Chapter Text
The being that stood before Leshy was conniving—it pestered the worm; the thought of not being able to sense this deceitful creature before him…. brought a feeling of loss in what’s left of his abilities.
The hand was gentle on his wrist but sharp talons brushed against his hide as it rested forward on his lap—a comfortable stance to be in just as it begged for his food. How daring of it.
And the worm wanted to recoil, but he remained as he was…
For just a second.
The worm ushered a swift knee to the entity’s jaw, causing them to jerk back with a pained hiss. Water splashed beneath them and a low growl emitted before Leshy.
“Don’t touch me, you disgusting creature.” He sneered. “You dare come at me like that again, and I'll cut your throat open, you pest.” Leshy threatened.
A laugh poured out of it, almost like a purr, and the water shifted. “I wasn’t wrong. I see that now…” Leshy felt it come closer. “Oh, Great Chaos, you’ve returned to the land of the living… and in such a state.”
Leshy scrunched his face, “Whatever do you speak of, pest?”
“Oh—Don’t call me that, your Madness.” It spoke softly. “You wound me further..”
If the worm still had eyes, he’d be rolling them out of his skull. “You speak as if you’re of importance. Who are you?”
“Me? No, no—” The entity spoke with glee. “I am but a mere Fox, your Madness. A beggar, to put it simply. Nothing, as if, no one you should worry of. No, no… But, you see…” His tone turns pained. “I am, oh, so hungry. I haven’t eaten anything in forever! I am famished, entirely; whole heartedly. I wish for nothing but a meal to ease this pain—I wish upon this not even my worst of enemies..! So, I beg, please…” The Fox came closer, hands resting upon Leshy’s knees. “May I feed from your hand? Oh, I want nothing more than to feast from the palm of such greatness as yourself..”
Leshy clicked his tongue, recoiling away from the edge of the dock he sat, but—with a scoff—threw the skewer to his left, away from the beggar. “Have it for all I care. You’ve killed my appetite.”
“Ah—” Splash!
The sound of loud splashing resonated beneath the dock, following the encore of snapping sticks and bones, letting the worm know that this Fox had managed to take it. As snarling and growling came from the maw of the beast, Leshy let out a disgusted groan. “Repugnant…” He insulted the beggar Fox.
“Mhmm…” It hummed, pleased. “Thank you, your Madness. I am forever in your debt.”
“Disregard it—There’s nothing you can give me.” Leshy rebutted as he began to stand, using his staff as aid.
“Oh? Nothing at all?”
At this, Leshy mocked the Fox. “You said it yourself; You’re a beggar—What could you possibly give me of value, when all you have is nothing but dirt beneath your feet?” He sneered. “You're below the common folk—less than the poor and the vermin that crawl upon these lands. You’re a disgrace by being what you are. I want nothing from you.” He finished, turning his back to it and walking in that direction.
“Not even… sight, Great Chaos?”
The spike of something sinister trailed up Leshy’s spine, halting his steps. A dense silence followed before a dark chuckle emitted from behind him. The wood of the dock creaked and the essence of something bigger loomed over the worm.
“My, my… That got your attention, didn’t I?” The Fox sneered, perching its hands upon Leshy’s shoulders. “I will admit… I did lie to you, dear Havoc. I am more than just a beggar—but I am no God… not like you, at least.” It whispered close to one of Leshy’s branches. “I possess some power and leverage to make even the most impossible of miracles come true. However…” He lingered, dragging a claw over the bandages that shielded Leshy’s scarred eyes. “It will take more than just some shitty fish as payment to make it happen…” The Fox mumbled. “A bigger sacrifice is needed—Or, as a friend once said, tit-for-tat and all that.”
“... What are you insinuating?” Leshy asked. The sound of stretching skin sent a shiver at the worm’s side, and—what he determines—a tongue slicked over it.
“I saw you… and that yellow cat, you two look close… At least, on his side.” The Fox purred. “You have him wrapped around your finger. He’s willing to do anything that you say, and as a former God, he means nothing to you, does he? Why not use him to regain what was lost?” He asked.
Leshy turned his head in the Fox’s way. His jaw clenched.
“I remember… reading somewhere about how you—out of all the Bishops—had the most beautiful set of eyes in all the land, back then. It was something that you gained a great sense of pride in—and I could give them back to you—After all…”
“Watch yourself—”
“They were what was taken from you… by someone you once loved… weren’t they?”
The memory of that day came back to Leshy, and this was enough for him to swat the Fox away from him with his staff—Fury now turning on adrenaline.
But the entity diminished from his space, as a laugh echoed upon the bark of the trees that enclosed this secluded marsh; mixing with the gentle song of his bell.
“Ohohoh—” The Fox mocked the worm. “Did I strike a nerve?” It spoke ethereally.
“You coward—!” Leshy shouted. “Come out! I’ll kill you!”
“Oh, so ferocious! Even now—so weak and fragile—your truth shines brighter than ever before, Bishop Leshy.” It praises him. “But, how can you? Why, with just this—!”
And suddenly, the blind worm was pushed back against the dock, choking upon impact. A thick, heavy paw pressed over his neck, squeezing tightly; Leshy gripped upon the thick wrist but to no avail—he was cornered.
Water drenched over him and something else, rotten and putrid, dribbled over his face. “I can easily overpower you…” It wheezed, voice laced with hunger. “Look at you, so… delectable…and vulnerable… I bet you’d make one delicious meal..”
A slick tongue passed over Leshy’s cheek, forcing a strained grunt from the former God. The squeeze on his neck tightened further, the worm was beginning to feel hazy—instinctively inhaling for air, but couldn’t.
Leshy thrashed beneath the weight, wheezing, while the Fox continued.
“There’s still some potential leftover for you, dear Bishop. You wish to live as you were—I know that—and I can make you that… Of course—” Then, the Fox released Leshy, who gasped loudly and pushed himself away. “Only… if you’d like. If you’re willing to give me an even greater sacrifice than that cat of yours… Mayhaps your own kin—”
“SILENCE!” Leshy boomed, his voice resonating all over the space. The energy changed, no longer deceitful, but a meshed-up crash of something familiar yet chaotic. “And begone with you, heretic!” The Worm hissed in the air. “I do not need you, nor your power—You hold nothing but insignificance in the ether! I will rise again, and become the God that will reign terror, mayhem, and havoc upon you until you’re no more.” He grits. “That… is my promise to you, deceiver. The Old Faith and I vow for that to become true!”
The Worm shivered with rage and teeth that grinded down ‘till he could taste his own blood as he heaved. With an aching throat, Leshy gave a final growl to the Fox—who only responded with a soft yet wicked laugh.
“Good to see… the remnants of Godhood that still linger upon your soul… yet, it’s killing that mortal body…” He coos. “Better be careful~”
Leshy grits even more, hands digging nails against the floorboards of the dock. But then, at a distance…
“Leshy!”
Trey’s voice echoed; panicked and hurried.
“Awww… I suppose it's time for me to go..” The Fox pouts, his voice turning distant—almost merging into the water. “However… my offer still stands, your Madness… You just… know where to find me…”
And the entity of the Fox was gone in the marsh.
Trey’s footsteps resonated as he came closer until his being was right behind him, throwing himself beside the worm and grabbing his shoulders.“Leshy! Leshy—Are you OK?! We heard something awful all the way from the clean river—Did something happen?!” He asked frantically, jerking him slightly. Checking him out, Leshy assumes.
“Oh Lamb—” He stops. “Y-Your bandages! You’re leaking black stuff out of your face!”
Suddenly, Leshy was helped up, “Come—Let me take you back to the sanctuary! I need to get you back—”
But the worm only leaned against Trey’s body. Causing the cat to stop as Leshy used him for support—his forehead pressed against the nook of Trey’s shoulder. “L…Leshy..?” The cat called back for the worm. “Leshy—W-What’s wrong? Are you hurt—”
“Please be quiet..” Leshy’s voice turned hoarse. “And take me… away from here… I do not wish to be alone anymore..” He pleaded.
Leshy felt as the cat hesitated but, regardless, wrapped his arms around him. They slithered over his bare back, soft hide brushing against his own coarse fur. He had almost forgotten that he was naked… but that thought seemed so unimportant right now. With everything that’s occurred, Leshy was left too weak and tired to care. He didn’t even know he could still manifest something out of his old self… this will be something to tackle some other day.
“Man, this isn’t what I had planned for you..” Trey mumbled, gently pushing Leshy away. “Be still, I’ll pick you up in a moment.”
The cat slid down, his hand trailing downwards on Leshy’s side—the sound of the bell from his staff resonated alongside, what Leshy assumes, is the shawl.
“Hold this,” Trey said as rose back up before placing back over Leshy’s shoulders the semi-wet shawl. “We’ll definitely have to wash this later. Come on.”
In one movement, Leshy was being carried by the cat.
“Are you sure you don’t want—”
“No.” Leshy insisted. “... Just keep me with you from now on…”
A brief silence echoed but Trey, soon after, let out a sigh. “OK… Let’s go back with everyone, then..”
~
Back at the sanctuary…
Narinder looked idly at the ceiling of his shelter, feeling an ache center at his chest. His hand fiddled with something small—a little mushroom that he managed to sneak from one of the medicinal hoards in the health tent. From before Anura had been purged by the Mystic Entity.
His thumb pressed gently over the smooth dome and his index finger passed over the gills beneath the cap while his mind wandered on.
It’s been far too long for Sólvar’s crusade in those lands. He can’t help but worry—for him… and his sister.
If Leshy was bad when Sólvar spoke of his purging—his state and corruption—he can only imagine that his older sister is much worse. What horrors is his Lamb being subjected to cleanse?
… What horrors has Purgatory bestowed upon his sister for his actions? The pain… that he’s inflicted in her…
The black cat gave a shaky exhale and crushed the mushroom in his hand before letting it drop on the edge of his bed.
The curtain of the entrance shifted open, and Narinder turned to look at his spouse standing there. Holding a bowl of food.
“Hey…” Tobias called for him.
Narinder only furrowed his brow in pity, a smile forced on his face.
The bear moved along to the side of which the black cat was closest, and ushered him to sit up before handing him his bowl of soup. “Still nervous?”
A wry chuckle escaped him, “Very..” Narinder answered softly, bringing the bowl to his mouth; slurping the broth first. “I feel… like…”
Tobias leaned closer, “Like?”
“... Like it might be wrong doing this..”
At this, the bear furrowed his brow. “Doing what?”
Narinder sighed, “... Doing nothing.” He admitted. “I feel useless here.”
“Nari—”
“Like… It shouldn’t be Sólvar the one who has to fix everything, you know?” Narinder’s mouth twitched into an involuntary grin. “It should be me… going out there and facing the damage that I’ve committed. It’s cowardly of me… to be here in this sanctuary… without having the decency to even face the beasts that I’ve helped create out of—”
“Narinder.” Tobias grabbed at his shoulders. “Stop it. You can’t dwell on it… not like this.” The bear insisted. “I know it hurts but you know that Sólvar has a plan for all of this…”
Narinder pursed his lips, dropping his shoulders.
“The right time for you to make amends with your family is near, I promise you that… but please, don’t hold the state of the world over you anymore.” Tobias said, hands trailed to cup his face. “As a spouse of your successor, you must believe in Sólvar and his means for it. Trust that… he will set everything right.”
Defeated, the former God leaned forward—pressing his forehead against his husband’s shoulder. The bowl of soup turned lukewarm in his hands but Tobias’s embrace was all the warmth he needed right now as he held him close.