"My Lord. It has failed again." A raspy voice, thick with fear.
The next second, the figure in the dark grey robe flies across the cave and crashes into the far wall. He does not dare make a sound. He hits the ground and drops immediately into a bow so deep his forehead presses against the cave floor.
"My Lord, have mercy!" He hisses, his voice barely above a whisper. "I know my failure. I will do it again. I will not stop until I succeed!"
He repeats it like a prayer, his forehead striking the cave floor in rhythm with the words, over and over, until the stone beneath him is wet.
A black shadow hand lifts and waves once. Dismissal.
"Thank you, my Lord. Thank you." He retreats without rising, crawling backward through the cave entrance until the darkness swallows him whole.
