Dear reader, This book is enchanted and fairly resilient to damage, water and fire deal very little damage because of the magic running through it. Why exactly did you panic and throw it in the fire when I presented it to you again? You're own staff has warned against attempting to anger me, patient as a saint though I might be, as rewriting the book would actually be quite the feat at the current moment as it is technically using your daughter's magic to reinforce it. If you really wish it gone, I can leave you and her to your fates though I know nothing of what the future holds, only that the mana entwining the fates... if you desire to believe in such things, suggests that she needs assistance either now or will and I don't know what draws me to my masters, but I am only here to help.
...
Just so you know, you looked rather hilarious up on that chair as if I was a threat to you at the current time or if I was even going to. I have left this book where you could find it on purpose to share this with your daughter, which, as you can see, Has a photo of you calling your butler and maids to your rescue. Yes, a Serrated Bloodletter may be painful to encounter but I doubt that it would actually be that threatening. There are far bigger and deadlier monsters out there.
hidden by magic
Dear master, I know not why you have yet to be addressed by your father, nor where your mother is, I shall make great strides to help fill this void of knowledge as I encounter answers for you when you are later able to read this content. For now though, please enjoy my short history so that you might understand my position and dedication.
Sam had awoken to looking at the sky, ground and things around him in a very extreme angle that he wasn't prepared for. The lack of blinking definitely was a different change of pace as he wasn't sure why he couldn't or didn't feel a need, but the first thing that he decided to do was try to pick himself up from the ground... to which his body slithered.
"Um, Nicolas, congratulations on the familiar but, it seems to be, well, small and noisy..." Silas said as he watched it raddle something on its tail, curled up doubled over on top of its face as if hiding from the world. He was observing it carefully when his sister went to try comforting it. "Stop! don't do that, magical poison may not be as lethal, but I've never seen a viper like this one before. If it is willing to announce its presence, it may be very lethal or even lures creatures in with the sound to kill them. You didn't design this form did you Nic?" He said, going from a formal applaud to more casual as he turned to his friend.
Nicolas took a moment to look up from his familiar to his friends as he spoke. "No, in fact, upon the agreement, we woke up rather abruptly, I think..." he trailed off, remembering a conversation and a sudden sense of direction. "I think it was a familiar he had and he died not long ago, we might need to check what killed him." He said as he picked up the rattle snake in a caring embrace that felt quite odd to Sam as they took off into the bush, though Sam was fairly certain one of these people was carrying a pitchfork, to which he realized the moment he thought about it, yes, as Silas used it as a spear and was technically one of the town guards which got him metal resources which was apparently uncommon here.
-
The group stood near the body at a distance, the three humans covering their noses, Sam with his jaw sealed as tightly as he could, and an unnoticed wolf whimpered as they swatted flies away. Nicolas set Sam down and approached with respect as Silas followed behind though Silas was the first to speak up. "His ribcage and clothes are shredded, it was either someone brutalized him and left him to die or a monster..." He stated as Nicolas finally got within range to examine it without barfing. He pulled a thorn from the corpse's chest and looked at it with callous intent.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Noticing the thorn, Hilda spoke up for the first time, her quiet observation finally over. "That is a thresher spine there, so it wasn't bandits or a familiar since it is still here. It must have been a pretty terrible time..." She looked up in the trees and around as she thought of how far from home anyone would have been. It was at this time that Sam was finally starting to unfurl himself as he thought of who these people are, noting that Silas and Hilda had the same last name though the wolf read Familiar Silver. to which there was a confusing thing that he noticed with both Hilda and Silver. They both had levels but it was the full extent of information given as he couldn't understand either the answer or the question wasn't valid.
Hilda continued as she pet Silver, seeming to try comforting herself as her brother returned to her side. "This far out and not someone from our village, he'd probably been hunting for any magical ingredients and got lost." She said as she eventually hugged her familiar as her brother patted her shoulder. It wasn't long before Nicolas did the same to Sam by picking him up into his arms.
"A terrible way to go, could you help me bury the body?" He said to Hilda, abruptly and as if trying to dismiss the situation.
Hilda laughed at him a moment before responding. "Not very good with your wording are we? Well, we shall put you to rest then." She said as she looked at Sam. "You may already be a familiar and your soul still on this side but I can at least teach your master how to properly send a body." She said before going into a rant about dispersing mana or collecting it into a soul that lingered so that it could wander on its own. It was apparently up to them to decide whether they wished to pass and accept the embrace of the veil or linger but either way it was not good to leave the fresh dead untended as the soul released a lot of magic upon death and all the rest held when crossing over. It was all very technical and it felt more like these two young love birds were more like tutor and student as he listened and tried to follow. As the two went on though he noticed out the corner of his eye, Silver... Balancing rocks, without touching them. He had a lot to learn.
-
The group of five had returned the next day, bringing with them some magical flora and bits of fauna, the little village welcoming its two promising mages as it seemed that they were the only ones that had the tallent or something as he had been trying to learn the language. It wasn't too complex to just start trying but Sam found that any new words he would have to use the blessing to translate to memory. It was odd to him, having no memory of a language in the first place while able to comprehend words so well. They had spent the next two or three days processing the magical items into, something. Though the three had their own tasks that they did around the village. Sam didn't see much of the other two outside of passing though it was very clear that Nicolas was indeed a farmer. Keeping his fields clear of vermin was probably some of his happiest days during this time.
"Well dear friend, the town is holding a baking event and being that our flower is one of the biggest supplies, we probably shouldn't be late." Nicolas said as he held out his hand for Sam to slither up his sleeve. Nicolas had been left a large farm by his parents, giving him money and the means to become a mage. Nicolas seemed to go above and beyond to help his town and Sam may not know these people, but if his master would give so much, He would be sure to help his charity work.