Ellie sat alone in her dimly lit apartment, poring over an ancient grimoire. She had always been fascinated by the dark arts, but until recently, she had never dared to delve too deeply into necromancy. It was one thing to summon a demon or cast a curse, but to bring the dead back to life? That was a whole different level of power.
But after the tragedy at the dueling arena, something had shifted in Ellie. The loss of her friend had left a hole in her heart, but it had also sparked a fire within her. She had always been a skilled fighter, but now she wanted more. She wanted to be more.
And so, she had begun to study necromancy in earnest. At first, it had been slow going - the ancient tomes were difficult to decipher, and the rituals were complex and dangerous. But Ellie was determined, and over time, she had begun to make progress.
Now, as she pored over the grimoire, she felt a thrill of excitement run through her. The spell she was studying was one of the most powerful she had ever seen - it would allow her to raise an army of the undead, bound to do her bidding. With such an army at her command, she could take on the most powerful demons in the underworld and emerge victorious.
But there was a catch, of course. The spell required a sacrifice - a life for a life. Ellie shuddered at the thought, but she knew she was capable of it. She had seen enough death in her time as a duelist to know that life was cheap in the underworld.
And yet...she hesitated. Was this really what she wanted? To become a necromancer, to wield such power over life and death? It was a dangerous path, one that could lead her down a dark and twisted road.
But then she thought of her friend, lying cold in the ground. She thought of all the demons who had made her life a living hell. She thought of Dora, struggling with her own demons, and she knew what she had to do.
Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, they were glowing with a fierce intensity. She knew what she had to do.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Ellie worked tirelessly on her necromantic plans, gathering the ingredients she needed, practicing the incantations until they flowed from her lips like water.
Dora watched her friend with a mixture of fascination and fear. She had always known Ellie was powerful, but this...this was something else entirely. She worried that Ellie was becoming consumed by her own ambition, that she was losing sight of what was truly important.
But when she voiced her concerns, Ellie just laughed and patted her arm. "Don't worry, Dora," she said. "I know what I'm doing. This is going to change everything."
And then, one night, it was time. Ellie had gathered everything she needed - the blood of a demon, the bones of a human, and a lock of her own hair. She had drawn the circle, lit the candles, and spoken the incantation.
And then, with a burst of dark energy, the ground began to shake. Dora stumbled back, but Ellie stood firm, her eyes blazing with triumph.
And then...they came. Dozens of figures, all dressed in tattered robes, all with skin as gray as the moonlight. They stumbled out of the circle and stood before Ellie, waiting for her command.
She smiled, feeling a surge of power like she had never known before. "Welcome," she said, and her voice echoed through the apartment.