For what seemed like forever, she walked and walked until her feet gave out. Then she would sit down for an hour or so and continue on to the endless darkness. There were moments when she thought of giving up but as she looked at the compass she reminded herself of her

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resolution. Suddenly she saw the compass shine brightly at the palm of her hands, it was a warm
and familiar light, but she couldn’t remember where she had seen it before. As the light went away she saw the arrow in the compass move towards her left. She found it odd for all passages headed towards north and they all should all lead the same way. So how was it possible that she
had been walking east the whole entire time? Abruptly, as she looked at the compass she remembered that anyone who passes through the passages encounters a trap, with a few exceptions.
“ Was this a trap maybe?” she asked herself
She walked in the direction that the arrow pointed at, which oddly changed its course every hour or so. Suddenly she saw another a bright light in front of her
“Could it be,” she thought, “ is it Province 27?”
As she headed closer to the light she could make out buildings and roadways and a figure of a person that she couldn’t clearly see. Was it a man? A woman? She pondered. As she reached the end of the light she saw a woman standing there with blond hair tied up and a formal suit. But more than the woman what surprised her the most was what she saw buildings as big as giants, highways looped everywhere, floating signs, and flying cars. The woman approached her as said, “Welcome to Province 23 my name is Exus I’m the passage keeper for the 22nd passage. If I could just take a moment of your time to ask you some security questions then you can carry on to your trip with no further problems. Now to begin with, may I take your key to clarify your identification?”
Stunned, Kina was speechless she had never seen anything like this here whole life all she saw in Province 28 were poor farmers working in the field all day striving to make a living.
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“Excuse me Miss…Miss are you alright?” she inquired.
“Huh? Ah. Yes I’m sorry what did you say again?” she asked as if in a daze.
“ As I said here in Province 23 we need…” she continued.
“Wait! Province 23 I thought I was heading towards Province 27” she asked confusedly
“I’m sorry but this is Province 23, the Province of inventions were everything is invented to make the lives of the people easier in the upper Province. But if you don’t mind me asking how come you weren’t aware of the place you were going to if you bought the key especially for this Province?”
“Excuse me?” she asked puzzled
“ The key in your hand was specifically made to lead you towards Province 23” she explained
“ But I thought that the passages only lead to the next passage”
“On normal occasions yes they do, but in special cases those who don’t want to encounter the traps and head directly towards a specific passage use keys to guide them.” She explained, “if someone without a key walks on a passage they either encounter traps and never make it across, or passes safely through the other side. But those who enter the passages with keys are transported to a vortex. A vortex connects all passages but the keys only lead to a certain one. It directs you towards the right direction through the maze, as long as you follow it. If you don’t follow the key you will wind up wondering around the vortex until your body eventually gives out. In your case the key you hold lead you here did it not?”
“I guess that does explain why I wasn’t walking north and the way the compass changed its directions often,” she concluded.

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Kina handed Exus her compass and Exus placed it inside a box then a hologram with Kina’s face showed up and the number 28 was written right next to her name. Exus handed back the compass, told her where to get transportation and bid Kina farewell. Kina walked towards the bus and paid using the money she preserved for several years. As the bus went deeper into the city the tall buildings started disappearing only small shops remained and when the bus finally
stopped Kina couldn’t believe what she saw. The city full of tall, shiny buildings and flying cars was gone. The place she was in right now was full of run down old building, trash everywhere, and homeless people wondering the streets in dirty clothes begging her for food. She had always thought that life in Province 28 was the worst than any other Province before it. But there she was standing in the middle of a town isolated from the luxury in the upper parts of Province 23. A group of men suddenly came up to her and asked her to follow them. At first she refused out of caution then one of them an old man with gray hair and white beard so long you could braid it, asked her, “ You are Katrina’s daughter are you not?” Katrina was the name of Kina’s mother.
“Well, yes but how do you know my mothers name?” she asked surprised
“We’ve been expecting you. Follow us and well answer all your questions.” The old man said.
They led her through an old shop and headed down towards some sort of basement. When the old man opened the door she saw a flash of light. Inside she saw a very large, clean white room, much to her surprise considering how it looked above ground, there were about a dozen people inside each working with some type of holographic machine she had never seen before it looked far more advance than the one she saw before in the entrance.
“I’m sorry if we frightened you we are the dragon hold part of Cavalier’s rebellion. My name is Lucifer. First to answer your question your mother was the commander of 6 sectors in Cavalier’s
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rebellion one of which included us. Cavalier’s rebellion is groups of people who believe that even the poor should be treated as equals. It consists of 12 different sector almost one for every other Province, except in the top 5 Province of course. We hide ourselves here in the ghetto and build our underground headquarters. What you saw above ground were some of our agents ordered to act like beggars if anyone not from the allies comes, to prevent unwanted visitors
mainly the enforcers. But even they don’t bother to care for the poor. The rich takes everything they want and do anything they want without having to face the consequences. When your mother came to us 6 years ago with important news she told us two things one was that she discovered a secret about the Gods that if publicized through out the whole matrix. It would crash the whole system and poor people could gain their freedom and equality. But discovering the secret had its consequences, the Gods of Province 1 were hunting her down using every opportunity they had to end her life, no matter where she went they would be able to find her so we decided to help her fake her death so the “Gods” would give up on their hunt.” He said in a serious voice.
Kina felt both relieve that her mother was still alive but angry with the fact that all these years all she ever knew was that her mother left her out of selfishness and died before keeping her end of her promise
“The second thing she told us,” continued the old man, “ was that in 6 years her youngest daughter would come and seek out the world like she did and that when she comes she will be an ally for the cause. I know it sounds like your mother is making all the decisions for you but I think you would agree with us once you fully understand what were fighting for. Its far more than freedom and equality it self, we want to establish a world where the poor don’t have to
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struggle to live where the rich is on the same level as us in every aspect possible. I hope you’ll consider our proposal. If its you I believe we can change the world, for now you can stay in the guest room my assistant will show you the way.” A large man wearing army like clothes approached her, he didn’t say a word and just stared at her then started walking towards the door. She quietly obeyed and followed the man, she felt that if she asked any more questions about her
mother her mind will be more confused as to who to believe or trust. The following morning as she woke up Kina recited her resolution as she had always done whenever she felt troubled or confused to keep her mind on one goal. Then she thought to herself that if her resolution was to be more than the ordinary girl that everyone expected her to be, the maybe this was fate. If she accepted she could make a difference in her life and the lives of thousands. And she could see her mother once again. Right then and there she decided that to change her life and the life of others she must change the world. The only words floating in her mind were “Destroy the system, Control MATRIX.” She went out of her room and charged into the control center where Lucifer was.
“Lets change the world,” she said with overwhelming confidence.
She had never felt like this before it was like a boost of power surrounded her and made her feel like she could be anything she wanted to be.
“I was expecting you would say that,” said Lucifer; “ Now then let the games begin.”
Over the past few years Lucifer and Kina planned out strategies, recruited supporters for the cause, spoke in rallies and trained with everyone for the upcoming battle, the combat that will soon be knows as The Fray of Avant-garde. But as Cavalier’s rebellion grew in number and strength so did other factions. Over the past few months, large groups who call themselves Anti-
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matrix, those who like us who wants to demolish the system but for different reasons such as power for themselves, have caused hundreds of riots opposing the Gods. Of course some riots ended in bloodshed. There were only a couple a weeks away before they had to carry out there plan.

Time flew by fast, it was already spring, and it has almost been 4 years since Kina escaped Province 28. She wondered what happened to the people that she left. How were her siblings doing? Did they even try to find her? Did they miss her? What happened to her father after she left? Or that Rio guy that she was suppose to marry? What would have happened if she stayed behind and just got married? Various questions surrounded her head. But she had to keep her mind straight it was only a few days away before the appointed time of the battle commences. Deep in her thoughts, she was interrupted by a knock on the door. It was Lucifer.
“Do you have a minute to spare?” he asked as if not expecting an objection.
“Make your self comfortable.” She replied
“I’ve been noticing lately that your minds been drifting off, is something the matter?” he said worriedly
“No I’m fine just a lack off sleep that’s all,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t deep deeper into the matter.
“ Well get your rest then a Commander, after all, who is not focused on the battle field cant win a war.” He said with a slight grim in his face.
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Kina knew he was right, it wasn’t time to be thinking about something else if she couldn’t focus during the combat it could cause her the lives of her own army. As the soldiers prepared for battle two days ahead, the commanders, including Kina, all gathered in the control room to go over the strategies again. They were interrupted by a large noise in the front door. There stood a messenger, people who delivered top-secret strategies, plans, and information from
one base to another, so skilled not once have they ever been caught. The messenger looked so terrified his whole body shook as if an earthquake had occurred inside him. The exact words that came out of his mouth were, “Anti-Matrix...planning…attack on…cathedral” The cathedral is what they called the passage from Province 2 to the land of Gods, Province 1. Everyone looked as if they had lost all hope remaining. With the Anti- Matrix initiating a war head-on with the Gods it could only mean one thing to them two outcomes. The first, if the Gods win the whole system would be revised and it would get harder to attack the “Gods”. If the Anti-Matrix wins then they would have to revise their whole plan and try to defeat the Anti-Matrix instead, if not they will overflow themselves with powers not meant for any human being to posses, the power of the Gods. But to Kina it only meant a huge opportunity to bring Anti-Matrix, the system and the Gods down altogether.
“We can use this to our advantage. If the Anti- Matrix attacks the cathedral then the Gods will surely face them head on, we can use that opportunity to slip through the cathedral and destroy the system. If the system is destroyed then the power of the Gods will be gone they will be vulnerable. Then we will be able to defeat them but not before they defeat the Anti-matrix. We only have a small amount of time to do this so get the soldiers ready and lets deploy the new plan! Messenger I need you to send this message to everyone.” Kina commanded
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“Yes Sir!” he said abruptly as he dashed for the door
By the next day the entire army was equipped and ready, waiting for command. The four commanders stood at the top railings looking over their vast armies. Commander Lucifer spoke about the dreams and goals of the rebellion. Commander Zeref spoke about the wrong doings of the system. Commander Luke, who barely spoke but was the best fighter in close combat, spoke
about his life as a child of Province 30. Of course everyone was shocked to hear about this for the first time because nobody knew that there were living people in Province 30, everyone assumed that it was just as they told us it was, the graveyard. It was often considered to be a wasteland that no human could live on. Karin spoke only two sentences, but those two sentences stirred the hearts and motivation of thousands.
“Comrades what we couldn’t accomplish 12 years ago can be accomplished here and now as we fight towards our resolution. Our motivation? The life we will have with our families as free people equal to everyone and anyone even to the Gods!” she proclaimed.
A roar soared through the crowds chanting her name. And with that they marched towards the battlefield. But as they arrived what they saw was something they couldn’t comprehend. The chanting seized, the army stopped. What they saw through the thick fog was not a battle but a bloodbath. Soldiers most likely from the Anti-Matrix army all laying on the ground DEAD, blood as far as you could see covering the ground dying the grass that once hovered over it in deep red, the atmosphere full of tension and the stench of dead bodies reeked. Anyone could tell that the wrath of the Gods had befallen on them, but as the fog cleared up there they saw the cathedral shattered and broken into pieces. The four commanders approached the broken passage. It was all over now they thought, there was no other of reaching Province 1
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except through the Cathedral and with it gone they couldn’t start or end the revolution. The three commanders walked back to the armies to give them the order to retreat, but Kina saw something shine underneath the layers of fallen pieces of the cathedral. As she picked up the plate she read the words GODS she heard a woman’s voice over the distance call out and say “G.O.D.S. the secret I discovered couldn’t destroy the Gods for the Gods of Province 1 weren’t real to begin
with,” said the voice which seemed vaguely familiar to Kina,” G.O.D.S. is not human. It’s a machine. What controls MATRIX are not people with God like powers but a machine who can think for it self.” Through the distance the figure came closer and closer. The warm light that Kina felt before in the vortex shone through the fog. Then the voice spoke again “Hello Darling” Kina knew right then and there that it was in fact her mother, Katrina. Questions circle around her head, questions she couldn’t answer for once...

To be continued…