The Chained Watcher

A Disturbance

Tiny chapter. Baby chapter. The planet's big bad is starting to hear word of a disturbance on the planet. I wonder what that could be?

~~~

In a distant compound...

"-As per usual, War and Death are doing their best to wipe out any who don't subordinate their following."

His disinterest is clear, but this is as summarized as the reports on their prospective subordinates can get without losing potentially useful information. Last time he tried to get the information further compressed, he ended up missing half of the major battles due to them being deemed 'unimportant'.

Well, such is the problem with running your own facility. His potential was never the greatest, but dead-ending at the peak of Tier 5 means he can only ever recruit the bottom-of-the-barrel low-Tier drivel. Any Watchers who end up matching his rank always leave for richer waters, most not even sparing a single thought as to repaying his assistance as their boss.

"Water forgot the assignment and has thus been disqualified." He refocuses back on the report. A slight shift in posture prompts his assistant to add, "Yes, disqualified. They went and threw a fireball at Nature, which is strictly against their claimed domain of water, thus breaking the rule that participants must behave as their chosen domain dictates."

Well that's one way to weed out the idiots. He returns his posture to his previous one, prepared for more boring reports on boring Watchers.

"For their part, Fire has been collecting an abnormal amount of followers, edging along the limits of what is permitted. They have convinced the mortals that the 'fires of passion' fall under their domain, and have successfully swayed many hormonal teenagers and young adults with that."

Smart. He'll have to keep an eye on that one though, make sure 'smart' doesn't become 'insubordinate' or 'undermining'. Been burned by that one too many times in the past.

"Dark is performing well below what is standard for that domain, having done a poor job of advertising their appeal to mortals. They seem to be under the impression that mortals will worship them before sleep, and intend to coast through the test with minimal effort. Advice to be more active has been summarily ignored."

The exact kind of subordinate he doesn't want. He drawls, "If no improvement in their initiative is found within a decade, put them on the fail list. I have no use for a subordinate who would let a house crumble around them while telling themself it will rebuild itself without their intervention."

"As you command." His assistant makes a note, then moves onto the next topic on the agenda. They frown, just a bit. "We... haven't actually heard anything from Life the last few days. A Tier 2 was dispatched to remind them they are required to send one of their subordinates every day or two, and should be returning shortly."

He shifts his posture again, and they clarify, "The last communication we've received from Life is dated at five days, seven hours ago. Since then, we have not heard anything from Life, nor their subordinates. A Tier 2 directly under me was dispatched seven hours ago, and should be returning within the next hour."

A hesitant gaze brushing against him draws his focus to the door. A Tier 2 stands there, stiff as a board, filled with barely concealed fear and nervousness. They announce, "This one greets the planet's Lord! I come bearing information on Life's fate, sir."

He observes them silently for a minute, letting them stew in their fear. They don't grant him the entertainment of watching them break though. Oh whatever. "Speak."

Their relief doesn't show outwardly, despite its density. "Life's residence temple is completely destroyed, sir. There are no survivors."

His eyebrows shoot up. "Destroyed?"

Reaching out with his mind, he sends a mental probe at the Tier 2, giving them the chance to copy the memory instead of him extracting the original for his purview. They comply hastily, and he witnesses the destruction of one of his potential subordinates' temple of residence. He frowns.

The temple is completely reduced to rubble, and the rubble strewn with the corpses of Life's subordinate Watchers. Life themself can be seen partially buried beneath a particularly large chunk of rubble, mask missing and eyes staring lifelessly at nothing. One wing is bent at the wrong angle, testifying to the power of the unknown assailant who killed them.

"...Were there signs of a summoning being performed there?"

"No, sir. I searched briefly for the feeling of greater Void proximity summoning a Hero creates, but found nothing."

He thinks. Not a Hero, but perhaps outsiders? It's a possibility, if a slim one. "Kleixan."

"Yes, sir?" his assistant responds.

"Arrange for an inspection of the detection and concealment arrays around the planet. Once that's done, personally check each of our applicants and ensure none have gone and summoned a Hero. If they have, punish them appropriately."

"And if they haven't?"

He remains silent for a minute.

"If they haven't, then find the cause of Life's fall and bring it before me."

"As you command."

Looking up through the skylight, he gazes at the cloud-streaked orb of blues, greens, and browns dominating the dark emptiness of space. Whatever is threatening to upset his control over his planet, he'll deal with it, one way or another. And it will regret crossing him. He'll make sure of it.

~~~