The Dreamer's Fall

Chapter 40 - Undead Ears

Once Arthur executed his spell, a pulsing blue light beamed from within the blonde mage's head. The corpse's muscles jerked about and spasmed as the familiar yet disorienting sensation of Arthur's spirit becoming linked to an external body flooded into his mind.

Glancing around the room, Arthur confirmed everyone was still facing away from him and nodded his head in satisfaction. "Okay, it's done. You can all turn around now."

The three men turned and looked around the room curiously, but nothing had changed.

"Young master, please remember what you promised me the last time! I haven't even eaten breakfast yet. If I'm forced to do it again, I'll be dry-heaving all day!" Foster whined, seemingly the only living person in the room besides Arthur aware of the current situation.

Thoran seemed to become more puzzled hearing Foster's words. "Dry heaving? What's going on, little lord? What'd that spell do?"

"Don't freak out..." Arthur said as he focused his will onto the mage's corpse and shakily brought it to its feet.

The previously dead mage returning to life caused Thoran to jump back defensively while Jeren charged toward it in a frenzy.

"Stop!" Arthur shouted. "He's already dead. I'm just controlling his corpse."

Jeren froze in his tracks and stared at Arthur as myriad emotions appeared on his face. "T-this... You said you're controlling it—wait, before that—Aren't you thirteen, lord? How is that..."

"The guys outside ain't made a move yet, but they seem to be growing impatient." Kyren announced after peeking through the smithy wall.

"Yes, I'm thirteen. Yes, I'm a mage. And yes, I'm controlling the corpse." Arthur quickly shot out his reply before raising the corpse's arm and casting a spell.

After a magic circle appeared in front of the corpse's hand, a small flame appeared momentarily before disappearing. Another wave of shock seemed to wash over Jeren and Thoran. Even Foster wasn't immune this time.

"T-they can use magic?!?" Foster yelped.

Arthur wasn't simply showing off. Until now, he only had a sample size of one, so he needed to make sure it wasn't a one-off when he had Bryan's corpse cast magic back in his tent.

Arthur removed his will and let the corpse fall to the ground. "Something like that... I'm going to need you guys to carry him and throw him out into the alley. Just keeping his body standing is difficult enough, and I can't make him walk on his own yet.

"We're going to make it look like we got into a fight with the blonde mage, causing him to flee the smithy before falling to the ground in the alley. Then, using the corpse's hand, I'll cast a fireball aimed at the smithy, but at the last moment, turn the corpse's hand toward the fifth circle mage and catch them by surprise.

"In a perfect world, the fireball kills him along with the other five guys. However, assuming that doesn't happen, Jeren, can you hold down the fifth circle while Foster and I take care of the third circle?"

Jeren nodded. "It might be a little tough, but I'll do my best, lord."

"Eh?" Thoran shot a perplexed look toward Arthur. "Did ya forget about me?"

Arthur shook his head and started equipping his new armor again. "You've done enough for me already. I'll be gone by tomorrow, but if you get involved and one of those guys escapes, they may seek you out for revenge."

"Bah!" Thoran grabbed a large sledgehammer before resting it on his shoulder and pointing the handle toward Jeren. "I ain't so old that I can't make my own decisions. I'll help 'em hold back the fifth circle."