Hey guys! This is the first chapter so I hope it's good. Also, as most of you know this story is focused on Drako and Cinder as they are the main couple. I have some ideas for this story but I won't share them yet as I want to make sure they are good.
So please, enjoy the chapter and leave a review if you have the time.
Prologue
Daemarrel was one of the richest settlements in all of the eastern region. The place was packed with numerous buildings which were so high, that many believed they were built to reach the pristine blue sky itself. And the buildings themselves looked astonishing with almost no cracks visible at the naked eye, painted with bright colors, though white was the dominant one. Catching the attention of people who were searching for a place to live with their families.
Countless streets crossed paths with one another and together they created a maze, getting lost there was much easier than being in a forest for the first time. In the town's center, there was a huge market where several travelers stopped by to purchase certain objects for their families or supplies so they could continue with their adventures throughout the world. But not just that, there were shiny, rare jewelries drawing some rich customers to them. The minerals found there were also very rare and they could be used to craft many types of armors and weapons that offer good protection against the Grimm, or create some wondrous technology for god only knows what kind of purpose it will have.
Healing herbs and other kinds of plants can be found in the market too, and if you aren't looking for any of that, then don't worry because you could also find the simplest working tools or any other stuff for your everyday. Even ingredients for the most delicious and luxurious plates in the entire region. It was like, if you can imagine it, you could most definitely buy it there but only if you have the money which most people don't have so they resort to criminal activities in order to survive, like a young girl by the name of Cinder Fall.
If the people who built this town were smarter, Cinder thought sardonically, as she dashed with incredible speed under the archways and through twisting, narrow alleyways, they would have built roads that actually made sense.
"You there! Stop at once!" Shouted a guard.
Cinder's heart gave a shuttering leap, but she didn't dare to turn around. Instead, she continued to bolt through the stalls that lined the market square of Daemarrel town like her own life depended on it. Breath whooshed through her lungs as she drew in great, ragged gasps of the chilly air that was around. No matter how much she ran, she was at a disadvantage; her pursuers were equipped with the most advanced technology the market could buy and to add that up, they were on horseback.
"Capture that thief!"
"Cut her off at the bridge! We can't let her escape!"
The last voice Cinder identified as it belonged to the Captain of the Guard, Korvax. She assumed the shout was directed at the soldiers, who had not impressed her a single moment as being very smart in the three days experience under their surveillance. A quick glance over her left shoulder revealed ten horsemen that were trailing closely on her heels, not caring about the belongings of a few merchants that were destroyed as they barreled through the city square. "These guys are persistent." She muttered under her breath.
Cinder rushed down to the nearest alleyway, hoping to outrun them. "You are mine now girl." A man suddenly wrapped his arms around Cinder. "The Captain will surely reward me for capturing you."
Desperately, Cinder tried to break free from the soldier's grip who had been waiting to intercept her in the narrow street bordering the market area. He let out a scream of pain as Cinder bit him in the hand with all of her might, but she wasn't able to escape in time as more soldiers arrived to the scene and quickly overwhelmed her. "Hahaha! It took us a while but we finally got you." He laughed.
"I'll take this piece of trash to Korvax, he will decide her punishment." The soldier dragged Cinder roughly back to their leader.
Along the way, she noticed multiple wagons filled with the newest crop of slaves that were captured in the latest raid at the nearby villages. "I need to find a way out of here fast, I don't want to end up like them." She whispered while staring at the ground, then the shadow of a man crossed her vision. Slowly, Cinder turned her eyes upward until she was facing the paunchy and rather scarring visage of the Captain.
Korvax's helm was rounded with a squared, t-shaped opening leaving his purple eyes, nose and mouth exposed. Attached to the top are several tentacle shaped metal ornaments. The shoulders are squared, long and fairly small in size. They're decorated with a tiger's head on each side. "I can't believe you actually thought you could outrun my soldiers." He ran his fingers along his whip as he waited for Cinder to say something.
The girl was not stupid enough to voice a reply as she knew what would happen, so she stood motionless and waited for Korvax to continue. "Because of your crime, you will suffer twelve lashes." The Captain said with a big smile on his lips as he made a gesture to the nearest soldier.
Cinder wasn't prepared for this punishment, nor the burning sting of the whip across her back. She stumbled forward but the guards were quick to restrain her. The whip sliced her into her delicate skin once more, she clenched her teeth to suppress a scream but the pain she felt on her back was too much for her to handle so she fell to her knees.
"P-Please, leave the child alone, I think she has learned her lesson." Pleaded the old man who was inside a cell. "She's just a kid, please have mercy, I beg you."
"Silence dog!" Korvax shouted, spittle veritably flying from his lips. "I hope this serves as a lesson to all of you as well. Do not allow yourselves to forget that your life's belong to me and the Governor of this magnificent town. I expect complete obedience but if any of you tries to escape, you will suffer the same fate as this girl. Have I made myself clear?"
There were no protests after that. The soldiers placed Cinder with the other slaves but every move she made sent waves of throbbing pain throughout her entire body. Shackles were snapped tightly around her wrists and with that done, Cinder's heart sank as she saw that each handcuff was connected to a general chain that bound all the prisoners together. Unfortunately, it seems there's no more opportunities for Cinder to make her escape, at least not for now.
"What you did was not very bright my child." A fellow behind her in line whispered, once the guards had moved out. "You got lucky the Captain didn't decided to cut your arm off, like he did to the last person who tried to run away."
"Oh, shut up." Cinder snapped. "You guys are all a bunch of cowards."
"Listen, I wish we could fight against these terrible soldiers and escape this town but we are outnumbered and as you can see, we are in chains." Said the man. "It would be best if you stopped fighting, you should just accept your fate as a slave."
"Quiet, you animals!" Barked one of the soldiers, cracking his whip threateningly.
"I'm nobodies slave." Cinder muttered, as the guard went towards the front of the line. "Where are we being taken anyway?" She was intrigued.
"We're headed there." He pointed at the castle in front of them.
Ten strong, square towers form a protective barrier all around the castle and are connected by enormous, narrow wall made of silver stone. Dull windows are scattered thinly around the walls in seemingly perfect symmetry, along with same-sized holes for snipers and heavy artillery. A moderate gate with great metal doors, a draw bridge and a moat gives a safe place to rest in this stronghold and it's the only easy way in, any other side would be futile.
Plain fields of a type of grass cover most of the fields outside of the castle, adding to the castle's aesthetics. This stronghold has clearly stood the test of time, the rocks on the walls are aged and vines and plants grow inside the cracks, but this castle will last for ages to come.
Captain Korvax called up to a guard who lowered the bridge that led across the moat. Following it, they soon reached the castle.
"Greetings, Captain." A servant bowed to him. "Allow me to take your horse to the stables."
"Thank you Felix." Korvax addressed the stable-master whom he was familiar with. Smiling, Felix took the majestic horse by the reins and led him off to the stables where he would undoubtedly beg for sugar cubes and a long rest.
Cinder and the rest of the slaves walked up the small stone steps to the beautiful doors of the castle. Two guards, recognizing Korvax, bowed their heads and opened the door that was made of the finest wood and had red designs painted all over its front. So this is where that rapist Governor lives with his sick, demented wife.
The first room they entered was an enormous hall with stone floors and intricately exquisite paintings on the wall. Korvax loved this room but he didn't have time to go on a walk since he had to show these prisoners to the leader of Daemarrel. He turned left where the Governor, friends, and the bodyguards were surely eating their lunch in the dining hall. It was highly informal for a simple Captain to come and request an audience with the Governor; that was almost unheard of. But fortunately for Korvax, they are brothers.
So he placed his hands on the doors that led to the hall and opened them without much effort.
It was a large, plain room with tables lined everywhere. At the very furthest end upon a dais sat an enormous table that stretched horizontally. On this same table sat the Governor and his wife, and all their corrupt friends who lived in or were just visiting the castle. There were other tables near that one where the bodyguards were having a nice meal and chatting with one another.
When the doors opened, everyone turned to look at the people who were coming in. "Hello, Marcus." The Captain greeted. "I've brought a couple of slaves for you to keep if you and your wife wish to have some fun with them, but I must warn you that the young girl over there is quite aggressive."
"How old is she?" He asked.
"I believe she's fourteen." Replied Korvax.
"Excellent, I do like them young." The man looked at Cinder from top to bottom. "I'll take her. I could use some entertainment for tonight."
"Pig." Muttered Cinder.
"Silence!" Korvax slapped her. "Learn some respect you filthy woman."
Then the sound of a bell ringing was heard and it wouldn't stop. There were people screaming and men shouting in the middle of the town, it seemed pure chaos all over the streets. "What the hell is going on out there?" The Governor went to the window and saw buildings burning and Grimm attacking the citizens. "How did those creatures passed through our perimeter?" His face was pale. "This can't be happening!" He began to panic.
"Brother! We must evacuate before those creatures get through the gates." Said the Captain as he too was scared.
The sound of battle raged ferociously on outside. Screams and the sound of shots being fired filled the air. Men and women fell to the dirt, shock registered on their lifeless faces. Bullets soared through the air and claws slashed through the guards of the castle. Despair could be seen in everyone's face. Suddenly, the door was broken and a heavy-looking man walked in. "I bring death to those who do not obey my Goddess." His weapon smashed the statue next to him.
Grimm stormed in without warning and they started to torn most of the people inside apart, spraying blood everywhere. But when a Beowolf was about to attack the slaves, a voice was heard. "Do not harm them!" A small boy with dark hair and red eyes entered the room. "Those people aren't my mother's enemies, release them from those chains."
"As you wish, my master." Demis followed the boy's orders and removed the chains from the slaves.
"If any of you wishes to join our cause to save this world, now is the time." He said. "And if you want to leave, I won't stop you but you must do it quickly."
All of the slaves took that opportunity to run away from the room, except for a beautiful girl. "How can you control the Grimm? I thought they were mindless beasts but here you are commanding them like soldiers." She was curious to know the answer behind this mystery.
"The one who controls them is my mother, Salem." He answered. "But why didn't you leave with the others?"
"I have nowhere to go, I wish to join your cause." She said. "I want to be strong, I want to be feared, I want to be powerful." Pure determination was in her eyes.
"Haha!" Demis laughed. "I like her."
"Alright, I'll take you to my mother so she can place you under her protection." The boy said. "What's your name by the way?"
"I'm Cinder Fall. What's yours?"
"You can call me, Drako."