“So, we’ve come to a decision.”
Arkay wasn’t quite sure how he’d managed it, but he’d somehow managed to teleport Retvik, Litvir and himself into that familiar candlelit room that Overlord Deathven always used to meet with his Hidden Trios. Thankfully, there was no one else around apart from the Overlord and the three Missing, and it seemed that Deathven had just been about to summon them anyway.
“Before we start, I hope, Deathbringer, you can see why I think you are so dangerous.”
Arkay shrugged, then tutted. “I’m just using a power you use all the time. Pretty sure you’re more dangerous than me since you seem to have unlimited range or something. Either way, we’ve decided to agree to this weird stuff you want us to do. Everyone seems to think we’ll be good at… uh… this stuff.”
Litvir and Retvik nodded in agreement.
“While we normally do not see eye to eye on, well, anything, Litvir, Arkay and I have admittedly always been a little team of heroes, and we are looking forward to being able to do some more good in places outside of our pentacluster.”
“Also, we hopefully get to treat ourselves to a little holiday too!” Litvir smiled. “We are all good on the bribes, as Arkay called them, yes?”
Deathven eyed each of the Missing. “Yes, your new ship will be delivered to your strange little island, and you will all receive the standard UBI salary that all Hidden Trios get. Your other requests will be delivered to you after you have completed your first mission.”
“Do we get to name our ship?” Arkay asked.
“No. As is tradition, your ship will be named after you yourselves. The Deathly Soulflame will serve you all well, it is fully stocked up and you will be given some time to get used to the ship before your first mission. I assume all three of you can fly a ship?”
“We can, yes. But more importantly, what will our first mission be?” Retvik queried. “I feel that is probably the most important thing we ought to discuss.”
“Understandable. I was intentionally going to send you three on a basic Voidborn purge mission, to murder a cult that has been causing problems with a lower Deathven sector, but I have instead decided to send you on a diplomatic mission, to see if you have any capabilities or useful skills outside of mass murder.”
“Your tone suggests that you are not a fan of mass murder when I am certain you have done plenty of it yourself!” Litvir tutted. “And you want to send a Psion on a diplomatic mission.”
Retvik shrugged. “Even without you, Arkay and I are already rather diplomatic.”
“Hmph!” Arkay exclaimed. “I’m not diplomatic, I kinda just give ultimatums based on my sheer strength.”
“Whatever works. Deathven, I assume you will give us all the instructions we need?” Retvik asked. “At the very least, we require a mission brief.”
The Overlord crossed his arms and sneered. “You have not earned the right to use my real name, Flamebearer.”
“Yes but calling you “Overlord” in casual conversation is weird.”
Arkay and Litvir nodded in agreement.
“You can call us by our real names, you know!” Arkay smiled. “We don’t mind, and you don’t have to stand on ceremony for us.”
Deathven eyed Arkay. Arkay stopped smiling, then tutted.
“You’re no fun.”
“I rule over an entire society of deadly beings, Deathbringer. We have rules to follow. And, in your case, we will require some rules of engagement.”
Deathven snapped his fingers and summoned a large folder of files, which he handed to Retvik. Retvik briefly flicked through it, then handed the file to Litvir, who decided to read through the folder properly. However, the more Litvir read, the more concerned he got.
“You are sending us to be a middle ground between some Time Drakes and Voidborns? I thought we would be doing more… Decay Lord-based things.”
Deathven nodded. “Out here, anything related to anyone is a Decay Lord-based thing. We have to live alongside these entities, and sometimes that means talking to them directly. In this case, you will mostly be arranging territorial areas for both the local Voidborn cult and the local Kronothrax legion.”
“Is there a Decay Lord sect nearby?” Litvir asked. “Or is this just a thing between Voidborns and Time Drakes?”
“All the information is within the folder I gave you. There are no nearby sects, but Deathven Sector Chi travels along the borders of this region, and I want to make sure that the sector can continue circling the sector safely.”
Litvir flicked through the folders again. “I guess. Is there anything else we need to know?”
“And will we get to kill anyone?” Arkay asked. “Surely there’s a nasty Voidborn cult or a Corruption that needs telling off.”
“You will get the chance to murder Voidborns soon, Deathbringer. Although you seem very insistent on killing things.”
“I’m a former death god and my codename is literally “Deathbringer”, of course I want to kill Voidborns and Corruption, things that have hurt me and I consider evil.”
Deathven grunted. “That is a fair comment. I am going to send you back to your base now. Your ship will be delivered shortly and as soon as it arrives, I want you to head off on your first mission. I do believe you will complete the mission with no real difficulties and I request that you try not to kill anyone. Understood?”
Arkay, Litvir and Retvik all glanced at each other, then shrugged.
“Sure, we can do that. It’s still weird that you’re making us do this though!” Arkay exclaimed.
“Like I said, I want you three to be a proper Hidden Trio, the same way my other Hidden Trios are. This is the first step to true greatness.”
“We are already great, but fair enough?” Litvir shrugged some more. “Anyway, we ought to get going. There are preparations we should make. Right, my dears?”
“Indeed,” Retvik nodded. “Arkay, do you mind doing the honours?”
Arkay looked down at his hands, then closed his eyes and concentrated briefly. He then snapped his fingers, and the three odd Decay Lords all disappeared.
Deathven stared at where the Missing had previously stood, then rolled his eyes.
“What strange beings…” the Overlord muttered. “Strange, but overly powerful beings…”