Element Rebirth

1. Suspicion

The flat silver platters burned in the palms of my hands as I hurried quickly out of the scorching kitchen and through the swinging double doors. Walls on either side of me were starting to lose their shine, suggesting that the current cleaners had been killed or haven’t been hired yet. I shuddered, wondering what would happen to me if I ever made a wrong move in my job.

My bare feet, dry and covered with ash were starting to grow sore and raw from the constant walking back and forth between the kitchen and the great hall. I had been working for twelve hours straight about now and I could barely keep my eyes open. It was a shame servers like me weren’t allowed to wear shoes in the castle – or the fortress, as how they liked to call it.

The two doors leading to a vast dining room of Hunters in their human form loomed ahead of the deadly silent corridor. I held my breath, trying to calm my rumbling stomach from the appetising scent wafting up my nose from the platters I held. It took everything I had not to tear the silver domes off and wolf down everything on the plate.

Gritting my teeth, I prayed that this would be my last meal I’d serve before walking backwards into the doors and marched in, my head down.

Loud raucous laughter, the sound of glass clinking and drunk Hunter men roaring at the top of their lungs filled my ears followed by the delicious smell of the leftover food remaining on the tables. I cringed in response to the numerous humanoid men and women lounging around, getting drunk and feeding themselves like pigs.

Those monsters.

“Server girl, over here!” I snapped my head up and quickly found the voice beckoning to me – Venator.

I swallowed. This was my first time ever coming that near the Emperor and I was afraid to even look him in the eye. Cautiously, I bowed my head and weaved through the numerous Hunters screaming and having the time of their lives. Like I said – monsters. Possibly worse than us humans ever were.

“Emperor Venator,” I muttered. “Out of all the Hunters I could serve, I got him.” I squeezed my lips shut and made my way towards the man who controlled the Hunters to his liking, towards the man – the creature that was responsible for the demise of the human race. “Emperor, I hope the food is to your liking.”

Dropping to one knee, I held out the platters and heard the scrape of the silver dome being lifted. The thick smell of roasted meat filled my nose and I shuddered, my mouth watering. I could never eat like this, not until – well, never. Humans were slaves. We had no right to eat like kings – we were no longer the dominant race on earth anymore, on the ‘mortal realm’ as they called it.

“Would you like some food?” Now that had triggered a reaction. I felt myself choke on my own breath, wondering if I heard right. Should I? Could I? Would I? His voice almost sounded taunting. “Rise, slave. Look me in the eye.”

Fear struck me to the core as I obeyed, not wanting to be whipped ever again. Once was enough – two years ago when I’d forgotten to serve wine to the Hunters – and I couldn’t risk it again. I tilted my head up and suppressed a shudder racking through my body as I met his cold, gleaming yellow eyes.

Those same yellow eyes which had seen the deaths of all four Element Guardians. Our last hopes even if we didn’t believe in magic at that time – and now they were gone.

All hope was lost for humankind. I could bet that death was better than this but the Hunters knew better than to leave us around with weapons that could harm them as well as ourselves.

“Are you hungry?” Venator lay bare-chested in a throne made of human bones and dyed with human blood. I knew for a fact that some of my friends, those who got in trouble with the Hunters, were ground to dust and tortured. Their remains would go towards the throne which seemed to grow bigger, the skulls lining the top of the white chair seemingly more daunting each time I saw it.