Atomic

01

Pain slams through my body, blood pooling around my wrists and ankles where shackles dig deeply into my skin, pinning me to the cold stone walls that make up my cell. A moonstone incrusted needle lies deeply in my veins, the only thing that can subdue my magic. My unwashed hair falls in strings of dulled blonde and blood across my scarred face, whilst my wings, which I keep tucked tightly behind me, blaze in agony as the ghosts of their hands and blades graze across their bloodied surface. My elongated canines are cut short so they are of no use and sting every time I run my sore tongue across them.

I was born here, born into chains and pain, born into a world of darkness. My parents did this to me and my older brother, they mixed the DNA of some of the most powerful beings: Gods and Apollyons, to try and create one all powerful mutation. My brother was their first attempt and he was left a self destructive mess, I fall asleep to his screams every night as he tries to claw his skin away or slam his head against the walls, but he won't die, just like I won't.

My mutation was successful, or at least I haven't tried to kill myself since I was changed, but now I have the ability to tear this whole hellish building to the ground with a flick of my wrist, even if I am untrained and still unaware of the majority of my abilities. This is why I'm kept down here, deep underground, with moonstones covering every surface.

"Alexandria," I cringe at the voice of my father and his heavy footsteps coming down the stone steps. Keeping my mouth shut, I glue my eyes to the floor, so he can't see the tracks weaving through the dirt on my face where my tears had fallen minutes earlier.

"I do hope you will be more co-operative today, we wouldn't want to ruin those pretty wings even more now, would we?" He grins at me, but there is no warmth there as he unlocks my cell door and walks in, his heavy footsteps echoing through my throbbing head.

He unlocks my shackles, only to lock more around my raw ankles and wrists, he tries to push my hair out of my face but I bare my teeth and snap at him, causing him to recoil swiftly; he's scared of me and I know it, but he doesn't like to admit it.

We trudge out of my cell and as we pass my brother's I glance up to see him curled into a corner, rocking and dragging his sharpened nails over his arms, causing blood to weave down them. His blonde hair is also unwashed like mine, and we have matching grey eyes, but behind his there is madness whilst there is nothing behind mine, I'm broken, inside and out.

I'm shoved into the training room and I fall to my knees, but I refuse to make a sound. My father promptly retreats and three guards step forward, two keep me pinned to the floor whilst the other unlocks my shackles and they all retreat. I stand. This is the only place that I'm free of my chains and where they feel safe to grant me a small portion of my magic, so they can train me to be their killing machine.

I feel a shift beneath my skin, and power, though a small amount, courses through my veins, tingling at my fingertips. My wings spread behind me and I shake them out, crimson spattering on the white walls behind me. A wind rustles my hair and I let out a sigh but the moment is quickly ended when Zander storms in.

Zander is broadly built and his long black hair is pulled back from his harsh face, the dim lights above shadow his sharp features as he smirks at me. My parents want me to be a killer, they want me to learn to fight and kill mercilessly but I refuse, I won't be a murderer, no matter how much pain they put me through.

"Ready Alexandria?" He growls and positions himself in a fighting stance. I snarl and prepare myself for the pain that is guaranteed to come.

  He moves at me inhumanly quickly and sends a punch at my head, I duck beneath it and stumble backwards as he kicks out towards my stomach. Regaining my footing, I square back up just as he hits me with an uppercut square in the jaw, pain splinters across my face and darkness threatens to envelope me. I move backwards, cradling my jaw, blood spilling from my mouth. Zander takes the opportunity and kicks me in the stomach, I groan and lurch forward, desperately trying to claw air into my lungs. He swings his leg out beneath my feet and I slam to the floor, my head spinning as he glides towards me and flips me over, grabbing at my wings and hauling me up, smashing my face against the wall.

"Oh Alexandria," He snarls into my ear, "You know what happens now." A sick sort of satisfaction laces his voice as he slips a dagger from his waist, keeping me pinned to the wall. I close my eyes and curl my hands into fists, preparing for the pain. This is what happens if I fail them, they will cause me pain to break me and get me to fight back. He runs his hand over the top of my wing following it up with the cool metal of the dagger, I can feel the sharp edge of it skimming just over the sensitive arch of my wing. With a laugh he slams the dagger into my wing and I buckle beneath him, he yanks the dagger away and does the same to my other wing, closer to where they meet my back. I fall to the floor, my face pressing against the cool surface and finally give in to the darkness spiralling in front of my eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I hope you like it so far! I'll be continuing with Alexandria's story whenever I can!

Comment/share/vote etc! Feedback is appreciated good or bad!

- Aelinsblades xxx