Legends of Endrian: The Rebirth
Origins: Avarice
Dropping to one knee, the nude figure touched his forehead with two fingers and inclined his head, dropping his gaze in deference as was proprietary. Without waiting for the command, he rose and settled his halberd into the rough rock. Though the blood red sky offered little more than gloomy, rose colored light, the emperor carefully scrutinized the face of his favored Archios.
"Speak."
"I have little to report beyond what is already known," the Archios said without a trace of hesitance, a trait that the emperor admired about his underling, for so few demonstrated such confidence. "But I bear unexpected news."
The emperor's long hands gripped the arms of his granite throne as he leaned forward to rest a displeased gaze on the man before him.
"It appears that the war has progressed, although I am certain that you have already predicted that. The Cipher have decided to intervene, siding with our enemy. Their king is a frail one, however, and afflicted with some sort of disease, although it is possible that he has been merely drugged or poisoned. We do not know who could be behind such an event, as none of the groups I have investigated have held evidence of the deed."
The emperor waved away the concubines draped on and around his throne. The scantily-clad harem dispersed without comment, obviously trained or accustomed to his fleeting interest in them, if it could be even considered interest.
"Did you investigate this yourself, or did you allow a servant to do it for you?"
"I have led the investigation myself," he answered, bowing again from the waist before briefly touching his forehead. "But I will continue to watch, if that is your desire."
"It is. Continue your vigilance. We can expect an attack from the illogical Cipher at any moment , despite the supposed condition of their king. Remain watchful, and return to me if you become aware of anything new."
"As you wish."
Before the emperor could dismiss his Archios, a servant sidled in, meekly staying to the shadows until their business was concluded.
"Deliver your message, slave," he commanded, waving forward the frightened youth. When he stepped into the light, it was clear why he had remained in darkness. That particular slave was a captured Cipher, a former prisoner of war. The emperor's eyes regarded him like burning coals in two empty eye sockets.
"M-Master Avarice has been offered a contract... I have the documents right here, your majesty." The slave bowed in reverence, raising his hands to offer up the papers. "Also, there is a written correspondence for you."
"Leave us, now, slave," he said, waving the youth away. After reading the letter, his eyes narrowed. "You," he commanded, gesturing to a nearby warrior, "have that servant whipped and his fingers broken." The soldier bowed and exited the room with a slightly-satisfied expression.
Avarice waited for his ruler to speak, his expression free of curiosity. Maleficar rarely exhibited such emotions outwardly, but Archiomancers especially extinguished their emotions as they often complicated the relationships that Archiomancers established with their mortal subjects. Avarice was an Archios in demand due to his ability to sever his emotions from his logic. He had been born a mundane and risen to become the emperor's own right hand- an unusual circumstance.
"Archiomancer," he said, re-rolling the parchment. "I expect this contract will not delay you any longer than absolutely necessary." He paused, scowling before tossing the contract to Avarice. "Also, let me make myself perfectly clear: you will not let the information in this contract interfere with our current contract. Do you understand?"
Avarice tucked away the document into a rift in the air. "I understand, your majesty."
"To do otherwise would incur drastic punishment. You know of what I speak, do you not?" He did not wait for an answer and Avarice would never have given one. "Exile, my dear Archios. But before that, a ritual to strip you of your power and everything you are. There is a grave price for failure."
The screams of the slave being tortured rung out into the chamber, reverberating on the walls and echoing as if it were a chorus of damned in Hell.
Avarice nodded and merely pressed his fingertips to his forehead.
"Speak."
"I have little to report beyond what is already known," the Archios said without a trace of hesitance, a trait that the emperor admired about his underling, for so few demonstrated such confidence. "But I bear unexpected news."
The emperor's long hands gripped the arms of his granite throne as he leaned forward to rest a displeased gaze on the man before him.
"It appears that the war has progressed, although I am certain that you have already predicted that. The Cipher have decided to intervene, siding with our enemy. Their king is a frail one, however, and afflicted with some sort of disease, although it is possible that he has been merely drugged or poisoned. We do not know who could be behind such an event, as none of the groups I have investigated have held evidence of the deed."
The emperor waved away the concubines draped on and around his throne. The scantily-clad harem dispersed without comment, obviously trained or accustomed to his fleeting interest in them, if it could be even considered interest.
"Did you investigate this yourself, or did you allow a servant to do it for you?"
"I have led the investigation myself," he answered, bowing again from the waist before briefly touching his forehead. "But I will continue to watch, if that is your desire."
"It is. Continue your vigilance. We can expect an attack from the illogical Cipher at any moment , despite the supposed condition of their king. Remain watchful, and return to me if you become aware of anything new."
"As you wish."
Before the emperor could dismiss his Archios, a servant sidled in, meekly staying to the shadows until their business was concluded.
"Deliver your message, slave," he commanded, waving forward the frightened youth. When he stepped into the light, it was clear why he had remained in darkness. That particular slave was a captured Cipher, a former prisoner of war. The emperor's eyes regarded him like burning coals in two empty eye sockets.
"M-Master Avarice has been offered a contract... I have the documents right here, your majesty." The slave bowed in reverence, raising his hands to offer up the papers. "Also, there is a written correspondence for you."
"Leave us, now, slave," he said, waving the youth away. After reading the letter, his eyes narrowed. "You," he commanded, gesturing to a nearby warrior, "have that servant whipped and his fingers broken." The soldier bowed and exited the room with a slightly-satisfied expression.
Avarice waited for his ruler to speak, his expression free of curiosity. Maleficar rarely exhibited such emotions outwardly, but Archiomancers especially extinguished their emotions as they often complicated the relationships that Archiomancers established with their mortal subjects. Avarice was an Archios in demand due to his ability to sever his emotions from his logic. He had been born a mundane and risen to become the emperor's own right hand- an unusual circumstance.
"Archiomancer," he said, re-rolling the parchment. "I expect this contract will not delay you any longer than absolutely necessary." He paused, scowling before tossing the contract to Avarice. "Also, let me make myself perfectly clear: you will not let the information in this contract interfere with our current contract. Do you understand?"
Avarice tucked away the document into a rift in the air. "I understand, your majesty."
"To do otherwise would incur drastic punishment. You know of what I speak, do you not?" He did not wait for an answer and Avarice would never have given one. "Exile, my dear Archios. But before that, a ritual to strip you of your power and everything you are. There is a grave price for failure."
The screams of the slave being tortured rung out into the chamber, reverberating on the walls and echoing as if it were a chorus of damned in Hell.
Avarice nodded and merely pressed his fingertips to his forehead.