Empyrean Iris Story Collection Vol. 3

Throne

"Your glory, the Adrenaline was...... meant for human use only, and in large quantities even they consider it poisonous. The amount that you have been consuming is.... Ill advised."

The Celzex cringed down as if he expected to get struck down for even suggesting such a thing.

Lord Celex simply looked at him contemplatively his body still thrumming with the power of the adrenaline. Could he give this up? The feeling of power, the feeling of superiority over the others? How could he give up the thing that made him powerful enough to destroy an entire room full of his enemies with his bare hands.

It just didn't seem to be an option.

How could it be that something so useful could be killing him?

He had been reluctant to accept the symptoms when they first appeared, blackening vision, a racing heart, pains and aches and difficulty breathing, but when it finally became too much it seemed that only the drug made him feel better, but as it seemed the drug was killing him.

"how long?"

"If you do not stop, any time in theory. Within the month for sure."

As if in response, his heart seemed to skip a beat, and he grimaced at the feeling

"Were I to give it up at this moment, how long would it take to recover?"

"Perhaps never my lord."

That got his attention and he turned in shock to his advisor, who was now standing at the side of the throne. He was no longer cowering, but neither was he particularly bold as he stood there looking at the floor.

"What do you mean!" He demanded.

"The adrenaline has weakened your heart my lord. If you were to stop now, there is no guarantee that the organ could repair itself."

There was no discussion of treatment.

The Celzex didn't treat wounds, you either lived or you didn't, that was just the way of things, and there were so many Celzex already that no one generally tended to bat an eye if you up and died. Lord Celzex looked down at the throne room floor. He had worked very hard to set himself apart from the millions of others of his kind, trillions of others that looked and thought similarly to him. All his life he had fought for a place on this throne, and now he was going to lose it.

Why?

Because he was going to die!

No, that wasn't an option.

He could quit the drug. With his enemies gone, he didn't need it anymore. He could go back to his old life just as strong as he was, and no one would be the wiser.

He nodded his head once, "Very well."

Clearly a dismissal, the Celzex hurried away and out the back door leaving Lord Celex to sit by himself and brood. He did not call for the others when his dose ran out, he felt it as the slowing of his body, the loss of energy as he slumped upon his throne. his eyes began to darken, he felt slow and sluggish, as weak as a friz-stem in a high breeze. His breathing came heavy as he leaned against the back of his throne, ears back body trembling eyes closed.

He groaned in soft pain knowing that no one could hear him, accept for the bodies on the floor.

The sun drew away from his throne leaving him to sit in darkness as the light died.

The longer he went, the more the ach grew up in his body, the more it hurt, the more he trembled in pain. He wanted the drug, he needed it, he..... he was in so much pain. It was hard to think of anything else but the pain as he sat. he was about ready to call out for the suppliers when something cold and sharp pressed against his back from behind.