Prologue: Part 1: Operation Protect the Harmony at All Cost

The year was 2522. The world was ravaged by war and most of it had slipped away already. The aftermath of WW4 that had happened in the year 2500 was still playing out in some places though most had moved on clinging only to the technology in their heads, seemingly the only thing left that was unscathed from the wars. WW3 which happened in 2350 seems like nothing compared to WW4. WW3 was a bluffing game gone wrong which ended in the shocking demise and nuclear devastation of several neutral countries. The result of the Korean's mistake had led to their land and inevitably their nation being squashed out by nuclear warfare, leaving behind only a barren wasteland. The nuclear devastation was catastrophic and most of the world had united to squash Korea. This led to a shaky peace for about 150 years, this was also bridged by world wide spread of America’s leading business the Muskian Corps. The main product was worldwide interwebs that anyone could connect to. The interwebs allowed anyone to directly access the interwebs and link them with their brainwaves at will. This technology also revolutionized how information was taught and shared as at the time with proper security the interwebs would communicate with your brainwaves and upload your thoughts and experiences into its databases where others could access the information you had accrued if they so desired. At the time there were many security stops in place and the interwebs would only upload what you requested it to. After WW4 this was no longer the case. My thoughts were getting ahead of myself. 

I focused my mind and my train of thought immediately went back on track. After the 150 years of peace, bolstered by mass spread of technology it seemed inevitable that something would go wrong and it did. All the nukes broke loose, but it seemed like most of the other major nations had counter measures in place in case of their fall. The result caused WW4 to be catastrophic. It led to the loss of Russia, China, and India. Each of these countries were lost to mankind, their land devastated and destroyed along with almost all of its inhabitants. America and Japan were almost blown away as well. Japan was ravaged, its land split with multiple pockets of wasteland in between. Her people survived better than most other nations but they split into seemingly independent tribes and factions. America wasn’t much better off, it lost almost all of its land and people except for the land formerly known as the PNW (Pacific NorthWest) or so I seem to recall the surviving states, were Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Colorado. Rumor has it Texas also pulled through but created their own nation. Either way the once mighty nation known as the USA. Had shrunk and banded together to be known as the Pacific NorthWest States of America or the PNWA. Surprisingly, enough a large chunk of the Middle East survived yet as seems to be the case throughout history, remained at war with each other. The same could be said for what was left of Africa, though the latest thought was that Madagascar of all places was emerging as a leading ruler to unite the remaining lands. I was nearing the end of the tracks in my head, and all this being said I can confidently conclude that WW4 was terrible and honestly there really was no winner only survivors. However, these survivors had managed to piece their lives back together and create localized societies that seemed to be driving towards a world where loss was turned into a harmonic balance. That is if I could succeed my mission would be the tipping point on if the world slipped into a harmonic peace or catapulted head long back into war.

All of these thoughts raced through my head as I thought of the significance of my mission. I knew this would probably be my last mission, for multiple reasons. But the last of America, the remnants of really the last great nation, was in danger. Honestly, this mattered little to me in the scheme of things. I was one of roughly five hundred left in the nearly forgotten Aragonian tribe of Japan. We had essentially been left to our own devices even before Japan fell. But I held the highest rank possible in our once proud military: Class Ranger, Rank Stride. The Aragonians had lived a secluded life after WW3 rejecting the interwebs that allowed you to access any information or knowledge as long as someone else knew it. With that said we Aragonians weren't against technology just 'that' technology. And as a Stride rank I would not let the valuable resources left in PNWA be destroyed. My people needed them. I needed them if I was going to survive in the world with only my own head and skills. And I suppose as an individual I would rather not see the people of what was once the greatest nation die out either. Even though the world was in its current dependency on the interwebs largely because of America, I figured by following that same logic they were also the only people who could put an end to that dependency as well. And if not then at least they could lead the world into a harmonic dependence on the interwebs for better or worse…

But all of that might not matter if I didn't hit my shot. I was in the vents looking down at a control panel where General Hiro from the same Japanese lands that our people once hailed from had plans. Shima was the clan Hiro was from, my intel from my contact and friend in the PNWA had picked up nuclear intent from Shima. And asked for help in exchange for a lifetime of support. He also suggested that he would be able to get his company to work with the last remaining global Aragonian business. I was weary of course even though America had allied with Japan for WW4 when Japan fell and split into factions and America shrunk. The aftermath was everyone for themselves survivor of the strongest when it came to military operations. This was a good opportunity and my intel man known as EVO33 was a good man, one of the few archers remaining that could shoot close to my own talent.

I curled my hand around the riser of my bow. It was wet and clammy I shook my head this was not the kyudo that I was taught. (The way of the bow) I needed to calm down and remember my training my family had been the safeguards of kyudo in our clan for centuries and before that dating all the way back to the late 2000s they used to make compound bows and traditional bows and most importantly Yumi longbows. The traditional way of the Yumi and the corresponding art of Kyudo is the pride and legacy of my clan. Even with all that pride we had ended up selling out a little and were the first clan to really introduce compounds to Japan for targeting shooting and populace use however compounds remained far from being used in Kyudo. 

 I was the first and last person alive really as far as I knew that combined kyudo with the compounds and ideologies of Western archery . I had grown up surrounded by people who were very engrossed in the way of the bow but refused to adapt. My mentor and his mentor had frowned upon me not shooting the traditional kyudo way all the time and for not primarily using a Yumi. But I had accomplished so many missions and became so decorated as a warrior and particularly as an archer that the elders could not ignore me without making a fool of themselves and everything the Rangers stood for. I liked to think that I still upheld the Aragonian Kyudo just in my own way.

But now I was practically speaking the 'elder' and the last Ranger of my rank. The last Ranger in duty that still knew the way of the bow.

I felt my grip relax. I was the best not because there was no competition but because I was the only one good enough to survive.