The Time-keepers

"What.....was all that?", Kai said as he blinked against the brightness, his mind struggling to make sense of his surroundings, the last thing he remembered was the subway, a strange old man and then darkness. "Woah....what in the name of-" Kai's voice failed him as focused at the large ornate building in front of his eyes, its towers stretching into an endless expense of clouds, it seemed like something plucked out of the dreams of a billionaire . "Am I...going insane..?" Kai thought to himself, as he staggered to his feet. The walls of the mansion seemed to shimmer and flow, the texture shifting like liquid silver in the light. Kai rubbed his temples, trying to focus on what he was seeing and banish the dizzying swirls in his mind. "Am I.....dreaming?" Kai muttered to himself, his voice trembling. "Not quite, kid" A sudden cold voice echoed behind him. Kai spun around, his heart hammering as he saw he old man who he had encountered in the subway standing there, but something was off about him, his silhouette seemed translucent flickering faintly, almost like a hologram. The sight sent shivers down Kai's spine. 

 "Y...you." Kai stammered, pointing at the spectral figure in front of him, "who or rather what are you?" Kai's voice was heavy with concern and shock. "Well kid I believe I have already told you that" Zayne said, his voice sharp and cold, "Also, before you ask, no you are not going insane, or atleast not yet". Kai's knees felt weak, he stumbled back a step, his gaze darting between Zayne and the mansion. His mind screamed that none of this was real, but the cold prickle on his spine told him otherwise. "This isn't happening" Kai muttered, more to himself that Zayne.

 "Yes it is happening" Zayne said, his voice growing more impatient. "We dont have much time so listen carefully. You have been chosen to server as a Time-keeper, and it is your job to-" "A what?" Kai interrupted, his voice rising. "A Time-keeper? What the hell does that even mean?"

 Zayne sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, as if Kai was an unruly student. "A Time-keeper is a being chosen and bestowed with extra ordinary powers in order to protect reality from the Temporal Leviathans" 

 Kai opened his mouth to argue, but Zayne cut him off with a sharp wave of his hand. "Before you begin to ask a million questions, let me explain a few more terms to you. Temporal Leviathans are being that have existed as long as time has. They breach into reality in order to destroy and consume the natural temporal energy present in them. The more a Leviathan consumes, the stronger and more intelligent it becomes. When a Leviathan consumes a certain amount of temporal energy, they are capable of evolving to the next stage. It has always been the job of the Time-keepers to defend the planes of reality from the wrath of these Leviathans. So far, do you have any questions?" Zayne asked, noticing Kai's incredulous stare.

 "What happens when a Leviathan manages to breach into a reality?" Kai asked, his voice shaky as he fidgeted his hands. "Do they wipe out.....everything?". "Yes" Zayne replied, his tone cold as ever.

 That one word hung in the air like a death sentence. Kai tried to process what he was hearing, but the more he tried, the worse his head hurt. "And you are telling me that I am supposed to be the one to stop them? How? I cant even fix my own life."

 Zayne smirked faintly, though his eyes were serious. "You have a very special gift, kid. You just haven't realized it yet. Firstly we must open up your body to the temporal energy around you, then you will be able to use it to manifest your Hex"

 "What is a Hex?" Kai asked, "A Harmonic Exterminator of Xenoforms, or Hex for short, it is a weapon that is forged by the very soul of a Time-keeper, a weapon designed to pierce a Leviathan's defenses" Zayne replied. 

 Just then a low rumble shook the ground, so faint at first that Kai thought he imagined it. But then it came again, louder and much closer this time- a deep, guttural roar that seemed to vibrate through his bones. His stomach churned with unease as he glanced at Zayne, whose expression had grown grim.

 "What was that?" Kai asked, his voice barely audible. "That is the reason why we dont have time for your whining" Zayne said, his tone growing colder now. "A Leviathan has detected your presence". Kai's heart raced as he scanned the horizon, the mansion was perched on a floating island, suspended over an endless void. In the distance, shadows writhed and twisted, clawing at the edges of the horizon. A cold wave of fear washed over Kai as the roar came again, louder and closer this time. 

 "What do we do?" Kai asked, his voice shaking. Zayne floated towards the mansion's doors. "Follow me, first we unlock your Hex, then we fight" Zayne said.