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

'Magic has a price.' Loki said like a statement

'I know' Azief nodded.

'No, you don't. You're the only one I have seen to not pay the price of magic. The strongest man in the world. I will not give you my soul no matter the favour so give up now.'

He said as he looks at Azief. Of all the sovereign it is well known that the only one that people referred as the strongest is either Raymond or Azief.

But not many people say his true name.

People always call him Lord of the Underworld or Prince of Darkness.

'You think the World Government will save you? They probably would. But not if they don't know you were apprehended. We are Sovereign. This is not merely a title. We are the one who transcend the limitations of level and broke the constraint of level 99. With one wave of our hand we could destroy a horde of monster whenever we feel like it. Even the Law of The World Government really doesn't apply to us since what use of Law if there is no one to enforce it against us? We are deterrence towards the horde of monster and the other planets that wish to do harm o Earth and at the same time we are a threat to the myriads of political power of the world. The WG as I like to call them tiptoe in front of us because the balance of power has always been in equilibrium. The Seven Sovereign. The World Government. The Free People. And the Revolutionary Army. It is fascinating though, that it takes two Sovereign to apprehend you. Smile a bit, trickster. I'm complimenting you. And I rarely compliments someone.'

Loki smile in glee. Come to think of it, it does take two sovereign to contain him which is the testament of how dangerous he really is.

Thinking about it, he feel a little proud of himself. But then it still didn't change the fact he is imprisoned.

'And about the matter of your soul?' And Azief chuckles.

'Soul as darkest as yours is no value to me. You have no love' and then closing his eyes, Azief said.

'Correction. You no longer have any love. It's tragic what happens to her.'

'You!' Loki knows that Azief the Prince of Darkness has some weird technique. One of them is to look through people past.

Some even said he could see the future.

'Well, you clearly are more interesting than I thought.' Azief said as he opens his eyes again and his eyes look like star, looking at the galaxy and for a moment there is silence between these two Sovereign.

'Then what is your price?' Loki asked.

'Her contract and the location of your staff.' Hearing this Loki face paled. He even wants his staff. Better to kill him right now!

'My staff! It's better to kill me right here right now.' He declared, his eyes looking at Azief with distrust.

He imagines this is the kind of eyes that peoples showed him when making a deal with him.

'5 years. That is all I need. Five years with me and I will release you'.

'I can wait this out.' Loki defiantly said

'Trying to break an Eluvian Stone? It is pointless. You know that better than me. Isn't that how you were imprisoned by the Tiger of Kai? Only Light magic will work on this stone. And we both know that you are not a fan of such magic.'

You did. You escape the Sovereign Prison of the World Government! You can do something with your dark magic. Why can't I?' he said defiantly

Azief chuckles

'Are you sure?' and a trace of smile formed in Azief mouth.

'Are you sure what I use is dark magic? Would you bet your life on it? Raymond will torture you, Loki. He will and he will not do it gently. I know him and I know you. The things you dislike the most is pain. You struggle to live until of course you became what you are.'

Loki snorted but he did not say anything to refuse, deny or accept.

He looks at the calm face of the prince of Darkness. Looking at him, sitting calmly in his floating thrones of bones that emit an unapproachable aura.

'How did you enter here?' He asks.

'My Dominion.' He simply said. Loki knows that each Sovereign has their own dominion. This is why Sovereigns could create their own realms.

For example, Oreki has a realm called the Land of Lightning where thunders boomed every seconds and lightning always showers the land.

But he also knows that no one really knows the type of Dominion that Azief has.

Loki then laughed. Then he sighed. Then he chuckles like a mad man. But then he sighed again.

In the end he has no other choice. He could not break the stone with his magic and he is afraid of pain. Then there is the matter of his other deals.

He uses the Invocation of Deals when making deals with people. And as such it binds him. And like always, magic always has price.

If he could not fulfill his end of the bargain, hundreds of loopholes would not save him from the Price.

'Fine' he finally surrendered.

'You want my staff. And the contract..'

'The first contract' Azief said making sure that Loki will not use any loophole regarding Sofia contract and Loki nodded dismally

'The first contract to be ripped apart. And in exchange you will whisk me away from this dungeon.'

'Indeed.' Azief replied calmly.

Loki clicked his fingers and a paper appeared out of thin air.

'Then sign the deal' Loki said smiling mischievously. Azief look coldly at Loki and the he waved his hand and the contract was burn with a black fire and instantly turns to ashes.

'You will swear it under my name' he said.

'What are you-' Loki was about to protest but Azief said coldly with a menacing aura.

'Swear it.'

Loki was reluctant. But he gives in.

'I swear it under the true name of the Prince of Darkness Azief.' And up in the sky, thunder boomed and black lightning roiled around the clouds like flood dragons ready to be unleashed.

Azief smiles and said.

'And so it will be' saying this word, the sky over the island turns calm again.

Then waving his hand the jail suddenly melted and Loki is a free man. Loki looks depressed. Not only did he not get a deal he even encounter the Prince.

'You will come to me when I summon you' Azief said.

'Bring me the contract and the staff at that time.'

Loki then asked

'You are not afraid I would run off and never come to see you again?' Hearing this Azief only smiles.

'You…invoke my name in an oath. You want to run off? Please do. Curses are not something to be trifled with, trickster.'

Loki looks at Azief with a newfound frustration. He may have the Invocation of Deals but it is clear that Azief comprehended more dark magic then he ever did.

It is said that the true reason why no one said his true name is because when his true name is invoked, he could see from the Underworld what is happening in the life of the people who invoke his name.

He could curse and could bless the people who invoke his name. This is the reason why no one dares speak his name…his true name openly.

'Fine!' Loki said stomping his feet and was about to teleport away when suddenly he asked.

'What is your fascination with the girl? I really don't understand' he said.

'Before you were sovereign, you and her was some kind of rival? You fought on the Mountains of Flowers, alerting the whole world of your famous battle. The wielder of Houyi Bow and the famous Lord Shadow. I was there during that time when you fought her. You won. Yet you didn't kill her. You fought her again the year after that. And you won again. Yet, you spare her life….yet again. Is there some history between you two? Maybe one of your conquests? Like Jean mother?'

Hearing Jean, Azief face flushed and then he said.

'For your information what happen that night was not of my own initiative. His mother seduces me.'

'What about Katarina then? Did she seduce you too?' Azief did not say anything on this matter.

'But Sofia? Who is she to you? Why even help her? She is not stronger than you. Did you know her....before?'

'Why are you so interested?' Azief ask

'People said and many believes that to defeat you, people should learn about your past…which, to many people remain a mystery. Those who can talk about your past are dead. Those that are still alive are too afraid to talk. But what fascinates me more than anything, is because of your insistence, your fascination with the girl.'

'Why?' Azief ask.

'You….know that she is one of the Loyalist of the World Government?'

'So?'

'So, you are not.'

'I am not their enemy' Azief said.

'Ah. But you are not their friends either. You help whichever one that suits you.'

'What's your points, trickster?'

'One day, I will find out about your fascination with her and I will get your weakness.'

Azief smiles

'Oh, that you will.'

Startled by this statement Loki puzzled asked.

'How do you know?'

'I could see the future' he speaks nonchalantly.

Loki face turns even grimmer.

'Hmph. It is wasting my time talking to you.' Saying this he disappears into a puff of smoke.

Azief was about to teleport himself away when he heard the sound of footsteps….no….energy coming towards him.

But he did not run. Instead he waited.

Then in a few seconds a woman appears in front of him.

'It's you. It's truly you.' Her voice was trembling and she looks at Azief like an old friend.

'Where is Ray?' he asked, still standing majestically on his throne of bones which invites fear to anyone who sees it.

'Taking care of things.' She said her voice quiver and tremble. There is this silence between them.

Azief did not say anything.

'You will get married.'

'With the man you deserve.' He added.

'You could have been that man' she said, and there is tears pooling in her eyes. There is regret, there is longing in that eyes.

Azief closes his eyes and he thinks to that moment she has with him and all the mistakes and the things they have endured and experience together and he choked up his word.

'You should have followed me back then. You should have ran after me. Take me back. Take me back to you.'

Azief open his eyes and said.

'You said you needed space. You wanted to think.'

She sighed.

'Not forever.' Then they look at each other, and both of their lips got tongue tied and all the things they couldn't said before, remains unsaid.

Azief then said

'Your problem with the Trickster is resolved' he said.

Azief then claw the air with his hand and a portal was ripped open from the air.

'You're going? Returning to the Underworld?'

'Why would people always say that it was the Underworld?' Azief chuckles a bit. Looking at Sofia he said.

'Don't ever lose that smile. I hope he could protect that smile. Because I can't.'

Saying this words of parting, his thrones of bones enter the portal and before Sofia could say anything else, he disappeared.

Sofia looking at the empty cell and the area where Azief has disappeared to and she said.

'You….could have waited. You could have waited for me…to catch up to you. You could have asked me.'

Then saying this to the wind, she walked away from the cells…preparing for her wedding.

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'Loki! Loki!' then Loki opens his eyes.

'Awake?' he could see a woman with white robe in front of him and he chuckles to himself. Memories.

That is all that is left. Memories of once upon a future.

'Sina? Where is Azief and Sofia?' This is the first question he asked in his delirious state.

'Still reorganizing their skill.'

'Oh, that's good.'

He said and not far away from him, he could hear the sound of talking and as he look at the open sky, he smiles as he wished for a better tomorrow and he hoped that he could change not only his fate but the fates of the people he cared for.

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