When I resumed, I decided to gloss over slitting the throats of the cattle, the blood being caught by college students in large bowls so that I might dip into them as I walked the circle with Timothy and the same blade I used to make the sacrifice. I did tell them that the blood serves to both carry energy and give a visible demarcation of the circle.
I glossed less over when telling them of the two sacrifices standing docile next to the fossilized remains. Those two were there to provide part of the missing mass. Which did cause a round of questions, easily shushed by telling them it would be apparent enough.
I skipped most of the details of the ritual, as I know damn good and well someone would have gotten the idea to try it. Teenagers have ever been the same. I know damn good and well if magic had been back in full swing at that age, I would have.
But I did describe the feeling of energy, both from the sacrifices and from my own wellsource, flowing out of me, flowing into the crumpled fragments at my feet. The feeling of those petrified things sucking in both blood and the life force it carries until an inaudible, but palpable peal rang out and the bones began struggling upright. The mummified soft tissues began filling in.
That in particular was a tricky bit of work, as it was not so much actual tissue as a scaffold of minerals that held the same shape, with only microscopic traces of actual organic matter present. I had not been certain from the initial examination that first organics were from the dinosaur at all. Only that they had once been skin or connective tissue. The explanation of what that feels like paused my retelling long enough the teacher urged me back on the original story.
Return I did. I described watching and feeling five odd tons of matter flowing invert under my hands, pulling energy from me in nigh orgasmic agony as the power throbbed through me. I used different words than that, but I speak more bluntly here.
When I felt the energy straining, I had an undergrad bring one of the reserve sacrifices over. Quickly cutting its throat, I channelled the flow of blood across the now recognizable saurian. With a surge of my own wellsource, I cast a secondary spell to dissolve the cow, pulling its flesh and bone to fill in what no amount of my own energy could. As that supply began dwindling, I repeated the process with the second reserve animal.
As the dregs of meat washed across and into the now pulsing form, I shouted out the triplicate word of command that would both finalize the ritual, and ensure that the zombie would follow only my commands. You see, I had made mistakes in my youth, raising for others. Nothing that massive, but it is not enjoyable having to hunt down one of your own creations being used as a weapon against you and your allies
With that shout, the ankylosaur grunted and roared once.
It stomped its forefoot and swung its tail, the massive club at the end whistling through the air despite its size. Collegians whooped around me at the sight of the beast moving its head to orient on me. I reached out, and it lowered itself enough for me to rest my palm on its beak. The undead creature was as tall as I at the shoulder, and perhaps the length of a small bus.
Timothy sniffed its hindquarters and sent me a mental note of satisfaction. I had to explain to the high schoolers that while I can perceive scents and other senses through Timothy, I had opted not to do so in that particular spot. No, through his nose, the dinosaur mostly smelled of zombie. That is an earthy, musty, and somewhat nose rustling scent. Some find it objectionable, particularly when odors of decay are present. I do not raise ill smelling undead under normal circumstances.
Underneath that was a hint of musk, traces of something almost crocodilian, and perhaps some peaty warmth. There is no way of knowing how much of that was its natural smell, and how much was from its long time in the earth.
What was certain is the divots a five ton creature were forming in the field. This was noted with some colorful language by the man that would have to repair them before the next game. Something about that giant lizard needing to copulate itself off his grass.
Lucky for us, we had no need to pay him any mind, so said thunder lizard just swished its tail in his general direction. And yes, said saurian was indeed under my control. Let that be a reminder that playing pranks on an old man that can riase the dead would be unwise, yes? That directed at young Mr Collins, who had already had one special delivery from Timothy on his porch after thinking it brilliant to throw eggs at my porch. Timothy cannot digest most food, but he can excrete the results of trying.
In any case, the high school students were then more interested in the dinosaur than the necromancy involved. Justifiably so.
I did, indeed, also demonstrate a simple raising for them before leaving. Several flies had died in the window of the classroom, and made for a lively example of a simple raising using only one’s own blood.
“Mr Byrnes, why the hell are you telling me this?”
“Well, Benjamin, you asked how I could be so sure that my new defenses are adequate. While I lost the Djinn guarding our shared secret when last someone tried to breach it, I am not without resources.”
“You have that zombie dinosaur?!”
“No, no, that one was laid back to rest. Besides, while certainly fierce enough and quite durable, a good guardian must needs also be frightening, and evena dinosaur that size is less scary when it looks like it has as much malice as a tired cow. No, I obtained… other remains.”
“Leland, what did you get?”
“Let us just say that the terrible king of lizards should put pause to any interlopers.”
When I resumed, I decided to gloss over slitting the throats of the cattle, the blood being caught by college students in large bowls so that I might dip into them as I walked the circle with Timothy and the same blade I used to make the sacrifice. I did tell them that the blood serves to both carry energy and give a visible demarcation of the circle.
I glossed less over when telling them of the two sacrifices standing docile next to the fossilized remains. Those two were there to provide part of the missing mass. Which did cause a round of questions, easily shushed by telling them it would be apparent enough.
I skipped most of the details of the ritual, as I know damn good and well someone would have gotten the idea to try it. Teenagers have ever been the same. I know damn good and well if magic had been back in full swing at that age, I would have.
But I did describe the feeling of energy, both from the sacrifices and from my own wellsource, flowing out of me, flowing into the crumpled fragments at my feet. The feeling of those petrified things sucking in both blood and the life force it carries until an inaudible, but palpable peal rang out and the bones began struggling upright. The mummified soft tissues began filling in.
That in particular was a tricky bit of work, as it was not so much actual tissue as a scaffold of minerals that held the same shape, with only microscopic traces of actual organic matter present. I had not been certain from the initial examination that first organics were from the dinosaur at all. Only that they had once been skin or connective tissue. The explanation of what that feels like paused my retelling long enough the teacher urged me back on the original story.
Return I did. I described watching and feeling five odd tons of matter flowing invert under my hands, pulling energy from me in nigh orgasmic agony as the power throbbed through me. I used different words than that, but I speak more bluntly here.
When I felt the energy straining, I had an undergrad bring one of the reserve sacrifices over. Quickly cutting its throat, I channelled the flow of blood across the now recognizable saurian. With a surge of my own wellsource, I cast a secondary spell to dissolve the cow, pulling its flesh and bone to fill in what no amount of my own energy could. As that supply began dwindling, I repeated the process with the second reserve animal.
As the dregs of meat washed across and into the now pulsing form, I shouted out the triplicate word of command that would both finalize the ritual, and ensure that the zombie would follow only my commands. You see, I had made mistakes in my youth, raising for others. Nothing that massive, but it is not enjoyable having to hunt down one of your own creations being used as a weapon against you and your allies
With that shout, the ankylosaur grunted and roared once.
It stomped its forefoot and swung its tail, the massive club at the end whistling through the air despite its size. Collegians whooped around me at the sight of the beast moving its head to orient on me. I reached out, and it lowered itself enough for me to rest my palm on its beak. The undead creature was as tall as I at the shoulder, and perhaps the length of a small bus.
Timothy sniffed its hindquarters and sent me a mental note of satisfaction. I had to explain to the high schoolers that while I can perceive scents and other senses through Timothy, I had opted not to do so in that particular spot. No, through his nose, the dinosaur mostly smelled of zombie. That is an earthy, musty, and somewhat nose rustling scent. Some find it objectionable, particularly when odors of decay are present. I do not raise ill smelling undead under normal circumstances.
Underneath that was a hint of musk, traces of something almost crocodilian, and perhaps some peaty warmth. There is no way of knowing how much of that was its natural smell, and how much was from its long time in the earth.
What was certain is the divots a five ton creature were forming in the field. This was noted with some colorful language by the man that would have to repair them before the next game. Something about that giant lizard needing to copulate itself off his grass.
Lucky for us, we had no need to pay him any mind, so said thunder lizard just swished its tail in his general direction. And yes, said saurian was indeed under my control. Let that be a reminder that playing pranks on an old man that can riase the dead would be unwise, yes? That directed at young Mr Collins, who had already had one special delivery from Timothy on his porch after thinking it brilliant to throw eggs at my porch. Timothy cannot digest most food, but he can excrete the results of trying.
In any case, the high school students were then more interested in the dinosaur than the necromancy involved. Justifiably so.
I did, indeed, also demonstrate a simple raising for them before leaving. Several flies had died in the window of the classroom, and made for a lively example of a simple raising using only one’s own blood.
“Mr Byrnes, why the hell are you telling me this?”
“Well, Benjamin, you asked how I could be so sure that my new defenses are adequate. While I lost the Djinn guarding our shared secret when last someone tried to breach it, I am not without resources.”
“You have that zombie dinosaur?!”
“No, no, that one was laid back to rest. Besides, while certainly fierce enough and quite durable, a good guardian must needs also be frightening, and evena dinosaur that size is less scary when it looks like it has as much malice as a tired cow. No, I obtained… other remains.”
“Leland, what did you get?”
“Let us just say that the terrible king of lizards should put pause to any interlopers.”