1 The Rise of The Legend

Hadassah left off her invisibility spell and moved her veil over her face. She thought that it was totally a waste of her time to watch that two secret love birds all roaming over each other. She already decided that Alvina had to die, but a tiny portion of her mind was protesting that it could be done later.

"Lady, what are you doing here?" A gentle looking warrior asked her in a worried tone, standing next to her. "This is a battle, M'lady, not the place for you wandering. Go to home!"

"I....I am....." she was slightly perplexed at this man's sudden appearance. She could hear the gloomy howling of wounded fighters far away from here, she quickly made a lie. "I.....I am...a Healer, Ser."

"You are a Healer?" The warrior glanced at her up and down with suspicion.

Hadassah pulled her veil more, not wanting to give this man a chance to see her face. He could be looking kind hearted, but she had many experiences from her previous life, they taught her to never believe anyone, because all those face could be masks. Who knew what kind of intentions this man had.

"So you are." The man waved his hand to move her front, "Come, come! Come with me. There is a camp a kilometer far. Let's see if you can help the injureds. Anyway, where are your ingredients, woman?"

"Inside my cloak," she replied and bowed her head. She already noticed the Wolf mark in his chest armor, so if memories served her right, it was Moriah's army. She decided not to ask many questions if this man grew suspicious at her behavior.

The man held up his sword in the front and started walking. There was a horse bonded with ropes around a tree's stems, it whined gently when it saw him. He untied the rope and swiftly climbed up on its back.

"Hop on," the man extended a hand towards her to help her climb, already entered his sword in the case and pulled the hood over his face. Hadassah uncomfortably looked at the red horse, if she got on the horse, she needed to be close with this man, that thought made her uneasy.

"It is okay...I can walk," she murmured.

"Do you know this area well, woman? Why are going to walk when I am offering you a ride?" the man said with annoyance. "Hop on, Lady, we gotta hurry up! War doesn't wait for you!"

Hadassah needed to see Moriah, so she tried to jerk off her uneasiness and slowly gripped the man's bear hand and sat on the saddle, placing her legs in the either sides of it.

'I am a Healer. How unrealistic.'

The man ran the horse without saying another word and she grasped his armor from behind. His horse continued to run through the side of the forest, the war was happening beside them. Hadassah worriedly looked at the flying arrows and swords and she thought whether she should cast a spell to make everyone freeze or not. She was feeling a little excited and nervous too, nervous about what was going to happen a while later. She wasn't doubtful about her magical power, she was feeling nervous of seeing the man who she had given her heart, yet he betrayed her just for greed. She exhaled, telling her mind to stop thinking about the past.

As far as she could see, though Nrikawn had a larger army than his brother's, he didn't stand a chance to win the throne for a specific reason. Unless....

Unless she helped him to win this war.

At that moment, she suddenly noticed Moriah passing her. It has been almost twenty years since they had last met, but she was certain that it was him, she recognized him. She kept looking at the back way and tapped on the man's shoulder, "Hey, stop. Stop now!"

The men tilted his head backwards, "Why?"

"Just stop! I saw....I saw...." she trailed off her sentence. What if this man asked how she knew Moriah and what she wanted with him. In his eyes, she was just a simple Healer.

"You saw what?" the horse stopped.

Hadassah stammered, "Um.....I...saw...."

"Woman, listen," the man turned his head to her, his expression turning cold. "I am a soldier and thus I have eyes. I think your attitude is strange....and you should be thankful that I have not killed you yet. What were you mumbling about, heh? Are you truly a Healer? Let me see your face at least," he frowned, putting his palm on his sword.

Her eyes followed his hand, a devilish smile appeared when she noticed what he was thinking. She slowly pulled her veil from her face and looked him into his eyes.

"You..." the man was pretty startled.

She smiled sweetly and said, "Recedo!"

The warrior widened his eyes like two fried eggs and disappeared in front of her. Hadassah chuckled and took the belt of the horse, rubbing its mane gently. It didn't protest and looked like it was enjoying her touch.

"Funnily enough, I am not a Healer, Ser. Enjoy your time in Hell," she laughed cruelly and rode the horse to the back way.

• • • • •

Moriah eyed the soldiers with anger in his look, his blood was boiling with an unknown feeling. He was being pressured in his head by so many things, things he couldn't figure that out. He roared and stabbed a fighter in his heart, then cut off another one's head. He was exploding with power, like it was something supernatural, he couldn't understand what was happening to him.

"I am inside of you," a voice spoke in his head at a sudden moment. He jerked off his body and almost fell off from his horse, roaming eyes around him.

'Who said that?' he thought.

The Commander of his army, Panther, was fighting close to him, growls of bloodlust for the enemies coming from his mouth. His red eyes were enough to scare someone normal, his roars were more violent, the swinging of his sword was proving that he was a living monster in the mankind.

"It is me," the voice whispered again.

Moriah sighed with frustration, though the voice seemed familiar as if he heard that mysterious voice before.

"I am the Lord of Life."

Moriah froze as soon as he heard that.

"What? W-why can I hear your voice? Are....are you here?" he found it extremely ridiculous talking alone with himself, at the same time, he was terrified.

"I am disappointed at your behavior," the voice coldly retorted after a moment. "You are not even respecting me as 'My Lord'. And I got to admit that I quite missed your stuttering. Is Ser Moriah Callan this fierce when he is fighting in a battle so that he doesn't stutter anymore?" he could hear a hint of banter in his voice.

Moriah cringed at his mistake. He shouldn't have gone to that cave at the first place, he shouldn't have opened that coffin. Due to that, now he was feeling like he was being possessed by a mighty, unnatural existence.

"You are right. You shouldn't have done that if you care about your this priceless life."

He grimaced, "What do you want from me?"

"Ah, you are eager to know that. I see," it chuckled softly. "I will tell you, but in this moment, all I can feel is.....Hunger. The smell of blood around you is....it is making me crazy. I have been...hungry for years.....from the moment I was reborn.....," it spoke out breathlessly. "But I have been....restraining myself."

Moriah glanced around himself, the dead bodies were piling up, he couldn't tell whether it was his army's or Nrikawn's. He was feeling dizzy as if he was going to collapse. He gripped the belt of his horse, even it was acting strange, kept moving back and forth.

"Ser Moriah," his Commander Panther called out next to him. "Ser Moriah, are you alright? You are looking really pale."

Moriah shook his head, breathing heavily and roared, "Get out from my head. STOP SHOWING ME YOUR VISIONS!"

"What visions?" Panther asked confusedly, he didn't realize that Moriah wasn't actually talking to him.

The memories stocking up in his brain were from the Lord of Life's previous life. They were hurting him, but he could see a face, it exactly looked same as him, but the things and the places were unknown to him.

"You are my doppelganger, Moriah."

"Stop possessing me!" he fell off from the saddle of his horse, gripping his head tightly. Every vision was like a stab of knife piercing through his head, entering again and again. "I do not care whether you are my ancestor or not! Keeping and raising you under my castle were...Mistakes! Foolish mistakes, I admit it. Now, stop this! PLEASE!"

"But I can not wait any longer."

Moriah screamed with pain, "AAAAAWWHH!"

Above the thousands heads, the whoke sky darkened, black clouds started to emerge. Mysterious thunderstorms began to roar all over the place, but there was no sign of raining. All the soldiers looked at each other with confusion, murmuring about was happening.

"It is..... it is the Legend!" a young soldier spoke up, staring at the unusual sky.

"What legend?" another soldier poked him on his chest. "Do not waste yourself believing in this gossips, you little punk. They are just made by stupid folklore. Got it?"

"What else can it be? The Lord of Life is going to rise! Just wait and see what happens!"

Purple thunders kept lightning the place, the fighters held up their shields over their heads to protect themselves from the electricity. In the middle of the battle, Moriah kept screaming, throwing his hands wide around his body. "STOP THIS!" he exclaimed.

Angelic light exploded around him.

Slowly, moment after moment, his face turned calm, the furrows in his forehead ceased. His eyes were squeezed forcefully, his breathing came normal and steady.

Thousands of people in this battle turned quiet, gazing at him with pure astonishment, like they couldn't believe their own eyes.

When Moriah opened his eyes, he was completely a different person, mysterious bright light surrounded around him.

"I am the Lord of Life," he gently spoke, his voice echoed all over the vast ground.

Immediately, more than half of the alive soldiers fell on the ground, bowing their heads deeply. Half of them were terribly scared of him, half of them had faith in him so they were inclining to him with respect.

"Not yet," Hadassah emerged in front him. Her beautiful black hair was flying around her strong shadowy face, her palms were pointed at him. "Not when I am still alive."

"Hadassah," he whispered, swallowing hard.