The Body of Wilhelm Karsett

Dr. Greskin had seen many strange things in his long tenured years, but resurrection at the hands of a mad man was something entirely new, and terrifying. As he studied the dilated pupils of the awakened body before him, he felt relieved Clay had insisted a member of the Black Sleeves be present during the examination.

Ardan was standing behind the doctor, hand already gripping a large knife. After what he had seen in those sewers there was no doubt in his mind that he would not hesitate to put an end to this miracle by driving his blade into the body of Wilhelm Karsett.

“Can you hear me?” whispered Greskin through those tired lips. “You’ve been through quite a lot Wilhelm. Do you remember who you are? Wilhelm?”

The mouth of the dead captain silently opened and closed, those lifeless eyes staring up at the cold, sterile examination room walls.

Greskin pushed his stool back a bit and turned to a series of medical instruments sitting upon a silver tray. Reaching over them, he flipped on a recorder. It made a dull hum as the needle began to carve into the spinning cylinder.

“Subject appears to be conscious, but so far unresponsive. I’m about to attempt a few tests to illicit a response.”

Light flickered from blade of the scalpel. For the first time in a long time, the doctor witnessed his own hand trembling uncontrollably. He turned to look up at the sentinel above him. Greskin nodded to the soldier, who responded with confidence in kind.

With a deep breath, Greskin pulled his mask over his face before placing his gloved hands upon the body and slowly began to make an incision across the bare chest. His eyes burst opened wide at what he revealed.

The doctor reeled back in shock as a cold hand lunged for his throat.

                “Kill it! Kill it now!”

Greskin tumbled to the floor as Adran’s broad arm collided with his chest and tossed him aside. By the time Greskin had turned to look up, a knife handle was protruding from the chest of the body, and Ardan was releasing a second one, which he had driven up through the dead captain’s jaw.

Ardan stepped back as black sludge oozed from the wounds, and from the sides of the gasping mouth that flexed for a few seconds before the body slumped back to the table lifeless once more.

Greskin struggled to his feet, grasping the table for support. He turned to Ardan to let him know he was all right before slipping his fingers into the cut flesh and pulling it apart to reveal the lifeless body of the vile creature hidden inside, waiting for the time to strike. It had been a trap all along.

“Damn you Thyous.”