Sudden

Chapter 2: A Mission

"What does the mission entail?" The monotone of his voice did well to mask his confusion but it does little matter when his guests have known him for as long as they have.

"I can read your concern from the far corners of the room, Technoblade. You needn't worry so. The queen does not require you to bury those of your own kin. It is rather quite the opposite."

The comment had yet to lessen his confusion but now it warranted him his self preservative instincts. Why must they seek that he is comforted and calm before giving him a task that could be so life altering? He would much rather know what it is he is to do before getting to it so that he is prepared.

"You act as though I will scream or squeal at the sight of whatever it is you wish me to see."

"You might not but someone will. We've brought your mission with us. Now, we want you to take care of it."

Out from behind the cape and armor of his most quiet guest came something that he did not expect. Something that would have set all his instincts off if he were fully piglin. Still, something inside of him was reeling. A mixture of bafflement and unease crept along his mind, freezing his body and eyes.

"Heh?" The only word he could muster as he could just barely get himself to look around the room. This had to be some sort of jest, the queen would not have sent an order for what he thinks she did. Right?

"It was quite fortunate that we managed to find one of your kind. They can't usually dwell in the surface world. We thought we'd take this one as it might help you adjust into your tasks."

In the hands of one of his long time superiors was a tiny, vulnerable, and chubby piglin child. The child seemed to have zombified before the queen could cure the piglet as bits of fur was peeled off in peculiar patterns and replaced by a layer of green. Around the child's feet, the green went up from between the split in the child's hooves that then went around and down the sides. On the child's head was a leaf crown shaped scar that he hadn't seen be zombified on a piglin before.

"Was the child alone?" Technoblade almost didn't want to know the answer to his question. He was alone before but it wasn't by choice, this child's scars told him that if the child was abused. The shaped of the zombification had to be carved in order for it to be that way. Would they have left the child so they didn't face a life in prison? Were they forced to give the child up?

Either way, it felt dangerous. Was the abuser the child's parents or was the child kidnapped from the child's sounder? He could only hope that the mental pain of the child could be fixed over time.

"We are under special instructions to not answer that question." They were told to withhold information from him even after the years he spent here, huh. That was rather aggravating but he couldn't not blame them for following orders.

The tea he had brewed was probably over boiled by this point. "I am sorry to interrupt this moment but I must get the tea from the furnace." Techno got up and headed towards the kitchen.

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"That went well so far." The first knightly figure said.

"Do you really think he's ready for his missions yet?" A second voice questioned.

"The boy has been reading the books we gave him thoroughly. You've seen the pages of summaries he writes until he fully understands the subject despite not understanding why we gave him such a book." A third voiced piped up.

"You know how well the other subjects do, how most fail and how the queen deals with them." The second voiced tried to reemphasize the need to worry.