King of Creatures

Chapter 20

Amari rubbed at the fresh bandages that were wrapped around his arms. The creatures, who Amari decided to call Flameheads, receiving a black eye and busted lip after trying the name out on the leader. But the swell on his lip was already going down, and the throbbing had subsided substantially. More bugs had snuck through the cracks in the walls to inform Amari about his friends. Maybe that's why he could feel his strength coming back. Flowing through him in waves.

He looked down at his hands, tightening them into fists and pressing the button on the side of his knuckle rings, causing the sharp spike to shoot out. He pressed the button again and they retracted.

He was surprised that they let them keep the rings in the first place. The creatures probably didn't even know about them. "Just a decoration." Amari sung. He watched as a roach squeezed itself from underneath the wall – door, trying his best to not cringe away as it scuttled closer.

They're here. They spoke to me directly. They're trying to find a way inside. But um, they need you to help yourself so that they can help you. You companion says you're feeling weak right now. But you've got strength.

Amari let out a small chuckle.

She says, to tell you that Max is here with her. With that, the roach scuttled off as Amari sat frozen. Max? That was the black-haired human. Could Max speak to animals as well? Amari felt another surge of energy and a stab in his chest as realization begun to sink in.

"Aayma."

The wall – door slid open and the Flameheads walked in with their sickly smiles painted on their faces. "It's almost complete." One of them said, failing to hide the giddiness in their voice. "I drunk some, and the path shined for me, but it faded quickly. I see you're happy about this as well?" The creature stared at Amari with an offended expression.

Amari was hardly hiding his happiness. Aayma was back. She wasn't dead. Buster, the happy, comforting fat cat, was back. Aayma was here. With Max. He could feel his heart flutter and his stomach do backflips as he slowly stood up.

"Getting brave are we?" Another Flameheads said. Hesitating before taking a step closer, notedly hiding slightly behind their leader. Amari could feel his whole body begin to shake. Aayma was back.

"I see. You didn't believe we could do it could you? Thought you'd die with the knowledge that we'd fail?" The leader asked in an amused tone. "Now you see we are succeeding and are becoming scared."

"Poor thing." The other mocked.

"You never would've succeeded. You are not worthy of the power I possess. You are worthless. Creatures like you are meant to go extinct." Amari said, unaware of what he was fully saying. His throat scratched and vibrated with each syllable he spoke as he began shaking more and more as the energy started flowing through him more. Was this sudden burst of energy because of the orange cat? The energy he had been feeling build up inside him, was that because Aayma was getting closer?

The leader stood up straighter as the other two stood on either side. "Oh?" They said, their voices reverberating around the room. This didn't scare Amari though.

I'm fighting. I'm on my way.