Rise of a Necromancer

by Rosie Scott

  The Six Elements Origins

  Rise

  of a

  Necromancer

  Rosie Scott

  Copyright, 2019

  All Rights Reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission of the author, except for use in any review. This is a work of fiction. The names, characters, locales, and events are pure invention, and all incidents come from the author's imagination alone.

  Cover art by Nikita Drizhenko.

  Map design by Rosie Scott.

  Dedication

  To my two favorite dudes. For your support, your love, and your willingness to brainstorm with me to make this book as awesome as it can be. I am grateful to share my life and imagination with you.

  I dedicate Kenady's character to all the tormentors of my youth who were determined to drive me to suicide with their cruelty and came dangerously close to success. Kenady is the culmination of all of you. May either humanity or justice find you.

  Most importantly, to all those readers affected by mental traumas caused by the cruelty of others, may this story give you hope for a brighter future. Just remember: the best form of revenge is success.

  Other Books by Rosie Scott:

  Dystopian

  The New World series:

  The Resistance

  The Betrayal

  The Acquisition

  The Insurrection

  The Calamity

  Fantasy

  The Six Elements series:

  Fire

  Earth

  Water

  Air

  Life

  Death

  The Six Elements Origins:

  Rise of a Necromancer

  For More Information:

  Publisher's Website:

  www.amazon.com/author/rosiescott

  Author Blog:

  www.rosiescottbooks.wordpress.com/

  Business Inquiry Contact:

  rosiescottbooks@gmail.com

  Important Terms and Characters

  Alderi – Casually referred to as dark elves. Blue, purple, or blackish in color with black eyes. A brutal and crude race suited to the underground and sly dealings.

  Alteration magic – A school of magic dealing in the altering of material objects. Used for practical purposes and for battle support. Includes spells like telekinesis, detect life, and shape shifting.

  Amora – The goddess of love.

  Ancients – An ancient race of beings that not much is known about. Possibly based only in myth.

  Arrayis – The world, consisting of all continents and oceans.

  Bjorn Berg – A general of the Seran Army and a member of Sirius Sera's court.

  Cel Mountains – A mountain range between the Seran Forest and the forests of Celendar, containing the dwarven city of Brognel and the secluded Whispermere.

  Celdic – Casually referred to as wood elves. A peace-seeking race not prone to battle. Most have light complexions and stand slightly taller than humans. Most reside in the tree city of Celendar.

  Celendar – One of Chairel's four major cities, made of nothing but trees that date back to the time of the Ancients. The pearl-white bark of these trees is found nowhere else on Arrayis, and the trees rival the nearby Cel Mountains.

  Cerin Heliot – Dual caster of death and life magic. Half-breed of Icilic and human blood.

  Chairel – A rich country known for its four major cities of Sera, Comercio, Celendar, and Narangar. A land of forests, grasslands, and mountains. Known for its strict magical law system.

  Dark Star – The season of winter. 90 days in length. Last season of the year.

  Dual Caster – A mage capable of wielding two elements.

  Elemental magic – Sometimes referred to as destruction magic. Deals in the elements of fire, earth, water, air, life, and death.

  Gods – An race of creatures said to have been created by the Ancients. The source of most of the religions on Arrayis. While many claim they actually once existed as tangible beings, none have been heard from in hundreds of years.

  Golden Era – An era spanning 5782 years before the current Mortal Era, said to be a time of discovery, including the forming of most major nations of Arrayis. An era of which little is known for sure, given the mix of myth and history passed through the generations.

  Glacia – A continent that also serves as its own country, home to the Icilic elves, at the northern most point of Arrayis.

  Half-breed – A person who carries the blood of two separate races and contains traits from both.

  High Star – The season of summer. 90 days in length. Second season of the year.

  Human – The weakest of the mortal races, and the most common race to populate Chairel.

  Icilic – Casually referred to as snow elves. The oldest lineage of elves in all of Arrayis, known for their magical abilities and disdain for other races. Extreme isolationists.

  Illusion magic – A school of magic dealing in the creation of illusions for entertainment or nefarious purposes. Includes spells such as charm, frenzy, or invisibility.

  Kai Sera – Wielder of the six elements. Adopted daughter of Sirius Sera.

  Kenady Urien – A peer and tormentor of Cerin Heliot's at the Seran University of Magic. Comes from a wealthy and influential family. Dual caster of earth and life magic.

  Kilgorian Law – Named after its discoverer, Arturian Kilgor, it is a scientific law which states a mage's magic energy is pulled from reserves in a natural order: environment, weather, self.

  Leeching High – A term to describe the heightened state of awareness and strength necromancers can achieve by leeching the life force of foes. Usually takes six harvested lives to trigger, though injuries/race/size can affect the amount of life force available from one foe. The high only fades once the energy is expended through magic use or fatigue from physical exertion or time.

  Moons – Another word for seasons, as in, there are four moons in a year. Sometimes used as a method to describe the passing of time.

  Mortal Era – The current era, directly following the Golden Era, said to belong to the mortal races of Arrayis given the disappearance of the immortal races such as the Ancients and the gods. Any dates referred to in The Six Elements are of the Mortal Era, unless otherwise specified.

  Nahara – A poorer country known for its giant beasts and vast deserts. Just south of Chairel.

  Necromancy – Another term for death magic, and the only element that is banned across Chairel. Deals in the reanimation of the dead, the leeching of energy from life, and the decomposition or plague of living forms.

  New Moon – The season of spring. 90 days in length. First season of the year.

  Orders of the Mages – The name that encompasses all of Sera's mage armies, broken down into different Orders.

  Queen Edrys – The ruler of Chairel. Has a regent in each of the four major cities. Resides in Comercio.

  Red Moon – The season of autumn. 90 days in length. Third season of the year.

  Sera – A rich, mostly human city that was built on the edge of a mountain. Attracts tourists and seekers of magic services. Home to The Twelve, and the famous Orders of the Mages. Ruled by Sirius Sera, who also serves as headmaster to the Seran University.

  Seran University – The only place in Chairel that officially teaches magic and grants magic licenses to prospective mages.

  Servis Ocean – The ocean which separates the continents of Arrayis.

  Sirius Sera – Headmaster of the Seran University and regent of Sera. Wielder of air and life magic.

  Terran Sera – Biological son of Sirius Sera, and heir to the Seran throne. Wielder of earth magic.

  The Twelve �
�� A prestigious arm of the Seran Army, consisting of twelve of its highest ranked soldiers, utilized for reconnaissance missions and to serve justice in the name of Sirius Sera. Each is awarded her or his own griffon mount.

  Valerius the Undying – A rogue necromancer that serves as Chairel's justification for the prohibition of necromancy. Though he was human, he lived from 5592 G.E. to 267 M.E. (457 years) by feeding off the life force of the living.

  Relevant Spells and Translations

  Life

  Givara le life – Heal

  Sheel a phisica – Shield for physical damage

  Sheel a mana – Shield for energy damage (ward)

  Death

  Enflic le plague – Inflict plague

  Corpa te risa – Raise corpse (singular)

  Corpa te risa a multipla – Raise corpses (area of effect)

  Absort la mana del life – Leech (translates to “absorb energy from life”)

  One

  14th of New Moon, 407

  The ever-expansive waters rolled toward the northern coast of Chairel, rocking our small fishing boat and persuading it to inch closer to the town of Thornwell. The murmur of my hometown was a constant buzz far to the left, but the water had my attention as I waited for nibbles on the hooked bait of my fishing rod. A cool breeze blew over my mother and me, picking up our black locks and coaxing them along its current. Despite the chill, neither of us wore more than simple tunics and slacks. My mother's Icilic blood ensured I would forever have a higher resistance to cold weather. But while I was merely comfortable in such weather, she glistened with sweat on the other bench. Unlike me, she was full-blooded. Even mild conditions were hot for her.

  “We should come back out in the evening,” I commented, gazing out over the calm ocean waters to the north. “Few fish are biting now.”

  My mother's full lips pulled up on one side in an admiring smile, and she teased, “You're a natural fisher, Cerin. It's like you've done this all your life.”

  I raised an eyebrow and replied, “I have. You taught me.”

  She chuckled, rested her fishing pole against the side of the boat, and leaned down to pull off her clunky leather boots. Once her feet were free, she wiggled her toes in the open air to cool them off. “I know. It just makes things hard on me, is all. I needed an excuse to bring you out here to talk to you, so I lured you in with the prospect of fishing.”

  “Like a fish to bait,” I mused dryly.

  My mother laughed joyously. Her black hair swept back from her face, exposing her glistening pale skin to the direct sunlight until it was transparent. For a moment, every vein beneath her skin was visible before she pulled her hair protectively back into place. “Regardless, you know the ways of the ocean. Your persistence in arguing that it's a terrible time for fishing proves you're already an expert. I can't rely on such lies to get you alone.”

  “Why do you need lies to get me alone at all?” I questioned. I worked on pulling the fishing line out of the water and looping it back to the tip of the rod.

  My mother silently watched me work. Then, “There are things I have told you never to reveal or speak of to others.” My gaze moved up to meet hers in realization. The silver eyes that matched mine went somber as she added, “I think it's time you learned why.”

  I said nothing. I waited for her to continue as I put the fishing rod beside me in the boat. Another breeze blew inland from the open ocean, picking up my long hair and convincing it to flee the heat of my neck.

  “You know the story of how I met your father,” my mother continued, bringing her fishing rod back in the boat to give her eyes something else to focus on. “But that's where all this secrecy starts, so I think it's necessary to tell you again. This time, I'll leave nothing out.”

  “You came from Glacia,” I said, more as a test of the statement's truthfulness than anything else. Glacia was both a country and a continent of solid ice that sat far to the north of all other countries on Arrayis. In Glacia, the Icilic elves reigned. Little was known of the country outside of those who lived there, for the so-called snow elves were extreme isolationists. My mother was the only Icilic elf I'd ever seen outside of those who came to the shores of Thornwell on trading ships, and even then I'd been shooed inside like even their presence was dangerous.

  “I did,” my mother affirmed, peering off to the north as if she'd be able to see the giant glacier. “Glacia is beautiful, Cerin. It is a land of ice and snow, but its people are as cold as the land.” Her eyes swept back to mine. “Your grandfather is rich. He is a merchant who handles the imports and exports in southern Glacia. He raised me in the business. As you know, I met your father when he came to the coast to trade. He wasn't allowed on shore in Glacia. They allow none other than the Icilic on shore.”

  I frowned. “Why?”

  My mother met my gaze. “The Icilic are the oldest lineage of elves, Cerin. They are proud of this. Over the millennia, it has made them arrogant and uncaring. They don't like to associate with the other races for fear of diluting their blood. If Glacia had access to metal reserves and other such necessities, I doubt they would rely on the other races for anything. Regardless, I saw Lucius a few times over the years. He made it a point to come to my dock because he knew I would be in charge of handling his cargo. We found each other exotic. Your father—he was forbidden. Falling in love with a human was never an option for my people. Everyone assumed I viewed him with as much disgust as they did, so they trusted me to enter his ship alone.” She sighed and looked off over the ocean again. “I became pregnant with you while I lived in Glacia. I'd never been more scared in my life.”

  “Was the pregnancy hard?” I asked, trying to understand.

  She chuckled lightly and reached over to pat my knee. “Bless your naïve heart. I wish I could keep you in the dark forever, Cerin, so you would never have to learn just how cruel the world truly is.” She sighed and leaned back again. “I love you more than anything else in the world.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “I want you to know that most of all before I tell you this: I felt a need to terminate the pregnancy. When I found out I was pregnant, I wanted you so badly. But I knew having you would give you a death sentence.” She exhaled heavily and announced, “The Icilic want you dead, Cerin, and they will kill you on sight.”

  My heart sunk. “I've never met an Icilic other than you.”

  “I know,” my mother conceded, her face contorted with pain as she reached out and brushed through my hair with her fingertips. “It doesn't matter. They must cleanse impurities in the bloodline. Having you was selfish. But once I carried you in my belly, I couldn't terminate. I loved your father, and I wanted this. I wanted a life with him. I wanted to raise you. Such a life was impossible in Glacia. As soon as I told your father I was pregnant, we formed a plan of escape. I left everything behind. My career, my family, my home. I told no one where I was headed. I hid on Lucius's ship until he came back here to Thornwell. Taught your father everything I knew about fishing because he needed to change jobs for his own safety. But the life of a fisher is less prestigious than that of a trader, Cerin. Our lives are hard compared to many, and that is because of the changes we had to make to keep you safe. Your father and I try to give you the best life we can.” She frowned, and her fingers moved from my long hair to my jaw. “You know that, right? We would endure every hardship just to keep you happy and safe.”

  “I don't want you enduring any hardships for me,” I replied.

  “We do it because we have to,” she said.

  “You left without telling the others where you were going or why,” I pointed out. “We should be free of them here. Don't let their bigotry affect us in Chairel.”

  “My father is rich and well-known in Glacia,” she replied. “When I went missing, there were no doubt rumors and theories. There have been questions thrown around at the docks about me from Glacia's traders. They search for me, Cerin, and the Icilic bigotry is relentless. If they find out I fle
d with a human and diluted the bloodline by having you, our lives will be in danger.”

  “They would murder to keep the bloodline pure?”

  “Absolutely,” my mother said with no hesitation. “They hunt down and kill every Icilic half-breed they see or hear about. It doesn't matter to them how it happened. It doesn't matter if the person is minding their own business. They will kill you on sight simply for being a half-breed, and they won't hesitate to kill me for going against the law of my people. This is why I taught you to go inside when Icilic traders come here. This is why I told you to only consider yourself human. Let no one know you are an Icilic half-breed, Cerin. People chatter. Information spreads.” She reached out to graze a finger over the rounded upper arc of my ear. “Many consider human ears on an elven half-breed to be a sign of inferiority, but when you came out of my womb with human ears, I considered it a miracle. Your ears cannot give away your identity. Your paleness is unique among humans. Some may mention it to you. You may avert the question or even lie, but never admit it comes from your blood.” She hesitated and added, “When you are out in public, it may be best to cover up. By hiding your skin in shadow, its paleness will be less noticeable.”

  I couldn't help but feel hurt by that prospect. “You expect me to live forever hiding who I am?”

  My mother noticed the pain in my voice, and her expression fell into one of sadness and regret. “If it would keep you from harm, I have to suggest it. I would never expect you to live in any particular way, Cerin. They imposed such a thing on me and I rejected it. But know that if you refuse to hide, you must be prepared to fight.”

  I nodded shakily and sighed. “Okay. Who will train me?”

  My mother chuckled lightly. “Let's hold off on that for now, son. There's a reason I'm bringing all of this up now. Some in Thornwell already know about your origins.”

  “You told me not to tell anyone,” I pointed out, noting the inconsistency.