“I’m going to find him.”
Retvik glared at Tenuk. The Ethran-type had been gone for five hours, and now he’d reappeared in an insane getup, spouting nonsense.
“You’re going to do what?”
“I will find Arkay and bring him back.”
Tenuk stood in the doorway, wearing a really bad-ass set of armour and carrying a ludicrously large jetpack on one shoulder. He also, for some reason, was wearing a heavy, curved horn helm, making him look a bit Tavran-y.
Retvik though just continued to glare at Tenuk.
“What?”
“Don’t go.”
With a sigh, Retvik turned back to what he was doing, reading a book about grief. Over the last week… or was it a few days? Or was it just a day or so? Over the previous short period of time, Retvik had lost both his unborn kid and the young Rethan he had always considered his kid. He was hurting inside and really just wanted to heal up so he could go home. The doctors had insisted though, due to the nature of his injuries, that he remain here on Kryada until he was fit to walk again.
But while Retvik was filled with sorrow, Tenuk’s eyes glowed with anger and guilt.
“This is all my fault. None of this would have happened if I’d let Galazin screw me, as Stasis wanted. After all, I’m the spawn of Stasis, my will is his will!”
Retvik rolled his eyes and threw his book down. “You are seriously trying to take the blame for all of this? You out of everyvok here know full well that no one is to blame for their heritage! Stasis is part of this universe, he would have found a workaround and is probably plotting right now!”
Tenuk shrugged, dropping his jetpack. Rather than shatter on the floor, it disappeared into nothing. An elaborate but small Deitic trick of his. Retvik ignored it and carried on talking.
“Arkay knew what he was doing. He was the only one strong enough to hold that portal open so everyone else could get through. He saved most of us. And the last thing Arkay would want is for you to go gallivanting across the universe looking for his cold, quickly decaying corpse, floating on some Light-forsaken rock in the middle of nowhere then accidentally getting yourself killed. You’re long-lived Tenuk, you’re not truly immortal any more!”
“You don’t understand, Retvik!” Tenuk interrupted. “He’s not dead. I know it.”
Retvik fell silent, trying to comprehend what Tenuk just said. “… How do you know?”
“Do you know where I was, the last five hours?”
“No…”
Tenuk began to explain. “When Arkay and Teekay went to save the High General, after the Soul Rupture, they stumbled across an A’Vata’s portal that would have taken them straight to Kinigi. After all that, I sealed that cave off. But when we got back here, I… I wanted to see Arkay off. I wanted to go to the very edge of Kinigi and see him go up the river and become a Veth. It normally takes a week, and Arkay’s only been dead for a day, so I thought I’d see him. He wasn’t there though!”
“You genuinely think I’d believe that?” Retvik snarled.
“We’ve been through insanity, brother…” Tenuk sat on the bed next to Retvik. “We’ve experienced things no one else has. Trust me, I used to study this stuff when I was younger. Arkay isn’t dead yet. It’s quite possible that he survived, and all this talking is just…”
Tenuk fell silent, he was beginning to tear up.
“Have you told Elksia?”
“She said I should tell you first. She worried I might die as well.”
“You can see why we’re worried.”
“I know.”
Retvik sighed. There was no changing Tenuk’s mind. If he went and found Arkay’s body, brought him back for a proper burial, it would put all their minds at ease. And there was always that slight possibility that Tenuk was… right.
“Fine. Go, Tenuk. But please, I beg of you, be careful, and look after yourself.”
Tenuk smiled briefly, then wrapped his arms around Retvik before heading off. “I’ll look after myself, I promise…”