Lightning cracked in the air, followed by booming thunder a second later. Wind howled over the dark town, rustling tree branches and stirring puddles of water. In the thickness of the night, a single voice was heard. There, underneath glistening streetlights, was a young boy, golden hair swept over his eyes. He was wearing an expensive-looking maroon tunic. His black dress pants and shoes shone silver in the moonlight, his hair and shirt saturated with rainwater. He held a single item in his hand; a knife the size of a hairbrush. It gleamed threateningly under the bright light, as the boy loomed over a cowering figure. It shivered from both the cold and fear, staring up at him with piercing orange eyes, which were raw with fear. Though terrified, she managed to curl her lips into a snarl, baring her teeth up at the boy. He did the same, fits tightly clenched at his sides. "You fool!" He spat, with no attempt to keep his voice lowered in the midst of the sleeping town. "I created you, I brought you into this world to take orders, and yet you still defy me?" He kicked her in the ribs, sending the small shadow flying into a steel fence. The pain exploded inside her chest and her eyes stung with tears, but her sneer held strong. "Stop... I can't let this happen anymore!" She rasped, voice hoarse with emotion. "You may have created me, but I am not a possession. I am your friend... not a slave." He knew exactly what she had meant by that. With a sudden burst of malice, he hissed: "Idiot! I created you with a purpose, and you have proven that you aren't worthy to command the roles I gave to you." He kicked her again, and her head flew back into the fence. Her vision blurred, and she slid onto the wet sidewalk. "Don't you see? You aren't special, you never were. Being the first doesn't grant special treatment." Above her, the boy raised the knife, poised to stab. Her eyes were wide, yet she couldn't bring herself to attack him. Imaginary instinct... she thought. It was going to kill her. But something... changed in the boy's posture. His hand slightly trembled. Just when she got a rush of newfound hope: "No. I will do worse than killing you." He turned away, not letting her stare into his face like she was. "No. Despite it all, I'll let you live. But don't think you're getting off the hook for betraying me." He then smiled, and the friend couldn't recognize the face looming in front of her anymore. "I will tell the others to kill you if you try to return. I doubt you will be able to last very long alone. If you do manage to survive, then know that I will return for you one day. Perhaps then I'll have changed my mind about releasing you. If not..." He turned to face back the way they had came. "I'll just have to kill you myself." He walked away, becoming nothing more than a shadow as the night seemed to swallow him whole. The girl heaved herself to her paws, still dizzy from the impact. She tried to walk, which quickly turned into a crawl. I have to try... I used to hear stories of a safe haven for friends like me. Her legs quivered with every step. I just have to to try... to get to the Home.