Sci Fi Flash Fiction: Amott’s Hearth (Bargain)

The 14th entry in the Sci Fi Flash Fiction series Amott’s Hearth, we get a new bone tossed out to entice Craig and yourself in at least making it to the midway point in this series. If I bundled this together (and sewed it together with notes or whatever), do you think you would be interested? Let me know, either in the comments below or through e-mail. Thanks!

Craig stumbled back to the benches and waited as the speakers around him buzzed and the gate slammed shut. He winched in pain as he leaned forward and spat blood on the ground. As he wiped his mouth, he looked at his hand to see the Nano-suit adjust to the injury and start to fix him. They writhed on his body, feeling as though they were a colony of ants running across his skin. He giggled. As he leaned back, he could feel the grip on his mind release as Tiamat returned to her spot in his mind. “You did well kid. I’ll give you that. You took that pounding like a champ. I would have thought your arm was gone for. These Nano critters know what they are doing.”

“You could have told me you were fading when that large cat’s knee slammed into my gut. I don’t think I’ll be able to breathe right for the next few days.” Craig said.

“Don’t worry. The Nanos will take care of it. I have to rest, that last fight really took a lot out of me.”

Craig pressed his head against the cold metal wall behind him and waited as the suit took over repairing his body. He lifted his arms once more to see the last specks stop writhing and return to their proper place in the suit. He drew in a deep breath and felt free from the pain that caused him to spasm. If it weren’t for Tiamat taking a moment to build her power and break the cat’s jaw with brute force, he was certain he would have suffered more than a punctured lung.

His eyes drifted from his hand to the monitor where he watched it flicker to life. He saw the results scrolling across the bottom, showing his name as the victor in the latest battle. He shook his head and chuckled as he closed his eyes and placed his fingers on his temples. “I wonder how much they know about my connection with Tiamat? If they knew she did all my fighting, I think they would remove me for the tourney and kill me at first light.”

The screen switched from a blank feed to the lizard eyes and snout of Herald. The lizard man waited for Craig to open his eyes. When Craig looked as though he were sleeping, Herald cleared his throat and spoke with a sharp tone to draw his attention. “Craig T. Amott, are you awake?”

“I heard you clearing your throat the first time. What do you want? Where is that robotic bitch that got me into this mess in the first place?” Craig’s eyes shot wide as he clamped his hands over his mouth. He looked away as the color flooded his cheeks, trying to hide his embarrassment from lizard eyes.

“The ‘bitch’ is away dealing with matters not worth our time or understanding. All you must know is that you are in a good position to win the gladiatorial challenge and be named a hero.”

Craig turned his head and stood from the bench. He felt his legs wobble for a moment, but the Nano-tech suit kept his legs strong and working. He shook his head and sighed as he watched the golden eyes looking back at him. “You don’t sound too confident in my skills, Herald. You were the one who kept calling me hero when you woke me up from my nap. You were the one who pinned your dreams on my pacifist ass and wanted me to slay your god. Do I have to remind you about the drinks that night?”

“You do not have to remind me. I know everything that has happened in the past few days very well. You should understand this is out of your control and do as you are told because it suits you. I know, deep inside you, there is a hero waiting to take the banner and lead the people in the upcoming war. We need someone like you to lead. The people love you. They chant your name when you walk out. They buy memorabilia to honor your acts, and they demand more of you than to be a death jockey.” Herald replied.

Craig held his hands palm out as he shook his head in despair. “Wait for a moment, you never said anything about a war. You kept saying I would take over for your god. Even he knows you are serving the Collective along with your robot cohort pretending to be his daughter.”

Herald smiled, revealing large pointed teeth that hadn’t been cleaned in what appeared to be ages. Large yellow stains mixed with dried blood as he picked a chunk of meat from his gums before he continued with the conversation. “Of course we serve the Collective, but it isn’t for the reason you think. We know the God will die; we have accepted it and will do what we can to assure he meets his fate. However, we are not partial to living under Collective rule nor are we so subservient that we would hand our lands to them and step aside as they burn it to the ground. No, the people need you. They must see you standing at the front, waving the red scaled banner over your head and leading them to victory. We will be by your side, assisting you.”

“What makes you think I would be interested in your help? Why would you think I would accept you, even if I did ascend to the throne?”

Herald’s smile widened as he looked over his shoulder. He moved the camera until his face was shrouded in darkness, and his voice was a harsh whisper almost lost to the roar of the crowd in the stadium. “You have no better option, Craig T. Amott. We are the ones who can save this universe. We are the ones who can send you home.”