Suggested Listening

The time spent with Mipa in the library gave Elruin some understanding of the world she'd found herself in, with its bizarre world known as 'politics'. She had no idea why people wasted such effort on these sorts of things, but all the books seemed to view this as normal, and she'd seen so many other great ideas from the city that she guessed this one was just too clever for her to understand.

Although Cali agreed with her when she said that having a park instead of a farm was a silly idea, so perhaps the city people were wrong about this as well. It seemed to her that her first plan was the best: it was safer not to get involved. The problem was, it seemed like everything in the city had politics, including the academies to which Cali thought Elruin should go.

By the time Cali returned, Elruin felt she understood the basics- nobles made all the decisions, like Father on the farm, but without friends and allies that were strong, nobody would do what the nobles say. Much like the workers on the farm, you had to be nice or they'd leave and the work would never get done. Unless they were bad workers, then nobody wanted them to come back.

But Father was a bad man who shot her with a crossbow, so bad people could pretend to be nice people in order to make others help them. Cali seemed to think Lady Juna and Lord Garit were that sort of bad person who pretended to be a good person. So she would have to be friendly to them, but pay attention in case they try to hurt her in the future. The city-people were already going to kill Mister Clackybones, so it was clear to her they weren't nice.

By the time Calenda returned, the sun was high in the sky. "I trust you didn't cause any trouble."

Elruin looked up from the map she was studying, an old one of the area before the Empire of Engewal existed. "Yes, I've been good." She turned to Mipa, and clasped her hands together. "Thank you, ma'am, for your trouble."

"There was no trouble," Mipa replied. "I believe you are the most polite and quiet guest the library has ever had." Too polite, for Mipa's taste. Watching the girl read and study in absolute silence was akin to watching a wax doll that would turn pages. No changes of expression, no shifting to get comfortable, she hardly so much as blinked. At times Mipa began to wonder if the child was breathing. It wasn't until the girl had left that she allowed herself the luxury of shuddering; if that's what foreign nobles expected of their children, she'd stay right here in Arila.

"Does that mean" we're going to kill Mister Clackybones "you've found an exorcist?"

"Close enough," Cali said. "She's a scourge. Exorcists are necromancers trained as healers, while scourges are battle-mages. I'm told exorcists have special training to remove taint from people without killing them in the process, which is a difficult process that only a rare few have affinities for, but any trained necromancer can cleanse taint from dead material."

Like Mister Clackybones. "I understand."

The trip was more small talk than anything, as Elruin asked Calenda questions about politics, and got some insight into the most important guilds and organizations within the city. Not many of them seemed like something Elruin would be involved in, since she knew nothing of trade routes, sea travel, or weapon crafting. She was surprised to learn there was a farmer's guild, then disappointed to learn it was about selling food made on the farms rather than doing any farming. She decided the Dragonslayers sounded important, however.

"They're more known for suicidal insanity than political acumen," Cali said of them. "Some get rich, most get dead. Better to be a military Dragonslayer than joining the guild. Pay's worse, but you get support, intel, and kept to missions that are safer or crucial, rather than chasing every monster in Engeval until you find the one that determines your fate. But, well, a lot of stupid young men and women, mostly noble scions whose families are not wealthy enough to grant them a landed title. Sometimes I think the only reason the Empire tolerates them is because it kills off dangerous youth."

"Dangerous?"

"Strong bloodlines, quality weapons, teen stupidity, and desperation. Scary combination. Better to let them rush into the wilds than to sit around scheming violent revolution. And I suppose some of them do kill off an actual dragon once in a while, which helps everyone."

At the gate, Cali left Elruin in order to go into the side area, then returned minutes later with two women in Guard armor. "This is Elruin, the wild necromancer you've heard so much about." Cali gestured to the girl. "Ell, meet Jess and Lefara. They shall be our escort and witnesses."

"I am pleased to meet you."

"As we are you," Jess responded. "Scout Calenda says that you captured an undead horse?"

"Yes, Guard." Elruin nodded, it helped to keep her head down so she could hide her emotions. She couldn't let them see her feelings. "It was at the farm. It helped stop the bad men." She also couldn't help but speak in poor Mister Clackybones' defense, even if she knew nobody but her would care.

The guards looked at Calenda, seeking some cue from her. She intoned the same explanation she'd used dozens of times in the last few hours. "I don't think the taint spread to any of them, but Exorcist Rayles was sent to the incident site along with Inquisitor Arden. I trust their judgment better than my own. I had Elruin bring the monster with us, because I wasn't certain how much control she could exert over a distance, nor do I know if she can cleanse taint. It was contained, better to wait for someone we knew could destroy it safely."

"It was a sound, if perhaps overly cautious, decision," another voice said from the entrance to the gateway. An older woman dressed in a formal black combat uniform of leather stood there. "As Scout Calenda describes it, I doubt any harm would have come from destroying the creature. Still, no reason to take unnecessary risks." She approached Elruin first. "I am Scourge Nerys na Renor." Like Elruin, she had black hair, making her the only other person she'd ever met with that hair color.

Elruin nodded and kept her hands together. "I am Elruin."

"I am told you're a wild talent," the scourge made conversation while they opened the gate. Her stern face and reserved body language were oddly comforting to Elruin, though it made the guards uncomfortable. Calenda had dealt with enough necromancers over the years to know this was what to expect of them. Earth mages were stubborn, fire mages aggressive, and necromancers underwent rigor mortis while their hearts still beat. "And that you wish to join an academy?"

"Yes, Scourge," she addressed by title. "Are you going to take me to your school?"

"No." The stern looking older woman answered. "I am here to ensure the taint is destroyed, and to evaluate your potential. It is not that I distrust Scout Calenda's judgment, but no academy will accept a mage so young without the highest recommendations."

"Lady Juna and Lord Garit say I'm really good for my age." Elruin imagined their recommendations qualified.

"Is that so?"

Calenda considered how to respond. "Generals Juna and Garit expressed some interest in her education." It was the most neutral way to describe the encounter.

"Lord Garit taught me how to zap a wall, and Lady Juna hit me." Elruin considered that statement, then decided it needed elaboration. "Lots of times."

"General Juna has a rather hands on approach to training her soldiers," Cali added. "And I have been considering adopting Elruin, which may play a role in how we approach her future education."

"Yes, Lady Juna's practice sessions are renowned throughout the academies. Especially the Order of Respite." Scourge Nerys responded. "Unorthodox, yet effective. If they were to recommend you, or you were to join a noble house, then your acceptance into an academy is all but guaranteed. How about we do some small tests while we walk? I'm told you're a Virtuoso?"

"Yes, Scourge." Elruin started to hum her notes, bringing up small samples of her magic. The guards with Calenda slowed their pace, just to avoid being too close to the necromancer and her unnatural music, while Calenda and Nerys remained unaffected by the music.

As Elruin was put through her paces, Nerys explained the academies, and what they would expect from the girl. It was a lot to consider, but it would help Elruin learn her abilities, compete with all the other mages in the world, and find a future career.

Suggested Listening

When they reached the edge of the forest, the moment which Elruin had been trying to will away the whole day came. She closed her eyes and sang to Mister Clackybones, who picked himself up out of the dirt to the startled dismay of a fox which was exploring the disturbed earth for whatever had been buried there.

He walked toward Elruin, unaware of the fate which waited for him, and stared with empty eyes at the five witnesses. Two of whom held their spears at the ready, as if such weapons would cause much harm to him.

"Impressive control," Nerys muttered with more concern for Elruin's technique than the subject of her power.

Elruin's chest burned with the desire to scream and cry. Some part of her wanted to make Clackybones fight back, but she couldn't imagine the more experienced necromancer would have any difficulty doing what she was doing. "I... may I do it?" The idea of surrendering control and allowing the scourge to harm her poor horsey was unacceptable to her.

"Very well." Oblivious to the reason why, Nerys had no cause to object. "It is a minor taint, and I am here to watch for mistakes."

Elruin resumed her song to the matrix of energies that was Mister Clackybones. To her sight, there was little which was different between his life, and the human beings around her. True, it was a different source, and she could point to no single part of it that made him 'alive', but such was true for the people as well. They, like he, existed as a tangled network of concept and energy held together by forces she could not explain.

He was not alive, but he was a being just like them in every place which mattered. He looked at her, unable to recognize that he was about to be betrayed by a second master in as many days.

Two final notes, and it all came undone, the only mercy Elruin could offer her faithful steed who had done nothing wrong in either life. The bone collapsed on the trail, devoid of animating essence.

"It was sloppy technique," Scourge Nethys noted. "Using raw power to make up for lack of finesse. But still better than half the second-year students' first attempts. For someone of your age and lack of formal training, one could not imagine better results. Guards, the taint has been removed. Please gather the remains to be burned while I triple-check the area. I doubt anything was missed, but there is no such thing as too thorough when it comes to the undead."

Elruin ignored the woman. This was praise she didn't want to hear. She walked over to Cali and gave her a hug. "Thank you for the best days ever." Even if your city-people made me kill my horsey.

An arm went around her back. "As I walk."

A thought occurred to her. "Can I get a doll? A toy horse?"

"I'll see what we can do."