Warden of the West

“Your honor I must object.” The lawyer spoke as he got up from his chair for the hundred time in the last hour. I shrunk down in mine as another discussion about my life was about to unfold. “We cannot allow her to be released into society. She is a threat to everything we stand for and our folk.”

“That may be, Mr. Apes, but we must consider miss Aylward’s record from her ten-year imprisonment and there has never been an incident started by her.”

“But there are plenty who were finished by her, which means that she is dangerous.” The lawyer protested, earning himself a soft sigh from the judge.

“Defending oneself is not a crime.” The judge said with a pointed look at the lawyer, who opened his mouth to say something else which would surely be in my disadvantage, but the judge didn’t give him a change this time. “Miss Aylward was sentenced to ten years in the Soul Vaults prison, with an additional option of lengthening the sentence for another ten years depending on behavior, for orchestrating her family’s massacre.” A cold shiver made my body tremble at hearing my sentence spoken out once more. A sentence for an innocent. A wrong sentence which cost me more than I ever thought I could pay. One that made sure that the guilty ones got away without anyone looking at them twice.

I can’t remember how many times I had tried to make them hear the truth, but no matter how many times I had screamed and begged them to listen to me, they never did.

I wondered if they would finally believe me if I screamed the truth right now.

Who was I kidding? They wouldn’t believe me any more than they did ten years ago, when they dragged a twelve-year-old girl into the worst place on Earth to punish her for being the only one who survived.

“The ten-year sentence has been completed, and I do not see any reason to lengthen it based of the reports from the CKG.” The judge said as he looked at my record again.

I was still surprised that the Guards hadn’t actually lied on my record and told them I was the worst prisoner ever. I silently thanked whomever it was that had implemented the law that the records had to be enchanted to always report the truth even if the Guards lied through their teeth in what they reported. Because they for sure lied about my records. They had tried their best to break me, every inmate had. They all had tried to kill me so I would never be set free into the world again. So, there was no doubt that they would have done everything in their power to keep me locked up.

No one would have ever given me a second chance at life if they weren’t bound by law to give me one.

No one wanted someone like me out in the world in their right mind and by the Guardians, I couldn’t blame them. Even I knew that nothing good would come from setting me free, not only because I was a monster but also because I was going to earn my way back here faster than anyone could ever imagine. I had a job to do and afterwards, I will finally join my family in the Aether.

“The reports don’t know that miss Aylward is the largest danger to any living and deceased being on this earth.” The lawyer objected as he was slowly started to become redder by the minute. He really didn’t want me set free. I wouldn’t ever imagine that the judge actually wants to set me free either, but he was bound to follow the law and since a sentence cannot be longer than ten years for a crime less than being an actual murderer, he has no choice but to follow the word of the law and the reports about my imprisonment. They believe that I was the orchestrator for my family’s death, not the killer and that’s a big difference.

“We must keep in mind that there has never been anyone like her and her family in ages and that the law was written after the last of her kind was vanquished.” The lawyer protested.Fuck, he did have a point there.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I looked back at the judge who didn’t show his thoughts on his face, which was only mildly annoying. Reading folk has never been an issue for me. It has always been a crucial part in my survival in the Vaults, but there were always those who were closed off. Folk who controlled their emotions too well for me to read them. And it appeared that the judge was one of them.

“That may be, but she is also the last of her bloodline, and no matter what corruption has taken root in her being, she is still of the Warden bloodline and as she is the last Warden of the West, it’s her duty to procreate.” I actually felt the color drain from my face as I shifted uncomfortable in my seat. There was absolutely no way that I was ever going to be a mother.

“Then breed her.” The lawyer said as if it wasn’t the most disrespectful and disgustingly horrifying thing to do to a female ever.

I swallowed as I looked at the judge who was actually considering it. This wasn’t going to happen, it couldn’t!

The lawyer that was assigned to me got up from his chair next to me for the first time as he cleared his throat. I looked at him as he looked at the judge, what the fuck was he doing!?

“You honor, the law states that breeding isn’t allowed if the last remaining member of a species is Tied.” I kept looking at the lawyer with pure shock as I processed his words. He was actually defending me... We have been here for over two hours, and he had never said anything until now.

I could kiss him right now.

My eyes snapped to the judge who nodded in agreement. “You are correct, Mr. Chimp.” Wait, my lawyer’s name was Chimp!? Damn, I almost feel bad for the guy. Not that Apes was any better, the Monkey’s never had good names that didn’t tell everyone what kind of Elemental they were. They were the best lawyers though. Something to do with being incredibly intelligent.

“Then test her!” Mr. Apes demanded, pulling me back into the present.

“Watch your tone, Mr. Apes.” The judge warned, a growl in the back of his throat made Mr. Apes swallow, but that was the only thing the Monkey did to show that he was affected.

The judge turned to someone as he spoke softly. The male nodded before he walked out of the room, before returning shortly with a female. She walked up to me and stopped in front of the table I was sitting on.

“Your hand please.” She asked, as she held out her own hand.

The female was a fucking tester. They had a tester waiting all this time, meaning that the breeding plan had been one they actually wanted to go with!

I wanted to be sick, but I know that I wasn’t going to get out of being tested in the future if I didn’t co-operate now. I needed my freedom to put my plan to action, and I will only obtain that if I play the co-operative bitch a little longer.

I placed my hand with my palm up in the female’s hand who instantly flinched as my skin touched hers. I had no idea why she was afraid of me right now. I haven’t had access to my powers in ten years; it’s not like it’s suddenly going to attack her.

She cleared her throat as she lifted a small scalpel in her other hand and brought it to my palm. I sucked in a breath as pain ricocheted through my palm as she cut open the lifeline on my palm. After she was done with following the complete line and blood coated my hand and dripped on the clean floor, she looked at it with a grimace.

For a tester to see the Ties of a soul to another they need to taste the blood of a being and follow its lifeline to the lifeline of the soul that is tied to it. They wouldn’t be able to see who the soul is linked to, but they can tell if they are still alive or not.

I didn’t blame her for not wanting to drink my blood. I was tainted after all, a danger to any being living and dead. But I for sure hoped that she would and that my soul is Tied to another and that he is alive. I wasn’t going to be bred like fucking cattle, only because they needed my bloodline to continue.

She closed her eyes, and I heard the silent prayer to the Guardians before she brought her tongue to my hand and lapped up my blood. My hand instantly started to tingle and became warm as the cut started to heal. The male who had brought the female into the room took a step closer to her as she dropped her head back and her eyes flashed white. Her hand tightened on mine, and I bit the inside of my cheek against the pain of my bones rubbing together. A soft sigh left her as her head suddenly snapped straight and her eyes turned normal. Her eyes met mine and she instantly dropped my hand and took a step back.

The whole courtroom held its breath as we waited for what she was going to say. It felt like an eternity had gone by when the words finally left her mouth.

“The Soul Ties are strong and alive.”

I closed my eyes as a breath left me in relief. I cannot be bred. They can’t use it to keep me here.

“Are you sure!?” Mr. Apes asked demanding.

I opened my eyes as I looked at the female who nodded before the male led her away.

“Your honor-”

“Enough.” The judge silenced Mr. Apes. “The law is binding and every living being is subjected to it.” His words were final, and the entire courtroom knew it. “That being said, we cannot allow a being as dangerous as miss Aylward to be without restraints.” Dread filled me as I clasped my hands together to stop myself from trembling. I could live with whatever restrictions they put on me, as long as I was able to go wherever I wanted. That was the one thing I couldn’t be restricted on. “Due to the dangerous nature of her powers and the fact that she has not been in contact with them for ten years, I hereby decree that miss Aylward will not be allowed access to her being and will be obligated to get the nullifying shot ever three months at the nearest CKG station. Furthermore, will she be given an ankle monitor to track her wherever she goes. She will not be allowed to take it off and will be tracked 24/7. Breaking any of these rules will be a crime and she will be arrested and transported back to the Soul Vaults prison indefinitely.”

“Your honor I must object-” Mr. Apes started, but the judge didn’t heed him anymore.

“I hereby free miss Alessia Zephyrine Aylward from her sentence, releasing her from the Soul Vaults prison affective immediately.” The judge slammed his hammer, and his words were suddenly set in stone and my only option.

It was foolish of me to think that I might get access to my being after I was released, of course I wouldn’t, I wasn’t a Warden, I was an abomination. But the shot was something I could live with. In the back of my mind, I actually preferred it. I didn’t need access to my being to be who I am. Nothing good would come from setting me lose onto the Earth. The ankle monitor was something that could cause problems though, but I’ll manage. I’ll have too. Because there was no fucking way in existence on this plane that I will ever go back to the Vaults. I would rather die than ever set foot in there again and if worse comes to worst, I will find a way to do it. I will never be tortured again.

The Judge got up from his chair and we all followed him.

“This court is adjourned.”

Two Guards walked up to me and took my arms before they led me away from the courtroom, clearly pissed off. But I couldn’t care less about their feelings about me being free. I was innocent and I deserved to be free, no matter what they thought of me.

The Guards led me out into the corridor before we entered another room. This one was smaller and clearly not for any official business. Dread filled every part of my body. Something was going to happen.

The door on the other side of the small room opened and his enraged eyes found mine instantly as he walked in, wearing his Guard uniform. I swallowed as I shrunk back into myself, but I knew I couldn’t escape him. He’s never let me.

“Out!” He bellowed to the Guards who held me. They released me almost instantly and left the room.

A panicked noise left my throat as I turned and wanted to beg them to not leave me alone with him, but before I could, I was grabbed by my hair and pulled back. I felt the brush of magic cross my skin before a scream left my throat. The asshole had casted a silencing spell on the room, making sure that whatever sound was made in here would never reach outside. Which meant that I was fucked.

He pulled hard enough to make me fall back and I landed hard on the metal table in the middle of the room. I tried to scramble upright, but he grabbed me by the throat as he pushed himself in between my legs. The memories of everything he had done to me pushed themselves through my mind and I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling.

“Did you really think you could leave me just like that!?” He snarled his red eyes glowing as his Vampire teeth elongated. He reached down and I felt the cold metal of his blade through the thin fabric of my prison garb. A whimper left me as I tried to squirm away. “I’m not done with you yet, little monster. You know that you don’t deserve to be out there.” He pushed the blade in between my legs, and I screamed out in agony. “You belong with me, little monster.” He pushed it deeper, and I swallowed a scream as I clenched my jaw and my body trembled at the pain I felt. Venom poured out of my eyes as I looked at him. “I don’t and you will never get your hands on me after today again. You are stuck in the Vaults, Tristan, but I will be free.” A snarl left him before he pulled the blade out of me, causing me to scream again and lifted it to kill me. I waited for the blow as I held his eyes, letting him see the hate I felt for him before he suddenly pushed himself away from me and threw me on the ground in the process. Magic brushed against my skin once more and I knew he dropped the spell before the door opened and my lawyer and the two other Guards from before walked in. I was bleeding on the floor but none of them cared as usual. I made a mental note to add something to my to do list, and it was to burn the fucking Vaults and every fucking Guard with it to the ground. But not before I made Tristan, my own torturer for the last ten years, pay for everything he did to me. I looked at him with a glare and he looked right back at me.

The lawyer turned to me after reviewing some documents and sighed as he saw the state of me, before he said the three words that I have been waiting to hear for the last ten years, “Remove the handcuffs.”