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

“Thank you for the service.”

Of course, every service called for a payment though I did not think I did anything worth paying for. “You know, I didn’t do any necromancy service for you so you don’t have to pay me anything at all,” I told, still weighing whether to take the coins or not.

“I did seek your assistance. Beside, your master would ask the reason why you return empty handed,” the trooper reasoned. Master Raul would do no such thing because he already knew the trooper came for my demon-spirit sensing ability else he would have asked me to bring along necromancy tools and the price for the service should have been discussed beforehand.

“Then, I’ll take this as a sign of goodwill,” I said before I bid them farewell.

Back at Master Raul’s place, I just reported that my task was a success and gave him the two gold coin pieces payment to his surprised. Then, I went back to my training. After that, I was called a few times to assist Mecor and Estrey Regional Trooper which somewhat changed my view on the bond between demon-bearer and their demon-spirits – from the cooperation of Kash and Kyle with their demon-spirits. And I wondered why a demon-spirits would want to bond with a master when they could roam free without being disturbed. I asked that to the closest demon-spirit I knew.

“Mana is our source of living. Although we didn’t need a lot of it, it still essential for survival. That’s why we need to find places with magic residue. Those with master can take mana from their master,” the matriarch butterfly explained when I asked her about it. Indeed, even demon-spirit had different gender.

I hoped the swarm of demon-spirits here did not take the strength of the barrier of the premise when they feed. Although I did not think these butterflies knew they were feeding on working magic rather than a magical residue. I had to do something before matter became worst. “How about you bond with me and you don’t have to worry about magic residue stuff,” I offered.

“If I bond with you, my children and I would be feeding on your mana.”

“No worry. It’s not like I need my magic power every time. Besides, I have a huge reserve under my seal. So what do I need to do?”

“Hold out your right hand and accept me as your guardian.”

The procedure was simple enough although nobody told me about the bonding signature between the demon-bearer and the demon-spirit. I was gasping for breath for a few moments from the burning sensation at the back of my neck while the demon-spirit who introduced herself as Iris told me now I could command her and her children to do any bidding. Well, there was nothing for them to do for me now so I let them stay as they were at the room.

Nevertheless, my life did not differ that much since I acquired a demon-spirit. Even when I brought two of Iris’ brood with me when Mecor and the trooper asked for assistance, they were nothing more than watchers, though Kash told me that the demon-spirits I had could poison adversary with their poisonous dust. One day, Kash came to tell me they were going to attack the heart of the crisis once and for all and offered me to go with them. I refused kindly because I wanted to concentrate on my training. After that, I did not hear anything about them until the end of the campaign a few months later.
Chapter 4: Land of the Magus

I had no idea how long a mage let need to train before being called full-fledged. I had read all of Master Raul’s notes on necromancy and perfected my necromancy techniques under his tutelage, and a week after I celebrated my sixteenth birthday, Master Raul announced that he had nothing more to teach me and deemed me graduated from the level of apprentice. That night, we had a fine dinner to celebrate my graduation.

Afterwards, Master Raul gave me a few presents; a parchment stating I already finished my apprenticeship and I am now a full-fledged necromancer, a six-foot black oaken staff shod with iron in its base and end points, a black robe, and a small chest containing small jars and pots of necromancy potions and materials. He also gave me my share of profit throughout the years I became his assistant in his work in the form of two pouches of gold coins, the size of a man’s fist each. We reminiscences on my days as apprentice before he asked me what I wanted to do in the future.

“First, I want to go to the Land of the Magus,” I told.

“Soparto?”

Soparto Kingdom was known as the Land of the Magus because it was where magic was first introduced and acknowledged. The kingdom also ruled by long line of rulers who practiced magic. In my opinion, any mages born outside Soparto should visit the land once in their lifetime.

“Yes, I’ll pick up my pace from there.”

“So when are you heading for Soparto?”

“The sooner I realize my dream, the sooner I can get on with my life.”

“Well, I know you never leave Estrey Region, much less Bedin so I suggest you follow anyone bound for Kyrun, the port city of the region, and from there, board a ship to Islandville, the Capital City of Soparto Kingdom…Maybe I should go with you…,” Master Raul offered.

“No, that’s okay. You have the necromancy business to mind and I need to learn to survive on my own, and what better time than this?”

“If that’s what you want…If you change your mind, you know where to find me,” Master Raul said and that end our conversation.

The next morning, after having breakfast with Master Raul, I bid him farewell and walked out of the place which I called home for nearly half a decade. Master Raul told me to find people bound for Kyrun and the best place to search for these people were likely the tavern and eating houses. Of course, I knew success would not come that easily and I had been going to a lot of places – avoiding the Drunkard Grail – with no avail. I purposely did not don my necromancer robe but I guessed being young and inexperienced with travelling lore made my request being turned down even though I found a few group of people heading for Kyrun after that.

I never though to meet an old acquaintance, especially Kash; the moment I entered the dining house, a familiar presence struck me so I scanned the whole place and noticed Kash sitting at the bar counter. His demon-spirit informed him of me for the young man whirl around his seat to face me as I walked towards him.

“Hey, Ed, long time no see,” Kash greeted as I took the empty seat beside him and place my stuff by my feet – well, I need to carry all my stuff around now that I did not lived with Master Raul.

“Hello,” I greeted back before I turned to the bartender to order my meal. “I heard the campaign against the troublemaker in Medie a success so everything gone back to normal then?”

“Pretty much though there are some wanted fugitives on the loose but I don’t think they’ll make a move whatsoever to repeat the crisis. Mm…, Ed, don’t you feel bother by them?”

“Bother by what?”

“Well, you’ve mentioned that the two you have with you that time just part of the horde, I didn’t expect this much. You know you could have leaved them at your master’s place,” Kash said and it was then I realized he was talking about my demon-spirits. Normal people would not notice the butterflies but a demon-bearer could see a swarm of them clinging on my heads, clothes as well as my stuff – I got used to them so I was not actually bother by the huge mass.

“It’s not bothersome. Besides, I’m going to Soparto so I can’t leave anyone behind.”

“You’re doing errand for your master?”

“Nope, I’ve just graduated from my apprenticeship and I’m thinking of visiting Soparto first before I move on. Master Raul advice to tag along with people bound for Kyrun since I don’t have travelling experience and I’ve been doing search for one since this morning with no success. I’m going to continue again after lunch.”

“If he’s so concern about travelling experience, shouldn’t he be the one to train you in that?”

“Ah, Master Raul did offer but I decide that I’m going to learn things by myself.”

“I see. Then, would you mind if I show you the finer points of travelling?”

“Really? Thank you!”

After I had finished my meal, Kash took me to scoop around for travelling kit. At the same time, he taught me what to bring for different travelling situation and different length of travelling as well as travelling during different weather condition. The fastest mode of travelling would be upon horse back but I probably would not be able to afford a horse, least of all to ride or rented one. When I had finished by a few essential travelling kits – must mind the amount of money I had – it was already sundown so Kash took me to where he was lodging for the night and he continued to teach me the lore of travelling all throughout the night. The next day, after we had our breakfast, we began our journey for Kyrun.

It took a few days to travel from Bedin to Kyrun and I had the chance to experienced sleeping out including one under a bad weather – I felt sorry for Iris and her brood for this and I make them a makeshift tent to shelter them from the rain the whole night. Kash told me that frequent travelers usually wait for good weather before they set on the road but it was also a good idea to experience bad weather once in a while so that one could knew what to do and what to expect in such condition. Besides, weather condition could change in a span of a day while travelling so it was always hard to expect a good weather for travelling.

Well, it was not just the weather we had to worry about; there was also the problem of bandits and wild animals. That was the main reason for the need of travelling escort fighters or at least knowledge in fighting. I kept this information