Chapter 1 Kelly's POV -
I bend down to pet Leto. The white and black Border Collie growls at the pile of Mercenaries that had just atttempted to rob us. He shakes his head and looks up at me while whimpering. I smile at him and scratch behind his ears. "God job boy." He lets out a satisfied whimper and licks my hand. I laugh at my "loyal companion." as Japer calls him. I agree with the nickname. Leto seems to be one of the ery few people who have remained loyal to me. Even my own brother turned against me. "Logan,"saying his name out loud stings my mouth,it's almost venemous when it comes name,that is.
I realize i'm still crouched down,petting my dog. He looks into my eyes,as if sensing something is wrong with me. I reach into my Dweller camp pocket for a dog treat,and find none. Leto lets out a moan-like whimper. I stand up while he remains sitting down. "Well then! Sorry boy. I ran a little short. I'll take us to the Sanctuary after this." I look over to the pile of dead Mercenaries. I can't help but feel a sharp pang of sorrow for them. Some of them might of had families. They probably had no way of getting a job and could only live on by destroying the lives of others. Now that I think about it,
everyone must have a little reason for what they act on,right? No,not everyone. Logan had no reason to turn on me. He had no reason to kill Elliot. He had no reason to condemn the whole world to death. No,Logan had no reason. However,
not all mercenaries kill for life. Some kill for fun. I've seen it too much. But still,these people were once living,they did have a life that I have taken. I slowly point my palm towards the pile of dead. I ceremoniously shoot out a ball of fire,that lands in the middle of the pile and soon spreads. The air thickens with smoke,and the smell of burning flesh. The smell of freedom that is no longer found in Albion. It's the freedom of limitation and torment,of worrying of loved ones that is gone. Free to float in the frost bitten wind with the smoke,rolling off of the roaring flames. I watch the embers fall from the fire and float through the tree tops,soon the embers turn to ash and fall down slowly,blending with the snow flakes.
I look up into the sky,take a deep breath,and close my eyes. This feeling of tranquility will not last long. I feel the snow and ash fall on my face,in my hair,and I stand straight. I look at the bodies,now almost all the way incinerated. It's better to be turned into a pile of nothingness than to return as a Hollow Man. Of having your body takn over,having no mind but only experiencing the endless hunger of violence and to kill. I turn to my dog. "Come on now 's go get that treat." I summon the will to go to the Sanctuary. I feel the rush and the familiar whooshing sound of time stopping and being pulled through my senses. I step off of the teleportation area and step into the warmth of the Sanctuary. Jasper looks up from the Book of Heroes. "Ah,hello Miss! May I assist you with anything?" I pause and sigh while looking around the place was where my father used to go to. He'd used to plan here,he'd have the same sense of security here as I do. This place smells purely of warmth and faded pages of books. I turn to Jasper. "Hello Jasper. Do you know where the dog treats are?" He smiled and looked at my napping pooch. "Yes madam. Here they are." He grabbed the bag from a bookshelf in the wall on the other side of the room. "Here you are Miss." Jasper handed me the bag. He is very quick for an old man. Suddenly,I feel terrible for not knowing his age. Jasper has been like a father to me,
along with Walter,since my actual father died. Now,for the first time,I realize just how old Jasper is. I see the weariness in his greyish-clear eyes. I see how he semi-limps when he moves,I see the highlighted wrinkles on his forehead and how his skin sags under his eyes and around the corners of his mouth. I think now of myself. How will I look like when i'm older? I seldomly ever smile since I ran away from my sibling. He may hae once been my brother,now he's lost all respect in the word. Jasper's hand was still outstretched with the bag of treats hanging in front of me. I realize his other hand is on my shoulder. "Miss? Are you alright?" I look up at him. I don't need to bother him any more than I already have. He's too old to be butlering to my every will,much less be worried about me. "Oh! Yes,i'm fine Jasper. I was just thinking about wht my next mission is. I've seemed to have forgotten." Which isn't entirely a lie. I have forgotten where I was going. Jasper sighed and let out a chuckle. "Oh dear,you've been quite busy haven't you?" I nodded yes as I finally accepted the bag of treats. "Quite so." Jasper let out a pitied breath and shook his head."Poor thing." I leaned over Leto as he rested in his bed by the gift shelf. He looked up as he felt my presence. I waved a doughy treat infront of his nose as he eyed it treasuringly. "Here,boy." He gently took the treat and devoured it within seconds. He looked up,begging for more. I stood up and put a the treats on the shelf at the top. "No,Leto. I don't want you to get even fatter. It is already difficult enough picking you up when I play with you." This got a laugh out of Jasper as he tried to catch his breath. I really hate talking extra proper in front of him. If I don't it will only cause a big commotion on ettiquets and totally irrelevant things. But we always make up quickly. I walked over to Jasper as he dotted tears of laughter out of his eyes with a handkerchief. "Oh,your majesty,you always crack me up." He cleared his throat and soon recieved his bearings. "You are supposed to be meeting Sir Walter in the Mistpeak Monorail Station,Miss." I make a slight hum-like noise as if recalling it. "I remember now. Thank you Jasper!" He smiles at me and his eyebrows slightly perk up. "You are quite welcome your majesty." I realize i'm still in my Dweller outfit. It is quite uncomfortable and doesn't really protect me from the weather. I start walking to the Dressing Chamber. "On second thought I might want to change out of this." Jasper quickly trails behind me. "Wise descision your Highness." I step into the Chamber and quickly go towards Princess Gown. It has a special fabric in it that keeps you either cool or warm,depending on the circumstances. I pick it up and bring it over to the dying shelf. I dye it white and dark blue. Blue and orange are my favorite reminds me of water and how I have a strange connection with it. It's strange how I am attracted to people who like fire. It's sort of magnetic. Elliot didn't like fire. He always liked rather depressing things,like theatre. He always envied me,i'm a very good actress. I normally don't brag and hardly ever talk higly about myself,but I must admit I am good at writing,singing,drawing,and acting. Poor Elliot. He loved me more than anything. Once,I thought I loved him,but at the time I didn't know what love was. Elliot was the only friend I was allowed to have. I loved him,as a brother and my closest friend. I slowly watched the dark blue dye pool uo and sink into the fabric. It's strange how the dye never leaks.
It's also strange how my tears that i've been holding back never fall in front of others. I stand behind the blocker and take the Dweller outfit off. I feel a few old scars and scrapes. I brush the loose hair blocking my vision behind my ears. I slip on the dress and button it up. I start walking to the hair section and pull my hair back into it's short style. I hate having my hair up,but I can see better with it out of my eyes. I start to leave the room when Jasper nods his approval.
"Much better than it was before." I nod back at him. "Thank you,Jasper." We head to the main room of the Sanctuary. I peer over the Map of Albion and select the nearest location for the Monorail Station.
I bend down to pet Leto. The white and black Border Collie growls at the pile of Mercenaries that had just atttempted to rob us. He shakes his head and looks up at me while whimpering. I smile at him and scratch behind his ears. "God job boy." He lets out a satisfied whimper and licks my hand. I laugh at my "loyal companion." as Japer calls him. I agree with the nickname. Leto seems to be one of the ery few people who have remained loyal to me. Even my own brother turned against me. "Logan,"saying his name out loud stings my mouth,it's almost venemous when it comes name,that is.
I realize i'm still crouched down,petting my dog. He looks into my eyes,as if sensing something is wrong with me. I reach into my Dweller camp pocket for a dog treat,and find none. Leto lets out a moan-like whimper. I stand up while he remains sitting down. "Well then! Sorry boy. I ran a little short. I'll take us to the Sanctuary after this." I look over to the pile of dead Mercenaries. I can't help but feel a sharp pang of sorrow for them. Some of them might of had families. They probably had no way of getting a job and could only live on by destroying the lives of others. Now that I think about it,
everyone must have a little reason for what they act on,right? No,not everyone. Logan had no reason to turn on me. He had no reason to kill Elliot. He had no reason to condemn the whole world to death. No,Logan had no reason. However,
not all mercenaries kill for life. Some kill for fun. I've seen it too much. But still,these people were once living,they did have a life that I have taken. I slowly point my palm towards the pile of dead. I ceremoniously shoot out a ball of fire,that lands in the middle of the pile and soon spreads. The air thickens with smoke,and the smell of burning flesh. The smell of freedom that is no longer found in Albion. It's the freedom of limitation and torment,of worrying of loved ones that is gone. Free to float in the frost bitten wind with the smoke,rolling off of the roaring flames. I watch the embers fall from the fire and float through the tree tops,soon the embers turn to ash and fall down slowly,blending with the snow flakes.
I look up into the sky,take a deep breath,and close my eyes. This feeling of tranquility will not last long. I feel the snow and ash fall on my face,in my hair,and I stand straight. I look at the bodies,now almost all the way incinerated. It's better to be turned into a pile of nothingness than to return as a Hollow Man. Of having your body takn over,having no mind but only experiencing the endless hunger of violence and to kill. I turn to my dog. "Come on now 's go get that treat." I summon the will to go to the Sanctuary. I feel the rush and the familiar whooshing sound of time stopping and being pulled through my senses. I step off of the teleportation area and step into the warmth of the Sanctuary. Jasper looks up from the Book of Heroes. "Ah,hello Miss! May I assist you with anything?" I pause and sigh while looking around the place was where my father used to go to. He'd used to plan here,he'd have the same sense of security here as I do. This place smells purely of warmth and faded pages of books. I turn to Jasper. "Hello Jasper. Do you know where the dog treats are?" He smiled and looked at my napping pooch. "Yes madam. Here they are." He grabbed the bag from a bookshelf in the wall on the other side of the room. "Here you are Miss." Jasper handed me the bag. He is very quick for an old man. Suddenly,I feel terrible for not knowing his age. Jasper has been like a father to me,
along with Walter,since my actual father died. Now,for the first time,I realize just how old Jasper is. I see the weariness in his greyish-clear eyes. I see how he semi-limps when he moves,I see the highlighted wrinkles on his forehead and how his skin sags under his eyes and around the corners of his mouth. I think now of myself. How will I look like when i'm older? I seldomly ever smile since I ran away from my sibling. He may hae once been my brother,now he's lost all respect in the word. Jasper's hand was still outstretched with the bag of treats hanging in front of me. I realize his other hand is on my shoulder. "Miss? Are you alright?" I look up at him. I don't need to bother him any more than I already have. He's too old to be butlering to my every will,much less be worried about me. "Oh! Yes,i'm fine Jasper. I was just thinking about wht my next mission is. I've seemed to have forgotten." Which isn't entirely a lie. I have forgotten where I was going. Jasper sighed and let out a chuckle. "Oh dear,you've been quite busy haven't you?" I nodded yes as I finally accepted the bag of treats. "Quite so." Jasper let out a pitied breath and shook his head."Poor thing." I leaned over Leto as he rested in his bed by the gift shelf. He looked up as he felt my presence. I waved a doughy treat infront of his nose as he eyed it treasuringly. "Here,boy." He gently took the treat and devoured it within seconds. He looked up,begging for more. I stood up and put a the treats on the shelf at the top. "No,Leto. I don't want you to get even fatter. It is already difficult enough picking you up when I play with you." This got a laugh out of Jasper as he tried to catch his breath. I really hate talking extra proper in front of him. If I don't it will only cause a big commotion on ettiquets and totally irrelevant things. But we always make up quickly. I walked over to Jasper as he dotted tears of laughter out of his eyes with a handkerchief. "Oh,your majesty,you always crack me up." He cleared his throat and soon recieved his bearings. "You are supposed to be meeting Sir Walter in the Mistpeak Monorail Station,Miss." I make a slight hum-like noise as if recalling it. "I remember now. Thank you Jasper!" He smiles at me and his eyebrows slightly perk up. "You are quite welcome your majesty." I realize i'm still in my Dweller outfit. It is quite uncomfortable and doesn't really protect me from the weather. I start walking to the Dressing Chamber. "On second thought I might want to change out of this." Jasper quickly trails behind me. "Wise descision your Highness." I step into the Chamber and quickly go towards Princess Gown. It has a special fabric in it that keeps you either cool or warm,depending on the circumstances. I pick it up and bring it over to the dying shelf. I dye it white and dark blue. Blue and orange are my favorite reminds me of water and how I have a strange connection with it. It's strange how I am attracted to people who like fire. It's sort of magnetic. Elliot didn't like fire. He always liked rather depressing things,like theatre. He always envied me,i'm a very good actress. I normally don't brag and hardly ever talk higly about myself,but I must admit I am good at writing,singing,drawing,and acting. Poor Elliot. He loved me more than anything. Once,I thought I loved him,but at the time I didn't know what love was. Elliot was the only friend I was allowed to have. I loved him,as a brother and my closest friend. I slowly watched the dark blue dye pool uo and sink into the fabric. It's strange how the dye never leaks.
It's also strange how my tears that i've been holding back never fall in front of others. I stand behind the blocker and take the Dweller outfit off. I feel a few old scars and scrapes. I brush the loose hair blocking my vision behind my ears. I slip on the dress and button it up. I start walking to the hair section and pull my hair back into it's short style. I hate having my hair up,but I can see better with it out of my eyes. I start to leave the room when Jasper nods his approval.
"Much better than it was before." I nod back at him. "Thank you,Jasper." We head to the main room of the Sanctuary. I peer over the Map of Albion and select the nearest location for the Monorail Station.