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HD was missing. And XD was outraged.
No one had seen HD in the court for some time, and when XD had sent Callahan to check on them, xe found their room empty; mitedust swirling in the light peeking through the blue curtains, the bed made and the room itself organized. There were no signs of a struggle.
Upon hearing this, XD fell into a mournful rage. They (through Callahan) had assembled search teams. “Look through every server, every world, every dimension if you have to,” Callahan had instructed the volunteers.
But HD was nowhere to be found.
Members of the court speculated as to why HD had left; they had gotten tired of the perfect days and endless yet beautiful halls of marble, and so they disappeared into a backwater server where no one would find them. Others said that XD had killed HD and was covering up the evidence, but the theory was sneered upon.
“XD loved HD, they would move mountains for them! We all know that,” one deity said.
“Yes, I agree, XD spent all their free time with HD when they weren’t busy in court or with their time traveler project,” said another.
XD themself spent weeks combing through crumbling servers and abandoned realms, hoping to find HD. They even asked the Realm and Dreams and the Fae for help, but to no avail.
Storm clouds were ever present throughout the Realm that the court of XD called home. It wasn’t uncommon for lighting to strike an unwary deity, the flashes and thunder reminiscent of XD’s mood. Rain, varying from water to some darker substance pelted the inhabitants every few days.
The marble walls and columns that held up the structures were cracking little by little each week, and with most of the court and angels out searching for HD, Callahan was forced to convince the nymphs to help xem with repairs (as XD’s trusted right hand man, Callahan had to stay in the Realm at all times).
It had been some months since HD’s disappearance, when XD called a meeting. The entire court showed up, whispering and wondering as to why their ruler had called a gathering on such short notice.
Callahan, in xyr assigned seat, looked out upon the court. The tension was so thick that you could claw it from the air. The droning of whispers was overshadowed by claps of thunder and lightning bolt strikes, mixing together to make loud sounds that caused Callahan’s ears to ache.
An angel and deity sat near xem, conversing in low voices with each other. Callahan leaned closer towards them, as to hear what they were saying.
“Why do you think XD called a meeting?” the angel asked.
“Probably has something to do with HD,” the deity said.
“I hope that they’re gonna off the searches,” the first said. “It’s quite clear that HD isn’t anywhere, so why waste our time looking for them?”
The deity gave their companion a look of alarm. “You better hope that XD didn’t hear that,” they hissed.
The angel shrugged. “Why, do the walls have ears? Besides, XD’s so busy with finding HD, I don’t think they care much what others have to say about the matter. It’s not like they’ll take my voice or anything.”
Callahan shuddered internally. Having your voice taken away by XD was one of the worst punishments, mainly because you were forced to do server duty after becoming mute. Which, obviously made it harder to keep the server’s members in line. You had to resort to sign language, or handwritten signs, to communicate with members, and writing signs took time. There was also no guarantee that any members would know sign language anyways.
Though personally xe agreed with the angel, concerning HD that is. It had been many months, years even, and they hadn’t found the guileless entity in all that time.
The clouds overhead darkened, the whispering from others abruptly stopping as XD entered the courtroom.
Everyone rose to their feet as XD materialized in the middle of their midst. Gold trails of stardust formed a body and wings, drapes and cloaks falling into place out of thin air. The signature XD mask coalesced into view, and finally their ruler stood before them in their in between form.
No one moved, waiting for XD to speak.
“You must be wondering as to why I called you here,” they said, to which there were murmurs of agreement.
“Mx, if you would allow me to speak,” someone called out. XD tilted their head, then nodded, permitting the someone to continue.
“Does this meeting have to do with HD?” the speaker asked. Small mutters reiterated the question as XD visibly bristled before calming themself.
“It does, as a matter of fact,” they replied, causing more questions to ensue.
“Have you found HD?”
“Do you think that HD is dead?”
“Has HD come back to us?”
More flashes of lightning quieted the rowdy court, the inquiries fading to silence.
XD huffed before speaking again. “No, we have not found HD. No, I do not think HD is dead. And don’t you think,” they said, light rain sprinkling from the ceiling, “that if we had found them, they would be here with us right now?”
The rain had turned into a downpour by the end of the sentence, and whispers of agreement reduced it to a mist. XD’s hidden gaze flitted across the entire court, causing members of the concession to flinch under their eye.
“I’ve called this meeting of the court because we haven’t found HD yet.” XD made their way over to Callahan, who inhaled sharply. Xe was the one who organized the search parties and looked over all report before sending them to XD. What was XD planning? To put blame on xem? Xe was in charge of the whole thing anyways...
“Callahan, your supervisor, has informed me time and time again that you haven’t found HD. I have reason to believe that xe, and therefore all of you— “ Multiple lightning bolts struck near members of the court, who cried out in alarm and clutched the entity next to them in fear “— are lying to me,” XD finished.
Murmurs of surprise and offense burst into the air like sparks from a fire. The sparks flew higher as deities began crying out in rage.
“What makes you think that?!” the angel sitting near Callahan shouted, the tips of their wigs burning black before reverting to their pure white color.
“Because we would’ve found them by now!” XD screeched, their in between form ripping at the seams, black liquid oozing from their body before snapping back into place.
“Aren’t you a powerful god? Why not just call HD back from wherever they disappeared too!” a nymph said in return.
A bolt of lighting struck aforementioned nymph, and she shrieked in surprise.
“I made a promise that I wouldn’t force HD to do anything they don’t want to do,” XD growled. “And I am not one to break my promises, unlike you.”
“But what does any of that have to do with Callahan?” someone shouted, causing XD to turn to Callahan, the ongoing thunder causing xem to shudder.
“As I said before, Callahan is in charge of the search parties, and you bring all reports of your findings to xem, and xe refers your reports to me. So, as I see it, there are only two explanations.”
The rain started up again, coming down in torrents upon every entity present.
“One: One of you have found HD and have refused to tell Callahan. But I know that you all fear me, and no one would risk death for such a silly reason. Which leaves us with explanation two.
“Callahan knows where HD is. And Callahan is known for being the only deity of this court who doesn’t fear me.”
Gasps and shrieks tumbled out of everyone’s mouth, save for Callahan. The members of the court were outraged.
“XD, are you crazy?!” an angel yelled. “Callahan fears you as much as the rest of us! And besides, xe would never lie to you, xe’s your most loyal servant!”
“Haven’t you considered,” another angel said, rising to their feet as they spoke, “that HD is dead, and that’s why they haven’t retur—“
With a singular glance from XD, the angel disintegrated into a pile of ash, which became a paste in the ongoing torrent of rain.
More gasps and whimpers followed the act. No one spoke out against XD after that, though they all thought the same thing: XD was crazy with grief, and decided to blame the most loyal entity in the court for HD’s disappearance.
XD rounded on Callahan, who shrank in xyr seat, fear turning xyr eyes into black holes.
“Tell me where HD is.” Claps of thunder followed the command.
Callahan whimpered. “I don’t know!” xe cried out, tears of starlight beginning to fall from xyr eyes.
Lightning struck close to where xe was sitting, and Callahan chirped in surprise and dread.
“ TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE. ”
“I don’t know! I don’t know any more than you do!”
The courtroom was close to flooding. XD grabbed Callahan by the hem of xyr shirt and raised xem from xyr seat.
“I’m only asking once. Where is GeorgeHD .”
Callahan closed xyr eyes.
“ I. Don’t. Know,” xe said so softly it wasn’t heard by anyone except XD.
Flashes of lightning and falling stars filled the courtroom so for that a moment, it seemed to bathed in sunlight. Then, an angel screeched and pointed at Callahan, who still remained in XD’s grasp. Shocked cries burst forth as the members of the court witnessed a dark liquid constrict around Callahan’s throat, seemingly choking xem.
The liquid convulsed, then was absorbed through whatever imitation of skin was on Callahan’s neck. Callahan screamed, before going abruptly quiet. The liquid quickly reemerged with a blue glow that hadn’t been there before.
XD dropped Callahan to the ground, the liquid curling around their fingers as they glared distastefully down at the deity who was gasping for breath, yet not making a sound.
The rain subsided, making whispers intelligible again. A nymph exclaimed softly, “They took Callahan’s voice!”, prompting chirps of shock and horror.
“This is what happens to disloyal subjects,” XD stated, speaking to the court members. “Make sure that a scenario such as this never happens again. As for Callahan,” they said, scooping up the deity in their arms, “I’m sure that xe’ll enjoy xyr new job as server admin of one of the most out of line SMPs to come.”
The last thing Callahan remembered before blacking out and waking up in a brick building was XD’s true face, peaking out from just under the god’s mask. It was a terrible thing, composed of lies and treason and all feelings black. Had Callahan not already lost xyr voice, then surely the sight of XD’s face would’ve stolen xyr words straight from xyr mind.
When someone asked as to whether Callahan had been born mute or if something had happened to xem, xe gave a small smile and told them through xyr hands that I witnessed such cruelty that my voice was stolen away . And it was the truth.