Learning Necromancy Basics

Looking at the panels, Vallynor saw new tasks and immediately clicked on them. Information about new tasks appeared:

[

Acolyte of Necromancers.

Having obtained the Necronomicon in your hands, you haven't progressed in three years. Your speed is as slow as a snail's. Enter the Realm of the Dead (copy), where all necromancers are located, and start the first lesson to finally begin progressing if you truly want to become a necromancer. You'll have to pay necro-coins for each lesson.

Reward: 1500 necro-coins.

]

Vallynor pondered and sighed. After reading the task once again, he asked himself how to enter this world. At the same time, a new panel appeared, on which it was written:

[

Do you want to enter the Realm of the Dead?

Yes/No

]

Without much hesitation, Vallynor clicked "Yes." Another panel appeared:

[

Before entering the Realm of the Dead, you need to do the following:

Lie down on a bed or on the floor (so your body doesn't fall after losing control).

Clear your mind and soul.

Imagine the Realm of the Dead as a world beyond the door that you need to pass through.

If you fulfill all the conditions, you will enter the Realm of the Dead. To return, repeat the last condition in reverse order and think about the real world behind the door.

]

Closing all the panels, Vallynor looked around, undressed, and sat down on the bed. It was a long-awaited opportunity to sleep in a proper bed, a bed for the wealthy. Even the bed of Baba Yaga was decent, but compared to it, it seemed like a bed from a Soviet prison.

Now he lay on a soft and warm bed, feeling as if he were in a hotel. But fortunately, that wasn't the case, as he would have had to pay a hefty sum. He had financial problems at some point, as he worked in a company with fake documents and constantly moved from one country to another when the situation became dangerous.

With a slight smirk, he began to clear his mind and imagine the doors through which he would enter a strange place called the Realm of the Dead. He imagined grabbing the door handle and pulling it, then abruptly woke up in the Realm of the Dead.

At every step, there were crosses with names. After looking at them for a while, he slowly walked down the main road in the direction he had been before. As expected, no one was around.

"Whom are you seeking?" a secretive voice came from behind him.

Vallynor turned around and saw a small skeleton dressed in a black cloak. It was surrounded by a faint mist.

"Yes, I want to learn necromancy," Vallynor said, contemplating the new task.

"So, you're looking for a teacher? In that case, will just anyone do for you?" the small skeleton asked, staring at him intently, even though it didn't have eyes, just a skull. Vallynor felt as though its gaze was fixed on him.

Ignoring this feeling, Vallynor pondered how to respond. Initially, he wanted to learn from Ekspervit or Duke Mogila, but that would require finding them and discovering if they would accept his request. So, first, he needed to figure out all the payment conditions and other details. And he replied:

"Yes."

"I can be your necromancy teacher for today. Do you agree to the offer? The cost of a two-hour lesson is 200 necro-coins," the small skeleton quickly said. Vallynor agreed to the offer without much thought but immediately regretted it as he forgot to ask what exactly he would be learning. He had to remember to inquire about the subject of study first next time and then pay to avoid wasting time and resources on what he already knew.

"Alright, payment is received. Before we begin, call me the Old Man. I have many names, but I dislike them all. I've already fulfilled one of the tasks. Second, do you know the basics of necromancy?... Don't look at me like that. The basics are crucial, and it's important for you to establish them correctly," said the Old Man.

"I know how the current necromancers emerged due to demons' experiments. Necrotic energy arises from mana that was present in the corpse..." Vallynor began to explain everything he knew about necromancers. He shared what he had learned in this world and what he remembered from his own world.

The old man nodded and occasionally shook his head. When Vallynor finished his narration, the old man looked at him and said:

"Most of it is true, but there are errors and inaccuracies. If you know where the current necromancers originated, I won't repeat myself and will start with necro-energy. We, necromancers, use two types of energy: necrotic and ordinary mana. Mana is all forms of energy intertwined together. And when it's within a corpse, it starts to change. Part of the energy infuses into the body, leaving its mark and entering the earth along with the corpse. What comes out, however, fuses together and transforms into necro-energy."

The old man began to explain, illustrating with visualizations using magic. He showed how mana from a corpse starts to separate, with some staying within the corpse while the rest exits and transforms into necro-energy.

"Why is it preferable for necromancers to use necrotic energy instead of mana? After all, mana is always available everywhere. Obtaining a substantial amount of necro-energy is very challenging. It's quite simple: when using mana, the spell's power varies from 25% to 83%. It all depends on how well you control the energy," the old man continued.

The old man demonstrated how mana moved back and forth like a snake, and then showed the same with necro-energy. Vallynor immediately noticed that the snake made of necro-energy appeared more dangerous and aggressive than the one made of mana.

Showing both forms of energy, the old man projected both snakes onto two stones. Vallynor witnessed two explosions, one larger than the other. The old man also looked at these two stones, resembling gravestones. Then the old man turned to Vallynor and continued:

"That was a simple spell from the path of poisons and curses of a necromancer. From what you've seen, you can already understand the difference between using mana and necro-energy. And now let's move on to the classes of necromancy. Necromancy is magic that resurrects the dead, and that's a fact. However long a necromancer lives, they won't be able to fully grasp the essence of this art. There are many reasons, the most banal being death from old age. Not all necromancers are ready to embrace death and become one of their servants, the undead. Another reason is being killed by ignorant people who believe in gods and light. As if the light fucks them to the core, turning them into fanatics and idiots. Once they find out about you, they won't leave you in peace. And so on."

The last remark reminded Vallynor of various commonplace stories where the main character is foolish and listens to the church, killing everyone left and right. Only because the church said to. And the main character is ready to even kill children, gays, fat women, and even, even his wife and offspring. Or rather, to castrate himself. Vallynor often dreamed of torturing them, making them suffer. He was tired of such foolish people, especially after an unpleasant incident in this world, where he found out that foolish people were everywhere. How can you explain to women that they're begging for likes to show they're helping fight discrimination against women in Iraq or Saudi Arabia? Vallynor didn't remember if it was one country or both, but foolish people would always be everywhere. That's a fact, and one has to come to terms with it. But he couldn't. Damn it.

"Alright, necromancers have divided into three paths through the study of necromancy. Of course, with the help and permission of the god of Death and Death itself. They are known as Lords of the Dead, necromancers, and they continue to study the dead themselves. They've learned to create stronger, smarter, and so on undead. For example, vampires are the product of necromancers. Of course, there are two types of vampires, some with roots in necromancers, while others are biological creatures with mutations. Ironically, we don't know who came from where. Meaning, the first vampires were undead, and their descendants mutated, or necromancers copied and created a vampire replica. It remains a mystery."

"The second path is the Path of the Lord of a Thousand Poisons and Curses of the Underworld. It's focused on studying poisons, curses, and souls. A necromancer, in studying the dead, must also study their souls, as soul knowledge is an integral part of this path. Without it, a necromancer can't create powerful liches, vampires, and similar beings. Poisons and curses are also dangerous and practical in battle. For example, you can curse targets, causing their bones to calcify, and then use these bones as weapons or armor, and so on."

The old man summoned several skeletons and cursed their bones. The bones quickly and aggressively started to enlarge and strengthen, but soon turned into dust. As a result, all the skeletons turned to dust. Then the old man summoned several corpses and placed the same curse upon them. The corpses quickly dried up, while the bones enlarged and petrified, until all the flesh turned to dust, leaving only stony bones behind.

After that, the old man raised his hand, and all the stony bones quickly shattered into pieces, which flew towards him, enveloping his small figure in armor and a weapon that took the form of a sword.

"For the first time, I saw how a curse can turn bones into complete petrification. This happens because resources have limitations. Creating something out of nothing is impossible. Thus, the curse of bone petrification requires resources that come from the flesh and blood of the victim. However, this curse is effective against liches, as it allows their physical shell, mainly composed of bones, to be destroyed. For example, much like myself," the old man said, chuckling at the last words. Waving his hand, he dispersed all the petrified bones, turning them into dust.

"The third path is the most mysterious, as it has no clear boundaries. It's the Path of the Supreme Undead – the noble path. In essence, a necromancer chooses complete renunciation of life and becomes devoted to Death, in other words, undeath. In such cases, a necromancer can become a supreme undead, such as a lich or a walking skeleton. It's important how he chooses his further path through a ritual. I'm talking about the phylactery, whether he can walk under the sun and if his range is restricted in territories abundant with magical energy. A necromancer can also choose the path of a vampire, but various nuances are associated with the chosen ritual. There are also Death Knights and other melee classes that necromancers choose, preferring to fight in direct combat without overthinking it too much."

Vallynor listened attentively and marveled, gaining a wealth of new knowledge. He closely observed the old man and felt that he was unfolding this entire picture with a smile. After thinking for a while, Vallynor raised his hand, and the old man stopped, nodding to indicate that he could continue.

"Based on your narrative, I wanted to clarify: in order to become a supreme undead, is a ritual required? And are there different rituals leading to the same result? In other words, can one become a specific type of undead but with different categories? And what does it mean to have a phylactery and not to have one?"

"Good questions. To become a supreme undead, rituals and specific items are required. For example, to become a lich, a combination of necromancer's magic and ice is needed. That's why a lich fears fire and sunlight. However, this isn't related to demon blood, as demons themselves have such weaknesses. They aren't afraid of fire and sunlight because hell is, essentially, a combination of ice, cold, fire, and lava. Darkness and light are present in hell. Demons are born and live in these biomes, but there's no sun in their realms. When they find themselves in worlds with stars, including the sun, they feel irritation and weaken. To become a vampire, a vast amount of blood is needed, especially from powerful creatures. Thus, after transformation into a vampire, you immediately become a powerful one. You can also use various additional ingredients and blood from creatures with immunity to fire, so that after becoming a vampire, you're not afraid of the sun. Through a ritual, you can choose what you'll possess and what weakness you'll gain. A phylactery is a magical item that contains the soul of the necromancer. One can become a lich with a phylactery, and such a lich will be immortal until their phylactery is destroyed. Alternatively, one can become a lich without a phylactery, or rather, their own body becomes the phylactery, and as long as even one bone of their body exists, it will slowly regenerate. Each path has its pros and cons. It can't be that everything is good and advantageous. If you ever desire to become true undead, I advise you to be attentive to everything – rituals, items, timing, and so on."

"Let's continue. In your opinion, what distinguishes a good necromancer from a bad one?" asked the old man, looking intently at the puzzled Vallynor.

This question made Vallynor ponder. What makes a necromancer good? Undoubtedly, he helps others and saves people. But after that, he can deceive and drain their blood. A necromancer can amass a harem that won't even touch them. However, these are merely ordinary Japanese and Chinese stories.

But let's be serious. Does a necromancer need intelligence? Of course, he does, as a foolish necromancer can't pose a threat. A strong army? It's also necessary, as a necromancer primarily summons the dead.

What else could be important? Ruthlessness. Because a necromancer will always be an enemy to all living beings in ordinary worlds. Here, it's a different mentality.

"Ruthlessness," Vallynor said.

"Partially, but that's not the most crucial thing. He-he-he," the old man chuckled softly, turned around, and said, "I won't give you the answers. You must understand them yourself. And now, we will practice the basics of necromancy. I will teach you how to properly create undead."

The old man took out several corpses, approached one of them, and began to recite a spell. Then he swayed the corpse, and it slowly but steadily stood up, gazing attentively at the old man, then started trembling.

"Halt," commanded the old man.

Vallynor didn't notice this slight tremor as he was contemplating the process of creating undead and how it moved faster than Vallynor himself.

"...place these two stones there and write ********. Then go and perform," said the old man, addressing Vallynor, who was lost in thought.

Vallynor heard a strong click and turned towards its source. There stood a small skeleton in a black necromancer's robe.

"You won't be able to do the same right now because you haven't taken the first step in development. Besides, it requires experience. And thirdly, you lack a foundation in magic itself and an understanding of its workings, as taught by Baba Yaga. These are ancient and primitive methods of magic use, so to speak, magic of ancestors and primitive people."

The old man took a corpse, several times larger than him, and threw it at Vallynor's feet, then said:

"You've learned to create undead using runes devised by blacksmiths. But let me tell you, this method is good if you don't want to be a necromancer. But if you want to become one, it's better to forget this weak and incomplete method. I will teach you the first spell you already know – the raising of minor undead. But first, I need to give you some explanations about how the spell works," the old man said, raising his hands and conjuring two chairs before himself and Vallynor, then gestured for them to sit.

Vallynor looked at the chairs, entirely made of bones. Understanding that his silence was making the old man wait, and time was being wasted, he sat down and waited.

"Magic is a power granted to all living beings. But not everyone is capable of using it. Reasons can vary: weak body, weak soul, or weak will. If you want to use magic, you must possess a strong body, a strong soul, or a strong will. Although, of course, in each of the thousand worlds, there might be their own rules and laws, and in one world, magic might be controlled through the strength of the soul, while in another – through a strong will, and so on..."

The old man paused and pondered for a moment. His pupils disappeared and quickly returned. He sighed and continued:

"The most common way to control magic is by using words and spells. The words of a spell can be seen as prayers, requests, or instructions to mana on what to do. If you understand the meaning of a spell, you can read the description of what you expect from it. And why do we chant spells in a different language? Very simply, it's the oldest and primal language that permeates the essence of reality and allows us to obtain powerful spells."

"Before you start casting spells, I will teach you how to manipulate energy. Fortunately, this isn't your real body. Because if it were, it wouldn't withstand my energy and would explode. But even if you feel pain, your soul won't be damaged, only temporary pain," the Old Man spoke, filling Vallynor with worrisome words.

Hearing the threatening words, Vallynor gave the Old Man a strange look. He began to question how the Old Man knew so much about him and his weaknesses. Although Vallynor could sense mana, his level of mastery was so low that even a blind person could see more and do more.

Desiring with all his heart to master magic, Vallynor realized that without a teacher, he was currently at the level of a peasant who doesn't even know what magic is. He discovered his inexperience.

The Old Man sensed his doubts, reading them in his gaze and confusion. He snapped his bony fingers. And then, in response to the question "from where?" a massive stone fell from the sky, carved with Vallynor's name (True Name: ?????) and his description. All his weaknesses were listed there. Vallynor learned something new about himself. At first, he denied it, deeming it a lie. But he quickly surrendered, realizing that everything written was true. He turned to the small skeleton and asked:

"From where... Where did this stone come from? And who wrote it?"

"This stone is a mark of the owner of the grimoire. Whoever is written on it becomes its owner. And all of this was written by the Necronomicon itself. And anyone can read it," the Old Man replied.

"Why?" Vallynor asked.

"Why? So that we understand your weaknesses and rectify them. And now, come closer. The lesson will soon be over, and I don't teach for free," the Old Man insisted.

Vallynor quickly shook off his surprise and approached the Old Man. The Old Man instructed him to sit behind him. Vallynor complied, and then felt two cold bony hands touch his back. The clothing on his back lit up with violet fire, consuming his cloak and leaving his back exposed. Even though it was a soul projecting a physical body, it looked so realistic that the Old Man could see the white, pure skin – as white as milk or that of vampires who fear the sun.

Vallynor didn't feel the fire burning his cloak on his back, but he felt the bony hands of the Old Man most distinctly. Inside, he thought about the pain he was supposed to endure. Due to his semi-dead nature, he had never experienced pain since the beginning of his existence. He had almost forgotten it. But now he felt it again, physical pain...

"Halt! What type of pain are you talking about?" Only now did Vallynor understand that he didn't know what kind of pain he would experience. Initially, he thought of physical pain because the Old Man was talking about his body and how it wouldn't endure. But now, in this astral realm, physical pain didn't matter. Only emotional pain remained, and luckily, he had experience with that.

The Old Man didn't reply, slowly moving his necrotic energy and mana. He made them penetrate Vallynor's body. Gradually, the two forms of energy started moving along his body, like living serpents.

At first, these serpents moved slowly, but with each passing second, they became more aggressive, spreading throughout Vallynor's soul. Then they returned back to the Old Man through his other hand.

"Aaaah!" Initially, the pain was bearable, and Vallynor regarded it as an unpleasant itch. But it quickly grew stronger, almost becoming unbearable. Vallynor's soul cracked from the pain, as if tearing apart.

"Don't scream like a woman. Are you a man? Then be silent and endure. Instead of just suffering, concentrate and feel how mana and necrotic energy flow into you. Try not only to feel but also to control them, take charge of them," the Old Man instructed.

Despite the cries, Vallynor managed to hear the Old Man's words. Clenching his teeth, he began to focus. Ignoring the pain, he attempted to sense new sensations. He aimed to feel how another aggressive and potent energy mixed within his body.