Battle for Manalar (Sister Seekers Book 8) by A.S. Etaski

Author:A.S. Etaski
Format: epub

Chapter 21

“First question, Deathwalker,” Mourn asked.

“Yes?”

“What became of the Ma’ab bodies?”

“Oh, yes, that,” Krithannia murmured, putting a gloved hand to her mouth as if the answer surprised even her.

At the same time, Deshi shifted his weight and looked elsewhere like someone trying to keep a straight face while Wolf cocked an eyebrow at him. I started smiling again, and Jael tossed me a sidelong glance.

Gavin held the thurible by the chain at the top, allowing the bright, compact vessel to swing gently. I didn’t realize he was offering half of his answer until he opened his mouth.

“Well,” he began, slow and deliberate. “I discovered one use for this relic. No doubt there are others, as the success of my experiment relied on adapting a method I already use. The result was enhanced.”

The half-blood listened patiently. “What did you do?”

“The Vis of the Hellhounds lingered within the crypt. Unlike Vo’traj, they would not speak to me and were willing to be consumed by their masters. So, as a test…” Gavin held up the thurible. “This can be used as a temporary soul trap.”

Mourn pointed. “So, the Vis of the Hellhounds are in there?”

“Correct. Not fixed in their present state, but at least they won’t degrade and potentially foul an area should they become lost on their way to Ennikar.”

“Huh.” My bodyguard lifted his chin and sniffed the air. “And where are the bodies?”

“That’s the other interesting discovery,” Krithannia said, folding her hands formally in front of her.

I was surprised to see Gavin smile a bit. “Beyond interesting. Potentially quite useful before the Ma’ab army breaches the wall.”

“Oh?” Mourn asked, quite interested.

“Indeed. Let me show you.”

Mourn motioned for Wolf and Deshi to stay with Keros and Krithannia, though invited me to come.

*Jael, too, if she wishes.*

My Sister read his hands, pursed her lips, and opted to stay at my side even as she muttered, “Wager I’ll regret this.”

I grinned at her. “I’ve learned to enjoy how seriously Gavin demonstrates his craft. On this, he never lies.”

“Is that so?” She squinted. “And what ‘craft?’”

“He’s a mage and scholar on Human death.”

Jael kicked a femur out of the way. “Hmph. He must like it here.”

By then, Gavin had brought us where Mourn had fought and killed the four large men with spiked chains. The space wasn’t empty; it was littered with bodies but nothing fresh. I looked around the sarcophagi and wall burials before I realized that the dried-up corpses on the floor were the Ma’ab Hellhounds.

“How did you do this?” Mourn asked as Jael emitted a moan of disgust.

“I removed every mote of the Vitas the bodies possessed,” Gavin explained, “and drew all of it into the thurible.”

“And this mummified them?”

“Not my intention. I wanted to test the enhanced concentration the relic grants me. The speed expelled the life water in a short enough time that it preserved the body to some extent.”

“And how long did this take?”

“While I focused, a few minutes.” Gavin shrugged. “The process can also be passive, as it continued drawing the last mote of Vitas from the other bodies in the crypt while you were gone.

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