Necromancer For Hire- Arc 8

Arc 8, Chapter 22

The Tutor

Pilate kicked his backpack under the chair, drying off his sweaty palms as he faced Life.

Life’s demeanor was surprisingly warm as he folded his hands together, smiling at Pilate from across his desk. It was incredible, knowing he was sitting merely inches away from the most powerful being in the universe. And he was his tutor! Pilate wished he could brag to his peers in class, but, in the Circle of Life, he was sworn to secrecy.

“Today we will be discussing summoning, Pilate,” Life murmured, his blazing red eyes flickering with power, “The art of creation is one of the most pivotal principles of life magic.”

“Yessir,” Pilate whispered, struggling to tug a sheet of paper out of his backpack.

“There will be no need for that,” Life chimed, a sly smile on his thin lips, “Today we shall be taking a bit of a ‘field trip’, as you humans say. No notes will be required. Just listen and learn.”

Pilate twisted a lock of uneven hair between his fingers. He had trouble doing both of those things. That was why he was failing most of his classes.

Life touched the air, and a portal tore into existence. Pilate sat up straight, gaping at Life.

“You didn't use any ruins!”

“I am not bound by the mortal confines of magic. Now go in, Pilate.”

Pilate came to his feet, rocking on his heels. “Where are we going?”

“My own personal realm.”

----

Pilate’s knees wobbled underneath him as Life grabbed the back of his sweater, heaving him to his feet.

“Do you get teleportation sickness?” Life asked, peering down at him.

Pilate shook his head, “No, I'm okay.” He swallowed down a tingly feeling in his stomach.

Lifting his head, Pilate took in a sharp breath. The landscape around him was amazing, unlike anything he had ever seen before. It was a quaint, quiet meadow, and the sky was a relaxing red-orange. It seemed like the world was stuck in a perpetual sunrise. Soft grass rubbed against his ankles, stirred by the gentle breeze.

“Beautiful, isn't it?” Life asked, bending down and letting the grass nip at his fingers, “We can study in private here. You may find yourself more in sync with your magic here. Life energy flows more easily here.”

“Do you...live here?”

“Live? I suppose you could say that. I have no need to sleep, eat, or even rest...but this place is made for me. It soothes my nerves.” Life lowered himself to the ground, his clothing changing in a flash. A white robe took the place of his scrubs and lab coat, a red sash wrapping across his chest.

Pilate sat down beside him, hesitant.

Life gazed out beyond the plains, his expression miles away from Pilate. “This is where it happened, you know? Death and I’s final battle. Beings like us couldn't fight on Earth. We would destroy everything.”

Life shook his head, brushing his fingers across his temples. “No more about this. We need to get to the lesson.”

Life stood, pacing a tight circle around Pilate. “There are many methods of summoning. Some mages, like you, use paper, while others use dust, and some even use their own blood or flesh. Paper is often considered a weak summoning material, but you see to be very proficient in it.”

“You need to learn to summon without using a drawing. That is a crutch you need to discard. In the heat of battle, you may not be able to reach your sketchbook. Pilate, imagine a creature for me. In as much detail as possible. Every feather, hair, scale, pore. Do you have it?”

Pilate pulled open one of his eyes, in deep thought. “Yessir.”

“Good,” Life said, holding out his hand. A sheet of paper appeared, and he handed it to Pilate, “Now cast down this paper and recite the spell in your mind.”

Pilate followed Life’s instructions, and red light erupted from the paper. To Pilate’s surprise, the creature he saw in his mind's eye burst from the page, sitting in front of him.

“That's very good for a first try,” Life said, nodding in approval. Pilate grinned.

The creature twitched, suddenly collapsing. It burst into sparks of red magic.

“I'm so sorry!” Pilate cried, scrambling to summon another monster.

“Don’t feel bad. That's a normal occurrence. You need to work more on your image, that will keep the summon stable. You may have to spend hours perfecting it, but it will benefit you in the future. Once you finish the mental image, you can summon the creature without fail.”

Life touched the fabric of his robe, the clothing billowing around him. “A life mage cannot create a soul. When you create a summon, you are allowing the creature to share your own soul, which is why you are able to feel the pain your summons do. Once you practice more, the bond will strengthen, and you will be able to see through your summon’s eyes.”

“Watch closely, Pilate. I will demonstrate the methods of summoning.”

Life clenched his palm, loose dirt filling his hand. He threw it in the air, and a bird took form. He twisted on his heels, the bird exploding back into dust. He dug his nails into his wrist, throwing his blood across the grass. The droplets shined, and a serpent rose from the ground. He clapped his hands, and it disappeared as well.

“There is one other medium, but it's very rare and very dangerous. A mage can create an incredibly powerful creature out of his own magical energy. This is risky for a mortal. You'll drain yourself by doing this.”

Life threw up his hand, and a twisting red dragon tore into the skies, its body made from some sort of viscous, holographic material. Pure magic dripped from its body, burning the grass into black puddles.

Life clasped his palms together. “I believe that will be all for today. Your only homework will be to practice your summoning.”

Author's Note- yikes this is long. also it probably has errors bc i just got to feeling better and its almost 1 in the morning

and i really enjoy writing these pilate and life chapters????

hope yall are enjoying the story! be sure to vote and comment!