Harian could never forget Leon Lighthart.
One of the few Grand Knights of Rezia.The kingdom's brightest sword.A man so loyal to the royal family that he'd burn cities if ordered to.
"Strongest in the kingdom" didn't do him justice. In the entire continent of Varnia, Leon was someone who sat at the very top one of the few living beings capable of changing the tide of a war alone.
Why?
Because Leon wielded Light Essence. One of the most powerful Materialistic Essences ever recorded and he wielded it perfectly.
In Harian's previous life, that mastery terrified him.A year from now, during the Rezia Civil War, when the kingdom broke and chaos swallowed the land, the Holy Empire of Luthas attempted to invade. They claimed Rezia was "sanctified land" belonging to their god, Luthariya.
The empire sent armies. Fleets. Paladins. Saints.
Rezia sent one man.
Leon walked onto the battlefield alone and erased an entire armada. The invasion failed before it even began. Harian remembered that day vividly… because in his previous life, he fought Leon there. And nearly died.
Earlier today, Leon had visited the prison to see Muliad even calling the proud former noble a disappointment. Harian knew exactly who he was the moment he felt his presence. He had actually breathed a sigh of relief when Leon left.
That relief was a mistake.
Because now....Right now...
Leon Lighthart stood before him, rising from the crater like a glowing executioner, Light Essence pulsing in waves strong enough to suffocate. Harian swallowed slowly. Of all the enemies he wanted to avoid this early…
Leon was at the top of the list.
Harian recalled every detail about Leon Lighthart. The man who had defeated him once in his previous life only once and after that loss, Hanzo the Nightmare King never tasted defeat again. That memory shaped him. It sharpened him. And it was exactly why Harian now kept a calm, controlled grin fixed on his face, even though he deeply, desperately wanted to avoid Leon at all costs.
Leon stepped out of the crater he created, light essence flickering around him like burning petals. His cold gaze swept over the ruined prison before settling on Harian.
"You," Leon said, voice steady and unshaken. "You're responsible for this?"
Harian said nothing at first. He simply smiled back, cold and poised, as if standing before a monster was part of his morning routine. Internally, however, Vex was screaming in his mind.
[USER. RUN. ESCAPE ROUTES: NONE. PROBABILITY OF SURVIVAL: ZERO. WE ARE GOING TO DIE.]
Harian mentally shouted back, You're supposed to HELP me, not start counting down my last seconds! Do something!
[SEARCHING… NO SOLUTION FOUND.]
Then invent one, Vex!
On the outside, Harian remained composed.
He straightened his back and spoke calmly. "Leon Lighthart."
Leon's eyes narrowed slightly. "You know me?"
Harian froze for just a fraction of a second too short for anyone but himself to notice. He immediately scrambled for an excuse.
"Yeah," he replied smoothly, shrugging as if it were obvious. "Who doesn't know the Knight of Light?"
[I CAN NEVER DENY THAT SHADY TALENT OF YOURS TO MAKE QUICK EXCUSES]
Harian mentally snapped, At least praise me properly if you're not going to help me survive.
Leon observed him carefully, the faint glow of essence gathering around him. Harian kept his expression steady, but inside he was cursing nonstop. Leon had arrived far quicker than Harian calculated. The man practically leaped across half the kingdom to reach the prison completely ruining Harian's escape plan.
Externally, Harian looked almost amused.
Internally: Shit. Shit. Shit. He's too fast. This is bad. Vex, STOP COMMENTING AND FIX THIS.
Leon's tone dropped lower. "If you know me, then you understand what comes next. Since apparently you seem to be the cause of all this...commotion"
Harian gave him a thin, confident grin. "Of course."
Inside, pure panic.
Yes. I know EXACTLY what comes next.
Harian did not blink. Did not flinch. Not even when the ground cracked beneath Leon's boots as the knight took another step forward.
Behind Harian, one of the prisoners suddenly shouted, "Leon Lighthart! You'll pay for your crimes!"
Leon turned his head slightly. "Crimes? and how will I pay?" he answered calmly and coldly, not a shred of emotion in his voice.
The prisoner jabbed a thumb toward Harian. "Because we have him! Our vanguard! The one who defeated two divine knights! With his immensely destructive power! You think we're scared of you?! We have-.... whats was your name again?!"
Harian kept smiling. He answered soft Han-..
"Harian Liche" George said behind him with a smug smile
[WERE YOU ABOUT TO SAY HANZO?]
"uh...no.." Harian replied trying to avoid the ever relentless Vex. His tongue almost slipped indeed. Habits from his old life were hard to throw away.
"HARIAN LICHE OUR GLORIOUS SAVIOUR" Another prisoner shouted as he stumbled towards them.
You absolute idiot. I hope you step on a rusty nail.
On the surface, his expression didn't change. Calm. Collected. Dangerous.
He simply stared back at Leon. As if facing the strongest knight in the kingdom, while exhausted, barely alive, and with almost no essence left… was all according to plan.
"It seems," Leon said, voice quiet but cutting straight through the smoke, "you've gained a following."
The prisoners froze. His calm tone was somehow more terrifying than if he had screamed.
"A fitting one at that," Leon continued. "Like moths to a flame. However…" His gaze swept over the crowd, cold and merciless. "You are the reason they'll burn. And die a gruesome death."
A ripple of fear passed through the prisoners. Even Muliad stiffened.Harian alone stood unmoving, silent, unreadable. Leon's attention returned to him. "Who are you, boy?" No answer.
"What did you think you could achieve with this destruction?" Still nothing.
Leon exhaled slowly, almost disappointed. "Quiet as a mouse. In the end, you're all the same. A bunch of petty criminals."
Harian only grinned back at him calm, deliberate, provoking.
Leon looked at the gathered prisoners and spoke softly, but with absolute authority. "Prisoners of Thax. I, Leon Lighthart, Captain of the Royal Guard, order you to return to your cells. If you comply, I will personally request leniency for your sentences."
"And if we don't?" Muliad stepped forward, eyes sharp.
Leon didn't even blink. "Even you, Muliad," he said with a sigh, "have fallen this low."
He straightened, and his tone hardened.
"If you fail to cooperate… I will cut you all down where you stand."
Then he drew his sword. A beautiful blade emerged from its sheath. Not too large, not too slim perfectly balanced. The hilt gleamed with intricate engravings. And the blade… the blade did not reflect the sunlight.
It generated its own.
A soft radiance glowed from within the metal, alive, pulsing gently like the heartbeat of some slumbering deity. Harian's breath caught for a split second.
He knew this sword. Oh, he knew it far too well.
One of the Fourteen Legendary Artifacts forged in the forgotten age. Weapons once held by the Fourteen Guardians of Voirathal, protectors who stood against an ancient calamity.
Weapons with wills. Weapons that chose their own masters. Weapons that bent reality itself.
And Leon held one of them.
Arondight. The Sword of Light.
A blade Harian deeply remembered…A blade that nearly ended his life once before.
In his past life, when Hanzo had faced Leon on the battlefield, Avatharos had been the only weapon that ever made him take a step back. The memory was carved into him, how the sword's light felt. He glanced at the blade now. And despite himself, a nervous smile tugged at his lips.
But that was then. That was another life. Another Harian.
He was no longer the boy terrified of legendary artifacts. He was the man who grew beyond them.
So he smiled calmly, coldly and stared straight at Leon, unblinking. Leon's aura pressed against him like a crushing weight, but the grin on Harian's face didn't falter.
If Leon was trying to intimidate him…
He would fail.