Retvik grunted to himself as he sat on the pier on his own, looking over the small lake on Savepoint, somewhat lost in his own thoughts. While he hadn’t specifically asked to be left alone, the older members of the Thantir regularly knew to leave Retvik to his own devices whenever he sat down in what Litvir called “the sad spot”. Clearly though, the younger members of the Thantir, the new Decaylings, didn’t know that, as Retvik heard somewhat heavy footsteps plodding behind him.
“Hello, Kyr Retvik, are you well?”
Ret was… a newer version of Retvik, basically. A new Retvik from a new universe. But he wasn’t an identical twin or anything. He’d lived a very different life. And he was more… gentle and open than Retvik was. To the point that he was happy to let people call him “Ret” instead of “Retvik”, and even tolerated cutesy nicknames. Both Elksia and her new-universe counterpart Nyssi called Ret “Retty” sometimes and he was fine with that.
“Hmph. I am fine.”
“I hate to be blunt, but you do not seem fine. Nyssi and Talok both suggested that something is wrong and that someone come and speak to you.”
Retvik tutted, then turned around to face Ret. “And you offered yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Ret shrugged. “I spent most of my life sad and alone. I try to make sure others do not end up the same way. You are sad and alone right now, I wish to at least offer a distraction.”
Another grunt. But Retvik did relent and allowed Ret to approach and join him on the pier. “That is… oddly kind of you. It is strange how, outside of our name, we are very different beings.”
“The path not taken, I guess?” Ret asked. “I do not understand the time stuff that Thassalin talks about, but I have wondered how things would have been if I… had been selfish that day.”
“What do you mean?”
Ret hesitated, then sat down next to Retvik. “I should have been the Bearer. I was the oldest. By about five minutes. I gave that up so that Relkir would not be executed. Relkir went on to run Rethais’s campaign, and Rethais was elected High General, beating out someone who was going insane with power…” Ret suddenly paused. “My… promise to my little sibling literally changed history…”
“We are beings tied to a death god. That alone tends to alter history.”
“I only really met Arkay about a year ago. The four of us did. I think Arkay only really… rediscovered all this… outside stuff after he accidentally rendered us immortal. Before then, I believed my fate had been decided by the Lady of Light, like most Rethans believed. Except it turned out that the Lady of Love, Allbirther Sini, had been keeping an eye on me the entire time.”
“Sini was aware of our previous universe, and she was… rather interested in both me, Elkay and attempts to make the perfect Rethan overall. I assume she wanted to continue what she could not finish in the past, via you.”
“I guess…” Ret frowned. “Still, the path not travelled often bothers me. I ended up being a pretty damn good gladiator. But you… you were a famous General. From a young age. And it seems Kyr Elkay was as well.”
Retvik grunted. “I was stripped of my rank.”
“Because of things outside of your control. At least, that is what Kuta told me. You spent most of your life as a Below Three Hundred General and a few months as a Captain in a Below Twenty Legion. I spent most of my life exiled and legion-less, shunned by other Rethans. I only became known as a hero after that strange, white monster attacked, infected the Whenvern and stabbed the Lady of Light in the chest…”
Ret sighed. Retvik sighed too.
“You are lonely.”
“Actually, for once, I am not lonely. Although you, Litvir and Kyr Elkay are old-universe Rethavok, I actually feel I fit in better among you lot than I did back at home. And that bothers me a little bit.”
“How comes?”
“Is it not weird to not fit in with anyone from your own species?” Ret tutted. “I mean… I am 52 years old and I broke my female side last year, and in my entire life, I have been in two relationships, one of which I was mostly in because I cared deeply for their three kids more than them…” Ret trailed off again. “Hmph. I do not know why I am complaining. It does not matter any more. And I apologise, I came here to try and cheer you up and started going on about myself. I can be quite selfish like that at times.”
Retvik frowned, then shrugged. “It is fine. I do the exact same thing. And, admittedly, I am just grumpy right now because Litvir and Arkay are both busy. Trying to get both of them to join me so we can do things together is like herding cats.”
Ret glanced at Retvik. “Did you have fluffy kitties where you lived?”
“Why do you call them fluffy kitties?”
“That is what all Rethans call them. Or most. Litvir calls them fluffy kitties too.”
Retvik thought for a moment. “That… makes sense. Cats, or, rather, the fluffy kitties you are referring to, didn’t really live in Rethan territories. We had Gats on Portalia, which were both furry and scaled, Saurii on the Rethan home worlds, which were Panvoikaic beings, and Meowtans everywhere else, which were like Gats but completely reptilian. Rather ironically, Litvir only saw a, as you call it, fluffy kitty for the first time last year-string. Which, at the same time, is why Arkay is messing around with the shapeshifting stuff.”
“Huh… Wait, why is Arkay doing the shapeshifting stuff specifically as a fluffy kitty?” Ret asked. “Yes, he used to be a fluffy kitty a lot when he was supposed to be ‘cold’, but I do not get why they are doing it now.”
“The fluffy kitty Litvir met was a Decay Lord called Orion. Orion and his two companions are highly ranked Decay Lords, and they are coming to visit. So Arkay wished to surprise them by being a fluffy kitty.”
“Ohhh…” Ret smiled. “That is funny. Although I am surprised that both the Raptor and her less furry Life Goddess counterpart can also shapeshift. Also, I am pretty sure that Kyr Elkay keeps himself somewhat shapeshifted all the time.”
“Yes… wait, what do you mean by that?”
“Kyr Elkay looks more like Arkay when he is not intentionally making himself more Rethan-like.”
“How… do you know?”
Ret shrugged. “I do not know how I know. Tenuk knows a shapeshifted form instinctually, but Nyssi, Kayel and I all noticed it too.”
“Hm… I will have a chat about Elkay about that then. After he is done with his shapeshifting lessons. Thank you for informing me.”
More shrugs. “You are welcome, I guess?” Ret suddenly paused and turned around.”Oh, hello, Arkay! Kyr Retvik here wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Heya!” Arkay beamed. “Glad to see you two getting along! What’s up, babe?”
“It is something private… Something I wish to discuss with both you and Litvir.”
“Yeah, sure, no worries! Ret, you have a lesson with Galyn and the Decaylings now. And I think it involves ships.”
Ret smiled as he got up. “Very well. Thank you for the conversation, Kyr Retvik. See you later, Arkay!”
“See ya!” Arkay waited until Ret was out of earshot, then sat himself down next to Retvik. “So, babe, Retvik, what’s wrong?”
Retvik thought for a moment, then smiled and put his arm around Arkay, pulling him into a hug. “Right now? Nothing.”