Sparks and static bounced across the ship as the three Decay Lords dashed around, both trying to keep the integrity of their ship secure and attempting to contain the strange being that was attempting to take over. While Vikalos rushed about, filling holes with his omnipurpose ship repair tool, Galyn and Itaviir were duking it out with a vicious Life Goddess who had managed to break in via the ship’s communication array.
The words “You should have stayed away!” echoed down the corridor as the Life Goddess snaked around, clawing marks in the doorways and scraping paint off the walls. “This does not concern you!”
“It very well does concern us!” Itaviir snarled as he fired blasts of dark energy towards the Life Goddess. Unlike Life Goddess, the Decay Lords were attempting to contain the creature, not commit unnecessary murder. “You know that hijacking the Guardians of other Life Goddesses is illegal and frowned upon by pretty much everyone!”
More screeches emanated from a nearby room. One of Itaviir’s energy blasts had connected, if only briefly. He fired some more dark energy, and Galyn followed that up with a blast of little black daggers. The Life Goddess screamed, throwing herself at the room, claws open and ready to splay the Decay Lords.
“IT DOES NOT CONCERN YOU! THEY ARE MINE NOW! I OWN THEM. NOT HER!”
Galyn grunted as he pulled Itaviir out of the way of the flailing Life Goddess. He knew the Life Goddess would happily kill them if she needed to, but the way she was going from room to room suggested she was looking for something.
“Vikalos? Is Kairos secure?”
A heavy ball of plastic and glue ricocheted down the corridor, bouncing off the Life Goddess’s head. Vikalos reloaded his repair tool, growling.
“Of course he is!” Vikalos shouted, firing more shots. “That was the first void-damned thing I did!”
The Life Goddess screeched some more, turning herself into a serpent and throwing herself in Vikalos’s direction, before abruptly disappearing in one of the nearby rooms. It took a moment for the Decay Lords to realize where she had gone.
“Did she…”
“What just…”
Galyn pushed both Vikalos and Itaviir aside, peering into the Life Goddess’s hiding place. Shining a small beam of light into the room, Galyn spotted the serpent slithering around, sucking on the blanket, wrapping herself up in its scent. Galyn immediately retaliated by leaping into the room, grabbing the snake with his bare hands.
“REMOVE YOUR HANDS FROM THE BODY OF VIIA, VILE MONSTER!” the Life Goddess shrieked as she exploded back into her normal form, crushing Galyn and throwing herself through the wall, tearing through the plating and shielding that protected the inside of the ship from the void outside. She didn’t quite make her escape though, as Vikalos grabbed the Life Goddess by the tail, and, not really sure what else to do, took a massive bite out of it.
Rather than retaliate in panic and pain, the Life Goddess froze, shocked by what had just happened.
“Did you just bite me?”
“I did, yes…” Vikalos stuttered.
“You stupid animal.”
A second stutter from Vikalos was enough of a distraction. The Life Goddess snarled, then shrunk herself down, slipping through the gaps in the wall, escaping out into the void.
Confused, the three Decay Lords shook their heads, trying to work out what had just happened.
“Alright, you two!” Itaviir suddenly snapped to attention. “Firstly, did you just bite her, Vikalos? Secondly, what is actually going on? That Life Goddess wanted to attack Seimeni and Kairos, and has turned tail! We need to go after her.”
Vikalos frowned. “I assume I shall stay here and repair the ship, while you two prepare the ramsleds?”
“Indeed!” Itaviir puffed up, checking his weapon and storming out of the room. “We need to stop this Life Goddess before she kills someone.”
After another brief moment of confusion, Galyn grunted, then reached for his communicator.
“Decaylings, you have incoming. The Life Goddess is homing in on Deathbringer’s position right now…”