AN: I'm not at all pleased with the new layout. Sure, I'm glad they finally expanded the box for posting chapters, but everything else is too stressful. Oh, and the preview button is gone. Lovely. -_-

As always folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to voice them.

___________________________________________

My apprentices, Siuun, Umok, and San'yuu, each wore endarkened leathers about their persons whilst wielding a staff of wood. These staves were imbued with a variety of enchantments which should allow them to enhance and amplify their spells to various degrees. As to why I decided to make them my "apprentices"? Well, it was simply because I was curious as to what it would entail. As I've not had one before, and desired the experience before taking on more. Yes. I would have more later in the cycles to come, but they are not part of this storyline just yet.

As to the three before, I made each of them progress through the stages of brutality and torture. No. I did not have them endure such things, but instead made each of them perform such tasks upon the living flesh of three mouse beastmen who were deemed unfit for the various experiments my other servants were performing. Yes. Each was forced to perform such methods, and were not allowed to leave until after their intended target was confirmed to be dead.

What was surprising to my person was Siuun, of whom seemed to enjoy taking apart her intended victim with an innocent grin about her features. However, before all of this occurred, the victim had begged my person for its release of its chains, and when she approached, it begged her to flee from this place it called "Hell".

"Quiet," she squeaked as her clawed hand took up a small knife lying upon a tattered quilt near the chained beastman. Once her clawed hands held such a tool, the girl-child plunged it into its upper thigh, and pulled it downwards. The screams the chained creature ensued were drowned out by the maniacal laughter of the wide-eyed Dragonock. Of whom pulled out the knife in order to plunge it back into the creature's bleeding leg many times until I approached and lifted her small body.

Once she noticed it was my person who held her up, Siuun cried out and hugged my torso whilst her small form shook with a great torrent of liquid erupting from the corners of her eyes. Later, she would exclaim to my person how her eyes did witness the abuse her own kind endured under the hands of others. No. She did not speak of what had occurred, only that they came back with scars and scabs about their persons. As to how she was able to speak of such things, despite her being only a child? This girl-child can be quite talkative when it suits her.

In any case, my free clawed hand pat her head, whilst my voice murmured soothing sounds into her ear until, at last, she calmed down enough to be allowed to place her clawed feet back onto the ground below. Once there, she hugged my side before returning to the now healed mouse beastman. Of whom stared with widened eyes between our persons, before weeping as she held up the knife once more.

Now, as this was occurring, San'yuu had become enamoured by the alchemical stations situated near the torture room close by. What is more, Rojaahn did not seem to mind his presence, and was told of a few potions known by his own people. "This odd leaf," spoke the old Dragonock slowly, gently lifting a red leaf from off a nearby table, "with the colour of darkened blood, when combined with the water of a certain mountain spring-."

"Don't speak of such a word," hissed the metallic beastman, of whom had placed a clawed hand over the muzzle of the other, "The Master does not enjoy hearing the word called "certain", and claims it has been overly used by others for far too long.

"Use words such as 'various' or 'particular'," he continued, releasing the others as his eyes darted towards my back and noticed my head was angled towards their conversation, "If you cannot, then do not speak of such things within earshot of our Lord. For he is not as forgiving when others speak such a word."

"Why? What happens?" Asked San'yuu, of whom did not notice as I had appeared behind his body with a stern face about my features.

"Those of whom do not heed my word," the pair jumped as I spoke, then noticed the baleful glow within my now crimson eyes and shivered as I uttered a single word, "disappear." After speaking such words, my body vanished and reappeared with my back towards the pair as I continued to watch Siuun laughing as she repeatedly stabbed the leg of the mouse beastman repeatedly.

As to what occurred with Umok, he was currently being experimented upon by Auua and Sia. Of whom were plying various enchantments upon his scaled skin, as well as forcing him to drink a few tinctures of my "blood". Of which was nothing more than vials of viscous mana created through the sacrifice of nearly the whole of my energies. Whilst this was occurring, the Draconian neither spoke a word, nor retaliated against the various applications of enchantments. It seemed to my person, at that time, he seemed to have given up on life as a whole. Whereas with time, he would soon come out of wherever his mind had be sent.

For the time being, my Undying servants continued their experiments for a time, until I called for a halt, as the day-star was finally dipping its golden head towards the horizon once more. "Eat," muttered Sia into the ear of Umok. Of whom did respond by eating what was presented in front of his large maw. The items placed inside his maw filled with razor-like teeth was none other than the leg the beastman was tortured upon by little Siuun. Of whom was now upon my right shoulder, whilst Shoriin was forced to endure a "cuddle from hell", as many of my ervants have called such a thing. For the small creature was being hugged and cuddled with by the small girl-child after being forced to attack another living being.

As for San'yuu, it seemed to my person he had taken the advice to heart, as he had refrained from spouting such words from that point onwards. Nearly all of my servants, and potential servants, have refrained from incurring my ire over such words as "certain". However, there always seemed to be a few which decided to call upon my bluff. Unfortunately for them, they had indeed disappeared, whilst leaving only an echo of their scream behind.

Though I may have an eternal patience for the antics of those around my person, it is best to never try such a thing. As my temper is a dangerous weapon, and many know of this quite intimately.

In any case, once night had come to pass once more, much of the small army of a little over two hundred individuals had gathered outside the hole in the ground where my true servants conducted their training and experiments. Once all had gathered, they were immediately split into two equal groups. One of which would stay as the guard for the small village which would soon crop up when more had been added to the buildings scattered about near the entrance. Whereas the other, along with a third of my Undying, will traverse the outskirts of the destroyed city with my person. This was simply to find and attack the caravan of slaves, and perhaps a few villages if we had time.

Yes. Many complained about not being able to leave, but such words were quashed as they will be enduring several dozen training sessions in order to hone their newly acquired skills and abilities. However, there was also the twenty and six non-combatants, of whom had become depressed over not being chosen to wield the same skills and abilities as the others have. No. They would not gain something similar, instead it would be something much more dangerous.

"You who have not been chosen by my person or the shades of long ago, stand before us now." My voice echoed throughout the forest, calling upon those of whom are without a path to take. When they finally came upon my person, my eyes did see their dejected gazes full of depression, and smirked upon witnessing such sorrow. "Do not believe you are unworthy of such gifts, for I will now bestow upon you something for more important, and equally dangerous. For you twenty and six shall become 'Messengers', and must scatter upon the winds in order to find and secure those of whom are your brothers and sisters. Once you have completed such a task, they must then be brought here, where we shall begin a war this world of Azara has never seen before.

"For you see, my dear Draconians and Dragonocks, I have come to free you all from the chains that bind you, and raise you all to new heights."

Finally! I can edit the damn thing.