[Mkguild] The Memories of Bone part 3

[Chris]

Morven grabbed onto the old pattern of Albion the human and pulled from
it the bits and pieces he needed. Then he used his magic to reshape and
rearrange the feline and human pieces fitting them together to match the
idea in his mind. Finally they all fit together creating one pattern
that was both feline and human and yet truly neither. He studied the
pattern again and again to be sure he had missed nothing until he felt
the spells holding flesh and ancient bones threatened to overwhelm them
all. He fixated on this new pattern and released it into the magic. He
felt the power flare and roar and the mass of flesh, bone, muscle and
stone started to change.

 

   The magic filled ever part of the mass and set about altering it all
to match the new pattern. Four limbs and a head attached to a large and
strong torso took shape quickly. A new skeletal system formed around new
organs and blood vessels all tied together with equally new muscles.
Fresh, young skin provided the needed covering for all the rest just as
golden fur covered the skin. Last but not least came a long tail that
snaked out from the new lions hindquarters.

 

   Morven remembered the sword. Its metal elements were just what he
wanted to enhance his newest creation. He thinned out the metal and
moved it into the new lion pushing it to the claws and teeth. The metal
that had once held up the skeleton was directed to the new skeleton
created from the old. Soon, the bones were reinforced with steel. This
was one cat whose bones would not be easy to break.

 

   As the last of the spell faded away the strength left Morven’s body
and he fell to the floor, exhausted. He lay there for a while recovering
his strength. Slowly he gathered his four legs under him and sat up.

 

   Albion lay stretched out on the floor less then ten feet from the
feline mage. Gone was the darkly tanned human. In his place was a figure
that was still humanoid in that it stood upright and had two arms and
two legs, but nothing else remained the same. It was over six feet tall
and at least five hundred pounds, not an ounce of it wasted fat. The
massive and well muscled body was covered with a short, thick fur that
was tan on the back and legs and slowly changing to a dirty white on the
stomach. The figure had a tail that was at least two feet long and
ending with a tuft of black fur. The head that sat on top of the neck
and shoulders was like a lioness in that it had no mane. There was no
doubting that this figure was male, not with the obvious male, lion
genitals on this person. On his chest was dark fur in a familiar shape:
a rearing lion, it’s claws and fangs bared. It had seemed appropriate to
keep the man’s tattoo on his new body.

 

   Albion sat up, holding his hands in front of him and looking them
over. He flexed the claws out and they gleamed with steel. "Impressive.
I take it that's why you wanted my sword in the mix?"

 

   "Yes. My metal teeth worked so well I thought you would like steel
ones. And I’ve reinforced your bones as well."



   Albion stared at his new body. “So what happened? Plains lions didn't
have hands.”

 

   “There were problems,” the feline mage explained. “The bones did not
hold a whole pattern, only 90% of one, so I had to improvise. I
completed the missing parts with some of your old human pattern. You are
a mix of plains lion and human. I have done similar things for others
but never with a pattern so badly fragmented or old. Many nobles and
wizards pay well for a guard or pet that is part animal and part human.
Usually it’s for a pet that’s smarter but I did a barbarian lord last
year who is now 75% wolf. And there was a fashion trend a decade ago
that had ladies of the court sporting tails.”

 

   Albion grinned. Revealing wickedly long fangs. "I remember that. And
some nice handsome ones there were, too.  Well, if it can't be
helped..." He flexed an arm, admiring the muscle tone, and then got to
his feet.

 

   “I want you to understand that is not a half form. You have the lions
strength, speed and basic body but with the hands and upright posture of
a human. You are the best of the two. And you should be glad I left you
as a male. After all the females are stronger.”

 

   “You could have changed that?” Albion asked as he ran his paw-like
hands over his new frame. The flip his ears did suggested that he didn’t
like that idea.

 

   “Easily. There are many who change their gender.”

 

   Albion paused when he saw his reflection in the glass of a nearby
display case. "Where's my mane?" he asked indignantly.

 

   “The pattern was incomplete at that point and I had to improvise,”
the mage answered.

 

   "I've been bald for thirty years, Morven. I want my hair back,
dammit," Albion growled as his tail tip twitched in annoyance.

 

   “We should have eaten him. Less noisy,” the feline spirit commented
silently to Morven.

 

   “Be calm,” Morven ordered. “It’s a simple change in the pattern. Sit
still and I’ll make the change.”

 

   The sabertooth reared up and placed both front paws onto the lion’s
shoulders. Quickly  black hair started to grow and in moments a mane of
long, thick, black fur covered Albions neck.

 

   Morven stepped backward to examine his handiwork. “Let me make this
clear. That is the only part of your body I’m going to make thicker and
longer.”

 

   "Don't worry, Morven," Albion said with a smirk. "You're not my
type." He walked around slowly flexing his limbs as he did. “I feel
twenty years younger.”

 

   “You are twenty years younger,” Morven explained. “That form is a mix
of the human and the lion. The lion was young when it died.”

 

   “”So I have the young lions vigor and the old warriors skills?”

 

   Morven nodded in response. “You also have the scars that were on your
old body as well as the ones on the lions.” He pointed to a large scar
on Albion’s stomach. “Including a scar from the creature that killed
him.”

 

   Albion lightly traced a steel claw along four parallel scars that ran
horizontally across his stomach. “What did that?”

 

   “A giant sloth.”

 

   “A sloth did this?” Albion asked surprised. The scars were huge
telling of claws on a paw that was larger then Albion’s head.

 

   “Yes a sloth. One the size of an elephant,” Morven explained. “It’s a
shame that skeleton was incomplete.”

 

   Albion shook his head. “That’s way too big for my liking! This body
will do nicely. These claws and teeth are great but I wouldn’t mind the
longer reach my sword had,” Albion commented. “And I need a good bow or
at least a few javelins.”

 

   “Not a problem,” Morven answered. “We are in the museum. Have you
forgotten the Alister wing?”

 

   The lion smiled again revealing those sharp teeth. “Two entire floors
filled with all sorts of weapons and armor.”

 

   Morven shook his head. “I just realized. Wouldn’t the invaders have
made their way there already?”

 

   “The last I saw of them they were still working on the gems and
jewelry down on the first floor.”

 

   “Are . . “ Morven stuttered trying to figure out how to phrase his
question. “How do I put this. Are you alone in there?”

 

   “Alone?” the new lion asked. “I’m here with you but that’s not what
you mean.”

 

   “No. I mean is there another spirit in there with you?”

 

   Albion cocked his head to one side and looked at the sabertooth cat.
“What?”

 

   “When I merged with these old bones I acquired something unexpected:
the spirit of the cat.”

 

   “You mean there are two minds in that body?”

 

   “Yes, my own surprised, human one and a rather confused feline one
who is trying to understand what has changed in the last 30,000 years.
And both of us are trying to figure out what happened.”

 

   “What did happen?”

 

   The sabertooth gave a faint shrug. “A lot of people think that bones
are actually living organs. Inside a living body, not only do they add
support and provide places for muscles to attach to, but most of the
major bones also help filter blood and provide new red blood cells.
Maybe the bones remembered and retained a ‘Memory’ of the original cat’s
spirit or somehow held onto the spirit itself. My knowledge lies with
flesh and bones not the mind and the soul. All I know is that when I
brought those old bones back to life the cats spirit came back too.”

 

   “If that’s right, why don’t I have a spirit too?” Albion asked.

 

   “My best guess is that your bones were too far gone to stone to
extract a complete pattern. Some of the memories were lost. At least
some of those memories have come through. You are using that new body
like it has been yours all your life. You walk on your toes like a
plains lion, but you were born with normal human feet. Yet I don't see
you having any problems walking.”

 

   Albion held up his right leg and flexed his new, clawed paw. “Well,
this body does feel normal even though I’ve only been this way for a few
minutes.” He paused for a moment before speaking. “I do have a vague
memory of running across an open savanna.”


 

   “Oh?” Morven asked cocking his head to one side.

 

   The lion shook his head. “It’s only a vague memory. Nothing more.
It’s like a half forgotten dream.”

 

   Morven nodded. “Who can tell exactly how much of the lions spirit
survived. The old pattern was very badly fragmented and perhaps the
spirit did not survive.”

 

   “Maybe the lion sleeps?” the feline spirit said silently to the mage.
“It will wake up later.”

 

   “Could be,” Morven told the spirit using thought alone. “I need to
speak with Amanda about this. She’s a spirit mage and WILL have the
answers. She might be able to wake the spirit up or at least tell us if
it has gone to it’s final peace. What would the spirit be like if it DID
suddenly wake up after being gone for so long? Angry? Happy? Certainly
upset.”

 

   “Well?” Albion asked, interrupting the silent discussion. “Am I alone
in here or do I have a passenger?”

 

   “I can’t answer the question but I know people in the guild who can.
I suggest you keep your wit’s about you at all times. We have a greater
problem to worry about right now. The people who almost killed you are
still loose in the museum.”

 

   “Indeed,” Albion said calmly. He held up a paw and unsheathed his
steel claws slowly.

 

 

******************

 

 

    “The Alister wing! My favorite place in the whole museum,” Albion
said. The two were standing in the center of a large hall. Balconies and
the stairs that connected them climbed the walls to the ceiling some
thirty feet overhead. The place was full of treasures. Everywhere there
were display cases, racks and shelves filled with all manner of weapons
and armor.

 

   “I knew a sword swinger like you would love this place,” Morven
commented sarcastically.

 

   Albion removed a loincloth from a nearby mannequin. "Sorry, buddy,
but I need this more than you do,” he said to the wooden figure of a
desert warrior.

 

   “Beware what you touch in here,” Morven warned. “Everything is
protected by wards and alarms. Also there are several items here that
are cursed and you really do NOT want to touch them.”

 

   "I know, Morven.  I work here for a living, remember?" He patted his
side where his belt would have been had he still been human, then
frowned. "That's right. My pants are still back in the hall of fossils
and they took my keys anyway. Otherwise, I could pop all of these open
without having to worry about much of that. Okay, mage-man, what's safe
to touch and what weapons are the most powerful?"

 

   The sabertooth mage shook his head. “Typical fighter.”

 

   Albion laughed.  "Maybe so, but you still need me, and I still need
weapons. So make with the ward spotting before those intruders finish
with the gems, huh?"

 

   Morven walked around Albion slowly eying the lion. “We might have
armor that will fit you.”

 

   “Fit this body?” the lion asked confused.

 

   The sabertooth took off across the floor at a dead run and sprinted
up a staircase. Morven looked down from an upper balcony at Albion who
was staring back up at him. “Well? Are you going to stand there all
night?”

 

   Curious the plains lion followed the mage’s path up the stairs.

 

   “You’ve forgotten Krieos the Conqueror.” Morven was seated in front
of a display that filled a large niche set in the wall. The figure
standing in it was an eight foot tall minotaur dressed in silver
chainmail armor that was chased with gold. In his massive hands was a
sword of equally massive proportions.



   “That armor won’t fit me,” Albion said shaking his head.

 

   “This armor changes its size and shape to fit its wearer. It would
probably fit me even like this,” the sabertooth explained as he shook
his four legged body. “So it will fit you.”

 

   It did. In spite of looking to be the wrong size at the start it fit
the massive lion perfectly once he got it on, the metal links fitting
snug against Albion’s body. He ran his hands along the metal links.
“This is fine armor,” he said twisting his body from side to side as he
flexed his arms.” And it doesn’t snag my fur.”

 

   “It’s the best,” Morven agreed. The sabertooth had settled onto a
pile of cloth and rags that had until lately been padding inside the
fake minotaur and he looked quite comfortable. 

 

   Albion looked closely at the sword which was resting on the floor
where it had come to rest. Its handle was made of dark wood and it’s
blade was the same shining silver as the armor. From the hilt to the
point of the blade the sword was over six feet long! “Spell Eater. Is it
as powerful as the stories say it is?”

 

   “Indeed. Krieos used that to slay dragons and archmages alike.
Undoubtedly that is one of the treasures our unwanted guests are after.”

 

   The lion leaned closer and examined every part of the gleaming weapon
intently.


   "Go on! You know you want it." Morven said laughing. “And we will
need an anti-mage weapon to help deal with our intruders.”



   "It's not going to shock me or anything, will it?"

 

   "No. I removed the wards."

 

   “Are you sure? I’ve seen what those wards can do to a person,” Albion
asked.

 

   “I am a mage and I helped create and maintain those wards.”

 

   Albion lashed out with the lightning quick reflexes of a plains lion
and snatched the weapon from off the floor. He held the massive weapon
up in front of him. “I like this one!”

 

   “It matches you perfectly. It’s powerful, deadly and possessing not
the slightest shred of subtlety,” Morven commented sarcastically.

 

   Albion ignored the mages comments and took a few practice swings with
the weapon. “Very nice. Perfectly balanced and with a razor sharp edge.”
He ran one hand lightly along the blade. “It even feels powerful.”

 

   “It is,” Morven explained. He was laying down now and looked about
ready to take a nap. “The blade has two modes of operation. The first
will absorb any spell cast at it or you and store it in the blade. You
can then cast that spell out of the blade at whatever target you want.
The second mode is reflection. It will reflect any spell cast right back
at its caster. One thing you need to remember is that it does this for
ALL spells cast at you or the blade regardless of whether that spell is
friendly or hostile. It will reflect a healing spell just as readily as
a fire sphere.”

 

   Albion nodded in understanding as he strapped the scabbard for the
massive sword to his back. “Fits nicely.” The lion walked up to a rack
filled with all manner of weapons and started taking daggers, swords and
spears.

 

   “You already have the most powerful weapon in the entire museum,”
Morven commented sarcastically. “Why do you need more?”

 

   “You can never have too many weapons," Albion replied, strapping a
sword to each hip and slinging on a bandolier of daggers. "Besides, when
am I going to get another chance to play with weapons from the Allister
wing?  Not that I don't love these, of course," he said with a grin,
flicking his steel claws out and brandishing them before his face. "It's
nice to have a weapon you can hide but can't drop."

 

   "You still have your sword. It's just built in!" Morven explained.



   Albion grinned revealing an impressive set of teeth. "And I'm sure
the ladies will love it, but that’s not exactly what I had in mind for
these thieves."

 

   Morven put both front paws over his head and tried to forget the
bawdy joke. “You have enough toys Albion. We have some people to kill.”

 

   Albion bared his wickedly long teeth in a feral grin. “So we do.”

 

 

End part 3


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