Stasis smiled as he dropped strips of some kind of unknown flesh to a large pit in the middle of his private quarters. In the pit, quickly chewing up the fleshy morsels were six creatures that Stasis found adorable for some reason. Once Stasis was done, he got down on his knees and put his hand into the pit. The six creatures immediately swarmed around his hand, wanting strokes and tickles.
“My Lord, what do you like so much about these weird little things?” Vahlok asked as he stood behind Stasis, holding a large pile of meaty strips. To Vahlok, the creatures were disgusting. They reminded him of how mindless Varga could get. They reminded Vahlok of how he could have ended up had Stasis not saved him.
Stasis didn’t answer at first. He was too amused by the creatures. One of them curled around its arm, then rolled over, wanting tickles on its belly.
“Overlord Stasis…”
“What?” Stasis snapped.
Vahlok hesitated. “Where did they come from?”
Stasis shrugged. “I do not know. Nor do I care. They are clearly unfinished Veth. Veth take a week at least to create, and that is assuming they are existing Theoktons. A true, fully-formed Veth from a normal Mortal can take decades. Clearly whatever attempted to make these wasn’t Death herself, but perhaps some sort of cultist. They had an unfinished product and dumped them.”
“But my Lord… How would they even know to dump them here? The only beings who know you are here are… well, your Acolytes, and Kairos and Kinisis themselves.”
“Well clearly one of them thought to do a practical joke on us,” Stasis sighed. “I would not put it past them. But nor do I care. These creatures are adorable. Almost a gift to me.”
“A gift?” Vahlok was confused again. He was getting tired of being confused. “My Lord, I understand that these beings are possibly valuable but-”
Stasis ignored him and stepped down into the pit. The creatures all began purring and rubbing themselves up and down Stasis. They looked like they were smiling.
“Little Vahlok, you are so naive. You have no idea how valuable this is. Half-Veth, left under my command. This is something I have always wanted, especially since I cannot create mortal life myself, and I certainly cannot create Cycle-bound beings like the Veth. This, Vahlok, is a dream come true for me.”
Vahlok sighed. If anything, he was slightly jealous of the attention these hideous little monsters were getting. There were beings out in the hospital wing because of those beasts, and here Stasis was, cooing and petting them.
“So what do you plan to do with them?” Vahlok asked as he put down the tray of food.
Stasis petted the largest one, a red and green specimen. “These beings have more potential than you can see, Vahlok. They need to be rehabilitated first. They are clearly ill and stressed. That stress has cost them to ability to speak. But when I have fixed them up, they will tell me their secrets.”
“You really think they have secrets to tell?”
“Of course, Vahlok, of course…” Stasis paused. “You do not seem yourself, Vahlok.”
Vahlok lowered his head.
“What is the problem?”
“I…” Vahlok hesitated. He wanted to say that he feared the creatures, that they might have been some sort of trap sent by Kairos. Or that they were just stupid animals that happened to look like Veth. In the end though, he just sighed. “Nothing, my Lord. I am just… frazzled from yesterday’s events. And the events beforehand. The Veth Prime may not have been on my ship when I returned, but he had definitely tampered with the place.”
Stasis climbed out of the pit and put an arm around Vahlok. “You worry too much.”
“I’m still mortal, no matter your actions.”
“You are under my protection and my jurisdiction,” Stasis reassured his Arch-Warrior. “That is why these beings are important to me. If they genuinely are part Veth, then perhaps we could find out more about our friend the Veth Prime…”
Vahlok relented and finally smiled. “I see, now… As always, you fill me with confidence, my Lord…”