The Story of War

This story was typed under the deadline of 45 minutes for an English assessment.

Not all of my ideas are included in the story due to the given time, and I didn't really know what to title it. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy it.

The Story of War

She opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. She seemed to be in a calm snowy forest. The trees swayed around her, and the crunch of the snow was the only thing she could hear. She turned the corner to an opening in the forest and saw it. Her nightmare coming true…

RAWR! The creature looked at her dead in the eye with its blood-red eyes. It was the only characteristic the creature had, and it stared deep into her soul. She knew that it was not real, but it all felt so real. She knew she was in the Alternate World, the special world that could be controlled by the Government in the Chamber. But she could not believe her eyes. It was the first time she had entered the Alternate World, and it was all new to her. She knew that she was meant to be helpless in this world, but some sort of power surged through her. Then, the creature clawed at her. She cried out in agony, but somewhere in the back of her mind something was urging her to do something, anything to fight this anomaly of a creature. So, she did…

The power she was holding in came out of her in a bright light, like a sword she could hold. She sliced at the dinosaur, and that was it. Her nightmare was finally over. She woke up a few minutes later in the laboratory she was being tested in. Her proficiency test was finally over, and now she would wait for the results. She bit her nails anxiously, and waited like a lion, impatiently stalking its prey. The professor opened the door and let her inside. “Anne, your test results are very abnormal,”, was the first thing the professor said, “I am willing to keep this a secret, but you must realise, you are a very special being. You are part of the Antithetical; you can manipulate the Alternate World to your willing,”. The word sparked a distant memory deep in her mind. The professor continued, “You must keep this a secret from everyone you know and choose the house you want to choose yourself: Lionheart, Cognization or Tranquillity,”. Anne knew this already and felt like she knew who she should go to. The professor finally said, “Based on what you summoned, you must be a Lionheart.”. Then she fainted.

She remembered something, something very dangerous, something her long-lost father once said, about being an Antithetical Lionheart. It was a memory long forgotten, but she knew what he had said. “Don’t tell anyone this, A, but I am part of the Antithetical,”. She remembered what her father’s voice sounded like, and how he had called her ‘A’. “We are a special type of human that can manipulate the Alternate World.”. He went missing 3 hours later. She always thought that her father going missing was not a coincidence, but now she knew why it had happened. “There are only 2 choices in this world, to give up, or to fight. To give up, however, can be a out of an act of defiance: put up a fight to the end, A.”.

The next few months passed quite quickly, with many near-death but however exhilarating experiences. She had the choice to go to Lionheart (the brave), Cognization (the knowledgeable) and Tranquillity (the peaceful, and the one she was brought up in). She chose to go to the Lionheart, and to leave her non-existent family in Tranquillity behind. She knew that it was a unique switch that would spark many questions. But for those few cherished months, she forgot all about being Antithetical, and focused on becoming a Lionheart Apprentice. It was a very dangerous task, because you had to show your bravery both in and out of the Alternate World. However, she came out on top, and scored some new friends, Gale and Jett. They both excelled in the Alternate World tests, like her, and had many common interests.

One day, she overheard a conversation about a big war that Gale and Jett were talking about. She knew that Jett’s father was the head of Lionheart, the one who represents Lionheart in all they do. Anne’s curiosity got the better of her, and she planned to infiltrate the main office at night and find about these talks about a war.

As night approached, her plan was put into action. She got up from her bed in the dormitory as silent as possible, and walked stealthily along the corridors, trying to blend in with the shadows the walls provided. She knew that the guards that were meant to guard the main office would be fast asleep, but she had to somehow get the key card from their pockets. She did this by softly blowing air onto one of the guards faces, so that they would move onto their side. She then slowly took out the key card from the man’s pockets and entered the main office. There she saw all the papers, strewn everywhere across a map of the nation. She picked up one and read it to herself. “Set everyone up in the Alternate World. Make everyone work for us willingly or not, but they will not know, so why should it matter? Approach Cognization headquarters and rain siege on them; we should outnumber and outfire them.”. She then remembered about the Antitheticals. Surely, they would know that they exist, and would have to make a fool-proof plan against that? But she could not go over any of the other papers, because she could hear footsteps approaching her. She got out through the back door and somehow found her way back into her dormitory.

The next morning, it happened. Everyone seemed hypnotised, everyone but her, and a few others. She remembered that there were more Antitheticals other than herself, and she had suspicions about her friends, Gale and Jett being ones, but she would never have thought there would be more than a dozen of them… She gave them a quick brief about what was going to happen, and how they were the only ones who could stop the war because Tranquillity is the Peaceful house, and therefore will not take sides in a war. After some debating, they split into two different groups; one group will go to the Chamber and convince the President to stop the war, and one group will go to fight against others in the midst of the war. Anne was part of the people going to the Chamber.

They make their way to the Chamber and undergo a series of Alternate World torture; at least it would be if they were not immune to it. However, only Anne ends up making it to the President’s room. Anne realises that there must be different levels of being Antithetical, and that she was the strongest. She felt a stroke of pride at that, but also a tinge of grief due to Jett and Gale both dying. She catches the President looking outside the window, the War unfolding under him as he watches, almost in a state of tranquillity. She was ready to end it…

The President looked up at Anne. “What are you doing here, Anne?”. Anne stared deep in the President’s eyes, seemingly unfazed by the fact that the President already knew who she was. The President continued, “I know you transferred from Tranquillity to Lionheart, and from that I had the suspicion that you would be Antithetical form the start.”. Anne felt a flash of red across her face, but quickly wiped it away and stared deep into the President’s soul. “Despite the circumstances, I would have never thought that you, of all people, would make it through the trials to reach the Chamber. Only I could do that before you came along to stop me in the midst of an inevitable war.”. Anne said, “It is only inevitable because you are choosing to not interfere. You know you have the power to stop this war, to avoid many innocent’s lives being taken.”. The President retorted, “Oh, so now who is playing hero now?”. Anne was startled by the words the President said. But it all clicked together now. Her father must have rebelled against President Cook.

The next few minutes unfolded in what seemed to be seconds. The President warns her that she is being recorded, after she makes a quick start from her position towards the President. Cook also told her that any move that she makes will be seen by everyone in the world. She then remembered the words her father told her, “To give up, however, can be a form of fighting.”. And at once she realised what those words really meant, and why her father went missing. She broke the window and jumped to her death.

By: Joshua Rozario