Shadows Arising *ON HOLD*

Chapter 1 - Almost Heartless

'For it is in darkness when we come to life, and when the dawn comes we welcome the light filled with the thought of a chance of a new life.'

'If it is in darkness we wait, it is light we wait for. Within the shadows we await for those to join and bask in the morning light.'

Everything seemed quiet in the heart of Volxia, but then in the heart it would be peaceful. For there were guns and danger there, many wouldn't head there for the fear of being killed if one didn't live there was high.

In each section of the slums, the night seemed a repeat of the night before, the night before that, and the night before that. The slums were well known for their gangs and criminal activity, almost anything could be gotten away with these days.

In the city of Volxia, or more precisely in building in the slums of Volxia, where the criminals of the city were kept when caught, an interrogation was taking place. The interrogation had been going on for around an hour so far and in half an hour it would be dawn. The captain of the guard, who was questioning the prisoner, was starting to get annoyed. He wanted to go home, after all he had done well by capturing most of a gang.

The gang the captain had caught were called The Claws, they were a new and rising gang. They started off with petty crimes before they started going after more important things that most gangs wouldn't dare go after. The captain was pretty happy with himself but he didn't know, unlike the gang, that he was playing directly into their hands.

The male, who the captain was questioning, was a young boy whose hair was a pale orange before fading into a darker orange. "What. Were. You. Planning?" The captain said, each word punctuated by an intake of breath as the captain tried to remain calm.

The green eyed boy, stared into the man's brown eyes and a small smirk adorned his face as he yet again refused to answer. The captain grabbed a dagger from the trolley next to him, threats didn't work so it was time to see if torture did. The boy's name, which was unknown to the captain, was Rufus and Rufus, although brave, was starting to get slightly worried by the hysteria tht he could see in the older male's eyes.

Rufus gulped as the dagger grew closer, "I'll ask one more time," the captain said in a deadly voice, "before this dagger becomes very, very bloody. What are The Claws planning?"

This time Rufus opened his mouth to answer and the captain grinned in sick amusement, "it seems like torture does work after all." He said after scratching Rufus's cheek with the blade.

"Funny fact, I happen to not know. All I knew was dat somethin' was planned and I had ta do my bit."

The boy spoke with an accent which wasn't uncommon in Volxia, although it was one city there were many accents depending on which section of the city you came from. And if you had lived in the slums of Volxia for a while you would know that there were many different sections each with their own accent.

A growl escaped the captains mouth, "we'll wait a couple of minutes before seeing if you are slightly more... cooperative. After all you wouldn't want your dear friends hurt or worse, killed, would you?"

The captain and his accomplice left Rufus who was still bound by metal chains. I hope He comes soon, I don't know how much longer I can hold out. Rufus thought to himself, in the room next door the other members of The Claws were thinking something along the same lines as they listened to the Captain complain to his accomplice about their 'unco-operative' prisoner.

Outside the prison hidden in the darkness, was a black haired boy. The boy had been hiding patiently for around an hour and a half. The boy had been hiding near the interrogation room and was able to hear the loud voice of the captain as he grew angry.