Shattered

The sky gathered into thick, dark clouds. The clouds dance across the sky like freshly exhaled smoke. Thick droplets of rain fell and splattered onto the ground in synchronized silence. I raise my hands, and clutch them into fists as the clouds deteriorate into dust particles and falls swiftly from the sky. I pull my hand downward to eye level, admiring my initiative powers. A smile creeps onto my face as the rain discontinues.

"Estella, the others will be coming soon. I suggest you flee to The City of the Caesars. If they discover that you've stolen the Key of Honor, you will be immediately terminated and beheaded then hung on the Leader's wall of dishonor," my mother said from a distance, not once looking me in the eye.

"Mother, I'm not particularly impressed with your worries. I suggest that you go back to where ever you came from. I'd be perfectly fine myself. Thank you for the heads up, though. Do me a favor an-"

I was cut short as the youth initiates charged toward me, scythes in hand. They swung, I ducked just in time to sweep them off their feet. (Not in the romantic way, either.) They stumbled, and I wretched my arm forward, sending waves of blur towards them and knocking them into the tree behind them. Blood spurted everywhere, drenching the masked murderer... Me.

"ESTELLA! GO!" my mother screams, backing off the incoming initiates. She threw a glyph card at me. I tore the back off and placed it firmly to the open skin on my wrist. I chanted the ancient ritual to transport me to the City of Caesars. The air around me caved in, until I saw nothing but darkness.

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The ground beneath me felt cold and hard. The air was thick and heavy, making it difficult to breath. I was suddenly being surrounded. They were unusual. Their eyes... Made of glass? And their lips thin as a healing scar.

"Ahh, Estella. We've been awaiting your arrival. Your mother told us about you," the tallest man of the crowd said sternly and slow.

I had to swallow the big lump that was forming in my throat due to the wind being knocked out of me. I spoke through gritted teeth, looking up and ignoring the soreness of my throat.

"H-Hello," I stammered. I tried my hardest to stand up, and my legs gave away and I stumbled back onto the ground. The tallest man offered me a hand and I grabbed it firmly, pulling myself up.

"Hello Estella. I will be your instructional leader here til you depart to the next circuit of the city. I will teach you the basics of using the glyph cards, spells, and potions. From this point on, you are an initiate of the City of Caesars. Your private trainer will be Initiate Tom. You two seem to be the same age."

Initiate Tom, or just Tom, approached me and shook my hand. His hand was hard... as glass? He pulled out a needle, and jabbed it into the nape of my neck, and just as before, darkness sucked me in.

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I awoke on a cold bed, transparent hospital needles attached to my skin importing various colors of liquid into my body. My legs felt numb, cold. My lips parted as I looked up to the ceiling. Miniature cracks formed in my vision as I blinked slowly and precisely, not trying to interfere with the glass forming in my eyes.

"Hello Estella. Adapting well to your newly installed eyes? Glass eyes declares you are one of us, and you will not be able to step foot into other's territory. There's no going back at this point. But anyways, welcome to the first circuit. I'm your monitor. But since you're new to this city, a monitor is basically a doctor that monitors your actions. Later on today, Tom will escort you to our leader. I must reinsure you, the leader is a very stern young man, but he has a soft spot for young beautiful women precisely like you," the man boomed, startling me. "I don't believe I told you my name. I'm Monitor Tremaine."

The words caught in my throat.

He's such a beautiful creature but he's like two times my age.

Who cares?

I sat silently, watching the ceiling until I hear Monitor Tremaine leave the room. I looked around the loft-sized room, taking in all the decals imprinted into the walls. Glyphs carved into cabinets and secret messages in Arabic hidden in tribal designs, waiting to be decoded. A tray of medical utensils lay by me, and I reach for the scalpel and twiddle it between my fingers, admiring the glistening shine it reflects. Me, being the daring person I am, aim it at the painting located on the wall. I throw it with no remorse or reflex, and it jams straight into the middle of the painting. A thin layer of glass encapsulates the painting, pushing the knife deep into the wall until it disappears. The painting appears as if it's been untouched. My lips part in amazement and I raise my hand above my head, close my eyes, and force all the energy of my body into my hand. Flames burst from overhead. As soon as they come, a thin layer of glass captures all of it. I hear someone clear their throat loudly, and my head shoots towards the door. There stood Initiate Tom, his brown hair falling in waves past his lean shoulders. His smoldering, gold glass eyes piercing through me agonizingly. His lips pink and plump as freshly picked strawberries. Ripe. I wonder what they taste like. His body was in really good shape, his muscles poking out at every angle. As I move down the body, I see a boner risi-.

"Estella? Estella... What are you staring at? It's 2:47, the leader is expecting us there by 3:15 and we've got to get you ready," Tom looked flushed, little did he know I was secretly eye-fucking him.

"Oh, um, yeah," I got up and dis attached the tubes from my body and followed him out of the room. As soon as we step out, the thick semi aired air hits me.

"Wait, that wasn't a hospital?"

He laughed. He just fucking laughed that velvety laugh of his. He was in hysterics. "Estella, you really are different. No facilities around here are prejudicely defined as a certain place. Where we were just at, was the first route of the first circuit. You'll get used to it in no time."

I stayed silent and tried to match my long strides with his. I couldn't concentrate with him being so close to me. The smell of metallic blood and strong cologne radiated from his body. The walk was very awkward and silent. It was like Tom's mind was somewhere else. He was distancing himself. We came to a halt infront of a wooden den that looked hundreds of years old. Old gravel driveway, curtains wilted and stained with black, white color clearly faded and blackened. The porch stairs looked dangerous. A cement block kept it up. I stepped onto the stair and it creaked dangerously below me. The wooden floors look as though they'd been burnt before. I stood before the door, Tom's cold breath breathing down my neck sending chills up my spine. He opened the door from behind me and I stepped in carefully. This was the most beautiful place I have ever seen. The walls were lined with dresses and shoes and accesories. The floors lined with crystal marble tiles that looked like glass. A bed on the Far East side of the room, purple. A bathroom led to the back of the den.

"Estella, this is your room. Elders will visit every night to check up on you. For now, please go clean up and get dressed. You have 20 minutes before I come back and take you to the leader. Please hurry," Tom said, leaving the den before he said anything drastic. I walked further into the room and skimmed through the clothes that aligned the wall. I pick out a pair of studded black high-waisted shorts, a black t-shirt, and cobalt boots and step into the bathroom. I lay the clothes on the bathroom counter and strip out of the hospital gown until I'm stark naked. I stare into the mirror, my caramel-honey skin, almond shaped eyes with thick eyelashes rimming them. My high cheekbones and gray glass eyes. My thick, curly, Island girl hair framing my face. Maybe it wont be that hard to fit in? Maybe if I tried. I peek a glyph burned on the side of my neck, I touch it and the pain is excruciating. I close my eyes, and step into the shower and let the water encircle me. Take me as one of it's. Letting the water cradle me like a baby, I get lost.

I step out of the shower, feeling refreshed. I slip on my frilly pink underwear and bra and slide on the clothes I picked out. Perfect fit. Nice job, initiates and elders. The front door remains unlocked. I step out, and wait for Tom to take me to this so called "leader."