Chapter 222: Triple Threat (1/2)

Chapter 222: Triple Threat

“Yeah, it’s me. Are you busy?” Lan Jue couldn’t hear the chill that had crept in to his voice.

“No, what is it,” Lan Qing responded.

“I’m with A-Cheng and A-Li,” Lan Jue explained. “We’re in Dreamburg, and where wondering if you’d like to join us in training for a little while. There’s only half a month left before this god-team battle we’ve committed to.”

Lan Qing was silent for a moment. Eventually his quiet, constrained voice replied. “Alright. Wait for me at the entrance to the arena.”

“Got it.”

As he hung up, Lan Jue lifted his eyes to see both Hades and Poseidon looking at him in horror.

“What…” DreamNet’s version of Zeus looked at the two of them in confusion.

Chu Cheng heaved a long sigh. “We really do live in an unfair universe,” he lamented. “Why the hell is the big guy always so nice and gentle to you. To me he’s cold as death!”

Lan Jue chuckled. “That’s enough. You have no idea what kind of temper my brother has. He’s just this sort of person, he demands precision. Oh, and you do know that they record everything here, right? Bro is a rather vindictive guy…”

Chu Cheng, gritting his teeth, glared daggers at his young companion. “You’re just desperate for an ass-whoopin’ aren’t ya.”

“You betcha.”

The three of them squabbled good-naturedly as they made their way to the arena. As they walked, they encountered several other god-ranked pilots making their way to various places. They all made way for the three storied Monarchs. Even in DreamNet they were respected and honored.

Who wouldn’t recognize Zeus, Hades and Poseidon, in their masks and robes? Even though the god-team battles were not far away, the Divine Monarchs were still top of the lists for now.

They arrived at the arena before long. The three of them silently awaited the final member of their team. [!. Super excited to see Lan Qing’s godly incarnation! And yes, I know Prometheus isn’t a god.]

Before long, they spied a figure approaching.

He was clad in black robes, and a black mask. Over it all hung a dark set of armor. It seemed like his very presence turned the beautiful and vibrant colors of Dreamburg in to pale shadows of themselves.

“You’re all here.” The black-clad man approached the three monarchs, and stopped.

Chu Cheng chortled. “It’s been a while, boss. How’ve you been?”

Lan Qing, appearing as the others in his godly form Prometheus, nodded in response. His masked face turned to Lan Jue. “I’d like to speak with you about Tai Hua, later.”

“Alright,” his younger brother said with a nod.

Prometheus looked at the time scrawled across the face of his communicator. “I’ve got a meeting in an hour. Let’s get this started.” He didn’t wait for a response, making for the entrance without hesitation.

The three others followed close behind, and the group vanished in to the arena. Several groups of pilots watched from a distance, murmuring quietly to one another.

“That’s Prometheus! You never see him around!”

“Yeah, that’s got to be him. Who else would be leading three of the Divine Monarchs around? What are they doing here?”

“The god-team battle they’ve been advertising is soon. They must be here to train.”

“Probably. Shame they don’t make their training public. It wouldn’t matter the asking price, there’d be scores of people coming to see them fight for themselves.”

“Well you probably won’t have to go without your wish for long. Once their exhibition fight comes, you’ll be able to see them with your own eyes.”

ζ

With Prometheus in the lead, the Four Divine Monarchs entered the arena together, for the first time in ages. In the blink of an eye an arena was chosen, and they appeared within it. Such was Lan Qing’s way; quick, efficient, direct.

They appeared in disparate flashes of light, but not as themselves. Instead they arrived prepared, in four giant and magnificent mecha suits.

The Four Divine Monarchs, four horsemen of the apocalypse, astride their mighty ‘steeds.’ Prometheus within Coeus [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeus], Hades in his machine Cerberus, Zeus athwart Thor, and Poseidon commanding Triton.

Cerberus was a dark, blood red. Thor, a shimmering cobalt blue. Triton was a fresh sky blue. Coeus was a deep, penetrating black.

Seeing the four legendary mechas side by side, there was very little visually to tell them apart, aside from the color. Of course, in reality they each had their different styles and load-outs. Powerful swells of energy radiated from each of them.

“So how do we go about this,” Lan Jue asked.

Chu Cheng rushed to answer. “I’ll be on the boss’ team, you can be with A-Li. Two on two, perfectly fair!”

Hua Li didn’t say anything. Lan Jue, however, gave an irritated response. “Really, fair. We’re brothers, we should be on one team and you and Hua Li should be on the other.”

“Alright,” Lan Qing’s voice quietly interjected. “We’re wasting time. The three of you against me.”

Cerberus turned its metal head to look towards Coeus. “You sure, boss?”