#voidster is going to gather some allies

[askvoidster]

Intermission

The silence was deafening, as Voidster lay stunned and grievously wounded in the rubble. It took long moments before he was able to rouse himself enough to take stock of the situation.

Varikai was gone. The counterpart had taken her as easily as Voidster had ever taken anything or anyone he wanted. He had halted Voidster’s attack, decimated the ribbons of magic Voidster had wrapped around Varikai’s soul, and had broken Voidster’s spine with hardly any effort at all. 

He had dislocated Voidster’s arm so slowly that it was clear it was a message. Pursue me and die. Slowly. Painfully. Voidster was no match for him. Not alone.

It was obvious that the injuries had been intended to cripple, not kill him. If he had been killed again, he could have simply regenerated into a fresh body. Instead, he was left alone, in agony, to decipher how his fire magic could be used to heal himself, at least enough that he could walk. It took several tries before he understood what was needed.

Sensation rushed back into his fingers and toes as fire cauterized the ruptured discs in his neck, searing the nerve endings as well. Afterward, he managed to maneuver his shoulder back into the socket, amidst grunts of pain that even he could not stifle. He bound it to his side as best he could with scraps of cloth. The fire would heal it, but also cause further stiffness. He couldn’t afford to be caught a second time, too stiff and pained to fight back.

The moment he was able, he crawled through the ashes, sifting for one small but utterly significant treasure in the dust. Finally, when he had almost given up searching, his hand closed around a small, smooth stone. He almost wept in relief. He had found Varikai’s body. Lifting the stone to his lips, he pressed a tender kiss against the cool surface. He couldn’t sense her. This was only her shell. When he pulled back, he was surprised to see wet streaks on the surface. He had wept, after all.

He didn’t know where to go, who to tell what had happened. Well, he did have one poor idea. He knew that going to Lucifer’s realm was an invitation for further pain. He did not trust Lucifer in the slightest, especially after the night he had learned firsthand how much stronger the other male was than he. Still, that was the point. Lucifer was stronger. Perhaps even more powerful than the counterpart. And Lucifer would want Varikai back.

It was a hope that carried great risk, but it was the best chance he had. He would never forgive himself if he didn’t at least try. But first, he needed to return to the bar. He would at least be wearing clothes when he approached the Lord of Hell.