Fractured Darkness

Fractured Darkness
Chapter 7: An Experiment Untested

By: Major Frostwing

"AGAIN!" I ordered as my griffons sparred against one another. They were improving after the first two months but at this rate it would take several more months before they were ready... I didn't have the time to be wasting on a failed group. Unless I did something drastic. "Mythril. Keep up their exercises I have something to check up on. Run them ragged." I ordered as Mythril gave me a salute taking my place as I returned to my main office. I had been mapping out a certain procedure That if successful would add only a little more time on their training but at the same time would speed them up. I looked over the diagrams of the skeletal structure of a standard griffin and finally circled the one possible place that would have the greatest chance of success.

"This could be catastrophic if it fails. Am I really going to just sacrifice them for a silly pursuit to speed things up?" I asked myself as I ran a hand through my hair. "No I have stripped them of everything else but this will be of their choosing. Only one volunteer will be necessary." I told myself finally standing straight. "They need to volunteer." I muttered before leaving my office.

"ALRIGHT YOU FUCKING WORMS FRONT AND CENTER!" I ordered as my griffins stopped what they were doing and got in formation before me. I glared down at them taking a deep breath. "I need a volunteer. A single volunteer to go through a procedure that I had deemed to dangerous to force this upon all of you. This procedure will make you more deadly than ever before. You will be faster than the swiftest of winds. You will be able to harness something never before achieved by your species. Magic. But this also comes with the greatest of risks." I said as the griffins looked to each other a little uneasily. "Death at the worst. Being crippled. Loss of your wings. Hundreds of other problems and complications at the least. I judged this to have a mortality rate of eighty percent. So I will only ask for one volunteer. If you are willing to take the chances on this procedure then step forward." I said as a few of the griffins processed my words before one finally stepped forward. He was the smallest of my griffins and in the eyes of my soldiers. He was the weakest by a fair margin but he still pushed himself forward. I looked at the griffin nodding to him.

"Sir." He said giving me a crisp salute. I looked down at him before looking to the other griffins.

"What is your name?" I asked the griffin not once looking to him.

"Far Sight. Sir." He said still maintaining his salute.

"REMEMBER HIS NAME MY GRIFFINS! REMEMBER HIS BRAVERY! For he might not return to you." I finally looked down to Far Sight giving him a salute. "The rest of you return to your drills. Far Sight. Come with me. MACE! YOU ARE IN CHARGE! MYTHRIL WITH ME!" I turned away from them all making my way to the medical building.

Once inside I used my magic to cleanse the room before flexing my magic locking us inside. "Please get on the table... After you strip I will walk you through the entire procedure." I looked over all of the medical equipment before coming to a covered table. I grabbed the sheet removing it to reveal my tools needed for what I was going to put this child through. I grabbed a marker turning back to Far. "I will mark every spot that will be incised and tell you exactly what will happen to each area. after I am done I will ask you one last time for you to back out. There is no shame in backing out from something like this. Are you ready for me to explain?" I asked him as he nodded.

I could only sigh as I motioned to his wings as he opened them. I took the marker making a dotted line along the entire ridge of his wing. "I will be fusing the bones in your wings with a crystal core. They will act as a unicorn's horn. I will also be reinforcing the bones with a combination of Lunar Steel and Griffin titanium. This will make your wings very heavy but the magic that will be running through them will allow you to fly as if the weight wasn't there. This will be done to both wings. I moved on to his back making more dotted lines along the sides of his spine and along his ribs. I moved to his chest making the standard "Y" formation as if it was an autopsy. "Your chest will house your magic core. and because of this I will have to strengthen your spine and completely remove your ribs and replace them with crystal and lunar steel. This will be very dangerous to your life because you could go into shock very easily. But if it is a success then no blade shall be able to pierce through." I saw his resolve waver slightly but I couldn't stop until he knew everything. I moved down to his hands outlining the entire bone structure in the claw. "Your bone structure in your hands will be comprised mostly of lunar steel with gem inlays. This will give you a secondary way to cast magic but if poorly done then your hand will never work again." I moved away from him capping the marker. "The entire procedure will take quite a few hours. The entire time you will be under a sleep spell. Painkilling spells will be constantly used so you will feel nothing as the operation is being done. There is no way to back out once we begin. So if you want to back out... This is your last chance." I stared into his eyes as he stared into mine.

He was conflicted. It was obvious that he would be second guessing this. But he knew the dangers and this would separate him from the others. But This would also show me his conviction to our cause.

"I have a question sir." I looked at him confused but motioned for him to continue. "Did you do this procedure to yourself?" I stared at him before raising my hand so he could see it. A flicked of magic revealed my metal skeletal hand to him. He stared at it with awe. I removed my shirt revealing that he could see into my chest showing off my core to him.

"This is my relic of power. All of my hate and all of my negative emotions are housed in this gem. It makes me stronger than before if I tap into it. There is one difference though Far Sight. I am immortal. Though I did not die to this procedure you can. So think about this very carefully. Do you want this?" He stared at my core before I saw that fire in his eyes.

"If it will allow me to serve you better then yes." I stared into his eyes for a little longer before standing tall setting my hand on his head. He didn't even feel the spell grip his mind as he fell flat on the table.

"Then let us begin."