“So, uh, what is that?”
Kinisis had been quiet for hours, silently peering at a piece of black fabric through a comically sized tiny microscope. Her Guardians had been watching her the entire time, waiting for Kinisis to make any sort of announcement.
“What is what?” Kinisis muttered, clearly not paying attention.
“The thing you are looking at.”
Tahnahos had been the most curious and had initially helped Kinisis set up the tiny microscope. But he was as in the dark as everyone else was. Kinisis though finally seemed to notice that she’d been sitting there for a while, and decided to give Tahnahos an answer.
“Oh, you wouldn’t like it, my little ‘Spast Guardian.”
“I’ll be blunt, Kinisis…” Tahnahos tutted, crossing his arms and flapping his two pairs of wings in irritation. “I don’t really care if I’d like it or not, I just want to know why you’ve been sitting there for hours, staring at some black stuff.”
“None of you recognise it?”
“No. We don’t. We’ve been waiting for you to talk for ages.”
Kinisis rubbed her eyes, then glanced around the tiny lab she’d made for herself. In the doorway were the faces of Atteh’Kus and Kayenus, two of her larger guardians. They to were curious, but their size compared to this lab meant they couldn’t even fit in the room.
“Oh. Sorry. I got distracted.”
“By what? That black stuff? Why is it so important?”
Kinisis tutted. “It is… hard to explain.”
“Say it anyway. We are supposed to open up to you, Kinisis. We’re your loyal, honest guardians. You need to do the same for us!” Tahnahos snapped. “What is this and why are we flying around the void tracking weird signals?”
The Life Goddess sighed, taking a deep breath. “You want to know?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, fine. The signals we have been following are all traces of our old universe. This black strip though, it’s proof of what I am looking for is real. My little Thantophor is out there, alive but in hiding. This all but proves it.”
A couple of gasps emanated from the doorway. Tahnahos ignored them.
“So we are chasing down your son? The little yellow god? The one that was the god of death in your old universe?”
Kinisis nodded. “He is out there, cold and alone, most likely scared and lost as well. I need to find him, tell him that everything is alright.”
Tahnahos didn’t seem too… pleased? Kinisis wasn’t sure. He almost seemed annoyed, and not because he had been waiting on Kinisis for goodness knows how long.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“What do you mean?”
“According to what you told us, the Thantophor destroyed the universe on your command, and was destroyed alongside it. Do you really think the Thantophor would… be happy to see you again?”
Kinisis frowned. “I just… want to see him and tell him I’m sorry. Tell him I’m sorry for everything I did to him.”
“Is that all?”
“Yeah.”
“No… ulterior motives?”
“Not really, no.”
Tahnahos tutted loudly. “Why did you have to put us through all this stupid waiting for something so small and simple?”
“Because I didn’t want you all talking me out of something you’d probably consider a threat…” Kinisis sighed, pushing the microscope away. “I just want to try and make everything better.”
“The first step to doing that is clearer communication.”
Kinisis smiled, gently patting Tahnahos on the head. “You are absolutely correct, dear. Let’s put this to one side for now and go get something to eat…”
Still smiling, Kinisis got up and pranced out of the lab, taking Atteh’Kus and Kayenus with her.
“Let’s hope you’ll actually heed my advice…” Tahnahos muttered, sighing as he closed the door behind him.