I closed my eyes tightly, as troops stormed past the door, wincing as it was thrown open, the weak hinges failing to hold. I held my legs closer to my chest, tears escaping my eyes as I overheard the strident shouts of a soldier “Hey, I’ve got some villagers over here!” Why where they doing this? What did they want?

I peeked through a small broken weave in the basket, as I felt my mother back against it. My eyes peered into our shambled home, a second set of soldiers entering through the door, followed by a slightly larger one. Their swords were drawn eagerly, and no man could miss the bloodlust in their eyes. Their blades were soiled with blood and ash that dripped thickly from the hilt. Their armor reflected the torch light, its smooth surface occasionally blemished by a small scratch or dent.

“A few?…A man and a woman, eh…? Were you planning on escaping us?” I felt my mom tense against the basket as my father lifted his hands, taking a cautious step forward “Sir, please don’t harm us…we won’t resist, just don’t” I winced as the man hit my father with the hilt of the sword, pushing him back onto the dirt. “Don’t approach me in such a way peasant, your fate isn’t for you to decide!” I felt anger rise within in me, as the others behind him laughed loudly. This was an invasion, by our neighboring country.

             Serrvia was our smaller country, and for years we formed treaties and alliances with the neighboring countries of Suemet, Rican, and Anecaria. We were among the most powerful of countries in our alliance, and no other enemies dared to face us. We were prideful, and strong all following under the lead of our royal family. We had no queen, and our king was terribly ill, but their son, the Prince was a worthy leader. He established all of the alliances with the other countries, and opened trade with foreign areas. With his rule we prospered, in everything and soon grew with an amazing power. This was our lifestyle, and we thrived within it. We were called the radiance, of Tesiar, our continent. Yet, as alert, and clever as our prince was he discovered the traitors plan too late. Anecaria…our so called ally was preparing to crush us from all sides. They secretly overtook the country Rican…and after being discover they crushed Suemet, and charged us from all sides. Our mighty walls were torn from the sky, and now we only struggled to survive the attack.

I gasped as the leader jerked my mother towards him by the wrist. The holes in the basket uncovered, and now I could see my father on the ground, grasping his bleeding scalp in pain. “Ah, yes…this one is good…send her to the king…I believe he would enjoy our little gift.” I shifted in the basket as she struggled from his grip, “No, let me go!?” She screamed tears filling her eyes. My mother was a beautiful woman, and it would be of no surprise if she was sent to the king as a slave. I felt my heart skip a beat as he screams quieted, my father pulling himself from the ground. He had something in hand and only by the glimmer of the torch did I catch it. A carving blade. He wouldn’t do that? Would he? “Oh, a rebel…” The leader chuckled, lifting my mother’s wrist up with his hand as if claiming a prize. I could only watch, as the man turned, pulling my mother by his side roughly “Kill him.” The next seconds were frantic.

            My mother began to scream loudly as the soldiers charged, and seconds before they put him to the sword, he threw his dagger, slinging it recklessly towards the leader. I could see the desperation in his eyes, and could feel my eyes widen as my father was run through with a sword…the leader protecting himself from the dagger, with my mothers now limp body. There was no more screaming…no more life…I was alone now, and I knew it.

            I could only watch, my mind ridden of all thought…and only did the real darkness close in when the men extinguished the torches, and left…never knowing…the thirteen year old hiding in the large casket.

            Realizing that they were gone, I broke down into quieted sobs, before the darkness began to tear at the corners of sight. Was this the end?

I collapsed.

I awoke as beams of light, began to shine through my casket’s seams, my mind awakening to a quiet morning. “W-Where…am I?” I slowly pulled myself up, my stiff muscles aching as I observed the casket around me “What?...Is this?” I didn’t hesitate to push the top from the casket, my dark brown eyes scanning the blood soiled room “Blood…” I stepped out, my mind still slightly dazed “Who…are these…bodies?” I looked at the lifeless corpses at my feet, and slowly I left the room to find myself on the smoky streets, of a town. “A town…why am I…here?” I winced as my feet brushed over the rough ash laden stones under my feet. I slowly began to move down the larger cobble road, examining the smoking buildings, and scorched corpses…that strangely didn’t faze me. What was happening? Was this real? I thought to myself my blank eyes staring up at the dancing smoke that engulfed the surrounding houses. Aimlessly I continued to walk. Where was I? The reeking wind blew the torn rag that I wore, and my matted hair covered much of my face now. I could feel my feet were moving…but why? What was bringing me forward? I continued to walk through the empty streets, a massive burning castle far in the distance. My wandering continued, and only did I feel, when a towering object came into view. I followed it, and soon it was looming over me, and I was standing in what seemed like a town center. Planted deeply into the earth before me was a mighty cross…and nailed to it was a human. Three nails in their feet…ten trailing down each arm…it was a crucifixion.

I could feel my feet move me to the cross…something brought me there. I recognized that person…I knew…I had to. It drove me closer…and as I reached its foot, a disturbance tore at the pit of my stomach, a sick disturbance. “Who…is this?” I slowly put my hand out towards the wooden structure, and as soon as my fingers touched its rough bark I froze.

My memories suddenly flooded back to me, their impact hitting me harder than explainable. Then I recognized them. In fresh blood…was our Prince. I felt my knees buckle under me, both of them hitting the scorched earth, as my tears began to return to me. My family was dead…our prince couldn’t save us anymore…we had been defeated. I attempted to soften my sobs, but nothing would muffle them, I remembered everything now. Every painful detail.

“Who…is….crying?” I stopped suddenly. It was barely a whispered, but I couldn’t believe from where I had heard it…was I still asleep? “Why…are…you alive?” I looked up, and gasped. I could see it barely…but still his eyes were open. “Why?” I choked. I stood up, “Prince…why? How could you?”  I had to stop myself to hear the quietness of his pained voice “I…can’t let myself die…yet” I could feel tears drop onto my hands “Why did they do this!” I looked up at him “Why!?” Now I could hear his breathing…it was soft…too soft. “I…am sorry…I’ve…failed all of you.” I clenched my hands into fists “It’s their fault! The death of my family…all of this…” I moved some hair out of my face with my wrist as I wiped as my tears “T-their fault.” I heard him breath in lightly closing his eyes. “What is your name…?” I lifted my head, my sight fazed by my own tears “M-my name…? Its…Rayne.” I stared up at the massive thing that loomed over me…the bright sun lighting over it “Rayne…please…wait for me…” I stared up at him confused by his words “W-wait?” I whispered.

“I will return…and atone for my sins…tell them…that even if I have to sell my soul…” He lifted his head slightly, before opening his eyes. Something about his eyes now…scared me…glazed over with pain, was hate. A hate stronger than my own…an almost blood thirsty want for revenge. It was strong…and it scared me.  

“I will return…and judge them all with your suffering.”

            “Hey, Rayne…how big is your workload today?” I yawned wiping the dirt from my face “Its…actually pretty small…you?”

“Fine…I guess.” My friend Harra said uneasily. I stared at her, standing from my rag on the floor “What’s wrong?” She looked back at the door less exit at the end of the building “You slept through it so you probably didn’t hear…” I tilted my head “What?”

“Last night an Anecarian solder was killed.” I gasped “What? How?”

She looked back at me uneasily, brushing something off of the side of her tattered rag. “They think there’s a rebel hiding within our group somewhere. They have been searching people for blood all morning. The soldier was laying on the street leading to the main square…the veins in his neck, his wrists, and his ankles had all been cut clean. Blood was everywhere, but no footprints, hand prints, not even a weapon.” I shuddered “Do you know a rebel?”

“Well, a few…you know Aron and his group…but I don’t think they have ever planned anything this extreme…but people have been spreading rumors.” I shook my head slowly, “Tell me while we work.” She nodded and followed as I made my way to the door “Well…the first one is, it’s a secret assassin getting revenge for the kingdom.” I sighed “Figures…next?”

“Well the next is that some daring rebel, finally snapped and went crazy so he killed the guard.”

“Funny…next?”

“Oh, well I have to say this one is my favorite.” She seemed to pause, and before we reached the door, finally spoke “I small group believes that the Prince has come back from the dead, to judge those who betrayed him.” I stopped “Who made that one up?”

“Don’t know, why?”

I looked back at her sharply “People shouldn’t start rumors like that.” She nodded slowly, a slightly sad expression crossing over her features “Four years since then…and you remember every word don’t you?” I glanced down at the ground through my dark brown hair. “They don’t know what he said…to me…none of them know that last look in his eyes.” I squinted as we left the shade of the broken down building, the scorching sun bearing down on my tan skin. Harra watched me concerned “It’s a shame how everyone’s forgotten him. He was such an amazing leader…clever and kind hearted. The only one who resisted the invasion as well, but that’s why he was put to the cross.” I scanned the town center, watching the slaves working in the distance. “A crucifixion should never have been used…it was as if they were mocking him…mocking us…by nailing our leader to that accursed thing.” I scanned our surroundings stopping as my eyes landed on that old cross in the center…untouched for four years. “He was such a great leader to us…it reminds me of that story my mother used to tell me of a king who died to save his people, he was their savior, just as our prince was ours.” I watched the cross for a moment, watching at how the sun loomed over it. “Hey…Rayne there was another rumor going around.” She continued but I blinked once and lost her voice. I could only sit there frozen…as that image appeared to me. It surely wasn’t there before, but standing there now before the cross, their hand over the bark…was a figure, a dark tall figure, in all black robes. Something wasn’t normal…I wanted to look away as they slowly began to turn their head…but my eyes wouldn’t move, my head wouldn’t face the other way. They stopped so that their blood red eyes met mine, and I froze in my place.

            “Hey Rayne” I turned quickly, to see Harra watching me concerned. I breathed out lightly glancing back at the cross to find that nothing was there. “You ok?” I nodded slightly “Yeah…I just saw it again.” She watched my gaze for a moment “Rayne…shouldn’t you be concerned about that? You’ve been seeing it more frequently. It’s starting to creep me out.” I ran my fingers through my matted hair, lifting my head to sun as I closed my eyes “No, I-I’m fine, come on…lets…get to work.” I lowered my eyes, walking away carefully. Yet I could feel myself grow nervous as I heard her footsteps, and I couldn’t help but let my eyes wander over the cross, still, nothing.

            For two years I had seen it. It was merely a blur to me at first, a standing mass of darkness, but slowly I was beginning to see it. Weeks passed and it began to take shape, forming its own figure in my mind.