Chapter 17

                When Andrea came in the next day she nearly ran to the binding circle as soon as the door had closed behind the departing apprentice.

Running into my territory she shouted, “I’m fucked!”

She seemed to realize what she said and gasped bringing her hands to her mouth in astonishment. A little off put I couldn’t keep the smile out of my voice as I forced concern into it and asked, “What is wrong?”

Andrea breathed in a couple rapid breaths before blurting out in a rush, “You changed me… I mean umm I became older and bigger. I had been sleeping in the gathering chamber to avoid the other apprentices notice. But that bitch Silvia came looking for me! She found me and grew suspicious when I wouldn’t come out of the shadows. She finally cast some kind of spell at me. A black oily rope of smoke wrapped around me and pulled me toward her. When she saw I was taller she threw my hood off.”

Materializing my spirit I looked at the girl. Her robe was different the new fox fur robe was gone it was replaced by a ratty faded black robe that had more holes then area it covered. Through the holes I saw numerous bruises and cuts covering her frame. Reaching out I used my dungeon senses and felt for life threatening injury.

Andrea continued her explosive tirade, “I refused to tell her what had changed me and why I had not told anyone. She assumed it was some kind of spell that I had developed and she wanted me to show her. When I refused she drug me back into the sleeping chambers with her black tendrils. There she stole my robe and threw me into a group of the men…” Andrea shuddered violently.

Not sure if I cared, or should care, but sure I needed to I asked, “Did they rape you?”

Andrea’s eyes flared and her jaw firmed, “They tried. But I fought the weak bottom feeders off. If the stronger apprentices were not off doing something for the master I may not have been able too, but these were the weakest of the apprentices. Even as a group I am stronger.”

Looking at the bruises and cuts I thought, “Maybe but not by much.” I kept the thought to myself though.

“As I fought off the fuckers, Silvia left to go inform the Master about my changes. Once she learns she will order me to tell her. Then if I refuse she will know I am no longer her slave. I’m fucked.”

Andrea realized her language again and half raised her hand to her face in shame, then paused and shrugged before lowering her hand and setting her shoulders defiantly, daring me to say something. Frankly the cussing didn’t bother me, but the defiant look in her eyes did. I had to do something about this willful child before she ruined my plans.

In a calm and cold voice I issued her a command, “You did well not just rushing to me. Instead you waited until your normal turn to report to me.” A smile spread across Andrea’s face at my praise but it vanished as I continued. “As I commanded you to. Now I see no cause to worry yet.”

“But…”

“Nothing to worry about yet,” I spoke over her protests. “This Silvia has to be one of the weaker apprentices too. As you said if she was one of the stronger she would have been with the others and not searching for you.”

Andrea slowly nodded, “So?”

“So, does the Master just listen to the stories of any apprentice? Does she have an open door policy where anyone can rush to her with their little problems?”

Andrea shook her head.

I thought not. Now this Silvia may try to gain some attention and she may succeed but right now it is very unlikely the Master will take notice. If others start to notice your changes though it may still cause some issue; eventually bring the Master’s eyes upon you. Then Through you that attention will fall on me. So my plans must accelerate.”

Andrea frowned, eyes narrowing, “You plans must accelerate! What about me!?! You say I shouldn’t worry yet, just because the Master may not notice yet, but others will! They will make me tell them what happened.”

I nodded, “Yes this is true. I cannot expect you to withstand continuous beatings without slipping. Really I should be proud you did not tell this time.”

Andrea studied me as I spoke. As I continued to speak her face flushed even redder and her eyes nearly sparked with outrage.

“I commando you not to tell anyone about what occurred to you in this chamber. You are forbidden to tell anyone about me.”

Andrea opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her off again, “You will also not object to this command in any way.”

Andrea’s mouth slammed shut not of her accord. After a minute passed as I considered the situation, Andrea said, “They will kill me. You will lose your only slave.”

Inwardly I smiled, she had figured out a way to make a statement without really objecting. Her comment was after all more of a probable fact. I nodded, “They might try. How much mana do you have?”

Andrea seemed taken aback by the question but was forced to answer quickly, “110, I have an Intelligence of 11.”

I nodded rubbing my chin, “And what spells do you know?”

“None, the master is teaching s control over our mana first. Only the top 5 have achieved the control for her to teach them a spell. And my attempts at magic before all this never resulted in a real spell… more of a cantrip really.”

“Ok let me think, for now go over to the new circle and make some changes for me.”

Using my mental connection I showed her a set of images containing runes.

“Find every instance of this combo of runes. When you find them alter them into this.”

I sent her another image this one containing the same runes except one of the runes was now slightly altered. Having spent some time studying the runes I had come up with this alteration. This new change would not cause the circle to explode or anything else so violent. From the outside perspective nothing would be different once the circle was active. For me though I would no longer be enslaved. The circle would still limit my domain, but I would not be forced to obey anymore. Better yet with this slight change the Master Necromancer would not know the difference either. Every test I had sensed her use would show that I was still a thrall under her control. I had considered breaking the circle entirely, but I threw out the idea when I could not find another way to change the runes so as not to be detected. I knew she was underestimating me, but I didn’t think she would be so rash as to lower the smaller circle until she was sure the larger worked correctly. After I was no longer bound by her commands I could work on complete freedom.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Andrea shivered as my mental presence left her and then hurried to obey my command. The larger circle was about 90% complete now and I estimated that it would be about 7 more days before it was finished. Watching the girl work I considered her. She did need something to protect her from the others. A spell or weapon. Sadly I had no weapons and only knew a couple spells.

Creating a Skeleton or Zombie required a corpse and the cast time was too long to really be helpful in an emergency. That left summoning a Sly Fox. The mana cost was low and the cast time was instant. It was perfect for her. Well except it was a Life spell and she is currently being trained as a Necromancer. I guess I’ll find out if that matters. If she can’t learn a spell of the Life Affinity then I’d have to figure out something else. I have hope though Ellinoria did choose her after all.

As she worked I created a plan. I didn’t think I could just download the spell into her head like I did the images of the runes. That meant a more traditional teaching method.

Half an hour later Andrea completed the small change on every copy of the runes around the circle and came back into my domain.

Without preamble she spoke, “Can you at least heal me and fix my robes? I feel so exposed like this.”

As she spoke she gestured at herself. I watched her hands and caught a glimpse of nipple as a rip moved across her chest. She saw me staring and blushed a dark red. Even as her expression hardened.

Catching her eye I shrugged, “No I won’t. If I heal you or fix your robes it will just draw more attention to you.” Before she could say anything I continued, “I have already checked you for anything life threatening and all I found was superficial wounds. They may hurt but you will not suffer long as they will heal quickly. As for the robes. You may be able to come up with an explanation of one set of robes like that, but how would you explain two??”

I let the thought settle for a pregnant second, “No we are both better served if you gain a new robe in some other fashion. Perhaps take your old one back from this Silva…”

Andrea nodded reluctantly, “I would but with her spell I do not stand much chance at a fair fight.”

I smiled, “Who said you should fight fair? Attack the bitch while she sleeps for all I care. Plus I think it is time you learned a spell.”

Andrea froze at the announcement as if expecting me to say I was kidding. A full minute passed in silence before I shrugged, “Well if you do not want to learn one then…”

“I do! I do! What are you going to teach me? Can I throw lightning bolts? Or maybe Fireballs? Oh oh how about flying!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at her excitement, “No no little necromancer nothing so … ambitious.”

“Then what? I do not want to be a necromancer!”

The demanding tone in her voice was almost to the point that it needed a response, but I let it pass knowing she was young and I had just offered her something she had dreamed of her whole life.

“You saw those foxes the other day?”

Slowly she nodded, “Yes the ones you’re … your zombies ate.”

“Yes those. I am going to teach you how to summon one of those.”

I expected her to be upset or at least disappointed, I had not expected her to rush passed the standing Skeletons and lunged at me attempting to give me a full body hug.

“Oh thank you! They are so cute!”

She completely threw herself at me in her excitement and when she passed right through my ethereal form she squeaked in surprise as she fell headlong into the marble pillar holding my heart. With a WHACK her head hit the marble and she went slack, falling the few remaining inches to the ground.

Moving over to her unconscious form I muttered, “What is with women and these foxes?”

Reaching out I put the index finger of my right hand into her forehead feeling if she was okay. She would have a huge bruise but she would be fine.

“Since she is out I might as well take advantage of it.” I said to myself. Then paused, “Huh talking to myself in my heart seems to have made some bad habits.” Shrugging I continued.

I had decided that even though I did not believe I could just shove the knowledge of how to cast the spell into Andrea’s mind, I figured I could lay the ground work.  Using the full extent of my mental link with her I pressed the memories of the sensations and emotions of the casting. I imposed upon her mind what it felt like to successfully channel the mana in the correct pattern. I pushed the emotional state one needed for this specific casting. I paused for a Nano second to consider that one. It had come as a surprise to me to learn that emotion played a big role in spell casting. If you did not feel and endorse the right emotions in the correct combination at the right time then your spells would not work. Emotion played as big of a role as say the words, gestures, and even the mana.

For example to create a skeleton one had to hold a loathing and hatred of the world. To force a body to reform and work passed the departure of the soul required an amazing amount of hatred. A zombie required hatred too, but you also had to add a fair bit of defiance. Defiance in the face of death. Defiance to refuse to let the soul properly depart and to shackle it to the dead body. The foxes need a sense of freedom and curiosity.

This knowledge and more I placed into the girls mind as she stirred then awoke. I stepped back through my heart and watched her from eh other side. Rubbing her head she groaned.

“Ugh, ouch.” Then she paused her eyes losing what little focus they had regained. “I… I… I understand. I had never realized that… I see.”

She turned to me, “Can you teach me the rest? I can tell there are parts missing.”

I nodded as I said, “Yes but the rest you must learn the normal way.”

Setting down next to her I began to instruct her in the summoning of a sly fox.

An hour and half later Andrea screamed in glee as a small form materialized in front of her. It had taken slightly longer than her normal transfer time to learn the spell: but I still expected she had learned it quickly.

To my surprise and delight. Each failed casting caused the entire amount of mana needed to cast the spell to fizzle into the air. Andrea never seemed to notice, but I devoured the free mana like a delectable morsel. If I could get more people in my domain living and learning magic… An idea was beginning to form in my mind of a possible future. Shaking my head I focused on the girl turned woman before me.

She was holding the small fluff ball in her arms petting it wildly. Considering I thought it prudent to lay a few more commands on my slave… just in case.

“You will not through action or inaction do anything to cause harm to me. Nor will you allow others to do so. This includes creatures you may be in control of or had control of at some previous point. You will also not teach others any spell you learn from me without getting my approval first.” Pausing to consider I nodded content with my foresight.

Andrea’s face clouded in confusion then realization before her eyes narrowed; angry at the additional command. I was happy to see though that the thought had not yet crossed her mind. Perhaps it never would have, but now I did not have to worry about her summoning something in my domain and letting it lose to kill me.

“You should go now. You do not want the others to grow angry with you.”

Andrea stood watching me. Her fox close by her side.

I pointed at it, “You will have to leave that here.”

Andrea’s eyes flew wide, “Why! Oh please don’t make me leave foxxie!”

It already had a name? Shaking my head I sighed, “No, you cannot go around with it following you. You can summon more if you absolutely need. But you should only do so in an emergency. Otherwise you will draw even more attention and you do not want that do you?”

Andrea paused looking at the fox, then slowly shook her head with tears streaming down her face. “No… I do not want that. Stay foxxie be a good kit and stay.”

Turning she began to walk out of my domain. Before she crossed the barrier I did two things. I opened up a hole beneath the fox into the cave where my zombies slept. Second I sent her one more command.

“You will return to me tomorrow at your normal time; unless your life is in danger. Then you will return post haste.” She did not even look back as she left.

Before the door fully opened I closed up the hole and returned to my hart, then created another Skeleton for the Master Necromancer.

With an evil grin I thought to myself as the next apprentice walked toward my prison. “I will create a nice zombie from your corpse soon my Master.”