Legacy of the Necromancer [Legacy, BK1 - Completed]

Chapter 8.1

John and I followed Suon back to the village. I stopped, briefly torn by wanting to check on Poe before we left. Suon notice and waved me off.

"Go, but we leave soon. Find us middle of huts."

Suon continued on, but John lingered. "I'll make sure they wait for you."

I nodded and ducked into Tamner's hut.

Tamner himself was by the fire, mixing herbs and medicinal plants. He glanced up at me.

"You go with Suon, correct?" he asked, turning his eyes back to his work.

"Yeah," I said, stepping over to check on Poe. His color was looking better and his breathing was a little steadier.

"Do not worry about your teacher. I will keep a close eye on him until you return." Tamner said as he appeared at my side with two cloth bags. He raised the blue one, "Food," then the red one, "Medicine."

I watched as he added them to my messenger bag. He handed it to me by the newly fixed strap.

"Thank you," I mumbled, his kindness continuing to surprise me.

Tamner shooed me out of his hut and I raced to join Suon and the others.

Women and children I didn't recognized gathered around the assembled warriors. Some held small bags or an armful of belongings, but most had only what they wore on their backs. When the warriors caught sight of me, they sent up a war cry that startled the birds from the trees.

John and I followed the warriors through the jungle. We tried hard to imitate their soft steps and make as little noise as possible. We didn't succeed by a long shot. Smoke filtered through the trees well before we come across any of the damage. The few huts and buildings that still stood were tinged black by the smoke.

"We split up," Suon said coming up to stand near me and John. "Go in pairs. Try and find it."

I nodded and Suon turned to talk to the others in his own tongue. John and I started off, walking straight down the middle of the village. I tried not to think too hard about the body shaped piles of ash on the ground as we passed them.

"What are we looking for exactly?" John asked. "What kind of beast?"

A roof collapsed to our left, startling both of us.

"One that likes fire, apparently."

There's got to be a better way to do this, I thought. Then realized there was. I pulled out my pendent.

"Stand back," I warned John and took a few steps forward. I concentrated and then pulled on the burning sensation that was my Talent. "Vershala tulian das lo berruas."

The summoning circles appeared on the ground before me. The violent red lines pulsed as I concentrated on the words that formed in my mind. "Kalha vas notha rak! Kastem!"

I closed my eyes before the usual bright flash of light, and opened them to see Kastem. His many tails twitching with irritation. He sniffed at me and turned, before laying down in the dirt.

John stepped up to stand next to me, trying not to laugh. "You know, I thought I'd be afraid, but this was actually pretty funny."

"I'm so glad I could amuse you," I said dryly before returning my attention back to Kastem.

"Akvito Kastem, don bval!"

He just flicked his tail at me again, then rolled in the dirt. I put my face in my hands. This was a nightmare.