The servant rolled in a cart filled with a variety of teas and a freshly boiled kettle. It also held 15 different assortments of hard liquors and very tall mugs. As he rolled it to a stop next to Mister Tun, he waited patiently for further instructions. Mister Tun stood up from his chair and cracked his ancient knuckles. “You let that joker near the lights. I have Tober out there checking every line because of that. Because of your failure. Now he is going to fail to sleep properly and I’m gonna have to rotate him out with another of you chucklefucks.”

“Sir! I didn’t fail you! I-“

“But you did Vern. You failed me. I don’t care if he could teleport. Your job was to keep the place secure. I don’t have patience for failures, Vern.”

“But-“

Mister Tun raised his fist high, hitting Vern so hard his neck snapped. But that wasn’t enough punishment. Death was not enough pain for failure. So he mounted his prone form and started hitting him. Heavy blows like a sledgehammer that kept raining down on the corpse. They kept falling like a downpour until little was left of the target but puddles. Irving produced an already soaked hot towel for Mister Tun’s hands. “Thanks, Irv. Go back to observing our guests so they don’t go anywhere they shouldn’t. Zora’s massive gun to my head doesn’t need to lose its reason to stay cold.”

Irving nodded, bowed so he could leave the room without rudeness, and stepped into the hall once more. As he traveled down them, he couldn’t help but hear one of the teams speaking through the door. Pulling out his tablet, he watched the Tak’Nasi talking. One was pacing around the room while the quiet one adjusted the bandages on the broken one. The pacing one spoke frantically, “This wasn’t the plan. We were just supposed to figure out what Zora was after for real. We were not supposed to be held prisoner. Master Phoenix wasn’t supposed to join in. Hepta wasn’t supposed to break all her bones.”

The quiet one stated, “You started calling him Master Phoenix.”

The pacing one sighed, “I don’t know. I can’t call him Emperor because I could mean the other one. I can’t just call him Phoenix because that’s just a bird and I don’t think he would accept that.”

The broken one shrugged with a wince and said, “I think it works for him. But I think we will be fine. He wouldn’t have weighed in if he didn’t have a plan. First thing in the morning I’m sure he will give us a signal or something.”

The quiet one spoke again, “I think our best bet at this point is to side with Zora’s team until he tips his hand.”

The broken one laughed, “He must be really excited to rush in like that. He even made a crappy sword.”

Irving smiled as he continued to the next room and changed the camera accordingly, “She can’t just go silent like this. My headache is bad enough as is.” The dapper gentleman groaned from the bed. His companion was going to speak but he shushed her. “Don’t talk. My head is splitting.”

She nodded, eventually saying softly, “I am sorry. I know that you love that woman and it must be hard to-“

He laughed a little and waved a finger at her, “That’s the best joke I have heard in days. And I’ve been practicing.” She was unsure of how to reply so he said again, “Your boy toy got me to realize I had given up my ideals. Your sister made me believe I could chase them. And that statue of a man challenged me to live them. That makes me the man she left me to find.”

She nodded and seemed to be looking around the room awkwardly. When the dapper man sighed at her actions and Irving couldn’t hide his amusement. He had been had from moment one. How clever. That was a sharp boy. Moving onto the next room, he wasn’t surprised to see it was empty, the scrap blade cast aside recklessly. Irving was sure he would find the swordsman somewhere nearby so he waited to wait to report. Opening a nearby closet, he was relieved to see the battlebot charging as he should instead of snooping. A robot shouldn’t be that lively. It is disconcerting. Even as he went to close he worried it would come to life and pull the door closed on him.

As he went to check the final room, Irving heard a voice from behind him. “It is rude to spy, you know.” Irving froze. “Oh, don’t worry. I see the wisdom in it. Keeping an eye on your captives before the big show is always nice.”

Irving smiled and bowed, “I’m sorry. It isn’t often I find myself at a loss. Let alone how rare it is for others to surprise me. Only a few ladies from my past have given me such a start.”

“I completely understand, butler. Please, feel free to buttle. I have no intention of leaving here without my prize or a good show.” He motioned Irving away who bowed politely and excused himself. Truly a sharp boy.

Doing as he was asked and making a mental note, he continued down the hallway of the living quarters until he heard voices just outside the sealed door. Curious as to who could have broken the security, he gently opened the door and saw two people sitting on the pyramid.

“It is a terrifying position to be in. To know I could wipe out an entire planet in a moment but also knowing I never could. That it isn’t a part of me.” She sighed, “I feel like the bad guy.”

He stood up and sighed, “I know the feeling. Knowing what you have to do against everything you are made of.” He trailed off before he started creating a series of very small Scarlet flames the floated in the air. With a wave of his hand, they moved into the shape of constellations that Irving didn’t recognize. A whole dome made of scattered embers that began to rotate around him with a wave of his hand. “Sacrifice is built on courage and love blended together. A price bravely paid in the name of love. But don’t get yourself twisted in knots about it. Just because you carry both doesn’t mean they are one and the same.” He waved his hand again and golden lines formed between the embers, tying them together as the shapes that his culture had drawn between them. “These gaps between them? That’s where despair grows and thrives. To embrace sacrifice.” He clapped his hands and the fire tried to combine. Despite his best efforts, the gold and scarlet flames refused to mesh. Releasing his grip, the flames burst away from each other. “You have to push them together until there isn’t room for despair.”

She nodded seeming to reflect on his words. Irving couldn’t help but feel something was wrong in his words. This was clearly the disappearing right hand to the Prince, but there is something wrong about him. He could feel it in the air. Still, he had finished his assignment. Sending the report to Mister Tun, he began his own routine for the night. He wanted to make sure he got everything done before sunrise.

—————

“All of you have been locked away like cattle. I believe that is wrong. Heais has no right to treat you all so poorly.”

“What do you think we should do?”

“Follow. Hasnacht. He best. He strong.”

“Yes! Listen to them! I can guide you all out of here. Pay equivalent to your work. No fear of sudden death beatings! We can all be big fish when we live in an ocean of stars!”

“You got punked by some wizard. What do you know?”

“Hey, the other crime lords fell for that too. Three of them are still hospitalized.”

“What difference? Failure? Success? Have pride!”

“Exactly! When that old relic drops his guard tomorrow, let us out and we will take our chances together!”

“Hasnact! Hasnacht! Hasnacht!”