“So, how are you all doing-”
Litvir paused mid-sentence, surveying his small team of Decaylings, who were all sitting on the benches in front of him. However, Litvir’s attention was drawn to Elkay, the largest of the Decaylings and the one Decayling that was the same species as Litvir was.
“Uh, Elkay, you appear to have grown.”
“Your observation skills are as keen as always, Litvir…” Elkay sighed, tugging on his metallic neck collar, which was now too tight for him.
“We have been here a week and you are now the same height I am…” Again, Litvir paused. “If you do not mind me asking, dear, is this because of your adaptation powers?”
“I do not know.”
“Is it bothering you?”
“Yes.”
“Very well,” Litvir did his best to be reassuring. “After this little meeting, come with me, we will see what we can do to give you some more control. Anyway, as I was saying, how are you all doing, my little Decaylings?”
The Decaylings all hesitated, not sure what to say or who should go first. Eventually, Tahvra raised his tiny hand.
“I’m bloody exhausted! I’ve been working with Kal and we’ve been doing non-stop bloody spore removals!”
“Do you need a break?” Litvir asked. While Litvir had admittedly been doing rather well since the Thantir had met up with the Phantai, he knew some of his Decaylings were struggling more than others. Hence why he was here. Retvik was supposed to have joined them, but he’d been dragged off into a meeting with Voidblade, one of the Phantai’s three leaders, who had been brimming with questions ever since they’d arrived.
Tahvra though didn’t answer straight away. “I mean, a break would be nice, but it’s also kinda fun. It’s nice being able to test out all the sedatives and stuff I can create, while also rooting through all these former deities’ memories!”
“Oh so it’s not just me that’s noticed that these Phantia have shit telepathic resistances?” Eksi grunted. “The only vok around here that seem to be properly shielded are the six idiots who kidnapped our Teekay, five of whom want to make up for lost time even though I’m not their old dead boyfriend…”
“I thought you were enjoying the attention?” Teekay, the actual Teekay (at least, the actual Thantir Teekay) grunted.
“I mean, yeah, sure, I am, it’s nice having five guys all willing to please me and do whatever I ask, but jeez, alternate universe you is clingy. At least one of them is vaguely sane. And I’ve been able to restock on some supplies since these Phantai guys are just giving us whatever we want.”
“What sort of supplies?” Litvir eyed Eksi. “You are not stealing anything, are you?”
“There is a large pile of swords, rifles, chocolates, plushies and rubbers in Eksi’s quarters that the alternate universe mes keep on giving him…” Teekay explained. “They’re fucking desperate. They were the smallest beings around here until we came along and they’re all the same person. Physically, all the Teekays kinda almost are Skyavok, and we are admittedly a rather horny species.”
A shadow loomed over the table. Galyn had arrived, holding a tray of food. “But if Loopblade are the same species as our old friend Arkay, why did he never show similar characteristics? Also, do you mind if I sit with you all?”
“Uh, why?” Elksia hissed slightly. “We’re having Thantir time with our boss!”
“Elksia, dear, Galyn is a member of the Thantir too!” Litvir reminded the Time Drake. “Yes, Galyn, you may, but we would appreciate you being quiet. And in answer to your question, Arkay and the six Teekays have existed under very different circumstances. You know just as well as I do what Kinisis did to him…” Litvir sighed, then turned back to his Decaylings. “How about the rest of you. Elksia, Phovos, how are you both doing?”
Elksia’s mood immediately perked up. “I’m doing fucking awesome! These guys, they just go around killing Voidborns? The bastards that tried to kill our universe? And I get to join in and kill them as well? While using my cool time powers? It’s everything I want!”
Akah and Elkay both seemed to agree.
“It’s not so bad now people have stopped calling me a Voidborn…” Akah smiled a little. “Us Lanex never had much love for the Lord of Nothing, or really any of the old gods, so a little bit of revenge is pretty sweet.”
Elkay didn’t smile, and clearly had a lot on his mind, despite agreeing with his fellow Decaylings. “These Voidborns though seem a lot weaker than Voidlord Kenon was though. Maybe we are just fighting grunts or something, but they are nothing like Ahkron, who tore through us with ease.”
“You do raise a good point, dear…” Litvir tutted. “Theocydes was far more troubling.”
“So was that unnamed Voidborn who mind-controlled Retvik, Elksia, Tenuk and Phovos briefly, before Phovos ripped its throat out with her teeth!” Eksi added.
Galyn raised his hand slightly, offering an answer. “Voidborn entities that strike out on their own are generally far more powerful than Voidborn entities that stick together. The Crystal Doom in particular generally use large numbers, hit-and-run tactics and general firing first and asking questions later in order to defeat their enemies, while the Golden Protectors would just force their way into universes, made demands, promise to leave peacefully then immediately break their promises and attack while a universe believed it was safe.”
“Why the fuck are they called the Golden Protectors then?” Tenuk piped up. “Hypocritical bunch of cunts, the lot of them.”
“Well, they were called the Golden Protectors. They are extinct now. And hypocrisy is a defining trait of a Voidborn,” Galyn dutifully explained. “It is that very hypocrisy that allows them to become powerful, flat out denying reality and forcing their own beliefs.”
“Wow. What a bunch of cunts…” Phovos muttered under her breath, the first time she had spoken in a while. “Nearly as bad as Life Goddesses.”
Litvir immediately turned his attention to Phovos. “Is something wrong, dear?”
Phovos glanced around, then lowered her voice further. “These Phantai worship Life Goddesses. I’m a Life Goddess. They’re starting to work that out, and I’ve been finding… offerings to me, outside my quarters. But I’m terrified that they’re going to learn that I can’t do fucking anything Life Goddess-y and they’ll get… angry…”
“Do you feel unsafe, Phovos?”
“Yeah.”
Litvir thought to himself for a moment, then turned back to Galyn. “Galyn, can you do me a favour? May Phovos accompany you for a bit, outside of her Decayling studies?”
“Of course, Litvir, but may I ask why? I am not exactly well-liked around here.”
Litvir tutted. “That is true, but now you have had the charges against you dropped, most vok around here see you as just another Phantai and mostly ignore you. I would ask Elkay, Akah or Elksia to act as bodyguards to Phovos but they would draw too much attention, Eksi, Teekay and Tahvra are nowhere near threatening enough and… well, I could ask Tenuk, but you weirdly have not been shapeshifting much and your default Kronospast form does not instil fear in any way…”
“Where have you been anyway? Tahvra has been working with Kal, Teekay and Eksi have been working with Loopblade, and Elkay, Elksia and I have been doing jobs alongside the Phantai lower ranks!” Akah interrupted. “You’ve just been… anywhere but here!”
Tenuk shrugged. “I’m trying to learn as much as possible about the Beh’evok as I can, so I can assimilate. I tried doing it with the Rethavok but failed, I was planning to try it with the Vrekans until the universe went kablooey, couldn’t do it on the Thantir Two because there weren’t enough individuals, but now I’m in a place where there’s lots of the same species, my stupid Kronospast brain is telling me I need to join them because there aren’t any Kronospasts left and this is the only way to further my kind.”
“Oh… sorry…” Akah apologised. “I guess we are all taking the extinction of our kinds differently.”
“You’re not to know, mate!” Tenuk smirked. “Plus, if you guys aren’t noticing my presence and neither are the Phantai, it means I’m doing something right. Plus, once I’ve set up a persona, I can help Galyn in protecting Phovos. If that’s alright with you, girl.”
Phovos perked up, ever so slightly. “I… uh… thanks…”
Litvir nodded in both agreement and appreciation. “In the mean time though, Galyn, would you be able to teach Phovos some of your horticultural skills? How hard is it to teach someone to create vines and plants like you can..?” Litvir paused. “Also, were you not a former god of war and death? Why DO you have plant and toxin powers?”
“And why can I permanently use your abilities?” Elkay added.
“Many of us gained different abilities after becoming Decaylings and Decay Lords. We have seen it here already, Teekay gained some electrical powers and Tahvra has created his own system of toxins and sedatives. Elkay though, I do not know why you seem to be able to permanently copy some other abilities, after all, you also seem to mimic both Phovos’s adaptation powers, Teekay’s lower level telepathic prowess and Retvik’s flameborn abilities as well.”
“Galyn, is it possible that Elkay is a mimic hybrid the same way Arkay is?” Litvir asked. “It would explain, well, a lot.”
“I doubt it, from what you have all told me, Elkay had mortal parents, yes?”
Elkay nodded hesitantly. “I did.”
However, much to Elkay’s concern, Litvir tutted. “Arkay claims that he had mortal parents as well, we now have evidence of that thanks to Eksi’s new friends, but Arkay is a mimic hybrid nonetheless.”
Galyn thought to himself, then shrugged. “Hmph. Either way, we would have to send a blood sample to Deathven to find out the complete truth. But yes, Litvir, I will try to teach Phovos a few things. Should not be too difficult, Phovos is talented, after all.”
“Wonderful!” Litvir clapped his hands together. “So, does anyone else have any questions or concerns they need addressing?”
The Decaylings all glanced at each other, then shook their heads. Galyn also shook his head.
“Very well. Keep up the good work, all of you. If things continue as they are, we should be able to get you ready for your Decay Lord Trials sooner rather than later. And once you have completed those, you shall be free to do as you please!” Litvir waved his hand dismissively. “I shall leave you all to it, so please, if you have any problems, I am available whenever. In the mean time, Elkay, please come with me, and we shall discuss a few things.”
Elkay got up and followed Litvir as he led him back down towards the dormitory areas.
“Litvir?” Elkay hesitated.
“Yes, dear?”
“Is being a mimic hybrid bad?”
Litvir didn’t respond instantly. “Not bad… just awkward. But you should be fine, you just need some more time to train yourself…”
“Is that all?”
“Mostly, yes. You have only been a Decayling, free from Kinisis’s influence, for not very long at all. With time and patience, you could become one of the most powerful Decay Lords here…”