The Watcher-Prime

Chapter 8

. . .

Grian and Pearl had already entered the meeting room when Grian saw Xisuma enter. He was panting and tired-looking. But what stuck out to Grian was that Xisuma was late. Xisuma was never late. Whenever he dragged Grian along to meetings he always left fifteen minutes early. It drove Grian mad.

What had Xisuma been doing? Grian's eyes narrowed. He jumped as Pearl nudged him in the side. Oh, right. It's my turn to talk again. Grian gave a long, exasperated sigh and stepped up. "Greetings, fellow admins." Grian scrambled his voice easily.

"Before we start, if there are any challengers to the prime admins, we will take them now." Grian drawled boredly. Nobody ever stepped up. "Remember - you must be tier nine to challenge a prime. Speak now or forever hold your pea-" Grian froze as Blade stood up.

Techno Blade was a level nine admin of the highest caliber. He was definitely a candidate for Prime 1's apprentice many years ago, and he hadn't appreciated Grian much ever since he had become the apprentice instead.

"I challenge the prime." Techno stood up. He was looking at Pearl sharply. Pearl stepped forward angrily, but Grian held her back.

"Hang on. Let me take him." Grian grinned at Pearl from under his hood as he whispered softly. Pearl looked surprised and opened her mouth to object, but Grian had already stepped forward. "Hmm... insolent as ever, whatever-your-name-is." Grian raised his voice. He knew exactly who Techno was. After all, the two had played the most epic prank on Pearl just two months ago during a big meeting.

"Very well, challenge accepted." Grian's eyes glinted. Not that anyone could see his eyes, of course. Grian grinned maliciously and Techno paled. His eyes widened. Nobody had expected Prime 2 to accept a challenge. But Techno hadn't specified which position he was challenging, and now he would pay.

Grian beckoned Techno up onto the elevated platform. Techno stepped up cautiously. Grian tilted his chin up as if saying, your move, fool.

Techno stood perfectly still, sizing up his hooded opponent. All of the sudden Techno drew his diamond sword and charged. He had admirable swordsmanship skills, but Grian merely yawned and flicked his pinky finger towards the admin. The simple gesture sent Techno sprawling.

Techno got up bravely and whipped a fishing pole from his belt. He quickly cast it towards the admin. Grian smiled a sadistic smirk and flicked his pinky again. The twine bounced off an invisible force field and grian studied his nails.

Techno roared angrily and charged again. Grian sidestepped the attack easily, without even casting a glance at the approaching attacker. He flicked his pinky yet again and a gold tripwire materialized from thin air, tripping the level nine admin and sending him flying.

Techno got up angrily and resorted to using magic. He shot five well-placed flameballs towards the prime admin, but Grian flicked his pinky finger for the fourth time. The flame balls disintegrated mid-course.

"Fight me, already! Just use your magic! Use your entire might!" Techno yelled again, enraged. Grian mock bowed and dodged another ball of fire while doing so.

"I can beat you with my pinky toe, fool." Grian smirked gleefully. Pearl watched from the sidelines wearily and gave him a don't beat him up too bad, look. Grian smiled even more widely. It was obvious again why he had been chosen to be the number one prime and Pearl was two.

Techno was at his wits end. He sent more furious blasts of fire, ice, silver magic, and sword swipes Grian's way. The prime admin didn't even break a sweat as he merely drawled, "enough," and Techno froze, immobilized. His magic stopped in mid air and splattered on the ground.

"Think before you open your snout, Blade." Grian hissed, releasing Techno from his invisible grip and pushing him back into the level nine benches with another invisible energy blast. He had done it all with just his pinky toe, as promised.

The blade sat down angrily at his bench and Grian smirked as he returned to Pearl's side. After the quick turn of events, Pearl took charge despite her earlier intentions and finished explaining everything about the watchers and predicament stuff.

Grian merely hung behind and stifled as many yawns as he could. Pearl decided to end the meeting before Grian did something stupid and ruined their reputation. Unfortunately, Grian didn't get the hint and ended the meeting with,

"Well, Pearl, I shall be off to attend to more important matters-" Grian smiled knowingly in Xisuma and Gem's direction. Both went white as a sheet. That made the Prime Admin's smile break into a smirking grin. Xisuma looked ready to cry. As Grian left the room Gem threw up all over the level eight bench.

"Well then, I suppose that wraps this meeting up." Pearl spoke in disgust and turned away, pinching the bridge of her nose as she insta-cleaned up the mess Gem had made with a wave of her hand. Gem went even more tomato red if that was possible.