In a long white marble room sat a man. The last rays?of the setting sun were just visible through the high?narrow windows behind the throne, the one that the man?sat on. A circlet of silver rested on his head. The?fading light glanced off the rows of pillars that?stretched down the length of the room, reaching up? into the darkness. Black marble tiles ran down the?hall from just before the throne to the large wooden?door directly opposite. The door was intricately?carved and had many metal bars that ran across,?reinforcing the already sturdy door. The door slowly? creaked open, not all the way but just wide enough to?let three figures though. Two of the men were clad in?steel armor, carrying heavy pikes with broadswords at?the their hips. In the middle of the two sentinels?walked another man, wearing a navy blue robe, a sheaf ?of paper clutched under one arm. They approached the?throne, walking to the other side of the room.. The?throne was situated on a a set of tiered steps, so you?had to look up at it occupant Even when sitting, he ?was still a foot higher than the average person. Once?the guards and the man wearing the robes of the royal?scholars reached the first steep, the two guards?immediately dropped to one knee, keeping their spears?straight up in the air. Startled, the young scholar?dropped to one knee too, bowing his head and imitating?the guards. ?The king's voice was calm but razor focused. "Rise,"?he commanded. The scholar did, but the guards?remained stationary.?
“Now what progress have you made with the experiment?I have assigned you?"?
The scholar, now just finding his voice, stuttered.?“Well,” he hesitated riffling through the papers he?had brought with him, “Well, we have made progress. We?have reduced the fatalities that happen during the?conversion process, but...eh,” the scholar was ?flipping though his many pages of notes frantically,?"We have had a bit more trouble converting some of?them, however over seventy percent of the time it is?only triggered by a strong emotion such as rage or?fear. Afterwords, they seem less ... less..."?
“Less what," demanded the king, his voice cutting through the scholar's stuttering.?
"The subjects become disillusioned afterwords. They ?are much less cooperative, your majesty. They dislike?what has been done to them"?
“That should not stop you. They have no reason to?resent you, you have given them a gift. Do you need?more specimens?"?
"No, not yet your majesty, but soon we will. We have?one more we wish to convert and collect data from?before we try to refine the process further, and after?that we will have to analyze the data. We will need?some fresh subjects in about three months."?
"Very well. Continue on this project, and give me?monthly reports. Come back when you need more?supplies, or if you reach a breakthrough. I have?another idea for an experiment that I would like to?begin very soon as well. Within the week in fact. Send?one of your scribes here tomorrow and I will detail?what I want to him. You are dismissed."? The guards rose while the scholar bowed, relieved.?The three turned and walked back down the black tiled?path and out the heavy wooden door. The sky was black?outside now, only the light of the moon shone through?the windows. Finally, the king allowed himself a small? smile.
