Kaze: Guardians

The Thing About Humans

K: A shooter?! Here?! Eddie!
E: No! Not Katie! Take me instead!
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Bang!!
                          ............
                          ............
What a strange dream...
     I stumbled out of my lonely servants quarters and flinched in the bright sunshine. I had never been a morning person, despite getting up really early for most of my life. I walked to the edge of my master's property and checked around. If Jet caught me peeking out below us, I was good as dead for the rest of the day. After checking to see if the coast was clear, I peered over the edge of the clouds. The sight took my breath away. A sprawling city lay just below my feet! The humans walked about the town, discussing the war, the explosion of a nearby volcano called Vesuvius, the outrageous prices of these things known as olives, just about anything the townsfolk could come up with to help with the monotony of their day to day lives. I envied them. I was a servant to the Elemental God of Air known as Jet. He was all I had. At least if you were a servant down there, you were never alone in your misery. Usually, the people who owned one slave owned hundreds of them! There was friendship, hope, and love regardless of class. To me, these were signs of a better future. I belonged down there. I just knew it!
     "Kaze." My master's voice sounded behind me. I tensed up. "Were you watching the humans again?"
     I swore under my breath. I had learned from experience that lying was pointless, but really, I was out of luck either way. "Yes. But sir, the humans--"
     "--How many times must I tell you? The humans are corrupt," He blew a gust of air in my face, knocking me back. "Greedy," another gust turned into a tornado that continued to grow. "Selfish liars!" He sent the air current spiraling around the yard, knocking me to the ground. It fanned the flames on the torches and knocked one out of place, causing a fire in the servants quarters. Enormous clouds of dust got in my nose and mouth as I went to stop the fire in my only shelter. As soon as the wind had started, it stopped. "It's a dangerous world out there, full of humans who wish to deceive you." He grabbed my face and turned me to face him. "Do you understand, Kaze?"
     Tears streamed down my face as I slowly lost the only home I had in the flames. "Y-yessir." I stammered, gray eyes wide and storm cloud-colored hair slightly singed.
     "You don't sound very sincere!" He squeezed me tighter.
     I felt my eyes begin to sting from the heat. "Yes sir!" I shouted.
     He released me. "That will do. Shall you make me breakfast?" He jeered.
     I was silent as he walked away. Tears of fear and hopelessness failed to douse the flames.
     "Are you alright?" I looked up from the ground to see a pair of warm brown eyes. "Your master strikes again, huh?" Kimura stepped out of the flames and sucked them back into her hand, revealing charred ashes where my house had stood. Even she, the goddess of fire, flinched at the sight.
     "No." I stood up. "Not this time. Not without a fight. Kimura, I'm going to attack Jet and take him down!" I shouted. I nearly charged after him, but she held me back. "Hold up, Guardian. You can't attack Jet--"
     "Don't get in my way--"
     "--Right now. "
     "What?"
     "Don't attack him yet. He's very powerful. You have no battle experience whatsoever! My advice: Hold off. You'll know when the time is right."
     "But how am I supposed to gain battle experience? I'm basically his immortal servant. I'm not even that! I can die easily to special attacks!"
     "Hmmm..." She tapped her foot. I could see the light bulb go on above her head. "Meet me at the fire shrine in the middle of the Eternal Kingdom tonight after Jet goes to sleep."
     "What? Why?"
     "You'll see."
     "Okay, um... Thanks?"
     "See you tonight!" She said before dissolving into a pillar of fire. My curiosity piqued, I walked off to make Jet breakfast.