Lord Shadow

MEANWHILE ON ENGLAND

Antonius just returned from his trips and went back immediately to the Stonehenge. 

Other people might have difficulties of trying to enter one of the forbidden zone of the world like the Stonehenge but since around six years ago, Erika had created a way for them to enter easily to forbidden zones.

He cancelled all of his other plans and task that was given to him by the Oracle. Because he could feel something is wrong.

The moment that he went out and saw the task he had to complete, he could feel that it is all reeks of the machination of the Oracle. 

He might be dating the Oracle but even he does not understand what her eyes sees.

But while he could not understand her vision, he could understand some of her acts. Every year, there is a time where she would send him out. While Antonius did not know who she met during that time, Antonius is not an idiot.

It was probably Loki. 

Erika sometimes underestimate people like him. He after all someone who went out from that forbidden zone and interact with the world while Erika remains waiting there for someone

While Loki is always at Pandemonium, that does not mean that the one in Pandemonium is the real one.

The Trickster is called the trickster for a reason.

It would be the easiest thing to do to disguise himself. Of course, this is just his speculation since he could not really confirm his suspicion. But he saw a serpent once and a raven once. That is Loki favorite animal familiar.

And every once in a while, she would talk about the trickster. While nothing she talks about him is in a positive note, he could feel that there is a trace of familiarity there.

Like the trickster, the Oracle have many secrets

Today, when he was in Egypt investigating one of the forbidden zone of the world, he saw the cloudless skies and saw the sword that comes down from the Heavens

He then knew why he was send out and that this year would be different. Now, he is certain who the Oracle has been waiting for.

And knowing who she is waiting for he could not help but feel fearful. If the one she is waiting for is Death Monarch, then this matter is very dangerous. Death Monarch is the strongest person in the whole world. That kind of reputation without a doubt made him fearful.

Anything that involves “that person” would surely be something that is earthshaking.

Now, he understands why there is so many preparations that needs to be made. 

This is four-year preparation in the making. He knows Erika must have considered all the possibilities but even then he could not be at ease.

And if that is the reason why she keeps meeting Loki, then he understands that there is a deep plot around this matter.

He did not know what they are discussing and what they are planning about but he had heard that the relationship between Loki and Death Monarch is not as strong as before. 

He is fearful that Loki might drag Erika into the matters of Pandemonium. If this is true, this is not some small matter. 

Trying to meddle with the matters of a Great Power is a taboo for many people.

No matter how vast the influence of the Oracle, could it compare to the influence of Pandemonium. 

The Seven Warlords of Greece had always give respect to the Oracle. 

But if those Seven Warlord were asked to offend Pandemonium for the Oracle, even they would not be brave enough to take up their arms against that sleeping dragon.

Especially now, that the sleeping dragon is awakening.

He immediately tries to return with the Return Formation that he had. But then he found out it was blocked. 

The more it is like that, the more he is convinced that the Oracle is planning something without his knowledge again.

So, he had to contact some of the people of the Crime Alliance to found him a teleport channel and he manage to return to England and now at midnight he finally arrives at the Stonehenge.

The moment he arrived at the vicinity of the Stonehenge, he could hear the sound of a stone hitting on stone. 

The place was being cleaned up. There are new formation glyphs being carved on the four stones on the four corners of the area where they always stay in.

A stack of herbal roots could be seen hanging on some crude cloth lines. She looks at the tree and he did not see her. 

He went to find the source of the sound of hitting and then from afar he could see her.

Today, unlike the other days, she did not sit beneath that tree and look into the future. 

Today, unlike any day, she looks like she is alive, at this moment, at this time. 

And because of that his feeling of uneasiness grew.

People said when you don’t act like usual, something bad is going to happen. While Antonius is never a fan of superstition, this is a world of magic. Impossible thing before, is possible now. There is power in faith and belief in this new world.

It seems that Erika still doesn’t release that he had returned. 

She is beating something inside a pestle and mortar, her forehead is sweating with droplets of sweat keep dripping down around the side of her face.

He sniffs and he could smell the fragrance. It is the smell of the fruits that grew on the tree where she made her divination.

Then she stopped. And she looks at his direction. There was silent between them as they look at each other.

It is not like they don’t have anything to say to each other. 

It was because they were both speechless right now. He did not know what question he should ask because he always been the one left out of the loop.

Many times, he did not care about it since she always have a plan. But this time, the matter is too big. And the question he wanted to ask suddenly disappeared from his mind.

Instead there is only one question appearing inside his mind.

And it is an emotional question that melded with his own frustration. 

And as for Erika, it is because she did not expect Antonius to be here right at this moment

When one sees the future especially for someone like the Oracle, sometimes they forgot to see their own present. 

For an Oracle, they are always confused especially in Time. One could say it is the side effect of their abilities

And Erika have not been paying attention to her own time and her future. 

She is always concerned about the future of Azief, of Loki, of Katarina, of Jean, of Raymond, of Oreki and of Hikigaya. She is always concerned about what these eventual great people will do and try to see it all.

The more she sees about their future, the more she become blind of her own future. She thought that Antonius would not return until a month later. Who would know that he would return now?