King of Creatures

Chapter 21

Aayma was meowing frantically, pacing in the front of a stone wall. Max looked at the wall, confused. He pushed up against it. "We need to get in there?" The cat stood up against the wall meowing. Max nodded before bending down to pick up the large feline, but she slipped out of his grip.

"What? Y-you want me to go by myself?" He asked, slightly alarmed. He looked over at the wall, it was only slightly taller than he was. He felt the top of the wall, gripping the ledge and putting a foot on the wall, ready to hoist himself up with he felt Aayma swat at his leg, which hurt. "Ow." Max said as he turned to look at the cat, who now stood frozen.

The cat huffed before turning around and walking along side the wall, sniffing at the ground almost dog – like. Max rushed to follow, unsure what was happening. Aayma had stopped meowing. She was silent as the turned a corner, then she stopped and froze before turning to look at Max.

"What?" The cat looked down, then begun digging at the ground. Understanding, Max knelt down and begun digging too. Wishing that he didn't bite his nails so much. Aayma stopped digging to let out a distressed meow before continuing.

A few moment later, creatures appeared out from the trees, crowding around them. Alarmed, Max stopped to stare at a squirrel, who made a chattering noise before digging at the ground as well. Max looked around, groundhogs, squirrels, chipmunks, even a deer, had come to help dig at the ground. Max looked over at Aayma bewildered before going back to digging.

The deer hit something metal and snort – wheezed stepping away. Aayma walked over and sniffed at the spot where the deer was. The cat meowed, Max assumed she was dismissing the other animals because they all left, disappearing back into the woods. Max stared as the last squirrel vanished into the thick of the trees. Snapping out of it when he felt Aayma swat at his hand.

He looked over at Aayma, who was sitting pointedly at the area that the deer had been digging at. Max crawled over and saw what was a metal door. His heart beating harshly against his chest. He began pushing the rest of the dirt, vines and leaves out of the way, with some effort. It took about thirty minutes until he cleared enough away to where the metal hatch revealed itself.

He looked up excitedly at Aayma, who was purring contently. The loud sound of something crashing drew his attention back down to the hatch. Someone was in there. "Amari." Max quickly grabbed the handle and pulled. Nothing.

With a feeling of urgency, Max squatted over the hatch, grabbed the handle, and pulled. "C'mon, just like deadlifting." He grunted as he began to pull. He felt the hatch slowly began to give way. He took another deep breath and pulled some more until the hatch door swung open, causing Max to fall back..

Without hesitating, Aayma hopped down the hatch, Max quickly following.

He hopped down in instant darkness. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out the headlight, but he didn't need it, seconds later, a wall busted open, an orange headed person flying though it as a blindingly bright light stepped through.

Max let out a small gasp, taking a step back. Amari was glowing. His eyes a pure white, his locks seemingly floating all around him, two antler – like horns atop his head, much like Aayma's and he had bandages on his arms. He pointed at the orange haired person who was now struggling to stand up, and spoke, sounding like a thousand people speaking at once.

"You've sinned against another creature. You dared to harm me. Take my power. For centuries, I've been unjustly killed, I've become docile. Seeing the state of the world I shall not allow it to happen again. I am the King of Creatures. Prophecy is to take my rightful place on my throne. I refuse to die again."

The orange haired creature nodded fervently, shaking. Max watched as their pants suspiciously began to darken.

Amari lifted up a hand, Max noting his knuckle rings - spikes out and bloody. Amari made a fist, then pulled down, causing roots to crash down from the ceiling, grabbing the sobbing person, and handing them. Max looked away, cringing. He looked over at Amari, who's eyes are dimming and horns retracting. Amari grabbed at his head and begun to sway.

Max rushed forward, catching Amari just as he fell, his skin hot. Max looked around, squinting in the dark before finding a set of stairs. He lifted Amari up, and heading up the stairs, opening a door and trying not to gag at the sight and smell.

Piles of skin sat on tables surrounded by flies. Vials, and glass containers of a deep, thick, purple – y liquid bubbled and popped. A white board with the words: "Plot to control Nature." Written on it. Max raised an eyebrow, as he leaned closer and read some of the plans. It all seemed like nonsense. He shook his head and followed Aayma to the door, opening it was walking out.