General Kim Hyun Ki sat his fifteen-year-old daughter, Kyung Mi, in the floor beside him and poured out his heart to her. He thought it right that he informed her of the impending dangers and possible outcome of what was to happen.

'Promise me Kyung Mi, promise me that you'll do as I've told you. Do not let this pill, no matter what, be discovered, no matter what happens,' Hyun Ki pleaded, stressing every word.

'I promise, Dad. I just want you to be safe,' Kyung Mi promised.

She was full of complicated emotions. The more she thought about it, the more crestfallen she felt. Her father had said it all, there's no going back.

Just then, his comrades came in. Kyung Mi saw their faces and her heart sank. They were sullen. They nonetheless saluted her father as a sign of respect.

'General, it is time we departed. The armored cars and artilleries are ready,' Lieutenant General Park SeoJoon, his best friend and right-hand subordinate, informed. Hyun Ki nodded, head hung low, his eyes misty.

Here was the unbeatable and formidable General who'd fought countless wars and battles hanging his head low. The FEAR of enemies having the fear of leaving his only precious jewel forever.

'Dad, uhm I have a favor to ask,' Kyung Mi spoke up.

Hyun Ki looked at her. 'Of course'

'Can I go with you?'

Hyun Ki shot his head up abruptly. 'What did you say?' he wasn't sure of what he heard.

'I said, can I go with you?' she repeated.

Hyun Ki froze.

Everyone else in the room froze.

Silence.

Dead silence

Only a few seconds passed yet it seemed like a whole day had passed. A fly passed and the spell broke.

'Kyung Mi, do you understand what you said? A battlefield is not a normal training ground. We aren't going for a training contest, we're going for war!' SeoJoon exclaimed, agitated.

He turned to Hyun Ki. 'You can't fulfill this one, I'm telling you. You shouldn't at all please...'

'Get ready, Kyung Mi,' Hyun Ki said abruptly.

'Thank you, Daddy, thank you. I'll get my boots,' Kyung Mi skipped happily and disappeared to her bedroom.

SeoJoon was very surprised and at the same time displeased. 'Do you know what you've done?'

'Yes, I know and there's nothing I can do about it,' Hyun Ki replied.

'Nothing? Of course, there is something you can do. Convince her to stay. That's not a place a teenager like her should be.

He sighed. 'I overheard your conversation. You shouldn't try to put fear in her. You'll surely return to your daughter if you have faith.'

'I've trained Kyung Mi to be strong and face challenges as they come her way. I'm only informing her in case anything happens to either you or me or any of us,' Hyun Ki pointed at his subordinates.

'And you think this is the best way to further prepare her by letting her see things for herself?'

'Yes'

'But...'

'That's enough,' A trace of anger flashed in his eyes. 'I've made my decision. She's coming with us!' he said with a tone of finality.

As if on cue, Kyung Mi came in already dressed. She wore a white shirt and a pair of army trousers, her boots, and a face cap, all in army green.

I'm ready, Father'

'Let's go'

The group left the house, Hyun Ki taking the lead. Soon, they reached the other soldiers standing in straight lines. He stood in front of them and addressed them.

'As we all know, we're going out to defend the truth and nothing else. This mission-like war is one that which no one knows his fate. But I encourage you, don't give up. Fight for what is right. What we strive for is...'

'VICTORY!'

'Even if we don't make it back together alive, we should always bear in mind that we're one body and that we should always watch each other's backs till our very last breath.'

'YES!' the troupe replied with some emotions.

Hyun Ki looked around his troupe with a straight face but deep down, he had an unsettling feeling. The fact(or was it a feeling?) that he wouldn't get this chance again caused a deep stir of sentiments. He nonetheless gave the order.

'LET'S GO!'

'YES,' and everyone dispersed to the various vehicles.

Hyun Ki looked at Kyung Mi beside him.

'Are you sure you want to go?' he asked worriedly. He hoped that she'd change her mind at the last minute.

'Father, when have I gone back on my word? I want to go and see things for myself,' Kyung Mi sounded confident and determined.

Hyun Ki sighed helplessly. 'Okay then. Let's go.'

He very well knew that it'd be practically impossible for Kyung Mi to go back on something she wanted. Whatever she wanted, she'd get it at any cost. Now she wanted to go to war alongside him, nothing would stop her.

Hyun Ki, Kyung Mi, SeoJoon, and other officers entered the armored car in front, and off they went.

They drove to the woods on the outskirts of the city and stopped. Kyung Mi scanned the area and observed.

'Is it here? But it's quite empty here.'

'This is our side of the battlefield. This is where we'll lay our ammunition, attack and defend, as the case may be,' SeoJoon explained in a subtle tone. Everyone had gotten down.

'So, how will you see the enemy's camp?' Kyung Mi further asked curiously.

SeoJoon smiled. 'A pair of binoculars will do.'

'Yeah, right. I almost forgot.'

'Stay inside the car till everything is set, then I'll take you to a safer place,' Hyun said seriously. She saw his solemn face.

She merely nodded and one of the officers escorted her back to the car.

She watched as her father and other senior officers strategized the troupe.

Hyun Ki gestured to his soldiers and they covered a large part of the forest. He signaled to a group and they built a pile of debris as camouflage. He motioned to yet another group and they positioned themselves behind the artilleries. He then took Kyung Mi to a corner in the woods.

'The ground's been tested and no explosive whatsoever is located here. So you can watch it safely from here. If you feel danger around you, just enter this hole behind you. I've employed countermeasures to keep you safe.

'On no account will you leave this spot, no matter what. No matter the turn of events, whether good or bad, don't ever!' he warned sternly. Inwardly, he felt scared and uncertain. He'd kill anyone who dared to lay a finger on his precious child.

'I promise, Father,' Kyung Mi promised. 'I love you very much Daddy', she added, her eyes tearladen.

Though she always said ''I love you'' to her father, today, she felt that this would be her last life contact with her father.

Hyun Ki kissed her forehead and left immediately to avoid letting his spirit down.

As Hyun Ki walked away, she saw something flying towards him and...

'Father! Watch out!

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

The object flew in the direction of his head and he dodged it swiftly. It landed some meters from him.

FIRE!

Several missiles flew back and forth in the once quiet woods.

Kyung Mi was shaken to the core of her being when she heard the sounds of heavy gunshots and soldiers dying in their numbers. She covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming. The scene in front was just too bizarre for a fifteen-year-old teenager like her to comprehend.

She soon spotted her father in the middle of the battlefield.

She saw how as skillfully as ever he shot and fought as a seasoned soldier. She observed, despite the trepidation in her heart, the way he fought, not for the game but for what he knew was right. She felt proud.

Hyun's face twitched. He paused momentarily. He started to feel dizzy and an intense pain in his stomach. He tried to ignore the pain and battle on but the pain was excruciating. He tried to go to a safer corner but soon realized that the enemy had surrounded him. His soldiers saw this and rushed forward only to lose their lives in the process. They subdued him and took a little away from the field. SeoJoon saw this, shouted his name and dashed forward. He barely missed a bullet in his leg.

'If you dare come any closer, don't blame me for wasting you,' a militant-looking soldier threatened with a murderous gaze.

SeoJoon knew that he had to save Hyun Ki and also stop Kyung Mi lest she rush out to her father.

'Well, well, well. Look who we have here! Hyun Ki! The God Of War!' a sarcastic voice said.

Hyun Ki struggled to remain strong, despite feeling suffocatingly weak. He raised his head only to meet the victorious and vicious gaze of the one he had come for.

'Dae Hyun!'

'Such a long time, Hyun.'

'Son of a bitch,' Hyun Ki spat.

'Is that what you have to say to an old friend?' Dae Hyun spoke disgustingly softly.

'Drop the pretense, Dae Hyun. We've never been friends,' Hyun Ki said, boiling with fury.

'You don't have to be fierce with me. There's nothing you can do now. Your system is weak hey hey,' Dae Hyun said with a mock playful attitude.

WHAT!

Hyun's mind went haywire. He was actually...

'Hak-Kun! Come forward!' Dae Hyun ordered.

Hyun's eyes widened in shock. Hak-Kun! No, it can't be. So many thoughts surged into his head and started feeling dizzy once more.

Hak-Kun stepped forward.

'Well done. You did the job perfectly well. I didn't know you'd be this competent and efficient. I must say you impressed me,' Dae Hyun praised him.

'Thank you so much. I'll continue to prove myself to you General', Hak-Kun grinned widely.

'HAK-KUN!' Hyun Ki was in disbelief.

'I'll go straight to the point. Where is it?' Dae Hyun asked in a condensing tone.

Hyun breathed heavily. 'Even if you're to bury me alive you'll never find it...'

SMACK

Dae Hyun was losing his patience. He hit Hyun Ki with a metal rod he had been fiddling with.

Seeing her father clamped down by their supposed enemies, Kyung Mi shouted. Before the sound could escape from her mouth, an iron-like grasp on her mouth stopped her. She felt very terrified.

'Don't make a sound,' SeoJoon warned softly.

When she heard SeoJoon's familiar voice, she calmed down a bit. At least, she wasn't in danger as she thought. But her father...

'I'll ask you again. Where is the pill?' Dae Hyun questioned forcefully this time.

Hyun Ki's strength dwindled. 'I... won't... tell... you...'

SMACK

'AHHHHH!' Hyun winced in pain.

Kyung Mi tried to break free from SeoJoon's grip but it was fruitless. He pinned her down while bearing with the fact that his bosom friend would be killed right in front of him.

Unbidden tears kept flowing from her eyes as she desperately tried to go to him.

Blood streamed from Hyun's mouth, nose, and head. He was in agony.

Dae Hyun's patience was running thin.

'Are you sure this poison is working? I'm not getting what I want from him!'

Hak-Kun hurriedly answered. 'General, I did what you asked me to do. You know his type of person. People like him are always tight-lipped when it comes to confidential matters like this.'

'Does he have a successor?' Dae Hyun asked.

'Yes, General. He has a child. Female. And she's fifteen years old', Hak-Kun replied respectfully.

'Don't you dare lay a finger on my daughter, you filthy animal', Hyun cursed through gritted teeth.

His patience was lost. 'You won't tell? Then keeping you alive is unnecessary.'

Kyung Mi struggled and cried, screaming 'FATHER!' in her head. Dae Hyun pointed the gun at Hyun.

NO!

BANG!