Author's Note: This story is simply an experiment. I'm unsure if to continue this one or not; depends on what people think of it. I'm not going to continue unless people actually read it(hint: leave comments and reviews! constructive criticism preferred and no flames allowed). This is one of two stories(the other story "Realm of Dreams" I have major plans for) that I would like to go somewhere. As in, there's actually a detailed plotline. One quote that I think really goes with this story: "Do you not know that I live by war and that peace would be my undoing?" Said by Sir John Hawkwood of the Hundred Years War. Again, enjoy and let me know of what you think. Terms that confuse you are listed on the very bottom of the page.

Summary: There is no mercy. There is no order. There is only survival…In a world where nations fight for constant control children are the puppets that take the blood. They are children of war, born only to kill or be killed. The Superiors, grown “children” that survived all wars, rule the world with an iron fist, waging battle to control the world’s resources. But then there is the legend of the Sin, the one child who would end all wars…

Children of War

Prologue

…My undoing. I am the Sin.

Or at least, I was the Sin, but no one knew. For others to know that I was the Sin would be my death. It came to me in a dream when I was five years old. However, maybe I should start with my birth. Actually I don’t know where to start. The Sin is essentially unconvinced by his own actions as he is a thinking being.

I make my own decisions, as a thinking being. Even Superiors don’t make their own choices; there are believe it or not, Higher Superiors. But then who is the one that is truly in control? I always wondered. But wondering often led to one’s death, so I had to pretend to obey. All children are brainwashed. They are cold, bloodthirsty, unthinking beings. But the Sin was different. While I pretended to be cruel and unthinking, I was in reality scared and regretful. I could never pretend to kill because when I tried to pretend, my spear would already be impaled upon an enemy child. Then there would be blood on my hands. How could I try to make peace when I was actually killing? I was simply a hypocrite.

Those who survive battle breed to create more children of war. Eventually those Survivors become Superiors. And we all know that Superiors are the ones who rule the nations of the world. I thought they were far and few in number. I honestly had no clue that there could be so many Survivors and Superiors when so many died. But then again, there were so many children too.

Survivors were the only ones honorable enough to wield a sword. They would walk proudly with the sword in scabbard tied around their waist. For several years before they would become Superiors, the Survivors would patrol the local communities keeping the children in line. We children, I especially, would dare not strike back against a Survivor. I noticed the male Survivors would yell more than the female Survivors. Female Survivors were the ones known to be more violent and strike against a child of war. In most cases a rebellious child was put to death on the spot. Or worse, they would be tortured.

Children, us inferiors, were only allowed to fight with spears, slings and clubs. To die as a Survivor was glory for one’s nation. To die as a child of war was seen as failure to one’s nation. Unlike Survivors, children of war often bled the most. I didn’t bleed too much, but I would find other ways to suffer.

From the time I knew I was the Sin, I wanted no honor or glory. Children are taught to not want things from the time they come out of the womb. I wanted something, but it was not honor or glory. It didn’t matter anyway. Most likely I would die before I reached Half or so I thought. The legend of the Sin stated that that one child would die young or die old. In my case I would probably die of old age. But for so long I had wished that I would die younger.

For I am the Sin, the one child to end all wars; and this is my story…

1. Half-the lifespan of the normal human in this world is 30 years of age, even though 60 percent of all Superiors live to be at least 50 years old. Around 70 percent of all children of war die before they reach the age of 15. Those 30 percent that live past 15 years most likely become Superiors by age 20; in between they are called Survivors.