Prologue

  Time moved in slow motion as I tried to focus my vision. The smell of smoke filled my nostrils and catching into my throat. A wheezing cough came from my lips. Fire. Everything is on fire.

  There's a ringing in my ear causing everything to sound distant. I am unable to register a voice desperately calling to me. Bodies of men in black suits laid sprawled on the floor. My senses slowly are coming back.

  “Ziyin! Run! RUN!”...Mother?

  Mama!, I tried to yell back, but my throat wouldn't allow me. With all my might I focused my eyes in search for her.

  She hastily race to me with a gun in her hand. A black suited man roughly yanked her back by her shoulders. He then mercilessly back-handed her in the face. She retaliated with a swing to his face with her gun. The man fell and Mother shot him point blank. She continued her way to me.

  “Ziyin! Open a portal!” She ordered.

  Immediately I tried to stand on my two feet, but my body ached in every way possible from the beatings I succumbed earlier, so I collapsed back to the ground. I can't give up though, I need to save her. With all my might I rose to me feet. Stretching my arms out I focused my mind. Where should I send her? Where will she be safe? Then out of nowhere I decided, “Seoul.”

  There was a spark in the space in front of me. It was like watch a flame burn a hole into the middle of a paper. Given my weakened state, I know it won't hold for long. It'll hold long enough for me to send Mother through. I'm the one they want not her.

  Just as it open it began to closing. I yelled for Mother to hurry. She was still struggling with more men in suits. More gun shots went off, and the portal began closing more rapidly. When Mother reached me there was only a narrow slit left that was only big enough for one person. “Go!” I pleaded. With a sad smile, she quickly gave me a kiss on the cheek and gave a short whisper. Then she shoved me through the portal. Falling backwards, I reached for her desperately as a sword pierce though her chest. Some of her blood splattered on my face as the portal closed in completely.

  I sat on the cold wet grass, with the soft humming of the rain and my body dripping we. Each soft breathe I took I could see. Why? Why did it have to be like this? Why did I burden my Mother with being born? Why couldn't I be normal?...why couldn't it have been me? I lost everything. My Mother is dead. I thought back to her last words, "I love you."

  I sat on the cold wet grass, with the soft humming of the rain and my body dripping wet. I sat there releasing a blood curling cry.