“Hm, we are getting a lot of calls today…” Litvir tutted as he and Arkay sat around the office, while Retvik went to pick up the phone. “Between the Doom Drums and the Travellers having a blazing argument in the spare office, Vikalos and Phovos being on the phone with the Phantai…”
“When it rains, it pours?” Arkay shrugged. Retvik however grunted, silencing his partners, and answered the new call, putting it on loudspeaker so his companions could listen in.
“Hello, Flamebearer speaking, who is this?”
“Hi, totally not my Retvik, what’s up, you busy right now?”
Retvik glanced at Arkay, who had immediately realized who was speaking.
“Hello, Tenuk, I am not busy right now, but I am also not alone.”
“Oh, who you with?”
Arkay stuttered, then muttered a small hello. “Hi, Tenuk. Your voice is doing the thing Litvir’s voice does and is reminding me of things.”
There was a long pause, but it was a good pause. “Hey, kiddo. Good to hear you’re nice and safe! Retvik told me what happened, you’re so damn brave!”
“Thanks… Still find it weird that there’s… folks still alive from when I was mortal…”
“Well, I am a fucking half-deitic Kronospast who escaped our shithole of a universe, so me being alive isn’t that surprising. Still, how are ya?”
“Surprised to hear your voice, actually…” Arkay sighed. “I’m alright. Glad to be back by Retvik and Litvir’s side.”
“Things would be better if vok were not spying on us!” Litvir tutted. However, this caused Tenuk to pause again.
“Damn, are you Litvir? You’ve got one hell of a voice there. No wonder Arkay and new Retvik like you.”
Litvir snorted. “Hah. You mean “middle Retvik”. But I do appreciate the comment about my voice.”
“So me and my trio buddies have a bet as to what you look like, Litvir. I met Retvik already, briefly saw Arkay. But Yatre thinks you’re a shortass, and I’m betting you’re an Ethran-type-like Rethavok. Ignasi guesses that you’re “orokinian-coloured” but I can never remember what the fuck he means by that. Aaaaaanyway, why the fuck are folks spying on you?”
“The Travellers are here, and they are blatantly trying to tear information from Arkay, Elkay and our new Decaylings…” Retvik explained. “It turns out, Overlord Deathven discovered that Arkay was alive and well again, and that the Thantir have eight new Decaylings, via a mole in the Pentathax, and sent the Travellers, who we have met before, to find out more.”
“THE TRAVELLERS ARE THERE?” Tenuk seemed to shriek with both joy and surprise. “Ignasi! Those Traveller pricks you wanted to meet are in our fucking eniapent!”
There was some muttering at the end of the line, followed by Tenuk tutting at his friends and saying something about him “already doing it”.
“So where are the Travellers right now?” Tenuk asked.
“In the other office, arguing with the Doom Drums…” Litvir shrugged. “They seem very annoyed about the mole and are trying to figure out who it is. I do not blame them. According to you and Retvik, they do not like Deathven and do their best to be as unaffiliated with Deathven proper as possible. A mole within their ranks goes against that.”
“Yeah, I’d be pissed too. Deathven hasn’t done any shit to the Ekthris personally, but they fucked you Thantir good and proper, they fucked the Justar, they messed around with the Alsyr and I’m pretty sure they fucked around with some of the other sects too. Who fucking knows what the Pentathax have gone through. But that is kinda why I called you…”
“Oh, there is a reason to this call?”
“Yep. I got a call from the Claws of Justice. That Peacebringer guy. One of like two Beh’evok cunts who don’t have the word “blade” in their codename. They heard the Travellers were around too, and invited us Exalted Shifters and the Black Storm to a “trinity gathering”, which I assume is a shit name for a meetup between a bunch of Named Trios.”
Litvir rolled his eyes. “I assume they will want to invite us.”
“I think they’re luring Sect Trios into accepting an invite first before they ask Hidden Named Trios like you three idiots. Because, like, technically, around here? The Missing are the top dogs when the Doom Drums and the Travellers aren’t around.”
“We are?” Arkay whispered.
“Yes, annoyingly. Deathven named us Higher Decay Lords, and Hidden Trios seem to have some sort of extra authority…” Retvik explained.
“But Deathven hates my guts.”
“Sure, but I am certain Deathven does not hate Retvik’s guts yet!” Litvir smiled. “He did not want to raise too much suspicion and let vok know he tried to kill you, Arkay. Still, Tenuk, friend, is this party invite from the Justar directly?”
“Yeah. Which is why I’m not expecting any foul play. Admittedly, I think they just know that the Travellers are around and want to meet them. The Travellers being in your eniapent is considered good luck, meeting them is considered a blessing.”
“And what is being saved by them considered to be?” Litvir asked.
More pauses. An unknown, somewhat static-laced voice suddenly shouted down the phone.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN, SAVED BY THE TRAVELLERS?”
“Ignasi, back off a little.”
“That sexy teenage Beh’en voice just suggested that their stupid ass was saved by the fucking Travellers what the actual fuck!”
“Ignasi, you’re going to scare the cute guy off.”
“BUT STILL, WHAT THE FUCK?”
“Dude, go sit down.”
Retvik and Arkay glanced at each other, but Litvir snickered.
“I want to meet you and your friends now.”
“Mate, we want to meet you too. Do you lot think you can convince the Travellers to accept the Justar’s invite?”
“We have not been invited ourselves…” Retvik grunted. “If we get an invitation, then sure. But otherwise we cannot just, well, go.”
“Eh, they probably will. But I bet they’ll invite the Tattered Navigators before they invite you lot. And, if what I know about them is true, one of them is a former Justarian Lord, he’ll probably feel he has to accept an invite from the Justar.”
“Probably?” Litvir shrugged. “But if both us and Vikalos, Itaviir and Galyn all accept, who will look after the place in the mean time?”
“We will sort something out. It is not a problem.”
“Oh, totally. So, you three in?” Tenuk asked.
Retvik nodded. “Yes, we are, as you say, in. We will wait for the invitation though before doing anything. And we will speak to the Travellers too.”
“Wonderful!” Tenuk seemed excited. “I’m gonna leave you bastards to it. Gotta calm Ignasi down. He’s a hyperactive little shit at times. See you later!”
The call ended, and all three of the Missing took a deep breath.
“Tenuk’s mellowed out again…” Arkay eventually sighed. “Still, parties are fun, right? And I think people do want to meet us. I forget we’re kinda famous.”
A knock on the door distracted everyone. It opened up, and Vikalos was standing there.
“Hello, dearies, have you got a moment?”
“Sure, what’s up?” Arkay perked up.
“I just received a message from the Claws of Justice, inviting not just me, but also Itaviir and Galyn to some sort of party… may I discuss this with you?”
Litvir glanced at his friends, then grinned. “Of course, Vikalos…”