088 - Resonance

The three Dominus, each a master of one of the three towers that had come together above the world, now stood in an uneasy silence - waiting without daring to say a word for the silver robed Imperator to act.

Orpheus . . Orpheus . . each of the Dominus wore a heavy expression, each recognizing the name and the weight behind it. Finally, after what seemed like half a day, the Imperator made a move.

A sudden whirr of mechanical activity filled the amphitheatre, from the marble floor of the podium came a myriad of long white robotic arms. On the end of each arm was an implement - either a black bladed fingers,a device made from mirrored bits of glass, or many tiny hands with long intricate fingers - the arms responded to the Imperators intent - hands and implements tearing into the bodies of the Alchemists and Seers and Martial Cultivators, cutting through bones and organs and opening them up.

Neatly, laying each individual organ and bone, the corpses were entirely dissected, their skulls cut with precision, brains scooped out and laid out - all, the whole process peeling back skin and muscles, suctioning blood, all within a matter of minutes - until all six bodies resembled an disassembled machine, the glistening innards in rows and perfectly placed for closer inspection.

The Imperator made a quick pass, selecting a body part here or there and having one of the long white arms dissect it further - picking through every scrap of flesh. The only one to remain untouched was Dong-Geun, the Martial Prince's chest rose and fell in a steady fashion, as if in a deep slumber. From these corpses several specks of light were harvested by the white arms, all collected into a glass vial.

"Traces . . you left them intentionally ah haha . . " The Imperator caressed the vial, holding it up in the light and examining it closely.

The white arms arrayed themselves around him, the Imperator standing inspecting themwith the greatest of care - and, in swift delicate motions a single arm sliced, cutting the clothes from the sleeping prince with a fine blade, leaving him naked.

A second slice, this time with a thin red laser cutting Dong-Geun's chest - the laser cauterising the wound as it cut - two metal claws reaching into his chest and pulling the skin apart, pulling the ribs to one side. There, within a tangle of veins and nerves, pulsating in a slow rhythm, was Dong-Geun's heart - a thin aura of yellow energy clearly visible, clinging to his organs, thin wisps of Mens rising like vapours from his open chest.

Another arm neatly sliced through the sleeping Prince's forehead, right the way round to the back of his head and completing the cut on the other side - the whole top of Dong-Geun's head came off like an egg shell, revealing the pinkish brain matter beneath.

"Nothing will wake him? You have tried Finnegans Nasal Vapours?"

"Of course, Imperator!" The red bearded Dominus was the first to reply, stating fiercely "Nothing we did could wake him . . it is as if . . as if his soul is missing."

"Soul?" The Imperators voice turned ice cold.

"Ah, no! I did not mean it like that . . not in a religious way! My apologies El! Uh, I mean, Imperator!"

"What my colleague meant," A tall thin Alchemist with a black apron over the fine red-gold vestments of a Dominus stepped forward, bowing his head. "What he meant was that the body of this Martial Cultivator is in perfect condition, no wounds or injuries apart from his withered leg, his Vigour and Logos entirely intact. He is like an alchemical construct that has simply been . . turned off."

"In the Ether? They were in the Ether the whole time, correct?" El's face flickered with discontent, the vial of lights secreted into a silver sleeve.

"That is correct, Imperator. From the time they entered to the time of their deaths . . our records show that they did not even attempt to exit their meditation."

El fell into silence, wandering between the bodies and leaning in for a closer look. Suddenly, something seemed to shine - within the fold of Dong-Geun's cerebral matter - a dim shimmer that, with a swift stab of a white robotic arm, was dug out and held up in front of the Imperators eyes.

A speck of gold. Gold. Not red, not white - not any of the other colours of the Logos. Gold. He'd put that here? Orpheus . . gold could mean only one thing . .

A fierce light shone in the Imperators eyes -

Bang!

The hundred white arms arranged themselves above the corpses, shooting out a burning beam of energy and instantly incinerating them, beds and all - nothing was left, not a shred of flesh or drop of blood.

"Good! Very good! Dominus, kneel!"

"Imperator!" Three voices cried out in response, the three Alchemists instantly falling to a knee and bowing their heads to the silver robed El.

"Your orders - Crispinus," The stocky Alchemist with flaming red hair raised his head, "Crispinus, you are to continue to prepare for the Auction, as normal - is that clear?"

"Imperator!"

"Horatius," the tall thin Alchemist wearing a smudged black apron looked up, "the Celestial was detected in some four hundred star systems . . we have garden worlds within the majority of them. You are now in direct command of all missions on these garden world, proceed with all missions as scheduled."

"Imperator!"

"Martialis," The third and least assuming of the three Alchemist Dominus raised her head. "Martialis . . "

"Yes, Imperator?"

"Make ready the tower. Contact all segments - all of them! Have them assemble in the Domus star system. Reinforce the formations, establish communication links with the Courts and the Seers; get the Oracle into a tower."

"Imperator! Imperator . . are these not emergency measures? All the segments have not been together in one place for ten thousand years . ."

"You have your orders. Make ready . . for war."

***