Vitals || Book 1

Chapter 2

Beep. Beep.

I woke up to the sound of quietened murmurs and hushed voices. Where was I? I tried to open my eyes, attempting to figure out where I was and what happened. Nothing. My eyes wouldn't budge and inch.

Strangely, I was calm. No, not calm. Excited. What if I've been kidnapped to be locked in a tower like a princess, waiting for a Prince to save me? Was a chosen warrior destined to save the world. An experiment subject chosen to find out their special quirk that defines that from someone else? The thought alone riled me up, making my heart thud with happiness.

The beeps from before got faster, louder, more defined. What was it? My heartbeat? It must be.

The hushed whispering turned into strained, low voices. A few thoughts flew across my consciousness.

Who were these people? Why did they want me? And finally, where was I? A few petty stories in my head weren't sufficient to maintain the excitement in me, letting fear overcome me.

Suddenly, the room went quiet. Why did they go silent? Was I dead? No, I would be in heaven right now, like mama told me, if that was the case.

Then, I could open my eyes again.

I blinked in the harsh light, my eyes surprised by the sudden flash. After a while, I scanned the room vigorously, looking for any kind of weapon that the whispering people could attack me with.

It was a plain, white room with barely anything in it. Large, transparent blocks filled with bones and skulls were dotted around the room. My bed was a bleached white, with squared stitched into the silky sheets. Finally I looked at the people who were looking back at me.

I reeled back against the railings of my bed in shock. They weren't even human. Women with charcoal black skin surrounded me. Their purplish-blue horns were like knives etching out of their heads. Faces lined with square patches that were the same colour as the horns had bones sticking out, showing these things' hunger. White irises scan me, scouring out any weakness. But most surprisingly...

They were naked.

I squealed and covered my eyes. I know they weren't exactly the next normal people, but did they have to naked? I peeped out between my fingers, to see words glances exchanged between the creatures. Finally, one creature stepped out in front of the others, and spoke in a low rasping voice.

"ǟkʏʊtǟ, ʍ'ɛʍɨքǟʟʟɛʍ. (greetings my Queen.)" she burbled, casting a low bow to the floor. The other creatures did the same. Even though I didn't understand what in the world they were saying, I comprehended that it was some kind of greeting of respect.

"akyuta...?" I tried to copy their way of saying it, failing miserably. A slow ripple of laugher echoed around the room,  making my pale skin turn bright red.

"ɛɖɨtɛk ɦ'ɛʍɨքǟʟʟɛʍ աǟռռɛʀ ɦ'ɛʍɨքǟʟʟɛʍ. ֆɨʟɛk! (respect the Queen,  win over the Queen. Silence!)" The leader barked, silencing the crowd immediately.

"tǟ. (You)" she pointed at someone, and the crowd immediately separated to reveal who is was. A raggedy, small male creature, which was half the size of all the others, was roughly shoved into the front. He wasn't naked like all the others, but in a bland brown cloth, that seemed to barely fit him.

"tǟ ֆզʊɛʀ ɦɨ ɛʍɨքǟʟʟɛʍ,  օʊ ֆɦɛռ օռ ɖʀʊ. (You serve the queen, or die in shame.)

The boy let out a small gasp, the recollected himself. He turned around to the crowd that had formed behind him, and spoke.

"ʍ'ɛɖɨtɛk ɢօɨռ ɖɛ ɦ'ɛʍɨքǟʟʟɛʍ (My respect goes to the Queen)" He murmured, bowing low so that they can't see the glare directed at me. I returned that glare, and parts of the crowd chatter in what seems like awe.

"tօռʝօ. (Good.)"

The lady snapped her fingers, engulfing me in a blaze of fire. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound comes out. Seeing as it's the only thing I can do, I braced myself and closed my eyes, prepared for for the heat, the pain, the terror. But none came. I slowly opened my eyes, and found myself in a huge luxury room, with the boy.

Hello kiddies! Thank you so much for reading! This took me a week as I was so lazy, but I hope the quality compensates. We are about to introduce a new main character, get ready!

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