It was the night of the celebration, as well as the funeral for one of their own… Van was unaware of the customs that those out in the east had when it came to their deceased. When no one mentioned what happened to the senior that died during their expedition, he had thought it was because they had a callus view of life. But it turned out they just married their celebration of living through another day with the funerals of those that passed.

When he had arrived at the canteen where the party was to be held, he was taken aback by the fact there was a coffin in the center for everyone to see. And on a table against the far wall was a series of jars he couldn’t help but sense carried the ashes of all the other fallen soldiers and troops that died that day. With party ornaments and lots and lots of candles.

“Hey! We got stress relief over here!” One of the seniors called out upon noticing Van.

The other girls turned and began to cheer, a few already got into their drinks and began to chant. “STRESS RE-LIEF! STRESS RE-LIEF!” over and over again. While a few others quietly murmured another odder chant under their breath that went something like. “To a new day… To a new life… To a second chance…” And a bunch of other words that were too hard to hear over all the other noises.

The girls then began to surround Van and drag him over to a chair happily and sat him down. Alcohol swishing around in their cups. One of them leaned into his ear, her boozed breath tickling it. “We really have to thank you for this, I’m sure Sting would be very happy to know she got a male on the day of her funeral and rebirth birthday.”

Van had no idea now what was going on. The only thing he could figure was that whoever this Sting was, was probably the nickname of the senior who died.

Once they moved him and the chair he was sitting on near the center of the room did the party seem to explode with new life. A few of his fellow classmates walked up to him to turn around and stick their ass out, giving him an impromptu lap dance with a few whispering how excited they were and how they couldn’t wait to get the party started so they could have some fun with him.

Now Van was a quiet person who didn’t like sticking out. So all this attention on him was really freaking him out. But he did his best to stay still and try and ride out this crazy train until he got some answers. “I knew that I said I’m okay with stress relief, but I didn’t think they would do it right away, nor right at someone's freaking funeral!” Wondering what exactly he got himself into.

“Alright everyone, that’s enough!” Eliza yelled, her voice carrying authority and a hint of anger.

Almost immediately the noise of the canteen dimmed until there was nothing but absolute silence. All eyes turning to their leader.

Eliza was quiet for a few moments, before addressing the room. She took on a far more somber attitude and straightened out her back looking a bit uncomfortable, like she didn’t enjoy this part of her job.

“We are here today.” She began. “To talk about the loss of one of our own. A great friend and comrade who sadly passed away before her time. Sadly, the necromancers couldn’t get to her corpse in time to save her soul, and were unable to revive her. As you all know, there is a time limit of a few hours after a person’s death before the soul departs. Sometimes longer depending on the damage or lack thereof on the body as well as the strength of will of the person in question.”

“But out in the wastes. The corruption and constant barrage of mana radiation causes problems, dispersing the soul at a far quicker rate and making it harder to control undead at the same time. By the time morning had come on that horrid day, her soul was barely hanging on by a thread, and while we were able to capture what little remained in a soul jar, it was obvious to all that she wasn’t going to come back to us.”

She let her head hang and a minute of silence was held by all in attendance, while a few chanted in unison a few words about how they pray for her to have a good life in her second one. After that Eliza resumed her speech.

“We have contacted her parents about the loss of their beloved daughter. And they have agreed to give up on the vigil, in exchange they wish for her to have a false life. A rebirth.” She turned to a necromancer who had been waiting in the corner of the room, hidden in the shadows. With a nod the necromancer walked forward with a jar, flickering with a tiny little light.

A few gasps were heard and everyone tensed and stared single mindedly as the necromancer walked their way to the coffin.

“To a second life. To a new life. To a false rebirth.” Eliza chanted. “Let us accept the last blessing given to us. Let us give our comrade a second chance and give her the opportunities and joys she didn’t get before. Even though it will not be her. With her final act she will give birth to a new life. This too was in her will.” She almost began to tear up. “That she wanted the life after her to enjoy the things she couldn’t.”

A few of the other girls also began to tear up.

“Who will carry the spirit of our comrade! Who will accept the body as a friend!” Eliza suddenly demands.”

The crowd stirred until finally two girls walked forward.

Eliza nodded. “Even though our friend has departed. Her spirit, as well as a few of her memories remain.” She turned to one of the girls who walked forward. “Will you be a spirit mother to your comrade?”

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“Yes, I will.” The girl said.

Eliza turned to the other. “And you, will you guide the new life?”

“I will.” The other nodded.

Eliza turned to the necromancer. “Then let it begin.

The necromancer began to do their job. First they held the jar up high and pulled the small twinkling star in the center out. She then slowly, and carefully split the star in two. One part went into the coffin, and the other entered the girl who accepted to be the spirit mother.

“Let the ceremony begin!”

The necromancer began to chant.

Van felt really out of place and confused by what the hell was going on. But was too afraid to move from his spot for fear of making it worse for himself. The only thing he could do was watch on with fascination as everything played out around him.

Soon everything was made clear as the corpse of the one who died began to stir within the coffin. Slowly it moved the lid away until it rose up from its prison and groaned out like a zombie. The friend who said they would guide the new life moved forward and drew blood from her finger. She then pressed it to the corpse’s head and bound it to her.

The zombie’s red eyes dimmed and blinked around confused. Almost like a child it began to cry.

“The false life for the body has finished.” The necromancer said solemnly as the student that was to guide it started trying to calm the zombie down. “If raised well it will remember some of its past life, and more importantly has the chance to one day become a ghoul, living a new life, as a new person. A second chance… A false chance…” She said solemnly.

Van inside his mind freaked out a little. His world view changed right before his eyes. But he couldn’t help but realize that such a thing should easily be possible for them. Though it was clear that it still was a rare sight, even in the lands of Alcray. Reviving the dead, even if it wasn’t a true resurrection of their deceased, should be feasible.

Then suddenly everyone turned to Van…

He looked around at all those staring at him with trepidation.

“Today we are blessed.” Eliza began. “For even though Van had not been here with us. On the day of Sting’s funeral he had offered up his body. Showing commitment to us and our platoon and our found family… I want all of us here, even those who might have had second thoughts in allowing a male to join us, accept him now. For without him, we may not have had the chance to do this.”

All the students bowed their heads and thanked him. Making Van really feel out of place and wondering what they might have misunderstood about the offer he made to Scar. The girl who said she was willing to be a spirit mother walked up to him and took out a potion and drank it. She then handed another potion to him, to which he tentatively took and under the weight of all the eyes on him, and drank hesitantly.

His eyes widened when he realized it was a small vial of Eros mixed with something else.

The necromancer then began her job once more, taking the other half of the spirit and carefully placing it into the belly area of the girl. “This will be a guaranteed pregnancy.” She said quietly to her.

The girl nodded and nervously reached out to Van, unzipping his pants and revealing his stiff member now alive thanks to the Eros that he drank a moment prior. The girl then sat herself on top of him and began to move, and while it felt awkward, Van, using his experience and what he learned from Marie, began moving too, ignoring all the people watching. A few minutes later he had spilled his seed inside her and she got up, revealing her creampie to all to see.

A massive cheer rang out as people began to chant spirit mother over and over again. Everyone then rushed to the two girls and began to congratulate them girls who had accepted the burden of their task.

Van somewhat figured out what the spirit mother was now by the byplay. It was someone who would also carry a portion of the memories of their comrade with her. And using it gives new life, a second chance to the one that passed. But a false one because no matter what happens, it will never be the person who actually died. The zombie will be raised into a ghoul, and then maybe one day into a vampire-kin, where it will be impregnated to help carry the house’s bloodline.

While the spirit mother will carry on the spirit of their friend. The baby may be born with a few memories of their past life, but it will largely be its own person. It will probably even forget even those memories it was born with, but it will never lose the spark of who it was in the previous life. The spark will help give the new life a stronger soul realm, giving the baby a better chance for the future. It was the ultimate sacrifice, given to only the closest of friends.

And the enormity of that sacrifice made the girl who was to be a spirit mother cry profusely as she rubbed and hugged her belly. Unbeknownst to Van, the girl who was now carrying a portion of her friend inside her was infertile, but through this ceremony she could now give birth, and it would all be thanks to the death of her most dear friend. That fact alone made her want to cry all the more.

Then all of a sudden a band began to play, made up of skeletons with flowers and other things painted on them. The girls cheered and tried to cheer up the spirit mother, passing out drinks heavy with alcohol and more. People began to set more candles on fire and add them to the display of jars filled with the ashes of the departed. Also adding food and drinks for the deceased to enjoy from the other side.

Eliza placed a hand on Van’s shoulder from behind, startling him and making him turn to look up at her.

“Thank you Van. You have no idea how much we appreciate this. If ever you are in trouble or need help, just know that we at the 119 platoon will do our best to come to your aid. This wouldn’t be possible without you.”

Van was at a loss for words. For the first time in his life. Instead of being used as a sexual object to relieve the lust of others. He was used in a ceremony to help bring life back, put in a role that was far more meaningful than just the guy who pumped sperm into someone.

“Thank you… I… Was just trying to play my part… That’s all…” He responded, unsure what else he could say in a situation like this.

Eliza smiled and leaned down to give him a kiss on the forehead. The action surprised Van so much he could only stare up, his mouth hanging open. She giggled cutely at his reaction.

“I’ll come by later. You have a few customers to attend to first.” She said coyly, then turned to leave to grab a drink.

With her gone Van slowly turned to see what she was talking about and blinked in surprise at the line already forming in front of him, the Eros still doing its job of keeping him erect.

“Well… Looks like I got a long night in front of me…” But then, he thought better of it. “But you know what.” He took a tankard of ale from a server who was passing by and drank a big swig of it. “Why the fuck not…”

That night he got a lot of work in. So many girls, so little time. But he used every trick and technique in the book to keep him going no matter what until he got through everyone that was interested. That included, Jynx, Scar, Hardass and even Eliza and Scream. It was a party to be remembered for the rest of everyone’s life.

And the memories of all the different positions and the surprising amount of fun Van had with everyone once he just let go was something that would ripple and affect the way he would act around others for years to come.