15William opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the purple being in the box, staring at him.
"You're already up?" Kaizer was a little surprise.
"Not a dream," the human concluded.
"Of course not," the thing grumbled.
William sighed as he sat on the hammock. He closed his eyes for a few seconds. He took a deep breath and sighed quietly. His stomach grumbled, "D-damn," he was also thirsty.
He gazed at the window and it was still dark, "Still dark. How long did I sleep?"
He grabbed the box and watched by the window.
"I guess… nine hours. Day will come soon," Kaiser replied. His gazed turned towards the human, "You can still rest."
"N-naw. I rest long enough… Hungry," he grumbled.
The thing in the box was confused. He gazed at a wall, "Don't know why. The Sage hides his food there. I believe. That's the place where I heard something suspicious. Might not be to your liking. Who knows what kind of taste he has?"
William touched the wall and it felt on the ground. It was a fake wall. Inside of it, they were some strange gray stuff and things that didn't appear eatable. There was also a large barrel with something that released a foul stench.
"Dry meat and Fruisha juice," Kaizer concluded. He chuckled, "Delicious and nutritious."
The face of the human was green. It turned worse as there was no other option. He grabbed the gray meat and took a bite. He froze in place.
Chapter 1: Onward to the city
Kaizer was confused as the human didn't move, "Hey! That thing isn't poisonous," he yelped when he was dropped on the ground, "I am not a thing!"
William took his courage and took another bite, "So… Bitter!" he whined in agony as he took a third one. Hunger needed to be satiate, but the taste tortured his tongue. He eventually finished and went to the barrel.
"Drama Blorg," the emperor commented.
The human ignored him and drank the juice. Compared to the meat, it tasted sweet and it was much easy on the tongue. He regretted not balancing the meat and the juice together. Once he was done, he felt some strength coming back to him. He just hoped it wouldn't hurt his stomach. He stopped when a white light came through the window. He turned around and saw the light of the sun coming in. He checked outside and froze. There was a blue sun rising at the horizon. The light was normal, but the color of that sun on the planet wasn't.
"It's time to go," Kaizer commanded.
William grabbed a few bitter meats and searched for any kind of container for the juice. He found nothing. He drank more of it and picked his companion.
He opened the door and left the cabin.
"Go forward," the purple thing told him.
With the light of the day, he could clearly see the two hills on the left and a bigger one on the right. There was a road that left the cabin and went between those hills. On the side of the brown road, they were some strange gray plants and a few blue trees. The trees were large and covered with black leaves. Some trees grew like a spiral around the straight ones. Farther ahead, the road led to a small or large forest. It was too far to determine the size yet.
The human replied, "Easy to know where to go," and proceeded to march forward. He tried to ignore the weirdness of the place he was in. The signs were enough to convince him that this alien planet was weirder than he thought.
"True. I know enough about this planet from the time I reign, also because I clearly saw the path that bastard took when he brought me here. Didn't bother to blindfold me," Kaiser grumbled a few insults.
"How?" he asked. He realised he asked the wrong thing, "I mean why?"
"He thinks I am not a threat!" he furiously yelled, before going on a rant about how horrible it was to be seen as nothing.
William noticed there was some deep grudge, or a very lasting one. He didn't press further as he followed the path to the supposed city.
The prisoner of the box concluded his rant, "And that's why I will crush him when I see him again!"
"How? You are in there," he replied.
The magenta light diminished for a few seconds, before it shined once again, "I'll figure it out!"
A question passed in the human's mind. How did the emperor end up in this box? Still, he concluded it was not worth asking that. He could either bring wrath to himself or get a non-answer. He focused on one thing. Going back home.
He checked around and nothing dangerous showed up. It was the day and they were safe from whatever hunted during the night. He took a deep breath and sighed. His mind began to wander, as he approached the forest.
He thought of his family, of his home and his friends. He had no clear thought about it. Just a thought about them. He put his hand in his pockets. He felt his cellphone in it. He was way too far to call his parents or his friends. The reception didn't go to another planet.
"Focus!" Kaiser suddenly brought him back from his revelry.
"W-what?" William asked.
"We are near the forest! You need all of your attention now. There was no predator before, but now, the risk is here. Better eat that meat, because that will bring their attention."
He was getting hungry, so he did as the other one said. It took a while to eat it. The taste wasn't better the second time he ate that meat. On the bright side, it didn't poison him. It also seemed to sustain him. Whatever The Sage was, he didn't think more as he had no idea what it was. Obviously not a human.
He finished his meal.
"Let's go!" the purple thing impatiently ordered while the three eyes shined a little brighter, "How can you take so long to eat so little?"
The human was a little paler, "Bitter. Just too bitter," he spit something as he continued his journey with his loud companion.
Kaiser rolled his three eyes at that stupid answer.
They entered the forest. It was much darker in here. The light of the sun barely passed through the leaves. The large blue trees surrounded him. They were a few bushes near the trees, red like blood. They were a few rocks. Around him, it was quiet. He didn't hear anything.
William felt the air was suddenly heavier. He didn't feel safe. The thing in the box was right about taking a little break before coming in there. He had the impression that something was there, watching him, "You're lucky to be… that."
"Yes. You are the one who can be eaten alive by the beasts living on the planet," he noticed the human paled a little, "However, they are mostly nocturnal."
"G- Mostly?"
"Yes," the eyes went to the side, "If they are hungry enough, they will not rest. Still, they are negatively affected by the light of the day, even in the forest. They have trouble seeing things well. Depth of perception is bad."
Willian didn't get the last sentence, "Can't see well. Got ya," despite that, he was still nervous. He felt his heart beating faster and louder in his chest. His hands were shaking a little. His eyes went left and right at any suspicious sound. The sound of a branch cracking made him turn his head, but nothing on sight.
"I don't see anything. Keep going," Kaiser ordered. He grumbled a few things about how much of a coward the human was.
"I heard ya," he warned the other one.
"Not my fault you are a coward."
"Sure. Sure. I ended up on another planet with monsters that will eat me alive. No idea how big or what they look like! The only one who helped me is a thing in a box who cannot do much to help me! Of course, I will be scared!" he groaned in annoyance.
"Can see your nerves under your skin," the purple being replied. He added sarcastically, "And I'm sorry if I cannot do more! Do I look like I have arms and legs? I have been stuck without a body for so long!"
William sighed, "Y-yeah. You didn't choose that. S-sorry," he didn't sound sincere.
"Whatever. You got to pay respect to me. I am an emperor."
"Sure," he replied with a bit of disrespect.
He froze when he heard something behind him. It wasn't just a branch breaking or something else a little suspicious. It was a loud sound. Not just one. He listened more carefully; it was three things at different directions behind him. They slowly approached him. He guessed it was three predators. He decided to keep walking forward. If those things knew that he noticed them, it would kill him.
Kaiser gazed behind him and saw them, "Three of them. Nasty beasts. Keep walking forward. When they charge, you do as I say. When I say run, you better run before I finish my sentence."
"Yes," the human replied. He fought his desire to accelerate his pacing. He fought the desire to run away. He breath slowly and deeply. He made sure to blink as quickly as possible. He watched the large trees. He couldn't climb any of them, even without the box, "T-this is not where I'll die," he bit his lips, "Mom… Dad."
"Stop being an ass and calm down. Don't waste your strength with fear and-" a quick movement was behind them, "Run!" the purple thing ordered.
Before that word was said, William obeyed. He didn't stop as he heard the things chasing him. He made sure to go around the trees and avoided the large roots coming out of the ground. He jumped above one and didn't stop.
"Keep running! Go left! Do not slow down! Not even one second!" Kaiser yelled.
The human panted as exhaustion came. He was a good runner, but not an athlete. He already reached his limit, but didn't slow down. He went beyond, for his own survival. He heard something very close.
"Jump right!" the thing in the box ordered.
He jumped to the right and avoided the claws of the predator. He heard something, but didn't check what it was as he kept running.
"Suckers!" Kaiser chuckled, "They smashed against each other's. Keep running! They surely have your scent."
"Can't… longer," William replied as he slowed down.
"You lazy-" he turned around, "Go to that swamp… of mud! I think!"
He wanted to ask why, but replied instead, "O-okay."
He used the remaining of his strength to reach it.
Kaiser told him, "Those things won't follow you there! I'm sure of it! They have short legs compare to you. They will slow down or drown under it!"
"Hope so," he replied. He was close to it when something hit his back. The human grumbled as he felt on the ground, face first. He cursed himself as he was so close.
"Damn you!" the purple thing yelled as the box flew in the air. The box felt on a rock and cracked. It felt in the mud and quickly sank in, "H-hey!" he yelled. His three eyes focused the human who turned around and was busy struggling against on the of the things. He hit the box he was in, as he disappeared into the mud. He desperately tried to break it open. Even if it would be futile.
Meanwhile, William struggled against his assailant. Out of desperation, he plunged his finger into one of the eye balls. The monster yelled in agony. The human took his chance. He kicked the face of the predator. He stood up. He panted as his legs felt weak. He couldn't turn around and go into the mud. He also couldn't hear Kaiser anymore. He was alone and on his own.
The three things looked a little like wolves, but they were a little bigger, had two mouths with long sharp fangs, two red eyes, one on the forehead and one on the chest. The large black fangs dropped a bit of purple liquid. They didn't have fur on the back, but black spikes instead. They growled as they slowly approached their prey.
William searched for a weapon. He found a large blue branch and picked it up. He held it in his hand and waited for them to come. The thought of using the mud to escape long left his mind. He was close, but too far. He would leave himself open to another attack. He just couldn't run anymore. His survival instinct took over him and picked the fight option.
One of them jumped at him. He moved to the side and smashed the back of the monster. It dropped on the ground. He hit it again and the branch broke. He threw the remaining at the other two. They dodged it.
The human quickly faced the other two who surrounded him. He observed both of them, but couldn't at the same time. He heard the third one near him standing up again. His breathing slowed down. Fear overwhelmed him, but he didn't panic. At this moment, he knew that was it, "It's over… Sorry. Mom… Dad."
The three charged at him. The closest one opened its mouth to bite him, but something came out of the mud and pushed the wolf-like monster away.
William slowly turned back and froze in place.
A large monster whose body was made of mud towered over him.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: The Mud Monster.
William was caught between the three alien wolves and a mud monster.