The Beginning of The End ( 1 )

6/12/2048 D.W. (During War)

A young man that looks no less than 24 is walking like he hasn't had a break in years. Blood stained his clothes, a beacon, from where he stood alone among a desolate battlefield that's riddled with dead bodies as far as one can see. You must be wondering why this is happening... It all started around 10 years ago.

- 6/15/2038 -

The young man currently at this time, is 14, sitting at his desk writing for his novel that had become a big hit world wide. He was beyond excited, it finally hit 25 million views over the course of a year and 6 months. When he saw that his novel had finally hit 25 million views, he started to run down stairs to tell his mother the great news. As he got to the main floor of his house he saw his mother in the kitchen happily singing a little tune, the 'Shiro's Woodpecker', the same song he's been hearing since his very early childhood.

"Mom, I got great news!"

His little sister, Zuuei, dashes up from the floor where she had been playing with her dolls to tackle hug him. He indulgently picks her up and settles her on his hip, even at 6 she's still very affectionate. His mother watches them with a warm look, a fond smile on her face.

"What's the great news Ryuuki?" She asks.

"I finally hit 25 million views on my online novel !" He announces with an elated grin.

She breaks out in a wide smile, pride visibly written on her face, opening her arms she sweeps her small family into a group hug. "Congratulations, that's great!"

She turns back to the stove where the food is cooking cheerfully telling them that, "Food will be ready in a minute!"

Zuuei tugs him over wanting him to help her set up the table, always the happy helper that one. He admits that it's adorable and incredibly endearing even if she gets a bit bossy.

After we set the table Mom brings the food and started filling the plates. We all sit and eat, with a few words of appreciation.

His Mom looks at him and asks, "Are you ready for your birthday in two days?"

"Yeah, I can't wait!" He says cheerfully.

Once dinner was finished both he and Zuuei helped put the dishes away. Zuuei runs off into the living room calling them to watch a family movie with her, as they always do after dinner.

Silently they watched the movie, feeling drowsy when it was done. Zuuei was fast asleep snoring lightly across Mom's and his lap a tight death grip on his arm. He carefully picked her up carrying her to bed, afterwards following her example and doing the same. After all the excitement he was exhausted.

- 3:00 AM Same Night -

BOOOOOOM!!!

A loud crash breaks through the atmosphere that echoes through out the region waking up everyone in the city and then-some. Jolting awake he runs to his window faintly hearing his Mother calling out for him and his sister but his focus was on the huge burning and glowing meteor and the smaller but dangerous broken chunks plunging alarmingly close to downtown area of his city.

----

- 1 Year Later -

Ryuuki no longer lives with his family, now he stays at an army boot camp. After the 'World Shaking Incident' a year ago the governments around the world got their hands on small broken fragments of the ore produced by the meteorite called "Karenite". It has many versatile uses ranging from everyday tools to military uses. This ore single-handedly jump started THE technological advancement of humanity. Countries all over the world started to wage wars to lay claim to the Meteorite or the ores, they didn't care what they had to do. Starting with recruiting young boys from the age of 15 and older. This is the start of World War III.

Now back to present time Ryuuki is number 1 in the boot camp trying to get into the Phantom Ops, the group he's decided to specialize in. It's also happens to be the hardest military group to get into with the lowest acceptance rate, but, it has the best insured policy – for family too. His family won't have to worry about food, money, or staying safe. All success and any stipend he gets is divided and sent to his family – the real bargain pitch is the line where his family is moved to a highly protected civilian black-site.

- 6 months later -

Ryuuki has finally made it into Phantom Ops. There is only 6 other people who made it in, his training varied from assassination to full on confrontational combat. 2 Months in and he was assigned a mission, it was a hit type.

Tomorrow was his first mission, which is to assassinate a government official from the country X that has information on where they keep their Karenite.

He slept fine that night.

Reporting to the Commanding Officer the next morning, he's promptly directed to his aircraft and told his designated time of take off. The Air-Craft 437II leaves in 10 mins. Ryukki boards the Aircraft with time to spare. Following flight procedure he secures his gear, the craft, his seat's, and emergency packs before settling. The Mission Handler gives him a folder when their well into their flight to country X, he is handed his mission folder containing the information on who he's to kill, and get reconnaissance. Reviewing the assignment he couldn't help but think to himself 'pretty word for interrogation'.

(Target Name: June Chapman Age: 45 Occupation: Country X Government Official Information: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx-)

A 6 hour flight later he lands in an abandoned air strip, heading out he starts his travel to the city where the government official was last recently located. As he was walking he couldn't help but mumble his complaints aloud, "Damn its hot as hell here."

Finally reaching the city he moves to where no street cameras could see him, stealth has become almost as natural as breathing, a familiar coat he wears with comfort. Reaching a Motel he gets one room for the week, despite the War and high tensions the general depression and apathy in the civilians ensure that they don't ask questions and ignore him. Going back out he makes for the regular spots the official were spotted visiting, adding the locale he was last seen at. Ridiculously soon he catches sight of the target, Ryuuki seamlessly follows him around the city, as he does he casually analyses his surroundings if there are any optimal spots to snipe the target, or his options to sneak into his hotel and then to the target's room located on, of course, the top floor.

4 days of spying on his target in different disguises later, he found an ideal moment in his target's routine and schedule and a place where he could kidnap the official to interrogate. On the 5th morning he trailed after his target, taking out the guards one by one without them knowing, staging the scene to look like an amatuer attack, this way although it would be highly suspected the Country X can't point fingers at any particular country. Not without proof.

Now only the target is left, silent and swiftly walking up to the official Ryuuki puts him in a choke hold silencing any noise the official makes, holding tight until the target falls limp, passed out. Taking him to an abandoned warehouse unseen and unheard, he puts him in an uncomfortable chair and straps him in tightly, double checking to make sure it's secure. Complacency can get people killed in these times. Putting on his mask, memorable in only the way that his eyes shine through the slits and the lack of mouth, he pulls on the tough and padded gloves before picking up a bucket of dirty cold water that he dumps on his target.

* Splash! *

"Huh .. WHERE AM I!?" The wrinkles are more pronounced in light of the old man's panic.

* Bang! * A punch was thrown to the officials stomach, the force of the throw making the man wheeze and choke on saliva, his heaving fat gut an obvious target. Ryuuki speaks in a cold voice that is detached of any emotion that's made further creepier by the voice modifier, absent of any distinct accent.

"Quiet, I'll ask questions and you will answer them." Trying to catch his breath, he looks up warily watching the man in the mask, the official isn't dumb, he knows he's in a tough spot. "Okay! Okay, I understand." He rapidly nods his fearful agreement. Ryuuki looks down on the man seeing that his target fully understand his precarious situation, he starts the interrogation. "Where do you keep the Karenite?" The old men lies, "I don't kn-" before he could say anything further, a fist is sent flying into his face breaking his nose with a sickening crunch. "That's not the answer I want to hear." Ryuuki drones, his voice modifier making him sound all the more sinister.

Ryuuki continues like so for hours, patiently breaking his target in bit by bit. His fortitude is rewarded when 3 hours into torturing his target, and after casually revealing the information on the official's wife and daughter that was collected, he finally breaks. Blubbering and begging piteously he tells Ryuuki all that he knows on his countries Karenite. Apparently Country X keeps the ore in a safe in a underground off the books black-site by an abandoned coal factory that they've re-purposed so that the small meteoroid is easier to mine, all undercover of course. Hoping that the pain is over the official apprehensively peers up at his interrogator, bravely, in the eyes of some, asks him if, "Y..you'll let me go right? I told you what you want!"

"Nope, can't let you do that." He denies, his voice ice cold. Ryuuki swiftly pulls out a gun with a silencer and before the official could even begin to beg for his life, shoots.* Bang * A bullet dead center through his head, not even a whisper of an echo in the following silence. Cleaning and packing up after himself he leaves, no evidence left behind him. And like that, Ryuuki's first mission was complete.

It was the first of many.

End of Chapter

INDEX;

{ indulgently : A tendency to be overly generous to or lenient with someone

elated : make (someone) ecstatically happy

endearing: inspiring love or affection

versatile: able to be adapted to many different functions or activities.

Stipend: a fixed regular sum paid as a salary or allowance.

Reconnaissance: military observation of a region to locate an enemy or ascertain strategic features.

Apathy: lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

Locale: A place where something happens or is set, or that has particular events associated with it.

Complacency: A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.

Precarious: Not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.

Fortitude: Courage in pain or adversity.

Piteously: Something that deserves your feelings of compassion, sympathy, and pity.

Apprehensively: Anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen. }