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Chapter 25
The heavy oak doors doomed shut behind the two Reapers the gigantic throne room reverberated with the noise and the torches quaked in their holders. What little light the burning torches around the room produced was lost in the giganticness of the place they had to light. The throne room was made of granite, the rock imbedded with thousands of tiny fragments of crystal that sparkled in the firelight. High above the ceiling was jagged with fissure and fangs of sharp stone. Beady black eyes glinted from the caverns in the roof and walls as they watched the Reapers throw down their prisoner at the foot of their master's throne.
The solid granite throne sat high on a broad stone plinth with steps leading up to it and it was on these steps that now Ren was sprawled upon. She raised her head slowly and gazed through the strands of her filthy hair. Dried blood and grime covered her young face and hid the bruises that blemished her skin. Her eyes were wide with fear and dread, large purple bags had swollen the skin beneath her eyes and her lips were cracked.
Trembling, Ren made herself as small as possible and kept her eyes down fearing to look upon the figure that sat astride the throne. He was shrouded in a huge black robe that concealed his distorted limbs and a cavernous hood cast his entire face into darkness. It looked like he had no face at all. The lord of the Reapers lifted his head and looked down at the child before his feet.
"Leave us!" he said, his voice was hollow and it rumbled like thunder around the throne room.
The two Reapers bowed low and hurried from the chamber with thankful quick steps. They glanced back at Ren with a trace of sorrow flickering as their face though it could have just been a trick of the torchlight. Maybe even they felt some human emotion towards leaving the child with their merciless master.
The doors closed once again, shaking the room and Ren felt like they were the doors of the fate banging shut and condemning her to whatever hell was in store for her.
"You are brave child," said the Lord with a hint of amusement in his flat tone, "again your family continue to surprise me."
This made Elena raise her head and enough courage and hope crept into her heart for her to speak, "my family stand tall when darkness rises."
"It that so," laughed the faceless Lord darkly, "that is left for me to see from you sister."
"Elena?" Ren gasped, the last she had seen of her older sister before the Reapers had locked her in that cell was Elena struggling to free herself and swearing that she would save her.
"You sister managed to escape us," growled the Lord, "she saved herself and left you behind to rot in that dark cold cell! What does your family's creed say to that?"
For a moment Ren felt sick and betrayed by Elena if it was true what the faceless figure was saying but then sense dawned on her.
"My sister will never abandon me whilst she still lives," Ren said back, determination shining in her bloodshot eyes as she craned her head back so she could look into the darkness cast by the Lord's hood, "she will come for me."
"So young," whispered the Lord, getting to his feet slowly, "and so determined. You could serve me well in my plans just like your mother before she lost her way."
"What?" breathed Ren, her heart beating faster at the mention of her mother, "don't speak such words of my mother! She was good and kind. Nothing like you!"
