Golden Warriors

Chapter 1 (Orphaned?)

Knap was the first of his brothers to arrive home from school like always, entering in through the kitchen.
"Mom, dad, I'm home." Knap called out as he rummaged through the fridge.
"Mom I'm thinking about going to the park with the guys after I finish my home work is that okay?" Knap said as he walked into the living room where a scene he wishes he could erase from his memory unfolded.
First he saw blood on the floor, second was his parents lifeless bodies.
Knap went into complete shock at the sight that he had no clue the intruder was standing there getting ready to grab him.
A creak from the floor boards got his attention.
Knap looked at the source, to afraid to move as he saw the weapon clutched in the man's hand.
"Hush child." The man said as he got closer.
Knap stood there shaking in fear as the man came closer.
"As long as your a good boy you won't get hurt." The man said as he got to Knap's level.
"Will your brothers be home soon?" The man asked.
Knap cried harder afraid what this killer had planned for them.
Kit's little voice could be heard from the kitchen.
Knap was about to scream when a large hand covered his mouth and he was pulled against a strong body, Knap than realized there was another killer.
"Shh..." The first man said as Knap started to pass out.
The last thing of that day Knap remembered was his brothers yelling and screaming.
"Knap Miller are you even listening?" His teacher asked as he stood next to Knap's desk.
"Sorry Mr.Fraiser." Knap sighed as a stray tear fell from his bruised eye.
"Go to the counselor." Mr. Fraiser ordered.
Knap gathered his things and walked out of class.
Instead of going to the counselor he left the school.
Knap waited at the meeting spot for his brothers in the woods.
"You were day dreaming again I heard." Dale said as he and Harper walked up to him, Parker and Kit following.
"Yeah." Knap sighed.
"You have to stop thinking about that day." Dale said as they walked home.
"How can I stop!?
We live with them!
The nightmare never ends!" Knap yelled.
Dale gripped his shoulders.
"We are alive, they are allowing us to live as normal as possible, don't screw this up.
Now stop being a baby and grow up." Dale demanded and walked off.
Dale knew the life they were living was anything but normal but he had to keep it up for the younger boys.
"He's scared too you know." Harper said as he put his arm around Knap.
"Why do they have us?" Knap asked.
"No one knows.
Knap please just try and stay calm and keep your head down." Harper sighed.
"Your just as insane as them.
Keep my head down, stay calm?
Thats all I ever do.
I didn't ask for this black eye Harper, I didn't ask for all these bruises covering my body.
Did you, did Dale, did they?
Come on don't you get it?
Its only a matter of time till they kill us or worse Harper!
Who keeps four young boys alive after killing their parents!?
Men who have a hidden agenda, that's who!" Knap snapped at Harper, Dale was now standing next to Harper, the younger two also.
"Look Knap you don't think we thought of that?
We know its only a matter of time.
We have a plan in place just hang in there a little longer and humor them.
Okay?" Dale said as he pulled Knap into a hug...
"Where were you boys!?' Duke yelled as they entered.
"I tripped and twisted my ankle." Knap said as he limped in, just brothers looked puzzled at each other.
"Alright come on let's take a look." Duke picked up Knap and carried him to the kitchen, Dale and Harper shrugged and took the younger boys upstairs to do their homework.
"When did Knap twist his ankle?" Parker asked.
"I don't know, I just hope he made it look believable." Harper sighed.
"Looks bad.
How long did you walk on it kid?" Duke sighed as he got the ice pack.
Knap shrugged pondering if he put a little to much body make up on it.
Duke looked at the boy and wondered how much damge they done to the boy that he would keep walking on an ankle badly twisted and not even tell his brothers.
"Okay keep you leg up.
Any homework?" Duke asked.
"No." Knap sighed.
"Go watch TV while I fix dinner.
Buck won't be home tonight." Duke smirked at Knap's excitement in his big green eyes.
Buck was the worse with the boys, Duke was moral compass for his insane brother, it was his idea to keep the boys alive and claim them as their nephews, Buck was shocked the courts fell for it.
The boys went along with it because the younger two were alone with Buck.
"Duke can I ask a question?" Knap mumbled as he sat at the counter watching him chop up vegetables.
"No this isn't the same knife." Duke chuckled but saw the look on Knap's face and knew that was stupid to say.
"Hey kid I didn't mean it.
What was your question?" Duke sighed.
"Why are we alive?" Knap asked as tears fell.
"Awe kid.
How long has that been bothering you?
Look it was my idea to keep you boys alive.
Your just kids.
That got stuck in the middle of a battle you knew nothing about..." Duke was cut off by Knap's whisper.
"Battle?" Knap looked at Duke with his big green questioning eyes.
"Wait your parents never told you anything about them?
They never told you that you come from a lomg line of Golden warriors?
Wow...
Crap Buck is going to kill me for even saying what I said.
Look Knap there's alot going on that you don't know.
I can't explain more right now.
Here this was on your dad.
He must have been planning to give this to you boys but we ruined it." Duke sighed as he pulled out a gold box with a lock.
As soon as Knap's thumb grazed the lock it opened.
Duke watch with just as much excitement to see what was held in the small box that they did everything you can think of to try and open it.
"Gold dog tags?" Knap said as he pulled one out, he felt a serge of energy go into him and watched as his name appeared in an elegant green writing.
"What is this?" Knap whispered.
"A bible tag.
Keep it on you at all times.
No one other than you can remove it, trust me I seen that before.
Your parents didn't have theirs on." Duke recalled.
Knap put it around his neck and tucked it into his shirt.
He grabbed the box and took it to his brothers.
"I remember dad telling me about bible tags.
They are unable to break or harm you when someone tries to remove it by force.
I wonder why mom and dad removed theirs?
It's as if they had to or planned it." Dale pondered as he handed the box to Parker.
"Yeah I remember dad got mad at me once when I was little and tried to take his off him.
It wasn't because he didn't want it off, he was afraid I would get hurt." Harper recalled.
"Boys I can't keep you here, you need to run.
Dale take my jeep.
Here this gives you custody of the boys removing us as your guardians.
I did this the same day we got you, the lawyer thought I was crazy, I just didn't want Buck have any way to reclaim you with the help of the authorities.
Follow this map it will lead to others like you.
You boys have the only copy I swear." Duke explained as he handed Dale the map.
"Why are you helping us?" Dale asked.
"Like I told Knap, this wasn't your battle.
Your all just innocent by standers.
Stop questioning, you have a full day and night to put distance between us.
Now hurry and pack while I pack supplies in the jeep for you." Duke said as he ran down the steps.
The boys didn't hesitate packing, they were ready within the minutes.
"Oh now you boys can move fast." Duke teased.
"Okay stick to the map only.
Do not improvise the map.
You must follow exactly what it says.
Trust no one except each other or others with bible tags but do take note some may ware tarnished bible tags, that doesn't mean they had it for a long time, it means they are turning away from the truth.
If you see one like this..." Duke was surprised to see his was gold again.
"That's odd." Duke took it off to look at it better, a jolt went through him sending him to the floor flat on his back.
"Duke Dobbs it was no mistake you took in these boys and killed those false ones.
Stay with them and protect them.
It will be days till your brother finds out your all missing.
He has made a covenant with the evil one severing all ties with you.
He is no longer your brother, he is a stranger to us all." The voice said out of the bright white fire.
Duke's eyes sprung open causing the boys to jump.
"I half expected you boys to be gone." Duke chuckled.
"You were giving us instructions than you flew across the room.
You mumbled killing false ones." Knap pointed out.
"Yeah that's what the fire said.
I don't think we killed your parents.
I think we killed their copies.
Explains why they didn't have their bible tags." Duke said as he jumped up went to the closet for a ready bag.
"Knap how bad is your ankle?" Duke asked as he picked him up.
"Umm honestly its just make up." Knap sighed and cringed as he watch Duke's expression.
Duke chuckled and hugged him before putting him on the ground.
"You had me fooled, yet I am relieved, I thought you were beginning to become numb to pain.
I am glad I was wrong.
Let's go." Duke said.
"Wait your coming with us?" Dale blurted.
"Yes, I have answers I am sure you want to know and I was ordered to protect you boys." Duke explained as he got in the driver seat.
"Dale your navigator.
You two keep the younger ones occupied, we have a long drive ahead of us." Duke instructed.
Neither boy was sure what to think about Duke, he was always different than Buck, when Duke disciplined it was normal, unlike when Buck would discipline.
"So you were a Golden warrior?" Knap asked.
"No my brother and I were prisoners of war when we were to young for training.
I was four, he was eight, he would have started training that fall.
Our camp was attacked, the adults were killed, the young were taken.
We never knew all our history, just little bits we remembered.
Buck took it harder, saying our parents were the reason our life changed.
I guess I never believed him." Duke told them.
"What do you know about these copies?" Dale asked.
"Copies are clones.
Boys if they were cloned that means they were killed by the evil one.
They were most likely put there to watch and see if you knew about your bloodline.
If you didn't they would have taken you back to their master and trained you to be soulless." Duke explained.
"Oh." Knap mumbled.
"Hey bright side I'm not really a killer." Duke teased.
"Okay bad joke but I am relieved I didn't kill them and we might have saved you boys." Duke said.
The rest of the drive was quiet...