Chapter 1

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The presiding priest said, blessing the newly wedded couple of the Empire. The Crown Prince Clyde Jakob Leondale Callisto and Lady Ingrid Azalea D'Aleo Ohlmann, the next emperor and empress of the Callisto Empire. Everyone clapped their hands in glee to congratulate the newly wedded couple and chanted "Glory to the next Ruler of the Empire!"

As they all cry in glee and in celebration, a swift movements of shadow caught the attention of the Captain of the Knights Captain under the direct order of the Crown Prince. Captain Eve Gabrielle Baignard Ariston moved and alerted every knight in under her command before she followed to where she last saw the shadow.

She hurriedly climbed the stairs towards the highest part of the church where one could see everything and everyone inside. She heaved a breathe as she slowly and silently drew her sword in front of her as her eyes caught a glimpse of the shadow inside the small room. Captain Gabrielle slowly approach the man in a black hood and pointed her sword towards the neck of the man in front of her.

"Raise your hands above your head." She firmly spat and put a pressure on her sword. The man raised his hands before he slowly stands up and faced her. Her eyes widened as the man's face registered to her.

"You! Why?... D**m it! You're still alive?!" She said as she recovered from the shock after seeing the man in front of her. How come he is still alive when she clearly saw this man's lifeless body a few weeks ago.

"Hello, Captain!" The man snarled as he swiftly push her sword away from him and at the same time he quickly kick her in the abdomen. She stumbled a few steps back before she could regain her footing and she quickly prepared herself to fight. The man clack his tongue as he charge towards her in a menacing manner. Gabrielle step back to swiftly avoid the man before she charge at him and swing her sword towards him. The man managed to avoid her as he rolled over on the ground.

"What do you want this time?" She asked and followed him. The guy just laugh at her as he let her saw what he was holding and even waved it at her.

"I won't stop until I kill him, Captain. Someday you'll come to understand me." The man said before he jumped inside the church from the window. While he was falling down he managed to turn around and pointed the crossbow towards the front of the church where the Crown prince and the Crown Princess was celebrating their wedding. They can even hear the crowd of people from inside and outside of the church shouting a praise for the couple.

"Stop it! Stop!" She shouted as she jumped out of the window, chasing the man mid air and tried to grab the crossbow away from him. They struggled trying to win and grab the crossbow away from each other until one of them accidentally push the trigger and it hit her. The crossbow arrow penetrated her armor because of the impact. Her eyes was wide open as she realized what had happened as she coughed bl**d out of her mouth.

They both landed on the ground with a great impact and it even caused even more damage to her. She saw how the man covered his face with a black cloth and attempted to run but she was able to get a hold of his foot. The man glared at her as he kicked her hand away from him and he quickly disappeared in the crowd.

She can hear the terror shouting of those inside the church as they saw what have happened and they even more shouted when they saw the blood streaming out of her body. She can hear the knights shouting to the crowd to clear the path and back away from her. Gabrielle opened her eyes and glanced in front of the church and saw the Prince' dark face walking towards her.

The prince crouched beside her, bowed his head towards her to level her ear. She felt him moved to feel her breathing.

"Y-your Hi...gh...ness." She mumbled as she still tried to stay conscious. The crown prince glared at her before smiling maliciously.

"Thank you for sacrificing your useless life." The crown prince whispered lowly, only she can hear what he said. She looked at the crown prince a tears streamed down her face.

"U-useless?" she mumbled before she closed her eyes. The Crown prince slowly stands up from crouching beside her.

"She's dead." He announced in a lowly sad voice as if he was mourning for her. She can her the sobs of those who is near her, especially those knights that had worked under her command that moved towards her until she lost her consciousness.

****

Gabrielle felt as if she was floating in the air and she felt so empty. This is the first time that she have felt this way. She looked in front of her and she can still see that she's inside the church where the wedding was being held. She knotted her forehead as she remembered what had happened earlier.

As soon as she remembered everything, she started hearing the voice of those inside the church, the terror, the sadness and grief. She looked back and followed the voices of the crowd and she saw them in the center crying for her. She shifted her eyes towards the crown prince and princess and saw how devoid of emotion that the prince had while the princess is showing some emotion but it is not for the loss of her life but rather she looked scared and worried for her life, now that she was gone.

She clenched her fist as she remembered what the prince have told her. Useless life? 'I gave everything just to get where I am. I gave up everything just so I could stay beside you and protect you. You promised me that you'll do the same but you just called my life was useless?' Gabrielle thought.

Gabrielle looked in front of the church and walks towards where the statue of Ericapaeus . She stared at the the statue for a brief while before she kneeled down to beg for Ericapaeus who they believed was the God of Life.

"If your real, please hear me out. I beg you! I don't want to die like this. Please! Ericapaeus! I beg you! Help me!" She shouted in a loud voice and beg for another life from Ericapaeus. As she was dead, no one can hear her from the crowd inside the church.

"Please grant me another life!" She begged until all the people that attended the wedding dispersed and leave her soul in the church. The knights that was under her command brought her body back and said that they'll held a funeral for her.