“So let me get this straight. We came here to kill this slaver, free all these thropic demigods and then take that massive crystal up there?”
“Seems like it, Phovos…” Retvik grunted, tapping his long, flaming sword against the large, winged, multi-eyed creature that was lying lifeless on the ground in front of them, dressed up in white and gold crosses. “Is something amiss?”
Phovos turned around, looking at all the confused and dazzled beings behind her. The whole building was set up like a bewildering cross between a church, an amphitheatre and a large, brightly lit up stage.
“These thropes don’t seem too pleased.”
Elksi nodded in partial agreement. “They look confused. But also tired. With a hint of anger.”
“That’s because they are…” Tenuk lowered his voice. “We do not seem friendly or at all reassuring. And we just killed a giant monster that had been hypnotizing these poor bastards.”
“What do we do then?” Phovos asked.
With a groan from Tenuk, the team swapped to their telepathic network, making them appear silent. He then hinted for the others to leave the stage and return to the shadows.
“They need to be reprogrammed…” Tenuk sighed.
“Ahh… Do you want us to-”
“Yes, please.”
As the others dipped out of sight, Tenuk snapped his fingers, summoning a small cloud. Within it, he began to change his appearance. His armour faded away, and his reptilian features slowly turned thropic. Tenuk was changing himself in order to appear more like the confused victims they had just saved. Standing up straight, Tenuk then began to speak to the crowd.
“Hello, please excuse my rather… exotic friends. They don’t understand what it’s like to be a human demigod. Not like us. I know that what just happened was messy and confusing, but it is our duty to save enslaved and mind-controlled entities. Unfortunately, your leader was what we call a Voidborn, which exist solely to control and manipulate the innocent. Beings just like you.”
The crowd of humans hardly moved, fidgeting nervously, as if they had just woken up from a dream.
“Much to my regret, things will be a bit difficult for you. As you were under heavy hypnosis, essentially enslaved, there will be a lot of confusion. It will take time to free your minds truly. For that reason, we have summoned a special team that will be here shortly, to help you all move on and build your own lives, free from the Voidborn cult that sought to use you as slaves.”
Despite Tenuk’s reassuring words, none of the beings in the room said anything, and instead glanced at each other. They were quickly beginning to realize that they lacked the ability to speak.
“I know things are difficult right now. Voidborn control runs deep, and this one in particular kept you all mute, so you couldn’t fight back. The special team that is coming will-”
Tenuk paused.
“Help is here,” Phovos telepathically whispered. “They are outside with ships, all waiting.”
“Thank you…” Tenuk muttered, before continuing his speech. “It turns out that the Cultic Elimination Squad have just arrived, and will be in here shortly. The team will take you to a safe hub, remove any lingering mind control, then allow you to live your demi-deiton lives properly and freely.”
At the back of the room, a large door opened, flooding the floor with light. Standing in the doorway were five truly thropic Decay Lords, ready to go.
“Hello, everyone!” one of the thropes announced. “Please, one row at a time, come with us, and we’ll get you all to safety.”
Upon seeing beings that looked more like them, the audience slowly got up and began to file out of the room in two rows.
“Good luck to you all!” Tenuk waved. “You will be safe now.”
Behind Tenuk, Elksi reappeared, without her heavy armour on. “These ones are very lucky.”
“They are…” Tenuk frowned. “We managed to get to them quickly. Goodness knows what would have happened had that Voidborn been here longer.”
“It’s dead now, and they are free!” Elksi smiled. “But I think we all need a break. To head back home. Especially Now. Since we gave up on that massive slime thing. And did this instead.”
Tenuk nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. Let’s go home…”