Shadows

Chapter 1

I woke up by someone kicking my bed, making my head thud against the wall.

"Wake up, killer."

Killer. That was my unsanctioned nickname, given to me by the guards, because of what I did to get in here. Or rather, what the demon who possessed me did.

"Is it time for the first gourmet meal of the day?" That earned the bedframe another kick, causing it to creak in protest and wobble alarmingly.

"I'll take that as a yes." I opened my eyes. The figure standing over me  was gigantic (predictable for anyone they'd send into my cell) and carried a large shockgun (again predictable). His black uniform marked him out as a guard, one of those who take care of the nasty criminals, like me. I'm the nastiest criminal of all. His uniform had two arrows in a circle, both pointing forwards, on his shoulders. That meant he was a Runner. His hair and wings were red, and large gold horns curled like a rams on either side of his head.

I pushed against the not good quality bed, and stood up. I was naturally thin and scrawny, but my wings were big, good for flying fast. If there wasn't a large tear in my right wing, I would have won races. Shame there was. Just an unavoidable side effect of the events surrounding my violent takedown. The demon stopped possessing me when all four uber-powerful Council members arrived, leaving me in mid-air surrounded by the amassed forces of all the countries on Dreth, with a fireball headed straight at my right wing. And we Elders aren't fireproof. That rip wasn't the only thing the demon left me with. Before, my hair, horns, and wings were blue, one of the normal colours. Now I'm the first and only Elder with black hair, and black scales. I only have one lock of my original blue left, and it hangs down in my eyes constantly.  Two stubby horns just poke above my hair, a different colour to all the others I've seen. My eyes are still a light shade of purple, like normal, but when I was possessed, they were black. Black seemed to be a theme with Azaroth, the demon who possessed me.Black, and shadows.

I was snapped out of my chain of thought by being roughly shoved  at the yellow circle in front of the door of my cell. Well, I say door. I mean blank wall that will only open at the touch of a guard entering the 14 digit code.  I hold out my wrists, and the silent guard straps my wristcuffs on. They contain a tracking device, operated by a Caller in the guardroom,  and can snap my wrists together at the touch of a button. The guard opens the door, turning the keypad away from me so I can't see the code. I know it, 15625748365278, but I don't want to escape. I deserve this sentence, life, for letting the demon kill so many. Even though no one believes me about the demon.

The corridor outside my cell is identical to all the other corridors in The Dacocity Prison for Juvenile Offenders, verifying the identity of anyone who walks down it. Three turns later (left, second right, left) we reach the canteen.  This door has no code, but looks at the guards purple eyes before opening. He stands by the door, watching me like a hawk.

"Miss you already."

The canteen is the same as ever. Tables aligned in neat rows, orange suited Junior offenders lounging about. As usual, all noise stops when they notice me coming. I ignore the whispers and stares, and sit on the end of an empty table. Gradually the noise starts up again, and I hear a new boy, a Stronger from the fist on his shoulder, ask about me.

"Who's that? Doesn't look like much. Has he dyed his hair or something?

Another boy at his table, a Blue like I used to be, snorted. "Doesn't look like much! You, newbie, are in the presence of a celebrity. I'd tell you his name, but you already know it."

"Doubt it. Why would I know his name? What is his name?"

A snigger rose up. "Why don't you go ask him? I'd say he doesn't bite, but... from him I wouldn't be surprised."

The newbie was cocky, and a little thick. He sauntered up to the table I was sitting at, and plonked himself in the seat opposite me. He was a Green, with hair of an especially vivid shade and wings the same.I raised an eyebrow.

"You're brave."

"I figure, little kid, little threat."

"And big kid, big threat, no doubt."

"Course."

I smiled. This was the first conversation I had had in ages. Most people avoided me.

"I actually came over here for a reason. What's your name?"

"Your friend was right, you already know my name, you just don't know it's mine. And I don't want you running off too soon. I'm rather enjoying the conversation. I don't usually get much."

"You think I would run screaming if I knew your name."

"Yes."

His muscles bunched. They weren't very large, but he was a Stronger, so he would crack this table in half if his power wasn't bound. All the rooms are bound here.

"Trust me, I'm not scared of a little kid."

"I'm offended you would think of me that way. You, like most others, are judging me before you know me, but backwards. Most people, upon thinking about me, think I'm a crazy psychopath. You think I'm a little lamb. It's quite refreshing. A break from the norm."

"Well, you're in here for what, trying to steal a gem? I'm in here because I killed somebody. And I would do it again. Your nothing compared to me."

"Still judging me before you know me. Or even my name. Nice patch by the way. On your shoulder. Proclaiming your strength. There are loads of strong people here. Most commen Ability in the prison. But, unlike yours, I'm the only one of my talent in here. Guess what my patch means." I tapped my shoulder, where there was a circle, like everyone else's, but filled in black.

He shrugged. "It's filled in. You fill in circles?"

"No. Black means shadows. I used to be able to control them. And in that last sentence, I mean the demon who took me over could do it. I'm Kaiden Storm. Nice to meet you."

He jerked backwards, scrambling to get away from me. Because I was the psycho. The murderer of thousands. His friends were laughing at him. He was ashen, staring at me. I returned to my sitting alone in silence, but not after giving him a little wave.