Seeing her sit herself up fills me with great joy. I am pleasantly surprised about the outcome. Usually the "Ghoul" that forms from "Create Undead" are pretty stupid. Also their flesh usually degrades to undead status. Here nothing. She looks just like when she was living. I, once again, start walking around. Thinking. How can I use her to get the best outcome for me? Having her join back with the Heroes party might be the best one, but what could she tell them?
"Oh hey guys. I am back. 'How' you ask? Well, Renfried, our sworn enemy revived me!... Yeah no. Hm… dying, dead, coming back to live… Resurrection!
Ren: "You will join back up with the Heroes party. When asked how you are alive. You tell them this: 'I have been brought back by an angel-like figure, they told me it was not my time yet and I was still needed.' Understand?"
Ranger: "Yes Master."
"I suddenly don't like this plan anymore. Can she not think for herself anymore? That would be problematic.
Ren: "Can you tell me something about yourself? You know… before you died?"
She looks at me. Lost eyes.
Ranger: "Yes Master, my name was Eris. I am about 25 years old. Was born-"
Ren: "Fantastic! That is fantastic!"
I can feel myself get happy at the thought of having dug myself out of a pretty bad situation. My biggest uncertainty now is that she would be discovered by the Heroes party as Undead and that someone from management saw her death. Right now I can only hope that none of these two options come up.
Ren: "Alright! You be on your way, and don't forget what I told you to say when asked questions!
She starts standing, and gives me a bowing nod.
Eris: "Certainly, Master."
I can see her, walking in a northward direction. Although I don't know if that is correct or not. I just have to believe that this works out for me. With all my Live Orb (Heart).
Having returned to my office in this world, through another use of "Teleport", I let Scrags know that the Ranger girl, during examination, seemed to be taken by celestial forces. Should any information about her reach him, write it down for me, as I am interested where the situation would head. It pains me to lie to him, never was good at it, but my minions just seem to believe whatever I say, making it even worse for me.
Having calmed my nerves from what just all happened, I sit quietly in my office. Time passes. Five minutes. 15.
"I should confront the Heroes party as soon as possible, after Eris met up with them, to give a false impression maybe?"
I could not really decide on what to do next. So I just sat. Waited. For any kind of new information. Then, one of my "Sending Stones" rings. I fumble around my robe. Finally grabbing it.
Ren: "Yes! Ahm Yes…"
I hear a familiar voice echo through the stone.
Chris: "Reeeeen? When will you be home today?"
"Don't startle me, woman! I am waiting for important information!"
Ren: "Oh Chris, hmm I think around the usual 6pm, why?
Chris: "Just wanted to make sure about the time. I am cooking again!"
Hearing these words made me shudder.
Ren: "Wow! That's awesome… Was there some kind of, oh I don't know, a reason that you decided to try cooking again?
I heard stories about living people and that in certain stressful situations their body would discharge a liquid on their skin. "Sweatt", I think it's called. If I could do that, I would right now.
Chris: "I just wanted to do something for you."
Hearing this makes me smile a little.
Ren: "Thank you. I'll check in later alright?"
Chris: "Sure, see you later."
No more sound is coming from the stone.
"Why must there always be something bad around the corner?
I pull out one of my drawers from the desk. Looking at a clock showing 15:30pm. It must be around six hours now. Eris, my Ranger puppet, should have reached a city by now and be on her way to her original party. Hopefully everything goes as planned. If not, well that's for future me to figure out. The rest of the day rushes past me, without really thinking about anything. At 5pm I start cleaning my desk a little from all the paperwork. Inform Scrags about my departure in a few minutes and check my "Sending Stone" one last time. Nothing. I guess it will take a little more time.
On my way through the hallways in the real live offices. I sneak around, trying to avoid any real interaction in fear of… I don't know, probably just interaction about my world and how it's doing. While sneaking I pass a few cubicles and enter the last hallway before the exit from the building. Then I feel it. A hand touching my shoulder.
Annelise: "Ren! I was hoping to run into you."
"I am cooked."
Ren: "Oh hey, Ann. Here I am, I guess."
Annelise: "What happened in your world last night? The views were up big time!
"That must have been when the Ranger, ahh Eris, drowned."
Ren: "Just some stuff I set up for the Heroes. You know."
Annelise: "Whatever you did, good job! Have a relaxing evening, you earned it."
Ren: "Yeah, thanks."
I hustle out. Feeling embarrassed about lying again, but if all pans out it's not a lie is it. Half way home it dawns on me again. Food. Cooking. Cooking from my Girlfriend. I can't really do much here in real life, so the only thing left is to hope. Hope that it goes down without much of a fight. Thinking about that makes my soul shiver. It can't be that bad again right?
"... … right?"
Arriving home. The door opens. A smell hits my nosehole. Unfamiliar, new and bad.
Ren: "I'm home!"
Chris: "Right on time. Come, sit. Food is just about to be ready."
"Great."
Ren: "Great!"
I wander over into the kitchen, seeing Chris standing there, what seems as finalising our food. I sit. As I do I can't help to imagine what she cooked up and what she used as ingredients. Undead, opposed to living things, don't consume food in the traditional sense. No solids. We consume something called "Lifeforce". This "Lifeforce" comes from things after they die of non-natural causes. So if you would kill a chicken before it dies of old age, you could harvest its remaining lifetime as "Lifeforce". Some prefer the natural flavor of the "Lifeforce" but others, like Chris, like to 'experiment' and try to make it more appealing. The last few 'experiments' did not go great and I had to stay home sick.
She comes around the table and sets down a plate. The "Lifeforce" has a translucent appearance. It can be grabbed, cut or pierced. Also on the plate some garnish, for looks. You can imbue flavour through spells into the "Lifeforce", and the better you are with spells, the higher chance of success there is. But Chris, well she is not the greatest at casting. She sets down her food as well, taking a seat.
Chris: "Go ahead and try. I think this is the best so far."
"Well, the bar is not high."
Ren: "Alright, thanks for the food."
I take my knife and fork, cut a piece off and bring it to my mouth. I feel a little dizzy but I push past and inhale the part on my fork.
"It's not good, but also not horrible."
Ren: "Yeah you are right, it's the best so far."
"Technically not a lie."
Chris starts grinning wide.
Chris: "So it's not good?"
"Dam, she looked right through me."
Ren: "It's OK?"
I laugh nervously and see Chris taste as well. She looks perplexed.
Chris: "Damn that's bad! We should order some food."
She laughs and starts cleaning the table.
Man, I just love this woman.