“They’re not going to try and stop us or anything, are they?”
Litvir shrugged as he started the engines of the ship. To his right was Teekay. Behind him were Elkay and Elksia. Souldrainer’s Plight, a small fighter ship that had been a parting gift from the Phantai to the Thantir, had been adapted somewhat, with a proper heating system and more seats, to make it more comfortable. They could have taken the Thantir Three on this short trip to the Miassivio Pleasure Mall, but the Thantir liked to cycle their ships, to make sure they all got used.
The point of this trip was to meet with Decay Lord Kengana, who was the liaison between Deathven and all the local Decay Lord factions in the local Pentacluster. Although these days, apparently Kengana wasn’t particularly busy and spent most of his time working with the Justar, so he was glad to get out into fresher areas.
“I don’t think so!” Elksia chirped. “Sure they hate Elkay but they don’t seem the sorts to stop marriages!”
“Deathven is a coward anyway…” Litvir grunted, focusing on getting the ship moving. The Miassivio Mall wasn’t particularly far and the ship was pretty fast, but Litvir needed to concentrate, he was a good pilot but not a confident one. “But he said as long as we keep Elkay away from any Deathven sectors, Elkay is fine.”
“I guess…” Teekay sighed. “But why is Elksia here?”
“Security and information!” Elksia beamed. “Mostly information. I wanna ask this Kengana guy if there’s problems with Time Drakes and marriages. But also, like I can see into the future briefly. So if this bastard causes problems, I freeze him!”
Litvir nodded in agreement. “I do not think we will have a problem, I have met Kengana before, but, well, better safe than sorry. And according to our old friend Phos, this is apparently normal.”
“So you would have to do the same thing as us should Retvik wish to marry you?” Elkay asked.
“Hah!” Litvir laughed, rather loudly and awkwardly. “As if Retvik would ever want to marry me… Although, technically, since Retvik and I are part of a Named Trio, we… are already legally connected to each other anyway. At least under Deathven’s Decay Lord laws…” Litvir fell silent and went back to concentrating on flying. The ship was a very small, fast ship, meaning they wouldn’t take long at all to get there. Only a couple of hours, since the void winds were with them.
As they approached the space mall though, Litvir realized he was going to have to park the ship, and the mall was currently rather busy.
“I hope you do not min walking” Litvir grunted as they parked pretty far away from the mall’s entrance. Lord Kengana had told them to meet him in a conference room on the top floor, but since the mall was busy, Litvir didn’t have much choice when it came to parking. The three Decay Lords and one Time Drake though rushed through the parking lot and made their way to the entrance as quick as they could, but they managed to get through reasonably quickly. Everyone apart from Elksia was given the standard white paper wristband, while Elksia was given a blue one.
“I expected that to be more difficult.”
“Why?” Teekay blinked as they walked. “We’ve been here before, boss.”
Litvir grunted some more. “Last time we were here, Elkay was not a confirmed Amalgam Mimic. When we came to this mall with Arkay, they detected him as a Life Goddess and he had to wait outside.”
“That’s… kinda racist…” Elksia blinked.
“I know, but genuine Life Goddesses outside of Phovos can be a bit… funny. And the security here simply does not want to deal with them. I do not blame them in the slightest.”
“The mall in the Goldtorn Remains did not have those problems though?” Teekay was still confused.
“Sure, but the Phantai are overly trusting of Life Goddesses. Most Decay Lord sects, the original Thantir included, do not trust them at all.”
“Huh. Fair, I guess…” Teekay trailed off, then realized he was falling behind. Litvir had stupidly long strides boosted with hints of telekinesis and Elkay and Elksia were both taller than Teekay and fast walkers. Teekay frowned and decided to use his teleportation to blink ahead.
Lord Kengana was already waiting for the Thantir, but he seemed somewhat surprised. He was in the middle of drinking a massive mug of beer. Kengana was a very tall Decay Lord, but he was also rather bird-like and not at all armoured, with two pairs of arms and a pair of feathery wings, as well as large talons for feet and a sharp, curved beak for a mouth. He wore a rather basic robe over a set of jeans.
“YOU HAVE FEATHERS!” Elksia found herself shrieking, despite Litvir’s telepathic suggestion to not be over the top. The four of them stepped into the conference room, and Litvir closed the door behind them.
“Oh, shoot, ya’ll early!” Kengana put his drink down. “Wasn’t expectin’ ya’ll for another hour. Guess I’m too darn used t’them Justar always being late. Anyways, good t’see ya’ll!”
“Well, we do have a Time Drake with us…” Teekay muttered as Litvir stepped forward to shake Kengana’s hand.
“Good to see you too, Lord Kengana!” Litvir did his best to be polite. “I assume this will not take long?”
Kengana grinned. “Ah, little ol’Litvir! Little Bitey! I remember when ya was a little Decaylin’! You’ve moved up them ranks, now ya’re one o’the leaders of your sect! Although I noticed ya lettin’ the Tattered Three do some o’your reporting?”
Litvir rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately, Galyn often insists. We let him since he, for some reason, enjoys doing those reports and we do not.”
“Hah! Fair’s fair!” Kengana laughed some more, then glanced at Elksia. “Well, deary, ya seem t’be a feathered one as well. Y’are a Time Drake among us Decayons, very odd! What made ya wanna join us?”
Elksia shrugged, then grinned. “I wanted to be with my best friends! Retty’s a Decay Lord, my boyfriend Tenuk wanted to become a Decay Lord, so I did as well!”
“Understandable. Why are ya… not draconic?”
Another shrug. “I just ain’t draconic right now? I can change how I look.”
“Ah, fair…” Kengana trailed off, vaguely amused by Elksia’s enthusiasm. He then eyed Elkay and Teekay. “So, ya young’uns wanna get married?”
Elkay and Teekay both nodded.
“Because ya love each other?”
More nods. Kengana inspected them both some more, but he was clearly examining Elkay more than Teekay. After some more staring, Kengana turned his attention to a nearby folder, from which he pulled several sheets of paper, as well as a small tablet. He briefly flicked open his wings then typed something on the tablet, before frowning.
“Ah apologize, young’un. I thought ya’re someone else.”
Elkay took a deep breath. “Please do not tell me you thought I was Arkay. I am half a metre taller than the poor thing, have obvious demonic wings and red eyes and am green-plated instead of yellow.”
Kengana showed Elkay the tablet briefly. “Darlin’, this ‘ere database ain’t got pictures, and the name Arkay’s listed as an alias for Decay Lord Arkidetelos…” Kengana fell silent, then looked at the tablet again. He had just noticed something rather awful. Arkidetelos’s profile had been updated, saying that they no longer “presumed missing” but instead “non-viable”, essentially saying they were no longer a Decay Lord. Kengana shook his head and put the tablet away, instead focusing on a specific sheet of pink paper, which he handed to Litvir. “Anyway, sorry, kiddo. Everythin’ should be fine f’you guys. I already signed these ‘ere forms, ya just need ol’Litvir here t’sign them, then sign them yaselves, add the blood drops t’seal the deal and ya’re officially married!”
“Is that all?” Teekay asked. “I thought it was gonna be complicated.”
“It’s only complicated if one o’ya is a Life Goddess or a Voidborn. Elkay ‘ere is an Amalgam Mimic so ya’re all good!” Kengana smiled, then glanced at Litvir, who was suddenly not paying attention and was staring at the door behind them. “Is something wrong, kiddo?”
Litvir shook his head to clear his thoughts then turned back to Kengana. “There is a Psion Decay Lord outside. One with very heavily shielded thoughts. Do you have a meeting with them?”
Kengana glanced down at his tablet, then tutted. “Dag nabbit. Yeah, I do got a meetin’ with that darn Selesyr. But she ain’t supposed t’be here for another five darn hours!”
“Do we need anything else, Lord Kengana?” Litvir queried. “Because, I will be blunt, this Selesyr being is giving me… bad vibes.”
Kengana glanced at the door and his paperwork, then clicked his beak. “That there’s pretty darn common with ya Psions. Ya’ll trigger each other’s fight or flight responses. Unintentionally. But no worries, Little Bitey, we’re all done ‘ere, ya’ll got what ya need. I wish ya both a happy little weddin’ ceremony!”
Elkay and Teekay both bowed, and Litvir shook Kengana’s hand. Elksia decided to wave like the lunatic she was. Feeling quite satisfied, Kengana shooed the Decay Lords and the Time Drake out of the room.
Standing outside was Selesyr, as Litvir had mentioned, smiling creepily. She was a pink and gold reptilian being with red eyes, wearing a smokey dress. Litvir decided to be civil and smiled back, briefly introducing himself and holding his hand out.
“Hello.”
Selesyr glared rather rudely at Litvir. He could tell she was testing his mental defences, but she wasn’t getting anywhere. With a snarl, Litvir put his hand down. Thankfully, Kengana appeared in the doorway.
“Selesyr, what’ve I darn told ya about pissin’ off other Psions?” Kengana clicked angrily.
“Ssssorry, jusssst curioussss. Thissss one issss sssstrange…”
“Says the being who immediately attempts to mess with others’ psionic protections!” Litvir snarled some more.
“Well, girl, ya oughta know better!” Kengana was not amused. He patted Litvir on the shoulder, suggesting that Litvir leave. Litvir immediately waved goodbye, then aggressively dragged everyone else off, leaving Kengana and Selesyr alone.
As soon as they reached the main shopping area, Litvir stopped and leaned against a wall, taking a moment to calm down.
“You alright, boss?” Teekay quickly asked, scanning the area himself with his admittedly far weaker telepathy. Elkay was doing the same, and had gone silent to do so, quietly borrowing some of Litvir’s own psionic powers to bolster his own.
“She was horrible!” Elksia chirped. “But don’t worry, Litty! I pulled some strings. She didn’t do anything. Considered it though.”
“I appreciate the assistance, dear…” Litvir frowned. “While we are here, do you three want or need anything?”
“We could get some lunch?” Teekay suggested.
“Alright, we shall do that!” Litvir quickly perked up. “Just let me mutter a few cantrips, to give us some cover. Just in case.”
Elksia waved her hand, grinning as always. “We’ll be fine, Litty. You got a Time Drake with ya.”
“Are you sure?” Litvir frowned.
“Yeah. We’re all cool. Mind shit gets trumped by time shit anyway!”
Litvir took a deep breath, then shrugged. “Well, if you say so. What do you three want to eat?”