Raising Dead by Aaron Dennis
they pleased, thus altering the world around them. They created oceans, and mountains, and creatures. It is said that one God grew tired of the company of his brothers, and strove to create life as he saw fit. To do so, he crafted a magic stone from his own heart.
“It is just a story, but there is always some truth. This…this stone will most certainly do.”
After finishing his recounting, Cormaire placed the life stone on the worktable. “Now, the incantation,” he said, gazing at the stone. “It is the one I learned from Baulder.”
“Your master knew how to achieve immortality?”
“He knew the spell, but lacked the location of the stone of life. His final instructions to me were to find it. I have spent many years in search…all for this very moment.”
“I can’t wait to see what happens,” Gaulder remarked, facetiously.
Cormaire furrowed his brow at the apprentice, who only smiled in return. “Will of God,” the wizard started with hands raised high. “The will of man.” He paused to close his eyes and breathed deeply. “I call upon the forces of eternity. Time, the immaterial, and abstract, invade my presence.”
Gaulder stared at the stone. Nothing of note occurred.
“Place the everlasting in my temporary vessel. Let it never come to pass that this body will age. Let it never come to pass that this body will waste away.” A moment of silence persisted. Still, nothing happened. “Hm?” Cormaire wondered, aloud. He looked to his grinning apprentice. “You mock me?”
“Master….”
“What?” Cormaire grumbled, letting his arms fall to his side.
“Did you know Baulder had a son?”
“What are you babbling about?” the master yelled as he approached Gaulder.
“Yes…you were not his apprentice.”
The muscles in the old man’s face twitched with rage. “Explain yourself!”
“Baulder was father to Thaulder, and he, a father to Raulder…I was Gaulder, after Baulder’s father, the first necromancer in my family history,” the young man revealed.
Cormaire simply stood there, unable to utter a word, so Gaulder raised his left hand waist high and manifested a glowing ball of fire from his fingers. He flung the magic at Cormaire. When it impacted, nothing happened.
“You were born of Earth,” Gaulder said, calmly.
Cormaire looked at his form; it was one impervious to fire. Then, he looked at Gaulder, and for the first time, noted the family resemblance.
“You are the first simulacrum ever created. I was charged to find my family’s creation and see to it that no harm would come upon it.”
“I-I,” Cormaire stammered.
“Do you have recollection of your childhood?”
The necromancer remained silent for a moment then he whispered, “No.”
“Do you recall a time when Baulder was not present?”
“O-only following the ghoul.”
“In your time away from your master, you set the entirety of your life upon his goal. This was no…how did you put it? Ah, yes, an ache in your soul. This was your mission, and mine is to perpetuate my family’s goal—to walk the Earth as Gods among men.”
When he finished speaking, Cormaire dropped to his knees, and stared at his hands. Gaulder approached the worktable and reiterated the incantation of immortality. With each segment of the spell finished, the stone glowed brighter and brighter blue. With the culmination of the spell, the stone’s light surrounded the young man before invading his body through the eyes. When he turned to face Cormaire, Gaulder’s eyes shone bright blue.
“I am Gaulder, and now nothing will stop me from ruling this world.”
He stood over his former master with clenched fists. Cormaire bowed his head humbly, finally realizing he had been chasing himself.
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“It is just a story, but there is always some truth. This…this stone will most certainly do.”
After finishing his recounting, Cormaire placed the life stone on the worktable. “Now, the incantation,” he said, gazing at the stone. “It is the one I learned from Baulder.”
“Your master knew how to achieve immortality?”
“He knew the spell, but lacked the location of the stone of life. His final instructions to me were to find it. I have spent many years in search…all for this very moment.”
“I can’t wait to see what happens,” Gaulder remarked, facetiously.
Cormaire furrowed his brow at the apprentice, who only smiled in return. “Will of God,” the wizard started with hands raised high. “The will of man.” He paused to close his eyes and breathed deeply. “I call upon the forces of eternity. Time, the immaterial, and abstract, invade my presence.”
Gaulder stared at the stone. Nothing of note occurred.
“Place the everlasting in my temporary vessel. Let it never come to pass that this body will age. Let it never come to pass that this body will waste away.” A moment of silence persisted. Still, nothing happened. “Hm?” Cormaire wondered, aloud. He looked to his grinning apprentice. “You mock me?”
“Master….”
“What?” Cormaire grumbled, letting his arms fall to his side.
“Did you know Baulder had a son?”
“What are you babbling about?” the master yelled as he approached Gaulder.
“Yes…you were not his apprentice.”
The muscles in the old man’s face twitched with rage. “Explain yourself!”
“Baulder was father to Thaulder, and he, a father to Raulder…I was Gaulder, after Baulder’s father, the first necromancer in my family history,” the young man revealed.
Cormaire simply stood there, unable to utter a word, so Gaulder raised his left hand waist high and manifested a glowing ball of fire from his fingers. He flung the magic at Cormaire. When it impacted, nothing happened.
“You were born of Earth,” Gaulder said, calmly.
Cormaire looked at his form; it was one impervious to fire. Then, he looked at Gaulder, and for the first time, noted the family resemblance.
“You are the first simulacrum ever created. I was charged to find my family’s creation and see to it that no harm would come upon it.”
“I-I,” Cormaire stammered.
“Do you have recollection of your childhood?”
The necromancer remained silent for a moment then he whispered, “No.”
“Do you recall a time when Baulder was not present?”
“O-only following the ghoul.”
“In your time away from your master, you set the entirety of your life upon his goal. This was no…how did you put it? Ah, yes, an ache in your soul. This was your mission, and mine is to perpetuate my family’s goal—to walk the Earth as Gods among men.”
When he finished speaking, Cormaire dropped to his knees, and stared at his hands. Gaulder approached the worktable and reiterated the incantation of immortality. With each segment of the spell finished, the stone glowed brighter and brighter blue. With the culmination of the spell, the stone’s light surrounded the young man before invading his body through the eyes. When he turned to face Cormaire, Gaulder’s eyes shone bright blue.
“I am Gaulder, and now nothing will stop me from ruling this world.”
He stood over his former master with clenched fists. Cormaire bowed his head humbly, finally realizing he had been chasing himself.