I would like to thank the guys on niftyorg, niftywriters, and my friend Wes for their help and encouragement.
Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. It never happened. This story does not contain sex of any kind.
There is a glossary as the end of this chapter to explain terms the reader might not be familiar with. This story is somewhat based on the Necromancer character from the game Diablo 2. Diablo 2 is a registered trademark of Blizzard Entertainment.
The Prodigy Necromancer Chapter 1
Tanyc Oronar was a prodigy from a very young age; everyone knew that he would make a great Necromancer [1] some day. Even from birth he had the look of a Necromancer: very slim build, pale complexion, and almost snow-white hair, all accented with solid white eyes surrounding a jet-black pupil.
Tanyc was only four years old when he evinced the first indications of his incipient skills. His pet morphic dragon [2] died, causing him untold grief. In his sorrow, he wished so strongly for its return that the pet came back to life. A grotesque specter rose from the dragon's body and began to walk around.
Utterly surprised and recoiling from the hideous site, Tanyc's fear drove him to kill it with a single blow of his hand, like some pestering little insect. His parents, meanwhile, were incredulous. While they had heard stories of people with this level of skill, they had never witnessed such a demonstration.
Like any parent of a gifted child, they researched the field of necromancy and found most practitioners required training to perform acts that Tanyc could execute instinctively. Even with such instruction, the average necromancer was unable to resurrect dragons until age 10. While they had always suspected there was something different about their son, they were beginning to learn just how special he really was.
At the age of 8, Tanyc was old enough to begin his training. He left his parents to journey to the Village of Noniver, home to all the best teachers of necromancy. Tanyc's departure to Noniver was a day of mixed emotions for both him and his parents. While sad to be parting, the child and his parents knew it would be the best thing for the young prodigy.
His parents presented Tanyc with a special gift to remember them by: a bloodwood wand. Of course, Tanyc was delighted with the expensive present. He didn't know his parents had saved money as best they could for over four years, even accepting donations from the villagers. Tanyc told them he didn't know how to use it yet, but he would learn and make them proud.
Tanyc boarded the elegant enclosed horse-drawn carriage sent by the school. He could just make out tears welling in his parent's eyes as the carriage left his little village, probably never to return. The three-day carriage ride afforded little entertainment or other stimulation for Tanyc, so he watched with interest the variety of scenery that rolled by outside his window.
He had never traveled far from his village and was fascinated by the rolling hills covered with massive virgin oak and pine trees, trees so large that three grown men could not reach around them and touch hands. He also saw some attractive trees of a genus that he couldn't identify, since they didn't grow near his village.
The heavy wooded areas allowed a road just wide enough for the carriage to pass through. Young Tanyc thought the woods were the most interesting and attractive sites, being intersected by running creeks and streams.
Right on schedule, the carriage arrived at the Village of Noniver and the School of Necromancy. As the young boy exited the vehicle, he was surprised at the School's size. The two-story building was festooned with gargoyles completely surrounding the top. The appearance suggested that structure was built as a white stone building, but two centuries of weathering had colored the stones to a distinguished shade of yellow. The single huge edifice contained all the dorms and all the classrooms.
An older boy seemed to appear from nowhere. He approached Tanyc with his hand extended in the universal gesture and said, "My name is Eigim Tzeoqiow. What's your name?"
Tanyc shook his hand and introduced himself.
Eigim was taken aback by Tanyc's youthful appearance. "But you're too young to be the prodigy that everyone's been talking about. I thought you'd be much older than I am."
As appearance go, Eigim bears a strong resemblance to Tanyc, since most necromancers have about the same build and look. Eigim is about two years older, though, and has attended the School for just under one year.
A ten year old boy, the apparent leader of the group of similarly-aged youth behind him, approached the pair. Tanyc thought he had the look of a smartass about him, and that assessment was confirmed instantly with the boy's first statement, "So you must be the so-called 'prodigy'. You don't look so special to me."
Eigim knew the boy, Xsih, from other encounters. He didn't know why Xsih always seemed to have a chip on his shoulder but knew that he evinced all the outward signs of being incredibly insecure. "Why don't you leave him alone?" Eigim hissed. "He just got here and you are already picking on him."
"Why don't you make me?" Xsih replied sarcastically.
Leveling penetrating stares at each other, both Eigim and Xsih waved their wands and chanted some incomprehensible polysyllabic magic words. Almost immediately, the ground rumbled between them and two clay golems [3] began to rise from it. Tanyc backed away, never having seen such a thing before.
As the two boys concentrated their mana [4] to resurrect the clay forms, they seemed to weaken, almost dropping to their knees. Curiously, though, they seemed to regain some of their strength as the fight wore on.
The group of youth that had circled around the two earlier now spread out more widely, as they knew a fight was about to take place, between the two manufactured golems. A golem fight can be very brutal, even when the simulacrums are made of clay. The two golems slammed together in battle, each controlled by its creator. A dust cloud continually expanded as the battle continued.
Two of the School's instructors noticed the crowd and rushed over from their classrooms. They ordered the two boys to kill off their own golems instantly.
Continuing to fix each other in stares of hate, the two antagonists slowly raised their wands and simultaneously lowered them. The golems seemed to melt in just seconds, falling into a heap of clay. The instructors then ordered the boys to clean up the mess and report to detention. Reluctantly obeying, they continued glaring at each other.
Over the ensuing months of school, Tanyc and Eigim became even closer friends. Eigim became Tanyc's protector so to speak; since Xsih could not stand the thought of any student gaining power faster then he did and was continually harassing young Tanyc.
Tanyc was pleased to find he lived in the same dorm as Eigim. Living so close together, the two boys helped each other study their skills. Practicing this black art requires a person or animal to play the role of 'opponent' and, since necromantic powers could in the worst case kill a practice partner, trust was essential. It was imperative to know with absolute certainty that your partner would stop if asked to do so.
Spells cast as 'cures' can cause an opponent to be harmed in a variety of ways. 'Bone skills' can be either used as a weapon or a defense. 'Summoning skills' had to be practiced at length in order to gain control of the conjured minions and strengthen them.
Tanyc's skills grew quickly as he matured. It took him only a few years to catch up to Eigim in spell strength, and his knowledge continued to grow even as others struggled. The role of protector had changed since now Tanyc was guarding his friend Eigim. Tanyc's intimate mastery of the arcane grew stronger -- and his knowledge grew faster than anyone else is at the school. Others revered his skills to the point that he was treated almost like a celebrity, although Tanyc was no fan of this adulation.
Xsih continued his tyrannical ways and grew into an ever more bitter rival of Tanyc and Eigim. Xsih was always trying to prove his skills were superior to those of the 'prodigy'.
Tanyc avoided the bully most of the time, but as Xsih became increasingly stronger, his pestering of Tanyc and Eigim became harsher and more persistent. While not quite the prodigy that Tanyc was, Xsih nonetheless was becoming a very strong necromancer. While his skills grew stronger than Eigim fairly quickly, he suffered to see Tanyc's skills catching up to and surpassing his own.
In fact, by the time Tanyc was 16, his skills had surpassed those of Xsih. Tanyck, though, was a quiet boy who did not desire drawing more attention than absolutely necessary. He went so far as to keep the true level of skills between himself and Eigim. Both boys were able to raise a metal golem, the second most difficult necromantic feat.
Xsih could rise but three skeletal mages [5], whereas Tanyc could raise five. This kept Xsih on edge, always trying to prove he was better and also prevented him from completely overrunning Tanyc and Eigim. Nevertheless, keeping Xsih from harming Tanyc and Eigim was an increasingly difficult task.
Tanyc continued to practice his powers in private, growing and enhancing them every day.
Fire golems are the ultimate challenge of necromancers. Few can raise a fire golem before they are 20 or more years of age; even then, incredible mental strength and power are both required.
Eigim encouraged Tanyc to attempt to raise a fire golem. Tanyc was not confident all, thinking it would be a waste of time. But Eigim had seen other young men raise a fire golem and felt Tanyc to be as strong mentally as those were. Eigim's encouragement motivated Tanyc to study this ultimate feat.
One day, Tanyc and Eigim were practicing their skills in the woods. Tanyc had tried repeatedly through the entire morning to raise a fire golem but had had no success. They took a long rest, hoping to regain a bit of their mental power and ability to concentrate. Eigim reiterated his encouragement, feeling that Tanyc's native talents and powerful work ethic would enable him to succeed in this most complex feat.
Tanyc tried again. He enchanted some magic words, and slowly raised his bloodwood wand while focusing his mental powers. To his surprise, a small fire erupted and quickly grew to over two feet in diameter.
Eigim was delighted. "Hey," he exclaimed, "it looks like it's working; keep going."
Sustaining the fire requires continuous expenditure of mana, far more than Tanyc had anticipated. As he grew tired, some of the fire came to take the shape of a gruesome head.
Tanyc's fatigue gave him the appearance of someone almost ready to faint. Eigim rushed to his side, quickly grabbing Tanyc under his arms in order to support him, while the prodigy continued trying to raise the fire golem.
The fiery head grew an orange neck that then broadened into a hefty set of shoulders as the golem continued to rise from the ground. Intense heat emanated from the flaming trace, causing Eigim to back away from it. The image's arms and chest solidified as the blaze rose higher.
Tanyc's breath came in short pants as his strength ebbed. Suddenly, he passed out, supported only by Eigim's arms. Eigim lowered Tanyc's limp body to the ground as the fire that composed the golem extinguished itself.
Eigim shook Tanyc awake. Extraordinarily weak, Tanyc gasped, "What happened?"
With a huge smile on his face, Eigim related the tale. "You raised up a fire golem all the way to his chest before you passed out. You almost did it! I know for a fact no one as young as you has ever raised up a fire golem before."
Tanyc slowly regained his footing, and walked back to his original location. "Isn't this where he rose up? The ground is not even burned."
"Yes," affirmed Eigim. "That's exactly where it rose up. Didn't you feel the heat coming off him ? Look at my face and arms; they're sun burned from the intense flames."
"No, I never felt it," Tanyc mused, "but I learned in my studies that the necromancer performing the ascension can't be hurt by the golem's powers of fire. I could stand right next to him and be unharmed -- as long as he is mine."
Only two months later, at the young age of only 17, Tanyc raised a complete fire golem without passing out. The two friends have kept this a secret to avoid extra attention. Tanyc's strength is now such that he has mana to spare to raise other golems as well, even while maintaining the cohesiveness of the fire golem.
Glossary:
[1] Necromancy - the study of raising and controlling the dead.
[2] Morphic Dragon - a small lizard-like creature.
[3] Golem - a creature created from the forces of the earth, can be summoned with out a dead body. Resurrecting a golem requires more mental energy than other minions.
Types of golems:
Clay: the easiest to raise. Taught to young necromancers, weaker than all other golems and unable to wreak much harm.
Blood: steals life and mana based on the amount of damage he is causing his enemies, shares the life and mana he steals with his master, but the master is weakened as the fire golem receives damage.
Metal: a golem resurrected using a metal object like a knife or sword.
Fire: the strongest golem, inflicts more damage and tolerates more damage.
[4] Mana - Mental energy required to cast a spell, resurrect minions, or use bone powers.
[5] Skeletal Mages - raised from the dead more easily than Golems, but with considerably less strength. A necromancer can raise as many mages as his mental power will allow. Mages use one of four powers: fire, cold, lighting, or poison.
Cast:
Tanyc is the main character and a prodigy necromancer.
Eigim is Tanyc's best friend.
Xsih is their smart-ass rival.
TBC
All comments are welcomed and encouraged. Send them to: dude_chevy@yahoo.com You can see more of my stories at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Fantasy_Wrestling_Stories/
Chevy
Thanks to the community for help with editing.