The Wielder of Death Magic

“Stop repeating trouble,” said a saliva-filled mouth, “-I know we got trouble.”

“No Kazalon, trouble is worth more trouble, I know we’re in trouble. Don’t you get it?”

“Stop it, Voraum, you have the habit of rambling when we lose.”

“I know, I know, I’m angry, tired, and angry. Tell me, Kazalon, did we lose?”

“Yes we lost, Voraum, we lost many servants. The master won’t be happy.”

“No, no, he will be happy. They lose, they get strong, trouble is the man that arrived, he has mana similar to the master.”

.....

“He can beat us?”

“No, we beat him easily. Servants of Hades can steal magical affinity, if we fight, we win, no question asked.”

“Why trouble?”

“Because, trouble is trouble,” wood crackled under the silent night, the forest’s foliage hid unnecessary attention. The corpse of a dead animal festered creatures of the underworld. No rational shape or size could be put as description, the creatures, rather critters, would shapeshift at a moment’s notice. Thus, ended on event 29th of October.

The next day arrived, Igna woke to a familiar manor and familiar entourage. Vanesa’s listless attitude somewhat dwindled, Aceline truly took a liking to the girl. Not a word said, the idol asked for the car keeps and headed into the city.

“What’s up with her?” wondered Igna with toast in hand.

“The idol’s gotten more confident,” commented éclair, “-master, what should we do about the company?”

“I’ve asked aunt Elvira for assistance. Any updates on Raven’s climb?”

“Perfect timing,” said the butler, “-we received a message from Luon. The warnings hit home, Kul and Asmodeus are on their way to Stanley’s homage.”

The brisk morning air wrapped the empty early street in a feeble mist. Newspapers and bags swept across; the lamps remained alit.

“-How cold can this humanly get?” shivered Asmodeus.

“Don’t complain,” returned Kul, “-the lawyer should be here any minute.” A modernized background of tall buildings cupped the rustic-styled street oppressively. Headlights opposite the road cruised to a stop. Two blinks later, “-let’s follow them.” The car toggled and made for a new location, the suburb. The tall pillars faded into the foggy streets; a melancholic tone weighted atop the richly built houses. Expensive vehicles were a common sight, Kul cast a few questionable glances until the other guides stopped. Something about talking to a guard, a few minutes later, despite poor visibility, Asmo spotted said guard peer outward and nod. A gate opened, and thus followed the voyage. They passed the gates, nodded at the guard who bore a stern expression and continued inside. No heed at the manor, Tomas, the lawyer, hastened his steps.

“You must have a reason to call us here,” narrowed Asmo. The heated interior gave a pleasant relief, Kul undid her coat and followed the lead.

“Shames me to say, we’re at a loss.” The wooden-floored corridors pleasantly arrived at a large room. The latter gave view onto a pond, “-godfather, I’ve brought them.”

“Brought them, have you?” the chair spun, “-I see,” he halted in midst of knitting a scarf, “-good day, Raven,” a large scar down the left eye foretold of the plausible story.

“Godfather Luon,” they nodded.

“Come on, take a seat, young’uns.” A click of a button toggled a screen to the right, “-did you record those images?”

“Yes,” firmed Asmodeus.

“It’s true,” he exhaled and lowered his head, the arms strongly crossed in thought. Coffee arrived per a young butler. Hospitality wasn’t good nor bad, a perfect neutral stance. The thought manifested in the slow ticks of a pendulum, the archaic and mechanical piece reflected the older gentleman.

“Okay,” silence broke, “-I heard the gist from Tomas. To be completely honest,” the pressure dropped, “-I’m getting older by the day. The whole mafia thing isn’t worth holding onto-”

Tomas interjected, “-Godfather.”

“-let me speak.” The tone of voice sufficed for the lawyer to nod and accept. “Where was I. Yeah, the mafia life. Luon’s going to end, this mansion is the only thing the gang owns. We were betrayed by Saku, they raided our collective warehouse and stole the produce. Loansharking won’t work – the video speaks for itself; I had my best men set out to collect on Xiola’s payment. What little forces we had are gone, nothing’s left, my son was killed, and now my grandchild too, this life isn’t worth living.”

“Tis the truth,” said Tomas.

“Tell me, godfather Luon, how much does the family name mean to you?”

“Not much,” he replied, “-a name, at the end of the day, is ink on paper. What’s the worth without a family or people to entrust the legacy. We were at the bottom of the food chain from the start, the choice to be nonaggressive was mine. I saw many of my friends with whom I built this family die in vain. They were shot ruthlessly.”

“Listen up, old man,” interjected Kul, “-I don’t care about the sob story.”

“Shut up for once,” cried Asmo, “-let me talk, ok?”

“Whatever,” she frowned.

“I’m sorry young lady, guess this old man has grown boring over the years.”

“No, you haven’t. Don’t mind her, she’s impatient. Godfather Luon, seeing there’s none to precede the family, why not allow us, Raven, to follow said path?”

“You telling me to abandon everything?” they stared.

“Yes, I am.”

“Ask Tomas,” he leaned back, “-I only want death to come peacefully. Do what thee wishes to the family, tis but ink on paper. There’s a drive of conquest, I sense it, maybe it is wise to leave the name to another party. I don’t have any problem in the matter, the only condition is for the name to remain.”

“Godfather, please reconsider. You could climb the ranks and fight the betrayers, please, I beg of you.”

“Stop waning heavy on this old man,” he smiled, “-Tomas, you were a close friend of my grandson, I had hoped for you both to take over the family someday. With all the members practically gone, I can’t think of anything else aside from burying the hatchet.”

“Godfather...”

“We’ll be outside,” said Asmo,”-come on, Kul,” to which she defiantly followed. The mist cleared a little, the sun made its journey across the sky, “-why are you?”

“Appealing to their emotions?” he lit a cigar, “-to create a bond. Sometimes, violence isn’t the wisest of choice. Inheritance of underworld names is a tedious process, either force or be chosen. Let’s use the nonviolent approach first; if it doesn’t work, we’ll do what we do best,” he puffed, “-sounds good?”

“Whatever you say.”

The door would soon open, the parle of what the family’s future commenced.

‘Such an unpleasant curse to work with,’ the basement rattled, ‘-the cure to the monster curse will be a hard one to crack,’ access to Origin’s knowledge provided much crucial information, the pieces were randomized, he but needed to solve the puzzle. A task that would prove very arduous.

‘Damn,’ five hours elapsed, ‘-I’ve been stuck on the same problem. The curse can’t be purified, potions and scrolls won’t work either. It affects the host on an elemental level. Tis unlike Hidros, the difficulties off the chart.’

*Creek,* “-ello pops!”

“Hey, Vanesa, how was the trip?”

“Pretty good,” she smiled, “-the basement’s very spacious.”

“And you’re full of energy,” he backed from the research table, “-what’s the occasion?”

“I got to eat a lot of good food,” a large smile later, “-I’m full of energy.”

“Come over here then.”

“-Curses,” her face shimmered, “-pops, this curse, it’s new!”

“New?”

“Yeah, I don’t know it,” she leaned over the table, “-the taint, can I touch it?”

“-NO.”

“Too late,” index to her mouth, “-tastes bad...” her face paled, the eyes rolled, “-tired...”

*Poof,* “-hey, Vanesa?” held in his arms, “-wake up, don’t pass out on me,” he tapped her cheeks to no avail. ‘The taint spreads fast,’ no soon could he help or use magic, her complexion mutated to a turned. “Don’t tell me she’s dead...”

*Burp,* “-I’m BACK!”

“Huh?”

“I said I’m back. What’s with the worried look, pops?”

“You ate the damn curse, should I explain?”

“Oh, come on,” she chuckled and rolled from his grasp, “-I’m the Aedric Mistress of Plague and Illness.”

“No, you’re the mistress of sleep and being listless.”

“Ok maybe,” she yawned, “-point is, no matter the curse or illness, I won’t die.”

“And, what now, you ate the sample?”

“No, I’m the mistress of sleep. Good night pops, good luck figuring a cure. The curse is a piece of work,” she pulled out her tongue and left.

‘Maybe I took the joke too far. Anyway, the sample’s gone, and I need more information. I should perhaps stop it for today.’

The afternoon wouldn’t be a casual stroll. While Asmo and Kul discussed the future of Luon’s family, multiple pick-up trucks pulled to the sidewalk. The stranger individuals waited prominently at the gate.

If things weren’t bad enough, the perplexing puzzle of a cure rudely interrupted. “-Better have a good excuse.”

“Tis more of a warning. Part of our home security was breeched; they accessed enough information to have a vague idea on our location.”

“And, what does the mysterious hacker want?”

“No idea,” *crash,*

*Teleportation,* out the basement and at the porch, “-are you insane?”

“What?” light-gray hair locked onto his, “-ITS YOU, I’VE FOUND YOU!”

“No,” they both stomped with intent to hurt another, “-are you a stalker?”

.....

“Hell no,” they locked in a battle of tone and visual authority, “-I just stumbled here...”

“How convenient...”

“Master, I’ve found the source of the attackers, state-level intelligence officers,” relayed across the earring.

“I know we had a rough exchange yesterday... care to explain the invasion onto my property?”

‘How do I tell him I accidentally teleported here. I only wanted to catch a glimpse...’

“Time’s ticking, lady?” the shoulder rose in demand of answers.

“I don’t need to tell you my name,” she side-glanced, “-and why were you shouting at me?”

“No, the question wasn’t about the name. I want to know why you ruined...”

“-My lawn...” éclair exited the main entrance, “-WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!” he ran over and knelt, “-MY LOVELY LAWN.”

“Look, my retainers been placed under mental stress from the blatant act of aggression.”

“-I”

“Silence will not get you anywhere.” Simultaneously, a helicopter allied to the Imperial family formally requested to land. The grieving éclair couldn’t answer, to which, Igna allowed so.

“Ignore the loud bird,” he brought her startled gaze downward, “-your worries start here, lady. Not only is this an act of blatant aggression, but my butler’s lovely meadow was also ruined, do thee have any idea how long it takes to cultivate such a lush garden?”

A slope of ice conjured downward the manor, “-Igna, I’m back,” said the joyful Eira.

“Welcome back, big sister.”

“What’s wrong, why’s the mood so heavy?”

“Well, you see,” he stepped for a clearer look at the intruder, “-here’s a very rude stalker.”

“By éclair demenor, I see she’s... wait.”

“Sister Eira?”

“Loftha? Xyra’s been looking everywhere for you.”

“I’m sorry,” she bowed, “-wait no, how do you?”

Igna chimed in with, “-no how do you?”

“SHUT UP, EVERYONE!” fired éclair, “-I don’t care, just step off my LAWN.”

In before long, the confusion settled over a warm cup of coffee, “-my name’s Igna Haggard, Viscount of Glenda.”

“And my name’s Loftha Sultria, the fifth princess of Alphia.”

“See, that wasn’t hard, now, was it?” smiled Eira.

Talks between Luon and Raven concluded favorably. The Godfather and Tomas agreed for a change in leadership, in retrospect, the events seemed to follow the natural course, well, until one saw the bloodshed on the suburban streets. A close ally of Tomas revolted in attempts to overtake the leadership, in his cause, the employment of random gangs brought numbers without expertise. Kul wasted no time, and soon, the quiet retreat of Stanley’s homage made the news. Outrage grew in the community, especially the rich and powerful. Law enforcement would soon be painfully aware of who pays the taxes.