Author's note: Read this book if you’re looking for a unique tale with unprecedented twists and turns; a thriving world where only the strong survive; where the warrior discipline is the standard; where the mundane becomes the extraordinary; where the young and ambitious set forth into spine chilling unknowns to test their mettle against the greatest forces ever known to man. Beyond the threshold lies glory, fame, wealth and power but most important of all, respect. This is where you breach your limitations. This is where you become all you were destined to be.

All you have to do is take the first step.

And so we begin…

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Gone Rogue; V1. “Humble Beginnings”

Cassandra moved about the living room, sweeping the floor and singing to herself when she heard heavy noises approaching outside. Hanzo raced up the staircase and tore the door open to his house.

Sunlight spilled onto Cassandra’s face and she squinted her eyes at the boy who’d just entered.

“Um, Hanzo…” she began, “Your boots are kinda’ dirty y’know.”

“Oh, crap.” He exhaled, glancing down at the crust spilling onto the carpet. “Sorry.”

He pulled the door shut behind him but kept his feet on the doormat as a daring smile started to spread across his face.

“They’re here.” He breathed excitedly. “Ultimate Soldier’s here and they’re saying they want new candidates to join without the fees or the extra hassle.”

“What do you mean?” The woman tilted her head with a dull gaze toward her mangy son.

“I mean we’re getting into Soldier straight through the door and getting paid for it too! No background checks or anything. They even said they got us staying at one of their top tier facilities in Baveoma. We’re basically getting a master VIP!”

The mother smiled warmly but her gaze travelled the floor like a blind person.

“I mean, don’t worry.” Hanzo reassured, “I doubt we’ll be getting deployed. We’ll be in training for the most part. All we gotta do is just do well and do some low class missions and some work…All that good stuff.”

The woman watched her son explain the situation with enthusiasm. She could see he was getting impatient by the repeated fidget of his legs. He was a robust child of seventeen years, much darker than her and a more fiery hairdo tainted in dust from his rumbling outside. A black silvery short sword hung along his side, belted in adjustable leather straps with subtle, glinting bolts decorating it. Over a tan embroidered shirt scarred with rips and stains was a red scarf wrung about his neck nearly covering his mouth while the rest draped down his shoulders.

His hands motioned different gestures as he spoke in hopes of convincing his ma’ that he wouldn’t get thrown into a warzone. She seemed pretty accepting.

“So this means you’ll be leaving today?”

She asked.

“Yeah.” He replied, “Today. The boys are already gathering their stuff. In about an hour they’ll have us all rounded up and we out this town.”

Cassandra winced at her son’s slang.

“I see…” she nodded. “Well, honestly I can’t say I’m too thrilled about tossing you off with these soldiers so suddenly but...if you must... I see that I can’t stop you. Go ahead and get ready if you can.”

Hanzo grinned and rubbed his hands together then darted off down the hall into his room to begin packing.

Damn, I didn’t expect this to happen so soon. He thought excitedly. The hyped youngster dropped empty bags out onto the floor and began stuffing them with clothes and other items. He dismounted his other swords off the wall, tore more clothes out of his closet and pocketed any doodad he might need for the trip. He glanced out his window to see if the Soldiers hadn’t left although he knew they wouldn’t. Not without him. His friends wouldn’t dare leave him either. They had time.

Suddenly, the room door opened. He looked up and saw his mother with a long chain in her hands.

Puzzled, he asked, “What’s with the chain?”

Suddenly she dazed him with a sharp kick to the head and smeared a fat strip of tape across his mouth. Then she went on tying him down despite his thrashing and muffled protests.

Once the chains had him bound, the woman dragged him across the carpet then chucked him into the laundry room and locked the door.

At that very moment a knock at the front door came. Cassandra let out a sigh and straightened herself before answering.

Two soldiers stood on the patio dressed in the usual aggressive black uniforms armed with both sword and gun.

“Ah, hello ma’am!” The first said in greeting. “We are here to recruit for Soldier and wanted to know if you or some loved ones would like to enroll in our special program. As you may be aware the great King of U.S. has set in motion the new mandate. We are hoping to gather some candidates of great potential to serve and protect the just cause of—”

“Ah, yeah…” Cassandra interrupted, “I did have a son who I wanted to send off but you see he’s been saying some crazy things lately…”

Hanzo managed to jerk his body towards the door to listen in on what his mother was about to tell them.

“Pardon?” The soldier replied.

“My son has been caught swearing upon the blood of his ancestors to destroy Ultimate Soldier and behead the King. Some terrible misfortune in his past has birthed in his soul a pristine fury directed toward the constitution…” Cassandra shook her head sadly, “We have reason to think he’s been possessed by some demon but one thing is certain...his resolve to assassinate the King is very dangerous.”

The soldiers’ jaws were ajar and their brows were raised. Hanzo himself was literally speechless at his mother’s words.

“What??!” The soldier cried. “Who in the hell would utter such blasphemy??”

Cassandra was unfazed by his indignation and continued in a mournful tone. “It’s true. At least that’s what we observe in his nature.”

The soldier took a moment to process the insanity and then went on to ask if the young man was still present.

“He’s being detained as we speak. On the surface he appears normal and cavalier but unfortunately there’s a much darker side to him that he takes extra care not to reveal to the world...even his friends.”

“I mean…” the soldier sputtered. “Certainly he can’t be powerful enough to handle a dozen highly trained soldiers let alone the King??”

Cassandra shook her head wistfully, “I doubt that he is. But one would think he intends to enter into Soldier quietly through the back door, make his way up the hierarchy like a parasite, becoming more and more powerful and eventually destroy U.S. from the inside out. You’ll have recruited and raised the very downfall of the nation without even knowing it.”

The two men shuddered at the thought. Enemies of the King weren’t unheard of but this sudden telling was quite unnerving.

“What’d you say the kid’s name was?” The other soldier asked, whipping out a pen and pad.

“Hanzo…” she replied. “Hanzo Blackstar.”