Icta: Story

Firstly, there’s some precedents to set! The species (ictifs) don’t have horns like lynux (lynn-ix, see character profiles for more) that’s just something they have. they’re all strange cat … things .. XD ictifs are genderless and use they/them pronouns in their language (Ictan) but lynux is the exception with he/they pronouns.

The pre-pre-pre story is basically different gods fighting to control planets in universes and, if they win, create the world, and the beings on it made in their image (appearance! all the gods’ appearances are varied. there are so many, however, that some can look very close to each other just due to sheer population. If one does win a planet, they usually create everything from a distance. However something happened with lynux where they are forced to never leave the planet they won over. It’s also worth mentioning that gods cannot die a mortal/natural death, but lynux is also the exception in this situation. let’s just fast forward … XD

lynux used their position to be worshipped as a god around the world, and is held extremely high by the people status-wise. There are, of course, people with different beliefs, but it’s the most dominant belief system/religion there. Lynux concluded that millions of people knowing who and where you are is just asking for disaster, so he faked his death. The religion obviously stayed steady. He built a kingdom ( kind of monarchical dictatorship the monarchial aspect is a bit complicated to explain so I won’t get into it) as an anonymous governmental power and appointed rulers. He then told them they do not have the absolute authority in this society, and threatened disaster if they were to tell anyone. Future generations didn’t know this, that’s just how it always been. The current ruler of the kingdom is Citrus. Lynux took the role as the true dictator and has been since. It’s worth noting it’s secretly ruled by their god, but isn’t theocratic because the people in power, whether that be the real or fake ones, are religious but aren’t anything like priests. It’s considered a highly religious spot because that’s where he faked his death, so it’s the most abundant population of people within that religion. The religion also spread because of the abundance of trade within the country(?)/continent. Lynux dislikes working with finances and such, but understands it well and works closely with economics too. The country(?/continent is very wealthy, but has been experiencing errors recently that he needs to work out. Also, the fake royals were a good idea in case of assassinations if someone didn’t agree with anything that was happening; the royals would die instead of him.

Fun fact!: it’s about the size of Russia, if not a little bit bigger.

Now Locus (see character profiles for more details) comes into the story. Their actual name is Iko, but to exert more of an influence, Lynux gave them the name Locus. They were a high performer in several different subjects (including math and finance, which is their favorite) and lived in a small, more rural area with their parents until they were requested to live and work in the main kingdom, where they then were allowed to join Adsum Absconditus, a hidden allegiance only people trusted by Lynux are invited to join. They were the first in the group, and are highly respected by the other members because of how close they are to Lynux, as well as other reasons I’ll get into later. Of course the others are very close as well, but it’s a strange kind of close relationship that the two have. If you want to know their initial reaction to working with Lynux, imagine being requested by Jesus Christ to join the government that he’s secretly been the leader of this whole time, LMAO — Lynux wasn’t highly religious, but they used to at least believe in him. Lynux isn’t necessarily religious anymore, mainly because they’re good friends and it’s kinda out there to worship someone you’re friends with XD -- Locus had omens, visions, and dreams of lynux as a child, but forgot them in the future. One day they remember and go "oh shit wait... hold on... " and doesn't really know what to do with this realization.

Anyways, Locus was doing work with them for years, and was concerned about their position of power and some of the things they’ve done of course, and then Lynux appointed them to military general for a period of time. Locus was professionally trained for a long time, and eventually went on field.

They of course have ptsd from this. They were at war for MANY years before retiring from the military, and Lynux participates in a lot of wars, battles, and skirmishes. There’s a lot of little war incidents that happened which I won’t get into ... Some of the military’s methods are concerning, but people are used to it. Also, Locus’s communication with anyone outside of Adsum Absconditus is heavily restricted due to the importance of secrecy. So while they can be outside and order things like food (and tea, which they love) they can’t interact with anyone in a meaningful way. This is part of the reason why Lynux and Locus are close; Locus can’t really have anyone else. (This is also some conditioning from Lynux, but they do genuinely enjoy being friends.)

Lynux is allied with a nation that was having difficulties, so the nation they’re allied with (which Locus’s parents had moved to shortly after Locus had gone to the kingdom) had citizens held hostage by the other nation Lynux’s army was fighting. So their parents were held hostage, and Lynux hadn’t planned to interfere since they’d be released anyway if they defeated the other nation, but still sent Locus to the place where they were being held, to which he came along as well.

There, everyone was released, but Locus reunited with their parents. Lynux expected this, and as a testament to their loyalty (and heavy suspicions that Locus would tell their parents everything that’d happened to them, and everything about Lynux) Lynux held Locus at gunpoint and asked them to either save their parents but in turn Lynux would kill everyone living on the planet, or save everyone on the planet but Locus kill their parents themselves. Locus, caught on the weight of their choices and in extreme stress, is forced to choose an option. and with heavy reluctance and regret, shoots their parents.

Locus is traumatized by this and is in absolute shambles after this. They never signed up for this, and they could never get out of this. Even if they’d tried, they’d probably be killed in one way or another by him for some reason. (Speaking of, it’s worth noting that *a lot* of time passes during war before this event and that’s when they developed a close bond.)

Over time, Locus eventually develops an idea to tell Lynux how they feel right to their face, without any regard to whether they live or die, because that kind of mindset is necessary going into that kind of situation with that kind of person. They eventually take up drinking more due to the sheer anxiety, being previously aversed to it. And over time, more people are also invited to Adsum Absconditus (see p. 4) including people like Luns (pronounced loon, which is the name Lynux gave them. Their real name is Filyn (fill-in) ) who was extremely religious, and who’s story I haven’t developed much yet since they’re a new character XD I still haven’t decided their job, maybe treasurer? but I know for sure there’s going to be some aspect of religious trauma, as I’ll elaborate on later …

There’s also Wen, who is even less developed than Luns ;^^ something about being the army general’s deputy and being in deep grief for a lover or someone very close to them, which in a story sense would make the the perpetrator Lynux. I plan on making more characters involved closely with Lynux.

This all coalesces eventually to everyone in Adsum Absconditus setting up the planned murder of Lynux. They are sick of the atrocities, destruction, trauma and murder (I have more in mind of what he’s done than what I’ve talked about but it’s not as important and I haven’t fleshed it out fully) and decide to end the cause of everything. They know he’s mortal (see p. 2) and he wouldn’t expect it. He gets onto what they’re doing and gives them all a heavy warning that he’s not stupid and can and will use his power as a god , so they continue on with their plan and have to get creative. They find a way to counter his powers with something, and finally confront them. In a dark room, Locus says they want to talk with them about something privately. Everyone is hiding somewhere, and they’re all armed in some form (gun, spear, etc.) and Locus finally does lecture them about how they feel. Lynux responds by almost killing Locus, but is shot down before they could do anything. Everyone in the allegiance comes out of hiding armed, and in order to prevent Lynux from getting away, they amputate his right wing with a sharp blade. Everyone listed their grievances with him, and he made it clear he had no intention to change the way things were, since his methods were ideal to him and they found it pointless to do anything another way, since it works.

They take him, heavily injured, out to the large platform that is usually reserved for the fake royals’ announcements (that are usually things Lynux had decided) and ask all citizens of the kingdom to gather. (It’s also worth noting that people in high positions of power have special insignias for their roles. For the allegiance, they have the highest ranking insignia, so they are respected the moment this insignia is seen without regard for past impressions.) Luns is the one who announces everything he’s done and everything that he was behind to the public, they let lynux speak but he ends up speaking deliriously due to the fact that he’s actively bleeding out and dying, and and they decide to finish him there for everyone to see. Luns hands Locus the gun and Lynux pleads to them, knowing how they conditioned them, and how close they are as friends too. He also calls Locus their real name, Iko, for the first time out of desperation. Locus breaks down.

Lynux watches as Luns calms them down and grounds them in reality, reminding them of the pure amount of shit he did and how he deserves every moment of it. Locus knows that he’s conditioned them but can’t help feeling the way they do. Luns gently helps them up, and helps them position the gun towards them. Locus realizes he’s in the same position as Lynux was during the captive incident with their parents and hesitates. Luns and the others encourage them until he folds under the pressure and shoots him alongside Luns. The people are collectively shocked, most split on how they feel about this. (On one hand, that’s literally like Jesus Christ being shot outside the White House after you thought he had died a LONG time ago and it turns out he’s been the president this whole time.) The people spread the word but anyone who wasn’t there has a hard time believing it.

Meanwhile, Locus (who has now adopted their real name Iko following the incident, as well as everyone else) is trying to keep a confident face on in front of everyone else in the allegiance (which has been discussed, and they’re planning on breaking it up.) due to the stress of figuring out how and who is going to manage the whole nation now that Lynux is dead. Locus feels regret at killing them since they seem like the only one who can handle that shit, but feels extremely guilty for feeling that way and tries to push the thought away as much as possible.