How To Kill A Necromancer

Jase woke up late the next morning, the sunlight peeking through cracks in the window’s shutters. He still had a headache, and it only took a moment for him to come to the conclusion the events of the last night were not a dream at all as he tried to wipe the dried blood off of his face.

“Hm… Thoravone, could you bring me my glasses?”

With an indignant flick of his tail, Thoravone jumped from Jase’s lap.

“Ugh... why is it so early?” 

“Oh. You’re still here? So what happened to you last night?” Jase asked. He got no response. “Okay then, don’t explain anything.”

Thoravone pushed Jase’s glasses into his hands. He wiped the blood smeared lenses on the end of his robes and propped them on the bridge of his nose, bringing the room around him back into focus once again.

His usually neat entry room was in chaos. Along with the chair that had been pulled over the night before and the jar that had been knocked off the desk, other items had been strewn around the floor and pulled out of the cupboards.

“Thoravone, what’s your take on this?” Jase asked, quickly looking away from the blood stain over his desk.

Thoravone leapt onto the warm seat of the arm chair and curled up, opening one eye to watch Jase as he walked around the room.

“You're no help either,” Jase told him. He carefully made his way through the mess to his bedroom. As expected, it was equally ransacked..

Jase washed his hands in his bedroom wash basin and looked in his vanity mirror. Jase’s reflection alarmed him. His hair was nearly as white as his skin, and blinking behind his rectangular frames were someone else’s bright green eyes. Jase reached up and pulled some hair down into his view, and saw that on his own head it was still its usual brown. He sighed in relief as Thoravone joined him. Like usual the cat’s reflection did not show up in the mirror, as the cat sat on the edge of the vanity, its tail curling.

Jase began to wash his face and hair in the basin. With his face now clear, the wound was visible as a deep gash in his forehead, no more than two inches wide.

“Looks like a knife. No wonder you were bleeding buckets.”

“Mhm.” Jase pinched his lips together, unsettled by the raw gash.

The wound didn't seem to be bleeding, so after some effort and a few failed attempts, Jase managed to securely tie a makeshift bandage around his head, his hair sticking up over the fabric. Satisfied with that done, he began to change out of his robes as Thoravone smugly cleaned his claws.

“Ugh. Maybe I should have stayed dead. I did not need to see some old man’s body.”

“Old? Excuse me?” Jase retorted, “Is this how it’s going to be, with you insulting me in my ear all day?”

“I’ll have to wait until you let your guard down before I can do anything.”

“And when that happens?”

“I suppose the plan will be the same as before... but until then, I'll just see what you have going on.”

“You mean you're going to sit back and watch.” Jase shook his head as he dressed in clean clothes. “Fine. I’ll deal with this robbery and whatever you want later.”

“You were robbed? That explains the stuff everywhere,” Zendron was intrigued, “So? They broke in and attacked you?”

“No. I was sitting at my desk and something hit me through the open window, I think that was when I… lost consciousness.”

“You died.” Zendron stated, disappointed. “What sort of robber kills the people in the house first and then breaks in? I would have just chosen an easier target.”

“I wouldn't know, I’ve never tried to rob anyone.”

Jase returned to the main room and viewed the mess left overnight. It seemed the robbers had gone through most of his things, throwing them about the room. His leather bag was missing entirely. He sighed, it would take him hours to clean up and get everything back in order. “I need to get to the academy. I’m already very late.”

“You were robbed and murdered and you’re concerned about classes?”

“Classes I need to be teaching.” Jase corrected. “Now if you will excuse me, you can keep your comments to yourself.”

Jase hurried to the academy, which stood up on a hill overlooking the town below. The path up was at a slight incline and by the time he had hurried up to the top, he was well out of breath.

Jase entered the academy’s modest hallways, and headed towards his office.

He saw one of his fellow professors and good friends, Kieran, waiting nervously by the door to the dean’s office.

When Kieran spotted Jase he froze, the book he was holding slipped out of his hand and fell to the floor. “What are you doing here?”

“Are you okay?” Jase asked, approaching Kieran.

“I'm fine.” Kieran responded after a second to recover and retrieve his book, “I mean- I had something to talk to the dean about, and it was making me really nervous. On the other hand, perhaps it can wait. I’m fine, but are you? Seems like you hurt your head.”

Jase reached up to make sure his bandage was still in place, “Yes. I did. I wouldn't be late otherwise. I was just coming in to get something.” Jase paused, “Actually, I need to talk to you first.”

“Y-you do?” Kieran looked pale. “Well don't drag it out, what is it?”

“Kieran, you know the kind of research I’ve been doing, right? My elixir, It actually worked.”

“What are you talking about?” Kieran stared at Jase, a mixture of confusion and fear flashed across his face. His eyes darted back and forth.

“Robbers broke into my home last night and attacked me, but my elixir brought me back to life. I should have been dead right now.” Jase laughed in disbelief. “I thought I was stuck- that something was wrong with it, but it worked!”

“Your elixir… brought you ‘back’ last night?”

“Yes. It's not perfect by any means. Obviously this wasn't supposed to be a test of its viability, but it's a major breakthrough for my research.”

Kieran’s demeanor changed to one of relief, and he smiled at Jase “Oh. You must have hit your head hard last night. You blacked out and thought you died.”

Jase felt hurt, “Kieran, that's not what happened. I’m very serious-”

“You should really go home and lay down. you've probably got a concussion.”

“I know it sounds crazy, but this is what we’ve been working on for years. If you would just listen to me- if you come to my office I can prove it to you.”

“No, no. I'm headed to my office, very busy today, you know. I better not see you around or I’ll have the Dean send you home himself.” Kieran said hastily as he waved a friendly goodbye.

Jase watched as Kieran hurried away, leaving him in the hall. “Why didn't he believe me?”

“He thinks you’re crazy.”

“I admit that I’m eccentric, but Kieran is my friend. I just need to try talking to him again.” Jase whispered in response.

"So… what exactly was it that brought you back to life?”

“It was my research on the elixir of life.” Jase said.

“Hah!” Zendron’s outburst was so loud that Jase cringed at it in his ear. “So you are crazy.”

“Excuse me? You’re the one casting magic around and declaring himself a necromancer-”

“- I am a necromancer.” 

Another teacher walked down the hall, passing Jase a confused glance as he passed by. Jase smiled back quickly, and nodded in greeting.

Jase waited for the professor to be out of earshot before responding to Zendron, “Tell me, why is it crazy for an alchemist to be trying to make the elixir of life?” He crossed his arms.

“The Elixir of Life is a myth. You can't bring someone back to life with a potion. It takes magic, powerful magic. Magic that you don't have.”

Jase shook his head. “This is my life’s work. And I know that it worked.” he insisted. “I’m going to talk to Kieran again.” He turned down the hall towards Kieran’s office. As he neared the door, he could hear Kieran talking to a fellow professor.

“He's having a conversation with Tollen. Maybe later then,”

Jase was about to turn away, when Zendron stopped him.

“Let's hear what they’re saying,”

“You mean eavesdrop on them? Absolutely not.” Jase hissed back.

“They’re talking behind your back. See? They all think you’re insane.”

Jase was about to make a retort, when he caught his name being exchanged. It seemed Zendron was right. Reluctantly, Jase leaned in to hear more.

“Well, he’s always been odd,” Tolen responded. He sounded amused, “He acts so weird. You ever think he’s too nice? 'Oh let me get that door for you',” Tollen said in a high pitched imitation of Jase’s voice, “- like excuse me? You getting the door is just getting more in my way because now I have to stand and talk to you for half an hour.”

“I can't stand him. I swear he came into my office one day and started arranging all my things while he was talking to me!” Kieran added.

“That’s not what happened at all.” Jase protested.

“Or how about when he's always dropping potion bottles in the halls. What a klutz!” Tollen laughed.

“Truly. He was late today, you know. He hit his head and started rambling to me, I could hardly get away fast enough.”

“Really? I passed him in the hall and I overheard him talking to himself.”

“He always does that,”

“No- here’s something you’ll enjoy hearing. Something he mentioned… necromancy.”

“He either has a concussion or had a bad trip on a potion, either way, he’s finally lost it.”

Jase stepped back from the door. “I don't want to hear anything else.”

“Your friends are real assholes.” Zendron said with amusement, “This is going to be really easy."

The door opened and Tollen stepped out, stopping when he saw Jase.

“Sorry, are you two in a meeting?” Jase asked, trying to smile as normal.

“I was just on my way out.” Tollen said.

“Oh sure. Uh… did you hear anything we were talking about?” Kieran asked carefully.

“No? I arrived just as Tollen opened the door. What was it?” Jase lied.

“Oh just that there was uh… gonna be a faculty meeting.”Kieran smiled reassuringly, “Don't worry about it, I’ll cover for you and tell you if there’s anything important. You know how the dean is with these, it could take him hours to get to the point.” he looked over at Tolen who laughed in agreement. Jase nodded and forced a smile.

“Alright then, see you, Kieran. Jase.” Tollen said as he left.

“Actually, I was just on my way out as well.” Kieran added.

“Wait, Kieran. I really do need to talk to you.”

“Jase, I told you, I’m busy. And you look exhausted.” Kieran began to walk away.

“I know I sounded excited before, but believe me, this is important. Can I talk to you after the day is over? Please?” Jase offered.

“Sure. later.” Kieran looked hesitant. “I’ll let you know if I’m free.”

Jase nodded and let Kieran rush off again.