Glimpsing Pasts and Scales

Kairos shifted his weight as he glided under a gas cloud, heading to the coordinates he was given. The new Panelixian Universe was much smaller than the old, pre-blown-up universe, but it still took a small amount of time to travel from the very northern tip to the very southern tip, where Kairos’s Time Drake assistant was waiting for him.

“Is it much further?”

“No, just a few more dust clouds and we will be there.”

It didn’t help that Kairos had an observer. Riding on his back was the former Life Goddess Seimeni, a deity from a now long-dead universe. Like a lot of deities with no home, Seimeni should have been doing her own thing, but she was currently bunking off with Kairos, chilling and trying to make some decisions of her own. Like trying to decide whether to make a new universe or not. Or waiting until Kairos was done with this one and then making one with the dashing Whenvern.

As they arrived at their destination though, Kairos slowed down, acting rather cautious and eyeing his surroundings. However, as he surveyed the scene, he realised nothing was wrong. And his assistant was just sitting nervously on a small rock.

“Elksia, what are you playing at?” the Whenvern snapped as he approached the little Time Drake. “There is nothing here!”

“There was something here, I swear! I saw it, I felt it! A brief, menacing presence, for just two seconds!” The heavily armoured, feathered being pointed at empty space. “It was there. Dark but there.”

Kairos frowned, then pulled Seimeni off his back and placed her down next to Elksia, so he could scan the area himself. But after a few seconds, the Whenvern came back empty-handed.

“There is literally nothing here…” Kairos grunted. “Just rocks, dust clouds and empty space.”

“I fucking swear there was!” Elksia got up and stamped her foot. “It was… like… white and gold and Voidlord-y! Like it was fighting something briefly and disappeared!”

The Whenvern sighed, giving the place one last look over. As he did so, he spotted tiny, golden flakes, floating in the darkness. The flakes were some of Kairos’s own scales, ones he must have not cleaned up the last time he was here. No wonder, as Kairos was beginning to remember what was so special about this place: this was where he had fought an invading Voidborn, who had attempted to kidnap his sister Yisini.

The scales were what caused Elksia to see things. With a sigh, Kairos headed back to Elksia and sat down next to her.

“You are seeing a Time Shadow, little one. Glimmers of my past, left over from my scales. I’m sorry, I didn’t realise you picked up on them too. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“I am… seeing something that already happened?”

“Yep. A piece of my past, part of the timeline. My scales tend to reflect history, but only at those who can see them.”

“Oh…” Elksia trailed off, staring into the darkness. “I take it you beat them then?”

“I did, yes.”

“Well… Doesn’t make much sense. But if you think it’s fine, then I think it’s fine!” Elksia immediately perked up. “I’m gonna go annoy the Southern Guardians now, since I think their little outpost is nearby.”

“Don’t you have chores to do?”

“Nope! Did them all!”

Kairos patted Elksia on the back. “Alright. Have fun!”

In a flash of green sparkles, Elksia disappeared. There was a brief silence, but it was quickly interrupted by amused tutting.

“Your kid is cute,” Seimeni smiled. “Real charming thing.”

“She is not my kid…” Kairos grumbled.

“You treat her like one.”

“It’s a long story. I thought she was a beaten old Temthan that we’d made into a demigod to fight off the Golden Army. Turned out she was one of my four biggest adversaries. But I couldn’t bring myself to not help her, so I did.”

Seimeni continued smiling, and snuggled up next to Kairos. “You’re a nice guy…” she grinned.

“I guess?” Kairos shrugged.

“Shall we head back to your place then?”

The Whenvern glanced at Seimeni, realising what she wanted.

“Oh. Of course, at once, my dear…”