Edmonte's Story by Kazen II Kad (book recommendations for young adults TXT) 📖

here and the library was the shelves were lined with jars, pots and chests of varying sizes instead of books. I went to see what Master Raul kept inside those jars and saw eyeballs, ears and other human as well as animals organs. The sight of them sent gasp through my lips.

“Easy there,” the master necromancer said as he held on to my shoulder, as if preventing me from bolting away. “Those animals’ parts I’ve gotten from dead corpses lying around the town. While the human body parts I got from unclaimed body of the dead in the morgue house. I used them for most of the necromancy spell. That is to say, practicing necromancy means we often have to go beyond the normal means to accomplish something. Do you understand?”

I did not answer immediately. I did not know what to say actually. Then I realized something strange since Master Raul started explaining the matter of necromancy. “Do you want me to reconsider this apprenticeship in necromancy?”

It seemed I was correct in my suspicion. “Necromancy is very hard to practice, either in its philosophy or its techniques. It can be unethical and immoral on certain aspect of life so I really want you to think about your decision to study necromancy. I can introduce you to some mage friends if you rather practice other magic.”

Master Raul had not understood my determination and now would be the right time to clear the misunderstanding so the same thing would not happen again in the future. “Master Raul, I’ve told you just yesterday that I read about necromancy in the library and judging from how little I could find, it tells me it’s not something any mage would practice or that there are taboos undisclosed to the general public. So when I agree to be your apprentice, I already prepare myself of the consequences. Well, are you going to teach me necromancy or not?”

At first, Master Raul just looked at me without saying anything. Then he burst into laughter. “Well, my eager pupil let me tell you the rules and fundamentals of necromancy for a start…”

For the first month or two, Master Raul only taught me the theoretical aspects of necromancy because it was important that I understood them before I did my application, in term of practical and spell casting. For that I had the option of reading through Master Raul’s necromancy books and scroll, or copy them in my own magic reference book. I chose the second option because I was not confident to take his book home and I learnt better and faster if I wrote what I need to learn. Although I never thought my magic book would become the very thing that exposed my secret to my family.

By then, nearly two years had passed by and I had graduated from mere theoretical necromancy to doing some simple necromancy spells and techniques. Even simple incantation should be done correctly since necromancy spell return to the caster if there was a slightest mistake in the process, thus in between chores, I would open up my magic book and revised my notes. I was so engrossed in my reading that I did not hear my father’s calling until he came and grabbed the book from my hand. Seeing the book in his hand, I predicted doom.

“What is this?” my father asked, waving the book in the air. There was unmistakable anger behind those words.

“It’s my magic book,” I answered honestly.

“…Magic book? Why would you have a magic book with you?”

“Well, because I learning to control my magic ability.”

That does it. For the next three hours, I got an ear-splitting lecture emphasizing the Cierre Family constitution concerning magic training. It was a good thing I did not specify which magic branch I was training on or I would get more than just a recollection of the family constitution. The worst case that came out of the lecture was to have my magic book thrown into the fire. My father said he would pardon me and excuse me from any punishment if I vowed never to pursue any magical training ever. However, I refused to heed the words – I had spent a lot of time and effort on my magical training and my determination to master necromancy left no room for a change of heart. For my insolence, my father gave me the ultimatum; disowned from the Cierre.

“If you refuse to follow the Cierre Family Constitution, than consider yourself a Cierre no more. I won’t acknowledge you as my son and a member of this family. Now get out!!”

My father did not have to repeat his words for I was already on my way towards the door, ignoring my mother, my sisters and the customers who witnessed the whole scene. I did not take anything with me except the clothes on my back and the few change in my pocket. I had just one destination in mind as I briskly walk through the street.

Master Raul was surprised when he saw me outside his place that evening. He invited me in and as soon as I got myself a seat, I told him everything leading to my presence here at his place. “So, can I stay here for a while until I found my own place?”

“Of course, you can. In fact, this is what it should be the moment I claim you my apprentice. I see you didn’t bring anything with you?”

“There was no time to get my stuff and my father threw my magic book into the fire. Can I copy your book again?”

“Sure. We’ll talk about this matter tomorrow. I’m just making dinner and I’m sure you’re hungry.”

I nodded in reply and helped myself with the simple meal.
Chapter 3: The Second Calling

Since I took shelter at Master Raul’s place, my lifestyle changes drastically; I used to wake up early to help with the kitchen work – that was my usual chores at the tavern that run twenty-four-hour daily, now I woke up to help Master Raul prepared breakfast before I took over the task as I grew accustomed with my new lifestyle. After breakfast, it was training all the way to the night with lunch and dinner break in between. My understanding and practice on necromancy also improved many times over and even Master Raul was impressed with my progress. Thus, he let me assist when people came seeking his service.

In truth, I had a personal opinion having people coming to seek service of something they considered taboo, like curses and stuff, but I never voiced it out either to Master Raul or other people because this was the only way a full-fledged necromancer supported himself. In exchange for a certain amount of gold coins, a necromancer would do whatever a client requested in the field of necromancy – from investigating spirit phenomenon to inflicting curses to hated adversary. As Master Raul liked to say, ‘Someone needs to do the dirty job’

. Anyway, it was not my place to critique something I would be doing once I graduated and for now I concentrated on my training, and assist Master Raul in any way that I could, just liked when the time when a pair of trooper from Estrey Regional Trooper came calling.

I was reviewing on a spell when the bell by the main door jingled. It meant that someone or something had entered the barrier – either a client or an intruder. Setting aside the magic book I was holding, I went out of the door and up the basement stair to meet with a pair of trooper halfway. I recognized one of them as Master Raul’s acquaintances.

“Morning, Ed. Raul’s around?” Ashley Luciel, a Lieutenant of Estrey Regional Trooper, greeted.

“Morning, Lieutenant Luciel. Yes, master is around. Come on down,” I invited as I led them both to the underground dwelling. Lieutenant Luciel seemed at ease but his partner was otherwise; nervous at entering a necromancer’s lair. Well, it was nothing new to me.

As soon as we entered the basement, I invited both men to sit on the few chairs we had around and then I served them tea regardless they drink it or not. Then, I went to the study room to inform Master Raul about his guests. I let Master Raul took over the task of entertaining the troopers as I went back to my reading, although that was short lived when Master Raul informed me that we would be going to the trooper headquarter for a while.

On the way to our destination, Master Raul briefed me on what I missed; the trooper had captured an agent of a syndicate group which had caused trouble in Estrey and so far, they could not get any information from the person so they enlisted Master Raul’s assistant in forcing any information out of the prisoner’s mouth using necromancy means. Well, we did have something like that and it was what the trooper usually asked for when they came seeking for necromancy service from Master Raul.

Once we reached the headquarters, Lieutenant Luciel continued to lead us through the place and down to the catacombs where they housed the prisons and interrogation rooms. We passed through a few hallways until we reached a room guarded by a pair of trooper and a warding talisman plastered on the door. As the door was opened to let us in, I sensed presences of spirit unfamiliar to me. I turned to Master Raul for this but it was as if he did not notice the presences as he entered the room.

There were seven people in the room with one of them behind the small cell at the opposite wall section. Master Raul was taken to be introduced to the other while I just stood aside to scan the whole room with both my eyes and my magical senses. I pin-pointed the unfamiliar spirit presences in two places – the mercenary who was currently talking with Master Raul, and the man behind the cell. Ignoring the mercenary, I turned my attention to the prisoner.

From my study of spirit in necromancy, spirit did not entangle together under normal circumstances because there was the individuality trait existed in every living and dead spirit which prevent a total fusion between different spirit. However, the way I sensed it, that unfamiliar spirit was enclosing the man’s spirit so I used necromancy to confirm it.

“What’s the matter, Ed?” Master Raul called out.

“Master Raul, there is another spirit