Two men in white cloaks had Amneris pinned to a wall. She struggled against them, trying to get free. She couldn’t. Something was wrong. She was weak. Her strength was completely gone. Wherever she was, she had no access to her power nor her strength. Even so, she continued to fight.

A strong shove sent them scrambling back. Amneris ran for what looked like the door of whatever room she was in. The room itself was such a bright white that she couldn’t be sure.

Arms wrapped around her waist forcing her to a stop. Amneris pounded against whoever had grabbed her but their grip remained strong. It became even stronger when the person lifted her off her feet and carried her across the room, ignoring the pounding of her fists and her cries. Amneris was all but thrown onto a bed and held down. A kick behind the person’s knees was all it took for her to escape, rolling off the bed and running for the door once again.

The two men in long white cloaked lashed out, trying to grab her.

She ducked the first’s hand, pinning him against the wall and locking his arm behind him. The second man backed down, placing the sharp-looking silver object in his hand on the floor. He called her by a name, trying to talk her down so she would let go of his partner. The name was one she did not recognise. It was not her own.

Amneris was surprised enough that she loosened her grip on the man she was holding. He took the opportunity, pinning her to the wall, the other man – one not in a cloak who she had kicked earlier – helping. The third man who had backed down grabbed the silver object ran to her side, telling the others to hold her as still as possible.

A sharp pain appeared in her arm. She looked down, seeing a needle being pushed through her skin. She cried out. It hurt way more than expected. Amneris was no longer used to feeling the pain of small things. It was something she hadn’t felt in the last five thousand years. She had been mortal the last time something like a needle was able to hurt her.

Arms raised over her head, Amneris slid to the floor. She curled into a ball, shaking, some distant part of her thinking it would make the nightmare vanish.

“You’re gonna be okay.”

Amneris lifted her head as hands rested on her shoulders. One of the men was kneeling in front of her. It was the one she’d kicked minutes ago. Hours ago. Some time in the past.

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“You’re here now,” he told her, stroking her head soothingly. “Everything is all right.”

She could hardly see him now, her vision beginning to fail as darkness appeared in the corners. She managed to find her voice. It was small, quiet, and probably as weak as she was. “Where am I?”

The man seemed surprised she spoke. “You’re in hospital,” he said. “You’ve been here for over six months now.”

Hospital? “N-no,” she managed to say. “No, this isn’t real. It can’t be real.” Amneris tried to push the boy away but he would not let her. She was becoming weaker with each breath, her mind dizzy. “I – I have to get back. They need me. They need me to stop her before she . . .” her voice trailed off. “Before she . . .”

“Destroys the world?” the man finished. “Something about getting a bunch of items before a woman called Tara can get a bad man out of jail, right?”

“You know?”

He gave her a soft smile. “You talk in your sleep sometimes.”

“Sleep?”

Looking past the man, Amneris saw the small bed. It did not look very comfortable, especially with the leather straps. She looked down, noticing the red marks on her wrists and ankles for the first time. Had she been tied down?

The man said she’d been here for over six months, wherever here was. Amneris looked between the bed and her wrists again. They were aching enough for her mind to start questioning if he was telling the truth. If so, did that mean her world was a dream? A nightmare? Was this . . . real?

“What’s the deal with those items?” The man seemed to be talking to himself now. Still, she listened. She couldn’t help but listen. “Where are they even kept?”

That caught Amneris’ attention.

She shoved the man away, dashing to the other side of the room, trying to work through her head’s spinning. “You’re with them!” Amneris spat. “This – this isn’t real. You want to take the items from me and are messing with my mind!”

She had to get out. It had to be a mind spell, something messing with her enough that it felt real. She started bashing against the walls, trying to break through with the strength she no longer had. The man made to grab her. She ducked to the other side of the room, smashing her shoulder against one wall.

“I won’t tell you!” she screamed, hands and shoulder bleeding crimson instead of gold.

“She’s doing it again!” the man yelled.

The two in white cloaks dashed into the room, trying to talk her down. Amneris refused to listen, screaming to drown out their voices, her bleeding hands over ears.

This time, the three were able to hold her down and reach for the needle. They were going to sedate her. She didn’t know what they would do afterwards, what they had already done. Her strength and power gone, she had no way to stop them. The needle was plunged into her arm despite her screaming, her pleading, her begging.

Spots danced in Amneris’ vision. She fell to her hands and knees, trying to shake the weakness off. The man who had spoken with her caught her before she hit the floor headfirst. No no no no no no no no. He kept a firm hold of her as she fell into darkness.