Gifted
Chapter 1

"The Earth, such a curious organism. It thrashes in opposition of my kingdom, seeking constantly to reduce my beautiful land to ruins. Natural disasters thrash against my kingdom like ocean waves relentlessly beating the sandy shores. I however couldn't care less about these occurrences because I know the Earth can't possibly touch me, Anefroid. Since I have almost crushed those rebels I have had plenty of time to build my kingdom even more secure. Despite the fact that my world is unshakeable as is because I, King Corifer am strong, infinitely wise, all knowing, and" Just as the king was getting to the first fifth of his monologue he started to cough very violently, he had been doing that much more frequently. Usually these sudden outbursts last about twenty eight point forty-three seconds and he refuses "Oh thank goodness for those coughing spells". I said in my head. Corifer had been talking about himself and his accomplishments and blah, blah, blah for about an hour and thirty-seven minutes and forty-five seconds. He does this routinely and I don't see how one person can not tire from talking about himself so much because I got bored one hour thirty-six minutes and fifty-nine seconds ago. You see I was forced into servitude by the king many years ago. Six years, two months, one week, five days, and if I am not mistaken (which I never am) roughly thirteen hours I have been in his service. As you may have guessed by now I have an amazing ability. I can recall any information on the spot. A living, breathing human computer if you will. And because of this blessed curse the king's interest was directed to me, unfortunately.
My name isn't that important, in fact it is the only thing I don't seem to remember. Now I am called "Assistant". Basic duties include me following Corifer enlarging his ego, although the length of his speeches describing in detail how wonderful he is have already boosted the size of his ego to roughly the size of a small planet. I am always complimenting his appearance and how he is incredibly intelligent, and other carefully worded lies. I feel less like an assistant and more like a jester; despite the fact that the days of jesters are long gone. These aren't ancient times, in fact almost the opposite. This is the not so distant future.
I looked around the room in boredom and my attention was brought to the giant crest on the floor. The crest bore a white dragon with its muscular, scaled body in the form of a circle leaving a large empty black circle in the center of the crest. Its mouth was agape, near its long tail. One of its claws was flexed and was clutching a scroll the other was open and empty. It was the crest of the king, symbolizing his strength, wisdom, and his infinite hold on the earth. Oh looks as if he is done having his little fit here he goes again.
"Blasted coughing I have had enough of this." He looked out at the vast landscape from the giant glass window. The assistant noticed how well dressed the King was today. He wore a white shirt that was extra long and reached his knees with big stripes of green flowing down by his arms. He also wore baggy white pants and bright silver boots. A big black belt with metal pieces sticking out, though not sharp, and it looked as though something was supposed to be there. Atop his long white haired head was a pure white crown that had three points and in the center was a black gem. It sparkled like the night sky. His gaze seemed to have pride in his kingdom but at the same time it seemed to disapprove like he could have more. "This affliction however will be a thing of the past soon my flaws shall be mended."
"Ugh... I wished I learned how to sleep with my eyes open." I mumbled to myself as I started to notice how tired my legs and lower back were from standing in attention for one and a half hours and fifty-six seconds.
"At long last after four years of developing it is finished."
To the ordinary ear it must have sounded like he was talking about his palace that he had built or rather he ordered to be built, but only I knew what he was talking about, sort of. I knew for quite some time he had been working or having his men work on something for many years. It wasn't much at first sight it appeared to be a dazzling gem but knowing the King it probably wields darker purposes.
"How appropriate and on the thirty-fifth anniversary of my new kingdom. This new creation of mine is going crush those pitiful rebels and give me what I deserve. Soon I will not be weak and I will have many incredible abilities."
Suddenly everything fit, this new technology was meant to be a marker for people like me, The Gifted, but how could it give him our abilities?
"Wouldn't you like to know?" This voice was not verbal but it came from the king, it buzzed in my head like an angry bee.
"No!" I yelled inside my head but somehow I felt like someone had penetrated the sacred confines of my mind. One of the Kings servants had that ability my mind raced "What could have happened to him?" Not only did the King have a strong prejudice for The Gifted; he kept them close so he could harvest them like some sort of crop.
The King still had his back to me I didn't feel threatened but I knew I wasn't safe. The silence was short in my mind and interrupted by the King's nonverbal voice again "You may have a vast knowledge, but you are weak and your power is meaningless. You couldn't stand up to me your nothing but scum." His back still turned to me for some reason his presence seemed a lot more threatening, I felt his cold, dark shadow overcome me.
"What did you do with the other servant?" I found myself not speaking but thinking.
"Oh him, he is being taken care of" the King said aloud "But you will not be as fortunate"
I took a step backward s just onto the Kings crest. The King turned around his face completely unchanged no sign of fury or regret. It was as if his face was made of stone only, moving for the next words he spoke that were "Now Di-"
***
These were those assistant's last moments of hearing for the king had caused his brain start to bleed. Blood was rushing from his ears and was now trickling down his face. Before Corifer had even finished saying the word "die" the assistant hit the floor dead center of the crest, blood pooling around his face and now spouting from his nostrils. He looked over and saw the great white dragon's claw reaching over to him causing him to squirm but he found his body would not move. With wide frightened eyes he saw the King pacing toward him and Corifer walked right passed him. His pace remained unchanged, then the door slammed. The king had taken twenty-one paces. As the bloody halo grew in size it filled the empty black circle that lied inside the perimeter of the white dragon’s body, the blood grew darker. It took the blood stained the assistant forty-six point thirty seven excruciatingly agonizing seconds for his eyes to roll back into his head and die.