In hindsight, Theocydes probably should have checked his messages sooner, because, just as his ship landed at Savepoint, after doing a vital task for the Thantir, he’d noticed that he’d received a message from Litvir, telling him to return immediately and that he wasn’t safe. And Litvir had sent that message BEFORE Theocydes had arrived at the sealed off universe he’d been asked to check in on.
Admittedly, it had taken him a lot longer than normal, mostly because there seemed to be another Decay Lord sect in the area. Theocydes didn’t know who they were, and that may have been why Litvir had told Theocydes to abandon his mission. After all, the Kinigian Wilderness was technically Thantir territories, but their claim on the area wasn’t enforced. But now Theocydes had made it back to Savepoint, he could tell Litvir the dire news.
As Theocydes stepped out of his ship though, he immediately noticed three things. Firstly, as always, Litvir was the first to arrive to greet him. Secondly, he was followed by the Newling Voidborn, and she had worked out shapeshifting. She had also detected Theocydes’s presence, and wasn’t unnerved by him. Thirdly…
“Uh… I… thought you were dead…” Theocydes stuttered.
“Nope! Somehow, some-fucking-how, I’m alive!” Arkay beamed as he bounced around, hugged Litvir briefly then approached Theocydes with his hand held out. “And I’m also not a Corruption. Or a Life Goddess. It’s good to see you again, in a far less depressing setting!”
Theocydes stuttered some more. “I, uh, came here to tell Litvir you… were dead… I went to your universe, it was sealed shut and some strange creature wearing a tie told me, and I quote, “death god’s dead, fuck off before I summon the retarded Rethan to kick your ass”, so I, uh backed off.”
“Question?” Arkay asked. “Did the guy have long arms, brown, scaly skin and a metal plate on their snout? Were the scales like brown gems? And was the tie blue?”
“Uh, yes.”
“Huh… I guess Epani went with Sini’s suggestion to take existing heroes and make them into deities. Good on Aesop for growing a real conscience and not dying, I guess…”
Phovoula frowned, before turning to Theocydes. “Also, hello, I am very glad you’re here, can you help me with all this Voidborn stuff?”
Theocydes inspected Phovoula quite thoroughly. “Of course! Anyone for a fine young Newling like you!”
Phovoula eyed Theocydes back. “You have feelings for me. Worryingly romantic ones.”
“Well, uh, of course I do. Well, not blatantly romantic, but I am curious. After all, you are a female Voidborn. Female Voidborns are pretty much non-existent.”
“They are?” Both Litvir and Arkay seemed surprised by this.
Theocydes nodded. “Life Goddesses are almost all female, Voidborns are almost all male. There are, of course, exceptions, like the wonderful Newling here, but that is somewhat how things are.”
Phovoula eyed Theocydes some more. She felt threatened, and whenever Phovoula felt threatened, she would always counteract that fear with meanness, either physical violence or vocal violence.
“You are male?”
“Yes.”
“With that… flat a crotch? You are flatter than a little Temthan girl. And that’s with your armour on. Do you even have any actual tone or muscle under all that plating? About as masculine as a neutral-gendered Athren.”
Theocydes blinked. Litvir also blinked, not really sure how hash Phovoula’s insult was.
“Wow… that was spicy…” Arkay muttered. “And mean.”
“He’s hitting on me. He deserves it!” Phovoula snarled as she crossed her arms. “I’m not interested in a creepy, metal-plated asshole with a pointless excuse for a pair of horns, who can’t even settle on an eye colour.”
“Phovos, that was uncalled for!” Arkay tutted. “Yes, sure, Theocydes WAS a murderous asshole who probably has a kill count similar to mine, and he did try and kill me repeatedly until I teleported him into a sun and Litvir… suggested he leave his cult, but you just asked the poor asshole for help and then you made him question his entire sense of self!”
“Yeah, but…”
“But nothing! Please, apologize to Theocydes.”
Phovos sighed. She knew the Death Wolf was right. “I’m… I’m sorry. Your sudden interest in what is in my bra and pants scared me and when I’m scared, I lash out. I shouldn’t have lashed out though, I’m just so… flummoxed by all of this.”
Theocydes sighed as well. “I accept your apology. And, admittedly, I am a little creepy. Mostly because I am curious though, I have never met a female Voidborn before. I have no interest in… anything sexual. Mostly because I am not capable of being sexual, and, rather ironically, you are… correct. I lack genitalia.”
“Hang on!” Litvir butted in. “Letharus said you were forcibly married to a Life Goddess.”
“Well… you don’t need a dick to pleasure someone…” Arkay muttered.
“Very true…” Theocydes nodded in agreement. “And, in all honestly, Life Goddesses look after themselves. They enslave and torture folks just because they can. Both Arkay and myself can attest to that. That being said, I am willing to assist you, Phovoula. Do you wish to live and learn alongside other Voidborns, or are you happier here?”
Phovoula glanced at Arkay, then shrugged. “I think I want to learn to be a Decay Lord. It seems like Voidborns get… a bad rep.”
“We do, yes, but since you are already a sapient, intelligent Voidborn already, then you should be fine, you will just need to learn a few bits and pieces.”
“Like this new language popping up in my head?” Phovoula asked. “Like, I’m fine with working out most things myself. I’m getting used to be hollow. And now I worked out how to change back from being a plated monster, things are bearable. But the language suddenly exploding into my head is weird.”
“Oh, so you’re learning Kenosomilia as well?” Arkay smiled.
“You speak the language of the Voidborns?” Theocydes blinked.
Arkay nodded. “Yeah. I speak… a lot of languages. The generic panglish language all Decayons speak, which we all seem to instantly pick up.. The Life Goddess language… The language Kinisis made up, the two languages I made up based on that language… Pretty sure I can speak the language of the Corruption too, which is disturbing…”
“That… is disturbing, yes…” Theocydes frowned, before turning back to the Newling. “But since you have settled down, Phovoula, you are probably better off here, with those you know. Thankfully, since Arkay is… something… and since you have a nice Life Goddess here, the growing pains won’t come back. Also, since I work in Corruption Purging now, it would be dangerous to take you with me.”
“You have a Newling Voidborn with you though?” Litvir asked. “Staton, I think you called it?”
“Staton doesn’t have a physical form yet, and since he pulled himself from the Eternal Darkness, rather than being a Geneseon Voidborn like Phovoula here, he technically can’t be infected by anything. That being said, I should probably head back to the Ventra Expanse soon. I am sure Kesistatir is worried about me, and Vekeus is probably vaguely concerned about me too. Phovoula, if there is something you need that Arkay cannot answer, then speak to Litvir, he has the Kenomilia application, which we use to communicate. Next time I visit, I will bring a Voidborn digital device with me, I do not have a spare one currently, and I will set you up on Darkness Networks, so other Voidborns will leave you alone.”
“Oh, you don’t want to stick around?” Arkay interjected. “We were going to have a Decayling naming ceremony, and then we’re having a party, to celebrate me being both alive and free.”
Theocydes didn’t have a chance to answer, as a familiar serpentine being teleported between everyone.
“Hello!” Sini beamed. “Thank you for delivering my precious cargo!”
“Hello, uh… Time Drake and Life Goddess. I never caught your name.”
“Ah! My name is Sini. Former Allbirther, now a free little space princess!”
Theocydes smiled and bowed. “A pleasure to meet you, Sini. I am Theocydes.”
Sini inspected Theocydes’s fingers. “Not married or bound to anyone, eh?”
“I… am not interested in that sort of thing. Done it once, unwillingly, don’t want to do it again.”
“Fair enough!” Sini grinned. “I’m going to go and set up the party. Thanks again, deary!”
“No worries. I… I should probably head off as well.” Theocydes bowed again. “Look after yourselves, Thantir.”
“You too, Theocydes!”