A Werewolf In Under-Town

Chapter 326 – Raising The Graveyard



Shaggy slowed down again as he and Levy made their way across the graveyard. His wife was still mumbling some spell as her staff glowed an eerie purple color. His own body was still shaking off the effects of the repelling charm from the bars. Despite what Levy said, he felt like his bones were still shaking from the beginner-level magic. The ephemeral feeling that told him how much energy he had for Regeneration said that he was still good, though. He probably could have hung onto the bars of the graveyard for an hour more and still been fine.

Looking to his right and left, Shaggy could see the other members of their troop off in the distance. The lack of trees and the well-manicured grass made it pretty easy to see the entire massive cemetery. Even ahead, Shaggy could just make out the shadowy shapes of the two Phreak parties meeting each other. They were on a direct path to come out alongside the two groups.

"My people are having a hard time getting a closer look, boss. The splinter group's scouts have got their paranoia glasses on." Rita reported over their pack Link.

"I'm inside the normal Phreak's group now," said Ephemara. "I can't hear much of what is being discussed, but I'm pushing through to the front."

"Ephe? What about your spies? Where's your backup?" Shaggy asked.

"Boss, it's fine. No one has spotted me yet, and I'm almost there. I think this group's leader is trying to get the splinter group to go back to the herd. It's not going well. I'll wait for my moment and then stir up the shit. With any luck, they'll wipe each other out."

Shaggy bit his upper lip in thought as he increased his pace. He was sure Ephemara would be able to pull herself out of trouble. But he would rather be there all the same. He felt Cekrass and Stanley hurrying their own groups as well. He placed a hand on the small of Levy's back, trying to hurry her. His wife's voice hitched up a bit at the touch, but she didn't miss a beat with her spell-casting.

Whatever doozy of a spell she was cooking up was still churning out of her lips. He didn't know if it was something automatic or if she was actually the one doing things right now. But he hoped an increase in speed wouldn't disrupt her too much.

He was starting to make out shapes on the dark Northland street. Someone had taken out the streetlights along the road, casting everything in darkness. Shaggy wagered it was one of the two parties still milling about in the dark street. He could make out the malformed forms of the various hybrid aliens and humans that were generally the result of twisted experiments or personal choices.

Hulking shadowy figures mingled with smaller ones as various protrusions and antennae stuck up from some of the group's heads. Shaggy could already smell various animal types on the wind, along with the scent of sweat and fear. The acrid tang in the air irritated his nose, but he kept his eyes locked on the enormous mass of people in the street. Thankfully, no one had seen them yet, and they were drawing closer.

But then Levy dropped to her knees, and her staff rose in the air in front of her. Shaggy stepped in front of her to mask the glow of her staff and try to pull Levy to her feet. But she was stuck kneeling in the grass as she continued to speak a spell in a deep, guttural voice. Shaggy could see her dark eyes rolling back in her head as her staff floated horizontally in front of her. Glancing back at the mob of thugs, he could see them surging, and their voices rose into the calm night.

"Boss? Something's got them spooked and they are looking your way."

"Yeah, Levy's spell is restricting her movement and her staff is going nuts."

"Must be the final stages of the spell." Rita guessed. "Don't touch her. Ephe, start shit off now! They are about to find the boss."

"Let them! I could use a workout."

"So could our people, boss."

"I'm doing it." Ephemara said.

Before Shaggy could argue further, a bright blue laser blast erupted from the shadowy mass of people. Like a starting gun, Ephe's blast sent the mob of gangsters into a frenzy. Voices rose into the air, the smell of blood and laser fire grew stronger. Shaggy watched the tumult from beyond the northern fence and wondered what was going on. Thankfully, his two teams were happy to provide play-by-plays.

"Oh shit! They did not like that."

"They came ready for this, Ephe."

"I know, Rita. But one little blaster shot and they tear each other apart?"

"All it takes sometimes… wait, out of the north alleyway. The splinter group has reinforcements."

"They knew they would need it. Standard Phreaks came down here fifty strong."

Shaggy winced at the numbers, asking. "How many on the splinter group's side?"

"Probably another fifty. Both groups are similarly kitted out too."

"Shit! Maybe I should let you all handle it. Between all of the Pack's teams, combined with Levy's mages, we've got close to sixty people out here."

He could feel Rita's nod. "Agreed. But let my and Cekrass' teams go first. We've got the smaller groups."

"Hey! How is it my fault that I am a more talented leader?"

"Sure, that's why, Ephe. Either way, it's a prime time to hit these guys and we need to move quick before they both bolt."

"Good thought." Shaggy added. "Ephemara, spread your people out to catch runners. Cekrass, Stanley, Pups, hit them as hard as you can from our side."

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"We'll have to clear the fence first," said Stanley.

Cekrass sent a mental snort over the Link as both groups on Shaggy's right and left side converged on a spot just ahead of him. There was a screeching of metal as Shaggy spotted Cekrass' group hitting the fence first. What looked like a large brown armadillo uncurled from being a ball and got to his feet. But Shaggy couldn't watch any further than Levy's mutterings grew in intensity.

~ ... Exsurge cadaver, surge ossa mea, fac imperium meum et consume inimicos MEOS! ~

With the final word, Levy's staff flashed with power and she slammed her two hands into the grass at her knees. Shaggy was pushed back by an unseen force, but he quickly caught himself in time to see Levy almost falling over. Throwing himself to her side, Shaggy crouched down and held her as she came out of her spell.

But before he could even form a question, the surrounding ground began to rumble. Initially, Shaggy thought it was just around the two of them. But soon he could make out the grass in a huge radius around them, trembling and starting to bulge upward. Looking down at Levy's sweaty face, Shaggy noted that she was grinning.

"Necromancy, Bitches!" She mumbled as she raised a hand and put up her forefinger and pinky.

Even as she gave the horns to the sky, the surrounding ground started to explode with little puffs of dirt. Bit of grass shot into the air as pale hands crawled at the fresh night air. Shaggy sighed heavily before looking back down at his wife.

"You didn't..."

"Fuck yeah I did," Levy responded, still sounding tired. "I'm a necromancer in a graveyard. I am going to summon a fucking horde."

Shaggy moved to the side slightly as a bone-white skeletal hand clawed its way out of the ground near them. For yards around them, more and more things started to churn the earth and pull themselves from it.

"Levy, we don't need a horde right now. We already outnumber the Phreaks and my pack is here to back things up."

"Shaggy. I love you, but you're an idiot. We can always find a use for a horde."

"Will they even listen to you?" Shaggy asked, watching as a fleshy zombie yanked its rot-ridden torso out of the ground and looked around.

Its milky-white eyes seemed to take in its surrounding before it clacked its teeth together hungrily. More zombies and skeleton pulled themselves from the earth and started milling around. Nothing was attacking them yet, which Shaggy took as a good sign. But more and more of the things were crawling from the ground. He was beginning to worry about the integrity of the graveyard as more holes appeared.

Levy's staff floated to her hand, and she pointed the purple glowing tip at the melee just beyond the north fence. Shaggy's pack and Levy's mages were fighting the two groups of Phreaks in the street. Laser fire went everywhere as people screamed in pain and anger. He could feel his pack's elation at giving to the thrill of the fight.

"Go!" Levy said softly as the glow of her staff pulsed.

"Are you sure about that? What if they attack our people, too?"

"Calm down, love. They are under my command. They won't hurt anyone i see as a friend. But you might want to let the others know that my dark children are coming."

"Please don't call them children." Shaggy grimaced as he sent the message to the members of his pack.

Thankfully, the horde of the undead was the slow kind. They ambled their way toward the broken fence and shuffled like a massive wave toward the fighting. Shaggy tried to count them all, but the size of the horde seemed to be growing as they sat there. He pulled Levy to her feet and stood beside her as she watched the shambling mass with an evil little grin.

"Honey..."

"Oh, don't you 'honey' me. I am going to have my horde."

"Levy, love, sweet one, diamond of my heart. What are we going to do with a horde? They are a slow, shambling mess. Look at them. They are more in the way than anything."

"For now! But once I've trained them up a bit and trimmed the weak from the strong, they'll be an unbeatable force."

"Uh-huh. How long will that take?"

Levy stamped her the butt of her staff into the ground and turned on him huffily. She pointed a slim finger at his nose, which made Shaggy go cross-eyed. When she was sure she had his attention, Levy intoned dramatically.

"I... don't... know. But who cares! I have a horde!"

The sounds of fighting and screaming seemed to grow louder as the mass of zombies and skeletons fully enclosed the fighting. Shaggy watched the macabre display as he mentally orders his pack to stand back. With Levy's new toys handling things, all they needed to do was watch the edges and make sure no one interrupted.

Shaggy, annoyed and disappointed, threw his hands up at the sight. "This isn't a fight for our turf now. This is just a bunch of zombies eating our enemies. Where's the fun in that?"

Levy smirked. "Hey, I'm having a great time. Each death empowers the horde even more, which strengthens the others and me. So I'm having a grand ole time. The skeletons are also strengthened by killing, so this is a truly a win-win here."

"What about when we get home? Where are we going to keep them?"

"They're the undead, Shaggy. We can keep them underground."

Finally deciding to let the whole matter go, Shaggy just bowed his head and started walking toward the fighting. Things were already winding down, but the occasional blaster bolt or blood-curdling shout shot through the streets. He glanced up at the windows of nearby buildings and saw a few looky-loos staring at the carnage. Shaggy flipped them the bird and turned back to the mass of bodies.

"Smells." Cekrass said over the Link.

"I agree, big guy. But they are Levy's new playthings, so leave them be."

"Can she send them somewhere else, then? They've completely ruined my groove." Ephemara said, sounding like she was pouting.

"Send them where? A horde this size is going to draw attention. We're going to have a rough enough time getting them back to the cave."

"They are staying in the cave with us?!"

"Take it up with Levy." Shaggy said as he watched his wife eagerly running around the horde and inspecting her troops.

A dark energy seemed to pulse around the horde and his wife as he watched. Shaggy noted that the pulse was also tinged slightly red and something told him Xang was pleased with the zombie horde. He feared to know why, but Shaggy assumed he would find out soon enough. For now, he had the bigger problem of trying to get a mass of shambling zombies and skeletons back home.


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