Koyuki, the Necromancing Foxkin

CHAPTER 374: A new Idea

We stayed next to the mountain but moved away from the carnage to prepare our lunch. The collapsed hole was still in view but we did not have to smell the dead bugs anymore. Thanks to our water magic we were able to clean the worst of our clothes while Cassie provided some fire.

We also moved our horses away from the scene. Some of them were nervous while Coffee did not seem to care. Sometimes I wondered if anything would spook my horse. Maybe he had spent so much time with my undead that he accepted everything.

Hatsumi retrieved the cooking gear from Coffee and set it up at Cassie's fire. Meanwhile Rose retrieved a brush and helped Garm to clean his fur. There were parts of bugs stuck in him. Yoru helped as well by eating the larger bits.

My friends and I sat down next to the fire to relax.

"Good job Cassie, although your bomb was almost too big." Helena stated.

"Is there something like an explosion that is too big?" Cassie asked.

"Yes." All of us replied.

"Ok, I admit that it was a bit dangerous. I underestimated the effects inside a tunnel and I am sorry." Cassie said.

"It worked but you really need to get better at shielding yourself. And we need to make sure your explosions do not threaten our melee fighters. Maybe we can do some group training with fake bombs?" Skadi suggested.

Cassie frowned. "Fake bombs?"

"I guess we could have something that just sprays water? It would have to be cheap so we can use it while training." I suggested.

"Hm. I will see what I can do. I would need a reusable container that sprays a liquid in the same area an explosion would threaten…" Cassie pondered the problem.

While we were talking Nyx walked over to the fire, while carrying a leg in her mouth. For some reason she had shrunk again which made the process harder than it had to be. Maybe she liked the idea of her food being bigger than her? The feline settled down next to us and started munching.

"A shame that we did not get a whole bug. All we got are snacks for the gluttons. I do wonder how much they can devour? Hopefully they will get something out of it." I mused.

"You don't have a whole bug but you got plenty of pieces. Just glue one back together." Skadi said.

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"Oh, like the Iron Beaks?" Cassie asked.

I blinked. I had not thought about that. "Actually, that could work. If we get pieces that fit reasonably together…"

"There is a large part of a torso with a head and they are mostly intact. I think the cats salvaged that from inside the cave before we retreated." Helena pointed out.

"That would be great! We can just stick some legs on it, there are a lot of those…" I mused.

Nyx' eyes widened and I stared at the feline. "You are not going to rush off and chew on all possible parts! There are plenty of snacks around. Actually, are those crawlers that tasty? Do you even have taste?"

"Meow." It was a cryptic response.

"Could your undead bug still shoot acid?" Skadi asked.

"I don't think so. The body produces the acid, right? That would not work once the body is dead. Magic could produce the acid if it had the right affinities. Acid is more of an earth thing, right?" I asked.

"Earth does have acid spells, I have never learned one though. My main focus is blood magic with some earth for additional defence." Skadi replied.

"But the bug still has a tank of sorts where it stores the acid and a way to shoot it. Those abilities would remain, if your bug is not cut up too badly." Cassie mused, then her eyes widened. "You could fill it with some explosive potions!"

"If it spits something that explodes, wouldn't the bug itself risk exploding?" I asked.

"Uh, yes." Cassie replied. "But It could be like a super Iron Beak!"

"Chicken bones are a lot easier to get than crawler parts." Skadi pointed out.

"Your necrotic water could work. Do you think that's something a tier two can use?" Helena asked.

"Hm. Necrotic water might be a bit too complicated. I would need to create an undead with the inborn ability to produce necrotic water. Or it could just use water and I infuse it manually. I would have to reload the bug in a way but I could then put a proper spell on the water that triggers when it hits something." I theorised.

"Would that be better than you just casting a spell?" Skadi wondered.

"Well, I could load the bug before combat. And I think they can spit relatively accurately and with a lot of power. It might be better than me flinging a sphere of water. Also, I don't have to combine two of my own spells and focus on that. By simply enchanting the water inside the undead it might make it easier. Maybe I could put a stronger spell on it? Since it is my undead I don't think it would be hard to cast on the water inside and it won't mind the necrotic mana." I kind of liked the idea more and more.

"That is an interesting idea. Maybe you could even increase the size of its tank? You are already building something from individual pieces." Helena suggested.

"Maybe? For the basic raise undead spell I need the regular body parts at the right places, like legs and the head. If I increase its torso it could work. I will have to modify the spell a bit anyway. Maybe I can enhance the spitting part? So far I have focused on the ice part of water magic when I have created my undead, maybe I can nudge the magic more towards pure water abilities. Actually, maybe I can have some necrotic mana just seep into the water. It won't be proper necrotic water but it might make it even easier to put my own spell on it. I am thinking of something that really triggers when it hits. I could have an anti magic version that tries to pierce spells and one that focuses more on flesh." I mused.

"You need compartments. You can have them filled with one spit worth of water and put different spells on them. Then order the right attack depending on the situation." Cassie suggested.

"That is brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"Hey, could you add an external refill point so I could fire my potions from it?" Cassie asked.

I scratched my head. "I am afraid that potion would damage the undead, would it not? I am not sure if I can line the inside of the undead with glass, or whatever you need to resist the potion. It would need to be something harmless with an external trigger. I am also not sure how easy it would be to have a refill port."

It was a curious suggestion though. I certainly had to give it some thought.

"We should collect some crawler parts and make sure the cats are not getting to them." Helena stated.

"Yeah, let's do that." I agreed.