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

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

  Their guild-master rushed to the runework, moving with surprising swiftness for his age. His eyes darted across the binding magics, searching for the points of weakness. With every slam, the grotesque symbols flared with light. Flecks of dye dissipated as the containment spell weakened. Without much time, he pulled out the ritual dagger and jammed it into his palm. Blood leaked down the flesh, dripping along the floor. Pressing his index finger into the cold groove, he slowly reinforced the decaying symbols.

  “STEVE GET BACKUP. GERALDO DO SOMETHING!” He cried out, it was only a stop-gap and he’d bleed out before stopping the assault.

  Steve rushed down the halls, banging on the doors and recruiting any he could find. He tried to ignore the wild calls of the two high-level casters. Both argue over ways to take down the titan. The guildmaster demanded they blow up the monstrosity while Geraldo pressed for a more surgical approach.

  “Reas, Just LISTEN this is the FIRST we’ve seen in millenia! Just HOLD it while I RESTRAIN it”

  “Geraldo! We don’t have time for that. Blow it up for I care. If you don’t then entire cult of deas will be here in the next hour!” Reas was starting to turn white from anemia, the man rapidly draining his blood to stifle the attacks.

  “WHERE ARE THE OTHERS!” He screamed out.

  Thankfully, more students and spellcasters rushed through the halls. Both Reas and Geraldo shouted orders, working the crew into a semblance of a team. Those without skills helped Reas reinforce the bindings, while the more powerful ones formulated a containment spell. In the chaos of it all, only Steve noticed the situation worsening.

  Various creations and monstrosities shambled out of the surrounding labs. Blood golems, shuffling skeletons, meat wads, slime piles, zombies, and more crept towards the pit. They didn’t attack their creators, but the pull of death overtook their directives. One by one, they tumbled over the sides, adding their power to the thrashing creature below. Steve screamed at the group, pointing at the macabre march. It took a moment for the two to realize what was happening.

  “UNsummon your creations NOW!” Geraldo commanded. His body radiated a wave of unearthly magic, severing many in the process.

  The others quickly worked through the bindings, but the constant well of power only reinforced their connection to the living world. It was only a few seconds of delay, but enough for one of the wards to fail. The towering goliath punched through the flickering barrier, its hand smashing into the floor before disintegrating into a mass of bodies.

  Dozens of zombies stood, rushing towards the living as they craved the touch of life. They didn’t go for the kill, instead, they only inflicted debilitating wounds on the screaming apprentices. Tendons were slashed, calves half-eaten, and eyes scooped out like jelly. Others formed up magical barriers, pushing back the wave of rotten flesh; trying to form pockets of resistance in the sea of dead.

  Only Reas, Geraldo, and Steve came out unscathed. Those near the mad necromancer burst into blue flames. The ghastly fires consumed the man’s head, directing the hunger wildfire throughout the room. It fed on the latent magics within, quickly consuming those it touched; leaving behind smoldering bodies.

  Reas had activated a series of charms and trinkets. His stored energies pushed back the undead, mimicking the runes of the pit. Sweat dripped from his brow as he concentrated on maintaining the barriers. Pushing his way through the waves of dead to find the shattered rune. Thankfully, the others still held firm. Only basic zombies to make it through the opening. The others fall back into the pit, only to climb up and try again.

  All while Steve just stood there. He was invisible to the group, none dared to touch the terrified man. An instinctual avoidance that somehow protected him from being torn apart. He knew why, he could feel it from the connection. Ryland was still fighting, yet the intense hunger was the only emotion felt. A primal craving that made Steve shudder. He had to figure out a way to stop this.

  Steve’s concentration was shattered when he saw the tide shift. No longer on the attack, the army of dead began pulling at those down. Claws dug into the flesh and dragged them back. Those captured tried to pull free, but the creatures felt no pain. Long streaks of blood followed the path as the living were brought towards the pit.

  “RYLAND NO” Steve shouted

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  For a brief moment the battle halted, ever ghastly head turning towards him. Hundreds of eyes all staring. But that hunger returned and the first screaming apprentice was tossed over the rim. IT was a feeding frenzy, one by one the captured [Necromancer]s were fed to the pit. Their wails of pain echoing in the deep well, bones shattered alongside the tearing of flesh. They needed backup fast.

  The consequences be damned. Steve turned towards the staircase, screaming for help as he ran to the surface. Before reaching the top, dozens of [Surgeon]s, [Nurse]s, [Healer]s, and more appeared. He didn’t have time to explain, just rapidly explained how a beast formed in the locus and dozens were dying. By the time he returned, over half of the group was gone. The last few hiding behind Geraldo and Reas, doing their best to maintain the wards.

  The doctors jumped into action. Their life-giving magics were the antithesis to the undead creations. Working as one, the group split up and carved a path to the pockets of survivors. They did their best to recover those trapped, some lagging behind to perform emergency treatment on the mangled members.

  Powerful waves of healing magic washed across the crowd of zombies, slowing their movements. Surgeons quickly beheaded those that approached, their sharpened scalples leaving charred stumps for necks. Others simply touched their attackers, waves of cackling electricity dancing between the finger tips and causing the muscles to spasm on impact. Even the nurses joined the battle. Gause lurching outward and restraining those nearby.

  Yet for all their effect, it was still only simple zombies. That towering giant of rot continued to pound away at remaining wards, the olden runes weakening with each strike.

  “JOHN GET REAS HELP!” Was all Geraldo could say. The man now nearly entirely made of flames. He stood at the edge of the pit channeling his power for a final strike. But he needed time.

  John rushed towards the elderly man. The two briefly chatting before the [Hematologist] took a step back. Slipping on his gloves, he fell into a trance. A wave of energy pulsed through the space as he activated his capstone skill.

  [Haemagglutination]

  The spilled blood rapidly sprung to life. Trickles of the crimson liquid reached upward like sproutlings. A smell of iron overtook the air as it dispersed into a red mist. Thick droplets of congealed goo twitched as they casually floated. John tried to contain his magics, but those injured suffered from its effects. Any open cut rapidly leaked the living-giving substance. Nurses rushed towards those affected, plugging the sores with gauze before they were exanguinated.

  [Rapid Dessication]

  Various globules of floating ichor shifted into spikes. The crystalized lifeblood sliced through the constructions and pinned them to the ground below.

  [The Blood Rebels]

  The hardened blood softened and oozed into the open wounds. Flesh bubbled and buckled as it forced its way through the underlying skin. Seconds later, thick chunks of gore erupted from within. The rotting blood succumbing to the skills' effects and violently trying to escape the body’s confines. One by one the infected zombies exploded in a shower of crimson rain. Their tainted lifeblood intermixed with the rest to infect others. It was a twisted skill meant to decimate the wounded, a literal war crime of a ability. Yet, none could argue its effectiveness. But there was still work to do.

  Twisting his hands, John maneuvered the blood mist into the simulacrum of the runework. Each one slowly forms into the various sigils, doing their best to mimic the shape. With the last one crafted, he pushed forward. The blood smashing into the protective wards, instantly reinforcing each one. With his task complete, John collapsed.

  Reas directed the others to channel their own magic into the sigils. While the live-giving aether was inefficient, with this many people it should work. One by one, the protective markings strengthened, the barrier reforming and halting any new zombies from bursting through. With reinforcements halted, the group quickly dispatched the rest.

  Those healers spent little time celebrating, instead, they rushed toward the wounded to administer care. Reas walked to the edge of the pit, staring at Geraldo.

  “Do it” he commanded

  The vaguely humanoid flame turned towards his friend. A sensation of sorrow overwhelmed the two.

  “You can research the remains. But you know it has to be destroyed”

  Geraldo nodded.

  [Cremation of Creation]

  His flames were unleashed onto the raging construct below, The wildfire filling the pit as it consumed the titanic beast.

  Steve felt the terror from his friend. The pain as his body was consumed. The fear of dying again. But it had to be done, he could only hope the realm of the dead would be kind. He muttered his goodbyes, a tear falling across his cheek as the pit burned. But then he felt a tug, Something pulling at his very core.

  He’d give as much as he could. Slicing his finger, he let the blood leak over the stone. Muscles seized up as the power transferred to his friend. Even through the flames, all three watched as a single corpse walked through. Ryland’s body forced it’s way up the pit, using the deep gashes as footholds.

  “KILL IT” Reas called but Geraldo didn’t listen, instead he smothered the wildfire instantly.

  He returned to his human form and watched with extreme fascination. Moments later Ryland’s body passed through the barrier without any resistance. The burned creation walking past the three and grabbing one of the fresh bodies. Tearing off the arm, it sat and ate. The thing staring at the group with an intense hatred.

  “Oh Steve, we ALL need to have a nice, LONG dinner together” Geraldo said, A jolly grin crossing his ghastly face.