[M] Deathborne Meeting of Archaon

[Tolvo]

The Moon Princess looked very serene in death. Her eyes were closed and her supple lips were blue. She was cold, as cold as corpses tended to be. The armor she wore was very thin and light. Her breastplate had been pierced by Kanon's blade and the slender hole left behind was stained with blood. Zel had small hands and long hair that was braided allowing her pointed ears to be on prominent display. The Archlich leaned forward in the image and her eyes focused on the Moon Princess. "Go ahead then, show me."

[Evening Rain]

Arael drifted toward the body of the fallen princess, and stared down at her cold face with an expression of cool sympathy. His fingers moved to her brow, and he gently traced her hairline.

Closing his eyes, Arael began to concentrate as his hand settled on the princess's forehead. First... to regather the soul. The lich made a few subtle gestures with his free hand, and felt the ethereal energies of the elf's essence begin to coil around his forearm, the one that wove symbols in the air. To alter her mind, he would first need to return to her a semblance of sentience. And that meant transferring a portion of her soul back to her. That would be difficult. Too little, and he would have no life to work with. Too much, and he might ruin the process by turning her into a standard Deathborne. That would not do.

Gently, with meticulously cultivated patience and effort, strands of wraithlike energy flowed back into the princess. The hand on her brow remained still. Waiting... waiting...

There.

A spark of intelligence. A dim cry of confusion somewhere within the mind.

Arael's eyes opened suddenly. They were like brimming pits of darkness, with wisps of shadow drifting out of them. The hand on Zel's forehead began to emenate darkness, and with a soft exhale, the shadows twisted around his hand and flowed into Zel's brain, turning her mind and her loyalties... turning it to him. Some parts were difficult to corrupt. Her deepest loves. These he smothered in shadow, but could not entirely rewrite. Let them lie far beneath the surface, never to be recovered.

Still, shadows writhed about his hand. Stepping back from the body of the woman, he glanced up at Koryza, to see her expression. Then he gazed down at his hands, one bathed in darkness, and the other drenched in the spectral light of Zel's soul. Arael brought his hands together and let them merge. With enough time, the two elements could be seperated, but for now... they would remain as one. The new substance pulsed with energy, hungry for a vessel. Arael outstreched his palms toward the moon princess, and the energy flowed like a torrent into her body.

The first revenant.

Arael stepped back, and bowed humbly toward the archlich.

[Tolvo]

Koryza glowing orbs widened as she watched. The Moon Princess Zel rose. She was alive again, or rather, undead. From the slab she stood up and climbed off then stood beside Arael. In battle she had looked so fierce yet now she was quiet and reserved. Arael couldn't be sure if this was how she was supposed to act or not given he only witnessed her in battle. But she showed no hostility towards them. Glenn didn't seem to be convinced. "Moon Princess, will you kill whoever we tell you to?" Her head shook. "I will only kill whoever the Master tells me to kill." The Archlich chuckled a bit at this development. "She doesn't like you Glenn."

[Evening Rain]

Arael made no movements as he calmly watched Zel walk to his side. That was... taxing. But he didn't need to reveal his exertion. The dispassionate facade of his glamour remained as he absently ran a hand through his new warrior's hair. "Forgive her curt demeanour. She's still coming to terms with the new way of things." He stepped around to regard her front-on. "We will need a new title, for you, though. You're hardly a princess anymore. Hardly a moon elf, even." He pursed his lips thoughtfully. "I believe 'The Moon's Eclipse' should serve you well. Let that strike fear into the hearts of your enemies."

His eyes glanced back to Koryza, intent on her reaction to the ritual. "An interesting creation, no?"

[Tolvo]

The Moon's Eclipse's eyes barely moved to acknowledge Arael's words. "Yes." Her nod was subtle. Glenn shok his head at the girl and returned his gaze to the Archlich. She seemed to be pleased with the results. "Yes she is interesting, yet at the same time a bit boring. I hope that the next one you do this to has a bit more personality." Zel mumbled something and Koryza grew incensed. "Excuse me Arael I think she needs some sort of adjustment." Glenn was curious. "Hmm?" Zel spoke up and bowed courteously. "My apologies. I called her a bitch and did not know she could hear me." The High Deathlord's fingers tapped in sync on his axe's handle but the Archlich held up a hand to signal him to stop. "Clearly what you did to her is effecting her mind. We'll have to see how this progresses."

[Evening Rain]

Arael blinked, and daintily sunk his face into one palm. With a sigh, his eyes glanced to Zel. "You will treat the archlich Koryza with utmost courtesy. Apologise." He looked back to the dark lady apologetically. "One must admit, she did prove that she has some semblance of personality to her. The mind alteration was rather the point. If she fails to accept my orders, I will make adjustments. Clearly she has forgotten her manners."

[Tolvo]

The Moon's Eclipse again bowed her head. "My apologies Archlich. I am still growing accustomed to this. It is all so new to me, even how I think feels foggy at times. But when Arael speaks my mind is cleared." Koryza glared at the reverant for a time while Glenn let go of his axe. The Archlich returned to looking at the Curator. "Is there anything else?"

[Evening Rain]

For a being so powerful and serene, Koryza does have a certain pride about her. His eyes watched Koryza calmly. "Her final test will be in battle, of course. I trust she will serve us well - but if she does not I will be forced to admit my experiment was a failure. That will be all, for now, my lady. I am sure both of us have many matters to attend."

Arael gave an elegant, sweeping bow to both Koryza, and Glenn - acknowledging the latter as his superior. "May our fortunes match our conviction in the coming campaign. I wish you both the best of luck."

[Tolvo]

Koryza's image finally vanished and the Deathlord waved for them to leave. Matters needed to be attended to.

**