Project Phoenix: The Rise

Chapter 2 - Destiny born.

Liam was born in 2014 at Barnsley General Hospital, a difficult birth, Liam spent the first few months of his life on the Special care baby unit. As he grew up he was always smiling, known for his lively nature, those who watched him grow up as a young child often remarked on his vibrant spirit. He would dance and sing wherever he went, particularly enjoying old rock classics and displaying his air guitar skills whenever classic like AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” played.

Living on the estate, Liam’s presence was recognizable from afar on sunny days, as the sun’s rays would reflect off his copper bronze hair, creating a radiant aura as he walked. Liam was the middle child of his family, with his older brother Ethan having left to pursue a university education. This left Liam with his parents and younger sister Alex, two years his junior, admired her brother immensely and followed him everywhere. With a constant smile on her face, she saw Liam as her role model. Their mother, Susan, often joked that the two were inseparable, as they did everything together and seemed to be joined at the hip.

Barry, Liam’s father, worked as a plumber for the local council. Known for his hard work and dedication, Barry was a family-oriented man who always prioritized his wife and children. He tirelessly strived to provide them with the best life possible, and everyone who knew him considered him to be a down-to-earth and genuine individual.

Susan, Liam’s mother, worked at the local glassworks. Despite the physical demands of her job, she approached each shift with enthusiasm, eagerly looking forward to the end of the day when she could rush back to her husband and kids. Every evening, after returning home from work, she would prepare a wholesome meal and spend quality time with her children before tucking them into bed.

As Liam grew up, he viewed the world as a place filled with wonder. He was adventurous, exploring everything and unafraid to take risks or try new things. At the core of his being, he knew he was loved by his family and felt secure in the knowledge that his parents would always be there for him.

Terry, Liam’s granddad, held a special place in his heart. Despite his own personal struggles, Terry dedicated countless hours to caring for the children. He would entertain them with stories and his guitar, filling the air with laughter and song. Despite the demons he had faced, Terry possessed a deep love for his family. He had served in the British Army for 27 years, having experienced conflict across the globe in places such as Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan The toll of battle, both physically and mentally, left its marks on him. Throughout his life, Terry would often share his experiences, particularly emphasizing his time in Northern Ireland during historic events and the formation of a precarious future.

Reflecting on his military service, Terry would recount the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1994, a moment that was supposed to bring an end to the bloodshed on British streets. However, he believed that the promise of “never again” was a myth, one that would never come true. Terry encapsulated his 27 years of service into a few verses, highlighting how the signing of the agreement was meant to mark the end of violence and suffering for innocent women and children from both sides. Yet, Terry would explain that 1994 was merely an illusion of peace. The truth lies in the dark deals made behind closed doors, resulting in the continued fight that simmered beneath the surface. The end of British military occupation brought cheers from those who declared victory, but tears were shed by those who understood that the battle would persist.

Peace had been promised, a vision of a shared future in Northern Ireland where hate and pain would be forgotten. With the stroke of a pen, the years of religious animosity were supposed to disappear, replaced by a united Northern Ireland. Billions from hidden investors poured in, attempting to hide the scars of violence that stained the streets and walls.
Northern Ireland had begun to lift itself up as the old estate were torn down. Regeneration had become the buzzword, promising more jobs, opportunities for businesses to thrive, and a new future for the people. The headlines of tabloid newspapers and the screens of British homes declared this new era of peace. It seemed that the message of peace was broadcasted by those who had previously highlighted the death and horror on the streets.

The signing of the agreement should have ended the era of violence. After 30 years of unrest, terror, riots, and bombings, the Troubles had claimed the lives of 1,408 individuals, including soldiers, police officers, and civilians. The public, tired of the senseless loss of life, united and demanded an end to the conflict. They shunned both the government and the terrorists, asking for peace and a future for their children.

But Terry, a veteran who had served during the Troubles, expressed his anger at how the government had turned its back on those who fought the conflict. He ranted about televised prosecutions and accused the politicians of betraying the veterans by giving amnesty to the terrorists. The powers that governed the land now honoured the terrorists as freedom fighters, while the military presence was disbanded and weapons were decommissioned.

However, the promise of peace was short-lived. The United States declared its “war on terror,” bringing violence back to the streets of London. The attacks on the Twin Towers sparked a conflict that blurred the lines between a just and legal war and an illegal invasion of sovereign nations. The United States established secret outposts and hidden bases in Africa and the Middle East, fuelling a vast covert military occupation.

Terry reflected on his experiences in the desert, comparing it to the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Bosnia. He chuckled at the blazing sun, jokingly blaming it on climate change. He described the harsh conditions of forward operating bases, where military units and intelligence communities cohabitated and collaborated. The best of the best, tier one units, carried out secret operations, sacrificing their lives to protect people who would never know of their heroism.

Terry revealed the hidden side of war, the missions he embarked on to support the Paras and commandos. These were daily operations filled with danger and secrecy, the kind that never made it back home. These covert missions were deemed necessary by the top brass, a way to prevent further attacks on their homeland.

In these top-secret operations, information was the key to success. Analysts worked tirelessly to gather intelligence, piecing together the puzzle that would shape future invasions. Their educated guesses became the guiding light for the coming conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But to rally the public behind the cause, a reason was needed. These secret bases became both prisons and torture centres, as politicians and their masters sought justification for all-out war. Morals were cast aside as vengeance clouded judgment, and the boundaries of truth and ethics were blurred.

The media played Its part in fuelling the frenzy. Special forces and brave warriors paraded on our screens, battles fought in our living rooms as the hunt for Osama bin Laden took centre stage. The once-covert intelligence community was now celebrated on national television for exacting revenge on the terrorists.

This imagery ignited a new sense of national pride in the armed forces. America demanded justice, blood for blood, fuelling the belief that the war on terror was a battle between good and evil, a modern-day crusade. The war brought dominance, power, and wealth, but it also reignited an ancient feud.

The war on terror became an ideological struggle, pitting extreme Islamic beliefs against Christian principles. It was a Holy war, a clash of angels and demons. The trigger was the fateful day of September 11th, 2001, when the iconic Twin Towers fell. The flames that engulfed the towers became a symbol of revenge etched into the collective memory of millions worldwide. The call to arms reverberated loudly, echoed by terror attacks on British streets and across Europe. Western warriors donned modern armour and weaponry, prepared to fight in the Middle East. The terror attacks became a catalyst for global mobilization, as standing armies prepared for battle once more.

The goal was clear: to defeat the emerging Islamic Caliphate in all its forms, to banish the terror and extremism that birthed it. Like the battlefields of World War 1, a new generation took up the cause, fighting to protect their loved ones.

Yet, in the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and terrorist leaders, ancient civilizations crumbled in the wake of Western armies and their drones. The cost of war was evident in the scattered remains of once-thriving cultures.

The reality of combat saw allsorts of horror committed under the name of freedom and democracy. The battles that followed eventually laid waste to once glorious lands. It saw millions once again forced into oppression, slavery and forced labour. Once again, just as in the second world war, the mass theft of wealth and antiquaries from the defeated nations destroyed economies, which in turn kept the uneven balance of power.

War was again thrust into people’s daily lives as the media pushed the images of violence across the screens. In the aftermath of the initial terror attacks and the decades of war that followed, no one could see what would come next. Throughout the years of violence, one more thing would be needed to bring the whole world closer to the apocalypse.

What followed were the wars fought throughout the 1990s on battlefield across Africa and the middle east, these micro wars would drive the human race to another European war and towards the brink of extinction. The huge European nations allied with the United States would spark another global conflict, World War 3 had become a reality, and humanity would once again face extinction.

In the darker years, Terry would constantly remind those who asked him about his service of the road he had travelled. Like a prophet he hoped the world would take a different path in the future, even when times got hard , Terry believed that humanity could step out of the darkness and into the light, that everyone would have a better future.