Oathbreaker: Wings of Cinder

Chapter 1: End of Today

Caleb screamed as the two guards dragged him around the corner.

It was long after he disappeared from sight that Sairon could still hear the sound of his voice, and it was even harder to stop his face from flashing before his eyes. As the final scream was violently cut off, he shivered and closed his eyes praying to everything that was out there watching over them that they did not kill Caleb, that the children they took away were simply sent away.

Finally, he dared observe the training yard, all dozen of them, instead of the original fifty. Their numbers are dwindling and it was a matter of time before it was his turn and he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't let them drag him away to silence him forever.

One moment they were sparring and all it took was for their caretaker, Mareen to wave her delicate finger and the guards surrounding the yard would jump in and do as she said. Sairon glanced at her completely relaxed shoulders, her unaffected expression watching over another pair battling it out till blood was spilled. How he wanted to wipe the floor with her face, to press her head between his hands until it crumbled between his fingers. He wouldn't waste a single tear for the likes of her.

Since she gave him no other orders, Sairon sat down on the ground and waited for the end of training, or another mistake that would result in someone's death. While there, he could see the two guards returning to their posts, faces hidden behind masks. Their identities were a mystery and their voices were never heard. It was as if they were nothing more than walking armors rid of emotion and compassion.

Aside from Mareen and the guards, they never saw another human being, or any kind of being, except for perhaps birds or an occasional cat climbing over the fence. For all they knew, the school where they lived could have been the only place in the entire world, but the noise from the other side of the wall testified differently.

"Don't tell me you are feeling guilty," Ema chuckled and pushed him gently with her knee. "It's pointless."

"I know."

"You should be used to it."

"I am."

"Why are you so depressed then?"

"I am used to it but I am not fine with it."

She shrugged and examined the corner where they last saw Caleb. "He used to say that we should jump over the wall and hope for the best. Maybe that isn't such a bad idea."

"Can we even climb that high? It's taller than the house."

"I know. And I also know that the only way to leave this place is to wait, be strong, and finally serve King Elion. There is no greater honor than to serve an angel, right? Makes all the sacrifices worth it."

"Whose sacrifices? I don't think that killed children add to your total sum of sacrifice. Sacrifice is individual."

"You said that word so many times it lost all meaning," Ema complained. "Heavens, I am hungry."

"Yeah. We are all hungry." Sairon thought about the miserable portions of food on their plates at each meal and sighed. "It's going to be mush again."

"It's always mush." She passed her finger through his hair and chuckled.

"What are you doing?" Sairon tried to duck out of her reach.

"I've never seen you without hair in your eyes. You should either cut it or let it grow out, this is a weird length."

"Leave my hair be." Sairon had to admit that he adored her hair, at least its color, during the sunny days he could stare at the fiery red strands bathing in the sunlight. As he was about to mention something about it Mareen rose to her feet and pushed her long hair over her shoulder, revealing an expensive golden brooch used as a clasp on her dress.