Lord Shadow

‘Because of you, today the world suffers’ Erika shook her head and instead reply

‘Because of me, the world now has hope’ she said and there is a smile on her face.

Jean could not understand why she said that. But, he did not dismiss what Erika said. 

She must have seen something that made her thought like that. He tries to think of it and then he asks without expecting anything

‘Is…Did…Death Monarch action today have changed something in the future? What did you see in the future? Is it good? Is it bad?’

Erika smiles faltered as her voice suddenly changed. It was like two people are talking at the same time as she asks

‘Is that a question for the future? Did you want me to divine it for you?’ Hearing this Jean suddenly become alert.

Because he also saw something else the moment Erika changes her tone. His face pale for a second.

‘No’ he replied quickly. Erika nodded and then her face become normal again. 

‘That is good’ she said, her voice reverts back to normal.

‘That was close’ Jean thought to himself. 

If he was careless at that time, he was certain that he would form some kind of contract with the Oracle. 

He could see that at that moment where Erika ask him that question, the Time Law around Erika suddenly moves and it was moving toward him, trying to envelop him.

There is a Price to pay when one listens to the prophecy of the Oracle. An oath is sealed the moment one heard their fates and destiny

And that is not something that Jean wanted for himself.

Hence, the question he must ask must not touched that bottom line

‘I thought I would get answers from you’ Jean said

‘I am not surprised. Everyone thought the same thing. They come to me asking question about their future. Some I fulfilled. Some I reject. Not everyone could pay the Price that I would ask of them’

‘You feel no guilt?’ Jean asked. 

This question relates to his question about her telling something to Death Monarch that causes him to go to the future and created this mess

Erika reply was

‘It was necessary’

Jean gritted his teeth and clench his fist as he said

‘Tens of thousands of people die and it was necessary? Is the death of all of those people necessary?’ Erika said with a nonchalant tone

‘You do not see the things I see. As such, you could not understand’ Jean shut up as Erika said those words

‘I could never understand you Seers and Oracles. You sacrifice the present for the future’

Erika sighed and said

‘I don’t want to be like that. But, there is too much at stake’ Sighing again she added

‘Don’t be so quick to judge us, Time Manipulator. Later, when you could also tap onto your Time powers and see Time as it is, maybe you too would make the same kind of decision that I did’ she then paused and added with a creepy smile

‘Maybe, you would be even worse’ Jean only listen but he did not deny Erika words. 

After all, there is nothing that is certain in this world. Erika did not say anything more than necessary. She only gives him a foreshadow of what his future would be like.

After all, one of the vision swimming in her mind is the death of Paulette and Jean reaction to it. There was silence between them for a few moments before Erika ask

‘Is that the only reason you came?’ Jean close his eyes for a second before he said

‘Death Monarch would be coming here later, right?

Erika nodded

‘I want you to give him a message’ He waves his hand and the message enters Erika mind. The moment that message embedded itself into Erika mind, Erika frowned.

‘This is not quite a good message. Why not say to him directly? It would not be hard for you to do that.’

Jean sighed and then he said

‘Maybe he would listen if it comes from you. Or maybe by the time he comes here and pay the Price that he had to pay, he would be more inclined to listen. Or maybe it is already to late. But I still had to remind him. The second part of the message is merely my wish. I don’t want anything bad to happen to it. With his influence, it would be easy for him. I doubt he wanted something bad to happen to something that Katarina wanted to protect’ Erika remains silent.

Jean sighed and then added

‘I don’t have much time now. After this, I would have to retract all my Time Avatars to focus on maintaining the portals to the Seresian world. As such, I would not be able to do anything and communicate my intention to others’

Erika nodded. 

From the beginning until end, Erika did not open her eyes in the slightest. Jean of course notice this, so he asks

‘Are you that afraid of me trying to see what you see?’

‘I fear that you would have a different conclusion than me. And who knows? If you see it, you might not think of it as an advantage. instead, you might think it is a curse. And I wouldn’t wish this even on my enemies. So why should I wish it on you?’

Jean did not know whether to believe Erika words or not.

Oracles could not lie. But that is only when they are talking about their prophecy. Other times, they could lie like any other person.

‘What if I promise you I would not try to see it?’

‘Temptation is always strong. Especially for a person like you who learns the arts of Time. It would be even more tempting to you. Even if logic dictates it would be harmful to you, desires always won over logic’

Jean sighed and nodded. Then he looks at the tree.

Erika did not open her eyes but for some reason she could sense that Jean was looking at the tree.

She smiles. It is not hard for Erika to conclude that Jean also had been able to sense how special the tree is to people who trains in the Time Arts

‘This tree is helpful for you’ Erika suddenly said.

‘Take some of its wood’ she said. Jean did not immediately try to take the wood. Instead, he was hesitating.

‘Is there a Price to pay? He asks.

Laughing she replies

‘No. I have sat under this tree for years. But just because I sat under it, did not mean the tree was mine. Since it could help you, at least you did not come here in vain’ 

Jean nodded and he was about to wave his sleeve and took one of the large branch of the tree when suddenly he stops his movement.

Then he looks back at Erika, his eyes narrowed at that woman and he ask

‘Did you predicted this?’ Erika nodded

‘personality sometimes determines one own fate’ 

This is the best she could tell Jean to ease his heart. 

‘Omens. Signs. Vague words and mysticism’ he said once again and Erika only smiles.

Jean understood what Erika meant and so his heart become calm. 

He waves his hand and one of the branch flew inside his sleeve. The inside of his sleeve appears to be like some kind of a bottomless hole that it could fit anything inside it.

Jean had created his own robe and this robe is embedded with the understanding of Laws of time and Space.

In other words, the sleeve acted like some kind of storage bag that is created using Space Laws. 

So, it would not be surprising for Jean to be able to store even the entire tree if he wanted to 

But Jean already had a premonition that if he tries to take the entire tree, it is not exactly a fortuitous thing for him

Too much luck sometimes invites calamity.

Jean then took a long look at Erika and he said

‘Will you return to the center stage again? And will you return to the Republic? Or will you side with Hirate this time. I know you always have a soft spot for the underdog’ He asks. Erika thought for a moment and then she said

‘I would not hide anymore’ she did not truly answer Jean question but Jean believe that her word mean she would once again appear in the center stage of the world. 

She also did not specify whether she would return to the Republic or the World Government. Maybe, she would even choose the other Great Powers.

Erika is always hard to read.

Still, a familiar face is always welcomed.

Thinking of this, there is a kind and gentle smile on his face and said

‘Godspeed to you. I don’t have many friends now after years had passed. I guess I would not be too lonely roaming the world after this’ 

Erika also smiles. Jean then took a step backward and he seems to merge with the space around him before he disappeared.

Erika then opened her eyes. 

Inside her eyes, there is all kinds of vision. She smacks the tree and one of the fruits from one of its branches falls down beside her. 

She took the fruit which is fiery red in color and have the same shape as a pear and take a bite out of it.

The vision in her eyes slowly slow down and the headache is not as severe as before. The fruit is always useful in calming down some of her episode related to the effect of Time

She then slowly controls the visions before it slowly faded from her mind. 

‘I could not keep going like this’ She touches her right eye and she said

‘I wonder how painful it is to gouge my eye’ She clicked her tongue and simply said

‘A small sacrifice for the future’ then she closes back her eye and waited. Until Azief is here, she would not move away. The formation that she had deactivated before, activated again.

Just like before, she waited. In her eyes, that vision replayed itself

It is her presenting her eye to Azief. She smiles at the thought.

‘Connected forever through time’ se mutters as the formation rises up and the wind blows around the area bringing the wind of change.

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