Kairos collapsed, exhausted and defeated. Incisions and cuts covered his body, dripping silver blood down his cyan and sapphire scales. He was still drawing breath though, refusing to give up completely. Even as the gleaming gold being pressed its foot down on Kairos’s back, pushing him into the ground.
“Allmaker Kinisis! Hand them both over!”
Behind this gleaming golden monster was an army of other golden monsters, all of whom were marching past the broken Whenvern, only to come to a halt at the Gates of Kinigi, the fortress where Kinisis, Epani and Yisini were currently holding up.
Kairos had intentionally planned to bunker down with them. After all, these beings most likely would have been unable to break the time-slower shields he had erected around the Kinisian Gates. Not without being slowed down to the point that even Yisini could have picked them off with ease. But Kairos had made the fatal flaw of wanting to know just who was attacking the centre of the universe. He hadn’t realised that this was a full blown invasion.
“Allmaker Kinisis! I repeat, hand them both over!”
Even from where Kairos was, he could see his siblings moving within the fortress. Each movement was intentionally distorted, buffered and delayed, so that the invaders couldn’t have been sure what was going on. Their voices were also hidden and distorted too. All in the name of protection. He knew what they were saying though. After all, he and Epani had created these defences.
“I don’t get it…” Yisini had been muttering the entire time, having swiftly run out of material inside the fortress to make her normal little clone soldiers. “What are they talking about? Hand who over?”
“Have you been hiding something from us again, Kinisis?” Epani was also muttering and grumbling, but mostly in anger. These golden creatures had smashed massive holes in the walls of the universe. Even if they left right now, the damage would take centuries to repair. “What do they want?”
Kinisis on the other hand, she was definitely worried. She knew what these beings were.
“Kinisis!” Epani snapped, her fins flailing as she worked on building up the defences around them. Massive volcanic plates had erupted around the fortress, creating impenetrable elctromagnetic fields and giving the three goddesses some privacy and secrecy.
Unfortunately, it also had the side effect of cutting into Kairos’s ability to communicate with his fellow deities. He was alone out here, alongside the army that had torn the mighty Whenvern from the skies.
The glimmering being turned its attention to Kairos, acutely aware of what was going on. With a snarl, the being kicked Kairos onto his side, then placed a golden, armoured foot across Kairos’s throat.
“Why are they not cooperating, Pseudothphor?” the creature grunted.
“I don’t know…” Kairos stuttered, barely able to reply. “We don’t… understand what your… demands are…”
“How can you not know? You witnessed the death of a Voidborn. The murderer must pay.”
“What Voidborn?”
The glistening beast, mostly hidden by its glowing halo, suddenly seemed very annoyed at Kairos’s answer. The being took its foot off Kairos’s throat then sharply kicked him in the chest. Kairos tried to roll away, only to find his escape blocked by the appearance of more shiny, glowing halo creatures.
“DO NOT PLAY DUMB, TIME DRAKE!” the creature roared. “YOU KNOW THAT VOIDBORN WAS KILLED! VOIDB-” Kairos blinked in confusion and pain, abruptly no longer understanding what the being was saying. He did however realize that this was an entire army of Voidborn beings, just like Kenon.
“Are you… talking about Kenon?” Kairos grunted, trying to right himself. “Kenon is alive… Arkadin didn’t kill him. Just… broke his physical form for a bit… Is that why you are here?”
“We seek vengeance for our fallen brethren. If that means going through you, then so be it.”
Kairos shook his head, sighing. “We already punished Arkadin by taking away his sentience. We had a trial and everything…”
“Then hand over the Voidborn’s body and the murderer.”
“I don’t have the power to do that!” Kairos exclaimed, trying to hide the fear in his voice, trying to think of a solution. “I… I don’t… know how to give you what you want! Maybe… maybe let me talk to Kinisis. Let me go and explain it all to her, and she can give you what you want.”
The golden being sighed, letting go of Kairos. “Very well. I shall give you a chance, time drake. You will convince your ruler to hand over what we demand. If you do so swiftly and cleanly, we shall leave you to continue your wretched existences.”
“W-we’ll work it out…” Kairos stuttered, picking himself up.
“Then go. Before we change our minds…”