E.K. was growing weary of the Deiianian's endless stream of questions. Though he didn't mind the company, the chatter was beginning to wear thin. They had been walking for hours now, following the dirt path along the same purple river. The trees stood a respectful distance away, neither crowding the path nor completely out of sight, forming an unbroken line of surreal grey that seemed to ripple against the blue sky.
Despite the strange terrain, the journey had been uneventful. They passed occasional signs etched with an ancient script. "Seri-akk," E.K. had explained earlier, "a language used by godlike beings in a particular orb."
Now it was his turn to break the monotony. "So," E.K. asked, his voice steady but curious, "how did you end up here?"
Perched comfortably on E.K.'s shoulder, the Deiianian tilted his head, a mock look of disbelief on his face. "You're asking me questions now? That doesn't seem right. You've barely answered any of mine!" His tone was both annoyed and teasing.
E.K. ignored the jab, his gaze focused on the horizon. "Your kind doesn't usually stray far from your territories. So what brings you quintillions of kilometers from home?" His question was laced with genuine interest.
The Deiianian sighed dramatically. "I'm kind of an outcast. Why would I stay with people who want nothing to do with me?"
E.K. glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "Are you sure?"
"Y-yeah?"
"Don't lie to me." E.K.'s voice was calm but edged with authority. "I gave you the chance to tell the truth. Don't misuse my trust. If I want, I can find out for myself."
The Deiianian squirmed. He hesitated before finally admitting, "Alright... I may have caused a war."
E.K. raised an eyebrow but kept his tone neutral. "A war? How intriguing. I thought your kind were peaceful."
"Normally, we are," the Deiianian admitted, his voice soft with shame. "But... I messed up. I was supposed to represent my people, my universe, actually."
"Go on."
The Deiianian sighed, defeated. "I was sent to negotiate with the Teranian leader from a neighboring universe. They had started a massive war, and we wanted to stay out of it. My job was to secure a neutrality pact, resources in exchange for them agreeing not to involve us." He hesitated. "It was going well... until I accidentally hit the wrong button."
"The 'red' button, I presume?" E.K. asked, his tone measured as he tried to mask his amusement.
"Yeah." The Deiianian's shoulders slumped. "I detonated their flagship by accident. That... didn't go over well. My people disowned me, and the Teranians branded me a war criminal. Now both sides want me dead."
E.K. glanced at him. "You caused an inter-universal war by pressing the wrong button?"
The Deiianian winced. "When you put it like that... yeah, but luckily my kind somehow got to stay out, so no one died."
"You wouldn't understand what war is really like," the Deiianian muttered under his breath, avoiding E.K.'s gaze.
E.K.'s steps slowed. He turned his head, fixing the Deiianian with a glare that seemed to pierce his very being. "Don't assume what I do or don't understand," he said, his tone sharp and unwavering.
The Deiianian shrieked softly, clearly unnerved. "Sorry! I didn't mean, what was it about?"
E.K. stared ahead, his mind slipping into the past. The Hangelean War. A war that had shaped him, taught him survival, and birthed the foundation of his abilities.
"The Hangelean Empire started it," E.K. began, his voice steady but distant. "Their population was expanding too fast, and they lacked the resources to sustain it. They attacked Oltzkan and Omeroa, two neighboring regions. Oltzkan fell quickly, but Omeroa resisted. The Hangeleans turned to forbidden tactics, slaughtering Omeroa's people.
"When their closest ally, Nava, learned of the atrocities, they severed ties and joined the fight against The Empire. It became a global conflict, alliances and whatever. When The Empire set its sights on Xyrioryn and Ilithia, the war spread to every continent. Eventually, it reached my homeland."
He paused, his expression darkening. "We won. But only because someone made a heroic sacrifice. Nearly half the world's population was wiped out."
The Deiianian stared at him, stunned. "Damn," was all he could muster.
E.K. said nothing, his thoughts heavy with memories.
Ahead, a silhouette began to take shape, a village emerging on the horizon.
-
The duo arrived before a towering wooden wall crowned with a large, reinforced gate. The Deiianian glanced at it with faint disinterest. "We could just teleport past it," it suggested nonchalantly.
E.K. folded his arms and shook his head firmly. "No. We show respect."
The Deiianian tilted its head, puzzled. "Respect? Why? It's just a wall."
"You don't barge into someone's home uninvited," E.K. replied, his tone steady but resolute.
The Deiianian sighed, clearly unconvinced. "Fine, I'll knock." It hopped off E.K.'s shoulder, waddled to the gate, and rapped on it with three loud bangs. A pause. It knocked again, harder this time, but still there was no response. It turned to face E.K., irritation creeping into its voice. "Where'd you go?"
E.K. frowned. "I'm right here."
"No, I can't see!" the Deiianian exclaimed, dragging its hands across its face in mounting panic. It stumbled about, waving its arms blindly. "I CAN'T SEE!"
E.K. blinked, feeling the same strange sensation for a brief moment before his vision adjusted, clear once more. A faint smile touched his lips, but he said nothing, watching the Deiianian flail about helplessly.
With a loud creak, the gate began to open. Several figures clad in sturdy armor stormed out, their weapons drawn. Before the Deiianian could react, one of them grabbed it by the scruff, lifting it effortlessly as it wriggled in vain.
"Put me down!" the Deiianian squawked, kicking wildly. "I can't even see you, but I'll-"
Another armored figure approached E.K., clearly wary. Without protest, E.K. allowed himself to be seized, his expression neutral. The guard, significantly larger, hauled him over a shoulder and carried him through the gates.
For now, he let them believe they had the upper hand.