Novak readied himself for the next part of this show… he'd seen the song and dance before during Jakub's experiments. As the light of the enchantments merged, then faded the cell became silent for all except the three breathing bodies.
Sebastian took note of the room, all the blood was gone… even the blood that had been on the tattered robes. Sebastian tried to ignore Promise's bare breasts, but when all three started to breathe in sync… he had to watch all three to see any other differences.
Jakub walked into the cell and walked between the bodies, shoving Promise aside enough to then pulled out his blood mana crystal from the center of the enchantment. He placed it into a bone carved enchantment circle, scraped open his previous dagger wound, then used his blood to trace an reversed pentagram.
Sebastian couldn't stop himself from jolting when the three bodies all sat up in sync. They all turned to Jakub, they had… unhappy expressions. They even looked… confused.
Novak stared… usually the bodies would move sporadically, one body would move their foot but another was trying to walk. It sometimes took days for them to synchronize their movements or to move the body intended. While hearing such explanations sounded funny… the actual witnessing was gruesome to say the least.
Jakub circled around the trio, "How interesting… Bodin stand up." Jakub ordered clutching his reversed pentagram, of bone. This palm sized enchantment now controlled the three strongest priests. Bodin smoothly stood, the once green mana crystals were now clear but still protruding.
Novak sucked in a subtle breath but didn't let his surprise show, whatever that bird had done… had basically perfected Jakub's control over the living corpses. "Can you feel any resistance? He was the pope after all."
Jakub couldn't contain his glee, "None! He's still in there, but now they're all trapped in the bodies. They can all feel the pain any body or soul takes. They are also stable… they could be like this… forever…" Jakub trailed off with a fanatical grin.
Sebastian paled at the thought… while he didn't understand everything… he knew all three felt each other's pain and could be stuck like that for eternity… that in itself would be torture.
"Can you cast preservation or healing mana on them? Holy healing?" Novak asked with great interest; they often interrogated people for information… if they couldn't die… that would create many possibilities.
Jakub glanced at the ground… nothing the bird had done remained… recreating the spell could take years of trial and error. "We'll have a priest try…" Jakub replied distractedly.
Sebastian kept silent as he dutifully recorded everything. Though he didn't record any of his own conjectures or conclusions.
"Do you need more time, or can I send for Lucian?" Novak inquired as Jakub straightened.
"Send for them… anything I can learn I can take with me." Jakub informed glancing at the trio, all for the greater good… how ironic that had always sounded to him.
Novak nodded then took out the communication crystal, "We're ready."
Sebastian subtly stretched, they had been down here for hours, his neck, shoulders, and hands were stiff.
Novak cut the communication then turned to Sebastian, "Will you be mentioning the Lord Beast's arrival?"
Sebastian only raised a brow, "I did not see a Lord Beast arrive." At best… a familiar had shown up?
Novak only smirked as they continued to wait. Jakub started ordering the trio around, they moved in sync… and separately on command. Usually, the experiments expired after about a year, and any holy mana would exasperate their decaying process. The record for a third-tier priest had been about nine months before the body was too decayed to keep the soul anchored.
Jakub examined the mixed souls… they didn't keep their form, previously when he merged the souls... it was more like ripping off arms and sewing them onto the other's soul, or transplanting the organs. When the souls started to fray at the edges, the bodies would stop functioning. Everything had to be controlled by the soul binder, so himself. If he stopped paying attention the organs would slowly stop. The stronger the mage the faster their bodies, minds, and resistance decayed.
These souls… were fluid… they were all cooperating if even one was breathing, they all breathed. On the downside, one injury was felt but not inflicted. The souls were also sharing strengths and covering each other's weaknesses. Having Bodin's precision bolstered by Promise's natural affinity for holy mana, then tempered by Wilbert's strength of will… how could anyone defeat them?
Jakub rubbed his face, they were perfect… no one would even be able to tell they were living dead…
Lucian and Katherine returned to see the bare-chested priests, Katherine flushed but kept her composure.
Lucian stared at the pope… while the expression was slack and they were all pale… there seemed to be little damage. Well… the mana stones protruding from their chests, hands, and legs excluded. "Did you get your answers?"
Jakub sneered at Lucian, "Soon enough, I'll need a few days to fully take control. While they can't physically resist, Bodin and Wilbert are particularly stubborn."
Novak glanced over the trio again, their eyes were starting to gather a light the dead usually didn't possess.
Lucian glanced over Sebastian who only gave a brief nod. "Let us return." Jaxon and Monroe had already departed for the Eastern palace before Lucian had received the signal… hopefully they would be back soon.
Jaxon had gone to fetch Monroe personally, along with the ten pages each containing today's guesses.
Monroe followed behind silently, that bastard was picking on him deliberately to get back at Jaxon no doubt. As much as he knew he shouldn't… just a tiny… tiny piece of him blamed Jaxon for getting him involved.
Jaxon saw the anger, fear, resentment, and desperation Monroe was trying to hide. "I will think of something… I swear it." Jaxon stated firmly as he continued to leed the way.
Monroe flushed, "I.. I didn't"
"I know Monkey, I blame myself. I knew he was angry at me… he'd already mentioned you by name… and I still brought you… I practically served you up on a silver platter for him to use as a target…" Jaxon cursed himself a thousand times over already.
"Jax…" Monroe's eyes reddened as he ducked his head, he hadn't been called monkey in over five years… not since their father died… "Jax… I didn't mean it."
Jaxon stopped hugging Monroe close. "I know, we're both scared. But I won't give you up. He'll have to fight tooth and nail to take you." Jaxon swore giving Monroe's head a brief kiss.
Monroe clutched Jaxon tight with a quick nod. Then pushed away rubbing his eyes, he had to gather his composure… he would not cry.
Jaxon waited until both had calmed, then they continued down paved paths to the Eastern palace. Jaxon had made sure they would arrive at least half an hour early… while he wasn't just going to roll over, he didn't want to give Ashton any excuse to humble them.
Monroe watched as several Inago were standing guard, there were also six giant tusked boars being roasted over a fire. Each boar had to be well over 500 pounds… even the smallest was larger than four warriors. They were also smoking dozens of fish as big as a man… had they turned the empress palace into… a meat processing factory?
Jaxon also took note of how much food the tribe was preparing… just how much was for the tribe… and how much was for the beasts?
Monroe paled at the thought of also being roasted over a fire, while the lions and gryphons had eaten their food raw… Ashton had decidedly roasted each bite of nearly two boars yesterday…
Jaxon wasn't surprised the warriors ignored them. The moment the clock tower rang for the 6th time Neolani and Alexei came out of the main palace doors, he didn't see Ashton.
Monroe's gaze darted around but even by the time they stopped, Ashton was no where to be seen. He stood as straight as possible, refusing to cower.
Alexei didn't acknowledge the youth, "Follow us." Then without another word Alexei started to leed the way past the roasting meat into a deeper garden.
Jaxon nodded to Monroe as they followed, there was a pong and gazebo in the deepest part of the empress garden. Surprisingly, nothing had been changed as they approached the giant nest guarded by the white gryphon.
Ashton had been watching the sky… so much was happening every day that he decided to spend this time alone to appreciate the sun and winned.
"Neolani Puana of the Inago gives greetings to the Protector of Pride." Neolani made a formal greeting as she knelt on one knee while holding her spear.
"Alexei Puana gives greetings to the Bird of Pride." Alexei's greeting was less formal… but ever since Ashton had shut off Neolani's ability to feel his emotions a rift had formed.
Jaxon hesitated but also bent on one knee lowering his head, "Jaxon Darnings, Duke of Smyrna, and Monroe Darnings give their greetings to the Bird of Pride."
Monroe quickly knelt while also baoing his head.
Ashton glanced over the group, he really wasn't angry or upset with Ember or Alexei… but they were walking on eggshells around him. "Rise, Darnings your guesses."
Jaxon could hear the clear dismissal… why insist on having them personally come if he clearly didn't want to see them. Then again… if the Inago and Ashton were at odds… As Jaxon stood to offer the papers Ashton looked past him.
"Little Darnings, present the guesses." Ashton ordered staring at the still kneeling child.
Monroe shivered as goosebumps formed from his arms to his toes. He stood up accepting the papers from Jaxon's clutched fingers as he stepped forward. Neolani and Alexei had stationed themselves on either side of the nest.
Ashton snatched Monroe close, bring them face to face. Ashton stared into Monroe's eyes and "You've survived a whole day as bait, continue to remain cautions."
Monroe's chest was up against while he was face to face with that silver mask. The eerie silver eyes were peering past his flesh. He tried his best to remain unyielding, but flinched when Ashton took the crumbled papers from his hands.
"Leave." Ashton dismissed placing the papers in his rift, then laying down so he could continue to watch the sky.
Neolani clutched her spear even after Alexei returned from escorting the Darnings out. She still couldn't feel anything even as she held his heart in her hands. "Ash…"
"My Ember, I am not upset." Ash reached one hand up as he spoke, "We have a difference of opinion. At the moment, I merely wish to watch the first clear sky I have seen in months."
Alexei put his hand on Neolani's shoulder shaking his head, clearly Ashton had spoken his piece and would not budge from his position. Now they could help… or watch from the side.
Neolani gave a formal bao, then left. Since Ashton had spoken, there was much to prepare before they left for the mountainous hunting grounds.
Agapi watched the two young ones leave, then raised her head and adjusted the blanket on the human form. "They worry for you little bird."
"They do not trust me." Ashton added as another rolling cloud started to pass over the capital.
Agapi sighed as she shifted her wings, "They are human, they also do not have complicated political battles." While beasts did bao to the strongest, that was not always a matter of physical strength.
"I am at war on all fronts, the humans, the beasts, myself… if seeing my actions cause them distress… best to have them at a distance so they can only enjoy the results." Ashton stated sending a small current of air to shift the cloud.
Agapi peered at the hatchling, "You want them here, you want them to understand."
Ashton interlocked his fingers beneath his head as he watched the cloud shift direction ever so slightly. "Yes, but they cannot feel what I feel, nor can I understand their apprehensions."
Agapi rested her head on the nest and snorted, "They are not beasts little bird, and you are not human."
Ashton looked up into the blue sky as a breeze ruffled his hair and Agapi's feathers. The purified garden he'd wanted to share with his Ember… felt so cold. "So I am told."