As Victor is about to speak, the young warlock offers him a cigar. Victor declines before he responds to the question. “I’m not sure where to begin, Superior.”
Superior Jackie leans forward, examining Victor’s eyes. “How about you start when Chiyo smashed the witch’s head in with her makeshift ice hammer?”
Victor rubs the back of his neck, recalling when they were first attacked. “Well, we can start with how those two tried to drown us first.”
Superior Jackie waves her hand, dismissing Victor’s comment. “We already heard about that from Leo and Chiyo. What happened to you when that witch died?”
“Well . . .” Victor starts as he ponders how to describe what happened. He knows that as long as Superior Charles was looking at him with focused eyes, he couldn’t lie. “I know I was fighting a warlock. Leo tried to help but got turned away when the witch tried to catch him off guard. I remember seeing Chiyo smashing the witch’s head in with an ice hammer in the corner of my eye. As I blocked the warlock’s punches, things started to feel and look different.”
“What felt and looked different?” Superior Jackie asks watchfully, wanting Victor to proclaim that moment.
Victor scratches his beard below his ear, thinking about how to explain what happened. “It just felt like something was being absorbed into my body. Suddenly, I had a new burst of energy.”
“And this happened once the witch was dead?” Superior Jackie reiterates.
“I guess so, yes,” Victor replies with a shrug.
Superior Jackie twists her neck and looks at Superior Charles. “Looks like our young empath did have a necromantic experience.”
Superior Charles takes a puff before asking Victor his question. “Is that when your eyes turned black?”
Victor gives the superiors a confused look. “My eyes turned black? The only thing I remember after the witch being killed was the warlock trying to stab me with his dagger. But whenLeo ran over to assist, the warlock tossed another dagger, slicing Leo’s side open. That’s when it felt like something changed within me.”
The superiors and elders look at each other as Victor continues. “I felt angry because someone was hurt under my watch. I could hear myself say something to my enemy, but no words came out of my mouth. I could see everything going on, but my body wasn’t mine.”
Victor gazes at a spot on the floor as he remembers every moment as though he were in someone else’s body. “I don’t remember much, but I remember knocking the warlock’s dagger out of his hand. Then, when I jammed the dagger into his head, I had the same feeling enter my body. I don’t remember anything that took place after that.”
The superiors gave each other worried looks. They both knew that what Victor experienced was something beyond the normal means of magic.
“It was a necromantic experience,” Superior Jackieconveys with the utmost assurance. She looks back at Victor, asking, “Do you remember healing Leo?”
Victor becomes bewildered. “What do you mean by a necromantic experience?”
“You see, young empath, when those individuals died, you absorbed their life force and power. That’s why you were able to feel stronger,” Elder Jonathan responds with familiarity. The Elder had witnessed this experience long ago with a witch who was a necromancer. Victor could sense the dark, hooded tone of the memory.
“It’s also one of many reasons the second grand witch outlawed all necromancy magic,” Superior Jackie adds as she takes a drink. “The third grand witch removed the outlaw soon after she was gifted her title.”
“I think I’m going to need more context,” Victor remarks as he looks at Superior Jackie.
“You can learn about that during your necromancy lessons,” Superior Charles says calmly yet sternly. “If you make it that far. Now, do you remember healing Leo?”
Victor’s gaze into Superior Charles’ eyes feels cold. The two empaths hold their focus on each other as if they are trying to read each other’s thoughts. “I felt some kind of worry, but after I killed the warlock, I don’t remember much of anything else.” Victor thought he was in the clear but forgot he was sitting before Superior Charles.
“Youdoremember something,” Superior Charles says as he brings his cigar to his lips. “What did you see when you passed out?”
Victor thinks to himself,I guess I’d better tell them.He exhales deeply before he mentions, “I saw my mother.” Superior Charles focuses sharply on Victor, while Superior Jackie and the elders give each other a puzzled look before giving their attention back to Victor. “We were in this glowing forest. There was a house that looked familiar to me, but I couldn’t approach it. Every time I tried to get closer, it would move away from me. There was also a glowing stream.”
“What color was the stream?” Superior Jackie asks.
“Blue,” Victor answers. Superior Jackie lets out a sigh of relief. “Why do you ask?”
“That was the River Styx. It’s where the dead go to follow their way to the afterlife.” Superior Jackie sits up straight and smooths out her pant leg with her hand. “It’s been said that those who specialize in necromancy can travel to the astral plane to find dead individuals and bring them back to the corporeal plane.” The superior cups her hands in her lap as she crosses her legs. “If the Styx is blue, it does not find you a threat. If it isgreen, danger is coming, and you must leave immediately. But if it turns a dark purple, there is no way back to the living.”
“This wasn’t your first time there, was it, young empath?” Superior Charles remarks as he studies Victor’s aura.
“No, this was my second time,” Victor responds calmly. “My first time was after I raged out on Karl and Leo.”
“Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Superior Charles asks in a firm yet scolding voice.
