Cerinii had prepared her home and make-shift lab for the next job: the installment of the elongating spine and vertebrae and the skull. She had the necessary tools. Scalpel, spreaders, bolts and nuts, hammer and the metal pieces. She gave a quick dust down of the metal table before setting a white sheet over it for cleanliness and a shred of comfort. She rubbed her scalp gently before pulling her hair back and pinning it up. Donning an apron, she glanced to a thug, "Heavy lifting, Smithy. Quite ready?" He gave a nod and a toothy smile, which garnered a smile in response.
Syrus’ slow steps made his way to the door of the establishment that he had been informed of. To the left of him, was a hooded figure with eyes resembling that of burning suns, and to his right, was the one who was to be worked upon this day. A glance of silver flames is given to the hooded creature, “Knock upon the door Namu.” Upon the necromancer’s request, the lich acted, hesitation lacking in his actions. The wizard of dark magic then wraps his hand around his long silver locks, gathering them up to place down the back of his aqua robe. The same is done to his nearly flawless beard before speaking to the spell blade, “You are ready friend?”
Athxess nods to the dark mage saying in his horse voice, "Aye, my friend I have been ready since my death day." The former drow was annoyed with the formaility of knocking on the door and that was evident in the way he shifted form foot to foot waiting for the door to open.
Cerinii sighed softly, approaching the door and opening it. She instantly saw the irritated expression upon the corpse and the way he shifted from foot to foot. She grumbled lowly, "If you are so impatient, why ask for mein services, hmph.." She did not wish for an answer, it was more of a rhetorical question. She sighed softly, "On the table, please. Take your shirt off und - unfortunately - lower your.. pants ein little." She needed all access to the spine. She looked to Syrus, "You can sit."
Syrus offered a shallow bow to the woman as she opened the door, “Good afternoon friend, I do thank you for your time.” Eyes then glare at the impatient undead, causing his head to shake slightly. After the winged woman requested the former drow to ready for the operation, he shook his head and spoke, “The spine will not be added to this torso. I have the an upper torso of a recently killed troll that shall be used.” Eyes then shift to the lich, who was already opening a large sack that, until now, had not been there. With great difficulty the bag is dragged into the lab and left next to the large operating table, near one of the thugs. The necromancer then speaks once more to the avian, “Do you have a second table I can work upon?”
Cerinii grumbled lowly, "Pull your pants up ein little, seeing as the plan is changing." She looked to Syrus, some disgust there. "Nein, I do not have ein 'second table for you to work on'. Hmph! If you want to do work, find someplace else." She paused, "I find it rude that you'd ask, actually. You know I dislike even working with people, why would you somehow conclude I'd have ein second table?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "So, what do you want me to do then? Just line his skull with metal or should I forget the whole thing?"
Syrus lofts a brow at the woman, it was but the second meeting he has had with this avian, and it was quite apparent why it was not more frequent that the two spoke. His voice remained calm however as he sat upon the chair offered to him, the lich standing to his side, “I do apologize for the miscommunication M’lady . If it would please you, could you simply take the torso in the bag, and attach his head to it? That way you can install the spine, and line the skull. I retract my request for a second table, and understand, as well as acknowledge, that I have overstepped my bounds. I shall increase the payment to help cover the extended troubles.”
Cerinii sighed softly, turning around to face the animated corpse. She grumbled lowly, "Lay down." She even pushed his head down so he was flat on his back on the table. She grinned meekly, "Well. You're already dead. Nein pain." She lifted the hacksaw, pressing it against the base of his neck. She drew it across a few times, before simply pushing down. Metallic palm adding weight and allowing the saw to pass through and disconnect the head and neck from the torso. She made a satisfied noise, lifting a vicious syringe filled with a black substance. "This is called the Black Compound.. It was ein gift to me. So when you.. really die, I want your head. So I can scrape it off your skull." She said with the sweetest of smiles. She propped the head upright, aligning the syringe with the middle of his scalp. She thrust it down, pushing on the plunger and allowing the darkness to guzzle into his head. It knew exactly what to do, wriggling around his skull - caressing the bone and hugging closely to it. She shifted the head to the side. While that was going on, she could work on the torso. She shoved the rest of his body off the table, grumbling quietly, "Harvest for bits later..." She hauled up the bag with her metallic hand, emptying it onto the table. The torso fell out, stinking that specific smell of rotting flesh. She turned it over, calling to Smithy, "Spine, please." She paused, turning to Syrus, "Everything to your satisfaction so far?"
Syrus remains silent, noting the actions that the woman does, criticizing her methods to himself. A brow slowly lofts at the dark substance as it is used upon the undead’s skull. The lich then looks to his animator speaking to him in a hushed tone, which causes the necromancer to simply nod. After the woman’s question, Syrus speaks not, but offers a simple nod.
Athxess looks at the way his body is treated he smiled fighting off a fit of laughter, just out of simple relief.
Cerinii watched as the thug heaved the metallic spine into his arms, holding it upright. She raised the scalpel, dragging it down the back of the troll. Obviously, this was just to quickly slice it and nothing more. She set it down, raising the saw and creating a greater incision. She tugged the flesh apart slightly, setting in the spreaders carefully. She took hold of the spine, grunting only briefly with the weight. She hoisted it down onto the back, waiting for it be in line. She gently pressed three spots, causing a whirr and sharp whine of hydraulics. She waited for the click, watching as smaller band of metal snapped tightly shut against the spine. She smiled, taking the hammer and battering the spine closer to the other spine. The nuts and bolts didn't seem necessary with this spine. She mumbled quietly, "Thread und needle.." She shuffled over to a drawer, taking out the needle and thread. She briefly ran the tip of the thread across her tongue, and then guiding it through the eye of the needle. She made an anchored the stitch first, then sewed the flesh up like a ragdoll in need of repair. She bit the spare thread off, throwing the needle into the bucket beneath the table. She turned the body over again, grasping the undead head. "Alright... Time to attach." She head the head near the neck, watching as the silvery tendrils slithered and writhed towards the head, dying to join with it. She smirked, mumbling quietly, "Ooh, they like you." They joined together, piercing the neck and joining with the nerves and pulling the head down. She did guide it slightly, just to make sure it attached the right way around and everything. Once done, she bent over, checking the neck carefully. "Hm. All done."
Syrus watched in silence from his chair across the room, not wishing to get in the way.
Athxess closed his eyes as his head was attached to his new chest saying out loud, "You are a master at your craft avian," then having absolutely no idea on what to do now he simply waited.
Cerinii patted the new chest, "You can go, I guess, nothing is keeping you here." She shrugged her shoulder before murmuring, "I am specialised in this, ja. It is why I was hired." She turned to Syrus, "Und that is that."
Syrus nods as he walks to the non-limbed troll body, a smile crossing his face as he looks over the work, hands behind his back. Softly he spoke to the woman, “Your art is indeed interesting. I was wise to higher you. I have yet to see what it is you have done to the eye, however I do trust it follows the same standards.” The hooded lich then walks to the woman, searching his robes before handing a large crimson sack to the woman, silence being kept. After a moment, the former body of the spell blade rises, and assists the elder male with placing the troll into the bag where it came from. With out hesitation, the headless corpse lifts up the large sack and heads to the door with the lich. Syrus also turns to depart, however he pauses a moment to whisper softly into the ear of the avian.
Syrus whispered to Cerinii , “Your skills are grand indeed, and any who say otherwise would be a fool. However, you limit yourself due to your distain for others. I am not here to correct your methods, nor would I be right to demand a change, but if I have learned anything from my days in this new time, it is that other people can teach you. Perhaps you hold anger to me for my words, but I would not feel I was doing right if I did not attempt to help a fellow master in the arts of creation.”
Syrus finishes with a bow before a bright light fills the room, and then he is gone.
Syrus joins with the headless corpse and the lich in the Xalious office, a look of annoyance upon his normally peaceful face. After muttering something about ‘sloppy work’, the wizard claps his hands, and a bright light flashes in the middle of his giant office. Once the light fades, A stone slab, big enough for a large creature to lay upon, forms. The three undead then open the sack, and toss the troll corpse upon the table, its back upon the cool stone. Syrus then speaks to the spell blade, “Now this part might hurt…I’m glad you enjoy pain.”
Athxess smiles saying, "any feeling is better then simply not feeling." the limbless undead then continues to talk , "get on with it my good friend, i have been waitin' my whole un-life for this." As he was obviously excited like a child getting a new toy.
Syrus glances over the body before reaching into the mouth of the spell blade, his slender hand grasping around the discolored tongue of the undead. The free hand of the wizard is then opened, palm up, before Namu, who places a beautiful jeweled dagger into it. Placing the blade next to his second hand, which was in the mouth of the undead, the necromancer carefully removes the muscle, handing it to the lich. After the hooded wizard discards the removed tongue, he takes the knife from his master, replacing it with several metal props that the necromancer uses to bar open the mouth of the patient. Attention is then given to the large headless body that was once the spell blade, and with some silently direction, it grabs a large saw to begin work on cutting through the sternum of the troll body. After the work is done, Syrus returns to the side of his soon-to-be new creation, the dagger once more in his hand. Several cuts are made to allow the chest cavity to be accessible, and the two servants use rope to tie it open, fashioning it down to the rings at the base of the stone slab. With blade in hand, the master necromancer begins cutting into the inner organs of the creature. The wizard begins by removing the entire digestive track, granting a snicker as he muttered, “You will not need this when I am done… and this..” After this, the lungs are removed along with the remainder of the endocrine system. Whilst the wizard worked, one would be able to see the magical properties of the troll’s regenerative skill acting upon the edges of the chest incision, flesh and muscle forming so to connect with the other side of the cavity. Namue leans forward, placing a single finger upon the edge that was attempting to grow back, and then allows his digit to catch fire so to cauterize the reforming flesh on both sides.
Athxess kind of just sits there all silent and not knowing what to do, he can't even talk.
Syrus looks at the inside of the nearly empty body with a nod of satisfaction before he continues with his task. It was now time to begin rebuilding, and this was going to be the fun part. With a sinister grin, the elder mage steps back, the sevenths following suit, as he raises an old wrinkled hand over the bound corpse. Eyes, which normally held an inner flame, rolled back, leaving but dull white orbs within the sockets of the male. With his power of telekinesis, Syrus focuses on the nervous and cardiovascular systems which run through the skin and muscles of the corpse, and with his unmatched skill, he began to alter their size and location so that it they were more focused on the muscles rather than the former organs that once were needed to sustain life. With this, the spell blade would have superior muscle control and strength, and due to the regenerative properties of the troll body, regeneration would be nearly ten times quicker! This however was not a comfortable process at all. Being that the nerves were firing as though they were alive, the former drow would be experiencing all of the pain as though he was in his first body.
Athxess tired to scream in pain, but having no lungs and no way to push air threw his mouth to produce sounds. He could not scream at all, or even make a sound. All he could do was thrash in bonds, and do a silent imitation of a pain filled scream. Despite his pain and in between his silent screams he had a large almost insane grin on his face, and his yellowed sharp edged teeth were redden with the blood from his missing tongue.
Syrus continues to excite the small strands of blood vestals and nerves for several minutes before Namu raises a gloved hand to do the same. Suddenly, the pain is nearly ten times what it was, as the undead’s body is put through more pain than it could have sustained during life. Slowly, the power exuberated from the dragon wizard dies down, returning the feeling to what it was before the lich took over. Now was the time to add the four limbs that were needed to make Athxess look more…human. From yet another brown sack, the headless zombie removes two large minotaur legs, still fresh with blood. With a large battle axe, the necrocarnate slices off the coagulated nubs where the troll’s legs once more allowing the green regenerative slime to flow freely upon the stone slab. After the headless henchmen places several bonds upon the hairy minotaur legs, Syrus slides the exposed femur into the open socket of the troll pelvis. Due to the size miss-match, the hip cracks, but the green substance that was flowing freely from the exposed torso flows over the bone, altering it to be large enough to take on the new limb. The same thing is done to the second leg before Namu focuses upon the new limbs, so to attach and connect the blood vessels along with the nerves. Being that the body was still adjusting to feel the new muscles, the spell blade would be feeling everything that happened to him.
Athxess passes out from the pain his eyes closing to sleep for the first time in 35 years, The undead slept.
Syrus notices that the faded blue eyes of the former drow, had rolled back due to his lack of consciousness. After a smile and nod is given, the ‘doctor’ moves to the thigh, groin, and gluteus of each leg, moving the green substance over it so the body would begin to join together. While the body did what it was naturally meant to do, the former body of the patient, which Sy was now calling Bubba, removes two large, young adult blue dragon, forward legs. These limbs were selected special from the pile of wild dragon parts that Athxess had collected the week before, and he just happened to find the two that would fit the body of a large creature without causing it to have a strained upper body. Once more the limbs are restrained, and the axe is used to start the troll’s healing process. The humerus is then set into the shoulder cup, again cracking and being modified to the new limb, before the necromancer does the same to the other arm. Like the lower extremities, Namu, stimulates the dragon arms so to begin to except the body that they were attached to. Whilst the body twitched due to the magic being done upon it, Syrus removes an odd, cup-like tool, and moves to the head of the creation. After tilting the skull back, the necromancer forcefully scoops out the rolled eyes of the creature, ripping out the retina, and throwing them in the bag with all the rest of the discarded parts. He looks from one eye socket to another nodding with a smile, “Can’t crack open the skull, but I can remove the eyes to get to the brain…” The eyelids are then cut off, being that they were but pushed into the open eye socket as it was. Leaving the new holes to the creature’s brain, Syrus returns to the open chest cavity, where he nods looking to Bubba. The body then reaches into a bag and removes four sets of lungs, two of which are a deep crimson color, while the other two seem to be black as the night sky. Leaning into the open chest of the creature, the necromancer slices open the trachea in two places above where the former lungs connected, and attached an extension made from a section of the removed large intestine so that the second set of lungs would be able to sit under the first without impairing the creation’s breathing.
Athxess is still passed out, because the body is going through so much stress right now the pain might have driven the undead into insanity. So the undead stayed peacefully asleep as all these parts and limp are attached.
Syrus once more allows the troll’s natural regenerative properties to fuse the new lungs to the cardiovascular system of the spell blade. A small gash is then placed just under the first set of lungs, allowing the mage to place in a valve so that food and drink would not go into the black set of lungs. The object was to allow the substance to find its way into the red dragon lungs, which were on top, so that the harsh combustible chemicals inside, would simply incinerate the things imbibed. With this working, there was no need to worry about the lack of a digestive system, and the creature would be able to act ‘normally’ in the tavern. A strange yellow substance, in a clear vile, is then retrieved from the bag that all of the limbs were being removed from. Gently, Syrus tilts the head of the patient back, and pours the glossy substance down. The compound was the same coating that was found in the throat of a dragon, and was the first step to allowing the undead to be able to spew fire. Several small glands are then retrieved, and attached so that they would keep the trachea and mouth fire retardant. Just as soon as the necrocarnate had attached the glands, the headless corpse brought forth two muscular dwarf arms, still twitching from being removed. Neatly, they are folded inside the area where the intestine of the troll once were. Gently, the limbs rest with the humerus resting against the inside of the shoulder blades of the creature. With a hammer, Syrus cracks the bottom of the shoulder blade until a large chunk broke off. Whilst the main part of the bone repairs the now missing part, the hammer is used to reform the chunk of bone to be a make-shift shoulder cup, like that which was connected to the collar bone. After quite some time, the job is finished, and the second one is started upon.
Athxess body is far too stressed to possibly wake so for now the undead stayed in his personal world and a sleeping state. The undead was curtly dreaming about Tsukiko, though if any one asked it would be of battle. In truth it was a battle, with Tsukiko at his side defending a old fort along with the other family members all adorned in their gear.
Syrus completes the second makeshift shoulder cup, and fastens it onto the backside of the rubs so that it will allow the second set of arms to reach in front, but not behind. Once more the jeweled dagger is brought forth, used to slice two, five inch, gashes in to the side of the troll. A flaming finger is used to keep the open wound from sealing back up. These were to allow the arms to retract when he wished. Syrus sighed, knowing that the process was nearly complete. Whilst Namu continued to reroute the nerves and blood vestals, the black mage goes about the body, attaching muscles from another troll torso, to the one being worked on, so that the new limbs would have the support, power, and control needed to work. Next, the old heart is replaced with the one that was once in the minotaur, and a second one from the poor dwarf is then attached in succession so that more necroplasma would be able to course through the creature’s body at a faster pace. The green substance known as necroplasma was a rudimentary component to strong, self-healing, undead, and would allow the regenerative properties of the troll to still function on a dead body. A large jar is then brought out and a pipe, much like the ones used in the bath house, is pulled from it. With a grunt from the necromancer, it is jabbed into the abdominal aorta of the creature. Muscles began to convulse as the blood is forced from the body, and is replaced by this new substance. Syrus then slashes the same blood line that he was pumping into, just above where the substance was being forced in. With this completed the blood of from the troll, dragon, minotaur, and dwarf, would be flushed out into a pitcher that the headless corpse was now holding.
Athxess still passed out, was still dreaming of a great world war. All of hollow was finely united as one, but there still was war against a different world. And there were no other army, no other nation other then the apostles of peace.
Soon, the liquids are replaced, and the body begins to function once more, running off of the substance temporarily. Now, it was time for the dark magic to be placed upon the four lungs and two hears so that the necroplasma would not be used up. Six onyx gems are then removed from a pocket of the mage, and placed upon the invisible ground of his office. Silently, the dark wizard chants upon the gems causing purple energy to strike out form his hands. The black stones jolt and shake as they are embedded with the same dark power that the entire body of the necrocarnate. The silver eyes of the dragon then lower to see the stones were now levitating, and purple energy was arcing along their hard surfaces. Using the power of telekinesis, Syrus places the rocks inside of each organ, allowing them to replenish the necroplasma when it passed through the vestals that they had. Nearing the final stages, the master wizard removes a small green bag from the large sack, opening it carefully. From it, he removes a gray blob, about the size of a human’s thumb. The blob instantly begins to change colors to match the shade of Syrus’ hand. This was the sign that the doppelganger’s frontlet lobe segment was still functioning properly, and would grant the large creature to slightly alter his size, shape, and looks. Placing the pointed end of the dagger into the open eye socket, the mage gently slices the outer coating of the drow brain so to allow the necroplsama, mixed with the healing properties of the troll body, to flow forth. Upon doing so, the dagger is removed, and the doppleganger brain sliver is placed inside. Instantly, the brain absorbs the lobe making the surgery a success! Bubba then hands the mage the last two components needed; a fresh drow eye, and the eye of a cockatrice. With great care, both eyes are installed, and a patch is placed over the deadly eye that would turn any it gazed upon to stone. Quickly, a new tongue is installed, and the supports are removed. The cauterized portions of the chest cavity are then removed and the restraints are loosened, so that the body could once more grow back together. After the chest becomes whole once more, Namu doubles his efforts to reroutes the nerves and blood vestals while bolts of negative energy explode forth from Syrus so to jumpstart the animation of the new creation.
Athxess woke up finally, grinding his teeth in pain. But knowing somehow it was soon to be over as he sat and endured.
Syrus and Namu focused their magic upon the six locations where the gems were. The pain reciprocals in the troll’s body are then remove and placed there, so that the undead would not be able to feel pain, unless he was truly hurt. At last, the two mages stop, their bodies slumping forward. Softly the dragon speaks as the headless undead unties the spell blade, “You…you will need to learn how to use your limbs all over again…You have.. a lot of training to do..”
Athxess speaks struggling with his own tongue "thiss,…..iss,…….going ,..too suck."
Syrus and Namu chuckle after sitting upon the crimson chairs, “Oh, yes it shall, but look at it this way; you are one hell of a monster.”
Athxess leans forward saying " I am going to waaaalk tonight." As he move his legs off the table pushing his center of gravity over his legs but he feel straight to his hands and knees. Then asking Syrus, "Why do I have an eye patch on?"
Syrus chuckles as the male has trouble getting up upon his hooves, “ You have the eye of a cockatrice. If one were to gaze upon it, they would turn to stone. “
Athxess simply shakes his head as his appearance take on the form of his old, old, old self, his drow self. The undead smiles looking at his body saying, "Syrus, Thank you." As the stubborn perfectly made undead picks himself up to the feet, holding his hands out for balance. And he stood.
Syrus nods standing, “I have adding something else you should know about.” At this moment, all of the equipment that was used for the operation vanishes, including his old body Bubba, “Your new form can use the troll regeneration skill at ten times normal pace, however this is only because of the six stones that recharge your new ‘blood’. Those stones were created by me, and thus you are under my power. No other necromancer will be able to claim you, however you must know that I own you if the time comes. Do not worship me as others like you do. I simply ask you remember me as the one who granted you this form.” The mage then departs, another meeting awaiting him.
