Silence enshrouds the world as I open my eyes. The darkness dampened by a soft glow that enters through the unblocked opening that is the end of the log. Stretching slowly while listening for the tell-tale signs of my pursuers I am relieved to hear nothing. Opening my system window with a thought I ignore that nagging feeling that something is off, something isn't right.
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With a gurgle my belly does a decent job of letting me know that I have done a really poor job of keeping food in it since my flight from the clan began. I have nothing to eat with me. It isn't like I had the time to gather my things and pack provisions. So I crawl towards the open end of the log stopping just before I cross the threshold into that soft light.
Looking out I realize what has been bothering me... The area is silent... Utterly so... So with a sense of dread of the unknown i slowly look out of my makeshift shelter, extending my neck so I can get a better look it suddenly dawns on me that I am the cause of this soundlessness. Well my new pet anyways. Life abhors the mockery that is undeath. Not really alive but not allowed to rest in the eternal slumber of death, well what I used to think of that way before the existence I have now. It is all a lie. There is no rest. No peace.
I shake my head to clear away my thoughts and emerge fully into the early dawn light and look around the clearing slowly observing the shredded animal corpses scattered about the place. The smell of fresh blood permeating the air I breathe. I count four small creatures I think might be medium sized rodents similar to rats back on earth but somewhat larger, and one pig looking thing about the size of a large pony.
Skelly stands in the center of all this his lower jaw now missing and his left arm gone below the elbow. His right knee bent the wrong way. "You look like shit my friend."
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Skelly rattles a little and looks with what I believe to be hatred at the pig like creature, "Ahh I see, bit off a little more than you could chew with that one eh... Well then I guess it is time to mend you and increase the size of our horde." there is only a subtle rattle in response. "No, I don't have a plan yet, I am working on it."
Deciding to start small this time and work my way up to the largest creature I raise the rat like creatures first, with a euphoric sigh I let the necromantic power wash through me, over me and then out of me into the corpses. One by one the creatures bones snap and pop, reforming into their original shapes. The flesh of the what I can now see is a pack of raskans knitting itself closed. That now familiar link to my creations multiplying with each new risen dead. Something is different. They are fresher and so their bodies are almost indistinguishable from living raskans, If it wasn't for the soft green glow emitted from their pupils one would think they were still alive. The connection I feel to them is stronger than the connection I have with skelly. They seem somewhat smarter, sorry skelly, perhaps it is because they are so fresh.
Turning and walking over to the pig like creature I see that it is truly massive in comparison to myself and skelly. It is mind boggling that skelly was able to kill such a thing by himself. There is a self satisfied rattle. Don't ask me how I know I just do. I feel that rush of power once more but this time it is different, weaker. Pushing harder I reach out towards the corpse but nothing changes. I lay both hands on the bloodied, shredded body and push as hard as I can. Still I can feel no connection forming, there almost seems to be a wall blocking me from reaching this creatures essence, it's soul for lack of a better word.
Suddenly the skin becomes blacked and turns to goo just before the whole creature bones and all turn to black ash and drift away in the soft morning breeze. "Damnit! That would have made a powerful addition to my meager horde." I say out loud to no-one.
Turning to look at my gathered undead I send the raskans a command. "Spread out silently and search for the warriors that follow me." I send them a mental picture of a generic goblin warrior "When you find one return to me. Do-NOT attack them. We will gather and take them one at a time together."
Raskans are naturally intelligent creatures for animals. Inquisitive by nature they make great scouts. They are also known to be vicious even seasoned knights know better than to corner a raskan. There are tales of full grown warriors being killed by a corned raskan. With a small pack I have grown a sense of security. If one raskan can kill a human warrior then four of them should be able to shred a single goblin like softened butter.