"Hey! Halt!" A mercenary yells.

Felix keeps running, not wanting to stop... he has to get to his mother's house. They needed the food he has to give them.

As he rounds the corner, he spots the decrepit house that his mother and sister live in. Rushing to the door, he hears the mercenaries chasing him getting closer to the corner he passed. He throws the bag of food into the house through the window, smashing it with a loud crash and keeps running, not wishing to have the mercenaries search his mothers house... if they did, they'd be executed. Stealing is punishable by forced labor... stealing from anyone representing the state, would be executed in the streets. The murky, old buildings are slowly crumbling to time and weather. The bricks falling off would be as natural as rain when they would crash onto the ground in shatters, and shards. Homes, homes are rotten. Holes in the roofs, walls, and doors. Animals such as rats, snakes, and stray dogs or cats could come to take shelter. Each needing whatever warmth could be given as a slight escape from the elements outside. Felix moves towards another corner down the broken street and waits for the mercenaries to find him. He sees the men round the corner with black helmets over their heads, the uniforms look to be new and well made, black with badges and shoulder patches showing their rank. Their gas masks look to his with the eyes illuminated red. Armored with blackened combat armor they hold their rifles and then start to point them at him. Their design holds the magazines in front of the trigger and handle, the sights look holographic, pressing the stock to their shoulders they start to open fire as Felix stares in horror and jumps behind the corner next to him. As the rounds impact the building dislodging more bricks from the walls. Falling on Felix, he stands up and continues to run down the street. Praying that they chase him and he spare his mother and sister. They had been without food for days.

As they advance, Felix hears someone shout his name from behind him. He looks to see a woman standing in an open door way, beckoning him over, she yells again.

"Would you hurry up and get in here!" She yells to him.

Hearing the mercenaries advance forward toward his position, Felix gets up and sprints to the door way, as he dives through it she shuts it quickly.

"Where did he go?" One calls out.

"It doesn't matter idiot, it's an alleyway." Calls an authoritative tone. "Get down there and let's find this thief... he couldn't have gotten far."

They run past the door that the two were hiding behind, and both let out a sigh of relief. Felix looks to her and immediately stands to attention and salutes.

She looks to him and sighs walking past him, "Stop saluting me you haven't enlisted yet."

Felix, looks slightly hurt and then turns to her shaking it off and tries to look determined. "Yes ma'am."

"Sergeant." She calls to him.

"What?" Felix asks.

"Sergeant," she looks up and glares. "If your going to address me by rank then at least get it right."

Nodding, Felix turns back to the door listening for any sign of the mercenaries. After content on hearing nothing. He moves to the Sergeant and looks at her.

"Sergeant Constantine?" He calls to her.

"What is it?" She snaps as she fumbles around with an old motorcycle.

As Felix looks around, he sees the warehouse they are in, a major production facility for what is known as the Phantom vehicle. The phantom vehicle is a stream line motorcycle made for speed and maneuverability. It isn't combat effective, but it makes transporting a small unit of 4 easy with a driver and backseat rider. A stealth mode later put into the new models would make the vehicle completely covered in active camouflage where it could basically become invisible to due to light reflectors. They are silent even as early models go.

But Felix keeps looking around to see water coming into the facility as the rain starts to pour through the broken glass windows on the roof. Vines were growing into the bricks, and some of the bikes seats were molding. Rust was taking over the frames. Head lights were smashed.

"If you have something to say, Felix. Then say it." Constantine called, grunting as she tightened bolt into position.

Felix looks back, "Are you sure I can make it into the Military?"

Constantine sighs, and looks up to Felix. His dark hair plastered to his face, as his green eyes showed both concern and determination.

"I believe you will." She smiles to him sweetly to help his nerves.

Constantine has been a family friend to their mother since before the war. Serving with her, Constantine was there when both Felix and his sister, Rebecka, were born. She was always fond of them... after their mother retired from service. Felix has always spoken to her about joining the military. It gave Constantine and their mother hope. And yet fear. Their confidence only grew when Constantine had started training him at a young age until she was called away. But now after receiving a message saying he was enlisting... she knew she had to get Felix out of this place. For those who enlisted with the military, are shot on sight.

Felix smiles and sits to watch Constantine work on the Phantom, "Are you sure that will work?"

Laughing she stops working for a second and looks to him. "I'm sure Felix. This was a production factory before the war moved them into the citadel. There's plenty of parts, and I've been known to be a bit of a grease monkey."

Felix laughs slightly and then looks Constantine over, her white hair glistens as the rain pushes it straight down over her eyes. It's a semi short cut. Goes to about the neck, the bangs are long enough to cover over her eyes. Her brown jacket is covered in patches, her rank. Her platoon number. Badges of duty. All looks amazing, she wears it un buttoned to reveal a black tank top underneath it. Her brown pants matches the jacket, but are tucked into the black boot she wears. It's her uniform. And Felix can't wait to get in one. To be apart of the fight for something larger than himself. He proved to Constantine that he is capable and willing. Now is just the trip to the head quarters and then to basic.

The military was formed after the two military powers were betrayed by the two corrupted governments when a rebellion came. The governments tossed its military aside and hired the rebellions forces as the mercenaries we have today. Ever since the two military powers joined to fight against the governments. To cease the war crimes. Lead by one general. General McMillian.

General McMillian was a war hero. Worked his way up to the rank of general, at the age of sixty two he had already fought seven wars, and commanded troops through another three. He was a legend for the assault on the citadel. Out numbered and low on ammunition he went out to the front lines with his men and opened fire on the enemy. He is a huge inspiration to his troops, and a brilliant tactician. He is now head commander of the Military.

"Alright, it's done." Constantine calls to Felix.

They get on the phantom and then bust through the gates, without a second to looks back, gunfire is flying around them as they burst from the main gates of the slums and into the wild towards their destination.

Felix loosens his grip around her and takes the time to look around. Serrys, the world they live in, looks beautiful the evening stars glisten in the pale moonlight of the two moons. both crescent moons with the points pointing away from each other. The wind blows gently against him as the grass, at a distance, looks calm. With the country side passing by as the ride further Felix studies his surroundings making mental notes in his head of what might a combatant do when under in certain surroundings.

After a while, they come to a compound with razor wire fences and gates with two men standing guard dressed in the same uniform as Constantine. One raises their hand and Constantine comes to a stop.

"What's your business?" He calls to her.

"I've got a recruit, corporal. Now let us enter, I need to speak to the captain here immediately." Constantine orders.

The soldier salutes and moves to open the gate, "Sorry sergeant. You can move along."

Groaning as she drives further in, passing tents and soldiers the like, Constantine complains, "protocols... always the stupid protocols."

They come to a stop outside of a tent bigger than the others.

"But protocols keep the structure of the Military in check." Felix says as both of them get off the phantom.

She looks to him and rubs his head roughly, "well look at you mister soldier boy. You'll do just fine here."

Felix smiles and then follows her into the tent. Radios are going off, a table with a map is in the middle and then soldiers are talking to each other, Felix keeps composure but is awe struck on the inside.

"Sergeant!" Someone calls to them. A man in a darker brown officers uniform walks to Constantine, who immediately salutes and comes to attention, he points to Felix. "No civilians in the comms tent. You know that."

"Sir, yes sir," Constantine answers quickly and boldly, "this one is a recruit. He wants to enlist, Captain Miles."

He comes to look Felix over, his brown eyes examining Felix as he snaps to attention. After nodding he calls to one of the soldiers talking, "Master Sergeant!"

The soldier comes over, a huge man, and salutes Miles. "Captain."

"You have another recruit to add to your list of basic trainees." Miles grins.

The man looks to Felix, his green eyes glaring down at him, and then nods to the Miles, "I'll make an honest soldier out of him, sir!"

"See that you do Master Sergeant," Miles replies, then he turns to Constantine, "Now come with me to my tent, you had intel to share I take it?"

Nodding the two leave and Felix is left with this huge man. He spots Felix and smiles.

"Alrighty then," he chuckles. "First introductions, I'm Master Sergeant Calhoun. And who might you be?"

"I'm Felix Carmichael." Felix smiles as he extends a hand to him.

Calhoun takes it and grins shaking his hand, "Welcome to the camp, basic training is soon to begin."

Hey guys, I hope you all like this new book, The Pyres of War. It's my first stab at a war book so please let me know where I can improve! If you like the chapter be sure to leave a vote. And tell me what you liked about it. All of it helps out with making the story that much better. Thank you all for reading and I hope to see you in the comments!