The dreamscape was bizarre, and the echoes of the Khaos being's laughter created an unsettling atmosphere. The thing appeared in front of them, its size and stature increased dramatically, and it towered over them by more than 450 metres.
Khaos gazed at Mot, the small snake with the mysterious voice, as the towering figure loomed over them. When he spoke to Mot, his voice returned to its metallic quality. When he said, "Looks like the tiny lizard has forgotten its place," his voice was filled with condescending malice.
As Kyn witnessed this bizarre exchange, the unsettling quality of his dreamworld grew. Kyn was on edge, unsure what would happen next in this perplexing dream, because the stark contrast between the large, menacing Khaos creature and the small, enigmatic snake Mot just did not cut it.
Mot did not want to be considered any more than a simple lizard, so he quickly erupted from Kyn's cloak in a blaze of dark purple energy that seeped out of his scales. This energy appeared to increase in strength, eventually taking the form of iridescent pitch-black flames with a very light blue tinge. In the midst of these otherworldly flames, Mot underwent a remarkable change, transforming from his serpent shape into that of a majestic dragon. His new form included two forward-looking horns, as well as a rich baritone voice that reverberated with strength and authority.
Mot addressed the towering Khaos being in his dragon form and demanded to know the identity of the Khaos being and his allegiances. He queried, "Who are you?" in a tone that sounded as though it carried the experience of many years. "On which side of the battle do you intend to fight? Are you a part of the creatures who are a part of this universe, or are you a part of those who are beyond existence?"
The dreamworld had taken a strange and combative turn, as Mot, now in his fearsome dragon form, appeared desperate to solve the mystery of the Khaos entity's origins and intents. This caused the dreamworld to take on a more hostile tone.
"Mot?" Kyn's brain couldn't help but feel mushy. 'First, the dark being; now I have a dragon come snake in my dreams when 'm I going to wake up.'
As if on cue, the Black Khaos entity couldn't help itself but laugh at the dragon's dimwittedness and luck. The laughter echoed through the dreamworld in response to the dragon Mot's outburst. With a nearly mischievous tone, the entity offered the dragon Mot the option of receiving armour. However, Mot could not help but be suspicious of the entity's intentions, so he enquired about the catch.
In a cryptic response, the Khaos entity revealed the price of this mysterious armour.
"Your life, of course! Do you not think you have been overstepping on your ignorance?" it asked, turning to Kyn.
"If you wish to spy on the House of Aldrich," the entity explained, "you must be prepared for the consequences." The ominous laughter resumed, as the entity seemed to take a dark pleasure in the situation.
Upon hearing the mention of the "House of Aldrich", the dragon's expression grew tense, and it was as if a chill ran through him. In response to the entity's words, an intricate and formidable dark armour began to materialise over the dragon's form. This armour was unlike anything he had seen, of at least level SSS, representing an unprecedented level of power and protection.
"Wait !!! I give ..".
In a shocking and thunderous turn of events, just as the dragon was about to seek forgiveness and clarity, a punch was unleashed with a roar that echoed like thunder. It collided with the recently built strong armour on the dragon's right side. BOOM!!!, leaving a large gaping hole.
The pain of the dragon's attack knocked it to the ground, where it lay helpless and writhing. The Khaos looked at the fallen dragon, a wyrm, with an expression of careless indifference, as if it had seen much worse. It ordered the dragon to quit complaining, laughingly explaining that it had avoided hitting any crucial parts so Mot could recover.
Mot, the dragon, had to deal with the pain of the punch, the hole in his armour, and the mysterious Khaos entity that seemed to be orchestrating this odd and potentially dangerous encounter.
"What? At least, I gave you something in return." The entity said as it morphed back to a human-sized figure. On Mot, a new power regenerated its scales.
As Mot, in his dragon form, assessed the incredible thickness and strength of the armour that had been granted to him, he couldn't help but be astounded by the fact that the blow from the Khaos entity had penetrated through this formidable defence. The armour was a full 40 times thicker than the dragon's own hide, a seemingly impenetrable barrier, yet the punch had managed to breach it.
Mot couldn't help but ponder the immense power of the strike. He wondered if even legendary weapons like Excalibur, King Arthur's sword forged from the primal fires of Nirvana, would need at least two strikes to cut through his natural dragon hide in this fortified form. The realisation of the strength of the Khaos entity's attack left Mot in a state of bewilderment.
Without the protective armour that had been provided, Mot, in his dragon form, would likely have been in a dire and vulnerable state after the devastating punch from the Khaos entity. The blow had already caused a gaping hole in his side; despite his formidable dragon hide, it cut right through him like butter.
In the absence of the armour, the dragon's natural defences would have been significantly weaker, and the impact of the punch might have had even more severe consequences. The extent of the injuries could have been much more grievous, potentially rendering him incapacitated or severely wounded. The previous armour had served as a critical shield, mitigating the damage from the Khaos entity's powerful strike and preventing even more catastrophic harm.
Turning to Kyn, "Know that the spy has turned to foe; let's go about our business."