Marcus stood at attention, his back ramrod straight and his eyes fixed ahead with a steely determination. As he surveyed the line of candidates, a sense of superiority washed over him, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk at the sight of his fellow aspirants. In his mind, he was leagues above them, his prowess evident in his achievement of finishing in the top three of the grueling basic training for the PeaceKeeper project.

Dr. Hughes's brainchild, the PeaceKeeper project, was more than just a training program; it was a crucible of transformation, a test of physical and mental fortitude that culled the weak from the strong. Out of the initial pool of twenty thousand hopefuls, only a mere hundred had proven themselves worthy of advancement to the next phase.

And now, as Phase Two loomed before him, Marcus felt a surge of anticipation coursing through his veins. With each step closer to the imposing white doors that marked the entrance to the next stage, his heart beat faster, his mind buzzing with the possibilities that lay beyond.

Beyond those doors awaited a chamber filled with liquid-filled tubes, each one housing a candidate suspended in a state of anticipation and transformation. Tubes and wires snaked from their bodies, connecting them to a network of machines and monitors that hummed with latent power.

"So I'm going to be just like that," Marcus remarked to the doctor guiding him towards his designated tank, his tone a blend of curiosity and excitement. The doctor nodded, his expression grave yet tinged with a hint of pride.

"Yes, but more. The first stage is to augment your body. We're going to inject a serum into your bloodstream and muscles that will increase your muscle density, oxygen flow, rebuild your nervous system, and enhance your hormones."

A smirk danced across Marcus's lips as he climbed into the tank, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins at the thought of the transformation that awaited him. "So you're turning me into Superman, essentially," he quipped, his voice laced with amusement.

The doctor chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and determination. "No, we're upgrading you into a being that can kill Superman," he retorted, his words laden with the weight of their shared ambition.

With final adjustments made and a breathing device affixed to Marcus's face, the doctor prepared him for submersion, his movements precise and purposeful. "The process should last only thirty minutes," he reassured Marcus before pushing his head beneath the water's surface and sealing the tank.

Alone in the warm embrace of the liquid, Marcus awaited the infusion of the serum, his gaze drifting to his fellow candidates. Some of them appeared to be in pain, while others remained calm, waving at Marcus. Marcus waved back.

As the serum coursed through his veins, Marcus experienced a sensation akin to liquid ice flooding his limbs before dissipating into a comforting warmth. About ten minutes later, another sensation appeared. A searing heat engulfed his head, igniting a blinding headache that threatened to overwhelm him. He signed up for this. His future depended on his pain. He had nothing in his past life. Marcus was an orphan of war. He grew up on Earth during the time period of the exodus to Mars. When all the rebels on Earth began fleeing to the disjointed Mars colony to get away from the UNE. This PeaceKeeper project was his only hope for a future.

Minutes stretched into an eternity as Marcus endured the torment, his mind a battleground of agony and determination. And then, as abruptly as it had begun, the headache vanished, leaving behind a profound silence that settled over his body like a cloak of tranquility.

With a deep breath, Marcus counted down the final minutes of the first stage, his anticipation mounting as the doctor reappeared to release him from the tank. Eager for the next phase of his transformation, Marcus emerged, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"So, onto the next stage, Doc?" Marcus inquired eagerly as he dried himself with the proffered towel.

"Not yet. We need to observe how your body reacts overnight. You should return to your barracks and rest. In the morning, we'll proceed with the next stage," the doctor advised, his tone measured yet decisive.

"Sounds good," Marcus replied with a nod of understanding as he departed the medical facility. He returned to the barracks where he would find his friends.

Marcus stepped out of the facility, the sun's rays kissing his skin. The smell of fresh grass, the feel of the warm breeze against his face, the sound of birdsong... all of it was intoxicating after hours spent in the sterile, controlled environment of the medical facility.

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He then walked into the barracks to see how his two buddies were doing, Zayne and Charles. Marcus was happy to see them. Both of his friends had a rough time during the first stage, but they were making progress. Charles, a young man of eighteen, was having difficulty adjusting to the rigorous training. Zayne was fifteen and was excited to see Marcus back.

Marcus sat down with them and asked, "So, how did it go for you guys?"

"Well, I managed to complete the training," Charles answered, trying to hide the still-longing pain. Zayne, however, had a different response.

"I don't know, man. I feel like a part of me is missing. Like, I'm not myself anymore." He stared at the ground, a look of despair on his face.

"You're joking," Marcus asked.

"Yeah, I am," Zayne pointed and laughed.

"So what now?" Marcus inquired, his brow furrowed.

"We wait until tomorrow. I'm sure there'll be some kind of orientation," Charles said. He had a feeling there would be a lot more waiting involved in this process.

During the night, Marcus couldn't sleep. It was hard trying to realize what the future may hold now. He resorted to his last technique of falling asleep, putting his head underneath his pillow.

He was finally feeling restful when all of a sudden he started hearing a gargling sound coming from the bed next to him. He raised his head and watched as the man next to him started seizing. Vomit oozed out of his mouth and onto the floor.

Marcus jumped out of the bed and watched as everyone else had their own sort of ailment. All of them extreme, blood coming from their eyes, mouths, or noses. Marcus looked around at his fellow candidates in fear and horror. They were all dying. The Peacekeeper project was not a success.

A loud alarm blared through the facility, alerting the doctors and nurses to the sudden ailments that were sweeping through the group of candidates. Marcus watched the doctors try to save anyone, but everyone seemed to be too far gone. One by one, the bodies of the candidates were carried off.

Soon only Marcus was left, watching the entire situation, not knowing how to feel. He knew this was a part of the process. It was a necessary step in creating something greater. But was it? How could so many have died? Was this really worth it? Marcus thought to himself.

The doctors were in a frenzy, trying to understand the sudden influx of deaths. And then they all looked towards Marcus. Soon Marcus had every doctor in the room touching him and making sure he was still breathing. Soon Dr. Hughes herself ran into the barracks to examine Marcus.

"Are you alright? What's wrong? Are you in any pain? Tell us," the doctors bombarded him with questions.

"I'm fine," Marcus tried to say.

"It's okay, tell us how you feel?"

"I feel fine. I'm fine. I don't understand," Marcus tried to make sense of the situation. He didn't feel anything was wrong.

"Okay. Okay," Dr. Hughes repeated. Dr. Hughes then speaks to the other doctors.

"He's one out of three alive, let's get him out of here."

The doctors quickly usher Marcus out of the room. "Where are you taking me?" Marcus asked. He couldn't help but notice the worried looks on their faces.

The doctors took him into the medical facility and placed him in an observation room. They strapped him to a chair and began to run tests on him.

"What are you doing? I told you I'm fine," Marcus yelled. He tried to struggle against the restraints, but it was no use.

"Just relax, we're running a few more tests to make sure you won't start dying," Dr. Hughes spoke in a calming voice. Marcus stopped struggling and allowed the doctors to do their job.

After a few hours of tests, the doctors released him. Dr. Hughes then ushered the other doctors out of the room to talk to him alone.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"I feel fine," Marcus responded.

"You're not feeling any pain, nausea, or discomfort?" Dr. Hughes inquired.

"No, none," Marcus answered.

Dr. Hughes sighed and leaned against the wall. "Good, I would like to let you know that you and two others are now moving on to the second stage of the Peacekeeper project." Dr. Hughes had a look of both pride and sorrow in her eyes.

"Thank you," Marcus said questionably. "But what about the others? Everyone who died?" Marcus asked, confused.

"They were failures; their bodies were not compatible," Dr. Hughes replied, a sad smile on her face. She walked over to the window and looked out at the sky. "I had hoped for more than three successes, but I guess that's all I will get for going so far. I will have to perfect the serum later down the road," Dr. Hughes said, speaking to herself.

Marcus couldn't believe his ears. Everyone had died except for him and two others. He wondered who the other two were and how they fared. Dr. Hughes continued.

"As for you, you are the only one who has not shown any signs of adverse reactions. "We'll keep you monitored for the next few days and then we'll ship you off to another facility where you will enter Phase three," Dr. Hughes explained. Marcus had a feeling that Phase three was going to be even more difficult.

"So, I'm the only success," Marcus said.

"For now, you and two others," Dr. Hughes replied.

"And what about the others?" Marcus asked.

"They'll be cremated," Dr. Hughes replied matter-of-factly.

"Oh," was all Marcus could say.

"Take it easy, you're young and everything is about to change. I'll see you soon," Dr. Hughes said, exiting the room.

Marcus was left alone with his thoughts. The next few days went by in a blur. Marcus was put through various tests and physical exercises. Nothing felt normal for him anymore. Everything felt easy. Too easy. His reflexes were faster, his strength had increased, his senses had become more acute. But he didn't feel like it was him anymore. He felt great but not himself.

One day, after completing a set of physical exercises, he was met by Dr. Hughes.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Hughes asked.

"Fine," Marcus replied.

"Good, because you're ready for Phase 3."

"What's Phase 3?"

"It's where you learn how to be a Peacekeeper."