The Next Steps

=Damyn drifts through the cemetery, fingertips brushing along weathered tombstones, pulling the energy from them, to course through his body. He seemed to glide across the ground, a faint mist curling around him. Stopping here and there on his journey, he kneels, a thin stilleto in his hand, clipping leaves from various plants, collecting various insect specimens into small vials. He had learned well from his teachers, and had always shown an aptitude for toxins in all forms, and in refining and altering them with necrmancy to increase their potency and make them nearly incurable.

Finally reaching his destination, he surveys. An open circle of ground, perhaps 10meters across is before him. He stands at one side, before a crumbling stone sarcophagus, some texts and various samples before him on it. At the edges of the ring are evenly spaced sarcophagi, 7 in total at the cardinal points of the compass, with Damyn at the head, due north. outside the ring are a F'tallian menagerie. a hunting cat is collared and chained to a gravemarker, prowling restlessly and looking for means of escape. From nearby, a deer-like prey animal is equally bound, staring nervously at the surroundings. Near Damyn rests two frayed woven sacks, containing the corpses of animals, in various stages of decay. The smell was repulsive, yet Damyn did not stir, or even seem to notice. This was the smell of death, and death was his domain.

Resting his hands lightly on the sarcophagus lid, he focuses himself, sending tendrils of energy into the body within. This earthly containers for the deceased had a remarkable ability to maintain strong spiritual connections. These elves had buried their dead with some wordly possessions, and this created a stronger bond. Ripping the spirit from the bones and reanimating them was a thrill , despite the ease at which he now could do it, with but a glance and the slightest reflex of his power. For the uninitiated though, the battle for control could be fatiguing. One often must manipulate and cajole the spirit, trick it into giving up it's earthly shell. Without removing their earthly taint, the slightest traces of their old willpower could corrupt or break the bond.

A lesson to learn, then, was in binding the spirits. Learning their intricacies and fears. If you could bind them, even against their will, into their corpses, the reanimatd body was harder to control, but stronger, more driven, and with a modicum of intellect that was necessary in a servant.

The greatest step in this pathway was the creation of the free-willed undead, wraiths and ghosts. Manifestations of strong spirits with their own devices and motives. They were powerful, but that came at a cost of control. Oh, surely, all but the most powerful of undead beings were toys in his hands. Still, it was a dangerous art, where a stumble could mean the loss of control and confronting the angry vengeance of a powerful being. Still, this was his art, his dance, and he excelled at this. He could raise ships from the seafloor, he could raise armies of the battle slain, and without arrogance believed he excelled at his craft, through practice and application.

Digging his mind deeper into the interred spirit, he paged through centuries-old memories as if they were a book, reveling in the fight with the spirit, and the powerlessness of the being against his will. Focusing, he allowed himself to wrack the spirit with pain, angering it, enraging it. He wished it to be lively for what was to follow.

With one last mental spear into the spirit, he withdrew from it, his fingertips caressing the stone lightly. Now there was the waiting. His prize students, his untrusted students. He awaited them. Today he would begin their true training, beyond corpse candles and questions, and the simple dance-steps they had been playing at...=

:: Xavier enters the circle of stones, his face blank as he surveys the scene, but his hand resting on the hilt of his blade none the less. He casts his eyes about for his sister, knowwing she will be there in short order. His gaze crosses the animals and the sarcophagi before stopping on Damyn::

So, Death Lord, what are we to work on today?

Claudia saw no need to make mention of her presence. She appeared beside her brother in an etheral wave, her physical form a mere shade of what it could be. As she had grown and spent more time here, in this darker place, her own appearence was becoming affected - inhuman and cold. Her skin pale, her hair a sharp obsidian that contrasted her face. Her eyes were wide and flickered with curiosity, however she was emotionless.

She tilted her head to one side and stared at the seven cardinal points of the compass. Then her gaze turned upon the Master of their trade, Damyn. Her stare was such that he'd know what she was asking about why they were there. With Claudia, she radiated emotions yet never physically spoke.

=Damyn nods slightly in acknowledgment as they arrive. Lifting his hands from the stone, he gestures to the items gathered. "I have decided that you are ready now for the next steps towards the mastery of your respective crafts." His hooded gaze falls first on Claudia. "I am not content with letting you play with corpse candles and riddles. Today, you learn to animate the dead. No, not just the simple experiments with mindless, untasked animal slave-corpses. You will learn to bind their spirit to their earthly remains." Turning his look then to Xavier. "And you will learn the art of battling such things, with blade and magic." he runs his fingers gently along the worn stone in front of him. "Lessons simple to hear, but hard in application."=

// Dressed in his priest garb, Marcus joins the group. He feels no need to break up the teachings, and so does not say anything, merely nodding his head in respect when Damyn looks in his direction. His dark and broading eyes glanced to Claudia, her safety a step more important than that of Xavier. Claudia and Xavier had been given tasks, and now he waited patiently to be acknowledged.//

=Turning to marcus, he nods again. "Hello priest. As you heard, today we are honing the arts we have learned. I admit I have little knowledge of your magic, but there are things you must learn as well, relating to the arts. You will learn as well as they to create as well as to battle us this day. Knowledge of both sides are necessary. You, my star pupils, are taking the next steps to mastery of your crafts."=

// Standing proud and tall, Marcus keeps his book close to his form and listens carefully as Master Damyn addresses him. He granted the superior a respectful nod, then found his gaze averting along to Claudia. With a small smile, he turned back to face Damyn, ready to learn.//

"I'm late, forgive me." Ash grinned, stepping out of the shadows. He nodded to the others, his eyes travelling over the things that Damyn had already set up. Ash had only just returned from his meeting in the graveyard with the necromancer Mychael, a topic he would have to find time to discuss with Damyn. Not wishing to deter from the present, he continued. "Well, well...what do we have here?" It had pipqued his curiosity and he was eager to see what the necromatic Master had in mind for the day.

Mind linking Damyn, he said "Chaaran will be joining us shortly."

:: Xavier nods, reaching for the hilt of his blade and checking it is clear in the scabard. He had fought the undead already, mindless husks used to simulate as best they can the fight of real warriors were begining to get tiresome, but if the necromancer had a new game to hand, he was more than willing to play.::

Oh, Lord Velmark wished me to deliver a message, something about having to deal with the wights and their feeding habits on the help..he will not be joining us presently.


(( OOC: I still haven't made the character for the new site, so bear with me till I get him there and we will have out sword master to use.))

=Damyn stands stock still, blending into the darkness around him. "I am confident in velmark's continued honing of your skills. However, his presence is not required in this." He does not acknowledge Ash physically, sending a mindlink that is more of an implied nod than anything else, and remains silent a long moment, pulling the dark energies into his body.

"You have each excelled in your works. I am impressed. As the heads of your prospective groups of pupils, I have decided to take this next lesson into my hands. Of course, you've all been learning your roles in a battle, and to manage your powers. Tonight, however, I deem your apprenticeships formally over, if this test is passed." he pauses a long moment to let it sink in again. "By no means have you mastered anything. However, I do not wish to watch you all suffer beside those who do not possess your knowledge or abilities. So, tonight, you are journeymen of sorts."

He looks at Claudia, the motion more of a movement of his cowl. "this evening, you will learn to raise reanimating corpses, which will reassemble after they have fallen. You will also learn to fight the fine line between a simple animated corpse and one with a modicum of its previous knowledge. This is a painful, dangerous, and rewarding process. Your task, young one, will be the hardest of the group. However, of them all, i feel your talents the most honed to this."

He shifts his attention to Xavier. "You will learn a not-oft used skill of the art. You fight with blade, and you know the basics of our apprentices and acolytes. However, they have not seen fit to train you in the art of using these skills in hand to hand combat. I desire an order of warriors, trained in blade, magic, and faith. I believe you have the required fortitude to become the first of these. You will learn to fight with the very essence of death at your beck and call. I have seen these nights that sought to claim our Lord before his ascension. I have heard speak of them, and their white cloaks. However, their disuse of magick is as much a handicap as their faith is a boon. We shall rectify that mistake."

He turns to Marcus. "A faith is in need of strong hands and hearts. While my own knwoledge of divine magic is not expansive, I would see to it that you can not only mimic Claudia's works, but use your faith to an advantage. She will learn to raise armies of the dead, control them at a whim. You will learn to twist the very land with your art, and wrest control of the bodies and minds of others. Of all, you understand the methods of discovery, of finding secrets, and so you will be tasked with that, and of binding those from other planes. The master's mercy is not tender, but his servants will learn to be responsive to our calls, as you will learn the very mastery of death and darkness from his graces."

he traces runes absently along the sarcophagus lid, remaining silent, letting them absorb the information. As he lets them process, he mindlinks Ash: "I do not trust them, but I cannot fault their abilities. You can observe, but I know these things I teach will be already known to you, my star pupil. For you, and our draconic friend, I have perhaps something more planned. However, I would ahve your observations here, and his as well when he arrives. I do not plan for this lesson to be short, nor painless."

and then he waits, face hidden in shadows, and prepares himself for the next steps...=

:: He nods as he takes in all the Necromancer says. His hand drawwing his blade and holding it easily in his hand in preparation for the coming instruction. He smiles to himself at the very idea of leading an order of men into battle against his Uncles precious Dragon Knights. ::


(( OOC: I am fucking Vader!.....minus the whiny bitch-ass crying over the dead girlfreind....)))

=Damyn gathers magic, pulling the dark energy of death into his body, reveling in the feeling. Letting it build up to excruciating levels, he gestured Claudia forward. Pointing to one of the bags, he expended some little energy in levitating it towards him and allowing the contents to empty into the circle at her feet. "You are adept at the animation of dead things, and their control. Now learn to bend their very spirits, and bind them to you. The creatures of the earth, of lower intelligence, are weak willed and simple, a task not too difficult for one of your skill.

he allows the enrgy t flow through his body, while continuing to draw it through him, in a cycle that was invigorating to one such as him. "Now raise the beast, and find the link to the spirit. Only you will not sever it. You will draw it to you. Coax, threaten, or cajole as is your nature. It is a beast, and you must learn how best to gain their trust."=

:: Claudia closed her eyes and allowed the dark energy from within to rise. The air around them would grow cold and colder. From the floor the dark shadows would rise, howling and groaning, their hands reaching up from the floor - reaching and grasping at the skirts of her dress and at the pointed leather tips of her boot heels.

She opened her eyes, and they were shock white. Her pupils could no longer be seen. The winds picked up and her ebony hair swirled and danced. The screams of the dead grew louder, and she fought them hard in her mind. She used her inner energy to reach out and swirl, wrapping around the dark shadows and their hands.

Claudia was searching for the soul that belonged to the deceased beast. The task had proven more difficult than any, because she had to use her gut feeling to simply know. It was not a knowledge that could be learnt from the text book alone. This task was based upon senses and intuition, and little Claudia did her best.

It would seem that a few moments would pass before the beast of a horse began to form physically in front of her. Its screetches of terror as it bucked and threw its mane back. Claudia's eyes flashed and returned to normal, and she reached out with her hand, gesturing with her finger for it to silence. She stared intently into its eyes, and any who watched would think she was having a conversation with it.

The horse was skittish, it didn't want to come forward - but Claudia gave the animal no choice....her hand reached out and touched its forehead. It calmed and suddenly became very still, staring into her eyes intently.

Claudia waited for Damyn's guidence, breaking the gaze of the animal to glance at him. ::

=Damyn nods to Claudia, and her competent display. 'the beasts of the earth are simple, and in time after their lives have fled, they grow weak and easy to manipulate." he looks at the rotting horse corpse, and nods again. "You will see that this is different than animating a mindless beast. Still, there is a certain power in this skill." he looks at the cowering creature and other bag, making a sudden decision. She was skilled, and though pragmatism ruled he should take her stepwise through this, he felt she was competent. He turns his head to the chained hunting cat, a large jaguar sized beast, sleek power and dark fur, eyes burning as it spit with fierce rage.

Damyn extends a hand, focusing his energy on a connection with the creature. it screamed in fury, struggling wildly at its chains, body contorting in an instinctive fear. "Herd animals are docile, and a freshly slain corpse will have a stronger link to its spirit." he looks at the cat and pulls the energy from it into himself, reveling in the rush of life into his body as he draws the very life from the cat. "When it is fallen, do the same. Be prepared for this though, little one. This is a diffferent fight, but a battle we must make in the pursuit of knowledge." closing his hand into a fist, he siphons the last of the life from the beast, tasting the energy in his body. It was pent up within him, like static electricity, and it made the air around him seem frigidly cold. "Now young one."=

:: Claudia recognized that they were now moving on to the next exercise, so she instantly dropped all power and focus on the horse, turning it back into a cloud of dust and ash which fell quickly to the floor. Standing and listening intently to Damyn, Claudia was pleased.He had become an excellent mentor in these matters and his education was paramount to her sucess.

She was enraptured with Damyn's next move, the Master Necromancer showing some of what she deemed his finer works. She watched what he was trying to practice, the wild cat, full of fight and energy turn to a corpse as the life energy was sapped away from it. She wanted to do one better than what was asked, and rather than following his lead as she should have, she decided to do something else.

Instead, she turned on Damyn, her breathing shallow as she closed her eyes, her hand reaching out. She began to pull the life energy of the cat that he just killed, right from his form even though Damyn had obsorbed the life force. This was not an easy task. She had to raise more energy, to twist and find his inner power, find the essence of the animal deep from within.

It was a hard feat, but eventually she grabbed at it, pulling the essence and soul from the beast back into its corpse, reanimating the beautiful black Jaguar. It rose to its feet, shaking its head dazed and confused.::

=Damyn feels the link, and allows it to continue as he turns to Claudia as she begins to pull from him. Letting it go on for a long moment, he focuses his will on hers just as the cat come to life, using their connection to backdraft her energy into himself, drawing on her life energy. He allowed the excess energy to dissipate into the air around him, wilting the grass around him and causing frost to form near him. he continues to pull energy from her form into his own. "You presume much, young one." he draws more from her, building up the energy within himself a moment.

he closes the conduit from him to her, leaving her with barely the energy to stand, and dissipates the energy in a shock of energy, radiating away from him in a weakening, paralyzing wave that would chill and seep the strength from those within the circle, a flickering taste of his capabilities. "That was not wise."=

::Claudia's eyes flickered and ran shock white as she felt Damyn's pull of her own precious soul. She opened her mouth in protest, the high pitched screams of the dead rushing forth. It was defence mechanisim. Claudia stood her ground and fought with her own talent, keeping tight and stubborn hold of her energy - but it wasn't enough to defeat the Master at his own game.

She paled, dropped to her knee's and slumped, her head falling foward and limp. Her breathing was shallow as she found herself lying on the floor on her side, her beautiful black hair covering some of her face. She tried so hard to fight the inner battle, the fight for her own life was much harder than taking someone elses.

Even though he had cut the link she was still paralyzed there, and she could barely blink or move, her mind trying to desperately wrap around the senses of what had just happened.::

=Damyn looks at Claudia, and at the others. "There are some lessons that can only be learned through failure." he looks back at her prone form, as she is struggling. He turns to Marcus. "She is weak, but unhurt. See to her for the moment. She shall need rest, and the more replenishing of your talents." He waits a moment for them to recover from his last short lesson, to let feeling flood into their limbs.

Taking his place again at the edge of the circle, he gestures Xavier forward. "Are you ready, warrior?"=

//The wave of energy that shot through his form as Damyn punished him almost brought up the feeling of sickness, and his body felt woozy from the effects. But that did not stop him from making his way forward towards Claudia with calm urgency. His strides were quick, and his hand was gripped upon his precious book as if his life depended upon it.

His face was ashen - all he wanted to do was protect her. "Enough, Necromancer..." He growled under his breath, picking up his precious Claudia. "The training should end for today, she needs to return and be healed. I shall not do so here on the field." He wanted her to be comfortable.//

=Damyn turns his head to Marcus, who can fill his eyes boring into him, though he cannot see them. "Are you so fearful, Acolyte? Has my displeasure so unamanned you?" He tone is not mocking, a simple taking measure of him. "Perhaps your masters have been lax in your training to this point. However, she is not dismissed, nor are you. And I would suggest you do something to help, else the next task may kill her, and you can answer to her brother for that." He looks pointedly back at Xavier, done with his conversation with Marcus.

"You are a warrior, and as such will remain. The gifts given to you are less refined, I fear, than those given your sister but the price can be just as high. Your sword is your brush, and each stroke paints a song. You shall become an artist unmmatched, then. You know simple tricks, cantrips and ghost lights. Perhaps your sister has saw fit to take that a step further in private study. I hope so. the lesson just taught, though sharp, is one that shall be yours. That burst of energy will stumble a group of foes, chill and weaken their muscles, and fog their mind. This makes men ripe for death. If you can use their own energy against them..." he gestures to Marcus and CLaudia. "Then they may very well fall before your blade reaches them. Make no mistake, though. The more life you pull from them, the harder the fight, and to end their life is a grand battle you must learn to win over time. Still, a weakened foe is a dead foe."

tracing his fingertips along the stone sarcophagus lid, he pauses a moment before continuing. "You will also learn to shield yourself from blade and bolt, though maintaining such a shield around you can be costly to your energy. With foes on all sides though, it is a valuable enough lesson. And, of course, the animation of the dead to fight beside you. Finally, I have one spell which I believe serve you best, a raw form of death from the Master himself." he turns his head to marcus. "These are his gifts, as much as the ones you bear. Please, bear witness to this for the moment."

gathering energy into himself again, he lifts a hand,a ball of darkness forming in his hand as he puses the raw entropic energy of ddecay in his body into a semi-material ball of black. he gestures sharply at the fawn-like creatue huddled nearby, hurling the ball in the form of a bolt of dark energy, a necromantic response to mages lightning. The bolt has no sound, only cold and trailing bending of light that distorts the air around it as it strikes the unfortunate creature. Before their eyes, the animal bleats once, ending in a strangled sound as the magic does it's work, tearing the life from the creature, and as they watch the bolt ravage it, the body begins to decay, flesh and fur shrinking and sloughing off until nothing is left but a pile of bones and rotting filth. He allows that to sink in to his pupils before turning. "What it lacks in subtlety, it makes up for in effectiveness. In time, you will learn this, and more." he gestures to the sarcophagi. "You wished to fight more than mindless husks. Very well. Within each of these sarcophagi is the decayed body of a dead warrior from old F'Tallian, reanimated at my hand. They retain their skills from their life, as well as an enhanced form of undeath. You will find them neither clumsy, nor mindless. Once the lids are open, you have but a small amount of time before they assemble to attack. If you so wish to draw the energy from them, be my guest, but know that their will is present, and they are rather enraged at their tenure of imprisonment. As your sister would have learned, that is a game that can cause a stumble in even hardeneed necromancers."

"I would see how you fare with your blade, though. I am curious, as I have never had the time to watch you train. I have no doubt of your competence, but against live foes, of a sort, I would see." he pauses a moment. "And make no mistake. Their intent is lethal, and their blades sharp."=

:: As the rippling energy passes over Xavier he staggers slightly, but remains standing, his eyes flashing from green to a sullen red as he watches Claudia fall. Without thinking he channles a part of himself to her through the bond they share, lending his own energy to her recoverry even as Damyn speaks of his lessons.

Starightening, he draws his blade, a small smile crossing his face as Damyn demonstrates the magic he intends to teach them all, his mind already calculating the effectiveness of it in battle versus the time it takes to cast and weighing its use to a swordsman. ::

I do not fear the dead, Death Lord. I have always lived halfway through the veil by virtue of my father's blood, and the other firmly in the abyss thanks to mother dear. Let us see your warriors, so that I may grnat them a second death, that they lament their imprisonment no more.

:: ML Claudia: " Draw on our father's blood sister, your spells will be useful in this fight, and you are too vulnerable on the ground, use the preist if you must, but be prepared."

:: ML Marcus: " Steel yourself preist, your faith is a sheild, use it. They do not lay a boned talon on her as long as you breath, or I will see to it that death is no release."

=Damyn spreads his hands grimly, gathering energy into himself again. Stepping back, he gestures out wide with his arms, forcing the lids off of the eight sarcophagi simultaneously. A shifting sound can be heard from within, dry and near-metallic. Slowly, from each sarcophagi a skeleton emerges, clad in fine elven chain, half rusted, and each holding a sword in hand. From within the dead sockets there is a malevolent glow, something missing from the animate, mindless brethern. STanding as they do at the points of the compass, one stands between Damyn and Xavier.

Damyn raises a hand, and the skeletons halt, giving him a grudging salute. "they are formed from an old part of the art." he steps into the circle before Xavier, lifting a hand, in which the skelton places its own weapon. he gives each student a pointed look in turn, and faces the skeletal warrior, lifting the sword high and smashing it into the structure. Bone gives way to dust, and the skeleton crumbles, the skull and ribs cracked. Dropping the sword in the dust, Damyn turns to Xavier to make his point.

As Damyn looks hard at them, the pile of debris begins to shift, reforming rapidly into a standing skeleton, grasping the sword firmly in the boney claws, eyes blazing from the fractured skull. Damyn nods to Xavier. "I had hoped your sibling would be able to take part in their creation. However, her current condition precludes her from being included in this exercise." Gesturing idly, half the skeletons fall with an otherworldy scream, their souls sent hurtling back across the veil as Damyn dismisses them. "Four, however, should be good practice for you and the priest. His art should be integral to their destruction, once he realizes how."

Stepping back outside of the circle, he rests his hands on the edge of the sarcophagus, waiting a moment for Marcus to remove Claudia to safety and enter the ring, the four skeletons standing at the cardinal points of the compass, awaiting freedom to act.=

::The bond between Claudia and Xavier was strong, and almost immediately Claudia began to gain strength as her brother channelled some of his life force. Her energy was still low, but it was enough to stir her around to consciousness, her eyes half open as she blinks, sighing deeply.

Her arms wrap around his neck and she looks up at Marcus. Before he would be able to react, she darted at him her canines growing quickly as her lips pressed against his neck. Her arms held tigher around him, her fangs cutting deep and fast as she pierced his skin, draining some of his precious vitae. The blood was the extra substance she needed.::

//Marcus looked pointidly at the Master Necromancer as he held Claudia tight to his form. "Not fearful at all, my training has been quite sufficient. I was giving my opinion on her state of health." He looked back down at her, noticing how vulnerable she appeared. It was almost enchanting.

Straightening up, he heard Xavier's mind link and gave a firm nod, replying "You have my word - no harm will ever come to her in my charge. I shall join you for the challenge in a moment." was all he said, glancing back down at Claudia as she stirred. He closed his eyes and chanelled some of his own, divine magic - praying for a circle of protection to bubble around them and shimmer, keeping Claudia from immediate danger.

It was in that moment that he felt her attack, Claudia's fangs dipping sharply into the nape of his neck. Marcus gritted his teeth, his fists clenching. He knew of course, what was happening - and although he disliked the invasion, he did not protest it. Not from her. He wobbled and stumbled to his knee's, the unexpected blood loss a little too fast. The circle of protection dropped down, releasing the divine magic and rendering it useless. With a groan, his tone was direct "Claudia..Stop."//

=Damyn doesn't acknowledge Marcus as he speaks to him. "I know very well her limits, and the value of pushing them. She will not get stronger by being coddled, and nor will she love you more for compromising her lessons." As Xavier links to Claudia, he traces old glyphs along the stone in front of him, not imbuing them with magic, but simply letting his hands move through their complex designs. The bond between them was strong indeed. As Claudia begins to drink from Marcus, rending his shield down. He watches impassively, inereste in this series of interactions, and allowing the pasue in his leson, the skeletons held in check by his will.=