King of Creatures

Chapter 18

Amari laid on his side, his head pounding and his vision blurry. He could feel his heart beating through his chest, he wondered if his ribs cracked each time it beat against his chest. He didn't know how long he'd been in that room. A few hours? Days? Weeks? When he had first woken up there, he was much more alert, his ears ringing, adrenaline rushing through his skin as he tried to find a way out.

One of those people? One of those creatures had come into the room through a hidden sliding door in the wall. Amari had tried to fight them, but they quickly overpowered him, slamming against the wall and injecting something in his neck. He now had various cuts on his arms and a collar around his neck. The path faded and dim even though the room was dark.

Amari had been picking at the collar, so much so that his fingers were numb and bloody.

Amari.

Amari's eyes shot open. Was he hearing things? Probably. How long do you have to be alone until psychosis starts to sink in?

Amari, I have a message for you.

Amari turned over on his back, looking up at the ceiling, squinting through the haze.

Your companion is on their way. They come with help. Black haired human. They say to not be worried.

"Aos..sha...nay?" Amari croaked as he watched a spider dangle down from the ceiling and land on his chest. Amari made to lift his head to look at it, but the pounding weighed it down.

They say to hold out a little longer. Try to find the strength. Find your power. The creatures are on your side. They're making noise.

"Mm noise?" Amari muttered blankly, turning his head towards the wall, where the hidden door lie. He had tried to open the door many times, but whatever those things had injected into him had taken all his strength.

I must go, your highness. The spider scuttled off just as the heavy sound of footsteps approached. The wall – door slid open, and the orange haired creature smiled creepily at him.

"I heard talking." The whispered, taking a few more steps inside, two other following in behind them, the door sliding back shut. "Were you talking to it? T-the big creature? Has it told you it's whereabouts?" Amari looked away and stared back up at the ceiling.

"Sit him up."

The other two jerked Amari up off of the floor, causing his head to pound even harsher, and forced him to sit up, his back leaning against the wall. One of the creatures slammed his head against the wall as the other placed tape on his forehead to keep his head from drooping forward.

"There." Said the first creature, walking forward and crouching down in front of Amari. "Now, tell me, were you talking to it? The creature?"

"No." Amari said, a smile dancing on his face. Causing the tight skin on his chapped lips to rip and bleed. The creatures smile quickly disappeared before they slapped him. The pounding in Amari's head quickening.

"Fine." They sighed, standing up. "It's fine. I believe we're close anyways/" The creature looked over at Amari with a raised eyebrow.

"Close to what?" One of the other creatures said, imitating Amari's voice.

"Glad you asked. Replicating the path. See, I can almost see it coming from you. But it fades." The creature made a fluttering motion with their fingers. "But I believe that I can create a serum of sorts to uh, be able to have your abilities. Do you understand?"

Amari stared blankly at the floor. "I'm gonna assume you do. Do you know what happens when I succeed?" The creature began pacing the room. "It means I'll be able to control the creature. It mean...I can control nature. And nature, is the most powerful thing in the world, even in this, post – industrialized technology, magickly driven world. Nature always comes first. And to be able to control it;" The creature laughed a razor-sharp laugh. "Oh, my lord, it's going to be -" The creature erupted into a fir of laughter.

Amari cringed as one of the creatures stepped on the spider, it screaming in anguish. The creature stared coldly at Amari for a moment before turning on it's heel and walking towards the wall – door. "Harvest some more skin for me, lovelies."