Void Child P4
If Temperance thought about it, the void was exactly like her mind when Son’ispa locked her away. It was dark, full of shifting things. The only thing different for Temperance was there was something to actually look at and touch.
The lands were dark, so utterly abysmal that Temperance knew she was looking into the vision of an Old God. Up above was a sky of chaos, the ground was insanity. She couldn’t put it into a box, could not logic what she saw. It has to move through her and be what it was. N’Zoth’s idea of perfection.
“I did not expect this.” A voice that normally echoed in her head was now beside her. Son’Ispa’s true form was not fully chaotic. She has two eyes, two hands, but she moved with an alien grace that was like watching smoke take human form. Her indigo hair moved in an unseen current and she used a long-clawed hand to move it out of the way. “Of Ducky, you look beautiful. I haven’t seen you all dressed up.”
She was going to protest. She hadn’t dressed up until she looked down and she saw the new dress she was wearing. It was made of the void, black lace with beading to mimic eyes. She was dressed as an honorary void entity. “W-what does this mean?”
“It means you belong with us, in the void.”
But Temperance shook her head. She couldn’t believe it, wouldn’t believe it. She was raised by Son, but she wasn’t harmed by the light. “I, I don’t know if I want to live in the void. I like people.”
“Oh don’t worry Ducky, this is a vision. It means if we win, Master would treat you like the void blessed princess you are.” Son moved closer the smoke wafting off her form. “And right now. How do you feel?”
She looked around, the world was a place where a mind could break, but she accepted it, much how she accepted the feeling of Son rolling around in her mind. It was real but not, it had a shape, but not. She couldn’t latch onto anything, so she didn’t fight it. “I feel normal.”
“Fully normal?”
Temperance then paused, her head was quiet. With Son outside of her in the vision, Temperance had her mind to herself. “I’m better than normal, but that’s not because of the... is it called anything.”
“Mortals like to call it corruption.” Son’ispa rolled her eyes but then locked arms with Temperance. “And you seem to be immune. This is going to make Alexander so happy. Utterly worth bringing you here.”
“Is this why you wanted me to come to Pandaria. To test my resistance?” Her voice let out a bit of the hurt she felt. She knew not to trust her void mother, but even when she had full choice to do something, she always felt Son influenced her into it.
“No, I didn’t realize there was an assault here until the first night. I felt the call and knew if I was going to introduce you to anyone I would need to make my move. Pa’Thay would never let me do this. Thought I would distract the soldiers.” She let out a huff. “I don’t get to see my friends often, and I needed them to see you. A mother deserves. to show their child off at least once in their life.”
Was that the truth? Temperance continued to walk through the mind breaking landscape. There were bodies of the dead, faceless since N’Zoth only needed them to be background characters in his dream. The void spoke truths, half-truths and blunt hard to swallow truths. This one was true. Temperance knew it in her heart Son’Ispa didn’t mean any harm, but like a child who thinks they can feed a dog all the treats in a jar, sometimes void entities didn’t understand the consequences of their actions.
“I love you.” Temperance muttered. “But, you do know I don’t want to be a princess of the void. This is how you see me.” Temp looked down at her swirling elegant gown. “I see myself... as...” She wished she could draw at the moment. “As a woman who wants to help people, but not be one of those big heroes.”
“You can always be both. You’re a princess to your father and I. But I suspect all parents think their children are prince and princesses.” Son pondered before nodding. “I’m just glad you can stand here, in the chaos with me.” She stopped them and turned to cup Temperance’s cheeks. “It means I have one less worry for when I do finally leave.”
After Temperance had said how she liked having her mind to herself, it was a line in the sand that neither of them could cross. One day Son’ispa would leave, and that day Temperance would be strong enough to fight for herself.
There was so much Temperance wanted to say. To tell Son how much she did love her. To say how she was glad the entity had been her mother. All those words had to wait for another time. A scream split them apart as Temperance looked around the vision to see who had called out.
“It’s probably one of those champions,” Son said waving a mist conjuring hand.
Spinning around she saw it, saw them. It was a small gnome who had fallen to the ground. It’s small hands over its ears, the woman looked like a child in that state. Temperance’s feet were moving before she even thought about it. Images of what Alexander had done the doctor at the hospital, seeing the dead faceless bodies in the vision, it wasn’t a fate she wished on anyone.
Falling to her knees next to the gnome she turned her over, the woman was twisting and whimpering. “How did she get here?”
Son’Ispa let out a huff. “Oh you know how mortals are. Probably doing something to ruin the Master’s plan. Pesky things. Come along, leave her to suffer. She made her choice.”
Fumbling around, checking for a way to get the woman back Temperance looked back to Son. “We’re taking her back with us. Now.” Picking the gnome up she faced Son. “Send us back.”
“Why?” Her void mother’s eyes were wide and a practiced look of confusion rolled over her shifting form.
“Because she’ll die if she stays here.” Temperance shook her head. “Why are you even questioning that? What if it was me?”
“It’s not you, you’re not a hero.”
The words cut through Temperance like a hot knife through butter. She had said earlier she wasn’t a hero. She wanted to help people, she didn’t want to throw herself at the front lines like this gnome, like so many others who were now dying around her.
But she knew who she was. She was a good person who couldn’t stand to the side and watch people with good intentions be killed because they couldn’t handle the insanity of N’Zoth. If she was able to thrive like this, then there was one less thing she had to fear.
“I’m not one of them, but I am human. I care. I’m a child of the void and a child of Azeroth.” Her voice rose to make her stance clear to the entity and to anyone who was listening. If she let her mind think that deadening though, she knew an Old God could hear her. “I am a child of both, I won’t stop the plan, but I’m not sitting on my hands. Now take us back!”
Son’Ispa floated back a few steps like Temperance’s voice had pushed her back. Her expression wide, concerned, and then it melted into something of glee. Something louder, booming loud echoed through them. Son’s eyes closing as she grinned. “You are so strong Ducky. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better daughter.” She rose a long thing hand to Temperance’s cheek. “Come, it’s time you learn how to leave the vision yourself.”
“Me?”
“You don’t have much time if you want to save the gnome. Go on, you need to touch the obelisk again and send yourself back. You can do it.” Son gestured to the statue not far from them.
Carrying the gnome Temperance raced towards the obelisk this time not looking around her, making her eyes and mind focused on going back to their world, to leave N’Zoth’s mind. Her hands touched the stone, and soon the world would change.