Page 140 of Lord of the Lone Wolf
Auslin
After spending so much time with Maseo, it had pained Auslin to let him return to the barracks alone. However, it was important for Maseo to reunite with his friends, so Auslin didn’t begrudge him for going.
His mood lifted when he received word from Kizoshi that Liros was due to return to the Divine Realm later that night. He left after dinner, eager to speak to the one person who would know how to help Maseo.
The servant’s soft footsteps faded as Auslin stood alone in the corridor leading to Liros’s library. Golden veins threaded through the white marble beneath his feet, while crystalline formations hummed from the vaulted ceiling above. The air shimmered with wisdom, making Auslin’s skin tingle with the awareness of the countless secrets housed within these walls.
As the doors opened, it revealed a grand and intimate space. Shelves packed with books rose to the ceiling, their quiet majesty matched by clusters of inviting purple-and-gold chairs. A magnificent desk dominated one corner, while windows looked out onto a garden where flowers bloomed in impossible colors,their petals catching the morning light that streamed into the chamber. The scent of old parchment and incense created an atmosphere that was both scholarly and welcoming.
Liros turned to greet Auslin with a warm smile. His vivid violet eyes deepened to a richer purple as he blinked. He wore amethyst velvet robes and styled his dark hair in intricate braids that caught the light, revealing streaks of pale lavender throughout.
“Welcome, Auslin,” he said, his voice carrying the easy familiarity of friendship. “I offer my sincerest apologies for keeping you waiting for so long.”
Hibiki launched himself from Auslin’s ring, flying across the room toward a small owl perched on the back of a chair. Shikiji formed from cloud wisps that held their shape, his translucent body steady enough to support Hibiki’s enthusiastic greeting. The two guardian spirits were old friends, and their reunion was always a joy to witness.
“Thank you for seeing me now,” Auslin observed, settling into a comfortable chair as Hibiki and Shikiji chased each other. “I’m praying it’s not too late.”
“You are here about Maseo’s injuries,” Liros confirmed, his expression growing more serious. “The ones Nasume inflicted through necromancy that you can’t heal.”
The directness was both a relief and a source of dread. “I’ve tried everything. It’s as if the magic is resisting my healing. I can’t even heal the Divine damage because the necromancy is interfering.”
Across the room, Hibiki had caught up with Shikiji, and the two spirits engaged in a playful wrestling match. They tumbledthrough the air before landing in a heap on a cushioned reading nook, where they curled up together.
“Tell me what you know about necromancy,” Liros requested, settling back in his chair.
Auslin considered the question, drawing on what he had learned during the war. “It’s death magic that summons souls from the Beyond Realm and binds them to corpses or skeletons to serve the living.”
“True, but there’s more to it,” Liros said, his violet eyes shifting to a lighter shade of purple. “Necromancy also creates an unnatural link between the Living and Beyond Realms, a bridge that was never meant to exist.”
A chill ran down Auslin’s spine. “What kind of bridge?”
Liros’s expression turned grave. “One that allows dangerous things to escape. It’s how things break free from the Blightmare Vale in the Beyond Realm.”
Auslin struggled to make sense of Liros’s points. “The injuries Maseo sustained aren’t healing because of this link, are they?”
“Nasume embedded necromancy in Maseo’s wounds, creating a permanent connection between Maseo’s soul and the Beyond Realm that acts like a slow drain. Every moment that passes, it siphons away pieces of Maseo’s soul.”
“But wouldn’t Nasume’s death have severed that connection?”
Liros shook his head. “That’s the insidious nature of what Nasume accomplished. While his body died in the Living Realm, his corrupted soul is very much alive in the Beyond Realm and tied to this one through his magic in Maseo’s necrotic wounds.”
Auslin felt sick. “You’re saying he’s still hurting Maseo?”
“Worse than that. He is attempting to enslave Maseo in eternal torture in the depths of Blightmare Vale.”
“How is that possible?” Auslin demanded.
“Nasume has mastered a blend of shadowmancy and necromancy that’s insidious. His hatred is so profound that it makes the magic self-sustaining. Every second that passes, more of Maseo’s soul is being stolen away.”
Rage flared hot in Auslin’s chest. “Even in death, Maseo can’t escape Nasume?”
“Necromancy is death magic that feeds on life,” Liros explained. “As it slowly kills Maseo, pieces of his soul disappear from your realm and travel to where Nasume waits. Death doesn’t end a necromancer’s hunger. It merely changes the hunting ground.”
Auslin trembled with fear and outrage. “How long does Maseo have?”
“You have perhaps a week before the damage becomes irreversible. After that, there won’t be enough of his soul left to save. He’ll be trapped in Blightmare Vale with his father for eternity.”
Panic clawed at Auslin’s throat. “There has to be a way to sever the connection.”
