6 Chapter 6

The sounds of birds chirping just outside the window roused Aerwyn from his slumber. Outside he could see the bright afternoon sun shining on the village below. The earthen colored buildings and sharp architecture gave Aerwyn a rather dreary feeling but in contrast he could see the elves running about their days in a lively way.

Thinking that the dark colors must be an elf thing he let the matter slide. Today he would begin working with Tylin which had him excited. He wanted to learn more about his power in hopes that it would reveal something about his past.

He headed downstairs and was abruptly greeted by Tylin below. 'He must've been waiting for me all morning.' Aerwyn thought feeling embarrassed at his own tardiness.

"Ah, good you're awake. There's some clothes and food for you in the dining room. Once you're done meet me in my lab so we can begin! Oh, that's right, you don't know where the lab is.. When you leave the dining room turn right and it's the second door." Tylin spoke with his usual eagerness that made it seem as though he wasn't so much talking to Aerwyn but thinking out loud.

Aerwyn bowed and thanked him before heading to the dining room where he found an embroidered blue tunic with a white hem along with black trousers. He changed clothes and quickly ate the bowl of nuts and berries before entering Tylin's lab.

Tylin immediately got up and began inspecting him before mumbling to himself about how the clothes he prepared didn't fit. He scribbled down something on paper before picking up a large crystal and handing it to him.

"Hold this tight and repeat after me. Rys saeri."

Aerwyn looked at the translucent crystal and held it tight before repeating the phrase. He glanced at Tylin to make sure he didn't do anything wrong but Tylin looked deep in thought. The silence seemed to last a while before Tylin finally spoke.

"Let's head to the gates, i want to see your undead beasts."

The pair left the house and began walking towards the thick stone walls surrounding the village. The village was mostly residences with only a few shops dotting the main street that ran parallel to the large mountain range behind it. Many dark skinned elves were going about their day sneaking curious looks at him as they walked by.

"Did i do something wrong?" He asked nervously.

"Ah, no! No, no, i suspected this would happen. When Sera brought you to me i couldn't sense any mana coming from you and what's more I've never seen such a weak soul before, if i hadn't seen it with my own eyes i wouldn't have believed it possible. That crystal is just a simple tool to test the strength of mana in ones body. It didn't react at all to you which can only mean you don't possess any mana. That begs the question: How could you create undead without any mana?"

"Weak soul?" Aerwyn asked.

"To become a lich the first step of many is to learn how to see souls. Unfortunately that damn demon Neraxus hid... Ahem, excuse me. Ah yes, your soul. What i see when looking at someones soul is akin to a small fire in their chest, yours on the other hand looks like a small purple candle flame flickering in the wind ready to go out at any moment. I believe it has something to do with the undead you created as their souls appear to be like yours only stronger, more like a normal soul." Tylin spoke as they passed through the hefty wooden gates.

Once outside they were met with the sight of a barghest and two brexil cats patiently waiting on the side of the dirt road.

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"AWOOOOOOO! KWEE! KWEE!" The trio noticed Aerwyn as soon as he left the gate and immediately began to roar furiously.

"I know, i know. I'm sorry i didn't think i would sleep for so long." Aerwyn pleaded but Rorik was enraged at being forced to sit there for 3 days. Ren and Rin were none too happy either.

He headed to Rorik to take his spear from beneath the barghests feet but the beast picked it up into it's mouth and lifted it's head out of reach. Tylin simply watched on deep in thought as he witnessed the scene unfold.

"I'm sorry Rorik, i will make it up to you."

The large beast ignored Aerwyn's apology still refusing to let go of the spear.

"Rorik give me the spear." Aerwyn commanded before Rorik finally dropped it.

"AWOOOOO!" Rorik howled voicing his discontent at being forced to obey.

"Fascinating... May i see that spear Aerwyn?"

Aerwyn grabbed the spear before heading back over to Tylin leaving behind the angry barghest.

"This weapon has a soul... Perhaps it acts as some kind of phylactery or a medium to your power..." Tylin mumbled analyzing the weapon deep in thought before handing it back to him and telling him to wait there. Aerwyn watched as he headed back through the gates before returning with two sturdy looking horses.

"Do you know how to ride?" Tylin said pointing to the horses.

"I don't know, i rode Rorik but that was more like being carried than riding."

"It's simple, you can learn as we go. We're heading to the southern forest, there's an area there plagued with loks, small rodent like creatures that become a bother when their population grows too large. They're mostly harmless thus they shall be a good specimen to test my theory on."

Tylin spent some time giving Aerwyn a swift lesson on how to ride a horse before they began moving south, the three beasts following close behind. Along the way Aerwyn almost was bucked off the horse a few times, however they made it to their destination quickly without incident.

Aerwyn could see a large mound of earth almost five meters tall wrapped around the husk of a massive tree that seemed to have died long ago. At the base of the mound was a meter wide hole that presumably led underground. The area surrounding the mound was cleared with no trees or grass growing within ten meters and the trees at the edge of the clearing showed signs of rot.

"This is a small lok nest, loks have a matriarchal society where the males are used as drones to forage and fight while the queen exists solely to lay eggs. They're pests that breed rapidly and consume everything in their path which is why the rangers frequently cull them before they grow too large to deal with. The males primary means of attack is it's bite and their spines are covered in a thick bone like armor that can block most blows. I want you to order your beasts to kill all the loks that leave the nest." Tylin explained.

Aerwyn did as he was told and ordered Rorik, Ren, and Rin to attack anything that came out before readying himself for battle.

"Bone spear!" Tylin yelled materializing a white spear in front of him and shooting it towards the tree at the center of the mound. The bone spear impaled the tree shaking it and causing a rotting branch to fall to the ground.

It wasn't long before the hideous rodents began pouring out. Rorik along with Ren and Rin got to work immediately. Rorik jumped up with a howl and landed on the first two loks crushing them beneath the beasts massive paws. A dozen more rapidly flooded out from the hole. Rin and Ren screeched stunning a few of the loks with their voice before darting in and making quick work of them.

The first two tiny stars shot out from the loks Rorik killed and Tylin watched on attentively as they quickly hurtled their way into Aerwyn's chest. The battle was brief and by the end of it over two dozen loks had fallen to the trio of undead beasts. When the final tiny star made its way into Aerwyn's chest Tylin finally spoke.

"I believe my theory was correct. I don't understand the process yet but i believe that your soul is somehow absorbing the souls of creatures killed by your undead. I've never heard of anything like it, it's truly fascinating... It begs the question: To what end? And is it possible to control..." Tylin spoke before trailing off in thought mumbling to himself.

Aerwyn left him to his thoughts and checked up on his undead friends. Rorik was his usual proud self refusing to let the young man near but Ren and Rin ran over and sat at his feet.

"Are you two ok?" He asked while petting their heads.

"KWEE! KWEE!" The two brexil cats seemed to enjoy the sensation of being pet.

"Good girls! See Rorik good girls get head pats. You should be more like them... Wait... You two are female right?" He asked before picking up Ren and inspecting the area between her legs.

"KWEEEEEEE!" Ren protested and struggled but was helpless in the hands of her master.

"Hmm... I don't see any dangley bits. Rin, you next." He put down Ren who ran off behind a tree before peaking out and giving him an angry look as if she had just been violated.

"Kwee..." Rin squeaked before backing away but was swiftly caught and inspected by Aerwyn.

"Both girls, good. I would've felt bad giving you both girls names if you were boys." He held Rin and patted her head as he sat down against a tree. She quickly warmed up to being held and began to nuzzle herself in his arms while he waited for Tylin to snap out of his thoughts.