Rethais was late for work. He was almost never late for work, but today was an exception. Thankfully, Rethais had called ahead of time, informing his colleagues that he needed to drop someone off at the nearby port, but, weirdly, he’d never gotten a response.
As Rethais arrived at work, he realised why. There was no one around. At all. The entrance ways were barren, the halls were empty, the offices desolate. The only evidence that people had even been here was a single note on the door to Rethais’s office, saying that “the boss had sent everyone home”.
Utterly confused and somewhat suspicious, Rethais decided to go and find the boss. After all, his boss was High General Kenon, the leader of the Rethavok. And also the Dark Lord Kenon, God of the Void. Yes, the Rethavok were ruled by an actual deity, and somehow none of them really found it that strange. Well, Rethais had found it all very… worrying, but he was old news these days.
Luckily, the High General’s office was very easy to find. All you had to do was go through the throne room, head up a flight of stairs and follow the gold statues all the way to the gold and silver elevator, which would lead directly to the office. Which was filled with even more gold.
Worryingly, the door, with its heavy, gold-laced handles, was wide open. Inside, the High General was sitting in a luxurious red velvet chair, staring out the window.
Not wanting to be rude, Rethais knocked on the door. Immediately, Kenon sat up and turned to the source of the sound.
“Hello, Rethais. You were supposed to go home alongside everyone else.”
“I, uh, arrived late.”
Kenon grunted. “It is amusing how all these powerful little beings make their way to you. First Trismit, then the Last of the Dessaron. Who next, I wonder?”
Rethais didn’t respond. Hopefully, no one, was Rethais’s honest opinion. “May I ask, High General, why you sent everyone home? Again?”
The Void Lord muttered something, then turned back to the window, not answering at first. Rethais took this as permission to enter and stepped into the office, slowly making his way over to the carved wooden and bone desk, embedded with gold leaf and precious gems. Rethais liked gold as much as any other Rethan, but the Void Lord’s choice of decor was a little too much. Not that he’d ever say it out loud.
“Well…” Kenon started, but trailed off. There was… actual emotion in that single word. He glanced out of the window once again, before facing Rethais properly. “Would it be a surprise for you to learn that I have family?”
“Outside of the… other deities?” Rethais asked.
“Yes. I have blood-family as well as adopted family. Unfortunately… well, none of that family is truly permanent.”
“You lost someone.”
“Yes.”
“I am sorry…”
Kenon tutted. “It was sudden. No way to visit, as we were universes apart. I wanted some peace and quiet, so I sent everyone home.”
“Do you… want to talk?”
The High General looked Rethais up and down, then frowned. “No. I do not. I want to think. And I want to make… some changes.”
“W-what sort of changes?” Rethais was now even more worried. Any time Kenon had mentioned changes in the past… well, that could have meant anything. Kenon picked up on this concern, and continued to sigh.
“Please do not pull that face of yours, Rethais.”
“Sorry, High General, but, well, your changes are rather… unusual.”
Kenon leaned on his desk, still sighing. “Little one, I need you to understand something that I have only recently come to realise. My blood-family informed me of the one we lost. The best and brightest of our family. The only one who, to put it nicely, had genuine empathy for all. And I now realise that perhaps us Void Lords should be more empathetic and sympathetic. We have vast power but we use it selfishly.”
“I… I do not follow.”
“Little Rethais, you once asked me why I did not use my godly powers to make everything into a paradise. I gave you some rather… half-baked answers. I gave you excuses.”
“So…” Rethais hesitated. “You are… going to make a… a paradise?”
“Yes.”
“Oh. Alright…” Rethais wasn’t sure what to think. “Is that why you sent everyone home?”
“Indeed. You should leave too. I have a lot of… planning to do.”
Rethais bowed slightly, still confused, then began to back out of the room. “Of course, ser. I am sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you…” Kenon frowned, as the door gently closed behind him.