AUTHOR'S NOTE:
So this is a Sentinel Bonding fic, set in an Alternative Universe where Sentinels and Guides are known. [This verse is originally created by Susan Foster, you can go read her series for more detailed information about it: www 'dot' susans-stories 'dot' co 'dot' uk/primer. Or if you want to understand more about the Sentinel and Guide troupe, then visit this: fanlore 'dot' org/wiki/Sentinel_and_Guide]
But I will give y'all a quick sum-up. And any other details will be clear on the story's context so fear not if you're not accustomed with the Sentinel Bonding Verse.
Basically Sentinels are people with five enhanced senses. Sentinels who concentrated on one sense could become so focused that they lost their grounding to their surrounding and entered a state that resembled catatonia. Without a stable focus, as the sentinel's senses became more sensitive, sensory input could overload them; driving them to insanity or even to a final zone-out which ended in death. A solution to be found in the "guide" - companions who helped them focus their senses and pulled them out of zones.
Guides are people having emphatic power. They can sense the emotional and physical needs of their sentinels, support the sentinel's use of his senses and prevent zoning. As their empathic potential goes, they can sense the emotions/thoughts/state of minds of everyone around, and that can become overwhelming just as Sentinels do with their heightened senses. So Guides naturally have mental barriers to protect their minds from others' feelings. The strength of those barrier depends on each Guide individually and their state of bonding.
When the sentinel/guide bonding has taken place, the guide's empathy comes fully on line; his or her natural ability to create barriers to protect himself or herself from the emotions of the people around them is weakened. Guides can be parted from their sentinels for periods of time, the length of which depends on the strength of the individual guide, however prolonged periods of separation causes attrition of the natural barriers, leaving them emotionally exposed. The end result is a guide driven to insanity, often to suicide. But that is just one side of the matter (others will be explored in the story).
I will not base fully the set of the universe of this fic on the origin, there will be some fanons and mix-up to suit the plot line.
This fic will start in the scene where the amount of Guides in the society is low after a war between continents. Some Guides accept their submissive fate, but others do not. They mingle among other civilians, hiding away from eyes and ears of the Towers - headquarters of Sentinels and Guides Organization on every country in the world. Therefore the Towers have put into action a hunt for unregistered Guides.
[Also every Sentinel and Guide in here have their own spirit animals that only Sentinels and Guides can see. (Kind of like His Dark Material :D)]
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, from the verse to the characters (except for those minor OOCs). There's no profit made in this, just a production from a fan to other fans. Places or organizations or occurances in this are all fictional.
WARNING: Mentioned sexual and physical and mental assaults, violence, abuse, implied slavery, underage, forced bonding, unusual childhood, trafficking, suicide, dubious consent.
Please do take caution with the warnings! If any of the topics is sensitive to you, please refrain from reading. I'll also put separate warnings for each chapter so you guys will know what to look out for.
And that's it. If you still feel interested, then onward with the story!