124 Chapter 123: The Shagird

Lloyd gritted his teeth, looking at the person in front of him. The person was known as a Shagird- a term that he later on learned was used to denote a group of people following a particular master. There was no other name that the being answered to. It was exactly twenty-three years ago that Lloyd had met him. He had appeared out of thin air, in the same white robe that he was wearing today, disrupting life as he knew it. Although the Shagird looked like an average human child, he was thousands of years old- centuries older than anyone that he had ever met. 

The being's appearance coincided with a series of nightmarish events for Lloyd. Certain powers had manifested in his body, earning him the name of the dragon prince. Memories of a past life returned to him bit by bit, leaving him with an immense yearning for someone that he had never met in this life. Slowly as years passed, he had a clearer picture of her face. As soon as he did, he had set out on a journey to find her, against the advice of the Shagird. After years of searching, he had found her some time ago in some remote part of India, only for her to disappear from the place the very next day. 

He had no choice but to return home disappointed. Finally, a few weeks back, the Shagird had appeared again to tell him that the time was nearing for certain events to unfold and that he would meet the girl soon. But the being had warned him to stay away from her for the time being. When his father had asked him to join the academy as the next Vice Principal, he had gone there hoping that it was where he'd meet her. Only a few days later, the girl had appeared in front of him, filling him with a joy so immense that he had almost forgotten the Shagird's warning. 

He was impatient, knowing that she was so close yet so far. But he had no choice but to wait, although it drove him mad to do so. His heart ached like someone drove a knife through it every time that Elize was with Zack. He hated seeing her with him, but he couldn't do anything about it. The consequences, he knew, were far too dangerous. He couldn't wait for things to start going his way.

"How much more time do they have?" Lloyd asked in irritation. 

He leaned forward, with his cold gaze boring into the Shagird's eyes. The being shivered ever so slightly, scared yet hoping to mask it. 

"My prince, it's quite hard to say." The Shagird replied in a child's voice. 

Lloyd smirked, raising his brow in amusement. 

"I thought your kind knew everything." He said, cocking his head to the side. 

The child-like being laughed awkwardly, scratching his long braided hair. 

The being looked at him with the timid gaze of a child- widening his eyes in innocence, hoping to appear more appealing. But the Kelpie had none of it. He knew that the old thing just wanted to make him comply with his wishes, something which the Shagird never managed to do. Lloyd leaned back on his chair languidly, putting his legs on top of the ottoman in front of him. 

"Tell your master that I will do as I please," he said, gazing towards the ceiling. With a raised brow, he turned towards the being. "Or is it that you and your master now think of yourselves as the rulers of all realms?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at the being. 

"Blasphemy!" The Shagird cried out, outraged at the accusation.

Lloyd smirked. 

"I'm glad you know that," he said with a nod. "Now tell me, how are the situations up there?" he asked, pointing his finger upwards.

A look of immense sorrow covered the Shagird's face as he listened to the question. 

With a sigh, he replied, "It's quite bad. But the people are eagerly waiting for the engagement ceremony of Princess Avin and Prince Radin."

"Good for them," Lloyd said with a sigh. He hesitated quite a bit before asking, "How is Radin?"

The being smiled, baring all his milk teeth. He answered, "He has grown into quite the young man. He misses his brother every day."

Lloyd nodded with a blank look on his face. "And the king and the queen?" He asked, almost like a whisper. 

"Trying their best to hold on." The Shagird replied with a tight smile. 

Lloyd didn't know what to feel about all the information. Although his memories had only appeared in fragments, he knew enough about all those people to feel strangely sad about the distance between them. The Shagird had reluctantly told him about certain things about his own identity that left him further confused. Yet, he knew that whatever the being had told him was the truth- he could guess that much from what little memories he had of a different life. The only person he was sure about in this life and his past was Elize. And everything related to her affected him in one way or the other. 

"Do you have any information on the stones?" He asked, remembering the significance of the magical objects to the events that were to unfold. 

Although he didn't know what exactly those events were, he knew what it would all lead to. At least, he hoped that it would lead to what the Shagird had promised him. 

The being sighed, shaking his head, "The Dam Sehlah has completely disappeared off the earth and-"

Lloyd's eyes widened in shock. He couldn't believe what he just heard. If one of the stones had disappeared, then it would spill disaster on the future as he knew it. His patience would be for nothing, and he'd lose her forever. He stood up hastily, reaching the Shagird in the blink of an eye. He grabbed the being by its robes, lifting it up in anger. 

"What?! How is that possible?" Lloyd asked, shaking the child-like being in anger. 

The Shagird looked at him in fear, patting on his hands desperately to put him down. 

Seeing that it only earned him a more intense glare, the being replied timidly, "The girl already has it. The wheels of time have started to spin, my prince." 

The Kelpie's grip on the Shagird loosened. The child-like being fell down on the floor with a thump. Lloyd's face was construed in a shocked expression. 

"Are you sure? Then that means..." He trailed off, caught in his thoughts.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. 

"Son? Are you in there?" Came a sweet voice from the other side.