Daughters of Necros: The Awakening

Chapter 12: The griffin (surprisingly) isn't my biggest problem

Lupe's jaw drops. "You're joking, aren't you? Those aren't supposed to even exist anymore!"

I glare at him. "Does this look like I'm joking?" I flick my wrist, and the next thing you know, I summon a half-dozen skull-faced, howling ghost warriors to keep the thing at bay for a while while I reconvene with my partner. Sorry, did I say partner? I meant nuisance.

..At least I get the satisfaction of seeing his utterly dumbfounded face.

After staring at me in amazement for about half of a whole minute, Lupe finally closes his mouth. "Can you draw out the enchantment?" He asks, running to my side.

"I don't know, I've never tried to draw a growth enchantment out of a live griffin before!" I shoot back.

"What, do you mean to tell me that you've done it with dead ones? What a terrifying thought." He comments unhelpfully, with an exaggerated shudder.

I choose to ignore his bait and build my power back up again. "I'm a death mage by rights, but if you can stop talking for a few seconds so that I may concentrate, then I can certainly try. Do you think that you can manage that, O great and annoying one?"

He lifts an eyebrow, a muscle in his face twitching. "I'm annoying?" He mutters.

I smirk at him. "Indeed you are, pretty boy."

He grins at me smugly, his irritation immediately dissipating. "So, you think I'm pretty?" He asks.

I huff at him. "No more than you think that I'm handsome."

Lupe raises his eyes heavenwards. "I don't envy your poor parents. Imagine raising someone like you." He darts a sly sidelong glance my way. "Though I must admit, they did make you rather more attractive than they should have done, beautiful Miss Evelyn. No wonder you're so captivating."

"Shut up, Lupe. I've got a griffin to deal with." I frown, then return his look coyly. "..Seeing as how you've failed at stopping it."

He splutters indignantly. "I- I was trying! ..And I was succeeding at it, might I add, until some lunatic used a dangerous growth charm on that absolute blight of a bird!" The griffin screeches and snaps at the circling ghosts furiously, emphasizing his words. Something in me twinges as I watch it, but I'm not sure why. I just get a feeling that I can't explain.

Lupe sighs, then glances at me curiously. "How many ghouls did you summon? Because it looks like you've got a fair few here."

Well, that question catches me off my guard. I return his questioning look, surprised, but trying not to show it too much. "You can see them that well? All of them?"

Lupe looks bewildered. "Of course I can see them. There looks to be about, hmm, six of them, and they're being generally loud and annoying as they fly about doing not much in particular. With what appears to be skulls for brains. They must have, if they're working for you. ..They also seem to be fairly bristling with assorted weaponry. Why? Am I missing something here?"

"I'm just-"

"-Amazed and astonished with me?" He supplies helpfully.

"No, you nincompoop!" I bark at him as he grins at me. "Because of the governing rules of the Underworld, (don't ask me what they are, they're needlessly complicated) most people would need my kind to put a special spell on them in order to see the spirits, that's all. It normally takes too much power for a phantom to manifest to any random stranger, so they usually don't bother showing themselves just like that. For them, it's a waste of energy. Therefore, unless if you have an actual connection with a specific ghost, and it wants you to be able to see it, you can't. So in conclusion, you are either extremely talented, with exceptional magical abilities-"