The loud sounds of a grate being opened by heavy chains, and the groans and cries of fear was what Cyrus' ears were being greeted with. He was standing, paying close attention to the wonder in front of him, while watching his recently ordered prisoners be slowly lowered into their cells one by one. From up above they came, finally making the use of the grates on top known.
"Huh, that is one way to do it I suppose. This way they do not have to go through the living space, how thoughtful of the Academy" thought Cyrus as he walked into one of the laboratories that he had opened earlier, laying out all his past notes alongside his sudden inspiration.
"The note that came in through the door said the lab assistants I ordered will arrive shortly, far sooner than I had expected. This means I can use the rest of today and my free day tomorrow all to the devotion of my new method of study: The Soul"
"What other power could possibly move the undead, if not the power of the soul. The pieces were all there right in front of me now that I look back onto it in hindsight: The discovery of the world within, learning how to use those 'mysterious' powers in the world within, and the strange power that the undead unleash. Even the changing of their eyes, how they go from nothing to a faint white light that grows in intensity with each individual full of essence that they absorb. Of course I have to prove all of this with careful testing…but if I am correct…this would mean that I could potentially create my own fully functional guards whenever I want, if I can learn how to control them of course. Even if I cannot, I could always just treat them as an explosive that must be set off far from any friendly forces or a trap for a superior enemy. Even so, I already have a few ideas as to how I could control them" thought Cyrus in excitement.
Writing down the methods and routes of experimentation he was about to venture down, he looked back and forth from his notes to the visibly afraid humans that now populated his prisons as he imagined how exactly he would make use of them. The prisoners recoiled in visible fear when they saw the face that he looked at them with, which caused Cyrus some level of confusion as he did not believe himself to be *that* scary but it was soon forgotten as another idea for his experiments came to him.
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"Welcome to my laboratory, I am Cyrus who also has the rank of Quintus in this school but I do not believe that matters too much to you two" said Cyrus in a respectful tone.
The two whom he was addressing, whose eyesight were both fixed on the necklace that had the token from Gabriel on it, looked at Cyrus in the eye and responded with a very small but still detectable tone of respect back,
"You are correct, we do not care too much about the rankings or even who you are. We are just here as a favor to the Eye, we both help each other out a lot so a favor every now and then is not too much to ask. I know that Glacies must charge you quite a bit to have us come help, so let's get down to work. As for introductions, you can just call me Felix and my partner here Tristis."
"Well then, Felix and Tristis, pleasure to be working with you" said Cyrus, mimicking the formal salute the Legionaries use.
They reflexively saluted back, perhaps somewhat confused why some outside was so familiar with their customs, but then they immediately thought back to the token and understood completely.
"Say, how come you are not asking us about the masks?" asked Tristis, who had been silent up to this point.
"Ah, you see I am no stranger to such things myself" said Cyrus, while tapping the mask that always hung from his belt.
"Everyone has their reasons, if you want to explain feel free to do so but if not then let us get to work."
The two Legionnaires, one whom was wearing a mask of comedy and the other wearing a mask of tragedy, looked at each other then back at Cyrus.
"It is not exactly a secret, just that we are used to those we are assigned to asking on their own. These masks are simply so that our identities remain anonymous, so the students we help do not believe that they have somehow bonded with or earned the loyalty of the Legionnaire that they are temporarily partnered with" explained Felix in a stately manner.
"Huh, somewhat interesting I suppose. But, let us get to work…please, I have so much to experiment with but I need your help" began Cyrus, paying close attention to the chains on the pauldrons of each of the Legionnaires.
"15 red chains on each, the lowest that I have seen but to be fair I tend to have a habit of hanging out only with the most elite of the elite it seems" thought Cyrus inwardly.
Outwardly he continued,
"in order to not get chopped in half by my subjects of experimentation, haha."
"Which is why we are here but do explain. What are you researching that could possibly chop you in half? The prisoners are all chained up, all we really have to do is move them from place to place which is something that a less experienced member of our order can handle. Not to brag, but we are fully fledged members with many battles under our belt" said Felix.
"Undead of course! I have discovered a method to artificially create them, which is pretty well known by all, but also how to strengthen them using just my own power. I also have a nifty theory that needs to be tested, which may reveal how exactly they are created and operate. Finally, I believe that I may know a way to control them. How's that, pretty nifty huh?" asked Cyrus, on the surface he was purely boasting but within he was secretly gauging their reaction to his claims.
The two Legionaries were silent for a moment, before Felix spoke for the two of them once more.
"Such claims are bold indeed, as well as they explain why you might need us. If all of this succeeds then it could indeed be extremely useful, not only for you to advance as a mage but if you submit your completed research the entire Empire will benefit greatly. Soldiers that do not fear, that do not retreat, and that do not consume any food…we could move so many troops from the frontlines to the inner Empire, perhaps fully stamp out the threat of the Brutum within our borders and finally expand once again…how amazing" said Felix.
"Of course, that is assuming that you are not just full of hot air. But, we shall see that for ourselves wont we?" added on Tristis.
"Correct" agreed Cyrus, as he led the two legionnaires down to his lab and in front of the cells that held all the prisoners.
Each one had their own cell, as well as their own restraints already on ready for transport to the lab. They could only just barely move their hands, that were behind their backs, to lower their trousers and use the toilet behind them. Assuming that they would live long enough to do so of course, which was looking to be more and more unlikely given the nature of Cyrus' research.
"All right bring one of them in so we can begin, I can only do one today due to how little will I have left. I may not even have enough to fully do this but I am tired of waiting, as well as the fact that I have plenty of extra Fidem to burn so let us get on with it!"
The Legionaries did as they were told, for that was their role at the time, and opened the double layered entrance/exit to the first jail cell. They did not even bother to close the first door behind them, as was its purpose in the first place, which was perhaps a foolish thing to do but with their combined strength it was somewhat understandable.
"It seems that Legionaries do indeed have a certain pride in their bones, born from their place in the order and the skill that goes along with it" noted Cyrus as the prisoner was dragged out by the two, silenced with but a glare from them.
The prisoner was some heavily scarred individual with burn marks and only a few pieces of hair left, the rest having been evidently pulled out by the bundle as evidenced by the odd skin damage all over the man's body.
Cyrus also noticed that on the chains of the man, the ones that were binding his feet from moving to high or far from his body, had writing engraved on them. This writing had a quick account of the prisoner's crimes as well as the verdict, which was a death sentence for every prisoner that would be sent to a mage's lab. This mattered little to Cyrus, however, in a rather uncharacteristic way for the unmasked version of him as he simply glanced past it not even bothering to read the writing.
"Finally, I can get down to work" was all that he was thinking at the time, followed by which experiment he should run first.