Page 18 of Destined to the Reaper

Even as he ran up the stairs, Cornelius tried to push me down into the psychic void that I usually faded into when wishing to isolate myself from his foulness. Normally, I happily sought its refuge. But today, I resisted both to spite him and to help enable the plan that had sparked in my mind a few moments ago.

“Stand down, you wretch!”Cornelius hissed as he once again tried to cast me down.

“That’s not very nice, Necromancer. I’m not feeling the love,”I said tauntingly.“But I won’t impose my presence where it is not wanted. Be warned that if I leave, you will not see me again for a long time.”

“Just go!”Cornelius snapped.

“Gladly!”I replied with a mocking laughter.

This could not have played out better. I faded happily, thrilled that he so easily took the bait. In truth, I couldn’t have lasted at this little game much longer. Personally using my magic instead of him channeling it through his own power quickly drained me. Since I’d given so much of myself to Kali already, I tired even faster. I needed to tread carefully not to tip my hand.

But right now, all that mattered to me was that I would soon see my bride again.

Thanks to the bond now established with her hosting parts of me, I would normally simply send her a psychic nudge that would indicate it was time for her to run to the fairy ring and draw the portal. This time I went directly to her.

It was a bit of a reckless move, but it would still be hours before she would even attempt to open the portal. Beyond the fact that I couldn’t contain my impatience to see her again, I didn’t want to waste any time with her. We had a few matters to discuss, as well as prepare our incursion into the crypt.

Using the thin link connecting us, I teleported my consciousness to her. It always felt like falling through a void before the world materialized again around me. Most mortals wouldn’t see my ethereal form as I appeared in what looked like Kali’s necromancer workshop. People with psychic abilities might get a glimpse of a ghostly silhouette, while those who dabbled in the arcane would feel a sudden surge of otherworldly energy before they altered their vision to see what had triggered that reaction.

Leaning over a large counter, Kali was waving her hand in front of a shallow cut in her palm and drawing out little drops of blood. They hovered in front of her. With another gesture, she stretched them into needle like darts, then congealed them so they would be preserved and ready to use at a whim. She’d been halfway through the process when she felt me arrive.

Her head jerked up, her face taking on an alarmed expression as she immediately raised her hands in a defensive stance ready to cast an offensive spell on the intruder.

She froze when she saw me. Shock gave way to disbelief and confusion as she altered her vision to see me more clearly.

“Pharos?! What…? How are you here?!” she exclaimed.

“We’re bonded,” I replied dismissively, feeling the intense strain of that excessive use of power. “Cast the circle. This is draining me too quickly.”

To my relief, Kali didn’t hesitate and burst into action. The swiftness with which she created the portal after only drawing it a few times over the recent days impressed me. As soon as she finished, I glided in, an intense sense of relief washing over me as its stabilizing power took over for me. Instead of the pale apparition I had been, I solidified again at no cost to me.

“Blood Magic?” I asked with curiosity while gesturing with my chin at the pouch filled with blood darts on the counter.

She glanced at it over her shoulder before looking back at me. “Yes. I specialize in Blood and Bone Magic.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Not Soul or Flesh Magic? Necromancers usually focus on those two first.”

She shrugged. “I don’t want to make zombies or steal someone else’s freedom by enslaving their souls.”

I gave her an indulgent smile. “You can use those types of magic for far more than creating zombies. Combined with Blood or Bone Magic, they can grant you far greater powers and allow you to cast extremely useful spells.”

“I know but…”

“But?” I insisted when her voice trailed off.

“I am learning the basics of Flesh Magic,” she conceded reluctantly. “But I really don’t want anything to have to do with Soul Magic. I’ve seen the way most of those who practice it start abusing it. As time goes by, they stop seeing those to whom those souls belonged to as people. They only see them as tools to enhance their own power. I’ve seen the devastation it has caused.”

“Then you will always be weak,” I said sternly. “Soul Magic would be of great help to you in the crypt.”

She shrugged again, her beautiful face taking on a defensive expression. “I am preparing for our mission in the crypt. I’ve read everything available about it.”

I burst out laughing. She scrunched her face, stung by my instinctive reaction. I didn’t mean to embarrass or mock her, but she was being truly delusional about what trials awaited her… awaited us.

“Kali, going in will be easy. Coming back out will be a completely different story. Whatever you may be reading about Hemdell can never prepare you enough for what you will face,” I cautioned in a reasonable tone.

“Okay, but I will have you on the way out,” she said in a self-evident tone. “Between our joint forces—”

“I cannot help you,” I said in a tone that brooked no argument.

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