#lysikor is an icon tho I would keep him around too

[ghostinthegallery]

Oltyx and Lysikor's relationship is so funny to me. So much of Oltyx's actions throughout TDK (especially in Reign after he firmly put regicide on the table as an option) are fueled by paranoia and fear of betrayal...and then you have Lysikor who is basically wearing an "I am going to betray you!" T-shit. And Oltyx is totally chill about him. He killed every other noble on his tombworld for shits and giggles. He offers to assassinate Oltyx as a favor when they first discover the human armada. And Oltyx just thinks "eh, he may or may not be joking, it's probably fine" (and of course Yenekh makes his objections to this plan known so that helps). Lysikor steals enough shit to make Trazyn proud, and again Oltyx kind of shrugs and demands his stuff back. He listens to Lysikor's counsel so much that Yenekh actually gets jealous!! Lysikor even becomes his main confidante for a while (because of reasons). Oltyx is more relaxed around Lysikor than anyone else in the story. What's going on there??

I mean the obvious answer is that Lysikor isn't cursed (one of the only people in the dynasty who isn't) so there's no dread mirror on Oltyx when he's around him. Lysikor has his own form of honor, and he genuinely seems to like Oltyx (whether this reflects well on our boy is debatable but still). There might be an aspect of comfort to Lysikor's honesty as well. There is so much uncertainty in Oltyx's life and he is filled with so much self-loathing, he might even want Lysikor's betrayal to come. Maybe that's why he keeps him so close. An easy out to all the shit he is dealing with, internally and externally, and coming from a source he understands.

To top it all off, Lysikor is legitimately sorry when he can't follow through on his betrayal. Like he has wronged Oltyx in not stabbing him in the back sufficiently. It is sweet in its own way. Like Lysikor respected Oltyx so much, he thought he deserved something truly epic. Better than just being killed in his sleep. Lysikor apparently had a plan, he just never got the chance to execute it. I love this window into another form of necron "madness." The twisted ways some of them view the world, but still find comradery.

Lysikor is still out there, of course. And obviously I don't want his master stroke to come (protect Oltyx and the flayers at all costs!) but if it ever did, it would be the most wholesome betrayal in the history of 40K. And I still think Oltyx would be weirdly understanding about the whole thing.

#necrons #warhammer 40k #the twice dead king #twice dead king spoilers #oltyx #lysikor #what ridiculous fellows #oltyx is not well #lysikor is an icon tho I would keep him around too