Children of The Broken Crown | The Divided Nations

Chapter 1: Safety?

The blazing star breaks away the voided speckled sky, and the unsettling heat from the desert rises. The walls around the nation's edge are unable to protect the inner walls from the deathly heat. The sound of clanging chains filled the scorching hot air as the experiments, 0187506 included, walked through the nation. It's been three months since the devil's creation last remembered not feeling the pain of chains.

Multiple footsteps echoed in the decorated white and gold halls, light peering through the stained windows. 0187506 lowered her head as she got shoved forward. She's learned to accept this treatment, and fighting it would lead to punishments that have been dug into her mind. The guard turned her down a hall, it was strangely... empty. No guards are posted anywhere. She looked around, her eyes bouncing around.

The hall has rooms with large windows showing the program's training rooms. She stares into one seeing a tall figure watching them walk by. "Look ahead." The guard hit the metal baton against the side of her face. She flinched and looked directly ahead. Her shoulders slumped forward and her pace fell slightly behind.

The door slid open to the room. "Hey! Do not use that against the kid." The person shouted at the guard. "Get back to work Raven." The guard stopped and turned his head to face Raven.

"What are you doing with the kid then? Walking it around like a dog on a leash? Making it obey you like one of us? They're just a child!" Raven kept his eyes onto the two.

His thumbs restlessly fidgeting with the fabric of his skin toned gloves. His pale ghostly skin faded to a pale blue in some locations. His body and wings are speckled with blue freckles. The top of his feathered wings are almost a perfect snow and it faded down about half way to a light shade of navy. His horns matched with the ombre of his wings.

The guard chuckled. "Do you seriously believe I'm naive enough to spill classified information that doesn't belong to you?" He tapped the end of the baton against the palm of his hand. "Maybe. Sometimes you are all durrsores."

Buzz! The guard sighed and pulled his communicator out of his pocket, staring at the message.

"Raven, I would recommend you give me an answer." The individual snapped as their expression hardened, a certain coldness was filling their eyes. The creature flinched at the snappy tone and looked away, slowly moving back.

He thought for a moment and let out a quiet breath, "I'll give you this as an answer, maybe you should stop creating children to use as weapons and lab rats." The taller spat. He narrowed his eyes and he studied the child, who's shaking and staring at them both

"If you're so worried about all of that, would you want to deal with the brat?" The guard growled, emerald eyes filled with annoyance, shoving the kid right into Raven. "I will," Raven responded calmly.

0187506 backed up quickly and she looked around, eyes bouncing around the hall. She looks up at the guard then at Raven.

The guard growled some curses at Raven as he walked past. It didn't bother Raven, he was used to that kind of treatment from his peers and the guards. He knelt down to the kid's height. "Hey... You're okay. You're safe with me now." He says softly as he holds his hand out slowly.

The small creature jumped back and kept a distance between them both. She didn't know if she could trust him not to harm her. "I... don't trust.." She whispered. "I get it kiddo. You don't have to trust me or anyone. It's up to you, coming with me or going back with him."

"I will go with you.." The kid glanced up at the hybrid. She placed her tiny hand into his giant one. "See I'm not all that intimidating, am I?" He says with a small, gentle smile. Raven stood still. He didn't want to terrify the kid any more than what she already is.