"Jeneviv."
I stepped back and called her name softly. This startled her out of her thoughts and she followed me. We entered the brightly lit basement to find the operation room fully built with all the equipment ready.
"Why are you bringing me here? Are you trying to kill me after trusting you?"
I laughed.
"No, you don’t have to worry, it’s routine operation for all of them."
She looked at me sceptically but nodded. Donovan came behind her and knocked her out before she could react. He carried and placed her in the bed where Luna injected her with anesthesia.
"Are you sure about her young master?"
Donovan asked while I was washing my hands. I nodded. I knew from the beginning that it would be hard for the other three to wrap their head around the reason for a necromancer, except for Luna.
"Yes, my next research focuses mainly on the soul and who knows souls best?"
I raised one eyebrow in amusement as I said this. Donovan ran his hands through his hair clearly in frustration.
"Necromancers."
He responded grumpily. I walked to the already prepared operation room to find luna organisingthe tool mindlessly.
"Donovan, you have to push your prejudice to the side a bit. It’s okay to hate all necromancers, but not Jeneviv, she’ll be working with you from now on."
"It’s just frustrating, young master. My parents were killed by a passing necromancer who was looking for a snack for his summon and decided my parents’ souls were the best meal he could take."
Donovan said his frustration in a shakyvoice.
"Did you find the necromancer?"
I asked him curiously as Luna handed me the scalpel. Donovan rarely talked about his family, and since his growth was impressive as a commoner, I had thoughthe had a family.
"No, but I do remember his face, that was the only thing that kept me going. "
"Then hold onto it and stop projecting on her, you’ll eventually find him. Revenge can take place even after a hundred years."
Donovan chuckled at that.
"What if he’s dead?"
He jokingly said.
"Then we’ll summon his soul and torture it. There are just so many possibilities, that’s why we need a necromancer ."
Donovan never responded. Footsteps leaving echoed in the room as they disappeared. He had left the basement mid-conversation.
"Tsk! Suction."
Luna did as she was told. The operation didn’t take more than half a sand glass. Luna stitched up the wound, and we transferred her to a guest room.
My plans were eventually coming to fruition. I knew I hadn’t even stepped through the gates of alchemy. What I was doing was the bare minimum, I had a long way to go, and I would not give up.
If death ever comes knocking i will knock it right back.
’Alchimies’
A blue light appeared in my hand. I could feel the small power in it. While I was proficient in basic magic, the branch of alchemic magic was not very well explored.
I was teaching myself, and despite all the growth and experiments, I was still in the dark on how to proceed. One wrong step could ruin it all while the right step could bring me a step closer.
I wasn’t confident, but I wasn’t scared either, I just felt like I was in a limbo since the dreams had gotten more frequent. It was as though my body was preparing itself for a traumatic response I couldn’t remember.
"Master."
Luna’s calming voice startled me out of my thoughts. I had been having those a lot, probably an existential crisis.
"Yes."
I mumbled against her stomach. She was seated with my head placed on her lap. I loved the warmth it provided, one of the few things I craved.
"Are you feeling alright?"
Her worry made my stomach knot. She always notices things faster than anyone else. I never wanted to lose this, how lonely it would be. I didn’t want to fall back into the darkness in my dreams.
"I’m fine, I’m just wondering if I’ll ever achieve perfect immortality, or is it a fool’s gambit?"
She turned my head to meet her green eyes. My face looked different inside her pupils, healthier, but with a touch of exhaustion.
"It’s okay to feel unsettled, master, but I’m sure you will achieve immortality, and I will be there every step of the way."
"Even if everyone turns against me?"
"Yes, master, I will be the sword that decimates anything that stands in the master’s way."
"You know, Luna, I do not wish to die again ."
"You won’t master."
I chuckled at that. This is the only devotion that I needed, pure and simple, without anything in exchange. I had created her to be my sword, and she proved herself in more ways than one.
To most people, immortality was nothing but a desperate lunatic’s dream, which was why kings destroyed their own nations at the mention of immortality.
"Luna."
I called her name softly.
"Yes, master."
"I wish to sleep."
’To visit my nightmares’
I dread sleep sometimes, but a lack of it would affect my vitality. I couldn’t allow that. The body had to be at its healthiest all the time.
"It’s morning master."
Morning came faster than I had anticipated, and the dream that plagued me didn’t come. For once i had a dreamless sleep.
A privilege, if you could call it.
Maybe I had shed a bit of my worries, but I knew they would never go away until the day I achieved immortality and beat death.
"Let me sleep a little. "
Luna pulled the covers letting the morning chill brush against my warm skin.
I shivered.
That took away any lingering sleep I had.
"Okay, I’m awake."
She helped me bathe and dress before we went downstairs. I had once tried to stop her from helping me when I reached my adolescence, but it proved to be fruitless; she didn’t accept my kind offer.
"Young master you’re the last to come downstairs."
Donovan said the moment I sat at the dining table. Luna placed my food and blood in front of me before sitting down next to me.
"I prefer my beauty sleep. That’s why I’m this good-looking. "
I nonchalantly said and took a sip of my blood. I frowned and turned to Luna and took her wrist. There was a fresh healing mark.
"Didn’t I tell you to stop cutting yourself?"
I asked cross. This had been an ongoing debate among us but she put her foot down and refused to listen to me.
"I couldn’t find fresh blood."
I sighed and let go of her hand. Despite her loyalty, she can be stubborn sometimes.
"The guildmaster came and invited us ."
Blair cut through the tension. Bless him.
"For what?"
"Something about a party among young nobles in the town."
I rolled my eyes at that.
"He’s probably been pressured when the nobles knew you had come to the city."
Blair continued.
"A waste of time."
Everyone chuckled at that.
"They are probably trying to set you up young master. Right now you’re the golden bachelor with the prince engagement. "
I choked on the blood. This was the most ridiculous rumour I had heard about me.
I, a golden bachelor, ridiculous.
For anyone, wanting to marry into the duchy was bound to be disappointed. Female vampires married male vampires since they had to produce pure bloods but males were different.
They had a bigger playground. It was probably why the nobles were starting to scramble since I was their only way into the Bloodmoor family.
"Where is the necromancer?"
I had noticed she was missing at the table and thought she had probably overslept or something but she had not come from downstairs.
Donovan stood up, collecting his plates, and pointed out the window.
"She’s outside, woke up crying about losing her identity or something like that. She does not appreciate having her head split open and a spell that could control and kill her at anytime placed inside of her."
I chucked at Donovans sarcastic remarks.
"She’ll get over it."
As if summoned, the front door opened, I could feel her low mood before she entered. Well everyone has a different reaction to the obedience spell.
"We’ll be leaving in half a sand glass"
I said addressing her. She could throw a tantrum when we got to the capital. This town wasn’t a place to stay for long. I was sure some stupid noble would try to visit, and I didn’t have time for that.
Half a sand glass later, we were in the carriage, rushing out of the noble part of the town, heading for the exit.
We were driving down the last stretch of the street when something caught my eye.
"Stop the carriage !"
I loudly said, but I was already opening the door. I jumped out before it could stop since it had been going at a slightly higher speed.
"Master!"
Luna’s call came, but I didn’t look back, my mind was on what I had seen. I just hoped it wasn’t an illusion.