“Sam?”

The boy winced, flashing an apologetic grimace. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have tossed it. It’s just that the bloody thing pisses me off!” The boy’s fists clenched with frustration. “I can’t tell you the number of hours I spent trying to get a handle on mastering my breathing, meditating, sitting in the lotus position, horse-shoe stance, a dozen other body positions my mentor taught me!” He flashed a bitter smile. “My very human, very well-read mentor who, nonetheless, is no more an actual cultivator than I am, because you won’t find any on newly incorporated worlds! All he could do was teach me stretches, poses, breathing and yoga, and hope that that would let me get in the right mental frame of mind to learn how to cultivate!”

Eric gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m guessing it didn’t work?”

The boy swallowed the lump in his throat. “Sometimes, when the fever was lower and I just focused on breathing, meditating, floating above my pain… I could almost feel those rivers of spiritual energy the manual talks about… like tiny rivers of flame. Even if it was just the heat of my infection I was feeling,” the kid said with a bitter smile. “But that’s as close as I ever got to breaking through as a cultivator.”

Eric winced. “Sounds like you had a really rough couple of days.”

Samuel flowed into a solemn bow, despite his still-mending injury. “And I’m only here now, thanks to you. So by all means, let’s continue your lessons. And later… yeah. Feel free to use that cultivation manual to your hearts content.” The boy flashed a hopeful smile. “It would really be something if you could actually break through as a cultivator! If you’re strong enough, you could even pluck some of that fruit!”

Eric flashed a warm smile, electing not confess his Trash Tier Technique. “Wouldn’t that be something? So, what’s the deal with those fruit anyway?”

Sam smirked. “Well, according to the rumors Grim picked up, they’re filled with the fires of life.”

Eric blinked. “No kidding.”

The boy laughed. “I know, right? Anyway, it’s supposed to be able to give life to the dead and restore the wick of your own living flame. It might even boost your stats, just like the power-up potions and gems all the pure System-standard Classers love… the very few who can find them. Though, from what I heard, most just sell them for millions of credits because stats are nice, but a safe home of your own with a nest egg you can use to live a comfortable life for decades without having to risk constant death just to make ends meet... is just as priceless. Or, if you’re the type who loves dungeon crawling, you can afford all sorts of lessons from your guild mates, or maybe even get on choice, regular dungeon running spots in the safer, more predictable dungeons if you’re really smart and give your Strength-boosting jewel to the Guild-head of your choice.”

Eric grinned. “Sounds like a smart path to me.”

Samuel nodded. “Grim made a point of making friends with all the movers and shakers of Freetown that he could. That weren’t aware of, or at least not put off by, his, well, being who and what he is. A couple Guild-heads were bragging about the jewels their underlings had gotten them that had made them stronger or quicker than they were before by a good 3 or 5 points… and they made those newbloods heroes in the corp, getting first pick of loot, or choice spots on dungeon runs for a full year, or just enough credits to cash out and get married. I think one couple did that. Had a close call, and swore off adventuring. Now they have a home of their own and tutor new recruits part time.”

Eric nodded. “Makes sense to me. Part time work with steady income and an employer who owes you, with a million credits saved up? Can’t ask for a better life.”

Sam chuckled. “Sure you can, but then you risk going all power-mad prince. And how many lottery winners end up broken wrecks in 20 years? I think I read an article about that once. Far better a low stress job doing work that you enjoy, especially if it pays really well, with a home you own free and clear. That’s pretty much paradise for most people. Hits all the productivity, relaxation, and fulfillment buttons we’re all wired with.”

Eric grinned. “So says the 16 year old genius necromancer as both of us seek to master skills that will make us lords above all men.”

“Of course!” Sam enthused. “A balanced homey life is nice, but I don’t mind taking my chances with absolute power.”

Eric laughed. “I’m 100% with you there, buddy. To absolute power! And learning all the awesome magical feats and powers that we can! Because who the fuck says we have to play fair and balanced, when there’s a world’s worth of invaders eager to do us in?” The pair shared a bleak smile at that. “So if these peaches can actually extend life and give you a stat boost...”

“Even one, and you’re a made man. Grim already got an offer for 5 million credits, outright, the minute one of our regular guests heard from a friend of a friend of a friend that we might be on the path to acquiring a few.”

Eric blinked. “Really? Five million credits for a single peach?”

“I know! Crazy, right? And Grim bets we could get double or even quadruple that in auction!”

“Sweet! So all we need to do is learn how to cultivate, and we’re set.”

The kid smirked. “Sure. First, however, we have to survive those crazy swine. And for that...”

“We could do with a legion of undead tuskers of our own.”

Sam dipped his head. “You got it. So. You want to take a break, or are you ready for the next lesson?”

Eric positively beamed. “What, you mean rest my head and actually be forced to process all the close calls I barely survived and the faces of all people I killed, over these past few days? Hell no, hard pass! Absurd Vitality and Willpower mean’s I’ll study until I drop, so ready when you are.”

Sam’s smile turned positively wicked. “Good. I hope you have a decent Scholarship to go with those other stats...”

Eric winced. “Not really.”

“...Because we’re just getting started!”

And much to Eric’s surprise, his friend began bombarding him with so much lore and technique that even he found himself needing a break after being instructed that his sigil was just the first step, the pair then practicing the sigils and glyphs that would be carved into the cadavers themselves, made all the easier since Eric had already infused them with Necromantic energy, and Eric was both humbled and grateful to find that his own gifts were serving as a wonderful aid to a brain that was finally beginning to feel the effects of fatigue. Because the crimson sigils he incorporated with Adept Tier Blood Mastery made the flow and direction of the arcane energies that much smoother and more efficient, with no mana, or experience, wasted.

But it wasn’t until Eric had covered the fifth tusker with shining runes of crimson and silver, finding the exercise both draining and exhilarating, that he finally got the nod of approval he had been looking for.

“Nice job, Eric! Five Septagrams and five fully inscribed spirit boar and I think we’re ready for the next step.

Eric chuckled softly. “A good eight hours sleep? I think if I closed my eyes right now… I’d be out like a fucking light.”

His friend smiled. “And that’s the real reason why you were pushing yourself, right? Because nightmares are bullshit. Why dream about unimaginable horrors chasing you, when you can learn to master them in real life instead? And to be honest, I’m feeling kind of peaked myself.”

Eric’s expression became one of concern. “How are you feeling?” He hadn’t been completely blind to the kid’s clear fatigue, or the way he still winced when walking.

“No, don’t worry, I’m feeling much better. If it still feels sore or swollen tomorrow?” The boy winced. “I’ll let you bleed me again, and then another healing potion and I’ll be right as rain, I’m sure.”

Eric smiled. “No doubt. Goodnight, Sam.”

“Goodnight, Eric. And Eric?”

“Yeah?”

“Why are there twenty carcasses blocking the door?”

Eric grinned. “So we have plenty of warning if unexpected guests come our way.”

“Oh. Yeah. In case the blood ward gives way again. Makes sense. Too bad we can’t just have a stone door, right?”

Eric blinked at this. “You know what? That’s actually a good idea.”

His friend furrowed his brow. “What?”

“Go to sleep, Samuel. I’ll be crashing soon myself.”

And indeed Eric did crash, but not before making grooves for a massive slab and then carefully carving out that very slab from the bedrock at the rear of their shelter with his favorite ex-assassin carving knife, serving the dual purposes of both enlarging their living area and granting Eric a massive multi ton slab of stone that, again much to his surprise, he had absolutely no problem slipping into his ES space even though it was the farthest thing from magical, and sliding right into the grooves he had made for it by the entrance.

And it was a testament to Samuel’s exhaustion that he slept through through the reverberating crash as the slab slid into its slot, and then they truly were warded and surrounded by a literal fortress of stone.

Eric gave a nod of satisfaction, took a final look at his friend, relieved to see the angry lines of inflammation and the fever on poor Samuel were no more, only then allowing himself to slip into the sweetest sleep he could remember, a few too long suppressed Interface messages giving him a final reason to smile as he slipped into nod’s warm embrace at last.

Congratulations! You have discipled yourself under a skilled Necromantic Practitioner! This practitioner shares strong karmic resonance with your Terran bloodline! All Necromantic arts will now be learned at an accelerated rate,, so long as you have access to your mentor!

You have achieved Rank 21 as an Adept Flesh Sculptor!

Adept Blood Mastery is now Rank 22!

Rituals of Summoning and Binding is now Rank 17!

Rituals of Summoning and Binding is now Rank 18!

You have mastered the art of Basic Revenant Preparation!