This is a 'Red Rising' trilogy fanfiction. The world in my story belongs to Pierce Brown. Please don't sue me. I make no money from this. I am writing this because there are no good Red Rising fanfictions that I can find and this series deserves at least a token good fic.

Warnings: Blood, Gore, Murder, etc. Might dip into lemons later in the story.

Summary: A Darrow wakes up earlier in time cliché. Post-Morning Star back to Institute times. Fast paced action/thriller with a dose of comedic horror. Pretty much... a mad gory romp through a glorious field of broken golden bodies.

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Darrow does it again: Chapter One: Is this really happening?

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I woke just before the fist sunk into my full stomach. I vomited as I opened my eyes. Two obsidians stood above me, dressed in black uniforms and wearing black balaclava masks. I spewed all over the obsidian above me.

This was not a pleasant thing to wake to. One of the twelve fingered giants held a set of manacle cuffs. The other drew back his fist for another punch.

I was a veteran of the Society's War. I was the Reaper. I had just learned that I was a father the day before. I would not die here! Not before I got to know my child!

My fist rocketed into the obsidian's groin and throat before his mind processed my arm moving. I choked on vomit as the other obsidian dropped his manacles as his partner flopped to the floor, gasping for air. He would die soon of asphyxiation.

I kicked out at the other obsidian's chest, but he backed away. I coughed up vomit from my lungs as I felt the agony radiate from my stomach. I blinked sleep from my eyes as I rose from the bed. The obsidian pulled a baton from his waist.

Blue arcs of electricity flickered around the tip of the rod. I crouched to duck a sudden thrust form the rod. I kicked out at the lowColor's left leg. He jumps back, across the room. Jumping across rooms was easy in low gravity.

I grabbed the choking obsidian and lifted him up by the arm. I threw his flailing body as hard as I could at the other obsidian. He collided and knocked his accomplice backwards. His arms flailed before his neck made a nasty popping noise as his head collided with a closed door's frame.

I panted and dry-heaved as I looked around my room. It wasn't my villa on Earth. It wasn't my palace on Mars. It wasn't my private shuttle or my cabin aboard the Morning Star.

I'd been kidnapped... By who?

I took the masks off the obsidians to see if I recognized their faces. The one I'd thrown still lived, choking on his own blood. As I took the balaclavas off, I noticed something strange about my hands. They were scar-less, smooth and soft. Gold markings shined on the back of my hands.

I'd been carved... again? Made gold again... why would enemies carve me in such a way?

I quickly went through the pockets of the two obsidians. They certainly were under-equipped to fight The Reaper. Two stunsticks and two earpieces. I put one into my ear, trying to figure out what was going on.

Instead of hearing people in the ear-piece, I hear the hiss of a ghost-cloak disengaging. I dropped the ear-piece. I might as well be unarmed with just stunsticks. I stood no chance against a gold with a ghost-cloak without a weapon.

"Good show Andromedus." A low voice spoke up from behind me. A popping noise. I stopped cold. Was that... The voice was so familiar.

Andromedus?! Who called me that anymore. I was known by everyone as Darrow of Lykos. The Reaper of Mars.

I slowly turned my head and looked behind me and blinked.

Was I dreaming?

The pain in my stomach and stinging in my nostrils pointed to otherwise.

Was this the vale?

Fitchner au Barca raised his stunfist covered hand and fires into my back.

I see blue light and then darkness.

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I woke as I fly briefly in the air and felt the cold stone floor rise to give me a big kiss in the face. I lied there groaning for a few moments. I heard a metal door slam shut behind me.

"Darrow!" A boy's voice sounded near me. I felt hands start to help me sit up. I ached everywhere. I opened my eyes.

I wanted to scream. Julian au Bellona knelt next to me. A boy I'd killed in the passing, years ago when I was 16.

I'd killed him brutally. Was I dead too.? I was scar-less and smooth. Was this a test by the great reaper of souls? Could this be a test of my conviction?

"Are you alright?" Julian asked, worried for me.

What do I say? What do I say to the boy I'd killed? Do I apologize? Do I even feel sorry for ending his life? His death led to the ousting of the Society's sovereign. His death led to the breaking of chains.

"I'm prime," I grunt. I brought my hand up to my nose and winced. My hand came away with blood. My whole body ached. I'd been beaten harder than this before. Had limbs cut off. This was one of the lowest points of my life in my past. Killing a little sweet boy.

I said nothing as I rose and looked around the room. I knew this room. It was part of a museum. A horror HV of crimes against humanity.

The pain felt real. I could not understand the insanity of what was around me.

The door opened with a squeal. Fitchner stood in the doorway, popping his bubblegum. I felt elation to see him alive again.

"How dare You treat us like this!" Julian yelled. "Look at Darrow!" He pointed at me. "You said the passing wasn't until tomorrow, you lied!" Julian continued to scream.

Julian's face was red as he glared at Fitchner. "Don't you know who my father is, my mother is a legate too!" He pointed at me. "I'll have you brought up on charges for this!"

Fitchner just smirked.

"You are both here to join House Mars." Fitchner reached into his pocket and tossed a gold ring with a wolf's head onto the dirty stone floor. "Alas, there is only one opening available"

As the door shut with a slam, my mind was stunned. This must be a test. To test my conviction in the afterlife. I must be dead. I wasn't done.

I wasn't done yet? What was this?

"Darrow, they don't... they don't really mean for us to kill each-other do they?"

Oh yes, they did, I wanted to say. I chocked on a sob instead.

"Darrow, You have to give up. You don't understand. I have to pass. My whole family have been..." I heard only my own thoughts.

Would I kill this boy to secure the the future to come? Was this my test? Was the future worth this boy's life?

I felt hands grab my shirt. Tears rolled out of my eyes as I realized I had died. Would I... Could I ever change what happened in this room.

My hand moved on it's own. After years of war and sparring, the motion was well practiced. My hand , like a knife, lashed out into Julian au Bellona's throat.

I could not contain a sob.

I did this for the future.

For the freedom of a better future.

I killed a little boy.

The door was unlocked, I found, after I composed myself. I made my way through the hallway of doors as if in a dream. The sense of familiar smells and sounds brought tears to my eyes.

Boys and girls were exiting their own rooms. Some with injuries, some without. Some crying, some not. Titus was splattered with blood and was grinning like a Phobos station highRed on stim-sticks.

I remembered this place. This struggle. When I was so ignorant of betrayal. When I had no friends.

I fingered the golden ring now adorning my finger. A wolf headed ring signifying House Mars. It almost burned. Even if this was just an illusion, it felt real. If this was real, I was insane.

Had I dreamed the future?

No.

I'd not dreamed it.

I lived it.

I now had a chance to save friends I had failed in the past.