Lanterns dimly flickered down the dark hallway but that did not matter to the man as he knew his way through the dungeons chambers as well as he knew his way around his own castle. He didn't frequent the chambers much just when he was summoned and he followed Grizol down to the depths under the castle.
The crashing of waves echoed through the rock that surrounded him. Part of the dungeon chambers were submerged in the ocean and the man wondered how that didn't drive his scientist mad. They finally made their way to the laboratory. The Emperor didn't know anything about how the bubbling green liquid worked if merged with the fiery blue liquid but Grizol understood it and he trusted the scientist to succeed in his task.
The laboratory was a dark cavern as the flicker of lantern light couldn't illuminate the darkest corners of the laboratory. Scattered around the room were books and scrolls that contained ingredients and directions to the formulas. Half of the laboratory was different colored liquids in vases and vials as they bubbled and sat on a wooden table that hung onto the rock wall.
"This doesn't make sense Grizol," the Emperor growled. "Just show me what I came down here to see."
The scientist bowed and shuffled toward a line of cells that littered the other side of the laboratory. Lined uniformly in the cells were one hundred men. There were twenty men to a cell with room for more. They were exactly alike. The men had the same strong build for shoulders as the muscles continued to their arms. Their chest and stomach were toned and taunt. A single scar covered the left eye as they waited with eyes closed naked in their cells.
"Ah yes Grizol, my perfect fighting machines," the Emperor smiled as he paced and stopped in front of each cell. "When will they be ready for testing?"
"I need about three days sir," Grizol paced toward his potions. "I need to be sure that the experiments have the correct dosage. They need to last in battle and never get tired. I am almost there. I just need to adju…."
The scientist rambled on as he measured and calculated his potions and formulas. The Emperor had heard enough. "I will be back in three days time Grizol," he shouted as he trudged up the dark stairs that led to the castle. "They will be ready or else it will be your head scientist."
The Empeor had made his way out of the dungeon chambers and into the Great Hall where his throne sat. As he approached his throne, he noticed a pair of boots dangling off the side of the arm rest. This infuriated him as he quickened his pace to his throne.
"Your Majesty why do you make me wait?" the voice came from the throne as the Emperor approached it. "I don't like to be kept waiting."
The Emperor made his way to the front of the throne. He saw the only man who made him tremble. His dark clothes were covered in blood as he watched the man get up. The Emperor back stepped to make room for him.
"Why do I terrify you as such?" The man placed a bloody hand on the Emperor's shoulder. "Why doesn't the evil one frighten you your majesty?"
"You are just as evil as the warlock Xiros," the Emperor trembled as the bloody hand lifted off his shoulder. "Why have you come?"
The assassin paced around the room. The moonlight found its way into the great hall and danced around the assassin as dust sprayed into the air and was illuminated by the moonlight. Xiros turned to face the Emperor.
"I just wanted to make sure you knew what side you were on," Xiros let a small smile fill his face.
"Does that warlock think I am going to betray him?" The Emperor let out a little laugh. "Does he think that I am going to take his army that I am building and turn them against him?"
"Goremise just wants to make sure that you know what side you are when the war comes knocking on your front door," Xiros drew closer to the man. He could see the fright in his eyes and it made the assassin smile.
"I am loyal to that evil warlock, am I not?" The Emperor was forced to withdraw from Xiros. "I build this army for him. I use my resources so that we can win the war. I am sending every assassin I have to kill Cortdz. Everything I do, I do for him."
Xiros allowed the man to catch his breath before he paced the room again, hands behind his back. "I can assure you Sire that your loyalty will not go unrewarded. There is a war coming and sooner than I think even Goremise expects. Any news of the rebellious king?"
"None that you don't already know," the Emperor didn't relax at all. "I have sent every assassin I could at the stupid bastard but to no avail. He is a slippery snake. The Citadel lied to me and I will make them pay."
"My master is doing all the hard work and all you have left to do is build his army and eliminate the rogue king," Xiros said sternly to the Emperor. "Now I must go as this was just a courtesy rendezvous to see if your loyalties have shifted and the evil one will be delighted to know that they have not."
Before the Emperor could say anything he watched the dark assassin escape out of the front door and down the cliff. He didn't know why the dark assassin frightened him so much. He was the ruler of the country but even he had to admit that having the warlock's help will help his power spread to other countries. Xiros was right in the fact that Goremise was the evil one but maybe it was the fact that the assassin worked for the evil one and he never showed any emotions or he wouldn't hesitate to betray the Emperor if it knew he could take advantage of it.
He shuddered and slunk into his throne as he watched the moonlight dance around the room. The guards were standing watch over him and that put his mind as ease as his eyes became heavier and he watched the back of his eyelids take control.