The Necromancer
Summary: I am Ceferna Lunaris, an immortal necromancer - a living bridge between the living and the dead - and a former queen. Ever since my own kingdom betrayed me, all I lived for was revenge – that's why this is my battle. And for all who died protecting me, - my knight and my king - I will not fail.
Spell 02
"Long time no see, Kael," I said when I went to meet him at the gate. I tried to send the mentors away but they just insisted to stay more. What's worse is that Evaska came with me. If things go out of hand, I'd have to fight this reaper. And a fight with someone of his caliber has never been easy. Plus, they'll blow up my cover and discover my real identity...which I can't afford to do.
Kael let his hood fall on his shoulders and took his cloak off, revealing his olive armor and the sword at his waist, which was forge in the gods' way, making it indestructible.
"I'm sure that you know that I didn't come here simply for a greeting," he said, glaring at me. "I was hoping for a fight but if you would hand the stone obediently there won't be any. "
"How impolite of you." I chuckled. "Thank you for visiting me late at night but you were thinking I'll surrender it all this time? I don't appreciate such an insult. And if I had the slightest idea of returning it, I would have gone back to you on my own to do so. And, to remind you, it's not a stone – not anymore. It's just a shard now. Remember how I destroyed it?"
Kael gritted his teeth and drew his blade. As I've thought, that action won't be missing for so long. I know very well how to annoy him. He's my favorite after all. I even cut his braided hair the first time we met. Eleste was furious of that so she always sends him after me, which I obviously enjoy. Who won't be glad getting chased by a handsome knight?
At the sight of the sword's glint, Evaska – or Jalena – immediately came between us, as if trying to protect me. She's not always kind but she hates violence, even before. When we fight, she makes sure her enemies can and will fight her. She won't even pay any attention to random thugs provoking us for fun. But of course, despite that displayed patience, I still how to irk her. We've been together for a long time.
"Get out of the way, woman," Kael said. I frowned. How dare him address my Evaska so rudely. He sounded as if he doesn't know her. Or was that an act? I narrowed my eyes at him. Now I'm certain they are the ones responsible for her memory lost. He acted that way because he doesn't want her to remember anything or to even think about remembering.
"I suggest you put the weapon down first," said Jalena. "If I'd report you, even without this academy's regulations, you'll still be arrested for aiming that thing at Caxandra. So sir, you better keep it back in its scabbard now."
"Caxandra? So you've given yourself another name?" Kael mocked, bringing his sword down and swinging it back and forth. "What were the others before? Clem? Eloise? Silvia?" then he chuckled. "Why don't you try using the real one?"
I was gnashing my teeth together as he spoke each word but Jalena was simply stunned. This is what I feared the most: she'll discover my real identity, reject and leave me; just like how my kingdom did. But maybe that is better than to discover who she really is. It would surely be more difficult to accept her past. If I talked to her about her previous self, it'll be like hearing about another person if I were her. She might even hate the way I'd describe her. Well, there was not much difference between how she was and how she is but if I'd describe her as a demon, which she literally is, prejudice might get the best out of her. Then she'll end up hating herself. And most probably, me, the one who hid everything from her for three years - or for as long as she has known me since she lost her memories.
Jalena suddenly reanimated, and spoke up in a whisper, "What are you talking about?" Jalena - or Evaska - has never been the kind of person whose curiosity was easy to arouse. But when you've peek at a slight possibility that your trusted friend has been lying to you this whole time, it's not only a matter of curiosity. It's a matter of trust – of honesty, which I've lost since I decided to sneak at her back. And if she'd think I'm not someone trustworthy, I might…lose her – my sword; my only ally; my friend.
"That woman is a big liar," Kael said. "About her name, the place she came from, her background...perhaps everything you've known of her. Since she has lied to you about one thing, she certainly can lie to you about the others."
"Enough," Jalena calmly said. "She's my friend. How can a stranger like you say something like that while I've known her for years?"
"Oh? And how can you rely on those years when you don't even know your own self?" the calm face of Jalena was torn apart as her eyes widened and her brows furrowed.
"What do you know about me?" she asked, taking a reluctant step towards him.
"What I know about you is not as much as that girl does. So why don't you ask her instead?" Kael smirked at me. "If you can still trust her, that is."
Is he planning to break my current relationship with Evaska?
Fueled by loath, I cast congelo to summon an icicle and charged at him. This is one of the many things I've learned since I became a sorceress: the ice produced from this spells' highest level is as strong as metal, making it highly reliable in melee combat.
"You don't want to lose her again, is that right?" Kael said as he dodges and counters my attacks alternately. I could hear Jalena, Zelander, and Wylfred trying to stop us. I can even feel them casting binding spell but their effort was futile. Their voices were rippled to our un-listening ears and their power was consistently neglected by our own.
"Shut up!" I hissed. I thought he won't mention anything about my real identity because he doesn't want the demon to regain her memories. But he did the exact opposite of it to make Jalena lose her trust in me, making her awakening more distant than it already is, which is very disadvantageous for me. With a smirk, I whispered through gritted teeth, "Do your move and I'll do mine. You don't want to collect thousand souls tonight, do you?"
"You won't kill anybody," he said with a stoned face he shows me every time he feels threatened. "You can't."
"I can," I said, thrusting my icicle couple of times. "I'll start with those two." I rolled my eyes at the mentors. Then back at Kael again. "You clearly know that Evaska is the only one I care about here."
"She will not permit that," he said, countering.
"Yeah...But if she'll know who I am and leaves my side, why should I consider her opinion?" then he leaped away, probably thinking things through. Of the many games I like to play, it's 'messing-with-prince's-head' that I love the most. Who won't enjoy teasing him when a little manipulation of words can make him go red because of panic thinking?
"Then I just have to kill you," he said, casting a wind element spell to sharpen his sword.
"Let's see if you can." I took a step to charge at him but-
"I believe we can simply talk things through." -Jalena grabbed my hair and pulled me to her feet making me kneel on the ground and protesting cries of pain. This is one of her favorite ways to torture me.
"J-Jalena, let go!" I struggled forcefully to make her lose her grip but her fist was firm on my locks. Really…why does she need to interfere now! "Hey…just who the hell are you?" she spoke to Kael.
"I am Mikael, the reaper of the fifth Crown," he introduced himself to them like it's the most natural thing he ever does.
There are three divisions of my winged enemies: First are the Wings. I have no idea why but despite the power they possess, they are but the lowest. I think they got their name from the only difference they have from the other reapers. They can't hide or immaterialize their wings because they're dependent to them since they use them to gather astral particles (ions used in casting spells) in the air to sustain themselves, making them the easiest reapers to defeat unlike the Crowns, where my stalker belongs. They are more experienced in any kind of weapon and any kind of spell. Last are the Thrones. I never got anyone from them in a battle so I don't know how dangerous they can be. I'm just sure the most powerful, Lewin, was a perfect match for Evaska. He was the only one who was still up after my demon defeated every single reaper in sight when we tried to reduce the stone to ashes. They were fighting each other on equal standing.
I didn't understand most of what Evaska lectured me but if I'd view this hierarchy here in the human realm, Miathor, and then the Wings would be the citizens, the Crowns would be the aristocrats, and the Thrones would be the sovereigns.
"What a lunatic," said Professor Wylfred. "Reapers are the protectors of the world. They won't unnecessarily go berserk in some place to kill someone."
Kael sighed and concentrated for a moment before summoning a pair of great pure white wings at his back, making the mentors' mouths gape in awe. Even Jalena was too stuck that she loosened her grip on me, giving me chance to stand up and caress my abused scalp.
Well, I can't blame them. I had minutes of staring and gawking the first time I saw Evaska's wings – though they were deathly black – as if they had some kind of shady mystery in them that had me enthralled. She was like a human-sized raven, my very own dark angel. And it's fascinating to think that I'm comparing a demon to an angel. It's ironic, really.
"And that's why I'm here," said the show-off reaper. I've lost count of the times he revealed his identity like this. He really enjoys getting the 'awesome' spotlight. "I must drive that woman away. She's is a threat not only in here but to the whole world itself. Especially after getting her hands on the philosopher's stone."
"Philosopher's stone!" the mentors exclaimed. Jalena raised a brow at them, and at that gesture, Zelander obliged to explain.
"That stone is the most powerful of all existing artifact in all of the realms," he said, stroking his invisible beard. "It was believed to be created from the blood, body, and soul of a philosopher who craved so foolishly for knowledge. It was documented to be kept in Atharza, the realm of the reapers, guarded by each one of them. If Caxandra stole it, the least punishment would be death."
Jalena gazed into my eyes for a moment, and then chuckled.
"Why would she steal it?" she said in a disbelieving tone. "This girl's only treasure is food. Even when the world is falling apart, she wouldn't care as long as she has a feast before her eyes. Plus, how would she steal it? Being a sucker in teleporting gives her no chance to go to Atharza at all."
Does she really have to say that? Last month, I tried to teleport to our classroom from my chamber before to avoid being late but ended up in the men's locker room because I was restricting my power in the fear of getting transported outside of Maulenburg again, which has happened to me a couple of times already. She defended me against the headmaster who wanted to expel me due to immorality the whole week.
Right. I'm such a troublemaker.
Jalena's chuckled diminished to an awkward laugh as a cold silence followed. I am the top student of the academy. And considering that, I may have done the crime. No. I actually did it. In the worse case even.
I crumbled it to pieces.
I intertwined my fingers with Jalena's. She turned to me innocently and I gave a faint smile. Then I started to cast the spell of teleportation without any restraint. I want to go somewhere far – somewhere we can't find each other – so that she'll finally live in peace. My life is complicated for her. And since she's a different person now, she might not be able to handle the complication.
I don't want that.
"I have given you too much trouble already," I said, parting my hand with hers. The air around me started to circulate, alerting them all, particularly Kael who tried to attack me but failed because the wind's force pushes him back.
As the last moment of my time with Evaska draws near, I stared at her face, memorizing every line and curve. I suddenly remembered the time when I told her she should smile more or she'll look old soon even though I know that demons are never ravished by time. As Jalena, she had smiled more frequently. I guess the kind of lifestyle she has now suits her more. Then, I took a last glimpse at her eyes. They are beautiful orbs of emerald. And like the jewel, they mirror strength and bravery. Or intellect when she's mussing about our plan. Sometimes, innocence when she laughs sincerely or performs her own mischief. Unfortunately though, because of this sad farewell, whether I like it or not, my last image of them is tear-filled.