Blood And Fire

Chapter 46-Necromancy Rites

CHAPTER 46

     As Vlad and Cosette enter the crypt of the catacombs, many of the Ancient Ones' spawn hustle about opened vessels containing the remains of demised humans of many years past.

     The sarcophagi had been sealed so well, that many of the dead were intact – some even still juicy.

     Vampires went about administering a drop of foul looking thick liquid into the mouth of each corpse.  Row upon row of open caskets was tended to by multiple creatures of the night.

     An eyedropper hesitates over the opened mouth of a particularly well preserved body.  One thick, black drop drips down the dead human's throat.

     Finally, after thousands upon thousands of the dead having received the same treatment, the lead worker reports to Cosette, "It is done."

     "Good," she says and waves the vampire away.  Cosette turns to Vlad and beams brightly.  "Behold, my lord.  Your undead army only requires you to perform the necromancy rites."

     Vlad looks approvingly across the myriad of open coffins.  He produces an ancient looking book – well-worn and bound in what appears to be the hide of some unknown creature.

     He raises the Book of the Dead up with both hands and flips the yellowed and uneven pages to the mark he had left.  With an eerie voice, Vlad begins to read a passage from the manuscript.  The sounds are ancient, spoken in a tongue long forgotten.

     With each word, the pages of the book begin to rustle.  The strange markings appear to sparkle as they are pronounced and then fade back to their original state as the next word shimmers upon Vlad's command.

     A howl emanates from all corridors leading to the crypt.  An unnatural wind comes rushing forth.

     Vlad continues the incantation.  Dark magic is being summoned from the powers of the book.  Some of the caskets start to rattle and bang against the floor.  Silt drifts down from the ceiling and is carried along by the currents of air.

     The ancient vampire raises his voice against the ruckus he is creating.  Some words hiss as if spoken by serpents, others are grunted like the guttural ramblings of demons, still others are produced as if by frantic whisperings of many voices all at once.

     Finally the rite is complete.  Vlad closes the book with a loud CLAP! And all other sounds and movements are silenced with it.

     All is still.

     All is quiet.

     Though nothing is happening, the room crackles with energy – calm before the storm.

     Now, Vlad's army of undead only awaits his command.

     "Corpus Levitosum!" Vlad commands.  Thousands of bodies sit upright in their coffins.  Shriveled and taut skin stretch across faces that look to their summoner for their next order.