Galazin and I are chained up in perhaps the most awkward way possible. I’m chained to the ground, with both my arms and my legs apart, and my neck held in place so I can only look directly at Galazin. The poor Tavran is in a much harsher position, his arms chained behind his back and his legs bent awkwardly at the knee. He too is stuck looking directly forward, hanging twenty centimetres above me.
“Hello?” Galazin shouts abruptly, making me jump.
“Ah, you are both conscious. I could have woken you up, but I love that spark of fear and panic that comes with every new flash of consciousness.”
From the sound of his voice, Stasis is standing to my left.
“What do you want with us?” Galazin asks. He’s getting straight to the point. Meanwhile, I’m wondering how long I’ve been unconscious and whether anyone else knows we’re missing.
Stasis is in the corner of my vision, but he’s not moving. He never seems to actually move when idle. I try to look around, past Galazin, but all I can see are chains and tubes of black, stationary fluid. Goodness knows what they are. Goodness knows what Stasis wants with us. Part of me hopes he doesn’t say.
“Oh, I will say, little Deitic!” Stasis laughs. “I know of your little tropes, but considering how no one knows you are here, how I have persuaded your friends that I am looking for you personally and how… unprotected you are…”
“Can you not speak in clues? Speak proper!” Galazin demands. I notice the only part of him not completely chained up and immobile is his tail.
“Yeah, why can’t everyone just be blunt?” I’m being uncharacteristic. I am a little scared right now, and Stasis knows it. He wanders out of my sight, then reappears behind us.
“I shall start with a story. Surely, Tahnahos, you know the story of the start of time?”
I gulp in acknowledgement. Galazin though growls, a low hum of anger.
“Stop with your chatter. Let us go. We had no upsets with you.”
Stasis pulls on Galazin’s tail. He yelps loudly before quickly calming down, his eyes closing. Clearly his tail is a weak spot of some sort. Stasis realises that Galazin is unwilling to listen and instead decides to step things up a little.
“Very well. I shall summarize for your feeble little mind. I have no idea how an impatient being such as yourself managed to find a way to become a Deitic. On one hand, we have the Deitic who wants to be mortal. On the other, we have the mortal who wants to be a god.
“You see, that was how it was in the beginning. There was nothing. Everything was stationary and repeating, onwards forever. When that was shattered, we got two things. Part of existence was stationary, orderly, perfect. The other half was chaotic, constantly moving. Stasis and Cycle. God and Mortal. Two halves that can’t be whole.
“Until now.”
Stasis starts pacing around, his thoughts briefly elsewhere. “I can feel the Cycle looking for you. She knows you are missing, that you should all be in her domain. But you all came here willingly, and you are now mine. Really, I only needed the Half-Deitic and the Half-Mortal, your friends will just keep me entertained and give you… reason to do what I need you to do.”
I blink in confusion. Galazin doesn’t seem to understand either.
“I can count on one hand the number of Deitics who gave up their mortality. Most of them died before their wish became true, and they ended up going to the nothingness like all other Deitics. As for mortals? Pure-blooded ones? You are the third, Galazin. You should be proud.”
While Stasis talks, I try and figure out his plan. Does he mean to merge us into one being?
“Don’t be silly, Tahnahos. I tried that with the second Mortal-turned-Deitic. Did not work well at all. My plan is simple this time. You two will create a child together. And that child will be the perfect union of Stasis and Cycle. I will finally have what I want.”
“NEVER!” Galazin roars, straining and squirming. “I WILL NEVER DO THAT!”
Stasis quickly silences the Tavran with a wave of his hand.
“I wish to be kind to you, Galazin. I will give you the chance to willingly commit your foul, mortal act upon Tahnahos. If you refuse, then your friends will serve as the perfect persuasion tool. Understood?”
The great Deitic wanders over to me, covering my mouth with fabric so I can no longer speak. He then wanders around and pulls on Galazin’s tail. Again, Galazin yelps in pain. I realize why Stasis left his tail unchained.
Finally, Stasis disappears in a cloud if inky black nothingness, leaving us alone in the dark.