Alexis beeps and covers my neck with metal scales.

"Sir, calm down. Necromancy is unstable by itself, but when added to the other emotions..." I nod and try to calm down, but it isn't working.

I can't calm down.

The thought in itself sends more panic through, the heads of the dead turn to look at me.

"It's okay... Lincoln. I'll take it from here." Stephen starts to step forwards and I stop him.

"No. No, I'll do it." I nod to Violet and release her hand, "Don't let Mr. Kennedy get close, if he does, we won't ever be seen again." She nods and moves her hands.

Blue orbs spark into life around her as she whispers under her breath.

I back up a little with Stephen's hand still in mine.

"And I'm your energy reserve?" He comments. When I nod he smiles, "Alright then."

My parents stand beside each other as the stone animals begin to advance.

"Alexis, Code 57." I mutter tensely, sinking into a low crouch as the dead advance on Mom.

I love you Mum, I'm sorry.

The statues' glowing ice eyes flicker for a second, signaling they're getting orders.

I narrow my eyes.

Take down the statues, then trap the female. Do NOT harm that female.

That's no fun, but fine.

If they weren't now connected to me I would've sighed in relief.

I lock my sights in on Mr. Kennedy. My next thought could be very... consequential.

Feel free to hurt the male. He deserves the worst you can throw at him.

The reek of dead bodies seems to triple as a ripple of excitement runs through them.

Stephen inhales sharply from behind me.

"Lincoln... That's not really... You shouldn't..." His voice is shaky. I turn to him, the smoke rising out of my eyes brushing against my temple.

"Don't worry, Raphael, they won't make it to him." I turn back to the battle and tap Alexis before aiming my hand at the closest statue, the fox. "Take him down, please."

She beeps and lunges off, becoming a large wolf as she lands.

It's up to me now to keep calm.

Don't kill anyone.

Pfft. You're too nice.

Shuddap. I wasn't talking to you.

The undead have swarmed the statues. It seems that Necromancy is so feared because if it's ability to run itself. The only magic I've used so far is the amount to get them back one their feet.

Everything else is them making their own power. Already one of the statues, the badger, is gone. The lion is coming next.

A bright blast that rockets last my ear makes me jump, I had forgotten Violet was behind me.

For a split second, I feel the zombies leashes loosen. And in that one second, I realized just why people go insane.

Voices.

What the hell is this?!!

Pain and fear bombards me.

The world goes black except for me, and the dead. They've circled me.

Ranting.

Pleading.

Begging.

Demanding.

Release us. You cannot keep us here. You are weak!

I stumble back.

"Waht. Hell no!" I sound a lot braver than I feel, but it has the opposite effect on them. They take steps forwards.

We will devour you. There will be nothing left.

I'm shivering.

They can kill me. I watched them almost take down my MOTHER, since when did I stand a chance?

I find myself unresponsive.

So what if they kill me? Not like I'll be missed. I got my friends trapped in our wine cellar!

That's it. Give in...

My mind is screaming for me to move, my muscles tense for takeoff. The disfigured faces staring back at me...

We won't let you leave. You will be one of us.

A few of them are close enough to reach out now, fingertips brushing my skin.

That one touch jerks me back.

It feels as if I can breath again and I grit my teeth and straighten my spine, staring at them defiantly.

"Go back to work, then you may become demons. Until then," I lean forwards and grab the one who I sense is the one in my head, "You're my tools."

The black around me shatters.

I feel as if I'm falling.

No, not falling. More like... floating.

There is a pressure on my hand, growing stronger as I float downwards.

"-oln!" Stephen's voice resonates around.

Stephen?

I watch as glass shards appear out of nowhere and circle a point in front of me. They're all different shapes, different sizes, and seem to have a color scheme going on. Then they form a rough outline of someone very familiar.

"Lincoln! Lincoln focus!" Stephen looks at me and then looks around, nodding. "You need to get back to the real world. We can't keep this up for much longer." And then he shatters, vanishing into the blackness from whence he came.

Get back... to the real world?

Before I can fully comprehend what's going on, I'm suddenly surrounded by noise. Concrete meeting metal, bones snapping, and much shouting.

The fight is continuing in my parent's favor. We need to get out of here.

Mother is weakened, but still strong. Her wolves would be after us before we got too far, then it's all over.

Thoughts come and go as I search for a plan to help.

"Sir, I'm sorry, I have to rest." Alexis is cooking around my neck, not a scratch on her titanium skin, "Or I won't have enough energy to carry out Code 57." I nod and feel Stephen's magic suddenly stop.

He's empty.

From what I could tell, Violet isn't far behind.

"Lincoln, give it up! Honey, please, just stop!" My mother's pleas make me want to. I've never heard this strong woman desperate until now.

And to think, I'm the reason she's like this.

But it's the look in my father's eyes that floors me. He looks annoyed, more like this is a nuisance to him than anything else.

It's time to leave.

I reach back and offer my hand to Violet.

I can't do this alone.

She pauses from shooting, staring at me like I'm crazy, before trusting me enough to take my hand.

The corpses can become bombs, that's what that one guy did in the mall.

You said-

I know what I said. And now, I'm taking it back.

The last thing I was expecting to hear from them was laughter. It catches me off guard as I gather my remaining energy.

You truly are a Necromancer, Lincoln Kennedy.

A tingling sensation spreads through my from Violet as she offers her own magic, pink sparks trailing from our touch.

And then we're gone.