chalk

[alicornucopia]

In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.

In unison, they complete their shared spell.

~~~

with Adarin (Aestrix)

with Ekador (kappa)

with Brilliance (kappa)

with the admin (kappa)

with Teah (kappa)

with Katran (lambda)

with Hall (kappa)

with Joy (kappa)

with Kalinda (Christy Hotwater)

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"No, it can do specified people - so - Korulen if we -"

"Absolutely not, that's insane," says Korulen.

"Do a lie detection on her!"

"Even if she's not lying she could be out of her mind!"

[ending_of]

"I am neither," says the administrator.

[alicornucopia]

"People who are out of their minds don't necessarily know that. I'm not going to murder my roommate just because -"

"Why are you assuming I'd be the one to get dead?"

"Because I could try summoning you back and then fail because you would be dead."

[ending_of]

"My assertions are easily verified," she points out. "You need only summon someone who is already dead."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh wow she's right you can totally test it just get my grandpa or something!"

Korulen - thinks about that, and produces no objections.

"Okay... I'll go to the library and I'll get a book with a spell I can do myself - I will try to summon Saasnil's grandfather back from the dead - and if that works - then - that would be very strange so I'm not going to make any promises, but."

[ending_of]

The administrator settles back in her chair again.

[alicornucopia]

Korulen goes, presumably to the library.

"My grandpa will be okay when he's back, right? Not an undead monster or anything?" she asks the admin.

[ending_of]

"The dead of my domain are in most respects similar to their living selves, except that they cannot reproduce, are inhospitable to bacteria or parasites, and under circumstances whe they would otherwise die again, they are instead restored to a state of optimal health."

[alicornucopia]

"...So is he going to restore-to-optimal-health of old age every five minutes? That sounds kind of terrible actually."

[ending_of]

"You have an interestingly pessimistic definition of optimal health."

[alicornucopia]

"He was really old. Humans die when they're about that old no matter how healthy they were before."

[ending_of]

"Optimal health implies not being close to dying of any infirmity, old age included."

[alicornucopia]

"Does that mean he'll be young again?"

[ending_of]

"He will be healthy. Over repeated restorations the visible effects of age also diminish."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh, huh. That's cool."

[ending_of]

"I am proud of the design."

[alicornucopia]

"Why can't they reproduce?"

[ending_of]

"It would be untidy."

[alicornucopia]

"What's that supposed to mean?"

[ending_of]

"I would find it untidy if the dead of my domain could create further life in it. It would be an unnecessary complication."

[alicornucopia]

"But my grandpa isn't going to be in your domain."

[ending_of]

"He will still retain the properties he acquired on arriving."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh."

Korulen is back from the library. She plops the book on the floor, gets the summoning chalk out of her desk drawer, and starts chalking out the diagram to summon Saasnil's grandfather, or try.

[ending_of]

The administrator observes this activity without comment.

[alicornucopia]

It takes a while. Both girls are quiet while it's going on.

Korulen double-checks the diagram, and then gestures at Saasnil, who puts her hand in the focus loop.

Korulen re-reads the incantation and channeling amount from her book, and casts.

In the main circle appears an unconscious brown man who resembles Saasnil.

He falls onto the ward and wakes up abruptly. "Wha."