Chapter 31: Chapter 29 – The Unliving Phenomenon

"The first recorded Unliving, was a case well documented, as the young lady had never made her past a secret, and was happy to share the information should one but ask.

 

On the other hand, we have had reason to believe that there had been others who rose into unlife like her, beginning from the date of her revival. Most of these cases were likely lost to history, as in many cases, the poor people were ostracized and made to suffer inhumane torment at the hands of those they loved, since they had no understanding of their nature and mistook them as an undead abomination.

 

In Ptolodecca, it was not until three years after the young lady's rise to unlife that we encountered a second case, which was what clued us in on the phenomenon not being one restricted to her. Sadly, how many unliving had met cruel and horrible fates elsewhere by then, we might never come to know." - Drietven Edrunviel, head butler of the Palace of Bones.

Srevganto village, southern Ptolodecca, the sixth day of the third week of the twelfth month, year 37 VA.

 

The winter chill had truly set in, as thick layers of snow and ice covered the land as far as the eye can see. The frigid winds outside are so cold it makes one shiver the instant they step foot outside, and not a person in sight went outside without thick winter clothing.

 

Except for the dead, of course.

 

As they rode atop their bone beasts - from the Bone Lord's personal collection -, Aideen couldn't help but think her current state of unlife does have its conveniences from time to time. Despite the freezing cold, she was dressed in a simple tunic over a pair of trousers, little different than what she wore on summer days.

 

Atop their respective mounts, Diarmuid, Drietven, and Aoife - mounted atop Haon in her case - hugged their bodies as they shivered in the cold, despite their multiple layers of thick winter jackets. It was just that cold a weather, and yet before them were two who flaunted the way they ignored the weather.

 

The Bone Lord was similarly dressed lightly as he sat cross legged atop his bone beast, in a mere thin black robe. Then again, he was in his skeletal form, and this utterly lacked the ability to even feel the cold that bothered the others so.

 

For Aideen, she still felt the cold, and had thought that her body responded a bit stiffly, but she was oddly unbothered with it. Her unliving body no longer reacted adversely to extreme cold, and for good reason. Even if her blood literally froze in her veins like it did now, all she would have felt from it would be a stiffness, and some numbness as well, which would have vanished the moment she healed the region in question.

 

The reason the five of them traveled so far to the south, deep in the winter, was due to a missive they received from Llewelyn a few days ago. After the expedition, the Bone Lord had rewarded Llewelyn and Kestera with a higher rank, which meant vaster territories to look over, and Llewelyn chose to look over an area to the south which included the small town he was born in.

 

But a few days ago, he had sent a missive by emergency courier, and had mentioned the possibility of another Unliving in his letter, which was cause enough for the Bone Lord to personally investigate. Aideen naturally had to come along as well, while Diarmuid and Aoife decided to follow her on the trip. Drietven was brought along to attend to their needs during the trip.

 

The trip to the southern village took days even on a bone beast, as Tohrmutgent was on the northern side of Ptolodecca, whereas the village of Srevganto lies within former Cainteian territory, right by the southern shoreline of the continent.

 

It was noontime on the fifth day of journey before they reached Srevganto, by all signs a small, idyllic fishing village, that had hunkered down for the winter. Llewelyn awaited them by the village's entrance, and welcomed them with a deep bow.

 

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"Holiness," he said as he bowed. "Forgive the poor reception for your august presence."

 

"Rise, there is nothing to forgive," said the Bone Lord as he dismounted from his bone beast. Aideen and the rest followed suit, and soon the Bone Lord took the bone beasts back inside his storage artifact. "Is it true there was another Unliving?"

 

"Everything the villagers and I have seen pointed to that possibility, Holiness," replied the young necromancer. "Please follow me, I'll lead you to where he is."

 

Llewelyn led the way as they walked through the quiet village - which was normal, as nobody would go outside their warm houses in this weather unless they had urgent business - and headed straight to a larger building, which was where the village supervisor was stationed.

 

The supervisor in question, a young female therian necromancer who resembled a seagull in features, welcomed them in her abode with a deep bow, and brought them to the dining room, where they found the subject of their pursuit.

 

Seated by the circular dining table, with a warm mug of tea in one hand, an open book in the other, and a smoldering pipe between his beak, was a very old duck therian, who seemed utterly content with his life. He had not noticed their arrival until Llewelyn cleared his throat with some nervousness, and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw just who had arrived.

 

"T-t-t this peasant greets his Holiness the Bone Lord!" Said the old duck as he almost prostrated himself in worship, only stopped because Aideen and Diarmuid held his shoulders before he could.

 

"Rise, good man. No need for obeisance," said the Bone Lord. "We are here to hear your tale. Is it true, that you have risen from the dead?"

 

"Err… I'm afraid I'm not really sure as well, holiness. One moment I recall slipping off in my bed, thought my life was coming to an end, woke up all wrapped up and scared everyone, I sure did," said the old duck to the question, seemingly somewhat ashamed. "When I got outta the wraps they told me it had been three days since I passed on, and they were just on the way to burying me in the cemetery. Gave them poor boys a shock when I suddenly woke up on their shoulders."

 

"Interesting…" mumbled the Bone Lord with one hand on his chin. "Aideen, child, be a dear and check the old man's body. See if there's any similarity between you."

 

Aideen did as the Bone Lord bid her, and channeled her magic to look over the old duck therian's body. She found damage consistent with that from excessive exposure to the cold, which she fixed as she saw it, and soon enough reached the old duck's vital organs. There, her inspection confirmed it. The old duck's lungs breathed not, nor did his heart beat any longer, yet he still stood and conversed with them.

 

"Yes, grandpa," Aideen said after she finished her inspection of the old duck. "I do believe… that he and I are the same kind."

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