Fourteen Times in Perim

by Quazer

When humans found themselves on a Perim that never knew humanity before, they had to learn a lesson quickly, that Perim devours and destroys the unprepared. I, however, found myself having to learn that lesson time and time again. I have died so many times, only to start all over again. Maybe this time I'll survive. AU, rated M for violence and sexual content.

71. The Oligarchy

I do not own Chaotic nor anything related to it. It belongs to TCDigital.

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The Oligarchy

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{you would think that a sacrifice would put up a least some resistance}

{indeed, it's almost as if-}

{he was looking forward-}

{to having his heart torn out}

Apparently being prepared to the sacrificial altar means receiving a scrub down... while still gagged and in chains. Even as a prisoner I don't get the chance to wash myself. How long has it been since I took a bath, shower, or anything like it alone?

{there, all clean}

{you missed a spot}

{where}

{right there}

One of the worms throws her sponge at the other.

{very funny}

{i know}

{i was joking}

{me too}

The worms swing their heads at each other, and there's a wet slapping sound as they hit, like someone getting slapped by a fish.

{i still love you}

{me too}

"What's going on here!"

The worms turn their heads to the door. My heart freezes. It's Phelphor. He's wearing a black cloak instead of his normal attire, but it's definitely him. There's a look of shock and fear on his face.

{it's phelphor}

{this is so exciting}

{does phelphor want a bath}

{does phelphor want a meal}

Phelpher's voice is almost a screech. "Are you preparing for a sacrifice? He's not a sacrifice!"

{we were worried about that}

{yes we were, maybe he's-}

{phelphor's pet or maybe a servant}

{we didn't remove the chains or the gag, though we did-}

{remove the helmet, I hope phelphor is not terribly-}

{angry with us}

As Phelphor steps in, another creature appears behind him. The upper half of the creature is somewhat humanoid in shape, while its lower half is a mass of tentacles. The creature's skin is blue, with a hint of a bio-luminescent glow surrounding it. The humanoid upper half of the creature looks strong, with a large muscular chest on top of a narrower but equally muscular abdomen as well as a pair of powerful arms. The creature's eyes and the inside of its mouth glow bright white, and where a Human might have hair, the creature has thick flowing tentacles.

The creature wears a pair of golden bracers on its forearms and a gold band with eye-shaped markings around its chest, starting at the bottom of its sternum and looping in a crest around its shoulders. It wears a gold loincloth around its waist that hangs past the humanoid part of its body down to the mass of tentacles, and floating around the creature's head is what appears to be a crown made of light.

If Phelphor scares me, then this creature fills me with blood-curdling, bone-chilling, mind-numbing terror. This is Aa'une, Oligarch of the M'arrillians, potentially one of the most dangerous creatures in Perim.

Aa'une glances at the worms, then at Phelphor. "I see you have met the Twins," he says aloud in a deep voice.

Phelphor rushes past the worms and hoists me out of the tub they'd put me in. "I know you're preparing a celebration for my return, but I did not bring this creature as a sacrifice!"

"As a prisoner, then?" Aa'une asks.

Phelphor mumbles, "Yes, prisoner."

"I see," Aa'une answers. "Twins, return to your duties. The chieftains will no doubt send us minions from the surface before the celebration begins, so we can select an appropriate sacrifice to Cothica when the time is right."

{the creature had armor}

{will oligarch aa'une and phelphor want to-}

{take that as well}

"I'll send a Kha'rall for it," Aa'une says with a wave of his hand. "Come, Saint Phelphor, we are already late." He points a hand at me, and my stomach drops as I feel gravity lose its grip on me.

Phelphor snatches my helmet from the pile of armor and puts it on my head.

Aa'une stares at me, then at Phelphor. "...Very well, then..." He turns and leaves the room, and I start floating along behind him.

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It's a large, circular room. The walls are black, and what looks like a white spiral galaxy is carved into the floor. The ceiling is high and supported by arches.

There are two other creatures already inside when Aa'une, Phelphor and I arrive. One looks like a violet eel with an extra eye in the middle of its forehead, and the other... well, the closest thing I can compare it to is a silver giant clam. The eel waves its body restlessly, and the giant clam sits very still, its shell closed.

Aa'une floats between the two creatures and turns to face Phelphor, who sits on a stool that seems to materialize out of thin air. I'm dumped unceremoniously into a corner.

Aa'une speaks, saying, "I, Aa'une, recognize Phelphor, Savior of the M'arrillians."

The eel's jaws move, and a raspy voice says, "I, K'yall, recognize Phelphor, Savior of the M'arrillians."

The giant clam glows with a red light, and inside my head I hear a voice slowly say, {I-Pah'ziq-recognize-Phelphor-Savior-of-the-M'arri llians...}

Phelphor bows his head. "I am honored to meet the Oligarchy of this new age." Then he looks up at Aa'une. "I'm still surprised to see you, though."

Aa'une chuckles, "I didn't dare dream I would see you again either, Phelphor. I was young when you began your mission."

Phelphor flinches violently at the word dream. "I remember it well..."

Phelphor's reaction did not go unnoticed, but nobody seems to draw attention to it. Instead, Aa'une says, "We are deeply curious about what happened above. Will you show us?"

Phelphor grits his teeth together, and I see him tap his fingers against his knees. "I... will show you some of what happened." He closes his eyes.

I don't notice any change. Is he literally sending them memories?

K'yall's eyes dart towards me. "Is that creature the same one that's in the room with us?"

Phelphor nods.

Pah'ziq glows, {To-resist-your-control... Incredible...}

They sit in silence for a moment, the K'yall mutters, "Those creatures- Danians, they seem to be somewhat similar to us- No, wait, don't skip that." K'yall grins toothily. "Well, you certainly seem to have enjoyed your time with this 'Sarah'. I'll have to purchase a copy of these memories for my own entertainment later."

More silence, then-

"Why did you stop sending to us?" Aa'une asks.

Phelphor's eyes dart towards me. "I... uh..."

Aa'une looks at me. "Yes, I understand that he is the creature that tried to stop you. I also saw that you were preparing to sacrifice him to Cothica, yet here he is."

Phelphor's hands tremble. "E-events conspired to-"

{Is-he-causing-you-distress...?} Pah'ziq asks.{We-could-do-away-with-him-if-it-would-set-yo ur-mind-at-ease...}

"No!" Phelphor shouts. "I-it's critical that Michael remains alive!"

"Who's Michael?" K'yall asks. "Ah, probably Prince Osiris."

"Why is his survival so important? Aa'une asks.

Phelphor presses his lips shut and looks away.

Aa'une stares at Phelphor for several minutes. Then he says, "K'yall, Pah'ziq, may we have a minute or so alone?"

"Very well." {Very-well...} The two oligarchs disappear in a flash of light.

Aa'une's brow furrows. "Phelphor, tell me what the problem is."

"I-I can't," Phelphor stammers. "You wouldn't even believe me."

"Does the creature- the Human, does he know what the problem is?"

Phelphor's eyes widen. "Don't speak to him. Don't get anywhere close to his mind."

"You speak as if he's dangerous," Aa'une says. He folds his arms. "How dangerous?"

Phelphor opens and shuts his mouth like a beached fish struggling for water. "I-I can't tell you..."

Aa'une turns his entire body towards me, and he lifts a hand up. "Then I must ask him."

I feel my body lift into the air and drift towards Aa'une's hand. I feel the terror return.

Phelphor begins to hyperventilate. "Please! Don't! You don't want to know the things he knows!"

Aa'une firmly says, "Whatever danger he presents, I must risk it in the service of the tribe."

Phelphor stands and takes a step forward, reaching out as if to grab me, but before he can, Aa'une's hand touches my forehead. It feels like ice-

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{Now, what in your mind terrifies my old friend so much...}

It's... not like when Phelphor searched my mind. When he did, I could see a landscape of crystal. Now, I only see darkness.

{Ear for soft music, fear of heights, likes the color blue... Hm, your mind is quite disorganized...}

What's going to happen when Aa'une finds-?

{What's this?}

...Finds that...

{This doesn't look at all like a normal mind.}

I see a spectral blue hand appear, and suddenly my vision is filled with tiny long threads. The blue hand approaches one of the threads. {What do you have stored in-}

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I hear my name being called out over the sound of the battle. "Khybon! The pipes! A M'arrillian is attacking the pipes!"

I turn my gaze to the Human who had called out, just in time to see his gut become shredded by a powerful blast of water-

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{What is the name of Cothica was that?}

The blue hand reaches for another thread. {I-if I hold the other end of-?}

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"Princess Isis," the servant says as I approach the balcony, "you shouldn't be here. The intruder might be dangerous."

I wave the servant away as I approach the railing. "I'll be perfectly fine up here. I just want to see what this intruder is like."

I lean over the edge in time to see my brother Mudeenu kneel and say, "King Theb-sarr, this is one of the intruders you were informed of."

The intruder, a strange creature with black hair and odd clothes, bows after a few seconds. "Your Majesty," he says.

My father grins. "I see, Mudeenu. Yes, he does certainly look like enough of a problem to interrupt my duties."

I chuckle a little at the look on my brother's face. He bows and mutters, "Yes... I... may have overreacted a little when I sent a messenger for you. Still, I believe this is important."

Father says, "He looks more like a lost soul than an intruder to me. What is your name, and where do you hail from?"

I blink. If my eyes aren't deceiving me, then the odd creature just silently said the same words as my father-

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{Who are all these creatures?} Aa'une sounds completely confused. He grabs another-

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I growl, "I'll make you hurt. You can't even dream of the things I can do to you."

Michael rolls his eyes. "You can do worse than stick a sword through my gut, severing my spine?"

What?

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"Augh!"

Aa'une flings me aside. I see stars as the back of my head collides with a wall, and I crumble face down to the ground. This helmet may well have kept me from falling unconscious.

I hear Phelphor cry out, "Aa'une! Are you all right?!"

Aa'une's breath comes out ragged. "Th-the world continues to exists while he sleeps, correct?"

"Yes," Phelphor answers.

I feel a sudden sharp pain in my back, and all sensation in my body fades...

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Up next: The Illusion of Reality

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Like I said before, Chaotic belongs to TCDigital.

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