For more than a hundred years the great obsidian tower had stood, casting a benevolent shadow over all its surroundings. Its dark visage had long ago been the subject of unrest until its inhabitants proved themselves humble and kind. Around their kindness a great city rose; the tower became comforted with architectural marvels of brick and metal, families made homes for themselves in the towers comforting shadow, fields of yellow and green sprung up for miles around producing great bounties seeing that none went hungry. The great obsidian tower stood as a monument to progress, its inhabitants guiding those who looked upon it with a gentle hand. It was a time of peace and plenty, but nothing sts forever.

  Thanatos, first among equals of the Obsidian Order, stood before his council. The council chamber was glowing, the sun at its zenith unleashing its warmth through the chamber`s sky light. Despite this the atmosphere was cold and calcuted; much pnning had gone into the calling of this meeting. It threw him from his usual calm composure; he cleared his throat and tried to collect himself.

  “My friends, this is a most impromptu meeting you have called for. It must be important.” He took a seat, humbling himself before them. Though he was their better in every way an outside observer would never be able to tell. He went to great pains to maintain the illusion of equality amongst his peers. It was a sentiment he hoped to project to the rger world and perhaps even, a tactical manoeuvre.

  The council before him all looked towards him with great reverence. Anything less would be insulting not just to him but to all he had done for them. Thanatos was a benevolent man, calm and patient, wise and intelligent, a true leader.

  Altor, the youngest of his apprentices now the Grandmaster of the Reanimators stood and bowed respectfully to his mentor and friend. Thanatos had given him everything, rescued him from the gutters of the city when it was in its infancy. He had given him a family, parents, friends, a home, an education. Everything he was now he owed to Thanatos, not that the old man would agree being as humble as he was. His mentor had taught him how to manipute the weaves of life and bring forth new souls to the realm of the living. Many owed their existence to Altor and it was for them that he proceeded.

  “Thanatos, my friend, my saviour. We have summoned you here and convened this council so that we may include you in our recent decision.”, Altor began, sounding older than he actually was. “A decision that is to change the world as we know it”.

  Breok, the most introverted of his apprentices and a conduit for which spirits could communicate beyond death, was the next to ascend from its seat and bow respectfully. It channelled out the sounds of the departed to provide its utmost attention to the one who gave it back its pce in the world of the living. It was a Shade, a soul that danced between worlds. Its shape was ever changing, permanently cloaked in a dark ever moving shadow. Its only definable features being that of the ghost fire eyes that burned ever watching, never blinking.

  “In the many years that we have been under your tutege and guidance, we have done much good in this world and the next. Our minions plough the fields and feed the hungry, they build homes for those without and defend the borders so that we may know peace. All of this has been done thanks to your knowledge and power.”, Breok decred, wisps of unlife exuding from it into nothingness.

  Charlein, the most questionable of his apprentices and recently crowned Ghoul Queen, stood up and straightened her back as best as her twisted spine would let her. She bowed to the one she deemed the master of humanity. Not too long ago she had been violent and stupid, thanks to Thanatos now she was violent and smart. Smart enough to see that violence wasn’t the solution to every problem, most times anyway.

  “Time and time again the people of this city stumble and fall turning to us for help only to scorn us ter. We give so much and receive so little from them. Without us they would fall into darkness, blindly snatching at one another. It is only with our help that they manage to navigate their mortal lives.”, Charlein decred, bearing her fangs in distain, her cws digging into the palms of her hands.

  Doxel, the st and most eager of his apprentices and First Stitcher, stood up st, bowing in respect to the one xe saw as a father. An orphan of war xe was adopted by xyr mentor and served him tirelessly. So great was xyr desire to please Thanatos xe invented the art of Stitching. Great inovations had come about thanks to xyr discovery; amputees had their lost limbs restored and some even acquired additional ones. Xe was just such a case, sporting an additional set of arms and a prehensile tail.

  “This is why we believe that it is us that should rule. It is us that should take the reins of this world and guide it into an age of prosperity and enlightenment. Think of how much more good we could do if we were not constrained by those lesser than us. Think of the peace we could bring to this world.”, Doxel suggested, the tip of xyr prehensile tail flicking with anticipation.

  Thanatos looked at the standing faces of his apprentices, his children by most accounts, and a darkness descended upon the room. Dark storm clouds appeared in the sky eclipsing the sun. Shadows spread across the room sinisterly cementing the mood. He shook his head and fought back the darkness consuming the room with a forced smile.

  “My friends. Surely you jest? It is not for us to rule. We are but humble servants. We cannot dictate how people should live their lives. I understand the frustration that comes with their nature to poke and prod unknowingly. To run before they can walk.”, Thanatos spoke, pyfully trying to lighten the mood and restore sanity to the room.

  “We do not jest. Why is it that we must serve when we are so much better equipped to rule. With our power we could bring about a Golden Age, there would be no hunger, no homelessness, no poverty, simply life flourishing gratefully.”, Altor argued, raising his hands elegantly to the sky for emphasis.

  “We cannot interfere where we have not been asked to. You know how people respond to that. We must remain humble and patient. They shall come right eventually and if not then so be it. We cannot force our will upon them. That is not the way to accomplish things.”, Thanatos riposted defensively, unsure of just what exactly had come over his friends.

  “Why not? Why shouldn’t we force our will upon them if it will bring about an ever sting peace, an end to suffering. Why shouldn’t we intervene and save them from themselves.”, Breok shouted, the wisps of unlife that constituted its being growing rger with frustration.

  “Not everyone will be grateful. Some if not all will oppose you. They value their freedoms and will see you as seeking to circumvent them. You cannot apply pressure to something so delicate, it will break.”, Thanatos parried, feeling his grip on his apprentices loosening.

  “So what if it breaks? We can just put it back together, better than it was. To these people we are Gods, conquerors of death, it is only fitting that we should conquer life as well. We can weed out those that stand in the face of progress and give those who do not a brighter future.”, Charlein snarled, her savage nature simmering to the surface.

  “My friends. Surely you can see the fault in these ideals. You cannot predict how many will stand in opposition. How far are you willing to go? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? How many weeds must you pluck before this garden of yours can be beautiful? What if it is nothing but weeds? Where does that leave you? With nothing!”, Thanatos shouted, sweat beginning to drip from his forehead as he slowly grew ever more concerned with how far his apprentices had fallen from his teachings.

  “As many as it takes.”, Doxel decred coldly.

  Thanatos smmed his fists on the table and rose from his chair. He had lost his composure; panic filled his body and mind. He could tell from their words that they had made up their minds, thought long and hard about what they intended to do regardless of the consequences. He looked around the room and each of them. Their faces were unmoving, their intentions clear. They would not compromise, they would not rethink, and they would not stop. Not even for him.