Necromancer

By Frank Fuhrur

If you had a secret, who would you tell? For Eugene, his secret had only been revealed to one other person. He’s lived his life around this secret, doing everything he can to keep it guarded. However, things that are locked away in a closet, eventually find a way of getting out. With the cat out of the bag, Eugene will have to make choices that might change him forever, and he must choose a side to be on. Will his friends come to his aid, or will he commit to his dark secret?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frank Fuhrur
• Release date: Dec 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463902097

Frank Fuhrur

I have been writing since the fourth grade and knew that I wanted to be an author. However, things didn't quite pan out like I thought they would. My paths were wide and many dead ends, one of which was being a historian buff in college. Finally, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, eventually I decided to join the Army. After completing my tour, I came back to Wyoming and got right into the work force. It was here that I began to find my way back into writing and loving it. With the help of my wife, I began writing again.when I'm not writing I will be spending time with my family watching various shows and movies. I love Star Wars, Star Trek, and most other SyFy shows, plus there's Castle, NCIS, CIS, The Mentalist, and The Big Bang Theory. If I'm not doing any of these then the family and I are out camping and fishing.

Book preview

Frank Fuhrur

Necromancer

Necromancer

Copyright 2013 Frank Fuhrur

Published by Frank Fuhrur at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

About Frank Fuhrur

Acknowledgements

I would like to give thanks to Laine and Aria Nichols for creating and supplying the cover art for my book. All graphic rights are retained to Avadel. I would also like to give a special thanks to my loving wife for putting in her hard work to get this book ready to read and to my adorable daughter Addilynn for helping me procrastinate. I couldn’t have done this without both of you. I love you both so very much!

Chapter One

A soft cool breeze swept over my bedroom. The hairs on my arms, legs, and neck erected, easing me out of deep sleep. I groaned and shifted in my bed. I lazily opened my eyes to decipher what the clock was showing, but it was no use.

*BEEP, BEEP, BEEP*

The alarm screamed at me to get up out of my bed. I raised my hand, swatting the alarm clock hard and shutting it up.

I don’t want to get up.

Another Monday was here; a day that I loathed more than any other. Rolling over onto my back, I wiped my forehead. I didn’t want to get up, but sadly, I was already wide awake. I sat up and snapped my fingers.

A bloodstained skeleton morphed and formed out of black smoke and fire. Still rubbing my eyes with one hand, I flicked my other off at the closet. It knew what I needed and began its search digging for clothes for me to wear.

I love being a necromancer. In the safety of my room, I could live, breathe, and be me. Outside of this room, I had to be cautious and careful not to be seen as a necro.

The skeleton completed its task by laying out my socks, pants, shirt, and boots. I snapped my fingers again, and the entity dissolved into ash and smoke.

I have hidden my powers of necromancy since I was seven. Suppressing my abilities isn’t natural, and it isn’t safe. I shouldn’t have to hide my skills to begin with, yet in my case, I must. In this day and age, being a necromancer is a high offense, punishable by life in prison or death.

I am the only pure-blooded necromancer left.

When hiding my abilities, it’s like putting on a valve. I can open the passageway just enough to let magic out. I can control what’s coming out and what’s staying in but at a cost.

I can’t overload the valve. If I did that, the results could be deadly to me, others, or both.

I had to learn how to harness electricity; what a pain that was. You could be bi-magical. It’s not unheard of; rare but out there. It puts a lot of strain on the body. That’s why many magic wielders stick with just one practice.

When young magi show signs that they can wield magic, they’re given a teacher and are brought up in a specific field of magic.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a teacher. My father, who was the Grand Master of Necromancy, died when I just seven. Thankfully, for necros, all the knowledge is passed to their first-born sons.

I decided that it’s time to get out of this bed and head to work. I sluggishly stood and looked over myself in the mirror. I wasn’t muscular like a jock but toned. I have black hair cut into a Mohawk and brilliant green eyes full of tiredness.

I stuffed my legs into the pants, pulled the shirt over my head, and tied up my boots. I grabbed my phone and wallet and was out the door.

This Monday was a particularly special Monday. It so happened to be my best friend’s birthday. Emma was turning twenty-one, a year younger than me, and I knew what I was going to get her for her birthday.

My heart jumped as my excitement rose at the thought of her smiling when she got her gift. She had been keeping an eye on a set of daggers that held anti-magical properties. Plus, they could be imbued with a magical shard to make them even more lethal.

Expensive little buggers even without the shards, but Emma could get those at a later date. There came a buzz on my phone; I took it out of my pocket to find a text from my Sergeant:

"Don’t be late for your class, Corporal."

I tapped a quick response:

"I’m not going to be late."

There wasn’t another response afterward, so I put my phone back into my pocket and continued to enjoy the brisk morning walk. Then, there came a realization. My alarm clock woke me up at 8:15, and it took me a while to get moving and dressed.

I drop my shoulders and slap my head. The bus had already come and gone.

Dammit.

I had no other choice. I turned my head in either direction.

I’m in the clear.

I opened my valve all the way and snapped my fingers. In an instant, back wings engulfed me, and I vanished.

Another instant, I appeared on the outskirts of the academy where I worked. I felt an odd sense that someone had seen me but, then again, I’m always a little paranoid when I use my powers outside my room.

The class that I was going to be teaching was on using shields and barriers. I am an analyst on dark magic and creatures, but since dark forces were slow these days, I was told to teach brats.

I couldn’t complain. I did try using electric magic, but that didn’t go far. I was a flunky that knew only the basics, like shields and barrios.

I hustled to the academy for my class. I had most of my upbringing in this academy, from basic training to schooling, but I always got myself turned around and lost.

So, for what seem like an hour, I looked for the gym where my class was held. I found it at 10:15, fifteen minutes late. The gym was full of eleven-year-old trainees. Nostalgia swept over me. Nine years ago, I was in their shoes.

Sorry I’m late, class. I couldn’t find the gym, I spoke, making my way to the center of the gym, motioning the trainees to come closer.

There was the right mix of boys and girls.

There was a hand raised. I pointed at the trainee.

Corporal, what exactly are we doing here?

That’s a good question. This is your eleventh year and your last days of boot camp. Once you graduate, you will go on to further advanced training. Today, however, those who have the ability to wield magic will be learning how to protect those who don’t, I announced.

Everyone looked on at another, some feeling anxious; others whispering that this was so cool.

Okay, so I need this group to split into two groups, I hold up a hand showing the number two, one being magic and the other non-magic.

The groups of kids rapidly began to form two cells. I count each cell to get a total of twenty-three trainees. I hated when I got odd numbers.

Dang it, we have an odd number in the… I pointed at the cell, and a trainee stepped forward in parade rest and shouts.

This is the magic group, Corporal.

The gym echoed with her words.

What’s your name? I asked.

Trainee McKenzie, she barked.

Yes, well trainee, I’m glad you know how to use your voice, but you’re inside. Use your inside voice please, I requested, plugging my ears with my fingers.

She turned a shade of pink.

It’s all right, trainee, I did the same thing when I was a trainee, I winked.

That didn’t seem to help; she turned pinker than before. I feel bad for embarrassing her, but she was so loud.

I clasped my hands together, refocusing the class’s attention on me.

Today, we will be playing Elimination. You will be paired up, magic with non-magic. Magic will protect your non-magic counterpart, I said.

However, there’s an odd number of magic players, so I will be taking one of you to help referee the game.

Everyone looked at the other, not wanting to be the referee’s assistant.

It should be McKenzie, she can’t do basic magic anyways, a blonde with red eyes blurted out.

What’s your name, trainee, I asked the blonde.

Stacy Morgan.

Stacy didn’t look at me, she didn’t go to parade rest, but she did enjoy pointing out that McKenzie had flaws.

Trainee Morgan, I asked you a question, and you forgot to address your superior or show any respect to me, and especially your colleague, I brought to her attention.

I gave Stacy a hard stare, not blinking, eyes focusing, and using a little bit of necromancy to scare her.

Yes, today I’m a little bit of a hypocrite.

Stacy gulped, hesitated, and looked at her other friends for help. When no one would come to aid; Trainee Stacy remembered to go to parade rest.

I will let you know that I do have the capability to recycle you, meaning that you will start your boot camp from the very beginning. Trainee Morgan. I stood right in front of her, barring down on her fear.

Would you like to be recycled so that you can work on your comradery?

No, C-Corporal, she stammered.

Oh good, then you don’t mind apologizing to your battle, buddy, huh, I snapped.

I’m sorry, McKenzie. She almost began to cry.

Okay, time to turn that valve back on.

I sighed and took away the fear. Getting into the middle of the two cells, I whipped my hand out and snapped my fingers. There came a clap of thunder, and lightning shot next to me. Some of the trainees screamed and hid behind a friend.

Next to me, where the lightning struck, two crates appeared. I opened them to reveal to my class, nerf arrows and bows. Smiles were all the way around.

I didn’t always like teaching, but it was worth it at times. I ordered for one cell, the non-magic, to come and pick up a bow and five arrows. Then, I paired each of them with a magi. I decided to make McKenzie my second referee.

Next, came the game of Elimination.

Darts started to fly everywhere, and there came hoots and hoorays. The magi were blocking arrows with ease. They raised their hands and a blaze of fire, wind, ice, etc., would appear protecting their counterpart.

Thus, began my refereeing and helping the magi performance with their abilities.

I notice something off. There were eleven teams and an even number of kids.

I believe that your missing trainee is in the hallways.

I jumped twelve feet in the air when Sergeant Wallow, a two-foot-tall golden lynx with a turtle shell mounted on his back, and four-foot fluffy tail, was right there next to me.

Why didn’t you bring her back in? I questioned.

Not my trainee.

Really?

There is something to be taught here, Eugene. Go, he quietly ordered me.

I popped open the gym doors and searched out into the hallway, seeing Trainee McKenzie sitting in a ball, sniffling.

I strolled up to her. She glanced up and was about to stand before I sat next to her.

You were supposed to be helping me, I whispered.

I’m sorry, she cried into her knees.

For what? I asked.

For leaving the class.

Least I know where you are. Not knowing would have caused an even bigger deal, I chuckled, thinking of the Drill Sergeant killing me.

I can’t perform my magic correctly. I will be a useless mage, a flunky, she tagged onto herself.

What makes you say that? You just started to perform magic.

I reached into my pocket and pull out a badge and toss it into her lap. The weight pulled her from her knees. She took it in her hands, and her eyes widened.

You know what that is? I questioned.

I gaze up at the ceiling as McKenzie examined the badge in the light. The metal was small, with just the letters S.M.G. The letters stood for Special Magi Guild.

This is for Special Operations Divisions, she gasped, looking over at me.

Guess how I got that.

You’re a freaking powerful electric mage! she exclaimed in awe.

No, I’m a flunky, never made it past my advanced classes, I admitted, smiling.

Wait…

Yep, not the greatest, that’s not how I got into the S.M.G.

Then, how?

I specialize in dark magic, dark creatures, and all the other sorts that come with it, I tooted, there’s no one else that knows as much as I do about that stuff. Maybe my Sergeant, but that’s iffy.

I turned to her and smiled, I don’t think that you are, or ever will be, a flunky, but if it did happen, it isn’t a career-ending deal.

You think that? McKenzie whispered, with new tears emerging.

Yes, I do. You’re a good kid, and you will get an advanced teacher who will take all the time in the world to help you and to make sure you get the best opportunity to reach your full potential.

I felt a buzz from my phone and peeked at it. Wallow said that class was ending.

Come on, we need to get back before your Drill Instructor comes to fetch you, I addressed, getting to my feet and offering a hand to the Trainee.

Chapter Two

Later that night, I placed the knife set into a wooden box that I picked up at the weapons depot. I meticulously wrapped the box in green wrapping paper and put a bow on top. Emma’s favorite color was green. I smiled at the thought of how excited Emma would be.

I think I racked up some brownie points.

You’re putting a lot of effort into this gift, considering Emma doesn’t even celebrate her birthday, Mimiku brought up, having her nine-tails sway to and fro as she plopped her chin in her palms, leaning on the kitchen island.

She wore soft short pj shorts and a hoodie crop top.

June Mimiku is my kitsune servant, but she has been the one raising me since I was seven.