5. Eventually it would happen anyway

After listening rushed report passed to him through Blaze, Tzol frowned in utter confusion. So there was an energy drop, big surprise. So some strawberries got frozen, what a tragedy. They knew that it could happen all along, that's why monitoring and calculations were being done. Daily no less, since new clerk arrived.

Well, activation of the Eye of Great Serpent was kinda a surprise. It was supposed to be deactivated 13 cycles ago. Was it not done properly? And in all that, they held a meeting without him. Did they forget that he is still here, monitoring miasma and curse... err.. fluctuations of external enviroment and general trends in pollution levels? If he was there, he could have tell them there is really no need for such a panic.

Did those two old mummies got so wrapped up in their bed sheets that their brains rotted due oxygen deficiency? Feeling generous, he checked himself up, changed his outer robes into ones without stains, and merrily went to invest his time and energy to personally rub it in their faces: they were slacking in keeping up to date with changes of circumstances.

As he climbed up the stairs, he lamented his own senility. He forgot how many stairs one needs to climb on the path to the upper levels. Truth be told, he should have moved upstairs years ago. Plenty of empty rooms ever since majority of servants got scrapped. But he lived down here for over 40 full cycles now, and knowing that soon it shall all end, he dragged it out due sentimental laziness. Or something like that.

He stopped to catch his breath and looked over the empty square under his vintage point, mid way up to the next floor. There used to be a constant murmur of voices, at any time of the day. Young and old milled around, men and women, children.. Working and playing, laughing and crying, living and dying.

He lamented his long life, scrutinizing endless carved walls depicting forests he never saw in reality. He let his sight wander over impeccable mosaics on the floors, reading in them stories of life as it once was. Why bother building it to be eternal if it's so easily discarded as soon someone deemed it obsolete?

He did not know the answer. He was never a god, so he could not understand their logic.

Tzol looked up to the next floor and continued his climb. There are things he wants to say and if fatigue is the price, so be it. And beside, after he is done with that, he might check if there are any fresh sweets at the kitchens to stock up on it. He could not remember when was the last time he had a cake or something.

When he finally arrived, that blasted old king and his ever present priest were not alone. Standing in what seemed to be a pose of sullen attention was Yax. Towering a full head and a half over all three seniors surrounding him now, he was a prime example of bred, born and raised Soldier of Sun God. Strong, broad and stubborn. With a dash of carefully inserted stupidity that would make him obedient and not afraid to sacrifice for higher reasons that he never needed to know. A.k.a Royal Prince. The saviour.

Involuntary, Tzol felt his face stretching into a smile. Ah, this glorious kid. When he got dispatched to them some 15 cycles ago he threw all four of them into a loop. He and that other one, pale one. Right, Ivory.. They came in a same batch, both made from different molds than any older models, endearing in their naivety and expectations of saving the world. He remembered Old Mone calling them doomsday brothers. Old Mone...

He raised his eyebrows pretending to be polite and asked "Am I interrupting something?"

Tension broken, Yax shifted from attention to at ease with his arms crossed over his chests. "I am not going." He huffed resolutely. "No way am I going to leave for a mission outside, of all places, with only some underdeveloped baby in tow." He narrowed his eyes at his nominal father. "You cannot make me leave Ivory behind, even though he refused to be married and tied to me."

If not husbands, they were still friends. Batch mates. Closest existence he will ever have in this life. His mind faltered a bit, thoughts of duty and glorious victories dashing somewhere in the background, but his heart was steady. He needed someone at his side to help him hold back that gaping hole that threatened to swallow him in his dreams. Nightmares. Whatever.

As Ah Kin rolled his eyes and Xul looked like he is going to blow up at any moment, Tzol carelessly sat into the closest chair as his feet were killing him and unceremoniously said "Sure, take Ivory with you. Jone and Blaze should go with you as well, they will be good packing mules, young and strong." He paused for a bit ignoring the looks that statement got him. "Perhaps two more to complete the team, but no one from that last batch 5 cycles ago. There are those twins from gardening section. Not Dagda, he got too old by now."

Xul finally managed to unclench his jaw enough to talk "Who died and made you a king without me knowing."

Sleazy smile spreading on Tzol's face made them all shiver "No one." he drawled "But latest status update declared that I am now a General Director of Environment and thus on equal standing with GD of Personnel."

Hah did they forget that last diarrhea of instructions that got poured over them by their godly masters. Or did they not, and intentionally held a meeting without him. He squinted, his smile spreading wide. As if they would dare. Senile bats.

Yax finally perked up a bit at the thought of Ivory staying by his side. "What about that baby you saddled me with? He arrived like a decade ago, meaning he is still 2 years short of his first cycle." He frowned, unwilling to be responsible for someone so young. Especially knowing how out of all personnel dispatched in that previous batch no one was nearly competent enough for any independent action. Resembling drones more than people. Drones with quirks.

"Mani has to go." Ah Kin said. It was Tzol's turn to frown now. "That kid got here to replace Old Mone. He is a cleric, I mean clerk. Not made for physical work and adventuring." And he was his personal subordinate. Sure, he never found the time to actually meet with that kid. Being focused on what's going on outside, he did not bother going down to basement where Mon.. Mani holed up.

King Xul looked resigned as he closed the discussion with last simple statement. "Sure, if there is any other replicant currently on duty that has a Serpent's Sight installed, send him instead."