Emperor Of War

Swift

erupted like

g!

led the night as bullet

!" my fat

tepped on the accelerator. The vehicle surged forward. Armed men scattered as the SUV crashed through the blockade.

r scr

und my little brother

" I s

k red blood soaked through his shirt. A bullet had struck his side. Another had pierced his shoulde

're hurt!

noth

urning to the road. Behind us, Jackson's men continued their pursuit. Several black vehicles followed close

I begged. "You

saw pride in his eyes. Then he smiled. It wasn't the smile of a man who ex

s calm. "You must pr

head furi

u m

talking l

ed. "You've alw

ng. I was only fourteen years old. No matter how hard I tried

ad

ully." I nodded. "If anything ha

those words. He was saying goodbye. And we both kne

g into a dense forest. The vehicles behind us struggled to

d. The SUV rol

e had taken too much damage. We weren't going any farther. The distant s

he opened them again, all fear had di

Adam." I looked at him

ha

aylor a

N

un

ocked me. My little broth

eamed dow

" Taylor

reached out and gently touched Taylor's hair.

e you,

father then looked at me. Hi

man of the

htened. "I ca

u c

ng headlights

out. My father

G

ad

no

bed Taylor's hand and climbed out of the SUV. We ran into the forest

icles stopping filled the a

ng his life so we could live. Tears streamed down my face as I ran. I

den

hoed through

bled. My he

ylo

nd. Blood spread ac

ed my lips in a whis

tiny body trembled. His ey

." he w

t the wound. Trying to stop the bleeding. Trying to

me!" He smi

mile. The kind only

her." Then his ey

e me died that night. I don't remember

emember is hearing fo

l wooden cabin. An elderly man sat nearby. His white h

vived,"

instantly. My father. Taylor. The betra

imply allowed me to cry. After

ill you

s. The answer came

ven

tudied me. Th

oo

, he became my master. He taught me everything. How to f

shed me beyo

hrough exhaustion. Through despair. My body transformed. My mind transformed. The weak b

iers. I survived bullets. I mastered blades. I learned to turn my body into a weapon. Hundreds fell b

ht me back to the present. I stood b

ting. I knelt down and touched the gravestone. A faint smile app

inally

grew softer. "I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner.

retched across the horizon in the dis

for mourning was over. The

this

would s