"What?!" Ignacious roared, a torrent of golden essence exploded from his golden tower.

"Y-yes m' lord. Tolik hasn't reported back and Mendacius is not responding to our hails," Sablo, the God-King's attendant sputtered.

"And this boy, the one we have tried to kill, twice on Arach and that our inside agent should have been more than capable of defeating, is the one you perceive to be responsible."

"It is the only reasonable-"

"There is nothing reasonable about that assumption, Sablo. The boy was a whelp. Send Pahadron after him the next time he's off the flagship. I want him dead."

"Yes m' lord,"

"And Sablo?" Ignacius said, "if that boy is not dead the next time you update me on the status of our agents in the program, you will be the next one sent to gather 'data' in the Abyss. Do I make myself clear?"

The attendant blanched, "Perfectly m' lord."