Formicea

 

Just focusing on the way forward the creatures move on.
I sob the whole time, feeling pure dread at the thought of what is going to happen to me.
They transport me in perfect unison at a fast pace not loosening their grip even once, clenching my body.
The pain is tolerable, nonetheless, it hurts and I cease my pointless struggle.

The tunnels we traverse are spacious, as they must have been big enough for the giants to pass them.
The creatures move me further and further through the dark.
At this point, I only whimper and quiver in fear, unable to free myself.
I am aware that we are descending very deep below, while also moving constantly in the same direction.

At one point the earthen tunnels, which were nearly perfectly round are replaced with something different.
It looks still a bit like earth, yet it seems to be harder and at the same time like coated in some kind of applicant.
I only notice because of some light from occasional glowing stones and luminescent mushrooms.
There were many passages in other directions, so this network must be vast.

 

They travel for hours with me, but at one point the tunnel opens.
It is still very dark, so I can't see much but I notice the clicking sounds.
The insects must be everywhere around me.
They grow more frequent and intense and I realize that I cannot fathom the numbers.

We traverse many halls and passages and eventually pass a giant gateway.
I am so scared that I cannot get any word out by now.
Not that I assume I would be understood.

Finally, those creatures are coming to a stop in a vast open space.
In front of me, I see many of those giants, blocking a huge gateway.
The creatures which carry me scramble to them and stop.

 

"Scriak!" (carrier)

"Scruuk!" (giant)

 

After a short moment, the giants give way.
The insects delve with me in there.
And dump me down.

They just leave me like this?

 

As fast as possible I want to get this rope off and work as hasty I can on the knot on my feet.
Then I open the one at my hands with my teeth.
I notice my clothes got rather torn at the rough treatment I experienced.
I am free now, but let's be honest, how should I have a chance to get out of this?

 

"Shuuuuooooohhhh"

 

What was that?
I look around, but cannot spot anything in this darkness.

 

"Shooooooohhhh"

 

Again!
What was that?

It sounds like the wind is blowing.
Or as if air is escaping some kind of machine.
I follow that sound and think I find a shape in this darkness.
It is huge. Like really huge.
Not giant huge, but more.
Much more.

And then this structure moves.
Bends down.
Lowers to the ground and I see...

Titan!

 

"Aghck!" (E)

 

This creature is like a giant for giants.
A black figure which towers so high that I cannot see its top.
And it stands directly in front of me.
Abruptly the head of that thing lowers down.
It is some kind of oval with mandibles.
My head would easily fit in the hole in its center.

 

"Shuuuuuhhhh"

 

It is the inhaling of that thing that makes this sound.
Was I brought here to be fodder for this monstrosity?

It comes so close.
The heat of its breath envelopes me and I grow nauseous at the gas.
It did not smell, it simply was nothing you should breathe in.

I see eight appendages, four at least for walking two more used in a mix, and a long tail.
It pokes me slowly with one of its claws, sending me to the ground.
Not very difficult as I've lost all feeling in my legs.

 

"Please, at least kill me fast." (E)

 

I just don't want to suffer for long and plea at this creature, unable to get up from my knees.
I think saliva hits my head yet this thing promptly moves away.
Then it seems to look at me.
Measuring.

After a moment it appears to be done and draws back.
Utterly overwhelmed I can just stare.

Abruptly the tail flings out from past that thing, rushes through its legs, and like this I get pierced.
It directly hit my navel and hurts like hell.

 

"Aaahh! Aggaahk! A-at least... it ends now." (E)

 

The next moment I feel how something is released at the point the tail enters.
It seems like overkill to me that I get poisoned by something this big.

However, I still don't drop dead.
Why is there no release?

The tail extracts again and I am not bleeding as much as I thought.
Instead, some violet liquid escapes my navel.
Yet it seems the wound closes fast and the dripping stops.
Nonetheless, in seconds my head gets dim and I fall down.

 

             

 

When I regain consciousness my mind is completely hazy.

 

I feel terrible.

This is a bad sign.
It means I am either in hell, without having done much to earn this or that I'm still alive.
My eyes burn, like with the hardest fever one can imagine, but much more.
And while we are at it, I'm feverish.

Just then I notice that I'm fixated in some greasy hardened stuff.
The next I perceive is a heavy stomach ache, followed by a strain in my hip and an extreme itch on my back.
In addition, my hair got greasy.
Also, my whole body is tense.
Every single muscle feels sore and my skin prickles.
This way the fixation is no real problem, as all it does hinder are regularly coming cramps.
According to the remains in front me, I threw up while I was out.
That would explain this terrible taste in my mouth, if not completely.
Not surprising with the way my stomach stirs.

The pain is close to unbearable and in the end, I am unable to withstand it.
Like this, I pass out again.

 

I dwell for some time between a half-aware state and unconsciousness.
After a while, there is just sleep.
I gain a bit of consciousness when two of those smaller insects who brought me here are taking me out of this greasy substance.

 

<Creak!/Take!>

<Scree!/Forward!>

 

What?
That must have been my imagination.
Those things cannot speak, only weird clicking sounds.

They are carrying me.
Yet with a strange sense of caution that wasn't present when I was initially brought here.
Soon we arrive at another opening, but my mind drifts slowly away and I fall asleep.

 

<Screoh!/Princess!>