Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » A Necromancer's Apprentice (1x1)

(Oops, I thought I was still waiting for your reply. Sorry about that)

Benji's determination strengthened when he heard Nanashi's words. "Yes, Sir!" he said enthusiastically, grinning wildly again. The necromancer was gone a long time, however, and Benji's eyes were starting to close. He had read the first page about three times over (as he'd forget what he'd read earlier on and have to reread it) by the time Nanashi returned, making the table shake with another pile of books. This time, the man sat down to read alongside Benji.

"Are you a necromancer, Nanashi?" the kid asked, pointing the title of the book he had opened. He hadn't read enough of it yet to understand what it meant, but honestly, Benji was fascinated. It sounded like magic was involved and the thought that he might be an assistant to some sort of magician was a better fate than he could possibly have dreamed up.

"Well, I dabble in necromancy, yes." Nanashi nodded, peering over his book, "I'd like to think of myself as more of a healer...one who endeavors to heal death itself."

He looked back at the words on his page, "Though, I have been researching on how to create life..."

Benji's eyes were wide with interest. He just stared at Nanashi, hoping the necromancer would continue explaining. The kid knew very little about magic, let alone necromancy. But the thought of being able to create life... that sounded fascinating to him!

"Oh! Is that what I'll be able to assist you with?" he asked. His enthusiasm was hard to miss. He was nearly bouncing in his chair and his grin went as wide as it could go. "Do you mean like..bring back dead animals, for example?"

Nanashi nodded, "Yes, you would be assisting me in my experiments. But you don't seem to understand the severity of the implications."

Then, he shook his head, "Bringing back dead animals is child's-play. I did that when I was at the orphanage."

Granted, it got him sent to the asylum, but he still did it.

"You will be working with plenty of dead beings, pieces of dead beings, and living beings that you will...make dead. You get it? It is not the work of a hero."

Benji nodded his head vigorously. "I understand. I don't want to be a hero. I just want to live in this castle," he said honestly. "But..what do you mean about..living beings that I'll make dead?" That last part bothered him more than he was willing to let show. Still, as far as Benji was concerned, anything was better than going back onto the streets. And surely, Nanashi would be able to explain that last part better and it likely wasn't as bad as he made it sound. Right?

"Anyways, you can trust me. I'll be loyal and hardworking. I'll be good, Necromancer Sir." He nodded his head again, his eyes wide and intense to display his seriousness.

Nanashi still wasn't sure Benji understood, "I mean that you will kill things. Well, you would only help kill things at first, with the intent to raise it again later, if it makes you feel better. Though, it will not be the same as it once was."

Still, he didn't think Benji had the magical talent for this, so the most the boy would be doing was giving him tools when he needed them and carrying things around.

"By the way, I am called Nanashi. Not 'Necromancer Sir'. If you call me that out in the open, people are going to react badly."