The Nekromancer - 58. Chapter 58

"So tell me Jakun. What is it you have in your book?" Mythara asked as they walked through Quantium. "I'm not going to take it or anything. I just want to see where you're starting from."

"Mostly utility," Jakun shrugged. "I can summon, but that comes from me."

"And the werewolf spirit," Mythara noted with a soft smile. "Well, however you get the spell, having it is always useful. The question is, how do you wish to use it? Personally, I've been travelling the multiverse, collecting various magical tidbits, and molding them to help me find… a friend."

"Lover?" Jakun corrected, ears flicking nervously.

"Not you. Though should you ask for love or comfort, I would be happy to give it to you," Mythara said. "I'm referring to an old friend who's… not here anymore."

"Oh. I'm sorry. Are you trying to bring them back?"

"In a way," Mythara nodded. "I need to find him. He isn't dead, I know that much. But I can't get a good scry on him. Divinations… they're more trouble than they're worth…"

"I've never tried to scry before," Jakun frowned.

"I mean, you should try it. It is better to have the skill. But don't count on telling the future. It can't be changed, and you will often drive yourself to the point of insanity trying."

Jakun shivered as they approached a building. Knocking on a large door, Mythara stepped back. The door opened slowly, a plant person staring at them.

"Are you here for entrance to the college?" they asked, a bland voice emanating from the vines.

The voice sounded wrong, inflections reversed, much of the speech flat. But Mythara seemed to shrug it off with a smile, as though he had seen stranger.

"We are," he said. "I am called Mythara, and my apprentice is called Jakun. May I have your name?"

The plant stared at them blankly.

"You sound fae," they said.

"I assure you, I am not a fae creature. I have merely adapted my behaviour to them to be safe," Mythara chuckled.

"My name is Growth. You may not have it," the Ghoran said. "Do you know any spells?"

Jakun stepped forward, summoning a house cat to rub against the plant's legs… roots?

"Very good. And you?"

Mythara summoned his blade, presenting it to the Ghoran.

"A good spell," the plant said expressionlessly. "You both may enter. Learning will be directed by yourselves, with weekly tests to ensure you are keeping up with theory as well as practice."

Nodding, Mythara shoved the blade back into its pocket dimension, motioning for Jakun to lead the way into the building.

The cat stared at the plant creature as he passed, trying to figure out what exactly he was looking at. Mythara's hand gently touched his back, guiding the amurran past.

"They're a Ghoran. Probably a druid," he explained in an undertone, stepping through the entrance hall.

And then they were through to the building proper, a veritable maze of halls branching off the main room. A staircase led up to a second floor, a small brass sign with a bed stamped into a post beside the first step.

"Looks like 210 is open," Mythara said, starting up the stairs.

Jakun followed closely, passing door after door. Mythara stopped in front of a plain oaken door. Setting his hand on the wood, the man's eyes narrowed.

"There is a portal set in the door. I'm going to enter first. Do not follow until I return," he said, before opening the door.

The man stepped through the door, vanishing into what looked like nothing more than a wood wall. Jakun blinked in surprise, pulling out an arrow to poke at the wall. The arrow sank through the wood, and the catfolk pulled it bock out, completely unharmed.

Suddenly, Mythara's head poked out of the wall.

"It's all good, just a space saving thing," he said, ushering Jakun forward.

The amurrun followed, shivering as he felt what appeared to be slimy water passing over him. Beyond the portal was a rather sizable suite, completely barren.

"I think it's a test," Mythara added. "No bed, no desk, not even a chamberpot."

"Can you summon wood?" Jakun asked, pulling out his workbook.

"Of course," Mythara said, opening another portal, a long log sliding through.

Jakun frowned at the log, thinking.

"I need tools…"

Another portal opened, carpenter's tools falling through. Jakun stared at the man in alarm, Mythara shrugging.

"I've collected a lot of tools over the years," he said.

Shaking his head, Jakun opened his book, sitting against a wall as he read through a spell. Several minutes later, he stood up, clearing his throat. Staring at the tools, the amurrun began chanting, arcane words flowing from his mouth as understanding filled him.

Finishing his spell, the catfolk began sawing at the wood, making a slab and four legs. Pounding the legs into the slab, Jakun set the table up on all four, looking at Mythara.

"Impressive. I'm doing the bed though," the man said, stepping into the other room.

A loud thump was followed by a scraping, Jakun scowling as he looked at a large bed, neatly made.

"You could have done this on your own," he accused.

"Yes. But you learned something, didn't you?" Mythara smirked.

'That was… rather mean,' Anya muttered. 'I like this guy.'

A sudden knock sounded, Jakun frowning as he headed toward the door.

Stepping outside, he found Jeremy leaning on a wall, arms crossed.

"Hey. Amnor Sen has decided in his infinite wisdom to sign us up for a quest of some sort, so he and I are leaving the city tomorrow. He says there's about three months until we leave for good, and we each need about… fuck… five hundred gold for the ship?"

"Okay. You're leaving town? When will you be back?" Jakun asked.

"That depends on how good the gnolls are at sex," Jeremy chuckled. "It shouldn't be any longer than a month or two. I hope."

'Perfect. That gives us plenty of time for the ritual,' Anya chuckled in his head.

Shaking his head, the amurrun held out his hand.

"Okay. You two be careful. You did promise to help me," he said.

"And we will," Jeremy said. "You take care too. Don't go summoning any dragons."

Jakun scoffed quietly, turning back into his room. He had plans to make.