The Beginning

How raged he was, they hid it from him, all of it. His father was dying yet no one told him. Though a part of him knew that his father wasn't well, he did not know that his father was spending his last days. Yu was never around when his father had a stroke, strangely he was always around when his father was well.

Yu turns eighteen a month from today. His father had once promised to take him see the Confucian old home when he turned eighteen. He's always wanted to see how the wise man lived.

Yu turned around to look outside the wind-torn window. It's cold out, but the fire cremating his father kept him warm.

"Pass me that jar over there." The cremator spoke, pointing at a reddish blue jar sitting on the stool beside Yu. Yu didn't even bother standing up; he conveniently reached the jar and placed it beside the cremator's tool.

"What are you going to do now? Your whole family's gone." The cremator said as he secured the jar and wiping it clean.

"I live on enemy territory. I suppose everyone's expecting me to run and seek help. Well I admit I should, but I don't know who to go to." Yu said barely moving his lips. He's become weak. His father not telling Yu of his condition was like the betrayal of a loved one.

"You know you've got a godfather?" said the cremator.

"I don't give a damn." Yu said, now frolicking with a little blind mouse.

"Get up you pathetic piece of shit!" the cremator grabbed Yu by his collar and slammed him against the wall. Yu tried to not make any eye contact.

"I've been around for quite sometime now! Your mom may have given birth to you, but all she really did was pass her womb for your dad to carry! It's time to break out of that womb! Your father babied you way too much! He protected you from everything! Everything I tell you! Now that he's gone, it would be logical for you to go with him! But I won't let that happen! You're a smart boy! You can either go down in history as the guy who died in a womb or the greatest strategist ever lived." Yu stared at him, they just met today, yet this guy seems to know him pretty well.

"A strategist?"

"Yes! Now get out of here!"