Note: As the title implies, this story occurs in the far future of the Phoviverse.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead!”
Elkay’s eyes blinked open. The last thing he saw when he closed his eyes was his brother Veekay. And here Veekay was, standing over him now that Elkay’s eyes were open. Normally that would not be a problem, except for the fact that Veekay was 1. smiling and 2. wearing some rather fancy armour.
“How long have I been asleep?”
A glass door slid open, allowing for Elkay to sit up straight. Everything around him was still mostly intact, just cold and dark. As it should have been, Elkay had designed the room so that nothing could get in.
“About ten thousand years.” Veekay’s reply sounded far too casual, considering how insane his answer was. “I know you said to not wake you up ever again, but Lord Stasis asked me to ask you to help us with something.”
Veekay backed away and wandered around the room. It was basically a tomb, filled with plastic cabinets, preserving Elkay’s old belongings. He never understood how Elkay could just lay down and cease to exist, especially when he had such a glorious past behind him. But that was what Elkay did, he put himself into cryo-stasis and decided to pretend that he was dead. According to him, living to the age of seven hundred and fifty was enough.
“Help with what?”
Elkay waited until Veekay’s back was turned before sliding the rest of the glass panels away. The warming mechanisms of the stasis pod fired into action, healing Elkay’s body and bringing him back to the same level of health he was at before he’d gone to sleep. Of course, Elkay wasn’t wearing any armour, so he felt rather embarrassed having Veekay see him like that.
“With… uh…” Veekay hesitated. “Tell you what, get changed and I’ll tell you on the way.”
“No, tell me now!” Elkay snapped. “You wake me up from my dreams for some insane errands and then do not tell me why you wake me? And what in the name of the Light have you been doing for the last few thousand years?”
With a shrug, Veekay decided to explain. “Eh, I’ve been doing various things. Embracing my Deitic side. I ruled over an offshoot of Skiavok for a while, but really it’s just been long hibernations, going to Deitic parties or bumming around the galaxy with a handful of friends. The latter not so much, since I’m immortal and most of my friends… weren’t…”
“What about the thing you wanted to ask me?” Elkay pulled on the closest set of armour he could find, the most basic of basic armours, as well as a grey stomach wrap. He had a feeling that the seals on his fabric cabinet weren’t up to scratch, and that the wrap he was wearing was once black, having faded over time.
Again, Veekay hesitated. “Well… it’s complicated… Do I need to explain about the three main… Deities of the universe? About Kenos, Kairos and Kanis?”
“No. I know what Stasis and the Whenvern are. Kanis is the personification of something else, I assume?”
“Yeah…” Veekay gulped. “She’s in charge of life and death and reincarnation and things like that. The Cycle. Scary thing, apparently. I’ve never seen her. Most vok call her Kanis with an extra is on the end and an extra I instead of an A.”
Elkay’s eyes lit up. “Death Herself. The being that took Ar-”
“Yeah. Shush. Don’t say their names…” Veekay glanced around the room, back towards the single, metal door. As he did so, he reached to his side for a small blade. “They can hear us. Chances are, She’s listening for the mention of her real name. Basically, something happened between Kanis and her Thantophor. Our long-dead brother. He’s basically laying waste to the universe, killing all in his wake, fulfilling some sort of ‘universal prophecy’ and clearing the way for Kanis to take control of everything. He’s become a terrifying monster. But Stasis believes that you and I, we can get through to him, appeal to his true self.”
The tired Rethan sighed, then removed his armour again.
“You want me to help you, alone, against Death?”
Veekay smiled, just a little. “Not just me. Thing is, only one of the seven kids of Kayel turned out to be mortal. The one that now works as the Death-Bringer of this universe. Arksi, Thitaksi, Eksi and Psiksi are all completely fine, they work for the Whenvern. The problem is that Kairos wants to capture the Thantophor, not stop it.”
“Where do I come in to all of this?” Elkay growled. “I am not Stasis’s servant, nor am I the Whenvern’s servant. I refuse to serve either of them.”
“Exactly!” Veekay exclaimed. “You’re not part of either of them! I mean, I do my best not to be, I normally don’t serve Stasis, but right now? I feel he’s our best bet when it comes to stopping our brother. At least Stasis doesn’t plan on capturing the Thantophor and turning him on Kairos. He just wants to put the Thantophor out of its misery… I mean, maybe, maybe we can… do something else. To save him…”
Elkay tutted, then wandered to a particularly well-locked cabinet. He opened it up, revealing his favourite set of armour.
“Are you… are you in?”
“I’m in…” Elkay sighed. “He’s our brother, after all…”