Submission (#6834) Approved

506 words

50 ac

1 candy

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He didn’t speak, or do much of anything really. The other denizens of The Rot semi-affectionately referred to him as Big Boy. A hulking Crowned Lich that was clearly visible from many paces away, or even in a crowd. So big that each step shook the ground if you stood too close. He was eerily silent as well, normally creatures connected to the hivemind fired off thoughts in (relatively) quick response to each other in conversation or the wishes of the Brood Mother, but Big Boy very seldom gave responses at all. He mainly wandered as he pleased, and if there was any task in his immediate vicinity that he could do quickly and that others expected him to attend to, he’d slowly put himself to work to complete it. Not particularly a pillar of the community, but not particularly useless overall. He was a giver of seldom but mildly pleasant surprises.

Though much feared by outsiders, The Rot is a lovely and vibrant location to those who find the rancid odors of decomposition calming and homely. Cioco was one such creature, though he put on a show of otherwise being willing to integrate with Aphex society his true calling was to bring the Brood Mother more food as she commanded all her brethren.

So, when Cioco had been dragging one such victim across the grass in the dead of night, slowly into the outer capillaries of the Broodmother’s territory, it was a surprise for him to spot Big Boy so close to the border.

<Hello> Cioco thought to him. <I’m bringing an offering to Mother, please don’t eat this>

Big Boy stood, unresponsive. Cioco concluded this was a good thing, and continued dragging. He thought he was going to be left alone when Big Boy suddenly leaned over and grabbed the front of the body.

“HEY!” Cioco yelped aloud, forgetting for a second which dialect he should be using. <Offering for Mother, don’t eat!>

Big Boy straightened up, holding something between his giant claws. A single wrapped candy.

“Oh.” Cioco said. <That’s a candy, the aphex give these to each other on Haunted Eve, the current holiday. You have a mouth, you can eat that if you desire.>

Big Boy immediately put the whole thing into his mouth before Cioco could explain that he needed to unwrap it first. He decided it wasn’t worth it, and continued dragging his offering into the border of The Rot.

Big Boy stood in place as the sun slowly rose. The warmth felt odd coming mainly from the sky. The ground was cold and wet, and eerily silent. There were no veins of blood pulsing beneath his feet, reminding him Mother was close. It was…quiet. It felt dead, but it was still alive? Alive in a…strange, disconnected way. The candy he just ate was sweet at first, but the longer it stayed on his tongue the more bitter the aftertaste.

Big Boy shuddered, suddenly, and turned to walk back into the safety of The Rot the way he came.