Edmonte's Story - Kazen II Kad (reading eggs books .TXT) 📗

was wearing a black robe. “What business do you have here, Necromancer?” he asked, with a tone of suspicious behind those words.

His change of manner after realizing that I was a necromancer somehow gave me an insight of how my life could be if I stay in the institute. The arch mage might not mind my presence but who knows what other thought of me, and obviously this man had a dislike of necromancer. At that point, I came to a conclusion regarding the matter of Magus Association – I would never succeed being a tutor here.

“None with you, that’s for sure. I just want to check how’s Magus Association is all about before I take up Arch mage Hirscher’s offer of being a tutor here, but I see my presence is not welcome so will you be kind enough to give this back to the arch mage?” I asked as I produced the letter of appointment and gave it to the knight.

“Where did you get this?”

Obviously, he would not believed it even when I told him that the arch mage gave it to me himself but I did not want to start a useless debate here and caused myself a headache so I reminded the mage knight to hand over the document to the arch mage before I walked away from there. I might have not realized it but I subconsciously expect the tolerance of those in the Soparto towards necromancer to be a bit different. After all, this was the Land of the Magus. Yet, the stigma was still the same. Somehow, I longed for Estrey now. In fact, the moment I reached the inn, I checked out and booked passage back to Kyrun.
Chapter 5: Journey On

After that incident at the Magus Association Institute, I vowed never to accept any offer from the arch mage again in term of being a tutor there, least of all, stepping on Islandville ever again. Of course, I was not so crushed that I would seek recluse. In fact, I began selling out necromancy service; much liked what Master Raul did for living. The pace was rather slow at first but the momentum pick up after a few week or so. Moreover, I did not just stay at Kyrun; for the next few months after that, I travelled up and down Estrey Region selling my service. I guessed that was why it took time for the agent of Magus Association to find me. By then, a year and a half had passed since my graduation.

I was in Joarna investigating a case of a person being possessed by a dead animal. Cleansing or exorcising a person should be the work of a cleric but the family of the possessed did not have the time and money to call for one. All that I could do was transfer the spirit from the person to a straw doll and bind the spirit there until I found a cleric to banish the spirit. The family gave me a piece of bun as payment – the payment I ask would vary depending on the wealth status of the client. It was then one of the butterflies that I placed at the inn I was staying informed me of people looking for me. Bidding the farmer and his family farewell, I made my way to the inn.

The innkeeper told me I had visitors waiting at the dinning room so I went straight to the designated place to see a mage knight and a pair of boys, although one of them was just a spirit.

“Master Edmonte, my name is Bartholomew and I am a Mage Knight currently attach to the Magus Association,” the young mage knight, who was clad in a light armor, introduced himself when he saw me entering. “This is Gabriel…”

“I don’t do exorcism,” I told outright.

“What? Ah, you’ve notice Theodore.”

“Theodore?”

“He’s Gabriel twin.”

“So, what does the association wants me to do with the boys? You can’t possibly want me to teach them necromancy, do you?”

“Precisely.”

“I’m sure the association has other residence necromancer to tutor them. Or is there any special case I need to be aware of?”

“First of all, Arch mage Hirscher wants to apologize for bringing this matter to you even though you’re not part of Magus Association but he hopes that you won’t turn down the offer since the residence necromancer and other mages in residence don’t wants to take chance to train them anything in the lore of magic. Will you take them?”

I had no problem taking Gabriel and train him the lore of necromancy, though I had no idea what to do with Theodore. Of course, I also suspected that they would be inseparable and if I want to take one, I also need to take the other. “Sure I can take them and train them the lore of necromancy but they also have to decide for themselves whether they want to be taught by me or not.” I turned towards the boys. “My master taught me that any full-fledged mages have the obligation to train potential mages in the lore of magic but I am a necromancer who travel places to sell my skill so if you guys don’t mind travelling different places with me, I will be glad to share my necromancy knowledge with you two. How about it? Do you want to be my apprentices?”

The boys did not answer immediately. The two of them were lost in their own private discussion. I did not blame them for taking time to decide. If I were to be rejected so many times, I would be wary of an offer too. After ten minutes or so, Gabriel spoke up, “Okay.”

“Then I’ll leave them in your care, Master Edmonte,” the mage knight bowed towards me before excusing himself from there.

“Well, let’s go up to my room and I’ll tell you a bit about necromancy,” I told them as I stood up and lead the way to my room.

Telling them about necromancy reminded me of my days with Master Raul. I showed them the kind of materials to be used in a necromancy spell and even showed a simple necromancer technique. If they were impressed or bored by the demonstration, they did not show it – their faces were expressionless the whole time. After dinner, I let the boys had an early shutter while I thought of the lesson plan before I took the bed myself.

“Master, the spirit boy is standing by your bedside,” Iris jerked me awake.

“What’s the matter, Theo? You can’t sleep?” I asked when I opened my eyes to see the ghostly boy. I wondered if he could speak by himself since the whole time since I met them, it was Gabriel, or Gaby, who took the helm in talking. At this time, Gaby was deeply asleep from the sound of his breathing.

“Why do you agree to take us in? You don’t have the obligation to follow that arch mage’s words. You didn’t even belong to the Magus Association,” Theo retorted.

“I’m not following’s anyone’s order. It’s what I’ve decided myself. Besides, you yourself choose to become your brother’s power so can we stop this conversation, yes?”

“…So, you knew?”

“I didn’t notice at first but I’m very sensitive in term of spirit, either of the dead or the living, or those of mage and not. Thus, I could distinguish that you have more potential but since you’re just a spirit, you can’t do much so you share that power with your brother. Correct?”

“You knew and you still…”

“Theo, I’m taking you two in as my apprentices. I’m going to train you two in the lore of necromancy for the next few years and we can discuss this matter again after you two graduate. For now, get some sleep. Okay?”

Theo did not sound convinced yet he agreed to end the conversation and went to where Gaby was. In truth, I had no concrete answer to his question except I remembered Master Raul’s words about a full-fledged mage’s obligation to potential mages. Well, I had years to think of the answer and for now sleep beckoned.

Chapter 6: After Power Comes Responsibility

When I came to a decision, it was unlikely that I changed it, and I would not take back my decision of refusing the offer to join Magus Association, to be a tutor there in the lore of necromancy – my reason behind the refusal, at first was because of the treatment I received when I went to the Magus Association Institute, though now the reason was because I enjoyed going to places peddling my skill in necromancy. Yet, it seemed that the arch mage of Soparto Kingdom, who was the founder and Chancellor of Magus Association was more stubborn than I could imagine – he still sent me letter of offer for the position. I remembered it was six months after I got Gaby and Theo as my apprentices. We were in Biryn Town then when a knight mage found me.

“Do you put a tracking device on me?” I wondered aloud when a familiar knight mage approached the table where we sat for lunch. It was the same knight that sent Gaby and Theo to me, and I believed his name was Sir Bartholomew. I could see the corner of the knight mage’s mouth twitched when I threw the question on him.

“It’s just my inherent ability to track people I’ve met with,” Sir Barth answered. I did not believe him, though I did not press him further.

“So, what brings you here?”

“I come to deliver this,” Sir Barth said as he handed me a leather-bound parchment.

I took the leather-bound parchment, uncoiled the string, unrolled the parchment and read the content. I did not have to read twice to