1 Way to a Martial Warrior’s Heart

Three years before humanity’s final threat.

In the last century, a virus called SIN22 changed the world. Countries fell into a pandemic war, which became known as the Golden Dawn. This war was between people and their authority. From an imbalance of power, five authorities were formed to eliminate the corrupt governments and ensure true salvation for humanity.

These five authorities were known as the Martial Sects. Element Sect, Cloud Sect, Osasuna Sect, Fist Masters, and the elusive Eolas Sect. These sects worked with the new administration governments they had helped create. They gathered all the best warriors for a singular purpose.

Element Sect warriors tempered the Earth’s unstable elements to ensure calm and the virus to be weakened on the ground. They continue to maintain a meteorological balance.

Cloud Sect warriors ensured no one would hinder salvation.

Osasuna Sect warriors fought and ensured cures and humankind’s continual survival against the disease and others.

Fist Masters fought on the ground to maintain civil order.

Eolas scholars made sure past mistakes wouldn’t be repeated. Providing the rules and edicts for humanity.

The Martial Warrior Way became the human way. Through the martial sects and cooperative administrations, humankind was immune to the virus and spared from extinction. A genetic advancement supported human beings' continual survival.

However, other animals suffered a drastic alteration to their genetic code via a parasitic variant. The lower-level animals became vicious and brutal with the sole intent to eradicate humanity. No more cute puppies and kittens to pet. Humankind’s new threat was the evolution of other beasts that roamed the Old World as the dominant monster and demon. These creatures continued to knock on humankind’s door with the threat of annihilation.

So, a code was written and passed through all five sects as a word of law. A core fundamental all martial warriors were required to carry in their hearts. This code was the separation between a human and a monster species.

Leon stared at the opening section of his Martial Warrior Way manual, which summarized the last century's demise to a virus and the foundations of the five martial sects. Organizations that, more or less, smacked sense into people’s brains before it became viral mush.

He was reading from a 700-page ebook on his hologram screen erect before him. Text beamed from the small Holo-PC disc fixed to his clean metal desk. The screen conveyed martial warrior history in high resolution of multicolor pixels. Of course, cheap and simple technology, fit for schools. So cheap, the video recaps were flat screen images.

[It starts with the heart. But the human heart is created weak. It's instinct to despise, hate and oppress what makes us weaker. Overcoming our instincts is the way to a strong heart. Humankind’s survival is dependent on the unity of strong hearts. A martial warrior can only grow when they overcome their weak instincts. ‒ Alder Rice, Sect Lord Grandmaster]

Within the textbook was the history of the Golden Dawn. As well as the more recent world skirmish called The Fall, which had ended forty years before Leon’s time. The rest of the book held edicts and rules regarding the martial warrior way of life. It also held a summarized list of sins made by the last century’s corrupt authorities.

Leon sighed as his eyes wandered down the list, which was the mindset of being a martial warrior.

Every poor sap aspired to be a martial warrior. Since the role came with money and other cool perks, a civilian job wouldn't bring. It was a way out of the slums. Of course, rich brats also became one as well to boost their riches and status over others. Can't have poor folk become the powerful ones. So schools formed special classes to hone students, termed Applicants, in the way. This way, anyone could qualify to be an Apprentice, which was a starting rank of a martial warrior.

Leon’s teacher had been reading the opening section out loud. Especially the core fundamental phrase titled, Way to a Martial Warrior’s Heart. A paragraph of words he didn’t understand. Wasn’t the heart only a muscle controlled by the brain? How can the heart be weak?

“My voice too boring for you, Leon?” His teacher grumbled over his head, stirring up a cacophony of chuckles and whispers from the surrounding students.

Leon sat upright and stared at the middle-aged man with a nasty scar running down his left cheek. His stocky body in a cheap brown suit was evidence of his former martial warrior life. From what he had heard around the school, his teacher had retired as a senior journeyman rank of the Fist Master sect. A spirit dagger master, who could slice his head off with a few blows if he wanted to. So, he shook his head and apologized.

“Spit out what's in your head. You clearly have a question.” His teacher sighed when he could see something was on Leon’s mind.

“I don’t understand the meaning of the Way to a Martial Warrior’s Heart. Isn’t the heart just a muscle to control blood flow?” Leon asked using polite language, since he preferred his head still attached to his body.

His question seemed to appease his teacher’s mood. He sighed with relief when his teacher returned to his lecture to answer his question and moved past his desk.

Leon felt sleepy from the man’s drone again.

“Leon! Stay focused, or you’ll get in trouble again,” a girl whispered next to him.

He nodded and smiled at Rachael Yi, the prettiest girl in his class. In fact, in his whole high school. Because of the special classes to prepare kids for being martial warriors, people from all walks of life attended the same government military schools until university level. So, whether you were from a wealthy background or of the poorest family, everyone experienced the same education if in the same class.

Rachael just happened to be one of the ultimate rich kids. The Yi Company owned and operated a lot of the medical and research businesses throughout their country called Realta, which was once known as Japan on old world maps. One of the few island countries that had survived the Old World’s demise. For some reason, she called him her friend. No doubt a future opportunity for her. Despite being part of her circle, he had a calm school life. He figured most kids saw him as nothing more than her reluctant bodyguard.

Well, it didn't matter. In a few weeks time, Leon would sit his final exams and leave his school life behind. Since he wasn’t bothered to apply to a university, he would likely not see Rachael for a while. She had already submitted her application for her family’s university. Rich kids had to play by additional rules set by their family. Of course, poor saps wouldn’t know this. But Leon had known Rachael and her situation for a long time, to realize that being rich sucked.

To be honest, he never wanted to be a martial warrior. A pen pusher job would be his ideal way of life. He didn’t care for fame, fortunes or even people like most of his peers. Some of his peers were keen to seize the opportunity to suck up to the rich for future chances. Most others intended to keep to their groups and stay away.

If one thing Leon had learned through his school years was that there were various ways for survival. As far as his life experiences had taught him, humans craved power and control.

The strong win and the weaker person live a miserable life, boot-licking some rich prat who doesn’t know how to wipe their own ass.

Of course, Rachael was one of the exceptions, being the top student and mistress with parasitic skills no man would want to cross unless they were psycho.

Based on his facts and experience, landing a pen pusher job was heavenly.

“If all the other bullshit is what the paragraph is referring to, the virus should’ve taken us.” He mumbled to himself and decided to nod off.