When I reach the cellar door, I see the bag dad mentioned and notice the distinct lack of blood. He must have field dressed the bird. How strangely thoughtful of him.

“Sigil are you around? Want to watch me do a spell?” I reach out to my familiar, the dark black cat silently brushing against my legs a moment later. I’ll take that as a yes.

I open the cellar, and descend into my workshop. With the bag placed firmly on the table, I light a small candle to see by, and quickly examine the bird. No blood, no organs, and only a few broken bones. I can work with this, even if it is a bit small.

Carefully, I spend the next two hours plucking the feathers individually from my subject. I’d asked for a hawk, and this one is either very young, or a kestrel. Daniel once again shows his lack of intelligence. To be fair to Dad though, unless you read anatomy books to further a skill or study the animals themselves, very few people could tell a falcon from a hawk or a kestrel. Any bird of prey is better than nothing.

With the feathers plucked, I set them aside and begin to debone the bird, my former wood carving knife pulling double duty today. Piece by piece I discard the flesh, glancing out of the side of my eye to see Sigil devour a few small chunks.

“I didn’t know spirits needed to eat” I tease the cat.

“We don’t, but it’s still fun” They sass me right back.

Within another hour still, I have all the tiny bones I can salvage, and most of the bird's feathers. The only bone in the entire collection big enough for any engraving is the skull. With my knife, I carefully draw a rough draft of an exceedingly simple animus core in the dust of the cellar floor, using the rest of the space for a sensory relay.

My rough draft is too big, but if I can scale it down with a sharp knife it should work. The carving is a slow and meticulous process, and several times I leave the cellar to ask Daniel for a smaller knife, eventually scratching my lines with one of Neia’s sewing needles. In the end it works, and I get to work with my next step. Drawing the spellform and then arranging the feathers and bones atop it, a two layered spell circle.

A kestrel of this size is small enough to use [Lesser Undead Summoning] for the ritual, also called [Reanimate pest], a measly tier 1 spell. With my mana pool I can use the “Minor” version of undead summoning that I used on Cain, Tier 2 [Reanimate Animal]. I’m hoping to increase my efficiency high enough, to use either Tier 3 [Reanimate Creature], or if things go perfectly a Tier 4 [Reanimate Dead]. Each spell tier is exponentially harder than the last, so Tier 4 may just be a pipe dream with my current reserves.

“Cain, you stand right there” I gesture my minion to the north side of the circle, knowing full well I don’t have to speak to him verbally. I stand one third of the way around the circumference away from him, leaving a noticeable gap opposite us.

Cain only has two mana points, so I can only use a single one without overdrafting him. He’s an undead, but I still don’t want to hurt my minions.

“Sigil, I would like to make a side deal with you. Will you provide some mana to my spell if I repay double the amount given over the next week?” I prod my familiar mentally, reaching out with a question I hope will be too entertaining to refuse.

“Hmm.” Sigil purrs into my mind, pretending to carelessly walk across the cellar yet somehow stopping in the exact perfect spot for the ritual.

“I can spare 35 points in this current form, as well as sharpen your control a small amount through our soul bond. That should be enough for your efforts. I would ask for more of your intake, but with a third minion that might kill you…” Sigil trails off, knowing void spirits they’re trying to make me paranoid. As if a fresh summon less than a third through a contract would want their summoner dead already.

“Five points a day for twenty days as repayment.” Sigil finally counter offers. Despite that being nearly triple what the cat is offering me, I have no other choices. “Deal” I accept.

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Once the three of us are in place, I do my final checks for the ritual. Three mana pools, 137 total points of mana to spend, two levels of spell circle, a memorized chant, and our combined mental prowess. If this couldn’t manage a Tier 3 spell, at least I’m getting system access in two days.

I begin chanting, I feel the single point of mana join me from Cain as he flexes his single mental stat point to aid me. It’s almost cute. The effort of the spell eases a moment later, as if a guiding hand reached up and held onto my own. Sigil’s mana pours into the circle as I intone word after word of powerful focus.

When I’m halfway through the spell, I start visualizing what I want. What I need. A flying minion, a bird of spirit as much as bone, a friendly eye in the sky. I imagine looking down on myself from the bird’s point of view, circling battle fields with sight to scout far flung enemies. I briefly recall an eagle I reanimated in my first life, the aid it had given to me and my friends. Former friends.

My mana regeneration slowed even further. Cain and Sigil both take their share, but a third siphon connects to my soul, as the final word of power escapes my lips.

“Rise. Kite.” I whisper into the cellar, this time naming my new minion immediately.

Minion connection established.

Spirit Hawk (Kestrel) - lvl 1.

Identity confirmed.

ERROR.

Spirit siphon unable to connect properly to system locked host.

Initializing experience buffer for Kite (Spirit Hawk).

Unlike when I named Cain, there was no external influence to evolve or empower my minion. That’s fine though, I can feel the spell already, Kite is fine as she is. The bones and feathers of the little brown bird blaze into a translucent green fire before swirling into the air. With speed and precision each piece knits back into its proper place, and two emerald flames alight in the now empty avian skull.

Kite’s wings flap silently, and the tiny creature lands on my shoulder to stare up at me.

Name:

Kite

Strength:

5

Species:

Spirit Hawk (Kestrel) - lvl 1

Hp:

20

Vitality:

10

Mp:

10

Agility:

15

Current Species:

Spirit Hawk

Intelligence:

5

Charisma:

0

Willpower:

5

General Skills:

Mind of the Master - lvl 1