Akiel screeches as he is ejected from a crude rift in space, crashing into the ground. Skidding until he pushes something aside, Akiel's vision gradually begins to adjust. Dark, the ground was abysmally dark, devoid of any light refraction. There was neither texture to the ground nor any end to the space he is in. Groaning to himself as he makes various clicking noises he thinks, ‘Great! Just what I needed, another endless space where I get processed through various ingenious filters. The gods truly are thorough.’ Suddenly a voice interrupts his monologue, “Welcome son! We brought you here to offer a proposition.”
Scuttling around so he can see in every direction including upwards he finds nothing. One of Akiel’s many legs pushes something away as he does something familiar to an upwards dog. Skittering backward he sees two piles of bones. “Ah, you finally found us! Well now that your retarded display is over let’s get down to the business son.” Completely confused Akiel erupts in a series of clicking and screeching all meaning, ‘Are you the pile of bones? Also, what do you mean by son?’ Taking a moment to collect himself he observes the piles of bones. Both were very dirty and well into the decomposition process. In both cases, the piles of bones were arranged identically with the skull on top and the rest underneath.
The bigger of the two sets of bones starts to move, the skull moves upwards and the mandible remained as is. “Yup! We are the bone piles, and more importantly your parents. Hey Helios say something, you his mother right now.” “Hey, I’m Helios. More importantly, I’m your mother. You see we thought you would be more at ease if we took the form of someone close to you.” said the smaller of the bone sets in a disturbingly deep and distinctly masculine voice.
Dumbfounded, Akiel goes through another series of rapid clicking and screaming all meaning, ‘My parents are dead and seeing decomposing bones that look nothing like how I remembered them doesn’t make me feel much better. Even if used their actual appearance before they died, your mismatched voices make it worse.’ “We’re sorry, there's a reason why we aren't the welcoming committee but enough of that. We called you here for a proposition and before you ask why we picked you, it was like a lottery. You see every few thousand years humanoid races need a reset, they get a bit too advanced and start to harm environments they shouldn’t, making us work much harder. That's where you come in. All you have to do is exterminate each and every kingdom that houses humanoid beings. It’s quite simple actually.”
Taking a moment to consider the proposal, the Spider Akiel jumps into another sequence of random sounds translating to, “That's great and all but I have a few questions. For one, why pick me? Also, what do I get in exchange? I wouldn’t mind becoming a god too but it doesn’t seem like it's the most ideal occupation so I can settle for strongest being in the world or immortality.” After a moment of awkward silence, the bigger set of bones start to move again, “Well, We picked you due to your lack of emotional investment in people or your disinterest in the well being of others. As for your reward, let's just say we will grant you a wish if you finish the job successfully. On a side note, if you do accept we will also give you something amazing to help you get through the first few days alive and safe. According to statistics, a quarter of those that crossover get enslaved or killed within the first three hours.”
Helios suddenly says, “We can also give you a humanoid body so you will be able to approach most sentient beings easier.” Not understanding his current state, Akiel freezes in confusion, all eight of his eyes stare off in a daze before replying with something that means, 'What do you mean more humanoid? I’m a human, are humans not a thing in this world?' Making a mirror appear Helios flatly states, “This is no image, its a mirror, this is your current body. This will also be your permanent body if you reject our offer.” Akiel staring at the monstrosity in the mirror contemplates for several minutes, weighing the options. He could happily live as a spider, killing everything that stupidly gets caught in his web and running away from anything smart enough to avoid them. Or, he could be a humanoid that can talk and destroy most of the worlds civilization. Ending his mission will reward him one wish that can grant him any power. To live leisurely or to work for the summit.
After much deliberation, Akiel screeches the equivalent of ,”Hey, Helios was it? Do you like horses or rabbits?” Not really following Helios answers, “I don’t rabbits but I would prefer a horse due to its utility, why?” “No real reason, I just hate rabbits. I’ve got nothing against horses though. Also, I accept your proposal.” Akiel answers. “Now then, since you have decided there is no return. If we determine that you are not working towards the end goal in any way, we will give you a warning followed by obliterating your soul. There is nothing else at this time s-” “Wait!” Helios interrupts ”You forgot the spawn point. Unfortunately, we can’t risk exposing our involvement with you so you will be entering the world with the others. There's only one problem with being with the others, your status. Your status will have both our names and our goal listed so… you’ll be instantly executed. You're leaving in half a minute but try your best to get away from the summoning grounds.“
A short moment passes before helios rapidly starts talking again, “Fifteen seconds! The moment you appear there will be a bright light blinding everyone. Use that to get away. All of the summoned are restrained by a spell causing pain. Due to the nature of the body we decided to give you, that specific spell will have no effect on you.” Pausing momentarily both voices say in unison, ”Good luck our champion, we dub you the executioner.”
That was the last thing Akiel knew before being warped back into the mass of huddling souls on a collision path to a certain summoning platform. “Hey, hey Mortimer. Should we have named him something else?” Helios asks. “Maybe. We could have named him the condemned, you know since getting out of the castle is probably not going to happen.” Mortimer says with a chuckle. “True. Hey, hey Mortimer. Can I shift back, this tiny body is uncomfortable.
*****
With a deafening chorus of chanting, Akiel appears alongside many others. Most of them being human but some belonging to other races. As soon as Akiel gains control of his body he flexes his fingers. Confirming the humanoid body, he awkwardly charges out of the congregation of disoriented otherworlders. Letting out a pathetic warcry he stumbles into a blinded figure covered in a robe. Shoving the dumbfounded figure into the ground he stumbles past, continuing to scream. As he gets farther he feels something disturbing the surface of his waist area. Ignoring the unsettling sensations he keeps running with stiff limbs and awkward posture.
As he registers the walls coming up ahead he turns, eyesight almost acclimated to the light. “Summoned on the east wall! Dispose of him quickly” he hears someone say. Panicking at being caught so quickly and that he already faces death, he runs away from the voice. Stumbling away from his pursuers he hears more frantic shouting, “Stop it! Don't let it near his majesty!” Finding the sounds of feet behind him growing distant, Akiel Drunkedly runs more confidently until he trips over his own feet. Flailing to regain balance he crashes into a part of the wall where light streamed in. Feeling a slight obstruction that quickly gave away accompanied by the sound a glass shattering, Akiel concludes he broke through a window. Feeling the wind blow against the exposed surface of his body Akiel flounders frantically to grab onto anything. In his delirium, he failed to notice he was corkscrewing head first into the ground.
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Akiel abruptly stops screaming as he smashes headfirst into the carefully maintained and surprisingly soft royal palace garden. His vision spins and he feels a draft from where his neck and head should be connected. As his head stops moving, he sees a completely grey humanoid body laying beside him. As he tries to stand his point of view stays the same, but the body in front of him gets up. Doubting someone fell with him he controls his body to fumble around for his head. As he finally picks it up he hears several voices moving towards him rapidly. Controlling his body to run he sticks his head on top. “There it is! Catch it! Quickly it’s running again.” a peculiar ginger guard yells. There is nothing wrong with the guard being ginger but no matter how Akiel ran he never went the way he wanted. The guard seemed to be getting closer when he looked away but the moment he faced the guard the distance seemed to grow.
As the guard looked backward waving to his comrades and pointing to at him, he suddenly understood. His head was on backward! Snapping it back on right, he starts running towards an open door. ‘Open ground seems to not be an option, maybe I can lose them by entering the castle again.’ Akiel thinks to himself. Scrambling through the doorway and down the stairs. Akiel starts praying to his patrons that there will be a way back up inside. Jumping down the stairs, he notices that his movements are much more fluid. “I guess good things do result from hitting my head.” Akiel chuckles. Arriving at a landing he increases his speed, running straight into a person. Stopping momentarily he looks back to see a short and chubby man on the ground with his head twisted unnaturally resting on a step. His clothes resembled those of a janitor and were stained everywhere. Everything about him was insignificant. Everything, except the thing at his waist.
He had keys! Retrieving the key ring, Akiel turns around and bolts down the passageway, passing endless torches and turns at the end of the corridor. Thankful for his amazing foresight, he arrives at a barred gate. Fumbling with the keys, he tries them one by one. Footsteps pound behind him, getting closer and closer. At this point he can make out his pursuers words, “It can’t get much farther, it’s a dead end. Slowly around this last corner, it's bound to be stuck here. Remember even the lowest of creatures make a desperate and potentially dangerous attempt to get away when they’re backed in a corner.” If he could, Akiel would have been sweating by now. “Coe on!” he mutters as the fifth key doesn’t work. Jamming the sixth he closes his eyes and twists the key. Another mismatch.
“Stop! Don’t move! C’mon, make it easy on yourself. I promise I’ll end your miserable little life quickly and painlessly.” comforts a nasally voice from behind. Grunting Akiel sticks in the seventh key while trying to use his body to hide the keys from sight. “Click” the gate unlocks and Akiel freezes for a moment while turning his head around. Seven enemies, just meters away. Two in the back seem to be mumbling, this is a different world. One with magic, monsters, and limitless opportunities. The only torch in this stretch of the passageway was next to the gate. Also, next to Akiel.
Slowly turning around while edging his hand closer to the torch Akiel turns around. “You guys need to ca- ” Akiel nudges the torch off its holster as he jumps backward through the gate. The front guards pause momentarily, focused on the slowly falling torch. As Akiel turns to run away he catches a glimpse of earth bulging upward in the shape of a hand where he was just standing. Dashing deeper into the seemingly endless passageway, Akiel starts to panic. The passageway seemed to be endless, but just how long should he run? After turning the next two corners, Akiel finally reaches something significant. Cells, rows upon rows of barred cells.
“Yes! This can work. Hello? Anyone alive?” Akiel yells in excitement. Approaching the first cell he peers inside. One corpse, two corpses and a barely breathing leafy thing. “Hey, hey you. Come quickly.” a voice from the neighboring cell whispers. Giving the living tree person a last look Akiel creeps to the second cell. “What do you need kid? Any and all information for the small price of freeing me from this cell.” whispers a rat-faced person. Feeling desperate, Akiel explains to the rat-man, “I want to start a jailbreak but I’m going to need some strong people to get out. There are seven guards behind me.” “Easy! Just let me out and follow me. You need to go to the deeper layers to access the more powerful prisoners. This is just the top, where recent or minor criminals are held.”
Akiel quickly unlocks the rat-man’s cell and pushes the door open. “Stop!” the ratman quickly scampers out of the cell and pulls the door shut. “Some inmates need to be in there. Mine is a cannibal, if he wakes up he’ll probably eat us both. Give me the keys we need some others to hold your guards up.” Akiel hands the keys to the ratman and watches as it scampers to a cage. “Stay close and don’t get left behind. These guys won’t eat you but they’re still criminals.”
One after another the ratman unlocked cell doors and scampered to the next with Akiel in tow. “Okay, that should be enough small fry to keep the guards busy. Let's go!” Racing down the rows of cells the ratman leads Akiel past a few forks to a staircase. Five people wide the staircase descends downward into the darkness. Fiddling with the keys the ratman separates two from the ring and hands them to Akiel. “Take these and go to the bottom most floor, there should only be a handful of prisoners but be careful, some of them are there by choice. The green key is for their special gates and the blue is for their shackles. I’ll be heading to the other floors but keep in mind too many is also a bad thing.” with that the ratman disappears down the stairs.
Bounding down the stairs, only slightly slower than the ratman, Akiel passes floor after floor. Each one containing bigger and fewer cells. Finally, at the bottom of the staircase, Akiel reaches the last floor. Welcomed by an ominously luminescent green nine engraved on the landing. Akiel proceeds to the cells while sticking to the walls. Coming to the corner of the first cell he sees the inmate. Wrapped in glowing chains all originating from a core in his chest a human male is suspended in the middle of the room. Before Akiel could even call out to the man someone else started the conversation. “Oh boy, it took you forever to get here didn’t it. Yes, it did! Why don’t you free me first. Look up why don’t you. Yes, here I am. Right above you.” Looking up all Akiel could make out was another set of bars and complete darkness beyond. “You look confused don’t you. Yes, yes you do. Just throw those two keys up and out I will come.” the voice says again. “How do I know that you won’t kill me? I feel like this guy in the chains is more trustworthy.” Akiel refutes. “Oh boy! Oh boy! You distrust me don’t you. Yes. Yes, you do. Let me explain some things first. Everyone here knows your objective. We can hear all the way to the entrance of the prison, well everyone but the slug in the farthest cell. You forgot where you came didn’t you. Yes. Yes, you did. Everyone here has committed the worst crimes including the man in chains.” The voice said with a chuckle. “In fact, I believe his name is Cedric. Cedric the abandoned-” “Shut your mouth clown!” Ceric yelled, pulling against the chains binding him. “Yes, yes. I understand don’t I. Now boy, give me the keys and I shall set those I know best free.” the voice from above said. “Sadly the clowns right, he's the only one here that can move any limbs in this level. But that's only because he’s the weakest.”
Swallowing his nonexistent saliva Akiel throws the keys upward only to hit the bars and fall back down. “Oh boy. Oh boy. It seems like you think that I can grab the keys through the bars, don’t you. Yes-” “Oh my… Please stop talking. Kid, through the bars this time. His confinement is special, touching the bars will give him acidic burns.” the chained man moans. Focusing, Akiel jumps and throws the keys through the bars. He hears a raspy intake of breath and the sound of water evaporating. After a moment a subdued shriek tears through the floor transitioning into a laugh. “Oh yes. Oh boy. I’m free. You threw it too low didn’t you. Yes. Yes, you did but I still got it.” A soft click followed by another and various gears shifting sound out before silence dominates the air. “Hey, clown. That's enough, isn’t it? He doesn’t even notice you behind him just give it up already and let me out.” the man in chains mutters.
Akiel felt his nonexistent hair stand up as he whipped his head around. Nothing. There was absolutely nothing there, just the landing leading back upstairs.