“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 chewing.
“Well, where did you come from? I don’t remember letting little monsters like you loose in one of my offices…”
The creature looked up again, aware that Stasis was talking about it. The being looked somewhat familiar. A bit like a Veth but not quite. Its body shape was very similar but the creature was small and skinny. And it lacks the glowing rings on its body that most Veth had. Instead, it had several lumps of glowing armour. As far as Stasis was aware, it was some sort of cheap imitation version of the deadly monsters that roamed Kinigi.
“Hm. Someone must have left you here…” Stasis strolled towards the creature, which made it snarl and back away. Elsewhere, screams and cries could be heard. There were more of these beings. Not capable of actually killing Deitics, but they certainly had the appearance to scare them shitless.
A voice tried to reach Stasis. It was Vahlok, communicating via his special communicator.
“My Lord, I have trapped two of these Veth inside a locker room. The Deitic trapped with them escaped with my help. They seem really angry, but nowhere near as powerful as the Veth Prime I previously faced. Someone just let these beings loose and disappeared.”
“I noticed…” Stasis sighed. He got down on one knee, holding his clawed hand open. This creature was cold and scared and lost. Whatever it was, it was clearly some sort of abandoned pet that needed looking after. The fact that it looked Vethic was probably just coincidence.
The creature hesitated. This one was red with glowing green parts, but the others Stasis had seen all had different colours. It continued to snarl, but his snarls dropped into a low hiss.
“Little one, do not be scared…”
Another voice crackled by. Lua was trying to get in touch. He seemed panicked.
“MY LORD, WHAT IS GOING ON?”
Stasis rolled his eyes. “They are just normal little creatures. Nothing to be afraid of.”
“They are not… Veth?”
“Clearly…”
Stasis tutted, then ignored Lua’s cries and questions and went back to the creature. It didn’t seem as scared now. As if it was growing accustomed to Stasis’s presence. Stasis held his claw open some more, allowing the creature to sniff his hand. Finally, the creature stepped forward, and Stasis gently stroked it on its armour-plated head.
Immediately, the creature’s attitude changed. It started purring and wrapped itself along Stasis’s arm, wanting tickles. Stasis complied, tickling it down its neck and along the unarmoured parts of its back.
“My Lord…”
“What?” Stasis growled, spinning around. The creature hid behind Stasis, terrified by Vahlok’s presence.
Vahlok bowed and apologised. “I’m sorry for interrupting, Master, but I have captured three of these beings and some of your Lanex guards have captured the other two. What do you want us to do with them?”
Stasis’s annoyance turned into a smile. “Place them in a large cell and take them to my office for me to pick up later. I wish to find out more about these adorable creatures.”
The Arch-Warrior blinked, then walked off, doing as he had been told.
Stasis turned back to the little creature and stroked it again. After a few more tickles, Stasis picked up the creature in his arms and happily carried it back to his private quarters.