Chapter 34 - The Amateur Necromancer

After resting, Skalain woke up, had breakfast, and cleaned himself.

"It was a good decision to rest."

Skalain thought as he felt better. In no time, Skalain and Jareth met up and went to the graveyard.

Skalain stood in the eerie silence of The Graveyard of Red Copper Town, a solemn place filled with weathered tombstones and memories of the departed.

Jareth looked around the graveyard and commented.

"I am a dark mage, but this graveyard always feels scary to me."

Skalain smiled and said nothing. Two graveyard workers opened a coffin and put it on the stone table in front of Skalain and Jareth.

Skalain's eyes fixed on the lifeless corpse before him. This was the corpse of Elliot.

The mage from the Tower of the Black Sun He could not help nodding as he looked at the corpse.

"Humans are really fragile and nothing more than sacks of potatoes when they are dead."

He commented in his mind.

As Skalain's mind churned with thoughts and possibilities, he began to analyze the body, drawing upon the knowledge he had acquired from the book on corpse investigation. His eyes scrutinized every detail, from the discoloration of the skin to the positioning of the limbs.

He observed the telltale signs of rigor mortis, indicating that death had occurred several days ago. The presence of lividity suggested that blood had settled in the lower parts of the body, a crucial clue in determining the time of death.

"This part is not that hard,"

Skalin thought, and he continued to investigate.

Skalain's mind raced, connecting the dots as he considered the circumstances surrounding the murder. He wondered about the possible cause of death, searching for any evident injuries or peculiarities that could provide insight into the killer's method.

Jareth started talking, giving some information about the corpse and how it was found.

"The first ones to find the corpse said that its belly and chest were penetrated by dark-looking arrows. I suppose it is a basic magic energy arrow created by dark energy and commonly used."

Skalain nodded and then added.

"It is not that basic; as we can see, there is no wound from arrows. Which means that those arrows are not simple spells."

Jareth nodded, understanding the point of Skalain clearly.

With each passing moment, Skalain's focus deepened, his perception attuned to the smallest details.

"Yeah, there is no wound on the body at all. It looks like a natural death, and if there was no existence of magic, it would be classified as a natural death."

As he continued his analysis, Skalain's thoughts expanded beyond the physical realm. He tapped into his magical abilities, sensing the residual energy that lingered around the corpse. His fingers tingled with the subtle currents of dark magic, allowing him to glimpse fragments of the past and unravel hidden truths.

"Hmmph"

Skalain smiled.

"The mage was not an experienced mage, but he was using a higher-level spell that was not suited for his power."

"I can feel how the spell was cast and how it was directed."

Skalain's thoughts raced, weighing different possibilities and scenarios.

Was it a personal vendetta, a desire for power, or something far more sinister?

"I can imagine that the corpse of a dark mage would be great material for any necromancer."

"It is common knowledge in the tomes that I have read that the better the corpse, the more powerful the creature that will be created from it."

Amidst the graveyard's stillness, Skalain's determination solidified.

Turning to Jareth, Skalain started talking.

"From what I can see, the murderer is a necromancer with not that much level and experience but uses a spell that is suited for a high-level necromancer."

"I can also say that a murderer needs to have some sort of information on the matter of souls."