As Selena is training in an open space I fly out through Seth’s portal landing with my face first, eating the Realm’s dirt.
“Welcome to the Realm kid” he said with an evil smirk on his face “Meet your nephew, Selena”
I get angry, ready to fight him ignoring Selena’s presence
“Why the heck did you kick me into the portal?”
“It felt like the right thing to do and I must say it felt good”
“You must be Liam, ni—”
“Not now kid” I ruddily caught her off and turned my attention back to Seth “I hurt my nose you old fart”
“I will kick you harder next time till you learn how to open one”
“Hey!” Selena holds me by the shirt collar and draws me close to her “Who are you calling kid?”
“You are annoying. I hate your type” I said looking at her with disgust
“Learn some respect” she slaps me hard on the face
The force of the slap pushes me down, I angrily get up and try to pounce on her but Seth counters holding me
“Calm down smart mouth. You brought this on yourself”
“Let me go dammit” I try to break free but his strength overwhelms me
“You have a foul mouth” he said
Henri who has been watching from a distance and have grown bored of the show decides to step in to stop the madness
“Enough!” he yells and everyone stays quiet… well except me
“Another old retard” I said under my breath
“I have been called worse” he said with a smile on his face as he gently hits me with his staff
"Why is this old fart, nice to me?"
“Do you know where you are, boy?” he ask
“I don’t care. I hate all of you”
"He's as stubborn as his mother"
“Take me home old man” I said looking at Seth
“Make your own portal” he said yawning
“You are home, son. Look around you”
I reluctantly do as he said and I am stunned. I was distracted by Seth and the girl that I forgot to see what the Realm is like.
Since it’s called Shadow Realm I have always thought the Realm will be a dark place with primitive people but it is the prettiest place I have ever been to—I haven’t been to too many places though but still Shadow Realm is a sight to behold. I watch kids playing in a field of roses, some were sitting under a tree meditating I think.
“Come with me Liam” Henri ask and without arguing I followed him.
He takes me to a very tall mountain with a flat base. With a puzzled look, I ask
“What’s so special about this mountain?”
“If you think the Realm is beautiful wait till you see it from this mountain” he said with a proud smile on his face.
“Are we going to climb it?”
“Climb?” he gives me a crazy stare. He forms a thick black platform just out of nothing—the platform looks like it was made out of a shadow. To my amazement, he climbs on it and it lifts him up
He ask me to try making mine. I brought forth my hand but nothing forms. Mom has always taught me, to control shadows I need to become one with it. I got her part down and now the weird old man says the Realm is full of shadow and I don’t need to use mine to do what he did
To achieve this feat I need to visualize taking a part of that shadow around me, rolling it up like a ball and flatten its surface— I made it happen but the density of the platform I made is weak, hella weak. Instead of wasting his time I got on his shadow platform and it slowly got up to the mountain
Our climb to the mountain was amazing, felt like I was floating. Shadow Manipulation is something else. We got to the top of the mountain and it’s flat. I find out there are a few people there and the top has chairs and shelters for people.
"Wow"
“You can see all of the Realm from here” he said leading me close to the edge of the mountain
“Awesome” I subconsciously exclaim
“This is your home, Liam. Welcome home”
I fell in love with the Realm. I could see Seth and the annoying girl. I can also see a place that looks like old ruins. Within the green planes and beautiful scenery in the Realm is a dark Wasteland. The region looks like a barren land, the clouds are thick black, fogs everywhere and gas emitting from the ground to the surface. It has no signs of life.
“Why is that place different from the rest of the Realm?” I ask
“No one knows. We have always called it The Wasteland”
“Why?”
“The Wasteland has breathable air and the gas you see isn’t poisonous”
“Then why is it called The Wasteland ?”
“Did Shayla tell you about the Realm’s protective mechanism against outsiders?”
“No, she didn’t but Seth told me”
“Just like every outsider who comes to the Realm gets their shadow absorbed by our soil so does the Wasteland absorb our shadow”
“So inside the Realm is a place dangerous to all?”
“Yea and now you know why we call it the Wasteland”
“The Realm isn’t all that nice after all” I said
“You will begin your training to learn how to use your ability. Seth has agreed to teach you”
“Okay. Who’s the girl with him?” I said feeling the part she slapped me
“Oh that’s Selena Remmick, she packs a punch doesn’t she?”
“Remmick as in she’s my sister?”
“No. She is Seth’s daughter. Remmick is your family name, you do know that right?”
“Yea mum told me. Do you know who my father is?”
“Yea, you look a lot like him”
“Mum didn’t tell me anything about him. Is he from the Realm?”
“Yes, he is. She didn’t tell you because he abandoned her after she got pregnant with you”
“What’s his name?” I ask clenching my fist
“Steve Nazar. He’s Seth’s best friend and your mother’s lover. She loved him deeply. He’s also responsible for her death”
“Why didn’t Seth avenge his sister?”
“Calm down Liam, vengeance is a dark path to follow. Seth knows better than that”
“It just became my path” I said and jump down the mountain, mid-air I formed a strong shadow platform which took me down—I have always been able to get things done when I’m mad so it’s not a surprise for me to achieve the shadow platform which seemed impossible an hour ago
.......................... ✍🏾
“Father, why didn’t Liam have his shadow absorbed when you brought him here?”
“Because his mother is my Elder Sister”
“You mean Aunt Shayla, mom’s best friend?” she ask surprised
“Yeah”
“How come I never met her?”
“When she came with baby Liam you and your mother were away”
“Mom told me she’s stronger than you and that she’s the nicest person in the world”
“Yea she was”
“I wish I met her”
“I need you to try your best to get along with Liam”
“He seems like trouble, why should I risk my neck for him?”
“Because he is family and family stands by each other no matter what”
“But Papa. ..”
“He has been alone since he was ten. Living in a cave, you can only imagine how hard it has been for him. Please Cupcake”
“I hate it when you call me that” she pouts blushingly
“What? I could remember when you loved it” he said laughing and she joins in laughing with him “So will you try?”
“Of course. I got him”
......................... ✍🏾
“How am I doing, Lucy?”
“Your injuries have fully healed. You are good to move around”
“Awesome. Anything to report?”
“Seth The Kovo has taken your son to the Shadow Realm”
“Just this once I will let this mistake slide—I don’t have a son”
“I’m sorry My Lord”
“So that rat didn’t die with his whore mother and now my best friend has taken in that bastard. Disgraceful Seth but I am not surprised”
“Should I send Shane after him?”
“Seth will destroy Shane. Let them enjoy the moment for now”
....................... ✍🏾
This week will make it a month I have stayed in the Realm. I have been training very hard with the help of Seth supervising my training. I need to get strong if I'm going to kill my father
Seth isn’t taking it easy on me—not that I want him to. I am able to control my shadow and surrounding shadows with ease now but I'm still not able to open a portal—stupid thing
According to Seth I am a genius when it comes to Shadow Manipulation and I could surpass him and mum one day—I don’t know if he meant that but it made me damn happy
I haven’t seen him today. He’s probably sneaking around the women’s hot spring—most of the time I wish one of the women he peeps on will kill him in the most brutal way
“How’s his training going?”
“Surprisingly well. The boy has a knack for Shadow Manipulation”
“Well he is her son”
“Yea but he is still finding it hard to open a portal”
“That should have been the easiest thing for him”
“Yea but for some reason, it is the hardest. He’s so stupid” he said laughing
“A minute ago you called him a genius”
“Yea well Liam is many things” he said staring at the roof
“Why don’t we have Selena teach him for a change?”
“You know they don’t get along”
“Something tells me Liam will listen to her”
“Well you will be the one to tell her, not me and I don’t see Liam obeying her instructions”
As if she knew they were about to see her she comes out of her portal—she had initially gone to stay with her mother in her school
“Just the girl we were talking about. How’s Helen?”
“She’s fine. Mama said she will kill you next time she sees you” she said looking at Seth
“Oh damn” he said sweating
“What did he do?” Henri ask
“He forgot their date night. Oh yea and Mama said she would love to meet Liam”
“About him, there’s something I need you to do for me”
“No” she answers with a straight face
“But I haven’t said what it is”
“Whatever it is as long as it involves him, I want nothing to do with it”
“Come on Selena I need you to teach him how to open portals”
“Didn’t Papa teach him that?” she ask
“I tried my best. The Sage thinks you can pull this off”
“I will not do it, I’m sorry Papa”
“Remember your promise to me”
Fine. What makes you think he could learn it from me since you failed to teach him?"
"I didn't fail. He's having a hard time concentrating. We think you could handle it"
"Alright, but I will kill him if he doesn’t obey me”
“Use every means necessary”
“Okay. Later Papa”
“Where are you going?”
“He’s at the old training arena right?”
“Yea that’s where I left him—”
“I’m going to meet him there” a portal forms under her feet and swallows her
“Any news about Steve?”
“No... I doubt he’s ever coming back here”
“I see”
******
A young boy with blond hair sits on the cliff side of the mountain staring at oblivion when a young boy with messy spiky hair walks over to him with a smile on his face “Yo!” “What?” Steve asked with a frown“With that attitude you are not gonna get any girl to fall for you” Steve ignores him and fixes his eyes at the blue sky“I am Seth Remmick but you can call me Seth” he said extending his hand for a handshake butSteve keeps watching the sky“What’s your name?” Seth ask“If you don’t want to die, I suggest you move”
CHAPTER SIX–> REUNIONA great explosion occurs in the Shadow Realm and Seth goes to see what caused it. Steve sits on a rock playing with pebbles in his hand.“Now that should have woken them” he grinsSeth comes running after he heard the explosion, he stops few meters away from him“Hello old friend?” Steve said with a smirk on his face“S-Steve?” he asks with a shocked look on his face“You look like you just saw a ghost bro”“What are you doing here?”“Come on that’s not how to talk to an old friend. If you won’t say it, I will. It’s good to see you again” He said with a stern look“We both know why you came and it isn’t just to say hi”“True” he nodded looking at the floor then looking up at him again“Might it be you’ve come back to your senses?
CHAPTER SEVEN -> ECLIPSEI am training with Seth’s clone when it disappeared without a head’s up. A gush of wind blows carrying with it a bad feeling just after Seth’s clone disappeared, so I stop my training and quickly get ready to return to the Shadow Realm. Selena is having a mother and daughter moment, drinking tea with her mother while talking about Seth, I and the Realm when her cup of tea crack on the side all of a sudden without coming in contact with anythingShe and her mother recognize the omen. Selena says goodbye to her mother and opens a portal back home. Back at the Realm, Henri has Seth’s ash in a jar. Because Shadow Phantom is a special grade technique used to eliminate a group of people within seconds, it also consumes the user’s lifespan and taking into fact that Seth used this technique to absorb the energy Ex Calibur got from the Realm's Earth, Seth's body turned into as
CHAPTER EIGHT -> OUTSIDE WORLDIn a hot burning desert a portal emerges as I gracefully step out of it. My face is burning red, my brows bent in rage as I find myself in the middle of nowhere—opening portals is still giving me a hard time. I sigh heavily and cover my nose with her scarf, protecting my lungs from the hot suffocating air. Every step I take through the sand feels like I’m dragging all of the Shadow Realm with meI’m dehydrated and my leg muscles will probably give up on me—"I’m not gonna make it” would always run through my head.A tall, long limbed, broad shouldered man that is in his 45’s wearing a charcoal suit, leather riding boots and an intricately knotted red cravat, covered by a full-length and red frock overcoat that is similar to a duster coat with a cape, jumps down from an animal with hunchedback. I shake my head severally to make sure I’m not seeing a stupid mirage
THE FALSE FLOWER From the desert I made my way into a city with very tall buildings—each building looked like they are competing on who’s going to touch the sky first. It is a beautiful city, nevertheless. I arrived in a market crowded with people going about their daily business. You would get nudged here and there without the offender showing any remorse This is a perfect opportunity for a pickpocket to strike without getting caught—I for one as a kid wouldn’t miss this kind of opportunity although I was never good at pickpocketing. I had my valuable tied around my wrist with a rope then drop it deep in my pocket. The rope tied to my wrist should stop anyone from running away I walked a few miles before my stomach started rumbling and I decide to stop at a shop selling apples. Drool dripped from my chin to the floor as I stare hopelessly at the magnificent reddish seductive skin of the apple “Welcome
Sophia takes care of an aged woman who is sick. She checks if her pulse is normal and after she is done, she gives her advice on the foods to eat and things not to do. She bows at Sophia expressing her gratitude before she takes her leave.Sophia heads over to see Sage Henri after she can’t control her frustrations anymore—she has been thinking about me and is overly concerned, qualities I thought she never heard. She encounters him on his way out“Are you going out?”“Yes. The King has summoned me for yet another meeting”“There’s something I need to ask”“It has to wait till I’m back. I will come see you”“It can’t. Let’s do this now” she stands in his way“It's about Liam, isn’t it?” he sighs“Why did you let him go?”“We’ll talk about this when I’m back, child”&
Ken the silver haired Hunter that abducted Madame Abigail’s corpse appears in front of an old ragged building with Madame Abigail in a body bag. He kicks the steel door open effortlessly and throws the corpse in with no respect for the dead body. He casually walks in whistling“Take it easy on her kid. Corpses contain vital information and power” Karl a quick diener cautionsI don’t care about that as long as you pay me” he scoffs “What do you do with all the corpses we get for you?”“What I do with them is none of your concern” he goes over to verify the body“That’s right. Payment already dammit”Karl open the bag and stares at the body looking for damages. His veins pop out in rage when he sees the hole on her body. Angrily he points at the hole and yells at Ken “What did this to her? I told you not to damage her, you runt”“I don’t know. Some
I wake up with a mind-blowing migraine and see Sophia and Henri's fretful stare, they are sitting next to me. I try to force myself up but Sophia holds me down—I think she’s telling me not to force it. I can’t make out what she is saying“Who did this to you, son?” I think I heard Henri say but before I could answer, my body gives out on me and my eyes close shut as I lose consciousness again“We should let him rest. His body hasn’t recovered. Don’t forget he got poisoned. Liam is lucky to be alive”“Dammit!” He bites down on his lips. Sophia gently rubs his shoulder“Go and rest old man. He will be fine”……………………✍🏾“You are cousin to blondie?” Ken ask but Selena igno
Within seconds guards have formed a circle round Selena while Josh is squirming on the floor, clinging onto his hand as blood gush from it. Lucy ties a cloth round his hand to stop his bleeding as she orders for the guards to kill Selena “Let me introduce my partner” she cracks her knuckles “Like everyone in the Shadow Realm have a weapon they fight with. Papa used the Death Scythe bit now it’s with that idiot. The Devil Sceptre was formally used by my mother. It is deadlier than the Death Scythe, be glad you get to witness it” she smiles. A red iron spear slowly emerge from her shadow, she grabs it and hits the end of the spear on the ground, it absorbs the shadows of the guards and they drop dead instantly. “All that is left is you, baldie” ………………………✍🏾 For the first time in my life, I’m standing before m
The sun gently caress the damaged village, waking up the residents to yet another beautiful day of hardship. The great people of Zionkia doing the best they could to rebuild their fallen village by staying optimistic of a change in power. Kevin is already up preparing to set off after he couldn’t find Selena anywhere. She creeps up on him from behind“I thought you had left when I came outside and didn’t see you”“I went for a walk. I see you are set to leave”“Yea. Are you still coming with me?”“Yup. So where are we going?”“I work in a farm owned by one of the Lords. Josh gifted his trusted friends some lands and gave them the title of Lordship” he leads her out of the house and into the street“I see. Your parents, what happened to them?”“When did you became a scholar” he avoids answering her previous question“Not too lon
After leaving the Hunter’s Headquarters, Selena makes her way to a village ridden with poverty. Zionkia was once a beautiful village known for its mining heritage. The town and its kind hearted Emperor prospered with the people beckoning him, until Josh surprisingly gains a tremendous power and overthrow the Emperor and now the people of Zionkia mine nonstop for JoshTheir male children are taken from them to spend the rest of their life mining while the female are turned into slaves and sex dolls. The Emperor with his advisers, do with the girls whatever they desire—bunch of sick fucksSelena walks into the village, she sees various homes destroyed, some without roof, soldiers breaking into some of the buildings and roughly throwing the residents out while looting them of their property. Skinny children are out on the street looking like what a dog threw up. The only emporium that is open was set up by the Emperor and this emporium never sells in small pri
I wake up with a mind-blowing migraine and see Sophia and Henri's fretful stare, they are sitting next to me. I try to force myself up but Sophia holds me down—I think she’s telling me not to force it. I can’t make out what she is saying“Who did this to you, son?” I think I heard Henri say but before I could answer, my body gives out on me and my eyes close shut as I lose consciousness again“We should let him rest. His body hasn’t recovered. Don’t forget he got poisoned. Liam is lucky to be alive”“Dammit!” He bites down on his lips. Sophia gently rubs his shoulder“Go and rest old man. He will be fine”……………………✍🏾“You are cousin to blondie?” Ken ask but Selena igno
Ken the silver haired Hunter that abducted Madame Abigail’s corpse appears in front of an old ragged building with Madame Abigail in a body bag. He kicks the steel door open effortlessly and throws the corpse in with no respect for the dead body. He casually walks in whistling“Take it easy on her kid. Corpses contain vital information and power” Karl a quick diener cautionsI don’t care about that as long as you pay me” he scoffs “What do you do with all the corpses we get for you?”“What I do with them is none of your concern” he goes over to verify the body“That’s right. Payment already dammit”Karl open the bag and stares at the body looking for damages. His veins pop out in rage when he sees the hole on her body. Angrily he points at the hole and yells at Ken “What did this to her? I told you not to damage her, you runt”“I don’t know. Some
Sophia takes care of an aged woman who is sick. She checks if her pulse is normal and after she is done, she gives her advice on the foods to eat and things not to do. She bows at Sophia expressing her gratitude before she takes her leave.Sophia heads over to see Sage Henri after she can’t control her frustrations anymore—she has been thinking about me and is overly concerned, qualities I thought she never heard. She encounters him on his way out“Are you going out?”“Yes. The King has summoned me for yet another meeting”“There’s something I need to ask”“It has to wait till I’m back. I will come see you”“It can’t. Let’s do this now” she stands in his way“It's about Liam, isn’t it?” he sighs“Why did you let him go?”“We’ll talk about this when I’m back, child”&
THE FALSE FLOWER From the desert I made my way into a city with very tall buildings—each building looked like they are competing on who’s going to touch the sky first. It is a beautiful city, nevertheless. I arrived in a market crowded with people going about their daily business. You would get nudged here and there without the offender showing any remorse This is a perfect opportunity for a pickpocket to strike without getting caught—I for one as a kid wouldn’t miss this kind of opportunity although I was never good at pickpocketing. I had my valuable tied around my wrist with a rope then drop it deep in my pocket. The rope tied to my wrist should stop anyone from running away I walked a few miles before my stomach started rumbling and I decide to stop at a shop selling apples. Drool dripped from my chin to the floor as I stare hopelessly at the magnificent reddish seductive skin of the apple “Welcome
CHAPTER EIGHT -> OUTSIDE WORLDIn a hot burning desert a portal emerges as I gracefully step out of it. My face is burning red, my brows bent in rage as I find myself in the middle of nowhere—opening portals is still giving me a hard time. I sigh heavily and cover my nose with her scarf, protecting my lungs from the hot suffocating air. Every step I take through the sand feels like I’m dragging all of the Shadow Realm with meI’m dehydrated and my leg muscles will probably give up on me—"I’m not gonna make it” would always run through my head.A tall, long limbed, broad shouldered man that is in his 45’s wearing a charcoal suit, leather riding boots and an intricately knotted red cravat, covered by a full-length and red frock overcoat that is similar to a duster coat with a cape, jumps down from an animal with hunchedback. I shake my head severally to make sure I’m not seeing a stupid mirage
CHAPTER SEVEN -> ECLIPSEI am training with Seth’s clone when it disappeared without a head’s up. A gush of wind blows carrying with it a bad feeling just after Seth’s clone disappeared, so I stop my training and quickly get ready to return to the Shadow Realm. Selena is having a mother and daughter moment, drinking tea with her mother while talking about Seth, I and the Realm when her cup of tea crack on the side all of a sudden without coming in contact with anythingShe and her mother recognize the omen. Selena says goodbye to her mother and opens a portal back home. Back at the Realm, Henri has Seth’s ash in a jar. Because Shadow Phantom is a special grade technique used to eliminate a group of people within seconds, it also consumes the user’s lifespan and taking into fact that Seth used this technique to absorb the energy Ex Calibur got from the Realm's Earth, Seth's body turned into as