Chapter 3
Gular smiled as he saw the Lione take flight. There was nothing that Marcel could do to prevent the effects from taking place. Even if he were to discover the tampering in his formula, it will be too late for them to be reverse and Dilandau will remain psychotic and bloodthirsty.
Though the effects were air tight, it was General Adelphos that worried him. The General would be the only one who could prevent Dilandau from going completely mad if he mental steeled the child. Though he considered to inconceivable for the ignorant mind of a solder to understand a complex plot that only a sorcerer could create, Adelphos was no ordinary solder. He had the potential of being a great sorcerer and perhaps even surpass Emperor Dornkirk if he so wished, but fortune smiled for Gular and gave Adelphos a sense to strength his arm, and not his mind.
Though not at his full potential however, Adelphos was still cunning. His strategies of battle and his skills with the sword and guymelefs won battles in situations that should have been lost. It was the General who helped make Zaibach the power it was as well as many sorcerers who were immortalized in the Hall of the Wise.
Adelphos was the only wild card, but not a significant one. His loathing for the sorcerers was well known even to the common folk. He made plead after plead with Emperor Dornkirk to not invest so much into science as he should into the art of war. Though many people would have died for such a request Dornkirk knew of Adelphos's victories and contributions to the Empire. He was the only solder who possessed Dornkirk's ear, and that angered Gular terribly.
Footsteps echoed within the room as Folken entered. Gular looked at the reflection of the window and saw him standing there with his yellow robe, labeling him a student. Though he had just started he had shown tremendous progress in learning the art of science. Dornkirk was so impressed that he had given Folken some lessons of his own. It was an honor that not even he was given as a student. Envy boiled in Gular's veins, but he still had control over this boy and he was still his teacher.
"Come here, Folken," He said waving his arm towards the window. Folken obediently followed Gular's orders and stood beside his teacher. "It is not only science that you should learn in this society, Folken. It is also the art of foreseeing events that could possible make or break one's life."
Folken looked to Gular in a puzzling look. "What do you mean?"
"Look out there," He pointed to the scenery. "Tell me what you see, Folken?"
"I see a floating fortress. I think it's called the Lione. Is that what you're pointing to master?"
"Yes, and within is one of my greatest hopes of an experiment. Tell me Folken, what is the most important thing you need to do when you're performing an experiment?"
"To observe," Folken answered.
"Yes," Gular said gleefully. "To observe, but what should one do if he is unable to observe himself?" Gular asked.
"Perhaps have someone do the observing for him and send you the results whenever they can."
"You are absolutely correct, Folken." Gular put his hand on Folken's shoulder.
"Master, what is this experiment that you are talking about?"
Gular smiled, he never thought of it, but he secretly wanted Folken to ask that question. He needed to answer him. "It's a study on how failure of another experiment does to a sorcerer."
"Does the Emperor know of this experiment?"
Gular thought about the question for a moment. He didn't want to be caught in a lie in case someone was listening in. Spies seem to be rampant on sorcerers these days. Sometimes they come in forms of students. "You don't need to worry yourself about that, my dear student. I assure that everything has been taken care of. You may go back to your studies, I will be expecting a report of your lessons by the morning."
"Yes, they are almost done."
Gular was shocked. "Almost done? Are you sure you haven't made any mistakes? You know that cheating is cause for an execution when becoming a sorcerer."
Folken smiled and bowed his head humbly. A little too humble for Gular to dismiss. "Do not worry sir, with the extra lessons that the Emperor had been graciously giving me during my free time had given me great insight. Truly he is a gift from the heavens, I do hope that I would have the honor of learning under him again.
Gular's eyes widen with fury. This lad surpassed him when he was Folken's age. Who was he to accomplish this much already? If this continued he may have to make him obscured, or perhaps even dispose of him altogether.
Folken started to leave and when he reached the door one final question came to Gular's mind.
"Folken?"
"Yes, sir?"
"One more question for you to answer and I shall trouble you no more."
Folken bowed once again, Gular seemed to like that habit of his. "By all means, sir, ask."
"If an experiment doesn't seem to be have a different result than the way it should, what should we do to the experiment?"
Folken looked up in a curious nature. "Sir, that was your very first lesson. If an experiment doesn't give you the results, you write it down and terminate the experiment."
Gular grinned; he most certainly enjoyed the answer. "You are right Folken, you terminate the experiment. You may go, and close the door, I do not want to be disturbed."
Folken gentle closed the door. When the sound on the latch was certain Gular laughed. He could see it all unfolding before him. If this boy does become mad he shall disgrace Marcel beyond repair, however if those results seem not to come, he shall get rid of the child.
He looked with the corner of his eye and saw a red light flashing. It was him. At last he called. Gular rushed quickly to the door to see if it was securely locked, this was a moment where an unexpected visitor was truly not wanted.
After being made sure of the door not opening he opened the channel. The screen turned on and showed darkness.
"Is this a secure channel, I do not want any record of this being brought to me."
A figure moved outside of the shadows, Gular couldn't see any marks or his face, but he knew it was him.
"Yes," the figure replied. "I followed your instructions on sending this channel. I have also memorized the other paths to take so not to make use of the same channel twice, as well as the emergency channel."
Gular smiled, this one was certainly worth the money he paid for. "Now remember, though you were hired as an assassin I do not want you to kill him unless on my say so. All I want you to do for now is to observe and keep track on the boy. Tell me anything and everything you might even consider irrelevant. I want ever detail."
"When do I get to kill him, I am not someone who liked waiting in the shadows for long."
"I want him to get through training first. I want to see if the formula is working or if it does need a new approach. I also want your psychological analysis as he progresses. Anything will be fine."
"What if everything you said comes to pass, I do not want to be here for nothing when I could be having excitement."
"Ever the impatient assassin you are. If he ends up dying by ordinary means your pay shall be doubled. Now, if he goes through training, will you be able to kill him with the skills he'll possess?"
A small laughter came from the shadows. It was icy and heartless, and it made Gular smile grow. "Do not worry about that." Then the channel was suddenly closed.
This was truly not an interesting case, but money was money. Also with the added money if the child killed himself, the assassin for the first time actually hoped that he wouldn't have to kill, but the hope was faint.
With his teaching his father gave him he was already a master pilot as well as a expert swordsman. Only one of the three master swordsman, that infamous Doppelganger, bested him in combat. But he got his revenge when he met him again. Truly he hadn't felt thicker blood than from a doppelganger.
He looked at the photo of the boy. He couldn't possibly understand why he was considered such a threat to this man. But he didn't care, money was money and murder was murder. Both of them excited him.
He took his sword and started to begin his practice. Each swing was precise and accurate. Swordplay wasn't just a way to make a living; it was his form of art. Each swing and each stroke was filled with grace and beauty. He had learned from many people, learning new techniques and styles.
His father made sure he learned how to pilot a guymelef and understand its strengths, weaknesses, and the unique limits that an individual pilot possessed and how to use it against them.
"Sleep well, boy," he said. "As the years shall pass and the sun and the mystic moon shall rise, along with them, you too shall fall.
He threw the picture up and flung a dagger, catching it and sending it to the wall. With a chilling laugh he went to his bed, tomorrow shall begin the hunt. Tomorrow shall begin the ending of Dilandau.
