It took months to teach Son basic cognitive functions, Rafie had noted he knew words and their meaning, but not how to structure them, he also had to learn how to move around and the adequate amount of force to apply. Despite the initial ineptitude, it was a smooth affair to teach him.
Curiously Rafie noted that Son needed regular rest at first, almost like Mortals require sleep, soon however that need became near null, he now had only to spend about an hour or two in light activities to continue in top shape, he experimented to see how far they would be able to push this, and found out that if pushed at one point he would faint in a sleep like state for some time.
Using the many tomes at his disposal he began teaching son basic information as well, Showing himself a competent learner, capable of long attention spans unlike what was expected of normal infants. So far Rafie had avoided much personal affection as he was still considering how to shape this beings early on personality, opting to give it tasks and tests, he was however thinking it would soon ask more introspective questions as the sense of self developed.
In this fabricated free time from its teaching duties, Rafie sought tomes within the main library that would help him in psychology, that however was something the place lacked, so he searched many different books on race, history and some minor tale collections to establish a deepened knowledge on sociology. His mind struggled to fit all this titanical task that relied only on his personal judgment and any theory would have to derive from anything he decided here, regardless it would affect son, for good or bad.
He heard the doors opening followed by steps, passing the first few shelves Son came into view. If Rafie could feel nostalgia, it would be Very painful sight, Son looked exactly like his master, the skin had grown more gaunt and pale, the eyes having lost their purple hue to a grey and white mix, but in essence it was Kelivan. He dressed in simple beige and grey robes, carrying a scroll he walked up to the table.
“I have concluded these equations, Professor Rafie” - he even sounded much like Kelivan did, yet there was much less weight and a lot more naivety.
Taking the scroll, Rafie quickly went through it, all the answers were correct.
“Seems you have mastered mathematics quite well, good job” - Rafie put on a positive tone - “I am putting together some other plans at the moment, so you can have free study if you’d like.”
Son appeared happy, his reactions were easy to spot, no emotional regulation, it again reminded and estranged Rafie to the fact that this right there was a person and not a machine to be given orders.
“I have a question if I can.”
Rafie stared at son who now seemed a bit on edge, he noticed the hesitation and believing that encouraging curiosity was positive, he urged.
“You may, as many as you like, these tasks can wait.”
A bit hesitant the son spoke.
“What are you?”
The question stirred in Rafie a logic of surprise, where had this question come from, and why ask it, but he knew not to show, he had to clarify.
“What do you mean by what am I?”
“I mean to ask what you are… I know you are my teacher, but I still don’t know what you are, what we are for instance too.”
“Can you tell me what prompted these questions?”
“Well in the free time I had, I read some novels, they talk about people and places, but I have only been here, with you, and from the few drawings, we don’t look much like them, especially not you teacher… with respect offcourse.”
“Your perception has improved as well, I must congratulate you on that.”
Rafie gestured his hand forward as a gentle manner, he knew that to encourage inquiry into one’s self and their surroundings would be paramount to son’s growth.
“Awnsering your question now, it is still a bit complicated but I will summarize. What we are is creations of a very wise, very kind master, you are much different from me, and I am very different from what I was created as.”
“Yes, I get Rafie, but what exactly are you? A human? And Elf? A Kindred? And where are all the other neighbors, kings, soldiers and cities?”
“I will answer where we are first.”
He had put his hand up in a gesture of patience, seeing son more calm he proceeded.
“We are in a sanctuary, created by that very master who was Kelivan, there are many other places outside this one, but we cannot go to them, especially because of you.”
“Me?”
“You see we have something in common, we were both created by Kelivan, but you are much more special and I was warned to protect you, for there are many enemies that would wish for your death.”
Son hesitated for a moment, Rafie tried predicting what was on his mind so he said.
“No you have not done anything to incur their wrath, but we are to them… abominations.”
Son looked at Rafie puzzled, a very naive and obvious question followed.
“Why?”
“Exactly because of what we are.”
Rafie stood up and walked around the table to be in front of son, they were about the same height, it could be said would be eye to eye, but Rafie’s had none.
His hand slowly came up towards the mask, with a small movement he unclipped it, revealing what was beneath. A smooth white human skull, barely any cracks on the surface, all teeth intact.
This sight had no shocking reaction from son, as he stared in a mixture of child amazement and curiosity.
“I am what one calls, risen corpse or more known by people as undead.”
“I think I have read some mentions… weren’t undead mindless servants?”
“Many are, I am especial however, one of my masters greatest works… and you are his Magnum Opus.”
“Does that make me undead as well?”
“That is the key difference between you and me… you may inhabit a body that is dead, but inside, there is a soul.”
Rafie picked up his mask, fixing back into place with a small clicking sound.
“What is a soul then?”
“That is a question even I, nor any sage will be able to answer with certainty.”
He walked around the bookshelves in silence, till he found one book and brought it to the table.
“A soul is the essence of all living things, it retains your emotions and self, it’s a flux, a state of existence to experience all sorts of things.”
Son seemed puzzled, but he asked.
“You said I do… Do you have one?”
“I do not.”
“Did our master not give you?”
“He couldn’t.”
“But he gave me one.”
“He did not know at the time of my creation how to do it, he was trying to create something similar, and thus I came to be.”
“Then what’s the difference between us?”
Rafie paused, he could answer, but he feared it would be a weight too great for a child to know, that without a soul his existence is void, but he knew he had to give an answer, there was one he could even if he feared to early.
“The means to conduct the art of the arcane.”
“You mean magic?”
“Indeed, a soul is paramount to be able to engage in it.”
Son could be seen running his eyes around, Rafie knew what he was thinking, about the wonders of magic from what he had read in novels and the question it would come.
“Can I do magic then?”
“We can try” - there was a pause, Rafie was hesitant - “Let me find a basic tome so you may try a simple incantation.”
Something he expected came at last.
What he omitted from son, the fact he could do magic for the one fear he might kill himself, from what Rafie understood, and Kelivan long ago had confirmed, was that it was possible for artificial being such as Rafie to do magic indeed however that came at the cost of their existence. For the magic that held their making to the world would be disturbed by the weave of magic traveling their body.
A soul also worked as an anchor and conduit, when magic flowed through a person their own essence and presence allowed them to retain their being. When a construct or summoned being did it, the ether traversing their body would disrupt the current spell holding their function and they would be destroyed.
Rafie found a beginner's tome and told Son.
“It will be a very simple spell, only a light.”
Rafie was still wondering what that would result, son had a soul, but was also an artificial being held by magic, would the spell undo the workings, or would it hold.
He had studied the Ritual that Kelivan did, it would have still allowed the caster to cast magic despite the artificial body, but could the same be said for this one.
Rafie knew the reactions he was having. It was fear, a logical assumption for something that could end his master’s creation. But should he stop it, would prove the dream was never achieved and a new live through magic was impossible.
He had to walk Son thoroughly in the gestures, and right pronunciation, and he intuitively grasped faster than he anticipated, faster then he could calculate the risk, so the question came.
“Can I try it then?”
Struck almost by the same shock he once experienced, logic told him the risk was still great, yet.
When he looked in Son’s face, he saw a joy, much similar to what his master once had, the one of discovery.
“Do your best.”
He had spoken before he knew.
It was both a simple and quick gesture, almost like a snap the required more finesse, the wording sounded like a blow of wind and fiery spark.
From the tip of his finger a mere globe of light appeared hovering over the tip of their finger, a small almost translucent halo around it. Son had cast his first spell.
With a reaction Rafie Registered as worry he looked at son, he did not seem to fail or break, then he knew relief from the fears in him.
The immense joy on their face was a contrast to his normal ghostly demeanor.
If he could know joy was Unknown, but both stood amazed at this simple spell of light, A corpse with a soul and a Thinking skeleton , they were at the epicenter of a revolution in the world, in a small room hidden away.
They both would go on to carry this joy.