The Lost King of Geraptiku: Part Six

     Donis growled at Vagio who took a step back.

     "Whoa now, Donis, don't get mad," Vagio chided. "The last thing I need is a disgruntled prisoner!"

     "Who are you calling stupid!" Donis said, a little too late.

     "You always were a bit slow," Vagio said, shaking his head.

     He then took a small bowl filled with what Donis could only guess was food, and shoved it through the bars. In the bowl was a dark grey sludge that smelled faintly of dung. Donis cringed and stared at the murky substance with disdain.

     "Here's your dinner!" Vagio said, cheerfully. "Enjoy!"

     The Lord then skipped down the hall and out of sight.

     "Wasn't that a nice visit," Donis hissed, picking up the bowl and beginning to eat.

     "I wouldn't eat that if I were you," Zar said, slithering over to him.

     "Why not?" Donis asked, his mouth full of the gruel.

     As Donis swallowed, his head swam and he immediately blacked out, landing on the bale of hay.

     "That's why," Zar said, rolling his eyes as Donis started to snore.

     ***

     "Sir Donis?"

     Donis stirred on the hay and opened an eye. There, on the other side of the bars, stood a small yellow Kacheek who looked to be very young. Donis yawned, sat up and looked at the Kacheek who extended his small paw through the bars.

     "What?" Donis asked staring at the paw.

     "Letter for you," the Kacheek said, opening his paw to reveal a pink envelope enclosed there.

     Donis took the envelope and thanked the Kacheek who, as soon as Donis grabbed the note, ran off down the darkened hall. Donis stared at the envelope and ripped the top off. Donis looked inside and didn't see anything, so he flipped the envelope upside down and shook it into his paw. A small golden key fell out and landed on his lap. Suddenly, Donis remembered his vision about the key that occurred inside the crystal ball at Torinia's house. He smiled and flipped the key over and over in his small blue paw.

     "The key was very easy to get," he whispered.

     "Oh?" Zar asked, slithering to his side.

     "It's the key out of here!" Donis exclaimed, grinning widely.

     "Really? How do you know?" Zar asked.

     Donis stopped smiling and stood up. He shrugged, then walked over the cell bars and peered around.

     "No one there," he said.

     Donis fumbled with the lock on the inside of the bars and, squeezing the key very tightly in his little paw, inserted it into the keyhole. The bars glowed red for a few seconds and then suddenly stopped.

     "What do you think?" Donis asked.

     Zar shrugged and said, "I don't know. Let me try something first though, ok?"

     Donis nodded and stood back from the bars as Zar slithered closer. Zar moved towards the bars just as he had done earlier, but this time, Zar was able to move straight through them and out into the hallway.

     "Amazing!" Donis exclaimed, "It must have been a spell from Torinia! I have to try that myself. Watch out, Zar! Here I come!"

     He grinned and pushed himself into the bars. They swung open with ease and soon Donis had joined Zar in the small dark hall. Suddenly, footsteps resounded from the staircase on the right, and Donis gasped.

     "Run!" Donis shouted to Zar in his mind.

     As he and Zar skidded down the long hall, a cold high laugh rang out the dungeons.

     "You can't run from me forever!" Vagio cried.

     Suddenly a huge ball of fire zoomed past Donis' head. Donis gasped and ran faster.

     "We can at least try!" he yelled to Vagio who began to run after them.

     ***

     After running through the dungeons for what seemed like days, Donis and Zar reached a long corridor with several different colored doors on either side. Donis stopped and leaned against a dark brown door, panting for breath. Zar peered around the corner, searching for Vagio.

     "I don't see him..." he said, slithering back to where Donis sat.

     Suddenly, Zar gasped and stared at the door behind Donis.

     "What?" Donis asked, slowly turning around.

     As Donis stared at the door, trying to figure out what Zar was gasping about, he gasped, suddenly remembering something very important.

     "It looks exactly like the door in my vision!" Donis exclaimed.

     "What do you think?" Zar asked, grinning.

     Suddenly, a clatter of footsteps came from the end of the hall, and Donis whipped around.

     "Oh no!" Donis said, spotting a flash of red.

     "Go!" Zar said, nudging Donis towards the door.

     Donis pulled on the small golden handle. A flood of red light clouded his vision, then the door slammed behind him and the light was gone.

     "It's an armory!" Zar said, staring around them.

     The room was an armory indeed. All along the walls were pieces of armor balanced precariously on top of small wooden shelves. There were shields of all sizes hanging on the wall behind him, and one giant glass case held an odd assortment of gruesome-looking weapons. In one corner was a shining silver sword. As Zar slithered to the other side of the room, Donis approached the sword, and gasped at what he saw.

     "It's my sword," he whispered, and indeed it was.

     The small sword had a golden hilt and was decorated with tiny sapphires that were arranged in the shape of a 'D'. Donis picked it up and slashed it threw the air. It shined a bright blue and Donis began to feel more powerful. Donis slashed it threw the air again, and this time a shower of water splashed onto the concrete floor.

     "What's going on?" Donis asked Zar who slithered up beside him.

     "It's a spell," Zar said, wide-eyed.

     "Correct as usual, Master Zar," a voice said behind them.

     Donis swung around, ready to attack, but smiled when he saw who is was.

     "Torinia!" he cried, "Thank goodness you're here!"

     "Shh! We must be quiet," she said, grabbing Donis close. "Hang on to me. We are getting out of here now, ok?"

     "What are you doing?" Donis asked as Torinia lifted her paw and said something in a language he could not understand. Suddenly, a pale white light surrounded them and Donis screamed as a sharp pain pulled at his side. Then, Donis felt himself falling through space and landed softly on a squishy chair in Torinia's living room as the sword clanged to the floor beside him.

     "What in Neopia was that?!?" he screamed, staring Torinia who was calmly smoothing her clothes.

     "I'm terribly sorry, but I didn't have time to warn you. We must hurry and get you to sleep, for you will need your strength tomorrow," she answered, walking to the kitchen and searching through the cupboards.

     "Why?" Donis asked, "What's going on tomorrow?" He glared at the Cybunny who jumped up from under one of the cupboards and ran back to the living room.

     "Ah-ha!" she said, holding a small golden vial.

     "Not another one," Donis said, shaking his head.

     "Drink," Torinia said, holding out the vial.

     "What is it for?" Donis asked, folding his arms.

     "It'll help you sleep," Torinia explained. "Now drink!"

     "No!" Donis answered. "I don't want to go to sleep, and I want to know what's going on!"

     Torinia sighed and approached Donis, saying, "I don't want to have to force you, but... " She raised her paw again, and Donis glared at her.

     "I don't have to sit here and be treated like-" Donis tried to get up from the chair but could not. It felt like invisible chains were holding him in place.

     "What did you do?" Donis said.

     "Drink," Torinia answered, pouring the golden liquid down Donis' throat.

     "I don't wanna... " Donis whispered, his head nodding to one side. As he slowly closed his eyes, Donis could feel himself falling asleep. Torinia smiled and threw a soft pink blanket over him.

     "Poor little lamb," she said, patting his head.

     ***

     In the morning, Donis woke with a start. He suddenly noticed that he was now in his room in Torinia's house instead of the living room where he last remembered being. As he stared around his room, all the memories of last night flooded over him. He suddenly felt a strong anger and hate for Torinia. He gritted his teeth and stared at Zar who sat at his feet.

     "Why did she have to do that? I had so many more questions to ask! Why does she always treat me like a child?" Donis asked, crossing his arms.

     "You had to sleep," Zar said.

     "Why? What's sooo important that I had to get to sleep so quickly?" Donis screamed, flailing his arms.

     "You had to be ready," Zar answered calmly.

     "Ready for what?" Donis asked, crossing his arms.

     "War."

To be continued...