The Nekromancer - 92. Chapter 92

Jakun stared over the chasm, eyeing the distance. It had to be a good hundred, two hundred feet across, wrapping around an island in the center, the lich’s goal. Teleporting across would be so easy, just the matter of a spell, but it would fail. Others had tried, and had ended up falling into the void only halfway across. Jakun wasn’t sure what it was about the chasm that stopped extra-dimensional travel, but it negated nearly all of his spells. He needed to find another way.

People had tried everything. Shooting ropes across with an arrow to walk across, flying with spells… someone had even tried jumping the gap, plummeting into the chasm only to be seen climbing the other side almost a day later. How that worked was beyond the lich’s comprehension. He really didn’t know enough about this gap to start theorizing. There were four bridges at various spots, but he wasn’t supposed to use those. Apparently they would invalidate the attempt, though he didn’t understand why.

“You gonna cross it?”

The catfolk looked back at a woman, a street urchin in ragged clothing and sporting a broken grin.

“The thought had crossed my mind,” Jakun shrugged.

“The last person to try used magic. They say Aroden himself kicked her across. But Aroden is dead.”

Jakun shrugged at the news. He doubted a god could really die. Though he didn’t really know who Aroden was, he was pretty sure the deity was just taking a break from the world or something.

“How would you get across?” he asked.

“Me? Oh, I’d never try… but if I did, I’d fly like a bird, free on the wind. If I had magic of course. Maybe have a wizard turn you into a bird?”

Jakun nodded thoughtfully. He had turned Ivris into a rabbit. Why couldn’t he turn himself into a bird? Of course, he’d need a way to turn back after. And as written, the polymorph spell he had wouldn’t really help him.

“Well, I guess I’m off to the markets. I don’t suppose you know where a magic shop is, do you?”

“There are several in the market district. I can show you,” the woman grinned.

Nodding, the lich followed her away from the city center, into a maze of paved streets filled with people going about their business. Stopping in front of a closed door, the woman pointed to the various shops around them.

“There are weapons there, some armour, random magic that people sell in that shop… that place has magic quills that are supposed to write for you…”

“Do any of them sell scrolls?”

She shrugged.

“I don’t know, you’d have to ask around.”

Jakun stuck his hand into his bag, calling a handful of gold to the surface of the space within. He handed the gold to the woman, her eyes bulging out of her head at the sight of the coins.

“Thank you sir!”

The lich nodded, turning to look at the stores. He wasn’t sure which one would have the scroll he needed, if any would. Making his way toward the magical bookstore, Jakun stepped inside the dimly lit shop, a halfling standing up with a quiet sigh as he entered.

Putting a book down, the halfling approached him with a halfhearted smile.

“Good morning. How can I help you?”

“I’m looking for a polymorph spell.”

“We don’t have anything that powerful here,” the halfling said quickly.

“Well what kind of spells do you have then?”

“Mainly stuff for apprentices. Nothing offensive though, most of them are abjurations.”

Jakun shook his head silently. No abjuration would help him cross the gorge. He needed something else.

“I don’t suppose you know where I could find a polymorph spell, or a flight spell?”

“A flight spell? Give me a moment.”

The halfling vanished into the back of the store, a muffled curse followed by the sound of moving boxes. He returned a minute later, carefully holding a scroll in his hand.

“The person who sold this to me mentioned it was unusual,” the halfling said. “I don’t know any more than that; I’m not a wizard. It is four hundred gold.”

Jakun let out a quiet sigh, sticking his hand into his bag. He mentally called up platinum coins, the coins running through his fingers as he pulled out a handful. Ten coins… twenty coins… thirty…

He set them on the counter before fishing out what was left of the gold. This spell was going to leave him broke, but he didn’t really care. If it worked and he got into the Cathedral on the island, Jakun wouldn’t have to worry about money.

Three hundred ninety eight… three hundred ninety nine… and he had to dig for silver, surprised that there were silver coins in the bag. Apparently Sadira hadn’t minded what Loran referred to as the silver disgrace. Nobility used gold or nothing, at least in the necromancer’s mind. It was a stupid thought, one that had no place in reality, and Jakun was grateful Sadira hadn’t held to it.

“There,” he said, sliding several stacks of coins over to the halfling.

“Nice doing business with you,” the halfling smiled, handing him the scroll.

Jakun nodded, opening the scroll. His eyes scanned the strange lettering, frowning as he realized there was no way he could work the spell out on his own. But Jeremy had a spell he was using to read the language here… maybe he’d cast it on Jakun so the lich could transcribe the spell. At least the scroll felt somewhat powerful, the magic thumping within the parchment like a heartbeat. He may have been screwed over by the halfling, but until he actually read the scroll and worked out what was on it, Jakun wouldn’t know it.

“Thank you for your help,” he said, rolling the scroll back up.

If nothing else, he could return and teach the halfling not to cheat people out of their money. If the scroll was a dud.