Savior (1)

Trinity groans as consciousness slowly returns, her head throbbing with a dull pain. She opens her eyes to find herself in a dimly lit, messy room. The air is thick with the smell of mildew and decay. She tries to move, but her wrists and ankles are bound to a raggedy bed by heavy chains that seem to hum with a strange energy. She tugs at them, but they don't budge.

"What kind of chains are these?" she mutters to herself, frustration creeping into her voice. She calls out, hoping someone might hear her. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

Silence answers her. She struggles again, testing the chains, but it is no use. After what feels like an eternity, a soft chuckle emerges from the shadows in the corner of the room. Trinity's heart skips a beat as she strains to see who is there.

A figure steps forward, revealing a girl who physically appears around sixteen years old, but is actually much older than she seems. She has dark brown, tightly coiled curls framing her milk chocolate skin and almond-shaped mocha eyes that glint with a mix of anger and amusement.

"So, you finally woke up," the girl says, her tone laced with bitterness. "Took you long enough."

Trinity studies her, trying to place her face, but nothing comes to mind. "Who are you? Why am I here? I'm assuming you're working with those goons from before? You shouldn't be here."

The girl crosses her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. " Who do you think you are to lecture me? You're not my boss, even if you are the Queen." She huffs. "My name is Sinae, not that you'd remember. You don't remember much about the people you've abandoned here, do you lady?"

Trinity's brows furrow. "Abandoned? What are you talking about? I didn't abandon anyone."

Sinae's expression twists with anger. "Don't play dumb with me! You left us sinners to fend for ourselves for over a hundred years! My family suffered because of you! They just faded away, destabilized, or were sent straight to hell after going insane. They weren't my real family of course, but they were all I had! I've been left alone for the last fifty years, thanks to you!"

Trinity's heart sinks as she realizes the depth of Sinae's pain. "I'm sorry," she says softly. "I didn't know my actions would affect so many of you sinners. If I had known, I would have—"

"You would have what?" Sinae snaps, her eyes blazing with fury. "Stayed? Helped us? It's too late for that now. My family is gone, and nothing you say or do will bring them back ever again."

Trinity swallows hard, her mind racing. She really doesn't have time for this. "Please, Sinae, help me get out of here. Let me make it right. I can't change the past, but I can help you now."

Sinae laughs bitterly. "Help me? The great Death Sinner Queen wants to help me? What a joke. You think I want your help after everything I've been through? After the hell I've lived because of you? No thanks! I've learned to take care of myself over the years, and so I don't need you."

Trinity takes a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I understand you're angry, and you have every right to be. But holding onto this anger won't bring your family back. Let me make amends. Let me help you find peace. Perhaps if you can let go of that anger, you could ascend."

Sinae's eyes narrow, her jaw clenched. "Peace? You think peace is what I need? I need justice. I need revenge for what you did to us. Ascension is a child's dream; I know it's impossible now."

Trinity's heart aches for the girl before her, so consumed by rage and grief. "Revenge won't heal your wounds, Sinae. It will only deepen them. Let me help you, please. You have to let me try."

Sinae shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want your help! I don't want anything from you. You're the reason my life is a nightmare. You think I want to work with these pieces of shit thugs? They're gross, degrading, disgusting, selfish and fucking nuts! Do you know how many times one of these dudes have made passes at me or got handsy? Thankfully the boss has limits, so they've never crossed that line, but it still sucks to experience it. Yet, I have no choice since they're the best meal ticket in town. Otherwise, the streets are even worse here."

Trinity feels a tear slip down her own cheek. "I can't undo the past, but I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to help you now. Please, just give me a chance Siane. I beg you."

Sinae turns away, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "You can't help me. No one can now."

Trinity watches her, feeling the weight of her words. She knows that reaching Sinae's heart will be a long and difficult journey, but she is determined to try. For now, she needs to find a way to earn her trust and prove that she is truly sorry for the pain she has caused. "I'm not going anywhere," Trinity says softly. "I'll be here, ready to help you, whenever you're ready to let me." Sinae doesn't respond, her back still turned. Trinity lies back, the chains clinking softly.

After several minutes of silence, Trinity decides to try a friendly approach. "So, Sinae, tell me about your family. I know you said they weren't your real family, so does that mean you had another family in the human realm? How'd you end up here? If you don't mind sharing, that is." Trinity tries her best to be polite and gentle, so as not come off as nosy or disinterested.

Sinae glares at Trinity for a moment, her eyes filled with distrust. But something in Trinity's tone softens her expression just a fraction. She sighs heavily and sits on a rickety chair near the bed, her posture still guarded. She leans over to peek out and make sure no one is lingering around.

"My real family," she begins slowly, "they were a mess. We were dirt poor. My parents worked multiple jobs, always gone, trying to scrape together enough to keep a roof over our heads. That left me to be the 'mom' for my two younger brothers and baby sister. I was only sixteen, but I had to grow up fast. I couldn't be a normal high school girl that hung out with friends or partied."

Trinity listens intently, nodding occasionally to show she's paying attention. Sinae continues, her voice becoming more animated as she relives her memories, obviously still fresh in her mind.

"One night, my parents went out for a rare 'date night'. They never came back. Just vanished, abandoning us without a second thought. I was left to support myself and my siblings. Couldn't get a real job without papers, so I did what I could—odd jobs, whatever I could find. Then one day, a scumbag promised to help then ran off with the money I'd saved. That was the last straw."

Sinae's eyes flash with anger as she recalls the betrayal. "I realized then that there was no point in playing by the rules. So I turned to theft and underhanded jobs. It kept us afloat for a while, but I got cocky. Tried to steal from one of my employers, a drug kingpin. Bad move, like seriously."

She pauses, her hands clenching into fists. "They caught me. Beat me within an inch of my life. But that wasn't the worst of it. That bastard had my siblings killed. All of them. I went on a rampage after that, killed every single one of his gang underlings with just a pair of pistols. But in the end, the kingpin got me. He shot me down my spine, paralyzed me, then drowned me."

Trinity's heart aches for the young girl who had to endure so much pain and loss. "I'm so sorry, Sinae. No one should have to go through that, especially at your age. That's just way too cruel."

Sinae scoffs, but her voice wavers. "Yeah, well, it didn't end there. Because of all the violence, all the anger and rage that consumed me, my soul was tainted. I couldn't ascend. Ended up here."

She leans back, crossing her arms. "Found a new family of misfits and orphans. They treated me well. But when Limbo took a dive without proper leadership, they eventually fell apart. Faded away, destabilized, or got sent to hell. All because you weren't there to keep things in balance."

Trinity takes a deep breath, absorbing Sinae's story. "I can't change what happened, but I can try to help you now. We can rebuild Limbo, together. You don't have to be alone anymore, Sinae."

Sinae looks at her, eyes filled with a mixture of hope and skepticism. "Why should I trust you? You left us once. What's to stop you from leaving again? Take whatever you need and bounce?"

Trinity meets her gaze, her expression earnest. "Because I won't make the same mistake twice. I know I've failed you before, but I'm here now. And I'll do everything in my power to make things right. I'm starting to realize how selfish I was, thinking I was the only one with problems and woes. I wallowed in my own pity and felt that no one could understand my pain. I know now that I was wrong. Just because I'm 'Queen', that doesn't mean I'm special. I'm just like you."

"Oh please, don't even try. You're trying to compare us now? Even if your life was shit, it can't compare to mine. Did your parents abandon you? Did you have to work yourself to the bone? Did you have to give up your childhood for the sake of your younger siblings; never being able to experience things like clubs, sports, prom, dating…sex?" She blushes slightly. "Spare me."

Trinity falls silent momentarily, realizing that as much as she doesn't want to open those wounds again, she must do so to finally break her walls down completely. "I do understand it though, too well." Sinae looks up at her with curiosity. "My father was shitty, for as long as I remember. He was mean, narcissistic and abusive, even when my mom was alive. But then my mom died during my little sister's birth, and my father became his worst. He abused me nearly every night; from the time I was ten until not long before he died. I hated it and wanted it to stop more than anything, but then I realized that would be at the cost of my little sister suffering too. That scared me more. So I encouraged him to continue on me, to try and spare her. But it wasn't enough, because he still abused her for years and then he brutally killed her. I found myself all alone."

Sinae looks as though she finally believes her words. "Oh god…that sucks. What did you do?"

"I wallowed for several years by drinking excessively, killed people and lived in despair until I finally decided to kill the bastard and end it all by jumping off a bridge. Simply put, I ran away."