REBOOTING^ The Boy From Fire^REBOOTING

Chapter 1

Camp Desertion

I had the same dream again last night. I wasn't really sure if it was a real memory or if it's just something my mind makes up. But in the dream I was a child and I had a family, a real family that cared for me and loved me. But I've been in this training camp my entire life. Children shortly after being born are brought here and prepared for war. Weather or not my "real" parents gave me this name its what was given to me: Jakob. I destroy, I salvage, I obliterate anything I am told to. In this colorless world, there is no such thing as love or family; just dullness and the cold.

You would think children would naturally try to make friends, but I've learned that's a mistake. Never get attached. Because you never know what might happen being raised as soldiers. We live to fight and fight to die for the adults. I'm reminded of this each time we go into battle and each time someone doesn't make it back home. I sigh, shaking my head groggily as I pull myself out of bed. I can't let these drawn-out thoughts slow me down, we have work to do.

My battalion was already up and getting ready for the day with the usual routine. We wake up, wash up, gather our gear and begin our training before we return to cook, clean, sleep and then repeat. It was instinctive at this point because that's all we ever do. I gather my things and walk to the bathroom to get ready where I bump into André. He's the squad captain and made sure things were in line. We share a nod as he walks past me, fully dressed to the boot and ready to begin training. André began to shout in the room. "Alright rookies, we'll be heading out at Zero Seven Hundre-" his sentence was cut short as an explosion blew through our cabin. 

I hear everyone yell. Not in pain or in terror, but to get their weapons and to fight. It was an ambush, and we weren't trained with fear or worry for ourselves; just to fight. I hesitate for a moment, reminding myself over and over that we were trained for this. "We exist only to fight, we..." I pause my thoughts, my chest filled with fear; an unwelcome emotion. With only nothing else on my mind, I decided to flee. I begin to scurry away from the danger, then out of the corner of my eye I see fellow soldiers burnt to a crisp from the explosion. It was supposed to be a normal, boring day. None of this was supposed to happen!

Frantically searching for a way out of this crumbling inferno of a cabin. I desperately need to get fresh air into my lungs. Ignoring the cries of my comrades knowing they are trained for an attack like this. "They will be fine... " I thought. Using up every ounce of my strength to break through the already crumbling wall leading outside, I start slamming my shoulder into it.

"Can't...breathe..." I gasp painfully, as my head starts spinning and my body gets more numb by the second. After the third attempt, I push through the wall and stumble onto my knees, my legs giving out on me. I can hear the building behind succumb to the blaze and collapse onto itself. I shield my head and hold my breath as a blast of smoke is sent out from the building. My head's pounding as I drift back to my thoughts to this morning. A family. Being loved and cared for. I never got to experience that. "Ah it's so Warm. Warm... It's so..hot.." Slowly I drift to unconsciousness losing the will to live in this world.

  Just

      when

            I

                thought

                     I've

                         dissolved

                              into

                                   the

                                         Abyss

Images begin flash before me. Weird symbols that I don't recognize rushing towards me, passing through me. I feel my body throbbing every time one forces itself through me. The weird markings rush at me faster and faster until I start to catch fire! "Hot...hot...h- cool? " I feel a wave of calm and cold overcome me as I stir awake from the sensation. Slowly regaining my senses, I move my hand to hold my aching head, I feel something soft brush against it causing me to freeze from the unexpected feeling. Then I open up my eyes to the sight of a nauseating bright color.

More alert, I open my eyes wide and try to climb to my feet to get a better look at my surroundings. But instantly regretting that decision now discovering that I am very sore. Learning my lesson I take my time to get up and survey the land in front of me. Suddenly remembering the attack, I look around to find traces of a burnt down camp. But there is no evidence of any type of civilization what-so-ever.

Everything is so... Green? At least I think this is what you would call green. My eyes start to hurt trying to process all this color. I seem to be near a lot of hills.

"Great, can't really see anything over so many hills."

I sigh, thinking sarcastically to myself. After trying to find the tallest hill to get a better idea about my surroundings, I spot a grouping of what seems to be bushes on logs? I think they are called trees! I thought those were a long gone!

Not sure about how I am supposed to deal with the emotions I have at the moment, I decide to let the words escape from my mouth to vocalize what I feel about my current situation.

"...What the f-"