Telos had been watching Zoan and Empros argue for a while. This wasn’t a new universe, but Telos knew that both of them were slightly scared. This was the second time in a short space of time that a Corruption had attempted to break in, and Zoan had been getting incredibly agitated. Of course, Telos and Empros had worked together to protect Zoan, but that wasn’t the point.
Basically, Zoan was worried about a lack of constant protection. Empros was arguing that he was doing his best while also maintaining Time. While Telos was always vigilant, she admitted to herself that she must have missed something. After all, she was only a single being.
“Telos should be doing more!”
“Like what? She’s already on guard all the time! You were the one who wanted a large universe, Zoan!”
“I don’t know! Maybe we just need more Teloses?” Zoan sighed. He was nearly in tears. The Corruption attack had been incredibly minor. Maybe he was overacting a little. Or maybe he was genuinely terrified.
Finally, Telos decided to step in. “Perhaps you are right, Zoan. Perhaps I need a dedicated team to assist me in destroying Corruptions before they can set foot here. Perhaps I need some extra helping hands.”
“What, like your Deitics?” Empros teased. “Your silly Deitics that you hate and disowned? How are they going to help? You abandoned them and let Zoan look after them, they won’t help you.”
“No…” Telos fell silent. Empros may have been right about the Deitics, but that was one mistake she had made when they were all young. She had not made any similar mistakes since. She knew better than that. “I do not want Deitics. Now is not the time to bring up old scars. I thought we were past that?”
“We are,” Zoan interrupted. “But we need something. Something controlled by you, because I don’t think I can make anything that can’t be corrupted.”
“Not on your own, anyway…” Empros shrugged. “But Telos can hardly create anything either. We both banned her from doing so after the Deitics got out of control.”
“Well, I shall simply have to take from you, Zoan. No Time Keepers. No Life Guardians. No Deitics. Something born from Zoan, blessed by Empros and empowered by myself. I believe that is the only way we can do this.”
Zoan paused. “Take… life from me?”
“Yes,” Telos smiled. “Whatever I use to fight Corruption must be removed from the Cycle of Life and Death. Separated from Time but allowed to follow it.”
“So you want what I don’t want?” Zoan asked.
“Yes.”
“Very well…” Zoan relented. “But I will only allow you to take one individual at a time. Someone unwanted. Someone unloved. And you have to present them to me and Empros before we let you convert them.”
“That is fine by me!” Empros seemed satisfied.
“I agree to those terms,” Telos tutted. “As strict as they are.”
“Cool! I’ll leave you to it then, Telos. Pick your first individual and we’ll meet up, check them over and go from there!”
The sparkling Dragon God of Life and Death clapped his hands with glee, then disappeared in a puff of sparkles. Empros glanced at Telos, then disappeared as well.
Telos sighed, then wandered off. She had a lot of work to do.