“We have a massive problem…”
King Ver stood at his desk, addressing a series of screens. Normally he would arrange meetings in person with the leaders of the other members of the Reth-Vrekan Union, but considering what had just happened with the Reth- part of said union, Ver really didn’t want anyone to be traveling unnecessarily.
“No. This is a you problem…” one of the leaders, a bright yellow Banikan whose true size was obscured by the fact that they were on a video call and had a bad connection, growled.
“I disagree, this is all very much an everyone problem!” the black and yellow-armoured Kayel, All-Ksa of the Skyavok, immediately butted in. “We’ve got a god who has jumped in and completely fucked the most numerous species of our Union and he’s almost certainly going to come here and fuck us!”
“We will be fine…” the Banikan growled.
Kayel was obviously very stressed. In the background of his video call, Ver could see Kayel’s staff, trying to calm him down and failing. “No, Ef’Ta, we won’t be, because your beloved death god had a hand in the Reth-Vrekan union, mostly in the Skyan and Rethan parts of it, and that kind and caring deity has been replaced by a massive asshole who just murdered High General Rethais!”
“We don’t know-”
“Whether he is dead or not? Doesn’t matter! We got the Voidlord in charge now!”
“But didn’t you… worship the Voidlord?” Kindyna, the long, green-haired leader of the Ksithans, suddenly asked.
Kayel visibly shuddered. “Yep. Not any more. It’s been, what, a day? All our fricking churches shut down upon realizing that we had been worshiping a massive asshole all along and I’m just hoping we don’t get any backfires from that! The Voidlord might decide to attack us all as well!”
The other leaders all at least seemed to agree on that last statement, and began to discuss how they could defend themselves from a similar attack from the Voidlord and his mind-controlled Rethavok. All of them aside from Aesop, the Prime Minister of the Cassids. The Cassids were a strange, long, slender-necked offshoot of the Temthans and the other Temthaic races that normally worshiped the Allbirther. Aesop closed his eyes and shook his head, tutting.
“I don’t think the Voidlord will try to attack us the way He has taken over the Rethavok.”
“Why not?” Ver asked, drawing everyone’s attention to Aesop.
“He has what he wants. A race loyal to him. He did it via something that the Rethavok have that we don’t. Maybe it’s better to approach the Voidlord and… prove that we are also… loyal?”
“You suggest betrayal? You suggest treachery?” Ef’Ta snapped. “We worship the Thantophor! Not the External One!”
Aesop gasped. “No, no! You misunderstand! I am just saying that we be nice so the Voidlord doesn’t see us as a threat! We show an open hand! Prove that we have a use as we are! That we accept his control over the Rethavok!”
“I don’t accept it…” Kayel muttered. “I feel somewhat betrayed. Kinda grew up being told the Voidlord loved us as his favourite cute little species… But I… I think I understand what you mean? Just carry on as normal and, uh, show that we won’t attack back? Because, honestly, us Skyans are not getting in another war with the Rethans…”
“Maybe it would be better to just play it by ear…” Ver finally sighed. “We can sit here and guess what will happen all day, but no one knows for definite and we are in no shape to strike first.”
“So what DO we do?” Kindyna asked. “Just… twiddle our thumbs?”
Ver nodded. “Yes. We wait and take things slow, taking precautions if we can. In the mean time, we must carry on as normal, because we cannot react if we do not look after ourselves…”