Lord Shadow

Chapter 1742: Growing Up ”My back” he thought to himself as he straighten his posture. He laughs and then he goes back to the mud house. He waves his hand and the wooden plow flew back to its place

He sat beneath the thatched roof. The thatched roof provided a cool refuge from the sun increasing heat ”This sun is really hot” but then he shakes his head and chuckles a bit he remembers when this place was first established. The temperature of the sun is even hotter than this. It is not until the Illusionist Archmage and those other bigshots heard the complain that they modify the heat of the sun.

That alone took two years. ”I am quite proud of myself that I built this house with my own tow hands” he mutters as he sat down on the wooden veranda and look at the distance.

This mud house, with its sloping thatched roof, provided a cool refuge from the sunʼs increasing heat.

Its walls, made from a blend of clay, sand, and straw, were thick and sturdy, offering insulation from both the summerʼs scorching heat and the winterʼs biting cold.

Small windows, framed by wooden shutters, dotted the structure, allowing just enough light to filter through while keeping the harsh elements at bay.

He had been in this place for five seasons. He experience winter, summer, spring and fall and each year that passes he learns something

Then a woman voice echoes out ”Come in now” ”Wait a moment. Let me feel the wind breeze first” the woman chuckles and the young man only smiles. ”It seems she also has been familiar with this place” he thought to himself. This young man close his eyes and let the wind blows his hair and le the cold wind refreshes his body that was battered by the sun heat

Then he got up and goes inside the mud house. Even though it is a mud house, the air is cool and still. The either floor is smooth and firm.

The walls, adorned with simple decorations and shelves carved into the mud

A clay stove in one corner promised warmth and the comforting aroma of home-cooked meals.

The young man paused a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow. The woman already noticed the young man and he noticed the sweat ”Was it really necessary to go this far?”

The young man look at the woman, and he simply answered ”I had no choice”

The woman scoffed and spoke ”Like I am going to believe that”

The young man only chuckles. He sat down on the ground and look at the orange juice ”It is quite impressive. Where did you find orange to make juices” the young man paused for a second before he thought of something ”Donʼt tell me you fly out of the barrier and goes to the Outside?” ”No. There is a villages a few ten thousand kilometers from here. There is a nearby city near that village. It has been developing quite well and there is many industries there. I just bought it from there” The young man hearing this nodded. Then he took a sip of the orange juice and the expression of his face is enough to show that he is enjoying it ”Ah” he let out that kind of satisfied noise.

The woman smiles

He looks at his mud house and he seems to be looking at it with pride. And the woman notices it ”Are you that happy that you built this house?”

Then the woman look around and shakes her head ”You used to live in a palace, high above the sky. I donʼt understand why you would look at this place like a treasure when your palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world. Even my place is more...”

Before she could finish her words, the young man shook his head ”Katarina, you donʼt understand”

And he paused for a second before he smiles. Katarina look at his man and shakes her head This pair of couple is none other than Death Monarch Azief and the Ice Queen Katarina

The world would be shocked if they know that Ice Queen that should be in the Republic right now and Death Monarch who was supposed to be in the sky stabilizing the formation of the new world is instead in the Untainted Land.

They would be even more shocked if they see Death Monarch, this overlord of the world, the strongest person in the world, the ruler of Pandemonium, farm and till the field, living in a mud house, far away from civilization, in the middle of nowhere.

They would probably also be shocked seeing the elegant goddess in the hearts of many men, Katarina to be wearing humble clothes.

It is the same for Death Monarch.

Usually, he would wears his black tight-fitting robe with a hint of white but the Death Monarch that is in the mud house is wearing simple farmer attire.

A plaid shirt and a loose pants.

If one do not recognize their faces, one would mistake them for a farmer couple who is living by relying on the land.

Katarina look at Azief and then as she shakes her head, she come close and kiss his cheek.

Azief only smiles and he kisses her back

They broke off the kiss, look at each other eyes and there is a smile on both of their faces and Katarina could not help but chuckles

Azief laugh. ”It isnʼt so bad is it. Living a farmers life” Katarina nodded

Coyly she answer ”Well, maybe not that bad” Azief finish the orange juice and then lie down on the ground.

He looks at the ceiling of the mud house and his mind seems to remembers many things of the past. ”My father used to be a guard. But in his free time, he build houses for the villagers”

Katarina who was about to tease Azief halted what she was about to say and listen. Because she rarely hears Azief talks about himself. Even more so when it is about his family and his past.

Not many people knows Azief past.

The Fall destroyed the old lives of people and it also destroyed their past.

Some people thought of the Fall as a disaster and a catastrophe but for some people, the Fall is actually a new life.

It is for Katarina, Boris and even for Azief.

But there is some memories of the old world that still stuck on their minds. And the stronger they are, the stronger these memories became.,

And for Azief he remembers his father. He might not like his mother, but he at least respected his father.

His father lives in an era very different from him. Was it an excuse? Or was that the reality? Sometimes, Azief himself doesnʼt know. ”I always wanted to learn how to build house. But at the same time, I feel that it would be too hard for me” ”Why?”

And Azief smiles bitterly. ”When you have no hope for the future, when you donʼt really want to live anymore, those things that people care about....is not really something I care about” ”I found no hope. No excitement. No...nothing. A routine life, a worthless life” Katarina did not know what to said at this time. She is not someone who offers encouraging words and coming from her, she herself would not be able to convince herself

The reason is simply because her life is also like Azief in some way.

Though she has hope. But maybe hope is the cruelest thing of it all. ”I have no hope because having hope makes me even more in pain. But losing hope, means you lose everything. Everything is just for the sake of breathing one more second. I was a dead man walking. And the Fall, it changes everything. I have never enjoyed and feel life as vigorously and as lively. The Fall.... changes me. And I want to live. A new world. A new life. A new everything. I have never felt much more alive than when I am dancing the line between death and life”

Azief laugh a bit and even though he wears a farmer attire and he looks like a young famer that laugh coming out from his mouth is full of energy and that spirit of a strong man could not be concealed

It is the laugh of a strong man, of a man with great spirit and confidence. ”Now I achieved great strength, achieved glory and fame, and all I want to do is to farm and live-in peace in the middle of nowhere. When I am weak, I seek fortune, fame and strength. All other ting could be abandoned, but when I am strong, I seek sincerity that I treat like dung before” And Azief laughed.

Even though Azief behavior did not reach this kind of extreme, Azief recognize that there are things that he had done in the past that he regrets.

And regrets fuels a person.

His mindset and view of the world also changes as he got stronger and as he got more experience with stuff. >>