In the middle of the room sat Ryland’s body. The zombie had torn apart all other creations and feasted on the remains. It looked up with a feral glare, a severed arm hanging out of the maw, and lunged toward the group.

  —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  “Oh he is a FIESTY one isn’t he?” Geraldo grinned

  “Now Steve, Let’s not let this one get to headstrong cut the animation.”

  But nothing happened. When the creature was only a few feet away, it leaped across the gap, trying to tackle the [Necromancer].

  “NO!” Geraldo yelled, his eyes flaring with light.

  A simple wave sent the creature flying. The bones crunched as it slammed into wall, the injured beast collapsing into a pile. But it didn’t give up, the lingering magics invigorated the beast. Bones reset and muscles flared as it rapidly regenerated.

  “STeve! I can’t do EVERYTHING for you now. Cut the animation or I’ll BREAK it” Geraldo’s demanded.

  “Steve he’s not listening,” Ryland muttered

  The ghost was doing his best to calm the raging nerves of the creature, but the sense of power was too great. Swapping tactics, he tried to siphon the magic from his body. But without sunlight or some other outlet, he would burn out.

  [Chilling Touch]

  Ryland tried to enhance his skill, pushing more and more energy into his hand. An intense frost took hold as the room rapidly chilled. The two living members could see the condensation on their breath but still the zombie charged.

  “STrange…Steve what is this?” Geraldo all but ignored the rampaging creation, instead focusing on the source of the cold.

  That…wasn’t good. Ryland panicked and halted his skill. It was best not to reveal himself to early. Yet, that only invigorated his enraged companion.

  “Well Steve, Looks like you need more practice. I’ll handle it!”

  Geraldo took a wide stance. Reaching for his sacrificial dagger, he sliced open the tips of his fingers. Falling droplets of chilled blood quickly formed into a series of runes.

  [Unearthly Shackle]

  Geraldo chanted as powerful chains of ethereal magic encircled the creation. Yet it couldn’t restrain Ryland’s body. As one took hold, it instantly broke from the beast.

  [Let the Dead Rest] Geraldo activated another spell in quick succession.

  A wave of glowing lights washed over the creation. Its cries were silenced as the high-tier magic eroded its earthy bonds. IT didn’t stop the zombie but allowed more chains to attach. Each rope of magic wrapped around the various limbs, tightening the hold on the creature.

  [Hold Undead] Geraldo shifted into his third restraint spell

  A purple orb enveloped the zombie forcing the muscles still. Each one amplified the previous until Ryland’s body was completely restrained.

  “WOW! STEVE I haven’t had to use a three-spell binding in decades! ISN’T THIS FUN. Now let me finish this up and we can have some tea.”

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  Geraldo sauntered to the creature and placed a finger on its head. His lips rapidly shifted as he searched for the binding magics.

  “Steve you have to stop this!” Ryland panicked if that man undid the magic, he’d be gone.

  But Steve was frozen, he couldn’t fight against Geraldo. The man had a one-tracked mind. If he wanted something done, it happened. He tried to think of a distraction, anything to refocus the man onto a new subject when…

  “Steve…this is WRONG!” Geraldo screeched and recoiled from the beast

  The room shook as magic emanated from the magister of death. The ghostly flames nearly consuming his entire visage.

  “Nothing NOTHING nothing” Geraldo paced around the zombie

  His creations shambled out of the various rooms carrying dozens of instruments. Books floated by his side as he referenced ancient texts.

  “Wrong, WRONG. This can’t be. Wait. No no no.” He tore out pages and tossed them to the ground.

  The minutes passed as the deranged researcher invested Ryland’s body. Samples of flesh were sliced off and compared to his own creations. His eyes tracing the lingering magics trying to find the power to it all. Even ritualistic circles couldn’t deduce what kept the creature alive. Yet all tests showed it was nothing but a simple zombie. Nothing in the history of their magics explained Ryland’s body. Nearly two hours passed before Geraldo finally stopped.

  “I have on theory. COME!”

  He didn’t even wait for Steve to respond. The man rushed towards the central pit, his creations carrying the zombie behind.

  “Geraldo uhh, what are you doing?”

  “SCIENCE!” He cried out and signaled to his minions.

  In one motion, they tossed the restrained creature into the charnel pit. Unfortunately for Ryland, the pit was a bit deeper then his connection and it pulled the ghost over the railing.

  “STEVE HELP!” His voice faded as he fell into the bowels of the commune.

  The two crashed into the pile of groaning corpses. Well his body did, Ryland just kind of bounced. He glanced up and saw the two [Necromancer]s peeking over the ridge. Every curse known to mankind erupted from his lips. His angered voice echoing against the walls. However, it was quickly silenced when the ground shifted.

  Ryland turned towards his body, a sensation of pride, fear, and power raging through their connection. The pit’s power had found a singularity, a creation outside the bounds of life.

  “It’s BEAUTIFUL” Geraldo cried out.

  It took a moment, but Ryland finally saw it. Ribbons of green-tinted aether rippled from his body. It’s colors shifting between green, blues, purples, and reds. The threads of magic quickly connected the two, reinforcing their bond. IT was like he had control once more–almost. Was this the key to reunite? Could he finally retrieve what was his?

  His body collapsed into the pile of meat. Gutteral moans erupted from the throat as it started to convulse. Ryland rushed over, trying to halt the transformation. With each step, the connection flared. An extreme hunger filled his soul, a primal instinct wishing for the flesh of life. He could taste the kill, how it felt to consume blood. The rush of tearing through soft skin and feeling the pulse of life.

  Ryland lost control of his thoughts, his own brain interwinning with that of his body. The two melding together in a metaphysical way. But it didn’t stop there, new memories returned. A lovers betrayal as the poison passed his lips. Fires of agony creeping through the skin as blight carved through the flesh. The sharp stab of a soldiers sword from the fields of battle. A feeling of regret as a suicidal man jumped from the rooftops. Each and everyone merging into a singular unit.

  Ryland screamed out trying to keep his conscious in the sea of thoughts. How many were in this pit? Why did it hurt so much? Yet soon they all converged onto a single need–Life. The taste of life, the power and warmth of blood. He craved it, he needed it, nothing would halt his drive to achieve it.

  Vision returned and the world felt small. The abyssal pit could barely contain the new form. He could sense the life from above, nearly a million souls ready for harvesting. Reaching towards the heavens, he crawled from the prison. As his fingers passed the rim, a surge of pain sent him falling once more.

  “GERALDO WHAT THE HELL IS THAT” Steve had lost all composure.

  Nearly every corpse had wiggled together. Flesh became one as a undying titan grew below. The various runes smoldered as they struggled to contain the beast below. He’d only heard of these monstrousities, thinking they were creatures of legend.

  “Uhhh. I may have OVERESTIMATED Some things. WORRY NOT!” Geraldo rushed towards the wall and activated the emergency signal.

  Within moments, the guildmaster was rushing down the steps. The elderly man watching in horror as the tower of bodies slammed against the magical restraints. His face flared red with anger, but there wansn’t much time to argue. They had to fix this before those above discovered the commotion.