Syklia took a deep breath as normality returned to her universe. At its centre, nebulae had started forming stars again. Along its edge, the Void Walls were repairing themselves. Scattered across the universe, galaxies began to spin once more.
The Corruption was gone.
Okay, it had killed most of her Stasispawn, her timepets and, more importantly, her Void Keepers, but she could always create more them later. Her Stasis was healing. Her Time Snake was resting.
Everything was slowly fixing itself up.
Everything was going to be okay.
Or was it?
There was a feeling deep in Syklia’s mind that she was still in danger. Despite the fact that she had utterly and completely destroyed the threat to her universe. Despite the fact that everything was getting better.
With a sigh and a wave of her hand, Syklia’s fortress burst into view. This was where she commanded her universe, how she got from A to B. It was also her home, her safe space. But right now, with the corpses of her Void Keeper children scattered everywhere, it felt like a horror show. Luckily, most of the corpses were dissolving and dripping down into a central collection pot, which meant Syklia didn’t need to clean them up herself. The goo would be used later to create new Void Keepers.
Speaking of the Void, Syklia spun around to check that the Void Walls were repairing properly. The Corruption had sneaked in through a pinhole. If one of her Void Keepers hadn’t spotted it, or if they had spotted it too late… Well, Syklia didn’t want to think about it.
She didn’t want to think about a lot of things.
The thought of what could have happened though was lingering in Syklia’s mind. No matter what she thought of, that idea of failing, of dying, of no longer existing, was still lurking beneath the surface. Goodness knows what that Corruption would have done to her broken body.
Syklia tried to push those thoughts away, but they were still coming back. She needed to talk to someone.
“Helkas!”
A Void Keeper, her finest Void Keeper, appeared in front of Syklia, puffing and panting.
“My Lady, what do you need?”
This Void Keeper was the High Guardian, Syklia’s favourite. She’d only recently created him, based on a design she had been given by another Universal Personification. But Syklia had used the design wisely, making Helkas completely loyal to her and only her. Unlike other Void Keepers, he had no connections to either Stason or Timon, Syklia’s fellow six-dimensional beings that helped her mould this universe.
“I need someone to talk to. To calm me down. I am bereft by the deaths of so many of my humble servants, of so many of my darling children.”
Helkas hesitated, his arms behind his back. He was so cute whenever he was scared and confused.
“My Lady Syklia, I do not… I believe I am not the right person to speak to. I too am traumatized by recent events. I… I just… I watched my new friends die. That hurt. A lot.”
Syklia nodded in agreement. Perhaps Helkas was worried she’d be upset with him. Not at all. Without his help, they’d all be gone.
“We need to speak to someone… not from here…” Syklia mused to herself. “Speak to others who have been through our pain and come through it. Others who have seen the light.”
“We?” Helkas asked.
“Yes, we…” Syklia smiled as she took Helkas by the hand. “Come now. Let’s go and visit some of my outside friends…”