Lord Shadow

There is a small patch of flowers around the entrance. The house look nothing like a house Azief ever lived in. She had her own ideas when she made it.

She only seen it in movies but she wanted it. It is a small house with the white picket fence and four bedrooms.

It is a two story house with a staircase leading to the second floor with an attic. It was like those houses in those American TV drama.

She said she used to watch reruns of some show and she said she wanted to live a life like that because they always seem happy.

It is a childish reason but who in this world did not have some childish dreams in their hearts?

Azief understand. After all, her life is not exactly rainbow and sunshine.

In a way, she is like him. But at least she has her mother to help her. He had no one. He did not feel he is being sentimental. As he stopped before the entrance he smiles.

It is as he thought of these past moment of his life, he felt that he is human. People on his level do not need to eat, do not need to drink. They don’t even need to sleep.

What does it mean to become human in this new world of change?

But just because he doesn’t need to eat doesn’t mean he doesn’t like to eat. Just because he could keep being awake doesn’t mean that he foregoes sleep entirely.

He found there is benefit on doing such human things.

Because when he eats, he remembers what it feels like to be human. When he sleeps, he could dream.

And as he thinks of his past, he remembers who he was.

He is not some kind of God no matter how many people worship him. He was human, mortal and a weak one at that.

Those memories grounded him to the ground. It could be seen as a weakness but it also helps him from being cut off entirely from people.

He slowly opened the door. He wanted to surprise her so he walked slowly and saw her on the kitchen stirring something

Instead of a modern kitchen, the place looks like a witch apothecary with a large pot on the middle of the kitchen with smoke and weird smell filling the entire house.

And she keeps throwing unrecognized stuff that doesn’t even look life food ingredient into the pot.

Azief smiles a bit and he slowly come behind her. He then grabs her waist from behind and spun her around.

She was not shocked at all instead she giggles like a little girl as he spun her around

Then he brings her back down and she look at him with a smile. Then she chuckles looking at Azief face.

Azief was not satisfied because this is surely not the reaction he expected and he frowned a bit

‘Why are you not shocked? I thought to surprise you? Didn’t you think that maybe I am a robber or a kidnapper?’

The woman laughed her waist is still on Azief arm and Azief pouted.

She then shakes her head and said

‘You think someone would dare to rob or kidnaped people in the house where you and me are residing? It is the house of Divine Archer and Death Monarch. Tell me. Who would be such an idiot enough to try to do that? From the moment I heard the door creak I knew it was you’

Yes, the woman that Azief choose four months ago is Sofia.

Many people in the world thought that he would choose Katarina. Even Sina was around sixty percent sure that he would choose Katarina four months ago.

She is younger, stronger and more beautiful.

And Azief love her too.

If he did not love Katarina, he would not do the thing he did.

He would not be putting protection formation around Moscow, and make sure that Pandemonium did not bother the Republic.

Since four months ago, Katarina is in seclusion, refusing to come out unless she could breakthrough.

Younger, stronger and more beautiful.

Even without all that, she is still someone that he loves. But he promised Sofia. And it was promise he knew he could keep. It was a promise he wanted to keep.

It was not about the promise they made under the peach tree.

No…it was a different promise he made her. He promises her before that he would always choose her…no matter how painful it is.

He would always choose her. And he did. Because he wanted to choose her. That promise is not some kind of chain, holding him down.

It was what kept him going during those dark times in the past.

Because pain is the consequence of love, there is no running from it. It is only by facing it together that your love could stand a chance.

She looks at Azief frowning eyebrows and she kissed his eyebrows.

‘Now, stop frowning. I am making us dinner’ Azief peek behind her and saw the things on the pot.

It doesn’t look like food at all.

‘You mean…that?’

‘I might need more help but I think I follow the recipe right this time’ Azief raised his eyebrows and then said

‘This time? That doesn’t exactly fill my heart with confidence.’ She flicked Azief forehead with her finger.

‘Ouch’ he said as he smiles.

‘It would be beneficial for you…and it will be tasty’ Azief look at her and there is some kind of meaning in his gaze. He knows why she is cooking for him.

she did not say what it is about but it is clear it is about his impending departure. While he mostly spends his time in seclusion sometime he did come back to check up on her. And sometimes he would catch her sighing

That heavy sigh…how could he possibly understand? Although he won’t be able to understand the depth of that sigh, he wanted to at least hold her for this little time he has.

They do not talk about it but Sofia knows Azief don’t have a lot of time left.

It could be seen how rushed he was. If he had time it would be him that is attacking many of the headquarters of the crime families instead of assigning it to his Generals.

It is because he wanted to spend time with her.

He only had four days left. And he intends to spend it with her. And she gets the report from Sasha so she already knows that Azief only had a few days with her.

For these past few days she has been remembering what happened four months ago.

After he showed up on the peach tree she remembers how happy she was. She hugged him and kiss him and she knows that this is forever.

And she never felt happier than that day. She still remembers what she said to him that day between the kisses and the tears

She said

‘Don’t you dare regret this in the future’ and he laughed and said

‘I won’t’ and he kisses her back.

***

yeah, he chooses Sofia. And before you fill the comment section with curses expletyive, you should all have seen this coming.

Let see of all the things Azief had said over the years.

Remembr in one chapter where he said he woudl always chooses her even when it hurts? That is one breadcrumb.

I have ben hinting at this choice things since that time. And if eevryone of you forget Loki even mentioned this.

He said that after the Time Crisis, the relatiosnhip betwen the Divine Archer and Death Monarch went bad.

And it is even hinted that they breaskup from that moment. They could not have breakup if they are not together right? At least from taht you coudl get the hint that they were together before the event of Time Crisis.

I knwo many of you wanted him to be with katarina. Everyone wnated hiom to be Katarina. I know. because I wrote katarian and I know people would love her.

But I am not going to change the entire plot thatI have been planning because that is just pandering.

And it doesn’t mean that I don’t listen to my readers. But there are some things I could listen to and change and there are some things I could not. that is because I knew how this end. And I am writing while slowly ticking the box that will lead to the end that I envisioned.

It might not be happy all the time, and it might not have been satisfying all the time but I think the ending will satisfy a lot of people.

And you say you don’t like the drama but if Azief is happy jolly boy with no problem at all, I know what you will say. You will say ‘Damn, that is a boring character”

And if I make him super smooth, super powerful, super no-obstacle-could-bring-me-down type of character that is a Mary Sue and well it might be fun for the few dozen chapter but after a while it get boring when he could everything easily.

Admit it, y’all. You like bitching about the drama but I know there is some part of you that likes that.

And I know some of you thinking ‘Oh, Keikokumars said that they will break up after the Time Crisis. That means Katarina would win!Yeehaw!’

Hate to burst your bubble but maybe I would not go in that direction. Or maybe I am faking all of you and I will go in that direction.

Anyway, about the revelation. You should not have been shocked by it at all. There were so many hints scattered through all the hundred chapters.

That if you read it back you could even guess how this story would end. Though I try not to spread so many breadcrumbs on that revelations.

Anyway, bring on the curses. Just don’t curse me too bad. I have a fragile little heart that cries when reading malicious comments and I am a guy.

Ciao. See you tomorrow and I know this is kind of insensitive to say now that you might be promising yourself to drop my s, but hey, please vote before you leave.

Pretty please. Winky eye emoji. Ok, bye.