PROLOGUE

"KILL her!"

"Murderer!"

The twelve year old Saiya closed her eyes as the light of the sun burned in her eyes after her blindfold was removed. It was the first time in the whole month she was imprisoned that the light touched her and it warmed her.

And yet, it didn't last long because the coldness of her loneliness defeated that warmth as cursing words keeps on being thrown at her. 

When she was pushed down on the ground by the priest that serves the kingdom, all she could hear are the angry voices of the people around her and their hatred towards her that cuts deep in her soul.

But what hurts her the most is the truth behind those words and her hatred towards herself because all the charges placed on her head are true.

"Oh! People of the Great Horalian Kingdom! I am here in front of you to pass judgment on this murderous child in place of our King. Aside from hiding the truth about her being a necromancer, she also killed her parents and several good soldiers upon her imprisonment. Thus, she will be charged with Death Penalty." announced the priest before he turned and looked down on her.

All she could do is stay bowing on the ground and cried her heart out. Because no matter what, she doesn't want to die. She's afraid to die.

The shouting grew louder and louder when she was lifted and laid down on the Guillotine. When she heard it being locked for her not to escape, panic started kicking on her emotions. She couldn't stop herself from crying, no matter how much she tries to hold it. She's just a twelve-year-old girl; who's supposed to be having the days of her life. And yet, she's there under the Guillotine.

She wanted to shout for her life but hesitated when she saw her parents staring at her from the crowd.

No, it was not her parents; it was the spirits of her parents.

"Mom! Dad!" she called and that stopped the crowd from shouting. The priest even looked at her puzzled.

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me!" She pleaded while crying, "Please forgive me!"

"No one forgives a killer!"

"You should pay for your sins!"

"Monster!"

"Death to all Necromancers!"

The crowd thought that she was pleading with them but they are all wrong. What she wanted was her parents' forgiveness. But the spirits just stared at her.

"That monster is insane! Kill her!" a man shouted and threw a rock on Saiya. 

It almost hit her head but it suddenly stops and fell just right in front of Saiya's face. The guy saw it and it shocked him because the next thing he saw is a black thing staring at him right where the rock fell. He looked at everyone around him but they did not notice what happened because they kept shouting cursing words at the child.

And yet, Saiya didn't even notice the rock and the mysterious black thing that stopped the rock because her eyes are fixed on her parents; who are at that time started approaching her.

Sobbing, she silently waited for them to get near her as tears fall from her eyes and that caught everybody's attention. Because the way she looks is not like she was just staring in space. It seems that she is staring at something that no one can see.

Out of fear from her actions, the priest suddenly remembered the other reason why the royal bloodline, Maelies, wanted to kill Saiya; it was because she was the prophesied child who will doom the world because of her power. And the mark on her nape is the proof; a Scythe inside a crooked circle.

"Cut the rope!" He shouted to the guard who is in charge to release the blade.

The guard did not hear him because his attention is on the black thing that is lurking in the shadows of the Guillotine. It has eyes staring at him. He trembled with cold sweat when his eyes met the strange thing's eyes. He felt a strong fear because he can sense a massive bloodlust on the shadow.

"Lord of Shadows. Conqueror of the Dead. And you dare try to kill her?"

The guard stepped back when the shadow started to move and took the form of a person dressed in armor. It doesn't have a face and is all black except for its dark red eyes, like a devil. And the guard is sure that the deep voice came from the shadow who is currently approaching him.

"You dare lay your hands on my liege, you peasant." The shadow whispered as soon as his head is on the same level as the guard and that caused the man to fall on his butt out of fear.

"What are you doing?!" Angrily, the priest moved towards the guard who did not do what he instructed instead became weird all of a sudden.

He and everyone could not see the shadow but as soon as he is three meters away from it, it revealed itself to him. That made him stop on his way.

"My lord. Help me." The guard pleaded in tears. 

That's the only time the priest noticed that the guard was already pierced in the stomach by the Shadow's Scythe and coughing blood.

"Ahhhh!" One woman shouted and that made the priest turn to the crowd; the woman was looking at them. Her eyes are filled with terror.

At the same time, Saiya's mother already reached her. She kneeled in front of her and cupped her face with cold hands, "Saiya, do not fear my love. I will always be with you."

"Please forgive me, Mom. I didn't mean to do that to you and Dad. I just wanted to protect you." She exclaimed in grief and sorrow. 

Tears keep falling on Saiya's cheeks. When her mother's spirit smiled and kissed her on the forehead, she suddenly stopped crying. She felt a sudden wave of peace in her heart and her mind suddenly went blank. Saiya fell unconscious with her eyes open.

"I know, child. I know." Her mother whispered before she faded away.

As the spirit of Saiya's mother goes, her father's spirit stayed standing in front of her. His face is full of rage while staring at the Guillotine hanging just above her daughter's neck. 

"You don't deserve this, Saiya. I failed to protect you as I should have." he whispered with regret as his spirit started to turn black when he touched his daughter's face, "I will free you as you wish and will be your sword and shield. I will protect you from now on and pledge my afterlife to you." he added and soon after, his spirit turned completely black with a red lining.

The spirit, which looks like a shadow, started to take the form of a knight with midnight black armor with a red symbol on the chest part, the same as the mark on Saiya's nape. Like the other shadow that attacked the guard, his face was gone but his eyes turned light blue completely. From his side, a long sword emerged.

SAIYA, still unconscious on the outside, found herself in a dark castle with un-lit chandeliers hanging on the high ceiling. The walls are lit by candles and on every corner and foundation, a Knight Statue can be found; standing tall while holding a sword on the front.

Confused and disheveled, she turned around only to see a huge person sitting on the throne with his eyes closed. The man is wearing a dark tunic with deep purple lining paired with dark trousers and black knee-length boots; not a typical clothing from the Horalian Kingdom. She also noticed the wolf-skin hanging on his shoulders and the sword that he holds on the right hand while his left hand is folded towards his face where his chin rests.

That's the only time she gets to see his square, almost chiseled-like, face. It was marred with deep cuts; two on the side of his left temple, one on his right cheeks down to his chin passing to his lips, and a big cut from his left ear down to his neck.

Saiya shivered in fear when the man opened his eyes and as soon as he looks at her, she felt so little that it made her kneel. It was like he was exceeding pride and power like a King without saying anything. She felt his authority by just looking at his eyes which made her bow in terror and fear.

She flinched and held her breath when she heard him move until she felt his presence getting nearer and nearer. When his feet reached her peripheral vision, she suddenly closed her eyes with force and clenched her fist as she trembles.

"State your name." He commanded in a deep baritone voice.

"S-Sa-Saiya, My Lord."

"Saiya." He muttered before silence engulfs the whole place. 

Curious about the silence, she was about to look at the man but he suddenly burst out laughing. His laughter echoed through the four corners of the hall, then before she knew it she was lifted by the hair.

Pain coursed through her scalp as she shouted, "AHHHHHHH!"

"This kid?! This mere child as the Conqueror of the Dead?! You must be kidding me!" He shouted as if talking to someone she couldn't see. 

She was about to reach his hand but was shocked when pain coursed through her back as she was thrown to the ground. Saiya coughed blood.

"You'll just be eaten by this power, child. You won't last long." he hissed before Saiya lost her consciousness once again.

The moment she woke up, she found herself lying down beneath the bright blue sky. When she tried to move, she felt pain all over her body, specifically near her chest. It's so hard to breathe that she felt crying just by taking in some air. 

Lying down, she turned her head to the right and looked at her surrounding. Tears started boiling in her eyes when she saw the central downtown destroyed, dead bodies lying on the ground, and buildings in chunks like there had been an earthquake.

The priest was headless just a few feet from her and the Guillotine was broken down. Breathing fast, confused, and drenched with tears and sweat, her consciousness is once again giving up.

But before she closed her eyes, she felt someone carry her from the ground. She tried focusing her waning sight on the person but all she saw was his bright blue eyes staring ahead.

TO BE CONTINUED