Here I stand, a pistol aimed at a group of five armored and well-armed royal guards, a bullet through my torso somewhere that screams in pain and is definitely bleeding horribly, and out in the open. There are very few situations worse than this and my mind is racing to come up with some way out of this situation. I consider cliff jumping but that's about five meters away, more than enough time to get a bullet or a few through my body.

Seraphina isn't any help as she's in the middle of a conspiracy that has stripped her of power it seems. I am caught in the middle shit out of luck. The guards don't fire instantly as they should. This is most likely because of a personal conflict of interest. I don't know what caliber of handgun this is and if it can even punch through their body armor. My extra hole burns and is doing its best to distract me from the situation at hand. I decide on a gamble.

I drop the gun and collapse to the ground making a gurgling sound with spit in my mouth to somewhat emulate the sound of my lungs finally filling with fluid. I hit the ground and hold still in my ragdoll position. I hear Seraphina scream at my sudden collapse for some reason. I keep my breaths shallow as not to move whatsoever. I hear a guard approach me and kick me hard in the ribs. I roll over without a sound or letting air out. This takes everything in willpower to do. Then the guards make the stupidest decision ever. My eyes are wide open as a dead man would be and I watch something my eyes cannot believe.

They ignore me declaring me dead and go to arrest a very defensive Seraphina. The guard who kicked me in their infinite wisdom turns their back on me and stays well within arms reach. They may be armored and whatnot, but under that armor is someone around thirty pounds or less than me and not paying attention. I quickly get up and grab her from behind and lock a brutal choke with my left arm as my right draws her pistol. Before there is any reaction I pull the trigger with the barrel pressed against the gap in the armor under her armpit right near where the heart is. Even if I don't directly hit the damage will be fatal near instantly.

The guard falls as I hit the dirt with her and quickly remove the rifle from her now lose hands and I fire a direct shot into the next closest one who has their rifle raised. They stagger back and collapse onto their ass as they die. I switch targets and put a bullet through the skull of the next one for another instant death. The other two nearly have me lined up but Seraphina knocks one shot away as I shoot the other one. I put three bullets through their chest as they fire at me missing close enough for me to feel the bullet pass by. The final one cant recover in time as I hold the trigger for the remainder of the magazine and they jerk side to side violently as the bullets rip them up. They fall and I find myself laying on the ground with five corpses of the empire's best. I let out a long breath and say tiredly,

"Well, that fucking happened..."

Seraphina is on me quickly and starts asking,

"Are you okay!!?? How did you do that?"

I shake my head and reply,

"I'm shot, it fucking hurts, and I am just that much of a badass to survive that."

Seraphina stands around for a bit not knowing what to do as I keep pressure on my wound seeing the sheer amount of blood coming from my body when a campus security offroad vehicle pulls up. Two average-looking at best men hop out with handguns drawn having been alerted to the gunshots nearby. I wave them over and they begin the process of loading me into the bed of their vehicle to transport me to the doctors. I'm just thankful this future medicine will have me right in a few days, I'm tired of hospital stays. They take Seraphina along for questioning but I warn them to hold her in protective custody. They agree as they call mainland law enforcement to collect the bodies and perform a more thorough investigation.

The drive to the doctors is boring and thankfully short. They jam gauze and other stuff into my hole and drop me off at the door where I am escorted inside. Inside they remove the gauze to my heavy discomfort and spray some burning chemical into the wound. I learn the bullet was either faulty or I was lucky because it didn't even hit any guts, it got lodged in my abdominal muscles, not because they're strong, but because the bullet was funky shaped when they yanked it out. After removing the small slug they seal the wound with a cool foam that burns like fire and smells like strawberries.

After a couple of hours, they tell me to fuck off as I'll be healed up fully in a day or two so long as I don't do any ab workouts. I don't understand why a gunshot wound is that easily written off but at this point, I ain't complaining.

I leave the clinic and am caught by campus security. They politely ask me to follow which I do without complaint. They get me on their utility vehicle and drive to their office. There I disembark and am taken to a questioning room which is just someone's office that they commandeered. They ask for my point of view of the situation and I give them the full truth. They say they will hold me as well until mainland law enforcement can get the situation under control. I accept and go pick the cushiest holding cell they have. It's another office they just put a couch in.

I sit around for a few hours kicking my feet and thinking about the whole situation at hand. There are gonna be some awful consequences from this probably. There is a knock on the door and I tell them to come in. It's a security officer with Seraphina in tow. They let me know she wants to talk to me and they also drop off a tray of random snacks and sodas. I thank them profusely and get off the couch motioning for Seraphina to take it as I sit Indian-style on the floor with a drink and a candy bar.

Seraphina sits in quiet contemplation for a bit as I sip and eat in quiet. She eventually breaks the silence saying,

"Mike. Answer me. Why did you help me make that decision? It put you in danger and you knew it would most likely lead to trouble for yourself."

I think for a second and say,

"I dunno. I guess somewhere in me I dislike it when people are unable to make their own decision and beat themselves up over it more than I dislike being bothered. I couldn't foresee the death that happened due to the situation, and I especially didn't foresee the stupidity of your guards."

She shakes her head and says,

"You are an enigma and a half... I guess that's what makes you special. Someone who tries to act apathetic but is kind even to those who have done him wrong... Yet the same guy who can become possessed with murderous skill and demeanor without a second of thought. I'm impressed."

I shake my head shrugging,

"Eh, I don't see it that way but to each their own. I just do what I feel is right for the moment and fix any problems that come from it."

She nods before staring at me with a piercing look. She is about to say or ask something serious. She then asks,

"Mike. I want to ask you a question of great importance. I have very few allies at the moment as you have seen. I want to ask you this. Will you support me moving forward?"

I stare at her for a moment and ask with a sigh,

"In what way?"

She says to me,

"I want you to watch my back. If my own guards are willing to arrest me at the orders of someone below me I need support. Genevieve can't do everything on her own. I need you to help me where you can. Is that okay? You will be reimbursed and rewarded greatly."

I nod along and say,

"Alright... I'll see what I can do. I can't say I'm your best option, but my main goal here is to avoid another war with the Earth and also to not be on the Empire's execution list. Those two are a given, but I will also ask for some kind of future boon. I don't know what I want now, and it doesn't matter now if I die next week, so I'll wait for that one. Fair deal?"

She smiles widely and gets up quickly and says excitedly,

"Of course! Those are reasonable terms and I will accept you. I will explain more later but if you see someone coming for me like before you know what to do."

I smile and give a chuckle and a wink as I say,

"Anything for you boss, haha"

She seems to redden a little for whatever reason before going to the door and knocking. She is led away by the same security officer and I am left alone with my snacks. I eat up and take a nap on the couch laying back careful not to stretch my midsection.

Eventually, I am told I'm clear and head to my room to lie on a bed. It's well into the late-night and I am not given a ride instead I am told to walk back to my room in the dark. The night is cool and nice. The dark gives me time to think about my decision. Why did I agree to help out?

I come to the conclusion that I am getting involved as this situation does in fact include me. I am marked for death in the Solar Empire who I'm sure have shooters in most corners of the world. The politics that are going on involve a potential war with the earth which I would have to serve in again. To help out Seraphina is the path to protect the maximum amount of people. If war is avoided, and if I smooth talk enough I can avoid most trouble. I think my only job is to protect her here and there which I'm fine with. The least amount of death is a few assassins here and there. I am willing to take up that minimal burden.

Then there are the rewards. I can pretty much ask for anything I could ever want. This could be great for my future as once I am done with this academy what will my life hold? Will I be put on ice again? Will there be another even more horrible experiment? In the end, I could just ask for a simple normal life and she should have the power to grant that wish for me. I don't know though. In the end, my only goal is to live a life and to keep people safe.

I make it to my room unmolested and flop onto the bed kicking my shoes off and throwing my shirt and pants in the trashcan as they are ruined by blood, both my own and others. Tonight I have a very unsettling dream.

The dream places me in a spot I don't know but it feels familiar. It's a broken city, the sky is gray and there are corpses all around me. Then across from me in the shadows of a broken garage stands a horrible being. A decaying creature with the skull of a deer. Glowing red eyes bore into my skull as I smell the sickly sweet smell of decay. The creature stares me down and its horrible voice, like a swamp given a mouth says to me,

"You... Are not real. You are a mockery of your own true nature... There is no peace for you, death and destruction are your wives whom you embrace countless times... you bring them wherever you go... barbaric cruelty is your calling card, bodies shredded and torn, flesh consumed, and tortured screams your symphony... Your future holds only the same as your past... You can run, but it will find you eventually..."

I shake my head holding a stoic demeanor and ask,

"Who or what are you? What authority do you have to say these things?"

There is a horrible laugh that tears at my very sanity as the sky grows darker and the creature glides from the shadows. The smell of decay grows stronger, as it approaches the world behind it becomes more distorted and horrible, rivers of blood, piles of torn corpses, the city on fire, and screams of hundreds. The creature finally gets within inches of me the pungent smell threatening to make me vomit. I stare into the glowing red eyes as it nearly touches my forehead to mine and it says the most horrible line I have ever heard,

"I... am...your....ghost..."

I take a step back shocked and it lets out another horrible laugh and it says,

"Keep walking, or running, eventually you will have to embrace me to protect others, you must commit evil to prevent evil... bring back your true soul...and reap what you have sown..."

I shoot awake a bit startled by my dream but I shake it off. I don't know who I was, but the thing wasn't wrong entirely. I don't know if I'm running from myself, if I am I don't know it. I really wasn't in the mood for dreams that bring prophetic visions. Stupid dream monster, being stupid and bad at timing and all. I shake my head and see that it is now morning and I get up. My wound is super sore but I get up to go get breakfast. I eat and go back to my room to just sit around. I open up my tablet and go through the library resources available and just start reading random books that look interesting.

I spend the next two days doing this routine until I am completely healed. Then at around noon, there is a knock at my door. I open it and Genevive pushes inside carrying a large black bag with a coat hangar sticking from the top. I try to speak but she interrupts me and says,

"Put this on with some dress shoes and then knock on my door. I will explain later"

Still, before I can say anything she is gone. I sigh and open the bag. Inside is a really nice suit that resembles an officer's uniform. It is made of some really nice silk. The main color is a dark gray with the same fanged skull that's on Wendigo sewn onto the lapel. There are no other markings. It comes with matching pants and a white undershirt. I get the clothes on and get them comfortable. They are cufflinks that are made of what looks to be plain steel. I get my nicest boots on and check myself in the mirror. Other than my hair being a little messy, I look really nice. My face still has a very patchy beard on it still. I take off the upper part of the dress clothes and quickly shave myself smooth. I put it back on and look much better, but still have my messy hair.

I finish up and walk out of my room and knock on Genevieve's door. After a few seconds, she answers wearing a nice dull gold-colored dress. IT doesn't compliment her as well as her dark dress did way back when but I don't comment. She looks frustrated with me and drags me in. Her room is decorated nicely with all kinds of nice furniture. She drags me to the bathroom and makes me squat down to brush my hair. I squat for her and she does my hair. She then tells me to wait outside her bathroom and she'll be with me soon. I spend a few minutes standing around awkwardly realizing how bare my dorm is.

She eventually steps out with some minor makeup done. She tells me to follow and I do. She doesn't speak or answer any of my questions as we walk and I grow more worried by the second. Eventually, I am led into a huge formal hall. Inside are lots of chairs aimed at a center stage. We walk past this and I am put in a back room and told to sit in a certain chair and to not move. I will be directed on what to do. I do as told and wait around still nervous and unsure of what to do.

I wait for an hour or more and hear a crowd gathered in the room nearby and suddenly a speaker comes up and quiets the crowd. I can't hear anything except vague speaking noises when a screen descends from the ceiling. On it shows the stage being handed over to Seraphina who is in her goddess-like state with the ethereal gold light surrounding her. She then gives a speech,

" Good afternoon everyone. I hope you all are doing okay today. It is my understanding that nearly everyone, barring a couple of faculty members, is a citizen of the Solar Empire. This warms my heart to see you all so brave to return to this academy despite the horror you have witnessed. Yet I come with bad news... the powers that be, in our home in the heavens above have become corrupt with the powers the first emperor had given them and they have turned their backs upon me.

Their reason? The reason I have come to understand is that I refuse to bring my divine wrath against the people of the earth. It is well understood to me that the actions against us here at this academy were awful, but they were not perpetrated by the average person on earth. No, those men and women were terrorists. Their goal was to cause harm to innocents, blood for no reason. After this attack, the real colors of the earth showed. With great haste they came in to protect those who were under attack, they sent their finest to collect our injured and try to heal them, and when the smoke cleared they came with a furious vengeance against those who had slighted us. Why would I bring harm to those who we should be thanking profusely? That's why I wish to have no war, no more violence.

My vision, is one of peace, one where humanity, while we are separated into our cultures and glorious nations, is able to unite together so that we as a whole may advance as one. These nineteen years, pushing a second decade, of peace have been nearly a golden age for humanity, yet like always, in the golden light, there are shadows cast.

There have been attempts on my life, the life of those close to me, and the lives of many citizens of the empire because of my refusal of violence, and to my surprise and many others, protection didn't come from a place where it should have. My royal guard even turned their back upon me in an attempt to coerce me into a bad decision with the threat of bondage or worse. Yet my protector rescued me against all odds. This person has protected the people of the Solar Empire despite being born on earth and having no good interactions with us. We are undeserving of this individual's kindness. Yet today I plan to do what is deserved and to show both peoples, the ones of our cradle, and us among the stars, that we can become united not by papers and treaties, but by kindness, and the idea of a better humanity."

Genevieve gets me up and I am forced to walk out onto the stage. In my head, I swear profusely as I do my best to hide my awkwardness and do everything in my power to avoid sweating. I have never been a fan of theatrics. I remember stumbling over my lines during a school play when I was younger. I look at Seraphina who, in person, looks absolutely stunning with all the lighting effects they are putting on her at the moment. Past her on the other side of the stage is a teleprompter that is telling me to walk up to three paces away from her and give an honorific of some kind.

I get exactly three paces away and click my heels together and give a solid salute to the empress before me. She smiles at me kindly and nods her head at me. The teleprompter tells me to drop my hand which I do. She then continues,

"This here is another student of our academy, born on earth, and raised here as well. This gentleman here has done more for the empire in the last year than some nobles have done in their entire lives, and he has gained nothing in return for doing these things except grief. What I shall do here is something that hasn't been done since the founding of our Empire."

The teleprompter tells me to kneel and I do with my head bowed. I feel my cheeks grow red as very impure thoughts race through my head, mostly slurs. She draws an ornamental sword and holds it in front of her and says out loud,

"Today I shall knight the first earth-born person in nearly forty years. The first since our glorious empire had its first knights. He shall be of no order, but a free knight, in service directly to me and not to our empire as its leaders appear to have lost their minds.

Now, Mike, do you swear to uphold the honor of your leige, in all facets of your life, and in combat? Do you swear to never turn your back on those you are swearing to protect? And finally, Mike, do you swear to show no mercy to those who oppose you and your oaths?"

The teleprompter says 'I do'. I repeat the words loud enough to be heard. She smiles and then gently taps my shoulders with the blade before gently cutting my cheek with its razor edge. She then announces,

"Let this be the final time you are struck by the blade, and the final time you have your blood drawn without an act of furious revenge."

The prompter tells me to stand and I follow and Seraphina sheathes her sword and smiles at me. I stand there quiet for a moment before the prompter tells me to show honorific once again and to exit left. I salute once more and turn on my heel and walk off stage, no longer a student, but a knight of an empire I was never born to.