Standing in the crystalline chamber where Dracul had just risen from the dragonborn's remains, Theo focused on the mental links connecting him to his undead servants. Carapace and Prism had both taken damage during the fight, and something about seeing his companions injured triggered the same analytical response he'd developed through years of character management in games.
He concentrated on Carapace first, accessing the death beetle's status information through their necromantic connection.
UNDEAD STATUS
Name: Carapace
Type: Death Beetle (Common)
Level: 3
Class: Fighter
HP: 22/24
Status: Minor injuries
Evolution: Stage 1 at Level 7
The interface felt natural, responding to his mental queries like a familiar game system. But unlike every RPG he'd ever played, there was no regeneration timer, no healing spells in his current repertoire, and no obvious way to restore his undead servants to full functionality. The two missing hit points weren't critical damage, but they represented a problem he'd never had to solve before.
Prism's status proved more concerning:
UNDEAD STATUS
Name: Prism
Type: Spectral Stalker (Uncommon)
Level: 2
Class: Rogue
HP: 9/18
Status: Significant injuries
Evolution: Stage 1 at Level 7
Half health represented actual vulnerability in future encounters. Theo's gaming experience had taught him that maintaining unit effectiveness required keeping health pools near maximum, but his necromantic knowledge contained no obvious solutions for undead maintenance. The magic that animated them seemed focused on creation rather than ongoing support.
He studied Dracul's status for comparison:
UNDEAD STATUS
Name: Dracul
Type: Draconic Skeleton (Rare)
Level: 5
Class: Fighter
HP: 35/35
Status: Uninjured
Evolution: Stage 1 at Level 7
Full health and higher level, representing the power advantage that superior source material provided. But even if Dracul remained uninjured, understanding how to maintain his undead force was essential for long-term operational capability.
Theo tested various mental commands, trying to trigger healing effects or regeneration processes that might exist within his necromantic abilities. Nothing responded. He attempted to channel mana toward his injured servants, but the energy simply dispersed without effect.
His frustration was interrupted by movement from Carapace. The death beetle had approached the remaining level 2 beetle corpse, its mandibles clicking with what seemed like... hunger? The chitinous undead began methodically consuming pieces of carapace from the corpse, the process slow and deliberate as organic material was absorbed and redistributed to repair its damaged shell.
Over the course of several minutes, Theo watched in fascination as his undead servant essentially cannibalized parts from the dead beetle. The healing wasn't instant—Carapace's damaged sections gradually mended as compatible materials were processed and integrated into its existing structure. The necromantic magic that animated Carapace apparently included instinctive knowledge about self-maintenance, though it required time and appropriate resources to complete.
Carapace: 24/24 HP (+2)
The implications hit him immediately. This wasn't just healing—it was resource conversion that required significant time to process. Carapace had somehow identified compatible materials and automatically processed them into structural repairs over several minutes of vulnerable consumption. The death beetle's natural armor was being rebuilt using raw materials from a similar source, suggesting his undead retained enough biological knowledge to self-repair when appropriate resources were available.
"Prism," he called mentally, directing the spectral stalker toward the partially consumed corpse. The ghostly undead approached more hesitantly, then began drawing wisps of fading life energy from what remained. The absorption was gradual, taking nearly ten minutes as death energy was slowly converted into restored vitality, leaving Prism in a semi-translucent state during the lengthy process.
Prism: 18/18 HP (+9)
When both undead finished their feeding after nearly fifteen minutes total, the level 2 beetle corpse had been reduced to brittle fragments and drained husk—no longer viable for animation. The necromantic energy that would have powered undead creation had been consumed along with the physical matter, leaving behind only worthless remains.
The discovery was revelatory. His undead could heal themselves by consuming appropriate materials—Carapace needed physical matter to repair its chitinous shell, while Prism required death energy to restore its spectral form. Dracul would probably need bone material from skeletal remains to mend any future damage to its skeletal frame.
Resource-based healing was unlike anything from the games he'd played, where undead typically regenerated passively or required specific spells. But it made sense in hindsight—maybe this explained why necromancers in fantasy literature were always associated with battlefields and graveyards. Not just for acquiring corpses for animation, but for maintaining existing undead through access to appropriate materials.
The realization that his undead could maintain themselves through resource consumption eliminated a major operational concern. Rather than worrying about cumulative damage from repeated encounters, he could ensure his servants remained combat-effective as long as fresh corpses were available. He wondered if the healing rules followed different requirements than animation—maybe needing an even fresher corpse.
This knowledge also reasoned why the level 2 beetle corpse could be valuable even with his current undead limit. Even though he couldn't animate it immediately due to his three-slot restriction, the corpse had provided essential healing resources that restored his servants to full combat effectiveness. Resource management extended beyond immediate animation decisions to long-term sustainability.
But the discovery raised new questions about optimization strategies. If corpses could be used for either animation or healing, every resource acquisition decision became more complex. Create new undead for expanded capabilities, or maintain existing servants at full health? The 24-hour viability limit meant he couldn't postpone these choices indefinitely.
More intriguingly, the healing process suggested his undead retained more biological knowledge than he'd realized. Carapace had instinctively known which materials were compatible with its shell structure, while Prism had automatically absorbed appropriate energy types. This implied his servants possessed deeper understanding of their own construction than simple animation should provide.
The implications for future development were significant. If his undead could self-repair given appropriate resources, battlefield casualties became recoverable rather than permanent losses. If they retained enough biological knowledge to identify compatible healing materials, they could potentially maintain themselves with minimal supervision. The strategic possibilities were intriguing.
The intelligence he'd gathered from the dragonborn supervisor painted a clear picture of why remaining in this area was no longer viable. The crude map showed tunnel networks spanning Portland's underground, with patrol routes that put his warehouse base directly within documented enemy territory. Someone would investigate the missing supervisor, following established protocols.
With his undead now restored to full health and the immediate tactical situation understood, Theo sent mental commands directing withdrawal toward the warehouse. The return journey through crystalline passages took thirty-five minutes of careful navigation, during which he noted increasing signs of organized traffic that confirmed his assessment of territorial control.
When they reached the warehouse loading dock, Theo's smartphone showed missed calls and text messages containing phrases like "resistance organizing" and "class coordination." The civilian population was attempting to establish response networks, though their efforts seemed focused on cooperation rather than the systematic elimination that hunter teams practiced.
News feeds painted accelerating chaos across Portland. Downtown areas had become patchworks of familiar architecture interspersed with impossible additions. Emergency services had abandoned normal operations, focusing only on life-threatening situations while avoiding "anomalous entities." National Guard units were "reassessing operational parameters" after encounters with beings whose capabilities exceeded conventional military countermeasures.
But it was examining the warehouse's strategic value against the scope of underground operations that revealed fundamental problems with his current location. The facility sat within documented patrol territory, connected to tunnels that his enemies knew better than he did. Remaining here meant fighting defensive battles against superior numbers with intimate knowledge of local terrain.
More importantly, the warehouse offered limited tactical advantages beyond basic shelter. No multiple escape routes, no elevated positions for ranged combat, no natural chokepoints that could channel attackers into disadvantageous positions. His gaming experience with base building suggested he needed facilities that enhanced his operational capabilities rather than simply providing minimal protection.
The decision to relocate became obvious once he considered the alternatives. Staying meant inevitable contact with investigation forces, probably within hours. Moving meant accepting short-term vulnerability while establishing better long-term positioning. The calculation was straightforward—immediate risk versus certain future threat.
His analysis was interrupted by sounds echoing from the tunnel system—footsteps and what sounded like low voices. Multiple people moving through the passages, and from their steady rhythm and spacing, they seemed to be moving with purpose rather than wandering randomly. The timing aligned perfectly with what he'd expect from organized response protocols.
Rather than waiting for enemies to reach his defensive positions, Theo decided to use the underground environment to establish advantageous contact on terms that favored his capabilities. He sent Prism to conduct reconnaissance on the approaching enemy group while he prepared his other forces. His necromantic abilities had evolved beyond simple reanimation, and he wanted to test their limits under actual combat conditions.
Moving toward the tunnel entrance, Theo coordinated his forces for the approaching contact. Dracul would anchor the position with its combat expertise and heavy armor, while Carapace and Prism conducted flanking movements to exploit divided enemy attention.
Through his mental link with Prism, he received the spectral stalker's reconnaissance report. Three figures approaching, each carrying weapons and strange glowing objects. They moved in formation with consistent spacing between them, advancing steadily through the tunnels without hesitation.
Theo analyzed the information quickly. The spacing and formation suggested trained military backgrounds, while the glowing objects were likely magical equipment. Their confident advance indicated familiarity with the underground layout and experience handling threats.
The lead figure appeared at the tunnel bend forty meters from his position—another dragonborn, though smaller than the supervisor he'd eliminated. This one carried a crossbow modified with crystalline components that pulsed with eldritch energy, while its armor showed wear patterns that spoke of extensive field experience. Behind it, a kobold with communication gear and a goblin laden with mining tools maintained overwatch positions.
Theo's opening shot with the suppressed P320 took the lead dragonborn center mass, the subsonic round striking chest armor with sufficient force to stagger but not penetrate reinforced plating. The creature's professional reaction—immediate cover and hand signals to companions—confirmed these weren't amateur opponents.
The dragonborn's return fire came immediately, its modified crossbow sending crystalline bolts that struck the tunnel wall with explosive force, showering the area with razor-sharp fragments. The enhanced weapon represented a significant upgrade over conventional equipment, suggesting these patrols had access to magical modifications that increased their combat effectiveness.
The engagement that followed revealed the capabilities of coordinated undead combat. His permanent servants moved with increasing sophistication, following commands while adapting to battlefield conditions with intelligence that suggested genuine understanding.
Carapace absorbed crossbow fire while closing for devastating claw attacks, its restored health allowing aggressive tactics that would have been impossible while injured. Prism used its spectral abilities to materialize behind enemy lines, striking vital points with precision that exploited gaps in their formations. Dracul advanced with relentless purpose, its massive sword cleaving through equipment and armor with devastating efficiency.
Carapace: 22/24 HP (-2)
Prism: 18/18 HP (Uninjured)
Dracul: 35/35 HP (Uninjured)
Prism flanked through side passages, striking from directions the patrol hadn't anticipated while Carapace and Dracul pressed the frontal assault. Their coordinated attack from multiple angles overwhelmed the enemies' ability to maintain defensive positioning, forcing them into reactive responses that surrendered operational initiative.
The engagement concluded decisively within minutes. The patrol lay scattered across the tunnel floor, their equipment potentially valuable for enhancing his capabilities.
EXPERIENCE GAINED:
Dragonborn Scout (Level 4): 350 XP
Kobold Ranger (Level 3): 225 XP
Goblin Sapper (Level 2): 150 XP
Total: 725 XP
Current Experience: 800/900
Searching the bodies revealed equipment that could enhance his operational capabilities. The dragonborn's modified crossbow showed crystalline components that enhanced bolt velocity and penetration—potentially useful if he could understand its operation. The kobold carried a device with crystalline formations attached to metal components that pulsed with regular energy patterns, possibly some form of magical communication or signaling system.
Most importantly, the goblin's mining tools suggested ongoing extraction operations that might be vulnerable to disruption. Pickaxes designed for crystalline materials, collection containers marked with the same symbols he'd seen on territorial maps, and documentation referring to "quota requirements" that indicated resource pressure from higher authorities.
The intelligence painted a picture of organized expansion focused on resource extraction rather than simple territorial conquest. The Deep Lords weren't just claiming territory—they were systematically harvesting materials for purposes that extended beyond immediate survival needs. Understanding what they were extracting and why could provide insights into their broader objectives.
But the crystalline device's increasingly rapid pulsing pattern, if it was some form of communication system, suggested his available time in this area had decreased dramatically. Whether the investigation would involve additional patrols or larger response forces, his current position would soon become untenable. The warehouse base required immediate evacuation along with everything salvageable.
Three fresh corpses presented opportunities that aligned with his experimental nature. Different species at various levels, representing potential upgrades that could provide capabilities he hadn't tested. The kobold's ranger abilities might translate into enhanced reconnaissance, while the goblin's sapper skills could offer utility functions his current force lacked.
But creating new undead would require dismissing current servants, and the healing discovery had revealed that his existing undead were more valuable than simple combat statistics suggested. They possessed instinctive knowledge about self-maintenance, tactical intelligence that improved with experience, and individual characteristics that made them feel like genuine companions rather than animated tools.
The decision crystallized as he considered his priorities. Maximum combat effectiveness required maintaining his proven team while using fresh corpses for healing when needed. The patrol bodies would provide excellent resources for restoring his servants after future battles, assuming the healing requirements followed the same viability limits as animation.
Standing among the defeated patrol with evidence of organized resistance and communication networks, Theo felt the familiar satisfaction of intelligence gathering that revealed exploitable patterns. His undead servants were proving effective against trained opponents, while his gaming experience provided frameworks for understanding organizational vulnerabilities.
But the discovery that his enemies possessed magical equipment that might be communication devices and standardized response protocols meant the conflict was escalating beyond individual encounters toward systematic warfare. The convergence might be progressing at a predictable rate, but the entities it brought were adapting to Earth's reality with military efficiency that suggested long-term planning.
The crystalline device's pattern intensified as he gathered salvageable equipment and prepared for immediate relocation. His undead servants awaited orders with patient attention, their restored health and proven capabilities representing assets that would serve him well in whatever challenges lay ahead.
Whether he established a new base in areas outside documented patrol routes or sought opportunities to disrupt enemy resource operations, the immediate priority was distance from this compromised position. The intelligence he'd gathered provided targeting opportunities, but only if he could survive long enough to exploit them.
As the communication device's urgent pulsing filled the tunnel with magical energy, Theo sent mental commands directing his undead toward the warehouse exit. The convergence continued its steady progression toward higher-level threats, but his capabilities were evolving to match the escalating challenges.
Time to find new hunting grounds where the Deep Lords' reach hadn't yet extended—and where fresh corpses would provide the resources necessary for continued operations.