To Mold a Mind

[Demathos]

She came to me - a useless mess, a fool, and without worth. She must have seen me at the Enclave; it drew her to me. Of all the things she could have begged for, though, it was for me only to accept her servitude. Of all the things she could hope to declare herself, it was the title of "slave" that appealed to her first and foremost. It is strange, and even bizarre, the way that the evening transpired, and it was beyond question that something was wrong with the girl while she asked to have her freedom stripped from her as she released barely coherent sentences. However, what was perhaps even more bizarre than her request to be adopted as a slave was my declination of the offer; but in all seriousness, how could I ever hope to make use of one such as her? The girl was feeble-minded; she possessed the body of a battle-hardened adult, but the mind of an incompetent, moronic child. A child not even capable of knowing left from right, nor up from down - it was nothing short of a marvel that the woman could even fathom the complexities of turning a doorknob. It would bring shame upon me to even associate with her, let alone be seen with her at the Enclave. With her presence, my already-fragile standing there would be jeopardized, and I would lose any hope of being taken seriously.

But she was persistent, and it was in good fortune that she was, for if that had not been the case, I would have succumbed to a terrible miscalculation of her value. While I had blundered in overanalysing her pitiful mental faculties, I had payed no mind to the heavy sword she carried at her side, nor the plate armour that adorned her muscular body, nor the scars and tell-tale marks of one who has seen and survived on many a battlefield. Her intelligence resembled that of one who had encountered an unfortunate amount of Intellect Devourers, though what she lacked in one department she compensated for with another, and she could thus be used. Tools bear no intelligence, though are of great constructive purpose, and destructive purpose, when in the hands of one who does indeed have the appropriate intelligence to act in accordance. I knew it would be a chore, and perhaps even a burden, but I was determined to craft a mighty tool out of crudely shaped materials; to mould a mind.

Taking priority over all things, though, was confirming that she was even capable of matching the assumptions I had made in regards to her physical qualities and abilities. The entire crux of my plan revolved around the girl being a well-tuned combat machine, as without that element, she would be lacking in anything even remotely close to what I would come to require in a slave. And so, I entrusted her with a task - a task in which her usefulness would be fully defined by her success or failure. Cleverly, I sent her to the resident Grimaxe Orc Tribe, demanding any prize in the form of stags that she might claim, to be returned to myself for my own personal use; if she were to not come back, her uselessness would be decided, whereas if she came back, the content that returned with her would aid in the deciding of my future plans for the girl.

I now patiently await her return.

-Pyras Demathos

[Gamling]

The forest was dense with adventurers this warm, calm evening. They sought treasures, battles, glory, fun... but not Lauan. She had one purpose being in that forest, to make sure her master's will was done.

The goblins and gnolls served no problem, the real battle was in her mind, thought useless by everyone else.

"How would Brak want me...? Sehron... Yashia..." she says the last name with hate, swinging her sword downward in a poetic motion, cleaving an orcs head from his shoulders.

"The tried and make me free... but I am not free, I can't be free, I am master's and nobody else's." Her brows furrow as she continues up the orc encampments, annoyed by the bickering of her companions.

A bolt from a slit in the fort shot out and pierced through the human warriors armor, causing her to turn focus to the battle at hand.

Ogres, orcs, puddles of acid all clawing at her, she still remained passive, swinging her sword in fell, gigantic swoops, taking chunks of flesh out from the various green creatures before her. It splattering her in blood, she smiled.

"Master will know... he always knows, I would not have gone to master if he didn't know." She dodges a futile attempt at a club swing by an ogre.

"He will make things easy, I just need to listen to master, and I can do good. Love and happy is dumb... unless master wants, I will not be eiether."

When the battle field is barren, some of her companions slain, or retreated, she snatched the gold purses from all the creatures.

She dumped the gore covere staggs in one giant pouch. Not knowing how to count, she assumed the huge pile of gold was a thousand.

"Master will be really, really happy... and that's what matters mostly." She walks off with a content smile on her face, back to the enclave, covred in gore.

[Demathos]

I have been so caught up in other pressing matters that I have not yet stopped to determine whether or not I am surprised that the girl came back from her violent task. I had been initially divided in my thinking, unsure of what to expect from the walking paradox of a human, though it has been made clear that she is indeed usable for what I have in mind. She has proven not only that she is a capable warrior, but that she can also recall and accomplish the tasks and orders that have been presented to her - she returned with the stags I had demanded. To my pleasant surprise, she even returned with more than I had asked for; scrolls, gems, and potions. It is unfortunate that I had to discipline the girl for not following my orders to the letter, but it was necessary to prevent possible future mishaps that I cannot afford. Although her disobedience was in my better interests, that might not be the case next time or the times to come thereafter, and thus, I had to quell her desire to "think outside the box", as it were. I was, and am, pleased to see that the touch of her original master has not entirely been eradicated from her being, as she still responds quite well to simple punishments. She looks promising.

Promising or not, though, much is to be done before I might proceed with the next stage of my plan for the girl. She has since proven her ability to deal with matters of the sword, but there remains the matter of her feeble mind. Although it is common for a slave to be an impossibly dim-witted imbecile, my intentions for this one are that which would require the simple capability of abstract thought, and minor problem-solving abilities. From what I have seen of the girl, this task will be a difficult one for both her and I, as I can predict that I shall grow profoundly frustrated before she finally manages to grasp even the simplest of practices.

. . .

An idea occurs to me.

If I can begin to culture and strengthen the mind of the girl without my own presence, I can save myself much time, effort, and probable blinding anger. All that I must do is assign her tasks to be completed in my absence, and upon my return, assess her progress and re-evaluate the assignments and their effectiveness. The burden of the tasks shall be upon her, whereas for me, I have created a study project involving the mind of another - this could open multiple opportunities for me, including published recordings, and applied learning tactics into the schools of Illusion and Enchantment, with her mind as a metaphorical playground. The thought grows more and more exciting with each passing moment! I can already feel the surge of ideas rushing through my mind as I contemplate what manner of educational task I shall force the girl to perform, though none stand out to me so much as culturing her artistic mental faculties. With luck, strengthening the aforementioned artistic component could open avenues into her creative processes, and abstract thought, which are obvious priorities with my final goal in mind.

After next time I meet the fool, I shall instruct her to study both a painting of my choice, as well as finding her own preferred piece of art. Upon my return, I shall have her detail what she thinks and feels in regards to the paintings, and strengthen her mind by having her identify the connection and relevance between her inward thought, and the outward piece of art. With hope, she will gain at least a mild insight into her own untamed thought process.

-Pyras Demathos

[Gamling]

"Did you find a painting you liked, Lauan?" Pyras's voice sounded as he entered the lounge. Lauan stood in front of the painting of a young, blonde haired, icy blue eyed woman. The woman's gaze seemed familiar, and she clasped her bare shoulders, her head turned to face the veiwer, but her body turned the other way. Maybe she was shy... cold... scared. Lauan had thought of several reasons for her posture, but it reminded her all too well of a life she had once pretended to have.

"Yes. I have." Lauan replied uietly, pointing at the selected painting. "Good, now what do you think of the painting, why do you like it?" She though for several moments before she realized that the painting looked like Yashia, which in turn reminded her of all the friends she once had. Lauan frowned, looking to Pyras."It reminds me of friends..." Pyras frowned, knowing she held desire for her previous life. "Friends? You mean the ones who told you master was bad?" Lauan nodded. "The ones who would deprive you of what you need? A master?" She continued to nod.

The rage inside Lauan grew, as Pyras had informed her of the lies she was told. The hugs, kisses, compliments and games were all lies, just to make her weak. "How does this make you feel?" Pyras said slyly. Lauan's eyes were red, filled with tears. She clenched her fists, biting her lip. She replied in a hollow voice. "Sad..." She looked at the painting. "Go on... tell your friends how you feel." Pyras allowed Lauan to cuss, scream, and harrass the painting. with one final cry, she slumped to the ground, her roar now a pathetic sob.

Pyras went back to reading his book as Lauan lay on the ground in a zombified state. Thoughts raced through her head. "Brak.... what about Brak? He would still love me..."She sat back up after about 30 minutes, joining Pyras on the couch, he paid her no mind. Her eyes now dark with childish fury. She would know dicipline, obedience, for she was her master's and no others. But maybe... a chance to love? be loved.

[Demathos]

It has been a while since I have written, and there is much to document. Since my last recorded thought, an extensive amount of progress and discovery has transpired in relevance to the girl, whom has since professed that her birth-name is "Lauan". Through my inquisitions into the feeble-minded girls history, nature, and goals, I have come to discover that this matter shall require a tedious quantity of caution, and intrigue; there is a past that must be undone before the future I have decided for her may be achieved. Although it has become apparent that the girl was introduced to a life of servitude at a young age and, apparently, manufactured quite efficiently by one whom she refers to as "Krang", there has since been a bothersome amount of unmaking in the works. Since attaining her freedom at an unspecified point, forces have been at play that have made attempts to sway the girls thinking to adopt a desire for individuality, and self-sufficiency; these forces she call "friends" deter Lauan from her instilled perceived need for a master. She has spoken of a few of these friends by name, though it is currently inconsequential - I have no need to approach these individuals, nor remove them as obstacles myself. No, my plan is far superior to such primitive thinking.

In this place, Sundren, it is unfortunately illegal to take part in the trading or owning of slaves, which provides an obstruction to my plan for this idiot-girl. So too is it an obstruction when figments of the past, or friends as she calls them, intrude upon my plan as well. The genius of my tactic, then, is to simultaneously remove both obstacles with a single deft maneuver, with not even the lift of a finger. If I might just plant the seed of conflict between the girl and her friends, I would need only to watch as Lauan puts forth all the effort in removing herself from their influence, on her own. In turn, if sewed into the seeds of conflict is a resulting acknowledgment of Lauan’s need for a master, then I have accomplished both tasks. If the half-wit continues to have her perception of dependancy reaffirmed, the matter of slavery is superceded by the fact that she shall willingly desire to be at my beck and call, as a voluntary action; the law cannot then touch upon me or my plans. All that must be done to achieve this goal, simply, is showing the girl that her friends are false, and that without even them she is stranded in a dangerous, unforgiving world on her own - and I then present myself as a solution to her woes. This, coupled with her already prominent desire to receive guidance and structure, create an opportunity the likes of which I have yet to see in regards to procuring battle-trained slave material.

I have already managed to initiate this tactic through the fortuitous event with the painting in the Enclave Lounge. The painting provided a very good avenue for pitting the girl against the most significant of her friends, who seems to be called Yashia. By simultaneously convincing Lauan that she required a master for her better interests, and by showing her that this Yashia actively worked against such necessities of life, it seems that Lauan was easily deceived into believing that Yashia was not a friend at all, and rather, a detriment to her very life and desires. Things unfold perfectly to my expectations, and I shall continue to document my progress in regards to removing these remains of the past from the girls mind. Once she has had her recent history subdued and dismantled, I shall truly have a fresh and unobstructed brain, able to be rebuilt from the ground up. She shall make for an excellent Knight, one day.

-Pyras Demathos

P.S. I’ll have to keep an eye on the girl today. She has been granted permission to visit another of her friends; some man with a simpleton’s name; Brak. The events may be significant to her development.

[Gamling]

For the first time in weeks, Lauan felt the joy pulse through her body as she ascended the hill in the Mossdale, to Brak's camp. She cracked a slight smirk upon seeing Brak, it had been a while since she had smiled. They were in a discussion about the cube, Lauan didn't make herself known right away, she waited a few moments before greeting Brak.

The night was filled with laughs, smiles, and good times around the fire of there camp. The only dull moments were spent fending off a rude elf from their fire with Brak almost resorting to violence, though they quickly returned to their joyous discussion, Lauan nuzzled next to Brak, in one of the most happiest times of her days.

The discussion turned into quiet humming by Lauan, though no one could hear it. Everyone else stared into the fire, lost in their own thoughts. The idea of having to tell Brak the truth slowly crawled from the back of her mind. she had to tell him, she couldn't lie to him. This might be the end for them...

"Brak... can we go for a walk?" Pom and Qybox looked at eachother and nodded, they left Lauan and Brak to their walk. She slowly walked next to Brak, saddened by what she must do. Brak took her chin and lifted her eyes to his. "What wrong?" Brak asked. "Brak... what do you think of Thayans?" Brak spoke in an adgitated tone. "They enslave Warrior woman, I don't like..." She dropped her eyes to the ground, gathering the courage she needed.

"I am a slave Brak... nothing better." She told him with saddened emotion. Brak reeled back in anger. "Warrior woman... throw gift of freedom in face?!" Brak could barely contain his rage. She could only hang her head in shame. "Master not bad... he let's me see you." She continued looking at the ground. "No." Brak quickly spoke. "You are... were something. I will not be with warrior woman while you share bed, share life with another man." Lauan looked confused, not knowing the meaning to his words. "Share bed? I can't do that, master would be mad."

At hearing this, hearing that she was not even good enough for that, Brak howled in rage. "Warrior woman was the only one who gave damn... GO!" He pointed down the road. "Bu-" Brak cut her off. "Go! Now! Before we cross axe and sword." Lauan realized how much she had lost, knowing Brak would rather kill her, or die, than be with her. She slowly turned, and made her way down the road. Her head was in a fog of anger and rage, she couldn't contain it, but she did. She was disciplined.

As she entered aquor she bumped into a man, continuing to the enclave. As soon as she entered she made her way to her room, as master had told her to. When she was sure no one could hear her, or see her, she ripped off her armor in a fit of rage, anyone watching would mistake it for her attacking herself. She threw it on the floor, let out a roar into her pillow which muffled the noise as she continued to punch the bed and herself in her fit of rage. This then turned into a flurry of tears and sorrow as she curled up on her mat with her bruised body in curled up ball. She gasped for air inbetween sobs, and eventualy fell asleep, knowing she lost the only one that had loved her that way, and possibly the only one. Her dreams were comforted with the thoughts of her master, and how he would make things better.

[Demathos]

Before I become wrapped up in separate affairs once more, I am taking this opportunity to document further progress with Lauan. She has since professed that her friend Brak had threatened her, and proclaimed his dissatisfaction with the girls choices in regards to becoming a voluntary slave. Although I cannot claim to have not contemplated dealing with this Brak character in retribution for his threatening my property, I am wise enough to understand that what he did is more beneficial than it is upsetting; it only serves to further divide Lauan from those who she once believed to be friends. With her friends falling from influential positioning one-by-one, it is with absolute clarity that I can affirm my being the single most significant influence on the girls mind and being. Now that the first phase of my intent has been gratified with such ease, thereby granting the division between Lauan and the obstructions within her mind, I have been able to proceed with exceedingly rapid progress in other departments of her training and development. Most prominent of the recent achievements has been the overcoming of many of her fears, including many basic human fears, and an additional one that she failed to overcome as a child - fear of the dark.

Prefacing the conclusion of her fear of the dark was a simple exercise that involved a series of Illusionary spells, having Lauan believe a great number of terrible things were befalling her body, including (though not limited to) the leaking of her blood and internal organs. Having had her endure the most interesting aforementioned spell-effect numerous times, it was through simple overexposure to terror that Lauan began to establish a basic foundational defence against common fear. Although the abolishing of her fear is still a work in progress, it was continued earlier today to the point of being able to overcome her idiotic fear of darkness. Predictably, as is the case with most human children, the fear was put to rest by simple actions taken against it - the process could be defined as having her face her fears. Logically, I put the girl in a place where no harm could befall her while she plainly sat in the dark; this served to dispel her scared behaviour, obviously, by having her experience peace in the dark. From this point onwards, all training activities that the girl is to take part in shall be executed in the darkness so as to continue familiarizing her with that which she fears, until finally, the fear is utterly spent and eliminated. With her primary fear gone, it will be far easier to dismantle the other few that she has, with impunity.

With her fear of darkness having been proven to be a matter that existed only within the scope of her own mind, it is certain that the girl will begin to question her other fears, testing them just as this one had been tested. With the benefit of all of this equating to having a slave far more capable of overcoming barriers and obstacles (mental and otherwise), it also serves the purpose of reaffirming to her that I, as a master, am truly the single most dependable factor in her still pitiful life. With this desire for a master still intact, I am certain that I can hold onto the girls trust and gratitude long enough to complete the training, and have her inducted as a true Thayan Knight; and of course, once this happens, it will no longer matter whether or not she appreciates me or any other.

Once she is a Knight, she is mine.

-Pyras Demathos

[Gamling]

She followed Pyras into the Enclave's bath's at his command. She could only guess what he had in mind, though she began to fear it might be something like last time... the blood... the things inside her body, spilling out. She hoped it would not be the same. Pyras told her to stand in the water, like the last time she had been asked to."It is the dark you fear? Girl?" He spoke calmly as he prepared some spells. "Y-yes... a tiny bit." The anxiety in her voice was clear."You will learn this fear is nothing but a thought, an illusion." He smiled wickedly. "In time you will embrace the dark, not fear it."

He began to recite a spell, one Lauan recognized as the "Scary dark spell". The clouds of black filled the bath's, Lauan not able to see her hand in front of her face. She looked around in a panic, closing her eyes as Pyras laughed at her reaction. She flung herself up the steps, falling down then clutching the wall until the darkenss faded. Pyras stood calmly to her left, and asked a simple question. "Were you scared, afraid?" Lauan shook with fear, but gave an answer that betrayed her reaction. "No... I'm not." Pyras's brows furrowed at what he thought was a disrespectful lie, when she only sought to please him."You clearly lie to me girl... when you swore you would only tell truth! If you are truly unafraid, then you won't mind spending more time in the dark."

Pyras grabbed her by the hair and lead her through Aquor with grim expression on his face. He dragged her all the way to the aquor caves, where he lead her inside and dumped her on the ground. She brought her knees up to her chest as she scooched into a corner. "You will stay here until your useless fear of the dark is gone. I have business in these caves with an associate of mine, and will return later." He gave the pathetic girl one last look before taking off down the tunnel with Loric, his light spell fading, leaving Lauan in the dark.

She hummed quietly to herself, trying to lessen the frightful presence of the cave. She looked around nervously, expecting some horrid monster to jump out of no where and snatch her away despite the things she had killed in great number. There was a creak and Lauan jumped, looking toward the entrance of the cave. there was a shuffle, she could hear footsteps. She pressed herself against the wall, holding the hilt of her sword. A light came around the corner as it revealed Cirion, and two other women. They quietly discussed the strange girl in the cave for moments, before shrugging and heading deeper into the cave.

She relaxed up against the wall again, fear turning into boredom. She started to throw rocks at the wall, waiting for Pyras to emerge from the cave. At her own surprise, she realized she was no longer afraid of the dark, that there was nothing trying to get her. She smiled to herself as she stood up, getting ready to go when a mob of adventurers came through the entrance, along with Pyras from the Cartel hide out.

She quickly ran to Pyras's side in the event someone was looking to get violent. There was a slight argument, but nothing Pyras's intellect couldn't handle with ease. Katie held her crossbow with a look of anger upon her face, as she watched Pyras leave. Lauan bumped into her purposefully in the hopes she would discontinue any thoughts she had of harming Pyras. They left the murmurs and angry whispers to tthe other adventurers as she let the sun hit her skin. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt he was proud of her, though she did not press her luck and followed Pyras back to the enclave for her next trial.

[Demathos]

She did well. It was simple. She seems yet too stupid to see anything with conviction, including her faults; they are thus easily dismantled. With her fears being deconstructed in fitting speed, her inherent brutal strength further developing, and her friends and past influences being eliminated, I finally have an unobstructed mind to mold and reform. There is no sense in waiting any longer, as this is the stage I have been working towards long enough - she is ready for training now. She is most impressionable now, and there are many impressions that need to be left in her mind. It is time for her to make her oaths.

Here in the privacy of my own writing, I can admit to my excitement; a lot has been done to lead to this moment, and to see it all fall into fruition brings abundant satisfaction. All that is required yet is a single, quick test of her proclaimed loyalty, and the tattooing process might then begin. The test will be simple, but clearly determine what is necessary to know. With a knife, she will aim to strike at her own finger upon a table, and should her aim be as true as the dedication I require, the only thing that will spare her finger is my own illusory magic. Should she be so loyal as to remove her own finger, this will be noted as I displace the location of her appendage, as I have no desire to have a defective slave. Regardless, this trial will affirm or dispel my calculations of the girl, and should she please me here, she shall indeed recieve the final tattoo.

With the marks upon her, she will then don the half-plate of a Thayan Knight.

-Pyras Demathos

[Gamling]

The tattoo was painful, but it was nothing compared to the pokes, prods, and burns from previous battles and punishments. She was far too proud from her master's gift to show any displeasure in the flawless artwork he was in the process of creating. The picture became cleare, and clearer with ever passing minute. A hilt of a blade, starting at her nose. The blade jutting up into her skull while the wings spanned out over her eyebrows. He had taken great care in the picture placed upon her forehead, also inscribing a few words upon the wings, in draconic. When he was done, she dunked her head into the pool of water to prevent the burning and stabbing of the tattoo to get infected.

Standing in the water of the baths in the Thayan enclave, she face Pyras. "Take a knee." Pyras ordered, and Lauan obeyed. He made her repeat after him, the oath she would uphold.The binding oath of Thay, and breaking it almost always leads to torture and death. She had been prepared for this moment, the beatings, the ruthless training, the conquering of her fears. She had been ready. Once the oath was recited, she stood a Thayan Knight. She nodded and began to leave, when a sudden voice spoke from the darkness.... It was Enchan.

"Very good, Pyras, but there is still one last test. A trial of trust, between master and Knight." He gave his sly smile to a flustered Pyras. "What is this Enchan? What trial?" Enchan chuckled and took a few steps forward. "You wil hold her head under the water, and she will not struggle. When you deem it necessary, you will decide to let her up." Pyras looked at him blankly. "Thank you, but she has already endured all of my trials." He crossed his arms defiantly. Enchan's brows furrowed. "Complete this task, or prove to me she is just another pathetic warrior." Pyras sighed and took Lauan by the back of the neck, who stared blankly ahead. "Will she last a measely 30 seconds? Or four minutes, which is the current record?" Pyras muttered and forced Lauan's head under water.

It seemed like an eternity, minute by minute came and passed. She sputtered, regaining her composure. She would rather drown then force herself out of the water to face an angry Pyras. She squinted, and began to fade as she was suddenly thrust out of the water. She took in huge gulps of air as Enchan and Pyras looked on curiously. "Three minutes.. not bad, not the record, but not bad." Enchan left the wizard and the newly donned knight to their business as he walked back to his stronghouse.

[Demathos]

Curse that insufferable Enchan! The harm he could have brought for the purpose of a trial that had already been fulfilled by other means, was ridiculous! I shall state here and now, moreso to myself than any other, that although the man may be my tutor, he shall have no easy glimpses into my future enduevers. I shall not waste my time commenting further on the Enchanter's idiocies any longer, however, as there has been more that transpired requiring further documentation. The girl - or Knight, as she has become - has made abundant progress since recieving the motivation of having been Knighted.

With the weeds having been plucked from her brain, and the deteriorating buildings torn down, a new foundation has been constructed. Now that she has been given the honor of serving under me as my right hand, though, a foundation is not enough; we have entered the time to begin the true construction. Every night, from this night forwards, the girl shall spend an hour with the lowly apprentices, who, to earn my favor, shall begin teaching her the common alphabet and numerical system. With this task, my hands are left untied while she learns to read and handle currency at the instruction of others, and all that is required of me is but to choose the content that she shall be reading. Naturally, she will be educated in regards to Thay and Sundren, so as not to embaress me nor earn herself a flogging at the hands of the Masters of the Schools. Lauan will also, should I aquire literature to my liking, learn of tactics and strategy, as well as swordplay if only to enhance her truest of strengths. The beauty of all of this, of course, being that she bears all of the work while I reap all of the rewards.

In addition to her passive studies, it is time that the girl learned the true meaning of being a Thayan Knight, and more importantly, a Thayan Knight under Pyras Demathos. She will be taught of ferocity, of brutality - she will be taught of strength, and discipline, and loyalty. She will collapse under one form of pain after another, and rise with newfound resistance to each. She will step on that which she loves until she loves no more; she will learn that her heart is a heart not of her own, but that it is mine until the moment it is torn from her chest. Her body will be fortified, her mind will be taken and reforged, and her heart shall be sworn only to uphold that which I demand. And as for her soul, well - she can have that back when she's dead.

[Gamling]

She jerked back and hissed as the seering flames enveloped her, the explosion deafening as Pyras cast his spells. Barrages of questions flying at her.

"What does it mean to be a Thayan knight?!" At this point, battered and beaten, Lauan knew. She answered with haste, the burns of acid and fire eating at her.

"It is to be brutal, vicious, cunning... to be the extension of the red wizards, the embodiment of the military of Thay. I am strength and I am terror that demands respect. I live to serve my master, and he guides me. I have no fear, and death is merely an inconvenience to me. I do not die until ordered to do so, I do not fall until every last bit of life has left me. I stand tall, proud, a Thayan knight." She stood, trembling at her knees from the immense wounds of various spells cast by PYras.

He circled around her, examining her, and nodding to himself. "You forgot to mention you're loyal to none other than me." Before she could speak, she could feel the blast of acid crash into her neck, as she wavered and wobbled, falling before Pyras's feet. She struggled to get up, but when she did, there was a staff meant for walking laid in front of her, as Pyras reutrned to his desk and began to write.

She disregarded the staff, and aproached Pyras for her next set of tasks.

[Demathos]

Her learning has accelerated; she is increasing in intelligence as fast as she increases in strength. It is noteworthy, that with but the most simple commands and a mere exposure to complexities, the girl gains a remarkable comprehension ability. She is now a walking testament to my theories, proving that an unobstructed mind can truly be molded. It was an extensive process, but it is nearing completion as Lauan gains a deeper understanding of all tasks assigned, and all guidance given - the blockage was cleared from a once feeble mind, and it was as though a slab of soft clay remained behind; and the sculpting was successful. She has been hardened and fortified both physically and mentally, and has grown to understand many things that I had initially anticipated to be beyond her ability. Recent developments, however, have granted me one final assessment that I shall put forth unto my Knight, and her success or failure will determine which path I shall have her walk in the very near future. Lauan shall coordinate and train a new Knight.

This will be a very careful process to undergo, and I will need to monitor it with significant caution. I have now become involved in numerous operations and plans that I must give my full attention to, and I cannot afford to spend my time policing another idle brain; but all the same, it does not matter - this man will not be trained as Lauan was. He is different.

Lauan has become an extension of myself; my right hand. But this man is a different sort of mind. Although he seems not to be amongst the brightest of people, his mind is already too well fortified to utterly deconstruct and reconstruct thereafter as was done with Lauan. He can be forged, but not into such a finely-tuned machine as Lauan. Not at my whim. He will be something else entirely; perhaps the dirt beneath my feet, rather than the hand with which I brush it away with. Lauan will train this man as she was trained, but she will be taught what to withhold, and what to imbue his mind and body with - she will learn very fast that the strengths I have blessed her with are not strengths for all, but strengths for those who are worth their use. This new Knight will be taught not of guile, deception, or illusion as Lauan was, but of obedience, militant ability, and discipline. Should the girl succeed in forging this man into but another tool, she will have earned the respect I currently have for her, though should she fail, I will have to devise a rather creative punishment fitting of what she would be costing me, being much prestige in the Enclave, and another expendable asset.

-Pyras Demathos