Rise of a Monster

Prologue

"You summoned me, Mother?" Asked a lean figure in immaculate, intricate dark robes as he knelt before an experimentation bench wider than any of their servants' homes.

"Indeed."

The man and woman both paused their conversation as one of the hundred captured men and women nailed to the table screamed and writhed in sudden agony. Casually, as if plucking up paper, the woman reached down the throat of one of their enemies until her elbow passed his toothless gums. With a sharp twist and a pull, she removed her arm once more. Inspecting the still-spurting heart for only a moment, she nodded, then dropped it into a pouch held by a nearby servant.

Not bothering to wipe her hands off, Celendi, current Monarch of the Morian family, stepped smartly to the next woman at the table. An array of instruments descended and this time, at her gesture, a servant stepped up to gag the woman before the tools made contact with her skin

As if they were strolling through a noon-day market, Celendi continued.

"Your little brother has toed outside of the family's laws for the last time. When I heard of his plan to experiment alone for a few years out on the edge of those wilds, I will admit, even as his mother I was relieved that he would at least be far from where trouble could continue to find him."

"You mean from where he could make it."

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Celendi inclined her head, acknowledging if not outright accepting the point. The woman next to her writhed violently, and she stared into those desperate flailings as if she could read meaning from them.

From what Deyn knew of his mother's abilities, he had no doubt she could. He waited patiently until she spoke next, wondering what manner of error his little brother could possibly have made for word of it to have gotten all the way back here.

"One of our ancestor's books has been reported missing." Celendi said softly, as if each word were an execution. "Along with the skull of one of his oldest, long-interred companions. The thief had access to our family's magic, knowledge of our ritual seals, and set off no alarms despite penetrating one of our deepest sanctums."

Deyn's eyes widened until the cool air in the room dried them to the point he had to blink furiously to keep tears from falling.

"I-- Even Bancroft couldn't... he wouldn't have dared--"

"Apparently, he did. The timing of his departure matches the description a fallen minion gave of the thief who entered that night."

Their conversation was interrupted once more as Celendi retrieved another heart. Six more were retrieved before either spoke. Deyn took the time to process the information.

The city was still intact, so clearly their ancestor had not decided not to take the affront personally. Bancroft's every organ and inch of skin were not prominently displayed in a stretch across the sky as a warning to all either, so again... it appeared their venerable ancestor had chosen mercy.

No, Deyn realized. He has chosen me.

There was only one reason their mother would not handle such a failing from one of her own with her own hands. As she was currently demonstrating, Celendi was not a woman who ordered others to do her work for her.

Lead by their hearts indeed, Mother. Deyn bowed lower in her direction, forehead to the floor.

"I will retrieve what he took, Mother."

"Go." Celendi whispered, in a voice so soft and cold even the man being tortured to his very last paused as if to listen to her.

"And bring my boy back to me, one last time, no matter his condition."

Deyn shivered, recognizing the veiled permission hidden in her words. He stood, slowly, and bowed once more.

"Of course, Mother."

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