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61.22% Sage of Shadows / Chapter 60: EXCHANGE ATTEMPT

บท 60: EXCHANGE ATTEMPT

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

She was pretty sure she was well hidden. Then how in the fucking hells had she been discovered. Did this old guy cast a spell that could see through {Invisibility}? But such a spell would not work on her. She had a model of the spell [Invisibility] so she was sure spells meant to unravel it could never work on her. After all, the spell itself is an inferior version of the ability, much like [Dragon Breath] the spell and {Dragon Breath} the dragons' ability.

So how was she discovered?

Her question was answered when a blurry figure materialised next to the Cryptmaker. It was a transparent figure with the appearance of a young woman with short hair. It hovered nearly half a metre off the ground as it looked straight at her.

Race: Ghost (Undead- Spectre)

Physique: None

Mana: F (White)

A ghost, what she use to be; without a doubt the most useless and harmless undead in existence. However, ghosts had a keen sight for that which was hidden. It was something she had read in Bori's notes. That part of his notes mostly dealt with ideas to turn them in wraiths though as he clearly had not had a high opinion of them. He probably never imagined something so useless could be used in such a manner.

Fuck! She swore again. Then, quickly dispelling {Invisibility} and {Lightfoot}, she shouted, "wait!"

The undead were moments away from launching their attacks when she called out. The skeletons and zombies on the rooftops had their bows drawn while the undead on the ground had their weapons pointed in her direction. Obviously, none of these were a threat to her; as long as none of them wielded Light Magic, which was a safe bet to say it was an impossibility for this rotting horde. Still, if they did attack her she would be forced to flee before she ran out of mana.

But that would mean she came here for naught, causing her to miss out on the knowledge she desires.

She would rather it not come to this.

Her original plan had been to observe and then learn what she could about the man before leaving the village and then pretending to enter the village for the first time in broad starlight. Then she would use what even little knowledge she had collected to try and negotiate with the Cryptmaker.

Now however that plan was ruined. The only thing she could do was come out of hiding and wing it.

"Who are you?" the Cryptmaker said in a hoarse voice that sounded like it was not used much.

"I am a servant of the Great… Belgarath," she made up a name on the spot. "My master heard you were around and sent me here to exchange knowledge and ideas with you.

"Get lost," the old man's unfriendly tone cracked. "I've never heard of a Belgarath."

"That's because my master likes to keep to himself," she countered, erecting herself to show a prideful posture. "He never shows himself and even when he does none of his actions are ever traced back to him.

"That seems convenient," the hunched over man responded, unconvinced. "Like what?"

"The absence of the Grand Court Mage," she spilled the first thing that came to mind. "The reason you were able to brazenly take over this village without repercussions is in part to him."

Hearing this, the Cryptmaker sneered. "Do not take me for a fool girl! Savandor went on a diplomatic errand! Everyone knows that!"

"Ah yes. Because common knowledge is always so truthful," she retorted smugly. Not too smug though. She did not want the necromancer angry and unwilling to trade.

"She is lying." The one who spoke this time was not the Cryptmaker but the Skeleton Mage. Surprisingly, the voice of this undead was soft and feminine. The red orbs in its eyeholes seemed to glow brighter as it spoke next. "Master, I say we kill her and get back to what we were doing."

"Seconded," the deep voice of the Death Knight came.

"Same," the Bone Knight followed.

Even the fucking ghost made its opinion known with a nod of agreement.

They were all truly intelligent undead. This hunched back withered old fuck really knew how to create them!

Although she had expected this to be the case, it would be a lie to say she had zero doubts. Now that it was hundred percent confirmed Sage could not help heating up with excitement. However, she quickly snuffed out the embers and used stoicism to cool herself. Her real thoughts should not be gleaned by the other party.

"What about you Mister Kezan?" she posed to the one whose decision all hinged on. "Surely, you do not want to make an enemy of my master, especially since you seem so… preoccupied."

The feigned threat was not at all subtle as she gazed upon the gory ritual circle and the despairing survivors at the centre.

Obviously, the necromancer picked up on the threat. She felt his mana gathering as he gazed upon her and cast [Mystic Eyes], a spell she was beginning to hate existed. The Cryptmaker peered at her for a few seconds before making his conclusion and cancelling the spell.

"So you're an undead," the Cryptmaker stated. His expression softened before morphing to curiosity. "This is the first time seeing one like you. What are you?"

"I am a new innovation of my master," she bluffed, taking off her mask. Since she was already outed as an undead there was no need to keep it on. Let this geezer see her appearance and make his own judgement. "Like how the Blood Sorceress created the vampires aeons ago. However, my master has not come up with a name for me yet."

The old necromancer stroked his chin in contemplation before his attention returned to her. "And what is it that this master of yours would like from me?"

At this moment she took a deep breath of unnecessary air and let it go. Then she gave him a serious look.

This was the moment. If she fucked it up she would be going back empty-handed with her tail between her legs.

"My master requests notes on the creation of sentient undead," she replied.

During that time her eyes travelled from him to the Skeleton Mage with a hostile posture, the stoic Death Knight, the silent Bone Knight and the not-so-useless ghost before returning to the necromancer.

As expected, the Cryptmaker's eyes darkened at this request. It seemed Sylphia had been right. No sorcerer took kindly to someone else asking for their research, necromancers probably more so. Seeing the withered necromancer's expression, Sage suspected such requests often ended in a violent pushback.

However, Kezan the Cryptmaker was an old fart with at least two centuries under his belt. He did not seem to be one to fly off the handle because of a mere request, no matter how detestable he found it.

"If your master is so great that he can create new never-heard-of undead why does he want my notes?" he sneered. "His notes on the subject should be more extensive than mine."

"Of course they are!" she replied, feigning anger. "But Master Belgarath likes to collect all sorts of research from other sorcerers. He once told me that the different approaches taken by others to reach a similar conclusion tend to inspire him with new ideas."

"And what is it that this that this Belgarath is offering in return for my notes?" the Cryptmaker asked with a snarl.

Pretending to recover from a slight, an arrogant smile spread to her features.

"A way to advance."

That got his attention. For the first time since she revealed herself the Cryptmaker's appeared to have a lively reaction. His small eyes widened, which was not saying much since their widened state only made them slightly larger than a normal persons un-widened eyes. His mouth hung open, exposing yellow and black cavity-ridden teeth that looked like mice chewed through them. However, this expression which Sage would have no doubt found comical under different circumstances, only lasted for an instant. Then it morphed to a sceptical one.

"And how is he going to present this chance to me?" he asked with no small amount of disbelief.

Obviously she was prepared for this. Reaching inside her coat, she came out with a stack of rolled up papers. These notes were her pitch, the reason she was confident the necromancer would accept her bargain.

"These papers detail a ritual to summon a Netherkin," she revealed.

The necromancer's eyes constricted at the sight of the papers.

When she read through the notes herself she figured out why Bori had wanted to contract a Netherkin so bad. Although they did not increase the amount mana the necromancer possessed, through their connection the necromancer was able to engrave one spell of each Order until his own into the undead's being. As long as the necromancer's dominant affinity was Darkness, the extra spells would act as if they were the necromancers, allowing them learn a spell of a higher Order if they met the requirements.

As a 9th Order necromancer, there was no doubt that the Cryptmaker wished to advance to Ultra Order. However, from the information she had gotten from the Mercenary Guild, he was unable to. Not that it was explicitly stated in the notes; but it had been detailed that the Cryptmaker had been in the 9th Circle since over a hundred years ago. Even though he possessed an A aptitude he seemed to be on the lower end of it, meaning Ultra Order was impossible for him as is.

The notes she held were probably the most tempting thing in the world for him right now. Just as she expected, he pounced on the opportunity.

"Then I will accept the notes," he said, his face twisting into a grin that could only be described as hideous. "Those notes will indeed be very helpful to me."

She nodded in satisfaction. "Great, then the exchange-"

"I'll be taking you as well," the necromancer interrupted her, his eyes shining with greed as he uttered a loud cackle. "An undead I've never met before and notes on how to summon a Netherkin; I won't pass up the chance to study either of them!"

"Fuck!" Sage swore verbally and she took a step back.

Then she felt the Cryptmaker's cast a domination spell on her.


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NEET1o1 NEET1o1

Whew!

Just in time. Hope you all enjoy my last update for the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

บท 61: CRYPTMAKER

At their core sorcerers are scholars. True sorcerers, not that the second-rate battle-junkies who can only advance using the accomplishments of others. A true sorcerer studies magic to decipher the laws of the world and then, with the acquired knowledge, propel themselves forward. The end goal is to unravel the secrets of the Gods. Perhaps if they do that they can become Gods themselves.

Unfortunately, as far as the research from renowned scholars had taken them, the divine remained a distant domain. Still, a true scholar would not be deterred no matter how great the odds.

Kezan was a true sorcerer, a scholar through and through. He would do what he must to acquire the proper knowledge to break from his shackles and achieve Ultra Order. It did not matter that the majority of his peers disagreed with his methods; those gutless cowards. They always moaned about the methods used by true visionaries, yet never raised a complaint when they benefited from those methods. Alchemists, enchanters, even healers; many among the magical community had benefited in one way or another from research done by necromancers. Yet they continued to attack his kind.

They are no better than the battlemages, he thought. False sorcerers. Pretenders!

He was different. Unlike those morons who tried to destroy everything they did not understand or agree with, he sought to understand it; to learn how to use it to his advantage. His lips curled upwards as he watched the strange undead's futile attempt to beat off his spell. He had cast [Dominate Dead VIII]. An undead of the 7th Order had no chance against it.

As he continued to watch, he could not help but thank Belgarath- whoever that was- for sending the undead to him with the summoning notes; two unknowns he would enjoy dissecting until he understood them.

Did this Belgarath really think a display of his expertise would scare him away from laying his hands on his pet? Even if the mage behind the undead turned out to be a Transcendent, so what? In his decades of operating he had run afoul of many individuals. One of those individuals had been an Arcana, one of the twenty-one strongest beings on the continent. If he could escape someone like that then he had the confidence to escape from a no-name sorcerer, even if it was one who had achieved Ultra Order.

Still, I will never forget your contribution, he thought as he showed his teeth.

A second later his toothy grin morphed into a gaping stare.

Impossible, he thought, eyes widening.

The undead had resisted [Dominate Dead VIII]. No, that was not exactly it. From the way the spell settled on the strange undead there was no indication that it had failed. And yet, there was no feedback. There was no newly established connection between the two of them, which meant the undead had somehow avoided falling under his control.

How? He wondered.

His eyes focused on the undead. With [Night Vision] he was able to make out its scarred features which held a deep frown and a piercing glare.

"I see," it said quietly with a measured simmering tone. "So this is how you treat sincerity?"

The creature's question brought him out of his stupor, allowing him to reply.

"This is how I respond when something I want is within reach; I take it!"

Immediately after saying this he cast [Space Lock], an 8th Order spell meant to prevent escape vial spatial means. So what if the undead resisted his spell? He could just capture it and try it again- continuously if he had to- until it finally fell under his control. As long as he cut off its escape routes he had a lot of chances to do this.

Assured that it could not get away, he point a finger in its direction. "Get it!" he barked to his minions.

Ever the obedient servant, White, his Bone Knight, unsheathed his bone sword and charged the undead. The distance between them was erased instantly as the tall skeletal figure made to pin down the undead, only for his sword to completely pass through it as the undead's body turned ethereal.

What! Kezan exclaimed nonverbally, taken aback.

He watched the creature cast a spell and take to the skies where it was intercepted by Cream the Skeleton Mage's [Wind Prison]. But the undead got out of the imprisonment spell as easily as it had avoided White's blow.

So it's like a ghost? Kezan concluded, sneaking a glance at the spectral silhouette by his side. In that case…

He extended his hand and cast 7th Order spell [Corporeal]. Obviously, since ghosts were apparitions it was impossible to harm them unless one was a spectre themself or capable of Light Magic. This trait held unfortunately true to all spectral undead. Luckily someone had long come up with a solution to deal with such creatures.

Now we shall see what tricks you have up your sleeves.

Without its ability to turn into a ghost, the unidentified undead was unable to avoid White's {Bone Prison}, which caused dozens of giant bones to sprout from of the ground and form a cage around it. The moment the Bone Knight set up his ability, the Skeleton Mage prepared a spell to follow up. [Hold Person] struck the undead almost as soon as the cage was completed.

Only it was not the undead.

Before the cage had fully formed the undead cast a spell, causing a double to appear about ten metres from it. Seeing this display, Kezan immediately recognised the spell [True Image] and quickly ordered his Death Knight, Black, after the apparition. Just as he suspected, the moment the illusion spell was completed the creature had immediately switched places with its image. This was made obvious when the undead in the {Bone Prison} disappeared a moment later. Fortunately, he was prepared for it.

Or so he had thought.

Black had not made it within two steps of the creature before it stomped the ground hard and fired off [Tremor], causing him to lose his balance. As he tried to regain his balance the undead cast [Slow}] on him before casting [Haste] on itself. Then it turned around and rushed in the opposite direction.

Kezan watched it with a sneer. As if I'd let you!

Working in conjunction with Cream, they both cast [Dispel]. Their target's varied though. While his spell landed on Black, Cream's hit the undead; speeding up the former and slowing the latter. With this, Black was able to catch up immediately and reached for the creature's throat; only to be met with a [Stone Wall].

Because of his physique, the barrier was unable to stop him; however, it slowed him enough that when his hand broke through the undead was no longer there. It had put space between them.

Before Black could close the distance again the undead cast another spell, a summoning one this time. A humongous giant made of what looked like a dozen corpses appeared beside the undead just as it erected another [Stone Wall]. This Wall Black cut through cleanly with his sword, only to be [Slow]ed again. Then the undead pointed at the Death Knight, sending the Corpse Giant in his direction with clumsy stomps.

Stupid undead, Kezan thought when he witnessed this scene.

Raising his hand at the Corpse Giant, he cast [Dominate Dead VIII]. Unlike the weird undead, his spell was successful on this conventional undead. After the spell hit the Corpse Giant its temporary bond shifted from the undead to him. Using this link, he forced it to turn back and run towards its summoner.

Seeing this, the undead panicked and hurriedly erected yet another [Stone Wall]; just in time to meet the Corpse Giant as it inflated and exploded. The wall was smashed to smithereens as steaming bits of rancid flesh scattered everywhere, some of which would have landed on Kezan more than fifty metres away if not for him casting [Force Wall].

Although the undead had reacted in time, its actions had not been enough to completely offset the undead giant's {Self-Detonation}. It shrieked as the force of the explosion sent it tumbling several metres back. Seeing that the creature was injured, his three minions rushed after it, but he held up his hand to stay them. If they continued they might damage the undead more than it already was. A broken prize was not something he was interested in studying.

Let's put an end to this, he decided, snapping his fingers.

Where the undead fell hands burst out of the ground and grabbed it. The strange undead tried to struggle but more hands popped out from the earth and reached for it. After getting a firm grasp of their target the zombies attached to the hands pulled themselves out of the ground, four humongous Dread Zombies. Although they were mindless like most of his minions these were among the best with their Grade 3 bodies. His target was unable to escape their grip.

The method he had just employed was the reason why he was referred to by many as the Cryptmaker. Being one of the rare humans born with two dominant attributes- Earth and Darkness- Kezan was superior in every way when compared to those common flukes. Even though he had ventured into necromancy, the Familiar he summoned was an Earth Elemental. Using its {Earth Manipulation} ability he was able to shift his undead around underground silently until the moment they burst out of the ground like Revenants out their tombs on an unsuspecting victim. Those who knew him knew to expect this, but in the heat of things they never saw it coming.

"I finally caught you," he said gleefully, making his way over to the undead.

As he did so his sentient combat undead fell in line beside him along with Crystal, his ghost lookout. The ground ahead of him separated and Grey, his mole Familiar, stuck its head out. The rest of its body soon followed. Grey was a fairly large creature that stood as high as its summoner's knees. Kezan sidestepped past it while White quickly bend over and scooped the rodent into his arms.

Then the five of them set off, closing the distance between the strange undead and them.


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