Page 38 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

In shock, I glance over my shoulders, unable to see anything in this utter blackness. The voice felt so real, as if she had whispered those words directly into my ear. Yet there’s only the incessant buzzing of znats. Nothing more.

The need to find her, to shield her from harm, surges within me. For a fleeting moment, I consider ripping the bars from my cell. But I suppress the urge with controlled breathing and force my body to become less tense.

I made a silent vow to obey the ruling of the Council of Elders. Despite their wretched spinelessness, I still respect the ancient institution and what it stands for, and if they choose to ignore the truth and doom our people, then they would have to answer for their cowardice before the ancestors. I will stand proudly before them with my head held high.

As if in response, another heart-wrenching image materializes.

Pebbles, wearing the golden armor I had intended to give her after the Mortakin-Tok. Red blood weeps from empty eyesockets, her flesh cruelly torn. The gruesome sight of my love so abused forces me to my knees, tears welling in my eyes.

“Blessed Gods, make it stop!” I croak my plea uselessly into the black void.

My vision of Pebbles shimmers with a purple light. She raises an accusing finger directed at me.

“You speak of standing proudly? Yet you cower!”

The voice, a mixture of Pebbles’ sweet tones mixed with a cacophony of others, reverberates in my mind.

“You speak of cowardice? Yet you do nothing!” they shout.

The twisted visage of Pebbles grows larger, towering over me, higher and higher in the cell, as I slump down to the ground.

“Rise and complete the cycle,” they demand before wavering out of existence.

“You are the product of my troubled mind. Nothing more!” I bellow into the all-encompassing darkness, met only by the echo of my breath and the ceaseless drone of znats.

I take a moment to collect myself as I struggle to quell the storm of rage and sorrow within me. These cruel visions assail my mind, leaving me no peace. A greater torment than anything Zyraxis could’ve ever devised.

If this continues, the Elders will find a raving lunatic when they come to execute me. It would be a sweet mercy, no more horrendous visions and confirmation that Pebbles had not attempted the Proving. The thought is like a soothing balm.

But why haven’t they come yet?

At first, I’d thought Pebbles would never dare attempt the Proving, but these images paint a vivid picture of the opposite. That she will die in the challenge, giving rise to my worst heartbreaking fears.

Zyraxis has promised to interfere if she enters. The memory of his words fuels my rage once again, prompting me to rise with fists clenched.

What if these visions are a real warning from the Gods and not merely the symptoms of my mind going mad?

I chuckle bitterly, as the very question is more evidence of my descent to insanity.

But I do not care anymore. If there’s the smallest chance that she will fall into Zyraxis’ trap, I’ll risk everything to protect her. The rest be damned!

Enraged, I clutch the cell bars, channeling every ounce of strength within me. My Rush surges, illuminating the darkness with a vibrant purple glow emanating from my eyes. I strain against the bars, using my legs to push off the walls for added leverage. Muscles bulge and ripple as the bars creak and groan in protest.

Suddenly, the tunnel floor fractures, creating fissures that enable the bars to slide out, clearing my passage.

The sound of the bars clanging noisily off the ground causes me to flinch. I haven’t seen a guard in several sleeps, but I still worry the sound may draw their attention.

Outside my cell, I test the steps to my right and quickly discover that they lead to a dead end. Zyraxis truly placed me into the deepest blackest hole he could find. I trace my steps back, following the upward path, determination boiling in my veins.

Stealthily, I ascend the spiraling stone steps, each one carved from the obsidian rock of the mountain. It’s as if a colossal burrowing wyrm tunneled through the inside of Scarn a millennia ago.

Eventually I come upon the amber light of a mechanical lamp. The light burns with an intensity that causes me to pause a moment as my eyes must adjust after spending so much time in total darkness.

I move cautiously, and as I approach the bars of another cell, I listen keenly for any sign of life. The eerie silence persists as I peer into the unlit cell, finding it empty.

I continue up the winding steps for some time, carefully checking every cell I pass. All are empty. Seems no one else has enraged Zyraxis as much as I have. The place is unnervingly quiet, only the hum of my breath and the relentless buzzing of znats providing any companionship.

CLAAANG

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