As a part of our training growing up, the elder gods introduced a simulated version of what we would be doing once we leave our nests. We called it a game, a game by the name Pick n Play, this was because we were allowed to choose what type of missions we went on.
This game had a treasure collection system, and it was where I fell in love with exploring and collecting stuff. When I moved out of the house, my father the old bone faced god, told me that soon and very soon at that, we would be starting our missions. I have been excited and unable to sleep ever since.
Today marks that day I have been waiting for, a chance to start my collection and an opportunity to get away from everybody. The doorbell rang and I rushed to get the door as fast as I could. I opened it and behind it was a skeleton in a suit, I smiled because he was the head butler and was here to take me to meet father.
I left our mansion and ran to the unicorn drawn carriage. The ride to father's place was just long enough to calm me down. Upon arrival I headed straight to him and he was there in his study accompanied by lady Mabone, the goddess of light.
She was sitting on one the two couches in the room, she was on the left one so I took the path on the right and went straight to the main desk. I said hi to her and before she could say something I pushed on.
I took a seat and silence took over the room for several minutes.
"Have you settled down yet?" The old man finally asked.
"No."
"Good, you should never approach this job with a foul mood."
"How come you are always angry?"
"I am not angry."
"Then are you sad?"
He sighed, "maybe. In any case today you will be going on your first mission. Me and miss Mabone were just discussing whether to give you training wheels or not. So I wanted to know what do you think about it?"
"What are training wheels?"
"It is that quest menu thing from the simulations, games, or whatever you kids call it. However with this one I will be able to monitor you in all your thoughts and actions, it will allow me to assist and guide you in the field. It will also allow me to pull you out of sticky situations"
"Can I see it?"
"Sure, just say quest and it will appear in front of you. I already prepared the spell when you left a while ago."
"Quest."
Just like in the games, a window showed up in front of me. This one however did not have stats, or levels, it only had information that was observable by the type of person holding it.
Name: Thoromo 6th son of Dark
Unique: Boundless
Status: Healthy
Mission: To be revealed
"You said you could see this right?" I asked.
"Of course I can. It is my magic after all."
"Then I do not want training wheels."
"They always refuse. You will have to stop by the hall to get a private quest book, but just know that you will always be watched will it not be better for the person watching you to be someone you trust?"
We spent a good minute going back and forth about my quest book and finally agreed on making a contract on mutual terms. This means that the old man will only be able to go through my book during inspections and will only see what I have not deemed private.
This was going to happen anyway but I think the old man just wanted to check if I could stand up for myself. A test and I passed.
"Here are some ground rules, just like in the simulations you are going to live among the mortals as you pursue your targets. Always stay on schedule, never be even a second late or else you will fail. If you create a vengeful spirit, you fail."
The butler took me to the teleportation platform in the middle of the city. There were many gods there and their young, I guess they were sending them out on their first missions.
'They are doing too much. Treating this journey as if it were a vacation,' I thought to myself as I saw laughing and being carefree as if they did not feel any tension.
"Hey brick face," a voice called out from behind me. I recognized it Inawa's, he was a godkin like. An heir from the weather gods' domain, he is an heir for the god of thunder title. Such over decorated name for someone who's only job is to bring rain. Usually they travel in groups because weather has to be balanced and there has not been a composite weather god in a very long time. For some reason everyone believes that one of the heirs will reawaken as the composite and so they are treated like some kind gift to all of us.
I hated them, they thought they were better than us from the other houses. Even though we unlike them are sure of having a composite in every generation. Like our father, Shottana, the patriarch of the House of Darkness. And Miss Mabone the matriarch of the House of Light.
"Who should I strangle for letting you call me that?" Okay I didn't hate them, hate is such a strong word. I would rather say that I only preferred the company of anyone who was my shadow or was named Thoromo.
"Heh! Are you bitter because the Patriarch didn't come to see you off on your first mission?"
"It seems like you have nothing of importance to share with me. Then I would like to excuse myself." I bowed and tried to leave as quickly as possible.
"Oh come aren't we friends? I came here to wish you good luck."
"Since when did you have friends?"
"What?"
"Nobody likes you."
"That's not true."
"How many people have approached you today."
"Huh?"
"That's what I thought."
"Hey, hey come on now. That is no way to talk to someone who was happy to see you." His brother from the Weather Domain, Tempest, heir to the storm god's title chimed in. Big name for somebody who's only job is to maintain breezes.
"You talk to your doormats in the weather domain?"
He giggled and Inawa exclaimed, "he is not the one who came here without family." Tempest said.
"Of course you would fight for him. He does not threaten your position as heir, but what if he did? Would you still insult me for him?"
"It's not bad to have acquaintances you know. How can you join this fight with no one to watch your back? You will not be going anywhere like that."
He was telling the truth, inheriting a title was more than just proving that you can get the job done but proving your political worth. I however unbeknownst to everyone had no intentions of becoming the next god of death.