It all started when Marcus was younger, he couldn't have been more than twelve years old. He and his mother, Rachel were in Central Park in Fountain City, where they lived. It was the first time that he had laid eyes on them. The personification of evil, demons descended from a portal in the sky. These demons had been showing up for years, long before he was even born. But, this was the first time that he had ever seen them. His mother was struck with immediate fear, and as he turned to protect her, he knew that his minuscule body couldn't possibly save her. He closed his eyes and squeezed his mother as tight as he possibly could.

He began to clinch his teeth with so much force, that his jaw began to grow numb. Just as he began to feel a sharp pain in his jaw, this horrendous howl was released, and he slowly opened his eyes to see a man standing before him adorned with a bright red robe, and a katana in hand. The bright yellow shine coming from the hilt of the man's sword was hypnotic, he found himself lost in its glow. So lost, that he never noticed that the demons had gone, almost as if they just vanished. He turned to his mother who smiles and thanks the man, and when Marcus turned to say something, the mystery man was gone just as fast as he appeared.

Marcus immediately asked his mother, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Marcus, I'm more concerned with you." She said with a sigh of relief.

Shaken but, somehow drawn to the events that just happened, he appeared unsure of how to react in this moment.

"Marcus Parsons!" she implores, "Are you okay?!"

This snaps him out of his trance, and still ignores her question, "Mom, who was that, who was the guy with the sword?"

"That brave man is a Blade, they protect us from the demons who show up here.", as she smiles.

Awed by the idea of this group of people that slayed demons, he vowed to learn all he could about them, from that moment on.

That memory survives with him to this day. He often thinks of what he experienced that day. It motivates him like nothing else could. Marcus remembers staying up nights and studying why the demons came here, how society's own evils had brought about this plague. That it was the behavior of humankind that had unleashed this torment on them, because they hadn't learned how to treat each other with kindness and compassion after all these years. Many religions began to believe that the mere presence of demons was a sign from some deity that society wasn't where it needed to be, and that the existence of the demons was punishment for their sins, that god had turned his back on them.

Marcus never really knew what to believe. He just knew the reality of their existence was made clear on that day at the park. He remembered that people die almost every time there is an attack. He knew Fountain City installed alarms so that the people could more easily seek safety. Overall, he knew that life was different now. So, the question to everyone must be, do you fight, or do you flee? Many still haven't decided that part yet.

The Blades aren't like everyone else, they fight to protect everyone regardless of creed or color. All human life must be protected, because all humans are the same. Peril seems to know no bounds, and neither do the Blades. Just as religions have attributed demon presence to sin, they've equally turned Blades into angels, and as a result they are treated with the utmost respect, many people are enamored with the Blades, imbuing them with celebrity.

Not much is known about the Blades and who they are, or why they started. 'The Blades of the people', they can be heard saying. Marcus knew he wanted nothing more than to be that. He spent his life preparing for it, engaging in athletics to stay in shape, training in self-defense, watching online videos of Blades who were recorded in action. For eighteen years of his life, he knew that he didn't want to be anything but a Blade. There was no choice, he was destined.

Society has learned to deal with the existence of both the Blades, and the demons they slay. They dream of a day that they can say that demons will no longer terrorize them, but it's unclear if that day will ever come. Sometimes the town can go long periods of time without experiencing an attack, others it's frequent. Regardless of why they think demons and Blades exist, they still exist in a world of hope and faith.

Marcus has faith that he'll be good enough to be a Blade, and he hopes that his mom will let him. That's the sticking point. His mother even after a close encounter of her own, doesn't want him to continue obsessing over the Blades. Much less be one. Convincing her would likely be harder than actually slaying a demon. She's been around him for years and has endured the idea of him reminding her constantly what Marcus wants to do with his life. It's not all about cool swords and demons, but about serving the people, and helping the community. She's afraid, and he understands why.

As Marcus sits deep in thought daydreaming and reminiscing about his potential future, he's quickly brought back to reality, as he remembers that the bus doesn't stop for you unless you ring the bell. After a long day of work, Marcus exits the bus anxious to meet his mother for dinner. Fountain City isn't a very big city, but the bus ride home from work is always a long one. As Marcus is walking to his house, he sees his mother at the mailbox.

"Hey mom!" he says.

"Hey Kiddo!" she says with a smile.

As they start to walk into the house, Marcus starts to notice his heart begins to race. He starts to noticeably take deep breaths.

"What's wrong?", she said worriedly.

"Mom, we really need to have a serious talk.", he replied.

"This better not be about the Blades, Marcus. I had a very long day, and I'm not interested in that conversation.", she says as she slams her newly retrieved mail on the end table in the living room.

"Mom, this is all of what I ever wanted to do! Now that I'm eighteen, I have to find something more than working at the local grocery store."

"I already lost your father to the Blades, so you will go to Fountain City University as we've consistently talked about for years!" she said angrily.

Marcus never wanted to go college, he always thought it was scam. How could a university charge you more than you would potentially make in a year for a piece of paper he thought. This had always been a sticking point between these two. His mother wanted him to stay safe and a far away as possible from the blades, and college was the best option to do that. The best way for Marcus to live what she thought would be a normal life in what seemed like such a crazy world.

The comment about his father kind of stung Marcus. Stereotypes be damned he couldn't help but find it hurtful that his black father wasn't around when he needed him. Identity is already an issue when you grow up in a mixed-race home, it's worse when one of those parents is gone. He never really knew his father, and he's had to learn what it means to be a man largely on his own and from his mother. He has always believed that his father died doing something heroic and is largely the reason he wants to be a Blade. But, he's never been able to come to terms with what always felt like is a big hole his life, and his mother invoking that idea hurt him. The thing that urges him forward, is somehow also the thing that holds him back.

"You've always brought my father up as a way to distract me from this dream.", Marcus continued, "I don't want anything but this. Why can't you understand that!".

"There is nothing to understand." she says, "We've already discussed this, there is nothing left to say."

Marcus gazes at his mother with a bewildered look. Almost as if he couldn't bear to look at her. He walks away without saying a word to his mother. As he climbed the stairs to his room faster than he ever had, he felt anger and disappointment at his mother's feelings on this topic. The thoughts going through his mind at this point, centered on running away or finding a way to hide his participation with the Blades. As his bedroom door slammed behind him, he could hear his mother mumbling something but at this point he had no intention on finding out about what she said. He knew dinner was coming though, and at some point, he would have to actually address his mother.

As Marcus laid on his bed staring at his ceiling, he began to again reminisce about that fateful day in the park. The day that has seemingly changed his life forever. Still angry, he can't quite figure out how to approach this moment with his mother. As rain outside begins to tap against his window, a new thought enters Marcus' head. What if he took the time to understand his mother. Perhaps understanding her position will help get her to understand his. Armed with this new confidence and approach Marcus decides to go down for dinner.

Marcus descends the stairs slowly, a pace not remotely close to how fast he ascended them. As he walked into the kitchen, it didn't take long for his mother to address him.

"Is it okay to talk now, or are you still in your feelings?", she said full of snark.

"Great, all of this is a joke to you?"

"Well you stomped off.", she said as she set his plate on the dining room table.

They both sit slowly at the dining room table, almost as if moving any faster would ignite the explosive tension in the room. Marcus began to think of ways to further address this situation. Just as he began to open his mouth, his mom beat him to the punch.

"Look, I understand why you're upset.", she said with a worried look on her face. "I just want you to know that you are all I have, and I wouldn't be okay without you."

"Mom, I need you to know you raised me to look out for others, and that's what being a Blade means.", he said convincingly.

"I know.", she said with a tear running down her face. "I've already lost someone that I loved to that choice, and I don't want that again."

Just then, with tears running down his mother's face, the anger and tension had just disappeared. It reminded him that understanding was the original goal, and that compassion is what he was always taught. Marcus decided to carefully engage his mother to ensure that he spared her feelings.

"Mom, I know what this means to you.", he said carefully. "But I need you to believe, in what you taught me. The compassion, the ideas of servant leadership. I'm prepared for this, and I'll be safe."

"Just promise me this, you'll consider college?" she urged. "Just sleep on it for me, and we'll discuss it again tomorrow."

Marcus agreed, and finished his dinner and left the room. A bit more understanding of his mother's frustration began to put doubts into his head. Just as he promised, he laid in bed with thoughts of his decision swirling in his head. Sleep would seem light years away, as this decision would be the biggest of his life. Chase this thing you are drawn to and hurt your mother forever, or give up on the biggest dream you've ever had in your life.