10.

The floorboards creaked under Erak’s steps, each groan racing through the deserted space as he walked into the villa.Wall to wall with stained black furniture of heavy woods, silver draconic sculptures placed in every flat space, oil paintings of various Imperial figures hung from bronze hooks.

A chandelier swayed above the foyer, coated in black wax from the dozens of candles on it. The wicks had been coated in something that caused the flames to burn red, the faint light of each candle hardly penetrating the gloom of the room.

A long banquet table dominated the center of the room, plates filled with half-eaten and congealed foods. Silver cutlery lay abandoned, strewn about the banquet with a row of extinguished candles in wrought iron candleholders. There had been six seats arranged, each with a large oval dinner plate. The head of the table had a massive throne-like chair, the Imperial sigil carved into the backrest of it.

“I know he’s my father, but this place is creepy,” Sammus said. His footsteps were lost in the creaking of each of Erak’s steps. Pomp looked over Erak’s shoulder to the prince and voiced his agreement.

“This is more of a hunting lodge than the size of an Emperor’s personal retreat. Do you see the doorway there? It shouldn’t lead to anything of substance based on the layout of the house. We’re near the back of it now.” Pomp told the two of them. Erak looked at the door, a subtle door that blended in with the walls.

Erak walked over to it, his large hand encompassing the thin metal. Decorative metal bent under his fingers, but the lock popped open and he pulled it open soundlessly and peered down. Metal stairs led into the depths, completely impossible to see into the depths that led deeper down.

Erak pointed at the candles and Sammus didn’t need any instructions as he leapt lightly onto the banquet table and pulled some of the still burning candles out of their holders on the chandelier before lighting the extinguished candles on the table. He scooped one up and grunted in surprise.

“Careful Erak, they’re quite heavy.” Sammus handed one of them to him and Erak could appreciate the heft of the heavy iron work. He could definitely brain something with it if it came down to it.

He led the way, boots clanking on stairs as he shoved the red candle further ahead of him, the inky blackness hardly diluted as he went down, further and further and further. The air was stale and rank, the stench of decay growing stronger the deeper they delved.

“Definitely getting murdered,” Sammus muttered again and Erak snorted so softly that he doubted even Pomp heard him.

The stairs ended suddenly, opening up into a wide atrium with low-ceilings. Erak’s head was only a few feet from scraping the bottom and if he was forced to use his blades he’d have to remember to stab and not hack downward. Having a sword stuck in the ceiling would be a miserable end.

As Erak walked a form shimmered into being in front of them, incandescent light spilling out around it as the figure solidified. A tall man with a widow's peak of flat black hair and a pair of eyeglasses on a chain around his neck. Sallow skin and sunken eyes the figure appeared distracted as it looked around briefly before looking at the trio.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Spirit of Intellect

Rare

“No, we are not the same,” Pomp said as Erak read the description of the newest spirit, reading Erak’s thoughts before Erak could direct them towards the small dragon.

“Your companion is correct. I am not the same as he is. Similar to what he was, but not as he is.” The spirit’s voice was thin and wavered, strained as if he’d suffered smoke inhalation.

“You are the artificial intelligence of this place?” Sammus asked, coming out and from behind of Erak to stare at the spirit.

“I was. Then I became this,” the figure indicated itself with a lazy hand roll. A cigarette appeared between its fingers and it took a long draw of it, the cherry red light bright in the dark.

“What was the purpose of this place? I thought it was a simple hunting lodge, or the personal abode of my father. He’d have no reason to have an A.I in place to run a personal home.”

“HAHAHAHAHA” the spirit threw its head back, raspy laugh ringing out across the dark atrium. The spirit wiped at its eyes and then sighed deeply, still smiling as he recovered.

“No,no,no. This place was a facility for the most heretical of the biological experiments being conducted in the Empire. At least in this province.I was a closed system; but at times, the data entered by hand couldn’t have come from our experiments here or at the secondary facility in the city itself.”

“What exactly were you doing?” Sammus asked.

“Lord Glacies has managed over the century to breed a group of warriors that have overperformed by every metric. The Emperor wanted to not only emulate, but surpass it. Lord Glacies looked towards the elder races in his search for genetic material. The Emperor looked to impart divinity itself into his warriors.”

“The god’s messengers,” Sammus whispered. While at the same time Erak began to feel the old pulse of rage in his heart. That the hubris of the emperor, that a mere mortal would be so egotistical to commit such sacrilege.

“Dragons. Your little friend there has modeled himself off of them, but he can not encapsulate the strength of a true dragon.”

“So, just more of those creatures we fought in the other facility?” Pomp asked for Erak.

“That facility housed the biological experiments while this facility was primarily a research facility.”

“Primarily?” Sammus asked.

“Primarily. There were a few samples stored here, along with some of the more finished products.”

“Finished products?” Pomp asked this time

“Samples?” Sammus asked in surprise.

“Yes. Bones of dragons that have been harvested for their marrow. A few scales, teeth, talons, anything that has persevered through the years and was able to provide genetic material. As for the finished products, there were a few different methods of delivery that the Empire was pursuing.” The spirit fell quiet and looked at them expectantly.

Erak realized the spirit was enjoying this. With a thought Erak caught Pomp’s attention and the little dragon listened for a moment before speaking for Erak.

“How are you allowed to talk to us about this information? Isn’t it classified?”

“Ahhh…well…hmmm…” the spirit looked confused for a moment.

“Are you distracting us?” Pomp asked and the spirit’s confused look faded away before a sly smile crossed his face.

“Yes. You are all not allowed to be here. It just took awhile for the security to activate. It doesn’t matter if you know what this place was for or did. None of you will be leaving here.”

“Erak, you just take me to the nicest places,” Sammus said as he drew his sword. Erak grunted as he took the dragonbone sword off of his shoulder and looked past the spirit and into the darkness beyond. The enemy spirit began to fade away but Pomp growled and leapt at him, fangs ripping into its incorporeal form and the spirit screamed in agony. It flashed brightly, banished in the darkness for a moment for Erak to see the lumbering shapes heading toward them.