My head fell back against the stone. “You offered to bring my parents back to life. That's wrong. It feels evil.”
“Why? Because they are at peace?” Death turned mocking. “Who would it hurt to return them to you?”
“And where would their spirits go? What body would house them? Their old ones are rotting.”
“And in the Corrupter's possession.”
I went still. “So, he does have them.”
“Yes. But you knew that.”
“Does he know I'm alive?”
Death turned gleeful, “He does not.”
“Truly? Then why take the corpses?”
“For his experiments. He chose those particular bodies because of their connection to you. He is still obsessed with you, even in death.”
“What experiments? What is he trying to do?”
“You know what he's trying to do. What better soldier than one who cannot die? As I said, anything is possible once you've mastered the magic.”
“Can't you make living people indestructible?”
“No,” he sounded annoyed. “Not like the dead. The spirit inside them prevents such a thing. Though you must admit, my magic gives humans enough strength and resilience that they are nearly as good as a risen corpse. Certainly, they are as powerful as most immortals.”
I grunted. “The only way to stop them is by removing the corruption.”
“It is not a corruption.”
“Then what is it?”
“Enchantment.”
“Slavery, more like.”
“Yes, that is part of the spell.”
“Spell? So the corruption is more than just Death?”
“Of course it is. Death is not an element, though it is connected to the elements like Spirit. Also like Spirit, it is harder to master, but once you do, the potential is vast, the spells virtually unlimited. This is why I say the magic can do anything. It truly can, if you can attain the control and wisdom you need.”
“Control and wisdom. That sounds as if you're promising things you can't deliver.”
“For most people, that would be true. But not for you Ember. You have mastered all the elements and Spirit.”
“You mean, including Spirit.”
“As I said, Spirit is not technically an element. It is bound to the elements and can unify them, but it is more like Death, outside of Nature.”
“Death and Spirit are not outside of Nature.”
“Ah, but they are. Connected but separate. Trust me on this.”
“I don't trust you.”
There was a pause then, “You could become more of a master than Aranren. You don't even need his book. I know every spell written therein and can teach them to you. Once you master those, you could, as he is doing, create your own spells.”
