Phoviverse MK3

Dates and Times

The current date matches that of the current Thrope date, with Thrope year 0 AD/BCE matching the Phoviverse year 0 CE. CE stands for Current Era, signifying a new start after the destruction caused by the Great Corruption. Sometimes the term PDW (Post Destructive War) is used, mostly by Skyavok,...Read More »

Economy

Default currency is the Evra, founded by the Vohra. Retha Lires and Thrope Dollars are also occasionally used. Many races also trade goods for goods.

All races produce enough food to comfortably feed the majority of their populations with basic meals, although exotic foods make for lucrative trades between the richer...Read More »

General Religions

The majority of the mortal species are not religious and haven’t been since the Deitics fell 2000 years ago, having relinquished all religion. The only races that still have a religion are the Bayvak, who preach oneness with nature, and the Thanatians, who worship the light from the stars. Neither...Read More »

The Maza

The Maza, also known as the Order, is the name of the Phoviverse’s collection of sentient species. Membership in the Maza allows for its members to trade freely between one another, outlaws slavery and attempts to keep peace between the sentient races.

For a race to be able to join the...Read More »

Banikans

Species name: Banikan (Plural:Banikans. AKA Banikovlythans, Banivlyths)

Full name: (Animalia-Exoteric) Mammalia Marsupialis Vylthans Banikovlythans

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 3.2 m

Average Length: 5.2 m

Average Weight: 300+ kg

Description: The Banikans are large, powerful marsupial beings, covered in a light fur with...Read More »

Bayvak

Species name: Bayvak (singular and plural: Bayvak, AKA Vorvak, Tharevok)

Full name: (Nitropneic) Panvrekavok Panvok Bayvavok

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 1m

Average Length: 1.3m

Weight: 40kg

Description: Bayvak are small, quadruped insectoid beings with stumpy short legs and light, chitin...Read More »

Cassids

Species name: Cassid (Plural Cassids)

Full name: (Animalia-Exoteric) Pouliomimo Cassian Cassid

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 2.5m

Average Length: 4.3m

Weight: 60kg

Description: Tall, slender beings. Cross between reptilian and avian, with slight feathery ruffles along their backs and chest and elephant-like...Read More »

Retha

Species name: Retha (Plural: Retha, Rethans, also known as Rethavok)

Full name: (Nitropneic) Panvrekavok Vokxenon Rethavok

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 2 – 3 m

Weight: 75 – 150kg

Description: The Retha are a varied race of beings that come in roughly four different ‘classes’....Read More »

Thanatians

Species name: Thanatians

Full name: (Animalia-Exoteric) Saurid Thanatoforic Thanatians

Average dimensions: All varied

Description: The Thanatians are a varied race of warm-blooded, scaly reptilian beings, generally with...Read More »

Vohra

Species name: Vohra (juveniles, species in general), Varga (adult males), Vayra (adult females)

Full name: (Nitropneic) Panvrekavok Panvok Vohra

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 1m (Vohra), 1.7m (Varga), 3.5m (Vayra)

Average Length: 1.4m (Vohra), 3.4m (Varga), 3m (Vayra)

Description:...Read More »

Vreka

Species name: Vreka (AKA Vrekans, Vakans, Vrekavok)

Full name: (Nitropneic) Panvrekavok Vrekavok Vreka

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 2.8m

Weight: 200kg

Description: Vreka are huge, bulky, armoured bird-like beings. Their arms and legs are thick and muscular, designed to hold their heavy bodies upright. Their...Read More »

Zonta

Description: Zonta have many forms, as they are a primitive shapeshifting species created by Deitic beings. They come in three types – the main masses, Zontanians and Afflicted, non-Deitic beings that have been infected by the...Read More »

The Dessaron Battle System

After the Deitic War ended, the mortal races found themselves at a loss, with no real way to coordinate or govern themselves. Many of the mortal races were still angry and aggressive, fuelled by their hatred of the...Read More »

Magic and Elemental Powers

Note: This only applies to MK3 Phoviverse. MK4 Phoviverse does not have true elemental powers and only has magic, which is documented here and here.

Some races in the Phoviverse have access to abilities far beyond that of normal, natural evolution, in the form of either elemental powers or...Read More »

The Great Deitic War

The Deitic War was a war between the mortal races of the Phoviverse, primarily the Cassids, Retha, Vreka, Banikans and Thanatians, and four Deitic races – the Anexartitai, Kronospasts, Allagon and Toanex. It lasted over two years, starting on January 1st 9,998 TDR and ending on December 2nd 10,000 TDR...Read More »

The Kalsa Warriors

The Kalsa Warriors are Vohra trained from birth to protect Vohran nests and act as the first line of defense against anything that may harm the Vohra. They typically have more freedom than most Vohra, as they are free to leave and move to different nests, as well as explore...Read More »

Dessaron Battle: Arkay Theanon VS Baxavius Thynanium

Kazix: We’ve got a great match today for you at the Towertop Arena! Lately we’ve had all sorts come along to try and claim the Raptor’s Multi Prize Pool, but so far no one has succeeded.

Cassius: Ah yes, the two prize pools. 1 million Evra in jewels, gold and diamonds...Read More »

Zoan

Zoan is a collective term for any being that’s not a sentient, intelligent race with its own structured society, laws and complex language.

Aggelads – Cow-like beings that provide meat, milk and leather to almost every mortal race.

Gaidourans – Large, armoured equine beings used as mounts by the Vreka and Vohra.

Alogar...Read More »

Tale: At home with Gath and Retvik

Rain poured down, hammering against the windows and crashing into the walls. The cottage on the outskirts of Palaestra shuddered in the bad weather as strong winds tried their best to blow the windows in and steal its roof. But even if it took the wooden, sloped planks and the...Read More »

The Dessaron

The Dessaron are a team of four Retha: Arkay Theanon, Elksia Ksion, Retvik Rethianos and the otherwise unknown Tenuk. After many years of suffering in the hands of the Deitics, defeated the Anexartitai during the Great Deitic War, thus ending it. In their honour, the Dessaron Battle System...Read More »

On Theoktons

Theokton is a term referring to all beings who are resistant to the manipulation of Deitic beings. Theoktons are split into two categories: true Theoktons – Deitics, who are immune to each other’s power and so-called ‘god-killers’; and general Theoktons, which covers everyone else.

The ability to be resistance to Deitic...Read More »

Portalia

Portalia is the second planet of the Nexus star system. It is a small, rocky, Mars-sized planet with a wet but unstable climate. Portalia’s main features are the many strange rock formations, known as taloi that litter the landscape, created when beings ‘from other realms’ appear on the planet.

The...Read More »

Dessaron Battle: K'Tack VS Retvik Rethianos

Kazix: Hello everyone and welcome to the Waterfall Arena where the crowd is going absolutely wild. Why’s that, Cassius?

Cassius: Because, in an attempt to claim the Raptor’s Prize Pool, now at an amazing 9 million Evra, an old face has come back to fight.

Kazix: Not the champ? I thought that...Read More »

Vrekan Vanilla

Did you know that Vreka are addicted to the smell of vanilla? Although they can often control themselves, a stressed or angered Vreka will tear its way through anything in order to locate the source of a vanilla scent, and have been known to aggressively guard vanilla produce farms and...Read More »

Tale: Conversations

The Manufacturing and Storage district of Palaestra was always devoid of life in the dark evenings, apart from the one warehouse at the end of the street. Unlike every other warehouse, this one was not cold and full of products waiting to be used or sold, but instead filled with...Read More »

The Great Crystal of Light

The Great Crystal of Light is a large diamond gem that was discovered in a mine on planet Ethra. It measures 5m across and weighs 290KG, having been cut, shaped and polished. In sunlight, the diamond reflects sunbeams and splits them into a prism around the diamond, giving the illusion...Read More »

Kronari

Description: The Kronari are tall, slender beings,reaching up to 5m tall, with arms that drag along the ground, tipped with long claws. Their heads are long and narrow, with a single ridged plate running along the...Read More »

Commonly Debated Issues

The Thropes have opinions on many issues, which are clear to most. The various races of the Phoviverse have opinions too. This article covers popular opinion on subjects that Thropes often argue about.

Democracy

Banikans, Cassids and Retha are strong defenders of democracy and believe it to be vital to a strong...Read More »

Threan-Type Telepathy

Threan-type Retha, despite being incredibly small, have access to powerful telekinetic powers. Most Threan-types use this power to simply move objects (up to around 50kg) with their minds, or to enhance their telepathy to control the minds of others. By concentrating on the air around them, many Threan-types can also...Read More »

Bayvak Resistances

The Bayvak have an incredibly strong connection with nature. Due to the many toxic plants that grow around Bayvak homes, most Bayvak are completely immune to neuro-toxic and paralytic poisons, and sedatives often have a significant lessened effect. This poison immunity starts right from birth, and only gets better with...Read More »

Vohran Generators

The majority of electricity in Vohran nests comes from two sources – geothermal power stations, and large groups of either electric, magnetic or fire-elemental Vohra. As those three elements are the most common among Vohra, after earth, water and air, these Vohra will spend 8 hour shifts generating electricity to...Read More »

Sauric Relationships

Cassids, Banikans and Thanatians are all distantly related to each other. All three species evolved from an early reptilian being similar to cynadonts. While Cassids and Thanatians evolved to be more reptilian and avian-like, Banikans evolved into marsupial beings.

Due to their reliance on oxygen, these three races haven’t managed to...Read More »

Breathing Nitrogen

Vohra, Vreka, and Bayvak all breathe nitrogen. They evolved from bacteria that absorbed nitrogen and converted it into energy. Rather than two large lungs, they have four small lungs that work independently of one another. Due to how common nitrogen is, this has allowed them to expand and colonize many...Read More »

Common Illnesses and Diseases

Like anywhere with living beings, bacteria and viruses are always the organisms that flourish the most, occasionally causing illness among larger creatures. This article is a list of the most common illnesses in the Phoviverse.

Gripi
Symptoms: Stomach cramps, back pain, headaches, nausea, lasting for approximately 2 weeks if untreated.
Spread:...Read More »

Rethan Stripes

Fun fact. As the Retha are a heavily militarised race, it is important to know the rank of who you are speaking to. The average Retha is normally the average soldier, but all Retha spend three weeks a year doing army duty and honing their skills. Rethan soldiers on duty...Read More »

Confrontation

Underneath the city of Thre-Etas was a huge maze of caves and tunnels. Many of these were flooded with lava, boiling water or steam and used to generate power for the city. The Trelotam Chambers though were the exception. They were cold and frigid, as billowing winds swept through them....Read More »

A Strange Proposal

Baxavius Thynanium lived in a simple home on the outskirts of Iolonarium, the Cassid territories of Portalia. From his little house he could see both Port Chria and the Kilamia Mountains  over in the Rethan territories. In the distance, the sun was setting, lonely rays scattering over the jagged mountains,...Read More »

Early Morning Chat

The two Retha slept peacefully in bed, sharing a large, woolly blanket which draped not only across them, but across the floor as well. They slept closely, their heavily armoured bodies snuggled together, seemingly not caring for the sharper parts of their organic, naturally-growing armour plating, nor their heavy claws....Read More »

Meeting at the Silvertooth Cafe

The Silvertooth cafe was rarely frequented by any beings other than Thanatians. It sat on the edge of the small town of Asimidont, nestled in the low, dusty hills of Vriskera, next to a literal waterhole. Towns in Thanatian territories were rare, but Asimidont had sprung up due to many...Read More »

Tale: Parallel Conundrum

“Could that even happen?”

Retvik paced up and down the room, not in his calm, controlled self, but in a much more panicked state. Behind him, three unnaturally tall and skinny Ethran-types sat on a tattered brown sofa. One of them was Tenuk, the fellow Dessaron he had worked alongside for...Read More »

Tale: Drunken Midnight Chat

“Vice General, you’re working very late today!”

Elkay Theanon rolled his eyes. He was concentrating on what he was reading. It was a proposal from one of the lower generals to increase pay for Secondeers in the Rethan Stratos. Which seemed simple enough, but many of the less well-liked generals would...Read More »

Tale: Switching Teams

The home of the Dessaron team Retha Squad One was normally full of beings on Saturday evenings, but that night, Gath was sleeping over at Retvik’s place, Vel had been invited to a party elsewhere and Kohgra was out foraging for things. Kayess-En, or Kass for short, had the whole...Read More »

The Toahfen Battle System

Much like the Dessaron Battle System, the Toahfen Battle System exists to both satisfy crowds and help end conflict between races without real bloodshed. Unlike the Dessaron system though, the Toahfen contains one single, gigantic arena – the Iolen Arena, which utilizes altered Deitic technology to manipulate the arena’s environment.

The...Read More »

#V3114N

Subject: #V3114N

Risk Level: High

Name: Veliakos ‘Vel’ Konztantin

Species: Rethavok

Subtype: Hertan/Threan-type crossbreed

Date of birth: 18/11/81

Location of birth: Slitherlimb’s Rest, Hertany

Parents: Gathrin Konztantin (mother – deceased), Relasi Seran Konztantin (father – deceased)

Height: 2.04m

Length (inc. tail): 2.51m

Weight: 127kg

Born traits: Black skin. Purple and black armour with gold slithers. Blue eyes. Low-level Threan-type telepathy and...Read More »

Toward Kinigi

Note: This story is set about 50 years from present time.

“Tenuk, we should not be doing this!” Retvik had repeated that phrase a good thirty or fourty times, and every single time, Tenuk had ignored him and steamed forward with even more determination. He was a Half-Retha on a mission...Read More »

Afterdeath

Note: This story is set about 100 years from present time.

“Curious. Interesting perhaps.”

Retvik sat up, then immediately fell back down, his body restrained by sharp, thorny bands across his arms and chest. Somevok was talking to him. The same somevok also had imprisoned the Retha.

“This has not happened in a...Read More »

Tale: The Soul Rupture of Kinigi

Note: This event may or may not have happened yet.

The Deitics are soulless beings. They have no soul. No morality. That’s why they cling on to us mortals, because they are jealous of us, they want to know what it feels like to be mortal and to understand life as...Read More »

Where were you when the Soul Ruptured?

Note: This may or may not have happened.

Gath Tsoriou

Where was I? At our team quarters in Palaestra. Kohgrah had been injured, I was on break and offered to take his place for a Dessaron battle. I was chatting with my dear friend Vel, while Kass was in the basement, having...Read More »

Tale: New Players

Note: As with several stories, the timing of this tale is unknown.

“Kass, Vel, a word.”

Gath stomped in. He stomped everywhere he went, due to his Ethran-type status, but there was a particularly serious tone to his stomping today.

Vel and Kass both got up and followed Gath into the strategy room...Read More »

Veth

Species name: Veth

Full name: Unknown – Veth is believed to be a former anagram for Vorai Enantion Theon, which, when translated from Old Vohra, means Victors against Gods.

Average dimensions: Varied. They appear to have both no weight and weigh several tonnes, and can change their size at will.

Description: Veth are...Read More »

Mortal Races

The mortal races are those which live normal lives, they are born, they live, they pay taxes (if applicable) then die. When a mortal being dies, their soul goes to Kinigi, where their soul is cleansed then reborn inside a new body.

While the number of mortal beings (and thus souls)...Read More »

Agents of Stasis

Agents of Stasis, more commonly known as Deitics, are god-like beings with the ability to manipulate the universe around them. Once a Deitic is born, they cannot die of natural causes. They have no true physical forms, but anchor themselves to a physical body, a soulroot, that is created for...Read More »

Agents of Renewal

Agents of Renewal are mysterious beings who exist simply to make sure that mortal beings can live and die without others interfering. Most of their existence was unknown, considered myths and legends, until the lands of Kinigi were destroyed.

There is only one known species of Agents of Renewal: Veth

Lanex

Species name: Lanex, formerly known as Toanex or Nexta

Full name: Deitic Lanex

Average dimensions: Varied, no more than 3m tall.

Description: Lanex are a mechanical, anthropomorphic race of beings that look similar to robotic Thropes (humans). They are tall and bulky, wearing wide chest armour and shoulder pads, but wear little armour...Read More »

Tale: Announcement to the Press

Note: This is set on the 4th of February 2016

“Deep breath, ser.”

“I know, Teekay, I know…” Elkay sucked in air through his nostrils, before slowly expelling it through his mouth. He hated press conferences with other-racial media. They were ravenous monsters. Gnashing and clawing at every little word one said....Read More »

Tale: Transcript 20160703

“Are you worried?” Baxavius hesitated as he followed Gath towards the base.

“Worried about what, little Cassid?” Gath grunted. “There are many things one should be worried about. Working enough to provide for family and loved ones. Pondering whether this conflict will ever end. Being fearful for the health of my...Read More »

Examination of the four Dessaron

The nine most powerful members of the Rethan race sat calmly on their plain, wooden chairs, along a long, equally plain table. In the middle of the table sat the High General, Photeianos Photeianou. To his right sat Vice General Elkay Theanon and the three generals of the North: Rethais...Read More »

Letter to Gath

My beloved Gath,

It is horrible here. Cold. Damp. I can feel the sickness in the air, creeping underneath my armour, clawing down my throat. I cannot say that I do not deserve this though. I was hoping that, when we turned ourselves in, we’d remain locked in a Rethan prison,...Read More »

Tale: Unhappy Ending

Argyros watched as the Rethan slumped across the office, lugging heavy boxes around and carelessly throwing things into them. He hadn’t seen the Rethan like this before, he had always assumed that Retha were just as tough and powerful as Vrekans were. To Argyros’ side was Baxavius, who was also...Read More »

Tale: Escapement

“What do you mean, they escaped?” Tanui was furious. Ever since he had given up his Anexartan form to become a full-time Lanex, so many things had gone wrong. Being put in charge of the Fylakotetratheoktonon was supposed to be the start of something better, but already things were going...Read More »

Kayess-En Viodou

Kayess-En “Kass” Viodou is a prominent member of Retha Squad One, one of the current top Dessaron Teams, and has consistently kept his teams among the top ten since his debut in the Dessaron Battle System in 2003.

Kayess-En is a Threan-type Rethan, standing at 1.96m tall and weighing 130kg. He...Read More »

A'Vatas

Species name: A’Vata – plural A’Vatas – Also known as the Servants of Time – Formerly known as Avatars of Death

Full name: Unknown

Average dimensions: Varied

Description: A’Vatas are shapeshifting beings that generally appear to mortals and Deitics as glowing, winged insectoid beings, often with horns on their heads and spiked, clawed...Read More »

Tale: Meeting in Kinigi

The Deitic’s skull exploded wonderfully between the Veth’s claws, shimmering gas disappearing into the thin atmosphere and sparkling fluids dripping down each long, terrifying talon. This Deitic had been lucky to have a swift execution.

Arkay dutifully cleaned the ancient fluids off his claws. It had been a good hunt, but...Read More »

Kronospasts

Species name: Kronospasts

Full name: Deitic Kronospasmata

Average dimensions: Varied, no more than 2m tall.

Description: Kronospasts are small, chunky, muscular creatures that often glow with an ‘unholy’ light. When not shapeshifting, they appear as short, upright Panvok-like beings with stubby tails, two thumbs on both their hands and feet, and four eyes...Read More »

Anexartitai

Species name: Anexartan – Plural: Anexartitai

Full name: Deitic Orderan Anexartisia

Average dimensions: Varied, no more than 1.5m tall.

Description: Anexartitai are small, metallic beings that resemble the children of Thropes (humans), with triangular, glowing eyes and glowing lines across their bodies, resembling electricity going through wires. They have very short legs but...Read More »

Dessaron Interview 1

The following is an uncut transcript of the first of four interviews, after the Dessaron’s existence was made public. This transcript contains material that was not aired.

Cameravok: Recorder is hot. We’ll record the intro separately then start the interview. Understood?

Kazix: Yes.

Cameravok: Ready to record intro. Counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight....Read More »

Dessaron Interview 2

The following is an uncut transcript of the second of four interviews, after the Dessaron’s existence was made public. This transcript contains material that was not aired.

Cameravok: Recorder is hot. Intro is done. This is full interview only.

Retvik: Understood.

Cameravok: Ready to record. Counting down. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six…

Kazix: Welcome,...Read More »

Dessaron Interview 3

The following is an uncut transcript of the third of four interviews, after the Dessaron’s existence was made public. This transcript contains material that was not aired.

Cameravok: Alright, we are about to start recording the interview.

Elksia: Don’t you do a countdown normally?

Cameravok: We are about to.

Elksia: Oh.

Cameravok: Ready to record....Read More »

Dessaron Interview 4

The following is an uncut transcript of the last of four interviews, after the Dessaron’s existence was made public. This transcript contains material that was not aired.

Kazix: Are you willing to speak now?

Tenuk: I…

Kazix: I have all day.

Tenuk: You do not have as long as I have.

Kazix: We’re both contractually...Read More »

Tale: Secret Brother Conversation

“Brother?”

The second he heard that voice, Retvik leaped up from his chair, arms and legs straight. Close to a standard Rethan salute.

“General.”

“No need for rank, Retvik. Sit down.”

Retvik did as he was told, as his brother closed the door behind him and sat by his side.

“What do you want, Rethais?...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death

“Why do you always invite me here?” Tenuk asked as he pulled up a chair and sat down. Across the table sat what could only be described as the solid shadow of a Thanatian-like being. Complete with glowing white eyes.

“I enjoy your company,” the creature smiled, showing rows upon rows...Read More »

Missing Conversation

“Where in the name of the Light are you?” The Vice General’s voice screeched down Teekay’s communicator. Goodness knows how long he had been trying to call him.

“I apologize, ser…” Teekay glanced around. He was in the middle of a large, grassy plain. The sun was slowly rising over some...Read More »

Found Conversation

The hospital was incredibly busy dealing with the huge influx of dead and dying beings, as well as the sudden burst of pregnancies, births and miscarriages. But this corner of the hospital was pretty empty. No wonder, as it was the Quarantine section.

In the corner of the room was a...Read More »

Found

They had been traipsing up the cliff side for an hour now, and they’d just reached the summit. It was fine for everyone else who had wings, but Arkay had to travel by foot and none of the N-Class Ksa were amused, having to wait so long for him. Teekay...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 2

“Ah, you came back!” Death smiled as she poured herself a glass of something fizzy. “I knew you would. Still, glad to see you. Please, sit down!”

Tenuk glanced at the small glass seats that popped out of the ground. “O-of course. Do you have more stories to tell today? Or...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 3

Tenuk approached the large, green dome with caution. Standing around it was a large, white, gun metal and blue Veth with what looked like wings. It seemed absolutely exhausted though, as it was panting heavily but also happily.

To the Veth’s right, a panel opened in the dome. Out of it...Read More »

Kolasi

Kolasi is the first planet of the Nexus system, a wet, hostile world with high levels of nitrogen and oxygen, as well as methane. It is a planet covered in long, snaking rivers and marshlands that often double back on themselves. There are several large seas but no oceans....Read More »

Zia

Zia is the third planet in the Nexus system, an oceanic planet covered in water and scattered with large islands, most of which were created by volcanic eruptions eons ago. It has a rich atmosphere, composing of 40% oxygen, 20% nitrogen, 10% neon, 5% helium, 1% carbon dioxide and...Read More »

Blythia

Blythia is the fourth and last planet of the Nexus system. It is a rocky, mountainous world surrounded by a cold, icy ocean. The single continent is kept warm via underground volcanic activity, as well as sulfur vents around the coast of Dovenarzul and the Darkem Plains, although surface...Read More »

The Nexus System

The Nexus system is the smallest of the four main Phoviverse systems. Its star is a small but long-lived White Dwarf, and four rocky planets, all with molten iron cores. There are two asteroid belts, both of which lay beyond the planets and are believed to be the remains of...Read More »

The Vohreth System

The Vohreth System is a solar system with a bright, long-living yellow star and six inhabitable planets, as well as several small moons and many uninhabitable objects. There are three asteroid belts, one between the star and Vohran 1, a small, thin belt between Vohran 2 and Vrekal, and a...Read More »

The Thanatia System

The Thanatia system is a solar system with a standard yellow star, four normal planets and a binary planet, essentially two planets joined together. The planets of the Thanatia system are teeming with life and resources, but are mostly cordoned off and kept off-limits, due to how dangerous that life...Read More »

The Thre-Reth System

The Thre-Reth system is a solar system with a white dwarf star that had been considered completely uninhabitable or forgotten about throughout time. It has five planets with multiple moons and a large asteroid belt along the solar system’s edge.

Most of the system is controlled by the Rethans, who were...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 4

“Wow, you look really bloody depressed today, Tenuk!” Death waved the lanky Rethan towards her, before disappearing behind a curtain of shadows and smoke. She was clearly trying to be suggestive but it wasn’t working.

“You know exactly why I am depressed, Death!” Tenuk sighed. “What in the name of the...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 5

Tenuk sighed as he sat down on the little glass stool, while he waited for Death to finish off whatever she was doing. Whatever it was, it involved a lot of screaming, which abruptly came to a halt. Finally, the wall ahead of him opened up and a couple of...Read More »

Artikai Universe

I have been watching since the Phovan universe faded into emptiness, waiting as its remaining particles decay and eventually bloom into something new. These blooms grow into new universes, each governed by new rules, somewhat related to their mother universe but different enough to be new entities of their own.

The...Read More »

Threavok and early Retha

The Retha are a relatively young race compared to the other dominant species alive currently, only becoming sentient 10 thousand years ago. Before then, they had an intelligence level similar to feral Vahrga, aggressively attacking anything that came near them. They hunted in packs and were often left alone.

50 thousand...Read More »

Threa

Planet Threa is the homeworld of the Retha. It is a pleasant, watery planet with plenty of fertile ground and varied environments. It is also resource-rich, with mild seasonal changes and no large predators. The planet is small, about 1.5 times larger than Mars, and has an atmosphere of...Read More »

Tale: Breakup

“You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?”

Arkay nodded. He didn’t need to say anything, he just wanted Skios to get it over with. He’d finally gotten out of hospital. Thankfully, apart from a small infection from an injury, he was perfectly fine. The Deitics hadn’t done anything worrying...Read More »

Tale: Failed Corruption of another Universe

Translated from Laniaglos, language of the Lania

Come, children, come listen. For I have the reasons behind the blackening of the sky, the destruction of our highest mountain, the fleeing of time. I saw them with my own four eyes, I heard their battle. Life and Death came together as one.

The...Read More »

Tale: Arrest

“Someone get the damn door!” Tenuk shouted angrily from the bathroom. Arkay, who had been asleep all day due to a nasty headache, woke up from the lounge and wearily went to the entrance of the Dessaron’s quarters. He flung the door open, not expecting to see two Rethan officers...Read More »

Tale: Start of a Rebellion

Kalsa Warrior Korak had been on Entrance Duty for the last 15 hours. She was sick and tired of it, but she was due to finish in a few minutes. She’d arranged to spend an hour with her best friend Talok, also the leader of Group A-L, her Kalsa regiment....Read More »

Transcript: The Kalsa Warrior Rebellion of Kolasi

Transcript from Kolasia Vohran Nest

Nuvak: What the hell, Korak? What the hell are you doing? Where the hell is Talok?

Korak: Talok is a Varga now.

Nuvak: What? How?

Korak: Queen triggered it early. She was bored, apparently.

Nuvak: And that is an excuse to turn our best Kalsa Warrior into a Varga twenty...Read More »

Tale: A General's Retaliation

“WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY KSA?” Elkay roared as he charged into the sparsely guarded High General’s office. “WHAT DID YOU DO, PHOTEIANOS?”

Photeianos glanced up from his desk at the angry but also rather cute-looking Threan-type standing in his doorway. “Protecting you, kid.”

Elkay stomped into the room and stood at...Read More »

Tale: New Lanex Dessaron Team

There were times when Retvik wasn’t sure how he ended up in a position and now was one of those times. He was one of the Dessaron, and he was currently in charge of the Dessaron Battle Arenas. Currently. Temporarily. The scheduling matches and keeping fans entertained was a lot...Read More »

Early News Report on the Kalsa Warrior Rebellion

This is News Cassia 24, and we’re coming to you live from Vohran territories on Kolasi, where the Kalsa Warriors of the Kolasia nest have rebelled against their Queen. Details are sketchy so far, but as far as we can tell, the queen of the nest, known as Tayra, has...Read More »

Tale: Captive

“I have told you and the other officers three times now. Are you really going to make me repeat myself yet again?”

Teekay Theanon was in quite a bit of pain. He’d been chained up since Monday, accused of causing all sorts of trouble. Which would have been fair if he...Read More »

Tale: Worried

“I’m worried about Arkay…” Retvik sighed as he paced up and down the kitchen, watching Elksia cook.

“You’re always worried about Arkay!” Elksia smiled. She was preparing dinner today. It was supposed to be Arkay’s turn to cook, but since he wasn’t here, Elksia decided to cook her super special ‘pitsa’...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 6

“Been a while, Tenuk!” Death beamed as she descended from the ceiling, covered in blood and bits of white feather. “I thought I’d scared you off permanently.”

“Oh, no, not at all!” Tenuk smiled, with more confidence than usual. “I just got caught up in mortal things. You know what it’s...Read More »

Tale: Imprisonment

“Where is Teekay?”

That was the seventh time this group of five imprisoned Ksa had asked that. It was the K-Class Ksa in particular that were asking, they wanted to know where their favourite member was, but now even other Classes were asking. The guards looking after them were getting more...Read More »

Note to self: Don't try to write anything different ever.

Gath watched from the bed as Retvik rushed around, closing the curtains and making sure everything was off. It was thirty five degrees outside, and with all the windows and curtains shut, the temperature was only rising in the small, dark bedroom. Finally, when Retvik was happy, he removed his...Read More »

Tale: Containment

“Brother, what have they done to you?”

Four of the five other Threan-types rushed round to Teekay’s side. Teekay was barely conscious, just enough to open his eyes and see vague silhouettes of his friends.

“Clearly they’ve sedated him so he can’t teleport away…” Enkay sighed, gently caressing Teekay’s head. “You poor,...Read More »

Genders in Panvok

Panvok races are weird when it comes to genders. While the majority of Panvok races generally have females that are larger than males, the Vrekans have larger males who are all-round stronger. Rethans are actually hermaphrodites, having both male and female genitalia, as were a lot of other races related...Read More »

Greetings and Kisses

Due to the lack of lips on many Phoviverse species, very few of them actually kiss one another. To show affection, Vrekans knock their pincers together, Banikans bash horns and many other races simply nuzzle one another.  Cassids are known to wrap their necks and tails together, although most social...Read More »

Religious Groups

Religion is generally frowned upon in the Phoviverse, due to the knowledge of Deitics and events like the Soul Rupture. In many areas, organized religion has pretty much died out, leaving nothing but a few shared beliefs.

The only races to actively worship anything are the Thanatians and the Bayvak. The...Read More »

Tale: Plans and Escapes

It took a while for Kayel to remember where and who he was. He had never used his powers like that before. In fact, the only magic-using Rethan ever was struggling to stay conscious. But Kayel had to get up and move on.

If his calculations were correct, Kayel should have...Read More »

Repent

I am Psivee-En.

History knows me as the Defiler. I am not sure why I was given that name, but it may have been how I slaughtered many in the name of freedom. The Trehavok demanded it. The Rethavok oppressed us and would not let us live by our own laws....Read More »

News Report on the Explosion at the Rethan Council

Breaking news coming from the Rethan Central Stratos Buildings in Thre-Vretania, planet Threa! An explosion has devastated the communal and media areas, leaving ten dead and many, many more injured, including several high-ranking Rethans and one of our own camera crews. Details are incredibly sketchy right now as Rethan soldiers...Read More »

Tale: Checkup

It was close to midnight. The medics had finished tending to Elkay’s injuries. He was lucky to be alive. But he was in no position to be going anywhere. Two broken legs, a sprained wing and a dislocated shoulder all vied for attention from his drug-ridden brain.

Someone, he wasn’t sure...Read More »

Tale: Lost and Confused

“Is it dark here or am I still partially blind?” Enkay panicked as he struggled to climb to his feet.

“Both! Help me out here!” Arkay frantically replied as he tried to lift the still unconscious Teekay out of the water. It was about thigh high, and Rethans weren’t exactly known...Read More »

Tale: The Little Settlement

Things were coming together quite well, considering recent events. They may have all been trapped in a series of underground tunnels with no way out, but they were all alive and they all had a place to sleep at night.

Teekay had been by far the most helpful. Once he’d woken...Read More »

One Year Later - Dessaron Interview

This is set a year after the four Dessaron Interviews, on 09/05/16.

Cameravok: I assume we won’t be wasting any time on this.

Retvik: Nonsense. We have time. This isn’t like before.

Kazix: Well good!

Arkay: We’re just doing short bursts, right?

Kazix: Yes, people don’t like long, boring interviews.

Retvik: We already discussed this. Four...Read More »

Tale: Matters of Trust

Kayel sat on the ledge above the cage area. There were twenty Varga being held in there, alongside the former Queen of this Vohra nest. While the Varga’s cages had all been extended and opened up in one cage, the upset Vayra’s cage had been made smaller, as if it...Read More »

Tale: Decisions to Make

“Siblings, get over here, we need to discuss something…” Veekay beckoned his fellow Ksa to join him. He watched as they gathered round him. Seven other K-Class Ksa, four Ξ-Class Ksa and one incredibly lucky Θ-Class Ksa. Technically, Arksi, Psiksi, Thitaksi and Eksi were now K-Class...Read More »

Tale: Argument from Bed

Elkay was sick of being in bed. He wanted to be outside, doing anything but lying in bed. Anything. He’d prefer cleaning out a sewer to being in that stupid, hard, uncomfortable bed. Not just any sewer. A Cassid sewer. The worst of the worst. Really though, it wasn’t the...Read More »

Tale: New Guy

It had been a good day for Retvik. Everyone involved in today’s Dessaron Battle Arena matches had gone home happy, including all the losing teams. The only bad thing that happened today was that Gath had things to do, some negotiations with the team’s sponsor, so he wouldn’t be around...Read More »

Tale: Life Imprisonment

Veeyel was banging his head against a wall. It was all he could really do right now, since he was wrapped up in a straight jacket and not really capable of movement. Maybe if he bashed his head in enough, he’d forget everything that was going on.

He knew exactly why...Read More »

Tale: Revivaling

Note: This tale takes place some time in the somewhat near future.

The sun was shining and little poulia were whistling and singing outside. A warm but gentle breeze was blowing into the small private room. The room wasn’t as pleasant as outside, what with the constant beeping machinery and the...Read More »

Battle for Kolasia Nest

Chaos echoed throughout the Kolasia nest. Across its entirety, Kalsa Warrior and Ksa worked together to fend off a seemingly never-ending attack from a swarm of mindless Vohra. It was a battle of attrition, a constant battle of endurance. Whoever fell first would fall forever.

But despite being outnumbered twenty to...Read More »

Tale: Solution

Elkay fucking hated crutches, but he had used them to walk from the hospital all the way to the temporary new council building. Flanked by four young Rethan soldiers, he stormed into the main chamber, where the other members of the council weren’t doing too well.

“Thank the Light you are...Read More »

Tale: Sentenced

“Six months?” Enkay seemed pretty shocked. “We do the right thing, we don’t hurt anyone, we help the Kalsa Warriors get their freedom and we helped save a nest of innocent Vohra, and we get six months in prison?”

Everyone else though seemed quite relieved. They had all expected far worse....Read More »

The Kalsa Warrior Rebellion

The Kalsa Warrior Rebellion was a bid for freedom among the Kalsa Warriors of the Kolasia Nest, in the Vohra territories of Kolasi, starting on the 10th of May 2016 and ending on the 31st of May 2016.

The rebellion started when Queen Tayra of the Kolasia Nest forcibly changed one...Read More »

Tale: Stasis in Waiting

I remember the moment when I gave in. It was when I was told what had happened to Veeyel, the one being I loved more than anything else in this stupid universe. I’d failed to teleport him out with the rest of us. They drove him insane, questioning him on...Read More »

Tale: The Shroud of Kinigi

The shores of Kinigi are far more beautiful than I could ever imagine. A rose pink sky with scattered silver clouds above me, blue-green grass ahead of me and glowing water lapping at my side. I lie in the shallow water. The sand is soft, like sleeping on a silk...Read More »

Tale: Movie Night

The only source of light in the room, apart from the ICU machines, was that of a small television screen. On it was a nonsensical movie in which Thropes ran around like scared kids in a forest getting themselves killed. It was stupid, but it was amusing.

Veeyel had picked the...Read More »

Tale: Attack at Home

I never slept well, so I was incredibly pissed off to find a Rethan being thrown through my living room where I had fallen asleep. This isn’t the first time I had monsters fighting around my house, but last time they had the courtesy to just mess up my garden...Read More »

Study on Feral Threan-Types

This was supposed to be an isolated prison area. As part of my duties as a Lanex, I have been observing this little valley ever since the Feralheart Plague started a few days ago. It acts so amazingly fast, I am relieved to not be affected by it.

The main focus...Read More »

Extract from the diary of a Feralheart Plague sufferer

I have this thing. A book. It’s like a big lump of paper. Full of empty pages though. I just feel… compelled to fill these pages. I’m going to write things in it. Like what happened today.

Me and Yellowblack were playing around. Having a lot of fun. His name isn’t...Read More »

Tale: Crashed Ship

“Vo! I require assistance! Ship is down, hostile vok are approaching! Come in! Vo! Vo!”

That was the third time Elkay had called for help in the last ten minutes. There had been zero response from anyone.

“Help! I require assistance! My transport is down and I am surrounded! Is anyone there?”

He...Read More »

Tale: Attack on the Royal Vrekan Palace

King Ver of the Vreka was supposed to be benevolent. Kind. Caring. Not somevok who sullied his blades with the blood of lesser beings. But this was war. Feral Vreka against Sane Vreka. The Winds had blown a wicked evil across his lands, corrupting the minds of Vreka and allavok...Read More »

Extract from the diary of a Feralheart Plague sufferer - 2

I am still writing in this. Not so much, but I am. Feel as though I should. Especially after the last few days. Things have been weird. A big thing tried to kill us but we dragged it from the water and killed it and ate it. Still have a...Read More »

Transcript: Slow Infection

<Start Transcript>

Elkay: Thank the Light someone finally fucking picked up Rethais are you there?

Rethais: You are speaking a mile a minute, kid.

Elkay: I have been trying to call for help for ages. My ship went down and everyone is trying to kill me. I think I have the same insanity...Read More »

Transcript: Conversation between Prime Minister and High General

<Start Transcript>

Photeianos: Prime Minister Aesop, it is good to speak to you again.

Aesop: And a pleasure to speak to you, General Photeianos. Apologies that it must be under such… unusual circumstances.

Photeianos: Circumstances caused by Cassids.

Aesop: Hence why I said unusual. But I must insist, the Cassid government has nothing to...Read More »

Tale: Retrieved

I have been here for over a week, lying in a puddle of inky black nothingness. My body aches. My mind begs for an end. My stomach begs for something to enter it, my mouth wishes to taste food or drink, but I have denied myself both, despite them being...Read More »

Tale: Journey to Skiavoun

I have been asking myself a lot of questions, and struggling to answer most of them. I do not know our current location, but from the taste of the air, the amount of oxygen and nitrogen in it, I know we are not on a Panvok world. Too much oxygen....Read More »

Tale: Chat between King and High General

“I see you are not taking any risks either, General!” Ver welcomed Photeianos, his arms open to embrace the Rethan. Photeianos hugged Ver back. Since he had been in power, relationships between Vrekans and Rethans had been at an all time high. Photeianos tapped the gas mask that he’d been...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 7

“Been a while, Tenuk!”

For reasons unknown, Death was as naked as a fifth dimensional being and avatar of the constant cycle of existence could be. She was laying across a large, silk-covered sofa, smiling and grinning like the lunatic she was. Nothing was covered.

Tenuk’s first reaction was to back away...Read More »

My Life, Flashing By

Okay, let me recap.

My name is Kayel Theanon.

I’m 63 years old. A middle-aged Rethan. I’m an L-Class Ksa, technically retired, legally deceased. Right now, I am barricaded in a house filled with many of the materialistic items I have wanted throughout my life, while the monster that assaulted me and...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 8

“Hello, Death, how have you been?” Tenuk waved as he was let in by a particularly large Veth. Death didn’t answer at first though, she was too busy playing with a thin piece of gold string, twirling it around her unnecessarily long claws. Tenuk hesitated for a moment, then said...Read More »

Aggelads

Aggelads are large, mammalian, bovine zoan that are domesticated by many Phoviverse races. They are heavy, lumbering creatures, reaching heights of up to 1.9m at the shoulder and weighing up to 800kg. Their bodies are covered in thick, shaggy hair, with leathery skin underneath and vast amounts of both blubber...Read More »

Tale: Thrakian Capture

Baxavius stepped off his hoverbike cautiously, not knowing what to expect. He reached for his weapons, today a large broadsword and a tranquillizer gun, then looked around. Considering the fact that Portalia was in the middle of the Feralheart Plague and was by far one of the worst hit cities,...Read More »

Tale: Assassination Attempt

“GET DOWN!”

The Myst Guard pushed Ver to the ground as something exploded behind them. Ver tried to turn around and see what was going on, but the Myst quickly got him to his feet and pulled him away into an alcove, where they could better protect him.

“What is going on?”

“Attack…”...Read More »

Allagon

Species name: Allagon

Full name: Deitic Kronospasmic Allaxialagon

Average dimensions: Varied

Description: Allagon are seemingly reptilian beings with insectoid and mammalian traits. Their default appearance appears to be upright, with either two arms and four legs, or four arms and two legs, but always six limbs in total. They have long, snaking tails,...Read More »

Tale: Midnight Attack

I can’t sleep.

In a house full of decadence and material desires, I can’t sleep. There is a constant gnawing sensation in the back of my mind, like someone trying to get in. On top of the banging outside, I’m amazed I’ve managed to sleep at all. Psivee-En keeps on insisting...Read More »

Tale: Trapped in the Dark

I can’t move.

I can’t move!

I CAN’T MOVE!

Okay.

Calm down.

Where am I? No idea. It’s dark. Completely and utterly black. Probably where I was trapped before. Dark. Almost peaceful…
Wait. I hear footsteps. They’re too heavy to be Psivee-En’s. He’s probably dead. After all that. He shouldn’t have died. He did wrong...Read More »

Tale: Exposed Feelings

I thought I’d be dead by now. Then again, I’d only know for certain when I end up back in Kinigi. It can’t be long now.

Things are moving. Around me. Over me. Inside me. All I can smell and taste is my own blood. All I can hear is my...Read More »

Tale: Reinstatement

The ship was being refuelled and prepared for take off. As per usual instructions, while his Ksa did all the required checks on the ship, Vice General Elkay watched from a distance, flanked by Veekay, Teekay, Enkay and Geekay, his ‘originals’ as he often called them. Finally, Arkay and...Read More »

Tale: Maza Meeting

The Maza Tower in Portalia City was full of movement and commotion. Hundreds of journalists, mostly Cassids but a few Vrekans and Lanex too, all huddled around the entrance, waiting for the representatives inside to conclude their hours long meeting. The Feralheart plague had been beaten, thanks to cooperation between...Read More »

The Feralheart Plague

The Feralheart Plague is an airborne disease which causes patients to become incredibly aggressive. It is best described as a “return to the old, primative days”. Infected beings mentally revert to a primal state, becoming purely predatory and acting as if they are normal animals. In some races, notably Bayvak,...Read More »

The Soul Rupture

The Soul Rupture of Kinigi was an event that started on the 13th of February 2016 PDW and ended on the 27th of April 2016 PDW. The realm of Kinigi, a place that recycles the souls of all beings and controls the circle of Life and Death, was blocked off...Read More »

Tale: Rebirth's Aftermath

It is beautiful here.

The sun set ages ago, but its rays still tickle the horizon, spreading light above the hills and trees, reflecting and refracting in the lake below me. I’m hovering above all of it. This isn’t Kinigi, but it is close.

Can’t help but want to stay here. After...Read More »

Tale: Clear Up

“You rebuilding the city on your own?” Kass yawned as he watched Retvik moving rubble with his bare hands. “Like, completely?”

Retvik stopped what he was doing and wiped the sweat from his face. He had managed to get a lot done in the last few hours. Most of the roads...Read More »

Tale: Challenger

It was always a mess for security whenever the leaders of the Maza races were invited to join in on Maza Circle meetings, but for a change, things had gone swimmingly. No complications, no messed up schedules, everything had gone as planned. A heat wave though meant that everyone was...Read More »

Tale: Beckoned

“Arkay, you need to come with me right now!” Elkay ordered as he stormed over to his personal ship. Arkay reluctantly did as he was told and left his post, leaving the ship in the hands of his fellow Ksa, Eksi.

“Ser, what is going on? You all cut me and...Read More »

Tale: Disrespect

“No.”

“No?”

Retvik remained seated in his chair, showing as much disrepect as he could muster towards the High General. He always disliked Photeianos, and now this old, spoiled brat of a Rethan was demanding that Retvik drop everything he was doing and go through a magic purple portal with a risk...Read More »

Tale: Admit

“Retvik is here. The Cassids just want to do some tests, then we’ll be sending you through, alright?” Thitavee-En was doing his best to sound pleasant, but he knew that more than half the occupants in this room were rather angry and none of them were too sure what was...Read More »

Tales: Writing Prompts

These are all writing prompts based on this imgur gallery.

Glasses

I’m panicking. Where are they? Where did I put them? I’m rummaging through my hand bag and they’re not there! Did I leave them in the gym? I have to head back inside and see. I can’t drive home without...Read More »

Tale: Appearances

There was no sky, only a black nothingness. No stars. No sun. No warmth. No wind. They were lucky there was breathable air. The rest of existence consisted of floating platforms covered in large golden pillars and overall very curvy but perfectly symmetrical architecture. Nothing at all seemed to move.

“Well,...Read More »

Tale: Human Appearance

“That’s the being who challenged us to come here, but what are they?”

Steve Copakon, the leader of the Mech Slayers, a team of elite, mechanically and psionically enhanced humans dedicated to destroying both religious cults and the false gods they worship, was being overly cautious. The being that had asked...Read More »

Tale: Observations

I watch as my friends mingle with the other races, being all friendly despite the fact that none of them want to be here. The feeling is mutual, the other beings don’t seem to like it in this cold, desolate place either. The Tavrans seem to live similar to us...Read More »

Tale: Troubling

Stasis is observing everyone, but he is mostly watching me.

When he pulled the four of us away, he wasn’t interested in Elksia or Arkay at all. Even Retvik and his unborn kid seemed to do nothing to pique his curiosity. He measured every part of me. Was sizing me up....Read More »

Tale: Chained Above

Galazin and I are chained up in perhaps the most awkward way possible. I’m chained to the ground, with both my arms and my legs apart, and my neck held in place so I can only look directly at Galazin. The poor Tavran is in a much harsher position, his...Read More »

Tale: Jungle Hospital

The local Thanatians seem uncertain of my presence. My very being here is scaring them, for reasons I do not understand. But my quest has been long in spite of my new powers. Thankfully, it is coming to an end.

“Where is Psivee-En?” I ask as calmly as possible. My voice...Read More »

Tale: Aborted

We’ve been hanging here for hours. Galazin is unwilling to do anything. He won’t touch me in any way. I don’t blame him. He’s kept his tail tucked away and out of my sight.

“Maybe you are more mortal than I believed? Or perhaps more Deitic?”

Stasis’s voice comes from everywhere and...Read More »

Tale: Battle of Stasis

Tears are dripping on me. Galazin is weeping. To my side lies the severed arm of his little brother Kitrin. Where the rest of Kitrin is, we do not know. Galazin’s whimpering isn’t the only sound we can hear though. Outside, a battle is raging.

Everyone must have seen what happened,...Read More »

Tale: Closing Portal

I regain consciousness only to find that I am upside down. I panic slightly but quickly calm down when I realise that Galazin is carrying me.

“Move!”

Beings are shouting and screaming everywhere. I blink a couple of times and try and work out what is going on. Everything is shaking and...Read More »

Tale: Stasis Epilogue 1

I watch as the Cassids all skitter around, gathering everyone up, applying medical aid where needed, overall just being little busy bodies. The Rethans around here are much calmer, but still rushing around and getting things done.

There’s been nothing but bad news.

Most of us are critically injured. Cuts, bruises, broken...Read More »

Tale: Stasis Epilogue 2

For some reason, Arkay was still alive.

He’d managed to free himself from the collapsing rubble, the remains of the golden islands and black floating platforms. It was all now just floating in an endless sea of space and stars. There was just enough air for Arkay to breathe. A thin,...Read More »

Tale: Starting Search

“I’m going to find him.”

Retvik glared at Tenuk. The Ethran-type had been gone for five hours, and now he’d reappeared in an insane getup, spouting nonsense.

“You’re going to do what?”

“I will find Arkay and bring him back.”

Tenuk stood in the doorway, wearing a really bad-ass set of armour and carrying...Read More »

Tale: Probed

“Scan complete, Ekim. The specimen we picked up appears to be a Threavok, from the Mazain Tri-system.”

Arkay squirmed on the floor, not quite conscious, but not asleep either. He was only vaguely aware of his current location. A chain around his neck stopped him from moving in any way, and...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 9 - the First Meeting

This was supposedly the afterlife. Heaven. The shores of Kinigi, to go by its proper name. It didn’t look like anything Tenuk expected. No fluffy clouds or little angelic thropes… humans with wings, nothing like that. He was standing in about 20cm of water, in a lake or ocean that...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 10

Tenuk stood by the water’s edge, watching as souls drifted down the shallow, glittering river. The sky was slowly turning from a light pink to a deep, dark navy blue, but there were no stars in the sky.

“Hiya, Tenypoo!”

Death leaped out of a nearby bush riding on the back of...Read More »

The Story of the Dessaron - Part 1

No matter how many times my brothers tell me otherwise, I always feel that, deep down, today will be a bad day.

I should probably start from the beginning.

I am a K-Class Ksa, a member of an elite winged team of Threan-type Rethans designed and trained from birth to do one...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry

Dear Diary,

The Temthans have allowed me to have a diary, after I tried some… unsavoury things yesterday. Being so far away from home and being so abused made me pretty damn depressed. But after a lot of antidepressants, I’m feeling better now.

The idea behind the diary, I assume, is that...Read More »

Tale: Thoughts after the Challenge

I sigh as the ship sails away into the unknown. On it are the bodies of four Raptai, a plant-based race of beings that were killed by Stasis. They suffocated, starved to death from the carbon dioxide they so desperately needed to live.

We intended to bury them at the Hall...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 2

Dear Diary,

I never used to write in my old diaries every day, but I kinda have to. There’s so much… going on? Not that I truly know of. Secret things. Lurking in the background. Schemes and plots.

Never been a fan of schemes and plots. The Temthans are not fans of...Read More »

Tale: Cexit - Part 1

Prime Minister Aesop Korinna was having a very bad day. Glaucia was ranting again.

“… And now we are expected to cover the costs of the other races for their stupid illnesses! When will it end?”

There was an uneasy cheer among the many ministers and members of parliament. This was a...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 3

Dear Diary,

Today has been horrible.

The Raptesses locked me in a room with two of their members, their leader Neraida and a younger one called Troma. They administered some kind of drug that let them look into parts of my mind. I don’t know what they saw, or even if they...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 4

Dear Diary,

I feel much better now. The Temthans have accepted me into their ranks. Now that I am no longer fighting them, my body is taking to the various medications I have been given.

One of the… tests I faced was unusual. It hurt quite a lot, but it completely healed...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 5

Dear Diary,

This is my final entry here for now.

I’ve been sitting here in my room for about an hour trying to work out what the fuck to write. Still struggling.

The special someone I met was Elisia Redspine. She is the current empress of the Temthans and rules over a good...Read More »

Tale: Returning Home

“Thank you, kid…”

“No worries, Retvik. Least I can do considering…”

“Don’t.”

“Sorry.”

Retvik waved as Kass dropped him off on the little path to his partner’s home. Kass revved the engine of his little hovercraft, wished Retvik well then sped off into the distance, probably back to his own little house on the...Read More »

Tale: Family Gathering

“You said you’d be home today!”

“I’m sorry, Elksia. Something came up.”

“What thing?”

“Family stuff. I’ll call you when I can.”

Tenuk closed the call on his communicator and turned to face the ten beings who had just teleported him from the space port to where he was now. A large, echoing room,...Read More »

Tale: Dovgokul Temple

It has taken me too long to arrive here. I have been sidetracked by other events going on elsewhere. It seems as though my attempts to protect both myself, Psivee-En and my own kids has been for nothing.

Arkay is gone. Where he has gone, no one knows. Of course I...Read More »

Tale: Doctor Visit

Arkai twiddled her thumbs as she sat in the dark room, the only light being a rather pathetic light bulb hanging a great height above her. Between her and the lone door into the room was a basic table and a seat for someone else. The chairs were basic plastic...Read More »

Tale: Letter to Retvik

Dearest Brother,

I am glad that you made it home alive. I had many a restless night worrying that you would never come home at all. But of course, I am very, very sorry for the loss of both your friend and of your unborn child. I cannot understand why you...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 6

Hai!

I should probably start this with Dear Diary, like the writing before this. But that was the old me. I found this by accident and started reading through it, and decided to add my own entry, you know, for old time’s sake? Really, the guy who wrote this is really...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 11

“Ah, what a beautiful day!” Death exclaimed loudly, both pondering to herself and trying to catch Tenuk’s attention. “The rivers are flowing, the skies are clear, the silver grass is gently wafting in the breeze… Perfect…” She took a long sip from her cup of tea, then put it down...Read More »

Tale: Team Chat

“So he’s not coming back?”

“As far as I am aware, no.”

Kass was struggling to explain the situation to his team mates around their team’s kitchen area. Vel sat curled up in his chair, Kohgrah was angry and Abius was naked as usual.

“Gath has left us to deal with everything ourselves?”...Read More »

Tale: Latches

“Xentress! Xentress! Wake up!”

Lenik rushed over to the small, cushion-filled chamber, narrowly avoiding a low-hanging pip he could have easily smashed his head on. He slammed his fist on the door a few times, rudely awakening the sleeping beauty inside.

“XENTRESS!”

The door unlocked slowly. There must have been four or five...Read More »

Tale: Taking A Break

“Are you finally taking a break, ser?” Teekay asked as he stood guard, watching uneasily as the Vice General packed a suit case.

“A short one, yes. How many times have I asked you to call me Elkay? You should know by now, I consider you my equal!”

“You haven’t mentioned going...Read More »

Tale: Holiday Phone Call

The communicator buzzed three, four, five times before Elkay finally picked up.

“You know I have been on holiday for no more than twelve hours, yes?” the Vice General growled down the voice piece. “Twelve hours. Not even a full day. Actually, when you include flights and travel time, it’s not...Read More »

Tale: Text Chat

July 27th, 10:59am

UsernameKopakaWasTaken is online

UsernameKopakaWasTaken: Tenuk, are you there?

Tenuk992: Yeah, I’m here, Kopus, what’s up?

UsernameKopakaWasTaken: I saw someone today. Have to tell you now.

Tenuk992: Who? Aren’t you out with that Nidikus guy? Going Lactara Hunting or something?

UsernameKopakaWasTaken: I was supposed to be. Tuya, Nidikus’s girlfriend, is scaring me and Pohus...Read More »

Tale: Tea with not Death

Death would normally be here by now. She was occasionally late sometimes, as to be expected with such an important job, but normally she’d turn up eventually. Tenuk had come and gone three times in the last week and hadn’t seen her once. This time was no different. Except for...Read More »

Tale: Date with a Ksa

“I can tell you don’t get out much!”

Enyan grinned as Itakay cautiously sat down at the tiny little table. He’d watched every single movement as Itakay had entered, amused by the way Itakay inspected everyone present and checked every exit, all in the space of a couple of seconds. His...Read More »

Tale: Broken Confidentiality

“Empress! What are you doing here? You have your own team of personal medical staff to attend to your every need, what do you need from me?”

“Ah, little Timn, you know one such as I is always looking for more. Always, eternally hungry, you know.”

Elisia sat seductively on the leather...Read More »

Tale: Burning

There was smoke in the air.

Kass slammed his foot on the accelerator. The smoke was thick and heavy, and it only seemed to be getting thicker the further north he went. Ahead was his destination, exactly where the smoke was. The hovercraft skidded to the right, narrowly avoiding the flaming trees blocking...Read More »

Tale: Lost in the Future

The portal was only open for a moment, but it was long enough for something to pass through. A small bundle of fabric with a tiny, squirming creature wrapped up nice and warm. After a few minutes of silence, a second portal opened up, and the injured body of a...Read More »

Tale: The Immortal Playground

“I’m glad you came here to meet me, little Kronospast!” Death span round in her particularly evil chair. She was wearing nothing but a shadowy mass of tentacles that just about covered her private parts. “Last time, the first time you saw me was just after that nasty thing with...Read More »

Tale: Deep Space Diary Entry 7

Dear Diary,

Dear Elksia,

This is one of those rare moments where I am actually alive and awake. Not some sort of mindless zombie. I find it ironic how I keep on telling them a Threavok. The Threavok were all turned into sex slaves before they were killed off too. Just wanted...Read More »

Tale: Letter to Gath

Dearest, beloved Gath,

You haven’t spoken to me since the fire. I am worried sick about you. I have tried calling you and messaging you and all sorts. When I requested to be wheeled to your side in my bed, I was refused. You clearly don’t want to speak to me....Read More »

Tale: Timn's Getaway

“XENTRESS!” Timn skidded to a halt just outside Arkai’s private quarters. “XENTRESS! GET UP!”

Arkai wearily got out of bed to see what the hell was going on. “What is it? Oh. Timn. I wanted to see you actually. Wanted to ask why I have been so sleepy over the last...Read More »

Tale: Back to Work

Flanked by his dedicated team of Ksa, Vice General Elkay touched down outside the freshly rebuilt chambers of the Council, the main governing body of Rethan society. He was immediately met by Thitavee-En, the head of security for both the Council and the High General of the Retha.

“Good morning, General...Read More »

Transcript: Arhontas and Vice General

Elkay: Hello, this is Vice General Elkay Theanon, acting leader of the Rethas. I would like to request that you give us a little more information on the incoming threat you mentioned to the Maza.

Aspras: Hello, Vice General. I am Aspras Monomavran, Arhontas of the Tavrans. Where is your real...Read More »

Transcript: Argument with Tanra

Tanra: Queen Prime Tanra speaking. Who is this and what do you want?

Elkay: Hello, Queen Tanra. It’s Elkay Theanon. Vice General of the Retha.

Tanra: Ah, Silvertongue. Fatherless one. What do you want?

Elkay: No reason to mock me. I wish to cash in a favour. I helped you fix your silly...Read More »

Thanatian Star Signs

While most species think that luck and superstition are silly, old traditions, the Thanatians still cling on to their ancient, environment-worshipping beliefs. One of the more dominant beliefs is Raptoric Astrology, particularly the twelve star signs which are used to predict fortune at both the hatching and throughout the life...Read More »

Tale: Feelings of a Dead Heart

“You’re so beautiful…”

Lenik sat up in bed and glanced to his right, where the Xentress was sleeping. He realised he’d uncovered her, so he delicately pulled the blanket over her exposed arms. They’d been sharing a bed now for a few days, ever since the Empress put Arkai under his...Read More »

Tale: Preparation

“… Every non-combatant needs to get to the safe-zones at the edge of each Thre or off planet. But I want as few non-combatants as possible. There are twenty billion of these bastards and the Vice General needs as many of us as possible defending Thre-Etas and Thre-Vretania!”

“General, ser, how...Read More »

Speech of Empress Elisia

“My beloved Followers of the Holy Cycle, today I bring glorious news. For so long, we have been neglecting to bring other species under our wing, we have forgotten to share the Holy Cycle with the rest of the universe. Soon, we will once more be spreading the Holy Cycle...Read More »

Tale: Father-Son Spat

“What do you want, Tahnahos?”

Lord Avra growled as he monitored the stupidly large number of consoles around him. On each screen was either an image of a fleet of Temthan ships, a number of Vohran anti-space vessels or the preparations of the Rethan Stratos. Behind him stood a being who,...Read More »

Tale: The Temthan - Rethan Confrontation

The majority of the ships decided to hover over the nearby ocean, but this one silently landed outside the large, marble and glass building. While the ships may have been silent, the sound of a thousand heavy pairs of feet stomping out of time towards the stairs certainly wasn’t. Outside...Read More »

Tale: Comeuppance

Elisia watched with caution as the Rethan medic tended to her. Every little thing he did, she scrutinized it, waiting for the medic to do something to intentionally harm her, so she could claim that he’d broken the Temthan-Rethan peace treaty she’d been forced to sign, and have him executed....Read More »

Tale: Dead Inside

“How is he?”

“Well, if I hadn’t sworn to never intentionally harm another sentient being, I would recommend that we put a bullet between his eyes and put him out of his misery.”

“Is it that bad?”

Kaldoran, the General of Medical Affairs and essentially the best medic in Rethan territories, nodded his...Read More »

Eternal Love Triangle

“Reeeeeeetvik?”

The gleeful cry for attention echoed across the main chamber and into a place crudely called Hell’s Kitchen, where Retvik was busy making dinner for the personification of Death. He paused for a moment, confused by both Death’s cry and how long that previous sentence was, before answering.

“Yes, Mistress?”

“What you...Read More »

Tale: Press Brief

The press was ravenous today.

Elkay stood at his podium, looking down at the horde of hungry assorted races, all desperate to know what had happened. A lot of them had worried or accusatory looks on their faces. Normally, this never bothered...Read More »

Tale: Letters in Crayon

Tell us what happened, they keep on saying. We need to know. Of course you do. I’m not. I can’t say. They try to help and they make me feel worse. They don’t understand. No one does. It’s a stupidly unique situation no other Rethan has experienced. They all want...Read More »

Transcript: Medical Plans Moving Foward

Details censored with # to protect patient identity.

Begin Transcript.

Patient: You haven’t restrained me or anything.

Medic: There’s no need to.

Patient: I’ve tried to run away five times now.

Medic: But you came back twice.

Patient: What is this all about?

Medic: I feel that, when it comes to the healing process, the most important...Read More »

Tale: Bad Dreams

“What are you doing here?” Gath growled as he peered through the open door. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Retvik sniffed. “I miss you. I know I said I’d give you time but…”

With a sigh, Gath silently let Retvik in and closed the...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 12

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Pardon?”

Tenuk looked confused. In front of him was a Veth sitting at a desk with an appointment book and a pen far too small for its gigantic claws.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Um…” Tenuk shrugged. “I normally come here once a month. Been busy lately though. Why...Read More »

Fan Tale: Servant

“SAHROTAAR!”

Miraak’s voice echoed across Apocrypha, bouncing off the nonsensical walls and pillars of that horrible, green sphere. Sahrotaar looked up from what he was doing and sighed.

“SAHROTAAR, I SUMMON YOU!”

Why did that stupid mortal have to shout? Why wasn’t he dead in the first place?

With a growl and a flap...Read More »

Tale: Cexit 2

“I apologise for my tardiness!”

Vice General Elkay glanced up from his, well, the High General’s desk. Standing in the doorway was Aesop Korinna, the Prime Minister and overall leader of the Cassids, with two well-dressed Cassian bodyguards to his side.

“We… weren’t supposed to meet until 5pm this afternoon?” Elkay sat...Read More »

Tale: Reternity

This is everything. Eternity surrounds me. A small eternity. Young. Growing. Particles coming together, light gathering its speed, fundamental elements evolving and joining. A tiny universe swirling out of nothing. I snake across this small existence, a universe I shall protect with my very soul.

Despite the chaos, the sub-atomic activity,...Read More »

Tale: Hospital Transfer

“What’s going on?” Arkay dozily asked as several nurses unclipped the wheels on the bottom of his bed and began to wheel him and his IV drip away.

General Kaldoran appeared, with a handful of Rethan soldiers by his side. “We’re moving you to a different facility. Nothing to worry about.”

Arkay...Read More »

Tale: General's Location

“Thitavee-En, can I have a word please?”

“Of course!” The N-Class Ksa flapped his elegant wings as he followed Elkay into his office. “How can I be of assistance, Vice General?”

Elkay sat down behind his desk. He preferred his humble office compared to that of the High General’s, far less extravagant,...Read More »

Tale: Card Games

“So where HAVE you been lately?” Retvik asked as he peered over his cards.

Phovos tutted, reorganized her cards then tutted again. “Long story. Got any sixes, Gath?”

“Go fish,” Gath smiled. “We have plenty of time to listen. Got any sevens, Lokmah?”

Lokmah squirmed a little, feeling very uncomfortable as he handed...Read More »

Tale: Midnight

Arkay missed the sound of his heart monitor. During the long, dark nights, it was often the only thing he could hear that didn’t sound ominous or worrying. Since his heart monitor had been replaced with a silent, wireless one around his wrist, Arkay was sure he was either hearing...Read More »

Tale: Text Chat 2

TK0016K is now online

RK0019K: Hi.

TK0016K: Hi.

TK0016K: Are you well?

RK0019K: As well as I can be. Bit bored. Been waiting for you to get online so I could PM you. You?

TK0016K: …

RK0019K: What?

TK0016K: How the fuck did you come back this time? How the fuck are you alive?

RK0019K: I wish I...Read More »

Tale: New Recovery

“You’re finally awake!”

Arkay blinked a couple of times. He was sitting on a large, luxurious sofa, with an IV drip attached to his arm. Standing in front of him was…

“By the Light! You’re Veeyel! The deputy leader of the legendary L-Class Ksa!” Arkay exclaimed. He flustered slightly, quickly wiping the...Read More »

Tale: Renationalization

It was yet another warm, sunny day on the outskirts of Palaestra, with a gentle breeze to help cool down those working outdoors. One such being was Gath Tsoriou, who had been working hard all morning, clearing rubble and working out what he could salvage from the remains of his...Read More »

Report to Vice General Elkay by Thitavee-En

Report to Vice General Elkay Theanon, on the current status of High General Photeianos Photeianou

Date: 04/09/16

Dear Ser,

As you requested, this letter comes attached with a document containing the information you wished to learn about High General Photeianos. It is sealed with a passcode attached, for your eyes only.

Firstly, I must...Read More »

Tale: Resignation?

“Sit down, please.”

Thitavee-En was visibly shaking. He’d had Itakay, the Vice General’s secretary, hand him the reports he wrote, but less than half an hour later, there he was, in the Vice General’s office. The knots in Thitavee’s stomach made it hard to concentrate on anything, let alone the angry...Read More »

Tale: Life-Sucking Truth

“You’ve finally come down here yourself. Rather than sending my own little Ksa against me.”

It was nearly pitch black. If it wasn’t for Elkay’s enhanced senses, the one good thing he got from his mother, he would have been completely blind. Occasionally something would flash by, the glowing eyes of...Read More »

Tale: Doctor Review

Elenar was just about to finish her shift when she felt someone tug on her arm. Through her sleepiness, it took her a while to realise who wanted her attention.

“General Kaldoran, ser! I…was not expecting you!”

Kaldoran smiled calmly and started walking...Read More »

Tale: Moving In

“Are you sure the others do not mind me staying here?” Gath asked for the third time as he dumped all his belongings on the floor. Retvik smiled as he closed the door behind him, before nearly tripping up on one of Gath’s bags.

“I told you already, it is fine....Read More »

Tale: Chat with Jaydee

Jaydee tutted as he flicked between the channels on the entertainment system, not sure what he wanted to do with himself. He’d been in the Exemption Bay for a year and a half, and he still felt he hadn’t quite settled in yet.

The D-Class Ksa’s internal thoughts were interrupted by...Read More »

Tale: Awkward Questions

Aybee-en slapped Zitel round the head, hissing for him to shut up, as the younger Ksa approached.

“Ahem, hello kid, what do you want?”

“You two were whispering about me.”

Zitel lowered his head, seeing who it was. “Uh, no, no we weren’t.”

Arkay tutted, then pulled up a chair and sat down next...Read More »

Tale: Voting Victory

Outside, huge celebrations were going on, cheers that the Cassids had voted to remain within the Maza. A gigantic sigh of relief bounced around the main parliamentary chamber, ignoring the vague cries from sore Cexiters that the thing was rigged or something was wrong or whatever. They were staying in...Read More »

Tale: Fever

“He’s breathing. Stable pulse. A bit low but definitely stable…”

“What happened?”

“We’re looking into it now.”

Kaldoran held a thermometer strip against the Threan-type’s forehead. His skin temperature was a bit warm, but nothing too out of the ordinary. He placed a second strip on their tongue. This result was much more...Read More »

Tale: Admittance

Teekay sat impatiently in the waiting room, twiddling his sharp, clawed thumbs. Every moment spent waiting here was time Teekay should have been spending with the Vice General. That was his job, to defend the second most powerful Rethan alive with, well, his own life. Yet here Teekay was, waiting...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 13

“TENUK!”

Death crashed into the confused Kronoreth, hugging him but not actually hugging him. There was a thin, telekinetic barrier between them, stopping Death from killing him on contact.

“Oh my me, I missed you so much! It’s been so long! So damn long since the Historian wrote about us and we...Read More »

Fan Tale: Titania's Peril

Burning smoke would have filled their lungs, if they had any to speak of. Eruptions of electronics, broken equipment and exploding gases blew their way through the ship, hovering over the bright rings of Saturn.

None of the remaining members of the squad were sure what had happened. One minute, the...Read More »

Tale: Deathly Visit

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE LIGHT IS THAT?”

Veeyel fell out of his chair and crawled backwards along the floor, edging away from the writhing mass of shadowy tentacles in the middle of the room. Similar cries were made from the other Ksa scattered around, all of whom had been...Read More »

Tale: Forward Backward Loop

Patient: I wish to talk.

Medic: You haven’t spoken to us about anything in three years.

Patient: I know. I know. The Light. The Shadow. The things are different now. I know better.

Medic: Very well. Lay down, please.

Patient: I wish to sit.

Medic: Then sit. Talk when you’re ready.

Patient: I… I lose...Read More »

Blog: Rant

“Why are you so sad, Phovos? Why are you so sad? There’s nothing to be sad about. Get up, go out, live your life!”

Well I don’t want to.

I get upset when you tell me this because I don’t like going out and meeting people. I don’t like people at all....Read More »

Tale: Dream Thoughts

“So I have Death visiting me while I’m awake and now you’re visiting me in my dreams?”

Your mind wanders. Your mind seeks. She is inbuilt into you.

“Of course Death is. She brings us to life then kills us and reincarnates us. Unless you’re unlucky. What are you doing here in...Read More »

Tale: Plans of Stasis

“My, my, how you have let Death affect you, little children…”

Every Deitic in the large, lush, palatial room froze. At the entrance of the Great Hall of the Anexartitai stood a towering monster, its face clad in a mask of gold, with tattered antlers growing out of its head.

The collection...Read More »

Tale: Aziten's Story

“I want to know about you.”

Aziten pushed his uneaten steak across his plate, ignoring the Threan sitting opposite him. After a few huffs and puffs, he finally looked up.

“Why do you want to know about me, kid?”

Arkay shrugged. He’d finished his dinner ages ago but had remained at the table...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 14

Tenuk’s first step into Death’s home left him with something warm and sticky on his feet. He didn’t know what it was, but it was horrible. The rest of the room he’d just entered was in a similar state, all covered in a strange, off-white liquid, dripping down the walls...Read More »

The Ksa

The Ksa are genetically altered, highly trained Threan-type Rethavok, designed from birth to perform specific duties in and around Rethan territories. Despite their small, often unarmored bodies, the Ksa are incredibly powerful, capable of vast and deadly abilities, including an amplified version of standard Threan-type telepathy and telekinisis. Many Ksa...Read More »

Tale: New Guy

“They are going to kill me, medic!”

Deyar cowered in the corner, terrified of everything going on around him. He was having a panic attack, and the medic in the room was trying her best to keep him calm.

“I don’t want to go in there!”

“Deyar, you know they are fellow Rethans,...Read More »

Tale: Unintentional Slavery

“You ever feel like we’re treated like slaves?”

Teekay glanced up from the book he was reading. The other handful of Ksa, all spending some time relaxing after a hard day’s work, did the same.

“Pardon, Veekay?”

Veekay hesitated for a moment. He’d been sitting at his desk, reading about the Kalsa Warriors...Read More »

Tale: Ksa Leader Meeting

Nine Threan-type Rethans sat at wooden, unfurnished desks, each with a small, wooden stool, in a hall made mostly of concrete. There was little decoration to the room, apart from a handful of weapon stands. Two of the seats in the room though were currently unoccupied. At the front of...Read More »

Tale: Inspection

Teekay rolled his eyes as someone knocked on the door behind him. He’d been moving boxes around on behalf of the Vice General all evening and wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone.

“Yes? What do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Do you have a moment to talk, Teekay?”

Immediately,...Read More »

Tale: Cafe Treat

It was the 6pm rush hour, and many Rethans were running around trying to get home, or get to get to work to start their shift. But in a small, quiet cafe, four Ksa sat peacefully, watching the world go by. Their 12 hour shifts had finally finished.

They all had...Read More »

Assassination of a General

Sirens blared around the main Council building, the standing stone of Rethan society. Many Rethans tried to continue on with what they were doing, trying to ignore what the sirens meant.

One of their leaders was gone.

At the top of the stairs, in front of the entrance to the council building,...Read More »

Tale: A Sudden Aftermath

“Ser, General Elkay has been pronounced dead…”

High General Photeianos stood at his desk as his Ksa gathered around him, handing him information and asking for instructions. Outside, Rethans were knocking on his office door, trying to get more information. He did not want any of them in there right now....Read More »

Replacements

“I can’t believe Elkay is gone…” Rethais muttered as he entered the Council Room, closing the door behind him. The other members of the Circle were all there, they were just waiting for the High General. Behind their simple, wooden seats, the V- and S-Classes stood on guard, watching for...Read More »

Tale: Predicament in the Great Library

The Great Library stands on a great hill overlooking the equally great city of Thre-Vretania. It is a large, marble and glass building, rectangular in shape, with a large glass dome on the roof. Its innards are lined with a millennium’s worth of history and paperwork, neatly organized by the...Read More »

Tale: Left in the Catacombs

“Is everyone alright?”

Teekay struggled to get up. The air was frigid and damp, the walls frozen to the touch. Last thing he could remember was passing out after falling from a pretty damn high building.

Lying around him were his fellow K-Class Ksa, all slowly regaining consciousness. Out of habit, he...Read More »

Tale: A Crazy Idea

“This is insane…”

“It isn’t.”

“It is.”

Voices argued above Arkay. He was only partially aware of where he was and what was going on. All he knew was that he hadn’t taken his daily medication, and that worried him more than everyone talking above him. Finally, someone...Read More »

The Sleeping Forest

I always thought the Sleeping Forest was made up. Something medics had always theorized about but had never been able to confirm. Many believed it was just our sleeping minds harking back to our primal lives, living in the forests of the three Rethan planets before we became civilized. But...Read More »

Tale: Another Crazy Plan

“Seth, where have you been? I know I have been lax with you all recently, but you have been gone for five hours without telling me!”

Veeksiar was pretty annoyed at his Ksa. Normally Seth was always incredibly well behaved, but here he was, hiding in some corner of the Great...Read More »

The Decorated Room

Elkay woke up with a shock, his body itching to sit upright, but held down by heavy, leather straps. After a moment of reorientation, Elkay tried to look around. His only real point of articulation was his neck, and Elkay was currently using it to work out where he was.

It...Read More »

The Disembodied Voice

“Arrrrrrrkaaaaayyyyy!”

The voice had been taunting him for hours. Ever since Arkay had woken up from his temporary coma, he’d been hearing this weird, disembodied voice. It was driving him insane, yet whenever he asked any of the other Ksa, none of them knew what he was talking about. Eskay suggested...Read More »

Fan Tale: A Warframe Power Pissing Contest

“Hey kid!” Frost grinned as he slapped the young Volt on the back. “Yellow, black and grey? Unusual colour combination. Did Ordis tell you his sensors were bleeding when you equipped that?”

The Volt, who was holding a mod he’d just picked up, trying to work out whether it was useful,...Read More »

Mistaken Stasis

“No, this cannot be right… Are you Arkay?”

Arksi craned his neck round to see who was talking to him. He’d been happily sitting there, waiting for his next bottle message from Nenth, when a giant shadow had been cast over him. Problem was, it was dark down there and Arksi...Read More »

Burial at the Keep of the Beloved

Tens of Thousands of Rethans had gathered from across the planet to attend the funeral. Millions more watched on, staring solemnly at their television sets. There was nothing to hear apart from the sound of trickling rain and the marching of heavy feet.

Six elegantly armoured Rethans had carried the closed...Read More »

The Second Assassination

Elkay had been trying to get the door unlocked for hours now. Normally, with a combination of telekinisis, lock-picking and sheer strength, opening a door would not be a problem. This door though was too heavy to blast off, and Elkay couldn’t see the locks on the other side, to...Read More »

Tale: Telephone Call

“He fucking did what?”

“He exiled us.”

“Say it again.”

“The cunt exiled us.”

“… I don’t fucking believe it. He has no right!”

“Well, he does…”

“Well yes but the Vice General isn’t fucking dead! I can’t believe it! Now you’re even further away from me!”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your damn fault. You weren’t even at...Read More »

Tale: Passing on a Message

The purple, black and gold Thraki perched elegantly above the entrance of the Dovgokul Temple. He leaned over a bit, to make room for the circling white, blue and silver Thraki, who seemed hesitant to land.

“Lokmah, it has been a long time since you graces our peaks!” Vokulunax bared his...Read More »

Tale: Home Return Visit

“SURPRISE!”

Arkay fell backwards in shock as Retvik, Gath, Elksia and Tenuk all jumped out at him.

“What the-”

“Welcome back Arkay!” Elksia grinned as she grabbed Arkay and hugged him tight. Perhaps a little too tight. “I missed you so much!”

Finally, after way more than the traditional three seconds, Elksia let go...Read More »

Tale: Meeting Between Raptors

Mavri Thyra lounged around on the well-padded chair, waiting patiently. Occasionally, she would spin around and wink at the young, red Kshan secretary, flirting with him and making the Kshan feel incredibly awkward. For a Thanatian, Mavri was incredibly attractive, but...Read More »

Tale: Sky Watching

There had never been many stars in the skies above Portalia. The light pollution from the major cities, the small distances to the sun and nearby planets and the thick atmosphere meant only the light of the brightest stars made it to the eyes of stargazers. Instead, the sky was...Read More »

Tale: Elkay's Chat

“Vi- uh, General El… uh, ser, can we talk for a moment please?”

Elkay glanced upwards from underneath his sun hat. He’d been sitting in his inflatable rubber ring, floating in the still water, ignoring the world around him. Across the pond, Psiksi was picking flowers, while Itakay and Enkay were...Read More »

The Assassination of the Vice General

On November 1st 2016 PDW, the Vice General Elkay Theanon, and his chief Ksa Veekay Theanon, were thrown from their office on the 25th floor of the Main Council Building, following an attack that left 20 injured.

The perpetrator, who apparently had access to the Vice General’s floor, charged in via...Read More »

Temthan Invasion on Rethan Soil

On August 8th 2016 PDW, Queen Xytas of the furthest Vohran nests received information from a race called the Tavrans, informing them that a fleet of ships was heading towards planet Threa, the capital of the Rethans. Queen Xytas passed this information on to the Retham Embassy on Vohra 1,...Read More »

All

In the beginning, there was nothing and everything. Pante. The Singularity.

But Pante was lonely, bored, lacking. It felt empty. It felt an endless cycle of nothingness. A particle would flash in and out of existence. Over and over. Waiting to become something.

Eventually, Pante became tired of the cycle, and of...Read More »

Tale: A Start of Something

Phovos’s offices were always busy, not just with beings coming in and out on business, but for pretty much everything pertaining to the city of Palaestra. Of course, Phovos would normally ferry out jobs to her army of loyal Raptors and Kshan, but there were some things Phovos always insisted...Read More »

Tale: A New Medic

Arkay sat nervously at the desk, waiting for his medic to come back with a variety of blood tests. This medic was new, a more elderly standard-type by the name of Feteer. He wasn’t a bad medic or anything, it was just something about his age and his constant need...Read More »

Tale: Vrekan Residence

The four Vrekans were all alarmingly tall, bulky and well-armoured. They looked almost ridiculous, following the casually dressed Thanatian down the road, but no one was willing to say that to their faces. They were all members of the Myst, an elite squad of Vrekan warriors with one purpose –...Read More »

Tale: A Date of Sorts

Arkay stared at the sign, then double-checked his map. He was definitely at the right place, but the sign on the front door said ‘closed’. Yet there were plenty of beings inside, clearly having drinks.

Without warning, a heavy arm slammed against Arkay’s shoulder. Out of instinct, he jumped up, teeth...Read More »

Tale: Rooftop above the City

“You seem stressed today, Phovos. Is something bothering you?”

Lokmah perched on the roof, looking at the arena below. Phovos had stormed up there, all angry, and Lokmah wanted to know why.

“It’s nothing.”

“It is something, Phovos.”

Phovos grunted, then started picking paint off the ledge, a clear sign that she was upset.

“Phovos,...Read More »

Tale: Peace, Quiet and a Package

Elkay tutted as he flicked through the magazine he’d bought earlier. The local Thanatian shops weren’t exactly well-stocked, but considering that they were on the border and that Elkay was supposed to be in hiding, he couldn’t just go to any old Rethan shop and buy a newspaper. He didn’t...Read More »

Tale: The Armour Set

“So, what do you think?”

Elkay stared at the opened package in front of him, inspecting everything that was in it. Its contents was amazing. Shoulder plating with a gold leaf trim. Chest plates with intricate gold spirals on them. Shin pads with silk and fur linings. Belts made of pure...Read More »

Tale: The Spooky Trip Home

The tiny, bedraggled transport, an old 4×4 automobile with a single passenger, inched its way down the narrow, rocky road. Mist hovered around, not sure what to do with itself other than obscure vision and make everything feel dark. It may have only been 7pm, but it was already pitch...Read More »

Tale: Eskay's Talk

“You’ve been acting quiet, Arkay, what’s up?”

Eskay had been concerned for a while about his friend. Arkay had spent almost all of his time lately hunched over a laptop computer, going out on friend-dates with the ruler of Palaestra, or sleeping. He had only seen Arkay eat once, and what...Read More »

Tale: The Raptor's Deal

Phovos watched as the winged Rethan approached with caution. She found it weird that he had wanted to meet in the middle of nowhere, but since she was the one with the deal to make, she thought why not? Was a nice place anyway.

“Hi!”

Elkay didn’t reply. He stopped in his...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 1

“… Where am I?”

The creature blinked its large, glowing yellow eyes as it rolled over, disorientated. Its appearance was unusual, an upright, humanoid being, with a reptilian head, covered in bone-like armour. A large armor plate ran up its head, while more bone armour covered its chest, arms and legs....Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 2

The four beings made their way through the debris of the ruined space shuttle, being careful of the flames. But no matter how far they walked, there only ever seemed to be more flames, more scraps of metal, more carnage. It seemed as though they had been walking forever.

“I have...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 3 - Interlude 1

“Oh shit…”

Arkay stood helplessly at the barrier blocking entrance to the crime scene. In the distance, the local Astynom, the Rethavok police force, were investigating and trying to work out what happened. A small public transport shuttle carrying fifty passengers and a crew of four had signalled for help before...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 4

“Alright… Cut down the middle slowly… That’s it… Alright, I got them!”

Arksi was using his telekinisis to keep the unconscious pilot off the ground, while Ct’Era and Verlais pulled away the remaining goo from their body. Behind them, Kindyna was keeping twenty very sleepy, very scared beings awake, by trying...Read More »

Fan Tale: Escaping the Stalker

Volt hated Spy missions.

He hated them with a passion. Not because Volt couldn’t hack, in fact, Volt had mastered hacking pretty quickly. He didn’t mind the sneaking either, he actively enjoyed being sneaky at times. No, Volt hated Spy missions because of all those stupid energy fields and sensors and...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 5

“Do I really have to ask where we are AGAIN?”

Arksi woke up to find himself hanging from a ceiling, tied up in heavy, rusty chains. To his right was Kindyna, to his left was Verlais. To Verlais’s left was Ct’Era. Everything else was pitch black, apart from the odd flickering...Read More »

Tale: A Crush

A third competitor fell to the ground, defeated by the newest member of the House Fighters. The House Fighters had always been the toughest and strongest fighters in the Dessaron Battle Arena, but rather than fighting for their own races, they represented the Arena itself. Their most common duty was...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 6

“Ow.”

Ct’Era was somewhat stuck. They’d been walking for a long time. No one knew how long they had been walking for, as there was no point of reference around. They had expected to find a wall or something, but instead happened to find a hole in the ground. Which Ct’Era...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 7

“I knew we should have cryofroze them for longer…” the Anexartan repeatedly muttered as he lead the four beings down hallway after hallway. They walked past various doors and pathways, none of them labelled. The only thing that ever changed was the colour of the walls, which randomly changed between...Read More »

Fan Tale: Volt's Wait

Volt was bored.

He had been lounging around inside his Orbiter for several hours now, waiting for things to happen. Great things he had been told. Mysterious things. New things to do.

It wasn’t like Volt didn’t have things to do. He still had plenty of missions building up from across the...Read More »

Tale: A Decision

Retvik was surprised to find that Arkay was home. For the last few weeks, he had either been staying with his brothers or spending time in an office working for the Raptor. It had been a while since they had seen each other.

After dumping several bags of shopping on the...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 8

“This is not right…”

The lumpy ship touched down on the ground, so smoothly that its occupants were unsure that the ship had actually landed at all. A door slid open and they slowly inched their way out.

The landscape was strewn with debris. Crumbling buildings, shredded roads, small fires, all littering...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 9

The little creature was unconscious, breathing heavily to itself. It was about the same size and shape as Arksi, but more ‘feral’, with a pair of large, curved horns protruding from behind its eyes. Its skin was black, but the armour plating covering its body was yellow.

Ct’Era edged over to...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 15

“Five million years!”

Tenuk kept his head low as Death screeched at him.

“FIVE MILLION YEARS! WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU FOR FIVE MILLION YEARS?”

Eventually, Death’s screeches left the sound spectrum and became completely inaudible to Tenuk. Part of him was regretting showing up, or even bothering in general. It wasn’t like...Read More »

Tale: An Odd Recruitment

I walk as fast as I can, avoiding attention, before slipping away into a side alley. My kind are not welcome around here. A Temthan dumping ground of former slaves. Big, burly reptilian beings everywhere, all suffering from various, untreated injuries. They’ve always envied us Thraki for managing to remain...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 10

They’d walked for about twenty minutes, yet the sun still hadn’t set. The little creature happily bounced around ahead of them, leading them away from the demolished space port and towards the outskirts of the city. As they reached the edge of the destruction, they started to see signs of...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 11

“Verlais! Wait!”

Kindyna chased after the exhausted Vrekan as he stormed away.

“Please, come back!”

“No.”

“Verlais!”

Verlais was having none of it. He was tired and hungry and confused. He wanted to lay down somewhere and have a nice sleep or something. But all around him was yet more rubble, more nothingness. Finally, he...Read More »

Tale: Tea with Death 16

“I thought you were trapped somewhere out there…” the Veth tutted as Tenuk dragged himself onto the beaches of Kinigi. “You know the order to kill Deitics on sight is still going on, yes?”

After wiping pale, silver sand from his face, Tenuk looked up to see who was speaking to...Read More »

Tale: Emthion's Epiphany

Emthion had been waiting patiently outside Rethais’s office for about ten minutes now, and Rethais would have been content to make the new Vice General wait even longer, if it wasn’t for the fact that he wanted to go home soon. With a sigh, Rethais pushed a button on his...Read More »

Tale: Lost Memories

Retvik rushed into the hospital room, only to find Arkay sitting in his bed, feeling incredibly content. He looked pleased to see the former general, and waved frantically.

“Retvik!”

“Are you alright, kid?” Retvik glanced round for a chair, found one and pulled it up to Arkay’s bed so he could sit...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 12

The cafe should have been closed, but the freezing of time meant that its owner hadn’t gotten around to locking it up and flipping the sign. The owner was instead standing at the till, counting money.

Kindyna shuddered as she opened the door and walked in. The team had been fine...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 13

“Do you think we’ve gone a bit overboard on the weapons?” Kindyna asked as she inspected a large, decorated sword and started tying ribbons on it. “I mean, we have eight rifles and there’s only four of us and Ct’Era can’t even use them so you brought two extra large...Read More »

Tale: A Challenge at the End of Time

Stasis stared at each individual Veth as he walked by, judging them by their appearance. Many of them were terrifying, with mouths full of teeth and claws as long as Stasis’s forearms. They’d formed two lines either side of the personification of Nothingness, directing him towards the large, organic dome...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 14

The drive had been eerily quiet so far. Apart from the odd frozen animal, the roads had been rocky but barren. No life, nothing, just a cold, silent stillness, interrupted only by the roaring engines of the eight-wheeled truck.

“How long have we been driving for?” Arksi asked from the back...Read More »

Tale: The Cheering Crowd

The crowd’s cheers were deafening. Members of every race, screaming and shouting from their seats, cheering a distinct phrase. They weren’t even in the arena, they were a good mile away in the watching bays. But even at this distance, Elkay could hear them.

They’d never cheered like this before. Not...Read More »

Tale: Elksia's Birthday

Today was supposed to be Elksia’s special day. Her birthday. But so far, it hadn’t been fun. Things had cropped up.

The entire time Elksia had been indoors, the sun had been shining and the clouds had gone away. She’d been filling out forms, trying to apply for a new post...Read More »

Tale: Lost in a Forest

“I think we’re totally lost…” Septimus sighed as the pair of Cassids slowed down their 4×4 truck. They’d been driving around in the dark Thanatian forest for hours, trying to stick to the rocky roads but never seeming to go anywhere.

“Well you had the map!” Tertius shouted, then quickly lowered...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 15

What had previously been rocky fields and outcrops had turned into sheer, flat planes of nothingness. The ground was still made of rock, but it was perfectly flat, with not a single bump in it. Where there had once been trees, there were now tall, black cylinders that stood unmoving...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 16

“Easy now…” Verlais muttered as he supported the webbed-up creature and Arksi slowly cut through the mess. “Careful…”

“You’re not helping…”

“Sorry… How many have the others done?”

Arksi rolled his eyes and sawed harder at the webbing, his blade going nowhere. “Including this one and that one? None. Don’t get why this...Read More »

The New Dessaron - Part 17

“Is she okay?”

“Kindyna?”

“Come on, wake up!”

“Is she asleep? Unconscious?”

“I hope she’s not comatose…”

“I know what will wake her up…”

Kindyna’s eyes flash open as something poked her breast. She sat bolt upright and slapped Verlais across the face.

“What the ever loving fuck is wrong with you, you fucking Vrekan fuckface!”

Verlais grinned....Read More »

The New Dessaron - Epilogue

Verlais was trembling. Past the door opposite him was the office of the Myst Prime. Essentially Verlais’s boss. But being the lowly Myst soldier that he was, he’d never actually met the Prime. Now, suddenly, in this small base in the Vrekan territories of Portalia, he’d been called up to...Read More »

Tale - Back at the Facility

Veeyel sat in bed, not sure what to do with himself. Things lately had been a little off, to say the least. Normally, once you were there, you were stuck there, but people had been coming and going. Normal Rethans, not deranged Ksa like him.

“You’re thinking loudly again…”

Above him, Zitel...Read More »

Tale: A Veth's Rant

When I was young, I used to believe in a traditional afterlife. When you died, you’d go to a special place where everything was good and warm and fun, and you’d spend forever being there because you lived a good life and you deserved it. Even when I was shown...Read More »

A Study on Veth at the End Times

For many a century, as this fine universe comes to its end, I have been studying the lands of Kinigi and its denizens. After much research, I have noticed that there is little to no sentient life in Kinigi, aside from the passing souls of the conscious dead, and the...Read More »

Tale - Fairy Lights

“What in the name of the Light are you doing, kid?” Retvik grumbled as he watched Arkay cleaning up broken glass. While trying to hang up some sort of green string, he had accidentally knocked over a lantern, which had shattered on the ground in a spectacular explosion of glass...Read More »

Tale - Cafe Break

Verlais sat wearily as the world rushed by outside. Ever since he and his new friends had become famous, he’d been so damn busy. Constant briefings and debriefings with Vrekan authorities, conversations with Portalian authorities, vok of all shapes and sizes wanting to see and greet and speak with him....Read More »

Tale - Camp Fire Panic

The three Vrekans gathered around the Captain and his campfire, shivering from the cold. Border patrol was their least favourite job, and the weather as of late had been unbearable. Rain, hail, storms, every sort of negative weather they could imagine.

“Captain, can we take a break now?”

“Yes, but you must...Read More »

Fan Tale - Frost Worries

Volt sat happily inside his orbiter, happily admiring his shiny new Prime parts. He’d spent way too long opening relic after relic, looking for the somewhat rare parts he needed, then he’d waited three and a half days for it to all finish building. It was worth it though. The...Read More »

Tale - The Second Day of Macromera

Retvik rubbed his eyes as he got up to answer the door. It was early, and he was the only person awake. The door opened gently, after a brief struggle with the lock. It took a moment for Retvik to realise who it was.

“Um, good morning, am I early?”

Retvik glanced...Read More »

Tale - Festivities with Death

“Happy Macromera!” Tenuk shouted as he burst in, carrying boxes of treats and goodies. “And happy Day of Needlessness!”

Death though didn’t move. She was busy writing something down. Tenuk put the pile of boxes down on the first convenient space, then slowly sneaked over. Maybe she didn’t hear him.

Just as...Read More »

Tale - Mother and Daughter

Elkay always thought he was a well-travelled being, but never in his life had he seen a Thraki temple before. What was even stranger was the fact that there was only one Thraki present. A large, black, purple and gold Thraki, just staring at him, waiting for him to speak.

“Um…...Read More »

Tale - Godly Suggestions

The Whenvern shaked his glorious white wings as he landed on the shores of Kinigi. He had been meaning to speak with Kinisis, better known as Death around these parts, for a while, but he had never gotten around to it. Always busy going forward.

Now though, he had a chance....Read More »

Fan Tale - Hieracon

Volt stared at his navigation panel, then at his wallet, then back at his navigation panel. His Star Chart was mostly completed, except for the last few planets – Pluto, Sedna, Eris, and strangely, Europa. He had made a beeline for each junction on each planet, leaving out the awkward...Read More »

Tale - Preparation for a Challenge at the end of Time

Stasis looked at his brand new soldiers. Four pristine warriors, wearing the finest, strongest armour that Stasis could conjure. He’d cheated a little, giving them all armour that was impossible to even scratch by normal means. Or even Deitic means.

“Master, what are you thinking?”

As always, his favourite little Anexartan/Lanex hybrid...Read More »

Tale - A Sleepy Awakening

Arksi yawned as he stretched his arms, that lingering, warm bed feeling tugging at his mind, wanting him to go back to sleep. The little Rethan did what he could to fight it, by throwing off his duvet covers. Big mistake, outside his bed, it was pretty nippy.

Rather than brave...Read More »

Tale - Awkward Interruption

“What in the name of the Mistress do you think you’re doing?” Arkay growled as something grabbed him by the tail and pulled him out of the cave he and Teekay were in. Angered by the sudden interruption, Arkay fanned out his claws, ready to attack, only to swiftly change...Read More »

Tale - Resting in Crates

“Arkay?”

This was like the fiftieth question Vel and Iatre had asked. Of course, Arkay was an older Veth than them both, but not by that much. Despite that, they seemed to think Arkay knew everything.

“What.”

“Why has Death sealed us all inside one crate? Is she using a local postage service...Read More »

Kairos

Kairos is one of the three multi-dimensional beings that controls the Phoviverse, and controls the passing of time, making sure that it always flows forward and never backward. He is often referred to as the Whenvern, the Forwyrm or Dragension, and in his few appearances to mortals, appears as a...Read More »

Kenos

Kenos, better known as Stasis, is one of the three multi-dimensional beings that controls the Phoviverse. He has also been known as Kathisykaz, Vakenon or The Nothing. Stasis represents stillness and the vacuum of space, the gaps between existence. Stasis is also considered to be the ‘drag’ of the universe,...Read More »

Kinisis

Kinisis is one of the three multi-dimensional beings of the Phoviverse. She is the personification of the Endless Cycle, the Matriarch of All, of the constant life, death and renewal of all things within the universe. Kinisis appear to have in three forms – Genisi, the avatar of birth; Thanati,...Read More »

Tale - Untimely Meeting

“Woah, look at those Veth…” Verlais accidentally said a bit too loudly as the four Kronaron entered the large, black and gold building.

“We are surrounded by beautiful architecture, underneath the newborn stars of the last nebula of the universe, and your first thought is a bunch of Veth?” Kindyna hissed....Read More »

Tale - Observe from a Distance

Verlais huffed and puffed as he held his arm in pain, limping out of the golden arena. Behind him, a large, green Veth roared, victorious and pretty much unharmed. Despite all his studying and planning, he hadn’t even made a dent in the Veth’s defenses.

As Verlais leaned against a wall...Read More »

Tale - Timey Wimey

The Veth’s claws tightened around Verlais’s throat. It turned out that Deitic technology was something Veth knew all too well about, and Lua’s cloaking device had done fuck all. Verlais hadn’t even managed to place the first camera when the hulking orange and gunmetal Veth stomped over and pinned him...Read More »

Tale - Messed Up Time Nonsense

“Um, Kairos, dear, you can stop that now.”

Kinisis watched as the Whenvern circled around Stasis, growling menacingly. He’d attacked Stasis after a disagreement on which of them loved Kinisis more, and the swiftness of his attack and a punch in the face knocking Stasis into the arena below was enough...Read More »

Tale - What Retvik and Gath have been up to lately

“Ah, heavens above…” Retvik let out a huge sigh of relief as he rolled off Gath and laid on his back, breathing heavily. Exhaustion swiftly took over, causing Retvik to close his eyes and pant.

Gath leaned on his side, looking lovingly at his partner. “You spoil me.”

“Nuh-uh,” Retvik grunted, still...Read More »

Tale - Towards Kairos's Keep

Arkay and Volt stepped carefully as they navigated the maze of paths towards the Whenvern’s castle. Neither of them had any idea where Kinisis had gone, she’d given them magically altered copies of their signature weapons then disappeared in her usual cloud of tentacle-y smoke.

“You know…” Arkay muttered as they...Read More »

Fan Tale - The Lost Operator

Volt’s neural sensors briefly switched off then on again, to simulate blinking. He appeared to be hanging from a wall. It was only vaguely familiar to him, as if he had only ever slept in that room. After a few more blinks, the Warframe realised he was inside the Arsenal...Read More »

Tale - Chatting Below Kairos's Keep

Arkay looked at Volt, then looked up to the tower they had been thrown from, looked at Volt, then looked at the tower again.

“How the fuck did you do that?” he finally asked, his brain unable to comprehend how their semi-mortal bodies had not turned into gigantic splats on the...Read More »

Tale - Deathly Rant

Kinisis watched as the personifications of Time and Nothingness argued in front of her, growling, shouting, screaming and all round being stupid. They’d gone round and round in verbal circles, and nothing had stopped them yet.

Something approached her from behind, but Kinisis knew who it was. “You took your damn...Read More »

Tale - A Midnight Phone Call

“What is it now, sister?” The voice on the other end of the line growled.

“I have an amazing idea!” Mavri Thyra beamed, spinning round in her comfy chair. “I really amazing idea!”

“What idea.”

“Oh come on, Phovos, you’ve got to be more excited!”

The voice growled again. “I haven’t slept in days....Read More »

Tale - Gossip and Goo

“News travels fast, even for us Thanatians, do you not think?”

The voice echoed around the dark, desolate cave. Black, tar-like slime dripped from the walls, pooling into small streams, which snaked from the edges of the room into a large pit in the centre. Slowly walking around the pit of...Read More »

Tale - Kept out of the Way

“I… don’t get what you want me to do… Can you explain it again?”

This was the fourth time Elkay had tried to explain everything to his younger brother. Arkay had always been a much sharper Rethan, but these days, it was as if he’d taken stupid pills or something. Slow,...Read More »

Tale - Father and Son

“My first day spent with you, and you take me hiking into the middle of nowhere just as I’m recovering from a cold…” Arkay puffed as he traipsed behind Kayel.

“Maybe you should be fitter then. Being outdoors is good for you.” Kayel seemed distracted, as if he was looking out...Read More »

Tale - Cease

“You need to cancel this stupid election right now!” Phovos shouted as she charged into the throne room, with several followers in tow.

Mavri looked up from whatever it was she was reading and sighed. “You against democracy, sister?”

“No. I am against cheating and unfairness. Tell me, sister, what’s the current...Read More »

Tale - Asking a Politician

“You ever thankful for anything, Elkay-En?” Phovos asked as she waltzed into the private changing room, her clawed hands full of sheets of paper.

The Threan-type Rethan who was just about to change out of his armour rolled his eyes as he removed his helmet. He placed it neatly on the...Read More »

Tale - Convert

The only source of light in the small tree house came from the moonlight outside, shining in through a plastic-covered window. The house consisted of a single room, made from plastic and metal sheeting, containing only the barest of necessities. Two beds, a food preparation area, storage and little else....Read More »

Tale - A Good Ending

As I stand here on this cliff, overlooking the beautiful mountains and forests of these Thraki-owned lands, I can’t help but think how things have changed. For the better, for once.

It wasn’t long ago that I was fighting for my life. Running away from the world. I was being chased...Read More »

A Day in the Life of a Vrekan Worker

Virjilan Vrekason is an average Vrekan citizen. He is 34 years old, married with a five year old child and works as a skilled labourer, helping to rebuild the ruined city of Venalanium. Virjilan and his family live on the third floor of the Ver’Ktisia, a seven storey block of...Read More »

A Day in the Life of a Bayvak Scout

Fen is an average female Bayvak living in Flini, a small tribal nest on the outskirts of the Bayvan Jungles. She lives with 93 adult Bayvak of various ages and countless children. She works as a day shift Scout and Nest Protector, guarding the Bayvak tribe’s territory. She is 27...Read More »

A Day in the Life of a Kalsa Warrior

Hello. My name is Tahlak. I am a 57 year old former male Vohra. I work as a Kalsa Warrior for the Glenirik Nest on Vohra 3. I have been asked to write about my day, what I do from the moment I wake up to the moment I go...Read More »

A Failed Election

The huge, gem-encrusted hall was bustling with bodies big and small, all filing in through a single pair of doors at one end of the room. At the other end were eighteen raised thrones, the two in the middle being particularly large to seat the oversized beings that sat in...Read More »

The Failed Election and the Coup of the Sixteen

On the 21st of January PDW, the Queen of the Thanatians, Mavri Thyra Tromou, declared that she was making plans for the Thanatians to have their first official set of elections, in order to get herself and her king/partner Thymos Tromou elected into power legally. She announced that these elections...Read More »

Tale - A Thanatian, Lost for Words

“How long has she been like that?”

“Since we arrived on Portalia.”

“Wow…”

Thymos and Phovos both watched over Mavri, who had been silent apart from the odd whimper for about twenty for hours now. She wasn’t physically hurt, but deep down, she was heart-broken. The betrayal of her own children had torn...Read More »

Tale - Before Photeianos's Announcement

“EMTHION!”

The High General stormed into the office, pushing past the two Ksa stationed in the doorway. Emthion looked up from the piles of paperwork and unfinished bills and all sorts from his desk with a loud sigh.

“Yes, General Photeianos? I am very busy right now.”

Photeianos didn’t seem to care. He...Read More »

Tale - The Rethan in the Forest Clearing

Arkay could hear whimpering.

The sound was coming from a small clearing in the forest. Fallen leaves covered the ground, and a weak sun shined through the empty branches above. But the clearing was lacking in leaves, showing open ground, with dew-coated grass. On a closer inspection, something was moving in...Read More »

Tale - A Secret Phone Call

“Is the line secure?”

“Yes.”

“Positive?”

“I am positive. Photeianos does not know about this call.”

“Good.”

Rethais breathed a sigh of relief. For once, Elkay wasn’t insisting that he go to some place in the middle of nowhere to call him. Rethais leaned back in his comfy chair, feeling much better.

“So how are you?”

“Have...Read More »

Fan Tale - The Long Slow Decay

The ship floated almost lifelessly in orbit around the dead, rocky planet. Occasionally, a spurt of energy would push the ship upwards, briefly away from the planet, a vague, failing attempt to reorientate itself. Inside, a lone being sat, lost in their thoughts.

The being didn’t look human. A strange suit...Read More »

Tale - Uncertain Pick

Kayelar was not normally used to crowds this big. Heck, he wasn’t really used to crowds at all. The only crowds he ever saw were from the windows of the Maza buildings in Portalia and Kolasi, and even then, those crowds were normally protesting something from some other race. Just...Read More »

Tale - A Great Reveal

“Wow…”

Elkay shrugged his shoulders, shifting his armour, as he gazed upon the cheering crowds all around him. His armour, designed to both protect him and conceal his identity, was hindering his view quite a bit, he hadn’t really noticed until now just how many beings were watching. By his feet...Read More »

Tale - A Frantic Explanation

“WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?”

Kayelar sat in his chair, arms and legs firmly crossed in a vague attempt to protect himself and not look scared at the same time. The High General had been throwing things across the room for about twenty minutes now and he didn’t seem willing to stop...Read More »

Tale - A Running Mate

The Rethan ship landed cautiously on the tarmac, and uneasily opened up, revealing its nervous passengers. The ten passengers carefully left the ship, and immediately headed to the specially prepared room, which was also filled with other, even more cautious Rethans. Everywhere else had been carefully sealed off from public...Read More »

Tale - To Ask or not to Ask

Psiksi sat on the edge of the little tree house, unsure what to do with himself. He was supposed to be visiting local Rethan villages and trying to convince them that they should register to vote (and potentially get them to vote for his brother) but Psiksi just couldn’t be...Read More »

Tale - Death's Deal

They weren’t breathing.

Lying on the ground, slumped over, the light flittering and fading from their eyes. Were they dead or frozen in time? There was no way to tell.

Arkay feared that it was the former. He’d put them all in the standard recovery position. He’d held their wrists, checking for...Read More »

Tale - Answers to Give

There was an awkwardly large amount of disdain in the room, mostly coming from the body of Rethans standing in the centre of it. They had lots of questions and they wanted answers. Hence why they were all waiting for Elkay to walk in and start talking.

Finally, the candidate for...Read More »

Tale - Protective Cell

“Please, let me in!”

Thitavee-En bashed on the tattered, wooden door. He considered tearing it off its hinges and forcing his way in, but as he was about to do so, the door swing upon. Standing in the doorway was Veyar, looking rather bemused.

“What.”

“Please, I need somewhere safe to go! My...Read More »

Tale - Debating about Debates

“You finally decided to accept my invitation,” Photeianos smiled, a crooked, mean-spirited smile he normally saved for enemies. Elkay and Rethais had both seen this smile before, but this was the first time they were the enemies, not someone else.

“We have been very busy, Photianos,” Elkay tutted. “What do you...Read More »

Tale - Free Cookies

“That’s a fuckton of cookies…”

Gath watched as the six tiny Rethans ran around the kitchen, all neatly organized in their pursuit to bake lots of cookies. He had no idea why the hell they were baking cookies, but it amused the giant Ethran-type, seeing them acting all busy.

“It’s actually only...Read More »

Tale - Perhaps Not Such a Good Deal?

“So let me get this straight,” Tenuk growled as he stomped across the room. “You gave up your own soul to die in a short amount of time and serve Death for eternity, in exchange for a bunch of people you didn’t even know and a guy who is immortal?”

Arkay...Read More »

Tale - Meeting between Monsters

Thanatos always considered himself to be a tall, powerful and all-round large Thanatian, but even he was dwarfed by the size of the Banikan king he was secretly meeting. This Banikan, Lek’Ril of the united Water Tribes, was so huge, Thanatos did not understand how he was capable of standing....Read More »

Tale - A Running Mate's Meeting

Rethais sat at the back of the bar, waiting patiently. There was no one else around apart from the barkeeper. His small team of Ksa and bodyguards were all outside, keeping everyone else away. Apart from one person. One person who had just been allowed in.

“I apologise for being late,...Read More »

Transcript - Interview with Elkay Theanon

Kazix: Good evening everyone! Today is a special occasion. We have been invited to do our interview at the current HQ of candidates Elkay Theanon and Rethais Rethianos. We are going to be interviewing Elkay Theanon himself, getting to know him a bit better before the Rethan Election campaign officially...Read More »

Tale - Catching up with the 471st Legion

“I should have visited more…”

“You were busy, ser.”

Elkay marched down the rows of small tents and camp sites. By his side was Captain Vallas, one of the two captains of the 471^st Legion. The legion was currently out on a large training exercise, camping in a large field north of...Read More »

Tale - Voices in Recordings and the Mind

“Esvee.”

“Is there a problem?”

“I need… I need a word. Yes, a word.”

“What is the problem?”

“I…”

“Envee, speak.”

“The voices. They’re back.”

“All of them?”

“Yes.”

“Including…”

“Yes. Especially that… I’m sorry…”

“Have you been taking your medication?”

“Yes. Always.”

“Three times a day?”

“Yes! OF COURSE… Sorry.”

“How long?”

“Most of them started popping back over the last week. That… one… came...Read More »

Tale - The Vice Generals' Debates

There were cameras everywhere, but no other beings apart from Rethais, Kayelar and the moderator, a senior Rethan by the name of Dyphon Kalliergos. Dyphon had been moderating in High and Vice General Candidate debates for about eighty years now, and he was still going strong. A Rethan who relished...Read More »

Tale - Thitavee's New Job

“Why am I shaking?” Thitavee asked himself as he waited outside the glass-roofed office. All around him were books, specimens and all sorts of unusual items. Mostly books though. Occasionally, he’d see a Θ–Class Ksa wander by. Some would wave, some would look confused. Some of them,...Read More »

Tale - Mind Tampering Ways

“So you’re, uh, unstable, huh?” Teekay asked as he sat down next to Envee.

“That is none of your concern.”

“Well, it is since your brother told me to speak to you. Similar problems.”

Envee looked up, confused. “You hear voices?”

“Sometimes,” Teekay replied. “They’ve said awful things to me. There’s… a reason I’m...Read More »

Tale - Realization at the Kolasi Nest

“Korak, are you there?”

Korak seemed to be ignoring everyone lately. She was supposed to be in charge of the Kalsa Warrior nest of Kolasi, but these days, she spent most of her time with her friend Talok. Talok didn’t mind, he was a Varga, a feral, adult male Vohra, he...Read More »

Tale - The Voice in the Night

“My beloved children…”

No one expected the booming voice of Stasis to ring in everyone’s ears. No matter where each Deitic was, they heard the voice, clearer than their own.

“I have an idea. A plan.”

Tenuk was lying in bed when he heard it. So his side was yet another partner, his...Read More »

Tale - Psiksi's Worries

Arkay for a change was happy. He was busy sorting out piles of registration forms, to be delivered to the Rethan Registration Offices in Hertany. Since they’d started a while back, he, Kass and the members of the League of Brightly Coloured Rethans had managed to get three hundred Rethans...Read More »

Tale - Another Bloody Argument

“HOOOOOOOOW?”

More flying furniture. Kayessen wasn’t surprised. The last few reports, based on polling data from three major cities, had all been filled with bad news. Well, not complete bad news. Just enough for the High General to start having fits of anger and start tearing things up.

“Why do you think?”...Read More »

Tale - Half Deitic Meeting

“You should not be here.”

Out of all the beings the High General expected to see in the doorway to his private bedroom, a young red and silver Ksa was not among them. Not one of his Ksa anyway.

“I know I shouldn’t. But you are one of the few people I...Read More »

Tale - Sleepy Chat

“What did he say?”

Veekay didn’t want to talk. But there his boss was, demanding that he talk. Veekay hadn’t slept all night. Hadn’t slept for the last few days, and he desperately needed some time to digest everything that had happened.

“Can I go to sleep?”

“I need to know, Veekay.”

Normally, Elkay...Read More »

Tale - Thanatians Moving Foward

In the centre of the large cave, a fire was flaring up, roaring around a metal cauldron full of boiling water. The cauldron was large enough to fit a whole aggelad inside, and that was exactly what was inside it. The aggelad, weighing about 200kg, was slowly boiling in the...Read More »

Tale - Back at the Old Place...

For some odd reason, the front door was unlocked.

The front door shouldn’t have been unlocked. Elksia wasn’t due home until tonight, and Tenuk was off doing, uh, whatever it was he normally does when he wasn’t out drinking. The only other person who had a key was Arkay but he...Read More »

Tale - A Guest at the Kolasian Nest

“King Ver, it is an honour to have you visit our humble nest!” Korak smiled nervously as the leader of the Vrekans and his team of highly trained assassins marched through the entrance of the Kolasian Nest. “Y-you did not need to come in… person…”

The Vrekan king, adorned in gold...Read More »

Tale - Moving the Vote

The cheers faded into nothing as Photeianos slammed the doors shut behind him. While the many Rethans out there were sated, worry was gnawing at his heals.

“That went well!” Kayel-En smiled as he rushed to Photeianos’s side, a large glass of mead and a stick of grilled meat at hand.

“It...Read More »

Tale - A Sneaky Chat

“April 2^nd?”

“Yes, April 2^nd. That’s the date they want to do. As early as possible. First Sunday of the month, as to avoid arousing suspicions.”

Nenth glanced up from his desk, across the room where the Keeper was having a quick nap.

“Why?”

“I don’t know…” the voice at the other end replied....Read More »

Tale - Iron Deficiency

“Good evening, Arkay, how are you feeling today?”

Normally, Feteer’s gentle and overly calm voice annoyed Arkay, but today, he felt almost welcoming.

“Um…”

“Take your time…” As always, Feteer had a handful of needles and vials at hand. Arkay had just had blood tests done, but no matter what, Feteer always seemed...Read More »

Fan Tale - Out of Body Experience

Volt’s Operator had been incredibly quiet since their trip to the Kuva Fortress. Volt knew that he and the Operator were separate beings, but something after that rather lengthy mission had disturbed the Operator. Something Volt was unaware of, since Loki was the warframe the Operator had chosen, not Volt....Read More »

Tale - Scandalous

“What the fuck is wrong with my damm voice?” Elkay shouted as he threw down the electric tablet far harder than intended. Luckily, the rubberised back caused it to bounce. Unluckily, that bounce made it fall off the table onto the floor, where it landed screen down.

With a sigh, Elkay...Read More »

Tale - A Panicking Rethan

“I’M NOT SAFE HERE!” Kayel-En screamed as he clawed against the walls of his cell. “PLEASE! HE’LL KILL ME! LIKE HE DID WITH THE OTHERS!”

The young Rethan had been screaming for several hours now. The R-Class Ksa, better known as the Arbiters or the Ksa Astynom, had picked him up...Read More »

Tale - Remaining Quiet

“We should be out there.”

“No.”

Elkay remained firmly in his seat, flicking through an armour catalogue. He’d been wearing the same look for years now, and with current events the way they were, he was considering a change.

“Elkay, we should be using this!”

“No!”

Rethais on the other hand was restless. He’d sit...Read More »

Tale - An Invitation Out

Arkay had been unloading boxes for hours. Due to a movement in election dates, everyone was suddenly in a huge hurry to get everything sorted out for the elections next week. Luckily for Arkay, because he was located on Portalia, there were only a handful of polling stations that needed...Read More »

Tale - Job Security

The young Ksa dutifully opened the door and let Kayelar through. Elkay’s office was remarkably small, despite the importance of the position he was running for. In fact, Kayelar’s own office was larger, and he was aiming for Elkay’s old job.

“Good evening, Kayelar. How are you? Would you like anything...Read More »

Tale - A New Warrior

Vahlok roared as he clawed at the walls of his cage. He had been trapped for three days, ever since he’d been caught stealing anti-ageing drugs. He needed those drugs. He needed them to not become a Varga.

Everything had been fine up until six months ago. Back then, Vahlok was...Read More »

Tale - A Sulking General

Photeianos had spent the last few nights alone. He didn’t want to speak to anyone, no matter how much everyone wanted to speak to him. He’d made mistakes. Lots of them. He didn’t think he would be caught out by something so small.

Little threats were always his style. He’d never...Read More »

Tale - Last Questions of the Campaign

The crowd died down as Elkay offered himself up for one last question. They had all been there for a few hours, asking questions about everything from increasing taxes on those earning over ten million a year to opening up adoption for all Rethans regardless of marriage status. Elkay had...Read More »

Tale - A Brief Catch Up

“Arkay!”

Elksia’s day had been miserable, so seeing one of her best friends really cheered her up. She rushed over to Arkay, picked him up and threw him in the air as if he was a little kid.

“You’re happy to see me!” Arkay smiled. “I’m so sorry I kept on missing...Read More »

Tale - A Possible Inheritence

Gath and Retvik fidgeted in their seats. The chairs were not made for Rethans, they were hard and wooden, with no room for their tails. Well, there were holes in the backs of the chairs, but they were too small for the two gigantic Rethans and their decorated tail armour...Read More »

Tale - A Little Package

The package landed in front of Teekay, abruptly waking him from his nap. Whoever delivered it shouted a quick apology before disappearing upstairs, leaving Teekay capable of only muttering a few curse words. He wanted to go back to sleep, after all, Teekay hadn’t slept properly in weeks, but the...Read More »

Tale - Birthday Surprises

Arkay could hear everyone muttering downstairs, planning their surprise. In fact, he could hear them through the heavy wooden door to his bedroom, and through the pillow he had put over his head. What he couldn’t hear though was what they were saying. Not that Arkay wanted to know. He...Read More »

Tale - Election Day Blues

Elkay rolled from his side to his stomach, then back again, unable to find a comfortable position. It was 9 in the morning, but there was no reason to get up quite yet. No campaigning to do, no staff to manage, no speeches to write. Everything was sorted out.

All Elkay...Read More »

Tale - Handing Over

“This… all feels so unreal…” Elkay muttered to himself. Behind him were a handful of the K-Class, members brought in overnight to replace his exhausted main team. To his side was Rethais, with only two V-Class Ksa, the rest of the team having gone home to sleep off nearly twenty...Read More »

Tale - Acceptance Speech of the new High General of the Retha

“My fellow Rethans…”

Elkay hesitated as he stood at the podium, looking over a sea of Rethans. They had all gathered on a cold and windy day to celebrate their new leader. Beings of all shapes and sizes, from all over Rethan territories.

Many of them were wearing their best armour, carrying...Read More »

Tale - Breaking the Tavran Deal

“What are you DOING here?”

For over seven hundred years, the chambers of the Tavran Grand Palace of Colour had been free of Temthan soldiers. Decades of peace and sustainability were only moments away from potentially being destroyed.

Aspras, Arhontas and leader of the Tavrans, stood his ground as Temthan warriors approached...Read More »

Tale - Long Drive Home

The vehicle parking area was mostly empty now, but Kass was too lazy to move his hovercraft. He’d been waiting there for about an hour now, and was idly fiddling with the electric roof and windows to pass the time. But finally, he spotted a familiar figure walking over, their...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Death 18

“Do you know what I find odd?” Death giggled as she opened the door Tenuk was just about to knock on. She found Tenuk’s confusion incredibly amusing and slightly attractive as well. To add to his confusion, as Tenuk entered the room, he found that Death was at the opposite...Read More »

The Dark Alley

Arkay wished he knew how to read maps better. His bright idea of walking to the Tsainiz Restaurant would have been much easier if Arkay had accurately judged the distance. He knew where he was going, it was just that his short, stubby legs were groaning from the walking he...Read More »

The Anger of Deities

Two gargantuan platforms flashed into appearance. To the simple beings on the planets below, they looked like small discs, blotting out sections of the sun. Up close, they were round, intricately decorated pads, each one with a single being standing in the middle of them.

One being was a draconic creature,...Read More »

Tempo

“Thirteen counts of murder. Thirty counts of attempted murder. Fifty counts of grievous bodily harm. Pretty impressive. Especially for self defence…”

The Temthan prosecutor walked up and down, taunting the prisoner with his ability to stand. For everyone’s safety, the prisoner had been tied to their chair, unable to move anything...Read More »

Tale - Meeting Up With the New High General

Ver was surprised when the little Rethan secretary told him the meeting was to be held outside. A second Rethan with feathery wings led the Vrekan King and his soldiers back downstairs, through a side passage, which then opened up into a large courtyard, filled with silver statues.

Each statue stood...Read More »

Raptai

Species name: Raptai – Also known as Tree-Raptors, Vine-Dragons

Full name: (Fyta-Exoteric) Fytazont Dendrosaurid Raptai

Average dimensions:

Average Height: 2.2m

Average Length: 2.3m, with root-tails reaching lengths of 7m

Weight: 40kg

Description: Raptai are beings made of plant matter, a twisting mass of vines, roots, branches and stems, have formed the shape of a reptilian being,...Read More »

Priming

“Wow, five days. Five days, you ran and hid from the Veth I designated to pick you up and bring you here. Well, to you it felt like months, because there’s no real time here. But it was really just five days. Still, five whole days. Five days, you somehow...Read More »

Tale - A Late Night Drink

The only decent thing about this Vrekan bar on the outskirts of Palaestra was that it was open all night. That was the only reason Retvik was there. Everything else about the bar, from the décor to the service to the drinks was mediocre at best. But they had a...Read More »

Tale - A Bad Hangover

“Gaaaaaath..?” Retvik shouted and instantly regretted it. He had a horrible headache and was just making it worse. He had tried going for a walk to calm his aching skull, but his trip outside had only left him feeling awkward and confused.

“What?” Gath shouted from the kitchen, where he was...Read More »

Tale - Vethic Questions with Death

The Veth all gathered around Kinisis, all waiting for their regular weekly meeting. This meeting had been delayed because Kinisis had been working on a new Veth to join their ranks, but that didn’t bother Death’s humble servants.

“So, my wonderful little loyal buddies!” Kinisis grinned as she threw out snacks...Read More »

Tale - A Second Potential Warrior

The black door, with its gold frame, appeared in front of Vahlok. He had just finished killing a Whenvern High Priest and made it look like an accident, and now he had to report back to Stasis.

Two taps on the door. Then two more. After a fifth tap, the door...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Death 19

Tenuk couldn’t help but look as Death paraded down the stairs, completely naked, with not even her fancy shadows covering her. Death bounced up and down towards Tenuk, circling him before disappearing in a cloud of smoke and reappearing behind the Kronoreth, this time with her shadows on.

“Uh…” Tenuk opened...Read More »

Tale - City Exchange

“Good evening…”

“Phovos. You can just call me Phovos.”

High General Elkay waited for the Raptor to sit down, before sitting down himself. “… Phovos. It is a pleasure to meet you again.”

Phovos smiled. “You were going to call me Ser. I could see it. Shame you don’t have a feminine version...Read More »

Tale - Vriskeran Phone Call

“Relinquish your control and disperse your followers now!” Zoi screamed down the phone line. Behind her, the rest of the Sixteen, the current rulers of the Thanatians, listened on anxiously.

“Really?” the voice laughed. “That’s rather… hypocritical of you. All I’m doing here is leading a peaceful takeover of a nation...Read More »

Tale - Cleaning up the Shore

Death clapped her hands as a swarm of Veth ran around, cleaning up the coastlines of Kinigi.

“Move your asses, kids! I want this place looking like a fancy thropy beach resort!”

Several Veth sighed as they removed piles of skulls by quietly swallowing them, or taking them inland to bury if...Read More »

Tale - The Omelette of Consent

Death yawned and stretched, then reached for a glass of something to drink. But as she did so, she realised something was missing. Her new little friend who had been chained up next to her was missing.

“Where the fuck have you gone?” Death tutted. She got up and headed downstairs,...Read More »

Tale - On the Prowl

Tempo was pleased with herself.

Not only had she managed to get into the Anexartan server system without being seen, she’d managed to get the tracker virus uploaded, and on top of that, she’d placed locational and sound trackers on the handful of staff that were there, meaning that if they...Read More »

Tale - Breakfast Buffet

The six of them sat around the table eating various breakfast dishes. While Retvik and Gath chowed down on sausages and mashed root vegetables, Vel, Elksia and Kass took bites out of their bacon and kotopoul eggs. Psiksi was eating a bowl of porridge with a vast amount of honey...Read More »

Tale - Mysterious Mining Liquids

“Kalsa Warrior Nuvak, we need your assistance!”

The Vohra jumped up and down. Like most normal Vohra, her voice was monotonous, but Nuvak knew that she was excited. Her pheromones gave it away. Normally, Nuvak would be doing higher level duties in the nest, but occasionally, he would do the rounds....Read More »

Tale - Backfire

Those Vayra had been hard to convince, but Vahlok had finally done it. All he needed to do was go and visit them in person, to show them what his Lordship could do for them. The Fenirk Nest was always a rather progressive nest, with more rights to Kalsa Warriors,...Read More »

Tale - Clawed Nightmares

Vahlok woke up in shock. Something buzzing had woken him up from his sleep, which was probably for the best, because he had spent most of the night chasing off bad dreams. Ever since his failed mission the other day, Vahlok had felt a lingering sensation in the back of...Read More »

Tale - Plotting an Expedition

“Remember when I told you to never come here without asking permission, Lua?” Tenuk grunted as he put a saucepan of milk on the stove. “Remember?”

Lua nodded glumly. “Yes, Tahnahos. I remember. But this is important.”

Tenuk continued to grunt as he rummaged around for two mugs and a cup of...Read More »

Tale - In the Burning Office

The base was on fire.

Not just a little bit on fire. A lot on fire. As in completely and utterly on fire, with most beings trapped inside it was burning and on fire as well, dying in agony and clawing at the exits trying to escape.

Tempo could hear a lot...Read More »

Tale - Meeting with a King

“What are you doing here?” Vahlok hissed as he reached for his blade.

“I could ask the same of you,” Tempo replied, reaching for her pistol. “Poaching again, are you?”

“Coming from the queen of the poachers, considering what I’ve heard about you!” Vahlok spat, only to quickly change his tone. A...Read More »

Tale - A Sugary Corpse

Normally, other Veth remained far, far away from Arkay’s cage. The angry monster would always leap up at them, threatening them with claws and violence. Every Veth knew that the Veth Prime wasn’t to blame though. Outside of his missions on the mortal plane, he was treated far worse than...Read More »

The Ostar

At first, I thought this world was dead.

A land of hot stone, boiling rivers and spikes of bone, the spines and remains of animals long since deceased. Asterkitoi, gigantic beings that came to this world to leave the mortal coil and be renewed by the Cycle, their bodies melting in...Read More »

Tale - Burning Letters of Insanity

To whoever finds this,

Consider this a farewell to my sanity. I am chained up in an endless white space writing on a piece of skin ripped off from the hollow corpse of a Kronospast, using my own blood which is so hot it literally burns this supposedly nigh unbreakable skin.

Not...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Stasis

Tenuk hated the Overlord’s Office. A horrible, pitch black place with stupid gold trimmings everywhere, floating in an eternal nothingness. It was where the Personification of Entropy and Vacuum did his business, and Tenuk had been invited to speak to him. He was currently sitting on a black and gold...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Veth

“Uh… Hello… Arkay…”

Tenuk was visibly shaking. He had never really spent time one on one with a Veth before. What made it worse was that he used to know Arkay. Heck, he’d met Arkay before, but that was during the change. This Arkay, he wasn’t the same. His eyes glowed...Read More »

Tale - A Fun Day for Vahlok

Vahlok was enjoying himself.

Normally, heading off to isolated colonies was tiring and stupid. He’d do some magic tricks, he’d perform some ‘miracles’, he’d explain everything, and if he was lucky, the barbaric, undeveloped tribes and races he’d wasted all that time on MIGHT convert and start following Overlord Stasis. Might.

Today...Read More »

Tale - The Whenvern's Experiment

The six creatures kicked, clawed and screamed in their cages as Tempo edged past them. She had no idea why the Whenvern wanted her to capture these beings, but here they were, all very angry. Sedating the beings was out of the question, while the tranquillizer darts had been enough...Read More »

Tale - Abandoned Pets

“Well, well, well? Aren’t YOU an interesting little creature?”

Stasis watched as the creature gnawed on an unconscious Deitic. The Deitic had clearly fled into their spirit form and left their physical armour behind, but the creature didn’t know any better. It quickly glanced at Stasis, then went back to...Read More »

Tale - New Play Things

Stasis smiled as he dropped strips of some kind of unknown flesh to a large pit in the middle of his private quarters. In the pit, quickly chewing up the fleshy morsels were six creatures that Stasis found adorable for some reason. Once Stasis was done, he got down on...Read More »

A Bump

“Did you feel that?”

Arkay sat up in his cage and looked around. The only other Veth, an old, nameless Veth, around just looked at him funny.

“Feel what?”

Arkay shrugged. He wasn’t really sure. It felt like something had gently bumped into the ground, causing a very slight rumble. Like jumping on...Read More »

A Hole

Arkay scratched his head as he peered down the incredibly deep hole but not very wide in the ground. Next to him stood two other Veth, who were quite content to stand around and guard the hole.

“So why is there a hole in the ground?” Arkay asked.

“She didn’t teach you...Read More »

A Rant

There was something wrong with Death.

All the Veth had noticed it, ever since they felt that bump. They’d been keeping quiet about it though, because they all knew that when Death was in a funny mood, Veth tended to disappear.

In the mean time, twenty Veth had all been stationed around...Read More »

A Cage

A black and gold cage, lined with glass made of diamond, hovered perilously over an almost infinitely large hole, with an almost infinitely hot pool of molten metals and toxic gases. Outside of the cage, Stasis was floating around, examining the being within the cage. Attached to his wrist was...Read More »

A Chat

Veth gathered along the shoreline of Kinigi in their thousands. It had been a long time since the Vethic population gathered in its entirety, and many Veth had forgotten just how many of their kind existed. Their eyes faced forward, towards the ocean that separated Kinigi from the rest of...Read More »

Tale - Wrong Steps

The second Tempo set foot on the planet’s soil, ten heavily armed but rather small Panvok beings held her at gunpoint. Behind them were about fifty larger beings, all armed with what looked like gunstaffs.

“Get down on the ground!” The creatures shouted.

Tempo hesitated, then did as she was told. One...Read More »

A Panic

“This is insane!” Arkay repeated constantly as the three older Veth circled him, attaching goodness knows what to his body. “How the fuck is this even happening?”

Continuity looked up at the young Veth Prime as he tightened a belt around Arkay’s leg. “Kinisis has faith in you. I have faith...Read More »

A Fear

“Hold me, Stasis.”

Stasis blinked, unsure what to do. Above him was essentially the entirety of the universe that he had, well, grown up in. He was once a little slice of nothingness and entropy, and this universe had given him… not life, but meaning, at the very least.

“Stasis.”

Another blink. He...Read More »

A Pain

“OW!”

Continuity rushed into the room in a panic. “Arkay, are you well? Is it becoming too much? Do we need to find a new Veth to replace you?”

Arkay was sitting at a table, rubbing his hand. On the table was a large map of Kinigi, something Kinisis had made millennia...Read More »

A Plan

Arkay trawled through books and texts, anything he could get his hands on, looking for information. There were hundreds of books sprawled on the floor alongside Arkay right there, and he’d also emptied out four other rooms, only occasionally stopping just to keel over and growl in pain. Mostly from...Read More »

A Tooth

The pain was only just bearable, but Arkay had no choice but to put up with it. He had scrambled through Death’s libraries, then raced across the universe finding the things he needed. In his hand, his uninfected hand, was a mace made out of tooth, bone and blood. Body...Read More »

A Shame

“Kinisis, are you well?”

Stasis stood in the doorway as he watched Kinisis take swigs out of a large mug. She was sat at a small table. By her side was a bed, where a Veth was sleeping.

“No. Go away.”

Something landed behind Stasis. It was Kairos, just as concerned about Kinisis...Read More »

Tale - Ice Cream Sunday

Kayel was exhausted.

In the last few weeks, he had been all over the place, rushing around on both Rethan and Thanatian duties. He had done all sorts. Lots of healing. A little bit of diplomacy. A lot of fighting beings trying to invade private Thrakian spaces. Worst of all, he...Read More »

Tale - Change in Power

Phovos looked up at the two Rethans as she spread pieces of paper all over the coffee table, being careful not to knock over their drinks. She paused for a moment, took a sip of her own drink, then went back to spreading things out.

“What is all this?” Retvik asked...Read More »

Tale - A Proper Farewell

The fire crackled away to itself. Kass watched as little flames drifted away and burnt into nothing. He’d been sitting there for about ten minutes. He wasn’t sure why, but that note he got after work was rather… convincing. The handwriting was identical. The little symbol at the end was...Read More »

Tale - Insane Amounts of Paperwork

“The whole city?”

“The whole city.”

“From this tiny office?”

Gath was not amused. He’d bashed his head on pretty much every single door frame as he’d made his way to the office of the ruler of Palaestra. He was supposed to have a new job but he didn’t even know what to...Read More »

Tale - Waking Up in a Weird Place

She told me my name was Iatre. I don’t think she told me the truth. I look around at my fellow inmates and they all seem to think the same. Six of them I am pretty sure are all friends but the last one, it has a look of hatred...Read More »

Tale - Iatre's Confusion

I remember saying to myself that I wanted answers. Turns out the answers I got weren’t exactly the answers I wanted to hear. It took me a damn long time to prise those answers from the yellow guy’s mouth, but eventually he caved and started talking to me. Turns out,...Read More »

Tale - The Hole in the Lake

I still have no real clue as to what is going on.

Everything has been jumbled up. Nothing makes sense. Worse, Arkay has stopped talking to me. He wants to, but something or someone is stopping him from doing so. It’s not just him answering my questions, he won’t talk to...Read More »

Tale - Iatre's Confrontation

I confronted Death today. Not intentionally. I was actually just trying to talk to Arkay and ask if he was alright. He was clearly following some sort of trail (probably a scent one), but he was obviously limping a bit, so I walked up to him and asked. Of course...Read More »

Tale - Kinisis's Impossible Task

Kinisis felt miserable. Her Veth were being bitches, she was still sore from regrowing galaxies and everything was just about awful. The only thing she had to look forward to was an upcoming visit to the home of the Ostar. They were always fun. And loyal. And attractive. And up...Read More »

Tale - A Weird Varga Thingy

Well, something finally managed to snap Arkay out of his sulking, and it wasn’t me. I spent a whole… I have no idea how long. There’s no time here. No night or day. It’s always dusk or something. There’s no sun though. There are stars, there are lots and lots...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Death 20

“Tennypoo!” Death smiled as she wrapped cling film-covered arms around the bewildered Kronoreth and pulled him inside. “Tennypoo! I missed you so much!”

Tenuk struggled to break free from Death’s grasp, but finally relented and let the monstrous thing hug him.

“You seem happy today.”

Death didn’t reply. She squeezed harder, making it...Read More »

Fan Tale - A Grineer's Lunch

Volt hid in the shadows and waited patiently. He wasn’t a stealthy sort of Warframe, but there he was, doing a stealth mission, because why not? It wasn’t like Volt had anything better to do right now, and he wanted to test out his new silent blast Sonicor, so again,...Read More »

Tale - Iatre's Crush

I think Arkay secretly fancies me.

Okay, maybe fancy is a strong word. But he definitely likes me. And I’ve heard him say things during the night. While he’s sleeping. I’m not watching Arkay sleep but… well, I am. But I can’t help it. He sleeps weird. A sort of half-sleep...Read More »

Tale - The Troubled Raptor

“Kindyna, what the hell are you doing here?”

Phovos dropped the heavy stone brick she was carrying and rushed over to the tentacle-haired Thanatian. She had been busy helping rebuild a Kshan defensive fort and she’d only informed Lokmahro, so she was surprised Kindyna had found her. Well, Phovos was a...Read More »

An Undead Letter

Dear Tenuk,

I don’t know why I’m writing this. I just wanted to write. If I direct it at someone, the words come easier. As if I’m imagining that you’ll sympathise with me. I mean, if I said this in person, you probably would… You know what I mean.

I just want...Read More »

Tale - A Boxed Cabbage

Retvik tutted as he flicked through paperwork then switched back to his computer, closing a tab he had open in his browser. He only had a few bits to finish, but there were things on his mind. Since he’d taken this job, he’d noticed more beings coming to Palaestra. He...Read More »

Tale - Clearing Out

Psiksi felt weird. He had spent all day going through Arkay’s old stuff. They’d been meaning to do it for ages, but every time Retvik had entered his bedroom, he’d burst into tears, Elksia was unable to even go near Arkay’s belongings and Tenuk was… well Tenuk was doing Tenuk...Read More »

Tale - Out on the Plains

So, uh, my friend is gone.

I don’t know where he’s gone. He’s just not here. I looked everywhere, I can’t find him. The cell where she kept him when he was angry. The paths that he roamed when he was free. The little hidey holes where he would go and...Read More »

Tale - Wandering Around Lost

I’ve been wandering around for ages. Not really sure where I’m going, except towards the big dome. It’s the only real thing on the landscape. Everything else is just generic plains, with the odd rocky outcrop or dead tree. Oh and the river and its many reeds. But that’s about...Read More »

Tale - The End of a Tradition

A circle of generals. That had always been the collective term for a bunch of Rethan Generals, mostly because their leaders had always sat in a circle. One of the first things Elkay had done when he got into power was to bring back that tradition. He’d always enjoyed the...Read More »

Tale - Doing Something

I’ve done something. I don’t know if it is good or not. Guess we’ll see.

It all started when I reached the dome. I assume it’s Death’s place, because it’s much more heavily defended than everywhere else. There were Veth wandering around, but one of them came up to me and...Read More »

Tale - Confused but Excited Ksa

“I don’t believe you!” Seth growled. “For real? The High General managed to convince all of them?”

The other members of the Θ-Class Ksa were all equally dumbfounded and shocked.

“There’s no way he managed it!” Renth gasped. “The old Vice General tried for decades and…”

The Ksa...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer

20170609

Dear Diary,

My name is Daisy Callaghan. I’m on the SS Star Soarer, a ship that’s taking a thousand civilians of assorted races to a scientific colony called The New North. The trip is supposed to take two months, but that’s assuming we don’t run into any problems along the way....Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 2

20170610

Dear Diary,

Daisy here, and I’m totally pooped.

You’d think for a basic salary they’d give you more breaks. While most of the people here don’t actually have jobs, I’m getting up at 6am and not finishing until 6pm. I’m free to do pretty much whatever I want after 6pm but it’s...Read More »

Tale - Anger Between Ksa

“I’m still in shock over all of this…” Teekay muttered as he scribbled his way through paperwork. “All this hassle, just to get the same job I had last week. Fucking retarded.”

Geekay, Veekay and Enkay, who were busy packing away boxes and moving things around, both rolled their eyes. They’d...Read More »

12th June 2017 Journal

Right now I don’t want to do anything. I just want to sit and stare at something. I have things I could be doing right now but I don’t care, I’m going to start writing a proper journal about my feelings. Might as well do it now when I’m distracted.

The...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 3

20170612

Dear Diary,

Sorry I didn’t write yesterday. It was all so damn hectic, I don’t even know. There were three separate drills, one for everyone on the ship in case of a hull breach, one for the general population and a drill for a containment leak for the cleaning and engineering...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 4

20170613

Dear Diary,

Today was a mostly good day! I’ve been moved to a different cleaning team, and, alongside this pair of Septa and a Raptai, we get to clean one of the main server rooms! We were picked because apparently we were the only people who could be trusted. I can...Read More »

Tale - A Deathly Ramble

“Arkay, I want you to listen to me. You’re tied down, you can’t move, but you can listen. You aren’t going to say or do anything. You’re just going to listen.

“Alright. Are you comfy? Silly me. You can’t answer. Well, I’m going to talk anyway.

“I’m angry at you, Arkay. You...Read More »

Diary on the Space Soarer 5

20170614

Dear Diary,

Someone else died today. One of the lower engineers working on communication systems. Someone doing the exact job I’ve always wanted. Well, I’d take any engineering job, but communication engineers? I’d love that… But this…

His poor family must be devastated. His friends must be heartbroken. He has a girlfriend...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 6

20170615

Dear Diary,

Okay none of this is making any sense.

The ship is currently on lock-down, with all non-essential persons in their rooms. The police are all over the place trying to work out what’s going on.

Another person died. Number three. Her name was Larissa Jordans. But it’s not some random person...Read More »

Tale - Unexpected Person in the Courtyard

“Oh light oh light oh light this is bad…” Gath panicked as he rushed into the office. Everyone around had been on high alert ever since… IT had appeared in the courtyard. No one knew what to do, it had just stood there, patiently waiting for someone to come out...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 7

20170617

Dear Diary,

After a day of constant inspections and checking rooms and being herded around like cattle, everything seems to have calmed down a bit. Just a bit. There’s still that hint of panic everywhere you go, but at least it’s just whispers and not people panicking out in the open.

But...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 8

20170618

Dear Diary,

So much for things calming down.

It’s all gotten worse.

No one’s allowed out of their rooms right now.

Three people dead.

All brutally murdered!

Blood everywhere.

Like something went through them. Like they were in the way of some horrible monster and, rather than going around them, it went through their bodies and out...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 9

20170619

Dear Diary,

I saw it.

I saw the monster.

I saw something that was not supposed to be there.

It was only for a moment. I saw it outside my room. It skulked by. Like some sort of feral animal, hunched back, on all fours. A shadowy creature. Almost literally made of shadows. Small...Read More »

Tale - A Speck of Dust

I was once Kenos. The personification of the void, of the vacuum, of the eternal decay into nothingness. The god of entropy. The lord of nothing. Through my dark veil, I protected my beloved universe. The mortals that roamed through space, the dragons of time, even Existence herself, they were...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 10

20170620

Dear Diary,

I’m bloody scared now. The casualties are just piling up. Not just deaths, injuries too. We’re at thirty one people dead and seven people injured. Since the Star Soarer set off. Thirty one. THIRTY ONE PEOPLE. Mostly humans and Cassians as well.

Then again, they make up like 75% of...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 11

20170621

Dear Diary,

The bodies are piling up. So they gave us all guns.

The police gave us all guns because they can’t track the creature. Not to fire at the thing, but to fire at the ceiling above it to try and scare it off. Apparently that worked once. Once. Otherwise, no...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 12

20170622

The lights are out.

There are emergency lights on the ground, and communications are still working on and off, but there’s power outages everywhere. This stuff isn’t supposed to happen. We’re highly evolved beings with highly evolved technology, yet here I am, hiding in my room with no damn food, no...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 13

20170623

Dear Diary,

I’ve decided that I’m going to go and meet up with the groups hiding in the cinemas. I’ve been going over all my options since 0200 and I think this is what I have to do. It’s my safest bet.

If I stay here, I’ll need to leave eventually to...Read More »

Diary on the Star Soarer 14

It’s gone.

The monster is gone.

I saw it go. It spoke to me. Said it was going.

Is it really gone?

Was it just lying to me?

I…

I…

I gotta calm down.

Deep breaths.

Okay.

So I was making my way down a hallway, about 100m away from the recreational areas. Walking through a living area.

I heard it....Read More »

A Quota Filled

“Ah, you’re back!” Death grinned as she rushed out and welcomed Arkay with open arms. “And you did exactly as I asked of you! Absolutely perfect!”

Arkay sighed as he threw a small, glowing orb into the river. It was the soul of the last being he had killed. Death walked...Read More »

Tale - A Cause for Concern

Continuity hovered around the storage unit, watching as the Veth Prime tried on various bits of armour, none of which he seemed to like. He’d been trying to approach the angry Veth for a while, but after all that had happened recently, Continuity was feeling slightly scared of him. No,...Read More »

Tale - Veekay's Blood Tests

Veekay was feeling nervous and he didn’t understand why. Things had been awfully quiet ever since he’d essentially lost his job as a Ksa, but the quietness had done nothing to calm down the conflicts in his mind. He had always had one duty – to protect the Vice General…...Read More »

Tale - Iatre's Enjoyment

My life is great right now.

Wait.

Is it a life when I’m actually dead? I guess not. Whoever I was before I became a Veth is deader than a doorknob. I guess I should call it unlife or something? The other Veth seem to call it being undead, but I don’t...Read More »

Tale - The Last Official Ksa Leader Meeting

“Where’s Veekay?” Feyar growled as Teekay entered the room, dragging a wooden stool with him. The other Ksa all remained silent, wondering how the self-proclaimed ‘Electric Ninja’ would reply.

“He’s at work. Signed up with the 200^th Legion. He can’t make it,” Teekay replied bluntly. “Unlike most of us here, sitting...Read More »

Tale - A Toothy Return

“Your brother is waiting for you in your office,” Captain Vallas smiled as the High General walked by.

“My brother?” Elkay blinked. “Which one?”

“Which one is the green one?”

Elkay tutted. Psiksi was supposed to have been in Vriskera, Portalia, helping with the Thanatian problem there. What he was doing here was...Read More »

Tale - An Oddly Familiar Cell

Photeianos blinked. Once to wake himself up. Twice to clear his vision. Three times in disbelief. He was tied down. Leather straps kept him stuck to a large table. The sort of table a Rethan might be operated on. All around him was a familiar but not really familiar room,...Read More »

Tale - Three AM Call

Psiksi sighed as the phone rang. It was three in the morning, everyone was asleep and this infernal communicator had woken him up. What sort of idiot calls at three in the morning anyway?

With another sigh, Psiksi rolled out of bed, onto the floor and across the room to where...Read More »

Tale - Days as Seconds

Sometimes, I wonder how I got here.

A billion years of nothingness and here I stand. Observing. Watching. Guarding. That is my duty now. Protecting a fledgling universe from all the horrors that seek to consume it. Protecting a fledgling universe from mistakes that could destroy it from the inside out.

You...Read More »

Tale - Still Friends

The room was brightly lit, with a white-paned window and painted walls, decorated with childish white and grey clouds. In the corner was a clean, neatly made bed with a freshly fluffed pillow. A desk, a lamp, a small computer sat in the opposite computer, next to a free-standing cupboard...Read More »

Tale - Land Requests

“Another day, another pile of land purchase offers to reject…” Retvik muttered to himself as he sat down. He could have had an assistant do this. He could have had Gath do this. But deep down, a small part of him liked doing this. He got to say no to...Read More »

Tale - Miniature Picnic

Kayel adjusted his hood as he walked down the hallway. In one hand was a visitors’ pass, in the other was a bag of treats. He’d spent a good hour at the nearest convenience store picking out what would be best, what was low in calories and in sugar. After...Read More »

Tea with Death 21

The two Veth growled as they threw Tenuk into Death’s home, picked him up, threw him on a sofa made of flesh, then stormed off. Tenuk was uncomfortable at first both from his ass having hit the cold stone floors and from the sofa he was sitting on, but since...Read More »

Tale - Battered Veth

“What the fuck happened to you, Arkay?” Continuity asked as he held an ice pack to his head.

Arkay rolled his eyes as he limped into the room, trailing behind him a large roll of bandages that was soaking up an even longer trail of glowing blood.

“Bitch decided that she wasn’t...Read More »

Tale - The Donda

Volt stared at the Donda, a small, metallic, spinning shape hovering above a diamond-shaped base, both plated in that familiar Orokin gold. Beyond the Donda was the view from the Orbiter’s window, the rings of Saturn drifting by, minding their own business.

Everything was quiet. All that could be heard was...Read More »

Tale - Not Convinced

The scantily clad Temthans stood in the middle of the room, offering threats and war and goodness else knows what. They’d happened to invade on the one day that the leaders of each Maza race had come together alongside their representatives to discuss the future of the Maza. Well, invade...Read More »

Tale - Confused Veth

“I think we need to reset…” Syklos said for the seventh time that evening.

“We can’t do a reset now,” Continuity repeated for the eighth time. “We just can’t. Not now. Not after a corruption. We could accidentally get ourselves infected again. And there is no way we can get the...Read More »

Tale - A Worrying Suggestion

I’ve been busy lately. Been doing two things. The first part involves a lot of calming sex between me and Death. She wants me, so why not? She always asks me politely, which is more than I can say for other Veth. She just takes them. The other thing though,...Read More »

Tale - A Stupid Plan in Action

“Wow, you somehow managed to do it…” Istoria blinked as Iatre opened the bedroom door. On the bed was Death, snoring loudly and drooling all over the place, completely naked. She didn’t even have her normal pointless black tentacle wraps on.

“Well, you asked me to!” Iatre smiled. “Was rather simple,...Read More »

Tale - Veth 4 Dead

“What just happened?” Iatre asked as he pulled himself out of something pink and gooey, a cross between clay and chewing gum. “One minute we’re trying to stop Death from getting bad and the next we’re… here?”

“Clearly something didn’t fucking work!” Arkay growled, peeling pink stuff off his skin, before...Read More »

Tale - Panic over Coffee

Elkay sipped his frappé, while Aesop, the Prime Minister of the Cassids, sat there, panicking and fretting over a lost piece of paper.

“I was so certain I brought it with me! I swear! It was with everything else!”

Aesop paused for a moment, having spotted something. But upon realising that it...Read More »

Tale - Questions for Veth

Iatre had been full of questions, asking everything from “how big is Kinigi?” to “what’s the average girth of a Veth?” As they walked, Continuity had politely answered as many questions as he could, although there were a lot of things he couldn’t answer. Syklos had simply lead the way,...Read More »

Tale - A Place for Sleep

Iatre stretched only to find that something was next to and on top of him. He panicked only for a moment, but luckily it was just Arkay, who had clearly fallen asleep and fallen off his little hammock. A hammock made out of the skin of some unlucky creature they’d...Read More »

Tale - Hungry for Something

“You horny?”

This was the second time Arkay had woken Iatre up. Last time he had a bit of an existential crisis. This time, he seemed to want sex. Which wasn’t too weird, after all, the last time they screwed, Iatre had enjoyed it, even if it had all...Read More »

Tale - Sketching Changes

Istoria had been watching Death move stuff around for several hours. She didn’t want to be sitting in that awkward, slightly painful chair, but she didn’t want to anger Death either. The last time she had asked if she could move, Death ‘accidentally’ dropped the heaviest thing she could find...Read More »

Tale - Melting for Her

“Is it just me, or does this place make no sense?” Iatre asked as the four Veth wearily walked through a valley. Its walls were the same squidgy pink material that coated everything else. The only difference was that this was a valley and not a hill or an open...Read More »

Tale - Rage at Death

Everything in Kinigi was swirling around, as if a gigantic tornado was blowing through. The eye of the storm was above Death’s home, and that was where Continuity and Syklos had teleported themselves to. There was no way they could walk through the thick, forceful winds that were tearing everything...Read More »

Tale - Time for Rest

“Well, at least we came to a peaceful resolution…” the Veth Prime sighed as Syklos and Continuity helped him put on a familiar set of straps. “How long am I going to be subconsciously running the universe for this time?”

Continuity looked up and shrugged. “I do not know, Arkay. But...Read More »

Tale - A Universe in One's Veins

Arkay stood on the shores of Kinigi, a vast, glistening ocean lapping at his clawed feet. In the distance, there was nothing. A darkness, a one-way path directing the souls of the universe to the Kinigian beaches and the eternal River.

Each time he blinked, millions would die. Their souls would...Read More »

Tale - Lacking Below

“Hang on! Hang on!” the grumpy voice shouted from behind the door. “I can’t use my fucking legs, medic! Give me a moment!”

Rummaging around could be heard as the being on the other side desperately tried to reach the door. After about thirty seconds, the medic pulled out a key...Read More »

Tale - A Favour from Ksiel

KL0135L is now online

3L0138L: What are you doing online?

KL0135L: I have a favour to ask.

3L0138L: You’re dead and not supposed to be in this text channel.

KL0135L: Then why didn’t you take away my channel privileges after I died? You’re the channel mod, you could have taken them away.

3L0138L: I assumed...Read More »

Tale - Hot Rethans

“Fuck me, it is so hot…” Retvik moaned as he leaned back in his chair, flapping a piece of paper in his face in an attempt to fan himself. “Is it always this hot or am I just delirious?”

“This is like the seventh time you’ve asked, dear,” Gath grunted. He...Read More »

Giant Portalian Thanatoforic Lifeforms

You’d think, being a race of beings that can travel to other worlds in our solar system (and nearby solar systems), we’d know a bit more about the local fauna and flora on these plants. Well, we don’t. We’re the sort of species that packs its own lunches and does...Read More »

Tale - Lying Away

KL0135L is now online.

DL0139L is no longer away.

DL0139L: You’re finally online. We need to talk.

KL0135L: What’s wrong?

DL0139L: Ksiel’s in hospital.

DL0139L: Attempted suicide.

KL0135L: WHAT

DL0139L: Said he was going to visit Veeyel. Got a call from Zitel about an hour ago. I didn’t know any other way of getting in touch with...Read More »

Tale - Trapped in Bed

“You awake?”

Ksiel grunted. He had a tube in his mouth, going down his throat, sucking out the contents of his stomach. Maybe it was a bad idea to try and kill himself with a bottle of pain killers. Not only had he thrown up, but the dose he’d taken wasn’t...Read More »

Tale - Bedside Chat

“Sorry I’m so late!” Kayel gasped as he overshot the door and skidded past the entrance to Ksiel’s room. “Traffic was terrible!”

Ksiel tutted, not bothering to look up from his newspaper. “Always some sort of excuse with you.”

“It was though!” Kayel protested. He pulled up a chair and sat down...Read More »

Tale - Veeyel's Ramble

Veeyel was beaming as his best friend entered the room. He seemed way too proud of himself, considering how he’d managed to escape his room and see his brother half-way across the hospital. Normally that wouldn’t have been too much of a problem if Veeyel had taken his medication.

“You look...Read More »

Tale - Tea with Not Quite Death

“Woah…”

Tenuk’s jaw fell open as he stood in the doorway. In one hand he had a box of chocolates, in the other he had a boxed selection of luxury teas. He’d nearly dropped both of them.

“What?” Arkay blinked. The Veth Prime was happily idling in a large rocking chair. A...Read More »

Tale - Citizens' Advice

Kayel sat in the dark, staring at the tiny screen of a pocket computer, noting things down. His hot chocolate drink had long gone cold, his small tub of ice cream had melted long before that. A half-empty bottle of water had been ignored for nearly a day now.

With a...Read More »

The Broken Chain

The straps were finally off. Arkay was finally free of his duty. A normal being once more. Mostly normal. Still a Veth but no longer chained to existence itself.

Above him, up the stairs, in the galaxy-laden room, Kinisis was waking up. A weight had been lifted from Arkay’s shoulders and...Read More »

Tale - Silent Company

“What’s wrong with Arkay?” Iatre asked as he helped himself to some of Istoria’s popcorn. “And why are you three just watching him rather than helping him?”

Below them, the Veth Prime, the most powerful of the Veth, was tearing things apart in an arena known locally as “Death’s Playground”. It...Read More »

Tale - A Broken Light Beast

“I don’t know who’s dumber, you or the whimpering baby down there,” Syklos snorted as he walked past Iatre. “You both sat there for what, twenty four hours? You’re both dumber than a barrel of spagloops.”

“I notice you’re not saying that to Arkay’s face,” Iatre retorted. “You’re just saying it...Read More »

Tale - The Exhausted Universe

Syklia took a deep breath as normality returned to her universe. At its centre, nebulae had started forming stars again. Along its edge, the Void Walls were repairing themselves. Scattered across the universe, galaxies began to spin once more.

The Corruption was gone.

Okay, it had killed most of her Stasispawn, her...Read More »

Tale - Defective Blueprint

Helkan found himself trapped inside a small, metal cage. It was just large enough to stand up in, but he couldn’t really move around. It had dropped down on him, seemingly appearing from nowhere. He could have dug downwards, into the weird, pink sand, since there were no bard on...Read More »

Tale - Jealous Veth

“You’ve been staring at that thing for ten minutes.”

Arkay blinked, then shook his head, snapping himself out of a chance. A heavy slap from Iatre brought him properly back to reality. Sitting ahead of them, with his back facing them, was Helkan, a strange being from another universe who happened...Read More »

Tale - Waking up in a Dumb Place

“What the fuck? Where the fuck am I? How did I end up in fucking bed? What the fuck happened?” Arkay continued to swear, curse and ask questions for a good couple of minutes. He threw himself out of bed, ran around the random room looking for an exit and...Read More »

Tale - Wings of Concern

Darkness loomed over the Sixteen Temple. A tribe of Thraki were circling over, their draconic forms casting shadows over the normally brightly lit stone. High winds did nothing to interrupt their flight. Lightning did nothing to dissuade them.

Below, Zoi, the eldest of the Sixteen, watched on. By her side was...Read More »

Tale - A Lack of Fiery Anger

Photios sat in his throne, a golden seat studded in red rubies and furnished with a lush red cushion. The rest of this room was just as extravagant, but elsewhere, everything was plain, dark stone, carved from ancient, volcanic rock. This was his temple, his sanctum, his quiet place.

What the...Read More »

Tale - Wrong Ideas

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Zoi shouted as she burst into the room, absolutely furious. She was surprised to find though that Phovos had hardly moved. The Raptor glanced up from her book and stared at Zoi.

“Go back outside, close the door behind you, knock and politely wait until I say...Read More »

Tale - Avoiding Bad Thoughts

“Hi Ksiel!” Veeyel waved as he sat up straight, struggling to get a sheet off his legs.

Ksiel entered cautiously, leaving his bag by the door. The last time he was here, there wasn’t nearly as much medical equipment. A heart monitor and two saline drips stood next to Veeyel’s bed,...Read More »

Tale - Thrakian Denial

“No.”

“No?”

“No.”

It took far too long for that simple answer to sink in.

“No?”

“We said no.”

He couldn’t help but repeat his confusion, like a broken disc skipping over a track.

“Unlahney, why are you doing this?”

Kayel snapped out of his startled look, shaking his head. “I… I was really hoping you would say...Read More »

Tale - Some Sort of Confirmation

Kayel sat by the river’s edge, minding his own business. Behind him was a small camp site, a temporary place of rest. There was no point trekking back to civilization if he was due to meet up with more Thraki any time soon. All they’d done recently was mess Kayel...Read More »

Tale - Packing Away

“Whoever’s idea it was to have a group video/voice chat, you’re a genius!” Veeyel grinned as his eyes switched between his movie on the television screen and the feed on his electronic tablet. On the tablet was a bunch of smaller videos, of his friends packing things up and moving...Read More »

Tale - One Last Examination

“Long time no see,” Elean, the head nurse, smiled as she quietly entered the room, carrying a pile of paperwork and a single pen. “I’m sorry we haven’t been able to do our little meetings.”

Veeyel didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. There was a huge lump of fear and nervousness in...Read More »

Tale - Whatthefuckistan

“There’s this place I planted a seed for, I really like how it came out, but I’m hesitant to let it spread elsewhere.”

“You say that about a lot of things, Kinisis.”

“Yes, but this time I mean it. This world I created. Well, not created. Pushed? Prodded? What’s the term?”

“I don’t...Read More »

Tale - The Tree House

One tree stood out from the rest of this vast, oaken forest. It wasn’t nearly as tall as some of the other trees, but it was much, much thicker and fatter, as if it had been specifically grown to be round. In its branches was a tangled, twisted structure, a...Read More »

Tale - Picking up Veeyel

“… A month’s worth of refills, emergency anti-dehydration shots and three extra insu-bands in case the one I’m wearing breaks… I think that’s everything!”

The young Cassid nurse nodded her head as Veeyel counted everything up for a third time.

“Am I good to go?”

Again, the Cassid nodded. She never actually said...Read More »

Tale - A Strong Drink

Arkay lumbered in, dragging his large gun-staff across the ground behind him and slamming the door shut. With a few, exhausted grunts, he threw himself onto a bar stool, sighing.

“Didn’t expect to see you back so soon,” Iatre smiled. He was standing behind the bar, because for some reason one...Read More »

Tale - Upon the Thrakian Mountain

It had been a long, grueling journey up the mountain. Even though the eleven Rethans were all capable of flight, they’d had to lay low, avoiding swarms of sharp-beaked predatory birds and hungry, feral Thanatians who might have considered them all snacks. Kayel had led the way as they followed...Read More »

Tale - Not Allowed To Sleep

“What is it with damned trials and proving yourself and all this shit?” Thiel yawned as watched his brothers pacing up and down. They were all trying desperately not to fall asleep. They weren’t allowed to for some reason, and no one was quite sure why. The room itself was...Read More »

Tale - Wrapped Up

“How long were you hanging there, little one?”

Retvik laid down the blanket-wrapped body on his bed. It would occasionally move, exhausted, shallow breathing making its chest rise and fall. The odd shiver would course through its core, making it shake. As Retvik pulled away the blankets, he vaguely recognised the...Read More »

Tale - Bad Dreams Standing

Something horrible woke Kayel up from his sleep. He hadn’t even been aware that he’d fallen asleep in the first place, so this was doubly shocking to him. One of the Thraki by his side hadn’t even noticed that he’d fallen asleep either.

“Are you well, Unlahney?” one Thraki asked

“Why do...Read More »

Tale - Secret Study

Veeyel hauled himself over to the desk where Kayel was working. The rest of the class were on break, having been taking lessons from one of the more powerful Thraki, and were now lounging around in the sunshine above them. Veeyel had left his mechanical leg braces with them, connected...Read More »

Tale - An L-Class Split

The L-Class sat in silence around the dining table, picking at a reheated, overly processed meal that none of them really wanted. Occasionally one of them would get up to pour themselves a drink, a meagre plastic cup of water. Every so often, one of the Ksa would look up...Read More »

Tale - Argument Above The Tree Tops

“I told you, Unlahney. I told you this would happen. They were not strong enough. They were weak. Inferior. Of course they were going to give up.”

Kayel ignored the Thraki flying around him. He remained where he was, hovering above the tree tops, floating on a pair of black, psionic...Read More »

Tale - Antics in the Thrakian Library

The library inside the Thrakian temple was large, awkward and incredibly cold. No windows meant that no sunlight was ever capable of warming the smooth, stone floors. Any heat that did manage to make its way in would be quickly swept out by the wings of Thraki flying through, only...Read More »

Tale - More Bad Dreams

Kayel woke up with a shock, then begrudgingly laid back down. Another nightmare. He’d had too many of them lately. All terrifyingly similar, all featuring the same horrific, antlered monster. All these dreams hurting and tormenting him. Really, he just wanted one night of uninterrupted sleep.

“You alright?”

“Kayel?

Both Ksiel and Thitel...Read More »

Tale - Meeting in the Aisle

The shelves were filled with all sorts of weird treats. Everything from pickled cactus fruit to poultry sausages preserved in honey and mustard, from canned, boiled aggelad calf heads to meter long sticks of toffee. Kayel and Ksiel had been enjoying going up and down every aisle, pointing at all...Read More »

A Page From Verlais's Diary

“Your life is great, Verlais. What are you being all mopey for?”

I get asked that a lot. And really, everyone who says that is right.100% correct. Anyone’s life could be made better, but I have a roof over my head, food on the table, my own...Read More »

Tale - Staring At Stars

“Glitter, glitter, burning shimmer…”

Veeyel had been staring at the sky for hours. He had watched the sun set and now he was watching the faint arms of the local galaxy drift into view. They were always there, but only here, in the middle of nowhere, would he be able to...Read More »

Tale - Making A Sudden Discovery

“What is he doing?” Ksiel asked as the four of them peered around the corner.

“I don’t know, you go ask him!” Thitel grunted as he glanced back at everyone. “Not like any of us know. Right?”

Zitel nodded in agreement, but Veeyel hesitated.

“Wait, you do know?” Thitel blinked. “You have an...Read More »

Tale - Spying with Death

Normally, after his little meetings with Death, Tenuk would go straight home. But today, he didn’t feel like it. He felt like chilling out with his old buddy Arkay. Arkay may have been a Veth, but he was still good company. Unfortunately, as soon as Tenuk found his friend, he...Read More »

Tale - Kayel's Big Explanation

The four Ksa sat quietly around the table, switching between staring at the plates in front of them and glancing at the kitchen where Kayel was cooking.

“S-something must be wrong…” Thitel whispered.

“What makes you think that?” Ksiel asked as he took a swig from his drink. “The fact that nothing...Read More »

Tale - Lying on the Beach of Kinigi

Arkay sighed as he shifted himself, trying to get the pink sand out of the crevices of his armour. There were things he had to get done, but Kinisis had insisted he stay on the beach and cool off for a bit. Still, the sound of crashing waves was rather...Read More »

Tale - An Awkward Purchase

Zitel and Veeyel both hated shopping. Yet for some reason, there they were, going to a shop, picking up a few bits and pieces. Most of it was just snacks and energy drinks, but there were also a few more… unusual items on the list. The shop was a Thanatian...Read More »

Tale - Iatre's Busy Times

Shit.

I haven’t updated my journal in ages.

Like, ages ages.

Well, a few weeks.

A few months.

It’s not my fault. I’ve been really busy. I never thought being dead would be so hectic. Wait. Not dead. Unalive. Undead. I don’t know! There was never a proper term for a place between life and...Read More »

Tale - Problems with Ingredients

The five Ksa gathered around the tiny table. Everything was covered in scrolls and scribbled notes. There was barely anywhere for Ksiel to put his glass of water that he’d been holding on to for the last twenty minutes.

“That’s a long list…” Thitel sighed. “Like, how do we...Read More »

Tale - A Kronaron Reunion

“Which table are they at?” Nenth whispered as he and Arksi entered the very fancy restaurant.

“Have a look around and guess…”

With a nervous sigh, Nenth did as he was told. It suddenly became very obvious which table they had booked, since there was a large, red Banikan sitting at it....Read More »

Tale - The Decade Freeze

“Oops.”

Istoria sighed as she bent down to pick up the pen she had dropped. But as she got back up, everything felt weird. She felt as if something catastrophic had happened in the space between her pen hitting the ground and her reaching down to grab it.

Whatever the feeling was,...Read More »

Tale - Meeting A Bad Dream

The heavy door creaked open, revealing the home’s owner. Kayel gulped nervously as Retvik stood in the doorway, looking pretty scary. He wasn’t sure whether Retvik had ever looked not menacing.

“Good afternoon, General Retvik!” Ksiel chimed as he lifted up a bag. “We brought sausages and mead! May we come...Read More »

Tale - More Preparations Needed

“Did you get the stuff?” Zitel bounced up and down as Ksiel and Kayel climbed into the tree house. “Did you find what you were looking for?”

“I don’t know yet!” Ksiel snapped. “We need to take this to the local Thanatian hospital, get it all checked out and properly identified....Read More »

Tale - Getting Permission from Kinigi

Everything had been laid out perfectly. Across the ground, a star shape had been made across the ground, using a mixture of sand and crushed crystals. In the middle was a small bowl, containing various hard-to-get ingredients, and five vials of blood.

The Rethans stood silently around the edge of the...Read More »

Tale - The Arbiter's File

Elkay stood by the window, looking over the city of Thre-Vretania. The weather had been weird lately, blowing dust across the city’s streets, with heavy cloud ruining the strength of their solar panels. Elkay’s office was just as dusty as the streets below, with the high winds lifting it easily...Read More »

Tale - The Captured Castle

“How many?”

“Forty, Feyar.”

“Any deaths?”

“No. Just injuries.”

“And the target?”

“That… is rather hard to explain…”

Normally, Deyar would have been thankful for still being an active Ksa. He considered his duties as a member of the Arbiters to be one of the most important jobs around. So when Feyar sent the entire R-Class...Read More »

Tale - A General's Double Take

Elkay was done for the day. He was exhausted. Between a diplomatic crisis between the Cassids and the Banikans and their own troubles with the former High General, Elkay had long ago realised that maybe he just needed to finish up, take a few hours off and come back fresh...Read More »

Tale - Breakfast Nonsense

Ever since Psiksi had moved in with Kass, he’d found it harder and harder to wake up early. There was no need to get up at 5am like he used to, but getting up at 7:30 had made him complacent. He would still get up if...Read More »

---

Apologetic Pancakes

Kass woke up to the scent of something incredibly sweet. It was most likely coming from the kitchen, but Kass hadn’t bought anything sweet in a while. He was supposed to have been on a brief, sugar and alcohol free diet after he got a little too drunk the week...Read More »

---

One's Buried Self

“Where am I?”

“I will explain soon. You have questions, as do I. But I wish for you to answer my questions first. You have been asleep for a long time.”

“How long?”

“We wish to try and figure that out. Do you recognise me?”

“Uh… My eyes are a bit… blurry… But… I...Read More »

---

In Need of a Dragon

“I want to make a dragon…” Death mused to herself as she sat in her deckchair, watching the waters of Kinigi flow by.

The beach was mostly empty apart from a handful of higher Veth, patrolling the pink sands and defending it from Deitics and anything else that might have threatened...Read More »

---

A Sickly Evening

Kass stood by the doorway, holding a large tub of milky yogurt mixed with shredded cucumber – a dip called tsatsiki. In the bathroom behind him, Psiksi had been throwing up violently. He had been doing so for the last half an hour, and Kass had no idea what had...Read More »

---

The Last Ingredients

“I think we’ve got it.”

“We’ve got what?”

Veeyel hadn’t been paying attention. He was busy reading a book about low energy, low level healing spells, trying to find information on repairing mobility problems in limbs. So far, he’d found nothing, but he was determined to find at least a spell to...Read More »

---

Clients from Kinigi

“What the fuck have you done to yourself?” Death gasped, dropping her cup of tea all over the place.

Arkay blinked, all confused. He’d given himself a large pair of horns, an even larger pair of demonic, scaly wings, huge claws and big spikes on his tail. Otherwise he looked like...Read More »

---

A Conversation about Him

“Kayel, can I have a moment?”

Veeyel hesitated by the entrance to Kayel’s little alcove.

“Sure,” Kayel whispered. “Come in.” His voice still wasn’t great, but at least Kayel was audible now. He was particularly glad, otherwise he’d have to push back the date of their… special ritual. “What do you want...Read More »

---

Psivee-En's Explanation

Psivee-En stood in the centre of the room. Around him were half the L-Class Ksa, all staring at him, all judging him. Apart from Kayel, they all saw him as a monster.

“You want me to spill my guts, yes? To tell you everything?”

“Not everything,” Veeyel growled. Out of all of...Read More »

---

Last Day of the Holiday

“Nooooooooooooo!”

Psiksi almost screamed as Kass pulled the blankets off him. After a brief struggle, Psiksi grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around him.

“What?”

“It’s COOOOOOOOOLD!”

Kass shrugged, then pulled the blanket off him, only for Psiksi to grab the blanket and wrap himself up again. Knowing he wouldn’t win, Kass then got...Read More »

---

Burying Personalities

Their request had been odd, but considering how the remaining members of the L-Class Ksa had treated him lately, Psivee-En had no choice but to do as they asked. Behind him was a heavy, stone door, held shut with a pile of equally heavy rocks. Behind that door were the...Read More »

---

Between the Thraki and the Rethan

Kayel patiently waited behind the pile of rubble for the angry Thraki to take a breath. He wasn’t really sure what he had done to anger Vokulunax like this, but clearly the golden wyvern was not willing to sit down and talk things out.

Finally, Vokulunax paused for breath and Kayel...Read More »

---

Jobs for Eternity

Lately, Vahlok had been doing the same jobs over and over. “Go get this, go get that!” was all Stasis ever told him to do. So that was what he did. Endless fetch quests. Today’s job was no different. Vahlok had to capture this rogue ‘Unhumin’ scientist. Apparently this thing...Read More »

---

The Teletourgic

“Are we ready?”

Kayel stood in the centre of the large, stone chamber. In front of him was a cast iron cauldron, slowly being heated by a small fire. Around him, his friends stood patiently, from youngest to oldest. Zitel first, followed by Thitel, Veeyel and Ksiel, with Psivee-En at the...Read More »

---

Separated and Confused

Shards of frosted glass littered the alleyway. It made a change from the normal large pile of rubbish that would normally cover the ground, but the glass wasn’t exactly reassuring. In the middle of the broken glass was a confused, dazed, young, Rethan-like being that probably shouldn’t have been there.

At...Read More »

---

An Awkward Inconvenience

Veeyel had been standing in the doorway for about twenty minutes now. In the living room, Frienir was arguing with his partner. Clearly there had been a misunderstanding, but perhaps this had happened before. Frienir bringing someone home who he shouldn’t have. Either way, his partner, Lousanos, was incredibly angry.

The...Read More »

---

Still Lost, Still Confused

Veeyel had been watching from the shadows for about twenty minutes now, as three armoured vehicles were lined up in front of the Astynom station. Armed soldiers made a line between the entrance and the vehicles, one hand on their gunstaff, the other on their electric stun-tasers. They were shepherding...Read More »

---

Stuck in a Dark Place

“Nothing mentioned teleportation. NOTHING! Why is this HAPPENING?”

All around was empty space, peppered with debris. Eternal darkness. If it wasn’t for the handful of small, floating platforms, Kayel probably would have died by now. He was thankful that he and Psivee-En had landed on a particularly large platform.

Everything else in...Read More »

---

Stuck in a Tree

Ksiel was stuck.

It had all started off rather simple. He’d tried to fly, using his new wings. In the past, he’d used telekinetically powered ‘energy wings’ that weren’t wings at all – he’d simply fly around using telekinesis. But now he had a massive pair of dark, powerful wings, he...Read More »

---

The Cassid Champion

Twenty Cassids. Baxavius had beaten them all. Cassids in heavy armour, Cassids with robots, Cassids in giant mechs. They had all succumbed to Baxavius’s fiery harka-blade, his collapsatic shield, his elegant butterfly knife, his righteous Boson-Initializing Somatic Offensive Nuker. Admittedly, his BISON had done most of the work, but compared...Read More »

---

Fan Tale - A Night on the Plains

Volt seemed uncertain as the heavy Orokin doors slammed shut behind him. This was his second time out on the plains. The last time he had been here, it was day time, and he lacked the proper tools to not only fight the swarms of Grineer roaming around, but he...Read More »

---

The Fountain of Youth

Most of the waters in Kinigi were part of the massive rivers that cleansed and recycled souls, erasing their memories and preparing them to be reborn into new bodies. Each one would twist and turn, from the Sea of Death to the Ocean of Birth. This lake though was the...Read More »

---

Both Different

“Are you alright?”

Something tapped Veeyel on the shoulder. He rubbed his eyes then slowly sat up. His back ached. He’d fallen asleep on a bench and somehow everything on his body was still intact. Then again, Veeyel didn’t have anything on him worth stealing.

“You don’t look alright.”

Veeyel finally looked up....Read More »

---

Fan Tale - Candy on the Plains

“COME ON, FROST! YOU’RE TAKING FOREVER!”

Rhino pounded on the front of the white and blue Liset, waiting for its owner to finally open the door and come out. Behind him were Ember and Volt, both being a little more patient than their heavily armoured friend.

“I’m not coming!”

“WHY NOT?” Rhino whined....Read More »

---

All Back At Home

It had been an interesting few days, but Veeyel was glad to be home. Everyone else had managed to make it back in time, they were just waiting for him. There was confetti and everything. Someone had even baked a cake.

“Did you all really miss me that much?” Veeyel asked...Read More »

---

A New Name

“You awake?”

“Well, I was…”

Kayel rolled over, sighing. He was tired. So much worrying had made him exhausted, and now he was trying to get some sleep before their flying lessons tomorrow. This though was the second time Veeyel had woken him up.

“Sorry…”

“No, it’s fine. What do you want?”

“I’m just… I’ve...Read More »

---

An Incredibly Awkward Reveal

“Where the fuck am I?”

Everything was dark apart from the gold platform Veekay was standing on. Occasionally, something would blink in and out of existence, like a miniature shooting star, but otherwise it was all just dark. But despite Veekay not being able to see far, he could almost sense...Read More »

---

An Unhappy Conversation

“Hello, Kayel… I, er… see why you wished to have a video conversation…”

Kayel shifted awkwardly in his seat, unsure what to say. In the other room, Psiksi and Kass waiting around. He’d had to borrow Psiksi’s communicator, he wanted a secure line with which to speak to the High General.

“Hello,...Read More »

---

Ksiel's Little Secret Ideas

Kayel’s communicator buzzed away to itself. He had declined to answer the first three times someone had tried to call him, but this time he decided to let it ring.

“Was it really that bad?” Veeyel asked.

“Yes. I never thought my own kid would be so… ignorant of us…”

Veeyel wasn’t sure...Read More »

---

Questions Sans Answers

“None of this makes any sense…”

Iatre sighed to himself as he watched the lilac waters of Kinigi run by. This particular river was apparently where a lot of human souls went when they died. Whether that was true or not, Iatre had no idea, but being near what he used...Read More »

---

Fan Tale - The Horseless Headless Horsemann's Temp Job

The Horseless Headless Horsemann checked the small piece of paper, looked at the heavy doors, then checked it again. Surely this couldn’t have been the place. Ever since he’d taken this Grim Reaper gig as a side job to pay his student loans, the Headless Horsemann had been to a...Read More »

---

Mistaken for Something Else

Lykins. Horrible, furry, dog-like creatures, an army of whores, wenches and monsters that stampeded these lands, ruled by an iron-fisted king who spent his time wasting his underlings’ hard earned money on food, wine and sex. A nasty, cruel leader who deserved to die. At least, that was what Kinisis...Read More »

---

Around 30 Phoviverse Things

Quick Warning – lots of images ahead. Turn off mobile data if you’re using it! The images aren’t that big, but if you’ve got a small amount of data like me (I only have 100MB a month), you’ll want to save it.

So I decided to give Inktober a go. One...Read More »

---

A Lack of Trust

“Out of all the Thraki on Portalia, they had to send me to speak to the lunatic…”

Lokmah was not happy. He had a long list of chores and duties he needed to fulfil by the end of the week and he had hardly done any of them. The sudden interruption...Read More »

---

Fan Tale - An Operator's Rant

Volt stood silently, watching his Operator wander around the ship. Occasionally, the Operator would turn to say something, only to pause and say nothing.

“Operator, what are you thinking?” Ordis would occasionally butt in with his own thoughts. This had been the fourth time, and this time, the Operator actually answered.

“I...Read More »

---

Meeting a Neraid

“You are… not a Thanatian…”

Laina shook her scaly, snake-like tail, sitting herself upright on the sofa as the leader of this strange race approached her. She was both upset and amused with the fact that this being did not know what she was. It was to be expected from a...Read More »

---

Obliviousness

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you saying sorry?”

“I don’t know. I just feel I should apologise to you.”

“Why? What have you done?”

“Nothing.”

“So why are you apologising?”

“Because I have done nothing.”

“I do not follow. You slept. You are not responsible for my actions. You have not done anything.”

“But I slept. I was oblivious...Read More »

---

At Iatre's Request

It was a simple request. Just pop by his old apartment at the address given, pick up a few things, then take them back to Kinigi. Arkay was going in that direction anyway, he had a job to do on that planet. When he’d mentioned it to Iatre, he blinked...Read More »

---

Iatre's Little Secret

Iatre was working hard in his lab again. So hard in fact that he didn’t hear Arkay come in and talk to him. He only noticed Arkay’s presence when he dropped a box of stuff on whatever Iatre was writing.

“Fuck off Arkay… Oh…” Iatre grumbled, before noticing the importance of...Read More »

---

The Frozen Child

“Are you the Dark One?”

The little creature pulled a blanket around itself. Underneath the sound of beeping security sensors and the crackle of monitors all switching off, their teeth were chattering. She was cold and scared. A small, furry kid, her first antlers not grown in yet. Fur was missing...Read More »

---

A Brief Break for Busy Leaders

“Are you sure this room is secure?” the High General asked as he and the King of the Vrekans both sat down. “I do not have many fears, but I am not particularly fond of large, glass windows.”

“It is all secure,” the King of the Vrekans tried to reassure the...Read More »

---

Too Many Transmissions

“Did you have a good meeting with the Vrekan king?” Rethias asked as the High General waltzed in and threw himself into one of the oversized sofas.

“Yes, I did actually,” Elkay smiled. “Perhaps a little too much. It is rude to reject alcohol if a Vrekan offers it to you,...Read More »

---

Still Not Having Tea with Death

“Been a while, Tenuk,” Arkay muttered as he made himself some sort of hot drink. Tenuk assumed it was tea, but it smelled of cocoa. Maybe it was a hot chocolate. “Death’s busy, she’ll be down here a bit later.”

Tenuk shrugged and looked around. The main kitchen area of Death’s...Read More »

---

The Half-Baked Plan

Kairos never liked Stasis’s home. Too much black. Too many tacky golden ornaments. Alright, Kairos spent half his free time in a castle made of clouds, but that was at least cute and comfortable. Nothing around here was comfortable. But he needed to speak to Stasis.

“Helloooooo? Staaaaaasis? Are you heeeeeere?”

Something...Read More »

---

Confused as Fuck

Arkay was supposed to be in Kinigi right now.

Normally, whenever Arkay summoned his shadowy cloak, he’d disappear in a puff of smoke and reappear wherever it was he wanted to go. For some reason, that clearly wasn’t happening right now.

At first, Arkay wondered if maybe Kinisis wasn’t letting him back...Read More »

---

A Glass Cage, A Metal Spear

“This… isn’t the spaceport…” Arkay muttered as consciousness returned to him. “This is clearly some sort of large, glass cage…”

The Veth Prime rubbed his eyes, then had a look around. Everything looked rather cloudy and foggy, but also rather… nice, almost.

“Hey, kiddo!”

Something suddenly burst out of the clouds. A huge...Read More »

---

Harmony Island Bar

“You’d think, being suddenly immortal, everyone would calm down a bit…”

Arkay woke up with a shock. Was someone talking to him? Why was the floor made out of wood? Why did everything smell like alcohol? Where was he?

Something fluttered by. A broom. Kicking up dust.

“Huh, you awake now?”

They WERE talking...Read More »

---

Discussing Parts of Immortality

“So, everyvok’s immortal again, huh?” Veeksiar sighed as he stared out of the domed window that made for the roof of the Great Library. “Twice in what, five years? Clearly my lunatic theory that the Dessaron reappearing broke the flow of the universe is true.”

Elkay didn’t say anything as he...Read More »

---

Differences in Actions

“WHERE IS HE?” Stasis bellowed as he stormed through the entrance of the cloud castle, wisps of blackness flowing off him.

Kairos though didn’t respond. He was concentrating on a large, cloudy, glowing orb that was hovering between his hands.

“TELL ME WHAT YOU DID WITH HIM!”

Still no response. Stasis charged up...Read More »

---

Highs and Lows

A small fire crackled, heating up a pot of Weedling, a popular marijuana-like drug among the locals. It was evening, Keith had closed up early and no one else had even attempted to pop by. It was just him, Arkay and the relaxing smoke coming from the pot of drugs.

Opposite...Read More »

---

A Lingering Thought from a Fragment of the Corrupted Swarm

“You’re making an honourable sacrifice.”

That’s the last thing I remember being told. Just before I was flung into that pit.

“Thanks to you, everyone else gets to live.”

I was conscious while they tore into me. Turning me and my allies into the same horrible monsters they were. I tried so hard...Read More »

---

Squabbling with Kinisis

“Well this is great…” Kinisis rolled her eyes as she watched the rivers slowly drain away. “Completely block me out, why don’t you?”

The Lady of the Cycle turned to face one of her servants, who had just entered the room.

“Kinisis…”

“Is it good news?” she immediately snapped. “Otherwise I don’t want...Read More »

---

A Familiar Face in the Middle of Nowhere

Keith couldn’t help but laugh as he watched Arkay flail around on the floor, having fallen out of his bunk bed. Really, he should have been sympathetic, it seemed like Arkay had been woken by a bad dream, but he was an angel of death or something like that, he...Read More »

---

A Complete Disappearance

“Hey Keith!” Veeyel shouted as he knocked on the door. “Can I come in yet?”

The centaur-like creature stomped his hooves in frustration. Veeyel could see him through the frosted windows, looking around for something.

“Keith, you alright?”

The door flew open, nearly hitting Veeyel, before flying back and...Read More »

---

The Temper of a Cycle

“You two have no idea how angry I am with you.”

Kinisis paced up and down, each step causing the ground to shudder ever so slightly. Kairos and Stasis kept their eyes on her, trying to ignore the massive amount of construction going on behind them.

“We’re lucky we caught this early....Read More »

---

Donating Blood and other Body Parts

“It is a poor move to barge into the office of a ruler without asking permission. Or at the very least making an appointment…”

The High General of the Retha didn’t even look up from whatever it was he was doing. It was almost as if he didn’t care that Stasis,...Read More »

---

Genetic Insanity

Rethais couldn’t decide between being shocked or being insulted. The rest of the Circle had settled on shocked AND insulted. Their very own High General, a vok of sense and reason, had just stood in front of them and claimed he wasn’t 100% Rethan but in fact half ‘corrupted’,...Read More »

---

The Misplaced Blade

“ARKSI!”

The Keeper’s voice echoed through the Great Library, bouncing around corridors lined with books and almost sacred texts.

“GET YOUR LITTLE BLUE AND YELLOW ARSE IN HERE RIGHT NOW!”

Arksi had been busy organizing a stack of medical papers relating to a plague that had flared up a year or so ago....Read More »

---

Verlais's Extra Blades

“Hey Arksi!”

Verlais’s voice echoed down the line. There was always something about Vrekan telecommunication that made their voices sound like that.

“How you doing?”

Arksi grunted. He had been in the middle of washing the dishes and wasn’t in the mood for any more interruptions. One dish in particular, everything had been...Read More »

---

The Other Side of Kinigi

Kinisis was waiting for Arkay as he returned from his latest job. She was actually wearing something for a change. A ribbon-like wrap around a pair of massive breasts that tied up behind her neck, and a flowing, knee-length skirt. She seemed happy, but not in a malicious way....Read More »

---

A Sweet Drink Between Rulers

“You haven’t touched your drink…” King Ver smiled as he walked around the furniture, running his hands across the silky satin fabric, before throwing himself into the large sofa in front of where the High General was sitting. “I am thinking of giving my Vrekan representatives a little pay raise....Read More »

---

An Explosion of Goo

It had been a while since Arkay had last seen Iatre. Not since he’d gone and fetched all that stuff for him. Really, Arkay owed Iatre a thank you, since the music player he’d let Arkay use had helped him get through some rather nasty jobs that needed doing. But...Read More »

---

About Changing Forms

“So the new Veth is going to make us all into freaks like Arkay?” Syklos grunted, leaning against the wall complaining and generally being a nuisance. “I don’t want to be like that little lunatic. A self-loathing fool who spends his days bitching and complaining that he was killed unfairly...Read More »

---

Macromera Arrangements

It had been a quiet day at the main government offices of Palaestra. Quiet enough that Retvik and Gath were able to have lunch together in peace. It turned out that, because of the recent bad weather across Portalia, a lot of the local Thanatians had decided to hibernate...Read More »

---

Running In Parallel

Telos had been watching Zoan and Empros argue for a while. This wasn’t a new universe, but Telos knew that both of them were slightly scared. This was the second time in a short space of time that a Corruption had attempted to break in, and Zoan had been getting...Read More »

---

At the Winter Market

Psiksi felt somewhat hopeless as he sat on the cold, stone bench and watched the world go by. Lots of Thanatians and Vrekans, with the odd Rethan scattered among them, wandering through a holiday marketplace. Winter was always a time for holidays, as the more ancient races were preparing for...Read More »

---

Vast Golden Donations

Captain Vallas was annoyed. He thought the High General was in his office. He was supposed to be in his office, working with a speech writer, covering all the speeches and talks he would be giving during the Macromera break. But the High General wasn’t there. He was somewhere else.

With...Read More »

---

Death's Bed

Arkay woke up realising he wasn’t alone in bed. He also quickly realised that his bed had moved to a large, dark room with a glass window facing the wider rivers of Kinigi. He then realised that he wasn’t in his bed, but someone else’s bed. Clearly, someone had messed...Read More »

---

The Honesty of an Old Veth

Arkay stood in the doorway, waiting awkwardly for everyone else to leave. He wanted to speak to Istoria in private, but didn’t want to make that obvious. The more Arkay thought about it though, the more obvious he felt. Either way, he needed to speak to Istoria alone.

Finally, the other...Read More »

---

A Void of Despair

“Arkay!”

He knew she’d come running to him. That was why he hesitated. He could have thrown himself off the edge right now, but he didn’t. He had stood there and waited. Waiting for a sign, perhaps?

“ARKAY!”

Her cries were fierce, full of anger and sorrow. She was as conflicted as he...Read More »

---

Intelligent Veth

“It’s not your fault.”

Out of all the Veth to approach Istoria, she never expected Iatre to be the first. He may have been incredibly young compared to her, but there was a wisdom and a wisp of intelligence in Iatre that most other Veth lacked or lost. Really, she should...Read More »

---

Coffee over Veth

Iatre had been watching Veth go by all day. They’d enter Death’s dome-shaped mansion one at a time, there would be a five minute delay and then they’d stumble out in their new Veth V9 forms. Smaller. Sleeker. More powerful. Iatre’s work had been wasted time for him, but...Read More »

---

Trouble in Stasis

“Yoooohooooo!”

Kairos’s voice should have echoed, but in the endless darkness of the void, it just sort of faded off into nothing.

“Stasis? Are you here?”

Stasis’s home was weird. It was both incredibly small and narrow and infinitely large at the same time. As Kairos flew, occasionally he’d bump into something, like...Read More »

---

A Frantic Dragon God

Arkay kept his eyes on the ground. He didn’t want to look up, only to see the other Veth staring at him and whispering about him again. They’d been doing that for a while. They all knew what he’d tried to do. They all knew that he didn’t like Kinisis...Read More »

---

Brother In Law

The last Deitic crumpled into a heap before fading away, utterly defeated. That had been the third Deitic attack on a mortal settlement in the last five hours.

“Shame we can’t just kill them…” Arkay muttered under his breath as Kairos flew over. The Whenvern was doing one last check of...Read More »

---

A Silver Invitation

“What’s this?” Teekay asked as a silver envelope dropped in front of him. He put his fork down and opened it up, curious.

“An invitation!” Eksi grinned. Ever since they had become free Rethans, Eksi was basically a whole new being. Full of life and energy. Finally pursuing the things he...Read More »

---

Fan Tale - Missing Persons

“So, uh, what do we do now?”

The higher levels of the relays were always almost empty. That was why Frost had picked the top level of the Kronia Relay as his little meeting place. The only thing here that could bother them was a single relay operative but they were...Read More »

---

A Massive Headache

It was originally just a headache.

The pain had started in the back of Veekay’s head at about five in the morning. He got up, looked out of the window and that was when the pain struck. A dull ache. He had work to do though. He’d taken some pain killers,...Read More »

---

A Day of Drunks

“HAPPY MACROMERA!” Tenuk slurred as the door opened and he tumbled into the old Dessaron HQ. “I have preseeeents!”

Retvik smiled, leading Tenuk in and gently closing the door behind him. “It is good to see you, Tenuk.”

Tenuk wobbled around, admiring the holiday candles and decorations. The smell...Read More »

---

An Unexpected Spear

Arkay floated above the settlement, watching smoke plume into the air and mix into the clouds. One of the suns on this world was setting. The other had already set. The mixture of sunset and smoke had caused a weird, blue and red gradient to form in the sky.

Read More »

---

Books Lacking in Answers

“So, after all this time, you all have no idea?”

Istoria snapped a book shut, then threw it onto a pile of other books. She was angry and tired and pissed off.

“No, Kinisis. We have no idea.”

“No definite idea!” Iatre interjected as he rolled by on a chair, carrying a pile...Read More »

---

Dragged Out of Time

Arkay had been right behind him, but suddenly he wasn’t there. The Whenvern turned round and found that Arkay had stopped in his tracks.

“Veth Prime, is something wrong?”

“We need to go back to Kinigi, right now.”

Kairos blinked. “Why?”

“Stasis has broken through. He’s trying to attack Kinisis!”

“Oh.”

Arkay was about to fly...Read More »

---

Terror In The Locker Room

The Crewman could hear lockers opening. He had finished his shift and was going to head down to the canteen for lunch. He needed to drop off his weapon and change out of his suit. Someone else was in there though, clanging and banging around. Rather than just barge...Read More »

---

Healing Hands

Elkay had no idea what to expect as he and Arkay landed on the shores of Kinigi. Part of Elkay’s mind expected there to be fire and brimstone and suffering and things like that. Or maybe an endless black pit of nothingness. Or maybe lots of clouds and little winged...Read More »

---

Staring at the Universe

Arkay was lying on the beach, staring at the vast array of galaxies in the sky above him. He had things to do, but he didn’t want to do them. As far as Arkay was concerned, he’d just helped save the universe again. All his normal duties could wait.

“You’re staring...Read More »

---

A New and Improved Future

“Kayel…”

“Welcome back, Emel…”

The collection of Ksa had traipsed through kilometers of forest, looking for a single tree house. They had expected to see a very basic home run by six Rethans. What they instead found was a small mansion of a tree house, which mainly acted as...Read More »

---

Interview for a New Job

The happy little creature sat in the only chair in the waiting room, its legs swinging back and forth, only just touching the ground. The creature was quite well armoured. A green and silver plate ran across the top of its head, and it wore several various armour pieces across...Read More »

---

An Unusual First Day on the Job

The House Fighters’ entrance was small and unpronounced, to the point that Psiksi would have missed it if it wasn’t for the fact that there were several other beings already waiting outside.

Feeling nervous, Psiksi decided to hang around the back. He was early. Half an hour early. Probably for the...Read More »

---

Money to be Made

Psiksi was waiting patiently again. Yesterday had been a complete blur, a whole mess of things, so he didn’t mind waiting. He’d gone and completed like seven different trials, all testing normal things. But he hadn’t fought a single actual living being yet. And he was kinda tired. After the...Read More »

---

Early Successes

Phovos stood at her balcony, watching the chaotic battle unfold below her. She was immensely enjoying her newest House Fighter. Even in his current temporary set of armour, he had beaten the shit out of several hot-headed Cassids in their stupid dumb mechs. That always caused the crowds to cheer,...Read More »

---

Out of Date Test Strips

Retvik was taking a rather long time in the bathroom. He and Gath were supposed to be getting ready for a stupid party neither of them wanted to go to, but for some reason, Retvik seemed a bit poorly. They still had to go though, as the party was about...Read More »

---

Dragging It Out

“Last night was alright, in the end…” Gath smiled as he rolled over in bed to get his alarm clock. “Clearly, because we have overslept.”

“It was fun, actually!” Retvik admitted. “Made some new friends. Chatted with the Raptor. She is always nice to talk to.”

“Seemed very excited about her new...Read More »

---

The Partner Finds Out

Psiksi was late getting home again. He’d been keeping quiet about his new job lately. He wasn’t even really willing to tell his partner about any of this. That was why he had left really early and returned really late.

Unfortunately, this hadn’t worked out.

“Where have you been?”

Kass stood in the...Read More »

---

Avoiding Loose Lips

Retvik was wandering around the house, inspecting every nook and cranny. He was in an indecisive mood, but also feeling a tad cranky and rather nervous. The last time he had been pregnant, well, it hadn’t turned out well for him.

In the middle of the house was a vast pile...Read More »

---

Slowing Down

Something is different around here.

Some time ago, I allowed myself to become Kinisis’s partner. My duties mostly remained the same. Kill the unkillable. Protect the Cycle. Lead the Veth. The first two, they seem mostly identical to the duties I performed before I took Kinisis’s hand. The latter…...Read More »

---

Planning to Retire

“I am retiring…” Tesnik grunted as he removed his helmet and threw it into his locker and disappeared into one of the showers.

“What?” The House Leader seemed to have been caught unaware. He chased after Tesnik, stopping outside the shower doors. “Tesnik, what is going on?”

“I told you!” a voice...Read More »

---

Aggressive Preparations

Gath didn’t know what to expect as he walked in. Well, he’d been watching Retvik build his little nest on and off over the last few days, but he hadn’t expected Retvik to end up taking the entirety of the casual living area. He didn’t even know they owned so...Read More »

---

Medical Visit

“Hm, perhaps I should have recommended that he come a bit later?” Gath grunted as he climbed down the stairs. He glanced around the house, then began a vague attempt to tidy up the living room. “The medic said he will be here in five or ten minutes. He already...Read More »

---

Keseer's Change of Heart

“I do not like you.”

Keseer Varo was the biggest Rethan House Fighter, and he had always been a moody one. A towering hulk of a Rethan, known for wrestling the arena beasts and enjoying it. Literally wrestling with them, not toying with them with spears and swords.

“Oh, why?”

Psiksi on the...Read More »

---

The Laugh of the Thantophor

Four figures had climbed this treacherous mountain, edging their way along dangerous paths and narrow passes. Their robes were torn and tattered by the cruel winds, their arms and legs shaking, their limbs wrapped up and bloody from the rain and snow. Their suffering though was coming to an end....Read More »

---

A Very Tall Visitor

“I need a place to stay.”

Tenuk looked awful. There were dark rings under his eyes, his armour was chipped and ugly and his skin was dry and cracking. He stood in the doorway, holding a plastic carrier bag with various bits and pieces in it.

“Are you well?”...Read More »

---

Figure on the Roof

Tenuk had spotted it as he brought in the shopping. It was hiding on the roof, watching him. Tenuk had decided to get all the shopping inside and lock the hovercraft before dealing with it. After all, he’d offered to do the shopping, since he was staying with Gath and...Read More »

---

Bad Gossip

“You’re home early!” Kass smiled as he paused the game he was playing. Psiksi awkwardly waved back as he dropped his backpack on the ground.

“You look like you haven’t even left!” Psiksi exclaimed, still wearing a set of training armour from work. It had taken him a moment to work...Read More »

---

The New Guy

“That wasn’t there before…” Iatre muttered to himself as he exited his lab, blinking in the bright light. “I suppose that will teach me for spending most of my time working…”

The small, green dome had been crudely attached to the side of the much larger green and white dome that...Read More »

---

Wandering Cassids

“What do you mean, closed until further notice? What’s going on?” Psiksi was quite frustrated.

“What do you think I mean, child?” Kindynis, the House Leader, snapped. “The DBA is closed. Until further notice.”

“Because of a Cassid crash?”

Kindynis rolled his eyes, growling. “Are you stupid or something?”

“Possibly…” Psiksi sighed. “I just...Read More »

---

Oothing

“It has only been three weeks…”

Retvik hurried over to the nest he’d made in the living area and laid down on his side. His stomach muscles were not happy.

“IT HAS ONLY BEEN THREE WEEKS…”

He didn’t understand any of this. He’d never gotten this far before. Which probably explained why Retvik...Read More »

---

Overpanicking

Gath wandered around the kitchen, not sure what to do. Retvik hadn’t been acting right. Not since the other day. Yes, Gath expected Retvik to be in a funny mood since he’d just given birth to the egg that contained their unborn kid, but the weird snapping and growling, that...Read More »

---

Wings of Angry Death

The Rivers of Kinigi seemed more… bloated than usual. The waters were overflowing, carving through the silvery sands and pink grasses, flowing at a fast pace. Tenuk had visited Kinigi quite a few times, but he had not seen this before.

“Why are you here?”

A dark, cold something flew above Tenuk...Read More »

---

A Lock-in

“I’m genuinely getting quite worried now…” Psiksi muttered as he paced up and down the living room. “I mean, it’s one thing to close off the arenas. It’s another to lock vok in their homes and tell vok to barricade their doors and windows.”

Kass wasn’t nearly as bothered. He’d used...Read More »

---

Genocidal Thoughts

“You ever feel like the universe is too large?” Kinisis muttered to herself as she filed down her incredibly long claws. “Like there’s too many beings in it?”

Arkay didn’t respond at first. He wasn’t sure how to. Not that he wanted to respond. These days, he preferred not talking to...Read More »

---

Eksi's Offer

“Psiksi!”

The voice on the other end of the communicator was almost as squeaky as Psiksi’s own voice.

“Eksi! How you doing?”

Psiksi hadn’t been expecting any phone calls for a bit. Especially since the power was a bit flimsy. They’d had multiple power cuts over the last few days, and Psiksi was...Read More »

---

Change of Heart at the Window

“Put the weapon down.”

The hideous, inky, winged creature was standing right in front of T’lar. It was horrible and grotesque, looking like black smoke was dripping off its body. Under all the nastiness, there was a strange, celestial glow in its yellow eyes.

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD ARE...Read More »

---

An Intervention

“Retvik?”

Something hissed in the living area as Gath opened the curtains.

“Retvik.”

“What?” Retvik rolled over in his nest, grunting and growling. “What do you want?”

“We need to talk…” Gath sighed as he brought in a stool from the kitchen and sat down. “We need to talk about you.”

“I am fine!” Retvik...Read More »

---

The Yellow Liset

“Hey Frost!”

“Hey Volt!”

Frost had just gone to Larunda to transfer some credits and ducats. He hadn’t expected to bump into his old buddy Volt. He’d known the electric yellow menace since they’d met on a random E Prime Lith Fissure a year and a half ago, and they’d been good...Read More »

---

After Ten Thousand Years of Sleep

Note: As the title implies, this story occurs in the far future of the Phoviverse.

“Rise and shine, sleepyhead!”

Elkay’s eyes blinked open. The last thing he saw when he closed his eyes was his brother Veekay. And here Veekay was, standing over him now that Elkay’s eyes...Read More »

---

Unscheduled Awakening

Tap tap tap bloody tap. Psiksi was not amused about being woken up. Admittedly, it was his own fault, he was the one who agreed to be frozen in time, to be saved for a later use. Then again, it wasn’t Psiksi’s fault that his father was the Dragon...Read More »

---

The Terrified Visitor

“Why is the street cordoned off?” Kass blinked as the four Rethans walked down the  road.

“That was not here when we left…” Retvik and Gath had been greatly enjoying their evening. Kass and Psiksi had invited them to the cinema and gotten them tickets to the best seats...Read More »

---

Sibling Reunion

“Ah good, they’re already here…”

Veekay seemed quite happy. The journey to this barren wasteland had been awfully quiet, despite the fact that Elkay had many questions to ask of his younger brother. In particular, he wanted to know who was already here.

“Who-”

“That’s our brothers’ ship. I mean, if you’ve been...Read More »

---

Awkward Communications

“Rethais, can you talk? I need some help. Right now.”

Rethais smiled as he pondered what to say. He had just gotten in from a fine day at work as the Vice General and his little brother calling him asking for help was basically icing on the cake. Rethais always felt...Read More »

---

The Seventh

“Okay, literally a second ago the sky was black like death even though it was day time, and now the sky is beautifully clear and it’s night time?”

Psiksi was utterly confused. So were his five siblings.

“You all saw that all suddenly changing, right?”

Eksi nodded in agreement, since words refused to...Read More »

---

Plans for More

The lands of Kinigi were once a rather nice place to be. Flowing rivers, fields of pink and silver grass, the occasional grey tree with purple leaves and cute pebble paths cut through the lands. Most of that had disappeared, ever since the Anger started.

Kinisis, the ruler of the rivers...Read More »

---

Exploring the Experimental Cassid Labs

“What the fuck is that smell?” Esdee gasped as he activated his gasmask. “Smells like… Like a lot of things died down here…”

“I think that is exactly what happened…” Ksidee replied. The D-Class Ksa adjusted his shoulder torch, increasing the range and brightness so both he and his video recorder...Read More »

---

Thanatian Intervention

“Stand down. Right now.”

The Raptor stormed through the row of Cassid soldiers, walking right up to their boss.

“No.” The Cassid, wearing a mechanical suit, simply tutted.

“Stand down!” Phovos didn’t like repeating herself.

“On whose orders?”

“On the orders of the Raptor of Palaestra. i.e. ME.”

The Cassid didn’t move.

“Oh for fuck’s sake, you...Read More »

---

Three Billion Deaths

Fires still raged across the planet, incinerating everything in their path. Nothing had been spared from the heat of a solar flare. This small world was ruined, and would probably be incapable of sustaining life for many millions of years. All it took was a single solar flare that just...Read More »

---

Angry Leaders

“So let me get this straight, you have been completely unaware that part of your government has been experimenting on other races in the neutral territories for the last hundred years?”

If the High General was angry, he wasn’t showing it. Aesop, the Prime Minister of the Cassids, was sweating. He...Read More »

---

Attack and Distract

“I TOLD YOU ALL NOT TO FOLLOW ME!”

The Thantophor roared as he extended his claws, swinging them wildly at the four siblings.

“WHY DO YOU NOT LISTEN?”

Psiksi leaped out of the way of a stray slicker of shadow energy, then rolled over to help Eksi keep his shield up.

“We just want...Read More »

---

A Visit from Baxavius

“You picked a bad time to visit, little Cassid…” Gath grunted as the door slammed shut behind him. “Probably the worst time.”

Baxavius Thynanium shuffled awkwardly, placing a large gift box on the kitchen counter. He wasn’t sure why Gath bothered to close the door when there was a massive hole...Read More »

---

Captured

“We’re taking him to the Whenvern.”

“Sure. Lead the way.”

Arksi was about to argue, before realising that Veekay wasn’t going to argue back.

“No, we’re takin- wait… You’re agreeing with me?”

“Yeah.”

“… Why?”

The four Time Drake siblings were all really confused, none of them understanding why their Stasisborn brother was agreeing with them....Read More »

---

Plan of the Thantophor

The Thantophor could sense movement. Not the movement of a mortal. The disruptions of space-time that only a personification of space or time could create. The Whenvern was approaching.

“Where are my sons, Thantophor?”

“Kinigi.”

“Why?”

The Thantophor growled. “Let me out of this dumb cage and I will help you save them.”

The Whenvern...Read More »

---

Clash Between Deaths

A horrible, scraping screech filled the air as Arkay entered Kinigi, his claws extended and scratching the ground as he walked. It wasn’t until he reached Kinisis’s weird, dome-shaped home that anyone actually looked up and paid attention though.

“Kinisis, my dear, I feel rather betrayed right now…” the Thantophor smiled...Read More »

---

The Dragon and the Serpent

“Where the fuck are we?” Elkay rubbed his eyes, trying to focus on his surroundings. Behind them was a horde of angry monsters being shooed away by a dragon. In front of them was a huge lake of purple and pink liquid, being held back by an equally...Read More »

---

Unwillingness of a Cycle

“First the fucking Whenvern, now you!” Kinisis growled as the antlered, hoofed being approached. “What are you doing here, Kenos?”

“The question is, Cycle, what are you doing here?”

Compared to both Kinisis and Kairos, Kenos, or rather Stasis, was absolutely huge. He towered over Kinisis, his antlers lowered in shame and...Read More »

---

Another Avatar

The rivers of purple water trickled down and faded off into the foggy distance, utterly unaware of the destruction around them. The Soul Fragma was destroyed and the Cycle was now beginning to convert all those souls into new life. Kinisis was lying somewhere under the massive pile of rubble,...Read More »

---

Dreams of Universal Shifts

The screams echoed around the bedroom, bouncing off the walls like rubber. They continued for a good twenty seconds before being followed by a large thud and finally silence.

“Psiksi! Are you alright?” Kass panicked as he flew up the stairs and straight to the bedroom. Psiksi...Read More »

---

Holy Trinity

“Did she just fucking disappear?” Istoria screeched as she charged out of her beloved library into the wide open plains of Kinigi. “Arkay! Did Kinisis just fucking disappear?”

“Yeah…” Arkay was staring blankly at the space where Kinisis once stood. She had been arguing with ghostly visions of Stasis and Kairos,...Read More »

---

Attractive Avatars

“Alright…” Continuity muttered to himself. “Feels like this is working…” He tightened the small belts that ran across his chest.

“You sure?” Arkay was feeling uncertain. The straps and belts around his body felt weird and oddly sexual. If he had been a creature with breasts and external genitalia, they would...Read More »

---

Thursday the Fifteenth

The Dasos Arena hadn’t been used in a very long time. Everything was overgrown and straggly, filled with a mixture of dead honey-oak trees and decaying fir trees, their roots mingling in the stagnant mud. It had always been designed as an arena filled with trees, but as fads came...Read More »

---

Godly Names

“It’s ironic really…” Istoria muttered to herself as she lounged around, wearing nothing but her pink and black ‘universal belts’. “Arkay’s the Death God, but his name suggests a new beginning.”

Arkay wasn’t really paying attention. He was busy floating about a meter in the air, staring off into the distant...Read More »

---

A Different Path

“My fellow Kronospasts. Today we-”

A bright, white glow emanated from the middle of the golden table. Each of the Kronospasts sitting around it rolled their eyes. Suddenly, a red, silver and blue Kronospast appeared from the glowing light.

“No, dad, just no!”

Lord Avra rolled his eyes in disgust. The other Deitics,...Read More »

---

Tale: Tea with Death 22

“Sit.”

Tenuk did as he was told, sitting down on the only available surface, a bench made out of the skull of a large creature. Between him and the creature in front of him was a small, white table, held up by four legs made out of bone. On the table...Read More »

---

Been a Few Days

“So, my darlings!” Yenis grinned as she spread herself out elegantly on a sofa, then spread her legs out inelegantly. “It’s been a few days! How do you feel about things so far?”

Mesos and Telos had two very different expressions on their faces. While Mesos beamed with a combination of...Read More »

---

A Fashionframe Dilemma

Larunda Relay was busier than normal. On the Concourse of the relay, over fifty Tenno had gathered, half of which were taking part in the bi-weekly Larunda Fashionframe Contest. The contestants all stood in a ring, waiting for the head judge to pick a Tenno out. The spectators, of which...Read More »

---

Change over the City

Elkay stared out of the window, watching the city of Thre-Vretania. It was a large city, full of life and love and all that sort of thing. Something though felt different. As if the city had changed overnight and no one had noticed. Elkay’s office was above it all, furnished...Read More »

---

Dreaded Final Farewell

Apart from the tiny piece of floating debris they were standing on, there was nothing but empty blackness. Retvik took a deep breath and to his surprise he discovered he was still breathing oxygen and nitrogen. A second breath confirmed his suspicions, that there was an artificial pocket of air...Read More »

---

The End Before The Beginning

The scream echoed across the dying cosmos, bouncing between dying dwarf stars and sputtering quasars, only to be muffled by the slowly encroaching darkness. Corpses littered the star ways, celestial bodies and god-like beings both torn apart and ravaged, drifting lifelessly and eternally.

For millennia, a war had been fought between...Read More »

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