She could not speak for her siblings' answers, but Elise found it strange that her mother even denied her simple and straightforward concept. It was truth, was it not? All things? Destined to die? Didn't that mean that death was the ultimate truth? Perhaps Cerci was mad at her own state of immortality, since it was from regeneration that she did not die. But Elise believed that if her mother truly wished it, death would come to her too. Elise had thought, that if their goal was death...and that they were harbingers of death...then their goal was to bring more TO death, to the truth. Wasn't that the point? It was hard to say just what was on Cerci's mind, at any time.
So, the meeting continued, and her mother cast a ball of energy to create a map of the area which the five of them resided. When she spoke of attracting darker minds, it sounded like they were to be rallying an army. More necromancers? Dark sorcerers? She did not elaborate on that point, because the next step appeared to be that they must learn from three masters of the undead already om their employ. For her, it was Lord Skallden. It was her duty to train under him in whatever he saw fit. Elise did not like the part about 'manipulating those of living flesh', but then she realized it was not literally dealing with flesh, just crushing those of the living.
"I'll be going, then."
No questions, no delay. Elise expected that all would become clear after this test. And in the meantime, power and skill awaited. With greater strength, she would be better-suited to father and mother's tasks. As difficult to deal with on the battlefield as she was now, this would no doubt increase her lethality. For that much, she was even looking forward to it. Thus, the bone-jackal removed itself from these chambers and descended the tower. There was no need to do something as grandiose as fly out through her control of bones. She would go to Lord Skallden, who - as one of the undead with power and will and perhaps even soul - would be waiting already.
It was a fact that as soon as Elise exited the tower, she knew where she must go. The master's senses reached out to prick her own sense of the undead, and thus she was drawn to one edge of their great cavernous area. It was an open space, and it was dark, as always. Neither of them needed light to see, as such. What he was...was much the way as her Bone Soldiers, but much more so. Lord Skallden was made completely of bone, a warrior and a lich, by definition. His was a skeletal structure, reinforced and armored in bone, with a long dark tunic on with no sleeves and his bare skull without head protection. He didn't need it. The grinning skull was the center of his power, no other part of his body important. Its sockets seemed to bleed black into the air, but if it was ever necrotic green...watch out. As she approached, his words echoed in her mind.
The Lady Elise, cast in her father's image. Or should I be saying creator's instead? I care not. This form was once a man, and so it tends to think as one. Mine has been a longstanding task to eliminate its humanity, save for colorful wittticisms.
"Lord Skallden."
Hmmm...
Skallden only spoke in telepathy. He found speech that required more than a thought to be a waste of time. His instincts were pure, unadulterated pain for all things that existed, and he had considerable skill in bringing it upon his chosen target. At the moment, he stood armed with a curious staff. It was, of course, made of bone reinforced in the manner she does things, but it coiled at the head tightly, and a dense sphere of bone rested there. Elise could not be sure, but it was her suspicion that he might be annoyed because she did not engage in any banter. She merely waited, scythe in hand, for the lesson to begin. And with them standing with only the skeletal diggers in the background as witness, it did.
You are here because while you have power, you are lacking in its use. You and I have similar techniques, but you have overlooked a glaring flaw in your approach.
"Which is?"
You are too secure. I shall cure you of this. Attack me now, and learn.
Once again, she expected that whatever he had to teach would become apparent if his orders were followed. Lord Skallden did not become named such through rash and foolhardy action, after all. In fact, no sooner had she lifted her scythe, then he pointed his staff and and the ball shot out at incredible speed, glowing dark green with energy! Quickly, Elise moved to dodge and parry...which was her first mistake. Skallden had complete control over sphere, and she knew it. She could sense it. What she did not expect was for the thing to break through her scythe AND her armor in three places, as it impacted stomach, rear right shoulder, and left hip...and it did so HARD. The bone armor, dense and reinforced by her power, had crumbled under pressure and left her normal body to take the blow.
What...just...happened...?
She collapsed to all-fours, scythe broken and her armor crumpled and broken in several places, with those places in pain. As soon as it was over, Elise tried to make sense of it. That necrotic energy... How did it break her will over bone? Her bone? It didn't! She knew it didn't! It just broke apart! As the armor was being pulled back into shape and her scythe was no longer in pieces, she looked over at Skallden. He always had a grin, and he had much to grin at. Truly, he was not only a master of his art, but a merciless teacher. Her eyes demanded an explanation for what he just did.
You have a well-made armor, and a strong manipulation of bones to densify them as I do, but...they are not immune to the other side of that coin. What you can strengthen, I can still weaken. Necrotic power robs life and strength and stability. You have yet to project it in its purest form, and I can use it to render your bones - ALL of your bones - brittle and weak...or at least normal.
Elise stood up now, once again armored and armed.
"So, you will be teaching me how to resist-"
The sphere launched again and decked her in the face, the jaws of the bone-jackal breaking apart and she herself staggering!
There is NO means to resist this power! You are helpless, and will learn to harness it in order to counter it, or strike first. But you will NOT endure. That which you have relied upon for strength shall not avail you now, save for a delay tactic in our battle. And until you render me at a disadvantage, you will be subject to my damaging forces.
Well...this was going to hurt.
[OOC: Wasn't sure how much to put in per post. If this is suppose to go straight unto conclusion, then to be continued...]