1 THE MESSAGE

Gates flung open as Lucifer, the commander of the cyprus army, rushed into the king's court.

He found king Guozhi, the great king of Cyprus kingdom, sitting on his throne. A victorious king who promoted peace in his neighborhood. A king who fought against his step brother for his right to become the king of his kingdom. A king who was always ready to sacrifice his life for the life of his beloved daughter, princess Chu Hua.

"Your majesty,I have a message for you" commander Lucifer said, bowing his head. Commander Lucifer, a young man who became the commander of the cyprus army at the early age of twenty-six. A gallant soldier who is always ready to protect and fight for his kingdom. A man whom Princess Chu Hua admired the most after her father.

A letter was on commander Lucifer's right hand and he was holding his scabbard with his left hand to avoid it touching the ground.

"From who?" king Guozhi asked

"From the Gapsin kingdom, your majesty." Lucifer replied with his head still bowing down.

"Gapsin!"

King Guozhi said in a terrifying tune.

"Yes, your majesty." Lucifer replied.

**** **** ***** ***** *****

The Gapsin kingdom was known for notorious, powerful and skillful warriors.

A kingdom of different people from other kingdoms. A kingdom where one will always want to live if you really want to please your flesh and forget your creator in heaven. A kingdom full of sinful men.

They were known for their victories over any battle they fought.

Most especially, all other kingdoms were so terrified when they heard of their victory over Zhamba kingdom, one of the greatest kingdoms in the territory, with good fighters.

They slaughtered Zhamba men like animals!

On that day, Zhamba and Gapsin men were on the battlefield, ready to shed blood.

"Men of Gapsin, what are your aims!" commander Bengt, the commander of Gapsin kingdom screamed out, as he raised his sword to the sky.

"To kill, to destroy and capture!" the army responded in chorus.

"Go! Take them down and take all their possessions.

Take their women, capture some of their men for slavery and spare nor pity no one who stands in your way!" Commander Bengt ordered.

"Yeeh!"

All the Gapsin men screamed as they ran towards the Zhamba's army. Some were on horses while some were on foot.

Zhamba men were at the other side of the battlefield, ready for attack and defense against their enemies.

When the Zhamba's commander saw the Gapsin men approaching for attack,he stood at the battle front line.

His sword bearer brought his helmet and his sword and he took hold of it and wore it on his head. Commander An was his name.

Commander An raised his right hand and gave a signal to the archers,who were standing at the back of the squad.

He took a few minutes to examine the distance of the Gapsin men.

Surprisingly,he sighted a giant who was eight feet taller than anyone in the battlefield. And again,a man was riding on a white horse behind the Gapsin troops.

It happens to be the cruel prince of the Gapsin kingdom that was riding on the white horse.

A man who never gives up on what he wants.

Commander An furrowed his brows as he glared at his enemies approaching.

They were approaching with full force like an antelope that is being chased by lions.

Some were on foot, while others were on horses.

The Gapsin army drew closer and closer.

"Fire!"

Commander An commanded the archers.

Thousands of arrows were released, and hundreds of Gapsin men were killed by the arrows.

Commander An took out his sword from its scabbard and targeted Bengt, the Gapsin commander.

Within a tingle of an eye, the battle began.

Commander An and commander Bengt fought each other but it was tough for any of them to kill his opponent.

Junfeng, the Gapsin prince meanders his way through to the Zhamba's gate.

He killed any man that stood in his way.

Prince Junfeng finally got access to the Zhamba king's room.

"Bloody bastard, your people always claim to be good at fighting but today, you will join your ancestors and the entire kingdom will be burned to ashes." Prince Junfeng said to the king of Zhamba who was barely in his early 50's.

Prince Junfeng cut off his head and went back to the battlefield.

Blood was already everywhere on the battleground. Injured men were wailing and groaning in pain. The battlefield was hotter than hellfire.

Swords and spears were kissing each other and piercing through flesh.

Bojing, the Gapsin giant was smashing and killing their enemies with his bare hands, surely fighting with weapons was not part of him.

Fifty thousand of Neville men were killed, including commander An and two hundred were taken for slavery.

Twenty thousand of Gapsin men were also killed by Zhamba men.

Gapsin men set the entire Zhamba kingdom on fire after the battle.

The Gapsin kingdom went back home with songs of victory.

That was the last battle Gapsin fought and now a letter has been delivered to the Cyprus kingdom.

Gapsin don't send a peaceful message nor do they wish to live in peace with other kingdoms.

Any message coming from Gapsin must be of evil. It's neither a battle nor a demand that will lead to war.

***** ****** ***** ******

"Hand it over to me." King Guozhi said and stretched forth his hand to receive the letter from Lucifer.

"Yes, your majesty." Lucifer bowed his head as he handed the letter to king Guozhi.

He opened it and his eyes widened as he saw the ink used for writing the letter.

"Blood!

Why must it be written with blood?"

King Guozhi whispered with shock.

"Blood?" Commander Lucifer asked rhetorically with a surprise tune.

"If it's blood,then it means that there is danger." Lucifer added.

"That's also my thought." King Guozhi said as they faced each other with commander Lucifer like two alternative angels.

King Guozhi opened the letter properly and clearly saw that every single word was written with blood.

The letter says:

"surprise! Buddy, longest time. How are our people?

I salute you with two fingers brother. I hope you are enjoying your so-called throne. I don't need to ask if you are fine because you're always fine even in the midst of your enemies. But today I have some good news that may make you not recognize yourself in the mirror. The good news is,my son, Prince Junfeng, is getting married in the next fifty days. And the most shocking thing is, he wants to marry your daughter, Princess Chu Hua. The only beloved princess of cyprus. I know you didn't see this coming, but I am trying to fulfill the promise I made to you.

Give me what I want or I will come and bring down your kingdom and then take whatever I want, and you will become our subject and serve us for your entire life. I need your feedback in at least five days!

The choice is yours. Think wisely and make the right decision.

I love you brother and cheers."

The statement "he wants to marry your daughter, princess Chu Hua" keeps ringing in his mind like a sorrowful song.

King Guozhi swallows hard, looking confused and afraid after reading the letter.

"Is anything the problem, your majesty?" Lucifer asked when he noticed that the king's face had changed from an angel face to a devil face.

"The princess!" Was all King Guozhi could say to commander Lucifer.

"The princess? What about the princess?"

Lucifer was curious to know what the king meant by saying "the princess!"

King Guozhi explained everything to commander Lucifer.

"What! Marriage? No. This can't happen." Commander Lucifer responded looking flabbergasted.

Commander Lucifer was thinking of a way to tackle the issue. He was busy pacing up and down, thinking.

King Guozhi was also on his throne thinking of what to do next, because to him, the princess's life is more important than his, and he will do anything humanly possible to make sure it doesn't happen.

"My surprise now is, how did king Cheng get to know about the princess?

Because as far as I am concerned, the princess has never stepped out of this kingdom or have you taken her out anywhere?"

King Guozhi asked commander Lucifer to know if princess Chu Hua disobeyed him by going out of the kingdom gate without his permission.

"No, your majesty. The princess has always been in her room all day. She only comes out sometimes to have fun in the garden and maybe walking around the kingdom. She has never gone out of the gate, she only goes to greet the men on duty in the gate but she doesn't stay up to four minutes,she will leave."

Commander Lucifer explained to king Guozhi.

"Lucifer,are you sure of what you're saying?" King Guozhi asked with a serious tone.

"Yes, your majesty." Commander Lucifer answered.

"Then how do you think they got to know her?"

King Guozhi asked him.

"Spies!I think spies were sent to this kingdom or someone in this kingdom fed him with this information." Commander Lucifer replied.

"Spies?

How can it be possible that King Cheng sent spies to spy on us?"

King Guozhi almost yells at commander Lucifer.

"Your majesty, don't forget what King Cheng promised you many years ago. He is a smart man. And he knows what to do to fulfill his promise."

Commander Lucifer responded.

"Now I see." King Guozhi muttered as he relaxed his back on the throne.

"I can see that this is how he wants to achieve his goal. But not when I am alive." Commander Lucifer exclaimed.

"Your majesty, I have a plan."