Project Pegasus

V 1.1 Chapter 12.5: The story of Aria.

Seven years ago...

Waking up, I found myself in an unfamiliar tight room, confined with nothing but a bed beside me. In front, there was a number of iron bars tightly engraved preventing my escape. "Where am I? Mama? Papa? Where are you? Help me! " I shouted with all of my voice.

"Shut up!!!" A loud shout coming from outside; it was from a man.

"Help me, please. I'm scared. I don't know this place. Please, help me." I kept screaming at him, hoping he would help me. But, his response was not what I wanted.

"Shut up, you stupid kid!!!" He let out a deafening voice.

"Waaaah." Repeatedly, I cried.

"If you don't shut up I'll cut your tongue!" he screamed, walking towards me carrying a knife.

Scared, I ran towards the corner of the room. "Mama... Papa..." All I can do is mop while hugging my knees. "Help me. I don't want this place."

Suddenly, I heard another voice. "Oi, little miss crybaby." At first, I ignored it, but he spoke again. "Oi, I'm talking to you."

"A-are you talking about me?"

"Yes. Who else is crying right now? What's your name?"

"A-Aria. Aria Li."

"My name's Robyn. Robyn Láng."

After that, we talked to each other. He was on the adjacent cell. He said that he was just playing outside their house when two men approached him and offered him candies. However, after he walked to them, one of the man covered him with a large sack then carried him until they reached this place.

"They probably kidnapped you too," he spoke.

"That... That's not true... Waaaah... I want my papa and mama."

"Ahhh. Will you please shut up?" he shouted. "Crying won't help you, you know."

"But... But..."

"Geez. This is why I hate crybabies," he said in a loud voice.

"W-what are they going to do with us? I... I'm scared. What if the bad guys hurt me? Am I going to see my mama and papa again?"

"I don't know, ok," he replied. "They still haven't touched me ever since I arrived here."

"I... I'm scared. What if... What if they cut my tongue... like what the guy said earlier? What if they kill me?"

"Ahhh. Alright. Alright. I'll protect you, ok? So please... please stop crying!!!" he shouted.

"Y-you will protect me?"

"Well, I'm quite strong you know," he responded.

Robyn and I continued with our conversation. We talked and talked from morning till dawn. It was the only thing we could do in that tight room separated by a wall. Speaking to him eased my loneliness; he was the only friend I had that time. This lasted for days.

One morning, two individuals, a male, and a female wearing a white coat came.

"Good morning to you two." The man greeted us.

"W-who are you?"

They ordered the guard to free us from the cells. That was the first time I saw Robyn in person. With his boyish nature, short hair and clothes combined with his voice, I assumed he was male.

The man in a coat spoke to us; his name was Albert, and the female is named Agatha, his wife. The two of them were surgeons. They requested us to participate in an experiment. Its objective was to strengthen the human body using the DNA of demons. During that time, I had no idea what they were talking about, but their reason convinced the child mind of me and Robyn. They wanted to do it for their daughter who had a weak constitution and on the verge of dying. The country's law, however, forbids the usage of humans for this type of experiment so they had no choice but to abduct us. They also promised they would return us to our parents once the experiment is finished. Robyn and I thought that by helping them, we could save the life of their daughter; we agreed. It was for a heroic deed, we thought. After that conversation, they took us to a mansion.