Part 1 - The Rise ( 2- "Peacemaker")

If I have to chose a word to describe my life it would be the word desperate. I would like the phrase: "Kim, unloved, was Desperate to live" to be read on my tomb. In that way the peasants would know I was one of those who held hope in his heart; not just one of those who remained seated on their stone beds waiting for sickness to come and take them away to a better world. I should have told Min about my hidden fears and desires. I should have told her I love her, that she was family to me, that I was sorry for the all the hardship she's been trough. I know she would just ignore me, but I should have told her anyway. I remember when I first found her and Sam. I was 6 year old, and my parents had just passed away. They perished fighting for me. My parents, they wanted me to live a normal life. The fought till the last minute, and died just seconds before help arrived. Sam and other 20 or so people, warriors, heroes, came and rescued us, the kids that survived the killing, and who were destined to a horrible faith. There were 6 children, me being the oldest one, who were taken by the soldiers that day and who were rescued that same night by Sam and his warriors.

Sam was the master and commander. He lead us to safety and comfort to a place we could call home. What he promised was done, what he wanted was granted. He saved a lot of people during the war when the Government started collecting all the children. Since I was one of the luckiest kids on the world, I devoted my life to him. He promised me revenge on my parents death, and I promised to fight at his side. He showed me how to fight, how to be smart, how to blend. On public he treated me just like any other kid. When no one was looking he trained me to become one like him. Sam lived 60 years. He spent his last 15 with me. He was betrayed by one of our kind, who was lured by the Ruler's words. He was captured, and killed. His death was even televised and poster with the Ruler standing on his dead body were hung every were. War ceased, there were less deaths and people stopped believing in us. Some said that the soldiers were sent to bring peace and we, rebels, were the ones killing our own people. When our hopes were being destroyed Min stand up and showed us the way to be invisible. She showed us how to go from the insides to the outsides of the wall. She gave us the way to enter the Red House, the palace, the Ruler's home, without being noticed. In 4 years, she gave us what Sam tried for 30 years. Min, along with other kids were caving tunnels below the ground we were so recklessly fighting. And it wasn't just that, she was smart, she learned how to operate an airship, how to use a computer, how to wire to make secure or hideout. Min became crucial to our cause just as Sam was. While Min was valuable with her knowledge, Sam was with his words. If she could just speak like Sam, we would have the same support from people like we used to have before.

Min. She gives me strength. I can't just die here. I have to stand up. I have to get on that airship. I have to survive. I open my eyes. Everything is quiet. I'm not on the ground anymore. I'm not inside the palace neither. I'm on small white room with no windows, but a single door. There are needles on my arm. There is a person on a chair next to the only door in the room. I manage to sit on the bed. This place seems like one of those Hospitals that were used long time ago to threat the sick. Was I captured? I don't feel sore nor ill. Maybe those who captured me treated me first to torture me later. The more pain I can feel the best the reward they will get. I look around for my bag and my clothes. Nothing's here but the bed and some machines beeping. I noticed I'm not tied. I should just go, look for my bag and leave. I know it won't be easy, but I have to try. I stand up. The floor on the room lighten up. The stranger seated next to the door awakes.
-Going somewhere?- he asks.
-Where am I? Who are you? Where is my bag?-
-Too much questions! I'm so tired! I wish I could be on a bed like the one you are right now.. So, how are you feeling now? You lost too much blood! You should have told me you were shot!
-Was I shot?- I look at my body, there's not a single scratch visible. I try to look at my back, and I realize how stupid I look right know since the stranger is laughing.
-You were treated already. You won't be able to find where you were shot. I can tell you if you ask nicely.- He stares at me.
I don't like this guy. He seems to be my same age or even younger. He looks foreign, there's something exotic about his features. I stare back at him. I try to keep cool but he defeats me. I look away. He laughs again.
-Right here.-he touches my chest, just above where my heart has to be. -It almost killed you. If it weren't for me, you'll be dead by now. You should be thankful.- he says with a calm voice.
I look at where he touched me. there's no scar. I have been already treated.
-Who are you? - I can't stand him.
-Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking who am I? You're not polite enough I see. That would lead you to nowhere my dear friend.
I stand up taking out the needles and trowing them to the floor. There's blood on my arm but I don't care. I walk to the door.
-If you get out of this room you'll be killed.- he says.
I turn back and look at him. I give him a dirty look, one of those looks girls often give me when I'm rude to them. I open the door nonetheless and attempt to escape. But it's just a failed attempt. There's an invisible barrier on my way. I'm definitively not in the Red House.
-I don't want you dead. What would Min do without you?-he says.
-Min?
-Yes! Min, with her adorable curls and her girly face! Even though both of us know she's more of a man than most soldiers fighting for the Ruler... she often deceives me too.
-So, we're on the same side?-If he knows Min, he's an ally.
-Have we killed you yet?- he doesn't give me a straight answer.
-Where is Min?-I keep with my questions, I should be able to get some answers. Sam used to said, when we need answers all we have to do is keep asking.
-I don't know! I hope you know!-he gives me as an answer. I start losing control.
-Hey! Listen to me. I don't want to keep with this game and..
-What game? I'm in!-he interrupts me and I hate it.
-What?
-You said you don't want to play this game, and I'm asking what game? I'm so bored right now. You are so boring, you know! I could play some games...
I can't stand it anymore I run against him and punch him right on his face. I know I punched him hard because now he's bleeding from his right eyebrow. He stares at me with a surprised expression. A smile is forming on his lips when I trow my fist to his face again. I want to erase that stupid smile from his lips. He evades me but doesn't fight back.
-Fight me!-I yell at him.
-I'm a pacemaker. I don't fight unless I have to kill. And as I said before, I don't want you dead.-The smile is gone now.-It seems I need to get serious now before you hurt my pretty face one more time... My name is Jae. I'm a deserted warrior from the Government. I was injured at war and was no longer needed for service. Now I'm fighting against them. It's a pleasure to met you Kim.-
I stare at him, waiting for him to burst off laughing. But he doesn't. He stays calm looking at me with sorrow eyes.
-So if we're not fighting against each other and we have an enemy in common does it make us allies?- I dare to ask.
-I'm actually wondering that. Could we fight together? I'm not sure. We differ on some things, you know?
-Like what? We're fighting to bring up peace! To free our children!
-No. You aren't fighting. You are sending your own people to get kill.
-What?-how dare he!
-Do you people know what the Government did to the children?
-They took them away from their parents!
-They turned them on killing machines. You know there's an army protecting the Ruler and his family. An army of 5000 soldiers. The survival of the war. The kids of your people.
-Those are no longer our children.- Even though I know they are, they are not. Once the Government took the children they made horrible experiments on them. Mutants were created. Mutants stronger than a human. With no conciseness. With no feelings. With no fear. Their humanity were destroyed. That's why we don't consider them our children anymore.
-I know what you are thinking. And you, my friend are wrong one more time.- he smiles.
-How can we-I emphasizes the word 'we'- be wrong when we have seen them?
-You have seen the failures. The mutants, as you call them, were the weak ones.
-Prove it!- I can't just believe a stranger I just met, can I?
-Prove it? Have you ever seen a real soldier? One of the royal army? Well, you are just seeing one! I'm one of the children you want to freed- he says with that smile I'm starting to hate.
I stare at him and he stays silence. He knows I'm trying to figure out what to do now. I look at his features one more time. His eyes are of an impossible color. Something between red and brown, but more red than anything else. His pale skin reminds me of Min who's almost never sees the sunlight. He's taller than most men I've ever met. He doesn't look strong. His complexion makes me think of a girl. He's slim, just like Min. I turn away. To think clearly I need to be alone. His presence makes me just nervous. He walks toward me I feel his breath on the back of my head.
-I can see you need some time to think. I shouldn't have given you too much information right away. Perhaps it would be best for me to return later when you have rested?-He softly laughs and leaves.

I'm alone on the room now. I clean the blood on my arm with the sheet on the bed. It's almost dry. I try to open the door. It's locked now. Jae must have locked after he left the room. I sit on the chair. There's obviously no way out of here. If I could you contact Min. She should be worried now, thinking I died. the story Jae just told me about the royal army, I've heard it before. Sam told us one time about something he heard from one of the Imperial guards. Something about being replaced by stronger warriors, not simple humans, but something better. Created by the Government, so they would just obey and not think. We always thought he was talking about the mutants but Sam always said there was something else. He always believed mutants were just a distraction. It seems he was right.

I get on the bed, I feel dizzy and I notice I'm starving. I know I shouldn't just sleep, but I can't help it. I slowly give in to the realm of dreams.