I spent some time reading the grimoires and tomes that were on my stand. Some were written by good people. Others were written by people who had studied darker things than I could have handled. Most of the books talked about theory and the nature of the soul.
Souls apparently are eternal things. Destruction of the soul is impossible. Purification and Transformation on the other hand were commonly done to souls. My studies led to alot of epiphanies about the world I now lived in. In contrast to most things in my previous life I soaked up all the knowledge I could get my hands on.
The other 3-4 books that remained were true grimoires. They held the spells and learning of different necromancers over the years. These books were coated in iron and had chain bindings with green and red monster skin pages.
Each page exuded power as though the necromancer was still trying to speak. Whispers often filled the air as I passed some darker magics. Most of the magic was good and solid for everything from releasing souls to trapping demons.
The other part was about using souls and the dead for other things. Combination spells, Golems, Even a Revenant. Many such things filled the pages.
As I learned I felt my mind unlock in new ways. Some things about me I came to understand. I hate sweet and sour at the same time. The type of people who make good images often are ones who like one thing or another. Not two things together. Focusing on certain aspects is key while strength of will is the thing that unlocks the door.
My mind was stretched and filled with knowledge over several days. Even to the point I went and got a journal from the newly renovated bookstore. All the books were still in crates but I was allowed to take a journal to use. I started writing down basic knowledge and understanding. After that was spells.
After close to two weeks of studying I gathered the ghosts.
"People of this settlement! Are you finally willing to rest and make peace?" I asked the group. There was a moment of silence as Garishe moved forward. "Our women and children seek to rest and be at peace. We men wish to avenge our families." He said solemnly as I nodded.
" Those who seek vengeance for the wrongs which have been done to your people step aside now!" A portion of the shadows moved as men both big and small gathered to the side. Children were left being held by their mothers in the middle.
"I made this promise many moons ago. I said that after I gained Hargos certificate I would find a way to release you. I have found a way and if you are willing. You can finally leave this place." I paused to let it sink in. Sam stood off to the side. I bet that she only sees a massive shadow in the middle of the courtyard.
A womans shadow came forward with two small children. "Alarra is this something you wish for." I quietly asked.
"You've been through so much. I think it's time all of you finally get some rest after all this time." She nodded. Her face was hidden in shadow and had been since I met her all those months ago.
Most of the women's shadows had obscured faces for fear of judgement being passed on their beauty. Despite all that and the fact she hadn't learned to speak I still managed to learn her name.
The women in the group followed her example and slowly moved forward together. I put my hands out level with my chest. I formed a circle with my fingers cupping toward each other. The top open part of my hands faced the sky while the side with the pinky faced the ground just like the books had described.
I began to circulate power like I had been instructed. The magic flowed around my hands going from the right hand through the left and back through my thumbs. As I did this I imagined that circle growing and flowing around like a great river.
The feeling of power filled the air. Crackling like electricity as it arced around the ghosts within. Within moments the ghosts were surrounded by it. I then said the spell.
" From Shadows which once lived, From darkness which knows light."
The ground beneath the dead glowed a slight white as I spoke. A beating pulse like a heart could be heard.
"From Young to Old, bitter to sweet, rotten to clean."
The air gained the smell of spring as a grass grew through the stones and the light grew more bright within the circle once more.
"Pass ye through the doors of eternity and receive new light"
I opened my hands wide breaking the circle and just as quickly clapped them together as hard as possible. The clap sounded like slamming an iron door closed as the light engulfed the ghost and they vanished. Warm wind rushed past me and I heard a multitude of people whispering "Thank you."
I bowed my head and offered a small prayer for the departed before I turned to the others.
"My part is done. Now what will you do." I said as I turned to the remaining ghosts.
The ghosts bowed deeply. " We will follow till we find our reason to rest. We failed once to protect our loved ones. We will not fail to avenge them." Garishe said.
I nodded thoughtfully. ( Now the ultimate problem. How can the ghosts travel with me..... ) I thought. It took me a bit to figure it out. One of the books contained information on a type of wraith called legion. Many ghosts/ spirits inhabiting one being or item.
I got thinking. As I thought I got a great idea. I quickly went to the smithy. The ghosts came with me and at a simple request they went out for a few things. I pulled out some silver, black steel, wood, leather, and got Sam to get me some monster Crystal's from my room.
Sam got back around the same time the ghosts did.
When they got back I was already at work. I had taken a mannequin apart and had started on forging something. The ghosts had all brought something that tied them to the world in some way. Everything from knives to jewelry to shirts. Heck one even brought a oak bow.
I worked for a week on my project. I had created a set of armor. It was black with silver decorations. The joints were linked together with monster hide. The mannequin was sitting in pieces still as I needed it to be. I took its pieces and carved runes on them with a special carving tool. As I carved the runes glowed. I carved eyes and made a jaw that I attached to the mannequins head.
" What are you doing?" Garishe asked quietly.
" We know we need to go with you boy but will this really help us?" He was nervous. In reality so was I. But I needed this to work so it would be easier for us to travel.
I went into the back of the smithy and gathered a few of the materials I needed. I brought out a cauldron and put the pieces of the mannequin into the pot and began mixing a substance on the table close by the hearth. I mixed a few herbs that I had found around the settlement over the past few months.
"Dead Claw herb, Shallow Grave Grass, Corpse Fungus, Hydra Flower. Surprising that we could find everything I needed here in the settlement. At the same time kinda sad I was able to." I said as I put the herbs and a couple of monster Crystal's into a pestle and mortar and ground them into a paste before adding them to the water in the pot. The once clear water turned black, then green, then a dull grey. I looked at the book I had brought to the smithy. " Looks like I did it right."
I brought the pot to the hearth and lit a fire. The solution was heated till it was boiling. I added the liquid to the cauldron with the mannequin and set the cauldron above the fire. The wood from the mannequin dissolved into the solution. Once that was done I had everyone bring the item to the cauldron and put the thing they brought inside.
One by one the items dissolved into the liquid. The ghosts shuddered a little as though they were cold.
" This feels wrong." one said. "It'll only be for a short time." I replied. He nodded.
After some time the liquid turned a creamy white. When it reached that stage I took the armor I had made and put it into the fluid. Unlike the rest, the armor didn't dissolve. Instead it began to suck up the solution like a hungry animal. The armor becoming heavier and heavier.
I saw wood like appendages weaving together to form a body within the armor. I eventually let go and put the fire out. A head had formed where the helmet was. Arms were growing out and filling the sleeves of the chest piece, The boots had feet. Everything came together nicely. After it stopped growing The thing stood in the cauldron. My wooden puppet was now complete. It had no face despite me carving one. It didn't really look human at all. It had the form but the look was missing. I took it out of the cauldron and placed it before the ghosts.
" I know you all have to travel with me to get revenge. I also acknowledge the fact you all like your personal space. But I have one request. I ask that all of you come together and inhabit this armor. If there isn't enough room I will form another." I quickly did a count. "There are 20 of you. I don't know how many this can hold. But I will do my best to make it as comfortable as possible till you get your revenge."
One of the ghosts approached the puppet ahead of the rest. It was a female ghost who was known to be adventurous and slightly mischievous. Cora if memory serves. She went into the puppet. Within seconds the head started turning and a womans voice could be heard. " What is this. It's so spacious in here!"
After that the ghosts poured toward the puppet in a flood. The puppets hands which had originally looked like mitts separated into fingers and the face became a mask with half of it being a womans face laughing with the other being a man's face crying. Excentuated muscles carved themselves from the wood as the puppet changed. All 20 ghosts fit into the puppet and not one complaint was heard. The puppet continued altering itself until the armor was filled and a tall, powerful puppet stood before me.
I knocked on the breastplate. "Can you all here me?" The head nodded as a voice echoed out. "Yes."
It was a mix of the voices of every ghost inside. It was as cool as it was creepy.
" Since all of you are inhabiting the puppet I will simply call you legion until you separate. Is that okay?" Once again a nod. ( Good. We're off to a good start.)