𝙳𝚊𝚜 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚣: 𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝙴𝚒𝚗𝚜

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙫𝙤𝙩𝙚, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚.

𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙢𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬!

Confused, Thayer asks, "Rigor mortis?"

Eber answers the question, still in his tepid posture. "Rigor mortis is a term used when a body becomes stiff after death." He turns back to the Gypsy. "I do not understand the connection? We are not the dead, we are the undead."

"Which is why rigor mortis for you has a different meaning." She looks to the group. "For you, it is something that earmarks a progression in what you now are."

"It is a change we will all go through?"

"You must remember Eber, legend is not science. I know more fables than facts." She gives him a cold stare which he returns. "I would imagine it to be quite painful. Perhaps, the science of it is that bones are becoming stronger or the skin is developing a restorative aspect. Whatever the reason for its happening, I believe that this stage of existence for untoten is what makes them the monsters that they are."

Ermanno says with delight, "Wonderful, so we have more pain to look forward to."

Koza crosses his arms and turns to the axe wielding, run head long into violent battle, years since having a sane thought man and rebuttals, "I think perhaps you have already experienced it."

"Why do you say that?" Lorelei asks.

"When we were still at the battlefield, after Ermanno returned from the dead, he wanted to eat the dead bodies of our fellow soldiers."

Lorelei allocates the bald man a leery eye, as do Koza and Thayer in reminiscing the event. Ermanno gives the room a deviant look. "I did not undergo rigor mortis, wanting to eat a dead man was simply a whim."

"You have a sick mind, Ermanno." Koza looks to the floor and shakes his head.

"Gypsy," she turns up to Eber. "Are you still able to distinguish what sort of Undead we are without having undergone rigor mortis?"

She smirks. "To an extent, but keep in mind many are individual even among their own types of Untoten." She steps to Ermanno. "Where are you from?"

"Italy."

She slaps him on his bald head. "You think I do not know your accent you idiot! What part of Italy?" her own Slavic accent thick and deep.

"Violenza," he sneers.

She clasps her hands together behind her back and 'hmms' with interest. "In that region of Italy most undead are depicted as Lemures."

"And what are they?" Koza speaks.

"They are unsettled, nomadic dead that are known to be vengeful at times. They are violent and vicious Di Inferi," she peeks back at Koza from over her shoulder. "They are called, gods of the underworld."

Ermanno grins, every tooth in his head having become pointier since awakening from his death, but no less crooked. "I like how that sounds."

Lorelei turns a look back to him with more wisdom and malevolence behind her grin. "Do you?"

The man raises his eyebrows. "Shouldn't I?"

Her lips curl on one side as she moves on to Thayer. "And what of you? What village or city are you from?"