned Divine Archer’

Azief did not interrupt her. And he is no longer sipping his coffee. He just listens to what Sina is trying to say to him

‘She might not shine as bright as you and the other heroes and heroines of the world, but with that bow power behind her back, she could aim at anyone all over the world, no distance could separate her arrow from reaching her targets’

‘To the people of the world, the title of Divine Archer is not just some simple title with no power. She could aim her arrow and wreck chaos in the world’

Azief still did not say anything. Sina look at him and snorted as she continues 

‘And what about Katarina? You show her a new path, a path to perfection and now her red sword could cut everything in front of her. She is the Ice Queen of the Republic, one of the most powerful woman in the world. Now, she is in Disk Formation and she could even cut your Shadows. This is a powerful woman. A dangerous woman.’

‘The dark alleys of Europe do not dare to see even the glimmer of her red sword. And these two are in conflict because of you. They do not have hatred against each other. But, that might not be the case in the future if they keep loving and you keep loving them’

She sighed. And hearing her sigh, Azief sighed too.

‘Sofia might not be that popular inside Pandemonium but she has many influence outside of it. She still has contact in the World Government and her relationship with many of the high ranking members of the World Government would help her. She is a force unto itself. But even her achievement is overshadowed by you. She is unlike Katarina who washed the streets of Moscow with the blood of the sinful. To the people of the world, she is nothing but the woman of Death Monarch. And that kind of reputation has its pros and cons’

‘Some people who want to curry favor with you protect the interest of Sofia outside of Pandemonium. They believe that while they are not worthy to be put in your eyes, their efforts to placate and help your woman, would at least gain them a side glance from you’

Azief thinks deeply at this matter as Sina continued her words 

‘And what do you think Katarina would do and how would she affects the world? You probably know it better than anyone else. If Katarina had really given up on you, she will not do what she did. She never came out of seclusion after you left. Now, she had come out from her icy mountain and once again wield her red sword. It is not hard to guess why she came out’

She went silent for a second and then she sighed. Then she continued again

‘It is because you returned she came out of her seclusion. But just because she came out because of you, didn’t meant that she still has the same feeling of love. Love and hate is sometime hard to distinguish. As easily one could fall in love, it is that easy to turn love into hatred.’

‘It is easier to be hated’ Azief said. His meaning was clear. Katarina probably did not come out because of hate.

Sina could only smiles bitterly

‘If she hated you that would probably be fine. Sooner or later, she would forget you. But what if they keep loving you. Two women of great power loves you. Katarina is the High Chancellor of the Republic, and the most powerful authority in the Republic. And Sofia had a lot of support outside Pandemonium. Even if you did not support her, she could wage a war just by relying on her connection with many forces outside of Pandemonium’

Sina then continued

‘If someone threaten your loved ones, I have no doubt you would give them no way out. Maybe a red thunderbolt would strike them down or a sword from heaven would descend to end them. But what if the person you love is being threatened by the other person that you love. How would you settle it? If you are lecherous, they would give up on you. But you are not. In the whole wide world, I see men with seven wives and women with a palace full of boy toy. Who would be like you three, faithfully loving and trapped in this never-ending pain of uncertainty, doubts and misery.’

Then she stops talking. She was curious of what Azief would say. Azief look at her and she oks at him. 

It is funny. 

That every time they met each other, they would either talk about non important matters or about his relationship with Sofia

But Azief did not hate it. Talking to her sometimes make him think a bit about what he is doing. She never wanted him to hurt those two. 

She only wanted him to make a choice. Because she is the only one that could see and dares forces him to make a choice.

Azief was silent for a few moments. The wind blows again. He closes his eyes for a moment and the image of those two once again fills his mind.

He took a sip and then said

‘That’s love’ he said simply

‘You’re saying love is pain?’ She asks. 

‘I am saying it is hard to describe it by using one word. And even a hundred words might not be enough to describe what love is. Because as far as I can tell, there is hundreds of ways of loving someone and no one really knows how to love perfectly’

‘Why not take them both?’ She asks a probing question. Azief smiles bitterly. 

‘I can’t’

‘Is it because of Sofia? Because you think she would feel betrayed? She loves you. Sooner or later, she would forgive you’

Azief smiles bitterly and a little bit shocked at the question. It almost looks like Sina is speaking words of temptation.