The Eldritch Trials

Chapter 3: If you see something, say something

Mac

"Ow—what?" I ask, as she hauls me in and pins the door closed with her foot.
"Do you know there is an Eldritch horror following you?" She asks.
"Yes," I say.
"And you have less than a year left on your lifespan that's already in borrowed time due to a very weak Mother's Love spell?"
"Yes."
"And that you have three unbreakable curses on you?"
"Yes."
"And you just live this way?" She asks, foot against the door. Her accent is heavy, though I can't place where it's from. She has thick black eyeliner, and a black chain necklace.
"He's a bit of a mess," the horror says despite her not being able to hear it. I think.
"Yes, how did you know all that?" I ask.
"I've been casting spells since I walked in this school, I needed to find you," she says, holding up a wrist. She wears a thick leather cuff bracelet with a compass set in it. No doubt it detected my Eldritch Horror.
"Why?" I ask, my stomach sinking.
"My family is here in case the trials go badly. I am here to ensure they don't, it is my mission," she says.
"You have past lives," I realize, "Have you—,"
"Regained my memories? Yes," she says, sharply. Oh gods. Oh shit. That means that she's got easily a centuries worth of magical knowledge. This isn't a sixteen year old girl; it's an accomplished Necromancer who can take me apart as soon as look at me. "You have not, those curses carried over from past lives. Die and they are gone."
"Yes, they would be gone if I'm dead—so would I, I'd be gone too," I say, in my stupid voice.
"She's saying she could bring you back to life, it's an old way to cheat a curse, but not recommended unless you trust the Necromancer implicitly," the horror supplies.
"I'm a Necromancer, I could bring you back," she shrugs, casually, like offering to get me a glass of water.
"Why would you do that?"
"You're important."
"Why?"
"I can't tell you that. But you are."
"You've lived the past, that doesn't mean you can see the future," I say.
"No, but you've got an Eldritch Horror following you and several curses on you. We both know that boy will never be able to wield the Soren Amplifier. I'd lay my money that you can," she says, smiling, "And you know it don't you?"
"She's got you good," the horror laughs.
"You can't tell anyone, I have a situation going on here—,"
"I think that's obvious."
"—Look I can handle this, and no offense but Necromancers aren't usually very helpful to warlocks," I say.
"You're not a common warlock though are you? At some point you achieved reincarnation," she says.
"How did you get your memories back?" I ask. If I had my memories I could at least maybe figure out a way to wield the amplifier without fully dying.
"By dying, the first time I did and brought myself back then I was able to regain the memories. It's not like the same as normal memories, it's just there, like shuffling through a deck of cards, or remembering a movie you watched. It isn't as though happened to me, I can just find the information or feelings from it," she shrugs, "I knew I had to find you. I must stop something from happening. And to do that I must ensure the trials are completed successfully."
"Okay cool, I'm doing that as well, with Gale, my cousin, you met him, yeah—he's got to complete them. My plan is to come along and help—,"
"You're weak as a baby you can barely stand," she says.
"I told him that," the horror says.
"I didn't say it would be easy," I say.
"Oh Lucifer help me," Jade sighs.