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 nowhere at the same time. He has been watching us and waiting for Galazin to cave in, but he’s been disappointed so far. I’m thankful that Galazin is stronger than I am, as my base Deitic instincts are going haywire. The result of generations of Kronospasts not being allowed to sleep with members of their own race.
Something tugs at our necks. The chains loosen, allowing us to turn our heads to one side. Stasis has opened up some sort of portal, a window through which we can see the gold and black platforms outside.
“You need a push. I forget, mortals are not always willing to mindlessly commit foul acts. Your hypocrisy has always disgusted me.”
Stasis wanders through the portal. No one is present apart from Retvik. I panic, not knowing what Stasis is planning. Retvik seems wholly unaware of the danger he is in. He looks up angrily at Stasis.
“What do you want?”
“Oh, nothing, little one. I was just wondering how you were doing?”
Retvik growls. He’s clearly already not in a good way. Perhaps he knows what Stasis is thinking? He is certainly being weary.
“I want to go home. Your hospitality is pleasant, but I have a family and a future to consider. I’m thankful you have allowed me to not fight…”
Stasis appears to smile, drawing some sort of twisted blade. “I understand. You wish to protect your unborn kid. But, may I ask, how do you defend it if you will not fight?”
Retvik eyes Stasis nervously, drawing his own dagger. I recognise it, even from here. It’s one that Gath, his partner, made for him. I struggle against my chains, trying to scream, trying to do anything to warn Retvik of the threat standing right in front of him.
“You threaten me?”
“I do.”
Immediately, Retvik tries to flee. He races to his left, where the living quarters are, unsure how much of a threat Stasis is. But Stasis is no ordinary being. He teleports in front of Retvik, increasing in size. He grabs Retvik by the neck and lifts him easily into the air. Retvik kicks frantically, but never makes contact – Stasis is nigh untouchable.
“W-what d-do you w-want?” Retvik gasps, clawing for air.
“Persuasion…”
Stasis puts his blade away. All three of us, Retvik, Galazin and I, continue our struggles, but Retvik is unaware we are watching.
In a single, swift movement, Stasis buries his clawed hand deep into Retvik’s unarmoured stomach. Even though he can’t breathe, Retvik screams anyway, as Stasis rummages around inside his internal organs. Finally, when the terrible Deitic is satisfied, he rips the unborn child from Retvik’s body and throws both it and Retvik to the ground.
“Your friends caused this to happen, Retvik. Do not blame me…” Stasis smiles as he turns round to face Galazin and myself. He begins to walk back towards us, leaving Retvik in a crumpled heap of blood and agony.
But as Stasis closes the portal behind him, he shouts out in surprise and pulls something from his back. Retvik’s dagger.
He turns to us, smiling through his pain.
“Your friend is tenacious. I wonder if your other friends will be as strong as he is when I tear them apart? Or will you spare them by doing as I ask?”
Stasis laughs, then tightens our chains and disappears, leaving us alone in the dark once more.