March 22nd, year 024 Angels Descent

It had been two weeks since the class had been raided, and during that time, they had been given some time to recover. Despite their free time off, they occasionally poked their heads into Alex’s classroom, only to not find him there. Even checking his kindergarten class, they found Elissa covering as a substitute.

It took the combined effort of the entire class to drag Tasha away, who declared she wasn’t sixteen but six. Even Daisy's point that she would be in the elementary grades at six was not enough to dissuade her. Despite this, Elissa assured them Alex would be back for their lesson on the twenty-second.

Arriving at his classroom, as they had gotten used to, they paused, waiting for any traps that may have been set up—cautiously looking around for any intruders that might want to raid their class this time. Much to their relief, there were no such traps nor intruders. Reaching out for the door, Daisy gently knocked.

“Come in,” Alex’s voice replied from within.

Filing into the classroom, they found it looked no different than they were used to. It had been cleaned up and put back into order since that day. There sat at his desk was Alex with Freki curled up in her basket. It almost felt like nothing had happened, almost that is.

“How are you, sir?” Daisy cautiously asked.

“Meh, I only died once when I was being treated,” Alex replied with a shrug.

“You Died, sir?!” Bea repeated, shocked.

“Blood loss is one hell of a drug. Thankfully the healers Sloth got were premium quality, so it was only for like a minute at most,” Alex answered with a nod as if temporarily dying was a given. “Downside, I owe him another century of teaching here,” Alex added with a weak grin.

“How about you kids?” Alex asked, looking at each of them.

“We’re mostly fine,” Daisy answered for them. “The exception being well…” Daisy didn’t need to mention the obvious absent member of their class.

“Yes, I suppose young Maxwell would not be too fond of attending classes with his brother’s killer,” Alex said, his face straining to smile.

“Couldn’t say; his father called him back to Port Staine. We’ve been out of contact since,” Gunter explained.

“I suppose that is why I got a grand enquiry letter from Dark Lady Crozonia,” Alex said with a solemn nod. Seeing this, Daisy bit her lower lip in frustration before stepping forwards.

“Sir, I will support you,” Daisy finally said. “I will bare witness to what really happened. We all will, won’t we guys?” Daisy declared, looking to her classmates, who seemed more apprehensive about the notion of giving a statement to the Dark Lady herself.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Daisy. But you kids will definitely be called to give testimony regardless. But I still have to explain why I killed someone who was technically a high noble.”

“About that? Sir, how did you do it?” Tasha asked, her eager tone cutting the tension that had been filling the air.

“I swear I explained it on the day? Did I? Or was that a bloodloss-induced hallucination?” Alex muttered as he tried to recall what had fully happened.

“Something, something, Necromancy, right?” Tasha elaborated.

“Oh yes…” Alex said, lowering his head. “Not a fun school of magic that one. It’s the real reason holy magic bucks like a bull for me.”

“But I’ve read of users of both schools, sir?” Kline asked.

“Yes, but they keep things balanced. I kind of dove head first into one school before the other.”

“So how do you use Necromancy, sir?” Daisy asked.

“Kill sapient beings, end lives, simple as that,” Alex explained bluntly. “I told you kids my early years in the guild because I was good at area-of-effect spells. So I was often sent to help eliminate bandit camps, right?” the class nodded. “Well, it seemed like a natural and easy school to specialise in. Especially for my twelve-year-old self. I was an edgy little shit.”

“Kids, if you progress with magic, you will inevitably kill someone, whether as a part of the army, in self-defence or… holding off a crusade on the horizon. It is why mages often learn the basics of necromancy.”

“Sir, I recall you said necromancy doesn’t use mana?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah, it uses soul energy,” Alex said with a nod.

“But isn’t mana soul energy? I’m confused?” Tasha added.

“Yes, mana is soul energy. Put simply; mana is the energy run-off. You eat, drink, sleep, run, and so on. All these produce energy in many forms. One form is mana, which fills a mana core, but the raw energy is more general life energy. Necromancy is a way to harness from others that raw energy yet to go into the core for yourself.”

“So I just need to kill a few people, then I can slap a certain someone and kill him?” Tasha asked, her eyes alight with increasing her combat potential.

“No, Tasha. First, you need to kill a lot… and I really mean a lot of people. Second, if someone has trained in Necromancy, you must overcome their external stores before you can directly affect them. A duel between necromancers will favour the more monstrous one,” Alex looked very depressed at this admission.

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“You can also defend against it with holy magics. A well-balanced mage will often keep both worked up, and when their necromantic stores run empty, they have their natural mana in a holy element to shore up their defence.”

“So that’s how you dealt with those thugs, chief?” Alex just nodded.

“Concentrated necrosmoke. Vacuums up their soul energy. As I said that energy is the energy of your life. The moment I touched them, they didn’t have enough to continue living,” Alex explained, a weak smile plastered on his face before he exhaled a deep sigh.

“What about Liches?” Bea asked.

“That more is using your own raw energy, internalising it, and doing a lot of strange stuff on top. I’m still in the process of it myself, so I can’t say for sure. But funnily enough, that one requires not so much death.”

“Regardless, kids, I won’t regret what I’ve done. I would do it again. I won’t enjoy it, but I will never deny it. I will slaughter if it means keeping my students safe.”

“Is that so, sir?” Maxwell asked as he walked through the door, a scowl on his face. “I seem to recall you telling my brother to go ahead and kill us?”

“Maxy?” Bea said in surprise at his arrival.

“Hey guys, I just got back and heard he had the gall to continue his lessons!” Maxwell explained, turning his scowl back to Alex. “Well, sir, tell us why you were so ready to sell us out?”

“Tactics,” Alex answered, meeting Maxwell’s scowl with a worried look.

“Maxwell…” Alex’s voice trailed off as he struggled to find the words.

“My brother told me about you, you know? He told me you were a cowardly and pathetic creature that deserved pity. My father told me otherwise and said Celes was jealous. Seeing you against each other, I’m not sure who to believe.”

“Both can coexist, Maxwell,” Alex answered, which stunned Maxwell.

“I am a coward; I am pitiful. I sought power to be sure I would never lose those I cared for as I had as a kid. I make plans that throw all honour out the window. I am so many negative things. But if you think for a second, I truly meant to betray you… I honestly don’t know Maxwell…” Alex was looking worse and worse as he went on. Maxwell, however, had expected far deeper resistance.

“Maxwell, surely sir had a reason?” Daisy offered, trying to mediate between the pair.

“That is what I was asking,” Maxwell said, reasserting his position and shaking off Gunter’s hand that had come to rest on his shoulder. Alex looked at his students and then released an exhausted sigh.

“Kids… I said that to provoke Celes more than anything. Arnauld, under interrogation, had made it clear his men were under strict orders not to cause anything more than bruises to you guys.”

“But you couldn’t have known that!” Maxwell shouted back.

“He said so himself. Arnauld, that head merc said not to hurt you guys. Kids, there are three real gifts I have. I have vast mana stores, a good memory and the ability to read people well. My read of him was he was a man of his word.”

“What if my brother ordered them to hurt us properly, then? What about Bea, huh?! She got hurt!!”

“Max… If I had to, I would’ve stripped the flesh from my hands to break free of the manacles and save you guys,” Alex finally admitted, which caused Maxwell to retreat a step.

“You would’ve maimed yourself to protect us? Pfft! As if,” Maxwell said, crossing his arms and scowling even more at Alex.

“Max, I have maimed myself just to pursue greater knowledge of magic. Do you think I’d draw the line at the safety of people in my care?” Maxwell sputtered a moment, unable to refute this point.

“Listen, kids… I’m sorry it turned out the way it did…”

“Why didn’t you just kill him when you were in school,” Maxwell muttered angrily as Gunter pulled him back.

“Because mercy should always be your option till it is no longer tenable. Like with those other mercenaries, I let them live, and now they are part of a penal legion. They will keep people safe. Those brothers I killed were far too unchained to be spared. Someone who would strike a defnceless restrained child is not someone worthy of my mercy.”

“WHAT ABOUT MY BROTHER THEN?!!”

“Maxwell… I showed him mercy. His many assaults on me would’ve brought death from anyone else. I though I gave him every chance to stand down. Every chance to give up his petty pursuit and live his life. Sadly he could not let go.”

“Maxwell… I know in our private conversations you said you truly didn’t like Celes. Still though… I’m sorry I couldn’t show him mercy,” Alex lowered his head to Maxwell, whose fist was shaking with restrained emotion.

“I’ve got something for you kids, by the way,” Alex said, reaching under his desk and taking out a scroll. “It’s a second blood contract. You can sign this for a full grade in my class for this year, and you will be free like the rest of them,” Alex explained, unfurling the document onto his desk.

I Imagine with everything that has happened; you probably would rather not continue my lessons. Hell, I probably scare you, kids; now you’ve seen me kill with a touch.”

“So we just sign this and get perfect marks?” Maxwell asked as he stepped up to the contract giving it a quick read. Alex nodded, confirming this was the case.

“Yes, no tricks, no hidden plans. Sign, and you can be free of me.”

“Then there is only one option here,” Maxwell said, glaring at Alex before softening his gaze as he looked at the rest of the class, who all softly nodded themselves. Picking up the contract, Maxwell tore it in two, then again into four and once more, so there were six scraps. Before holding it out over a ceramic ash disc.

“LUMUS REX,” With this chant, a small light circle for Ignis appeared, and a small flame spell ignited the bundle of torn paper.

“You think I am letting you take the cowardly way out? I am going to hold you responsible, sir. My family has lost its prodigal mage multiple times due to you. It is only right you replace him with something better.”

“Buh???” Alex sounded out; before he could make another noise, he could see the rest of the class nodding.

“Sir, your lessons are everything my brother promised they would be and more. If you think a little incursion will stop us, you clearly need to understand us better,” Daisy said as she took a small burning scrap from Maxwell.

“Indeed, chief, me and Bea can only imagine greater things in our future under your guidance,” Gunter said as both he and Bea took a scrap.

“He’s right, sir; thanks to you, I added a new demon to my family’s roaster. You think I’m stopping before I get a royal?” Bea said, flashing a big comforting grin.

“S-sir, I feel braver just in your presence. I’d be betraying my goal if I gave up here,” Kline said, taking a scrap from Maxwell. The entire class turned their gaze to Tasha.

“What? I was never quitting his class. He’s my best in to Lady Elissa,” Tasha declared, taking her own scrap.

“So, sir, don’t give up on us if we won’t give up on you,” Daisy said.

“Thanks, kids… I appreciate this more than you could imagine.”

“Shall we get back to soul exercises and light circle practice? We got two down who cracked it,” the class eagerly nodded as their lessons resumed.