A Chronometric Defect

*chrk*

*chak*

"Kilitha. Kilitha!"

"Yes, what is it?"

You're not supposed to be here, climbing in my window.

"I wanted to see you!"

I want to hold you.

"Go away. You know this isn't right."

He enters the room.

*creak*

{*tik*}

{*tik*}

{*krik*}

{"I don't care what's right and what's wrong! All I know is that I need you! Nothing in my world will ever be right until I'm in your embrace."}

Oh Jerthil, you sap.

{"You know we can't be seen."}

{"Then let none see us."}

A secret? Mmhm~.

"What if they find out?"

"They won't!"

"But what if—"

*smooch*

He's grabbing me...! Oh, Jerthil!

{"Kilitha, stop talking and just listen."}

{"Yes~, I'm listening. Hehe."}

{"Ooh, yes. Listen real good."}

{"What if I... Don't want to~?"}

{"Then I'll do this..."}

Ow, he bit my ear.

"You savage."

"Not as savage as we're gonna be in—"

*ch-ick*

"You HARLOT! WHY IS JERTHIL— I swear—"

*tnk*

*tnk*

Maraketh?!

"It's not— I mean!"

*klap*

"No, stop!"

*krsh-tshhhh*

*shiiing*

"Maraketh, no! NO!"

*shINK*

"JERTHIIIIIILLL!"

"That's what you get for whoring around."

"Jert—Jerthil! JerTHil-JERThil!"

*smap*

"SHUT UP!"

"Hu... Uh-hu..."

*tnk*

*tnk*

"I'll see you on the Molodizer's election day, bitch. If I don't— I know how to find you."

*PLAM*

"Uh... Huuuu... Jerthillllll..."

"Hrr, my fine young lady. The lad is not yet dead. Would you like me to save him?"

"Wha— who?"

"His end nears. What is your wish?"

"Pl— please save him!"

"Certainly."

*koff*

"uhHUUUUUU!"

"Jerthil?!"

"K-kilithia? Wha—"

"Jerthil, you were stabbed... Uuu... Throat."

"Hah, but, I'm fine?"

I shake my head.

"No... No, someone saved you."

I turn.

"Who are you? Our benefactor—"

*koff*

"— please, show yourself?"

A transparent monster of some sort shows itself. It looks similar to a dragon, but—

"You... What do you want? I have nothing to give you. Just my life, and I..."

"I do not desire your life, miss Kilithia."

"Kilithia, what... IS that?"

"I'mma dragon, mister Jerthil. Rawr."

How can THAT be a dragon?

No, I must ask why it did this.

"What do you want, then?"

The monster points to my dear departed mother's favorite ironing board. It's hard, thick, and heavy, but she adored the thing. I've used it as a coffee table ever since.

"You want my coffee table?"

It nods.

"Then take it."

"One life is not enough. Do you have any other requests, miss Kilithia?"

"Other requests?"

"Yes. This may surprise you— I am a deity."

I breathe in.

*fffsss*

"A deity?!"

"Indeed, I desire that item, but! I wish to acquire it fairly. One mortal life for such a precious object is not nearly enough. I must weigh its powers fairly against the number of lives it could yet change in another's hands."

"Kilithia, something doesn't seem right."

It looks at Jerthil.

"Don't worry, mister Jirthil. I am very fair. As a dragon, I have a certain sense of propriety I must uphold."

"You, you can't be a dragon."

"Why not, mister Jerthil?"

"They can't talk. And, they're not see-through."

"Roh, dear. They've been sciolated here, too, hr?"

Sciolated? What's that?

"What is, sciolated, mister dragon?"

"Kilithia, don't talk to dragons."

It looks right at... Into me.

"Sciolation is a punishment of the gods, miss Kilithia. It makes those it inflicts unable to think. I'll return these dragons' intellect and establish a dragon sanctuary temple. Of course, I'll also be placing them under my watchful eye so they don't harm you or your kind. Don't you worry about a thing. Now, what do you desire?"

Jerthil interjects.

"You, you monster! You're going to help them?!"

"Jerthil, stop! He's trying to save his family. Just like he saved you."

"Kilithia, but, they're dragons—"

He talks to Jerthil, but he's still looking into me.

"Mister Jerthil, what did these dragons do, exactly? I don't like dragons who act badly."

"There's, well. There's a lot of— of them. We have to fight the endless hordes and... And we lose so many every year. Recently, the dragons have been growing stronger, too. We're being pushed to the... To the edge."

"Hrr. I don't know what to make of that. I'll see what you mean for myself."

The dragon splits into two, then one vanishes.

What was THAT?

He continues talking.

"Again, what else do you want? Me taking care of your dragon problem can be considered a gift. I won't count it against you personally."

This may be our only chance. I must take a risk.

"Then. Mister dragon. Can you get rid of The Molodizer and his gang?"

"What did they do to you, miss Kilithia?"

"I've been imprisoned here. He said I'll be his wife, but there's, ah, bad rumors about what happens to his wives."

"I suppose Jerthil here was a casualty of this 'Molodizer?'"

"Yes, mister dragon."

Jerthil interjects.

"I still don't trust you."

The dragon looks at Jerthil.

"I require not your trust, but your permission."

He then looks back into me again.

"Miss Kilithia, I shall do this. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He vanishes.

Jerthil's confused.

"A few... A few minutes?"

"Jerthil, he's a deity. He can do anything."

"Then why does he want your coffee table?"

"If I can trade it for removing the Molodizer's gang and keeping you, does it matter?"

"I suppose not."

"I suppose we should try again."

"Ah?"

"Go on, my ear's a little numb."

"You want me to—"

"Mmhm."