《I wanted to become a necromancer, so I sold my heart to a crow》


 Chapter 1 - Niz茅

    Ever since I was three apples high, life has seemed interminable. I''ve always lived under the close protection of a guard named Ratvert, an old vampire who seems to have traveled the wilds of DevilLand. He liked to tell me all about the basics of magic, his battles and the business he was doing with a friend, but he used to say of me when I was eavesdropping in my father''s study that I''d never master magic.


    ¡° I tried everything to introduce him to the basics, Sir Charles, changing my words, sneaking him 80% enriched mana crystals and condensed knowledge opals in his meals, even giving him a taste of my blood, but nothing worked¡±. That morning, as I listened discreetly, Ratvert seemed downcast.


    ¡° This kid''s good for nothing, he''s an incompetent¡±. My father raged. I hired you, Ratvert, a former explorer who discovered his own magic, and you tell me there''s nothing I can do?


    ¡° I''m afraid there is, but he''s intelligent and knows his way around magic theory, so perhaps he could become a spell-creator or a great merchant?¡±


    ¡° I''ll do what''s necessary to solve the problem, you''re fired Ratvert, if you can''t help me make him a magician, then I know what I have to do¡±.


    ¡° Well, sir, I''ll be leaving within the hour¡±.


    Something in me broke at that moment, a part of my heart seemed to float away, and I backed up and went down to the basement, where my room was.


    The house was rather modest compared to my father''s wealth; he was a great manager of a transport company across France, all the way to Australia. He''d often show me the newspaper at lunchtime when his name came up after an interview, and I respected him a lot.


    Then came my 10th birthday, and the birth of my brother.


    My father only had eyes for him, and my mother, Louniane, didn''t pay much attention to me from that year on. She kept telling me:


    ¡° If you can''t become a magician, study and train your body, every morning go and do some sport¡±.


    In turn, I''d tell her I was no good at sports, but her tenacity got the better of me, and at the age of 12, I took third place in my chess boxing competition. Chess boxing is a fairly new sport that consists of boxing in a ring and then playing chess with the same opponent in the same ring. The first to win by checkmate or k.o. wins.


    My father became increasingly distant from me, barely speaking to me at family dinners, so my mother protected me as best she could.


    When my brother Charles Junior (my father had given him his first name) turned 3, a flower appeared on my father''s plate, and Charles leapt for joy. I''d never seen him so proud.


    Soon, Ratvert returned home to teach him elementary and theoretical magic.


    -¡±Anoir? Come here, my boy¡±


    Ratvert called me from the living room.


    ¡° I''ve got a request to make of you. I see your father doesn''t talk to you much any more, so I''ve got an idea. Teach your little brother magic theory when I''m away, and I''m sure you''ll be back in his good graces in no time¡±.


    My childish naivety dictated that this was a good idea, so that''s what I did. Until he was 6, my little brother accompanied me wherever I went and always listened to my advice. As I was incapable of handling magic, I made up for it by memorizing all the magic books I could get my hands on. Chess boxing taught me to use my head even when I was very tired.


    Then my father called me into his office for the first time in my life.


    It was a large room, with an open globe holding bottles of alcohol (I''d never drunk any before), and paintings of him with my mother, very beautiful and old, no doubt done in their youth.


    I was surprised to find that I''d never been there before, so I hoped for the best.


    ¡° Sit down, Anoir¡±. he said in his authoritative tenor voice.


    ¡° Did you get good grades in high school?¡±


    ¡° Yes, Dad, I''m a hard worker with an 18.7 average¡±.


    ¡° Your mother tells me you''ve taken magic theory in a special stream¡±.


    It was the most word exchange we''ve had in 3 years, so my heart was jumping in my chest.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡° I learn everything by heart and I''m rigorous. I managed to teach a fellow student a glyph spell, which earned me an extra mark in my assessment. He managed to conjure it on the first try¡±.


    ¡°Good, good¡±. He moved from his English leather desk chair to pour himself a glass of whisky, and conjured up two ice cubes with a spell.


    ¡° When you come of age, at 18, me and your mother have decided to offer you a small house in the west of France, in Brittany. You''ll be free to do as you please, but you won''t be able to return home, for Charles Junior''s sake¡±.


    My eyes went from excitement to fear to sadness. What had I done wrong?


    ¡° But...but, I''m helping Charles Junior with his lessons,Ratvert told me that thanks to me he was very attentive to his lessons, he even managed a blooming spell last time.


    ¡° And he''s only 6, so I don''t want his older brother, who''s incapable of handling even the most basic magic, influencing him in a bad way¡±. His tone of voice was unmistakable, I couldn''t change his mind.¡± I''ll send you money every month, so you can live, but if I have any advice to give you, find a job quickly. I''ve got a few agencies in this territory, so if you want, you can work in logistics management¡±.


    My eyes gazed, slightly vacant, at the instrument levitating on his desk, in the shape of a spinning marble.


    And so, ever since that day, an immense sadness had crept into me and seized me by its cold hand.


    Time went by faster and faster, and by the time I was 17 and a half, I''d already passed the baccalaur¨¦at (French final exam) with top honors. But my teachers knew something was wrong.


    And it was today that I wandered away from home to meditate on what I should do.


    It was 5.30 pm, the weather was mild, it was spring, the park I was heading for was usually little frequented because of the hooligans who hung around in the mornings drinking beer and taking money from passing women. I knew this park by heart, so I knew how to avoid them if they showed up.


    What amazed me that late afternoon was that time seemed to stand still. There was hardly anyone in the park. Yet it was large and offered an unobstructed view when you went into its heights.


    I had taken a sandwich, as I didn''t have the strength to eat with my parents. So I sat down on the bench next to the little black lake, where some old Japanese fish were swimming around. A weeping willow dissolved me. I munched on my sandwich and took out my laptop, a digital antique dating from 2012 but working like a charm. Then I looked at the Chinese and Belgian comics I loved so much.


    Time flew by, but the sun was still shining high in the sky. It was nearly 8 p.m., and I had just finished my sandwich, which I had left to rest.


    Pigeons were flocking to my feet to eat the crumbs falling from my ill-fitting felt pants. My shoulder straps were beginning to pull at my back, so I rested on the back of the green metal bench.


    I heard the sound of wings, loud and clear. I looked up and night had fallen. I had dozed off! What time is it? My phone was gone, I searched, but no, it wasn''t there. It had been stolen during my nap. I had my watch and it showed 3am.


    I heard that same wingbeat again, so I raised my head and saw a huge raven staring at me with its red eyes. Not exactly common for a crow.


    Sandwich still in hand, I cut off a piece.


    ¡° Are you hungry, old man?¡± I placed the piece on the other end of the bench.


    Sadness overcame the loss of my phone, and the soft air appeased my morals. I was in one of those moments of calm before the storm, which I''d learned to enjoy sparingly.


    The raven watched for a few seconds and then, with a flap of its wings, was on the bench. He devoured the sandwich greedily.


    ¡° You know, buddy, I don''t know what I''m going to do in Brittany all by myself. I''d have liked to become a magician like most humans today, but fate had other plans. So I''m reading books from an era when magic was almost non-existent, and it''s doing me good¡±.


    I loved talking to that raven, it was as if he was listening while he ate.


    ¡° You know, if I had magic, I could make a piece of meat appear out of thin air, where time stands still, I know a lot about magic theory, you know?¡±


    ¡° And then I could even communicate with you, there are many bestial mages who can do that¡±.


    ¡° I''ve even seen that some manage to communicate with beings from elsewhere for intelligence and research purposes, Ah.... if only I could do magic¡±.


    The raven had finished his meal, and emitted a caw of disappointment, at least I think so. He was about to fly away from here, in search of a second meal. Given his weight, he must have eaten a lot.


    One of his red eyes stared at me intensely, and I could have sworn it turned purple. I had the strange feeling that he was staring deep into my being, that he was judging me. Suddenly, I heard him speak. His voice was mocking and slow.


    ¡° Magic? Magic? Niz¨¦ is hungry, can you feed me?¡±


    It was the first time I''d ever heard an animal speak, so I gave myself a few taps to see if I was awake. My heart in my chest was no longer beating.


    ¡° I''ve got nothing left, Mr. Raven, I''ve given you everything¡±.


    My voice was hesitant, I wondered if I was going mad.


    ¡° Niz¨¦ hungry, heart, heart, Anoir give his heart¡±.


    My heart? He wants to eat my heart? I''ve got a bad feeling about this. However, he continued to speak with a final phrase.


    ¡° If Anoir gives heart, Niz¨¦ gives magic¡±.


    ¡° I accept!¡± I didn''t even think about it, it was like an evidence halfway between tiredness and desire.


    The red-eyed raven rose into the air without even flapping its wings, levitating, then getting smaller and smaller, an impressive sight. And then it punctured my chest, feeling only a tiny sting.


    Then my eyes opened wide. My human heart was being devoured.


    First I panicked, feeling an almost unstoppable pain that grew worse, then I was terrified, my heart pounding like a chess boxing match. I spat blood out of my mouth, my eyes spinning in their sockets at the indescribable pain that consumed me. And then I collapsed, eyes open, onto the bench where I''d been sitting before. I could no longer feel my body, so I told myself I was dead.

 Chapter 2 - Robber

    Anoir lay staring at the bench on which he''d made a strange deal with a raven. His body was now undergoing biological changes on an unsuspected scale: he felt nothing, thought of nothing, became emptier and colder inside than he had ever felt before. In this world governed largely by magic, even airplane engines were powered by it. Anoir had swallowed entire books to unravel the theoretical capabilities of practical magic, as well as their possibilities. His many courses in magic theory in high school had taught him the rigor of mind required to create a new spell, but he hadn''t made many friends because of the melancholy he constantly expressed, which irritated some of his teachers. In 20 days'' time, he would come of age and leave the family home, as his father had told him. His father had told him that his mother had agreed, although in reality, this was not the case. For Louniane, her sons were her prot¨¦g¨¦s, but Charles''s wealth and authority were no match for her fragile, loving constitution. And so, in the early hours of the morning, Anoir slowly regained consciousness in the park he''d frequented since he was 10.


    I feel....Bizarre. It''s like after my chess boxing match against that southern kingpin, I feel like I''ve been through a tumble dryer.


    Straightening up slowly, then by reflex, I glance at my watch. 6:32.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I hurt all over. My body was shaking, I must have caught a cold during the night in the park. Then I gradually remembered the previous events, and put my hand against my chest: no heartbeat. I took my pulse on my wrist, thinking it was a mistake on my part, but no, it''s real, I''m breathing and feeling without my heart beating in my chest....But.... Do I still have a heart?


    That raven told me he''d devour it... Then... I fainted. I feel like I''m forgetting something, I think he really did talk to me, but I can''t remember clearly what we said. It''s all so blurry in my head.


    The black lake in front of me, on the other hand, hadn''t changed, and the fish continued to come and go as usual.


    I got up from the bench in a daze and made my way to the exit. However, I had forgotten something....


    ¡° You, come here¡±.


    ¡° Yeah, come closer, we''ve got something to tell you¡±.


    Three young adults, who were hidden by a bush, appeared and approached me. They were guarding the exit. Their eyes were glassy, and one of them had a bottle of cheap wine in his right hand. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡° Have you seen our cousin?¡± Said the taller one.


    ¡° Yeah, he got attacked last time, and we''re going to do the same to you if you don''t give us everything you''ve got right now!¡± Continued the smaller one, using his dominant hand to form an incantation I knew in theory, ¡°Bronze Lianes¡±.


    ¡° Er... No sorry, I''m expected, I''ve got to go... Can you let me through?¡± Fear paralyzed my leg muscles, and I was unable to run in the face of the menace showing its fangs.


    ¡° Kiid, didn''t you hear me? Give it all you''ve got¡±. It was the third one who spoke this time.


    In an instant, he formed an incantation and a wooden bat appeared in his hands, striking the air, as if to warm his muscles.


    My blood ran cold, but I didn''t feel the usual stress-related fatigue; I could feel my mind sharpening.


    ¡° Right, that''s it for you, we''re going to collect your things after we''ve beaten the shit out of you, aren''t we Zlarvi?¡±


    One of them grabbed my shoulder, the other threw his bat at my legs violently, and the last one held me back from falling by the back.


    My mind screamed for help, but I couldn''t physically scream.


    The next moment, in the corner of my vision, an obscure cloud was rapidly closing in, only to reform in front of me. Like mist, it appeared around me, thick and deeply black.


    ¡° What the hell! Mike, didn''t you neutralize his magic with the vines?¡±


    ¡° Yes, I did. Look, his arms bear my temporary mark¡±.


    A monster the likes of which I''d never seen before, sliced off the arm of the man holding my shoulder. Then he crunched the throat of the one holding my back, and finally, with his mace, crushed the leg of the one called Mike. A vision of a book came back to me in a flash: it was a flesh-eater, similar to the werewolf, but weaker and more agile.


    My feet were soaking in a pool of blood. When my mind calmed despite the creature''s fear of attacking me, it disappeared into the mist, which in turn dissipated. And I felt an immense fatigue overcome me. As if someone had tied an anvil to my feet.


    I ran. As hard as I''d ever run, straight ahead, towards my family home. I was scared, very scared, my black shirt and suspenders soaked with blood. The blood of those guys.


    I knew I was in trouble, serious trouble. But my new-found composure took over. I took out my keys, my hands trembling at times, inserted them in the lock, slammed the door and leaned against the floor in the hallway doorway. What the hell happened?


    Discreetly, I went to the bathroom, took off my clothes and threw them into the garbage bag I''d picked up in the kitchen. I set the temperature to very hot, and the dried blood rushed into the bathtub pipes. The water seemed frozen, even icy cold, but whatever it was, it was probably stress.


    Suddenly, as I finished my shower, a crow''s caw reached my ears.

 Chapter 3 - Growing power

    I slowly pulled back the bathtub curtain, a small black figure was behind it.


    ¡°Hello? Hello ?¡±


    I slipped in surprise and hurt my shoulder. A raven, juvenile and tiny hopped across the bathroom carpet.


    ¡°Can you talk too?¡± I asked the little bird.


    ¡°Niz¨¦! Niz¨¦! Anoir friends!¡± he croaked excitedly as he continued to hop about.


    How could he have got in while I was showering? Despite the cold biting my body from stress, I asked the question I didn''t really want the answer to.


    ¡°Did you eat my heart?


    ¡°Niz¨¦ magic! Anoir became N¨¦cromant¡± The last word he''d croaked, N¨¦cromant, he''d said in runic language, my magic theory lessons rushing back into my mind. It was my teacher, Doctor Luna, who had taught me this archaic language, but she said I couldn''t speak it without practicing magic.


    ¡°Necromancer?¡± I asked, grabbing a towel to hide my private parts.


    However, I nearly fell as I slipped a second time by surprise, my language! I''d spoken runic language to the raven! If I still had a heart, I''m sure it would leap out of my chest.


    It was all happening very quickly for Anoir, his mind sharpened by regular learning, but struggling to grasp all the finer points of what was going on. He was certain, however, that he could now wield magic. Not since he was born 17 years ago had he felt such excitement, so he continued to talk to the juvenile raven. He learned that the raven''s name was Niz¨¦, and although his mind was muddled, he quickly made the correlation with the name of the large raven from the previous day in the park. Never before had he read that a human could acquire magic, but he did know that many magical creatures were able to do so by feeding on natural mana crystals in nature, enabling them to work elemental magic for hours or even days. A new type of blood ran through his veins that morning. He wasn''t aware of it yet, but there was a price to pay for his recent acquisition of magic.


    After a long chat in the bathroom with Niz¨¦, I realized that I''d become a Necromancer, and from what I knew, it was a rather rare branch of magic and very little understood due to the small number of practitioners on Earth. I was going to have to fend for myself for a long time.


    Dressed in my usual outfit, suspenders and ill-fitting pants, I tried to comb my hair, but to no avail, my hair living its life as it wished.


    My family was at work this morning, and I looked at my watch: 10:20. Niz¨¦ had nestled on my left shoulder, and I could feel the warmth emanating from his touch, it was delectable. Curiously, I no longer felt hungry, but out of habit, I went into the kitchen. A small note was left on the refrigerator.


    ¡°Anoir, Mom was worried last night, you weren''t in your room, so I left you your favorite yogurt, with raspberry coulis, for all¡±.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    I recognized my brother Charles Junior''s spelling and his little mistakes.


    Since I''d finished school and hadn''t yet decided whether to go to university, I had 20 days left before I had to leave home. Distractedly, I turned on the television in the living room.


    A magical cooking show was on with presenter Paul Forc, a Frenchman with a good appetite who often ate during the program. Reclining on the beige leather sofa, near the pedestal table where the teleport newspapers were received, I noticed that my father hadn''t checked the day''s news.


    Glancing quickly at the research and discovery section, an alert appeared on a banner below the TV program:


    ¡°Monster attack alert: three 28-year-old boys were savagely attacked at Grasshopper Park this morning around 7am, in the town of Courbeton, only one survived and is currently in forced regeneration stasis.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, the trouble''s starting, these assholes got what they deserved! ¡°I shouted at the TV.


    Niz¨¦ was jumping up and down on the arm of the sofa.


    ¡°Revenant! Revenant! Anoir cr¨¦e revenant!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Niz¨¦?¡± Then a pain seized me violently in the chest, my vision blurred and I felt my strength diminish.


    ¡°Anoir creates revenant to survive?! Hurry! Hurry! Anoir die and Niz¨¦ die¡±.


    Instinctively, I knew what I had to do.


    I headed for the cellar, clinging as best I could to the walls for balance.


    I was acting out of survival.


    The cellar was very large, and lots of little bugs were wandering around, moving from opening to opening towards the outside.


    My hand slowly stretched out in front of me, and a violet aura emanated from it. Weak and almost imperceptible. A glyph formed naturally, like a spell I''d never seen in magic theory... And spread to every corner of the room.


    A sound. Several small sounds swarmed from the back of the car my father was saving for sardine fishing.


    I opened the trunk, and there was his magic fridge at absolute temperature, seemingly vibrating.


    Looking at the contents, I saw 4 tiny sardines, missing vital organs, trying to struggle out.


    ¡°Anoir! Anoir! Create revenant, necromancer crystals!¡±


    Niz¨¦ croaked at full speed as he spoke, sounding excited and in a hurry.


    My instincts guided me. I touched the head of each sardine one after the other with my left hand, then clenched my right fist. They stopped moving, and in the hollow of my palm, bright violet crystals materialized. I shattered them with a sharp blow, like breaking a potato chip. Violet dust of the same color formed a line floating in the air, which my body absorbed, as if where my heart was, it attracted this dust.


    ¡°Power! Yes! I can feel it!¡± Ecstasy, complete and absolute.


    Anoir was unconscious for a few seconds, sleepwalking like a man, but he remained fixed upright. Far from Courbeton, to the south, on the great plains of the Sahara desert, a sandy chasm began to form, a sight not seen by a living soul. The chasm was 30 meters in diameter. When the sand stopped shifting, a ruin, as old as time, emerged from the ground. In this ruin, with walls of pure, deep-black onyx, some twenty meters high, tombs appeared, containing beings seen thousands of years ago by men during wars of great magnitude. The invisible veil that had concealed them disappeared. Among the 50 tombs, which stood side by side, only one slowly opened its lid. The being was tall, nearly three meters, with bulging muscles, very pale skin and eyes with violet pupils, like Anoir now.

 Chapter 4 - Bluish phoenix

    I was feeling much better now, like a new man. Heading for my room, I turned on my desktop computer to do some research, while enjoying my raspberry yoghurt coulis.


    A magical forum, that should help me.


    ¡°Hi, my name is ....¡± Putting my real name online might be a mistake, I thought, so I opted for a pseudonym.


    ¡°My name is ¡®crow''s voice¡¯, I''d like to understand how necromancy works and if anyone in the world currently practices it. I understand it''s a rare form of magic¡±.


    The message was posted on the forum at 12.10 p.m. I waited an hour, trying to gather information from the books in my library. But no matter how hard I looked, the only hint I could find was that 200 years ago, in Morocco, an old man had used a complicated formula to demonstrate that there was another form of magic, different from Mana, that certain magicians could harness. He had called this magic ¡°etheric¡±.


    Back on the forum, I was surprised, to say the least.


    ¡°It doesn''t exist, no spam on the forum¡±.


    ¡°Necromancy? Never heard of it, I know cyberspace and nano magic if you want to talk¡±


    ¡°Lol, the guy made up a random word¡±


    ¡°I''m in my 3rd year at the Noctimancie school of magic and nothing about it sorry¡±


    The further I descended into the discussion, the more my hopes diminished. I was in no position to find out more.


    I stroked Niz¨¦''s plumage, and wondered if my parents would let him into my room when they got home. So I set up a little corner behind my desk with newspaper and a bit of carving wood that had been lying around for years, it looked like a little nest, then I put Niz¨¦ down, who seemed satisfied. As soon as I set him down, his eyes closed and he slept peacefully.


    A brochure slipped from my drawer: School of bestial magic, come and take the entrance exam, free of charge! Main school in Scotland, the exam can be taken at any magic school, so take your chance to become an archmage and make a fortune! Call ....


    The brochure was very flashy, with garish colors and gorillas ridden by magicians. My father had unearthed a whole bunch for my brother Charles Junior. What if I tried my luck? After all, I''ve mastered magic now!


    I grabbed the house phone, and a male voice quickly answered.


    ¡°So you want to master bestial magic?¡± He was cheerful, his voice hoarse as he descended into the low notes.


    ¡°Yes I''d love to, I understand that.....¡±


    No sooner had I finished my sentence than someone knocked on the door of the house.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Your examiner is here, good luck!¡±


    ¡°But...but¡± He had hung up.


    I don''t need to tell you how fast everything was happening. The day before I was eating a sandwich on a bench, and now it''s 3pm and an examiner is knocking on my door.


    They say that once change is underway, it''s unstoppable, at least according to my bedside fantasy book.


    Styling my hair as best I could while adjusting my shirt, I opened the door.


    A woman, small compared to my 1m70, dressed in a pointed hat and yellow dress smiled warmly at me.


    ¡°You''re Anoir, aren''t you?¡±


    ¡°That''s right, you''ve come to give me the exam?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely, call me Professor Dim, you know the number of students of bestial magic has only been decreasing since the space magic school in America was created, so let''s not waste any time.¡±


    She was carrying a cage that appeared to contain birds.


    ¡°I suggest we do it in your garden, I can see it''s well hidden with your large shrubs¡±


    She took my hand and pulled me with a strength I would never have suspected came from such a small woman.


    ¡°The exam has become simpler and simpler with time, I''m counting on you to pass!¡±


    Try as I might to determine her temperament, it was as changeable as the flame.


    ¡°First of all, here are 2 birds, they''re sparrows, to pass the exam you must be able to either make them change shape by forced evolution, like this:¡±


    The sparrow she held in her hand metamorphosed into an eagle, then a bluish phoenix. It stared at me accusingly with its luminescent eyes.


    ¡°Either control them to assemble a dollhouse, like this:¡±


    She released the second sparrow, and with the phoenix, using the branches of the shrubs in the garden, they assembled a small house 20cm high, from foundation to roof.


    ¡°It''s your turn¡±


    I was stunned and disarmed. The truth would undoubtedly make Professor Dim realize that she had wasted her time.


    ¡°Professor, I don''t know how to master bestial magic, at all...¡± My dejected air as I think I give a burst of strength back to the professor who was launching into complex explanations, but within my grasp.


    ¡°Is everything clear? Now try the best you can, I''m under no obligation at the moment so I''ve got a bit of time to let you experiment.¡±


    I followed his instructions to the letter. The sparrow, from the top of the little house, seemed to be wondering what the hell I was doing, taking it in one hand, then putting it down again and trying to work the magic.


    Niz¨¦''s voice came into my mind, in runic language, explaining how to do it. So I acted.


    The sparrow in my hand stopped hopping and making sounds. Professor Dim made a sound of astonishment. Two more wings sprouted, black onyx, its body grew in size and its feathers fell one by one, leaving only its skin, which also turned a deep black. His beak lengthened and the tip of it turned light red. He gave an almost human laugh and fell back into silence. Then it landed on my shoulder. It was far less impressive than the blue phoenix, which seemed to recoil instinctively as if frightened.


    ¡°Well, I think you''ve done it, congratulations.¡± The professor had taken out a notepad and made notes on the bird, with a strange smile.


    ¡°Here''s your admission badge, you''ve been accepted into Scotland''s magical school: Fur, newly admitted section, however I see you''re not of age yet, I''ll need to have a word with your parents.¡±


    If my dad found out I could do magic, he''d probably say I''d been laughing at him all my life, it smelled like shit, it''s going to be a pain.

 Chapter 5 - "Its an opportunity Id like to take"

    As the sun began to set in the autumn of 2025, Anoir''s father left his workplace for the family home. One of his employees had told him about the tragedy that had occurred in Courbeton that very morning, in the Grasshopper Park. He knew that his eldest son often hung out there, but monsters in Courbeton? In his opinion, the investigation section must have made a mistake: there were hardly ever any monsters in town, at least if we exclude small-time crooks and the underworld. He was fond of sensational news, but the proximity of the event made him slightly worried for Charles Junior, and as he arrived at the front door of the house, he wondered if he should move with his family.


    He wasn''t at the end of his surprises, when he saw a professor of magic in his living room, drinking coffee from a translucent cup.


    Luania was chatting with her, sitting on a chair.


    ¡°Hello darling, how was work?¡± His wife had gotten up to kiss him.


    ¡°Yes, pretty well... Hello Madame, I don''t believe we''ve been introduced?¡± He shook the guest''s hand and almost grimaced, so intense was the strength of the small, slight woman.


    ¡°Professor Dim, from the Scottish Fur School, I believe we have something to discuss.¡±


    I waited in my room as my mother had asked, and from the look she gave me, I expected the worst. I spun around, pacing 100 paces, pondering the possible outcomes of what might be unfolding in the living room.


    When I heard the house door slam, I knew by the sound of it that my father had returned and must be having an exchange with the teacher.


    Was my father going to throw me out sooner than expected? A quick glance at my watch: 6:42pm. It''s due in 20 days, he''s not going to do that. Professor Dim had told me that, if all went well, I''d be going back to school in a month, and I couldn''t see myself struggling to make the long journey to Scotland. So I hoped in my heart of hearts (or at least what it had become), that my family would agree. Continuing to think, I knew I had to leave the family cocoon as soon as possible to avoid implicating them in the macabre affair that had taken place with these three thugs. Haven''t they got any leads yet? I must have left a trail on the way back.


    An alarming calmness, however, suspended my fear: after all, it really was a monster that had attacked them, and I was innocent in the matter! A part of me suspected that I was entirely responsible, while another lulled me into innocence.


    That''s how I understood the advantage of no longer having a heart of flesh: my emotions were much less tumultuous, and I was no longer sad, I even felt euphoric.


    *knock on bedroom door*


    ¡°Anoir? Come my boy.¡±


    In the living room, cookies and empty coffee cups were on the coffee table, opposite the sofa where Professors Dim and my mother were sitting. When I arrived, they fixed me with a look I''d never seen before, halfway between curiosity and compassion.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    ¡°Sit down in the chair, we''ve got a question for you,¡± my father said.


    ¡°Do you want to join the Fur school of magic?¡±


    If I was calm, I didn''t sound calm at all.


    ¡°Yes! I do, it''s an opportunity I''d like to take.¡±


    Luania, sketched a smile and Charles looked discomfited. A halo emanated from the room at that moment. Soon, Professor Dim conjured up a list of essential equipment for study at Fur, as well as a set of rules - very strict on the surface, although in truth Fur students were renowned for their rebellious behavior. The teacher, having done so, offered her greetings and left for the doorway, from which she was teleported after pressing a small button embroidered on her jacket. As for Charles, he went to his office without saying another word to his son Anoir. Luania couldn''t help smiling and a small tear slipped down her cheek, a tear of joy. Her son had finally proved his worth to his father, but it would take a lot more, she knew, especially as she knew that her son had changed a lot since yesterday.


    I was exhausted when I lay down on my bed, Niz¨¦ was in his sleep and his discretion was exemplary, his black plumage rising and falling in rhythm, slowly.


    I grabbed my laptop and launched myself into deep reading, on the first news of this morning''s monster investigation.


    There were only two relayed articles that seemed reliable in the tide of local and national information.


    ¡°According to the first information from the investigation, led by investigator Tifon (there was a photo of a man in his fifties in a brown overcoat, taking notes on a notepad), a class C monster attacked the three young men at around 7 o''clock this morning, the scene showed no signs of combat, it would appear that they did not defend themselves during the surprise attack, a fourth individual, would have witnessed the scene and is thus the only witness today able to describe the event, a young man according to his size, however this individual has not yet been identified (I was relieved in an instant),  Courbeton, a town known for its security, is today experiencing unprecedented turmoil, and the investigation continues¡±.


    The article was signed ¡°Miss Long¡±.


    I couldn''t have hoped for better! As long as I was at the Fur School, they wouldn''t be able to trace me, or so I thought. I still had a month to hang in there and keep a low profile. I made a mental list of the mistakes I had to avoid: not going to Grasshopper Park anymore, walking down the street too often, changing shoe sizes and throwing away the old ones.... Wait a second, I should throw my shoes away now, if my family came across them I''d be screwed. The next moment, I drag myself out of bed and into the hallway where I''d left them. Charles Junior was playing with an ice spell by filling his sandbox bucket with icy figurines, I couldn''t hide the fact that he was really gifted.


    My shoes were where I''d left them, so I picked them up and headed for the garage.


    The soles had small traces of dried blood, which had turned brown. I grabbed a garbage bag and stuffed them inside in one swift motion.


    The final question was, what was I going to do with this garbage bag? Put it in the public garbage can? Bad idea, it could be traced back to me, I''d probably have to make it disappear.


    Pyromancy would have been a great help in this case, as a burning spell would have made it disappear in an instant, but matches weren''t invented for nothing.


    That evening, as I hid in a corner of the large garden, burning my shoes in the smell of petrol and rubber, I became aware of something that would haunt me that night: what will my classmates be like at the Fur School and, above all, will I be able to get there without any problems?

 Chapter 6 - Rake

    In Morocco, in one of Marrakech''s public squares, a large crowd was stirring. Magical spells were beginning to fly through the air... A policeman who had seen the commotion was trying to calm the inhabitants, who had formed a circle around an individual. The policeman made his way over and witnessed a strange sight: a very tall, fair-skinned creature was sitting down. His hair, on his round, wrinkle-free face, was made of fine bone filaments, and with his black hands, which clashed with his skin, he was feeding on a mana crystal.


    The policeman, hearing the insults he received from the crowd, deduced that this creature had stolen a mana crystal from a shop assistant.


    An ambitious young cop, he advanced towards the creature, magic neutralization weapon out and ready to fire.


    ¡°Whatever you are, do you understand my language?¡±


    The creature had swallowed the last of the crystal whole, then its face turned to the robed policeman. It stared at him with its violet eyes, and the next second its eyes turned to the policeman''s dark brown.


    ¡°Cease magic, this instant, and put both arms to the ground!¡±


    The crowd recoiled instinctively.


    The creature placed both hands on the ground. Slowly, the ground vibrated, and vibrated again, louder and louder.


    ¡°EARTHQUAKE! TAKE COVER¡±.


    A huge fault cut across the square and continued all the way to the sea.


    It had been a rough night, and I couldn''t stop thinking about Professor Dim''s exam. When I woke up, Niz¨¦ was bouncing on the blanket of my bed, giving my hand a peck on the cheek.


    ¡°Good morning Niz¨¦¡± I stretched my still-lying muscles. ¡°Sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Niz¨¦ hungry! Anoir revenant! ¡°He had an authoritative air despite his small stature.


    ¡°That thing we did with the sardines again? Why?¡±


    Niz¨¦ continued to croak, trying to explain, but I was having trouble fully understanding the problem. I had left him the remains of my dinner last night after my research.


    However, the raven continued to flap its wings.


    ¡°Let''s keep it down, it''s 7 o''clock and you''ll wake Charles Junior.¡±


    ¡°Niz¨¦ hungry!¡±


    Unable to calm him down, I resigned myself to doing what he wanted.


    I put on a red sweater and a jogging suit, grabbed my keys and looked for my phone for 10 minutes before remembering that it had been stolen.


    The fresh air of the garden definitely woke me up from my lethargy. With a bun in my hand, I made my way to the place where I''d burnt my shoes - only small traces of ash remained.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    If I remember correctly, I.... brought sardines back to life? Once again, my memory was as hazy as possible. So, in theory, I must find a dead animal. I smiled wryly as I wondered if there was any legal prohibition against this. After all, the state of Albania had written a law to prevent chimney smoke from being evaporated into drinkable water.


    Lost in thought, Niz¨¦ swooped down and the next thing I knew, he was presenting me with a large rat with a wound on the back of its neck. One of its legs was still running on its own.


    ¡°Anoir Necromancy! ¡±


    ¡°Good job Niz¨¦, my turn I guess.¡±


    I gathered my memories where I had done with the sardines, and infused him with my magic.


    Something wasn''t quite right though...


    The rat began to turn into a dark mist, each particle changing. The opaque mist slid out of my grasp, towards the ground. And a goblin appeared! If there was one thing I was sure of, it was that he was hostile towards me, judging by the regular chattering of his teeth.


    The goblin leapt up with his hands to strangle me.


    ¡°Anoir! Beat!¡±


    Niz¨¦''s powerful voice snapped me out of my surprise and I launched a right hook into his chest, where his liver should be.


    However, a man and a goblin don''t have the same organ layout....


    No sooner had he touched the ground than he pounced again, this time towards my legs, fangs out.


    In a move I knew by heart, I landed the uppercut that had won me my last chess boxing match, and the goblin was thrown 2m, both canines shattered.


    ¡°K.o, winner, Anoir¡± I caught my breath.


    ¡°Damn it! Does my magic just want to destroy me or what?!¡±


    ¡°Kill! Kill!¡± shouted Niz¨¦ as he gave quick licks to where the goblin''s heart was.


    ¡°I...I... Never killed Niz¨¦¡± My body was shaking because I knew that''s what I had to do, a goblin in the middle of town is like putting an elephant in a crib.


    There was a 4-pointed rake lying on the ground near the tarin flowers my mother was growing.


    I grabbed it, stood facing the goblin, holding the rake over his heart....


    ¡°Any last words?¡±


    He opened his eyes and was about to pounce again...!


    I plunged the rake in with a jerk, and it didn''t move. I''d won this fight.


    His body gradually turned to black mist, and where before had been a ferocious goblin, a rat that this time, no longer moved, had taken its place.


    ¡°Anoir necromancy?¡± Niz¨¦''s gentle tone cleared my thoughts.


    I repeated the process, infusing my magic, and this time a purple crystal, darker than yesterday''s, materialized in my hand. I shattered it.


    The ecstasy was even more intense, a paradise of serenity and calm invaded me for a few seconds, then left me.


    ¡°Anoir, what are you doing with that rat and the pitchfork?¡±


    My brother Charles Junior looked at me, curious and slightly shaken.


    Anoir explained to his brother that he''d mastered magic by now, and rather clumsily invented a lie so as not to frighten him and alert the parents. Around 10 a.m., the mail arrived, and among Charles'' many business letters, one was addressed to Anoir.


    When he opened it in his private room, his surprise was complete:


    ¡°We witnessed the demonstration of your magic this morning at 7:34 in your garden. We know.


    Signed: Coffee cream.


    The next second, he closed his curtains.

 Chatper 7 - In search of clues

    I heard Ratvert from my bedroom. Although it was in the basement, a small window in the ceiling allowed me to see and hear whenever someone passed through our garden.


    He entered as usual and I followed the sound of his footsteps to my brother''s room where he was teaching as usual, Charles Junior having explained to me that they were studying space magic at the moment. So I wasn''t surprised to see his sandbox seal appear on my bedside table for the next few minutes.


    I was, to say the least, annoyed. Once again I paced my room, rereading the mysterious letter over and over again.


    Who was this ¡°Coffee cream¡±? Maybe it was a group, not just an individual. He already knew too much; I''d been reckless and impulsive. Niz¨¦ could feel the current anger, and though still and calm, he was flailing at times. The chessboard on my dresser caught my eye. It was time to make the first move, but did I have white or black in this game? Should I even play this game?


    Upstairs, Charles Junior was kneading his mana as Ratvert had instructed him, hiding it from his employer Charles, but eagerly wishing Charles Junior to join the elite camp of paranormal investigation in view of his predisposition for magic. He was gifted for his age, and at 15, Ratvert was sure he would become a great asset.


    The day flew by for Charles Junior, while for Anoir, every second was counted by him.


    At 6 p.m., as dusk approached, Anoir applied the plan he''d been studying all day.


    Bag, water, energy bar, laptop and black outfit: check, basement map of the national library: check, raven following me everywhere: check.


    I was ready to do as much research as I could on necromancy, but if the web couldn''t help, the forbidden books would, and for that, my plan would.


    On tiptoe, I crossed the garden leading to the main gate and took the first left. My black outfit was complete, and I even had a retractable hood and a crochet hook. I wasn''t too sure about lock-picking, but I''d probably have no choice, and the online explanations had better not be nonsense.


    By the time I reached the bus stop for the library, I was nervous. After all, I could have simply asked for access to the daytime archives, but that would have been too big a risk.


    I had deduced from the letter (which was handwritten) that it was a man who had written it, at least according to the bloggers on the subject, but also that the ink used was magic. So maybe it was a magic plotter or something, so I attached it to Niz¨¦''s back and asked him to walk away from me for a while.


    The bus dropped me off near the big library made of stone, marble I think. Closing time was 8pm, so I entered unhindered, presented my bag to security, taking care to hide my crochet hook, and here I was inside.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    It was sumptuous and old. A smell of worn wood and yellow flowers wafted through the air. A wide staircase, topped by a gigantic crystal chandelier, stood in the center of the library, and many students and elderly figures climbed up and down it. Everything seemed to be in rhythm, to the sound of classical music, Schubert.


    It was the lower floors I was interested in, so I made my way to the lowest one and was quickly blocked by criss-crossing railings.


    ¡°Visitor''s pass, young man¡± A man with a protruding belly, seated behind a desk that seemed overflowing with writing sheets, waited, hand raised, not really observing me.


    ¡°Ah sorry, I must have forgotten to take it, can you make an exception and let me in? It''s for a university study I''ve got due tomorrow.¡±


    My sincere air, cleverly disguised my lie, at least I hoped.


    ¡°What''s next, would you like a doughnut?¡± He hands me a filled box before placing it in a drawer. ¡°Surely not, all entry to the archive room is regulated by law, no pass, no entry¡± At the end of his sentence, he grabbed a page which he began to read distractedly, impassive.


    Discreetly, I take a piece of chewing gum in my hand, and form a solid ball.


    ¡°You can stand there as long as you like, you won''t get through, kid, get out of here... Shit, everything slipped, it''s bound to happen to me¡± He rose heavily from his chair to pick up the pile of sheets that had fallen to the floor.


    With speed and precision, I attacked the lock, and luckily it didn''t make a sound when I managed to unlock it. The metal grating was well greased too, so no sound was produced as I passed through the archive entrance.


    It''s a good thing my gum toss into the pile made all the sheets slide off.


    ¡°Let''s see, forgotten and ancient magic section.... Here you go.¡±


    I was standing in front of an enormous quantity of grimoires, most of which had no title on the cover, so it was going to be a long night....


    Throughout the night, Anoir carried out his research, illuminated by a small lamp that hurt his eyes, but his discoveries were worth the effort.


    He discovered one thing about animal gifts: according to the book ''I never knew'', a young woman who had become a great manager of magical healing had lost both her hands in her youth after entering a forest; according to her, an angel spoke to her and exchanged the gift of healing. According to other archives Anoir consulted, she lived for 265 years before mysteriously dying of an as yet unknown illness. Continuing her research, Anoir soon became aware that other people had also received gifts, but each time, an illness or accident mysteriously intervened. As far as necromancy was concerned, only one of the thousands of books in the room spoke of it under that word.


    ¡°A dark magic, often a harbinger of death and power, its wielder is constantly thirsty and can raise bodies, the color of this magic is violet, not to be confused with shadow or spectral magic, although it is often associated with this power. Given that no book has been written on how to wield it, I advise you to stay as far away from it as possible, for ''he who is ever thirsty, will eventually take his revenge''.¡±


    The last words weren''t clear to Anoir, so he put the book in his bag and was about to sneak out through the emergency exit, when a teleportation portal appeared in front of him. An analysis drone emerged, camera pointed at the emergency exit.

 Chapter 8 - Bone magic

    I quickly put my back to the library. A drone! Since when are libraries monitored like this?


    Trying to maintain my composure, I watched with small steps and keen eyes as the drone flew by, making a flapping sound. It was bound to move somewhere else, wasn''t it? Now was the time to pray I wouldn''t be caught in the midst of premeditated flight - it wouldn''t be good for new business.


    He seemed to be staring at the exit door, so I crouched down and grabbed my rectangular energy bar from my bag, one good throw and I was free. When I thought that electric mages could fry circuits with the snap of a finger, I told myself I''d try to learn this magic one day if I didn''t end up locked up in a cell.


    I aimed for the corridor juxtaposed to the drone, all I had to do was attract its attention. With a jerk, as if I were playing bowling, the energy bar flew at an angle and landed with a sound of crumpled plastic.


    An opening opened up, and the drone went to see where the sound was coming from, lighting up a second headlamp and a small orange siren light.


    With a smooth movement, like a dancer, I opened the door and followed a cold corridor covered with pipes and building emergency plans. Once outside, I breathed a sigh of relief - outside at last!


    After scaling a fence, I set off in the direction of the house, a smile on my face.


    It was 4 a.m. when I found my room in the basement. I''d played a knight at the beginning of the round, and I''d taken the whites in this chess game.


    Exhausted from my research, and my mind filled to the brim with information, I nevertheless took the time to note down the pages to be studied from the book I''d stolen, as well as the information I''d accumulated. My note went something like this: ¡°Necromancy, ability to raise the dead, animal gift therefore risks mysterious death in theory, magic complicated to master, two spells linked to this magic on pages 45 and 64.


    Done, I dozed off.


    During the night, Niz¨¦, who had followed his master''s order to the letter, had placed the letter elsewhere in the city, in a sparrow''s nest. He then returned to his own nest in Anoir''s bedroom through the holes in the garage without alerting the family. He knew how to be discreet. The next day was Saturday, so Luania and Charles stayed at home. Anoir''s mother prepared roast beef using concentrated fire magic, and Charles Junior watched his father make a term chart in the living room. As for Anoir, he diligently studied the first spell in the book, which, among other things, had no title or page number.


    ¡°So let''s see, bone magic..... Multiple applications, linked to necromancy, mastery is linked to the bone structure of the different species that possess it, attack and defense magic....Commence with control over a bone other than those of one''s own body for the first trials, because according to this theory....¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    My relaxed emotions allowed me to quickly learn the chapter on this form of magic,after eating a bite, I cleaned a chicken bone that had come from the last meal.


    ¡°You''re cleaning a bone?¡± my brother asked.


    ¡°That''s right, it''s for a magical experiment.¡±


    ¡°Can I come and have a look? I can never get into your room these days, you''re so busy¡± he continued.


    ¡°Okay, if you like, but don''t make a mess, I''ve just tidied up¡±.


    Back in my room, closely followed by my brother, I made sure to tell him that I had ¡°bought¡± a book of magic.


    Together, we practiced bone magic, him reading me the passages on magical possibility and concentration and me remembering the theory. Since I had mastered another form of mana, I had to invent a new spell from the one described in the book to adapt it to my magic. Or so I assumed.


    After two hours of experimentation, all kinds of notes on blank A4 pages and now 3 pieces of broken chicken bone, I succeeded.


    My hard work had paid off, and by manipulating my store of magic, which I''d come to describe as etheric magic, I could weld the chicken bones back together, and reform them into different shapes. I could also break them, but this required an enormous effort, even though the bone was thin. I thought this was due to the nature of a bone.


    Charles Junior was happy to see a smile on my face. Then he left the room to get some whipped cream.


    Continuing my momentum, I was now trying to spread my bones over my skin, like a form of armor. It would be like a kind of exoskeleton in my mind. Soon, my phalanges were covered with a thick layer of thick bone. I could shape them to be more resistant to shock, and to absorb damage. It was 2 p.m. when I felt an intense pain in my chest. I had to absorb a mana crystal, and fast!


    Niz¨¦ leapt onto my shoulder and spoke to me in runic language.


    I had to find a bigger crystal, so I needed a bigger corpse. I made a mental list of animals bigger than a rat, and that way I remembered that we''d had a dog when Charles Junior was 1. The poor beast had contracted a magical disease, and we hadn''t been able to detect it before the symptoms. I remembered that my father liked him.


    We buried our dog at the back of the garden, near the old oak tree and the round stones. I headed for it, in a hurry, as the pain was building to a crescendo. I''d probably used too much magic to be in this state when it wasn''t evening. There was a small sign: ¡°Bobby Blanc¡±. I sincerely hoped he wouldn''t turn into a goblin or worse. I positioned myself over the sign, and as I couldn''t touch him without digging him up, I did my best to cross the earth.


    That''s when I felt all the underground riches, the bones, the magical energy, and streams that run deep into unsuspected depths. Slightly dazed by the profusion of violet color that dazzled me, I managed to make a necromantic mana crystal. My reserve of etheric magic absorbed it and I felt the power invade me.


    Suddenly, a flash of light from a semi-flying car illuminated me momentarily - I''d just been photographed!


    The car made a U-turn and gained height, but Ratvert had seen the flash and his eyes turned blood-red as a giant hemoglobin hand sprang up from the ground and grabbed the car in mid-air. Ratvert''s power at that moment shone brightly. He managed to capture the driver and tie him up in the street opposite the garden.


    ¡°So we''re looking to blackmail someone, mate?¡± Ratvert asked in a straightforward voice.

 Chapter 9 - A strangers visiting card

    The man Ratvert had captured was smiling, wearing a formal tie and suit shoes. His felt hat gave him a curiously serious air.


    ¡°Anoir has many secrets according to the photos I''ve just sent to my employer, I advise you to start now with your letter of apology and detailed explanation of the latest events.¡±


    Her voice was soft, almost lulling. However, his appearance clearly clashed with his old-fashioned oral expression.


    ¡°But of course, or I could kill you, right now, as a member of the elite paranormal investigation camp, I''d just have to explain that you were attacking innocent people without magic¡± Ratvert replied, his tone in suspense.


    ¡°Anoir? Without magic? I doubt it very much Mr. Investigator, it would be a big ink stain in your file, let''s not go that far¡±


    Ratvert turned to me, his face in the shape of a question mark.


    ¡°Uh, yes it''s true, I''ve mastered magic now...¡±


    ¡°Especially as it''s a rare magic, isn''t it? I was able to observe it from my glider shuttle, and take a few incriminating photos that neither of you want published¡± Enchained the man, bound tightly by the bonds.


    Ratvert had, over time, developed an affection for Anoir, from trying to teach him practical magic. He loved the na?ve yet serious side of this 17-year-old, who often had a trick up his sleeve when it came to working out magical theories - sometimes shaky, of course, but never without the aim of improving a formula that had been around for years and was already being practiced.


    That day, however, he was taken aback when he learned from this stranger that Anoir had now mastered magic. It was like arriving at the end of a tunnel you''d forgotten you''d entered, and that the solution was simpler than it seemed. However, this was rather untrue, a raven had given him this gift and this kind of event is so rare that he didn''t suspect it for a moment at the time.


    ¡°I hope you intend to explain; young man when we get inside; as for you, what exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°It''s very simple, you know ''Coffee cream'' don''t you?¡± His smile faded to reveal his scattered teeth. I took a step back, thinking of that mysterious letter that had induced me to steal a grimoire of magic in a hurry.


    ¡°Indeed, I know this underworld group, they''re small among the tide of groups that do the same thing they do, trafficking in human beings.¡±


    ¡°We don''t traffic that way ourselves, we''ve evolved, let''s say we conduct job interviews with hand-picked people for small.... Special affairs¡±


    I had to know more, before Ratvert spoke again, I approached close to the face of the bound man.


    ¡°How did you find out about my mastery of magic? Did you send me that letter?¡±


    ¡°We have several devious ways of monitoring our territory, so your little trick, Anoir, didn''t escape us and our associate....In trade..... You caught his eye with your powers, as for the letter, we have quite a vast network, it wasn''t me who sent it.¡± He had explained all this in one breath, then regaining air, he continued, in a hypnotic voice.


    ¡°If you agree to do us a small favor, we''ll leave you alone, and pay you, rest assured, a fair wage, so you won''t have to break into libraries to find you ancient magic books.¡±


    Ratvert put his hand on my shoulder, and turning his head towards me, he wore a hard look mixed with astonishment.


    He gestured with his hand for me to listen rather than speak.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°He refuses, don''t show up here again, next time I won''t be so gentle with your group, just leave and walk straight on, in that direction.¡±


    With a quick gesture as he was untied from his bonds, he handed me a business card with a telephone number and no address.


    Ratvert worked his magic discreetly, an action I knew well, he confused the spy''s mind and he walked in the direction Ratvert had indicated, straight ahead.


    I put the business card in my pocket.


    ¡°Inside, I have two three words to say to you¡± Ratvert led the way quickly and we found ourselves in the living room, the flower clock showing 5.30pm.


    And so Anoir and Ratvert talked for thirty minutes, Anoir telling him about the previous days with his new power and how he''d obtained it. With every pause in his story, Ratvert tried to understand, asking him specific questions about this magic, Necromancy. A magic he''d never heard of before. At the end of the discussion, Ratvert decided to teach him bone magic before he went to the Fur School in Scotland. Deep down, the vampire was proud to see that Charles Junior''s big brother knew how to educate himself, where before he''d been the crutch that kept him straight in his magic theory classes.


    ¡°Concerning this group, ''Coffee cream¡¯'', keep away from them, they''ll offer you a large sum of money but their little jobs are often illegal and dangerous, I''ll see at my office if I can launch an investigation to stop them in their tracks, maybe that''ll stop their need to recruit and blackmail you.¡±


    ¡°I understand, thank you Ratvert, can we start tomorrow for the bone magic classes? I''ll study the theory of this mastery in more detail tonight, we''ve got about 30 days left for me to master it 100%, let''s not waste any time.¡±


    ¡°This magic will allow you to defend yourself, it''s the best in this field along with mana shields, it''s curious that you started by learning this magic precisely, or is your necromancy magic associated?¡± His chin was up, his right hand rubbing it as it did whenever he was thinking, then he set his gaze on the clock.


    ¡°I''ve got to go, see you later Anoir, tell your father he''ll have to pay me a fee for your classes, it''ll take place in the office''s special refectory, no longer in your room, we''ll need equipment.¡±


    He added, succinctly.


    ¡°I''ll pick you up here at 6 a.m. sharp, don''t keep me waiting¡±. He finished his sentence with a cheerful smile. And I felt a surge of energy, so once he''d left the house, I switched on my desktop computer to begin my in-depth study. In my pocket, the business card folded.


    On the forum where I''d posted messages on the subject of necromancy, I was reading tips given by users who were often in working life, and who worked in construction, garages, office automation and even as real teachers.


    The reference page on bone magic wasn''t very well supplied in terms of documents, but there was a small group of people who had been exchanging ideas on the subject for years, and they were still active. The last post was three days ago.


    My first post went something like this:


    ¡°Good evening, I''m a practitioner of this magic, I''ve managed to strengthen my phalanges with an extra layer of bone, I''m looking for information on books or documents that deal with this subject, any ideas?¡±


    Quickly a user named ¡°Metallic Spine¡±, replied.


    ¡°Hi, welcome to the page, we finally have a new practitioner! This magic is very complete for defense as well as attack, our friend ¡°Pink Skull Bone¡± on this forum is in the police force and he manages to stop up to 10 protesters single-handedly with this magic, as for our buddy ¡°Augmented Flexible Tendons¡±, he works as a forensic doctor, he''s an expert in the field of reconstruction, I''m sending you a link to the most reliable and complete sales site for this kind of learning...¡±


    He had put up a hyperlink, which I clicked on after reading his message.


    The site was called ¡°At the little bone in the corner¡±. On the book page, I was pleased to find that there were all the basic and advanced works on the subject, there was even a hidden section entitled: ¡°Banned books¡± but entry to this page requires three different passwords.


    The item section contained sections on artifacts that increased bone magic performance and duration.


    After surfing and putting all the books I needed in my shopping cart, I was quickly demoralized.


    The amount I had to pay was far beyond the money I had in my pocket. I had set up a bank account when I was 15 and it contained 150 euros, while the all-inclusive bill came to 1627 euros. Magic books are so expensive! I needed money, and I certainly wasn''t going to ask my father for it, because I knew his answer by heart: ¡°To pay for a vacation, I have to work like everyone else, so you have to work too to pay for a vacation¡±.


    Suddenly, the business card in my pocket seemed quite attractive...

 Chapter 10 - Grey building and small job

    Anoir, alone in his room, weighed up the pros and cons of doing a small job for ¡°Coffee Cream¡±. The idea that this group would no longer cause him trouble, as much as earn him money, was beginning to seduce him as he turned the question over and over in his mind. He remembered Ratvert''s warning, however, and it was the only thing keeping him from picking up the phone and calling. Especially as he was just beginning to understand his necromancy magic.


    Niz¨¦, the little raven, had grown slightly in size since the day before. The raven watched Anoir as usual while his master worked.


    This gave the young necromancer an idea.


    ¡°Niz¨¦?¡± The raven cocked a wing to let me know he was listening.


    ¡°Should I do the job for the group that sent me this letter?¡± My tone was light, and my companion''s opinion mattered to me more than anything; he would decide the question.


    The raven began to close its eyes in front of me, seeming to perform something I couldn''t quite grasp. Then he answered me.


    ¡°Anoir! Anoir! Money, magic, work, work!¡±


    ¡°Understood 5 out of 5 Niz¨¦.¡±


    I grabbed the phone, it was almost midnight and tiredness was beginning to creep up on me. No doubt if I wasn''t so drawn to the books on the sales site, I wouldn''t have made this unreasonable decision.


    A voicemail echoed through the handset.


    ¡°You''ve reached Cafe Kulou Pizzeria, please wait to take your order...¡± The message repeated twice before a woman picked up the phone.


    ¡°You''re Anoir, aren''t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes indeed, I need to know what job you want me to do, and how much the job will cost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course, you must be busy let me just open the file¡± The woman on the other side of the handset looked stressed and on edge, she must have been working through the night.


    ¡°That''s it, I''m making the call secure... So, your task will be to go to the Asnbiron cemetery, east of your town, starting amount 1500 euros and more if the special task is successful¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know Asnbiron, and that''s it? I suspect I won''t be attending a funeral¡±


    ¡°Let''s say it would be quite the opposite... Our collaborator will be waiting for you tomorrow evening on site¡±


    ¡°Am I going to need a shovel or something?¡±


    ¡°Our collaborator will take care of everything, good luck Sir¡± Then she hangs up the phone.


    I''d made a big blunder now that I realized my decision. So I was clinging to the idea that it''s for my research, I hope I won''t have to kill a Man? If so, I''d turn around and forget about the money.


    The telephone conversation turned my head as I lay in bed. I set my mechanical alarm clock for 6 a.m., and tried to guess the location of the bone magic class I''d be having in the morning with Ratvert.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Charles Junior, 10 years old, was getting dressed in the living room to get ready for school. Luania accompanied him every morning in the car, while Charles drank a throat toddy. He''d caught a cold from eating sardines at dinner the night before.


    ¡°I assure you, those sardines tasted excellent compared to usual, I''m sure my fishing spot has a special something or other.¡±


    ¡°If you say so¡± Luania finishes a lemon juice as she talks to her husband.


    Anoir, who was still waking up, explained to his father that Ratvert would be teaching him bone magic until he left for the Fur School, and Charles handed him an envelope hidden from a kitchen drawer.


    ¡°For Ratvert, tell him this will be more than enough.¡±


    Charles, when it came to his children''s education, always put his hand in his pocket to pay for the best, however, he never gave them presents, because according to him, it was up to them to pay for their leisure time. He often made small exceptions when he went on family trips, but rarely deviated from this mantra.


    Finally, Luania worked elemental magic on the flowerpot, and the flowers came into bloom, projecting a sweet, pearly scent into the room.


    Ratvert rang the doorbell and exchanged a few words with Charles in his study before asking Anoir if he was ready to leave. He was ready.


    Ratvert''s gliding car was modest and old, but he always kept it in running order, he told me. I knew he appreciated mechanics in general. ¡°It''s reliable¡±, he said, ¡±and if it doesn''t work, check that a sprig of Tarin hasn''t fallen into the oil tank. Those weeds can get in anywhere, and their magic essence will break an engine in no time¡±.


    We chatted casually on the way to the training room, which I''d never seen before.


    ¡°You told me about equipment in the room, what kind of equipment is it?¡±


    ¡°Temporary mana-enhanced amplifier, magic-electric density calculator, virtual rendering mental phase shifter, even dumbbells and pull-up bars. In short, everything we need to rapidly improve your magic... In theory.¡±


    I only understood the words ¡°dumbbells and pull-up bar¡± in what he was telling me, but I wasn''t worried - it was going to be all right, wasn''t it?


    When we arrived, Ratvert was parking his car with exemplary precision in front of a large grey building. Not exactly welcoming, considering the windows were behind thick metal bars. There were a few men at the entrance to the building, dressed in formal suits and ties. One of them waved to Ratvert.


    ¡°Hey old crab, have you studied the Finne-Mac file?¡± Then he turned his gaze on me. I noticed he was smoking a pipe and had on different-colored socks.


    ¡°You''ve brought us some small fry to interrogate I have a feeling, what have you done kid, to find yourself up against a vampire expert in combat?¡± His air was jovial despite the weight of his words.


    ¡°Don''t worry, Johnny, he''s my pupil, you know, Anoir, as for this file, yes I''ve studied it and there''s a crucial piece of information missing from the investigation, I think this Finne guy made up any residual trace of his magic at the crime scene, there was a suspicious scratch mark on the photos and from what I know, it didn''t appear by chance.¡±


    ¡°Roger that, good luck kid, Ratvert''s a real devil when it comes to training recruits in magical combat¡±


    Ratvert guided me through several rooms, all of which had one thing in common: there was always a mug in the room. Sometimes a stain of hot chocolate had slipped from the mug onto a table. The whole building smelled of fresh mint. However, when we arrived in the training room, it was a thick, coppery smell that greeted us.


    ¡°Get used to this environment Anoir, we''re going to spend some time here¡±.


    A man at least twice the size of Ratvert, who himself was quite tall, was throwing furious punches into a punching bag. The ground shook with each blow, so impressive was his strength. As he went round the various machines and explained their functions to Anoir, Ratvert couldn''t help noticing that Anoir seemed to memorize every bit of information. No matter how small.


    ¡°Your first exercise, show me how well you''ve mastered bone magic¡±.


    It was then that Anoir demonstrated, wrapping his fists in an extra layer, like an exoskeleton. To prove that he was doing well, he tried the same thing on his shins, which were not covered by clothing, but was not 100% successful.


    Ratvert, who had brought out a touch-sensitive tablet, was taking notes and photos, and said to him:


    ¡°We''ve got a lot of work to do, let''s go!¡±