Church of Isekai -2. Борис Беленький

/p>

      Happy Campers Part 1

      It went much easier than I feared. Once I’ve turned the entire enemy camp into Zombies, they actually became a collection of well-behaved “normal” individuals. I’ve seen plenty of videos where a rescue team arrives at a scene of a large disaster and I could only imagine how nerve-wracking it must have been for them to feed, shelter and maintain order for the endless crowds when there’s only so few of the helpers. I don’t know how they do it in the real world. On the other hand if I don’t know it, doesn’t mean there aren’t people who do. Probably they’ve gathered some smart planners and they’ve stocked up on some supplies including tents and water-purifying equipment and maybe they hire people who don’t want to shy away into the nearest little hole when they are faced with a screaming person, like the Old Me would’ve done.

      In my case, things went much easier than I’ve feared. All newly-created zombies knew that the ones who took their lives were the Old Camp-Boss’ Assassins who needed to bring up their levels as soon as possible and now the Boss is dead by my hand. They knew the Assassins are dead too, mostly having killed each other under orders to come up with one Ultimate Assassin who’d have a chance against me. He didn’t. Now he’s also a fellow Zombie. It doesn’t matter that in my Old World he was my classmate, Val. The camp Guards and the Barrack Heads, who have enjoyed a free reign over the Level-1s were slain by the camp Assassins. Even though they were re-animated, I ordered them to assist the commoners in their tasks or be busy with raising their own Levels. The Captain of the Guards – a demi-Wolf – issued his instructions to them and left to build-up other Demi-Humans. The Guards got busy with Level-raising activities, like hand-to-hand combat and stamina training. Exactly what I’d expect in a military academy in my Original World. I don’t think they could even think of goofing off – when I don’t exert absolute control over a Zombie, I think I still give off a Power Of Suggestion and that should be enough for now. Besides, it’s our understanding that once a person settles down and kind of gets comfy in the current setup of being say a Nasty Goblin Level-1 or a Silly flying Fairy (I don’t think they have Levels), that person just doesn’t wake up one morning and the body dissolves in the rays of the raising Sun. Which is a bit annoying to me as a Necromancer, as I’d like to collect a few of those bodies for experiments, but being in the Forest before sunrise is not my idea of fun. Luckily I have 2 Pixie Friends – Terry and Peach – who seem to be IN LOVE and don’t mind spending a night in a secluded location. Besides having been turned into Zombies they don’t get tired and they see very well in the dark.

      My other Friend – Kate the Healer who have became a Necro-Healer after getting Zombified – and is known in this World as Nectar, have followed my orders gathering everyone capable of casting any kind of Healing magic and started training them. I think my Demi-Wolf was happy some of his potential cadets were taken. No matter how Evil, the Guards have a concept of Discipline built into their Character – Rabbit-Boys and Puppy-Girls – not so much. However even they ended up learning to crawl through the grass and telling the plants apart. I’ve even seen them learn some hand-to-hand combat training. A very, very cute version of it. My Assassins from both of my teams – humanoids and Drows – showed up to watch claiming it was their Stealth exercise. I asked if it also was their “Stifled Giggling” training and the Drow Captain Shade-1 lied looking me in the eye that the assignment was to avoid showing any emotions and that the Team had failed it and will have to repeat it tomorrow. I was going to tell her that I do sense her lies but instead suggested that if they like to play with the cuddly demi-Humans they are welcome to do individual combat instructions and let the Demi-Wolf rest. The Captain of the Guards apparently heard us well as he looked at us and eagerly nodded. Shade Team Leader was about to find a good excuse to Shadow-Jump off, but suddenly dropped her Stealth shocking the Fluffies and both Assassin Teams followed. For the next hour or so the terrifying Assassins were giving individual training to the weakest members of our Society who were the most diligent students.

      Former Bodyguard Paladin Level-10 gathered his students, a Level-5 Tree-Mage Girl led hers. I can’t find a good use for all specialties – no matter how good is a Cook or a Bard, we can’t let them enjoy their line of work because we, Zombies, don’t eat and we don’t have much time for the ballads yet, but the Cook was sent to the Alchemist Lab to do Measuring and Mixing and the Bard was requested by the Artifactors who needed him to fine-tune some apparatus by the sound it’s making. The two Humanoid kids – Twins Dar and Dara – who got into our World from the neighboring one where they were involved in Genetic Engineering of Monsters, demanded to be allowed to work in the Labs despite having no magical powers. We agreed – mixing their Brilliance with Magic Ingredients can produce unexpected results. Besides, research isn’t about adding magic but rather finding patterns and maybe some intuition, so I have high hopes for what these kids would do for us.

      Our Dragon-friend Victoria got introduced to everyone and promised not to eat the Campers but no, she won’t give rides. Petting is OK but some. She’s a busy Dragon and she has places to fly to. Out Pet Monster Phil got his share of scares and attention but soon enough even a giant caterpillar with a head of a lion gets accepted and even hugged. When it was turned into a Necro-Creature after attacking us, it was re-programmed as a large friendly dog so at this point it was basking in attention. The only other Teammate who is alive, is a Sprite named Fizz. He’s a Master of Air and has been very useful to us in that quality. He should be able to arrange his own Leveling Up and I have no idea how he does it. He told me he’ll survey our World and look after the Gatherers we’ve dispatched into the Forest for Ingredients.

      I know I have promised to get the commoners out of the Barracks and into cottages but luckily the Barracks are still standing and the Barrack Chiefs, who abused the residents, have been under the strictest of orders to behave and I think, with their new Necro-personalities, they would not try to go back to their old ways. Thorough oversight and genuine interest in details from the Higher-ups does wonders to the local managers.

      I need to map out the camp, I need to design those cottages, I need to learn if the Labs figured out something we could use for Building Materials – be it bricks or wooden logs. I need someone to calculate all forces and counter-forces but I have neither the necessary background in math nor the lab data on the materials which don’t even exist. I don’t have any properly-trained Architects in this World… Wait a second… We came across an Architect in the World that sent a Dragon at us. Surely it worked out great and we’ve “tamed” that Dragon and contacted their Officials and even taught one cocky high-ranking fool a lesson by “saving his life” and returning him home across the deadly Shimmering Veil. Nobody needs to know that he came back a Zombie – let’s not get too picky. They owe us a whole bunch of stuff – blankets, one-piece suits and whatever else. I’ll send my Necro-Drone to them again just to rattle their cages – figuratively speaking.

      Not now though. I have something I need to attend first. When I have captured the Soul of the previous Camp-Boss, I’ve learned that he was a Librarian who managed to manipulate everyone into making him the King. He ruled with an iron fist keeping the low-levels from advancing and encouraging the bullies to torture and terrify the rest. And they did. They’ve supported him because he allowed them to be “on top” and without him they are miserable nobodies. I hate people like that – they are worse than the hooligans themselves. At least the later often outgrow it whereas the manipulating psychopaths get their thrills from the countless lasting scars on numerous good people who just weren’t strong enough to resist them. I must read his soul to learn his secrets but I’m not really eager to do it. I must and I can’t put it off any longer. Let me get into the Mansion he had build for himself and sit where his body is still laying in “Stasis” I’ve cast and just… do it.

      He began as a typical nerd in school. Not comfortable around his age-mates, causing laughter and harassment from all of the boys and smirking from the girls. It’s so hard to understand why – he’s so Smart, he’s so Special. All of his answers are right, he even corrects the teachers. This makes the jeering even more painful. In all honesty it’s not “all” of the classmates – maybe 8 or 10 but the rest are actively ignoring his plight or even smiling at his small figure crawling on the floor getting kicks and spits while trying to pick up the books they’ve knocked out of his hands. Life of pain and shame. Life of self-pity. All the way till that fateful Bus Trip. Only 10 survive the trip and they are sitting there shocked. He takes the initiative – telling them to get the sticks and starting