Eternal
The pain is great and you want it to be over with as quickly as possible, but you know to beg for mercy would be shameful and you don’t want to die so you desperately try to push her boot off of you. Naturally you are unsuccessful and this response only enrages her further.
“Insolent fool! I said beg or die! Those were your choices and you dare defy my orders?” Mistress exclaims and takes her boot off of your chest, only to begin kicking and stomping on you. You try to escape, but she bends down and roughly picks up by the collar. “Don’t you dare try to run while I discipline you! YOU… WILL… O… BEY!” Mistress says while slapping your face at intervals of her verbal abuse. Finally she throws you to back to the floor.
“Now get back in your seat and never defy me again! Your life is nothing! ALL of your lives are nothing! Your lives will never be anything more than warm bodies to serve the Emperor! And you will not even be able to live up to that honored status, if you do not learn obedience. Remember this.”
At this point you stagger back in your seat, aching all over. It hurts a lot, but despite the beating, you don’t feel fear, instead you feel anger. Anger at Mistress certainly, but more at yourself for being so powerless.
Time passes by under the harsh guidance of Mistress. She teaches you all that she promised she would and then some. Your lessons are not only that of a combat nature, but of an academic one as well. You wouldn’t be aware of it, but you and your classmates are probably much better educated than other children your age.
As for you, Mistress rides you the hardest for defying her. There are more than several times where she basically pits the rest of the class against you during the combat training sessions. You suffer horrible beatings most of the time, but eventually you adapt and manage to hold your own until Mistress finds yet another way to make the fight unfair. You are obedient and follow the orders of Mistress, but internally you are harboring thoughts of resentment, hatred and defiance towards her. And so what if you are? She isn’t the Emperor. That’s the only person you really have to revere.
Your personality doesn’t go unnoticed by your instructor and watchers, they make note of it and decide how you should be handled in the next step of your training.
Year 12
You are in a room by yourself sitting in a chair. Everyone else in your class has been separated for reasons unknown to you. All you know right now is Mistress is speaking with a well dressed man. They are speaking about you, but not actually speaking TO you…
“So just this one? Are you sure?” the well dressed man asks.
“Should be thankful you have even that. The last pathetic batch of humans you had me train didn’t even survive, let alone get this far. However this one is the closest for your purposes. Though by Svelk standards he would be put in the slave pits and the rest of your so called Eternals would be killed for their poor performance.” Mistress mocks.
“Hmm, yes and that’s why your own society is doing so well now. No, we will still find uses for the others. Perhaps as military officers, or even members of the Shadow Guard and they will still be of great service to the Emperor. Still, I wish we had more than just one, oh well he will have to do. We will improve the results of the Eternal Program with the next group.”
At this point Mistress begins laughing.
“Is something amusing?”
“Yes, yes it is. Extremely. You humans and your grand schemes to hold on to power, do you really believe that this Eternal program of yours is going to make a difference? Potential external threats are the least of your concerns. Your Empire is rotting from within and your territory is succumbing to chaos every day.”
“And I suppose you would be an expert on such things, seeing as your own people experienced this millennia ago and still haven’t even managed to rebuild a cohesive unified government again, while your so called lesser cousins have thrived.”
“My people were conquering this world and more, while yours were still bumbling around trying to figure out how to make fire like the pack of monkeys you evolved from! And our rulers were the gods themselves, not petty dictators who think they are!”
“Yes and again I ask, what are your people doing now? They’re a race of scattered mercenaries selling their services to the highest bidders with no sense of loyalty to anyone, but to themselves. Speaking of which, you are merely a guest within the Empire. While your services are valuable to us, if you speak ill of the Emperor again you can always be replaced by another money whore of your kind.”
Mistress’ eyes narrow and she quickly grabs the man holding a dagger to his throat before speaking.
“Fortunately for you, this job is paying very well. For that is the only thing keeping me from slitting your throat. Never speak to me that way again human…now leave so that I may train this so called Eternal.” She says and releases him.
The well dress man looks a bit shaken up, but he composes himself.
“You will keep me apprised of his progress on a weekly basis, and this incident will not be forgotten!” He says and walks quickly out of the room.
At this point Mistress turns to you, and you fully expect to receive a beating, but instead she questions you.
“So, what did you think of that little exchange?”
“It is not my place to give an opinion on the debates of my superiors. I am merely here to be trained by you so that I may better serve the Emperor.” You say.
“Yes, yes, yes, very nice safe and boring answer, but what do you REALLY think…I order you to tell me.”
You pause to gather your thoughts and then speak.
“I think it is odd that you are not an Empire citizen and hold no loyalty to him, yet you are training me Mistress.”
“Ha ha ha, yes well it is an odd situation, but not an uncommon one. You will find that many make compromises in life.”
“But Mistress, how can you tell me to believe in something, that you yourself do not believe in?”
“It’s easy. I’m just saying what they would have me say. What do I care, I’m profiting greatly from this and at the end of the day I’m the one coming out ahead. But I think you need a better example than me, a more personal one…namely yourself.”
You look confused, before Mistress continues.
“You hate me. I know you do, do not deny it. You don’t want to put up with me, yet you obey my commands without question. Why?”
“Because you are my superior Mistress, and you have been ordered…paid to train me, by the Emperor.”
“Ah, so if I was training you, and the Emperor was not involved, you would still obey my commands?”
“Perhaps I would Mistress, since I would most likely be killed by you if I didn’t obey, as you are far more skilled than I am. I would obey until there was a way to somehow kill you or even escape.
“Interesting…so you would compromise you beliefs.”
You didn’t think about it like that, but you quickly think up a retort.
“No Mistress, I do not believe it would be a compromise, I would be ensuring my survival so that I may serve the Emperor longer.”
“Ha ha, if you say so. But tell me, does the revelation that not everyone praises your Emperor discourage or shake your own loyalty to him?”
“No Mistress.”
“Why not? You surely know that all of this is propaganda. You’ve never even met your Emperor. He could be an idiotic cripple for all you know.”
“It doesn’t matter Mistress, I wouldn’t even be here if not for him. I am being trained to be an Eternal, something he himself ordered. Because of that, I already know I have been given the highest honor and a better chance than most. I owe this training, this loyalty, and this life to him regardless of what others might think.”
Mistress just nods at your answer, there is no sneer or smirk in her face this time. She has perhaps a look of semi-respect for you.
“Very well, let us begin your training Eternal…”
“Insolent fool! I said beg or die! Those were your choices and you dare defy my orders?” Mistress exclaims and takes her boot off of your chest, only to begin kicking and stomping on you. You try to escape, but she bends down and roughly picks up by the collar. “Don’t you dare try to run while I discipline you! YOU… WILL… O… BEY!” Mistress says while slapping your face at intervals of her verbal abuse. Finally she throws you to back to the floor.
“Now get back in your seat and never defy me again! Your life is nothing! ALL of your lives are nothing! Your lives will never be anything more than warm bodies to serve the Emperor! And you will not even be able to live up to that honored status, if you do not learn obedience. Remember this.”
At this point you stagger back in your seat, aching all over. It hurts a lot, but despite the beating, you don’t feel fear, instead you feel anger. Anger at Mistress certainly, but more at yourself for being so powerless.
Time passes by under the harsh guidance of Mistress. She teaches you all that she promised she would and then some. Your lessons are not only that of a combat nature, but of an academic one as well. You wouldn’t be aware of it, but you and your classmates are probably much better educated than other children your age.
As for you, Mistress rides you the hardest for defying her. There are more than several times where she basically pits the rest of the class against you during the combat training sessions. You suffer horrible beatings most of the time, but eventually you adapt and manage to hold your own until Mistress finds yet another way to make the fight unfair. You are obedient and follow the orders of Mistress, but internally you are harboring thoughts of resentment, hatred and defiance towards her. And so what if you are? She isn’t the Emperor. That’s the only person you really have to revere.
Your personality doesn’t go unnoticed by your instructor and watchers, they make note of it and decide how you should be handled in the next step of your training.
Year 12
You are in a room by yourself sitting in a chair. Everyone else in your class has been separated for reasons unknown to you. All you know right now is Mistress is speaking with a well dressed man. They are speaking about you, but not actually speaking TO you…
“So just this one? Are you sure?” the well dressed man asks.
“Should be thankful you have even that. The last pathetic batch of humans you had me train didn’t even survive, let alone get this far. However this one is the closest for your purposes. Though by Svelk standards he would be put in the slave pits and the rest of your so called Eternals would be killed for their poor performance.” Mistress mocks.
“Hmm, yes and that’s why your own society is doing so well now. No, we will still find uses for the others. Perhaps as military officers, or even members of the Shadow Guard and they will still be of great service to the Emperor. Still, I wish we had more than just one, oh well he will have to do. We will improve the results of the Eternal Program with the next group.”
At this point Mistress begins laughing.
“Is something amusing?”
“Yes, yes it is. Extremely. You humans and your grand schemes to hold on to power, do you really believe that this Eternal program of yours is going to make a difference? Potential external threats are the least of your concerns. Your Empire is rotting from within and your territory is succumbing to chaos every day.”
“And I suppose you would be an expert on such things, seeing as your own people experienced this millennia ago and still haven’t even managed to rebuild a cohesive unified government again, while your so called lesser cousins have thrived.”
“My people were conquering this world and more, while yours were still bumbling around trying to figure out how to make fire like the pack of monkeys you evolved from! And our rulers were the gods themselves, not petty dictators who think they are!”
“Yes and again I ask, what are your people doing now? They’re a race of scattered mercenaries selling their services to the highest bidders with no sense of loyalty to anyone, but to themselves. Speaking of which, you are merely a guest within the Empire. While your services are valuable to us, if you speak ill of the Emperor again you can always be replaced by another money whore of your kind.”
Mistress’ eyes narrow and she quickly grabs the man holding a dagger to his throat before speaking.
“Fortunately for you, this job is paying very well. For that is the only thing keeping me from slitting your throat. Never speak to me that way again human…now leave so that I may train this so called Eternal.” She says and releases him.
The well dress man looks a bit shaken up, but he composes himself.
“You will keep me apprised of his progress on a weekly basis, and this incident will not be forgotten!” He says and walks quickly out of the room.
At this point Mistress turns to you, and you fully expect to receive a beating, but instead she questions you.
“So, what did you think of that little exchange?”
“It is not my place to give an opinion on the debates of my superiors. I am merely here to be trained by you so that I may better serve the Emperor.” You say.
“Yes, yes, yes, very nice safe and boring answer, but what do you REALLY think…I order you to tell me.”
You pause to gather your thoughts and then speak.
“I think it is odd that you are not an Empire citizen and hold no loyalty to him, yet you are training me Mistress.”
“Ha ha ha, yes well it is an odd situation, but not an uncommon one. You will find that many make compromises in life.”
“But Mistress, how can you tell me to believe in something, that you yourself do not believe in?”
“It’s easy. I’m just saying what they would have me say. What do I care, I’m profiting greatly from this and at the end of the day I’m the one coming out ahead. But I think you need a better example than me, a more personal one…namely yourself.”
You look confused, before Mistress continues.
“You hate me. I know you do, do not deny it. You don’t want to put up with me, yet you obey my commands without question. Why?”
“Because you are my superior Mistress, and you have been ordered…paid to train me, by the Emperor.”
“Ah, so if I was training you, and the Emperor was not involved, you would still obey my commands?”
“Perhaps I would Mistress, since I would most likely be killed by you if I didn’t obey, as you are far more skilled than I am. I would obey until there was a way to somehow kill you or even escape.
“Interesting…so you would compromise you beliefs.”
You didn’t think about it like that, but you quickly think up a retort.
“No Mistress, I do not believe it would be a compromise, I would be ensuring my survival so that I may serve the Emperor longer.”
“Ha ha, if you say so. But tell me, does the revelation that not everyone praises your Emperor discourage or shake your own loyalty to him?”
“No Mistress.”
“Why not? You surely know that all of this is propaganda. You’ve never even met your Emperor. He could be an idiotic cripple for all you know.”
“It doesn’t matter Mistress, I wouldn’t even be here if not for him. I am being trained to be an Eternal, something he himself ordered. Because of that, I already know I have been given the highest honor and a better chance than most. I owe this training, this loyalty, and this life to him regardless of what others might think.”
Mistress just nods at your answer, there is no sneer or smirk in her face this time. She has perhaps a look of semi-respect for you.
“Very well, let us begin your training Eternal…”