The War General

Prologue

In the year 2070, chaos descended upon Earth. Creatures of unknown strengths and powers rose from the ashes of the infamous Yellowstone Caldera that finally blew. Scientists had been conducting experiments on the volcano when their radios picked up on sound waves spewing from the volcano's depths. Unbeknownst to them, what laid at the bottom was man's worst nightmare.

Dragons.

These reptilian-like creatures had stories dating back centuries of their existence. The distant tales and folklore of these creatures appeared in nearly all four corners of the earth. Of course, man didn't believe it until they rose from the ashes and nearly wiped out all of humanity.

Battle after battle, war after war, pushed humans back into a dystopian. A place where man had fallen back into the times of the medieval. Buildings were destroyed, roads were ripped apart, and as the war continued, the human population continued to dwindle.

Within the time the dragons appeared and the wars with the humans, the human population was reduced from 9.2 billion to 50 million within 200 years.

The humans were struggling to fight these mighty beasts, and together as the world governments crumbled, a new one arose. Just like the medieval times, Kings and Queens came to be, castles were built, horses were tamed, and armies came to be. And while men continued to fight the war against the dragons, a man by the name of Jonathan Saigoni discovered prewar medical and scientific books.

With the newfound knowledge, he made it his life's mission to turn these men, the knights, into super soldiers. These soldiers or knights would have the strength of a thousand men, the speed of a cheetah, and the stamina of an ostrich. These men would be unstoppable if Dr. Saigoni could get the drug down right.

Trial and error became something he was accustomed to. He wanted so badly to help mankind defeat the dragons. He wanted his son and wife to live a life of peace and harmony. Desperate from his work, he took to the King and requested test subjects. Of course, the King outright rejected the idea, but after Dr. Saigoni convinced the man of the vision he sent him some knights.

Hundreds upon hundreds of test subjects entered his lab, and hundreds after hundreds fell by his hand. Most died, some had no effect, and for the ones that did show any substantial difference, the results didn't last long. Jonathan worked long and hard and came home to his wife and child, where he began to feel guilty about taking all of those men lives. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't create the perfect super drug. The perfect soldier, the perfect knight to finally end the two-hundred-year war.

The night of Dr. Saigoni's assassination, his son Juko was in his lab; looking for his father, he crossed the room excitedly. It was Juko's birthday, and as promised, he wanted to spend some time with his father. He had rarely seen him these past few years as he was cooped up in his lab.

His dark gray-blue eyes looked around the lab; it was the first time the young boy had been in there. Once a few years ago, he had peeked inside before he called his father to dinner, but other than that, he was never allowed in.

His eyes were wide in awe as he looked around the lab staring at the strange machines and vials with vast interest. He had always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps to become a scientist and doctor in hopes that he and his father could finally bond.

Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise coming from the back room before his father ran out. Dr. Saigoni fell to the ground and dropped a syringe carrying a strange blue liquid that rolled towards his foot. Juko wanted to help his father but took a step back when five masked men entered from behind his father.

He wasn't a fighter but all gentle and kind. "Juko, run!" His father cried.

Juko couldn't seem to move his feet as the men raised their swords at his father. He was stuck, full of fear. "Where is it?!" One of the masked men roared. "Where is the syringe!?" Juko stepped gently on the syringe shielding it from their sight.

"You're never going to get your hands on it. I'll never let you have it!" Dr. Saigoni shouted back, sounding quite brave in front of his son. He didn't want poor Juko to think of him anything less. "Juko, please run!"

The masked men looked up as Juko picked up the syringe. "Is this what you all are looking for?" His voice was kind and gentle, yet he tried to sound brave like his father.

"Give that back to us and we'll spare your father, boy." Another one of the masked men says.

"Don't do it Juko. Do not give them the syringe!" He pleads with his eyes.

"Enough with your begging!" Snarled the big masked man. He raised his sword, and before anyone could speak, Dr. Saigoni's head was severed from his body and rolled onto the floor.

Blood.

Blood covered the floor and pooled around his body.

Tears spilled down Juko's eyes, he was scared, no doubt. His father was murdered right before his eyes, and now he was alone. He knew what his father had been working on and knew well what was in the syringe. "Give it to us little boy and we'll spare you and your mother." One of the men snarled.

Juko took a shaky step back as one of the masked men held out his hand in desperation. If anything happened to the contents of that syringe, it would take hundreds of years for someone to remake the drug.

Without thinking, Juko stabbed himself in the neck with the syringe deeply and pressed down on the tab. He pushed the contents of the drug into his veins, causing the five masked men to charge toward him, fueled with anger and hate.

"Kill the bastard!"

It was too late. His father had succeeded, Juko was his first successor. The drug ripped through his veins and mixed with his blood faster than the eye could see.

He could feel the power and strength coursing through his body as he tore through the five masked men with ease.

When Juko was found by his mother he was huddled in a corner covered in blood while he cupped his father's head, crying quietly.

He looked at his mother, confused and teary-eyed, "I'm sorry mother." He presented Dr. Saigoni's head, "but father is dead."

That night Juko lost his innocence and made a promise to himself. That for his father, he would spend the rest of his life fighting in the war. He wanted to give back to his father for all his hard work. Killing every single last dragon was his mission, even if he had to waste his last breath on the mission. He wouldn't let his father's work die in vain.

Juko soon fell into a depression staying huddled in his room. Day and night, he thought about his father and how he could've saved him. Though it wasn't the poor boy's fault, he still blamed himself.

A few months after his fathers' death and his funeral was held, Juko signed up for the army. As promised he would not let his fathers' work die in vain.

He trained for two years, and by the King's word every Knight would be given a promised. A woman they would be married to as a token of their gratitude. Of course it wasn't out of appreciation. The King needed to make sure all men of his kingdom reproduced an heir. It was a fight against humanity, a battle to keep humans from going extinct. Fighting against the dragons was no easy task, and he wanted the men at their best for when the next war came.

At eighteen, he met the woman he was going to be wedded to. A sweet girl named Ivy, she was the daughter of a duke who was known for his cruelty. Three days after meeting his wife, he married and consummated the marriage, but by the time she woke up he was gone off to fight in a five year war.

A/N: Saigoni is pronounced SAY-GO-KNEE

Also I just wanted to put out there that even though it is mentioned that the book is a dystopian of medieval times, there are still technologies, customs and traditions that the people still have.