King of Creatures

Chapter 24

The city seemed to be getting farther and farther the more the pair walked. Not that Amari was complaining. Every few minutes, he would look up, and the city would stay the same distance. "Man, I wish we had some music." Amari said aloud, thinking of Aoshanay. He wondered what she was doing right now. Then his mind began to wander over to Devon, wondering what he was doing at the moment. Was he currently mourning his death? Was his mom? Probably not, if she truly knew about the prophecy, she'd expect him to be dead. Amari began biting his nails as what felt like a rock dropped into his stomach.

"I don't wanna die." He whispered to himself fearfully. Tears began running down his cheeks. He stopped walking and looked up at the city, it seemed miles away now. Amari felt a poke in his shoulder and turned around to see a concerned Max.

"Is – is everything okay?" Max asked. Amari nodded, looking away and wiping his eyes. You are not. Aayma sat down calmly in front of him. You don't actually want to complete this prophecy do you? That's why we've been walking for hours.

"Shut up." He snapped then added, "Not you." When Max took a step back looking confused. Amari looked up at the sky, the two lights still shining above the city. "I – I just...I'm tired. That's all. My eyes hurt from looking at the path so much." Amari. Aayma placed a paw on Amari's leg and meowed.

"So, you want to take a break?" Max asked. Amari nodded, pulling his leg away from Aayma.

"I'm just tired. We'll get there." he said to the cat. "I've already learned my lessons about straying from the path so...don't worry." Aayma made a sound of disbelief before trotting away towards Max, who was staring at the city. Rubbing his forehead, Amari sat down and buried his face in his knees.

His head was pounding and his arms sore. Was this a result of what those Flameheads had done to him? Amari angerly punched at the ground. Why did that need to happen? What significance did that have. Was him being kidnapped and tortured apart of the prophecy? He looked, placing his chin on his knees, and stared at the distant city. The lights barely twinkling.

Aayma was right, Amari didn't want to finish this prophecy. The hesitancy he had felt when he had first heard about this whole prophecy thing. He wished that he had just ignored Aoshanay that day. Wished that he'd never went to that stupid breakfast and had that dumb Nixus convince him to go to that stupid building. Wished he'd never turned eighteen and saw that dumb, stupid path.

Fresh tears began falling down his face and Amri buried his face into his knees. His head hurt, his arms hurt, he felt overstimulated from all the sounds and voices that came from every living creature that came near him. Amari lifted up his head and wiped his eyes. Maybe the prophecy failing, the reason why each new guide, or king died on purpose. It would make sense.

Amari jumped, Aayma had nuzzled her face against Amari's hand. Amari moved his hand, his fear turning to anger. Aayma placed her paws on Amari's knees and rubbed her face against Amari's. You're upset. "Yeah, no shit." Amari said pushing the overgrown cat away. Aayma licked her paw before huffing and walking away.

Max sat down next to Amari. "If Aayma sent you here don't bother." Amari snapped. Max didn't sat anything. He just sat a granola and a water pellet in front of him, then began eating a pack of fruit snacks.

"Oh, so you get candy and I'm stuck with a granola bar?" Amari asked shooting Max a dirty look. Max smiled and dug in his book bag, taking out another fruit snack pack and tossing it to Amari, who caught it. The pair ate in silence, staring at the sky as it got lighter and lighter.

"When I heard about the prophecy I was terrified." Max said as the two lights above the city became dimmer against the now light sky. Amari looked over at him. "I was in class. We were in class. I – In pairs, Nixus had just taught us a new combative skill and you know, we were supposed to be practicing it.

"I – The lights all w – went out and I remember thinking there was like a power outage or s – something. I – it was raining I think. Then like, the m – middle of the floor started glowing. Then I – it opened. T – the floor I mean. A – and the pyramid just began floating up out of the – the hole. I knew all about the pyramid of course, I was raised with knowing how important it was. It was the object for the prophecy. The prophecy the would supposedly save the world. " He shook his head.

"It's s – started spinning. A – a – and the top sort of came off and there was like a black pole in the middle o – of it, t – the top and bottom half. T – then a – a projector screen flashed onto the floor a – and everyone crowded around it. Pictures started to flash onto the s – screen. Penny, Nay a – and then m – me." Max had whispered the last word. "Penny and Aoshanay seemed excited but I...I – I didn't. I was terrified. I – I didn't want...

"I t – tried to talk to Nixus I – into p – picking someone else. I begged him. But he simply said no. 'You have been chosen. There's no backing out.' I hated it. All the a – attention, I had s – so many panic attacks... T – then we, me, and the girls, had t – to go and do t – this spell thing, I don't know, I'm not well versed with magic stuffs but, I – it was potion magic. W – we did a chant, t – then Nixus said, 'Prophet, we're ready. Show us the guide.' A – and your face a – appeared. I – I knew your name somehow. K – knew your face." Max's face began to turn a shade of red as he worked to avoid Amari's eyes. " A – and that was it. W – we were sent to go f – find you. I – I knew where you were...I t – told Penelope where you might be a – and you know how that turned out. " Both him and Amari let out small laughs.

"A – and then when I found you I..." He shook his head. "I was terrified. I'm still...I didn't w – want to be here but...I don't know." He shrugged and looked over at Amari, who was smiling with his head laying on top of his folded arms.

"Thanks for telling me...Feels good to know that I wasn't the only one who was terrified to hear that I was apart of some big prophecy." The pair laughed. "What was the prophecy? Like, word for word?" Amari asked. Max closed his eyes and tilted his head up to the sky, scrunching up his face so he could remember.

"The guide...The guide will be reborn, to escort the king, to the eldest creature, the origin of beings, with three knights...to provide safety...um...." He shook his head and looked at Amari apologetically.

"Interesting...Rhymes and everything." Amari said, and the pair laughed again.

"Let me know when you're ready to get going again." Max said, placing his book bag behind him and laying down. Amari looked over to where Aayma was sitting. The cat blinked slowly at him before getting up and walking over to him, curling up into a ball and falling asleep.

Amari smiled and pat the giant cat, poking at her antlers. His smile waning as he looked down at the lightening struck scars that covered his arms.