“AAAAAAAAAAHH!”
Litvir’s scream echoed down the hallway, bouncing off the walls and tearing through the minds of his crew mates. He hadn’t intended to scream so loud, but the sudden tearing pain in his stomach had caught Litvir completely off guard. The pain stabbed at Litvir like a rolling tide, ebbing and flowing, but definitely intensifying.
First to the scene was Retvik, who had been in his room nearby.
“Uh, Litvir, what is-”
“WHY AM I IN AGONY?”
In a vague attempt to reduce the pain, Litvir sat up and clutched his stomach, only to realise it made no difference.
“Uh…” Retvik lacked a proper response. That didn’t surprise Litvir, after all, Retvik had little experience in medicine outside of basic first aid. “Where is the pain?”
“IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS TRYING TO KICK ITSELF OUT OF MY STOMACH!”
“Oh no…” Retvik paused, panic flashing in his eyes. “Uh… I will return in just a moment.”
Just as Retvik disappeared, Galyn’s head poked around the doorway. “Litvir, what is the problem?”
“I do not really know how to explain this better, BUT MY VAGINA FEELS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO ESCAPE!” Litvir’s pained cries intensified. “WHAT IN THE LIGHT IS GOING ON?”
Suddenly, Retvik reappeared, holding a large amount of plastic sheets. He rather awkwardly pushed past Galyn and rushed to Litvir’s side, then proceeded to lift Litvir up and place the plastic sheets underneath him, before altering Litvir’s position, so he was sitting up, knees apart.
“WHAT THE… RETVIK?”
Retvik placed one hand on Litvir’s back, and another on his stomach. “Shush and take deep breaths.”
“TELL ME-”
“Please do as I say, it is for everyone’s benefit.”
“NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME-”
Retvik growled, pressing lightly on Litvir’s stomach. “You are oothing.”
“I FUCKING AM NOT!”
Galyn gave Retvik a confused look. “He is doing what?”
“I AM NOT ABOUT TO” Litvir’s shouting was interrupted by another scream, from the very depths of Litvir’s lungs. Retvik held Litvir in place, trying not to look as Litvir’s stomach tensed and contracted.
Suddenly, the pain ceased, and was replaced with a hideous amount of slime and general discomfort. Between Litvir’s legs was a single, pale blue, translucent sac. A sac that had immediately begun to expand, shake and rupture.
All three Decay Lords stared at the gooey sack as it grew to about a metre across. Galyn had instinctively summoned several of his green, hovering blades, but a glance from Retvik suggested that maybe he should wait a moment.
The sac stopped growing, then exploded into a fountain of goo. The plastic sheets that Retvik had provided had offered nowhere near enough coverage, and icy blue slime was now dripping all over the place, particularly off the small, black and blue Rethavok-shaped being now lying between Litvir’s legs.
After a moment of stunned silence as the creature looked around, it appeared to smile.
“You have no idea how long I have waited to resurrect myself, big brother! Surprised to see you here though, Retvik.”
Retvik’s eyes widened, as both he and Litvir realised who this being was.
“Uh, hello Kuta…” Retvik finally muttered. “I, uh, thought you were dead.”
Kuta grinned, straightening himself out. As he stretched, the black parts of his body faded into a brilliant silver, and icy blue energy flittered across his body.
“So did I! And you said the same thing about Litvir too! Seems like two of us can play the old “hide inside something and be reborn” game around here!” The tiny Rethan continued to smile as he awkwardly struggled off the bed and made his way to the door. “Anyway, where are your showers? I need to wash myself off.”
Retvik pointed at the hallway outside. “Go left, two doors down.”
Kuva smiled some more, waving at Retvik. “Thank you mate, back in a jiffy!”
The three Decay Lords watched in shock as Kuta wandered off. As the bathroom door slammed shut, Galyn turned to Retvik and Litvir, his jaw still hanging open.
“What the fuck, you two?”
“No fucking idea…” Retvik sighed. “I am just relieved that it is not my kid…”