AMAANI

Our walk to the mess hall was quiet and dull,with the only sounds you could hear being our exasperated breaths as we struggled to stay afoot.

I often found it hard to stay up,what with Eskarina's heavy,skinny,exhausted ass weighing me down.  The girl was half falling asleep with nearly every step we took and if I wasn't struggling to keep not only myself up,but both of us,I would've dropped and fell asleep on the floor and so I was quite grateful that everytime my eye's started to close,Eskarina would start to weigh a little heavier,signalling that she was falling asleep and showing that I had to wake up unless we both wanted to wake up with headaches.

Eskarina and I made it to the mess hall in one piece,thank the huntress.

That being said entering the mess hall almost made me faint.

The delectable smells of food and roast beef filled my nostrils.

In front of me was a large fire,with a boar roasting on a spit,slowly turning round and round,filling the room with a delecate aroma.

The chatter and talk of the mess hall suddenly died down and everyone now stared at us.

Most eye's however,fell upon myself.

"It's the elf."

"What do you want here elf?!"

"SILENCE!" Nova yelled.

The hall fell silent,but my elven ears could still hear the small whispers which circulated throughout the room.

I tried my best to ignore them as I followed Nova past the long tables of ravenous soldiers until we reached a table where a girl with purple hair sat,along with the General Elena and another man who I didn't recognise. We all sat down,with Eskarina and the rest of us,excluding Nova all collapsing onto the benches in exhaustion.

The girl with purple hair giggled. "You guy's look like shit! No mercy as always huh Nova?"

Nova shrugged,his face blank and expressionless as he continued to stand. Not once did he make any notion to join us at the table.

"Not joining us Nova?" The burly man asked before he took a large chunk of roast pork and stuffed it down his throat.

"Sheesh Sven...the poor pig. What'd ever do to you?"

"Be hunted,caught and cooked. That's enough for me to eat it in any way I desire." Sven said as he continued to eat.

My eye's were glued to General Elena. Like Nova,I had always heard stories of her growing up. It was crazy to think she was the same age as me,but she was second in strength to Nova. Her beauty was unmatched. She was gorgeous,smart,an extraordinary fighter...I wondered why she and Nova hadn't gotten together yet.

There were rumours though,that the two would have...interactions sometimes,but those were just rumours and no actual proof was shown.

Instead of sit with us or answer Sven's question,Nova simply closed his eye's and looked up at the ceiling. My ear's twitched as I heard him sniffing. Like a dog would curiously sniff a person it had never met before,but Nova was sniffing at the air in the same manner.

Strangely,Nova left without another word.

Both Sven and the girl sighed heavily. "Not eating with us again? This is starting to get ridicoulous."

The girl held her hand out to me with the widest smile I had ever seen before in my lifetime.

"Hey there! Sorry for the lateness babe,but my name is Pauline. Surname ain't important but you know my name and that's all that matters!" She said.

Not once during her entire time of speaking did that smile fade or even waver. Her smile persisted throughout every word she spoke. I felt a pure wave of positivity eminate from this girl. An overwhelming wave at that.

Nevertheless I took her hand and shook it with Tyrese and Eskarina doing the same.

We were soon served with a roasted stew and the aroma beneath me was utterly intoxicating. The three of us immiediatley began gourging ourselves silly,bowl after bowl until we were filled to the brim.

I sat back,almost falling off of the stool which had no back support.

Pauline caught my collar rather roughly before I could and yanked me back up to a sitting position before I could.

"Careful,that would've been quite the nasty fall. "

Again,she said it with the most broad and far reaching smile I had ever seen in my seventeen years of existence.

I wondered what it was that gave this girl such a positive outlook on life. Nevertheless she continued to speak to Eskarina as if they were old friends. The two spoke in a certain tone,showing  trust and a bond similar to companionship.

Sven was too busy stuffing his mouth to the brim,Tyrese slept and all the while,I spent my time admiring Elena,who sat quietly,not uttering a word.

She sat staring at her plate,jabbing her spoon in and out of the stew.

Eventually her eye's fell on me and she stared at me through her hair. I looked back,still admiring her.

"You know Amaani,you haven't taken your eye's off of Elena ever since you sat down." Pauline teased.

Our eye's were locked. Secretley,I always wanted to be mentored by Elena. I wished I had been taken under her team and trained by her.

"I'm just an admirer of her fighting ability and prowess. I hoped I would be able to train with her."

Elena's eyes and gaze shifted away from me. "Why me?"

"I can't train with Nova. He's too tight lipped and distant for me. His training is far too brutal and exhausting. He had us running the obstacle course for the entire day!"

I saw the smallest of smirks form on Elena's face as Sven laughed.

"You complain about Nova's training,yet He's trained some of the best troops in the entire army to date. Heck,who do you think trained Elena?"

I looked at Sven in shock,then back at Elena,who was now blushing slightly.

Nova had trained Elena? He trained the General to be such a fierce combatant on the battlefield.

A rather large and burly man with black hair and a small beard approached,looking sternly at Elena.

"Ma'am!"

"Nikolai...you're late."

"I'm sorry ma'am! It won't happen again!" He said as he saluted,standing on attention.

Elena sighed. "At ease."

Elena stood,yawning and stretching. "By the Holy Light of Jonah,I can't even eat in peace"

Suddenly,I felt something boiling hot pour down my back into my shirt. It was...really REALLY hot.

Hot enough to make me yelp in pain and leap up,with my knee's slamming against the table. I cried out,falling off of the chair and landing hard on my back. I struggled as the heat wouldn't leave. I continued to scream as I struggled to get my armour and my shirt off.

Reaching behind me,I unstrapped the leather armour and tore it off,taking off each armour as quickly as I could.

Sweat dripped from my forehead and tears stung my eye's. I fought and fought,eventually tearing off my entire shirt.

I felt a sweet relief as the cold air caught my back,cooling my body.

Soon,my relief evaporated as I heard laughter all around me. As I looked round,I saw everyone's smiling faces,all in a mass hysteria.

I sat there in nothing but my bra,covering myself up as much as I could. As I spied my shirt,I saw a small cloud of steam slowly rising from my shirt,with stew contents sitting on my shirt.

Someone had poured fucking boiling pork stew down the back of my shirt.

I wanted to lash out. I wanted to get up and just smack the shit out of whoever had done that to me. But I couldn't.

I was an elf after all. They were all Nordlings. Savages just like mother said. I was foolish to think that joining the army would gain me respect from these...assholes!

I grabbed my shirt and started running,as fast as I could. I hauled ass,tearing down the hallways with tears in my eye's as I made my way back to my room.

I tossed my shirt into the washing,scrubbed it half way then left it and hopped into the shower. The water was warm,but it was much worse on my back. Stepping out of the shower,I observed my back to see a large red spot going down my back,with small trickles of blood running down my back to my hips.

I stayed in my room for awhile,nursing myself until my back was healed. The wonders of elven herbs was something these filthy human's would never understand.

I was so frustrated,angry,I got dressed quickly,tearing some of my clothing in my rushed anger. I needed fresh air.

Stepping out of my room and into the hallway again,I started walking. I didn't know where I was walking to. I just knew I was walking.

I kept walking. For a few minutes I did nothing but walk,clenching my fists tightly with tears stinging my eyes.

I reached what was a large balcony of some kind,with a small dome covering it,which was now partially  open,with a clear view of the night sky.

Out of the corner of my eye,despite the darkness and watery blur caused by my tears,I caught a black figure sitting high up on the frameworks of the dome.

I soon noticed it was Nova. He sat on the metal support beam,staring out into the night sky.

What the hell is he doing here?

I had nothing better to do. Sure Nova was an asshole for beating me but...he was also the only one who had never once called me "Elf" in a discriminatory way aside from Eskarina and everyone else on my unit.

Wiping my tears from my face,I approached Nova,who never shifted his gaze from the night sky once.

"Hey" I said.

No response.

"Hey!" I said a little louder.

Nova continued to stare out into the sky,finally speaking.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" He said.

I looked to my right. The Imperial city was lit by thousands of lights,with the palace being the brightest and largest building.

But Nova,Nova stared in a different direction. Ahead of us,was the walls which defended the Imperial City and the wilderness beyond.

"The night sky" Nova continued.

My gaze shifted upward. The night was filled with twice,even three times more lights than the city. For a short while I was taken away.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"Yeah...it is."

For a time,no one said a word.

"I've always loved the night sky. It's such a magnificent representation of what our world truly is. If the gods do indeed exist,then the night sky is the one beautiful piece of art they created in this world. It encapsulates what the real world truly is to perfection don't you think?"

Nova stood up and leaned against one of the beams,still staring out at the sky. "The night sky,resting above our heads,dark,yet light,creating an equilibrium. A beautiful creation above which hinders the horrors which dwell on the earth. The night sky is a facade,showing the world as we wish it would be,beautiful and fair,however in reality,the land beneath the surface of the sky is cruel and unjust. The night sky is a symbol of unnattainable hope. Every living creature,no matter how big or small,has hopes and dreams. But the world we live in makes it near impossible to achieve those dreams.

War,famine,disease.

The so called "monsters" who dwell outside our walls.

All of these factors make hope a miniscule thing to hold onto in our world.

Our world is a cruel and unfair one and if the gods exist and made such a beautiful night sky only to hinder their true creation,the horrors which dwell beneath that beauty,then they too are cruel and unjust. Creating something meant to instill hope in a world where it doesn't exist. "

Nova reached out slightly,pointing towards the walls.

"It's a shame really. How simple minded the people of this city,of this world are. Building walls to keep out monsters,when the true monsters are the ones who already reside within those walls. The true monsters are the ones who reside within human's. The monster's outside those walls were simply made that way,be it by magic, God's,they did not choose to be monsters.

They also do not attack unless provoked. Yet we human's cull them for fear of our own safety,then bitch about it when a larger group attacks us.

There could be so much more horrendous looking monsters out in the world,but I believe,the scariest monsters are those hiding within human flesh. It's what makes the night beautiful,yet also sad. Such a beauty is considered a terrible omen simply because most creatures are nocturnal."

Nova looked at me over his shoulder.

"Why do you think that is Amaani? Why do you think Ninety percent of creatures are nocturnal?"

I shrugged. "No idea...just the way they were made?"

"Twelve years ago,Corpse eater's would come out during the day as well. People feared for their lives,yet the corpse eaters wouldn't disturb them or attack them,they'd simply walk right past. But Human's are paranoid. Afraid of things they don't understand and will never take the time to try and understand it. So corpse eaters were hunted. Soon every creature was hunted until they were forced to come out only in the night for fear of the humans who would attack them. Even corpse eaters were peaceful once until Humanity ruined it. So Amaani...who is the real monster?"

I stood there,dumbfounded as Nova kept speaking as if I wasn't there listening.

"Like the night sky,men overpopulate this planet,filling it with darkness. But not all humans are horrible. Not all species of creature are hostile. All men contain a small sense of good in them,hence all the stars in the sky,yet only a rare few shine brightest. Those rare few,are neither purely good nor purely evil and instead follow their own path,guided by their own mind. They comprise of both good and evil. Those people...those rare human's...they are people I would consider Kings."

I let out a sigh and shook my head. "This had no conclusion,nor did it have a point"

"I heard the way they treated you in there Amaani."

"So what?"

"It's just like I said. You joined thinking you would gain respect from the nords. You believed you'd finally be a beautiful star in the night sky. Only you forgot that darkness resides there as well. The facade that I was a strong and powerful general when in truth I'm thin and while I may have some flesh on me I don't slam the gym like a gym addict,is something you believed in. I saw you were dissapointed when you first saw me. Everyone in that class was.

You joined the army expecting to be welcomed with open arms because you were an elf who fought for the empire. Now you bolster hate for humanity for its cruelty."

"Because it isn't fucking fair!"

"A man could be born with talent. He could be born with the ability to sing with a voice rivalling that of a womans. A woman can be born with the strength rivalling that of a man. Of ten men even. Yet no matter how much they try,no matter how much hard work or effort they put in,they will never achieve their dreams. In the same way that the night sky cannot be caught or attained,only gazed upon,so too can someone's hopes and dreams.

They could use all that talent and drive yet the beauty of the night sky will still be unattainable.

One man could be born into a life of luxury and never need to work for anything. One man could be born into a life of poverty and work for everything,yet still achieve nothing. The man with all the luxury might lose everything and end up with nothing,but the sad part is,the man who began with nothing,by the end,will still have nothing.

A girl whose fat who has the kindest heart and the most beautiful personality will be tossed aside for a girl with a curvacious body and good looks.

A guy with a slender build with little to no muscle on him,unless he has a godlike six pack,a shit ton of coin and has a 'jawline that can cut razors',will be overlooked because he doesn't fit the standards that we set in our fantasies.

People like that do not exist in this world. People who are perfect are non existant.

The point you so desperately want Amaani? "

Nova lept down from the beam and landed down in front of me with ease. I was...suprised. His legs didn't snap. No normal person,not even an elf could leap from that high and still be okay.

"Point is,nothing in life is fair. Elf,human,DragonScale,No one is born the same,no one is born with the same set of circumstances or background. Life isn't fair. It will kick you down and break your legs to keep you there."

Nova walked past me,but kept talking.
"Keep staring at that night sky if you want to. Admire its beauty all you want. But don't stare at it for such a long time that you are no longer able to cope with reality. Your legs might be broken but your other limbs still work..."

I heard Nova's footsteps suddenly stop.

I turned round to face him seeing him standing,hands in his coats pocket.

"A woman I once knew told me 'The choices you make in your life determine who you will be. Your choices shape and mold you like clay. It starts off as nothing and becomes something more. But even Clay must be beaten first before it can become a work of art' "

Nova kept walking then. He left me there without another word.

Strangely enough,when I turned round to look at the sky again,my eye's caught glimpse of something falling from the beam where Nova sat above me. It fell to the floor,gently rustling away before it was stopped by the balcony.

It was a black rose.

I didn't know what it meant,or why Nova had been keeping it up there with him,but I decided the best thing to do was to leave it be.

I turned round and went back to my room,plopped into my bed...and I was out like a fucking light.