Phantom of Inferno

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or Requiem for the Phantom. All original characters do not belong to me and all credit goes toward their rightful owners.

A/N: This story was inspired by an anime I watched a while ago called "Phantom: Requiem For A Phantom". I saw this story come to life as the show progressed and I haven't been able to get it out of my head since. I really hope you guys enjoy it and feel free to leave any criticism. I am open to new ideas as well as what I could improve on. As of right now, the story is going to flow in a similar way to the anime until later chapters so bear with me.

Synopsis: Waking up in an abandoned room with no recollection of his former self, Troy Bolton vows to find out who he is—even if that knowledge kills him. What he discovers is more than he ever bargained for as he is thrown into a world full of drugs, sex, and death. How will he ever escape when 'escaping' is nowhere close to being an option?

Rated T for the moment but will be M rated in later chapters for drug use, suggestive language, violence, and sexually explicit content.

Chapter One: Awakening

The world slipped by in a vivid blur as Troy Bolton ran for his life, looping in and out of alleyways to escape the undeniable fate that awaited him. His breath came out in short, forced puffs as he looked around for a place to hide, his arms and legs turning to jell-o while he forced himself to continue moving. The heavy burlap bag dangling around his shoulder only slowed him down, yet he could not find the will to let go of it. The gunshots echoed in his head as he felt a frightened tear make its way down his cheek, his hands clutching at his bag as if it were his lifeline—and in a sense, it was. Whatever had been handed to him moments before was so vital that he knew he had to somehow get it to the police before it was too late.

Troy couldn't believe it; he couldn't fathom what he had seen. His mind raced at an incredible speed as he tried to grasp the fact that he was in serious danger. His hands scraped along the brick walls as he used them to push himself in different directions, trying in vain to throw off his pursuer.

He had just witnessed a murder.

The heinous execution had been performed in front of his very eyes. He couldn't shake the mental image of the victim's blood as it slowly pooled around his lifeless body like a crimson halo, soaking his clothes as his eyes stared blankly towards the sky, unmoving. He felt his mind wandering back to the image of the girl who stood over him so casually, holding the instrument that led to that poor man's demise. He felt his blood run cold as the girl noticed his presence and slowly turned her head in his direction, all but her eyes hidden behind a plain white masquerade mask.

Her eyes lacked any emotion and shone under the dim streetlight as she stared him down as if waiting for him to say something. Troy gasped as he heard the gun in her hand click and watched as her arm raised and pointed the gun in his direction. Without warning, she fired twice, both shots landing in the wall behind him. Troy felt a sting as one of the bullets grazed his cheek and instantly concluded that he could not talk his way out of this.

That hadn't been an illusion. The blood that trickled down the side of his face confirmed that.

The darkening sky loomed over him menacingly as he hurriedly tried to find a place to hide. His eyes shown with desperation as he caught sight of an abandoned warehouse and quickly darted under the loose boards that were hung inside of a door frame. Dropping his burlap bag to the ground, Troy slumped over, his chest heaving as he let out his breath in a slow whoosh.

"What am I doing?" He whispered to himself as he sat there, not daring to move any further. Troy tore a dirty, scraped hand through his hair, pushing the sweat-drenched, tawny locks away from his eyes quickly. As he allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark, he felt himself tense up at the sound of the oncoming storm. The unmistakable sounds of thunder claps echoed throughout the building and he listened as rain began to pelt the ground in a hard, staccato rhythm.

I need to find a smaller room to sit in, he thought as he forced himself to rise from his resting spot. It isn't safe here.

Throwing his bag over his shoulder once more, he trudged around the dark building as quietly as he could, all the while keeping in mind to be aware of any unusual sounds. Locating a room at the very back of the warehouse, Troy set his belongings down and closed the door behind him, feeling blessed to see that the door contained a lock. His only source of light was the flicker of lightning as it briefly illuminated the dusty room. The walls contained cracks and the wooden floors were worn and scratched, the floorboards groaned under his weight as he slid down the wall and buried his face in his hands.

What am I going to do? He wondered silently. His eyes flickered over to the bag that lay on the floor in a discarded heap. I can't stay here forever. She'll find me and then I'll end up like that man in the alley.

Clenching his hands into fists, he punched the ground in frustration and winced as one of his knuckles scraped against a discarded piece of glass. Blood trickled down the back of his hand and he stared at it unseeingly, wondering what would become of him now. Letting his head hit the wall behind him with a dull thud, he closed his eyes while feeling his heart beat rapidly in his throat. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he rested his forehead upon his forearms in an attempt to calm himself.

He began to feel drowsy and fought to stay awake, knowing that his attempts were in vain. Shaking his head, he finally opted on sleep. As soon as he woke up, he would move again. That was the plan.

Just for a little while. I'll rest and then I'll be alright to move again. I just need rest.

Troy's lids felt heavy as he let the darkness finally consume him.

幻影

Waking up with a start, Troy sat up and felt his heart begin to pound rapidly in his chest as he took in his surroundings. A single bulb hung from the ceiling and judging from the light it emitted, it was only a matter of time before it burned out. Looking around, he noticed he was in a small room that contained a single mahogany dresser with a tiny mirror that hung over the top of it, dangling carelessly from a flimsy nail. The walls were bare with the exception of a few cracks and cobwebs and the floor was made entirely of cement. Underneath him, he was surprised to feel a soft, plush bed as his fingertips hesitantly brushed against it.

Who am I? Troy wondered, his eyes still scanning the room as if he were looking for something that would give him his answer. He glanced towards the mirror and stared in awe at the person who greeted his gaze with a mesmerized expression of his own. The guy in the mirror was wearing what appeared to be a white hospital gown and black slacks underneath. His hair was thrown about in a rave of messy, sandy locks that contrasted with his startling cobalt blue eyes.

That's me. He realized. Squinting, he couldn't come up with anything else to confirm his identity. At least, I think it is. Why can't I remember anything?

Something wasn't right.

This room was not familiar to him in the least and he found himself suddenly standing, looking for a way out. Taking a few steps, he cried out when his head began to throb violently and he dropped down to his knees in a pathetic attempt to get it to stop. Desperate hands clutched at his head as he gasped his eyes squeezing shut in agony as constant flashes of white pain shone behind his lids.

My skull feels like it's on fire!

As quickly as it came, the dull throbbing suddenly went away and was replaced by a numbing sensation. Remaining on his knees, Troy looked over to find a bag thrown haphazardly on the floor next to the dresser and crawled over to it afraid that if he stood the pain would come back. His hands brushed over the material gingerly and he wondered why it felt so familiar to him. Before he could contemplate any further, he whirled around at the sound of pipes clattering noisily to the cement floor and finally stood, taking hesitant steps towards the door. When he was positive he was fully okay, he strode over to the door confidently and grabbed the handle.

"The test subject has been stabilized, sir." A man in a white lab coat observed as they watched said test subject on a computer monitor. The two men stared at the screen and watched as Subject 17 surveyed the room, trying to find a way to open the door that had been purposely locked from the outside. They watched as he used a pipe as a type of wedge to pry the knob from its hinges and slowly slink down the corridor, his back close to the wall. Suddenly, he stopped mid-step and left his foot dangling in the air as a black rat scurried underneath, its tail dragging noiselessly behind it.

The man behind the computer screen was astounded at the readings.

"His ability to assess is unbelievable; it's currently at a .074. His waking rate is at a .087 and still rising. What's really amazing is that this boy has only been awake for a few moments. How did you happen upon him, Doctor?" The said man tore his eyes away from the screen to acknowledge his colleague. His glasses reflected the light from the monitor, making it hard to read his facial expression.

"Let's just say…it was by chance." He replied mysteriously, his gaze shifting back to the screen as they watched their test subject stalk around the halls more confidently as his readings showed he was now on high alert. The doctor nudged his glasses up the bridge of his nose with a slight poke of his index finger before tapping onto his earpiece. He knew the receiver on the other end would be listening intently, waiting for their orders.

"Phantom, it is time to initiate Phase Two of the awakening. I want you to attack him but go easy on him for the time being. If he really has the potential I seek, I want to be sure our subject is able to carry out my wishes to their fullest and possible extent. After all, he is our newest gem. Do not fail me." He felt a smirk make its way onto his lips as he caught a glimpse of his Phantom's shadow quickly pass behind the test subject.

It wasn't long before he heard the reply that made him smile in appreciation. She never failed to do that.

"Yes, master."

Troy gulped as he rounded another corner that led into a dimly lit hallway. With no flashlight and no sort of hint as to where he was, he was a sitting duck if anything were to come out at him. Gripping the pipe in his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white, he walked cautiously and checked behind him ever so often. Beads of sweat clung to his forehead as he tried to keep as calm as possible, his breath coming out in silent little puffs. The groans of the building and the eerie draft that never failed to send chills down his spine set him on edge, his awareness now at its peak as he made himself listen to the faintest of sounds an oblivious person wouldn't have even picked up on.

His shoes, as dirty and well-worn as they were, didn't make a sound as he stepped over a few boxes in the middle of the hallway. Just then, the sonance of a gun clicking behind him stopped Troy dead in his tracks. Turning around slowly, he felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw her. Her raven locks fell in a craze down her back, spilling over her shoulders. She wore a red fitted tank top that showed a bit of her midriff over a black, pleated mini skirt. Her fishnet stockings and combat boots completed the look, making her give off a deadly vibe as she slowly raised her face up to him. Troy froze as their eyes made contact.

That mask! Where have I seen that mask before? Troy felt his eyes widen in horror as it dawned on him. That…that's the girl I saw in my dream! What is she doing here? Am I dreaming still? Troy was quickly snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the glint of metal in her hand.

Taking a step back, he began to shake his head as if he couldn't believe it was all real. The girl across from him cocked the gun, pointing it towards him without saying a word. Her eyes were bottomless pits of nothing as she showed him no mercy.

"Stop, please! You don't have to do this." Troy tried to reason with her, unsure of whether the odds were with or against him at that point. "I-I don't know what I did or why I'm here but what ever it is, I promise I won't tell. Honest. I don't remember anything. Please, just don't—," The girl's harsh voice interrupted his banter.

"If you want to live, then come at me with everything you've got." That was all the warning Troy needed as she started to fire one, two, three bullets in his direction. Managing to quickly evade them all, Troy ran to take cover and noted in horror that she was following him at a very quick pace, not once breaking her gaze from his retreating form. She fired another round of bullets in his direction, only stopping when she needed to reload.

"Please, just listen to me. I don't know what is going on here! I promise you that. I don't even know who I am and I—," Once again, the girl interrupted him, her voice cold and apathetic as she stared him down from where he hid behind a metal shelf.

"Live or die. It is your choice. Do you run or do you fight? It is time you try to make your decision quickly before I, in turn, do it for you. Now, choose!" She shrieked the last part as she fired another set of bullets in his direction and Troy ran as fast as he could and disappeared down the hall.

Panting, he fell down a ramp and landed heavily on his back, knocking the wind clear out of himself. Dazed and afraid, Troy got up as quickly as he could and found himself in a large, dank storage building. The only source of light was the moonlight that shone dully through the dusty windows of the hangar. Checking behind him to make sure he'd lost her, he sat down to catch his breath, his hands shaking from the built up adrenaline.

Who was that girl and what did she mean about him choosing? Did he really have a choice or was she giving him a sense of false hope? Troy pondered on his possibilities at that point. He could live and fight like she said or he could die right then and there. What was the point of living if he had no clue who he was or even where he was from? What was life without that simple knowledge?

Troy sighed, realizing the odds were never in his favor to begin with.

Live or die is what she said, he thought warily as he stared at his grime smeared hands. If I live, what will I do? What will I become? Will I escape from here and be granted my old life or will they kill me on the spot?

He heard the gun before he saw her and looked up with sullen eyes as all of his questions were answered in that one moment.

There's no escape.

"There's no escape." The girl spoke his thoughts out loud as she cocked the .22 revolver at his forehead, her hazel eyes revealing no emotion as she pulled back the hammer. At the last second, she moved her gun and shot around his feet, causing him to jump up and move to the side to avoid being hit. She seemed to glide across the ground as her swift movements caught Troy by surprise causing him to duck and dodge her quick attacks. He swung the metal pipe in his hand, narrowly missing her head as she sidestepped out of the way and kicked his wrist, disarming him.

Throwing away her gun and taking out two bowie knives, she surprised him when she threw one in his direction. Staring at her incredulously, he held the blade in his hands, watching as the light reflected off it to shine on the mask that still covered the girl's face. He noticed two blue markings that were painted underneath the eyeholes, resembling a cascade of tears. The girl began to circle him like an animal stalking their prey. Her movements were slow and deliberate like she was daring him to make the first move.

Raising her blade to him, she gave him a cold stare before uttering almost silent words.

"If you don't want to die, you must fight." She slashed her way to him, jabbing and swiping as they danced around the hangar, their grunts of exertion the only sounds in the dark room. As her master had ordered, she wasn't allowed to go all out on him. Only to test him; to see if he were truly worthy of such a life he would be put into. Troy ducked and dodged with a little difficulty, trying hard not to lose his footing. He swiped at her and was surprised when she caught his wrist in her hand before hitting him in the side of the neck with her other wrist, effectively stunning him. As he leaned forward to gasp, the side of his face met her knee with full force and he staggered upward while feeling pain in his chest as she moved him halfway across the room with a swift blow of her hand. His back hit a metal pole and he slumped forward, his entire body wracked with pain.

I don't know who I am or where I'm from. I don't even know what I did yesterday; my head hurts too much to think about it. But even with my lack of knowledge, I still want to live. The realization hit Troy so hard, he felt his eyes widen in surprise. Staggering to his feet, he draped the hospital gown over his right hand and moved toward his opponent once more. He watched her through his bangs as she stood there, contemplating on what to do next.

Even if I don't know anything, even if I will never know anything about my life ever again, at least I still have this; this opportunity to start over. I want this.

The Phantom flipped the dagger around so the blade was facing downward and leaped into the air, not causing a stir in Troy as she swept her arm down in a perfect arc to deliver the finishing blow. He caught the blade in his sheathed hand and threw her off balance, causing them both to fall over. Troy yanked the knife from her grip and slashed viciously at her face. He paled at the sight before him.

A part of her mask fell away to reveal the most startling pair of chestnut brown eyes he had ever seen. They shone with such curiosity and sympathy as she stared at him, the rest of her mask falling away from her flawless face. Her lips were a rosy pink, appearing so supple and soft. Her cheeks were void of any color but Troy could still see the hint of a blush slowly rising on her cheeks as the intensity of his stare seemed to get to her. Black silky strands of hair fell across her face, the rest of her hair creating a thick halo around her head as she stared into his eyes from beneath him.

Her facial expression quickly became stoic as she cleared her throat and looked away, her eyes staring off into the darkness.

"Very good," she spoke suddenly, breaking Troy out of his trance as he quickly made his way off of her. She sat up and cocked her head to one side, looking at him as if seeing him for the first time that night. "Your skills have proven to be quite admirable, you will do great for the Organization."

Troy stared at her with questioning eyes as what she said began to sink in.

This was all a test?

A faint clapping sound was heard in the distance and Troy looked around as he tried to depict the noise from his current surroundings. He allowed his eyes to adjust to the dark and spotted a white clad figure slowly approaching him and the girl that still sat on the ground at his feet. The man grinned and seemed to be nodding in approval; all the while keeping a steady applause going. He wore a long lab coat that hung down to the back of his knees and a seemingly casual pair of black pants. On his feet, he wore a sophisticated pair of black leather shoes that dully reflected the moonlight. Square-rimmed glasses clung to the bridge of his nose as his eyes were hidden from view and the smirk on his face only grew wider when Troy took a fighting stance against him, blade raised.

The man put his hands up in mock surrender and gave a dark chuckle, the top half of his face hidden in shadow.

"Now, now. Let's not get violent, shall we? I am simply here to commemorate your achievement. After all, you were up against a pretty formidable foe." The man spoke in a mocking tone, his hands lowering ever so slightly as he began to approach Troy once more, allowing his face to fully come into view. Despite his clothes, the man before Troy had a surprisingly youthful look to him. His strikingly platinum blonde hair was slicked back and his piercing green eyes bore a hole into Troy as he analyzed the subject before him.

"Who the hell are you and just what the fuck is this place?" Troy spit, his eyes flashing dangerously as he raised his knife even higher as a silent warning to get the guy to back away. The man didn't even budge. With a flick of his wrist, he snatched the knife out of Troy's hand and threw it across the dark room, the sound of metal on cement echoed throughout the hangar as the knife skidded off into the shadows. Troy backed away, his face revealing his fear as his eyes darted from side to side, wondering if there was a way to get out.

"Calm down. I am not here to hurt you. You will learn the answers you seek in due time but for right now, we have a lot of work to do." The man glanced down and his facial expression changed to one of concern as he kneeled down beside the fallen girl, placing his hand on her cheek gingerly as he stared into her eyes.

"Ein," he called to her, his voice a harsh whisper. "Are you alright, my pet?" The pad of his thumb caressed her cheek slowly as 'Ein' slowly became aware of where she was once more. Managing a slight nod, she rose from her resting spot and stood next to Troy who in turn looked at her with an unreadable expression.

The girl showed no emotion as she glanced at him before turning her face away; her hair quickly flowed down to hide it behind a black curtain. Aside from her demeanor, Troy couldn't help it as he felt his heart tug in a way he had never felt before. He wanted to reach out to her, to talk to her somehow. She appeared so lonely in that moment and Troy couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to hold her protectively in his arms from whatever was haunting her. His fists clenched at his sides as he decided against his instincts and held his ground, not knowing where his strong desires were coming from.

She just tried to kill me and yet I'm the one feeling sorry for her. How fucked up can I get?

The man beside Ein cleared his throat, shaking Troy out of his daze. Pushing the rim of his glasses to the top of his nose, the guy strolled over to Troy, his hands tucked into the pockets of his lab coat.

"Well then, my new gem. You appear worthy enough for this grand opportunity," the guy motioned with his arms, gesturing at nothing in particular. He smiled a genuine smile that made his eyes sparkle with hidden knowledge. "I hope you enjoy what we have in store for you. We will train you, feed you, clothe you, and house you. In turn, all we ask is that you complete your tasks for us in a timely manner alongside Ein. Together, the two of you will be a force to be reckoned with in the hands of Inferno."

"Welcome to the Organization, Zwei."

幻影

Troy lay on his bed, sheltering his eyes with the crook of his arm as the day's events ran through his head. He grimaced as he recalled the man who had introduced himself as Scythe and thought about how he had so casually took Ein by the hand and guided her away. She had followed without a moment's hesitation as if she were under a spell. She hadn't even spared him a glance as she and Scythe both disappeared in the darkness, his voice calling out to Troy.

"There will a car waiting for you just outside the building, Zwei. Go with the driver and see your new home. Ein will accompany you shortly should you need her assistance."

That had been a few hours ago.

When he'd arrived, he had decided to give himself his own personal tour of his new loft. It seemed like the only normal thing that had happened to him in the past forty-eight hours. Troy had to admit the apartment was much nicer than anything he felt that he could ever afford in this lifetime. A chandelier hung from delicate golden chains in the sitting room, the waxed wooden floors reflecting the pink-orange light of the rising sun. Walking into the kitchen, he was taken aback by the amount of décor that took place in that one room alone.

The smoky gray granite countertops contrasted with the midnight black marble floor and he took note at how many coverts there were before moving on to the bedroom that he and Ein would share. The room was relatively small but held two queen-sized beds, one on either side of the room. Troy felt the plush carpet under his feet as he scuffled around the room, taking note that there was only one closet and one night stand that stood between the two beds.

He had lain there for what seemed like hours upon hours until finally he heard the door to the apartment open and removed his arm to find Ein peeking in through the door at him. He stared at her as she slowly made her way to the foot of his bed, not breaking eye contact as she stood there with her arms down by her sides. Her hair was pulled up into a high ponytail that waved and curled carelessly down her back. Her outfit had changed dramatically; the combat boots had been replaced with sandals and the shirt and skirt had been discarded for a regular long sleeved white t-shirt with gray short shorts.

Troy found himself awkwardly looking down at the pair of plain boxers and wife beater he was wearing. He suddenly felt very overexposed and sat up to compose himself as she cleared her throat.

"You don't have to be scared of me, I won't attack you anymore." She kicked off her sandals nonchalantly as she made a move to sit down, her back to the door as she sat crossed leg on his bed.

"Who are you?" Shaking his head, he rephrased his question. "I meant, who am I? Are you now going to tell me what is going on?"

Her chestnut brown eyes flickered briefly before they went back to nothing as she began to speak in a soft, wary voice.

"I no longer have a name but you can call me Ein if you need to; that is what I am now known as. From what master has already told you, I'm sure you know the entire ordeal by this point. You have been chosen to be a part of a very elite group of people. We are known as Inferno." Ein spoke steadily while never breaking eye contact with Troy. She saw him visibly flinch at the mention of the Organization's name but paid no mind as she continued.

"From this day forward, you will now be known as Zwei."

"Wait, hold on a second! You cannot just give me a name and expect me to lie down and take it." He gritted his teeth as he felt himself become agitated rather quickly. This wasn't how he wanted the conversation to go. "Tell me, Ein, why did you attack me?"

Her eyes shifted to the single open window in the room as she watched the sun begin to peek over the trees that surrounded their apartment. Ein felt herself being put at ease as she listened to the birds chirp wholeheartedly, their songs of morning ringing throughout the room. Looking back at "Zwei", she realized he had been waiting for an answer.

"I was told to verify your talent."

"What talent?" Troy asked, confusion evident in his tone.

What talent could I possibly have that would make these people choose me?

"You possess certain abilities you may not have been aware of. You have the talent to kill and the talent to survive; these are both skills and attributes of an assassin."

Troy's eyes widened as he stared at the girl, a part of him wondering if this was just a joke even though the other part knew for sure that it wasn't. He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding slowly and began to shake his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts.

"No way." He whispered numbly. Standing up, he began to pace the room, his head downcast as Ein returned her stare towards the window. Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face her, his muscles tensing as his fists clenched at his sides.

"But...this doesn't make any sense. What the hell makes you guys think that about me anyway?" He nearly shouted as an angry sigh made its way out of his throat. He ran frantic fingers through the tangled mass of his hair as he desperately tried to move it away from his eyes.

"Because you tried very hard to kill me." She stated simply, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips as she noticed his disturbed expression. "In your situation, ordinary people would have frozen up and hesitated and thus would have been killed on the spot. You were different. You took charge and acted on your instincts before fully understanding the predicament you were in. And you survived. You fought for your life and you won, Zwei."

"Zwei..." he muttered the name for the first time and immediately decided he hated it.

"Why don't you call me by my real name? It's—it's," he paused, trying to figure out what his name was. "My name is—,"

She gave him a look of disdain as she slowly shook her head in disapproval.

"You're wasting your time. Forget about that name and the life you once lived. It is all irrelevant now." She spoke as if this were something she recited on a day-to-day basis. Standing up, she made her way past Troy and into their living room, knowing Troy was right behind her.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"All of your memories have been erased by Inferno. It is no use trying to dwell on a past you cannot even recall. Besides, not knowing makes our job...bearable." Her voice lowered to a soft, distant whisper as she leaned against the cool countertop, her eyes closing in thought.

His legs began to shake as Troy could no longer stand on his own to feet and quickly seated himself in a chair. He put his head in his hands and slumped over in defeat. How had his life spiraled so out of control in such a short time?

This can't be happening. I—no. I can't be an assassin.

Ein opened her eyes to look over at his lean form and felt her heart wretch painfully as she heard him let out a dry sob. Walking over to him silently she laid a small, delicate hand on his back and rubbed soothingly. The gesture had been unanticipated and Troy stiffened under the sudden contact but then relaxed as she continued her motions. Moving her hand down to his covered face, she moved his bangs away and waited for him to look up at her. When he did, she ran a finger down his cheek before moving her hand away entirely.

"Zwei, I know you did not choose this. But this is the way it has to be." Her voice held a shred of sympathy that didn't go unnoticed as she turned to walk away. "Your life will only go on from here. What you choose to do will be your choice alone. Make the wrong choice and it will cost you your life."

My life.

"Le nostre anime non possono essere salvate. We work in the dark to serve the light. We are the unseen; we live to kill and kill to survive. We are assassins." Ein stopped by the door that led to their shared bedroom, looking back at Troy with eyes that held years worth of knowledge. "That is what we go by, Zwei. Our world now and forever will be revolved around Inferno."

Inferno.

"You will eat, sleep, dress, and talk the way Inferno tells you. You are no longer a free man. Hold your tongue in the presence of our superiors...unless you have a death wish. Now get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us." The door to their room closed behind her and Troy was left to revel in his own thoughts.

My life is no longer my own. I have nothing to go back to should I try to escape. Ein, he cast a glance to their room before turning to look out of one of the living room's grand windows. You were captured just as I was, I'm guessing. How long have you been under Inferno's influence? How long did it take you to accept your lifestyle?

Troy hadn't noticed when he'd stood nor did he take notice to the fact that he was now laying on the couch, his arm splayed over his face to block out the morning sun. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply through his nose, the scent of the dense forest that surrounded their secluded apartment soothing his senses. He felt himself slipping faster than he would have liked as sleep took its claim over him, his body and his mind at war with the other as one wanted to stay awake while the other complied to the beast wholeheartedly.

Zwei had officially been awakened.

A/N: Alright! That's the end of the first chapter. 9 pages/5,887 words [in Times New Roman, 10pt. font might I add] later and this is what I came up with. I hope you guys enjoyed what little I gave you and I really hope I get a lot of reviews. Just a few things for clarification reasons before I get questions on them. Okay, so I'm pretty sure some of you probably guessed who Ein is but I'm positive you're wondering why I made her so OOC. I know some people absolutely hate that so please forgive me but this is not supposed to be a story full of happy jolliness. As I explained in the synopsis, this story is going to be dark and brutal and full of angst and maybe even a little romance here and there.

Ein (Ayn) and Zwei (Sfay) [AY being pronounced as an Isound] are both numbers, meaning one and two in German. Those are the names that were given to the OCs in the anime so I decided to stick with them simply because I couldn't think of anything better. (Scythe is pronounced as Sithe, by the way). Now don't worry, I will include the other people from HSM in this story but for the time being, it is going to be centered around those two until I can think of a way to include the other characters into it.

Also, I used a bit of Italian in there if anyone noticed, haha. Although, I kind of cheated and used Google translate because, heh, well I don't really remember much of what I learned back in high school. (Sheepish shrug). The saying roughly means, "Our souls cannot be saved." And the quote itself is from a video game I played called Assassin's Creed. [Awesome, awesome game if anyone wants to check it out for PS3/Xbox 360. Very enjoyable].

Please, please review and if you have any questions or suggestions feel free to let me know of anything you would like to see. I do not care if you flame me, also. If you absolutely hate this story then that is your opinion and I respect everyone's opinions. Although, I do ask that you do not insult me directly because that will hurt my feelings. But anyway, I'm rambling. I hope to see you guys in the next chapters to come!

Bye!