Heather the Necromancer

Book 4: Chapter 2: A fun little surprise.

Book 4: Chapter 2: A fun little surprise.

Heather tore through the pages of the book, looking for anything talking about Abbadon, or it's queen. She also skimmed every page, trying to locate information about Hathlisora or portals to other worlds. Breanne and Frank encouraged her to rest, but she was determined to know more, and the book was her only resource.

The going was hard; she translated the keywords into the code and searched for them on every page. Near the back of the book, she received her reward when Hathlisora's name jumped out. The page was translated as fast as she could, many of the words now familiar. In the end, it was a brief note on Hathlisora and her wondrous items. A crown of green luck, a cloak of leathery wings, a vestment of protection, and the right arm of fire. These items were apparently all rewards to her for something she did to further the necromancer's research. This research allowed them to push the boundaries of the world and explore the outer planes, looking for what they only referred to as the key.

There was a small chapter on portals, but these were manually created links between two places the creator could reach. Whatever this Hathlisora was doing, it was on a whole different level, reaching out across the barriers to another world. The place where the crown was hidden proved she was successful, but Heather found nothing more about it. What she did find were references to other necromancers, wizards, theurgists, and a group called the planar. Apparently, all of them had penned books of their own that were instrumental in the advances the necromancers made. If she wanted to know more, she would have to study the book she had, while gathering copies of the others.

The most pressing issue now was Umtha, who became angry that Heather removed the crown. She accused Heather of turning her backs on the goblins, who kept the temple and the crown safe for her return. Umtha was a frustrating woman to talk to, and Heather found her patience running thin. Frank had to explain that since Umtha was an NPC, she had to be asked direct questions. She wouldn't think to divulge information freely as a normal person would. This became a maddening game of trying to guess what needed to asking and then wording the question to get the right answer. Sometimes Umtha did say things that were not pried from her lips, but more often than not, her conversations ran in circles. She also now refused to call her Heather, always insisting her name was Hathlisora. Any effort to get Umtha to explain who Hathlisora was always resulted in the goblin saying you are.

To make matters worse, the goblin queen and her army of goblins moved across the river and were now building a new village insight of the tower. Slain goblins were respawning in the old village and moving as if by instinct to the new one. Already a dozen more had arrived and swelled their numbers to nearly fifty.

Frank wasn't happy about any of this and fell back on his old beliefs of running to start over. Heather was tired of the argument and tired of being the cause of it. She couldn't bear the thought of any of them giving up their homes just because she was here. If anything, she should leave so they could go on in peace, but even that wasn't likely to happen. People knew the others were associated with her now, and would treat them no better. If they suspected her friends knew where she had gone, they would do whatever it took to get that information.

She read over a few more pages of the book as they discussed the overlap between the spheres of reality. This was information provided by Hathlisora herself, and the key to what the necromancers were doing. None of it made sense because she lacked the foundation of what the point was, to begin with. It was like a caveman finding a car in the middle of the wilderness. Even if he could read the owner's manual, he had no idea why a car would be needed.

At least she knew that this was important and thus would store it away until the context became clearer.

A knock at the door disturbed Webster from where he sat on the table beside her. She turned to regard the door and let out a loud sigh.

You can pass through walls, why are you knocking on the door?

Breanne opened the door and stepped in, her sharp elven features looking unusually concerned as she stared at Heather across the dim room, lit by one small window and a dozen candles.

The goblins have brought you a bucket of acorns like you requested, Breanne said.

Good, Heather said as she closed the book.

If you dont mind my asking, what do you need them for?

A little spell I am going to use, Heather replied. My skeletons are too weak and easily shattered in a fight.

So, you're going to fill them with acorns?

Not exactly, Heather said with a smile. Come on; I will show you. They went outside the tower with Webster in tow, and Heather collected the bucket of acorns from the steps. She took it to the side yard where her skeletons milled about and called a few of them over.

Carefully she took a small bag that was common to new players and filled it with dirt. She then planted a single acorn inside and then tied the back inside the rib cage of a skeleton. She stood back and began to sing a spell to the bag, causing a vine-like growth to appear. The vines twined around the skeleton's bones with lone thorny tendrils until it resembled a walking plant man with a skeleton face and bones showing through. Two long whip-like arms that ended in clusters of needles protruded from the back hovering over its head.

What have you done? Breanne asked.

I summoned a plant-based pet inside the skeleton, Heather said. The plants can't move, but they have the long arms to batter people, and the needles drip a weakness poison. Now when the skeletons attack, the plants will go with them, and the plant's tendrils should give the skeletons more protection.

You thought of this on your own? Breanne asked.

Heather nodded. I want to do a few with thorn whip plants inside them because they can hurl their needles.

Mixing nature magic with necromancy, Breanne said with a shake of her head. I cant believe I have never heard of this before.

I would love to know some of your shadow magic, Heather said as she worked on another skeleton.

You would have to change classes, Breanne said. And thats exactly what were trying to avoid.

I don't know, Heather said. There are sections in the book that talk about how magic shares common roots and can be manipulated. It hints at the possibility of casting spells outside your focus, but it requires more effort.

We already knew some of that, Breanne said. You just can't cast from the school that opposes you.

Right, Heather said with a smile. As a necromancer, I can't cast holy spells, but I am also a flower singer, and nature spells sit right next to holy on the spectrum.

Breanne smiled and looked back to the skeletons as Heather enchanted another. She was growing into her role and accepting what she was. Soon she would be a power in her own right.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

I want to go visit these black goblins as soon as possible, Heather said after making a second vine skeleton. Maybe they can tell me more about Hathlisora or this dragon I supposedly have.

We can leave whenever you want, Breanne replied. But, I am more interested in what you're going to do with the crown.

Heather thought about the crown that now sat locked in a chest in her study. She had to do something with it, but what she wasn't sure. It was clearly important to what was going on, and deep down, she knew it had to stay. Umtha would certainly agree with that, but the voice she heard when wearing it coupled with the missing time, made her uncomfortable. More alarming was when Breanne told her what the voice said while trying to take it off. That whoever that voice was couldn't help her unless she was wearing it. Help her do what?

Heather sighed and put a hand to her head. She had a life that she worked hard to build, now she was in some crazy game world entangled in layers of mysteries. Just once she would like something to be simple to understand.

We keep the crown for now, Heather said. The book said it was part of a collection of items Hathlisora used. I want to see if we can learn more about the items and maybe even find them.

And do what with them? Breanne asked.

Heather shrugged. Maybe nothing, maybe learn more about Hathlisora and her involvement with the necromancers. All I know is there is too much going on we don't understand, and I am tired of being in the dark. She called up another skeleton and filled a bag with dirt and planted an acorn. Once again, she sang her spell and turned the skeleton into a mobile plant weapon.

How many of these are you going to make? Breanne asked.

Its trying to speak to us, Breanne said as she looked closer.

Where is Heather? Frank asked.

Shes in her study pouring over that book again, Breanne replied. You should see what she did with some of her skeletons.

When was the last time you saw her?

Breanne thought back and replied. About an hour ago, I guess.

It's me! I'm Heather! she cried, and with luck managed to say 'Me and Heather.

Frank and Breanne glanced at one another before Frank leaned over to look at Heather more closely.

Youre Heather? he asked.

She bobbed her whole body up and down like Webster did, tears nearly coming to her eyes. Frank looked back to Breanne, who was rubbing her chin as she looked to the tower.

We had better check, she said. Something may have happened.

Frank nodded and held out a hand, extending a long finger. Heather readily climbed onto his finger and up his arm as they headed for the tower.

How could she be a bird? Frank asked.

A shapeshift spell, or a polymorph curse maybe. The book might have magical traps that she accidentally set off, Breanne suggested.

Then how do we change her back? he asked.

Statue! Heather cried out as clearly as she could.

Statue? Breanne asked as they entered the tower and headed for the stairs.

Statue, study! Heather added.

Breanne nodded and led the way up the levels until they reached her study.

Heather? Breanne called as she opened the door. The room looked as it always did with the large book open on the table, and a cushy chair pulled up to sit on. The candles were still burning, but Heather was nowhere to be seen. It could be her, Breanne admitted as she looked back to the bird on Frank's arm.

Statue! Heather cried as she tried to point with a wing to the floor by the window.

What statue? Frank asked.

Heather went to say something else when she looked up and saw an eight-legged predator creeping toward her on the ceiling. Webster jumped with incredible speed, but she dived off Frank's arm just before the spider collided with him. She landed on the table as Frank stumbled back with Webster shuffling around on him.

Webster, wait! Frank cried, but the spider leaped again, bouncing off a wall before crashing to the table where Heather had been a moment ago. She struggled to fly, but the room was small, and the spider could easily leap across it. Frank and Breanne tried to stop him as he darted after her in a hungry quest to consume her.

Stop it! Heather cried, but the spider was too fast, it clipped a wing and sent her tumbling to the floor to land inches from the statue. She raced for it as Webster took another leap, her clawed hand wrapping around it as she said the command word as clearly as she could.

Chuthos!

Heather sat on her rear with her hands clenched into fists as Webster sat curled entirely around her head. Get off of me, you furry face hugger! she shouted in irritation before the spider leaped away.

Heather? Frank said in alarm. What happened?

This happened! she said, holding up the statue. It has a command word that allows you to become the animal it represents. I used it by accident, and that fuzzy t-rex tried to eat me!

Oh, thank goodness your alright, Breanne said.

Heather stood up and glared at Webster as he tried to hide in the corner under the table. You tried to eat me! she shouted.

He eats all the birds he can catch, Breanne said. He probably didnt realize it was you.

He was sitting right there when I transformed, Heather argued. He must have seen it.

Did you think to use your telepathy to tell him who you were? Frank asked.

Heather went to reply and froze a moment as she realized that idea never occurred to her. She was so shocked over what happened she overlooked the simplest solution. No, I didn't think of it. She shook her head and put the statue on the table then knelt to look under it. Come out here, little guy, I'm sorry I got mad at you.

Webster crawled out slowly, and Heather held her arms out to pick him up. She set him on the table next to the statue and then took a deep breath before explaining the statue and how she was the bird he was trying to eat. Webster made a sad high-pitched groaning sound and turned to look away, but she picked him back up.

I forgive you, but promise me you won't try to eat me if I use it in the future, she said as she cradled the spider. Webster bobbed in her arms, and she set him back down, grateful this ordeal was over.

So, what are you going to do now? Frank asked.

She picked up the statue and held it in her hands with a smile. I think its time I learned how to fly.