Prologue

Earth, the year 2048.

A family of nine was outside on a farmstead in Eastern Texas. The grandparents watched the kids run around, playing to their heart's content. The parents sat with them, talking and laughing. The children chased each other with sticks, playing knights and wizards. "Halt right there, you vermin!" William yelled at his older brother Theo, who kidnapped Princess Valorie. 

Their Father, John, chuckled. "Willy, I'm pretty sure knights didn't say vermin back in the medieval age." Willy ignored his dad and charged Theo while trying to rescue the princess. Theo dodged to his left as his little brother William wanted to disarm him. "Haha! Tiny knight William, you will not defeat me, for the strongest force of my kingdom has trained me." 

Theo was 23 years old and a marine. He was confident his brother would never catch him off guard. Willaim was only eight years old, but he was determined to rescue Valorie, who was only seven years old. Valorie was on Theo's shoulder and shouted at him. "You big meanie, my knights will surely slay you."

Theo caught on to what Valorie said but was unable to react in time before a stick was pushed into his back, where his heart was.

Theo faked his death and collapsed on the ground. Valorie rolled off of him and ran into the arms of her saviors. Vincent hugged Valorie and kneeled to her height. "Princess Valorie, I have slain the vicious knight named Theo." Valorie took his stick and patted both of his shoulders. "From day forth, you will be my royal guard." Vincent solemnly nodded his head.

Theo started laughing, and so did the others at their performance. Theo stood up, dusted himself, and scooped up Vincent. "You called me vicious, but you stabbed me in the back!" He tickled Vincent's stomach and made him laugh. "I had no choice! I had to pull a villain's move to save the princess."

Theo put him down as he caught his breath.

Theo ruffled his hair and went to the porch to join the adults. He let his younger siblings continue to play in the yard. "Man, Pa, I don't know how you keep up with them. They have so much energy." John laughed at him. "Just imagine having to raise you!" Everyone chuckled at Theo's expense. Theo cracked a beer open and drank from it.

"I have something to tell ya'll, and none of you will like it. I have been redeployed, and I leave two weeks from now." Theo's mom and grandma covered their mouths in disbelief. Kathy, Theo's mother, rubbed her belly. She was expecting to have another child. "Why you, Theo? They have plenty of other marines to choose from." Kathy wanted to argue more but was stopped by John.

Kathy got up and went inside the house. She didn't want to hear anymore. Debra, her mother-in-law, went to check on her. Only the men were left on the porch and watched over the kids. They drank in silence as the sun was getting ready to go down. Herb, the grandfather, spoke. "Theo, give them hell and ensure they can't get back up now." Herb went to the barn and started messing with his tools.

Theo sighed and looked at his Father. "You don't have nun to say?" John looked at his son and then at his other three kids playing in the yard. "What is there to say? You are a grown man and can choose whatever path you want. My job as a Father is to sit back and watch you reach the end of said path if I'm blessed." He turned and looked to his firstborn, his first son, his spark in life. "I am and always will be proud of the man you have become, and I look forward to seeing the man you become in the future." 

Theo's eyes teared up, but he blinked them away. He whispered, "Thanks, Dad." John clinked beers with him and watched as his kids exhausted themselves. 

Departure Time.

Theo stood in front of his family in his uniform. They were all crying, and his little siblings clung to his legs. John and Herb had to pry off Valorie as she refused to let him go.

Theo reached her level to reassure Valorie, but she hid behind Kathy. He smiled a wry smile. He moved on to Vincent and told him, "Vincent, while I'm on the outside protecting the family, it's up to you as the next in line to protect them from the inside." 

Vincent was only ten years old and didn't know what that job meant, but he was determined to be great at it. He nodded his head and gave his older brother a salute. William did the same and gave him one last hug. "I will watch over the family, so don't worry." Theo smiled and ruffled his hair. He gave his parents and grandparents one last hug. 

He backed away from them and saluted them. "Lieutenant Frost, now marching for duty and honor!" Herb and John did the same. "Major Frost acknowledges." "Commander Frost acknowledges." The people in the airport stopped and took pictures of the three men.

Theo released his salute and fell in line with the other marines on the plane. Herb and John only put down their salutes when they could no longer see the plane on the horizon.

Two years later.

The family was getting ready to have Sunday dinner when a knock came at the door. Kathy stood up and went to the door. A moment later, John got up as well. He saw two marines and a flag folded. His heart crumbled, and he took the flag from them with heavy steps. Kathy was picked up by Debra and consoled her.

Herb and John stepped outside to speak with the Marines.

John cleared his throat and asked. "Is it possible to have a funeral?" The older marine answered. "Sir, I am Captain Bronson. Lieutenant Frost was directly under me. His body will be shipped back home in a week." Herb slammed down the beer in his hand on the railing. "How? How did my grandson die?" John stopped the Captain from speaking. "Let it go. He probably can't tell us anyway." Captain Bronson nodded in confirmation. Herb stomped off towards the barn.

"Thank you, Captain, for bringing my son home." "Sir, with all due respect, I am even here right now because of your son. He was a fantastic person and an even better soldier." He presented the medals Theo had earned and then left.

One year later.

John, who was once a strong and proud man, had deteriorated into an aggressive drunkard. He would get drunk and scream at his children. His wife Kathy left him and took the kids, but one of them chose to stay. His dad abandoned him, as well did his mom.

John sat in front of the TV, watching the news. He was looking for updates on the war that took his son. Vincent came through the door from school and went into the kitchen. He was now 13 years old and was in the middle of his growth spurt. 

He started to fix dinner inside of the kitchen. His mother taught him how to cook when he chose to stay by his father's side. Herb asked him why he decided to stay with John once. Vincent responded, "I told Theo I would watch over the family. He is still my dad. He is the man who raised the hero, my brother Theo Frost." Vincent still had faith in the man who raised Theo, so he stuck with him.

He brought out the food and placed it in front of John. John looked at him and said, "Thanks, Theo." Time stood still at that moment. Vincent didn't move, and John realized what he had called him. John placed down his fork and threw his plate of food at the TV, breaking it.

"You little bastard! Do you think you can replace him!?" Vincent flinched and backed away, explaining he wasn't trying to replace his brother Theo. 

"SHUT UP! Just leave you damn disgusting ghost! Stop haunting me every day! I swear I will kill you, you demon!"

John stood up and wobbled as he started moving towards Vincent. Vincent was scared of his dad. He was terrified of the man in front of him for the first time. He dodged John's hand and ran out to the door. John threw an empty bottle of alcohol and hit his head. 

Vincent fell and hit his head on the doorknob. John's vision cleared at that moment, and he realized what he had done. He scrambled to the phone and called the ambulance. Vincent wasn't moving or responding to his calls. The paramedics came in and took Vincent to the hospital. The cops arrested John and took him to the station. 

Months passed as Vincent lay sleeping in the hospital bed, in a coma. The entire family visited him, but the one who was always there by his side was John. Herb forced him to go to rehab and made sure to have cameras in the room as well. "Vincent buddy, it's your old man again. Congratulations, you turn 14 today. You should see yourself in the mirror." John kissed his forehead, sat next to him, and prayed.

"Lord, I do not deserve your grace, but the boy before me does. Save him, please. I will trade my life for his." John silently sobbed and put his face in his hands.

A golden light descended upon the Earth and landed on Vincent as well. John cried harder and fell to his knees. "Thank you, thank you so much." He yelled upwards. Vincent's body disappeared, just like 40% of Earth's population.

John and anyone else faded into ashes. The last thoughts of John were of his son getting healed and saved. Sadly, that was far from the truth. His life of pain was only starting.