Many powers in the great world take in orphans at birth from the smaller worlds. They are trained for their whole lines with the sole purpose of serving their masters without question. Numbers 86 and 89 were two such individuals.
They were born as free men but lived their entire lives as slaves, not knowing who they were or where they came from. After surviving decades of harsh training, they were sent out into the field and upon accumulating enough merits they could once again regain their freedom and live freely.
After being taken in by the Church of the Sacred Light they had served loyally for over four decades. From the great battlefields of the Temple of War to the dungeons of the abyssal lords, they had served on many fronts.
But this was to be their last assignment and once successfully concluded, they would have enough credits to hopefully get out of this business if they so desired.
On average it could take anywhere from a century to a thousand years if not more to have earned enough merits but this was once in a lifetime opportunity, a secret mission the likes of which they had never seen before.
They were assigned to serve a figure whose very existence was the talk of myth and legend within the church. Someone that most people would not even know existed.
The Abyss Walker. A true immortal that had lived through a myriad of eras and fought the many countless enemies of the Church throughout without any recognition, all for the safety of its people.
A true nameless hero through and through.
Or at least that's what was supposed to happen but the moment they arrived on the planet both 86 and 89 were told about their actual assignment, to make sure that Prince Dai Zhi was safely inducted into the Order of the Holy Light and took his rightful place alongside the great geniuses of his era.
I.e, they were babysitters. And as if that wasn't bad enough, now they had been reduced to serve this pawn of the prince who knew not how high the heavens were.
Just because he had been allowed entry into the Order, his self-esteem had gone through the roof.
86 and 89 had both seen the true talents, the ones that never had to say they were geniuses but were naturally accepted as such. Prince Dai Zhi although still lacking in strength, did indeed have the bearing of a great leader and the ability to succeed as one.
But this boy…
"Are you ready?" Stasa growled from the entrance, impatiently tapping his foot in anticipation.
86 sighed inwardly, "Yes, my lord," and steppe forward.
He extended his hand as a small mirror flew out from within the robe and started expanding. Within seconds it had become wide enough to allow for all three of them to easily standing on its surface.
But the images being reflected on its surface were not of the small cave they were in, but of the forest below.
86 glanced towards Stasa, "Should I?"
"OF COURSE YOU SHOULD! HOW MANY TIM-"
*Wooop*
Before he could finish, the mirror's surface trembled and all three of them fell through it like it was water, swallowed within. A second later the same mirror materialized out of thin air above the forest and they came out from the top.
Ashen-faced, Stasa was down on his knees. He raised his head upon feeling a gust of air brush past his face.
"W-What were those things?"
"Mere beasts, my lord. Nothing for you to worry about," 86 coolly answered.
"M-Mere beasts?! I have never heard of beasts like that! How could something like that be real? It was….it was-"
"Otherworldly?" 89 casually finished the sentence for him before exchanging exasperated looks with 86.
'A frog in a well.'
'Well? More like a cup.'
'Let's just get this over with and go back to Prince Dai Zhi. It physically pains me to see the boy's incompetent and cowardly ways.'
'Hahaha, yeah. I heard the next day or so should be pretty fun.'
They conversed through spirit sense while Stasa forced himself to get back on his feet.
"Phew, okay. Where is she?" he looked around and found Princess Ceni a bit to the left just on the edge of the forest.
"Go down, quick!" he ordered and the mirror descended. It went past her and stopped. The mirror's surface slightly dimmed and they became visible.
Princess Ceni stopped in her tracks upon seeing them appearing out of nowhere. With a wave of her hand the whip materialized in her grasp which she aimed threateningly towards them.
"Who are you?" she asked lightly.
Despite being outnumbered three to one, there wasn't a trace of panic, fear, or hesitation in her movements.
'Threatening yet graceful, the sign of a great upbringing.'
On the side, Haeti quickly hid amidst the shadows and drew his blade in preparation.
Both 86 and 89 exchanged knowing glances.
'Like brother like sister.'
