It was hard to count the days when there wasn’t a window to hint daylight, even more so not being able hear anything beyond the cell, from the ground to ceiling, it was all polished stone, one wall was thick steel portcullis, the temperature was mildly cold never varying much, the air heavy in humidity, but there was curiously no foul smell like other jails. The man inside knew he wasn’t alone, he could spot that two cells to the right was the same pale blue light that illuminated his, he tried screaming atop his lungs to communicate, only a faint echo returned, so the other one was either deaf or dead, the only other company he had, if one could call it that, was a malformed humanoid skeleton, it mixed human and wolf like bones, so disturbing to look, he covered it with a blanket and tried not to think about it.
Sometimes he saw his supposed jailer, a metal masked butler, he only came around to bring meals, he assumed only two times a day, but coming at irregular intervals making it even hard to actually count the days, specially when he could never hear him come.
At least he had books to read, the jailer every now and then put a tome along with the tray of food, so he could read them while he sat on the slim mattress. Though now, he almost had a heart attack as when his eyes drifted upwards, were two figures, the masked butler and a robed man, quickly getting up on his feet and clearing his throat.
“Finally someone new!” - he had tried a cunning smile - “Ya must be the boss around here? I’d like to ask forgiveness, didn’t know this was ya territory”
He had a similar experience before, stealing on someone’s protected turf, Boss would want compensation, the more helpful he was, the better the odds to come out alive, not being currently employed he could pay his debt and perhaps some side cash, there was nothing much to lose.
“I swear on my mother’s life” - continued - “ didn’t know it at all! But I can pay back sir, if ya let me”
Trying to be friendly was key to this, yet when seeing the melancholic vision of the tall robed man, his throat got a bit dry, a bad feeling in the back of his mind, but he pushed back as the man spoke.
“Do you have any diseases?”
A weird question to start he thought but answered.
“None Sir, Maybe three or four old scars…”
“And you would like to pay back?”
Finally a wave of relief washed the man, he could make this work.
“Offcourse! I knew you to be a smart one sir”
“Then I’ll let you go as soon as you recover”
Taking a step back Kelivan gestured to Rafie, taking his cloak and raising his sleeve on the right arm, at first glance seemed normal, then all just above the elbow melted in heavy smoke, revealing a stump, half healed and red with scarring of recent injury. At first the man had thought Kelivan a sage, but now he was sure it was an arcanist, the fear returned as he thought on what he agreed, too late he noticed when Kelivan finished uttering an incantation.
“Awaken”
The only word the man understood send shivers Down his spine, he heard firstly his heart beating like a drum, followed by cracking sounds of bone rubbing against bone, from the corner of his eyes, right behind him, a huge sheet covered silhouette grabbed him.
Kelivan witnessed his skeletal warden envelop the man in a cage of bone, this monster was a puzzle of bones from multiple creatures, wholly designed to have a huge torso of ribs, that would open like a hellish maw, constricting a target, leaving them in much a crucified position, it was fast and precise, it's target attempted to struggle, but when it grabbed his wrists the man was simply strung up screaming in fear, held tightly by it.
Though melancholic at first Kelivan almost looked sad when he spoke in a monotone voice.
“Sever Right arm, above elbow joint”
Screaming protests in desperation the man quickly noticed what he had agreed to, but he maybe would not even have had a choice, the bone warden walked, dragging his prisoner to the bars and put the man’s arm out from it, then moved smaller bones driving it's edges into the man’s skin, he cursed and screamed, in a precise movement and unnatural force, a loud snapping sound signaled bone breaking, what followed was a gruesome sawing sound, severing the remaining muscles and ligaments, the arm fell off, Rafie caught it before hitting the ground, blood flowed from the wound filling the air with copper like smell and the man’s laments of pain, already incoherent from agony.
Looking into the man’s eyes Kelivan could see his fear, knowing very personally the pain it caused. With rapid gestures and subtle archaic words, a sigil flashed red and dissapered, the claws that were bony white now stained with blood, started glowing red, then bright orange, the blood on it quickly drying and evaporating, leaving only a slight smoke trail
“Cauterize traumatic injury”
Obeying its master, the bone warden close itss claw like saws over the gushing wound, filling the air with a strong smell of burning meat, the sound of skin and muscle boiling were only mild compared to the agonizing screams of pain from the man, that ceased only as he fainted. Few seconds later, it opened the grip, leaving leaving the wound completely cauterized, smoke still rising, Kelivan awkwardly shifted his satchel, bringing out a flask of pink tinted, ordering it to be administered and spread over the wound, obeying in methodic robotic manner the Bone warden did as told, the burned flesh suddenly healing weeks in seconds and the erratic breathing becoming normalized, he would live, and soon awake in still much pain.
Looking at the severed arm, it's fingers still twitched in spasms, blood dripping, Rafie held it gracefully, pointing its severed end towards Kelivan, moving it closer to the stump, stopping a few centimeters short, hearing his lord speaking his enchantment, words seem to forth small letters in purple coloration, turing red as they began absorbing the blood, circling around the arm.
As if in a cue, Rafie backed away leaving severed arm to float where he left it, no more blood dropped, it instead formed a row of spinning sigils around both ends, like a flower blossoming skin from the stump on Kelivan’s arm opened, no blood spilled, but tendons stretched out to grasp the new limb, pulling it closer veins and arteries connected, muscle fibers interlocking, skin covering all, the spinning sigils closed around the connection, sealing it with an emission of white, odorless, smoke, burning away excess muscle making it a near perfect fit, within seconds the arm as as good as his own, same muscle mass and ligaments, one could only tell it wasn’t his by the difference in skin tone and the scarring of connection above the elbow, yet that too would fade and return to normalcy in a matter of hours.
Once finished he let out a tired sigh, trying to shake off the tingling from the transplanted arm, to get his mind off it, he rolled down the sleeves. Using now both hands quickly gestured, small sigils manifested and vanished, taking with them the smell and spilled blood altogether.
“I can’t take this anymore…”
Kelivan again let out a heavy sigh.
Rafie looked at his Lord in a surprised manner, tilting his head as he spoke worriedly .
“What do you speak of Lord Kelivan?”
In the back of Rafie’s thinking mind, he feared his master to say life, he hoped to not see his creator so aloft to it.
“From all this, working all my life… and even then…”
Gesturing to the man strung up in the Bone warden.
“ It’s all this…” - Kelivan’s eyes watered slightly, his voice a profound lamentation “I can repair my arm or someone else's, yes, but only by stealing from others, no matter how much I try! How much a study! What’s the point of being able to heal if others suffer instead?! There is only loss!”
Rafie thought his master would go on in an explosion of fury, instead, Kelivan felt a guilt so visceral, it stunned, bringing him to knell.
Rushing to his side, stopping the fall before his lord completely collapsed to the ground, Kelivan was pale and somber, Rafie knew his Master to be melancholic, but also gentle, yet, what he was seeing was like the shell of man, the purple eyes seemed dulled, he had not followed in his journey, but it had taken it’s toll on the arcanist, at that moment it felt like holding a living doll.
“My lord… my Father…” -Rafie tried speaking in the best caring voice he could muster - “You have made so much, I am proof of it, get up please”
“I could have done better…” -Kelivan said in lifeless tone
“You gave me much, I am happy with it all”
“No…You understand but can’t feel…how could u feel…”
In those words Rafie felt his pride being attacked and questioned, he was in counterpoint, wise enough to understand that Kelivan was in a fragile state, where most things were said in overwhelming emotion, most of them bad, he would not allow that to hamper his caring.
Slowly he helped Kelivan back to his own two feet, the somber sad expression stamped on his face.
“Hope ya hit the gutter…”
Merely a whimpering whisper, it came from the prisoner, his voice weak, heavy in anger and resentment.
“Then fall dead… Rot in the walls of lament… along with all the corpses…” -Barely able to draw breath, through anger alone he finished - “May Equilo skin you in the worst way possible… Necroprofaner”
His head lowered, too weak to stay awake, falling unconscious again. Kelivan took in a deep breath, as if he was trying to take in the man’s words as well, and many others he heard before, silence reining for some time, finally declaring.
“I know that… I tried finding a better way.”
Ordering the Bone warden to lay the man in the bed, Kelivan walked out of the cells along with Rafie. In another cell the other man didn't even know what transpired around him, he didn’t hear, see or smell any horror, the magic there prevented so, he continued to be bored reading through one of the given books.
<<<< >>>>
Large double carved Woden doors slowly opened as Kelivan and Rafie walked into this Large oval chamber, quite large, entirely made of polished stone, small holes like chimneys spaced out along the ceiling, both extremities of the room had distinct layouts, on one was a board filled with arcane diagrams and attached sheets of notes, next to it was large connecting tables laid out with various alchemical apparatus, such as flasks, vials and even a full distillation station, complementing it were two shelves, one filled to the brim with instruction manuals, note books, lose papers, finally the other had all the necessary basic ingredients in jars or crates. Other side of the room had a semicircular Wooden scaffold, in its center was one of the Golem, this one had it's helmet removed, revealing inside it, was a pristine human skull, still connected to a full skeleton that the armor made masterful work to hide, around it was a curious mix of pottery and black smithing tools, more books shelves lined the walls, bursting with tomes, notes, parchments, scrolls and the like, close by was what appeared to be the Main study table, fine dark wood, fairly large, two smaller desks flanked, It also had the only chair of the room, appearing to be a single wood chair, padded for additional comfort. Finally center of the room, it,s wall was lined by a large, now blank board, the whole place illuminated by four floating white globes of light high up, appearing just below grafted crystals nicely spaced out in the ceiling.
Waves of nostalgia hit Kelivan, finally seeing home was a like a healing balm spread over his sadness, it did not last however, for it also reminded him of his past, that he now judge to have been for naught, feeling another surge of dizziness, focused instead at what was in front of him, walking slowly to the Golem.
It much resembled the one walking the fields, different patches and pieces that made it’s makeshift armor, people always thought those to be golems, if they only knew how hard it was to really make them. Animated dead skeletons, covered from head to toe in armor and black garments, hid the true nature of those undead helpers, “what horror would the people say if they knew “ kelivan thought.
“Was this your work?” - He asked
“Build it according to your notes” - Rafie answered proudly - “I thought maybe you would want a new one to take the field, all inscription is done, unfortunately…”
“You can’t activate it” -Kelivan cut him short
Rafie noticed this abrupt interruption had in part to do with his Master’s current trouble, simply acknowledging, mentally taking note.
Backing away from the golem, Kelivan pulled the chair and sat down contemplating. Rafie saw his master’s absent mind, reflected in dulled eyes, the best thing he could do was allow that desperation to flow in Rational mind rather than an emotional one. Long minutes of silence went by before Kelivan finally spoke.
“ I gave you life without soul or potential…”
“Nonetheless I am here” - Rafie Responded with certainty - “Living right by your side”
“You can understand and rationalize” - Frustration in his voice - “following patterns to acquire a desired outcome is not living per say, I could not give you the gift to feel life”
“Then you mean to say I am without will?” - Rafie took a more firm tone - “It’s regrettable yes, that I can’t have a soul or access to arcane, yet I am gifted with intellect! And quite capable of carrying on my desires”
“Yet you can’t give, only take”
“Carnivorous animals eat others in other keep on living, there is little difference”
“Can you say the same to the man that will live out his life one armed?!”
“I rather it happened to him. than you!”
Bringing his hand up to his face in visible frustration, Kelivan rose from his chair and said.
“You say that because you determined to care more for me than others, people do the same all the time but unlike you… they can’t be like you, using logic there is never any guilt, there is never a shame or doubt to feel once things are done! It was not what I wanted… not for you… I tried, but never could!
Walking up to the Skeletal construct, Kelivan touched it, lighting up runes, causing it to move slightly, only for it to become limp when he removed it.
“This is the best I can do… you were the very best I created”
Finally Rafie pieced the puzzle, figuring out his master’s trouble, he was going to give up on his life’s work of being able to use necromantic arcane without siphoning life, to try using it to perpetuate instead, it had been a work he was part of for the last two hundred years, a work that his master was on in the brink of giving up, broken. Something was holding him still and Rafie notice another fact.
Since entering, Kelivan refused to part with his satchel, it could only hold a thing of insurmountable value that he would refuse to let out of sight, perhaps a last chance.
“Master, you are clearly unsatisfied.” - Rafie spoke more relaxed - “ Most certainly I think you came with purpose”
He stole a look at the satchel
Like waking from sleep, Kelivan reached for it, touching it, like an anchor, attaching him back to reality, even his complexion seemed to better.
Seeing a strange excitement, Rafie was somewhat relieved to see life spring back to his Master. He observed as Kelivan walking back to the main table.
Carefully he laid the satchel over the surface, opening it, he pulled carefully, a dark metal box, sealed by two belts with locks, it was otherwise unremarkable and unmarked. Pulling from beneath his clothes a necklace, in its end a key, he used it to open both locks, the belts tensed, undid as soon as opened
,now without them it seemed more like an ingot, no hint of a lid visible, reaching carefully Kelivan lifted the top, sliding upwards slowly.
A gelatinous white substance lined it's inside, like a pearl in the center, was an object of Impossible complexity. The main body was a glassy sphere of both transparent or reflexive surface, changing with the slightest different angle of sight, around it were four interlocking flat silver rings, the sphere itself simply floated a mere centimeter without touching any rings, each flat surface, was carved in intricate inscriptions of ancient complexity. Most mesmerizing was its inside, though it depended on the angle one look, was an impossible hourglass shaped mechanical labyrinth, seemingly built in hundreds if not thousands gears tiny as a grain of sand, their colors shifted from bronze, to blue, to purple, making it impossible to ascertain what composed it.
Rafie could only make out a fraction of what the inscribed sigils meant, it was monumental in complexity, beyond his studies, he knew feeling surprise and admiration were the adequate reaction to such an artifact. In contemplation he spoke.
“It must be an ancient relic, I have never even seen anything like it… would it be perhaps a catalyst or core?”
“I would be disappointed if it wasn’t” - A sarcastic optimism in his voice - “I need books regarding the Kalmartak, bring it from the main library, I’ll decipher them here.”
Finally there seemed to be light in Kelivan’s eyes, a happiness to seek out knowledge, Rafie thought he could relax in his extrapolations of problems, he then left to go get the books.
Gathering two tomes from the nearby table Kelivan set them down next to the box, ready to begin the long process of studying the relic’s powers. He still felt motivated at last, even if deep down what prompted such, was desperation, he believed there were things that could yet be done, all it would take was to unravel the workings of this unique artifact.