Talla's Fallen Temple Ch. 01

"Zhair'lo M'han," she read off. "Coercion score: zero. Intimidation score: zero. Dedication: complete. Stamina: complete."

"Zo'kar Ch'lai," she continued. "Same scores, slightly lower for Stamina and Dedication. Nothing to be concerned about. It's likely Zhair'lo simply gets more exercise in his current assignment, Mistress."

"And?" Within asked, gesturing to the pair of small brass tubes on the stand in the centre of the table.

Tia's lips twisted just slightly.

"We were waiting for you, Mistress," she said.

"Very well," Within said. "Set it up."

The youngest doctor, a woman wearing the yellow skirt and double sashes of an Adept II took a stack of flat glass plates and spread them out on the table as if she were dealing tiles for some board game.

"First sample," she said, lifting up the tube with the numeral '1' on it.

She turned the tube on its side and let the thick, white liquid inside it slide out to leave a small white puddle on each of seven pieces of glassware. She pushed these in front of her compatriots, keeping one for herself.

"Let us see what we have," Within said.

She lifted her plate to her mouth and reached out with the tip of her tongue to take a light taste. When the tip of her tongue made contact, she felt a slight tingle. With a quick motion, she upended the plate and deposited the entirety of her portion on the flat of her tongue. Around her, six other women did the same.

"The citrus taste is undoubtedly present," Tia observed. "About average, in my experience."

"Is there consensus?" Within asked, meeting each woman's eyes one pair at a time. "Any danger of Catatonia or Rage?"

There was no such concern.

"Mark him Heroic."

The doctor nodded.

"Sample two."

Seven new plates were used for next test, so as to avoid contamination. From the second tube, a considerable amount of semen was poured out on to each plate.

"That's quite a bit," Within noted, eyeing the volume on her plate incredulously.

"There's more in the tube," the doctor pointed out.

"Zhair'lo, then," she said. "Well, here we are."

The doctor in yellow frowned. This was supposed to be done double blind. On the other hand, it was blatantly obvious.

As before, she tilted the plate to her lips to take a taste before dumping the contents into her mouth.

"Hah!" she cried out, slapping the glass plate down on the table.

She could feel sweat forming on her brow and tears forming in her eyes as the sharp, acidic taste struck her tongue and lit down her throat. She swallowed involuntarily and it made her spine tingle.

All around her, her Disciples were having similar experiences. Forewarned by her reaction, they at least kept themselves from crying out or threatening the glassware.

"The test procedure is designed to intensify -", she paused, recollecting her breath and her thoughts, "intensify the taste."

"Yes," Tia agreed, trying to remain clinically detached. "But really. Have you ever -?"

"No," Within said. "Never a Hero like this."

There was a pause as seven women stopped to consider the ramifications. The purpose of the test was clear.

"If I'd ever tasted him," Within said, her eyes gone distant. "I would have said to skip all the other testing. That's -"

She managed to gather her dignity, but it took some effort.

"Mark him Heroic," she said. "Inform his current Master that his training may begin."

The women of Sweetness, after all, had a specific responsibility in this regard.

They tested the men and determined who should be taught the handling of weapons and who should not. They separated the loyal Heroes from the rest: the Catatonics who would merely become useless when it all went to hell; and the Enraged who would never, as long as it could be prevented, be allowed near weaponry of any sort.

"There is extra?" Within asked.

"Yes, Mistress," the doctor in yellow replied, looking down into the tube. "Quite a bit."

"Give here," the Sorceress ordered. "I'll see if her Highness has ever tasted anything like it."

The doctor handed the tube over.