The Lady In The lake || The Warrior Series #1

Prologue

    "You took everything from me! "

    I could laugh at her ridiculous assumption, this girl has never been that clever but to think she could pull this off, I wonder who's behind this stupid game of death.

    "Don't push the blame on me, your highness, if you're smarter than your dumb brain, you won't lose everything."

    I said laughing yet enough to make me cough blood. The water below me is getting colder, my blood is dripping all over me while tainting the clear blue lake with my blood pouring in. I clench my teeth and continued gasping for air, even if I wanna move, my body won't move to the point that my entire body is made of metal.

    The arrows pierced through my body, it was so deep that I think I'd lose my consciousness at this moment. I could feel the cold metal of the arrows deep within me, as well as the glares of every archer hiding through the bushes and trees.

    I had a bad feeling about this meeting but Iris's father begged me to go, I know the risk yet I still went without fearing the traps. I even left my blade in the thought of having to talk with Iris in peace, however, it turns out different than expected.

    I coughed once more.

    "You dare blame me!? If you didn't come I would have him by myself! Why can't you just die! Dammit, die! "

    She yelled, she yelled until her eyes widened to the point that she wishes to see me dead.

    This is ridiculous, not only that she mistook everything but she thought I have special feelings for the prince, she really is nothing but an immature dumb tool. She let herself be used so that she could get her pitiful misunderstood revenge on me.

    Ah!

    "You're so ridiculous at this age, no wonder they thought about using you, not only that you are dumb, but you're also useless to realize that you are being used, haha, what a pain. "

    I could laugh until I die, who even cares? my life is fading away but I'm not sad, in fact, I'm happy and here I am ready to welcome death... I could be freed from this duty, from this responsibility... How much could I endure watching them die? How much I could carry their sorrow and pain?

    I would rather choose death over this responsibility, death is the only way a Shinigami can be freed from their pitiful life.

    "I can't believe this, you're close to death yet you are still annoying!"

    I looked at her and she looked at me. The way she looked is not something I could see within her eyes, she's sad, desperate but also think of me as a pitiful being, she gazes as if she didn't want this to happen, she looked at me with the thoughts of apologizing but the only thing that came out of her mouth is the opposite of what she really wanna say to me.

    I know why. It's because they were watching. I and she is neither pathetic fools, we are both a product and tools. She's no different from me, someone who can't be free from her own duty like a contract bound to stay unscathed.

    "Your highness, did you know that the prince had always told me about you? He praised you as a kind and innocent loving woman, he always thought of you as his hope and his life in this drench unfair world."

    The prince is not someone I can spend my life with, he and I are more than just a contracted partner of the war room, we are nothing but war maniacs who happen to have the same interests in this world. However, the prince only thought about nothing but Lady Iris, he had told me more about her than himself, the prince looked at her like a saint and his hope.

    He told me that Lady Iris's smile is the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, her hair that gives the chill of a lily, her lips of tempting radiant hope, she was everything to him.

    The prince didn't like other women beside her... I guess this is a twisted fate for them, cause someone had used Iris's jealousy for their own gain. She was in love with him and he felt the same, but they don't know how to convey their own feelings for each other ━ not that I talk like I'm experienced it.

    Who am I to talk to... Ah!

    I coughed more blood and I'm losing my sight, I'm losing my breath and my voice, but this didn't stop me from talking.

    She looked so shocked and she looked at me with desperation. She immediately took off the blade on her hands and get closer to me, she held me off when I was about to fall, then she began crying.

    "I--I'm sorry! I didn't know, I was a coward! Please forgive me, I didn't know better, I'm dumb, I'm sorry!"

    She finally spoke what was truly on her mind, this gives me the time to smile and nodded.

    "Don't be a tool of your fate Lady Iris, be the one that controls your life, don't let them use your weakness for their own gain-- *cough!*"

    "No wait, please live! I don't want this, please!"

    She begged enough to make me flutter. Even though my life is filled with emptiness and darkness, I didn't imagine dying with someone who would shed tears for me. Even if this would be my finale, it doesn't mean it is my last, I will soon get a new life from a new leaf.

    "The prince once told me 'Iris smile is the most beautiful thing I've seen in this world' it shines enough to take away every worry he carries."

    With the last of my strength and energy, I left her grasped and stood proudly in front of her.

    She looked at me and she nodded before she smile. I can feel the force of her lips yet enough to make me wonder if it was sincere or not. Despite the hesitation, she looked at me proudly and that was the most beautiful moment I have ever witnessed in my entire life.

    "Live peacefully with the prince and bring prosperity in this kingdom."

    I took the arrow right beside my chest, and after taking off the arrow, blood splashed through everywhere and ended up losing my left leg.

    "LISTEN WELL ALL OF YOU, THE REAPER IS DRYING, ALL OF THE SOULS SHE ONCE HAD TAKEN AROUND HER GUILTY CROWN WILL BECOME VENGEFUL GOULS BUT DO NOT FREET, A NEW LEAF, A NEW REAPER will take my place in this painful world! "

    I remove another arrow that caused me to fall off from the water, devouring me inside the lake and the only thing I've seen is the blue moon above the water in the lake.