//------------------------------// // Lesson 2: Forms and Characteristics of Undeath, Part 1 // Story: Twilight Sparkle's Lessons in Azerothian Magic // by Lich-Lord Krosis //------------------------------// "Ok Twilight... are you ready?" Kel'Thuzad asked, his claws clacking together with glee at their current location. Celestia eyed him diligently from beside her student, his gaze flickering to hers once. The unicorn nodded, uneased yet fascinated with the monstrous and complex building that she sat in. On Celestia and his king's orders, Kel'Thuzad once again had to dial down the lessons, as he risked losing his only pupil in centuries. Upon his hearing of Twilight's willingness to continue their lessons, the archlich decided that they would do less... Hooves-on work... Finally starting to get the hang of that... They were currently in the construct quarter of of an imaginary Naxxramas once again, a few piles of 'materials' behind the archmage. I would much rather do this aboard the REAL Naxxramas, where I can oversee others projects, but the Scourge’s presence would probably not be well received by the outside world... Yet... Still, one benefit of doing these lessons in his mind, Kel'Thuzad noted, was that it was easy for him to make examples. And easy to acquire supplies... Waving his claws slowly, methodically through the air, the archlich reached out for one of the piles behind him, deciding to show his student one of the most basic of all necromantic creatures. With an eerie blue glow illuminating his claws, the lich started to form the structure of the construct, his student and her alicorn guardian watching as the seasoned necromancer turned a dusty pile of bones into a museum-quality unicorn skeleton, it's eye sockets flickering to unlife as it turned it's head to acknowledge it's master. Satisfied with his work, the archlich finished his spellweaving, and cleared his throat. "Ladies, allow me to introduce the skeleton, one of, if not the most basic necromantic minion at a necromage's disposal." at that, the skeleton turned to the mares, it's lifeless eyes studying them. "Simple, yet fragile unless properly reinforced, the skeleton's role in a combat situation is incredibly malleable, able to learn quickly from instruction and command." Kel'Thuzad stated. "What do you mean by 'reinforced', Kel'Thuzad?" Twilight asked, her quill and parchment already hard at work. Kel'Thuzad nodded in acknowledgement, a simple wooden table popping into existence before the mares, several tools and materials adorning it's surface. Leather straps, long spiked rods of iron, and several scrolls, magic foreign to the mares wafting from the paper. "Usually, a basic, pre-battle skeletal soldier is equipped with whatever it's role requires. Footmen are usually given heavy reinforcement, such as rods of iron fastened to their spines or other vital areas." Kel'Thuzad explained. "If their role requires simple archery or messenger work, they may recieve little, if any reinforcement, usually restricted to leather or linen straps to help fasten arms to shoulders or legs to pelvises.” “Doesn’t your magic keep the skeletons together though?” Celestia asked, eyeing the construct warily. “Yes, for the most part. But complications during battle, mainly damage sustained by the enemy, can inhibit the construct. While they are still incapable of feeling pain, that doesn’t stop their limbs from being removed or damaged.” Kel’Thuzad explained, lifting a rod of iron into his claws. “What would normally be a devastating blow to the spine is negated by a simple addition to the skeletal construct, preventing soldiers from falling in battle too quickly.” As Twilight scribbled the last of her notes down, she raised her hoof. Chuckling lightly, Kel’Thuzad responded to her act. “Yes, Twilight?” “You said that the basic, pre-battle skeletal soldiers received reinforcement and weapons...” Twilight faltered, biting back doubt as she prepared to ask the second half of her question. “What about the the other skeletons?” Kel’Thuzad faltered just slightly, a sideways glance asking Celestia if revealing something so... morbid, was allowed. She nodded, so he spoke. “Well... generally, my necromancers were told to prepare their soldiers for combat before the battle began. But of course, as war usually goes, things do not always go according to plan...” the lich explained, Twilight beginning to regret her question. “So, if combat was forced upon our necromancers or their acolytes, their were instructed to use burial grounds, churches, and graveyards to... improvise...” Kel’Thuzad spoke, hoping Twilight would not dig any deeper. “So... if none of those were available, what would your soldiers do then?” ......... Damnit... “If none of those sources of bodies were available, my necromancers were told to find the least defended villages or towns nearby, and... make do.” Kel’Thuzad explained, clearly uncomfortable with continuing on the matter. Nodding shakily, Twilight scribbled the disturbing bit of knowledge down, a shiver running down her spine as she did. She understood that the things that Kel’Thuzad and her brother’s predecessor had done were... atrocious, hearing the logic behind it was even more sickening. Yet... logical. A military force would be much more likely to resist an attempt to ‘create’ bodies than a civilian population would be... “Twilight?” “Yes?” Twilight jumped, her teacher’s echoing voice shaking her from her thoughts. Kel’Thuzad frowned, his stature returning to full height. Twilight was definitely... rattled. Whether she would admit as much remained to be seen, but Celestia told him before the lesson that Twilight was very stubborn. That she was quite incapable of thinking something was beyond her learning capabilities. But still, Celestia had given him her blessing to teach the young unicorn, and until said unicorn said otherwise, he would assume she was willing to recieve his instruction. Kel’Thuzad cleared his nonexistent throat, and in a burst of magic, the skeleton was gone, it’s ashes blowing away in an arcane breeze. “Continuing on your question, I think I will show you something that may be the cheapest form of ‘soldier’ that the Scourge ever used.” Kel’Thuzad explained, his arms bathed in a spectral glow as he prepared the summoning. “Miss Sparkle, are you more comfortable with a human or pony corpse?” ......... “P-Pony?” “Very well...” the lich droned, an arcane snap signifying the arrival of his latest... demonstration. “Ladies, this is a zombie.” ......... A gurgling groan filled the room, obviously startling Twilight, who’s eyes were deadlocked on the corpse standing before her. While at first glance, the pony seemed normal, a thorough look over revealed the truth. A sickening gash, about a foot long, was carved into the undead mare’s neck, exposing the side of the vertebrae, and the jugular vein hung from the wound, small drips of brownish life fluid still leaking from it. The front of her muzzle was rotted off, exposing the pony’s broken, bloodied teeth. The mare’s eyes were dull and glassy, a yellow pinprick dominating he area where the iris was. They lazily drifted around, studying the two living ponies before her, before returning to their sluggish, erratic movement. Her reddish pink fur was falling out in clumps, particularly around the ribs, which were clearly visible behind a thin layer of skin. Her cutie... Twilight gagged. Her cutie mark was... it... it was... Three small, smiling flowers... “Goddesses...” It was Cheerilee. The zombie was Cheerilee. “Twilight?” The purple mare ignored the lich, slowly trotting up to the undead creature. The zombie, reacting lightly to her presence, groaned, a small splatter of congealed blood leaking from it’s maw and throat. Undeterred, Twilight walked up to the undead schoolteacher, ignoring the gut-turning smell of decaying flesh that assaulted her senses. With a gently shaking hoof she touched the pony’s left cheek. It didn’t respond. Kel’Thuzad and Celestia were silent, thoughts spiraling through their minds, attempting to decipher why Twilight had developed such a fascination with... “Why?” Kel’Thuzad regarded his pupil once more, her watering eyes staring daggers into him. “Twilight... what are you?” Kel’Thuzad didn’t get to finish the thought as Twilight sobbed, falling to her knees before the undead earth pony. “W-Why...” Twilight sobbed, and in a sickening display, wrapped her forelegs around the zombie, it’s skin and fur coming free at her rougher touch. Twilight quietly admitted to herself that she didn’t know how to properly respond to this. Cheerilee has never been a close friend, or even a friend at all, but she had a friendly relationship with her. She... she cared for her. Not out of love or lust... But kindness. Seeing the schoolteacher like this was... haunting. A mockery, yet the same... A shambling, rotting corpse... But still Cheerilee. ......... Kel’Thuzad dug deeper into his mind, recalling exactly WHERE he had come up with the template for the zombie, and he nearly smacked himself in he head for his stupidity. He had seen her at the Hearth’s Warming party, chatting with Titus for a while. Twilight knew this mare... Shit. Already, Celestia approached her student, wrapping both the zombie and the unicorn in her wings, braving the smell and sight to comfort her pupil. Kel’Thuzad honestly did not know how to approach the situation. So he just... waited. And as Twilight’s sobs grew louder, he knew he was in for the long haul with his first pupil in almost a millennia. A particularly loud wail made the mage wince. The very long haul...