Chapter 51: The Secret Behind The Shadows
Adeath turned to his Shadow form. He is one of the Shadow attuned elementalists who are exiles, but no one knew his true attunement. He used his blood attunement as a cover to give him a chance to live in Gaia. His mission is to eliminate the family of Carlisle or William Smith, who is known to be Thalos. He aims to execute Lara Smith as King Vladimir is having his training together with Ian and James.
Adeath tried to sneak into Lara's room by hiding in the shadow. However, Lara expected his entrance as a shadow.
"I knew it, you were one of the exiles, you traitor?" Lara said as Adeath entered her room.
"I don't want this to happen Ms. Lara, but I can't abandon my mission," Adeath said.
"Do you think you can accomplish your mission and regain the rights of the Shadow attuned beings by killing us?" Lara asked Adeath.
Adeath attacked Lara by using Element Rejection to activate Umbra Lust and Umbra Flare. Lara fainted after Adeath's attack, and he dragged her. He went to the Forbes Wasteland, where there is a secret place exclusive only for Shadow attuned beings.
Lara regained her consciousness and found herself tied up using shadow magic.
"How are you feeling Ms. Lara?" Adeath asked.
"What do you want from us Adeath? We have nothing to do with our ancestors' curse. If only we could reverse it, I will. We are not your enemies here," Lara explained.
"I know Ms. Lara. This hurts me to be honest, but I don't have a choice," Adeath responded.
A Godly-looking Shadow-attuned being approached Lara. He tapped Adeath's shoulder and said, "Great work Adam, you have accomplished your mission. You don't need to kill her and her family."
"Who are you?" Lara asked.
"I am Mercure, the son of Eros and grandson of Jax, who was betrayed by your great-grandfather Zeo. He is the biggest traitor here. I know you are different from your father and grandfathers, that's why I'm reconsidering sparing your family. But for the time being, you'll be staying here with us until our Lord arrives. He will be the one to make the judgment," Mercure introduced himself to Lara.
"I will be taking care of Gaia Ms. Lara. I do not intend to be a traitor. We just wanted justice," Adeath said.
"Is betrayal a form of justice Adam? I now understand why you're very persistent upon getting Vladimir's trust," Lara said.
"This is not about betrayal Ms. Lara. I'm so sorry it had to be this way, but we don't have much of a choice if we expose ourselves to the outside world. I can kill Death if I'm free to use my prime attunement, but I will not survive the curse if Zeo knows about my true attunement. This is why I made a contract with the Blood Almighty, Lilith, to make myself a Blood attuned and to be my second attunement," Adeath explained.
"But why did you use the Blood Contract Magic if you are just pretending to be a Blood attuned? That would kill you, but you still chose to do it," Lara asked Adeath.
"Lilith is my mother," Adeath said.
"I don't believe it!! Lilith's son was long dead when Zeo killed him. Are you saying you're the son of..." Lara yelled in disbelief.
Lara's eyes widened in shock when Adeath showed her the sign of Blood-Shadow compact agreement on his back.
"Khan? Yes, Ms. Lara, I am the son of Zeo's shadow essence, Khan," Adeath responded.
## Continuing the Chapter
Lara's eyes widened in shock as she processed the revelation about Khan's identity. "You're saying that Khan is the shadow essence of Zeo, and you're his son?" she asked, trying to connect the dots.
Adeath nodded. "Yes, Ms. Lara. Khan is the shadow essence of Zeo, who separated himself from Zeo's soul essence when he was consumed by darkness. My mother, Lilith, told me that Khan's goal is to reestablish the balance of all elements in the universe, including the rights of the Shadows and the disciples of Jax."
Mercure added, "Khan's disappearance has left us without a leader, and I'm doing my best to guide our people. But with Adeath's mission accomplished, we may finally have a chance to reunite with Khan and fulfill his vision."
Lara's mind was racing with questions. "But what happened to Jax's best friend, Zeo? And how did Khan become...who he is now?"
Adeath explained, "Zeo was consumed by darkness, and his soul essence was torn apart. Khan, his shadow essence, separated himself and took on a new form. Khan's attributes and personality are now different from Zeo's, but his soul attunement remains tied to the darkness."
The complexity of the story deepened as Lara struggled to understand the relationships between the characters. She realized that the fate of the universe hung in the balance, and the actions of Khan and the Shadow attuned beings would determine the course of history.
As Lara pondered her next move, Mercure's expression turned serious. "We will wait for our Lord's judgment, but I sense that Khan's plans are unfolding. He may be tracking Zeo's essence, which is now connected to Ian Whitlock."
The mention of Ian's name sent a shiver down Lara's spine. She knew that her brother's fate was tied to the conflict between the elements, and she feared for his safety.
Mercure added, "Khan's disappearance has left us without a leader, and I'm doing my best to guide our people. But with Adeath's mission accomplished, we may finally have a chance to reunite with Khan and fulfill his vision."
Lara's mind was racing with questions. "But what happened to Jax's best friend, Zeo? And how did Khan become...who he is now?"
Adeath explained, "Zeo was consumed by darkness, and his soul essence was torn apart. Khan, his shadow essence, separated himself and took on a new form. Khan's attributes and personality are now different from Zeo's, but his soul attunement remains tied to the darkness."
Lara struggled to understand the relationships between the characters. She realized that the fate of the universe hung in the balance, and the actions of Khan and the Shadow attuned beings would determine the course of history.
As Lara pondered her next move, Mercure's expression turned serious. "We will wait for our Lord's judgment, but I sense that Khan's plans are unfolding. He may be tracking Zeo's essence, which is now connected to your son, Ian Whitlock."
The mention of Ian's name sent a wave of concern through Lara. She knew that her son's fate was tied to the conflict between the elements, and she feared for his safety.
"What does this mean for Ian?" Lara asked, her voice laced with worry.
Mercure's expression was grave. "We cannot predict the outcome, but Khan's intentions may put Ian in grave danger. We will need to be cautious and prepared for any eventuality."
Lara's eyes widened as Mercure's words sank in. "Khan's plans are unfolding, and he may be tracking Zeo's essence, which is now connected to my son, Ian." She felt a surge of fear for her son's safety.
Adeath nodded gravely. "Yes, Ms. Lara. Khan's goal is to reestablish balance in the universe, but there's more. Zeo's ultimate aim is to eradicate those who sealed him, including your father, Thalos, and the Baron."
Lara's mind reeled as Adeath continued. "Zeo discovered that Thalos and the Baron were manipulating the elements, unaware that Zeo was pulling the strings from behind the scenes. They sealed him, but now he's seeking revenge."
Mercure's expression turned grim. "Thalos and the Baron have been unaware of Zeo's manipulation. Their disciples, too, have been puppets in Zeo's game. Khan's mission is to stop Zeo and restore balance."
The room fell silent, the weight of the revelation settling in. Lara knew she had to protect her son and father. "We need to warn Thalos and the Baron about Zeo's plans. We can't let them walk into a trap."
Adeath stood up, determination etched on his face. "I'll join you, Ms. Lara. We'll face Zeo together and put an end to this."
As they prepared to face the challenge ahead, Lara realized that the fate of the universe hung precariously in the balance. The battle between light and darkness was far from over, and she was ready to fight for what was rightfully hers.
With a newfound sense of purpose, Lara, Adeath, and Mercure set out to warn Thalos and the Baron, knowing that their actions would determine the course of history. The stage was set for an epic confrontation, one that would decide the fate of the universe.