Koyuki, the Necromancing Foxkin

"Crawler nests are estimated to have over 1000 drones, however no one has ever truly counted them." A book in the library stated. It was the next day and I was doing some research for my undead. The information I had found so far about crawlers had been terrifying but not overly helpful.

"Do you think a vampiric horse would be the right fit for me? Would it be right for a vampire or should I go with something different?" Rose asked, while biting her lip. She had joined me in the library and was doing her own research. Sadly the Frost library did not have a lot of information about necromancy, they did have quite a bit about monsters though.

"It's your choice, I am not sure if there would be any synergy. Kaito seems to be able to use Goro's frostfire in some way. I guess it is like a joint casting for inborn powers? I am not sure if you could combine your powers with a vampiric horse. Maybe you could drink from it in an emergency? Actually, can you drink undead blood?" I wondered.

Rose frowned. "I have no desire to bite Hatsumi but she was part of your control spell. I think my instincts see her a bit as my Mistress. It's not as bad as when I think about biting you though, the thought of biting you almost makes me sick."

"Hm. You know, I have been thinking about the crawler and what to do with it. Maybe I could use the second tank for blood but I would need someone with the right affinity. You have been staying close to me as a guard anyway, maybe we could jointly raise the crawler and give it one blood and one water compartment?" I mused.

"But crawlers don't have blood." Rose pointed out.

"True but it would be an undead, we can add affinities if we prepare it properly. I have to admit I am not sure how we cycle anything in a crawler, it's why I am doing some research on them. Even if we stay with water, cycling through the corpse has helped to improve my undead so far." I stated.

"Can you… Can you add that afterwards?" Rose asked.

"Um, I am not sure how? I don't think I can truly change the type of an undead once raised." I pondered that for a moment. "You can turn a zombie into a skeleton, originally I really didn't like zombies but I have changed my mind. Proper zombies are quite decent if the corpse is not too rotten. Undead can also evolve, slowly, but that is not something you can control too much I think."

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"So, you can't add this circulation to me?" Rose asked.

"No… Wait, you are a tier three and I taught this technique to Helena, Skadi and Cassie. Perhaps I could teach you to circle mana? Actually, what do you do with the bit that leaks from your core?"

"I think my body just absorbs it. Undead are like monsters, we strengthen our body with mana, or so I have read. I am not consciously doing anything." Rose replied.

"Let's see, you are my undead so I think this will work. Give me your hand." Rose held out her hand and I summoned a tiny ice needle. Then I used it to prick both of our fingers while Rose frowned.

"This is not drinking my blood now, is it? We just need a good connection for the mana." I explained while touching her hand. Then I concentrated on my own mana flow and tried to see what happened inside Rose with her core. I pushed some neutral mana into her and tried to see what happened.

"Hm, this is different than with my friends. Can you somehow grab the neutral mana? I am trying to get it to circulate." I said.

"This is weird. I don't think the neutral mana wants do anything." Rose replied. "Is it possible that neutral mana can only improve living bodies?"

"I am not sure, it is neutral after all. We are not talking about something like light mana." I said.

"Living creatures all have mana, right?" Rose asked.

"I think so. I was taught that all people have some mana, most just don't have enough to do anything with it. Once you have a core large enough to use spells you are considered a mage. Some people who are almost mages might have some minor passive benefits though, even if they will never be able to cast a spell." I replied.

"Maybe neutral mana is part of living creatures but undead replace that with necrotic mana?" Rose theorised.

"Maybe but you can use neutral mana, like for telekinesis." I pointed out.

"True and it doesn't hurt me but it might not nourish me either. Undead specifically need necrotic mana as food, right?" Rose asked.

"Devouring just absorbs mana though… Or does it? Do you think devouring turns whatever mana is inside the target necrotic? Can devouring convert non-neutral mana into necrotic mana?" I wondered.

It was a fascinating question but I was still in the process of trying to teach Rose proper circulation. I switched to necrotic mana and tried to push that into her.

"I can feel that, I think that could work." Rose murmured, then she frowned. "I can feel how you are trying to circulate it. I think what comes from my own core just flows in all directions without purpose. I wonder if that is natural or if the necromancers made my body that way?"

"Good question, can you see how the circulation would work? Do you think you can teach your body to do that instead?" I asked.

"I will try." Rose replied.

"Good, that technique is also what we will use for your horse. It will be a joint casting so normally I could do most of the work but if we do a vampiric undead I will need you for the blood. I can only circulate water myself." I said.

"I think I want a vampiric horse." Rose decided.

"Good, you need to talk to Helena and see where we can buy enough blood for a horse, then we need Cassie to prepare it." I said. "Try to practice your cycling and I will draw you the spell runes so you can learn them."

Rose smiled and nodded.