World by the Heartstrings

Chapter 1: Ashes to Ashes

"Burn it all down!" he crowed gleefully, yellow-tinted glasses reflecting the horrified faces of the innocents. His choice of apparel was a black fitted military uniform that was flecked and speckled with blood. Dark boots were also caked in different hues of crimson. A dark, purple cape twisted and swayed behind him like a serpent as he showed off the gap in his teeth with a wide grin.

The air was hot and thick among the cooling bodies of the dead and the decaying. A stench of burnt flesh clung to a breeze that washed over the weak and the vulnerable as they quivered in the presence of their new Lord.

The Warden.

The Warden and his minions marched their way into the city, the footsteps of his soldiers thundering against the earth as they continued to torch trees and litter the streets with charred remains of civilians. They cackle beneath their deep, violet helmets, mixing with the howls and shrieking of the children as they sliced away at them with their bayonets. Their glowing yellow eyes and gapped-tooth grins mimicked that of their General.

A violent cough sounded, but it was easily drowned out by the chaos of the city. Mahogany eyes peeked out beneath a greasy and tangled mass of black hair as she weakly shoved aside the bodies that blanketed her suffocated form among the heat of the enflamed city. Her face was masked with dirt as well as purpling and yellowing bruises, imitating the colors of the very people that had bestowed them upon her. A light sheen of sweat covered her body, causing her black shorts and blue shirt to cling to her frail body.

Slowly she stood, shaking violently while doing so. The nineteen-year-old finally rose from the black dirt, ash adhering to her bloodied shins. After a couple of minutes of attempting to steady herself, she frantically observed her surroundings. Everything was in ruins and the Superjail troops had retreated to another part of the city, most likely to search for any survivors to place in camps. Sadness squeezed at her heart like a vise that constantly choked her into soft sobs as she stared at the limp and sallow-skinned bodies of her friends, family and countless civilians.

The diminishing fires crackled softly as they spewed out toxic fumes that blackened the sky, the sun desperately trying to peek out beneath it before it was slowly smothered and died away.

Slowly she scuttled forward, stumbling slightly due to her aching and swollen feet. Wincing, she walked a little slower, a slight limp in her step as her mind began to cloud with unadulterated rage for the Warden. A low growl bubbled up her throat and pushed passed her torn lips. Oh, how she would make him suff-

Her pleasant fantasy of tearing the Warden apart was sadly spoiled by an abrupt shove to her chest, causing her to stumble and fall onto her backside with a groan. She tilted her head upward. She stared wide-eyed at the man that towered over her as he flashed her a manic, gapped-tooth grin, his long, flowing cape of violet dancing behind him.

"Well, well! Look at you! Aren't you a little trooper?" he cooed mockingly as he pressed the bottom of his ebony cane into the sternum of her chest.

It was The Warden himself.

The Warden's thumb played over a button that protruded slightly from the amber sphere that sat atop his cane. His gloved hand tightened around it, making the black-fitted leather around his hand squeal in protest.

He applied even more pressure to her sternum, to which she grunted slightly in response. She coiled her fingers into the muck, pressed the palms of her blistered and tender hands into the ruby soil in defiance, and pushed back against the cane.

"Hm? Stubborn aren't you?" he murmured quietly as he finally pressed down on the button that he had hesitantly been brushing over ever so gently. She gasped sharply as a blade was unsheathed from within the cane, stabbing through the supple skin and muscle before digging into the bone of her sternum. She let out a small whimper as her breaths came out unevenly. She tried to withstand the pain as blood beaded out beneath the blade. Such a deep wound wouldn't kill her, but it would surely leave a nice scar.

Holding back a wince, she glared at him furiously as maroon clashed with black eyes shielded by yellow-tinted glasses. She could not and would not submit; she had to be strong even though she could taste copper in her mouth and felt a warm liquid pooling beneath her tongue.

The grin curling his lips seemed to widen, looking as if it would split his face in two. He bent down to her level, sinking down on one knee before lurching to a position within one inch of her face. Though she was disgusted with the close proximity, she did not yield. Shuddering, she felt his breath warm over her cheeks as the faint smell of mint stung her nostrils.

"So, what's your name, my little one?" he chirped darkly as he twisted the cane's dagger into the soft flesh of her breastbone. She could feel the cold metal burning and biting into her skin as it grinded against bone. She heaved and coughed out a whimper, beginning to tremble as the pain set her nerves on fire.

"My name...is Sarah Jennings," she spat out as she clenched the ground beneath her harder in response to the throbbing within her chest. The blade continued to slice away at muscle with every twitch of his hand.

The Warden's eyes widened at her name, before erupting in what was probably the goofiest laugh she had ever had the displeasure of hearing. Still in a fit of giggles as he retracted his cane, to her relief, he slapped at his knee like he had just heard her crack the funniest joke ever. Sarah stared at him like he was completely mad and furrowed her brows in confusion. Fear began to coil itself inside her belly while he rose from the ground, his shadow engulfing her figure.

"Well, Sarah, lets get together some time. But for now...have a nice day!" He grinned sinisterly as he gripped the opposite end of his cane, the amber orb facing her. He pulled back the cane like one would when about to strike a golf ball as he lined it up parallel to her face. The coil in her stomach tightened as she realized his intent, but the blood spouting out from the center of her chest slowed her efforts from blocking.

WHACK.

The next sound to follow was Sarah's unconscious body colliding with the ground, blood running from the spot on her head where he had struck so forcefully.

A/N: Well here's the first chapter, I would appreciate some feedback so please leave a review of what you thought of the first chapter of World by the Heartstrings. I don't appreciates flaming, I have no problem with a some criticism but if you have nothing kind to say then don't read my story. Plain and simple.

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, the second chapter should be out next weekend.

P.s. Can you guess why the Warden was laughing?