Lord Shadow

Loki takes a dep breath and the look toward the windows. He could see migratory birds flying in the sky, the calm cloudless sky and the blue sky above it.

It looked calm and serene but inside Loki heart it is full of chaos.

There is never one hundred percent certainty in his mission.

He only has one main objective.

That is to make sure all people play their parts. Whether that part needs to be played differently or the same, it is already have been planned.

He just has to push some of them. His power and his most proficient ability have always been about Karma.

It is by Karma that he is able to use it to calculate the probabilities of something happening or someone behavior and guided it to achieve the result he wanted

Of course he did not yet possess his power like he was at the peak but he made calculations before going back to the past and while certain things did go out of his expectations, it is still not outside the boundary lines of the original timeline.

Certain event will still happen and should happen. It is the only way the people that he knew in the future would emerge.

Heroes of the ages could only be forged in pain and suffering. Only then can they be tempered to become something beautiful and strong.

The only difference is whether it is a little early or a little late.

There are some things he had to let pass and there are some things he needs to prevent and fought to make sure it did not happen.

He is making sure his chess pieces are in his hands and making sure it is properly positioned to start a game against Yewa Hafar.

The biggest game and a game with the highest stake in the whole Universe. Azief on the other hand waited for Loki response.

‘I don’t know’ he finally replied. Azief expression turned hard

‘Loki…you…Don’t you know what they mean to me? What they mean to you. I am your family but so are they’

Loki close his eyes and take a deep breath. He then exhales and then said

‘I know. But it will be a war. And in any wars, people die’ Azief then said like it means something deeper.

‘They are your family. They are OUR family’ And Azief almost shouted out the words.

Loki shakes his head and close his eyes.

Then he opens his eyes back and he look at Azief like he was tired of having this same argument with him.

He is tired. And so is Azief. They are both tired of this. But both of them couldn’t do anything to each other.

Azief could not hurt Loki who he regarded as his own family, as his own little brother.

So how could he hurt him? But it is clear that Loki plans, whatever that is, run contrary to Azief feelings and decision.

Azief had hope. Even for someone like him, he believes in tomorrow. He believes that there is still hope and that one must not restrict oneself with the knowledge of the future

And Loki? Loki couldn’t force Azief to see things as he did. Because Azief did not experience the world he experienced.

That is why they are tired. Both of them trying to persuade each other of following their way when it is clear from the start that they could only walk their own different path.

Loki then shake his head and said

‘And how about the others? They don’t have families? Trillions and trillions of lives out there that have families, lovers just like you do and you want to condemn them into eternal destruction? Does your selfishness knows no bound? Could you not understand that sacrifices have to be made? You know more than anyone that everything has a price. In your quest for power, have you not felt it yourself. You sacrifice many things to be where you are right now. Why do you think saving the Universe would be any different? That it won’t have a Price?’

Loki sighed and then continued

‘If our life has a genre it would be fantasy. Only not the unicorn shooting rainbows from their asses kind of fantasy. It is where people die, and the price is not always what you wanted it to be. The fact that the two people you love happens to be two women who is regarded as the strongest woman in the world is lucky. You don’t have to worry about them getting eaten by monsters or raped by some bandits.’

‘Loki…’

Loki ignored Azief and said

‘But out there, the weak and the helpless, die off in millions. I know you don’t care much about evil people but what about innocent people. How about kids? Mothers that would never be able to see the child in their belly? Or a father who had to bury their sons? And sons and daughters who would never have the chance to see their parents? What about them? Who would protect them and fight for them?’

‘You couldn’t save everyone…true. But that was back then. Now…can you still say that you couldn’t save everyone? Could you ignore the screams and cries of the people? Do you really don’t care about people? Because if you don’t, then I judged you wrongly’

‘If we don’t want to protect them, if we don’t even want to save our fellow men, then are we still human. I’m not asking you to become some kind of savior. I’m just asking you to save someone, anyone. Out of your own will. We are humans. And that reality comes with its con. But there are also pros in becoming human. Humans did not create civilization on the back of one man. People banded together. They protected each other. They fought for each other. And that is how they lived and thrive. Protecting each other and loving each other, feeling all of these emotions makes one humans. Or did you forget that feeling ready?’

But Loki was not done.

‘You are not kind. Fine. I know that. You know that. The whole world knows that. But…. I know you are not a person evil enough to let the Universe die off with you. At least, not the you right now.’

‘I…’

‘I know you will not hesitate to save them. But I know that your justice doesn’t extend only to your family. You just haven’t realized it yet. You just haven’t felt what it means to sacrifice for something. But I am from the future. I may not be able to guarantee other thing happening but I know you will one day learn what it means to sacrifice yourself for someone. And that sacrifice will be even more painful than sacrificing your life. Only that kind of pain could be considered a sacrifice. Sacrificing a life is the easiest thing to do. But the kind of sacrifice you would have to do in the future……now that is hard.

Azief gulped in fear.

‘What kind of sacrifice is more painful than sacrificing one life?’ Azief asked

Loki bitterly smiles and he look up like he was remembering some old memory and he said wistfully

‘Letting go’ Azief heard the answer but he does not understand. And he shouldn’t have to understand.

At least not now. The time hasn’t come so of course he did not understand it yet. But when the moment come, Loki knows Azief would understand it.

It felt like they were talking for a long time but only ten minute have passed in the room. Azief sighed. And Loki sighed.

Azief rub his forehead and Loki coughed on his bed. The energy in his body is chaotic

Azief then look at Loki and he was thinking of saying something.

‘Rest’ Azief finally said as he got up from his seat. He was about to go out but then he stopped. He looked at Loki and then said

‘I wish you would believe in today. I wish you would believe that tomorrow would be a sunny day. I wish you would have believed that we could do this another way’

Loki smiles a bit and then he said

‘I am not yet convinced of what tomorrow would bring’ and then he looks at the sky outside the windows and then he chuckles

‘But I am sure I am living in a brand new world’

‘You only look ahead. But I look further than that. Who knows? Maybe the path that you are walking is better. To slowly move forward and experiencing all those things instead of worrying about the consequences. Even if I enjoy this moment, it won’t last forever’ as he sighed.

Azief wistfully smile and reply

‘There is nothing that will last forever. Maybe, that is why it is beautiful’

Loki chuckles.

Azief then shakes his head and leave Loki with a word

‘Believe in tomorrow. Believe in my tomorrow’

Loki only lean back on the head of his bed and laughs. He looks outside the window and the sky is still cloudless and a gentle wind blows by inside the room.

He no longer felt the coldness of the wind. The sun illuminated light touch the edges of his bed and Loki smiles.

‘Beneath the clouds of despair, I search for the blue clouds through the rift’

And as he said this a raven perched on the windowsill and Loki smiles that devious smile and his eyes if showing that conspiratorial glance and a smirk is on his face

***

The last part of the chapter. next chapter some things are revealed.