Experienced hands placed the record on the gramophone and with a few twists of the crank, the music played softly in the dim light of the living room.
Relius Clover seated himself in a large crimson plush chair. He sighed in contentment. Yes, this was the life. Classical music, comfort seating and notes to review to pursue perfection. Truly, it was a fine wine, a delicacy to put all night's to shame. And he had it all to himself. Splendid.
Ignis hovered near the door, facing the wall. She had been positioned there by Relius. She was no longer needed, not ordered to do anything else. She would just stare until ordered to next join her husband.
Picking up a thick wad of notes from a ring binder, Relius began his night's work, right by a roaring fire. He smirked slightly as he saw the procedures.
Subject: Ada Clover. Picked for experimentation due to high application of seithr in previous studies. Also, willing.
"Ada, will you come here a moment?"
"Yes, Father?"
"I require your aid in one of my experiments. I trust you will be able to fulfil the task to my expectations."
"Of course, father! You know I'd do anything to aid your research!"
First, subject was prepared for experimentation. Various exercises, mental and physical, were performed.
"This seems a little much, Father."
"Of course not! What is Perfection if we cannot push ourselves to the limits? For your Father, Ada? Just a few more laps."
"Yes...yes, of course."
Then subject was introduced to chemical compound CHCl3
"Father, what's...that...?"
"Hush, Ada. Just hush. It is time for the experiment to begin."
Then strapped to a table for ease of procedure. Seithr administration.
"...wh..what's..."
"Hmm...interesting."
Subject awoke on operating table.
"What's happening? WHAT ARE-OW! !"
"Ada, quiet down. You're becoming irritating."
Once first seithr infusion complete, molten steel applied to limbs.
"FATHER NO! PLEASE! IT HURTS! PLEASE DON'T!"
"Ada, I will be forced to gag you if you continue to interrupt my thoughts like this. Perfection takes time and sacrifice."
Once cooled, steel is sharpened. Subject began to show signs of increasing chance of heart failure. Jumpstarted with defibrilators. An interesting take on pain threshold could be learned from this procedure. After sharpening, mental dampening drugs applied.
"Carl...Mother...why did you...it hurts...hurts so much...father...daddy...why...?"
"At last, free of that prattle."
Metal applied to torso and extremities. Subject hardly responding, even to pain and electroshock therapy, yet heart rate remains as erratic as ever and breathing appears to have stopped despite subject's life signs being crystal clear.
"Hmm...perhaps the final part will coax some obedience out of you. Unfortunately, you appear to be a failure, Ada. How unfortunate. It seems Ignis will have to do"
"...m...o...t...h...e...r..."
Subject, despite all previous attempts at rousing, awoke once again. Body fully replaced by steel coating and puppet body, head became wide awake and thrashed, enraged, hurt, angry.
"IT HURTS BECAUSE OF YOU! DON'T TOUCH MOMMY! OR CARL! ! NO! NO! NO! NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO-"
Molten mask covered head. Subject's life signs finally cease before being reactivated due to seithr infusion. Subject now known as a Nox Nyctores: Nirvana.
Shuffling his papers, Relius smirked. She had been a feisty one indeed. Perhaps he had been too dismissive to toss her aside straight away. Ah well, one's own failures are often noticed with the benefit of hindsight. It was 20/20 as they say. Still, it had been fortunate.
Nirvana had been the first attempt. The draft, so to speak. Any mistakes Relius had made, they were made with her. All to prepare for the main event. His wife. Trust Ignis to be much more docile after confronting her with the fate of her daughter. She hadn't believed Relius at first, fully unable to comprehend the absolute scientific genius that he had been. Her soul had been nearly wrenched in two when she saw Nirvana, however. A most interesting reaction, one that would have garnered more interested from her if she had been able to respond at all. She was awake, yet catatonic upon knowing her daughter's fate.
Leafing through the notes, Relius found the part he was after.
Subject, once presented with the condition of Nox Nyctores Nirvana, fell into an awake, yet catatonic state. No resistance offered up as Subject was carted onto table, infused with the seithr. Molten steel provided whimpers, but no cries of pain, despite her life signs fluctuating wildly. No resistance offered at all until the mask was about to be placed.
"...r..e..l...i..u..s...don'ttouchcarl...don'tyoudare...iwon'tletyou..."
"A bold statement, my wife. You will not be able to live up to it, I'm afraid, but we all make errors in judgement."
"...youbastard..."
Molten Mask applied. Life signs cease, then reanimate as normal. Soul fully under my control. All capability for free will destroyed. Detonator Ignis, Complete.
Final Thoughts: That was easier than I first anticipated.