Heather the Necromancer

Book 1: Chapter 19: A sad surprise

Book 1: Chapter 19: A sad surprise

Heather bid the adventurers a good day as they set off to go back to Twilightfalls. She returned to the graveyard to find Frank wandering around the tombstones.

What are you doing? Heather asked.

I am inspecting the graveyard, he said. I want to see if they did anything.

They were just here for the skeletons, Heather said.

They probably were, but I want to be sure.

I thought you said this was a good idea earlier?

Your idea is good, and this is probably going to work out well for us both, but you need to be careful who you trust.

Heather shook her head. I thought we just talked about this.

He turned to look at her with his yellow eyes. You trust people very easily, and maybe youre right. But remember the Deathknight and his group. There are a lot more players like him than the group that just left.

But they dont have to be, Heather insisted.

Frank nodded his agreement but replied, No, they don't, but they are. Don't forget that.

Why did you trust me if you dont trust anybody else?

He paused in his inspection and looked up at her. I trust you because youre not a gamer.

Why does that make any difference?

Gamers see things differently. There is always a goal, and in multiplayer games, it is always faster to reach the goal by using other players.

You always see the bad side of everything, she accused.

I have good reason to, he replied and went back to his searching.

Heather folded her arms as he wandered off, looking around the graveyard.

Well, I think they were very nice, she said as she walked back to her tower.

She stopped outside and went over the simple spell to reanimate the skeletons, bringing them all back to life, or unlife she supposed. Then she collected her bottles of cider and went inside.

She began to wonder if she gained anything from the players battling her skeletons. She decided to set the bottles aside and went to her room to check on her progress but discovered a small problem.

Where is my panel? I was sure I left it on the bed.

She looked around the room to see if maybe she set it on the floor.

Im sure it was on the bed. I set it on the pillow, she told herself.

With rising concern, she threw the blanket and pillow off the bed and looked all around. The panel was nowhere to be found.

She felt a deep sense of betrayal as she turned round and round. It can't be gone! She searched the bed again and her chest of drawers. With no other option, she had to face reality.

Frank! she yelled as she ran down the stairs.

She ran across the yard and into the back mausoleum. She found him in his lair, looking over the gear on his table.

Frank! she cried as she ran into the room.

He looked up with wide eyes.

Whats wrong?

I should have listened to you! she cried. They took it, and now I dont know what to do!

Frank shook his head. They took what?

My panel! Heather sobbed.

Those players took your panel? he asked.

I left it on my bed, and when I went to my room, it was gone!

She sighed and looked around the room. She felt so foolish being tricked by Moon, and so lost that she didnt know how to do anything.

We need to make some preparations before we go, Frank said. I need you to up top and find a flat rock about the size of your fist and bring it back here.

What good is that going to do? she asked.

He managed to blink a lidless eye as he smiled a toothy grin. You're a necromancer. You can help me cheat a limitation.

Heather nodded, but she had a question, she wanted to ask before she left.

I know you said the whole town probably isnt working for her, but surely enough of them are that they will be a threat.

If they are as low level as they claimed to be, I will be a serious threat to them, and besides, we have you.

What good am I going to be?

My skeletons can't leave the graveyard, Frank said. But you're a necromancer. You can take your undead with you anywhere. Now go find that rock, I need to make a change down here before we go.

Heather nodded and went down the hall feeling utterly miserable. More than ever, she wanted out of this world she didn't understand.

She searched the yard until she found a realtivly flat white stone. She brushed it off and carried it back down to see a strange sight. Frank knelt in his grave soil pit with a strange blue glow around him. He had his head down, and his eyes closed, but his hands looked as if he was typing.

Frank? she whispered, not sure if she should disturb him. A moment later, he looked up and stood.

Did you find a stone? he asked.

Heather nodded and held the white stone out.

Good, now I need you to cast a spell on it, he said.

I don't know any spells, but the animation spell and howl spell, she said.

You know several more. You just don't realize it, he said. The spell I need you to cast is rise again. Necromancers can use a little blood to write a person's name on a stone and then bury it. When the person dies, they will revive where it was buried.

Ewww, Heather said. Where am I going to get blood?

Frank held out a hand and then used a long nail to scratch it. Dark red blood ran from the scratch, making Heather's skin crawl.

Write my name on the stone, he said.

What!?

Use the blood and write my name on the stone, he said.

Heather raised a brow, and her left eye twitched. With what? I dont have anything to write with.

Just use your finger, he insisted.

Im not sticking my finger in blood! she snapped.

You picked the wrong class if you're squeamish, he laughed. Hurry up, or it will stop bleeding, and I will have to cut myself again.

Heather closed one eye and turned her face sideways as she reached out a finger. She dabbed the blood and with a long Ewwwww! wrote Frank on the stone.

Now think of the name' rise again'. You should know it by default.

Heather thought of the name and realized she did know it. She looked at the stone and spoke with a cold voice. Requis Noctril Revivicus.

The stone flashed with a green light as the blood suddenly soaked inside.

Here, give it to me so I can bury it, Frank asked.

Heather was more than grateful to hand him the stone and he quickly buried it deep into the soil of his pit.

As he stood back up she looked around the room.

So what change did you make? she asked.

Oh, just something you suggested earlier. Now lets get your skeletons and go get your panel back.

Frank went to his table and gathered up some swords and axes then took them to her tower. Heather ordered the skeletons to take the weapons and then to follow her. With a determined heart she set off with Frank to confront the treacherous Moon and get her panel back.