Glass-like shards scattered across the void as an explosion ripped through the vacuum of existence, sending shock waves out into the darkness. In the heart of the eruption appeared two vessels, a sleek, dark ship and a strange, crystalline structure, both piloted by beings that wanted the opposing ship destroyed. A raging battle had been frozen in a time loop and unexpectedly freed, all in the blink of an eye.
Everyone on board though had stopped in their tracks. Both Voidborn and Decay Lord alive had dropped to their knees, their minds filled with a sudden flood of emotion. Feelings of pure ecstasy ravaged their thoughts, forcibly ceasing their combat.
The peace didn’t last though. As soon as it was clear that everyone within the time loop had been incapacitated, a storm of emerald blades rose up, screeching through space and tearing the Voidborn and their ship apart. The Voidborn barely had a chance to work out what had happened as they were turned into shimmering, golden dust. As the last Voidborn disintegrated, they took solace in the fact that at least they had experienced something new.
As the time shards settled and the echoes faded away, the Decay Lords slowly began to pick themselves up, having no idea what to feel.
“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?” Seimeni suddenly shrieked as she pulled herself out of hiding.
The emerald cloud of blades drifted away from the remains of the Voidborn, returning to their creator. Galyn pulled himself together, shaking his head and tutting, turning his attention to the three Decaylings by his side.
“Litvir, I requested that you create a sharp pain through their minds, not cause everyone within the time loop to writhe in ecstasy.”
“Ecstasy?” Seimeni was still screeching. “I was blindsided by an image of me fucking myself and pretty much creamed my pants instantaneously!”
“You wear pants?” Kairos, the Time Drake who had created the time loop in the first place, muttered as he floated down to Seimeni’s side. “Anyway, please don’t take your anger out on Litvir. He was right, a blast of pain wouldn’t have done anything. The Voidborn would have shaken it off, since they are used to pain, and it would have disorientated Itaviir and Vikalos.”
The two Decay Lords in question were still stunned and silent, trying to comprehend what they had just experienced.
Litvir however seemed rather annoyed that everyone was angry with him. He crossed his arms and tutted, immediately beginning to explain himself.
“I could have done far, far more accidental, irreversible damage had I gone with some sort of pain to the mind. I had very little time to properly come up with a harmless solution, so I took the least painful route, one that overloaded your pleasure centres. Yes, that was somewhat wrong of me, I would actually agree there, but any negative emotion would have damaged you more deeply and possibly knocked you all out, giving the Voidborn an upper hand, as they do not have natural emotional nervous maps the way we do!”
“You still made me-”
Seimeni tried to interrupt, but Litvir didn’t let her. “Your orgasm was unintentional. And better than what would have felt like a bullet to the brain!”
Itaviir shook his head, clearing his thoughts, then smiled weakly, glancing down at the Decayling. “Are the Voidborn all dead?”
“They are,” Galyn answered in Litvir’s place. “I made sure of that.”
“And you are all in one piece?”
“We are.”
The Decay Lord continued to smile. “Well, that is all good. We will need some time to clean up and get everything repaired. I do not think anything was majorly damaged during our scuffle, but we will still need to check. Galyn, Kairos, if you could get started on that for now, while Vikalos and I take a breather, that would be great…” Itaviir turned to the Decaylings. “As for you three, please head inside, sanitize yourselves then return to your quarters. I would like to speak to you in private.”
The other two Decaylings both nodded, but Litvir clearly looked uncertain. Rather than question Itaviir though, Litvir just followed Arkadin and Retvik, deciding to hold his questions until later.
“I hope we are not in trouble…” Retvik muttered as they headed inside the ship.
“We better not be…” Litvir sneered. “We just saved their lives…”