Chapter 48 - ONCE UPON A FUTURE (1/2)

The wind rustles the large tree. The night is cold and the howling of wolf could be heard in a faraway distance. Under the tree is a woman.

This woman is 6 feet tall and wearing a very sleek and stunning attire. Her clothes are full of runic design and she emits an aura of power.

She has that femme fatale look. Her purple tunic is not a normal tunic but seems to shine with dark glow in this cold night.

But it was the bow behind her back that would attract any attention on those who look at it.

Shining like the sun and emitted an ancient power, the bow behind her back seems to be a source of light…..and capable of great destruction.

The woman looks at the sky and then she said with a face that show reluctance and hesitation but also a trace of great determination.

Then strengthening her resolve she said to the wind

'I summon thee, Loki. I want to make a deal' Saying this word suddenly from out of nowhere someone appeared behind her back and she could hear the cackle of laughter.

The Trickster has come. She mused.

Turning back she could see a tall, lanky man wearing an attire that has its collar up and a tight leather jeans full with dark glowing ancient writing.

The man itself was not handsome but gaunt and seems to give the feeling of mischievousness and mischief glinted in his eyes.

'Hehehe…We meet again, Sofia, dear.' His voice was shrill and high pitched.

'Or should I call you the Divine Archer now? I think you are satisfied with my deals don't you? Did you get everything you ever wanted?' He asked and he cackles with laughter again as he keeps disappearing and reappearing in front of Sofia.

Sometimes he disappears and arrive at her left, sometimes at her right.

'Why call me again? Hehehe' the Trickster laughed. But one could see that he is happy people is calling him.

'I want to make another deal.' She said resolute

'Another deal? Hehehehe.' And then suddenly the Trickster disappeared and appear in front of Sofia, his face looks scrutinizing at Sofia and then he said with a smirk full of mischief.

'Magic has a price, dear. Especially dark magic. The last time you came to me with a deal, the price was a steep one. Now, with what you have achieved do you still want to make a deal with me? Think carefully, dear. Don't want people saying that I force you to make these deals. Hehehe. Can you pay this price? Hehehe 'The place is only full of his cackle of laughter.

Loki is famous as the Trickster and also one of the Seven Sovereign. He is also known to make deals.

And he always delivers. And he always collects his price.

'Do you want to make a deal or not?' Sofia said.

'Hehehehe. Of course, dear. Of course. Tell me what you want. The Trickster has all that you need. Magic and curses is what I peddle. Don't be scared, come near and come here. Make a deal and your problem will be solved. Wait, that doesn't rhyme. Should I end it with dealt? Hehehehe' he laughs.

'I want someone whereabouts.' She said ignoring the Trickster behavior

'That is simple. Hehehe. Seeking someone is easy and the price of such magic is miniscule. But if you were so desperate to even summon me…..that mean the one you want to seek is someone that you can't seek. Seeking for someone that can't be sought. Now, such price would be steep.' Loki said and he chuckles again.

'Who do you want to seek? Now this is the most important question.' Loki asks, chuckling all the while.

'The Lord of the Underworld. The Prince of Darkness Azief.' Sofia said and there is some hint of regret in her eyes.

'Oooh. Him? Hmmm….he is a sovereign. Offending him….is not something I would like to do.'

'Do we have deal?' Sofia said, her voice was hard.

'Hmmm. Hehehehe. The price will be a steep one.'

'Tell me what you want!' she said

'The Bow' he said and then he chuckles.

'My bow?'

'Well, trying to locate a sovereign and not only a sovereign but Him, is not an easy task even for me, I would have to expend great power to find him.'

'People say you can travels to the realms of the sovereign? Why would this be hard?' Sofia said.

'And that I can. But if there is one realm that I have not travel, it would be his realm. Well, with name like the Underworld, one could see my hesitation of going there. Not I would go if I am extended an invitation. Hehehe'

'Can you do it?' Sofia asked.

Loki looks at the sky and then a smile is formed and then he said.

'I can. Now…' and saying this he flicked his finger and a floating paper appears in front of Sofia.

'Just sign this and we can both go our way.'

Clicking his finger a quill appears on Sofia hand.

'Just sign at the bottom and then we could conclude our business tonight. Well, this is not your first time right, so I trust you to know what to do. Hehehe'

Sofia come closer to the floating paper and Loki smiles is getting wider when suddenly his smile fell when he realizes a disturbance in the energy.

But instead of running away his smile looks more mischievous and is full with disdain.

'Hehehehe' he chuckles. Then he looked at Sofia with eyes that is full with dark thoughts and killing intent billowed out from him, black dark aura roils around him.

He stared at Sofia and it felt like her soul is almost enveloped in the darkest of energy, her soul almost suffocated itself with such malevolent aura.

Chuckling he said, voice laced with anger and indignation but his face was plaster with a smile that resembles madness.

'Ahh, you know, my dear, the only way to stop me is through magic. And all magic has a price. Hahaha'

Saying this he was suddenly trapped by a pillar of light crackling with power and imposing majestic presence.

Loki tries to escape by burrowing through the ground but the soil denied his access. Trying to fly outside the lightning strikes him down.

He laughed and chuckles when he realizes why he could not break this prison..

'Raymond. Oreki. Is that you two? Light magic? Seriously? Hehehehe. Trapping me? ' Then thunder boomed on the sky and then clad in lightning appear one of the Sovereign.

Oreki the Thunder God. From the soil under the tree, the earth cracked and from the hole a man formed from the soil and appear nearby the pillars of light.

Raymond the Earth shaker.

'You're trapping me? Trapping the Trickster? Deceiving me?' he said half crazed with craziness and his eyes was full of hatred.

'You have terrorized all the realms for decades. It is time that you are stopped.' Raymond said righteously. Loki snorted in disdain.

'Is this your work, Raymond? Did you ask the people in the World Government about this? I am after all also a Sovereign, Raymond. Or is this about the first contract she signs with me? I heard that you are to marry her. The Divine Archer and the Earth shaker. HEHEHE. Is that why? Fear I will have my deals? No one breaks a deal with me, Raymond. You should know. You once make a deal with me, remember? HEHEHE'

And the Trickster laughs again.

'Destroy her contract, Trickster.' Raymond insisted and the earth shakes along with his unstable emotions.

In the prison of earth and thunder, Loki smiles naughtily and then he laughed.

'Her firstborn child?' And there was a smile on his face.

'Is this about that?' he said nonchalantly

Sofia face darkens.

'You made a deal. And no one breaks a deal with me. I will get that baby. Imprisoning me will not change that fact. Hahahaha.'

On the outside Oreki frowned in dissatisfaction.

'Raymond. I have told you that this will not be easy. The trickster never breaks a deal.'

'He once has.' Sofia interjected.

Oreki look at Sofia with disdain. After all, he has tries to help not a Sovereign but a normal mortal.

He was a Sovereign and he had to expend this much effort to imprison the Trickster for her and not only that.

He has possibly offended the other Sovereign if they all know about this. To imprison a Sovereign would impact many things in the world.

'Sofia, the one who breaks that deal is the Lord of the Underworld. The Prince of Darkness is mysterious and has his way dealing with dark magic' Oreki said.

Then he turned to Raymond and said what is on his heart

'You made me offend the Trickster, Raymond. I agree to help you imprison him but that's all. My involvement ends here.' He declared

'Wise decision, Thunder God' the voice sounded from the prison.

Saying this word, thunder strikes where Oreki stood and he disappeared in the flash of lightning.

'What should we do?' Sofia asked to Raymond.

Raymond caresses her hair and he said that everything will be fine.

'I have a prison in the middle of the Great Ocean that could contain him until he decided to play ball with us.'

Then the soil around the prison enveloped the prison and then with a wave of Raymond hand, they disappeared from that place.

Then from the shadow, a rip in space is produced as one man clad in black, full with deathly aura appears.

Then looking at the surrounding he smiles bitterly and into the shadow he go again.

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IN AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION ON THE GREAT OCEANS

'Humm.humm.hummm.Humm' the sound of the humming from the jail is freaking out the guard and they do not dare check inside.

Loki sit in his cell and he hummed. He hummed like there is no tomorrow.

The island that he is in right now is heavily protected like a fortress and there is only a few people here.

Other than Sofia, Raymond ,Loki and the guards there is no other living beings here on this island.

Loki is gritting his teeth. It will take some more time to destroy this jail he tough inwardly.

None of his magic seems to work.

He throws another fireball to the jail but the jail seems to absorb anything he could throw.

'That Raymond knew that I'm weak in offensive power. He insults me by doing this.' He complained

He was about to throw another fireball when a voice cold as winter spoke in the darkness of the shadow.

'It would be useless, Trickster.'

'Who's there?' Loki was startled. With that voice alone, the undulation of energy around the cell is disturbed.

Then from the shadow appears a man 7 feet tall, with ten rings on his finger, five on each hand and two different colors of eyes.

His left eyes were blue like the sky and scarred while his right eyes are hazel and normal.

'It has been a long time since we have seen each other, Trickster.' The voice greeted Loki sounding like an old friend but Loki is not pleased seeing the man in front of him.

Its him he mused.

'You!' Loki exclaimed and he could not stoke the anger inside his heart. The only one who have broken a deal and did not pay the price.

'Yes, it's me.' The man in front of him nodded and then he continued.

'That is Eluvian stones. Your magic won't work on them.' Loki looks at the stone and finally realizes but he didn't want to admit it so he talks about other things.

'But yours will. Is that what you want to say?' So, he attacks him with words. Azief smiles.

He did not say anything. Instead he clicked his finger and a throne of bones appears out of nowhere floating in the air, giving off death aura.

Azief slowly walk to the throne and sit on the throne as the throne floated to approach the cell.

'What are you doing here? Gloating?' Loki looking at the thrones of bones approaching him, could feel dread in his heart so he put up a false front.

'Not really.' He said dismissively

'I am offering you your freedom.'

'In exchange for my soul? No.' Loki said. Loki heard all about those who enter the Devil Bargains.

'I heard all about your furies and your Hell Girl.'

'Aren't our practice of business is almost the same?'

'No.' Loki said.

'I offer them a deal that is equivalent to their request. You take their souls. Even now, I don't understand how you did what you did and what happens to those who sold their soul to you. But one thing I do understand. I would not be selling my soul to you.' He said adamantly.

Even if he is tortured, his soul is his soul. It is mine. And he will not give it to anyone else.

'The Trickster…afraid' and there is a trace of ridicule in Azief tone. He is challenging the Trickster

'I am afraid of what I don't understand. Of all the sovereign you are the most mysterious and your realm is the only realm I have never visited.'

Azief snorted

'I heard your bragging earlier.'

'You can enter my realm? No one enters my realms unless I want them to. Not even the famous trickster. You know as I do, that the only reason you have never enter my realms is because you can't. And that puzzles you.'

Loki face hardens and his loathing rises up again.