My eyes opened, adjusting to the dim light that was my room. A single candle stood on a moldy, old barrel; my only warmth and light. I stood from my bed, dust and dirt stained one side of my body. I lowered my hands and began to dust off the faded, pink fabric of my dress. I didn't have the money to buy another set of clothing.
My bruised feet pattered through the streets, going from the Rim to the Outer Ring, I first shuffled in the darkness. Sneaking from alley to alley, rooftop to rooftop, and shadow to shadow, I made my way to the stairs that led to the Outer Ring. To get in the Outer Rim one would have to ascend a large staircase to the gates, upon arrival you would have to pay a fee.
The fee would take one fourth of my daily pay. After, I would have to spend an unknown amount of hours traversing the parks of the Outer Ring, I would then have to walk up to the pearly gates of the higher class and pay off the Sentinels. This entire trip would take four-fifths of my usual pay, I didn't have the money to afford the luxuries of more clothing.
After I handed over the few silver coins I had to the Sentinel. His black armor took on an intimidating stance as I gave him the pence. His knightly helm looked down upon me with dismay, he was deciding whether to let me in or just keep the coin. I felt the man within the ebony armor: his entire body was a ball of hatred and sin. He knew if he didn't let me in then I wouldn't come back again: he would receive no more bribes. His armor shrugged as he tapped the gate with his sheathed sword. A large clunk sounded through the air as the large gate opened.
I stepped through the archway, a new mood took a hold of me. It was a stale, false air; clean and perfect. Too perfect for the world.
I was on my way; frolicking under the buildings' colossal stature. They casted their glorious figure upon me, allowing a path of darkness to lay before me. I hopped from these shadows, shadow to shadow.
An occasional glance would confuse me; there was an entire building dedicated for clocks. Why?
Not to mention the hundreds of clothing shops they had. For what purpose? Who would buy all this clothing? Who can afford such expenses?
My train of thought cascaded when the outside world decided to bother me; I heard someone calling to me from one of the shadows. I stopped, tipping on an unbalanced lean, I nearly fell out of the shadow. I froze.
I don't know exactly what they wanted but I knew they wanted me. I turned, my long, yellow hair blew in the breeze; the streets were quiet, quiet and empty.
I stepped into the alley, the man began to call to me. Beckoning me forth. Tentative foot after foot, I slowly walked forward. It was in the Capital, not the crime ridden slum I was accustomed to.
As soon as I stepped deep enough into the alley, my entire body was hit. A man, hiding behind a corner I just passed, tackled me to the ground. I did not possess the strength to overpower him, as strange as my abilities were, I had no supernatural strength. He pinned my arms to the hard stone and looked upon my body with lust in his eyes.
"Oh, you're a pretty one aren't you?..." He moved my arms so he held my wrists with one hand, his other hand began to feel down my body.
I can't do it! I can't hurt another soul. No matter what happens, I can't do it.
The man suddenly grabbed my thigh, his fingers began to dance their way up my leg. I refused to let this happen: I slammed my forehead into the man's nose. With a loud crack, he fell back and released me from his grasp. I took this opportunity to make an escape attempt. I turned over and climbed to my feet. As I reached my stance, I was grabbed. The man turned me around and raised his fist and that is when he froze and that is when I broke my oath.
The air smelt stale, it left a taste of metal in my throat and made my hairs stand on edge. The sky grew dark, rays of bright red overtook the clouds; the entire Earth appeared to be cursed. This was the peculiar moment: frozen, dress in hand, fist raised: my attacker. I however, stood elegant, strong, undaunted. My hands were raised to my shoulders. The air between them grew sour; it burned and stung the tips of my nerves.
Instead of the golden light that sparkled the air earlier, it was a dark and malevolent evil that came from my fingertips. A crimson colored air shot into the man's chest, a darkness began to rip itself from his torso. His very soul poured into my palms, the only life he lived had shriveled up at the sign of this darkness; at the sign of my darkness. His skin turned dry, his bones grew frail, his organs collapsed at my touch.
My right hand glided to his chest. His legs crumpled beneath him, he fell to his knees. I was now above him. He was nothing, he was no longer a threat, he was no longer a man, he wasn't even human. He was an empty vestige missing a soul. I ripped my hand from his flesh, a thunderous boom filled the air as the crimson and sable colors danced around me. His body was frozen. Stuck in a decayed and decrepit state. His skin was hanging off his bone, his face was in a permanent expression of horror. His jaw hung open: in his final moments he had tried to scream. The very hair on his head was thin and frail as most of it had been blown away in the slight breeze.
I stood, staring upon his corpse, I was disgusted by the stench of death that oozed from his burnt flesh. I felt a dampness run down my nose: blood began to trickle to my lips.
I heard an all too familiar sound: metal clanking with metal; armor. I looked up the alley to see three Sentinels, two had drawn their swords as the third stood with his arms crossed. I knew this man, I recognized his scent, his posture, his intimidating stature. My head dropped to my chest. I raised my wrists, I was going to be hauled off to jail for the crime I had committed. I was no doubt going to be beheaded before the queen.
To my surprise, they didn't take me to the dungeons. I expected to be taken there, to not see daylight again, only on the day of my death I'd see the sun once more. This wasn't the case. It took only an hour to arrive at my destination: the castle. We stood before the enormous, spiraled wall. We waited at the only entrance: a large gate. The sable metal absorbed all the light that hit it, it seemed to swallow the very air around it. The gate was slow, the black chains raised the mighty metal from its slot on the ground. From this point on, I was unsure what to expect. I've never even heard of what lied on the other side of the wall; in the Heart of Arinfel.
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