21st September
07:02 GMT
The late Jayanand Duttagupta lies on the ground a short distance from the new Lazarus Pit we've dug just far enough from Minions that the locals won't see it until we're finished. The late Mister Duttagupta was the point of contact in Malaysia for a rather unpleasant group of Indian businessmen, and amusingly his was a whip-around hit. People he'd pissed off combined with the relatives of people he'd ordered killed in order to fund the League of Shadows sending someone to deal with the problem. The five bodyguards -Mister Ganguly, Mister Karokaro, Mister Megat, Mister Gohain and Mister Bantowa- who were accompanying him at the time of his death lie just behind him.
"Is there enough power here for more than one?"
Beulah shakes her head. "There is little difference 'twix the power here and the power in Rhelasia. Since their deaths were more recent the alchemy might consume less of it, but I would not place my faith in such fortune."
"That sounded.. less disapproving."
"While you recovered the bodies of these criminals, Mistress Raatko informed me that these Pits do not merely cause the dead to rise from their graves, but may restore non-mortal wounds also. That purpose is one to which we witch-hunters might legitimately put such alchemy."
"If you do, it'll extend the user's life as well."
"Adam was in his tenth century when he died. There is no sin in living a long time."
"See, I always thought that whole 'very old prophet' thing was due to a mistranslation of the word 'month'."
"Think you that Mahalalel fathered a child at the age of five?"
"It seems unlikely."
"Then it was not an error in translation."
"Unless the person who originally translated it from Aramaic to Greek or Greek to Latin made the mistake in conflating the two periods. I'm going to guess that your forebears only had English language copies of the Bible."
"I don't believe it for a moment. Perhaps a Columbian clerical scholar could come here now that the witch path is open and prove the matter to your satisfaction."
I wave my right hand dismissively. "My queen is over three thousand years old. I'll let you have your short-lived prophets."
Nyssa looks up from the Pit. "It is ready."
I nod, and Beulah motions the grundywomen into motion. "Second test, Mister Jayanand Duttagupta, probably Hindu, murdered approximately fifteen months ago. Malaysian authorities refused to release his body or those of his colleagues for cremation, resulting in a profane burial. Hindu belief is that the physical destruction of the body eases the soul's passage from the world, which…" I look hopefully at Thana. "Any idea how accurate that is?"
"It.. would be.. one less tie. Speaking personally, I think that I would prefer my soul to be anchored rather than to be set adrift."
"Hindus believe in reincarnation until they achieve spiritual perfection and their souls merge with the universal divine force."
"Then casting themselves into the aether is likely to be the aim." She frowns. "That must be quite disconcerting, but.. destroying the body would help."
"No effort was made to preserve his corpse, and as such it is.. significantly decayed. All tissues and organs are significantly damaged or completely destroyed. It has not been possible to communicate with his spirit, which could indicate that he has already been reincarnated." I frown. "Any idea whether or not he'd answer if he'd been something else in between?"
"Amazons who pass are content with Erebos. While I know that Lord Hades has made reincarnation possible for those who want it, I myself have never had dealings with those who made that choice."
"Okay then. What happen if we use a Lazarus Pit on someone whose soul isn't available?"
Nyssa shakes her head. "There were times when my father had it used on people who practised such faiths, but the attempts that were successful involved them being dead for only short periods of time. I do not know."
"Then let's get our science on. Mistress Bleak?"
She gestures, and the grundywomen deposit their load with a splat.
"So the question is: will the body regenerate or not? Does the Pit require a soul to do anything, or does the rest happen first?"
Nyssa looks at me, eyebrows slightly raised. "Will you tell us, or do you expect us to place wagers?"
"Tissue regeneration is occurring… Not sure how fast it is compared to Captain Gwak, the extent of the damage to the corpse is too extensive. Mistress Bleak, any difference in the rate at which the local supply of geomantic energy is being consumed?"
"Do you wish to wait for me to seek instruction in geomancy, and then follow that course of schooling for five years?"
"Approximately?"
She closes her eyes, raises her hands and begins chanting under her breath. After a few moments she opens her eyes and looks at me.
"Some is being used."
Fair enough. "Regeneration is… Regeneration appears to be slowing, but is still continuing. I'm still not seeing any sort of emotional resonance-" I hold up my runestone. "-or a soul."
Nyssa sighs faintly. "How many of these do you plan on doing today?"
"Just these six. Ambrose is going to need longer to find any more sites where we can create Pits." She nods. "Regeneration… Almost done. Looks like the Pits find it easier to repair organic damage than to flush formaldehyde. Still not seeing any emotion, and-" The runestone glows very faintly. "-there's something magical in there, but it's quite weak. Heart's.. starting to beat and his brain's active, but there's no sign of panic or other heightened stress…"
He's not trying to get out. Not sure if you can drown in a Lazarus Pit, but let's not try to find out. I stick a construct arm down through the muck and pull Mr Duttagupta out.
Hm.
"Irises aren't focusing, breathing is shallow…" I deposit him on the ground next to the Pit, and he collapses bonelessly to the ground. "Minimal awareness. Even zombies will generally try to remain upright without prompting. I think we've got a Hollow Man. Mistress Bleak?"
"Most useful. He could replace those grundymen you destroyed."
"He isn't biologically dead. Yet."
"I can be a patient woman. With neither food nor water to sustain him, how long will he last?"
"Not long." I use a construct to pull his right eye open, then shine a light into it. No response. I hold him up with a hoist construct, then tap his patellar tendon with a hammer construct. Nothing. "Reflexes are impaired, a trait known to occur in Hollow Men and not Vodun zombies. I think-"
Starting from his feet, his body dissolves, flesh turning to what looks like dust before our eyes. Five seconds later, his skeleton decays as well and I'm left with nothing.
"-that.. didn't work." Unfortunate. "Everyone ready for attempt number three?"
