While you are busy in your workshop, you hear the creak of a door. Turning around, you see one of your servants. A young woman. She is bearing a tray of refreshments.
"Here you are, my lady."
You suppose that you could use a break. You can't recall just how long you've been working on your sculpture.
You get up, wincing a little. Is this body ageing already? Life is nothing but troubles. You sit at the bench and she places the tray in front of you. There are fresh strawberries, some kind of pink juice you don't immediately identify, a plate of biscuits, a slice of honey cake and a pitcher of water.
It all looks marvellous.
"Did I request all this?"
"Yes, my lady," she confirms. "I'm sorry I took so long. I had a little trouble getting everything you wanted. I had to go to the capital for some of it."
Oh. You do remember getting a little peckish... a few weeks ago.
Well, it all
does
look marvellous.
Except for the biscuits. You pick one up. "Girl, squashed-fly biscuits are not supposed to contain actual flies."
"Oh. My mistake, my lady. They are home-made though!"
"That is a comfort." You put it back down and set that plate aside. "Well, I am sure the harpies will enjoy them at least."
You begin to eat the strawberries. As you do so, you turn to look at your young servant. She is not entirely unfamiliar.
"Your name is... Ash, is it not?"
She smiles happily, pleased to be remembered. "That's right, my lady."
"Of course. You were of such assistance with one of my experiments. I do recall."
You really couldn't say which one. But Ash's eyes appear to go unfocused, her face a little slack. It seems she remembers.
"Well, biscuits aside, this is a really lovely spread, Ash. You've outdone yourself. Do sit. Have a little honey cake yourself."
She sits. "I'd love some honey, my lady," she says. She winks at you. You are not sure why. You worry that your kindness may cause her to lose track of her station in life.
"What are you working on, my lady?" Ash asks.
You sigh. How inappropriate for her to be so probing. Perhaps she won't work out. Still, you must acknowledge that it is nice to have the opportunity to show off your latest work a little.
"It is a sculpture. A new interest of mine. I feel that this one represents humankind in its contemplative state. Do take a closer look, but do not touch."
She seems transfixed as she approaches the sculpture. As she inspects it, you take the chance to do so again with new eyes yourself. It is a humanoid form made out of a very dark clay. It sits in a kneeling posture, arms folded and one hand under its chin. It's somewhat larger than the scale of a regular human. Looking at it now, you do feel that it has turned out rather well. More finishing touches are always possible, you suppose, but at some point an artist must look at her work and call it done.
"It's very beautiful, my lady."
You tolerate the remark. The servant is young. It is quite understandable that she tends to perceive things at the surface level.
"Yes, I did model it on my recollections of an old friend of mine. A very fine lady indeed. Or was she a daydream? A phantasm sent by one of my enemies? I don't quite recall."
Ash gets closer to it.
"And is this part true to life, my lady?"
Her hand is outstretched towards the statue's nethers.
"Ash, I said not to touch it!"
She draws back. "From the size of that, I get the impression she's contemplating something hot, my lady!"
"Well, I do feel that I can allow myself artistic licence in some matters."
"Absolutely, my lady!"
All of this has made you think. Perhaps it is time for the next step. You examine your servant from head to toe and consider.
"I don't suppose you would care to volunteer to assist me in another experiment, Ash?"
She seems delighted by the idea. "One of your experiments, my lady? I'd be thrilled!"
"Hmm. Well. Please just be agreeable. Experimentation should be approached in the most rational of terms." Yet despite her excess of enthusiasm, she does seem a very suitable candidate. "Do go and draw up the paperwork, Ash. I will make preparations here."
The servant hastily runs off.
By the time she returns, you have levitated the statue over to another area of the workshop and painted a very precise set of runes around it. You are almost ready to begin.
"Ash, there is a jar of oil on the bench. Do fetch it, if you would, and pour it over the statue."
"Yes, my lady."
She picks up the large jar with some difficulty. While she douses the statue with the oil, you retreat to a certain distance.
"That's enough, Ash. Take a few steps back, if you please."
Once she's far enough back, you extend your hand. A brief crackle of lightning jets from your fingers and strikes the statue. There is a grinding sound, and for a moment the workshop seems to grow darker.
Ash lets out a little yell.
The statue begins to stand up.
"My lady! What's going to happen?"
"If I knew what would happen, there would be no purpose to the experiment, my dear."
"Of course, my lady, but... it's alive!"
As she says that, there's a loud crashing sound. Thunder does arrive after lightning, you think, but this is ridiculous. "Don't be so melodramatic. It is simply animated, temporarily, by a spirit from one of the more minor demonic realms."
The statue is standing up straight now. At its full height, it appears much taller now than you quite realised it was when you were working on it. Much larger in some other respects too.
"But my lady..."
"Now listen carefully, Ash. For purposes of experimental integrity, I have now raised a wall of force around the sculpture. You are inside the wall with it, of course."
"Of course."
"I hope you remember the drill. Please respond to my questions and report anything you think may be experimentally relevant."
"Yes, my lady. But... what will it do?"
"That would depend on what kind of spirit cared to respond to the summoning."
The statues eyes open. They are a gleaming red.
"Oh."
"What is it, my lady?" Ash asks worriedly. "What does it mean?"
"To tell you would disrupt the experiment, Ash. Please try to control yourself, or I may conclude that I made a mistake in permitting you to assist me with my work."
"I understand, my lady," Ash says very quickly.
The golem begins to move forward. Its limbs appear to move very smoothly, but a soft rumbling sound accompanies all its motions. You watch, intrigued, as the tall statue looms over your assistant. It looks down at her.
"Now, Ash, I should warn you that you may find that this being is very strong. Whatever it does, don't resist at all. It won't do any good, and you might break something."
"I under-- Ooh!"
The golem leans down and a long blue tongue rolls out of its mouth. You didn't sculpt that. Quite remarkable. You scribble some notes.
