Lord Shadow

Azief is walking around the villa escorted by Xu Cong

All along the way, he could see an artificial small lake with koi fish inside it. 

There is a fake mountain dotted on some beautiful carved path and each of the courtyard that he passes through all have their own unique charm like the Four Season Gardens in the Centre Palace.

He saw a cage for chickens and rabbits could be seen jumping around all over the courtyard. Xu Cong could see that Death Monarch is looking around his residence.

He is trying to calm himself down. It is not every day Death Monarch would come to his house.

The last time they met was when Death Monarch was trying to breakthrough.

This is the most special residence in all of Pandemonium other than that house with the white picket fence.

This residence is gifted to Xu Cong by Death Monarch. That is why it is special. Because rarely Azief gifted anyone with anything.

Even now those who were bestowed by personal title or gifts in pandemonium are all important person in the administration. 

Those bestowments guaranteed that their position could only be replaced if Death Monarch decided to replace it

And after walking for a while, they arrived at a clearing on one of the courtyards. Azief smiles as he saw someone. That person smiles back at him.

There is a round table made of jade in the center of the clearing. Around the table on the four corners of the table is tree 

each of them have different colored leaves and colorful fruits.

There is green trimmed grass and a patch of flowers that emanated fragrant smell. There is around six chairs around this huge round table.

The chair itself is made from the Ulgnarian tree, a tree famed for boosting mental strength. Six chairs and there is only two people sitting and drinking wine.

Though, they appear to be finished

A woman and a man. Azief notice the woman and nodded towards her.

The woman is the Heaven Flute Lihua and the man is his sworn brother the Golden Speedster Will. 

Will chair seems to be imbued with the properties of lightning that absorbs his speed and his lightning and then converted back into energy that courses back into him. 

Azief could see it in just a glance. After reaching Divine Comprehension, the composition and the flow of energy is clear to him

Then Azief look back at Will. And Will look back at him. In their eyes, there seems to be trust and also questions. Will smirk because he could guess what question Azief would ask him.

And Azief did not smile because the question he is about to ask. There is a lot that could be conveyed in a glance. The closer they became, the les words they use.

Xu Cong on the other hand look at Azief and Will as they look at each other eyes as he began to become uncomfortable. 

Death Monarch reputation of being unpredictable is always in his mind.

When Death Monarch did not speak, it was like all warmth was sucked into that silence and that is not a comforting experience. 

Xu Cong did not enter the court but there are many officials from the court that came to his residence and complain about Death Monarch taciturn and quiet disposition. 

Instead of calming them, the silence of Death Monarch is sometimes very telling. His silence could mean that he was mad or it could mean he was happy. 

The officials of the Pandemonium court dedicated their time trying to discern which silence is good and which silence is bad.

Xu Cong thought to himself

‘Maybe, because I never go to court, I don’t know whether Death Monarch silence right now is good or bad’

As he was trying to master the art that the other officials of Pandemonium had slowly comprehend Will open his mouth and ask Azief.

‘You want to talk to me first or talk to her first? hearing this question from Will, Xu Cong was shocked 

He looks at Wil with an expression that seems to convey his feeling.

What is he doing? Xu Cong thought to himself. Will only smiles bitterly

What does Will mean by his question? Xu Cong thought to himself 

Isn’t the reason why Death Monarch come to his residence tonight is because he wanted to talk to Will?

‘Her?’ 

There is only one woman in this residence and that is his wife. But why would Death Monarch wanted to talk to his wife? 

Azief look at Will and snorted and then he asks

‘Since you know so much, why did you stay?’ he asked back at Will. Will only chuckles and he reply

‘For you’ Azief was shocked at this answer. Because the answer is eerily similar to Loki answer. But then Will added

‘And for me’ Azief laugh hearing his answer. One of them leave him because of him. The other stay behind also because of him. He almost wanted to laugh. Life is always interesting if it’s like this.

Will only smiles and then he said

‘See, you already laugh even before we talk the main point. Like I thought. There is not much humor from where you spend your years trying to breakthrough’

Azief just shakes his head.

‘I need to ask some question’ Azief said

‘I think I have the answers’ Will reply.

Xu Cong and Lihua both didn’t understand what these two sworn brothers are talking about. But they know it is something important since there is some tension between them.

But then Will said

‘It is better to talk to her first. Since Loki is now gone’ Will said as he got up from his seat. Azief was about to stop him and then he halted.

It seems Azief also wanted to ask Lihua some question.

Then Will said

‘I will wait on the garden of this courtyard. Xu Cong had created a garden that is as elegant as your Four Season Gardens. If I am not there I would be in the gallery of this residence. There is a lot of painting that Xu Cong had made that could really compare to the paintings you had in the Centre Palace gallery’

‘To that I say he is lying’ Azief reply. Will only laugh and then he takes a step forward. The moment he takes that step only a flash of lightning could be seen streaking around the residence.

An explosion of lightning arcs filled the area. It seems the lightning arcs did not destroy anything since it did not possess any destructive powers.

Will in a matter of second has disappeared from the round table.

Azief only smiles bitterly as Xu Cong look around him. He felt uncomfortable because this means that his wife is still here

Because it is clear that Death Monarch did not only come for Wil.

But also for his wife. And from what Will had said, it is probably because of Loki. He had been dreading this. 

Loki is a complicated friend to have and the relationship between his wife and Loki is also very complicated

To Xu Cong he always had a complicated emotion regarding the Trickster. Lihua on the other hand never express clearly what she felt about her teacher

Lihua sighed. She thought that maybe Death Monarch would forget about her. Being forgotten by Death Monarch is something very desirable for her. 

Unlike some people who wanted to chase for fame and fortune, she is content with living a peaceful life in such a chaotic era.

Azief look toward Lihua and in his eyes he checks upon her. Checking whether there is any kind of trace of Loki around her.

The Trickster is cunning and a such he needs to take precautions. He had check her before after the event of the Massacre of the Island of Peace but who knows? Maybe in the six years he was gone, Loki had a plan regarding this woman that seems so weak, that he could crush her just by a thought.

Loki had always uses the unseen, the weak and the unnoticed to take down his enemies. 

Having a person like that as an adversary, it is no wonder that Azief researched Loki enough. The lowlier, the more unnoticed, the more it appeals to Loki scheme.

Lihua could see Death Monarch gaze. She only sighed and then looking at his husband who is pale in the face she said.

‘Dear, please leave us. Your Excellency Death Monarch probably need only to know certain things. It would come up sooner or later, so there is no need to worry’

‘This…I..’

Azief then said

‘Do not worry, Xu Cong. I am not here to harm your wife. There is only some question I need answered.’ Tonight Azief wanted answers. A lot of night he wanted the answer.

He had once asked question to the Heavens. But now he wanted to ask the question to the people.

And he wanted it to be answered tonight. Now, it would be easier for him to differentiate truth and lies. So, now is the right time to ask some question.